The Tunnel Beyond

Alex Finn

What? They're remaking the Mario movie?

Sampson Davis

Yeah.

Alex Finn

Is John Leguizamo still going to be in it?

Sampson Davis

No, but Charlie Day is Luigi, so. That's a thing. Also Jack Black is Bowser, so that's also a thing.

Stace Babcock

I'm going to watch it. For sure.

Sampson Davis

Yeah?

Alex Finn

I'm going to stay pure and go with the horrible one. It had so much more potential.

Daniel Andrlik

I don't think you're going to be able to differentiate with just that descriptor. I think these are both going to be horrible.

Alex Finn

True.

Sampson Davis

Also, speaking of crazy movies with John Leguizamo, we all need to go back and rewatch Romeo + Juliet because it's a crazy movie. John Leguizamo's Tybalt is just a force of nature and I love him.

Alex Finn

I thought you were going to talk about him in the movie The Pest, and I was just like yeah, that is a mind-fuck of a movie.

Sampson Davis

No, no. Romeo + Juliet. Even crazier.

Alex Finn

He has a lot of range. You just sit there like, what the fuck is this?

Sampson Davis

He has no inhibitors. He has no limits.

Daniel Andrlik

He's also one of those actors that every time I see him in a movie I'm always just like, aw, I'm happy to see him.

Sampson Davis

When is John Leguizamo going to get into the MCU?

Alex Finn

Ooh.

Sampson Davis

He deserves a role.

Alex Finn

Yes. But what superhero? Or is he just going to be the cute little lab assistant who's going to be like, oh, let me help you.

Sampson Davis

No, he should get a big role. He could be a big villain. That'd be cool.

Alex Finn

Ooh.

Stace Babcock

Starbuck is rubbing her little cheeks all over the edges of my dice tray, I assume to put her pheromones on it.

Alex Finn

Those are Starbuck's dice now. I'm sorry.

Stace Babcock

Yeah, it is her dice tray.

Daniel Andrlik

Mm-hmm (affirmative). So. Who remembers what happened last time? I'm going to pick on Alex.

Alex Finn

That's not fair. I'm sick. Why are you picking on the... infirmed? Is that the word?

Stace Babcock

He can sense weakness.

Daniel Andrlik

I can smell it over the TCP connection.

Alex Finn

Okay. Last time on Explorers Wanted, we left the city to go fight some angels who were picking on children. Yeah? Yeah.

Stace Babcock

Yeah?

Sampson Davis

No, I want to see how well you do.

Alex Finn

Okay. So.

Stace Babcock

And I wasn't paying attention.

Alex Finn

Okay. So I'm not sure which episode this was, but it was established that Zacc was an amazing troubadour and ChaCha is like the awkward step-cousin of troubadours, but like higher than a juggler in our world.

Daniel Andrlik

Yeah. For sure.

Stace Babcock

Because they smoke more on average than a juggler.

Alex Finn

Like if you're making a tier list of entertainers, Zacc is like S-tier. Jugglers are F-tier. ChaCha's like an E or a D. That's how I'm envisioning it. But like, she can do up to B-level performances if you don't look. Kind of like that character in Mystery Man. Anyway. So we went around to gather information because yeah, angels were kidnapping children and they were just disappearing. Implication of, oh no. So we all left the town to go find the angels, and I guess we were using ChaCha as bait? I really don't know what the game plan was with this. We were just like, let's just go find them. It's going to be fine. Don't worry.

Daniel Andrlik

Pretty sure that was your game plan.

Alex Finn

Yeah. But we did find them, and we killed four of them I think. And then we kept going to the ruins of this old town, and there was a whole shit ton of them banging at a forcefield like, let us in, let us in. It's Black Friday. You should've opened a minute ago. And Dili sent an illusion to them. Yes? But didn't really do shit? So we all made a break for the barrier? And then when we got to the other side of the barrier, they started freaking out trying to get at ChaCha. So ChaCha was given Dili's stuff to experiment, to see if we could divert their attentions. And it finally worked with the cube, but Dili couldn't see the cube. And then so we took the cube plus the crystal, merged them together like in Dragon Ball Z, and ChaCha absorbs the mystery power, got purple glow smoke, and chased the angels away.

And then we were like, yeah, that totally solved this town's problem. Don't worry about it. And then Zacc gave us presents and we left.

Stace Babcock

I really do hope our characters actually did some good for once. But maybe not, because at the end...

Sampson Davis

At the end?

Stace Babcock

Down in the tunnel.

Alex Finn

Oh yeah. I think our jade egg baby hatched and it's killing people in the tunnel.

Stace Babcock

What?

Sampson Davis

No, I don't think so. Because the jade egg is still in the freezer and we sent the freezer away with Zacc. Also Race is in there.

Alex Finn

Are you sure?

Stace Babcock

Maybe whatever's on the other side of the cave-in was better left buried.

Alex Finn

I guess.

Sampson Davis

I mean, that's probably true. But for sure the jade egg is with Race, who is with Zacc.

Alex Finn

I mean, but that was only one out of millions of them. Dr. Oz had a booming business.

Daniel Andrlik

Mm-hmm (affirmative). Also important, Nix got a glove.

Stace Babcock

Nix got a dope-ass glove, electric glove. So it is an electric glove that does plus one damage normally and plus three electric damage upon activation. So a Nix punch has a base of eight if she hits with that glove.

Daniel Andrlik

Mm-hmm (affirmative). And it was unstable.

Alex Finn

Oh.

Daniel Andrlik

And Dili got a knife.

Sampson Davis

Yeah. Also, and this is probably the most important thing, we found out Vlad is a bit of a writer.

Alex Finn

Oh! He writes the dirty romance novellas! I feel like there was one about being dominated by somebody in a seskii costume.

Daniel Andrlik

That's correct.

Stace Babcock

"Seskii Says".

Alex Finn

Don't you like what sticks in my brain?

Daniel Andrlik

Listeners, I'll put a selective bibliography of Zacc's titles on the wiki once this episode airs. For your enjoyment.

Alex Finn

I feel like, once we get to like 69,420 downloads, we should as a joke write a chapter of one of these books. But like 69,420 downloads first, and we'll give you a chapter of the most voted upon book. I will write it myself if I have to. I used to write fanfic. I know what I'm doing.

Daniel Andrlik

Man, you guys would have to think really hard about which book you'd want to write a chapter from. Because there is of course, Loins of the Last Born.

Stace Babcock

I already know what that's about.

Alex Finn

Listen. This is going to be a listener voted thing once they get us to 69,420 votes. We'll put a poll up in the Discord.

Stace Babcock

Really? No.

Alex Finn

Yeah.

Stace Babcock

Mm-mm (negative).

Alex Finn

Well we get to narrow it down to the top four.

Stace Babcock

I have a vision. I already know what it's going to be.

Alex Finn

Okay. Stace, are you going to write us this chapter?

Stace Babcock

I mean, I could. If you're asking. Just saying.

Alex Finn

We already have volunteers, people. Start downloading. Steal your friend's phone. Download an episode or five.

Daniel Andrlik

Yeah. So the town is helping you guys dig out the tunnels, because Nix's social roll combined with Zacc's social graces early on established that this town was going to help in any way that they could reasonably. And so they're helping you guys digging out the tunnel now. They don't have big machinery, so this is going to be a multi-day project. I don't know if Dili wants to be working on something during those multiple days.

Sampson Davis

Oh, I absolutely do.

Alex Finn

Yeah. He has that trait of always-

Sampson Davis

Also, I have a cannon to put in Nix's leg.

Alex Finn

And a baby pew pew for Hubert.

Sampson Davis

And I might be able to stabilize... well, we'll start with the cannon first.

Alex Finn

I feel like, yeah. Ooh! How about a sniper rifle?

Sampson Davis

Cannon first.

Alex Finn

But like, sniper rifle?

Sampson Davis

Stace, do you want a cannon or a sniper rifle?

Stace Babcock

Cannon.

Sampson Davis

Cannon.

Stace Babcock

The cannon is canon.

Daniel Andrlik

Okay.

Stace Babcock

I hope Nix doesn't... I mean, does she seem like the sniper type? I don't think so.

Alex Finn

I just feel like it would be so useful.

Daniel Andrlik

Nix waiting somewhere?

Sampson Davis

Yeah.

Daniel Andrlik

And not rushing in? No. Nah.

Stace Babcock

Never.

Sampson Davis

I could see her doing like, 360 no-scopes. But she's not standing still. She's doing it within 10 feet of her target.

Alex Finn

Well no. She's like, running around just shooting, and then somehow she's actually hitting people. And you're just like, what the fuck is happening? And she's just like, running and sniping. And you're like, this doesn't make sense.

Stace Babcock

Alex, it's a cannon.

Daniel Andrlik

So. If Dili would like to do this, give me a crafting Numenera roll of 12. Now, this is a cognitive task.

Sampson Davis

Yes.

Daniel Andrlik

That brings it up to 15.

Sampson Davis

Then it goes back to a nine because of my two free levels of effort.

Daniel Andrlik

You're trained and you have tools, so it's a three for you.

Sampson Davis

Dili also has a crafting book that I think he's going to employ. His crafting book is also his notebook and his journal, so he's been writing in it all this time. I think that's also where his plans exist in written form.

Daniel Andrlik

Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Sampson Davis

And since this is going to be kind of a downtime project, I would like to employ that to make it a freebie.

Daniel Andrlik

Sure. I'll give that to you.

Sampson Davis

Excellent.

Daniel Andrlik

You get it inserted into Nix's leg and the leg is now ready to reattach.

Sampson Davis

Nix, are you ready for this? I'm pretty fucking excited.

Stace Babcock

Nix like, recklessly swings in on her crutches. She hasn't quite figured them out but she wants to go fast.

Alex Finn

Aw. Just like Ricky Bobby.

Sampson Davis

You're normally so graceful. I don't... anyway. We reattach.

Stace Babcock

We reattach.

Daniel Andrlik

Okay. So you bring the leg close to the joint at Nix's hip, and there is a humming of energy. The insides glow jade green, just along the inside, and it just slips right out of your hand and snaps into place. Nix, you suddenly have this sensory awareness of this leg now attached. And a new function.

Stace Babcock

Dili. Let's go test this and see what it can do. Let's just like, go out back.

Sampson Davis

Oh yeah. Dan, as part of this crafting, can Dili also make... I guess basically like little mortar shells for Nix to put her venom in that could be fired out of the cannon.

Alex Finn

Oh, fuck yeah.

Daniel Andrlik

That would have to be a separate project. You wouldn't be able to it the same time you're installing the leg.

Sampson Davis

Ah shit. Can Dili craft one while he's putting the cannon in the leg? Just so we have something to fire?

Daniel Andrlik

Oh, I assumed you were just going to have it shoot sling rocks at first. That was your original design.

Sampson Davis

I mean, yeah. We could do that too. But I'm also thinking venom projectiles.

Daniel Andrlik

Okay. Let's put this to an ability test. Give me an 18 crafting Numenera roll. If you succeed, you are efficient enough to have time to build out some of this new ammo as well. If you fail, then all you finished is the leg.

Sampson Davis

All right. So with all my cognitive stuff, that goes to 15. 12 with the tools, nine with the training.

Daniel Andrlik

Nine with the training. Can't use your book again because you're already using it for the other project.

Sampson Davis

Yep. Figured. Yeah, I'll try that. 14.

Daniel Andrlik

Okay. You've got some poison mortar ammo.

Alex Finn

Ooh.

Stace Babcock

They're empty, I- well...

Sampson Davis

Yeah. They're basically just shells, yeah.

Stace Babcock

Nix has probably been milking in anticipation.

Sampson Davis

That's fair. Mm-hmm (affirmative). Yeah, let's go test them out.

Daniel Andrlik

So you guys are walking out the inn to go test this out, and it's at that point when the headman of the village, also the innkeeper, comes running up to you guys. He's got dirt all across his face. He's like, "It's terrible! Something terrible happened! We've lost three people down there."

Sampson Davis

Where's ChaCha? That's a serious question. Where's ChaCha?

Daniel Andrlik

You could correct me if I'm wrong, Alex, but I wouldn't be surprised if you say that and coming out of between two buildings behind you is just ChaCha.

Alex Finn

Yes.

Daniel Andrlik

Walking softly.

Alex Finn

Looking like she'd probably be whistling like, nobody pay any attention, just walking through this alleyway. All casual.

Stace Babcock

Uh, yeah. Take us there. We'll check it out.

Daniel Andrlik

Okay, okay. Oh god. We lost Sylvie and we lost Jackson.

Stace Babcock

Was it a cave-in, or?

Daniel Andrlik

We were trying to dig out the cave and Sylvie saw something. She said she saw something at the edge of the opening that she had dug out. And then her hands went in and she screamed and then she was pulled all the way through. We couldn't stop Jackson before he followed her, and then he got pulled away too. Reminder, Jackson is the kid from the bar that told Nix about the angels.

Alex Finn

Not the kid that was drinking! This is what happens when you drink underage. No it's not.

Sampson Davis

This exact thing is what happens.

Alex Finn

When you be a badass in a fantasy world, that's how you die. It's like having premarital sex in a horror movie. You're just fucking gone.

Stace Babcock

Do you have any other hatches that go down into the tunnels? Maybe further at... whatever, Daniel. North? Whatever would be the other side of the cave-in.

Daniel Andrlik

We haven't really spent any time in the tunnels because... we cordoned it off because people would fall and sometimes people would get hurt. We haven't really been down there. At least nobody that I know had ever been down there until you guys came out of it and showed us how to get there.

Alex Finn

Awkward.

Stace Babcock

Oh shit. All right. Well take us down there and we'll see what's up. We were trying to test something anyway, right Dili?

Sampson Davis

Yep, yeah. Yeah.

Daniel Andrlik

And just by the way, because it's been several days, you guys should have full pools of-

Alex Finn

Heck yeah!

Daniel Andrlik

Everything. Just to...

Alex Finn

I got to go make sure and figure out what I'm doing as a person.

Stace Babcock

Full pools, full hearts.

Alex Finn

Hell yeah.

Daniel Andrlik

Can't lose.

Stace Babcock

Can't lose. Yeah, I was going to say. That's not true. We know that.

Daniel Andrlik

The headman takes you back over to the greenhouse. They have set up a little bit more of an elaborate rope setup. It's nothing fancy. It's not like a pulley or anything like that. But they've got knotted rope to make it easier to climb down, and you guys are able to get down there no problem. Here's my question, though. Is Dili bringing Manta Ray with him right now?

Sampson Davis

I think Dili does probably need Manta Ray just to ride on, because his groin is a little twinged at the moment. But if Manta Ray doesn't want to go down into the hole, Dili's not going to force it at this point.

Daniel Andrlik

Manta Ray's not excited about going down into a hole, no.

Sampson Davis

All right, well. At this point if Manta Ray doesn't want to go down, then Dili will just be like, all right. You stay here. I'll be right back. And then he just kind of scritches under whatever chin equivalent Manta Ray has.

Daniel Andrlik

Just on the sides of his mouth scoops.

Alex Finn

Yeah.

Sampson Davis

Yes. Wherever's appropriate. I'm not a Steve Irwin.

Daniel Andrlik

As long as you worked that out with him in advance. Yeah, so Manta Ray kind of makes a little cooing, or Manta Ray's version of cooing. Sort of like... So you guys are going down into this hole. The headman walks you through the tunnels that they've attached some glow globes to. They don't have a lot of glow globes, so they're also using torches. He leads you through to the rock wall, and you can see they've... it's nowhere near open, but they're making progress. And there is, in fact, one or two spots where they've managed to pull out enough that there's the darkness beyond. There's maybe one hole that's kind of low to the ground, and there's one hole that's a little bit higher. And the headman points at the lower one and says, that's where they were taken.

Stace Babcock

All right. Guess that's where we're going, guys. And Nix'll walk over and sort of peer into there.

Alex Finn

Oh shit. Hubert the Second's going to attack. Oh yeah, and ChaCha came along. I'm just saying. She followed.

Daniel Andrlik

Yeah.

Alex Finn

She didn't just show up awkwardly and just like... do-do-do-do-do! Walking in the background.

Daniel Andrlik

Yeah, ChaCha's always there.

Alex Finn

Always watching.

Sampson Davis

Also Vlad, is he just minding his own business somewhere?

Daniel Andrlik

Vlad's with you.

Sampson Davis

Okay.

Daniel Andrlik

He's been very quiet since you guy's encounter with Zacc.

Sampson Davis

Interesting.

Stace Babcock

So this purr, is it... obviously Nix has experienced many of Hubert the Second's purrs.

Daniel Andrlik

It's a little hard to read. In this particular case it's not clear... because it's not as enthusiastic as its happiest trills. But it's not a sort of shrieking thing. It's almost like a sort of, almost like it's trying to comfort itself.

Stace Babcock

Aw.

Alex Finn

Oh, it's self-soothing. There we go.

Daniel Andrlik

Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Stace Babcock

Nix offers reassuring head scritches. Theoretical, you know, where the ears would be.

Daniel Andrlik

Yeah.

Stace Babcock

How big is... they were pulled through. Is there a roughly person-sized hole through this cave-in? Or...

Daniel Andrlik

Barely. It's wide enough that someone could squeeze through it, but it's not like a person-sized hole in the same way. It's kind of angular, like... somebody could get through it, but if somebody was actually pulled through it those rocks would be tearing into them a bit.

Sampson Davis

Do we see blood and scraps of clothes?

Daniel Andrlik

Dili, since you can see in the dark with-

Sampson Davis

I can.

Daniel Andrlik

-ease, you're probably the standard at which to set it at. So for Dili it would be a six perception roll.

Sampson Davis

And two free levels of intellect edge, so. That's a freebie.

Daniel Andrlik

Okay. There is no fabric, but there are some of the rocks that have a little bit of blood on them. It's not like, dripping or anything like that. It took too long for this whole interchange to happen to get you down there. But it doesn't look old either.

Sampson Davis

Yeah, you can see they kind of... looks like they got scraped up a little bit, so. Whatever pulled them is a little bit strong. You guys see that?

Stace Babcock

No, but I will take your word for it, Dili. All right. So looks like the situation is either we crawl through here one at a time. It's going to take a while. If we're lucky we'll get grabbed and dragged, speed it up. Or we could stand guard here.

Alex Finn

I mean, third option, you take the cannon and you shoot it at the wall, collapsing more of it so more of us can get through faster.

Stace Babcock

You know, ChaCha, that sounds like it would be nice in this situation, but do you know what would be maybe even cooler in a different situation? Maybe like, an acid projectile. Or venom, whatever.

Alex Finn

I mean, why don't you do it now?

Stace Babcock

Well, so... this model of the cannon was a design, ChaCha, for venom projectiles. Not explosive projectiles.

Sampson Davis

Dili's giving Nix a look, because he never clarified that.

Stace Babcock

Nix was paying attention.

Alex Finn

Oh, I was just assuming you were telling ChaCha that was a bad idea because shooting an explosive at a unsteady cave wall could cause a cave-in.

Stace Babcock

Well, Nix does know that she only has venom rounds, of which maybe one is full. So she knows she doesn't have explosives.

Sampson Davis

But before Nix ate the initial snake brooch, the venom was kind of acidic, right?

Stace Babcock

Yeah.

Sampson Davis

So is Nix's current venom acidic?

Daniel Andrlik

You've seen Nix's venom sizzle on things. Because she spat venom right after she ate the snake. I would say this, you guys did not see it... it definitely sizzled like it could do some sort of burn or something like that, but it's not like Xenomorph blood or anything like that. It's not going to be able to chew through a ship's hull.

Sampson Davis

Okay. Like spicy tomato sauce.

Stace Babcock

Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Sampson Davis

Not full-on sulfur. Anyway.

Daniel Andrlik

Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Sampson Davis

I think we just crawl through, try to... probably not a good idea to wait for this thing to come back. And also Sylvie and Jackson and... was there a third? Third person that got pulled?

Daniel Andrlik

Yeah. Gary.

Stace Babcock

Gary. Oh.

Daniel Andrlik

Nobody's going to miss him.

Stace Babcock

Yeah, all right.

Alex Finn

I feel like it's canon that ChaCha was probably giggling at the name Gary in a corner.

Sampson Davis

Fucking Gary.

Alex Finn

Fucking Gary.

Stace Babcock

Cool. So I'll go first, I guess.

Daniel Andrlik

Okay.

Sampson Davis

Actually, I can see where I'm going, Nix. Maybe I should go first.

Stace Babcock

Oh yeah, Dili, if that's the way you want to play it. Have at.

Sampson Davis

Yeah. All right.

Daniel Andrlik

Okay. Dili, this is a very tight squeeze. Please give me a might roll of 12.

Sampson Davis

Of 12, ugh.

Daniel Andrlik

Because you're going to have to essentially try to crawl through four feet of this stuff slowly.

Sampson Davis

Right, right. I'm going to apply one level of effort just to bring that down to a nine. 12 exactly. I do not get Pooh Bear'd in.

Daniel Andrlik

Yes. It's a close call in a couple spots. You have a panic moment, like oh god, it's going to happen again. But then you get a grip and you're able to pull yourself through.

Sampson Davis

All right.

Daniel Andrlik

On the other side, you see a... basically these tunnels continuing, and you can see the tracks on the ground that the pod traveled on. Give me a perception roll of nine.

Sampson Davis

That's a three. With all my stuff... seven.

Daniel Andrlik

So you see two things that stick out to you. Some droplets of blood leading down the tunnel. Some of it smeared, almost like a boot kicked through it after it dripped.

Alex Finn

Oh.

Daniel Andrlik

And even against this dark black rock of the Riage, these long scrapes, like something cut into it with five chisels or blades, except it looks like a continuous cut.

Sampson Davis

Roughly how wide are the scrapes, like from top scrape to bottom scrape? A human hand, or bigger human hand, or...

Daniel Andrlik

Slightly bigger.

Sampson Davis

Okay.

Daniel Andrlik

More like seven inches. Imagine something that's maybe... human hand and a half.

Sampson Davis

Cool. Cool, cool, cool. Dili will take that in and then put up just a basic illusion just to kind of block any onlookers' view of where this tunnel's leading out to, basically just hiding Dili and the tunnel exits. And then Dili will call back, all right! We're clear, whoever's next.

Stace Babcock

Nix will go.

Daniel Andrlik

Go, Nix. It's a tight squeeze also for you. Not as tight as it is for Dili. So it's only going to be a might roll of six to get through here.

Stace Babcock

Does climbing help?

Daniel Andrlik

Yes.

Stace Babcock

Oh, and I have a free level of my efforts. So.

Alex Finn

Heck yeah.

Daniel Andrlik

So it's a gimmie for you?

Stace Babcock

Yes.

Daniel Andrlik

Okay. You get through no problem and emerge in the dark on the other side. ChaCha is small enough that it's only a three might roll and she's trained in climbing, which means it's a gimmie as well. So ChaCha can get through with no problem as well.

Alex Finn

Let's just roll and see if we can get a one. I got an eight, so no fun.

Daniel Andrlik

Okay. So what do you guys want to do?

Alex Finn

Party like it's 1999?

Sampson Davis

Is Vlad coming with us or is it just the three of us?

Daniel Andrlik

Oh, Vlad's there. You're literally not sure when he came through, because you didn't hear him at all.

Alex Finn

The wind!

Sampson Davis

How do you keep doing that?

Daniel Andrlik

He looks at you for a moment and says, "Practice."

Sampson Davis

All right. Once everyone's on the other side, Dili will point out the blood and the scrape marks too.

Daniel Andrlik

So somebody's lighting a glow globe then?

Sampson Davis

Oh, right. Total darkness.

Alex Finn

I guess.

Stace Babcock

Yeah, glow globe it up.

Alex Finn

Sure.

Stace Babcock

Send your little one with the legs down the tunnel.

Daniel Andrlik

Yeah. By the way Nix, from your perspective, you're on the other side. It's basically complete darkness here. The only illumination you see is when ChaCha first comes through, because the smoke that seeps up from her eyes slowly glows a faint purple.

Alex Finn

Ooh.

Sampson Davis

All right, is that happening because of the cube?

Alex Finn

Yeah.

Sampson Davis

Okay. Cool.

Daniel Andrlik

So to be clear, right now ChaCha's eyes seem to almost always be exuding this phosphorescent purple smoke.

Alex Finn

I'm like a Ghastly.

Stace Babcock

That's cool, ChaCha. Honestly.

Sampson Davis

ChaCha, you're not ghastly. Don't say that.

Alex Finn

No, that's one of the names of a horror.

Sampson Davis

Oh. Right.

Alex Finn

It likes to just watch you while you're in the bathroom.

Stace Babcock

Uh...

Alex Finn

That's why I call it Ghastly, because it's not polite.

Sampson Davis

Anything we can do to kind of ensure privacy in those moments?

Alex Finn

I mean, don't turn off the lights while you're in the bathroom.

Sampson Davis

Sounds good.

Daniel Andrlik

Vlad looks at you guys like, you didn't know about that?

Sampson Davis

Oh, like you knew! Like you knew.

Daniel Andrlik

Prentiss said something about that.

Sampson Davis

I got to talk to this Prentiss person. Sound like they know so much.

Alex Finn

Although apparently I'm supposed to tell you that, I didn't know it happened, that somebody in the next town saw it happen. And it could happen to any one of us right now.

Sampson Davis

Wait, what could happen?

Alex Finn

A Ghastly.

Sampson Davis

Okay.

Alex Finn

That's how Zacc explained it. You don't tell somebody, hey, it's happening right now. You tell them, you know, two towns over this happened.

Sampson Davis

Okay.

Stace Babcock

All right, guys. This is disturbing. But let's keep moving. Let's go. Let's find these people. That's what we're here for.

Sampson Davis

Yeah. Blood trail is that way, so. Guess we'll follow the blood trail.

Stace Babcock

Nix will pull out her glow globe.

Daniel Andrlik

Okay. You guys start following the blood trail. It doesn't take you long in walking before you then hear a woman scream from far away down the tunnel.

Stace Babcock

Oh. Nix will put some pep in her step.

Daniel Andrlik

You guys are just running, you're not doing anything stealthy or anything like that?

Stace Babcock

Oh no. Booking it.

Daniel Andrlik

Okay. So Nix, as you're coming around... what is ChaCha doing, by the way?

Alex Finn

I feel like she's bringing up the rear.

Daniel Andrlik

Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Alex Finn

Somebody's got to.

Daniel Andrlik

One of the things you guys notice is that as you're running, you notice that there are some sort of weird flickering shadows over you. You guys intuit, because you've been traveling for a while, that Vlad is essentially without hiding you completely. He's applying an illusory camouflage pattern over your bodies as you're running, and he's trying to adjust it to where the light is flickering.

Stace Babcock

That's dope.

Daniel Andrlik

Yeah. So Nix, as you're coming around the corner you can see in the distance Jackson, who you saw before, screaming in terror and running further down the tunnel. And what he's running from is a creature roughly seven feet in height, just a mess of flesh and metal and it doesn't always make sense. Some of the metal has kind of fuzzy edges, almost like it's being constructed in real time. And two of these arms are holding up, you presume, is the missing woman. And it tears her in half and drops the pieces.

Stace Babcock

So Nix is going to step forward and engage in the initial test for her venom cannon.

Daniel Andrlik

Okay. So Sampson, remind me on the stats we agreed on for this for her.

Sampson Davis

Oh, let me see. So basically the idea was that it works mechanically kind of like a sling, but you're basically getting an additional two damage just from the impact, on top of whatever the projectile itself does.

Daniel Andrlik

Mm-hmm (affirmative). I would also say that Nix probably gets an asset on firing it, because this is part of her body and not a tool that she's wielding.

Sampson Davis

Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Daniel Andrlik

So if you're firing at that, give me 21.

Stace Babcock

Oh. Is that before?

Daniel Andrlik

Before.

Stace Babcock

Okay. So 18. I'll spend three levels of speed effort to start off combat.

Daniel Andrlik

Okay.

Stace Babcock

Which makes it nine. Would you consider this to be a heavy ranged weapon? Or medium? I'm trained in both.

Daniel Andrlik

It would be medium because the nature of how Dili made it.

Stace Babcock

Got it.

Daniel Andrlik

Because he made it to mimic the sling.

Stace Babcock

So I have training, so that makes it a six.

Sampson Davis

Damn.

Stace Babcock

Six!

Daniel Andrlik

Nice. Okay. Are you using your special ammo or just a sling rock?

Stace Babcock

Oh, the special ammo.

Daniel Andrlik

Okay. So that's six, and then how much extra damage did we agree on the special ammo?

Sampson Davis

However much damage the venom canisters initially were doing.

Daniel Andrlik

Oh. I think it was like a four.

Stace Babcock

I think that's a hindrance, then. When Nix bites them with it, it's a hindrance. Would it be the same thing? Because it doesn't add-

Daniel Andrlik

If it gets in their system.

Stace Babcock

Oh, I see. So it'll just add damage in this case.

Daniel Andrlik

Yeah. It's basically like... let's say it's another plus two on top of it, because it's burning the flesh.

Stace Babcock

Oh shit, that's eight.

Daniel Andrlik

Yeah. It is as good as your fist right now.

Stace Babcock

No!

Daniel Andrlik

Maybe Nix needed weapons after all.

Stace Babcock

Nix tears it out of her leg.

Alex Finn

The shade!

Sampson Davis

She doesn't need it, it's just an option. Put it the other way, her fists are as good as a cannon.

Daniel Andrlik

Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Stace Babcock

Yeah.

Alex Finn

See, I took it as an insult to her fist, that the cannon's almost as good as them.

Sampson Davis

I think it's a compliment to Dili's engineering.

Daniel Andrlik

Okay. It hits this creature, and it gets very angy and now you have to roll initiative.

Alex Finn

Womp womp.

Stace Babcock

Hell yeah.

Alex Finn

Drunk initiative!

Stace Babcock

12.

Alex Finn

I got an 18. Fuck. I didn't want to go first.

Sampson Davis

15 for Dili.

Daniel Andrlik

Okay. This thing goes first.

Alex Finn

It got over an 18? Damn!

Daniel Andrlik

Yep.

Alex Finn

Damn, Daniel, with the white Vans.

Daniel Andrlik

It's almost enough to make me want it to attack ChaCha first, but that's [inaudible 00:31:32].

Sampson Davis

No memes in this game!

Daniel Andrlik

It is going to spend its turn running up to a short distance from you guys.

Stace Babcock

It ain't got fleet of foot.

Alex Finn

It's just going to T-pose on us, don't worry.

Daniel Andrlik

And next up is ChaCha.

Alex Finn

Okay. We're going to use a physical onslaught E. E.

Daniel Andrlik

Okay. So that is a 21.

Alex Finn

Jesus Christ. I guess I have to use some level of effort. Level of effort... max. Yeah. I'm going to put two levels of effort in. Yeah.

Daniel Andrlik

Okay. Makes it a 15. What's your edge?

Alex Finn

Four.

Daniel Andrlik

Okay, so that costs you one intellect point.

Alex Finn

Oh, cool. I've been doing this wrong the whole time.

Stace Babcock

Yeah, I get that.

Alex Finn

Okay. 17.

Daniel Andrlik

Okay, so that's plus one damage.

Alex Finn

Yeah!

Daniel Andrlik

It hits it. The bits that hit flesh look like they get a little pulped.

Alex Finn

A little soggy.

Daniel Andrlik

The bits that are metal don't seem that affected, but one of the odd things you notice is that, when you hit it, it definitely wounds it and it definitely seems weakened. But there's this fuzzy cloud where it's almost like the resolution around its body gets fuzzy, and then it seems to reform a little bit.

Sampson Davis

Oh shit. All right.

Alex Finn

Hmm.

Daniel Andrlik

Next up is Vlad. Vlad shoots his dart thrower at it, but it just swings up an arm and knocks the dart out of the way. Dili.

Sampson Davis

This creature, is it somewhat obvious where its eyes are? Or the equivalent of its eyes?

Daniel Andrlik

Sort of. There are eyes on the fleshy side of the head. There are also eyes on its chest. It's not a correct amalgam. Where flesh is exposed, it doesn't look right.

Sampson Davis

Cool. Then what Dili is going to do is, I guess since it's kind of all over the place, use a major illusion and just put strobing lights over each of those eyes to blind it as best as Dili can.

Daniel Andrlik

Oh. Okay. So... well it is a 21, but you're trained in your illusions so that's an 18.

Sampson Davis

18 cognitive, back to 21. But then the free level... 18, 15. Do I roll with the 15? I don't think I do.

Alex Finn

Fair.

Sampson Davis

Two more levels of effort.

Daniel Andrlik

Okay.

Sampson Davis

Shit. That's a three.

Alex Finn

You want some XP? To re-roll that bish?

Sampson Davis

Are you willing?

Alex Finn

Yeah. I give you a re-roll.

Stace Babcock

Hell yeah.

Sampson Davis

Okay.

Alex Finn

I want this to work.

Sampson Davis

Thank you.

Alex Finn

Fuck them up.

Sampson Davis

Natural 20. Thank you, Alex.

Alex Finn

Hell yeah!

Stace Babcock

Holy shit.

Daniel Andrlik

Wow.

Sampson Davis

Oh man.

Alex Finn

That was worth it. Fuck yeah.

Daniel Andrlik

So you weren't doing damage, so what would you like for a major effect for this?

Sampson Davis

Oh. What's a good major effect for this?

Alex Finn

Disable its regenerative properties.

Daniel Andrlik

So you're already going to hinder him by his stat, let's put it that way.

Alex Finn

Disable the regenerative properties. Do it. Do it, do it, do it, do it.

Stace Babcock

Double hindrance.

Alex Finn

It goes down on the damage ladder? How's that work?

Sampson Davis

It explodes.

Stace Babcock

Ooh, yeah. I like that one.

Alex Finn

It loses a leg forever.

Sampson Davis

It's a major effect, Dan.

Alex Finn

It's major.

Sampson Davis

I think it's legal.

Daniel Andrlik

Major effect, you could... but it's got to be a major effect based off of you trying to blind it.

Alex Finn

Its student loans get called up for payment.

Daniel Andrlik

So here's what I'll do. Here's what I'll do. So Dili, how about this?

Sampson Davis

Yeah.

Daniel Andrlik

You're going to hinder it.

Sampson Davis

Sure.

Daniel Andrlik

Okay? And part of the way you hinder it is that your light is so bright because of the adrenaline in that moment that two of those eyes on its chest actually sizzle and pop.

Alex Finn

Yes!

Daniel Andrlik

And it takes damage.

Sampson Davis

Ooh.

Alex Finn

Pop like a pimple.

Sampson Davis

Okay.

Daniel Andrlik

Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Sampson Davis

Sure, I'll take that.

Daniel Andrlik

So it's hindered and you did damage.

Sampson Davis

Fair enough. All right.

Stace Babcock

Hells yeah.

Sampson Davis

Holy shit. I think in this moment, just building on the major effect, Dili kind of did something similar to what Vlad showed him earlier with Vlad using the illusion to block actual light and stuff.

Daniel Andrlik

Yeah. I like that. So Nix.

Stace Babcock

I mean, yeah. She's going to use fleet of foot. Oh, I would like to actually, wait, moving like water though first. And then use fleet of foot.

Daniel Andrlik

So if you're using move like water, you have to give up movement in order to activate this. You can't move and use move like water, because you activate it by giving up your movement. You can still attack, you just can't move if you're doing, activating moves like water, until after you've activated it.

Stace Babcock

But I was also going to use fleet of foot.

Daniel Andrlik

Mm-hmm (affirmative). Okay, we'll put it this way. Because moves like water normally requires you to give up your movement, fleet of foot gives you extra movement, so let's say you can activate it and you can do fleet of foot for the short distance, which is how far away it is for you. But you couldn't spend more to go long distance because you already had to chew up part of your time.

Stace Babcock

Okay. So Nix is face-to-face with the I assume stinky creature.

Daniel Andrlik

Yeah. It doesn't smell like rotting flesh, but it does smell like...

Alex Finn

Gross.

Daniel Andrlik

There's something wrong here. It smells of gangrenous pus.

Alex Finn

Sexy.

Daniel Andrlik

B.O., and hydraulic fluid.

Alex Finn

Just like smelling my dog.

Stace Babcock

I was going to say just like high school.

Sampson Davis

What the fuck, guys? Damn. That's a story for another time.

Stace Babcock

Cool. So that's what Nix is up to.

Daniel Andrlik

Okay.

Stace Babcock

She's in a staring contest with this creature's blind chest eyes.

Daniel Andrlik

No, I'm saying you can do something. You still can attack if you want.

Stace Babcock

Oh yeah! No, totally. Yeah.

Daniel Andrlik

Mm-hmm (affirmative). So it's hindered, so it's an 18.

Stace Babcock

Hell yeah. Trained in unarmed attacks. So 15. Free level of might brings it down to a 12. What? I have anything more? Yeah, I'll spend effort for ease and an effort for damage.

Daniel Andrlik

Wow, big spender.

Stace Babcock

I know. What are these pools for if not to...

Alex Finn

Use and abuse.

Stace Babcock

I don't know where that puts me. I'm going to be honest. Am I six or a nine?

Daniel Andrlik

It's a nine for difficulty.

Stace Babcock

So 18 minus the training is a 15, minus two levels of effort... so nine. I got lost again.

Daniel Andrlik

No, and then you did an extra level of effort. So that would be a six. The other one was for damage, so.

Stace Babcock

Okay.

Daniel Andrlik

So it's a six with the potential for plus three damage.

Stace Babcock

And this is with the glove. But not the activated glove, just the base. Alex! Are you flush with XP right now?

Alex Finn

Would you like another XP?

Stace Babcock

I would... you know what I rolled. You know this is a one.

Alex Finn

Yeah, let's do it.

Stace Babcock

Thank you, Alex. I owe you.

Alex Finn

It's okay. I feel like I got two intrusions during the guest recording, so I'm like, I'm going to redistribute the wealth.

Sampson Davis

Sugar mama Alex.

Stace Babcock

Ten.

Alex Finn

Yup. Still better than a one.

Daniel Andrlik

Okay. So you hit it with your fist, so that brings it up... so it's eight damage plus three.

Stace Babcock

11 fat damages.

Daniel Andrlik

Yeah. Does not like that.

Stace Babcock

Nix is like, wrist-deep in something.

Daniel Andrlik

Mm-hmm (affirmative). And it's its' turn.

Stace Babcock

Yeah!

Sampson Davis

Fuck.

Daniel Andrlik

So Nix, please make a speed defense roll of 18. Actually, you said you hand was in it, so I guess it gets that back because you're inside of it now. So 21.

Stace Babcock

Oh, that was just narrative. If it's going to give me a fighting disadvantage I don't want her wrist to be deep.

Daniel Andrlik

Okay, fine, fine, fine.

Stace Babcock

18 speed defense, so 12. Moves like water. Shit, which I could've used on the attack, which would've made it give me...

Alex Finn

Damn.

Stace Babcock

What an adventure, anyway. 19.

Daniel Andrlik

Nice. What would you propose is a minor effect?

Stace Babcock

Hm. If I'm dodging... I want Nix to be able to trip it.

Sampson Davis

Stubs its toe.

Stace Babcock

It's blind. Nix just dodged. She sticks her leg out.

Alex Finn

Tabled.

Daniel Andrlik

Okay. So yeah. So you trip it. I don't think it's going to go prone on a 19, but you can definitely throw it off balance.

Stace Babcock

Cool, which makes it easier for the next person to hit.

Daniel Andrlik

It does.

Stace Babcock

Yes.

Daniel Andrlik

And at this point, Nix, I will offer you an XP.

Stace Babcock

Yeah!

Alex Finn

Yay!

Daniel Andrlik

Who will you give the other one to?

Stace Babcock

Alex. Thank you, Alex.

Alex Finn

No problem. It's like a loan.

Daniel Andrlik

So as you do this damage to it, and then it swings at you and misses. And as it misses and as you're kind of flowing like water, that arm fuzzes out and suddenly becomes a spike moving forward at you. And it hits you. You take 10 damage.

Stace Babcock

Oh man.

Alex Finn

Holy shit.

Sampson Davis

Whoa.

Daniel Andrlik

And Nix, you are confused. On your next turn you will have to attack one of your allies.

Sampson Davis

Oh, no no no no no.

Stace Babcock

Vlad.

Daniel Andrlik

Next up is ChaCha.

Alex Finn

Shoot. You know what I forgot in this whole epidemic, pandemic thing that we're fighting? There was a screaming child.

Daniel Andrlik

Yeah, the screaming child was running away down the tunnel.

Alex Finn

Okay. ChaCha would like to get to the other side so like, if the creature decided to turn around and go towards that way she would be in the way. Kind of like encircle the monster to prevent.

Daniel Andrlik

Okay. Yeah, so I would say on your turn you could get as far as where at least like, if you were drawing an imaginary plane...

Alex Finn

Semicircle?

Daniel Andrlik

Yeah. Basically equal to where the monster and Nix is on this turn.

Alex Finn

Okay, let's do that.

Daniel Andrlik

Okay. Vlad is going to shoot a dart at this creature and hit it, but the dart seems to have almost no effect where it hits on the metal. Dili.

Sampson Davis

Dili, sensing no danger apart from the meat and metal man, is going to pew pew.

Daniel Andrlik

Okay. So that would be a 18. No, it's off balance, so it'll be a 15.

Sampson Davis

15, and then pew pew gives me another...

Daniel Andrlik

Yeah, so make it 12.

Sampson Davis

Okay. I always forget, is this a speed roll with the pew pew?

Daniel Andrlik

Speed.

Sampson Davis

Okay. Yeah, one level of effort just to help the odds. Brings it to a nine. I rolled a nine. That's nine. That's nine exactly.

Daniel Andrlik

Okay. Nice. So you hit it, it shrieks. Now the moment we've all been waiting for.

Sampson Davis

Oh boy.

Daniel Andrlik

Nix.

Stace Babcock

Ooh, yeah. Who's closest? Is Nix still on the spike also?

Daniel Andrlik

The closest person is ChaCha.

Stace Babcock

Oh.

Alex Finn

It's okay.

Stace Babcock

Is Nix like, blacked out? Is she a prisoner in her own body? What is the situation?

Daniel Andrlik

You are confused. So like, you see ChaCha moving next to you, near you, and you think it's the creature.

Stace Babcock

The spike though, it has been removed? Like the spike retracted?

Daniel Andrlik

Yes.

Stace Babcock

Okay. All right.

Sampson Davis

Just roll one. Just roll a one.

Stace Babcock

No!

Alex Finn

It's fine. Don't worry. I got this.

Sampson Davis

Actually, roll a three. Three is good.

Stace Babcock

Yeah.

Sampson Davis

Three's a prime number.

Stace Babcock

Three is a good number.

Daniel Andrlik

Before you guys roll, this is how it works. It's going to be a contested roll. You can each choose to what degree you want to spend effort. Effort adds plus three to your roll. Nix, remember you think it's the creature.

Stace Babcock

Yeah, but 10 damage changes a lot of calculations.

Daniel Andrlik

Okay. Just saying. And ChaCha, you'll decide how much effort you're going to that'll determine your bonus], and then you guys will both roll and we'll see what the resulting roll is. So. Do either of you want to spend effort on this roll?

Stace Babcock

I would not spend effort on the creature at this point, no.

Alex Finn

I feel like ChaCha would just because she doesn't want Nix to feel guilty if she hits her.

Daniel Andrlik

Okay. Do you have any edge in speed?

Alex Finn

I only have one.

Stace Babcock

To be fair, Nix would spend her free level of effort. So sorry.

Daniel Andrlik

Okay. So Nix is plus three. Actually, plus... well, we'll get to that. So ChaCha, you've got, you're spending a level of speed effort you said?

Alex Finn

I'm going to spend two levels.

Daniel Andrlik

Okay. So that's, you'll have a plus six on your roll. Stace, you get a free level of effort. You're trained in unarmed. So you would have a plus six as well.

Stace Babcock

Nix is too good at what she does.

Daniel Andrlik

Oh no, and you've got moves like water, so it's actually plus nine for you.

Stace Babcock

There we go. Come on, die, let me down.

Alex Finn

Well I got a 12. Plus six, I got an 18.

Stace Babcock

I got a three. So that's a 12.

Daniel Andrlik

Okay, nice. So Nix, you take a swing at this creature. You realize at the very last minute that it's actually ChaCha. But ChaCha leaps out of the way like the spider monkey she seems to be. Almost like bouncing off the cave wall in a parkour move that you never would've expected.

Stace Babcock

Whoa, ChaCha, where'd you come...

Daniel Andrlik

She's like a gummy bear that just drank gummy berry juice.

Alex Finn

Oh shit.

Stace Babcock

From?

Sampson Davis

From Gummy Bear Show that I hear existed.

Daniel Andrlik

They bounce from here to there to everywhere.

Stace Babcock

Do these gummy bears in this show have a drug? Was it a drug?

Daniel Andrlik

It was literally like a drug that made them bounce and do crazy bounces and jumping around for combat.

Alex Finn

It was cocaine.

Daniel Andrlik

And the bad guy was always trying to get the juice.

Stace Babcock

Children's shows are hardcore.

Daniel Andrlik

It was like cocaine and flubber combined.

Sampson Davis

Fun fact, The Wire was a remake of The Gummy Bear Show but no one really knew that.

Daniel Andrlik

So that just happened. It is now this thing's turn. What does it want to do?

Stace Babcock

Die.

Daniel Andrlik

It is going to fire a projectile at Vlad.

Stace Babcock

Oh, okay.

Daniel Andrlik

Sampson. Evens or odds?

Sampson Davis

Oh. Odds.

Daniel Andrlik

Stace, roll die coming for you. Even or odd?

Stace Babcock

Here's hoping. Odd.

Daniel Andrlik

Okay. Vlad is able to dodge out of the way, this projectile that came. And it just sort of fizzes into dust as it passes. Next up is ChaCha. So Nix just tried to hit you, you bounced out of the way like a gummy bear. You are currently even with them. The child was out of sight somewhere down that long hall.

Alex Finn

I guess she's going to shoot the pew pew at the monster.

Daniel Andrlik

So ChaCha is shooting at the thing. It will be a 15.

Alex Finn

Okay. So again, 18. Just saying.

Daniel Andrlik

Nice. So that's plus two damage.

Alex Finn

And I got a nine for depletion.

Daniel Andrlik

Okay. This thing is looking in really bad shape.

Alex Finn

Yes, finally!

Daniel Andrlik

Like, really bad. Like it's holding together by a thread. It's just been so hard lately, you know? Vlad attempts to shoot a dart at it, but he still kind of recovering from having to dodge out of the way of the one blast that he misses. And it is now Sampson's turn.

Sampson Davis

We need to get Vlad a pew pew gun.

Alex Finn

Probably.

Sampson Davis

His dart thrower is beneath him. I think Dili's going to just pew pew again. If I remember right, with all the things, that goes to a 12 before I can-

Daniel Andrlik

Well it's actually a 15. The last time he was off balance because of Nix.

Sampson Davis

Right, okay. I will still apply one level of effort just to get that to a 12. 12 exactly.

Daniel Andrlik

Wow. Okay. Dili, what does it look like when you destroy this thing?

Stace Babcock

Yes!

Alex Finn

Hell yeah! Do guts get on Vlad this time?

Sampson Davis

Oh man. What Dili does is, right before he fires he dismisses the orbs like half a second before he fires so that all the functioning eyes look at Dili. And then Dili just fires straight through, a nice line of energy through the creature's brain?

Daniel Andrlik

Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Sampson Davis

And then the creature just drops.

Daniel Andrlik

Yeah. So you hit through it, and then there's just this plank of metal as it falls. And you notice that then there's a, almost like a fizzing sound.

Alex Finn

Sexy.

Daniel Andrlik

Almost like static on an FM radio. And then most of the metal and all of the flesh that you see on it seems to degrade down to a dust that then becomes faint and spread out. There's just this pile of metal pieces on the ground.

Sampson Davis

Dili tries to do a cool like... what did Val Kilmer play in Tombstone? Doc Valentine?

Alex Finn

Ooh.

Daniel Andrlik

Doc Holiday.

Sampson Davis

Doc Holiday.

Daniel Andrlik

I'll be your Huckleberry.

Sampson Davis

Dili tries to do a cool gun flip and then just kind of fumbles it and then just...

Alex Finn

Aw.

Sampson Davis

Stows away like normal. But Dili's going to go up and try to... well first he's going to poke at the dust to make sure that doesn't do anything. He'll just pull out a shitty screwdriver he has to make sure.

Daniel Andrlik

Seems like common drit.

Sampson Davis

Excellent. Dili's going to try to investigate the remaining pieces of metal, see if there's anything worth salvaging.

Daniel Andrlik

There's definitely something worth salvaging. You could either salvage things or you could break down parts for cyphers.

Sampson Davis

I would like cyphers, please.

Alex Finn

Do it.

Daniel Andrlik

You find two cyphers. Oh wow.

Alex Finn

I love it when you said that.

Daniel Andrlik

Dili, you find embedded in there, it's metal synth but it almost feels like fabric, the way it's woven. It's like a harness that somebody can put on themselves. It's not BDSM gear.

Alex Finn

No, I was excited for Manta Ray.

Daniel Andrlik

It's just sort of like straps, but when activated it is a growth harness.

Sampson Davis

Growth harness?

Daniel Andrlik

It draws mass to the user from another dimension, allowing her to grow 50% larger for one hour. During this time she gains 12 points to her might pool and deals two additional points of damage for all melee attacks.

Alex Finn

Can we put it on Nix?

Sampson Davis

Oh, we're putting that on Nix. Oh man.

Alex Finn

I want to see it on Nix.

Sampson Davis

Both my points, plus two damage you said?

Alex Finn

Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Daniel Andrlik

Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Sampson Davis

Damage, one hour. Cool. Cool cool cool cool cool.

Daniel Andrlik

You also find a tiny container that has more of that dust stuff inside of it. And Dili, give me an understanding Numenera roll of nine, which is a 12 for you because it's cognitive.

Sampson Davis

Nine, 12.

Daniel Andrlik

And you have two free levels of effort, that makes it a three.

Sampson Davis

No, it makes it a six. Right? It's nine, then a 12, nine to six.

Daniel Andrlik

Oh right, yeah.

Sampson Davis

Yeah, all right. 14.

Daniel Andrlik

So what's in there is drit, but you realize it's not just plain drit. You've heard of this before. Really rare. Extremely rare, in a lot of ways. Roll me one D6.

Sampson Davis

Two.

Daniel Andrlik

Okay. These are called war mites. When you activate this, the mites will spray out at a single target in immediate range. The target is covered in these mites, which immediately begin biting and stinging the target. The target will take one point of damage each round of the number of rounds equal to the cypher level, which is four. And further, during each of these rounds the target is distracted, meaning that they are hindered by one step.

Sampson Davis

All right. All right. One damage for four rounds, hindered the whole time.

Daniel Andrlik

Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Sampson Davis

Okay. Dili is for sure going to store the war mites, and then he's going to call out, "Hey Nix! Got another present for you."

Stace Babcock

What is it, Dili?

Alex Finn

How's Nix doing on cyphers?

Stace Babcock

Good. I got room for two.

Alex Finn

Okay, good.

Sampson Davis

All right. I'm pretty sure this is a growth harness. It will make you real big for like an hour.

Stace Babcock

Holy shit. Nix puts it on but does not activate it.

Daniel Andrlik

Yeah. Vlad says, "That's impressive. You're going to be stronger, too."

Sampson Davis

Oh yeah. This is exciting. Also, that kid?

Stace Babcock

Oh shit.

Alex Finn

I think ChaCha's already wandering that way anyway.

Stace Babcock

And Nix goes bounding down after ChaCha, yeah.

Daniel Andrlik

Okay. So you guys are bounding down these tunnels, and you come to this point where there is another sort of, what should be another one of those maintenance hatches. You can see the remnants there. But then there's a hole in the side that's perfectly circular, like cut with a plasma torch. And inside there is what appears to be a laboratory. There is one cylindrical crystal cell that Jackson is in. And in the center of this room, it's floating in the air about three feet off the ground. It in itself is about three feet high, but it's six feet wide. This creature of rotating synth, and they seem to be looking at the controls. And Jackson sees you guys there, in the hole, and begins pounding on the crystal from the inside. And this creature of metal slowly turns and looks at all of you. And there's a weird staticky sound as different languages are cycled through, and then finally it settles on one that you understand. And it says, "Excellent! More specimens." And that's where we'll end this episode.

Sampson Davis

Oh shit.

Alex Finn

Nice.

Daniel Andrlik

Stace, something about this episode?

Stace Babcock

Yeah. Had to be the cannon.

Alex Finn

Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Daniel Andrlik

Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Stace Babcock

That was really cool.

Daniel Andrlik

The cannon is very cool.

Stace Babcock

And then also the vest. And also, this is from last episode I know, but Nix has a glove that gives her plus one to unarmed attack. On that hand, I assume, but yeah.

Daniel Andrlik

Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Stace Babcock

Awesome items, Daniel. And Sampson.

Daniel Andrlik

Awesome.

Stace Babcock

So. Thank you.

Sampson Davis

We need to find Minos now and just use them all on him right now.

Stace Babcock

Oh yeah.

Alex Finn

Oh yeah.

Daniel Andrlik

Oh no. Oh no. So the people of Charmonde should just begin evacuating, is that what I'm hearing?

Alex Finn

Yes.

Stace Babcock

Surprised they haven't already, I'll be honest.

Alex Finn

But they are-

Stace Babcock

We did leave a gigantic smoking crater in the middle of the nice district.

Daniel Andrlik

That is true. That is true. You guys are rough on property values in general.

Stace Babcock

Yeah.

Daniel Andrlik

So we have a segment that we do each week called Player Intrusions. That's where we offer you, the listener, an XP to check out something that we think you would really dig. This week it is Stace's turn. Stace, what would you offer our listeners an XP to check out?

Stace Babcock

I would offer our listeners an XP to check out Pathfinder: Kingmaker, which sucked out 90-plus hours of my life somewhat recently. Pathfinder: Kingmaker itself is a little bit older. It's a few years old. I think it was released in 2018. I came across it because I just caught an article about its sequel, Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous, which I haven't played yet, and talking about just how it improved on the first game but why the first game was still so great. And a free play weekend was happening, so it just all coincided. And yeah. It's a really great traditional western, isometric party-based DRPG, but it also has a kingdom management layer to it.

So not only are there excellent roleplay opportunities throughout your questing, even if you don't have combat on to be very hard, it's still a very engaging game. And trying to do that while balancing managing a kingdom and then everything's time-based and had legitimate in-game days where if you exceeded a certain amount of days that a problem exists your kingdom just starts to tank, but you still got to go out and quest and progress the main story. It is such a good game, and I'm sort of debating whether to play a second play through of that or just get Wrath of the Righteous and play it.

Another thing I want to say too is it is Pathfinder rules, which I've never played Pathfinder. I've watched it be played. But I think it was just different enough from your traditional DnD CRPG or DnD-like CRPG that Pathfinder actually has a complexity I appreciate in video games but dislike in tabletop RPGs. So it was really nice and really fun, and I created like 17 characters and played the first chapter with all of them until I decided on the one that I precisely wanted. Also I know a lot of Pathfinder rules now, because I guess it follows the rule set really closely. I went down a rabbit hole trying to optimize my entire party.

Daniel Andrlik

Yeah.

Stace Babcock

But anyway, check it out. It's a great game. I played it on Steam. I'm pretty sure it's only on PC, but yeah. Go for it.

Daniel Andrlik

Very cool. Well, if people wanted to tell us about what they think of Pathfinder: Kingmaker or any of their other video games or their roleplaying game, what they love about it and why they like to play it. Sampson, if somebody wanted to reach out to us about that or the podcast, how would they do that?

Sampson Davis

Well thank the Maker we have a website, explorerswanted.fm. From there you can find all our socials.

Daniel Andrlik

You're welcome.

Sampson Davis

You know? You did actually set that up, so yeah. Thank you. Thank Dan for our website, explorerswanted.fm. You can also thank Dan for more or less running most of our Twitter, which is @ExplorersWanted. We are also on Instagram and Facebook @ExplorersWantedPodcast. And if you want to interact with us more directly, we're pretty active on our Discord, which you can find at explorerswanted.fm/discord. Additionally, if you have money to spare, please give it to us at patreon.com/explorerswanted. Blanket statement, just give it to us.

Daniel Andrlik

I mean obviously don't spend money that you can't afford or anything like that. But if we made you smile, if you laugh, if you had fun, please consider supporting us on Patreon. It helps us do what we do. If you can't afford that, that's totally fine. Honestly the best thing you can do for us is to tell a friend and tell them why you like the show and why they should listen to it. The second best thing you can do is leave us a five star review on a podcast directory, particularly Apple Podcasts. That makes the biggest difference for podcasts as far as attracting an audience. It's the review system that everybody looks at. Podchaser's also a good option, but honestly if you can leave us a review on Apple Podcasts it makes a big difference. And also review all of your favorite podcasts. They'll ride the high for weeks.

If you didn't like the podcast, or if you just thought it was bad... well, I want to assure you that contrary to any ugly rumors circulating within the community, I am in fact an adult human. Any suggestions that I may be 600,000 house centipedes in a leather suit are incorrect and deeply hurtful. I am an instance of homo sapiens that enjoys playing games with my equally human friends. I certainly do not shed my skin at night and disperse to the shadowy corners of each of your houses to hunt for insects. That notion is pure fantasy and would imply that I know your dirty secret, Gary.

Alex Finn

Fucking Gary.

Sampson Davis

Fucking Gary.

Daniel Andrlik

If you want to reach out to us individually on social media, you can. You can find me on Twitter @andrlik.

Stace Babcock

You can find me on Twitter @StaceWindu.

Sampson Davis

I almost said you can find me fucking Gary. @SlamPotato.

Daniel Andrlik

That's your sign-off.

Sampson Davis

All right.

Alex Finn

No Garys were hurt in the making of this podcast. You can find me @realteaunicorn on Twitter and teawithaunicorn on Twitch.

Daniel Andrlik

Okay. That's it for us. Hope you enjoyed the show. We will be back next week as we will for every week in the foreseeable future. Have a good night, day, weekend, or whenever you're listening to this. And bye.