Whispers from the Heart - Chapter One

> "*Can you describe what a good glint in a shark's eye looks like?*"
> ― DM Matt
>
>

**20,000 Weaves Under the Sea** is the fifty-third episode of Queens of Adventure. In it, the queens continue their recruitment drive against the Kracken.

## Synopsis

The party and rescued merfolk pop out of the back end of Alighieri the dragon-turtle inside the Colosseum of the sunken city.

Finneous swims up to greet them and checks on Mystie, who wakes up, confused. Fraya explains they came seeking the merfolk's help. Butylene tells the merfolk they need allies against the Kracken. Mystie consults Alighieri, who says fighting an Old God was no concern of theirs. Fraya then asks if they know anything about the Ice Scepter at least. Alighieri knows only stories and the present is no concern to him.

Arson suggests she tell Alighieri an unfinished story to get the turtle to tell them the ending. She summarizes their group's journey and struggles, and their recruitment of allies to fight the Old God. Alighieri doesn't know the end of the story, but wants to find out. Londyn asks if he would be willing to help finish the story. Being part of writing a story intrigues the dragon-turtle and the merfolk. Answering what kind of help they need, Arson outlines healing support, water navigation, battle support, help with locating the ice scepter. Mystie agrees, and asks where they are based. Fraya recalls the aquarium inside the Golden Palace, and Gnomi confirms pipes lead to the ocean, though Alighieri would be hard to fit. Alighieri knows some caves he can hide in.

The merfolk gather and begin to head out. They surface so Alighieri can get some air. Night has fallen and a wild storm has come up, that reminds Mystie of the one the day the Kracken first appeared. A massive wave heads towards them so the group dives back under water but are buffeted by it still, knocking them into sunken city, and knocking Londyn out again. Fraya casts *spare the dying* on her.

As the group regathers, they notice the seaweed on the floor is all pointing southwest and there are undead figures standing on the seafloor facing the same way. Butylene remembers the lines on the beach when Patrick held the Kracken Priest's Heart. The party asks Alighieri to use his *scalding sea breath* which blasts the undead, destroying several rows of them, even though he says he isn't at full health yet.

Mystie, growing more concerned, wants to get to Golden Palace quickly. They know of one seacave tunnel that leads to the resort in an hour, but Alighieri couldn't go with them. The queens send the merfolk on through the tunnel and the queens and Gnomi ride Alighieri's back (so they have time to rest). Departing, the group notice a dozen sharks swimming overhead.

As they ride on Alighieri, Butylene uses a couple *healing words*, as does Fraya, but on Alighieri and not unconscious Londyn. Fraya feels bad, and finally heals Londyn. She awakens and also helps heal Alighieri, who feels much better.

Fraya asks Londyn if she can ask local sealife to help search for the scepter. Londyn, seeing the sharks again, attaches some seaweed to Alighieri's shell and her waist so she can drift behind. Casting *speak with animals*, she approaches the sharks, who only seem to be muttering a tune. Londyn rejoins the others, tells them the tune. As Fraya sings it, the sharks turn and begin to pursue her.

Breaking away from the party, Fraya *shapes water* to turn a cube of it black as she draws the sharks away. Londyn sings it too, and the shark party splits, a few following Londyn. Fraya dives and swings back towards the others, letting her sharks swim through the black cloud. Londyn asks one of the sharks she is with if it is okay, but only hears the song. Butylene uses *thaumaturgy* to cast the song in the distance to keep the shark's distracted.

Londyn, returning to the turtle, shouts out into the water asking if any animals have seen the scepter. A giant crab with a gold crown insignia answers. It swims up to them, and introduces himself as King Crab. Londyn explains they are looking for a scepter, and it recalls seeing one nearly a month ago sinking into the ocean just before hag rock in a shipwreck. He tried to obtain it, but zombies were swarming so he couldn't get there.

Butylene wonders if they could recruit him. King Crab says he has thousands of children, but since his royal sandcastle was destroyed, he would want them to give him something regal to keep his authority. The group agrees.

The group debates going to Hag Rock now, or waiting. Arson thinks they should wait until they have more strength. King Crab is intrigued by the Golden Palace, which Londyn clarifies is a hotel, not a regal place. He still agrees to go with. Gnomi greets his fellow crab clawed ally, as Londyn realizes her power lets her talk to plants too. She asks the seaweed she is holding to look for the scepter and get a message to her at the Golden Palace. The message spreads across other seaweed.

As they continue their journey, surfacing occasionally, they see the ruins of Watersport and the giant tree sticking out of it, the Temple of Boom, soaring wyverns, Old Man Rufus's sculptures illuminating the beach. Finally they reach the other merfolk in an inlet near the Golden Palace. The seaweed here too is pointing towards the Palace.

The group splits. Butylene and Arson head onto the beach as Fraya and Gnomi head with the merfolk to the aquarium pipes and Londyn remains with Alighieri.

Fraya and Gnomi find the grate to the pipes are torn ajar. Sensing something wrong, Fraya takes the lead inside.

Arson and Butylene on the sand see Cher Noble keeping watch. The paladin says it has been quiet, and feels like there would be no further complications in their planning. When asked, Cher Noble says Chaz is recovering well and becoming good friends with Jo.

At the Three Fingers Inn, Barb focuses on the Golden Palace. As an imp asks what's up, he shushes the imp. "Daddy's listening to something."

### Characters

#### Party

* Arson Nicki - drider warlock
* Butylene O'Kipple - tiefling alchemist
* Fraya Love - water genasi cleric
* Londyn Bradshaw - firbolg druid

#### NPCs

* Gnomi Malone
* Alighieri
* Finneous
* Mystie Seaport
* Virgil
* Other Merfolk
* King Crab (debut)
* Old Man Rufus
* Cher Noble
* Barb
	+ Imps

#### Monsters/Enemies

* Undead
* Sharks
* Wyvern

## Episode Notes

### Lore

* In all his life, Alighieri has only listened to stories, never been part of writing one.
* The seaweed on the island, and the undead in the ocean, all seem fixated on the Golden Palace, and likely the Kracken Priest's Heart inside.

### Inspiration Earned

* Fraya - for the idea to try and buff Butlyene's healing word (although the rules wouldn't allow it) - given by DM Matt

### Memorable Quotes

* "Wait, I know you're going to hate me, but my deception is plus six." - "No, wait no." - 'No!" - "No, no, no, we are not lying." - Londyn Bradshaw and the other queens.
* "I know we're supposed to say yes-and but this is a bad idea." - Arson Nicki
* "I'm going to jump on this bad yelp review train and shout to the cosmos 'Can I speak to your Manager?!' " - Arson Nicki
* "It's not called a Death Save, it's called a Dip." - Arson Nicki
* "Does she know the way?" - "Yeah, she's the one who-" - "I'm right here you know. I can hear you." - Butylene O'Kipple, Fraya Love, and Mystie Seaport
* "Thanks for cuddling my fur hair... Butylene..." - Londyn Bradshaw
* "What's an armada? That's a hotel?" - Londyn Bradshaw

### References

* Muffin Man
* Yelp
* Signs
* Cher
* Angelina Jolie
* Harry Potter
* Elmer Fudd
* Bo Derrick

### Name That Tune

* "Fresh Prince of Bel Air" - Theme
* "Baby Shark"
* "Colors of the Wind" - Pocahontas

## Behind the Queens

* DM Matt announces in the intro, outro, and in an insert in the middle of the episode, that episodes will be undergoing a name change in early March 2020 to alleviate some issues with Season Zero in people's feeds. He encourages people to change their settings to download newest episode only by March 7th to prevent possibly redownloading the entire series.
* Fraya gains inspiration, the first time anyone had gained inspiration since the group finished their Glamazon training where they learned a new way of giving inspiration. Despite this new method, it is DM Matt who gives it, not one of the other queens.
* Fraya says "A lot can happen in 24 hours". Given that they average one day every six episodes: Accurate.

**Greetings From Fire Island**: Ch1 - Ch2 - Ch3 - **The Show Must Go On**: Ch1 - Ch2 - Ch3 - Ch4
**Operation Watersport**: Ch1 - Ch2 - Ch3 - Ch4 - Ch5 - Ch6 - Ch7 - **Trials**: Ch1 - Ch2 - Ch3 - Ch4
**Ghosts of the Coast**: Ch1 - Ch2 - Ch3 - **The Devil's Due**: Ch1 - Ch2 - Ch3 - Ch4
**Special**: The Story So Far
**The Beautiful Place**: Ch1 - Ch2 - Ch3 - Ch4 - Ch5 - Ch6 - **A Dance in the Dark**: Ch1 - Ch2 - Ch3 - Ch4
**Drama in the Deep**: Ch1 - Ch2 - Ch3 - Ch4 - Ch5 - Ch6 - **Whispers From the Heart**: **Ch1** - Ch2 - Ch3 - Ch4 - Ch5 - Ch6
**Danger Rangers!**: Ch1 - Ch2 - Ch3 - Ch4 - Ch5 - Ch6
**Mist Connections**: Ch1 - Ch2
**Unreleased**
Lost: Camp Crystal Light - Pax West 2018 --  vs the Lizard People
Live Shows: Seattle Style -- Minneapolis Style