Chapter 30: Something Dreadful Shall Arise

Image Description: a bedraggled woman in an anorak - presumably Carpenter - stands amongst reeds with a gathering storm behind her. She stares intensely and furiously at the viewer. The caption reads, ’“And when I am dead, of course - there will be no end to the lies they can tell about me.” - Faulkner.’

## Credits

### Featured Voices

* Steve Hendrickson as Roemont
* B. Narr as Faulkner
* Sophie Lynch as Greve
* H.R. Owen as Rane
* Méabh de Brún as Carpenter
* Steven Zivic as Fisherman
* Steven Anzalone as Brother Fade
* Jimmie Yamaguchi as Hayward

### Additional Voices

AJ Fidalgo, Alyssa Petrie, Rissa Montanez, and Marlon Dance-Hooi

## Meta Data

### Content Warnings

This episode contains drownings (multiple), eating sounds (34.50-35.16), car crash, gunshots (49 minutes onwards).

## Episode Guide

War between the Peninsula and Linger Straits rages on. Downriver, Faulkner makes his case to the High Katabasian. Upriver, Carpenter is still on the run - and feels like she's rapidly running out of time.

## Description

### The River Rises

We open to the sound of the river and a song. The lyrics start as we hear a splash and start to drift down the river. We hear the sounds of the war, a sacrifice to the trawlerman, and the sounds of kids playing at the Jolly King Kipper Wetlands Park. This is our introduction to the world of The Silt Verses in season 3.

### Faulkner's Audience with the Katabasian Council

Bells chime in the background as the High Katabasian Roemont and Katabasian Greve question Faulkner about the events that occurred at the end of last season. Faulkner tells his version of events, in which he blames the deaths of Katabasian Mason and Sister Thurocks on Carpenter, who he claims was working for the government. Faulkner (now Katabasian Faulkner) explains that Carpenter will soon be caught and killed by people he has sent after her because she has nowhere else to go. During this Faulkner has flashbacks to the events of the end of Chapter 29 in which he begs Carpenter to leave but she just stares at him for a bit before apologising and turning to run.

When asked Faulkner lies and says that Brother Fade, the only other person who may know the truth due to him being nearby when Mason was killed, insisted on joining the group hunting down Carpenter so is unable to talk directly to the Katabasian Council. When asked for a general status report Faulkner mentions plans to reclaim the Grand Aquifer supposedly for their communities’ safety and morale in the face of a recent conscription notice.

The Katabasians discuss the Trawler Man’s recent unpredictable actions and increased appetite. Faulkner brings up rumours of the Council attempting to legalise the faith of Trawler Man and weaponise it for the war effort. He then, in an attempt to get the Council to formally denounce these rumours, tries to twist Mason’s memory to his cause by claiming Mason would have never wanted it to be legalised, which angers Roemont who was a friend of Mason’s.

Throughout their discussion Katabasian Greve seems slightly hostile and clearly does not respect Faulkner while High Katabasian Roemont appears more neutral.

After Faulkner leaves Greve and Roemont express detest for Faulkner and comment that while he is failing at deceiving them, he doesn’t need to. This is because he is already seen as a hero by many people of the Trawler Man and that number will only grow the longer the Trawler Man acts erratically. They discuss how Adjudicator Shrue is eager to publicly announce the legalisation of the Trawler Man. However, they are caught up with the war, an upcoming election, and they still don’t know Katabasian Mason has been killed. The Katabasians plan to employ some delaying theatrics as Shrue will expect the Wither Mark, which only Faulkner knows, before signing anything.

Roemont suggests going to Paraclete’s Gulch to publicly praise Faulkner then kill him, paint him as a martyr, and manipulate what people think he stood for.

### Faulkner’s fun car trip with sibling Rane

Faulkner gets into a car driven by Sibling Rane who is a disciple of the faith from the Gulch. He reflects that he initially (back in season 1) expected to be welcomed by the Katabasian’s council as a hero alongside Carpenter, not to be interrogated by people he could not trust. He then asks Sibling Rane what they thought of it. They are initially hesitant to respond with anything other than polite pleasantries. After some convincing they reflect on the privilege experienced by those of the inner circle and how they can't help resenting them for not trying to share that privilege with those of the faith who are struggling.

Faulkner asks Rane if he can trust them to which Rane responds, “With my life, Katabasian.” He then explains how he felt he was interrogated and thinks it is possible those on the Katabasian council may want him dead. Rane is horrified by this, but Faulkner understands how easily lies can be told about a corpse.

### Carpenter’s snack stop

We hear a TV game show playing in a fisherman's cottage before cutting to Carpenter, who is crouched outside, waiting for the fisherman inside to fall asleep before sneaking in. Once inside she bribes the fisherman's dog to stay quiet and begins inhaling jam and cheese from the fridge.

After that we hear Carpenter narrate her situation. She is injured and exhausted having spent over a month running and hiding from those sent by Faulkner. She is committed to not taking any more lives, out of spite if nothing else, and has called Acantha 6 times but never received an answer. Carpenter explains how she is reliant on the Cairn Maiden showing her the way to go. While the disciples sent after her are generally incompetent, they are persistent and learn while she only grows more and more exhausted. The Carin Maiden manifests in the doorway watching Carpenter who just mocks her a bit before falling asleep.

### The Chase

Carpenter suddenly wakes up to the sound of Brother Fade knocking on the door of the cottage asking if the fisherman recognizes a sketch of Carpenter. Fade pushes past into the house to see an open window. Carpenter has made yet another run for it. Brother Fade radios other disciples and chases after Carpenter while encouraging her to just give up. Carpenter receives guidance from the Carin Maiden about which way to go and runs off while Fade shoots at her.

Brother Fade gets in his car to chase after Carpenter who has reached a fence which marks the border into polluted lands. Carpenter climbs over and Fade crashes through the fence to follow her. Carpenter continues her desperate dash and ends up in a cave on the hillside. She is now cornered by Fade and they both know it. Fade cocks a shotgun. Slightly maniacally, Carpenter taunts him, explaining that he already had a chance to shoot her a few days ago but he didn’t. Fade’s voice starts to shake as he tells her to shut up. Carpenter continues yelling; telling Fade that it was Faulkner that killed Mason and he knows it because he was there. Carpenter explains that he has a choice to let her live or to continue singing whatever tune Faulkner tells him too. Fade has lost his brother, which he wants to blame on Carpenter. Despite her convincing and his own knowledge that he is helping to make a hero out of a traitor Brother Fade accepts that Faulkner has already won and makes the decision to kill Carpenter. However, as soon as he has made his decision the river rises up from the back of the cave to sweep him away and drown him, saving Carpenter. She tries to save Fade but is unsuccessful. Carpenter is bewildered about why the Trawlerman killed one of his faithful to save her and falls back on her standard response of angrily mocking gods. (lol)

Carpenter drags herself from the cave, half-dead with her injuries, and begs the Cairn Maiden to tell her which way to go. Upon hearing someone approach with a gun she gives up, resigned to her own death. Initially unbeknownst to her these people turn out to be Hayward’s band of disciples. Hayward shows up, cheerily greets her as an old friend and commands his people to get her medical care and bring her to the Widow of Wounds.

Carpenter still has no clue what is going on.

## References

1. ↑ Episode Release Announcement on Tumblr
2. ↑ Official episode synopsis at https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/5fec690f8211cf453a1b89e2