Ink and Blood: Episode 05

### Reddit Thread

***Ink and Blood* Episode 5** was streamed on Arcadum's Twitch channel on August 2, 2021, and premiered on Arcadum's YouTube channel on August 3, 2021.

## Summary

*Summary originally written by u/PalladiumDrake*

Bai-Sho explains to the party that the captured Goda will be tried before the court and, if he’s found guilty, sealed in the Black Library. Meanwhile in the background, Jerry wonders if they should tell the Onmyoji about the other things they found and learned; he doesn’t want to get anyone in trouble. When Elliot encourages him to “follow his heart,” Jerry runs up to Bai-Sho and tells him that they found a magical loom handle. As Tiri shows the items, Bai-Sho recognizes the symbol of the Seven, explaining it was once known as the symbol of the Stranger; however, he doesn’t know about the loom. He then explains that there is still much to do: Goda’s family needs to be purified and guards need to be posted to prevent further corruption. As soon as that is finished, Bai-Sho will invite the party to the trial. The fate of Goda will be decided by five judges, and the party’s testimony will be needed. In exchange, they will get access to the knowledge of the Black Library.

As Bai-Sho leaves to do his job, Tiri moves away from the group to pray to Raquel, asking for guidance on what to do with the found tools. In addition to Raquel’s presence, he also feels the divinity of the Matron of Fate coming from the loom. Thanks to them, Tiri figures out that he could learn how to change the future with the loom, given enough time. As he continues praying, he can see that the loom is focussed on the near future of six different parts of the Tapestry: a bloody page, a stormcloud, a glorious wind, a ringing bell, a twisted spire, and a screaming face with multiple eyes.

Tiri focuses on the bloody parchment and sees five strands intertwined into a braid. He then sees a ship on the sea, the screaming face of an Akuma, and one strand torn from the braid, erupting into flame. He quickly moves on and focuses on the stormcloud. Again he sees five strands forming one braid, but now there are coins clattering while a black die rolls, an old man walking a wide path, a blade surging with the power of the storm, and a horned, smiling face covered in blood. Focusing on the face, Tiri sees it belongs to a Ho’ask woman praising a dark god, surrounded by severed heads. Noticing he could focus on the strand itself, he looks further and sees she’s worshipping Crowley. Her comrades come to stop her, but the corpses rise, and she slaughters her party. The symbol of the Seven glows; Tiri feels like he could change this fate.

Tiri moves on, focusing on the glorious wind. He sees a concert where people are partying, a mushroom field filled with poppies, a Dwarf man surrounded by dresses, and a shadow in the night stealing a child. He focuses further on the shadow and sees a purple Tiefling woman, seemingly fearful. Tiri then looks at the child’s face, which appears to be that of a human male who bears the mark of the Shattered Star, the group that served the Enemy at the time of the Cataclysm. The symbol of the Seven glows even brighter; changing this fate will have a bigger impact.

Next, Tiri focuses on the ringing bell. He sees many shadows within a funeral pyre, the open and welcoming city of Bal’Lok casting long shadows, a scroll unraveling into a corpse, and a shattered white porcelain mask. As Tiri focuses on the funeral pyre, the shadows appear to be noblemen, their eyes lit with greed. Looking further, he sees that the fire isn’t flame, but green and like jade, and the corpses being burned are those of five sons. This is a fate that could be changed.

Tiri shifts his gaze to the twisted spire. He sees a Wizard Lord in deep complentation while shadows are watching him, five shadows walking away from a village on fire, and a horrifying mound of rotten and malignant flesh. He looks closely at the five shadows, seeing them walk away in shame and fear, each of them bleeding from a hole in their chest. He recognizes a goblin, a kobold, two humans, and a ratfolk, all bearing the mark of the Wizard Lord on their body. This is a fate that could be changed.

Lastly, Tiri looks into the screaming face with multiple eyes. He sees a mountain of mists filled with screams, people falling from a great height each time a great black bell rings, five strangers talking to a man in a blue mask presenting them with many trinkets, and a creature with many eyes, black as night, consuming a city to the north. He looks more closely at the creature and sees it wreaking havoc while five shadows fight it, each bearing a point of light. Gazing at the creature, Tiri sees that its many eyes are filled with hatred. It roars, and the five women fighting it fall to the ground. Then, the creature looks at Tiri….

The others see Tiri fall to the ground, the loom falling from his grasp. Kouki looks him over and sees that his pupils are twisted into a pattern he recognizes from the “Otikata” book. Jerry immediately goes for the loom, and as it is still activated, he sees all the things that Tiri saw. This includes the creature’s gaze, but Jerry resists its power. In addition, he sees a sixth strand appear in the current part of the pattern; Tiri’s fate is being manipulated by this creature too. As a Gregorian Rogue, Jerry knows how to imitate a priest and would be able to use the loom, so with sparkles in his eyes, he reaches for the symbol of the Seven on the floor. Ral tries to dissuade him and reaches for the symbol as well, but Jerry is quicker. With the power of fate in his hands, Jerry adds himself to the glorious wind concert. The Tapestry rewoven, the loom and the symbol of the Seven shatter.

Seething, Ral shoots an Eldritch Blast into Jerry and angrily stands over him. Luckily, even though Jerry didn’t try to save him, Tiri breaks free from the creature’s grasp, hearing it whisper “Otikata” one last time before he wakes up. After describing what he witnessed, he immediately asks for the loom. Ral points at the crumpled heap of Jerry, telling Tiri that he used and destroyed it. Jerry tries to twist the truth a bit, but then Tiri sees the broken handle and symbol on the floor. He grabs Jerry by his clothes and asks what his deal is and for whom he works. Not understanding the question, Jerry tries to distract Tiri by explaining his “interpretation” of the vision, but he eventually breaks under the stone-faced Paladin’s stare.

Tiri then asks what Jerry wants, so Jerry tells him that he wants to find friends and do good. Bursting his bubble, Tiri unveils to him that he so far has been sabotaging the group with his behaviour. If they are fated to be together as a group, he wants Jerry to promise to stop being so self-serving; he needs to learn that there are boundaries. To show his goodwill, Jerry starts fessing up about what he did with the loom and tells his group that he has woven himself into a big party, leaving out the fact that he could have chosen to try and change Tiri’s fate. Knowing that Jerry could benefit from this vision, Tiri wants to keep his Oath to the goddess of time and tries to make Jerry promise that he won’t go to a party in the coming year. Because he feels like he has violated time law, Jerry is willing to promise that, but to make sure he doesn’t go back on his word, Tiri asks him to make an Oath. So Jerry swears that “he’ll do everything in his power to avoid changing or involving himself in events that have yet to happen, assuming he’s going to gain from it.”

The shadows darken and swirl around Jerry; an Oath to Babylon has been made. A crow appears on the back of Jerry’s right hand, reminding him of his promise.

## Featured Characters

### Main Characters

* Elliot Mylic
* Jerry
* Kouki Subeuroko
* Ral'Sazesh
* Tiri Anand

## References

1. ↑ Verum Weekly: Summaries of Streamed Games of the Week (August 5th, 2021)