Episode 38: But, He's One Duck...

**Episode 38: But, He's One Duck...** (C1E38) is the thirty-eighth episode of the first campaign of The Table is Yours: A Role-playing Adventure Show. The Faded Fates discuss with Fiara, Cazamir, and the other Martyrs what wish they should make with the new Dawnwood Diamond they found...

## Synopsis

### The Duck Debate

The Faded Fates and The Martyrs of Ponteugh gather in the central hub of the Panworks mine shaft. Fiara announces to the group that Rush, Willow, and Kryn had retrieved a new diamond containing The Boltmaster, the god of weather and arcane. Fiara wants to give the whole group the option of deciding on what wish to make; she hopes to unify everyone for the cause. On that note, she also wants to apologize for the way she has treated The Faded Fates. She had been seeing them as enemies, even though she knows they are her allies, simply because they are from The Burg. She acknowledges Shae and points out that they aren’t even all from The Burg, but she associates them with it anyway. She explains that she needs to disconnect the people from The Burg with The Burg itself, the folks who live there are not the problem, the corrupt elite are the real enemies.

Fiara asks how they should use the diamond. She wants to be rid of it, so she is offering the wish to anyone. Terrance states that it will be best to use it to give them an advantage in their mission. Rush asks which mission he meant, The Faded Fates’ or The Martyrs’? Terrance tells him that he hopes they are working towards the same goal at this point; they all want to flush The Burg of its toxicity and help fix The Wilds. Rush scoffs but also nods in acknowledgement. Kryn speaks up to say that they shouldn’t use the wish to alter the past in any way because wishes like that get too messy and cause unexpected problems. Everyone agrees.

Wash suggests the idea of wishing for a large-scale “Zone of Truth” like spell over The Burg to try and weed out the liars and corruption. Everyone ponders this for a moment, but eventually they agree that this kind of wish will probably be more useful farther down the line. Codex suggests a hidden scry on Orathia or Lady Serafima to give the party constant insight to what they are doing. The worry with this idea is that it can be discovered and traced back to expose The Martyrs. Fiara agrees that information on Orathia would be helpful, but the risk is too high for the time being. Isa and Shae ask if they can just hide the diamond and save it for a wish later.  Red arcane text appears in front of Fiara saying: “they will find it”. Fiara is startled and waves it away, but the rest of the party recognizes the text as Balthazar’s. Fiara sends Cazamir and Kryn to fetch him.

Codex suggests wishing Kessak behind the Divine Gate to prevent Orathia from having a bodyguard. She also mentions that she spoke with Lord Kes at the banquet, and he told her that he wouldn’t mind being detached from Orathia, among other things. Fiara gives Codex a questioning look and asks why on earth she would talk to Lord Kes. Codex explains that after their experience with The Lady of Want, she thought that maybe Lord Kes also wanted to be freed, plus he had more information about her magic. Fiara raises an eyebrow to that and presses Codex for more information. Codex recaps what Kessak told her about the Hexaleep and that her mom might be Jophet. Codex looks at a smirking Balthazar and tells him that he was wrong with some of his theories. He tells her that was why they were theories. Balthazar sighs and lets the conversation continue.

Cazamir mentions that the only diamonds left are the ones attached to the gods, so they need to find them before someone else does. Balthazar explains that people can make wishes without the diamonds; blood is the new diamond, so to speak. He explains that there was apparently an ancient cult that used blood magic to make wishes and that that magic has been passed on. Orathia gave him the goblet, so she could do it, and Balthazar also says that Serafima has the ability to make such wishes. Fiara sighs as if to say, of course they can.

After taking a moment to think, Fiara suggests using the wish to be able to detect the other diamonds. Most of the party is on board with this idea, but Codex still wants to use the wish to spy on Orathia. Terrance explains that being able to detect the other diamonds means that they can make these other wishes in the future. Fiara thinks it best to give one of them the ability to detect the diamonds, perhaps whoever is most resistant to the auras. Everyone looks at Shae who was notably the least affected by the diamonds. Shae is willing, but Finley brings up a good point: what happens if Shae is taken or disappears? Finley instead suggests they use Cinnamon. Everyone looks at him like he is crazy, but he explains his thought process. Cinnamon, as his familiar, wouldn’t disappear or be killed. They would always have access to him unless Finley died, and Finley says he isn’t worried about that. Eventually, most of the table agrees. Finley ponders the wording of the wish and eventually grabs the diamond, as well as Cinnamon, and makes his wish. “I wish for Cinnamon to be able to accurately detect the location of the Dawnwood diamonds”. In a flash, Cinnamon disappears, and Finley’s eyes gloss over.

### Duck Tales

Finley sees Cinnamon standing at the feet of a giant, cloaked figure. The god speaks and thanks Cinnamon for freeing him from his bonds; he tells the duck that he wants to do better than he had in the past. He reaches out his hands that have tight, red gloves on them and presents them for Cinnamon to climb into. The Boltmaster pulls the small creature up to his face and tells him that he hopes his wish does him well. With that, Cinnamon reappears at the table, and Finley comes to. He explains what happened in the vision he saw through Cinnamon’s eyes and that he believes the wish was granted. Terrance asks the group how they are feeling about the wish. Codex still thinks that it should have been used for espionage, but they can do that later. Balthazar chimes in to say that he knows something about Orathia, but he is cut off by Finley, who makes a joke at his expense. “You seem to know a lot of things, but not how to not get beat.” Balthazar falls silent, and Fiara immediately dismisses Finley for his comment and then adjourns the meeting entirely.

### Isa Speaks Her Mind

Isa hangs back as everyone else heads into town for some drinks to speak with Fiara. She pulls the Tome of Brerengar from her bag and tells Fiara that she brought it for her to study, copy, or do whatever she wants to with it, but she needs it back. Fiara thanks her and takes the tome to her room for safekeeping, leaving Isa alone with Cazamir and Balthazar. Isa decides to ask Balthazar what happened to the souls of those who were in his undead army. He looks at her quizzically and tells her that he assumes they went to the afterlife. Isa reminds him that the sun was covered, so she isn’t sure that was possible. Balthazar laughs in her face and tells her that, despite what her religion or Cazamir may have told her, the sun god has nothing to do with the judgment of souls or their ability to “pass on.” Cazamir attempts to interject but is dismissed easily by Balthazar. Fighting back tears, Isa tells him that someone she loved was in his army, and she wants to be sure he was in a better place. Balthazar says that the god of judgment determines that, so he hopes that her lost soul was a good person. She tells him that he was the best. Balthazar concedes to her that he was probably sent somewhere good in that case, and as for Isa, he isn’t so sure she’ll end up there. As Isa and Balthazar devolve into agreeing they’re both going to end up together in a “bad place”, Cazamir cuts him off and apologizes for his brother. Cazamir tells Isa that she should leave and that they will catch up later when he isn’t tasked with babysitting his brother.