216: Roomcreamer

## Summary

Finally having been afforded a little down time, the party relax in Crumplemeyer's office. Gwen quizzes the rest of the group about their magical abilities, their adventures in Barovia and the strange things they've experienced since they left. They tell her of their encounters with the "dark powers" at the Amber Temple and Gwen shares the story of how the stifling patriarchy of her clan forced her leave and fight the good fight on her own.

## Synopsis

Alone in Crumplemeyer's office, the party enjoy a moment of calm following the stressful events of the day so far. Gwen wants to get to know her new traveling companions a little better, so asks everyone how they got their magic; was it granted to them or did they study? Mo says he can't read, but he prays to the Luminescent Lobster of Love and this has given him some power from them. Will says he doesn't know how he got his magic, it just came to him; he's just a "magical guy". While some members of the group are aware there's more to it than that, no-one seems to doubt his interpretation. Raphina says she used to get her magic from one god, but has recently decided to switch to the Rainbow Trout. Batthwack also says he prays, and has done so since he was young. Will asks Gwen about her magic and she says she ran into Moondreamer where she lived, they offered her powers, and she accepted.

The conversation turns to the imposter who posed as Moondreamer and visited Gwen in her cell at the *Tomorrow, Today!* office. This had been revealed when Gwen spoke to Moondreamer again later, before they escaped using the teleportation brazier. Gwen tells them how the impostor had claimed they'd used Ricardo Ulysses to steal her money, forcing her to leave behind her comfortable life and make better use of her powers to do good. Raphina asks why candy making isn't considered to be good. Will points out that Gwen really has no way to tell which Moondreamer was the real one and Gwen's face falls. Mo suggests it could have been a different Moondreamer every time she spoke to them. This doesn't help. Will is very suspicious; any god who tells you candy making is bad must be a demon. Mo reminds everyone that just before Chilchirah died he said he smelled demons and gods, and Will adds that he'd also named Savnok.

He tells her about the Amber Temple where they had encountered various "dark powers". Will recounts how the lich Exethanter had encouraged them to take gifts from these "gods" and indeed some of them had: Lank from Savnok (the Inscrutible), Delban (the Star of Ice and Hate) and Seriach (the Hell Hound Whisperer), Will from Khirad (the Star of Secrets) and Batthwack from Zantras (the Kingmaker). Batthwack tells Gwen that ever since they left Barovia, weird stuff has been happening to them: heavy money, not being able to sleep and snow in summer  (which Gwen reminds them isn't unusual for her). Will glances at Selenia, thinking about another weird situation: the fact that no-one seems to have heard of Tivoli.

Batthwack notices Will looking at Selenia and says he thinks it would be strange if Tivoli wasn't there any more. Will recalls that they did speak to Curtis, and starts to get sad. Gwen asks who he is. Will explains that Curtis is his brother living in Tivoli. Selenia perks up at this. Batthwack says he's the goon that Will sent to investigate Gully's End. Gwen asks why Will's doing that and Will starts to squirm, so Batthwack changes the subject back to Curtis. Mo asks what a goon is and when Will explains, Mo says the lizardfolk at the lair called him something similar in draconic. Will explains about Curtis' punching dagger and how they used it to communicate with Curtis while they were travelling down the river. Selenia wants to know whether Curtis said Tivoli was there or not. Will asks who she is, but when Selenia asks what he wants to know, Will just seems upset and overwhelmed by all the storytelling.

Gwen asks if Captain Clockface is a Ricardo construct and Clockface shakes his head. Batthwack says he's been with them the whole time since Barovia, apart from when he briefly went missing. Batthwack says he believes Clockface when he says he was in the Roladexaroonie. Gwen asks if Captain Clockface is from Barovia and they explain what they learnt from Blinsky; that Captain Clockface was made by Fritz von Weerg. Gwen asks if he's the same as the construct who broker her store window, and Batthwack says he's similar, but different from Ricardo's, and he doesn't think Ricardo has any power over Captain Clockface. Will reminds everyone that Blinsky made the Ricardo construct, which suggests he's now started making them too. He could be working for Ricardo, or maybe he's just acting independently. Will suggests writing a letter to Blinsky, and Raphina agrees, but then Will says he's been sending too many letters lately and Batthwack looks at him suspiciously.

Gwen says she sends letters to her mom, but she doesn't think she reads them or even gets them. Raphina feels sad for her and gives her a hug. Gwen says she doesn't know why, but her mom never writes back. It might be because she left her clan on bad terms. Will says that's like Batthwack, who he says has a tragic back story. Gwen says her story isn't tragic and Will immediately loses interest. Gwen says it's a shame she isn't on better terms with her clan because they have a very strong army who could easily take care of *Tomorrow, Today!*. Mo asks what happened. Gwen explains that her clan followed very rigid old-fashioned traditions which allowed her father the king, and her brother Donnor to fight, but she wasn't allowed because she was female. Her duties were to cook and provide for the clan and, when old enough, to bear future generations of dragonborn. She explains that's where her talent for cooking came from. Having met Moondreamer, Gwen took her powers and left. She had no place in her clan after that. Will says he thinks that is pretty tragic. Mo says everyone fights in the lizardfolk society and Raphina realises she couldn't tell the difference between the male and female lizardfolk.

Will accuses Batthwack's tribe of taking over and Batthwack says he's pretty sure that he and Gwen come from different clans, though he does say that his clan also has a big army. He is reminded of the flashbacks that he, Nick and Raphina had, in which they were overwhelmed by goblins while rafting on the river. Batthwack asks Gwen where she's from and she says she's from the north, somewhere in the Carnivar region. She says she hasn't heard of Tivoli, but there is Tapperdown between Carnivar and Bufflin, which could explain it. Will asks if Gwen's a princess and she says she's never been called that and doesn't wear a crown (like some party members she could mention). She says she doesn't want to be a princess either. Raphina points out that Gwen's happy in her life and is doing just fine. Will disagrees saying her life under *Tomorrow, Today!* wasn't so great. He wants to see some of her lease paperwork to get a better idea of what they were doing. He suggests Aleister could collect it, but Gwen says she's feeling unsure about him, ever since he wasn't arrested along with the rest of them. Raphina also recalls the little boy/thief, who Will says probably got away.

Gwen reminds everyone about the archway they went through and how Raphina's vital statistics were the only ones not to be announced. They try to deduce what is is that's different about her that might have caused this. Raphina wonders if Crumplemeyer might know, and Will says he's a very confused guy. While everyone discusses Raphina, Will casts his eye at Hilula and she seems very interested in it all. Raphina pinches herself just to make sure she really is there. It hurts.

Batthwack asks the group what it is they're actually trying to do. Mo reminds everyone that he really wants to see the Aeonian Anglerfish in Beartoggle, which is where they were heading when they stopped off at Morrow's Inlet. Batthwack says they could just leave and go there. He also reminds everyone that he's committed to escorting Will back to Tivoli. Will says it's his top priority to establish if his home town is actually there or not and Batthwack suggests he use the punching dagger to summon Curtis again. Raphina reminds everyone that they're also helping Hilula to get back to Beartoggle and that she would like to go back home herself.

## Trivia

* The episode title "Roomcreamer" was Eric's suggestion for an alternative name for the imposter posing as Moondreamer.

## Recap Song

Recap to the tune of *The Ballad Of Davy Crockett*:

Down in a cavern room in Cliffside town

Greenest hews only found deep down

Followed a path that just look kinda round

Batthwack's the king: look at his fancy crown

Cavey, cavey lichen

The group could really go for a beer

In not much time the path up rose

Addin' a new pipe to the party's woes

Now empty pipin' is something they knows

So Raphina almost climbs in and off they goes

Cavey, cavey lichen

Claustrophobia ain't one of her fears

Off through the cave they's a-marchin' along

Thinkin' about the pipes and wonderin' what's wrong

Itchin' to ring those Watersiders gone

Except for Will, his germophobia's come on strong

Cavey, cavey lichen

The surface must be near

Crumplemeyer is the paper man's name

Playin' his mouth harp seems to be his game

Gwen sure is hopin' he doesn't think she's lame

Getting back to his office seems to be the current aim

Cavey, cavey lichen

Leaving it far in the rear

Head back to the town from the licheny place

But Merrick was leadin' a merry chase

Walking and a-harpin' at a leisurely pace

Eventually made it there but it sure weren't in a race

Cavey, cavey lichen

They've been following him for about a year

The party told him how the Watersiders made them sore

They warned him that more could be in store

He went off to handle some investigative chores

Gave the group some blankies for a little snore

Cavey, cavey lichen

Their need for rest is quite dear

## References

1. ↑ Mo was able to summon the Luminescent Lobster's power during the fight with Chilchirah and attacked using spectral lobster claws! See episode 184: Stonesaw Chainsaw
2. ↑ See episode 209: Various Brick Sounds
3. ↑ See episode 185: 25% Too Much Twerking
4. ↑ See episode 166: I No Longer Want You To Find My Gnome Family
5. ↑ See episode 176: Will's Never Met a Trout OR a God
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 See episode 188: Guys, Did You See What I Just Did To Him?
7. ↑ Eric said the draconic word was something like "faltur"?
8. ↑ See episode 207: She's Gonna Find It All
9. ↑ See 100: She's On The Moon