Episode 8: Storytellers, Liars, Actors

**Episode 8, Storytellers, Liars, Actors** (1x08)- The Nearlies finally set down, after what feels like at least 7 weeks of talking and doing things, for a well deserved rest. They take the time, now that they have a moment to themselves, to divulge, reminisce, confide, disclose and withhold. An adopted troll makes an excellent pillow, Gwen and Lavaleen go off for a midnight side quest (soon on Patreon) and Val dreams a jarring dream after learning some unsettling secrets about the cloak fused to her neck. Come morning it is high time to cut the line and break into the Sacred Temple of Inns and Taverns, get their Hero Badges and some answers. Hell, high water, or disgruntled, enchanted actors be damned!

### Episode

**Episode 8: Storytellers, Liars, Actors**

## Cast

### Nearlies

Josh | Xenator Brisbane
Kathy | Lavaleen Crest
Andy | Martin Sirque
Amanda | Gwendylyn Cloot
 Robbie | The Speaker
 Aaron |  Production & Sound

### NPCs

APPEARING
 Sarah
Todd
 MENTIONED
 Clementine
 King Demm

## Summary

The Nearlies settle down to dinner and share a little about their stories and origins. There is talk of the destruction of whole cities and some light war crimes. Martin, having no memory, has little to contribute.

The next day the Nearlies go over the back wall of the Inn to bypass the line and encounter a group of actors practicing lines. It is their job to run various scenarios that will jumpstart adventuring groups on their quests.

Xenator, already in possession of a hero's badge, is able to open the back door to the Inn, and the Nearlies go inside.

## Synopsis

### Prologue

Forsythia is described as the home of the city elves. It is a huge industrial structure, strictly controlled by their magics.  The Matronell and Patronarch’s  hedonistic lifestyle is described.  Matronell is smoking the last of the Glory Plant, rendering it extinct.  Gone forever….wasn’t something else gone?

### Episode

Martin describes his encounter with Clementine.  The Nearlies make camp and start on downtime activities;  Martin reads Clementine’s diary, Gwen makes a lux potion, Lavaleen starts fletching some arrows.

Val asks about the Red Riders.  Sarah doesn’t know a lot about the Red Riders, but is able to discuss the original Red Hood.  Her cloak got soaked in blood when she was eaten by the wolf, and got infused with blood magic.  Val is a little worried about being corrupted, and becoming like the Red Riders.

A group sits down to dinner and chat to get to know one another.  Martin has nothing much to say as he can’t remember anything.  Gwen still considers herself a healer, but Sarah points out that all the magic she’s done lately is more attacking than healing.  Xenator, confesses that he’s the one that destroyed Abernathy, and states that he wants to right that wrong in the adventurers. Lavaleen states that she waterboarded the location of her cloak out of her husband.  Her marriage was forced, as she was kidnapped while bathing.  She Wished, traded her egg for the magic to overpower her husband, and tortured the information out of him.  Her husband is known as Good King Demm of Daladradorn, and Lavaleen’s ‘curse’ has been used as an excuse to declare war on neighboring kingdoms.  Val has done some undisclosed light crime, and now the rulers of Forsythia is after her.

After discussion the group goes into the child’s blanket tent that Sarah has set up.  Xenator, as an undead, doesn’t have to sleep so takes up watch and starts to whittle a pipe.

Valeriana declines Sarah’s offer for Sleepy Tea that will prevent dreams, but her dream is uneventful, as is the rest of the night. Injuries accrued the previous day disappear after sleeping.  The Nearlies wake up to Sarah make them breakfast.   After breakfast they head to the back of the Inn.

Dodderfell throws people over the wall, Lavaleen flies, and Val parkours.  On the other side of the wall is a couple of people practicing their lines, like actors.  Nearby are the defaced statues in the Hero gardens.  The faces are all destroyed and the name placards are blank.

The group is spotted and tell them that they can’t be back here.  The distressed damsel starts her scenario, and goes inside the Inn.  The Nearlies talk a large man for some information. He plays a scenario 4.  He plays a heel, and takes a fall, getting  beaten up by the wanna-be heroes 50-60 times a day. He is acting as a catalyst to start off hero parties onto their adventures.  The Nearlies try to convince the actor that he should start winning every once in a while.  He likes the idea, and says he’ll start peppering in some wins.

Xenator, as he already has a hero’s badge, can open the Inn’s door and they all enter.  There is a lively scene of partying revelers.  It is the most classic, stereotypical adventuring fantasy.  It is over the top, but after drinking tankards of beer (Hero’s Draught), the wanna be heroes completely fall for it.

The little man, Nembrin, that was seen earlier practicing his lines runs in yelling about goblins that had gutted him, and calling for heroes.  In union the wannabe heroes say, “we will answer the call!”  As soon as they exit out the door, everything winks out of existence and the room is empty except for Nembrin, who walks out afterwards.

### Epilogue

Matronell and Patriarch are trying to figure out what is ‘gone’.  It was something important, something that belonged to them, but the substances are making it difficult for them to figure it out.  ‘We have a daughter!  She has the gift.  She escaped!’ ‘He’ll kill us’.

Matronell cast a goblet of anima out a window, and cast a dark summoning.  “Velskiroth, I call you.”

## Notables

Episode 8

 Objects Acquired

 Spells Used

 Metamorph Attempts

## Quotables

Xenitor: “How did you break his feet on accident?”

Martin: “Hey, guys, what does ‘turgid’ mean?”

Xen “ I am pretty sure that I’m the reason that Abernathy is a crater in the ground.”

Gwen “Why do you think that”

Xen “Because I remember blowing it up”

## External Links

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 Website - Episode 8