Trust

**Trust** is the twenty third episode of *Another Bad Side Quest*. The Order of Restoration faces off in a friendly challenge from Ob to test their skills with his new boon. The party then takes time to build a little trust.

## Trust

### **Synopsis**

**Pre-Show Shenanigans**

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### **Part One**

As the room shifted around the party, creating a floor with a layer of sand as two L-shaped lengths of black stone walls appeared from the ground, along with several outcroppings of stone that might make for good cover, with each stone wall joined with an obelisk that stood 50 feet tall and bursting with purple flame, and Bolton having fired off a shot that dispelled Tabernacle's Tiny Hut with a *Counterspell* bullet, Ob reminded them that belief in a lot in could make something strong, but a strong belief by a few was also just as powerful and if they ever needed help to think of Seren.

From the center of the room, the party watched as Silence, the Kenku that had appeared beside them before they disappeared in a puff of feathers, stepped out from behind one of the obelisks. The Majority of the party noticed that among Silence's black feathers were some that were speckled with white, and watched as they shift and twisted as they activated her *Doppelganger* ability and produced five more identical copies of her that scattered about the room. As Tabernacle screamed, Killian cast *Thunderous Smite,* rushed the closest Silence and missed as he swung down with his newly altered halberd that went wide as Silence side stepped. Quincy followed up behind Killian, aimed over his shoulder fired on Bolton from the opposite side of a piles of sandstone that gave him cover while she used a *Risk Die* to activated *Deed :* *Limb Shot* to make him drop a weapon, which he managed to hold on to but as Quincy shrugged and fired while she activated *Deed :* *Limb Shot* again, nailed the hand that held *Reaver* on his shoulder and forced him to drop it, before rushing up and around the pile of stone and faced Bolton directly.

Bolton face to face with Quincy, pulled out two long pistols from his coat, *Patience & Pestilence*, offered Quincy a two second head start, but when Quincy told him not to go easy and Ob called from above that Bolton was too nice, Bolton struck Quincy with one of his two volley of bullets, with som significant damage and as Quincy coughed and groaned in pain she watched Bolton as loaded a particular bullet into *Patience* and leveled his aim towards Tabernacle. Alaerith, still unsure as to what was happening, backed away from where the party were positioned, ducked behind one of the obelisks and remembering Ob's words, focused on Seren. Bolton activated his *Legendary Action* to fire his special bullet at Tabernacle, in the form of a purple spiral, that exploded in front of Tabernacle, in the vicinity of everyone but Quincy, with only Yashani who was able to resist being pulled into his *Gravity Sinkhole,* that dragged them into Tabernacles's space and damaged them, destroying Hobble's form. Quincy insisted Bolton had to show her how to do that and Bolton laughed as he agreed to maybe show them later.

Yashani, having not been pulled into the sinkhole, rushed to the nearest Silence, pulled her quarterstaff from her back, struck it with the second of her two attacks as Silence side stepped the first, but turned into a puff of feathers on the blow that hit, leaving frustrated Yashani as she looked to her next target. RX, accepting the absurdity of the situation, rushed from the pile of his companions in a straight line for the nearest Silence, past Quincy and Yashani, missed in his attempt to shoulder check it who was too quick and missed in his attempt to clothesline finding that the Kenku was shorter then he estimated as Silence stood there unaffected. Tabernacle activated his *Form of Dread,* his face hollowing out and dripping with salty water as he got his undead water on Killian and Alaerith, admitted he could feel a breeze and believed the pants Ob magicked for him earlier were incorporeal, stepped out of the sinkhole grouping, took a suspicious look around to find the real Silence among the duplicates, but believing maybe they were *all* the real Silence, heading further away from the mainstay of the fight, cast *Eldritch Blast* at Bolton knocking him with each necrotic filled blast back five feet till he was against the wall of the room, then finished his movement to keep a pile of sandstone between himself and Bolton.

Bolton activated his *Legendary Action* to fire at Tabernacle with *Patience* doing considerable harm despite his disadvantage. Meanwhile, the several copies of Silences started to scatter around the room, except for the Silence in front of RX who stabbed him, though RX resisted it's paralyzing affect as well, then spun around in a circle and created a puff of feathers before RX's eyes, but remained there almost suspiciously so. Killian clambered away from Alaerith on the ground, swooped around the opposite side of the sandstone piles from Quincy and RX, dropped his halberd to the ground, unsheathed and threw one of the *Shadow Twins* at Bolton as he activated a 3rd level *Divine Smite,* while also activating *Mobile Flourish*, and the other at Silence as he activated a 1st level *Divine Smite*, noting that while the dagger struck Bolton the radiant energy dispersed across him to no effect, and when Silence erupted into a burst of feathers and disappeared Killian then marked Bolton with the daggers as they appeared back in his hands. Ob called down from above "to enjoy", waved his hands causing the pillars above the obelisks to flash a bright purple light burning Alaerith and Killian who were within their 15 foot range.

Quincy rushed forward as they put *Panache* away, picked up *Reaver* where Bolton had dropped the rifle, managed not to fumble it as she rushed further away, then dropped to her stomach, fired on Bolton while she activated *Deed :* *Covering Fire* as she nailed Bolton him twice, reducing his next attack, and laughed to herself with the new weapon. Bolton, having taken the hit, pulled out *Soulfire,* fired the white flame out of the barrel and across Quincy's prone form putting her on the edge of unconsciousness, missed on his second fire with it, then pulled out *Patience* and loaded in a special bullet and aimed at RX. Alaerith, carefully stood from where he had been dragged into the *Gravity Sinkhole* pile and burned by the obelisk, backed away from the majority of the fight near one of the Silence duplicates, cast *Misty Step* to get some distance from her, then cast *Firebolt* as he activated his *Metamagic :* *Twin Spell* to fire on the Silence he left behind and the one further beyond and missed both both of them.

Bolton activated his *Legendary Action* to fire on RX, as Quincy used her reaction to activate *Gambler's Taunt* to fire on him to stop the attack, but Bolton used his reaction to raise his AC dispersing her attack. While Bolton's special bullet hit RX, as RX used his reaction to activate *Protective Field* to negate the damage, the energy within the bullet caused RX's mind to go white hot as his systems suddenly shut down and left him *Incapacitated*. Yashani, seeing RX fall, climbed over onto the mound of sandstone between herself and Bolton, activated her *Hand of Harm* from long range which disintegrated a bit of his suit and caused part of his magma skin to harden and crumble, then came down from the sandstone mound to where RX was and activated *Hand of Healing* to bring him out of unconsciousness. Bolton activated two *Legendary Actions* to fire on Yashani's nerves with precise aim forcing her to the ground and and left her *Stunned.* RX clambered to his feet, thanked his opponents for the sparring match, ignored Tabernacle's call for RX to focus on Bolton claiming he had Silence covered, missed in his attempt to slash Silence, used his *Mobile* feat to move freely toward Bolton. missed with another slash, then asked Bolton for a do-over.

Tabernacle moved to center himself towards the middle of the room, took a knee, pulled out his rifle, cast *Raulothim's Psychic Lance* as he called out for a *Mr. Fazzlepatch* to find the real Silence, causing a ghostly gnome to appear on Tabernacle's shoulder, who held a pair of spyglasses to his eyes, as well as activating the *Spider Druid's Gemstone*, but despite the disadvantage Silence resisted it's affect to incapacitate her and despite her name being sought out by the sparkling lance the spell created caused a random doppelganger to burst into feathers as they were considered exact copies of herself. The real Silence, just a little ways from Tabernacle and behind cover, activated *Doppelganger* again making seven total on the board. Killian then used the *Shadow Twins* to teleport to the marked Bolton, stabbed him twice in the gut while also activating his *Defensive Flourish* for extra damage and to bump up his defence, then sheathed one of his daggers, activated *Life Drain* as he touched Bolton with his Ruin Moon mark to regained energy by syphoning it from Bolton, then moved out of Bolton's reach and towards Yashani.

Ob waved his hands again and causing the obelisks to burst with flame again, and while Alaerith managed to dodge out of the way of some of the flames by activating *New Guy* : *That Was Close!,* Tabernacle and Quincy took the flames head on, which left Quincy on the ground *Unconscious*. Silence then activated three *Legendary Actions* to use *Seventh of the Nine Knives* causing all the Silence Doppelgangers to cast *Mirror Image* which brought the total of Doppelgangers up to 24. Quincy rolled a death save, while Bolton stood from being slammed against the wall, looked at RX, pulled out *Soulfire* as he wobbled to his feet striking with one of his two attacks which threw RX back against the sandstone pile leaving him *Unconcious*, then swapped out *Soulfire* for *Panic & Punish*.

Alaerith, away from everyone else and now faced with 24 Silences, approached the birds, apologized as he needed there to be less of them, recalled the spider dragon, the fire eater at the circus and Seren's magical fruit, cast *Dragon's Breath* as sparks in his hand coalesced into a small berry-sized sphere which he swallowed, causing his throat to glow a light blue and with a deep breath exhaled a stream of lightning towards some of the doppelgangers, forcing them to dance around it as they used *Evasion* to avoid most of it, destroying only three of the *Mirror Image*s, then used his *Flexible Casting* to give up six *sorcery points* and regain his fourth level spell slot he used on *Dragon's Breath*. Bolton activated his *Legendary Action* to shoot the *Stunned* Yashani on the ground with *Panic & Punish*. Yashani, now automatically released from the stun, stood from prone, gritted her teeth as she rushed Bolton, struck him with her quarterstaff while activating *Stunning Strike* to stun him, which Bolton resisted, then struck him again activating Stunning Strike again, which succeeded, but Bolton activated his *Legendary Resistance* to shake off, and getting angrier, Yashani dropped her quarterstaff and activated her *Flurry of Blows* and slammed into Bolton's chest repeatedly.

RX rolled his death save. while Tabernacle muttered that this sucks, wandered further away from the battle, sat down and thought of Seren, calling for him to help as they were getting their asses kicked, holding his action, then activated *Form of Dread* to recover his temporary hit points. Silence moved all 21 of the Doppelgangers and mirrored images as they piled on top of Alaerith and left him *Restrained*. Killian sighed before his voice boomed out through the arena, said

"F*or the love of God, stand!"*

cast *Mass Healing Word* on everyone, but Alaerith who was out of range and no longer in his view, reviving Quincy and RX out of unconsciousness, then interposed himself between Bolton and RX and gave *Bardic Inspiration* to Yashani. Ob waved his hands through the air once more causing the obelisk's to flare and Quincy, having just been brought back, rolled out of the way of the obelisk's flames and avoids taking any damage with her Evasion. Quincy then activated *Deed :* *Bite the Bullet* to regain temporary hit points, decided it was best to just get out, stumbled to where Tabernacle was who told her to sit, which she did and held her action with Tabernacle.

Bolton asked Killian if he was sure he wanted to do this, and on getting agreement from him put his pistols away and pressed his palms together as he readied himself. Alaerith struggled and managed to push his way poking his head out from under the pile of Silences, and as he voiced his need for a way to move, unconsciously cast *Thunder Step* as an almost cartoonish looking thunder cloud appeared 10 feet above him, sent out a single blue bolt of lightning towards his head and in a flash of light Alaerith disappeared from that space and reappeared 60 feet away, leaving a thunderous boom that erupted the pile of kenkus into feathers, leaving only the real Silence left 30 feet away from Alaerith along the area wall, then Alaerith took a step back. At that moment, Bolton activated three *Legendary Actions* to activate his champion's ability causing a bright white light that came from Bolton's hands, expanded to encompass himself, Killian, RX and Yashani, though RX managed to resist the brunt of damage, he was still left *Unconscious* on the ground while Killian and Quincy took the full thing and were left *Blinded* and *Deafened*.

Yashani coughed from the pain, activated *Hand of Healing* on herself while also activating *Physician’s Touch* to relieve her blinded condition as well, and as her eyes readjusted though still blurry stooped down to pick up her quarterstaff and struck Bolton with one of her two strikes. Tabernacle asked Quincy how she was doing, but as Quincy was looking back where the flash of light came from asked if he wasn't concerned, Tabernacle grumbled, stood back up, moved further away behind cover and held his action once again. On her turn, Silence simply disappeared into a puff of feathers and was no longer seen. Killian rolled a death save as Ob called from above that it was no longer a fair fight anymore and insisted the group needed to learn tactics and Tabernacle insisted he had tried before. Tabernacle then walked over to Killian cast *Spare the Dying* and with a push and pull of salt water through Killian and RX's lungs revived the both them in turn.

Ob questioned if they had ever worked together, as Quincy went to RX activated *Life Drain* to use her Ruined Moon mark to siphon her own vitality back into RX to heal him and Tabernacle did the same for Killian. Ob, who saw Alaerith muttering about feathers, cast *Calm Emotions* on him, then told the group that as people who called themselves an "order" there was very little helping between them. Ob then asked how many times friends would have to go down for them to learn and Tabernacle noted it might take a few dozen, while Yashani defended that she couldn't see her friends were down until she was un-blinded. Quincy stated that it felt useless to help when some people seemed so intent on dying and Tabernacle agreed adding those who were intent on breaking the plan. Ob took it all in and told them that while they may not think they need to help each other they did, pointing out that Bolton and Silence didn't even assist each other and nearly had them and asked if they didn't think that The Order of Ruin wouldn't mob them and kill them off one at a time.

Tabernacle asked Alaerith if he could do the "berry trick" again, referring to his *Dragon's Breath*, and Alaerith admitted he had never done it before. Tabernacle cast *Find Familiar* to revive Hobble and said that he had an idea. Ob asked them what he said, but Tabernacle insisted this was the closest they had come to collaboration all day. Ob let that sit, then turned back to the group, reminded them to think of Seren and reiterated that belief was power. One by one the party sat down together, thought of Seren and when they reopened their eyes saw that a purple glow had formed over each of them and settled like a mantle as Seren used to do when activating *Channel Divinity :* *Twilight Sanctuary*. Ob said that belief from many may bring great power, but maybe a strong belief by a few can do the same. He then added that they needed to learn to trust each other or they would always be six people running around getting their asses kicked, that none of them knew what was going on with the others and if they continued the way they were they would die.

Ob raised his hands and spun them causing the room to shift around them until they were back in the foyer that it had been and sat around the central table. Ob admitted that he didn't know what it would take to get them to work better together but they would need to figure it out and warned them that once he was off in the Feywild there would be very few people left to help. Tabernacle admitted that Ob touched on a bit of a sore spot for the party, but asked to make a request. When given permission, Tabernacle asked if there could be a room made with everything Ob knew about where they were going and who exactly they were facing to retrieve his things. Ob told him that RX knew where the library was, and on their request provided a map of the city of *Ceesunaler. As* Tabernacle said they would need time to make a plan, Ob said he needed to finish things in his office while Bolton said he needed to fix his suit and waved off Quincy's attempts to hand *Reaver* back as he didn't want to carry it as the two wandered off.

### **Break!**

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### **Part Two**

RX offered to take everyone to the library, but Killian said the foyer will do just fine while Quincy assured RX they would go there soon. Tabernacle said they could use the books to help plan their heist and RX said he and "bookmaster" had already made dioramas with the books. Tabernacle commented that despite how cute that was to think about, they got their asses handed to them and he noticed that several people who should not be getting up so close are and would rather it be him since he could take a bullet or two better than most. Killian replied that he wasn't sure there was anything he could do to help those who had penchant for accidents, that Tabernacle being first wouldn't help or hinder them and noted that Ob was correct that they simply didn't work as a team, which Quincy scoffed back saying "we" was a strong statement.

Killian shouldered the verbal hit and continued to say the loss of Seren has reoriented how they thought and worked, but they weren't good enough at it yet. He added his belief they didn't know each other well enough as people to consider themselves a proper group and pointed out that he could tell each of them, barring RX, were holding something back. Killian noted they likely knew Tabernacle the most after everything in *Krapjess,* but the rest had been withholding. With that Killian stood back from the table and cast *Find Steed* as he moved through the space, in a sort of dance as he took wisps of magic from the air and coalesced it into a large boar, with dark burgundy fur and tusks ornately decorated with gold. Killian gestured to the boar and introduced them as Bluteber, also known as the *Blood Boar*, which was the symbol and crest of Killian's former ship and crew, *The Crimson Head*.

As RX pet the boar, Killian explained, though not going into full specific details, that he grew up in the pirate city of *Zhai* and ended up the captain of *The* *Crimson Head*, a pirate ship. While he knew he couldn't fully erase his history, that he recognized he could be rash and impulsive as those were characteristics of the captain and who he no longer wished to be. Killian added that he had promised to Seren and someone else that he would be a better leader and Captain, that he recognized that they didn't need the captain of *The* *Crimson Head,* but the captain of the *Order of Restoration*. Killian said this was his way of explaining himself better and if anyone had questions of concerns they may ask, before sitting down next to the boar with RX still patting it. Quincy, having heard Killian's story before, kept an eye on Tabernacle's face to see how he took Killian's pirate reveal and gathered that Tabernacle seemed at ease knowing that Killian wanted to change and maybe even a bit of pride at the admittance.

After a moment of silence, Quincy sighed and said they hoped Bolton was proud of them. Quincy admitted they were running from something and maybe the group may have noticed at *The Docks*. Quincy said they were born to a man who did not intend to have them, that they lived their life sheltered and hidden from the world. Quincy said that one day they ran fast and far as they could, but was stopped by a group of bandits before they were found by Kylan, Kerrack and Damen who took her in and to *The Misty Moon*, where she got to see the ocean for the first time, having been told it was as vast as her imagination and twice as deep. She added that she had been on the run ever since for the past decade, always looking over her shoulder and would continue to do so as they were traveling especially, dangerously close to place where they were likely to be found. Quincy then sat back and left the floor open for someone else.

Yashani started by saying Seren already knew and that the others should know as well, reached into her bag to pull out *The Book of Sanguis* and dropped the thick tome wrapped in chains that clattered onto the table. Yashani admitted that she got it from Chuluu because like Chuluu she was in the service of an old God, Sanguis, from the Age of Varimathias. She said she did what she did because of this God and because she was raised by monks of Sanguis. Killian now recognized the symbol from the prayer room, the blood droplet in two open palms, as Sanguis and recognized it from somewhere in his childhood outside the Empire, but not much else. Killian asked what the ramifications of worshipping an old God would be in a place like the Empire and Yashani replied her assumption it was death or imprisonment. She added that the Empire built their Gods on the grave of her own and so held little stock in what they think.

Yashani said that there were people like the monks of Sanguis and Chuluu who worship old Gods and remained in hiding to not be found. Yashani added that they may have heard a tale of a place in the wetlands where people might go if they were very sick, and admitted that the tale held a grain of truth as those were the monks of Sanguis and was the only way you would find them, at least until Yashani left it was. Quincy recognized the story was one told to her in her childhood and said as much and Yashani admitted that was good that those in the Empire thought of it as only that, a story. Quincy then noted that she didn't have to answer, but proceeded to ask why Yashani left. Yashani admitted that she did not mean to leave for so long, but left as she healed a man who was very sick and was told that more people were sick in his village, and though Yashani knew she would be doing something her master would have forbade her to do, she left and went with the man and spent time healing in the village, but never made her way back to the monastery as she met Alaerith, then eventually everyone else.

Yashani noted that she wondered what became of her monastery, revealing the ill omen she saw before they were in in *The Underdark,* but feared going back because of what she may find or who might greet her. The whole time she spoke, Killian kept his eye on Alaerith during all of this and cast *Message* to tell him that if he didn't wish to share that there was nothing the group could to to force him, but they were his friends and if there was something in his past to help better understand him they wanted to know. Alaerith stood from the table, turned his back to the group, used his *Flexible Casting* to give up his fourth level spell slot for five *sorcery points* and as his hands trembled wishing for anything to help him out of this situation, cast *Enhance Ability : Eagle's Splendor* on himself. Alaerith turned back around and tried to tell the group that there wasn't much to tell, that he didn't come from anything fancy and that he was from a small seaside village just a few days away from *A'jigisha*, that he made his way from there and was heading in the one direction, all while he struggled to keep his composure. Quincy asked why he left, and after a little silence said he got bored of the life there and felt it was time, which caused several people in the party to grow suspicious, but with Killian and RX distracted by Bluteber and RX's face buried in his furry side, while Tabernacle called for a towel as Hobble has peed on him, Yashani and Quincy were the only ones who could tell that despite his claim, Alaerith didn't leave his home willingly.

Quincy looked Alaerith over, noted that he Alaerith tended to run when things got dangerous and wondered why he did not run back home when things got hard, especially before they were marked and had the opportunity, and wondered further what would cause him to run from home. Tabernacle commented that he thought Quincy was wrong, that Alaerith didn't run from anything but himself, from a mistake he has made in the past. Tabernacle added that he had a hard time helping people, that he didn't like the word hero mentioned, brought up the thought of the girl they failed to save in *The Underbelly* and that it wasn't fear, but something else that controlled him and asked what it was. Alaerith stated nothing controls him and asked what person wasn't afraid of making mistakes and pointed out what they tried to achieve and how much they failed every time. Alaerith pulled out the scrap of red dress he had take from the necrophages cages and a hairbrush and Yashani said she didn't know he kept it. Alaerith replied that he assumed they would get the chance to go back, to return it to the girl's mother, but things kept happening and he would forget and then remember, that he then thought of asking Seren to use magic to talk to her, but forgot like everything else he kept messing up on, and now wasn't sure if there is a point as he couldn't even return her body until his his last words slowly broke down into manic laughter and sobbing.

Quincy slowly reached out, not touching him but holding out her right hand and asked if she could show him something. As Alaerith saw the hand his outburst seemed to lessen as looked at Quincy, slowly and apprehensively reached out with his right, but stopped, then repeated with his left, but stopped hovering just out of touching distance, which Quincy said was fine. Quincy pointed out two lines tattooed on her wrist, simple and black, pointed to the first one and said was *Jasper*, that they had spent time planning and trying to help doing everything they could and that he had the brightest smile with fanged teeth that were just a little too big for his mouth. She pointed to the second line and said they were *Coben,* who she said sweet and had red hair even brighter than Kylan's. Quincy said she had done a very particular kind of work over the years, good work, but that sometimes you lost and there was nothing more to be done. She noted that she had come from seeing the tattoos to be less like shackles and more like bracelets, carrying these people with her, that your mistakes do not have to haunt you as long as you learn and finished by telling Alaerith that she was sorry for his losses. While she spoke Quincy saw she had Alaerith's attention for most of her tale, but though he resisted it, there was a coldness to his eyes near the end, and seeing that Quincy leant back once more, pulling her bracer down over the tattoo as she did.

Killian stated that failure did not have to be the reason they kept going, but why they moved forward to prevent the next failure. With that he stood, tapped his halberd, said that if anyone had more to say to speak now and if not they were due for a rest before they discuss Ob's job for them tomorrow, then left to go find the prayer room once more with Bluteber in tow. Tabernacle called after him that that was the first thing he said that sounded like a captain to him and Killian tipped his non-existent hat to Tabernacle as he left. Tabernacle stood and left as well, said he would go find his pants in search of his pants, pulled Alaerith in for a hug, said that he loved him like a son, that he didn't know what his deal was or was doing and that he made him feel stupid half the time but also made him proud, that it was the first time he felt like a father and that it would be good practice for when he found his kid, then told him to get some rest before he walked away, while Alaerith stood frozen in place.

When Yashani saw Alaerith still clutching the scrap of red dress and the hairbrush in his left hand, she asked him to place the items on the table. As Alaerith slowly complied, Yashani stood and placed a palm over the items and explained she would say a prayer that was usually said in Celestial, but she would will recite it in Common so they can all understand, noting this was a prayer the monks of Sanguis would say over the dead.

*"Your lifeblood returns from whence it came,*

*Flowing back to the heart of the giver,*

*To carry you to your final rest*

*May the journey be swift*

*And your next life peaceful."*

As Yashani said the prayer, everyone heard as though her words were echoed, but they come back in Celestial creating a peaceful resonance in the room. With that, Quincy turned to RX and asked if he would like to go back to the library as she hadn't seen it yet and RX offered to introduce her to "book master" and show her the dioramas they made. As they left the room, RX pats Alaerith's head and said he was glad Alaerith knew more about his past than he does and was happy for him and Alaerith muttered something under his breath that Quincy didn't catch as she followed behind. Alaerith's eyes followed Quincy as they left, before he sat at the table and stared as the hairbrush and scrap of dress. As Yashani started to leave she told him that holding on to those things would not erase the feeling in his heart nor bring her daughter back, that he should keep him if he must, but there was peace in laying those we have lost to rest. Alaerith replied that if the mother could get some peace, then maybe he could believe that. Yashani asked how he knew she did not and Alaerith reasoned that the woman had asked for help and no one came back, that she probably waited every day for her daughter, that her husband would feel the same. Alaerith then said they had no way to let her know, that from the options of letting her wait every day in hope for it to never happen or to tell her neither was a good option. He added that it didn't matter anyway because he didn't know where the body was to bring back, as it wasn't in the cages when he went and grew frustrated with himself that he ruined his chances to save her in life and in couldn't help her in death,

Yashani admitted that they couldn't help her, but they had the opportunity to help others and can't help them if they are always looking behind and left the room in search of a quiet place to meditate.

Alaerith stared at the hairbrush and the scrap of dress for a time and remembered the screams of *Kra'Kash* as it burned, along with the screams from his past that have haunted him. Alaerith pulled out a necklace from his pocket with a small red gem in it, placed it next to the hairbrush and dress scrap. As he reflected on Yashani's words peace he realized he was not alone as a hand came down on his shoulder and looked up to find Ob. Ob noted that he was a terrible liar, but the others weren't that smart. Alaerith replied that he was terrible at everything he does and Ob refuted it, that it was the wrong place, wrong time, wrong person. Alaerith wondered out loud if it was worth trying to lie to Ob and Ob said there was not, adding that he needed no explanation nor would give one. He added that "he should know..", paused on words as, after a little search, pulled an ornate dagger from his pocket of sea elf make that Alaerith recognized as it belonged to someone Alaerith knew. Ob placed the dagger down on the table and continued his words "..that he still had friends out in the world." As Ob left Alaerith muttered that he didn't and lost that right a long time ago. Alaerith looked at the dagger that sparkled in the light like how the sun's rays shined from under the water, with an etched shell handle and a curved kukri blade. Alaerith held his head in his hand, certain that the dagger he held once belonged to his best friend.

Ob soon returned from around the corner, then pulled out a map in a scroll case, explain he had it marked where he found the blade and who he found it with. Alaerith asked why he had it and Ob replied he still had friends out there who believed in him, and that belief made everything. Ob asked why Alaerith thought his power never diminished after what happened and Alaerith admitted he barely understood how his power worked. Ob opened the scroll case, unrolled it revealing a full map of Palamoa, pointed his finger to a red X, a place north of the PTC, traced his finger along it until it reached another point further north where another red X appeared and told him it was the next place for him to go, a place where someone knew a lot more about Alaerith's connection with the Æther, adding that his power came from knowledge, that it wasn't innate like his so he needed to speak to someone who understood better then he did and gifted the map to him.

Alaerith began to ask a question, cutting himself off to let Ob speak, but Ob said he had plenty of time and that he knew who he was. Ob asked who Alaerith is, who he was and who he intends to be now before adding Alaerith was a little bit just like him. Alaerith noted that wasn't the only similarity he saw and Ob replied they were more similar than either of them would like to admit, but that was for another time. Ob added that for Alaerith to help them the best he needed to figure out who he was, as what Alaerith did was incredible and would be even better if he quit lying to himself about it. Alaerith stated that the only ones he lied to the others and not himself, that he knew what he is, at his best a failure and at his worst someone who brought nothing but death and destruction. Ob noted they both were like that, before asking what the difference between them was and that he didn't lie about who he was or what he did and still helped people even though he was technically a mass murderer. Ob went on to say a lot of bad things would come from every decision he would make, but so would good things, that we are all bad to someone, but not everyone. Alaerith replied that was only until they knew the truth and Ob commented what stopped the group from hating him and jokingly suggested it was because he could kill them with the snap of his fingers.

He reminded Alaerith there were people who still believe in him, friends in the world despite what he believed, people in "this place" that want to call him friend and that he would hate to see their efforts go to waste without reciprocation from him. Alaerith asked if he will only makes things worse, but Ob stated he didn't make those decisions, that they did and he needed to trust them and that if not he could come to the Far Realm and kill things with him, but noted it wasn't a life he thought he would want. Ob went on to say that the longer that he played this game could only get more people hurt, that not playing this game could hurt more people and that people were going to get hurt along the way as it was the way the world works, but Alaerith let it consume him because it happened to him. Ob pointed out that Quincy watched crewmates die, that Tabernacle saw his *entire* ship sank with the crew onboard, people Yashani tried to help but didn't make it and asked what made Alaerith so special. Alaerith was left unable to respond and Ob stood leaving the room to Alaerith. On his own, looked at the dagger, looked at the map and pulled them into his lap and held them close to him.

1. ↑ Darrin gave the cast a hint, saying something would happen if three of them held their action together
2. ↑ This is from last episode, "A Lesson in History" as Tabernacle arrived to the foyer post-nap and without pants on and Ob told him it wasn't allowed
3. ↑ At this point it's confirmed that Bolton is immune to radiant, meaning he does not take the damage Soulfire would normally deal to its user
4. ↑ As seen in "A Lesson in History" when Killian spied the symbol before his prayer and conversation with Avranti.
5. ↑ Two goofs from me. The ability is called *Flexible Casting* and it should have been six sorcery points back.
6. ↑ At this point, Alaerith had advantage on Deception with *Enhance Ability : Eagle's Splendor,* but was still beat out by Yashani's Insight.

Jeremy used his Sorcerer ability *"Magical Guidance"* to use a sorcery point to reroll failed ability checks, but would be forced to keep the new roll, which was even worse, and allowed Quincy to see through the lie as well.
7. ↑ An item recieved in the session 0 with Alaerith, Yashani, Tabernacle and Seren
8. ↑ As seen near the end of "Acquaintances in the Underbelly".