Episode 23: Flesh & Blood

**Episode 23: Flesh & Blood** (C1E23) is the twenty-third episode of the first campaign of The Table is Yours: A Role-playing Adventure Show. Codex and Wash prepare for a feast at Balthazar's manor...

## Synopsis

### The Hexaleep

Codex and Wash awaken in what seems to be Balthazar’s study. There is a fire burning behind his desk as he turns to face his “guests”. Before he is able to explain why he brought them to his abode, Codex jumps in to ask why he is so infatuated with her. Balthazar sighs and says that she had intrigued him ever since they met at the Polished Wall and she claimed to be his “arch rival.” He continues to say that it wasn’t even him she saw in the woods that day, however it was one of his spawn, Krenar, who would have taken it as a compliment to be mistaken for his master. Balthazar tells Codex he finds her magic interesting. It reminds him of an old tale he had once heard, but if she wants to learn more about that, then she has to agree to a… conversation. Codex admits that she does want the information but assumes there will be a price to pay. Balthazar tells her that he wishes to study her and, since he is here, he wants some of Wash’s blood. Wash and Codex look at each other hesitantly, but eventually agree. Wash is charmed again and begins to leave the room. Codex quickly objects, but Balthazar assures that he will be safe as long as he is charmed. She slouches back down into her chair after watching her friend leave the study and locks eyes with Balthazar.

To begin the study, he asks Codex to demonstrate some of her magic for him. She casts something simple, Mage Hand, and it appears as a small creature, like the rat that grabbed the letter. It manifests as a cat and finally a falcon that dissipates into the fire. He looks at Codex intently and says, “You are fascinating, you should be extinct”. Codex looks at him confused and asks if he is talking about her because there are quite a few harengons. He shakes his head curtly and says no, not her, the magic. He asks her if she has always had it, she says yes, and he explains that it shouldn’t be trapped in a body like it is. Balthazar begins to tell her the tale of the Hexaleep, a raw arcane being that was used long ago by the goddess Jophet, The Earth and Vine, to populate the world with different creatures. It would take the form of an animal to populate an area and then repeat this act until an ecosystem was established and then pitter out and be gone. It was assumed that all Hexaleeps had been gone for millenia, but considering Codex’s magic, someone must have done something to keep one around.

### Whoops, They're Kidnapped!

Meanwhile, the rest of the Faded Fates are back at the Pale White Castle Keep debating on what to do when there is a knock at the door. Isa runs to answer it and comes back with Cazamir who tells the Faded Fates that Fiara wishes to speak with them. The party exchanges worried glances and explains the situation. Firstly, Wash and Codex had been taken by Balthazar for some reason and secondly, they remind him that their mission to the Wilds was mostly a failure. Cazamir admits that Fiara probably won’t handle the news of what happened in the Wilds well, but he will do his best to mediate the situation. As for Balthazar’s “invite,” he can remove the arcane “B” from their hands if they wish. The party agrees that removing the potential arcane trackers is the best idea for now. After Cazamir wipes them away, the party decides to go meet with Fiara and hopefully, after all is said and done, they can use her help to get Codex and Wash back from her brother.

### Wash Tastes Good

Wash, after being charmed yet again, wakes up in what appears to be a stable for livestock. He is chained by the neck to the wall and bound at the wrists; his body is covered in bites and cuts, and he feels weak. He hears footsteps approaching his stall, so he rises to face them. A woman with fiery orange hair, purple eyes, and red lips pokes her head around the corner to see him. She seems surprised to see him awake, considering how much everyone indulged themselves on him. “Your blood is just… heavenly” she says with a wicked grin. Another voice calls out to her, Cylia, and beckons her away before Wash has a chance to respond.

In the dining hall of Balthazar’s manor, Codex wakes up in a long, red velvet dress. She looks around and sees Balthazar sitting to her left at the head of a dramatically long table. Balthazar asks if she is hungry, and she demands to see Wash. He rolls his eyes and calls out to one of his “employees,” Bryson. He sends him to fetch Wash and to make sure he is unharmed, as per Codex’s request. Bryson grits his teeth and tells Balthazar that Cylia had gotten to him, so he can’t guarantee “unharmed.” Codex asks what that means and gets even more adamant about seeing him. Balthazar holds up a hand to stop her from speaking. He sends Bryson to retrieve Wash and calls Krenar over to see to it that Cylia is reprimanded. Codex stands up from her chair, hikes up her dress, and tells Balthazar she will find Wash herself, considering he has a tendency to not uphold his end of the deal. He grabs her arm and tells her to wait. He calls out to yet another one of his spawn, Valentine, to go bring in the guests for the party. The guests begin to pour in as a string quartet plays. Wash is brought in with two others from the stables with an illusion causing them to appear unharmed. Codex casts a message to Wash to ask if he is okay, and he shrugs, unsure of what to expect, and the two of them wait patiently for the party to start.

### Fiara is Mad (Rightfully So)

Meanwhile, the rest of the Faded Fates are teleported by Cazamir to Fiara’s office in the Neremont Society. Fiara looks up from her desk upon the arrival of the party and asks where the others are. One explains that they were taken by Balthazar and that they plan to retrieve them after this meeting. Fiara is concerned but puts a pin in that topic for the time being; she asks how it went in the Wilds. A hush falls over the party as they prepare to express their failure. Shae, ever blunt, takes the lead to explain what happened. She tells Fiara that they had found a diamond and in the process of trying to collect it, Willow died protecting Rush. Rush then decided to throw himself at the beast alone. Fiara stares in shock at Shae, and she asks how they were able to get back without the Ill Claws (the name of Willow and Rush’s guild). Isa tells her that there was a third person with Rush and Willow, an Aasimar named Howl, and he was the one who got the group out of the Wilds. Fiara puts her head in her hands and lets out an enraged cry. Willow and Rush were important people to her. Isa reminds her that they didn’t see Rush die; when they left he was alive.

She gathers herself and sends Cazamir to find Howl. She turns to the party and asks where the diamond is. When Isa says that they used it to wish the god behind the divine gate, Fiara slams her hands on her desk. She asks if they are all idiots and yells that they wasted a diamond and learned nothing. Terrance chimes in and explains that the aura from the diamond was violent and hateful, and if they had attempted to experiment with that particular diamond, it could have gone very wrong. He confesses that the aura of it enraged the party, himself especially. He continues to explain what happened fully, how everyone turned on each other and how he attacked Rush. Fiara glares at him but eventually rubs her face and sighs. She tells the party that she understands, and she is sorry for losing her composure; she requests that the next time they find a diamond they bring it to her so she can be involved with its use. She has a theory that Zoha’ruhs is carrying the mantle of all of the trespasser gods that are locked away in the diamonds and that they won’t be able to touch The Fair Father until all of those gods are released.

She also explains that she wants to work with the Faded Fates as equals from then on and says she hasn’t been treating them fairly. Fiara then asks about the beast and what they saw before they were teleported away. Isa gives the description of the beast and its behavior and Shae mentions that she noticed some yellow flowers growing beneath the remains of its victims; she isn’t sure what it has to do with anything but thinks it was worth mentioning. Fiara nods attentively and notes the information that was shared. She tells the party that they will return to this topic eventually, but for now they need to gather the missing party members. Fiara requests that she tag along to retrieve Wash and Codex from Balthazar and says she will be able to reason with her brother more than anyone else present. Before they exit the Neremont Society, Terrance stops Fiara. He apologizes for his involvement in the death of her friend and says he lost control and tells her that if he could take it back he would. Fiara listens to his apology, and she senses that it was genuine, but it still isn’t enough. She tells him that she has noticed his tendency to lose control and it often results in people dying; this situation is no different, so she will be sure to make note of it. She walks off, leaving Terrance to trail behind the group as they all make their way towards Balthazar’s Manor.

### Bleed Well

Codex and Wash stand in their designated spaces in the dining hall of the mansion as they observe the entrance of the party’s guests. They all seem to be normal folk, some may be more wealthy than others, but overall they are average citizens. Balthazar raises his glass to make a speech. He begins by thanking everyone for attending and that the people of Zobraria are such magical people, there is just something special about them, it is in their blood. So while they are in his home he wants them to enjoy themselves, he wants his guests to be treated well, eat well, and… “bleed well”. As his speech ends, the vampires in the room drop their illusion. Codex and Wash can only watch in horror as the vampires begin to tear everyone in the room to shreds.