Episode 35: The Safest Most Dangerous Place

Episode 35: The Safest Most Dangerous Place (C1E35) is the thirty-fifth episode of the first campaign of The Table is Yours: A Role-playing Adventure Show. The Faded Fates get spun in goings on as they keep up appearances at the banquet to honor them as heroes...

## Synopsis

### The Rousseaus

Connie’s parents, Theodore and Pyra, along with her sibling Axel, approach to greet her. Her mother is a gray-skinned Fire Genasi, her father a blonde, pale human man. Connie has the racial appearance of her father but a strong facial resemblance to her mother, while Axel looks like a perfect blend of the two due to their medium gray skin and mixed features. Axel’s wheelchair resembles the work of artificers in the Ninth. Connie tells them she is surprised to see them, and Theodore promises they will not stay long. In the silent tension, Connie asks her father how old he is, and when he doesn’t answer, she asks what happened to her grandfather. Theodore tells her that she already knows he died during The Return of The Red Sun. After dismissing Connie, Theodore takes Axel, and they make their way to join the rest of the families. Pyra stays and asks why Connie felt the need to make things worse. Connie scoffs and tells her mother that she is trying to do things to help people. Pyra laughs and says Connie is just trying to help herself. She asks if Connie is aware that Orathia and Serafima are looking for their family. Pyra tells Connie every choice she’s made has irreparable consequences: her brother was killed, Axel was in a wheelchair, and she had another girl killed in her place because she chose at age eight to go live with her aunt and become Lady Adelaide. Connie asks why her mother didn’t tell her, at age eight, the truth about her aunt, and Pyra says because she was eight. Pyra reminds Connie she told her Lady Serafima would use her, and she did. And she took part of her vision. Pyra asks Connie if it was worth it and quips that “all people are to you (are) memories waiting to happen”. Pyra then joins the rest of her family, leaving Connie desperate for a drink.

At the family table, the Rousseaus act as if nothing is wrong and politely introduce themselves. Terrance and Wash speak with Axel, who seems very interested in Connie’s inventions. They make it clear Connie is not a capable artificer, and they are curious how she was able to craft v2 and her armor. Wash and Terrance are oddly charmed by Axel’s straightforwardness. Terrance sits down as they discuss Axel’s work, namely their wheelchair.

### Old Friends

Behind the family table, Finley is approaching Shawm who is accompanied by Lady Liadre. Finley joins their conversation with a strong familiarity and is surprised when Shawm doesn’t recognize him. Finley is also confused because he knows Shawm hates having his hair pulled back but is wearing it in a low pony with a velvet hair tie imbued with an emerald gem. Finley attempts to mask his confusion, but Maude notices that something is off. She messages Finley directly into his mind and asks how he knows Shawm. Finley explains that they were friends for a long time and that he is a guest of the Faded Fates; they warned him before they attended that something was off with Shawm. Maude explains their theory. Finley thinks it is the emerald gem, and he asks Cinnamon to give Shawm a hug. Cinnamon manages to grab the hair tie and throws it to the ground, causing the emerald to crack. Shawm looks confused after a visible fog fades from his eyes, and he asks Finley what is going on. Maude intercepts Orathia who notices her control of Shawm is gone. Finley quickly explains what is happening and uses a mending spell to repair the emerald. As he puts the hair tie back on to keep appearances, Shawm asks what year it is and then reveals the last year he remembers is two years ago, 391 P.D.. He remembers confronting Orathia about his missing sister, Loretta. Shawm starts spiraling and asks Finley about the Martyrs and begins listing off names. Finley does his best to calm Shawm down, tells him the Martyrs are safe but in hiding, and admits he and the Martyrs have no knowledge of Loretta, yet.

### Parents Ignored

Across the room, Isa spots her parents speaking with the representatives from The Kingdom of Vallas-Kahn. Isa walks over towards her parents, ignores them, and greets Iris with a vague familiarity. Iris introduces those who accompany her: Amauri Mor, father of Klaya, her advisor, is first. He casually mentions he has an eldritch being inside of him. Isa recognizes his daughter from the Faded Fates’ auction. The goblin in clergy garb is Gruk, although he mentions to Isa that some people call him “Gruk the Savior”. He explains to Isa that he, along with Iris and her late sister, were part of the adventuring group known as Impacta Maga who led the War Against Darkness. Isa continues to ignore her parents as Gruk rambles on about the “good old days,” but considering the last conversation she had with her mother, her mind is elsewhere. As she gives her last polite nod to Gruk, her mother tells her she “looks good”, and Isa gives her best Ballador smile for image management as Elena leads Iris away towards other nobles.

### Lord Kess Tells All

Lord Kess, meanwhile, is leading Codex on the dancefloor. She tells him she wants to know more about him, and the other trespasser god she met was chill. She asks if he likes being attached to Orathia. He doesn’t but enjoys the misery of it all. He explains he finds pleasure in pain and suffering because it is his domain. Kess says he is most upset that he is essentially her bodyguard, since if she dies, he will as well. Codex asks if he remembers how he was attached to a diamond; he does not and only remembers waking up bound to Orathia. Codex asks if the Faded Fates find a way to separate him from Orathia, would he want that? He smiles and says yes.

Lord Kess turns the questioning towards Codex. He tells Codex she is interesting because she is half of a Hexaleep. He reveals he was acquainted with Jophet, The Earth and Vine, for a moment because she was a Trespasser, but she changed sides. When she switched sides, he explains, it turned the tides of the War. Codex circles back to her magic and says it is gone. Kess scoffs and says it isn’t gone; the Hexaleep was created to be volatile and never-ending. Kess says it probably needs a break. He asks if she has ever thought about reforming, and she doesn’t think it’s possible. He thinks it is. Lord Kess wonders if her next form will have her memories or if it will start from scratch. He smirks and says it must be miserable for it to be stuck in this form and not completing its cycle. Codex attempts to ask more questions, but Lord Kess, seeing the turmoil it is causing her, leaves her alone on the dancefloor.

### The Beautifcation Committee

Shae approaches Aster and the women she is surrounded by: the woman in green introduces herself as Helle and tells Shae that the woman in yellow is Gazania. Shae notices that Gazania has a mask over her mouth and communicates through sign language to the others in the group. Aster explains they are representatives of the Beautification Committee for the different sectors of Zobraria. Aster manages The Burg, Helle The Grove, and Gazania handles The Wilds. Shae asks Gazania what it is like taking care of The Wilds; she assumes it is a challenge, all things considered. Gazania signs that The Burg’s influence on The Wilds makes it difficult, but she tries her best. She actually signed more than this, but Aster only translates some of it. Aster changes the subject and tells Shae she is thankful for the accomplishments of The Faded Fates. Shae nods and returns the thanks to Aster for helping Terrance so long ago. Aster smiles and asks if his experiments turned out the way he wanted them to; he is so passionate about his creations and his intentions seemed pure for her to want to help him. Shae says they work wonderfully, and Aster is confused. Terrance originally explained that he wanted the serums to have a lasting effect, but he looked more or less the same to her. Shae explains that it is currently just a temporary reaction, but he is doing well with it. Aster smiles and says she is glad Terrance is using her gift to help and not hurt people. Shae grimaces but makes it look like a smile before Aster can notice. Aster offers to take Shae with them to speak with Pontiff Amnestria.

Pontiff Amnestria speaks with Archbishop Birrus Ozzal, the Bull of The ‘tide Thorns. While Aster, Helle, and Gazania speak with the Archbishop, Shae turns her focus to the Pontiff, a tall eladrin woman glowing like a summer day. Amnestira tells Shae that it has been quite some time since Zobraria has seen heroes, and it is an honor to be able to speak with one of them. Shae bows her head in respect as the Pontiff continues. She explains that it is refreshing to see people trying to make change for the better in this country. She wants to, but she doesn’t have much power. Shae acknowledges that she isn’t the only one who feels as if they are just a figurehead. Amnestria chuckles and looks Shae over before saying that she looks a lot like her mother. Shae is taken aback by this comment and asks how she knew her mother. The Pontiff explains that she only met her briefly when she was visiting The Bearers of the Dawn; she offers her condolences for Shae’s loss. Shae says that she is surprised to hear that anyone knew of her mother. Amnestria takes Shae by the arm and begins to guide her towards the family table. She tells Shae that she may also be inclined to know that there is someone here that knew her father as well. She outstretches her hand in the direction of Salvador Ballador, Isa’s father.