Trials - Chapter Two

> "*It's fair to say we've made some questionable decisions along the way but who gives a shit about legacy and history and preservation of all of that stuff when its going to be completely destroyed.*"
> ― Arson Nicki
>
>

**Lawful Neutral: Part 2** is the twenty sixth episode of Queens of Adventure. It concludes the trial of Booty and the Hofish by the Glamazons.

## Synopsis

For the last hour, the four queens have been locked in a magical cell in a tower in the heart of Glamalala, being questioned by Grand Inquirer Rigo Caylis for their violations of the Fire Island Treaty. He has just asked them what they know of the Queens of Adventure. They have no response.

Rigo asks for a final statement or questions before he will have a final statement. Harlotte asks about Ranger Richard. Rigo says he will be an object lesson, as Richard is undergoing 'rebeautification', a rigorous program including solitary contemplation, education, and community service, because he did break a law. In the face of danger and chaos, the Glamazons have endured by upholding their laws and not wavering from them. He goes on to explain that their society was founded by members of House Aubergine, House Wunderbred, and House Molestrangler, to preserve the legacy of the Great Houses after the corruption of the weave of magic, and the spread of the Taint, a cataclysm that destroyed drag culture for generations. The Glamazons have been waiting for a thousand years for worthy queens to bring the Ice Scepter to the island and claim their legacy. Many have tried, none have proven worthy. Rigo does not believe Booty and the Hofish will rise to the challenge.

Arson, feeling that this sounds like their arrival with (or close to with) the ice scepter feels like foretold prophecy and asks if others have done it before. Fraya asks if they could have twenty-four hours to find the scepter before they pass judgement. Rigo halts their negotiation. While having the scepter is a requirement for entering the vault of Dame Celia Molestrangler, one of the founders of Glamalala, the Glamazons will fight to the death to prevent unworthy people from attempting it. Harlotte asks what makes a queen worthy.

Rigo explains a worthy queen excels in the beautiful arts, has extraordinary character, and has demonstrated the potential to become Legendary. A Legendary queen can come from anywhere, but draws upon the powers of creation to uplift and inspire others. Supporting and uplifting others allowed Legendary Queens to transcend the limits of the physical and magical realm and change the rules of the world. Harlotte asks if there are rites to prove that, but Rigo says they are past that, as their trial to prove their worthiness began as soon as they arrived on the island. They haven't been particularly helpful or faithful to the people in need. Harlotte wants a chance to redeem themselves, but Butylene feels they don't have time, and Fraya doesn't like how the Glamazons think they're better than anyone else.

To prove his point about their actions having consequences he asks the glama bird clerk to show a memory from this morning at the Golden Palace. A scene appears in the mist above the bowl of water on the desk. It is a bird's eye view of the Golden Palace. Two children, Chaz and a dark haired girl sit on the penthouse balcony playing with Trixie LaBouche dolls. Ramshackle brings them cocoa while Belfry watches the sea. Down below, a banner welcoming back the party hangs over the front doors, which burst open as the Concierge and Liir head for the beach with balista bolts. Karin fires the loaded balista at seaspawn. Nearby, Carmella La Mer tends to Brimley, the tabaxi gambler. Dangling from a crane, Patti the cheater fires a cross bolt while at the life guard stand Jim-Jim loads a cannon. A swarm of undead overwhelm him, and his leather belt falls to the sand. Liir and the Concierge haul more bolts past Cher Noble who guards a barricade of surfbords. Her shoudler shatters and her arm is torn lose. The bolts are delivered to Lamont Du Pont and two dwarfs. An eel seaspawn drags one of the dwarfs towards the sea. The Concierge tries to save him, but is struck down lifeless. A pufferfish floats in the air, and attacks the glama bird, killing it.

Rigo explains they will be brought before the Beautificent Judges and their leader Lady Essence. He will make a recommendation based on this conversation. He adjourns the inquiry. Glamazons in white robes enter and remove all the items from the room. Rigo places an hourglass on the ground before he leaves.

The group feels disheartened that the Glamazons knew all this was happening and did nothing to help. While the group made bad decisions, they don't know if they would want to ally with a people who do nothing to help those who are suffering. Butylene knows it's not their place to judge their moral codes, but they need to come together to defeat the Kracken, the Archdemon, and Barb.

Rigo returns and asks for their final thoughts. They regret using Jim-Jim for bait, the fact that the archive was burned, though they believe their survival was more important. Harlotte tries to turn her 'regret' into a defense, as she still feels miffed about being accused of crimes when she helped Ranger Richard when she first arrived. Rigo doesn't fall for it. She tries again, but her attempt to express regret over throwing the Pomeranian into the fire, but the lingering zone of truth spell prevents her from saying so.

Butylene then says they are unable to lie and their group's goal is to help the people of the island. Rigo says that is the most compelling information they have given, and that their people are trying to find people who will uplift and give people hope and asks them again to say something.

Arson says that ultimately, they are only here to help preserve the entire island. Their choices were poor, but their intentions good. They could have found a way to take what they wanted and leave the island, but they didn't, they stayed. Butylene also says that they shouldn't judge the Glamazons values when they are asking them to be more understanding of them.

Rigo tells them they will be escorted out soon and to have a final berry if they want. The guards arrive and the magical soap bubble pops. The queens follow them down the hall and around a spiral staircase ending at a chamber.

The Chamber of Judgment is a marble room with a raised platform facing a dais with twelve judges sitting in resplendent robes. In the center is Lady Essence, a halo of light around her flawless features. Her hair is sculpted to resemble the wings of a bird around her face, topped with a diamond tiara. Rigo steps onto the platform with the queens behind him.

Each judge in turn says they recommend a punishment of death. Rigo gives his final statement: Booty and the Hofish had a long journey to get to the island, and were thrust into crisis once they arrived. The HOGs looked to them for valor in battle, inspiration on the stage, and resourcefulness in seeking an alliance. Along the way the queens seemed to forget what they were after due to baseless suspicion until they found an inscription for 'worthy queens' which inspired them to violate their treaty. While he does believe there are paths to rehabilitation, he plays a memory of Harlotte saying "we respect no treaties" as proof it wont work for this group. He is grateful for their information on the infernals, and believes *some* have the desire to help, and wants to believe they have the will to carry it out, but the law and the facts don't support it.

Lady Essence nods, and announces the final judgement is hers alone. They have waited for hundreds of years for worthy queens, and they may have to wait for hundreds more. The queens will be catapulted into the sea at high tide. They may survive if they are worthy, they may not.

The party is led to a catapult as the sun is setting. They are loaded in the bowl and tied together in one bundle. The catapult launches them into the air.

"Jean-Paul Gautier!" Fraya shouts as Harlotte tries to loosen her knots with the help of Butylene's claws.

They land in the water near a large rock with a conical spike sticking out of the water. They are all in pain from the impact on the water. Harlotte finally loosens the knots as Butylene starts to tear through the ropes, and then moves to free Fraya's hands. Freed, she *shapes water* to create ice below them so they can float on it. As Arson gets freed, she notes that of all forms of death, being thrown into the water with Fraya is pretty lenient.

Fraya dives off their ice berg to hopefully look for the merfolk she once met, but High Tide begins. Seaspawn rise to the surface of the water, and jab them each with something before dragging them below the waves.

### Characters

#### Party

* Arson Nicki - drider warlock
* Butylene O'Kipple - tiefling warlock
* Fraya Love - water genasi cleric
* Harlotte O'Scara - human rogue

#### NPCs

* Rigo Cayliss
* Chaz Noble
* Belfry's Daughter
* Ramshackle
* Belfry Ramshackle
* Liir
* Concierge
* Karin
* Carmella La Mer
* Brimley
* Patti
* Cher Noble
* Lamont Du Pont IV
* Cole and Shale
* Lady Essence and the Beautificent Judges (debut)

## Episode Notes

### Lore

* Members of several Great Houses of Drag came to Fire Island and founded Glamalala, including House Aubergine, House Molestrangler, and House Wunderbred. They were escaping the spread of a catastrophe called the Taint, which corrupting the weave of magic a thousand years ago.
* The Ice Scepter is a key to the vault/mausoleum of Dame Celia Molestrangler, founder of Glamalala, and each year someone is given the scepter so they can attempt to prove themselves the first worthy successors to the Great Houses to come up in a thousand years.

### Memorable Quotes

* "I'm going to prepare myself for death." - Fraya Love
* "I regret being this beautiful, no I'm just kidding." - "I would like the listening audience to know the entire table just took a gigantic sigh and sat back in their chairs." - "This is what an eye roll sounds like." - Fraya Love, Arson Nicki, Butylene O'Kipple
* "I really want to grab a fish as it swims by, if possible. Stealing from King Poseidon, I never stop." - Harlotte O'Scara

### References

* Jean Paul Gautier
* Titanic

## Behind the Queens

* Before the 2020 renumbering and renaming of episodes, this was the second half of episode sixteen of Season One, and was released one week after the first part. Due to the length of the material for this episode, it was decided to be split into two parts, with the second part released during the usual off-week between regular episodes. With the renumbering it officially became its own episode.
* The players have said this episode was a turning point for them in how they approached playing the game. In particular, they began to take better notes.

**Greetings From Fire Island**: Ch1 - Ch2 - Ch3 - **The Show Must Go On**: Ch1 - Ch2 - Ch3 - Ch4
**Operation Watersport**: Ch1 - Ch2 - Ch3 - Ch4 - Ch5 - Ch6 - Ch7 - **Trials**: Ch1 - **Ch2** - Ch3 - Ch4
**Ghosts of the Coast**: Ch1 - Ch2 - Ch3 - **The Devil's Due**: Ch1 - Ch2 - Ch3 - Ch4
**Special**: The Story So Far
**The Beautiful Place**: Ch1 - Ch2 - Ch3 - Ch4 - Ch5 - Ch6 - **A Dance in the Dark**: Ch1 - Ch2 - Ch3 - Ch4
**Drama in the Deep**: Ch1 - Ch2 - Ch3 - Ch4 - Ch5 - Ch6 - **Whispers From the Heart**: Ch1 - Ch2 - Ch3 - Ch4 - Ch5 - Ch6
**Danger Rangers!**: Ch1 - Ch2 - Ch3 - Ch4 - Ch5 - Ch6
**Mist Connections**: Ch1 - Ch2
**Unreleased**
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