Putting Pieces Into Place

**Putting Pieces Into Place** is the thirty eighth episode of *Another Bad Side Quest.* The party learns more about the members of the Order of Ruin from a new ally, Charles, before heading off to meet someone who may have answers for RX.

## Putting Pieces Into Place

### **Synopsis**

**Pre-Show Shenanigans**

* Apologies for last week, personal matters for Darrin. Thank you for your patience
* Haelley is out sick so Jeremy will be taking over as puppet master of Quincy for the evening
* Reminder, we are now starting at 6:30PM PST and are aiming to end earlier as well with advertisements going as a pre- and post roll. Darrin isn’t quite finished with that, though, so it will be premiering soon
* The first episode of ABSQ by Night, a *Vampire the Masquerade* mini-series, will be rolling out this weekend so check back soon!

### **Summary**

RX headed to the chart room on the ship, pouring himself a cup of oil as he went, and started to look over paperwork regarding the party’s status as a guild. Charles, who also was in the room and cleaning a bow that appeared to have a metal drawstring, asked if RX might gather everyone for a meeting. RX went below deck, began to pound on doors and called for the “organic beings” to wake up, interrupting Yashani’s morning meditation in the process, and found Alaerith already awake. As Quincy wandered out into the hall muttering grumpily about coffee, RX went searching for Bo and Sterling and found Sterling slumped over the cannon he had worked with the night before, while Bo was just outside the brig where he had passed out from reading the journals of Ostence Bronte. When everyone was gathered in the chart room Yashani brought in a plate of bread with fruit preserves and powdered sugar that the party eagerly helped themselves to, along with coffee that Quincy took a cup of as they started to clean their guns.

Sterling excitedly grabbed a cup as well and explained when he went over the paperwork he discovered that, while working as a proper guild within the Skorian Empire, they were first and foremost a private group, which meant while they were sanctioned by the Skorian Empire allowing them to pick and choose who they worked for, if anyone at all, and that they could use magic, within reason of utility, and as long as no harm comes to an Empire citizen. Charles explained that as long as they didn't kill anyone magic was alright as a guild and Yashani noted that would have been helpful when she was first leaving her monastery. Sterling added it was likely fine to kill criminals, though the party had already broken that rule at least once by killing someone in good standing with the Empire. Bo asked if that meant they were not legally allowed to kill Lunala, but Yashani wondered if she was even technically alive as a being of destruction born from thought, and far as they knew, Esmeria, Kalistock and Ilvwinter were presumed dead. Charles explained that if they did kill someone they had to prove they had the right to and when Bo lamented the thought of paperwork for murder Sterling said he loved paperwork. Charles explained that when he was a part of the Collective their group had a wizard like Sterling who had the ability to remove a memory which worked as proof, though since the spell was so simple it was a bit of a gray area, and Sterling identified that he referred to *Encode Thoughts*. Charles reminded them that since the Empire banned the use of magic, it was behind on its understanding compared to the Principality of Pathu and the Puhan Trading Company*.*

On the topic of magic, Sterling asked how far Bo got into Ostence Bronte’s journals and Bo explained he was barely halfway into the first book. Sterling offered to help as he was a good speed reader and Bo agreed to think on it. Yashani redirected the group to Charles and wondered about his personal connections to at least two people who seemed intent on bringing destruction to their world. Charles started by apologizing for his behaviour the night before, agreeing with Luntz that he tended to jump on things, before plucking his bowstring which released a small musical note that bolstered everyone with healing magic. Charles then asked what they would like to know and when Yashani asked if he worked closely with any of them said kind of. He added that there were 11 total members in the Holy Collective when it existed, that he was most close with Espex, and Ilvwinter by his association of Espex, that he was friends with most before something happened and the ones not involved quit or retired. Yashani admitted she didn’t think retirement was an option from such a position and Charles explained they simply didn’t return to where they were supposed to go and had been on the run ever since. Charles says that there were only three people who really knew what was going to happen in the Butchering of *Qahrizoq*, being Esmeria, Ilvwinter and Robert, who the group identified as another member of the Order of Ruin. Quincy clarified if they knew it was going to be a massacre and Charles agreed and explained that the rest thought the mission was simply uprooting more fanatic followers of the Rhakind Forefathers.

Sterling asked if Charles would have described Jonathan as ‘greedy’ and Charles says no, which was what made Ilvwinter’s participation in the massacre so surprising. Bo pointed out the three likely didn’t look the way they did now when Charles knew them, specifically the Reaper being cloaked and floating all the time, asked if Esmeria and Ilvwinter looked different as well since they were killed that day and what they were like in life. Charles explained Esmeria has always been a little out there, ambitious, headstrong, acted before asking questions and easily swayed by silver tongues, but Jonathan was nice, kind, and cared about himself, his brother and everybody. Charles added that he wasn't a paladin of Osgonan for nothing and Yashani confirmed that was what Espex had told them. Charles reiterated how passive Jonathan was until that day nine years ago when he killed several people and Sterling wondered if Charles knew of something in Jonathan’s life that might have happened to push him over the edge. Charles admitted he didn’t know Jonathan that well, other than that he liked to go to *Rra’jaz* in his time off. Charles went on to say he didn’t know why Robert was in the Collective, as he didn’t need to or necessarily want to since he was from a rich family. When asked which family, Charles told them ‘Vaultanis’ which made Quincy flinch and diligently focused on cleaning their guns. Bo, being the only one to really catch the momentary slip, asked if the name rang any bells to anyone and Charles explained Vaultanis dealt with the Skorian Empire’s international trade relations. He went on to say that since the fires in *Kra’Kash* where a Merchant King had died, Edward Vaultanis was recently promoted to Merchant King. Bo asked if that was something to be concerned about considering a relative of a Merchant King was a member of the Order of Ruin, but Yashani reminded him that these people were presumed dead. Charles added that that Robert was the Edward Vaultani's brother and worked for the Holy Enclave.

Charles listed the members of the Holy Collective that died that day, including Esmeria, Ilvwinter, Robert, Theodore, Michael and Gregor, but he and Espex, left that day without returning, along with a few others who survived and never came back to their duty. Bo, apologized for making Charles dwell on the past before asking if he was certain those last few people are dead and Charles said as far as he was aware they were and that they stayed that way. Alaerith noted that Ilvwinter and Esmeria died that day and they were in on the real plans of *Qahrizoq,* but wonders if was the same for Robert who was also in on it. Charles figured that being struck by lightning and burnt to a crisp was pretty fatal before he noted Robert always had a dark streak in him, which was likely why he started to specialize in Necromancy. Bo wondered if Esmeria and Ilvwinter had the same sort of streak and Charles offered that everyone has parts of themselves they didn't show others, but if this was how Ilvwinter was now, he was clearly hiding something. Yashani admitted Jonathan was the most confusing to her as he did appear to them, apart from the other members of his group, gave them a vague warning and wondered if he genuinely cared or if he was simply trying to divert them in a less violent way than his peers and Charles said that sounded like the Ilvwinter he knew. Bo wondered, with the pattern he has seen in other Order of Ruin members, if people from outside of the Empire were involved in the Holy Enclave, like a holy person from the PTC and Charles said he had never heard of such a thing but would not put it past the Holy Enclave to keep people on as advisors.

This reminded Yashani that she wanted the group to consider visiting Belknock to ask about Kalistock and Sterling agreed, believing anything they could learn early on would help them when they eventually went to eliminate each of their problems. Yashani marvelled that murder was so high up on Sterling’s list of things to do and Sterling insisted he used the word eliminate specifically, noting that he could trap someone in a “hamster ball” and be done with them. Bo suggested it sounded like a slower murder and some of the group went back and forth for a moment longer before Sterling made it clear that they didn't need to murder them as they could be put in gems or other things could be done. Yashani apologized for the detour and said visiting Belknock was a good idea and Bo agreed, citing that Kalistock was an outlier in the Order of Ruin and seeing as how Lunala recently picked up a new member, Minnie, who was also a bit of an outlier, he would like to see if Hyghmire could answer any questions about her. Quincy piped in that they agreed about seeing Belknock, considering how informative Espex was, but that they should be careful. Sterling agreed this was a good time to find out more about who they were up against, pointing out Charles' information on Esmeria being weak to silver tongues had been the most useful information they had gotten on her in a while. Charles added that he knew a bit more about Kalistock and that he had been filled in on the Order of Ruin and when Alaerith asked by who told him it was none of his business. As Alaerith shyly apologized Yashani asked if he knew something about Kalistock and Charles said that he specifically was the one who killed Ilvwinter and Esmeria.

Sterling asked what they were all doing when that happened and what the mission was and Charles explained that he was told they would push out an insurrection of followers of the Rhakind Forefathers from the *Badlands* and that it appeared to be a decoy plan. Sterling asked if Kalistock was fighting for the Forefathers and Charles confirmed it and noted there were only 11 in the Holy Collective, but there were over 100 fighting for the Forefathers. Charles said while the Collective members were skilled, they didn’t do nearly as much damage as those fighting against them did to the city. Yashani wondered if Charles knew what happened to Kalistock after that and Charles admitted once he saw Kalistock kill Ilvwinter he ran as he was unwilling to die that day. Sterling suggested either way, Kalistock died or simply gave himself to Lunala, and that he was likely undead like the others. Alaerith said there was a way to find out and asked Charles if he remembered how Kalistock looked those years ago and Charles noted he looked angry. Alaerith clarified he meant in terms of physical appearance, asked if he remembered it enough that he could see his image and tell if he aged since then or not and Charles said he could generally. Alaerith motioned Quincy to turn away before he turned to Charles and cast *Disguise Self* to turn into the Kalistock the party had met most recently and Charles said he definitely looked older. Bo wondered if they knew for certain that dying was a requirement of following a devil and Yashani pointed out that four out of five was a pattern. Sterling suggested Alaerith show what Esmeria looked like and after Alaerith cast *Disguise Self* again, taking Esmeria's form, Charles confirmed she looked older as well. As Alaerith dropped *Disguise Self* the party wondered if it was less of an undeath and more like revivification. Charles suggested if death didn't matter and what they needed was a body. Bo piped in that while he was sure Minnie was powerful in her own right, it did not appear that Lunala seek out Minnie in particular, but took her corpse out of convenience. Sterling pointed out that an undead raised by a caster served in complete thrall of their master and maybe collecting bodies was just a very complicated way of creating a more permanent charm and Charles called it disturbing and that was why he left the Collective. Sterling apologized for bringing him back into the fray, but Charles waved him off and admitted he was getting bored.

Sterling activated *Ob's Charm* to ask the party about Jonathan, how he was known to be a good person before all of this and even in his revived life was trying to give them fair warning, and wondered if these people still maintain free will or if it was a fanatic cult they had all been roped into and Yashani said they didn't believe they could answer that question. Bo asked Charles about Ilvwinter being a paladin serving Osgonan and Charles explained Osgonan was the prime God of light, life and creation and was regularly connected with the two suns in the Skorian Empire. Bo asked if a paladin’s oath ceased on their death, or if they were revived, were able to continue their oath and Charles said he was unsure. Bo activated *Ob's Charm* and theorize Ilvwinter’s oath may be the reason he seemed to be the most reasonable of the members the group had met and that he may be in a battle of servitude between Lunala and Osgonan. Sterling said it was a wonderful theory, one that would require a lot of magical knowledge to answer, though he may know who to ask. Sterling asked Tollanessa about the devil book they had and Tollenessa told him yet again that she did not know anything, though she did encourage him to continue trying as one day it may come to her. She then asks if he would manifest her so she could better explain what they learned last night. As Sterling activated *Manifest Mind* to make Tollanessa appear in her incorporeal form, Alaerith focused his gaze to the table. Tollanessa wondered if he would always do that and RX said it appears he might, though Sterling offered to learn *Calm Emotions* in the future. Charles offered and cast *Calm Emotions* on him with a short whistle. Tollenassa first became distracted and told Sterling he needed to use the *Ring of Rooster* again, though waved him off to say they would do it later as she enjoyed her brain being so calm for the first time.

Tollanessa went on to say that she knew what Jask had been describing the day before and that he was right that Bolton was *Banished* back to the Plane of Fire, like Galatea had learned from him in her dreams, but something more powerful was used on Velix and Lysandra. Tollanessa explained that it was a very powerful spell called *Imprisonment* which could work in a few different ways, including being buried, caged or chained to one spot. Sterling wondered if she believed his mother was imprisoned in her sapphire and Tollanessa was 100% certain that was the case. Tollanessa explained that people captured that way did not need sustenance or air, and couldn't be found or contacted through magical means. She added that the spell was not unbreakable, though there had to be a stipulation for them being able to get free as it was worked into the casting. Sterling wondered how they might find that exit and Tollanessa’s best answer was to talk to the one who cast it, though they were both aware that was not likely to happen. Sterling wondered where Velix was, considering his imprisonment was not contingent on an object like the sapphire and Tollanessa said, from what Jask described, Velix was buried and as such was contained in an orb that was now somewhere 10 feet below ground. Tollanessa went on to say something she did not think the party is entirely aware of, that Velix's original nature was greedy for knowledge and that he found a burial spot that Aj'Snaga believed was the container for Lunala and Rhizadeal. Tollanessa believed Lunala might find it fit to send Velix back there as he was once the vessel for Rhizadeal, just to be a bitch. Yashani asked where Velix found it and Tollanessa told them it was in the *Chasm of Spire*, which was once a city in the *Badlands*. Yashani said they had quite the list of places to visit and Quincy added that Montie mentioned finding quite a few things there and might know more about the place. Tollanessa noted it was once a great metropolis and that even in it's ruins there was a lot to be seen there. Tollanessa believed they could find her sapphire, but was confined by what Sterling was capable of so it would take time.

Alaerith slowly made eye contact and asked what happened with Jask, as he and Yashani were outside when it all happened and Tollanessa told him Belknock was successful in restoring Jask’s memory, and that Jask remembered Bolton being *Banished* and then Velix and Lysandra being *Imprisoned*, buried and captured in her sapphire respectively. Alaerith asked if that meant Jask saw Lunala there before the fight with Baron Vintorvas and Tollanessa explained that it seemed Lunala had been masquerading as his wife for some time. She went on to say she thought it would be convenient for Lunala to let that alter ego die and go about her business, but wouldn’t be surprised if she picked up a new persona soon enough. Alaerith noted that when Lysandra spoke about the Vintorvas family, she mentioned Elzagerick’s father and then him, but his son Tristan appeared to be mortal in the fight they had in the castle and wondered if Elzagerick was at one point himself and then replaced. Sterling recalled and told the group about 10 years ago the Vintorvas family got quieter and when they started making more public appearances again, the mines and labor camps became more gruelling and the slaves’ treatment got worse.

Yashani pointed out that then Esmeria, Ilvwinter and Robert were killed not even a year later, which begged the question what they had been doing for nine years. She and Sterling noted the books were one thing but they should have already been done with that by then. Tollanessa believed the nine years were spent on the *Plane Shift* circle of permanence they found in the ruins of the castle, since it was clear it was cast in that spot often and had connections to a number of planes, which each took a year to create. Sterling cast *Minor Illusion* to bring up the image of the sigil in his book, from what they could piece together in the ruins, and Yashani wondered why they needed access to these different planes. Quincy asked what they need the *Plane Shift* for if they already had the *Archinatum Textor* replicas, but Tollanessa clarified they were for universal travel, whereas this was to different planes and said, as Bo might better understand, planar travel and adjustments in their reality changed everything. Bo wondered how sure they were that the devil books they were looking for were all on this plane and while RX said not positive at all, Yashani pointed out the books were from the Age of the Varimathias and were unlikely to travel very far. Sterling theorized that there were nine books they are looking for, nine planes they had connected to and that it might be possible they needed nine books to conquer or destroy nine planes.

Bo, wondering which planes were added to the circle of permanence first, examined Sterling’s *Minor Illusion* and deduced that the Plane of Fire was first and Pandemonium was the most recently added. Sterling pointed out, though interesting to know, they didn't have enough to go off of to start drawing connections between points of information. Yashani noted that nine years of work was destroyed, but Sterling was less enthusiastic and pointed out that that still meant they had nine years of use. Sterling noted they would not get any concrete answers about the teleportation circle today and suggested they move on to talking to Belknock. He looked over to notice RX had begun doodling on a sheet of paper a sandcastle design as he had became excited at the mention of a desert. Sterling offered some crayons and RX rejected them as he was a “civilized robot”, but quickly amended that he would like new colors and asked for them anyway. Yashani agreed that visiting Belknock would make the day feel more productive and Quincy suggested they might also stretch their legs and see the man in the metal house outside of the city. Sterling asked them to round up their to-do list and together the group decides to go to Belknock first within the city, then to the metal house and when they returned they would want to think about how they might go about earning money, whether that was within *Krak* or within *Eveed* where hunting monsters was a lucrative game Bo knew how to play. Sterling suggested they might be able to pick up guild work to take a small shipment to *Eveed* and Quincy offered that Flamecannon might have something for them, but they would talk to him later. Sterling turned to Charles and finding him asleep cast *Mage Hand* to tap on his shoulder, then asked if a meeting with Kalistock would yield them any more answers than what Charles already gave them, which caused confusion in several party members by the swapping of the Hyghmire brothers’ names until eventually he gave up and insisted they carried on to their plans.

As they began to move in the direction of leaving, Alaerith brought up the voice he and Bo heard after the fight with the Baron, that he didn't know who they were, but they said some concerning things to him in an attempt to provoke or tempt him, how it loved to watch the party fight, and begrudgingly added that they hinted at knowing things about Alaerith that he seemed concerned by. Alaerith wasn’t sure if Bo heard it when they were leaving *Cessunaler,* but Alaerith thought it was important to note to them. Bo explained that the voice was his traveling companion Minnie, the one whose body he and Gal had reluctantly given to Lunala. Bo apologized and said he didn’t hear anything to the extent Alaerith had, but felt partially responsible for inadvertently giving the Order of Ruin a new member. Alaerith wondered how Bo knew it was her and Bo explained he spotted her in an alleyway as they were taking the carriage out of that town. He also noted that Bolton and Jask had mentioned a satyr being present when Bolton was *Banished* and Ob and Lysandra were imprisoned. Sterling urged them to move on to their other errands and RX agreed as he noted he was running out of paper. As the party moved to leave, RX handed Sterling a full diagram of a pyramid, built to scale, and he and Tollanessa marvelled over it before Sterling said they should get RX in on the cannon project.

The party headed into the city, found the temple to the Rhakind Forefathers with it’s doors open and saw Belknock sweeping inside. Before they could enter, Sterling halted them just outside the door, asked what their plan is and Belknock paused in his sweeping to notice them, but shrugged it off as he went on with his chores. Sterling asked for bullet points and Yashani suggested they ask about his brother or Kalistock lately and backtracked to stick with Kalistock as they didn't know if he was his brother. Bo asked how the questioning with Espex went and Yashani asked the party if they ever told Bo and Sterling about it before admitting they mostly just word vomited at him and it worked well enough. She added that this man was not Espex so they might try mentioning Kalistock and if Belknock was surprised by the mention of his dead brother they could work from there. Sterling said it might be a good idea to ask if Belknock knew the best way to defeat his brother or if Kalistock had any obvious weaknesses, which was met by loud disagreements by some of the group. At that point, all but RX and Sterling, noticed that as the party was speaking out loud Belknock was no longer sweeping and just stood inside the church watching them. RX said ‘hello’ and Bo asked if Belknock would like to take this inside the church and Belknock commented that it seemed they were talking about him. Yashani tried to play it off as they were talking about someone with a very similar name and asked very bluntly if ‘Kalistock’ rung a bell. Belknock confusedly told her his brother was fine and that he saw Kalistock a few months ago when he came to visit *Krak*. Yashani asked if Kalistock seemed like himself and Bo asked as well if he smelt a little “burny”. Yashani attempted to cover it with a cough as Belknock assured them he appeared fine, though he was a bit of a “tenacious ass”. Yashani activated *Ob's Charm* and told Bo over the charm that Kalistock only burnt down the city a month ago. Yashani asked if he had any friends with him and Belknock recalled a half-drow girl. Sterling asked, hypothetically, if Belknock knew the best way to defeat his brother which earned him a smack from both RX and Quincy.

Bo pulled Sterling aside as RX asked about the drow woman and how she seemed and Belknock considered she was aggressive and seemed impatient with Kalistock taking his time with his visit. Yashani asked how often he came to visit and Belknock said roughly once or twice a year. RX asked if it would be alright to inquire what he was here about and Belknock said to say hello, as they were brothers. Yashani noted she did not have any siblings before asking if they were close and Belknock admitted they had strayed over the years as they were apart, but tried to stay in touch. Bo followed up to ask if he recalled if Kalistock visited nine years ago and Belknock said it was about the time they started falling off. Bo wondered if he was different then and Belknock said Kalistock used to laugh and be a joyous person, but now was all seriousness and frown lines. Alaerith activated *Ob’s Charm* to ask if they should enquire about *Qahrizoq,* but Sterling said he didn't think so and didn't want to reveal anymore than they need to. Yashani wondered if they shouldn’t tell him his brother is burning cities and Bo, Sterling and Quincy believed it would cause undue suffering for him to know.

Belknock returned to his sweeping as they silently discussed while Sterling said they should ask Belknock about any of Kalistock’s weaknesses and RX sighed, went to find a broom and helped Belknock sweep. Yashani retorted that it would make no sense to ask how to defeat his brother if they would not tell him why they needed to know and Bo offered they could still ask him, as a holy man, how to combat devils. Bo called for Belknock's attention to ask as much and Belknock explained they did not like anything Celestial in nature, or that which contained radiant magic, but warned them though, to not try and fight an archdevil with just radiant magic as it would simply laugh at their attempts. Bo asked if anyone had other questions for Belknock before they leave him be and Sterling asked if Belknock is capable of reviving the dead. Belknock explained he could but only if they had been dead for a short period of time and Sterling thanked him for the knowledge. Belknock returned to sweeping, along with RX, and Alaerith joined in to cast *Prestidigitation* to aid their efforts. As the party left the church, Belknock thanked RX and Alaerith for their help cleaning and told the group he was here if they needed him for anything in the future. RX thanked him and said he would be a friend to be remembered as he herded the group back out and into the street.

The party headed out of the city, following the directions Kane from the *Port Harbor House* had given RX to the northern edge of the city where the metal house with plumes of purple smoke should be. The day faded to early evening as the party, having followed the faint pillar of purple smoke out into the tundra, until they saw something shining in the moonlight just ahead and saw a long rectangle building, made of metal with a pattern like Damascus steel and a chimney of solid black iron where the purple smoke was released into the sky. As they approached, Sterling wondered if RX planned to simply knock on the door and RX agreed and reached out to do so. Quincy took RX’s hand to hold and told him they would find him answers, here or anywhere and RX thanked them before he knocked. They heard shuffling behind the door before the heavy clanking of several locks were turned. As the door opened to the sound of depressurization it swung open to reveal a six foot tall humanoid man, with angular facial features, a shock of black hair that appeared to be slowly going white with age, wearing an antique black leather vest, a heavy coat and big rubbered boots. The individual took one look at RX and said “Oh my gods, he fucking did it” before he promptly fainted.

Yashani quickly moved and attempted to heal the man while Sterling tried to lean into the doorway and take a peek inside, but was held back by RX. RX knelt on the man’s side opposite of Yashani, and tapped the man’s face, causing him to wake with a jolt. RX apologized for startling him and insisted he needed him awake as this was the closest RX has ever been to getting answers. The man sat up and apologized, citing that the last time he saw RX he didn’t move and RX helped him up and led the group to move the conversation inside. The group saw the inside of the shop revealed a number of metal tables, all covered in notes and different things like gems, gears, potions and half complete machines, along with a project in the back corner that looked somehow similar to RX and shelves of books along the walls. The man asked why RX was there and where he was powered on and RX explained he woke up in a box just outside of *Kra’Kash.* RX asked to confirm that by ‘he’, the man referred to Twynn Roderick and the man agreed before he stumbled a bit on his words, took a moment to gather his thoughts, explained that RX was a product of all of them, being his grandfather, father and himself, that they were all Twynn Roderick and that he was Twynn Roderick III. RX took a moment to process that and almost physically buffered as Twynn explained that his grandfather was the one who had the original idea for RX, but did not live to see the design completed. He added that his father then took up the project, but when Twynn Roderick III left home 35 - 40 years ago his father still had not finished getting RX to move, let alone have him working like this. Twynn asked what designation RX was and RX responded it was RX-5284 which appeared to shock him.

RX asked why his grandfather started the project and Twynn explained it was his job as the Technomancer in *Vayilcor* to advance technology and warforged creations, but that he was never able to design free thought. Sterling cut in to comment on the title “warforged” and wondered if these automatons were created for war and Twynn quickly clarified the machines were created to prevent war, not create them, and added that *Vayilcor* had no reason to go to war. Twynn continued back to say that his father continued the work, ran into the issue that the only warforged that could be created had no free-will and would only take directions from an outside will. He explained that RX's designation number explained was the number of times attempted to do so and that RX stood for "Random Experiment", which meant Twynn Roderick II tried 5,284 times to make the project work. RX said he had another question and when Twynn said he had several apologized before insisting he was asking first. Quincy asked why RX was sent away, as he was obviously special, but Twynn did not know and said they would have to ask his father.

After a moment of quiet, Twynn asked if RX knew what would happen if someone tried to open him up, which caused a round of concerned comments as no one wanted to be opened up. Twynn explained that where they failed over and over again was finding the right power source, something that would push past the usual limitation of only being able to move and answer basic, pre-programmed questions, so they started bringing different materials into the mix while creating. Twynn asked RX what force he was most attached to which left RX confused and asked what he meant. Twynn explained that his father was not having a problem creating consciousness, but moving one. RX asked if that meant his consciousness was not his own and Twynn clarified it was not *someone,* but *something.* Quincy pointed out RX seemed fond of lightning and when RX cast Shocking Grasp to demonstrate something clicked for Twynn who explained the last time he heard from his father he had recently been to the Plane of Air recently and found that most of its denizens were chaotic forces of destruction, like tempests and storms. Sterling asked if Twynn means to say RX was an elemental trapped in a metal cage, but Twynn explained the force was not trapped but *became* the metal body. Twynn admitted he did not fully understand his father’s work, but was fairly certain he made a deal with an elemental, and a fairly powerful one at that, since the smaller ones were pretty stupid.

Sterling asked RX that he mentioned, when he was *Awakened* by Ob, that Ob said RX could possibly explode and Quincy helpfully quoted that Ob said “level a city”. Twynn said the power contained within RX could very well do that if released violently, but he would not know more without peeking inside RX. Bo asked if RX was akin to a hurricane inside a metal shell and Twynn said it would probably be 10x worse. RX asked if he was capable of finding out what he was capable of and how long it would take and Twynn Twynn believed it might be a day or two for him to do so, and maybe remove some unnecessary things. Bo activated *Ob's Charm* to ask if it was confirmed they would get their rations in a day and Sterling agreed before he asked Twynn if that could be pushed to a day's time if he had the aid of an arcane Goddess. Quincy quickly diverted Twynn’s attention to ask if he thought his father was still alive and when Twynn said far as he was aware he was, that last he knew he was north of the *Sra'jess Hot Springs* in the Principality of Pathu RX turned to the party a loss for words. Sterling hugged him and asked if he knew what an elder tempest was before he cast *Minor Illusion* to show the silhouette of a human beside a large elemental serpent in miniature scale. Bo asked Twynn if RX would need to stay for him to be studied and Twynn says yes and offered the party a place to stay while he worked. Quincy readily took up the offer, unwilling to leave RX, along with Sterling who was excited to witness such an unprecedented discovery. Bo asked Sterling to ask Charles to to feed Nubbi while they are gone and Sterling agreed, cast *Sending* to do so.

Yashani told RX she was certainly happy for him getting answers, but added they had their own to find. RX told her she had done more then enough and hugged her before she could say anything more. Yashani said that if this research would take a day or longer that she would go to the monastery Ob told her to find and that she needed to. Bo told Yashani it was alright if she would like to do this alone, but was very good at traveling through the wilderness and would be happy to help her get there faster and less likelihood of getting lost. Yashani told him if he was willing, that she was told there was supposed to be another man that glowed where she was going and happily accepts his company. Alaerith asked how long it would be and Yashani said it was likely a day's travel, so there and back two days total by foot. Quincy stepped in and gave them each a hug and a quick

*“May the wind always be at your back”*

in case they intended to leave tonight and asked for a pinky promise to be safe. Yashani said she would stay the night as she didn't fancy travelling in the tundra at night and would leave in the morning and Quincy just shrugged and said it just meant more hugs in the morning. Sterling tried to offer his carriage before remembering he sent Galatea off with the one they came with and he had not been home to pick up another and Yashani assured him her feet had carried her very far and would continue to do so just fine, but was grateful for the offer. Alaerith, a little unsure, asked how much quicker she thought she could get there if she could fly and Yashani pushed past the oddness of the question before replying it would likely cut the travel time in half. RX asked if he planned to do what he did as an owl and Alaerith said if he went he might make the trip faster, if she didn't mind. Yashani reassured Alaerith that if he was offering to come he didn't need to ask as if it was a burden, that she would gladly have him along, along with Bo who said the more the merrier and Alaerith shyly nodded in acceptance. RX noted they could discuss more logistics in the morning before he turned to Twynn, asked if they could start now and Twynn happily tugged RX away, while Quincy called out to remind RX about boundaries.

1. ↑ Referring to Garrith Nostru, the brother of Galatea Nostru
2. ↑ Revealed by Espex Gonth that nine years ago Ilvwinter and Esmeria were killed on a mission for as a part of the Holy Collective in an event now known as the "Butchering of *Qahrizoq"*
3. ↑ A lead offered to them by Kane, the minotaur man who manages the *Port Harbor House*
4. ↑ Zach had accidentally said Kalistock and confused the cast for a moment but it got cleared up eventually
5. ↑ As said in "A Few Things for the Road"