Episode 13: Problem No. 5

**Episode 13: Problem No. 5** (C1E13) is the thirteenth episode of the first campaign of The Table is Yours: A Role-playing Adventure Show. The Faded Fates begin to discuss what they can do with 1,000 gold to stop Vorano...

## Synopsis

### Party Planning

The Faded Fates begin discussing potential ideas to bring Vorano out of hiding. The party is torn because they need to throw an event that will catch Vorano’s attention but not reveal their whereabouts to those they are trying to hide from. A few ideas are thrown around; Shae suggests a direct attack by just contacting Vorano and telling him to meet them somewhere to fight. The concern with that plan is that he will have time to prepare and can outnumber the group, or worse, he might not show. Wash suggests using Terrance as bait and offering him up for Vorano to take, but the group thinks that would be easy to see through. Isa thinks that a bigger event will draw him out because he could hide among the crowds; she also has the idea of doing something for the schools that were affected by the graduation attacks. Terrance gives her a look at her choice of words, and he asks if other schools were attacked that day, not just the Summit. Isa nods solemnly and says that the Summit received the most press because it’s the largest, but the other schools were attacked as well. Terrance sits for a moment with the knowledge that his creation gave fuel to the fire that was the graduation massacres, plural.

The group decides that a fundraiser of sorts is a good choice, however, this kind of charity will draw the attention of higher ups. Shae has the idea of hosting an auction, and Terrance suggests that people bring their own items to auction off to show their support for the cause. Wash asks if they are inviting the families of the victims, but most of the group thinks that would be a bad idea. Fundraisers are more for the rich to pretend like they care than they are for the benefit of the victims, plus if this ends in a fight with Vorano, they don't want any more people to get hurt. One scoffs and says that they should invite them to draw a bigger crowd. She continues and implies it would be their fault if they got hurt for being in the way. This causes a visceral reaction from the rest of the group. Isa is shocked by One’s thoughtlessness, but brushes her comment off. Terrance reacts more vocally and tells her that his serums already hurt these people, and he doesn’t want the burden of hurting anyone else on his shoulders. Codex suddenly speaks up after having been quiet, accusing the group of barely caring about people anyway, so they may as well put more people in danger. Clearly the lives of the “common people” don’t matter to them, so they can just do whatever they want. Codex storms off as the rest of the group sits in stunned silence.

### Codex Confesses

Terrance tries to redirect the conversation back to the task at hand, explaining that they can do the morally right thing while also accomplishing their goal; they cannot invite the families. Darrien chimes in, saying that Codex probably needs some reassurance from one of her fellow party members, but when no one volunteers to speak with her, they decide to talk to her. They meet Codex outside the bar and ask if she is alright in an attempt to comfort her. Codex quickly gets fired up and says that she is NOT okay in any way. She feels that since her involvement with this group, she has had the worst luck, and horrible things keep happening around her. She is in danger, her family is in danger, and she feels like it is her fault for getting involved with all of this in the first place. Darrien listens patiently as Codex explodes, and when they finally have a moment to speak, they tell Codex that she probably would have gotten involved in some kind of mess even if she hadn’t joined up with The Faded Fates. She looks at them with annoyance and asks what they mean. Darrien tells her that, while they were in the Eleventh Precinct, their “connection”, who is pretty high-ranking, knew of a half-harengon girl. Codex rolls her eyes and tells Darrien that if it was their goal to make her feel better by coming out there to talk, they failed. She goes back inside and makes her way to her room, leaving Darrien alone.

The rest of the party, still sitting in the taproom and party planning, see Codex storm past. A few of them stir like they are about to go speak with her, but One immediately follows her down the hallway. One knocks on Codex’s door gently, to which Codex asks who it is. One cracks the door for Codex to see her. The two stare at each other for a moment before One asks if she can come in. One begins to speak, explaining that she didn’t mean to upset her with what was said, but she was just being blunt. Sometimes bad things happen, and there is nothing you can do to change it, and sometimes bad things happening are a means to a greater end. One also notes the rest of the party shut down inviting families of the fallen. Codex stares at One and expresses her understanding. She says that she isn’t perfect and she has done bad things in her life, too, but recently it feels like her world is collapsing. She asks if One has ever done anything like that, something that put people in danger even though she didn’t mean to. One gives her a knowing glance and nods. Codex, after a visible, internal debate, blurts out to One: “I stole The Darkroot Diamond.”

Even though Codex can’t see her face, she can sense that One is in a state of stunned silence. Codex continues to haphazardly explain herself until a tall, green devil woman appears next to One. Chartreuse places a hand on One’s shoulder and reassures a now panicked Codex that she is just there to fix One’s brain. The devil explains that One has some memories buried for her own protection, but if someone else or herself unlocks them by accident, then they will be revealed to her. The Darkroot Diamond happens to be a big piece of that puzzle, so One needs a moment for her brain to catch up.

Chartreuse taps One on the head, and as she does, One’s armor falls away. Codex covers her eyes as she hears the thunking on metal on the floor and eventually the sound of One retching from the surge of memories. Codex asks if she is okay and what the hell is going on. She can hear One struggling to gain her bearings. Eventually, after struggling for some time, One says to Codex with a sigh, “we are about to be either best friends or mortal enemies, so would you help me out?”. Codex opens her eyes and sees One on the ground without her armor. She appears human, with red hair that fades into a light blonde, and she has on a black bodysuit and green eye makeup. Codex also notices that the bottom half of her left leg is detached from her body, hence why she fell over in the first place. One asks Codex to bring her leg over, and she reattaches it. She then asks Codex to explain everything she knows about the Darkroot Diamond.

Codex explains that she met Orathia, The Bull of the Onyx Obscurity, for the first time when she was ten. It was her birthday, and she had an odd interaction with Orathia at a museum. Later in her life, she was hired by Shawm to steal the diamond, and since no one paid much mind to the Lightfoots, she was able to take the diamond and deliver it directly to Orathia, or, “The Pink Lady”, as Codex calls her. She stops and asks One why the diamond is so important. Codex was never told during her mission what it was for or why it was such a big deal. One says the less she knows the better, but what she can tell her is that it is a powerful magic component. Codex accepts this and then asks who the green devil woman is. One sighs and says that Chartreuse is her… “partner” of sorts. They help each other, but she’s nothing to be worried about. Codex lets out an exasperated sigh and paces back and forth. There are so many problems they have to deal with, and she asks One if they should tell the others about “problem number five”. One tells her that they don't need to worry about it right now. It does spell trouble for the group, eventually, but that trouble isn’t as imminent as some of the other problems they are facing. Codex continues her invasive questioning and asks if One is related to Lady Serafima. One pauses for a moment and says, “next question”. Codex asks if they are best friends now. One gives a half-smile, and she says sure. Codex tells her they need to come up with a cool handshake to solidify their newfound friendship.

### Isa Interrupts & Is Interrupted

Just then, Codex hears a knock at her door. One hurriedly gathers her things and hides in the closet. Codex opens the door a crack to reveal Isa holding a plate of food. She is worried about the way everything was left and wants to make sure Codex eats dinner. Codex, ever the bad liar, says that she is fine and thanks her for the food. Isa asks if she can come in to talk, but Codex stops the door from opening and says that she would rather just be alone. She tries to redirect the conversation by asking how Isa is and that they should talk about her problems sometime, all the while slowly closing the door. Isa tells Codex that if she has someone over, that is fine, and she says they can talk another time and leaves to go take a bath after Codex’s suggestion. As the door shuts behind her, Isa hears One’s voice on the other side of the door. She nods to herself and heads to the bathing area.

Isa lowers herself into the hot water and covers her eyes with a towel. She talks out loud to no one in particular for a while but eventually just sits with herself in silence. After a while, she feels a looming presence in the room, so she uncovers one of her eyes. Standing over her is a tall, gaunt man, and next to him is a purple displacer beast. Without reacting, she asks who he is and why he is staring at her. He says, also without a noticeable reaction, “My name is Cazamir. What are you planning to do with my brother?”.