Episode 21: “We Go By The Low Road”

**Episode 21: We Go By The Low Road** (1x21) - Don’t you just love a home base? The Nearlies are making themselves at home in Izarizel the Fair’s enchanted tree, which will be their base of operations for the foreseeable future. How can they use this tree as a base, when they need to travel ALL over the realms to locate the Damsels? Why, the tree is just full of surprises. While they travel the low road, we run into our first Patreon twist of fate! Where a patron has helped concoct a very special series of encounters just for them and, in the bookends, meet Val’s Sacred Curse.

## Cast

### Nearlies

Josh | Xenator Brisbane
Kathy | Lavaleen Crest
Andy | Martin Sirque
Amanda | Gwendylyn Cloot
 Robbie | The Speaker
 Aaron |  Production & Sound

### NPCs

APPEARING
 Izarizal
Dodderfell
 Sockervesti
 Jlor

## Summary

The tree travel begins, diving beneath the ground to the low road. Almost immediately an alarm goes off. The group goes to check it out, but happily, discover it is only Jlor and White Knight, who were coming to join us and had to grab on the outside when the tree dived.

Before very long there is a Twister of Fate, where someone in the outside world caused things to change. The tree has punched through the side of something and into an underground chamber, causing it to halt. Izarizel needs time to recalibrate so the group decide to explore outside. As it is very hot, they cast a fire protection spell. Before they can exit, there is a polite knock on the door. Since they are underground in a volcano cave, this causes some alarm. They cautiously converse with whatever is on the other side, and discover it's Sockervesti the Chef, coming to join the party.

While he gets settled inside, the group checks out outside. There are dragon beetles around, grazing happily. They too are affected by Valeriana's Gentle Beacon and head in her direction. Gwen clubs one that gets too close, and Valeriana Dominates the mind of another, creating herself a docile mount she can ride.

## Synopsis

### Prologue

The Wolf speaks of her experiences with Valeriana. The blood has been adequate, but they want more.  They are the first killers; they are what are feared.  They are the killers of those that stray, but their hunger was their undoing.

### Episode

The tree is ready for travel by the low road, underground.  Izarazel casually says that nothing can kill the Nearlies anyway, but does not explain when they express confusion at that idea.  Izarazel goes up to the command system but commands the Nearlies that if anything on the map lights up they need to go and see what the problem is.  Almost immediately an alarm goes off near the basement.  They dutifully go and check it out.

They proceed with caution, Lavaleen using her Watchful Eye, and Gwen sending down a ghostly lantern.  Something has chewed its way into the tree from outside.  It’s Jlor and White Knight.  Crisis adverted they return to the kitchen.

There is a Twister of Fate, causing the tree to come to a halt.  It is very hot outside the tree, there is lava, and the scent of dragons.  It turns out to just be dragon beetles.  The group casts a fire protection spell on themselves and goes to check outside.  Before they can leave, there is a knock on the door.  They crack the door open and see that its Sockervesti the spider chef.

After lunch they explore outside, it looks like a giant geode.  The beetles are attracted to Valeriana so Gwen clubs the one that approaches her. Valeriana dominates a different beetle.

### Epilogue

The Wolves had caught the scent of one that left the patch.  But someone had woven her cloak with love, something that was too powerful for them. So they must use guile instead, and attempted to have her remove her cloak. It fails and the girl heads off to her grandmothers.  Another idea came to them.  They rushed ahead to the grandmother’s house, consumed her, and took her place.  This worked, as the girl removed her cloak as her ‘grandmother’ bade her.  But in the wolf’s greed, she swallowed the girl whole.  She then found a knife that was gripped by her grandmother and twisted it into his guts.  The howls of pain drew the attention of a neighboring woodcutter, who opened up the wolf and removed the grandmother and girl.  So now the wolf is a blood soaked hide on the shoulders of the girl who strayed, and turned into a curse within the apple seed of the sacred apple.

## Notables

Episode 21

 Objects Acquired

 Spells Used

 Metamorph Attempts

## Quotables

Gwen: ““Why are we so concerned with Jlor’s employment?"

## External Links

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 Website - Episode 21