A LOT To Think About

Youtube video thumbnail for Chapter 2 Episode 12

**A LOT To Think About** is the 23rd episode in the series.

## **Plot Synopsis**

As the crowd from Eloy’s performance cleared out, Confictura stood on the docks, slowly clapping. He informed our heroes that Mr. Lot would like to see them before nightfall, so Eloy, Ezra, and Wake, along with Pliskin, Skrung, and Zia’ka, departed for Jovial Lot to meet with the pirate lord. After being greeted by a seahorse mascot at the carnival’s entrance, they stopped by what appeared to be a small elf girl’s lemonade stand. At her beckoning, they followed the girl into a back room where she revealed herself to be Gavriil Bezumets, a short, male tabaxi that works as head of Lot’s research and development teams.

Gavriil led the group down a manhole, and they took a carriage through a tunnel into a massive, open cavern filled with numerous tabaxi experimenting with magical items. Inside a tower-like structure, they met Saga, a hulking, female tabaxi that was displeased to discover they were the ones behind the fiasco at her zoo after recognizing their scent. Entering a large room decorated wall-to-wall with gold, the group found Lot waiting for them, a finely-dressed tabaxi holding a small dog, and, next to him, stood Confictura.

Offering his guests seats and drinks, Lot began the parley with our intrepid band of privateers. Firstly, Wake handed over the package Meed gave them so Confictura could inspect the contents, which were verified to be untouched. With that out of the way, Lot brought up the events that occurred at the zoo, and, although he was not pleased at their intrusion, he was willing to let the matter pass because they were working with the Grand Design. When it came to them taking Nedra from Jahal Cove, however, Lot revealed that she was the daughter of the balor demon behind the Onrush and that the Grand Design had taken her hostage, moving her from place to place to avoid detection. Fortunately, having her travel with another party would still keep her out of her father’s reach, so Lot bore them no ill will.

While discussing the Natural Wonders’ purpose in Bulkard, Wake and Zia’ka explained the abilities of the Collective One’s heart and its importance to her people. Hearing this, Lot was grateful it hadn’t been tested yet, but told them Edward Caster had arranged to purchase it as a gift for the Kal king as a means of gaining the royal family’s favor. Because the crew couldn’t match Caster’s exorbitant offer for the artifact, Lot suggested they take the aasimar to the Unwitnessed Kingdom to find something of comparable value to the heart and get rid of him by whatever means they deem appropriate. Before they left, Lot provided several pieces of information as a show of good will: he knew of Pliskin’s secret and Skrung’s lineage, Ezra’s father was currently in North Xellus, and one of the people involved in the attack on Wake’s human village was likely Zazalamel, a pirate lord and cofounder of the Grand Design. Upon hearing this, Wake stormed out of the room.

As Gavriil escorted them out of the cavern, Eloy requested a cotton candy machine that could infuse healing potions into the sweets. The first estimate was that the device would take five days to make, but it was lowered to three days after being offered a spell scroll from Eloy and three glass beans that Ezra had found aboard the Mantaruva. Demonstrating their power, Ezra smashed one bean against the ground, whereupon a glass beanstalk sprouted, beholder eyes blooming where beans would have been and firing lasers at everybody nearby. With the exit now blocked, a still-disgruntled Wake lunged forward, dodging laser blasts, and shattered the stalk with a fierce punch, opening up the path.

After leaving Jovial Lot, the party headed over to the Catnap Inn, where they believed Caster would be staying. When they asked the woman working at the counter about him, she confirmed Caster was staying there and went to inform him of their arrival. The lawyer acknowledged them in his usual demeanor, and Wake, still enraged from earlier, doubled down on his previous wager, betting his own freedom in a two-on-two match between two of Caster’s champions and Nedra and himself. Caster did not have a second champion for the fight, however, and could not accept the terms, but he agreed to accompany them to the Unwitnessed Kingdom with the conditions that Barabus would join them, he would waive their liability for any harm he sustains, and he would have the right to 95% of any treasure he deems worthy. Before returning to inform the rest of the crew, Caster carved symbols into the hands of Wake, Ezra, and Eloy to signify the contract, though Skrung and Pliskin were able to avoid the same through deception.

At the Kal Manor, they described the day’s events and the upcoming expedition to the Unwitnessed Kingdom to the other members of their party. Apparently, Risf had done some research and discovered it was a kingdom that had sunken centuries ago during the Onrush. In addition to exploring the depths of the ocean, completing both Gore’s request and this adventure within the next three days posed a problem, so they decided to borrow a diving bell and sloop from the Navy and split up to complete both missions.

## **Appearances**

* Edward Caster
* Eloy
* Ezra
* Gavriil Bezumets
* Gulfur Flaegurr
* Lot Nyeth
* Nedra
* Pliskin Hark
* Raniero Confictura
* Redd
* Risf
* Skrung
* Wake
* Yt
* Zia'ka

## **Notes & Trivia**

* *This is where you can put notes and trivia, anything that is interesting or strange can be included here*