Episode 12 - The Mountaintop

## **Episode Synopsis**

### **Recap**

After entering the cave, they found it was a Rorona Reservation for a giant snail named Naromyn. After making their way through a windy river, they find an island at a the edge of a waterfall where the snail Naromyn. They discover the shell of the snail was a house and when they entered, they met with The Red Bandit. After a cryptic conversation and many questionable choices, they met a one horned tiefling man with long drenched hair and beard named Karen. Karen sat with them and discussed many things including Gilberts death which struck a chord with Karen.

### **Episode Summary**

Karen remains with his back turned to the team. The shell shakes as Karen seems visibly upset. Peterson scampers to the door, ready to leave. Dariun stands up from his chair slowly and asks Karen if the vibrations are being caused by him. The vibrating stops and Karen drops his hands to his sides. Karen turns and they can see he is crying. He tells them he feels he has woken from a dream and once again he has been sent help. Karen believes they are his guardian angels. Karen smiles and tells them he has living blindly, he was told Gilbert was found by the monks and had died of old age. When Dariun asks who had lied to him and Karen tells them everyone did, they had used him and Karen was going to let them any longer. Karen grabs Dariun's hands and thanks him. Dariun asks Karen if he was the one who made the blue flowers that May and Gilbert had. Karen tells him he did not make those but asks if Dariun wants one. Dariun tells him no as they have seen the flowers harming the ones who bears them. He tells Karen about Ferryn who experienced great pain when she tried to speak of it's link.

Karen does not know anything about Ferryn but tells Dariun the flowers connect everyone is a more visible way. Peterson asks if Karen knows who is creating them to which he explains that anyone who has a flower can share a flower. They also learn that Karen does have a flower and the team asks if he would show them the flower. Karen is hesitant but believes he should be connected to his angels. Karen starts to take of the bandages on his arm and they see the skin is an obsidian black. He only unwraps the palm and out reaches his hand to Dariun. From the black palm of his hand starts to grow a blue rose. Karen tells Dariun not to worry and that it will be best for all of them. Dariun yells out he does not consent as he sees the blue rose grow even larger and the center opens to a hollow space where there is a glowing ball. A small seed pops off followed by many others from the center of the flower.

Peterson casts shatter just behind Karen in an attempt to make the seeds move away from Dariun but it has no effect on the magical seeds. Dariun is distracted by the sudden shock of pain from Peterson's spell and some of the seeds make their way up his nose. Karen grabs Peterson and raises him in the air, confused as to why he is attacking him. Peterson is in fight or flight so he casts blight on Karen. Peterson is thrown through the air as Karen yells at him. Peterson slams into the shell causing it to crack. Dariun runs over and stands in between Peterson and Karen yelling at them to stop. He asks Karen to get rid of the spores but Karen does not stop it, telling them they asked for this and they are his angels. Zippy calls out and asks what they should do so Dariun asks him to open the door, which he does.

Dariun pulls his wind fan out but as he does, a spore starts to come towards Peterson. When Dariun casts the gust of wind, the spores are directed to the door. Karen is confused about what is happening and Dariun pleas with Karen to explain what is happening. Again, Karen tells them the spores will connect them and this was meant to be. Dariun tries to persuade Karen to stop again and talk about what is happening, but Karen continues to spread the spores and promises to talk after. Karen tells Dariun he needs everyone to be connected before he can say anything and tries grabs his shirt in frustration but Dariun is able to block it. Karen tells Dariun not to be afraid and he chose this, he chose to speak.

Peterson attempts to scamper away from Karen but he grabs onto him and says that if they won't do it willingly, he will force it to happen. Karen puts his palm up to Peterson's nose. Dariun darts over to Peterson, yelling to Zippy to close the door and uses fey step on Peterson to teleport him outside. Karen looks at Dariun and ask why as he was with Gilbert. Dariun relaxes his composure reaches out his hand to casts cure wounds while asking Karen to calm down and explain what is going on. But Karen shoves his hand away and tells Dariun to stop. Karen becomes angry and asks if they were lying to him and if they are with them. Dariun remains calm and tells Karen he has not lied but they are just confused. He explains he and Karen are now connected whether he likes it or not after he breathed in the spores. Zippy walks over to Dariun, avoiding the few remaining spores in the shell house.

Meanwhile, Peterson is teleported to the outside of the house. He looks around and can see there are so many spores, even more than before. Leslie yells out and asks what is happening as Peterson ducks to the ground attempting to avoid them. When he does, Peterson notices one of the spores found itself in his nose after Karen has his palm to his face. In the house, Karen tells Dariun he won't be used anymore as Zippy chimes into the conversation. It takes Karen a moment to look down and see Zippy. Zippy tells Karen he is gross spreading his spores around and relates it to flowers when they reproduce. Karen becomes flustered and Zippy asks if he would stop spreading these spores around. Karen starts to be convinced but is not happy with Peterson. Zippy tells Karen that Peterson wasn't there with Gilbert or when the monks attacked and he doesn't know what they both know. Karen seems a little confused about what they should know so Zippy invites him to have a seat and speak about it.

Karen starts to cough and they can see the flower begins to close and fade away as he takes a knee. Zippy goes to Karen and tries to help him but Karen tells Zippy to get off him. Karen reaches into his pea coat and pull out a small bag containing glowing grapes. He pulls one out and eats it. Zippy asks what they people told him when they gave him the grapes, Zippy tells him he knows but wants Karen to say it. Karen thinks about it and says Lou always tells him if he takes one a day, it'll extend his life and he will survive. Karen says he is through with him and becomes angry again. Zippy tells Karen he understands and asks him to explain what he has been through to build trust and maybe a friendship.

Karen tells them he is attached to Lou Blonger and he needs help finding him. Karen says that if he can find Lou or anyone part of the Ammow company he will rip them to shreds. Zippy looks blankly forwards. Karen continues to explain that they take his grapes and uses them for their pills. When Zippy asks where they get the grapes from and Karen explains they are harvested. People are fed special flavoured raisins and after they eat enough, the person dies and the collectors harvest the now grapes which are filled with the person's magical energy. Karen explains he only takes from people who are already dying or from animals.

Zippy is confused and explains he knows the Ammow as a good company who helps people but Karen explains they have definitely lied to him. Karen refuses to calm down, his rage builds and he wants to right the wrongs. Zippy tells Karen that he can either calm down and they can help or if he keeps being aggressive, they won't help. Karen brings Zippy in front of him and tells him when he looks into his eyes, Karen sees an angel. Karen gets up and tells they group he will leave and figure his stuff out, when he does, he will contact them. Karen rushes out of the snail and asks them to wait for him. When he leaves, the seeds come back to Karen.

Peterson sees Karen run out with his mask down and can see the spores glow under his coat. Peterson raises his fists menacingly but Karen doesn't take any notice and swims upstream to leave. Peterson goes back to the house to see if Dariun and Zippy are okay. Dariun picks up a chair and sits, sighing. Leslie rushes in and asks what is going on. Dariun tells him not to worry about it and to just think about his girlfriend. Dariun asks Peterson to refrain from attacking first in the future. Peterson tells them he was only acting to benefit the team which arcs Zippy as he asks if Peterson even knows anything about these blue flowers. Peterson fires back and asks if they even know anything about them and he was trying to help. Zippy tells him he knows enough to think it could potentially bring his friend back from the dead and Peterson ruined that potential lead. Peterson tells them he is not here to agree with them and walks out to leave. Zippy asks Dariun what he thinks and Dariun agrees his actions were out of line but he didn’t doubt Peterson had their best interests at heart. Zippy admits he is upset with how it went and but Dariun tries to remain optimistic.

They head out and Leslie shows them another way out. On the other side of the island is the waterfall and at the edge is a bench with Parlay's name engraved on it. Leslie believes they can jump off just like the fluffy walrus balls who are jumping off the edge. Peterson cannon balls off first, disappearing into the mist. Dariun jumps on Tealeaf and gallops off the edge and Zippy follows his lead on Longface who trips and they go spiralling off the edge and into the mist. They fall for a while and all of a sudden they see a light underneath them. They shoot out the side of a mountain and fall into a pit of the fluffy walruses. They are on the other side of the mountain they were originally heading to.

In the distance, they can see a straight laneway to a ridge of mountains that start the circle of the mountains where the red lights are said to be. Peterson pulls out his bracelet, believes in himself deeply and summons his dire weasel who he has now named Diesel. He jumps on Diesel's back to ride along with the team. They travel over frozen rives, through trees and past caves. They get spooked by a howl but turns out just to be Diesel calling to the moon. As they get closer and closer to the ridge of the circle of mountains, there is a raging blizzard at the top that they can't see past. They prepare themselves and begin the climb the very steep mountain.

They pull out the climbing gear they got from the town of Manasnow. They decide to direct the horses to go back to a cave they found about ten minutes prior as they won't be able to make it up the mountain safely. They gear up and tie a rope between each of them with Dariun at the front, Leslie second, Peterson third and Zippy takes up the rear. Zippy spits in his hands, unravels his magic carpet and decides to fly behind them. Zippy uses flaming sphere to keep everyone warm while they're climbing and Leslie is living his best life with his best friends, chasing his girl. Peterson asks what Leslie will say to Lara when they reunite which he tells them he will ask her to marry him. They question if that would really be the best way to reunite. They asks about Leslie and Lara's relationship and he bursts out into song. Peterson is amazed as Leslie's musical talents and he may even rival the great Norman D.

Zippy questions if they are really good for each other and hopes him the best but is questioning how well it will go considering they only met once. Leslie asks what they would even know and questions their relationship histories. Dariun speaks as the only one in a relationship there, he advises Leslie to just go for it. All of them are surprised by this information and ask more questions about Dariun's relationship. He tells them they grew up together and she is an eladrin from the fall court. The fall court is not around anymore due to the war but she grew up in his home city of Holven. They were in the same friendship group and just kind of fell into the relationship without really having a major profession of love. Zippy yells out this is boring and tells them about the time he 'tickled his tail' with a girl named Hibbippy and has been with a couple of Westborrough type people in his time. Dariun asks if that is incest but Zippy tells them there are a lot of bunnies around. When they ask Peterson, he tells them he doesn't like to talk about his tribe but there was one whose name was Alexis in common. Zippy yells out boring again and tells them about when he peeled the carrot with a girl named Gippy. Dariun and Peterson are both a little sceptical of Zippy's stories but move on. Peterson asks Dariun what his girl's name is and he tells them it's Lilly.

They continue to ascend the mountain and Peterson asks if he could catch a ride with Zippy on the carpet and speak in private but Zippy isn't so keen to let him on. As they continue, it gets colder and colder and the winds are picking up. They are moving pretty slowly and Zippy sticks close to the mountain to keep from flying away. A massive gust of wind comes past, Zippy is able to keep steady and Dariun keeps a strong hold on the wall. Peterson and Leslie however, can't hold on and end up dangling with Dariun holding them up. Dariun is in his element and powerfully climbs this mountain with Peterson and Leslie dragging behind as dead weight. The carpet is getting very cold and it is about to fly away in the strong wind. Zippy grabs onto the wall and the carpet. Peterson realises Zippy is now without any attachment and tries to get the slack rope to Zippy but he is clutching onto the mountain and can't get to the rope. Dariun sees this and takes out his immovable rod, jams it into the cliff and secures his rope to the rod. He pulls out his other rope and nots a loop and lowers it to Zippy.

Zippy tries to go for the rope but loses his grip and starts to slide down the mountain. Peterson conjures a snow owl and orders it to catch Zippy. The owl holds onto Zippy with its beak but can't get him up due to the strong wind. Zippy transforms into a giant eagle and tries to fly up but the strong winds cause him to slam into the cliff away from the others. Eagle Zippy digs his talons into the cliff face. Zippy notices, through the snow storm, a faint red light in the distance up the mountain. Zippy tries to fly up again and he makes progress back to the group. Flying above them, he can see another red light next to the other one. The climbing group continue up and now Peterson and Dariun can also see the first two lights and now a third one.

Peterson flips his mask down and can see they are not far off the top of the mountain but the red lights are in their path there. Attached to the lights are cog like creatures with metallic bodies and tubes looping off of them. If Dariun could see this, he would recognise them as a creature form Mechanos. They suddenly hear a mechanical voice saying "T*arget sighted. Eliminating target now.*"

## **Quotations**

* Karen "*The flowers connect us. They connect you, they connect me. We're already connected anyways but it's just a more visible connection.*"
* Karen "*This is my story and you're a part of it now!*"
* Dariun "*Everyone's the protagonist in their own story, that doesn't make you anymore special!*"
* Zippy "*It's taken me what? Like two season and 10 episodes and I don’t even like these guys!*"

* Karen "*If I find him* (Lou Blonger) *or anyone part of the Ammow company, I am going to rip them to shreds!*"
* Zippy "*Oh god.*"

* Zippy "*I've heard the Ammow company is nothing but a company that strives to help people through and through, here we are the creators of tomorrow … at least that’s what they say.*"

* Zippy "*Oh Dariun, nothing is ever as easy as you make it sound.*"
* Dariun "*I know… but sometimes I like to be optimistic.*"

* Zippy "*You know what Lou Blonger always says. Keep your nose to the ground and your ears on a pile of gold.*"
* Zippy "*I once tickled my tail with a girl named Hibbippy.*"
* Zippy "*I once peeled the carrot with a girl named Gippy.*"

* Seth (to Dariun) "*You're kind of carrying all the weight.*"
* Connor "*What else is new?*"

## **Featured Characters**

### **Main Cast**

* Dariun Branch
* Zippy Westborrough
* Peterson

### **Returning Characters**

* Karen
* Leslie
* Tealeaf
* Longface Cloppyhooves
* Diesel (Peterson's dire weasel - formerly known as Arizona)

### **New Characters**

* Lou Blonger (mentioned)
* Hibbippy (mentioned)
* Lilly (mentioned)

## **Locations**

* Rorona Reservation
* The Storm's Edge

## **Trivia**

### Episode Tidbits

* First mention of Lou Blonger
* 1:07 Leslie's love song about him and Lara