A Knight of Shreds and Patches Transcript Episode 18: Remember Everyone Transcript by Cameron Robertson
Note: Zee-o is a synthetic humanoid being and primarily speaks in a robotic, monotone voice.
Intro:
[hurdy gurdy music begins]
Nick: Welcome, listeners, to A Knight of Shreds and Patches. An immersive actual play podcast. This episode features the talents of –
Drew: Drew Mierzejewski as Wyatt Fisher.
Aly: Aly Grauer as Zee-o.
Cameron: Cameron Robertson as Emma Blackwood.
Nick: Nick Robertson as GM and Narrator.
Sydney: Hello listeners, this is your editor, Sydney, with today’s messages:
Thanks for tuning in! And take care of yourselves. Lots of struggles out there, and we’re all dealing with something. We on the show are happy to do our part and provide a note of escapism for you.
And with that, we wrap up today’s announcements and head into episode 18: Remember Everyone. And so...
Join us, for now our tale to yours attaches
To carry hope: a Knight of Shreds and Patches.
[hurdy gurdy music ends]
[electronic beeping]
[robotic powerup noise begins]
Distorted Robotic Voice: Power restored. Systems online. Reconfiguring audio connection.
[robotic powerup noise fades to radio frequency static]
[over radio]
Aly (as Zee-o): Last time on A Knight of Shreds and Patches, the Patina road in the rig on the way to Tree All Mountain. As we came into the city, we read from a book of questions to occupy the time while traveling long distances. I could not decide what animal I would be. Tree All Mountain was full of snow. They have a large snow plow. People seem to treat the snow plow like a person, which confused me. There were moose. The moose were very big. And then Wyatt and I left to run an errand.
[radio static]
Episode Start:
Nick: We open on Emma and Cassidy as they approach the tent that is being used as a temporary train station for the Rondaxe line. There is a walkway across the bridge next to the train. There are people on foot going back and forth finishing up their errands and getting ready for departure. The tent is large, well kept, and bright yellow. It has a lining on the inside that helps to break the wind and keep the tent warm. You hear some of the locals referring to it as the Train Station. And as you walk in, people are quickly unzipping their heavy coats as they come in due to the heaters hanging from the roof, which raise the temperature 20 or 30 degrees. It's balmy in here. There is a long counter set up with spaces for checking in, logging cargo, and a line that looks like it's for last minute tickets. The line is short, and you're able to get to the front fairly quickly. After only a couple of other negotiations. You see large amounts of money exchanging hands. And before you know it you're up at the counter.
Aly (as ticket agent): Next. À le, à le, next.
Cameron (as Emma): Good afternoon~!
Sydney (as Cassidy): Hi! We need to, uh buy a couple of tickets for passage.
Aly (as ticket agent): You do not have tickets already?
Sydney (as Cassidy): No.
Aly (as ticket agent): No one in your party has tickets?
Cameron (as Emma): No, we just- we just arrived.
Sydney (as Cassidy): The train hasn't left yet.
Aly (as ticket agent): Yes, but tickets have been on sale for some time now.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Well we just got in the town.
Aly (as ticket agent): Hmm.
Aly: The ticket agent eyes you over the tops of very thick round glasses. It's hard to tell what this person really looks like because the layers that one must wear to be against the cold, and I know it's warm in here now, but I think that there's still an element of amorphousness that goes with having to wear all of these layers. And so there's some kind of sweater that is large and knee length on this person. They have these round glasses that are perched halfway down their nose. Their hair is all tucked up under a toque and they look tired. They look very tired. At the mention that they just got into town the ticket agent eyes, Cassidy slowly, top to bottom and then shifts to Emma. And at Emma the eyebrow starts to go up slightly on one side.
Aly (as ticket agent): How many tickets?
Sydney (as Cassidy): We've got five and also we have a truck that we need to stick on the train too.
Aly (as ticket agent): [disbelieving laugh]
Sydney (as Cassidy): Radio said you guys still have berth available, so I know that there is a spot.
Aly (as ticket agent): Berths are available. Yes, berths are available. You have a truck?
Cameron (as Emma): Yes.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah.
Aly (as ticket agent): How big of a truck?
Cameron (as Emma): Uh you know the size of the mousses?
Aly (as ticket agent): Yes.
Cameron (as Emma): Yep, that big.
Aly (as ticket agent): The truck is the size of the moose?
Cameron (as Emma): Uh height wise and if you do width of the antlers, uh...
Aly: The ticket agent stares at Emma, slowly rolls their eyes sideways over the tops of their glasses to look at Cassidy like, is she for real?
Sydney (as Cassidy): It's a pretty big truck.
Aly (as ticket agent): One moment, please.
Aly: And the ticketing agent turns and rifles through shelves of paperwork. And there's like a ledger of a really heavy ledger on the desk and they leaf through things and they mutter to themselves and they make kind of a humming sound as they're trying to work through the information.
Cameron (as Emma): I don't think they like us.
Aly (as ticket agent): So you are telling me you need tickets for the train, and you need a berth for your truck, which is the size of moose?
Cameron (as Emma): Yes, please.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah.
Aly (as ticket agent): How many people in your party? How many tickets?
Sydney (as Cassidy): Five.
Aly (as ticket agent): Five we can do, and lucky for you. Uh but the truck I do not know. Ehhh - It's going to be at least 10 squares. Ehh I do not know. I'm looking now to see if anything has changed with the layout, but uh this is really not an ideal situation for you, I think. Certainly tickets have been on sale for some time. I know you just got into town, uh but the truck is going to be a problem. I can guarantee you that.
Sydney: Cassidy raises an eyebrow and goes,
Sydney (as Cassidy): 10 squares?
Aly (as ticket agent): Oui. 10 squares. Do you have it?
Sydney (as Cassidy): That's a lot of money.
Aly (as ticket agent): It is the only train left.
Cameron (as Emma): [whispered] Cassidy, we only have 9 squares.
Sydney (as Cassidy): [whispers] Yeah this might be a problem.
Nick: And we're going to cut away from that to Wyatt and Zee-o as you descend into the temple of a Aranibus. What do you see in the entryway?
Drew: As you come down the stairs, there is an archway that is made completely of LED. I think a lot of this initial foyer are LED screens and you see people walking through the screens. As they're coming down the steps, there's an LED person in the wall that waves and goes "bonjour" and Wyatt turns in waves and brushes the wall. And as he touches it, the person's name and when they lived and died, and some of their achievements, heads up display on top of them, and then go away as they pass. And so this is just a hall of people who are remembered. The whole thing is LED and if there's nothing on the LED, it's just black. So it looks like there's nothing but a void.
Nick: There is a wide entry room that narrows like the throat of a giant beast, as you proceed deeper and deeper into the temple. And there's a low bass hum, part mechanical part mantra, dignified and resonant, that pierces your entire being both Wyatt and Zee-o as you continue deeper.
Aly: Zee-o picks up on the immediate change in Wyatt's demeanor as they enter into this place. And falls in line with that vibe that Wyatt is now giving off. The posture, the hand gestures, the way he's holding his head and his shoulders and there's an air of humility, I think and respect. And as they walk forward under their feet, little sprinklings of stardust, a little pinpricks of light glimmer and then fade as they walk. And Zee-o notices this right away.
Drew: Wyatt looks back out of the corner of his eye to see Zee-o and it's almost like he forgot that Zee-o was going with him. He stops for a second slows down and goes,
Drew (as Wyatt): Alright Zee-o. This is a um, a department of the Advantia. It's kind of like an offshoot in a way. So I need you to lay low. Keep your hood up. Keep your hands in your pockets. All right?
Aly (as Zee-o): I was not planning on removing my hood.
Drew (as Wyatt): Zee-o, this is very serious.
Aly (as Zee-o): I understand.
Drew (as Wyatt): If they discover what you are they will take you.
Aly: Zee-o stops. And they have put their hands into their pockets as Wyatt said that. And then they stop and like lift their head and they look Wyatt square in the face.
Aly (as Zee-o): I do not wish to be taken.
Drew (as Wyatt): I know. And I don't want you to be taken either. But I feel like there might be something for you down here. If you want to come. But you don't have to. You can go back up and wait for me.
Aly (as Zee-o): Is it dangerous?
Drew (as Wyatt): If they find you, yes.
Aly (as Zee-o): Is it dangerous for you?
Drew (as Wyatt): No. Not for me.
Aly (as Zee-o): I will go with you.
Drew (as Wyatt): Okay, stay close, all right?
Aly: Zee-o nods, puts their hands in their pockets shrouded in this cape and this hood.
Drew (as Wyatt): If you can, look scared.
Aly (as Zee-o): Scared?
Drew (as Wyatt): Like, like you're afraid. Like death bothers you.
Aly (as Zee-o): Why would I come to a place that I fear?
Drew (as Wyatt): I don't know. Why do we do anything?
Drew: And Wyatt keeps moving forward.
Nick: The depths of this temple of Aranibus are similar to other smaller ones that you've been in before Wyatt. The beginning of the temple is vast and there's a different kind of vastness as you go deeper. It begins to split and meander. You trust to your experience and to your gut senses to take the turns one after another. Everything heads down. You feel like you do not worry about finding your way back out, because all you would need to do is head up. And eventually you come to a single door that slides open ahead of you. And in it is another one of those robed priests; a solitary unmoving figure.
Drew: Wyatt walks in. He bows his head. He doesn't do the spider fingers, what he does is he touches eight points on his forehead and goes
Drew (as Wyatt): The eyes see you.
Nick: And the priest reaches up and pulls their hood down. And you see a bald person, deathly pale, almost skeletal, with six additional eyes tattooed up their forehead and onto the top of their head. And they say,
Aranibus Priest: Yes, they do.
Nick: And the priest gestures broadly with a hand for the two of you to enter this round room. There's enough space that you don't have to stand too close. Against the wall is a terminal with several different ports and a keyboard for data entry. And the priest awaits your next action.
Drew: Wyatt steps up to the priest and he reaches into his shirt and around his neck there is a like a USB data storage stick on a chain and he takes that off. He literally breaks the chain and holds it out to the priest and goes,
Drew (as Wyatt): I have two years’ worth of remembrance on this.
Nick: The priest inclines their head and takes the data stick and says,
Aranibus Priest: Ah, a string returned to the web.
Drew (as Wyatt): Do you wish me to do the cadence?
Drew: Wyatt turns to Zee-o and puts out a hand for them to not move and Wyatt and the priest go over to the terminal. There's a long row of slots at the top of this terminal. And they put it into one. And the moment it goes in, the wall itself becomes the LED screen and there's webs that go out and it immediately pulls the information from the data stick and we see pictures and the scans of journal entries and sound bits and small videos and things like that.
Nick: The priest observes your bearing, their eyes as unblinking as their eye tattoos. And then observes the entries as they flicker across this rooms screens and asks,
Aranibus Priest: How many of these died at your hand?
Drew: Wyatt looks up, his eyes scanning them, as they continue person after person after person after person.
Drew (as Wyatt): Most of them, but not all.
Aranibus Priest: You are right to return to the web.
Drew: Wyatt steps forward and he goes,
Drew (as Wyatt): Let the cadence begin.
Drew: And he puts his hand on the wall and he starts reciting names.
Drew (as Wyatt): Robert Johansen, I killed him. Tara, I killed her.
Drew: He just continues through that.
Drew (as Wyatt): Roberta, died of natural causes. Found her in the snow.
Drew: And he just keeps going person after person after person that he has memorized.
Nick: And as the cadence continues, the priest watches standing just as still Zee-o. And we cut back to the ticket counter.
Aly (as ticket agent): Unfortunately for you, if you do not have enough squares, you are unlikely to be able to abide by the dress code as well.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Well, that's just rude.
Aly (as ticket agent): I mean, prove me wrong.
Sydney (as Cassidy): I mean, we have fancy clothes.
Aly (as ticket agent): There is a dress code. It is very strict.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Yes, we have done our research,
Aly (as ticket agent): It would be a shame for you to get onto the train only to be kicked off.
Sydney: That would be a shame. Fortunately,
Aly (as ticket agent): There are also no refunds and the train does not stop once it leaves the station. So it could be more than disappointing.
Cameron (as Emma): We'll meet all of the dress code requirements.
Aly (as ticket agent): You could sell your truck.
Sydney (as Cassidy): If we sell the truck then we don't need the money to pay to put the truck on the train.
Aly (as ticket agent): Hmm. That is the problem I think for you, not me. If you do not have enough squares, I cannot sell you tickets. I cannot give you your truck berth on the train. You understand?
Cameron: Emma just look over at Cassidy, who's holding the bag that has all of the random money in it, helplessly.
Aly: The ticket agent reaches over to one side of them without breaking eye contact and taps a clock.
Sydney: Cassidy scowls and carefully pulls out the eight and a bunch of change that's almost nine squares, puts it on the counter and then puts out a good chunk of Allium spheres. This is like three to one ratio for that last little bit because she doesn't want to go back to Allium. And this money is kind of not very convenient because it keeps rolling away every time they do anything. One of them falls off the counter and Cassidy reaches out and grabs it before it hits the floor and puts it back up and scowls and goes,
Sydney (as Cassidy): I know you're a travel place, that means that you do have the capability to take different currencies. So for the sake of expediency here, we'll pay what we can in squares and then I'll cover your convenience costs to turn and the rest of these Allium spheres into squares for us.
Aly: There's a pause, and then the ticketing agent, to their credit, reaches to the other side of the desk and pulls - it's like a jewelry tray. When you go to a really nice jewelry store there's a velvet jewelry tray that they display stuff on when you are looking at items that you might want to buy. It's not velvet, but it's in nicer tray and they grab it and they pull it over and they adjust their glasses and they start counting the squares first, and then they get to the spheres and then they go back and they count the squares again. And then they start counting the spheres. You can see that they're kind of muttering silently under their breath, their lips are moving as they're going through it. And then they do a little calculation off to the side on like a piece of scratch paper and they look at Cassidy and then at Emma.
Aly (as ticket agent): And you're sure you can abide by the dress code?
Sydney (as Cassidy): I've got a fancy dress I've been dying to wear.
Aly (as ticket agent): You keep saying that word fancy, like it means something.
Sydney (as Cassidy): [taking on mocking French accent] I have a sophisticated dress that I'm dying to wear. Is that better?
Aly (as ticket agent): Hmm what about her?
Cameron (as Emma): We have clothing and outfits that meet the requirements of the trains dress code, and we will wear them and we shall not be a problem.
Aly (as ticket agent): What about the rest of your crew?
Cameron (as Emma): They also have garments meeting the requirements of the dress code of the train.
Aly: The ticketing agents sighs and sits back in their chair and thinks about it.
Nick: So Cassidy and Emma, it sounds like you've almost got this ticket agent convinced. The amount of money that you're willing to put down even though it's almost all of the rainy day fund for the Patina would get you onto the train. But I need you to roll a Negotiation check at hard difficulty to see if you are able to push this ticketing agent over the edge.
Sydney: Does Emma want to take a lead on this and I can donate a blue by helping?
Cameron: Could I use Charm instead?
Nick: Yeah you can use Charm.
Cameron: Okay.
Nick: I'm going to abstain from giving a black die for making fun of the ticket agents accent when Cassidy got irritated.
Cameron: I'm gonna flip a story point. Two yellows, a blue, and three purple.
[dice rolling]
Cameron: A success.
Nick: Nice.
Aly: The ticketing agent counts everything one more time. And then they go back to this ledger book and they're scrolling through they're running their finger across the pages like a librarian. What does Emma say that makes the ticketing agent chill?
Sydney: I think Cassidy takes a step back. Seeing that Emma appears to be getting through.
Cameron: Emma is just trying to channel all of the charm and people convincing skills and good natured-ness seeming skills that she learned as the youngest child of her family, who could do no wrong and could get everyone else in trouble for whatever they said, and has put her hands behind her back in a very innocent pose. Smiling, just the biggest smile, has stepped slightly in front of Cassidy to cut eye contact from happening and is looking around just the room, taking interest in everything. Isn't rocking back or forth or anything or seeming rushed in any way, it's just, she's here. And she's happy. And she has clothes that meet the dress code for the train. And everything's fine. And is just trying to shine like a sun at this grumpy train person.
Aly: The ticketing agent pauses scrolling, because they catch a glimpse of this giant smile out of the corner of their eye. And they do like a slow burn turn to look at Emma squinting a little bit.
Cameron: Emma notices them looking and turns back to fully face them and smiles even brighter.
Sydney: Yeah, Cassidy just looks away [laugh] at the rest of the room just trying to not be in this
conversation, having gotten frustrated.
Aly: The ticketing agent opens their mouth to say something snarky and then stops, as Emma turns to fully face them. And there's this moment where they look at Emma like they're seeing her for the first time. And then they soften.
Aly (as ticket agent): You want to go to Eagle Hill?
Cameron (as Emma): Yes, I've I've never been and one of our party members said that we could go fishing and that I could see a shark. And I've never seen the ocean before. I grew up by Lake Best, so I've seen lots of water and we of course we traveled here, so we've seen lots- tons of water around here, but I've never seen the ocean.
Aly (as ticket agent): It is like a lake, but big. But this excites you?
Cameron (as Emma): Yes. Plus, I've never ridden a train before, actually.
Aly (as ticket agent): Hmm.
Cameron (as Emma): And this seems like the fanciest train.
Aly (as ticket agent): A train is uh, what is the word, cosmopolitan? To say the least. If you are sure that the rest of your group can abide by the dress code, I can put you in these seats here,
Aly: And they flip the ledger around as though these diagrams mean anything to Emma. And they're pointing at this random shape on the page that has a bunch of scribbles in it.
Aly (as ticket agent): I can put you in these seats here. Your truck will go here and you will have a few seats for the train. But you must be sure that all of your party have their tickets. Everyone is there on time. Eh?
Cameron (as Emma): Mhmm.
Aly (as ticket agent): And everybody is changed, ready to go. They will not wait. They will kick you off before and ask questions later if you are lucky. Okay?
Cameron (as Emma): Okay.
Aly (as ticket agent): [sigh] Your friend has overpaid.
Aly: And the ticketing agent pushes some of the spheres at Emma and they roll in separate directions so Emma has to catch all of them as they start to roll off the countertop. And then the ticketing agent scoops the rest of it out of the tray into a different tray and says,
Aly (as ticket agent): Thank you for doing business with our train, the Rondaxe line. It leaves at sundown you have very little time left. Please get your party together, have their tickets ready, have your change of clothes, get your truck onto the train and good luck.
Aly: And they push the tickets across and then turn away to start filing things
Cameron: Emma picks up the tickets.
Cameron (as Emma): Thank you ever so much. We really appreciate it.
Cameron: And then turns around and skips off.
Aly (as ticket agent): Next!
Nick: There is one very harried looking businessmen that's been waiting behind and is just wide eyed, sweating mouth agape, jacket unzipped, underlayers unzipped. You can see sweat stains on their chest as the sun is going down and down and they're running out of time. And as you all leave the Train Station you can see that people dressed similarly to the ticket agent that you were talking to are disassembling the heaters and lowering them to the ground and rolling up the carpets and the tent is slowly coming down as this businessman is frantically trying to shove money at the ticket agent who appears to be in no hurry. The tent is mostly emptied out by the time that you've finished negotiations. But you were able to get your tickets and head back across the bridge to the rig, holding the tickets proudly. And Modem is standing on the roof of the rig shouting to whoever's operating this crane. And as you walk up, he says,
Nick (as Modem): We will have the tickets soon. You must load this rig immediately. The train departs shortly. I am a respected member of the Advantia. You must load this ri- Oh Cassidy! Emma!
Cameron (as Emma): [yelling] I have the tickets.
Nick (as Modem): I told you she has the tickets. Cuthbert, load the rig.
Nick: And you see a guy with a slouch cap pulled down low, climb down out of the crane and gesture impatiently to see the tickets.
Cameron: Emma skips over and shows them.
Nick: And he looks at them flip through them. It's a bunch of handwritten papers with diagrams similar to the book that you saw the ticket agent doing, it's incomprehensible. And he nods and grunts to himself and starts to climb up and then over his shoulder he calls and says,
Nick (as Cuthbert): You better get dressed up or they won't let you on.
Cameron (as Emma): Thank you!
Nick: The crane starts to lower and it's like a giant crane game that comes down and arms extend and go under the truck and start to lift it and it starts to lift off leaving a pile of duffel bags that was everyone's personal effects and change of clothes. And the truck is being lifted on. Modem was still on the truck as the thing is grabbing it he hurriedly climbs into the cab and waves to you all as he is being set onto the train.
Sydney (as Cassidy): I'm sure that'll be fine. We don't have anything suspicious and technological that he'd get into like the mech on there right? Like the Knight?
Cameron (as Emma): Uh no, not at all.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Okay,
Cameron (as Emma): But at least we don't have to worry about if he has fancy clothes or not.
Sydney (as Cassidy): That's -
Cameron (as Emma): He's already on the train.
Sydney (as Cassidy): - true. He does not strike me as the kind to have anything practical or fancy.
Cameron (as Emma): I don't know that fancy and practical necessarily go together.
Sydney (as Cassidy): No, but I don't think he has-
Cameron (as Emma): I would say he has a lot of practical and not much fancy.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah but it's practical in like bad ways.
Cameron: While this conversation is happening, they're picking up duffel bags and - are there changing rooms or something on this fairground by the train so so people can actually change?
Nick: You're on a road and the doors are all unlocked. There's so you're able to poke your head into a couple of doors and find a place with a public restroom and change along the way. It's very easy to do.
Cameron: Cool.
Nick: Everybody's very nice. We see you all walk in to a building close to the train and then you walk back out with your jackets on and we can see just hints of fancy clothes underneath, peeking out under the heavy layers as you hustle to the train avoiding the cold wind and are able to get on. And we cut back to Wyatt and Zee-o as Wyatt finishes the cadence.
Drew (as Wyatt): Abner McCormack, I killed him. Marcus Swift, killed him too. And then there was Killburn, I killed him. And thus the cadence ends.
Drew: We see Wyatt step back.
Aranibus Priest: String, is there anyone else?
Drew: Wyatt's hand goes to a pocket and he grabs something and he pulls out another data stick. It's a white data stick and written in pen, it says Pallie. And he looks at it and looks at the terminal. And we see him almost imperceptibly go forward. And then he takes it back and put it in his pocket and goes,
Drew (as Wyatt): No, that's it.
Aranibus Priest: Then the cadence is concluded. You have performed your duties admirably, string of Aranibus. And we thank you for your further contributions.
Nick: And the priest points with one hand to Zee-o, who has been standing still near the doorway.
Drew (as Wyatt): No, they don't have any. They just came for support for me.
Aranibus Priest: The being itself must be contributed.
Drew: There's a moment where Wyatt goes,
Drew (as Wyatt): I'm sorry?
Aranibus Priest: Aranibus has not found a broken gossamer in centuries. This one cannot leave the web.
Drew: Wyatt pulls his pistol and shoots him in the head. And Wyatt goes,
Drew (as Wyatt): I'll remember you.
Drew: And turns around,
Nick: They fall backwards like a marionette with their strings cut into just a pile of cloth and loose bones and the door of the chamber slam shut.
Drew: As it begins to Wyatt goes,
Drew (as Wyatt): Zee-o the door!
Aly: And Zee-o turns back towards the door and lunges for it to grab it with their hands.
Nick: And I'm going to need an Athletics check from Zee-o.
Aly: So that's going to be my Brawn and I have a rank in Athletics.
Nick: One yellow, two green and two purples please.
Aly: That's three successes baby, one threat.
Nick: So you are able to grab the door. It was sliding down quickly towards the ground. It looks thick and heavy. Some sort of metal you haven't seen before. It almost looks like what your chassis is made out of. But you're quick enough to stop it and strong enough to hold it at bay.
Aly: It's sliding down from the top down? Zee-o turns immediately and lunges for the door. They're a couple feet away, I think, they've stepped in to the room to watch near the door. And as Wyatt shoots the priest, Zee-o loses their posture of what they think scared looks like, they're hunched shoulders, they're crossed arms, that whole thing. They lose that posture and they step forward towards Wyatt and then Wyatt says the door and they turn and immediately stick their hands out to try to catch the door on its way down and I think they catch it at chest level. And then they start to push it back up until it gets till chin height and they're holding it there.
Drew: Wyatt immediately runs to the door and goes through it and is like,
Drew (as Wyatt): Come on, come through Come on!
Aly: Zee-o sideways limbos underneath it and then lets it fall behind them.
Nick: And the doors slam shut with the echoing finality of a coffin lid.
Drew: And Wyatt [gun click] opens his pistol. There's one shot left and he reaches into his pocket. And Cameron, will you roll a fortune die to see if he has a bullet?
Cameron: Two white dots.
Drew: He's got two shells. So he takes out one put it in. [gun click]
Aly (as Zee-o): I thought you said this wasn't dangerous.
Drew (as Wyatt): Well, it turned dangerous. I didn't think they'd notice you.
Nick: And echoing out of these twisting corridors from deeper within the temple. You hear a shrieking chorus of voices saying
Aranibus Priests: Stop them!
Drew: Wyatt reaches into the small of his back, pulls out one knife, hands it to Zee-o.
Aly: Zee-o takes the knife.
Drew: And goes,
Drew (as Wyatt): I didn't want to do this. This is not what I wanted to do. But I won't let them take you.
Aly (as Zee-o): What should we do?
Drew (as Wyatt): We leave and we remember everybody who doesn't make it out. And we move forward.
Aly: Yeah, I think we start booking it through the tunnel back towards the stairs.
Nick: And you head up back towards the surface. The LED screens that make up these walls, the floor, the ceiling, the memories watch you, staring accusatorily as the muffled shuffling of priests above and below you can be heard to gather towards you. And we're going to cut back to the train. Cassidy and Emma after making sure that the rig was suitably attached to the train, Modem promised to stay in the cab and watch it and you decided to go and get some refreshments, see if you could find Wyatt and Zee-o. And you find your way in the rolling bar on this train. It's all wood paneling and brass finish. There's a man wearing shirt sleeves and a bow tie and suspenders happily polishing glasses and working his craft up and down the bar, giving drinks to fancy and confident patrons.
Cameron: So did we leave the tickets and Wyatt and Zee-o's duffel bags just with the truck?
Nick: Yeah. I think they would be able to get to the truck fairly easily. You all shed your coats. What are you wearing underneath?
Sydney: So Cassidy's dress is a black off the shoulder knee length fit and flare dress. Coming down one side of the bodice is a yellow rose and flower embroidery that stops at the waist. It's very complimentary to the exposed vines and flower tattoos that are running up her arms. The skirt is a moderately poufy taffeta covered in a layer of chiffon that has matching floral embroidery along the bottom and she's got tall impractical leather boots underneath the dress on. So Cassidy almost always has her hair up in braids, but it's actually taken her hair down for this. She knew that this was coming so she had tied the braids loose enough that all of her curls would be intact. The curls that don't normally get to be out because they're really hard to maintain on the road. But her hair is waist length, long brown with hints of copper curls. And her normal stainless-steel jewelry has been replaced with delicate pearl accented ones. And a little bit of moderate makeup, nothing like ridiculously fancy Cassidy's not very in practice, but enough to not stand out for not looking like she tried.
Cameron: Emma's garments that meet the requirement of the trains dress code are a very different direction of fancy from Cassidy's dress. Emma has on a Victorian-steampunky-circus-ringleader style tux jacket that instead of having like the normal traditional length of tails, does fully go down in the back hitting a few inches above her ankle and has a skirt that sweeps around to the front. There's an open panel running down like you would see in a tux that then continues down the full length of the jacket so that you can see the black pants that she's wearing underneath it with some nicely shined leather, mid-calf height boots. The jackets a dark burgundy color. She isn't wearing the traditional white shirt front with the bow tie that you'd normally see with a tux. It looks like the pants and her top underneath the jacket are a one-piece jumpsuit and it has a V neck top that mirrors the traditional vest part of a tux but moved up so it's above her bust and is actually covering everything. Her hair looks like it always does because it's short. She's added a sparkly clip on one side. She does have some makeup on but it is not intense makeup just some eyeliner and mascara and a nice soft pink lip. Attached to her sparkly clip that comes into her hair has some additional bejeweling to it and then has a fishnet veil coming over slightly that doesn't quite come down to eye level but it's hovering just above.
Nick: And you hand your coats off to an attendant who hangs them politely on a coat rack by the door. There is a older gentleman wearing a tuxedo sitting at the bar who scoots down a couple of seats to make room for you. The bartender takes your order and gives you your drink of choice. The sun is almost to the horizon. It is not much longer till sunset and the trains departure.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Hey, Emma.
Cameron (as Emma): Yeah?
Sydney (as Cassidy): They're gonna be here like right now, right? They're responsible people.
Cameron (as Emma): I I mean so - I'm not sure who I trust more timing wise, but Wyatt said he'd be on time and I think I trust Zee-o to be able to make sure he gets here on time.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah, that's what I was thinking. It should be fine.
Sydney: Cassidy takes a sip of her drink.
Sydney (as Cassidy): But we're getting close. And I admit I'm a little twitchy.
Cameron (as Emma): How long does Wyatt normally take when he goes to do the remembrances?
Sydney (as Cassidy): Um, probably, I mean, it kind of scales based on how long it's been since we've gotten to go to one of the temples but -
Cameron (as Emma): How long has it been since you've been to one of the temples?
Sydney (as Cassidy): A couple of years. It's been a while. We've been on the road and on the run...
Cameron (as Emma): And Wyatt remembers everyone?
Sydney (as Cassidy): It's part of the deal.
Nick: And we cut to the tunnels of the temple of Aranibus. You can see dim twilight up ahead at the exit of the tunnel. There's a small group of robed figures blocking your way. One of them much, much larger than the others that you've seen with burly wrists and hands sticking out of the sleeves of their robe. This seems to be your last obstacle.
Drew: We see Wyatt standing at the bottom of these steps, very bloody. His pistol is turned around so he's using the butt of it like a club, his other knife is in his hands. One of his eyes is swollen shut, and he's got a big cut across his face. He's got fingers that are broken and he limps a little bit as he leaves a trail of blood behind him. But we see behind where he's come from, and there's just 20-25 corpses behind him.
Aly: Do the priests and acolytes of Aranibus have weapons? Like what are they fighting with?
Nick: So there's a range. Some of them just use their bare hands. Some of them have clubs or bits of candlestick and others have long sacrificial knives.
Aly: So I have the knife that Wyatt gave me. I think the ones that came at Zee-o unarmed, Zee-o has incapacitated and left them unconscious. But if they come at Zee-o with a weapon, or if they come at Wyatt with a weapon, Zee-o has assisted in the dispatching of some of these corpses behind them now. The cameras on Wyatt as he limps forward to the stair and pauses and the camera pans behind him to see the carnage he's leaving behind. And there's a moment of stillness, and then there's a sound of a wet crunch, and then a thump. And then out of the dark behind all of these bodies that are already down. Zee-o comes walking very calmly forward with Wyatt's knife in one hand and one of these wild sacrificial knives and the other.
Drew: And we see Wyatt shuffle his way to the bottom of the steps. And he looks up and he sees the large priest and the small priests standing there guarding the way up the steps. And he takes one step and he slips and falters and stumbles to the side, but he rights himself. And he steps on one step and goes,
Drew (as Wyatt): [labored breathing] No one... is going... to split up... my family again.
Drew: And he takes another step.
Drew (as Wyatt): [labored breathing] No one... is going... to split up my family... again. Not now... Not ever. Zee-o!
Aly (as Zee-o): Yes?
Aly: Zee-o's right behind him. They switch hands so that they've got the knives in one hand and they grab Wyatt's elbow to help him.
Drew (as Wyatt): [labored breathing] Whatever happens.... You get out of here, okay?
Aly (as Zee-o): Wyatt.
Drew (as Wyatt): [labored breathing] Whatever...
Drew: And he like reaches over and he puts his broken hand on Zee-o's shoulder and pulls them close. And then forehead to forehead.
Drew (as Wyatt): [labored breathing] I don't care what happens to me. You go. You can make it to the train. They need you. If they've proven anything, in the last little bit, they don't need me. They don't need me. You understand?
Aly (as Zee-o): Wyatt.
Drew (as Wyatt): [labored breathing] Yes?
Aly (as Zee-o): There's still time.
Drew (as Wyatt): [labored breathing] Is there Pallie?
Aly (as Zee-o): Pallie told me to wait. You told me to go. How am I supposed to know what to do?
Drew (as Wyatt): [labored breathing] Because you're a person.
Drew: And he taps their chassis, on their chest.
Drew (as Wyatt): [labored breathing] You are a person and you get to make your own choices. They're not always going to be good. But they won't always be bad either. Make your choice and be human. Like I know you are.
Aly: Zee-o stares back at him. And then they gently shift him towards the wall so he's leaning against the wall now instead of them.
Drew: And we see Wyatt shuffle up against the wall and try to start stepping.
Aly: And Zee-o shifts the knives back into both hands and they start to lurch up the stairs, so many at a time, too many at a time. And they're going to throw these knives at the guards.
Nick: So Zee-o steps up these stairs and at inhuman speed flings these knives and I need you to make me a Melee check had daunting difficulty. So it'd be four purple versus one yellow and two green.
Cameron: Plus the blue for your stolen weapons.
Aly: Nice. Okay, I'm rolling.
[dice rolling]
Aly: One success. [laugh]
Nick: And we're gonna cut away to Cassidy and Emma. The sun can be seen through the windows of the drink car. It's almost below the horizon. The train is about to leave. You finish your drinks and begin to head back towards the rig where it's been secured to the train. Luckily, you're near the front, there's no way that Zee-o and Wyatt have gotten past you. And you're able to do a full sweep through the passenger cars. As you walk towards the truck, and you get to the rig. Modem gives you a lost look through the windshield and shakes his head and the sun dips below the horizon. And the train leaves. It lurches suddenly, you almost lose your balance. It accelerates astronomically quickly, yet smoothly, hovering above the snow strewn ground as it heads East faster than you can imagine.
Cameron (as Emma): Cassidy?
Sydney (as Cassidy): Emma?
Cameron (as Emma): Modem shaking his head means that they didn't get on the train. Right?
Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah, you don't suppose we missed them?
Cameron (as Emma): We can't have we walked through every car. I mean, unless I unless they're back in the car behind us with the moose, but Zee-o said they weren't gonna meet the moose. So um...
Sydney (as Cassidy): Um is is about right.
Cameron (as Emma): Um - Can you try to get on your radio and see if you can reach Zee-o?
Sydney: Yeah and Cassidy doesn't have it on her, so goes around to the side of the truck where the crate that has her rifle in it and pops it open real fast, pulls out the radio headset, puts it on hits the button and goes
Sydney (as Cassidy): [over radio] Hey Zee-o, you there?
Nick: And we cut to the entrance to the temple.
Aly: Zee-o emerges into the cold, crisp air with Wyatt draped in their arms, like he weighs nothing. And their hood catches a bit of the wind and ripples but it doesn't fly off. And they're holding Wyatt and they hear the train and they stop walking.
Drew: And we you can see the Wyatt is mumbling. He's not unconscious yet, but he's close to it. He's lost a lot of blood. We can see that probably his leg is broken. He's probably been stabbed a bunch of different times. But he's muttering something under his breath as they come up.
Aly (as Zee-o): Wyatt?
Drew (as Wyatt): [grunt]
Aly (as Zee-o): Wyatt.
Drew (as Wyatt): [mumbling]
Aly (as Zee-o): You have to stay awake.
Drew (as Wyatt): [mumbling]
Aly (as Zee-o): Wyatt.
Drew (as Wyatt): [labored breathing] What? What is it?
Aly (as Zee-o): Wyatt?
Drew (as Wyatt): [labored breathing] Yes? Yes?
Aly (as Zee-o): I need you to stay awake.
Drew (as Wyatt): [labored breathing] I'm trying.
Aly (as Zee-o): I know you're trying. I'll find somewhere warm. But you have to stay with me.
Drew (as Wyatt): [labored breathing] And you... You'll remember me right?
Aly (as Zee-o): Wyatt.
Drew (as Wyatt): [labored breathing] Promise me? You'll remember...
Aly (as Zee-o): It is not my job.
Drew (as Wyatt): [labored breathing] It's your job to remember everyone.
Aly (as Zee-o): It is not a job, Wyatt. It is a curse.
Drew (as Wyatt): [labored breathing] Then it's mine. And now it's yours.
Aly (as Zee-o): Wyatt stay awake. We missed the train.
Drew (as Wyatt): [labored breathing] They'll be fine. There's smart girls, they'll be fine.
Aly: And Zee-o starts walking again, quickly this time, looking for somewhere to go out of the wind, out of the cold, knowing that Wyatt is not going to be okay as long as it's still cold and he's losing blood. But I think as they start to move faster looking for somewhere to go. They say over and over again under their breath to him, waiting for his response each time.
Aly (as Zee-o): No one is going to split up your family again. No one is going to split up your family again.
Aly: There is a blip that captures on the radio right before the train shoots out of range. And Cassidy on her end hears Zee-o's voice saying
Aly (as Zee-o): [over radio] No one is going to split up [radio static]
Aly: And then it cuts.
[radio static fades]
[hurdy gurdy music swells]
Outro:
Aly (as Zee-o): End of episode. Commencing end credits. The following information will be placed in the show notes for your added convenience.
This has been A Knight of Shreds and Patches, an actual play podcast using the Genesys game system from Fantasy Flight Games. The show is edited by Sydney Whittington, and features the talents of:
Drew Mierzejewski as Wyatt. Drew can be found on Twitter @ worldstoforge and is the showrunner for Skyjacks: Courier’s Call, an all-ages actual play podcast set in the world of Spéir, designed by James D’Amato.
Aly Grauer as Zee-o. Aly can be found on Twitter and Instagram @ dreamstobecome. Aly is also a player on and audio editor for Skyjacks: Courier’s Call. You can support both Aly and Drew by joining their Patreon @ Patreon.com/WhimsyArtifice.
Sydney Whittington as Cassidy. Sydney can be found on our Discord server, which is linked in the show notes, and on Twitter @ sydney_whitt.
Cameron Robertson as Emma. Cameron can be found on Twitter @ midnightmusic13 and on Instagram @ reading_and_dreaming. Cameron is also a player on Tabletop Squadron, a Star Wars Edge of the Empire actual play podcast.
And Nick Robertson as narrator. Nick can be found on Twitter @ alias58. Nick is also the GM for Tabletop Squadron, which you can support @ Patreon.com/TabletopSquadron
This podcast features the musical talents of Dora Violet and Arne Parrott. You can find Dora at facebook.com/doraviolett. You can find Arne at atptunes.com.
The official artwork for this podcast was created by Rashed AlAkroka, who can be found on Instagram and Artstation @ rashedjrs.
You can follow the Patina on Twitter @ akosap_podcast or visit the website: www.akosap.com.
Until next time…
...Audio Offline.
[hurdy gurdy fades]