The broken lantern is no longer held within the hands of the old potter Belinda Butcher. The surrounding scene of a quiet forest vanishes entirely along with it. The staff once held in Baradine's hands is no longer with him. What is in front of you instead is something familiar to the Gallows family. A small island suspended in a strange emptiness. A thick fog surrounds its horizon. A strange artificial sway of the grass beneath your feet by an unnatural faximile of a day's wind. A sunless lit sky obscuring the vision of any of its features, serving as a backdrop for a circle of stone plints at top a hill behind an unmoving tree of fuchsia colored leaves. Belinda will pipe up. It's rather uncharacteristically large in here for such a small domain key. It's quite beautiful though. Were you used to smaller domains? I am. My frame of reference is Mr. Eerts. The place I ended up burying him. Mr. Atkins, where was that? He had a large mirror that um he practiced similar arts to this and I think it was a quiet place for him. Linda will begin to move a bit slightly wandering forward. Where are we going? Have you been here before? You made mention that uh you knew what this place was. Um I wonder we'll look around. Um recognizing the tree and the little tent set up on the far west. Um well, yeah, we've been here. Yeah, but why are you walking like you know where you're going? Have you been here? No. I just find it intriguing. There's a softness to this place. Very It's odd. Do Do you mind if I walk around a bit? By all means. But um you should keep in mind that fancy uh staff that Baron had here. It was found right over there. And he'll point at the tree. She'll give you a nod. Bit of confusion on her face, but a affirmation nonetheless. She'll begin to make her way towards the tree. Ser is a stunned silence. Yeah. Is is there anything different from the last time? At least when me and Gilly were here. The red doors there. Yeah, everything's here. Um there's more land to the east. All right. Are we good to go? Are we rolling? Are we good? This is yours. Yep. Okay. So, you said the the island to the west is gone completely. It's gone completely. Yep. Okay. My mind will make note of that and he'll start walking up slowly. Is the plaque still in front of the tree? Like was there Yeah, I remember there was a plaque there. Yeah, it's still there. It is. It is what this door is. Um, ignore the door. It is a giant stone. Same size. Will gesture and barite. Come on. I'll show you around. Seems to be mostly the same as we left it. Sorl's running a hand over the stones in here. Just taking it in with all extra planer stuff is uh is is [ __ ] odd, but usually it's not this big. This is huge. Are you are you familiar with this this place? These types of places. Are we inside of the teapot? I I think so. I'm I'm not particularly familiar with places like this, but items that can store things away in in little nooks, I suppose. Not unlike what um Maple told you about the the scroll that you had that books could be stored within and accessed but nothing to to this [ __ ] scale. It's a livable place. Water books are one thing, but to transport entire people to some strange wondrous place. This is incredible. Yes, it's quite something. And it sort of is like how you describe Mr. Baradine. The old Firefly was with us last time we were here as well. And uh it does seem like we are indeed inside a teapot. The [ __ ] That's I I suppose look around. Stick with Arondo? I I I don't know. Do you Do you believe that we are miniaturaturized? That we are smaller and inside of that object that you once carried within your hand? To be blunt, I have no [ __ ] idea. That'd be cool. I guess I disagree wholeheartedly. I would hope that this witch would have some indication of whether or not we could even return to our normal size. Who is the witch you're referring to? Oh, pardon me. Yeah, Miss Butcher, it seems you are familiar with these types of places. You were using them for burial sites. Why? Look at this incredible wonderland that has been opened, like a sanctuary, a privacy unknown to prying and greedy hands. She will furrow her brow at you. She'll say, "Um, if I am the witch in question, I'm in fact not a witch at all. And as to your other question, why um was a place sentimental to Mr. Eert? I thought it best to be buried him there rather than well in the ruins of his home. If that's the case, then these places, these pockets, how are they made? Do people make them? Do these places make the people? What strong manifestation would make such a thing possible is very complicated. Um I do not know the procedure just that it is a very arduous ritual, a very time consuming and difficult to get correct. Um but Belinda It sounds like we've got our teapot. Echod he's got his MIA. So it sounds like many of which devices could be used. Is it possible to make one of these places out of a book? I suppose you could. A book is a container technically. I referred to this as a lantern because I believe that's what it actually is. I've known um a few fireflies to have similar mechanisms. Are they all constructed by mages? If you take no offense to the term, I do not. It's more accurate term. I believe they'd have to be. I don't think a craftsman or a novice could stumble into creating something like this. Forgive me, my ignorance of your customs and terminology. I've heard the word witch tossed about several times back before the fall of Ash Moon Valley with ones with fingers that resembled those which I believe you possess yourself. I meant no offense. It's a um it's an injury of sorts. Does not signify um whether I'm a witch or not. And uh no offense taken. I didn't know what you were um if you were trying to insinuate something. Is there a meaningful distinction between the witches and mages and whatever else there is? Um, witches are it's a colloquial term or um servants. Most of them women, usually younger, typically mages from what I understand, although spent my life in Half Moon Valley and well, there is a wide world out I see. But I will refused the entertaining notion of deeming Mr. Baradine a witch. Thank you for your illumination. Don't you? I suppose he did. Uh, listen, Belinda, by the creation of of a place like this, is it is this a mental construction? Like a a memory that never was that was stitched together over time? But what's the process? This feels real. There's grass at my feet, and there's certainly a breeze. Well, give me a moment to collect my thoughts on that. It's it's a very odd approach to such a question. I want to make sure that perhaps I can satisfy your curiosity. Oh, bear down. In the meantime, there's there's something I have to show you. I guess her will uh come take a look at this. It's uh let me know if it's familiar to you. I'll start kind of um running where he remembered the door to be, but seeing some extension, he'll follow where he believes it would be. Sort of nods to Belinda as she's collecting her thoughts and departs to follow Armanda. Come on. Right up here. Should be should be here somewhere. Should be. Yes. Yes. It's still here. Sir will stop. Kelly. He'll stop before the the circle though. He doesn't believe in hogs wash. He's not getting involved in it either. There it is. In a in a low volume serial little notion together. Perhaps keeping the the good lady company, the watchful eye perhaps. She seems somewhat distressed. Perhaps she could use that. As he looks over Gilligan's shoulder to see her moving. That's right. All right. I suppose I had to she's coming. That is irrelevant now. See, see, look, Baron. It's exactly like we saw it. You see, he fetches through his pockets. Um, he'll pull out the drawing that Gilligan made. Uh, look, it's exactly like I remember. It's what we saw. It's how we got here. Um, that's certainly a a door damaged, I suppose. Vaguely familiar, I guess. Why is it broken? I don't know. Oh, this thing's still here. Yeah, the there's been some changes, but it's still here as we remember. Boy, have you ventured into this teapot often? No, not often. I'm frankly only once. I'm Well, twice. Does that diamond say? I think once only only once, I believe. Yeah, that the time we went to Sam, that was something else. Yeah. Um but but it was here uh different from the the door that brought us here. The one that we remember is was fully well in repair. But this one, it makes me think, it must have worked at one time. Perhaps um manifestations more likely here. had I the capability to secret myself away in such an idyllic landscape such as this, especially during times of upheaval such as the attack on the city. I would have certainly sought refuge in here, I suppose, but we only knew of the way to buy the candles that there was a limited time. And now who who knows? We don't even know the difference in passages of time from here and out there. Oh, watch out Belinda. There's a bunch of hocus pocus in front of you. She will rake her concentration. She had been not looking at the door, but the stone circle on the ground. and she kind of gives you a bit of a smile at the mention of Hocus Pocus. She'll glance down back at the stone circle a almost covetous angle in her eyes and she will look to Baradine. Uh I believe I have an answer for your question. Um this place is as real as any other I suppose. Um but it is a created place much like a house. It is a real place but also made. It is a space within itself. Uh in terms of whether or not we are all shrunken, I don't believe so. Well, certainly it stands to reason that if they had been here once before and returned to their normal sizes upon exit, I suppose it's harmless in that regard then. Well, is there any restriction on being able to enter this space now that the mechanism for its access has been discovered by your wise hands? It depends on the domain key. It is the anchor point at which the space rests. Ah, that would be the staff then, right? Restage or the lid of the teapot. I think it's more likely the flower inside. The anchor point was the candle prior. It was the place, the thing that held your place in the world. We knew candles would burn down. We don't know what mechanism affects the flower petals. Whether there is a timer imbued in it, whether they will fall, whether it is wilting, we just don't know. Well, who's to say that this whole Half Moon Valley is in its own pocket? I I remember my home perfectly fine when my 32 years of life. This could all just be a pocket in a pocket. What would you feel, Belinda? The very home you lived in your whole life was just a dimensional pocket from someone else's manifestation. Probably wouldn't feel any different to be honest. How would you feel if that home that you suggest isn't just the same thing? 32 years. He'll re reel back a touch when she says that. I guess I I don't really know how I'm feeling. Yeah. 32 years zero. I never took you for a juvenile. You carry yourself with such authority. You look quite old, I suppose. Pardon me. He's conflicted with all the compliment slash thinking about the pocket dimension. Forget all that. Let's focus on right here. Right now, I'm not going to go too far out. Uh, but is it possible, Belinda, in a space like this? Uh, sure. The hogs wash is involved, but maybe emotions, too. Memories, things that can expand upon these worlds. Uh, could we do that? I don't see why you couldn't. Well, actually, I take that back. There's a lot of reasons why you couldn't. Uh, ineptitude being the largest, but in a hypothetical world, um, yes, it would be possible. Seeing how large this place is, it it makes me reconsider what is possible. So, perhaps I have quite an optimistic take. All I want to know is why. Why it's here. Why any of these are here? What are they meant for? Quite easy. And someone made it. Yeah, but why? You'd have to ask them. Perhaps there is a maker's mark on this masonry. I believe that there is. We'll step into the circle and start examining the iconography on here as well as the pillars around here. Do I recognize any of these from any of the literature that I've I've consumed? You do not read the familiarity with the tree in the middle is that it is a represent copy but an effective carving of the same tree that is um watercolor painted on the side of the lantern. Belinda will see your intrigue and we'll continue. I believe I might know who made this. You You do? Who? A uh Sonen saw. I'm sorry. What the [ __ ] does that mean? What's a name? An actual witch, unlike myself. A firefly. No, no. A um a a studious kind of person. I ran into her um after the dust had settled in uh Ashoon Valley. She had been walking around with this uh strange of man. He uh went by the name of Professor S chemistry. They were walking around picking off pieces of bark and having um conversations about uh well academics far beyond things I could understand. And uh he what what can you tell us about this professor? is a very old but quite spry. Wore very heavy armor. It had been I don't know how he managed to find it, but um it was of the Cabellian sort. He had that old veteran look to him. I had assumed that he'd um won it during the war. Fighting on which side? Hard to say. I I would always assume not the side of the Cellons considering that he's an Opie. Although he wore that armor like it belonged to him. This is why I assume he won it. What kind of oie was he? Like a a bird? a mammal. She's almost taken aback for a second by your extreme self-racism. Some kind of um lizard, I believe. I'm not quite sure. He looked a lot like you. Me? Distant relative perhaps? Yes. Oh, dark purple skin, big horns. Did Did you manage to catch his name? Venicle perhaps? First name rather, not the title. No, he introduced himself as Professor S. Chemistry. Although he did have a bird with him he called uh Elodan, I believe. I these items have shown me things. I suppose I think I've seen the man that you're speaking of. And the lady we should have known. His name was written here. It was his message. So obvious. Oh, this place doesn't belong to them. I believe they might have made it. Then what's the difference? She lets the question rest and become rhetorical for fear of mentioning how dumb of a question that is. Oh, Armando Young Gilligan, how did you actually get your hands on the pot or lantern or whatever it is? He'll uh he'll look the Gillian a little somber. Um when we first arrived here, it was me and Gilly and two others. And it's where we met that Sophie woman. Before we went in, uh someone who was with us before was curious about something on the table. There was many of these artifacts, if you want to call them that. She was more than happy to just hand it over an entire pocket dimension we didn't know at the time. Just hand it over to someone that looked like a [ __ ] with no disregard. He was so weak, so fragile, and she thought it might help him somehow. So I So I suppose this belonged to uh the Sophia one in blue. I don't know what belongs to, but she had it. She had no problem handing it over. Let us hope that um she is not a vengeful woman because to be gifted something of this caliber, you're in some deep death to her. I suppose we all are now. I don't know. Uh but I'll never forget the first words I heard before any of this started. that the spell worked and that we wanted to be here. A spell brought us here to the teapot. I don't [ __ ] know to whatever it was when we first met her. I I don't know where it was. Walked through a [ __ ] door that entered through a [ __ ] well and here we were. the door that looked just like this one. In fact, except it wasn't. That's right. Well, Miss Belinda, this has been illuminating. As you are familiar with magical trinkets of this sort, I I thought I would ask or at least venture the question. Perhaps you are familiar with one of these. He will produce the uh the compass. I I believe there is a mechanism missing a cylinder within this this compass. She'll extend her hand. You will plump it right down. She takes her time with it. I'm afraid I'm unfamiliar with its construction or the material of the missing cylinder. I have not had much time to award or inquire upon its repair, but its function is a bit strange. I would not I cannot discern why a compass would point in a singular direction in the manner that it does by lack of a single cylinder. Jew will hand it back to you. You all seem quite prone to um acquiring strange and esoteric magical devices. I believe the make of this is from the same as the person who had made this lantern. So then I take it that this sonin shaw is a magically induced uh inventor of sorts. If you will not have you any insight on its usage if it's in your possession, I assume it has something to do with this place. Perhaps this Sophie person is a friend of Son and Saws or a co colleague. When last did you see her? Was it before the conflict or after the reconstruction? After the conflict. Um, a bit before. years ago before the reconstruction. It's a time in my mind when um the dust was settling, new trees growing. It's very quiet place. I see. And you now reside in Is is that correct? These ruins outside of this teapot? No, you No, I live in Copperton. All right. With your uh Caitlyn, is that correct? Yes. our son and a few others. Is she given to the magical arts as you are? Kind of bites her lip a bit. She's not as um practiced as I am. Um how come? What is what is the the root of your question? Well, a simple manner of inquiry. I am quite interested in the in what has happened after the great conflict of this valley. What has happened to its towns, its peoples? They're only a thousand, few thousand. Perhaps enough time you could perhaps ask each individual one of them. Was the conflration of war limited simply to the Ashoon Valley? Did it spill out of this Jean's eye? It did not. No. Uh, Coverworth had a plan for that. Uh, destroying the statues in order to contain u this infection. And how was it contained? Was Shen and his armies or powers controlled, encapsulated, destroyed? Xen was destroyed in some effect to the best of our ability. His people, creatures, our people. We're all destroyed likewise by magical means or um worse than that. Brutal means Mr. Zero. I see. I will not inquire further on the brutality of war. However, my efforts with Mr. Cobertton or Copper War, excuse me, were to seek solutions to containing the White Woods. I I hope I was able to render some aid in that conflict, but I I suppose my curiosity is getting the better of me. Were the black sand, was it of any use against the the whitewood? Were the devices created by myself and master Todd? And were they did they render any use? In some ways, I'd like to think so. It was the right idea. However, the quantity of sand is just something we couldn't obtain. We received enough. We had made a a blade out of it. just enough. Well, not enough, I suppose. And either way, it has been a long time, and there's no more need for any solutions. The valley is a different place now. It has its own problems, different problems. I appreciate your concern, though, but it is something I can't empathize with. It's something I've had to move on from and accept. But thank you nonetheless. I am very grateful that you and your family has survived. It is the most that I could hope for. She will give you a polite bow. The bow itself almost masking any uh suspicion or disbelief that might be under it. Regarding the valley itself and its current disposition, the wildlife, we had not witnessed any while in Sunfall. Is this an is this a result of whatever had happened in the the years following the the conflict? Wildlife is much more scarce than it once had been. Though I suppose so. I I recall now the uh the wolf, spiders, creatures grew in population, but fish other game. If we are to travel, we leave. way. Although you are much very gracious in offering us supplies for whatever journey we endeavor to undertake. Perhaps I'm worrying a bit too much. I will not belabor the sensitive memories any further. We We are now present in an incredible spectacle of beauty, natural and unnatural. I believe it's uh if I may, I'd like to take a walk around. Then he'll begin to descend slow. Thank you for your cander, Lady Belinda. She'll give a nod and a bow. Moose behind the door. Is it any different on behind it or is it just same on the back as it is on the front? Gotcha. Approach uh Armando. Hey, um are you all right, Dad? I'm sorry. What? I I was just wondering if what was on your mind if you're doing all right and stuff. I'm fine, Gilly. I'm just trying to process it all. Um, it's been a lot in such a short time. I I don't know which question to pursue. I don't know if it matters. Oddly enough, I'm I feel myself feeling the same way. We We were supposed to deliver help the valley get salt for them. But we ended up far into the future and there's nothing nothing left. We were supposed to do a lot of things, but you remember the last time we were in here clearly changed over these 40 plus years. And I want to know what made it change. Did it do it upon its own will? Did someone influence it? Did this change because it's broken? And even if all these things are different, that door stays the same. They don't seem to care about the rules. It doesn't make sense. Nothing makes sense. Oh, maybe it does and we just don't understand it. For whatever reason, we weren't allowed to understand. Made a deal with some Sophie landed in a valley and only to watch it all fall apart. Well, I don't know if we got what we wanted or not, but I don't feel good about it. He's going to pull out his flask. Um, the contents of the flask and everything about it stay the same here. Okay. The only thing that's kind of odd that's missing is Barine staff. Okay. Everything else is the same. Okay. Um, actually, actually, okay. As you're as you're in detective mode, there's something a bit odd. Usually in the night sky. Every night a new color of moon rises and falls. With it in its background are dozens of stars. Somewhere between I don't know maybe 10 30 maybe even 50. They're scattered about. Who knows? But above you, through the fog, are what look like to be a hazy image, thousands of stars? Most I've seen yet. Sounds like since I've been here. Since you've been here? Yeah. I don't know about your home world or how many stars that had or anything, but uh this certainly has uh countless more stars. Is there anything else when you look up like um anything else that is distinguishable from stars or is it just a sky full of stars? It's a bit hazy. Um sky full of stars, but there's a lightness to it as if there is a moonlight or process. It's It's almost like a um like an evening lit room, but there's no light source. One thing is while while going by these bodies of water, are there fish in those? Uh there's not. Was there anything notable about the construction of these this bridge or any items of inter like any objects of interest any writing anywhere? It is old stonework. Uh no writing or objects of interest. Okay. Well, I suppose there is an object of interest. Uh that being the water source and the water body itself seemingly infinite. Seemingly infinite. Yeah. Yeah. So I can I cannot pursue a case because I have no focus, right? I believe you have one. Yeah, you blew it or used. Yep. Does it seem like the water source, sorry, does it seem like the um this waterfall here has or the one above it has enough force to turn a water wheel? No. Is it a Okay. It's very cozy. It's not a It's It's much akin to a um like a household diarama of a waterfall rather than a rushing river. Okay. It's a trickle. Um Armando, you can rest for 10 minutes to get your focus back. Yeah, I'll um take a break by this rock here and look at the symbol. Maybe even spend a bit of time tracing it. I'm going to let uh his dad rest and he'll uh move towards paradise. It's just that the death book is in his hand, but it's closed. a behavior of habit perhaps rather than caution or paranoia. His eyes are staring into the hazy horizon like he's considering what this mass of information actually means. Take a seat next to it. Seriously urinate in this uh portrait of trees. You're pissing in the lake. No, I'm I'm down by the the tree in the south. Now I have some privacy. I'm going to do my dirty business. Say, um, Mr. Paradine, a young Gilly, what is it? You remember um when we were sort of uh let's call it manipulated by uh that wizard or teacher, Father Thsby. Msby. Yeah, about it. What did you see when What did she make you see? You remember? Crystal clear. Young Gilligan. I was back home in the Grand Chapel near a reading area. Seems I had fallen asleep at a few hundred feet from my wife's grave. I imagine it was some attempt at recalling pieces of that. I visited often. But I was awoken by a woman, young, dark makeup, some new acolyte or attendee of the church, saying that I was muttering about a book that I had to help. I had to remember what it was. She pressed me on it. I had no idea. Pretty soon after three attendees of a church came down leveling an accusation of thievery or bribery, one or the other. I looked at them many years my junior and I knew they were just doing God's work. So I nodded and I began to go with them. Simple things like misled accusations can be ironed out if your faith is strong enough. But the woman couldn't settle for it. Panicked. She was. The strange thing is one of the church attendees started agreeing with her and another one struck him across the face. a show of dominance or leadership, whatever it may be. It's a strange for rarely does a blow go unanswered, young Gilligan, be it metaphorical or physical, especially in the church. But I suppose I was too caught up in the panic of a young woman desperately seeking something that was never hers to begin with. that led me to walking with those men. Till I walked into that grove with each of you and that rotten professor. That's what I saw, young Gilligan. A pained memory of home and a horrid faximile of inaccurate pieces with my wife's grave just beyond my sight. He nods quietly. I see. And those men, they didn't they didn't hurt you, did they? No, they threatened it. Of course, taking one in by handcuffs or other such means is justifiable violence when you've done a a wrongdoing. But seniority has its benefits, and I was cooperating. They made no move to hurt me, young, but I judge by your question that you had a different experience. Well, I it was strange. It on one hand it it seems sort of similar to your story. There's somewhat familiar place and there's they're asking for a book but I didn't have it but I sort of I sort of panicked and I sort of I guess I lunged at them and they but I was so much smaller and cuz I was a a child and they and they grabbed me and I I kicked and screamed and no helped me and they took me up the sort of altar and I I died and I'm alive now. But it felt so it felt so real. Tell me, young Gilligan, are you afraid of death? I don't know. I don't know if I'm afraid of anything actually, but the the pain of um that vision, that memory, whatever it was, it was it was so vivid and I can't seem to forget it. I I told my father about this, but he seems he's troubled right now. I don't want to worry him much more. You catch him smilingly at the I'm not afraid of anything com. He's beside himself right now. And I'm We just keep losing so much here. Losing things, gaining things in equal measure is curious. I would say that this island is worth more than anything that's been lost. But to your point, what would you gain by telling your father about the misbegotten illusion driven by a woman that only wanted something for you from you? What's the point? Well, I don't know. He's my father's a detective. He'll usually know if something's off about it or if there's something uh I ought to be concerned about if he'd see things I wouldn't be able to. And I I guess more so I just it just put me at ease telling him Chances are your father also saw something equally threatening, confusing, ser too. Whatever piece of memory that her magics drew upon. You said you were little, so maybe you don't remember it consciously. Kind of irrelevant. not where you are, not a threat to you now. And telling your father about details so he'll try and form a case and solve it will only bring him anguish and pain. You need to take out some scales and decide whether the comfort of sharing the difficult things is worth more than the pain an already damaged man is feeling. and will continue to feel. You say these things as if you know my father well. Have you truly gotten so close to him in the time I was away? Pauses and considers this. His eyes don't shake like the frustrated expression that he shows around Sirill. Nor does his hands clasp at pockets unsure of the devil uh just across the way from him. Seems in this place he is calm. First time in a while, I suppose. He catches your eyes. Gilligan, I'm not sure I know your father well, but I know people like him. knew people like him at least. And it's the same. There's a fervor about something. For some, it's faith. For some, it's craftsmanship. For your father, it's solving mysteries. Curiosity leads him around like a leash around his neck. And as you can see right now, he's not very good at walking on his own two feet. He's been dragged along the floor. There's too many mysteries here, Gilligan. The advice I gave your father was to put his skills to use within a community where he could establish himself and those mysteries wouldn't be so daunting and he could get paid for them. That advice is useless where we are now. But your father's still the same man. Still the same symptoms. I don't know why he doesn't drink from that flask of his. Nor why he calls you his son. But he's not a bad man. He's just fragile. Ian's gaze goes towards his father and like agreeing tone. He just sort of goes, "Yeah, there's something different about the restfulness of not being inebriated. The flask at your hip armando tempts you with a quick and easy resolution to having too many thoughts in your head. However, you sit with yourself for a while. The conversation just across the way, washing over you as you regain your focus as he's lying on his back, his hat over his eyes, resting um being taken away by this whole place. Eventually lifting the hat just slightly to look at the thousands of stars behind hazy smoke. Wish to make a guess that the stars above are forgotten memories or people. You don't have a clue. Your clue is the flask. You don't have a clue for the start. I see the clue is the flask. Okay. I'll let you roll pretty broad on that in terms of um if you want to pursue a lead that has anything to do with why some things are the same as in like objects you carry. Uh if you wanted to roll against something like Baradine staff if you get back or something like that, I'd let you do that. It's in the category of objects being the same. The stars you'd have to think more about. Okay. If you if you laid down, looked at the stars and did that as um gathering clues and stuff, I'd do that, but you're resting. That's fine. You keep your focus, though. He'll sharpen up and begin to stand. Um looking around a little agitated towards the other two across the way. Um all right, that's enough time here. I don't want to be calm. I don't want to be still. Yeah, there's things to learn out there. Won't learn it just sitting on some [ __ ] grass or around a [ __ ] hocus pocus circle, are we? You'd be surprised at how much you can learn from grass and hocus pocus circles, Mr. Armon. Nonetheless, Linda is carrying a box in her arms. It's a bit large compared to her frame. It's wooden. Tilts his head. Where did Where' that come from? Was behind the rock in front of the tree. The carved one. H I guess we never did take too close a look on it. What's inside? Well, I had refrained from opening it. I didn't know if this belonged to any of you or perhaps um the maker. Uh do you know of the nickel like that is the name I said earlier. Uh, I when I was trying to discern things about the pot when it began to crumble initially, I enacted a rune of divination. And I heard a voice saying, "Venicle, I know you like the candles, but the flower is much easier." Well, I suppose the voice is right, considering candles only last a certain amount of time. Well, she'll offer you the box. He'll extend his hands. Um, running a hand over it. It's pretty mundane wooden box about the size of a shoe box. On the top of it, carved in u horrible handwriting uh is the word vanical. Uh, he'll attempt to open the box. The box opens easily. Is rather light considering that the contents are light and t smallish. Inside are four objects. There's a brass cylinder. There are two rings. in a human skull. Uh he looks at the skull, looks back at the rings, sets the the box on the floor so the contents are are displayed. Uh but he'll take out the two rings and look them over. The two rings in the box seem to be a pair with one another as they are connected with a small chain. They are made out of a brass or the same material that the compass um I don't know if you've seen serial scroll if you have. Uh I did because he showed it to Maple and that's how he learned it was like a catalog thing. Gotcha. Same material as the scroll and the compass. upon its edge. It looks as the pair of them look as if they are tarnished towards the center ring on the outside. However, they don't tarnish into a typical uh green or darker brass patina. They tarnish into a pure white and a pure black, respectively. On the outside of the rings engraved are two two phrases on each of them. On the white ring there is a phrase Benalis funke and on the black ring benalis shan. Looking at these items uh real quick before we move on to the other ones and probably the box too. Maybe this entire area. Um, how holy does Baritin get the sense that these are the rings are they have the weight of something very holy to them. However, it is almost as if it is made of that substance. As if they are holy objects. However, they emanate a strange tinge of unholiness. The skull likewise is a very holy object. The cylinder, however, seems inert. So, is there any practice to leaving human skulls behind? Could this be that dude's skull? Um, which dude are you speaking of? Venacle, the guy who liked the candles. Uh, perhaps I wouldn't know. Although, it would be strange to Well, I know some of the folks from Ableton tend to leave their dead in wooden boxes. So perhaps he was from Ableton. Maybe a friend um put the rest of his body in a larger box and put the skull in a small one. Belinda, quick question. Were you born from an egg? Of course. Just checking. What the [ __ ] Yeah, he's going to let that one for beard dying. He's going to leave. Yeah, you're shocked. Were you born in a box? I don't understand. You'll have to forgive him. He's a little bit um straightforward with his questioning sometimes. I beg to differ. However, shakes his head that he's not tackling the human egg problem currently, but it sticks in his brain like a [ __ ] nail. He looks down and picks up the brass cylinder. Uh, does it have similar teeth uh to the one SL head has? It looks like Have you seen his um his compass? Uh, I've seen him with it in his It looks like some kind of component. Oh, I see. Well, he's like role playinging a [ __ ] dog in the woods right now, so I'm going leave him be. He's uh he he [ __ ] took a shower underneath the waterfall, shook himself off, took a [ __ ] in the hole, buried it. Now he's just chilling back by the uh the tree just kind of sitting in the grass reading his uh reading his book or rather has he has his skull open easily. Um, but the never mind. Actually, I don't I don't really think I have anything for that. Miss Belinda. Mhm. All of the talk with Armando earlier about pockets was in pockets and could this be that even when we were in Sunrest prior there was only one real holy shrine I suppose I'd seen as is the concept of a god not common here is it just beyond what is seen as necessary? What's faith mean to you? That's quite the question. Um, the concept of a god. That's a way to put it. It's hard to say what the gods were. I don't really think anyone knows to be honest between us but what they are you could say are concepts things people believe in you know almost like traditions turned into people little people traditions people carry around meanings um often times bent to whatever someone wills them, whatever is convenient for them to believe in. I'm not really a faithful person if well I have faith in other things as of late. It is uh life finding a way I suppose. It's easy for me to come to that kind of faith. Something I had to watch happen. It's not something I created or gave a name or made a little person in my head. I didn't inherit it. It was just a truth that dawned on me over time. I don't think I answered your question and I don't know much about faith outside of Half Moon Valley. No, I I think you answered it well enough. There's no names, I suppose, no personage to tie to the concept of gods. You hold still to concepts. Some people idolize them. There was a man I had met once, a toran man. He was an emissary for he called it. Some large beetle thing in the desert. He kept rambling on about um wisdom through denying yourself water. Uh strange uh death culty behavior I believe. Well, whatever it was, fasting is not uncommon in religious circles, but I wouldn't do it in a desert. I don't think uh faith can sustain you that hardly. I'm sure you've been to many places. I I understand I might come across as um well a sheltered woman, but don't be afraid to ask questions that aren't so devoid of your own life experience. I I feel almost um and I I won't presume this or take it this way, but I feel almost as if I'm being coddled with your questions. They're very vague and broad. Um too encompassing. Do you mind if I ask where you're from? Let me tell you a little bit, Belinda, because I think you've earned far more than than to know. I won't speak for the others. I'm not from here. Not from Half Moon Valley, nor am I from Hashi. nor Erlu and Siru. None of that. I lived in a different place entirely in a great city known as Meritris. Rings of commerce and life dedicated to a singular god. One who would appear, one who would speak to her people, one who would hold the scales on topic of importance. I have lived in Maritress my whole life. I met my wife in the church. We had children. They left to go out to the countryside. My wife died. And then there was a night where I went to sleep and I had a dream. One of running and of masks and vague voices in my head. And then I was here. I don't understand it. I don't presume to know what magic nor witchcraft, nor perhaps fancied enchantment has impacted me in the way that it has. But I ask broad questions because I know nothing of you, nor your birth from eggs, nor your apparent extended lifespan compared to my own, nor your lack of gods and faith. It is foreign to me and I am foreign to it. Forgive the vagueness, but I don't think you can relate my life experience to yours and I am in your home. It is difficult. You see her taking her time, not moving. or adorning any kind of facial expression. She seems lost in pawn. She will break the silence. Bam. Is this the case with the rest of you? Most is. Yes. Well, maybe not zero. Serial's hardly paying attention. Has a scroll in hand. The apple of the rabbit's eye was in fact not an apple, but rather that which is found at the heart of corn. What? We're in a place of great beauty as well as conversation to us. So would poetry. What is heart of corn? An ear a corn cob? Apple of the rabbit's eye. See, Belinda is almost fighting to speak. bit of apprehension on her face as perhaps she doesn't want to interrupt you but also kind of wants to address the fact that uh you guys could be from outer space or something. Armando, you had a bit of poetry as well from what I recall about your rabbit. Do you still have that book with you? Well, it was more of a serpent, but I suppose there was a rabbit involved. There was many sorts of creatures. It was something I was um gearing up to. Yes. The the legendary beast, as they call them. No, no, I meant the book. one that nearly got his kimp. He glances to uh Belinda real quick just to see her expression when that is mentioned. She she looks like she wants to say something. Her her hand is kind of twitching as if she's almost trying to reach for something on a shelf but doesn't know how to ask for permission. kind of slightly opening her mouth every now and then and then closing it. Well, this index, if this index can store books, and I believe I have a page that may fit the theme of that which I had once read in your possession. The the one from Sams. Yeah. Oh, yeah. Yeah. I got I got you. Um, oh, but uh, Belinda, I don't I think I interrupted you. Sorry. Looked like you had something to say before we continue. I do. You believe it's talking about an ear, the rabbit's eye, heart of corn, lot of body part imagery. I'm no poet, but the construction is fascinating. I I would like to say something although I am trying to find the words. Unfortunately, um I'm not as poetic as Mr. Sirill. I would um I would keep a lot of this to yourself. I appreciate that you trust me. However, I'm afraid for your sake that I might come from a place of naivity. You'll find that you are among friends in that endeavor. And I think that you will find that there will be places that you venture to where you will not be among friends. Carol, can I talk to you at the bottom of the mountain? Please, before you go, um, please take heed of my well, warning, I suppose. Um, I would keep the contents of these kinds of discussions to a place like this unless you know you can trust someone. What an ominous warning. It makes me wonder Go ahead. Oh, please. Sir, please. Certainly, it seems that Miss Belinda here has a bit of knowledge about the taxian reference. I don't but I wouldn't construe my warning as I wouldn't misconstrue it being ominous versus uh wise worst case. Um, you are all killed and robbed of your countless um, well, put it bluntly, uh, potentif. Best case, you're dismissed as, um, imbeciles or fools who claim to be from some other land. And take no offense to this. Uh, none of you look like you can win a fight. Certainly, they would not assault a man for reading some poetry about some various wildlife. Certainly not a poet, but um, artifacts from well, one of the most one of the strongest wizards I've ever met. I take it you were not talking about Master Meard. No, I'm not. Has he has fear of this wizard have you such a strong grasp? You cannot understand is P. No, I'm just voicing my concern. It's not concern for myself. It's concern for you. Doesn't take a lot to make a man desperate. And I've seen desperate men do terrible things for a lot less than what you have in your possession. What? What? What is it? What do we What do you know about it? What do we have? What do you mean? It I'm speaking of the countless artifacts that you carry around with you. You pull them out and wave them around. Yes. The index full of poetry, the the broken compass, the teapot. I suppose you have a point there. But looks at the brass component, but says nothing. Didn't you two have a conversation to deal with at the bottom of the mountain? If you're going to argue against a fair warning, you don't need to hear it. I think enough has been said for that regard. If Lady Belinda has been so kind to illuminate us on the nature of several of our possessions, would it not serve us to share some of that knowledge with her? Sarah, what part of our own warning don't you understand? Are we to be warned against her? Do you She doesn't even know. I It doesn't It's not about trust. Here's another warning for you as well, Mr. Sirill. I am a I wouldn't call myself kind, but I have seen enough to not be um unfriendly. your um platitudes, their shallowess doesn't go unnoticed. I would suggest I would suggest that you choose when to silk in your words with people as some might not appreciate it or take it as being condescending. How incredibly cynical. These are not platitudes. You are these are gratitudes. You have fed us. You have given us information which we are largely devoid of. Should I not trust you? Should I not trust the other fellows here? I have spoken my mind. That's all I wanted to do. Do not be so harsh in your evaluations of your soul. I can see that you have a sentimental heart as evidenced by your memorial. Those who are close to you, those who have passed. Maybe that does not make you kind, but there is something to be said about the act connections. These relations, they are they are the lifeblood of civilization and you are upholding them as a symbol. I have great appreciation for you and only gratitude. She'll give you a deep bow. The curtsy is a dip of the knee. She sways her arm back. not to divert too directly um Belinda, but does the name Oilia strike true to you in any way? No. Very well. What about Souza? I know of Souza, one of the uh the legendary beasts. Yeah. Yes. the um well the owner of Half Moon Valley of ages past I suppose it appears so very well thank you for your answering you're welcome and as I had mentioned um to Mr. serial to be careful about his uh well method of appreciation. I'll give you a warning as well and be careful about your questions. I'll be honest with you. I I I can sense the truth in that statement, but I I simply cannot do that. And I say of worry of my own, but noted. She gives you a nod. You haven't said much about the door over there. Blend up. You seem more fascinated with the the circle of stone here. Circle of stone isn't a design that I recognized. Um, the door I mean, well, didn't really stand out to me as something that needed much consideration. It's a broken door amongst a strange circle, amongst strange lakes and a strange tree with strange people. No offense, not taken. But yet all fabricated from someone. As you say, it's simply made. It was simply made by somebody. I would find Sonen saw if you want to meet the maker. And I don't believe I'm wrong on this one. Well, since this is a new method of our uh entrance and such, how does one exit? I assume the door, the one that we entered and the stone uh passageway. This thing over here. Hold up. Let me zoom out. Uh like the I guess the area. Okay, cool. I suppose that is a bit more handy than the old candle. What drove you to enter this place so freely, Belinda? Mere curiosity. kind of dumb confidence perhaps. I suppose see when you first saw us something struck in your mind. It It's why we're It's why you invited us to lead with you. It was it you thought you remembered something? Was it What was it in that moment? Dumb confidence spread us a little weird today. My dumb confidence in all of you has led me to divulging many secrets apparently very dangerous to us. And my dumb confidence in you all is why I continue to trust him. He drills off and starts laughing at him. He uh puts his hand on the [ __ ] door. His hand on the door handle. Does this move at all? It opens and closes and swings open on its hinges. Just on a hinge. Nothing spectacular when it moves. No. Well, what was it when you first saw us? That spark of something. It was the stone derigible. The beetle. I believe I had recognized it. Like you've seen it before or you read it in the story. Uh the tale across the desert. Is that right? No, it was something I believe I had seen. Have you figured that out yet? I think I put the pieces together, although I could be engineering a memory for myself. Um, it was Sam's, correct? He'll nod slowly. Yeah. I think I might leave you to it. I do have places to be, dinner to make, quite a bit of it. I will help you out with as much of the spares that I can provide. Very well. Um, if I could, um, my final question at this time, uh, you said the door wasn't familiar, but the magic circle was. What about it show sign recognition? It was jewelry on, uh, Miss Sonin's um, sort of dangled about her hat, kind of all over the place, very rattly, but I had recognized the pattern. Seems that this stone uh surface is identical to a few of the adornments. I'll say almost in its entirety as if you were to shrink this down to a small coin. Very well. Good guidance to you. Oh, one more thing. Um, where we had uh where we had eaten prior, the table, Mr. Very are you experienced in um quanta links with rings? I'm not quite experienced. I'm sorry to say I'm a quick learner. If you have the few minutes, find some ash inert ash if you can. Sprinkle a circle on the ground wide enough for um one of you to curl up in a ball and rest in. Upon its center and ash also draw this symbol. She will lean down on the ground, sort of draw out a pattern. He nods, uh, committing the pattern to memory. I'll give you about a day's time. It'll take me a while to prepare the food, though. We'll say um midday tomorrow. That's your uh your aid is appreciated. I understand this was a lot. She'll give you a nod. different kind of nod than she had been giving serial beautiful. What a beautiful color. NPC died. Armando, he will say that I'm quite low. Um, it was sad oldtime. In the distance, you you see she walks through the gate and vanishes. [ __ ] The [ __ ] has vanished. She left as she said she would. Uh, how much for you to [ __ ] kick Sirill off the edge of the island, see if he ends up anywhere? Uh, I'd give you two cubes. Nods. Nods rolls up egg. Well, well, now hang on. He's He's a little weird, but we're not just going to risk his life like that, are we? Oh, come on, Gilly. We're just making fun. We're just pulling our leg trying to have any semblance of joy out here. But I will kick him. Guarant not very hard, but I'll I'll do it right. Looks like she was able to leave just fine. I'm going stay here for a bit. I I don't really feel like leaving either. I might just walk around. I I don't I don't know. There's a lot to think about here. He nods. Continue his old man sitting the skull in the box confusing him. He puts the lid on the box. What? Um, short note to keep in mind something I noticed. Uh, not only is the land different here, but the stars and the hazy fog above you. As far as what I remember, it was countable. Now it's beyond reason. Mom, I'm sure it's another fact symbol of change, but something to note. Going to have a quick walk. Does this stone tablet have the professor s chemistry thing on it? Uh, it does not. Uh, the door which is stone does. Okay. Sering kind of looking around the tree. Something strange about this tree strikes to you is that the leaves aren't moving. Everything else kind of hums a little bit. There's a little bit of a sway. Would you say the grass is singing? Kind of more more humming, I suppose. Are these archways similar to the ones or identical to the ones we entered from? Uh, same stone. Same design. Yeah. Feeling it's going to walk through this one. You walk to the other side and you see that on its back is the same as its front. It looks like another gateway, but it doesn't seem to lead anywhere. The old man seems distracted in thought and doesn't respond to you. He said it doesn't bother him. Just he I'll he'll go down. Sir will call from the bottom of the hill. Do we intend to spend to expend all the good grace and patience of the witches here and languish away in paradise? Shut the [ __ ] up. I don't know if I'll be doing any languishing, but yes, it seems like we're staying here for a while. Aren't you curious, Gilligan? Aren't you curious what has become of the wound in her absence after 45 years? I'm mostly saddened by it. Honestly saddened. So you would stay here and hide away from that sadness? I don't know. There's not even fish in waters. Really? It's a shame. Believe me, I've looked. Where's this water coming from? Anyways, that is an excellent question. As this is a magical place, there is quite a bit of vegetation. Very perceptive. You are your father's son. However, at the source of the water, I cannot believe would be natural in any means. That is to say that this place is entirely unnatural for my estimations. But if you are willing to, if recreation is what you seek here, then maybe you can take a swim, see if you can find the mouth of this lake and discern its source. The water has treated me quite fair. Uh, does the water look very deep? Um, about waist height. I don't know, Zero. It doesn't look very deep. If there was an opening somewhere, I'm sure it could just I'd be able to see it from here. And I'm not really in the mood for recreation or art or anything like that. Anyways, what are you in the mood for? Are you taken with the mysteries or do you have a hunger for that knowledge of the unknown? Certainly, this place would supply you with many questions. I fear not many answers. Undoubtedly, my father is um consumed by such questions at the moment, but I'm sort of struggling to see the point of questioning anymore. So, I don't know. Suppose I'll just stick by you do whatever you're doing for now. I could always use the helper. I am currently putting together designs to set up a rudimentary uh laboratory for the alchemical um ingredients that were recovered inside of Frederick. Why I'm a bit eager to return to it as it may prove to be useful on the road. So many dangers ahead of us asly foretold by the young Miss Belinda. But that is what I would want to do. But what is it that you wish for? If it's not to revel, to not take enjoyment of even in a scene of such beauty, I I have to wonder what is within that heart of yours. Yours alone, not following the whims of myself, of your or your father, or even the old man. What do you desire? I sort of considers it, but then he says I I can't say I I suppose I'm to be brought into this strange world. And then seeking connections within it only for them all to leave one by one is I don't know if I'm holding on to anything at the moment. Finding your desire, finding your passion in this world is part of what it means to be a man. If you continue to just seek connections to others without asserting yourself upon the world and proclaiming yourself, being present at the table, I fear you will never find what that is. I hope you should think if there's anything I can do to render service to help you. Well, perhaps I could teach you some of the traits you might take to it. Maybe. But seek it within yourself. What makes your heart sink? Not your father's. You're wrong. I uh I just I suppose I do have a hobby. I I fish sometimes. It's it's it's practical. It has it has when you need food, you can it's your dust from the water. It's also just it's peaceful, I guess. Is that your goal to to live peacefully? It's an honor. It's I don't know you. You are still young. There is still much time for you to find your way. But it is very important in your journey on becoming a man. to impress your name upon the heavens. May, if fishing is that for you, then I wish you luck in becoming the greatest fisherman. Don't I don't know if the the heavens will see much of uh will be impressed much by merely fishing. There's not much to it. You just You have to be patient, I suppose, and wait for your opportunity. When that opportunity arises, you're you have to act quickly and precisely can't really. There's no room for hesitation and well it sounds like there's much wisdom in the temperance that it has taught you. I should hope that it propels you in your journey becoming a man. Sir will begin walking towards the stone gate. But wait, zero. Yes. You said you were going to back inside Frederick, right? Yes. Uh, your father was so kind to assist me with gathering enough wood that I may construct a bench. A workbench. Suppose there is still one thing I'm I'm interested in that you might be able to help with. Most certainly. When Sam left, she left a bit of her her powder. It's it was part of a project that she was pursuing, but um she ultimately just well she had to go after Maple and all that, but she left her what was left of that project along with the gold. I was wondering if maybe as in as a learned alchemist yourself could maybe we could maybe take a look at that together. I don't know. Maybe we could uh make up the project. I guess certainly it would be my pleasure to share the undertakings of delving into the unknown and the natural sciences. I have quite a bit of literature. Perhaps you would like to read it sometime. Um, it's not too complicated, is it? It is a bit esoteric but certainly I would not you would not be in imposition on my time. Many hands mix go faster. I welcome your presence in the uh in the laboratory. We'll make a we'll make a project. I look forward to it. Yan. Thank you. I'll uh join you in a bit then. Sir will then stand at the at the door looking rather impatiently waiting for people to leave this place. Um up on the hill, uh Baridine is going to take out the kinsman flower. He's going to brush away some of the soil and set the stem in it before covering the soil once more, attempting to prop it into it. Not quite digging, but so that it is sturdy. He closes his eyes and begins to pray. Soft words muttered under soft breaths. His tone is stressed but careful. Lady Leine, for whomever may answer the calls of thought or faith, if that means something to you. I find myself without a light, yet I am walking longingly within a tunnel. Not much makes sense anymore. I'm clinging to ideals that fit like miswoven clothes in this world. Idealize transactions and the strength of trade run ragged under the weight within the sea of change. And yet still I sit in a resting space of those I did not know. A privilege I have never earned. And I am tackling the reality that I may never get to repay any of it. Holy is the coin for its face is honesty. But what face do these cubes hold? Mysteries on mysteries that even Armando would struggle to crack. I have something to offer, however. Memories crafted of lost potential. Spirits of unnamed men that once were held tight by a tyrant. This is my thanks, my flower within this garden, my gratitude for this space and my loss of this peace that captivates me. Humble is the one who makes fair deals and foolish is one who thinks any deal is fair. honest scales to whomever may be listening. Yeah, D20. I don't know if I can reroll this with anything, but one second. Uh, you can exert that. I will. That's funny. You feel a strange burning sensation in the the old man bottom eye parts of your eye, the uh eyelid. Mhm. There's a soft hand of a faceless man on your shoulder. It isn't um firm. It perhaps is a figment of your imagination, but it tugs you ever so slightly in a direction that is this way away from the edge. Armando as you're uh doing whatever you're doing. Um, there's a strange weight and pain on your leg as if something is weighing your pocket down. As he was kind of looking around the area just to see if anything was out of the ordinary, he feels it. Um, he's going to Is it the pocket where he keeps his flask normally? No, it's the pocket that has the card in it. That makes sense. Okay. Um, I'm going to investigate it. As you remove the card from your pocket, it seems bit odd. It's very light, but the weight and the tugging on your leg as if you'd stuck a whole chicken in your pocket seems to vanish. Which card was this? I received many of these. It's the card that um Maple gave you. It's a blank on one side and has a illustration of a of a mask on the back side. I look at it to see if it matches turning it in both sides. Uh what do you mean? I just look at the front and the back just to see if it's as you same. Yeah. Okay. Um and it feels normal while in my pocket. Yeah. Okay. He'll think about that for a second, but he'll put it back in his pocket to see if it happens again. It doesn't. Let's squint his eyes at that. Um we'll keep that noted. Um he's just looking around the trees and seeing if there's anything um that stands out that's hidden. Um if there's anything on the trees at all. Um they seem natural, oddly enough. Okay. Okay. I'm going to take a a leaf and I'm going to put it in the in the middle of the haven book. And then I'm going to take a leaf and I'm going to put it in my pocket. The leaf in your pocket remains. However, when you move to put the Haven book away, the leaf falls out as there's no tension to hold the leaf there. It's an empty binder effectively with a single page in it. Yeah, I guess so. It's got like what? Like three pages in it. It's got like Hold on. Let me see. Not enough to keep a leaf still as it's like you open a three you open a three- ring binder and then well it's a it's a book that only has a few pages. So you open it up it's like it it functions like a three- ring binder if you just stick a leaf in there and then you move the book and the leaf falls out. Okay. If it was a full book, maybe you can like keep it squeezed and then or stick the leaf in something so that it wouldn't fall out. But, you know, I'm going to try just um a simple Jerry rag. I'm going to take some of my red thread and um take like two of the pages, put a leaf in between, put it together, and just try and like tie up the book in a in a way, and I I'll be careful with it to make sure it try and doesn't fall out. Okay. Yeah. Okay. Then I'll uh walk back eventually. Um seeing serial walk back um and looking at my boy. Just gonna take a gander. He's moved like at the base at the edge of the water. Um his sandals are off and his feet are in the water and he's just sort of um sitting there with his eyes closed. Uh, Armando knows that as he's meditating. Water is extremely not extremely warm, but it is extremely pleasantly warm. I'll smile as I look proudly at Gillan. I won't disturb his meditation. I'll take wide, quiet steps to make sure Right. Then we'll take the box, uh, replace its contents, and put it back behind the, uh, stone that's against the tree. It was, uh, it was behind this one. The stone is adhered to the tree. Uh, yeah. Yeah, we'll tuck it in there. You almost ready to go, [ __ ] face. Sarah looks over your shoulder and baring storming something back then. Well, speak of the wrinkles. That is a fine young man. We have cultivate shocked a little bit. He'll um he'll feel really good from that. But um I want to take praise but fact is he's born a good boy. I didn't teach him that. But yeah, he has many virtues. He will be I think he will make you proud. I agree. I think I think his only weakness is his selflessness. Could be the uh could be the angle, but for the briefest moment, Baradine, you could have sworn Gilligan's hair was blue for a moment. He rubs at the bottom of his eyelids where the pressure and almost pain was. As the image flashes through his mind, the pain is almost faded. Wasn't a stinging pain, but almost like a weight. Got a couple notes I got to make first. I'll wait for Gileiam. If you want to head off, Baron, I don't know if time speeds up out of you might walk out of here a walking skeleton for not if we're not lucky. You won't have any issues with that. a young 30. Sarah wearly put his puts his hand through and follows with his leading foot. Goodbye. See her roll. No [ __ ] posting. I believe Paradine vanishes. Bondo takes a half step forward. He doesn't know what came over him, but for a second he almost just wanted to walk over to Gillian, tell him what actually happened with Lark. This spur of truth. Um, but he won't have the courage to do that. that he's going to let Mgillian enjoy his peace and have a smoke and he'll watch him and wait. Sits there. Not quite at peace, but maybe trying to find it. He'll uh he'll ex he'll establish a connection that to the sand he sits upon. Perhaps seeing if somehow some way he could actually uh connect himself to the strange small domain like world that he's found himself in. wondering if the string will connect. Feels like you're reaching a handout in an empty room. Your hand is reaching out for something, but there's only emptiness there. There's nothing to reach out towards. The empty room around you settles into place. It is the grass, the trees, the water, the stones. But there's nothing for you to reach out toward. How do you feel about this? lost, I suppose, and he just it's like reaching out for something he wishes he was while was there. But what do you wish was there? Something to reach out for, I guess. That's kind of the question. I guess he was it was sort of a thing where it's like he wasn't it was sort of like something done in in vain where it's like you reached out for something that you know it's not there but like No, I'm I'm falling 100%. I think it's it's like a a yearning for. But if you were to reach out for something in this moment, what would it be? What what would the thing that you wish would be in your hand as you reach the string out to be? He part something something of a likes I guess maybe him himself likes for himself it being in vain is just like it'll like eventually just um uh like stop and sigh. And then he'll like sort of like I guess feel um Armando's eyes on him and then he'll like he'll stand up slowly and and approach him. Hey, were you ready to leave? Yes. Um, yes, son. Kill you. I have to. Yes. Are you okay? I'm fine, Dad. Okay. Um, good. Good. I know there's a lot to do, so we should go for now. Nods. Well, uh, after you. Sure. Um, Gilly. Um, uh, I, um, I I want you to go first. You go ahead. I don't want you getting stuck back here. If anyone should. Yeah, your old man should for being too nosy. That's That's all. I don't think you would get left behind that. At the very least, I don't know if I would leave you behind. He'll hide his smile. Um, he'll take one last look after you go in. Um, he's going to put out his smoke in the dirt right before the door and then he'll walk through. and serial, you awaken. You've been leaning against a tree. Upon it, a strange pattern, um, almost exactly like Baradine's staff, threads woven between branches into a circle. Next to you is the lantern or perhaps teapot. It remains closed. Think of the deep inhale of the fresh air or more fresh I suppose real. I don't think he has a way of quantifying it. Ser looks around a bit getting his bearings. I guess there is a bit of family bonding happening there. They deserve it. They won't take too long. Armando has nothing to say. He likes to pretend he does. It's quite the artifact. That teapot. Armando awakens, having been slumped over by the tree. Did we see him before he awoke? No, he just awoke having slept over by the tree. I'll step back and wait for Gilly to show up. What? Where? Wait, I'll kind of look around. Where? Where's Gilly? Still inside, I assume. Still inside? I He went first. Oh, Gillan wakes up having been slumped over behind the tree. You [ __ ] slumped behind that tree, boy. Hiding from me like that. Don't be pulling no tricks on me, boy. Uh, I I wasn't What did they disappear? Yeah. The staff returns to Baradine's hand. Mhm. to the sound as the tree fades. What the [ __ ] This is all Everything's just changed in there. The magic is so incredible, isn't it? Magic. The world just [ __ ] Aren't we supposed to if our step before us would be gone? Magic. Magic. Magic. It's all magic. which he walks about very sarcastic you have to staff once more sir Mr. Paradise seemed to acted as a tree. Maybe that's the meaning of the flower, as an anchor. Can grow roots, dig deep, weather storms, something a candle can't do. You do notice something, however. One of the flowers on the staff fades. He nods, now reaches down and picks up the lantern, uh pulling the top off of it. Uh it doesn't seem to be a fresh flower within. No, it seems to be the same one that's within. However, for whatever reason, one of the flowers on the staff is gone. I believe you got your walking stick back. I believe my count is right. Uh, you should have one in the lantern, one on the staff. Looks like getting in and out is a bit difficult. There's always a cost to these things. We keep it as a last resort, only if necessary situation, at least until the flowers find it in them to propagate. Well, you would know best. [ __ ] [ __ ] up. Did you happy to see where Belinda went? She left long before we did. She's been gone. Yeah. Is there any remnants of the dinner here? Nope. Anything else in the area? No. She had been standing. No. Um, not that you could see. Wrong [ __ ] place. Well, all the food is gone. If we can get some inert ash, we'll have food tomorrow. Certainly, I could produce some food. Midday tomorrow, she said it would be ready. Afternoon, one or the other. But where next? The center of it all? No. Frederick and then out of this valley. There's an old friend I got to look for out there. Still alive according to the stone. And no, he'll smile. Forgive me. I'm a bit tired of riddles and half warnings. He'll smile and uh almost wickedly and good old friend uh good old piece of [ __ ] I know named Vince Gooff is out there somewhere. And I don't know why, but my tail whips curiously about it. That [ __ ] has survived of all people. Oh my god, that would be so great. That would be great if he died, but no one [ __ ] cared about it enough to [ __ ] [ __ ] Well, if we are if we are to go anywhere, then I need to ensure that Frederick will move. bit. I will need some some time to prepare alchemy stones, but as it seems to consume them to propel itself, after all, like you said, he like stands next to him. Many hands make light work, right? You are wise beyond your years, Master. More than I would know. So, yo, what the [ __ ] Look at that table and [ __ ] Holy [ __ ] Yeah, we made that. I I can I can make it vanish until uh until you RP make it if you want. Well, we spent we were spending some time until the like we had like five hours. I think that's roughly enough to IKEA together this [ __ ] workstation. As evening grows longer and the parts of the table are assembled and put together, the back of Frederick feels more like a work of your own rather than something that had been inherited. All right. We're really making this place feel uh feel homey now. No, certainly. Excellent work. The craftsmanship's here. Yeah. I felt it appropriate to leave a contribution to Frederick. So now I only by master paradigm logic. Huh? That'll work for now. So what do you think you need for some ammo? I will need a significant amount of time to go through the alchemical ingredients to see which ones are reactive and produce the desired effect. Sounds like I'm driving then. Well, I suppose I could show you how I was instructed. Yes, please. Perhaps the uh our first step should be to utilize the other empty buckets that we have. How how many do we have? We have like how many other empty buckets we have? Just you have an empty barrel, a full barrel, and a metal bucket. Well, I truth be told I have no estimation in terms of how much water Frederick will consume. So if you wish on our mating voyage to chart a course for the waterfall that we had seen earlier, we can perhaps fill this other bucket barrel. I reckon so going to take us at least there. Yeah. Very good. Uh, if you would, young Gillian, uh, assist me in placing water into this divot here. Uh, yes, of course. So, we pour water into we pour water into this uh, cryos. Um, and I will now as we can do it with the buckets. Or do you want to just tilt the barrel, kill it? No. No. I'm using the bucket we have and like, you know, pouring it in where it needs to go. Like scooping the bucket into the barrel and then pouring it slowly into here. All right. Sirill will take the one stone that was um that still had some potency to it and he will lean down near the mouth here. and uh not getting his hands dirty, he'll take out the pair of tongs and he will uh start pushing the the stone into the compartment here. You place the stone into the compartment as almost all of the water had seeped through the grate. You hear a slushing and dripping sound from outside. The stone rests in the center chamber. Okay. Sarah goes outside to inspect where that dripping was going. It seems um almost exactly a barrel and buckets worth of water have fallen down into a puddle underneath Frederick. No shot. This guy got a [ __ ] plug under there. [ __ ] Like an oil cap plug. Yeah, dude. Sure. We'll go and try to examine if there's any sort of seal. If there's a [ __ ] open down there, dude, I'm going be so pissed. There are a lot of creases where stone meets stone and other sharp edges that lead upward. Um, it looks almost as if the entirety of the bottom and a lot of the legs and different appendages um would be more understandable if they had been made out of metal. Sirill returns to the back and starts looking around the uh the apparatus here, trying to see if there's some sort of lever or other valve that needs to be like turned to clamp off the this compartment here. It might be in the steering area. you will exit and go to the stere is there like an entrance here to like go to where Sam would usually sit. Uh there's a great you can see Sirill um in his panic and desperation looking for some kind of lever but all that greets him is the uh disappointing familiar wheel with hocus pocus runes on it. How how did we see Sam like get in there? Uh, she'd go on the outside and climb on top. And you never once have ever seen anything anyone pour anything in here. She Well, she would like feed it stones, right? The alchemy stones. She wouldn't uh She would place them here. She put something in the back. Yeah, she'd place the stones here or sometimes like up here, around here, just kind of wherever. Very half-hazardly. She kind of chuck one in and then it would roll in and sit where Sirill had placed it currently. It would roll in as in the um this uh great moves. It's a like conveyor belt, right? Which is now very wet. Sirill is trying to start the uh start the rings up as Samson instructed before and sits down. See if the engine will go. You press on the center stone, the sigils around its edges. The center stone compresses a bit rather oddly easily for something made out of stone. However, nothing happens. We may be stuck here a while when I try to figure this out. I hope we didn't damage it with all the water we poured. Like Sarah tries to manipulate these inner stone like trying to apply pressure seeing if it'll rotate or any other like means of moving. It seems that the stone has an odd there is a center ring or a center um circle a disc you can impress and that you've already impressed. There's an outer disc that seems to teeter along one edge and will remain impressed in a single direction. So if you press it further away from you, if you push it down on the edge that is further away from you, it'll stay pushed down. But if you push down on the edge that is closest to you, the further away edge will lift up as the closest to you edge will push down. Okay. He'll begin he'll begin manipulating it. Just kind of pushing like very gently back and forth. Get kind of a rhythmical move. Seems that the wheel can kind of spin if you apply pressure with your finger and rotate it into a circle. It seems impossible to press both ends of the disc down at the same time. as if there might be like a ball joint underneath one of the edges that is moving along its axis as you press your finger down. Frederick remains dead silent. Gilligan's gone outside to see if like Gilligan moved or shuttered at all, but or his legs did anything. But it seems like it's dead silent, right? You see, you see Sirill on top of the on top of the bug with one finger on each of the rings kind of tracing around the rings like he's playing. You you know how they play glasses of water and it makes like harmonic noise. He's he's trying to do that with his fingers on the on the rings. Sirill the experienced engineer seems to be deep in thought about the mechanics of this thing. Small cat named French Toast will watch him. Oh, where's that [ __ ] I see him. Uh, is the leaf in my books? It is. Oh [ __ ] And my pocket. Yeah. Okay, Gilligan. Maybe maybe yours, too. I could decipher what's going on here. Perhaps there is a another lever ring that I've failed to see. How about All right. What's going on right here? French Toast notices you quickly shows you his balls and then we'll return to watching uh Sirill struggle with Sel's showing Gilligan like if I apply pressure here and see something seems to occur. Strange. Let's see. We We got a problem up there. What's going on? Well, Sam's directions were largely incomplete in terms of the application of water and the piloting of this. What the [ __ ] Let's see those instructions. They were verbal. And what did you say? She said that the device needs water and placing there was a stone inside of that crevice that I placed the a chemical stone in earlier. When we got water the first time grabbed it as eating it. When we got water the first time, what do we remember her doing with it when we left? She poured it up here somewhere. Okay. At the front. Mhm. Okay. All right. Well, uh, where the where'd you put the water? I put it in the divot inside of the back of Frederick. [ __ ] What? Oh, it's it's supposed to go somewhere in the front there. Sarah hops down and starts looking for valves or anything. I started looking around, too. What about when I steering wheel? They're not up there. Although you were on the other side of Frederick when she poured on the top and steam rose out. Um, so she was where Gilligan is standing somewhere up here. Are there any holes up here? There aren't with the steering wheel. At least right now, it doesn't seem like a hole. I'm pretty sure I didn't see it, but she she poured it. I heard the water pouring. The steam came up, but it was somewhere here. It had to be unless we literally just poured on it. I mean, is there any water left in the bucket or the uh the barrel? Yeah, I believe you poured that whole thing in there. I made sure not to say a [ __ ] word until you're done doing all your [ __ ] We may require some some additional water. [ __ ] We're going for water again. What choice do we [ __ ] have? As the party continues, engineer Gilligan, Detective Baradine, and uh Thief Siril managed to go back and make another trip and refill the barrel with water. Same procedure as they had done earlier in the day. The sun is falling towards the horizon. Man, this day [ __ ] sucked. Yeah. Okay. Zero will ask for a bucket of water and throw it on the steering wheel stone or whatever the [ __ ] it is and start manipulating the levers. Don't spill it. Don't touch some of it. It's a bucket. I'm getting up here. The water will a bit then as you pour more and more it will slush over the side. It almost looks like Frederick is crying. Perhaps the if the bug did have a soul, it would wish to scream out in voiceless desperation about the uh misunderstanding of the current situation. The cat nods in agreeance as he sits at top the back of the stone beetle watching all of this happen. The useless old man to drive where the [ __ ] that guy where the water should go. Oh, [ __ ] him. He's We can figure it out without him. The useless old man is having nappy time the back of Frederick. He'll probably He might be dead. Yeah, I run his pockets. Uh, you have access to his entire inventory. I'm I'm doing a full 360 inspection of Frederick. Is it night time? It's evening. Yeah, I'm going to take some time to try to try to see if there are any places where where it looked like there would be some sort of spout or valve where he can start. No spout or valve. The ball sockets are even more interesting as they kind of grasp by your attention for just how strange they were in or are in engineering feet. But it seems that through the cracks of the bottom plates and the bottom uh chunks that make up the underbelly of Frederick, uh water has the ability to find its way out through there. Uh most likely because you poured it into a open grate, the conveyor belt. Is there anything under the chair at the front? Can you lift it up? Uh you can lift the chair up. It seems that there is an indentation and there's a wooden um frame that is attached to the bottom of the chair that has been wedged into the stone indentation. It seems just so that the chair will sit kind of locked in place and not move. There like no hole or or opening up here where the steam comes out or like No. Huh. Is the Is the stone room? It is not. I'm just going to look everywhere I can, I guess, for anything that would anything that would make sense. Um I think the sense that is going to be made will have to be um how do I say this? This is a puzzle where it's like oh I have to oh I have to plug in the microwave to press the on button there. There's no um there's no magical sigil on the bottom of the microwave that'll allow you to turn it on. It'd be like the battery, but we didn't. What the [ __ ] I mean, we don't even know where to put the water yet. The stone stone should still be here, right? Yeah, the stone is still there. Has all the water drained out of this and through the cracks and Yeah. Okay. Uh, is there any manipulable uh device in here that I can recognize? So, it's the cockpit. Look at that. He eyeballs the [ __ ] He eyeballs through the hands of the clock. starts turning them desperately looking for an answer. You turn the hands of the clock. What time are you setting it to? Um, 2:30. What was it before you started turning it? Um 6:30 cat will begin to lick his balls and he will look over at Armando as he's doing it. I get extremely jealous and upset. Okay, nothing happens. I take it 2:30. Yeah, it's set at 2:30. Okay. Stand on. If you if you turn it a thousand [ __ ] times, just tell me the end time you put it on. He's going back out and he's going to spend additional time. Um I I need another description of what the [ __ ] I'm looking at here. You have you have a plate that's made of stone and it's balanced on a golf ball so that when you push on one edge, the other edge lifts up. Does that make sense? Okay. That's the outer ring. The center ring is a smaller plate that can go that can move inward or outward. So you can push it's like a it's like a like a steering wheel honk horn thing. So you pushed that in and you moved around the outer plate. You rotated around. You put it in every direction you could possibly imagine and did a couple loop-de-loops around and it is still impressed. The center plate is impressed. The outer plate is impressed. Okay. There is nothing else that you can decipher about the steering wheel. Okay. Um, I'm going to try to figure out how to unimpress them to like maybe applying pressure to it to see if it like pushes in at all. When you apply pressure to the center plate, it pushes back outwards so it unimpresses to its original position. Okay. Uh to the center plate. uh the outer plate then am I able to do that similarly? It's always impressed in a single direction. Then there's no way to change that direction. No, no, no. You change direction by putting pressure on the on the the um edge. Do you get the idea of the the ping pong ball and the plate thing? Yeah. Okay. Yeah. So if I if I pull it back towards me, the side towards me is depressed and the other side is elevated. Correct. Yeah. And that's how it was when you first uh interacted with it. Oh, okay. So So now it's pressed forward or it's depressed going forward, right? Wherever you press it. Okay. I I think you're thinking too narrowly. I I would conceptually zoom out a bit effectively. Um I'll just tell you this off the bat. Is this like a Is this like a parking brake situation where I needed to press this unlock it? Yeah, that's that's my intent by trying to like press on it to unlock it. you in your engineer mind. Um, the ring is a dial that points to a direction. Um, whether that's raised or depressed, who knows which direction is what or what that means, but you you dictate a point along a circle. The center is a button. It can be pushed in or pushed out. That is the entirety of the mechanics um, as far as you can tell with the thing in front of you. So can I rotate the outer one clockwise and then press it? Yeah. Every every permutation of rotation and depression does not result in anything. God damn it. This thing doesn't seem to be moving as well. Nope. And you said earlier there's nothing. There's like no twisting or pressing things. No buttons in here. No, it has to be up there. Wait, I'm going to get the stone. I'm going to grab the alchemy stone from here. Let's put it at the base where it was supposed to be placed to have it moved there. The stone does not move. Get take the stone off and just going back up here. Weirdly enough, none of this thing seems to move. It's just all inert. Does the center Does the center plate rotate? No, it is just a button. A button. How long ago did you do? I was going through the different permutations of rotations and impress impressions. I may need to do them all again. Can you play? Can you please place the stone back? He's testy, dear, dude. I don't think that'll do anything. I don't think the I don't think the stone was even placed in properly because it sort of moved in once placed. But nothing seems to work yet. It seems like we have to look for something that turns everything on the Does he have a mouth? Um, kind of kind of make out a mouth and eyes like the creases. He actually looks he looks a lot like French toast as they're both kind of sitting there emotionless. That's so funny. Uh, is it is there a way to visibly see if an alchemy stone is active? Uh, most likely it would be doing something. Okay. Do I need to shake the stone and then throw it into the [ __ ] thing? It's a great question. He [ __ ] goes back in with the stone, shakes it, and tosses it in the dead. You uh as he callously toss the stone, you shake it. The stone will emit light and heat as it falls into the center console. The entirety of Frederick will begin to shudder a little bit, as if being awoken. [ __ ] pressure will slowly begin to lurch backwards. Actually, what direction did you impress the outer ring in? Uh it would it would be it would be set going straight forward. Did you press in forward or press in towards you? Uh so the the ring would be uh would be impressed going like this way. So the raised part would be towards Armono like in the pilot. A stone wall will hit you in the face as you are knocked clean on your ass and the beetle will crawl over you. Oh [ __ ] I was like about to open the mouth. Oh [ __ ] [ __ ] Curl up under it. Catch his balance and shout to Gilly to like please depress the the center uh on it. Uh he'll he'll do that. He'll like hit the button or the press the center. Frederick stops the rink. Oh, thank goodness. Armando, you made it conveniently to the back door of the durgil. What the [ __ ] Climb up. Are you okay? Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. I as long as we got things working, I guess. Oh, [ __ ] This cat made it in here, too. [ __ ] See, we can't wait. That's another mouth to feed. Yes, my mouth. If it continues to be a nuisance. No, it's going to be my mouth. Did you get a working seal? What did you do? The alchem the alchemical stone needs to be activated. Needs to be agitated. I had forgotten that step. Oh, wait. Close on the top of Frederick and a stone grate will close and seal off this entrance. Oh [ __ ] Seal back here. Okay. He will once again depress the center. Keeping the u keeping the same bearing. All right. All right, boys. We're moving forward. Chill, can you see me through the great look? Turn around. Okay. I'm I'm going to take some time to move it. Like if I if I depress the part that's towards myself, does it like reverse, Frederick? It it awkwardly kind of uh if you go from forward to pressing backwards, it'll kind of wiggle wobble and kind of move backwards and then readjust itself. Okay. So, there's no reverse on Frederick is what I'm thinking. It reverses for a bit, but then it will attempt to readjust itself. It's almost like a Roomba. Okay. Or or a cat with a bag over its head. Uh he's going to continue to try to learn how to He's going to spin the outer the outer dial to see if that's like a turning mechanism. It is. The outer dial is the wheel that turns and the center dial is the on or off button. [ __ ] fantastic. God damn it. Okay. Uh he's going to start to steer it towards the waterfall. Make your way towards the waterfall. You have easy access to as much um water as you would like. Okay. Can you assist me with filling the buckets? All right. All right. Barrels, pardon. Yes, we have four. So, barrels. So, we No, you only have two. We have two. We have two crates. Two barrels and one barrel crate. Yeah, we can go back and get the other ones, too. No, that's a good point. Do we think Do we think piss will work? I not tried. Does Does it smell swampy like in like around Frederick with the water? It's a little coppery. It's a little rivery, you know, but overall um you know, seems clean. Okay. Um, I think I think we would or at least I would um go retrieve the other barrels and crates from the windmill. Uh, and then proceed to fill the uh fill it fill the barrels full of additional water. Uh, how many barrels did you uh all four? Oh, they're not they're not [ __ ] sealed. That's right. We only have one single barrel. That's a good point. Thank you. But we'll uh we'll take the barrel regardless. Barrels and crates. Might as well. Um damn. Had I more beeswax, we could seal the other ones. or if Master Baradine impressed upon his weak will to manipulate the wood as he had mentioned months prior. Perhaps we could have had a bearing for your fishing, preserve the fish on the trip. Unfortunately, we will have to make do with a singular bear for water, but we have additional storage. Verdine will vanish. Whoa. Whoa. In the staff as a uh Yeah, to you guys. He just vanishes. Uh serial rapidly. A large tree will begin to sprout the back of Frederick. and grow roots that cling to the side of it. Well, what the [ __ ] Stop it. Faradine's gone. Stop this [ __ ] thing. He presses halted. The [ __ ] the [ __ ] I'm going to run outside. The tree that you had woken up next to has now attached itself to the top of Frederick. Bedine is missing, but curved around its roots as if the roots are holding it in tight place is the porcelain lantern. Huh. I light up a cigarette and smoke half of it with my first inhale. What an awful and inelegant addition to such a sleek and magnificent machine. Just when you think things can't get any more complicated. Epot has somehow attached itself to Frederick. Has is sir Baradine inside it right now then? Sir, take the [ __ ] keys out of the ignition and knock off Frederick. Well, perhaps we should set up the camp. We try to decipher the mystery of where this old man had gone. Unless you believe he's in the teapot again. I don't I don't [ __ ] know, but it's up to us to find out, I guess. Sir will gather firewood. Oh, we have an axe cereal. You should use this to cut some trees down. Oh, yeah. This No piece of [ __ ] here. Yeah. Get give it a swing. Maybe the rusty axe. Living trees are not dry. They are not. Never mind. We'll take it. Just try to start constructing a pile of what looks to be dry wood and sticks and twigs. Get one going. You You managed to make a fire. Sorry, light activity. So, got 10 15 minutes. All right. He's going to take some alchemy stones and throw them like into the embers of the fire and try to get some heated up stones absorbing absorbing that [ __ ] So, while he does that, Gilligan pro goes to the side of the Frederick to where the teapot is. I'll just take a closer look at what's going on here. Uh, it looks familiar. It's the same tree and same teapot and almost the same orientation that you had woke up next to. Is the lid of the Does the teapot have its lid on? It does. It's closed. D, I'm going to turn. Go ahead. Uh, serial. Um, three of the stones will glow with a heat and will settle. They stop glowing, but they remain hot. One does not, however.