[Ravi footsteps toward Calineb, sounds of games getting closer again…sad Colossus sounds in the background]
Ravi: Sangha! Sangha! Sangha!... Hey! You there!
Random spirit: Who? Me?
Ravi: Yes, you!
Random spirit 2: bloody hell! You’ve made me lose count now!
Ravi: Terribly sorry… have you seen…have you seen the lady I came here with? About my height…pale skin…blue eyes…high cheek bones…
Random spirit 1: The one with the pointy ears? Wearing a night robe?
Random spirit 2: The sexy nix lady who wandered off toward the puddle with Pekko?
Ravi: She what?...
Random spirit 1: After the whiny fella got squashed by the colossus cock…she strolled off with him, yeah…she looked a bit sad…no idea why...it was hilarious
Ravi: Whiny fellow?
Random 1: Yeah, about your height, about your build…sounded a lot like you…except he didn’t have all the jutting bones and wasn’t all bloody and….oh…
Ravi: Okay….okay….so…that…that did happen....okay…why don’t I feel panicked? Why aren’t I hyperventilating?
Random 2: Oh...yeah…you’ll get used to that
Random 1: but don’t get too used to it!
Random 2: Yeah good point!
Random 1: Or you’ll end up like the lost!
Ravi: What are you talking about?
Random 2: Emotions…feelings…they all move much more slowly without the body…it isn’t all quite as…urgent…
Random 1: Right…Right…but you still need to keep stimulated
Random 2: But not too stimulated…
Random 1: Or stimulated in the wrong way…
Random 2: Or you’ll go west…
Random 1: or east…
Ravi: You mean turn into the lost…
Random 1 & 2: or a berserker
Ravi: Right…okay…well… how long ago?
Random 1: About seven hundred and twenty games of….
Ravi: Tickle my tum?
Random 2: yeah…
Ravi: and how long is that!?
Random 1: Two halves!
Ravi: Okay….okay…not hyperventilating is a good thing…I can stay calm and rational about the fact that I AM DEAD AND TRAPPED IN THE UNENDING OCEAN ALONE WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE TOTALLY INSANE!
Random 1: Shhhhh! Shhhhh! If he hears you calling him mad…
Ravi: WHO!? I WAS TALKING ABOUT YOU TWO!
Random 2: oh…I thought you were talking about Pekko…
Ravi: WHAT?! WHAT IS THAT MAD LITTLE MAN GOING TO DO TO ME!? ANNOY ME TO DEATH!? I’M ALREADY DEAD!
Random1: quiet down man…he could be anywhere…
Random 2: and calm down or you’ll go berserk!
Ravi: CALM DOWN!?...wait…why are you afraid of Pekko?
Random 1: Afraid?
Random 2: We’re not afraid…we love Pekko…he’s great.
Random 1: he’s so much fun…a real laugh…errr…we are gonna get back to playing now alright…
Ravi: No! No! You are going to tell me why you are so nervous! You said he has gone away alone with my…with Sangha Adrastea…what is wrong.
Random 2: Nothing…he’s awesome…[running away]
Random 1: We are just gonna go play over here…unrelated to the direction of this conversation…. You should be able to catch up to them, if you’re quick!
Ravi: No! No! I’m not having this. I don’t know where to go!
[from distance someone shouting ‘Berserkers are back’ and group groan]
Ravi: You! Come back here and explain yourselves! You two-
[Berserker jumps in front of Ravi and growls at him]
Ravi: Out of my way… I don’t have time for this…
[Growl]
Ravi: You aren’t going to listen to me are you?
[Growl/screaming/slashing before dragging off]
Ravi: ah! Oh! No! ah!....Oh…you can’t hurt me….hmmmm…there really is no peril here at all…ah….but…you can carry me off it seems…[fade out]
[Adrastea walks up from her dwam and stretches off]
Adrastea: [Yawn] [Sleepily] I….had…the strangest dream Pekko…
Pekko: Did you now? Well, I am dying of boredom- can we get going?
Adrastea: Ha! Dying…good one.
Pekko: I don’t get it.
Adrastea: Because your dead…
Pekko: What? Oh…right…
Adrastea: I think you were in my dream, Pekko…
Pekko: I’ll take that as a compliment...hope it wasn’t too saucy…
Adrastea: I don’t think it was that kind of dream…but I can’t remember what it was about now…
Pekko: Ah well! That’s the thing with dreams…they’re all wishy washy even when you do remember ‘em…shall we go?
Adrastea: Can I grab a drink and a slice of…ummm…colossus wart?
Pekko: Sure, but hurry up…let’s get to the puddle so something interesting happens.
Adrastea: So, I can create a body for Ravi.
Pekko: Sure. That’s interesting I guess.
[walking with Pekko again]
Pekko: Eugh! This is sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo boring!
Adrastea: Again?! You are like a child you know!
Pekko: Have you ever been bored my love?
Adrastea: Of course.
Pekko: Have you ever been bored to your very core?
Adrastea: I’ve been very…very bored…I guess…
Pekko: No… I mean…so bored that there is nothing else but the weight of it…crushing you….grinding you against your very existence…as if every moment is a waking horror of emptiness from which you cannot escape?
Adrastea: Ummmm….No…
Pekko: Yeah…me either…sounds gross though…don’t like the sound of it at all…fancy a game?
Adrastea: Sure…umm how about twenty questions?
Pekko: I have to figure out what you are thinking of in twenty questions or less?
Adrastea: Right!
Pekko: You sure it doesn’t have a bigoted and intolerant name?
Adrastea: [sucks teeth] It does…
Pekko: Let me guess! Let me guess!
Adrastea: [sigh] It’s Renfolk’s testimony…
Pekko: Ha! That’s a good one! Coz you can’t trust them, right?
Adrastea: I really am going to have to take a good long look at some of this stuff when I get back…
Pekko: Alright then! Let’s do this! Twenty questions…number one! Is it a Penguin?
Adrastea: What!?
Pekko: I’m not falling for that! I’m not gonna ask the same question twice! I’ll only have eighteen questions left.
Adrastea: That’s not really how you play this…What on La Tari is a Penguin?
Pekko: Seriously, I thought you’d travelled everywhere? Stupid flightless bird…lives in the cold polar regions of Civari Asa…
Adrastea: Polar regions? Civari Asa?
Pekko: SEE VAAAAARY ARSAR! You know…the world…penguins live in the cold bits at the bottom of it.
Adrastea: You mean Erset La Tari…?
Pekko: Eugh this is infuriating! Why would the world be called Erset La Tari? Do you even know what that means?
Adrastea: Its….just the…just the name of the world…ummm why don’t you pick something and I’ll guess.
Pekko: Fine. Go.
Adrastea: Is it a place?
Pekko: No.
Adrastea: Is it an animal?
Pekko: Yes….this is a much better way to do it…
Adrastea: Yeah…I think so too… does it fly?
Pekko: No.
Adrastea: Does it live in the Jungle?
Pekko: No.
Adrastea: [sigh] is it a penguin, Pekko?
Pekko: Yes.
Adrastea: I’m not sure this is your game …or maybe you just really like penguins
Pekko: [laugh] I do love penguins…they give me such a chuckle to watch them waddle about
Adrastea: I wish I’d got to see them… The wildland swallowed almost everything there aren’t many animals left…only the Kerret adapted to live in there…everything else… [sigh] I don’t think this game is going to work…
Pekko: Fine…I concede…there is nothing else to do or talk about…tell me about the bleeding wildland then.
Adrastea: Not much to say really…it’s just this warped and twisted shadow of a forest…its spores spread everywhere transforming everything it touches…it grows like nothing else and it turns living things into horrible husks and creatures….it doesn’t just twist and consume the land…but it has the power to twist the mind and twist thoughts and perception…it started off as a small thing… but…. when the orphaning happened and all the fighting that followed…it took too long for everyone to pay attention and deal with it…by the time we got the treaty of Budan and the Boundary Vanguard set up…most of La Tari was already gone…everyone bunched up into the safe zone…once enough people starved there was enough food to go around…but…
Pekko: What do you mean it affects the mind?
Adrastea: You know…makes you see things that aren’t there…makes you believe things that aren’t true…I had a friend who was a Vanguard Ranger who said…
Pekko: You said you were able to stop it? what did you mean?
Adrastea: Look at you all interested all of a sudden! Yeah, first the Vanguard used a bunch of Vehlo casters to burn it back and slow it down…but once the Emeduans started creating the alchemics we could sterilise and kill it, we even managed to reclaim a little ground…but it’ll be a while before anything grows there…we call those areas the boundary.
Pekko: [sniff] Erset La tari… So they did it… I guess the name makes sense now…they actually did it…
Adrastea: Ummm…they did it…they held it back… Yeah…eventually…
Pekko: and you say the gods haven’t been heard of since this thing appeared?
Adrastea: Roughly…I think…maybe a little bit before…Why?
Pekko: Oh…no reason…let’s play something else.
[sound of Ravi being dragged and dumped with another spirit]
Ravi: Oof!
The Dissident: Huh…why did you oof bro?
Ravi: What? Ummm hello…I’m Ravi…I
The Dissident: Noice to meet you man but like Why did you ooof?
Ravi: Oh…I don’t know…I suppose…I am just used to doing that when I hit the ground…
The Dissident: So, you’re like new here or something?
Ravi: Ummm yes…
Dissident: First time with the berserkers, right?
Ravi: Yes…and you are?
Dissident: They’re not a bad bunch, a little gnarly but I think they’re pretty cool…
Ravi: Well…one of them did try to…
Dissident: Yeah, I know man…I saw…they really wanted to mess you up [laugh] can’t blame ‘em though right…this place sucks..
Ravi: Errrr…I…I suppose not…so…ummm…what? do we…just…go now?
Dissident: Back to Calineb, my man? I’d wait a little bit till they leave the area…. you’ll have to go through the whole thing again if you rush it. But…can I ask bro… why do you want to go back there? It’s got such a like such a corporate vibe..
Ravi: well…where else is there to go?
Dissident: Here man. I just stay here…
Ravi: But there are no people here.
Dissident: I am here…you are here…the berserkers…well sometimes
Ravi: But when I leave…there won’t be anyone…
Dissident: Except me bro…
Ravi: Aren’t you worried about…getting lonely? Turning into the lost or the berserkers?
Dissident: Nope…just got to keep your chill man…find your inner peace and stay optimistic…no need for that whole Calineb rat race…got to find your own path…
Ravi: okay….well…I need to find my… my…friend…she has wandered off with that insane little man to gods know where…
Dissident: What?
Ravi: My friend…Pekko is taking her to something called ‘the puddle’ or something…I have no idea where it is or what it is…but I don’t trust that man as far as I could throw him.
Dissident: That’s wild! But yeah...you shouldn’t trust that dude. He’s like the man here…
Ravi: What do you mean?
Dissident: He like runs things…keeps everyone on the wheel…like we didn’t have enough of that in life, right? The guy is off his rocker…but don’t say that too him coz he’s like wicked powerful…
Ravi: Powerful? He’s dead…a spirit…what could he possibly do?
Dissident: He told you he was dead bro?
Ravi:...well no…I suppose not…
Dissident: He’s not dead my man… he’s like the only dude who isn’t…well him and that other chick…but she isn’t always around… that’s how come he can use the waters…I tell you, if we spirits could use the waters…none of us would still be here…
Ravi: what do you mean?
Dissident: When your still kicking, you can like use your mind and like your vital energy to make anything manifest in them, anything…like whatever you need…when I found out…I was like whoa! Dude so like…make me a new body and like send me back…but he was all no dude just stay here and play…not cool man…not cool…
Ravi: What!? So…he…he is keeping people here?!
Dissident: That’s right my dude. He has the power to get people out… but he’s like got his own agenda or whatever,,, like I say…the man.
Ravi: That’s just terrible! Wait…you mentioned another person? Are they planeswalkers? Part of group?
Dissident: I don’t know about all of that my man…it’s just the one other one…I don’t think they are friends…he always gets like super unchill when she comes around…and like…he is like a bit of dick…but she is like…not cool at all…like not even a bit of cool… I think they are like…not friends…if you catch my drift..
Ravi: I am not sure I do…
Dissident: Like the opposite of friends…
Ravi: enemies?
Dissident: yeah…yeah…I don’t like that word man…it harshes my buzz and like messes with my whole inner peace thing…but I’d say it fits…he gets like real upset when she is around…and stuff…changes…
---
Random Spirit 1: Okay okay…it’s my turn now… Random Spirit 2: No! No! I didn’t even laugh, its not the end of my turn. Random Spirit 1: You did laugh I saw it!
Random Spirit 2: That was a smile not a laugh! Random Spirit 1: That’s the same thing!
Random Spirit 1: No it’s not that’s why there are different words for it!
Random Spirit 2: There are loads of different words for laugh! Random Spirit 1: Name one!
Random Spirit 2: ummm….ummm…ummm
Random Spirit 1: See!
Random Spirit 2: Chortle!
Random Spirit 1: What?!
Random Spirit 2: Chortle! Random
Spirit 1: You made that up! [crack of Gnilfeit teleporting in]
Random Spirit 1 & 2: WOAH! [Menacing footsteps]
Random Spirit 2: It’s her!
Random Spirit 1: Oh crap lets r-! [Magical pulse- tension]
Random Spirit 2: [clenched jaw difficult to speak] I’m stuck I’m stuck [insert character name for Random Spirit 1]
Random Spirit 1: [clenched jaw difficult to speak I know that [insert character name for random spirit 2], you idiot! I’m stuck too! [menacing music builds]
Random spirit 2: [clenched jaw difficult to speak What is happening?!
Random Spirit 1: [clenched jaw difficult to speak I…I don’t know…but there is something I need to say…in case….
Random spirit 2: [clenched jaw difficult to speak] I love you too…
Random spirit 1: [clenched jaw difficult to speak] What…no…I Random spirit 2: [clenched jaw difficult to speak] Oh…I just…
Random spirit 1: [clenched jaw difficult to speak] It’s…not that I don’t I just… Random spirit 2: [clenched jaw difficult to speak] No…I know…I shouldn’t have put you on the spot…what did you want to say? [Music peaks and stops]
Random Spirit 1: [clenched jaw difficult to speak] Don’t you think it’s weird that this is affecting our ability to speak? Its not like we use our mouths…
Random spirit 2: [clenched jaw difficult to speak] It’s like ‘tickle my tum’ best not to think too deeply about iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit {ends in dramatic fading scream}
Random Spirit 1 & 2: [dramatic fading scream]
----
Ravi: What in the hells does that mean? Change how?
Dissident: I mean…like…I don’t want to like cast aspersions and like be that guy…but people like…disappear…
Ravi: don’t they disappear all the time? When they turn into…
Dissident: Yeah…like…of course…but you like see those guys again later…they might look different, but you can recognise em…when he gets upset…people just like…disappear…
Ravi: I knew something was off with him! Please…I need your help…my friend…she isn’t dead… I need to get her out before something happens to her!
Dissident: I mean I am not like one hundo percent saying it’s him right… and like…I hate to tell you this brother…but you are dead dude…I mean…your spirit is all fucked up my man…like you got squished by a gnarly weight…
Ravi: Yes…yes... I am dead…but I wasn’t before I got here….my friend…my mentor Adrastea…she is still alive…
Dissident: Alive? What?…she is like, alive?... You are totally sure? Like… for real? [suddenly VERY interested] Ummmm then…I guess we ought to go save her or whatever…
Ravi: So, she is in danger? You think Pekko would hurt her?
Dissident: What?…yeah… man… like for sure… maybe he’s gonna use the puddle to make some sort of like friend… killing…. Device… or something….
Ravi: What?! REALLY!? I thought you weren’t sure?!
Dissident: What? Oh right…no…like I am certain….yeah I am pretty certain he’s like an evil dude with an evil plan or something…and we totally need to find your friend like and save her or whatever.
Ravi: Do you know where it is?
Dissident: Yeah bro, I can show you the way.
Ravi: Thank you! Thank you! We will need to be fast…she is…was seven hundred or so games of tickle my tum ahead of me before I was taken…heavens know’s how far ahead she is now….
Dissident: Seven hundred bro? That’s like less than a day or whatever…
Ravi: What? How did you-
Dissident: It’s easy my dude…You just count the seconds man…got to focus on the details...be real present to find that inner peace bro…each game lasts like about two minutes right?…there were I dunno like around thirty-three hours in a day or something… that’s like two thousand minutes…that’s sort of like one thousand games of tickle my tum … your friend is like a day’s travel ahead… simple bro…if they are alive…they will one hundo percent need to rest… and we like don’t… we can, for sure, catch up to them before they get to the puddle.
Ravi: Wow…Wow…thank you…you are…surprisingly… the first person who has shown even a shred of intelligence or helpfulness since I got here…
Dissident: It’s no problem my man…that’s what its all about right…like helping out your fellow dude…and for sure not having ulterior motives or whatever…
Ravi: what should I call you?…
Dissident: Like names are like boxes man…or like labels on boxes or whatever…people like to call me ‘the dissident’ or whatever because I’m kind of like the cool outcast guy on the like the fringes…you know marching to my own beat…
Ravi: But what is your actual name?
Dissident: I mean…the dissident is pretty cool right…you don’t want to like call me the dissident?…
Ravi: Would…would you…would you call me ‘the traveller’?
Dissident: What? Why?
Ravi: Oh…no…it’s stupid… Ravi is fine…
Dissident: Nah man…sure…I’ll call you ‘the traveller’… it’s got a pretty like rad energy I love it…I just wanted to know like…why..?
Ravi: Well…I kind of…was the first person to figure out planar travel in a really long time and…I have travelled between the planes and I always…well I always wanted a cool nickname…and I feel like if you have a cool nickname…and we are going to work together…then maybe I could have one too…
Dissident: Well, ‘The Traveller’…let’s go save your friend or whatever…