S2.E10 - The Trial of Liren Hinomoto

Liren faces his family's judgement for the raid on the Grand Hinomoto Archive, and finds an unexpected ally amongst his family's ranks. Solaceira searches for answers. Durim learns how to take notes. 

Email: hardlydndpod@gmail.com
X: @Hardly_DnD_pod

Solaceira: Anna

Durim Stonefist: Kirby

Liren Hinomoto: Caleb (Insta: @sleepyeyesoninsta, Twitch: https://m.twitch.tv/sleepyeyestv/home)

DM: Quinn Barbaza

*Lance Tippet: Chip*

Edited By Kirby, Strider, Quinn Barbaza

Music by Strider - https://open.spotify.com/artist/5U0T0CpHrHNPMYOmQzdw2J?si=4yd1iRK-Tb6D59U0o_SNyw 

Art Work By Caleb West 

Transcript

SPEAKER_05 0:07

Ho ho ho ho! Welcome back to Hardly D. Well, it's your friendly dwarf drone stonefist bringing it back at you for another episode. Oh. Have I ever told you that lately, okay, it's been for a while. I haven't really been able to sit in proper furniture. Every time I seem to sit, it creaks, it groans. Mostly it's bricks. So Durham has been sitting on the floor. However, I tell everybody else it's for proper posture. I gotta make sure the back stays straight. I don't want to be a another humpback of how Stonefist from working on the anvils. Oh, didn't have that. However, there is a stone slab that sits in front of a herd in one of my favorite inns back home that they actually labeled Stonefist. It's just for me. I broke too many of their chairs. Hello everyone.

SPEAKER_04 1:20

My name's Curb. And as you see, I play our fabulous dwarf fighter Durham Stonefist. I am here with Anna, Caleb, and our fabulous DNQ. Player, please introduce your characters followed by a fun fact.

SPEAKER_07 1:39

Hey everybody, my name is Anna, and I play our little Kitsuni rogue Solaciera. It's a pleasure to have you all with us today. I can't. I gotta get character guides.

SPEAKER_01 1:51

Sorry. Krypto is giving Kirby such a death stare right now. It's amazing.

SPEAKER_07 1:56

It's a beautiful side eye. It's a beautiful side eye. Alright, um. Um, Solaceera here.

SPEAKER_06 2:04

It's a pleasure to have you all with us today, and it might be telling on myself just to touch, but I will confess that I have a guilty pleasure. When I am doing a job, so to speak, and I have the opportunity to leave a calling card. I have a deck of blank cards that I have that I will use my calligraphy set on, and just little things that I leave that cannot be traced back to me. I'm very intentional with what I leave, but little moments of uh taking pride in what I do, I suppose you could say. And I, as player, have a spiked, spiced, iced cider as my drink of the evening. It's got a little spiced rum in it. It's very nice. And some coconut cake as the zette.

SPEAKER_01 3:01

It's very good. Alright. I will point out, this is Celestia's first job, so maybe she intends to do that.

SPEAKER_06 3:08

Yeah, that's yeah, sure.

SPEAKER_01 3:12

I've never been able to do anything.

SPEAKER_07 3:14

Let's be honest though, she would have done it around the palace.

SPEAKER_01 3:17

You may have an opportunity today.

SPEAKER_07 3:19

Correct. How are we doing?

SPEAKER_00 3:23

Hello, hello. It's good to be back. I am Caleb and I am playing our wizard half-elf, Liran Inamoto, uh, freshly leveled up. I'm excited. Hello everyone. It's good to be back. Though I'm I'm a bit nervous about what today brings. Um I guess the fun fact about me is, well, I don't know how fun it is. Um I've always been a little bit awkward around my family. It's part of what I'm dreading today. Uh, one time at a party, uh well, I was speaking to my cousin Suicano and her daughter, and um, well, they've kind of gone off onto a bit of a tangent about how I think that Well. I just think that, you know, the Northern Goblins might be able to actually contribute to society if they were just educated. I I don't think they have any books. I couldn't help but notice that she didn't bring her daughter around to me again that night. I hope she's not there today. That's um, that's it.

SPEAKER_01 4:36

Someone else go see that the dossier that I sent uh Caleb has been had quite a profound effect on my goal. Recall Recall that being a fun. Hello everyone. I am your DM storyteller. I was about to say extraordinaire, but I don't wanna lie. My name is Quirk. I was not fishing for that, but thank you. I host and DM well actually I pawned hosting off to Kirby today. But fun facts for the world Nazrin of the week that I'm definitely doing these on and off. I'm definitely not getting them consistent. I'm not doing them every week, but it's okay.

unknown 5:19

It's okay.

SPEAKER_01 5:20

It's only when you remember.

SPEAKER_04 5:22

Players do the same?

SPEAKER_01 5:23

No. But the But the fun fact for the world of Mendes and the country of Nasrim is that in the House of Fu, the City Barro, is a pilgrimage site for a lot of these temples and universities to the gods. What people may be less aware of is that circles of power within Barro change hands depending on what's happened in the year. There's a mute, a moot to look at all the things that have happened in the course of a year, and then all of the priests decide which god those events align the most with, and the leaders of that temple rule for the next year. It's quite ridiculous. Other than that, Anna has a spiced, a spiked, spiced Spiked, spiced, iced. Iced were the adjective cider. Cider? There we go. Anna has some cider.

SPEAKER_00 6:24

Caleb, what are you uh what are you drinking? I have the same cider, but it's just spiced. It's not spiked or iced. Ah, okay. So it's colder.

SPEAKER_01 6:34

I am actually drinking a local North Carolina favorite, uh cheer wine, which is just cherry soda. Nice! Cheer wine is fucking amazing. It's also horrible for you. Is it really? Yes, it's just sugar. It's just sugar. It's cherry soda. It's but it's worse.

SPEAKER_00 6:52

I once had a friend spend the night and we powder an E. I once had a friend spend the night and uh we got a 12-pack and it was gone by the morning we each had six. It's so I've not drinked had a had a drop since.

SPEAKER_01 7:07

I'll say thanks. It's it's so good. And like all things that are good in North Carolina, it will kill you if you have too much. I think I cheated death a little bit that night. Kirby, what are you drinking, my friend? Oh, uh, let me tell you.

SPEAKER_07 7:23

He got the old Negroni. What is that?

SPEAKER_04 7:30

Uh it is the old Negroni.

SPEAKER_03 7:34

Hey!

SPEAKER_04 7:35

However, however, hear me out. Uh, you see how it has this dark hue and almost looks like I'm drinking uh dehydrated urup. That's exactly what I said. That's exactly what it looks like. Yeah, so I'm starting low on my gin selections that I was able to make that this whole mason jar was full when we started planning to record. Yeah, so it's like the only thing I have enough, you know, ounces of gin was Empress's gin, which is flavored with elder with oh my god, words. It's flavored with words.

SPEAKER_00 8:15

Huh?

SPEAKER_04 8:16

Yes, butterfly pea flower, which is reactive to citrus, which turns the color from a nice like pinkish hue to more of like a violet. From like a purple hue, like a violet hue, to more of a pinkish hue. But that hue and yellow made this atrocity of a color.

SPEAKER_03 8:39

Wow.

SPEAKER_04 8:40

And I am just glad that we don't stream this live because everybody would probably think that it was in fact dirty. Iced piss. My own piss.

unknown 8:48

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 8:49

Well, the implication's still there. Uh tonight the party buff goes to Caleb. So the buff is gonna be called spiced not iced. And for today. Anytime you taste or smell something good. Need to be very careful with Durham here. Anytime you taste or smell something that tastes or smells good, you get advantage on your constitution check. However, uh, anytime you are cold, you get disadvantage on that constitution check.

SPEAKER_00 9:31

Cool, okay.

SPEAKER_01 9:32

Now we'll be determining those statuses as we go along, if I remember to, because half the time we don't even use these.

SPEAKER_00 9:37

Uh yeah, that's true. So if we were using these, would it be like what? You you eat something yummy tasty and then your next con save after that?

SPEAKER_01 9:47

Or do you have to be- Do you smell flowers and your next con save after that? Or are like relatively close to it, yes.

SPEAKER_04 9:53

Okay. I I want to get this across. Are players able to abuse this as if our characters know, or do we just play it as if the characters have when it comes up? That's a good question.

SPEAKER_07 10:05

Because I was listening over episode three, and there were definitely moments with the.

SPEAKER_01 10:11

There are some abuses happening in episode three.

SPEAKER_07 10:14

Yes. Yes.

SPEAKER_01 10:14

Yeah, that's true. Lyra. But that was also funny. Yeah. So yeah. I'm gonna say that players can play it how they wish. Where we last left off, the players had defeated the raven in one unironically fell swoop. Aza! They then proceeded to immediately doubt whether or not it was the actual raven despite killing the raven. So. The party also leveled up after their defeat of the raven. I forgot to incite that last time, so they have leveled up to level three now for the purposes of this episode. And so, yeah, watching the raven die gave Miren Hinamoto some perspective. And it gave And it gave Solistyr some confidence, and it gave Durham a highlight reel. And so. The players, after defeating the Raven and gaining the mysterious pistol that the Raven used, which is currently on Liren. They brought the bodies up out in the middle of public to uh show to people. For some reason, were immediately stopped by guards, and then proceeded to bring the bodies to the Hinamoto estate where Liren had been summoned to account for his actions. It sounded like a cool idea at the time. Where we left off, the players still holding the body of a dead man bleeding on sacred ground came face to face with the Emperor of Nazrin himself, Emperor Hanu Hinimoto. Liren's granduncle, the brother of Liren's grandmother, and the ruler of the house of Hinamoto, and all of Nazrun. Expressed displeasure with Liren, then beckoned them inside for a quote-unquote trial. And that is where we'll pick up. So aka the moot. Yes, it is a moot. That's true. Is it a moot? It is a moot.

SPEAKER_00 12:20

It's probably not the only one. There is a slightly more important moot, technically.

SPEAKER_01 12:25

At least in this context.

SPEAKER_00 12:26

Though I would argue that is a moot point.

SPEAKER_01 12:31

Funny guys. Funny guys. All around. Everyone flip off Caleb over screen. Disadvantage. Disadvantage. Sorry. Um disadvantage! Disadvantage on you.

SPEAKER_03 12:47

Disadvantage on disadvantage.

SPEAKER_00 12:53

Sorry, okay. We're all way too giggly for tonight. Talent thing is so traumatizing.

SPEAKER_01 12:59

Perfect. I am so ready to use family trauma to break Lyran. So um Sortico nudges you, Lyran. He goes, my friend, in case you hadn't noticed, I know this is a bit of a pressing time, but everyone is waiting for a response. Just thought I'd pop in and say that.

SPEAKER_00 13:22

I do not react. I'm going to after thinking things over for just a moment, I'm going to stand up slowly and still kind of keep my head down. Do I get a sense that like everybody is still just like staring at me?

SPEAKER_01 13:38

Yes, they're waiting for you to respond. Your grand uncle is walked back into the forum and after telling you to come inside, and the rest of the family is waiting for you to follow.

SPEAKER_00 13:51

Oh, that's right. So he's not even he's gone.

SPEAKER_01 13:54

He's he's walking back inside. His guards, the thorns, are following him.

SPEAKER_00 13:58

Okay. Then I guess I'll just I'll look up and kind of scan the audience. What kind of vibe do I do I see? A, do I see my dad? B, do I see anyone's reactions?

SPEAKER_01 14:11

Your father is not there. And the various members of your family, most of whom you're estranged with, are watching with various measures of anger, disappointment, or glee. Sort of relishing this public humiliation. The ones that you are a bit better off with, namely your uh cousin, whom the fun fact ruined a little bit, she's not mad at you. Umicano, your cousin Suicano uh is essentially just trying to keep her daughter Colony away from the rest of the family. And she gives you a small, not a smile, like one of those really like sad sort of like acknowledgments. Uh, but she seems less mad at you. You also notice that uh there there are two notable figures missing. There is your father, um, the other one is also possibly the one who could do you the most good. Uh Wajin Hinamoto, the esteemed warrior and also very kindly uncle that you have is also not there.

SPEAKER_00 15:10

Yeah, okay. That those are the two he was that I I was looking for. Uh so that sucks.

SPEAKER_01 15:16

Um You do see, I will add, I will add, your the the prime, the best of your generation, Raken Hinamoto, is glaring at you.

SPEAKER_00 15:26

Can I decipher any specific emotion, or is it just kind of like studying glare inside? Roll my new dice. Boy, I'm sure it'll be a good roll.

SPEAKER_01 15:44

A mixture of anger and disbelief.

SPEAKER_00 15:48

So aside for maybe one and a half looks from people unanimously like everyone is just standing there, and the only one I would really talk to is left. I think I'll just brush myself off. Oh, that's right. Yeah, I would well actually rule over I would look to my I would probably return to my friends. And what are you doing?

SPEAKER_01 16:38

I would love to get another opportunity to make fun of that.

SPEAKER_05 16:51

And hit him with the uh What quite do you think's going on here?

SPEAKER_01 16:59

You get several used looks from the crowd, they know very well what's going on here. It was just stated out loud.

SPEAKER_04 17:18

He will continue following the group as if he does.

SPEAKER_06 17:51

I do not know it.

SPEAKER_01 18:08

You do not land among us. Either you follow or you leave. His other hand rests on his sword.

SPEAKER_06 18:24

I do not depend on being part of these proceedings.

SPEAKER_01 18:27

Reagan's eyes narrow ever so slightly at the mention of his name. Liran, you hear this.

SPEAKER_00 18:34

My eyes also squint a little bit. I look down to the ground and nod, and I walk in.

SPEAKER_01 18:42

Liren, you enter the forum, uh sortico and Durham follow. So Lyron Raken is clearly barring you from moving deeper into the estate. He does not take his eyes off of you. He's standing next to you and he is looking at you in a very wolfish stare. So you can you can pretend to I mean you can do whatever you like, but if you pretend to go out the way of the checkpoint, he will not stop you. Or if you go inside, he will not stop you.

SPEAKER_06 19:13

I bow again, just kind of a little bit from the shoulders down and turn towards the checkpoint.

SPEAKER_01 19:20

Durham inside the forum. You open up into this broad, circular, almost amphitheater, you know, rows and rows and rows, rings of seats, and in the middle there is a podium facing a grand box. The emperor has ascended to the box along with his twelve guards in these full heavy plate flower embroidered with the uh flowers running down their arms in greaves and across their chest the triple branch uh of the Hinamoto crest is welded into the armor. The twelve thorns form a ring around the emperor as he takes his seat in the box and looks down over the center. The rest of your family, Lyra, they follow in and they begin to take their seats in the council around. You notice that they sit in the order of succession. So the closest to the emperor sit closest to the box of the rest in the file around. Raken takes his seat at the right hand of the emperor next to the box. Raken is third in line. He's third in line, but he's making a statement. His father sits uh next to the Is it like a singular, like seated box? No, it's like if you think about like the uh like the Coliseum fights that you see in like those movies, like the box up in the stand, just that just brought down. So it's you know, walls and it's elevated to the back. There's entry further around the back of the amphitheater higher up. And then it it's like a little covered thing, the emperor's sitting in it, his guards are around him and they're blocking the entrances to the box standing at the corner.

SPEAKER_04 20:56

It's like a box seating at like a football stadium or something like that. Yeah, just not as far up.

SPEAKER_01 21:01

Like it's pretty central, it's pretty close, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 21:05

Yeah, I was gonna say that that's that's not the spot for uh for Reagan.

SPEAKER_01 21:09

But no, it's the spot for his father, but Reagan takes it nonetheless.

SPEAKER_00 21:13

Gotcha. Okay, yeah. Yeah, I will uh I as as Liren. I'll squit my eyes a little bit, but reserve myself because this is not about that right now.

SPEAKER_01 21:26

Liren, you know through custom and everything the accused stands in the middle at the at the podium. So I'm gonna assume you make your way there. Uh he was giving Historico is giving the biggest smile to everyone. He's just finding him, he's picking him out, he's got that broad, goofy ass grin on his face as he looks at all of them. Celestira, you make your way out. Before he enters, Raken stares you down, watching you leave. I'm assuming you're gonna try and double back.

SPEAKER_06 21:59

Yes, but I'm I'm not heading towards the forum directly.

SPEAKER_01 22:02

Go for it. Uh, give me a stealth check to see how you get away from the guards' eyes. This will be a fairly low DC. I mean, like the most powerful family is congregated around there. So they'll be on high alert of like looking for things, but their attention will be somewhat divided.

SPEAKER_06 22:19

So, what was the role I'm doing? Stealth?

SPEAKER_01 22:22

Stealth, yes.

SPEAKER_06 22:23

22.

SPEAKER_01 22:25

Yeah, that'll do it. Cool. So use your using your map, you can tell me how you get around here.

SPEAKER_06 22:32

So wanting to stay away from the forum and away from the main entrance of the palace. So she's gonna kind of come down and cut through. There's that little forested area uh between the checkpoint and the palace. So as I make my way towards the palace, my posture is with the intent of I have a purpose and I know where I'm going, but I'm not walking in main pathways. So I'm trying to remain a little bit hidden while also um I look like I know what I'm going where I'm going and what I'm doing.

SPEAKER_01 23:10

As of now, you are not stopped. You continue to make your way around the side of the palace, you can stick to the rocks. There's all of these, especially through that forested area, plenty of benches, verandas, gazebos, all of these little paths working their way through it. It is not uncommon for a noble to flip through here. Although, again, uh you would draw some attention given that all of the nobles who would occupy this isle are currently, or at least most of them, all but two of them, are currently in the forum.

SPEAKER_06 23:38

But I'm very much not a noble.

SPEAKER_01 23:41

Yes. You're also not dressed like one.

SPEAKER_06 23:43

Correct.

SPEAKER_01 23:44

So, we will see how that goes. Liren, Durham, and of course Soriko, but I can't address him unless I'm addressing myself. You all stand. There are no seats around the podium. After the last of the family and the guards file in, the great doors of the forum swing closed with a great boom doom. The Emperor stands, the rest of the family does as well, hands still clasped behind his back. For the desecration of the grand Hinamoto archive, for fleeing the scene instead of taking responsibility, for the evisceration and the loss of priceless Hinamoto artifacts. And for the desecration of sacred ground, Liren He does not say her last name stands in front of the family facing exile. His voice rings in dead silence. Among him are the conspirators his lip curls noticeably as he says, one Soriko Hatoko and one dwarf.

SPEAKER_03 24:59

Their fates are yet to be decided. Sit the family sits.

SPEAKER_05 25:09

What does he mean that our fates are decided?

unknown 25:15

What?

SPEAKER_05 25:16

Does he not know that this wasn't us?

SPEAKER_00 25:19

I don't know. It was. Please keep your questions at yourself for now.

SPEAKER_02 25:30

I mean, you know my good feelings on exile. I think this is a grand idea. I know, I know. Apologies, apologies. Now the accused will make their statement after. The elders will decide. Do you have anything to say to explain this, boy?

SPEAKER_05 25:53

Irin, did he just say that their statement will be taken after they decide?

SPEAKER_00 26:02

Durum? He said, and I'm I'm saying this all like through my teeth. Can I make a performance check to make my face look as stony as possible?

SPEAKER_01 26:13

Of course, please.

SPEAKER_04 26:17

Durham is obviously like hand to the side of face, like trying to whisp as as garishly faux pas as possible, yes.

SPEAKER_00 26:27

Um performance. That's a 10. Wait, no, no, no. Uh don't be at all.

SPEAKER_01 26:33

Alright, you do an okay job.

SPEAKER_00 26:35

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 26:36

Uh it's clear, it's also definitely quiet after the Emperor stops speaking. So they can hear they may not be able to make out everything, but they can hear that you are talking to each other.

SPEAKER_00 26:48

Oh my gosh. Okay. Alright, so we'll give it all that. They said we're going to make our statement, and then afterwards they will decide.

SPEAKER_05 27:02

I think they said it the other way. But okay.

SPEAKER_00 27:08

No matter how they said it, you question them, and it's not going to help our outcome. Taking your breath. Your great highness and the members of my prestigious family. I stand before you and state with more confidence than I've had in any sentence of my life, this was not me. Some group working for the raven of the under city. They broke through the skylight, ran for the vault, and took as many artifacts as they could. Stone tablets belonging to my friend here, and the Hinamoto lineage scroll. They fled by boat. I then met my friends here who stand before you. And together we brought justice to the raven. Forgive my crassness of the presentation, but outside this hall I presented him before you. He has been judged and dealt with brutally. All in the name of our honor, of your honor. So please see mercy and forgiveness. I'm sorry for what has happened, but it was not my doing. Thank you.

SPEAKER_01 28:39

The last of your words ring out. You can see all of your family members contemplating, considering the Emperor. His face does not shift, it does not break, but he does not say anything. After a long pause, do any of the esteemed members still in good standing have anything to say or vouch on behalf of Liren? To your surprise, Raken Hinemoto stands up. Honored and August grandfather, I will vouch on behalf of Liren.

SPEAKER_02 29:19

It is clear while he bears innumerable shame for allowing the artifacts to be stolen, he has returned them. Action is the impetus of our honor, is it not?

SPEAKER_01 29:36

So yes, he looks at you. Roll an inside check. I will vouch for my cousin, and vouch further that he will not do it again. Should it please the rest of our family, I wish this matter to be resolved.

SPEAKER_05 29:56

What does he mean that you won't do it again? You didn't do it in the first place.

SPEAKER_00 30:01

I rolled a 21 for that inside check. And I say, Durham. Please. If you have any questions, write them down and ask me later.

SPEAKER_01 30:14

I can do that. A few people genuinely chuckle, but most of them are still stony-faced. Liran, you get the sense that Raken doesn't mean a word of this. Oh.

SPEAKER_00 30:29

Interesting.

SPEAKER_01 30:30

He is playing his own game. You can tell the slight tilt up of his lip that as he vouches for you, he has something else in mind.

SPEAKER_00 30:43

Would there be so would would I know if there was any way for me to kind of interrupt and add something here without just completely pissing everyone off?

SPEAKER_01 30:53

You can certainly try. Raises a hand, he goes, If if I may. I know it's certainly not my place to uh attack on to such an illustrious descendant. Uh sorry, Rekin. You know, it it's really working for you though. I'm surprised you don't have a wife yet. Sortico gasps at some consternation from the crowd, but he goes, But uh my unaffiliated, distant cousin, Raken, friend, is right.

SPEAKER_02 31:35

This was not Liran's fault, but he has remedied the situation. It is not that bad. It it you know it really you lost some windows, they were dusty in the first place. You know? It is it is remedied. The raven is taken care of. You why not leave such things to us underlings, you know?

SPEAKER_01 31:55

Why not that's enough The Emperor cuts off Sortiko.

SPEAKER_00 32:01

I just I just nod because I was waiting for it.

SPEAKER_01 32:03

It is bad enough to be dishonored this way, but to have a Hatoko Very well.

SPEAKER_02 32:13

I have made my decision. For the shame of the artifacts and they scrolls being stolen, Liren Hinamoto is stripped of his title of archivist and his position over the Grand Hinamoto archive.

SPEAKER_03 32:31

You will not work on this estate or for this family again.

SPEAKER_01 32:39

However, given the return of the scrolls and the efforts of one, as my grandson says, action is how this family was built, action is how this empire was constructed, and action is how it was maintained.

SPEAKER_03 32:58

Therefore, Liren is still one. Adjoined Everyone rises.

SPEAKER_01 33:11

So he was allowed to keep his last name? Yes. Liren, you have not been exiled, you have simply been fired.

SPEAKER_02 33:19

Um might I ask one question before we leave? You question the court after its generosity.

SPEAKER_05 33:28

Liren. I think you should write this down on a piece of paper for later.

SPEAKER_07 33:40

Does Durham have any brain cells? Or is it just rocks? Almost.

SPEAKER_00 33:46

And they're working phenomenally. How funny that was hit me in like three waves. Oh my gosh, okay. Your generosity, no, no, for your generosity I am eternally grateful. I simply wish to ask what I'm to do to serve the family at this point. If action is how I uphold our honor and show my appreciation to you, then what might I do for you?

SPEAKER_01 34:22

The Emperor pauses, looks back down at you. All of his guards, he's he's standing now, and all of his guards are frozen in various positions. Raken, you notice, is watching him very closely. He says, If you do not understand your worth and understand what is to be done for this family, you should not be part of it.

SPEAKER_02 34:44

Figure it out or do not. We have offered you a chance. Something that does not be given or taken lightly.

SPEAKER_01 34:56

Should you wish to continue to contribute, he sof his face softens for just a little bit. It is admirable and understandable. He pauses, harumps a little bit, turns and leaves. Out of the corner of the eye, you see you make eye contact with Raken. He nods very slowly, just to I will nod.

SPEAKER_00 35:20

At first nod back to him, and then kind of soften my eye contact with him and just kind of nod in general and then bow down and kind of just I I guess I'll just wait. I'll just bow until everyone leaves.

SPEAKER_01 35:35

The family starts filing out. Several of them uh look at you as they pass, some of them more fondly than others. Uh, your let's see, I guess he's technically an uncle. Cousin. They're all called uncles, even though they're distant cousins, but uh your cousin Verohito is glaring daggers at you. Then again, he's always glaring daggers. But the rest of them file their way out of the forum. And you're left standing there in the middle. In silence. We're gonna switch back to Silicon now. We're gonna say that that took about half an hour for the procedures, for the speeches, everything like that. So, Solicera, you have about half an hour before the others come back. What do you do?

SPEAKER_06 36:24

Other than hate all of this?

SPEAKER_00 36:27

You're doing fine.

SPEAKER_06 36:29

I haven't done anything yet. I'm not worried about now. Okay, so taking into stock where I am getting to the palace. I've not seen any cali um palace servants, so disguised self isn't going to do me any good. Keep my weapons sheathed, and I'm going to head for the palace and at this point maybe start looking more like a little confused intentionally, but staying away from the main entrance.

SPEAKER_01 37:07

What's your goal here?

SPEAKER_06 37:08

Looking for a servant's interest, and hopefully, because I don't know where it is, if somebody sees me and look sees me looking confused, they will be more likely to help.

SPEAKER_01 37:18

Uh, okay. You're moving around the side of the palace, but when you're out front, the guards are staring you down. You see one of them jerk his head up, goes, You got some reason to be here?

SPEAKER_06 37:32

Hi, sorry. Um, I'm not uh Alright. It's my first day, and I was sent on an errand, and when I get back, I'm all turned around, and I can't remember where I'm supposed to enter for the servant's entrance. I know I'm not supposed to go through the main entrance. Um, I just I can't I'm not very good with directions, I'm sorry.

SPEAKER_01 37:54

Give me a ve uh disadvantaged persuasion chip.

SPEAKER_06 37:57

Fuck, seriously?

SPEAKER_01 37:58

You're an armor. You have weapons.

SPEAKER_06 38:00

Like you're No, she doesn't have armor. Hold on. Am I wrong? I might be wrong.

SPEAKER_01 38:05

You have I'm pretty sure you have leather armor on.

SPEAKER_06 38:08

Okay, technically, I have light armor. Fucking hell. I knew I should have.

SPEAKER_01 38:11

That's not technically you no, because you have all the benefits of your AC.

SPEAKER_06 38:15

I know.

SPEAKER_01 38:16

You're an armor, you have weapons on you. They're not like the servants have a specific dress and library. They're not gonna just believe that.

SPEAKER_07 38:23

No, my brain, it's my brain. It's fine, it's fine.

SPEAKER_00 38:28

I'm here for the waitress position. She said of the long sword of my I could kiss my dice right now.

SPEAKER_07 38:37

That's an eight. Um, so you said a persuasion check?

SPEAKER_01 38:42

Yes.

unknown 38:43

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 38:43

I said a disadvantaged persuasion check.

SPEAKER_06 38:46

Disadvantaged is an 18.

SPEAKER_01 38:47

Wow. Beautiful. Oh my god.

SPEAKER_03 38:53

I know. I know.

SPEAKER_02 38:57

What kind of servant are you? Since when have they what are you running messages or something?

SPEAKER_06 39:04

Something like that.

SPEAKER_01 39:06

Oh, alright. Then yeah. If you go to the side, I can't believe that that worked.

SPEAKER_07 39:11

I know. I know. Because she has the zero for everything charisma. It is her lowest ability score.

SPEAKER_01 39:18

That's what I made that. Awesome. Literally, it's like, yeah, this is not a dagger.

SPEAKER_07 39:28

This is just a really large letter opener.

SPEAKER_01 39:31

Fine, fine. Get going. It's around the side. You can see the uh, I mean, you'll see it. It's just, you know, little gate, uh, side facing the bay. Um, some verandas over there. Can't miss it.

SPEAKER_06 39:45

She gives him a little bow. Thank you so much. I really appreciate it. And she moves in that direction.

SPEAKER_01 39:53

As you work your way around the side of the palace, you do see said servant's entrance as well as uh the entrance itself is against a solid wall, but past it there are a series of columns and you know, eaves, like swinging roofs, eaves, everything like that. Uh these very it's a very open facade. Like it's a very open wall facing the bay. The servant's entrance has another guard outside of it. Cause of course it does. It's the entrance to the most powerful family on in yeah, it's to the palace. So the servant's entrance has another guard uh on the side of it. You can see there's a little footpath down to the bay where there's a small dock uh jutting through, cutting through the rocks uh that formed the coastline. So they can sort of transport things from that end of the bay into the palace pretty easily. Beyond that, you see the same assortment uh stretching out before you. If you look into this uh you can see the the Hinamoto estate, the actual cluster of buildings that are the individual like mansions of some of the most powerful, and then a little ways following it, you can see the Sun Feng gardens and the walls of trees, verandas that overlook that.

SPEAKER_06 41:02

Question to the DM. Knowing what she knows about the Hinamoto family, knowing what she knows about what she's taken in about frickin' I can't find any of my right tabs. Kodero. Kodero?

SPEAKER_03 41:19

Kodero.

SPEAKER_06 41:20

Kodero, thank you. Would he be likely to take it to the palace or to his estate?

SPEAKER_01 41:26

You don't know him well enough for that.

SPEAKER_06 41:27

Okay. She's gonna keep moving. She'll head to the Hinamoto estate with the hope that it's a little less better guarded.

SPEAKER_01 41:34

Give me a stealth check if you're passing the guard. Or if you want you can avoid it if you want to go down, like by the dock, if you want to descend before you. So make a loop around. Okay, yeah. So you take that, you take that path. Um you could logically assume, since Liren's part of the family is the least renowned and the least esteemed, that they probably don't have, uh, except for the elders, Caldera might be one of them, uh, a specific mansion. Like on the actual estate. More likely they'll be on the hyacinth row. But the gardens themselves uh are a very immaculate kind of prison. It's like everything is confined to the island and everything is uh locked down, you know, guards at every checkpoint, that kind of thing. So you make your way across the dock. I'm gonna say that you go unnoticed as you move, you're beginning to pass the buildings. You can see them up over the like rocks, you can see the tallest eaves and the rooftops, the spires jutting up from them of the actual buildings. So you're about in the middle of the island right now.

SPEAKER_06 42:39

Wei Jin would have an estate though, Whitney.

SPEAKER_01 42:41

We Jin would absolutely have an estate. It's not that they like live in these individually, it's that just sections of the family do.

SPEAKER_06 42:49

Right.

SPEAKER_01 42:50

So you might find, say, uh Koderu at the uh Liran's grandmother's building.

SPEAKER_06 42:58

As in like wife of the emperor?

SPEAKER_01 43:01

No.

SPEAKER_06 43:02

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 43:04

Sister of the Emperor.

SPEAKER_06 43:05

Sister of the Emperor, thank you.

SPEAKER_01 43:07

Ah, yes, you could you could also uh try your luck again with persuasion and see if you could find anyone to lead you to Codero. Or Codero, sorry.

SPEAKER_06 43:18

I hate this. I hate everything about this. Um fucking hell. Anna. Okay. Um Okay, so made it past the palace. She's going to come back up towards the Hanamoto estates. Okay, so what she wants what I'm wanting to do is find Korero to trail him. I'm not looking for a confrontation.

SPEAKER_03 43:46

Okay. You still gotta find it.

SPEAKER_06 43:48

Yeah. Okay, so yes, I'm going to head up to the Hanamoto estates and look for a less populated, more I don't know if the If casual is the right word, more informal, I guess. Um, although, is there anyone when I'm in the bay, out of sight of the houses, is there anyone down in the bay with me? Is there a ship docked? Are there boats in the bay?

SPEAKER_01 44:15

Presently, no. I mean, there's a few boats further out. And none close enough to really like care or you know see what you're doing.

SPEAKER_06 44:24

Okay. So before I ascend into the Hinamoto Estates, I'm going to go ahead and cast disguise disguise self, remove the visual of my armor, and basically looking more like a a more feminine yet traditional like courier attire. So like she's gonna take that guy's suggestion and run with it of yeah, she maybe keep like a small, like she does have a small knife in her inventory, so keep that visible on her hip. For okay, if I'm carrying messages, I have to have some means to defend myself, but not looking like a warrior or a spy.

SPEAKER_01 45:05

Got it. Yep. You successfully you cast the sky itself.

SPEAKER_06 45:08

Yep.

SPEAKER_01 45:08

You make the transformation into the sort of red and white uh that the Hinamoto use to carry messages.

SPEAKER_06 45:16

Okay, and that will last for an hour. Great.

SPEAKER_01 45:20

Yeah, you're good.

SPEAKER_06 45:21

So with that, she changes her hairstyle, she changes her colors, and I'll head into. And I'm sorry, listeners, I know I'm switching from first to third. I'm working on it. I'm going to ascend into the Hinamoto estate.

SPEAKER_01 45:35

You pretty quickly see as you begin to approach, as you get closer, there is a very nice balcony. The second building uh in the Hinamoto estate, the one beneath the E. There is a balcony overlooking it. There is a graying man on the balcony. You're on the west side of the island, not the east. You're on the inside there. So there's two buildings there. Yeah. So you can see there is a Grang man on standing on the balcony. Sorry, not standing. He's sitting at a table. Uh, you can see him just sort of sipping some tea. Overlooking the bay.

SPEAKER_06 46:08

Does he look like a Hinamoto or does he look like a servant?

SPEAKER_01 46:12

He looks like a Hinamoto.

SPEAKER_06 46:14

Does he look familiar?

SPEAKER_01 46:16

He does. You can't quite make him out. Hmm.

SPEAKER_06 46:21

So I take a moment and compose myself. Plaire is freaking out right now, guys. So sorry.

SPEAKER_01 46:30

Not sure what you're freaking out about, but okay.

SPEAKER_07 46:35

I don't know. What's the word? Performance anxiety, I guess.

SPEAKER_00 46:38

Um happens to the best of us.

SPEAKER_07 46:41

Yeah, man.

SPEAKER_00 46:42

There's probably a better way to put that, but I mean with sympathy. I don't think there was.

SPEAKER_01 46:49

He is on a balcony like two floors up. You can climb things without spider climb. I don't know what that look was.

SPEAKER_06 46:55

No, that was me flipping with third in trying to flip back to first. So um, I mean, she's not going to know.

SPEAKER_01 47:06

You can. I hate it.

SPEAKER_06 47:12

Yeah, okay.

SPEAKER_00 47:14

She's gonna climb up to him?

SPEAKER_06 47:17

Apparently, because I was like, if I roll higher than a 10, I'll climb, and I rolled a 20.

SPEAKER_07 47:22

So let's hope that wasn't the good roll for this.

SPEAKER_01 47:26

I mean, the climb you have there's tons of like windows, frames, sills, curtains, like you have plenty of handholds. It's it would not be a difficult climb, especially not for an assassin.

SPEAKER_06 47:36

Yeah, right. Do I need I I do I do still need to roll for it? Yes. Yes, roll.

SPEAKER_07 47:41

Yeah, I wanted to clarify. I'm sorry, I'm not myself tonight, guys. I am so panicking. Oh, phew! Okay, I could kiss my dice right now. Hold on. Acrobatics 24. Blessed.

SPEAKER_01 47:57

You make it up there, yeah.

SPEAKER_06 47:59

And like preferably with like little noise. Yes, there's no windows knocked or anything. Okay.

SPEAKER_01 48:06

You make it up there without being seen. The man's head, you you do recognize him as you get closer. It is Codero. He keeps sipping his tea as he as you approach. You you basically you pull yourself over the railing. He's got a nice little little table, a few uh just his his little small cup of tea. He's sipping it very serenely. He raises an eyebrow as you vault over the railing.

SPEAKER_06 48:34

There's a reason I did not go into acting, guys.

SPEAKER_01 48:38

I was wondering if I would see you again.

SPEAKER_06 48:41

She pauses for just a moment and deep bows.

SPEAKER_01 48:45

My lord Hinamoto, uh Oh please, Codero. The bowing and scraping of this family is insufferable.

SPEAKER_06 48:53

As you wish, I apologize. She she does kind of keep her eyes down.

SPEAKER_02 49:01

Would you like some tea?

SPEAKER_06 49:03

Thank you. Uh if it is not rude, I I would decline. I I only came for a moment.

SPEAKER_02 49:14

Um I know what you seek. You are not like many of the people who come through the city.

SPEAKER_06 49:24

No, no, I'm not.

SPEAKER_01 49:26

You appear in the archive the day it is raided, then join my son in attempting to recover it? An outsider recovering Hinamoto legacies and asking for no payment at all. No, you want something from my family, do you not? He's still smiling, serenely sipping his tea.

SPEAKER_06 49:46

I blink gesture to my costume. Should I even bother with this?

SPEAKER_01 49:54

Not at all.

SPEAKER_06 49:56

And she I I take the flat of my hand and run it from the top of my head down my front and kind of flick it away, and my clothes appear back to to normal. I have to admit, I'm rather impressed you could see through that, though I should not be surprised with one of your renown, my lord, if I may.

SPEAKER_02 50:24

So polite. May possibly the politest thief I have ever come across.

SPEAKER_07 50:29

She does give a rather flourished bow at that.

SPEAKER_01 50:33

He goes, I am unsure of who you are working for or why you even want these things for my family. You are not the first who has wanted such a thing, you will not be the last.

SPEAKER_02 50:46

Fortunately for you.

SPEAKER_01 50:53

I have an offer, if you would be willing to hear it.

SPEAKER_06 50:58

May I? And she gestures to a chair.

SPEAKER_02 51:00

Of course, I insist.

SPEAKER_01 51:03

I go set Such free and open words are a relief after Liran's mother left, and I was left with all of these insincere people. This is a very lonely estate. My own brothers, my cousins, placed me here under house arrest after not returning the scroll. You I was going to use it to uh leverage. I knew they would blame my son.

SPEAKER_06 51:39

Oh, he had nothing to do with that, I can promise you that much.

SPEAKER_01 51:42

They don't care. They were looking for a way to out me for decades and out him after that, and the politics of this family will make anyone go insane.

SPEAKER_06 51:54

So I've heard.

SPEAKER_02 51:55

Hmm. So whatever uh reason you want the lineage for, I have a proposition for you. You clearly want this scroll. You could not take your eyes off of it when you gave it over.

SPEAKER_06 52:11

I really should work on my poker face because I should not have been so obvious.

SPEAKER_02 52:17

You should. In your line of work, it might cause you problems.

SPEAKER_06 52:21

It already has, unfortunately.

SPEAKER_01 52:24

Yes. I would love to hear those stories, but unfortunately, both of us maybe on a bit of a time frame.

SPEAKER_03 52:34

Just a touch. Well, my deal is this. Take the scroll.

SPEAKER_06 52:41

Eyebrows go away out.

SPEAKER_03 52:43

Do what you wish with it. And take Liren with you.

SPEAKER_06 52:48

I'm sorry. And I Lord Henamoto, I mean no disrespect. He's kind of a bumbling librarian. What on earth am I going to do with him?

SPEAKER_02 53:01

I did not say train him or bring him along on your adventures. Simply this family is poison. Every attempt has been made to exile me, every attempt will be made to exile Liren. Simply bring him with you out of the city. People who want things are very rarely so clear about how they want them.

SPEAKER_01 53:28

You seem to want plenty. Maybe he will find what he wants too.

SPEAKER_06 53:33

I sit back, hands on my thighs, just study for a moment.

SPEAKER_01 53:41

He smiles and takes another sip of tea.

SPEAKER_06 53:44

No tricks. No spells, no back doors, no traps, no follow within 24 hours.

SPEAKER_01 54:02

I do not wish my son to spend the best parts of his life confined to such an isle, to such a state, to such a mindset.

SPEAKER_02 54:12

So no. Take the scroll. Maybe my family will learn to get over such trinkets.

SPEAKER_06 54:19

I go to see something and then close my mouth. Ponder that. I have no counter offer, my lord. I shall take you on your offer.

SPEAKER_02 54:31

I thank you for your kindness. Let me go get it.

SPEAKER_06 54:36

Do you mind if I go with you? Forgive me if I don't exactly trust how all of this is going at the moment.

SPEAKER_01 54:45

Caution. Another good thing I want my son to be around.

SPEAKER_06 54:50

Oh, he's got plenty of that except for the company he keeps in the Hotoko boy.

SPEAKER_02 54:55

Not a fan of Soriko, are you?

SPEAKER_06 54:57

He fluts too much and drinks way too much.

SPEAKER_02 55:01

That he does. That he does. Well.

SPEAKER_01 55:05

Perhaps some time away will do Liren good. Now, he finishes the tea. He does in a very slow, very methodical draft. Stands, folds his robes down, and walks inside. What's up?

SPEAKER_06 55:19

As we pass inside, what's the smell of the tea?

SPEAKER_01 55:25

It smells like very strong black tea. With a little bit of you can get a bit of like a petal fragrance. You can see uh a rose petal or two in the uh pot.

SPEAKER_06 55:38

She follows, I follow him in.

SPEAKER_01 55:40

He walks in. The interior is as lavishly decorated as you would see, very much what you're used to in the house of Sayer. Of seeing, not of existing yet. Codero leads you inside. Says, I am confined to this floor, given my antics. Antics. Ah my cousins are quite humorous when they are not struggling for power. He goes, Brings you uh inside to his room, uh or goes to a chest, pulls produces a key from his robe, unlocks the chest, opens it, and takes the scroll that you were looking for. The one that was in the vault that was taken, the very lavish scrawled ink, very well written scroll. There's he goes. Well, I am certainly giving away a priceless part of history. Perhaps I can help to. He g he produces a bag of hold ink, which is uh interior space considerably larger larger than its outer dimensions, uh, two feet at the mouth, four feet deep, can hold up to five hundred pounds, not exceeding a volume of sixty-four cubic feet. Weighs fifteen pounds regardless of its contents. Uh retrieving an item from the bag requires an action. So he gives you a this bag of holding and the scroll.

SPEAKER_06 57:14

You said it was one that is fifty it's this one. Got it. Okay. I stare dumbfounded and take the scroll reverently first and hold it in my hands for a moment. And there's a light of almost this childlike excitement. Like when you when you solve a puzzle or when you finish a puzzle, you just get that deep sense of satisfaction. She's got that I've got that look on my face.

SPEAKER_03 57:54

Lord, you don't know. I I can't thank you for this.

SPEAKER_06 58:01

And then she'll also reach for the bad bag of holding as well.

SPEAKER_01 58:04

You can add both to your inventory. You turn to leave, and Cordero Hinamoto uh bows uh as to your in response to your thank you.

SPEAKER_02 58:14

And as you turn to leave, he he stops you, he goes, Young lady, I do not presume to know much of another, but it appears you are making decisions for someone else. Perhaps you should think about what decisions you can make for you.

SPEAKER_06 58:31

My shoulder stiffened.

SPEAKER_02 58:34

Enjoy your afternoon.

SPEAKER_06 58:36

I glance over my shoulder, bow once. Any decisions I make are my own. And I leave.

SPEAKER_01 58:45

He chuckles a little bit. He does not say anything else. So, Asera, you have acquired the scroll and the bag of holding.

SPEAKER_06 58:53

Now I gotta get out.

SPEAKER_01 58:55

You have to get out. You also have a decision to make.

SPEAKER_06 58:58

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 59:00

You can cut and run. I'll let you stew over that while we return to. Sorry for the extended break, Liren and Kirby. Or Liren and Durham. As they file out, Liren. Everyone has left, they begin to leave, they uh exit the forum. Some go back, are heading back to the estate, some are heading back to their houses in the city, namely along Hyacinth Row. You I'm assuming once everyone's gone, you also leave the forum.

SPEAKER_00 59:29

Yeah, is there anybody that I recognize that does not hate me and is close by?

SPEAKER_01 59:37

Yes. Durham, Sortiko. But also, uh, you can see Suicano gives you a little wave as she as she leaves, but she's steering her kid out. Uh, she does not hang around. Otherwise, you run into your grandfather, uh, Aeneas Lisalis, married into the family, not an original Hinamoto, but you he is sitting outside waiting for you.

SPEAKER_00 1:00:08

Yeah, I will um stand and turn pretty quickly, ignoring my companions next to me, and we'll go outside and spot Aeneas and approach him pretty quickly, and then as I get closer, I'll just kind of humble myself a little bit and approach a little more calmly and bow.

SPEAKER_02 1:00:32

That uh certainly could have gone worse, you know. How are you, dear Liran?

SPEAKER_00 1:00:39

Um, I don't believe I currently have the words to explain that. But I suppose you're right. It could have been worse.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:50

Where is my father? Uh he is in your grandmother's uh house in the estate. You know how she is. Uh these things stress her out. She gets pretty uh uh she gets tense, but he you're uh his cousins have placed him under house arrest. He has not returned the scroll he's maintained possession of.

SPEAKER_02 1:01:13

I'm sorry, he he what? He he insisted on holding on to the scroll. Um, you know, the the really the big one. Um the one you your family really values a lot. Yes, yeah, I'm familiar with it. An unhealthy amount, I would say. He didn't return it?

SPEAKER_01 1:01:33

No, he refused to. He said he knew what the family would do, and he would only return it if they uh let you go.

SPEAKER_02 1:01:42

Ah, good man, your father. I was very, very glad we were around to raise him. It's been a pleasure watching him grow up.

SPEAKER_00 1:01:49

What do you mean, let me go? Come again? What do you mean let me go? He only re He said he'd only return it once they let me go?

SPEAKER_02 1:02:00

Yes, but they agreed to drop the whole, you know. Oh the the whole yes, that.

SPEAKER_00 1:02:07

Oh, oh, right. Off the hook would be a more comforting phrase.

SPEAKER_01 1:02:13

Absolutely. Sorry, not by any other language.

SPEAKER_00 1:02:16

You know, you know how it goes. Yes, okay. Uh so grandmother's too stressed to be here?

SPEAKER_01 1:02:26

And he's she headed back, and he was there. He's he's they locked him in. Not locked him, just uh house arrest. I think he's playing along for now. There's family as well.

unknown 1:02:39

Right.

SPEAKER_01 1:02:39

Thank you. It's it's quite a lot sometimes. My boy Liren, did I ever tell you when I visited Ralia? Good sense that this is like grandfather elderly story is is is coming on.

SPEAKER_00 1:02:53

Um, y y you know you might have a few times.

SPEAKER_02 1:02:57

Well, you know I traveled all over the world and saw some wonderful things, especially in in Ralia, you know.

SPEAKER_01 1:03:05

Most people are content to to forget about it, to to dismiss it as something that's not worth their time and not enough in there, you know, not enough like them to really do anything about it. But I swear to all the gods, I saw the most beautiful sunsets in Ralia.

SPEAKER_00 1:03:25

Alright, thank you so much. This was very nice to catch up with you. Um well I do appreciate that I'm saying around you here. Lirin! Lirin! Yes.

SPEAKER_01 1:03:42

I'm uh go be with your friends, my boy. And remember, the story is not about Ralia. He pats you on the shoulder twice and continues sitting and enjoying his his little spot.

SPEAKER_00 1:03:58

I kind of take a few steps backwards towards Durham, maintaining eye contact with him. Yes. Eye contact with Anaeus. And then turn.

SPEAKER_05 1:04:09

Um yes, Durham, what? Like to go over my notes.

SPEAKER_02 1:04:22

Very detailed notes he took. You I am impressed. I thought dwarves could only write on stone.

SPEAKER_06 1:04:28

You may have just killed Caitlin.

SPEAKER_00 1:04:36

Okay, Dorum. I'll tell you what. How about we talk as we go, pay my father a visit? If he'll even let us.

SPEAKER_05 1:04:48

Oh. I've never been good at walking and talking, but I'm sure I could try. We can take little breaks for you. Sounds good to me. Let's get out of here.

SPEAKER_02 1:05:00

The pressure's feeling a little thick. I know, right? You could slice all of this with so many knives. These people, they take things too seriously. You what did I do?

SPEAKER_00 1:05:13

Stick a finger right into the start of You are lucky.

SPEAKER_05 1:05:19

Yes, we have established this. I am very lucky. Hey. He did avoid getting shot in the face. Right?

SPEAKER_00 1:05:26

Right before our eyes. I was half convinced that the Emperor was going to shoot him in the face.

SPEAKER_01 1:05:33

Well, the Emperor did not have this. And he he grabs the gun from you. But he like he like taps it. He goes, Can I hold on to this? This is a fascinating piece. I would like to paint it. Alright, fine, paint it. Well, it looks fine.

SPEAKER_00 1:05:47

No, just don't let anyone see that on you. Put it away. Why not? It is a weapon. Your family loves weapons. They use them a lot. But it's weird. They might not understand it, and you know how they are when they don't understand things.

SPEAKER_01 1:05:58

Okay, very well. He's like waving the pistol as he's like talking. Anyway, puts the gun away. He puts the he puts the gun away.

SPEAKER_00 1:06:07

Okay. You keep your mouth shut just a little more often, please. For both of our sakes.

SPEAKER_01 1:06:15

Sortiko is like staring, like looking at like Durham isn't you or me? Point's kind of like flipping.

SPEAKER_00 1:06:22

Digs the finger digs the finger back into Sortigo's chest.

SPEAKER_01 1:06:27

You okay, okay, okay. I understand. These things stress you out. I I'm shutting up now. Shutting up now.

SPEAKER_00 1:06:35

I nod, I turn, and I walk with Durham.

SPEAKER_01 1:06:40

As you as you walk, you begin to make your way towards the estate where you know uh your grandmother's mansion will be, where your house brother is being held under house arrest. As you go, you see someone else waiting for you. Who do I shouldn't Sortiku calls out, Well, if it isn't the clown prince of pricks himself. Who isn't who would lead to say that to? You see Raken Hinamoto waiting for you. I know it's uh as you approach Rekin says Rekin just raises an eyebrow at Soriko and goes, You are welcome to test those words anytime you like against my blade, Hatoko. Aside from that, cousin, I'm very glad to see our uh uh esteemed grandfather had mercy on you.

SPEAKER_02 1:07:32

As am I, cousin? You looked as if you wanted to ask me something. Did I? Indeed. I will answer anyway. We must always anticipate our marks. I'll cut to the chase. I vouched for you because you took down the raven. The real raven. Not many people have had luck in the under city and as you may know, my sister is spreading her influence there. She is becoming a rival. With your success, I think we can help each other out.

SPEAKER_03 1:08:13

Well, I've already helped you out. Now, perhaps you can do the same.

SPEAKER_01 1:08:22

And that is where we will call it for today. Thank you all so much for joining us, everyone. Thank you for listening. Please, please, please like on whatever platform you're using to listen to us and please spread the word. We want to share this with as many people as possible. You might have noticed some new features. Uh, you can now support us directly if you so like. By no means, your listenership is more than enough for us. However, if you would like, uh check the description and you can support the podcast in other ways aside from just spreading the word. But of course, feel no pressure whatsoever. But please do reach out and contact us. We'd love to hear back from you. Leave a comment if you'd so choose.

SPEAKER_05 1:09:14

If you have a friend nearby, grab their phone, pull out Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and play us for even just a couple minutes. That Twitter algorithm will always bring them back. Back to the stone of fists.

SPEAKER_01 1:09:30

That is an excellent idea, my friend. Why not make a game of it? Just steal each other's phones as often as possible and play the podcast. That's not I see nothing unethical about that at all.

SPEAKER_07 1:09:44

Y'all are insane.

SPEAKER_00 1:09:46

That's so good. Actually, everyone do that. Do it.

SPEAKER_01 1:09:52

Thank you all again for joining us. We really appreciate it. And with that, thanks for listening. Take care, y'all.