The Apple Festival of Brackenroad is finally here. Oh, how could I even describe it? Well, I think the best way to describe it is to just take you with me. That's right. I'm talking to you, fair listener.
Isaac Allen Burns:Look to your left and right all you want, but I'm talking to you right now. That's right. You listening right here, welcome to the land of Altea, more specifically, the country of Vol'Dayne. Even more specifically, the province of Algenabah. Even further specifically, the road just outside the town of Brackenroad
Isaac Allen Burns:Are you looking for a festival of sights both delicious and delightful? You've come to the right place, friend, because you've come to the Brackenroad Road Apple Follow me. In fact, just take my hand, and I'll take you right there. You're approaching the town from the south, which is where most people approach the town, and you're walking on well worn cobblestones hewn into the sides of rolling hills around this fair province. Soon, as I continue walking you down this road, you're surrounded by apple trees, decked with the most succulent apples that you've ever seen.
Isaac Allen Burns:What's that I hear you saying? Apples are in the fall and yet it's springtime? Oh, well, that's the magic of this place, friend. Maybe apples are in the fall, but Brackenroad Road apples have no season because they are always in season. Look over there to your right, and you'll see our most ancient apple tree.
Isaac Allen Burns:It's nearly 250 years old, and yet it's producing bushels of apple fruit like you've never seen, like it's still in its prime, like it's still young and virile. That's just how blessed we are here in Brackenroad , friend. Deny it all you want, but you can see before you these rows of beautiful orchards. And if you look even further, you'll see even other farms that aren't as cool as these apples. Am I right?
Isaac Allen Burns:We laugh for a few moments. And now, look at this. A big wooden gate standing before us, guarded by these two smiling peacekeepers. We wave at them, and they nod to us and open the gates. Have a wonderful apple day, they say in unison.
Isaac Allen Burns:We brush that off and chuckle as we walk into the gates. We're good friends now. Inside the gates is a sight to see. Flags and streamers of red, green, and yellows hang on nearly every single window on every single building. Not to mention these beautiful colored lamps that are strong across the streets.
Isaac Allen Burns:They may not be lit now as it is the morning time. It is sunny and you just woke up, silly. What's that you smell? That's right. You're sniffing right now.
Isaac Allen Burns:It's the smell of cinnamon and nutmeg and fresh squeezed apples that rise to greet you as the crispest of ciders and the juiciest of tarts are prepared before your very eyes. There's so much to see, but friend, we just have to keep walking. Oh my goodness. You could get to them later. Just do what everyone does.
Isaac Allen Burns:Say you'll be back later in the day and just don't go back. Don't worry. They won't take it personally. Ignore the rest of these street vendors selling their lovingly handcrafted wares and these booths selling their own various town delicacies. Is that a caramel apple?
Isaac Allen Burns:Is that a candied apple? Is that a snozberry apple? We probably can't say that. We just got taken down for copyright. But don't worry, friend.
Isaac Allen Burns:We're in a fantasy world. You don't gotta worry about it. Oh, look where we are now, friend, who I've been leading through this whole town. We're in the town square. Look to your left and you'll see a big stage.
Isaac Allen Burns:Right now, there's a bard playing a jaunty tune on a little loop. Oh, but we can't forget that at end of the first night is the inaugural speech by our fair lord, Viscount Edgar Malthazar, where he kicks off the rest of the big events of the festival. Don't worry. Most people stay for the whole thing, but even if you can't, that's alright. Because down every street and every corner, there's stuff to see here at the Apple Festival.
Isaac Allen Burns:Anyway, that's been me, your good friend and narrator here to lead you around the town of the Apple Festival. So stick around, kick your feet up, and enjoy. You can relax here, friend, because the festival has gone off without a hitch for nearly two hundred and fifty years. Three of you wake up having had a really weird dream of someone leading you around the town. That was in canon, actually.
Isaac Allen Burns:Just to recap a couple things. Y'all have done a lot to prepare the town for something occurring. This includes getting the rats from a trash heap to be on the lookout. You've convinced some of the younger folks around town to keep a lookout. You've convinced some of the older veterans around town to keep a lookout.
Isaac Allen Burns:Now, obviously, they're not gonna stand at attention the whole time. So shifts are occurring where some of them will have been stationed at various outposts just in places where they can see what's going on. The peacekeepers are stationed at the two gates, one heading to the South and one heading to the North. But nevertheless, what this will mean mechanically is that if anything does happen, not saying it would because, yeah, it's just a festival, you guys. Nothing bad happens in the festival.
Isaac Allen Burns:Don't worry about it, gang. But if something does happen, there will be a few mechanical benefits that we will discuss if they come up. And who knows? Maybe they won't. It's just the Apple Festival, you guys.
Isaac Allen Burns:But nevertheless, as the morning starts, I will ask, where do we find you three?
Joseph Diametti:Where were we hiding out? In your
Rowan Collins:In my clubhouse.
Joseph Diametti:Yeah.
Rowan Collins:Off of Droop Farm, which is in the shed on the backside of the property under a hidden cellar door with a bunch of stuffed animals.
Joseph Diametti:Perfect.
Annie Hawthorne:Yep. I feel like I'm just, like, guarding my staff with my life. It's behind me. I am, like, in a corner and it is behind me, and I'm just sitting, looking so I can see everything.
Joseph Diametti:Kapi is outside sitting and looking over his new Halberd.
Rowan Collins:Oh, hi, Kapi.
Joseph Diametti:Hey, kid.
Rowan Collins:Hey. Oh, wow. That's a really long ride you got there.
Joseph Diametti:Oh, yeah. Cyrus gave it to me. Just to make sure we do a really good job protecting the festival.
Rowan Collins:Okay. Well, that makes sense. Is Craig ready?
Joseph Diametti:I don't know. Crank?
Annie Hawthorne:Are you guys outside or are you guys inside?
Joseph Diametti:I poke my head in.
Annie Hawthorne:What? What? What? Everything's fine.
Joseph Diametti:Okay. It's just you've been in there all morning.
Annie Hawthorne:Well, I'm not doing anything weird if that's what you're implying.
Joseph Diametti:Yeah. I just you've been hiding that staff under a blanket.
Isaac Allen Burns:What stuff?
Rowan Collins:We need a knock when we enter so you could put your staff away.
Joseph Diametti:Yeah. I've just noticed I've noticed it's been at attention. And I've noticed that you keep reaching your hand under this the blanket.
Rowan Collins:We can knock if you need to put it away.
Isaac Allen Burns:I'm gonna have to shower
Joseph Diametti:some cold rain on top of this room. I'm just worried that those gauntlets are gonna get rusted or something.
Annie Hawthorne:Alright. Hold your horses. I'm coming.
Isaac Allen Burns:Very good. You step out into the sunlight and the three of you are ready to begin the festival.
Joseph Diametti:Alright. So we all know what we're doing today?
Rowan Collins:Following your orders.
Joseph Diametti:Right? Robot?
Annie Hawthorne:Following your orders?
Joseph Diametti:Right. We all need to follow my orders. Just a quick recap. We have a very dangerous artifact.
Annie Hawthorne:Mhmm. Mhmm. Mhmm.
Joseph Diametti:Right, Crank?
Rowan Collins:I don't
Annie Hawthorne:know what you're talking about.
Joseph Diametti:Let's just keep our eyes peeled for anything suspicious and then, you know, handle it appropriately.
Rowan Collins:That we can do. Okay. Okay. But we are gonna see Scarlet at some point before the end of the day. Right?
Joseph Diametti:I I don't know. Scarlet's very busy. This is like Scarlet Super Bowl, which is a thing in Valdez.
Isaac Allen Burns:That's right. There is a Super Bowl in the land of Altea. There's a sport that's played. And then once a year, all the best teams the two best teams of that sport come together in a fantastic a fantastic celebration of the sport called the Super Bowl. That's right.
Isaac Allen Burns:That is Canon now. Put it on the books. I can't wait to discover more about it.
Joseph Diametti:So, yeah, I I don't know. Scarlett's very busy.
Rowan Collins:I I do think it's important that we probably see her at well, at least what's today. Right?
Joseph Diametti:I don't know. So, also, speaking of well, kind of not really related, but kind of. At the end of the day, assuming that all things go well, if you guys see Nefany, maybe just tell her that I died for testing. Yes. I I liked you, big guy.
Rowan Collins:Why why are we telling Niffany that you die?
Joseph Diametti:I just I don't know. Well, it doesn't have to be that I died. It could be that I got an incurable disease that is infectious. It could be that
Annie Hawthorne:Should we tell her she needs to go see a doctor?
Joseph Diametti:Maybe. Well, wait. Actually, no. Maybe don't do that, actually. Oh.
Joseph Diametti:Okay. Anyways, we have work to do, guys. Doctor. What? What?
Joseph Diametti:Language.
Rowan Collins:I'm so sorry.
Joseph Diametti:You have you've been really wild since you started hanging out with us. I'm worried about your image. I'm If you're gonna be a doctor, you need to keep a certain amount of credibility. Sorry. Okay?
Isaac Allen Burns:Are we
Annie Hawthorne:a bad influence on you? I'm
Joseph Diametti:yeah. I
Rowan Collins:always do that word. It it just called for it this point. Anyway, so you slept with Nepheny? I thought you loved Scarlet.
Joseph Diametti:What are you talking you can't prove guys, the Apple Festival started. We need to be there. We are the main defenders And I hold my giant Stick? Yes. My giant halberd.
Joseph Diametti:Hold my giant halberd and I struggle because it's a little hard to balance. And I walk forward towards town and expect you guys are with me.
Rowan Collins:I kinda wait for a second and look back to Crank and go, isn't Scarlet supposed to be married off at the end of this festival? Meaning, this perhaps is the last time that Kathy will ever get to see Scarlet ever.
Annie Hawthorne:Well, if he's dead, he'll never get to see her again anyway.
Rowan Collins:That's true. But I thought it was just for Nepheny.
Annie Hawthorne:Oh, I thought you were supposed to tell everyone that he died.
Rowan Collins:I think just Nepheny.
Annie Hawthorne:Oh. Well, how is Nepheny gonna believe that he's dead if we don't tell anyone else that he's dead?
Rowan Collins:So we're gonna tell everybody else he's dead.
Annie Hawthorne:Okay. That sounds like a plan.
Rowan Collins:Okay. And then who is this guy?
Annie Hawthorne:His evil twin brother?
Rowan Collins:I like it. Zappy?
Annie Hawthorne:Zappy is a good one.
Rowan Collins:Or Fappy.
Isaac Allen Burns:And on that note, you start following Kapi back into town. The three of you make your way into town and begin your patrol. You notice you take your checkpoints where you go and check on some of the other soldiers at a couple of the taller buildings in town. Not the town hall as the town hall is the tallest building as it is the most important. Some of the other taller buildings that have roof access, there are a couple of people who are there, keeping a lookout on both outside the town and inside of it.
Isaac Allen Burns:As you walk through the town, you walk through the various streets and roads. You see plenty of people here, a plethora of all kinds of people. It's odd because here in Brackenroad, it's largely fawns that are here. But now there are people from kind of all over the province who have come to the Apple Festival. So you still see a lot of fawns, see a couple of see a lot more dwarves around, a lot of people who you can tell are outside of the town.
Isaac Allen Burns:The thing you know about the first day of the Apple Festival is that this is sort of the big booth time. So there's a lot of booths, a lot of tents, a lot of people having set up little station where they can sell their wares, including their fruit and their handmade crafts and such. A lot of the big events like the eating contests and the biggest vegetable contest, the typical fair fairs that occur are later on in the day. And as you are traveling through making checks of all these things, about an hour into the first day, who comes striding up to the three of you? But mayor Raisins himself.
Isaac Allen Burns:He is dressed in a nice long coat of red and green and yellow. It is quite garish. However, it's the festival, baby. You gotta be a little gaudy for the festival. And this man is walking towards y'all.
Isaac Allen Burns:You can tell that he's very stressed out. And he comes up to Kapi and says, hello, Kapi. Hello, all of you. Hello. Oh, it's so good to see you.
Isaac Allen Burns:I see that you're hard at work. Yes? Yes. You're hard at work.
Joseph Diametti:Everything's going great, Mare Raisins. Are you having a good time?
Isaac Allen Burns:Good. Yes. I'm having a great how am having a can I talk to you three really fast? Can I just talk to you three really fast just very quickly? Come here.
Isaac Allen Burns:Come here to the side alley. He, like, drags the three of you over to the side alley.
Joseph Diametti:Okay. Okay. Listen. Listen. In the side alley.
Isaac Allen Burns:Yes. We are here. No one is around. I have to ask you something very sensitive. I'm going to whisper it now.
Isaac Allen Burns:Did any of you see anything when you came to the town hall a few days ago? You came and and you and Habito have noticed anything there that seemed peculiar, you did not see anyone walking away with, like, a big walking stick or maybe a stick that had lots of gems in it? Or did you see anything like that?
Joseph Diametti:Are is is this how you tell us that you collect sticks?
Isaac Allen Burns:No. No. No. No. No.
Isaac Allen Burns:No. No. No.
Joseph Diametti:No. No. No. No.
Isaac Allen Burns:No.
Joseph Diametti:Did you see a big No.
Isaac Allen Burns:Stuffed with clothes?
Joseph Diametti:No. No.
Isaac Allen Burns:Did you not see it?
Joseph Diametti:No. Why? Why? What's going on?
Isaac Allen Burns:Okay. We are calm. We are breathing. We are calm. Give me one moment.
Rowan Collins:Pistachio currently is just, like, mile, loudly staring just like and then slowly goes behind Craig as if there's nothing.
Isaac Allen Burns:The only re okay. The reason that I ask is because there was a very important thing in the town hall.
Joseph Diametti:Okay.
Isaac Allen Burns:That was very secretive that may have had the description of a staff that was green, and it is not there anymore. So nothing to fear. Nothing to fear. Don't even worry
Joseph Diametti:about it. No. No. I know. But I stick my hands out to crank and pistachios if did you say, like, yeah.
Joseph Diametti:Everything's fine. Okay. Mayor Raisins Yes.
Isaac Allen Burns:Is that the same?
Joseph Diametti:What was what was so important about the staff?
Isaac Allen Burns:Oh, nothing. It's nothing. It's It's nothing about it. I was nothing about it. Really, was a failure.
Isaac Allen Burns:Just wanted to fight it. It's not here right now. So there's nothing to worry. Yeah.
Joseph Diametti:You know? Right now. But you see You know what? What? Actually Actually?
Joseph Diametti:Now that I think about it
Isaac Allen Burns:You are thinking?
Joseph Diametti:I'm thinking hard.
Isaac Allen Burns:Okay.
Joseph Diametti:And I think my two compatriots could back me up on this.
Isaac Allen Burns:Okay.
Joseph Diametti:I think we saw , man.
Isaac Allen Burns:I can hardly hear the end of suspense.
Joseph Diametti:Okay. First off, what the hell is Scarlet's dad's name?
Annie Hawthorne:Oh, you have the same guy. Yeah.
Joseph Diametti:Apple Bottoms. What's his name?
Annie Hawthorne:Oh, yeah. Apple Bottoms.
Isaac Allen Burns:Apple people.
Rowan Collins:Apple Apple
Joseph Diametti:Yeah. Okay. I think we saw rich apple people leave with he was holding it looks like a stick under like a blanket or some and I actually I wanna use my Oh. Deft deceiver, which is an ability where I can spend a hope to take advantage on a role I make to deceive or trick someone Oh, no. Into believing a lie I tell them.
Isaac Allen Burns:Nice. Okay. This will be a presence role for deception. Go ahead and do it.
Joseph Diametti:Alright. My presence role is a plus one. That is a 18 with hope and I get to roll advantage to spend a hope to roll advantage, which is a six.
Isaac Allen Burns:So 24.
Joseph Diametti:With hope.
Isaac Allen Burns:So for reasons Hope.
Rowan Collins:We're not hope.
Isaac Allen Burns:For for reasons I won't fully reveal, I will say the DC for this was very high, as in it was a 20. You beat a 20. So his eyes go wide, and you hear him say, that son of a bitch. I knew he was up to something.
Joseph Diametti:I knew he would do this. Never had a good feeling about him.
Isaac Allen Burns:He's always tried to Always.
Joseph Diametti:He's always tried to I heard him talking about you.
Isaac Allen Burns:He's never liked me. That's right. I knew he never liked me.
Joseph Diametti:I tried to tell him you were a good guy.
Isaac Allen Burns:He was always mad. The guy was made and not his people.
Joseph Diametti:He just couldn't stand that you had the power.
Isaac Allen Burns:That's why I'm going to there's very little I can actually do, but I'm mad about it now.
Joseph Diametti:Oh, should be.
Isaac Allen Burns:He puts a he puts a talent on your shoulder and says, Kapi, you make me feel very better. We will come up with a plan of attack to get it back. This is this is very bad, Ziti. It's gone.
Joseph Diametti:What kind of security council would we be if we didn't make you feel secure?
Isaac Allen Burns:Yes. You are very right. You know, Kapi, I was a little unsure when I heard that a bunch of random people in the town were put on security notice. But at first, I was worried that would cause an an uproar, a commotion. But now I see I can trust you.
Isaac Allen Burns:This is very good.
Rowan Collins:Mayor, what does that staff do?
Joseph Diametti:Okay, Poustache. Oh,
Isaac Allen Burns:that's it is just a fairy goddoms. There is nothing very important to Nothing I have to worry about.
Joseph Diametti:Nothing to worry about.
Isaac Allen Burns:It's not it's not crucial to staff.
Joseph Diametti:To the town.
Isaac Allen Burns:Not at all. It's just a thing.
Joseph Diametti:So it's just a thing.
Isaac Allen Burns:Yes. It's
Joseph Diametti:thing. So let's go when I I I push Pistachio out the alley.
Annie Hawthorne:I back out of the alley very slowly holding my body in a way that just obscures this giant long stick on my back.
Isaac Allen Burns:He watches you go and says, that robot moves. Very weird. But good thing I have nothing to worry about, but have to get back and see Apple people. You see, his fears have been fully assuaged, and he as you step out of the alley, you hear footsteps running towards you, it's the mayor. He forgot something.
Isaac Allen Burns:He says, wait. Before you go.
Joseph Diametti:Yes. Mayor of Raisins.
Isaac Allen Burns:Of course. So one thing I wanted to talk to you about, however, was that
Joseph Diametti:That wasn't the thing?
Isaac Allen Burns:Oh, that was the thing. But I was so scared of this thing. I forgot about the other thing I wanted to give you. And he holds out three little tickets. He hands them to you and says, listen.
Isaac Allen Burns:One thing that I believe in is that this festival is very important for all of us. And I think the three of you should also remind ourselves what you are defending. And so these three tickets can be used to play any of the games for free across the festival. Feel free to enjoy yourself. Take a little five minute break and play maybe one of the Applejacks or perhaps the any of the other games that are there.
Isaac Allen Burns:Listen. Listen. I trust all of this in your hands. So if you find a break, I just wanted to do something for you for you to feel good. So enjoy the festival, my friends.
Joseph Diametti:And thank thank you, sir. Thank you. Means a lot.
Isaac Allen Burns:I am a good leader, and he turns and walks away.
Rowan Collins:Pistachio's face is, like, plastered on us this while and looks over to Kathy and goes,
Isaac Allen Burns:hi.
Rowan Collins:I don't feel good about this.
Joseph Diametti:Crank, are you okay? That one was close.
Annie Hawthorne:I think so. Maybe we should disguise this thing a little better.
Joseph Diametti:Maybe. Here. Let me take it.
Annie Hawthorne:No. What? No. You can't defend it. What?
Annie Hawthorne:You're
Joseph Diametti:was just kidding. You not want me to hold the I mean, I I I do have this big thing for right now. So
Annie Hawthorne:Yeah. You're holding your own.
Joseph Diametti:Okay.
Annie Hawthorne:You can't touch mine.
Joseph Diametti:Okay. Should we play some games?
Rowan Collins:I was hoping we could.
Annie Hawthorne:What kind of games are there? I've never been to this festival before.
Joseph Diametti:That's right. Crank's never Pistachio Crank's never been to the Apple Festival.
Rowan Collins:Wait. That's so funny.
Joseph Diametti:Crank, you have to play Apple Jacks.
Annie Hawthorne:Apple Jacks. What is that?
Joseph Diametti:Apple Jacks is the best game where
Isaac Allen Burns:You go to the Apple Jacks table as Kapi explains that Apple Jacks is a game of finesse, where what you have to do is you hold an apple in your hand, and you have to throw it up in the air, and you have to pick up as many seeds, many apple seeds as you can off the table, and catch the apple before it splats on top of you. Simply put, you'll roll a Finesse check. And depending on how well you roll will determine how many seeds you pick up and depends on what kind of prize you get.
Rowan Collins:I'm very bad at Apple Jacks, but I will happily go, okay.
Isaac Allen Burns:Alright. Hands you a nice plump apple and says, okay. You gotta throw it up directly above your head and catch as many get as many seeds as you can.
Rowan Collins:This apple is, like, twice the size of the hand.
Isaac Allen Burns:These are big Brackenroad apples.
Rowan Collins:Big Brackenroad apples. So Pistachio tosses it up. Wow. That's a crit with Oh
Annie Hawthorne:my god.
Isaac Allen Burns:Oh my goodness.
Rowan Collins:But it's like a two's crit, which is funny.
Joseph Diametti:Okay. Looks
Isaac Allen Burns:Go ahead and roll a d 10 just to see how many you're able to get.
Annie Hawthorne:Oh my gosh.
Rowan Collins:I rolled another two, y'all.
Isaac Allen Burns:Oh, so what happens is here's exactly what happens, Pistachio, is you throw the apple up in the air. And as you go down, you pick up two seeds, and suddenly a bird comes out of nowhere and starts grabbing the seeds off the table. So in the few seconds that you have, you, like, start fighting the bird off, and then a bird flies away just in time for you to catch the apple. So you only have two seeds, but everyone's really impressed. And you see the person behind the table who's kinda, like, covered in feathers now says, wow.
Isaac Allen Burns:I've never seen that happen. Yeah. That's we'll say you you we'll say you did it. Good job. Wow.
Rowan Collins:Leaks.
Isaac Allen Burns:Okay. So think it is good for three of you to try it.
Joseph Diametti:Let me show you how it's done, metal.
Isaac Allen Burns:Copy goes up.
Joseph Diametti:Alright. So and just because I have this experience, I feel like I have to use it. I wanna I wanna use how do you like dem apples? Yes. Which is a plus two on top of my plus two finesse anyways.
Joseph Diametti:So again, I look at crank, then I wink, and then I throw the apple in the air.
Isaac Allen Burns:You do so.
Joseph Diametti:Then I
Isaac Allen Burns:What do we got?
Joseph Diametti:Hang on. I had to figure out if it was a six or nine.
Rowan Collins:Nice.
Joseph Diametti:A 17 with fear.
Isaac Allen Burns:Kapi,
Rowan Collins:you With fear, though.
Isaac Allen Burns:Throw the apple up, and you're able to pick up seven seeds before the apple comes down. And the thing is is that whenever you throw the apple up, it's coming down. And the last thing you wanna do is crunch the apple. And, Kapi, you're able to cash the apple so easily. See, a couple of kids were standing around and say, what?
Isaac Allen Burns:Oh my gosh. Seven. My Seven.
Joseph Diametti:Keep going. Keep going.
Isaac Allen Burns:Oh my gosh. Got Chevy
Joseph Diametti:No. It's nothing really. It's in that, you know, I look at Crank as if I'm, like, challenging him.
Annie Hawthorne:Oh, that looks easy.
Isaac Allen Burns:Table person looks at you, Crank, and says, sod, do you wanna try it? You seem really big.
Joseph Diametti:Crank. Crank.
Isaac Allen Burns:Crank. Crank. Crank. Luckily, apple jacks is played with one hand. You can't, like, do two hands.
Isaac Allen Burns:So you can hold it in one of your hands and try it.
Annie Hawthorne:I'm trying to think because my finesse is plus zero.
Isaac Allen Burns:So it
Annie Hawthorne:could either be terrible or I could be, like, using my strength to throw this apple as high as I can into space.
Rowan Collins:That's so funny. Oh my god.
Isaac Allen Burns:I'll say this one.
Annie Hawthorne:Can I use my strength to throw this apple as hard as I can
Isaac Allen Burns:to hear? I will let you use strength, but the DCs will increase. I'll say that much.
Annie Hawthorne:Okay.
Isaac Allen Burns:Go for it. Let's see what happens.
Annie Hawthorne:It's gonna be terrible. 20 with hope. God. 20.
Isaac Allen Burns:You cock back and just baseball throw this apple straight up in the air. And then just with your big hands, you just scoop all the seeds. And then you reach out for the apple, and it had so much. Then once it hits your hand, it just you don't move your hand to, like, catch it, so it just splatters everywhere in your hand. The table person behind just kinda wipes apple cuts off of his face, and they said, well, I guess you did catch it, but it feels like a technicality.
Isaac Allen Burns:I don't I don't know what to do here, but you're really tall, and I'm intimidated by you. So I'm gonna say you win. Oh, you're supposed to pick them up. You know, it does you okay. You all win.
Isaac Allen Burns:Good job, everybody. You get the three prize, and he hands all three of you a little potion. Yay. Everyone beat the equivalent of the DC 15 to get the five seed prize, which for each of you is a focus potion. This potion smells like a fresh apple, freshly squeezed with a touch of cinnamon.
Isaac Allen Burns:And if you drink this, your next Finesse roll will have a plus one.
Rowan Collins:So it's Gee.
Annie Hawthorne:That's mister?
Joseph Diametti:It's Adderall.
Rowan Collins:Oh, thanks.
Isaac Allen Burns:There's only plus one for your very next Finesse roll. But, yeah, the three of you get that, and that's really awesome. Can someone roll me a d six?
Rowan Collins:I'll do it. Three.
Isaac Allen Burns:Fantastic. This is really great.
Rowan Collins:Can we go bob for apples? I could hold my breath a really long time.
Annie Hawthorne:I don't need to breathe.
Rowan Collins:That is true.
Joseph Diametti:I'm so I'm starting to see a pattern in how most of these games is gonna go. And
Rowan Collins:I also am pretty good at guessing where the apple is under the cups. That one's pretty good.
Isaac Allen Burns:Are you talking about apple tiles? Apple tiles. Is pretty good. Yeah. That is pretty fun.
Isaac Allen Burns:Very good. As you start heading towards apple tiles, you see someone walking down the road, and this person sticks out to you because you see a well dressed, rather plump elf. She's rather tall. She's dressed in vibrant greens. And on either side of her are two armored individuals with green designs all over the armor and a banner kind of put on it of a wolf, which you all know is the banner of Just Thane.
Isaac Allen Burns:It clicks to you, Kapi, who specifically heard about this. This is senator Martin, and she is walking through. She has got the most beautiful teeth you've ever seen a person have and a laugh that carries. And you see that she's talking to some local nobles. You see she's hobnobbing and chatting with them.
Isaac Allen Burns:The two guards on either side are kind of looking around. You see their heads are on a swivel. They're not like their hands aren't on their swords. They're not looking aggressive. They're just more they're clearly bodyguards.
Isaac Allen Burns:But they're looking around and they see the three of you, and one of them sees that halberd of yours and just kinda cocks his head to the side.
Joseph Diametti:And Kapi just waves back at him. Hi. Hi. And I I I kinda like I lean over to my gang. Playtime's over.
Joseph Diametti:You see you see that elf over there?
Rowan Collins:The pretty tall one?
Joseph Diametti:Yes. The well dressed pump one
Isaac Allen Burns:as I I heard As it was described.
Annie Hawthorne:He's not that tall.
Isaac Allen Burns:Okay.
Joseph Diametti:We need to protect that elf. That's senator Martin.
Rowan Collins:Oh, okay. K. Ready?
Joseph Diametti:Everyone act real professional.
Rowan Collins:Pistachio bounds up to her. Oh, hello. Welcome to the festival.
Isaac Allen Burns:Oh, dear. Well, hello there.
Rowan Collins:Hi. I'm Pistachio Droop.
Isaac Allen Burns:Well, a pleasure to meet you, Pistachio. My name is Melissa Martin. She holds a handout for you.
Rowan Collins:Pistachio takes her hand and gives her a firm handshake.
Isaac Allen Burns:Oh, a firm handshake. Someone raised you right, little one.
Rowan Collins:Thanks. That was my sister.
Annie Hawthorne:That's all the nuttin'.
Rowan Collins:It is all
Isaac Allen Burns:Oh, my.
Rowan Collins:We are I'm part of the nut farm, the Droop family farm, But this is the Apple Festival, so welcome. I'm part of the Adventury Group. This is my boss, Kapi, and my best friend, Craig.
Isaac Allen Burns:Hi. Oh, you're adventurers. I did hear there was a branch here in Brackenroad. I was curious to see what kind of adventure were here. Pleasure to meet you, Melissa Martin.
Isaac Allen Burns:She was a Very,
Joseph Diametti:very and I buttoned up my jacket. Senator Martin, is there anything that we could do to, you know, make your time here more comfortable? I see you have your guards. Is there anywhere we could help point you? Or?
Isaac Allen Burns:Dear, this is not my first Apple Festival, trust you me, but I do appreciate it.
Joseph Diametti:Yeah. No. I Yeah. Absolutely. Well, we're here and we, you know, we have connections.
Joseph Diametti:So if you, you know, if you need anything at all, you you let us know. Okay?
Isaac Allen Burns:Oh, well, I do love to hear that. Thank you so much for your hospitality. I wasn't sure what kind of reception we were gonna get. I haven't stepped inside these borders in nearly ten years. Wow.
Isaac Allen Burns:But I love to see this little town is just so ripe and beautiful.
Rowan Collins:Oh, well, the town that they see you. We're about to go towards the apple tiles. Would you like to join us?
Isaac Allen Burns:Oh, I do wish I could. I do wish I could, but duty calls, I have to hobnob to every self important noble here in this wonderful country. In fact, I believe that I can hear my old boss, mister Balthazar himself, coming this way. Oh. Oh, a Viscount now.
Isaac Allen Burns:You know, he used to be an Earl.
Rowan Collins:Oh, I do know that. Yes.
Isaac Allen Burns:He used to be an Earl, but for the first time in Fulbain's history, he was downgraded. Oh, it makes my little sassy heart happy to hear it.
Rowan Collins:Pistachio is just like, looks happy. Okay. Well,
Joseph Diametti:this has been great. Yep. Crank? Yeah. Let's go.
Rowan Collins:Alright. Well, let us know. Goodbye.
Isaac Allen Burns:She smiles wide knowing she made you uncomfortable. And just in time, you look around and see another important figure walking down the street. It's a dwarven man who is very stout and very wide with very serious expression on his face. Looks like he hasn't cracked a smile in nearly years. On either side of him, you see a member of the peacekeepers you haven't seen before.
Isaac Allen Burns:He's very well dressed in a sort of officer's uniform. You see the insignia on his uniform suggests that he is a major. Can see a couple of features on this individual that sort of favors the man walking towards you now. None of you have ever met this person before, but you have certainly heard of him. This is Viscount Edgar Balthasar.
Isaac Allen Burns:You see that they approach each other, and from the distance, you see a very terse and tense conversation, but one that senator Martin smiles throughout.
Rowan Collins:That does not look like a very good conversation.
Isaac Allen Burns:You like to try an eavesdrop of what they're talking about? Absolutely.
Joseph Diametti:Yeah. So I was trying to look at I was trying well, one, I was trying to see if I have a move, but my first instinct was to ask Crank to use his antennas.
Annie Hawthorne:Yeah. I'll just, like, turn up the volume knob on my one non broken ear audio receptor.
Isaac Allen Burns:That's incredible. Go ahead and make that instinct check to try and hear it.
Annie Hawthorne:Oh, and I have a plus an extra plus one to instinct right now
Rowan Collins:because I
Annie Hawthorne:have my staff.
Isaac Allen Burns:Power of the staff glows within you.
Annie Hawthorne:19 with fear.
Isaac Allen Burns:19 is pretty good. I'll take I'll go ahead and use that fear right now. But first, Crank, you hear a snippet of conversation. You hear Melissa Martin saying, well, Edgar, if you had just listened to me when I first came to you with all those demands that our union had, you probably wouldn't have wound up in this conversation, would you? And yet here you are now a Viscount.
Isaac Allen Burns:What a shame. You hear Edgar sort of say, things were different back then, Melissa. You know that just as much as I do. And Melissa interrupts and says, senator Martin, to you, viscount. In any case, I'm so happy that I'm able to see what this place looks like.
Isaac Allen Burns:At least you haven't ruined this place too like you tried to do with all the other places up north. Edgar sort of sighs heavily and says, well, enjoy your time here. Hopefully, you'll enjoy it a lot more than Cloud of Towers writes. He hasn't been heard from for a while, if I recall. And you can tell from here that senator Martin's smile is plastered on, but you can see a little twinge and says, well, I'm not one to speak much of the newlyweds now, am I?
Isaac Allen Burns:I hate to get in other people's business after all. And Edgar sort of smirks and nods and says, enjoy your time at the festival. Don't drink yourself or two under the table, and he walks away before Melissa sort of looks over in your direction, Crank, who has noticed that you were listening and just sort of winks. The fear was that you were found out that you were watching. However, on that night scene, you were able to hear all
Joseph Diametti:that. Well?
Annie Hawthorne:I just, like, had my, like, mouth open that whole time and had it, like, relanged to the speaker. Oh. So you heard all of that.
Rowan Collins:Oh. Yeah.
Joseph Diametti:Belfastar seems a little
Isaac Allen Burns:a little fit to say.
Annie Hawthorne:She saw me.
Joseph Diametti:She saw you?
Annie Hawthorne:Yeah. She, like, winked at me.
Isaac Allen Burns:As they walk away, they move a little further than you can hear. But as your attention is still on her, you do notice that the peacekeeper that was with Edgar Malthazar comes up to senator Martin later, sort of, like, shaking his head and seeming apologetic in whatever he's saying to her. That conversation doesn't last long enough for anything interesting to be said though.
Joseph Diametti:Let's keep an eye on that.
Rowan Collins:Yeah. Not to freak out about, but just to keep an eye on.
Joseph Diametti:There we go. Hey, you're learning.
Rowan Collins:Yeah. Which is good. Thanks. You see like little stars and pistachios? Kapi doesn't notice.
Rowan Collins:As
Isaac Allen Burns:you head out, can someone throw me another d six?
Rowan Collins:Not me.
Joseph Diametti:I'll do
Isaac Allen Burns:it. Someone else.
Joseph Diametti:That's a two.
Isaac Allen Burns:Oh, two. That's different. Very exciting. Not much time has really passed and you're kind of on your, like, thirty minute break right now. And so you then notice someone that sticks out to you, Crank.
Isaac Allen Burns:You see over at one of the booths is a little cidery of sorts where some different ciders are made. All of them taste like apples. No pineapple ciders, no blackberry ciders, just straight up apples up and down. And they have sort of set up a little bar area where people can sit and have some cider and you notice a man sitting there, a fawn, a very old fawn. Thing is, Crank, seeing this fawn almost twinges something in your brain.
Isaac Allen Burns:This old fawn is dressed in these sort of burgundy and purple robes that go down to their little hooves. They're sitting there talking to another old fawn, a fawn you recognize, actually. You see Farmer Hitchens is talking to this man. But, Crank, the reason this person sticks out to you is that something burns through your synapses to tell you that that individual is from Polaris.
Annie Hawthorne:I think I fall behind a little bit for my friends as they continue through the festival. I, like, sidestep over to there.
Joseph Diametti:Yeah. We're just Pistachio and I are walking ahead, and we're, like, really we're doing that thing where we bring someone to our hometown, and we're being, like, obnoxious about it. We're like, no. No. No.
Joseph Diametti:No. No. The best thing that you have to try is is the
Rowan Collins:Is oh, of course, the ice cream.
Joseph Diametti:The apple ice cream. Yeah. They put these little cinnamon pieces in them.
Isaac Allen Burns:Right. They're so
Rowan Collins:good. Crunchy pieces of cinnamon, like cinnamon crisp.
Joseph Diametti:Right. And I know you don't eat, but you just gotta watch people eat it. It's it's and then we're just, like, walking in as our voices faded.
Rowan Collins:And they have this, like, little tractor thing that goes, boof. Every time that, like, makes the ice cream, it's, wait.
Isaac Allen Burns:So, Crank, you've sidled behind as their voice is talking about apple ice cream. You sidle up to those two fawns, do you?
Annie Hawthorne:I do. Like, kinda behind them as they're talking. I am gonna reach my hand in, like, under the blanket behind my back, and I'm gonna just, like, hold the staff.
Isaac Allen Burns:Farmer Hitchens recognizes you. He's got a pretty bad memory, but he still recognizes you. And he says, oh, well, hey there, Crank. Good to see you. Good to see you.
Isaac Allen Burns:Hey there.
Annie Hawthorne:Hello. Excuse me. I noticed your robes. Are you from Polaris?
Isaac Allen Burns:You see turning around this old fawn, clearly well along in age, probably in the latter end of the age of a fawn, looks at you and just kind of smiles and says, oh, I can't. Never thought I'd see a mark two defender in my day. Where's your where's your charge? Where's your defender? And before you can even answer, Farmer Hitchens kinda smacks him and says, no.
Isaac Allen Burns:No. No, Foswell. This is just it's Crank. He's just a guy. He's not a it's not a charge or anything like those newfangled concepts.
Isaac Allen Burns:He's just a good working man. And Foswald looks at you very quizzically and says, really now? Is that true? Tell me about yourself, son.
Annie Hawthorne:Well, originally, I had a charge, but I haven't had a charge in ten years now.
Isaac Allen Burns:Oh, that would track ever since the civil war. Right?
Annie Hawthorne:Yeah. And now I'm trying to go to Polaris to become a wizard.
Isaac Allen Burns:Oh, you wanna go to Polaris, do you? Sorry to tell you, Mach two is you know, you're you weren't developed to do magic, unfortunately. So
Annie Hawthorne:I'm gonna grip the staff behind me. I'm gonna hold my hand out, and I'm just gonna, like, will something happen.
Isaac Allen Burns:What happens?
Annie Hawthorne:I don't know.
Isaac Allen Burns:Make a we'll say make an instinct role. It was like a spell casting role.
Annie Hawthorne:Sixteen, seventeen with fear.
Isaac Allen Burns:17 with fear. Okay. Uh-oh. 17, you succeed. What occurs in your hand?
Annie Hawthorne:I think the staph is, like, nature based, so I think I just, like, have vines just grow around my hand.
Isaac Allen Burns:Oh. You see, Fonzewald looks at this. His eyes kinda squint. He looks at you and says, that's very curious. You got a name?
Isaac Allen Burns:What's your name?
Annie Hawthorne:My name is
Isaac Allen Burns:Crank. Crank now. Well, Crank, this is very curious. This from my observation, seems like you haven't really done this very much, have you?
Annie Hawthorne:Well, I've been working really hard on it for a long time.
Isaac Allen Burns:That I see. That I see. The gauntlets on your hand, those are arcane gauntlets, are they not? Technically. Those were common issue order towards the end of the civil war.
Isaac Allen Burns:I remember I was part of the unit that sort of assisted the war mages in putting that together. The fact that those don't glow tell me that you haven't quite mastered magic, but you do have some amount of magic within you, it seems. What was the name of your charge? Do you remember? His name was Adrian Toulouse.
Isaac Allen Burns:Adrian Toulouse. By the gods. Crank. Right? Yes.
Isaac Allen Burns:How long have you been in this town? You've been here for ten years?
Annie Hawthorne:Been here for three weeks.
Isaac Allen Burns:Three weeks. What were you doing before then? I don't remember. He kinda strokes his beard, he looks at you all. Very curious.
Annie Hawthorne:The last thing I remember is the war, and then I woke up, and then they sent me on my way, and now it's been ten years.
Isaac Allen Burns:Ten years and three weeks. You were deactivated for nearly ten years after the war, and now you've come back about three weeks ago. Craig, this is you're rather fascinating, young one, I would say. You know, the mark threes were made to have a little more self awareness and pool ability. And yet here you stand knowing your name and history, and you can at least have some mastery over an ounce of magic.
Annie Hawthorne:Do you think that I could go to Polaris?
Isaac Allen Burns:Kinda squints and looks at you and says, crank, if I'm being honest, that would be quite complicated. You see, most mark twos of your style were deactivated after the war fully. Disassembled and put into new parts, you'd be a walking relic, a fossil, really. But if there's one thing that Polaris loves, it's curiosities. And you seem rather curious having come on your own volition to come and talk to me.
Isaac Allen Burns:You weren't ordered to do so, were you?
Annie Hawthorne:No. I haven't taken that order in ten years.
Isaac Allen Burns:And Adrian Toulouse is dead. Yes. Or so we were told. Tell you what, Crank. He reaches into his realm and pulls out this crystal, kinda like an orb but with a lot of sides on it, so it's very crystalline in structure.
Isaac Allen Burns:He hands it to you and says, if you're able to get those arcane gauntlets working, they can reliably use magic. I want you to shatter this crystal where you stand. I will be there in but a moment, and we can have a conversation. By the gods, I tell you this, Greg, that if you shatter that crystal and your magic doesn't work, I swear to the darkest of midnight, I will disassemble you where you stand. Do not waste my time.
Isaac Allen Burns:Am I very
Annie Hawthorne:clear? Crystal.
Isaac Allen Burns:Very good. I think if you're able to do this, you're able to get those gauntlets working and you can get control over that magic of yours, I think you've got a lot of potential, Crank.
Annie Hawthorne:Thank you, sir.
Isaac Allen Burns:He looks back at you and nods and says, before you go, Crank, can I ask you something? Of course. Does the name Delilah Tomas mean anything to you? Make a knowledge check for me.
Annie Hawthorne:19 with hope. Oh.
Isaac Allen Burns:19 with hope. Crank, This is great. Guess what, you guys? What? I think now is a good time for a flashback.
Isaac Allen Burns:Crank. Flashback. Crank, what is your first memory?
Annie Hawthorne:I think my first memory is being activated after I came off the assembly line, and I'm just, like, standing in a room. Like, you know, those old, like, tombs that just have the stone, like, statues and just very neat orderly rows? I think I'm standing on one of those. It was just me, lots and lots of mach twos just standing there waiting to be deployed.
Isaac Allen Burns:This is a memory that comes screaming back to the forefront of your mind. As you come to, you hear a voice saying, new graduates. It's it's it's it echoes. I'm not gonna do the echo, but it's echo. They're in a big room.
Isaac Allen Burns:You understand. Echoes. You all have been specifically chosen for this new technology. The power of our anima as wizards of Polaris is such that few weapons can truly harm us. However, as technology gets more and more advanced and deadly, we need new tools to shield ourselves.
Isaac Allen Burns:Thus, introducing the Defender Series Mark two, a new age of defense for our personal safety. Each of you will be given a Defender series to protect you in the coming battles. Standing before you, Crank, is a person who you would later know as Adrian Toulouse. Can you go ahead and describe Adrian Toulouse to us right now?
Annie Hawthorne:I think he's very average. He's average height, average weight, has a little bit of a scruffy beard and long hair that he probably doesn't spend much time on. I think he just looks like he doesn't spend a lot of time on his appearance because he's too busy being buried in his books and his magic. Maybe his hair is a little, like, red tinged, like auburn, and he just looks very intelligent.
Isaac Allen Burns:What would you say his ancestry is, do you think? I think he's a half elf. So you see an auburn haired, scruffy looking, lack of care half elf before you. The thing that really surprises you I think is his smile and he's got a big one right now. It's the kind of smile that just makes you like a person.
Isaac Allen Burns:You know what I mean? He's smiling real big. He has two assistants next to him played by you two right now. And you see that this one looks at you and says, Defender Mark two. That's a bit of a mouthful.
Isaac Allen Burns:What do you think, Pleiades? What should we name him?
Rowan Collins:Well, this thing is made out of metal, so maybe we should do something like aluminum or titanium or something like that.
Isaac Allen Burns:Okay. Okay. We can put that on the drawing board. What about you, Costello? What do you think?
Joseph Diametti:I don't think that we should name it.
Isaac Allen Burns:Of course, you don't, Costello.
Joseph Diametti:Of course, you don't. Listen. The moment we humanize, we can't get attached. We know what their purpose is.
Rowan Collins:You're so full of yourself. Come on. It's just naming it so it's less of a mouthful, you know?
Joseph Diametti:Fine. M m two. Does that make you happy?
Rowan Collins:M two. That's basically calling it the same thing.
Joseph Diametti:Fine. Tooey. Tooey. Tooey. Final answer.
Isaac Allen Burns:Oh my goodness. Okay. Get a room, you two. Okay. Let's just ask it.
Isaac Allen Burns:And you see that he is looking at you right now in your activated state and says, hello. My name is Adrian. What is your name? Do you have a name?
Annie Hawthorne:I do not have a designation.
Isaac Allen Burns:Would you like a name?
Annie Hawthorne:If you would like to bestow one on me.
Isaac Allen Burns:Let's see. Cognant robotic assistant with NovaSyte Kinematics. That would work. Call you crank. How's that sound?
Isaac Allen Burns:Do you like that?
Annie Hawthorne:I have no opinion.
Isaac Allen Burns:I see. Well, Costello, Pleiades, this is really good now that we have one of these. You haven't told anyone that we're leaving for just a second. Right? No.
Isaac Allen Burns:Of course not. Good. Good. Good. Good.
Isaac Allen Burns:Now that we have Crank here, we can really further our research. I think we're gonna make some great leaps. He kinda puts hands on each of your shoulders and says, we're gonna launch ourselves into the future. And Crank here is the key. He smiles real big.
Isaac Allen Burns:Well, Craig, I think this is the start of a beautiful friendship. What do you say?
Annie Hawthorne:Designation updated.
Isaac Allen Burns:I like you, Craig. And as he says that, you see walking up to him is a elven woman. She has really sharp features and her hair is up in a bun. She kind of like chuckles and says, you're calling it Crank? Do you like that name, Crank?
Isaac Allen Burns:Is that a good name for you?
Annie Hawthorne:That is my designation.
Isaac Allen Burns:You're going to humanize it. You're gonna humanize it and you're going to hate yourself, Adrian.
Joseph Diametti:I keep trying to tell him.
Rowan Collins:It's literally not that big a deal. It's just a simple shorthand.
Isaac Allen Burns:Adrian looks at her and says, when we give things a name, we give it significance. And I think Crank is gonna be very significant. And you see that she smiles and says, you think everything you do is significant and kisses him and then they kiss for an awkward amount of time in front of the two of you. And Delilah, as she pulls away, says, well, have fun, you three. I'll be back to studying my research.
Isaac Allen Burns:I was also given a mark too, so I'm not as excited as you three seem to be. But maybe I'll name mine too. Something like titanium or maybe aluminum.
Rowan Collins:That's a great name. See?
Isaac Allen Burns:Thank you, Pleiades. I knew you would understand. See?
Joseph Diametti:Eye roll.
Isaac Allen Burns:She walks away, and you see that Adrian smiles and says, that Delilah, love her to death. And he looks over at you, Crank, as the memory sort of fades.
Annie Hawthorne:Yes. I know Delilah.
Isaac Allen Burns:Hey. It's a podcast.