S2 E10: The Future Is Middledwell

Tatiana Gefter:

Hello, everyone, my name is Tatiana Gefter. I use she/they pronouns and I am playing Alma of the Vale with The Gravedigger playbook.

Michi Zaya:




Hi, my name is Michi Zaya. I use any pronouns and I am playing Fletcher, The Witch.

Jenine Florence Jacinto:

My name is Jenine Florence Jacinto. I use they/them pronouns and I play Hoku Bayana.

Octa Delgado:

Hello, my name is Octa. I go by they/them pronouns. And I will play Neu Threestrings from The Weaver playbook.

Harper Sage Pettit:

Hi, my name is Harper Sage Pettit. I use they or she pronouns and I will be your guide for this season of queeRPG, Of Kith and Pen.

Tatiana (Alma):

Dear, Mom. Hi! I know I meant to write you more while I was on my little excursion. I mean it hasn't been that long but I figured you'd probably want to be kept posted with everything going on. I hope things are okay back home. I hope you guys still have the house and everything. We’re working on it. We found out a bunch of stuff about what's been going on with the gods and stuff. It's been really weird. I mean more weird than usual (laughs). So listen, do you know anything about he-mans, humans, I think that's how they're spelled. They've been coming up a lot on our adventure and I never thought they were real. You guys told me that they didn't exist and that it was just a fairy tale that was supposed to, you know, teach kids to go to bed on time and not be bad right? It was just supposed to be that. But it's kind of - I believe my friends, right? I really want to trust my friends and they're telling me that it's the humans that are taking the gods away and that's really hard for me to wrap my mind around because if that is true, then that means that like all the humans are dead and like where are they? Like where are the humans ghosts? W hy can't I see them like everywhere like I do with the kith ghosts? I don't know, if you know anything like please just write me a letter back. Besides the whole human thing we recently went to a carnival-ish type thing. That's a whole thing. We picked up another friend on our adventure, Kalix. We picked him up in Portsmore and I think he might have a little something, a little feeling for Fletcher. But Fletcher is Fletcher and that’s really cpmlicated. I don’t even want to talk about Loren right now in this letter. We had to help Soot, the guy who owns the carnival find a lightning bug and while we were doing that we found a small god who we named Sparky. Like a small guard of electrikity – electri – elect - I don't know how to spell it so just yeah like electrikity. Very helpful. Helped us find Soot’s lightning bug, Candy, and once we got the lightning bug we were able to get really good tickets to the starkeepers show. It was a really good show. It was a really good show but, turns out, starkeeper, a little bit of a fraud. And we feel - I feel really bad. I feel really bad. Neu and I are the only ones who know and I feel really bad because I kind of like lied to Hoku about it and like just kind of led them away from the whole thing because I didn't want to, you know, break his little heart. And I feel really bad so if you could help me with that too. I don't know, Mom, I think I just need help in general. I'm really stressed. I don't know what I'm going to do. I guess I'll keep you posted. We're back on the move again so I'll just send you another letter once we are settled. Anyway, love you! Tell Dad and the kid I say hi. And I guess you can also tell Carth I'm alive if you want to. You really don't have to actually I'm just going to scratch out this part of the letter. Don't tell Carth anything. Thanks. Love you. Bye. Your daughter, Alma.

 

Harper (Guide):

We pick up, with the group, on the Flying Dutchkith as kind of per usual these days. You left Soot’s Magical Mosaic and flew towards Middledwell. Again, you're in this more like flatland part of the world. Like there's not a lot of mountains or anything or even hills for that matter. As far as the eye can see this like flat plane with various crops kind of poking up here and there. After about a day's journey on the Flying Dutchkith, you do begin to see more like farming communities. The livestock, these large beetles with kith on their back kind of waving up to you as they tend to their fields. Poking up from their fields are kind of massive metal legs and arms and other rusted relics of war. After seeing like the occasional farming community, you do start to see larger gatherings of buildings until off in the distance you see, kind of poking up from the ground, this cityscape. Not nearly as like kind of mystical and magical as The Lastings. Not really this massive kind of gathering of buildings that kind of shoot up from the ground. It's more or less these like small hobbles kind of like all put together, making this massive city that spreads out longer than taller. As you fly into town, you also see this like massive shimmering cloud kind of like hanging above the city center. You have arrived in Middledwell, what are you doing?

 

Tatiana:

Parking. Where do I dock?

 

Harper (Guide):

We’ve never really talked about this before but like what sort of visibility do these like docking ports usually have? ‘Cause you always have to have something to look for like whether that's like a landing strip or docks like floating off the ground. Like what do we think that that looks like usually?

 

Tatiana:

Most docking zones have lightning bugs but they have lightning bugs kind of arranged in kind of a runway-esque pattern. Not so much that you need a runway in order to dock an airship but like each like quadrant is a different dock like slot for you to park in. So you just kind of have to make sure - you know how when you're driving a car you need to make sure that you're in the lines? When you're docking your airship you make sure you're in the quadrant of lightning bugs and they usually put them in like colored jars so they look distinct from just the lights of the city. It's usually like red jars or orange jars.

 

Harper (Guide):

The Middlewell docking port is a little different than that. Like the one in The Lastings was like really nice and magical. The one in Portsmore seemed like older but captured in time. And here in Middledwell it seems as if the airships don't come here very often because this docking port is very run down. There was like maybe one or two ships in this like whole docking port of around fifty. And you have your free range to pick whichever one you want but most of them have like lots of weeds sticking up from the ground through the port that you would land on. And a lot of the jars seemed cracked, some of them don't have lightning bugs in them. Just a pretty rustic scene.

 

Tatiana:

It's an airship, it's fine! It's not like it's a bumpy road. I just kind of need to be gentle with her and we are using a ramp to disembark. Do I need to pay any sort of a docking fee? Is there any manager there?

 

Harper (Guide):

Yes so as you land the group gets ready and you hear a,

 

Harper (Eagle-kith):

All right now, what's your name and business?

 

Tatiana (Alma):




Hello, my name is Alma of the Vale. I am accompanied by a diplomatic group from The Lastings. We are here to speak with your serval.

 

Harper (Eagle-kith):

Our what now?

 

Tatiana (Alma):

Your community leader.

 

Harper (Eagle-kith):

I mean we don’t really have one of them.

 

Tatiana (Alma):

Is there anyone in charge who makes decisions for the community?

 

Harper (Eagle-kith):

I mean there's the gathering of the kith and the kith’s council but –

 

Tatiana (Alma):

Okay!

 

Harper (Eagle-kith):

We don't have like a leader per se.

 

Tatiana (Alma):

Either one of those would be - would be nice yeah. We just need to talk to someone who might know about the goings on in the nation.

 

Harper (Eagle-kith):

Well the gathering of the kith ain't due to happen for, let's see, another two weeks or so and that'll be everybody in the Middledwell in that.

 

Tatiana (Alma):

Okay, what about the council? What's the council up to these days.

 

Harper (Eagle-kith):

Counciling and stuff.

 

Tatiana (Alma):

Cool whereabouts are they?

 

Harper (Eagle-kith):

Underneath the Mirage.

 

Harper (Guide):

And points to like city center where that glowing cloud hangs in the sky.

 

Tatiana (Alma):

Okay cool! So can we just - do we need to make an appointment or can we just –

 

Harper (Eagle-kith):

No, no you can go right on in.

 

Tatiana (Alma):

Oh, cool thank you. Thank you so much. We're just gonna dock here for the duration of our stay and then we'll be out of your hair.




Harper (Eagle-kith):

Yep, yep, yep.

 

Octa (Neu):

Hey before we go I just wanted to – wait, wait a second here please. Is everything okay around here? Like everything's okay? No problems at all.

 

Harper (Eagle-kith):

Yeah I mean crop seem a little bit lighter this season but that happens every now and then.

 

Octa (Neu):

That this great to hear. I'm really happy that everything’s okay.

 

Harper (Eagle-kith):

Wait do you come bearing bad news?

 

Octa (Neu):

No?

 

Tatiana (Alma):

We just came to make sure that nothing bad is going on here.

 

Harper (Eagle-kith):

Now I'm getting a little spish over here.

 

Tatiana (Alma):

Nothing to be spish about. We just need to talk to the council to get a better idea of what's going on. We want to encourage more communication between The Lastings and the other nations. I know we've been kind of MIA from that for a little bit so we were sent out to reinvigorate said communication.

 

Harper (Eagle-kith):

Ahhh, okay. Well, my name is Wind.

 

Tatiana (Alma):

Nice to meet you, Wind. Alma like I said. This is Neu, and then back there we've got Fletcher, Kalix, Hoku and Chandler.

 

Harper (Wind):

Fantastic. Nice to meet you all.

 

Tatiana (Alma):

Nice to meet you as well.

 

Octa (Neu):

Good to see you.

 

Tatiana:

What kind of kith is Wind?

 

Harper (Guide):

An eagle.

 

Michi:




What are Wind’s pronouns?

 

Harper (Guide):

We'll go with they.

 

Tatiana (Alma):

Awesome so we'll just -

 

Harper (Wind):

Well, I gotta just let you know that the fee for docking here is one gift to the earth, so just make sure you do that each day.

 

Tatiana (Alma):

Any gift to the earth?

 

Harper (Wind):

Any gift to the earth, yeah.

 

Jenine:




Hoku hugs the dirt.

 

Harper (Wind):

It’ll be a little more ritualistic than that but you're on the right idea

 

Tatiana (Alma):

All right, cool, well we'll probably be seeing you again. We'll just be on our way to the council now, thank you, thank you very much.

 

Harper (Wind):

Y'all have a good day. I'll take care of your boat right here.

 

Tatiana (Alma):

Thank you! She means everything to me.

 

Harper (Guide):

And y'all are able to head into town. The wind is kind of like whipping through the town, kind of kicking up dust into your faces every now and then. You do notice that the sun seems to beat down a bit harder here and as it does and like the sun catches that quote unquote mirage, it kind of like shimmers and casts like a shimmering light. Every time that does, you kind of like hear murmurings off in the city or if there's a kith nearby they seem to say something every time that happens. And yeah The Lastings are kind of again, made of all this kind of like hodgepodge of magical, ancient materials. It's kind of like modern but rustic still and then Portsmore was again like these massive skyscrapers. Everything seemed a lot bigger than it was supposed to be. And this place is again kind of these short hobbles every now and then but all the buildings are made of seemingly like scrap wood, different kind of bits and pieces. And you eventually come to this sort of like big mansion underneath the mirage. As you look into the mirage, you kind of get a view of a bustling utopia kind of like reflecting off the mirage that does not reflect what you see all around. You see verdant plant life in that reflection. You see people dining and eating unsatisfying food. Each of you would see something that you've really want but would never ever have. I feel like for Hokumaybe it was going backstage with the star eeper and it looked like an older version of you. Very calm, very excited and it's just kind of like (wind noise).

 

Jenine:

They're talking about the stars over a nice cup of tea.

 

Harper (Guide):

For Fletcher…

 

Michi:

So my immediate impulse was to think Fletcher didn't notice too much of a difference but like he was like taller than Hoku in it. And like everything was like really like pretty there and like really comfy and because Fletcher’s such a cozy guy, he doesn’t really notice the difference while looking up and he’s just like, “Yeah, that's how things are.” Because his perception of self is so Fletcher.

 

Harper (Guide):

Alma.

 

Tatiana:




I think Alma would see like security. I think, you know, her family would be back in business, things would be going well and that like her family gaining back their independence would lead to her being more free again. ‘Cause I don’t think she wants the family business, I don't think she wants to be bogged doww. Like she's already working and she enjoys working. Like the happiest she is, is when she's traveling and like helping, doing her work. But I think like she sees, you know, kind of these like flashing visions of the family and the ship and it's great. And then it kind of settles in on like a little house and it’s her house. It's nobody else's house. It's not something that was passed down to her. It's not something that was given to her by somebody else. It was hers entirely. There's no one else’s influence on it. It's just hers.

 

Harper (Guide):

That house kind of just like splinters and crumbles and falls to the ground. Neu.

 

Octa:

So, Neu sees both Neu and Foster Filigree which is pretty old friend of Neu. Their first fox crush of a saga of many after Foster and sees this kind of like scene of forgiveness and encounter and then a bit of a big hug where Neu looks really, really small. And then they start to pick up as old friends that start to begin a completely new relationship and they begin to share their designs with each other. And just looking at each other in the eyes.

 

Harper (Guide):

And they just like slowly 0 as you're like looking into each other 's eyes - they like slowly drift backwards just like fade Into darkness. And then you hear kind of a voice kind of like breaking through the wind.

 

Harper (Wind):

Hey, y'all gonna come in?

 

Harper (Guide):

You see Wind on the front steps.

 

Harper (Wind):

We're ready for you.

 

Harper (Guide):

As Wind kind of like claps a couple times says,

 

Harper (Wind):

Hey come out of it! Oh I'm sorry y’all have probably never seen that before, have you? It  can kinda mess with your mind but sometimes it's nice to stare up at it, you know? But, yeah, council’s ready if you wanna follow me.

 

Octa (Neu):

Yeah that - have you seen up there? Like have you seen - have you - are you seeing what I’m seeing? Since when do you wear so much color.

 

Tatiana (Alma):

I don't think I'm seeing what you're seeing. I’m going to try not to think about it too hard. This is really weird. Hey we should - we should just go I think. I think we should just go, right guys? We should just go? Come on! We should – in? In? Inside, I think. Yes.

 

Jenine:

Hoku starts walking inside.

 

Octa:




Neu let's themselves be shepherded as well.

 

Michi:

He's a little sleepy so he goes in.

 

Tatiana:




Alma casts one more like stray glance up at the mirage and then goes in.

 

Octa (Neu):

Are you part of the council?

 

Harper (Wind):

Yeah, yeah.

 

Octa (Neu):

Does that happen all the time?

 

Harper (Wind):

Does what happen all the time?

 

Octa (Neu):

The seeing things.

 

Harper (Wind):

Oh yeah! The mirage just kind of shows lots of different things. You can't trust it though, it's never right.

 

Octa (Neu):

It's not oracles. Is it – is it -

 

Harper (Wind):

No.

 

Octa (Neu):

Kind of like a future – no.

 

Harper (Wind):

No, it basically just tells you kind of what you want but it's always a little too could be true, you know?

 

Octa (Neu):

Too good to be true. That checks out.

 

Tatiana (Alma):

Yeah, yeah, sounds about right.  

 

Michi (Fletcher):

I think we all look the same but I don't know.

 

Tatiana:




Alma just pats Fletcher on the head.

 

Harper (Guide):

So eventually y’all are led into this almost like loungey room. It's got this like nice like red carpet, kind of old but still has little bounce to it. There's lots of loungey chairs, like bean bags. Lots of really old art on the wall. A lot of it like hoo-mans or he-mans. Just kind of strange. There's like this large black kind of like table in a corner but it's huge and there's like one end has like a row of like white buttons or something with like black buttons kind of like sticking up. Somebody is like on top of that and jumps down onto the white things that makes like a loud like musical sound and jumps and like does a tuck and oll and they roll right in front of you. They are a coyote in like a regal, red rope.

 

Harper (Coyote-kith):

Who’s this?

 

Harper (Wind):

Um.. I diidn't get all their names. This is Alma. Rest of you, introduce yourselves. Sound off. This is Camden, one of the council members.

 

Michi (Fletcher):

I'm Fletcher. Why is everything so big in here?

 

Harper (Wind):

I guess it's ‘cause –

 

Harper (Camden):

Relics of the past. We’ve left it the way we found it.

 

Harper (Guide):

And you minds go back to Portsmore. Like everything was kind of a little bit bigger in Portsmore. Like the door handles were just a little too high. The key that that the librarian used was. Little too big. Outside of the The Lastings, everything seems like it's not made for the kith.

 

Octa:




In The Lastings there is absolutely nothing to the effect of any of these remnants.

 

Harper (Guide):

If you want you can give me intellect check though. Iif you want to see if you recall anything, Neu, that might make a little sense.

 

Tatiana:

You guys wonder why Alma doesn't believe in them.

 

Jenine:




Wait, is this an instinct?

 

Harper (Guide):

Oh yes instinct sorry.

 

Michi:

Seven.

 

Tatiana:

I'm not even gonna make row.

 

Jenine:

Thirteen.

 

Octa:

Five.

 

Harper (Guide):

Fletcher you would see like maybe some of like the pattern work on the wall. Seems to be covered in like some paper that's like floral print and you recognize that design. Wasn't used on walls in The Lastings but it would be like wrapped on different things like with glue on different art pieces and stuff. But like yeah, if that's old then maybe that paper in The Lastings is old too. Hoku it was like this really weird place back in The Lastings like one of those kind of like mind bending museums that was set up in a room with like very similar architecture to this. And it almost seems like parts of that room were made with like parts of this room but not exact. You’re recognizing the architecture. It's kind of give you that weird like nostalgic, strange feeling in your tummy.

 

Jenine (Hoku):

Hi, I'm Hoku, nice to meet you.

 

Tatiana (Alma):

I’m - you already heard my name - I'm Alma. Anyway this is Neu, our good friend. And Kalix and Chandler.

 

Octa (Neu):

Got some very pretty art around here.

 

Tatiana (Alma):

I thought I'd council was like more than two people.

 

Harper (Camden):

The rest are on their way. Please have a seat.

 

Harper (Guide):

And Camden motions like around the room to all like the different lounge chairs. Camden strolls over jumps up in the air and plops down into one of the bean bags. Then Wind walks over and kind of plops down on the couch. And then a door opens in the back corner down a goat, a bear, and a horse come out and all like take up different places.

 

Harper (Wind):

Well, the rest of the folks here. Tin –

 

Harper (Guide):

Points the goat.

 

Harper (Wind):

Bark, the bear and  Rhone, the horse. This is a group from The Lastings apparently.

 

Tatiana (Alma):

Hi, hello.

 

Octa (Neu):

We have a letter that shows it if you require further proof.

 

Harper (Bark):

I do believe you,

 

Harper (Guide):

The bear says, Bark.

 

Harper (Bark):

But why did you come here?

 

Tatiana (Alma):

Well, I don't know if you've heard or if anything's been going on around here, but we at The Lastings have been experiencing several god related anomalies as a result of their disappearance. We have recently visited Porstmore and they have also been experiencing similar instances. So we were wondering if you have been noticing anything strange as of late. Any glowing purple orbs? Glowing purple orbs.

 

Jenine (Hoku):




What does purple mean to you?

 

Michi (Fletcher):

Yeah! It's glowing and purple and cold.

 

Jenine (Hoku):

What does purple, cold orb mean to you? Singular words or the whole statement…

 

Michi (Fletcher):




We have one in a bag.

 

Jenine (Hoku):

A really beautiful bag.

 

Michi (Fletcher):

Neu made it. Not the orb. The bag.

 

Harper (Tin):

Well,

 

Harper (Guide):

The ghost speaks up (laughs), Tin.

 

Harper (Tin):

Um, to us here, purple is significant in that it connects us all to each other and the past.

 

Tatiana (Alma):

Ain't that the truth. So have you - I don't know if you have any magicians or witches or potion makers or anyone who works with the gods here, but has anything strange been going on?

 

Harper (Rhone):

Anything strange? Life is always strange.

 

Harper (Guide):

Rhone says.

 

Tatiana (Alma):

Anything more specific. Stranger than the norm. Stranger than usual.

 

Jenine (Hoku):

Lots of rain. Things falling out of the sky that shouldn’t be falling out of the sky… wait, that's the same thing. No color.

 

Michi (Fletcher):

Have you seen a hoo-man?

 

Harper (Wind):

Y’all sound like you've been hopped up on something.

 

Tatiana (Alma):

We aren't. Wish we were. Look is there any sort of spiritual leader that we can speak to.

 

Harper (Tin):

You see we all believe in the collective power of unity.

 

Tatiana (Alma):

Any of you particularly unified with magic?

 

Harper (Rhone):

I know a few things.

 

Tatiana (Alma):

Spoken any gods recently?

 

Octa (Neu):

Yeah, I'm interested in knowing also where - do you have specific locations where you cherish your gods? Or specific places that are given significance for gifting thte earth or for you rituals for praising the sun or communing with the mirage?

 

Harper (Camden):

I don’t know how to tell you this, but we don’t belive in gods here. We believe, as Tin said, in the collective unity.

 

Tatiana (Alma):

Okay, yeah, no that’s – yeah, yeah, for sure. So, the mirage, what's that - what's that about? Where did that come from?

 

Harper (Bark):

That was here before we were. The first kith who settled here decided to just stay and look at it for a very long time.

 

Harper (Tin):

Until one day they decided to not look at it anymore and start planting in the fields.

 

Tatiana (Alma):




So the earth is like your thing, right? It's, you know, show gratitude to the earth. Give gifts to the earth. Has the earth been fine recently?

 

Harper (Bark):

I would say that's a reductionist view of how we do view the universe but we believe there's energy in everything and we are connected to the earth. We gain a lot of sustenance from the earth so we often give back to the earth.

  Tatiana (Alma):

And getting sustenance has been normal recently? It’s been fine?

 

Harper (Tin):

Yes, which to be honest, I mettle in things you probably shouldn't eat but from what I hear the people are still enjoying their food.

 

Tatiana (Alma):

That's good! That's good! That's great to hear. That's fantastic. I'll be honest guys, I'm at a loss. Does anybody else wanna have a crack at it?

 

Octa (Neu):

It seems like they are actually doing pretty well and if they actually are not having any gods around, maybe there's nothing for humans to take away. Maybe it’s fine.

 

Michi (Fletcher):

What about books? Have you had any books go missing lately?

 

Octa (Neu):

Oh, right! You have the memory storage.

 

Harper (Wind):

Yeah so two – you had two questions there. So books, I'm not sure if books have gone missing. You'd have to go to the library for that I’m assuming. As far as memory storage, yeah, we have the memorium with all them memory keepers who tend to different members.

 

Octa (Neu):

We are interested in a very specific memory that we have come here to look for. It is a memory of an old seer from many, many years ago. We have the name, Alma spoke to her, and we would like to know who is in charge of those. Maybe who organizes them so that we can settle our matters here.

 

Harper (Rhone):

You would probably need to go to the memorium and talk to the memory keepers, Ora, Trot,  Chalice, Fizz could porbably help.

 

Tatiana (Alma):

Cool! Cool. From what we're hearing everything has been pretty much normal. If you don't mind we will just go ahead and check out the library and make sure that nothing’s amiss there and then just head on over to the memory keepers and continue our investigation. Things have been very amiss outside of Middledwell so maybe the answer is here.

 

Harper (Wind):

Maybe, I would say that not everything has been perfect here. There's this new company that's come in Teray – Ter – somebody help me out.

 

Harper (Bark):

Terrera.

 

Harper (Wind):

Basically they’re coming in trying to capitalize on machinery instead of using insects. They kind of won't have any talking to and they're just buying up everything. We've tried to stop them but I don't know maybe there's some y'all could do too.

 

Tatiana (Alma):

Yeah we don't support gentrification here. We'll figure it out. We'll do something for you, gusy.

 

Harper (Wind):

Thank you, thank you.

 

Tatiana (Alma):

Great, so could you point us in the direction of the - where do you guys wanna go first?

 

Octa (Neu):

Well before we go out again, Fletcher, Hoku, could we make a kind of buddy system. I feel like I could look into that mirage for hours and I would rather none of us does that and we continue to be together. So just like keep an eye on each other.

 

Tatiana (Alma):

I agree.

 

Michi (Fletcher):

I think it’s kind of boring though.

 

Octa (Neu):

Do you really not see anything Fletcher?

 

Michi (Fletcher):

I mean, I look at it and we're hanging out and it looks really cozy but I feel really cozy so, yeah I don't really need to look - it makes me a little sleepy though!

 

Harper (Kalix):

When aren't you sleepy, Fletcher?

 

Harper (Guide):

Kalix says with a little bit of a smirk.

 

Tatiana (Alma):

Yeah Fletcher, when aren't you sleepy?

 

Michi (Fletcher):

Can I get back to you on that?

 

Tatiana (Alma):

Okay, I agree, the buddy system is a good idea. Are we splitting up?

 

Octa (Neu):

No I think we're all together. Just so that -  I just mean let's make sure no one gets a bit too in the clouds as they say.

 

Tatiana (Alma):

Easy peasy.

 

Octa (Neu):

Guys, it doesn't feel like this is - we're not in as much of a rush here. We could go for a little coffee or sample the teas around her. It's been a while since we took a moment.

 

Tatiana (Alma):

It's true! That's so true, Neu. It has been awhile since we've just taken a moment. And I haven't been here in ages. Last time I was here was for work so I guess I'm also kind of here for work again, but it's different work. Yeah I mean I didn't get to see a lot of the of the place because I was burying somebody.

 

Octa (Neu):

Do you know anywhere that makes good tea? Maybe you could ask Wind before you go.

 

Tatiana (Alma):

Yeah! We should ask. Hey Wind! Do you know any nice tea places for us to visit while we are here?

 

Harper (Guide):

We pick up with you all asking Wind where a good place to get some tea would be. And he says, The Wild Snake Tavern, probably has some.

 

Tatiana (Alma):

Yeah that sounds great let's take some time. Decompress over there. I feel like a lots happened in the last 24 hours. And it's nice that things are kind of normal here.

 

Harper (Guide):

The four of you – well the six of you – along with Chandler and Kalix, walk  over to The Wild Snake Tavern or tea-vern and you go inside. It's a pretty old and dark building. Like wood floors, wood walls, high ceilings with like chandeliers with like flickering flames lighten the room. Again there is again another one of those tables with like white and black buttons off in the corner, making like the craziest sound, music from it. But this one is like upright, it's not flat, and there's this little like wheel or something spinning in the middle of it that's like spinning. It seems to be like playing those buttons and the music is like playing by itself like it's jkust coming from the this table that's like leaned up against the wall. So you all go inside, there's like a bar with instead of different bottles of liquor, it's just like different herbs and spices. And an old timey looking chalkboard menu. It just has like tea and then just like different - all the ingredients and a, we'll just say a vulture kind of like dressed up in kind of like old timey like soda shop garb comes over and says,

 

Harper (Vulture-kith):

Alrighty what are you having, what are you having? We got tea. We got tea. We got tea. You start with your leaves over here. And you can actually use mushrooms instead, we’ve got some of those. And you got all these spices, and these spices, and these spices. They all combine for different flavors. You come here, you never know what you'll get.

 

Octa (Neu):

So do you have any neutral dream berries? I really like the flavor but without the high.

 

Harper (Vulture-kith):

Yeah we got some of those!

 

Octa (Neu):

So a little bit of that with a couple shoots of eucalyptus if you have. I want something fresh and then one of those mushrooms that I can see in there. They seem pretty cute. Do you think that's a good combination? Is that stupid?

 

Harper (Vulture-kith):

No that's - that sounds just about right honestly.

 

Octa (Neu):

And whatever you think would be a final touch.

 

Michi (Fletcher):

Be careful. I don't know if you can ever really, truly neutralize a dream berry.

 

Harper (Vulture-kith):

Yeah I mean, it's a little bit there but it's not all there. If you drink like four or five cups of this might start to feel it, but no.

 

Octa (Neu):

I could take my mind off of things a little bit today.

 

Michi (Fletcher):

Alright well, we’ll keep an eye out.

 

Harper (Vulture-kith):

Anyone else wanna place an order?

 

Tatiana (Alma):

Can I get can I get those orange peels and hibiscus.

 

Harper (Vulture-kith):

Which orange peels.

 

Harper (Guide):

And he points to like three different ones.

 

Tatiana (Alma):

What's the difference?

 

Harper (Vulture-kith):

This one will be a little sweeterl This one adds some bitterness and this one, surprisingly enough, will make it a little lighter.

 

Tatiana (Alma):

Let's go sweeter. Yeah and then some hibiscus will be nice. And rose hip.

 

Harper (Vulture-kith):

All right, all right, I can do that.

 

Harper (Guide):

The whole time he's got like a little notebook like taking down the order.

 

Jenine (Hoku):

Hello, hi, could I get a black tea with lavender, apple and then like the smallest bit of Lily of the valley?

 

Harper (Vulture-kith):

Yep, yep, yep, I got all those. Honestly though if you're interested in - why do you want the Lily of the valley?

 

Jenine (Hoku):

Oh well Lily of the valley I think it just seems like a cool - I haven't tried it in a tea yet and I think it'd be interesting to try it with lavender which is kind of  like my favorite. Because sometimes when you have lavender in a tea, it makes it blue and it kind of looks like the sky. And then apples kind of like my favorite of situation so that's kind of where I’m at with it.

 

Harper (Vulture-kith):

So if you're after the that kind of flavor that the Lily of the valley would bring, I actually would recommend using some bottled moonlight instead.

 

Jenine (Hoku):

(gasps) You have bottled moonlight?

 

Harper (Vulture-kith):

Yeah it tastes very similar but adds a nice shimmer to it. Looks nice.

 

Jenine (Hoku):

Yes please.

 

Harper (Vulture-kith):

And what shall you have young sir.

 

Michi (Fletcher):

Um, hi, could I get a tea with basil, cinnamon, ginger, coriander, allspice, bay leaves, orange, lemongrass, mint, poppy seeds, a little bit of thyme, but make sure no more than like three sprigs. Rosemary, a little bit of sage. And then make sure the sage hasn't touched anythings that bugs have been inside of because I have a little bit of allergy. And then if you could put a little bit of echinacea on it and uh, one leave of lavender. Oh and do you have river water to make that in?

 

Harper (Vulture-kith):

Yes I think we have some river water still. Does it matter if it's pre bottled or fresh?

 

Michi (Fletcher):

Fresh is better but if you have pre-bottled then please don't put in the thyme.

 

Harper (Vulture-kith):

Ah yes, pre-bottled I’m sorry. So no thyme.

 

Michi (Fletcher):

No thyme. Do you have lemon balm?

 

Harper (Vulture-kith):

Lemon balm, lemon balm, let me see.

 

Harper (Guide):

Walk over.

 

Harper (Vulture-kith):

Yes, not too common but I do have a couple of bulbs.

 

Michi (Fletcher):

Just one bulb will be fine instead of that, thank you.

 

Harper (Vulture-kith):

Is that it?

 

Michi (Fletcher):

Can I have a mushroom.

 

Harper (Vulture-kith):

Uh, which one?

 

Harper (Guide):

Points to them.

 

Michi (Fletcher):

Oh do you have honey fungus?

 

Harper (Vulture-kith):

Yes, I think I got some of those. If not I got something that’ll work.

 

Michi (Fletcher):

That doesn't need to be mixed in the tea. If you could just put it like on the outside of it, I like to dip it.

 

Harper (Vulture-kith):

I'm afraid to ask but anything else before I start this?

 

Michi (Fletcher):

No that’s all, thank you!

 

Harper (Vulture-kith):

I'll have these out in a few. You can help yourself to any of the chairs, booths, couches, whateve. There’s a lounge upstairs as well.

 

Tatiana (Alma):

Thank you very much! I appreciate it. We'll be on our way now. Let’s go sit down.

 

Harper (Guide):

So, where y'all headed to sit down?

 

Octa:

We’re going to try and find the booth that doesn't by any chance, have any kind of eye contact ever again with that bartender. If they have terrace, we're going to a terrace, otherwise we're going to try and continue with our lives.

 

Harper (Guide):

They're called tea blenders, not bartenders. So you're looking for a booth.

 

Jenine:

Let's go to lounge!

 

Tatiana:

I like a lounge.

 

Octa:




We get to lounge and little bit. We deserve some lounging.

 

Harper (Guide):

You all head upstairs to the lounge. It's like the cozy upstairs section of a coffee shop. Leather couches, some tables. Shelves with like lots of different books and lots of different art and stuff on the walls. It's not a super busy day so there's only like couple kith up here. You basically have the whole place to yourself.

 

Octa (Neu):

This is very nice, guys.

 

Jenine (Hoku):

So when they were telling us about the memory keepers, did you guys remember the name Flower mentioned in that list?

 

Tatiana (Alma):

We know about Flower… they seemed really weird.

 

Jenine (Hoku):

Yeah, do we know - I am not - I know that I'm the stars guys so kind of like in the sky situation. I don't know what is –

 

Jenine:

And like keeps their voice down.

 

Jenine (Hoku):

What’s up with the cloud? Anyone know anything about this cloud?

 

Tatiana (Alma):

The less I know about the cloud the better I think.

 

Octa (Neu):

I kind of keep wanting to go and look at it again but I don't think that's a good idea.

 

Tatiana (Alma):

No.

 

Octa:

I’ll take a little sip of the tea even though it's a little bit burning still.

 

Tatiana (Alma):

I guess Fletcher was fine with the cloud.

 

Michi (Fletcher):

Yeah but it made me a little sleepy.

 

Tatiana (Alma):

Fletcher, you’re always sleepy.

 

Michi (Fletcher):

I'm not sleepy right now.

 

Michi:

And then he yawns.

 

Octa (Neu):

It's because we keep going around during the day.

 

Tatiana (Alma):

Well hopefully that tea will wake you up. That was really extensive. You really know your tea.

 

Michi (Fletcher):

Yeah, I really like tea. Although, I have a lot of those herbs in my pockets anyway but it's always nice to try it from the new place.

 

Tatiana (Alma):

That's true.

 

Harper (Kalix):

From my experience all different spices taste differently depending on how they were  grown so I like finding out that different notes and things that you can taste in them from different areas.

 

Tatiana (Alma):

Have you traveled a lot Kalix?

 

Harper (Kalix):

A little bit with the army but I mean, since there's no war or fighting, didn't go all too many places.

 

Tatiana (Alma):

Surprised you guys even have a military force of any kind.

 

Harper (Kalix):

It's more of a ceremonial thing I think.

 

Tatiana (Alma):

I thought you guys would have a navy.

 

Harper (Kalix):

Yes we do have some navy as well but we kind of go back and forth.

 

Tatiana (Alma):

How are you feeling right now? I know things have been a little hectic.

 

Harper (Kalix):

I'm fine. I've been enjoying my time away. It's not that I don't have responsibilities with this group but they're different and responsibilities I enjoy. Plus the kith around make it quite nice.

 

Tatiana (Alma):

That's good. Glad to hear you're enjoying yourself so far.

 

Octa (Neu):

Yeah on that note how are you doing Chandler? You’ve been really quiet today.

 

Harper (Guide):

You noticed Chandler like sitting next to Hoku, about to like say something to Hoku,

 

Harper (Chandler):

Ah, what? Nothing! I wasn't doing anything. It's nice weather, isn't it?

 

Jenine:

And then Hoku scoots a little further away.

 

Tatiana (Alma):

I'll be honest it's really nice to just sit.

 

Jenine (Hoku):

Do you think, if we have time, when everything is over, when we go back to The Lastings, we can maybe do a small, another pit stop to the mosaic? Just to see - we don't have to – oh my god! Look at the sun!

 

Jenine:

And then slurps their tea.

 

Harper (Guide):

I did mean to say like this has like one of those bay windows. This nice glass that looks out over the planes. You see off in the distance like the sun setting, but the insects still tending to the fields.

 

Tatiana (Alma):

Just ‘cause the sun exists doesn't mean it's going to serve as a distraction, Hoku!

 

Jenine (Hoku):

(unintelligible rambling) The sun! The bay window! Look - (unintelligible rambling).

 

Jenine:




Slurp.

 

Tatiana (Alma):

You’re really good at that whole distraction thing. You’re the best distractor we have, Hoku.

 

Octa (Neu):

They've been doing it since forever. He's got all the experience.

 

Tatiana (Alma):

That's why it doesn't work anymore.

 

Octa (Neu):

It doesn't work on us. I’m pretty sure that if we keep meeting new people, we can keep distracting them with that.

 

Tatiana:

Did Kalix look at the window?

 

Harper (Guide):

Yeah Kalix would have looked out the window and just like kind of like staring off now, just not saying anything, just obviously enjoying this like moment of rest.

 

Tatiana:




Yeah we're all enjoying a moment of rest, aren't we?

 

Octa:

One may say that we are pausing for a moment to get some rest.

 

Tatiana:




One might say that indeed.

 

Harper (Guide):

You, you all get a token. You all sit in this moment and have this moment of rest and your hearts are full and that goes on for a while. The conversation goes on until the sun really is just about to set over that horizon. It's about an hour that y'all sit here and then you hear like a deep like rumbling. And then like a lot of people like, “Oh no,” and then the building like slowly (shaking noise) starts to shake. And you look out the window and this massive machine kind of just like (machine noise) comes down Main Street with a kith kind of sitting up at the top kithing controls.

 

Tatiana (Alma):

What the hell is that?

 

Octa (Neu):

Is it shaking like The Lastings? What's that outside?

 

Michi (Fletcher):

That doesn't look like a beetle.

 

Tatiana (Alma):

It look like a machine.

 

Octa (Neu):

Is this the Terra people?

 

Tatiana (Alma):

One way to find out. Our tea is done, time has come for us to once again solve everyone's problems.

 

Harper (Guide):

You actually hear the engine power down and as it does you start to hear like chanting and almost the sound of a riot building.

 

Tatiana (Alma):

Everything was so peaceful for like two seconds!

 

Michi (Fletcher):

Did anyone see the shape of their tea leaves ‘cause I really wanted to read those tea leaves.

 

Tatiana:




Alma like looks at the cup.

 

Tatiana (Alma):

I don’t know man what do you think?

 

Michi:

Okay roll me one d6.

 

Tatiana:




Five.

 

Michi:

Five, okay, and then roll me 2d6.

 

Tatiana:

A three and a four. Total seven.

 

Michi:

It's in the shape of a ring which means marriage.

 

Tatiana (Alma):

That’s all?

 

Michi:

Okay, if the rings at the bottom it means that a marriage will not take place. If there's a letter in your tea leaves, it's the initial of a future spouse, and if the ring is surrounded by clouds, it means an unhappy marriage.

 

Tatiana:

Alma’s gonna put the cup down and not investigate that any further.

 

Jenine:

Hoku hands over their cup to Fletcher.

 

Michi:

One d6.

 

Jenine:

Four.

 

Michi:

Okay and then 2d6.

 

Jenine:

Two and a three. Five.

 

Michi (Fletcher):

That's a ladder so it means you’ll travel or you need to expect some travel.

 

Jenine (Hoku):

Ahhhh. Ahhhhh. Ahhhh.

 

Jenine:

And then they do a little like - they start poking their nose,

 

Jenine (Hoku):

Oh, oh, oh! Does it look like Carda Minor? We, we - well okay, nevermind! Don't worry about me!

 

Jenine:




And then like start walking. They got excited about stars that's all you gotta know.

 

Octa:




Neu was clearly queuing behind Hoku.

 

Michi:

One d6.

 

Octa:




Two.

 

Michi:

Okay and then 2d6.

 

Octa:




Seven.

 

Michi (Fletcher):

It looks like a compass which usually means business travel. I guess you and Hoku will be traveling and Alma’s gonna get married. Maybe we’ll go to a wedding!

 

Octa (Neu):

That could be a lot fun!

 

Harper (Chandler):

Hey, I would like to see what I get!

 

Harper (Guide):

So four.

 

Michi:

And then the sum of 2d6.

 

Harper (Guide):

Two!

 

Michi (Fletcher):

It’s a kettle which usually is associated with death and tragedy but I wouldn't worry about it too much.

 

Harper (Chandler):

Aw dammit. Could it be the death of my career or like actual death?

 

Michi (Fletcher):

It's pretty open to interpretation but I’d tread really carefully.

 

Harper (Chandler):

Because if it's death of my career that makes sense. My actual death I would rather not… you know.

 

Michi (Fletcher):

Yeah.

 

Tatiana (Alma):

Why does that makes sense?

 

Michi (Fletcher):

Why does that make sense?

 

Harper (Chandler):

I'm not I'm not here representing my fellowship. I'm just here because I lost my job and I asked for a favor from Falon.

 

Michi (Fletcher):

Oh.

 

Tatiana (Alma):

I see.

 

Harper (Chandler):

Thought that if I could come back a hero too that maybe things would be different but I'm starting to realize that that wasn't the life I wanted anyways and it's been nice being with you all.

 

Tatiana (Alma):

Hey, man, don't let it eat you, okay? Stuff happens. Some things aren't meant to be. Don't let it eat you up inside. It's not worth it.

 

Octa (Neu):

And you’re a wonderful painter, you should take pride in that.

 

Harper (Chandler):

Well, thank you.

 

Harper (Guide):

And then puts his cup down, starts to walk out and Kalix holds up and says,

 

Harper (Kalix):

I've never had my tea leaves read, do you mind? It doesn't take too much out of you, right?

 

Michi (Fletcher):

No it’s fine!

 

Harper (Guide):

Five. Nine.

 

Michi (Fletcher):

These look like scales which usually have to do things with laws and sometimes it can mean trouble with the law, but it could also just mean some form of responsibility.

 

Harper (Kalix):

Kind of seems like I'm fulfilling that right now with you and the rest of the crew, but maybe it could mean something more. Maybe I should give up responsibilities. Maybe I have too many.

 

Michi (Fletcher):

Well, if you feel weighed down by them, the scales will always show you what's heavier.

 

Harper (Kalix):

Sometimes I feel like you are way wise beyond your years.

 

Michi (Fletcher):

I'm not that old – or… um… thank you?

 

Harper (Kalix):

You’re welcome. I guess we should take a look at what's going on out here.

 

Harper (Guide):

As you make it out the door, you hang all left, and you start heading downtown and you can kind of see straight to the town square and there is like this giant machine with like several kith on top of it like standing up but then like the whole square is kind of like smattered with a mob of other kith that are chanting up at the kith on the machine. And as you get closer, you start to make out it is just like,

 

Harper (Kith Mob):

Get out now. Get out now.

 

Harper (Guide):

And you get closer to kind of start to see the details of the scene. There's six kith on top of this machine, all dressed in kind of very minimal but dashing uniforms. They're kind of like black jumpsuits with like a gray sash that comes around. And one of them is a fox that's kind of like trying to get the crowd to be quiet. And you can kind of make out they're trying to convince them that what they're here for is going to be for the betterment of all. And they start throwing out, literally like green bunches of like leafs out at the crowd. And with that the crowd does kind of start to quiet. And the kith that's kind of taken lead on this raises their hands and says,

 

Harper (Terrarra Spokeskith):

Thank you, I do appreciate your cooperation. See us at he Terrera are simply concerned for your well-being. Wouldn't you like to have more free time, to have your insects rest. You don't have enough to use these all the time but our harvestsaurs will increase productivity by 1000%.

 

Harper (Guide):

And you start to hear murmuring like in the crowd.

 

Harper (Terrarra Spokeskith):

So if you're interested in being part of the future and not the past, being what brings on our next era, you can join us at Terrera. We are seeking people to help us build more harvestsaurs. We are seeking partners to use them. The future is now. The future is Middledwell.

 

Harper (Guide):

And then you start to hear kind of,

 

Harper (Kith Mob):

The future is now. The future is Middledwell. The future is now!

 

Harper (Guide):

And it kind of builds up and builds up until that's what they're chanting now. Or now celebrating this group that seemed to be hostile. And then Wind kind of flies up and says,

 

Harper (Wind):

Well this ain't good. This ain't good at all.

h5>Kenzie:

Hey everyone! Thanks for listening. You can follow queeRPG on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok @queeRPGpod. queeRPG is made possible by all of you who listen and share the show! If you like what you hear please rate and review. It helps other people find the pod. You can also support the show by signing up for our Patreon at patreon.com/queeRPG. If you’re interested in seeing transcripts for the episode, all of those from previous episodes and episodes to come can be found on our website queerpg.com! Until next time!