S4 E9: Leases & Losses

Kenzie Tartaglione:

Last time on Roseville Beach…

Alexander Christopher:

And you are alone in a room with Hallie, her three coven members, Odysseus and several other men who work the fishing lines.

Valiant Dorian (Arion):

I can’t let you take him. I will not let you take him.

Candace McAfee:

She looks at a tatoo that is on her upper thigh. It was the tatoo that she was having done when she fell in love.

Candace (September Brown):

I think I’m ready. One last time.

Candace:

And I say the word, Curse.

Alex (GM):

And with it, your memories of Samira… gone.

Alex (May):

Why not me? Why you, half-witch?

Candace (September):

My coven is still here. Yours is a bunch of husks on the ground. You’re not doing that to the rest of our people.

Dan Pyxel (Alyx Cho):

Pain is life. Give it back.

Candace (September):

It’s really meant a lot to me, getting to know ya. You guys are amazing, you’re second to none. You’re always going ot be my coven, no matter what, okay?

I willingly give of my magic to you, if you just give her back to me, please.

Alex (GM):

You’re a wave returning ot the ocean. And in your stead, the next wave that crashes, is Samira. Roseville Beach is now covenless, but all of them, including those here, gain a word of power. Love.

[“queeRPG’s Moonlight on Roseville Beach Theme” plays]

Alex (GM):

Arion, you have just seen Hallie use magic, which is tainted with stories, legends that you know to be the sea witches. Some good, some terrifying. This extraordinary shifting into the form which she truly is, her sea nymph body, and you diving in after her.

We flash forward as we see lightning strike the wall. Strike again. The whole time, all we can see are silhouettes of you and Hallie fighting each other, trying to protect Odysseus and the other sailors against Hallie’s wrath. At some point, there is a drop off in magic. For you, for Hallie. It's as if something devastating happened to the island of Roseville Beach and she had to retreat. But not before she got one final blast. It strikes you directly.

Val:

The lightning not only strikes Arion, but it sears him. It catches fire on his shoulder scales and the fin that is directly behind his shoulder. And as it lances through, it sparks off and starts to singe his fin and an unearthly wail echoes throughout this sea cave as Arion tumbles into the water, grabbing at the burning scales and fin on his back.

Alex (GM):

As you go to grab your fin, your pendant that you always wear rises in the water. It flows right into your line of view and you see that Hallie struck through it. Cracked. And you wake up (heavy breathing). You're not sure how much longer it's been or if it was just dream. But you are in a place strange. All around you, it's as if you're underwater, but you're not. Fish swim in midair. Kelp flows as if there is a tide, a current, a stream. But there isn’t. In front of you, actually all around you, are iron bars. Ones that would be used to shackle a beast. You can hear almost, not marching, but heavy footsteps as a shadow sort of steps into the light which is shining into this area. And it is one of Hallie's creatures, one of her witches she has transformed into a half animal monstrosity. They look into the cells and give a little gruff as they march on.

Across from you are several other people, sailors. And to the right of you is Odysseus, unconscious in his cell, close enough for you to reach.

Val:

Arion’s fear pollutes his mind for a moment watching this moment of entrapment and imprisonment. But the second his eyes fall on Odysseus, it's like all of that is thrown away, washed away to the tide. He leans forward absentmindedly, hand through bar to take a better look at Odysseus. Was Odysseus injured? I barely remember what happened.

Alex (GM):

You reach your arm out to go through the bar and the first thing you notice is that your arm is scaled. When you look at the rest of your body, it's as if you're half-siren, half-human, and it's growing. You are returning to your Siren form. The pendant you wear was, in fact, compromised.

Val:

Is there a surface that I can touch to see what my hand would look like above the surface or am I just encased in water?

Alex (GM):

There is no water. It's as if there was water, but you are not in water. Somehow this place can host both sea life and land life.

Val (Arion):

Witch! (hisses)

Val:

He like grabs onto this necklace and he's like,

Val (Arion):

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.

Val:

But he looks at Odysseus and he looks at everything. Regardless, they both need to get out of here. I can't fix my necklace in here. And Odysseus does not long for this world if he remains here too.

Alex (GM):

With your gaze shifting back to Odysseus, you see that he has also suffered a similar injury to your own. Your injury is a scar on your right shoulder and his across his neck to his back. And you look at all the other sailors, they have all been injured by Hallie.

Val:

There’s a seething anger that burns within him, within Arion. And it's not like he can falter whatever was taken from her, that grief, that pain, he understands. And as he kind of like reaches out to Odysseus who is - are they - is he asleep? Are they all asleep, these sailors?

Alex (GM):

Most of them no. Odysseus is unconscious.

Val:

I will sing to him. Some small comfort that he can rest, a small Boon that I can give him. Actually, that is something I can give him. I would like to use my magic here to help with his wounds.

Alex (GM):

You can roll, but you cannot add sorcery or any words of power. You cannot roll anything beneficial from the magic list. You have to roll it as if it was a skill, but assign something to magic. Goal, Injury, Scared, Clue, and Magic.

Val:

I think I will Trouble die. I want to succeed my goal so I put the six there, five in the magic. Four is going to Injury. I'm gonna put the two and Scared of the 4 in Trouble.

Alex (GM):

As you begin to sing, the bars around you begin to warm. They begin to get hot. And in fact, the more you sing, the hotter they get. Your voice is beautiful, Arion, but not laced with any magic. Odysseus injured, separated from you, and you are unable to help. And not only that, this metal around you, you've encountered this before. Whatever is happening with the bars here is what was happening with the net when you were caught. Unable to get out. What it is, you're not sure, but there's a fear that it's something otherworldly, something from the gods. Please take Fear of the Gods.

Odysseus begins to breathe, his chest rises (deep breath). His eyes open.

Back to the beach house. Alyx and Lou, we cut to see you in Arion’s room, tearing through everything to see if you can maybe find a clue as to where they have gone. Or maybe a way to find them. Maybe you're attempting to cast a spell and track them. Whatever it is, you have been rooting through Arion’s stuff, and the only thing helpful you have found are -

Val:

Brand new disco as one. Just a messy collection of seashells from the beach and lots of candy wrappers. There's like a lot of like sweet little dessert treat packets that are in here.

Alex (GM):

And you're tearing through, you're turning up every loose stone and you flip over a drawer and out falls a little piece of paper. One that you got all the way back a couple weeks ago. This is a little spell for eternal life. Something that may come in handy later. And that is when you hear a knock on the door. And then another knock. And then suddenly lightning and rain starts to crash onto the beach.

Kenzie (Lou Wells):

I’ll get it, I'll get it, I'll get it. Okay, I'm coming. You don't need to do this, I'm coming.

Kenzie:

Lou runs down the stairs and rips open the door.

Alex (GM):

You see a man standing in the rain who has just pulled out an umbrella, but the umbrella has like a hole in it and there's water coming through one side. He's trying to keep himself as dry as he can. This man looks very different from anyone on Roseville Beach, Lou. You know exactly who this is. This is the bank teller at the the Sand Bank.

They wear a pressed suit, now wet, with a tie, now soggy, and a little hat, a little black fedora that they've taken off and they've begun to wring out the felt.

Alex (Banker):

Yes, am I at the correct residence? Is this the home of one Arion?

Kenzie (Lou):

In theory.

Alex (Banker):

In theory? Is that a yes or a no?

Kenzie (Lou):

It’s his home, he's not here.

Alex (Banker):

Oh, well, that's unfortunate. Can I leave a message with you?

Kenzie (Lou):

Can you - Do you know where he is?

Alex (Banker):

I do not. But I - Can I leave a message with you?

Kenzie (Lou):

Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. What is your name? I'm sorry. I don't go to the bank very often.

Alex (Banker):

Huh. Well, perhaps we can open an account for you. Or, or -

Kenzie (Lou):

I don't think that would really be necessary.

Alex (GM):

And he gives like the driest pitch about why banks are very good to keep your money in.

Dan:

I would like to say that Alyx just rolls up at this like mid conversation like,

Dan (Alyx):

Lou, who are you?

Kenzie (Lou):

I’m supposed to be acquiring a message to pass on to Arianne, but now I'm being told I should open a bank account. I don't really think that I should open a bank account, but...

Alex (Banker):

Yes, I'm sorry. Perhaps I got a little off track. Do you live at this residence?

Kenzie (Lou):

Yes, this is my home.

Alex (Banker):

Yes, well then I suppose it concerns you as well. You should probably contact the bank right away. A Mr. War, who owns the bank, has sent me to collect our property taxes and a loan payment on this property. It has not been paid for several months, and Arion would be our point of contact.

Alex (GM):

He pulls out some papers.

Alex (Banker):

We’re willing to repossess the beach house as soon as next week.

Kenzie (Lou):

Okay. Hold your horses, hold your horses. I don't really necessarily understand since I don't own the property and I just rent the property, why you're coming to me.

Alex (Banker):

Yes, yes.

Alex (GM):

As they like put their hand on your shoulder and begin to walk you, they've like turned their umbrella so that the rain's on them and not on you towards the bank. And they're like,

Alex (Banker):

Well, that's why we need to set you up with a bank account, Lou.

Dan (Alyx):

Whoa, bu - hey, hey, hey, hey, no, no, no. Hold on. What do you think you're doing?

Alex (Banker):

I’m just looking for a Mr. Arion so that we can settle some accounts.

Alex (GM):

And you see, like, he's wet, but he's beginning to sweat. It's very important they find Arion.

Dan (Alyx):

What - What are you?

Alex (GM):

Sort of stops and he thinks about his answer for a moment as he looks at you and there's another crash of sort of thunder and it just starts pouring heavier and heavier. He looks up at the sky and he says,

Alex (Banker):

Yes, well… well, I suppose.

Alex (GM):

And he just starts muttering to himself and he says,

Alex (Banker):

(muttering) Please, you can also open a bank account.

Alex (GM):

As they like stretch their hand out to you and grab your hand. Now, no one holding the umbrella. This person is clearly touched by magic, Alyx. But it's really weird. They are a human with the same arcane signatures as a familiar.

Dan:

Is the umbrella falling or is it staying in place?

Alex (GM):

He’s dropped the umbrella on the floor.

Kenzie (Lou):

This, it was kind of useless anyways. I think there's a hole in it. I can fix that or just get you a new umbrella if you need one.

Alex (Banker):

(chuckles) We’ll hire you, Lou. Please come fix it at the Sandbank. Immediately.

Kenzie (Lou):

I just, I don't know, I don't like going to a second location.

Dan (Alyx):

I’m sorry, I didn't get your name.

Alex (Tim):

My name is Tim. Hello. I am the banker for the Sand Bank here on Roseville Beach.

Alex (GM):

And he like shakes Lou's hand which he's already holding and shakes your hand which he's already holding.

Alex (Bobby):

It’s very important that we go meet Mr. War at the bank immediately.

Dan (Alyx):

All right, will you give us a second?

Alex (GM):

He lets go, he takes his umbrella, and he undoes his umbrella, and he puts it up above him, and he steps one step back.

Dan:

I will lean over to Lou.

Dan (Alyx):

We’re not getting anywhere tearing through Arion's room. I don't know if... I mean, they're... they're clearly fucked, but… It's... It's something.

Kenzie (Lou):

Yeah, it's given off some really weird undertones, which is, I guess lately, the norm. And they were looking for Arion too, so maybe we'll find something. Also, I guess we should figure out if we're gonna lose the house, because I do need somewhere to live.

Dan (Alyx):

Unclear if that's true or if it's a pretense. I do - I do think. I mean they're ma -

Kenzie (Lou):

Oh, so this probably has something to do with Arion.

Dan (Alyx):

Maybe. Or… I don't know why they need Arion specifically for that, unless...

Kenzie (Lou):

I’ve lived here longer than the both of you, so technically it should be me as first contact, which makes me feel like it's not about the house.

Dan (Alyx):

I think we play along for now? Whatever's going on with them is like very weird, but I do think they're human and between the two of us I think we could take them.

Kenzie (Lou):

I like those odds. Okay, Tim, lead the way.

Alex (Tim):

Fantastic.

Alex (GM):

As there's another crackle of lightning and the rain starts to get heavier and heavier. Stepping outside, you can see that the waves are crashing against sort of this beach like they would against a rocky shore, almost. Your beach house is fine for now, but this is a storm unlike any other that you've seen, Lou, Alyx, since you've lived here.

He gives you a very dry explanation of the founding of the Sand Bank and how - it’s basically, he's trying to pitch you on opening an account again for a third time, but with a new tactic, a new tactic, this time about community and why it's important for the community and what sort of community events that they sponsor and host. By the time that you get to the Sand Bank, there is a line that stretches one, two, five, seven blocks across and these are from residents. These are from guests. These are people who would probably not be on the island anymore. They would probably be off island if it wasn't for this storm. He goes, he takes his little key out. He opens up the door. He lets you two in and then he flips a sign to open and the doors burst open as people start flooding into the Sand Bank with claims of insurance basically as their properties, their boats have been damaged and destroyed by this storm.

Kenzie:

I think Lou is absolutely drenched. On the way over, she tried to put her flannel up over her head, but that did nothing. She's just a soaked rat.

Dan:

If you'll allow me a second cantrip, just going to slowly start drying us out, inconspicuously drying us out.

Alex (GM):

That’s gonna take a moment to do without being sort of like noticed by anybody. And during that time, Tim has been processing complaints, processing claims and in bursts a familiar voice, none other than Bobby Johnson, local cryptid hunter, and the only person that you know of that has found Arion before.

Kenzie (Lou):

Listen here, you little piece of shit.

Dan (Alyx):

Easy, easy.

Kenzie (Lou):

(slow breath out)

Kenzie:

She goes silent and crosses her arms over her chest and just stands there and looks at him.

Alex (Bobby Johnson): Huh. Yeah, well… Cool. I'm gonna keep doing what I was doing.

Dan (Alyx):

Which is what?

Alex (GM):

He has snapshots in his bag of a bunch of boats. A lot of boats which go to and from the mainland and Roseville Beach. And one of them is sort of like highlighted more than the others. This one is particularly of interest. As you can see that there's like in red ink that's like this one circled.

ABJ: I just figured a lot of folks are abandoning their boats and stuff so I'm just gonna pick one up while it's cheap. A lot of folks are getting scared from this storm.

Dan (Alyx):

Mm-hmm. Opportunist, aren't you?

ABJ: Well, sure, why not? I'll claim it. We're in a bank for god's sake. I don't know what to tell you. I'm getting what I came to get, if you'll excuse me. Thank you, bye.

Kenzie (Lou):

Are we just letting him go?

Dan (Alyx):

What do we have on him? Nothing else.

Kenzie (Lou):

No, but like maybe he could help us. You know, when you work with your... What's the saying when you work with an enemy for help and there's still your enemy? I don't know if there's a saying for that, but you know what I mean?

Dan (Alyx):

I do, I'm just the thought of working with that scrungly little shit.

Alex (GM):

And you see Tim just kinda like peer over you and point again towards the employees only section.

Dan (Alyx):

Oh fuck, and guess we've got something better to do at the moment.

Kenzie (Lou):

Okay, well think it over, think it over.

Dan (Alyx):

Yeah.

Kenzie (Lou):

Yes, Tim, okay, we're coming.

Dan (Alyx):

Here, just, we've gotta get you like a rain jacket or something.

Dan:

And she just goes back to like drying you out.

Alex (GM):

Stepping back into the employees only section is honestly, underwhelming. It's a small little office and there are boxes stacked on top of boxes. It looks like people haven't really unpacked in here. But you distinctly notice that the bookcase is like a jar in a way that's unusual. And right on the desk it has a little plaque that says Mr. War.

Dan (Alyx):

Can we just have one room that doesn't have secrets?

Dan:

She’s going right to the weird bookcase.

Alex (GM):

And the moment you place your hand on it, Alyx, it slides open to reveal an aquarium inside of the walls of the bank. A little tentacle greets you and waves and a few more join, and it starts to form letters on the glass. And it says,

Alex (Mr. War):

Greetings. I’m glad you got my invitation. I am Mr. War. But you can call me Manny.

Kenzie (Lou):

And we're renting the house from a squid?

Alex (Mr. War):

Well, squid is a term I suppose you could use. It would be an incorrect term. More appropriately…

Alex (GM):

And it spells this eldritch thing which you cannot pronounce.

Kenzie (Lou):

I don't like this. Can I get out of the lease?

Alex (GM):

It contorts in a way which communicates laughter, but the experience of it is like fear. You cannot understand the intentions of this creature by its own means. And it wipes off the glass and it starts to sort of like print its words again. It says,

Alex (Mr. War):

Apologies for deceiving you in your loaning situation. I'm looking for my good friend, Arion, and my familiar said that you should be able to help me find him.

Kenzie (Lou):

This is so interesting, Alyx. Isn't it usually the opposite way?

Dan (Alyx):

Usually. You are... what, Atlantean? Deepsea? I mean, you didn't come from here, you're...

Alex (Mr. War):

Ha ha! I came from...

Alex (GM):

Another eldritch thing you cannot understand.

Dan (Alyx):

Oh, okay.

Kenzie (Lou):

I got a headache from that one.

Dan (Alyx):

Cards on the table here if you're friends with a Arion does that mean you know what he is?

Alex (Mr. War):

A good person?

Dan (Alyx):

Yeah, alright.

Alex (Mr. War):

A helpful friend?

Dan (Alyx):

I see.

Alex (Mr. War):

Yes, I know they are a siren.

Dan (Alyx):

Ah, you’re fucking with me.

Alex (Mr. War):

I also know that you are a witch, and that you are... helpful.

Kenzie (Lou):

That felt a little derogatory, but I'm going to ignore it and take it as a compliment because I am helpful.

Alex (Mr. War):

You are helpful. I'm sorry, I think we've gotten off track. I'm looking for Arion because something is wrong with the seas. I do not know what it is, but all day long it has been growing worse and worse and we've had many complaints of people's shipments not arriving in Roseville Beach. And I even saw one ship not too far off the coast crash in the middle of the ocean, against nothing but the waves.

Kenzie (Lou):

Interestingly enough, Mr. War, we are also looking for Arion.

Alex (Mr. War):

That is unfortunate.

Dan (Alyx):

He disappeared a day or two ago. He was running after some swampy hag.

Alex (Mr. War):

A swampy hag. Could you describe this swampy hag?

Dan (Alyx):

Not very well. She had the same kind of, I mean, you know, it's the thing. She had the same general kind of glamour. I don't know how many others are around, you know what? I mean, fuck, at this point I should just expect that everyone, the bank owner is a man o’ war. Yeah, they were glamored. I don't know if that's helpful anymore. They could look like anyone at this point.

Alex (Mr. War):

Well, unfortunately, my familiar is busy with employment today. However, perhaps you could aid me in a way that Arion would usually. Oh, yes, I could have you perform business errands for me.

Alex (GM):

And out from the ceiling, a floorboard opens up and there's like water that starts to spew out and a little tentacle delivers upon you a little box and it places it on the desk and it goes back up and it puts the floorboard back, I guess the ceiling board, the ceiling board back into its spot.

Kenzie (Lou):

Normally, Mr. War, I would be all over this, and I would love to help you out with some tasks around town. Unfortunately, though, we are again, as I said, really needing to Arion.

Alex (Mr. War):

Yes, business errands.

Alex (GM):

Inside of this box, there's a handful of arcane devices, things which are not bank operation business related artifacts. These are very clearly nautical artifacts that have been given to you for a purpose. There is a little compass that spins and spins and spins and it doesn't seem like it really points anywhere. And there is a little map, what looks like it's probably Roseville Beach, but there's no settlements on it. But it actually has one spot on it, which is the leyline, which you just dealt with last week. And there are other spots around Roseville Beach with similar importance. And then the final thing is a little, pomade tin filled with beeswax.

Alex (Mr. War):

I do not know where my good friend Arion is, but I would very much like them to be safe, and if they are out on the sea, they are unsafe. You can use these things to find them. Oh! And one more thing.

Alex (GM):

The whole tentacles just disappear for a second. And you hear a Tim go,

Alex (Tim):

Oh, yes, yes, yes, of course, understood.

Alex (GM):

And they like hang up a phone and then you hear a shout of like disapproval from Bobby in the other room as the tentacles sort of swarm back to you. The ceiling board opens and the deed to a ship is dropped onto the desk as well. A little ship called the Roseville Runner.

Alex (Mr. War):

This should help you.

Dan:

Alyx takes psychic damage from looking at the map of the ley line and recovers it from hearing Bobby in pain. It's a very back and forth moment for her. She's going to pick up the devices. She's going to hand the map to Lou.

Dan (Alyx):

Thanks. I'm sorry, I gotta know this now or it's gonna bug me the whole time. Why are you doing this? Not the this part. I get you have a friendship with our good friend. Why do you do this?

Alex (Mr. War):

That is an interesting question. Only asked of me once. I was very alone for a long time. The oceans are deep and you humans know just the surface of what is really down there. One day, I meet a friend. A dear friend. This friend,

Alex (GM):

As they bring out a little book that is waterlogged and the ink is like spiraling off, but they like take an old fish bone and they dip it in ink from a little squid inside the tank as they start to rewrite the words inside of this book. And as they retrace the words on it: Accounting and Banking for the Modern Age: A Guide on How to Have Fun With It.

Alex (Mr. War):

This good friend. This good friend helped me realize that life doesn't have to be chaos. It can be fun. And you can structure it with... joy. And… checking accounts. And loans, so many loans. I'm sorry.

Kenzie (Lou):

No, I'm just thinking, so you were like, what is the most mundane thing I could possibly do? And then you did it.

Alex (GM):

He starts to, in the same way Tim did, try to sell you on why loans are not mundane.

Arion, we return to you the moment Odysseus opens his eyes.

Alex (Odysseus):

(heavy breathing)

Alex (GM):

He touches his scar.

Alex (Odysseus):

(sharp intake of breath) Ow.

Val:

Arion’s eyes like flare and the pupils blow out. He is terrified and amidst this sort of water, not water prison. There's this instinct that Arion kind of like darts, like in one quick fluid motion, darts towards this sort of floating kelp and just is like watching Odysseus from the kelp.

Alex (GM):

Does not take notice of you as he brings himself to his feet and he takes in his surroundings but he looks towards the other cells and he starts to call out.

Alex (Odysseus):

Mark? John? Chris?

Alex (GM):

And he goes on. There's no response from them. It's almost as if they are conscious, but they are drained of their energy.

Alex (Odysseus):

Are you alright?

Alex (GM):

And he looks to his right, he looks to his left. What are the color of your eyes in Siren?

Val:

In Siren form, they are the same color except brighter. All the magic that keeps him on land does is just dulls the strangeness about Arion. It doesn't change it. So they're these bright, almost like hazel-golden eyes. The one main difference between this form and his human form, his eyes, is that the pupils are now more slit-like rather than round.

Alex (GM):

He catches a glimpse of your eyes which glow through the kelp.

Alex (Odysseus):

Are you okay? Do you know where we are?

Val:

As Arion sort of like nestles a little bit more into the kelp, he speaks out this little cooing and bright pitch noise escaping his lips.

Val (Arion):

(Siren coo) I think we're trapped.

Alex (Odysseus):

It’s okay. Look,

Alex (GM):

And he like steps all the way back to the bar.

Alex (Odysseus):

I’m not gonna hurt you.

Alex (GM):

And he raises his hands up. You can see that scar on his neck actually goes all the way down his arm to the palm of his hand, as if he was reaching out to stop something.

Alex (Odysseus):

I won't hurt you.

Val:

Arion’s heart plummets to the pit of his stomach. He doesn't have a choice here. He is trapped in every sense of the word. And here it is, the moment he had been imagining, thinking of his whole time in Roseville Beach and it is terrifying. It is worse than any of his imaginings.And he leans forward. And you see it, Odysseus sees it, the midnight blue scales on his shoulders, the singeing of the scar, these fins that bloom out of where ears should be, and flowing black hair floating amidst this non-watery cell. And another coo escapes Arion's lips as he says,

Val (Arion):

Of course you won't hurt me.

Alex (GM):

Shocked a little bit, he trips over a rock in his cell and he sort of falls to the ground.

Alex (Odysseus):

Ah, ah…

Alex (GM):

And he can't speak lost for words.

Val:

Arion’s heart sinks even further as he kind of like lowers himself back into the kelp.

Val (Arion):

I-I-I won't hurt you. I won't, I won't.

Val:

And echoing along his voice is this like, cooing and this chirping noise. Arion is back to his own self, a siren has revealed himself to a mortal.

Alex (Odysseus):

I’m sorry, I think I was just a little shocked. Also, maybe I'm just seeing things.

Alex (GM):

As he sort of like raises his hand and he like takes off his hat and you see he's sort of got this injury on his head where like he fell against a rock.

Alex (Odysseus):

Ow.

Val:

Again in one fluid motion, swerves up and emerges out the kelp and Odysseus sees Arion’s full form, this lithe thin slender form tied to a angelfish-like tail and flowy fins, bits of it singed from the lightning and the duel with Hallie. And we see Arion kind of like tilt upward in the tide to take a better look at all the injuries and size Odysseus up.

Val (Arion):

What has she done to you?

Alex (GM):

Your conversation is interrupted by one of these half-shark witches that enters into the space and actually like bang against your cell with a spear.

Alex (Witch):

Quiet you.

Alex (GM):

As they go to one of the cells, they open it and they pull one of the sailors out. They look at them and they turn them around. They say,

Alex (Witch):

No, this one's too exhausted.

Alex (GM):

And they throw them back down. They lock the gate and they go to the next cell, open them up.

Alex (Witch):

Yes, this one will do. And they pull them and walk out.

Val:

Arion looks terrified hearing all of that and realizing that they're both running out of time. Odysseus sees Arion looking at all the different corners of the cell of this bar. I think he reaches out to a corner to examine whether it burns him and it still does. He winces back and this shrill whale escapes his lip again.

Val (Arion):

(hisses) We must get you out of here. There is no negotiating. I don't know what they will do to you, but we must get you out.

Val:

I’m looking for any sort of weakness in the cell. Is there some way for me to mess not with the bars, but with the way the magic is constructed around the cell itself? To kind of break out that way.

Alex (GM):

Make a roll for Goal and Clue.

Val:

We’re going to put 6 in Goal 5 in Clue.

Alex (GM):

When that shark witch had banged against your cell, it loosened some of the shackles, the hinges on it. If you were able to construct something similar to one of Lou’s screwdrivers or any other tool in their toolbox, you could probably get the door off, but the metal... It's a non-starter, Arion. Whether or not it's actually this, it is, you can only describe it as a Stygian iron. Iron that was forged in the underworld. That has a lot of properties, but the biggest one is being able to cancel out magic from creatures like yourself.

Val:

There’s a thought that floats in Arion’s mind of that moment in the ocean when he was caught by that net.

Val (Arion):

How did mortals get this?

Val:

But as soon as he realizes that there might be a way out of here, but that he's not the one equipped to do so, he pans over towards Odysseus and then swims up to him and says,

Val (Arion):

This seems foolish to hope, but would you by any chance have a screwed driver? Or tools?

Alex (GM):

You ask this question so panicked but so sincerely that Odysseus, he lets out a little laugh to himself.

Alex (Odysseus):

(laughs) I’m so sorry, I didn't catch your name.

Val:

Arion looks shocked, like there's this weird expression that he holds and he tilts his head similar to a way a dog would when hearing a strange sound.

Val (Arion):

I’m called Arion.

Alex (GM):

And it gets really close. You can't tell if it's because he's being smooth or because his injuries are making him walk a little slower, but regardless, he's walking up in a way that catches your attention. And he pushes his hair back as you grab onto the bar and he leans in.

Alex (Odysseus):

Screwdriver. It's a screwdriver, Arion.

Val:

Arion wants to fall into the depths of Hades right now. His first interaction with Odysseus and he says it wrong.

Alex (Odysseus):

No, hey, hey, hey. It's okay, it's okay, it's okay. (Laughs) No, no I don't, but we can make something work here.

Alex (GM):

And he reaches down and he grabs a rock and he starts to shave it against a sort of rusted part of the bar as it's getting sharper and sharper, flatter and flatter.

We have flashed forward onto the Roseville Runner. We are piloting it into our storm following this compass, which at first seemed to spin and spin and spin and spin and spin. And then almost like magic, it lands directly towards one of those spots of power on the map. A little image of a sea cave.

Kenzie (Lou):

Alyx, I don't know if we're gonna have to like go underwater or anything.

Kenzie:

And Lou's trying to like yell above the sound of the storm.

Kenzie (Lou):

But I can't breathe underwater. Is this like magical beeswax that when you put it over your mouth and your nose, like you'll be good?

Dan:

Is it magical beeswax or is this for the reason that Dan and maybe Alyx think it is?

Alex (GM):

You’re getting a hint. mean, it seems too obvious, Alyx. It seems too obvious that the beeswax is to put in your ears to resist a Siren. It seems too obvious, but that's the best assumption you can come up with. It is not magical, it is legitimately just beeswax, but this boat… this boat has some serious power on it.

You make your way through the Roseville Runner and the captain's room is close. You gotta kinda get, you gotta go through most of the boat to get to it. The boat itself is kind of in disrepair, but their nets are pristine and laced with metal. The cargo that's being transported on this fishing vessel is not the kind stuff you'd expect. You'd expect maybe supplies for being on a charter boat, maybe supplies to bring back to the mainland, but the things in here look like they dredged up from the bottom of the ocean. Pottery and statues and all sorts of things. You make your way into the captain's room. All that's in there is a little black book with a pen and an entry already open to the page, the last one that was actually made, that says,

“Today I met a new benefactor. I never saw them, but they came to me. When I, right when I needed them most. I thought surely, surely we were going to go out of business. Surely, Roseville Beach would be a home for none of us anymore. But then I found it. It was so unassuming, a little clay pot. Nothing more. I was curious. I was going to sell it but something... something called to me to open it. With one swift blow I struck it. And that's when I met them. Or rather, when I heard them. A man who can never truly be seen. Someone always just out of sight. Always shadow. They didn't want much, and they offered me everything. The nets, they gave me the metal to make them. It was enough to save us. It was enough to bring our business from bankruptcy to flourishing, thriving even, with offers to work outside of Roseville Beach. This is the best year we've ever had. And likely will ever had. But the nets, they catch more than just fish. I don't know how to describe it, but the things they catch are bigger. They're scarier.”

And it trails off. And then there is a final log line that says, “I did sell it. The pot, I mean. To that little coffee shop. I think, Kinsdale. Seems like they should have.” And it ends in a thought that never is finished.

Dan:

I show this to Lou.

Dan (Alyx):

Well, there’s the origin of that little fucker.

Kenzie (Lou):

This thing has its claws in places that we didn't know and it's been here for a lot longer than we thought.

Dan (Alyx):

I don't even… It's not just some random spirit, it was trapped. That's not good.

Kenzie (Lou):

Well, we need to get Arion back. But then I think we need to go get that pot.

Dan (Alyx):

Yep.

Alex (GM):

And almost like the world is against this action, lightning strikes the sea as the wave from where the lightning struck rises and combines with another, catching you in a rogue wave as it crashes across the ship. water sort of takes anything that was loose and sweeps it right off the ship, the whole ship turns to the side and almost starts to capsize, when another bolt of lightning strikes the mast, cracking the whole ship down into the cargo. And you can grab one thing each before the ship is destroyed. There is something that attracted the lightning within the cargo.

Kenzie:

Lou will take the radio.

Dan:

The second the lightning strikes the mast, the first thing that Alyx is going to think of is the... the burned, cursed theatre and the way lightning directed things there. And whether it's with them or against them, she wants to go find what's down there. But she also doesn't want Lou to be in trouble. So she's going to shove a life jacket into Lou's hand and says,

Dan (Alyx):

I'll be right back. Don’t - I can't say don't go anywhere. It's the ocean. Just stay on the surface.

Alex (GM):

You don’t even need to go down below, the lightning has ruptured the deck entirely, and you can drop directly into it. In fact, you're not really dropping as you are jumping into and running alongside as the ship is now on its side. Lou, you are thrown off the deck as it has been thrusted, now capsizing. The cargo goes everywhere, everything flies about, the crates open up, they smash, they shatter against each other, but there's one that was already shattered, struck by the lightning, a burning heap, petrified almost. With the wood, is a sword made entirely of iron. Half stone, half iron. And a little piece of it, like a hilt. Almost like would be a leather strap if this were attached to something. In fact, you've seen this before. Atticus had a missing piece of their strap. This is a sword that Atticus had at some point, dredged up from the bottom of the ocean. Perhaps when Atticus was being transferred here, at some point when they were alive again. This is no doubt their sword.

Alyx, while you're wielding this, you can absorb lightning.

Dan:

Looks at it, figures out what its for, points up at the sky.

Dan (Alyx):

Thanks bud. Fuck me.

Alex (GM):

And before you can even make a plan, the entire ship capsizes as the currents and the waves begin to tear the ship apart. Lou, did you put on the life jacket?

Kenzie:

Not before she jumped in, because I think she was in the water when Alyx threw it to her. So now she's trying to keep the radio out of the ocean and get the life jacket on. It's not going well.

Alex (GM):

Alyx, you are drawn down fast into the undertow, swept against essentially a coastal shelf, and then into the depths of the ocean. Lou, you bounce and bob thrown about trying to keep this radio above. You are going to go under, but you can probably get a message out before you do.

Kenzie:

Then through the radio I just yell,

Kenzie (Lou):

Mayday! Mayday! Ship went down! It's Lou, by the way! Send emergency rescue immediately!

Alex (GM):

And you are sucked underneath the waves as the two of you go down, down, down. You can feel the pressure build around you. Your lungs beginning to crush underneath themselves. And then you find yourself at a moment of peace. Like your body is struggling but there's nothing you can do. You try to hold your breath and you hear your blood. And you can't hold it anymore. And you gasp for air. But you can breathe. As your feet touch the ground into a kelpy forest at the entrance of a sea cave, the exact image of the one on the map.

Odysseus sharpened that rock until it was flat. Now it's not quite a Phillips but it'll be fine. He can't quite reach it as he's putting his arm through the bar and he's actually - he went out to instinctively grab your hand but kind of like stopped himself.

Alex (Odysseus):

I’m sorry. Here.

Alex (GM):

And he hands you this rock, and he sort of like points to where he just can't reach.

Alex (Odysseus):

Just, just, screw, just turn that counterclockwise. To the left, left, to the left.

Val:

Arion, like, there's that heartbeat of a moment where their hands like hovered between each other and the rock is placed onto his and Arion like grips it and thinks of Lou and Alyx and sitting in the beach house and all the different little moments that they have and his eyes pan back to Odysseus for a moment looking at those dark eyes, these dark red ringlets that sit about his face.

Val (Arion):

Right, right, right, yeah.

Val:

And Arion's going to float upwards to this area. Am I allowed to interact with it? Since I have such a strong reaction to the metal?

Alex (GM):

It's not going to burn you unless you attempt magic.

Val:

Arion’s hand like hovers over it and then he grips onto one of the bars to keep himself steady and then begins to use a screwdriver for the first time in his life.

Alex (GM):

With such confidence that you're doing it right, you try to turn it, and it just won't budge. And you try to turn it again, and it just won't budge. And Odysseus starts to say something, but you're starting to feel a little judged. And you double down. You double down into it, and you turn, and you turn, and it's not turning, it's not turning, it's not turning, because you're turning right, Arion. Even though Odysseus just told you to turn left. And it takes more time than it should to get a single screw out when he finally just touches your hand and he reaches past with his injured arm, because that's the one with the better grip, and he calms your hand. And he starts turning it left for you.

Alex (Odysseus):

Left.

Val (Arion):

Right.

Alex (Odysseus):

No, no, no. Left.

Val (Arion):

I mean, yes, left.

Alex (Odysseus):

It’s okay. I know this is a scary moment, Arion, but we're gonna be okay. I promise you. We are gonna be okay.

Val:

And Arion is calmed again. He remembers the first time he saw that face. How frightened he was on a survivalist, primal level, being trapped in a net he couldn't escape from, but it was this mortal released him. And I think as Odysseus is like guiding him, he's just staring at Odysseus. At his face, at the beautiful, beautiful face of his as we finally release the screw.

Val (Arion):

And the screw onto the ground. One screw down, several more left. But it's not quick enough. The room has an electricity that fills it. You see the hair on Odysseus's arms rise from the static in the room. And the shadow coming down the hall can only be described as a school of eels. But what turns around the corner is the sea witch Hallie.

Alex (Hallie):

Have I given you enough time? Are you ready to talk now? And you -

Alex (GM):

Points at Odysseus and there's like a little electricity and she sweeps her finger and he - like this little bubble this little heated bubble caused by electricity separates you two to opposite sides of your cells.

Alex (Hallie):

Stay there.

Val (Arion):

Leave him alone!

Alex (Hallie):

Now now, Siren, you will have your opportunity to make that choice. Make it well. The shackles, please.

Alex (GM):

As she turns to one of her coven members and takes these Stygian iron shackles and places them on you before opening the bars. Her guards go to like grab you but she stops them and she gestures in the direction she would like you to go.

Val:

Arion looks to Odysseus who's unharmed now and back to Hallie.

Val (Arion):

He remains unharmed for our conversation or there will be none. Can I count on you on that, sister?

Alex (Hallie):

I swear on my dead coven from his own hands that he will be unharmed through this conversation.

Val:

Arion relaxes.

Alex (Hallie):

I’m glad that you feel better.

Val:

The movement of his tail like switches a little bit. It's more relaxed instead of twitching. And he swims in the direction.

Alex (GM):

You enter into a room that is... It's all sea cave, all kelp, but there are twists and turns. This could not be traversed by a human easily. It requires you to swim up and then directly down. She has built or found this place and it is designed for her and you. Escaping with Odysseus will not be easy. You eventually come to a chamber where there are several other of these sailors. They are... again, the only word that can be used to describe them is spent. Expended. Their energy is gone. They're alive, but tapped.

Behind them are almost like relics, altars. You watch as behind you shuffles in another one of the sailors. Not Odysseus, but somebody who shares a similar patch with them, right? They work on the same crew and they are brought to one of these altars. And Hallie casts some sort of spell that channels through them into this relic. There’s a current of water that rushes through the cave and up into this channel, into the ocean, and you hear crashing. She is using these people to create this storm. Unable to do it with her coven, she found another source.

In the center, she has a little scrying pool, which she runs her fingers along exactly the same way she did with the glass, as she looks at another ship that crashes. And she doesn't chuckle. She doesn't take joy. She just marks another success, and the vision vanishes.

Alex (Hallie):

Arion, you are not long for that world. You know that, right?

Alex (GM):

As she gestures towards your pendant.

Val (Arion):

No thanks to you, sister.

Alex (Hallie):

No thanks to me?

Val (Arion):

It was your lightning that struck it, no?

Alex (Hallie):

You would have been fine. I would have never been in that situation, should...

Alex (GM):

She stops herself.

Alex (Hallie):

That is not the reason I brought us here. I want to broker a deal with you.

Val (Arion):

And what did you have in mind?

Alex (Hallie):

b What is your plan to fix your pendant? What is your plan to remain on land? You've chosen them instead of us, and as much as I detest that choice, I'll respect you for it. What's your plan to stay?

Val:

Arion snaps back towards Hallie.

Val (Arion):

Chose them instead of you, why is there this duality? I chose to protect lives. The life of that who I am bound to. I did not forsake the sea.

Alex (Hallie):

No, Arion.

Alex (GM):

And she grows darker as the shadows literally engulf her.

Alex (Hallie):

The sea abandoned you.

Val (Arion):

What do mean?

Alex (Hallie):

Do you remember? Do you honestly remember, Arion? Or are you so blinded by your childish obsession with that man?

Val (Arion):

(hisses)

Alex (Hallie):

Your summer's almost gone, Arion. And where will you be? Gone. It's only been sped up. I regret speeding up that process, but I don't regret what I've done. Arion, I want to help you. I do not want to see any more of us dead, killed. There are so few left. Let me help you. It'll be so easy.

Alex (GM):

As she runs a claw along your arm and you feel, see the leyline draw through your blood.

Val (Arion):

And for what in exchange, witch? These deals aren't just one-sided.

Alex (Hallie):

No, I suppose they're not, are they? It is a simple transaction, Arion. You carry within your blood something very precious to me. And it is also the only answer to fix your pendant. I will give you the time that you have fleeting back to you, if you find love by the end of the summer, you will stay alive and well. Should you not, well, that is your own problem, and it is something you agreed to earlier. Don’t let yourself die for nothing, Arion.

Alex (GM):

As the pendant starts to crack.

Alex (Hallie):

Let me help you.

Val:

Arion needs time. Time he doesn't have now. With time, he could actually fulfill his promise to Atticus. Without it, well, everything is gone. There is no hope for Roseville Beach. There is no great future intervention. Arion will return to seafoam.

Val (Arion):

Do what you must.

Alex (GM):

As you say that, her nail punctures your skin.

Val (Arion):

(pained groan)

Alex (GM):

She draws down. And instead of blood, she releases the dormant leyline inside you. This is not the leyline that has been infused with the essence of September Brown. This is the original essence of the leyline. As she pulls it out, it has a heartbeat and it lightens the room. And she with her other hand, punctures her own skin, and siphons the leyline into her body. And she cracks her neck.

Alex (Hallie):

(Sigh)

Alex (GM):

The other way.

Alex (Hallie):

(Sigh)

Alex (GM):

She rubs her thumb and her finger together with a little bit of electricity. She zaps your pendant and it fuses back together. Your scales return to skin, your tail return to legs. And just as this is happening, Alyx, Lou, you enter above the scene to watch looking down on Hallie and Arion. And behind Hallie, the entity.

Kenzie:

Lou looks at Alyx.

Kenzie (Lou):

We don't have time to deal with that right now, I'm gonna grab Arion.

Dan (Alyx):

Okay. Okay. Fuck. Fuck.

Kenzie:

And I try to like go towards Arion and grab him and try to get back.

Alex (GM):

So you can jump down very easily. In fact, you almost like float to the floor as you land next to Arion and are able to grab him. You can even like swim back up if you wanted to. You can swim through the air here.

Dan:

I’m gonna use Call to make it happen quickly.

Val:

As soon as he feels your arms around him, he instinctively knows it's you, Lou.

Val (Arion):

Wait, no! Odysseus! He’s trapped!

Alex (Hallie):

Oh, yes. And Arion, good luck.

Alex (GM):

As she snaps her fingers and the air returns to water.

Kenzie:

Lou takes in a lungful. I think with what Arion just said though, Lou takes and like shoves Arion upwards and turns and goes towards where Odysseus is.

Alex (GM):

You are able to get to a point which has an air pocket in it. These sea caves are lots of water and then lots of little air pockets. It is transversable for you to survive down here, but maybe not get back.

Dan:

I can cast magic, it’s just at a high fucking risk. Idon't really have choice, do I? Or I'm gonna fuckin' drown. So, I am just going to stare at this fucking shadow, and I am going to attempt to create water breathing.

Alex (GM):

If you are channeling love in this moment, you could use the word love.

Dan:

Alyx sees this fucking thing and is seized with a deep and terrible anger. The thought of love does not enter her mind.

Alex (GM):

Instinctually, you have studied arcane in a way you've never done before, Alyx, and you pull this spell out of the aether, out of the tomes that you've been reading and reading and reading, and this was like seven tomes ago, but you have it, it's there, and it benefits everyone. You can all breathe water, Odysseus cannot.

Val:

You see Arion swim past you and starts like scolding you immediately. And is just like,

Val (Arion):

You are a mortal! You do not swim in the ocean. What are you doing?

Val:

And notices you can breathe.

Val (Arion):

Shit, never mind. Alyx did something amazing. Come, come, come.

Val:

I don't think you've ever seen Arion swim in the water before. And he like darts and moves fluidly through the tide, like holds you by the hand and guides you. It's like going on a roller coaster in the water as you are moving and swerving between all the reeds.

Alex (GM):

And what you come into is the door, the bars are floating past you as Odysseus has successfully undone all of the screws on his cell and is

Kenzie:

I’m gonna kind of like swim down there with Arion who's like holding me, I guess, and I'm gonna like motion to Odysseus like,

Kenzie (Lou):

Come on, come on.

Alex (GM):

And with all of his all the breath in his lungs he is trying to hold he swims past you Lou to Arion.

Val:

Arion notices Odysseus attempting to hold his breath within the sharp intake of water within this sea cave, grabs Odysseus by the back of his head and presses his lips against his to breathe into him.

Alex (GM):

Will you please roll a Magic roll here? It is not using your Siren nature, so the Stygian shackles will not hinder you because you are using the Love that September Brown has gifted Roseville Beach. And because of that, you also don't have to roll Injury or Scared. Just Goal, just Magic.

Val:

Okay, we have a six and a five.

In that one fluid motion, Arion’s Siren hands grip the back of Odysseus' head. The bright red curls tighten around his fingers, and as he presses his kiss against Odysseus, there's an exhale of breath. Time stops, and all these two here are heartbeats.

And the second the air is expelled back into Odysseus, Arion pulls his arm across his shoulder, grabs Lou underneath his other arm, and starts surging past the waves and the water as it is rushing in back into this cave and swerves back up towards where Alyx is to pull all three of them back up to shore.

Alex (GM):

It's still storming, but the storm is dying. It seems that Hallie got what she wanted and these men are no more of a use to her.

Val:

As the storm ricochets off away from the coastal area we are in, we are all buffeted by waves. Alyx, myself, Lou, and Odysseus. Plops everyone back to shore as the storm begins to roil away from us and this wave of realization hits him and his eyes bolt bright and he dives back in to try and grab the sailors but when he does there's nothing.

It is silence. He taps them on either side of their faces, these beautiful, handsome sailors, ones that he would have called to, sung to in the depths were it a year, maybe two years before. And he carries them, hoping the air would bring life back into their lungs. And they are still. He drags them to the shore. And it's just silence. All of us are here, the four of us alive. But this crew, these poor unfortunate souls caught in the crossfire are spent. And Arion looks at them with horror and a new emotion that a Siren has never felt before. Guilt.

And the final thing we see is a Arion looking at the rest of them. Those who survived. And weeps.

Kenzie:

This series stars Alexander Christopher as the Game master, Valiant Dorian as Arion, Dan Pyxel as Alyx Cho, and Kenzie Tartaglione as Lou Wells. If you liked it, share, rate, and review. You can join our Discord. And make sure to check out our Patreon for this season character advancements, bloopers, After Show, and so much more!