Episode 19: The Ascent - Part 1

Previously On
None.

Summary
Bug, Yolanda, and Hue's unconscious body return to the gatehouse where Hue lives to meet Gail, Itotia, and Criv after the scene at the theater. Gail is upset with the news about Hue's soul being expelled. Yolanda is confident they can find a way to bring Hue back. Itotia confirms that Hue's soul is gone, and describes Mount Mourning, a location in Nydahar where members of Itotia's family can visit the souls of departed ancestors. By placing a special ring on a deceased body in the burial chamber on Mount Mourning, a living creature can call the soul of the deceased back into their body. However, there is only one ring, which is kept in the capital of Nydahar. Since travelling by cart to Nydahar would take months, Itotia uses a beautiful jewel (which is a crystal) to call Iutl, a giant adult gold dragon. The dragon lands almost instantaneously outside of the gatehouse. The team dresses themselves for the cold weather using some of Hue's spare glam rock outfits.

Meanwhile, Hue is waking up as her twin brother Omine drives her in a flying car to the city of Kordoth. It appears that Omine had designed a machine to catch his soul and return it to his body in case he died, but since Hue's soul is so similar to his, it had caught her soul. As the car nears Kordoth, Hue is amazed at the towering skyscrapers, flying crafts, and other technology she's never seen before. Omine tells Hue that since she is not from this world, that eventually she will begin to break down and fall apart. As they cross into the city, the windshield of the car lights up with new notifications and alerts, including a voice call from Omine's patron, nginX. Omine hides Hue under a blanket. After duping nginX, Omine explains that he creates machines for nginX, and in exchange, she pays him and prevents the authorities from killing him. If anyone were to find out that he created a machine outside of the city, he would risk penalty of death.

Interstitial
Intro music: mechanical Kordoth

The interstitial in Season 2 sounds the same but all of the players have swapped bodies. Ali = Stephen Kelly. Glo is now Mali Mordon, she swapped bodies and changed Ali's name. SK has swapped bodies with a cute Corgi he's been following on Instagram, whose name he doesn't remember.

They plug their live D&D event (that is not a live show of theirs), a show that is live, that is called QED&D. A bunch of the players have been invited to play for their show on November 28th, 2018. The adventure is called "The Uncanny Hex-Men", and it's X-Men-themed D&D. Glo has played this show before, she played a bard. None of that Xavier shit. They use the TV for cool shit and they have music. THere's cool art as well, with two fantasy swords to create the 'X.'

Ali says they have some banger episodes. They've been sitting on the information, since they record so far in the past. Says they'll have special guests....Harry Potter.

Setting
Hue's gate house is made of stone, two or three stories tall. A gatehouse sits on one end of a bridge above the archway of the bridge. Looks Gothic and brutal, not a lot of crenelations. Inside, it's one big room with vaulted ceilings, wood floors, stone walls, big windows that look out on a drizzly day. It's sparsely furnished. Has instruments lying around, some sort of strange-looking guitar instruments with extra strings (like two guitars stuck together) and a picture with a guy with blown-out hair. Also a violin bow, a rack of performing clothes that are a little more glam and less functional than what the team has seen Hue wear. Lyrics and notes strewn about. When Iutl lands, several of the instruments fall on the ground, strings snapping. Has a window. The clothes are heavy duty, one's very duty, and they're very bright. Has a thick heavy blanket on the back of a chair.

Nydahar is months away from Milarien by cart according to Itotia, but can get there faster by travelling on Iutl. It is a freezing climate.

Kordoth is a world. Has a city with lights that looked from stars from a distance but are actually lights from buildings, the likes of which Hue has never seen. Kordoth is also the name of the city that Omine lives in. Approaching the city there's grass and undisturbed wildlife up until a hard line that isn't defined by a giant dome or physical barrier. Suddenly, there's pavement, giant steel buildings, billboards, and lights, etc. There's nobody outside or on the grass. Every person is inside the city. THe city is enormous. Takes up the entire horizon. Hue's 100 off the ground. Skyscrapers, floating cars, larger ships in every direction. Ships like blimps without the balloons. Gettting closer to the tech-grass threshhold. Kordoth is the city "where everything happens" according to Omine. Hue and Omine enter the East Side, which is a real shithole according to Omine. Says they should really go Uptown, you can go see Alt-pearances that people put on, there are plays which Hue would love. The comedy scene is *chef kiss mwa* to die for. They don't have scrolls, they have movies. A big part of life in Kordoth is not dying, according to Omine. Crossing over into the city brings up new lights on the car's windshield, which had otherwise been blank. Almost every square inch is taken up by an advertisement or something about the car, a bunch of lights, things you'd put on your hand, giving thumbs up, brand names. Has a flashing square in the center. The Fog is the main city? where people aren't allowed to leave without telling their superior?

Bug
Puts Hue into a table chair, gently walks Hue to a chair. Bug isn't paying attention to the conversation, he's fixing Hue's hair and her clothing and is really concerned with the wellbeing of the body. Very distant. Owns two shirts. Puts his arm through a heavy blanket because he can't fit into Hue's clothes. Yolanda ties a big belt around Bug's waits to make the blanket into a nice dress. Put his head and arms through the blanket to make it look like a poncho. Fearful of Hue's body getting injured. Attaches Hue to himself with rope, similar to a tandem skydiver.

Gail
Investigated Hue's apartment, wondering who the hell would play that instrument and desperately searching for wine. Asks Hue if there's any wine in the house. Gets defensive, asking where Yolanda was, was she protecting Hue? Reminds Criv that they saved Itotia's life when he looks disgusted at the share of information; receives a salute in return. Has like 10 daggers on her. Makes the plan that the only clothes the team can wear are Hue's glam rock clothes because they're super heavy duty, and one's very furry, but also very bright. THe only hat she can find is a giant 80's wig, like the girls in GLO. Googled a hair metal outfit. Wears leather pants, big boots that are platformed, makes her a little bit taller. Looks like a vest that's the color of her skin. Outfit is full leather.

Hue
Lives in a gatehouse, sparsely furnitured. Has random instruments, notes, lyrics, glam rock clothes. Looks out the window vacantly with the rest of the Gang. Gets a fur coat from YOlanda. In a spaceship car that floats of the ground. Headed toward a city. Hue hasn't seen Omine since she was a child. Feels pretty weak after waking up from the field. Was picked up and put in the passenger seat by Omine. Very weak, feel like heavy arms and no energy to move it. Gives up after minimal effort. Feels extremely overwhelmed, so many questions to ask. Normally tries to act cool, now she's holding back tears, exhausted. Had human parents. Confused when Omine says that Hue disappeared. Woke up one morning and looked to the side of the bed, and Omine was gone. Her parents tried to convince her that she never had a brother. Hue mentions Miss Segundin and her impressed opinion of Kordothian objects. Seeing Kordoth and her brother and it not being anything like she imagined makes Hue think of Bug, Yolanda, and Gail. Feels she needs to let them know that she's ok. Calls the Tranquility Team sort of like janitors for heroes. Has been a day and maybe up to three days before she disappears.

Yolanda
Tries to calm Gail down when they enter with Hue's body. Tells Gail that Hue was shot by a ghost gun. Says she'll look through her cleric books to see if there's a spell that may help. Doesn't think Hue has wine because she thinks it's gross, from what Yo can remember. Has old books from church. Has seen the Black Panther scroll twice. Tells Criv to shut the fuck up. Starts pulling weed out when Itotia asks how much weed she has on her. (an eighth here, an eighth there, an ounce in her bra). Has 30 joints on her according to Stephen. Mostly black and white outfit, a thick black crop top with a white lightening strike from one shoulder to the hip. The pants go up above the crop top, almost to the armpits, almost to the shoulders. Highwaisted but higharmpitted for YOlanda. They are cheetah. ALso, big furry gloves, with most of the fur on the wrists, not on the inside. Takes out the braids and puts it into a cute high bun. Puts a fur coat on Hue.

Itotia
Makes eye contact with Hue. Straightens up and says that Hue's soul is gone. Thinks Hue's body is in Mourning. When the leaders of her people die, they put them in a special place where they can visit them on special occasions. When they visit them, they are "in Mourning." She has seen the Black Panther scroll. When the leaders go and visit past leaders, the living leaders can come back into their bodies? The past leaders remain dead. The souls can return to the dead bodies; that's how the living leaders visit them. Referred to as a princess by Gail. Believes she can bring Hue's soul back to her body; will need to take her body to Mourning, a place near their city [of Keen]. Place her body in Mourning, place a ring on finger, and return her to the land of the living. The ring is like a guiding ring. The ring is like a lighthouse, it shows the soul where the body is. Hue's soul will not evaporate when she removes the ring. Say a body cannot live long without a soul inside of it, days at most. Has a small stone (a beautiful jewel) to call Iutl, taps the side of the crystal with three of her nails in an order that looks important, maybe in the NBC tone. Causes three distinct tones, the noise fades, but never actually leaves their perception (like an ear test at the doctors). THis calls Iutl momentarily (a matter of seconds). Knows of Iutl and several other dragons.

Criv
Very uncomfortable with Itotia discussing Mount Mourning, stiffer than usual, looks almost revolted that Itotia is sharing this. Makes a salute to Gail after she said they saved Itotia's life. He grumbles something under his breath when Bug asks what the downside of the ring is. He says that the Tranquility Team is not of his people. And that even among his people, only the leaders are permitted to go to this place. Says letting this occur is against the Sacbe, our way, our path! Told to shut the fuck up by Yolanda because he couldn't save Itotia at the theater.

Iutl
An adult gold dragon. Can be summoned by tapping on a small stone (a beautiful jewel) owned by Itotia. Can teleport? or travel in a matter of seconds? Or it's possible that Iutl was in the vicinty of Mliarien. Lands with a whoompf outside of the gatehouse. Cause the roof to shake. A tail probably 20 feet long of gold shimmering plated scales, like radiant gold. Dragons are rare as in a "holy-shit-this-is-a-once-in-a-lifetime" thing. Only other dragon seen by the gang was Adrix. TO see a dragon in dragon form is incredibly rare. Dragons are a seperate species from dragonborn. Itotia says there are several other dragons that she knows of.

Omine
Same height as Hue, same color as Hue, same shaped horns. Wears gold-rimmed spectacles, circley, thin wire frames.Looks a little anxious, sorta adjusting things on a panel in the car, half driving and half looking at a glowing display with a lot of information that Hue can't read. Looks like the guy from Treasure Planet without a rattail. Can drive a flying car. Tells Hue to worry about feeling weak. Set a machine to catch his soul and put it back in his body if he died. Had human parents. Says that Hue disappeared. Omine's parents also tried to convince him that he was an only child and didn't have a sister. Says there are slight differences in physics for Hue's body since she's not of this world. Says that over time, Hue will break down and fall apart. Wasn't actively looking for Hue, but thought it would be nice if she existed. He was just focused on keeping himself from dying. Throws a blanket over Hue whenever a blinking square appears on the windshield. Not allowed to leave the Fog without telling nginX. Conducted an experiment last month with horses. Made up a lie that he thought one of the horses was still out there, but that it was just a tracking malfunction. Covers up for Hue's talking by saying the engine on the car is acting up. Omine's been messing with it. WHen asked about what's in the passenger seat, he says it's the horse or what's left of it. Says most of the horse died and the rest of it died too. Calls Luck "Lucky." Says it's super not ok to make a machine outside of the Fog. nginX is his patron, in exchange for protection from the authorities, Omine creates machines for nginX and the AI. He's a sucessful comedian.

nginX
Calls Omine on the car whenever he reenters the city. They remember everything (including Omine's experiment with the horses). Suspicious, dietects that there is something in the passenger seat of the car. Lets Omine go, but expects a report from him soon. She's like if a person was smarter and hated us. Omine agrees that she's pretty similar to a wizard as Hue suggests. She's an AI. She's like Omine's patron. Instead of just paying him money, nginX makes sure the authorities stay off his back and that they can't kill him. Omine makes things for nginX and they keep protecting Omine.

Running Jokes and Gags
Stephen describes something as sparsely furnished (Hue's gatehouse, Gisilbert's house)

Referencing pop culture (comparing Mount Mourning to the Black Panther scroll; Criv giving the Wakanda salute to Gail; the dragon in the scroll Shrek being only other dragon seen that Iutl; Stephen doing the Wakanda salute again, Hue saying her disappearing is like the Back to the Future scroll)

Calling an NPC by the wrong name (fucking Krav Maga for Criv by Yolanda)

Manipulating Hue's lifeless body (looking out the window at Iutl)

Mentions soft rope ( Bug mentions 10 yards of soft rope to tie up Hue to Iutl)

Bug carries something (puts Hue on his back to carry to Iutl)

Montage (quick montage of the team putting on clothes)

Quotes
"It's sparsely furnitured... sparsely furnished?...uh, sparsely furnitured." --Stephen describing Hue's house

Itotia: "Yes, her soul is in Mourning, I think." Bug: "What does that mean? Itotia: "When, uh--" Bug: It's four p.m." Itotia: "What does that have to do with it?" Bug: "You said--" Yolanda: "It's not the morning." Itotia: "Oh, I see. Spelled with a "u," the other mourning." Bug: "M-O-R-N-U-N-G?" Itotia: "...well, anyway--" Bug: "That spells "mornung."

Yolanda [in reference to the Black Panther scroll]: "And that one guy's stuck in his apartment in Compton, that part made me cry." Bug: "Right, I know, it's like you can't even not be in Compton?" Yolanda: "You can't, you haveta, yeah, he's stuck in Compton." Bug: "Oh my god." Itotia: "By the way, what a vividly imagined scroll to have made up an entire universe including places like Compton and Los Angeles. Truly, ahead of its time." Yolanda: "Truly." Itotia: "It's in the wider 'The Earth' universe, I believe."

Stephen: "[Criv says] 'Yes' and Criv uh... makes a salute to you Um-. Glo:"The Wakanda salute." Stephen [embarassed]: "I didn't mean to do that." SK: "Stephen, Stephen Buckley stood up, did the full salute." Stephen [defensively]: "I did nottt. I grabbed my fist." Glo: "He went "WAKANDA FOREVER" Ali: "Stephen said "Wakanda Forever" and we cut it, and then he kept, then he kept saying it, and we kept cutting it." Stephen: "Anyway, Killmonger is outside."

Criv: "You are not of our people. There is--, even among our people, only our leaders go to this place." Gail: "Well, we'll go at nighttime or something."

Gail: "I understand it's a pretty significant step and it goes against your culture. If you're willing to do this, we'll be.. forever in your debt. But we should leave now." Itotia: "Yes, a soul cannot--" Yolanda: "I mean, we also saved you from so many fucking people, too, so like--" Bug: "Also, we're forever in your debt, and y'lnow, just good things..."

Yolanda: "If you can help Hue who has helped you, then let's help Hue." Itotia: "Yes--" Yolanda: "Hue you who y'know what I'm sayin'?"

Itotia: "They're right, Criv. They saved my life." Bug: "And we put on... Hamilton. What was it called? [...] and we put on two full acts of Hamleton." Itotia: "That feels... comparably impressive, but I don't feel in your debt for it."

Stephen: "She pulls out a small stone and flicks the side of it. Uh, like, it's a crystal, it's a beautiful jewel. Uhh, which is a crystal right?" Ali: "Are you trying to sell it to us?" Stephen: "Uh, what? Yeah, it's a beautiful jewel, it'd really look good on a ring--" Ali: "Yeah, I'm not interested, Stephen." Stephen: "How long have you two been together?" Ali: "Glo and I?" Stephen: How long have you and Glo been together?" Ali: "We met in a musical improv class." Stephen: "Great, ah, this is a musical stone, so I really think it highlights, your relationship--" Glo: "Okayyy" Stephen: "--it's twenty thousand dollars but there's a very reasonable payment plan." [...] SK: "I'm going to cut that part so it's clear that Bug and Yolanda met in a musical improv class." Ali: "Yeah, they're both like 'We're just trying some new stuff.'" Stephen [as Bug]: "Yeah, so I kill people..." SK: "I'm applying for this job with the queennn." Stephen: "I'm like a level one religious-based character." Glo: "Yolanda and Bug for sure met a musical improv class."

SK [in response to Itotia's tapping signal]: "Probably that NBC sound, right?" Stephen: "Uh, NBC? Group: "That dun-DUN-Duh, N-B-C" Ali: "The minor sixth, major sixth?" Stephen: "It's exactly that sound, uhh copyright? Can we copyright check on that?... Nice, we don't have any lawyers in the room, I just looked over as if we did."

Yolanda: "I want to treat Hue like a Siri." Stephen: "... great, and Siri didn't turn on." Ali: "We are really stepping close to the boundary of her being like 'I didn't get that.' We HAVE to be careful; we will wake the beast!"

Gail [after seeing Iutl]: "It's a dragon...and you're dragonborn...and it's a dragon." Bug: "Is this your mommy? Gail: "Is this mom? Is this dragon mom?" Itotia: "No, this is--" Yolanda: "Guys, we're being racist."

Bug [asking Itotia]: "What ...is expected of us once we make it to Mourning...[to Stephen, who stands up] are you okay? Oh" Stephen: [stands up and does the Wakanda salute] Ali: "Stephen got up and did the Wakanda salute." [...] Stephen: "That's what's expected of you. You make that symbol, five times a day, and the campaign is ovaaaah."

Stephen: "I don't make jokes, Ali! I'm the DM."

SK: "How long does Command work?" Glo: "Unlimited."

Stephen: "...if you're upset about the rules of the Command spell, then--" Glo: "Fight me." Stephen: "Then fight me--" Glo: "Fight me @YoGlo_. Fight me, bitch. Get at me." Ali: "And you can fight me @shittyruleslawyer.penis.gov." Stephen: "Wow, we are part of the gov-ern-ment."

Itotia [in response to the outlandish glam outfits]: "Yes... that does look warmer." [...] Gail: "You don't need to say; I know we look amazing."

Omine: "I don't know what you've been up to, but we seem to lead similar lives where dying is just really on the table a lot of the time."

Omine: "You ever put, like, salt in water or anything like that?." Hue: "Yeah, I've been, I've been to the ocean before."

Omine: "We don't have [scrolls] here. Uhhh, we have a movie called Back to the Future." Hue: "A what?" Omine: "A movie?" Hue: "I don't-- I've never" Omine: "Like an image, you have pictures?" Hue: "Sure." Omine: "Yeah, yeah, like a bunch of pictures in a row." Hue: "...so like a scroll?" Omine [sighing]: "No, they're really fast. I'll just show you one later on." Hue: " We have a person who holds one up and rides by on a horse as fast as he can go, and I can't imagine anything faster than that..." Stephen: "You're going, probably, 400 miles per hour right now." Hue [looking around]: "...besides this."

Hue: "Well, I sorta, I'm part of a, I guess, I guess they're sorta like janitors for heroes."

nginX: "Hello...Demon."

Stephen: "Can you imagine a world where people have special powers and they go around using them for good?" Marty: "Harry Pottah!"

Marty: "That's why you look taller, you've been sitting on all that information!"

Omine: "That's the horse. That's what left of the horse. Yeah, it was a really bad tracking malfunction, and most of the horse died...and the rest of the horse too, because that's how horses, that's how it went."

Omine: "nginX is like if a person was smarter and they hated us."

Trivia
Stephen had a game called Treasure Planet that was themed like the classic video game Asteroid. This caused him to think that other games were ripping off Treasure Planet's core game design, but it was actually the other way around.