Episode description[edit | edit source]
We’re nearly at the end now, but there is nevertheless some way to go still. Six ways, in fact. First: the Keen Marn Ancura heads north along with the shape knight Bucho and a number of refugees who have finally, truly had enough of Blackwick and its curses.
This week on Sangfielle: Six Travelers: Marn
Contents[edit | edit source]
Opening[edit | edit source]
“
You didn’t think the story was over, did you? No. Not quite yet. We got miles to go, but we will be traversing them quickly. After all, what covers more territory: seven folks traveling together, or six going different directions? I know hearing that might hit some of you in the heart, and well, good. It’s good to feel a little bad now and again. But if I can try to put you right, let me raise you this. In a thorough way, the Blackwick Group has been walking in different directions since the very beginning. Take Marn Ancura. I think the little Keen has had the best idea of what her little cadre was meant to do. But that didn’t stop her from having different priorities, did it?”
Plot[edit | edit source]
The narration reveals that the Blackwick Group have gone their separate ways after the events of the previous arc. Austin and Ali discuss that they’re going to be running a hack of the Delve Draw system from Ichor Drowned, which involves drawing cards to procedurally generate details of their adventure. The intention is for each remaining member of the Blackwick Group to run their own delve with simplified mechanics.
Marn is taking Bucho, Ana Berylia, and a group of refugees (plus one skeleton) from Blackwick to the headquarters of the Telluricist Union. As they travel through the tunnels below Blackwick they encounter the form of an ancient dragon made of a hoard of goods from before the Aldominan invasion of Sangfielle. Marn offers it her Course-touched branch in exchange for their safe passage, and the small stick bug that has been following Marn summons up several small junk bugs who are infused with the dying spirit of the Mother-Beast, who join their group.
On their journey the group encounters an Ojantani Shape Knight who will not let them pass into the valley below. They claim they are the last Shape Knight, and this is the last Shape Train that they must kill. Marn and Bucho spend several weeks working with the Shape Knight to help him prepare for his fight, and once he sets off the party is able to continue forward, hearing the sounds of the battle in the valley.
As they approach the Telluricist Union, the party are met with a strange echo of a lover’s quarrel between the goddess of the Moon and the goddess of the Earth. Marn guides the group through the fight by keeping them grounded in what is current and real, and not allowing anyone to be swept up in the echo of what once was. Looking back, Marn sees a scene between the two gods passing down the small seed to the Mother-Beast that became the egg sack, and eventually hatched into It.
When the party arrives at the Telluricist Union, people immediately rush in to help supply food, water, and shelter. Bucho is taken aback by the warmth of this place, and Marn explains that this is what the Telluricists are here to do -- and to a larger extent reaffirming that this is what Marn has always been here to do. Marn confers with the Telluricists to learn more about Zevunzolia, who confirm they have records of it dating back to the Panic, and will work together to figure out what to do next.
Cast[edit | edit source]
Other Characters[edit | edit source]
- Dyre Ode
- Ana Berylia
- Mr. Kenson
- Bucho
- Junk dragon
- The Mother-Beast (mentioned, in vision)
- Unnamed Ojantani Shape-Knight
- Moon goddess (in vision)
- Earth goddess (in vision)
- It (mentioned, in vision)