S2.E11 - The Liar's Vow

With the trial concluded, Reikin Hinomoto calls in a favor. Liren ponders his life's direction and next steps. Solaceira makes a deal with Kodero Hinomoto. The party prepares to move on from Shang-Lun. 

Email: hardlydndpod@gmail.com
X: @Hardly_DnD_pod

Solaceira: Anna

Durim Stonefist: Kirby

Liren Hinomoto: Caleb (Insta: @sleepyeyesoninsta, Twitch: https://m.twitch.tv/sleepyeyestv/home)

DM: Quinn Barbaza

*Lance Tippet: Chip*

Edited By Kirby, Strider, Quinn Barbaza

Music by Strider - https://open.spotify.com/artist/5U0T0CpHrHNPMYOmQzdw2J?si=4yd1iRK-Tb6D59U0o_SNyw 

Art Work By Caleb West 

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:07

Hello, lovely listeners, and welcome back to yet another episode of Hardly DD. I am Sola Syrah, played by the player Anna, who's currently taking a back seat right now. She can stay there, thank you. Um, I was previously known as Sarah, so just in case you hadn't caught that up, yes, I've been officially outed, it's fine. I'm here with the other fabulous players with us. We have Kirby Caleb and our lovely DM Quinn. My fun fact for the evening, because we record in the evenings, is that the very first weapon that I mastered was the short bow. Which might be why I'm sort of hit or miss with it. I'm working on the mastery. Alright, I'm getting there. Alright, you're good. I am drinking tonight a mixed berry spiked smoothie. It's got uh rich berry tones with the cream that cuts through it. It's got some Irish cream in there as well. Lovely Bailey's. Fantastic. It's a little warm now because we got distracted, but it's alright. It's still delicious. And I will let the other players go ahead and introduce themselves with your fun fact.

SPEAKER_04 1:20

You have to tell us the order, we can't handle this unless you structure it for us.

SPEAKER_03 1:24

It's the same order.

unknown 1:26

Every time.

SPEAKER_04 1:27

It's the same order. Caleb! Kirby! I got thrown off because last time Kirby opened and then went. Alright, sorry. Hi everybody. I'm Caleb. I'm drinking the same thing because I made it. Um, I don't think mine's any different. It's uh a frozen mixed berry uh mixture. It's got strawberry, blackberry, blueberry, uh, some Irish cream, a little bit of Greek yogurt and water in there just to lighten it up a bit. Also, hello, welcome back. Lirin is also here. Uh for my fun fact. Uh goodness. Um I suppose I must admit that I am absolutely frightened by creatures that move in irregular patterns. They make me absolutely nauseous. Um, I don't like bats. I don't like like hummingbirds, they're precious creatures, but they're just I don't like looking at them. It I can feel myself start to sweat when I watch them dart about. Um butterflies too. I I just any any little thing that Butterflies? They're precious, but I just I can't watch the move. Mm-mm. I can't do it. I can't do it. Sometimes like little fish in the water. Okay, alright, no, let's move on. Someone, you go next. Kirby.

SPEAKER_02 3:02

Hello everyone. My name's Kirby. And I have the pleasure of playing Derum Stonefist. Oh. So do you want to know my fun fact for the day? Well, you might all know this one if you've been listening. Have I ever told you I have a plan? That is actually my saying before I do the first thing that comes to my mind. Ha ha! But don't tell the DM that. Or my team. Welcome back, everyone. Tonight, I am drinking the beer of my people. Yes. For all you listeners, this probably won't be edited in time, but it is dry January. And uh, I'm doing my best. So tonight I am drinking a brewed ginger beer. Non-alcoholic. Fuck yes. Ooh, very nice.

SPEAKER_03 3:56

Fuck yeah.

SPEAKER_02 3:57

So with cracking up the ginger beer. I am going to give a nice little nice and crispy.

SPEAKER_03 4:06

Nice. Oh yeah. I'm a fan of the NAGI undesis.

SPEAKER_02 4:12

These Sam Adams, Just the Haze. This is what I started with, and then we talked a little bit, but I switched up. Yeah, the Sam Adams, Just the Haze IPAs, they're non-alcoholic, those actually taste absolutely fabulous.

SPEAKER_03 4:25

Hell yeah. Not sponsored, but we would love to have a sponsor. That'd be great. Welcome back, everyone. Happy listening and thank you for tuning in. I am your host, DM Quinn. I am drinking blueberry tea because I am sick in so many ways. As will be revealed shortly. Sick-minded. I'm also in route of being sick-minded, I'm severely regretting not making Shanglun the city of a thousand butterflies, as opposed to flowers.

SPEAKER_05 4:59

Flowers come butterflies!

SPEAKER_03 5:02

True, there are probably a myriad of insects. Which brings us to our fun fact for the world of Mindus, because I personally, uh something in my family, in my personal life, I'm very fond of butterflies, actually. Sort of family tradition, and so butterflies do play an important part in some types of ritual magic in the world of Mindus. Not specifically around Nazrin, but there are of course always opportunities to find out. So, without further ado, let us see where our uh party buff is going today.

SPEAKER_01 5:43

Caleb had a really good one for our our little smoothie blanks.

SPEAKER_03 5:51

That is unfortunate given that it is Kirby Squid. I slap it with the people. We rarely get paid for this, but it's y'all had the past couple, I think.

SPEAKER_01 6:03

I should start marking the people.

SPEAKER_03 6:05

Yeah. So what's our what is our something I could do in non-alcoholic? So your your your buff for your non-alcoholic buff for the week is called Tastes Like the Real Thing. Which is when you give a lie at DM's discretion that's close enough to the truth, you will get an advantage on a persuasion check.

SPEAKER_04 6:28

That's so good, man. So good at coming up with these on the fly. Why thank you.

SPEAKER_03 6:33

If again, DM's discretion for how close to the truth your lie is. Fair. I might roll for it too. But that is your party buff. Tastes like the real thing. And which is actually not meant to be a slander. Like I said, some of those NAs actually taste pretty good. But without further ado, let's jump in after reminding y'all where we've been. Last episode, Liren Hinamoto was put on trial by the rest of his family. It was honestly more of an investigation or a hearing than a trial on what happened at the archive. And strangely, Liren's not estranged, but just sort of aloof cousin, Raken, third in line for the throne, vouched for him. Some shenanigans occurred, Solacira slipped away and had a discussion with Liren's father, Godero, who gave her the scroll she's been looking for. The scroll of the sacred Hinamoto lineage that has been the object of so many people's desires. Where we last left off, Raken approached Liren alongside Durham and Sortiko and proposed a deal. Well, the terms were already set. He helped Liren with his family to clear his name, and in return he wanted to help taking down his sister and her criminal enterprises in the undercity. That is where we left off. That is where we will pick right up. Liren. Durham. Raken looks between you two. He meets your eyes, Liren. Are you sure I can trust these companions of yours? I know uh this hat Torko. If he is unpleasant, he is at least predictable. What about this one? Not his head at Durham.

SPEAKER_04 8:36

I can tell you this. I likely would not be standing here if it weren't for him. Both of them.

SPEAKER_03 8:43

Is that a testament or a put down? I just cousin. I just He laughs at his own joke. But he stands there very just, you know, perfect posture, broad shoulders, intense. Like that. You are actually taller than him. He has had to tilt his head up a little bit, given that Liran is what, 6'4? Yeah. We bring have to have to bring that up at least once every couple episodes. Uh making up for the height that I don't have. But so Liran, he does have to look up at you a bit, but the way like his posture is set, it feels like he's looking you like eye to eye. He's he has that kind of presence because very well. Meet me at the Temple of Gorus in one hour. I will uh go over some of the details of what I'd like you to do. While he turns, his cloak uh wraps around his ankle very dramatically, and he stalks away.

SPEAKER_04 9:40

Possibly cut this out, but I want to talk for a moment. Did we land on an answer at the end of last episode? Because I do not remember that.

SPEAKER_03 9:50

An answer to what?

SPEAKER_04 9:51

To his proposition. Like when he brought up the plan, did we end up You did not give him an answer.

SPEAKER_03 9:59

He assumed that you would take it.

SPEAKER_04 10:00

Okay, so so I'm not I'm not crazy. He is just assuming and just telling us to meet him.

SPEAKER_03 10:06

He's he's straight power moving. Yes, he did not ask you for an answer.

SPEAKER_04 10:09

Okay. All good. I just want to make sure I wasn't crazy. Thank you. Continue.

SPEAKER_03 10:13

And DM totally forgot that it ended on a question, but we're all good.

SPEAKER_04 10:17

Okay.

SPEAKER_03 10:18

Cool, okay.

SPEAKER_04 10:20

Aaron is well, uh. I'm just gonna not even move my head, just kind of my eyes will follow him as he just walks away. And then just shake my head. We've got I've got something more important on my mind. Then I'll deal with whatever that was. And then I would like to continue towards finding my father.

SPEAKER_03 10:45

So you don't know where your father is. You have an idea, obviously Silasera found him. But you do know like which of the Hinamoto estates of the various buildings, like the cluster that's generally devoted to your branch of the family. So it's logical to start there. You can head anywhere else you'd like. Uh, Durham, do you have any inputs either?

SPEAKER_02 11:06

No. Durham's just kinda like seeing everything go down. Still questioning why they assumed that we were gonna go to this temple. But he's gonna follow Liran for now. Or I'm gonna follow Liran for now.

SPEAKER_03 11:20

You make your way to your family estate. Liran, the building is very familiar, even though uh you didn't spend too much time here. More of just to avoid other family members than anything else. But you do see the uh long sweeping eaves, a very intricate interlaced sort of lattice of um like woodwork that makes up most of the building, these very lavish uh pennant banners uh all streaming from it. You do notice uh that as the day goes on, it's beginning to darken. There's a storm brewing on the horizon. Thunderheads building up uh one of those storms that starts out at sea and blows inland as it uh mounts. So the uh day is beginning to dim. Uh as you enter, you know, several there are several of your family members around. Most of them ignore you. Your uh grandmother just simply nods as you come in, but she does not. She seems absorbed in whatever she's doing.

SPEAKER_04 12:20

So there's several family members in this building we've entered.

SPEAKER_03 12:26

Yes, that's correct. And various, they're not all like crowded right there at the beginning. There's a few in the um, you know, in like the living room, a few in some of the various lounges and and parlors and stuff like that.

SPEAKER_04 12:38

When when my grandmother nods, do I get like a friendly vibe, or is it more of just kind of out of habit?

SPEAKER_03 12:44

It is a habitual acknowledgement.

SPEAKER_04 12:46

Does she seem do I get a vibe that she's approachable given everything that's happened? Kind of like who was it that I spoke to? My uncle? Grandfather?

SPEAKER_03 12:55

You spoke to your grandfather, Aeneas. Okay.

SPEAKER_04 12:57

Do I do I get a vibe that she's as approachable as he was?

SPEAKER_03 13:00

No, but she never has been. She seems characteristically stony and and hard to read.

SPEAKER_04 13:07

I'll approach her very humbly and and and bow and just quickly and kind of quietly say, um Excuse me, do you know where uh my father is? Yes, uh Cordero is upstairs. Okay. Thank you.

SPEAKER_03 13:24

Of course. She nods her head and uh acceptance of the bow. She does not get up or leave her seat.

SPEAKER_04 13:29

Okay. I'll nod to her again and then head upstairs.

SPEAKER_03 13:32

She shoots a dirty look at Sortico as he walks by. So you make your way upstairs. Uh yeah, okay. So second level, uh, you know it leads out to a terrace. Uh, do you knock on the door? Yeah. Soul Cyr, you hear a knock on the door.

SPEAKER_01 13:49

Quick glance to Codero. Eyes wide.

SPEAKER_03 13:53

And she simply like raises a very uh wry eyebrow. He's he's laughing at you again. So we're waiting to see what you'll do.

SPEAKER_01 14:01

Quick glance around the room. What do I see for something that I can slip behind without really processing?

SPEAKER_03 14:08

So you could probably you'd have to roll for it, you could probably try and get into one of the other rooms. Out on the balcony, uh, your best bet's probably either the roof or like hanging if you want to. Um you could also, I mean, there are little like inlets. So you could hide behind one of the uh and like hope that it masks you, you know, behind like the arch of the the the archway leading outside. You know, if you hide there, you'd be out of line of sight.

SPEAKER_01 14:34

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 14:34

And you'd have an opportunity to act later.

SPEAKER_01 14:36

I would like to climb to a spot where I would be out of sight. That's what I want to do.

SPEAKER_03 14:42

Here, Cordero. Uh enter. I will I will enter the room. So Liren, Durham, and Soriko enter the room. Uh Cordero is instantly on his feet, arms behind his back, and bows very deeply, goes, Liran! Ah, how was the how was the hearing? How was the trial is a ridiculous word.

SPEAKER_04 15:03

I was a lot. Um Where were you? What what happened? Why are you here?

SPEAKER_03 15:10

Your father embraces you and once he lets go, he goes, Do not worry about me. I perhaps I have become foolish in my old age. I sought to tip the scales. I did not return the scroll to my cousins, to your uncles. Because screw them. They have always stood against our part of the family, our involvement in it. And so I said if they did not release my son, they do not get their scroll. Worked out, did it not? What? And I believe there's a friend here to see you. Lira. You may come out now.

SPEAKER_01 16:00

Oh little groan of frustration. And she swarms back down from where she had climbed in her hiding spot and stands next to Codero and brushes herself off. Didn't realize you'd be back so soon.

SPEAKER_02 16:21

You sly little fox.

SPEAKER_01 16:24

Ah no, not a fox. Nothing about this is fox. Nothing no.

SPEAKER_02 16:30

It's a derma phrase woman. You're sneaky.

SPEAKER_01 16:35

Sneaky works. That's kind of my job. I'm glad it actually worked this time. Can we go?

SPEAKER_03 16:41

We had a very enlightening conversation.

SPEAKER_01 16:44

One word for it.

SPEAKER_03 16:50

She drank my tea.

SPEAKER_01 16:52

What's a good tea?

SPEAKER_03 16:53

He seems very excited about the tea. You all of this is because of you. Why is she here? Son. She is here because she needs something. What? The lineage? Yes. And I gave it to her. Yeah, you see the bag of all like solid facts. And your father is still like smiling very like innocently and and very wholesomely. I gave it to her. Why did you do that? Like I said, our conversation was enlightening. And this has brought nothing but poor judgment and poor impressions on our family. You do not need it, Liran. You do not need this family. None of us do. Clearly, she needs it more. So I made a deal. The set of rules you are governed with your entire life that watch you succumb to all for things like this. You do not understand yet, but one day you will. When the safety and happiness of something you used to care about affects what you care about now. The decision is easy. Easy?

SPEAKER_04 18:26

Oh I've dedicated my life to watching over that vault and the whole archive. And then this one comes in with a bunch of others, spills blood all over our property, makes away with our relics, makes a fool out of us, a fool out of me, and then I go out and I risk my Shut up! I go out and I risk my life. And then what what for nothing? You give it away.

SPEAKER_03 18:56

My friend, my friend. Soriko lays a hand on your shoulder, a very calming, calming one. I understand that you are upset. But listen to your father.

SPEAKER_04 19:09

You never cared about family anyway.

SPEAKER_03 19:12

No, I did not. I think this is great. I am simply saying I suppose this is a dream come true for you, isn't it? Precisely. You just cannot see that it is good for you yet. Everyone in this room almost everyone in this room cares about you. Yes, she is a thief. She wanted to take this. It was not her fault what happened at Devon.

SPEAKER_01 19:42

And in my defense, I was only killing people that were wanting to kill others, so I really sound logic. And I only wanted one thing. Adoro was there to take something too. It's not like I'm the only one that was involved with this.

SPEAKER_04 19:58

Oh, don't act like we're all just buddies now. You've only acted out of interest for yourself.

SPEAKER_01 20:04

Of course, as if you haven't. That's the whole point of this, is it not? We never claimed to be friends.

SPEAKER_02 20:12

Most of my friends are rocks.

SPEAKER_01 20:21

I mean, honestly, you have rocks and brains, so that pretty much makes sense. Look, Lion, your father hasn't given us a get out of jail free card, so to speak, in this scroll. It's old, it's dusty, I don't know what it's for, but the point is I need it. Your family has this weird sense of everything has to be exactly the way it was, and the world doesn't work like that. So if we're going to go, the sooner we should go.

SPEAKER_03 20:52

Cornoro cuts you off. Things will not go back to normal. They cannot.

SPEAKER_04 21:01

I still don't understand how this is good. I understand that we have a complicated relationship with the family, but you seem like you're ready to throw it all away, and please, father, with utmost respect. I uh I don't understand how you stand there smiling at me.

SPEAKER_03 21:21

Your father's face, you can see it age instantly. His s his proud posture relaxes a little bit and goes, Liren, I miss your mother. It has been years. Taking care of business here with the family, making sure you are safe. It is something I signed up for, yes. Something I I am proud to do. And you are your own man now, and I miss my wife. I want to see her. All of these things are keeping Us away from our people, our families, or never letting us find them to begin with. He gestures to you. I understand that you were raised to believe in these things, and I uh also understand that I am in part to blame for that. But I also raise you to be you. You care far too much for this family. For the things around you. There is too much good for you to be wasted behind that desk. We both take after your grandfather. There are things beyond Shanglun. Things beyond Nazirin. If we bear any similarity at all, I know you feel the call too. So what now?

SPEAKER_04 22:54

We leave.

SPEAKER_01 22:58

Anyway.

SPEAKER_03 22:59

Wherever you like.

SPEAKER_01 23:02

Um You don't you don't even have to stay with us because I'll be heading home shortly, and we just have to get out of the city. It's not like a starting.

SPEAKER_04 23:11

That would be advisable. I just begged my entire family to just let me stay around. I barely escaped exile, and now you're ad w advising it.

SPEAKER_01 23:25

How sad is that that you have to beg your family to stay?

SPEAKER_03 23:29

Oh right. He nods his head. I am not I am simply advocating for you to choose. The choice must be yours, my son. Not mine? Not hers. Not his. Not whatever his is. It nah now it's towards Sortico. Or anyone else on this damned island. I'll uh I'll think about it. That is all I ask.

SPEAKER_01 24:01

N hang on, we don't have time to think about it. I have this, and we're both kind of wanted people right now. She gestures to her in Durham. And I guess he is too.

SPEAKER_04 24:12

Vaguely to what happened to I don't have to go with you?

SPEAKER_01 24:15

No, you don't have to stay with me, but we do have to get out of the city rather quickly, if you don't mind. Because the longer we're here, the long the sooner someone is going to find out, particularly your cousin. He's got a nasty look. That the scroll is no longer in the hands of the Oh my cousin. In your family. And what?

SPEAKER_04 24:40

Um we uh we ran into break in outside. Oh.

SPEAKER_03 24:48

And what did he say?

SPEAKER_04 24:50

Well, um, and I just kinda instinctively like look over my shoulder. He and his sister are, of course, kind of bickering at it once again. When are they not?

SPEAKER_03 25:07

Right.

SPEAKER_04 25:09

Sh as I'm sure you know, she's got ties in the Undercity and illegal organizations and things of that nature. I don't know anything about it, I know it's not good. But he asked well, I'll be kind of implied that we already agreed to help sabotage her. I don't think I want anything to do with that after what we've been through. I'm done down there, I think.

SPEAKER_03 25:37

So even more so than this is all that awaits you here. Do you think any of your cousins are happy? With the exception of Sugano. Lovely family. But the others lining for the throne, vying for power. Do any of them seem happy to use? I suppose not. That is all I wish to impart. Again, the choice ultimately begins to step away. Is yours. He sits down, collects his glass in sips from it.

SPEAKER_04 26:16

What will you do? Go and see mother.

SPEAKER_03 26:19

Yes. And I will tell her what a good man her son has become. I miss her too.

SPEAKER_04 26:33

Maybe we can go and see her. And once I figure out what in the hells I'm doing next.

SPEAKER_03 26:41

I would like that.

SPEAKER_04 26:42

And I'm sure she would too. Just don't uh don't uh disappear without leaving some note or something for me.

SPEAKER_03 26:52

I would never.

SPEAKER_04 26:54

Thank you. And uh I'll just kind of nod and head for the door.

SPEAKER_03 27:02

I love you too, son. Is all he's is all he says as you walk out.

SPEAKER_04 27:08

Yeah, right in front of the door, hears that and stops. And turns back and nods very quickly before opening the door and leaving.

SPEAKER_01 27:18

I roll my eyes and follow you.

SPEAKER_03 27:20

Soriko follows you out. Alright, you all file out of the upstairs room and back through the Hinamoto estate. What's up?

SPEAKER_01 27:30

And as Codero sits at his table, a small card as he looks around that just has a simple thank you. On it in a beautiful royal purple script is sitting there on the table.

SPEAKER_03 27:49

DM is uh rolling.

SPEAKER_01 27:50

Yeah that's fair.

SPEAKER_03 27:53

Codero takes a script, you hear thunder in the distance, far off rumble. Takes the script, unfolds it, smiles, and then uh lets go of it and lets the wind catch it and blow it out to sea. Players, all of you hear a blood-curdling shriek.

SPEAKER_04 28:16

Oh.

SPEAKER_03 28:18

That I cannot replicate because I'm sick as fuck, but also eardrums, thank you. You all hear a scream as you exit the building. You freeze. Alarm bells ring out over the island. Packs of Hinamoto guards are scrambling all over the place to find the source of this. What do you do?

SPEAKER_01 28:41

I immediately scan what ocean I can see and then scan the skies.

SPEAKER_03 28:47

You see nothing in the skies. The ocean, I mean, you're in the middle of the islands, like the one you're closest to facing is probably gonna be straight out to sea. In the direction of the temple, of course, and you can see people running in that direction.

SPEAKER_01 29:01

Yep, we should go this way, and she's going to. My goal is to get off the island as fast as possible. So I am moving away.

SPEAKER_03 29:11

So let's hear a bolt. What do you do? What do the others do?

SPEAKER_04 29:14

Does she do you bolt in the opposite direction of what we heard?

SPEAKER_01 29:17

Yes.

SPEAKER_04 29:20

Oh, but I'm curious.

SPEAKER_00 29:32

Don't split the party. Don't split the party.

SPEAKER_04 29:35

How far away?

SPEAKER_03 29:36

This is how two party members died.

SPEAKER_04 29:41

So what we're hearing, do we hear any more screaming, or is it just one?

SPEAKER_03 29:45

Several. You can hear wailing a few different points of panic.

SPEAKER_04 29:49

Wow, okay.

SPEAKER_03 29:50

Uh and a drawn-out cry.

SPEAKER_04 29:52

How close is gone?

SPEAKER_03 29:54

Fairly far off. But still on the island, you can tell.

SPEAKER_04 29:57

Oh, it is on the island.

SPEAKER_03 29:59

Yes.

SPEAKER_04 30:00

Um. Hmm. Hmm. I might need to roll just for my own sake, because I'm torn. I'm gonna say to Solicera. Uh where where are you going?

SPEAKER_01 30:16

I'm getting off the island. I don't know what that is, but the last time we were on water, it did not go so well. So I'm looking to get back as close to Dryland as possible. Thank you. Can we please run by back on the mainland before somebody catches the week? So we are not supposed to be here.

SPEAKER_04 30:31

What if we can help?

SPEAKER_01 30:33

And I'll I'll look, but then see all the guards and be like, uh There is a higher chance of them stopping us than us us actually doing anything good. Durham, could you please convince him?

SPEAKER_02 30:46

I don't think it would be quite the good idea to travel where the screens are. If you want my thoughts, what if it's a trap? What if they say it's us?

SPEAKER_01 31:01

Oh my gods. You really do have what rocks for brains. I get that it's not going to be a trap, but the point is we cannot be here.

SPEAKER_03 31:10

He was agreeing with you.

SPEAKER_01 31:13

He went paranoid with it. Sorta. He was agreeing to literally different reasons.

SPEAKER_03 31:19

Agree with you to leave, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 31:20

But then he said crap, and she's like, You're an idiot.

SPEAKER_03 31:25

Hey, hey. Durham, especially from from Dwarven background, knows if you hear unidentified screams, that usually indicates some type of eldritch horror or monster.

SPEAKER_00 31:37

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 31:37

Especially in the caves.

SPEAKER_00 31:39

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 31:39

Durham Durham knows what he's doing. So is there a book that Durham follows?

SPEAKER_04 31:47

I'll just instinctively like shrug and look to Sortico.

SPEAKER_03 31:52

I am a coward. I don't know why you're looking at me.

SPEAKER_00 31:56

I am a coward.

SPEAKER_03 31:59

This is this is a well-documented fact. I am a coward. Alright, alright, alright. Let us get out of here.

SPEAKER_04 32:06

Have a drink. Celebrate. Fine. Gods have mercy on us. Yeah. We'll see. I do think that Durham is right. They might. They're itching to blame anything on us.

SPEAKER_03 32:22

Fine. You all book it. You all book it. You make it to the checkpoint. Uh the checkpoint is swarming with guards. Uh, especially they're all looking in that way. So some of them are looking uncertainly. Uh, all or with uncertainty all around you. Uh one of them tries to st to block you, steps in your way, goes, uh, hold there, hold there. Oh, uh, my lord, my lord. He bows although to Liran. He goes, uh, what are your orders, sir?

SPEAKER_04 32:50

Um, uh go go over there where there's there's the screaming.

SPEAKER_03 32:56

Yes, sir, right away, sir. And more of them. Uh another pack of guards like raises their weapons and goes off towards the source of the chaos. You all cross the bridge with a checkpoint. Uh, you run past the archive. Is there anything you want to do, or are you just gonna keep going?

SPEAKER_01 33:13

Liren, we really shouldn't.

SPEAKER_04 33:15

As I'm walking, I hear that, and I'm I like cringe at her comment. But then I think to myself, there's many little memories and knickknacks in there that I would love to find, but as soon as I start thinking about them, I just get angry and I'm just uh screw it, screw it all. I just I keep walking.

SPEAKER_03 33:38

You book it, you make it back across the Sumire Bay and into Kadashi Park. The streams themselves have not made it to the mainland. Like they're not like an ethereal magical thing. So all of the chaos is contained to the Hinamoto estate. The rest of the city seems to be in fairly normal conditions, although again, with the storm blowing in, you feel the temperature begin to drop, the wind picks up, you can smell metal on the wind. Uh, that sort of charged, uh, sort of earthy, wet metal scent uh with that comes with rain and lightning. And uh some of the people of the city are beginning to take shelter inside.

SPEAKER_01 34:17

I can't believe I'm asking this. Soriko, is there anywhere that we can go? Uh somewhere near the Rose District, the Plum District, somewhere that's more inland, staying away from the rivers. Your house is too close to the bay.

SPEAKER_03 34:29

Uh of of course. There are always places we can go. Um, the Moreno serves some wonderful wine.

SPEAKER_01 34:36

Not where we can get drunk, my god, I swear.

SPEAKER_03 34:40

Wonderful, you see. Yes, yes. Some wonderful ale. It's very good. Uh uh, ale. Did I say why I meant a pine?

SPEAKER_01 34:47

We're not going to get drunk, we're going to strategize and lay low while the storm passes because we can't flee in the middle of a thunderstorm.

SPEAKER_04 34:56

I would like a drink.

SPEAKER_01 34:59

See? Oh my gods.

SPEAKER_03 35:00

The man has been through enough. Let him get drunk.

unknown 35:03

Oh my god.

SPEAKER_01 35:04

We're going to die. We're going to die.

SPEAKER_03 35:07

You can strategize in a stable or an inn. You can talk to people wherever you like.

SPEAKER_01 35:12

I don't want to talk to people. I want to get home.

SPEAKER_03 35:15

But then you can sit suddenly in the corner of your room while the rest of us drink.

SPEAKER_01 35:20

That would be great. Fine. Lead on.

SPEAKER_03 35:23

Let us go. You uh jog through. I'm assuming you're like fully booking it, or are you trying to stay a bit more? She's booking it.

SPEAKER_01 35:29

If Sortico will tolerate it, she's booking.

SPEAKER_03 35:33

Sortiko is like scampering behind you. He's he's like pantsy. He's like behind you.

SPEAKER_02 35:40

Don't you have enough cardiac back yelling?

SPEAKER_03 35:43

Wait up for me.

SPEAKER_02 35:44

My legs are gonna lie so long.

SPEAKER_03 35:49

I have no idea what you mean by cardio.

SPEAKER_04 35:52

Lynn's probably gonna be well, I'm uh I I will probably be um pretty pretty close with Solosera, but stubbornly not looking at her.

SPEAKER_03 36:02

Alright, you stumble into the Morenu Inn. Uh you can see it's above the Temple of Attila, it is beneath the plum district, uh, right there. You stumble inside, uh, it has begun to rain as you're running over there. Rain to start to softly at first and then increasingly, increasingly driving down, lashing at your clothes, soaking in through your cloaks as you stumble into the Morenu Inn. It's a smaller crowd. Um, mostly a few people, they all look at you, you know, you get some of that oh shit, it's storming out there kind of looks as uh you make your way inside. Sorko immediately goes to the bar. He's pulling Lyrin with him, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 36:41

Yeah. Solosera will follow. And she will watch to make sure that Durham is behind us.

SPEAKER_03 36:47

Ah, wine, your finest a bottle to start. It is an urgent matter, we are celebrating. And he he slaps Liran on the shoulder.

SPEAKER_01 36:56

Um And could we get two rooms, please?

SPEAKER_03 37:00

Yes, that too. Bart uh bartender nods, uh goes, sends one of the uh servers to fetch a bottle of wine from the back, and accepts your payment for the rooms.

SPEAKER_01 37:12

I whirl to the boys. If y'all want to get shitfaced, totally fine with me. I'm going to be upstairs taking a bath and changing into something dry. Do you need anything? No? Great. Good night. I'll be down for dinner. And she goes upstairs. Or we're to wherever their rooms are.

SPEAKER_03 37:31

Uh Solisera leaves you, the bartender comes back with a bottle of wine and three glasses and begins to pour. Soriko drinks his in one uh in one sip.

SPEAKER_04 37:40

Yeah, um, I will I will follow that.

SPEAKER_02 37:44

Alright, Durham, I'm assuming you follow suit as well. Durham doesn't know how to drink wine, so he drinks it at like he would ale.

SPEAKER_00 37:52

Oh no.

SPEAKER_03 37:55

Durham, you like raise your wine glass, like a little bit of it sloshes out, and you take a really messy sip. So the people around you like salute you as you do. But okay, about half an hour after you all enter the inn. And as you are uh drinking, the bartender brings out some more food. So let's see, I'm gonna give you a chance if you want to do anything in the room, or if you're just gonna de-stress a little bit. You can make that choice now.

SPEAKER_01 38:20

Oh shit. Excuse me. Uh so that was a nat 20 to decide if she did this or not. So she is feeling rather confident and she takes out her scrying bowl, a little ceramic blue and white bowl, sits it on the desk, sits at the desk, and stares at it for a moment. She glances out at the storm. This is a terrible idea. I should not do this. Oh, I can't do this! And she puts the bowl back in the bottom of her bag, wrapped in spare clothing to make sure that it does not break. And as she is freshened up at this point, she is going to go ahead and head down. Is it about dinner time by this point?

SPEAKER_03 39:05

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 39:06

Then after inventorying weapons, making sure things are clean and dry, she leaves her short bow in the room. Head down for dinner.

SPEAKER_03 39:19

Alright, it's been about half an hour. Uh dinner's beginning to be served when the door to the inn flies open. Bam! There's a man haggard, drenched in rain, uh, cloak torn around his sides, there is blood on the side of his face. Uh, dabbled in. He goes, There's been a murder! Murder at the estate. The whole inn goes silent, all looking at him. He's panting. A few of the people who know him go up and like try to like reassure him. He's shaking. You see Sortiko hand uh his glass of wine to the man. He goes, Three of the royal family, all dead. No. But some unknown killer. Who? Every eye turns to you. Some people begin to recognize you, Liran.

SPEAKER_04 40:06

Noticing that, I will uh oh yeah, right. Try and regain my confidence that was stripped for me all day long. And stand as proudly as possible. Who?

SPEAKER_03 40:19

Oh, yeah, yes, yeah, the man bows very deeply. So sorry, sir, so sorry, sir. Um the the three uh in line. The three in direct line succession for the throne. Reiken, Sunome, and Kosu. Raken? Yes, Raken Inamoto is dead, sir.

SPEAKER_05 40:40

Oh jeez.

SPEAKER_01 40:43

Uh bless the gods.

SPEAKER_04 40:50

Can DM, can you remind me? I completely blanked on his sister, my other cousin. What was her name?

SPEAKER_03 40:58

Sunobe. She is dead too.

SPEAKER_05 41:01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 41:02

She is, as is their brother, the third in line, Kosu.

SPEAKER_04 41:07

Oh my gosh, all my cousins.

SPEAKER_03 41:10

The three children of Rywa Hinamoto. What? Uh, who's first in line are all dead. Erin. Liren. What? Who's the fourth? The fourth in the last one. As who the fourth in line is, or who the there's not a fourth child. Fourth.

SPEAKER_04 41:31

Okay. After that, it would I will start counting on my fingers.

SPEAKER_03 41:35

It would be Ikura. It would be Ikura Hinamoto.

SPEAKER_04 41:39

Um that that would be uh Ikora Hinamoto.

SPEAKER_01 41:43

Liren's pretty low in the line, don't worry, he's fine.

SPEAKER_02 41:46

Or do you think the fourth might have done it?

SPEAKER_03 41:48

Well, okay. The way the way the lineage works is um I or sorry, uh, this Akioro would be the fourth in line of your generation, Liran. Uh your father's generation are they're still alive, and so Ryua would get it first. Uh he'd probably be the most logical target next.

unknown 42:08

Okay.

SPEAKER_03 42:09

I'm very sorry, sir, the man who came in, Iskus. But uh it was a silent killer, they haven't found anyone, the whole island's been locked down.

SPEAKER_04 42:16

Uh how were they killed? Where were they?

SPEAKER_03 42:20

Um. Well, um, Tsunome was in her home. Uh, as as we know. The guards wouldn't say much, but uh Sunome and Kosu were in their estates, and Raken was in the Temple of Chorus.

SPEAKER_04 42:32

So they were none of them were together?

SPEAKER_03 42:35

No, sir. All of them found bleeding from their ears.

SPEAKER_01 42:38

By the god, something something psionic and Sola nudges sort of go. Well, thank gods that we didn't stay.

SPEAKER_03 42:48

I know, right? Although, I must say, uh bleeding from their ears seems pretty entertaining.

SPEAKER_01 42:55

Entertaining as long as they're allowed to scream.

SPEAKER_03 42:58

Ill-timing on my part.

SPEAKER_01 43:00

Lyren. Dismiss the man.

SPEAKER_03 43:04

Everyone is looking at you now, Lyran.

SPEAKER_01 43:07

What? Dismiss the man and relieve the attention.

SPEAKER_04 43:12

Oh, but uh I just had three cousins murdered.

SPEAKER_01 43:16

He can't tell you anything else and the entire tavern is now staring at us. Send him to relax.

SPEAKER_03 43:24

So it um it it's okay, sir. Uh the man straightens a little bit. He keeps his head like he keeps his posture low, so he's still bowed as he begins to back away.

SPEAKER_04 43:34

Uh yes. Yes, please. Leave us. Everyone here. We will deal with the situation. Carry uh carry on. I'm sure you're saying. What is my performance? Hold on one second. I don't think it's very hot. That's a nat 20. No shot. That's a nat 20.

SPEAKER_05 44:05

No way.

SPEAKER_04 44:06

Wow.

SPEAKER_05 44:06

No way.

SPEAKER_04 44:07

And all my new fancy little, my cute little potion-shaped dice that kind of got me.

SPEAKER_03 44:12

Liran, you are the pinnacle of leadership. You are you take this stance and you reassure the people, you almost see the faces lifting as they trust that the Hinamoto legacy will live on and they will get to the bottom of this. You're a shining inspiration for the people of the family you just abandoned. But they don't know that, so they're really inspired. Everyone like they all still look a little scared, but they they begin to go back to their meals. Uh the man, you know, takes off his clothes. His buddies help him, like, you know, take off his his sodden cloak and and sit down to get him a drink. He starts drinking uh sortico's wine.

SPEAKER_04 45:02

He just I I just watch the crowd kind of dumbfounded that they are all just that cool. And so I just nod and raise a tiny little toast and just sit my drink and turn off my party.

SPEAKER_03 45:15

Immediately hundred chairs like like scrape against the wood. They all bow uh deeply before they take their sips and all pledge to your health.

SPEAKER_04 45:25

That's so funny because that wasn't what I intended. So I take I take a little sip and then uh just stare wide-eyed over the brim of my mug, unexpected, like just surprise that everyone just toasts back and he's just like mm-mm mm.

SPEAKER_03 45:48

I mean, on the Hinamoto rung, you are now technically three rungs higher. So my gosh, that's so funny.

SPEAKER_04 45:57

It's hilarious.

SPEAKER_03 45:59

Alright, uh, everyone is still they're still eyeing you. There's still a lot of eyes on you, but of course, with with the Hinamoto's stirring uh reassurance, most of the people are fine. You can now hear the gale outside. You can hear it battering the uh shutters on the windows and the thunder roar overhead. You can all sit. You can sit now. They sit. Okay, um as quickly as they can.

SPEAKER_04 46:25

Okay, now go back to what you were doing.

SPEAKER_03 46:27

They all uh immediately like uh so obviously look away from you that it's clear that they're still paying attention to you, but they do go back to their meals.

SPEAKER_04 46:34

I turn back to the party. What the hell do we do now?

SPEAKER_03 46:37

We should make him do jumping jacks. You know, I like that idea. No. I don't. Physical exercise never hurt anyone, except for me, of course. No, trust me, my heart is pounding hard enough right now. And why do you assume that?

SPEAKER_01 46:56

You brag enough about your extracurricular activities. I assumed that there would be some sort of correlation there.

SPEAKER_03 47:03

Bragg! I have done no bragging. I will have you know I am a bottom.

SPEAKER_05 47:08

That still requires cards.

SPEAKER_04 47:10

Alright. What are we doing next? Ha ha ha! Please.

SPEAKER_03 47:19

Sorry, my friend, sorry. I let's have another drink.

SPEAKER_01 47:22

Or maybe we don't, because at a moment's notice we might need to actually run for our lives. Just saying. Something unknown.

SPEAKER_03 47:31

I don't understand why you think people are hunting us. They let us go.

SPEAKER_01 47:36

They barely let us go. And technically they didn't let me go, they let him go.

SPEAKER_03 47:42

And so they have no idea who you are. You are not even at the hearing. It went very well. Tell them the rent.

SPEAKER_01 47:50

Um Yeah, that tells me all that I need to know. My point is My point is this one's traumatized, this one has rocks for brains, and you basically have wine for blood. If we're going to get out of here, we have got to keep our wits. Please, and thank you. Why is this so hard?

SPEAKER_02 48:11

I reach into my pocket and pull out a couple rocks. I say, rocks in my pockets, not rocks for brains.

SPEAKER_01 48:21

Whatever makes you feel better.

SPEAKER_02 48:22

We've already been over this.

SPEAKER_01 48:24

Then do you have an idea to get us out in the middle of a storm with an unknown killer on the loose who is clearly going down the Hinamoto family line. Any suggestions?

SPEAKER_03 48:36

Perhaps this is inappropriate, but if he is going down the Hinamoto line, there is quite a lot of space before he gets to Lira.

SPEAKER_01 48:43

You do make a good point, which is what I said earlier. However, it means that sooner rather than later, this unknown killer is coming for us, and I just really would rather not risk facing some sort of assassin. Please and thank you. That does not count.

SPEAKER_03 49:06

Of course he died in horrible agony, but yeah.

SPEAKER_01 49:09

I don't think that counts. Also, there were extenuating circumstances for that one. So no.

SPEAKER_03 49:14

That is true.

SPEAKER_01 49:16

Can we not? Does no seriously have to do that?

SPEAKER_03 49:21

We rest, we eat, we drink, we decide what to do in the morning.

SPEAKER_01 49:26

As long as we're locking the doors and someone keeps watch.

SPEAKER_04 49:29

Fantastic.

SPEAKER_01 49:31

Great. I volunteer for first watch since I don't trust any of you to actually stay awake.

SPEAKER_04 49:36

Fine. I need to crash anyway.

SPEAKER_03 49:39

Very well. Unless anyone has any objections, you finish your dinner, you go upstairs, and you pass the night. How many rooms did you get?

unknown 49:50

Two.

SPEAKER_03 49:50

So all the rooms.

SPEAKER_01 49:53

That is correct.

SPEAKER_03 49:55

Wait. Master Stonefist, uh, why don't you hold Dundee Fort here? Liren, my friend. Uh come with me. Sortiko begins to pull you along.

SPEAKER_01 50:04

Don't go too far, please.

SPEAKER_03 50:08

We will be fine. You worry too much. I am simply trying to help.

SPEAKER_01 50:13

With liquor.

SPEAKER_03 50:14

No, we are not drinking. Come on. Right. Let's follow. He takes you outside. And uh he doesn't is actually uh unnecess unusually silent as he's walking. He just keeps every now and then he'll pat you on the shoulder. And he takes you over the bridge, if you look at your maps, to the temple of Attila.

SPEAKER_04 50:38

Is that where we what temple was uh Raken at?

SPEAKER_03 50:43

Raiken was at the Temple of Chorus on the island. Ah, right, okay. Different yeah, different temples. Gotcha. But Sortiko takes you to the Temple of Attila. And uh he doesn't say anything, he walks in a sort of somber silence. And when you get there, he begins, you know, you weave through the back through some of the shrines, you know, candles, offerings, that kind of thing. Uh everyone has sort of there there's no one there. Everyone's sort of packed up. The storm is blowing everyone away. It is still raining, not as hard as before, but you know, you're sort of walking through the storm. And Surika goes. Despite all of our um best wishes for you, my friend, I know you are hurting. I am sorry. I thought um you know, one of the best nights that we had was uh on a temple roof like this. You remember? Throwing stones into the sea.

SPEAKER_04 51:34

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 51:35

I got these off of Durham. He holds up two stones. Uh from Durham's like pocket pocket stones.

SPEAKER_04 51:43

I'll uh I'll crack a smile to that.

SPEAKER_03 51:47

You know, things will be okay. No, there is a lot on your plate, there is a lot you do not seem to understand. And if life has taught me anything, anything at all, it is that those moments where you have no idea what the fuck is going on, tend to yield the best results. Learning and whatnot. Come on, let's go to the roof. He begins to climb up a like service, uh not just a ladder in the back of the temple, and uh heads up to the roof of the temple of Attila. Do you follow him? Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 52:25

Is it still raining?

SPEAKER_03 52:27

It is. At the top of the roof, Sortiko stands, you're in this sort of oxpend uh of the river, and so you're overlooking that. Uh the storm is still dramatic, like flashes of lightning overhead, but it is quieted momentarily. And Sortiko uh hands you one of the stones. He takes his and he he throws it into the river. You watch its arc sort of fall, then tumbles down and makes a little splash.

SPEAKER_04 52:54

I look down at the stone in my hand. Do I have one?

SPEAKER_03 52:58

Yes.

SPEAKER_04 52:58

Okay. I'll look down at the stone in my hand. And uh kind of get a feel for its weight. You're going to need to find a nice replacement for this one.

SPEAKER_03 53:09

I'm sure our friend uh stonefist has plenty.

SPEAKER_04 53:14

Yeah, you're probably right.

SPEAKER_03 53:15

I chuck it. He tosses you another one. And he chucks his. No, no, no, no, no.

SPEAKER_04 53:29

Okay.

SPEAKER_03 53:31

Themes things seem uh pretty messed up, don't they?

SPEAKER_04 53:35

I've always known that my family's had its problems. Constant quarreling and scheming and backstabbing, but never literally. At least not that I've really been allowed to see.

SPEAKER_03 53:56

The world is changing, my friend. People are changing with it. You could have been so much better than them. You feel something press into your back. You hear a click, and a boom. Sharp pain erupts in your back as Soriko pulls the trigger on the gun he took from you. The gun known as the Liar's Vow. He holds you up to keep you from falling. In your ear. Do you know why I always hated you, Liran? You were so fucking useless. All that money, all that power. Thrown away behind the desk of the fucking library. All your gifts, all the things you were born with. The name, the title, all those things that you ran from by not even running away. It boggles my mind. It is truly incredible just how little you did to earn anything of your family's legacy, and now you run from it like the coward you have always been! No. You hear the click of the barrel turn again. My family rotted for what you did to us and thought that we would forget that this great Hino, these conquerors, would just pretend that they did not bathe the land in bloodshed to that they could hang the banner over it. How can such a family allow you in it? I used to think it would not end this way. But then I saw you are every emblem of your family's name. Weak, rotten, corrupt, and you will collapse with the rest of them. There is a new world order coming, Liren, and you will not be a part of it. What is that they say? Like a stone? He shoots you again.

SPEAKER_05 56:43

Oh my god.

SPEAKER_03 56:44

And lets you fall off the roof of the temple, plunging towards the river below. And that is where we will call it a bitch.

SPEAKER_00 57:05

No, no, no. Caleb has gotten up, y'all. He has gotten up. He has left the building.

SPEAKER_03 57:15

Whoa. Welcome to Hardly D, motherfucker. Thank you all so much for joining us on this uh episode of Hardly D. We appreciate the support. Support of the channel, support of listenership, spreading us with your friends, and of course, support of the possible new character sheet Caleb might have to write.

SPEAKER_04 57:52

There's no way.

SPEAKER_03 57:55

That's it. No send off. Thanks for listening, y'all. We'll see you next time.