Part 5: The Witch's Vendetta | Starter Kit - 7th Sea Edition

Summary

Critical Role & Sagas of Sundry: Starter Kit – 7th Sea Edition

Part 5: The Witch's Vendetta

Host: John Wick (creator of 7th Sea)
Air Date: October 20, 2025

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Episode Overview

In this penultimate session of Geek & Sundry’s "Starter Kit" for 7th Sea, the party plunges into the final conflict. Their artifact has been stolen by the witch Rhys, and the fate of Elena—their young fate witch ally—is intertwined with vengeance, tragedy, and high-seas destiny. As the heroes grapple with personal vendettas and the unfathomable powers of fate, dramatic confrontations and moral dilemmas abound. The episode builds tension toward a climactic showdown that tests bonds, bravery, and the nature of power.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Recap and Setting the Stakes

• The session begins with a quick recap: the artifact has been taken by Rhys, who is revealed to have killed Elena’s family, instigating her thirst for vengeance.
  • Notable Quote ([01:13]):
    John Wick: “That means we’re on a fast track to the conclusion. More action, more danger, more consequences. Let’s see how the players deal with it.”

2. Planning the Approach to Rhys

• The group deliberates over how to retrieve the artifact and whether to involve Elena—or risk her safety.

  • Insight: The players debate the morality of involving Elena in what may become a deadly conflict, recognizing her agency but also her trauma.

• Plan: Use Elena’s psychic link with another fate witch to track Rhys, and possibly call upon additional Fate Witches for help.

3. Fate Witches and Their Powers

• The party researches fate witches, learning that their reputed ability to see and manipulate “strands of fate” may hold the key to resolving the conflict—or cutting it short.
  • Notable Quote ([07:28]):
    B: “Can they break the strand and end someone’s life?”
    A (John Wick): “It’s theoretical. They could break strands, but it’s not really well known what they can do.”

4. Elena’s Vendetta

• Elena’s deep-rooted vendetta against Rhys is revealed. The captain has a private scene with Elena, exposing the emotional stakes.
  • Notable Quote ([09:05]):
    A (Elena): “It means she killed my family.”
    D (Captain): “So you want to go after her? Is it safe for you?”
    A (Elena): “Does that matter? She killed my family.”

5. Infiltration of the Island

• The party devises a plan to climb the island’s sheer cliff face, utilizing both character abilities and teamwork.
  • The importance of “spotlight” moments in RPGs is highlighted, giving the captain a key emotional beat.
  • Second Story Work: A creative ability is used, with one party member carrying another up the cliff face ([20:26])—in a humorous nod to "The Princess Bride."

6. Discovery & Tension

• The team sneaks into what appears to be a deserted stronghold on the island, only to find guard posts abandoned—a sinister omen.

• Supernatural Visions: One character, touched by a fate witch’s kiss, sees ghostly halos and black strands around Elena, prompting secret fears and difficult moral choices.

  • Notable Quote ([24:53]):
    B: “Oh, well, that’s awkward.”
    A: “Anybody want to spend the next raise, say what happens next?”

• The player chooses to keep these dark visions private, deepening the episode’s tension and internal conflict.

7. Elena’s Turning Point

• Elena’s obsession with vengeance peaks as she readies a pistol to shoot a sleeping Rhys.
  • ([28:37]) A: “Elena is about to commit murder and her halo is turning pitch black.”
  • Multiple party members intervene, physically restraining her.

8. The Showdown

• Rhys awakens, the confrontation explodes:

  • Battle commences with brute squads, magical powers, and improvised heroics flying.

  • The party disables Rhys’s coat, attempts to control Elena’s rage, and finally, (using an artifact), unleashes a vision of everyone’s destiny—briefly seeing an intricate tapestry of each character’s fate.

  • Notable Quote ([39:20]):
    A (as artifact’s vision is unleashed):
    “You know that this one means that one day you’re going to fall in love with this woman from Vessem and Avanjar, but she’s going to betray you... And you... You are going to go to Castile and become one of the most important members of the church... And you... You are going to go all the way over to the New World... And you... You are going to be the admiral of this great pirate navy... And then it’s done.”

9. Cliffhanger

• In the fracas, Elena and Rhys tumble out the window; party members desperately scramble to save Elena. Rhys falls into the sea.
• The party notices a mysterious absence: their own ship is missing from the cove.
• Dramatic end—players and listeners are left on a stark cliffhanger.

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Memorable Moments & Quotes

• Elena’s Grief and Vengeance:
  ([09:05])
  Elena: “It means she killed my family.”
  Captain: “So you want to go after her? Is it safe for you?”
  Elena: “Does that matter? She killed my family.”

• Supernatural Sight:
  ([24:53])
  A: “When you look at Elena, you see black tendrils in her aura.”

• On Secrets and Hero Points:
  ([25:32])
  A (GM): “I’ll give you a hero point if you keep it to yourself.”
  B: “I’m keeping it to myself.”

• Morality of Power:
  ([28:37])
  A: “Elena is about to commit murder and her halo is turning pitch black.”
  B: “Elena, do you want to think about this?”

• Unleashing Destiny:
  ([39:20])
  A:
  “There’s this huge explosion of light, and suddenly everybody sees thousands of strands everywhere between you and you and you... You know what they all mean.”

---

Key Timestamps

• [01:13]: Introduction of Act 4 and escalating tension.
• [04:40]: Players realize Rhys is the pirate who killed Elena's family.
• [08:53]: Elena’s emotional confrontation with her past.
• [20:26]: "Second Story Work" is used to gain access to the cliffside fortress.
• [24:53]: A player has a vision of dark fate strands binding Elena to Rhys.
• [28:37]: Elena aims to kill Rhys; party intercepts the murder attempt.
• [31:09]: Rhys’s villainous power level is revealed; combat escalates.
• [39:20]: The artifact's magic unleashes visions of each character’s destiny.
• [40:58]: Rhys falls from the window; the party sees their ship is missing.

---

Tone and Style Notes

The episode plays out with the improvisational energy of a live-play RPG, blending humor (comparisons to “The Princess Bride”) with emotional storytelling. The GM (John Wick) leans into cinematic flair, dramatic “spotlights,” and risky player agency—allowing the team’s choices, secrets, and moral quandaries to shape the outcome. The tension between fate and free will is at the heart of the session, with moments of horror, wit, bravery, and heartbreak woven throughout.

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Conclusion & Set-up for Finale

The episode ends on a high-stakes cliffhanger: the party has survived (for now), but internal bonds are strained, Elena’s morality darkens, Rhys has fallen (possibly temporarily), and the party’s ship—and their escape route—is gone. The threads of destiny have never seemed more tangled or perilous.

Next episode: The conclusion to "The Witch's Vendetta"—and the fate of the party—awaits.

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For full video, character sheets, and more info:
Visit Geek & Sundry’s website

Transcript

[A]

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[C]

Last time on Starter Kit.

[A]

Tell her her family is dead. She kisses your lips.

[B]

Thank you. I might be a witch now. I don't know.

[D]

I think that Reese is at this party.

[E]

This is dangerous.

[C]

We have this.

[D]

You may have it. For my life.

[A]

Thank you. Welcome back to Starter Kit. I'm John wick, creator of 7th Sea, and this is our fifth of six sessions. That means we've passed Act 3. We are now into the final conflict. The players have seen the face of the real danger. And that means we're on a fast track to the conclusion. More action, more danger, more consequences. Let's see how the players deal with it. We're back. I hear you have a plan.

[E]

Yeah, yeah, we have a plan.

[B]

Apparently, we have a plan.

[C]

We have a plan.

[E]

I have a suggestion for a plan that I'd like to suggest to everyone and let's see how we feel about it. Okay, so Reese has the artifact. Now, we don't really know exactly what it is, but Rhys seemed incredibly interested in it and just took off with it. I think that's bad news.

[B]

I think that's a fair assessment.

[E]

I think it's very bad news. Rhys is a very powerful witch. I think what we need to do.

[B]

We think she's a powerful witch.

[E]

Well, she's some sort of thing.

[C]

Seems to be a sorceress of some sort.

[E]

Right. She has magical abilities. We have to get the artifact back from Rhys, and I think the only way to do that is to call upon the Fate Witches to help us. And we did leave a Fate Witch here at port who is still at this party somewhere.

[C]

We don't know if she's at the party, but there's a. We do know that she's psychically linked to the Fate Witch that we have on to Elena. To Elena. So maybe we go back, we rush back to the ship, get Elena, try to psychically link with the other Fate.

[E]

Witch and track down that Fate witch.

[C]

And track down Rhys.

[E]

Track down Reese.

[C]

Now, I would assume that Rhys's ship is in the harbor like every other ship. So that may be where we should start looking once we get Elena.

[A]

I like this plan. Okay, Captain, what do you think of this plan?

[D]

Sounds good. Yeah, let's do it.

[A]

So, screen wipe to the ship, and Elena is walking around in her sailor slops, and she's climbing and she's tying knots, and she has this delightful look on her face, which is about to change.

[D]

Hello. Hi. We want to talk to you.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

How's the knot tying going?

[A]

I learned how to do a half hitch.

[B]

Amazing.

[E]

Nice.

[B]

Just a little positivity before we.

[A]

Yeah.

[E]

So, Alayna, do you remember when we had that strange lady on the ship for a little while?

[A]

Oh, the other Strega.

[E]

Yeah, there you go. That one. Yeah. Do you remember her?

[A]

See?

[E]

Can you still kind of feel her presence?

[A]

Why do you ask?

[E]

Well, we kind of want to talk to her again.

[A]

Why?

[E]

We're kind of mixed up in a little problem.

[A]

What's the problem? Well, maybe I can help.

[B]

Okay. Maybe she can lay it out.

[E]

Sure. Well, we had an artifact that was hidden on the ship that we found you on.

[A]

Essentially, it was giving me headaches.

[E]

Oh, interesting.

[B]

Did you connect with the artifacts?

[A]

No, I only see strands between people.

[E]

Interesting. Okay, so anyway, the artifact was unfortunately taken by a very powerful woman named Reese.

[A]

Is that the pirate who attacked the ship I was on?

[C]

Yes.

[E]

Yes.

[A]

So that is the pirate who killed my family?

[E]

Yes, yes, Rhys. Yeah. So basically what we're trying to do is. We're trying.

[A]

You keep talking and she looks up. So keep going.

[E]

So we're trying to locate the other Fate Witch to help us.

[A]

She's that way.

[E]

Oh, okay.

[B]

The witch or Rhys?

[A]

Rhys. Oh, great.

[B]

Perfect.

[C]

Want to come with us?

[A]

Yes.

[E]

Great. So let's go get our artifact back.

[B]

Are we all. Let's get our. All the weaponry.

[C]

Yeah. Can we bring some brutes with us?

[B]

Yes.

[E]

Yeah.

[A]

You have brutes? Yeah, I do. So, speaking of brutes and things, you guys heal wounds between game sessions, and I'm going to say that because time has passed and things that you're going to heal all of your flesh wounds, all your normal wounds, and one dramatic wound.

[D]

So if I was at a two I'm now back at A one.

[A]

Yep.

[B]

Okay, now I'm.

[A]

So meanwhile, the ship has taken off. And standing at the prow of the ship, the play, you know, I'm the king of the world. Standing at the prow of the ship is Elena. And she's standing straight ahead, looking straight ahead with her eyes focused. You know, we're gonna do a segue where it's night and day and the camera is behind Elena standing on the prow of the ship, and it's night and day and night and day, and she hasn't moved.

[B]

I'm taking her water once in a while. I got that covered.

[E]

Plant her some shanties.

[A]

Yeah. And every once in a while, she just raises her hand and points a little bit. And the pilot changes the course of the ship.

[B]

She seems pretty focused.

[E]

Yeah. So my question is, do we think that Elena can help us in fighting Rhys? Because Elena could definitely help us locate Rhys. But how are we gonna get the artifact back from Rhys?

[C]

Do we have time on this voyage? I would say to. Why don't we research everything we can on every book we have on this. On this vessel about fate, witches to see. Without actually asking her?

[E]

Yeah.

[C]

Okay, so we scour the library of the ship.

[E]

Maybe she has some sort of untapped ability that can.

[C]

To learn whatever we can.

[A]

Yeah, learn whatever you can. Okay, well, I'm not gonna make you roll' cause we're going forward. We're getting a little bit close. But what you do know is that from your. You two, the scholar folks, is that it's suspected that fate witches can see strands of fate between people and can even manipulate them a little bit. So if there's a conflict strand between you two, it is thought that perhaps fate witches can not only see the strand, but they can twist it and somehow affect it. But it's not sure how can they.

[B]

Break the strand and end someone's life?

[A]

It's theoretical. They could break strands, but it's not really well known what they can do. But they know that they can manipulate them.

[B]

She's so focused on this, I think she's gonna wanna be part of this fight. And I don't know that we have the right to take that away from her. I think we come up with a solution where she can come with us at a safe distance.

[E]

But she's also still pretty young, and we don't know how dangerous Rhys could be. I mean, Rhys could kill her.

[D]

The artifact also was impacting her, and she was having some pain. So there's some kind of negative reaction to that. So we just need to make sure that we're aware of where the artifact is.

[A]

So there is a very quick scene as the sun is going down and you're approaching an island. So the island comes up and it's rock and then there's stuff on top of it. So it's kind of unclear if you could get on top of it, what that would look like or anything like that. And you're there. Cause you're the captain and you're standing near Elena and she's pointing at the rock. It's just the captain. We're gonna put the spotlight on the captain. You guys familiar with spotlight? Spotlight is a term that we use in role playing games, which is we're gonna take one moment and we're gonna give this character a moment alone. So we're gonna give the captain a little. A short alone moment with Laina. She's pointing.

[D]

A quick question about the Wookiee rule.

[A]

I don't need that. You can still talk to her.

[D]

Okay, good. What are you pointing to?

[A]

She's there.

[D]

Who's there?

[A]

Reese. She's on the top.

[D]

Do you know she has the artifact?

[A]

No. Vendetta.

[D]

What does that mean?

[A]

You do not know this word vendetta.

[D]

I do. What does it mean to you?

[A]

It means she killed my family.

[D]

So you want to go after her? Is it safe for you?

[A]

Does that matter? She killed my family.

[D]

We want to protect you. We want to make sure that she doesn't harm you.

[A]

Vendetta.

[D]

So you'll do anything you can, even if it means that you'll die to avenge your family.

[A]

See?

[D]

Okay, I understand.

[A]

Cut to. The ship is on the outside of the island.

[E]

Did the captain share this information with us?

[A]

Did you or didn't you?

[B]

Uh.

[D]

I think that I keep this to myself because some of you may not pursue this if you know that Elena might be harmed and might die.

[E]

Okay, okay.

[B]

So Elena. Rhys is on that island from what Elena's pretty insistent pointing to.

[D]

So I let you guys know we found Rhys. Elena doesn't seem to feel the pain associated with artifacts. This might be the time to approach her.

[A]

Let's do this. We're gonna have a dramatic scene. And the dramatic scene is you getting onto the island, Maybe finding a secret harbor that goes into the bottom of the island that you climb up a stone stair, something like that. Or maybe there's a waterfall that goes backwards. Or who knows what's inside that island. I'm gonna let you guys figure it out. We're gonna Do a dramatic scene where you guys can roll dice and then use your raises, and we'll find out what happens when you go on the island.

[B]

Okay.

[E]

Okay. Yeah. I've got an idea that I'd like to suggest, but let's roll our dices first.

[A]

Okay. So what's your approach? My approach? And remember, if you do get into a fight, somebody's approach should be, I have my sword.

[C]

I think with Benedict, brawling is the way to go for him. So he's gonna approach with brawn and brawl.

[A]

All right, Brawn and brawl.

[C]

He'll be the leader of the brute squad.

[A]

All right, take 10 brutes with you.

[C]

Okay, great.

[D]

All right, I have to go with resolve here, because I am determined to follow, you know, pursue this plan that Elaine is with me. So I'm going to use resolve. I don't have any weaponry or intimidation, so I know that I'm going to need something that's useful when it comes to combat and conflict. So I think I'll.

[A]

Do you do have hide?

[D]

I do, and that might be the.

[A]

Best way of getting around on the island.

[D]

Okay, So I will do resolve and hide.

[A]

Okay, so take up your dice.

[E]

Okay, so I'm gonna use my same approach, which is wits and scholarship. Because I'd kind of like to suggest. I mean, I guess this happens after we have all of our pieces laid out, but I kind of want to suggest a story element that is so. Like, I want to GM something.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Yeah, yeah.

[E]

So that's what I want to do once we have all of our stuff planned out.

[B]

Okay, nice. I definitely want to do hide, because that is my. What's it called? The special.

[A]

Oh, that's your.

[E]

Yeah.

[A]

Quick reflexes.

[B]

Yes. Thank you.

[A]

So it means when you use that, you will use it before the villain, even the villain enters the room before I can spend a raise to say, oh, there you are. You can go. I hide, and I'm out of the way.

[B]

I'm gone.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And I feel like resolve's the way to go here, too, because I want to. I want to see the artifact back. I want to see Elena safe. So I'm going to follow the captain's lead on that one.

[A]

Awesome. So everybody have their dice? Yes. Does anybody want to help anybody else?

[B]

I have so many hero points, so.

[A]

I don't want to remember, you can only help one person.

[B]

So I would like to help our brawn, because I think that's going to be helpful. So I'm going to help Benedict.

[A]

And how are you helping him?

[B]

Can I Give another brute squad.

[A]

What you can do is you can scout ahead for him because you're hiding, so you're scouting ahead for him so that it makes it easier for him to move.

[E]

Perfect.

[B]

Let's do that.

[A]

You get three more dice. Anybody else?

[E]

Yeah. I feel a particular kinship to Elena. Would an NPC count towards.

[A]

That's interesting. Well, first of all, let's give Elena three hero points. Cause, you know, she's.

[B]

She's in it.

[A]

She's in it. And if she's gonna roll dice. As a matter of fact, let's do this. Elena is going to use her. Yeah. Do you know what? She really likes that resolve idea. So she's gonna use her resolve, and she's gonna use. She's gonna use resolve plus notice because she's looking for Rhys, and she's gonna get three bonus dice.

[D]

So question for you. Now that I've used, I've used both my hubris and my virtue. But that was in a previous session.

[A]

That was in a previous session.

[D]

So I can use those again this time?

[A]

Yes, you can.

[D]

If I need to. So I will hold onto that because I feel like I may need to use.

[A]

Elena is going to spend a hero point and help you find the artifact because she thinks that Rhys is with the artifact. So you get three bonus dice.

[D]

Okay. Awesome.

[C]

Can you remind me for willful?

[A]

Oh, yeah. Your virtue is willful. What's the card?

[C]

I actually didn't write it down.

[A]

Okay, you're the magician. Activate your virtue and target a villain. Until the end of the scene, you cannot spend hero points, and the villain cannot spend danger points.

[C]

I like that a lot. Can I use. Could I.

[A]

Does anybody else need a reminder of what their virtue and hubr.

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[B]

Yes.

[A]

Yes. Okay, let's start over here.

[B]

I wrote down stubborn as well. I didn't write down the card. Oh, no. It was like the moonlight.

[A]

It's the moonless night.

[B]

The moonless night was one of them.

[A]

Well, that's subtle. Activate your virtue when you act behind the scenes, from the shadows or through a proxy for the next risk. When you determine raises. Every die counts as a raise. Okay, remember that one?

[B]

Yes.

[A]

And then it was the throne.

[B]

Was the other one. Or the thrones.

[A]

The thrones. Oh, that's stubborn. You receive a hero point when your hero is stubborn and refuses to change her mind in the face of evidence. Do you need a reminder? Yeah.

[E]

Superstitious or. Yeah, superstitious.

[A]

Superstitious is when you refuse to use magic even if it would help you.

[E]

Okay, Right.

[A]

And then what was your other one?

[E]

It's reunion, which was all the dice together.

[A]

Yeah, that's right. Because we already used it.

[E]

Yeah, we used it.

[A]

And what's yours? Good.

[D]

I've used both already.

[A]

Oh, yeah. So you know what? Yours are awesome. All right, so let's roll dice, see what happens.

[B]

Wow, my dice were so, so well behaved for a little while.

[D]

Okay, can you set the scene for us so that we kind of know where Rhys is, where Elena is and then how.

[A]

Well, I'm going to let you guys figure that out. You guys, where Reese is and things like that. So there's an island. It's, like, jutting out of the water, and it's sheer stone. And then there's. On the top, it looks like a island with trees and everything, but you can't quite see because it's so high up. One of the options you guys can do is you can say that this thing itself is an artifact, for example. That's one of the things you can do, that the whole island is an artifact. You could say that there's a secret stairway and a secret harbor that goes up into the island. You could say that the secret way to get in is underwater. Anything you guys want, it's all up to you.

[C]

So we don't see Rhys's ship anywhere.

[A]

You don't see Rhys's ship anywhere here.

[C]

Okay.

[A]

It could be that there's some kind of mystical fog that hides our ship from view. All of those things. So Elena has two raises.

[C]

I've got four.

[A]

Four.

[E]

I've got three.

[B]

I have one.

[D]

I have three.

[A]

You're in dramatic sequence, dramatic scene. That means that you have these goals. You want to get on the island, you want to find the artifact, you want to face Rhys, and you want to get off the island alive.

[B]

That one's important.

[A]

That is important. So those are kind of your fuller goals. You may have other goals. You have to accomplish those goals with the raises you have.

[C]

So can I spend two more hero points?

[A]

You can spend one hero point.

[C]

For one more die.

[A]

For one more die.

[C]

Okay, then it's not going to work.

[A]

Okay. Okay.

[B]

Can I do that as well? Since I already. Sure.

[A]

It's after the roll. You can roll a hit point.

[B]

Yes, please. Let's try to get one more raise out of this. I think that. I mean, that's a given. Okay, cool. Now I have two.

[A]

Yay.

[E]

What else could we do with our hero points?

[A]

Now I will let. Because we're getting really near the climax, I will let you spend hero points as raises.

[E]

Great.

[A]

So you can spend hero points because we're getting real. Yeah, but only one. Only one right now.

[E]

Right. But eventually our hero points can be used as raises later on.

[A]

Yeah.

[E]

Okay.

[A]

So Thor.

[C]

Well, I kind of feel like I need to if all of mine are for Braun and Brawl.

[A]

You want to hold them?

[C]

Hold them? Yeah, for when it's ready.

[E]

This is the whole scene?

[A]

This is the whole scene. Not just.

[C]

I'm going to hold.

[A]

Okay.

[D]

Well, how superheroic are you? Can you carry us all up there?

[C]

I mean, well, we've got the brute Squad, too.

[A]

You do have grappling. Hooks, and you are sailors, and we're pretty powerful also.

[E]

I feel like we don't even need help getting up there.

[C]

Yeah, I think we could just grapple up.

[D]

So you're.

[B]

Are you going to hold your raises then for later? Is that what you're thinking?

[C]

I'm going to. Here's what I'm going to do. I'm going to spend one hero point to use as a raise, and with brawn and brawl, we're going to park, you know, we're going to anchor the ship next to the rock face. Okay. And we're getting out every grappling hook we've got, and we're grappling up the top.

[A]

Let me remind somebody that they have second story work.

[B]

Oh, I do.

[A]

You do?

[B]

Can you remind me what that does?

[A]

The second story work is an advantage that allows you to spend a hero point and take yourself and one other person into some place that is difficult to get into.

[B]

Oh, that's a good point.

[C]

So the two of us could be.

[B]

Able to go to the top and.

[C]

Then lower all the ropes down, everyone.

[A]

Yep.

[B]

Thank you.

[A]

You're welcome.

[B]

Have a hero point.

[C]

Okay, so then I don't need to spend mine.

[A]

So you're literally gonna climb up the face of the wall with him tied to you?

[B]

Yes, I am Andre the giant in this situation.

[A]

You are Andre the giant in this situation. I'm carry.

[B]

Yes, I am.

[A]

All right, so you get up to. So you climb up the sheer wall. And this is at night, so it's all dark. And when you get up to the very top, you peer over the side of the cliff. You see a huge building. It looks like it's made of wood and patched together. And there's lights, but there's no lights around the edge of the cliff face. It's all in the building. And she's pausing at the cliff, and.

[C]

You'Re still hanging out in the baby bjorn attached to her.

[B]

There's a building with lights. That's all I got.

[C]

Can we sneak up there?

[B]

I think we have to try at this point.

[F]

Okay.

[A]

All right, so you climb up, and you are now on top of the cliff face. What do you want to do?

[E]

Hey, Throw down the ropes?

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

We attach a few ropes so our guys can start climbing up.

[A]

All right, so you throw down the ropes, and somebody spend a raise so that the guys can climb up. So every. Well, only one raise and everybody can get up. It's going to raise you Good. Okay. Okay. So you get all the way up. Now you have one Brute squad. The four of you and Elena.

[E]

Yeah. So now we're up by where this big structure is right now.

[C]

We can kind of put our plan in place where you're gonna sneak ahead to sort of figure things out so that we can come in and attack.

[E]

Okay, so we still don't really know how to attack Rhys, so we need to figure out if it's even possible. Rhys is a very powerful witch. Whatever.

[A]

Sorceress.

[E]

Sorceress.

[A]

Elena says she can die.

[E]

Elena says she can die.

[C]

But we know she bleeds black blood.

[E]

We know she bleeds black blood.

[B]

Psm. Example. Whoever kills her.

[E]

So is this where I could potentially suggest, with a point, that I've learned some new information about Elena and the artifacts?

[A]

Sure, give it a try. I have some ideas of my own, but I'm willing to hear yours.

[E]

Okay, I'll spend a point and say that it's true that Elena can channel the artifact and use it as a way to defeat Rhys. Potentially.

[A]

That's not within her powers.

[E]

It's not within her powers, but I.

[A]

Want to say yes to you. So let's say that normally items don't have fate strands. All right?

[E]

Just.

[A]

People have fate strands. However, when Elena looks at the artifact, she sees a fate strand coming from it. And because she can manipulate fate strands, that means she can manipulate the device. How's that?

[E]

Okay. Yeah, I'm into that.

[A]

Here's a hero point for saying yes.

[E]

Okay, great. Thank you.

[A]

Next. You guys are on the top.

[B]

Okay, so just to review for me our objectives, get the artifact, face wris, do so ideally, without being detected by a lot of people. That's probably going to happen, right?

[C]

Or at least sneak up there to see the lay of the land, come back and tell us what to do so that we can at least plan our Brood attack.

[B]

Okay. I sneak up, I see what's up there, and there's no one around.

[A]

There's no one around.

[B]

There's no one around.

[A]

Interesting. So you go by places that are obviously guard posts, and there's no one there, and the place looks like a ghost town.

[B]

That's probably a bad sign.

[E]

But Elena says Rhys is here.

[A]

Rhys is here. As a matter of fact, she's walking.

[E]

Elena is. Yeah. So maybe we should just follow Elena.

[C]

Maybe even sort of center around her to protect her.

[A]

So as you were following close by her, you. You feel something cold on your lips, and for a moment, you blink, and you see a glowing halo around everybody that you're with, including Elena, and they glow in these bright colors. You can't really make sense of them. And it looks like you've been looking at the sun, and then you look away and you have that afterburn. That afterburn. But when you look at Elena, you see black tendrils in her aura.

[B]

Oh, well, that's awkward.

[E]

Yeah, definitely awkward.

[A]

Anybody want to spin the next race, say what happens next?

[E]

Is this something you tell us?

[B]

I don't know how to say that in front of Elena. Like, psst, guys. There's this thing, but you've been carrying.

[D]

The secret that you were kissed by a fate witch, and so you potentially have these visions and these abilities that we don't yet know about.

[E]

Yeah. It might be important for us to know.

[D]

So you have to. I think you have to make a decision here of whether to continue to guard that.

[B]

Oh, this is hard. A very private person and possibly concerned that I'm going crazy.

[A]

I'll give you a hero point if you keep it to yourself.

[B]

I'm keeping it to myself.

[E]

Oh, man. That's some evil GM movie.

[C]

Where are we right now? We're still out.

[A]

Where are you?

[C]

Yeah, at a guard post.

[A]

You're at a guard post right outside.

[B]

And Elena.

[C]

And how big is the house?

[A]

It looks like it's like a small mansion. Like in the Governor's island. They have the mansion. Right. But it's a smaller version of that. Looks like it's only maybe two stories, and it's kind of put together with mud and stuff.

[E]

So Elena is leading us.

[A]

Yeah, she's walking right in.

[E]

We can't stop her.

[A]

I guess you could. You have a raise, right?

[C]

I think we let her go and we just go in this.

[E]

I mean, we let a 17 year old girl just into the.

[C]

No, we're right with her.

[A]

She's still walking in.

[B]

Yeah, she's not. We're not going.

[A]

She goes by the door. She opens the door.

[D]

We shouldn't all go with her. You know that.

[B]

I'm going with her.

[D]

You're gonna go with her.

[A]

She goes to the stairs. She's walking up the stairs.

[E]

We can't let her go.

[A]

And the stairs are making this creaking noise. Now the table doesn't creak. Too bad.

[E]

So she's gonna alert Rhys. So there's no way this is gonna be a stealth attack at all. Like, we can't stop Elena.

[A]

She's at the top of the top of the walkway, and she's walking across it. You can see the banister.

[E]

All right, I'm with you and Elena. I'm following Elena.

[A]

And you Remember that?

[C]

We've gotta go in.

[A]

You remember that word that she said? Vendetta.

[D]

I think I have to hold back.

[B]

She's driven.

[A]

Yep.

[C]

I'm going in with the broods.

[A]

Yeah, Yeah.

[C]

I mean, we're staying quiet as we can. As quiet as a brute squad.

[A]

There's 11 of you, but we're, you.

[C]

Know, we're trying to stay with her.

[A]

And she gets to the door and she's looking at the door and she opens it and there's a bed. And Reese is asleep in the bed. This episode is brought to you by Jack Daniels. Jack Daniels and music are made for each other. They share a rhythm in the craft of making something timeless while being a part of legendary nights. From backyard jams to sold out arenas, there's a song in every toast. Please drink responsibly. Responsibility.org, jack Daniels and old number seven are registered trademarks. Tennessee whiskey, 40% alcohol by volume. Jack Daniel Distillery, Lynchburg, Tennessee. Every story you love, every invention that moves you, Every idea you wished was yours. All began as nothing. Just a blank page with a blinking cursor asking a simple question. What do you see? Great ideas.

[C]

Start on Mac.

[A]

Find out more on apple.com Mac and Elena is wearing her sailor smocks, right? She's wearing the big sailor things. She reaches into the pocket of her sailor smocks and she pulls out a pistol. And you see the halo again. And you see the black tendrils getting darker. And suddenly you have this. If the heroic halo is full of light and beauty and Elena's about to commit murder and her halo is turning pitch black.

[B]

Elena, do you want to think about this?

[A]

Click.

[E]

You gotta stop her. I'm using my 2. I'm using my points to stop her. Yeah.

[A]

All right. Everybody jumps on Elena and the gun goes off. Here's my two danger points. Bang. And Reese sits up in bed. What the fuck?

[E]

Uh. Hey, what's up?

[B]

So, long time. How's that artifact working out for you?

[A]

Let me go. Shouts Alina.

[B]

We tackled her.

[E]

Yeah, yeah.

[C]

There's more to this than meets the eye, I think.

[A]

Reese reaches over and grabs her coat and puts it on like, you know, Jed Bartlett.

[B]

Oh, no. Is that where she keeps her fancy fire chain? I think we should maybe grab the brute squad with us.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

Yeah. And I'm going to spend a hero point to impart the magician.

[A]

Ah, so I can't spend danger points, but you can't spend hero points.

[C]

That's okay.

[B]

Worth it.

[A]

All right.

[C]

Don't want us to die.

[E]

Good move.

[B]

Good call, sir.

[E]

Okay, so.

[C]

And then we're gonna bum rush her. Yeah, the 11 of us.

[A]

All right, you bum rush her, and she can't spend danger points, but she can roll dice. Elena has two raises left. Elena's gonna use one of her raises. Is everybody okay with that? Anybody want to interrupt her or anything?

[B]

Elena, you have a darkness around you.

[A]

And I'm worried you say it out loud.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Okay. Elena uses her hero point, and she looks at you, and you can see her eyes getting black, and she does this weird thing where she reaches out and it looks like she's grabbing hold of something, and she pulls. And you see and hear her skin rip. And you see blood spray between her fingers as she pulls, and Essie flies across the room.

[B]

Damn it, Elena.

[A]

So. And you hit the other wall and fall down to the ground.

[B]

So that's a minor wound.

[A]

It's one point. Anybody want to spend raises? You said you're going to jump Rhys. Okay, Reece is gonna roll dice. 1, 2, 3, 4, 10. Sounds good. Now, the thing about villains is that villains have a rank, like a Brute Squad. Does you have a rank? 10 brute squad. And a villain's rank tells me how many dice they can roll. I can roll a number of dice up to the villain's rank. So if the villain has a rank of 20, which is possible, I can roll. I never have to roll the villains full dice. So you don't really know how many dice Rhys can roll.

[B]

If you don't want. That's tricksy.

[C]

Then what? You can use them later.

[A]

No, I just have a roll. And in this case, let's pretend that rhys has a 20 point villain and I'm only rolling 10 dice, so you know that she's at least 10 points.

[B]

But it could be worse.

[A]

It could be worse.

[B]

It probably is worse, let's be honest.

[E]

So.

[A]

Oh, look, there's a 10. There's that, there's that, there's that, there's that. And I have one. Traitor. Reece has 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 raises. So I can't use danger points. So what happens is you, like, charge her and she flicks her wrist and nothing happens. Great. And she looks and you're still charging her, and she says, shit. And bam. You charge and knock her down to the ground. The both of you roll across the floor. You hit the bed, the bed jolts forward, and at that point, you hear Elena say, get off me. And Essie flies across the room and somebody spend a raise before I do.

[D]

Okay, so we need to. We really need to Focus on Elena attacking you or you.

[B]

Are you there?

[D]

Well, I've now appeared because all of this ruckus, I can't stand back any longer. So I show up. Can I show up having found the artifact?

[A]

Yes, you can.

[D]

How can I show up and announce that I know where the artifact is?

[A]

You can show up literally with the artifact in your hand. It will cost you two races to do that, because that's kind of outside your approach.

[D]

This is hopefully a distraction, but it may, as in our past history, introduce more danger to us.

[A]

So the captain shows up with the artifact in hand. Rhys is going to spend a race because she has more than everybody else. And she says, quint, strangely enough, get off of me. And kicks you in the balls and gives you five wounds. Wow.

[C]

Okay. That's one hell of a kick.

[A]

You now have a dramatic wound, sir. So you get plus one dice to all of your rolls. Next. Who's going to go? Because I have raises left.

[E]

I just don't know what to do here.

[A]

I mean, you can create opportunities that other players can use. You can help him keep Rhys down.

[B]

I'm not passed out, right?

[A]

You're not passed out. No. You can continue acting.

[C]

I have something in the back of my head while we're brawling, while she kicks me that I want to get that coat off of her.

[A]

Okay.

[C]

The several. That's a nice coat. That's a nice coat. She puts the coat on to fight us. I feel like I want to get that coat. It could be a coincidence, but.

[A]

So you want to spend the raise to get the coat off? Yes. All right. So you spend the raise to get the coat off.

[B]

Can I still spend. I don't have raises. Can I get one? Do I get one hero point to use as a raise per round, or can I use another one?

[A]

You can use one.

[B]

Okay, I'm going to use one. And try to use. I'm assuming at this point I have some sort of witchy powers. I'm going to try to use them on Elena to get a better grasp on her than holding her.

[A]

So you spend you're raise, or you spend the hero point. And what you see is. You see Elena's halo and the darkness is getting thicker. And you see a black strand from Elena to Rhys, and instinctively, you know that means one of them is going to kill the other one.

[B]

I'm okay with that.

[A]

I mean, no, not Alena dying. There we go. You reach out to touch the black strand and it hurts. It's the cold that burns as you try to Touch it and you don't even get close to it. And you can see your hand burning right along the palm. And you take a dramatic wound.

[B]

Well, I deserve that. Let's be fair. I screwed around with magic.

[A]

Fate. Witches learn. Never touch the black strand.

[B]

Note for next time.

[A]

Next. Anybody else? Before I go, Before I go.

[E]

I'm out of points. I've got these. I got my hero points here, but I'm.

[A]

You can spend a hero point.

[E]

I mean, there's gotta be something with your kiss. But I wish we knew. And I want to be able to, you know, like, I have no points to spend. I want to see where this goes.

[A]

Okay. I'm going to spend a point.

[D]

Can I can.

[F]

Oh.

[A]

You get the coat off of her. Uh huh. And she curses at you and slugs you. Bang. Right across the jaw. You take another five wounds.

[E]

Great.

[A]

Oh, two dramatic wounds.

[B]

Oh, she gets bonus dice.

[A]

You stumble backwards.

[C]

You can't kill me. Yo.

[A]

She can't kill you.

[C]

She can't use that.

[A]

That's right. And almost like she's a broken doll marionette. She's lying on her back and she slugs him and he falls off and she like gets to her feet in this really weird, creepy Japanese ghost girl kind of way.

[F]

Reese.

[A]

Yeah. Okay.

[E]

I've got an idea.

[A]

Yeah?

[E]

I want to spend a hero point and put the robe on.

[A]

Okay.

[E]

Okay.

[D]

The coat that Reese was wearing.

[E]

Yeah, great. The coat that Reece was wearing. Yeah. Okay. That's what I'm doing.

[A]

Okay. You put the coat on and suddenly you feel.

[D]

The detective said missing kids usually come home. What happens when they don't?

[C]

Based on a true story.

[A]

Police looking for John Gacy.

[C]

We discovered bodies. By the looks of it, they're younger men.

[A]

The things he did to those kids. He's sick.

[B]

The system failed these families.

[A]

Devil in disguise. John Wayne Gacy Streaming now only on Peacock.

[D]

Do you know how many there are?

[C]

Up to you to find out.

[A]

Experience a membership that backs what you're building with American Express Business Platinum. Get 2 times Membership Rewards points per dollar on eligible purchases in key business categories as well as on each eligible purchase of $5,000 or more on up to $2 million in eligible purchases per calendar year. American Express Business Platinum. There's nothing like it. Terms apply. Learn [e-mail] Business Platinum Strange. And you're kind of looking around the room and you're seeing things in strange colors and it's. It's kind of hard to see, but you also feel like you could do that chain thing if you wanted.

[E]

Oh, I'm going to do the chain thing. I want him.

[A]

You want to do the chain thing?

[E]

Yeah.

[A]

Spend a hero point.

[E]

All right, here we go.

[A]

Okay, what do you want to use it for?

[E]

I'm going to hit Rhys in the head with it. Real hard.

[A]

Real hard? Yeah. So you shoot out the chain. The chain comes out from the coat, it hits her in the head, she stumbles backward towards the window, and as she does, she grabs.

[B]

Oh, no.

[A]

Elena.

[B]

Uh oh.

[A]

And falls out the window.

[B]

Oh, rats.

[A]

What does anybody want to do?

[E]

Okay, I'm using a hero point.

[A]

Oh, wait, the captain's got raises.

[C]

I've got two raises left also. Okay, you have one left. I've got two. So I'm gonna grab. Can I grab Elena before she falls out? Grab her?

[A]

Yeah, you spend a raise and you're.

[C]

Grab her, Grab Elena, fall so it's falling out.

[A]

And you grab the belt that she's wearing around the sailor smocks. Right, the leather belt and.

[C]

So where's Rhys?

[A]

She's hanging onto Elena's hair.

[C]

I'm going to spend my last.

[A]

Wait, wait, wait. Captain has already.

[D]

So where are you? Are you. Are you.

[B]

I'm okay. Like, I have a wound, but I don't have any more.

[D]

What are you seeing? I want to know what you're seeing.

[A]

She's seeing a black. Like a black spider web. No spiders, just the webs. A black spider web Between Elena and Rhys.

[B]

So there's something serious going on between Elaine and Rhys that's bigger than any of us. And I think we're gonna have a real problem.

[D]

I think trying to sever that. That chain.

[B]

I tried it. It burned me.

[E]

I think Elena needs a haircut, if you know what I mean.

[B]

I think it's a good short term solution.

[A]

You have the artifact in your hand.

[D]

I do.

[A]

You want to spend a raise to use the artifact in some way? I forget.

[E]

I did forget it.

[A]

I was.

[D]

I've had this thing.

[B]

What?

[D]

I don't know what it does.

[A]

It doesn't matter because you can be the character in the movie that goes, I don't know what this is going.

[D]

To do, but here goes.

[A]

Here it goes.

[D]

So I activate the artifact.

[E]

Boom.

[A]

There's this huge explosion of light, and suddenly everybody sees thousands of strands everywhere between you and you and you and you. And you know what they all mean? You know that this one means that one day you're going to fall in love with this woman from Vessem and Avanjar, but she's going to betray you. And almost kill you. And you. You are going to go to Castile and become one of the most important members of the church. And you're going to save the hierophant from assassination. And you. You are going to go all the way over to the New World. And you're going to be one of the only scholars to visit the great golden temple that the people there keep hidden from everyone else and no person from Theia has ever seen. And you. You are going to be the admiral of this great pirate navy that's going to save your people from the Adeban Trading Company. And. And then it's done. And you're still holding onto Elena. And the sound. And the world is starting to come back. And you hear Elena shouting, I'm going to kill you. I'm going to kill you. You killed my family. And Rhys is holding her by the hair. And she reaches up and she grabs Elena by the throat and starts to squeeze her fingers. And suddenly everything comes back into motion.

[C]

And I've got one raise left.

[A]

You got one raise left.

[C]

I. With all of my strength, I punch Rhys in the face to make her lose grip on the hair so that she falls.

[A]

Okay, so you have my one hand, and you reach down and you slam your fist into her jaw, into Reese's jaw. And it snaps her head to the side and she loses her grip and she falls off the cliff, all the way down into the water below. Splash. But do you notice something as you're pulling Elena back up into the window? Because out the window you should be able to see the ship, but it's not there. And that's where we'll leave this session.

[B]

So intense.

[A]

What will happen next time? If you want to find out what they decide to do, you'll have to watch the next episode of Starter Kit.

[C]

Next time on Starter Kit.

[A]

That's when I stole the ship from him.

[E]

Let's kick some ass.

[A]

And the brawl is on.

[B]

I want to stomp on his face.

[A]

A dozen Haraguan women leap through the window.

[C]

He throws me up to the chandelier.

[A]

That's the end. Limu imu.

[C]

And Doug.

[A]

Here we have the limu emu in its natural habitat, helping people customize their.

[C]

Car insurance and save hundreds with Liberty Mutual.

[A]

Fascinating. It's accompanied by his natural ally, Doug. Uh, limu is that guy with the binoculars watching us. Cut the camera. They see us. Only pay for what you need@liberty mutual.com. liberty. Liberty. Liberty. Liberty Savings Ferry Unwritten by Liberty Mutual Insurance Company and affiliates. Excludes Massachusetts. Hi there. Fred Greenhalgh here, director of audio dramas like DC High Volume, Batman and Star Trek. Con. However, my one true love remains all things spooky. And I'm excited to say there's a new season of my horror podcast, Undertow. This season is called Familiar Haunts. Standalone horror tales that reveal how the past is never truly gone and humanity may be the most ruthless monster of them all. Here's a sample from the first episode about a man who returns to the house he grew up in after receiving a creepy voicemail from his mother. Let's hear it, shall we? Mike, help me. I'm not alone in here. I'm not alone, chief. Just walking.

[E]

Just walking toward me.

[A]

Hear the rest by listening to Familiar Haunts, available on Undertow. Subscribe to Undertow wherever you get your podcasts, such as the app. You're listening to me right now. In addition to the weekly releases of Familiar haunts, We have 11 previous seasons with everything from werewolf tales to underwater monsters and creepy reincarnated twins. So get your spooky fix by subscribing to Undertow. Hey, Michael. Hey, Tom. Okay, so you want to tell him or you want me to tell him? No, no, no.

[B]

I got this.

[A]

People out there. People lean in. Get close, get close. Listen, here's the deal. We have big news. We got monumental news. We got snaptacular news. Yeah. After a brief hiatus, my good friend.

[C]

Michael Ian Black and I are coming back.

[A]

My good friend Tom Kavanaugh and I are coming back to do what we do best, what we were put on.

[C]

This earth to do.

[A]

To pick a snack, to eat a snack, and to rate a snack. Scientifically, emotionally, spiritually, mates. Is back. Mike and Tom Eat Snacks is back. A podcast for anyone with a mouth. With a mouth.

[C]

Available wherever you get your podcasts.