Episode 69 - Explosive Introductions

Intro
Jason: Hello, and welcome Celestial Expanse, a real play D&D podcast set in the Celestial Expanse universe. My name is Jason, and I'll be playing everyone's favorite heretic elf, Theran. Tonight, you will witness much chicanery, tomfoolery, ballyhoo, and if you are lucky, maybe even some skullduggery. But now I want to introduce the Prime Minister of Sinister, the Foreman of Fornicating Skyward, the Numero Uno of rolling numero uno, Matthew. How are you tonight, Matthew? Matt: Pretty good, how bout yourself? Jason: I am okay. Ben! Playing Rell. How are you Ben? Ben: I'm okay. Jason: Boston, playing our favorite shrub Juniper, who's eating a burrito. How are you? Boston: I'm good now that I'm eating burritos. Jason: Rebecca, playing the kind and generous Martle. How are you Rebecca? Rebecca: Yup, definitely not - Jason: Kay. Rebecca: - anxiety, yup. Matt: Ohhh no. Jason: Oh, no. Why would we have anxiety? That's no reason. Matt: Life. Rebecca: Brain broke. Jason: Oh, lemme give you some help: it's in your head, just don't worry. Does that help, are you better now? Matt: Bruh. Rebecca: The next time I see you I am going to shove a knife into your gut. Jason: Yeah, I figured, that's what I figured. Natalia: Wow. For the listeners, that is not an actual threat. Matt: Ummmmm... Jason: It is kinda. Cause she lives about four hours from me, it could happ- Rebecca: They. Jason: They. They live - dammit. Natalie playing Z, how are you Natalia? Natalia: *laughs* Jason: I got both names in there this time. Natalia and Natalie. Natalia: You did. Yup, good job. Jason: Agh. It's a rough night, man I am tired. How are you Natalia? Natalia: I'm alright, I'm okie dokie, getting the laughs in early, so. Jason: Mitch, playing Zarial. How are you Mitch? Mitch: Could be better. Jason: Did you recover your password to Roll20 young man? Mitch: Yes sir. Jason: Alright, was it saltyballs69420? Mitch: Damn, you guessed it. Jason: Every time. Matt: You're gonna have to change it now. Jason: Back to you, Matt!

Episode Description
The group finally meet up with the elders, well except Zarial. He wants to do what? With who? Well... I'm sure he won't get into trouble...right?... oh no

Summary
Z comes back to her room to find a grumpy Martle waiting for her. Showing a complete lack of emotion, she unwraps the food Martle brought and tells her about the Sin and her dad. Martle says she doesn't know if they can take care of that while they're chasing down the devices activated by the Catalyst, but she promises to discuss it with the rest of the crew, especially given their six months to a year deadline. Anger gone, she thanks Z for leaving a note, and leaves. Z eats and drinks from her flask of dragonborn ale.

The next morning, the crew come to pick up Z to find her very drunk. Martle uses Lay on Hands to cure the drunkenness.

Much earlier, Zarial went to find the Fabricator. He saw trucks carrying raw materials that had to come from the Fabricator, and went to investigate one. He got caught, and asked for a tour. The driver refused, and became suspicious when he sensed Zarial cast a spell, Mass Suggestion. Zarial bribed him with 1000 credits, and the driver reluctantly agreed to bring him along, on the condition that he not leave the truck.

Back at the hospital, Martle tells Z what they're doing, and Z agrees to come along rather than stay behind to drink. They meet Sapphire, who is dressed up in fancy bedazzled robes, and they get a ride to the elders. Theran opens a channel to Zarial and mutes him, and Zarial puts in headphones to hear him. Sapphire says the elders will be a bit, as they're finishing up business with the Seekers.

Zarial offers the driver a spweed cookie from a tupperware with a forcefield lid. The driver declines, but Zarial leaves out two on a napkin.

When the elders are ready, Sapphire goes to the podium and introduces them. Salyx, head of the left branch of the military, is an elderly junari. She has been a member of the elders for 50 years. Malichar, head of the right side of the military, is a burly, nine feet tall, armored blue dragonborn. He has a wicked scar from his mouth to where ears would be on other humanoids. Serali, head of the left side of agriculture, is an enlightened elf. She acts shocked but not disdainful when she sees Theran, earning Martle's respect. Zakin, head of the right side of agriculture, is a studious high elf wearing glasses and carrying a book. He cuts off Sapphire to introduce himself, acting as if he doesn't have time for the meeting. The next elder is an android who goes by the binary name of Ah. His actual name has "almost as many numbers as pi." Moris is a youngish human with a partially cybernetic face. The right half of her body is chrome, with a pinkish sheen to match her skin. She and Ah are heads of resource management.

Sapphire introduces the crew of the Jörmungandr, provoking a reaction. Ah asks if they're the owners of Jörmungandr, and Martle corrects him: not owners, people he is currently working with. The elders are pleased to hear they respect his wishes. Moris asks why they're here. Martle tells them she woke Amethyst, and now regrets it. She plans to fix the situation with the devices activated by the Catalyst. The elders share that the gravitational device hasn't worked for 2 weeks, allowing three of the Abyssal Crystalline to land on the surface.

Martle proposes trade relations. Ah asks for expertise. They only know what their ancestors, original members of the resistance, and crash landers knew. Zakin offers manpower in return. Theran brings up the fact that Amethyst and the Abyssal Crystalline are looking for the devices too. He asks how they keep the devices out of their hands, and they hear an explosion.

Slightly earlier, Zarial's driver pulls up to the Fabricator checkpoint. Zarial spots someone trying to stop a person in white armor with a shark's smile painted on the helmet. The person in white armor shoots the person trying to delay him and presses a button, which triggers an explosion.

New Information

 * Enlightened elves are unusual on Agora.
 * High elves normally stay on the Elves' planet. They were the original ancestors of the elves when they started their pilgrimage to the Celestial Expanse.
 * Ah is below average height for android, 5'5". He's colored muted tones that almost match building, as opposed to most androids, who are shiny and conspicuous.

Memorable Quotes
Jason: I'm really hard to miss at my size, I'm like a 6'5" potato. Rebecca: Yeah... Jason: You're not supposed to agree to that, dammit!

Martle: I don't know, everything's a big threat. I can't tell what the real big threat is anymore because there are so many that they're all overshadowing each other to the point that I can't see anything.

Boston: And we're going to prison today, folks.

Rebecca: I'm not gonna lie, this has nothing to do with me so I'm checking out.

Driver: What kind of cookie is it? Zarial: It's the special kind. I made it with love.

Trivia
Discord went down for some of the players most of the way through the episode, so the recording took place over two sessions.