Transcript – The Line Between Worlds

[Quest of Ruin theme plays]

ANNOUNCER
Scroll and Dagger presents:
Quest of Ruin
Episode Thirteen
The Line Between Worlds

[Theme fades to urban background noise, with sounds of stationery and dice in the foreground.]

GAME MASTER
Hello and welcome to Quest of Ruin, the post-apocalyptic fantasy roleplaying podcast. I am your host and Game Master and with me are the players.

PLAYERS
Hello!

GAME MASTER
Before we start, I just want to apologise for how we left the last episode, we didn’t realise until after the episode had gone up that all that stuff at the end had been left in, so sorry about that. But we can happily confirm that Matt is fine and well and ready to carry on.

MATT
We can indeed.

GINA
And is Vurieth also fine and well?

GAME MASTER
[dramatically] Well, that remains to be seen.

WILL
Oh god.

GAME MASTER
So you’re all still by the altar next to the huge monolith thing. Laethar –

WILL
Yes, hello.

GAME MASTER
Yes, hello! Yeah, you are supporting Vurieth who has just been through a pretty traumatic experience.

MATT
Vampire turning ritual, pretty grim.

ROSIE
And what are we doing?

GAME MASTER
Right, yeah, so you’re still on the outskirts of the ruined village of Tinnuhaven, you’ve just watched the vampires you were fighting pelt off into the distance.

LEAH
I mean, we should probably go join the others.

GINA
Yes.

ROSIE
Yeah alright, we’ll do that.

GAME MASTER
Okay, so you make your way over to the altar, pretty easy to do since it’s right next to the monolith.

[Leah grabs her dice.]

LEAH
I’d like to investigate that.

GAME MASTER
Alright, go ahead.

[The sounds of the gaming table fade to the sounds of tapping against stone.]

BALINK
It’s a big stone thing.

YAELA
Vurieth!

LAETHAR
Don’t worry, they’re alive. In a bad way, but alive.

YAELA
Vurieth, are you alright?

AIOLIN
The ritual, they didn’t -?

LAETHAR
I don’t think so. The sun doesn’t appear to be hurting them at any rate.

YAELA
Well considering how that lot reacted, that must be a good sign.

AIOLIN
Of course it is. The turning requires the victim to die so they can come back.

LAETHAR
But doesn’t the turning also require a real High Blood vampire?

VURIETH
[weakly] They said… they found… another way.

AIOLIN
That’s… not possible.

LAETHAR
Maybe. But they seemed to think it was.

YAELA
So we don’t know what kind of effect this could have on Vurieth?

AIOLIN
If any.

LAETHAR
Well either way, the Ashlander could probably do with a good rest. I say we press on to Daeryn and find a place to stay for a while.

YAELA
That’s gonna be a full day’s journey.

LAETHAR
Well unless you want to lay them out here in the snow, I don’t see any other options.

AIOLIN
I can carry them, don’t worry.

BALINK
Yeah, I don’t mind walking for you, Vurieth.

VURIETH
I’m sure… you can do it…

[Later, Vurieth groans weakly as the party makes their way through snow.]

YAELA
Come on, we’re almost there!

BALINK
I can’t feel my feet!

AIOLIN
It’s too dark, I can’t see a damn thing!

LAETHAR
Then trust us, we are nearly at the outskirts.

AIOLIN
And then what? There’s nothing out there, no villages or inns or anything. I told you we should have stopped and made a fire.

LAETHAR
And I told you we had no wood, and no time. If we stop, the Ashlander dies.

AIOLIN
You don’t know that! We could have used blankets, kept them warm, used some medicine –

YAELA
[gently] Aiolin, you know that wouldn’t be enough. Vurieth needs shelter, warmth and food, and I promise we’re gonna find all of those here. We just need to –

[An arrow flies through the air.]

LAETHAR
Stop!

[The arrow thuds into the snow.]

BALINK
What was that?

LAETHAR
Shh!

[There is a brief pause.]

YAELA
[whispering] You see them?

LAETHAR
[whispering] I do. Which means they can see us.

BALINK
[concerned] What’s going on?

AIOLIN
Are we in trouble?

LAETHAR
… possibly. It’s hard to tell with them. Just stay still, don’t make any sudden moves and don’t touch any weapons. Yaela, might be best if you’re out in front. Let them see you.

YAELA
Right.

[Yaela moves past.]

YAELA
I – I am Yaela Tangleweave of the Fae Realm. I seek shelter and aid for one of my friends!

BALINK
Who’s she calling to?

LAETHAR
You’ll find out in a minute.

[Footsteps pad through the snow.]

DULINIEL
Suilannad, Aranoss Yaela, you are far from home, I think.

YAELA
Our travels take us far.

DULINIEL
Well, you are, of course, welcome in Daeryn. May the Fae continue to favour us. But who are these others?

YAELA
Companions and friends. I promise they mean no harm.

GANCELL
[drawing a blade] Can you be sure of that?

DULINIEL
Gancell, there is no need for that.

LAETHAR
Put that down, boy.

YAELA
Laethar!

DULINIEL
Laethar? As in Laethar of Narolin?

LAETHAR
Once upon a time.

DULINIEL
We remember the friendship between our people and the Sea Elves of the South. You are a welcome guest.

LAETHAR
[stiffly] Yes, well.

GANCELL
But you travel with an orc? And a goblin?

BALINK
What?

DULINIEL
Please forgive his bluntness, Aranoss Yaela. What he means is, we have had few pleasant exchanges with their kind so are a little wary of allowing them within our realm.

AIOLIN
[impatiently] If this conversation is going to take much longer, can we at least have some fire? Our friend here is in need of warmth.

GANCELL
Don’t you –

DULINIEL
Peace, Gancell! Of course.

[Fire crackles into existence, and Balink gasps.]

BALINK
Ooh, it’s purple!

AIOLIN
You both have magic?

DULINIEL
But of course. All here do.

GANCELL
We are elves, after all.

AIOLIN
But… Laethar?

LAETHAR
[noise of discomfort]

DULINIEL
[audibly smiling] Well, you don’t seem dangerous. And who is this you carry?

LAETHAR
An Ashlander, from the far south. They were –

GANCELL
[excitedly] Of Lithmelin!

DULINIEL
One of the perinoss! And they’re in need of aid?

AIOLIN
Wha – um – yes.

DULINIEL
Follow me. Gancell, find the Lady Yaela and her friends a place to stay.

GANCELL
It will be done.

DULINIEL
I will see you later, Aranoss Yaela. Until then, Namarie.

[The elf begins to move away.]

AIOLIN
I’ll, um, I’ll see you later, I suppose.

[Aiolin follows.]

GANCELL
Aranoss Yaela, if you and your friends will follow me.

[The second elf begins to move, and the remaining three follow.]

BALINK
[voice low] I’m confused.

YAELA
Why’s that?

BALINK
Well, when I first heard them, I thought they was elves. And they said they was elves. But they looked more like you than Laethar.

YAELA
Well –

BALINK
And why was they so excited to see Vurieth? I mean sure, they probably won’t have seen many Ashlanders up here, but they ain’t that interesting to look at.

YAELA
Alright so, you know how there are different types of elves?

BALINK
Yeah…

YAELA
Well, both the Ashlanders and the elves who live here are descended from wood elves. See, a long time ago, the wood elves split and made their homes in the various forests of Toor. One group went to the forest known as Calenann. They became known as the Calenari. And they were the ones who began mingling with the humans who dwelt in the deserts of Lithmelin.

BALINK
And that’s where the Ashlanders came from, right?

YAELA
Yes. Now, another group of wood elves moved here, to Daeryn. They became known as the Tiinari, or the quiet elves, because they loved the tranquil places in the forest. And those places have a strong connection to the Fae Realm. So my kind would visit them from time to time and, well, we began mixing with them. And our children were part elf and part fae.

LAETHAR
The Calfaeri, they were called. The Spirit Elves. And because of their fae heritage, they are more in tune with magic than any other of the elven kindreds. More powerful. Unfortunately, they are also completely disconnected from the real world.

YAELA
[tiredly] Laethar, don’t start. 

LAETHAR
Ugh, fine.

BALINK
So is that why they were excited to see Vurieth?

YAELA
Yes. They’ll see Vurieth as something like a long-lost cousin.

BALINK
They seem to like you as well.

YAELA
Well, of course. The Calfaeri have always honoured the Fae. They see us as their living ancestors.

BALINK
Didn’t seem so happy about me and Aiolin, though.

LAETHAR
Probably because the only times they ever saw an orc was when they watched the Horde go past.

YAELA
Are you going to cause a problem?

LAETHAR
No no, you don’t have to worry about me.

GANCELL
Here we are.

[There is a pause.]

LAETHAR
Here we are where?

BALINK
Just looks like trees to me.

GANCELL
Oh yes, of course. My apologies. I forgot that you can only see the material.

LAETHAR
You know –

YAELA
It’s fine, we can show you the way. Come.

[The sound fades to shimmering, and Vurieth awakes with a yawn.]

AIOLIN
Vurieth! You’re alright!

VURIETH
Aiolin? Where… where are we?

DULINIEL
You are in the forest of Daeryn, Perinoss Vurieth Quensin.

VURIETH
[nervously] It… it reminds me of the Fae Realm.

DULINIEL
[happily] We are indeed close to the fae here. Where we stand now lies on the edge of the sacred realm.

VURIETH
And, um, who are you?

AIOLIN
[excited] Her name is Duliniel – she’s a spirit elf. Part elf, part fae. I’d never even heard about them! None of the books on Daeryn even mention them, I mean they mention the elves of Daeryn but I always thought they were just another group of wood elves, I never dreamed they were a whole other family of elf.

DULINIEL
[amused] Your friend has been asking a lot of questions.

AIOLIN
Oh, sorry, I didn’t mean –

DULINIEL
No no, it’s not a problem. It’s nice that you’re so interested.

VURIETH
Where are the others?

DULINIEL
They are in the company of my faragwador, Gancell.

VURIETH
… Faragwador?

DULINIEL
Oh, I suppose the nearest translation would be… Brother of the Hunt? Gancell has taken them somewhere to rest. When you are feeling well enough, I can take you to them.

VURIETH
I think I am ready to go now.

[They climb out of bed.]

AIOLIN
Vurieth?

DULINIEL
Are you certain? You really should rest as much as you can, after what you went through. To have one of the perinoss turned to such evil would have been horrible.

VURIETH
[uncomfortable] Well, yes, it would have been. But I assure you I am well enough to walk and I would appreciate the return of my clothes.

DULINIEL
Oh, yes of course. Here.

VURIETH
My thanks.

AIOLIN
We’ll be outside when you’re ready.

[Aiolin and Duliniel leave, and Vurieth begins to dress, wincing in pain.]

VURIETH
[muttering] Can’t stay. Not again.

[Birds twitter and music plays.]

GANCELL
And here we are.

LAETHAR
About time. Gods, I forgot how much I hate travelling that way.

YAELA
[happily] Oh, it’s just as I remember it.

BALINK
What is this place?

YAELA
Athradhel. The Place of Crossing. Spirits, but I almost forgot how beautiful it is.

BALINK
I mean… it’s alright, I suppose.

YAELA
You’ll have to forgive him, Gancell, he really doesn’t care for much that isn’t flammable.

BALINK
[quietly to himself, in the background] What is the point?

GANCELL
Oh no apology necessary, Aranoss. I wouldn’t expect more from a goblin.

LAETHAR
[hotly] Isn’t there a tree you need to go sit under?

YAELA
Laethar!

GANCELL
No no, it’s quite alright, my lady. Being so close yet unable to touch the fae would frustrate me too. I shall go and check on your friends. Feel free to explore. I will come find you later.

[Gancell walks away.]

LAETHAR
[muttering] I’ll show you how frustrated I am, you jumped up little –

YAELA
Laethar, you promised –

LAETHAR
I did not promise to stand around silently while that little prig openly insults us.

YAELA
How was he insulting us?

LAETHAR
Oh, he wasn’t insulting you. All of them here likely think the sun shines out of your every orifice.

YAELA
Oh, you’re being ridiculous.

BALINK
Actually he was rude.

YAELA
Oh, don’t you start.

BALINK
Well it’s true. “I wouldn’t expect more from a goblin”, he said, what’s that supposed to mean?

YAELA
It didn’t mean anything.

BALINK
Sounded like it did.

[Laethar hums in agreement.]

YAELA
Well what does it matter even if it did? Since when did the two of you care what others said about you? Now, come on, I just wanted to show you around, can we not enjoy ourselves for once?

[Laethar sighs.]

LAETHAR
Very well.

YAELA
[cheerful] Good. Come on! There’ll probably be some people waiting to greet us!

[She walks away.]

LAETHAR
[in an undertone] Waiting to greet you, you mean.

[The scene shifts to Aiolin, Vurieth, and Duliniel.]

DULINIEL
I’m sure I told Gancell to meet us along here. I can’t think why he’d be late. Unless, maybe, they had to slow down so that Lord Laethar and your goblin friend could keep up? I know it can be hard for those not of the fae to find their way through the forest.

AIOLIN
I’m sure they’re alright.

DULINIEL
Oh, of course they are. Tell you what, wait here and take in the sights, I’ll go on ahead, see if I can find them.

[Duliniel leaves.]

AIOLIN
You alright, Vurieth?

VURIETH
Hm? Yes, yes, why do you ask?

AIOLIN
Well you seem a little… jumpy.

VURIETH
Yes… well… you see, we are just very close to the Fae Realm.

AIOLIN
Right… so what?

VURIETH
It is… not a place I have fond memories of.

AIOLIN
What? But why? Were you mistreated there or something?

VURIETH
[horrified] Oh no no, nothing like that. It’s hard to explain, unless you had been there. You have to understand, the Fae Realm is very different to our world. It’s a place of vibrance. Your every sense feels enhanced – you see and hear everything to a greater degree than you do in our world.

AIOLIN
That doesn’t sound so bad.

VURIETH
Not for a short time, no. It was even quite pleasant. But after a while it starts to wear on you. You start to feel crushed by the weight of everything. I’m starting to feel it now, and we are still some way off from the true Fae Realm.

AIOLIN
But you were alright after you left, right?

VURIETH
Eventually. That’s the other problem with the Fae. You get used to it. It becomes normal. So when you finally leave, the world feels too light. And too dull.

AIOLIN
I see. I guess that explains why Yaela was so excited to come here. Our world must be kind of colourless for her. Must get a bit depressing after a while.

VURIETH
I suppose so.

AIOLIN
Look, it may be none of my business…

VURIETH
But?

AIOLIN
But are you sure you’re alright? Sure, the Fae Realm’s close and you’re not keen on the place, but I don’t think that’s the real reason you’re all nervous.

[Aiolin pauses.]

AIOLIN
You know you can trust us, right?

VURIETH
I… yes I know.

AIOLIN
We’re all here for you. Me, Yaela, Balink – Blood, even Laethar. If you’re scared of something, we’ll face it together.

VURIETH
And what if I become one of them?

AIOLIN
… I… what?

VURIETH
What if I become one of those creatures? A vampire?

AIOLIN
But… you can’t be. You’d need to be dead, for a start. And remember, there has to be a true vampire to make the ritual work. And you said that all of the ones with you were fledglings.

VURIETH
Their leader seemed to believe otherwise. Something about that monolith… but regardless, I have shared blood with them. I have it within me. I must be infected. And if – if there is nothing to be done? And they…

AIOLIN
[grunts] What happened in there, Vurieth?

VURIETH
They… I…

AIOLIN
I only ask… so that, well, if you were to, um… what I mean to say is, if the worst were to… I mean perhaps – I could research a cure, or a way to help. If I knew, well, if I knew what was –

VURIETH
They performed a ritual. Well, the majority of it. They took some of my blood and… and I took some of theirs.

AIOLIN
Took? You mean you -?

VURIETH
Yes. They made me drink from them.

AIOLIN
[disgusted] That’s… that is…

VURIETH
I do not know how much would have been required to complete the ritual, but I definitely took from more than half of them.

AIOLIN
Their group?

VURIETH
Yes. The, uh…

AIOLIN
Cult.

VURIETH
They called themselves a family.

AIOLIN
I see.

VURIETH
I…

AIOLIN
It is alright, you know.

VURIETH
What is?

AIOLIN
If you enjoyed the experience.

VURIETH
What?

AIOLIN
It’s just, I have read a little of vampires. Most books discuss their powers and the dangers they pose. But others speak of their charisma and the pull drawing us to them. I would not think any less of you if you had… ah… shall we say… found the experience to your liking?

VURIETH
I – I… I did not –

AIOLIN
I don’t mean you wanted them to do it. But from what I’ve read, part of the vampire’s power is their seductiveness. They can make you feel that what they want is what you want, and it helps them control their victims. So, I’m just saying, if you enjoyed it, there was a reason, it’s not ’cause there’s anything wrong with you.

VURIETH
It… it did feel like a family… sharing… bonding… welcoming, in a way. Oh, sands… sands preserve me, I am bonded with them now, aren’t I?

AIOLIN
I mean… well, yeah. Yeah, you probably are.

[Vurieth makes a sound of despair.]

AIOLIN
But, look, that doesn’t mean it’s permanent. I think the main rule still applies. A vampire has to die then come back for the curse to really take effect. Until then, there’s probably something we can do about it.

VURIETH
That… makes sense.

AIOLIN
And I bet someone around here will know something we can use. We’re right next to the fae realm, after all, powerful magic and ancient knowledge – you know, all that stuff. We’ll find something.

VURIETH
Thank you, my friend.

[At the drinking hall, there is chatter.]

DULINIEL
I’m glad we were able to find you all.

GANCELL
It was just a matter of time.

AIOLIN
I’m surprised you have a tavern here. Didn’t seem like Athradhel was the place for that sort of thing.

DULINIEL
Of course we have taverns. And here they serve the finest, sweetest ale you’ve ever sampled.

LAETHAR
Oh, what a surprise.

YAELA
[warningly] Laethar, what did we just talk about?

[Their conversation fades into the background as Balink and Vurieth remain in focus]

BALINK
[quietly] So, Vurieth, you got a thirst for some elf blood?

VURIETH
[quietly] Not just at the moment, no.

BALINK
Good. See, you’ll be just fine! Everythin’ will work itself out.

VURIETH
I do hope you are right, my little friend.

BALINK
Oh – and if you ever need a distraction, or you’re not feeling great, just gimme a yell and I’ll set something on fire. Dunno why but that’s always a sure way to make people all clump together and panic.

VURIETH
[chuckling] I appreciate that very much.

BALINK
Noooo problem. So, hey, d’you wanna bunk up tonight? I can keep an eye on you, make sure nothing funny happens?

VURIETH
You know… that would actually make me feel very at ease, thank you.

BALINK
Wonder if that’s the first time an elf’s ever said that to a goblin before?

VURIETH
I do hope not, but if it is the case then I am very happy to go down in history with you, my friend.

AIOLIN
History! That’s it! Obviously, why didn’t I think of it?

LAETHAR
Think of what?

AIOLIN
Well, I was just thinking about what happened to Vurieth. Fact is, we can’t be sure what the effect of that ritual will be.

LAETHAR
What do you mean? They were trying to turn the Ashlander into a vampire, we stopped them before they could finish it. What else is there?

VURIETH
The way… they talked about that monolith… it was not a normal ritual.

AIOLIN
Exactly. But I doubt they made it up themselves. They probably got it from somewhere, some old vampire lore perhaps. And that monolith must have been important somehow.

YAELA
So, you want to see if we can find out more about that thing?

LAETHAR
Gods preserve us, why does it matter? The ritual obviously failed, the Ashlander is fine, we can move on and find a new job to do.

VURIETH
We cannot know that! I am well for now, but what if I was tainted? What if it affects me in a critical moment? I cannot just ignore it!

DULINIEL
[interested] What are you all talking about?

BALINK
Big stone thing.

DULINIEL
Excuse me?

LAETHAR
[impatiently] There was a large stone structure, a monolith, a few miles beyond the border of the forest.

AIOLIN
You know of it?

GANCELL
[scoffing] Hardly. We pay little attention to that which lies beyond our borders.

LAETHAR
Indeed. Anyway, your perinoss was forced into some kind of ritual connected with it. But the ritual was stopped. I say that means we can stop worrying about it, but the orc and the Ashlander apparently disagree.

YAELA
Well, it couldn’t hurt to be sure.

LAETHAR
Oh, not you too.

BALINK
Well, it couldn’t.

[Laethar makes a sound of annoyance.]

YAELA
And there are stores of knowledge here, yes? So we could just find out about it?

DULINIEL
[confused] Well, of course. The Tower, Lady Yaela.

YAELA
Oh! Well, I meant –

AIOLIN
The Tower?

YAELA
She means Barad-Angol, the great tower of knowledge.

AIOLIN
I’ve not heard of it.

LAETHAR
Neither have I.

GANCELL
Not surprising. Barad-Angol is a closely guarded secret by the fae kin. It’s the largest store of knowledge there is.

AIOLIN
Sounds perfect.

YAELA
It’s in the Fae Realm.

AIOLIN
… Oh.

VURIETH
[frantically] But surely there are other options? The Calfaeri must have stores of knowledge outside the Fae?

DULINIEL
[confused] No, why would we?

VURIETH
Perhaps your lord has their own library.

LAETHAR
The Calfaeri don’t have a lord, Ashlander. And they keep nothing of value in our world. Things are, after all, safer in the fae realm.

YAELA
[hopefully] So, are we going to the Fae?

LAETHAR
Well if you’re all insisting on this, I don’t see we have much of a choice.

VURIETH
Oh… uh.

AIOLIN
We don’t really have to go there, though. The Remnant Library will likely have information we can use.

BALINK
Hang on. A minute ago you wanted to go!

LAETHAR
Your library is more than four hundred miles away. You want to take a quick detour into the Fae, that’s one thing, but I’m not traipsing all the way back through Lhain to satisfy your morbid curiosity.

[Aiolin grunts.]

AIOLIN
Fine. Vurieth, it’s your call.

[Vurieth sighs.]

VURIETH
I have to know for sure.

YAELA
It will only be for one day, I promise. Duliniel, would you lead us there?

DULINIEL
Of course, Lady Yaela. We can go in the morning, once your companions are rested.

LAETHAR
[flatly] Marvellous.

[Dice roll and clatter at the gaming table.]

GAME MASTER
And I think we shall leave it there for today.

[Rosie and Leah make disappointed sounds.]

WILL
Come on, it’s still early!

GAME MASTER
It definitely is not, I’ve gotta be up for work in… seven hours.

ROSIE
I was looking forward to the Fae.

GAME MASTER
Well, it will still be there next time.

ROSIE
You suck.

GAME MASTER
So you keep telling me, and you know what? I can live with it.

MATT
Bit light on the combat this week.

GINA
Oh yeah, how dare we just roleplay in a roleplaying game.

[Chuckles from the players.]

GAME MASTER
There will be plenty of combat in the future, I am sure. But for now, let’s all say goodbye until next time.

PLAYERS
Bye!

[The end theme plays and the Announcer recites the credits]