Transcript – Swarms in the Smoke

[Quest of Ruin theme plays]

ANNOUNCER
Scroll and Dagger presents:
Quest of Ruin
Episode Sixteen
Swarms in the Smoke

[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, here again with my cast of players.

PLAYERS
Hello!

GAME MASTER
Last time, you were able to escape the strange creature in tower of Barad-Angol thanks to some quick thinking by Aiolin and Vurieth.

WILL
Oh god, you’ve started her off again.

GINA
Oh, shut up.

MATT
But we also got those books on vampirism, right? ’Cause that was kind of the whole point.

LEAH
Yep yep, no worries, I’ve got them.

[Paper rustles.]

MATT
… there’s only three books?

LEAH
I’m a goblin, what do you expect?

MATT
Please tell me that one of these is gonna be useful.

GAME MASTER
I’m afraid you’ll have to find out later – but for now, you’ve just woken up on the outskirts of Smokewood, where you’d camped for the night. You’re all feeling well rested, so you can regain your hit points and Vurieth, you regain your mana.

MATT
Sweet.

ROSIE
[flatly] I didn’t sleep.

GAME MASTER
Come again?

ROSIE
I didn’t sleep all night. I went for a walk.

WILL
Are you alright? You’ve been weird all week.

ROSIE
What? Yeah I’m fine, I’m just telling you what I was doing.

GAME MASTER
Okay, fair enough. Well, with that being the case, can you roll for observation?

[Rosie rolls a die.]

ROSIE
Sixteen.

GAME MASTER
Okay so, during the night, you get the feeling that there is something in the woods with you, something or someone, but they don’t come anywhere near your camp.

ROSIE
I want to chase after it.

GAME MASTER
… Chase after what? You haven’t actually seen or heard anything.

ROSIE
You said I had a feeling, I want to follow that feeling.

WILL
[sarcastically] Sure, that makes sense.

GAME MASTER
Um, okay… I guess roll for tracking.

ROSIE
Twelve.

[The players react.]

GAME MASTER
Okay, no, you definitely don’t see or hear anything.

WILL
You done?

ROSIE
Maybe I’m not, so what?

LEAH
Okay – guys, calm down.

GAME MASTER
Yeah, come on. It’s gonna be a nice day out in Burrowton.

MATT
Oh sure, what could possibly go wrong?

[Leaving the game table, Aiolin wakes – he yawns, stretches, and gets up.]

AIOLIN
Morning Vurieth. You’re up early.

VURIETH
Since first light. I didn’t want to waste any time.

AIOLIN
With wh – oh, the books!

VURIETH
Indeed. After all it took to get them out of that place, I wanted to start as soon as I could.

AIOLIN
“Bloodlines; A Vampire Genealogy.” Sounds promising.

VURIETH
That’s the hope.

BALINK
I’ve been helping with this one.

AIOLIN
Oh… right… how exactly?

BALINK
I can read, can’t I?

VURIETH
Ah, Balink has actually been helping me with the translation of this text here.

BALINK
It’s written in Deeper.

VURIETH
A language that I sadly cannot read.

BALINK
Well, ’course you can’t. Not much point having a secret language if everyone can read it, is there?

VURIETH
That is true.

BALINK
Exactly.

AIOLIN
And what about this one?

[Aiolin picks up the third book.]

BALINK
Neither of us can read that one.

AIOLIN
Well, why’d you pick it up then?

BALINK
Well, we was in a rush. And it does have fangs on the cover… and it’s got nice writing. Looks like pictures.

[Aiolin flicks through the pages.]

AIOLIN
Those pictures are hieroglyphs, Balink. This is Ubwaen, the writing of the ancient Dawn Tongue.

VURIETH
Can – can you read it?

AIOLIN
No one reads it anymore. It’s a dead language. And linguistics wasn’t exactly my field of study.

VURIETH
Master Istaband might have been able to translate it.

AIOLIN
Well, perhaps. But… I don’t think Yaela would be interested in going back and asking.

VURIETH
Hm. Has anyone seen her since last night?

AIOLIN
No.

BALINK
No…

LAETHAR
I have.

VURIETH
Oh, Laethar, good morning.

LAETHAR
Morning.

AIOLIN
Where is she?

LAETHAR
Still out and about. I think it’s taking her a while to process what happened back in the tower.

AIOLIN
Makes sense.

BALINK
Should we wait for her?

LAETHAR
No, I don’t think so. She knows we’re going to Burrowton. She’ll catch us up there. It’s not far.

VURIETH
I suppose.

LAETHAR
Don’t worry, Ashlander. She’ll be alright. She just needs time to process.

[Elsewhere, Yaela moves softly through the undergrowth of the forest.]

YAELA
Whereabouts… where is that… where are you?

[A twig snaps.]

YAELA
Aha, there you are!

[An arrow is loosed from a bow, thudding into a tree, and something skitters away.]

YAELA
[frustrated] Damn it! I know you’re out there. You’re not gonna get away from me.

[She moves off quickly through the trees. In Burrowton, halflings are going about their day.]

BALINK
This is… nice.

VURIETH
You sound wary.

BALINK
I am. I don’t trust anywhere that looks this nice. Remember that place, Fallersby?

AIOLIN
Ah, yeah.

LAETHAR
Don’t worry. Burrowton isn’t some isolated place never touched by the war. From what I remember, it was actually hit pretty hard by the Horde. But after the war, all the remaining halflings of Dathland came together and rebuilt Burrowton as kind of a… last reminder, of what Dathland used to be.

AIOLIN
And they built better defenses, in case of waster attacks.

VURIETH
Really?

BALINK
Don’t see much defenses.

AIOLIN
[excited] Well that’s because their defenses aren’t walls or towers. There’s a huge warren under Burrowton. Full of traps and dead ends and tricks and tunnels, all things like that. If Burrowton’s ever attacked, everyone goes underground, and the attackers have to chase after them. Now this is where it gets interesting, see – they split them up and pick them off one by one. It’s actually really elegant, and if you wanna look at the designs –

BALINK
Alright, alright, I get it!

VURIETH
So, it really is just a normal place?

LAETHAR
Well, normal is a matter of opinion. It’s harmless, if that’s what you’re asking. As long as you come peacefully.

AIOLIN
Well, I’d say that describes us.

LAETHAR
Exactly. We’re just here to help… and make some money at the same time.

VURIETH
So, where do we start?

BALINK
Taverns are usually a safe bet.

LAETHAR
[sighs] Well that is true, but don’t get too crazy, alright, it’s still early.

VURIETH
And we can ask about the Hillfoots while we are in the taverns, yes?

LAETHAR
Yes, that was my intention.

VURIETH
Alright, that sounds good, my friend.

[The doors to a fairly busy tavern open.]

LAETHAR
Well, this seems like as good a place to start as any.

INNKEEPER
Good day to you, masters, welcome to the Blue Griffin, best public house this side of the Smokewater. Can I interest you in a spot of lunch? My daughter makes a hogmeat pie that’ll melt in your mouth.

BALINK
Ooh, that sounds good.

VURIETH
[hesitantly] I suppose it would be nice to eat something besides our travel rations.

AIOLIN
Second that.

INNKEEPER
And to drink? I know it’s early in the day but few things accompany a pie as well as a mug of good brown ale.

BALINK
Yes!

AIOLIN
He’ll take a half.

BALINK
Oh come on!

LAETHAR
That sounds perfect, my thanks landlord.

INNKEEPER
Not a problem, sir, it’s always a pleasure to serve the big folk… providing they can pay, of course?

VURIETH
No worries there, good master.

[A coin purse jingles.]

INNKEEPER
Splendid, then if you’ll follow me, I’ll show you to a good table.

[The innkeeper walks away, and Aiolin and Balink follow.]

VURIETH
I thought we were going to ask about work.

LAETHAR
We will, but I don’t see any rush. No reason we can’t have a good meal first.

VURIETH
I suppose…

LAETHAR
Right, something’s clearly bothering you, spit it out.

VURIETH
I don’t know. Something’s just bothering me.

LAETHAR
You’re not still thinking of that human village, are you? I told you –

VURIETH
No no, I know you’re right. Remember, I have been through this country before. It’s not that I think they’re trying to ensnare us. I just have this feeling that there’s something at work here.

LAETHAR
Something bad, you think?

VURIETH
Well that is the strangest part. I do not know if my feeling is a bad one or a good one. It feels like both at the same time.

[In the forest, Yaela takes slow footsteps, sniffing the air.]

YAELA
That’s not you. That’s something else. Something –

[There’s the faint sound of heavy buzzing, and Yaela nocks an arrow.]

YAELA
If you’ve led me on some kind of –

[As branches are pushed aside, the buzzing gets louder.]

YAELA
Oh spirits!

ELLOIN
More come every day.

YAELA
[surprised] What?

ELLOIN
There were just a few at first. Then more started coming. Now they’re all over this part of the forest.

YAELA
Wait, I know you.

ELLOIN
Of course you do. You tried to save me from Agrippesa. You brought me back to my parents.

YAELA
Yes, Elloin, I remember. But where did you just come from?

ELLOIN
I’ve been with you all the way here. Didn’t you see me? I thought that’s why you were following.

YAELA
Wait, was it you that I was hearing last night?

ELLOIN
Mostly.

YAELA
But why were you out here in the middle of the night?

ELLOIN
I usually am. I like to go walking. I can’t go much further yet, but I will one day. I’m just not quite ready.

YAELA
I don’t –

ELLOIN
But these past few nights, I keep seeing these things. More and more of them, every day.

YAELA
Are they dangerous?

ELLOIN
They haven’t attacked me.

YAELA
Well, even so. Perhaps we should leave them alone. Get back to Burrowton.

ELLOIN
Oh, they’re not alone.

YAELA
What do you mean?

ELLOIN
[giggles] Come see. I’ll show you.

[They move through the forest, and back in Burrowton, the tavern is a little busier.]

AIOLIN
Was it a mistake to send Balink to ask around for work?

LAETHAR
Give him some credit. He might be a little… erratic, but he is good at striking up conversations.

AIOLIN
Hm, true. And I suppose him being about the same size as them will make things easier.

LAETHAR
Exactly. They’ll be more relaxed, so more likely to open up. Far more so than if you or I were to try. Charming fellows though we might be, I can imagine its difficult to be wholly at your ease with someone looming over you.

AIOLIN
Makes sense. Where’s Vurieth gone?

LAETHAR
The bathroom, I believe. Not surprising it’s taking them so long. Can you imagine… oh gods.

[Vurieth and the innkeeper return carrying a drunk Balink to the table, singing softly to himself.]

VURIETH
Look who I found under a table.

BALINK
I won though! Got the bucket!

LAETHAR
Do you know what he’s talking about?

VURIETH
I am afraid not.

INNKEEPER
[amused] Young Elmly Bywater’s to blame, I’m afraid. He and your friend were chatting and they started a drinking game.

AIOLIN
Oh Balink!

LAETHAR
For what!?

BALINK
I jusht tolded you! I got the bucket!

LAETHAR
[resigned] I see.

AIOLIN
Maybe getting on a little too well with the locals.

LAETHAR
Yaela’s not going to be happy about this.

VURIETH
Well he seems to be sleeping it off now.

[Balink is gently snoring.]

INNKEEPER
Forgive my nosiness, masters, but before your friend got started with young Elmly, I overheard him talking with a few of the others. Something about looking for work?

VURIETH
Yes, indeed!

LAETHAR
We’ve just arrived in the area. So thought we’d see if there were any jobs going.

INNKEEPER
Well, what’s your trade? I might know of something.

LAETHAR
Mercenary work, usually. Couriering, item acquisition, bounty hunting, protection. As long as the payment is good, there’s little we can’t do.

INNKEEPER
[regretful] ’Fraid there’s little in the way of that kind of work ‘round here. Burrowton’s a peaceful place. Haven’t even seen much in the way of waster raids since the warren was finished.

AIOLIN
So there’s nothing at all?

INNKEEPER
Unless you fancy lifting logs in the lumber yard. By Oakey, there’ve been folks leaving recently for a taste of excitement. Pack of fools.

VURIETH
Leaving?

INNKEEPER
Aye. Going out beyond Dathland, explore the world beyond. It’s the young ones, mostly, those who didn’t live through the War. Don’t know how dangerous things are out there. And there’s those who should have more sense. Them who’ve convinced themselves that it can’t possibly be as bad as they remember.

AIOLIN
So, where are these people going?

INNKEEPER
No idea. But there’ve been a fair few of ’em going over the past few weeks. Crofters, farmers, crofters, more farmers, even the Squire’s son. All of ’em, up and gone. And not been seen since.

[In the forest, backed by buzzing, Elloin and Yaela move through the trees.]

ELLOIN
Come on Yaela, we have to get a bit closer to see properly.

YAELA
Do we have to?

ELLOIN
Yes! You won’t see otherwise.

YAELA
I’m not sure I want – oh spirits.

ELLOIN
You see? They bring people here to join them.

YAELA
[horrified] There are people there. Just standing there. Those… things are buzzing all around them, crawling over them.

ELLOIN
Travellers.

YAELA
I have to help them.

[Yaela begins moving towards the swarms]

ELLOIN
There’s nothing you can do. There’s no helping them. They’ve all reached the end of their journeys. Eyes and mouths open, you see? So that all they’ve seen and heard and said can be known.

YAELA
You seem to know an awful lot about them.

ELLOIN
I know. Strange, isn’t it. I don’t remember learning about them.

YAELA
[furiously] Then how –

ELLOIN
I don’t know how. I just know. I get scared by that, sometimes.

YAELA
Are they alive?

ELLOIN
The travellers? Of course they are. They wouldn’t be here otherwise.

[Brief pause.]

YAELA
[hesitantly] We should get back to Burrowton.

ELLOIN
Okay.

[Elloin pauses, and then gasps in excitement.]

ELLOIN
Is Laethar here with you?

YAELA
He is.

ELLOIN
Good. I’d like to see him again.

YAELA
Alright then.

[We return to the tavern.]

AIOLIN
Well, I mean, you heard him. They don’t need any help here.

VURIETH
So what do we do now?

LAETHAR
Well, there’s not a lot we can do until Yaela gets here. We’re going to need to discuss our next step. So, for now, eat your pie.

[The door opens.]

VURIETH
Yaela!

AIOLIN
Where have you been?

YAELA
We have a problem!

LAETHAR
What, really? Everyone here seems perfectly happy.

YAELA
I’m sure they are if they haven’t seen what’s out in those woods.

VURIETH
Yaela, calm down. You’re not making sense. What has happened?

YAELA
I met Elloin while I was scouting.

AIOLIN
What? Just wandering around?

YAELA
Yes. And she showed me… something. We came back to find you.

LAETHAR
Well, where is she now?

YAELA
She’s a child. I am not bringing her into a tavern!

VURIETH
So, you just left her alone outside?

YAELA
… damn it.

[She turns and makes for the door.]

LAETHAR
Come on. Aiolin, grab the goblin.

[Money is put down on the table, and Aiolin lifts a gently snoring Balink. They head out of the tavern.]

LAETHAR
Elloin!

ELLOIN
Laethar! I’m so happy to see you! All of you!

AIOLIN
How have you been, little one?

ELLOIN
I’ve been alright.

VURIETH
Yaela said she found you out alone in the forest.

ELLOIN
You’re wrong.

YAELA
What do you mean? You were there –

ELLOIN
No, I mean you are wrong. Something about you is wrong. You were different last time.

VURIETH
I was?

ELLOIN
Yes… I think you’re pulling away… but you’re not… I can’t tell.

YAELA
Look, you need to hear what’s out there, in Smokewood. People, lots of people, surrounded by these swarms.

LAETHAR
What?

AIOLIN
Can they not get away?

YAELA
They’re not moving.

BALINK
So… they’re dead?

ELLOIN
Oh no, they’re alive. I should be with them, really. I just wanted to say hello.

[With a very faint buzzing in the background, there’s distant screaming, running footsteps on the road and slamming doors. Balink’s next words overlap with Laethar’s.]

BALINK
Where’s everyone going?

LAETHAR
You were walking around with creatures like that on the loose?! I’m going to have a word with your parents.

ELLOIN
Oh, you won’t be able to.

LAETHAR
What?

ELLOIN
They went on an adventure a little while ago. I still see them sometimes.

LAETHAR
You mean –

YAELA
Oh spirits!

[The buzzing grows even louder.]

BALINK
Er, guys?!

YAELA
Right, if you know something, you need to tell us now!

ELLOIN
I’ve told you everything already.

YAELA
Nothing that makes sense!

BALINK
Guys!

LAETHAR
What is it, Balink?

BALINK
Look!

AIOLIN
What – oh, by the Blood…

VURIETH
Is that…?

ELLOIN
I told you. You’re wrong.

LAETHAR
Get down!

ELLOIN
Why?

[Laethar, Yaela, Aiolin and Balink hit the deck, shouting and screaming in fear, Vurieth loudest of them all.]

YAELA
Vurieth!

LAETHAR
Get them off!

AIOLIN
There’s too many!

BALINK
Can’t do nothin’!

[The party desperately tries to fight off the swarms, to no avail.]

ELLOIN
Shoo!

[The buzzing fades away as the swarm departs.]

ELLOIN
They really didn’t like you.

YAELA
Vurieth!

LAETHAR
Vurieth! Ashlander! Stay with us!

AIOLIN
Get back! I have something here!

[Aiolin’s voice fades, and in the tavern, there’s muffled, somber conversation on the other side of a door. Vurieth wakes up, gasping.]

AIOLIN
Everyone, they’re awake.

YAELA
Oh, thank the spirits.

LAETHAR
Are you well, Ashlander?

VURIETH
I… I think so… just about.

BALINK
You have got some really lousy luck.

ELLOIN
Luck has nothing to do with it. They didn’t like you. They really didn’t like you.

YAELA
You had better start explaining –

ELLOIN
Vurieth, you have a choice to make. I don’t know why but something’s telling me you will have to decide.

VURIETH
Decide what? I do not know what any of this means.

ELLOIN
Then you’ll have to find that out first.

VURIETH
What?

YAELA
Are you ignoring me, you little –

LAETHAR
Yaela!

YAELA
What?

AIOLIN
I think we’d all like to know what those things were.

BALINK
And if they’re gonna come back.

ELLOIN
Oh, they won’t come back. They’ve finished here, with this place, these people. Besides, they’re worried about you.

VURIETH
[chuckles] Yes, that’s… wait, how did you… how did I -?

ELLOIN
I should probably join them.

YAELA
Oh no! You’re not going anywhere.

ELLOIN
[giggles] Mummy said that. You can’t stop me. She tried, and then went on her own adventure with Daddy.

AIOLIN
Oh Blood.

ELLOIN
But I have to go now. I hope we meet again. Vurieth… I hope you choose right.

[Elloin takes a few steps, then disappears.]

BALINK
… What? … How did… she’s gone!

AIOLIN
Did she just… shadestep?

LAETHAR
Don’t be ridiculous. She’s a halfling.

YAELA
She… she must have… we have to find her.

LAETHAR
I don’t think we can.

VURIETH
No. She’s gone. I can… I can feel it.

YAELA
No. No, she’s still here. She has to be. She’s the only one who knows what those things did to those poor people!

[Yaela’s footsteps fade out.]

LAETHAR
Yaela! Yaela wait! Balink, stay with the Ashlander. Aiolin!

AIOLIN
I’m comin’.

[Laethar and Aiolin leave.]

VURIETH
Wait, I –

BALINK
[sarcastically] Ooh noooo, please let me come toooo. You stay in bed, you!

[Outside the tavern, the streets are bustling.]

YAELA
I can’t see any trace of her.

AIOLIN
I think Vurieth’s right. I think she’s gone.

LAETHAR
Somehow.

AIOLIN
Maybe we can go help those people you saw instead?

YAELA
I don’t think there’s anything we can do. You didn’t see them. It’s like their minds were gone. The way they were just standing there… I think they’re lost.

AIOLIN
Well, we can still try. Right, Laethar?

LAETHAR
Hm? Oh, yes, absolutely. We can go and… give it a go.

YAELA
Thanks. But without Elloin, I don’t even know if – WOAH!

[A horse whinnies as it rears up.]

REYNARD
Will you watch you’re going, you half-brained – well, well, well. Yaela Tangleweave, I didn’t expect to see you in this pisspot town.

LAETHAR
Reynard?

REYNARD
And Laethar too, well, this is a treat. And… well you’re not that irascible little goblin, but I do know you.

AIOLIN
Yeah, I helped get the grimoire. The one that you refused to take.

REYNARD
Ah, yes. So is it just you three or is the whole gang here?

YAELA
What’s that to you?

L’BOAR
Watch your mouth, she-fae!

REYNARD
Now now, L’Boar. Play nicely. No need to antagonise. Especially when we might be able to do business here.

LAETHAR
Business? With you?

REYNARD
Maybe so. Why don’t we find a nice spot where we can have a little chat?

[Dice roll and clatter at the gaming table.]

GAME MASTER
Reynard leads you back into the tavern where he beckons you to a quiet table in the corner of the common room.

LEAH
Can we come and join them?

GAME MASTER
That depends on these three.

GINA
Yeah, I’ll go tell ’em.

MATT
I’m gonna need help getting down the stairs, aren’t I?

GAME MASTER
Actually, no. You realise that you suffered absolutely no harm from the swarm, and you were laid out purely because of the shock.

ROSIE
Hang on a minute. Why couldn’t I track the kid?

WILL
Yeah, what did you roll again?

ROSIE
A nineteen! And I’ve got a plus seven in tracking!

GAME MASTER
I told you, there was no physical evidence. It doesn’t matter how good a tracker you are if there are no tracks!

ROSIE
Urgh! Fine!

MATT
So, those bugs didn’t do anything to me?

GAME MASTER
Yes! Wait, that’s not right.

MATT
Hey, no take-backs!

GAME MASTER
No no, that’s fine. It’s just, they should have done damage to you… but they didn’t…

WILL
[sarcastically] Well that makes sense.

ROSIE
Nothing about any of this has made sense.

GINA
So, are we just going to leave the people in the forest, then?

ROSIE
Yeah, I’m getting the feeling that there’s not much we can do for them?

GAME MASTER
Well, I can’t tell you for sure. But what you do know, Yaela, is that you can kind of sense the Smokewood due to its proximity to the Fae. And you can feel that it is completely and utterly still and silent. And you know that no forest is ever completely silent.

WILL
… Okay, so I’m all for not going there. It sounds like this might be a job that’ll pay anyway so I’m all in favour of sticking around and listening to Reynard.

LEAH
The guy who didn’t pay us last time?

WILL
Oh yeah, right.

GAME MASTER
Okay, look, we’re out of time for now, so we’re gonna have to pick this up next session. For now, we shall say goodbye.

PLAYERS
Bye!

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