Episode 8 - Takin A Breather

Takin a Breather is the 8th episode of Spagoots: Realms and the interlude episode between the Great Labyrinth arc and the Attack of the Red Kraken arc. It's composed of four segments, one relating to each player character.

Plot Synopsis
''They did it! After saving the town of Osirus, they decide to throw our heroes a party! But what do these fellas do during their downtime? Place your bets on if anyone steals anything. Today, the four get fired up, shrink some children, get lost in the woods, and watch Kevin mortally wound himself.''

Thorney
Thorney decides to talk to Quintas. He finds her brooding on top of a hill in the forest. He tells her that while he doesn't like her, he'd be willing to find Pelora for her as he's a bounty hunter. He recognizes the name Pelora from Pelora's Keep, an castle on an island that hold terrible monsters. Quintas reveals she's been learning necromancy, and if Pelora's a ghost, she can help her pass on. Thorney asks Quintas when Pelora went missing, and Quintas tells him she worked with Pelora at Pelora's Keep. Pelora knew that Herwilde was coming, and gave Quintas the Illusion Coin, telling her to keep it safe and that she loved her. Quintas gives Thorney the key to her house and reveals she knew Thorney before the events of the story, before leaving.

As Thorney walks back into town, he meets Alex Rodman Gold, who tells him that they had an appointment they set up as they left the labyrinth. Alex reveals that he knows that the ruby Thorney stole can be used to power up Xeno with fire powers. Thorney takes him up on the offer, but insists on holding onto the pike the entire time. He almost lets go during the process due to heat, but doesn't let Alex hold it with his gloves until he's forced to let go. After the process, Thorney figures out to use the fire - it's thought activated. He also levels up but that's boring and wasn't in the podcast. Talking to Alex, Thorney figures out that the group and Zip went through the labyrinth and rescued everyone, but Zip erased the group's minds.

Altaevo
Altaevo, upon discovering they own Quintas's house, raids the fridge. Altaevo decides to craft some spells - Fun Size, which shrinks people, and Embalm, which traps people in stasis. They also learn a few spells upon leveling up. The spells Altaevo wants to craft have ingredients. First they get embalming fluid from Albert Morty the mortician (named under pressure from Ava). There's a palm tree outside town for the leaf that they need, and they do a sick backflip to get the leaf. Hans sees it and gives them a 10. For snake venom, Altaevo finds a python. He doesn't speak Draconic or Common, and Altaevo doesn't manage to figure out snake language. Then they meet Sunny, who's walking Mauve for Vinca. Altaevo picks Sunny up and runs away from the snake. After some planning, Altaevo uses Prestigitation to make a mouse. The python bites it, and venom comes out. That's all of the ingredients they need for Embalm.

Altaevo flies Sunny home, and Sunny says that she wants to learn magic. Altaevo encourages her and tells her she'd be good at it, and hugs her. For Fun Size, they need a grain of sand (easy), dragon saliva (Altaevo is a dragon), and gem ants. Despite gem ants being rare, Sunny knows of a colony in a cave nearby. The two wait for gem ants - they look like normal ants, but with gems on their backs. Altaevo captures some, and makes their spells. Sunny's eager to find out what they do, and asks Altaevo to try Fun Size out on her. Sunny is successfully shrunk, and has a great time. Altaevo puts her in a cup. Later, Altaevo returns Sunny to Tobias, who's a lot happier now that Sunny's back. Altaevo tells him Sunny reminds them of their kids.

Light Boy
Light Boy heads up on the hill in the forest. She sets up an altar for Cupenda, her deity and the goddess of love. Light Boy isn't incredibly religious, and plays some music to get into the mood. She sings a short song:"LIGHT BOY *singing*: 'And, if I loved you for millennia, it's true that it still would not feel like enough. And if a day should arise, where I take to the skies, I would pray to the gods up above, let me still feel your love, your love. Your love, your love.'"Light Boy feels a breeze pass by, and thinks it could be a presence. She begins to pray. She tells Cupenda to deliver a message to someone."LIGHT BOY: 'As usual, and as you know, I love you. I love you so much, and I miss you. Not a day goes by where I don't regret, and not a night falls where I don't think of your face. I've tried so hard. So very, very hard to be okay with things but I'm not. I guess the hardest part of it all is that the one thing I want most is the one thing that's gonna keep me from what I need to do. I had a chance, yeah, back in that labyrinth. Looking back I think my eagerness to leave it all behind was a little transparent. A bit more transparent than I'm comfortable with now. With that being said I guess I'm glad I didn't take the hit in the end, cause knowing how it turned out for that Quintas gal I would've just ended up with disappointment anyways. I'm rambling now, my apologies. I guess I just wanted to let you know, again, that justice will be dealt. After what I've done I couldn't live with myself if I left this behind. If I left my hands found wanting and yet so red with- with your blood, all of things, no! Your blood will not be the only blood I answer for. Your fall will not be the only one by my hand, no matter how indirectly. I will level the field. I will still the waters and I will have the last word. Wherever you are, if ever you are, if my message is clear take it to heart and know you are loved.'"The breeze picks up, swirls around, and subsides. She's not sure if she was heard, but felt something, and sometime's that's enough.

Walking back into town, Light Boy feels devout as FUCK. She's parting dust like she's parting the sea. On the side of the road she sees a figure knocked out. Coming closer, she see's it's Kevin! She heals him slightly, and he wakes up. He reveals he was kicked out of the labyrinth for failing to guard the bracelet and hanging out with friends instead. Light Boy hides the fact that she stole the bracelet, but then confesses. Kevin doesn't care. Light Boy convinces Kevin that their relationship is fine, and offers to let him stay with them in Quintas's house. He tells her he wasn't a big fan of murder - he likes pottery. He plans to turn his life around, and gives Light Boy his bow and arrow. He's scratched his name into it, to Light Boy's dismay. Kevin attempts to change the name, but cuts his arm and falls unconscious. She leaves him there.

Vinca
Vinca decides to go adventuring in the forest, which Ryan names the Forlorn Woods. It's not too interesting, and then Vinca gets terribly terribly lost. He wanders into a swamp, and sees a bright teal glow. Getting closer, he hears it talking, and it moves away from him. He follows it and starts talking to it - it's a fairy! She's also lost in the woods, and introduces herself as Claire. She's not particuarly friendly, but decides to team up with Vinca to get themselves out of the woods. Vinca vaugely recognizes the exit of the swamp, and the two move towards it. Suddenly, a worm jumps out of the swamp, and starts attacking Claire. Vinca easily cuts it in half and takes the worm head with him. Claire rolls a Nat 20 and sees all. She leads the two out of the swamp with ease. She finds her home and points Vinca towards home. She grants Vinca some magic because he saved her from the worm and ~searches his heart~. She touches Vinca's chest and her glow and dress turns purple to match Vinca's color scheme. He feels changed, but he's not sure how.

On his way back to town, he sees Altaevo doing their sick backflip. Then he meets up with Sunny and Mauve, and as Mauve barks, he hears Mauve speak.

MAUVE: "Thank you very much for the pets. I *bark* enjoy it."

Vinca is reasonably surprised and starts laughing, unnerving Sunny, who didn't hear Mauve speak. He tries to communicate with Mauve a bit more, and Claire appears, telling Vinca his reaction did not disappoint and that his heart showed he was obsessed with animals and now has the imperfect ability to speak with animals. Claire then flies off.

Creator Spotlight

 * Peppermint-moss on Tumblr for drawings from every episode!

Appearances

 * Light Boy
 * Thorney
 * Altaevo
 * Vinca
 * Quintas
 * Alex Rodman Gold
 * Sunny
 * Claire

Trivia

 * This is the last episode with the original cover art.