[PUBLIC EPISODE] The Wizard, the Witch and the Wild One: ep053 "The Queen of Swords"
Remember this when you wake up: The greedy, hungry awful things. Some small part of you will miss them. The lost letters, the old home movies, the people you put on the same path as you, the dumb and silent stars of the southern sky. One last show, and then I can't be here. Don't ever let me forget this: who to kiss, and who to kill.
[We STRONGLY recommend you avoid spoilers for this episode until you can hear it for yourself.]
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Produced, designed, and scored by Taylor Moore at Fortunate Horse with exquisite design and editing help from Jared Olson.
SPECIAL THANKS TO: Amanda Fredberg and of course, Shannon.
Album art by the great Corey Brickley.
Comments (608)
Spoilers but also not really - Between WBN and A Crown of Candy, Brennan is never allowed to complain about people not trusting his NPCs again. I am DAMAGED.
before I say this please know I am slash j and not slash serious but I am so DISTRAUGHT and my emotions are so high Sworns scene in the bar broke me. It broke me! I like to listen while I'm winding down at work and I had to just. Stop working and hold my face in my hands. I wanted to cry. Like Jesus dude. Two Nat 1s and Sworn saying he'd do their job and drink himself to death in a bar. Jesus. Like what the fuck????? THATS SO TRAGIC. I could stomach Sir Curran being forced to attack, I could stomach the Man in Black's hatred for humanity, I could stomach Naram being forced to march, I could stomach Hakea being down to tear to down the tower, I could stomach a million little nicks and cuts on my heart that have happened but I think if Sworn drinks himself to death, or if Steel has him Taken Care Of I will simply lay down in a ditch and die. Because that's so tragic. It's not a larger than life metaphor, or some powerful force come to bear. It's just a man who tried his best, to follow his own instincts, and then to put his trust into someone else who knew better, drinking himself to death in a bar. And becoming collateral damage in something he barely understands, but knows well enough to know he's disposable and his time is borrowed. That shit happens every day. God, and Steel. Who over a decade prior goes to young Suvi. A young Suvi who bodily pulls her two friends forward and names them her True Friends, "Just like you and mom!" while Steel bears those scars on her face????? Fuck Calroy, man, Steel is the...just the!!! Oooh Steel is a piece of work. Good job, Brennan, I'm devastated and enraged by the imaginary people you made, TAKE MY FIVE DOLLARS A MONTH YOU EARNED IT DUDE WHAT THE FUCK??
It's me. I'm the guy standing in the grocery store flabbergasted and holding a lettuce.
That ending!!!!!! Holllllly Molllley!
If Suvi ever has a wizard child, they need to be named Snow 😭
Can someone help me, what’s the context/backstory for when Sworn says what did you expect Slate to do with them?
Spoiler Is it just me or is anyone now wondering if Steel is really bad or playing a very long undercover game to keep Suvi safe and uncover who really killed Stone and Soft? IE Stone damaged Steel when she was dying as a strategy to give Steel a chance “prove” she is with the people who actually did kill Stone and Soft. Why yes, I’m just always suspicious of Brennan’s twisty mind 😎
Now I have to listen to it again. Not a complaint, just taking what you said and realizing it’s totally possible so I want to re-comb for minuscule details.
Can't help it, more love to share. Taylor... On my eighth listen of this episode, I continue to be so deeply moved by the music of this ep. The way you evoke sorrow and heartbreak (that first piano note after Sworn says "why didn't you think I'd come with you" is utterly shattering), honestly the entirety of the music and sound design through beerhall scene is unforgettable. The swell as the trio is completed... Somehow I feel the warmth and struggle and trials of friendship that bonds these three. The epicness of the "book" (not-a-book) discovery and the group banding together to get epic plans in motion. The musical theme of the court of Revery... GAH it's PERFECT. And my god the sun magic ritual scene... It simultaneously makes me want to weep and jump with joy. I don't know if this ep is one the ones you're most proud of, but damn Taylor. This is an all time audio fav for me, not just from WBN but of all stories I've heard. So so much love and gratitude to you and your team ✨🫶🏽☀️
SPOILER So, is Suvi/Suvi's heart actually or connected to the "World's Heart"? Just a random thought/worried theory that popped into my head.
Oh, the MiB was right! The Citadel put a dagger, made of Steel, in the (Witch of the) World’s Heart.
Oh shit. 😳
Unfortunately, those dice are on a mission. They demand such great info when needed, but refuse desires to tell their story. Aabria: “Can I bring Sworn?” Dice: “No.” Aabria: “I’m taking Sworn!” Dice: “I said ‘No.’”
This episode was a roller-coaster, so many twists and turns, with the big reveal at the end. Brennan! You madman! How dare you pull a Hamlet with Suvi!! (All seriousness that was a fantastic reveal).
I must have missed it. What did Sworn mean when he said "What did you think Slate was going to do?" Is he referring to when Slate went after Ame after the Battle of Twelve Brooks? Is it intentionally unclear?
I thought he meant Silver, but it wasn't clear to me either.
Relistened to episode 12 “Prisoner’s Dilemma” after this episode and I had to pause it to cuss Steal out cause FUCK ALL THE WAY OFF!! Out here talking about “did you know there was a curse before the MiB got there or can I pin the curse on him?” and the “restoration of the memories is of utmost priority TO ME AND THE CITADEL, you can get fucking bent…Witch of Whatever” This story slaps but I wanna slap Steal so damn bad!
Thanks for the callback! I'm excited to listen from the beginning again and pick up all the breadcrumbs..
Me: tells non listener bf what happened w/ Steal Bf: “she is a fugly slut, do not trust her!!!”
I just came here to say we all knew it in our hearts that Steel killed Suvi's parents....but she also cursed Grandma Ren!?!??!!!!!!! Lol at some point Brennan just decided that Steel is the biggest bad in the campaign
I knew she was truly fucked up from the moment Brennan gave her his normal voice
Is this where we hang out and wait for the new fireside?
What happened at the end of the episode? I feel like I missed something or misunderstood. Was there another (third) wizard coming through a door/portal? If so, do we have an idea of who that could be? And then suvi was magically transported somewhere else (we’ll see next ep I assume)
It was my understanding that Steel just showed up behind Suvi, but I'm not sure if she was there the whole time or when she arrived. I don't think anyone else is there (other than Task and the Fox of course)
All I can think about is the moment after Steel killed Soft and Stone. She cannot believe what she has done, what they MADE her do. If only they could see it her way, how much good they could do with her, none of this would have had to happen. She rages for a moment, feeling the loss of the future they could have had. Once it was all done, and they could rest, their children inheriting utopia. She pauses. Suvi. She's so young. Guilt prickles at the edges of her mind, just briefly. She did not deserve this. Despite everything, they were the best of parents. But they could not be allowed to continue along their path. And Suvi would have been caught up in it too. No, she could not allow such a bright child to fall as well. She would raise her, of course. Wren couldn't give her what the Citadel offered. She would give her everything. It was only right, to honour her parents' memory. Suvi would become the best of wizards, reach heights they could not. She would stay the course. Steel would make sure of it.
This gave me chills. Great writing!
Sighted, sent and scored, absolutely incredible landing on this reveal. Excited for a proper villainous monologue from Steel as she explains why she thought any of this was okay. Is she under a Geas herself, or did she truly betray her closest friends over institutional loyalty? Or is it a circular ends-justifying-means, where the Lucent project is so important everything to make it happen is permitted? Excited to find out!
Can anyone help me try to find the explanation about “the test” the citadel gives to all the kids but the rich kids “pass”? I thought the citadel took all kids with magical ability.
The Citadel tests all kids within the Empire but if your family has means and doesn't need to be supported by the Citadel then you get a trophy that says you're smart enough to be a wizard
Can someone please remind me (or point me to the episode that will remind me) of where the book Stars of the Southern Skies came from? Like how Suvi said when talking to Yulia she knew it wasn’t at the citadel but knew something was important about it?
Steel gave the book and the scroll to Suvi before she left to see Grandmother Wren. I think she said it was specifically for Wren without explaining what it was for
I know saying “I called it” is a crass practice, but “I fucking called it!” I feel so vindicated! Not because anyone was denying my theory, just because I sometimes doubted myself, because I felt like a conspiracy theorist;) but it feels nice to have guessed something like that so far back, now I get to feel all clever;) (Also I can just see next episode where it turns out I am completely wrong😂)
Spoilers: . Knowing what we now know about Stars of the Southern Sky, do we suppose there's a reason that Steel was upset that the gang used Wavebreaker to break Ame's curse? My theory is that when Steel offered to deal with it, she had a method in mind already that would secretly reveal the information to herself, as well as Ame. Given that some of the info was about Wren's contacts in the citadel, Steel would want that info.
I think it was that but also the knowledge that the curse tried to kill Ame and take the knowledge from her. If she was there to remove the curse in the Citadel, it’s entirely possible that she had a way of removing the curse without triggering the spell behind the curse that tried to murder Ame. That way she would be able to control the narrative and just say that all the curse did was try to remove or keep information from Ame, which looks better for the Citadel in the event that it is discovered that the Citadel are the ones who gave her the curse. Because they removed the curse themselves, all of them learned immediately that behind the curse was an effort to murder Ame and possibly Wren. Steel can’t control that narrative anymore. Because how do you explain that your effort to get information had a failsafe to murder your daughter’s best friend and your daughter’s grandmother?
Everyone keeps commenting in here like "I KNEW IT, I HATED HER ALL ALONG" and I just want y'all to know: I am genuinely delighted for all of you & your healthy relationships with your moms &/or all the high-quality therapy you've gotten (climbing back into my trash can where I am unfortunately still lowkey fond of War Crimes Mommy 🙃)
Thank you!! It took me until the very end of the episode to really let go of Steel and realize the extent of the betrayal. I just pictured baby suvi like tugging on her cloak going “mom? momma bad? mom stop being bad!” And I was in denial thinking there could be other explanations or rationalizations. The BOMB that she killed soft and stone was….wow. I’m still very confused about it tbh. I want like a throwback about it or going through her thoughts and actions. I feel like something is tripping me up, I want an intense lore drop explanation to explain to my silly brain
God I'm so glad that my immediate suspicion of Steel from all the way back in the children's story has borne out. I wish I had posted a comment then. I knew she had done the deed to the parents and I knew that book and scroll were suspect
ooooo omg what gave you the bad vibes in the children's story? I might have to go and relisten to it... was it before Suvi went into the carriage, or when she picked her up at the end of summer? (if you remember!)
What a heartbreakingly tragic yet poetic and powerful moment with Sworn I truly hope he is able to survive
Same!!! Those nat 1's were devastating!!
this episode was a symphony, both of music and of story. unreal, thank you
Suvi: “I need a win before I leave” Also Suvi: Immediately gets into deep shit
“I need a win” and then Aabria’s dice begin a quiet evil chuckle.
The section where Suvi is at the crime scene, the background music was giving early “House of Cards” and I’m loving it. Taylor is a genius
I thought it was too conspiratorial, or it would be too obvious to blame the death of Suvis parents on her but i had a feeling she did that from the beginning. What an absolute sociopath.
I JUST need to know about all the various curses on Grandma Wren, because I feel like there have been at least 3. I need to know what they specifically were, who made them, and when. I'm so confused!!! Please halp!
oh you're so right... because the one on Ame was to forget everything... but Grandma Wren was saying "and you remember everything I taught you" so she didn't forget she had taught it... but the wisps came out when she tried to say more so it was a curse to prevent her from giving Ame any more knowledge? and then the other two....?
Finished the ep in the parking lot before work. This was NOT the way to begin the first day at my new job. Pretty sure I need a new one, those people must think I’m emotionally unstable.
Have to say that as the series progresses, it's becoming increasingly risky to listen to episodes in public
IT IS BAD HERE.
1) Did I, when Aabria rolled that second nat 1, scream OHMYGOD out loud while walking in street with passersby nearby? Maybe 2) As expected when the trio reunites my heart becomes full 3) I’m sure others picked up on it but oh Brennan gave Ame such delicious and terrifying ammo. 4) Aww what a sweet memory of Suvi’s parents and then her finding her mum’s spell what a nice way to end the epi… wait what Brennan WHAT BRENNAN God what a good episode
I'm sorry this is so long. I'm trying to figure this out and this feels like a safe space to ask. In letting Enzo leave while knowing he has malicious plans and Ame giving Pamulroy's (sp?) true name, Ame/Eursalon are once again putting spirit freedom above the lives of people who are working for the Citadel/Empire but have nothing to do with the spirit's capture/imprisonment. Not everyone in the Citadel is a member of Xiao court, or knows anything about the Cassov collection, or is even a wizard. Yet the spirits, some of whom should probably be kept away from the mortal world, will be indiscriminate in their harm. They won't just focus on Xiao and the destructive ones who aren't just trying to leave will probably try to tear everything down. Even if they just focus on Xiao, not everyone who is an conjuror is involved with or into the Cassov collection or the capture of spirits (Soft can't be the only outlier). It's Nuram/Orima all over again. So, why is this okay? Is it that the concept of "freedom" is so important that any harm caused by forces working towards it is justified? Is it that because the Empire/Citadel is "evil," working for them, ignoring all the indoctrination, economic, cultural, and other reasons why someone would stay there, means you are "evil" as well and, as Suvi said, "you get what you get"? Is it that we see this as unfortunate but necessary collateral damage? I keep bumping up against the problem of why actions are bad when some people do it but justified when others do the same or similar actions. This story is incredible and as we've progressed, more context has been added which complicates the simple "good" vs "evil" narrative many people/stories use to explain things, which is awesome. But I keep coming back to when Aabria said something along the lines of "Suvi believes she is the only one who cares about humans." While Ame contested that in episode 33 (I think), in action, it feels like unless the humans are directly connected to spirits, like the Graneau children, used to worship spirits, like the people in Port Talon, or are friends of Grandmother Wren, Ame, Suvi, or Eursalon, like Gault, Hanna, and Silver/his battallion, Ame is fine with/encourages massive harm/death to humans as a result of spirits being free. Eursalon seems the same. This is very rambley, but I guess the core question is: if Ame/Eursalon keep doing things/fail to stop forces that will result in the indiscriminate murder of people, why are they the "good" guys? Why is spirit mass murder/harm okay?
Mmm I don't believe they condone mass murder done by a spirit, as we saw with "He of the gentle sea." (I cannot begin to spell his name) They do try to mitigate harm when it comes down to it. That being said the potential for harm coming from Enzo I believe is rather low, and hear me out on this. He took the traitor spirits name to potentially control him as the witches do. He could do anything of course but what I believe, and more importantly what I believe Ame/Eursalon believes is that his intent is to free spirits. Now could he do it in a way that does great harm to the citadel, absolutely he could. He could release them during the upcoming attack and sow chaos within the citidel itself while the armies clash. However it's more of a question of Enzo's goal. If his goal is to free spirits and have them safe as they leave, then it would be way more beneficial to have them do so in a slow far more stealthy fashion. We will just have to see.
Screaming, crying, throwing up. 😭 What a story
The way the origin of Steel’s scars was revealed was so artful. Just so good. And having her be there to answer Suvi, god. Just chefs kiss all around, such a good episode!
Also Sworn was so heartbreaking, curse/bless the dice for that moment
Justice for Suvie, honestly so psyched to watch Ame kill Steel
I'm screaming!!! Everything about this episode is so amazing! My heart is never ready for this story. Can't wait to hear the Fireside for more details! I know the chances are low, but it would be so cool to have this story as a physical book one day! Thanks WBN cast and crew for adding so much light to my world with your work 🥰
Might sound crazy but this is genuinely my favourite story of all time at the moment
How dare you finish the episode like that ? Almost 2 weeks to know what happens next, it's cruelty
My GOD! Can we please please please next book (because ain’t no way it’s happing in this last ep) get a little more than a few minutes of light and whimsy for our girl Suvi? Ame and Urselon get super cool spy moments and Suvi gets her bf killed in front of her never having read her last message to him, the realization it’s because of her in a way, her wizard homie drinking himself into a coma knowing he’s next, and then finding out her adopted mom is her biggest opp and killed her parents. Give this woman a break Brennan!!!
*screaming* *more screaming* *even more screaming*
*deep breath* *screaming again*
I KNEW SHE WAS TO BLAME, BUT I NEVER IMAGINED WHERE HER SCAR CAME FROM. THE PROOF OF THE BETRAYAL, IN FRONT OF SUVI THE WHOLE TIME. LITERALLY EVIL. WHAT EXACTLY DID THEY FIND OUT THAT MADE THEM ENEMIES, WHEN THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO BE AS CLOSE AS SISTERS?
I WAS HOPING I WAS WRONG, THAT MAYBE SHE JUST CHANGED SIDES. THAT SHE DIDN'T ACTUALLY DO THE DEED. oh my gods. introduced as basically SISTERS. Steel killed her SISTER and then raised her daughter. IM ILL!!!!
I'm not going to say I knew it cuz again but I had a feeling
Keep the cash I paid tonight but tell me is there a#53?
yes, that will be the last episode in "Book 1" of this story. There's a release schedule for the series in an earlier patreon post.
"I wanted my mom and dad to know my name" is so heartbreaking
Lethal, honestly. Shattered me for a second.
I just got here, and if anything happens to Task I’m starting a riot.
Well I needed a good cry. Sworn breaks my heart. I love this story so much
Never would’ve guessed Brennan would take one of the nearest and dearest NPCs of our beloved heroes and have made them a traitor the whole—oh wait a damn minute.
Sometimes it pays to be a hater cause I KNEW IT! Her vibe? Rancid from day one. Cannot wait to see how this story wraps up!
SAME 🤝🤝🤝
Wizards are known by their secrets
Two nat 1s in a row are proof the story wants Suvi to suffer.
I called that shit from the get go!!!! I knew I didn’t vibe with that bitch 🤣🤣🤣
THIS? THIS IS WHERE YOU LEAVE ME? Pardon me while I vomit on the floor from stress. I cannot imagine how people went ANY TIME without episodes. I think of the show when I’m awake. I dream of it when I’m asleep. I tell everyone I meet about it, even people I don’t know. I’m certain I’m about to get a reputation about being the weird person who tells everyone about a podcast about imaginary things that they HAVE to listen to. And what makes it all work is the incredible love, trust, and respect you have for each other, your characters, the world, and everyone in it. I’m so thankful every day that I came back to this after signing up and doing nothing with it for months. I can’t decide if I was lucky or unlucky because I got to binge for like A MONTH. But now I’m just begging for more every moment inside my heart. Thank you for making a word even more vibrant that the one we live in that nevertheless calls us to be more vibrant in our daily lives.
Relistened to the episode today and godddddd!!!!!!!!! That scene with Sworn is so heartbreaking I had to pause the episode to go pace around my house.
On second nat one I said out loud with true despair “ohhh nooo” which wouldn’t have been weird if I wasn’t listening on headphones and in line at a coffee house.
Do the GAES Tamori walk around saying “I’m a gaes im a gaes, imma gaes, imma gaes”?
BAH 🤣
Just... My dearest cherished cast and crew of Worlds Beyond Number. I always panic and say "words cant express how much y'all rock at storytelling"... But this time I'm gonna try. I hope one of y'all read this cause I really hope you all get to bask in the juicy sunbeams of joy that you bring to each and every one of us who have the privilege of listening to your story telling. Over the years, you have crafted characters, music, places, friends, family, adversaries, foods, cultures, an entire WORLD that we all care so deeply about. Exploring it and unraveling it slowly. The literal years of character growth (individually and as a trio) is richer than anything I've ever been a part of. And every corner and crevasse of this world has a wonderful new creature to meet, an incredible landscape to word paint, and songs and melodies that will forever live in my heart. Getting to hear the cast experience this story in real time as they listen to the others solo journey's with the rest of us has been incredibly rad. Getting to listen to y'all each episode is truly such a great joy of my life. I could truly gush on and on but I feel like I will start swimming in love fueled nonsensical circles, so I'm gonna leave it there. So just please know, from the most whimsical, fierce, heart wrenched, wild parts of my heart... Y'all have changed me with your words and your music. It's one of the most magical things I've experienced. I'm so grateful to be here with you all 🥰💜🫶🏽✨
💖
I just want to say that I called the twist 8 months ago to my friend
Screaming crying throwing up pissing my pants wallowing on the ground (fr tho screaming in my car)
Oh. My. Gosh.
Dammit y’all, now I’m going to have to discuss this with my therapist. So many emotions at once! Y’ALL ARE AWESOME! Thank you again and as always for sharing these stories with us!
I’m going to need Steele’s boots in the next American Girl Dolls shoe collection…Brennan, order up!
Or Sir Curran’s! I’ve heard they’re a steal and to die for :)
“An Open Heart is required….” foreshadowinnnnnnggg 👻
Ok, so all you Steel apologists can bite me. Many of us had her pegged from the jump. Though I still want to know what makes Suvi so special…to Grandma Wren’s trap, to Steel’s plans, to the Mercenary Hedge Mages?
For the purposes of cursing Wren & Ame they needed someone who they would welcome without reservation. Someone who spent a summer there and became true friends, perhaps.
TRANSCRIPTION ERROR NEEDS ADDRESSING: Hello, I noticed a big ol’ error that anybody & everybody at WBN will want to correct ASAP: Accidentally turned on the Transcription mode on Apple Podcast app… about 5:30, spoilers: When Vandal and Ame meet and hug, Brennan says, as Vandal: “Ah, You mother rugahyou” Brennan purposefully didn’t say any actual word just a non-verbal expletive… well the transcription turned it into a very real derogatory word considered hate speech against LGBTQ Men, (but also means a bundle of sticks used for fuel.) yeah that word. Figured they’d want to issue some kinda order to the AI that creates transcription to change that word… even “mother fucker” would be better. Ok thanks, and thanks to The Aerith for assistance in reporting said error.
I just looked and found the same issue. I submitted a report with Apple Podcasts to hopefully get it fixed as well.
Well, Steel obviously needs a living Suvi for some reason, which is why I think she survives. Getting away with memories intact may be more of a problem. Is Steel there to learn the contents of a room she couldn't access? Was she following Sky or did she get an alarm tripped at some point? Enchantment really is the nastiest school of wizardry.
I want to assume alarm on house given how “scrubbed” it was but I wouldn’t put it past either following Suvi or tracking the Fox
SUVI ARE YOU KIDDING ME TWO NAT ONES AABRIA IM BEGGING YOU TO THROW THOSE DICE INTO THE OCEAN
What are you doing!? Don't wish that curse on the ocean before we get the Witch of it back!!
OMG STEEL
Shew doggy I am stressed. And worried. And so so sad (Sworn). And I hate Steel. She can go rot somewhere.
Damn. Steel since the beginning has always been one of my favorite characters and since the back half of arc 4 I started to wonder how much of the antagonist she would end up being but DAMN THIS SHIT SUCKS! Props to Aabria for doing an incredible job of truly running just the gauntlet of getting emotionally mugged seemingly every episode 😂
Soooo... episode 54 will be, like, 5 hours long, right? RIGHT?
As Whoopi Goldberg said in Ghost (ish) — Suvi, you in danger girl.
Oh, so I guess the next episode is the finale 'cause EVERYBODY DIES. Cool, cool, cool, cool, cool. Hashtag TPK.
The movement from a perfect description of the chaos of falling in love seamlessly into the chaos of your heart falling through the floor because of betrayal into complete and utter danger was unbelievable. Thank you for this entire episode, top of the line stuff, now if you’ll kindly excuse me I must go be violently sick 🙃
OK, so it’s been a couple of days. I have not gone back and listen to the episode. Because I’ve been haunted with dreams about sworn and the curse Steele sent with Suvi? Didn’t she know that Suvi would help her best friend? I just don’t get it and maybe it’s posted in the messages down below, but it just has been plaguing heart and my mind. I’ve not had a story affect me so much that this last episode did.
I think Steel thought Suvi would go to her for help, at which point she controls the situation. Steel did not know about wave breaker/that they would be able to access dispel magic/remove curse, as that is a higher level spell than the party could access at that time. With the sword, Steel/The Citadel was not strictly necessary for the fixing it anymore.
Nasty work Brennan, Nasty work 🅰️+
I believe this deserves a "You nasty, nasty man!" (A fireside ep that lives rent free in my head is when Brennan realised listening back to when he had Sworn offer to go inspect the wraith-sorcereress house what he'd tried to do and called himself out as such, because I remember screaming "THE OFFENDER CONFESSES!" and my housemate of ten years yelled back across the house not knowing what I was actually listening to "Scream at Brennan's betrayal more quietly!")
Jesus Christ, let Aabria and Suvi catch a single break, I beg you Brennan 😭
Damn. I guess we got to blow up the citadel with nukes. 😞
What is a Wizard nuke? 🤔 like a Wizard nuke, not one they annexed/liberated from Artificers?
NO OH NO OH GOD (complimentary)
“WIZARDRY IS FREE!” Really a lovely moment.
Gave heavy Wizard equivalent to Ame's broom/ Wicked moment (as did Suvi levelling up to 5, for that matter)
Awesome episode overall but Aabria…TELL YOUR DICE TO LOCK TF IN!!!!!
All those nat 20s last episode shoulda been a warning sign for us. Devastated.
“Who are you gonna kill?” YOU B**** PUT ‘EM UP!
“My name is Suviran Cabaricus, you killed my father, prepare to die!” iykyk
Love it🔥🦊🤗
I WAITED TO LISTEN COZ I WASNT PREPARED AND I AM **STILL** NOT OKAY IM SCREAMING
"Love kills", yeah, my love for this history will sure kill me Omg that nat 1... Aabria's dice really don't relax OKAY, one Modify Memory down, now do the Geas that still is on the back of Suvi's mind The Spirit of the door, Brennan?? OMG OMG OMG OMG STONE'S INFLICT WOUNDS
I'm guessing the geas dispelled once her task was complete. The modify memory gave her *knowledge* of the geas she had been under.
I knew bad mom was going to be the big bad evil mom. I thought the scars were from Soft's lightning, I had an idea that she killed them back in episode 44
Perceptive! I kept feeling mistrust for Steel, but then she'd do something so nice, and I'd hush that suspicious part of me... Guess I need to listen to it more.
Okay, today I went back and listened to Ep 1 to hear Steele nonchalantly 😒 give Suvi the book and scroll for Grandma Wren, and then to hear the moment when the curse first affected Wren and Ame, BUT then i remembered we at the fireside have been gifted (cursed?) with earlier Steele and Suvi moments. So i decided to torture myself and listen back to ep. 8 of the Children's Adventure when Steele comes to pick Suvi up from Wren's cottage. When I tell you I have never felt more angry at a fictional character after knowing the context! She cries! And Suvi comforts her! And then she tells Suvi her parents died IN SERVICE TO THE CITADEL, SAVING THE PEOPLE THEY LOVE. i wanted to tear my own guts out and shove them down her throat 😠😡🤬 BRENNAN! YOUR CHARACTERS! ARE LIKE ONIONS! THEY HAVE LAYERS AND MAKE ME CRY! 😭😠😭
Yes! It was there the whole time! The whole time!
I LOVE TASK 😍😭
Having now finished the episode: omg omgomg 😱
All I can say is, THAT is the type of episode that makes you want to re-listen to the whole show before the finale next week
This is physically possible right?? We have enough hours?? (Earnestly though, trying to decide where in the recent arc is a good idea to dip back to and relisten forward...)
Holy SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT I had to listen to that ending like 3 times
Wait Silver is dead??? Im so confused about this, I listened to the end again what about this confirms the death of silver??
spoiler for others: he died at the end of the previous episode. he attacked one of his own leaders in broad daylight, he was blasted by every other mage in the vicinity.
RESPECTFULLY THAT WAS RUDE AND I WOKE UP MY HUSBAND WITH MY GASPS ughhhhhhhh I cannot wait 2 weeks for this it's gonna give me a heart attack
OMG! That ending had my arms covered in goosebumps! And poor Sworn just broke my heart. Also the little squeal I let out when the trio was reunited. Amazing job as always yall 💙
The sworn was so devasting i really hope he survives and we get to see his character more. Also aaaah the ink demons gonna stage a breakout? Or somehow help other spirits in the citadel i love that for them, so much happened in this episode
Unrelated worldbuilding question while I'm still dissociating from this episode: The Citadel's obsession with using glass in their magic was always fun for my nerdy engineer brain to think about. In material science, the word glass refers to any solid with a randomly arranged atomic structure, whereas a crystal is a solid where the atoms form some sort of ordered pattern. The silica glass we usually think of can also be made into silica crystals just by changing the molecular structure. Which makes it so interesting that wizards, who care so much about creating order out of the chaos of the Spirit, seem to prefer to use glass rather than crystal. Unless its because they cannot? That the Spirit is so hard to bind and control that wizards simply have to use chaotic glass rather than the more "perfect" crystals?
I think, narratively, the point is the fragility of glass. And while plenty of glass is very resilient and plenty of crystal is very fragile, we don’t think of crystals in the modern sense as “shattering” or cracking. I think most people think of something more like an amethyst or a rose quartz, sorta woo-woo magic healing crystal. But to your point, in a medieval fantasy context, the recipe for glass is much simpler and more repeatable than any recipe for equivalent synthetic crystal, and the citadel’s purpose is to bring mundanity to magic. If your magical process still requires years of forming from a seed crystal maintained under heat and pressure, you can’t make as many of those If all it takes to make glass is silica and heat, you can do that on an industrial scale. It stands to reason that if the mundane process for something is relatively simple the magical process is commensurately simple, by magical standards. Equally, if the mundane process for creating something is difficult, then the magical process thereof is probably commensurately difficult.
I THOUGHT THIS WAS THE EPILOGUE BRENNAN WHY IS EVERYTHING STILL HAPPENING???
wait fuck can some kind soul remind me of the origin of the stars of the southern sky book?? my brain is made of cheese
in the first public episode, steel sends the book with suvi to give to grandma wren. as an extra errand while suvi is visiting wren at her deathbed.
"How many counterspell tomori you got? Zeroooooo" is still rattling around in my brain and, despite the grave context, I can't stop giggling.
Oh shit I just got that. Worth.
Definitely got my $5 worth on this one and also I am deceased now
😦
SPOILERS: Is Suvi’s “open heart” what Wren couldn’t protect against re: MIB? Is that “open heart” why the MIB wants her soul?
“You have to apologize when you’re not at your best?…Oh No, that would be so many apologies.” -Fox
Felt that one in my soul 😭
WHAT THE FUCK WHAT THE FUCK WHAT THE FUCK
(In best Vandal impression) YOU GASEOUS FART MONSTERS! We have to wait a whole two weeks to learn what happens next?! This incredible storytelling is helping make survival in a different empire more manageable. Time to deliver some mutual aid Refried Black Beans to folks! Thanks for y'all's beautiful and emotionally wide ranging work. 💜
roll call for a seance/exorcism for Aabria’s dice? I’ll bring the candles
they must simply be thrown into the fires of mt.doom
The way Aabria portrays ache and grief and longing as Suvi yearns for her parents GUTS ME every time!!!!!!!!! I need my girl to be okay!!!!!! Twin be safe girl!
I need Sworn to get out of book one alive.
Who are you going to kill, Suvi?
OH I FUCKIN KNEW IT!!!- oh, shit.
while relistening just moments ago I went out to our terrace after a summer rainstorm passed through, and the inflict wounds description began. the wind whipped around me, finally bringing relief to the scorching weather, while the golden rays of the setting sun illuminated the tree and building tops, and it was so incredibly wonderful and beautiful and apt as the reveal built and built to the final truth of what all Steel has wrought. and then the sound of her footsteps, with a literal chill being blown upon me, just was too perfect. y'all are so good at this and I know you know but I still need you to know
Couldn’t help but notice the Queen of Swords and the King of Cups both have ominous footfalls with the sound of jingling spurs.
I need an animatic of Suvi to 'All I Ever Wanted' from the Prince of Egypt NOW
Hi, internet stranger! I want to thank you for the nostalgia trip I’ve been experiencing this week, sincerely. I watched this movie so much as a kid, hadn’t thought about for years and I went to bed on Tuesday listening to this song and fondly remembered sitting on a big couch with my siblings watching this. Even more fun is the fact that I don’t think I’ve ever heard the songs in English. So my recollection of the lyrics was translated to dutch and it’s been surprising revisiting the original text. Ralph Fiennes is in this movie?? Anyways, thank you! And regarding your demand, where’s the Kickstarter? Yes, yes, yes! This fits perfectly. I can’t stop seeing it.
HOLD ON! Suvi has the sea glass she doesn’t have to get merced by Steel
She JUST has to wait long enough for Eursulon and Ame to arrive, which is what I assume she wants to do... As much as I know she would trust them to find their way out with the doorknobs, they would be separated, and I think Suvi knows well enough that she cannot get Ghost on her own. If that is even still a goal right now, god, the situation is changing faster than they can control.
Gault is my favorite whimsy killjoy
He gives me real NYC MTA Engineer vibes
This is peak. It's so peak.
STRAIGHT TO JAIL BRENNAN
NOOOOOOOOOOO 😭
I called that twist from really early on, so I'm feeling really accomplished right now.
HOLY SHIT
my question is— would Wren not have immediately known what happened when she saw Steel’s face after that summer? did Steel simply refuse to ever speak face-to-face with her again? i have to go back and relisten to the end of the children’s adventure
I think it’s possible that Stone’s inflict wounds is unique as a combination of witchs’ (Wren’s) and wizards’. Since it seems like it was one of the last things Stone worked on Wren might have never seen that spell.
I have no one in my life i can share this with i am vibrating
Welcome to the WWW -Protect Sworn - Mommie(?) - Support group
AHHHHHHHHHH
I understand that two nat one's might mean Sworn is gone. Please give him more of a chance. Suvi and Aabria did everything she could and did everything right. I understand if that is what happens and it will be a terrible tragedy, and a compelling one. But *please*...😭
My ass has been full stonished.
What is a partial stonish? Asking for a friend
Feeling pretty silly now about screaming at the gang when quest fever took over in port talon
WHAT?!!!! Damn this story is soooo good!
I’m SO MAD that I have to WAIT for the next ep!!!!!!!!!!
Every time I think it cant get more intense or I cannot possibly be more surprised the next episode proves me wrong. I absolutely love this and could not contain the variety of emotions I went through. I look forward to the fireside for this one ❤️❤️❤️
At the end of the episode … it seems Steel is in the bedroom and at the doorway/threshold, not through it. Suvi, the Fox, and Task are in her parents near-spirit room. Maybe Suvi can close the door ???
My worry is the MIB has already been to the Citadel near spirit forest of fire. So can he reach Suvi while she is in the room?
the screams I scrumed at those double nat 1s, that moment almost moved me more than the revelation at the end
The gasps I gusped!
My fox plushie arrived literally seconds after finishing this episode and I have never hugged a toy harder in my entire life
im gonna throw up
Wow WBN, ya'll doing great! comments list is huge! 10 times bigger since season 2. Congratulations on delivering, WBN!
Bro called it from way back! where you at?!
Okay so I have so many questions for this episode and I want to write them all to the FAQ but I’m very afraid of being perceived as annoying. Does anyone have advice/perspective? Also, the Fireside chat comes out on my birthday, which is super cool! Is it bad if I mention that in the FAQ form? I don’t want to be cringe or annoying. I’m pretty sure all of this is based in the parasocial relationship I’ve developed with these people, but also because I don’t want to get blocked from the channel. I’m sorry for anyone who reads this in advance
The form for questions has very limited space, so you kind of have to separate most questions into separate forms and fill it out over and over again. You will probably annoy yourself before you annoy whoever filters through the questions, haha
Ok, here’s my wild swing. I think there is a prophesy about Suvi and her decision/ allegiance will determine the fate of the citadel. Kinda like Disney’s Hercules. I think that is why the MiB was looking for her specifically, why Steel wants her fully integrated into the citadel as her legacy, and why her parents and Wren went through such great lengths to keep her hidden from great spirits and the citadel. Wider swing, I have questions about where Suvi was born. If the MiB is a spirit born in the world of mortals and her parents had studio apartment in the near spirit, what if Suvi is a mortal who was born in the world of spirit?
Ohhhh, the being born in the near spirit is a cool theory! I’m into it
I KNEWWWWWWW ITTTTTTTTTTTTT
I. Am. SCREAMING 😱😱
Hey Abria those double nat 1’s for Sworn was not okay. You need to have a serious chat with your dice
Agreed! I so wanted sworn to go with her
SPOILERS Do I get this right - Steel not only killed Suvi's parents, she also fabricated an illusory evidence to blame it on Eioghorain?? So this was all premeditated by the Citadel? And the curse - did this curse kill Wren? So the Citadel could control Ame? AAAAA, panic, I need an explainer!!!
The curse didn’t kill wren. wren was dying already and that was the excuse steel used to send suvi to her with the book
I need someone to grab by the shoulders and shake as hard as I can while I scream or perhaps do a mournful, scared howl.
Mood
I wonder if Steel considered it an ingenious cover-up to refuse aesthetic repair of her white scars, remnants of a spell she believed no known wizard could cast. How could she be responsible for the death of Stone & Soft if her wounds signaled an assumed interference by only other types of casters? No one but those with knowledge of their research into witchcraft & the near-spirit would even think to consider the possibility of self-defense. Steel likely relied on the Citadel's precedent for crushing curiosity, only to be taken off-guard by Suvi's sudden (or not-so-sudden) propensity for asking questions previously left unspoken.
Or she wanted to remember the "cost" she paid, perceiving murdering Stone as being something bad she had to do for something righteous. The justification engine that runs in these wizards' minds didn't start with Suvi.
I know it was lightly confirmed in previous conversations, but the specific details shared in this episode really emphasize the horror of Suvi having been *trafficked* by Steel. There were so many moments throughout the story pointing toward this in hindsight, not least of which were the Children trapped at Twelve Brooks and Steel's rabid justification when confronted. I've always been immensely impressed by the nuance and care with which this show presents various experiences on inter/trans-generational trauma across all 3 main PCs, including how dynamics of power and control can shift over time under imperial influence. (I haven't been able to read through comments here yet, so please excuse me if this is redundant.)
YES this is the word.
I root with all my heart for everybody, but the two most emotional moments this book - a) Nif finding her familiar b) Sworn and the two bloody 1's. Fuuuck that was hertbreaking. Dude, please pull through.
Years of suspicion,. VINDICATED!
TRULYYYYY😤
My jaw hit the floor at the last minute. This story has been told SO well. I love hearing everyone just flex their storytelling muscles so much. This is amazing. I'm so glad this is being made.
Grandmother Wren: "Steel is someone that you can trust to do what she considers honorable and just. But if you try to talk to her about something that does not benefit the Citadel, you are going to meet a very, forgive the pun, steely presence." So much to talk about but I'm mostly SO happy we got to see so many NPCs before we presumably leave the Citadel. IDK what it says about me that I'm more alarmed about Sworn's fate than Silver's, but can someone please save that man!!! The message spell was HEARTBREAKING. Also: Cyril, Vandal and Enzo are about to provide a MUCH needed distraction at the Kassov collection. (I'm telling my grandchildren they are the Saja Boys.)
I think we feel more for Sworn than Silver for three reasons; one, we’ve had more time with him. He’s been “on screen” way more often than Silver. Two- we don’t know if sworn would have ratted Suvi out (seems like he wouldn’t have), but Silver def did. It’s hard not to feel betrayed on behalf of our dear wizard Sky. Third reason, this episode gave us a really heartbreaking scenario - Suvi already lost silver, and we see her double nat 1 her last chance to save an utterly defeated sworn, who is broken and has given up. It’s hard to watch a guy that’s been so loyal in the past so down in the dumps.
me on public transport listening to the last few minutes 😬😬😬
I'm still reeling! REELING!
OH
Wizard Steel? More like Wizard Steal! Steal your bloodline, steal your life, steal your memory? The party reunion and the fulfillment of a promise between true friends felt so earned. Taylor, from here on out I will think of the music at the xiao court scene as the music of the magic of falling in love (and not just romantically). You combined the themes of all 3 of our heroes and even got the rain road in there?! When will there be sheet music so I can convince someone to play this live in person?
Steal your child…
I called it, I called it, I called it!!!!! I called it back in arc 2! No spoilers here, just know when you hear it... I called it.
Brennan signalled pretty hard with the fox to Flee Her Grasp in Arc 2, for sure
Um, WOWWWWWW, WOW!!
So just a small editing mistake I noticed: you left out the part where Brennan let Aabria re-roll as many times as was necessary to convince Sworn to come with her? I mean, obviously it happened and Sworn will get to live and have more adventures with Suvi, but maybe the audio was scuffed or something? I'm sure we'll hear about how everything is fine and nothing bad will happen to him on the next Storytime Cleanup, nbd.
😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
That cliffhanger was INCREDIBLE, and having the class action episode immediately start after it had me thinking lou was cutting in to cut the tension of the moment. 😅😂
Cliffhanger aside: I love that Suvi's spellcraft is now developing an affect for sand. The citadel is glass, a refined, specific treatment of sand. Suvi's now sourcing magic from a more raw, primal place.
Ooooh, yes, back to the basics, wizardry is free!!! Let the basic elements of the world be what they are!!!
I can't find the comment but whoever said Steel absolutely knew more about the witches than she let on when she was giving Suvi the music box with such specific spirit-like instructions?? genius. this show is so crazy i can't connect every detail bc there's so much, but that's insane to think about. what the hell is Suvi gonna do with this new knowledge???
Survive, I hope....
the music on the "old home movie" that was soft and stone's first kiss was INSANE
ABSOLUTELY FUCKING NOT OH MY GOD
Steel’s definitely a big bad right now. What puzzles me is that I expect soft and stone both were extremely good judges of character and their differences and how well they processed the world as a team made them even more perceptive. They had known Steel for a long time before the story starts and makes me think that the probability of steel being this evil before the story starts seems quite low. The Lucent court as the end game of the league of whispers is so far outside any reality soft and stone would consider — I have a hard time seeing someone who was their best friend moving into that belief system without some external influence.0
Also seems strange that the main intent of the curse on wren and ame was to destroy the station of the witch of the worlds heart. Didn’t succeed but certainly seemed to be the intent. And the main obvious character that would benefit is the MiB. So what connects Steep to the MiB? How does destr
I AM NOT OK WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK!!! I’m in my truck at work and just finished the ep and I need to scream about this at someone!!!!!!
emotional damage
Been waiting for the other shoe to drop on Steel forever. Incredible episode
I am screaming 💀
also the music from the sun and stained glass, and soft and stone, made my heart swell and want to dance and go on a quest and vibrate out of my SKIN it was so good edit: and contrasted with steel killing all the sun sorcerers???
oh my god i need to listen to those side by side what
Someone should have told me to wear my artificer’s gloves because that episode was HOTT!!
the whole time? THE WHOLE TIME??!?! (this is specifically about the curse, not steel being evil in general)
aabria brings it every episode
I spent so much of this episode yelling and rewinding cause I was yelling too loud and then screaming some more.. AAAHHHH BRENNAN!
Taylor, your sound design with the various instruments accenting plot developments as we get near the end has been wonderful. Thank you for going the extra mile by adding them!
MY GOD. ALL FUCKING TIMER OF AN EPISODE. SO MUCH GOOD SHIT IM GONNA DIE WAITING FOR THE NEXT ONE.
(Spoiler) … and she used Suvi’s real name in her question at the end. Feels like a reminder of power. Oof!
Oh fuck, I did not catch that, thank you for rocking my world first thing into the comments!
Screamed so many times while listening to this episode
Everyone out there clutching lettuce
ALL THE LETTUCE HAS BEEN CLUTCHED
I called it! I began to suspect when we met guild mates trapping great spirits, they were confirmed when we saw how the citadel works and I called it for sure when Suvi went through memory modification! And it /still/ surprised me.
See, the modify memory made sense to me tho? Like on a covert mission, any wizard who entered that conclave knowing they intended to steal from the witches would have been sensed and killed, but also it’s a sketchy way to use Suvi
Holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit
Brennan!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well the group chat was right about Steel all along and I just didn't wanna believe y'all
Jaw. Dropped. And I literally held my hand out with Suvi as though I was in a hypnotic state. Steel has always been an energetic wrongun but I need the details of when and in what circumstances that wound was inflicted, right now. Twistier than a twisty thing. Brennan, your mind elicits wonder. What a gift to us all.
“It Killed Me” - that’s when i knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that Steel was responsible. But it’s still a gut punch to know that it was in direct combat - the scar as the hallmark was a great choice. However, I did not guess that she and the citadel were the source of the memory curses and that they specifically used the unwitting Suvi to curse them - that is diabolical.
what if it literally killed her, because there’s evidence that she’s a lich?
Me with 2 minutes left in the episode: "Oh! This is so nice. It's weird that the stakes aren't being raised for the finale right now though." Me with 1 minute left in the episode: "ooooooooooOOOOOOHHHNOOOO-" Me at the end of the episode: "wait she prepared Dimension Door right"
She doesn’t have fourth level spells yet 🙃 I really hope ame shows up to hit her with that curse of the leaden shoes cuz otherwise things are gonna go so poorly 😭
I knew Steel was fishy!!! Too many red flags from the beginning with this woman! Red flag 1: In what world would my best friend who's close enough to be my sister have lived through something that killed me and my significant other? Red flag 2: No way would my bestfriend/sister/protector let me go into danger with some random dude (Eioghorain) we barely knew as the only back up Red flag 3: How the hell did Steel get pardoned but Soft and Stone didn't? Red flag 4: Steel was way too insistent on Ame waiting to break her curse without giving better/stronger reasons for why knowing more about the curse itself is more important than the information its obscuring. Red flag 5: Every freaking time she wanted Suvi to not help her friends. Red flag 6: The whole plan with the music box was super shady. There was no way Steel knew as little about the witches as she convinced Suvi that she did while concocting that plan. She 1000% knew what she was doing and what Suvi was walking into and didn't warn her.
10000% nailed it
The Spirited Away vs Mononoke comparison continues. My god!
I am absolutely not a artsy person (at least when it comes to drawing), but I am very visually oriented and so when Brennan paints these word pictures, I just want someone to draw what I'm envision with better skill than I have. Or one of those wonderful animations people have been doing. I just... when Brennan started pulling out the little vignettes of the 3 all their lives, showing that they always work best together, after they were finally reunited (1st time since 12 Brooks) and in a great big hug, each scene played out beautifully, framing their hug in the evidence that made the truth of Suvi's relief at the presence of her True Friends all the more real. I pictured stain glass, (or a glass spiderweb? 🤔), connecting all these scenes with the hug in the middle. Can someone please draw this? I would be forever grateful!
END OF EP SPOILERS KINDA Also, I know nothing of tarot, but from the 30 secs of googling, Im also gonna need a Queen of Swords tarot card with Suvi in the upright position and Steele im the downwards position (shhhh, I dont even know if Im saying that right 😬) Maybe Suvi's new inflict wounds is still glowing in her hand and little swords rest over/on top/ are(?) her fingertips while Steele's scars glow with the same color and possibly also have the sword motif through them? ARTISTS I BEG YOU! 😭
Do you all at WBN know when you leave an episode ending like that I sit in stunned silence for a few seconds before… “The McElroy Brothers are not experts” and it jump scares me Every Time!!
I had Emily Axford start laughing at me from the middle of Dungeon Court.
So that scene with sworn was truly the saddest thing we’ve seen in this story so far. Jesus Christ, Brennan.
Those rolls 😭😭 I literally shouted out NO on the second one
WHEEEEEEEEELP, now begins the relisten of this last arc - no way I make it through the next TWO WEEKS Without anything to sooth THAT cliffhanger
I’ve been saying since the end of chapter one that I don’t trust Steel! Ever since she was so insistent that she be there to break Ame’s curse! We’ve seen it slowly leaking through for ages. And STILL the reveal of the scars and Suvi’s last line had me sure that was where the episode was going to end - BUT THEN STEEL SHOWED UP!!!! I’m glad I didn’t listen to this episode in the car, I would have had a full on accident
I have seen this coming from a million miles away bit still it doesn’t hit any less hard. We still hadn’t seen Steel at full scary and we literally witnessed her do a genocide. At the end of this episode. now she’s fucking scary
I had 6mins left on the episode when I read this, so imagine my shock when giddy delight became heartbreak and betrayal, became terror. And that silent outro - truly, jazz is as much about the notes you DONT play.
Grant O'Brien is a genius. He had not heard the story, yet he still knew not to trust Steel from just a description. Perception +10
Two nat ones in a row and that’s NOT the most heartbreaking moment of the episode HOW.
I know this is my third post but I can’t stop thinking about this episode and what might come next. Who gets killed? Does Suvi get mind controlled! How do we come back from this hell Steele has brought us too.?! I’m legitimately scared for our PCs and favorite NPCS like BRENNAN! Be nice. Aabria please get new dice that are nicer to you! Do we need to start a dice gofundme?! I’m begging you. Though, it is epic story telling, and I really appreciate that aspect of those nat ones. Ahh okay time for sleep.
I want y'all to know I had to take antinausea meds halfway through this because the leap from "the book isnt a book" took me straight to, "oh, Steel killed them" and the rest was just waiting for the impact and hey? Hey? This is my *favourite* story.
I’ve read over 1000 fantasy novels. This genre is my absolute favorite thing in the entire world, and I’ve read some of the best works of fantasy of all time. This story is in my top 3, edging towards taking the #1 spot for me.
I NEED to stop listening to these episodes late at night!!! Sadly, w kids it's the only time I can do it and I'm SOMEHOW supposed to get some sleep!!!??? Sooooooo goooood!!!!!
Insane work here, my god! I don’t know if I’ll ever be over Sworn saying “I don’t want to be here. I wanted my mom and dad to know my name.”
To say this punched me in the gut would be an understatement
OK, I will scream my overall theories about the meaty part of the episodes in like, a subreddit or something. But I have to groan with the same satisfaction you feel after a really good meal after that description of Reverie. I live there or the Enchantment court. I'm waiting for more lore, but yea... that's me done right now with the info I have, that's my court.
I HAVE BEEN RELISTENING TO THE LAST 35 MINUTES OVER AND OVER AGAIN I FEEL CRAZY I NEED TO HEAR THIS SUVI-STEEL CONVO OH MY GOD
Omg right! Two weeks is far too long!
You know this is really great example of how to do the twist villain right. And also the morally ambiguous one. Giving us the chance to see all of steels good qualities -> her compromises-> her sympathetic goal -> her true villainy. Like instead of having her go full villian and then later figuring out her reasonings we get walked straight to hell by her good intentions.
Taking a deep breath…OH MY GAWD…you ended that episode like a SMACK in the face. I have never screamed so loud and gasped and cried and every other frickin emotion conjured in this episode…i…don’t know where to begin. Sworn in the tavern? Reunited in the kitchen? The book of illusions? Ame levitating? The dream keys Eursolon took? The hidden nook inside the apartment? Memories of Suvi’s Parents projected by Task? The anger and disappointment in Steele’s voice? I’m gonna have to read the other comments and piggyback on them and then I will go to bed and then I’ll listen to it again and then I’ll post some more. My brain will work tomorrow.
Hell yeah Sparrow, your way of processing this episode is 100% a Vibe. I see you.
Taylor, please consider; renaming the episode "Queen of Swords (r)"
i keep wanting to joke that "brennan HATES stem students" but almost everytime he has the citadel do atrocities theres some cutscene about how True Wizardry is about the love of the game, so i'm not able to bully him. another day another loss for me
I feel like he hates STEM students that start working for the military . loves STEM students in general.
It's not like the sounds or music are ever NOT amazing, but this was gorgeous - that sparkle-zap sound sounded so much like Dragon's Lair 💜
Spoiler: Listened to this episode twice now, my god the amount of torment Suvi has gone through so fast. Silver dead at her doorstep, Sworn drowning himself in alcohol and refusing her help. Only to be capped off with (seemingly) straightforward confirmation that Steel did indeed kill her parents. She is in a different genre than Ame and Ursalon. I hope that in the next book she has an episode to chill out.
100%! A beach episode or a shopping episode, please! Our girl needs it! I don't think she's relaxed since the last time the gang was in Haverward.
Beyond words ❤️🔥 Taylor, where’s that theme from at 27:20, when Sworn asks “Why didn’t you think I’d come with you?” It’s so hauntingly familiar, like pulling back to some truth I can’t remember (also sidenote I started making my own music after the remix competition, and now I have my first live show this weekend! ☺️🙏)
It's from "Something to Remember You By," which is ep34, and it starts at 2:37. The first time I listened to that episode, I had to relisten multiple times because I couldn't listen to Aabria's exposition b/c of what you've said right here. And also b/c tears, but you know... Brennan is a monster that way.
SPOILER: If Sworn had the antidote for the modify memory potion, does that mean Sworn was in on the plan to mind wipe Suvi and send her in with the music box?
Unrelated but on my mind: was access to Suvi's parents hideaway why Steel was so obsessed with her?
ohhh… oh nooooo
What the FUCK
The way that when the episode ended I immediately got that fucking McDonald’s snack wrap commercial.
I got the …. welcome to worlds beyond number; a podcast where we use games to tell stories….
Y’all got me fucked up
"Surely Suvi's day can't get worse after those rolls," I said to myself Events: *occur* "Oh! Shit, and also fuck!"
was steel’s arc always evil stepmother? maybe it’s supposed to be a combination of that with the trope of ‘mentee has to kill the mentor in order to surpass them.’ regardless, I am in awe
She’s the perfect emblem of the Hegemony of the Citadel and the Empire— her strength and swagger creates this desire to be a part of something and protected by it but it’s so cruel and dehumanizing and it upholds the worst of humanity’s avarice. To have Suvi have to cut this [white supremacy metaphor tbh] out of her very heart is the heroes journey we all need to witness right now. This IS the best story. I am so grateful to this group for telling it.
OMG!!!! “Who are you going to kill Suvi” I’m dead
wizardry is free
Hell yeah it is.
Aabria’s dice are telling a story today! A VERY SAD STORY. I’m so sad and worried about Sworn! 😭
I was sobbing during that scene
I deeply deeply deeply resonate with these stories and I feel very lucky to have them in my life. Thank you for letting this story grow as I also let myself grow in life. Much love!
Aabria asking to give Ersulon a bardic inspiration really made me chuckle
I'm... different now.
Welcome to the WWW support group❤️🦊🔥
UGH, got so sucked into the parent meet-cute, it set me up for the one-two-punch ending of the (somewhat expected) revelation and the (completely unexpected) surprise guest. This is like a horror movie jump scare. I’M SO STRESSED RIGHT NOW. 😫
Hmn, I think there is at least another big twist or two. Because, given how powerful Steel is and the memory magic, why couldn't she just capture and mind wipe Soft and Stone? They were obviously extremely useful, and unless Suvi was somehow summoned into existence, why not let them live and have more kids? I mean, The Citadel would not be above a little "Morty" farming, so to speak. I wonder if Soft and Stone in desperation did summon a very great demon, which possessed or did something to them so Steel "had to do it". Of course, Steel may also have pushed them into that situation, but I do think the "cute summoning memory" is to make the final act more terrifying.
I mean dnd itself I think that spell modifies a single event. So in order to do that you would have to just spent a lot of spell slots to basically rewrite their whole lives. It’s not a realist solution unless Brennan says they have more advance version of the spell and honestly he’s been very constant in working within dnd spell limitation
SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS Okay, as someone who, since the beginning of the campaign, was in the camp of "Look, I'm not saying Steel isn't secretly bad, I'm just saying we don't have enough evidence to actually say that yet, and I just personally really like her and also I really do believe that she loves Suvi," I know my camp is gonna get a lot of "I told you so's" thrown our way. But I just wanna say I stand by the fact that all of that was reasonable to say at the time that I said it, and also I do still think that she really loves Suvi in some twisted way, and also I still do honestly love her so much as a character, truly an all-time great NPC. All that being said, now that I've heard this episode, FUCK STEEL, I HOPE SUVI KILLS THAT WOMAN DEAD.
Also I said this elsewhere but those two nat 1s with Sworn really got me fuuuuuuuucked up, the amount of screaming I did out loud alone in my car to no one while driving was crazy
Haven’t finished the ep just stopped at the revelation of the curse on Grandma Wren and went back and listened to the 1st ep (also Brennan can’t believe you’ve been setting this up since episode 1!!)… how do we think the Man In Black would’ve been released if Suvi hadn’t stepped on the road or rolled better on the luck check? Also the timestamp is 1:57:20 in the first episode for reference of that scene
The killer for me is Suvi has been a pawn for citadel machinations since jump. Steel sent her because she was the only one who could get past Wren’s wards with her “open heart.” Steel is a broken, evil thing.
I immediately had to screenshot my friend that I had called the fate of Suvi's parents almost two months ago but that little vignette of how her parents got together made the reveal even more poignant. I can't even begin to imagine how this next episode will go but I can't wait to find out! ❤️
This is my favorite story ❤️
Things i want to see in the final episode: Suvi/steel showdown, that probably ends with suvi fleeing or steel letting her go- because steel is 20th level and also we need her as a villain in book 2 (maybe some final reveal about what happened to suvis parents that night?) Definently want to see the drama and emotional warfare on full display The gang freeing ghost. How will ghost respond to suvi after suvi’s advice got her jailed and tortured? will she be angry or jaded, or just relieved to be rescued? i feel like ghost and nief could be good friends the characters deciding on their next steps/direction/quest and wrapping up their emotional arcs with some final scenes as they prepare for whatever the next step is maybe a nice bookend with them together at kalia’s house - oor some kind of cliffhanger ending that serves as a plot hook/inciting incident for whatever arc 4s eventual plot will be i hope there’s enough time for these things to have the space they deserve in the final episode. im sure it will be great no matter what - but i hope i don’t have to wait three years to see what happens to ghost!
big yes to Ghost and Neif being friends! the both could use a good bud.
Okay y’all, wild theory time. I’ve been sitting on this one for a while: What if Aman or Shandri is still alive? I don’t think Brennan would pull a deus ex machina like that, or contradict a character’s backstory like that, so I very much doubt that they’ve just been running around in Rhuv or something. But we know that the Citadel is only just beginning to truly delve into the Spirit World, and Soft was a teleportation specialist with a secret hideout built inside of Citadel teleportation magic. Stone was an abjurer and diviner, if anyone was going to foresee and have a solid emergency escape plan, it would be her. So, what if one or both (but probably just one to preserve the tragedy of Suvi’s childhood, from a storytelling perspective) basically jumped into the Near Spirit, or even took a one-way trip to the whole ass World of Spirits, and have been hiding there, essentially in “cryosleep” due to fey time bullshit? It wouldn’t make sense for them to be alive in the World of Mortals, the Citadel would have been able to find them, and they would have come looking for Suvi. But if they’re stuck in the Spirit World, the last 15 years could easily have been just a couple minutes for them. They might have only just got their bearings and begun working on a way back to their daughter. We only learned about their deaths from Steel in the first place, and based on the fact that they seem celebrated by all the Citadel as war heroes and incredible academics even though we know they died acting against the Citadel’s interests, it would seem that maybe the rest of the Citadel learned about their deaths from Steel too… So say, when they realized that Steel had betrayed them they fled to their safehouse. Steel tracked them there and fought Shandri, receiving the Inflict Wounds scars. Shandri held her off as Aman dove out the window into the Forest of Flame and used it to teleport deeper into the Spirit World…
I have a theory that Tefmet was going to ask "do you know who her parents are?" Before they stopped and said "that would be rude." Implying to me that they worked with the Antivalists. Suvi also read in their letters jokes about "that would be as hard as finding the antivalian"
BRENNAN SET THIS UP IN THE FIRST EPISODE GO BACK AND LISTEN HE'S A BAD BAD MAN
The only question left is, "Why?"
Well, this certainly isn't a full answer, but clearly Steel is fully bought in on the Lucent Court Spirit Factory scheme as The End of WarTM, and if the memory we saw in this episode tells us anything, it's that there's no world where Soft (and presumably also Stone) would stomach that. My working theory is that Soft and Stone wanted to leave and fight the Citadel from the outside, Steel tried to convince them that the Lucent Court dream being offered was the answer they needed and they should stay and build it together, and the argument escalated into violence as each realized the other wasn't going to come around.
There are many big things that showcase brennan’s genius this episode, but my favorite little one might be “Caterwaul lane”
wow the mercury retrograde is fierce in this episode
I think all six planets that are in retrograde basically sums up this episode 🦊🔥
It was frankly rude to end the episode there.
I’m trying not to look at the post because I started listening to this podcast at about 5 PM which is when I went on lunch from my job. And right around the time stamp 32:54. I started to cry and then when there were two rolls of the number one, I started to scream, and then I had to hit pause and in an hour at 9 PM I will be able to continue this episode
I literally screamed so loud and repeatedly and wanted to leave basically this same comment while also avoiding looking at any other comments, and the only thing that stopped me was that I was driving, but goddamn do the dice tell a story sometimes, that second nat 1 hit me harder than actual heartbreaks I've felt I my real life and it wasn't even thaaat plot critical
OH THIS IS GOOD FOOD. THIS IS SOME FUCKING GOOD FOOD.
My mom died in November, my Dad died in May. Listening to Suvi experience the beginning of her parent's relationship hurts in such a delightful way. Like sore muscles after a day of playing outside.
Oh Cameron, I am sorry to hear of your losses…sending virtual hugs
Aabriya's choice to cast Identify on Silver and not Detect Magic, marking the target as an object - an enchantment on a corpse - and not a person with a spell cast on him seemed so deliberate. A+ storytelling with the mechanics.
The mechanics of storytelling makes my brain all tingly🦊🔥
not sure why (yes i am) but I have Mitski's "I'm Your Man" playing on a loop in my head after that episode. ough. argh. ouch. psychic damage. friendship ended with mama warcrimes, i'm ride or die for sworn now. 🫡
How am I supposed to be normal now?????? WHAT AN EPISODE
SWORNNNNNNN PLEASE BABESSSS ITS TOO REALLLLL 😭😭😭
OMG THAT FINAL REVEAL IN THE END I CANT!!! Need to relisten to the whole campaign now
it’s just simply and objectively unfair that i have to wait two weeks
I lost my job today and that scene with Sworn is still the most traumatic shit that happened to me
Condolences!
🗡️: YOUR TAKING TOO LONG
WHAT THE FUCK BRENNAN
EXCUSE ME!?!?!?)!!?????!
BRO WHAT. WHAT!!! WHAAAAAAT!!!! BRO!
Y'all need to up your merch game. Stuff is sold out and there are no, like, t-shirts and hats and stuff. Let me pay to advertise for you in public! #takemymoney
VINDICATED! FKN CALLED IT.
That music from the sunrise... it reminded me of the conductor in The Phantom Tollbooth. This and a previous episode about wizardry working in concert (NOT A PUN) with the natural world opened me up to respecting wizardry and actually feeling a connection to it. I loved your description of geometry in nature previously and all of these things reflect the nature of my love for science.
I was thinking of the conductor from phantom tollbooth!!! Amazing! -t
the WHIPLASH this episode gave me…you can know (assume) something is coming but this reveal still hit me like a ton of bricks to the face. Brennan and Taylor really teamed up on this emotional curb stomping, I feel battered (in the best way) I am DISTRAUGHT (i wouldnt have it any differently) I CANT BELIEVE THERE IS ONLY ONE MORE EPISODE BEFORE THE END OF THIS BOOK
Welcome to the WWW Book 1 Support Group ❤️🦊🔥
SPOILERS BELOW: OR MAYBE JUST HOPEFUL SPOILER-ISH WISHES: ARE WE DOWN FAR ENOUGH YET? Okay, how old is Suvi because I am hardcore shipping her and Sworn. PLEASE let these hyper-competent, tall, super smart hotties who have their guards up love each other omg. Suvi-worn, Swuvi, whatever - this is me shipping 🚢🛳️🛸🚀⛴️ P.S. And honestly, I low-key hope/think that Suvi rolling those two natty 1’s might have saved Sworn’s life, because they were def being watched. And if Sworn somehow followed her and ends up taking a bolt from Steel and saves Suvi I will lose it. Swuvi needs to happen, come on now, they both deserve to be happy! I am screaming this at Aabria’s dice!
Sworn is about 10 years older than Suvi… which is kind of borderline since she’s 20. But if he survives and is more like 35, I can get into it. I really hope he survives.
Always shut the door after you. Always always always. I don't care where the door goes. No, it wouldn't stop Steel going wherever tf she wants but still. Shut the door.
The image Brennan gave us was of a single room with windows surrounded by a rainbow fire forest. That room was LIT! And with the Witching hour-dark, empty, CREEPY, abandonned spies apartment behind her, I don't know how Suvi doesn't shut that door, like even a little bit. Which made the jumpscare (both mental and physical, thanks Brennan and Taylor) of Steele's boots in the apartment and her glowering face appearing in the pitch black doorway with the light from the Near Spirit glinting off the white of her scars absolutely all the more terrifying. But yes. CLOSE THE DOOR!
I AM SPOILERS, COME FROM THE END OF MY LISTEN Some thoughts: 1. Suvi gotta roll initiative and she’s hopefully all out of Nat 1s 2. Fox gotta tell Ame the sitch STAT 3. Ame + Eursulon cavalry HARDEST 4. What ELSE that Sapphire Do??? 5. The safe house is burnt, y’all 😭 6. RETIRIBUTE THAT CURSE, Ame 7. Enzo bringeth the Wrath of all Art sooner rather than Later 8. Let’s see that Acid Dragon again 9. Nothing like a glass disk to Carrow as an escape plan 10. “THE QUEST STANDS UPON THE EDGE OF A KNIFE” but somehow even more 😩
Oh yeah, Enzo is absolutely going to be raising hell in the Kasov Collection, possibly giving our heroes an opportunity to escape?
FUCK ME AND THE GROCERIES IN MY CART (falling to my knees in the supermarket etc)
AH oh my GOD
WELP IM FUCKED UP THIS FUCKED ME UP SO MUCH
Does anyone have some fan art of Sworn or know the tumblr tag to look under. Cause I want he him the so fucking Bara and swarty from like Turkey hot!
SPOILERS Okay, so first of all, obviously getting into a fight with Steel is generally a bad idea, but right now might be one of the best chances Suvi has until she’s much higher level. If Steel still has the Heart-Seeking Curse on her, and Suvi can dispel Steel’s protections against it, it might be enough for Suvi to get away. Suvi’s power doesn’t hold a candle to Steel’s, but her cunning might outplay this fucking fascist. Secondly, Steel has said a LOT of things that suggest that Suvi might be some kind of Chosen One. Back in Chapter 2, Steel suggested that Shandri and Aman might have left Suvi some magical ability to find Eighorain. This theme was doubled down on when we saw that Stone had protected Suvi from Eighorain, and of course the sapphire pendant. Throughout Lucent, Steel put a lot of emphasis on how she needed Suvi to take over the Great Endeavor when she couldn’t carry it anymore. Let’s be clear, Suvi’s a really bad agent of the Citadel, constantly insubordinate and unpredictable. Maybe Steel has some dynastic ambitions, that her goal is to have her daughter take over, but that doesn’t fully add up to me. Add on top of that that there was something special about Suvi that she was the trigger to break Grandma Wren’s curse on the Pilgrim Under Stars, and there’s a lot of things pointing us in that direction. And of course, if Steel and Stone tried to kill each other, why would Steel adopt Suvi rather than killing her too? I’m not certain, but all of it screams to me that there’s always been something inherent about Suvi that Steel has been trying to exploit from the beginning.
I would like to be friends with an ink demon. Can we get a one shot of their fun adventures? I really wanna see Enzo bring down the kasov collection!
Yes, yes yes yes❤️🦊🔥🤗
THUS SPAKE RELISTEN SPOILERS don't Read MORE SPOILERS!!!!! I've posted a lot, and I'm going to post more. -That Nat20 Insight from Ame when she decides to give Eursulon the path and then save Suvi seems truly, truly prescient now, to the point that it totally justifies Brennan's ultra-rare TripleFuck. It has allowed her to save Gault, understand the truth of the curse, and gives Suvi FAR more support as a fight with The Scariest Fucking Wizard Alive seems imminent (still rolling with disadvantage though!!! maybe her movement is even halved!!! party has that going for them!) -Suvi, if she is saved, most likely will be saved by her friends and by her liberation of the ink demons. Or Silence? -Speaking of silence: I don't know what Silence is thinking. Burning the letter is operator-like & cunning, but he wouldn't have burned it if it didn't contain some damning stuff (which we don't know for certain, but I am speculating). So what is this guy's moral code? Protecting the children of the Greneaux and killing the Great Bullfrog are both all good if your apprentice is the one who does it? Does it reflect badly on him? Is Suvi's scheming against the Citadel just commonplace license of Archmages?
I wonder if Silence burned the letter because it would taint him by association if his own apprentice was committing treason?
God if Sworn doesn't get some kind of happy ending I'm going to be devastated ;w; but damn, with those two nat 1s he certainly feels all but doomed 😭.
More like queen of swords reversed baby what the FUCK!!
Suvi needs a VACATION GODDDDD!!!!!!!! SPOILERS I gotta believe that because it’s assumed Sworn will die that he’ll live somehow and Suvi will find him. I also have no clue how Suvi is gonna get out of this, Steel is so SCARY, she can wipe out an entire bloodline with a name and she knows Suvi’s true name. I think the only thing that may keep her alive is that Steel has some fuckin plan for her and may not want to kill her outright
SPOILERS Like the Man In Black wants Suvi for some reason too, right? There’s a reason Grandma Wren never wanted her to touch the road to hide her from the MIB. Suvi is really JUST coming in to her true power, Steel needs to keep her alive for some reason
Thinking back to Steel saying something like "Someday you're gonna see how not-nice I am" as a joke in like episode 1. Talk about a called shot in the corner pocket.
IF THE COVEN OF ELDERS HAD WAITED ANOTHER 3 WEEKS THEY WOULDA HAD A VERY DIFFERENT VOTE!!! IVE BEEN SAYING IT SINCE KEEN AND I STAND BY IT
it has been said that the problems in the witches' execution of their plan were mostly due to impatience lol (u right)
🎶 "Mothaaaa knows beeeest!" 🎶
How dare
So that’s what happened in the clearing, explains the music too
What do you mean? 👀
Burning question I have for Aabria- Did you have a talk with your dice after this episode?????Cause TWOOOO natty ones read to me that those dice really said “Naw, fuck Sworn.” Those dice need a life sentence in dice prison. 😭
YOU MANIACS!!! YOU BELOVED PERFECT MANIACS!! I think Aabria's dice need to take a long sabbatical or perhaps get a massage because WOOF my man Sworn, god so sad but so impactful. Love love love to see so many (not all!) of the pieces come together. What an absolute blast.
Brennan, I need you to know that every two weeks I’m absolutely fucking FURIOUS at you for ending the episode. How dare you make us wait another 2 weeks!!! 🤬🤬🤬
Screaming “SUVERIN KEDBERIKET” as I stride up and down my hallway listening this episode
I simply must see a video recording of brennan making task’s sounds
SPOILERS I KNEW IT!!! Steel has always stunk of treachery. The tiniest cracks and breaks in that motherly facade all compiled into the reveal of a true villain.
AAAAAH!!!! BRENNAN, THE DEVIOUS AND AMAZING BASTARD!!! I want to scream so badly!! My trust for steel has been on and off through the whole series and now.. oh boy!
WHAT THE FUCK. WHAT THE FUCK.
NO CREDITS!!!! HOW DARE!!!!!
The silence hit perfectly for my gut dropping.
I’m going to scream and cry and throw up
SWORN IS SO HOT WHATS WRONG WITH ME
Just put in a request for fan art. Like why does drunk rambling about being assassinated make me want to marry a man?
27:21... Taylor 🥺😭 I need the sheet music for piano so badly. One of my favourite pieces you've created.
Nothing will compare to hearing this story for the first time, but relistening with this newfound knowledge and screaming at all the clues I missed along the way is a good runner up.
Machiavelli is as Machiavelli does, am I right? been suspicious af since the beginning, but Aabria’s incredible character choices as Suvi made me not be quite as suspicious of her. Curses!
I was just catching up on the fireside for the king of cups episode back in arc one and had tarot on the brain so I especially appreciated how this episode’s title works on multiple levels. Steel as queen and literal sword, and also queen of swords representing seeing through illusion, discernment, and boundary-setting, fitting for an episode with some colossal reveals that lead to new discernment and boundary realignment between characters.
I screamed several times during the episode. So many "maybe..." things answered!
Now that we have confirmed that one person ain’t shit, they better watch their backs because once Suvi is at her full potential they got a big storm coming. All of this AND The Coven is coming with the rest of Spirits as well. So much to wrap up kinda nicely in a week or so. I hope our True Friends can make it out of The Citadel as unscathed as they can.
I just wanted to remind everyone that's the woman who guilt tripped Suvi by saying "oh no, there is so many secrets in this place, we must be truthful to each other not like these other schemers" in book two
This is exactly why I’ve been suspicious of Steel from the first mirror conversation in Port Talon. She constantly preaches freedom and clarity of information, as though that isn’t a direct contradiction of “A Wizard is known by their secrets.” Three guesses who benefits from a system of secrecy, censorship, and surveillance, while simultaneously demanding clarity and trust from all others…
Thank you so much for this beautiful Episode. I Gasped so loud my friend thought I had hurt myself lol. Thank you all so so much. Thank you for the incredible music and sounds Taylor and thank you for the most beautiful gutwrenching heartaching Story/game of all freaking time! I feel very stabbed in the heart in a good way lol
i have never come so close to fully screaming in a closed public space in my LIFE
I could not wait so that means I was listening to this while roadtripping with my young child in their “why” era 🤨❓ I had to explain why a 1 is kind of like if Steve or Josh couldn’t find any clues on Blue’s Clues 🔍 which is why mommy screamed NOOOOO while driving about the number 1 and the number 1 isn’t a bad number and there’s nothing to be worried about while driving… And “yeah, bud, you’re right…they shouldn’t be squabbling and he should listen to her, you’re right!” was also added to that conversation 🙃🙃🙃
As I would say to my kids in their why era, "He's had too many grown up drinks."
Wonderfully executed heel turn. Given how loving and normal the rest of Steel's family is, it must be kind of like finding out that your dad has been a notorious serial killer all along.
I swear that interaction with Sworn ruined me. Brennan Lee Mulligan and Aabria's dice owe me an apology.
I've been waiting for this to happen since the end of the Children's Adventure! I had a gut feeling ever since the beginning! What an ending of an episode! How you holding up Aabria?
Wow, really? Was there anything in particular that made your story sense tingle?
Ok, so I see yall went to combo me during the last minute of the episode.
How dare all of you. Nobody makes me cry my own tears.
I need Sworn to make it out of this. No heroic sacrifice. Spartan kick him thru a door into Grandma Ren’s cottage.
Those nat 1s were maybe the most brutal pair of rolls I’ve seen/heard in actual play outside of A Crown of Candy, good god
Talk about closing out the book with a bang. I am so glad I was done at the gym before I heard that ending because I would have dropped my weights. I had to text “I WAS WRONG” to a friend and swear not to give any context. This book is thrilling and heart breaking at the same time. Our girl needs a vacation! I do feel very sad about Sworn, that message cantrip was brutal. All those loose ends just tightening into a noose. What a tale. 👏
For Suvi, I wanted it not to be true. For Aabria though, I know you're having SO much fun with this.
OH MY GOD ALL OF YOU YOURE KILLING ME
This episode was so good. Ame and Eursalon always breaking in and stealing...love it. I hope Steel's bad guy speech is top tier because I need answers.
She's smart enough to know she shouldn't monologue, but i dont think she's going to be able to avoid it. Fuck, Steel would have an amazing villain song if this were a Disney movie.
I feel UNWELL after this episode ...
Sworn's drunken buzzer sound when Suvi tries to guess his hometown implies that game shows are a ubiquitous form of entertainment in Umora or at least the Citadel. Can anyone involved in the podcast confirm or deny?
Somewhere a chuckling Wizard Sam says, "I've been here the whole time..."
Screaming | crying | throwing up
The back to back nat 1s prove that Aabriya’s dice are telling a very specific story and they want it to hurt
Wait why do I hear boss music…?
I’ll say more later but I’m freaking out at work and I have NO TIME. BUT YESSSSSS SYESS I KNEW ITTTTT
spoilers Spoilers The biggest spoilers GO AWAY, THERE ARE SPOILERS GAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHSHDHDHEHAHAHDHJWMASK I FUCKKN KNEW IT I ONEW IT I KNEW IT FUCK YEAHHHHHHHHHHH SHE’S EVIL SHE KILLED THEM I KNEWWWWWWWWWWW IIIIIT
oppa wicked stepmother style
Wow. Wow wow wow.
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER Ok we should be good Inshallah Steel does not survive another disappointment
Cackling
Had to listen to the later of this episode 3 times before everything registered. anyways, what the FUCK
So how much of a lone actor is Steel in this whole scheme? Is the entire citadel council on board from the beginning? AAAAAAAAGGHHHHHHH
I think at best they think they're in on it, but i think Steel is pulling the strings. Conspiracies inside Conspiracies inside Conspiracies.
Brennan: [describes the details of the curse from Reverie and the scars left on the wall by inflict wounds] Me, hunched over my desk, hands in my hair, thousand-yard stare: 🫠 I really didn’t want to believe Steel was capable of all the awful shit she’s clearly been behind all this time. What kind of monster murders her friends, takes in their child, and raises her as her own (and honestly treats/views her better than her biological children)??? Thinking back to how kindly she spoke to Suvi at the end of the children’s adventure… god, I feel sick. Suvi is in so much danger right now. And the fox, too!!! My god, there’s no way Steel isn’t going to try to kill him straight away so Ame won’t have eyes/ears on the situation… 😣
Ame can channel through the fox, and has free retributive curses on Steel. Let's hope he's first.
What in the fuck!!!
I love this story so much ! I've been here since the beginning and will stay. I'm heartbroken and moved by the poetry of your choices. Thank you for being an anchor in these dark times Thank you.
Finally!!!! I never trusted her. I just pray we have a wizard in the next book.
"the fox is so quiet" YES YES YES WHAT'S WRONG WITH HIMMMM?!
YEAH I DIDNT LIKE THAT! Brennan dropping some sort of hint about something?? And then Task saying “Fox no work”?! WHY FOX NO WORK and not just like “Fox, help get books” hmmmm 🤔 suspicious shit
Brennan Lee Mulligan is the king of cliffhangers and I HATE HIM FOR IT!! I can’t even imagine how long the last episode will be to tie all of this up in a bow 😞👀👀
TPK's can be quick... 😭😭😭
Noooo I'm crying so much for Sworn😭 And Soft and Stone😭😭
Holy shit that shit rocked
Looking at the bright side, I guess Inflict Wounds is a perfect title for my Suvi / Steel playlist
Inflicting Wounds is what parenting is all about
I FUCKING KNEW IT!!!!
Suvi won't kill Steel... cause I'm gonna kill her first
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!! H O W DO WE ONLY HAVE ONE EPISODE OF THIS BOOK LEFT AFTER THIS????!?!?! Oh my fucking GOD I am unwell, I am sweating, I need to just lie down.... Right here............
YOU ARE KIDDING ME?! I'm building a whole damn conspiracy board now!
was he sworn to the previous sky?
That is an amazing one!
All joking aside, SUCH a good episode. I know people say that for every episode but credit where credit is due ya know.
Crying pissing shitting and cumming, another great ep guys!
I HAVE NO ONE TO TALK ABOUT THIS WITH. I HAVE TO SIT IN THIS FEELING FOR ANOTHER TWO WEEKS??
I feel a little bit sick rn. This show is so cool
As soon as I saw the title of the Episode....
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Well, shit.
I don’t even know where to start! Amazing episode, thank you all for blessing our ears!! And Brennan please bring Sworn back to us in Book Two, I’m begging
Silence deff caught on to what Steel is cooking. He covered for Suvi when he checked the letter on Silver. It might not be for the same reason, but Silence has turned against Steel. Oh man, internal collapse of the Citadel via infighting? History loves repeating itself.
No but what is Steel's endgame? Baby Girl, they're gunna for sure kill you now, you went after your boss and he lived. (Granted, he may not know who he can trust now but still) Also! You can end bloodlines! Royalty famously doesn't like that.
Am I the only one who would still forgive Steel??? I seriously have mommy issues...
Right ?!?! I'm heartbroken and feel so betrayed, one because of what she DID ; two because I have been seeing my mother in her so it's pretty gut-wrenching 😭
I have never, in my life, audibly freaked out over a podcast, nor have I ever left a comment but the ending of this episode????? WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK??? Incredible, no notes
Aww the ending!!!!! I had a feeling it was coming but it was so so so good
the audible "fuck you" i said for aabria's dices i'm pretty sure someone here must've heard it
The dice tell a story and in this case they commandeered the typewriter
Little prompt for the comments section says “share your thoughts” and having just finished my only thought is ‘AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!’
All I gotta say is, I know how to clock 'em. I had that feeling about that bad bitch since the beginning. But also: I love Sworn? OH my god please do not kill Sworn let him be okay. I did not expect to get kneecaped with how much his devotion and pain sundered me. Dying for the final. Excited for the confrontation, excited to see what is next.
I mean... There's no way Sworn can die after that right? It's like when a background character says, "NO ONE could've survived that!"
Happy birthday to me! Can't wait for the emotional damage 🥰
Happy birthday! This was me Sunday and now I suddenly regret catching up lol.
That interaction with Sworn was devastating! The dice pulled no punches. Also, WHY did I listen to this at work where I can’t jump up and shout in sympathetic fury at the ending???
"This is who I was before the Sky shone brightly." Brennan. Just know. I will commit crimes.
PLEASE CAN SUVI HAVE A GOOD DAY MY GOD
Didn’t Ame take Swineskin? And she can deliver spells through the fox, AND Steel’s got a big retributive curse coming….
HEY I JUST WANT TO TALK
Sworn noooooooooooooooooo!!! My man better have a second chance in book 2 I stg
BRENNAN LEE MULLIGAN WHEN I FUCKING CATCH YOU
I want to also say since the start, Steel gave me Ambessa Vibes. So while I didn't know specifics of manipulation and betrayal untill this episode i am not at all surprised. I knew something was coming. Umm... they're both my favorites still.
You're right and you should say it!!
I AM SHOOKETH
Spoiler Spoiler Spoiler ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Question for Erika and (Ursulon's Actor): Who do you think will win in a fight. Not Steel and Suvi, Brennan and Aabria. I assume this season ends with the table being flipped. I feel like Aabria's got reach...
personally I'd side with the D1 athlete against [person] but I am open to other arguments
"Whew that was a RIDE. That is an IMMEDIATE re-listen." ["Sworn has 5 glasses in front of him, only one of which is filled with beer"] "Hmm you know maybe I can let this one sit for a while"
OH MY GOD ITS ALWAYS STEEL
OH MY GOD I FREAKING KNEW IT
I swear i called it day 1, and then circled back to maybe i was wrong, and here we are, goddamn it
I also called it immediately and couldn’t get it out of my head because she’s an agent of the citadel and the citadel bad. I wanted so badly for it not to be true. Very heartbroken for Suvi taking so many losses 😭
HOLY FUCKING MOLY. The agony of this whole episode 😭 My stomach was in knots the whole time! 🗣️ I KNEW IT
Caught up just in time to be utterly obliterated. Thanks guys. (But seriously, genuinely, thank you. Always.)
So the real reason they end it there and continue with another campaign is that everyone is just going to die, got it. But jokes (jokes?) Aside, this was insane. That cliffhanger is brutal. Those nat 1s were brutal. The book was brutal. Every new revelation felt like finally untangling a knot but realising too late that that very knot was keeping you from falling down into the abyss. Amazing episode guys
Forget child's pose, I am full on fetal position here.
i. fuckin. knew it
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
HO. LY. SHIT................
I hate cliffhangers sooooooooo much.
Actual chills
The greatest Nat 1 story telling ever!
Grateful to be working from home because I can't stop screaming. Time is going to drag so badly until the next episode releases 😭😭😭
I can’t breathe, Brennan you are WICKED
I want to relisten but I don’t think I can put myself through that again. My body needs time to recover.
Spoiler Spoiler Spoiler Spoiler Spoiler Spoiler If Steel survives the finale they might be able to pull a hat trick on killing the party’s parents by killing the Great Bear
Steel!!! I'm so sorry queen I should have always doubted you. I gave her too much grace. Everyone was right, you are that bitch!
I...just.....what.... I knew it, but also how could you?
OH MY GOD!!! I can't even talk about it! (Unintelligible nosies) . Once again great ep! Look.... just.... I...wow
This has been exactly what I needed during a really difficult week. No matter how bad of a day I’m having, I can rest easy knowing that Suvi’s having a worse one!
This episode demanded that I focus completely on it and not multitask
Right?! I was just staring at the wall, never been more focused
We're closing in on what might have happened to cause that child's pose picture
That might’ve been the Nat 1s
I made the mistake of eating my dinner while listening to this... What I learned is that, unsurprisingly, it's really hard to eat while crying, and hard to cry while eating 😳
real
Hey Aabria, we're gonna need you to throw those dice away😌
We need to set up a fund to get Aabria new dice! I haven’t even listened to the ep yet!
It is 98 degrees, I have heat intolerance, and I got chills from this episode
LET MY GIRL SUVI HAVE ONE GOOD DAY PLEASEEEEE
My heart cannot take this
That second nat1 hurt my soul. The dice telling a very sad story
omgomgomgomgongomgomgomgomgomg 😱
I’m 30 minutes in and I’ve already yelled ‘NO!’ angrily out loud in my home 3 times in the best possible way, aaaaaaahhhhhh
I need therapy...
I gasped so loudly my mum yelled “what” from fully downstairs
I scared my dog 🥹
i love the exploration of wizardry in these last few episodes a lot. The description of it being a love letter to the world is exactlt how i feel about math and science and it is so easy to forget that feeling sometimes
This story is STUNNING. I simply need to know what happens next!!!
hey man what the hell
i second this
My God. I feel like I'm gonna need therapy after the final episode.
The amount of times I had to pause to stand up and walk around is honestly hilarious Also the vindication I'm feeling is unreal and I'm so psyched for the next book in however many years it takes to get a Book 2
I am so glad I did not listen to this at work because the *screams* I let out..
VINDICATIOOOOOOON! Also, goddamn this episode was a wild ride. And a great reminder that a cop is always, first and foremost, a cop.
ACAB includes wizards
Steel is the BBEG you can’t prove to me otherwise every time we learn new stuff about her she makes the man in black seem even more right
Honestly the best Villains or Antagonists /are/ right. But the Man in Black and Steel feels like Godzilla and King Ghidorah squaring up. Just because they are opposed to one another does not mean either of them are on /your/ side.
Oh no, Steel is the big bad 🤯
She’s Suvi’s big bad. I think the Man in Black is Eursalon’s big bad and Indri is Ame’s.
extremely lou voice: come on, man
I think I speak for everyone here when I say what the fuck!
bro.
This is my favourite story, holy fuck what an episode
I’m screaming
That cliffhanger was the cruelest thing y'all have ever done to us
YESSS!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MEEEE NEW EPISODEEEE 🎂
BRENNAN. WHY. 😭😭😭
I didn't *use to be* someone who screamed in public listening to podcasts. But goddamn am I one now. Those nat 1s. Sworn. The ending. The Stars of the Southern Sky. THE. ENDING.
THE ENDING?!?!?!?!?!
Was this the final episode of book 1?? Please tell me it wasn't I am not ready this can't be happening!!
I think there is one more
My heart… Sworn’s fate is sadder than Silver’s IMO
I agree! 😭 I just want Sworn to be okay but that does not seem like it’s in the cards at all
ohhhhh myyy goooood
Hey, the Queen of Swords could only be 1 person, so I saw the writing that was gonna happen. But how the fuck does chapter 4 end in 2 weeks?
Called it five months ago! https://www.reddit.com/r/WorldsBeyondNumber/comments/1j8kbf4/steel_and_witches/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button "While I can understand the explanation that Steel wants to be present for the management of the breaking of the curse, the lack of inquiry into the curse itself is suspicious to me, as is the depth of inquiry into Wren’s passing and the items brought to Wren’s cottage from the Citadel by Suvi." & "Knowing what we now know about seemingly innocuous items brought to the domains of witches by wizards of the Citadel, it seems possible to me that the Eioghorain anatomical scroll and the Stars of the Southern Sky book (whose gifting to Wren has never been explained by Steel) may be similar artifacts intended for spying upon or otherwise manipulating the witch to whom they were given." Only part of the way through the episode, but I'm now very curious to see if the rest of my theory re: Steel and the witches bears out.
I need to speak with Suvi’s dice cause fuck you with those 2 nat 1’s! I needed Sworn to be safe (and sexy) for all time
OH. MY.GOD. WHAT AN EPISODE!!!!!!!
the king of cups 🤝 the queen of swords
.... gahd damnit. And the Wand... just need the knight of Pentacles.
Yo, that's a fucked up ending
I truly think being drunk should give your who ever advantage on charisma checks!
I’m inclined to agree, but I can see an argument for disadvantage, too. Drunks can be wiley 😵💫
That fucking cliffhanger! Not even the mercy of an outro! Two weeks... two more weeks....
Me waiting for Ciril to finish “goodbye fox, goodbye room, goodbye hallway… goodbye moon”. Ehhhhhhhhh???
Same 😂 the amount of times I read that book to my kiddo when they were younger…I was having flashbacks
I have not started. I read the title and wailed. Oh no
Anyone else waiting until the last episode to be able to listen to them together?
Saying “don’t look up spoilers” makes me want spoilers EVEN MORE
Suvi's whole convo with Sworn hurt SO BAD 😭💔
I know. It killed me inside. I'm listening at work and just audibly went "oh fuck... no..."
I have more than an hour left and I am out of breath already
I want to listen to this right now but I’m not ready for the emotional torment I’ll feel because of this. I’ve got work to do! 😫😭
You've made the right choice!
If you’ve had your heart broken by Aabria’s dice rolls, YOU may be entitled to legal compensation! Call 1-800-NAT1 today!
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
That Nat 1 persuasion HURT
OH MY GOD
I am begging for Silver's letter
Reunite this party!
"Don't ever let me forget this: who to kiss, and who to kill." Taylor's crazy for this one.
I'm at jury duty & can't listen—perhaps this is the real crime
THE DESCription
The descRIPtion....
AIGH
Oh god, they put up a spoiler thingy. This is gonna be intense
Yeah, that was what had my hackles up. "Avoid spoilers for this episode" WHAT WAS I DOING BEFORE???
Too nervous to start... Too anxious not too... I am not ready for book 1 to end🥹
I got the notification, and Spotify wouldn’t update, I was feral!!!!
I guess it takes a minute to load to Spotify
It's not showing up on Spotify
Never mind, just finally did just now
Refreshing- trying not to scream at my job
BRING ITTTT
I’m scared 😃
💜♥️💚
The title literally made me scream out loud at work 😱
Let's go
Let’s gooooo!!!
TO SKY! TO BROOM! TO BREATH!
LETS FREAKIN GOOOO
I’m gonna shit my balls dude
OMGGGG IM SO EXCITED AND SO TERRIFIED
First - eagerly refreshing pocketcasts!