A recap of the story since Season One with Dax.
Join Dax as she walks through the high points of the story since Season One. This episode is great for newcomers who want to hop right into Season Seven, as well as those of you who have been with us the whole time. A lot has happened, you might need a refresher like we did.
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Transcript by Dax
Upbeat piano intro fades out [00:28]
Ambient classical music fades in [00:33]
Dax: Hello and welcome to Roads Uncharted, a podcast for nerds by nerds. As we prepare to shift the story, this will act as a recap of the campaign thus far. So, if you are brand new to our show this will act as an overview of everything that came before. And if you’re not, well then maybe this will be a good way to remind you of things you possibly have forgotten about!
We began our story following a trio of adventurers – an Elf horseman, a “Human”, and yes that’s in air quotes, with the ability to speak with ghosts, and a Construct without memories. They recently departed the City of Isha where they helped thwart an attempt to kidnap the Princess on her wedding day. Eight, Jokul and Rialla are travelling toward Kidohlva, a city to the north that houses a university and a massive library. They seek to rescue thousands of children that mysteriously went missing on the eve of a festival, and hope that Kidohlva will hold some answers.
One night at camp they are ambushed, but thankfully a warrior of a race that most thought were extinct, came to their rescue. Arthas, a Giant-Kin, decides to tag along on their journey so that he can learn what it means to be a Knight. After all, Kidohlva does house a lot of knowledge, correct? Over the subsequent months, the group encounters dangerous desert inhabitants, traverses through abandoned cities and nearly gets roped into a conspiracy involving a rising Thieves’ Guild.
When they enter the Wild Woods, they are taken captive by the Kinder-Kai after falling prey to the forest’s many illusions and tricks. It is here that the party decides to split permanently. Eight and Arthas continue onward toward Azarra, the next big city in their journey, while the other two decide to remain behind. Upon arriving at Azarra, Eight and Arthas run into a visitor from the western continent of Baukora. His name is Rou. They convince Rou to join them since he has arrived in search of knowledge also. Before continuing their journey, they find themselves unintentionally involved in a murder mystery. And they end up aiding a corrupt investigator in solving this mystery, which means that they are now in the ill graces of Azarra’s leader and must escape in the middle of the night if they’re to make it to Kidohlva alive.
They traverse underground tunnels filled with dangers, earn the respect of the Sciuren people and their queen, and help a Minotaur find his family while saving a mountain village from a pack of ice wolves. It is during this confrontation that the party learns Rou’s secret: he’s actually a werewolf and he’s here in search of ways to help his people. The party finally arrives at Kidohlva, and not only further their research into their various problems, but also learn how to play tabletop roleplaying games with a retired pirate and a librarian. They soon meet a Spellweaver named Venya, who shares a vision implicating their task to find the children may be much bigger than they might have imagined.
Although it wasn’t originally in his plans, Rou does decide to continue adventuring with Eight and Arthas, as they head south in search of a fabled wizard. The hope is that this wizard can give them answers regarding the magic that seems to be at the heart of this missing children conundrum. This leg of their journey finds the party saving a town from incessant drumming and they rescue a Jerboamin who has been captured by a poacher before Arthas is called away on a solo quest by the God of Luck. Rou and Eight assist a dog turned human find his master, explore portals into the Fae realms, join a retired adventurer on one final quest and even help a Minotaur reach the center of an underground labyrinth.
As they near the home of this fabled wizard, the pair learn of Arthas’s success in his quest, and help a member of the Scarlet Harmony relocate victims of an attack by the Cult of Tannyth. Their connection with the Scarlet Harmony allows them access to the wizard’s home, where they learn the location of the children. They must now head to Baukora and reach the Dread Wastes, a massive desert on the continent.
Liam, the wizard they’ve been searching for, offers to transport them magically over to Baukora so they don’t need to wait several months for the airships to run. Rou and Eight are sent off in search of ingredients, all over Eulela, which eventually leads them into another mission with the Scarlet Harmony. This time, a recon mission into the town of Rosewall. They are sent to spy on the Cult’s activities in the underground city, and they learn that the leader, known as The Dragon, is searching for them and wants Eight found at all costs. They also learn that the cult members are being mind-controlled, and might not be as evil as originally thought.
Arriving in Baukora, just outside a town called Sparrow’s Landing, the duo learn the town is plagued by a Banshee and has an enforced curfew. Having nowhere to go, they tag along with a daring Adar-Kai named Trix. Over their stay in the town, they solve the mystery of the Banshee and make quick enemies of the Mayor and his wife. Seems like a recurring problem with the party, don’t you think? Eight also has a run-in with someone related to their creator. A Dragon-Kin named Ozma, who has knowledge of not only their history but also the skill to enhance their weapons with runes.
Trix decides to tag along with Eight and Rou, especially now that the Mayor has it out for the party, and they head south to Duskhollow where a job involving the Sultan awaits. Along the way, Rou gets a visit from Lunahse, the Avatar of the Moon and a patron deity for werewolves. They find out a pendant Trix stole houses one of the legendary Seven Swords, and they also assist a stranger on the road who later is revealed to be the niece of the Sultan. The trio enjoy a party at the royal palace and agree to help the Sultan in a very personal matter. You see, they must make a deal with a local witch to get his shifting abilities back. For he has been cursed. Before they can accomplish this, however, Rou must make peace with an old friend turned enemy.
After a brief, bloody confrontation with Rou’s old friend, the party finds the witch and is able to convince her to help, though she leaves them with more questions than answers when she implies she knows who Trix’s family is. Providing the Sultan with the cure to his curse wins them a talking sword, which they learn also houses one of the legendary Seven Swords, as well as information on a nearby outpost that holds many of the Cult’s members. As they travel to the outpost, they receive a disturbing message from an ally in Kidohlva: the city is under attack by the Cult.
Realizing they can’t help Kidohlva immediately, the party presses onward. They save a young man running from a group of guards and learn he has escaped from the Cult’s clutches. He gives them a rough idea as to where in the Dread Wastes the children are being kept. But unfortunately, another confrontation with the guards later results in something unusual for Eight. Another personality, named Amara, comes to life and takes over Eight’s form. She fights alongside the party as they fight a dragon, infiltrate the outpost and eventually destroy it. It is during the infiltration they learn the old Emperor of the Adar-Kai Empire is in league with The Dragon and the Cult. They also learn Trix’s true identity: they are the grandchild of the old Emperor.
Amara is taken down during the confrontation, which allows Eight to return – YAY! – and the party takes along one of the Emperor’s servants, named Faerlin, in the hopes that he can get them into the hidden fortress in the desert. As they begin their trek into the deadly wastes, they are attacked by a group of mercenaries hired by the Mayor of Sparrow’s Landing. To their advantage however, one of them turns out to be Trix’s old companion and helps to remove the mercs from the equation. Regi, a Construct/Human hybrid, helps them survive a giant sand worm and giant scorpions before departing with one of Eight’s digits and one of Faerlin’s fingers as “proof” the party has been vanquished. And yes, proof is also in quotes.
Shortly after separating from Regi, the party has a run-in with a Gnome who needs to eat magic to survive. They assist him in breaking his curse, and discover the bracelet that had been its source holds yet another of the Seven Swords. The group makes their way into a secret backdoor passage, guided by Faerlin, though it’s not without its dangers. They nearly are trapped in an oubliette full of rotting flesh, almost die by the dragon guarding the gate, and have to infiltrate their way into the fortress without being seen. Unfortunately, they are unable to enter without notice and it isn’t long before they are defeated. The Dragon ends up sending in a series of doppelgangers to take them down, leaving Trix alive… assuming they agree to join the Emperor.
Trix agrees, and is treated like the royalty they are, and is given instruction on the Emperor’s expectations and plans. This includes being forced into taking a Blood Oath for unknown purposes. Well, forced is a little heavy-handed in that. Trix is offered a Blood Oath and takes it without questioning, which we’re still wondering about that line of thinking. Eight awakens in a dungeon and is tortured and forced to fight the Emperor’s minions in the enemy’s attempt to discern Eight’s magical secrets. Rou, unfortunately, truly died in the confrontation and is put in a situation where he has to argue with Death himself in order to return to the mortal plane. It is only by Lunahse’s interference and sacrifice, and Rou’s stubbornness, that Rou is given a second chance at life. This time, he will be Bahu’s Scion and will serve him above the Moon’s Avatar.
The trio eventually reconvene when Trix comes to Eight’s rescue in a fight and Rou returns to the material plane. They decide to split up and take the Emperor and the Cult down once and for all. Eight heads into the dungeons and finds an old friend, a Spellweaver named Cela, is a prisoner there. They also find that the children are guarded by a massive beast named Mongo. When Trix and Rou join them, the trio discover that the children were merely an illusion. Rou and Eight take Mongo and Cela and try to escape, while Trix stays behind thinking their reputation will save them. Well, they were wrong. They end up being locked up in a prison alongside someone named Talbain. Faerlin sneaks into the prison cell and helps Trix escape, taking Talbain when they realize he’s an old friend of Rou’s.
Faerlin leads them down a secret tunnel that eventually opens into a treasure vault where they find Eight and Rou already exploring the contents. Faerlin’s true purpose is revealed when they stab Trix in the back, and the party is forced to take him out. Talbain and Rou reunite, and the party is able to collect their gear before The Dragon throws himself into the fray. After a tough fight they defeat him, but something about the corpse is off. When Eight dispels some magic around the body the form shrivels up into a mummified version of the cult leader.
Suddenly, the ground splits and half the party nearly falls to their death into the lava below. Talbain, Eight and Rou are able to ensure that Trix makes it to safety, but their attempts to save Eight end in failure and the Construct is lost. A mysterious figure soon appears and thanks them for releasing him. Trix and Rou know nothing about this person or how he could have been freed or even from where, but something about him implies that they shouldn’t trust him. This person, named Umé, helps them escape the dungeon and returns them to the desert. Before disappearing into thin air, he offers them a boon in return for their help. Only Talbain takes the offer, deciding to follow Umé and leave a heartbroken Rou and Trix behind.
And with that, we’ll see where Season Seven and the story takes us.
Music fades out [13:07]