Our heroes find what they’re looking for.
Transcript is below the cut!
Transcript provided by Ria Couoh.
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(00:00) INTRO:
(00:00): PREVIOUSLY ON…
TESSA
Previously on Inn Between…
ROSIE
Here’s how you handle a dungeon.
Inn Between theme plays in the background.
Crinkling and cracking of something breaking of.
TODE
(echoing)
(alarmed)
What was that?
ROSIE
You always look around corners before rushing in.
The deep growls of a monster.
KNOWLES
(echoing)
(horrified)
Oh, my gods! Why does it have so many teeth?
ROSIE
You always check for traps.
Metallic thud against rock.
CASTOR
(echoing)
(yells)
ROSIE
And you never make enough noise to cause a cave-in!
A loud, metallic bang. It echoes.
ROSIE
(echoing)
What did I literally just say?
ZARA
(echoing)
I’m sorry, okay?
Low, cavernous hum.
TODE
(echoing)
Look! There it is!
KNOWLES
(echoing)
(awed)
The Gem of Fortune.
Inn Between theme fades.
(01:03) THE GEM.
A gentle, low hum. It continues throughout.
TESSA
You all are lucky I was still awake. Anyone need anything?
ROSIE
No, thanks, Miss Tessa.
Is it okay if we stay down here a little longer?
TESSA
I suppose that’s fine, as long as I’m still up.
You lot are usually a little more prompt than this. What’s kept you out so late?
CASTOR
We were… Uh…
KNOWLES
Running an errand for Sadiyah!
TESSA
Sadiyah? Then she didn’t tell you?
ZARA
(clipped)
Tell us what?
TESSA
Well, I was feeling much better, and… I wasn’t having any trouble moving around anymore, and… she was thinking it was about time for her to be moving on!
KNOWLES
She’s not here?
TESSA
No, I’m afraid not.
KNOWLES
Huh.
Well, doesn’t that just figure.
CASTOR
(uncertainly)
I guess she trusts us…?
TESSA
Will there be anything else?
KNOWLES
I hope not.
TODE
Sorry to trouble you.
TESSA
No trouble. I’ll be cleaning behind the bar if you need me.
Footsteps fading away.
Pause.
Gem clinks softly as it’s set down.
ROSIE
It’s so much prettier than I expected…
ZARA
Gems tend to be.
ROSIE
No! I mean…
Well, look at it! You see what I mean, right?
ZARA
(softly)
Yeah.
CASTOR
(slowly)
What do you think it can do?
ZARA
(warningly)
Castor.
CASTOR
I just mean…!
All magical items function differently, and one that drastically alters probability has got to be a sight to see.
Right?
ZARA
Maybe, maybe not.
KNOWLES
You mean… using it might not… look like anything?
Slap!
KNOWLES
Hey!
TODE
I do not think you should touch it.
KNOWLES
(slightly annoyed)
Ultimately, it’s just a rock, right?
A very… shiny rock.
TODE
(seriously)
No! There’s nothing natural about that thing!
ROSIE
You… You have a feeling?
TODE
If all the good of nature has a feeling, this is the opposite.
ZARA
It is supposed to subvert fate.
KNOWLES
How do you think it works, Castor?
CASTOR
Oh, Zara would know more than me!
ZARA
If I knew, I wouldn’t tell you. I can see that look in your eye!
KNOWLES
What look?
ZARA
(high pitched, mocking)
“But maybe we can use it for good!”
KNOWLES
Wow, am I that predictable?
ZARA
It wasn’t exactly long odds.
ROSIE
I mean, if anyone was going to manage to use the most dangerous magical object I’ve ever heard of for a good purpose, it’d be Knowles!
Especially since it’s all about probabilities and luck.
ZARA
(incredulous)
Do you hear yourselves?
A pause.
TODE
How do we destroy it?
ZARA
Do you think smashing it would work?
ROSIE
(panicked)
Well, hang on! This is all going pretty fast…
CASTOR
Yeah, there’s no real rush, right?
TODE
If Sadiyah left because she trusted us to destroy the Gem, then we’re proving her trust unfounded.
CASTOR
Well…
If we used it… We wouldn’t be using it like Yvar used it…
(quietly)
Would we?
KNOWLES
No!
(laughing)
No, of course not!
Nobody’s trying to change their fates here.
ROSIE
(softly)
What are we trying to do?
ZARA
Nothing?
ROSIE
(fumbling)
Hypothetically speaking, of course.
ZARA
(flatly)
Oh my gods…
KNOWLES
I can’t help but think about…
ZARA
About what?
What could you possibly be considering that would justify using this thing?
KNOWLES
(sadly)
My… sibling. Bailey.
(picking up confidence as they go)
There’s so much injustice in the world that’s just down to… random chance… Accidents. So much that can be fixed by…
(with dawning realization)
Nudging the odds.
ZARA
You sound like that story the priest told.
(pointedly)
You sound like Yvar.
A pause.
KNOWLES
So?
Front door creaks open.
KNOWLES
(hushed)
Cover the gem.
ROSIE
On it.
Several sets of footsteps approach.
MAX
(breathless)
Innkeep! Do you have ice?
TODE
(alarmed)
Cybilene?
TESSA
(distant)
Oh! Gracious, yes.
Chair scoots.
TODE
Is she alright?
KILLIKER
(grunts)
(strained)
Badly concussed, we think…
CYBILENE
(softly)
Tode?
TODE
I’m here.
(rushed)
Uh, can you try to eat these berries?
ROSIE
(worriedly)
You two are hurt too!
KILLIKER
Oh, we’re alright…
(deep, wet cough)
CASTOR
Gods!
We—we have leftover healing potions. Here.
KILLIKER
(grunts)
Much obliged.
Chairs scoot.
Glass clinks. Soft pop as a cork opens.
KNOWLES
What happened to you? The caverns…
ROSIE
(cutting them off)
We heard the caverns weren’t so bad.
MAX
A tunnel… collapsed on us on the way out.
TESSA
Here’s that ice! Poor dear.
CYBILENE
Thank you.
TESSA
Let me put on some tea.
Footsteps fade away.
Door creaks open and closed.
KILLIKER
The worst part is… the Gem wasn’t even there… All that… trouble for nothing.
CASTOR
(uncertainly)
O-oh. That’s um.
ROSIE
(sympathetic)
That’s just awful! I hate it when a heist doesn’t work out!
MAX
Knowles…
(beat)
Is that a new scratch?
KNOWLES
(forced nonchalance)
This? No.
MAX
I’m pretty sure you didn’t have it this morning.
KNOWLES
It’s a… papercut. It’s nothing.
MAX
On your face?
CYBILENE
What is this?
Soft clink.
TODE
No! Don’t—! Don’t touch it!
MAX
(darkly)
What’s under the hankie?
ROSIE
Nothing!
KILLIKER
Here.
Rustle of cloth.
ROSIE
Killiker, wait—
Pause.
MAX
(outraged)
You have it? You’re the reason—!
ROSIE
Come on, Max! Let’s be professional about this, okay?
KNOWLES
(evenly)
We got there first. Fair and square.
MAX
How?
(accusatory)
You were still here when we left this morning!
KNOWLES
We’re just that good.
CASTOR
(disbelieving)
Did you really expect to beat us underground? A party with a drow and a dwarf?
KILLIKER
(gasp)
Your shortcuts.
MAX
We saw your shortcuts.
KNOWLES
I knew it! I knew you stole our map!
ROSIE
(smug)
Good thing we didn’t mark down all our shortcuts.
KILLIKER
(amused)
Hm… We shouldn’t have underestimated you.
MAX
Fear not, fair Killiker. There’s still time to get our prize.
KNOWLES
(laughs)
Oh, I would love to see you try.
ROSIE
Wait a second!
TODE
I don’t think we should be fighting over this!
ROSIE
Hey! Watch those fingers, Killiker.
KILLIKER
You can’t fault me for trying.
ZARA
You know what? I think we can.
CASTOR
We aren’t even going to keep it!
MAX
What? What, were you going to sell it?
(loudly)
Are you out of your minds?
ZARA
Personally, I think we’re the sane ones here!
(seriously)
You can’t use it, Max.
MAX
The hell I can’t!
ZARA
You will ruin your life! Everyone’s lives!
MAX
I can do whatever I want!
KNOWLES
Keep talking, please, I’m loving this.
MAX
(urgently)
Killiker! Cyb—! Are you hearing this?
Loud metallic clang as sword is drawn.
MAX
(darkly)
They don’t deserve it.
Magical whoosh. Fire roars.
ZARA
Don’t you draw on my friends.
Shorter metallic sound. Another sword is drawn.
KILLIKER
Let’s not get ugly, Zara.
KNOWLES
(chuckles)
Nice sword. Love a rapier.
Longer metallic clang. Another sword.
KNOWLES
Here’s mine.
ROSIE
Then it’s a brawl!
CASTOR
(panicking)
Uh… Are—are there rules?
MAX
You’ll catch on quick.
KNOWLES
(laughs)
Oh!
(daring)
Bring it on.
A loud magical whoosh. The gem shatters into multiple pieces.
The low hum disappears.
ZARA
(panting)
(strained)
There!
TODE
(relieved, softly)
Well done.
MAX
You… You…!
KILLIKER
(with dawning horror)
W—what was I hearing? What was that sound?
ZARA
(no longer breathless)
Pretty sure it was some kind of thrall.
KILLIKER
Gods…
MAX
(irate)
I ought to stab you here and now!
ZARA
You want to try?
CYBILENE
Max!
MAX
They took everything, Cyb!
CYBILENE
Not everything.
(pained gasp)
Let it go. It’s over.
Silence.
Footsteps storming off.
KILLIKER
(softly)
Max.
(urgent yelling)
M-Max!
Door creaks open and closed.
Pause.
TODE
(takes in a breath)
(uncertain)
You look a bit better.
CYBILENE
(warmly)
Hm, the berries helped.
TODE
(brightly)
Hm! Berries help.
Door creaks open and closed.
TESSA
Tea is on. Here you are, dear. That should help.
Soft clinking as cups are set down.
CYBILENE
Thank you, Tessa.
KNOWLES
(confused)
You only brought six.
TESSA
Hm. Funny coincidence.
Ah, do call if you need anything else, won’t you?
Door creaks open and closed.
ROSIE
Hey, Zara?
ZARA
Yeah?
ROSIE
(teasing)
You called us your friends.
ZARA
What of it?
ROSIE
(cheerfully)
Oh, nothing, nothing!
A pause.
KNOWLES
Zara…?
ZARA
What?
KNOWLES
Thank you. And… I’m sorry.
ZARA
It wasn’t your fault. I’m pretty sure most of us were under the influence of…
KNOWLES
Even if that’s true…
I should have known better.
ZARA
(amused)
Maybe so.
CASTOR
(softly)
You… saved us, you know?
ZARA
Seriously, four on two? You would’ve won.
CASTOR
(chuckles)
Not that. You saved us from ourselves, Zara.
ZARA
(sigh)
Whatever.
TODE
Our valiant hero, Zara.
CYBILINE
Our saving grace!
ZARA
What do I have to do to get you to stop?
KNOWLES
No, seriously. You –and Tode— willed yourself out of a thrall that… had a hold on six other people!
CYBILENE
(laughing a little)
I’m not sure I count, under the circumstances.
TODE
You all couldn’t hear? It was saying… “Use me, use me.” Over and over again.
CASTOR
(shocked disbelief)
Wait, you translated the thrall as words?
CYBILENE
You can do that?
ZARA
What did its voice sound like?
TODE
Mm… hard to describe.
(nonchalant)
It doesn’t sound too different from the voice of the Inn.
ROSIE
What?
KNOWLES
You hear the Inn?
Audio fades away.
(11:35) OUTRO:
(11:36) NEXT TIME ON…
Inn Between theme plays in the background.
TESSA
Next time, on Inn Between…
The season finale.
(11:42) CREDITS:
HANNAH
This episode, “The Gem”, was written and directed by Hannah Wright with assistant director William Wright. The show is produced and edited by Katherine Ayers.
Castor is Caleb Del Rio. Zara is Quin Leigh. Tode is Anthony Morales. Rosie is Lucille Valentine and Knowles is JV Hampton-VanSant.
Cybiline is Kira Apple. Max is Malcolm Jay and Killiker is Sam B. Nguyen.
Our theme song is by Eli Hamada McIlveen and our artwork is by Gabrielle Buxman. Our transcriber is Ria Couoh.
Transcripts for this and every episode can be found on our website, thegoblinshead.com.
Find and follow us on Twitter, @inn_between_. Or support us on Patreon, at patreon.com/thegoblinshead.
If you like the show, build your psionic powers to withstand a thrall that would trick six other people! Or leave us a review.
Thanks for listening!
Music ends.
HANNAH
This story was created in the traditional territory of the Arapaho, Cheyenne, and Ute peoples, and edited in the unceded territory of the Salish, Kootenai, and Kalispel peoples.
AD BREAK.
POST-CREDITS:
TESSA
Well, I always thought I could pick up on some specifics but… You say it has a proper voice?
TODE
Mm, it does!
TESSA
Does it have anything to say right now?
TODE
It says…
Prolonged wood creak.
TODE
It would like you to know that one of the shutters in the kitchen is about to fall off.
Oh, and that it loves you!
TESSA
(touched)
Oh, that’s… that’s very nice. Can you make sure it knows that I love it too?
Wood creaks.
TODE
(warmly)
It knows.
EPISODE ENDS.