Our heroes are losing their grip.
Transcript is below the cut!
Transcript provided by Ria Couoh.
**************
INTRO:
(00:01) PREVIOUSLY ON…
TESSA
Previously on Inn Between…
Inn Between theme plays in the background.
CASTOR
I can still do magic, even though my warlock patron is dead.
KNOWLES
What?
ZARA
Somehow, we only just realized that we’re all twins.
KNOWLES
What?
ROSIE
Is it… snowing? In the summertime?
KNOWLES
(higher-pitched)
What?
Skeletons hissing.
TODE
Oh no, didn’t expect to have to fight those!
KNOWLES
(defeated)
What? Oh…
Inn Between theme fades.
(01:01) THE CONTROL:
Background sounds of people talking in a tavern.
Chairs scraping against the floor.
KNOWLES
(brokenly)
This is killing me. I am dying.
ROSIE
Come on, Knowles! Nobody was even injured this time!
KNOWLES
Not for lack of trying!
CASTOR
I said I was sorry! I was just trying to help!
KNOWLES
How is it that you’ve been a warlock for years and still don’t really know how to use magic?
CASTOR
(indignant)
Uh, I have been a theoretical warlock! With a patron whose patronage I would describe as “openly hostile!” Even casting magic when I was doing it regularly used to… take something out of me, like… pulling something out of my guts. It was awful!
ZARA
Wait, it’s not like that now?
CASTOR
No, not at all! I think that’s why that spell was so much bigger than I meant it to be. It was much easier to cast than I expected.
TODE
I don’t quite understand why you’re so upset, Knowles.
KNOWLES
Oh! You want to know why I’m upset? Tell me where we are.
TODE
Some forest hills? Moving inland and north toward the Claggherns?
KNOWLES
(with fake cheer)
That’s right! And what should we be on the lookout for in these hills?
CASTOR
Uh…
ROSIE
Goblins?
KNOWLES
Correct! Goblins! But did we fight goblins?
ZARA
No, we fought skeletons. What’s your point?
KNOWLES
(pointedly and with emphasis)
Why were there skeletons?
(increasingly higher-pitched and anxious)
There wasn’t even a mine or a graveyard in the vicinity! It was broad daylight! There have been no sightings of skeletons within the boundary of the kingdom for almost a year since the Bone King was killed!
TODE
(dubious)
So, you’re upset because it was incredibly unlikely?
KNOWLES
(annoyed, tired groan)
ROSIE
We’ll… take that as a yes.
ZARA
It’s not like they were hard to take out! Castor could have done it by himself!
CASTOR
(touched)
You really think so?
ZARA
Would you like to ask that to the singe marks on my cloak?
ROSIE
See, personally, I like that. I think it’s a look!
CASTOR
(dejected)
Sorry.
ZARA
Doesn’t matter. Knowles, what can we expect next? We’re almost to the mountains.
KNOWLES
I don’t know!
A pause.
ROSIE
Come on, Knowles. We can… handle it.
KNOWLES
I’m not trying to spare you from the terrible truth! I’m saying…
(seriously)
I don’t know what we can expect next.
ZARA
What are you talking about? You always have an answer for this!
KNOWLES
Oh, I used to! Back when things happened the way they were supposed to, and the odds worked! But they don’t anymore, so your guess is as good as mine.
CASTOR
I don’t think that’s true at all.
TODE
Surely you have some idea of the dangers of the area.
KNOWLES
I can make all the predictions I want! They’re just going to be wrong! And we all have to live with that now!
A pause.
ROSIE
(gently)
Hey, Knowles? Are… you okay?
KNOWLES
Oh, thank you so much asking.
No!
ZARA
Our weird odds are messing you up that much?
Footsteps approaching.
KNOWLES
(sarcastically)
And I thought I was hiding it so well!
Footsteps stop.
SADIYAH
Hello again, everyone.
TODE
Hello, Sadiyah!
ROSIE
Hello!
SADIYAH
If my estimations are right, the eight of us have traveled about… thirty miles today! Very impressive.
TODE
(good-humored)
Especially for those of us with short legs!
CASTOR
Eight of us?
SADIYAH
You five, myself, Tessa and the Inn, of course!
TODE
Of course!
SADIYAH
Though we three had a much easier time of things. Did I hear something about skeletons?
KNOWLES
(broken, anxious laugh)
ROSIE
No trouble, really.
SADIYAH
For a few strong heroes like yourselves? Of course not! Now, who’s hungry? I’ve already got plates prepared and everything!
ROSIE
Lolth bless you.
TODE
(overlapping)
That would be most lovely, yes.
ZARA
(overlapping)
Yes.
CASTOR
(overlapping)
Mhm.
SADIYAH
Of course. I could use a hand bringing them over.
KNOWLES
Please, allow me.
(self-deprecating)
I have to find some way to be useful.
SADIYAH
Well, if you insist.
Two pairs of footsteps leaving.
ROSIE
Okay, so… we need to deal with that.
ZARA
Why? They’ll get done throwing their little fit eventually.
ROSIE
I don’t think they’re “throwing a fit!” They’re really upset!
CASTOR
I think you’re right but… what are we supposed to do about it? We can’t fix our luck.
TODE
Would we even want to? Our fortunes have been better on the whole since we defeated the demon.
ZARA
Yeah, and for how long? If Knowles can’t predict how good our luck’s been, then they’re not going to be able to predict when that’ll end either.
CASTOR
I thought you said they were just throwing a fit.
ZARA
They are. Now they know how the rest of us feel, just at the mercy of whatever life wants to throw at us.
ROSIE
(disbelieving)
Wow, bitter much?
ZARA
(biting)
What do you think?
TODE
Hm, it must be truly difficult for them to have lost the thing that they’re surest of in this world.
CASTOR
(dryly)
Hah. Yeah.
A small pause.
ZARA
Can I ask you a question?
CASTOR
Me? Uh… sure.
ZARA
You said that when the demon was your patron, magic felt like it was… taking something out of you.
CASTOR
Oh! Yeah, it was… terrible. Even when I was just doing it for research, it felt like… donating organs.
ZARA
Then how does it feel now?
CASTOR
Uhm…
(sigh)
Good question. I… haven’t really thought about it.
ZARA
Easier, you said.
CASTOR
Yes, that for sure.
ROSIE
Uh, here. Go ahead and cast something and tell us how you feel.
CASTOR
Okay, uhm…
Short and sharp whooshes, as if by water, followed by prolonged electric crackling.
CASTOR
Whoa!
ROSIE
Castor!
ZARA
(firmly)
Castor, breathe.
CASTOR
(deep exhale and inhale)
The electricity dispels.
CASTOR
Sorry.
ZARA
Cast it again.
CASTOR
What?
ZARA
Don’t just… chuck it out from yourself like you’re throwing a rock. Release it like it’s a bird in your hand.
A steady whoosh of flame. It remains burning.
ZARA
Now, close your fists.
The fire dispels.
CASTOR
(quietly)
Whoa.
ZARA
How’s it feel?
CASTOR
Like… life, like serendipity. Uh… that doesn’t… make a lot of sense.
ZARA
(plainly)
Makes sense to me.
ROSIE
How did you… know to do that, Zara?
ZARA
Our sources might be different –who knows what yours is now – but magic is magic.
CASTOR
Is that how you control your sorcery? I know wild magic must not be anything like I’m used to.
ZARA
It is and it isn’t. Whatever you’ve got going on… wants to be directed. It’s almost… joyful? Like it’s having fun.
CASTOR
Wild magic isn’t like that?
ZARA
Wild magic’s like nature.
TODE
Indifferent.
ZARA
And not to be underestimated.
ROSIE
So… you’d say control is important to you.
ZARA
(annoyed)
I think that much would be obvious?
ROSIE
So, if you were, for example, to lose control of the one thing in this world you were sure of… that’d mess with you pretty bad, right?
A pause.
TODE
(delighted giggle)
ZARA
(annoyed groan)
KNOWLES
(far away)
This actually smells amazing.
Two sets of footsteps drawing near.
SADIYAH
It’s the funniest thing: I found a patch of wild ginger. Doesn’t really grow around here, you know?
KNOWLES
(flatly)
Wow, what are the odds?
Footsteps stop.
Several soft thuds as plates are set down against wooden table.
Chair scoots across the floor.
KNOWLES
Thanks, Sadiyah.
ROSIE
(sing-song)
Thank you!
SADIYAH
Always a pleasure, adventurers.
Footsteps fading away.
Cutlery and plates clink as the crew eats.
ROSIE
So… Knowles, you were talking about how we should expect some goblins, right?
KNOWLES
(through a mouthful)
Who knows? Not me!
CASTOR
Why don’t you tell just us what should happen if our luck was normal?
KNOWLES
(clears throat)
Literally, what is the use? I’m practically no good to us at this point!
TODE
(through a mouthful)
You are a very good fighter still.
KNOWLES
I’m a better gambler than I am a fighter! Half the reason I’m good at what I do is knowing what to expect!
ZARA
That’s stupid nonsense!
Cutlery sounds stop.
KNOWLES
(indignant)
Excuse me?
ZARA
Gambling didn’t teach you how to use a sword! Odds don’t teach you tactics. Our “dumb luck” doesn’t act like the voice of reason when we need one.
(with a vicious chuckle)
Or maybe it does! Because you haven’t been reasonable at all since the demon!
KNOWLES
I think I have a pretty good excuse!
ZARA
No, you don’t! You’re just scared!
KNOWLES
(outraged)
I am not scared!
ZARA
Of course you are!
That’s what happens when you lose control! Suddenly there’s a little bit of this world that you can’t predict, and you can’t stand that, can you?
(biting)
So, you’re going to act like you can’t do anything anymore, because quitting is better than failing!
A small pause.
ZARA
(softer)
Except it’s not, Knowles. Things may be weird for us right now, but we still need you. Don’t quit on us now.
KNOWLES
(quietly, shakily)
I’m… But… I’m…
ZARA
(steady)
Are you here to look after us? Or not?
Long, awkward pause.
Clinks of cutlery resume.
ROSIE
Okay, this is like… so good though.
CASTOR
I was about to say the same thing!
TODE
The wild ginger really brings it all together.
A pause.
KNOWLES
(subdued)
I’m sorry. Zara is right, I’m just… afraid. I feel like I’ve… lost my map or something.
ROSIE
You still know way more than we do about tactics and stuff.
KNOWLES
I guess that’s true.
TODE
(warmly)
And working as a team!
CASTOR
Even in unexpected circumstances.
ZARA
We’ll need to talk about how our tactics are going to change now that Castor’s openly using magic.
CASTOR
Yeah, where should I stand? I want to help.
KNOWLES
(still unsteady)
Uh…it…
(sigh)
It all really… depends? On what you can do and the amount of control you actually have.
CASTOR
Well, I think Zara’s going to help me with that.
ZARA
I guess. If you want.
KNOWLES
Uh… I want. That’s a good idea.
(beat)
It’s not going to be the same. I can’t be sure of things like I was.
(sincerely)
I want to be dependable for this crew.
ROSIE
You’re always dependable.
TODE
No one can know the future. Not even with normal odds.
KNOWLES
(chuckles)
That’s true, I guess. I’d gotten used to being so sure of myself.
ZARA
You’re still Knowles.
KNOWLES
I’d better start acting sensible like them again, shouldn’t I?
(a beat)
(through a mouthful)
Oh, gods. This is delicious.
ROSIE
Sadiyah must be a great cook.
KNOWLES
Oh, no. She made it a point to say she’s not. She just found the ginger.
TODE
(fading out)
That’s a bit strange. It doesn’t really grow around here.
Background sounds of tavern fade away.
OUTRO:
(12:44) NEXT TIME…
Inn Between theme plays in the background.
TESSA
Next time, on Inn Between…
ROSIE
If so many people are going after the Gem, we’re going to have to up our game.
KNOWLES
We have to get there first, outrun all of them.
TODE
All of them?
(13:03) CREDITS:
HANNAH
This episode, “The Control,” was written and directed by Hannah Wright with assistant director William Wright. The show is produced and edited by Katherine Ayers.
The voice of Castor is Caleb Del Rio. The voice of Zara is Quin Leigh. The voice of Tode is Anthony Morales. The voice of Rosie is Lucille Valentine. The voice of Knowles is JV Hampton-VanSant. The voice of Sadiyah is Arrianna Abraham.
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, recite the Serenity Prayer in the middle of a pitched battle with a classical soundtrack. 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.
(14:10) POST-CREDITS:
Background sounds of tavern.
SADIYAH
Now, is it true that an Innkeeper who uses a lot of spices is trying to cover up the taste of spoiled meat?
TESSA
Oh, that load of nonsense! No! An innkeeper who uses a lot of spices enjoys food with a lot of spices!
(beat)
Covering up the occasional off taste is just a bonus!
Audio background sounds of tavern fade away.
EPISODE ENDS.