Transcribed by Chloe Hendry.
Rhi: Welcome, for the last time, to Ilrien. This is the final episode of our Court of Blades mini-series. Thank you so much for joining us on this story–we had a ton of fun recording it. If you’d like to embark on your own adventures in Ilrien, you can pick up Court of Blades at acoupleofdrakes.com. You can also hear more of Josie’s excellent character work as the GM of Love & Hellfire, and check out Paulmoi’s work as an RPG layout designer at her website paulomipratap.com. And of course, you can hear more of me as the GM of The City That Never Dies. If you really enjoy what we do here at Clever Corvids, consider supporting us on Patreon! Financial support is the only way we can produce our shows and create fun bonus series like this one.
Next, Kris of Love & Hellfire is going to tell us about this month’s featured charity.
Kris: Hi everyone, it’s Kris. I’m here to tell you about this month’s featured charity: Toronto Indigenous Harm Reduction. Look, the Canadian government has a monstrous relationship with the Indigenous peoples of this land. The government has killed, displaced, and disenfranchised First Nations, Metis, and Inuit people at every turn, and the country’s Covid-19 response was no exception.
Toronto Indigenous Harm Reduction was founded in 2020 in response to city-wide shut downs of frontline services and a general lack of resources for Indigenous unhoused people in the city. TIHR provides basic needs, access to critical health support and Covid-19 testing, harm reduction supplies, traditional medicines and food, arts, and ceremony to some of the most vulnerable among the city of Toronto’s population.
You can help support them, and learn more about their mission to reduce harm and spread awareness about Indigenous arts and culture by visiting torontoindigenoushr.com. Thanks y’all.
Rhi: As always, please continue to find ways to support, protect, and fight for your communities, especially the most marginalized and targeted. Volunteer, donate money, research and vote for good candidates in local elections, protest, call your elected officials, engage with mutual aid groups–there are so many ways to help and to take care of each other. Find the people doing the work in your area and see what you can do to support them.
Now then. Let’s get started, shall we?
## Story begins [00:02:38]
Drake: Okay, so, y’all are basically in a set up to where you’re providing additional security to Apollo Brizolatto on this momentous meeting where the Twist is going to be basically cut in half, half of it going to the Prince of Tatters and half of it going to Apollo Brizolatto. You know, and now Apollo knows, that the prince’s envoy is in effect – not in effect, in actuality – the Prince of Tatters. You’ve turned the magic off, is that what I was hearing last time?
Navi: Yeah, so I want to do a quick, easy flashback. I think it probably flows with the narrative that Inanna and I have a sort of an agreement, I think, that when Inanna gives a signal that’s when Lucy will floor in reverse and not just throw the magic on but, like, super amplify the magic and really beef it up. So, like, it’ll be nothing and then all of a sudden from like, you know, zero to a hundred and twenty.
Drake: Oh, so we’re gonna turbocharge? Okay.
Navi: So as soon as Inanna is, like, in position, like, gives the look like ‘I’m about to do some shit,’ that’s when Lucy’s gonna be like (snaps) and the magic’s back on.
Drake: Okay.
Josie: Okay.
Drake: I think that almost might be a ritual, right? Does that, like-
Navi: Mm hm.
Josie: Sure.
Drake: Does that strike? Okay. So rituals, we have a couple of questions that I have to ask. What did you need to acquire, as far as your reagents to make the flooring it ritual, like, supercharge at the drop of a hat?
Navi: So, I think-
Josie: Some of my Curse juice?
Navi: Ooh!
Drake: Curse juice.
Navi: Okay, to make that even creepier, the way that Lucy turns magic on and off without preparing each space individually is that she’s turned her entire body into a walking ritual space.
Drake: Right.
Navi: So when you don’t see her with all her costume on she’s like heavily tattooed and there’s just some strangeness that she kind of does off-screen that no one sees that kind of alters the arrangement, so she’s a walking ritual space. I think tha plan here was to- I was gonna use, like, my vulgar display of power here, like I usually do, but if Inanna wants to, like, give me special cray juice it’s not unreasonable that she didn’t take that and turn it into an ink and add to the ritual space, so the tattoo.
Josie: Oh, yeah!
Drake: Oh, so you’re Curse tattooed now?
Navi: Uh huh.
Josie: I think Inanna earlier had gone back to her crypt and just gotten a little vial of the stuff and is like ‘here.’
Drake: ‘Have my Curse juice.’
Josie: ‘Don’t waste it.’
Drake: That sounds like a 2 stress flashback, right?
Navi: Yeah, I’ll take 2 stress to be cursed.
Drake: Okay.
Navi: Curse tattooed.
Drake: Curse tattooed. Curse-tooed. Okay, cool. And what new belief or fear about the weave, about the arcane world, does this cement in you?
Navi: Okay, that one I think is actually an easy one because Lucy’s the weird Knack who doesn’t actually do a otn of the typical Knackery, and she’s got, like, a little fae companion. I think that the Curse juice- I think it possibly unintendedly expands her reach into other channels of magic that, like, are not her normal. So i think that-
Josie: Like death stuff, maybe?
Navi: Yeah!
Drake: Uh oh.
Navi: So I think there might be moments here there’s unintended consequences of her casting because she’s tapping into things that she has not mastered, that she’s not familiar with, and if it’s Curse stuff it’s probably still a lot of stuff that, like, even the Scholam can’t help her with directly, so if she goes back to her tutors and whatnot they’re, like, going through these old tomes looking for ways to help her.
Drake: ‘I don’t know, that’s old dread empire shit there.’
Rhi: ‘We’re sorry, you tattooed yourself with what?’
Drake: Exactly, exactly. So, with a 2 stress flashback you’ve got that.
Rhi: ‘We can’t help you, but you sure will be able to write a great paper some day, if you don’t die.’
Drake: ‘We’d like to offer you tenure, but no help, no, that’s not what we do. We can’t do that. But we can offer you tenure. You’ll always have a place here; in the experiment wing.’ Okay, well cool, that’s rad. So I think that, like, unless you guys have a more specific plan, you’re gonna kind of almost be like the flanks on Apollo Brizolatto’s, like, part of the honour guard. When, you know, the Prince of Tatters, like, makes his dramatic, like Aragorn- The beacons of minas tirith have been lit or whatever moment, because, like, clearly those attempts on his life did not take, because here he is.
Rhi: So, I think we’ve got- Do we wanna, you know, do we wanna do our choose our ground thing here?
Navi: Mm hm.
Josie: Yeah.
Rhi: When you prepare for battle you can pay influence for some stuff. Ground does not allow for ambush, you’re difficult to reach, you’re surrounded by friends.
Josie: Does not allow for ambush, I would say.
Rhi: Yeah, and I mean, surrounded by – air quotes – “friends”.
Drake: Yup.
Rhi: We have people who we’re temporarily on the same side.
Drake: Friends of convenience.
Rhi: Yeah. difficult to reach, that;s not gonna last because we’re all getting in each others-
Drake: You’re inviting them in.
Rhi: Faces. Yeah. but-
Drake: That’s like if you wanna make sure there’s a balcony you can be shooting off of or something.
Rhi: Mm hm.
Navi: But I’m down with spending 2 influence die to not be ambush-able and be surrounded by friends.
Drake: Okay.
Rhi: Yeah, we’ve got a lot of allies.
Drake: Name one of the gangs you used to run with, Alessa, that is here and would die for you.
Rhi: Oh boy!
Josie: Shit!
Rhi: Like a small gang that I’m still friendly with?
Drake: Yup, yup.
Rhi: Um, buh buh buh… They are going to be called the… the Midnight Thorns.
Drake: The Midnight Thorns. The perils of Bleak Street.
Rhi: Yeah.
Drake: Yeah. so the Midnight Thorns are here. I think that it’s, like, the roster has changed, but there’s one person in, like, the press that you still remember. But they’re looking a lot older than they used to, because that’s kind of how time works.
Rhi: Yep.
Drake: So, who is this person?
Josie: Sucks.
Drake: Yeah, little bit.
Rhi: Yeah, this is somebody that I think, like, this is somebody that both Wren and I used to hang out with. And his name is Pietro.
Drake: Pietro. Pietro’s great. So, Pietro and the Midnight Thorns are there. You can see that, like, the faces have changed. There’s more of them than you remember actually, it looks like they might actually be on the ascent.
Rhi: Yeah, yeah.
Drake: But Pietro is, like, is the same gregarious kind of alley basher that you knew from way back when. And as you’re kind of looking around, seeing who you might be able to trust in here, like, Pietro locks eyes with you and, like, gives you the biggest grin, like-
Rhi: Yeah.
Drake: Here’s Alessa, all grown up and looking mean and like, okay, now this is a real fight. That’s the look about him.
Rhi: Yeah, I think that Alessa will go over and we do the bro hug of, like, clasped hands and then-
Drake: Oh yeah.
Rhi: Other arm is, like, pat pat.
Drake: Bring it in, yeah, bring it in. Still alive, still alive.
Rhi: Yeah/
Drake: That’s great, okay, so we have friends. We know that we can’t be ambushed, lie, I think, you know, you got the rundown on all of the avenues of escape or egress to the Cherubum and you are assured that they’re either barred or guarded or, you know, in general you have one avenue to defend. That sound right?
Rhi: Yeah
Drake: Okay.
Rhi: I do have one other question.
Drake: I love questions.
Rhi: You said that when we came in Wren was serving drinks at the bar.
Drake: Correct, yes.
Rhi: Mm hm. Is that still the case when we come out?
Drake: Yeah, throughout the course of your time here so far Wren has been behind the bar and they’ve been distributing drinks, like, you know, just kind of to keep the morale up, right?
Rhi: Probably not gonna be able to get them alone at all?
Drake: Maybe. Like, you go over for a drink at some point?
Josie: Wait, so Wren is tending bar here at the casino?
Drake: Correct.
Josie: Interesting.
Rhi: Yep. ‘Cause, you know, the quadruple cross, or however many layers of deception there are, Wren is wrapped up in the middle of it.
Navi: Tell them to get out while we can. You don’t wanna be where you are doing what you’re doing.
Rhi: Yeah, that’s basically what Alessa’s going to make a desperate pitch for here.
Drake: Oh.
Rhi: Is, Alessa’s going to see if she can convince Wren to leave.
Drake: So, Wren, you know, locks eyes with you, and it’s a really good approximation of a smile that they give you.
Rhi: Yeah!
Drake: Like, it would be convincing if you did not know Wren. And they reach behind the bar and they pull out, you know, one of the little pint glasses and they lean over and is like:
Drake (as Wren): Last chance, kiddo.
Rhi (as Alessa): Ah, uh, no drinks while I’m working.
Drake (as Wren): Sure, just one for the road?
Rhi: Is there anybody around us right now?
Drake: I think yes, just nobody’s listening to you, does that make sense? Like, everybody who is around is either, like, checking gear, or knocking back one last drink; nobody’s really paying attention. Unless it’s your coterie.
Rhi: Okay, I- Mm, coterie I’m less worried about. Yeah, coterie feel free to eavesdrop as you like, because you’ve already done that. You have no regard for my privacy!
Navi: Oh, don’t even get me started.
Paulomi: Aurelia is just over here.
Drake: Can’t have any secrets from a mind reader.
Rhi: I think that Alessa is just going to, like, lean as far over the bar as possible without, like, drawing attention from anybody else and be like:
Rhi (as Alessa): He asked if there was anything that he didn’t know, and I didn’t tell him about you because I didn’t want to see him slit your throat and spill your blood all over the floor. Please go.
Drake (as Wren): So, it’s a new day, Alessa. They don’t do that on the front floor anymore. That’s all back room stuff, you wouldn’t have to see that. Why can’t you understand that I’m not doing this for me.
Rhi (as Alessa): I’m not doing this for me either.
Drake (as Wren): Let me get you one. We’ll toast. Old times. And then I’ll go.
Drake: They start drawing a pint. They set it on the counter between you. They push it towards your hand.
Drake (as Wren): Toast to my good health, Alessa.
Rhi: I know that part of the plan involved poisoning upstairs. I think Alessa will put a hand on the pint, and look Wren in the eyes and say:
Rhi (as Alessa): You promise you’ll go? Get somewhere safe, away from all this?
Drake: I think they reach the hand out and they pull it back towards themselves and they ift it.
Drake (as Wren): Alessa, I swear on this pint, you won’t see me again until you wanna see me.
Drake: And they take a sip and put it back in your hand.
Rhi: Alright, yep, I take a drink.
Drake: Okay. And Wren, you know, wraps the bar and they call over their shoulder.
Drake (as Wren): Antonio, I’m taking a fiver.
Drake: And Wren walks past – they don’t spare you a backwards glance – towards the front doors.
Navi: Oh no!
Paulomi: So, like, Wren’s walking away and there’s no way we’re letting them just walk out, right? Like, nobody’s buying their story, are they? I mean, I wasn’t there but like, I’m not, my me isn’t buying that-
Rhi: Alessa’s not going anywhere, Alessa stands by the bar with her drink. Not drinking anymore there, just standing there staring.
Drake: Unless you’d like to resist the consequences of them leaving.
Navi: Oh no! I can’t! But this is out of character knowledge, I know that they- I suspect that they’re up to no good, but my character’s not really involved, Lucy wasn’t really part of that! I’m just gonna have a moment!
Drake; Alright, so, that’s the lay of the land when the Prince of Tatters comes in.
Rhi: Yeah.
Drake: Are we good moving forward?
Josie: Mm hm.
Drake: Okay, groundwork is laid. So now the double doors to the Cherubum split down the middle, and walking in is a familiar face. They wear Corvetto red, they are wearing a mask of crows-
Rhi: No!
Drake: Jean Carlo.
Rhi: Jean Carlo!
Drake: Throws his hands out to either side.
Drake (as Jean Carlo): I believe I was expected.
Rhi: He’s our spymaster! He’s our bro!
Navi: He’s- He is! He’s our spymaster who was undercover in House Corvetto and now apparently is also the- I am so sad!
Rhi: I liked him! He gave me whiskey that one time!
Josie: I think Inanna actually grins wide at seeing who it is, but this is not a happy or kind grin, this is a ‘oh, I’m going to enjoy this’ grin.
Paulomi: This is an ‘ah, yes. We meet again.’
Drake: ‘The perpetual traitor has turned traitor. Am I surprised? Sad? Or just really vindicated now?’ Okay, so Jean Carlo, the Prince of Tatters, walks into the Cherubum where Brizolatto is basically circulating through the crowd. There’s a big chair that has been, kind of, brought out, something vaguely throne reminiscent, and then a smaller like card table chair that has been, you know, kind of set across the table for the Prince of Tatters, well, the envoy to sit down and entreat with Brizolatto to cement the final negotiations here. And, like, Brizolatto sits down and offers, you know, a drink, and of course Jean Carlo is like:
Drake (as Jean Carlo): No, no, I don’t think I’ll be drinking. I think we should both keep a clear head while we decide the fate of this city.
Drake: so, things are happening, but also like, there’s a hum in the air, there’s a buzz, like a feeling.
Josie: I have a flashback.
Drake: Okay! What are we flashing back to?
Josie: To the prophetic dream I’m marking off.
[everyone ‘ooh’s]
Drake: Tell me about your prophetic dream.
Josie: I think I saw this moment, isolated, it was just two faceless people at a table, but I saw what he’s about to do, and I didn’t have context for it at the time and I think I may have had suspicions that it was Wren instead and that’s why I went to talk to them, but now all the pieces are falling together.
Drake: Absolutely, you were wondering why that person broke into a bunch of feathers that spread throughout the room and began cutting people down, you thought maybe ‘Wren, feathers? Wren?’
Josie: Mm hm.
Drake: But now you’re not so sure because our traitor wears, you know, Corvetto crow feathers. So in this moment, like, as it all kind of clicks into place, something is about to happen that’s about to start killing people, right, like, that’s what you got, and it’s because of what’s about to happen next, so-
Josie: I’m going to immediately turn to Luciana and say:
Josie (as Inanna): Shut it down.
Navi: The opposite of shut it down, right? Shut down the shutting down.
Josie: Is it already shut down? Or-
Navi: Yeah, so, the magic is currently turned off, but as soon as Inanna turns around gives the word that, like, something terrible is about to happen, I think that it’s kind of- Inanna would feel it, most of the blunts in the room are probably still pretty happily oblivious, although I think this is actually super powered, super boosted, I think maybe everyone’s ears pop.
Drake: Oh yeah!
Navi: You know, it’s like a change in the actual amount of magic pressure in the room.
Drake: That explains the buzzing.
Josie: Well, we were kind of counting on that the dampening is gonna stop whatever he’s about to do.
Drake: Sure.
Navi: Mm hm.
Josie: So I think instead I shoot Luciana a glance and start moving into position to cut him down. And as soon as anything breaks out, that’s when we turn it back on so I can murdalize him.
Drake: That makes sense, that makes sense. So, as you are kind of crossing the space, Jean Carlo is laying out, like, the treaty. It’s all very official, it’s got seals and everything affixed. And Brizolatto’s looking down and looking over the stuff when you hear the hissing that is coming up from the area underneath you. Not through the floorboards necessarily, but almost through the place where the floorboards meet the walls.
Navi: Oh no.
Drake: Like, there’s filtering mist starting to creep in.
Navi: Chitter, you might have to go eat something.
Drake: Chitter?
Josie: And it is happening despite the dampening?
Drake: It is happening despite the demeaning, yes.
Josie: I think I just meet Luciana’s eyes and say:
Josie (as Inanna): Now.
Josie: As I rip my sword out and ignite it with void blade. And I think instead of just burning cold and steaming, there;s like heat shimmer around it now, but cold.
Drake: Oh no.
Josie: And I just wanna take off his head.
Drake: Okay. I think at this moment, like, you’ve got him fairly surprised, like, you’re still in a controlled position even though, you know, the mist is starting to creep in. I think that, you know, this is probably controlled and that with your push for void blade this will give you standard.
Josie: Okay, well, I’ve got 3 skirmish.
Navi: And everything’s amplified right now.
Josie: 3, 5. I got a 5.
Drake: So a 5 here? Yeah, the head comes clean off as you strike.
Navi: Woah!
Drake: But there’s no blood.
Josie: Can I say:
Josie (as Inanna): No mercy for traitors.
Rhi: What?
Navi: Dang!
Josie: Oh… wait.
Drake: But there’s no blood. And Brizolatto, like, looks at this corpse thing that’s full of dust and sand and then up at you, Inanna.
Drake (as Apollo): What the hell is going on?
Drake: And at this point, everybody cut out! Alessa, I need you- There are two things that are happening to you right now. One is you suddenly feel no pain. Like, all the mior hurts and problems with your, you know-
Rhi: Yeah, my–I still got those bruised ribs. Yeah. That.
Drake: Those don’t hurt right now. And also, there is a red filter that has dropped down over your eyes. Everyone in here is your enemy.
Rhi: Is there a chance I could resist this? Or is it just berserker time?
Drake: It’s berserker time, but maybe you can hold the effects off and let your coterie know that it’s about to turn into a bloodbath here.
Rhi: Okay.
Navi: Lucy is firmly kicking herself because she should have known- She should have seen it coming! Alchemy was his schtick, not magic! We ran into it in, like, just- So she is over there just self admonishing and, like, as everything is going to pot, she’s like:
Navi (as Lucy): I can’t believe- I cannot believe-
Navi: Like, outraged that she’s been outwitted at all. And she’s gonna call chitter:
Navi (as Lucy): Get under the floorboard. Find whatever’s doing this and make it stop.
Drake: So, Chitter’s – what’s the word? – supercharged right now, too.
Navi: Yeah.
Drake: Oh, that’s going to be fun! Hang on.
Rhi: Alright, let me roll to resist. What are we resisting this with?
Drake: Probably with body? This is an ingested thing.
Rhi: Okay, yeah, let me do that. Okay, got a 6!
Drake: Perfect. Yeah, so, we’re resisting the berserker rage, right?
Navi: Yay!
Rhi: Yeah.
Drake: So instead I’m gonna give you a minor thing; you’re not entirely in control, that’s gonna be a level 2 harm. Is that okay?
Rhi: yes, so what is- Okay, so I’ll be at minus 1 die on something, but what does that translate to?
Drake: I think body, I think this is altered, right, because you resisted with body.
Rhi: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Drake: So your body roll, like- Instead you’re just kind of high, like- So that being the case, like, as we’re seeing Lucy reach into the ether for her pet, what are you doing?
Rhi: I think Alessa, like, had been kind of- Like, had turned and was sort of, you know, leaning against the barm acting casual, watching this go down, and, like, very suddenly, like, staggers and, like, knocks over a bar stool, basically. And, like, had started to pull out, you know, my meteor hammer, and then-
Josie: I forgot you had that.
Rhi: Yeah, well, I mean, I picked up all of my weapons again on the way out of the office. And then, whoever is closest to me in terms of coterie – I’m gonna guess probably Aurelia, because it seemed like Inanna and Lucy were, kind of, paired up on one side, so I just sort of, like, stagger, knock over a bar stool, and look at Aurelia and is like:
Rhi (as Alessa): (slurring) Something- Something’s in the drinks. I- Something’s wrong.
Josie: As soon as Inanna sees her stumble she’s gonna start running back over.
Paulomi: I’m trying to figure out if I’ve had a drink or not. ‘Cause that’s going to change things.
Drake: That’s a good question. Do you wanna make a fortune roll?
Paulomi: Yeah, let’s do it!
Drake: Okay, go ahead and make a fortune roll. If it’s a success you have abstained because you wanted to be sharp, but if it’s a failure then yes, you’re gonna need to find something to do with this new berserker rage that you’ve acquired.
Paulomi: Oh boy!
Navi: Oh no! Upon seeing that Wren was the one pouring the drinks there’s no way that Lucy touched it.
Paulomi: Guys!
[everyone ‘ooh’s]
Paulomi: Can you un-crit?
Drake: It’s the anti crit. It’s the devil’s crit.
Paulomi: That’s a pair of 1s.
Drake: So not only have you had a drink, you’ve had a couple.
Paulomi: (distressed) Uh huh!
Drake: And by the time Alessa, like, comes over and says there’s something up with the drinks, I think your sword’s already out.
Paulomi: I feel like Alessa falls- Oh, I know exactly what this scene looks like. Like, we follow Alessa as she’s stumbling through this bar and, like, bumps into Aurelia’s shoulder, and then we kind of pull back to see Aurelia’s shoulder is fully rigid and in her hand, on the other side of her, her sword’s already out, and she just lunges forward screaming.
Drake: Oh no! Alright, well, we’re gonna deal with that in just a second. Tell me about Chitter. You, when you pull Chitter out, like, now that’s turbocharged, what has changed about Chitter?
Navi: Hell, who knows with Chitter? I think in this case maybe he’s looking a little, I don’t know, hulkish? Like, a little mutated? Just a little bit, like, a little buff.
Drake: Just kind of raged out?
Navi: Yeah.
Drake: Okay. I mean, he’s in good company at this point.
Navi: Everybody’s raging, it’s good.
Drake: So, you know, he pops out and, like, he’s got that creepy deep voice still, so when he pops out:
Drake (as Chitter): What is it, my master?
Navi: That’s so unsettling!
Drake: Just remember, it’s all teeth, right.
Navi: Yeah, he’s made of teeth, and then that voice comes out, oh my gosh!
Navi (as Lucy): Under the floorboards.
Drake (as Chitter): Oh, I know this smell.
Drake: And I think Chitter, like- Can Chitter, like, pass through material if he wants to, or does he have to find a way down there?
Navi: I think he plays by different laws than we do. I don’t think it’s necessarily that he phases through straight material, but that he can just kind of, like, open a plane and then appear on the next one. So he kind of like steps out of existence for a moment and pops back up where he wants to be.
Drake: Okay. My question is as he’s, like, wriggling down through the floorboards, what do you do when the hand, like, reaches out and touches your shoulder?
Navi: What hand?
Drake: Oh, it’s attached to Jean Carlo.
Navi: Oh! He’s getting an earful!
Navi (as Lucy): What is going on? You know I loved you!
Rhi: Is – sorry, question – is there anything above the neck on Jean Carlo?
Navi: Oh yeah, that’s important!
Drake: No, this is a Jean Carlo that’s still in possession of its head. This is Jean Carlo also in the Corvetto regalia and everything, seems like he slipped in as the bar starts going crazy.
Navi: So, this is a mistake that I think it’s in character, and in keeping, and I should mention that Lucy is not- Her first reaction is not to attack or out him or anything, because she does kind of have a, like, he’s part of the house, and I think in the past she’s had some connection with him, I mean, to be fair, it’s Lucy, so she has feelings for everyone who’s breathing. But I think that there’s a moment where she’s not correctly defending herself, where she’s kind of open, because she’s really mad at him on a personal level that he doing this.
Drake: So I think, you know, Jean Carlo here has his hand on your shoulder and you ask, you know, what he thinks he’s doing.
Navi: Mm hm.
Drake: And he’s like:
Drake (as Jean Carlo): I’m making change. Things have to change. That’s just the way of things. This, whatever this is-
Drake: He, you know, wags a finger around, take in the now growing melee of people who are now throwing down their drinks and beginning to riot.
Drake (as Jean Carlo): I don’t want this. There’s no Prince of tatters. This is a gambit, and we’re going to win it. I trust you, right? I mean, you trust me, right?
Navi: Manipulative son of a bitch!
Drake: I think you might believe him in this moment.
Navi: I do, and because I believe him so intensely I’m going to pry.
Drake: Are you going to pry?
Navi: Oh yeah!
Drake: That’s weird, ‘cause it’s like hitting a brick wall.
Navi: (gasps) What? He’s ensorceled!
Drake: And it’s superpowered now.
Navi: (gasps) Shit!
Drake: So yeah, I think you trust him.
Navi: Well, I trust him, but he’s still going against my better judgement in trying to murder my friends.
Drake: Do you want to resist trusting him?
Navi: Aah! No, I’m not going to resist trusting him, I don’t think that’s necessary. I think what I’m instead doing is telling him he needs to stop his before somebody gets hurt, like, I’m gonna point out, like, you know, my coterie’s on the floor, whether or not I believe in your cause, whether or not I trust you, whether or not I want change, I’m about to take the gloves off – you cannot hurt my friends.
Drake: At that point, Aurelia, what do you think, like, your signature move is?
Rhi: (whispered) Oh no.
Paulomi: I think it is a from the hip upwards swing with the blade, like, my wrist exposed sort of situation.
Drake: Okay, so, yeah, what is that, a through the fifth line, like, rising slash, right? So, that’s what’s coming at you, Alessa.
Josie: Is there a way I can interfere or help somehow?
Rhi: I kinda don’t- I kinda wanna just take this hit, I’m gonna be honest. For the drama.
Josie: I mean, if you want.
Drake: So, I can-
Rhi: Yeah, no, I like it.
Drake: You already told me ‘I can’t stand up to Aurelia, she’ll flatten me’, right?
Paulomi: Yeah.
Rhi: Mm hm. The unintentional foreshadowing is just too good.
Drake: I think right now- I think Aurelia is just putting harm on you, and I think it’s level 3 harm, like butterflied, right?
Rhi: Mm hm. I’m gonna say that I wore armour.
Drake: Okay. So, it’s level 2. So it’s level 2 and it’s like-
Rhi: Yeah. Slashed. But I’m in bad shape, I’ve got both my level 1s and my level 2s filled.
Navi: Oh no!
Rhi: So yeah, I just, like, Alessa is, you know, trying to fight off the effects of this drink and, like, trying to fend off Aurelia with the, you know, meteor hammer chain and just, it whiffs, completely misses, Aurelia is a way better fighter.
Drake: Yeah, and-
Rhi: And just takes the hit.
Drake: It’s not good. And Aurelia is enraged, like, is still coming after you I think, unless we can believe in the power of friendship here real quick.
Josie: I mean, what about the power of boot to the head?
Drake: Boot to the head is also pretty powerful, so what is Inanna doing in this moment?
Josie: I think- Or, no, it’s probably a punch. I think Inanna comes- She didn’t partake in any of the drink, but she is enraged because Aurelia just attacked Alessa in particular.
Drake: Mm hm.
Josie: So I’m trying to decide how vicious I wanna be here. I think it’s funnier if she just comes charging from the side and just absolutely decks Aurelia over the counter like ‘snap out of it!’
Paulomi: Just Regina George-s her.
Drake: Sure.
Josie: Yeah.
Drake: You don’t want to encourage her. Oh, that’s good. Alright, that sounds like you’re probably skirmishing here. Or are you wrecking?
Josie: I’m skirmishing.
Drake: Okay.
Josie: If I have the option it’s skirmishing.
Drake: That makes sense.
Josie: 6, 4, so critical.
Drake: Critical! Excellent. So, Aurelia, I think that you’re going to take level 3 harm, like, I think this is gonna be, like, concussed, or, like, blacking out.
Paulomi: Okay.
Josie: But does it at least snap her awake?
Drake: Uh, sure. I mean, it doesn’t snap her awake, but it definitely stops the problem. Unless of course you’d like to resist being concussed.
Paulomi: Yeah, a hundred percent, I would like to continue being up.
Drake: Okay, fair enough. Go ahead and probably resist that with body.
Paulomi: Yeah. no bonus die. 3, 3, and 5.
Drake: Go ahead and take a stress. Man, we are rolling resistances really well today. Which is probably good, right? Okay, so at this point, like, Jean Carlo has a hand on Luciana’s shoulder, he is saying:
Drake (as Jean Carlo): No, no, this is just the start of the change. What we’re going to do with a more tractable Brizolatto family after we’ve thinned the numbers a little bit is bring them under our sway, do you understand? We’re going to change the order of things. We’re going to rise. Know what you want? We’re going to rise.
Navi: Ho ho ho. Oh no. Okay, this hurts me, this hurts me deeply. So, Aurelia has just attacked Alessa, and Inanna comes with the sweet-ass uppercut, Aurelia’s laid out, like, they are going to murder each other over in that conrer.
Paulomi: I’m stagger, I’m not laid out.
Navi: Oh, good! But the scene unfolding is pretty violent, and everybody’s starting to- Everybody in the room, I assume, because it’s melee.
Drake: Oh yeah. It is. There’s a chair being broken over that dude’s face, over there, you know, they’re going at each other with broken bottles.
Rhi: Anybody who had a drink, which was pretty much everyone.
Drake: Yep.
Navi: Okay. Yeah, so this hurts me deeply because I think under normal circumstances she would have been completely swayed by Jean Carlo, but because her friends are in danger, my reaction is going to be very poor. I am going to channel an unhealthy amount of magic into Jean Carlo’s face.
Drake: Oh.
[everyone cheers]
Navi: We’re going to just, you know, call down the heavens real quick.
Drake: Sure.
Navi: So, the weave is wrent, I’m going to use my vulgar display of power, I have my fine arcane focus on me, and generally I’m just going to push myself and give me devil’s bargain again. I just want to obliterate the threat that is hurting my friends.
Drake: You want to evaporate-
Navi: I want to evaporate Jean Carlo.
Drake: Very well.
Navi: Because he- there is a deep fear inside of her that not only would she normally believe him, but he walked into this room a single man, like, sure, Wren was on his side, but they were the only one, it seems, and they were smart enough to, you know, get the hell out or not drink the drink or whatever. He walked in here a single man and was able to create this amount of chaos and he was able to get that kind of devotion from people. He’s extremely dangerous.
Drake: Oh yeah, sure. No question. Okay, the devil’s bargain here is that I am going to have Apollo Brizolatto making a break for the escape tunnel and he’s going to get in some trouble along the way.
Navi: I think that’s okay.
Drake: Okay.
Navi: I think that’s alright. So…
Rhi: That sounds like an Apollo problem.
Paulomi: That’s- Exactly!
Rhi: You’re on your own, bud!
PaulomiL You shouldn’t’ve ran! Shouldn’t’ve been chicken shit!
Drake: Well, I mean, have you looked? Suddenly his perfect plan isn’t looking so perfect anymore.
Navi: Am I risky, controlled, desperate, what am I?
Drake: I think that the situation here, like, just based on power level, like, you just slammed everything you had into prying and hit a brick wall, I think it’s desperate. I think blowing all of that stuff, your vulgar display of power, having read the weave for effect, and using your fine arcane focus gives you standard.
Navi: Oay, so standard effect and I push myself and get an extra die.
Drake: Okay. Here we go.
Navi: So he’s tough as nails, is what I’m hearing.
Drake: Uh huh.
Navi: Oh no!
[everyone ‘ooh’s]
Drake: Let me tell you-
Navi: How am I to resist the complications about to happen due to my magic?
Drake: There are two. So there are two complications here, you can resist either of them, right.
Navi: Okay.
Drake: Or both of them, if you’re feeling that way.
Navi: Yep.
Drake: So, the complication here is that it works, first of all, but there are two more of him. There’s one at Apollo Brizolatto’s escape tunnel, and there’s one that you’re seeing, like, grab Apollo as he makes a break for the escape tunnel, and then there’s another one who is popping up behind the bar right now. That’s one consequence, that there are two more Jean Carlo’s. The other consequence is that suddenly you think you’re on his side. Like, suddenly, I think, like, you realise that this is a masterstroke and that you should back the winning horse. You’re gonna take level 4 harm, turned.
Navi: Oh no! Well, I’m resisting the hell out of that!
Drake: Okay.
Navi: So, I’m going to use my special armour, just to knock that one off.
Drake: Okay.
Navi: And then-
Drake: But that’s not magical. You can, like-
Navi: Wait, how’s it not magical? You just mind-melted me!
Drake: This is social harm, I think that just because he is obviously masterul and in control here. I don’t think it’s a magical compulsion, I think this is him being probably the greatest player of the great game that you have ever seen. Unless you wanna resist it.
Navi: Yeah, no, I’ll resist it. Probably midn resit.
Drake: Yeah, that makes sense.
Navi: Probably too stressed to not-
Drake: Too stressed to not think that he is, like, masterful.
Navi: I can think that he’s masterful without being turned.
Drake: Yeah, exactly. So instead I think we’re going to give you- No, that resist the harm outright. I don’t think there’s a lesser version of turning your cloak, right?
Navi: Mm. I don’t have a choice if I saw another version of him pop up going after Apollo, saving Apollo was the entire point of the operation, I’m going to- No, see, I can’t, because it’s not in Lucy’s nature! Lucy doesn’t give a shit about anything except for saving her coterie. So I think I’ll yell to Inanna that Jean Carlo’s following after – because Inanna’s the only one that’s really not completely harmed at all, so in control of her faculties. I’m going to yell to Inanna that Jean Carlo’s going after Apollo.
Drake: Rad.
Josie: One moment!
Drake: Little busy! Alright, clock… Good. Okay, so you obliterate this other Jean Carlo. A bunch of, like, clockwork and sand and gears rain down from the heavens as two more appear, like a discount hydra.
Navi: Chitter, tell me you’re doing something!
Drake (as Chitter): One moment, boss.
Drake: So yeah, we need to tick that clock too.
Paulomi: So one of them just appeared, like, next to Aurelia, right?
Drake: Yeah.
Paulomi: I’m gonna smash.
Drake: You gonna smash?
Paulomi: Yeah.
Rhi: You have a valid target for your rage!
Paulomi: I do! It’s great! I’m assuming this will be a skirmish?
Drake: Yeah, I can see a skirmish. Or wreck, depending on whether or not we’re using, you know, talent or panache or we’re using just raw, naked aggression.
Paulomi: Ooh, definitely a wreck then.
Drake: Okay.
Paulomi: What’s my position?
Drake: I think right now you’re in probably a fairly desperate position, just because you’re in a general melee and I don’t know how much you know about Jean Carlo but he’s not a pushover.
Paulomi: Alright. Ooh!
Josie: But neither is Aurelia.
Drake: Nope.
Paulomi: A 1 and a 2, folks!
Josie: Great.
Navi: Oof.
[everyone ‘ooh’s]
Drake: So, as you are coming in for this wreck- What do you see this looking like? Are you just grabbing some stuff off the bar to swing at him, or do you still have your blade in your hand?
Paulomi: I still have my weapons in my hand, I just-
Drake: You’re just basically using, like, ice piks instead of weapons, right?
Paulomi: Am I?
Drake: I don’t know.
Paulomi: I can see a situation where: this is a bar, there’s a lot of violence happening around us, and it’s getting crowded.
Drake: It is.
Paulomi: A sword doesn’t make sense, when bodies are this crushed together.
Drake: That’s fair.
Paulomi: I think whatever blade Aurelia has in her hands she will drop, and then go for just the bare arm, bare handed, like, strangling of another human life.
Drake: Okay! So, I think, like, you get your hands on Jean Carlo, right, and like, there’s that smile, just that nowhere face breaking open into this, like, unforgettable smile, right, and you just wrap your hands around Jean Carlo’s nack and you start to squeeze. And somewhere far away you hear something smash, and then there’s like a flare of heat and the casino is on fire now, that’s one consequence. The other one is that this Jean Carlo is getting dagger up into, like, your sternum. You are going to be level 3 harm, gutted.
Paulomi: What happens if I have armour?
Drake: If you have armour I can turn that into level 2 harm, bruised.
Paulomi: What if I tick off two of my armour, can I do that?
Drake: Yeah, you can blow them both. I think that turns it into level 1, doesn’t it?
Paulomi: Yup.
Drake: What would that be?
Paulomi: Yeah, I’ll do that. I’ll take it.
Drake: Sounds good.
Paulomi: I came prepared, for once in my life.
Drake: Yeah, just burning through armour. So, yeah, the knife clatter off your- What is it, like a suit of mail, a breastplate, like?
Paulomi: I think it’s a breastplate.
Drake: Yup.
Paulomi: I think the breastplate is dinted.
Drake: I think it’s falling off at this point, like-
Paulomi: Yeah, like all of the buckles and stuff have been slashed and are basically useless. I think Aurelia basically just has to take a break to, like, shrug it off.
Drake: Like, in a rage you just kind of rip it off, right?
Paulomi: Yeah.
Drake: Like, ‘I don’t need this anymore, I just need to squeeze.’
Paulomi: ‘Get off me.’
Drake: So yeah, I think that, like, and Jean Carlo’s just smiling. Why is he just smiling at you? Even though he’s, like, trying to stab you to death, and still smiling. So that’s what’s happening over there as the flames start kissing around the edges of the pool of oil that has started to spread through the centre of the casino. Apollo is over there taking clock. What do we want to do? Who’s in motion?
[everyone ‘uuh’s]
Josie: I think Inanna wants to help Alessa up, because Alessa needs help, right?
Rhi: Yeah, I’m- No, no, I’m down at level 2 harm, I’m not at level 3.
Josie: Okay.
Rhi: Yeah, I think if Inanna is helping Alessa up, she is going to be like:
Rhi (as Alessa): (flustered) I’m fine, I’m fine! Go get Apollo!
Rhi: And I think she is going to basically try to get, basically help Aurelia deal with what is around Aurelia so she can just drag Aurelia out of the whole engaged in combat on fire situation.
Drake: Sure.
Rhi: because basically it’s like ‘okay, we’re just gonna go after- We’re gonna follow Apollo out through his escape tunnel.’
Drake: Yep, that makes sense.
Rhi: ‘This situation is proper fucked. We’re leaving. Ideally with Brizolatto, but we’re going.’ So Alessa is going to try very hard to get in there and help Aurelia.
Drake: Okay, that makes sense. So at this point, like, how are you helping Aurelia? It is just trying to get her back to herself, are you trying to just kind of clear the way for her, what does this look like?
Rhi: Hmm. I feel like the scene in my head is Aurelia is basically straddling this guy on the ground and they are cat fighting.
Drake: Yeah, that was in my brain as well.
Rhi: Yeah, I think… So at this point, ALessa has seen, like, two of these things be revealed to be basically clockwork. So I think I’m just gonna come in and try to smash the head with the spiky meteor ball end of my weapon.
Drake: So are you wrecking as well?
Rhi: To see if that. Mm hm.
Drake: Okay, makes sense. So I think that in this moment it is risky because you’re throwing yourself into a cat fight, but I don;t think that you’re in a position to not get what you want here. I think you’re risky greater.
Rhi: Okay, I’m gonna push myself because I’m at minus 1 die. Does Aurelia have a stress to spare to give me an assist?
Paulomi: Oh yeah!
Rhi: You wanna take a point of stress to give me a-
Paulomi: I got, I got all the stress space in the world, homie.
Rhi: Great.
Drake: As long as you have more than 1.
Rhi: Alright, so, risky greater, I’ve got- Here we go, okay.
Drake: So-
Rhi: That’s a 4.
Drake: Good news. With a 4 you get what you want, because of great effect, right. You smash the Jean Carlo effigy, it ceases its flopping. It reveals itself to be just another effigy. At this point, like, the bar is pretty well in flames, but you guys can see ways clear, right. And at this point, right, you see Pietro go down. Like Pietro gets hit from behind, gets borne down onto the floor and like, it is a full melee. But right now Aurelia’s safe, so.
Rhi: Yeah, I’m gonna hold out my hand to Aurelia and be like:
Rhi (as Alessa): We have to go!
Paulomi: Quick question, how does this poison work? Am I still freaking out?
Drake: I dunno. I think that this might be something that we can either use as a resist in reverse or, you know, how do you think we can get rid of this?
Paulomi: That’s a good question. Yeah, I mean-
Rhi: I’m willing to burn my lucky break on this.
Drake: Are you?
Rhi: Yeah.
Navi: A resist makes sense to me- When you say resist in reverse does that, like-
Drake: That means it’s been going on for a while, we’re just gonna resist it now.
Navi: Okay.
Drake: Because this is a thing that’s been ongoing. But if Alessa wants to burn a lucky break I can let that stand in the way of a resist.
Navi: I don’t think this is the thing for the lucky break to be used on.
Drake: That’s fair.
Navi: Because the way I’m logic-ing through this is if something is going to be this strong, I feel like it burns out pretty quickly. You only need the chaos for a few seconds.
Drake: Yeah, with body then.
Paulomi: Yeah, because at a certain point the fight becomes self-sustaining. Yeah! You clear a stress!
Drake: Alright! Once again, action rolls we’re okay at, but resistance rolls just all day! Okay, so, Aurelia, like, the clouds start to clear, you’re starting to come back to yourself. You look around, other people are looking like they feel pretty stupid too. A lot of folks are moving towards the exits. Like, Apollo just vanished behind that corner. Like, that’s the last thing that happened. Inanna is in pursuit though, right?
Josie: Yeah, I think Inanna’s eyes are wide for a minute, like she really doesn’t want to leave Alessa here, but she kinda needs to listen to Alessa in particular so she’ll take off in pursuit.
Drake: Okay. sounds good. So, as you’re pursuing, like, tell me, can you tell me, like, one part of this casino that is difficult to navigate as you’re making your way through this bar fight, basically.
Josie: Well, I imagine, like, servant passages, right?
Drake: Yeah. Definitely.
Josie: ‘Cause they wanna cram as much gambling as possible into a space, so like, people bringing out food and drinks and stuff, it’s got servant passages around corners and stuff. So it’s really narrow and you kinda gotta sidle through them a lot of the time.
Drake: You do. And for somebody of your stature that’s gotta be even harder, right?
Josie: Mm hm.
Drake: It was not built with, like, ancient war titans in mind.
Josie: But then again, Apollo is getting dragged by another person.
Drake: Sure is, exactly. And as you are following, it’s clear, like, you can sell the canals, you can smell the brine of the bay that Ilrien is built on, and, like, you also get this weird feeling, similar feeling to things that you remember back from the old times, right? There is a different kind of, like, magic here that is at play. It’s something that, like, has a particular smell. What does it smell like?
Josie: I think it smells like must form slightly rotten grain, right. I’m just thinking about, like, the straw in these things, it’s like you open a decrepit barn or stumbled on a farm that was burned a while ago or something.
Drake: That’s it.
Josie: Yeah.
Drake: That’s it, absolutely. Yeah! So, as you’re kind of making your way down you smell this smell, this kind of wrong, rotten, alchemical smell as you are kind of making your way back down to where the Cherubum opens up onto, like, a dock on the canal. And this is where Apollo is being dragged by what looks like Jean Carlo, but now that you’ve got the smell on your nose you’re not entirely sure.
Navi: Uh oh.
Josie: Well, fake or no, I just gotta cut it down.
Drake: Okay.
Josie: So that’s what I’m gonna do! I have increased affect from void blade.
Drake: You do.
Josie: And is my sword still supercharged?
Drake: Yeah, I think you’re still within the realm of possibility for a supercharged sword.
Josie: Okay, so what does that do?
Drake: Right now I think you are at a risky greater.
Jsoie: Okay. Yeah, I’m just going to skirmish to cut up this automaton thing.
Drake: Sure.
Josie: 4.
Drake: 4? So I have good news.
Josie: Uh huh.
Drake: This one bleeds.
Josie: Oh, good!
Drake: But I have bad news.
Josie: Uh huh.
Drake: ‘Cause this one says:
Drake (as not-Jean Carlo): No wait! I’m-
Drake: Before you take it’s head off.
Josie: Oh. but it still looked like Jean Carlo.
Drake: It sure did.
Josie: So I think she, like, blinks and is clearly agitated that he just won’t fucking fight me, and is Apollo awake.
Drake: Yeah, Apollo is awake and, you know, is like:
Drake (as Apollo): Wow, that was a close one there.
Josie (as Inanna): Yes.
Drake (as Apollo): I appreciate the assist.
Josie (as Inanna): It’s what I was ordered to do. That wasn’t one of yours, was it?
Drake (as Apollo): What, that one? No, no.
Josie: She, kind of, kicks at the severed head and sees, like, if the moustache comes off or something.
Drake: No, nope, no moustache. No moustache comes off. The mask is still in place and everything, like, the overall mean is correct, it’s just that last moment really kind of was weird.
Navi: Oh no!
Josie: Yeah, I’m gonna take the mask off.
Drake: The mask doesn’t come off.
Josie: Oh.
Navi: Oh.
Josie: Huh.
Drake: Like- Let me explain. The mask, as you kind of pull on it, it’s almost like the face was, like, grown. Like the mask grew from the face.
Josie: What?
Drake: As one unit, yeah.
Josie: Is this an art that I’m familiar with from the old days?
Drake: So, I think you are aware that some, you know, servants of the Dread Emperor were able to change thor face, but you’d never really come in contact with anybody who had done that. This is something weird and strange and does not put you at ease. But Apollo’s looking at you right now like:
Drake (as Apollo): Is there any way we’re going to be able to save this place, like, we gotta get out of here, right?
Josie (as Inanna): Yes. But this is the way this thing was taking you. We are going to grab my companions and leave by another means. At least another boat. I take it you have a secret escape, yes?
Drake (as Apollo): I do, yeah.
Drake: And I think he leads you through a detailed, like, ‘yeah, my escape plan is-’ Because he’s getting the indication that you don’t believe that he is who he says he is, so he’s trying to, like, ‘no no, I am Apollo Brizolatto and this is my escape plan, and-’ You know, he’s kind of doing you through that.
Josie: Yeah.
Drake: Like, I’m feeling it coming off of you.
Rhi: I feel like the rest of us probably come pounding down the escape tunnel at this point to catch up.
Drake: Yeah, that sounds about right. Lucy, Chitter has gone down and has, like, eaten the mage mist, the stuff that is supposed to, like, turn knackery against people.
Navi: Uh huh.
Drake: That you manage to get ahead of anyway. And I think that as everybody sort of comes together, Chitter is kind of scampering in your wake, but, like, he just keeps getting weirder, because at this point, like, he’s got almost like hedgehog quills that are pking out,a dn he’s like dripping that kind of caustic kind of green stuff and he’s like:
Drake (as Chitter): This just gets better all the time, boss.
Navi (as Lucy): We’ll deal with that later.
Drake: But, yeah, Apollo Brizolatto, you guys can get him out of danger. The Cherubum and a lot of the people who came to that fateful meeting did not make it through the night, but Apollo did, and so too did the contract that he was in the midst of signing, signing half the Twist over to the Prince of Tatters.
Rhi: I’m just imagining a shot of, like, that contract burning up.
Drake: Only somebody grabs it from the flame before it burns completely. So, that ends our errand. As we’re kind of pulling back away from the fire, like, a panel dissolves into shots of our coterie being, you know, congratulated for containing what would have been an awful transfer of power.
Navi: I feel like that could have gone better. I think Lucy’s doing one of those after game briefs where she’s like ‘here’s where we could have improved, team.’
Drake: Right.
Navi: ‘That was a mess.’
Drake: So next time all this happens, like, it was tricky, for sure. I think that, like, there’s probably some questions raised, there are some notes that are given, but overall, like, Apollo Brizolatto starts being, like, a real help in the midst of all of, like, Battalia’s manoeuvrings over the city as they start to rise among the esultare. It’s very strange, you don’t see much of Jean Carlo anymore, obviously, but, like, everything seems to be coming up Battalia recently. Are you concerned about that?
[everyone laughs nervously]
Drake: But a problem with a tractable Brizolatto can be left for, well, maybe at least next season.
Navi: Dun dun dun!
Drake: That’s kind of the problem with a city of intrigue.
Josie: Yeah.
Drake: It never stops.
Paulomi: It never stops intriguing.
## Outro [01:01:13]
Thanks for listening to our Court of Blades mini-series. Check out our other shows on clevercorvids.net and follow us on Twitter @clever_corvids.
Court of Blades was GM’d by Shawn Drake. Follow him on twitter @drakeanddice.
Alessa Cavalcante was played by Rhi, who also edited and produced the show. Follow her on Twitter @Rhiannon42, and check out her accessibility work at rpgskillcheck.net.
Aurelia Fiorelli di Battalia was played by Paulomi Pratap. She’s the art director of Descent into Midnight, and you can see more of her work on her website paulomipratap.com and follow her on Twitter @paulomisp.
Inanna was played by Josie. Follow her on Twitter @DragonGirlJosie, and check out her art portfolio at josie-art.com.
Luciana Fiorelli was played by Navi Drake. Follow her on Twitter @navimusing.
The opening and closing credits music is Epilogue, by Dee Yan-Key, and is used under a Creative Commons License. Court of Blades is a Forged in the Dark game and is the creation of A Couple of Drakes. More information about the game can be found on their website acoupleofdrakes.com.