[00:00:15] Speaker A: Hello, and welcome to interrogation, where guidance will find you when you need it. I am your guide today, Dusty. I use they pronouns, and today I'm joined by just a lovely person in general. Eli, why don't you go ahead and introduce yourself?
[00:00:30] Speaker B: Hi, I am Eli. I use he any pronouns. I am a TTRPG performer and private game player as well.
[00:00:40] Speaker A: Yeah, I'm very excited for this conversation today, for this chat, funny enough. So I know we may have talked about it in a group server, but we are going to be using the fable maker cards today.
This is actually the first reading for it, so it's gonna be very fun.
[00:00:59] Speaker B: Nice.
Yeah.
[00:01:03] Speaker A: Why don't you tell us a little bit about who we're gonna be talking to today. We're gonna be doing the reading for.
[00:01:10] Speaker B: Yeah. So Glynmir, who uses he they pronouns, is a water ganasi, who has always been sort of fascinated by magic, but until more recently, has never really had the apt for it.
He was sort of topped his classes in, like, grade school and ended up going to a really fancy, magical college where a lot of the other students were very, like, naturally talented or wizards who knew how to study just right to get their stuff good. But Glynn was able to tell you the ins and outs of all the spellwork and tell you everything about any type of spell, but just unable to cast it themselves until they found a. A connection, we'll say, with a archfey.
This Archfey basically granted Glynn some power in exchange for servitude.
Not nae like, it was a pretty chill relationship, honestly. The archfaith was very much just trying to relax at all times and was just like, here are some spell slots.
Glenn was like, okay, cool, I got two. I can do something with these two spell slots.
Essentially, the situation that Glenn is in now, he's been on this journey of trying to become one of the, basically this world's version of gods, and the God most more closely associated with magic.
On this journey, he's found a lot of friends. He has developed their relationship with their patron a little bit more to the point that they're dating now, and their patron is no longer their patron, but the person in charge of the realm that he protects as he has switched from warlock to a druid.
The situation that he's in right now, however, is interesting to say the least.
Our party is in a evacuated, for the most part, school that has been overrun with this entity thing called corruption that has basically taken every aspect of the school and twisted it and made it what most would call evil.
And we're here trying to figure out how to get rid of it, get some research from the professors that died here, all to figure out how to fix the problem, but also get one of Glenn's partners out of custody.
He has been arrested, and Glenn knows that he's nothing.
His name is Merkin. Sorry. Glenn knows that Merkin is not responsible for what he was arrested for.
And Glenn is doing everything possible to clear his name, but is sort of spiraling at the moment.
So, yeah, that's Glen right now. He is an anxious mess at all times.
[00:05:20] Speaker A: It does sound like they're kind of going through it at the moment.
I feel like there could be multiple answers for this. Was there something specific that they would be asking or looking for? If they're looking for a cardinal answer or happen upon one, they have any burning questions that are above the rest.
[00:05:41] Speaker B: Yeah, I think there's part of Glenn that's like, oh, we need to find the, like, the answer to this corruption stuff and all this other stuff. But I think the selfish part of Glynn is more worried about Merkin and getting him back safely.
Glynn currently does not trust the person who has imprisoned Merkin and also doesn't trust them to release merkin when they do what they said that they were going to do.
So I think Glynn is looking for some guidance as to sort of if he should keep his guard up, if he can trust his current situation or if there's something else that he needs to be looking out for.
[00:06:38] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Sounds like a lot. But, you know, the hearts wants what it wants. So amidst all this chaos, what for them do they know to be an infallible truth? That's something they could always lean back on for whatever happens?
[00:07:05] Speaker B: I think love is something for Glen that has always been stable, even in the times where he couldn't do magic and the times where he's struggled to help people safe. He knows that the love of his friends, the love of his family members, the love of his partners is always sort of there and that sort of, especially in times of. In the times of, like, trying to cast things and things not going well and magic turning its ugly head when it does, that's sort of the calming thought that he tries to turn to.
[00:07:51] Speaker A: Okay, okay. I love that. Love, love not to get. Live, laugh, learn here. Live, laugh. Love that. Whatever.
I think before we do the reading in that same vein, one last question is, is there any truths that they have that are a little wavering amidst everything happening?
[00:08:17] Speaker B: Yeah, I think Glynn came into this essentially competition thinking that he was the best and thinking that he was going to be the best for this position, essentially.
And lately, with things that have been revealed over time and just the ins and outs of the competition itself, there have been a few times, especially more recently, where Glenn is uncertain that he's on the right path and uncertain that the system that he's playing into is correct or just or doesn't have secret motives that might get people hurt.
So currently, that's sort of the thing in the back of his head that he keeps trying to ignore every time he comes up, but it keeps coming up.
[00:09:27] Speaker A: Well, I'm hoping our cards could boost some confidence and not the other way around, but we'll find out, right?
[00:09:35] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:09:36] Speaker A: Let's get into the reading. I think I'm just.
[00:09:41] Speaker C: Hello and welcome to, I guess a mid roll. Is that what we're calling it, a mid ish roll? There's a little bit more to the episode after this, but just want to drop in and say thank you for listening. Hope you all are enjoying the show so far.
I want to throw in some promos for people that I'll be working with. You didn't hear anything last episode about Capra. Prompt, capricious prominence, but you'll hear something from them right now.
[00:10:14] Speaker D: Rota Fortuna, the wheel of fortune, the wisdom of gods and kings, the falling.
[00:10:24] Speaker B: Of empires, the forces of nature, the reflections of the underworld, the angel of life, the harbinger of calamity, or better or for worse, in sickness and in health, will you accept your fate? Or did you ever have one?
[00:10:44] Speaker D: To begin with, the turning of tides, the changing of seasons, the rising and setting of the sun. The wheel turns evermore, and we cannot escape the inevitability of change.
[00:11:08] Speaker C: What a cool show, right? Do you understand why, a little bit more, why the wheel of fortune was so cool when it was pulled?
But please go check that show out.
Mahabharata's fantastic. That whole cast is incredible. So if you really want a good actual play, please go check them out. And also for us, you could check out this show interrogation, your social media platforms. So hear a little bit more about it at the end. But I will say we also have now a twitter and a blue sky.
Those are going to be our primary ones, but our show should be on most podcast platforms.
Apple may be a little finicky, but should be working soon, if not already, while you're listening to this. But yeah, I'll see you at the end of the episode. Bye.
[00:12:00] Speaker A: Okay, so why don't you, as Glenn, kind of set the scene of where they happen to be. Where do they find this cardinal Mansour? Or do they seek them out looking for guidance?
[00:12:17] Speaker B: Yeah, I think that the rest of the party is resting, and Glenn is sort of taking watch for a little bit.
It's been a really harrowing last few hours between fights and sort of running from different entities throughout the school. So everyone else was very quick to fall asleep. But Glenn volunteered for the first watch just because there was a lot on his mind still that he's trying to work through.
And in his watch, he's sort of pacing a little bit, like looking down hallways and around corners, making sure that nothing is sneaking up on them.
And in the direction of the transfiguration wing, he sees a small, little light coming from a doorway, taking the extra effort to make sure that nothing is coming from other corners and everyone seems all right.
And then allowing his familiar to sort of keep watch for the time being. Glynn very quietly walks down the hallway to see what's going on and enters a classroom.
And the light that they were seeing from the hallway is that of two candles that sit on the far desk. And sitting at that desk is a figure staring at Glynn almost expectantly with a deck of cards in front them.
[00:14:12] Speaker A: Yeah. And I think as you approach them, you start to notice that there may be a little febrile, little ethereal, maybe like that you're not always there, but they are looking directly at you. And as you approach, you actually have, like, a soft smile on their face. It's like, hi, dude.
Didn't think you'd actually come this way. Could I help you?
[00:14:42] Speaker B: Hello.
What exactly is it that you're doing? Just sort of relaxing in this classroom. It's been evacuated.
[00:14:54] Speaker A: I come and go when places are really empty. I tend to find them more comforting in this. This classroom.
It's cozy. I couldn't tell you why, but it's cozy.
And, you know, I.
When I get comfortable, I like to post stuff and just see if anyone wants to chat. And you're here, so I assume you want to chat, right?
[00:15:23] Speaker B: Chat about what?
[00:15:27] Speaker A: Um, whatever. I mean, if you want. I have, um, these cards here. I don't know if you've, um, heard of. I call them tarot reading. Kind of just get you, like, look into some questions.
Sometimes people want answers from not themselves, but actually, it really is themselves, but they don't know that it's themselves.
[00:15:57] Speaker B: You haven't happened to seal the tarot deck of many things from my friend back there, because I'm pretty sure she'll want it back by the time she's awake.
[00:16:04] Speaker A: No, no, no. These are. These are mine. And you look closer, they are actually a little femoral. Well, you see, the back of them are very intricately designed, and they seem to be moving kind of in a.
[00:16:19] Speaker B: Steady pattern that's definitely different.
Right. And I, like, sort of move to grab a chair and put it across from this person and sit down. Yeah.
[00:16:36] Speaker A: And this person kind of, like, sits up a little bit straight and is like, okay, excellent.
And when you're, like, looking at them in their face, they're trying to get details. It's really just, like, a hard. Because looks like their face is always shifting and being transparent. But you can see their eyes are like this, like, deep, dark brown eyes that if you look into them too long, you may get a little lost, but, like, not for the reasons you think.
Okay, well, this is just. I think you may be a little busy. So we're just gonna do a simple one, and they're gonna pull off three cards, put them down, shift their large back off to the side to make room.
So, when reading these kind of cards, there's a couple different ways that we do. Some people look at past, present, and future indicating a card while they do so. Or if you have, like, a burning question, I had to think of it like, this one is the biggest problem that you're facing. What's affecting it? The middle card is kind of a direct affliction to it, something that you are kind of already know that's affecting it, but it's bigger than you think. And then this last one. This last one, I like to look at it as something.
Something you haven't noticed yet, something unseen. That's really the underlying issue, and it kind of puts the rest of your issues into context.
Does that make sense?
[00:18:18] Speaker B: A bit, yes.
[00:18:20] Speaker A: Okay, well, do you have any burning questions, or do you maybe want to see what the cards just tell us?
[00:18:28] Speaker B: Glenn pauses for a bit.
I.
We're on this quest, get this research, and my boyfriend is trapped, and this is supposed to help us get him untrapped if the person keeps their word.
But I'm not sure who to trust in this town, so I don't. I'm not sure if I'm just being a bit wary of everyone or if there's an actual reason why I shouldn't trust them.
[00:19:13] Speaker A: Well, I can't necessarily provide you an answer, like, let me see what we do with these cards.
Let's see. They're going to go ahead and flip over to first one.
The first one is going to be the ace of wands.
Ace of wands. This one usually means that there's something about your confidence, your creativity, your courage that is kind of in question or stopping you from going forward.
Does that feel about right?
[00:19:51] Speaker B: Yeah, a bit scarily so, yeah.
[00:19:55] Speaker A: These cards have a mind of their own.
Yeah. It is in the upright position, so it does sound like you are aware of it, which is the start. You know, every journey begins with a step. I think I've read that somewhere.
Let's see what is affecting all of that, though. What's affecting your courage? They're going to go ahead and flip over the second cardinal, and it's a four of wands, but in reverse.
So this is interesting. So four of wands is usually about your freedom, your celebration, your excitement, something to be joyful about. But the units reverse, that usually means the inverse of it. So there's something.
Something stopping your freedom, something stopping all this excitement. That, in turn, is stopping your courage, creativity, your confidence.
Fun stuff. I guess.
[00:21:04] Speaker B: That also makes too much sense, considering everything in the situation that we're finding ourselves in.
All right.
I mean, what then? I guess if there's something blocking, well.
[00:21:38] Speaker A: They'Re just going to go over to flip the last cardinal. So it looks like the last one is actually the five of wands. All wands. Fascinating. Something magical in the air.
So it does look like something you haven't quite pulled together is the five of wands. Goes with competition, disagreement. Something hassled you, and that, in turn, is affecting all of us.
Freedom, your courage. I think that's. That's truly the core of the problems there.
[00:22:18] Speaker B: I mean, this is one large competition that my boyfriend and I are both vying for the same position for.
I didn't think it was a point of contention initially, but Glenn pauses for a minute, and there's a very, like.
His face goes from inquisitive to somber as he remembers and says out loud, the only way you get out is either dying the first time, which you come back from, or dying the second time, but you don't.
That's the only way this happens. And if both of us are committed to this, then maybe a prison isn't the worst fate after all.
[00:23:23] Speaker A: Perhaps. Perhaps I.
You know, I've just met you, so I can't exactly surmise what is or isn't right, but it does seem that in order to get all this back and to make your get your freedom back is to kind of sort out this. This competition, this disagreement. That could be. That could be many ways, you know, and one big competition, I don't really know it that well. I haven't been around here in a really long time, but, like, there could probably be multiple winners.
[00:24:09] Speaker B: Possibly.
[00:24:14] Speaker A: But if you find the common ground here, it does look like your story is all following these wands, all following some kind of magical presence that sorting it out will maybe get that magic in your favor after all, at least.
[00:24:38] Speaker B: So, um, and obviously, uh, talking to Merkin won't do well right now because he's in a prison that I have no access to, but this does.
I think that there's something that I can figure out while in the meantime.
[00:25:06] Speaker A: That's good. That's good. And you know what? And this create this person in front of you. This figure is going to pick up the four of wands and turn it upright, and they're going to hand this kind of ephemeral card to you. It's like, take this so you can have it upright.
[00:25:26] Speaker B: Glenn reaches out a hand and holds it and looks, like, very closely at the, like, imagery on the card as well.
[00:25:37] Speaker A: And as it holds you, it definitely feels like it becomes tangible. It almost feels like when you're grasping, you're trying to, like, grab on to, like, a spider web in the air, feeling like there's something barely there, but it's in your hand now, and it becomes a solid card, different from the rest, the visage almost changing to reflect what you've been thinking about.
[00:26:08] Speaker B: Um, thank you. Um, I definitely didn't expect to, um, come across you in an abandoned school, but I'm definitely grateful. Um, do I pay you for this? What?
[00:26:25] Speaker A: How.
[00:26:26] Speaker B: How does this work, exactly?
[00:26:27] Speaker A: Oh, no, you're fine. I just. No, I just do this because, hey, sometimes when you need guidance, it will find you, and, hey, I found you, so.
[00:26:38] Speaker B: Well, thank you. I greatly appreciate the guidance.
[00:26:44] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah. They're going to kind of, like, pick up the other cards, put them back into the deck, and as they put the cards down, they kind of squash the cards and kind of just kind of pop out of existence almost.
It's like, well, I don't want to keep you up too late. It's. I don't know what time is anymore, but it seems late quite a bit.
[00:27:06] Speaker B: Yes.
Once again, thank you for your council.
Safe travels, I guess you as well.
[00:27:16] Speaker A: And they're just gonna kind of do the thing where they lean back in the chair, and the chair does seem to be like, you know, when someone leans back and put their feet up, and it's only on the last two legs.
[00:27:33] Speaker B: Yeah. Glenn stands, and, like, as they're walking out of the room, is just, like, staring at the card, thinking about Merc and thinking about the competition, thinking about the rest of their party, and basically what this all means for everyone and everyone's relationships with other people in the trials and everything.
And I think for a moment during the reading, there was sorrow and sort of dread coming into Glynn's heart, sort of as they were trying to figure out the meanings of the cards.
But as Glynn is leaving the room, there is more of a determination and more of a, like, sort of, he has a plan now. He knows that there are things that he has to figure out, and that's not the end of the world. They just have to figure it out.
And, yeah. Glynn sort of returns to the little camp that they had set up. The squirrel that Glyn had summoned to keep watching his absence sort of instinctually runs up Glyn's shoulder and just, like, nuzzles its face into Glyn's cheek, and he continues his watch.
[00:29:04] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah. And when you return, that squirrel goes back. You see down the hall that, where the lights are flickering, it seems that the candle light has dissipated, and it's now just a dark hallway. I think that's where we'll leave Glen for now.
So, yeah, I.
How. How did you feel about that? That felt way on point.
[00:29:31] Speaker B: Yeah, it was very. As soon as I saw the first ones, I was like, wow, wouldn't it be crazy if all of these ruans. And then, of course.
So I think it was, like you said, definitely on theme for, like, what Lynn's current situation and Glenn's, like, sort of relationship to the world is right now.
And I think that, I don't know, it was like, it was one of those things of, like, Glenn in character and me out of character have been, like, having so many issues with, like, just figuring out what they're doing and, like, just being worried about, like, everything that's going to happen in the future and not really knowing what to do about it, but walking away with the, like, sort of resolve of, like, you can and you will figure this out is something that was really healing for the character, I think so, yeah.
[00:30:31] Speaker A: Do you think. Do you think they're gonna hold on to that four of wands?
[00:30:36] Speaker B: Oh, absolutely.
I think that's something that, I think they're gonna sort of use it as a token, honestly, of, like, just something to remember at all times, like, especially when they're coming up against these situations.
Yeah.
[00:31:00] Speaker A: Then I usually ask if, like, these. This reading would help or set any action, but with the kind of the narration you're doing at the end and what you've just been saying, it does seem that they now have more. A clearer point of focus. Right?
[00:31:14] Speaker B: Yeah, absolutely.
[00:31:17] Speaker A: This is so fun. I love this. This is so good. Yeah. It being all the wands, I was just like, maybe I should shuffle them more. But I actually like the direction, especially, like the, like four, then five right after each other. Kind of fit perfectly for everything, including, like, the five being directly competition as well, which seems like such a big part for this character.
Yeah. Do you have any other closing thoughts about the reading?
[00:31:52] Speaker B: Um, no, it was really good. I think. Especially what you're saying about competition. I think that's something that Glenn was like, sort of just like losing focus of in all the things that were happening was that, hey, you're actually in a competition and trying to get to a goal and sort of that's helping him reshape his focus, and I think that's going to be really helpful in the long run. So I think he's sort of.
I always make the joke of, like, I pick up my tarot decks and they beat the shit out of me and call me names.
But I think this reading was very, like, sort of helped bring clarity and focus to Glenn for his next steps forward.
[00:32:37] Speaker A: Beautiful. Yeah, you love to see it.
I think we are about done here, but before we leave, just give a reminder for where everyone could find you and your work. All that.
[00:32:49] Speaker B: Yeah, of course. So you can find me on all social media platforms where I exist at Reliable Elliot. That is Elliot with two L's and one t.
I am a teacher PG performer. Like I said, I am a super duper amateur writer, have written absolutely nothing. You won't find any published books or anything anywhere. But I write things for my own games, so I'm staying on that.
And, yeah, I'm also a panelist. You can most of the time catch me at Paxu every year in Philly doing a panel of some type. If you ever need a panelist who can talk about different things, like running games, playing games, being different identities in the CTRPG space, like black and queer and et cetera, et cetera, et cetera, you can always message me on Twitter or find another way to reach me, and I am always willing to talk about stuff. So, yeah, just reach out if you have any questions or want me involved in something beautiful.
[00:33:58] Speaker A: And, yeah, I have been your guide. Dusty, thanks for listening. We'll be back. And just remember, guidance will find you where you want it or nothing.
[00:34:11] Speaker C: Gobbuds and gaze presents interrogation if you like the show, please rate and review and share with a friend. You can find more tabletop shows at Goblins and gaze online. Our intro on outro theme was by Farris. You can find more of their work at eferrisgames itch IO. Other music in the show is from epidemic sound. You can find all those in the link in the description. You can also find this online on either interrogate that's int a r o t g a t e or interrogation. It's like the word interrogation, but tarot in the middle. We'll be on Twitter and bluesky. If you want to reach out to us, you can reach out to
[email protected]. all links for everything in the show could be found in the description.
