Encounter Party: And Then There Were Five
August 7, 2024 3:21 PM - Season 1, Episode 22 - Subscribe
The party ends up back at the beginning.
In this heartbreaking season finale, the battle with Almori grows deadly as he turns the raging lightning storm against the party. As players drop one-by-one, were they fools in thinking only two would die?
In this heartbreaking season finale, the battle with Almori grows deadly as he turns the raging lightning storm against the party. As players drop one-by-one, were they fools in thinking only two would die?
Asher's spell list is a beast. No way they could have taken down either Thane or Almori without her, especially without Vinh!
That is a weird sentence, but I think my basic idea stands: Asher was the MVP of the final battle. I think you take her out, and even had Vinh been there to fight an unaugmented Thane, the party would probably not have beaten Almori, or at least would have lost more members.
posted by Saxon Kane at 9:25 PM on August 9, 2024
That is a weird sentence, but I think my basic idea stands: Asher was the MVP of the final battle. I think you take her out, and even had Vinh been there to fight an unaugmented Thane, the party would probably not have beaten Almori, or at least would have lost more members.
posted by Saxon Kane at 9:25 PM on August 9, 2024
Wow. I got pretty sniffly there at the end -- I almost expected Ulavina not to take the opportunity for that final strike, but she's already crossed that line, and with Olred down I can see her driven to it. And I was gutted by the Longstrider funeral. It's unbelievable I didn't catch on about Vinh's flame earlier.
And yeah, being down a party member (Vinh) meant more for the rest of them to have to do, and Asher stepped up admirably. Even Brian commented on her spells.
Trying to put things together: I thought the spirit originated from the dead king's body, not the book? I think there may have been some opportunity for one of the Medagi to recognize it in Vinh's body and privately talk to him. Or, because it knew that the battle foretold Vinh's [body's] death, it decided to switch sides to what he hoped was the winning one? I do wonder what he mouthed to Ulavina before he transferred to Thane...
And yeah, Almori did say his vision didn't extend past that moment when he passed his turn beside Ulavina. I also didn't remember a ton about Olamarr, but I think he potentially knew a lot more than the others about future-scrying and seems to have gone through measures to keep his book from being read.
Madvale definitely needs to get resolved! And I had originally considered Cadin to be a convenient way to get Patriar Temprus's patronage for the party, but he's way more mixed up in all this. (Probably with Asher's sister, as you point out.)
I loved the music at the ending. It really felt like a new beginning. I'm really hoping for a second season -- so many interesting threads to pursue, even as I feel like we got proper closure! And now I need to go listen to the podcast until there's a new season for their Waterdeep adventures!
posted by thataway at 7:14 PM on August 10, 2024
And yeah, being down a party member (Vinh) meant more for the rest of them to have to do, and Asher stepped up admirably. Even Brian commented on her spells.
Trying to put things together: I thought the spirit originated from the dead king's body, not the book? I think there may have been some opportunity for one of the Medagi to recognize it in Vinh's body and privately talk to him. Or, because it knew that the battle foretold Vinh's [body's] death, it decided to switch sides to what he hoped was the winning one? I do wonder what he mouthed to Ulavina before he transferred to Thane...
And yeah, Almori did say his vision didn't extend past that moment when he passed his turn beside Ulavina. I also didn't remember a ton about Olamarr, but I think he potentially knew a lot more than the others about future-scrying and seems to have gone through measures to keep his book from being read.
Madvale definitely needs to get resolved! And I had originally considered Cadin to be a convenient way to get Patriar Temprus's patronage for the party, but he's way more mixed up in all this. (Probably with Asher's sister, as you point out.)
I loved the music at the ending. It really felt like a new beginning. I'm really hoping for a second season -- so many interesting threads to pursue, even as I feel like we got proper closure! And now I need to go listen to the podcast until there's a new season for their Waterdeep adventures!
posted by thataway at 7:14 PM on August 10, 2024
I'll try and tie up as many ends as you're asking in here as I understand them! (Acknowledging that Brian doesn't tell me anything since I'm in the show :P)
1. I don't actually believe the Future/Medaji ever *did* communicate with the being inside Vinh. I think in the end Almori is viewing whatever just happened as a bonus for him as it removes one of their strongest fighters, but I imagine if the party were to lose then the being and Almori would have to have some serious talks. The being was pitched back on the boat as a climber who rose the ranks of power and tried to attach itself to more and more powerful beings in the hope of getting home. I believe that the being found this party to be its best chance of that until it saw the power of the Future/Medaji and made the choice to join them here. There are, to my knowledge, no unseen scenes with Player Characters. The audience sees everything they do during the season. Also remember that the being (and everyone else in the party) didn't know about Olamarr's spellbook until Flik discovered what it is he'd transported.
2. The being was inside Princess Sen's dead father back on the boat. Presumably prior to the actions of this season (or perhaps concurrent with?), Hari opened that case (perhaps to rob it?) and was inhabited, setting into action the events that then occur starting with episode 1.
3. Almori has not successfully seen what Olamarr saw. In fact the entire work of The Future is to try and replicate the work of Olamarr to understand what it is he saw, and what it is that killed him. My presumption is they fear an oncoming apocalypse and feel that any actions are justified in the goal of stopping what's to come.
4. Vinh mouths "I'm sorry" to Ulavina before switching to Thane.
Thanks for coming on this journey! Consider joining our Discord server and interacting with fellow Party People / watching through a re-watch of the season in our spoilers chat!
posted by neddonovan at 9:14 AM on August 13, 2024 [1 favorite]
1. I don't actually believe the Future/Medaji ever *did* communicate with the being inside Vinh. I think in the end Almori is viewing whatever just happened as a bonus for him as it removes one of their strongest fighters, but I imagine if the party were to lose then the being and Almori would have to have some serious talks. The being was pitched back on the boat as a climber who rose the ranks of power and tried to attach itself to more and more powerful beings in the hope of getting home. I believe that the being found this party to be its best chance of that until it saw the power of the Future/Medaji and made the choice to join them here. There are, to my knowledge, no unseen scenes with Player Characters. The audience sees everything they do during the season. Also remember that the being (and everyone else in the party) didn't know about Olamarr's spellbook until Flik discovered what it is he'd transported.
2. The being was inside Princess Sen's dead father back on the boat. Presumably prior to the actions of this season (or perhaps concurrent with?), Hari opened that case (perhaps to rob it?) and was inhabited, setting into action the events that then occur starting with episode 1.
3. Almori has not successfully seen what Olamarr saw. In fact the entire work of The Future is to try and replicate the work of Olamarr to understand what it is he saw, and what it is that killed him. My presumption is they fear an oncoming apocalypse and feel that any actions are justified in the goal of stopping what's to come.
4. Vinh mouths "I'm sorry" to Ulavina before switching to Thane.
Thanks for coming on this journey! Consider joining our Discord server and interacting with fellow Party People / watching through a re-watch of the season in our spoilers chat!
posted by neddonovan at 9:14 AM on August 13, 2024 [1 favorite]
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A few things I'm trying to clear up for myself story-wise, if there's any input from others:
I'm not clear on how the spirit possessing Vinh was in touch with the Future/Medaji, but I assume it must have been prior to the start of the campaign, yes? It was coming along with Olimar's spell-book and Flik, yes? Or did it just happen to cross their paths on the ship and then somehow get in touch with them after, via some unseen interaction with Vinh?
Almori says he is trying to see something that Olimar saw, but it seems that he could only see up to the final battle, yes? That's what I got from what he said to Ulavina when he died. So is what Olimar potentially saw far in the future? I don't quite recall much being said about what happened with Olimar besides he gots blowed up, so that's my best guess.
I presume Madvale is still out there, perhaps doing her mad scientist routine, or perhaps on the road to redemption. And the Cherry Wind is too immense a magical item not to be on the wishlist for whatever of the Future is still out there -- so a great option for the party to sail back to Waterdeep, methinks.
Carol and the others: We gotta see some Lonstrider Were-Creatures.
Random observations:
Wow, Asher's spell list is a beast. No way they could have taken down either Thane or Almori without her, especially without Vinh!
So glad to see Sarah and David hugging at the end!
Also kinda glad we didn't get a scene of a weeping Cardabelle -- that might have been too much :(
FLIK IS STILL CURSED!!! I vote that finding Dryddian's sword and getting that spirit out of Flik should be tops on mission priorities. Either that, or hook the Bird up with some constitution and wisdom boosting items!
Since this is the first time I've seen this one -- all the other episodes have been rewatches for me -- I'm still processing some of it, but overall, a really good ending to a super-fun series, and I so hope the D&D channel continues and they can give this another season!
posted by Saxon Kane at 7:01 PM on August 9, 2024