Bloodlines and Lifelines is the fifth episode of season 2, Escape from the Bloodkeep.
Recap[]
"Last we left off, our vile villains were in the air, in a rending sky-ship that had been torn asunder at the final effort by an insane orc barbarian, but, mostly, by a massive explosion, an attack of roots, and mangling goblins. Time slows to a standstill. For all those below decks, which include Markus, Leiland, Maggie, all of you watch as the floor suddenly stops pushing up on your feet. It's not pushing up anymore to keep you in one place, and, instead, you're going to be in another place. And, very shortly after you're in that new place, you're going to be in an even newer place. And, odds are, that's going to keep happening faster and faster for a while."
Synopsis[]
The Lieutenants fall, after the inconvenient destruction ofThe Siren. Lilith spins herself a silk parachute to slow her descent, and also attempts to lasso Markus St. Vincent, which fails. Efink Murderdeath sees a vision saying that everything will be OK, which seems just as dubious as her other recent visions, so she dismisses it in annoyance. Leiland senses Galfast Hamhead, and directs himself towards her, but is unable to reach her. He has a shouted exchange with his fellow Vinguri about Declan's death, and they taunt him for not knowing something about the Dark Lord.
Maggie goes into labour mid-fall, but survives impact with the ground. Efink lands safely, but Leiland is knocked unconscious on impact. Markus manages to teleport at the last moment, transforming his fall into a horizontal motion with his momentum; he is harmed, but not killed. Sokhbarr, still in his gaseous form, lands within the inflated J'er'em'ih, who pops on impact, but seems fine. As a ball of gas, Sokhbarr is fine, regaining solid form voluntarily, and using a potion to revive Leiland. John Feathers, badly hurt, flies to the ground and lands next to Maggie, encouraging her whilst he stabilises. She heals him using powers she's never seen before. Her son is born and starts to cry. Lilith lands safely and touches him, blessing him with a mark of a spider. She vows that there will be no new Lord of Darkness.
Sokhbarr thinks that he's got nothing to fight for in the Land of Darkness, and wants to just go home to his swamp. Markus thinks that the best option is for him to give them all amnesty in his own kingdom, Kaelstoop, now that his brother, the heir, Tavian St. Vincent, is dead. Efink thinks that she has no good claim to rule, but is reminded that Percival was a king, meaning that she is still a queen. They talk about ways to divvy up the lands, and utilise the crown to restore the tower without summoning Zaul'Nazh. Efink consults the book for viable options. After a personal revelation, she realises that she only really cares about what her friends need, and, in this uncharacteristic selflessness, she is able to channel the original elven gods, seeing a vision of a young Zaul'Nazh at the Fountain of Blood, being visited by a Boatman on the River of Blood. She sees that he was a reluctant ruler, chosen as the instrument of evil, rather than wanting to take on the role. She learns that the crown doesn't contain his soul specifically, but merely the soul of the mantle of the leader of evil. She realises that the will of the crown could be redirected, if they returned to the Fountain of Blood.
After a short rest, most of the Lieutenants are in better health, with only Markus and John still badly injured. John decides not to follow the group deep into the acrid bowels of the Bloodkeep in his current state. Maggie calls her baby "Leiland" (Leiland Jr.), due to Leiland's determination to do the right thing, despite constantly screwing up. Leiland Jr. grabs his finger, and says his first word: "kneel," swiftly followed by "kneel before me." Efink heals herself and Markus, and, using a Potion of Clairvoyance from Sokhbarr, she is able to see a route to the Fountain of Blood. The group finds Olag's impact site, but no body. They also find the scrap of sail from Galfast's improvised parachute. They see Galfast's footprints heading away from the Bloodkeep. Leiland considers following them, but decides against it.
On the way into the Bloodkeep, Lilith casts Dispel Magic on the books attacking Keldriel, and wishes her luck. The group finds that the Market of Spines has been looted. They speak to Master Ipskix, who is trying to write a stand-up set. They find out that Ol' Pickering has survived the air-shipwreck, mostly because he can't die. At the base of the Bloodkeep, they reach an animated statue of Gogmoth, who's talking about the suffering of Zaul'Nazh in the afterlife. Gogmoth isn't pleased with the name that Maggie gave to Leiland Jr., as he was hoping that the child would be named after him. The group walks through a walkway that, at first, just contains images of Maggie and Leiland Jr., but which goes on to display images from the entirety of Zaul'Nazh's life. The images reveal that he had had flings with Lilith in the past, and was reluctant to marry Maggie. They also reveal his unspoken obsession with Leiland. Maggie is outraged by these revelations. At last, the group reaches the cathedral.
Sokhbarr says that he thinks the crown should go to Leiland Jr., with Lilith suggesting that the holder of the crown should act, mostly, as a figurehead. The group agrees with this. Walking through a secret door in the cathedral, the group reaches the chamber of the Fountain of Blood, The Tomb of Ultimate Evil, as the Bloodkeep crumbles above them. Within this new chamber, they are surrounded by statues of Gods of old that pre-dated the convention of naming, and that wielded evil power as their own. As the Lieutenants agree to share the power of darkness between themselves, the Boatman appears, annoyed at this distinctly non-evil behaviour. As the Boatman disagrees with the group's plan, he insists that the spirits of the chamber will have to give them their blessing in order for them to go through with it. At this moment, an army of orcs, led by an alive Olag, arrive to fight for the crown.
Locations[]
- Scary Volcano
- The Bloodkeep
- Market of Spines
- Tomb of Ultimate Evil
Featured Characters[]
The Lieutenants[]
New[]
Returning[]
- J'er'em'ih
- The Norns
- John Feathers
- Keldriel
- Olag
- Gogmoth
- Zaul'Nazh (flashback)
- The Vinguri (flashback)
- Master Ipskix
- Jason
- Jessa
- Russell
- Ol' Pickering
Mentioned[]
- Galfast Hamhead
- Stalker
- Anne of Kilkathery
- Bad Henry
- Tavian St. Vincent
- Bulric Bellbarrel
- Hobbert and Frod