Run-in with the Ruinous Queen is the fifteenth episode of season 26, Cloudward, Ho!.
Recap[]
Last we left off, folks, we were in the observatory of Professor Comfrey MacLeod, in the fabled land of Zood, having reunited and discovered the professor after overcoming the Eyeless Hand in the battle of the sunken Temple of Katur, formerly the flying Temple of Katur, our heroes reunited with their long-lost captain, ex-wife, grandma, to find her as sky-eyed as ever, and in some ways, unable to see all that had transpired in the time in between. There was a great shouting match between Montgomery LaMontgommery and Comfrey MacLeod. Harsh words exchanged backwards and forwards. Van revealed the fact that she had of course been changed or transformed by Tazgw'agwa, the sort of extradimensional octopus that had been sealed away due to the Zumadi Beacons in the Temple of Katur that was creating a barrier in between Zern and Zood. We also discovered in conversation with Comfrey that the Biangles do in fact move through time. We found that coming from Gath to Zood, there's some ability to, you know, pick kind of where in time you want to go in Zood. Although returning to Gath, one can only return after one has already left so it doesn't work both ways. We also see in this world that Comfrey was aware that Ludmila, the protégé of Marya, who had been taken by Straka in years long past, had actually been sent back far earlier in time. There's a little head shake happening here. Fucked up. That ain't right.
And the Queen of Zern was none other than Ludmila, one and the same, her picture carved out in Comfrey's office in the Temple of Ramansu, Ramansu Power Station, due to something that we had discovered earlier with Van and her family, that certain crystal frequencies tap into representations of the likenesses of individuals. That these crystals seem to be able to recognize faces. That technology was very useful when you were talking to the Chapman family that gave you the location of the observatory. Less useful when Torse took a portrait of Ludmila from amongst Marya's tools and seemed to lose himself, submitting to the will of the Queen of Zern. The whispers that Marya has heard throughout her adventures, seemingly now reaching out to what he believes to be the last member of the Aganti Zernai. Torse took an arm blade, stabbed through his golden heart in the center of the engine, remotely keeping the beacons of Zumadi lit, and we are going to return to this moment in the story.
Synopsis[]
When Marya shows Torse a picture of Ludmila, He seems to be taken over and exclaims "My Queen!". Suddenly, his body opens up and through a speaker the Queen of Zern says she is coming to get Marya. While everyone else is running back to ship from dinner, Torse is able to disconnect a balloon and head into the portal opened to Zern.
Maxwell, worried about his friend, uses his wing suit to fly after Torse. The Zephyrs follow behind. Marya flies right into the portal, leaving the Zephyr 2 behind. Comfrey is able to grab onto Maxwell and follows them into Zern.
In Zern, new perils emerge as the crew contends with forces under the influence of the Queen of Zern. Quickly, the ship is broken beyond repair and they must try to get to the life boats. Monty and Olethra stay up to fight Straka. Comfrey realizes that her actions have directly put a person she loves in serious danger. Monty is able to mark Straka and Olethra saves Sandy from deep inside the beast. With everyone safely on the ground, they run to the Foundry.
Locations[]
- Zood
- Zern
- Plains of Rust
- Foundry
- Plains of Rust
Featured Characters[]
Player Characters[]
- Daisuke Bucklesby
- Vanellope Chapman
- Maxwell Gotch
- Marya Junková
- Montgomery LaMontgommery
- Olethra MacLeod
Recurring[]
- Torse
- Kočka
- Courtney
- Ludmila Ryczanek/Queen of Zern
- Comfrey MacLeod
- Straka
- Sylvio Dufresne
- Ghost Dog
- Bert Chapman
- Wealwell Gotch
- Miryam Dawderdale
- Freyja Ildisdottir