Under Pressure is the fourth episode of Fantasy High: Junior Year.
Intro[]
"Last we left off, it was day one of junior year for the Bad Kids back at the Aguefort Adventuring Academy, and one by one, they showed up for a brand new day of classes, having discovered all about the Multi-Class Achievement Test, aka MCAT, from some nightlong investigations by none other than Riz Gukgak, who, knowing that his friends needed some academic achievement and extracurriculars to get back on the board, agreed to sign up our own Kristen Applebees to run for class president. Running during her junior year to ascend to take the office potentially in senior year. However, another student, Kipperlilly Copperkettle, a halfling rogue who apparently found the rogue professor, thereby acing her entire junior year, first thing, first day, is also running for student government as well, a member of the Ratgrinders, another adventuring party of juniors at the Aguefort Adventuring Academy -- including none other than Ruben, who is the frontman of some kind of emo band that did the song of the summer. ..."
"Also, we had a bunch of our students that wanted to multiclass get into that. Fig found out that the warlock classes meet at night and attended her first bard class with Lucilla Lullaby -- as Fig and as Wanda Childa, pursued by a brief moment by Agent Clark of the Council. ... We also saw Fabian join a bard class for the first time and multiclass. On a 31 performance check, got a signature from Terpsichore Skullcleaver, who also recommended that he get another signature, in which case he will be allowed to multiclass, from Corsica Jones. Must be nice, because our friend Gorgug did NOT get permission from Porter to take the MCAT, and was told to go talk to Henry, the artificer teacher."
"We saw that our new Interim Emergency Backup Principal Arcturus Grix, a construct created by Arthur Aguefort to run the academy in his absence. All of that unfolded. You had a little moment of trying to steal the letter from Jawbone, who let you know that Kipperlilly had asked some questions about Kristen already, and Kristen also had a conversation with her parents, Mac and Donna Applebees, as her younger brother Bucky went off to the first day of classes as a freshman adventurer at Aguefort. Fabian was also told by Mazey, the current class president, that Jem Peppercorn graduated last year. ... Also discovered that there's now a need for a new party house, and even though Fabian's a junior, I mean, the fact that you're a little older, you know, if you got Seacaster Manor, why wouldn't you have a party house? ..."
"We also met Cloaca, which is pretty huge. A lot happened last episode! ... We got some sandwiches in some trash bags from Lydia Barkrock. ... And then, of course, Kristen went and talked to Yolanda, the cleric teacher, and had a meeting with none other than Cassandra, with the reconstituted Kalina, and that's actually where we're going to go ahead and begin."
Synopsis[]
Morning classes[]
We pick up with Kristen Applebees having mentally entered Cassandra's realm, where she has found the goddess has reconstituted her familiar, Kalina, in actual cat form curled up in her lap. Kalina says she's not bad anymore since Cassandra is no longer the Nightmare King, and asks Kristen: "What's the plan?" Kalina says she and Cassandra are depending on Kristen, as a cleric, manifesting Cassandra's divine will in the world in order to survive. Cassandra mentions that if Kristen doesn't want to be her cleric, she has other options: for instance, an invitation from the Autumn Court of the Feywild to retire from being a goddess and become an archfey. Kristen admits the Cult of Mystery is a "hard pill to swallow" with a low potential base of worshipers. Cassandra is sympathetic, but Kalina says she's looking at it the wrong way: she should lie and offer the power of mystery and darkness to convince followers they'll become more powerful.
Cassandra asks again for Kristen's bandwidth and is again disappointed when Kristen puts her as just one of two priorities, alongside her candidacy for class president. Kalina suggests that since mortals exist outside the material world of Spyre, they should leave Kristen and seek worship from those mortals. Kristen insists that isn't necessary, that Cassandra is the bigger of her two priorities. "Why not both?" Cassandra says, suggesting Kristen and Kalina should both pursue their strategies. Kalina suggests the Synod Mall, the Wizard Citadel, as a place to pitch their religion this weekend without Kristen, which Cassandra is enthusiastic about. Kristen apologizes for hurting Cassandra's feelings, and they reconcile before Kristen returns to the real world.
As class ends, Adaine texts her sister Aelwyn, arranging to call later. Fabian calls Alston Hughes at KVX Bank to find out the details about his trust. Alston tells him it contains 20 million gold pieces, structured to release to him intermittently in amounts of about 5,000 gold pieces per month. However, if Fabian tries to cash out in full early, he would get only 2 million gold pieces and the vast majority would go to his nemesis -- who is listed in bank records as Chungledown Bim. Fabian turns down Nemesis Alert, which would have warned him if anyone else in the world swears vengeance upon him.
The Bad Kids convene at lunch and meet the new lunch lad, Simeon du Vayne, a little fey creature prancing with curled shoes through the cafeteria, serving up tuna and corn. Riz uses message to surreptitiously tell the others that Kipperlilly Copperkettle had listened in on them and found out about the death of YES!, and seems to have it in for the Bad Kids. Fabian immediately changes his mind and signs up for Nemesis Alert, which doesn't ping Kipperlilly but does pull up a mention of "a real son of a bitch" from Duggan McCann.
Gorthalax the Insatiable, now the Aguefort Owlbears coach, comes up to the table to greet the Bad Kids and encourage Fabian and Gorgug to attend tryouts this afternoon to see the fresh meat. "Big season ahead," he says, hopeful that this is the year the Owlbears can take down their rival, the Hudol Hellions. Gorthalax also points out a creamed corn stain on Fig's jacket. Fabian asks Gorthalax about the Ratgrinders, and he mentions one of them, Mary Ann, their barbarian, is trying out for the Owlbears later today. He says their name comes from their adventures in the Far Haven Woods just north of school, where they've been power-leveling and grinding by killing around 80,000 rats, spiders and twig gremlins. The Bad Kids are incensed, but Gorthalax encourages them to make healthier priorities than worrying about the Ratgrinders.
After lunch[]
Later, Gorgug goes to the artificer workshop, where there's a complicated engineering equation on the whiteboard marked "extra credit". As he works on the problem, Gorgug is greeted by artificer teacher Henry Hopclap, a fresh-out-of-college gnome with a robotic arm, who guides Gorgug through all the mistakes he's made. Gorgug asks about multiclassing, which Henry says he wanted to approve, but can't without Porter's permission. He warns Gorgug that junior year artificing is really challenging, but Gorgug wants to do it anyway. Henry says in lieu of Porter's permission on the MCAT to skip freshman and sophomore years of artificer classes, Gorgug can stack up all three years to attend simultaneously, which would be such a heavy workload it would probably require him to formally quit the barbarian track. Like Porter did, Henry also mentions barbarian recklessness and artificer focus isn't a good mix, and that Gorgug would be the first-ever artificer-barbarian multiclass at Aguefort. Gorgug, though, decides to stick with his barbarian classes in addition to triple-stacking artificer classes. On Gorgug's way out, Henry introduces him to some of the artificer students filing in for the next class period, including Unit, a little spindly bronze cube robot with a single flesh eye in the middle.
After class, Fabian goes to fighter teacher Corsica Jones, who signs off on his MCAT without resistance. However, she brings up rumors of Seacaster Manor becoming a party house, and Fabian reassures her he has no plans for that. Kristen approaches Riz for help with the paperwork for her new god, while Riz works on signup sheets to get into every school club to improve his resume. Fig leaves a note under Lucilla Lullaby's door complimenting her class, then asks Adaine to figure out how old the trilobite fossils Ayda left her are in hopes of sending a message back in time to her. Adaine says she could try to use the keys of the synod tomorrow, and they can also go shopping in the mall at the synod.
As the Bad Kids have convened on the quad during their break period, they see a foreign knight on horseback coming out of the Far Haven Woods tree line. The knight kneels before Fig, weeping, identifying himself as Sir Davin of the Order of the Sacred Scroll, the last of his order, charged for 1,500 years with protecting a scroll, which he delivers to Fig. His mission completed, he abandons his helmet and longsword, vows himself to a life of peace, and leaves. Fig opens the scroll, revealing it is a brief letter from Ayda on the progress of her trip.
Gorgug tells Porter he will be taking the triple artificer classes in addition to barbarian class. Porter challenges the rest of the Bad Kids to audit barbarian classes to help Gorgug with his course load, which Fig eagerly takes him up on. "Anything to just not write my album," Fig says when the other Bad Kids point out she also needs to attend bard and warlock classes, too.
After school[]
At the end of the school day, as the Bad Kids peel out, Adaine gets a call from Aelwyn. Newly a middle school teacher, Aelwyn mentions she's been summoned to the principal's office for making her students cry. After the sisters bond over how much easier Tiberia Runestaff is than their old teachers at Hudol, Adaine asks about the ludicrously costly materials she's required to get. Aelwyn offers to try to help her source some of them, and explains she moved out because she was overwhelmed by Jawbone therapizing her. Without access to their inheritance -- as long as their mother is still alive, somewhere in Sylvaire, being chased by a van with hands for wheels -- and without Adaine being paid for her services as the Elven Oracle, Aelwyn suggests that Adaine get a job to fund her school supplies.
Fabian and Gorgug arrive at the bloodrush field, where Riz is again trying out as part of his quest for extracurriculars. Fabian gives a speech of encouragement, and drills begin. Riz completely fails to to take down Gorgug, whereas Max Durden easily quick-steps past Fabian into the end zone to succeed in his drill. The Ratgrinders' Mary Ann, a young kobold girl about two feet tall, wipes the floor with Gorgug, knocking him clear across the field with a single incredibly powerful tackle. Gorthalax and Fabian immediately offer her a spot on the team, to which she blandly agrees, turning down a team hang. Riz, on the other hand, quickly gets cut and rushes off to other team tryouts elsewhere -- but briefly mentions that with detect magic, he had seen that Mary Ann had been buffed by transmutation magic.
Kristen greets her brother Bucky waiting outside at the end of the day. He's doing paladin of Helio and says it's "awesome". They catch up on things since Kristen left home. Bucky hasn't told their parents about the gold Kristen left her brothers in sophomore year, and he feels deep religious guilt for lying about it. Kristen struggles to reassure him, then tells him to campaign for her, but Adaine recognizes that his proselytizing would sabotage this and tells him to campaign for Kipperlilly instead. Seeing the Ratgrinders button, Bucky mentions that the new cleric of Helio, a transfer student from Highcourt, also wears that logo. Meanwhile, in Adaine's job hunt, Fig encourages her to inherit her father's job like Fig did with Gorthalax's, but Adaine says she doesn't think that's how things work in Fallinel.
The Bad Kids head out to have a study party at Seacaster Manor. As far as food goes, they just find an entire fridge filled with milk, so they order pad thai for dinner. Aelwyn texts Adaine a job listing website for shops at the Synod of Spyre Mall that includes a 40% employee discount on the wizard items she needs for class. Adaine finds a listing for the Oodles of Strudel shop that will pay two silver pieces a day and doesn't require a resume. As the Bad Kids compare notes on the heavy workloads on their plates, Kristen mentions to the rest of the party that Kalina has returned. Kristen doesn't trust her and tells everyone she thinks Kalina is just pretending to be reformed to get a foot in the door.
That night, Adaine goes to the synod, an astral mall formed of pure, translucent thought magic, to go interview at Oodles of Strudel, which serves strudel straight from a portal to the strudel dimension. The burned-out-sounding manager, Biff, hires her on the spot to work eight hours a day after school on the graveyard shift, and warns her urgently never to stick her hand in the strudel dimension. As Adaine asks clarifying questions, Biff expresses increasing frustration with her, but hires her nevertheless, to start the next day. Meanwhile, Fabian asks Mazey the best time to throw his first party to become "maximum legend", and she replies: this Friday night. Fabian immediately commits and tells her to invite everyone, even the freshmen.
Fig heads to warlock classes, which are held at nighttime. Hidden in a darkness spell, she walks into the classroom but is elbowed by someone else hidden in darkness, is knocked down and lands in a spackle jar. The teacher, Zara Sool, tells her students they have all cast darkness and they should drop it so they can see. As the other students don't recognize Fig, she tries and fails to surreptitiously use minor illusion to put her name onto the attendance list. Zara accepts Fig's presence, though, and Fig quickly catches up with the lessons thanks to her warlock powers essentially coming from herself through her devilish bloodline. At the end of class, Zara compliments her on her incredible work, but notes some pad thai on Fig's jacket. Fig asks who her patron is, and Zara says it's her paramour, a celestial. When Fig mentions Ayda, Zara compares warlock contracts to the everyday social contracts we make every day and the powerful pact of a romantic relationship. Zara signs Fig's MCAT to allow her to multiclass, and tells her to meditate on the unspoken agreement that exists to give her her power.
Back at Seacaster Manor, Ragh shows up, joins in the pad thai feast, and helps Fabian start planning his party. Ragh advises him not to sour the party with student government campaigning, and they consider instead setting up a moment for Kristen to become cool so she can become popular and get a leg up in the vote. The Bad Kids ask Ragh to get them a hook-up with alcohol for the party, and he agrees in exchange for crowning him the crab king. Gorgug crafts an unconvincing fake ID for Fabian out of metal that says he is 35-year-old Christian Delnore.
Ragh asks Kristen if she's OK with Tracker getting in touch, but Kristen aggressively asks "who's the bitch in her lap" in the Wolfsong Revival social media post she saw. He says Nara, short for Naradriel, is an elven princess, new worshiper of Galicaea, and Tracker's new girlfriend. Ragh expresses discomfort on Tracker's end after she and Kristen had split amicably and then not contacted each other for two months. Ragh says Nara has been pressuring Tracker to post their relationship on main since she wants to go public with the relationship. Ragh apologizes for explaining things he should have saved for Tracker to say, and Kristen says he can tell Tracker to reach out, probably next week.
Party night approaches[]
The first week of school continues. Gorgug and Adaine struggle under their respective extra workload and shortage of components, whereas Fig goes through barbarian classes with flying colors. Riz, Kristen and Fabian form a daily campaign war room, which also includes Torek Railgrinder thanks to Kristen's past ties with the LGBT student alliance, in the woods in a Leomund's tiny hut. For a stunt to make Kristen popular, they plan to have her ride a shrimp-costumed Hangman into a pool filled with tartar sauce. Mazey calls asking permission for some Hudol students to come to the party, and Fabian sends a blanket invite to everyone. Fabian also gives Ragh carte blanche with his credit card to buy mass amounts of Goldschläger on discount.
Friday rolls around, and Fabian skips Owlbears practice to set up the shrimp party. Meanwhile, Kristen and Fig make a drastically failed attempt to campaign at a local steelworkers' factory and are interrupted by Agent Cuspin Clark, who asks about Wanda Childa. Fig tells him she saw her on a one-way ticket to the Red Waste, and he turns and leaves. Later, Jawbone confirms their campaign paperwork was accepted just in time for the candidacy announcement that night. Kristen asks about Kipperlilly's announcement plans, and Jawbone says he can't say.
Adaine gets scheduled to work at Oodles of Strudels that night and has to miss the party. Kalina, now having assumed her humanoid form, stops by the strudel stand as Cassandra hands out pamphlets nearby. Kalina asks Adaine to run and grab Kristen, but she can't because of her job. At Seacaster Manor, Cassandra mentally asks Kristen whether she's coming. Kristen says no, she thought that was just Kalina and Cassandra's job, and that she's instead going to use the party and her presidency to get converts. A shatter of agonizing red light flashes through Cassandra's chest as she collapses at the mall, and Adaine urges Kristen to come help her.
"This isn't fair!" Cassandra groans as a razor-sharp flickering star of red light emerges from her chest. The light floats toward a nearby wizard, shredding his mouth and nostrils as it enters him, and he grows incredibly musclebound and uses his quarterstaff to smash open the skull of his friend next to him. More red light shards continue to emit from Cassandra, transforming more nearby wizards, as Cassandra, on all fours, grows larger, apparently transforming back into the Nightmare King. Meanwhile, at the party, people begin to arrive. Adaine opens a brief portal between Seacaster Manor and the synod, and at the last second, the Bad Kids jump in, abandoning the party to save the world.
Locations[]
- Spyre
- Elmville
- Synod Mall
- Oodles of Strudel
Characters[]
The Bad Kids[]
New[]
Returning[]
- Cassandra
- Kalina
- Alston Hughes
- Gorthalax the Insatiable
- Cloaca
- Corsica Jones
- Porter Cliffbreaker
- Wretchrot
- Aelwyn Abernant
- Max Durden
- Bucky Applebees
- Ragh Barkrock
- Torek Railgrinder
- Mazey Phaedra
- The Hangman
- Agent Cuspin Clark
Mentioned[]
- Craig
- Bill Seacaster
- Hallariel Seacaster
- Chungledown Bim
- Cathilda Ceíli
- Gilear Faeth
- Kipperlilly Copperkettle
- Duggan McCann
- Zayn Darkshadow
- Sexy Rat
- Ruben Hopclap
- The Rogue Teacher
- Edgar
- Jace Stardiamond
- Arthur Aguefort
- Kalvaxus
- The Night Yorb
- Wilma and Digby Thistlespring
- Principal Arcturus Grix
- Lucilla Lullaby
- Ayda Aguefort
- Tiberia Runestaff
- Dr. Bucklebeak
- Jawbone O'Shaughnessey
- Arianwen Abernant
- Mac and Donna Applebees
- Angwyn Abernant
- Evan Freem
- Tracker O'Shaughnessey
- Jem Peppercorn
- Princess Naradriel
- Moggy the Doggy
Clips[]
