Session Zero Heroes - A TTRPG Actual Play Podcast
Speaker B: Jasmine, oolong, green and white. Long ago, these four teas were skilfully brewed at the blissful brew. Then everything changed when the shop's popularity threatened its existence. All Mr. Okuron, the shop's owner and tea master, could do was to recruit four teenage orphans to learn his trade and and staff his shop. A year has passed since the orphans were hired, and although their skills have progressed, they still have a lot to learn before they can brew anything. But I believe that they have the potential to make the blissful brew the greatest tea shop in the world.
Speaker A: Everyone okay?
Speaker C: I think so.
Speaker A: 12345. It should be six.
Speaker C: Wait, where's Prince?
Speaker A: Prince. Prince. Oh, no, he's still in the house.
Speaker D: All, uh, right, everybody, and it is your final match of tonight. We have our reigning champion, Jin Fu, who is coming in on the right side of the ring. Look at him, folks. Everybody give him a big hand as he steps up into the ring. Isn't he amazing? Isn't he beautiful?
Speaker A: Isn't he strong?
Speaker D: And coming up for the left side of the ring, representing the fresh new.
Speaker A: Meat, we have Brock Lee.
Speaker D: He's the new guy, new in town, trying to take on the champ for the title. We'll see if he's able to do it tonight. Can I hear a round of applause for the new kids? That's right. All right, everybody, now it's time for the match that you've been waiting for. We've got Jinfu versus Brock Lee in three, two, one. Fight. Uh, Connor, you are Brock Lee. You are in the fighting ring. Uh, your opponent is across from you. He's looking big and bad. He's looking angry. He's looking scary. What are you doing? The fight has begun.
Speaker E: I'm going to start with, what is their principle? What is that? Because I was looking under. Evade and observe. And you can ask their principle, like, what is.
Speaker D: Oh, yeah. So, like, on your character sheet, you have that right or left? The kind of, like, darker to the lighter side. Those are their principles.
Speaker E: Gotcha. I can plead.
Speaker D: Don't hurt me, Shin Fu. Uh, that'd be amazing. That would not get the crowd excited for you, I can tell you that much. It's like an avatar when the Firebender dude comes walking out at Earth Rumble Stadium, and everyone's like, boo.
Speaker A: You suck. Go back to the Fire Nation.
Speaker D: And he's just standing there, like, doing the pledge of allegiance for the Fire Lord.
Speaker E: Okay, I'm going to mark one fatigue and use smash to try and destabilize something in the environment. I want to, um, make the platform we're on.
Speaker D: Okay.
Speaker E: I want to make it as rough and jagged and just not a flat surface as I can.
Speaker D: Okay, sounds good.
Speaker E: Okay, so I mark one.
Speaker D: Well, first we got to do, I think we'd have to roll off. So you have to figure out which of the three options, like the primary options that you want to take.
Speaker E: Oh, the three options, yeah.
Speaker D: So evade and maneuver attack.
Speaker E: Oh, this is evade and observe.
Speaker A: Okay.
Speaker D: So you're choosing that, and then you're going to roll. And depending on what you roll, you'll get to use a number of your learn techniques and things like that.
Speaker E: All right. So I roll with creativity. So I get plus one, three. Okay, so that's bad.
Speaker D: I believe that means that you are going to miss out on any kind.
Speaker E: Of evade and observe.
Speaker D: I believe so.
Speaker F: Oh, it looks like Brock is tail ing it a day.
Speaker E: That peachy.
Speaker D: Do I still have to mark if it's no. Uh, so yeah, on a seven to nine, you can use a basic or mastered technique. He's going to take. And technically, he would have done this first, but I digress. Uh, since you roll bally, it doesn't really matter, but he was going to take. So you go in order. So whoever chose defendant maneuver goes first. If you chose advanced attack, you go second. If you choose evade and observe, you go third. Um, he would have taken a defendant maneuver, and he is going to seize a position. So basically all he is doing is actually just rushing closer to you. Um, heavy footsteps slamming into the platform below. You can feel the platform rumble as he rushes towards you. Um, he's not like a big in the sense of hefty man. He's fairly muscular for sure, but I mean, all things considered, he's about average size, but with his Earth bendiNg, he's really shaking the ground beneath him as he runs towards you, ready for an attack, and he approaches. So basically that's all he's doing is he's seizing a position that's closer to you, he's keeping you. He's kind of getting an advantageous position, uh, to keep you from kind of escaping his, uh, capability. Uh, if you want to, you can choose to mark one fatigue in order to block his ability to get closer to you, and you would be able to find a way to sort of escape. That's up to you.
Speaker E: I will not mark a fatigue. I will, uh, roll for punch. Where it matters. When you assess a situation, you can always ask who or what here is the most vulnerable to me, even on a miss. Remember, to take plus one ongoing to act in accordance with the answer.
Speaker D: Okay, and what is what like?
Speaker E: Oh, assess the situation.
Speaker A: Okay.
Speaker D: Um, it's not a combat m move. It's a basic move. So with the way that combat works is after one round, you, as the player kind of get to choose, do I want to continue with the combat, or do I want to kind of step outside of the combat and do something? So you can definitely use assess the situation, and then he more than likely will probably reengage you in combat. Uh, but yes, you can absolutely do that.
Speaker E: Okay. So for punch, where it matters, do I get to also try and land a hit on him, or is it just I roll to see if I can ask that question?
Speaker D: What is punch?
Speaker E: Uh, when you assess a situation, you can always ask who or what here is most vulnerable to me, even on a miss. Uh, remember to take plus one ongoing to act in accordance with the answer.
Speaker A: Oh. Okay.
Speaker D: So basically, I would give you an answer, um, as to what it is that's most vulnerable in this given situation, which would be this combat exchange. Um, so I would tell you how he is vulnerable, or something around you is vulnerable that you could use against him, and then you would gain a plus one to whatever roles that you do moving forward, um, while acting in accordance to using that weakness or whatever the case.
Speaker E: Okay.
Speaker D: Yeah.
Speaker E: I want to roll for a punch where it mAtters.
Speaker D: Okay, sounds good.
Speaker E: So do I need to ask the question first?
Speaker D: Sure.
Speaker E: What body part of this.
Speaker D: What's his name? Uh, Jinfu.
Speaker E: What body part of Jinfu or what area of his body do I need to aim for that? He's not able to block very well.
Speaker D: Okay, roll, please.
Speaker E: Be better than a two nine.
Speaker D: Oh, okay.
Speaker E: Awesome. I don't roll with anything.
Speaker D: Well, yeah, because you would do assess the situation, right.
Speaker E: Assess the situation, which is creativity. Creativity. So it's a ten.
Speaker D: Okay, perfect. So on the ten plus, you get to ask two questions. I'm not sure how punch changes based on that. So you would ask that, and you could ask two other questions from the list on assess the situation.
Speaker E: Okay. Uh, as for Jinfu's, uh, yes.
Speaker D: So on his body, um, he likes to keep his hands high. Um, this is stuff that you've learned from kind of watching his fights and stuff like that, especially because you've been a fighter in this ring, and you've seen him practice, and you've seen him, um, spar and things like that. You know, that he likes to block high. He keeps his head good. But you know, two other things about him. Um, obviously, because he blocks high, his lower, like, kind of midsection, potentially even his legs are actually more vulnerable. And you also know that he has a drinking problem, and because of that, he has a bruised liver.
Speaker E: Interesting. All right.
Speaker D: Something that you've noticed, like, in the locker room getting ready, and you've seen him go like, oh, gosh, Cole is kind of lower stomach in that area.
Speaker E: Gotcha. And do I get to ask my other questions now?
Speaker D: Yeah, go for it. All right.
Speaker E: Um, can I alter the questions at all, or does it have to be the exact.
Speaker D: Yeah, as long as it's the basic gist of the question, you can definitely kind of reedit it to fit the situation a little bit better.
Speaker E: Okay, so in this case, I'm going to ask in the vein of what should I be looking for? What moves does he like to do that would free up, uh, a liver shot?
Speaker D: Okay, let's see. He has, like, two specialties that he does, and one of them, it's not coming to you right awaY. In the moment in the fight, things are kind of hectic in your brain trying to think of how to hit him. But one thing you do remember is he likes to jut rocks out of the ground, and he does that with his arms. It's a very arm heavy earthbender move to shoot these columns out of the ground, usually, um, to, um, sort of pin in his opponent to a specific area so that he can physically get in close and start punching them.
Speaker E: I mean, what's my best way to gain an advantage in this fight?
Speaker D: Okay, um, again, from your watching his fighting and things along those lines, uh, you know that he likes to get up close. That's kind of where he succeeds. He gets up close, he bends some rocks. He bends the ground below his opponent. But these are all moves that he has to do while he's close up. He can't do these from far away, so being further away from him would give you the advantage.
Speaker E: Okay.
Speaker D: So you have a plus one ongoing in anything that you use or do that's based off of those answers to those questions. Cool. Awesome. He, uh, is going to take his turn. He is actually going to use, uh, uh, evade and observe. Uh, and he is doing ground shift. So he stomps on the ground, taking a special stance, and he twists his foot in the ground. And what it does is it causes the ground beneath you to shift, turns into kind of like a sandy substance, and starts to pull you down.
Speaker F: Looks like Brock is Arta choking out there.
Speaker D: Uh, what it says is ground shift twist. The ground itself to displace or unbalance foes, target an individual foe or an area. The all affected foes become impaired for an exchange or stunned if they are already impaired. So you are now impaired. So you are slowed or off balance. You can mark one fatigue or take a minus two to all physical actions. And this is just for one exchange.
Speaker E: It said for just one exchange, so.
Speaker D: That'D be like one round.
Speaker E: So if I roll like a ten, it's really an eight.
Speaker D: Yes. Okay.
Speaker E: But it would really be a nine because I get plus one.
Speaker D: Uh, true. If it's with you acting within. Yeah.
Speaker E: Right. So my legs are being Pulled under like a quicksand. All right. So feet are going into quicksand, and I've not marked any fatigue on him or myself here. Okay. So I'm going to try and use Caesar position. I'm going to try and just push down on this quicksand and just try and conjure up some columns from underneath there, put myself up on a platform and hop off to the side.
Speaker D: Okay, sounds good. He's going to advance an attack, so he'll be going after you.
Speaker E: 1010.
Speaker D: Nice. Okay.
Speaker E: But that's really an eight, though.
Speaker D: Uh, yes, correct. But you're also trying to get away. So it would be a nine.
Speaker E: Nine.
Speaker D: Uh, but seven to nine is all the same, so I guess it doesn't matter too much. Um, but for seven to nine, you use one basic or mastered technique.
Speaker E: One basic or mastered technique. All right, I'm going to seize a position.
Speaker D: Okay, sounds good. And that's where you're going to kick in this concept where you are lifting yourself up on a giant column of rock. Lifting yourself high above the, uh, air. How high would you say that you've gone?
Speaker E: Uh, I'm going to just go a few feet, and then I'm going to hop off to the side to where I'm still within striking distance from a good distance, but I'm saying probably about 5ft away from him.
Speaker D: Okay, so you're, like, on the back end of this small column that you've created? Yeah. Okay. And then how wide would you say it is?
Speaker E: This column is probably. It's just wide enough for me to stand.
Speaker D: Okay. So you basically just lifted yourself above him.
Speaker A: Okay.
Speaker D: Yes.
Speaker E: Out of the quicksand or whatever it is.
Speaker D: Sounds good.
Speaker A: Okay.
Speaker D: He is advanced and attacking. He, uh, is going to. Seeing that you have created this giant rock column, he is going to do a smash. He marks one fatigue, and he destroys or destabilizes something in the environment, possibly uh, afflicting or overcoming a fictionally appropriate positive or negative status. Uh, he is going to smash your column that you've just created.
Speaker F: Like a big salad. Broccoli is getting tossed around the ring.
Speaker D: I don't really want to say that it would do any kind of a status effect, given what's listed on here. I don't think it would cause anything to you, but you're kind of, like, pushed either backwards or kind of just forced to jump off at this point, um, of this column.
Speaker E: Okay.
Speaker D: But positive side is he used his attack to hit your column instead of hitting you.
Speaker A: Yeah, that's a bonus.
Speaker E: All right, so I'll jump off the platform as he's smashing it, and I want to advance an attack, and I want to use my Earth sinking, sink a foe into the Earth itself, mark two, fatigue. To trap an enemy standing on the ground in the earth, and they become traps.
Speaker D: Okay. He also is going to use an advance and attack. Uh, but I believe the player always goes first. So you go ahead and you just have to roll for it.
Speaker E: Oh, six.
Speaker A: Six.
Speaker D: So that's going to be just shy.
Speaker E: Oh, wait, what do I roll with for advance and attack? But, uh, do I get that plus one?
Speaker D: I guess this is attacking him lower, so I'll give you the plus one.
Speaker E: Yeah. All right, so the ultimate plan. I don't know if I'm. Am I allowed to tell you the ultimate plan? Because that might give you ways to, um.
Speaker D: No, don't tell me.
Speaker E: Okay.
Speaker D: I'll just react. All right, so you've, uh, trapped him in the ground.
Speaker E: Yes. Uh, his legs are trapped in the ground.
Speaker D: Okay, sounds good. He is going to mark a condition to escape. He's going to mark angry minus two.
Speaker E: To guide and comfort and assess a.
Speaker D: Situation, but he is not trapped in the ground.
Speaker E: Okay. So given my punch, where it matters when I assess the situation. So I need to say I'm rolling for assess the situation, if I'm asking, and that's my turn.
Speaker D: Right. Okay.
Speaker E: I'm going to try and advance an attack. So I want to use my Earth gauntlet. Wrap your arm or fist in strike mark one, fatigue. I inflict one condition or two fatigue. You can also knock your foe out of reach and disengage. They must mark an additional fatigue to resist. I want to wrap up my left arm and just try and go in close, get all that torque.
Speaker D: Okay.
Speaker E: And then try and go for that liver shot. So I get that plus one along with this Earth gauntlet, and I really hope I don't roll bad.
Speaker D: What does the earth gauntlet fall under?
Speaker E: Uh, Vance and attack.
Speaker D: Oh, okay.
Speaker E: It is one of my fighting techniques.
Speaker A: Jeez.
Speaker E: I rolled a four.
Speaker D: It'd be a five with a plus one.
Speaker E: Well, no, it was a three with the plus one.
Speaker D: And it's turning. Oh, no. So you go to swing at him and he easily just kind of sidesteps and dodges out of the way. Your punch goes by him.
Speaker E: And now I'm in close combat with him.
Speaker F: Lee seems to be letting his gore down.
Speaker D: He sidesteps and he too does an advance in attack. This time he stomps into the ground, create an earth column in front of you that blocks you in. Uh, so basically pin a foe with a column of Earth, inflict impaired on a single combatant, which I believe you had before.
Speaker E: Yeah, but that was just for one turn.
Speaker D: Right? This one is ongoing until you do something to get past it.
Speaker E: Okay, so I'm going to use seize, uh, a position, move to a new location, um, overcome a negative status or danger and do another three.
Speaker D: I will roll for it.
Speaker E: Please be better than a three. Eight.
Speaker D: Okay, so yeah, you're able to die. You seize a position, uh, so you're able to move to a new location. I assume you wiggle kind of out of the Earth column, pinning you down, um, or pinning you in place rather, and you manage to move out of the way. Where are you moving to?
Speaker E: I'm going to move. I'm going to try and get back in close combat with him. That's all. I can really only inflict damage while I'm in close quarters. Okay.
Speaker D: He was actually already planning on doing an advanced attack.
Speaker E: Great.
Speaker D: Um, he was going to make another rock column. Sick, I need to announce. So, uh, you manage to wiggle out of this rock column only to be greeted by a follow up rock column. His comes shooting out at you.
Speaker F: Broccoli is everything but unbeatable.
Speaker A: Let's.
Speaker E: What does steal yourself for? Their blows mean under retaliate. Each time a flow inflicts fatigue, a condition or shifts your balance. In this exchange, inflict one fatigue on that.
Speaker D: So you're kind of like readying yourself for their attacks to, um, what do they call that? Bill has a technique that's a good word for it, Sort of like Parry the blow. So you block and hit.
Speaker E: Mhm.
Speaker D: Still technically taking it, but at least you're inflicting something back on.
Speaker E: Yeah, and I can't exactly do that while I'm pinned under a column.
Speaker D: Right.
Speaker E: So I guess really my only option is to seize another position.
Speaker D: Well, seize the position it is. All right, sounds good.
Speaker E: Nine.
Speaker A: Nice.
Speaker E: Another advanced attack.
Speaker D: Did you already add the plus one to it?
Speaker E: Uh, no. Set to ten.
Speaker D: Okay, so now, uh, you can choose one of the options from the list. You can mark a fatigue to use a learn technique. You can use one practice technique, or you can use two basic or master techniques. So, since you are doing defendant maneuver, um, you have the option to, for instance, do two basic techniques that would fall under that. Or if you have a technique of your own that you'd like to use that falls under that, you could do that as well.
Speaker E: So two basic defendant maneuver or one learned defendant maneuver.
Speaker D: Correct.
Speaker E: Okay, well, I don't have a learned defendant maneuver, so I might need to use a basic defendant maneuver. Got you. So, first, I'll seize position to get out from under that column.
Speaker D: Okay.
Speaker E: And then could I use it again to get another advantageous position? Can I use the same move twice?
Speaker D: I don't personally have a problem with that. And someone did it earlier, so I don't see why not.
Speaker A: Cool.
Speaker E: So I will seize the second position. This time, I'm going to get behind him.
Speaker D: Okay, so you, like, leap behind him. Um, he actually was going to go and create another column, but, uh, you dodged out from under it, so it just. And then he goes, ha.
Speaker A: I got you.
Speaker D: And he walks over to it, only to find you're not there. And now he looks behind him to see that you're behind him now.
Speaker E: All right, Earth gauntlet thing. Where the guy goes, nanny nanny, Earth Gauntlet it is. All right, wrap up that left hand. Go for another liver shot. Let's do it.
Speaker D: Another liver shot.
Speaker E: So I get the plus one.
Speaker D: All right. Uh, what does that fall under?
Speaker E: Advance in attack. So since it falls under advance and attack, do I get the plus one for passion?
Speaker D: Yes.
Speaker E: Okay, so with my plus two, uh, it's a five.
Speaker D: That is going to be a M. Myth.
Speaker E: This Earth gauntlet sucks.
Speaker F: Brock Lee doesn't seem to care it all about his opponent.
Speaker D: He spins around, and he just does a simple strike. He's not doing anything special. So it's strike a foe in reach, forcing them to mark two fatigue, mark a condition, or shift their balance away from center. Your choice.
Speaker E: My choice or your choice?
Speaker D: Uh, it would be your choice. I can mark one fatigue instead. To choose to hammer them with blows, forcing them to mark two fatigue, or strike where they're weak, inflicting a condition, and he is going to mark one fatigue to cause you to mark Two.
Speaker E: All right. Things ain't looking good for old Brock Lee here.
Speaker D: Oh, no.
Speaker E: All right, well, he says you thought.
Speaker A: You could get behind me.
Speaker D: He's doing that JoJo's desired video M. And from the audience, you just hear.
Speaker A: Oh, my gosh. Uh.
Speaker E: All right, well, let's fight ain't over. Fight ain't over. It's not over yet.
Speaker A: I ain't heard no bell.
Speaker E: I hear no bell. One more time, Earth Gauntlet. Let's do this. We're still advanced and attacking. Okay, Earth Gauntlet, I got the plus two. Oh, yeah. So that's an eleven, baby.
Speaker D: Okay.
Speaker E: Liver shot. Liver King.
Speaker D: Awesome.
Speaker E: So I wrap up the old left. My old lefty in that earth, he's doing those blows. He goes for the headshot. Duck under.
Speaker A: Just capow.
Speaker D: Oh, right in the side.
Speaker E: Right in the liver.
Speaker D: All right, what does it do? What does it do?
Speaker E: Inflict one condition or two fatigue. Uh, you can also knock your foe out of reach and disengage. Um, so since it says, I can also do that, can I have a mark two fatigue and have them out, or can I keep them in close proximity and still have them two fatigue marked?
Speaker D: You can have them in close proximity.
Speaker E: Okay, so I will have the other guy, mark Two fatigue.
Speaker D: All right. As you come up, you punch him right inside. He groans, and then he turns back to you. You guys are, like, right in front of each other. Everybody's going. They're going nuts, because most of the time, you see people just hucking rocks back and forth at each other, and that's cool and stuff, but you guys are, like, right up on top of each other, throwing punches. A couple of big, muscular dudes just beating the crap out of each other. He turns around to also throw another strike, and he just goes in to punch you. Uh, so strike a foe, forcing them to mark two fatigue, mark a condition or shift their balance. We kind of already went through this already. And he is going to mark a final fatigue to hit you for or require you to mark two fatigue.
Speaker E: Well, then I'm done. That's all my fatigues.
Speaker D: And with that, you get slammed right in the jaw, and you go down, you fall to the ground.
Speaker F: Everyone remain calm. The boy is still alive while, uh.
Speaker D: Jinfu stands above you, just breathing heavily. He's looking pretty beat up and scuffed up. And above the stadium, you just hear.
Speaker F: Lettuce applaud Broccoli's attempts as he's taken out of the ring.
Speaker D: And as your eyes start to close and the darkness starts to overtake you, you hear Jinfu say something along the.
Speaker A: Lines of, next time when we fight, I'll do it drunk just to show I can.
Speaker D: And with that, your vision fades to black.
Speaker G: Get up, you lazy brute.
Speaker E: Yeah, you.
Speaker A: Ah.
Speaker G: Get back to work, or else you and your family will go without rations for the day.
Speaker A: It's okay, son. Come now. Let me help you up.
Speaker G: And don't let me catch you laying around again, or you'll get worse than just my boot.
Speaker A: Are you all right, my son? Um, you'll be all right, son. We'll finish our work today, get our rations tonight, and feel well rested in the morning.
Speaker E: Yeah, so we can continue to slave away for the Fire Nation.
Speaker A: I know it's hard, son, uh, but keep your head up. Someday the Avatar will save us from their tyranny, we'll start a new home, and we'll get back to cabbage farming.
Speaker E: Well, the Avatar better hurry up. I don't know how much longer I can watch mom and the girls suffer here in the slave camp.
Speaker A: I know, son. When the Avatar saves us, he or she better let me get a couple of good swings at these gods, especially that high and mighty Wang long. I'll show him a thing or two. If we were put on equal Grounds.
Speaker E: I know you would, dad.
Speaker A: Uh, well, you could for sure take him. You've really grown into a mountain of a man, my son. I have no idea where you got that from. Not from your mom or I, that's for sure.
Speaker E: Well, when you grow up in a work camp where every day you slave away like this, Sorry, Dad. I know there wasn't anything you could really do.
Speaker A: It's okay, son. I wish I was a stronger man, someone that could stand up to these bullies and Whisk you and your mom and your sisters away from all of this.
Speaker G: Attention, workers. You have 1 hour to get and eat your afternoon rations. Please make your way in orderly fashion to the mess hall.
Speaker A: Let's go get some Food, Son. You.
Speaker G: Well, well, it's sleepy Lee and his daddy Dearest. I thought I told you two that you weren't going to get dinner rations today.
Speaker A: Well, actually, Mr. Long, you said that if my son didn't get up, he wouldn'T.
Speaker G: When you refer to me, you'll refer to me as General Long, and that's only if I allow you to speak in the first place.
Speaker A: Yes, of course, General Long.
Speaker G: Uh, did I not just say you speak only when I allow you to?
Speaker E: Don't lay your hand on my Father Again.
Speaker G: Oh? What will you do about it? How dare you touch me Peasant. Uh, Guards, take this boy to a holding Cell. A few Days without his daddy will help him learn some respect.
Speaker A: Please. Please don't take my son. Please take me instead. Brock.
Speaker D: Brock.
Speaker A: Brock.
Speaker H: Brock. Brock. Hey, Brock. Come on, kid. I've got to get home to the missus. There he is.
Speaker A: See?
Speaker H: I told them you knew how to take A hit. Now sit on up. I need you to sign for the. Huh uh, the money for getting the snot beat out of you. I threw in a few extra yuan. Seems the audience enjoys you getting beat up every night. I don't know what you need this money for, but you must be Desperate. That is for sure.
Speaker E: There you go. Where's my money?
Speaker H: Here you go. Although Nobody better ask to see this signature. The heck does it even say? I could barely make out legible Letters Even.
Speaker E: Uh.
Speaker I: Well, hi there. Welcome to the delivery station. What can I do for you?
Speaker E: I need to have this sent to my family in bossing say.
Speaker I: Sure thing. You got an address?
Speaker E: Yeah, it's right here.
Speaker I: Let's see. 2125 Spindley Street. Outer ring bossing say. All right, you're good to go, sir. Say, do you look a bit familiar? Oh, I know. You're that new kid who got your butt handed to you at the Earth rumble the other night. Yeah, you sure did take a beating. Say, you going to be fighting again anytime soon? I sure need a thing to bet against.
Speaker E: Yeah, every night.
Speaker A: Ah. Uh, Brock, you're back. I was starting to get worried and. Oh, my. What happened to you? Did you get mugged?
Speaker E: No, I didn't get mugged.
Speaker A: Well, what happened then?
Speaker E: Just out working.
Speaker A: Give me just a momentum. Mhm. It. Drink this.
Speaker E: What is it?
Speaker A: It's black, uh, Ruibos tea with essence of green ginger bulb. It's very good for soothing pain and relaxing the muscles. Huh.
Speaker E: Um, thanks.
Speaker A: Of course, you know, if you need to take the day off tomorrow, that's completely okay with me.
Speaker E: No, it's fine. I'll be up and at him in the morning.
Speaker A: Well, if you change your mind. By the way, there's a big fight tomorrow at Earth Rumble Stadium. I was planning on getting tickets if you'd be interested in joining me.
Speaker E: Oh, uh, I'm not really into that sort of thing.
Speaker A: Suit yourself. Be sure to get some rest. And, uh, let me know if you need a cold rag for those bruises.
Speaker E: No need. I'll just head up to my room and sleep it off.
Speaker A: Hey, wake up.
Speaker E: What? Who's that?
Speaker C: Over here in the cell across from you.
Speaker E: Uh, what do you name mine? Sora uh, um, mine's Brock. I was. I was sleeping.
Speaker C: Yeah, sorry. I was bored.
Speaker E: You woke me up because you were bored? That seems kind of rude.
Speaker C: Maybe. Hey, you want to get out of here, right?
Speaker E: What? What kind of question is that?
Speaker C: Well, you'd be kind of surprised at how many people are willing to just work, eat, and sleep in this camp. It's like they don't even know their captives.
Speaker E: Yeah, well, it's not like we wouldn't rather be free.
Speaker C: You'd be amazed at the people that just chose to become subservient. They accept their situation rather than fight their oPpressors.
Speaker E: And why would they do that? What causes that sort of thought?
Speaker C: Hopelessness.
Speaker E: Well, you won't catch me accepting this.
Speaker C: I found that those that, uh, end up down here in these cells often aren't the type to take things lying down.
Speaker E: Uh, you see a lot of Fire Nation prison cells.
Speaker C: I'm working my way through all of them.
Speaker E: What do you mean?
Speaker C: You seem like someone I can trust. I'm a member of an organization, a secret organization, one intent on giving hope to people like you, who are stuck in places like this and remind the Fire Nation of who it is they're dealing with.
Speaker E: Are you the Avatar?
Speaker C: What? No.
Speaker E: Are you some sort of special agent for the Earth King, then?
Speaker C: No. I'm a member of the rescue team Squadron.
Speaker E: The what?
Speaker C: Rescue team Squadron. You've never heard of us?
Speaker E: Well, we don't get a lot of news from the outside in here, especially of a secret organization.
Speaker C: Fair point.
Speaker E: Also, isn't team and squadron kind of redundant?
Speaker C: Shut up. It sounded cool. Okay.
Speaker E: All right. My bad.
Speaker C: Anyways, if you're ready, it's time for me to go. And I sure could use your help if you're interested in busting everyone out.
Speaker E: Of this camp right now.
Speaker A: Duh.
Speaker C: Uh, I'm good in getting out of these cells, but that doesn't mean I want to stay in them.
Speaker E: Um, yeah, but how the heck do you plan to do that?
Speaker C: Check this out.
Speaker E: Did you just.
Speaker I: Quiet.
Speaker C: I need a lot of concentration for this. Phew. There you go. Now follow me.
Speaker E: I mean, yeah.
Speaker D: Whoa. Who are.
Speaker C: These are the rescue team Squadron? Well, some of them. They're part of the extraction team, just like me. Come on, we got to get under the prisoner barracks and save everyone else.
Speaker E: Okay.
Speaker A: Uh, Brock. Brock. Huh?
Speaker E: Huh? It's me, Mr. O'Haran. What are you doing here?
Speaker A: I said I was buying tickets to the fight tonight, didn't I?
Speaker E: I had hoped you were joking.
Speaker A: Why would you say that? Of course, I wouldn't miss the chance to watch you fight. Although, uh, it is a bit difficult to see you taking so many hits.
Speaker E: Yeah, that's what I was afraid of.
Speaker A: May I ask, if it's not too personal, why do you do it?
Speaker E: Do what?
Speaker A: This. The fighting. The hits you take getting knocked down every night.
Speaker E: Well, it's not like I'm not trying.
Speaker A: If I might share a theory, I feel like you're allowing yourself to go down, perhaps punishing yourself for something. Maybe for a time when you feel like you didn't have the strength to make a difference and you feel responsible for what came out of it. Prince? Prince. Oh, no. He's still in the house. You cannot become subservient to the memories that oppress you. You must break free from them. Realize that there are things outside of your control, but fight against what seeks to hold you back, because that is something you do have control over. Remember, Brock, you have the power to determine where your future takes you. You have the ability to replace that which was lost in the past by paving a better future for yourself than those around you.
Speaker E: Thanks, Mr. Elkaron.
Speaker F: It's time for the fight to begin. Opponents, ready yourselves.
Speaker A: Ah.
Speaker F: Three, two, one.
Speaker A: Go. Yeah.
Speaker E: Okay, stop.
Speaker G: It's time to dig up.
Speaker D: You.
Speaker E: Me? You know these people? Your voice can far better represent the sound of freedom they need to hear.
Speaker C: He means that it's probably quicker if you tell them it's time to escape than if some stranger does.
Speaker E: Yeah. Everyone, quickly. It's time to escape.
Speaker A: Brock, what's going on?
Speaker E: I met somebody, dad. Her name is Sora, and she was in the cells with me. She's part of an organization that rescues people like us from the Fire Nation work camps.
Speaker A: But, Brock, it's far too dangerous. What if the soldiers catch us escaping? They'd kill us all.
Speaker E: Oh, that sounds a lot better than dying here in captivity, doesn't it? You said yourself you wish there was a way to get mom and the girls away from this, didn't you? You said you wanted someone to stand up to the bullies. Well, no one is coming to save us, dad. It's time for us to save ourselves.
Speaker A: You're right, son. There's no point in sitting around waiting for others to change our lives. We're going to do it ourselves. Come on, everyone. No time to grab your things. Not that the Fire Nation gave us much anyways. Let'S get out of here. I'm so proud of you, son.
Speaker E: Thanks, dad.
Speaker G: What is all the commotion I hear? And, uh, what's going on here?
Speaker A: Brock. He'll sound the alarm. No, he won't.
Speaker G: Uh, putting a wall between me and the door, eh? No worries. I've been meaning to teach you a lesson. One on one anyways.
Speaker E: Not gonna matter. The prisoners will escape anyway.
Speaker G: Oh, I will hunt each and every one of you down to the ends of the earth if I have to.
Speaker F: And Brock takes another hit.
Speaker G: Uh, that's it.
Speaker F: Another hit on Brock. I have a feeling he can't take much more of this. But, boy, what a show.
Speaker A: Remember, Brock, you have the power to determine where your future takes you. Yeah. Quick, Brock. He's down. We need to leave.
Speaker C: Yeah, we've got to go.
Speaker A: Uh, don't worry. Sudden, I've got you. No.
Speaker F: In a turn of events, Brock has taken down his opponent. Who could have seen that coming?
Speaker H: I, uh, don't know where that came from, kid, but color me impressed. Here's your cash for winning. It's a lot more than losing, that's for sure. But, hey, you deserve it. You made me a lot of money tonight.
Speaker C: Brock.
Speaker A: Are you okay?
Speaker E: Yeah, I'm all right. Hurts a lot less when you win.
Speaker A: Oh, I'm sure it does. Now, uh, let's get you back home so you can get some rest.
Speaker E: Sure, but can we stop at the delivery station on the.
Speaker A: Sure. But what for?
Speaker E: I need to send my winnings back home to my family. I want them to be proud of me too.
Speaker A: Of course, my friend. Of course.
Speaker C: You did really well back there. You just have to learn when it's time to fight and when to fight.
Speaker E: Yeah, I'm sure I'll figure it out.
Speaker C: Someday, though, uh, your family will be safe here. We bring a lot of earthbenders with nowhere to go to this refugee camp. They'll have everything they need until we're able to move them to the outer ring of bossing.
Speaker E: Sei Sora.
Speaker C: What?
Speaker E: Seriously, I appreciate you busting us out of here.
Speaker C: You were part of it too. Think yourself. And once you do figure things out, there's always a place for you in the rescue team squadron.
Speaker E: Not until they change that stupid name.
Speaker C: Excuse me.
Speaker E: But in all seriousness, I'm going to head off on my own for a bit. Set things up so my family is well taken care of. Dad doesn't know much but farming, and he can't do that from here. So until they're back to harvesting crops like the good old days, I gotta make sure that they're supplied for.
Speaker C: You're a good son, Brock, but where will that take you?
Speaker E: I'm not completely sure, but there's a traveling tea guy in the camp that said he's going to some city called Gao Ling or Guaoling where he's got a tea shop. So he says he's got some other kids my age that work there, and one of the other soldiers say they have this awesome fighting ring there. Sounds like a good opportunity to make a living and maybe learn to fight at the same time.
Speaker C: Sounds like a good setup to me.
Speaker E: What about you?
Speaker C: My passion lies with a squad. I'm going to keep on busting Earthbenders out of prison camps while busting some firebenders up in the process.
Speaker E: Sounds like a dream come true. Don't get yourself killed out there without changing that stupid name, okay?
Speaker C: I promise. So long as you don't get beat to dust in that fighting ring.
Speaker E: Oh, uh, I'm going to be wiping the floor with those other guys.
Speaker A: Um.
Speaker B: Thank you so much for listening to our show. Of course, don't forget to follow or subscribe to our podcast through whatever podcast site that you're using, such as iTunes, Spotify, YouTube, and others. Additionally, you can follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Just look for the social media icons. Following us on social media gives you access to all news, announcements, and of course, new episodes as they are released. You can check out our website, bendersonbrews.com, which will feature all of our episodes as well as news, announcements, and even cool character and player profiles. It's a great hub of information for the Benders and Brews podcast. And finally, we would be truly humbled if you would be willing to take the time to leave us a review. If your podcast site allows you to do so, such as on iTunes or in the case of YouTube, you can hit the like and subscribe button and drop us a comment. Tell us about what you thought about our podcast episodes. It sure would mean a lot to us. Avatar Legends is a tabletop role playing game created by Magpie Games, Nickelodeon, Avatar, and all related titles. Logos and characters are, Ah, Trademarks of, uh, Viacom International, Inc. All rights reserved. I also want to thank the following artists who you can find on Fiver for their amazing creative work on this podcast. Character art was done by Alicio Papa Draw, background art by Konichi, music by Joe Tims, two one five. Thanks again for listening and we'll see.
Speaker D: You on the next episode.
Speaker A: Bye.