Session 126
General Summary
- Kesmet's timeline is the last one. This time, the Song of Time has a difficult time rewriting the party into it, as this moment has been tampered with multiple times, between Kerro's whole thing, Dennis doing whatever he's been doing for a while, and now whatever the party's about to do here.
- This time, they're all just their own unaltered selves except for Kesmet, who is now inhabiting the body of his own past self.
- Dazki revealed that he's made a connection: the assassin from his timeline is actually very likely who Barry was before his transformation.
- Not long after they regrouped, Dennis showed up with a lackey and started harrassing the party, using one of Pendel's boxes to rewind time by 30 seconds in a loop.
- The box exploded, "locking in" that 30-second loop and creating rifts that showed four alternative timelines for what may have happened at the bakery:
- Kesmet himself caused the fire in a fit of uncontrollable rage and anger
- Kesmet's daughter accidentally started a grease fire that got out of hand
- Kerro "Burnclaw" Schene killed Kesmet's family to take revenge on him for what he does in the future
- Dennis and some lackeys torched the place over missed debts and for Dennis to try to gain some respect
- The party managed to appease the spirits in all four timelines with flower offerings. This seemed to put an end to the time loop, especially once Kesmet confirmed that the "real" timeline is what he's been saying all along: Dennis killed his family, and so his revenge will be justified.
- He tried to finish Dennis off, but his spell missed, and the party members and Dennis were returned to Pendel's clock tower.
- Pendel is not thrilled that Dennis would return before he was able to completely finish repairing his Orrery of the Wanderer.
Full Recap
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Prologue
You expect to simply appear into a new scene, as you have done before. Instead, you are briefly nowhere. Harsh sounds permeate this void like a deafening storm. You find yourself thrust into unfamiliar moments, as if time itself cannot handle what is or what is not.
...A lovely cottage in the hills! ...A snowy mountaintop! ...You're drowning at the bottom of the sea! ...You're in a musical theatre! ...Each scene simultaneous and brief, but it feels no less real. You can't shake the feeling that at one point, you might have been a plant.
Eventually, the scene settles, and you find yourself amongst a crowd of noisy commoners. They seem to be gawking at a burned-down building. Bits of ash still occasionally whip up from the wind, blowing through this small town. As if on cue, the crowd notices something behind them. In a sea of whispers and hushed gossip, they give the approaching man a wide berth. The crowd splits as the man slowly walks, half stunned, into the center of the smoldering ruins.
Kesmet — you are the man slowly walking to the center of the burned-down building. Not a glowing figure that we would presume is "you" — it is you. The only you here. You are now standing, once again, in the middle of the Hound's Tooth Row bakery: the once happy and casual storefront that housed fresh-baked breads, childish laughter, and hope of a future lays before you now, again, as ash and forgotten memories.
Dwardazik vomits, coughs, and stands up again.
Marvin: Do I even get a moment?! Dazki: I didn't get a moment after I saw myself nearly get killed. So I've got a feeling that the answer is "no", unfortunately. Marvin: While I appreciate the thought, Dazki, it was somewhat rhetorical... Dazki: Ah. Sorry about that. Dwardazik: It's all right, Marvin, we're experiencing things that I think aren't natural. Time is supposed to heal these wounds. We aren't supposed to experience them again. Dazki: Unrelated to that, when we were standing around for an hour as skeletons, I was trying to figure something out. So, that assassin that was trying to kill me, right? We had special instructions regarding him, and I was trying to figure out why. We couldn't kill him, we had to keep him (essentially) on his current life path. But the only things that would be altered were things that were trying to get us to Ashport, right? Grogery: Oh, OK... Dazki: So... we had a shady elf, working with dragonborn pirates, who had a woman that he cared about being held hostage, who could change his appearance at will — seeming with magic, or a magical item, or something... Marvin: ...no...! That was Barry?!?! Dazki: I think that was Barry who tried to kill me. Grogery: Well. Now we have more information about how to help him in the present, I guess? Dazki: Yup. Dwardazik: But that's just suspicions, right? It kind-of fits, but it could've been anyone! Grogery: It lines up really well, though. Dazki: He also said to Redsky, "You've got it, boss". Grogery: ...that sounds just like him... Dazki: And he did seem fairly gullible as well. Marvin: But he didn't seem absent-minded, though? Grogery: He's also part-fish. Dazki: Yeah, getting infected with Turmoil must have affected his mental faculties, to a point. He can't remember anything of his past life, so I don't know that it's too far of a stretch. I don't know for sure, but that is my suspicion. That we may have something that, hopefully, we may be able to use to help him. Marvin: In hindsight, I probably shouldn't've given him a gun... Dwardazik: The Barry now is different from the Barry then. Even if he was an asshole and of a... questionable nature in the past, the Barry we've interacted with has done so with his cowardice honor. Dazki: Besides, he was being blackmailed to do it. It's not like he just decided "hey, let me go kill these guys". He was being blackmailed; someone dear to him was being held ransom.
You are all interrupted by the same familiar tinny static that you have been hearing quite a bit of recently. Even Kesmet, though he is a considerable distance away. It's difficult to understand, this time, cutting in and out.
Marshall: Something's wrong — I'm receiving multiple signals. This area — of the Song seems to — — — unstable. Be careful! I mean it this time! The voice cuts out harshly. Dwardazik: That's an unsettling warning. Grogery: The Song of Time is trying to rewrite itself to accommodate the dissonance that's happening, but it's too much... or the wrong kind of dissonance, and it can't do it?They decide to look at themselves in the reflection of Grogery's shield. Whereas Kesmet has inhabited the body of his past self, the other party members are just... themselves. No different bodies.
Dwardazik: We should probably go towards Kesmet, then... Marvin: Yeah. We need to stay close. Dwardazik: That's kind of weird. Why is he over there, anyway? Shouldn't he have been with us?
Kesmet. This is the exact walk you took before. You've heard about reliving past experiences before — but this is ridiculous.
Dwardazik: Hey, Kesmet! You doing OK? Why are you walking into that burned-down building? Marvin: Dwardazik. You know what this is. He's told the story many times.They continue heading towards Kesmet.
Breaking from the crowd, you enter the building's remains. You feel your organs lurch, as if suddenly stopping after traveling at a great speed. The sound of the crowd that you were once a part of becomes more and more muffled. The movement of their faces and their worried expressions as they cluck around like chickens becomes slower and blurred.
Standing among the stillness, the smallest of breezes catches through some of the ash.
Dwardazik approaches towards Kesmet to take his hand, and he heard Kesmet muttering to himself:
Kesmet: Dennis must die. Dennis must die. Dennis must die. Dennis must die. Dennis must die. Dennis must die. Dwardazik grabs his hand. Kesmet, spinning around: Huh? Dwardazik: Kesmet. We're traveling. We're in the past, remember? We're in the past. Remember the mission right now. Stay focused. Kesmet, remain focused. Kesmet: Huh? On what? What's going on? Dwardazik: This isn't now! This is then! I don't know what's happening. Your situation seems different. Grogery: Kesmet. Do you know who we are? Kesmet: Yeah. You're Grogery. Grogery gives Kesmet a hug. Marvin: That's right. And you're Kesmet. And don't you forget it! Kesmet: Yeah. Um, what happened? Marvin: We're somewhere back in time. Something has already happened. Grogery: And we need to try to undo it so that the past can't be further corrupted. But whatever dissonance is going on, it seems to be really bad this time. Dwardazik: He's pulling out all the stops, Pendel is. And Dennis. We will correct this. Or at least make it passable. We will not allow this Song and the flame that you have carried, all through the time that I have known you, to be smothered by some egotistical time-warping idiot! Don't lose your drive. Focus. Keep your desire. Focus, and we will resolve this. Kesmet: Yeah. Yeah, you're right. Dwardazik: We will make Dennis pay. Kesmet: Yeah, sure. Dennis. Grogery: I can't imagine how hard it must be for you right now. Does anything seem off or different?
(Investigation 3) Kesmet, you have replayed this exact scene in your head, over and over. And over. The ash smell, the hot air and the cinders still cooking in the floorboards beneath, the flowers strewn about from the crowd of watchers and mourners.
She loved flowers.
Dwardazik: Lads. I don't remember what's supposed to happen next. Kesmet isn't going to be able to tell us what's going on. He seems a bit out of it, which makes sense. How do we resolve this? How do we check what's wrong? Dazki: I don't know. Grogery: Pendel is trying to do something to make it so that Kesmet never travels to Ashport. Kesmet, do you happen to remember what happened to you in the hours / days / weeks following this? It sounded like you tried to infiltrate his organization. Kesmet: Yeah. That was not successful. I don't think I was in the best mindset back then. I mean, now. Back now. No, I did not do well with that. I got found out almost immediately. Had to fucking run and get out of town. Grogery: Well, it sounds like since things are a little bit messed up, and your starlight-beacon-version isn't here, perhaps you have to go around doing the same things you did immediately following this incident? Dwardazik: I don't want to tell you this, Kesmet, because I think Grogery is completely correct. If this really is the past — which I'm not necessarily sure I believe — and yet you are here and not your glowing version, you may very well be rewriting your past. If that's the case, I don't think I can emphasize how importantly you must take this. Kesmet: That's an... interesting idea. Dwardazik: Kesmet. We are going to get Dennis. WE. Not you. Don't try to correct the mistakes you made. You must make the same mistakes again. Otherwise, we'll never meet, and you'll never get the opportunity to achieve your true desire.Grogery notices that some party members are still injured after the fight with the dracolich and suggests that they take a short rest to compose themselves.
Dwardazik, holding his wrist and elbow: You're right... that was one hell of a fight, though, wasn't it? An undead dragon?! I mean, come on! Dazki: It was, uh... definitely a thing. Dwardazik: That doesn't even seem real! That didn't actually happen, right? Dazki: No, it happened. Dwardazik: No, I'm saying — I understand it "happened". I'm saying, that's the kind of thing you hear about in stories, and tall tales, when someone embellishes what happened at their farm. It must just be Pendel. There's no way that actually happened, right? Grogery: Well, we did fight the dragon, and Pendel brought it back. Dazki: Yeah, I don't know why there would be a reason why it didn't happen? Marvin, riled up: Yeah, Dwardazik, and I sent my father to his doom! Do you understand that?! Grogery: Might be. We know he's fine, and — Marvin: IT WAS MY FAULT! Everything bad in my life was MY FAULT! Grogery: It wasn't originally like that! Pendel meddled, and so we had to meddle back! Who even knows what the exact circumstances were the first time? We need to find somewhere safe where we can figure out what to do next. Marvin: I wanted to join you guys. I wanted to ensure so badly that I met you guys, that I was willing to send my father to his doom! That's on me. Dazki, kneeling down and hugging Marvin: No. You wanted so badly to protect the entire world — to protect everyone — that you were willing to sacrifice for the greater good. Marvin: I want to believe that, friend. Dazki: I do believe it. And I will continue to believe it, because I know you are a good man. I know you want to do the right thing even when it's hard. Even when it's the hardest thing you could do. You did the right thing, even if it doesn't feel like it. Even if it's so incredibly painful. You took that burden on, for the rest of the world. So, thank you for saving my life. Marvin: I hope I can believe that one day, Dazki. Dazki: I hope you believe it as much as I do. Marvin: Thank you, friend. Kesmet: But Marvin? Marvin: Yes, Kesmet? Kesmet: Consider this: your dad's, like, okay-ish now, right? At least you can still talk to him. Grogery: And it sounds like he took out the dragon when he got teleported away. Because he obviously made it. Marvin: He's probably dust and echoes now. No more than fleeting thoughts among the winds of time and space. Dazki: We don't know that. Dwardazik: Are you considering that you killed him, and that this is just the past timeline talking to us in the present? And then, in the future, when we see what happens, he's going to be gone? No! I refuse to believe that! I don't know the rules of how this reality — or whatever we're doing! — works, but I refuse to believe that you killed your father! It was Pendel, and his meddling, and all this bullshittery that we're dealing with! What you've done is a noble sacrifice, as Dazki said. Never forget that we will get revenge for this. Marvin: Mom, and Matthew, and they'll — Grogery: They'll at least know. Now you can tell them what happened. Dazki, whispering to Dwardazik: Hey, I don't think revenge is going to be a good motivator right now. I don't think anger and hatred will help, at the moment. Unfortunately.
Two things happen, one of them only noticed by Dazki: a small, spritely, almost wooden figure — perhaps a sort of forest spirit or something — grabs one of the flowers strewn about on the ground and scuttles into a pile of debris.
The second thing that happens is a booming voice. Though it doesn't seem to have a definitive area of origin, the owner is still unmistakable — at least, to some.
Dazki follows after the figure.
Dennis: You guys sure do love a good sob story. While the Hound's away, the mice will play, after all! Dwardazik, jumping up and yelling back: And this is going to be our greatest "play" ever! This will be a time to remember. There is so much wrong here that it hurts the heart, yet our friend here will be stronger for it. Dennis: I see my new minion has been keeping you busy, but we've stalled long enough.
Emerging from the blurred crowd of people, almost materializing as it focuses, is a massive black werewolf. It towers above the rest of the crowd — who seem not to notice it — as it steps through into the building.
Grogery steps in front of Kesmet, shield out.
(Arcana 17) These figures are sort-of like forest spirits. They're drawn to tragedy, meant to purify ground that might spawn ghosts or ghouls from where terrible tragedies happen. It's the main reason why humans prefer to lay flowers on the graves of the dead. And here, too, it seems that the crowd were hoping to beckon whatever evil spirits would remain here to go away. Mostly harmless.
Not mostly harmless is the now towering jet-black werewolf. He takes out a flint and tinder, lights a cigarette, and holds it out to the side, awaiting for you to do whatever is going to happen next.
Dwardazik, pulling out his mace and shield: You cannot be here. This is wrong. I know what you're trying to do, Pendel. You're trying to force history into some kind of a shape for your advantage. Well, it won't work here! Marvin: We've fooled your plan four times already! Want to make it a fifth? Dwardazik: Kesmet's too strong to be baited like this. (He looks at Kesmet.) ...right? Kesmet: I'm not sure what he's trying to bait me into. This is entirely unprecedented. It didn't happen before. Dwardazik, getting more unsure: ...right? Grogery: So what is your intention here, Dennis Donahue? Are you just here to fight us?
The cigarette leaves the claws of the wolf and begins to float down slightly, before something invisible takes a large drag from it. Appearing next to the massive wolf is a relatively short man. Feeble, weak hair. Childish features. Nice suit, though:
The small man carries a wooden and glass box — under his arm, at first, as he takes the cigarette, but then after that — and he holds it forth as if he's preparing to show you its contents. He speaks in a far less intimidating manner than the booming, thaumaturgical voice. (Insight 13) As he speaks, Kesmet realizes that this — the small man in the suit, not the gigantic black werewolf — is actually Dennis Donahue.
Dennis: You will suffer until I am satisfied. Dwardazik: I think you're getting desperate. That's what's really happening. Dennis: "Desperate"? You want to see "desperate"? Dwardazik: Showing your face for the first time. Whatever happened to your little set of wings, pal? Dennis: Go ahead! You want me dead. Or do you not have it in you anymore? Marvin: Oh, you're not going to leave until you're "satisfied", huh? And you're goading us to kill you? Oh, I see! You're just one hell of a masochist! Did your last girlfriend also not leave you "satisfied"?
Kesmet's Session Is Mostly Just One Big Combat
Editor's note: I'm probably going to be inconsistent about the level of details that I choose to include in here, because I want to record more than a typical combat, but I also don't want to pause every 10 minutes or so to see if I'm being consistent.
Dennis begins by transforming into an absolutely terrifying werewolf, ...scarcely taller than he was before:
Dennis: What's the matter? Dog got your tongue? Grogery: That doesn't even make sense! Marvin: No... just laughing too much...Marvin responds by trying to cast a Dissonant Whispers at third level, but Dennis ignores it entirely. Marvin then runs away, and Dennis chooses not to use an Attack of Opportunity. On his turn, Kesmet casts a Burning Hands spell directly at Dennis (racial, at first level), even though Dwardazik is in the line of (literal) fire. It burns Dwardazik pretty badly, but Dennis again ignores it entirely. His Heart of Fire does work, however, doing a slight amount of damage.
Dennis, laughing with his toothy grin: Looks like you're still just a one-trick puppy! Marvin: Does this guy have anything else other than dog jokes?!Dazki and the larger jet-black werewolf trade blows, and Grogery heals the party with a Mass Cure Wounds spell. Dennis reacts to that:
Dennis: I am the master of time! I am HOUND IMMORTAL! It's DOG DAYS, FOREVER!!!He then opens the box, and the entire room reverts to how it was 30 seconds earlier:
- Positions are reset.
- Expended spell slots and ability points are restored.
- Hit points and persistent conditions — at least, the party members' hit points, as far as anyone knows — are not reset.
Dennis: I cannot be defeated. I will watch you suffer forever! You are in my claws now!Dennis, having seen the damage he can do, successfully charms Dazki with a Dominate Person. Dwardazik tries to disarm the box out of Dennis's hands, but Dennis is able to succeed on his save, and Marvin's Silvery Barbs — cast from a third-level spell slot — doesn't affect Dennis at all. Seeing that Dennis can cast spells, Marvin casts a fourth-level Ego Whip, which Dennis doesn't seem to completely ignore as he's been doing, but he's still able to save himself from the effect. Kesmet quickened-ly dispels whatever was cast on Dazki, then walks right next to Dennis.
Kesmet: "One trick", eh? I think you'll find we've picked up a few more!Kesmet stabs Dennis in the gut with his magic silver dagger. It sizzles as it connects with Dennis's flesh. Dazki runs up to Dennis and (Sleight of Hand 20) gets his hands onto Dennis's box, but (Strength 3) can't quite pry it away from him. The jet-black wolf steps behind Kesmet, yells "WOLF PUN!", and takes two strikes at him... missing twice.
Kesmet: Your jokes are bad, and you should feel bad.Grogery casts a fifth-level Hold Person on both, managing to get the jet-black one but not Dennis. Dennis reacts by trying to open the box; Dazki contests this, and though Dennis can overpower him, Dazki is persistent enough that he is able to break the box — an opportunity which he turns down.
Dennis: I am HOUND IMMORTAL!Time resets again, and Dennis leans down next to Kesmet.
Dennis: I can use this time magic all day long. How long does your psyche last? Dennis transforms into the spitting image of Kesmet's wife (an air genasi). Dennis: All day. Every day will be your torment, until I am satisfied.
A Break in the Action
Not expecting the size change from transforming to his new figure, Dennis loses his grip on the box a little, and then he fumbles with it a little bit. His hands grasp it a bit too tightly, offsetting its delicate balance of mechanics inside, and it explodes with beams of light shining out in all directions.
Dennis: Aww, fuck!
Fire seems to — not spew forth from it, exactly, but it's as if the beams of light and shards of glass have spontaneously caused there to be roaring flames in four areas of the battlefield. Little forest sprites scatter out from the fire.
Dennis: Do you understand what you've just done?! Time is delicate! You fucked it again! You're such a failure!Dwardazik, reinvigorated, swings his mace at Dennis, but it passes right through him. Everybody is surprised by this, Dennis included. Two more swings, two more failures to connect. Dennis looks at him confused. Marvin pulls out his Pyroconverger and — seeing that Dwardazik wasn't immediately burned by the flames — steps into the spot where Dwardazik just left so he can to take aim at Dennis. As soon as he steps foot inside, however —
As you step among the sea of fire, all you can see is flames, briefly, before a scene seems to play out within the bakery... which is no longer burned down and is actually just a lovely bakery. All other combatants are gone.
There's a man. You can barely see his figure, as he's obscured mostly by the flames that emanate terrifyingly outward from him. The flames burst, as if angry. As if uncontrolled. Various patrons within the bakery flee, unsuccessfully, for cover. A woman makes one final attempt to calm the anger of the man within the flame before succumbing to this flame herself.
Marvin runs out of the fire, confused. One of the forest sprites holds out an empty basket to him. Marvin freaks out and just tries another Ego Whip on Dennis. The sprite hands Marvin a flower, which he takes, and the sprite waits eagerly for him to do something in return. He puts an iron nail from Overlook into the basket, which confuses the sprite.
Kesmet, with an evil laugh: His psyche was broken a long time ago. I'm what remains.He then casts a Flaming Sphere at seventh-level and engulfs Dennis in its flames. It also doesn't seem to affect Dennis, but he keeps it there anyway. Editor's note: starting about now, Dazki starts to understand that there's intended to be some sort of puzzle with these flowers and sprites and baskets. He begins trying to solve it, and the party communicates with one another throughout the rounds as they try to figure it out. That's just happening in the background throughout the rest of this, I'm not going to bother with the details. Notably, nobody here is particularly well-versed in flower stuff, so they have a much harder time with it than they might have if their party composition were different. Time resets again after Grogery's turn like what was happening when Dennis was opening the box. We're caught in a forever time loop now.
Dennis, panicking: This is very very not... good! That stupid minion of mine doesn't understand the intricacies of time stuff! He should've made it way more robust! It's no huge consequence, though — we'll live this disaster forever, anyways! Dennis tries to attack Kesmet, but it goes right through. Dennis: As long as we're trapped here forever, you'll be the one worse off!Dwardazik tries some more attacks, all passing through, and then informs everyone about Dennis's condition, blaming it on the box malfunctioning. Marvin also yells out to everyone that you see strange visions whenever going into the fire. Kesmet repositions himself to get a better angle for his flame sphere, entering into one of the roaring fires himself — the same one that Marvin had entered into earlier.
The bakery is back to being mostly fine. Surrounded by flames, all you feel is anger. The uncontrolled nature of the whole situation. You hear people screaming; you hear the sound of things becoming overcooked.
A woman pleads with you to stop. You do not. You continue, until it is all gone.
Kesmet's initial reaction is to use Control Flames to douse the flames he sees around him.
A voice speaks from within you: "No, no. That's not what we want." The spell fails. "This timeline belongs to me."
Kesmet steps out of the flames, sees everything is back to normal, and continues flinging his sphere at Dennis, ineffectually.
The jet-black werewolf kills one of the spirits.
Another reset.
Dennis: Do you even feel sorry for all the bad shit you've done by this point? Or, like, are you over it? Because I'm starting to get over it. But not yet! I still want to see you suffer endlessly.After seeing that the jet-black werewolf can still interact with things, he uses Otto's Irresistible Dance to lock it down for a while. Grogery steps into a different fire, then steps back out after seeing the vision. He relays it to the rest of the party, suggesting that these might be alternate timelines that are related to the flowers.
There are two figures, both air genasi. One seems to be far away on the other side of this lovely bakery, which is not currently that on-fire. A small grease fire does seem to have been started, though. The small child air genasi is so concerned — she doesn't want to get caught, she's not supposed to be messing with anything in the kitchen proper! But the fire spreads. The fire engulfs the whole bakery.
Another reset.
Dwardazik enters into the same fire that's been entered into by two other people. He sees the same vision as Marvin (Kesmet saw it differently, seeing himself as the source of the flames).
Marvin enters a new fire and lets the party know what he sees.
It is night. You see Kerro through the doorway. Without saying a word, Kerro bursts through the door as a woman tries to close it. Grabbing her with both hands, the woman is set ablaze before unceremoniously being thrown backwards into the bakery. The flames proceed to crawl across the floor as he merely turns and leaves.
Kesmet flies to the fourth and final fire.
Cold, starry night. A window, opened. The smell of lantern fuel, as three figures from outside the window proceed to toss in a flame. They are Hounds. Nobody awakes to leave the bakery the next morning.
He then enters into the fire with Kerro and tries to cast his strongest spell at him. It does nothing.
Time resets after another failed attempt at solving the puzzle.
Dennis: Enough of this! This whole thing is boring and bullshit! Where's my minion? Where's that stupid "Metronome Man"?! Fix it!! Something weird happens. Dennis: Screw puzzles! I've never been any good at 'em anyway! There are now two ways of solving this problem, and both of them involve killing Kesmet! Two attacks — and this time, they connect. He's just as surprised as you are, but his face quickly turns into a sort of grin. Dennis: Perhaps my minion isn't so useless after all. I may not be Time Immortal, but I can make sure I end you! ...wait... ... ... LET'S KILL TWO DOGS WITH ONE STONE!!! Grogery: THAT DOESN'T EVEN MAKE ANY SENSE!They've figured out the solution to the flower puzzle (partly through brute force), and it's Kesmet's turn:
Kesmet: Looks like fire's back on the menu. Let's send this plate back to the kitchen! A seventh-level Scorching Ray is barely not enough to bring him down. Kesmet: And this is for my family, you son of a bitch! Quickened Fire Bolt downs him. Dazki, yelling as he places the last flower in its basket: Try to at least keep his head recognizable. We could probably use that with the House of Cards!
Bark to the Future
Time resets one last time, and Dennis sputters back to life with one hit point, coughing up smoke and ash, shaking and prone, but the heaviness that filled this area subsides. This whole zone is still somewhat ablaze with fire, but the fire flickers in and out. They're not real fire... but they were. The timestream is still struggling. Something happened here — a thing MUST have happened here — but the Song of Time is having difficulties. What has happened here? Only one person knows the answer.
Kesmet: Isn't it obvious? The Hounds Guild came through here and murdered my family. Grogery: The Hounds Guild or Kerro Schene specifically? Kesmet: I have this feeling that it wasn't him. I didn't feel that angry at him when we first saw him. I feel like he would've been included in that whole revenge thing, from the start. A tinny voice comes through as Marshall tries desperately to relay a message. Equally haphazard, it's breaking up just as much as it did before. Marshall: There can't — — two things at one! All of — — have happened, and that ca—t be true! We can't let that happen! As much — — don't think — should choose their fate, it needs — answer. Editor's note: I don't know who was supposed to be talking here, but it didn't seem to be Marshall. It's Kesmet's session, so it doesn't ultimately have to make sense, and that also means it's not as weird for Kesmet to be directly talking to "Sky Voice", so I'm taking that opportunity now. Sky Voice: Did The Baker of Hound's Tooth Row murder his family in a fit of insanity? Kesmet: What? Of course not! Sky Voice: Did Kesmet's daughter mistakenly start a grease fire? Kesmet: Boy I sure would have egg on my face if that happened. I've been hunting down a man for the last five years! Sky Voice: Did Kerro, in a fit of revenge against killing you, kill your family? Kesmet: What? No, that's some weird time bullshit. Sky Voice: You realize that, no: what has happened from the very beginning must be true now. You must have your vengeance be justified. All of you — however many Kesmets there are — will be satisfied with the choice that you make. Sky Voice: Is your vengeance justified, as the man who has murdered your family for little more than money and respect lays coughing on the ground? Dwardazik, gripping his warhammer tightly: Kesmet. Only you can make this choice. I don't know what will happen to the timestream, or the history of everything, if you do what you're about to do. Kesmet: (Kesmet 16) I've said it once, and I'll say it again: you son of a bitch! Fire Bolt again. It misses, because Dennis falls prone, coughing from pain.
You five — and Dennis! — will all disappear... and then reappear somewhere vaguely familiar.
Back inside of the clock tower, a frustrated "Metronome Man" continuously tries to repair the damage that was done to his Orrery of the Wanderer. Upon noticing that you've snapped back to reality, his first course of action is to turn around and listen to Dennis whine and complain.
Dennis: You were supposed to take care of them for me! You are my minion! Pendel: Why are you back here so soon? ...useless.
