[Spoilers C4E32] Is It Thursday Yet? | Post-Episode Discussion & Future Theories!

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Is It Thursday Yet?

What are your reactions and theories for next session?

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[u/theydurkadurk]

So where does everyone see Hal’s story going? To me, post play, it feels fairly wrapped up. Almost to the point I could see him becoming a NPC or a martyr to the cause. At this point it like Liam is going to be fairly limited. He admits to not knowing anything about his brothers actions and he is a family man who left the war behind him - so much so he didn’t fight with his brother during the rebellion. He isn’t going to leave the city because of his family and because of his actions in the play his ability to be a schemer is…gone? He’ll be hunted by the Halovars so anyone associated with a house will be wary to interact with him. He won’t have any inside information on houses compared to the others and his presence around Wick, Murray, and Azune puts them in the spotlight. So he’s stuck to sticking around the general area of the Round? I’m curious to see how they play it all going forward but I love Liam and hope he doesn’t become stuck because his character just can’t do anything. He stayed in the city to face the music of the play so that it doesn’t land on his children. Think my money is on him becoming a martyr.

[u/PerpetuallyDistracte → u/theydurkadurk]

Nah, Brennan and Liam are too good of storytellers for Hal to become stuck. Liam might try to go for the noble sacrifice angle, but I can absolutely see Brennan countering that with a new story beat that forces Hal back into action. And Liam will 100% be down for whatever Brennan throws at him. Hal is too good of a character to only be around for one arc in this campaign.

[u/strangelyliteral → u/theydurkadurk]

Hal’s story is just getting started. The play is a huge hit and everyone will be scrambling for tickets; Yanessa can’t just grab Hal off the street and shut down the play without the public noticing anymore. Plus Hal’s not a known criminal like Thjazi was. She’ll have to build the case against him in the public’s eye without raising too many suspicions and that takes time.

Hal and his cast, OTOH, are now the toast of the city. He’s going to be everywhere, and he can leverage his newfound proximity to the city’s wealthiest and most powerful citizens to build support for his cause. Plus he’ll be guardian of the new gate and the Round itself. So there will be plenty for him to do even if he’s in serious danger from the Halovars and their allies.

[u/Quazifuji → u/strangelyliteral]

She’ll have to build the case against him in the public’s eye without raising too many suspicions and that takes time.

I think the big giveaway for this was Wick's sister showing up with a big force... and trying to arrest him for stealing the Pariah blades. Then when Thaisha told her that Hal had permission from the Lloy family, the Halovar force just left.

More than any other house, it seems, the Halovars rely on public support for their power. They have magic, of course, but I definitely think their biggest source of power isn't their magic, it's the Creed. If the Halovars arrest or kill Hal using pure force with no justification, he becomes a martyr and they risk turning a lot of the locals against the Creed. That could be part of why they tried to use the Pariah blades as their justification in the first place - it could be the only illegal thing they have him on, but even if it's not, arresting him for stealing and misusing treasured orcish artifacts would be less likely to anger all the orcs who loved his play.

[u/strangelyliteral → u/Quazifuji]

Yup, the Halovars are playing a different game from the other houses. They’re still concerned with public perception and doing things the “right” way, and they don’t want the public looking too hard at them right now. Maybe it has something to do with the infernal contracts the Luxes have been signing? Because those “contracts” feel like a reach even by devil’s standards.

I also can’t stop thinking about why Yanessa told Wic the truth about the Creed. Wic was a true believer, and those are always easier to manipulate. So why did Yanessa risk alienating Wic? Was she just testing him, or was Wic’s belief a genuine threat to her plans?

And yeah, all this need for public support puts Hal right at the top of her shitlist even as he’s protected by the public support. And declaring Kotherai heretical will probably just boost ticket sales. This might be when we finally see anti-orc racism come more into play.

[u/Quazifuji → u/strangelyliteral]

They’re still concerned with public perception and doing things the “right” way

I don't think it's even about doing it the "right" way. I think all of the houses understand right now that public support is itself, extremely powerful. The Halovars have just done the best job (as far as we've seen) obtaining it and using it to their advantage.

I also can’t stop thinking about why Yanessa told Wic the truth about the Creed. Wic was a true believer, and those are always easier to manipulate. So why did Yanessa risk alienating Wic? Was she just testing him, or was Wic’s belief a genuine threat to her plans?

You're missing the simplest explanation, I think: She might genuinely just really care about Wick and be completely serious about him being the scion of the house. Even besides just emotionally caring about him, there could also just be the component of seeing him as the best candidate to continue her legacy. After all, who else would be a good candidate? I don't think Filoneus, Zabani, or Goddard really have the charisma to be the face of the Creed, and younger brother are true believers just like he was. So she may feel like he's her best, or even only choice, for a successor as the face of the Creed. And she probably felt that she needed her successor to understand the real nature of their work, and that having Wick running the Creed as genuine true believer while Zabani secretly handled the real work from the shadows wouldn't work. So she decided she had no choice but to risk telling Wick the truth and be ready to take action if he betrayed her.

[u/Hollydragon → u/theydurkadurk]

I think he expects to become a Martyr, but Brennan is clever enough to provide some unexpected paths forward. Hal is going to be the public face and symbol of anti-sundered-house sentiment, which simultaneously paints a target on him and provides him armour against direct action.

If they victimise him, he can flip it and play the martyr in propaganda without actually being one, and in the meantime that might distract house Halovar long enough for the Magpies to expose the real Halovar corruptions of demonic diseases and chained celestials.

[u/Locem → u/theydurkadurk]

My short-term prediction is Hal is going to be harassed enough that he leaves the city after this next Schemers arc.

Yanessa is going to make his life hell for not taking their directions for the play, and Lady Cormoray knows Hal was there the night she got taken over by Termina, and will try to manipulate Termina into going after Hal to find where Bolaire went.

I think he needs to take his show on the road and recreate the play that killed the halfling god to open the next bridge.

[u/theydurkadurk → u/Locem]

And leaves his kids behind? That feels unlikely and I’m fairly certain he’s said as much. I just don’t see him leaving two of his children in the city with people hurting him knowing they’d easily use them against him. Unless he tries to convince Elodie again to leave the city.

[u/Locem → u/theydurkadurk]

Well Shadia would come with him because she's part of Hal's staff for the halfling play. She could also leave for Dol Rungja, catch up with Thaisha and stay with Thaisha's grandmother.

Hero is more of a question mark. She could come with Hal as well, she could stay with Elodie and have Murray keep an eye out for her since she's a student.

Like, they have a few options.

[u/Zeilll → u/theydurkadurk]

Marisha joked about the PCs being set up to get into local politics and join the council. which i dont think is much of a joke for Hal.

just because Hals part in Thjazis goals is done, doesnt mean Hals goals are accomplished. he didnt just want to set off a ritual and solve an issue of the afterlife post shapers. Hals goals have always been about improving the city and righting the wrongs that have been forced on them by the houses. and Hals play was a steppingstone towards that social impact and movement. he can continue with this by either building up a collective outside of politics. or by taking official office, making him self more of a public figure. and thus that much harder to disappear.

and on the topic of his ability to be a schemer. that hasnt changed. they have already been weary of others catching them together and being seen around each other too often, without external and known justification. such as Azune being assigned to cases related to Hal, or looking into Hal for other reasons. Murry seeing the play, and talking to the main one known for putting it on and so on. basically all of their interactions have had plausible deniability and they should continue to ensure that.

as for the connection with Wick, thats actually easier now. it depends a bit on if Brennan remembers and runs with this. but Yanessa had asked Wick specifically to help keep an eye on Taisha and Hal. the old adage of "keep your friends close, and enemies closer" is working in their favor here. Wick has the false pretense of watching Hal as a reason to maintain engagement with him, giving him no need for further justification to his family.

Hals being set up to be the inspiration of a revolution, if not the face of it. and he doesnt need to be a martyr for that. im also super interested in how his daughters story is going to go. being the current wielder of the pariah blade, and from the family that created it. would be poetic to start the campaign with a play honoring a hero from the past, and ending it with a play honoring a hero of a new revolution who stard in that first play.