See here for the main recap page.
That last adventure was a tough one. Our heroes have earned some time off — both from mortal danger, and from each other. But how do adventurers spend their downtime between jobs? Also, what's hot and fresh at the bakery counter of the Fantasy Costco? Magnus considers a change in careers. Merle dishes out some beard-centric philosophy. Taako takes on a pupil.
It's been a few weeks since the Crystal Kingdom mission was completed.
Magnus walks into the moonbase training dojo where Carey and Killian are teaching new member Noelle acrobatic manoeuvres. Magnus asks Carey to teach him rogue skills, and she asks him to teach her to craft a duck-shaped puzzle box for Killian. Over the next couple of weeks, Carey and Magnus teach each other their respective skills through a montage. Magnus is able to pick Carey's pocket but it's a smoke bomb. Revelation that Taako carries pudding in his pocket. Magnus and Carey have an emotional talk where Carey says that Magnus doesn't have to take the big hit all the time, and Magnus admits that he doesn't want to lose Merle and Taako. Carey carves a duck but it has two asses. Carey and Magnus learn from each other, and Magnus steals his thievery diploma from her. Carey also has her enchanted hand-carved duck box and she is very happy with it. Carey also gifts Magnus her old thieves tools, and Magnus gifts Carey a carved rosewood rose ring to put in the box for Killian.
Merle has been off duty for several weeks and been on injured reserve due to the trauma he went through in the Crystal Kingdom arc. He has been granted an all-expense paid weekend long spa resort visit, and takes the Directer of the BOB as his plus one. It is slightly uncomfortable between the two as they are having a hot macro-biotic mud bath. Merle's plant arm is also having its own mud bath. Merle is having tea sandwiches and cucumber water. The Director is drinking a Tami-Taylor sized glass of purple wine. They bond over their maturity compared to Taako and Magnus. The Director expresses her surprise that Merle can be so irreverent but also a cleric. He also admits that he has had some tests of faith recently, and that he tries to keep an open mind. While he thinks having faith and an idea in a higher power/purpose is important, he thinks it's more important to embody the ideals and not make rules for people. Merle gives some background on why he chose Pan as his deity. The Director confesses that she is jealous of the comfort that belief grants him but she is unable to make that leap. He says that his faith is..sometimes..a one-way street, but he says that there's no harm in believing as it helps him get through stressful, tough times. The Director thanks him for his advice and admires his faith, but admits that she is done waiting on anyone to fix her problems for her. Merle says that she has faith, it's just in herself.
Taako has downtime after the Crystal Kingdom arc. He decides to give Angus, boy detective, tutelage in the ways of magic after he expressed interest in the last episode, especially as he feels guilty for stealing his family silverware. Taako and Angus meet in the BOB cafeteria in mid-afternoon, in between lunch and dinner. They've moved some of the tables away to create a large room. An excited Angus walks in in his Sunday best, and is holding a tiny wand. Taako makes him put down his wand, and teaches him Mage Hand. After ten minutes, a tiny spectral hand appears. Taako tells him to stab it with a fork, and it dissipates. Angus asks him how he learned magic, and Taako admits that he used to be a chef, and he though transmutation magic would help spice things up. He ended up transmogrifying something into poison and a lot of people ate it and died. He then decided that he would never cook for people that he cared about, as he couldn't risk it. Angus notes that he made macaroons for him and a lot of BOB people. Taako awkwardly admits that. They spend the rest of the day creating Mage Hands. After several lessons over a week and a half, Angus casts a competent version of the Produce Flame cantrip. Taako congratulates him and tells him that one day he might be a better wizard than Taako. Cue long, vicious threat from Taako and a terrified Angus. Angus gifts Taako macaroons, and the texture is fine except it is completely flavourless. Taako tries to cast flavour into it, but the Umbra Staff exerts a will of its own, and scorches "L-U-P" into the wall.
Tropes
- Couldn't Find a Pen: With a will of its own, Taako's Umbra Staff suddenly shoots Scorching Ray and burns three letters into the cafeteria wall: "L", "U", and "P". Neither Taako nor Angus know what it means.
- In Harm's Way: Discussed. Magnus's tendency for taking damage to protect his teammates is at odds with Carey's rogue-training, which emphasizes knowing when to pick your battles in order to live another day.
- Nay-Theist: The Director is fully aware that deities exist (residing in the Celestial Plane), but she doesn't have the conviction to put faith in a higher power to help her solve the challenges she faces.
- Romantic Wingman: Magnus carves a rosewood ring for Carey to give to Killian.
- Trickster Mentor: Carey challenges Magnus to pick her pocket, but doesn't tell him the item in her pocket is a smoke bomb that goes off in his face.Carey: Lesson three homey: always carry a smoke bomb, smoke bombs are great.Magnus: Wait hold on, I did pick your pocket! That's- that's just mean.
- Wine Is Classy: The Director drinks a glass of wine in a mud-bath during her spa-day with Merle. Subverted, in that she drinks it from a fishbowl-sized glass and calls it "really old grape juice" as a joke.
