Ch.5 "Lost Souls" / Kell and Sigrlinn

[Legendary Sidekick]

Bob Oracle starts to go further in, but a harpy swoops into view.

HENRIETTA THE HARPY: "Oh! Hey! I know that guy!"

ORACLE: "What guy? I have a lot of male viewers tuning in……… oh……… but they're tuning out now that the naiads are off-cam."

The harpy points at Icarus with her wing, then waves.

HENRIETTA THE HARPY: "There you are, Fly Boy! You missed your lesson today."

Icarus says, "Oh! Sorry, Henrietta. I guess I'm not dead anymore."

HENRIETTA THE HARPY: "Yeah. Your dad said you wouldn't be around for a while. I thought he meant he'd spend time with you in the underworld, so you'd miss lessons."

Icarus says, "W…wait. My dad's in there?"

ORACLE: "That's what we're about to find out, Fly Guy."

HENRIETTA THE HARPY: "Yeah. If you talk to your dad, make sure you tell him how I helped you master your wings. Your dad's got friends in high places."

Icarus says, "I'll put in a good word for you."

ORACLE: "So… looks like our one remaining male viewer gets to speak to his recently-departed father. And the Grææ sisters are here somewhere. So… ladies? Any dead relatives you'd like to speak to? Or… former lovers?"

Aphrodite says, "Certainly not!"

ORACLE: "I was… directing that question at non-Olympians. Okay. No takers on that one. Maybe some of you warrior types would like to speak to a bested opponent?"

Bob Oracle heads down an underground tunnel. There's a light at the end of the tunnel.

 

[Ireth]

Sigrlinn tilts her head at the question from Bob, then shrugs as she answers. "All my dead friends and family members are probably in either Valhalla or Folkvang. I don't think I've ever had a lover... at least I don't remember any. And my bested enemies are mostly beasts." She doubts Apollo would end up down here after she destroyed his body, either.

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

GRÆÆ?: "Valhalla? That's Asgardian territory. My sister ended up there! Small world, ain't it!"

ORACLE: "Wha… Grææ? No, you must be Grææ's sister."

GRÆÆ?: "Yes to both. All three of us shared an eye and also shared a name. Might be for the best that Grææ survived and Grææ ended up in Valhalla while I ended up here. It's less confusing this way."

ORACLE: "Right… I'm going to have you make a private connection with your sister."

Bob Oracle goes of camera. While he's away, some naiads appear in the vision. They're holding signs advertising the Fairy Boat company and a tavern known as the Kook Bar. The one advertising the tavern doesn't seem to realize her sign is upside down.

When Bob Oracle returns he gives the path ahead a curious look.

ORACLE: "Funny… there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I always heard Hades' realm was dark. Really dark."

 

[Ireth]

Sigrlinn frowns at the idea of two of the identically-named sisters ending up in different afterlives. "That's strange. Why would you end up in different places?"

Once Bob returns and points out the light at the end of the tunnel, she muses, "Maybe that's the way to another afterlife, like Valhalla? It couldn't be Helheim, that place is supposed to be dark too. And cold. How likely is it that the afterlives led by different people's gods are all connected?"

 

[tbgg]

Kell suggests diffidently, "Talking to Daedalus might be useful if you can find him. He didn't seem all that pleased about killing Heph. Maybe he'd be willing to speak about what Apollo was up to."

She smiles a little at the upside-down Kook Bar sign. "The journals I want to loan Hera are with Zenobia in Scheria Bay, home of the Kook Bar," she says softly, more to herself. "But I doubt we'll go there before we hit the Hesperides. If Hera agrees to read them, I guess I'll just have to figure out a way to send them to her."

At Sigrlinn's comment about the Graeae sisters, she says, "Yeah, 3 sisters all named Graeae sounds kinda weird unless that's a last name. Seems like maybe you'd need nicknames to tell yourselves apart."



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[Legendary Sidekick]

Bob heads further down the tunnel. You see a lot of women lounging around in the sand. They are young, muscular and wearing bikinis and hats with rims that shade their eyes. It is very bright here.

Bob kneels down.

ORACLE: "Hi. Bob Oracle. Mind if I ask you a few questions?"

AMY THE AMAZON: "I guess I'm not on any kind of a schedule. Go ahead."

ORACLE: "Okay. If you don't mind my saying so, you and your friends are... rather young."

AMY THE AMAZON: "That's the trouble with all these amazon massacres. When a demigod wants you dead, you can't expect to grow old. The best you can do is put up a good fight."

BETH THE BARBIERIAN: "Of course, Zeus' boys just brag about how many of us they killed, good fight or no fight. I was decapitated in my sleep."

AMY THE AMAZON: "Is that why you didn't back me up?"

BETH THE BARBIERIAN: "I told you I had a good reason."

ORACLE: "If you don't mind me saying, ladies... you're taking your demise quite well."

BETH THE BARBIERIAN: "What good's complaing gonna do us?"

AMY THE AMAZON: "Plus, the place warmed up quite a bit about an hour or so ago. If this is how eternity's gonna be, I really can't complain."

ORACLE: "Well, there you have it, ladies and gent--that one boy... looks like a few dozen amazons killed before their time but making the best of it. Shall we let them get back to their eternal rest, or does anyone have a question?"

Amy and Beth look toward you.

AMY THE AMAZON: "Oh! Fairies!"

BETH THE BARBIERIAN: "Some are made of metal!"

Amy and Beth smile and wave.

 

[tbgg]

Kell waves at Amy and Beth. "Do you know who actually killed you.? I heard something about some guy...Heracles, maybe?...being something of an Amazon basher. I mean, even if you didn't know who he was in life, I assume you can find these things out in death?"


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[Legendary Sidekick]

AMY: "That sounds like the guy."

BETH: "I heard he had a bunch of jobs to do, and one of them was taking Queen Hippo's belt."

AMY: "She was just gonna give him the belt, because… it's just a belt and Heracles is Zeus' son, right?"

BETH: "Turns out the belt was meant as a trophy. As 'proof'… y'know?"

AMY: "We didn't let him or his men get to the queen… though making a stand proved costly, as you can see."

Beth flips off some armored men in the background. At least one sees her giving him the middle finger, but he turns head head and pretends to be concentrating on something off to the side somewhere.

ORACLE: "Wow. That's gotta be awkward. I take it you know each other."

Amy points out a few men, though not all are on camera.

AMY: "I killed that one, and those two, and he didn't kill me but he wounded me. That's the guy who killed me."

GUY: "Sorry."

BETH: "You are not, you dick. Don't speak to her."

Bob Oracle faces you with an awkward expression.

 

[tbgg]

Kell frowns. Every time before when Bob Oracle and Graeae appeared, she and Sigrlinn learned about someone new who needed help. Queen Hippolyta? "Does Queen Hippolyta need any special help with you guys being down here now? Or is it just a matter that someone still needs to do something to stop Heracles, assuming he's not one of those guys you were talking to who is outside of our line of sight on your end?"


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[Legendary Sidekick]

AMY: "We weren't Queen Hippo's only army. She's well protected."

BETH: "Heracles is an egomaniacal jerk though. And being Zeus' son, it won't be hard for him to gather more men. He'll see our queen and all of our sisters dead."

AMY: "Which might be nice if the weather stays this way."

A well-tanned blonde sits up and says to Bob Oracle,

TAMMY THE TAN: "No offense, buddy, but if you cast a shadow over me, you're gonna leave a white spot."

ORACLE: "Right. I...guess that's a bad thing?"

TAMMY THE TAN: "Well, yeah! And the Underworld having a sunny day is a good thing. The naiads tell me it's always cold and dark. Maybe Persephone showed up or something?"

A sleepy-eyed amazon sits up.

LAZY SUSAN: "Who cares, Tammy? Can you not talk to that guy and rub some more of that oil on my back?"

TAMMY THE TAN: "I don't think they have oil down here. It's probably the tears of lost souls."

BETH: "Or just regular water."

LAZY SUSAN: "Who cares?"

 

[tbgg]

Kell asks, "Do you know anything more about Heracles, then? How does he fight? Is he still in the land of the Amazons? Where does he retreat to when he's not actually fighting the Amazons? Does he have any known weaknesses or vulnerabilities that could be exploited? "


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[Legendary Sidekick]

LAZY SUSAN: "I was gonna do some research, but..."

AMY: "He's a muscle-head who hides behind his army."

BETH: "I don't know where he retreats to, but I'm sure he's nowhere near our queen."

TAMMY: "I'm gonna retreat to a place I can work on my tan."

Tammy and Susan walk toward the background. Some armored men exchange awkward looks and decide to give the amazons space. The amazons rub oil (or tears or water?) on each other's backs, then rest. Light glistens on their moist backs.

 

[Ireth]

Sigrlinn frowns. "How big is Heracles' army? Do you think he's had the chance to gather more men since you fought them?"

 

[tbgg]

Sighing, Kell asks, "If we went to visit Queen Hippolyta, could *she* or any of the other Amazons answer any of my questions?"


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[Legendary Sidekick]

At least one of the amazons—Beth—looks like she has something to say, but a tap on the shoulder from Amy stifles her.

Spoiler: theme song Funeral for a Friend

A pale, dark-haired man in black armor and a raven-feather cloak stands before Bob Oracle.

HADES: "Journalist. The welcoming committee did not drown you. This means you are my guest. You will abide by my rules, and your time will be short here. And these young ladies are enjoying my realm's newest feature. Do not disturb them."

ORACLE: "Right. As you were, ladies."

Bob turns to you.

ORACLE: "Maybe you can speak to Queen Hippo later on. For now, shall we explore this place a little further, seeing that we're officially invited?"

 

[tbgg]

Shrugging, Kell replies, "It's your show. If that's what you think is best, by all means."


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[Legendary Sidekick]

HADES: "Sorry, eyeball dwellers. I'm afraid this shall be a private tour."

ORACLE: "Uh... Mr. Hades, sir? Those people don't live in an eyeball. The Graeae Eye helps them see where I'm going."

Hades takes a closer look.

HADES: "Icarus is in one of the chambers, among Olympians. Perhaps I should extend my invitation to a party of four: Icarus and two mortal women."

ORACLE: "Which two? Fairies count as mortal women, right?"

HADES: "The goddesses may choose who will represent them."

Artemis replies, "You don't understand the point of my rebellion if you think I intend to order any woman or fairy to enter your realm."

HADES: "That is your choice. But ask yourself which of your uncles is more likely to listen to the mortals who have chosen your side. Take a look around me. Surely you see I have provided these amazons with comfort. Eternal rest is meant to be restful. What would the world of the living be if you overthrew your father?"

ORACLE: "Is this a family thing? 'Cause I can just go out the way I..."

HADES: "Either you or Athena will rule if you manage to succeed. What is your plan? Do you have one?"

APHRODITE: "Of course she does. A very simple plan, one you might appreciate if you take the time to listen."

HADES: "Thus, my invitation. You have reason to suspect a trap; otherwise, I would simply invite you, Artemis, Aphrodite. Instead, have two mortals enter the hearth. Let them be your eyes and ears. Either send the two fairies, or the woman and the nymph. It works best if your representatives are of similar stature. No offense meant."

Sapphire says, "None taken."

Artemis says, "Well, I'm not sending anyone. It has to be a choice."

Icarus asks, "And why me?"

HADES: "You left my realm without a chance to speak to your father. I am offering you this. Once I am done talking to Artemis' representatives, you are free to leave with Mr. Oracle."

Artemis assures you, the choice will not be forced upon anyone.



((Choose a setting for chapter 6:

• The Underworld - via portal, keeping your soul in your body
• Hesperides - after passing through Nyse
• Scheria Bay - can sail to Queen Hippo's territory))

 

[Ireth]

Sigrlinn looks at the two goddesses. "Is this plan one we've been informed of? It'd be nice to know it before going in there, if that's where we end up going." She turns to Kell. "What do you think?"

 

[tbgg]

Kell tells Sigrlinn, "I suppose we could do the Underworld next since it's here right in front of us."

She then looks at the two goddesses. "But yeah, we can't exactly discuss this plan of Artemis' with Hades if we don't know what it is."


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[Legendary Sidekick]

HADES: "You are being informed of the 'plan' now."

"I had no plan for you to converse with either of Zeus' brothers," Artemis says. To Hades, she adds, "I'm a bit surprised by your willingness to consider my view at all. What convinced you?"

HADES: "Not what. Who. Your twin convinced me."

ORACLE: "Apollo is HERE?"

TAMMY THE TAN: "Is that why it's so warm and sunny all of a sudden?"

HADES: "Not the design I had in mind, but I am glad you are enjoying your eternal rest."

ORACLE: "You really care, don't you?"

HADES: ​"I don't. Neutrality is a requirement for one who presides over the realm of the departed. Hel and I have discussed this rather extensively prior to Apollo's arrival. I'd rather not repeat the conversation, if you don't mind."

ORACLE: (with hands passively held in front of himself) "Hey, it's your realm."