Thumbnail for Ep. 87: Swimming in Circles (art by Shan shanuraru)
"The Riptide Pirates go to C-Mart! Chip takes a gamble. Jay receives a letter. Gillion stops breathing." -Episode 87 official description.
Summary[]
At C-Mart, the Riptide Pirates spend a ton of money, buying into the lottery and gaining new outfits. There, Jay sends a letter to her mother and receives one from her grandmother, Admiral Faye Ferin. Chip, Gillion, and Ollie have an awkward encounter with Cedric and his new mentor, Captain Monsoon. Back at sea, Jay stammers through a call with Faye and worries over her fear of her family. Aslana arrives at the ship with her mother, Ashlynn. The three catch up with her, learning of a meeting in the Undersea capital with various Undersea leaders. Aslana and Ashlynn bid farewell. The Riptide Pirates continue their travels to Allport.
Episode Events[]
Early in the morning, Jay begins to write a letter. The Riptide Pirates arrive at C-Mart, hanging their ship on the docking system. Jay notices a R.A.F.T. warship hanging at the docks. Chip inspects Jay's letter, reading through it and finding that it's a letter to her mother, May Ferin, about their adventures. Chip gives each member of the crew 10,000 GP to spend as they please. The group splits up, Chip, Gillion, and Ollie going to the general store, Jay to the post office, and Gryffon and Alphonze to the tailor and barber.
In the General Store, Chip and Gillion see a Navy captain talking to the store's white dragonborn clerk with a younger R.A.F.T. officer next to him. Gillion hides beneath a table with Ollie. Chip recognizes the younger officer as Cedric, the young boy he tricked at Allport's R.A.F.T. HQ. Chip disguises himself as a grandmother to keep the captain from finding Gillion, who accidentally falls out of hiding while playing patty-cake with Ollie. Gillion uses Minor Illusion to become a rock, avoiding recognition from the captain. The clerk, Salt, plays along with the rock, claiming he's selling it. While talking to Cedric, Chip learns that Cedric graduated and is now being mentored by the captain, who isn't as bad as Chip assumes. In an attempt to get Cedric back into a conversation, Ollie accidentally rips off Cedric's shirt.
Jay sends her letter to May in Featherbrook. The aarakocra woman running the counter recognizes Jay's name and gives her a letter that was meant to be sent for the Albatross in the evening. Jay opens the letter, which reads:
This callnch shell is attuned to only one other. It will connect as soon as you use it and it will destruct when you are finished. Do make haste to make contact. Signed, Admiral Ferin.
Jay panics and goes to find Chip and Gillion. In doing so, Jay accidentally interupts the chaos unfolding, immediately garnering the attention of the captain who recognizes her. He introduces himself as Captain Monsoon. Jay claims she's an undercover R.A.F.T. agent and that he's endangering her security. Captain Monsoon leaves with Cedric, though doesn't believe Jay is telling the truth. Gillion repairs Cedric's shirt before they leave. Ollie explains that the group now has to buy all of the lottery tickets from the C-Mart because he bribed the clerk to play along with their lies. After some disagreements, the group decides to buy 10 scratch-off tickets and one jackpot ticket, also learning that R.A.F.T. has bought into the jackpot reward of what has been discovered of the Black Rose Pirates' fortune.
The Riptide Pirates leave C-Mart with their expenses paid, each crew member gaining a new outfit. As they continue their journey to Allport, Alphonze brings up the idea for a slot-machine cannon to Jay, who agrees to begin planning it. Jay gathers Chip and Gillion, bringing up the letter she received from the admiral, Faye Ferin. Gillion is confused by the mention of Jay's history as a spy, prompting her to explain her betrayal in the B.L.O.C.K. and resulting independence from her family. Jay decides to call with Gillion as a silent support after worrying about the potential risks of calling or not. Chip encourages her ability to lie to the admiral if she wants to while Gillion encourages her to tell the truth.
Faye immediately begins to speak as the call connects. Faye brings up how Jay disappeared for two weeks, which Jay explains was her travel to the Feywild. Faye questions if she could hear two sets of breath, prompting Gillion to stop breathing. Jay continues to stammer through attempted responses while Faye rambles on. In order to free Jay from the conversation, Gillion leaves the room and calls out for her, giving her to the opportunity to hang up. Before she can, Faye criticizes her lack of caution.
Chip returns to the two asking how the call went. Jay expresses that she couldn't bring herself to lie or tell the truth. Chip suggests they go do something to distract her, though Jay asks for time alone. She shuts herself away, crying alone. Gillion and Chip consider how to help her, ultimately deciding they have to be there for her since they can't take on her burden. Gillion is reminded of Finn and decides to check on him in the quarters. Chip calls out to Ollie who finally gets a catch from where he fishes with Gryffon. He struggles to reel it in until the line goes slack and a voice calls out from the water. Chip sees Aslana and another mermaid, greeting her and witnessing her new ability to become human. Aslana introduces him to her mother, the mermaid accompanying her. After asking about the other captains, Chip worries her by mentioning the emotional struggle they're experiencing.
Gillion apologizes to Jay for intruding while checking on Finn, who is still asleep. He returns to the deck and sees Aslana. Aslana and Pretzel have a warm reunion. Aslana asks where Jay is and rushes to her below decks. Aslana hugs Jay and convinces her to join the others at the top deck. The group learns from Aslana that she met her mother, Ashlynn, after leaving Desire Island to travel with Maria's support. She explains that she learned Ashlynn was her mother, and a queen of the Undersea. The two were traveling to the Undersea capital, the Trench, for a meeting of great importance with various Undersea leaders when they came across the ship.
Aslana and Ashlynn leave after heartfelt farewells. Aslana promises to visit again after her meeting. Gillion attunes his callnch to Ashlynn's. Ollie throws Aslana off the ship. Chip, Jay, and Gillion laugh about Chip's awkwardness with Ashlynn before they go to bed, continuing their travel for Allport.
Transcription[]
A Google Doc of this episode's transcription is not currently available.
Transcriptions are made by pistolwaltz and their transcription team on Discord.
Trivia[]
- This Episode was first streamed live on November 9, 2022 at JRWIShow on Twitch!
- Before the High Roller patron read, Grizzly describes his new character creation strategy of turning D&D stat blocks into captains and describes Captain Lock.