WEBVTT

1
00:00:00.100 --> 00:00:00.320
Speaker 1: Soul

2
00:00:50.020 --> 00:00:50.620
Speaker 1: Binder.

3
00:00:52.640 --> 00:00:52.940
Speaker 1: Two.

4
00:00:54.460 --> 00:00:54.900
Speaker 1: Dire.

5
00:00:56.800 --> 00:01:02.680
Speaker 1: Spokesman's Journal, December
seventh. There's a locked equipment shed by the

6
00:01:02.800 --> 00:01:08.380
Speaker 1: lumber yard. No one knows who it
belongs to, and nobody seems to have the key.

7
00:01:09.180 --> 00:01:14.300
Speaker 1: Every time I try to bring it up,
people change the topic. Like most of the town's

8
00:01:14.360 --> 00:01:20.240
Speaker 1: mysteries so far, this one is
probably nothing. Once I finally get it

9
00:01:20.340 --> 00:01:26.240
Speaker 1: open, it'll turn out to contain
rusted tools or some other such revelation. Then

10
00:01:26.440 --> 00:01:31.380
Speaker 1: I will continue to look the fool, and
the revealer will slap me on the back and

11
00:01:31.520 --> 00:01:37.280
Speaker 1: laugh at my expense. I keep telling
myself that. But what if

12
00:01:37.360 --> 00:01:40.220
Speaker 1: I'm wrong? Or, no,

13
00:01:41.880 --> 00:01:47.740
Speaker 1: am I just losing it? I don't like to
think about that. Winter has only

14
00:01:47.820 --> 00:01:48.640
Speaker 1: just begun.

15
00:01:51.540 --> 00:01:57.380
Speaker 1: Ravi Specht, spokesman of the town of
Dire, wondered when he would get to be

16
00:01:57.520 --> 00:02:03.420
Speaker 1: useful. He was their leader, in a
sense. He was also completely,

17
00:02:04.100 --> 00:02:09.960
Speaker 1: utterly redundant. He waved at Mr.
Streamwise, and the man waved back from

18
00:02:10.000 --> 00:02:15.800
Speaker 1: his front door, then closed the door
behind him before Ravi could even speak. No,

19
00:02:16.320 --> 00:02:20.820
Speaker 1: no, he didn't need anything today. It
would be nice if they would at least let him

20
00:02:20.960 --> 00:02:26.400
Speaker 1: ask. So Ravi continued making his
evening rounds, smiling at people,

21
00:02:27.060 --> 00:02:32.520
Speaker 1: waving at people, looking the part of
the dedicated spokesman, checking in on his

22
00:02:32.580 --> 00:02:37.780
Speaker 1: people. Were they his people? He'd
been in Dire just four months,

23
00:02:38.200 --> 00:02:43.360
Speaker 1: arriving before the first chill was
even in the air. In that time, it seemed like

24
00:02:43.540 --> 00:02:49.540
Speaker 1: nobody had really let him in. He felt
like a stranger. That was probably

25
00:02:49.600 --> 00:02:54.500
Speaker 1: just how small towns worked. He'd
figure it out. He'd find his place in this

26
00:02:54.560 --> 00:03:00.460
Speaker 1: community. When they were ready,
they'd let him in. Ravi sat down

27
00:03:00.520 --> 00:03:06.080
Speaker 1: on a stump outside the trading post
and pulled out his canteen. He had seven jackets

28
00:03:06.180 --> 00:03:12.100
Speaker 1: on. It made him look very large. Yes,
yes, it was the jackets that made

29
00:03:12.140 --> 00:03:17.600
Speaker 1: him look large. A man came out of the
trading post and walked right past Ravi.

30
00:03:17.980 --> 00:03:21.980
Speaker 1: Ravi scrambled to put away his
canteen and ended up just throwing it on the
ground

31
00:03:22.020 --> 00:03:27.100
Speaker 1: when he couldn't get the top on. His
name, what was his name? Nap.

32
00:03:28.400 --> 00:03:34.340
Speaker 1: Nerp. Nape? No, definitely not Nape.
That wasn't a real name. So he settled

33
00:03:34.420 --> 00:03:39.980
Speaker 1: for, Hey, um. The man turned and
nodded his head in

34
00:03:40.040 --> 00:03:45.600
Speaker 1: greeting but didn't stop walking.
It's Nate. Nate.

35
00:03:46.240 --> 00:03:51.640
Speaker 1: Nate, do you need Nope. All squared
away, spokesman. Go

36
00:03:51.720 --> 00:03:57.000
Speaker 1: relax. It's your first winter. We'll
take care of things while you learn the ropes.

37
00:03:58.200 --> 00:04:03.440
Speaker 1: Ravi tried to respond, but the man
had simply kept walking, waving a goodbye over

38
00:04:03.480 --> 00:04:08.960
Speaker 1: his shoulder. So Ravi sat back down
and picked up his canteen. It was empty.

39
00:04:10.040 --> 00:04:14.980
Speaker 1: There were only forty-six people
living in Dire. He was determined to, if not

40
00:04:15.040 --> 00:04:20.519
Speaker 1: befriend, at least gain the respect
of each of them in time. But how could he do

41
00:04:20.600 --> 00:04:25.880
Speaker 1: that if they wouldn't even talk to
him? A crunch in the snow snapped him away from

42
00:04:25.940 --> 00:04:31.440
Speaker 1: his brooding thoughts. A
disheveled-looking woman stood outside the
trading post,

43
00:04:31.960 --> 00:04:37.660
Speaker 1: staring at the door. She looked like
something an oxbane had chewed up and spit out.

44
00:04:38.860 --> 00:04:44.120
Speaker 1: There were forty-six people living in
Dire, and this was not one of them.

45
00:04:44.960 --> 00:04:49.880
Speaker 1: She turned to look at him. Her eyes
ran up and down his body as if searching for

46
00:04:49.920 --> 00:04:54.840
Speaker 1: something. Then she turned away and
entered the trading post, a look of disinterest

47
00:04:54.920 --> 00:05:00.720
Speaker 1: on her face. Another dismissal. Ravi
set his jaw and

48
00:05:00.920 --> 00:05:06.160
Speaker 1: stood up. That was enough. Greeting
visitors was

49
00:05:06.340 --> 00:05:11.860
Speaker 1: squarely in his job description.
Especially dangerous-looking

50
00:05:11.920 --> 00:05:17.660
Speaker 1: visitors. He would make sure this
drifter wasn't up to something. Yes,

51
00:05:17.760 --> 00:05:23.080
Speaker 1: he'd send her on her way. It was his
town now, after all.

52
00:05:27.240 --> 00:05:31.800
Speaker 1: Estes dropped her pack by the door
and walked up to the trading counter. A

53
00:05:31.880 --> 00:05:36.800
Speaker 1: ropy-looking girl stood behind the
counter, wringing her hands, watching her in

54
00:05:36.880 --> 00:05:42.560
Speaker 1: quick glances. There wasn't a proper
bar in the trading post, but there was a bar.

55
00:05:43.080 --> 00:05:47.840
Speaker 1: It was four stools in front of a
counter where bags of grain and jugs of heating
oil

56
00:05:47.920 --> 00:05:53.600
Speaker 1: sat. Every town had a bar. What else
was there to do but drink this far north?

57
00:05:54.300 --> 00:05:58.840
Speaker 1: Estes took a seat and moved a sack of
grain so she could put her elbows up. She

58
00:05:58.960 --> 00:06:04.932
Speaker 1: scanned the room for exits, people,
and weapons. Then she turned her silent

59
00:06:05.032 --> 00:06:09.192
Speaker 1: gaze to the girl behind the counter.
The girl took in a sharp breath and then

60
00:06:09.292 --> 00:06:14.392
Speaker 1: slipped away into a back room. Estes
could hear soft murmuring between two people,

61
00:06:14.892 --> 00:06:19.952
Speaker 1: but couldn't make out the words. The
front door opened again and Estes turned to

62
00:06:20.012 --> 00:06:25.352
Speaker 1: look. This must be the town tough,
come to tell her not to make trouble.

63
00:06:25.992 --> 00:06:31.012
Speaker 1: Pretty fast work getting here so
soon. She'd only just sat down. She wondered if
she

64
00:06:31.052 --> 00:06:36.932
Speaker 1: would have to do this routine in
every town. A fat young man with the brown skin

65
00:06:37.032 --> 00:06:42.692
Speaker 1: suggestive of southern heritage
waddled into the trading post. He tried to close
the

66
00:06:42.752 --> 00:06:47.332
Speaker 1: door, but fumbled with the lock and
it blew back open. He scrambled to close the

67
00:06:47.392 --> 00:06:52.232
Speaker 1: door and after a few more attempts
finally got the lock to catch. Then he started

68
00:06:52.292 --> 00:06:56.312
Speaker 1: walking toward her with his arms
straight out in front of him like a scarecrow

69
00:06:56.372 --> 00:07:02.332
Speaker 1: coming in for a handshake. Welcome to
Dyer. I'm Ravi Specht.

70
00:07:03.592 --> 00:07:08.852
Speaker 1: Estes took the hand and gave it a
proper handshake, planting her feet just in case

71
00:07:08.892 --> 00:07:14.012
Speaker 1: he tried to use the arm as leverage
in a surprise fight. The young man let out a

72
00:07:14.072 --> 00:07:20.032
Speaker 1: little grunt, released her hand, then
opened and closed his hand, wincing. What

73
00:07:20.092 --> 00:07:21.492
Speaker 1: brings you here?

74
00:07:23.072 --> 00:07:28.812
Speaker 1: Business. Oh? He took a seat on the
stool next to her.

75
00:07:29.552 --> 00:07:34.172
Speaker 1: They both politely ignored the
tortured cracking sounds his chair made.

76
00:07:35.772 --> 00:07:37.392
Speaker 1: What kind of business?

77
00:07:39.132 --> 00:07:43.912
Speaker 1: Oh, just setting up some contracts
for next year. Hopefully.

78
00:07:45.152 --> 00:07:50.452
Speaker 1: She deliberately stowed her glyph
pouches in her pack. They would give away that
she

79
00:07:50.492 --> 00:07:55.852
Speaker 1: was a binder. If word got out that a
binder was in town, her quarry would flee.

80
00:07:56.512 --> 00:08:01.352
Speaker 1: At the same time, she needed to learn
everything she could, and that meant poking

81
00:08:01.392 --> 00:08:06.172
Speaker 1: her nose around a little. The man
next to her looked more like an obstacle than a

82
00:08:06.252 --> 00:08:10.092
Speaker 1: lead, though. It would be best to be
rid of him quickly.

83
00:08:11.751 --> 00:08:16.812
Speaker 1: Looks like you scared off Cecilia.
I'll keep you company until she gets back.

84
00:08:17.812 --> 00:08:23.312
Speaker 1: That's not necessary. Instead of
accepting the dismissal, he smiled

85
00:08:23.392 --> 00:08:28.872
Speaker 1: warmly. The warm smile of a
bureaucrat who had no intention of listening.

86
00:08:31.872 --> 00:08:37.732
Speaker 1: That a military uniform? Estes
stiffened. The

87
00:08:37.772 --> 00:08:39.952
Speaker 1: young man kept smiling, though.

88
00:08:41.612 --> 00:08:47.332
Speaker 1: I don't see any rank or branch
medals, though. So, you on

89
00:08:47.412 --> 00:08:48.372
Speaker 1: leave or something?

90
00:08:51.532 --> 00:08:56.712
Speaker 1: Yes. Not the kind of place most
people go on leave.

91
00:08:58.212 --> 00:09:03.872
Speaker 1: I'm not most people. And like I said,
business.

92
00:09:05.072 --> 00:09:10.652
Speaker 1: Mm-hmm. Business with who, exactly? I
know everyone in this town.

93
00:09:11.792 --> 00:09:17.372
Speaker 1: Estes had no glyph pouches, but she'd
taken the time to sew some glyphs into her

94
00:09:17.432 --> 00:09:22.992
Speaker 1: clothes before coming into Dyer. It
wasn't a true arsenal. She didn't have the time

95
00:09:23.032 --> 00:09:28.392
Speaker 1: or materials to prepare anything
beyond some creative distractions and makeshift

96
00:09:28.452 --> 00:09:33.892
Speaker 1: weapons. But it was enough to cook
this guy if it came to it. Not a good way to

97
00:09:33.972 --> 00:09:39.832
Speaker 1: start her covert investigation,
though. She let a hand slip behind her back to
palm

98
00:09:39.872 --> 00:09:43.932
Speaker 1: the composite smoke and light glyph
she'd tucked in her waistband.

99
00:09:45.472 --> 00:09:50.852
Speaker 1: They didn't give me their name. I
don't know who I'm meeting. The man's smile

100
00:09:50.952 --> 00:09:56.812
Speaker 1: finally fell from his face. Is that
so? He leaned

101
00:09:56.912 --> 00:10:02.832
Speaker 1: forward, eyes narrowing. I think you
should conduct your

102
00:10:02.892 --> 00:10:06.612
Speaker 1: business quickly and in the open.

103
00:10:08.572 --> 00:10:14.572
Speaker 1: She wanted very much to bounce this
man's head off the counter. He was clearly

104
00:10:14.652 --> 00:10:20.372
Speaker 1: a stooge. Either a complete nobody or
the lapdog to someone more important.

105
00:10:21.291 --> 00:10:27.032
Speaker 1: The girl, Cecilia, returned then with
an older man. The way she stood

106
00:10:27.092 --> 00:10:33.052
Speaker 1: just behind him indicated trust. Her
father, maybe? The man wiped his hands off

107
00:10:33.112 --> 00:10:38.672
Speaker 1: on a rag and tossed it aside,
stepping up to the other side of the counter.
Evening,

108
00:10:38.812 --> 00:10:44.712
Speaker 1: spokesman. Then he nodded at Estes.
Evening. Sorry about that.

109
00:10:45.472 --> 00:10:51.252
Speaker 1: Cecilia's not used to visitors. It's
usually not a problem here. As you might

110
00:10:51.292 --> 00:10:56.472
Speaker 1: imagine. The name's Gust. Estes
replied with a shallow nod.

111
00:10:57.592 --> 00:11:03.152
Speaker 1: Estes. Nice to meet you. How can I
help? Dry rations.

112
00:11:03.832 --> 00:11:09.572
Speaker 1: Something I can carry. And a drink.
If you please. Oh, and some steel

113
00:11:09.632 --> 00:11:14.692
Speaker 1: weapons if you have them. The brown
man next to her perked up at that.

114
00:11:15.552 --> 00:11:21.032
Speaker 1: He was the spokesman? It seemed like
an odd choice.

115
00:11:22.412 --> 00:11:28.092
Speaker 1: Expecting trouble? I hope not.
Something big caught my trail about

116
00:11:28.132 --> 00:11:32.832
Speaker 1: halfway here from Green Hollow. The
man nodded slowly.

117
00:11:34.512 --> 00:11:39.972
Speaker 1: No weapons to spare, unfortunately.
But the rations and drinks I can manage.

118
00:11:41.412 --> 00:11:46.952
Speaker 1: What did the beast look like, if you
caught it? Hard to say. It kept its

119
00:11:47.012 --> 00:11:52.392
Speaker 1: distance. Gust poured her a drink and
then started gathering supplies from around

120
00:11:52.432 --> 00:11:54.132
Speaker 1: the trading post as they spoke.

121
00:11:55.852 --> 00:12:00.812
Speaker 1: Well, it could have been that same
oxbane that's been giving us so much trouble.

122
00:12:01.612 --> 00:12:06.852
Speaker 1: It's a real thorn. We've lost a dozen
livestock already. It must have had pups if

123
00:12:06.872 --> 00:12:12.808
Speaker 1: it's eating that much, though. They
don't usually bother people. Oxbane?

124
00:12:13.728 --> 00:12:19.348
Speaker 1: Oh, sorry, spokesman, I forgot you
were here. Yeah, an oxbane is, it's like a

125
00:12:19.488 --> 00:12:24.828
Speaker 1: wolf, but bigger, much bigger.
Normally, wolves will give you more trouble than
an

126
00:12:24.928 --> 00:12:30.888
Speaker 1: oxbane. Still, I can't say I'd like
to have one following me home. I know what

127
00:12:30.928 --> 00:12:36.788
Speaker 1: an oxbane is. Sure, sure. And don't
get that look on me, spokesman.

128
00:12:37.168 --> 00:12:42.868
Speaker 1: Don't worry about it. We'll take care
of it. Dennis and his nephew are trying to

129
00:12:42.928 --> 00:12:48.168
Speaker 1: trap it. Like I keep saying, it's
your first winter. We don't expect you to do

130
00:12:48.268 --> 00:12:54.008
Speaker 1: everything. Estes sipped her drink
and watched the exchange. She

131
00:12:54.128 --> 00:12:59.808
Speaker 1: needed some excuse to be here. Gust
finished stuffing food and

132
00:12:59.868 --> 00:13:05.268
Speaker 1: basic supplies into the burlap sack,
then dropped the sack on the counter. That'll

133
00:13:05.288 --> 00:13:10.768
Speaker 1: be five pieces. Estes' eyebrows went
up. Five?

134
00:13:11.868 --> 00:13:17.688
Speaker 1: We don't get by turning visitors into
enemies. You'll get a fair deal here. It was

135
00:13:17.808 --> 00:13:23.108
Speaker 1: more than a fair deal. The first half
dozen things he'd stuffed into that bag were

136
00:13:23.148 --> 00:13:28.408
Speaker 1: worth more than 20 pieces, easy. And
they were worth more than 20 pieces in a

137
00:13:28.488 --> 00:13:33.768
Speaker 1: town much closer to where goods were
actually produced. How

138
00:13:33.868 --> 00:13:39.308
Speaker 1: exactly did people make a living this
far north? So she paid the man.

139
00:13:40.908 --> 00:13:45.948
Speaker 1: Estes here was just telling me about
the contracts she's here for.

140
00:13:47.128 --> 00:13:53.028
Speaker 1: Contracts? What contracts? She
covered her grimace with another sip of

141
00:13:53.108 --> 00:13:59.068
Speaker 1: alcohol. How to play this? Pelton
would know. What she would

142
00:13:59.148 --> 00:14:04.828
Speaker 1: give to have the detective's help in
this. But that was impossible. Pelton was more

143
00:14:04.868 --> 00:14:10.508
Speaker 1: likely to put her in chains than help
her at this point. Military contracts.

144
00:14:11.588 --> 00:14:17.587
Speaker 1: That was when the man behind the
counter froze. Gust shot a quick glance

145
00:14:17.647 --> 00:14:22.548
Speaker 1: at his spokesman, then forced a
nervous smile. He took in her uniform.

146
00:14:24.068 --> 00:14:29.848
Speaker 1: Who you meeting with? Estes shrugged.
There was a trail here. It

147
00:14:29.888 --> 00:14:34.668
Speaker 1: might not be the trail she was
looking for, but at this point, she followed
what was

148
00:14:34.728 --> 00:14:40.488
Speaker 1: in front of her. She tried her best
to look relaxed, just as confounded as he

149
00:14:40.568 --> 00:14:45.928
Speaker 1: was. I didn't get a name. I was told
they'd meet me when I

150
00:14:46.008 --> 00:14:51.728
Speaker 1: arrived. Then the spokesman rose from
his stool, that warm but

151
00:14:51.788 --> 00:14:57.128
Speaker 1: indifferent smile back on his face
again. You've got your supplies, but

152
00:14:57.208 --> 00:15:02.148
Speaker 1: unfortunately, we don't have a place
for you to stay. You must be in the wrong

153
00:15:02.288 --> 00:15:07.948
Speaker 1: place. Gust put his hands out. Hold
on. We're not sending

154
00:15:08.028 --> 00:15:13.788
Speaker 1: anyone away before dark, especially
if there's an oxbane hanging about. Then Gust

155
00:15:13.848 --> 00:15:19.848
Speaker 1: met her eyes and all humor drained
from his face. Besides,

156
00:15:20.088 --> 00:15:23.728
Speaker 1: she can't leave yet. She just got
here.

157
00:15:25.288 --> 00:15:30.728
Speaker 1: If you'll excuse me, I have some
barrels to clean. He gave them a sharp

158
00:15:30.788 --> 00:15:36.728
Speaker 1: nod and left. The spokesman stared at
her with undisguised suspicion.

159
00:15:37.728 --> 00:15:42.448
Speaker 1: Why are you really here? It's like I
said, spokesman.

160
00:15:43.588 --> 00:15:46.828
Speaker 1: Business. He continued to stare.

161
00:15:48.348 --> 00:15:53.268
Speaker 1: I'm permitted to carry a weapon.
Estes snorted a little laugh,

162
00:15:53.968 --> 00:15:59.508
Speaker 1: staring straight ahead instead of
meeting his eyes. He didn't say he had a weapon.

163
00:16:00.868 --> 00:16:06.168
Speaker 1: A moment later, Cecilia stepped up to
the counter again. She'd never actually left,

164
00:16:06.328 --> 00:16:12.008
Speaker 1: but as quiet as she was, they'd all
forgotten her. You can stay with Miss Riselda.

165
00:16:13.568 --> 00:16:18.028
Speaker 1: You can stay with Miss Riselda. We
don't have an inn, but when visitors come, she

166
00:16:18.068 --> 00:16:22.308
Speaker 1: lets them stay in her shed. It's
nice. It's a nice shed.

167
00:16:23.788 --> 00:16:28.188
Speaker 1: Estes polished off her drink and
picked up the sack of dirt-cheap supplies.

168
00:16:28.648 --> 00:16:33.228
Speaker 1: Hopefully they weren't poisoned.
Sounds lovely. Will you take me there?

169
00:16:34.768 --> 00:16:40.548
Speaker 1: I'll do it. Estes rolled her eyes.
This one was like a

170
00:16:40.628 --> 00:16:42.128
Speaker 1: dog on her shoe.

171
00:16:43.648 --> 00:16:44.548
Speaker 1: Let's go then.

172
00:16:48.048 --> 00:16:52.188
Speaker 1: The two of them walked in silence for
a few minutes through the scattered buildings

173
00:16:52.228 --> 00:16:57.068
Speaker 1: they called a town. The snowstorm
from the day before did a lot to clean up the

174
00:16:57.108 --> 00:17:03.068
Speaker 1: place just by burying it. Estes
finally broke the silence herself. She

175
00:17:03.128 --> 00:17:08.768
Speaker 1: had to. If this place didn't turn up
any answers, she clutched at her chest.

176
00:17:09.268 --> 00:17:13.188
Speaker 1: Her heart pounded. She needed
answers.

177
00:17:14.788 --> 00:17:20.648
Speaker 1: Spokesman, Ravi. This might sound
like an odd question, but have you

178
00:17:20.768 --> 00:17:26.368
Speaker 1: seen anyone new around here in the
past few months? Besides you?

179
00:17:27.688 --> 00:17:28.008
Speaker 1: Yes.

180
00:17:29.688 --> 00:17:35.608
Speaker 1: No one. Her heart fell to the snow.
That couldn't be right.

181
00:17:36.128 --> 00:17:41.528
Speaker 1: There was nowhere else. Nothing
farther north. It was

182
00:17:41.588 --> 00:17:47.128
Speaker 1: dire and then the wastes. A frozen
hellscape where nothing grew.

183
00:17:47.928 --> 00:17:52.628
Speaker 1: No one really knew what was beyond
the wastes because no one came back from those

184
00:17:52.708 --> 00:17:58.628
Speaker 1: trips. Ravi stopped walking.
Supposedly, they send off a

185
00:17:58.688 --> 00:18:03.708
Speaker 1: couple dozen people per year who try
to cross the wastes. Apparently that's where

186
00:18:03.768 --> 00:18:09.708
Speaker 1: most this town makes its money.
Outfitting idiots for their suicidal mission. He

187
00:18:09.788 --> 00:18:15.128
Speaker 1: turned and watched her coolly. Of
course, they all come in the

188
00:18:15.328 --> 00:18:21.188
Speaker 1: spring. No one is crazy enough to
come to dire in the winter. No

189
00:18:21.268 --> 00:18:26.848
Speaker 1: one but you. He let his words hang on
the quiet winter

190
00:18:26.908 --> 00:18:32.888
Speaker 1: breeze. There was a long howling cry
in the distance. Like

191
00:18:32.968 --> 00:18:38.788
Speaker 1: a wolf but deeper. Sadder somehow. It
was a lonely cry.

192
00:18:39.728 --> 00:18:45.348
Speaker 1: Estes looked out into the darkening
starless wilderness. And though she

193
00:18:45.408 --> 00:18:49.468
Speaker 1: waited, no one answered that lonely
cry.