Planescarred: Episode 1

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Planescarred: Episode 1
Source: collected/033-planescarred-episode-1.mp3
SHA-256: 9862e96903fac489153279b680801e8c2e7b4c4088662372dc791c94c8b714d9
Model: scribe_v2 | Transcribed: 2026-10-10T18:16:16.380254+00:00
Machine transcript — uncorrected. Speaker labels are local to this recording and do not identify people.

[00:00:00.420] Speaker 1: Planesguard.

[00:00:56.980] Speaker 1: Chapter one: Festival Day. From Nikolai's Journal of Villamancy, page seven. Disease: Nightcrosis. Symptoms: Putrification of flesh when exposed to night sky. Duration: permanent, but practically speaking, given the effects, not long. Transmission: bodily fluids. Other notes: A wonderful little disease. Once it has done its work, be sure to swing by the rotting corpses of your enemies to collect more samples.

[00:01:33.780] Speaker 1: Mother Lysandra looked at the assembled crowd and grew increasingly worried that she was the most important person in the room. The representatives from the physical plane looked far too bookish to her. They looked like assistants to leaders, not the leaders themselves. In a word, they were expendable. The delegation from the magical plane wasn't much better. Representatives from all 10 great houses, but fewer than a dozen masters total, and nearly half of those were from her own house. It did not bode well for their peace talks. What was

[00:02:08.740] Speaker 1: the point in talking if neither side was willing to listen? The moderator filed into the room on the ground floor. The robed man surveyed the crowd as he walked up to the podium, waiting for the crowd of 100 to come to order on its own. Father Emir leaned over to whisper in her ear. "Where is Nikolai?" Lysandra looked at the empty seat at the end of their box and rubbed her temples. Even the House of Commons was failing today. By the love of the Original, couldn't they get anything right? It was a peace talk. If this didn't merit full

[00:02:43.640] Speaker 1: attendance, what did? War, maybe. That was the only thing that both sides seemed fully invested in at the moment. Fools. Children. Imbeciles. "Perhaps he will deign us with an appearance later." Father Emir shrugged. "It might be better if he didn't come." "Don't say that." Mother Trista, Master of Identity, leaned over and giggled. "Maybe he's with the other Masters of Burden." [sighs]

[00:03:18.700] Speaker 1: More levity, when they should all be focused on preventing a war. There were no other Masters of Burden. There were some practitioners scattered across the planes, but none that rose to the level of master. She shivered. Who would want to? She wouldn't say it, but she agreed with Emir. It was best if he didn't come. The moderator smacked his gavel against the podium, evidently tired of waiting for the room to realize he was still standing there. The crowd slowly quieted.

[00:03:52.520] Speaker 1: "My name is Rex Cobbler, and I'm the mayor of this city, and I've been appointed as moderator for these opening talks." [clapping] "Oh, I feel sorry for him." "Love his name, though. Rex Cobbler." "Shh." Mother Lysandra shushed both of them, though they were hardly the only ones talking. "Sorry, Mother." Lysandra ground her teeth. She wouldn't have to use her honorific in a literal sense if they would all just behave like adults.

[00:04:28.060] Speaker 1: Father Catar, at least, sat quietly with his arms crossed, and she looked a little closer, his head bowed. He was asleep. Mother Lysandra threw her head back and stared at the ceiling far above. By the Original's grace, why did she even try? Everything about this event was a sham. She was beginning to think Nikolai had the right idea by not even showing up.

[00:04:55.500] Speaker 1: [fire crackling] Father Nikolai, Master of Burdens, representative of the House of Commons, watched closely as the street merchant fried an entire onion. "Now, you say you can fry anything?" "Yes, for the last time, the stand's called Fry Anything." This place could not rightly be called the physical plane. Nikolai had already asked this

[00:05:30.320] Speaker 1: stranger to fry half a dozen things. He'd even gotten the man to fry his own shoe after he offered entire gold coin for it. If that wasn't magic, what was? Nikolai narrowed his eyes. Of course, the street merchant wouldn't be able to tell that. "Would you fry your own hand?" The merchant laughed once. Nikolai waited in silence. "Wait, seriously?" "You learn the most about a man by testing his limits." I'm not frying my

[00:06:05.084] Speaker 1: hand. The merchant set the fried onion on top of the plate of other fried items, a few of which were certainly inedible. Hmm. That'll be all then. I see now what you're made of. What's that supposed to mean? I think you know. The street merchant set down his tongs and took one step toward Nikolai. Listen, buddy, I don't know what's up with the mask, but I think it's time you got back to the circus. Nikolai left the man. He considered breaking a vial of blastwarts as a

[00:06:39.804] Speaker 1: parting gift. It was probably poor form, though. The peace talks were already doomed, so it's not like he could jeopardize them further, but the practice of vilemancy certainly didn't need to be further sullied. He lifted his heavy case onto his back and continued down the row of festival vendors. There was a cornucopia of delights here, food and performers, music and dance. Who would want to be stuck inside in a stuffy building, arguing with people who had no intention of listening? All of this was so strange, and yet so

[00:07:14.764] Speaker 1: familiar. Nikolai grabbed a young man by the shoulder. Excuse me, what are you celebrating today? The young man gave him a very long, uncertain look, then walked off. So Nikolai approached a group of children who were watching two dancers, their dirty little faces fixed with awe at the spectacle. The dancers weren't very good. Children, what are you celebrating today? One of the kids spared Nikolai a glance, then promptly went back to watching the dancers stomp their wooden shoes on the ground with a

[00:07:49.544] Speaker 1: rhythmic clacking sound. No one answered him. Very well, then. I forbear reading for dexterity of hand. Nikolai felt an electric tingle run down his arms, then suddenly felt twitchy and energetic. You, dirty child, watch this. Then he pulled three daggers from his heavy black coat. The child glanced back and his eyes went wide. Nikolai threw the daggers into the air one by one, giving them just a little spin.

[00:08:24.764] Speaker 1: He caught each one and threw them back into the air again, a decent display of juggling. If he was willing to forbear something more important, he could juggle the child, too. Though he suspected that was a bad idea, given how many knives were in play. The kids turned one by one to look at him and started clapping in time, cheering as he added another knife to the array of flying objects. Nikolai did a complete spin one time and still kept juggling. He nearly skewered his left hand, but fortunately no one had noticed. He used his coat to sweep all four daggers out of the air in

[00:08:59.764] Speaker 1: a final flourish. The children stood up and clapped. Even the dancers clapped. Now, children, what are we celebrating today? Independence Day. So that's what they were calling it. Father Nikolai looked at the paper banner hanging above the dancers. The runes written there were unfamiliar. He leaned toward the closest child and pointed at the banner. What does that say? She eyed him suspiciously. That was good. It was never a good idea to be too friendly with a stranger throwing knives

[00:09:34.604] Speaker 1: around. Independence Day. Ah. He would need to get reading back later. The young man he'd seen earlier stepped between him and the excited children, who were now bouncing around demanding another show. Can I help you? Hmm. I doubt it, but I'd love to hear your ideas. The young man gave him that blank stare again. Not a lot going on between those ears. I said I doubt it, but I would love to hear your ideas. I heard you.

[00:10:09.564] Speaker 1: Quiet down. Why are you dressed like that, anyway? What are you, a performer? I'm supposed to be, but I couldn't be bothered to stay inside. Stop with that look already. Does everything confuse you? Come on, kids. Let's go. Then the young man shuffled the assembled children away from him. They fussed, demanding to see another show, but eventually something else caught their attention, and the young man had to chase to keep up. Ah, the universal fickleness of youth. A group of men

[00:10:44.544] Speaker 1: with clubs on their belts pushed through the crowd at the end of the street fair. The man from the Fry Anything stand pointed directly at Father Nikolai, and the peacekeepers started jogging toward him. Looked like it was time to go. Chapter Two. Brown Street Orphanage. From Nikolai's Journal of Forbearance, Page 12. Forbearing your skills is a staple for any

[00:11:18.744] Speaker 1: situation. Don't forbear anything you'll need soon, and don't forget to pay back your debts. It took Xavier almost an hour to get the kids back to the orphanage, even though it was only a half mile away. They fluttered between every spectacle, no matter how small, and he couldn't find it in his heart to stop them. Come on, in you go. He held open the door while the last child trudged up the steps. This sucks. I want to stay

[00:11:53.844] Speaker 1: out. Where did you learn to say that? Trev crossed his arms and shut his mouth comically tight. I'll give you a copper piece if you tell me. It was Wendy Xavier shook his head. "Get inside, Trev." "Where's my coin?" "You'll be lucky I don't tell Wendy you ratted her out." Trev scowled, then rushed inside. Xavier took one last look at the distant street fair. He could still hear the music. It would be wonderful to spend the whole day there, alone. It would be wonderful to have the money

[00:12:28.772] Speaker 1: to actually enjoy it. He closed the door and shepherded the kids into the common area. He hardly needed to. Now that they were inside, they all rushed to Miss Maria to tell her about everything they saw. Wendy mentioned the masked man with the knives three separate times, and each time Miss Maria acted just as surprised. That encounter had been especially strange. Something about the man had seemed dangerous, but not violent. Xavier was well-versed in both types of people, and his intuition was rarely wrong. Still, it hadn't seemed like a good

[00:13:03.792] Speaker 1: idea to let the kids near him. Miss Maria finally dispersed the children with the promise of supper if they cleaned up first. Once they'd cleared the area, she walked over to talk to Xavier. "So, how was it?" Xavier shrugged. "Still feels weird. It's only the second time we've celebrated it. Isn't it kinda weird to celebrate independence when you're still at war? Seems a little premature." Maria smiled faintly, the many creases of her face framing the smile, only emphasizing it. "I believe you can

[00:13:38.712] Speaker 1: be both independent and at war. Lord knows we all need an excuse to celebrate." "I guess." She watched him for a silent moment. "Is something wrong, Xavier?" [sighs] "Only a million things, but a million things she already knew. Nothing new." "It's okay to be restless. You're young. You deserve to get out and explore, find your place in the world." He shook his head. It was so easy to say things like that,

[00:14:13.852] Speaker 1: but what would happen to Brown Street if he left? What would happen to the kids? The only reason he was even halfway functional was because of this place. He deserved to be on the streets, dealing fire vein, but instead, he found a home. Plus, it's not like Maria was getting any younger, and there wasn't anyone else. So no, he really couldn't get out and find his place in the world, not even if he deserved it. "I've got what I need here, but thanks, Maria." Maria leaned her cane

[00:14:48.652] Speaker 1: against the wall and motioned for a hug. He walked into her arms. "I can barely fit my arms around you anymore. When did you get so big?" "Hmm." She pulled away from the hug just enough to look at his face. "Do you remember what you said you wanted to be when you grew up?" "A peacekeeper." "No. You told me you wanted to be a tree because they were big." "I'm still working on it. There's still hope, right?" She tapped him lightly on the chest and

[00:15:23.692] Speaker 1: retrieved her cane. "You need a new dream now, Xavier. You're not trapped here." "What? What was wrong with being a tree?" Miss Maria pointed at the front door with her cane. "I can put the kids to bed. You go. Be young. Go do something stupid." [laughs] How could he ever leave this place? "I'm broke, Maria." "Yes, but she's not." "Who?" The front door

[00:15:58.652] Speaker 1: opened, and a young girl with smooth, coffee-colored skin walked in. Her short, jet-black hair was tied back in a red ribbon bow. She had a short white dress with black leggings underneath. Kelsey was dressed to kill, or at the very least, dressed to maim. "How's my timing?" "Excellent, dear." She pumped one fist in the air. "Yes." Maria prodded Xavier in the back with her cane. "Kelsey, I can't let you pay for this." She rolled her eyes.

[00:16:32.852] Speaker 1: "It's a street fair, X. I think I can swing it. Are we gonna go or what?" Xavier flashed a gracious grin at Maria and rushed out the door. "I owe you." "Yes, you do. Already planning my payback. Now go." Xavier closed the door. Kelsey slipped her hand into his. It was warm and small and soft. He could hear the brass band and drums in the distance, the soft sounds of a nighttime crowd. And for the first time in a long time, he let himself be happy.

[00:17:08.872] Speaker 1: Chapter Three: Dealing in Bad Faith. From Nikolai's Journal of Villamancy, page 18. Disease: Inversion Pox. Symptoms: Large blue boils on the skin within seconds of exposure. Duration: Short-lived, usually only a few hours. Transmission: Airborne but weakens as it spreads. Other notes: Do not scratch. Father Nikolai wandered around the city of Everton for the rest of the day, speaking to its people,

[00:17:43.792] Speaker 1: trying its cuisine, and digging through its trash. He spent a lot of time digging through their trash. It was absolutely fascinating. So many useful materials. So many potential diseases. These people really knew how to generate filth. He was on his way back to the theater dome, where the rest of the Magical Plane delegation was both working and living for the next three days. They wouldn't need him for these opening ceremonies. If Mother Lissandra was right, it wouldn't matter what they said anyway. Still, even he could only neglect his duties for so

[00:18:18.536] Speaker 1: long. Pity, there was so much to explore here. If only they could stop killing each other. Nikolai was two city blocks from the theater dome when he spotted something he couldn't pass up, a dark alley. He took a few tentative steps down the alley, looking at the ground to make sure his eyes weren't fooling him. Yes, those really were rat droppings. And was that a dead rat? It was hard to tell from this far away. He drummed his fingers on his thighs. He really should get going. A quick look wouldn't

[00:18:53.496] Speaker 1: hurt. About halfway down the alley, he sensed something was wrong. There were back doors leading to businesses here, but the alley itself ended in a dead end ahead. It was so dark. Quietly, he slipped the heavy wooden case off his back and set it on the ground. Then he took a mental inventory of his current forbearances. He ran down the list. He was currently missing the hearing in his left ear. His hair and fingernails weren't growing. He'd given up reading, his ability to speak demonic, and he'd stopped his

[00:19:28.076] Speaker 1: digestion. Nikolai started to pry open the wooden case as quietly as he could, looking around in every direction. Something was wrong all right, but what? As he reflected, he found that the list of forbearances was actually much longer. Now was not the time to pay them back either. Oh, fine. What was something he really didn't need right now? I forbear bladder and bowel control for heightened senses. And then Father Nikolai experienced two very

[00:20:02.716] Speaker 1: different, very alarming sensations. The first he had expected. He knew many men entered battle with soiled trousers. The trick was to kill your enemies so they couldn't tell anyone about it. The second sensation was far worse. The sounds of whispers and scuffling feet behind the doors. Every door in the alley. Nikolai flipped open his wooden case just as the doors opened. He pulled out three vials, crushing one in his left hand, throwing another into a still-opening door, and keeping the last one in his right hand.

[00:20:37.756] Speaker 1: Men in uniforms filed into the alley from every direction. He leapt toward the door he'd thrown the second vial into, and he pressed his back against the wall next to the doorframe. Something that was no longer a man, and certainly not a soldier, roared inside that room. He smashed into the metal door just as the soldiers in the alley raised their guns to shoot. The heavy door rebounded painfully off Nikolai as it flew open. It was a small price to pay as he heard bullets ricochet off the metal. He waited behind the cover of the door for the newly born

[00:21:12.556] Speaker 1: war fiend to start his work. It didn't take long. The war fiend pounced on his first victim. The man's hands fused into bone-like protrusions. Its uniform shredded as the transformation continued. It rammed its blades up through the soldier's chest and sprayed the alley with his blood. It opened the next man down the middle, viciously throwing pieces everywhere. The two dozen soldiers ignored Nikolai and started shooting the monster smashing through their ranks. Men screamed and died. Some of them fled. Not enough of them. Unfortunately, these

[00:21:47.696] Speaker 1: men were well-trained. They fired in rapid but controlled bursts. These weapons didn't need to be reloaded immediately for some reason. Nikolai had never heard of such a thing. No wonder the enemy wasn't interested in surrender. Not good. Not good at all. This wasn't just an ambush of opportunity. It was part of something bigger. Dying here was not an option. Nikolai looked down at the vial in his right hand. This was going to hurt. He tossed the vial into the alleyway and held

[00:22:22.516] Speaker 1: his breath. The plague mask and outfit would help, but he wanted to be as contaminated as little as possible. Generally a sound strategy with villomancy, but even more so with inversion pox. A soldier pulled away the door he was using for cover. He lunged and grabbed the soldier's face. The blue crystals spreading from his left hand grew over his mouth and nose. The man clawed at his face, trying to pull away the rapidly spreading crystals as they grew up his nose. Bullets bounced off the walls around Nikolai. He shoved the soldier away and glanced around. The war fiend lay still on the

[00:22:57.216] Speaker 1: ground. Six men were still alive, regrouping. One of them already had his gun raised, taking shots. Nikolai raised his crystal-covered left arm and turned sideways to make a smaller profile. Bullets plinked off the crystals, sending shards flying. A bullet caught him in the leg and he fell to the ground with a grunt. If he could... If he could just get to his case. Where was his case? He couldn't see it anywhere. His vision was getting worse. His thoughts, sluggish. How many times had he been

[00:23:32.176] Speaker 1: shot? Nikolai slumped against the ground. I forbear walking for blood clotting. The pain in his leg was incredible. The crystals spread from his arm to his shoulder to his torso. As long as they didn't cover his face, he would live. He just had to survive a few more. The soldiers at the other end of the alley stopped shooting and started screaming. Blue crystals crept across one eye, but he could still see with the other.

[00:24:07.696] Speaker 1: The soldiers pulled at their clothes, tearing at their own skin. Large blue boils formed all over their body. Nikolai felt the first boils forming on his own legs and hoped they wouldn't rupture. He closed his one working eye. He didn't need to see what came next, but he still heard it. The sound of a person's insides being forced out through a one-inch hole in their skin, like squeezing a doll filled with putty. When it was done, Nikolai lay his head back. Those people would certainly

[00:24:42.740] Speaker 1: not be telling anyone about his soiled pants. His mind swam. His vision drifted in and out of darkness. Someone stood over him, screaming. Had he really missed one? Pity. This city had so many interesting places left to explore, if only they could stop killing each other. No. No, that person was not a soldier. I think, I think I know him. Kelsey stood at the mouth of the alley, her hand over her mouth.

[00:25:18.280] Speaker 1: She had already puked. They both had. Let's go. We don't need to get involved. X, please. The corpse in front of Xavier was covered in blue crystals from the waist up. But from the waist down, Xavier had to cover his mouth again. The man's legs were flabby, deflated things, as if only the skin remained. It was like a steamroller had crushed him somehow. There were so many horrors here that Xavier's mind could not process it. Was this magic? Is this what

[00:25:53.140] Speaker 1: their enemies did? Young man. Xavier scrambled away from the talking corpse. I must ask you a favor. You're alive? A favor. A what? Do you see a wooden case in the alley? Xavier somehow still had the presence of mind to look around. No. The corpse sighed. Then your city may be in grave

[00:26:28.180] Speaker 1: danger. Someone grabbed Xavier's arm. He pulled away in surprise, but it was only Kelsey. He's alive? What's wrong with him? Oh, me? Don't worry. These effects are only temporary. Xavier heard the sounds of a siren in the distance. He did not want to be here when the Peacekeeper showed up. I'm sorry. I have to go. He and Kelsey walked quickly back toward the street, trying and failing to not step on the gore. If you leave me here, everyone in

[00:27:03.100] Speaker 1: the city is in peril. Xavier stopped walking. Kelsey tugged on his arm, insistent. She wasn't wrong to do it. It was the wise move. He really didn't know this man, and he certainly couldn't be of any help. But... How? There's more of what did this in that case. A lot more. And a lot worse. Someone else has it now. Why would you bring something like that here? To his surprise, the

[00:27:37.960] Speaker 1: magician went silent. It was, in retrospect, an unwise decision. Xavier, you can't help him. If we stay... Xavier let go of Kelsey and walked back down the alley. If I help you, can you find the case? Perhaps. That's not good enough. I fear that something grander than a missing villamancy case is happening here. But I'll do my best. Xavier looked down at the masked man. There was

[00:28:13.040] Speaker 1: no way he would survive whatever was wrong with him. Right? People from the magical plane were supposed to be the same. More or less. They could die. He knew that. Tell me what to do. First, take me somewhere safe. Xavier leaned down to grab him, then pulled back, cautious. Is it safe to touch you? Oh, yes. I'm past the contagious stage. You should be fine as long as you don't eat the crystals. Eat them? Why would I eat them?

[00:28:48.040] Speaker 1: I'm told they're quite delicious. Xavier tried to pry the man off the pavement, but the crystals held him there. Another set of hands grabbed his other arm. Come on, hurry up. Thanks. On one, two, three. The man came free from the ground with a resounding crack. They lifted him between their shoulders and jogged down the alley. What are we doing, Xavier? The Peacekeeper sirens were close now. He shook his head. He had no idea. Whatever it was, he was sure he'd regret it

[00:29:22.840] Speaker 1: later.