Episode 3 - The Price of a Memory

Recap
Norman, Dariun and Zippy went into a cave and found Randy Domino, the bard form the first grand treasure Greeder team. They befriended the giant dragon born and learnt a lot about the first grand treasure. Randy decided he would join their squad if they could help him to find his fire from the king of Tikul. If the team could bring this back to Randy, he would help them get to the moon, the place where they can find more information about the clue they have. They left for Tikul, fighting their way to the jungle capital.

Episode Summary
Looking over the city of Tikul filed with stone and half pyramids, they see all types of creatures in the city. Lizard folk, tabaxi and leonen people, tortles, loxadons and giraffe centaurs as well as apelings walking around. They stand on the cliff looking at the waterfall and to their right is a path leading down. After some discussion about getting into the city as more common races, they suggest Zippy takes the lead as the only beast race person on their team. They hear stomping coming but Zippy tells them to ignore it. Zippy decides to change Norman into a female lion. Dariun opts to just go in as per normal and they finally look at where the noise is coming from.

They see a creature resembling that of a T-rex but the feet are large and webbed with the face of a guppy known as a gulper. Riding onto is a chameleon folk wearing an ushanka. Zippy jumps on Norman and they trot next to the gulper. Zippy calls out and asks what their name is. The chameleon goes transparent and is spooked. They are frightened that they are wanting to kill him before the tournament. The chameleon asks them to leave him alone and that he wants to win. Zippy tells him he also wants to win and that he will kill him in the rink.

The chameleon gets even more scared and runs off on his gulper. Zippy commands lion Norman to chase which he obliges. Dariun starts up a light jog down the path behind them. Norman and Zippy run down the stairs, following the chameleon and gulper. Zippy kicks Norman like a horse and he leaps off the stairs. Dariun gets to the top of the stairs and sees the chase below. He takes a breath and starts jogging down the stairs. Norman and Zippy are flying through the air and Zippy casts wind wall to make their landing easier and to slow the gluper down.

Norman and Zippy land with Zippy falling off the back. They stand in front of the gulper and the chameleon decides to charge through. Norman grabs zippy by the nape of his neck like a lion cub and brings him out of the way. People in the village are starting to watch. Zippy tells Norman to keep chasing but Norman is not so keen to. When Zippy asks why, Norman tries to communicate in lion noises before realizing Zippy can speak to animals. Norman tells him he doesn't think this guy is a major deal and may reflect badly on them if they attack before the tournament. Zippy thinks they need to either use him as a skin suit or get info. As Norman thinks, they lose the chameleon in the city so they wait for Dariun who is making his way down the stairs.

Dariun finally catches up with the team and asked what happened. Zippy explains what happened with the chase as Norman licks his paws. Zippy tells Dariun he is a little hurt he believes he is the only one who deals damage during combat and he and Norman will be entering the tournament together to show their stuff. Dariun half-heartedly apologizes and Zippy calls him out but Dariun is pretty over it, saying it was just joke, so they head into the town.

There are many people around and it’s a lively city of people mucking about and doing their business. They turn a corner to see what appears to be a coliseum covered in a canopy of greenery. Along the way. the notice emerald pathways that form the shape of serpents and flags with a variation of the symbol of Genala, the god of beasts. They decide to head in to register and a giraffe centaur clops over and puts his hand on Zippy's shoulder and asks if he has any more pills. Zippy doesn't know what he is talking about but they say Zippy was just over there giving them out. The giraffe says they need it as the insectoids are coming back. Dariun asks about it and the giraffe explains the insectoids survived their cycle and are showing up from the moon island and are stronger than other. The giraffe asks for them to call him and his name is G Raffe as he clops away.

The team discuss and conclude that the person G was talking about was likely the impersonator from the conference. They shake it off and head into the temple. Dariun and lion D see a crowd of beast people to the side who are raising their hands and a large ape in the middle has picked somebody up. They head over to see what is going on and they hear and see Mongo, Zippys friend from back in the monkey caves at the beginning of their journey, chanting Zippy's name. On Mongo's shoulder is the Zippy impersonator. Dariun starts to walk over and Lion D shakes his head. Dariun tells Zippy he may have some issues registering but Zippy believes he can just register under a different name.

They finally enter the large coliseum. There is a line of 6 people with 2 crocodile lizard folk guards wearing bone helmets examining the people in the line and telling them no and tossing them to the side. Dariun walks up to the crocodile folks and tells them they are here to register. The guard asks to see their mark and Dariun asks what mark that would be. The guard describes the mark as a variation of the symbol of Genala. Dariun tells the guard they definitely have the mark but asks if someone didn't, where would they go. The guard tells them you need to be recruited to get in which obviously they would know.

Dariun continues to ask about the marks and asks where they would go to get one. The guard tells them they should have been recruited months ago and he is super suspicious if Dariun actually has a mark. Zippy speaks up and asks how the other Zippy got to get in. The guard explains that Zippy is not in and he is just a salesman. The guard is getting super suspicious and tells them once again they needed to get the mark months ago to get into the tournament. The team give up on pushing it and the guard also tells them the beasts can't enter, gesturing to Lion D.

The team huddle up and think about what they are doing. Zippy calls out in the crowd and asks if anyone is already in the tournament. They hear the sounds of new cheering and see a Yuan-ti slithering towards them wearing armor looking like a total chad. They hear the crowd cheering the name Apophis as they continue to slither towards the coliseum. Zippy runs over to him and gets past the crowds. He tells Apophis he is Zippy but Apophis doesn't know or care too much as to who he is. Zippy brushes it off and says that someone said Apophis didn’t have a mark and shouldn't even be there. Apophis is pretty off put and asks who have even been saying these things. Zippy tells him everyone, especially some guy on the back of the gulper.

Apophis spreads out his arms and flexes his biceps. They see the bulging biceps and there is an emerald green mark on his black cobra scales. They all examine the mark and see there is some sort of magic going on. Zippy says the mark is different from everyone else's. Apophis tells Zippy he is going to win for the first time this year since his first entry in '06. He then tells Zippy to get out of his way but Zippy tells Apophis he is meant to be here as he is also in the tournament. Apophis is pretty shocked and asks Zippy to flex. He puts up is arms and Apophis is pretty impressed then shows off his back muscles.

Dariun comes up, calls Apophis chad and asks if there was a way to have a damaged mark fixed up. Apophis tells them they need a recruiter or they could fake it with some cheating, not that he has ever done that. Dariun asks where they can find a recruiter and Apophis points to the National Recruiter Headquarters building behind them. Apophis heads off definitely not to slam some dongs and they decide to sweet talk their way and go to the headquarters.

They open the stone door into a very contemporary and modern area, very out of place of the jungle and ancient looking Tikul. There is a tabaxi receptionist pretending looking busy. Dariun asks about a special claim they have in regards to their marks. After a series of questions, Dariun explains they each had their marks destroyed and require mark reconstruction. She slides over three forms of each of them which asks their names and how they lost their marks.

Dariun writes his name and writes he had sever burning and the mark was destroyed during healing reconstruction. Zippy starts to write his reason. He lost his mark during a freak accident with Lion D where his arm was degloved. After Zippy battled the lion, they became friends and after getting a hair growing potion from an old lady under a bridge, his hair covered the scars. Zippy writes down Norman's reason which is that Zippy degloved the lion's arm, also got a potion of hair growth which grew hair to cover the scars. They bring back the forms before leading them down a hall. They arrive at a door and knock, calling out to Remy.

The door opens and they see a small loxadon who is welding a mark into a piece of steel. Remy turns and asks what they need and Zippy tells him they each need new marks. Remy ushers them in and sits them down while reviewing the paperwork. As Remy talks to Dariun and questions how he lost the mark as burns usually don't remove the mark due to how deep in the skin the mark goes. Dariun weaves the story about burning his arm in the Totora forge and it was basically brought to the bone. After using the regeneration his arm was brought back. Remy seems a little suspicious but buys it.

As Dariun and Remy are talking, Lion D is making a ruckus as Zippy is using polymorph on him to make his lion arm look scarred. Remy starts to look to Norman and Dariun tries to distract him with the bottomless margarita glass but it doesn't stop Remy. Dariun tries to distract again and pulls out his dancing blade and makes it float. Remy is a little impressed but keeps going to look at the noise as Zippy keeps trying to work his magic. Seeing no other options, Zippy casts hold person on Remy but he reacts and moves back and out of the way asking what is going on.

Zippy's concentration is dropped so Lion D changes back to Norman. Dariun dives and tackles Remy, pries open his mouth and pours a forget me not potion down his throat as Dariun says to him forget this moment and them. As Remy swallows, he recalls seeing his dad who asks him what he's doing. Young Remy shows his father his tattoo welding. His father tells Remy he should be getting the mark and not giving them. The memory fades and Remy remembers the team but not what his job was or why he was mad at them.

Norman comes up to him and explains they need the brand. Remy is confused and thinks he knows something about welding but can't seem to remember. Norman gives Remy 200 gold and tells him he has an opportunity to start his life anew. Remy asks why he has upset with them and why he is there. Norman asks if it really matters in the end and Remy stands up and asks what he can do. Norman tells Remy he should go to Pokarok and weld there. Remy tells them he doesn't know how to weld but Norman suggests picking up a new skill. Remy is convinced and he leaves, thanking his new friends.

The team are now left alone in the workshop and see the welding material. They quickly discuss the ethical ramifications of the actions but decide to move on and figure out how to get their marks. They gather from a manual that the way they do it is using the scalpel to carve the symbol and then weave and mound the emerald into the wound for it to heal. Zippy reckons he'll be the best person for the job but Dariun and Norman are a bit wary. They eventually decide that Zippy is the one for the job.

Norman rolls up his sleeves first and shows Zippy a spot on his triceps to tattoo. Zippy pulls his ears around his head like a bandana, wears his cloak like a doctor's coat and pulls out his magic carpet to massage Norman to ensure he is comfortable. Norman gives Zippy a bardic inspiration and then bites down on a scrap piece of wood. For his first go, Zippy's work is pretty good, not as good as Apophis but not bad.

Dariun is up next and Norman asks if he could have a go but Dariun asks for Zippy to do it considering his experience. Norman pouts by the door. Dariun pulls out his margarita glass to help him through as he picks out his spot which is the inner forearm near the elbow joint. Zippy gets going and the final job looks perfect, just as good if not better than Apophis. Zippy is up last and decides to do his own tattoo. He chooses to do it on his wrist and it looks pretty decent, not as good as Dariun but not as bad as Norman's. Norman grabs some of the emerald material they used for the tattoos before they head out. As they leave, they hear people talking to Remy telling him he works here and needs to go back to his desk. The team scurry off to the coliseum.

They approach the crocodile guard who is surprised to see them and asks where the lion is. Norman speaks up and explains a spell went haywire earlier that turned him into a lion but he is back to normal now. The guard is still a little suspicious so asks to see their marks. Zippy goes first and the guard hold up a small device and finds the mark on his wrist and lets him in. He goes to Dariun and finds the one on his forearm, complementing it and saying it's one of the best he has ever seen. He lets Dariun in before looking at the one on Norman's triceps. Norman tells him it doesn't look that nice cause he squirmed a little when it was being done. The guard can definitely see it isn't a great job but is pleased so lets him through.

The guard tells them to head in and go down the hall and to the right to get to the locker room. They head in and get to the locker room. There is a whiff of sweat and steam in the area. They see muscular leonen people and minotaur polishing their weapons and armour. There is a female tabaxi in the room holding an impressive bow. Out of the corner of his eye, Zippy sees a floating ushanka looking a little abnormal.

Quotations

 * Dariun "I feel like I usually carry this team when it comes to combat."


 * Jacob "He (Norman) has to obey me!"
 * Connor "What why?"
 * Jacob "Cause he's… we're friends!"
 * Adam "That's not how friendship works."
 * Seth "Zippy doesn't know how friends work."


 * Zippy "Urgency! That's how we get ahead in this world."


 * Apophis "Yo Fucking kachow!"


 * Apophis "So slither slither get out of my way!"


 * Apophis "I've gotta go slam some dongs.."
 * Literally everyone *laughs*
 * Apophis "THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEANT!!"

Main Cast

 * Norman D
 * Dariun Branch
 * Zippy Westborrough

Returning Characters

 * Mongo
 * Zippy Impersonator

New Characters

 * Chameleon
 * G Raffe (Giraffe centaur looking for the bullet)
 * Crocodile folk guards
 * Apophis
 * Tabaxi receptionist
 * Remy

Locations

 * Leek's Garden
 * Tikul
 * Tikul Coliseum
 * National Recruiter Headquarters