PARTIZAN 44: The Prison at the Top of the World

With new knowledge about the state—and future—of their world, the group of travelers take up their exploration again. Some learn first hand about this continent's fauna—majestic, mighty, and mystifying. One finds more evidence of the Valte Empire's violent search for their own answers. And some, in search of peace and quiet, finds himself facing evidence not of some dark future to come, but of a puzzling past. This week on Friends at the Table: Perpetua Prelude 05 PERPETUA PRELUDE - GUIDE Enemies - [PPEN] Valte Soldier [ENVS]: You'll fight a lot of these guys. Depending on the 3d model they're a bat or a dove, but at least in the demo, that doesn't seem to make much of a difference. They're flying, so you have to knock them down before you can do melee damage to them. Basic grunts. Valte Commander [ENVC]: The Valtese (Valtean? Valtican?) Commanders are a lot of tougher than the basic grunts are, and unfortunately, they can also summon the regular soldiers too. Knock them out of the air and then try to stun or debuff them quick! Mysterious Seaslimes [ENMS]: I love the way these enemies are actually each a SWARM of little weird gecko-y slime guys. They focus on debuffs like Slow and Enraged, so be sure to have Tonics on hand when you're passing through their forest. The Dragon-Fish [ENDF]: I can't stress this enough: This is an optional boss in Prelude, and it's hard as hell. Maybe in the full game you can beat it or maybe there's a quest related to it, but for now, it'll just kick your ass. Someone on the forum claims they beat it and only got like 5 XP and a quest item called "Strange Scale" that you can't use anywhere. NOT WORTH IT. Lobble Traveler [ENLT]: Just kidding. But I DO wish you could fight this ANNOYING freak. Hexcloak [ENHC]: Did you know that if you grind in the southern tip of the demo, there's like a .5% chance you'll run into a Hexcloak? You learn their deal towards the end of the demo, but this is the only way you can actually see them in action. They're strong, but if you've maxed out your party (or at least hit the level 10 max in the demo), you can probably win this fight! And if you do, you'll get a random elemental cloak drop from them. Of course, if you can win this fight, you probably don't need better gear anyway! Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Janine Hawkins (@bleatingheart) Sylvi Bullet (@sylvibullet), Ali Acampora (@ali_west), Art Martinez-Tebbel (@atebbel), Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal), Keith J Carberry (@keithjcarberry) and Andrew Lee Swan (@swandre3000) Produced by Ali Acampora Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Cover Art by Ben McEntee (https://linktr.ee/benmce.art) With thanks to Amelia Renee, Arthur B., Aster Maragos, Bill Kaszubski, Cassie Jones, Clark, DB, Daniel Laloggia, Diana Crowley, Edwin Adelsberger, Emrys, Greg Cobb, Ian O'Dea, Ian Urbina, Irina A., Jack Shirai, Jake Strang, Katie Diekhaus, Ken George, Konisforce, Kristina Harris Esq, L Tantivy, Lawson Coleman, Mark Conner, Mike & Ruby, Muna A, Nat Knight, Olive Perry, Quinn Pollock, Robert Lasica, Shawn Drape, Shawn Hall, Summer Rose, TeganEden, Thomas Whitney, Voi, chocoube, deepFlaw, fen, & weakmint This episode was made with support from listeners like you! To support us, you can go to friendsatthetable.cash.

12 Huhti 1h 43min

With supplies in their packs and an increasingly detailed map, the explorers travel further through Perpetua's western continent. While some learn more about local nature and culture, others stumble towards larger truths. A star descending from the heavens. A fleet across the blue. The striking of a clock… the ringing of a bell… This week on Friends at the table: Perpetua Prelude 04 PERPETUA PRELUDE - GUIDE Factions - [PPFC] Not much is known about these groups because the demo cuts off so early, but between some dialog, that one cutscene, and some screenshots, here's what I think is going on with them: Grande Sonnerie [FCGS]: That's the big city at the end of Prelude. It's a big city but also maybe a kingdom? Not sure if it has other cities and stuff, but it definitely has the four big districts (including the root magic school). Seems like a traditional fantasy kingdom, but I don't know if it has a king or a princess or what. The Elevana League [FCEL]: This is where Arley is from originally. It's like a bunch of elven (stupid) city-states (cool). One for each element/god. Not clear if they get along or not, but they do have those special warrior mages. The Dragon Watchers [FCDW]: The demo basically starts with these guys. They have both dragon "squires" and dragon "scryers," and I know they worship the dragons, but it's not clear what that means. I hope they can ride them and that you can recruit one, but we'll see. The Holy Protectorate of Placidia [FCPP]: From what I can tell, Duriel, the one arena-based god city, is tied to this faction. Maybe they worship the gods? I remember an interview where someone said that the full game has a whole story about a prophecy, so maybe they're tied to that. The Hundred Burroughs [FCHB]: Even though Prelude sometimes says "burroughs" and sometimes says "burrows," I'm saying BURROUGHS. Harlow sucks but he isn't a mole or something, so why would it be "burrows"? Anyway, it's all schools and stuff over there. Again: they say it's magic but neither of the two characters we've seen from there (from the Prelude or in the screenshots) actually USE MAGIC so wtf? Valte, the Winged Empire of the Blue Hour [FCVL]: These guys are my favorite. Why? Three reasons: 1. They can fly. 2. They have cool military stuff. 3. They're basically the ONLY ONES actually DOING ANYTHING about stuff. Yeah, yeah, they're probably the "bad guys" but the coolest characters are. The Passikan Remnants [FCPR]: There's that one water dungeon in Prelude that's tied to them, but that's IT. I don't know what their deal is at all, but it's probably cool because the dungeon is cool. The Ennead [FCEN]: Okay so I think those are the "The Ennead" which is a word that means "a group of nine gods." I'll be honest, I TOTALLY missed them but JesseSetGo pointed the word in the background in Duriel out on the forums, and I went back and looked and saw it not only there but also in Grand Sonnerie, so it's not just the same church as the Placidia or whatever. Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Janine Hawkins (@bleatingheart) Sylvi Bullet (@sylvibullet), Ali Acampora (@ali_west), Art Martinez-Tebbel (@atebbel), Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal), Keith J Carberry (@keithjcarberry) and Andrew Lee Swan (@swandre3000) Produced by Ali Acampora Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Cover Art by Ben McEntee (https://linktr.ee/benmce.art) With thanks to Amelia Renee, Arthur B., Aster Maragos, Bill Kaszubski, Cassie Jones, Clark, DB, Daniel Laloggia, Diana Crowley, Edwin Adelsberger, Emrys, Greg Cobb, Ian O'Dea, Ian Urbina, Irina A., Jack Shirai, Jake Strang, Katie Diekhaus, Ken George, Konisforce, Kristina Harris Esq, L Tantivy, Lawson Coleman, Mark Conner, Mike & Ruby, Muna A, Nat Knight, Olive Perry, Quinn Pollock, Robert Lasica, Shawn Drape, Shawn Hall, Summer Rose, TeganEden, Thomas Whitney, Voi, chocoube, deepFlaw, fen, & weakmint This episode was made with support from listeners like you! To support us, you can go to friendsatthetable.cash.

3 Huhti 2h 8min

After making emergency landings all across Perpetua's western continent, Glesi, Yukai, Harlow, Tomor, and Arley have begun to find their footing—if not each other. Now, they leave where they landed, and begin to make their way across this mysterious land in search of answers to the question that brought them here to begin with: What is the Altar of Perpetua? This week on Friends at the Table: Perpetua Prelude 03 PERPETUA PRELUDE - GUIDE ITEMS AND MATERIALS - [PPIM] Sheldonica Ore [IMSO]: An incredible mat used to upgrade your gear. If you put it on a weapon, it gets bonus Fire damage. If you slot it onto armor, you get major fire resistance. That said, there's only one piece of this in Perpetua Prelude, which means you should plan ahead about how you want to use it. Hopefully there will be more in the full game. Invernal Branch [IMIB]: The bonus it gives you to navigation and floral communication is not worth the fact that it adds a CONSTANT running commentary during every fight. They did not record enough lines for this one. It will get on your nerves, I PROMISE. Stitchscore Bouncer [IMSB]: No, not a bouncer like the guy who stands out in front of the club and looks scary. It's a bouncing ball. You can use it on a few puzzles in the Adventure Fields, but it can also be used as a ranged weapon that will do a random number of bounces (read: attacks) per turn. It does low damage but the number of attacks it does is an OPEN ENDED COIN FLIP, which means that theoretically it could do infinite damage. It's just not very likely! Encyclopaedia Catastrophica [IMEC]: Not only does this unmissable item—which you get during the Grand Academy of the Collapse chapter—unlock a TON of lore in the Codex, it's also the most powerful ranged magic weapon in the demo. If you're scratching your head because you didn't find it, that's because you can't find it on your first playthrough for obvious reasons that would be obvious if you already DID beat it. But on Re-Prelude Mode, you'll get it early on. Since this is obviously a No Spoilers guide, that's all I'll say about THAT. Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Janine Hawkins (@bleatingheart) Sylvi Bullet (@sylvibullet), Ali Acampora (@ali_west), Art Martinez-Tebbel (@atebbel), Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal), Keith J Carberry (@keithjcarberry) and Andrew Lee Swan (@swandre3000) Produced by Ali Acampora Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Cover Art by Ben McEntee (https://linktr.ee/benmce.art) With thanks to Amelia Renee, Arthur B., Aster Maragos, Bill Kaszubski, Cassie Jones, Clark, DB, Daniel Laloggia, Diana Crowley, Edwin Adelsberger, Emrys, Greg Cobb, Ian O'Dea, Ian Urbina, Irina A., Jack Shirai, Jake Strang, Katie Diekhaus, Ken George, Konisforce, Kristina Harris Esq, L Tantivy, Lawson Coleman, Mark Conner, Mike & Ruby, Muna A, Nat Knight, Olive Perry, Quinn Pollock, Robert Lasica, Shawn Drape, Shawn Hall, Summer Rose, TeganEden, Thomas Whitney, Voi, chocoube, deepFlaw, fen, & weakmint This episode was made with support from listeners like you! To support us, you can go to friendsatthetable.cash.

26 Maalis 2h 5min

Minds driven by curiosity and hearts filled with hope, the expedition group sets off across the sea that separates their homeland from the rest of the world. From the perspective offered by their airship, they get a taste of what is to come: Palaces and plazas! Mountains and rivers! Strange, draconic towers! A land of life and lore, filled with knowledge yet unknown to them! But first… there's the matter of the smoke coming from the engine room. This week: Perpetua Prelude 02 PERPETUA PRELUDE - BASICS GUIDE EXPEDITION MEMBER INFO - [PPEMI] ARLEY BATES [EAB] Specialization: Collector Value: Thrill Disposition: Jovial The Prince of Salix, one of the major elven city states on the eastern continent of Perpetua. Great all around pick! While you should definitely use his cooking skills, he's more than just a chef! Because he starts with a walking staff and lantern, he excels when exploring. TOMOR PRESH [ETP] Specialization: Explorer Value: Curious Disposition: Challenge Forged in the heat of the Parisolian Mines, Tomor Presh is a hot-blooded champion of justice who likes to stick his nose into problems even when he isn't invited. Good thing he's tough enough to win when he does! He really has "developer assigned protagonist" energy, so if that's your thing, give him a shot. GLESI SYDNEY & YUKAI [EMGY] Specialization: Nomand Value: Beauty Disposition: Focused / Defensive An exiled nomad and her cursed (?) pet. As the only "paired hero" in Perpetua Prelude, Glesi & Yukai offer a unique—and advanced—style of play. If you're willing to put in the work to understand the game's systems and their eccentric design, then you'll be rewarded with one of the coolest character stories in the game. Plus, you get to look cooler than anyone else! HARLOW PRESH [EMHP] Specialization: Scientist Value: Safety Disposition: Awkward A mage from the academy of the Hundred Burroughs. This guy stinks. It's cool that he starts with four extra coin, but once you blow through that you're stuck with all his annoying voice and animations. He doesn't even do any real magic. SKIP HIM! Find the game we're playing, Cartographer: Atlas edition at https://the-ravensridge-press.itch.io/cartograph-atlas-edition Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Janine Hawkins (@bleatingheart) Sylvi Bullet (@sylvibullet), Ali Acampora (@ali_west), Art Martinez-Tebbel (@atebbel), Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal), Keith J Carberry (@keithjcarberry) and Andrew Lee Swan (@swandre3000) Produced by Ali Acampora Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Cover Art by Ben McEntee (https://linktr.ee/benmce.art) With thanks to Amelia Renee, Arthur B., Aster Maragos, Bill Kaszubski, Cassie Jones, Clark, DB, Daniel Laloggia, Diana Crowley, Edwin Adelsberger, Emrys, Greg Cobb, Ian O'Dea, Ian Urbina, Irina A., Jack Shirai, Jake Strang, Katie Diekhaus, Ken George, Konisforce, Kristina Harris Esq, L Tantivy, Lawson Coleman, Mark Conner, Mike & Ruby, Muna A, Nat Knight, Olive Perry, Quinn Pollock, Robert Lasica, Shawn Drape, Shawn Hall, Summer Rose, TeganEden, Thomas Whitney, Voi, chocoube, deepFlaw, fen, & weakmint This episode was made with support from listeners like you! To support us, you can go to friendsatthetable.cash.

20 Maalis 1h 53min

A CLOCK STRIKES. A BELL RINGS. Welcome to Perpetua: Prelude, a short, six episode prologue to Perpetua, our next full season of Friends at the Table. For Perpetua proper, we'll be playing Fabula Ultima, following two groups of unlikely heroes as they investigate ancient mysteries, confront rivals and villains, and grow together as friends and allies. But first… we have to set the stage and build the world—or at least some of it. So, we're kicking things off with Cartograph: Atlas Edition to help us bring the world of Perpetua to life. Today, we create our characters and prepare to head across the sea to adventure and discovery… Find the game we're playing, Cartographer: Atlas edition at https://the-ravensridge-press.itch.io/cartograph-atlas-edition Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Janine Hawkins (@bleatingheart) Sylvi Bullet (@sylvibullet), Ali Acampora (@ali_west), Art Martinez-Tebbel (@atebbel), Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal), Keith J Carberry (@keithjcarberry) and Andrew Lee Swan (@swandre3000) Produced by Ali Acampora Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Cover Art by Ben McEntee (https://linktr.ee/benmce.art) With thanks to Amelia Renee, Arthur B., Aster Maragos, Bill Kaszubski, Cassie Jones, Clark, DB, Daniel Laloggia, Diana Crowley, Edwin Adelsberger, Emrys, Greg Cobb, Ian O'Dea, Ian Urbina, Irina A., Jack Shirai, Jake Strang, Katie Diekhaus, Ken George, Konisforce, Kristina Harris Esq, L Tantivy, Lawson Coleman, Mark Conner, Mike & Ruby, Muna A, Nat Knight, Olive Perry, Quinn Pollock, Robert Lasica, Shawn Drape, Shawn Hall, Summer Rose, TeganEden, Thomas Whitney, Voi, chocoube, deepFlaw, fen, & weakmint This episode was made with support from listeners like you! To support us, you can go to friendsatthetable.cash.

13 Maalis 1h 25min

Hello all! This is a short announcement to make sure everyone is aware THE NEXT SEASON OF FRIENDS AT THE TABLE IS STARTING TOMORROW(/TODAY MOST LIKELY AT THE TIME YOU ARE READING THIS! IT'S MIDNIGHT SOMEWHERE! IT'S MIDNIGHT EASTERN TIME AT THE TIME THAT I'M POSTING THIS, ACTUALLY!)  ...ahem. Let me break from the caps to make this post actually readable. Thursday, March 13th 7 PM EST we will be debuting our next season Perpetua. We'll be starting the season with the Perpetua Prelude playing a world building game (Cartograph Atlas Edition) to establish the setting for our season.  We will also be doing a debut stream on twitch.tv/friendsatthetable because it's fun! And because coincidentally Fourthwall (friendsatthetable.shop host's) are offering to do a gift give away to our chat the same day!

13 Maalis 4min

Hey everyone! To make the wait for next week's premier of Perpetua just a little bit easier, we decided to share a recent session of Realis Austin ran with the Nextlander crew! Enjoy! Hosted by Austin Walker (@austinwalker on bluesky) Featuring Vinny Caravella, Brad Shoemaker, and Alex Navarro Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Cover Art by by Oddesque With thanks to Amelia Renee, Arthur B., Aster Maragos, Bill Kaszubski, Cassie Jones, Clark, DB, Daniel Laloggia, Diana Crowley, Edwin Adelsberger, Emrys, Greg Cobb, Ian O'Dea, Ian Urbina, Irina A., Jack Shirai, Jake Strang, Katie Diekhaus, Ken George, Konisforce, Kristina Harris Esq, L Tantivy, Lawson Coleman, Mark Conner, Mike & Ruby, Muna A, Nat Knight, Olive Perry, Quinn Pollock, Robert Lasica, Shawn Drape, Shawn Hall, Summer Rose, TeganEden, Thomas Whitney, Voi, chocoube, deepFlaw, fen, & weakmint This episode was made with support from listeners like you! To support us, you can go to friendsatthetable.cash.

7 Maalis 3h 44min

This episode carries content warnings for body horror and military violence On a moon of muddy histories, none is as unclear as that of the Citadel Bein. There are, in fact, no records of a fortress ever being raised on the hill above the lake. But when you cannot find the roots, find the branches: Date the changes in county-wide taxes. Track the yearly increase in travel during the harvest season. Re-read the stories of the pigs and the soil and cross-reference the lyrics of the major rondeaux. Ah, do you see it now? A feast hall. And its cellar. Hosted by Austin Walker (@austinwalker on bluesky) Featuring Art Martinez-Tebbel, Keith J Carberry and Ali Acampora Produced by Ali Acampora Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Cover Art by by Oddesque With thanks to Amelia Renee, Arthur B., Aster Maragos, Bill Kaszubski, Cassie Jones, Clark, DB, Daniel Laloggia, Diana Crowley, Edwin Adelsberger, Emrys, Greg Cobb, Ian O'Dea, Ian Urbina, Irina A., Jack Shirai, Jake Strang, Katie Diekhaus, Ken George, Konisforce, Kristina Harris Esq, L Tantivy, Lawson Coleman, Mark Conner, Mike & Ruby, Muna A, Nat Knight, Olive Perry, Quinn Pollock, Robert Lasica, Shawn Drape, Shawn Hall, Summer Rose, TeganEden, Thomas Whitney, Voi, chocoube, deepFlaw, fen, & weakmint This episode was made with support from listeners like you! To support us, you can go to friendsatthetable.cash.

28 Helmi 1h 42min