Critical Role & Sagas of Sundry - Vox Machina Ep. 75 - Where the Cards Fall
Episode Date: January 10, 2022Vox Machina make their way through the City of Brass searching for the next vestige, but a desperate gamble leads them to making a devil's bargain! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megapho...ne.fm/adchoices
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Hello everyone and welcome to Critical Role.
We're a bunch of us nerdy-ass voice actors sit around and play to an insufficiency.
and dragons and get the uh some uh adjusted altered uh countdown to us going live it's great uh yes welcome
uh we have uh just a couple of announcements to do tonight not nothing too long and and uh crazy first is
okay sam's is really long uh speaking of which is going get us into our wonderful sponsor for
tonight lu crate thank you so much lu crate uh say if you want to tell us a little bit about lukeut
Guys, Lutrate, the beginning this month is magical.
Brands included Dr. Strange, fantastic beasts,
and where to find them, and more.
Please make a special call out to the below
Dr. Strange Q-Fig Luth-Trate has announced
we'll be in this month's crate.
I just did.
But tonight I prepared,
because we all need to, we all need just some theater today.
I've prepared for us a small radio play.
Oh, wow.
of you to read a heart in.
Oh.
Pass it down.
Pass it down. Keep passing it.
I didn't know Ashley was going to be here.
So Ashley, you can read with Travis.
You are both.
You're both doing it together.
The first line.
Well, guys, calm down.
Okay.
Here we go.
This is a lot.
It's sort of a dust bowl type of a play.
I wrote a play.
Okay.
Do I have to say this?
Yes, you do.
Come on.
Guys, okay, I'll be reading stage direction.
Talison is playing Jr.
Marisha is playing Mama.
Liam is Pa.
Laura is playing Sam Regal.
And Travis and Laura are,
Travis and Ashley are the radio sound effects duo.
Okay, let's see how this goes.
August 1929, the Badlands, South Dakota,
lights up on the McAllister Farm.
Mama, a sturdy country woman,
comes in from the windy, dusty farm,
and slams the door.
Jonas!
Junior, get your slow poke molasses ass down here.
Oh, that's me.
Enter Jr., a simpleton down the stairs.
Good sound effects, guys.
It's kind of big, isn't he?
All right.
Beats a lot.
Sorry, I didn't do no chores, Mama.
I'm a simpleton.
You'll be sorry when I run this cat of nontails over your rear end.
Yeah, good sound effect.
Good sound effect.
Today, my fault school was late because teacher Sally died.
Come on, for checks.
Projects.
School was late because, well, teacher Sally died this evening before last.
Not sweet, sweet Sally.
My rear end, I'm going to miss her.
What did her in?
Enter paw, a drunk.
He smashes a beer bottle against the family cat.
There you go.
Oh, Shagimmy kills us all around.
Here, that's poisoning.
As we all know, the dust bowl is full of radioact of dust.
You melts your face clean off of the bone.
It's true.
And dust a bowl is the second leading cause of death in the dust bowl.
My rear end just can't stand this dust dust.
It should be noted.
It should be noted that the playwright did no historical research on the dust bowl.
Junior.
Here, ma.
I found your bagpipes to play at the dust funeral.
Kind of better than a roller at that point.
Better than your overall.
What we ever do with this?
Enter Sam Regal, a strapping traveling salesman from the big city played by Laura.
Hi, folks. handsome Sam Regals here.
Only thing more handsome than me is this hair loop crate patron XXX.
I was supposed to put in actual stuff.
Probably loopgrade.com slash critical roll.
Keep going.
And also, once you enjoy the geeky here inside,
you can use the box to clean up.
Well, all this dust.
Can it be a box that can cure our woes
and pick us up back onto our dusty rear ends?
What's with the line?
Hooray!
And so the McAllister's used a dusty old vacuum cleaner.
And there's.
loot traits to clean up all the dust in the dust bowl, thus saving their farm and the American dream.
You know.
Holy shit.
Wow.
It keeps getting better.
I will play like that.
You are.
Somehow better than a ball.
That was really good.
On the play rewrite there.
And you know, and you know, based on our viewership tonight, it's a pretty good opening night.
Why better than most playwrights?
Thank you.
Well done, Sam.
Oh, God.
Awesome.
What?
Next up,
we have a quick announcement
that a special guest
is going to come in here
and tag me out.
I have Brian Foster.
Go ahead.
Favorite match.
Man, it's been a Chris hard week,
hasn't it?
Just a giant note here that says kill grog.
He's gotten too powerful.
All right.
So we're going to talk about Talks Machina,
which is the new critical role after slash talk show.
We've all been working on this,
along with a lot of people of Geek and Sundry for a super long time,
so we're super excited about it.
It's going to start this Tuesday at 7 p.m.
You can watch it on Twitch for the first four episodes,
and then those are going to be available on VOD for Twitch
and on the Geek and Sundry website.
You can also watch it on a website called project alpha.com.
We're going to have two or three members.
We're going to have two or three members of the cast on every single week, mostly from this cast.
We're also going to have celebrity guests, previous guests from Critical Role.
We're going to let him back out.
We're going to let him back out.
And we're also going to have some super fans that are going to be able to be on the show.
We're going to get all dirty and nerdy.
We're going to talk about the previous week's episode.
We're going to give away prizes every single week.
We're also going to have the near impossible task of picking out your fan art and GIFs.
I said GIF because GIF just sounds so mushy.
No, it's wrong.
It's GIF, right?
Yeah, yeah.
Yeah, GIFT, right?
Living language, we decide.
It's been decided and decreed, ladies and gentlemen.
So here's what we need from you.
We're going to give out a bunch of Critical Role merch.
We're going to give out a bunch of D&D merch.
We're going to give out stuff from our friends at Wormwood.
Yay!
We're gonna give out, it says here, a shirtless picture of Travis Willingham riding a mechanical bowl.
Oh, oh.
The photo shoot is still TBD.
Oh, I see.
Yes.
He's waiting for an open tanning bed.
Because we get so many, there's so many thousands of tweets every Thursday night that go out about this amazing and weird and horrible show, we are asking,
If you guys want to tweet a question for us to ask the cast live on the air,
we're asking that you tweet at Tox Machina,
which is the official Twitter handle for our show,
and use the hashtag Ask Talks Machina because that way we can track them.
Make sure we get as many of your questions as we can on the show.
Send your fan art and gifts to ToxMachina at gmail.com.
Anytime between Thursday nights during the show and Tuesdays at 9 a.m.
We're trying to feature fan art and gifts from each week's episode,
since we're going to be talking about those episodes on the show on Tuesdays.
So send those in.
That's it.
We're going to see you guys this Tuesday, 7 p.m. on Twitch and project alpha.com.
Until then, it's high news.
It's your mic there, man.
Motherfucker.
Didn't get enough without a blues con this past week.
Okay, then. Thank you, Brian Foster.
That guy's hot.
He's taken, unfortunately.
Oh, God.
By you.
All right, so anyway, we have one more quick announcement.
Leone, you want to take up for this one?
Well, it's not really an announcement.
I'm just a willing accomplice with one of my favorite artist buddies,
Sedona Parnan, that sent something she's made specifically for Sam Riegel.
Oh, me.
Oh, why?
It was sent to me on the slide.
because you're so dear to all of us.
Is it a radio play?
So charming.
And now you will be well rested.
Please, accept.
Oh, I'm so excited.
What is this?
Do I read it?
No, I agree.
Just open it up and show us all what you find.
Oh, my.
Oh, why?
It's a pillow case.
It's a pillow case.
It's a size appropriate.
appropriate love. Oh my god. The chest hair, the nipples. That's adorable, guys.
He's so cute. This is 400 count Egyptian cotton here. There is only one other copy of that pillow case and it is mine.
Are we going to be sleeping on the same pillows at night?
Yeah, I mean we need a blanket as well.
The one's same.
I read different parts of the song.
I know.
I was already like,
I was already like,
I was already how that happened.
Go watch American Tale and land before time.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
So that was from Sedona, who is known as At On Odessu.
On Twitter, she's done kind of great art for the show.
She's one of my favorites.
She's about now.
That's it.
There you go.
Boom.
So thank you guys.
Nice we have anything else to kick it forward.
I think we jump back into the chaos of the city of Barass
and the element to clean of fire on tonight's
episode of Critical Role.
Oh!
Yeah!
Last we left off, box machina, slowly making their way towards the final confrontation with Thorac,
the Cinder King, as well as the end of the Kuma Concave, hopefully, or the end of the
Monon Tal'Dore as we know it one way or the other.
You found yourself preparing Fort Daxio for some sort of a plot to draw Thorac out.
In the process, you took the rest of your intrepid advent advent adventurers to the fire elemental plane,
in search of the final vestige that you had referred to yourself
via the Andros Fink, not earlier in your adventure.
Upon arriving here, you spoke with a number of EFRIE that ran the outskirts of the city of Brass,
entered, find yourselves immediately traced and followed,
and discovering that the society here is, well, very different than ones that you're used to.
You managed to barely escape a confrontation in Alleyway with two Ifreutri,
You escaped on the path of two seemingly recent made allies for the time being, led into their establishment in which jewelry is crafted, and with a plot to hopefully find whoever this fire giant is that holds onto the plate of the Don Martyr. Many of you allowed chains to be affixed to your neck and wrists. So you can pass as slaves in a society where they're relatively normal under the
the frets that run the city and your new friend senokir and uten are to help guide you in the
direction of the next part of your venture so picking up where we left off you guys have been led out
into this main street watching the giant lava fountain that pours out this
deep league carpet pit in the center of the ground uh you see flickers of a flame that occasionally
burst out between the various bits of stonework make up the floor in the center of the streets here
Looking up into the sky, you can see the kind of deep, reddish, orange hue of the skyline
and one burning hot sun in the sky that doesn't seem to move from its position,
but just grows slightly dimmer as the day goes on. You all let out into the street
with Senokir and Uten reading you out into the main area.
Sanokir turns back to the rest of you. This slight half smile on his face.
we have to find our way to the first giant you requested this was the one named Waska is that correct
then let us find our way to the Zenith Forge where he does most of his work
Forge Zenis Forge now come follow me he tugged the chain to the sudden person kind of pulls you along
As you begin walking, he begins to talk about how Waska is one of the few giants that still maintains the privilege of freedom.
There was a coup within their people a few years ago, seemingly orchestrated by some of their own.
As such, most of the fire giants in the city either were cast out or were placed in chains.
and the few that remain, one of which you speak with on this day, is one of the ones that sold them out.
So, I hope you have your questions, Freddie.
Yeah, for you, shit loads.
Don't talk to your master in public.
That was hot.
I really feel like you're working some shit out here.
We have a safety word.
You could not establish one.
No.
No.
Oh, no.
Oh, no.
You're led through a multitude of streets, let along the outside of this large place that he points out that he refers to as the furnace.
That is where the Choccoled Palace exists in the salt of the entire city.
We won't be going there.
The Chalkal Palace?
The chocolate palace.
The chocolate palace?
The chocolate palace.
You're listening.
You're not supposed to speak.
Chalkle.
Chalkle.
Charcoal.
Charcoal.
Charkle.
Charcle.
The air itself here, as you're spending more time outside,
and the interior of these buildings aren't meant to detract heat or cool off either.
Most of the, all the denizens here are well-tempered against the heat.
As you guys are being dragged along, I need all of you who do not have fire resistance,
to go ahead and make another Constitution saving throw.
Yeah, I didn't.
I feel like.
I'm a master of a good burn, because I give me power.
Nope.
I think you don't have to worry about it.
Because of my shield, do I have?
I had cast fire roses on me.
Yes, how long was that last?
It lost an hour.
It's been an hour now.
So I'll recast.
Okay.
I'm going to do a re-roll.
Saving throw?
Saving throw, yes.
Constitution saving throw.
Well, that's better.
I'll have to inspire myself on a saving
I got on ability checks, sorry.
11. 11, okay.
16. All right.
15. All right.
Seven.
Oh, yeah.
I burned to-7.
All you manage, for the most part,
to resist the heat, the sweats beginning to become warm,
just a prevalent downpour across your face.
Pike, you take a point of exhaustion.
Oh, no.
I'm just feeling so tired.
So you're currently a disadvantage on ability checks.
The heat makes you look about it.
I'm very familiar.
Well, it does.
Travis can work you through the exhaustion levels.
Yeah.
Heading past the buildings and concerts,
you see these spires that come into these,
these kind of rounded points towers all made from some colored glass,
some dark greens and blacks.
You begin to see there are deep, carved,
and well-manufactured waterways,
or what would be considered waterways in other cities,
except here the actual molten lava
from the sea of fire pours through.
So there are large bridges that lead over
these constantly bubbling and churning,
long aqueducts that are just filled with molten rock.
In the ground or raised?
In the ground.
Similar to how you see most city aqueducts constructed,
and sea of fire spills into them.
And even going over there,
it's uncomfortable,
the heat grows astronomically as you pass over each bridge and the air itself becomes more
sulfurous. You find yourself coughing autonomically as the fumes reach your lungs. You begin to
pass by. We're walking out in public at this point, right? Yeah. And there's people about other
beings about? You do. You see as the sun, which, and you've been here for two hours now,
So you have some time. It's still very busy in the city. And as you pass by, you see many, many athreat, just on their own business, some coasting at different levels of height, some just kind of traversing through. Occasionally you come across what look to be strange, horned devil-like entities that work walking clusters.
So a question, because I put on the ring of invisibility before we left.
Yes.
But Sinokia, I think might have chuckled when I gave my sister on Wet Willey. So as we're walking and I've got the ring on
so we've asked people from doing this and looking to see if anyone is reacting to that
no one else reacts except for Seneca kind of just looks back towards you and
oh god that face oh no he's so weird
here you're moving around me
being went through the street you eventually see
of what appears to be two large, live kind of gray-fleshed creatures that stalk by with these large
hooked tails that bend over in the front. You can see barbs sticking out of parts of their body
and they kind of move in clusters of three or four.
Wait, were they walking on two feet or?
Two feet. They're by people. And they're just stalking through. Three. Three.
With like big as scorpion tails? It kind of resembles that. The more you push into the city, the more diverse pocket of
comes. And you do see the occasional human, the occasional elf, not being subjugated,
though they do usually carry some sort of a bodyguard or a handful of servants at their side as well.
But you do see devils walking amongst the people here. And many, many,
that are all walking the streets with large cimitars at their side and with what seems to be
a uniform long silk vest of a dull gray kind of charcoal,
pattern and it looks to be a pendant that hangs around their neck that just constantly churns
with a flame. And it's uniform for each of these. And you get the sense as they walk
around singularly or impairs that these probably act as the patrol, as the guard of the city.
Those who are walking around that don't like have a body guard and don't seem to be enslaved.
Are they still wearing that white and gold cloaky thing that our strange bit is wearing?
No. They're very diverse in their attire. Really?
You get the sense that at least the outfits they're wearing is just their signature outfit.
But you also have a hard time grasping what the cultural intricacies are of the city of brass,
being that you're grown.
Hey, man.
As you're passing by these various aspects, do you have a question?
Oh, I just wanted to whisper. Do you wait then?
Sutterly.
I will stealthily pick my assistance locks.
Okay.
As you guys are walking past and at this point,
Seneca is talking,
and he mentions off the sides like,
we are now passing the street of artisans
in the city market.
This is what we call the pyrrachlum.
This is where we're going to find Waska.
This is where we're going to find the Xenius Forge
and hopefully the end of your journey.
And we can work out the specifics later.
As this is happening, I need you go and make us like a hand roll.
behind Grog.
Oh, God.
Oh, God.
Oh, look it.
Oh, God.
It doesn't matter.
It doesn't matter.
20.
Okay.
Go ahead and make a block that can show.
Okay. That's fine as well.
What's 25?
Okay.
It takes you, the better part, about four or five blocks,
to very carefully walking with your sister, keeping in pace with her gait,
making sure not to rustle,
the chains or anything to distract Seneca or Uten as they walk along.
And U-Kin's being very, you know, very careful with his watch, not just on you, but just
the city at all overall.
It's not like they're, you know, honed in on you per se, but very observant of the atmosphere.
And you get the sense that we can definitely, as far as the partnership goes, seems
to be the more paranoid of the two of them.
However, as time goes on, you eventually feel the gentle release of the lock on one of her
our menacles, then slowly the other.
As I trail back with behind, are you here?
Twins, motherfucker.
As you begin to approach what looks to be a large,
black and gray building built from heavy, heavy stones.
Can I talk to Uten a little bit while we're walking?
You're picking your nose?
It's like, not the same thing.
From over here.
It's a scratch.
It's a scratch.
No pig! No pig!
So do you play tour guide often to newcomers in this time?
We can at this point too.
It is not often that we take newcomers under our wing like this.
Usually they are either customers or, well, to be arrested shortly.
So no, this is probably the first tour we've given.
In fact, Sunok here seems to strangely enjoy it.
Playing tour guide.
Apparently.
And that mentions over in Cynicare at this point,
other hand is out and it's like,
around this way you can see the Vestral Spire,
which is a wonderful craft fair that happens once every two years.
He's just like making shit up and he's like
seems he has quite a love for the city of brass.
How long have you all been residency?
Well, we've been in business together for about a better part of 10 years.
I've only been here about 12.
It was a very dangerous scavenge to begin, but at least the laws of the normal world do not apply here.
I had no idea how long Sinokia has been here.
It keeps a lot to himself that one, but I trust him.
And your business mainly deals in...
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I know.
It's heard your establishment.
Well, as you mentioned people ending in arrest, are you bounty hunters?
No. I must admit, our life is not as interesting as you might be expected. I'm sorry for that. But I will say, probably shouldn't I be talking so much right now.
Oh, sure. Go, slaves. Walk forward like you do.
Why are you talking to us like that?
Shut up, slave, but I smack grog with the flail.
It doesn't physically hurt, but emotionally, there's a scar.
I'm working.
Forward March.
Sure, he didn't say it well.
You never said Oklahoma.
It's dangerous to keep a race card around.
Just say, I'm just saying, I'm racing.
I'm fucking red.
So as you, as you,
continue pushing forward.
Eventually you come to that gray building.
Heavy gray and dark stones.
It's large and square in shape,
and you see what looks to be an oversized chimney
that just bellows out, this constant black smoke
that just pours upward into infinity.
And there are a number of sacks like that
throughout the entirety of the city.
Hundreds that all eventually bleed together
as they all kind of mingle and join into the atmosphere,
whatever this atmosphere is consisting of.
The large doors,
are partially open. They're about 20 feet tall and about 20 feet as wide as well. They themselves
are made from a very, very, looks almost like a dark, dark wood. As you get close, it's
just a textured stone. You see a dull light from the inside.
Where are we? Master. Welcome to the Zenith Force.
Shit, it is.
So once we enter, I...
would have to be the one to ask all the questions but that would be difficult for us to do so
earth is yours either we try and find the careful way to funnel questions or we put our cards in the
tables and you do the talking well i can alter myself to look like you if you can hang back you've already
look like right another compatriots you can still speak i just want to want to
make sure that well our slaves don't talk out of turn sure well have you spoken
with a fire giant before it's been a while they since the upset socially I found
it best to not deal with them outside of a customer patron relationship are they
so weird are they a good conversation on this that's a big word
You seem a little bit nervous.
I can't really tell because you're so strange in a wonderful way.
Those sweet little ones.
They're very big.
And consider that since they kept their freedom,
they're probably rather cunning.
Like bigger than him?
You'll see.
Oh.
He begins to tug the chains and pull you through.
What's just you're asking?
I guess we just have to ask like, hey, do you have any cool collections?
Do you play cards?
Do you maybe have you won a lot?
Stuff like that.
Yeah, what's going to make them give us the thing anyway?
We're going to try to steal it once we see it?
Or he's really got a bit.
Maybe he's got beef with somebody in the city and we'll like go out and jack him up.
If he'll tell us.
Or maybe we can, if we see that he had to,
it, then we can challenge him to a game of cards.
Or maybe...
If we see that he has it, how do we know if he has it?
You might not have it.
You might not have it.
You could also just chat with him, and I could walk over and take it.
Well, maybe he won't know its value.
It's a pseudo-Armium.
That he can't fit into because he's huge.
And it's where, you know, your locate,
your locate item.
I do.
Oh, yeah.
Use it.
Okay.
Now!
I use it.
Now.
You're going to stop as you being pulled.
you're being pulled into the foyer of this building in chains so you're going to begin to cast this
oh do i have to stop it's it's a it's a it's a visual thing it's not very we can do it's just it's a
it's a visual thing it's not very we can just it's in a cure hold it's one moment
cincere yes we're going to hang on we just a little bit of preparation on our if you don't
Then decide.
I mean, if you wish to.
As he's talking, we start doing it.
All right, so look it on.
It's really quick.
And it's you basically have to, you have to pull out your component
from the side there.
It's a little quick and you snap it.
And you can continue the ritual.
All right, you concentrate for a second as he's talking.
And currently, no. Do not sense it.
Okay. But it lasts for 10 minutes.
It lasts for up 10 minutes.
It's for, wait, how is it?
A thousand.
What is it?
Thousand?
Thousand.
How large is the forge?
How large is the forge?
Well, here it's a few rooms.
It's
large enough to house.
Oscar and his servants.
to construct the crafts that they are good at.
What do they construct?
As far as I know, arms, armor.
You see fire giants, they find their sense of self-worth in society by their craft and ship.
So it's a very important thing for some.
Well, yeah.
So like wheels or like weapons? Arms. You said arms.
I said on. I have a hard time listening when you talk like that.
Would you like me to speak slower?
No. No.
With me.
It's all right. That's just fine.
So, are you to funnel questions or do you wish to just ask as a true?
Let's funnel them.
Funnel them.
Then decide on your questions now.
Or covertly speak.
covertly speak once we enter, but we cannot stay here in the open and continue to talk long.
As he has he heard of the Don Mata?
We're looking for a suit of Ama he may have won in a card game.
Yeah, looking.
And maybe he didn't win it, but he's seen it, heard of it.
Right.
Has he seen a suitorrava?
Question two.
That vanished during a card.
Does he know where it may be?
It has great emotional value.
And questions.
three, if he doesn't want to tell us where,
is there someone that he has an errand that he needs run?
Oh, do we mention the Sutan bloodline?
Or do you think they've got like that would be bad, bad blood?
Is that bad bad?
Hey, maybe now we go bad.
I don't know.
Does Santa Cure think that that would have gone?
Is it a bad idea to mention Sutan bloodline?
I don't know.
Sorry, you just seem to know so much.
about this fine city.
I know enough.
But I don't know of the bloodline specifically I have heard it.
You can certainly inquire within it.
That's why we're here.
Yeah, that's three.
All right, all right.
Has he heard of him?
Does he know where it is?
If he won't tell us,
does he need an errand run to get in bloodline?
Seneca, where are you from, originally?
These questions aren't pertinent at the moment.
You're just so interesting.
Are you?
What?
Thank.
Now, shout free?
Oh, I am.
Yes, Lance.
Gives a tug on the chain.
You need you guys inside.
Now, the interior, very gluing,
but, most of you have some form of dark vision.
But this is a heavily, an open, heavy hall
where in the distance you can see
what looks to be four different forages that are burning simultaneously.
They're being fed.
being fed by what looks to be a small trail of the exterior sea of fire lava that is being
funneled into the back corner. Within, you can see there is a large anvil in the center of
the room, as well as a number of smaller anvils off the side. And the book appears to be four
human-sized figures. You can just make out the outline and shadow of them in the darkness.
They appear to be human or human-like. And they're in the process of moving things behind. They
They have troughs of waters,
then go ahead and crunch the heated weapons and such.
But there at the center anvil,
you see this large hulking figure standing,
dark black leather apron across the torso,
currently holding with heavy tongs,
this large, superheated piece of metal,
and it just red sparks fly
and illuminate the room with one hit.
The second splash of light,
as you see this piece of metal being slowly rotated
from side to side, it's beaten into a heavier shape.
dark middle having a bladed edge to it. This actual length of it, probably twice the size of Grog.
What's the guesstimate on this fellow's height?
I'd say probably in the neighborhood of about 20 feet.
Oh, what?
16, 20 feet from this vantage point.
Oh, shit.
I guess he's the size of the zombie giants, we fought him.
White stone.
It's your...
Go.
I want me to talk first.
Yeah, okay. Okay.
Okay, okay.
Well, you're the one who wants to ask questions.
No, shh, I got it, I got it, I got it this.
Don't fuck it up.
Don't fuck it up.
Thanks.
Don't go ahead, you got it.
I'm hanging back behind Percy or something.
Does you have a name?
Does this guy have a name?
Waska.
Oh, well, waska.
Oh, right, sorry.
Sorry.
Sorry.
Sorry.
Good day. Fair Waska. Strong Waska.
The last hit strikes the blade before the hammer pulls back. And the currently hunched
and focused image of the fire giant suddenly pulls back. It's just standing to see the glowing
iron metal off the side, just kind of gently gliding across the ground and scraping the stone.
Before it comes to rest of the side, the giant stands at its full height. You can now see the heavily red-bearded chin of itself, just like gently singed on the edges. The dark gray ash-like skin of the face looks down at you. Its eyes kind of glowing with these piercing little red dots through the shadow. Yes.
Hi. I am Keelith of the Ashari Druids.
I was curious if I could ask you a few questions
and just take a moment of your time,
which I'm sure is very valuable.
The metal blade lifts and smacks into the ground
with the resounding sound that rings.
All of the other individuals working at the forges
stop their work and look up.
We promise we can make it work
Your time.
The giant looks back.
It was this with his hand.
We could hear the wind resistance across.
There's a large, massive arm, and all the rest of these servants gather their materials,
and begin to finish what they're doing quickly and set them aside.
As they begin to go about their finishing up their business, Waska takes the large, unfinished
metal blade and just sets it onto the anvil, puts the tongues down, this heavy echoing clack
in this large chamber. The apron gets removed and tossed over the rest of the materials
and tools and walks up and stands there just looking straight down at all of you, towering
over your group, backlit from the glow of the red, forge hue behind him. You may ask
your questions. We are in search of a piece of our
armor, something that holds great weight and many legends behind it.
Then I have probably made it.
Maybe you have.
It is called the plate of the Don Martyr.
Are you familiar with this?
As I squint a bit, I am not familiar with this.
I did not make this armor, you have.
armor, you ask.
It, I don't believe it is from this realm, but it resides here.
It was won by a fire giant as yourself in a game of cards.
A game of cards.
Or some call them card games.
I may know actually be.
actually be seeking.
Really?
That would be phenomenal information.
This information that would lead you to this powerful, legendary, sought after armor you seek.
Is it worth a lot to you?
Well, look, you shouldn't compare it to you or the things you've made.
things you've made, right? I'm sure.
Crosses his arms.
You hear the clatter of the metal bracers that he has on
kind of clean against each other as his muscles just kind of
extends.
Yes, it's very valuable for us to find it.
Yes.
He begins to walk over to the side.
Grab something in the shadow, and you hear this scraping
stuff of heavy wood being dragged up.
across stone as he lifts up and slams in front of you, a table. A little bit larger height
than you. You can look just above it, but it's a large table. Then make your offer.
I'm assuming you don't want me to...
The jewels.
All right. Do we still have all those jewels? Hey, Seneca. I look at Waska and I say, let me confer with my other
Master's. Hey, Seneca, what's your want? What do you think is fair here?
Well, usually as a craftsman, they want something of their craft, perhaps.
Craft. They want, they want something, okay. Or you could always ask.
Sure, yeah. I'll ask. Waska. Yes. In speaking with my fellow masters,
We want to make sure we give you something that is fair and desired.
Is there anything that you might have on your wish list?
He reaches forward and kind of rummages through a small pouch that's affixed to the side of his belt.
When I say a small pouch, small by his comparison, the pouch is about the size of you, Keel.
As he, his fingers kind of dig around inside, you hear the clanging of heavy metal and various other objects slamming into each other.
As he pulls out some sort of strange small cylinder.
He lifts it to his eye and peers through it.
Oh, he's looking to see what we got.
Scans through.
Oh, no.
For servants, you all walk with many,
enchanted,
powerful and desirable affixions to yourselves.
You are a very intelligent and observant man.
puts away the cylinder into the pouch.
Giant, fire, respected fire giant.
Offer me some of what you could give up.
And should it be worth the information you seek,
it will be yours.
Let me once again confer with my masters
and enchanted servants.
Okay, guys, what are we, where do we got?
I've got a ring of lightning resistance.
Got a ring of lightning resistance?
What about?
Don't you have a lot of fucking weapons in your bag of holding?
Yeah, but they're just normal weapons.
They're not anything good.
It's a great sort of frenzy, but...
That's not bad.
Great sort of frenzy.
Uh...
I mean...
Yeah, great sort of frenzy, yeah.
That sounds not bad.
Whatever.
Yeah.
I've got a ring of cross-wain.
I've got a ring of lightning resistance.
My war mask.
My war on the...
Oh!
You felt that thing.
No, no, not...
Oh, that's right.
It's a helmet.
It's crafted, though.
It's like, but it's so hot.
Yeah, but it's like hideous.
And they said that they didn't do it very well.
Ooh.
You did it okay.
It's inscripted.
It's got my title on the inside.
I've got my magic choker.
They're like, he could make it.
I would put it on Pinterest.
Maybe it's a thimble.
We can tell them it's a handcrafted.
That actually is pretty cool.
How high is that that's that?
It's about.
Don't.
Eight feet up.
All right.
Don't even.
That's pretty high.
Yeah, you don't have to leave for that, man.
Or.
Blest out your wings.
They're talking to the giant without some high rolls.
Mind you, you can certainly try.
I would love for you to try.
That's not funny.
I read those forges with something.
OK.
I have a ring of protection plus one
that no one's been using because it's just a ring of protection
plus one.
Which is good, by the way.
Ring of lightning resistance.
Ring of lightning resistance.
I have two vestiges.
You want to try this great sort of friend?
Yeah, let's do the great sword.
What about the alchemy judge?
No.
Oh, way.
Of which we have used what?
Doesn't matter.
Doesn't matter.
Awesome.
You eat mayonnaise out of that all the time.
And I have my plus one magic necklace.
Are you using that?
I know.
Okay.
Let's offer them the heavy foot taps.
You're going to be impatient.
Okay, okay, okay.
All right, here's what I do.
I'm going to take the sword and the great sword
and the ring of lightning resistance
and put it on the table.
So I'm going to let me real fast, if you don't mind.
Tell me.
I'm glad we didn't sell any of the course of the time.
So you take the big great sort, put it on there and then take the ring and place it up there with it.
Both of this large, meaty, fire giant hands grasp beside the table as he leans down and looks them over very intently.
Takes the blade, kind of holds it and then stands.
This is a very good thing.
a very good start. Oh, yeah. Well, lucky you. I also happen to have this awesome magic choker plus one.
Choker. Did you offer the fire giant a fucking choker?
I can wear his pinkie ring. I also offered him a tiny ring. He's going to use it.
It's going to be like a little eyebrow piercing. As you place it there, you kind of just glance out of for a second and then the little burning pupils of the giant look
towards you. It was a strong start. Not a very strong follow-up. As he leans back up, he says.
Well, wait, wait, wait. That's a two-for-one deal because it also comes with this ring of protection.
You just hadn't let me get that far yet. He wants arms. He doesn't want jewelry. He wants
arms, right.
Well, it's a ring of protection. That's cool. It's not weapons.
He seems unmoved by the presentation of the ring. He says,
You are to make one more offer.
All right. All right.
If you do not, I will tell the illuminated
of the dubious outsiders masquerading servants.
Slaves sent to undermine the rule of the grand sultan of the Afrit,
the Lord of the flame, the protent and incandescent,
the tempering and eternal flame of truth,
the most priest want of hunters,
martial of the order of the fiery heart,
the smoldering dictator, the crimson firebrand,
Maraki al-Sidhan al-Hareg ben al-Azen.
God bless you.
So what is your final offer?
Was that one man's resume?
Yeah, that was one man's man.
Vax, give him all of your vestiges.
Okay.
What if we give on some of the dragon scales?
We have some.
What about the black sapphire?
I think it's a flu.
A dragon.
I mean, we do have dragon scales.
We have a fuck ton of dragon scales.
As, you can make, hang on, hang on, hang on,
Waska.
A great craftsman, such as yourself, deserves only the fineness of materials.
How about some dragon hive?
Dragon hide.
What kind of dragon hide?
White dragon hide.
White dragon hide.
One large hand
raises up.
And begins to tug at the edge of his beard.
A lot of white dragon hide.
I think we even have a few.
Like a fair amount.
A fair amount.
A fair amount.
Leave it.
Just let it go.
Make you're all for a phone.
Get out of the bag all right.
His finger taps the edge of the table.
Put it on the table, people.
Give him like, like, he's a giant.
40 pounds of white dragon.
Yeah, he needs a lot.
How much it is there.
All right.
It's going to have a big loin cloth.
Yeah.
Really big horn cloth.
That's going to be weird.
40 pounds of white dragon hide.
Okay.
Right?
Can we do it like that?
Yeah.
Yeah.
So you just, uh,
gently tan for travel and use you go ahead and unveil and put 40 I want to
I want to make sure it's like one two three that's clever or let me yeah five
minutes later but it's better if it's one big piece as opposed to a bunch of tiny
little pieces well I'm what you got what you got well you managed to pull all the
behind on because it's there you go for us with forest as you finish
Waska's mouth turns with this white grins, his arms go out and scoop it all at his
edge of the table.
Your respect will be rem and martin.
He takes the handfuls of it and the sword and puts the rings into the pouch, takes
the sword and kind of jams into his belt, takes the hide, and walks over to the side
and opens this large chest, throws everything into the side of it, throws there, closes it,
and begins to walk over.
As he walks away from it, you hear this heavy, this metal click when he's about 15, 20 feet
from the chest. He steps to the table. No. He then puts his elbows and rests them on the
table, putting his hands folded under his chin, leaning forward towards you, and looks over
the rest of the troop.
There are two other fire giants here. One is Sougan.
Sugaan.
One where was the brains behind our positions.
I have this foundry and this forge because Sugaan led us against our people.
He currently enslaved most of our king with my help and with the help of Juryal and her late husband, Kouraz.
Now, Sugaan, he currently resides within the foundry itself as a respected chain lord to the rest of his kind.
Do not speak to Sugaan. You'll seek Jurael.
Jurael runs a powerful slag mine in the pits.
Her home is outside the shrine to Surter, called the Smokinghammer Shrine.
Look for this spiraling tower of black iron and copper.
If there is any problems, and he reaches back,
and pulls forward a small, square metal, looks like an icon.
He flicks it over towards you.
It looks like a small piece of copper in his thumb.
As he flicks it in your direction, you reach out instinctively to grab it at it, Keelith,
and then realize, oh shit, and just hit the back of the way as it,
it's good.
Luffy the size of a manhole cover.
It's a ring?
It's a large piece of square metal.
You look at it and it has a series of rooms that you recognize as being a giant.
Imprinted into the metal.
This will grant you respect and conversation with Jurael.
Should she show any resistance?
Just tell her I gave it to you.
Thank you. I go over and I start trying to pick it up. Make a strength check.
Your legs. You've been in the knees. Oh no.
Eight total. You can get it a few inches off the ground. Or just a
check, right? Just a straight check. Yeah, just with your modifier. Okay, then five.
You get it a few inches off the ground with a resounding clang!
Yeah, you almost got your finger, but you're fine.
Okay.
Do you have, we'll meet him?
Do you need some...
Um, yeah.
Come on, be smooth.
Yeah, you're so strong.
Yeah, can move.
I'll give it a try.
She's good, it's fun.
Come on, pipe.
Lift that thing.
Get it.
Do you have left that?
Oh, definitely not.
It just doesn't even move.
That's a seven.
Between the two of you, given about five minutes,
you actually eventually carry it five.
Five minutes.
You would have to hop like a, like a, um, like a,
like a, um, like a seven.
wallet version, would you? Don't worry about it.
Can we put it in the table?
He moves back to the space.
You got it.
Go up and carry.
Give it a go.
Our business is done.
Good luck.
And should you find yourself in any trouble?
You never heard my name.
Turns back to the anvil, slowly puts on the apron and goes right back to work.
Ping.
Holds the metal over into these large,
furnace at the side to let it glow to a brighter orange,
to a white at the tip begins hammering once more
as you guys gather the rest.
Your strengths to pull that along with you.
Sexy as far, John, I ever did see.
Who was that?
What?
There's this awkward pause.
So Waska stops and looks over.
She's touched.
Just don't worry about that.
Oh, O Waska, is it okay if I ask one last?
Last question.
Depends on the question, what do you ask?
How do fire giants feel about the name the Sutan,
away, are you asking that?
Wow, this is really, no, no, no.
You know what?
Been a huge help.
You know what a fistbucket or anything?
You heard of the date of the dawn.
Can I like, is it too late?
Is it too late to like rolling in it?
I took to make sure he was like telling us the whole story.
You can roll in now to just kind of gain his current composure
while he's hammering a drop large sword.
Make sure he's out pulling our shirt.
That's pretty good, 25.
He seems focused on his work and cares less about your presence now
than he did when you entered.
All right.
How that he's at that thing.
It's really, you know, it's more cumbersome.
It's awkward, you know?
Doesn't have handles.
It doesn't have handles.
It's very wide.
I can't really.
picking up a box.
Yes, exactly.
But it's not that heavy.
It's not heavy.
You guys are doing a great job with it, really.
Thank you.
It's like a piece of prepackaged IKEA furniture.
Yeah.
Oh, man, they didn't design this a bit.
Like, carried along at an angle because of height difference.
Got to take a second to switch hands.
Wait, wait, wait.
You walk backwards, so.
You walk backwards.
You walk backwards.
No, it's just about the new bed frame.
You go first.
You go first.
I'll go back.
Go back.
Are you okay?
Going down the stairs?
No, okay, okay.
As we leave, I just give the saddest puppy stare at that wallet on this side of his belt and just wish up on a star and then I leave.
All right.
You guys make your way out in the main for a fair.
So no care turns back.
very well I know where this shrine is so just follow me
great are you mocking me what are you talking about right what are you
talking about right continue please she pulls the chains a little bit
okay you are led
Oh my God.
Okay, there we go.
Thank you.
An extended period of time to make it towards
where the actual mines and the pits are
for the next hour or so walking through the streets.
You do, as you're heading in this sort of direction,
you pass by a series of intersections
where a lot of these lava rivers,
can emerge and splinter off.
You can see there are individuals
that are actually taking elements
of it and carry it off large metallic buckets. You also notice in the distance one very
terrifying looking structure. All the rest of this kind of beautiful, grandiose design to them.
There is one that looks like it's made of curved obsidian spikes, like a series of giant
clawed hands climbing up over themselves. And it forms this sort of fortress-type bastion
in the center of the city. This is on the outskirts of the furnace that you walked past,
or saw in the distance where I pointed out when you first left
Senokure's establishment.
Pressing beyond that, you do notice that there is a very
heavy number of nasty-looking devilish entities
that seem to be running patrol around the outside of that building.
You get the essence, there's a lot of,
a very heavy devil presence in the city of brass.
Do we recognize? Oh, and they're just devils.
Devils of multiple kinds, you gather.
Many you've never seen before, but they seem to be gathering around and have that same kind of terrifying essence to them.
You see some that are humanoid but covered in long chains and hooks at the end.
It's kind of drag on the ground behind them.
You see some that are these nasty little impish-looking creatures that kind of just leap from section to section and usually travel in packs.
But they're all, they have business.
They carry small satchels at their side.
And they mingle with the rest of the Ephreits and the other day.
and the other denizens of the city unmolested, unbothered, unprovoked.
I'll leave it a couple.
Quietly.
Okay, from a distance, you're not getting too close to this.
No one seems to pay mine.
Seneca, what is that place?
That is the embassy.
We shouldn't go by there.
Well, what's in the embassy?
Oh, that's where the ambassador's with nine hells reside.
Oh.
Oh.
Wow.
Right.
Nine.
That's a lot.
Is it like a city?
Is it a diplomatic community?
Yeah.
Seneca, did that exchange go about the way you thought it would?
Sure.
Good.
This guy likes to phony.
Our talk is a lot to meet.
Oh my God.
As you continue, eventually you come upon the outside of this beautiful temple that is made of what looks like hundreds of heavy dark iron and metal hammers that are all kind of molded together in this mismatch that forms this giant archway.
As you've walked past it, as soon here pipes up again.
And that is the smoking hem of shrine that bespoke enough.
Oh.
Which means, and he points over to the right.
And there you can see this.
It resembles a home that is conical in its advancement.
It's thick at the base and it spirals upward,
made of black metallic substance, rough around the edges,
like it's just been pushed together, similar to the shrine you saw.
But it's this spiral that continues upward.
It's a very thick spiral that quickly tapers off into a point.
And you see there are levels to it and it appears to be openings and windows.
This is an abode of some kind, a very massive abode.
And to a certain extent, one of the more impressive buildings you've seen in this immediate vicinity.
Big enough for a giant to live in.
Yeah, absolutely.
As you get to the front of the building, there are no windows that lead to the bottom floor.
There is one very, very heavy door that is a half circle in shape.
You're not quite sure how or where which direction opens, but it is this big round metal
slap that stands there at the front.
You do see what looks to be a brass knob in the center of it that is roughly about high height
U-Grog.
And that's the extent of it.
As you approach, Sunokir.
So I believe we found our way to the home of Chouinokir.
As you acquired the information about your turn.
Yes, yeah, yes, we know.
Sorry, yes.
So, what is your intent here?
Well, gang, I don't feel like we should say the name of the thing that we want.
Probably not.
In case she doesn't know what it is?
Yeah, it doesn't know what's important.
Maybe just describe it.
I feel like the more we make it seem like it's valuable to us,
the more they're gonna ask in return.
So maybe make it seem less valuable.
Although if she won it in a card game
and hung it on a wall as a decoration.
She could think it's like a fucking trinket.
It could be like nothing.
It could be like a candlestick.
Possibly, yeah, possibly.
Do I know if giants have any natural enemies,
like, that they just hate?
Other giants?
Yeah.
Well, no, they have,
depending on the type of giant, many natural enemies, usually that exist within the topography
they're used to. You only really know about stone giants up in the cliff keep and maybe hill giants,
although there is no, there's no specific, you know, sworn vengeful enemies to the stone giants
to wear of. And did he say that Sugaan, that being the brains of the two, enslaved other giants,
or just enslaved? You got the essence of the way that there were some large coup where there was a
larger, free citizenship of fire giants
that existed within the city.
And through some circumstance,
these three currently remaining giants
basically sold the rest of their kind
within the city into slavery or had them ousted.
And the three that did so
and elevated the social status
and became more powerful figures within the city of rats.
I think you might have to play him in a game of cards.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Which.
Wait, Keyleth will?
No, I will not.
Scanlan will.
That's a Stanlin or a Percy thing.
Me?
Yeah, us.
You're a hostile, baby.
And I think that I should be a,
I don't want to do anything.
I want you to win this in a game of cards,
but I'll be a plan B.
They're not gonna see me.
Potentially.
We should also, we could, if we could
you could spy on their cards on.
We can find out precisely where the armor is.
Yes.
Yeah, that's true.
That's spelled us for 10 minutes.
locate item spell. Yeah, so I'd have to cast it again. I only have one more level to spell
because I don't have very many. I can cast it. Okay. Because I shouldn't speak here.
You did so good, though. Thanks. You did. Or you could go in the...
Oh fair, fire giant. Fair. Fair.
Strong, I mean... Hammering it in the animal.
20 feet tall.
Oh fair.
Oh, fair.
Oh, giants. My fair.
Commonly fire giant.
So do we do this?
When we get up there and now?
I think we do it now because it's a thousand feet.
Do it now.
I'll cast. Locate item.
All right.
So as you go on your component, you've got the .
No one's like around and going to main me, right?
You take a moment to wait until there is no immediate, you know,
approaching individuals that might see.
And it's a relatively, you know, as far as spells go,
You have to, it is still, it requires a lot of physical action,
but you can keep it condensed.
As soon as you finish, you feel the immediate glowing beacon
of your intent within that structure.
It's here.
Is it on the ground floor or does it feel like it's above us?
It appears to be maybe 20, 25 feet up from where you currently are.
20, 25 feet.
And I can angle from this on the inside of the building.
So it's going to be right on the inside.
going to be hanging on the wall.
Can't go backs do some like Spider-Man shit
and check out the windows?
He's all invisible and stuff.
Can you look at a window?
It's risky.
Go look in a high window.
Why, if he falls, nobody will see it.
We'll hear it.
Yeah.
And you just pretend like you trip.
Yeah, you know how to that.
Are there really high windows?
Yeah.
There are no windows in the bottom floor.
On the bottom floor.
But on the second floor up there are, yes.
Which is about 40 feet up.
Oh.
No, it's definitely on the first floor.
They're just, they're 20 feet high.
So what if it's just a really high up.
That's what it is.
It's on the first floor.
I'll hop up.
No, so let me go.
Huh?
Yeah, dude, this is what you do.
He just said there were windows on the second floor.
I'm already climbing.
Oh, okay.
For climbing, this would be athletics.
For climbing, this would be athletics.
Athletics, dang, Bobby.
That is.
That's a 16.
Dang it's a 16.
Dang it's Bobby.
All right.
Thanks to the rough construction of this building, it isn't too difficult to find handholds,
though there are certain moments where you kind of have to leap and catch to get there.
It takes you probably the better part of 15 minutes to eventually get up to that area.
And the first opening that you see, even though it's a window, it's just like an oval-like
porthole in the side of that structure. As you glance inside, getting your arm up,
up in there, you are inside what appears to be some sort of a servant's quarters, but even the
servants quarters are very, very large. It's a simple, you see two beds that are in there, but the
beds are 30 feet long, 20 feet wide, with what looks to be various hides and furs that have been
patched together in this kind of quilt-like fashion, but haphazards in their stitching. Other than
that, it's not very pretty.
I think there might be a lot of giants potentially in here at any one time.
You see two very large metallic pissing pots that currently reside at the edge of each bed.
Ooh, you could take it swim in it.
You could.
You could.
Or are you so inclined?
You definitely could.
A hot tub.
That's not a hot tub.
But nobody.
Nobody even now.
And are there any other windows along from where I am?
I mean, I know there'd be a ways off, but.
It's ways off for the next one, but you're going to try to come over if you'd like to.
Yeah.
Okay.
I need you go ahead and make another athletics check.
Oh, that's fine.
Yeah, that's 19.
Okay.
You slowly shoo me over, while the rest of you guys are kind of waiting.
Just waiting.
as you're sitting there and you can't see what's happening,
you occasionally see a pebble like,
but a dust fall.
And so she was like, well, how about we just walk around
for a moment so we aren't looking weirdly
in public doing nothing.
You're right idea.
If you think we're looking weird,
we should try out.
Well said.
Tugs the chain and you guys begin to be dragged kind of in a heavy circle around the nearby street.
I just radio of the earpiece to Vax and say, hey, we're gonna walk the block.
Yeah, cool. I'm just hanging. All right, you kind of leap over, grasping,
catch and dangle loose hand in for a second, leave your hand back up there. The soreness is starting to kick in. You're not used to this much physical activity of this type of strength. It's kicking your ass.
So weak. So weak. So fast, it's so weak. So fast. It's so weak.
It's already hot here, and the beats you sweat pouring it on your face at this point.
I have little indoor fans like I'm a baseball mascot.
Yeah, yeah, basically.
Thankfully you have fire resistance so you don't have to worry about the heating too much on you.
It's more the physical exertion that's getting you.
But you guys, you do then you pull over to the next window, and as you get to it,
you pull up under the lip, and as you try to grab your hand, hit something.
Oh no.
And you look up and you see that this.
particular opening has an imperfect thick glass window or at least a glass surface that is currently
blocking the entrance like this is actually a window that's closed is transparent
somewhat transparent yes okay so it's just it's just cloudy so it's it's it's somewhat opaque
just because the nature of its creation it wasn't perfect glass it's about that thick
and the entire oval is about it's about it's about
six feet high and about four feet wide.
Okay, check the traps.
Sure.
Make an investigation check.
Okay, oh, good.
Zoo-Zoo-Zoo-Zoo-Zab, Zah, Zah,
about 27.
27.
All right, this window is trying to.
As you glance around, you can see that there is,
and it is a window that has a slot in the side.
The glass is white than the window,
and it's in a slot that pulls up through chains
that you kind of gather would probably lift it
from the inside, like a wench that would
pull it open or close. However, just on the bottom, you can see along the edge. On the very
bottom edge, you can see what looks to be some sort of a slight bit of material that doesn't
match both the glass or the black and iron structure of this building. It's a kind of a silver
like plate that rests where the glass is down. And as soon as it would move, a weight would shift
and something would happen.
Do I, looking at it, do I think that I could disarm it from this side or is it something
from the inside. It would need to be something from the inside. And even if you were to attempt
to do it from the inside, you would have to be at the base of the structure from this side. It's
too big for you to do anything. Okay. And I can't see shit. Make a perception, check.
Oh. Now, 20. Which gives you a total of...
Oh, perception? Yeah. A total of 32. 32. All right. So as you peer and close your eye in the
inside, you see what appears to be another bedroom. Similar to the one over there that you just passed by,
This one is exorbitant's decor.
You see beautiful, beautiful, deep red tapestries
along each wall that are the full length of it.
The bed itself is a canopy bed that is 40 feet tall
with just heavy dark silks and fabrics that dangle from it.
This is a gaudy bedroom for some sort of a giant.
Any armor?
Oops.
No armor visible from this perspective.
No.
You do see what appear to be small.
pieces of art. There are other metallic trinkets that are kind of built into the wall,
but nothing that was in those armor, unfortunately.
Okay, well, my arms are starting to do this thing.
Yeah, it's bad.
So I'm going to start going down.
Okay, there was a giant Velvet Elvis.
Just, just...
So, you eventually make your way down and wait for the rest of your group to turn.
You guys had a nice, awkward walk, just being led quietly through the street.
Come back around.
Can we be the monks from Monty Python?
Tiennesung Gondon, Dona is right here.
As you guys be chanting to yourselves,
some of the heroes, actually, I'm sure, go ahead.
It keeps pulling you along.
If you guys chant and whatever phrases you decide to mingle in
inside of one, you come back around and you see the rest of them
arriving at the door, though they cannot see you.
Seneca does kind of glance over in your direction.
Oh, it appears that our walk was just enough time.
So, oh shit, you can see him?
I have my ways, yes.
Damn.
What kind of waves?
Your brother is a fun character.
He's a dick.
Do you mean a dick?
From your standards, yes.
Being from where I'm standing, I find it hilarious.
Now, shall we?
We don't even know how this door works.
What if it's like a DeLorean and it flips up or something?
Maybe. Do you know how to open this door?
Can we just knock?
Well, let's try. I have not been here.
It really makes a noise.
It's like his...
Sounds like...
It's like the knuckle against the stonework.
It's making just this kind of dull, awful sound.
Nothing.
Should I?
Should I knock?
Yeah.
You made it like knock?
Did you tell me to knock?
Knock.
Which one was that?
A big one.
A big one.
Can I lean back?
Lean back.
And slug the door using
Siege.
Siege?
Yes, you can.
What is siege?
National.
Go ahead and just roll with a ball and attack.
Okay.
Not weapon bonus, so it's just your strength and your.
So it's a 15.
Roll of 15.
Okay.
So that's your strength bonus and your proficiency modifier.
Not much proficiency modifier.
So it'd be 20.
Yes.
When you watch as his hand hits the section where the
the kind of engraved
The metal door is there, just kind of dents inward and leaves this big, heavy dent in the front.
And the sound, the impact is like a dull, thunderous clap of lightning.
Just you hear an echo on the inside.
Oh, yeah.
It's engraved with something.
Oh, there was like some very, very faint and textured pattern to it.
Just a design.
Yeah, the design.
The knuckles.
Oh, by the way, can I see that manhole cover you guys have been carrying around this whole time?
time? Oh yeah, sure. It's got giant runes on it. Roons of giant.
Can you help prop it up on that side? Yep. Just, okay.
Any of these... You recognize it's giant. You cannot read.
Yeah. This is very important script. It says that you must carry this at all times, and if you've let it go prematurely, you will die.
What? Yeah, it's very magical.
I don't think it's still in truth.
Better safe than sorry.
We'll hold it, we'll hold it.
The deception.
I just have a grand total of.
It's a grand total of 21.
Anyone.
The most pylum of you guys both
inside checks.
This is the first time that actual Travis
has really leaked into grog.
Natural one.
Wow.
Wow.
Oh, there's a little bit.
That's a boy, that's a point.
14.
14.
Okay.
Suddenly, as Grog says this, you realize him being a giant kin and the seriousness in his eyes and the stark intensity and the way he describes this.
If you drop this, something terrible is going to happen.
Pike, well, I need to readjust my grip.
Okay.
Here, I'm going to put a gap on my back.
Put a gap on my back.
Maybe you should hold it then
because we're not as strong as you.
Yeah, I don't want to try.
Will it kill all of us?
Is it like a blast radius thing?
The fable goes on to say if you hand it
to one of your friends, you will shit everyone.
Just immediate balance.
He's lying.
No, green apple splatters all over your feet just awful.
That's how it sounds true.
That's the right.
The giant tails are to be respected.
expected.
I don't know what I did.
It's the second half, but you do believe the first half.
Yeah.
It is a, I mean, it is a fable.
So it could be metaphor.
Yeah, absolutely.
The shit could be, you know.
At this point that you hear this,
and you hear this heavy, low,
as the sound of chains being tightened and winding forward
are followed by the large doorway rising up.
Oh, it lifts.
Oh.
Does it get stuck?
of it then.
You watch as it rises.
There is a small carb slit where the knob itself rises up
and fits the door entirely lifts into the structure,
leaving the front walkway open.
That's very significant.
And they're standing, you see with arms off
from the side apparently finishing the rotation of this chain.
A wench.
No, you see two male fire giants.
fully armored with large, blocky black metal swords,
just staring down at you from each side.
What are they wearing?
They're both wearing,
like, like, dark-stained scale mail.
And both of them have these black bands of metal across their neck
that have what looks like a small pulsing red gem in the center.
Matthew, are they fuckable?
Are those guys, like, what are you doing?
What are you putting high, fuckable?
Andlin, that's up to you, Matt.
I mean, you've done some freaky shit in your time.
Although in this circumstance, you beat the gerbil.
Okay.
So, you're picking it back.
Oh, what's shit?
I know.
Amazing.
I do not.
You are living wings.
You are living wings, it is.
If you want to gain some experience, that's up to you.
It's a really interesting fan art.
Oh, no.
Anyway.
Too late, done, done.
They both stand there expectantly saying nothing.
Right.
Is this where we let the master do to talkers?
We're here to speak with Juryal.
There's a small pause and you hear a voice echo from further back in the room, though you see no source for it.
And what is your business with this J'Reale?
We have a deal we'd like to make. We have a token of our...
We want to play cards.
Oh, God.
Sorry, it's counts. It's making me things.
Make a persuasion check.
Oh, Jesus.
Why are you talking?
You're the persuasion.
I'm not in chains.
I'm the only one who can.
It's bullshit.
It's so amazing.
You could have made any of us look like not.
No, I can.
It's only a self-spell.
Oh, that's true.
We're also like, what if?
Oh, that's not too bad.
That's not too bad.
What was persuasion?
Yes.
18.
18.
There's another pause, and you hear a few heavy footfalls.
Get louder.
As they go,
And emerging from around the side, you see now a tall, broad-shouldered female fire giant with a very strong, square jaw.
Her hair is pulled in the, this long red braid that dangles past her lower back, and you can see kind of grifting behind her with this large metal ring that's braided into at the bottom.
She's not wearing any armor at the moment.
Looks to be wearing just casual clothes.
These clothes are lined with gold and platinum.
This is a very, very expensive wear that she has on,
as well as rings that are encrusted both of her hands
as she steps in forward and looks out towards you.
So, you want to play cards or make a deal, you say.
And I just kind of lift with pipe.
the big man all cover.
She reaches everyone grabs it.
Oh, that's right.
We're safe.
We're safe.
We're safe.
She glances over it and kind of, you know,
puts it in a hand.
That's why.
So you have spoken with Weska.
Yes.
He told us this thing I think.
Yes.
Okay.
I will hear what you have to say.
Let's hear you, dear.
Let them in.
She turns around and walks in brusquely into the room as the two giants step at the side,
removing their cross swords from the entryway that's kind of scrape across the stone.
And you may enter the penises.
I want to look around immediately, just all the walls.
Uh, make perception.
29.
Yeah.
All right, as you guys walk in.
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This kind of central chamber, this foyer, if you will.
It's beautiful in the use of autumn colors mixed with various gold and metallics
to create this archway that is just a band of brass, a band of gold, a band of platinum, a band of brass,
and just repeats itself onward.
It has this kind of tunnel-like feel.
And within each of these walls, you can see there are a number of,
weapons, large, I mean, giant-sized weapons that are bolted into the wall that have beautiful
ruins and scribed within and it looks to be wooden plaques in the bottom that contain a language
that only you recognize they can't read.
There are shelves that contain large books that are locked up behind glass and chains
rope across it. This is a collection. This is like a small personal museum.
And to your size, it is huge.
To Joriel's size, it's like a nice den.
Oh my God.
Are there any pieces of armor with a sun on it?
As you guys continue inward, there is a large desk on the opposite side,
as well as a few comfortable chairs kind of off the sides
and a staircase that spirals upward into a second floor.
There are a number of very broad
bright red burning torches that the flame itself would be a heavy bonfire by comparison to any of you.
It just burns and licks the edge of the interior without any sort of damage done to the beautiful construct of the foyer.
This desk at the end which she has now walked around and is sat on the opposite side is made of a beautiful dark green wood
and has gold leaf designs all throughout the legs.
Everything here just speaks of projected affluence.
Joryal, this fire giant you've come across,
is making a statement with her wealth,
with everything she presents.
The other two giants that you saw at the entryway
that had the binary on the necks,
closed the door behind them,
place the weapons up being against the wall
and both begin to lumber behind you as you walk in,
just kind of slowly keeping watch as you progress inward.
Doreal raises her finger and says,
Could you please bring a means of my guest
to speak eye to eye?
And the two giants kind of diverge slightly,
both grab two of the chairs and scoot them in
up to the edge of the desk.
These chairs are about head height to both of you,
at the resting point, so you'll have to climb up into them and then probably get to be up at the desk level.
The cards are going to be like giant novel cards.
Yeah.
Can I ask a question?
In my bag, I have two vials of foxes cutting.
Is that a potion?
Yeah.
Can I drink one?
If you'd like to.
It's so hard outside, so thirsty, I would look just a sip.
It's, I had it made, because I'm an idiot.
Yeah.
Just in case the sewer plate says like, eat these and enjoy or something.
Yeah.
She already took it though.
As a giant Ritz Cracker.
Yeah, but there's writing everywhere.
Okay.
I'm looking at the walls at around 20 to 25 feet.
I see it like up high on the ceiling,
because I was gonna say,
as you guys get to the desk itself,
on the back wall behind the desk,
kind of above her shoulder, you see
it looks to be a beautiful Ruby shield.
That just refracts the light in the room.
It's roughly from head to toe of Grog's size.
Wow.
And it's pointed to the bottom and rises up
and almost like it's designed like a flame.
It has this uneven, flickering, frozen in time
of the construct at the top of the shield.
On the other side of our other shoulder,
you see what looks to be much smaller in size,
but a beautiful set of,
let me sure you get the description right on this.
Beautiful brass armor with priceless cut rubies
all across the rest of the silver inlay
of the armor itself.
Oh my, my, so close you guys.
Blinginin' out.
Ruby's, we gotta get it.
Some juicy cout, maybe.
How many feet up the wall?
It is about 25, 30 feet of the long.
It's upwards, it's resting about the top height
of the shields, those like an even point,
and it's about maybe five feet down from the ceiling.
Should we let just Kielithin and Seneca up on the chairs?
I would like the seat at the table if that's all.
Well, let me get us out of this.
Juryal, do you mind if we speak candidly and dispose of our guises that led us here?
But of course, you've already presented trust from one of my allies.
I'm sure.
You're safe within here.
Can I roll an inside check with the allies thing?
I know I just was having difficulty choosing.
19, no, no, no, no, no.
Oh, shit, robot.
Oh, sorry.
I told you the Pables were true.
Oh, yeah, you know, like Luke crate and stuff.
Luke crate.
What's it say?
Magical Luke crate.
Oh, Matt.
Dr. Strange.
Travis.
Oh.
Dr. Strange.
Not this again.
No.
Not this.
Critical role for 10% off your loop crate, guys.
Critical role.
Thank you.
Hey.
Hey.
All right.
You drink the potions, rock?
Yeah.
All right.
So yeah, you have advantage on intelligence checks.
Nice.
Do I gain any temporary intelligence?
I mean, there's a clarity here in mind that hadn't been there in a while, not since being an eagle.
Do I look over at the symbols and do they all of a sudden start to me something?
Oh, no. You can't read still.
You learn to read still.
I like, really good work.
You have a deeper understanding.
I got to A, B, C, yeah, that would work.
I'd like to think that while you didn't recognize them as letters, they're like little characters that are familiar with,
there's a little curly guard and cross guy, he's holding soul.
That's the tree.
That one's the we know.
All right, well, if we can speak it, then...
Yeah, well, yeah, I said we dropped our guys'es.
So yes, everyone, you can say.
take your slave robes off now. We are all chained.
Yeah.
And not wearing robes.
You see, Sinokere looks over at Luton.
Sinakir, can we?
Not to worry. Luton, if you don't. Luton,
Luton pulls out the ring of keys that he has and goes through and begins
undoing your guys shackles. And this will take a little while.
Did the door to the room close,
or is it still open?
No, it's closed.
The two servant giants closed it.
Joreal leans forward with a grin.
So, please, what do you come here requesting?
Hello. Hi there.
Even smaller.
And leans in real close to the edge of the desk
and the massive size of her face.
And the breath, oh, it's delightful.
It is a combination of rotting vegetation
and very, very dry earth.
But the teeth are gleaming.
The smile is interested in whatever you're about to say.
I'm, hi there.
I'm a bit of a gambler.
I'm known around the worlds as being one of the
The luckiest man with a deck of cards you've ever met.
I've won games in many of the different planes.
I see that you collect many treasures that you've won in matches as well.
Is that true?
Eyes kind of shift back and forth over the rest of you here.
I have an interest in games of chance on occasion, yes.
So, you come all this way to play games.
Yes, I have. I spend my life just playing games. It's my livelihood. I've won many things over the years. In fact, all of these great people large and small next to me, I won in various card games around planes. That one over there, the big one, I won him in a game of gin rummy in the Faywild. This guy picked up in Game of Fish.
And I'm here to collect possibly one of your items,
if that's all right with you.
Make a deception check.
32.
All the bullshit, always.
Leans even further forward to where it's about two feet
between you and her large eyes that have kind of come in.
Her chin is like scraping against the wood
just to get a really good look at you.
She looks over.
Her red pupils kind of slug,
and slowly inspecting you.
The grin grows even wider, she leans back.
Well, you intrigue me, small one.
Your luck has been so great as to collect
these fine specimens of strangers,
and you bring them all with you to such a place.
Where do you hear from, if I might ask?
Places.
That information is not relevant right now.
Fair enough.
So you come to play me.
for a one.
Maybe I'll decide after our match.
Well, I need to know what the ante is,
so I can ask for a suitable request for my side.
Certainly.
I'm gonna lean in to.
There's a large Ruby Shield back there, is that true?
Oh, yes.
He wants that, but I think his taste sucks.
So I'm gonna go
for that brass piece of armor back there.
Ah, interesting.
So you wish to play for the armor?
Sure, I'm a little man,
and it might help me in a fight someday
if I ever lose.
Bad enough.
So she leans behind and pulls out a wooden box
from a small cubby, and you now look behind the desk
and there are a series of cubbies
that are just embedded in the wall,
and there are different things that she has just thrown in there.
She pulls up this wooden box,
locks it with their heavy fingers and opens it.
She pulls out a deck of cards that is larger
than what you're used to playing with,
but small enough that you could functionally hold a hand.
And small from her perspective, kind of.
Don't show.
Let me just cut the cards.
And you die.
She takes it and closes the box.
It begins to shuffle them without even looking away from you.
And as she looks at you, her, she kind of cocks a bit of a half smile inside.
So for that, you know the history of this.
It was for you to come so far to play a game.
there may be a reason you come
and the thing you select
the game we play
much value to you
honestly the game itself is what's a value to me
I am just happy to win
and keep my winning streak alive
what I get out of it is meaningless
okay
but if you'd like to enlighten me on that object
We will play three hands.
The winner of two takes the ball.
You request the armor.
Me, I request your friends.
I knew that's why she was gonna go with this.
Well, I was going to offer one of your choosing.
You've only offered me one of your items.
Take it or leave it.
If you truly have no idea what this armor is worth,
perhaps you would wish to choose another thing to Anty.
You seem attached to it.
I want it.
I'll have it.
How badly do you want it?
Certainly badly enough to risk these scoundrels.
Then we have an accord.
You do.
Well, yeah.
Do this.
I've never been an answer before.
Do this.
So many bad, bad ideas start with.
Bill Skidland help you.
Do we need to all sit on the table then?
Does it work like Vegas or all the odds on the house?
Is it, Jess?
May I ask what game we're playing?
Every time I'm playing in a card game, things go.
Like Jack, are we playing like?
Strip poker.
Spooker.
Spockard stud.
We refer to it as the Tinder start,
but you probably probably.
know of it as the Gambit Award.
Oh, we've played this.
Or we've heard of this.
Wait, did we end up playing it?
Is this the thing that we played in?
This is the thing.
Fucking fuck, we didn't end up playing this.
But wait, wait, wait, we remember the rules.
No, we don't.
We didn't play it.
Oh, fuck.
You make an intelligence check,
being a barred that you are.
And add a plus two to it.
It didn't have gone out.
You have played this game.
Thank God.
Thank God.
them to die later before um so as the suck in everything the hand is represented um each of you roll a d8 but you keep the dye hidden then each uh then you both roll a d6 and then keep it secret and then you both roll a d4 and you reveal them all together but you can uh raise it as you wish so you raise after each roll yeah and what's the goal
Like what are you trying to get to?
The highest number between the three roles.
But you can fold if you want to.
This usually is done an abetting type of circumstance, so we'll see how things go from here.
Okay.
Anyway, finish the shuffling, tosses you a series of cards, takes a couple cards for ourselves,
sets the deck aside quite in front of her.
The two guards in the back, by the way, I've gone back and we hear them stepping away.
They retrieve their weapons and head back behind you guys, just kind of keeping them at their side.
So in this room, right?
So let's say you're her and we're all where we are
and the giants are behind the group.
Is that about right?
Yes.
Okay, and how much room is there behind her and her wall?
Maybe 15 feet, 20 feet.
15 feet.
I'm going to just slowly tip-y-toe
around the side of the wall carefully avoiding giants,
my friends.
I want to stand not directly behind it, but off on an angle.
Make a self-check.
Come on, come on.
Okay.
You both take a look at your hands.
Go ahead and roll AD8.
Okay.
And now, I guess.
Right.
So for this circumstance, we'll go ahead and take a D6.
Okay.
Just roll it and put it next to the die.
All right.
And now take a D4.
And if we fold, do we start over?
If you fold, you lose the round.
Oh, well, then it's just a number.
So it's just numbers at this point.
There's no.
At this point, yeah, you walked into a game of her choice.
So wait, hold.
There's no way to cheat.
So there's three rolls in a row.
Yes.
And she's done two.
Can I see them from where I am?
Um, well, you're, so you currently went around to the table.
Yeah, I'm at an angle, but I look slower than she is.
A perception check.
That's fine, that's fine.
22.
You get a good glance at the first two cards, yes.
Can I?
As quiet as a mouse.
Oh, Jesus.
From 15 feet behind.
Can I just breathe it?
Make a self-check.
Oh, false.
Not advantage because it's an audio thing.
Maybe let them do one hand normal first.
La la la la.
Is it three rules?
I don't understand the game.
Is it three roles?
There's no way we can cheat, though, because the ante's already on the table.
Yeah, I'm going to wait.
Right?
There's no way to cheat.
That you can think of.
Unless you...
Unless you can lose or dice.
But that's risky.
Oh, but it's cards.
It's technically cards.
It's just a mechanic for it.
Yeah, that's not going to work.
So take a look at your hand.
I know my hand.
Wait. Am I'm rolling?
No. We've built the eight and the six. Sure. She looks down and goes, all right. So to make this even more interesting. I'll wait. Let's see the, let us see how they first hand goes, shall we? And she puts her third card down in front of her face down.
Do I roll? Roll now.
and call her.
And she turns the cards over.
Four, six, one.
Oh.
What did we get?
One, five, two.
Total of eight.
That is an unfortunate way to open it, my small friend.
But you seem keen on winning, and I respect that.
So she takes the cards, places them to the side,
gives you out a new hand, brings it back to her.
Chavity Biggie
Go ahead and roll your eight
Straight rolls
How do we
There's no way to fucking slide of hand this shit
Is there?
Can he add his bardic infarition?
This is an ability check
If I
If I cast
Enhanceability on him
Maybe can you pray for
Serenade?
I like
It's quite literally
It's quite literal
It's just quite literally a game of chance.
It's quite literally a game of a chance.
Like if you wanted to try and remember
the creative way to cheat, you're welcome to try.
That could also go very poorly,
depending on how it goes or how.
Before you do the next one, she stops and goes,
So, as I was going to say before,
how about as your friends of the ante on the table
or yourself in his well?
And what will you give me if I win?
Perhaps the Ruby Shield.
I love myself a lot and a lot more than a bunch of rubies and a handle.
I'll tell you that much.
If I'm giving myself to slavery forever, I want something a hell of a lot better than that.
I'm a man who's won 500 straight card games in a row.
You think these slaves are something?
You should see what I have at home.
Make a deception check.
37.
32.
Oh no.
She nods.
I'll give you myself
as a slave if you
do not
draw your next card and skip straight to the
third and that's your number.
Very well.
She rolled the first time we was placed there.
She rolled eight.
That's an eight.
Jesus.
Oh, fuck.
Fawls.
Ducks in.
Come on. We have to be ready to fight.
We'll grab it and then Jenga out.
She rolled her last card that's not showing.
But take the shield too, take the shield too.
No.
We're good. No, we're good.
No, we're good.
Show her last card.
Maybe it's one. It's one.
It's a two.
10?
A 10.
You're fucked.
What did you wrong?
I cast my illusion on the, on the cards.
Oh, Jesus.
I cast my illusion on the first card to turn the three,
just change the three into an eight.
Okay, as you begin to mutter incanditioning,
she goes, I would not recommend bringing incantations
into a game of chance.
Before I reveal my cards, I have one more proposal.
Yes.
One for her.
We can show her why.
I'll come clean with you.
We know exactly what that fucking piece of armor is.
I had a feeling.
And we want it.
And we're not leaving here without it.
I'm sorry.
I'm not going to show you my cards.
Because before I do,
you'll be dead.
Sorry, guys.
She turns her head at the side.
You do not want to walk this path, do you?
because if you truly cherish the lives that you and your friends here have,
that based on your current change in tone,
tells me that now belong to me.
And perhaps you would wish to continue
to make this agreement you came to make.
I can offer her more.
Show me your card.
I drew a three and a three and a three.
Oh, that sucks.
By one each time.
Perhaps it was time for you to lose cards after all.
Well, based on our agreement, you and your friends are not property of Jurya.
However, I see.
see that you are traveled.
You seem capable.
You are bored.
You walk in here after acquiring the will of Rosca.
So you want freedom, yes?
Yes.
And perhaps there is a favor you could do for me.
Oh.
In exchange for this favor,
I will nullify a contract.
And you will be free to go.
Does this sound viable?
Possibly. Is it a card game?
The other choice is you are now mine,
or as you so threatened boldly before,
that I was to die.
But I can say, given the current place that you reside,
the enchantments I have in this room,
the friends of mine that I have at your back,
you would not have the outcome you wish.
What is your offer?
Do you agree?
Did you ever meet a dragon named Thor Dirk?
Big red guy.
Took a lot of fire giants with him.
There are a number of red dragons at work.
This one was special.
He had an enormous jewel in his chest.
Sounds worthwhile.
But do you agree to our arrangement?
Just curious, can we draw the third hand?
I just wanna feel what it feels like to win one.
What about best out of five?
Mm.
Best out of five?
Best out of five.
You're probably so bored with life.
Why not?
Why not?
You are full of spunk in life.
It's true.
And you are foolish.
Do you agree to Harrogand?
I'm curious about this last hand.
If you beat me in this last hand, I agree.
If I beat you in this hand, you agree.
Otherwise, what?
I still own you?
Yes.
Well, that's the deal.
Yeah, I like it.
I like it.
Maybe you would one.
One more hand.
You will see who wins this hand for your own sake.
Thank you.
It would make me feel so much better about myself.
It does not change our deal.
First time, second, and three.
She reveals four.
Yes.
Four.
Jesus. Four.
God, net!
Literally rolled all four.
You!
Wow.
Wow.
Wow.
Is it?
I'm really just bad at everything.
Did you roll at 11?
I rolled in 11.
Oh, my God.
You are a deity.
I wish I had this luck in Vegas.
Like a literal gambling.
It's just four hours.
Best seven out of 13.
You have agreed to our accord as to the agreement of this.
I have agreed.
I'm already your slave, so I couldn't really say no.
So yes, I agree to our accord.
What favor can I grant you?
You will have your freedom and the armor you seek.
Oh, sweet.
My lover does not live because of a,
an altercation with one who frequents the city.
My partner, Drogat, died needlessly in the streets
of an innocent altercation with Gorix.
A pit fiend that lives at the embassy.
Sorry, we're not supposed to go to the embassy.
We were told so by our tour.
Oh, you should never go to the embassy.
This Gourke's is tied up with a lot of politics in the city.
As much as I would love to squeeze what infernal life has,
I fear it would cause execution of me and mine.
So, I sit in my...
I sit in faster with the meat of engines.
I need you if you are as capable as you promise
to go and find Gourix in whatever way you see fit
and carve the life from his body.
Now, Goryx is a...
He frequents the arches, which is the slave market of the city,
where he finds a...
and unique servants for the nine hels and his masters there.
Goes about once a week and is probably due there in a day or two.
Go.
Slay Gorex, no trace.
That can be brought back to my home.
Then the armor is yours.
As is your freedom.
There is no agreement you borrowed to your greed.
So go.
Yes, yes, we accept.
Thank you, my master.
We will go do so right away.
Two days, you say?
Should be in two days, yes.
Sammy, we don't have to answer to you anymore.
You're equal to us?
Yes.
Hi-bye!
I release you from your slavery.
And into another one.
What does he look like?
Reaches down to the side.
side of the desk and pulls out a very small book,
relative size to you.
Kind of flips through and opens a page to turn towards a.
Oh, no, he's gonna be, really.
This is what I see shit.
To see destroyed.
Fentatian.
You can tell Gordex wears a symbol of his station.
It is a thick.
black chain and at the bottom has the symbol of two manacles intertwined in the red
symbol that forces with anger that is your mark. Are you sure you don't want
just a game of peanut-o-in-stead? You're drive by patience, small one. Please,
call me Kenny Rogers. Two days. Go.
Cool. Let's go, slaves. I'm sorry, equals, equals, Peters, let's go.
Cool. As you guys step down, the two giant guards step back,
begin to walk towards the door to let you out.
Actually, Madam, Master, do you have any symbols that you could give us,
maybe, like, something that we can show people so they don't try to claim us for themselves?
Because, you know, we are a lot smaller than everyone else here.
Something that shows that we're your slaves.
She gets it from behind the desk.
and walks up the stairs for a moment.
Is she out of the room?
She out of the room, currently.
The two other giants are behind us?
Yes.
What are they doing?
They're standing watching all of you.
All of us except for.
I'm not...
Jump up and look and look and see how it's attached to the wall.
How big is the suit of armor of Don Martin?
Do that in your ear?
I'd be like a plate for a human to wear.
Min it passes.
Oh, come on, Ma.
You hear the footfalls return as she comes down the stairs with her hand and a fist.
And she kind of throws her hand open and hitting the ground and scattering across the stonework.
Some of them stopping at your feet or beyond a series of similar black metal rings that match the ones that two giants wear around their neck.
But smaller. But smaller.
Various sizes. It's probably like a dozen or so. You can pick from them. Some will fit better than others.
These I had made but have no need for servants of your size until today.
So, go. These should be enough.
Thank you. They're lovely.
Yeah, but might not like it a lot.
Have a lovely afternoon.
You as well. Good luck, please.
Do we want to like stay in a lot here?
Yeah, I was going to ask that.
Okay, should we go ahead.
Just a quick query.
We're like visitors.
We don't really have a place to stay.
No, we're yours. Do you have like a brim cup of...
So look here, Pat Lepardos.
Actually, you're welcome to stay at our place.
We have facilities that could function.
Besides, it's a lot of chain we have to carry back now.
We'll do you the favor,
Santa Cair of carrying this chain back to your place.
That's wonderful, thank you.
Favor for a favor.
Indeed, we'll talk soon about mine.
Oh boy, Jesus, we're just wacking up a winter coats.
Make a suit out of our side.
Yeah, a nice lampshade.
Ooh, his eyebrows is literally going up.
I just like that.
I think he wants to do it as.
So the doors lifted.
Oh, come on.
You guys are led back out onto the street.
Closes behind you.
The time that is passed now, too.
I need everyone once again to roll another constitution saving.
But I think that fox is cunning, so.
just does not.
Intelligence.
Am I okay?
We're gonna be fine anyway.
24.
11.
11.
20.
Do I,
fire resist?
Your fire resist would have gone away.
You can cast it again if you want to.
I'll just roll this.
Just straight constitution?
With saving though.
Oh, saving through?
With a saving throw?
Oh, that's yeah.
So we roll another.
Well, no, no, you roll and then you
you add your saving throw.
Yeah.
Seven, so close a lot.
Yeah.
Oh, good.
Here's some.
Almost a good one.
Four.
Oh.
Three.
All right.
Pike, Vex, Kielis, and Percy all suffer a point of exhaustion.
Pike, your speed is halved right now.
Oh, no.
Pike, but you're already so little.
You're having to be a really.
She looks like she needs some water.
Girl, I'm so tired.
You look so mopey.
I feel very mopey.
Wait.
Did you want to pick a back ride?
Yeah.
I pick her up and I put it on mushroom more.
Okay.
You guys eventually make your way back,
being led by a sinecure back to his establishment.
Let's go ahead and take a little break for now.
Yeah.
Go ahead and use the restroom.
It looks like the creepy guy was the same way to take him back for a second.
He's got too hard in the case.
Pop the lotion in the basket.
It would be exciting, wouldn't it is?
What's the lotion on the ocean?
The lotion on its skin.
I know.
All right, guys, we're back here to finish.
In a second.
Welcome back, everyone, to Critical Role.
That was the real.
She's been gone.
She's been gone a while.
That's okay.
I'm just not working right now.
That's okay.
So, you guys have returned to Senam Kieran Uten's establishment
to rest until you feel it's necessary to undertake this endeavor.
this endeavor. But it is your guy's prerogative as to, if you want to go ahead and wait over the next day, day and a half to jump to it, or is there anything you wanted to prepare for this circumstance? What do you want to do?
Let's sleep in the mansions. Yeah, let's sleep in the mansion so we can at least get rid of this heat.
We could, if it's a day or two, we could go back to Daxio and check and come back, but then we'd have to get back in the city. That's probably a terrible idea.
Well, can I bamf right here? Can I bamf right here?
It's been, what's your name?
What you say is Sima, Sma, Siquin.
Sikkim.
And took a 10 minute break and that's it.
There you go.
Seneca, is there a way we could just,
if I wanted to plane shift home?
Is there a way that I could just plane shift
right back here and not get, you know,
our heads chopped off for it?
I don't know, is there?
Let me check guys for, you know what?
Let me just, let me check the home,
druid texts and see specifically what they say?
Specifically, you can choose a target in general terms.
It'll probably bring you right back to where you arrived here.
Okay.
So you'd be back at the outside of the city.
At the response point.
Well, I can't say, I can't say Seneca's jewelry shop in the city of Brass.
You can specify a target destination in general terms,
so just the city of Rass or dissipator on the second level to nine hells.
You appear in or near that destination.
No guarantee that we'd be in.
No guarantee.
So we should stay.
Up to you.
It's a scrap shoot, it's possible.
As long as, you know, we know that Allura will send us a message if something's going wrong.
Did it get dark out at all or no?
Actually, by this time, as you guys have gotten back and this rest,
and you guys have really come to get really thirsty and at the exhaustion hits in,
you all continue to reach for your water skins and they're dried up.
We should go back into the sun, however, has gone to a darker red color, like a soft eclipse almost. As it does, the heat remains, but the light gets dimmer and dimmer, and almost like a red twilight. And as it does, the city shuts down. Everybody goes home, locks up, nothing but the free that you saw wandering the street earlier with little flaming brooches.
or amulets and the kind of uniform outfit under the streets.
Why doesn't anyone go outside at night?
Pardon me?
Bless you.
Give me a third one.
Plus here again.
Fuck you.
You so much.
You're going to get you.
Gaming.
You asked this is a sinek here?
Yeah.
Well, that's largely because the Illuminated maintain a curfew.
If you don't follow the curfew, you'll wind up in chains.
Okay.
Different chains than regular chains?
At first, yes.
Okay.
Water skins from our servant.
Who is that guy?
Who is that guy?
Thanks, Gavin.
What are we at?
Kill him.
If you require water, I can procure that.
you like if you want you can require water I can go cure that for you can we get water from the
well we have water in this fucking jug yeah we have yeah you got it much water i can also create water
yeah but he's got a jug for him i can create water me and pike and pike both think yeah yeah
that's that's not they're not they're not speaking a metaphor it's not you can create water
All right. So what do you guys wish to do?
I mean, are we in a hurry? Do we want to try to make this happen tonight?
This mansion for the night and then I think in the morning.
He's not going to, like, we can't find him tonight, can I?
I'm not talking about him. I'm talking about just doubling back to the house and trying to get through the servant's window.
You really want to try to break into this fire giant's house?
I mean, we've killed some pretty gnarly things. I know they're big. So are we?
Yeah, but she could be nalier than the giants that we fought.
And there might be an unbelievable amount of fire giants in that building.
Or traps.
Allies nearby to the middle of the city.
Yeah, and I'm sure the other thing will be super easy.
Is it being?
I mean, whatever, you know, I'm going to follow you.
Yeah, no, I, I mean, are we going to smash and grab?
Are we going to fight that?
Just run in, grab the armor, plane shift out.
Can they chase us down if we use that?
B and E.
Plane shift takes an...
No, it's instant.
Remember, we checked it.
It takes an action.
As long as we're all in a circle holding hands.
Oh, shit.
And what happens if you can't plane shift out of that house?
We'd probably want to get out of the house in the case it's magically locked down.
Yeah, that's pretty smart.
Which is the phrase, I have many enchantments upon my home led me to believe that it's probably max.
I mean, I really don't see where the problem is, right?
Hell Fien goes, oh, time the ghost open for slaves.
He walks up to the arches.
We set the trap, backs go stab, stab, stabs.
Ports he goes, pheeph.
And like, gunskis.
Yeah.
You're writing the best children's book ever.
You guys, I mean, like, I'm down.
I think that's a great plan, Grog.
He also said that the pit being could be there
in one to two days.
Yeah.
Could be there tomorrow.
Keep an eye out.
Or it could be there.
And also, do we know how much time passes in the fire plane versus the real world?
Not entirely certain, but comparatively at the time.
You feel like you've been here for, I mean, a while.
By the cycle of the sun-like light source in the sky here on the plane,
it seems like you've been here for about a day.
Oh, shit.
Do we remember any type of relative time jump when we were here last time?
no but you're only here for maybe a handful of hours while you last time you guys
are you worried about being away from four dachshave yeah man that's what i was
suggesting we come by we could come back to thorac just destroyed everything can we just scry on
the fort i can't scribe between dimensions maybe the same plane can you sky on the pit
thief um we know what it looks like yeah and you know like a thing for it
right yeah his name yes I could
cabin boy thank you
that's what I can't
yeah can I can't
yeah can I can I can I can't
try and scry on the pit bean
you certainly can so you have secondhand knowledge of the pet
um so and trying to imagine like his emblem
that she described with the two manacles
The black chain, because it was pretty
pretty.
So focusing on the emblem that you were described,
you close your eyes and concentrate,
holding the V or of scrying with your grasp.
Okay.
What's the DC? What's your spell D.C.?
19.
What's the spell D.C. of the scrying orb?
It doesn't say.
It would be 15.
It lets you cross,
unless you cast the spell.
Yeah, I can do it.
Yeah.
So it should be mine, right?
Usually it would be a set for the item, but for the purposes of this, it won't make a huge difference, actually.
What's just spelled D.C.?
19.
19.
Okay, yeah.
So you'll make this.
You close your eyes and you see a brief, fuzzy vision of the city from your perspective.
And then your vision jumps suddenly and comes to fire, and comes to black, and comes to a quick view of that weird citadel, carved it of what looks like black
can see in hands reaching over each other, the one that you saw earlier, the embassy.
The embassy, okay.
Then you feel a wall, you thrust through a series of walls, not able to really take in any
visuals. The process is so fast, well after wall, then you come to what seems to be a darkened
room, a wide chamber that contains what looks to be a long series of papers and scrolls
that are laid out in a specific format. You can see chain of the walls.
individuals moaning and crying and you see sitting in this small circle in the center of the floor
a human humanoid in the sense that it has arms and legs but you see the pit fiend sitting there
almost meditating eyes closed large teeth jagged and pointed coming out of its large jaw dark
red of horns the curve behind its head these large wings that are currently folded around it from
the back as it sits knees out cross-legged its arms resting upon the edges his eyes closed
closed. It appears to be sleeping,
for this resting. Can I get a focus on what the sleeves look like?
Unfortunately you can't. The target of your scry is about the most you can focus on. You can just
you have a blurry atmosphere around them. You can just barely pick up the aspect of
their presence, but that's the most you can do with the scry spell. Okay.
Oh, he appears to be in his bedroom, definitely in the Citadel, as she said. Does he have any
like cuts on him and if he looks weak. He had big gnarly teeth. Okay. Did he look
slaves? Huh? Did he look scary or? He looked very unpleasant. Which is him, right?
Definitely unpleasant. One dude.
He's like one dude. Yeah. Well, he also had a bunch of people change to the wall and this was after
being teleported or not my vision being slammed through several walls. It could be
It seemed to be very deep in the labyrinth that is in the embassy, which seems like a labyrinth.
So we'll have to wait when he comes out.
Can we trick him into the mansion?
Ooh.
The mansion door, I think, is only 10 feet tall.
How tall is he?
20?
From the best that you could tell, probably close to 15 feet.
He could like Grog.
It's a little taller than Grog.
What kind of slaves did it look like he had?
Just all types?
I tried to look.
Yeah, I couldn't tell.
It looked like a nice variety.
Like if we said like, hey,
I heard there's really good slaves up in this mansion.
And then what are we doing the mansion?
We can quietly attack him from all sides,
have a fight that won't draw the attention of the gods.
Something tells me that people fight in this city a lot.
Yeah, but I don't think the slaves.
attacks the owners very often.
Yes.
We would have to make ourselves look like.
This would be a very, there's nothing that we could damage in there that would remain
damaged.
Unless we try to use ourselves as slave bait again, put our few of us on the auction.
I wonder if you could, you seem to be able to talk, uh, yank into doing whatever you
want. Do you think you could do that with this guy?
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When the Chaotics are on the case.
I could certainly make an appearance of Yank.
I meant convincing him to come on inside.
Dominate him?
Yeah.
I mean, he could be much more intelligent than Yanquois, though.
Could be.
I mean, he's an embassy member.
I can try.
He wears jewelry.
He has a logo.
He meditates.
He meditates.
He meditates.
Yeah.
Big from yoga.
So.
Is that the hot one?
That is the hot one.
What do you think about?
Should we go recon on the arches, like slave shopping mall, whatever it is?
in the morning, not now.
Yes.
But I think if you offer him...
Set up the door outside the market or whatever.
So he's going to the arches to slave shop?
Yes.
I mean...
Unique slaves.
He likes unique...
Seems crazy that a gigantic
fucking pit boss,
whatever he is, would be like,
oh sure, I'll step into this creepy door,
weird stranger.
You know what?
My mansion door is rather creepy, is it?
Yeah, for sure.
Everything about me is creepy, guys.
What?
It's you.
unique and what if just inside the door we make it look even more unique.
Yeah, can't you make the mansion look like anything you want?
Within reason.
That's important to say.
There are limitations.
I mean, if it's still a mansion.
Like a sexy den or something.
Yeah, and if he doesn't come in the door, then we kill him.
Are we shocked at the door?
I mean, I don't know if he's going to fall for that.
Plan C to me. Convincing a giant killing machine to step into a nice house. Seems like it's a desperate plan of people without anything.
Killing machine. He's a businessman looking to purchase.
What do we like go and make a deal with the devil?
That was even beneath you.
The bad is we just attack him and kill. I don't know. What's the big deal? We're sick of a killing machine. A killing mission here. Let's go kill him. Where are we going to kill it?
wherever we see him.
We're just going to attack somebody.
Well, let's talk to Sunny here.
Could one or two of us, what about this?
This is a terrible idea.
Could one of us goad him into following us
out of his abode or some building somewhere
and you pop the mansion door outside the actual door?
So he goes to try to leave the tavern or whatever the fuck,
he goes into our house.
I mean, ultimately, if we can get him in a building
and then back out of the building, great.
Great.
But if we can get him in that building,
why can't we just get him in the fucking mansion?
As far as you understand,
for a person to walk into the mansion,
they have to know they're walking into the mansion.
That sucks.
So we can definitely entice them with,
like you guys can pose as slaves and show him some amazing feats
and say there's more where that came from inside the mansion.
But if he says no, then what's our plan?
Well, okay.
How about a little bit?
Sinochir pipes up at this point.
We've been listening into this whole conversation
after the side of the guy.
I hope so.
If you are indeed going to fight a creature of this esteem,
I will request to not be present.
Thus you will be masterless in the city.
I don't know how to protect you the way you look.
But don't we have the neck brings, the collars
to mark that we're.
Perhaps that will be helpful.
Just make sure you have a solid story or another way of masking yourself.
I can make us all look different.
What would make us passable in the city?
Well, dressed more like us or the others who are free.
Or depends on what you can look like.
Less appealing, less different.
Or at least amongst the elite of the city.
Where you won't be bothered.
Do you have any extra robes?
I can make us all robes and stuff.
Don't we want to look unique for him?
I'm one of us.
Well, see one of us.
Seeming allows you to kind of tailor us, right?
Sure, sure.
Mix and match.
Actually, what does?
I wonder if we could, I can shrink or grow us by a foot
to change our general appearance and clothing.
Well, how about we do a little bit of both?
We can have a few of us, maybe two.
as slaves. The rest is masters walking around incognito. Once one of us gets sold off,
we track him back so we're not fighting a member of the embassy of the city of brass in the
middle of the markets. Yeah, that would be bad. What if we so pitched, I'm still, I like the
mansion idea. What if we pitched the mansion as a traveling magical boutique slave shop?
I don't think he's going to fall.
So what if he doesn't...
We lobe this guy up in a loincloth
and this guy, you know, after a hard day's tinkering,
and we sell them.
We just sell...
This guy can sell anything.
This guy could sell a hunk of shit to the emperor of him on.
These people have seen a lot of shit,
not just one hunk of shit.
What if you and I dress in exact identical clothing
and then we're unique?
We're, you know...
I was actually going to say quinteplets.
We could all...
Oh, look like us.
The same.
Is that a fantasy that people have?
It is now.
That's the plan.
I like it.
I'm sorry.
What's going on?
We're all looking like you.
We're just septuplets.
Why?
Sex tuplets.
Sex tuplets.
You're the salesman.
I'm selling a group of identical twin slaves.
Sex tuplets.
Sex tuplets.
Sex tuplets.
And the advantage is just that they look cool.
If you're not, my slaves, they all look alike.
If you give us one order, we all understand the order.
Somehow a stamp with an upside down airplane is worth a fortune.
This obviously is more rare.
I can make them all, like, other ways unique?
I mean, we're fairly effective.
I feel like six of us would be worth the-
Although you can only grow us or shrink us by a foot,
so this would be a really-
Which is a-
Color and you two shorter.
Can I also throw up?
but maybe six might be pushing it a little maybe we should drop it down to like four
twoplets no because six is what he's walking around with he's got more back in his shop and it's
got the word sex right in it it does it's just so easy sex tuffles you can do it magic door sex tufflet
sex tufflet I feel like I'm just gonna I love this idea I don't get to right but I feel like convincing him that you are able body
slaves with magical abilities might be even more of icing on the cake than, hey, they look alike.
Yeah, yeah, I like that. You just, you vamp, baby. Do whatever. Do what you do. All right. And when it
doesn't work, we kill him. Sunny, Sunny, Cineubons. Can we fight him right there in the arches?
Will people be like, what the fuck's going on, arrest them all?
He is a known entity in this city. If you wish to fight him in the open,
I would recommend having a way of perhaps having,
having the illuminated on your side.
Oh, those are the three.
That is the guard.
Octizional.
Maybe, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.
If we can talk them, if we can convince them that he's broken
a lot of some sort?
Sure, sure.
No, bribes.
Rives.
Rives.
Rives.
We can also try to try to
to convince him that he's broken a law or done something more.
What's against the law here?
Well, Jaywalk.
Going against the Sultan.
What you want?
The Sultan. Going against the Sultan.
He's the most grievous of things.
He is a paranoid one.
He's the one in the big, no, he's...
Yeah, no, he's a...
In the Charcoal Palace.
Right, yes, the Charcoal Palace.
I mean, I could make the image of our Mark
You know, just standing out there in the middle of the arches,
just cursing the Sultan's name and pissing all over the place.
Right.
But listen, I don't know if we have enough to brag all over the Uffre.
What if we went to the charcoal palace?
Does the Sultan mark his mark his leg?
spewed a tale and said that this pit fiend is plotting to overthrow the charcoal palace,
and all we want is to remove the problem for him.
I can really recommend you not go near that palace.
Yeah, let's not do that.
So we do it?
No, let's not.
They have wards to pierce through lies.
Oh.
You will find yourselves never heard from again if you have falsehood in your midst.
Does the Sultan mark his lips?
The Sultan, I imagine would, though I
I'm not aware of it myself.
Does he have a seal?
I believe so.
If we are to sell ourselves as slaves,
we can be marked as the property of the Sultan.
And then what?
And then we could claim that he was trying to steal property of the Sultan.
Are we still sex tuplets in this?
Why not?
You don't get to negotiate that aspect.
Even if we're not doing anything,
Even if we're just sneaking back into the house and stealing the armor, we're doing it as identical sex stuff.
And that was no thriving that anymore.
We need one of the sizes don't change, right?
I can make you a foot taller or smaller.
We could be like a Trojka nesting dolls.
The Montraps?
All from biggest and smallest.
Oh, I love it.
That's unique.
That's unique.
I feel like there's very unique.
A lot of time on this.
Stenects to be slaves.
Don't judge.
It may not enough time on our battle plan.
The battle plan will that would go to shit
is nesting all sex tuplets.
Okay.
So far, let's just recap.
Recap vote and move on.
Seneca, if you saw a bunch of people that look the same,
they went from small to big, wouldn't you want them as slaves?
Depending?
They were totally hot too.
Probably.
And also if they had his skills, each of
had a separate skill?
Most likely.
There are many unique slaves
that pass through the archers.
Oh, really?
Like, what's the most unique one you've ever seen?
They've had a few Celestials through before.
Those generally fetch a pretty penny
with the individuals you're speaking about
the winged ones.
They apparently are very sought after
to buy the greenhouse.
The winged wings.
Wings, you have wings.
Or we could just seeming wings.
Yeah, but they can probably see through that shit.
He's a real.
So far only for an hour.
For an hour.
For an hour.
I feel like they'd be able to tell.
But whatever.
If each of the sex tablets,
I'm never gonna get tired of saying that,
were unique in their own way and yours
with that, you said you had a trace of Celestius.
Do we still want to try and get him in the mansion?
Yes. All right.
So wait, I'm just gonna recap these plans here.
Plan A, making us all sex tuplets
and trying to get him into the mansion.
Celestial septuplets.
With wings.
To get him into the mansion.
Yeah, I think we should all have things.
Seamil.
Seamint does not add wings
as the same arrangement of body parts.
But if one of them has wings,
you could change those wings into a different color.
Yeah.
Could I, oh my.
Can I use alter self? Because alter self gives a like...
Alter self? Can I think a Red Bull? Keep recapping, glibus.
Because I can give myself gills and stuff like that.
So plan A, again, sex tuplates, slaves, mansion. Plan B, we're still sex tuplets,
but this time we're somehow framing him for dishonoring the Sultan and then attacking him in the middle of the square.
Which is why plan A is much better. Plan C, still sex tuplets. That doesn't
change, but now we're just ambushing him in the center of the arches and we've paid off the guards to turn a grind on.
We don't have enough money to pay off the guards.
We have tons of money.
We don't have that much money.
We can bribe them with six identical slaves.
So what's it going to be? Plan A, the mansion that's certainly going to fail. Plan B, the framing job or plan C, the bribery slash ambush.
A. It's a plan B if it doesn't work.
I agree. Remember, we are just, we're just to show off. You've got more.
I, of course.
What is the sultan's name?
Traveling salesmen. These are the small like a or G.
So.
The Sultan's name is the grand Sultan of the Afrit, the Lord of Flame.
Oh, here we go.
You're contented.
You started it.
No, no.
No, no.
No, we heard what before.
Actually, yes.
I'm sorry.
The order of the fiery heart, the smoldering dictator, the Crimson Firebrand, Marrake al-Sidon, Al-Harek, Ben Lasse.
I thought you were bad.
It's like when you start the little like Halloween and singy things.
I almost got it.
I'm not sure.
Mine's bad.
And then it starts from the beginning.
Can you rearrange the inside of the mansion to look like whatever you want or is they got one?
Would it be a slave auction house?
Could it be like a theater for presentation?
or a ring to show off amazing skills, wings, arrows,
and then with- Sure, sure, like a side-shows, like a side-show thing.
Somewhere between the Foley-Berger and Caligula's living room.
Caligula's living room, I guess.
Yeah, maybe have like a little side area with like hookah
and like some nice like dancers, you know, as he watches to add to the atmosphere.
I mean, sure, I can do some of these things within reason.
Right?
Yeah, I mean, if you actually...
Maybe.
Once the mansion is built, does it stay built?
Hold on this second.
I think it's like a Windows PC, as you can change the desktop setting.
Totally.
It does have a very big imagination.
What is the ladies holding on like a redecorating tear really fast, you know?
They just hung a bunch of fabric up and...
Yeah, we go and lit some candles, that's all.
Throw pillows.
Dimmel lights.
Incense.
Yeah.
It's still a mansion.
It's still a mansion.
You still open into a foyer.
You still, you just, you can customize any other floor plan you like and like the decor of it, but it's still.
It's a mansion with a out of show room.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
So we can put high.
We can customize this with fabric up.
Can we more like, sure.
All right.
Opium dense.
I like that.
Yeah.
Build a stage out of chickens.
Hmm.
You can have little, little slave chickens.
I mean, that sounds so great.
Tiny.
I mean.
I'm on board.
Let's try this stupid crazy plan.
So we're gonna go to the arches tomorrow,
disguised as the slaves of what's her butt?
Yeah.
We've been-jur-jur-l?
Joreal?
Joreal?
You've already made a sale and you have more back with thee.
Sure.
So we've been told.
Oh, you're slaves.
I'm a slave master.
What do I look like?
Whatever you want to look like.
No, I got to look like a slave master.
What does Sennie?
What's the more I look like?
I would recommend not being a pink-skinned gnome like yourself.
Perhaps something that could live in this city.
Like maybe an imp.
An imp would be interesting.
An imp with jewelry and such?
However, an imp would not be solo and would probably still be behovent for nine
hells and would work and be considered a subordinate to a pit fiend.
I would not recommend a name.
Oh.
Give me a thing.
Something little, like a little thing.
Perhaps.
Hobgoblin.
Perhaps an Asia.
A what?
Anasia.
Is that?
What is that?
It's a,
as you would consider close to them.
A dwarfish, but you may have seen a few.
And you've seen a couple of strange
individuals throughout the cities you walk by.
They're dwarf like they're thick, the muscular,
they're, they look kind of like a dwarf,
except for instead of hair and a beard.
It's just fire, just a reef of that across like dark,
dark, dark, dark, dark gray almost obsidian skin.
Baby ghost rider.
Yeah.
That's awesome.
Baby ghost right.
Be one of those.
Don't really be one of those.
To give you a specific visual,
just you can kind of get a feel for what I'm talking about here.
When I say, that's like,
That's a baby ghost rider.
So baby goats writer.
That is awesome.
That was painful.
I'm in.
Flames.
Sunry, ladies.
Heaving.
Let's go.
All right.
So I'll make the mansion for the night
we'll take a rest and then go tomorrow.
I was going to make some beds.
We have kittens.
Oh, that's so kind of you.
But we have beds.
that are specific to us and we need.
Just the break from the heat is the only thing
that would force us to deny your hospitality.
But we will keep the door to our rooms,
of course, in your abode.
Of course.
We'll discuss soon our arrangement.
Good night.
Oh, Jesus.
Why does he keep doing that?
Why did he want to stop?
That's like that.
Why didn't he want to stop?
One of us just sleep in his house?
No, nobody should.
All right.
You guys find your way with something wrong.
There's something in the basement.
I have a quick request.
Before I go to sleep, can I try and find Pike
and see if she will teach me the alphabet
before my fox is cunning wears off?
In one night.
Oh, that's the saddest thing I've ever heard.
Maybe he'll, you can learn a letter.
You go and find Pike in a room.
She comes to the door already groggy.
They're pun intended.
Sorry about that.
You open your door and you see Grogg's in there looking a little sheepish.
Grogh, what's wrong?
Yeah, look, I had trouble sleeping and like,
they actually know like giant, but I can't, I can't read it.
Okay.
Do you think maybe before this, like,
I can see SmartPotion Ways Up, you could teach me some letters?
Well, if we have maybe a book or something, I could, I could, like a beginning to read,
Giant, is there anything like that where I could know what the letters are?
I don't say a lot of Giant, just even like common, like just common letters?
Yeah, just.
Yes, I can, I can show you the alphabet. I'll write it out.
Okay.
And do you know how to spell your name?
Okay.
It's very easy.
You have four letters in your name.
But there are two of the same letter.
How many?
You really only have three letters in your name.
I'm not so hot on the numbers.
Okay, well, when we talk about numbers,
okay, what's the first letter of the alphabet?
This you know.
That's the first letter of your name.
Oh, it is.
Yes.
But that's not the first letter of the alphabet.
You've said it before.
Ah.
Ah.
Why?
Ah.
It's the first letter.
Well, you wouldn't know that.
Because you don't know how to spell.
Okay.
This is tough.
Oh.
You said it.
Bucking.
A.
Yes.
A.
A is the first letter of the alphabet.
A.
A.
A.
Okay.
A.
Okay.
We can keep going.
Okay, okay, for the purposes of the
minute here. You spend the next few hours in your room
beginning to learn elements of the alphabet of common.
You go through enough of it where you pick up some of it,
and as the potion fades, so does the memory of the last.
Yeah, it's just flowers for grog or not.
Oh, because common alphabet and giant runics are totally different things.
Yeah, totally.
I just want to know something.
Oh, no.
You couldn't.
I'm sorry.
Did I at least teach him out to spell his name?
Yeah, you can give him his name.
Make an intelligence check, Grohl.
Come on.
No, we're off, right?
I don't have to manage.
No, before it.
You can do it, Grog.
What was natural Twainty?
I'll say as you feel a potion fading from you.
I burp and I get a little bubble.
Sure, go ahead and roll intelligence check.
Oh, that's even worse.
Oh, it's minus two.
Fuck.
Oh, no.
I see that.
Oh.
Oh.
You get grr.
And that's where it ends.
My cursive is sweet.
Okay.
I'm so tired.
You know, I've learned like all of these.
I'm really sleepy.
We'll keep working on it.
I'm not so well, but yeah.
We'll keep working on it.
Good night.
Good night, Joan.
You sleep so well, okay?
Smash got to a year later is going,
see Cav-Tack, Run.
Oh, that's so cute.
Before I go to sleep, I'm going to cast a lesser restoration on myself,
so maybe get rid of one point of exhaustion.
Okay. Sleeping out of curiosity, sleeping outside of the effects of the heat should should make
every greater restoration technically to try and there's AC. There's AC in the mansion
yeah. Yes we're not in the studio.
Greater restoration reduces exhaustion. Okay so you can do that as well.
I'll cast greater restoration before.
Yes, you reduce the level of exhaustion. Okay. I'm going to spend a little time
working on a couple of things for the fort when we get back.
Some, a netting ammo for the trebice.
Just a sketch to start to design a very simple bolo for the trebice.
I'm sure that's pronounced.
Okay.
Trebutcher.
You're just designing.
Just penciling and then penciling maybe like a little,
I think I've got a notion for a watchtower that's super, super simple.
Like platform for two people tops with a rope that it connects to a bell so that when you start heading down.
It goes, fuck.
Great. All righty.
So as you guys all come to consciousness the next day,
you gather your things and you step out of the mansion
into the center of Seneca's shop.
Do you have a point of exhaustion?
Yeah, you guys, with the long rest,
you recover a point of exhaustion,
so you're all back to baseline, including you Pike
because your greater restoration.
Your spells are recoverers.
HBO is recovered if there was any
any loss from it.
So the day is yours.
The day is yours. What do you wish to do?
Go to the arches. The golden arches.
Wait, wait. First, we got to cast...
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Are we going to scout and... Well, I guess we still...
So we're all going to look like Vax.
And Vex. And Vex. All the girls are going to look like Vex.
Three Vexes. I mean, it's kind of the same.
I mean, yeah, but one's got boobs.
Which one?
Which one?
I'm going to...
We're going, right? All right? So, yes, I'll cast seeming on everyone,
making them various level heights of Vex and Vax, I guess.
This is amazing.
This is awesome!
And they're slaves, right?
Slaves, so tattered clothing.
Oh, no, make us look like good slaves.
Simple white robes.
All right, simple, tattered white robes.
No, they're going to look pretty.
You want to get us clean.
Yeah, make us clean, like pretty safe.
The same.
That's right.
You're the best of the best.
You would have the best robes, right?
Like Princess Leia, the job of the hut.
The best.
Oh my God, yeah.
Princess Leia, Jabba the Hutzlake.
And wait, am I making him celestial-ish?
Oh, yeah, make his wings when they come out, make them like white wings.
Is that a celestial?
Did they glow all the time?
They have white wings, right?
White wings, right?
Most angelic entities have white or gold wings.
Okay.
Did we find out if I could?
Oh, that's your self wings?
Yes.
same physical. Wait a minute, wait a minute.
I'm gonna make his eyebrows and hear gold.
We don't want him walking through the streets
to the arches as a slush.
No, when he pops his wings, the wings will be gold.
Yeah, we haven't started walking.
Maybe gold delayed later when I pop out.
We'll find out.
Oh shit.
Well.
Can you hide them under a cape?
I mean, I don't know where you hide them.
They only last for now.
My shoulder blades.
They're in you?
It's, yeah, I mean, it feels that way.
Yeah.
We are learning.
We are learning way too much about everyone.
So seeming on everybody but backs, right?
No? I mean.
No, I want.
I'm not doing it twice.
Yeah, I mean, it's just closed, though.
Have we headed to the arches yet?
Are we there more?
We're gonna walk with a celestial in the middle of the street?
No, we're saying we're not making his wings look like that.
Just you guys also are not sure where the arches are.
Oh, Seneca.
Okay, should we maybe just go scout the location first?
No.
No.
We're doing this.
What do you require?
Hi, where are the arches?
Oh, do you require guidance that?
No, you can maybe just point us.
Why don't you bring them to the arches?
Thank you.
I will not be joining you.
That's very fair.
I wish not to get involved with the pit pain.
I will ask though, just to be safe,
if I could have, of your choice,
one small babble to remember you by.
we still have an arrangement to discuss and knowing to an extent your capabilities there's a chance
that you might escape without returning to me so is that from memories or for some voodoo shit
it is to make sure that should you abscond without upholding your end of the deal i can find
you from each of us is just one thing you're given one of the sand keg bottles yeah no it's okay i got i
druid craft aid band around his farm thank you that'll die soon it's
you can preserve it no it's gonna die keelith don't it'll still function it just will be
lifeless so continue please stay safe okay yeah great we go we go
Lieutenant's like, okay, follow me. I will lead you.
He's looking a little weird over it.
And when I cast seeming, I also cast it on myself,
making myself look like a Nazir?
Nazir, the flaming beard dwarf.
Yeah. I don't know if I can make flames with seamage.
We'll say for the purposes of the illusion,
you can pull out something that resembles flames enough
to the point where it should pass.
Oh, I'm great.
All right, so as you guys walk out into the city, you are led by Uten.
In a similar path that led you towards the
Where was it towards these? Now the Zenith Forge.
No, it would be actually by the Paira column where you met WOSCA, but you continue past that in the northeast direction
heading towards as he tells you as you pass near the naval grounds of the sea of fire
Beyond that, you guys find that the streets become wider, and the network of clusters and
metal cages begin to adorn portions of the center street islands. Within these cages, you see
human rights of all walks of life, creatures, beasts. It's a collection, a veritable zoo of entities
from all the planes, all bound to various cages, chains, and other elements, whereas
Ifriti individually bark from the top in a length,
in a language you don't understand.
You see large banners and streamers
set across elements of the road
to mark various segments of this area.
And at this point, Uten turns to you and goes,
well, you have officially reached the arches.
I will bid you with the ones.
I also will not want to deal with the pit-fiend.
Good luck.
Wait, Uten.
Yes.
So what happens?
Do you just like, are these all for sale then?
Or the ones that do not like they're yelling for you to buy something, most likely.
Okay. And then other people just come through. So if you like do the door thing here,
then this could potentially be a market. Is it okay to just set up shop?
If you are convincing enough.
Convincing enough.
Do we need a shingle to put out front?
Sign flowers to make it look pretty.
We can, Keyless, can shape something.
Oh my god, you look just like my sister.
You look just like me. That is fucking weird.
I'm gonna go stand over by Grog for a bit, so I'll talk to you later. Never mind.
You go walk over to Grog and look up at a much larger, slightly butcher version of your sister's day.
Yeah.
Slightly completely push it.
The tallest one.
So, me.
We're just here to, are we gonna pose it and start selling?
I mean, we'll set up shop and only sell to him.
I mean, I could also theoretically, it's just, I don't know how well these things can see through other things.
I could do hallucinatory terrain kind of right around this and make us look like a little legit kiosk with a little entrance.
I can control it as much as I want.
Can we, can you grow a gazebo?
Yeah, but people will see the gazebo just appear out of nowhere.
What do we need to sell people?
We just need like a slab to put them up on.
Say, look here, this one's for sale.
Yeah, but we need the mansion door to get them inside, so we're not going to have like us outside.
Are we?
Of course we're going to have you guys outside.
else are we going to convince them that there's more good stuff inside.
Oh, I understand.
Yeah, where the showroom window.
Can we grow a gazepo out of great fine?
We're just a stone slab.
We don't need much here.
Let's not break the bank.
I mean, I could do some druid craft,
but that's minor growing a gaze out of vines.
That's plant growth.
I guess I could do it with plant growth fairly instantly
without the full eight,
because it's like one or another thing.
I thought it's not a torrent.
Why do we need a fucking gazebo?
It's just fucking stunned.
Because if we don't look like three card Monty guys
with a cardboard box, we want something that is, you know.
Matthew. What if we dance?
What does everyone else have around?
I still just feel like, I feel like if we're just a crown of slaves.
What are the other kiosks? Are there any?
I mean, there are many scenarios in which you see people being sold.
That was adorable.
You find elevated wooden platforms.
You find metallic.
metallic stages that are being lifted by slaves held up with a barker shouts out.
Among them, there are all sorts of presentations.
Each person is trying to shout over the other.
Many of the various humanoids and a freak that you see in the vicinity are all yelling over each other and trying to catch attention.
It's this weird kind of constant barking, almost auction-type atmosphere where just a lot of din noise, music, and voices shouting over each other.
It's also very crowded in this area.
There are a couple of small parts.
It's like an alleyway nearby where there's a little more of an opening.
Like if there was a spot to set of it would be there.
If not, there's probably you could traverse the rest of the vicinity of the slave market.
But currently where you are, that's the one space that's not too close to an existing shop.
Set up there.
Yeah, set up there.
And then, Grog, you just lift him up and make him look like super tall and we'll all like to do this around him.
They don't need anything fancy.
In a row, in a row.
In a row, doing the same move.
All right.
Can I do some like, you know, nice, most like inviting looking
shrubs?
Shrubs.
Yeah.
Sure, which will definitely catch attention because no vegetation exists.
Never mind then.
No, I'm just saying it would get attention if you want to be
in your area.
No, like it'll be fancy.
I think it will be fancy.
What?
If you plants, where there are no plants is fancy.
What?
And if a slave can do that.
That's an expensive way.
That's pretty special.
Maybe we wait until we see him so that we don't get unwanted buyers.
Maybe you can do some flare.
All right, so we just sit here and wait for a while?
Let's keep an eye out.
Why doesn't, whichever one of us is the one that can sneak,
be sneaky and look around?
We all need to be voting.
Yeah, we're staying together.
But we'll look as we're vogging.
All right, all right.
We wait to see if the pit fiend shows himself.
Can you guys all just sort of do like the Robert Palmer video?
Yeah.
Should we all just like, strike your existence?
Do you want to give us an instrument and we'll all and play something?
Sure, sure.
I'll play a little.
All right.
Jam to it.
There's a series of smaller buildings in the area.
There is the main street that runs through here and across that street is where there are many of the various slave blocks and
larger platform set.
You guys find the interest of this alleyway which curves around behind you and there is a large
wall that leads to another section beyond that.
And this is where you begin to set up or where you're planning to set up shop.
So you guys wait there for a while.
Looking about it, you can see there, most of the people here that are selling slaves there.
Some of them are humanoid.
Some of them are like cobald servants.
Some of them are worse for wear and looking like they're, I hope to get sold soon before
they expire.
Jesus Christ.
You do see
across the way
what appears to be
two young boys, maybe about
15 or so years old.
Light blue, no,
Scallin, no.
Light blue skin
and pupillus.
Pupilus. Yes.
They're held by red-colored chains,
and they look kind of broken of spirit.
They're both just kind of actually sitting on the edge.
Can we go get them?
Get them.
Poor night crawler.
Go get them and it sees we can get them.
Percival, did you know.
I'm going to go over there and buy these two kids for a while.
Maybe we can set them free once we're out of here.
All right.
What?
What?
No.
Leave them alone.
This entire fight.
Stay on target.
One of you want to go over there and just say hi, slave to slave?
Yeah, I'll go over.
Yeah, sure.
Go on.
Okay, thanks.
By the way, your alignment's back at the cat.
Oh.
Oh, no.
There was the last little push there with that instance.
I murder a little bit.
Oh, wow.
So bad. Oh, Goose.
All right, so what are you doing?
Welcome back.
I'll walk over with her so it doesn't seem weird
that my slaves wandering around, I suppose, I guess.
Yeah, talk to the guy.
And I'll talk to the slaves.
Oh, they have an owner?
Yeah, as you approach, the two of them
are kind of the red chain around their neck and their arms,
They're kind of leaning over the edge of this small wooden platform,
just looking kind of dejected at the ground and approaching them.
They do, the skin itself is like soft white porcelain with this slight translucent blue hue to it,
the white people's eyes.
They look human, but they're beautiful and out of place here.
And even in their destitution there, it's still, you can't help to be struck by their presence.
And both their chains are currently locked to this stump that is,
the center of this wooden platform and behind it,
you see this kind of grotesque-looking dwarf
in very fine clothing that is very, very dirty and old
and stands there, clutching the edge of his lapel going,
all right, we've got here before you, two, two I found
and kept beneath my will, first sail with angel blood within him.
Angel, sheds.
Hello. Hello, I am Slave Master Francois Australia.
And I'm curious about your two angel boys.
Well, if you're looking to purchase, these are both set to back about 10,000 gold a piece,
or 18 for the set.
Oh, what can they do that I would be curious to find out?
What is happening?
happening.
The fuck they can do.
I don't know.
I wasn't selling them for their skills.
I was selling them for their uniqueness.
How do you know anything about these boys?
Where did you get them?
What's it to you, small one?
I like to see a chain of ownership,
so I know that the previous owner will not hunt me down
and kill me in the night.
There is no previous owner.
I went and got them myself.
The chain of ownership is this shine right here.
And he points to the one on the stamp.
You can see it's like Greece.
see black hair that's kind of parted in the middle. It's like mustache that's put down to this kind of weirdly
kind of fluffy beer that has its weird kind of oily portions of it. He's just an awful looking
door. Yeah. So are you going to buy or shall I wait for the ones I'm looking for?
Which ones are those? Pace off.
Yeah. Thank you. Would you take 15 for both of?
them. Your ears clogged. I said 10 each or 18 for the bundle.
Yes, but you do not seem to know where they come from, who they belong to before.
It's a risk that is possibly with 3,000 gold.
This is how Sam wooed me in 2000.
Is this persuasion?
Presuasion. 20.
Cash on hand, 15.
No slave. Can I have to go?
They're welcome.
I'm really going to do this?
Yes, we're buying that!
They're so young. They're innocent.
And then we have extra slaves. It's beautiful.
Okay, okay.
That's true.
Yeah.
I've been fine, done business with you.
I push the coins away.
the coins away, pulls that a piece of paper.
What's your full name?
Francois, Bertrand, Jean-Luc, Oström.
And there you are.
Transference of ownership,
grabs the chains, unhooks them,
takes the lock and hands it to you.
He says, they're yours to take.
You to shove off, do what the man says.
Do they have names?
No, it's your.
your choice to name him.
Oh no.
Oh, no.
So as the two of you walk back with these two chain boys,
who kind of like just walk behind you,
it's kind of skin.
Yes.
How did he find you?
We have both look at each other.
It doesn't matter.
It's you having this now.
It matters, dear.
Let's not have this conversation with them yet, sister,
until all has been taken care of.
camera.
No, see where we got them now.
Even better bait.
Right.
Just come and stand over with us.
What, sister?
This is normal.
This is what we are now.
This is what we are now.
This is the rest of our lives.
Grog, slap me really hard across the face right now.
Done.
Oh, it, he hits you.
you and it's numb for a minute and you realize why is the world sideways he
knocked you to the ground oh shit sweet ignorance you need a hand up brother I'm good
stop it stop right now I'm taking up a hit point oh boy scamp
thank you commit to the role the two children follow you back the Ratcho they're
chains and you have them in your disposal.
What are you guys going to do?
We're waiting.
I was just waiting. Yeah.
Do we have the mansion up?
Not yet.
I'll say to the boys,
you two, have you been
for sale for more than a day or two?
He's had us here for three days.
And in that time, have you...
It's all right.
In that time, have you seen a large red thing
with big wings and...
The earth kind of a quail.
Oh, no.
Okay.
All right, thank you.
Why, did we just wait?
Yeah, I guess so.
Want to go buy a few more?
No, no, no, sorry.
I'm sorry.
I'm just angels for sale.
Yeah, all the puppies and kittens.
We're going to have all the puppies and kittens.
Did you drop a bunch of gold on them?
No, no, no, no.
We got an amazing deal.
Like how much?
Like, 50 gold.
It was so affordable.
I want to do an insight check on that.
Go for it.
That's ridiculous.
A triple advantage.
That's okay. Inside check, that's 22.
Make a deception check.
With my gold. How about with my gold?
Tirds. Yikes.
No, I don't win.
She is lying through a tea.
You're an idiot and I'm very proud of you.
Don't do that again.
How much does you don't talk to me right now?
Just don't.
Just don't.
What if I were to do a very strange accent?
No, no.
No.
Not attractive, none of it.
What if you were to talk like, Vex?
Don't, stop!
I have found a
I'm your brother, I'm your brother.
Just put your hand up here like this.
When you're talking to them and then,
because Percival sounds like Percival.
Okay, got it.
While they're talking,
Keil, if you notice, across the way,
the dwarf that they had spoken to
and purchased these two from,
has packed up his things and looks around,
pulls a wand out, does in a large circle,
and him in his kiosks,
ventures.
We fit right in.
Oh, see, look, there's a lot of pop-up vendors here, guys.
Good enough.
So if you summon your magical room.
Maybe you'll be more impressive, actually.
Makes sense, yeah.
Can I survey the road in the direction of the embassy?
Do we see anything?
Make such an chip.
Natural one.
Oh, man.
You look over in the direction of the embassy,
and you stare at the embassy.
From this far away, it's hard to make out the shape.
It looks like a letter.
You only know two, pick one.
And I stay there.
Gee or an R, what you guys.
That's so sad.
That's so sad.
I could try and scry on them all the way.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Nobody else wants to check the road.
I would say there's like an alley behind us
that we kind of set up in front of.
Yes, it goes behind you for about
20 or so feet and then it curves off.
Does anyone seem to be behind the alley?
From you can see currently, no.
Scanlan.
Do you want to come with me back into the alley
for a little bit and kind of watch
in case anyone sees?
You can be just giving me a good firm scolding just in case.
Scanlan should be visible at all.
times well it's I don't want I it takes a minute to do the scrying I've
Vax Vex don't argue we'll get through this yeah I mean I'm just gonna go back with
you see just stand guard I'll be right back I'll go look at stand watch I can't go
back to a little dark corner and I pull out the scrying eye hi you can't
do you want to no no my name is Vex
Sister.
Do you want to perhaps do a walk around with the two boys
and see if we can't attract some attention?
Sure.
We're splitting the party.
I'm not getting far, but I'm going to take the two boys.
You'll be careful with them.
I'll be very careful with them.
And I'm going to say, don't talk to anyone,
don't look anyone in the eye,
and don't answer any question without my permission.
Do you understand?
Yes.
And
Don't be fine.
Okay.
And let's just, I've got a plan.
Follow my lead.
It should be interesting.
All right, as you guys begin to wander off with the two boys.
I'm too far, but yeah.
Keelith, you hold the scriqv in your hand, and as you focus, you see this flash of heat in your mind and then darkness again.
The spell has no effect.
Fucks-dust.
Ah, he's not even here.
Or he's blocking it somehow.
No, I bet he's in the fucking nine hills right now.
Getting some money to go and come to the slave market.
Yeah, he's probably sold all the people that were like hanging out with him last night.
Just see you know.
The scribele fails if they're not on your plane of existence or if they succeed their saving crew.
Ah.
So he's...
You can try again.
I can't try again.
Let's go first rule.
I'm going to look around for something interesting.
Interesting.
Okay.
You begin to walk around, and you hear the barking of various heavy-throated creatures.
You come across this large, it looks almost like a wolf or a dog, but the face is a little
less pronounced like a wolf than a little more humanoid in front, but it's still beastial
and monstrous.
The coat is gray and matted, and you can see these long fangs protruding it.
It barks and snarls, but every single time it reaches for the bars, and the bars themselves
look like a flinsey wood. As it tries to tear at them or bite, there's a spark of
archaer energy and it backs up and seems to recoil from the attack and begins to pace back
and forth in its cage again.
I try and discern who runs this, this establishment.
You also see behind that there are two more cages that contain these very large insect-like
creatures that have very long bodies with multiple legs. Looks like maybe a set of eight or so
legs, almost like an oversized praying mantis, the giant pincer is in the front, but they
are currently just kind of collapsed on the ground within their cages and resting in the heat.
Behind them, you've seen an individual that appears to be a similar racial background as
Sinekir, but it's older with this kind of red and graying goatee that comes to a very
defined point at the end of the chin, and it's currently just sitting, sipping off of wine's skin
and watching you.
Most humble greetings, good master.
Hope that was well.
My sister and I
have been sent by our owner
to cruise the market
for things that he might enjoy
and I have been asked
to inquire upon the nature
of what you are selling
and your suggested price.
Never making eye contact.
Very well.
We have today.
Today,
Only two on cakes for sale, mind you, not bound, the will is yours to break, and one
Bargeist at the front.
Rises, the on cakes for 500 gold apiece, a bargast, 8,000 gold.
My master is always interested in trenches of unusual disposition, and he will be excited to know.
excited to know what you have for sale.
I thank you for your time.
May I please leave your,
I've lost my brain.
Please, go.
I bow, I back off properly.
Oh, you can't.
Why are you feeding me in this cup?
It's as time progresses and you guys
been wandering around.
Eventually the image does come across
mind, as you wish to.
Do you want to describe again?
Yeah, whatever I can.
Okay.
Still no success, unfortunately.
I'm making sure that the whole market knows
that there's someone cruising and purchasing
for unusual creatures and making sure they see the weird twins
and the two angelic.
I'm making a show of it.
And I'm making a show of our non-chained obedience.
As it progresses, the actual twins,
You notice far up the way to where the arches begin.
You see a site that you've been seeking this entire.
You see a large, deep red entity.
Begin strolling down the street with its burling, rippling,
armored muscles, its giant red wings,
flared out behind it, his horned head and crest
piercing the sky behind it as it's burning eyes.
and fanged jaw and mouth.
It lumps forward on each step.
And as it does, you begin to see the essence of the necklace
that had been described previously,
daling around his neck.
Get back to the door.
Frempta Jenga.
Prima Jenga.
All right, we go back to the sales area.
We're not gonna hurry.
We're gonna meander so that maybe we get.
He gets a glimpse, yeah.
All right.
Can I tell you something really quick?
I'm super impressed with you. That was very kind. That's it. Get ready.
As you guys wait in the spot that you've chosen, the Pit Fiend, as you rightfully
disnamed at this point, begins walking through and slowly making its way through the crowd.
As it glances around, you could see it strolling up to a few bars and can only
just like running its claws across to me. Here they, the sound of its
Very.
There's nothing to it.
Thank you, Chris Angel.
You see it running its claws across the bars with the heavy,
and it just seems disinterested by many of the creatures that it passes by.
Should I do something theatrical?
I'll just, I'll play a song, I'll play a song like,
Hot in the city, hot in the city tonight, tonight.
Make it perform check.
23.
It begins to eventually cross paths through the alley
where you guys are situated.
And it kind of turns its head and looks down to you
with your flaming beard and fire wreathed head,
playing your song,
and it kind of slows its gait ever so slightly.
And it is an imposing and frightening entity,
even just being in its presence.
Even as you play, the best you can,
you feel everything almost slowed down in its proximity
as its sheer immensity passes you,
leaving you in its shadow for a momentary bit of time.
And in that moment,
you feel the back of your neck stand on,
and all the hairs kind of immediately come to full point.
You feel cold and alone as it sends its eyes upon you,
and then it moves its gaze beyond.
It continues walking.
I'm going to walk by with the slaves.
Okay, so you can by the other direction.
As you guys finish your meandering,
as you walk by,
it looks at the two boys that you've procured and slows.
I'll call out to Percy.
It's no use. No one has enough money for our slaves. Forget it. We should clean up and go home.
Of course, Master.
Of course, sir. We tried so hard.
Good job.
The pit fiend has turned about, and it's just standing there with his arms crossed, watching this transpire, maybe halfway up the block where you guys had set up.
Its eyes narrow, the kind of bright spark of yellow light that's...
situations where its face is.
It saunteres up in your direction,
looks over to where the rest of you are and worthy to.
Is he coming over?
He's heading your direction.
Okay, I'll summon the magnificent mansion door
and I'll say to the slaves, all right,
it was worth a try, but we must, I can do the first.
As you're saying this,
bring the kid, the fiend puts a hand up,
And its mouth doesn't move, but you hear a voice
pierce you deep inside your head.
Oh shit.
It says,
Star, I have discourse to make with you small one.
But of course, I am here to sell if you are here to buy.
I have interest with your assamilier.
They are for sale for a good price.
I've already brought them in.
into the mansion, I've already handed them off and said,
put them very far downstairs, hide them.
You bring them into the mansion.
Oh yeah, yeah, I brought them into the mansion
and have put them downstairs.
The servants are taking them down.
Okay, we have already packed up for today,
but if this is a serious business proposal, I can,
well, I can go in and fetch them.
the creature kind of leans down towards you.
The confines very presence itself,
almost causing the air to vibrate around you.
Though it is not the largest creature that you faced,
there is something about its presence that is purely evil
and a bastion of power across all elements of cosmos
that you haven't had stare you down at this proximity.
And as it leans forward,
the voice once again pierces the center of your brain.
It would do well to bring them forth.
I cannot just communicate with them.
Would you join me inside my shop?
There you will see many other fine specimens.
What is your price?
Well, you haven't seen what I have to offer.
I have seen enough.
So you are not interested in the Naga, the Goristro,
the other celestial beings, the orcs,
Pink a deception check.
Come on, baby.
31.
Oh!
Miam, meow, meow.
Perhaps in time.
Oh, fuck.
But now I seek
the awesome year
in your position.
I did the airborne.
I do not see any
if you please and with due
respect. I do not see
any jewelry or fineries on your
person, can you afford such prices that I will court you?
As you say this, the eyes narrowly leans back as its head cut slightly.
Business in this city before.
I'm afraid that I haven't.
But if you are serious, and it seems that you are, by the way that you are not moving your
mouth.
One is walking away from you.
What would you like to come inside with me and see them for yourself?
It is completely written.
off and is walking northward back from where it's at camp.
Could throw a price up?
Uh, 30,000 apiece.
Slows its gate turns around.
Keeps walking.
10,000.
Ah, shit.
And stops.
What a go.
Turns around and starts heading back towards you.
The voice once again pierces this time even more intense, more oppressive.
As if you've seen Shadow, you've never really felt it inside you before.
And the voice itself,
presses against your will and you hear it say.
Your price is acceptable.
You know the embassy is good to pay.
Present the charges and I will take them.
Can I come out and bow before Scanlan and say,
forgive me, master, for interrupting.
But the female, Assamiris is fighting back.
Well, put her...
I'm so sorry, so...
I must go deal with this.
If you will, I don't want to make you wait here.
You're clearly a man in respect.
I will wait.
It just stays there across the way it's crossed about 10 feet from you.
I would be right back, I promise.
I know she is much more powerful than the boys, but we cannot control her.
Did she use the magic?
Oh, I think she's true.
Oh my god. Oh my god. I run into the mansion. I would like you to make a deception check.
Come on, come on you to make a deception check, please.
You need to inspire. Well, no. Can I inspire myself? Oh, my God. Can I after I know my role?
Yeah, that's part of what's good about it. Well, then fucking yes, I'll inspire myself.
That helps.
What do you roll?
One.
That's not a fail.
You can't, really?
I rolled it.
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Could we get something a little bit lighter?
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28. Hey, she's good. Well, as you were charged in, and you're...
27. You watch as the creature staring at the doorway. You watch as the creatures staring at
Scanlon or his persona talk to you, then charge the doorway. The Pitfiend kind of
Looks over to you.
Inside the mansion, I run out to Grog and I say,
cut me, cut my face, cut my arms, cut me right now.
Okay, I'll pick him up by the top of his head
and I do like a, one, two, three.
And while I'm outside, I say,
Could I offer you some refreshments, great master?
The voice echoes through your head in a way
that is genuinely this type of nightmares.
you feel your will crack slightly at its presence and it says,
No.
And I saw spit in your eyes so it strikes the water.
Great.
I'm gonna run out of the mansion.
Oh my God.
Oh, it's incredible in there.
She is so powerful.
She cut me with her mind.
Please, come with me.
I will need help with this.
The voice says, your deception is
angriestless.
If there is no business to be had,
I will let the NBC know,
and you will not have business in this city ever again.
I slowly flex out my black wings,
slowly and lower them and take a step half covering you
and say, are you all right, master?
Do you need my help?
So.
I'm gonna, I'll just say to the,
to the young man.
All right, I am sorry to play these games
and haggle with prices.
I will go fetch them immediately.
And I'll go in the mansion.
I'll just yell,
fucking janga!
Fucking, we gotta go.
I can kill this guy!
Do you want to set up, well, we're inside?
Yeah, we gotta go!
Do we want to set up a sneak attack, can we?
No, it's too late.
Why?
Because he's outside, dude.
I'm out there with him, so is back.
Who's inside the mansion?
I don't, I'm in the alleyway still.
I'm in the alleyway from the twins.
How are the twins and boss man here arranged in the alley or outside the door?
The doorway is in the alley.
It's like right where the alley meets the street.
Keoth is behind the alley.
The twins are on the sides of the doorway.
You guys are just along the sidewalk, if you will, of the street.
Sorry, Grog is inside, along with Scanlan and Percy and Pike.
What's our proximity to him?
It's about 15 feet from you guys. He's across the street. Now at this point, his arms crossed, keeping a distance.
15 feet across the street?
Yeah.
I can go out with the two angels, get him to come over and look at them at least. And then you guys can pour out. I don't know.
Yeah, you can bring him out in front of the house if you want to, and then when he walks over, we can go there.
The only thing that I potentially could do.
Hang on, hang on.
Are you going to, oh.
I packed this just in case.
Oh.
You want to be an angel?
No, I packed feeble mind.
What does that do?
It could maybe work.
It's an eighth level spell.
Try it.
And it makes them.
Can you look like an angel?
No.
Just fucking cast it on it.
Well, I could make myself in a, yeah, could you use.
alter cell. Bring the little blueberries out
and let's start. Can you make yourself step out
as the
as the kids? As one of the angels. No
I said there was a female
is one of the female. Osomar? Yeah.
Osamars?
Because having this conversation over your earpiece?
Yes. You were in the, oh shit.
I'm not there, sorry. But you were in
direct line of sight
to the feet. I'm not saying anything.
I'm sorry.
I had to make an intelligent saving through.
Give me the, you do whatever you want.
Give me the angels.
I got to go back out there.
Yeah, let's go.
Do you want me to try and make this guy stupid?
Yeah.
It's an intelligence.
Do whatever you can.
All I'm doing is trying to get him to stay long enough for you guys to do something.
Just get him to come towards the door.
I'm going to, he's 15 feet away.
You're inside.
No, I'm not.
You're back in the alleyway.
Yeah, I'm in the alleyway.
How many feet away am I from him?
From him right now?
About 35 feet.
Is he where my presence?
You don't know.
I'm gonna kind of saunter further down the alleyway this has a hundred and fifty
foot range okay so you believe in further back yeah okay that's good 21 okay
all right I've got the angels yeah I'm gonna be behind them thank you okay so Pike is
coming out with the two uh Asimia I'll exit the mansion Asimar
at the mansion too and start walking towards the empathy
a few steps slowly.
It's just to get back.
Not mad.
Okay.
I get ready the minute, well, never mind.
Okay.
So wait, what are you doing?
I'm just going outside with the two angels.
You exit with the chain, the reddish chains in hand and both of the boys exit with you.
And as soon as they walk out of the portal and they see across the way,
pit feet, he's arms crossed.
They both hear like the breath escape their lungs as the feet.
fear hits them and the pitch fiends, his arms go lax.
You can see a bit of a smile on its face now
and it looks like it's pensive frustration and waiting
has been expended.
And the voice says, you will be paid.
All right.
If I can partner with this thing.
As he goes to hand over the chains,
right as he goes to reach for it,
I'm gonna do Feeble Mind.
People mind, okay.
Jesus, fuck, Christ.
Don't miss it hit me, babe.
All righty, what's the DC on this?
He's got to make an intelligent saving through.
Correct.
What's your spell DC?
19.
19.
Oh, God.
Natural one, natural one.
That's one.
Come on.
All right.
As it takes one step forward towards Scanlan,
you in the back of the alleyway,
extend your finger and you watch as this slight shift of light
of travels forward like a slight ripple, almost like a miniature breaking of the sound barrier,
strikes across the air and seems to collide with the front of the pit fiend. As it hits, the energy
dissipates, not affecting its form. You watch the pit fiend suddenly its attention. He takes
46 psychic image? He does.
Was scoundling just walking towards him or the day gotten right up against each other?
I released Trinket from my
Crystal necklace.
All right, so he takes.
Fuck.
And from the other direction.
Same it didn't he?
He's not affected by the ability.
He's not affected by the ability?
I mean, he took damage.
But the people mine did not seem to alter his.
Are there any of the Fridi guards around,
a free guards?
Currently you do not see any.
However, fuck.
Let's go ahead and pick up this confrontation.
next week.
Oh, yeah.
It's 11 o'clock.
If we're talking to this now, we'll be here past me.
No, yeah, we're calling it.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
We just took too long.
It's all good.
This got wonderfully bad.
I'm gonna forget by next week.
Is Scanlon walking towards him,
or it's standing next to the chamber?
Scalind stepped out of the door
and was holding and walked out just enough.
Skinner's probably 10 feet from the door.
They're right behind them, just emerged from the doorway,
and he's about maybe.
maybe 10 feet from Scanlon, 15 pieces.
And I'll set up the arrangement for next week.
I'll put some together if you guys so you know what we're going to start with next week.
But yeah, we're going to jump in next birthday into a mid street city of brass.
Sex tuplice.
Fuck.
Sex tuplic.
Oh, geez.
Vax, Vax, Vax, vex, vex, vex, vex, and vex.
Here's the one thing I'm going to leave you with, because I feel this is important.
Oh, no.
As soon as you guys watch the kind of slight dissipation
of arching energy splash across the torso and head
of the pit fiend, and it kind of steps into its back foot,
and you all realize this is the Djanga moment.
As you're preparing to go into the battle,
you watch as the pit fiend narrows its eyes.
And then from immediately to its left,
a small localized gateway tears open,
and out from it, you watch
humanoid female with large red feathered wings.
Getting to sort of glowing lasso or rope at her side, armor,
and a large weapon with a bow, someone across her shoulder.
That flies out next to the pit fiend.
Urang!
Oh, that's what we'll pick up next week.
So.
We're doomed.
Jump into the mansion.
We'll see you guys next week.
Thank you very much.
Terrible person.
Thank you, Ashley, for coming and playing.
Yay!
Yeah!
You're next week.
You're coming on Thursday?
Yeah.
No.
I know, I know.
What you're working on?
I don't know.
Stuffs and stuffs.
Boo.
Yay, bye, yeah.
Who can get you that armor?
Okay.
Well, guys, thank you very much.
Thank you, Lou Cray.
Thank you, Lucre.
And is a Thursday.
He's a Thursday.
Yay.
See you guys.
