Dice Shame - 128 | 'The Cold Light of Day'

Episode Date: March 24, 2022

After last night, the party comes together once again to talk about what's next... Comedy, action and a whole lot of shaming come together in Dice Shame, an Actual Play Podcast of Storm King's Thunder by Wizards of the Coast! Join our GM Jo; her partner Harlan, his brother Alex & their best friends Justin and Rob as they tackle the daunting world of Faerun in this legendary adventure module! Dice Shame is a podcast that welcomes its audience to the gaming table. Like the games they play at home, they try not to take themselves too seriously. The show aims to be entertaining, inclusive, and irreverent, while still taking the rules (somewhat) seriously. Join us every Thursday morning for brand new episodes available on all major platforms including; Spotify, iTunes, Google Play and more! If you haven't checked it out yet... what are you waiting for?!? Content Warning: swearing, violence, horror, mental illness and suicide. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Morning Jack, Torrin. Oh, I've never felt so terrible. I don't really remember much of it last night. They're real treasures, right? Who threw up? It was a long night, I'll clean that up. I'm glad to see you've got your appetite back, Krales. See, I did it.

I've never seen anything like it before. This is another problem. This magic stuff works. Why don't we break out that divination again, and we can find out for sure? I think we can spend another hour or two in town? Will my friends and I find love? Aw. Those us that don't have it

Welcome back to This is episode 128 The Cold Light of Day MVP this week is Henry James Noel Guthrie For his fifth birthday He's a big fan of Disham And a big fan of D&D in general Can't wait to play alongside the little champ

We love you, Henry. Love you, baby. This week, we're shouting out all the volunteers who are running games for this weekend's Invictus Khan. These incredible GMs have donated their time and energy to the service of this community, and I'm proud to say this year we're hosting tons of diverse gaming experience thanks to their hard work. Some of them are seasoned vets having run hundreds of games and are happily introducing new players to the hobby. Other GMs are relatively new themselves, using the con as a safe space to try out being behind the DM screen for the first time. To those of you who are hosting tables this weekend, thank you for.

your hard work and have fun. All right, shall we do this? Yeah, let's play some D&D. Woo! Hey, hey! Early morning spills into the room through a crack in the curtains. We see Red and Doran asleep in Jack's mom's guest room, maybe sprawled over the two beds that are pushed together.

The room stink. of liquor and sweat and blood you're hung over the muffled sounds of someone making food in the kitchen assault your ears rousing you from the wool of sleep there's a smell of something frying and toasting you can hear the low mumble of pleasant conversation through the wall Doren, do me a favor. Just kill me. Just put me out of my misery. Oh, I've never felt so terrible.

Doren kind of sits straight up. Oh, I smell food. Oh, my stomach is rumbling. I'm hungry, Red. How can you eat? Oh, my God, I feel like I've... Why is your axe above my head? Red sits up and it's like in the headboard,

like inches away from his head. Did you sink this in after I lied down? That's awesome. It's this beautiful, ornate, elvish woodwork as the headboard and just like... Now it's a split in it. Ork splitter's like, good morning. Doren, this is Jack's mom's house, you... And Red tries to pull the axe out and just can't...

So I do. And the bed crumbles, just like splits out. Falls to splinters. Oh, shit. Oh, look, this will be fine. Help me with this. Help me with this. And Red grabs a large sheet.

Just take that end. It just drapes it over the entirety of the two beds that are now severed. I think we could get away with it. That's fine. And Doren sort of does that with one hand as he's putting on all of his clothes over top of his, you know. I picture Duran standing in like a long john sort of thing, like a single piece. Yeah. But flap.

Where the hell is this from? And Red reaches across and. pull something out of Doran's hair. It's like a feather tied into it with like a little like lacy. Oh, he got a hair wrap? Yeah, he's got some sort of hair wrap. What the hell happened? I don't, I don't know.

I don't really remember much of last night. I remember, did we go to a party? Red, you've got like a really nice belt slung low around your hips. What the hell did this belt come from? It's customized. Look, I pull it off. My pants fall. And you can see it like leather embossed and says Nightstone four.

I don't even remember this. Wow. We did pretty well. Oh, my head. Oh. Let's go downstairs and see where everyone else is. I can go for a big glass of sheep's milk right now. In the sun-drenched main room, there's a scene of domestic bliss so beautiful that it's almost silly.

Jack and Torrin are up already, smiling at each other and chatting. There's a teapot and cups between them on the table. Half-eaten breakfast kind of forgotten. gotten. Kieran and Jackson are happily antagonizing each other on the rug in front of the hearth. Jackson's tail is batting back and forth in playful fury, and the golden retriever pretends to ignore his claws. Red vomits. Oh, no, not canonically. Sorry. Oh, red. Sorry. It was a long night. I'll clean that up. Darn just shakes his head. My beautiful scene.

But it's like not a true throw-up. It's like a cat hairball throw-up. Or he stands there yacking for a minute. It just kicks them to the table. Sorry. Morning, guys. It looks nice in here. Hi.

Yeah. Oh, I tell you that sun is lovely. You guys are up. We saved you some breakfast. Oh, what time is it? Red looks around for a clock, which doesn't exist here. Because everyone in this house has the keen mind feeding. Three hours after sunrise.

Right. Happy New Year, I guess. Happy New Year. Right. The heavy sound of footsteps heralds your armored friend, Kralath, returning from his night alone

and the door opens. Well, isn't this a peaceful... Who threw up? Two guesses. Sorry. It was a long night. Doren couldn't hold his liquor. Dorn?

Dish. Disgusting. Let me have this. My head might be painful, but I can stand the pain. Kralath shakes his head and walks over. Morning, Jack, Torrin. Good morning. Red, Doran.

Good morning. Hey, how was your sleep last night at the inn? Oh, uh, it was all right. I'll just say that much. You seem better. You seem like you're, I don't know, you're acting a little more like yourself. Red says he pours himself a glass of elven water. Yeah.

There's just one leaf in it. Yeah, I took a little bit of a water. around town last night and uh got to see the sights and that just put me in the right mood if you know what I mean. Hey, that's fair. We did too. Yeah, we did. Oh, yeah? Yeah. But unfortunately, it was, uh, something I don't recall. But it must have been fun because I've got bruises. Well, what about you, Jack? And Kralath sits down in one of these really nicely woven, uh, chairs and kind of sits down, drops his mason's shield, and then puts his boots up on this beautiful table, and just kind of kicks back his arms holding up his head.

Relax. Boots up? Evil Kraloth. I'm just kidding. I ended up finding Calliope, that girl from the note in the cabin, and helped her. Oh, shit. You did. Get on a ship down to Everland. You mean you actually did something of some worth last night? I don't know. I probably made a big bunch of trouble for my mom. So it's, you know, we're not thinking about that, and we're having coffee. Uh-huh. Cheers.

And Doran walks over and grabs a cup off the table and pours some coffee. Yeah. Red fills his with wine. Torin's like, I don't know about the rest of you, but I don't think I've ever had a bed so comfortable as what I slept in last night. Yeah, but like, beds can be replaced. Oh. They're real treasures, right? Like, they're handcrafted, they've been grown.

It takes years to make one of those beds because they grow the trees into that shape. It's so good. I know you were telling me. Well, come on, let's not make Greylaw feel bad for not being able to sleep here. They're just beds. Yeah, they're just beds. No, I don't feel bad at all.

Glad you guys had a good sleep. Good, good. And nice to see you, Torrin. How much do you think they would cost if we were going to get some for the copper cup? You know what? What's for breakfast? Red says and pushes his way. between them. I don't know if you want to do that.

They're pretty fragile. Fragile pieces of... No, they're just... They're ugly. Don't get them. They're gross. One much sturdier, you know, ones that will hold an act. Well, you think they're expensive? Did they take so much investment of time to make? It's not even the... You know, they grow themselves, essentially.

Yeah, that's fair. I don't know if they would necessarily go with... Jesus, get off the beds! Drop it, guys! I can't help but feel like, you know, the slightest knock will crumble one over. Or something to that effect. You know, who knows? A strong wind could blow into the room that Dora and I were in and, you know, or, you know, just setting him down on it.

Oh, he left a window open too. Hey, Doren, pass me that coffee. Oh, here. Doren slides the pot, this wooden sort of ornate pot with coffee in it. And Krayloth pours himself a nice portion and just slurps it back. I'm glad to see you've got your appetite back, Kralath. Oh, what are you talking about? Well, last night you didn't eat much.

It's not like you. But it seems like this morning you're a little more with it, my friend. This coffee is delicious. Where did this come from? I mean, I'm not sure where the beans were imported from, but they're certainly roast them here. I'm sure just a little shop down the street. I'm going to have to track these down. This would be great on our adventures.

If we could have like a coffee pot, like a coffee station going? Hell, yeah. Every morning. Oh, boy. Could you imagine? Right? What the hell's coffee? I think actually, canonically, Red, like, has carved his own coffee cup.

Remember back around Belliard and the Hamperat house? Red, like, goes for coffee. And he, like, whittled himself or created his own coffee cup. I genuinely don't remember, but we'll do it anyway. For B or something. You and B. shared had coffee together, and you were like... Red pulls out his custom coffee cup from his bag and says, ha, more coffee on the road is good for me.

And he takes a long drag and then adds more wine to it. Yeah, wine and coffee, classic. Oh, my God, that's disgusting. Ew. There's no strong liquor in this house. Krayoth turns to Torin and says, Hey, Torin, so what did you get up to last night when Jack was out gallivanting and saving people?

I mean, honestly, I was fast asleep the whole time. I mean, I guess I should just assume that whenever I have some time to spend with Jack, he's going to end up saving someone's life or, you know, solving some kind of problem in town. I just went for a walk. Of course, a Jack Page walk. Hmm. Where he's looking into every little detail that can possibly be found and then obviously

stumbling upon some kind of clue and then solving a mystery. Just causing trouble and saving people in equal measure. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. He's like the masked thief of Waterdeep. Have you read that series of books? I don't read. Have you read those books, Torin? They're so good.

I have. Yeah, they're some of my favorites. Me too. Wait, I like the ones with the big pictures. Are you serious? You've read, that's incredible. Yeah. I mean, I've skimmed them.

I have the whole set. Well, that's fantastic. One through 85. That's a lot. Doren, like, leans over to Kralath, and he kind of whispers, he says, is Jack really the thief of, what do they call it? No, no, no, no. He's not the masked thief, but dashing and handsome, certainly, and someone who... The masked thief has black hair and sharp features.

He has a sort of ego that only can be rivaled by those people out there who truly have a great majestic... Anyway, I like the character. It's a good book series. Lady Kamara enters the room. Good morning. Good morning. Morning. Good morning, mom.

I hope everyone. Had a pleasant sleep? Yeah, but the beds were a little, uh, uh, fragile. Yeah. Oh. We got home and crashed. Put it that way. Ha, good one.

That's a joke you'll get later. It's much funnier later. Yeah. We made the bed, though, so... Fuck, that one got me. I don't know. The year dawns a new creature, and we enter the year of the hunter's return. Have you been practicing your divination, Eve?

Uh, not as much as I would like, I admit. But I'm, there's no better time than the first day of the year to find out what's in store for us, right? I would agree. All things are connected. Every leaf that falls, every cloud that passes the moon, the choice of the name certainly has some bearing on the months that are to come. Mm-hmm. What do you see? And she strides over towards you and takes a seat in a low chair, pouring herself a cup of tea.

Jack comes and sits at the table and Jack asks everybody to hold hands then and tunes in and says, Red, think of your future for the year. What do you see? Me? Oh, well, and Red sort of ominously looks towards Doran and then tries to have his gaze. Well, maybe just ask a question about the year to come. We'll see what shows up. Will my friends be safe? I think the image in the illusion at the end of the year shows the four figures of the Nightstone Four standing together. Oh, I suppose that's good. Doran, why don't you ask a question about the year?

Hmm, a question. This is awfully exciting, I have to say. I'm not used to this sort of thing on a New Year's Day. but uh will will my friends and i find love oh well maybe those of us that don't have it the image flickers to a moment in the city streets it feels like yarder and there's a flash of a goblin face that nobody recognizes but dorin oh god um wow that's Who the hell was that? I don't know.

I don't know. Doren lies. Excellent. Would you like to ask a question? Kralov has been sitting back, holding his cup of coffee in both hands. He's been observing Jack's mom. Has she noted his presence at all? She's noted your presence the same way that she would with any other visitor to her home, I think.

And Kralov leans forward and grabs hold of Jack and Red's hand. will we be successful in our mission? The image above the sigils on the table shifts. I think it shifts from where it's looking at the back of the four of us to like a camera flying over to see the front of us and a path of dead giants behind us. Well, that's hopeful. I'm going to kill a lot of giants.

I could have divined that. Your hands are so cold, Treyloff. Don't worry about it. Jack asks, will we be in water deep for green? grass and there is a flash of Toran waiting in the Copper Cup looking expectantly at a door and not having it open. Oh, would you like to ask when Toran? Yeah.

Will, this is boring. It's not like a fun one, but will the Copper Cup's new business model be successful? It was like a graph. line goes up projections I think I think it flashes to a a vision of the copper cup

like we've never seen it that it maybe goes past that moment we saw a minute ago of Torin looking at a door to like Torin scrambling around the place as there are all kinds of adventuring weirdos just filling the place to the rafters like he was sitting at that door expectantly, you know, maybe like because they're exhausted. It's the first break he's had in the whole day or something.

Jack turns kind of expectantly to his mom, both to be like, see, I did it. And also like, you know, a moment of like, would you like to ask a question, mom? Camara smiles briefly, only on you, Jack, like a spotlight. and then turns to face the rest of the party. And she says, Can I trust that my son will be safe with these? Doren kind of almost looks like he's offended. And kind of squirms in his chair a bit looking away.

I mean, it's got to cut to some version of the vision that just shows there's no safety in the life we lead. Maybe it's not even a premonition. It's almost like a flashback of all the, different grievous injuries you've sustained. Yeah, punctuated with the two punches from a statue last night when he was literally in one of the safest places in the world. Like this, there is nothing but danger in our future.

Well done, I must say. It's been some time since I have seen the work that you can do. We didn't have much time to talk last night about everything. everything that's been keeping you busy. Mm-hmm. Perhaps you'd like to tell me about your travels. Well, yeah, we, I mean, where to even start, I guess, um, Dongle, or...

I'll let Jack tell us. He's a much better storyteller. Doran interrupts. John Glow, they call it now, but it was Nightstone. You remember I had that friend there, and I think Jack goes on to... I think Jack takes the next... 10 or 15 minutes to get to get everybody caught up with the Adventures in the Nightstone for, you know, starting from how we all met through the giants and conchels and prophecy

and all of that stuff that led to here. It's been a hell of a ride. We've got a lot of people working against us, you know? We made some enemy with a wizard up in the north. We got these dwarves south of us that seemed to really want, I don't know, all of our heads, I suppose. We got the hunt lords that are tracking jack like a fox. Meanwhile, we're trying to sort out what's going on with these giants and get the world in order so that the world doesn't come crashing down around all of us.

Yeah. You know, hero shit. We can use any help we can get. Yeah. What we're really hoping about is hoping you could help us find some answers is this thing. Red, why don't you pull it out of your bag? Yeah, whip it out, Red. Yeah, and Red goes into the bag and he starts pulling something out, but the giant mask is like in the way.

And he's like, this is another problem. We got these giant relics that we just can't. There's still one down by the waterfront. Hey, let me ask you, magic lady, how would you transport things that would really, really heavy to really, really far away? The uses of magic are many and varied. There are several ways I could think of.

Give me one that's easy that I could have. It is irresponsible to a, acquire powerful magic items just to see them off into the world in the hands of people and not know where their end may ultimately lie but being that you are assisting my son i suppose i can part with this and she goes to a chest and unlocks it oh with a small silver key that hangs on a chain around her neck and from within she pulls up a folded piece of black fabric and red takes it what the hell is it and he kind of wiggles it around very carefully now and see to it that your bag and it do not interact easy this is a portable hole oh what is a portable

It is a interdimensional space that you can access. Oh, fuck, yeah. You know how sometimes in Looney Tunes, they paint a thing on the wall, and then they can go in. It's that, but a hole. Awesome. Red walks to a clear wall and throws it on it. And he drags, you see him, like, dragging out the mask and dragging out the other thing and, like, I guess, drops his bag, walks in, puts them in.

Don't grab that end. Come on. It's like a mix of Mary Poppins meets Looney Tunes. Red's bag is definitely Mary Poppins. Where's the portable hose? Very limited. So we drop the stuff that I

have in the bag and then I just pull it back and put it in my pocket. Brilliant. Thank you so much. I just, I think we need to stop for a minute and just be very clear red if that pouch and the hole come together, holes in space and time start to get torn. Are you sure? Jack, don't worry. It's going to be fine. and Red taps his pocket. And Red reaches into his bag and he pulls out the dead thing

and flops it on the table. What is this? Well, that's part of the question. I've never come across this before. It's some kind of creature we believe from the Shadowfell. And if anyone knew about holes in time and space and getting through here, I figured you'd be able to help us solve this puzzle.

And maybe I think we spend a little bit of time like going through all of our interactions with the shadow fell from the stuff at the mansion that you guys had encountered to the crazy creature at the boy in the cave. Yeah, the boy in the cave. Mm-hmm, mm-hmm. And then there was a beast that killed me, this giant demon with hooves, and I've never seen anything like it before, not even in books, Jack? As far as I understand, entirely undescribed previously.

It's not something that's been well-studied. Camara sort of looks to you, Jack, for permission to touch this carcass. Oh, yeah. It's on the table. I think you stepped away from it. You're welcome to explore it, however you like. She pulls a knife free from her belt, this just simple work knife and begins to cut the flesh from this creature. She does it like violently? No, not even close. Very deliberately. Like a scalpel? Yeah, precisely.

And she's revealing these wisps of shadow that are coming off from between the layers of viscera and fat. The shadow fell is one layer in the cosmos existing in its own plane and evolved of our own material plane. It is a reality nearly being. beyond the reach of even my own powers, though some spins of the wheel bring the demiplanes closer, like focusing a spyglass. I've heard of these occurrences as of late,

though perhaps I presumed they were farther from me than my own son. She's peeling the skin from this creature. Space is perhaps immaterial in extra-planner questions like this. There's no such thing as distance. if only that were true. The spyglass focuses at night,

bringing the shadow fell closer to the material plane. In places where our reality is thin, a tear can permit the passage of beings from one reality to another, and repeated tears can weaken the fabric, making transit easier, even warping the two planes to coagulate together in places. The shadow fell is a place,

without the light of stars or moons, and full of the breath of some dark presence. And you must never go there. What could be causing these tears? It's possible that this is just something that happens through the course of time as the wheel spins. Well, has it happened before? Not to my direct knowledge, though the writings of this place are extremely. Extremely scarce. Who would know more?

Who's written about it? No one I know. Is there anything we can do to strengthen the walls of reality around us that I think what's been so troubling is just how we find ourselves stepping through places and suddenly here's creatures of inky darkness dripping through into our reality. And hard to sleep at night knowing that can happen. I'm proud of you, Yveben, for asking the difficult questions, what can I do? How can I protect? These are unknowable answers, but things that you can research yourself. These are boundaries of our knowledge that you can press against, that you can fight against.

and your research may prove invaluable. She frowns and brings a hand to her face. And the illusion of porcelain skin dissolves into knots of gray and pink scar tissue that run from her hairline all the way down her face, down her chin to her neck. One of her eyes shows milky white and white. unblinking. Whoa. Even the most careful wizard can be caught in unfathomable danger in the shadow fell.

An injury you sustain in that realm cannot be healed the way it can hear, or not that I have found. I beg you, Jack, be careful. Yeah. What happened? When did this happen? Long time ago. Okay. I hope I did not alarm you.

And she drops her hand and the illusion closes back over her face like clouds on the sky just passing. No, that's fine, not alarm. That's normal. I think Jack takes a careful moment to wrap up this sample again for further research. Red wakes up from a mini nap. What was that? Yeah. He's cuddling the bag of holding and the,

invisible hole, right beside you. Yeah, yeah. Oh yeah. Sorry. Sorry. Your journey is fraught with danger, but your quest is noble. I think there is something that I can do to keep you safe. Oh, that would be helpful. We have not been safe. Another hole would be great. She goes to the hearth and she lights this long implement from a coal there and draws a small flame out of the fireplace and she uses it to go around the room to light candles and incense

that are just adorning corners of crowded tables and on cabinets. And as she talks, she finds a book and starts flipping through it to look for a passage. You are marked, Iveben,

with a cruel sigil. You are being tracked, watched by something that grows in dark power. You spoke of the hunt lords. Yes. And I believe this is true. I can't take your place in this battle, for I belong here in silvery moon.

And the things that I attend to require all of my concentration. Of course, no. I have a date later, in fact, with a man named Emeris. He's going to be your new dad. But I can shield you from him. the eye. And she's moving throughout the room. She's drawing sigils on the walls with some charcoal. And she crushes this blood-red gem

in a mortar. Taking the powder, she moves close to you, Jack, and she draws a line of this powdered gem across your throat. Then she takes her belt knife and cuts some juicy looking leaves from a succulent on the window, wrapping them in a handkerchief, and squeezing the fluid from this vegetation. She wipes the dust from your neck. The plant is just emitting this sweet fragrance into the room. And Jack, you have a vision of a spectral skull overlaid on your

sight. It's violet eyes burning. And as she removes this dust, this red gem dust from your neck. The vision falls to ash and is blown away in some magical wind. Oh. Jack, just like for the first time in, I don't know, months relaxes some tense muscle. I know that feeling. Mm-hmm. Thank you.

I wish you had come to me sooner. I do too. We told him. He was embarrassed. Oh, huh. Thank you. Hey, Krayloth, what did she just do? Hmm.

Something about that, huddlord curse. Were you watching? Yeah, but I don't know what. She didn't say anything. It was very quiet. She just moved around the room doing things. She cut a succulent and then put that, and then that did something. Well, I've cut succulents.

Have you? Why would you do that? I don't know. That tastes good. Oh. Huh. I didn't know that. Well, I really hope all this, you know, this magic stuff works because normally I'm used to see.

you know, lights and things, you know, and sounds, but, you know, what you just did there, I didn't see anything. It was peaceful. I just, it would be nice if those things didn't come hunting us at night again. Not all magic is as a carnival, Dorn. Well, it kind of goes red a bit, bum blushing. Sorry if I've given you the wrong impression.

How sure is this? Is this a guarantee that it's going to shield us for good, or is there a chance that they'll be able to slip through somehow? I am not omnipotent, but I've done my best. Well, why don't we break out that divination again, and we can find out for sure, because those were some very clear answers. Let me keep practicing, and we can try it again later. So, Kamara just, she walks around the room, and she's extinguishing candles with her fingers now.

Oh, that's badass. That hurts. That's like the Aragorn, like, p. Yeah. Oh. Yeah, Jack's got a renewed sort of vigor in his step. There's a moment where he almost forgets leaving and going back on adventure means like saying goodbye to Taurin for a second. You're welcome to stay, but I understand that you have places to be.

If you're in the mind for some shopping before you leave the city, there's always the hammer first market in Laurel Square. Hey, that's not a bad idea, actually. I have really appreciated your company, and it's been wonderful to get to know your companions. I think Red sort of casts an eye over to Torn and Jack and maybe even senses the realization in Jack as well of him realizing that he needs to leave him.

That regret. Yeah, and Red sort of is like, yeah, you know what? I think we could spend another hour or two in town, maybe do some shopping, hang out, Torin. I'd love to say hi to you. We kind of left last night in such a hurry. Yeah, I didn't really get to say hi.

That's okay. I understand. I mean, I love to go shopping. Yeah, I mean, Jack reaches out a hand and says, let's go to the market. Cute. Cool.

And Red grabs Jack's other hand, too. Yes, to the market. Let's go. And starts pulling them out of the room. So cute. Stay here, Shale. Oh, mind you, there might be a blacksmith. And Doren suddenly gets re-excited.

Are you coming? Grayla. Yeah, yeah, I'll be there. But I might kind of go off on my own. Well, just, uh, explore. Uh, maybe I can convince you to keep me company.

Oh, I'll check out the blacksmith with you. Why not? That'd be great. And with that, you gather your things, leaving this quiet breakfast scene as you head out into the busy streets of Silvery Moon on the first day of the year. Thank you once again to our wonderful Patreon supporters. Christopher Ryan Evans, Merlin, Mitchell Cadwell, Alex Reed, Michael and Brianna Weber, Colin Burkart, Daniel, Doug, Gray, Jackie and Rain, Jessica Orrett, Jonah Goldman, Melanician, Lars, and Marikannyski.

See you soon!