Dice Shame - 13 | 'A Golden Hello'

Episode Date: January 9, 2020

The adventurer's arrive in the town of Golden Field just before High Harvesttide Dice Shame is a podcast that welcomes its audience to the gaming table. There’s nothing quite like getting together with your close friends on game night, getting the snacks out, and rolling some dice together. Right now we’re playing through Storm King’s Thunder, an adventure for D&D 5th edition. Like the games we play at home, we try not to take ourselves too seriously. The show is entertaining, inclusive, and irreverent, while still taking the rules (somewhat) seriously. As for the eponymous Dice Shame? When the rolls get cold—well, you’ll have to tune in to find out! Episodes are released every Thursday at 1:20 am. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

All power to Zephyros, I feel very humbled. Wee! Oh, that tickles. Yes, it's not nerves. It's, uh... I'm a warrior. I'm not meant to think. In a pie form, that would be fantastic.

You're amazing. Hello! Oh, come here, you little cat. Wow, look at the size of those cornucopias. We can't make choices for anybody, but show them that they have choices. License and registration, please? Oh, damn. Welcome, welcome once again to Dice Shame.

This week is lucky number 13, a golden hello. The boys have finally arrived in Goldenfields and things are about to get interesting. That sounds ominous and not at all nerve-wracking. This week's MVP is Ellie Arnold, who checked us out after a recommendation and gave us a glowing review. She's also playing a Tabaxi Ranger, so good on her for being like my boy Red. I'm excited for this episode, and I want to see what you guys get up to in your first major city. Well, then shall we? We shall.

Now, I know the listeners at home can't see us right now, but I'd like to draw your attention to the new features of our recording room. We've got a lot of new art on the walls. but most importantly, we've added a new appliance to the office. Can I just get a little round of applause for our coffee machine, please? Oh, yeah. A vital adventuring companion. Yeah, they have coffee and everything.

Medieval times. Coffee is one of those things that, like, cuts through everything. Yeah. I make coffee all the time. It's going to get us ready for our game. We just defeated an invisible creature, banished it to another plane of existence, And, uh, well, technically Zephros beat it. But you know what? All power to Zephros. I feel very humbled. Yeah. I feel like I owe him an apology. Yeah. I mean, he's right there. Your tone has changed. He's right here. You could apologize. Jack definitely will take a minute to like catch his breath. He's, he's been fumbling all of his spells. He had nothing he could do. Zephyros, that was incredible. You know, I feel really humbled by getting to see you use your powers in front of us. That was really something. Thank you. I think we probably. started something overconfident that we couldn't have finished without you, and you

have saved us. Wow. Zephyros turns to you. He's breathing heavily, and he passes a hand through his wind-swept hair. He's kind of bewildered. Yes. You're welcome. I'm sorry. I don't much like to throw people off of the cloud.

I'm really sorry it came to that, too. I didn't like any of that either. honestly. With all due respect, little half-elf, it appears you could stand to benefit from an exchange of knowledge. At first, I wasn't sure that it would be my place to interfere with your destiny more than I already am. Perhaps it is not the way with wizards in the world of the small folk, but giant wizards can often be jealous of the knowledge they gather. Be that as it may, seeing the difficulties from the squabble we had tonight. It appears you could use some of my help. I would love that more than anything. He looks around to the four of you.

We should arrive on the outskirts of golden fields tomorrow morning. So, Jack, if you'd like to take a look at my spellbook, you can stay up tonight and study it. I'd be happy to translate the finer points. Look at that, Jack! As the script is all in Giant, of course. I think I should be able to read it, but I would love to study it. Yeah, that sounds amazing. I.E.

You're humbled yourself and you get what you need. So, Jack, you can stay up tonight to copy spells from his spellbook, but you will be foregoing your long rest. Yep, that's fine. Can I complicate this further? Yes. You will all be leveling up after a long rest. Oh, bang out, bang out.

So. So when do we take the long rest? Sorry, I want to get that guy's bag, the one I almost threw over the edge. Okay. I want to, I mean, this all happened and it's cool, but like Red's just eyeing that bag. Yeah.

He's like licking his lips. Now that you're close to it, you see that the front of it is embroidered with a strange smiling face. I'm going to run over. and I'm going to look at it. Can I detect what it is? Would you like to roll Arcana?

Yeah. I mean, I'm going to have to ask Jack to do it, but I'll do it first. You can try? No, yeah, that's not going to work. A.S.6. I'm just, like, walk over to Jack, I'm like, Jack, what is this? You know what? I'm going to break Roland out of dice jail for this one.

Oh. Roland's coming back. My dice from Paladin Games. They had a natural one last time, so we'll see how they're. doing out of the gate uh seven so that's not bad 15 this is a bag of holding that's a bag of holding but what's inside yes red this is a bag of holding and there's some very important things you need to know about it you can put 500 pounds of stuff in here oh but if you put 5001 pounds of stuff in here it'll all dump into the astral plane oh so you need to be

very careful with what you put in this bag because it'll seem limitless but there's a very finite limit that will dump everything into infinity. I'll be very careful, and I go to poke my, like, temple and accidentally poke my eye. I believe in you. I'm going to look in the bag. Is there anything in there? If there's anything in here, it's invisible. No, just kidding.

There's nothing in the bag. I was going to say, there's not another one of those creatures. Okay, well, that's fine. You know what? And I'm going to say to Dorn on that way, do you want me to start holding the company gold and stuff? I don't mind. You can still do it. I just have space now.

I'll hang onto the gold. Right. It's good to know that we've got all this extra room for when we come across, you know, the armor and the things that we may want to sell. Food, we can put 500 pounds worth of food in there. Hell, yeah. I'm going to start putting in. In fact, does this guy have, oh, we threw him over, never mind. We're going to start putting, I'm going to put extra arrows and stuff in there that I have already.

Is that vulture still hanging out there? I mean, he hops around for a few more minutes. on the cloud stuff. And then eventually everyone takes off. There were some cultists and vultures perched on the top of the tower. But I think as soon as that one cult fanatic was thrown from the edge, they all sort of took off in fear. Coolio.

Well, let's go to bed and level up. Woo! Jack. I'm going to stay up all night. You're going to stay up all night. But you don't get to level up? So Jack. Not until next night.

Oh, no. Jack, you will level the next time you decide. to take eight hours of downtime. That doesn't have to be tomorrow night. That doesn't have to, you know. Yeah, we'll figure it out. We'll make it happen. It takes two hours and 50 gold in material to learn a level of spells.

Yes. How much gold in time are you going to spend? Presumably, I'm going to spend 200 gold worth of our stuff to get eight hours worth of spells out of this. Do as much as you want. It'll be worthwhile. I have texted you his spell book. Amazing. Spear book.

They're pretty cool. And we're going to go off to bed. So you go to sleep. And we level up And you level up! You are level five. Three of you are level five. Yes.

Level four. Level four over here. Tar-da-da-da-da. Harlan, why don't you tell me what your favorite thing is about Red at level five? Well, with level five, we don't get all that much. However, Red does get one of the most important range of features that you can ever have. What is it? An extra attack.

So now I can attack twice, as well as my proficiency bonus going up, which means my to hit with a long bow is plus eight. That's going to be very useful. Oh, yeah, especially for two attacks. Justin, tell me your favorite thing about Kraloth as a level five cleric. Yeah, so something that would have been really helpful, wandering the mists of Borovia, hunting the undead, is destroy undead, which I did not have at the time.

I was doing it the old-fashioned way, but now I have destroy undead, which is just, you know, at the snap of the finger, I can kill undead things again. Nice. Are you both taking the average of your hit die for HP increases? Yes. So Alex.

Yes. Doran is now a fifth level fighter. What is your most favorite thing about Doran? Oh, you know what? Just the fact that I've got an extra attack. So my maneuvers are really going to come in handy. I've been studying them. Doran feels that he's getting back into the swing of battle.

You know, he's feeling a lot more limber. He's loosening up. Now, the only downside is I rolled a one to increase my hit points. So that means plus my constitution, I'm going up by four. So I have 55 hit points. That's not nothing. It's not nothing. Okay.

It's not the luck I've been having. No. And I don't have to ask Rob about Jack. Well, Jack spent the night scrawling gust of wind and shatter out of Zephras' spellbook, but he did notice that there were spells that Jack knows that Zephras doesn't know and would offer exchange in return that Zephros could study Jack's spellbook if he would like to learn some spells as well. And he does, absolutely. Thank you.

I spoke too soon. Clearly, there are things I don't know. And I appreciate your sharing with me. It's clear there's a lot we can learn from each other. I really appreciate this chance to exchange knowledge. Indeed. I'm going to miss this little thing. He gestures to Relix, who is curled up between the two of you on the table.

Yeah, I think amongst those eight hours, I study Relics pretty good, too, just trying to get a good sense of its biology and the way it works. No reason. Just thinking familiar thoughts. The first light of dawn is coloring the sky from, black to blue to gold. The cloud castle hovers in the sky one thousand feet above a shimmering grassland. Rolling hills carved by streams stretch out below you. And to your south, a road travels toward the horizon. On it, a vast, walled compound sits peacefully, just starting to wake up. Goldenfields.

A couple of strands of smoke curl upwards from the farm city as bread ovens begin to toil. you're still too far away to make out any specific details of this city apart from the fact that inside its walls there are huge tracts of tilled land and orchards of trees it's a holy holiday today high harvest side wow would you look at that that's quite the village down there is that golden fields it is doran yes you can tell because of all the fields that are sort of not silvery but sort of bronzy what's that that yellow. Golden. That's the one. Happy High Harvest Tide, everybody.

It's a, you know, a day to be really thankful about all the bounties we've had so far. What is? Today, the holiday. What holiday? I've heard of High Harvest Tide. I haven't celebrated it ever myself, but what's it all about, Jack? You know, it's our autumn festival. We, you know, we celebrate the harvest, give thanks for all the bounty, share, big meals. It's going to be great in High Harvest, in Golden Fields. Most of the food they, you know, shipped down to water deep, all comes from here,

so we'd be right from the source. They must make it incredible. But what do you celebrate on it? I don't understand. You just celebrate the harvest? Yeah. In the Great Peak Mountains where I'm from, at high harvest tide, the moon rises and is so big in the sky. It is right above the, I can't think of the word the faith call it, but it's a hole in the roof of the main hall in the mountain. And the moon strikes through. And it gives us all our bounty of food. Now, we don't harvest necessarily under the mountains.

We get a lot of our food traded in. But it certainly is a time of joy and glee. It's also one of those days where it's sort of your last chance to start a big journey before winter. So it's one of those days where you might celebrate starting something new together, going out on a new thing. And I think we are doing that, aren't we? We got told by Zephyroth about a prophecy about ourselves. And this is our first day in the world where that is true.

And we've got to figure out what sort of direction we're taking in that journey. And I'm thankful to be taking it beside you all. Well, I am too. I suppose I've never celebrated this holiday. but for me, I suppose it'll be being thankful for the, you know, friends that you're giving me. So, thanks for the giving. Indeed. And I put a big hand on Red's shoulder.

And I say we start this next leg of our journey with a nice big meal. Maybe some turkey, maybe some pumpkin. Pie. Mmm, even in a pie form, that would be fantastic. I like that. Coffee is high on my list of things. Oh, don't even get me started on coffee. I would like some meat.

Yes, I would like some meat, too. My stomach is grumbling. No, not meat. I want meat as well, but mead. Yes, meed. That's what I'm saying, little pieces of meat. No, meed. That's what I'm saying, meat.

No, beer. Yes. Well, you could make beer out of meat. Yeast drink. That's what I mean, yeast. It's like meat. Zephros explains to you, I would like to keep my distance

from the city. But if you need help descending, maybe you like to fly on a griffin? Um, yeah. That sounds great. And it just occurs to me that I'm a thousand feet above the air. It's all right, buddy. Look, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, do something new.

We can't take the stairs down, can we? I'd prefer to be inconspicuous. Why don't you close your, eyes and I'll guide you to the griffin and you can just hold my belly. I particularly don't want to go on an animal, particularly not a flying animal. I can also levitate

you. Ah, I'll take the griffin. Yeah, griffin's probably better. That's griffin. I don't take the griffin. But can I ride with one of you? And he looks at Jack or red. Well, of course. We'll be riding together, I think. Kralath and I are not, obviously. No, but I'll have a door in right here

between my crotch. Sure. Like a little one? Yeah, so these griffins, they are half-lion, half-eagle creatures, their fur is thick and wiry. They smell a little bit. They have these great hooked yellow beaks, and they watch you suspiciously as you climb on their backs. Should we eat these for high harvest? They look good. Zephyros, oh, no, please don't.

These are my pets. This one's name is Mitzie. Hello, Mitzie. You're beautiful. And this one is Snowball. Oh, Snowball's even cuter. Rilix raises her hackles as these griffins come down toward you. And she does not like the look of these things. She immediately takes to wing and starts circling around the castle by herself.

Well, that's fine. She can fly down. Meet us on the ground, little one. Kieran, why don't you go with Rilix just to make sure the two of you make it in one piece? All right. That's fine. Thanks, Kieran. And you fly down. It's all right, Torin. Don't be nervous.

I'm not nervous. As he looks around nervously. You're sweating quite a lot. It's not nerves. Do you want me to dab your forehead? No, don't touch me. Yeah, I got it. Let me just grab it.

Doren's like hands are gripped tightly against it. It's okay, buddy. I'm like rubbing your back a little bit. Kralath, how you doing? Kellenvore guide me to the ground. Or just let me die. I just, I don't. I got to do a will save.

Oh, actually, that's not bad. You see red on the back of the other one going, Wee! Yeah, I crack my eye open and I see just like red dive bomb and come right back up. I think that it's a very important thing to build into your character to have flaws and fears, especially rolling for a save to consider how your character might act in a situation where they're particularly frightened and for yourself imposed disadvantage, Justin. I would like to give you some inspiration.

Oh, yeah. Dishadventage turned advantage. Oh, my goodness. Literally. Thank you so much. You're so welcome. I'm going to eat this right now. No, don't.

On my next will save. And I would also like to make it known to you now that you are fifth level, having adequate hit points is going to become important. So for every level above fifth that you gain, if you have any inspiration that you would like to spend, you can use that to roll two hit dice. and take the higher of the numbers to add to your hit point total when you level. That's good. The griffins land you in a small copse of trees that is maybe 200 meters away from the road

that leads to golden fields. It's good to be back on land, boys! And I climb off the griffin and help little Doran down. Doran almost cartoonishly is like stuck in the position of straddling the griffin. It certainly is nice to be back on the ground. Are you okay? I'm fine, Red.

You look great. Relix lands on the ground beside you, Red, entwines her way through her, through your ankles. Good girl, and I pick her up and give her a little pet. And we wait for the other Griffin, which I'm assuming land some seconds after. Yep, just shortly after you land. Here we are, on the ground again.

Oh. And Krala falls to his knees, and it begins just like pounding on the ground. and just sits there in child's pose for a little while as the wind whistles around them. Come on, buddy. Get up. Guys, we're at Golden Fields.

We made it. Fields? Fields? Golden Fields. Because there's more than one. Golden Fields. Golden Fields. I feel great. So, again, we want to return Rilix to the sun of the two that died in back in Nightstand. Beyond that, we want to get a nice meal in a little.

our tummies to celebrate high harvest with you. Well, I've got these silver salt and pepper shakers from Claire Saffetz, the famous silversmith of Goldenfields. I'd love to find somewhere that they're antiques. They're from her early period. I'm very excited about them. I'd love to find them a really good home

here. And actually on that note, I wouldn't mind mine some studded leather armor. Oh, yeah. I have a question. You, Jack, had spent money on... There's 200 gold you should deduct from... That's what I was to say. Now, if it costs him money to learn these,

would it just disappear? Such a great question. Who's he paying it to? It is hotly debated online why it costs money to copy spells into a spellbook. Where does that money go? It's supposed to represent the cost of fine parchment and the quills and the inks that you use, et cetera, why that would cost money at the time of copying versus something that you could just stock up on. It doesn't really make sense.

So that's a game mechanic. That's a little bit. I'm glad it wasn't just me in that it's been vastly debated. It is. It really is. Hey, uh, red. Yes? Um, maybe, uh, some of that gold could go my way.

I have a spell that, uh, I've been kind of working out in my downtime and, uh, I'd like to try it out. I just, I think I need some platinum rings. Sure. I think we should use some gold for that. Like I said, I wouldn't mind doing studded leather armor. And, uh, we should also look at that magic powder, see if it can't be used or maybe sold. Yeah, that's right. Well, let's to golden fields then, and Red starts skipping.

When you're hunting as a fox, I'm just picturing you, like, bounding, like, through the... Oh, 100%. Yeah. But, like, when a fox... Have you seen, like, a video of a fox, like, pouncing in... So cute. On a mouse in the snow or something. Yeah, yeah.

Just sticks his head in. Yeah, yeah. Rilix is bounding beside you, too. Let's go, Rilix. Kieran, what do you think about Rilix? She's all right. I'm a bit jealous. Well, she's kind of sexy.

I think we might. be able to get you to try that form if you wanted to. I could summon you back in the form of a winged cat, maybe. No shit. Yeah, we'll have to get the proper supplies, but it might be something we could try. Just to help sort of study Relics a little bit, get a good sense of the way, the way she moves. Okay. And they take to the air circling curiously around red and Relics as they bound toward

golden fields. To golden fields, the golden fields, the golden fields will all go bound to golden fields. The golden fields, the golden fields. Was there anything about the ordaining that we had to worry about? Was there anything? What was it that the giants at one time? What do you know about the giants? I mean, just as we're walking through the fields, like, does it matter what giants are at the top of the scale?

Which ones? Can the hell giants be at the top next? Here's the thing I've been thinking about. Let's say we trust Zephyros' understanding of the beyond, and the four of us are really, truly important. and shaping giant society going forward. That means we have a chance to make it better. We have a chance to teach hill giants that brutality and violence isn't the only way

that they can be gentle to each other and don't need to stomp down people's fields. We have a chance to tell the cloud giants that they can come down to earth and be more connected. The world has been so messed up the last five years. These Titanic forces are always crashing across the surface of it. the walls of reality bending back and forth.

Like we, there's an opportunity here to make things better if we, if we can believe that it can be that way. I know what you mean. I mean, there's a part of me that, that agrees with you, that, you know, there's a lot of violence in giant culture, but who are we, a completely different race who doesn't know a thing about giant culture to be, be the ones coming up with the solutions for their problems. I guess what Jack's saying is that we can still have an ideal what we would want,

not necessarily to assign a particular race of giant, but maybe just the fact that we want someone good. You know, we had a few people back in where I come from. One was a gray hooded sparrow. It was the elder of the family. He used to tell this story about a hoop wink. Do you have hoopwinks over here? These big hooked sort of flying creatures.

No, it doesn't really matter. The point is there is a whole tribe of Tabaxi that tried to change them, try to train them, make them part of it. But these things have been forever, just vile creatures. They would latch on to larger beasts and suck the blood out of them and leave them for dead. But for some reason, this tribe had it in them that they could change them, try to go about making them their friends. And so they went off in the woods and established a colony where they could take these hoopwinks and make them theirs. no one heard for them for a little while and sure enough, by the time they went out

and found the entire tribe had been killed by the Hope Wings. This is to say that I'm sorry, Jack, but when it comes to the nature of creatures, whether they be hill giants or Hope Wings, I don't necessarily think they can be changed, not in this way, I think... But what is the nature of humanity?

What's the nature of Tabaxi kind? Are all Tabaxi good, are all Tabaxi evil? Are all Tabaxi anything? Are all giants? Also, some higher power decided that Hill giants deserve to be on the bottom. But that's the thing, is Anam Allfather, according to Zephyroth, just said, I take it all back. I'm a warrior. I'm not meant to think. And actually, the more I think about this, whether they be good creatures or evil creatures, it makes it much

more difficult to... We can't make choices for anybody, but I think we could maybe show them that they have choices. The Northrow Road leads to Goldenfields, a sprawling temple farm, surrounding, surrounded on all sides by a 60-foot-tall stone wall. There are other travelers on the road beside you. Every few miles or so, there's a band of humanoids on horseback or a wagon drawn by some beast of burden. Fragrant spices reach you on the breeze as you approach.

From this distance, you can already smell the rich scent of food. You've been subsisting on your own rations for about five days now, apart from the soup and beer dinner at Morax Inn after the liberation of Nightstone, and it's very enticing. That smells so good. It does smell good. I need some meat. I need real meat.

That's got to be the first stop. Spiced meat. Doran and Kraloff just run off. Yeah. We're looking for a tavern. Goldenfields is a massive compound, easily several miles across. Stone pagodas mark the walls spaced, about a mile apart.

The road leads to a magnificent stone gatehouse set into the wall. The gatehouse is flanked by 40-foot-tall stone carvings of a voluptuous woman, cradling, overflowing cornucopias. Her expression is beautiful and smiling, her stone hair hanging in generous waves around her shoulders and down her back. Wow, look at the size of those cornucopias. They're overflowing. The gatehouse is a fortress in its own right, with a massive set of wooden double doors above which are arrayed arrow slits that suspiciously peer down on all comers. There are about two dozen guards milling around the open gatehouse doors, and they're speaking with travelers and searching wagons as you approach the gatehouse. Can we go wait in line?

I assume there's a few people before us. Sounds like it's a busy metropolis. As you wait for your turn to speak with the guards for them to allow you entrance to this. Temple City. You over hear a family talking excitedly about High Harvest Tide. It's a halfling family. The little girl is like, I simply can't wait. I've heard so much about the food, Mama. Is it going to be so delicious? Yes, darling, of course it is. And I step in and be like, what are you guys going to eat for High Harvest? Oh, hello. Hello. Well, I'm very excited about jellies. I've never had a jelly. Friends come, and I like grab Kralath and like Doren and like I just

Jack and like I try to make a big circle including this new family. These are my friends. We're not from Golden Fields. We're not from Golden Fields either. Where are you from? A small village. We're far away from here too. Where are you guys going to eat? We've never been to Golden Fields before but apparently

it's really quite the festival and this is the place where most of the food for the whole countryside is produced. Wow, that's what our friend Jack said. It's like a culinary tourism. Oh, I like it. Do you know anything about Golden Fields? And I be useful for us? The husband

turns to and he says, well, I know that that's Chanté. Ah, Chanté. He's pointing at the voluptuous woman statue. Oh, I like her. My friend Doran is drooling at her. Is she a god of some sort? She's a goddess of agriculture. Praise B to Chanty.

Okay. The grain goddess I've heard her called. Yes. Earth Mother. Yes, Earth Mother, indeed. I've heard she's had liaisons with Lathander as well. Well, you know. He sort of ribs you with his elbow, if you know what I mean. Nothing can grow without sunlight, they say.

Yes, yes, yes. Well, and Doran's growing impatient. Can we go inside and get some food? Let's go. Yeah, actually, a group of guards approaches you at this point, and they've got weapons, but they're not holding them in their hands. Just a couple of javelins attached to their back

and swords hanging at their sides. License and registration, please. Oh, damn. Good morning. Good morning. What brings you to Golden Fields? High harvest. Oh, welcome and happy holidays.

You too. Do you have anything that you need to declare any pestilence or issue that might cause problem to this temple farm? No, we know, no. No locusts on your person. No. No intent to cast ill spells against our crops. Oh, gosh, of course not. No, no.

And do you bring any animals with you? No, gosh. Yes. Two. Two. What? Relix and my familiar, Kieran. Well, then three, actually, because this one over here that doesn't say. stop talking.

He's also an animal. Technically, we're all animals, I suppose, then. He examines relics briefly and says, lovely, trust him. Cats are very welcome here. I'm blushing. Is security tight this year for high harvest? No. Really, this is just a precaution. Fair enough.

Enjoy your stay. Thank you. And the guards permit you entrance to Goldenfields. As you enter Goldenfields through the giant wooden double doors of the gatehouse. Did you say, I am? Red is attacking the door. Ah, I speak giant, open. You walk under a 30-foot-thick wall.

That's a thick wall. This wall is 30 feet thick and 60 feet tall on the outside. There's room for stuff inside. The path leads up on a fairly steep incline. The sprawling temple farm is built up on much higher ground than the surrounding fields outside the gates, such that the outer wall appears 60 feet tall. from the outside, but only 20 feet tall from the inside. Does that make sense? Yeah, cool. It's as if the gated wall is greedily cupping the most fertile soil up and out of the surrounding

lands. Beyond the passage hole dug for the gates, the interior of the compound is criss-crossed with dirt roads running between fields and orchards. Directly ahead of you, a 20-foot-tall wooden statue of a plump smiling woman, who you now know is Chante, smiles with her hands on her hips in a garden of golden wheat. Beyond the statue, a stone building with an open front is hung with a sign that reads Earth Mother's Bounty.

Beyond that, the path leads straight out through the middle of two fields as far as you can see. Several people walk the path and most of the traffic coming in through the gate heads in this direction. You also have paths to your left and right. They hug long, narrow gardens

growing fragrant plants and berry bushes that hang heavy with fruit. To the right, several squat stone towers with rounded roofs seemingly protrude from a field of half-harvested wheat. To your left, another massive and half-harvested wheat field speckled with workers carrying scythes and baskets slung over their shoulders. The sound of some work song floats to you on the breeze. In the fields where we get our golden wheat, we spend all day.

Then we like to eat. I love it. Are there any guards on the inside of these walls? Yeah, there are about ten guards. Nightstone was a very similar setup, very strong, impenetrable from the outside. 30 feet thick walls. And then they were assaulted from the sky. This is a very big, large, open land. Doesn't something sit a little bit unwell?

I understand your concern, Red, but look at the size of this place. And I look around, and it's probably, what, 50 times the size of what Nightstone? Maybe 100 times the size. More than that, yeah. Maybe I'm just being a scaredy cat, but I would feel very comfortable if we found out some sort of area that we could retreat to and bring people to if something happened. I like that that we have thinking, Red, and perhaps the right way to go about this would be to be in touch with some of the Goldenfield's officials and explain to them what's happened in Nightstone and to ready their own population for some kind of, uh, well, I totally agree. As you are standing around this entry gate, you spot a woman wearing devotees' robes, wielding a quarterstaff with ease. She's smushing grasshoppers with it as she practices martial forms.

She's moving down the pathway smoothly with this quarterstaff seemingly practicing. She's performing some sort of duty, small duty. Do-do. And she stops in front of you, makes a short bow. Good morning. Good morning. Good morning. Morning. Can I help you?

I actually do have a question. I've got these antique salt and pepper shakers made by Claire Saffetz, the Silversmith from Golden Fields from a long time ago, and they're in great shape. You know, is there a temple or a museum or silversmith still here who might recognize what these are and honor them properly? I don't recognize the name myself. but I could take you to the abbey. That's actually where I work.

My name's Jack. Oh, I'm Z. It's nice to meet you. Nice to meet you, Z. Hi, Z. I say Zed. If you could direct us to the food, I mean, the Abbey sounds lovely.

I would love to see it myself. And what are you a follower of? Calumvore. Oh, I'm not personally familiar. All about balancing the scales, life and death and balance, you know. Of course. Since you seem to be so knowledgeable, might as well take a shot in the dark here. Do you know anyone by the name of Meros Zelbrin?

Of course. Perfect. He's the owner of North Furrow's End. And what is North Furrow's End? Oh, that's the inn. In what? Accommodations. Accommodating who?

An inn, red, is a place where people can sleep, like a tavern with beds. It's a tavern. With beds. It's called an inn. You sleep on the floor of the tavern? Would you like me to take you there? Okay. Kralov has a big grin on his face.

He just shakes his head. She starts walking the path into town. As we follow, Doran turns to Z. You seem to be very qualified with that quarterstaff. I am, thank you. Yes, I could see you smush in the bugs. What's that all about? Is that I don't like to hurt innocent creatures of any size.

Locusts are not innocent creatures. Although they are... Locusts. Living beings, and therefore part of the biome, I am charged with the protection of this temple farm, and I take my job very seriously. Thank you for that explanation. I had assumed it was something along those lines, but... You mentioned you're in charge of this temple farm? Not in charge, no, but I am one of its defenders. I take my job seriously. On my free time away from the abbey, I patrol the walls. Well, we have some rather interesting news for you then.

You might want to sit down for this one. Well, we're walking. We just came from a town called Nightstone, do you know at this place? No. Down past water deep and then you head south on the high road and head east into... That's the one. It's been there for about a decade. It turns out a number of cloud giants came over and threw rocks down on the townsfolk,

killing many of them, and then stole a large stone that was in the center of the town. I mention this purely because I've got a weird tummy feeling that they're going to reappear somewhere. We have had some trouble with giants. You have? Interesting. Yes, about three, ten day ago or so, a group of hill giants attacked the city. They threw boulders at the walls, but our archers drove them away. Very good.

Do you have any idea of why they attacked? Dumb brutes. Have they attacked before? Not that I know of. Well, again, I guess it's important to note that this was from cloud giant. So while your walls are very sturdy and obviously great at protecting from boulders from the side, I don't know, maybe be on the lookout for clouds that appear on the horizon. I'll be sure to mention it to Father Darvich.

Three ten days ago is about the same time the ordaining fell apart. It would make sense. As you walk the road into the center of golden fields, the field to your right is replaced by livestock fields. roaming oxen and cattle intermingle with turkeys, chickens, and pigs they graze together in scrubby grassland and a huge horned beast near to the fence

loz pleasantly at you as you pass by swishing its tail at the flies on its back shepherds tend their flocks out in the pasture and chat with each other. One raises a hand in salutation at your party and then chases after a piglet. Beyond the livestock fields a grove of old trees springs up. Leaves are falling in the still

air catching gentle light. Ferns and mossy logs blanket the ground here. You hear the laughter of children as a few of them spill out. Jesus Christ! It's not a haunted house. You hear the laughter of children as a few of them

spill out of the undergrowth onto the road and then you hear screaming and crashing as an ancient tree strides out of the woods after them. More kids are clinging to its branches and they're giddy with laughter as the tree catches their friends up in its boughs. Holy banana!

What is that? Z. Hales and she says Liphilus. Hello, good morning. He turns, this tree regards you with something resembling a face. It has large amber eyes

peering out at you from cracks in its bark. A mossy knot protrudes as its nose. There are festive lanterns and streamers hanging in its branch And it says, Hello, uh,

me. Um, uh, happy high harvest tide. Oh, yes. Thank you. Well,

you're amazing. Hello. Good morning. Oh, I've never seen anything like you. Well, it's never seen anything like you before either. Oh, God.

Can I, can I, can I scratch my nails on you just a little bit? Oh, well, just a little, oh, I suppose. And I, like, scratch my nails. You know how, like, cats that, like, crying posts? The whole tree shivers and, oh, that tickles. Yes, it feels good for me, too.

Z says, this is liverless. He's the oldest being in this whole town. How old are you? Oh, I don't know. I know a way to find out. Oh, oh. And a little kid sort of. starts falling out of his

branches and he sort of contorts around to catch her and he deposits her gently on the ground. He says, all right, now you try to gatch me. And he strides off into his magical grove. I love him so much.

Zee kind of forgets herself as she's leading you into town and starts practicing her martial forms again, smushing whatever insects she comes across. Past the grove of trees. dozens of long houses are arranged in neatly arcing rows. The houses are big two-story affairs with multiple side entrances, big enough to house ten families each at least.

Their works of art, with sculpted beams in the shapes of different animals and colorfully painted roofs. The longhouses are arrayed around a massive town square currently being busily prepared for a feast. Hundreds of tables are arrayed in long rows, set with white cotton cloths. Chairs are busily being tucked in to, each table by a host of people, bushels of dahlias and cornflowers stand beside hundreds of vases

with several people chatting and arranging them into bouquets. On ladders around the square, folks are calling orders to each other as they hoist strings of penance and lanterns across the open space. To the south of town, across the square and adjacent to a stand of old trees, a huge and clearly ancient stone edifice reclines in the sunlight. Its walls are set with stained glass windows, and its lawns are surrounded by well-tended hedges. To the north of town, through the longhouses, you can just see several other large buildings ringed by gardens.

Lovely place. It's beautiful. Just gorgeous. I mean, I can't see all the colors because I can only see black and white, but it looks great. How long has Goldenfield's been around? Is it like a fairly old city?

Yes, it's very ancient. The beauty here is only surpassed by my own mountainous caverns. What would you guys like to do? Where do you want to go? I think we want to go to the tavern. See Miros. Of course. I will take you there. Let's go. Z leads you to one of the buildings on the north side of town.

It's a three-story stone building with arched windows. Thin plumes of smoke issue from its many chimneys, and there are life-sized statues of rearing horses that flank the double doors leading into the common room. Above these doors hangs a wooden sign that proclaims the name of the grand. establishment to be North Furrow's End. West of the main building, there's a stable house. There's also a brewery here.

There's a couple of shops where you might do some shopping, if you're so inclined. Shopping! Z gestures with her staff at North Furrow's End, and she says, here we are. And if you'd like to visit me, I'm going to make a stop in at the Abbey. I'll come with you if that's okay. Of course. I want to go in and deliver this tressum, so I'll do that, I suppose. Yes, although I'm not looking forward to giving this sad news.

But, you know, we'll do it properly. We kick open the door. Your parents are dead, you fuck! Kralath, what are you going to do? Kralov is focused on food. Got a grumbly and his tumble. Just try to get, you know, that going. So maybe speak to the bartender, unless the bartender is,

Moris? Miro. Indeed, as you walk into this beautiful, well-furnished, and surprisingly large common room, there is a huge man standing behind the bar. He is covered in white hair, all over his arms, chest, head, and he's much bigger than most men. He's about of a size with Kralov, and he hails you from across the room. Good morning.

Hello! Well, it's nice to see. You? It's wonderful to see you. Will you be needing room today? Most likely, but we actually are here for another reason. We're looking for a man named Muros. That's me.

How can I help you? Well, we have a bit of a sad news for you, Miroz. Are you sitting standing downish, no? I think he's standing. Yeah, why don't you take a seat? Okay. He comes around the side of the bar and, lowers his hulking form into a small chair.

We've just come from a small town by the name of Knightstone, and we know that you know it. I'm sorry to say this, but your parents are dead. What? There's no simple way to go about this. Yes. They were killed during an assault by giants. We know that you yourself in Golden Fields

have recently been at the arms of hill giants attack, so I'm sure you can understand the pain that this brings. to us to have to tell you this, but your parents were killed by a falling boulder from cloud giants that attacked Nightstone. I'm sure they went quickly. Well. This was

a part of what your family left behind, and I pull out Relix, and I put him on the counter. Oh, Oh, Relix, thank you. You're welcome. Do! He starts crying, his face, starts getting very sloppy, and he picks up the winged cat who nuzzles her way into his

fur. And I walk over and try to hug him as well. Oh, come here, you little cat. He clasps you to his chest. And I like gesture to Doran. Come here, Doran. Perhaps we could have a few drinks and some food, which of course we're willing to pay for. No. No, no, don't be ridiculous. I would love to have a meal in honor of your family. Please. Of cures. Just a moment. He goes into the back and he comes out with a couple of platters of food that just smell incredible.

There's some honeyed meat. There are some steamed vegetables. There are some whole wheat rolls. I imagine there's a lot of wheat-based things considering we're in golden fields. Do you have anything gluten-free? Get out. Golden Fields seems like a wonderful place. I'm sure nothing dangerous will happen next week.

As always, thank you for listening, and be sure to follow us on Instagram and Twitter for some social fun. You could be next week's MVP. See you then. To Golden Fields, the Golden Fields will all go down to Golden Fields. Dump Dump Dump