Dice Shame - 133 | 'Blood Will Have Blood'

Episode Date: April 28, 2022

After a startling revelation, Dorin sets off on his own to face the demons of his past once and for all...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.

Doran's not here? Doran's with you. Where is he? I seek your counsel. What does Mogear have planned? Tell me what I need to know. Claim Tender's the leader. What did you do to earn that armor? That's what you taught me. I hope you like it.

This is a tinderbox. We sure earn our reputation we got around here today. I just don't understand. We could talk about this later. No, Doran. You got to make right here. Kralov begins to clap. I think he's heading to Jelanthar.

He's going to get himself killed. Doren rides through the night to Jalenthar. Welcome back to Dyshame. This is episode 133. Blood will have blood. MVP this week is Jay Manilad, who's just joined us on Discord. They're all caught up to the current episode, so they'll hear this right away. Hi, Jay Manelad. Hi!

This week I'd like to shout out the incredible artistic talents of Maggie Breeze. a.k.a. artistic witch, who's been spoiling us with some beautiful, malevolent fan art. She did a lovely piece of Arthur and Faroe in a quiet moment playing the piano together that took our breath away. Amazing job, Maggie, and thank you so much for sharing your work with us. Yeah, really incredible work. All right, shall we do this? Yeah, let's play some D&D. Woo!

Woo! The Midday Sunshine is warm on the busy. streets of Waterdeep, casting peasants and nobility alike in an uncharacteristically pleasant glow for midwinter. People of all races and sizes travel the streets on their private errands. And alone among the crowd, we see our favorite dwarf, Doran Iron Fist, making his way somewhere. Doran is looking frazzled. He's rushing back to the city of the dead. You know, he's kind of got an eye over his shoulder. He's taking a different path. He doesn't want red. to follow him.

He's got to write the wrongs of his past. He's in that position where he's bringing unwanted attention from these assassins. Right. The streets are super busy. There are palanquins carrying nobles, merchants on horseback in fine silks,

Dorin, you shoulder your way past the faces of wind-burned peasants and country folk from who knows where, wearing modest leather clothes, just all types of people live in this huge city and on a rooftop nearby, a figure is crouched, still as a statue but for the wind

rustling his fur. Red-handed Robin. Red is watching not just because he's concerned about where his friend is heading, but because he's concerned who else might be following his friend. So he's not just watching Doran like a hawk. He's also looking around at other rooftops to make sure that Doran is not being followed, kind of watching his back. But also recognizing that his friend might need space right now. And maybe when Red realizes that Dorn is heading back to the city of the dead, Red just sort of sits back on a rooftop overlooking it, watches him from a good distance, and sits there.

And you see Red for a moment sort of watch him walk towards the statue and head down the set of steps. And Red just feels the weight of his revelation. and maybe begins to well up a little bit at how much he's divided him and his friend and he just sits there. Red wants to make sure that Dorn isn't being followed through the portal.

And after a good long time, Red slides down a drain pipe and heads towards the city of the dead himself to head back to Everland. Kralath and Jack. You've been waiting in the alley in Everland for what Jack knows is exactly one hour and 47 minutes and eight seconds.

So they're late. Doran and Red told you they were off to find some more information from the refugees, employing Red's excellent disguise as cover from the townspeak, recognizing you as the Nightstone Four, because that name has been tarnished in this town. Greyloff has got his head back against the alley wall. Mm-hmm. Do you think the guards got him or something?

Jack, there's a figure standing in the alleyway, silhouetted by the midday sun. It's a dwarf. He's got a cold weather hat crammed low on his head, but he has a gray beard with rosy cheeks and a bulbous nose peeking out from underneath.

He nervously looks behind him and walks towards you with a slight hand upraised, like, in recognition. Hey. Who are you? Ah, perhaps you don't recognize me with a big hat on.

Oh, just. Follow me into the alley for a moment, and he rolls the hat back over his eyes. Kralath, you recognize this dwarf taught you in Jalanthar, taught you how to cook some specific dwarven snacks, gave you a pairing knife. All right, we can trust this one, I think. I'm sorry to surprise you like that, but I don't feel comfortable being here. No, what's happened around here? It's terrible to tell you the truth, all of it. Just follow me back into the shadows a little bit.

I don't like this cloak and dagger stuff. All right, no, all right. Kralov turns to Jack and whispers. Maybe this is going to give us a bit more information about what's going on, even though I don't let going into shadows with this one. More than we got sitting around here. I have to say, I'm pleased to see you looking so heartily, Krayloth. and Mr. Page as well.

Well, those treats you taught me how to make do wonders for the Constitution. I'm glad to hear it. I got to admit, unless you're about to tell us you've defected from that group of dwarves who's really wrecked our name, I'm not super thrilled to see you. We've kind of walked into like a shaded part of the alley that's got some rotting meat and just really unpleasant back there. There's rats running around. It's definitely there's too much.

taller people than this dwarf staring down at him with some hard looks. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. And he, he nods at you. Well, truly a perceptive, Mr. Page. I am a mutineer from Jalenthar. Mm-hmm. Let's a start. I'll start from the beginning then, I suppose. We waited after you left. Chaos Hammer told us that you were going to send a word to King Harnoff about the issues that we're having and perhaps come to some resolution. But the dwarves, well, you saw them. This was six, ten day back. They were restless, anxious, looking for battle. Chaos Hammer lost their respect. He trusted that you would return and he was stolen for time, and he thought that it would be possible to make good again with the king.

I truly think you had a good influence on him. But it wasn't the opinion of the majority of the soldiers. And Mogir Flamed Tender and some of the other knights rested control from Chaos Hammer. That's when they started using the name Nightstone Four, saying that we were part of a larger story. That we had to scrub the countryside of the non-combatants, make way for a new order, for war times. That's a perspective. They picked up new blood. mercenaries, thugs, men from the countryside, people looking for battle.

And Mogir took Chaos Hammer's armor from him, locked him up in Jalanthar. He's in shackles there now. I came here for, well, I came here for help. I didn't realize how many people, how many refugees would be in the town. And I've been, I feel like a small, peace and that i what right do i have to ask for help but we need it i need it yeah you you owe it to these people you you got to look at every one of these refugees whose homes you burn down and put that weight on your shoulder and carry it till you're done you got to make right here and i hope to with you your

help yeah i would propose why is is now the time to come for help i mean you've been unsettling refugees before we met. Why now? I realized the wrong of it and I'm sorry to say it took me so long. Well... I want to go to the king for help

but I know that as I have my own I have blood on my hands and I would see that my position is not a strong one as Mr. Page has made clear.

No. I think you've got the right of it. I mean, the best time to plant a seed was 20 years ago. The second best time is this morning. And so you've always got time to take a new path. What does Mogier have planned? He plans to bring the giants down on the countryside. Bring them down here.

From wherever they live. To use this country as a lure, to wage war, to create a business. battlefield on the doorsteps of Everland. How does he intend to do that, some sort of giant bait? By using as much of this countryside to bait in the giant threats as he can. Jack, like, stops for a minute to check in with the time and, like, Red and Doran or an hour later, 47 minutes and 30 seconds or something. Sit tight, our friends are coming back soon.

And I feel like as Jack is sort of contemplating that, you see Red, no longer disguise. striding towards the two of you out front of the bakery. He almost doesn't notice you at first. You see him sort of looking towards the front of the bakery concerned. He spins his head around. Over here. Oh. Red walks forward, seeing the dwarf with you.

And suddenly he sort of, you know, gets a little nervous and he takes a slow step towards who he thinks is Doran. Look, I'm sure Donorin already said. And then he turns to you and you see that it's this gray-bearded dwarf. Oh. I'm sorry. I don't think we've met. Oh, wait a minute. No, you're one of the Chalentard dwarves. I remember you.

Wait, hold on. Doran's not here? No. Where is he inside? He was with you. What do you mean? Jack asks the dwarf to step aside for a minute to walk over to Red with Kralath. What's the password? Oh, the donglo lasts till morning. Doran's with you. Where is he? What happened? Well, he was with me.

He and I had a bit of a disagreement, and he left my side. Where did he go? I thought he would have come back here. I would have been quicker, otherwise. All right. So Doran's missing. I'm sure he's around somewhere. He wouldn't just leave us.

Um, maybe. Maybe not. We shared some pretty harsh words. What happened? Look, let's head back to the tower. That's where we came from. The one that Valharo lives in. I should be able to track him.

Why are you here? He sort of says vaguely to the dwarf. I came to help. Chaos hammer is no longer in control. Oh, no. It's been a mutiny. This new Mogier, Flame Tender is the leader, and he's the one who's had a whole bunch of marauders doing shit in our name.

And he plans to somehow bait the giants into this countryside to wage war against them, have a great epic battle. All right, well, let's find Doran first and then deal with that. And Red heads off towards the tower. As Kralov goes to leave the alley, he turns back and looks towards this dwarf and says, hey, chef, and he reaches into his bag and he pulls out a treat and he tosses it to him and says, that's what you taught me. I hope you like it. Thank you, son. I am hungry, and he eats it gratefully.

Why don't you get some supplies ready and meet us at the East Gate? We're going to go collect Doran and we'll find you there. We're heading to Jalantar. I, I, I. Red is nervously pushing his way through refugees as he heads back towards Val Harrow Tower. There's panic in his eyes as he looks around searching the crowd for Doran's face. Can I do a tracking roll? Definitely, roll survival.

Do I have to roll against him? I'm not really doing anything to cover my house. No. I couldn't imagine that Doran was being especially stealthy. There's Doran. He's got a tree limb and he's brushing over his footments. Through the middle of town, too, right? you know the place footprints are most at home he's disguising his in it yeah yeah um 17

i feel like dorin has got one of those bespoke heel print shoe impressions you know what i mean where it's like yeah yeah yeah or it's like i know that doran has talked about having kind of a symbol that he uses on his smithed tools and weapons and i feel like there's like one of those and like your left heel print and red. D, I, D, I, D, I, but it's hard, but it's, but it's, but it's hard, I imagine to find it because there's so many refugees, like it would take a real serious tracker to be able to pinpoint, I'm a real serious tracker. Luckily it snowed within the past couple of hours and so here and there you find patches

of snow that have been relatively untouched and you find a heel print or two that lead out towards the east side of town. I feel like there's a moment as Red searching around with his head, creaning my neck to sort of read the tracks from different directions. Kralath is confused, and he's following Red along, and he's like, are you going to tell us what happened or what? Look, yes, we used the portal, okay? We went somewhere quickly to Waterdeep.

I needed something, and Doran helped me. You needed something from Waterdeep? Yes, this, and he points to his back, and you see a quiver on his back, an ornate, empty-looking quiver. I needed this. So you needed an arrow holder, another box for your arrows.

Yes, something like that. Look, it doesn't matter. The only thing that matters right now... That's why we waited 50 minutes, Jack. 50 minutes extra. Look. For a box of arrows. And then Doran didn't like your box of arrows.

I needed this. I needed this, okay? An empty... Traylath. It's not the right time. We've got to find Doran. I just don't understand. Drop it, Trayloth.

Keep your attitude to yourself. and Red looks down and finds the door and footprint. This way, and he heads off towards it. Whoa. I imagine Jack follows, and Krayloth's just kind of standing there dumbfounded, and he's just like, keep my attitude to myself. Well, I'm not the one with the attitude. He says with the most attitude.

I don't love Kralov being like an angsty teenager. Fine. You're going to be like that, but I'm going to be like that. Yeah, I think Jack closes about half the distance and then looks back to see if Kralath is coming or not. Yeah, yeah, Kralov is following. They lead all the way to this stable. And then Red ducks in and finds someone working there.

Excuse me, hello! Is anyone here? Oh, yes. Hello. Welcome. Look, did a dwarf come through here? It wouldn't be too long ago. Maybe within the last hour. Yeah. Maybe, maybe not. Maybe, maybe not. Look. Tell me what I need to know, Red says, and, like, bears his fangs. You know how cats' eyes, like, go to little slits sometimes when they're, like, stressed out.

Oh, more than that. Red grabs the man and, like, pushes him against the wooden pillar in the stable. Tell me what I need to know. Your hair is standing on end? And I'll roll intimidation. You don't have to roll. Oh. This man is staggered by your ferocity. Whoa, I didn't mean any disrespect, sir. Yes, there was a dwarf here of maybe 40 minutes ago.

Did he see where he was going? No, but he departed in a hurry. Took to the Eastern Gate. And Red turns to Jack, who I imagine sort of, standing in the stable doorway. Yeah, we sure aren't in our reputation we got around here today. I think he's heading to Jelentha. He's going to get himself killed.

And Red lets go of the man's jacket, and you see ten holes that he's put in with his claws when he gripped it so tight, and he heads towards the exit. Cool. Kralath walks in afterwards, takes 50 gold, slams it on the counter, and says, get us three of your fastest horses. Night is falling. Doran, you're traveling alone on the road heading east to Jallanthar. You've been by yourself all afternoon. Plenty of time to think. It wasn't just a stunt in Danlin's Peak. Why did I tell them to go through at Cameron's Pass?

I knew we didn't have enough supplies. I thought we could push through. They told me, they told me over and over again. But still I pushed them through. Oh, God. the sickness in their eyes, the begging for food. I killed those men. The bridge at Boswega. I was told that they wouldn't be able to handle more than two or three dwarves. And yet I ordered them all across.

My haste. I can't make the same mistake twice. It wasn't just Cameron's ill pass. It wasn't just the Bridgett. Boswega. I killed those men. It was on me. Nobody else.

And Doran rides through the night to Jallanthar. Doran, your approach on Jallanthar is a marked change from when you were here six, ten day ago. Oily black smoke in thick undulating columns from at least a dozen fires dotting the perimeter of the settlement. there are these twisted red piles of snow where carrion birds are perching and they caw reproachfully at you as you trot onward. The remains in these piles reveal themselves to be slaughtered cattle, not but butchered for meat, but beheaded and bled here. Their bellies opened. There must be hundreds of livestock sacrificed in this manner, like the signal fires, dotting the landscape around the village. And as you approach, you see a banner lashed to a war pike stabbed in the frozen ground

that whips in the wind, with runes in dwarfish drawn in charcoal reading Nightstone. Hmm. Doran rides by the piles of dead cattle. Not paying much attention. His focus is, you know, on the town, and when he sees the banner waving, he rips the pike out of the ground and throws the banner to the ground. As you enter these main gates, you hear raucous laughter and cheering from some of these stone cottages at the center of town. As you ride through, you note the destruction here. Giants have clearly been attacking on a regular basis. There are boulders that litter the streets. The knights of the Mithril shield have fallen into disgrace

Armour bespoiled by the grime of blood and war These soldiers lounge on the roofs of Jalanthar drinking And throwing rocks at a spectacle in the middle of town You come upon it Human men have joined the ranks of dwarves Mismatched clothing and cruel weapons at hand marking them as bandits and thugs Hmm

What's the spectacle at the center of town as I ride up? Well, you see that the stone keep is destroyed. Its broken walls have formed the basis for a miniature Colosseum, inside which two young bears are circling each other. The bears are both bloodied and tired, having sustained wounds from each other and from the jeering soldiers on the rooftops. Doren shakes his head with disgrace as he trots up through the center of town without any resistance.

And as he comes to the sort of center of town and from atop his steed, he lets out a loud bellow and yells, Chaos Hammer! The raucous yelling, the laughter ceases, and all heads turn toward you. One dwarf stands out among the others on the rooftop.

an older dwarf with salt and pepper hair, wearing the golden breastplate of Nurgrel Chaos Hammer. This is not him, though. Dorian, you recognize Mogir Flamedender. The night of the Mithril Shield who was in the room, when Chaos Hammer tried to blackmail you, about stunted Danlin's peak. Mogier stands on top of a cottage, his arms folded across his chest, and he calls down to you in response. Hail to Doran Iron Fist, Coward of the North. Where's Chaos Hammer?

He knocks on his breastplate, resounding gong echoing in the still morning. Nurgrel gifted me this breastplate after I generously permitted him to live. He's twice the coward you are. You should have seen him groveling and sniveling for mercy. for me to take, take anything, but spare his life. He spits on the ground. Doran's face does not change his stoic look, unfazed by the laughing.

I seek your counsel. If you deem yourself to be in charge of this rabble, come down here, speak with me. Big words from such a tiny dwarf. The lands of the north are. been cleansed with the fires of war. We dwarves, and those brave enough to stand with us, stand alone against the giant horde.

And yet you stand there, and you won't come down and talk with me. What is this some performance you put on for your bandits? He throws a cutting eye towards some of the dwarves that he knows. The people who taught you to run. He hops down from the rooftop and approaches you on your horse, circling you, casting a critical eye over everything he sees. Why did you come here, Doran? What business have you here? And Doran steps off of his horse, slapping the horse's rear and having a gallop off. We had a hunting party set the ambush for a pair of giants just yesterday.

See their heads decorating the palisades? Hmm. Where is your glory? Where is your honor, Doran? I hold my honor in my heart and in my fist. I need not show trophies of my winnings. I am here. For what?

To join us? Hmm. I come here to talk sense and honor back into the knights of the Mithril shield. There was a time Where we stood together Not at odds And look around you I see death

And destruction I came to speak with who is in charge Mogir What did you do to earn that armor I put chaos hammer In his place Now if you mean to tell me that you won't be joining Our ranks

But you're keen on telling me what I'm I should do with my force. It seems like we have a conflict of interests. Doran makes his grand stand to the group, to the people that are watching. And then he turns back and faces Mugir. And without a hesitation, steps right up. Not in a position of attack. And he says, Mugir, do you not see what has become of you?

you lead a band of rebels criminals on my way from everland i left refugees people fled from their homes and for what so we could hang giant's heads from pikes we could take this to battle or we could choose to be better than what we're being I am working with my companions to sort out the problem with the giants. And we could use strong dwarves like you to help us to protect our world from destruction and devastation. But what I see when I look around is not someone that helps, but someone that is causing just different problems. Mogir, let us find peace. what an embarrassing display

I see that you're keen on disagreeing with me and with all my men who are here to protect the countryside from the giant threat at any cost and you riding in here by yourself mincing words I can tell you now we won't be changing our mission

Mr. Ironfist tell you what being that it's war times we settle our differences the dwarven way Bloodsport Single combat You and me

Right now Winner keeps the spoils Loser Bleeds into the dirt Until they're fucking dead And enjoys all the infamy Of a common unmarked grave Deserving of your pitiful steel

Facing now away from Mogier As he speaks Doran finds a large grin forming upon his face and he turns back to Mogher and he says I hoped that you would say something like that you are a dishonorable dwarf and I would like nothing more than to take your head from your body and he unsheathes his axe

and begins to remove his armor Mogier turns to the crowd and yells Bring me the worm! A man and a dwarf drag Nurgrel chaos hammer forth from some dark hut. He's manacled and naked except for some underclothes. His red beard and hair have been cut off. His muscled frame is starved and he's been beaten. His eyes shine with tears of rage and shame.

Nurgril will get to see me kill you, Iron Fist. the way I should have killed him. We do this in the tradition. And he begins to take off his armor as well. Doran's eyes look into the eyes of Nurgyl. An old friend, really. They may not have always seen eye to eye, but facing Mogier, they certainly agree.

The crowd shepherds you and Mogier into the fighting pit. His torso is striped with the silver of old scar tissue, his chest gray furred and broad. The golden breastplate is off to the side, fallen into the dirt and forgotten. And he selects a battle axe from the hands of another soldier and tests its weight, swinging it in long, smooth arcs. He stares deeply into your eyes.

Are you ready? for this, Doran. It's your last moment. Doran stands in the gray cold air. Doran, roll for initiative.

That's going to be an 18. Whoa. Nicely done. Dexterous Don on the toes. Also, Doran, inspiration for this wonderful address of the crowd. Thank you.

Thank you very much. Okay, Doran. it's up to you to make the first move. Mokir's ready for you. He's circling you in this pit. Freezing rain begins to fall on the crowd, on the huts. You can hear the pellets of ice striking the ground and armor as you consider your first move.

Doren is going to use a bonus action, and he's going to feign an attack. I'm going to use my inspiration. Great. 28 to hit. Yeah, you hit. 13 damage. 12 to hit.

No, you miss. Okay, 21. 14 points of damage. Nice. So Doren feigns an attack. He kind of brings his axe up and almost pokes at Mogier's face, but then doesn't, leans back, and turns. turns around and slashes him right across the chest, causing 13 damage.

Mm-hmm. Then spins and misses, but then does a double back and spins back around and hits him in the leg, causing him an additional 14 points of damage. Yeah, really good. Thanks. Mugir wipes blood from his body and then charges you. But then at the last second, he dips down and grabs a handful of dirt and throws it in your face trying to blind you. Make a dexterity saving throw.

That is going to be a 14. No, Doran. Really? Yes, you are blinded for one round as you try to scrub the sand from your face. Then, with that advantage, he presses closer to you with a 24 to hit.

Yeah, that hits. He swings twice powerfully, like you're a tree that he intends to fell. He lodges his blade deeply into your arm. Dealing. 14 points of damage and blood spurts up into the sky as the onlookers erupt into thirsty cheers. Then with an action surge, he attacks again, 21 to hit.

Yeah. Eleven slashing damage with this axe. Red, Kraloth, and Jack. You enter Jalenthar through the smoke of these signal fires, past the piles of these bodies to hear cheering erupt from this fighting pit. You see soldiers on top of the roofs looking down at some spectacle. What do you do? Red is riding up.

He gets off his horse, sort of spins around to the others. Come on, and looks around. With my knowledge of giants, these bodies, these piles, does this look like a dangerous position to be in? In terms of what? Allure? Oh, yeah. This is super dangerous.

Red spins to the other, says, this is a tinderbox. One strike, and giants will be on this place in no time. They'll slaughter everything. Where the hell is Doren? And he spins around towards the sounds of fighting. But I guess that crowd. Doreen, it's your turn.

Doren stands with his arm bloodied now. He slaps the wound. He places his blighted hand across his face. Doren steps forward and attacks Mugier back. Fifteen? Yes. 15 points of damage. Nice.

I'm going to do that feigning attack again. Great. 15 to hit. 17 points of damage. Nicely done. Ah, ha! 28 to hit. 11 points of damage.

Mogier is surprisingly nimble. He's trying to dodge out of the way of your blows, but you get a couple in edgewise between his parries and the clang of metal echoes over the crowd. You swing, fork splitter, cutting the great blade at his rib cage, and you hear a crunch, his bones break. I spin again, seemingly missing him, but able to come back and grab his shoulder with the inside swoop of my axe head, ripping away some of the tendon from his shoulder.

As your axe bites deeply into his flesh, you look out over the crowd and you see your friends. Red, Jack, Kralath, you catch eyes with Doran as you see him locked in this deadly combat. But you don't have time to say anything because Mogier is back up and swinging at you. Come on, Doran. Natural 20. Oh, shit. You are distracted. Ah, Doran catches your eye, Red, from so far away.

Doran, as you catch Red's eye, you miss the axe swinging from the side. He whirls at you, making a heavy overhanded chop, and you try to get Ork Splitter up in time to deflect the blow, but you cannot. The blade sinks deeply into your shoulder. Ah, no! 21 slashing damage. Okay.

Then he attacks you again. That might not hit 12 to hit you? In that moment, my ring, I feel it between my fingers and as I clench my fist. The invisible shield is cast from within, and the axe blade seems to bounce off. And you can see now that what you might lack in experience compared to this older dwarf, you are surely making up for in endurance

because you're younger, you're stronger than him. And using this shield to rebound his axe, you see him starting to tire slightly, that he's not used to sustaining this fury. He attacks you once more. 15. Yeah. Oh, wait, no, you've got plus five on your shield.

No, your shield. Oh, yes, that's right. He tries another angle slightly different and still, this magical shield turns his blow away and he spits on the ground in frustration. It's at this moment where Doran starts to recall that he has friends. He has learned a lot since the last time he was here. And it's in this moment where he's almost channeling the energy of his. companions as he raises his hand to bring up the shield. Kraloth comes to mind and he suddenly realizes that he has the ability to heal himself. So using my second wind as a bonus action, I'm going to

regain one D10 plus my fighter level. Yeah, while you're sheltered behind this magical shield, you catch your breath for a moment. You've chosen the wrong path, Mogier. Doren raises his axe above his head, swinging it in a downward angle. I'm going to use Lucky. Okay. Nice. Nice. Yeah. 20, an unnatural 20.

Yes, you hit. Oh, wow. Yes. Doing 17 damage. Ooh. You sink your axe into the top of the warlord's skull, splitting part of his head down to the neck. He falls to his knees and then onto his face.

And the crowd falls deathly. silent as all eyes watch his legs twitch once and go still. You have defeated Mogier Flame Tender. Yes. Kralov begins to clap. Doren tries to hold his composure as

the body of Mogier falls before him. He steps onto his chest and with a swift pull of his wrist, the axe comes loose of the dwarf's skull. As I said, he turns to the crowd. Mogier chose unwisely

to follow this path of destruction. In the fresh silence of shock, a new sound is uncovered, one that was unheeded until revealed in defeat, the sound of giant footsteps, and the baying of hounds. On the horizon, giant figures rush the town of Jalithar. It would seem that the lure of fires

and the stench of dead cattle were too much for the giants to resist, bringing at least a score, down on your position, out ahead of the giants and gleefully eating the distance between you a dozen hellhounds. This place is a powder kick. Let's move. And Red's going to, I mean, I assume I see Captain Chaos Hammer.

Nurgrel Chaos Hammer is breaking his manacles with heavy blows from a rock. He's looking around in fear as the fighting force in Jalenthar braces for combat, loading catapults and hollering directions. And he yells over at you, Doran. Take the brass plate iron fist Take it and escape Before we are overrun As you watch

Nurgle Chaos Hammer breaks through his chains Looks around him And dashes into the forest I think red slides down And runs over to Doren And there's like an awkward moment Where he's just like look

Like I'm sorry We can talk about this later Kralov kneels down next to this armor That's on the ground Next to the corpse of Mogul And he begins to place it onto Doran. Maybe this is a point where I kind of picture Kraloth strapping this on as Doran is distractingly talking still to the crowd

of dwarves and men. Now's your time to show me what you're worth. No! Now's our chance. No! We have to leave this place. No! We've been in a situation like this before, Doran. Overwhelming odds. We need to stay and fight. No, Doran. We can't stay here. We have to leave. These dwarves need our help. We need to take down these giants. They made their decision long ago, Doran. And we We need to... They're not your responsibility, Doran. We have a different call to action.

One about the ordaining. Do you remember... Doran, if we stay here, we're going to die. Everyone is going to die. And that's when the flashback start going through Doran's mind again. The bridge that gives way and he sees his companions fall. The peak that's smashed and he sees it land upon his soldiers. The boat that goes overturned in the faces he sees as his friends and colleagues drown.

you're right the look on doran's face changes immensely and he turns to the crowd and he starts yelling retreat this is a losing battle go and tell everybody retreat the chef dwarf salutes you dorin something that feels right dorin salutes him back

and he runs off to follow your commands let's head to the woods oh get as many as I can as well and red runs off to like the east of Jalanthar just screaming retreat to the woods and he starts like heading that way to meet you guys as well. The true Nightstone Four retreat into the woods

leading as many survivors as they can out of the ruined city of Jallanthar. Thank you once again to our wonderful Patreon supporters Christopher Ryan Evans Alexander Reed, Merlin, Mitchell Cadwell, Michael and Brianna Weber,

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