Dice Shame - 57 | 'Blood on One's Hands'

Episode Date: November 12, 2020

After vanquishing the enemy, the party comes to a breaking point... 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?!? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

No, you listen to me. Oh, fucking classic red. You know, I try to cultivate a culture of respect and love. Like, who's spoo-name who here? What's going on? That's not going to be awkward at all tonight. You're so adorable. What's your name?

I don't want to think about her. Neither do I. We're a bit of an adventuring party. Treasure? I don't, I'm not like a side quest type dude. I'm just like someone who you can hang out with for a minute if you need a break from like the sadness of this campaign. Welcome back to Dishame. This is episode 57, Blood on One's Hands.

MVP this week is PJ Caristee, who just supported us on Patreon and has been a huge fan of the show. Thanks a lot, dude. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts to everyone who joined us during our 24-hour live stream for Extra Life. Together, we obliterated our initial goal and raised a grand total of four, $1,240 for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals. Extra big thank you to our top donor, Jonathan Nisdor, who blew us all away with his generosity. We're still planning our final stretch reward, but stay tuned because, as we promised, Harlan's going to be eating a Reaper chip for your enjoyment.

Oh, boy. All right, should we get down to business? Let's do it. I wanted to ask you guys a question about your characters So I mean, it's tricky Because I talk to you guys all individually as your characters But not so much about like as your people You mean like as you're talking to us

We answer as our characters Yeah, so I'm like, hey, well no Before bed you're like, good night darling And I'm like, good night, darling Have I gotten sleep? Harlan, you've got to stop doing this. I think our audience is very familiar with Doran, but they don't know Alex very well.

That's true. You know what I mean? Yeah, well, it's because when you phone, I'm like, hello? Oh, did you want to speak with Doran or Alex? Oh, let me go get him. Right. Hello.

We have all officially given ourselves multiple personality disorders, so that we're in the function. That's right. Well, I wanted to ask some questions about your characters. Mm-hmm. All right. And I wanted to know if your characters have

tattoos. Because I feel like getting inked in the forgotten realms is pretty common thing. So I wanted to know if any of you guys are sporting any ink. And if so, where and what is it up? I could totally see Doran having some cool, like, big, thick line tattoos underneath his beard. I could totally see Jack having something like real small and delicate in a place that no one sees. I don't know.

It's something that he and Torin could have done together. So, yeah, I mean, I had two. There's probably in Jack's future a, like, tattoo that is in some way magical. In, like, it references something arcane or something about the school of magic he practices or something that's, like, for him in that way. But I don't think he has that one yet. And I think maybe he and Torrin have talked about a tattoo together as a thing to be like, hey, I know we're apart, but this could be a thing that's about us.

What did I say? I totally say that. But I don't think that's happened yet either. I think Jack's got commitment issues when it comes to tattoos. I think Kralov has something that he got with his buddy. from the order, right? That too. A death from above type, you know.

It's like a fellowship of the rings. Broken skull. Yeah, yeah, yeah, exactly. Something almost like branded, almost something we were sitting around the fire. Brandon? I think it's kind of branding. It just says Brandon. Brandon.

Brandon. This is for Brandon, and Brandon's got one of me on the same cheek. It's just everybody had a Brandon in the order. We all had a brand, all different brand. But seriously, is it a brandon? brand or is it a tattoo? I think it's a brand. I think we were sitting around a fire and we wanted a way to connect us. Yeah, something, some sort of bonding where we wanted to give ourselves tattoos, but we didn't have the means to do it. And we, you know, stuck some sort of insignia into the

fire. Maybe it was the pommel of someone's sword or something. Or like a holy symbol of Kelimbor, so it's the scales. It was the dog tag of our fallen captain. Oh, fuck. Ah, cool. I have branded. And that's the guy who's been following us around, me around. Brandon.

Gosh, Brandon. And Doran, you said you don't have any tattoos. No. No, I don't have tattoos. But I do have a brand which is kind of funny

that you sell. Wow. Yeah, I'm branded, yeah. Branded by myself, you know. That's just called an accident. Yeah, just hurting yourself all the forage doesn't count. Ouch.

Oh, he really tries to sell it, though. I'm a blacksmith. And this was like totally deliberate. You know, I, I heated the brain. brand myself and I pressed myself against the brand and I gave myself the medical attention that was necessary afterwards. What is the brand of?

The brand is the, the, the goblin wipes? The iron fist? No, it is the iron fist. Exactly. Oh, nice. The iron fist insignia. I think it's pretty easy to say that red does not have any tattoos of any kind. However, he does have body modifications.

You got fur all over. So I have severed ears, as it's been mentioned many times. My ears have been cut for speed. As well as my tail has been removed. So I have no ears and no tail. For speed and balance. Well, no, the tail wouldn't add balance. Lack of balance.

That's why Red's kind of dopey sometimes. Sometimes. Actually, I think it helped him, really, in the long run. I mean, for years. I mean, he had this done when he was young. You say had it done? Yeah. Man, I'm curious for this story to come out.

Literally, no one in 50 episodes has ever been like, hey, actually, that's not true. I think Jack has probably mentioned it like offhand. And you brushed him off because you guys weren't close enough yet. Yeah, exactly. Because I have to keep people at his distance or else my body parts get removed.

The tabasies aren't all that common. I think it's fair to say that Krayloff maybe, you know, red is the first tabaxy that Kralov has met. But now that B is here and she has a tail, it's kind of like, and ears. That's actually very true. Right, and ears.

Yeah. So getting right back into it. Red and Doren, you're outside the keep. It's getting super dark out and you're burying the body of Amroth, Molnabar. Meanwhile, Kralath and Jack, you're inside the keep, and you're searching high and low for any sign of more undead.

As you move throughout this place, it's pitch black. The windows bricked over long ago. There's a few old pieces of furniture here. Kralov illuminates with his lantern as he moves through the keep. They're broken or draped in yellow linen like ghosts. And Kralov, with a wave of his hand, casts detect magic, and begins walking towards the chest. Yeah, as I mentioned, you do see a chest here, and you cast detect magic. Jack's stuff glows, your stuff glows, apart from that, you detect no magic.

It's ornately carved and lacquered, banded with metal, enclosed with a heavy padlock. And I reach out and I heft the padlock. You got any way of opening this, Jack? Back outside, Red and Doran. As you tend to the body and prepare the burial site, you're, realize that he's wearing a key, a silver key on a chain around his neck. I hand it to Doran say, they might want this inside. Yeah, you shovel the last spade full of earth down on top of the body.

Well, your friends are still in the keep. Doran kind of looks down at the body and now that this body's laid to rest, perhaps we should just go and see what's going on in the keep. Yeah, let's head inside to sort of join the other. too. Yeah, as you come back up on the keep maybe and you see in through the broken oak doors, maybe Kraloth's lantern light is coming down from the left side of the keep. He's descending this spiral staircase after having cleared the top floor of the keep, finding nothing but old mildewed hunting trophies from a hundred years ago and the remnants of people who used to make this

place lively. Doran sees the light coming down the stairs and he looks at red and he says You know, his light's on. I suppose it can't all be bad. No, I suppose not. Maybe this key will be used to them. Why don't you give it to him? Yeah. And I walk up to Kralath. Kralath, it's... Doran. It's here. I hold up the key, holding onto the chain that it's on.

This was on the body of that, uh, that dwarf. Oh. And it's probably something for inside this building. Okay. You might find it most useful. Wonderful. What did you do with the body? Oh, we buried it.

Oh. You know, you can't miss it. There's a fresh grave behind the keep here. Okay. Well, I think I know where this goes. It doesn't look like there's anything else in this place. I think all the undead here were just the lords themselves. and as far as I'm concerned that dwarf as well was

I don't want to think about it neither do I thank you for the key let's go shoot Doran that chest yeah we found a chest back here Doran maybe you want to come and take a look with us the word chest is a welcome distraction to all the

treasure negative energy that fills the room key slides in the padlock snugly, and as you open the chest, you find some treasure. Oh. Yeah. You actually hear orc splitter go, as you pull out a pouch made of stitched ork skin, inside which there's 600 gold pieces. Oh.

And there are also six loose gemstones, each worth 50 gold pieces. Doran picks up the pouch of ork skin, smells it and feels it between his fingers and he says, you know, there's something that's special about orcskin. He's very thick and it's incredibly durable. Do you mind if I keep this and I empty the actual orcskin? I emptied the gold into the pouch of, uh, uh, this goes back centuries. And although we might be, you know, on speaking terms of some orcs and some half orcs, you know, this is ingrained in my soul.

Yeah, yeah. That's fine by me, Doran. Jack Scowls a little bit at Doren's enthusiasm for an ork skin pouch, but it doesn't say anything. Okay. Do you guys want to do anything else here at the Keep or head back to the lodge? Yeah. Yeah, Jack's had a powerful need to write a letter to Torin and is eager to go find some time. I think Red is waiting outside.

He hasn't really entered back in. And as everyone files past, he sort of calls to Kralath. Kralath. Red. Let's talk. All right. And I'm assuming Dorn and Jack just continue back or... Yeah.

So Dorn and Jack head back to the hunting lodge. Kralath and Red, you guys want to have a chit-chat? Yeah. Red calls to Kralath and then sort of steps out in front of the door. I picture Kralath sort of walking down the bridge as if leaving and then Red, like, call into him. Hmm. And then he steps out and the two of us are sort of on either side of this bridge, you know? The metaphorical space between us.

Yeah, and Crayloth, he deflates a little bit, as he sees Red standing across the bridge, and he drops his sack, which clatters to the ground, and then he puts his shield and his mace down on the ground, and then he sits on top of it, and he wipes some sweat from his brow. Well, you want to lead us off here? Oran told me tonight that a demon appeared to him. by the name of Shaxil, this demon asked him to steal from us, asked him to take things that were important. Only Orrin said no. He said he couldn't. And I believed him.

And yet, Red says, as he takes like a half step towards Kirillah. And yet, Doran has lost his ring. and B has lost her necklace Kralath Do you know where these things might be? I can honestly say that I don't but

I can tell you where I left them Why? Red says as his eyes again turned to slits Kralov looks up at the sky I don't know if you'd understand Red Try me Did Oren say what the Demon offered him?

A home A family Something that I never thought you would need Oh A home and a family Oh No, I got both of those Family and you guys

Home and my Lord No, no The demon offered me Something very different Something that I've known for a long time That I don't possess What is that? You know the thing

About you that drew me to you in the first place You know what that was? No, what? It's your essence I know it sounds almost vampiric to say that, but you've got this life energy that just exudes from your pores, the enthusiasm and the zest for life, that feeling of, that glow that just lights up a room. you are alive you are rich in spirit you have a soul and so do you

and Kralath grows very serious that's not true I lost my soul in Borovia What do you mean that's that can be true You wouldn't be walking around You wouldn't be here with us Kralath what are you talking about No, it's true. You know how I was asked to decide with the Hemp-orat woman what to do?

Yes. Well, I chose to kill her. Now, you know what that made me feel? I can't even imagine. It must have been... I don't feel anything at all. Red's demeanor sort of melts slightly. It's gone from this cold, angry, frustrated to this compassion. He looks over his shoulder at the blood leaking from beneath the door and then back to Kralath. a new understanding in his eyes.

And he takes a half step towards Krayalov again, but this time not one of anger and one of empathy. Kralov, I don't know what this demon told you or what it promised you, but if you are missing your soul, we will do everything to make you whole again. You don't need any sort of pacts. You don't need any sort of help other than the help that we can give you as your party, as your friends, as your family.

I'd like to believe you, Red. I really would. Believe me. Believe me the same way that you believed in my spirit or essence or whatever you want to call it. And he takes another step towards you. And whatever I exude to make you feel partially whole again, believe that side of me. Kralath. And he puts his hand on your shoulder now standing next to you.

Listen to me, Kralov. I am and have always been your friend. No, you listen to me, Red. Those undead that I've vanquished with Jack today, I am no different than they are. I'm one of them. Do you know how twisted that is? That's not true. This is not a binary and or if this is something that you choose.

This idea that you are undead is something that you are putting upon yourself because of the way you feel, but is not how I see you. It is not how we see you. I need to atone to Kelimvor. I need to do everything within my power to, to, to, for Kellenvore to forgive me for what I am and who I am and how I am. You've believed in me many times in my life, sometimes when I needed it. And I need you to believe in me for both of us sakes. I need you to believe in friendship. I need you to believe in love, the love that you and I share, Kralath.

I have not asked much of you, but I'm asking this now. For me, believe in this. And Kralath has been looking at the ground, kind of despondent this whole time, and he raises his head quickly to rebuke everything that Red has been saying, and he starts, and he looks at Red, and his detect magic is still going. When he looks up, he sees Red and his eyes,

and the silhouette, and he sees Red glowing slightly. as if the spell is working on him. And he shakes his head and the effect is gone. And, uh, uh, well, I'm sorry, Red. I, uh, don't know really what to say right now, but I think I want to say sorry. You don't need to say anything. Just know that together we're going to get through this. And in your kneeling position, I crouch down next to you, and I wrap my arms

around you, and I give you a hug. Kralath takes it and hesitantly wraps his arms around his good friend, Red. And very quietly, he says, I think, I think I want to cry, Red. Let it out, big guy. Good job, guys. Cool, good job. Great scene, buddy. Very good. Wow. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. That felt much better to me. And Kralath stands back up after... Having a good cry together.

Oh, and Red is bawling, too, obviously. The night is still young. What do you say? We go back to the inn and get ourselves a drink. That sounds refreshing to me. What? I've already made up our bed. Dorn, you're not even in this scene.

Ha-ha! I saw that. We could just crash. It was very well put together. That's not going to be awkward at all tonight. We could just crash after a few brews. In fact, it might be very healing, you know. Oh, I love the healing.

Put your butt on my chest, and I want to put my chest on your butt. All together. Okay. There you go. It's the fourth of Uctur, the month also known as The Rodding. My favorite month. The rotting. The most metal month of them all.

And, yeah, are you all set to go? You know where the trailhead is? Yeah, I think I'm just getting true Stephen all wrapped up for the cold weather. Putting on his horse sweater. Well, hold on. We all wake up in one big bed. Like, who's spooning who here?

What's going on? Yes, let's talk about this for a minute. So the windows just open a crack, which is allowing just the most lovely autumn breeze to come in through the window, and it settles on your bodies all twisted up in blankets. I'm definitely full baby-spooning Doren, like how you sleep with a baby where you're like,

who's who, though? You're the little spoon. Okay. double-checking. Yeah. You knew it. I think Oren is, like, wrapped up around B, like, using her big fluffy tail as, like, a body pillow. Yeah, yeah.

I'm picturing the tabaxi's, like, sleeping on the pillows. Yeah. Or, like, B's at the foot of the bed almost type of? Yeah. Yes. Yeah. Very cute. Good morning, everyone.

Shall we hit the road? Yeah. Need some time to prepare those spells and get some coffee, but yeah. Oh, yeah. Coffee would be. Great. I feel much better. Let's, uh, let's hit the road, guys.

Let's, you know, do some traveling. And, uh, when we stop for camp tonight, there's something that I want to share with you all. And I look to Red and then I get myself up and walk downstairs. And I sort of nod like, you know, knowingly but kindly and empathetically and lovingly. And Red's feeling happy this morning. Very different than you've known him the last, you know, a few days, from having a cold to being sort of miserable and angry. and now he's feeling very different. Except still a bit standoffish towards Jack,

but that's pretty normal. I mean, Jack, as soon as Kuala's like, we've got something to talk about, you know, Jack is like on edge all the rest of the day, everything else. He's just in that moment of like, oh, no, oh, Red's told him and I'm going to get kicked out and everybody, like, he's just lost in that, like,

oh, ho. Yeah, that's true. Yeah. And then I head out to the stables and gear up True Stephen. I see Red gearing up True Stephen, and I walk up to him and say, I found this on one of the hunter lords, and obviously I've got no use for it, but I think you could do some serious art with this tool, so to speak. Thank you, buddy. This is gorgeous. This is the bow, I'm assuming. What does it look like?

This bow is a smooth ebony. Ebony. So it's very dark, dark brown. It's been polished through youth and teeth. time. It gleams dully in the morning light. And it has carved insignia of a rearing horse up near the handle of the bow. And a red just looks it over and he's like, I think I'm going to name this bow Astha. Oh, that's so good. Are you going to attune to it on your way? Oh, fuck. Absolutely. You're going to like this bow, Harlem. So excited. I'm glad you like it, buddy. Thanks, buddy.

Even, you know, naming it Asta, there's like a bit of a sting between them, but he's not worried anymore and he understands. Yeah. And I put to Dreammaker, the bow that was rivers on my back for the time being. You know, it's sort of conflicted, but for the most part, happy to see this new one, and I'm going to tune to it. The edges of the high forest are wreathed and mist. You walk a trail leading southeast out of Noanar's hold toward the woods. The trail carves through tall grasses and shelters a flood. of small birds that take flight as your party passes on horseback.

Before long, you're in and amongst the trees, and sunlight filters through the branches to illuminate the fallen leaves and ferns underfoot. The high forest seems enchanted by stillness. It's hard to see more than 100 feet in any direction, because the trees grow fairly close together, and despite the late season, their branches still hold shocks of colorful leaves. It's very beautiful. Soft green moss grows up and over rocky outcroppings. and thick tree trunks are ringed with giant white mushrooms.

You travel east, following a winding river that you've been told when's its way through the forest, starting its journey from mineral springs somewhere on the lost peaks and eventually downstream becoming the desert and river. Red, the bow that you hold was once called the Lord's Bow, now called Astha. This is a legendary, magical long bow. Oh, wow.

So this is a plus one long bow, which means you get a plus one bonus to attack and damage rolls. However, when you make attack and damage rolls against a humanoid, you gain a plus two instead. This bow has, this gets better. This bow has three charges and regains expended charges daily at dawn. On your turn, you can use a bonus action to expend one charge to cast fairy fire against a creature within the spells range. That's pretty good. So that's 60 feet, only not your regular 600 feet. eat.

The creature can make a dexterity saving throw against the spell save DC on a fail. The creature is outlined in fairy fire as per the text of the spell. So this is a bow made for hunting humans. Wow. Oh, well, that makes invisible creatures? Yeah, it says in the spell that it makes invisible creatures visible. Oh, fuck, and that's so cool. And anyone who's attacking against a creature who is outlined in fairy fire has advantage.

So say there's like a creature that Doran is fighting, you can use a bonus action to outline it and Fairy Fire Fire, and then Doran and you and anyone else attacking would get advantage. That is extremely hot. That is so good. Let alone bonus action to give you advantage in all your attack. Holy shit. Wow. Thank you. We should go back to the inn and use it on the Invisible Servants.

Yeah, yeah. So you guys are traveling through this beautiful forest and red you wrap your hands around this bow. You spend some time attuning to it. I think there's a moment where I fall. back next to B, and I say, B, you giving me dream maker was so meaningful and important. I understand how important it is for you to make your own bow in your own way. However, River was my best friend and someone that I didn't think I could ever live without. I want you to have her bow back.

And I give her dream maker back as much as it pains me, I've always felt, weird using Dreammaker. There's always been a bit of a disconnect. It's definitely Rivers Bow, and I love using it, but it feels like I'm playing someone else's part, a part that now belongs to B. Yeah, B takes her mother's bow in her hands, takes it from you, and just looks down at it, and sort of runs a paw over the carving of these painted fish, which just nods. Thanks, Dad.

You've ended. So I pictured as kind of riding through the woods and... Yeah, you're following this river. Doran's kind of pulling up the rear on his pony. Nay. And because we're in the forest, the wind is less harsh. And there's a bit of a calmness in here, eh? So maybe we are a bit more jolly.

It's definitely a more relaxing time than you've had recently. I mean, Jack's on edge. He's not at all taking the, we need to talk to this evening in any kind of relaxing way. He's looking through the forest being like, oh, oh, everybody's going to know, and I'm a hypocrite. Kralath is kind of riding beside Jack, and he pulls back a bit so he's in step with him. He says, you know, I think I saw one or two people taking the bricks down from their windows this morning. Well, that's amazing.

I hope they have brighter days ahead of them. Yeah, yeah, me too. That must have been really hard. Who could live in a town like that, you know? I guess sometimes you don't realize it can be another way until somebody rides in and shows you it can be different. Truer words have never been spoken, Jack, and Krayloff pulls up ahead. The river you've been following has grown deep and wide. Its waters are clear and you can see big fish sheltering from the sun under lily pads.

You come to a bend in the river where it begins to head in a southerly direction and with you on its southern shore. There's a huge willow tree here and it hangs its long branches down into the water. on the shore of the river you see a sturdy looking raft that bobs in the water tied off to a short dock and you notice there's a little hut built up against the trunk of the big willow tree

it's about five foot cube in its dimensions so jack and red certainly you'd both know that you were told to go to shadow top cathedral which is probably on the sides of the lost peaks somewhere which would mean that you need to go north from here. We've got to get across.

Right. Yeah, I think we sort of get off our horses and head over. Hello? Is anybody there? I kind of make noise as I shuffle through the leaves, trying to make enough noise so that we're not startling anybody inside the hut. Yeah, this hut, it looks like maybe it was built of scavenged sticks and twigs that's like mudded together with clay.

And it's got little windows in the sides made of some kind of yellow glass. And as you approach, you see the pathway that leads to the door of this hut is lined with some stone sculptures, like precariously stacked pebbles and stones. Oh, amazing. I'm hoping it's like some sort of beaver person or something. Beaver person. The door opens and you see a little face poke out. Hello?

Oh, hello. Hi. Hello. He's got wrinkly, gray, brown skin, mossy green hair. And he, like, looks up at you. He's maybe two and a half feet tall. He's like, oh, oh, and he comes out and closes the door behind him. He's wearing this, like, patchwork smock.

He's a little forest gnome. Hmm. You're so adorable. What's your name? Oh, I'm Elmort, Bottle River. This is my here stretch of land. Oh, and what's your name? Elmort, my name's Red.

This is my best friend, Krayoth, and my best friend Doran and my... best friend Jack. Well, and who are these two over here? Oh, and that's Orrin, our Bard, and B, uh, Red's little daughter. Orin is, uh, is really great with the loot. Mm-hmm. Oh, thank you, Master Kralov. What's your name? He just told you. Oh. I'm happy to say it again. It's Elmort Bottle River. Oh, of course. You should just say that. I'm very excited about this whole situation. Elmore, we're trying to get to Shadow Top Cathedral. I don't know if You could point us in the right direction. I think it's north somewhere from here.

His eyes get big and wide. Oh, yes. Well, it is. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, you're going to have to cross the river. Well, that's, I mean, that's why I got the ferry here. So you're welcome to use it.

Amazing. Sure. How much do you charge for your services? Oh, I don't. I don't charge a thing. Well, this guy's the best. Do you want to come on an adventure? No, oh, no, no, no.

This is my home. The raft is like, his size it's like two by two well you're gonna have to make a couple of trips across because it's like it's like a one or two horse affair type thing so you don't leave b with red but then you've got and then the chicken yeah it's like getting the fox across yeah you don't want to put kreel off with the food where's the scones because he's like no no i don't charge a thing i just you know he sort of sits down on the path beside his sculptures and he starts idly stacking more stones as he's talking to you.

I had a dream a long time ago that I would be able to make friends if I had, like, a cool boat. So I found a part of the river that sometimes I get company. And so, uh, it's really nice to say, to say hello, and that today's a day that I get to meet my new friends.

Yeah. Oh. I mean, we know you don't charge anything, but we could definitely stay for a cup of tea, if you'd like. I'm like looking to the others, like, come on, guys, right? Absolutely.

I'm definitely in no hurry. I'd love to sit down for a spot of tea. It's lunchtime, so we might as... Mm-hmm. You know, be friendly with you for an afternoon. He opens the door to his hut for you, Doran. And you can see inside. It's like gnome-sized, but you can definitely, if you crouch, you could get in.

And Orrin would be able to get in as well. But the larger folk are going to be out of luck. He opens the door and he shows you... The dwelling extends beyond the hut into the... tree. You can see long ago this willow tree had been trained to grow around the rooms in his home and that there's some like nicely made furniture in there. And, uh, his main room, the entryway is lit with, um, terrariums that he's, he's caught like lightning bugs in there. And so it's like the shifting yellow light and he's like, these are my other friends. Huh? I mean, I can definitely

put a kettle on, but I don't know if I can feed all of you. No, we just want to pay you in some way and you seem like you could use a chat and unless there's anything we could do around here to help you. You need any work done or any monsters killed? We're a bit of an adventuring party. He looks

a little bit warily at Doran's axe and he's like, promise me you'll be nice to the trees around here, okay? That's as much as I work as I need done from any of you. Just that you'll, you know, I try to cultivate a culture of respect and love. Well, trust me, you have no need to worry about this axe in your trees.

Isn't that right, Ork Splitter? Tell me, tell me, what's your favorite type of thing to kill? There you go. Yeah, they're real friendly, this little axe here. And like they said, the only thing that we like to chop are orcs and other fiendish creatures that are causing havoc. Oh, shugs, that sounds great. Speaking of havoc, have you had any run-ins with any? giants around here. No.

No, can't say it's, I mean, apart from the giant woodland creatures. Of course. And you have no idea how exactly we would get to shadow top of cathedral other than just passing this river, no? He sort of scratches behind his ears with like a knobbly little finger.

He's like, I haven't really ever been, but I've heard it's very beautiful and that it kind of shifts around sometimes. The trees like to move, you see. That's all right. Yeah, we met one of those named Lifferless. He was a tree from Shadowtop

who'd wandered all the way to Goldenfield. You've met an awakened tree. He was my best friend. I knew you guys were going to be cool. Can I have something from your house? Something to remember you by? Oh, fucking classic red. I know, but I haven't collected a weird trink in a long time.

It's true. You know, I want to get some more fun stuff. Yeah, you want more things. Is there anything you'd be willing to give us, something fun that we could remember you by? He pulls the top stone off of one of his sculptures, and he gives it to you. Thank you. It's like a smooth river pebble. Doran goes rifling through his backpack and he's like,

you know what, here. I'm going to give you something a little bit more fun. And he pulls out the scary mask and robe. Whoa. The cultist? Oh, no. You're going to come back through here and he's going to start a brand new religion. Boogie, boogie.

And I say, here's something that you can have a little bit of fun with. Either make a friend or, you know, scare somebody. It comes by. keep animals away, whatever you're like. Here, here you go. Like the mask is the side of his torso. Yeah, he tries it on, pulls it in front of his face. Raw.

Like, sticks his tongue through the eyehole. Well, we don't want to take up too much of your time. We just, if you have anything you need to do, we'll happily do before crossing the river. I don't, I'm not like a side quest type dude. I'm just like someone who you can hang out with for a minute if you need a break from like the sadness of this campaign. Agreed. Sometimes you just want to meet a, a. a new friendly face

who just has no duplicity in him at all. Yeah, man. I got nothing that I need doing and I... Harlan, you're sure you don't want to roll insight on this character's done?

He's going to backstab you. Natural one! You don't know anything and you pee a little bit. We appreciate your time. We better cross the road. He helps you guys up onto the platform

on the riverbank and you you guys shuttle across. No problem. Get the horses on over. And then he waves to you from the other side of the riverbank. Well, if you feel like coming back over here, anytime, just shout my name into the wind. El Mort Bon River. Goodbye, Elmort. Bye, Elmort. Take care. Take care, Elmort. Oh, God, that was a great guy. A nice little fellow. I already liked him. And you continue your travels. Thank Kellanvor. Things are back on track. Things are getting pretty dark there for a moment. Thank you as always to Mitchell Cadwell, Megan Shepherdsson, Christopher Ryan Evans and Merlin. See you soon.

Thank you. Thank you.