Dice Shame - 68 | 'Out of Courtesy'

Episode Date: January 28, 2021

A party arrives in Everlund and seeks out the Wizard for help... 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.

Let's have the Doran experience of Everland. Ding, ding to you, friend! I have a hunch that there is a great scaly beast lurking in the shadows. Doren, pours an uncomfortably large glass. Oh, the geese are good today. Five stars except for those damn geese. I'm trying this adventuring lifestyle, and I've got cotton up in some really big things. You pass eight geese vendors on your way and four more.

You don't want his geese? You want my geese! Welcome back to Dice Shame, episode 68, out of courtesy. NDP this week is Eikio for tweeting effusive praise for Dice Shame on Twitter. Thanks so much. Thank you kindly. Looking for more adventure, Dice Tower Theater is an audio drama with a narrator, an actual play where you never hear Dice fall, an audiobook with a full cast, And it's worthy of your attention.

Check out our friends at dicetowertheter.com and be swept away. So awesome. All right. Should we do this? Yeah, let's do it. The afternoon is wearing on and Therah Schindel appears in the open wall of this destroyed farmhouse and watches you, Redd and Kralath, chat and clean up the place a little bit before she clears her throat.

It's getting late. Did you want to move on tonight, or should we stay here? Ah, no, let's probably go, right, Kralath? Yeah, we just had a couple things to take care of, just happening in the back. No, of course. Looks like the people who are here have left. Take your time. This isn't really my thing, but do whatever you need to do.

Is everyone all right back there, being or an okay? They've been telling each other riddles. Oh, any good ones? I can't remember any. Here's one. Why is a raven like a writing desk? Come on. And Kralov is ushering red out the door as he's telling these rules.

I know he's not little, but I picture you ticking him down off the table. You're a little guy. Come on. So, as you travel north, the land to the left and right of the road is full of tree stumps. Thera explains, Wood merchants of Everland have seen to it that this stretch of, of land leading to the city is least beautiful of all the north. A poor doorstep, in my opinion.

I don't think that's fair. This place looks beautiful. It's like a rotting horse right off the road. Its head like contoured it in a terrible way. It's better than Barovia. Yeah. What's Barovia? Oh.

Well, you've never had a Barovian cream-filled donut? Good one, Doran. It's just rotten flesh inside a pastry. It's, um, the place I learned my, my, had my cleric training, um, far, far, this land. Fascinating. Don't need to get into it, though, but it's, it's definitely, it's a dream place. It's a special place he talks about when he's feeling blue. This here.

Yeah, you're looking out over this kind of blasted looking land where the high forest to, I guess, the east and another woodland to the west would have encroached up. up on the road, you just see, as far as you can see, there's just tree stumps. Yeah, I mean, on second thought, maybe it's about on par with Barovia. I feel like it's almost like a planet, like the moon, you know, where it's just like vast and spacious and not craterous, but how it's just like devoid of life. Like modern. Sunny here, though, isn't it?

But obviously with like frozen greenery. The elephant graveyard. Yeah. I don't know. For some reason I'm picturing like, and everything's super. sort of hard frozen ground, you know. It's coming up on evening when you spot the walled city of Everland. It clutches the Rauvin River like a gemstone on a ring.

Everland looks busy and safe. Its walls patrolled by soldiers and it's five gates leaking merchants and travelers in all directions. It's been a while since we've come across a town like this. I guess this is like on par with Goldenfields, right? It's bigger than Goldenfields. It's smaller than water deep, but, you know, It's definitely a city center. This is a big place.

I'm looking forward to a soft bed and a good bath and maybe a hot meal. Jack, I would like to establish your history with the place. This is very near to your mother's hometown, so I'm sure you've been here before, right? Yeah, Everland's never been a place Jack's come to with any kind of fondness. There's maybe a little bit of, I think there's unintentionally a little bit of that, like, wizardy bias of like, oh, yeah, okay, there's, there's, he's stuck in that Juan's mindset of, well, you're not from water deep, so are you even really a wizard if you're from Moon Gleam Tower? Like, there's, there's that, like, unconscious bias at place. And it's not Silver Moon. I mean, Silver Moon is beautiful. In this place, look at the place around here. Clearly, you know, he's buying everything that Thar is saying about the, you know, the wood merchants ruining the approach to it, you know. So I think he, it's, it's kind of like that. you know, Hicktown everybody shits on in his mind a little bit. So I think Jack's more likely to be like, oh, I had an awful bowl of soup from that place 20 years ago. And like he doesn't have anything nice to say about it, but has like a negative

memory about like a couple of weird businesses here and there. That's fair. You're a bundle. You are given no trouble, no hassle as you enter the southern gates of Everland. The buildings are tall multiple storied affairs with steeply pitched roofs dusted with snow. They sport colorful banners and penance that snap in the wind. Directly to your left as you enter the main gates, a square stone temple bearing the armored visage of the god helm

stands watch over the city gate. Ahead of you, a wide bridge traverses the Ravin River and leads to a huge marketplace that you can just see from where you stand. There are people everywhere here. Horses drawing carts heavily laden with bolts of cloth, A group of men and women dressed in green and smoking from a hookah on a wicker table outside a small tavern. Two dragon-born leading a group of a dozen children across the street. Someone in a suit of heavy armor rests on the steps of the temple to helm.

And the bridge crossing the river is heavily trafficked by merchants and travelers alike, carrying cages of geese, luggage, a basket of apples. What are those two dragon-born doing with those children? Hey, stop! Yeah. Take the words right out of my mouth. Eat them. In my mind, it's either like, come on children or like, come on, kids.

The kids are in shame. That's how my mind did it. Back to the minds. Wow, this place is beautiful. Look at this. Look at that. Look at this. Guys, we haven't been in a city in so long.

I'm so excited. That's a beautiful looking temple. I'd like to check that place out. Wow. Wow. Look at how tall the walls are. This is a great safe place. I mean, you know, water deep walls.

No, definitely. Jack, there are no water deep walls. That's for certain. You guys haven't seen Silvery Moon. It's so much prettier. Jack, do you not like this place? Eh, it's fine. Hey, look, I promise you,

we're going to make some new memories here, and you're going to be thinking about this place the best you ever did, bud. Let's get you a drink. Where's the tavern? Oh, Jack, your horse just stepped in shit. Oh, fuck. Oh, sorry about that.

Also, I think that homeless person and just spit in your mouth. Sorry about that, Jack. Let's get you a drink. Where's the tavern? And I sort of spin around. It's always in the center of town. I walk towards what I know will be a tavern.

I'm going to roll for taverns, can I do my primeval awareness for beer? I feel like Kralath has to have Stens' kitchen. Red, you eagerly scamper towards this bridge and a boat drifts by on the river, ringing its bell as it passes underneath you. Ding, ding to you, friend. From the bridge, you can see the river

bisecting the city is slow moving, lined by docks on either side. To the west downstream, a tall manor house built on the northern riverbank at the edge of a park echoes with music and laughter. Every window alight with lanterns and candles. So, Red, you're like excited hanging out on the bridge. Yeah, and I like turn around, I'm waving. Like, come on, guys! I'd say Doran skips up like a child and he looks over the edge of the bridge. He can't quite reach over the top of the edge. So he kind of sticks his head between, like, the railing and the lower railing.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. He looks over and he sees into the water. And Doran here is this wonderful music coming from around the bend of the street. But he sees the house lit up and people dancing. Hey, hey, there's a party over there. Maybe we should go and acquaint ourselves with the locals. Hell's yeah, buddy! And I, like, try to take your hand as we run and you, like, pull your hand away.

And I try to take your hand again. and you pull your hand and you stop trying to grab my hand and I'm like, grab your hand again as we skip and run. I'm not a child just because I'm smaller than you, right? What are Jagging Kralath up to? I think I'm trying to point out like,

well, I think that's the Hall of Elders that we heard about and that must make that one over there, Moon gleam tower maybe. Are you crossing the bridge as well? Yeah, but just sort of like riding through town and pointing out it stuff. Definitely. Yeah. Flinching and all the pleasant bells

on the river boats and and Krayloff is definitely like nodding along, but he's riding just a little bit faster. And he's just like, uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh. Say, do you think that that's, uh, you think that's prime rib they got on the stove there? Is that what I'm smelling? Hmm. The very center of the city, Bell Market is starting to shut down for the night.

So as you cross this bridge, you enter into the thick of it. Everywhere shopkeepers are stacking baskets, rolling up awnings and chatting to each other about the day's sales, gossiping. The market's thick with the smell of. of commerce, livestock, baking, spices, lumber, fish, tobacco, coal. Alleyways wind out in every direction and several wider roads spread out from the market like the spokes of a wheel. I'm really stuck on the visual image of somebody with a cage full of geese wandering around. I don't know why that's the one that stuck out to me out of all the... Geese for sale! Geese! So yeah, Rob, I mean,

so yeah, Jack, you point out this walled heap that stands directly on the northeast side of the square as the hall of elders. And then you sort of show Kralov as his attention wanes that standing out prominently from the rest of the buildings, there's this black stone tower topped with a crescent moon. You know that to be moon gleam tower. Yeah. Yeah. Let's go see where these folks ended up. Maybe they're, maybe Krayalath is on to something here with a meal. Yorkshire puddings! Gravy! Yorkshire puddings! That's what it's smelling whole gravy. Geese. Get your geese

here. I'll take two. You pass eight geese vendors on your way and four more. You don't want his geese. You want my geese. My geese are much more. We walk in the bars filled with geese. It's geese day. Geese Square. There's an entire

Hey, welcome to geese fest. Get the free goose with your goose. Buy two geese. Get one goose free. Would you like a goose drink or maybe a goose witch? Your fucking bartender. There's a goose just staying on top of the bar guarding this beer. Goose eggs here. Get your goose eggs.

I think Doran and Red are the first ones to make it into the bar. And we sort of burst in, eagerly looking for a drink. Yeah, this is a fucking awesome tavern. It used to be a Noble's mansion, but now it's like one of the nicest inns you've ever seen. So outside of this mansion, there are these lovely lawns that lead up to it, an evergreen topiaries have been shorn to resemble woodland creatures and as you approach you can hear multiple strains of music it's clear that they have musicians sort of scattered throughout this mansion and like a crew of waiters is just standing around outside waiting to receive guests as you guys roll up and

I feel like red and Doran get to the house before everybody else and we're like greeted by these waiters and we're like mud covered and dirty and like there's blood on my armor and stuff and we're like Yes, we'd like to get in, please? Yeah, I mean, the place looks ostentatious, but the waiters aren't, like, picky about the clientele. They kind of bow you into the place. Oh, cool. And there's this entry hall that's, like, you know, opulent, high-ceilinged, rich curtains.

Wow. And they ask you, will you be staying tonight or just eating? We're meeting friends. We're meeting friends, and we're going to stay and we're going to eat and stuff. And do you have something called a gaelet or a gillet? What did he call it? It's a gillet. Not to be mixed up with something about a goose.

Nothing to do with a goose. It's a galette. No goose. Our friend is feeling pretty blue, and we thought giving him a special... And like, at that moment, Jack and Krelath walk in. And I'm like, oh, no, no, man. Gelet, get a galette. Oh, hey, guys, look at this cool place.

I mean, it's a little gaudy, don't you think? I prefer that the copper cup, but, you know, like Torin does it. Oh, we made it, Jack. Oh, sweet color. Oh, we made it. Mm-mm. I'm going to eat all the food. This food smells legendary.

Oh. Goldenfield's level food. And I tug at Krayloth and I'm like, I ordered Jack a Galette to cheer him up. That's what he said he liked, remember? Oh, that's a great idea, Red. Well done, well done. I might, could you order one for me too? What?

No. Just, Krayla. I like Galette's too. Get you whatever you want. You can get whatever you want here. I just wanted a dude for Jackets. He's the one. That's really sweet.

No, I feel great. Especially if I got like the lead. I'm trying to surprise. Maybe Jack will think of it. A Major D like hovers over to you and is like, so I understand you'll be staying the evening. Would you like to see your rooms before dinner? Are you very hungry? Very hungry.

The latter. I'll check the rooms if you guys want to get a table. Yeah. I guess Dorian did it last time. Yeah. I'm in charge this time, guys. Right. And I turn around and give a big thumbs up.

And I'm like, I'm going to make it great. Sure, yeah. So red, you're let upstairs while the rest of the party settles into this, like, huge booth inside of a giant dining hall. There's waiters bustling around with platters of food, bottles of fine wine. And as an amuse-bouche for the table, these, like, little galettes come out of the oven and just are served to you. They're a pear and cheese and lovely. Hey, look at these. What are the odds?

Compliments of the chef. Well, thank you. Oh, compliments. Very kind. Red, you are led upstairs. These rooms are grand. And you can only imagine that they are probably going to put a little bit of a hole in your wallet. But they're gorgeous. Yeah, Red doesn't even like look at the room.

The guy like opens the door and he's like, this is your room. And I'm like, yeah. And I like turn to anyone else in the hallway going into their rooms and strike up a conversation. Hi, where are you from? I just like walk over to them. And Red's gone for like half an hour. Just making friends. Oh, for sure.

That's great. I love that. This, like, pear and cheese thing is placed down in front of Doran, and he scoffs at it. He's like, oh, God, what is that? He's like a little kid with vegetables. He's like, I don't want to. What is this? You don't, you don't, you don't, just try it, Dorian, just try a bite.

It's going to be good. What is it called, though? It's a galette. Oh, these are the galettes. Oh, oh, well, Red order these for you, Jack. He ordered these for you. He ordered them for you. It was a great idea.

They were delicious. And I think you should have mine too. And then Doren raises his hand to get the attention of the waiter. Yeah, yeah. Very attentive weight staff here. They're over by your elbow before you even finish raising your hand. Yeah. Oh, oh, hello.

Can I get, I'm going to ask you for a big jug of your finest beer. But of course, Master Dwarf, yes. Anything else you'd like? Yes, and I'm looking around the room, and I see, like, this leg of a ham. Oh, and that, whatever that roast is, give me one of those for us. Certainly. And for the ale, Master Dwarf, we have a nut-brown ale, and we have a light logger as well. Oh, yes.

That's, those sound excellent. We'll have a... One of each, of course. One of those, each. Buckets of ale, indeed. The finest buckets. Whatever you get for him, you get for me too, okay? Doubling it, of course, sir.

And have you got some nice smoking tobacco as well? We do. We have the finest. Oh, of course. Excellent, excellent. What was the name of this place? Dannyvar's house. Who's Dannyvar, by the way? I'd love to roll a history and know. I'm sure you would.

It's so badly. On my lucky Dragon Corp. Dice. Do it. Fucking, it's a 19, so 29. Of course it is. Yes. Danavar's house is the oldest and largest in Everland, certainly if not most of the north. And you know that the Zawar family recently bought the establishment, but has left the people running the inn in charge still.

The Zawar family, interestingly enough, have gained considerable political influence in Everland recently, to the extent that they now have a representative on the Council of Elders here. Know it all? Yeah, I feel happy about that. Good, you should. Yes, you would know that to be High Captain Horix-Zwar, who's the commander of Everland's army. So as you mull this over, examining all of the finery around you and your food is served, red, you wander back to the table. Yeah, and you see Red light coming down the stairs, leaving like a group of four, like a

female elf with long black hair and like a dwarf and like two halflings and two halflings and they're all like waving he's like bye bye oh nice people be sort of waves you over dad oh hey i come over hey guys did you get the galette yeah we saved you one it's it's right here thank you so much red that's very thoughtful oh i don't want it you can have it and he hands it over um what's dorinating did you know danavar house this place one of the biggest noble houses in the Yeah, I met him. That's Danvar over there. He was the guy I was talking to. Hey, bad. I'm just, maybe you met the proprietor, Red. Oh, that'd be funny. Yeah. Yeah, I just, I met the guy who owns it over there. A one-eyed half orc sort of waves at you from the corner where he's overseeing everything. He's like, kind of like a sausage with skin too tight. Like he's a little bit bulging out of the fine clothes that he's wearing. Yeah, he said we got to try the dark brown ale. And he said, first round, on him. Pace to know people, I guess. Wow. Wow. Okay. Way to go, Red.

And Doran drunk only holds up a flab bucket. Tankard of ale and cheers is the guy in the air and then slugs it back. I believe you ordered a bucket. I feel like there's just like a wealth of information that I got for some stupid reason, but none of it pertains to anything important. It's all about the proprietor drawl. It's all about his like favorite horse. Yeah, and then his other horse, Little Missy.

Well, she used to run with such a gaunt. Is that what it says? He said gaunt. I thought he meant gaint. That means he's very skinny. Yeah, that's the one. Anyway, so where's your wizard friend, Jack? I guess we should probably meet him in the morning.

Why don't I send a letter of introduction, and we'll see what happens. I'll go check out the room. I'll write a little letter. We'll arrange a meeting. It'll be perfect. Why not just write the letter here as Doran slams down his beer and spills it everywhere? The table around Kralath is just specked with food. I'm imagining, like, just remnants.

Are you sure? I mean, because I want to show off my fancy new letter spell, that's the whole reason to write a letter somewhere. Well, I just mean to say that we still want to do on this with him being an enemy of your family and all that. Well, it's going to be nice. Well, doesn't it feel like a letter now is not just putting you in it, but rubbing his face in it? Could it be construed? I don't know the blood. Could it be construed negatively? Oh, yeah. I don't know this world. Would a letter be a diss?

I mean, a letter came from you from Icewindale, and then when we went up there, the guy tried to kill us. I don't know much about nobles, but what I do know is that they do like letters. But we do also know that nobles, at least this one, doesn't like Jack or at least his family. Important to note, this man is not a noble. He's a wizard. Oh. Oh. Look, Jack, this is your world. You are the wizard. We'll trust your play if you think this is the best way to go about it.

If a letter makes sense, a letter makes sense. I'm excited to meet him. Hopefully, he's not a dingo. What's a dingo, dad? No. Those little sausages. Oh, yes. It's a breakfast food.

That's right. Well, I'd like to try it. Honestly, guys, I'm pretty naked. I think I'm going to head up and sleep in the room. Oren, you want to check out that music with me? Course master Krayloth. Just let me get my mandolin. Yeah.

He sort of rushes over to where you guys have just schlepped all your stuff. Anyway, good night, guys. And Red begins walking towards the table and then catches another group of people and then walks towards them and just disappears through the rest of them. Good night, Red. Sidelined by the promise of strangers. What about you guys? What are you going to do?

Kralath says as he gets up, looms over the table, his belly, just kind of bulging out. Hanging out from underneath your breastplate. Noren, what are you doing? and for the rest of the evening. Well, I saw, you know, some pretty interesting areas on the way in. And I, honestly, I thought I'd walk around this village here and get some nice, fresh air and then, and then make my way back and have a, have a good night's rest. What are you thinking?

Do you want some company? I'd go for a walk. I would, I would love some company. Doran's, like, set, like brightens up. Yeah, let's do that. That sounds better. You would want to come for a walk with me, Jack? Oh, that sounds fantastic.

I'll broken my book and... No, no, no, don't worry about it. Let's have the... My pens, too. No, no, no, let's have the Doran experience of Everland. Jack's experience of Everland's never been fun. I want to see it from your eyes. Oh, that's cute.

All right, okay. That's so cute. Sounds good. This should be fun. After you. Yeah, we leave, and instead of maybe going along the road, like Jack might expect us to, Doran makes his way down to the riverbank.

He sticks his hands in the river and brings up some water and scrubs the dead dust off his face from the corpses that we just battled a few days ago. And then he kind of looks up and down the riverbank and he looks at Jack and he says, well, if you're looking for the Doran experience, I guess I got to give it to you. And I begin to walk down the riverbank towards, it looks like there's some pier. Yeah, there's a bunch of docks. You know, we kind of mosey along and we take the most random route through the city you could possibly imagine. We kind of walk along these docks for a while saying hello to, you know, fishermen bringing their boats in for the night and hauling up, you know, different crates and fish catches and all this sort of stuff. We find we come to the bridge and we kind of walk under the bridge and we see all the local graffiti from the kids and it's like...

There's some teenagers kissing under there and you like scare them away. Yeah. Wait, Doran, hold on a second. And I pull out my pick for excavating stuff out of my bag that I got with me and scratch Jack and Doran were here.

Ah, ha ha ha! I love it. I give Jack a big high five. And, oh, I'm never, I'm never gonna get that. This is great, Jack. This is just great. You go through maybe some alleyways like under people's washing

and it's funny because everyone seems to have like kind of a strangely high population of cats so it's just a lot of cats in windowsills and sort of crossing alleyways and I feel like at one point two you just see this big group pass and Red is like talking with all these people like oh that's my friend's hi hi guys and he keeps going

he's like but then the giant came around the corner oh I love it I love it it's like he's doing his own he's got a side adventure the whole night. There are some green spaces here in Everland too, although it's too cold now for any of the leaves to still be on the trees, but there are some quiet, peaceful areas where these leafless trees and evergreens are all planted and a couple of more manicured spaces, low garden walls and things that you guys would stumble across just, you know, organically as you're ambling

through the city. Yeah, just kind of peering into people's windows and seeing what they're doing and how they have their dinner and whatnot, and passing by the short fences. You see up on the walls after a time when you guys approach maybe the perimeter of the city that some of the guards are doing their nightly rounds, you just see the silhouettes of them moving along these battlements. So you grew up around here? No, Silvery Moon is a little ways away from here.

It's the city where my mother has her tower. Oh. She's a wizard as well. Right. So I'd visit, spent most of my time in water deep and then grew a little bit out here when was out visiting mom. Yeah, yeah. It's pretty interesting.

Firstly, having two wizards as parents, but also having separated parents where you're growing up in two different cities. I mean, that can't be easy for a young elf, half elf. Yeah, they were pretty distant from the concerns of the real world, that's for sure. Must have been kind of lonely, Doran trails off thinking about his own youth when he was brought up by several different father figures and mother figures and aunts and uncles and so on and so forth. Maybe that's how we both ended up playing in the dirt so much. Yeah, I guess so. Did you ever visit Everland when you were living in Silvery Moon? Here and again, it never had left a very good

impression on me. Well, it's sort of a drop town. I mean, to be honest. You know, and I think Jack's going to stop and bend over and try and, like, you know, make some like, oh, hear kitty, kitty noises at a nearby cat and like appreciate a side of this city he's never seen before like stopping to to make friends with some of the local animals. Yeah. You know, it's maybe worth a second look, I guess. Let's head back. Yeah. And on the way back, we end up just falling into our own pace and it brings out the best in us. Well, that's very sweet. Aw. Jack, I believe you wanted to send a letter. Did you not? Or did you decide better of that? He went for a walk with Doran instead of the letter. I think he heard Red's worry of.

about it and sort of said, let's just tone it down. Let's try not to be provocative. I don't need to show off anything magical. I can just be normal and, you know, enjoy this place while we're here. So you are all awakened in the morning, having slept very well by the clamor of geese in the marketplace nearby. Good geese. Horrible creatures. Five stars except for those damn geese. They shit everywhere. Ah, good morning, everyone. Morning Red.

Good morning. Morning, Dad. Morning, Red. Morning, B. You want some banana loaf? No, I had mine this morning down the hall, actually. Oh, okay. Oh, bread, you mean?

Yes, of course, please. Oh. Jesus Christ. And you guys all pack up and get ready to go. You're breakfast or whatever. What's next? All right, Jack. So, your friend, a person you know.

Yeah. Is there any special way we should go about introducing ourselves or just sort of walk in all hands-ablazed? I think we show up and knock on Crowen Valharo's door and tell him we're adventurers and a dragon said he could help us and just see what he goes from there. Yeah. All right, let's do it. Doran stands up and cheers with his morning beer.

Oh, what a great idea. Gotta get that blood alcohol up. All right, well, let's venture forth. It's like a lizard in the sun. Like, you need to warm up every day. Doran's got to bring that blood alcohol up every day. And, yeah, we head over to wherever it might be. Mm-hmm. Yeah, you head back along the banks of the Rauvin River.

The boats passing on the stream are dinging merrily to each other in the morning, you know. Dingling! Hello again! Trawling for fucking... Geese. Trawling for geese. Nets just full of them. Oh, the geese are good today. Ah, drop another net. Pulling droves and droves of geese out of the water.

Nets and nets full of geese. Toss a little bit stale bread in the water. and you throw a net behind you. Geese fishing is good along here. And you pass through the morning marketplace. There's like bread out and geese. Morning. Morning. Morning.

The ground slopes upward toward moon gleam tower. And soon you're out of breath as you climb the knoll. There are alley cats watching you from window ledges. The tower appears to be several connected cylinders, skillfully carved from smooth black stone. Leafless trees form a parquet at its base. surrounded by a deep but dry moat. A female halfling in a navy cloak sits on the ledge of the bridge that spans the moat,

smoking a pipe and watching the sunrise. Howdy there? What's your name? Morning Travelers. She nods at you. I'm Edgwina Rumble. Nice to meet you. My name is Red. This is my best friend Jack. This is my best friend Doran and my best friend Kralath. Oh, and I guess B and everyone else went back at the pub, didn't they?

And this is all that's here. Hello. What a strange interesting. Yes. And Dora's looking around. Yeah, it's just us here. We checked. What brings you to the tower this morning? Oh, I live here. I'm a resident mage. Oh, no way. We got a mage too. Oh, you do? Yes. Yeah, his name is Jai. Are we saying your last name? I say loudly. Hi, I'm Jack Page. Pleasure to meet you. She sort of hops down off of the railing that she was sitting on. Well, I'm just taking some air after my breakfast and accustomed to welcoming citizens here. So welcome to Moongleam Tower. Is there anything I can help you with? Actually, we're looking for Valharo, Crowen. Oh, the guards just there at the doors

will be able to help you with that. Good luck with your studies, thanks. And good luck. Thank you. Just one last question. What kind of magic do you do? Oh, all kinds. Ooh, purple magic.

Do you do the trick where you can, like, put your fingers together and it becomes a few different fingers? Yes, I can. Wow. Craylon. He just smokes her pipe and walks away. You know, for someone who wants fresh air, she shouldn't be smoking, I say to Doran. The main entrance to Moongleam Tower sports a set of tall reinforced doors.

A pair of guards stand at casual attention chatting to each other as you approach. State your business with the Tower. Oh, we're here to speak with Valharo. We have no official business with the Tower itself. Well, of course, it's just a manner of speaking. There's a good distinction. We're the Knightstone Four. The Knight's Stone Four.

No, that's the Nightstone Four, I guess. Well, anything I can tell him that you're calling about? Nope. Just want to have a chat. Dragons and Giants. Just wait right here. Or dragons and giants. I mean, just give him everything.

You got to give somebody a hook, right? Well, Wapa. He's a busy man. He hasn't said no to us yet. One of the guards nods and opens one of the doors, says something to someone inside, and then nods. that you just wait right here. And I turn to the others and I'm like,

you know, we all go about this very different. Next time we do this, we need to come to a plan. Oh, that would have been a good idea. Yeah, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have made such a smart-ass comment there. I'm zipped. You're in charge, Red. No, no, no.

I'm not saying I need to be in charge. I come from a place where we say very little and try to get very far with that. And you come from a place where you say a lot and you get very far with that. Both are equally good. And frankly, this being your world, it makes more sense to follow your head.

I just mean to say that I wish that I knew that was the plan. So we'll play it more open. That's all. All right. So what's the plan? We'll tell him everything. Oh, okay.

We're going to tell him everything in there, and then we're going to... Look, let's just... Let's just tell him that we're the nightstone fall. We're here to learn about giants and any information he might have that could help us. And I'll prepare for battle. All right.

I feel like you guys are like a group of kids who are called into the principal's office for fighting. And like the principal has a... gotten there yet and they're like, okay, what are we going to tell them? Jack comes from a place where nobility and information is king, so the more you have, it makes more sense. It's a really valuable commodity in this town, whereas Red, being probably in the wrong here is someone who keeps a lot held back so that he gets to know what kind of information

seeps out. And that's just all I'm saying in character, which I think is a good point in character going forward is we got to figure out what play we're going to do when we walk up to the gates of a castle. For sure. Yeah, I mean, it's, Jack isn't often afforded anonymity as an option, especially in a place where this guy knows him. Well, I'll just let you guys do the talking. I'm from Barovia.

Barovia, he just says. And what show name, friend? Barovia. He's sweating. I just had the peel sweating meme Anyway After a few minutes A teenage human boy in a black tunic

Emerges and bows low to your party Morning masters Please leave your horses Oh you didn't bring your horses Yes Done Sorry possessed by a spell of madness I'm used to saying that

I'll be showing you To the archmage of all harrow's quarters right this way, please. Oh, wow. Hey, Jack. Yeah. What's the difference between a regular mage and archmage?

Oh, boy. It depends on where you are and who you're talking. You see, in water deep, the way we would. One's got a rounded top. This conversation. And I just red starts following. Come on, Don.

Echoes off into the hallway. Yeah. The entry hall is somewhat sparsely decorated with bare floors and a quartet of winged gargoyles protecting a wide staircase. Wall sconces and candelabras holding magical light cast a warm glow. And you're let up stairs and then through a confusing series of twists and turns and smaller staircases.

The guide, as it turns out, was necessary to prevent you from becoming lost. I can't be lost except by a magical piece. Shut your mouth, Harlan Guthrie. The door to Crohn's quarters opens to admit you. The room is a cozy clutter of bookcases, candles, guttering rivulets on tall holders, glass alchemy equipment, and exotic plants. A man with a mane of white hair and clear, intelligent blue eyes sits in an armchair by the hearth of a roaring fire. The table beside him holds writing tools, several quills and jars of ink. He's dressed in

black robes embroidered with gold scroll work and wears a heavy silver amulet in the shape of a crescent moon. A yellow tressum is curled up in his lap. I'm from Borovia. Yes. Um, yes, he is from Borovia, and I'm from Mazdica, and his name is Kralath, and my name is Red, and this is my friend Doran, and this is Jack Page. I'm not sure there will be enough chairs for you all, but please sit.

Welcome, all. I'll stand. Yeah, I think Jack will go and grab a chair. I think... Hello, Jack. The years have been kind to you. Hey, Crohn. Though you look road weary.

When you say the years have been kind to you, I like shoot a look to Kralov with a thumbs up. Like, this is going to be fine. And then you finish the thought. And I'm like, oh no. Will you have some spirits? Very warming. I'm afraid probably not quite up to your standards, Jack.

Just something I picked up locally. but still suits my peasant's tastes. Doran makes his way over to the spirits and pours an uncomfortably large glass for something that's free and being offered. You know, it's been great, Crow and I've learned the last little bit to really appreciate the, you know, getting out of the, you know, gilded halls of one's youth

and, you know, digging in the dirt a little bit trying to really connect with what's around me. I mean, I am sure your tastes have gone much the same way. Very charming. Good for you. It's true. Jack hired us as hirelings. He paid us a good deal of money, too, to help him along that way.

He got out there in the dirt and, like, Red clearly messing it up, but, like, thinks he's helping. He's like, you got a jack. A couple more tressums emerge from hiding spots around the room. One of them settles on you, Krayloff, and start. starts purring. Oh, hello there. What you, precious. Not Faye, spirited, I'm afraid.

Just mundane creatures. Lovely companions, though. To what do I owe this visit? I haven't heard from you in decades, Jack, not since we were both in the silvery moon, I believe, some 20 years ago. That gala, what was it for again? Of course, you would remember to see and be seen in all that.

It's not important. Jack does remember and is about to give the whole. whole reason for it. Croyne, it's really not important. There's been some more pressing things I've been working on, and I could use your help. We could use your help. He steeples his fingers and looks over the top of them at you, sort of piercing you with his gaze. I mean, for, you know, just look at where the last 20 years have taken us. I'm no more than a kid who likes playing in the dirt still, and you're archmage of Moongleam Tower in Everland, and that's something.

You've come a long way and well-deserved, and I'm trying this adventuring lifestyle, and I've got cotton up in some really big things, and we need a grounding voice, and we're hoping you can help. What can I help you with, Jack? If you're at a whole gnawbone, a great big green dragon,

in the Crypt Garden Forest? No, can't say that I have. For whatever reason, your name was on her lips. The giants have been off on a rampage. The ordnings fallen apart. The four of us are trying to have some role and help and sort that out and keep people safe. And this dragon, she seemed to think you could help us

either find the temple of Onum at the spine of the world or a frost giant with a white dragon helmet that could lead us there. We're trying to protect people. He sits back in his armchair and regards the four of you carefully one after the other. That makes me uneasy.

All dragons have secret plans of their own. I'm well aware of the giant problem, Jack. The giant's upheaval presents a grave threat to the balance of power in the north. I have it on good authority that the Lord's Alliance, the Emerald Enclave, the Order of the Gauntlet, they all joined the harbors in taking steps to guard civilization against the giant's depredations, though I must say

some have found this recent turmoil an excellent opportunity to advance their own political or military careers, and so do nothing. Though I don't possess any direct evidence yet, I have a hunch that there is a great scaly beast lurking in the shadows somewhere, responsible for all of this somehow. The rival between giants and dragons being what it is. And as I say, that this green dragon would seek to loop you in somehow,

maybe speaks to this point. And maybe we should just start from the beginning. And I'd love to sort of take the minute to like step crowing through like everything from the nightstone to the cloud giant to all that kind of stuff. And his distaste for you sort of disappears as you start allowing him into this story, to this legend that you're weaving. Yeah. And at the end of your tale, ending here,

Here in Everland, looking for his help, he nods. At the four of you, stands and starts pacing around the room. A couple of tressum sort of get up from wherever they're relaxing and start following him around puppy-like. I pictured Doren following him around the room with his eyes while drinking the last bits of this... Never-ending. ...glass of drink. Very, very intriguing. There is a network of teleportation circles.

we make use of here and there while in Fyroon. Handy things, safer than any road, especially when it's not within one's means to hire a retinue of companions, given that you're in the business of thwarting giants. Well, if it's of use to your party, please, you have my approval to use them as you see fit. Thank you.

He offers a hand out to you. Yeah, I'll go and shake his hand, absolutely. And it's maybe just a fraction of a tighter handshake than you would have expected, and he smiles slightly and says, well, then follow me. Crow and Valhara leads you all through Moongleam Tower's maze of corridors and up a seemingly endless spiral staircase of black stone. He pauses at a wooden door painted with silver runes and lays his palm in the center, muttering a quiet incantation. The lock clicks, and he opens it to reveal. Vila circular chamber. A human man sits in a chair on one side, head tilted back and mouth open, snoring.

The floor is inscribed with lines and painted rooms, with pillars holding hundreds of candles at intervals along the circumference of the teleportation circle. Kroen clears his throat loudly, which fails to wake the sleeping mage. Floin. Flowing. Wake up, idiot. The man sort of start. and the chair clatters noisily back to four legs.

He stands up, oh, oh, oh, master, Master Valharo, yeah, sorry, just thinking, yep, and he quickly excuses himself from the chamber. And Archmage Valhara instructs you on the use of these teleportation circles that your party now has use of. This is exciting. Yeah, you guys get to fast travel now. Cool. There are five circles inscribed on the floor, essentially,

giving you access to five major cities in the north. Whoa, cool. One is inscribed with the name Mirabar. One is called Neverwinter, Yarter, Loudwater, and last of all, water deep. Yeah, like as Jack's eyes fall on the last one, there's this moment of him like studiously trying to get these symbols etched into his mind. and then like the possibilities of like, oh, I could be home for a little bit, you know. Crowin, you don't know anything about this giant with the dragon's skull head or this thing at the spine of the world, do you?

No, I don't. Is there anything maybe you know about the area that you can inform us? I know I've been quiet in this whole conversation. I wanted Jack to have his moment with you. Well, I know that we've been having some issues with hill giants recently. There are some refugees in town from the surrounding farmlands that have been driven out of their homes. By giants. In a manner of speaking.

Well, it's interesting because we passed a house on the way here, but it seemed like some dwarves had occupied it and that the giant didn't come until after. Are a lot of these farmsteads empty? He looks across the room at Doren. This look crosses his face of maybe like regret. I'm looking into it. Uh, right. I'm in a bit of a political conundrum. I don't wish to make enemies of my neighbors.

Right. Uh, if I could interject for a moment here. I think, um, we have willingly given you information that, that's going to serve you well. And all we're asking in return is for your assistance. And he paces around the room for a minute and he spreads his hand. Hands wide, frankly, I don't know where these dwarves come from. But there's a troop of them, traveling the countryside, putting citizens out of their homes. And that's when Doreen glances over at Kralov and Jack in red.

Meaningful glances. Yes. The walls of Everland are beginning to swell with refugees. So you're saying they're not killing these people. And Krayloff speaks up for the first time in a while. he's got three tressums on him that are just kind of like, it's just like, excuse me, so, so you're saying that the dwarves haven't been killing the people.

They've been just pushing them out of their homes, right? So it seems, and this is a rapidly evolving situation. Again, like I said, I don't wish to make political enemies among the dwarves. They've always been allies to Everland, but this seems to be a rogue band. It stands with what we saw at that house. It seemed like they had made a hunter's blind of sorts, and they waited it out. Doran, does any of this make sense to you? These are my people causing problems, or if they're not of a clan of my own.

Unfortunately, Master Dwarf, all I have to go on right now is speculation and rumor. I invite you to find out as much as you can. Do you know where any of the refugees might have gone once they're in town? You could look in the marketplace. Hmm. Thank you so much. That's all for me. Tata. Kralath, make a charisma check for me. Gladly. 19. A. As you leave the room with a teleportation circles, one of the tressums refuses to leave your side.

Oh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, one of your catbirds likes me. Uh, that one, uh, that one's a stray, I believe. You're free to keep him if you like. Really? I mean, they come and go. Perhaps you've seen them around the town. Oh, I... Oh, Krayloff, you should keep it. He's so pretty. Well, I don't know. I'm no man to look after an animal.

Crowen's already halfway down the stairs. Leave him if you like or keep him. Krayloth, you've got to keep him. You can be his daddy, and I could be his daddy too. And I can help feed him and take care of him and bathe them. I promise you it won't be much work. Please, Great Love, please keep them. Please, please, please.

I look down at this little creature. What does it look like? It's a jet black little on the smaller side with sort of delicately feathered wings. And it's got yellow eyes. Very kind of surprised expression on its face just permanently. And it's winding its way between your feet right now. Well, maybe I don't have a choice there, Red. come here a little guy

and I pick them up and hold them in arms go out of my way to show Kieran a lot of attention in these moments just to be like we're not replacing you you're not a new pet

it's fine I'm not jealous I swear it's in the book that if one of the characters seems to be bonding with the tressums they can make a check to see if one of them

wants to come along with you guys and Red's like petting it as you're holding it and he's like oh Kray Lothie's so pretty you should name him Stephen I'm the highest daughter

I was thinking No, I was thinking something else, but, uh... Oh, anything else will be fine. Doran's looking around watching these guys playing with the cats, the tressums, and he takes his axe and holds it like a baby in his arms, you know? It's okay, I've got you, Ork Splitter. You can kill anything. Yes, I know, and we can kill them together.

Let's go. Be, where are you? I'm giving you a hug. Redheads outside. Cool. I think I'm going to name you Jackson. So there's someone else vying for Kralath's attention, eh? Ah, there's plenty of him to go around, and I mean plenty. Thank you once again to our wonderful Patreon supporters,

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