Dice Shame - 79 | 'Bare One's Soul'

Episode Date: April 15, 2021

The past comes back to haunt the Nightstone Four with answers to long-sought after questions... 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.

I've come to grow quite attached to you, people. I don't want to remember where I came from. There's always another morning to turn a setback into success. Was there someone in there with us? No, sir. Tell me how I can help. What do you know about that creature? Do you have a message?

We got this, buddy. You and me. Let me catch you up. Have a safe travel. I'm afraid of what I'll see. Open your eyes, Krall. And with a clenched jaw, he says. Yes, sir. Welcome back to Dice Shame, episode 79, Bear One Soul.

This week's MVP is Andy C for his review that he left us on Pod Chaser. Thank you so much, Andy. We've said it all, so Henry, why don't you speak for us this week? This week, we want to say thank you for everybody who listens to Dice Same. Thank you for making it. The studs a great experience. Anything else to add? Mando saw bunnies a lot of font porn.

Okay. All right. All right, let's do this. Thanks, Henry. Let's do this. You guys remember those old cartoons where someone would be doing something on stage and it's like going on too long or not getting a good response? And the hook?

They get the hook. Yeah. The hook. It's like a cane. It is, it's something and it's really big and it goes around the performer's waist and I want one. Yeah, me too. For Alex. Well, I was just going to say there's, sometimes there are instances in the show.

I'm sorry. Get the hook. We need a virtual hook. Get the hook. I never actually thought about that in context of reality. That must be a real thing. Yeah, it's got to be a thing because you. I wonder if it was part of a bit though.

Like it wasn't a real thing, but there was a performance that invented it to, as part of it. as part of the fiction of that performance. I don't know, because now stand-up comedians, especially at like improv nights, have red lights. Well, but that's about the time, right? Timing and pulling them off stage. The bigger feeling is when the red light goes on, you get off stage.

But there was a time when a red light didn't exist. Wait, so you're telling me the natural progression was they used to just have to yank people off the stage. They couldn't have someone at the back of any hand symbols? Yes, I am. They didn't have lights yet. So they're like, just yank them off with force. They play music on top of people like acceptance speeches, right?

So maybe they used to do something like that. But with the hook. Okay, let me ask you this. Why not a trap door? You know? Well, it's too much engineering. Okay, pull the trap door. But think about it.

When you're doing a comedy show, what's fucking funnier than a big hook coming on? Nothing's funnier than the hook. It's pretty funny. It's part of the humor in my mind. Like, if someone's just like, let's just yank them off stage, then the audience, when this comedian is being booed off stage, and the hook comes on, it's part of the joke, right? I would think that's fucking hilarious. I'm just saying I kind of agree with Rob's point.

It probably was invented as part of a gag. Rob is looking it up. I can see it in his face. He's Googling it. Where did the hook off the stage? It's called the vaudeville hook. Ah. Yes, it is.

The vaudeville hook. The hook they used was actually the curtain hook they're using to move the curtains back and forth anyway. So it's not like they invented a hook only for this purpose. They did use the hook to grab. App entertainers. That's the part I don't know yet. The Vaughn and Dodd hook?

The Vonnad! Oh, no. Those giants, we'll get you. No, but I think, I do think in D&D, in Waterdeep, you know, there's some, like, comedy improv clubs, and I do think they use the hook. Though he didn't originate it, the hook is forever associated with Howard Sandman Sims,

a tap dancer who would use the hook on bad acts at the Apollo. Hey, Harlan's right. Bad acts. For some reason, I also. associated with tap dancing. Like if you're doing a tap dancing, um,

d'n, don't do they're bad acts, that's why. Hachachach chach ch'chum. Now it's definitely a spectral hook. I was thinking a mage hand moves. Yeah, in water deep,

you know, I'd have to say that they're either using a hook or like a physical scythe. They just cut the people in half. We don't like this act off with their head, you know?

This is like a mariner's town, right? It's right on the beach. There are a ton of ships coming in and out. They definitely use the boat hook, right? They hook him off the stage. Only occasionally fatal.

Rob is still deep in research. He's gone down a hole. Sorry, I got stuck reading about Howard Sims now. A hook hole. Come back to us, Rob. Come back to us. Let's get back to Waterdeep.

Bring the hook out. See, in the yawning portal, they would have had like a poker. And you go, like, if you're, and they push them into the hole. If your act is that bad, you get poked into the, get in the hole. The hole.

Get! It's like one of those big cartoon hands, you know. Only come back with riches, untold riches. Point. Speaking of untold riches. D&D. Woo! This is a dark time for the Nightstone Four.

We're alone. The copper cup is quiet. We have the hunt lords after us. It is. I feel it. It weighs heavily on Doran's soul. Jack, you trip lightly down the stairs, I'm sure. Ready to see your love, perhaps with a heavy heart.

It's definitely an anxious and grave energy. He got a really weird vibe from... I would hope so. wants to get the hell out of here with Torin as soon as possible. So what should be this like, thank God you're here, is like Jack coming down and scanning, like, almost panicked looking for Torin and being like, we have, we have to go. Torin's just standing in the entrance chambers of the hall and he grabs you by the hand and he's like, I know, let's get out of here. Let's get you home. We pause for a moment in the street, in the shadow of a fountain in front of the,

Cartographers Guild in the Seaward. This is a building that you know well. And, you know, you've spent a million hours there talking about surveying and charting and stuff. The fountain is frozen over as quiet. Those hours seem long ago. And Torin's just standing in front of this fountain looking for answers. What happened? What did they say? I just don't understand. I was going to ask you that. Thank you for saving me. But what the hell happened? Why was I brought in here, and who are those people? And what do you have to do with them? I got a letter from you saying that Kieran was here when Kieran was not here.

And that... They were asking me about being a devil worshipper over and over, and I said no, obviously. Something very strange has happened here. That owl, where is it now? I don't know. okay do you know what's happening i've got a theory but i don't like any bit of it there was a run in with an imp that didn't end well and i'm wondering if they came to haunt you to get back at me why would that happen because they're evil it's the definition of devils they're out to trick and pray on

us and I don't know if I'm a little scattered I didn't sleep at all let's he takes both of your hands in his and he says what do you know about that creature I don't know anything other than I got a letter certainly I think it could be an imp that there was some dealings with there was some dealings with? I don't know what happened here. I feel like you're... Let's... I'll tell you what happened.

I walked downstairs one morning, and someone who I think is Kieran is greeting me all sweet and tender exactly the way that Kieran normally would, and you're not there, and I presume for some reason that you've sent him...

that you've sent them to come and spend time with me to keep me company or help or yeah maybe look in on me while you're gone maybe i thought you were jealous or lonely and then things started going wrong things started getting misplaced so i sent a letter to you explaining that i had seen kieran and and i didn't hear back from you and then one morning it was waiting for me there in my chamber the creature

I've never seen before except in a book maybe an imp all foul wings and sharp teeth and it told me everything it told me how you called it into your service and used it for your means

and with it many days and gave it your work and how it was here to ruin my life and then the letter came I fucking lied

I lied to the inquisitors because I didn't want to believe it I wanted to protect you I don't think they believed me Jack but they didn't learn the truth from me they didn't believe my lie but I don't think they learned the truth. I told them I had no idea what they were talking about. But that thing, you're familiar, told me everything. It told you its version of what happened in order to

create the most harm in the world possible. And I'm so sorry that you got hurt and swept up in the middle of this. And like all good liars from hell, it weaved enough truth into its story to make it as real as it needed to be. Did I, in a moment of broken desperation, with what felt like the whole north crushing down on me and a giant destroying half a landscape

call out to get Kieran back from another realm to have that answered by a creature who had what I thought was the power to help? Did it respond to my call? Yes. Jack. Did it help me save? Torren's looking around. Not here.

You're the one who stopped us here. I don't want you making admissions in public that you can't take back. Let's go back to the copper cup. You brought this up. I let's go just tell me that everything is going to be okay I'm going to do everything I can to make everything okay there's always another morning to turn a set back and do success those are those are words I've lived by my whole

life and I got to hold on to that faith now sunrise is coming torn you guys head off back downhill south towards home The curtains part, and you look in on a room dedicated to ritual and ceremony. An altar spans one wall, and atop it, a short podium holds an open book pierced with dozens of bookmarks made from a leaf, a piece of string, a feather. A glass cabinet beneath contains a mortar and pastel, jars of powders and other things. The shopkeeper has pulled off their cloak to reveal that they were a blue dragon-born of slight musculature, probably female, based on the short dorsal spines, wearing a belted yellow dress

cut with slits to permit her long tail. She's pacing around the room, lighting small candles and placing them all around, on ledges and the floor and in sconces on the wall. Her beaded necklaces click and jingle as she walks. I've been expecting you, my dear. Can I take your coat? No, that's all right. Can I just sit anywhere? Just a moment. And she's like moving furniture around, getting things settled. Her eyes sort of pass over, Red, and Doran.

Z's stayed out in the front room by the fire. I've had a persistent visitor from the other side. Do you know of whom I speak? And Kralov thinks back to the apparitions that have appeared for him in the past couple of weeks. and just as he's about to say no, he stops and says, um, my old captain? He's tenacious. Settle in now, get comfortable.

That part is important. You have to be relaxed. Will you have tea? Yes, yes, please. Doreen kind of stands there. Actually, he's holding his axe, but with the hilt on the ground and kind of leaning on it. She gestures for you to sit, Christ. in an armchair covered with a beautiful patterned blanket.

And then she sets out a couple of other chairs in the corner of the room for you, Red and Doran. Then she brings a round table over and pulls it close between Kraloth's armchair and her own. She sets out a teapot and some glasses. Fetches a kettle, fills it. You're a cleric of Kellenforum. And Kralov looks down and sees that he's actually been fiddling. with his holy symbol nervously.

Yes, indeed, he's guided me my entire life. Have you ever reached out to the other side before in your line of work, spoken with the dead? Um, yes, actually, I have, but, uh, there's many different ways to speak with the dead. Perhaps you mean another. You sit for a minute. and drink the tea in silence. While she removes a hand-sized lump of turquoise stone and a heavy silver ring from a soft velvet pouch

and sets them down on the table between you. As they say, I've been expecting you. How did you know who I am? Relax now. Close your eyes. With one eye still open, I'm going to roll insight. She's stealing your shit. I get a vibe. She's lifting a dagger.

I wrote this whole scenario just to fuck you over. I got an 18. What is the vibe that I'm getting from this sky? Ooh, ooh. She's excited to be part of this. She's probably never done something like this before. All right. Well, I'll indulge her.

And I close my eyes. Breathe in the remnants of incense and the tea in front of me. and do my best to slow my heart rate. Doran and Red are you guys closing your eyes too, or are you guys keeping them open to see what's about to go down? I think Red will keep them open. Red is playing the quote-unquote bodyguard

for Kralath's suspicions. If anything should happen with this Dragonborn, he's going to get ready to fuck shit up. The candlelight dances and the wicks gutter for a few moments. Do you smell the fragrance of tea and incense in the air, before anything starts to happen. And then, electricity begins to crawl and shimmer, up and down skies bare arms over her lips and snout, lingering in bursts behind her eyes.

She bears her pointed teeth and grimaces, experiencing something unpleasant. Claws driving deep gouges into the table, gripping the edge in her hands and leaning forward. More electricity starts jumping off her skin in arcs, crackling and making contact with the turquoise stone, which starts giving off its own tiny arcs to the silver ring, a chain reaction building. A sweet, pungent smell fills the room, as lightning pops and cracks in bright line, staining your retinas, and finally crossing the void between the two of you, Sky, Kralov. Your armor catches the first of it, and then seeking, and electricity rolls off the metal like a fire burning through a piece of straw

and catches hold of your chest, your neck, your face. The oracles' eyes widen and glaze over. She still leaned forward, holding a broken piece of wood in her hands where she snapped it off from the table, crushing it to splinters. Then she smiles, globe eyes peeled and white, and the electricity diminishes, settling to the floor and the space between your fingers sizzling almost ambient now. Red, as you look down at your paws, you can see tiny veins of lightning webbing between your own fingers over your skin, your fur. And then

Kralath, you hear it. You forget yourself, Sir Karelov. And worse, you've forgotten us. Captain Janiros. Open your eyes, Kramer. I'm afraid of what I'll see. You're afraid of your duty. And at that, Kralath tenses and his back straightens, and he stiffens. And with a clenched jaw, he says, Yes, sir. A spectral form stands behind the oracle, arms crossed.

Translucent, heavy plate armor of a style that pricks your brain, hollow cheeks, green eyes burning at you. It appears you've retained your devotion to California at least. Oh, of course, you taught me as much. This is, this is my path. I could never stray from it. Ignorance is what I see. Oh, what, what have I done wrong?

Red and Doran, you don't see or hear anything, apart from these small arcs of lightning now and then dancing between Sky and Kralath at the table. You do hear Kralov responding to some unseen force. What have I done wrong? Willful heedlessness is what? Ignorance derived from the disorientation of plainer trauma, from trauma and worse.

I can understand. I appeared to you as many times as my meagorous substance could muster. To what result? Nothing! But you're... You've passed on, Captain. and I had to do what I had to do. I had to leave you behind.

And I don't understand why you've been appearing to me. Do you have a message? Oh, I have a message. Allow me to finally illuminate our history and give you your orders for what you must do. You see the spirit of Captain Treneros, who's walking out from behind the seer's chair, trailing ethereal mist behind him.

This is a man whose armor you recognize, but whose face is gaunt, having died long ago. Hollow cheeks, but more filled out than you'd seen him before, not undead, just a spirit of himself, his hard green eyes burning at you

from somewhere else. The knights of the eternal order are bound to duty, to bring peace to the living and the dead. We vow, you vow, Kralov, to uphold this duty. Almost a millennia ago, knights of our order

protected the realm with Kellenvour's divine guidance. And you and I fought side by side in thousands of pardons. Do you not remember Kralov? I remember, sir. After a time, Kalimvors' will drove us to travel the plains of the multiverse,

employing these of the whole. wizards and seeking out the dead hearts that would undo his glory. Our loyalty and determination lent us extraordinarily long lives, but we paid dearly for it. In order to seek out evil where it was brewed, where it was born out into the plains, you I, our company traveled somewhere cursed, somewhere that would taint us with darkness. He's pacing around the table now. He plucks at your cloak disdainfully, lightly king. kicks your golden shield where it leans against the chair. And Red Doren, as you watch, you see like a piece of Kraloth's cloak

picked at by an entity. You see the shield wobble. You watch Kralath's eyes trace this figure around the room. To enter the demiplane of dread is to surrender your soul to it. Like a fly in a web. One cannot leave that place intact. The evil weave of it. Its nature desiccates your God-given.

essence, and so we left our souls here. In Féru, on the material plea, and we traveled to Borovia. He's behind the seer now, again, his hands placed on the back of the chair leaning hard. I know our work there haunts you. Our connection to Kellevore was strained. Our magic weakened over the decades and centuries we lingered there. You remember, as well as I, what it was like, to watch our brought down by the determined ghouls and demons spawn, only to fight the reanimated corpses of our own company again and again. When I was finally slain, life force peeled from my body by the fangs of some cadaver,

you were left alone. I'm sure the bodies of the knights of the Eternal Order still wander the demiplane, restless and hollow. But you, Kralov, I don't know how, But your body returned to this place. Memory fragmented, a craven shadow of reformer self, a husk, but alive. I may be insubstantial, but I am still your captain, and our vows are unaltered by circumstance or time.

Setting the dead to rest is your duty, God-given, and sworn with blood! If it is my duty to vanquish the dead, then what should I do with you? Have you not been listening? To travel the demiplane, we divorced our souls from our bodies and left them here in secret and phaeroom. You must find them and return your soul to your body and release your company from undeath and desecration.

Let us depart this plane for the afterlife to be in Kelimvor's presence. And he's pacing now again back and forth behind the seer. You, Krayloth, you will have to overcome a great adversary to recover that which is most precious to us. It is what I'm sworn to do. That is correct. A silver dragon guards the repository deep in the Grey Peak Mountains.

She is jealous and spiteful. very strong, and I fear her contract with the order is conveniently long forgotten. She is called Clarion. If you fail, all is lost. Your body will decompose in the earth, and your soul like ours will remain. You will not pass into the afterlife, but haunt this mortal plane, like every one of your fallen company. Do not fail me, Kralov.

the seer has placed a ring here on the table take it with you and wear it it will allow my spirit to follow you more freely on your journey and give you counsel where you need it cease forevermore your cowardice sir craylock night of the eternal order and holy cleric of kill me and shake the ill fog from your memory

your vows call to you I will go to the Grey Peak Mountains. I will find a way past the Guardian, and I will free you and our brothers from your eternal shackles. Captain, one thing from you, if you will. Speak. If you can, and tell Jackson I'll see you. soon. His form insubstantiates before your eyes. Transparency increases and the mist

draws in and he exhales. A cloud of vapor rises. The lightning subsides from the room and the candles seem to brighten again and flicker and come back to life. So going back to Jack, you and Torrin are at the Copper Cup. It's mid-morning. Torin Cheldrick is looking at himself in a mirror over a wash basin, lathering his face for a shave. The room reflected behind him is one we've seen before, his personal quarters at the Copper Cup Fest Hall. The fireplace is newly lit, its warmth seeping slowly into the stale room. Torin's eyes are tired, his auburn hair wet from a bath. He scrapes whiskers off his cheek with a straight razor as he glances over his shoulder.

through the mirror at you, Jack. So, you got in last night from Everland. You must be exhausted. I came as soon as I could. It's been a pretty brisk pace the last little while. Yeah. I mean, no more exhausted than you, you've been locked up for a couple days. I mean, there's not much to do when you're in prison.

Fair. So. Yeah. Are you just like sitting on the bed? bed or what are you doing? Yeah, I think he's, Jack's sort of sitting on the bed looking at, certainly like, you know, I think he's pretty upset just about the whole thing and trying to like not show so much of that and not maybe succeeding. Last I know of your travels, you were headed to the high forest.

Yeah, let me, let me catch you up. And I'll tell Torin everything. You know, just starting from the high forest and, and the hunt, Lords and Shattertop Cathedral and the hunt lords again and then the wedding and then the hunt lords again and then the terrorists and Everland and then the

huntlords again. And then this feeling of like they could be any moment showing up again and I think Torin asks a few questions along the way just for clarification you know he's showing that he's listening to you but by the time you finish

this story and it's kind of long one he's done shaving he's dressed for the day and he's like ready to start work he's like well i mean you've always been a busy man jack yeah so i have to tend to the copper cup i don't know how much you know about what's happened here while you've been gone but i mean and then he looks kind of awkwardly around the room like there's a lot that needs to be seen to today. I understand. Did you have plans?

Not exactly. You know, I don't know how long I was going to be in town necessarily. I was certainly hoping. But no, the copper cups, tell me how I can help. Maybe I can help get some stuff sorted out this morning before I've got to go. And he sits back down on the bed, looking a little bit deflated. Of course, there's a lot of stuff that you could help with. I mean, there's a laundry list.

I'm sure it's only gotten longer since I was gone. I'm going to have to talk to the staff about it. But yes, of course, you can help. And I would love that. I miss you every minute that we're away. Anytime there's a down moment, I wish I'd be spending it here. But now that I am here sitting with you, I can't stop seeing all of the ways.

the world is crumpling and failing around us and the things that should be safe like the church turning on us and the places I should know like like water deep having new buildings sprout up that I don't I don't know the you know the institutions that should be protecting us aren't and and here I am with these three companions destined together to do something about it and And I can't stop. And that might mean I, it means I can't. I can't do anything but put you in danger. He takes your hand and, and just holds it for a minute.

I think Jack starts to cry. And Torin does his best to comfort you through this tide of emotions without really knowing or having anything. to say any way to comfort you I recognize that you're going to have to leave again really soon that you have a lot of concerns that aren't right here but it would mean a lot to me

if you could spend some time with me now yes yes that would mean a lot 100% anything anything I can do while I can do it I'm here any let's out a long sigh well I guess

let's get to it yeah i think jack wipes his eyes and sort of goes over to the basin and splashes his face and uh you know puts on a brave face and follows torrent out the room to to go try and get this place in ship shape clean up montage

oh scrubba scrubba so as you guys leave torren's room in the copper cup torren turns as he's locking the door and looks at you jack and you can see you like a little glow in his face that he's you know he's glad you're here

and despite everything you know that maybe you guys can make it through there's some hope there I might turn and squeeze his hand and give him a kiss and say okay let's do this and Rob I want to give you inspiration for that good job it's been a lot of adversity for Jack But it looks like you guys might make it through. Roll a 1D20. Roll a D20. Uh-oh. That's if your relationship.

Relationship rolls. What's my stat even? Can you imagine? Natural one. Yeah, Torren's head explodes in front of you. Scanners. Showering your record. Oh, no. Jesus Christ.

He's been a succubis the whole time. For an incubus. The imps smaller head revealed within him. He was wearing your boyfriend's body suit the entire time. Oh, Jesus. Poor Jack. All right. All right.

Krayloth, as you pick up the silver ring, the ghostly apparition of Captain Trenneros nods once, curtly, and vanishes. Your friends are here, Red and Doran, sitting in chairs off to the side of this back room. You know Z's waiting for you in the front room of the shop beyond the curtain. Sky, the blue dragon-born sear, sits in the chair across from you looking a little worn from her psychic exertions. And how is that dear? Illuminating, I hope.

Unfortunately, I wasn't present in my body, so I can't help you interpret the meaning of anything specific. Yeah, it was very illuminating sky. I'm sorry, I need to get some air. Do I owe you anything? Can I, can I pay you something? Yes, it will be ten gold for the seance and five for the ring. I got it. I don't worry, Kralath. Are you okay?

Thank you, Red. I just need to step outside for a while. Okay. And Red Lake obviously wants to comfort, but, you know, it's not the time. Kralath steps out of the beaded curtains. Well, that was, that was interesting. Red pays the woman, and he looks towards Dorn. Yeah, I don't know exactly what happened. Obviously, something shook Kralath. I only got half the conversation. It seemed like Kralath was talking to someone. Yeah, it was a little disturbing, I have to.

See. Well, let's just give him a moment to collect himself and then see what happened. Krayloth, you kind of brush through the curtain. Z's in the front room. She's like politely examining relics and books just browsing to give you guys some time. Do you like fly past her out into the street or? I see her there and at first I'm tempted. There is a temptation, hesitation to make up some excuse and I smile.

I catch myself smiling and I kind of shake it off and push myself out the front door. or anyways. And moments later, Red and Doran leave the back room. Yeah. I feel like Doran kind of leaves sort of like bowing, you know, walking backwards, bowing towards the blue Dragonborne saying, oh, you don't need to bow, come on. A weird reverence that you don't really know how to express.

Exactly. And we see Zee. Yeah, Z's got her luggage piled up neatly near the front door where you guys had left it on entering the shop. So she like picks up a couple pieces. Maybe someone wants to help her with her stuff. I stop her for a second and I say, let's just give Krayloth a bit of a head start. What happened?

I think we explained it to her while Kralath is out in the street. Sure, yeah, yeah. So Kralath, you're out in the street. It's like a busy morning in the dock ward, but you feel alone, maybe? He's not sure what he feels. As he steps out into the streets, it's surprisingly quiet for a Waterdavian street. And he feels a chill, and he's having a hard time connecting to the streets. the moment so he just he walks and he can feel his heartbeat is pumping and every now and then as he

passes by a tanner's shop a flash happens in his mind where he sees a shop just like this one on fire and he shakes his head and he continues forward and to the left of him is a well and again there's this flash of a creature hunched next to it and pushing itself up and snarling and he snaps out of that again and it's just a regular well and he continues walking forward and he's shaking his head and there's sweat forming on his brow and he starts to get dizzy so he sits down on a bench and he desperately fumbles in his pocket and he pulls out something and stuffs it into his mouth and he swallows the scone almost whole he sits there and kind of just waits and you feel a hand on your shoulder and red standing there hey buddy has everything

Okay, you kind of burst out of there without saying anything. We're a bit worried. And Kralath, all of a sudden from this dour expression that you caught him in, almost trance-like or catatonic, instantly his face breaks into a big smile. And he laughs. Oh, oh, Red, oh, yes. Oh, yeah, I just needed to come out here and get some fresh air, you know.

So, uh, oh, it's a bit chilly out, isn't it? I, uh, do you want, do you want a scone? No, sure. And Red sort of takes it a little empty and puts it in his pocket. Look, Kralath, and he looks back, Doran still standing by the door with Z, you know, 50 feet behind. They're alone in the square, Kralath and Red. He's, I, I'm worried about you, but we only heard half of the conversation, but it seemed like, was there someone in there with us? and very slowly Kralov's gaze drifts downward he gets this half smile

that begins to fade and you see his hand nervously move over to his right hand and begin to fiddle with the ring that is newly placed upon it his expression changes you see his shoulders slacken

and he kind of crumples. I encountered the truth in there. The truth of who I am, where I'm from, why I'm here, and it's all just a lot. Do you remember Nguer's hold? Yeah, of course.

Red brings his other foot over the bench and sits next to him. Of course, I remember. You and I are on the... on the bridge. The whole thing with the Shaxil. It was all kind of intuitive, really, but I knew deep down that I didn't have a soul,

and Shaxle told me as much, and that's why I stole the things, and I still feel terribly about that, by the way, but it turns out it's more than just an intuition and a deep knowing. It's true. I don't want to, want to remember where I came from. I just want to move on, but at the same time, I, uh, I've come to

realize something in there. Um, if I die before I get my soul back, if this body perishes in battle, I will become one of the very abominations that I hunt in the name of Kallumvore. Kralath, we're not going to let that happen. We, we'll find a way. We'll do something. I understand. you must feel the weight of this crushing you. I can't imagine how you must feel. This just must be the final precipice of... Of being not who I want to be, but being who I am. Crayloth's eyes begin to water,

and he looks up at you, red, and you see a grin begin to form on his face. But it's not the same kind of grin as he had on before. It's not plastered on it. There's something small and tender, but genuine about it. You know what this means, Red? No, what does it mean? It means I have a reason to live.

There's a reason for me to be here. I have a purpose, Red. A real purpose. Great, Loth. That's wonderful. I'm so happy and we're going to help you no matter what it takes we're going to get your soul back no matter what obstacles might stand in the way

what is it just, you know, buried somewhere we could do that, we could dig it up, we'll get shovels, no problem well and his expression sours a little bit it might not be so simple red listen what the captain told me I promise this will stay between me and you for right now

Of course. And Red looks again to Doran and Z, who are again just looking at a shop nearby out of distance. Our souls, we were, uh, we had to protect them. It's how the knights of the Eternal Order do these things. They're being guarded by, well, they're being guarded by a dragon. That's okay. Maybe it's a good dragon. Remember that green dragon we met? Maybe we can talk to it. That's not a big deal. No, no, it's the dragon that destroyed Doren's home. Clarion.

Kralov nods and begins to fidget with the ring again. Yes, let's just keep this between us. That's a bridge we can cross when we get there. We'll figure it out. You and I, and Red grabs Kriolath's hand and, like, cups it. We got this, buddy. You and me, you and I are the old one, too. We've known each other since before all,

began and we're going to stay together. We're going to figure this out. We're going to get that soul back, buddy. You know what, Red? For the first time since I met you, I can truly deep down say that I believe you. And he tightens his grip. And I want to give you inspiration, Justin. Yay! Yay! Bye-bye! Cool. And as Dorn and Z sort of start to approach Red quickly just says, you know, I'm going to take another look at that book, that Chaslothie. Argon gave us. Just in case there's something in there about the dragon, maybe we can figure something out. Anyway, Hey, Doren. Yeah, that's a good idea.

Doren, Doren. Hey, are you guys hungry? There's a, there's a, there's a cute little bakery right across the street. I was wondering whether or not Dern. Oh, kind of looks a little solemn, and, uh, he looks at you, Kriloth, and he says, uh, now listen here, I've, I've, I've come to grow quite attached to you, people. And, uh, I just have to say that whatever you need, I'm, I'm here for you, friend. And, uh, I feel, I feel, I feel, I feel, like, whatever we're going through, we're going through together now, no matter how

difficult it might be. Doran, you know what I could use? Something from there. And he points across the street. And you see, it's this beautiful kind of like gingerbread bakery that has like a smokestack and some cute little, uh, enchanted magical things in the window. And, uh, he's got his eyes on it. It's basically salivating.

Doran sees you point across the street. Dancing cupcakes in the window. Yeah. Oh, that looks good. And he crosses the street and clearly goes to a different store than you. So you guys all get a couple of snacks. I think I would turn to Z and just be like, do you need to go right now? Do you want to get a snack with us?

I mean, my ship is scheduled to set sail soon, but I... Yeah, I've got everything that I need. I'm happy to see you off as well, Zee. Yeah. Everyone's piled high with Z's bags and assorted snack foods, and you head down to the dock ward with her. The docks of Waterdeep are a buzz of activity. Tall ships are anchored in a large harbor. Their sails a blaze of color and movement.

A multitude of sailors lounge on stools outside taverns, argue with each other in the street, hang from rigging, completing repairs, sleep in a coil of ropes in a quiet corner. Merchants and fishers haggle and inspect the day's catch, gossiping and joking, sailing skiffs and luxurious galleons all jostle for a place in the busy harbor. And Z leads you down one boardwalk and then past another to the front of a vessel that's taking on passengers and luggage. Well, it was really nice to see all of you, even just for a little while. It was nice to see you. What a pleasant surprise. Well, you tell Jack that I said goodbye. Of course.

Oh, yes, we will. Doran's honking back a big smoked turkey leg. She gives you a hug, Doran, and then you, Krayloff. Would you guys mind taking my luggage down just to that deckhand? Oh, of course. Not at all. Oh, hello. Kralov waves over at the deckhand.

All right, let's go, Doran. No, you lift, you lift. You lift. Red, Zee puts a hand on your shoulder to share a moment with you. She searches your face, blinks once, and in an instant her eyes, the whites and the iris, all of it, turn milky gray. And in a strange voice, she says to you, be aware that contracts with the tide are binding, red-handed Robin. And then she hands you a little thing wrapped in leather. And red, for a moment, is...

confused, almost like she's making a weird joke. And as he studies her face in the gray in her eyes, a sullen, hunter-like look washes over Red's face. And Redd almost nervously flicks his eyes towards Kralath and Dorn and then turns back to her breathing a little heavier, and he takes it from her hands and... She's just staring at you, these gray, solid gray eyes

just staring at you with a blank expression. And he opens the leather parcel. There's some gold inside and a note. As you open this parcel to examine it, she nods. Her eyes turn back to the normal human, like brown eyes, white sclera. And she turns her back to you

and walks the length. of the dock back to where the other passengers are boarding the ship. You open this little leather bound parcel to reveal 200 gold pieces and a note. And what does the note say? It's the same note that you had left in the city of the dead some weeks ago. The words that you had written on the piece of parchment that said this should make us even are scratched out and underneath in small, neat printing is written. Your word is blood. And red breathes a heavy sigh

and looks to the figure walking away. She speaks to a member of the crew and then turns back to the three of you, Doren and Kralath where you finished loading her stuff into the boat with the help of some deck hands. And she gives you a cheerful wave goodbye and walks aboard the ship. And I quickly tuck it away.

Goodbye, Zee. Have a safe travel. Bye, bye, bye. Goodbye. You know, Doren, have you ever been on a ship? No, no. I dare not get on something that goes on water like that. That's, that's, uh, I hear you there.

That's a little too far. Remember that ice thing when we fell through the ice? God, that was, oh, no. I'd almost forgotten about it. Thanks for reminding me. Don't like water. No, sir. Nope, no water.

Especially when it's cold water. Ooh. Oh, not, no deeper than I can touch the bottom. You just don't know what's under there. Oh, God. Those aren't nice. And Red's just standing between the two of you as you're like talking back and forth. And Red's just watching the ship sort of sail away.

What about you, Red? You like water, don't you? Uh, yeah, it's wet. Let's go find Jack. And he turns heel and starts heading back towards the dock ward. Oh wow. What the hell does that mean? Thank you once again to our wonderful Patreon supporters, Christopher Ryan Evans, Mitchell Cadwell, Perrin Christi, Mary Karniski, Jessica Orrett, Colin Backhat, Daniel, Doug, Katie Orrett, and Merlin. See you soon, I hope. Open your eyes, Kralov. I'm afraid of what I'll see. afraid of your duty.

Shut up, Alex. Shut up. I'm going to say that word like 25 more times. Yeah, Alex, we got to keep the tone. Sorry. It's tough. Afraid of what I'll see.