High Rollers DnD - Altheya: The Dragon Empire #1 | A World of Stories (Part 2)

Episode Date: November 9, 2023

The newly formed team find themselves in the middle of a lockdown in the village of Burnell! Criminals are about, are the party capable of discovering where they're hiding?! Support the High Rollers on Patreon and get early access to Podcast episodes, vods and more: www.patreon.com/HighRollers Music courtesy of Epidemic Sound, TCT Adventures (Solasta: Crown of the Magisters) and Jolene Khor! Check out Jolene Khor and all her wonderful work on High Rollers on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1WX3ICiTmf4GpHwImnQMs6 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Pickaxe. Welcome back to part two of Ulfea, the Dragon Empire, our brand new campaign here on High Rollers. In the previous part, we introduced our new characters, each one individually having a little moment here in the village of Burnell, located in North Vale of Cauldre. Each of the party members have interacted with someone in the village of Burnell, located in North Vale of Caldra. Each of the party members have interacted with someone in the village and we've learned a little bit about each of them. But just before we went on our break,

the party were witnessed as Captain Lucas Vicaro as well as Authorita Zaron-Tecas arrived with a force of Duke Ignaris' army to inform Burnell that some criminals had passed by in the night and maybe in the local area but more importantly that until these criminals are found or this investigation is concluded the road south into the deeper parts of Caldera, the bigger towns, the bigger cities, the road is shut and the way is closed as they need to find these people. As well as a force arriving from Kelskaris,

the capital city to the north, is coming down in a pincer movement to try and help them locate and flush out these criminals and will arrive very shortly. And that is where we left off and where we pick up now. I will have, as you guys have just received all of this information, I would like everybody, unfortunately, except for Ophelia,

to make a history or a religion check. Ooh, a roll. History? History or religion? Yeah. Ooh, okay. Oh, banging. Yeah, that's huge. Six. Yeah. Oh, okay. Oh, banging.

Yeah, that's huge. Six. Six. Five, six, six. And? Oh, I rolled a two, so... Nothing. Wow.

We've gone from mid-rolls to low-rolls now. Woo! What happened? Then you need no more. We live in the empire. Gruff, just real quick, I know nothing. I've forgotten everything.

This is all... Who am I? This is new to me. Who am I? Who are you? This is, you know, it's always a case of, like, I wouldn't make you roll for something that you would very obviously know, but sometimes there are references to things

and there might be esoteric or other elements that you might pick up on and that's what rolls are for. But yeah, you guys are stood in the market square. You can see that a small force of soldiers is basically occupying the gates now, having taken over from the local kind of townscar, the little militia that kind of patrols this place. They're really not much more than they watch the gates they watch the

walls they make sure drunks don't cause too much trouble and on the off chance that some vaults spawn in the woods nearby do attack they are meant to defend defend the village basically um but in this case that has now been completely taken over by uh captain vacaro's men and women of the uh the duke ignaris's second talon battalion uh they have begun to take over this whole thing and also begin to ask questions you can see soldiers moving up asking townspeople questions and you know asking them getting taking down details and things like that but the captain himself as well as his companion authorita techus this orc the glowing scar that runs down his neck and down below his jerkin, his black leather jerkin,

have begun approaching your unusual group. What do you guys do at this point? What's the vibes? What are we thinking? How's people reacting? What's going on? Grafeth has no fear. I think he, yeah, genuinely he has a respect for law and authority um and he knows he's not a

criminal so you know he's standing ready yeah he's ready he's ready and eager to help them with their duty and also to watch how they do it because it's interesting to him sure absolutely broan's a bit nervous because there's authority there and he's not quite used to that. He's also nervous that maybe the people that he met yesterday are indeed criminals and he's fallen in with them and he's now a criminal himself. Right.

The spiralling panic. Spiralling. Yeah, yeah, OK. And he will kill to escape. Yeah. That is not true. What about Ophelia? I think Ophelia would sort of be casting a curious eye

towards the guard approaching them, but she'd also be sort of tapping a nervous long nail against her arm and leg, because it's another delay in what she needs to do. So she's kind of annoyed. Yeah, sure, absolutely. I love it. And then obviously good old Percival just stood silently, ready to hand, like, yeah,

just happy to assist you with whatever you need, as always. Daisy in her head just asks, they're looking for criminals. Should I be worried about this? They're also sending people from Koskaris. What do? Sure. Do you, and because the relationship you have with your friend,

you can kind of send memories and things like that. I'm guessing you kind of relate. I relate to what's just happened. Sure. Little one, from what you've said, it sounds like this battalion have scouts and trackers. They're clearly searching for these criminals. But there was something that one mentioned,

this sister inquisitoritor this ecliptic order i you've heard we've heard of them before just in passing but i've heard that they do not take kindly on those who have association with other worldly beings we do not want to be here when the sister inquisitor arrives, I think. That's what I thought. That's kind of what I was thinking. But these guys are okay just now, so if we can get out of this before she gets here, we should be okay. How quickly do you think she'll know?

I suspect she will know quickly. They likely have means, methods, but also... Is she so loud? No. So it can be done inside. Well, that's a good point, yeah. For Daisy, is Daisy muttering this, or is this telepathic? No, she's 100%. She's really focused, so she's probably just...

To you, it looks like she's just zoned out completely right now. I'm probably going to be like, hey, hey. She just holds up a finger. Are you a criminal? The last thing that your friend will probably say to you is, little one, I know your tendency, but these look like skill trackers. I think it would be difficult for us to sneak past them. Maybe quicker to work with them.

Find a way to... If we can find, maybe we can find these criminals before this inquisitor arrives, and then we can leave. But it may be dangerous to try and sneak past them. Possible, I think you are capable of it, but there is risk, be aware. Then I'll come back and go, huh? Are you a criminal?

No! No, no, no. No, no, just worried. What about the others? I don't know. I have no idea. But that one still kind of scares me. And she'll just step away from Ophelia a little bit.

I was going to say, you are all stood together. You can hear each other speak. Gruffydd is no criminal. Good. Gruffydd is nothing but truth and justice in his heart. I think if I've still got these golden swirls in my... They're dying down, they've passed by this point. I think you'd almost see, if you're looking at me now,

you'd almost see me kind of try and shake, almost shake my head a little bit to try and clear. Yeah, not as so obvious. It's like... Like a L'Oreal advert. Yeah. He does have his beautiful Anakin Skywalker hair, yeah. Oh no, he's hot.

I come back to the world. Travel prohibited, being prohibited is not ideal. Did we see anyone yesterday in the tavern that could have been these criminals they're looking for? We have no description. We can ask them and then we can help so that we can get out of here. Oh, they're coming anyway.

So I was going to say, as you kind of finish that up, you hear the armoured boots of the captain and the very stealthy figure of the authoritar approach. Good day, citizens, the captain kind of addresses you. I hope that you heard my announcement, but if you did not, let me introduce myself. I am Captain Lucas Vecaro, and he bows, a military bow. We are looking for these criminals that have passed through this area. We are hoping that perhaps we could speak with you for a moment of your time,

ask if you've seen anything, and just ask about your business here in the village, if you do not mind as well. Any way that I could aid you, it would be my honour. Thank you very much. What was your place, your name, sir? I am Gruffydd of Tremorrow Cove.

Very good. And yourself, sir? I am Gruffydd of Chmorrow Cove. Very good. And yourself, sir? I'm Rowan. It's a real pleasure to meet you. Thank you. Just Rowan? Just Rowan, yes. Where do you hail from? Azar.

I have no need to ask you, sir. You are not dressed for the weather here. I think you are dressed for a different climate. It is rather hot here, yes. So it's just the way you're dressed as well. I think you look like you're from Iceheart, whereas Rowan is more sort of dressed a bit more naturally. The captain's eyes glance on Ophelia

and then he sort of rotates around kind of like taking in these three Ophelia's eyes just narrow he will just also because I don't want to always do this side of the table and then this side of the table but he will kind of look over his eyes linger on you

Xanthius and what does his expression say? Well, he bows his head and there is a pause. Do you want to make an insight check for me? Uh-oh. 11. 11. I'm going to launch a dice.

Rowan is also thinking, is anyone a criminal? Can I also do an insight on this? Yeah. You can make an insight check. It's not necessarily for the same reasons. 18. 18? Yeah, everyone, yeah.

So who is it you're... He's insighting you. Rowan's insighting you. I think... I know the captain's not a criminal. What did Groff get? 22. I didn't know if you were looking at other people as well,

but from Xanthius you would probably see... Not... With, I guess, your judgment on this, but with a roll that good, I suppose, there is a nervousness and a worry, but... There is a nervousness and a worry, but since he has now spoken to the group, this captain, I think Xanthius has eased a little bit more. Nice.

That's the perception, I suppose. There's definitely a nervous energy to Xanthius. Like, there's a little bit. But when you, this beat, Xanthius, it's actually kind of something that you're familiar with. You think that he's almost waiting for you to introduce yourself. There's like a moment where he's giving you the space to introduce yourself.

Oh, my apologies. Xanthius, Oregon, what would you like to know from each of us? As you kind of take that moment to very formally introduce yourself, and especially since you gave your second name, he actually bows his head a bit deeper. Lord Oregon, you said, of House Oregon. Yes.

Yes. He nods his head, and then he looks around. He sees you, Daisy, almost kind of glancing over you, almost like, oh, there's just this kind of little village girl here. I'm not that interested. Because you do look like a cauldron citizen. You look like a villager. Yeah, you look like a villager.

So he kind of glances over you, definitely turns back to Ophelia. Please, who am I speaking to? Who do I have the pleasure of addressing? Sister Ophelia Delarosa of the House of Blood. And what is this interruption? What? It's just the confidence every time she says it. House of Blood.

The captain almost doesn't really know how to respond. Like, the thing that you've said, he just doesn't almost seem to really process. He's trying to figure it out, but the orc kind of steps forward, and he places a hand on the captain's shoulder. I will speak to this one, Captain. I think that this is perhaps a little...

beyond your... training. If you... Perhaps if you speak with the others. And the authoritor will look to you and he bows his head. I am aware of the House of Blood and of your homeland. Oh good. Perhaps he looks towards Percival.

I rolled a natural 20, by the way. Oh! What? The first of the show. On a check to see how much he knew about the House of Blood. And he looks towards Percival, and he kind of looks towards you, and you can see that he knows.

It's just a look in his eyes. He knows. And he looks to you and says, May I ask, sister, on what business are you here in our land? Diplomacy. You are an ambassador? Yes.

And education. Education? You've come to learn about our way of life here? I have, yes. What is the name of your sponsor? Who is it that sent you here? Countess Oromyn Orser. Oromyn Orser? He says, he bows and says,

I must apologise, this is not a name I'm familiar with, but I know of a little of the structure. He, you see he writes it down. He's of a high rank. Yeah, a little of the structure. You see he writes it down. He's of a high rank. Yeah, he takes out a thing. He writes it down. Checks will be made. I apologise for interrupting your business here in the Empire, but this is a grave matter.

The criminals we are seeking murdered a priestess of our faith. Oh, my goodness. I'm sure you can understand. Do you want to do that reaction one more time? Oh, no. By the Greyfather. What a terrible tragedy. I'm sure you can understand the importance of such a crime.

I do. Then I hope that you will extend us your immortal patience. We'll have it. Nods. As he's kind of speaking with Ophelia, this authorita, who definitely is still glancing at the rest of you, but like definitely kind of took the reins from the captain, who seemed quite flustered.

The captain kind of regains his composure. And you, my dear, sorry, I did not catch your name daisy thistle heart sir and you are i i know a i know a fellow cauldron when i see one are you from good good fine you're from good vine daisy you see uh he doesn't note that he doesn't write things down um but the authorita as he's speaking is writing everything down like you can see him scribbling names in this almost jagged shorthand like when you say names like xanthius oregon it's like four strokes of whatever he's writing but that seems to be enough for him to know what that means um uh almost like he's writing in some secret language or it's almost like there's a slight touch of magic to whatever he's doing

as he's kind of jotting things down. But the captain will turn around and say, well, as I mentioned, we are looking for these criminals, three criminals in particular. They escaped from, I must admit, they escaped from my men's custody, so I have been charged with tracking them down. They fled to the north, and we have, I am very confident, despite what the marshal

of this village says, that they passed by, and I believe that they entered this village. We are searching for them. Do you have a description of these people? I do indeed, in fact. And he'll say, Authorita, may I, forgive me for the interruption, Sister Ophelia, was it?

Yes, it was, thank you. Forgive me. If I may borrow the Authorita, he has more of the details. Of course. And the Authorita nods. He flips through a few books, and you can see it's this leather-bound,

like, black journal, stamped with just this eye symbol, basically. He flips through a couple of back pages. It'd be an eye and a hammer. So it's like a kind of eye on the head of a hammer, basically. I want that as a notebook. I want that.

He flips back through a few pages and he says, "'Yes, yes, the three we are looking for as a trio. One is a male dwarf, approximately in his sort of middling years, a little younger, greyish-brown hair. His name is Beric Brassfist. Beric Brassfist. And he gives you a rough description uh of this dwarf um height and weight and things like that uh but he basically describes him as having yeah like a kind of gray and brown hair shortly cut on the top of his head a beard it braided and entwined um with brass like patterns of like jagged lines up his neck and around his face basically so he kind of has them

like encroaching around his face and you would know these to be like the dwarf growths like the metal skin basically that they have um he then says accompanying him was a human woman a cauldron uh early 20s uh short dark hair shaved on one side but the rest is kept close to her cheek. Her name is Regina Violate, a jewelist, a bravo. Slender, tall, gives you, again, rough height, rough description, kind of thing like that. And then finally, a figure called Yurgo the Eel,

a disgraced kobold runaway from Erdas Kyr. A thief and a lockbreaker. Black scales, short no more than perhaps three feet tall. I think as he's describing the dwarf and the woman, that's almost like, looking around the crowd, it's almost like, oh yeah, there could be someone standing amongst this crowd now, and then a kobold. Yes, yes, but the kobold is, no, but they are known for this particular criminal.

I'm switching the voices. This particular criminal is well-trained at stealth and hiding. It may be that the other two have passed through, they may pass in plain sight, the other one may be hidden in shadows or hidden somewhere. But yeah, you're right, dwarves and humans, very, very common all throughout the Empire. Most of the places in the Empire, whether it's a village or a town or a city, they're very multicultural, like, ancestries are mixed. You don't have, like, dwarf city, human city, halfling town.

Everybody lives everywhere. So a human and a dwarf literally could be describing so many. They would definitely blend in. The haircuts may be a little bit interesting, but definitely kind of generic. How do you suppose to gain access to the city? Or the village, sorry. Are you asking me?

My suspicions on that. Well, they would have had to pass by the guard. We had some trouble ourselves just last night. You see the captain kind of rolls his eyes. Forgive me, Lord Oregon. I do not believe the marshal of this village runs a particularly disciplined local guard. They panicked at the first sight of us and opened the gate.

I could have been an imposter for all they knew. They seemed to be. I raised my hand. Yes? They didn't want to let one of us in last night. So I think they're being quite thorough actually. They let me in because I'm from Cauldre and I look like I am,

but they didn't want to let other people in. Just saying. Keen to refuse the entry. On what grounds? Appearance alone. But they allowed you inside as you appeared to be Cauldron? Mm.

The dwarf and the woman would have had the same appearance. They would have seemed the same. But what, do you remember, did these guards give you a name? Do you know who you spoke to? No, but I think I've seen them before because I've been around here. Could you describe them to the authoritar please? Can I describe the guards that I saw?

Yeah, vaguely. They were pretty simple. It was a human and a dwarf. Kind of very much country folk. Looked like they were like farmer's sons who have joined up as the militia instead of working on the farm. Not particularly special in any way. But yeah, you could... Clarify, not a male dwarf and a human woman.

We didn't just speak directly to them when we tried to come into this place. No, it's fine. Like I said, dwarves are quite common a race in the Empire, so it's fine. Yeah, you give the description, the author notes it down in the same way. It's like, we will look into that.

We will try and speak to them, see if they were... You said that they were on duty when you arrived last night. Is that the case for all of you? All arrived last night, in the evening? Mm-hmm. Kind of like next to the helm. Did you see anything when you were entering, Barnell, anything that stood out,

anything unusual or suspicious? If the answer is no, that is fine, please. I'd rather not be chasing up imagined leads, anything that stands out. Very distracted by the smell of nice bread. Sorry. Pleasant enough smell, I'm sure I can understand. You're good bread.

Went straight to the Lordly Reigns for the night. The Lordly Reigns is one of the inns here? Yes, correct. You're staying there, madam? Yes. Bread's down. The rest of you, anything out of the usual? Nothing to report from me.

I was very much taken up with my ward here. Your ward? You are a bodyguard, a travelling companion? I am his protector for now. I see. And what is your business here, Lord Orgon? Traveling, primarily. I resided in a village on the Gildaei border for a while, Rust End. I know it.

I stayed there for a while before traveling to Kelskaris and now back on my way. Heading home? Yes. Make a deception check for me. Oh. Deception, hey? A slippery little boy. A slippery little dragonborn.

This dice really likes the number three. It really does. I got a five. The authoritor is watching you. You seem nervous, Lord Oregon. Oh, well, at the threat of criminals entering the village, they could be anywhere around us. You can understand why I'd be scared.

Indeed. Indeed. They just sort of let that moment hang for a bit. Then they turn their attention elsewhere. I don't do it. I'm not a criminal. No one is implying that you are, my tall friend. But can I ask, what is your business here in the village? I have no business.

Yes, you do. You were playing lovely music. I'm a bard. A musician? Yes. Do you travel around much? Yes, all do. You were playing lovely music. I'm a bard. A musician? Yes. Do you travel around much? Yes, all the time. And where are you from? I'm from Azar.

Oh, that's right. I remember you saying. Yes, that's okay. He notes a few things down. Well, we will likely come by and ask more questions as our investigation and search continues. But like I said, you are all staying in the inns here, yes? You are travellers, you are not residents of the village? I don't know. We're staying in the Peony Post. So you and your travelling companion yourself?

Yes. Yes, and you? Mm-hmm. And you mentioned the Lordly Reins is where you were staying. Correct. Well, the Duke's purse will cover your expenses. Whatever rooms you had previously, we will continue to pay for them as long as this investigation is ongoing.

That's so kind. I'd like to stay in the Lordly Reins now. Do you also pay for dinner expenses? We will provide a meal. It will be provided. It will be a simple affair, but the Duke will make sure that you are fed. This is an inconvenience. We understand the Duke understands that this is an inconvenience,

but these criminals must be brought to justice, and an extensive search is unfortunately required. These criminals seem to be quite elusive. It will hopefully be, I suspect, he kind of considers the force from Kelskaris

and the Sister Inquisitor, they should be arriving in the next few, three to five days, we suspect that they will arrive. Three to five days? Okay. They will be searching the lands, they will be sending out their forces, looking for tracks, looking for places

for these criminals to hide. If that is too long a duration for you, then all I can ask is that the more help you can provide us in our investigation, the better. I will make it clear, and he kind of looks because how many of you actually carry obvious weapons? Because I actually don't

think many of you do, do you? I've got a dagger on my belt, but it's not, like, a big intimidating thing. No, nothing for me. Xanthius doesn't. You've got the staff. Do you have a shield? I have a shield, yes.

Okay, so you have, like, a shield on your back and the staff. But it looks unimpressive. Yeah, it kind of looks beaten up. A whip at my hip. You've got a whip, and you kind of have armour as well. Yeah. Whip hip. And Rowan doesn't have any of his weapons

he is a weapon a hidden dagger but he can't see it and he left his longsword in his room okay nice so he looks around you do not strike me

as mercenaries but there is a bounty on these criminals whether they've ideally brought in alive but for their heads a bounty is offered criminals, whether they've ideally brought in alive, but for their heads, a bounty is offered. And I'm sure that Duke Ignarius would be happy to,

would offer his favor to those who help him in this. These criminals, they murdered a priestess, and that is something that cannot be forgiven. When did they murder the priestess? The authoritor will look to you and say, two days ago. There was other peculiarities as well. They, it looked like they had broken in to steal something,

but we are not sure exactly what was taken. Stole relics, magical goods? We found within the shrine of Misara, one of our saints. He says to you, because he knows that you wouldn't know who the religion are, he knows that you guys would know who Saint Misara is. For your benefit, by the way, Saint Misara is a saint of creation, the forge, craftsmanship and things like that um uh working of metals and stuff like that you

guys that's all very familiar to the citizens of the empire but for ophelia you wouldn't know who that is um he says one of our divine saints uh this shrine they broke into it we found the priestess had been murdered and a hidden alcove in the chamber had been opened but there is no record of anything being stored there and any none of the other novices and acolytes knew about it they did not seem to know it was there we questioned the criminals they said nothing we took their belongings we found nothing really out of the ordinary um it kind of thinks for a minute and then just you know carries on uh nothing out of the ordinary we suspect or i suspect that they were hoping to find something that may not have

been there uh killed the priestess trying to gain information, and then in their fumbled attempt to flee, recaptured them. It is the nature of their escape which is quite perplexing, for they had been in custody, they were being transported to the prison near Pheros, to Deep Glimmer Prison in the mountains, but during the transport in a prison in the mountains, but during the transport, their shackles were broken somehow, and they escaped me. We will help. We will? Yes. All of us?

Yes. Yes, I think we should. Well, I would love to help. I'm not going to press you all to help, but I would love to help the Duke. It would be a great honour to carry out justice. Your support, citizens, is very appreciated. And obviously, as I mentioned, there is a bounty.

If you are, I do not know how much skill and experience you have with fighting but these criminals are be cautious they're dangerous they've they've murdered a woman and they've been engaged in in criminal activity so to be careful if you pursue them but any assistance you can provide in finding them learning more about their movements why they came here to Burnell how they got in where they've gone. Any of that information would be very useful. I should make it clear that should you come to us with information and then we go out and find them,

there would be no bounty available. That would be my honour to capture them as criminals. But if you yourself were to bring the criminals in, then the bounty would be yours and the Duke's favor along with it. Unfortunately the way that in these out of the way places far from the towns and cities, we are often reliant on individuals who seek bounties, mercenaries, bounty hunters and the like. We will be busy searching the woods and the rivers and the nearby lands, So yes, any help you can provide would be very useful. Of course. And he smiles.

Roman will step forward, look down at the captain, gripping by the upper arm. To offer a bounty and free night's stay. Such a generous duke. He nods. He's like, my Duke Ignarius, my Lord Duke is a very generous dragon, and I am very proud to serve him loyally. He nods in your direction. I will do everything I can.

Thank you. Thank you. And he pats you on the shoulder, on the arm, just like, thank you, my good friend, my good man. That's his very kind effect. Thank you kind effect nice and he kind of looks around um you're definitely going like i think the captain like kind of does catch your eye gruff because there is something knightly about him you don't know if he is a knight but he has that kind of demeanor um uh he doesn't have the emblems and the heraldry like that you've heard of but he definitely has that kind of manner and things like that to you so So he definitely catches your eye.

And you think that like he lingers on you for a moment, sort of some of the things you've said, probably looking at like your shield and your staff, looking at you, Ophelia, with your armor and your whip. And the others, he's like, okay, well, they don't seem to be particularly armed, but he looks at the two of you and says, yes, just be careful.

If you go after these individuals, as I said, they are dangerous criminals. If there is anything else you wish to know, myself and the authoritor will be nearby. We will be speaking with people and investigating matters. If that is all, citizens, thank you for your time. He just nods his head and bows. The authoritor does not bow, but does incline his head in all of your direction

and then just turns and walks away. Blessings to you. Gruff would give a almost reverential bow back to the captain. Sure, yeah. Yeah. He nods his head in kind of polite respect as well. I feel him say, swift investigation is grace.

Thank you. Yeah, they seem to head off and begin, you know, their own getting to what they need to do. But you can see that the south gate, the one that leads to the south road and the Imperial Highway into the other cities, there's like five guards just stood there watching it. You can see, you know,

if you were to look out beyond the walls, like, you know, kind of, you know, look past past them you would see little pockets of like one or two some of them have got how like uh drakes you can see like these kind of hunting drakes like these smaller dog-sized like lizards um they're using those and they're like trying to find trails and tracks and scents and things like that um sniffing all around you can see a few other soldiers speaking to figures like the reverend and like going up to the inns and asking people there. You see Rau being asked a few questions by the soldiers and things like that. And eventually the Authoritar and the Captain start going one to one,

like going to each house and stuff like that. Leaving you guys with a little bit of a moment of quiet peace to talk amongst yourselves. So... Are we investigating this now? Absolutely we are. It would be advantageous to do so. We should do that before the people come from Kilskaris, because that's a lot of effort for them. Also, what was it, five days away?

That won't do. But where do we begin? I don't... Anyone... Does anyone here happen to be a murder investigator? No. No? No, no, me neither. No, good.

Okay, great. So where do we begin? What do we do? Who do we speak to? I suppose we begin by asking questions. Okay. Where were you last night? I was with you.

Ah, see? It's a good start, though, right? It's a great question. Easy, perfect. Has anyone been to this village they fled from? No. Have I been to that village? It's not a village.

Ashen Rest is a very big town. I don't know if I would have been there. No, it's like one of the main towns. It's the main town north of Feros, like the big city of Caldra. And it's between here and Kelskaris. And yeah, Ashen Rest is kind of like the next big stop for a traveller on their way between the cities.

And it's a big walled town, it's very prosperous. It's the dukes, where the duke lives, the Duke of Northvale, that's his residency and his kind of main settlement. Would I have passed through it if I was? No, you came north as well from Kelskaria. So this is the first place you've been in Khaldra. So it's on the way.

It's on the way south towards Farros, yeah. I'm working the... So coming from that town to north, they would have to pass through Burnell or could they have gone... They could have gone

into like the Rustwale Woods and the mountains, the Blade of the Empress Mountains, which is to the... It's on the eastern side of the valley, whereas Burnell is a little bit more to the west, near the Obsidian Mountains. So they could have gone and sort of like tried to skirt Burnell,

but it would be, that's hard land. That's like, you know, real tough forest hills, mountains. Could be a good place to hide. They might not have come here, but the captain seemed to be convinced that they did. He did mention something about the marshal disagreeing with him, but, you know, there's and you can see these other

characters. You can see, like, the various people that you've met in the village. You can see lots of other characters chatting. And you do see that accountant woman, the librarian-looking woman, and this very angry-looking battle-hardened dwarf woman nattering together and sort of, like, casting daggers around as they're looking around.

But yeah, they possibly could have avoided Burnell if they'd gone into the rust whale woods and the mountains. Right. But that's probably... I mean, it's certainly dangerous doing that at night. Like, places like mountains and forests are where vaultspawn like to hide. These creatures that have escaped from the proto-magic vaults

and now run amok around Althea. It's where bandits lurk. It's where beasts like hungry wolves... It's dangerous land to be out there, basically. It's why most people travel the highways, the imperial highways and the trade roads. Rowan, you were here when we first arrived. I didn't do it.

I'm not saying you did. I don't believe you did. I'm very nervous right now. You were performing in the Peony Post when we arrived. So you would have had a good sight of everyone that arrived in that place? No. He had his eyes closed.

Yes, I focus entirely on my... The entire time. The pebbles are very important. They have a story. The pebbles, I remember the song about the pebbles, yes. Beautiful piece, by the way. It means so much to me to hear such... Oh, thank you.

Thank you. It's quite all right. But if you didn't see anyone in the peony post, I don't recall seeing anyone like this there. Did anyone... You barely could recall that these three were here. I... Does anyone else recall, at least?

You were very tired. You looked like you were going to pass out. Well, I almost did, but... You look like death. Thank you. Thank you. Is that a compliment coming from...? Could be. Could be. Oh, lovely. You weren't staying at the Peony Party?

No. After the lordly reigns. Okay. Anything there? Innkeep, assistant, myself and Percival, that was all. Okay. Well, if they didn't stay there, they must have stayed somewhere during the night, right? Maybe they didn't stay at an inn at all. Exactly. Yes.

Exactly. So we might be able to... They'd be hiding. They could be hiding. They might not still be here. Just a reminder of that. Is Percival a kobold in a robe? No.

Just had to ask, you know, cover our, cover our. Are they, what is a kobold? It's a good question. Small, tiny dragon. Yes, very small. How small, very small. What is a dragon? As a very clear point, they are not dragons.

Cobbles, they are draconic-like, but they are- Lizard, she would say lizard. Like a lizard- Very strong distinction in this world. What is and is not a dragon. Oh, you see those drakes, like they're like two to three feet, like they're pretty small.

The guards had like drake- Hunting dogs. Hunting dogs, like that sort of dogs. Sniffing drakes. Those things over there, imagine those but more... Small. Smaller. Smaller. Standing on two feet, maybe...

And you are ruled by dragons. Yes, but not kobolds. They're different. Kobolds are... Lizard. So not these mighty beasts. No. No, mightier. Mightier. Proud. Big. I see. Honourable. No, mightier. Mightier. Proud. Big.

I see. Honorable. Caring, kind, the whole gamut. They sound lovely. Yeah. Yeah. I've never met one. No.

Has anyone else? This is, we're getting Tom, give me a deception check. I've never met one. Says the man who is like has got a golden dragon tail. He looks like a dragon. Oh, actually, no, yeah, no, okay, yeah, no, yeah, yeah. I've met a dragon. Yeah, okay, yeah, yeah.

Very different thing. Yeah. That's a good point. I hadn't thought about that. That's a good point. Okay, we're getting distracted already. We are getting distracted. So what about the guards that we've spoke to on the way in?

If they may have just let these people in, perhaps they would be able to identify these people. At least then we can confirm they're actually in this village. Well, if the woman looks like she's from Caldra, they would have just let her in like they let me in. But it's not... If they let in a... I don's not... If they let in a...

I don't think they would have let in a lizard. Just saying. Unless the lizard wasn't let in. Could have snuck in. If this was a thief, you described him as a thief, right? He's sneaky. Sneaky. Quiet, small, shadowy.

Those two look quite angry at the soldiers isn't that the Reeve you yeah the woman with the glasses and the bodice that one who looks a bit more noble that's your own point now by the way yeah that I mean she definitely looks a Reeve is basically a mayor it's like the mayor of like a human settlement or like a non dragon settlement dragons being the rulers but they don't want to deal with the minutia of actually running a town. So Reeves are normally installed to basically be the accountants and the tithe collectors, basically. And they run the towns and villages and things like that. So the woman that Rowan is pointing at, this kind of elderly, librarian-looking woman with the glasses and the bodice,

she is most likely to be the Reeve. You didn't catch her name um i don't think daisy would probably know it just off the top of her head uh the dwarven woman next to her based on her appearance the weapons the armor she's barking orders at some of the militia who are like kicking dirt and don't really know what to do um you suspect that she is the marshal the marshal being like the local sheriff, kind of. They're the one who are supposed to train up a town, or a village militia and stuff like that, and basically keep the peace in a village. They have a very minor amount of power

to dispense justice or call in an authoritor to adjudicate a case and things like that. They may know stuff. We can certainly talk to them, if you'd like. Okay. I'll walk over. Sure. Is it just Rowan, or are you guys going to go as a group?

Wait, is he doing the talk? Okay, let's go with him. Okay, we'll all go. All right, yeah. You guys make your way over. There's like a hushed conversation as you're kind of approaching her. And then as you approach, the Dwarven woman looks up, puts her hand on the axe belt.

What do you want? Who are you? And she kind of like glances around. Excuse me. We are now bound by duty and honor to find these criminals that killed a priestess. The Dwarven woman kind of rolls her eyes, but the Reeve, the elder-looking woman, is just like, Oh, yes, of

course, very good, yes, we must help the good captain and the authoritor in apprehending these criminals. Thank you so much for your help, visitors, of course, yes, of course. Is there something you need from

myself, or...? Well, we were just wondering if there was any information we might be able to glean from you. Oh, oh, no, no. I'm afraid, as I have mentioned to the good captain, I'm afraid I know nothing, and my marshal, Marshal Valgra, here assures me that there is no way that these criminals could have entered into Burnell. Isn't that right, Valra? Yes, there's no way. My

men and women are too trained for that. There's no way. It's this captain trying to lay the blame on us provincials, us country folk. He's just trying to make himself look better, saying that they came through our village. He's the one who fucked up.

Language. I think looking around, when she says my men are too well trained, I look around, there's the people kicking their feet and stuff, right? You don't even need to roll for this. I mean, if you want to incite her, because also it's such an obvious lie i almost wordlessly want to with skepticism on my face like looking around this group and then back at her like yeah what

she just she looks at you hard what we walked straight in last night oh clearly your visitors it's uh it's a trader's town. We allow visitors in. Why would we not? So, but if that be, then how would you not know that a human and a dwarf are not traders too? Well, because my men and women are very well trained. If there was these criminals, they'd be looking for hidden weapons and making sure they weren't bringing in trouble. looking for hidden weapons and making sure they weren't bringing in trouble. Have you got something to say to me, lion man? And she looks up at you and kind of puffs her chest out a little bit. Sounds like you've got something to say.

You're saying I'm doing a bad job. Oh, no. He's not saying that. Sounds like what he's saying, big man. You've got a problem. I have no problem here. Good. What if it's a, I poke, I'm behind Rowan at the moment.

I poke my head around and go, what if it's a really small lizard that got in because they're really small and you didn't see them? Snuck in. It's not my fault. It's not my problem. I haven't seen one around of you. I think we'd all know a black kobold that was running around, a black-scaled kobold, sneaking about.

We'd see it. You'd see it if you were, well, looking for it. Black-scaled kobold. We've been looking for it. Yeah. Okay. They told us it was there. Okay, I thought it was like that might have just been a piece of information.

No, they told us, yeah. Yeah, they did. Interesting. Yeah, just sort of says, like, we're looking, we're looking. Like I said, we're duty-bound as well to help the captain in this investigation, even if he has fucked up. But we've not found anything.

So it is of your opinion that these people are no longer in the village? Or never even arrived? I don't think so. I mean, look, you're free to go and inspect the walls and talk to people if you want, if you're looking for that bounty maybe. And she kind of looks around,

trying to gauge your reaction to that when she says, like, are you looking for the bounty? Rowan's nodding. Okay, Rowan's just actively nodding his head. What about Gruff? What's Gruff's thinking? I think Gruff is... His body language has definitely changed to a more aggressive...

Like, he's unfurled. He's standing wide. He's gripping his staff. He does not like what this person is saying. Yeah, yeah, yeah. He thinks shoddy. Yeah. Shoddy., failure of duty.

Daisy just changes and goes by in gruff instead. Yeah. Because you're looking more aggressive. A lot more. Rowan's sort of like, oh, yeah. You know how when cats get a bit agitated, their tails start to swish and flick? His tail is just flicking around.

And it's just, you know, he's definitely very open in this as well. He's not trying to hide it. He's just very like... And the woman, Valgra,

Marshal Valgra has seen it and is kind of like jeering, kind of almost sneering, like just trying to chat. He's almost like saying like, yeah, come on,

start a fight. Like I want to, you know, come on, come at me. Like there's, she's so aggressive like in this thing and she turns around to the Reeve and says like, I should get back start a fight like i want to you know come on come at me like there's she's so aggressive like in this thing and she turns around to the reeve and says like i should get back to it reeve mayor

i i need to get in you know help this captain out this failure and you know we'll we'll track these criminals down don't you worry um and she kind of like and the reeve is just like oh yes martin if you say so of course we we must course. We must find them as quickly as possible, ensure that there is no problems, that they don't endanger our citizens. Absolutely, absolutely. The Duke's business here in the village, this is meant to be a prosperous place. He wants this to be the next star on the map. We can't have this. No, no, no.

And she sort of begins opening her books and consulting things and things like that um totally becomes distracted and like you know wanders off almost um the dwarf looks around you good day citizens and then just bye swaggers off that went well uh well um i think we should look at the walls the walls you all see. You all see, by the way, like Gruff just like, just like not moving. That woman is a disgrace to her uniform. She has neglected her duty, and this village is now harboring criminals who murdered an innocent priestess of the faith.

They are here. They might be. They don't believe so. That's, at least we got that information there. Why mortal knights are a waste of time. Huh? What knights? What?

She said mortal lives. Oh, mortal lives. Yeah, but we've- No, knights. Oh. Not lives. Mortal lives are delightful. You have knights where you're from?

Yes, we do. Knights and soldiers. What are their oaths? What are their duties? Delightful. You have knights where you're from? Yes, we do. Knights and soldiers. What are their oaths? What are their duties? To serve the Greyfather. That is all. Are they noble? Well, I suppose they have to be. Noble is all they can be.

Do they fight for justice? Fight for their house? Are you noble? The word noble doesn't have the same meaning here, but you know a little bit about Ilmeran culture because you've been trained on it by the Countess. And I think for Ophelia, in a sense, you are. You have been accepted by the house. You have been given the title, but you're a fledgling. You have status and power, which is what you think Xanthius is asking. Are

you noble? Are you a person of importance? And you are, kind of. You're not the most, but you definitely have some status. Just to put some context to the cultural differences there, because that word wouldn't mean the same thing to you as it does to these guys. For what you're asking, yes. Yes, I am. That is good to know.

Because she's... Yeah, I'm not. I'm in danger. Okay, so we wish to investigate the walls. We could speak to the guards. I would very much like to not be here for much longer than this. Same. Same. Why?

I just... The village is lovely. It really is. I've got places to be. Do you intend to stay here after? When we've been given free bed and board for many days. I don't wish to overstay the generosity, but I see no reason to have such a nice, cosy bed for a few days. What is your lifestyle? I don't understand. How do you live your life?

Oh, to the fullest. How lovely. How did you come to this village? Walking. But where from? From Azar. Okay. And did you happen to pass through...

I didn't do it. Sorry? I wasn't do it. Sorry? I wasn't the criminal. I'm not asking, I just wanted to know more about you. Right. Did you happen to pass through Kelsgaris? Any other settlements?

You would have, yes. The outskirts of it, the outskirts of it. The big city. Yes, yes. Yes, but I didn't of it. The big, big city. Yes, yes. Yes, but I didn't like it so much. Too many people. Same. Yes.

Didn't like it either. It's overwhelming. Noisy. Yes, so I went around it as much as I could. Okay. And now I'm here. And it sounds like you know this place. I've been here before, but I came the other way.

But if these criminals were to have come to this village, they wouldn't have gone elsewhere. Do you happen to know of places they could hide? Anywhere they might have stayed, if not in any of the inns, because we didn't see them. I mean, you can make a nature check for me, Daisy. And I was going to say, depending on what you roll... Well, I rolled an 18 on the dice.

Then I will say nothing. 18. Cool. 18. You think, when Xanthius asks you places to hide, hiding is something you know quite well. And it's something that your friend knows quite well as well. Would you ask, would you ask Nim?

Maybe, yeah. Yeah, what would you, what are you thinking like? In my, I'd be like, one second. And I'll kind of walk a little bit away and go, sure. Yes, little one. Where could they have gone that's near here that's not here that's not Kilskaris

that's not a big town? Can you try your best to remember the map in that shop in the town that we were last in a few months ago? Remember the map

of this area. Do your best to remember it for me. I'll try and remember it. And you've got good memory, like you kind of imagine it, you kind of almost visualize, like a sketch in your notebook, right? You kind of imagine you're drawing it out

and you hear Nim kind of like, yes, yes, very good. And almost like helping you fill out the map, this other presence in your mind fills in blanks and adds like mountains and trees and details almost creating this map for you um very loose and very sketchy but you remember yeah yeah there's me here nim would say i remember this village as we were planning our journey here. There is a river that runs from the mountains, the Black Rock River, and near its source there is a mine, and then to the south of the river is the forest that they call the flint thorns. Perhaps these, if it were I and my legion, I would have found a place in the woods or the mountains to hide away until an enemy had passed, until our foes had depleted their resources searching for us, find somewhere that we could stay hidden.

How helpful. I will be, I'll scribble it down in my book. She just walked off. Make some scribbles and then come back. Yeah. Sorry. I think, maybe, there's a river there, nearby. You don't know where.

There's a river. And it goes into the mountains. And there's a mine. And then, where, there's a river, and it goes into the mountains, and there's a mine, and then also, there's forest. So either of those places are nearby, but not in a town, and you could hide there. Oh. I will crudely draw roughly a map

from what I remember from just the conversation. Wait, you're just drawing a map? It's not very good, but it's a rough idea of where it is, but I don't know. I've never been to those places. You don't have proficiency with cartography tools, do you, Daisy? I don't think I do. No, I don't think you do.

Okay, so this isn't like just saying this is very rough and basic. It's basic. Yeah, like in Daisy's mind, it was a lot clearer because she has help, but when she sketches it out, it's like a very loose drawing. Like I can do a very loose drawing for you if you want. So like.

Yeah, she can doodle and stuff, but maps are not. And you do these drawings. That's a passion of yours? I think it just passes the time, helps me remember things. Very nice. The Gravefather would very much like that. In what way? In a way that we celebrate our customs.

Okay. We appreciate the arts. Oh, that's nice. Oh. Sounds lovely. It does. Mm, I'd like to go there. Oh, it's quite lovely.

And where is it that you hailed from? Azar. Azar, what's Azar? It's cold. Cold. Up north, at least. It storms. Is it as cold as Ice Hat? I don't know. Or a bow from the north? That one sounds very cold. Cold? Up north, at least. There's storms. Is it as cold as Iceheart?

I don't know. Both from the north. That one sounds very cold. What's Iceheart like? It is the furthest of the northern coast. Oh. Surrounded by icy mountains, icy rivers, icy seas. There's a lot of ice there. This is the warmest I've ever been. It's a lot of ice there.

This is the warmest I've ever been. It's a bit strange for me. Yeah, the air here is thick. I'm used to the chill. Yeah. Well. Could I try and, I guess,

I want to look in the direction of the river. And can I go to the wall at, like, that part of the... Yeah, well, the closest point. So the town isn't right on the river. It's kind of, like, nearby. But you can go to, like, roughly where? Roughly where I think you could pass to the forest. Yeah, easily. Easily, because you've actually already been there.

It's right by that cottage with the orange tree, like where you were this morning. That's like right near, that's probably the closest part of the city to the river. And that's where you were this morning. Okay. Oh, this is where I got the oranges from. Right.

They're nice. I got permission. They gave me permission. That's good. Um, did you see any criminals? No, but then I was drawn. I'm not very good at this. I definitely didn't see a lizard.

Okay. So where should we go now? The woman I saw this morning, she was just a regular woman, or did she? Do you recall her? She was broad-shouldered, very athletic build. She had like a big burlap sack on her shoulders, and she headed towards the north gate of the city, so it would have led to the north, and that's what you remember.

Her name was Marion. Anything else is whatever you remember. Did she have, I wasn't writing notes at that point. Did she have dark hair? Not in the manner that the authoriter described. No, she was like a brown, kind of longer hair. But she definitely had like a, yeah, like a broad build. Like definitely a physical work,

kind of like an athletic body kind of thing. Well, Gruff, this seems, based on what you've told me about oaths and justice and that sort of thing, this seems exactly like your... thing. I think thing is the right word. But is there... What would you do? Pretend you're you.

Okay, I pretend you're me. Now, what would Gruff do in this situation? Uphold the principles of virtue, righteousness and justice. Okay, we can do that throughout. Everyone, remember to uphold the principles of virtues and justice. Righteousness. Sure. Now, after that, or during, where would you go first?

See, I'm not actually quite sure. I'm quite new to this. Sorry? This lifestyle. This calling. Of righteousness and justice. And pursuing of it. Were you previously a criminal?

I was previously a fisherman. How previous? How recent? Was I the first person you've helped? Maybe. Well you did so in astounding fashion. You honour me with your kind words, Lordling. Lordling! Okay.

I will get that character reference. I... You will, you will, you will. ...would be extra good coming from a dragonborn. I just didn't know that I'd be your first and only so far character reference. I didn't know that you'd be my first and only, so far, character reference. I didn't know that you'd be my first and only character reference so far. Okay. Everyone else just told me to bugger off.

How recently did you leave Iceheart? Not long ago. But how long would it have taken me to travel down? Hey, Wikipedia. A long time. You've been on the road for a good while now, like, using up your supplies. On foot, it would probably take you close to...

Not fully, like, a month, but, like, certainly close to a cycle. Yeah, like, kind of a month. Like, the calendar in Arthur is a little bit different. Yeah, like a kind of a month, like the calendar in Arthur is a little bit different. The time here is broken down into each. There are various, there are, I believe, seven months, if you want to call them that. And they're broken down into three periods of 12 days.

And it probably would have taken you, and each one is like first moon mid moon and late moon so they called them the moon phases basically it would have taken you since the beginning of most of green tide which is like one of the the months basically like the spring according to the one of the months, basically, like the spring. According to the cycle of the stars and the moon, most of a greentide since I left my village. Greentide is the first month, basically. It's like it's not, yeah, you're currently in stormfall. You would have left just after the beginning of first moon of greentide, and it's taken you probably about 28, 30-odd days to basically walk.

Wow. All the way from Iceheart, through Azar, into Kelskaris, around Kelskaris, and then down into Kaldra. Like, you've been on the road a long time. I've been walking a long way from Tremorra Cove, up in the north. Okay.

And now you've ended up here, in the middle of an investigation. Aye. The perfect time to shine. Okay. I've read a lot of scrolls on this kind of thing. Okay, good. The first thing is perhaps to find witnesses, to investigate bolt holes. Inve-

Bolt holes. Where I come from, we have a lot of smugglers and pirates. You find coves and crannies and caves where they bring their wares. Okay. We also call them bolt holes. Bolt holes. Find bolt holes. Like the mine.

Like the mine. I see, I'm picking up now, okay. Hiding spots that's not in burnell because the marshall said they definitely didn't come here where a criminal can be a criminal because being a criminal they're going to be depraved okay well consider the the mine to be bolt hole number one i think okay well the mind this is the forest way the mine is on is that way as you guys are having this conversation because you're all having this conversation outside this cottage that Daisy's taken to you

at the part of the wall, right? Yeah. You do kind of hear a like, the door of the cottage kind of opens and this older looking man, you can see that he looks very kind of infirm, a bit quite vulnerable, he's like, could I ask you please to keep your conversation down?

My wife and I did not get much sleep last night, and we are quite tired in all this commotion with the guards. Would you mind awfully just... Daisy will go up to him with the notebook. Oh, hello. Hi. You didn't get much sleep last night? I met Marion earlier.

Very lovely. Really nice. Are you the one who was taking the oranges? Hi. You didn't get much sleep last night? I met Marion earlier. Very lovely. Really nice. Are you the one who was taking the oranges? Oh, okay. Yes, I've got one. Marion said that I could have an orange. No, that's fine. If Marion said it was fine, it's fine. It's honestly not a problem.

Yes. If you don't mind, we're looking for criminals that might have passed through. Did you see anything last night? The last two nights? Oh, well I must be honest. My wife and I, our daughter Marion looks after us. We go to bed quite early. There was some commotion and noise, but I don't know what it was. Marian told us it was just something, a beast or something, that had got loose out in the garden. She said she would take care of it.

There was quite a smell, quite a pungent odour. Really? How would you describe the smell? Oh, it's difficult to say. A sort of mixture of sort of sweat, but also kind of musky, like a hunting drake or some such. Someone had been run. Like a lizard. I suppose. Yes, I mean, well, Marion works in the mines and, you know, we're quite used to the sweat and odour and things like that. But it was more than that. There was a smell of the earth about it, a very earthy smell. Is Marian working today?

Yeah, she works every day, yeah. She works so hard to look after us. She funds things. And many of the villagers are miners. They provide a lot of service to the dukes. Luke's quite proud of his mine, you see. She's the foreman. We're very proud of her. Is she? You should be.

Thank you. Thank you, travellers. Thank you. Four to one. What? We were thinking of potentially, to pass the time, we've got some time while the gates are locked down now, of maybe working a little bit in the mines.

Oh! Is your foreman daughter, does she happen to keep a map of the mines? Not in the house, no. I mean, they know the mines. Marion and the miners, they know the mines Marion and the miners they know the mine off but I imagine if they had such a map it would be up up by the by the entrance they they have like little camp up there that they keep things I think things like that normally they have the wagons that they bring the goods back down in and they send them off to ash and rest for the Duke and such

for the Duke and such. Ashwagandha. Thank you. Very, very helpful. I don't know what we're helping, but we're glad to. Will you be leaving or? Oh, absolutely. Yes, yes. Oh, thank you.

You're doing a good rest. No problem at all, thank you. Can I take an orange for the road? Yes, yes, I guess. May the Great Father bless you, have a good rest. Thank you. I take the oranges for the road. They look very confused when you say that to them,

very kind of concerned, and then when you hear the door shut, you just hear, yes, they're going to leave now, dear, I know they were very loud. We should find Mary. We should find Merry. We should find Merry. But let's leave the garden. I take three orders.

Very good, very good bolt hole finding, I must say. And very impressive. Yes. Good roll. I did good. I know things sometimes, rarely, sometimes. They won't let us out, will they? Oh wait, that's to the north.

Well, maybe we can find someone who knows people in the mines or can contact people in the mines. Or guards, if we say that we're helping. Maybe they'll let us. Okay. Do I need my sword? Call Sif. do I need my sword if you have a sword I hope this doesn't come to a fight

of course a fight that's what you need the sword for I thought it would be for cutting trees out and bushes out of the way if that's how you want to use it then yes please I'll go get my sword

thank you go get that I'll go get my sword. Thank you, go get that. I'll go get my sword. Sure. Yeah, you make your way back. You were staying at the Peony Post, so Rowan makes his way back to there. What's everyone else doing while Rowan does that? I'm going to go and talk to...

Her name, I forget it. Marion? No. Adriana? That one, adriana the innkeeper yes while while you get your sword i'll i'll just want to speak to him okay so daisy and rowan are going to head back to the peony post anybody else well on the if there was a noise outside, that means they did get into the village, so I almost want to... Perhaps we should speak to the guards. They clearly must have noticed someone coming in, or they snuck over the walls. But someone entered this village.

That is now almost confirmed. I do not have a lot of faith in the guards of this village. Sure. I think they are somewhat neglectful in their duties. Absolutely. But we can use that neglect to have them basically confirm it, that they have in fact been in this village. But if they neglected their duties, how would they have seen anything?

They might remember us. They might remember the people that came in. Possibly? I don't know. I'm not good at this. If I was a criminal, I wouldn't come in through the front gate. Then we could investigate the walls. Would you like to investigate the walls?

Would you like to come with us? Oh, of course. That would be nice. I'll have Percival have a look at the walls. Very perceptive? Percival? Can be? at the walls. Very perceptive? Percival? Can be? I don't want to do it.

You don't want to look? Well, no, it's work. It's just as personal. Percival? Work is personal, John. Percival, come with us. I will come with you, but I will observe. As a point of learning.

That's perceiving, but absolutely, please come along with us. Perceiving is the same as looking, though. And observing. No, because I don't want to... You'd just be closer. Try it. If you're looking at the wall,

but you're looking at us looking at the wall. Look, Ophelia, if we get to the bottom of this, and we can leave this village sooner, I get the impression that that is also what you would like as well. So we would very much welcome your help, but if you would like us to just rely on Percival, we can rely on Percival.

Fine, I'll help. Fine. Thank you, thank you. Scion's blessings to you for helping us on that one. Greyfather's blessing to you, Dragonborn. Is that a good thing? I don't know if it is yet. Good.

So we have Gruff, Xanthias, and Ophelia are gonna go out and examine the walls. We'll have to see if they'll observe. The guards. Different roles. As long as you are not leaving to the south and you are not trying to head south, the guards aren't going to stop you.

They will probably escort you as you're close to the village. They want to see where you're going. They probably will ask you where you're going. One of them will run off and probably send words to the authoritor and the captain. Are these the same guards we saw last night? No, because these are all of the guards, the local guards, the militia, under Marshal Valgra, they are basically not working.

They're not on duty right now. They've been used to it. The Captain Vicaro's men and women, the actual Duke's army, this looks like a scout battalion or maybe like a kind of skirmish battalion, they are now basically in charge. Full rank. Goddamn FBI have taken over the investigation again.

But they're also... Take it from here, you're not. Yeah. But I would say that there is a very noticeable difference when you see these other soldiers, the soldiers in the grey and orange with the

duke symbol on them and stuff, the proper soldiers they are not investigators either they are basically like holding the gate, they're making sure people don't go around where they're not supposed to, they're more like army soldiers, they do have there seems to be a couple of them

who are trackers. They seem to be examining the areas around the village, searching the village itself. They've got these kind of like hunting lizards and things like that, these hunting drakes. But the actual soldiers on the gate are just like military soldiers. Mainly things like, yeah, howl birds, chain mail,

you know, shields and that where they need them, but mostly kind of like working guards. They'll stop you and just be like, forgive us citizens, can we ask where you're heading out the north gate, or can we ask where you're heading? Are we all going? No, this is just the three of them, so Rowan and Daisy, I'll come back to you guys in a minute.

We're going to the northern wall? We were just, yeah, we're just investigating the wall, I suppose. Mm-hmm. So you're not actually leaving, I guess. Well, I think we're going. Or are you going outside to look at it from the outside? We wish to walk the perimeter of the village.

If you're assisting with the investigation, absolutely, we'll let the authoritor and captain know what you're doing. We'll have one of us just escort you around. If you're just examining the perimeter, we'll have one of us examine with you. Absolutely. Of course.

And the looker, to the looking and the looker. You'll help us observe? Yeah. So we've got a server, a watcher, and a looker. If you think there's something to find, that is, the person who is offering themselves... I'm just imagining a guard watching Ophelia, who's watching us, who's watching the wall.

Who's watching Percival, who's watching the wall. Yeah, yeah, yeah. The chain of it. No, the guard does, like, I mean, the guard is going to help. They are a... Pleasure to meet you, sir. Yeah, thank you. I guess I'm not going to get you killed in, like, five minutes.

And what's your name? They are... My name's Cade. He's, like, a young man. He actually looks a little bit like... There's a little touch of elven blood, like kind of half-elf. Very well-dressed soldier, halberd.

And he's like, yeah, my name's Cade. I will come with you. First time in Vernel? The village of Vernel? Yes. No, I'm normally stationed in Ashenrest. He's a private in the Duke's army. But he's fairly well funded.

And normally, and you guys would know this as well, when the tithing, which is like the taxation of the dragons comes around, you have a choice. You can either provide like money, goods, or also to support families, somebody can offer military service. And that's when you join the army

and you basically cover your family's tithe by serving in the army. And he'll say, no, my family's from Ashen Rest, and I signed up. You signed up to the Duke's army. So I will admit I'm not a tracker or anything like that. I'll help you where I can. But yeah, this is my sort of first time doing this.

I don't really know what I'm doing. I'm mainly here to guard the gate. Us too. No, we're travellers too. We haven't been in Burnell long. But if we find something, wonderful. It will be my job

to go and inform the captain and the authorator, you know, anything you find and things like that and just let them know what you're doing. Much appreciated. Yes, of course, yeah.

Just Cade. Just Cade, yes. Recruit Cade. Not a knight, I'm afraid, my lord. My apologies to the loss of your priestess oh thank you I I I did not know the the priestess in question myself um but uh I as I understand it she was she was quite

beloved in the community in in the town so thank you thank you very much uh seems to like look at you and it's like oh this person's very unusual but like he's almost sort of enamored as sort of like oh wow like what something they've never but, like, he's almost sort of enamored, just sort of like, oh, wow, like, what... Something they've never seen before. Like, they've seen a few Wild Hearts, they've seen Dragonborn, but, like, yeah. I suppose us with our, like, muted tone and clothing and stuff like that, it's very standard, but...

I mean, still, no. Xanthius is, like, still stands out with the gold, and, like, Groff is also, like, from Iceheart. Like, he clearly stands out as well. I'm a that like even then this private has probably seen for people from other provinces and things like that the just like the face paint the armor the nature of like her dress and things like that ophelia does stand out and has all these like holy symbols that aren't common here at all you know it definitely is an element of like oh that's unusual i mean there's also we're investigating some murderers i'm from the harris of blood

kind of like a okay um roman and daisy you guys go back you grab your sword uh daisy uh ariana will just uh kind of find you what is going on out there we've had soldiers coming in asking all sorts of questions. I overheard that there's these criminals around. Do you know anything? No, I was going to ask you if you knew anything, actually.

I mean, I was working all night. I was here. We were serving the food and doing everything and Rowan was playing the beautiful music. No, I know nothing. I said the soldiers

the same thing. I don't know anything. Did they tell you what the people looked like? Yeah, something about a dwarf and a woman and a kobold, I heard, as well. Yeah. Oh, okay. Well, that's disappointing.

I thought maybe they would come in for a drink or something. I mean, before you arrived, we didn't see anybody like that. We had the usual. The miners all came back from the mine. We served them, you know, just before the sun came down. They had dinner. They had some drinks. Marion was with them. They went home. You arrived. Rowan was doing his music. And then that's when you and your companions arrived. Nobody else came in that night. No one else was here. Is there anything suspicious with Marion and the rest of the miners?

No, they're a big part of the village. They've been, you know, they provide, they work the mine. The Duke's very happy. They provide gold and iron and other, you know, occasional gemstones and things like that. It's been very profitable for the village and for the Duke. She's been stressed. She's been quite stressed lately. I definitely noticed as an innkeeper,

you notice these things, right? She comes in, she orders more drinks than she normally would harder drinks now and then always seems to be in a bad mood or fighting with one of the miners that sort of thing she kind of thinks about it for a bit I did see her the other day she was arguing with the mayor with the Reeve with Lynette she was they were having a heated argument and as soon as soon came by, you know, I wanted to get my ears in and have a little listen. As soon as I got too close, they hushed up and were acting on friendly terms. I pretended not to notice. You know, we're cauldrons,

we love to have a bit of an argument and a fight from now on. You just blow off a bit of steam, you know? Hmm. Interesting. You didn't get anything about what their argument about there was something about money but i can't remember anything else i'm sorry lynette was worried about money or something like that i don't know some some business reeve business is inns doing fine. What am I to know? Yes? Can I not perform tonight?

Which can I think, sir? Well, I mean, sure. I mean, the army's paying for your room anyway. It's okay, I'll play. I mean, look, no pressure to Rowan. Like I said, the army's paying me for your rooms anyway, so whether you perform or not, I don't mind. It's up to you.

If you want to, you can. If you don't, no problem. I'm bound by honor now. I will find these criminals. Wow, okay, yeah, very brave. Look at you, handsome fellow. I know. Yeah.

I'm going to get my sword now. Okay, I really hope that's not a euphemism. You're actually getting a sword, right? Chop, chop. Yeah. Okay, good. I go upstairs. Yep.

Get my enormous long sword that suits a half giant. Nice, yep. Drag it down yeah nice I love it you're gonna roll for sword size um

the kind of you're gonna at one point you're gonna you the look look and observe squad

um look look and observe the three of you Cade and Percival make your way outside I don't chatter with Cade yeah

and you yeah he's just he's like a he's a soldier he's like you know he's got a family back in Ashton's Rest he signed up for

a military service he's he's got yeah he's he has two dads he's like an adopted kid but he was raised by these two dads they run like a little business in the in the town um it wasn't doing particularly well

for a few years and when he got old enough rather than them like they were always like struggling to meet the tithe so he signed up so that they can save up and kind of get themselves into a better position um so he signed up to military service he sounds like a good kid like he's young he's like probably like 17, 18. Like, he's really young. And he's got like these little half-elven things. You find out that, yeah, one of his dad, his elven father is quite melancholy.

And so it's been hard on the family and the business. And that's why it wasn't doing so well. And blah, blah, blah, blah. Little life story for Cade. But you make your way out and you find the bit at the walls that uh Daisy had mentioned and was like saying well this is the closest bit to the river and and that's where the the older man heard like some commotion and things like that um and yeah you find beautiful green rolling hills leads up to you know the the town itself is built onto a kind of top of the hill, so it slopes down, so anybody kind of attacking would have a harder time.

But it looks like there might have been, there's like some construction work going on outside the walls. It looks like they're maybe trying to create like areas where new buildings can be erected and things like that as well. Like they want to expand the village and build it up. But yeah, you make your way there. I mean, I think as we're walking down, I'm sure everyone else is the same,

but I'm looking at the walls, I'm trying to find any, I suppose, my initial thought is to look for recently broken parts of walls, or even just open, exposed areas. Sure. But I can tell you don't see any of those. I can tell you immediately that the wall looks fine at a quick glance can tell you don't see any of those i can tell you immediately that the wall looks fine at a quick glance like you don't see any holes you don't see anything broken nothing like major no major damage yeah but now the construction work that's uh

interesting to me sure so do you want to investigate that area and like search around that specifically i think so yeah if all right if there's construction work, it's probably an exposed wall. So the way it'll work is just like if you want to make an investigation check or a perception check, it has to be on a specific thing that you want to examine and spend some time. Before you roll, I want to check in with everyone. What is Gruff going to do? He's probably

poking at bits of it with his staff. Which is the wall itself? The wall itself, yeah. And like doing that thing, like you know when dads are like looking at DIY? Like, you know, like a builder's come into their house

to do something and they're kind of just looking at it like, hmm. Good job or not, yeah. What kind of grout did you use? You know, that kind of thing. Yeah, solid foundation.

Yeah, solid foundations, mate. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Nice to see. Just examining it. Okay, nice, nice, nice. Perfect for Gruff big dad energy what is Ophelia and Percival doing?

I think Ophelia's she'll try to help I think she'll probably look at the the ground look for any signs of disturbed earth maybe tunneled

underneath the wall okay but the whole time she's like great father forgive me great father forgive me great father forgive me Percival the whole time she's like, Great Father, forgive me. Great Father, forgive me. Great Father, forgive me. Percival, come help me look.

Great Father, forgive me. Great Father, forgive me. Great Father, forgive me. And she's looking around. Is she making an actual effort to look, or is it kind of like putting on the airs for these guys, or is she actually trying? A little bit of airs and graces.

Sure, sure, sure, sure, sure. Sort of a mix. And then you want Percival to help you, or do you want Percival to, you know, what do you want Percival to do? I want Percival to come help me do you want Percival to you know what do you want Percival to do I want Percival to come help me okay yes I'm looking

in this instance in this particular scenario you'll find yourself in Percival can't really help no unless he's physically interacting with it he can't help so you're not going to get any benefit from it

because there are reasons. Yes. Cade will probably help, he will help Xanthius, because Xanthius is the one who's mainly been talking to him, so he'll kind of leave Gruff alone. He'll come and help you and give you advantage. Yeah, I mean, I'm back in a moment, aren't I? Yeah, so you're going to get advantage.

It's going to be an investigation check for Ophelia, because you're a survival or investigation check, I'll allow you to make. It is at disadvantage because you're survival or investigation check, I'll allow you to make. It is at disadvantage because you are only kind of half. You're kind of like... You're not committed to it. You're not committed to it. It would be investigation for Gruff,

because you are physically tapping and searching for damage and things like that. And then if you're searching, it's going to be... Don't make me roll perception again. It's going to be like... Like you're looking around the construction site for stuff, right? You're not, like, examining it. But I'm being helped, though, right?

You are being helped, so you get advantage. Advantage. Yeah. I'm still annoying. Investigation's actually where Laura's stuck. Yeah. Yeah. I got a four.

You should have picked that, my dude. That wasn't... I know. I got a nine. I didn't that, my dude. That wasn't... I know. I got a nine. I didn't roll a 13, okay? So that's why I'm annoyed. So we have a nine for Gruff. We have a four for Ophelia.

So I'll tell you the two of you. Gruff, you kind of tap around. You're examining around. You're not seeing anything. It's pretty decent. The wall's fairly well made. You're like, yeah, you just don't see anything that really seems out of

the ordinary good even proclaim yeah good it's a wooden wall so it's like a wooden palisade wall so it's like good timber basically and it's like been nailed properly sealed well yeah it really has and it's quite tall climbing over it it's like probably close to like 12 13 feet the wall so it's quite tall like it's literally designed as like a quick defense against people rushing up you know somebody could climb over it but like like they would need they make a lot of noise doing it if they had tools and things like that you know um it's possible but most people it would be a struggle um they are also sharpened the wall tips are all pointed and stuff like that um so you don't find a thing. Ophelia, you find nothing. You feel like this immense guilt that you know what you're doing is wrong.

Like, you should be doing this. And I don't know if Ophelia, for me, I think Ophelia would just give up. Yeah. It would just be like, I'm not doing this. Overwhelming, just like, I can't do it anymore. Yeah. Percival.

Is it like a society lady, like, ugh, yuck. It goes against her faith. This is against her religion to be like doing this. Yeah. And you see Percival crouches down and Percival is like

patting the ground. Like he's on hands and knees like patting it. But it's just this big black floppy robe that's just kind of like tapping around. Amazing.

What did we get over on Xanthius? Well, before I tell you, how good, like how vast is the construction area here? Is there like... It just looks like a couple of buildings are being built.

But if I... A couple of little cottages, maybe little buildings. If we were to be weaving through this sort of area, is there a particular area in which I'd be away from the rest of the group? Yeah. Almost just with Cade.

Yeah. Not for any nefarious... You've got enough of a distance that you're solitary, like they're not nearby. I think I would almost be like pointing things out to Cade and sort of talking to him idly, almost as a cooperative effort. And I only rolled 11 for perception, so probably not enough. I think there would be a moment when my ears start to ring

and the vision starts to almost flicker in my eyes again, like it did before. And if Cayden's talking to me, like pointing out like, oh, there's this thing up here, blah, blah, blah. It's almost like muffled, like I've suddenly become distant. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. You just hear that. And for just like a duration

until I'm able to sort to break out of it again. Okay. And I think that's why I feel like I rolled an 11. Nice. But if that gives me anything outside of that, is 11 good enough for anything? Oh, he's going for brownie points. You search around.

11 is... You would see... The only thing I would say is this is like you get the impression you don't see any tracks or anything out of the ordinary but like you come across like one odd site um and it just looks like uh some construction materials were left out right it looks like you know like some planks of wood, bits and pieces here and there. And it looks like somebody knocked over a bag of nails. And you don't see a hammer around. That's it, that's the only thing you see. Okay.

But that's it. You don't, unfortunately, look, look, Observe Squad, you spend some time doing this, you don't really find anything out here. You guys eventually having searched around you're pretty confident that you've not found anything you make your way back as daisy and roman are probably making their way out as well um uh kate is like uh i'm really sorry yeah it didn't look like there's anything maybe i hate to say it i mean the dukes uh the captain

sorry is a good man but like maybe that dwarf one's right maybe maybe they didn't come here like we've not found any sign that they you know we've looked around the walls you know they could The captain, sorry, is a good man, but maybe that dwarf woman's right. Maybe they didn't come here. We've not found any sign that they... We've looked around the walls. They could have gone in the river, we could have lost their trail, or anything like that. Maybe she's right. If no one truly finds anything, what will happen to the investigation? Will they still lock down the...

I mean, honestly, yeah, they'll send the other, if they've got a force coming from Kelskaris, and I hear that they're bringing a sister inquisitor with them, they'll search the area, and once the authoritar and sister inquisitor believe that they've exhausted everything, then they'll wrap up the investigation. It might be that they've managed to bypass

the force coming from the north, they've got into the city, bounty posters will be posted. After a few days, they'll just let things get back to normal but they'll do their best to try and capture them as well as where they can okay uh i know that uh that authorita uh he's been after this dwarf and his companions for a while like they've i heard that they've they've got a bit of a history uh so he's he... Oh, even before the murder? Yeah, yeah. Just a petty criminal, you know,

he's kind of a thorn in his side, always, you know, getting up to petty crimes, getting away, you know, bribing things, that sort of stuff. He's kind of a minor guy. But I think there's something more to it. Like, I mean, I've never seen somebody pursue them this hard,

and they keep talking about this heresy, and it sounds like this dwarf was involved in, I think he might have been like a cultist or something like that, like the way they talk about him. Let's see. But that's it, sorry, sorry we couldn't help. And he'll kind of lead you guys back. It was worth a shot, Cade.

Thank you very much for your assistance. Of course. Did you find anything? No, good. guys back um it was worth a shot kate thank you very much for your assistance of course did you find anything no good no all seem to be in order i've committed a great sin which is performing a task but you were just looking helping us first of all first of all first of all first of all immediately immediately but you were just looking Percival, Percival, Percival, Percival immediately to your side immediately to your side come, come, come

give me your hands, give me your hands okay so you watch as the robes lean up they're still covered do you want to like reach in? just reach in okay, yep so the sleeves fall back

and you see a pair of skeletal arms sticking out of the robes as Percival takes your hands Ophelia would just start waltzing. Yep. And you see, and as they begin to dance, you watch as they dance, the hood of the robes pulls back enough where you just see a skull in its place. I mean, I'm, like, shocked looking at this and slowly, like,

sliding over to Gruff. Gruffeth. Lord Santheus. That's a skeleton. That's classic. That appears to Gruff. Uh, Gruffeth? Lord Santheus? That's a skeleton. That's classic. That appears to be I. And that is where we're going to end today's first episode of

Althea and Dragon Empire. I think both of us are slowly backing away. I don't like this one. As we see the final shot of this episode, this beautiful, but also morose, as this skeleton in Blackfriars robes and Ophelia waltz, as the sun is now maybe beginning to set after the investigation is taking place,

as it begins to just dip down. We see them as they waltz outside the village of Burnell and in the far distance, in the far distance. Oh yeah, no, I'm just, oh God. As they waltz, we pull away,

we see the trees and the valleys, we see the mountains and up near the mountains we hear a blood-curdling scream. And thank you very much for joining us we will see you

for the next the second episode and this episode by the way is this episode first episode

one a world a world of stories episode very nice and that is going to be

episode one we will see you for episode two we hope you come and check it out here in campaign three Althea the dragon empire

here on High Rollers yes bye thank you so much hell yeah goodbye oh my gosh see you next time

yes