High Rollers DnD - Altheya: The Dragon Empire #11 | Guild Politics (Part 1)

Episode Date: February 13, 2024

The party prepare for their first job in Ashen Rest by getting some new threads! ANNOUNCEMENTS: We're going to Insomnia 72 in Birmingham! Join us Saturday March 30th for a meet & greet and a special LIVE SHOW! Check it out here: https://www.insomniagamingfestival.com/ Love the podcast? Give us a glittering 5 star review! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/high-rollers-dnd/id1401508198?see-all=reviews More music! Thanks to Jolene Khor for providing Ashen Rest music and to Monument Studios for infusing the show with even more epic tracks! Finally, a very happy Lunar New Year to everyone and a happy birthday to our beloved DM Mark! --------- 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), Monument Studios 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. Oh! It's Hyrule's turn! Yeah! Hey! Quite a few things to mention before we get into the episode. Tonight, we are super excited to announce that we will be returning to Insomnia Gaming Festival

for Insomnia 72. Insomnia 72. It's going to be on Saturday, March 30th at the Birmingham NEC. We will be there on the Saturday only to do a meet and greet session as well as a special

live show! Tickets and more information will be coming soon. Keep your peepers peeled and follow us and Insomniac on social media for all the ticket links and more information as well. Tom, you wanted to say something about podcasts and such things. Yes, I did, Mark.

Hey, if you like High Rollers and you want to support High Rollers, the best place to do that is everywhere, actually. Switch subs, Patreon, YouTube members, incredible places to support us. And you will get early access to the VODs and the second part of the podcast episodes. Join the Discord and you'll get access to all of those. That's rad.

Also, since the last time we mentioned it, we had a push for iTunes reviews, and we had tons, loads and loads and loads of them. Tons! Thank you. And I read all of them, and you are all very, very kind. Five stars across the board, which is amazing. And it helps us, right?

It helps us. It helps push the podcast. It pushes us up the charts, makes High Rollers more legit to quit. So if you've got a spare moment, go and leave us a lovely little review. If you're enjoying the podcast, give it a review. Five stars or otherwise. Five stars though is good. If we can cut across to Mr Trot, because he's got an announcement about music.

Multiple things about music. First of all, thank you so much, Jolene. Woo! Jolene. We've done some music for Ash and Rest. Listen to that. Mmm. New music. Right now. Get your peeps out. When we start, of course. And also, big thanks. When we start, of course, and also a big thanks to

Monument Studios who provided us with a huge catalogue of music that we're infusing into our entire campaign. You can check them

out and Jolene, of course, using the link that is being provided right now. Lovely new music. We always love to see that. Lastly, just a very

happy Lunar New Year to everybody. There you go. Literally, just a very happy Lunar New Year to everybody. Go and see Pad Chai. There you go. Go and see Pad Chai. Literally, I had it planned and I just blanked. Like, I knew it and my brain blanked on what it was. Wait, did you say that was the last thing?

No, no, no, it's not the last thing though. Why? Because, oh, yesterday it was your birthday! Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. That's enough. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. That's enough. Happy birthday to you.

All right, that's very lovely. Birthday. The best birthday gift you could give me is a game of D&D, which we're gonna do now. Yay! Run that intro for us, Samuel, please. Let's pay for it. Welcome to Ulfea the Dragon Empire. With a day still to go before their public audience with Duke Ignarius, the draconic

noble who rules over the lands of Northvale, our party of heroes investigated a local bounty board for some potential ways to assist the town of Ashen's Rest. Plucking two interesting looking opportunities from the board, they then visited the headquarters of the Stonemasons Guild and visited a supposed oracle or seer blessed with divine powers by the Dragon Empress herself. Though most showed skepticism in her abilities, except of course for Rowan, the oracle seemed to be expecting them. She was revealed to be a young beautiful dwarven woman by the name of Kiva who used fortunes to read a deck of cards inspired by the Empress and her founding of the city of Kelskaris. Her readings for each of the heroes presented

seemed to ring somewhat true for each of them, and some chose to pick a card that they felt drawn to, resulting in strange magical blessings being granted. After visiting Kiva, the party then headed to the impressive tower building called the Pharos, headquarters of the Lamplighters Guild, where they inquired about a potential bit of mercenary work. They met with an agent of the guild

who revealed the opportunity to be bodyguards for one of their artificers, repairing Everlights in a rough district that the guild had had problems with in the past. And that is where we pick up things this week. But before we do anything,

because we forgot last week, but I suspect they all matter this week, it is time to see what is held in the crucible of fate. It's time for the dramatic pausing. I was pausing for dramatic effect. D6, yes? It is a D6 each, please. Oh!

No results. On a one, two, three, I will gain a dice in my half of the crucible. On a four, five, or six, you shall gain a dice in your half of the crucible. I'm slowly emptying my dice tray, so I'm killing for time. Empty that sack real quick.

Slowly shall the crucible of fate be revealed. I mean, it's fate, It takes its time, right? It takes its time. All right. Katie. Failure! A dice for me! What'd you get, though? Two? They need it for the dice stat.

Four. A dice for you! Four. A dice for you! Two. A dice for me! Five. A dice for you! Two. A dice for me! So far. Five.

A dice for you! And then finally, for I too, I'm a participant in the Crucible of Fate, a two! A dice for you! A dice for me! It is an even three three splits today. Okay, okay.

Luck is on no one's side. So I'm gonna, unfortunately, we still don't have our trays yet for soon, and then I'll be able to place them here. We're split today. Luck is on no one's side. Unfortunately, we still don't have our trays yet for Toon. Then I'll be able to place them here. But yes, that is three and three. Okay, okay. So the matter of fate is in balance right now. And yeah, we find ourselves... So I believe that all of the gang except Ophelia

had gone to the Lamplighter's Guild. And I think that's pretty much where we wrap things upelia had gone to the Lamplighters Guild and I think that's pretty much where we wrap things up with you guys leaving the Lamplighters Guild and Ophelia enjoying a lovely time just back at the

Grumpy Hog Tavern just having drinks and food and relaxing resting but dancing yeah I did mention this

I mentioned this while you weren't there last week but because you stayed in a more comfortable establishment, it cost you more money. You do begin the day with inspiration, Ophelia,

so you have inspiration, which is going to be a re-roll for us. You can just re-roll any D20. You also do... Would Ophelia have purchased a room for another night, is the question. Yes. Okay, so it would be 20 gold, another 20 gold, for another room for the next night as well. But that means that your accommodations

are all secured, everything is in place. Nice. And it is probably about sort of midday-ish, just after midday. Yeah, I'm trying to recall, last time, did we, before we left our readings and went to the Lamplighter's Guild, did we go to Ophelia to say, hey, Ophelia,

you've got to go check this out. I don't believe he did, no. I think because it was a case of, yeah, he wasn't here and we were just like, we're just going to go straight over and left the tower. Yeah, okay. The only other thing was we asked if Percival would be up for some queuing. Yeah, he's queuing.

Because there's long queues for two. But that wouldn't be until this evening anyway. Yeah. Just so we're like, wee hours of the morning. You said yes, by the way, you said yes. We were like, yes, it's okay. No takesies, backsies, he's standing.

You were also informed by Alicia, who was the agent that you met at the Lamplighter's Guild, Alicia Teffio, that the engineer, or in this case, they're called an illuminator, they're the artificers of the Lamplighter's Guild, Elisha Tefeo, that the engineer, or in this case, they're called an illuminator. They're artifices of the Lamplighter's Guild. An illuminator would be coming to meet you at the Clever Toad at sundown, basically. Yes.

Okay. Cool, and we agree to this. We're all happy with this job, right? All happy to do it? You seem to be, yeah. I think it was, I expressed that it was, yeah, 200 gold per Everlight that is fixed. That's good money.

That's good money. That is good money. That's good money. That is good money. Okay. Sorry, we both went deep into that. Maybe more than Trot, maybe, but... Yeah, there are three of these Everlights,

they're called, these kind of like lamp posts, these magical streetlights that need to be fixed, and you will get 200 gold for each one that is correctly repaired. Nice. And also there was a kind of talk of, like, if, say, the majority of these lights were fixed, that the Lamplighters Guild would think of you very favourably in this queuing for the Duke's...

That's nice. Yeah, just in case Percival doesn't quite work out, I suppose. Oh, we also were asked for a team name, a mercenary guild. It was mentioned that, yes, if you were going to continue to kind of perform mercenary work, a group name is generally... If you're going to act as one sort of unit rather than individuals, then it would be advisable that you have some sort of moniker or sigil or some such

that you would be able to go by. Just all Groff and the kids. Are we all one lion dad and the kids? Percy and the fleshies. Shall we head back to Ophelia as well? Yeah, let's pick up.

You guys make your way back. What do you think about Team Xanthius? No? Okay. Xanthius and the gang. Friends. Oh, I like that one. You like it?

Xanthius and the gang? I like the one before. No, you don't like that? What do you think? Well, I don't think we should have any of our names in it. I think it should just be a new name. The Daisy Squad. No, I think it just be a new name. The Daisy Squad. No, I think it should be a new name.

Okay. For all of us. Um, okay. The Best Friends. Yeah. Well, it's not very intimidating, I suppose. Mercenary companies tend to have a, almost a scary name, you know? Like, you should hire us because we're dangerous.

The Pebbles. The Peb, well, the rocks. The rocks are more dangerous than pebbles. Sharper, maybe. Flint. I don't know. What do we call ourselves? Ophelia will know.

Let's go tell Ophelia about this job we have. Yes. I hope she agrees. It's kind of hinged on that. It is work. Oh, that's true. We'll have to describe it as not work, Yes. I hope she agrees. It's kind of hinged on that. It is work. Oh, that's true. We'll have to describe it as not work, maybe. Helping people.

Helping people. Community relationships. Yeah. You guys make your way back, kind of winding your way. You're following these two main streets that run through Ashenrest, that you kind of surround the plaza. You're kind of following these main, quite wide streets. It is a pleasant enough day. There is a kind of a

light wind, kind of a spring breeze kind of blowing through, but it's fairly, you know, sunny, a little bit overcast, and you make your way back to the Grumpy Hog Tavern, where you know Ophelia was where you left her. And stepping inside, you can see, still in the same booth, that one booth that has been locked down now as Ophelia's little place that she goes. Everyone too afraid to disturb her and leave her to it. Do you have your sunglasses on? All the time.

Yeah, okay, cool. A little round, sort of with the wraparound sections at the side. Just right, it's by the front entrance, it's like a bay window with a booth, so she can see everything that's going out on the plaza. Clearly like one of the best spots in this whole tavern, because it's got these beautiful views of the town. Gorgeous plush red, like cushion seating,

fine, you know, dark wood table, you know, round table that you can sit at. Just kind of sprawled, I imagine, sort of arm up on the back of the chair, sunglasses on, glass of wine. Percival just sat there neatly, just looking like, you know, a picture of the good life. A lady of leisure.

A lady of leisure, indeed. Yeah. Enjoying yourself, Ophelia? Oh, repenting is such bliss. Looks good, you look comfortable. It's very good. Have you been here all morning? Yes.

Oh, okay, I thought you might be traveling the city, having a explore, you know? There's plenty to see here, there's plenty of interesting things going on. Oh, what have you seen, anything good? Well, I saw a gentleman walk through, I saw another lovely lady walk through. And then there was a little doggy.

Oh, a little doggy just came scampering through. He was wonderful. People come in? In and out. And then out again. Yes. That's thrilling. They look delicious.

Excuse me? Okay. There it is. There it is. We, uh... I'll turn to the others. I was about to say job. I was about to say we found a job. We don't have a job. We have a mission.

A quest. A diplomatic mission. People want help, our help. Okay, to what end? We, there are, remember the Lamplighters Guild? The people that go around town lighting up the lights at night? There aren't enough of them? There were so many of them.

Oh, there were. There are plenty. However, three of their lamps are out of commission. Not for us to repair. We are simply tasked to follow them, guard them, as they repair these lamps. So, like, bodyguard work? Not bodyguard work. More bodyguard leisure.

Okay, is it paying at least? Yes, it is. 200 per lamp that is repaired. Yes, exactly. And we're getting our name in there with the Lamplighters Guild, which is... Diplomatic. Yes. Understandable, yes, that diplomatic is good.

And I'm racking up a lot of repenting time. Is that... What are the boundaries on work? It is things that I wouldn't want to do myself. You know, things that I would send Percival to do, for example. Or, you know, something that would be more befitting of an undead rather than myself. I see. Ophelia, could you roll a d20?

Make it a, I'll let you pick either insight or survival. Don't matter. Nine insight. Nine insight. You won't think too much of this, but there is maybe like one thing, and you're kind of arming and ar ah-ing, like, work, bodyguarding, normally that's reserved for undead and things like that, but two things.

One, that hunger in you that has not been sated. If you were to get into a fight, that would provide you an opportunity to perhaps feed upon someone without perhaps rising too much suspicion. But also, these guilds, this Lamplighters Guild, you've seen them about. They seem to be quite an important part of the town. And it would be somewhat similar to the different parts of the sects and the houses back in Ossius.

The sects. Yep, yeah, yeah. Not that immature. C-T-S. That gaining influence with them and having influence with the Duke could be very beneficial to your greater plans. So it does maybe something that kind of draws upon you. Whether that's something Ophelia cares about is up to you, but just things that might become clear to you.

Okay, well this seems like a very ample opportunity. I shall join you. Good, I was really hoping you would. I don't know how dangerous this might be, but I kind of sold it as a group of five would be joining this mission, so. Oh, it's kind of you to think of me in that way, thank you. Also, how do you feel about your future?

In regards to what? Knowing it. Oh yes. Yes, we all, we went to? The Coil of the Empress. Coil of the Empress, thank you. And we spoke with Kiva. Who is?

Got such a good memory. Who is Kiva, what did they do? An oracle. An oracle. An oracle. Interesting. And they gave us, everyone can agree, up there with Clevertoad. Really? That's very high praise, Rowan. I know. Everyone can agree, up there with Clevertoad.

Really? That's very high praise, Rowan. I know. Really? I suppose I can agree with that statement, yes. It aligned well. Now, when we arrived, Kiva requested our presence specifically, which apparently has never happened before.

Interesting. And they were expecting you. Okay. They knew of you, your visual appearance. Oh, well, any reason to predi, well, to find out what path is laid out for me, I will accept, gladly. It'll be fun.

Sounds like fun. Good. Should we go there now? Well, we have to wait until Oh, yes. we've turned down anyway, so. Clevertoad, I'm also going to remind you that some of you did express an interest

in acquiring some nice clothing for the Duke's Orc. Gruff did not. We also need to go shopping. Oh, we're going shopping! We do have time spare until we have to meet these. Well, you should have started there! Really, well. Wonderful. So, I was have started there. Really, well. Wonderful.

So, I was thinking, while we're looking, heading towards the Coil of the Empress, how about we scout out some good shops? Yes. By the Great Father, yes. I knew we were on the same page on this one. Love shopping. Let's go.

Okay, so as the group of you, you make your way back down to the Coil of the Empress. On the way there, you notice that around the plaza, there are clothing shops. There are places that you can go, but none of them are, none of them stand out. Fancy. You can buy clothing here,

but it would be standard clothing. You're not gonna be able to buy any fine clothing in this area. Like looking through the windows, just, hmm. Yeah, it's, it's, It's High Street, you know. It's Primark, it's H&M, it's kind of, you know, nice, but it's not fancy. Feel this.

A thin... Very thin. Looks all right to me. It's crumbling in my hands. It looks all right to me. Put it back. I'd wear that. You would find out, maybe somewhere to visit later,

but at point... 21, which is up in the Duskrise district, the map is- Get that map over. I'll pass it over to you to write on. Point 21, which is up in Duskrise, near the cathedral, is a place that is called, it's just called Mystique. I know. I know.

Cool. Mystique. And you learn about that from the locals. You kind of ask around. You kind of pass. You see these shops. It's not what you're looking for. Is there anywhere else in town that we can get some clothing?

Oh, yes. You must simply go up to Mystique's. They are the best tailor in Ashenrest. They attend to all of the Duke's courtiers. They attend to the highest members of the guilds. They are the most prominent tailor in the town. The people that are talking to us, what are their clothes like? Huh?

What are their clothes like, the people talking to us? I mean, the people that you're talking to, it's a mixture of people, right? You see some folks who are just locals. You maybe talk to some of the tailors here in town. And they're like general stores. They're not really tailors. They're just providing mass-produced stuff for the general public. But this is your big one.

Just imagining, like, did Mystique make these clothes? No, no, they didn't. We're going to Mystique then. But yeah, you guys can figure that out as you're on your way. And then you arrive at the Coil of the Empress. For Rhiannon's benefit, and for those of you who maybe weren't here last week

as well, listening in, the Coil of the Empress is a beautiful stone tower that rises up in a spiral-like design. You can actually see that the stairs on the outside kind of go around, and you can actually catch glimpses of these great spiraling stairs going up. It's engraved with motifs of dragons, and it is even inlaid with crystal gems that project like faint magical illusions of a dragon coiled around the tower, and of course of the dragon empress herself kind of emblazoned everywhere um when you make your way there you can see that this is clearly the headquarters of the stonemasons guild there are many people that are doing trade

and business but there are also these acolytes wearing the kind of like purple smocks and and tabards and things like that emblazoned with a silver flame um and this is, you know, for Ophelia, I guess you would know what this is, but they have the manner that you would recognize of a priest or priestess or an acolyte or a sermon, a preacher. And they are giving out like little pamphlets and little kind of pieces of parchment to people that talk about something called the imperial flame and saying that, you know, these pamphlets and these parchments

talk about how the Dragon Empress isn't gone, she's still here with us, that she can guide you if you listen, that the Scions are not the only powers and things like that. And you see that two of them at least avoid Gruff's eye, but they kind of nod politely to Rowan as if they've met them before. And one of them, the same Acolyte that met you guys before and took you up, sees you return with Ophelia and will say, ah, is this the lady of death that Kiva mentioned?

I'm flattered. Lady of death, you called me. Kiva, our oracle, she had a dream and she saw your companions and she described a woman who was bound to death and that death followed her. I should be so lucky. Oh, well. If you would, our mistress would love to speak with you.

It is voluntary, it is optional. She simply wishes to give you a reading if you would care for one. She's already in my good graces, so. Please, let me take you upstairs. Would you like to wait outside as you did with each other or are you happy to remain down here? I want to wait outside.

Of course, you'd be more than welcome. Wait, there's no good clothes shops around here, is there? Well, there are many stores that sell clothing. Good clothing shops. I've heard of a place up in Duskrise District. Mystique, yes, we've been told, yes. I'm a simple, humble man. I do not dress extravagantly, but I've heard that many others who'd like to spend their coin go that way, yes, we've been told, yes. I'm a simple, humble man. I do not dress extravagantly,

but I've heard that many others who'd like to spend their coin go that way, yes? Waiting room, then. Oh, very good. They'll take you upstairs, and you are led up all the way to the top of the tower, several flights of stairs up. When you get there, you see that in the top of the tower, almost like a penthouse,

there is this room with a heavy door kind of blocking it with comfortable seats and chairs and things like that. And the acolyte leads you on your own, Ophelia, to the doors and says, oh, Lady Kiva, Mistress Kiva waits inside. Your companions will remain out here. Okay. But if you would head inside, and they open the doors, and you step inside, you see a gorgeous chamber,

black kind of silk curtains kind of draped around, almost in a circular shape with a single stone table or plinth in the middle. You see that the black fabric that forms around the room is dotted with gemstones that almost form the outline of a city.

This beautiful kind of circular made from silver crystals forming the outline of a great city. Not Ashen's Rest, but something far greater than that. The table has a 3D model of Kelskaris, this stone city that's laid before it. And you see set behind it is a dwarven woman, young and beautiful, with ash blonde hair,

wearing white ceremonial robes that cover like the tops of her arms and sort of drape around her elbows. And she has a white veil that covers the lower half of her face. And when she sees you, you can see her eyes light up and you hear this kind of very soft melodic voice speak out to you. You have come. I was hoping that weic voice speak out to you. You have come.

I was hoping that we would get a chance to speak. Lady Kiva, I presume. Not, just Kiva. Just Kiva. I am an oracle. I am not a noble or any such thing, but I have been blessed with guidance, and I would like to share that gift with you if I can.

I dreamed of you and your companions, and when they came to the tower, I knew that I was meant to give you a reading. Well, I'd be delighted to take part. Please, come, sit. And she gestures, and you watch as that 3D model in the table sinks into the stone plinth to create a flat surface. And as she does, she brings out a deck of cards

and splays them out on the table like this then she picks them up and begins to shuffle them as she speaks to you have you visited the city of kelskaris for i do not believe you are of these lands no i have not that is a great city the first city first city of the draconic empire the dragon Dragon Empress herself laid and sketched out the plans. And there is something in planning a city, laying its foundations, mapping out its streets. There is something magical about that. It creates a path, a guidance. And through that, some of us, acolytes, dwarves mainly,

for dwarves were the first stonemasons of Kelskaris, we created this, a deck of cards we call the Citadel, and it helps us not tell the future, as some believe that we can, but to guide and to help people understand who they are and maybe help them decide where they are going. If you may, I would like to draw this for you as well. Yes, of course. Go ahead.

Very well. Is there anything that you are particularly concerned about? Anything that worries you? Is there a question about your future or your present or even your past that you would like to have answered? Ophelia will just sit very... Like, she doesn't want to give... She wants to give off the presence that she knows.

She feels like she knows what's ahead of her when she kind of doesn't. So she kind of puts up a bit of a front. Mm-hm. Um... Oh, no, my path is already decided for me by my predecessors. I have a rank that I must rise up upon.

So I feel as if I may already know. Well, I hope so. And perhaps my guidance will simply be an assurance that you are on the right path then. She draws the first card, places it in front of you. The Hound. This card speaks of loyalty,

chains to people or places and promises. This tells me that you or someone you are close to, someone important to you, there are bonds there.

Deals that were made, promises, chains of loyalty that were forged long ago and perhaps not so long ago. Perhaps made by parents or a mentor or perhaps even forged by yourself with such a person. And these chains, this hound is important. Shows you that whatever you are connected to is of great significance,

but it also means that it came at great cost. Places that down in front of you. She draws the next card. The reversed fate. Fate is a card about accepting help and seeking guidance. But in its reversed position, this can mean that... ..you may have received advice

or been given mentorship that has led you astray or has deceived you in some way, and that you might be reluctant to seek guidance or counsel when it is perhaps what you need most. Place that down in front of you as well. Final card. How interesting. Is the walker.

The walker represents a journey through the unknown, a place that is unfamiliar to you and represents opportunity, represents an unforeseen future. Strange that you are so confident about yours, but yet this card should be revealed. The walker can symbolise an openness to new ideas, new things, new opportunities. She places that down in front of you as well. Tell me, are you drawn to one of these cards in particular, which calls to you?

The hound. She gestures for you to touch it. Ophelia touches it. When you do, Ophelia, there is a strange sensation that comes over you. You can keep that, Rhiannon, as a reminder. Oh, good, cool. The hound is your card, and there is a magical blessing that is part of this reading.

I'm still working out exactly the details for each of them, but with The Hound, I'm going to say that it's probably going to be along the lines of when you make a promise or you agree, you know, you forge a bond or loyalty or you make a promise to somebody, when something tries to compel you to act against that promise, you'll be able to return that card to me

to basically pass a saving throw or succeed a skill check in some way. You're basically, it's like an automatic success that's trying to compel you against the thing that you've sworn to do. Nice. Really cool. She places these before you. These cards together tell me that... ..an important decision was made for you long ago, and now there is someone or something that you feel deeply bonded to, deeply connected to,

something that is important to you. But along the way, perhaps on a journey, perhaps you are still on a journey now, you have been given advice or someone has offered counsel or has pretended to be someone you could trust. Perhaps that is not the case. But the road is not yet completed. Your journey is not at an end.

And it is those loyalty, those bonds, those chains of your past that I think will prove instrumental into where that journey will lead you. I feel you want to sit there for a minute, just looking at the card and just rubbing her tongue over her fangs, like in her mouth, just contemplatively. Thank you for this lovely reading.

Thank you. I hope that it is of help to you. I only knew that you would come. I knew that you would be here in this place, that your companions would seek me out this day, and that I believe the Dragon Empress wished for me to give you this reading. For what purpose, I cannot say. Well, I shall do my best with what you have shown me,

and maybe it'll come true maybe the path will lead me where you may have already seen it lead me for you I I see no destination I see just a journey with perhaps difficult decisions to make and I just hope that this will Offer you some guidance and comfort in troubling times Okay, your destiny is your own My path is decided for me I Have a never mind, um I have a... Never mind. Um... Thank you. And Ophelia will just turn up and get up to leave

and just, you know, just quietly leave holding the card. When you go to leave, Ophelia, something happens to you that doesn't happen to the others. There is a feeling. Whatever this reading was, you've been around enough divine power to know that there is divine magic about this, about this dwarf woman that you've just spoken to.

Definitely some powerful divine magic is involved. And that reading has touched you with that same magic there is almost a moment as you pass out and you see from the magical lights of the room the shadows kind of spread on the wall as you are leaving there is almost this visage of a figure sat on a throne. And you get this, and whether or not Ophelia finds this unpleasant or comforting, I leave to you. But you know that feeling people talk about, like someone walking over your grave, that shiver up your spine, that goosebumps, that kind of tingling of like,

ooh, someone's talking about me, or somebody just passed over my grave. There's that kind of sensation. or somebody just passed over my grave, there's that kind of sensation, as if another divine power and this power have just brushed against one another. Yeah, I think that would give Ophelia some kind of comfort. Sure.

I'll leave that to you to decide what you feel about that. But yeah, you leave Ophelia, you see Ophelia step out of the room. Rowan is waiting out of the room. Rowan is waiting right at the front. What did she say? The path is decided. I'm on a journey, she said I'm on a journey, and I'm- Yes. I'm very loyal.

I knew it. Loyal, loyal, okay. Yes. Fantastic. As the doors begin to close, Rowan, you just glance back into the room, being the most excited about all of this, the one who was the most keen to come here,

and you lock eyes with Kiva once again, and you are the only one to hear in your head, as you did when you were speaking with her, thank you for bringing them to me. to hear in your head as you did when you were speaking with her. Thank you for bringing them to me. May the Empress guide your path. I do a solemn nod, a knowing nod of respect.

Yeah. We're the only one who, no movement, no speaking, but you hear in your head from the secret that you shared with Kiva, and her secret that she shared with you, you feel that message kind of come across. And then, yeah, the door's shut. Yeah.

Well, a big journey. Big journey. From the sounds of it, it seems like everyone got... Did she say that we'd all be there? We'd all be best friends, and nothing bad would happen. I mean, yours seemed very focused around that, so. Yes. Right?

Mine was just focused on the journey, no destination. Oh, well, we'll make that up as we go. We'll find one, a destination. I have one, I have a destination. Why didn't she tell me that? Well, it's not necessarily that she's right in all things. A guide, not Okay. Do you want to coin for the clever toad? No, I'm done with fortunes and oracles and prophecies. My path is decided for me. I know where I am going. That's all I need to know.

The Gravefather guides me, and the Gravefather is where I will go when my time is over. That's all I need to know. Rowan's backing away from that. Shopping, anyone? Because I don't, I think I've had enough of this. Prophecies and oracles? Yeah, that.

Yes. Let's leave. Ophelia? Yes. Let's leave. Ophelia? Yes, let's go. You guys make your way down. I want to point out again, that was a completely random draw. I saw you shuffle it before you.

There you go. I finished shuffled it, I did check it so I could start thinking of ideas, but those three cards were completely random. I can see the art. It's really cool. It's so perfect. Did's perfect for you as well. Did we physically take, or everyone else except me,

did they physically take the cards? They touched the cards and felt something come in. I'm letting the players keep the cards as a reminder of those powers. But no, they touched the card. I'm just going to throw the card out. No, no, no. It's not Gambit. Yeah, they touched the card and they felt this power, this blessing.

And you are all aware, Ophelia definitely has the sensation that this is more of a divine blessing. But I do want to make it clear, all of you know that when you touch that card, there was something magical about it. There is some sort of magical... You're aware of this power in a sort of very abstract sense. So the Empress isn't dead, huh, Gruff? Well, magic's magic, though.

I don't know if it's divine magic. Also, divine magic can come from many different sources. Well, I've known it come from the goddess. Yeah. Okay, okay. Rowan's a full believer now. Sure. Believe what you like. Yeah, you guys make your way back down the tower.

You're free to be wrong if you want. Yeah. Yeah, you are free to to be wrong if you want. Yeah. Yeah, you are free to go about it as you wish. Do you guys want to basically head straight to this Mystique's, this tailor's shop? Is that the plan? I think so. Get it over with.

Sure. You trek your way there. Between the reading and getting to Mystique's, it's probably about another hour, so you're kind of approaching lunchtime-ish, kind of early afternoon. And you find your way up into the, you pass the Bright Shadow Cathedral.

You can see that as you're making your way into Duskrise. You see a massive temple. And perhaps a little bit of comfort to you, Ophelia, is on your way to Mystiques, you have to also pass point 19 on the map, which is the House of Bindings. And you can tell that this is a temple. It's an S&M shop.

This is a temple to the shrine, Saint Dethia, who is the Saint of Death in the Siles Church. House of Bindings. As in the shrouds that you are bound with when you die. And so for the Ulthians who are here, you see the familiar sight of a figurine, a female, like statues of a female archer, but instead of a face, she has a skull.

She still has long flowing hair. She's wearing like an ornate, almost like a medieval style dress with a big slit up the side. And she's holding or pulling a great longbow and attached to each arrow is a ribbon that trails and wraps around her leg um so it kind of like follows down um and saint is one of these ascended saints uh she was in life uh supposedly a some some histories say she was human some say she was an orc warrior but she was a warrior who basically was one of the first warriors

to fight against the forces of the Sovereign and the Bright Storm and things like that. And so she's now this kind of saint of death that watches over the souls of Ulthians who die. And so you see these statues, but you also see behind the temple mausoleums and cemeteries and memorials and things like that. Clearly this is a part of the town

which is almost like a respectful grave site. And that familiar, you know, when you go in a graveyard and you get that somber kind of silence and that respectful kind of, you know, quiet, this area has that same feeling. And there's maybe a touch of home here for Ophelia, maybe. That same sensation right seeing the skull-faced woman you know that's not the grave emperor like obviously it's a female figure

but there is something maybe familiar about all of this and you can see it's a very gothic looking building this temple you see black clad male and female acolytes you know going about tending to the gardens and that sort of thing but But you make your way past that, head down some side streets, and you emerge in front of, sort of on a hill overlooking the river, very picturesque little sight, like a small two-storey shop.

And it just has a beautiful sort of dark, dark black kind of wood panelling mystique written in a sort of like silvery kind of blue. The shop window is actually blacked out, and it's very sort of mysterious and sort of alluring. You can see that it is very, very well made. It's like a very expensive sort of shop and townhouse. There is subtle magical enchantments in the sign

that almost make it twinkle. Are you sure this is the place? It doesn't look like the kind of place where I normally get clothing. This is the place. This is 100% the place. Look at it. Well, are we going to be able to afford anything in here?

Fancy. Well, we can have a look, and maybe we can, maybe they're not into bartering, but we could try, at least to have a look of what you could, what you could look like. You've got greens, Rowan. Yes. You want to stick to that theme?

Greens does, it does look good on you. My mother said it brought out my eyes. It really does. It really does. Stop it. And Gruff, you've got the blues. You want to stick with blue? What if we went into like a silvery sort of blues? We're sticking with blues.

I don't like the look you're giving me. The colors of the seas. It would remind you of home, maybe. Yeah, no, I really don't. We'll start with Rowan. Sorry, I zoned out there for a moment. Were you saying something? Blue.

Yes. You like blue? That's a color. Do you like it? Oh, oh, what's your favorite fish? Oh, probably, hmm. I have to write down some bullshit fish that Kim comes up with.

Glacier fish. Glacier fish. And what color is that fish? Silver. Silver? Silver. Silver. Maybe we can add some silvers to your outfit.

And what of your birds? What color plumage do they have? Ah, my birds. Any excuse, he knocks the staff, and Seren, the illusion of Seren, pops up. Ah, Seren. Beautiful plumage of midnight black. Midnight? Midnight?

The spirit is green, but yes. Yeah, the illusion is green. Ophelia, blue, black, silver. Resplendent. Exactly, that is what I was thinking as well. Resplendent. Exactly, that is what I was thinking as well. Resplendent. She is, aye, look at her. Knightly.

Knightly. I forgot to do that. Okay. Oh, you mean, yeah, we're gonna make you look all knightly. Knightly. Resplendent. Oh, is there armor here? Well.

Not yet, but we can get that at some point. But just for now, the underneath part. Oh, is there armor here? Well. Not yet, but we can get that at some point. But just for now, the underneath part. I suppose knights do have to look good for parades. They do. And this could be your parade outfit. Yes, in front of the Duke. In front of the Duke.

I don't dare to dream I'll be in a parade. But if you are, this will be the place to go to get your outfit. Also when you go to the tournament. The tournament. Yes. Oh I thought I'd just maybe attend in what I, traditional.

But you could. But imagine, turning heads, everyone will be looking straight at you, the most resplendent warrior at the festival, at the tournament. Everyone looking at me? Well, most. The knights?

The people that like blue, at me? Well, most. The knights? The people that like blue, silver and black, Will. I don't like the idea of everyone looking at me. Well, shit. I love how you are literally stood outside this shop in a group of six

just like looking at it and having this conversation. I'm just trying to convince Gruff to go through the door at this point. Oh no, he's resigned to it. Okay. He's just like, you know, having this conversation. I'm just trying to convince Gruff to go through the door at this point. Oh, no, he's resigned to it. Okay. He's just like, you know,

it's like a dad being taken to a shop by the kids. It's being dragged around. Yeah. Follow me and Ophelia. Okay, just tell me when I have to pay. I'll just... Okay. Okay.

Okay. You guys step in. Montage. When you walk through the door, there is a, it's not like a chime, like a dingle, like a kind of shop bell kind of thing, but it sounds more like a sort of gust of nightly air, and there's almost a bit of a chill

as you pass through the door, like a. and there's almost a bit of a chill as you pass through the door like a... You find yourselves in a quite dark, lit by sort of mood lighting almost. There are these like faint magical crystals embedded into the wall that do illuminate the place in that kind of cold blue light but it is very dark. Everything is made of like very almost black wood there are these black heavy curtains strung up all along the sides and there are mannequins maybe six maybe eight or so mannequins with these beautiful looking outfits masculine feminine looking wares made from luxurious fabrics and accessorized with not jewels but kind of sashes and embroidered sort of tunics and belts and things like that.

You can see that there are glass locked display cabinets with jewelry in, sort of very kind of Skyrim, if you imagine that kind of glass top with a wooden sort of set piece in. You can also see various armoires and wardrobes and things, all seemingly locked, beautifully carved and engraved. And most of them with symbols of gemstones, of things like royalty, crowns,

very ornate kind of decorations and things like that. You don't see any sort of salesperson. Can I get everyone's passive perception, please? Oh. 15. 15. 11. 11. What passive perception, please? Oh. 15. 15. 11. 11.

What is it, Tom? 9. It's 9. 13. 13. 12. 12. So 15 is the highest.

Yeah, you guys step in and look around. You don't see anybody. There does seem to be a back room marked off by a curtain. But yeah, you look around and don't really see anybody. But the quality of the work, anyone can really tell this is obviously gorgeous work. This is very, very fine workmanship. Ophelia, look at this one. This outfit here.

It's stunning. It's so heavy. The Fred count on this. Heavy? As in the quality, you know? Oh, yes yes It feels heavy It's got weight It's got layers

That's the most important thing So while Ophelia and Xanthius are like You know, ogling one of these pieces What are Gruff, Daisy and Rowan doing? Rowan is awkwardly standing with his hands clasped in front of him And he keeps nudging things accidentally with his big frame. So it bumps in. Catches it, stops it.

Yeah, exactly. He's probably just browsing. Going through, like, looking at the mannequins or looking in display cabinets and stuff. She's browsing, probably looking at the jewellery and stuff as well in the cabinet. Gruff makes a half-hearted attempt to browse, picks up what he thinks is like a black drape

to drape it on himself and is like, oh, yeah, great. Not realising it's actually part of the shop furnishing. It's a cut. He's just like, it's a fancy material, yeah. Yeah. You guys kind of browse for a few moments. Xanthius and Ophelia,

as you are kind of, ooh, and you're examining the next piece, maybe looking at it, it is like a part of the wall comes alive. And you just hear this, like, hello, as the shadow becomes a shape as they step out. And you see stood before you is a six foot tall black dragonborn. And they are not as humanly dragonborn like Xanthias.

They are a reptilian, like full snout, black scaled dragonborn. But their scales are like Vantablack. They are so black. They are not glossy. They're almost matte. They are wearing a black tunic with just the faintest, subtlest tones of grey and silver to break it up and accessorise it.

But yeah, just perfectly camouflaged and blended in with their own shop that they just emerged out of the darkness. Being a more reptilian dragonborn, you're not immediately sure if they would be sort of male or female. They do have ridges and spines and things like that, and their eyes are purple. They have purple draconic eyes.

And they just look and say, oh, welcome. Oh, I'm so sorry, I did not see you there. No, no, of course, of course. Caught me by surprise. As I do most of my clientele. Welcome, welcome to Mystique's. You have such a wonderful shop here.

It's beautiful. Thank you. We were just admiring your products, your outfits. They look wonderful. Do you make these? Are you the artisan who makes? I am the tailor, yes. You're very talented. Well, thank you, yes.

I'm very proud of myself. Very good. Oh, you should. Strange, I know most of the residents here in town, but I do not recognize any of you, and travelers often come by for my designs, but I've never had quite a eclectic gathering of individuals. I am going to say this for Kim's benefit now.

Yes. Because I know she's gonna mention this later on. Yes, it is the guy from DS9. It's very much. Garak. It's Garak, who's very similar, like the way they speak. The way that they speak and their mannerisms,

that kind of wide-eyed, like, oh, yes. Like they almost, like there's very mechanical movements almost, like very off-putting. Like there's something both charming and disarming about this person. Like they look at you and they're just like bearing into your soul and like their movements are almost like, like the way they move their head and things like that. Very strange.

It's like they're ten steps ahead. Maybe, yeah. You might think that, yeah, yeah, yeah. But yes, they're like, ah. Oh, we've just arrived in, well, Ashenrest, actually yesterday, the day before. That would make sense, yeah. And we were hoping, we are going to be meeting

the Duke tomorrow. Really? Oh, we are. I see. And we have two here that we'd like to spruce them up a bit. This is Rowan. Knock the ceiling.

Just the two to spruce up. Do you, are you implying? Why? Am I implying something? Well, I think I look good. Very good. Thank you. It is important to have confidence, isn't it?

It is. It is. Well, I must say you are quite a splendid group of travellers. Thank you very much. But yes, we can... I can help you, if you wish. Ah, forgive me, I should introduce myself. I am Nixa Mist. Now, please. And I will come over and offer, you know, a clawed, scaled hand.

Oh, I feel you will take it gladly. Takes it and then... Delicately kiss. I am Sister Ophelia Della Rosa of the House of Blood. Lovely to meet you. House of Blood. From across the sea. Yes.

In Osseous. Yes, exactly. How did you know? Necromancy, if I sea? Yes. In Ossius? Yes, exactly. How did you know? Necromancy, if I understand. Yes. Don't tell anyone. No, no. Though your nation is not exactly a secret, my dear.

No, but necromancy isn't exactly... Oh, yes, yes. Well, I'm from Odaskir, which is a province here in the Draconic Empire, and I think that perhaps you would get on with many of my kin. We see a pragmatic use in magic. There is nothing inherently wrong with certain types of magic. It is how they are used.

That's a very good train of thought. If I am correct, in Osseous, you have corpses work the land, and mines, and such things, don't you? Yes, exactly, yes. Very forward-thinking, I think. Very forward-thinking. I think so, too. Thank you very much. Oh, you're most welcome. How do you spell their name?

It's in the diary. N-Y-X-X-A. Oh, for God's sake! I can't believe it, Luke. Then missed with a diary. N-Y-X-X-A. Oh, for God's sake. I can't believe it, Luke. Then missed with a Y. Of course. N-Y-X-X-A. Nixa missed, like the game.

Nixa, Riven. I've got so many missed spellings in this. Can Xanthius roll a history check with disadvantage? A history check with disadvantage. A history check with disadvantage? Yes. Okay. Katie, could I have one of my d20s back? You've been stealing them all session, one by one.

Fine, I'll roll this one twice. Ooh, a seven. Seven, 11. Just a seven, then. Just a seven. And then can I have a... I'll let you choose. Performance or deception check.

Performance or deception. I think they're both just as bad as each other. Oh, no. Okay, with advantage or... Oh, sorry, disadvantage. Just normal roll for this one. Okey-dokey, 19. Okay.

Um, yeah. Just, that's it. I'm not going to say anything else. Um, yeah. They kind of turn to you and things like that. That is their name. Nixa will basically come around and shake everyone's hand. And goes to kiss the hand?

Yeah, they'll let you. It's quite cold. Is that the costume I'm wearing? They take their hand back. Thank you. They don't seem perturbed by either way. They come up, they shake Gruff's hand. Hello, my name is Gruff. I'm from Tremorro.

Ah. Ah, Tremorro. North of Iceheart, I believe. Aye. Yes. Known for fishing and... Ah, yes, you are quite close to one of the gemstone mines up in Iceheart as well, as I believe. Indeed. Yes, I am familiar with your lands. That's nice. And you?

Xantius Aurigan. Ah, another dragonborn. Always a pleasure to meet another child of our noble masters and mistresses. Where are you from? Oh, I hail from Rust End, on the border of- In Caldra. Caldra and Gildae. And what was your name again?

Xanthius Origen. Origen, Origen. And there is a knowing look. And you know that this person knows exactly what that family is. Well, must make sure that you have my finest service. Indeed. Lord Oregon.

I do will have, yep. And you, my dear. Oh, hi. I'm Daisy. Lovely to meet you. Carl-June? Yeah, I'm from Goodvine. Ah, yes, just to the west, I believe. Yes, very good, very good. Do love the corset, my dear. Very beautiful.

Thank you. So, how can I assist? We have a couple here who need some... Sprucing. Refinement, shall we say. Refinement, yes. Now they'd like to stick to their colors, as you can see. Of course.

We have greens on Rowan here. Blues on Gruff. Maybe introducing some silver, maybe some black. Yes, black would be an excellent contrasting color. Silver to highlight wonderful fur and the texture of the hair as well. Yes, very good. The blue, obviously, for ice heart.

And you, this wonderful shade of skin. It takes your arm, Rowan, if you will let them. Obviously, they go to grab you and say, may I? It's a tentative, you know a dog that doesn't want its paws touched? Mm-hmm. You sort of let them. Yeah. They touch your hand, and you see that they do sort of like

look at the pattern on your arm as well. What a marvelous tattoo. Tickles. But a beautiful complexion, yes, green, and I can see shades of other shades to complement, yes. And what sort of a budget are we working with? I have, with the bronze, carry the five. I've got roughly ten gold.

What? Eighty-nine gold. I was like, where did it go? Eighty-nine. Thank the scions for that momentum. And yourself, Gruffydd of Tremorow? I want to spend 10 gold, but I have a feeling this is going to cost a lot more than that.

For 10 gold, you might as well go down to the general store, my dear. I said that myself, but they said it's not good enough. But imagine what they might look like. Oh, I can imagine, but it is not for me to decide what one wishes to wear. If Gruffydd of Tremorro does not want to spend more than that, then that is their decision to make. No, I will. As the lordling here says, first impressions matter. Oh indeed, they very much do.

I must try. Especially in Kaldra. Yes, my dear? Is it okay if maybe they try a couple of things and then see what they want from them? I have a few items. I tend to mainly make custom work, but I do have a few things that we can try on to see and examine and things like that.

Perhaps not in the exact shades you're looking for, but it is... I can create something quite quickly. We can try different things that perhaps are not in the colours you want, and then I can have them furnished in a colour scheme of your design. Do you outfit any of the knights in this region?

Yes, of course. Many of them have come to me. All of the knights of the realm of Ash and Rest, Sir Gryold, Dame Cassandra. Sir Gryold? Yes. What's he like? Sir Gryold is pleasant company.

The knights only really come to me when they need a new outfit or a ball or a gown or a tournament or some such. I mainly work with Dame Cassandra. She is far more concerned with her appearance than Sir Gryhold and... the other one. Sir Mourning?

No, not Sir Mourning. The other Knight of the Realm. Sir Laura. Nice. Sir Loin? I got nothing. I got nothing there. Sir Eldrith. I've already written it. Sir Ignis. Whatever you made for Sir Gryold. That.

I can certainly, yes. I mean, it was a fairly mere. I will have to obviously size it up and adjust it for your frame and colours, but yes, I can find something. And they go away and they come back with a surcoat, like a kind of knightly surcoat, but this one is made from exquisite kind of velvets. It's studded with like gemstones and beautiful trim and things like that. And it is a knightly surcoat, so kind of done up in the middle.

And then it comes with a wide leather belt as well. Made popular by surcoat. Yeah, by Sir Coat. But no, they try that on, and it is, you know, it would fit Gruff quite nicely, but it's not in the right colours. It would need to be adjusted. Now, within your budget, how much money do you happen to have on you, good sir?

And I do, please, I am not some charlatan taking you for whatever coin you have on you. I just want to know what your budget is. Oh, no, I would never assume that. How much did Sir Gryold pay? You perhaps do not want to know the answer to that question. OK, maybe Ian. Tell me what you have and I will work to your budget.

About 100 gold. Yes, I can work with something around that. And I won't... We can work it so it's not quite the full 100. I want to make sure I don't take you for everything you have. And your companion here, was it 89 you said? I've just found another pocket. I've got 21 silver and 2 bronze. Or 2 copper.

2 bronze. Oh, I won't worry too much about the small change. Maybe an accessory like a belt. I can... I will have something made in your appropriate colours to an appropriate style of your liking once we spend some time. Shall we say... 50 gold.

Per outfit, of course. And the offer extends to the rest of you as well, if that is something you are interested in. Oh, no, I... No. 50 gold, that's... I can do something for cheaper, but it would not be as impressive. I don't want to disappoint you or the Duke. Oh, Rowan, I wouldn't be disappointed if you don't want to pay it.

It is your money. But we've got to look fancy. Honestly, if it means I look like Ser Gryold, I'll pay up to a hundred. Sir Gryold's latest work that I did for him was something in the several hundred gold. Okay, a discount a hundred gold version of that. Very good, if that is what you want, then I'm happy to do that.

There will be a bit more refinement, some nicer trim. We may be able to use some cheaper gemstones in some of the studying and such. Yes, we can do something along those lines. Yes, and this is sort of like looking at your sort of rather patched together sailors' kind of fisherman outfit and things like that. It's practical. It is very practical.

And you can see that Nix is kind of taking this in and they are sort of like, yes, a pair of trousers. And it's like they're going to match it up and they're probably going to take in that practicality. Like, it's not gonna be embellished. It's gonna be nice. I think Gruff would say as well, would it be warm?

I'm not used to. I can make it warm, yes, yes. Or I can make it cooler if you wish. So maybe if I could take it back to the north, or if I came back to my village looking like Ser Gryol. Can you imagine? What I can do is I can have it padded, sometimes a ser coat or a worn under the armour.

We can make something along those lines. So it'll be padded so it'll be more comfortable if you were to be wearing armour or if indeed you wanted it to be warmer and such. I can have it padded, yes. That would be grand. Yes, of course, yes. That would, in that case then, yes, the extra 50 gold would accommodate

for making it quite warm and padded and such. Yes, we can be about the same amount. You two should have told me sooner. Hmm? About Sir Gryold and dressing like Sir Gryold. I, well, we did mention the parade, the festival. You said you didn't want people looking at you. I bet you found me the person who dresses so grey old.

That was just a guess. I wasn't certain. And I think for looking at Rowan, Nixa begins pulling out sort of almost, not quite kilt, but like these kind of like long sashes with like almost like a kind of wrap around the waist, trousers, still leaving your feet, maybe like finding like a nice pair of like

kind of like leathered sandals that have been embellished and things like that. Very similar to what you're wearing now, but with extra embellishments. Maybe like a, almost like a cape added to it, like a kind of like, you know, for a dramatic kind of effect, pulling out green fabrics and things like that. And I say, well, luckily I have enough that I can probably make you something. Now, if I rush it, I can probably have it done by the morning. Oh. Well, we are intending to meet the Duke tomorrow in the early afternoon. In the morning.

In the morning, apparently. If it is for the public audience, I believe it is in the morning. Yes, no, my mistake. That's fine. It will be troublesome to work it that quickly. But if you are... You said that you are presenting, you are meeting with the Duke in this public audience.

Oh, we are, yes. And you... Are you in the Duke's... We have a Duke's favour that we wish to cash in. Clearly you are travellers of some renown to be carrying a duke's favour. Perhaps then shall we say this? I will, for the cost of materials, so

100 gold and 50 gold for these outfits, but I will normally I would charge extra to have this done in a rush order. But perhaps shall we say you can owe me a favour. And what would that favour be? I will come and speak to you at some time and perhaps, you can owe me a favour? Mm, and what would that favour be? I will come and speak to you at some time

and perhaps ask you to help me, perhaps source some fine ingredients or some fine materials, I should say, or perhaps if I have a problem that I need assistance with. Think of this as the start of a beautiful relationship. Oh, that's lovely. It is lovely. Beautiful friendship.

And at some point, I think the rest of us would probably intend to come back. Oh, yeah, I would like another outfit too, but it doesn't need to be a rush. Well, I would only have the time for the two. That's fine. That's fine. But yes, please come by with more business. I will be glad for more business. I have a question. Of course, please, my dear. Rowan, wasn't it?

Yes. Yeah. Does it come with sleeves? I wouldn't mind sleeves. I can add sleeves if you wish. Yes, please. Very good, I will. Does it cost any more money?

No, no, no, no. It's simply part of the design. It's a lot. It shouldn't cost me more fabric. Well, I will simply adjust the design. There's almost always spare fabric left over, my boy. I always cut extra, just to make sure if there are any things I have to redo or some such. I'm quite tall.

You are. I will need your measurements before you leave, both of you, but that won't take too much time. Are we done? Settled? I would request the payment up front, as this will be a wash. I'll start putting the coins on the counter. You see that soon as the nixer sees the coins, I'm not even going to have you guys roll insight,

because this is quite hard for them to resist. Their eyes just sparkle when they see their money. They're just like... You can see that they are just so happy to be seeing money, and they just... It's like pocket lint and all that stuff. A button picks out. Just.

Sorry, brushes that away. Can I, while I'm here, can I just get some ribbon, some orange ribbon? I just kind of want to update some of my. I can cut you some offshoots of orange ribbon, yes. That won't be a problem. Of course. Just goes, literally goes into the back room and comes out with, like, a cut of orange ribbon for you

and just hands that to you. All right, takes the gold, so 150 from Rowan, so 100 from Gruff, 50 from Rowan, and will take your measurements, like, takes you, like, in the store, just pulls out, like, a tape measure, begins, like, taking your measurements. I'm trying to suck in his gut. Stop that, stop that.

No, need correct measurements. Don't do that, it won't be comfy. It won't be comfy, Graf. Plus, also, the belt will act as a sort of, it will help keep everything in place. Measures, does it very efficiently. They do kind of wave their hand and cast a spell, and you see that their little notebook just lifts up

off the ground and the pen like a quill kind of floats over to it with an ink pot and it writes as Nixa is speaking to it like so it's an unseen servant they just conjure that and it starts writing for them this this this takes measurements right and then yes and then once it puts those down it's a Nixa says fetch me the midnight blue and the black and there will have the velveteen and bring that in and send that to the back, send that to my workshop. All right, very good. Yes, well this, I will begin,

I will have to start work right away, but thank you very much for your custom. Well, and thank you for becoming a new customer of Mystique. And thank you for letting us watch your wonderful work. Oh, please, you're more than welcome. It's been delightful to meet you all. Wonderful to meet you too, thank you. Sister Oph. It's been delightful to meet you all. Wonderful to meet you too, thank you.

Sister Ophelia de la Rosa, the House of Blood. Yes. Rowan, Rowan. Gruffydd of Tremorro. Aye. Daisy, and Xanthius Oragon. Yep. Big, draconic, like, fanged smile, just marvelous.

Do you have change for a gold? I need some more bronze. No, ignore him, ignore him. Oh, you have some. No, okay, I'll sort you later. Oh, thank you, Grothas. Leave the dragon. Very well, enjoy your day.

I will see you promptly in the morning. Come as soon, as close to, I would say, 7am as you can. Okay. I have everything ready. All right. Well, pleasure. Pleasure to meet you. A good day.

A good day. And yeah, you make your way out of Mystique and Nyx's shop. Well, that was a thrill ride. It was. How exciting. Lord Xanthius Organ. Such a mood in there. Lord Xanthius. Lord Xanthius, I've said before, just Xanthius.

They seemed like they might know you. They look very- Is your family famous? Yeah. Well, famous as such. It's a house in Gildai, a host in Gildai. But they knew of your house, and they're not even from there.

You're being mysterious. I'm not being mysterious. You're being mysterious and difficult. I'm just riding on a high of a shopping trip. Mysterious. That's all. Mysterious. I get the buzz now. I got a buzz. You did? Yes. The measuring?

They were very nice, weren't they? Yes, very. I hope you're excited tomorrow when you put the clothes on. It's going to be such a nice fit. Everything is going to move so freely. You're gonna feel wonderful wearing these clothes. Gareth's going to look like a knight.

Like Sir Gryulv. I knew that would get her attention. His attention. Gruff and Kim being overlaid there. I am a mystery. Yeah, yeah. And obviously you're gonna still keep your current clothes and things like that, but yeah, I imagine for Gruff this is gonna be like

a kind of knightly Ser coat with trousers and like a nice leather belt. Formal occasions. Yeah, exactly. I'll cosplay Ser Gryul leather belt. Kind of like, yeah, exactly. And also, just like, also if you do eventually get sort of heavier armor, and keep in mind that you won't be able to wear metal armor as a druid, but if you do get like a kind of like plated,

like you know, heavier armor or something like that, the surcoat would be exactly the perfect thing to go underneath it, or even over the top of it to like have that knightly kind of tabard look and stuff like that. cool um all right um for the sake of anything else uh unless you guys have anything you desperately want to do ahead of this mission for the lamplighters guild um i would i'm happy to just sort of be like yep you spend time kind of going around the town um you know having some lunch you guys can like mark off like a silver piece for lunch or something like that

having some lunch, you guys can mark off a silver piece for lunch or something like that. There is a place that sells healing salves and potions. Yes, there is, yeah. I think it would be a good idea to buy a couple of those before we do this. Probably. Actually, that's a good idea. Can we actually have any right now? No. Aquilos.

Aquilos are chemical. Aquilos. Aquilos. Next to the grumpy hog. Aguilos. Aguilosumpy hog. Aguilos. Aguilos alchemicals. Aguilos. I thought it was a kilo.

Aquilos alchemicals, you're correct. I was trying to get to that point in my wiki. Yeah, aquilos alchemicals, yes. I think we should get some vitality pot, potions. Healing salves. Yes, no, that would be a good idea if this does turn into some kind of fight tonight, which I hope it doesn't.

You were told that you are being hired as bodyguards for a reason, I will point out. I don't think that they would need to pay 200 per lamp if there wasn't going to be something. I live to hope that maybe we'll just get 200 and nothing will happen, you know? I hope we get paid. We've spent a lot.

Well, just before, because it is nearly time for a break, and Akilo's our chemicals, you can go in. You would meet Akilo himself. He's a large orc. He's a large orc man in his 50s. He has a big bushy beard. Bald head, and he's very large orc man in his 50s he has a big bushy beard bald head and he's very jolly

he's sort of like oh well welcome welcome come in hello hello I'm Akilo I'm the alchemist here and that's a very sort of like pompous and very thing

you can see that in his shop window he has this kind of very unique looking kind of clockwork mechanism that almost looks like potions and vials are dancing and the kids come and watch it and it's very kind of cool. You can see that the store itself is filled with, you know, potions and vials and bottles of ingredients and this sort of thing.

You can also see that he sells not just like, you know, adventurers potions, but it's things like common medicines or, you know, things to treat diseases and infections, help with aches and pains. There are medications to help with fertility or contraceptives

and things like that as well here. He's a pharmacist. He's a pharmacist, yeah. There's also things like paints and inks as well that he sells. He has like a little row for like kids to come in and buy like paints and inks as well that he sells. He has a little row for kids to come in and buy paints and inks and things like that.

He's like an old-school chemist, basically. Do you have any of that banana-flavoured cowpull? I used to have it when I was younger. Oh, yeah. Well, I do have a banana-flavoured medicine, yes. I used to have that when I was younger. Sometimes I can make a custom. If you want a particular flavour, I can adjust.

It's exactly like the sweets. Yeah, it's very good. But for your interests, Akilo will mention that he has three items that mercenaries and adventurers and travelers and things like that often buy from him. He has what he calls Vitality Potion. This is a consumable potion.

It costs 50 gold. It's a bonus action to drink, and you gain 2d4 plus two temporary hit points. So this is a replacing the regular healing potion. This is a way of almost giving yourself a burst of energy to fight harder, which is represented by the temporary hit points.

So it won't heal you if you're down, but it will help you absorb damage and things like that. There is also a healing salve, which is a consumable. It costs 150 gold. You get three uses out of each one. During a short or long rest, you can apply the healing salve to yourself or another creature

and make a medicine check. The creature regains hit points equal to 1d10 plus the medicine check minus 10. So say you roll a 15 on your medicine check, that would minus 10 become a 5, so you get a d10 plus 5 HP back. But you can only use it during a short or long rest. So it's a good way of, like,

if you're running out of hit dice to spend on your healing, to get that little bit of extra healing to, like, top you up, basically. But it's only three uses and then it's done. Okay. And then the last thing he sells is an alchemical weapons oil. This is also consumable, 75 gold. It's a bonus action to activate.

You can coat one melee weapon or ten pieces of ammunition with this oil. For the next minute, attacks using that weapon or ammunition deal an additional D4 of, and you choose when you buy it, fire, cold, or lightning damage. Holy crap. It's like a little resin, pine resin choose when you buy it, fire, cold, or lightning damage. Holy crap.

Ooh. It's like a little resin, pine resin or whatever. Yeah, yeah. Bar of souls. That's cool as well. 75 gold for that. I spent all my money on clothes. Sorry, how much for the potion?

Vitality potion is 50. The healing salve is 150, because it's three uses. And then the alchemical weapon oil is 75. Well, I'll wait out. I'll wait you as well, yes. I spent all my money on hotel rooms. Uh-oh.

How much do you have left out of interest? You don't have to tell me. You just show me your bag of money. Yeah. Daisy just opens a bag and points in. One, two, three, four. I Rain Man it. Yeah, 106, exactly.

Well, I've got 110. So it's on you then. Well, actually, you're Gold Dragonborn, right? Yeah. There would probably be a little bit of latent magic from your gold Draconic ancestry that you literally glance at that bag and you're like, yeah, there's about 106 gold in there.

Gold dragons have an ability where they can know exactly how much gold they have in their lairs and presents. And I imagine that gold dragonborn maybe have a little touch of that where generally they can look and say a chest and just know how much money's in it. I catch it suspiciously fast. I just imagine it's like jelly beans in a jar. Yeah.

It's really big. And they don't even get it on. They don't have those competitions in Gildai. Oh, it's just gold in a jar. Even if, say, the chest was like, oh, it's all silver at the bottom and only gold at the top, a gold dragonborn or a gold dragon would still be able to be like, oh, the value of this chest is this,

because you've got silver coins under there. They would just be like, yeah, yeah, there's all silver coins under that. I know that. And how many do, how many of these potions do you have? Well, I can prop some more. I have four of the vitality potions. Four? I have

all of the, I have a fire oil, an ice oil, and a lightning oil, and I have two healing salve kits. I also sell things like healer's kits, so if you need to bandage a wound or something like that, I have those on stock. I have things like antivenoms and such as well.

Hmm, interesting. I'm very tempted by a lot of these things. What about you? I was just gonna get one of the potion things, maybe. I would also like one of the potion things, maybe. I would also like one of the potion things, maybe. A vitality potion? Yes. Yes, of course. I generally make about four sort of every month or so.

Really? Unless I have a special order. I should also point out that you're all adventurers and mercenaries and such and traveling. You go around the Empire and such things. Yeah, well, we've been hired by the Guild. Oh, right, I see. If you're ever outside of Ashen Rest and you come across rare ingredients,

sort of parts of vaultspawn or rare herbs and things like that, if you bring them to me, I can identify them and I generally can make something from them. Oh, that's a shame. See, I froze something a while back, just outside a cave near Burnell. I knew you'd be the person I could have sent that to. Oh, yes.

I mean, well, sometimes. Some parts I can't always use, but generally there are normally things I can use. If you come across some sort of poisonous creature, if you can get some of its natural poison, they often can be turned into medicinal properties. And now what would you need to make more of these potions? Vitality potions.

They can be found. There's a somewhat, not a rare, but a sort of uncommon herb. It tends to grow in dark woods or caves, places where sunlight doesn't reach but moisture does. Sort of a mossy kind of herb. That is quite common, if you can bring that to me. Hmm. How about we get two of these potions

for 90 gold and a promise that if, in our adventuring ways, we do come across any of these herbs, I'll bring them straight to you. Yes. Well, give me them straight to you. Yes. Well, give me a persuasion check. OK. Sure.

Persuasion. That's, I believe, just plus two, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Five. Well, you wouldn't really have much use for this kind of herb unless you're a trained herbalist and alchemist. You wouldn't really be able to do much with it.

Look, what I'm saying is... Fuck off. The potions are the potions. Their prices are set. But if you happen to find these things and you need someone to turn them into something, I generally won't charge you money. If you can bring me the ingredients,

I'll just make you whatever I can make you. But I'm just saying, if you come across anything unusual, bring it to me, I'll just make you whatever I can make you. But I'm just saying, if you come across anything unusual, bring it to me, and I'll see what I can do with it. Can't blame you for trying. No, no, of course not. Not much of a haggler, really.

The prices are the prices. I understand. But yeah, if you guys want to buy that, you can each buy a vitality potion. I don't have them in D&D Beyond, you just have to remember what they do. Okay. It's bonus action, 2d4 plus 2, 10 pre-hit points.

I will make you a thing for next week if you don't use them. Sure. Okay, I'll do 50 from mine. Yeah. All right. So we've got two of those to dish out. Is it bonus action to drink myself? Action for someone else?

Can I feed it to them? Yeah, if you want to feed it. But keep in mind, remember that... Is it a bonus action to drink myself? Action for someone else? It is a... Yeah, if you want to feed it, but keep in mind, remember that... What? Potion me. Oh. Eh? And pass that one down to Tom.

I will remind you that these are temporary hit points, so feeding them to somebody else, there's not a huge reason why you would do that, unless you're running up to them in combat and pouring it in their mouth while they're still up. If somebody's down, temporary hit points aren't going to help them. These are probably potions that you either want to drink when you start getting low on hit points

and you want to keep yourself alive a bit longer, or they're things that you could drink before a fight to give you some temp HP at the beginning of the fight. That kind of thing. They will last as well until you either lose them or they get replaced. So if you wanted to, you could drink them before a fight. Cool. All right. Great.

Well, yeah. Actual full-on healing potions are going to be very rare. When you do have them, they will basically heal you. I haven't decided if they heal you to full or nearly full, but they will be potent. They will be much stronger. It's going to be more like video games

and movies where it's like you drink the hidden potion and you're back in the fight rather than like, I've got six hit points. Oh, I got hit again. I'm dead.

Pointless. But much more expensive as well. Yeah, and rare. Like, very hard to find. Like, a kilo doesn't have them at most alchemists' point. He could probably make you one if you bring him the right ingredient.

Sure. Okay, I'm good. All right. I'm satisfied. Anything else? Otherwise, I will pass time. So we see, you know, the sun passes through the sky. You guys maybe go and get some lunch from somewhere,

and you pass the time. Just as the sun is beginning to set, you guys make your way back to the Clever Toad to meet with the person that you're supposed to meet. Just as the sun is beginning to dip down, the Taric Taric kobolds are busy at work. Ignore the snore. I tried.

I tried really hard. I don't know where it came from. It came from somewhere. We're just going to move on. It's a birthday snor. It's a birthday snor. There's a farm nearby. The Taric Taric family are busy at work.

You are sort of attended to by Biscuit Taric and Iskit Taric. Yep. They kind of, yep. They attend to you for a little bit. And then in the door, kind of looking around, and they see you and seem to recognize you as if they've been given a description of you, you see a halfling woman, maybe in her sort of early 40s,

with this bright, kind of like lavender purple hair, big puffy, like wavy hair, kind of like Daisy's, but done in sort of like an up ponytail and it spills down her back. She's dressed in not like leather armour but you can see she has like a leather toolkit and she's got like a pair of gasses with like

lots of different lenses and crystals and things like that. She kind of has like a little bit of a look of an inventor. A little white blouse, little leather pants, tall boots quite kind of like buxom and round for a halfling, and she sort of looks around and she's got a little neck chiefer on her neck, and she's like, oh, yeah, and scuffles over and she's just like, hello, I think that you're my guards for the evening?

Oh, were you sent by the Lamplighters Guild? Yes, Illuminator Theresa Lavendale. Well, we are going to be the ones that are escorting you tonight. Wonderful. I do hope that you're better than the last lot that they all sent. Oh, what happened to the last lot? Oh, well, I mean, I wasn't part of it, and the Illuminator that went with them kind of suffered the same.

But quite a bit of a beating, really. Yes, this area's quite rough. Do you know who might have attacked these people? Well, I... And she's kind of, like, looking around. Hypothetically. She looks around and, like, well, not that I want to disparage any of the other guilds in Ashen Rest,

but that area is sort of known to be where many members of the Carpenters Guild like to rest, and they sort of see as part of their community, is the right word I think I'm looking for. When she says all of this, can you all make perception checks for me, please? Oh, mother fuck. Not good.

Yeah. 11. 14. 14. 18. 18. Five. Three.

Five. All right, the 14 and the 18, Ophelia and Gruff. Teresa is kind of quite loudly saying this stuff. And when you look round in the Clever Toad, you can see a pair of labourers, hands covered in sawdust. You can see like a leather belt with like chisels and like, you know, things on their belt, just staring and like looking in hers and now yours direction and they've kind of got these kind of more soured looks on their face um but teresa did not notice them like she looked

around and just completely didn't notice that they were there and and she's like but like i said you wouldn't hear me disparaging another guild um but yes they do seem to have a bit of a problem with us doing our business in the area. But that's fine. I'm sure you're going to fare much, much better. I feel like I'm in safe hands. And you are. Wonderful. Pause. Pause.

Sorry, yes. Yes, pause, yes, yes. But yes, well, first of all, Teresa is what my mother calls me. You can call me T. Yes. What are all your names? Xanthius Oregon. Xanthius. Lovely, lovely. Daisy. Hello there. That's a very sweet name, Daisy. Yes, thank you.

I'm Sister Ophelia Della Rosa of the House of Blood. Oh, well, lovely to meet you, sister. Thank you, and you? Yes, hello. Rowan kneels down. Oh! Hello, I'm Rowan. Even kneeling down, Rowan is still taller

than probably this woman. Pleasure to meet you. She's like three feet tall. So she's like, oh, pleasure to meet you as well. Oh, I feel certainly safer in your hands or arms. Yes, very good. Hello. Hello. Oh, you look quite the tough one as well.

My name is Graf. Hello, Graf. Grafet of Chemoro. Oh, well, lovely to meet you. Yes, please, call me T, everyone does. Hello, T. Yes, but yes, I'm sorry, I'm the illuminator. Do you have any questions before we head over to the area?

Yes. How long would it take for each lamp to be repaired? A brilliant question. Thank you. Yes. So the process is quite delicate, and I can't begin to conduct it until the sun has fully gone down. There is a certain way that the magical power source to each light is provided.

It's dormant until it becomes nighttime. I need the magical source to be active so I can begin the repairs. It's quite a lengthy process. It will take me about an hour to fix a light, but I need to sort of be undisturbed during that time. Right, and it will take three hours potentially total. Yes, but we need to be done before dawn, before the sunrise,

because that's when the magic shuts off. I see. And how many of the, hypothetically, carpenters attacked last time? Oh, I couldn't say. I only really heard about it secondhand. I'm sort of quite new to the Lamplighters Guild. I mean, I'm skilled at what I do, and I've been taught by the Chief Illuminator,

but, yes, I don't really know everyone that well yet. Okay. No, unfortunately not. Sorry. Hmm. Three hours? Sounds good? Sounds good. Wonderful.

All right, well, I'll show you the way, I suppose. We can start making our way there now. Okay. By the time we get there, I suspect the sun will have gone down and the light, well, the magic will be there, but I'll need to do the repairs. All right, let's get going. Wonderful.

As we leave, I just want to sneak a look at the carpenters who are sat there and just be like... You've got a 14? A 14, yeah, but as we walk out, I just want to be like... Yeah, you... I just see if they're, like, eye-watching us. They're not sat there anymore. Oh, they're gone. They're gone. They're gone.

OK. You didn't see them leave. I think as we kind of... Not wanting to worry Teresa, but to everyone else, I would say, you know, I would mumble, you know, like there were two laborers there and they're gone now, and they were not happy. All right.

Well, I'm going to, first of all, I'm going to have quite a lot to do, so I need one of you to run Theresa. She's going to be a temporary retainer. I'm going to be using MCDM's retainer rules, so I just need somebody to take charge of her. She only has a basic attack and a couple of features to worry about. How many NPCs have I killed in the past?

All of them. All of them. Oh, I'll take her then. That's why we call you the NPC killer. She takes you to the sort of southeastern end of the Riverside district, and you emerge into a sort of small plaza with a fountain, a stone fountain up on a sort of raised platform and several buildings around the outside. And you can actually see these three, they are metal and stone columns with these kind of

magical everlights, these torches that are built into them, basically function as lampposts. And their lights are flickering and dim and clearly broken. They're not providing really magical everlights, these torches that are built into them, basically function as lampposts. And their lights are flickering and dim and clearly broken. They're not providing really any illumination at all. You can see that there are several buildings, but perhaps more concerned to all of you, and I think Nim would especially point this out to you, Daisy, is there are a number of alleyways that lead into this plaza.

Tight, narrow, the tall buildings of Ashen Rest, these kind of two, three-storey buildings on each side, creating these very narrow, dark-looking alleyways. And as you guys arrive in the plaza, with Teresa accompanying you, you see that some figures are already lurking around. Almost anticipating you. As you see, you see a group of individuals with hatchets and chisels and other carpentry tools.

Someone's got a lathe. Yeah, a lathe, yeah. What are you going to do with that? Compound saw. Compound saw. And with that, that is going to be the end of part one as we are going to take our break. Thank you all.

We will see you in part two just after the break. Bye-bye. See you next time. Bye.