High Rollers DnD - Altheya: The Dragon Empire #14 | His Draconic Majesty (Part 1)

Episode Date: March 5, 2024

We're finally meeting Duke Ignarius and handing in our Duke's Favour!! ANNOUNCEMENTS: NEW ONESHOT! We're also going to be playing the new DUNE TTRPG! Catch that on Twitch/YouTube on the 8th of March! 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/ It's Rhi's BIRTHDAAAAAAAAAY! Love the podcast? Give us a glittering 5 star review! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/high-rollers-dnd/id1401508198?see-all=reviews --------- 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. Hello, everybody. Welcome to a new episode of High Rollers D&D! It is I, your classic dungeon master, Mark Sherlock Humes! Vintage. Vintage! I am old. But welcome, everybody. We are... I did. We are here for another episode of D&D

with your usual wacky, insane, sleep-deprived crew. But it's going to be a good time. We have got only a couple of things that we're going to mention. You've heard about them before, but we're going to remind you about it because this is the way the internet works. If we don't talk about it all the time... It doesn't exist. It doesn't exist!

So on the 8th of March, our Dune One-Shot is happening. Dune! Dune Adventures in the Imperium. It's going to be a sponsored one-shot from our friends at Modiphius. We love Modiphius. If you don't know Modiphius, they do the Star Trek TTRPG system, the 2D20 stuff. They did Dreams and Machines that we did a one-shot for.

It's a good system. Yeah, very good system. They've just announced Discworld as well. They've announced Discworld. They've done a ton of great stuff. A ton of great game systems. We really enjoy working with Modiphius. And I've got to say, Dune RPG, actually a ton of fun.

Kim and I just went and saw the new Dune movie. The Mahadev! The Spice of Spire. Yeah, the Gunja Bar. But yeah, we had a great time. So come and check that out on the 8th of March. Spread the word. Get people to come and watch the live stream.

One thing I always want to make clear, whenever we do these sponsored one-shots, even if you aren't a big Dune fan, even if you only watch High Rollers for the D&D 5e stuff, actually, it really helps us if you come and watch these sponsored one-shots because that sends a really great message to our sponsors and says that we can get interested people to come and watch their stuff. So please do come and watch the the doom one shot so one and done

a good one show your friends yeah because it starts and ends and there's no pre-commitments there's no 200 episodes it's all explained it's all wrapped up yeah i do my best to cover the world an entirety of dune law just like you did in the roostcape one right just like i did in the roostcape one yeah he will wrap it up he will I will get it done but that's it

for announcements this week that is pretty much it so we are going to play the intro and then we'll get into a brand new episode of Althea not Irois

Althea well done yay woo Hello and welcome to episode 14 of Ulfea, the Dragon Empire. Last time, after taking a job for the Lamplighters Guild, the heroes soon learned that there was more going on in Ashen Rest than first believed. After the Illuminator, Teresa Levendale,

was seemingly possessed or used as a vessel for some otherworldly force during the job of repairing some of the Guild's magical lights, the group sought to learn more about what had happened and sought help in the matters at hand. The majority of the group met with the El's magical lights, the group sought to learn more about what had happened and sought help in the matters at hand. The majority of the group met with the Elven Weaver, Blackwing, a mysterious and aloof individual who examined the strange enchantments that had caused the incident and revealed much about how the enchantments worked,

as well as discussing the Planar Realms in general. After learning as much as they could from Blackwing, the heroes travelled to Brightshadow Cathedral, where they met with High Priest Arden Savarin, a worshipper of Maelir, who helped examine Theresa and also discuss the incident with the party, assuring them that he would bring this to the attention

of his companion, the High Priest of Pyrrhus, as well as the local authorita and duke in the morning. A new dawn days in Althea. A new day dawns. Damn it! Damn it! You're doing so well.

A new day dawns. Dyslexia, everybody. A new day dawns in Althea, and today is the public audience with the Draconic Lord, Duke Ignarius. And that is where we begin today. You are all in the rooms where you are staying in the Clever Toad Inn or the Grumpy Hog, including Xanthius. Oh.

I yawn, I stretch my arms. Oh, a new Dawn Days. Days news, the Dawn News. Bitch. A new dawn days. Days news, the dawn news. Having left the group temporarily last night to deal with matters of his own, you all meet back up with Xanthius in the morning.

I'm not going to go into any details. I'll come to that, yeah, we'll get to that in a minute. Are you ready? You're primed? You want to get it done? Oh, for the Crucible of Fate. Crucible? You said a new Dawn Days, so... A New Dawn Days.

On A New Dawn Days. When A New Dawn Days, we roll the Crucible of Fate. You did so well. Thanks, Trump. Well done. Thank you. No, he was laughing more than anyone else.

I was. I did. You didn't say Arois. I'm not at you with you. I didn't say Arois. You didn't say Arois. No. As much as you tried.

But now A New Dawn has dated. You want to keep pushing this? No, because I know you can kill me like this. You can keep pushing me. I've been watching a lot of Dimension 20. I'm learning a lot from Brennan Lee Mulligan. I can make this a fucking nightmare if I wanted to be. Just do it.

It already is, my guy. Lord Zanny. In that case, yeah, let's do Crucible of Fate. So if everybody can take a d6. Yes. One to three. Yes. I get dice. Okay.

Four, five, six, you get a dice. Motherfuck. Yeah, I deserve this. I deserve this. I want to see Katie roll. You're awesome! A three. So starting with Katie, a three.

I failed again. I believe that's dice for me. That's for you. I got a one, which is a dice for you. That's a dice for me. again. I believe that's dice for me. A dice for you. I got a one, which is a dice for you. That's a dice for me. I got a two. A dice for me. Dice for us, please, a five.

Five for Chris Trott, dice for you. And a second one, a six. A six, a dice for you. And now I can place them on these lovely new pedestals. They are not finished. Chris Trott's printed these out. They are not finished, they will be painted. Sculpted and printed, I will say.

Sculpted and printed, yeah. No, you sculpted them yourself. We now have these lovely plates which are going to be the crucible. These are the pillars of fate, perhaps, now. So you can see the dice at any time. So more importantly...

Except for you podcast listeners. But more importantly, you guys can also have a much clearer visual of where the balance currently lies. I just wish it was five millimetre longer on that one. If I can't see that, Kim. That would be nice, wouldn't it? It's fine.

No, it's fine. Sweat some paper. Great. So, yeah, the red ones are yours, the blue are yours now. Yeah, and we say yours now, so it's a bit of a jokey meme. Red are bad luck, blue are good luck. Yeah, the idea with the fate is that, and also I think hopefully this will kind of lead you guys

to remembering to spend them more as well, like not necessarily ways in combat, but like on ability checks and including elements to it, is the idea that fate is constantly shifting and it works both against and for heroic deeds and villainous deeds and things like that. It is a way of making life interesting. If we did evil things, could we spend the red dice?

No, because they don't represent evil. It's literally representing the sort of destiny, your heroic destiny, and then the heroic destiny of other things in the world, or the destiny of other elements of the world. What if Tom, it's going to be Tom, wants to actively go against our heroic destiny? I don't know why that would happen.

No, I think that it would still be your pool. But remember, you don't need each other's approval to spend dice from it. You can't just be like, I want to spend dice. If Tom one day was just like, I'm going to spend a dice on doing this horrible thing, that's Xanthius' choice. Mark, you didn't roll a dice.

I didn't roll a dice! Yeah, it was meant to be six. There's five on the plinth. A four. A dice for us. I believe that's a dice for you guys, it's a nice balanced thing. Three of each. Three of each.

Cool. Okay, a new day dawns. Yep, new day dawns. Yep, new day dawns. Get wrecked. What? When do you get wrecked? Got him.

It is early in the morning. I believe, in fact, actually, I must correct myself on one thing. Four of you awake in your beds in the Clever Toad. The fifth person does not wake up in a bed in the Grumpy Hog because they did not go to sleep at the Grumpy Hog. Oh, yeah. They fell asleep in the middle of the street with Percival the Skeleton, trying desperately to stay awake all night,

watching over Percival, holding your position ready for the audience, the public audience with Duke Ignarius. Percival shakes you awake as the sun begins to rise. More and more people are coming onto the street, and this is likely out of a duty of making sure that you are safe. Percival kind of shuffles you awake, bringing you out of that intense dreamophilia that you had.

Perhaps a divine dream, a divine visitation from the grave father or the grave emperor, depending on which part of the world you are from. As you wake up, the sun is beginning to crest, that pink and golden light coming in of the morning. And you can see that people are kind of beginning to look through windows, kind of like looking at you curiously.

There are some people out on the streets going to their jobs or, you know, setting up their shops, casting curious glances your way. You are a little bit dirty from having, like, lain down in the cobblestone street. But, yeah, you wake up, and Percival is just trying to, like, dust you off, basically,

like, wipe all the schmuck from the road. Percival! Oh, thank you, thank you. Percival, thank you, thank you. Percival, I grab his shoulders. I have been gazed upon by him. The grave father visited me. Percival silently returns your look of excitement and just, yeah, reaches up, takes your shoulders. Percival pogs.

No, he does, his expression shoulders. Percival pogs. No. He does, his expression never changes because he is a skull. Yeah, yeah. He cannot pog. Okay. It is unsullied by mortal flesh. The Great Father showed me his great plan, his great afterlife.

My path has never been clearer, Percival, like blood in a vein. My path has been decided. Fleshcival. Like blood in a vein, my path has been decided. Flesh for the mortal, blood for the eternal. In his name, what a marvellous night it has been, Percival. I have a great... I have a great feeling about this day. Just nods, like, in agreement, like, yes, excellent, wonderful. Oh, I'm such a mess, Percival, I'm such a mess.

Thank you, thank you, thank you. He's dusting you off. Um, oh, I guess we're waiting here, I suppose. Is there anybody else around? He looks around and points. You can see that the members of the Stone Masons and Lamblighters Guild, you know, they'd been having watched the street. Now that the sun is beginning to rise,

more and more people are beginning to arrive and begin to sort of queue around you. You have a, you know, you are approached by some regular looking folk, you know, just townsfolk, like, are you waiting for the audience or the Duke and sort of looking precariously in your direction? Oh, yes, yes, I'm holding my station. Thank you.

Please. Oh, yes, and they'll kind of move behind you. Thank you. The members of the guild that you encountered last night kind of step up. Immediately, some of the more common townsfolk back away, knowing that these are members of the guilds, and allow them to kind of fall in place.

And they do fall as agreed. Lamplight is ahead of you. Stone Mason's behind you. There's a little bit of grumbling from the Stone Masons, but, you know, maybe one of their members is is like you don't think you and your companions will take long do you oh no they were very keen to arrive here in good time i shouldn't imagine they won't be too long very good very good they begin to sort of uh you know form a form an orderly queue and as they do it's not long before you begin to see um not the town guards

but from the ducal palace from the dominus ignarum the duke's personal guard begin to arrive uh they are all dressed in armor that has been um colored in a dark metallic red and it has draconic motifs so they're like helmets have like almost draconic faces their chest plates have like scale like emblems and sort of wings on the pauldrons that kind of stretch out much more ornate um much more fancy not quite as elite as say like the knights of the realm like sir griold but very very identifiable as the personal guard of duke ignarius um they carry long long spears with pieces of fabric in orange and flame-like materials, kind of dangling down, and gold with shields

that bear the Duke's crest, and they begin to basically cajole everybody. Like, if you are here for the public audience, if you wish to speak with the Duke, you know, stay in line, form a line, they begin to gather everybody together, and they begin to watch, you know, stay in line, form a line. They begin to gather everybody together, and they begin to watch the order of everything, basically. So as that gets ready, yeah, you are kind of left, you know, having clearly established yourself in this order, Ophelia. The guards are happy for you to stay there, and, like, the other guild members are happy to honour their agreement that you came to and leave things as they were.

Yeah. Meanwhile, over in the Clever Toad, yeah, you all awake. Oh. Oh, yes. Oh. The Clever Toad is amongst us. He has arisen! For podcast listeners, we have a Clever Toad now.

He's so cute. I spent too long sewing a tiny wizard hat for a fucking toad. Well, and also adding the taxidermy stitches as well, I believe. Yes, he's adorable. Blasphemy. Very good. It had to happen. I'm so glad I created this thing.

This is your fault. You sound very happy. Rowan would have gotten up early and would have head downstairs to speak with the kobolds. I don't know if my best friend is still awake. No, he wouldn't be. No, no, no. He's a nice boy.

I just woke up. You've been usurped. Motherfucker. You were away for one episode and that set you place by kobold. A kobold? Mm-hmm. Sorry. A swolbold.

A swolbold. Swolbold, yeah, okay. All right, fine. I don't know if Gruffydd is awake at the crack of dawn like he usually is. I imagine so. It's a really big day, Gruffydd. We are speaking with the duke.

We are declaring our writ, and I want to make a nice fish stew for everyone. Okay. That I learned from Bliss. Can you, can we get a fish? Well, I don't know what the fishing's like round here, but I did see a river that way, I could give it a go. Oh, that would be wonderful.

Because I'm no good at it myself, you see. Ah, it's not too hard. And then I'll ask the kobolds if I could use their kitchen. Okay. It may delay us a little bit, but we can always try, see what's out there. I'll ask the kobolds if they have fish. That actually, yeah, that would be safe. Yes, I didn't think of that.

I was going to say, it would take a it wouldn't be like take some time like you'd be talking like half an hour to an hour to like go down to the river um you probably can't fish in the river here but there would be fish mongers that you could probably buy from um in terms of what the uh tarik family here in the clever toad have um they have a very small station for cooking but it's not they don't have like a kitchen kitchen, like cook a big meal. They have these little barbecue grills that they do for like bar snacks and stuff.

But the actual kitchen is their family kitchen that is just for them and their family. And they kind of look at you and be like, well, we don't, guests don't normally go into the family a bit of the house. That's how, I mean, we've got these grills. You could use those. We've got like some mushrooms.

We've got some meats. We've got some vegetables. But we don't have any, I don't have any fish. I cook for all of you as well. Like a family. There's definitely a look of like, oh, he could cook for us. He's like, oh, yeah, but I don't, yeah. They kind of like mutter to each other like well I suppose you could yeah I mean

well I suppose apart from the night shift so that's eight so you'd be looking at well it'd be sixteen of us plus you plus you yes I think that can be done alright

and yeah they will lead you lead you back behind the bar. You go through a storage room into a sort of family home, basically. Like, it's a bungalow, so it's all on one floor. When you enter, there are really only two rooms. There is a small kitchen, you know, with a little stove and a little cauldron bubbling away and things like that, a little counter space.

The rest of the sort of Taric family area is one massive room which is just full of bunk beds. They're all stacked up. They're all kind of like piled next to each other. They actually go three high, cobble bunk beds, because cobbles are small, so they actually stack them three high, and there is just a row of them.

And then there's a small place with a long dining table with little stools. These are small creatures. You are, like, scooping. You're almost, like, crawling through this base room. And when you enter, there are, at the far back of the room, there's, like, a curtain which is drawn over an area of the room, and, you know, the cobbles kind of whisper to you, like, ah, just be quiet, because some of the room, there's like a curtain which is drawn over an area of the room. And, you know, the kobolds kind of whisper to you like,

ah, just be quiet because some of the family are sleeping. Is Barrack the Balder in there? Barrack the Balder, Barrack the Ball. I see Barrack the Ball. We've got a new nickname now. Oh, all right. But yeah, he's sleeping. Him and the night chef are sleeping.

But Mother's this way. And they kind of lead you. Mama. Yeah, Mama, they would say. Mama's this way. And you go over to the long table, and sat at the head of the table is a very old, like, wizened-looking grandma of a kobold. Her scales are like,

they're almost dulled to almost grey at the tips, like they're greying. And she doesn't obviously, they're a kobold, they don't have hair. Her eyes are very milky white and a bit cataract and she's kind of, you know, got yellowed claws and teeth and things like that. And she's like, hello, hello. Hello.

Do we have, wow, is this a, and she like slaps the nearest one with like a kind of gnarled wooden cane like, you're not supposed to bring guests back here. And they're like, Mama, Mama, stop. He said he'd cook for us. Mama, he said he's going to cook for all of us. He just wants to use the kitchen. He's a good guest.

And he whispers, he's like, this is the one who keeps spending all the money on the frog, on the toad. And she's like, oh, yes, yes. Oh, hello. I am Tarek Tarek, matriarch of the Tarek clan. A pleasure to meet you. I am Rowan. Hello. Oh, my vision's not so good.

Are you wearing some sort of big cloak or do you seem awfully large? I'm a bit big, unfortunately. Oh, all right. Do you like fish? Fish? Yes. Fish? In a nice stew.

I like stew. I'll In a nice stew. I like stew. I'll make a wonderful stew for you. All right. Won't say no to free food, won't we? No, no, no, no, no. And, yeah, they will happily let you use the kitchen. Amazing. Yeah.

Is it, like, novelty size? It's cobble size. So for Rowan, like, everything is, like, small. Like, yeah. Like, the saucepan is not big enough. Like, you're gonna have to cook probably, like, four

times. There's 16 of them, four of you, so 20 portions. It's about four in each one. You're looking at a lot, like, five. You're gonna have to make this stew, like, five times. Big pot. one. You're looking at a lot, like five, you're going to have to make this stew like five times. Big pot.

Yeah. You, I will say that you also don't, they don't have any fish here. You will have to go and buy. While he's doing that, can I go out to the fish market?

If you really want to, yes, yes. This is happening. I know there's a whole duke waiting, but we've got to make some stew. We've got to start the day right. You both are the ones who need to do things this morning. Get clothes.

He's making a stew now. Rowan and Grace. You wake up, Daisy. This is crack of dawn. Yeah, crack of dawn. You wake up. They're up before Daisy's asleep. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

By the time you wake up, they're gone, right? They're not there. Xanthias is asleep in the room. That's it. Xanthias. Xanthias! Yes, yes? Where did Gruff and Rowan go?

Did they go and get their clothes? You just woke me up. I didn't know if you might have woken up earlier. This is the first time I've opened my eyes today. Well, I didn't know that you might have woken up earlier. This is the first time I've opened my eyes today. Well, I didn't know that. You might have heard them go away. You scared me. I'm a really heavy sleeper. Is that it? Okay.

They're gone, are they? Yeah. Should we be worried? No, I feel like we need to be on time today. Oh, my heart. Okay. You know, Ophelia gave me a huge fright. Really? She tried to bite you again? No, no, she just appeared out of

nowhere, right in front of my face. She does that? Yeah, I didn't like it. I screamed really loud, and because we were in the cathedral, it really echoed. Is she still staying in the... Yeah, she's... Actually, no, she stayed with Percival last night, so she's not staying. In the line? All night? Well, yeah, because he with Percival last night, so she's not staying. In the line? All night?

Well, yeah, because he was being bullied a little bit. Percival? Well, not bullied. Well, he doesn't talk, you see. Well, no. And people were asking him questions, and he couldn't really keep his place in line. Ophelia didn't hurt anyone, did she? No.

Okay, good. Because if Percival was at threat, I'd be worried anyway. No, he just kept walking away and then coming back. Is the line safe? Is the line good? We got a place in the line? Well, I don't know, I was asleep.

We should go check then. Check on Ophelia? Probably. Okay. Or find the others. What's happening? Again, you just woke me up. I'm, for lack of a better word, frazzled.

So my question is, what are Daisy and Xanthous doing? Are you going to go check on Ophelia? Are you going to go pick up their clothes? What is your plan? I'm going to go and check by the Clever Toad machine, just to make sure, because I feel like that's where we'd find Rowan. I mean, how big is this front open lobby?

It's not big, right? It's not big. No, I haven't left the room yet. Yeah, once you leave the room, like, front open lobby? It's not big, right? It's not big. No, but I haven't left the room yet. Yeah, once you leave the room, you'll know if he's there or not. Nope. Not there. Can I hear any noise? Like, do I hear Rowan clattering about?

He's probably humming to himself. Yeah, but this is kind of like through a storage area. It's like kind of separated because obviously this is their family bit. They don't want it to be too close. I would say you probably wouldn't hear him unless he's like bellowing. Would I have come? Like Saruman. Fishmonger.

By the sound of the mountain. You, sure, let's say. Because if I have, I don't think I'd be in the kitchen because it's too small. There's a big giant in it and, like, 16 kobolds. Yeah, what a perfect timing. Gruff comes back at the exact moment that Xanthius and Daisy are looking for Ro.

And Gruff comes back. You've got... What luck. Spend five gold on fish. That's a lot of fish. He's making 20 portions of this stew. You've been fishing, Gruff? Oh no, I wouldn't catch something of such poor quality

No Yeah, this is like fish guts When the day dawns, you don't want poor quality Poor quality You like that? I don't know I have dyslexia as well, so you are mocking at disability Was it better when I wasn't here? Did you take five hours? It was I don't know. I have dyslexia as well, so you are mocking a disability, sir. Was it better when I wasn't here?

Did you take five hours? It was. I took 12. I don't know how to split. Yeah. No, you bought that. Why are we having fish? Master Rowan has decided

that on the day that we're meeting the Duke, and Ophelia and Percival are out there queuing somewhere, that the order of the day is to make a fish stew for all the kobolds. Do you need a hand? Wait, and us as well? No. I presume so.

Do you need a hand? How many kobolds are there? Lots. And when are we meeting the Duke? I think in an hour. In an hour? You need to get dressed. I couldn't stop him.

You need to get dressed. That boy, when he gets his mind on something, he's doing that thing. So wait, where is he now? He's in the... In the kitchen. So Rowan, I would like you, because this is... You are crafting a meal. So this is going to use... Do you have proficiency in cook's utensils?

No, of course not. Hell no. Alright, this is just a straight up intelligence roll then. I've learned this specific meal from Bliss. Yeah, let's see if you can do it. You've been told these are the ingredients and you know... I've got it written down on my arm. Yeah, sure.

But we need to see if you can actually deliver on it so this is yeah d20 plus intelligence you can spend a fate dice thank you thank you very much did you wake up and choose violence today

no I'm choosing a healthy meal for our no I mean Chris Trott the human being ooh 21 plus

what was this intelligence ooh which is probably a zero yeah Ooh. 21 plus, what was this? Intelligence. Oh. Which is probably a zero, yeah. So 21. Oh, minus one. 20. Which is great.

Yes, I would probably say for this fish stew, it's probably like DC 12, right? You cook a delightful fish stew, a hearty fish stew. It does take you a while because you have so many portions to make. But you also make enough for everybody but Ophelia because Ophelia is not here. Oh, takeaway. Can I take a bowl with me?

It will be cold by the time you get there. Also, fire hand. Yeah, I'll just produce flame. Ophelia's got to have one. Sure. Ophelia can got a handful. Sure. Ophelia can have a portion of fish stew as well. It's just how he looked at you. Yeah.

He's got a big hand. He can cover it. He can cover it. He can cover it. I'm going to say... Her hand's like a microwave. ...that for this fish stew, everybody who consumes it

will gain three temporary hit points. Last until either you take a long rest or you have a higher source of temporary hit points. They don't stack. But it is, I want to make it

so that when you do stuff like cook a meal, there is a benefit to it. And disrupt the game. Sure. In this instance though, what I'm going to say is most of the

ingredients were supplied by the tarik tarik family um so the cost in the future would probably be a bit more because you'd have to buy the other ingredients spend some gold it's like uh the cost of ingredients ingredients no i think in this case like they were happy to provide it because you were cooking for them as well um you know i've just said that five gold for the fish but i think in future it'll probably be more than that if you were say cooking for the party you know out in the wilds or like if you didn't have access to this um this is going to be a one and done the tarics aren't going to probably let you use their kitchen every time and pay for the ingredients but this is like a special occasion where they're done and you also learn a little bit more about the taric

taric clan whilst you're cooking it um you would find out that they uh they once were a household they were household servants of a black dragon um noble a young noble um but they they decided to leave that business like sometimes kobolds decide to go on their own um and tarik tarik was the younger daughter at the time and she went off and she wanted to start up a business and she wanted to start a tavern and so she left and uh you know had her own family and that is now the taric taric clan that run uh the clever toad but they come from cobbles generally their families are the servants to dragons so they are normally like uh if you imagine like a downton abbey you know you have the upstairs and the downstairs like the cobbles are the ones who are like the cooks and the clean and the maids and stuff like that but it's kind of

seen as like a it's like a job right like you can leave it you're not enforced to do it but they're paid um and it's kind of seen as a bit of an honor to be a draconic kind of um how long do um cobalt's live for cobalt's not that long okay uh i'm trying to figure out like if it was you get through them no they because and that's why their families are so large. First of all, kobolds produce a lot of kids. They're like rabbits, they have a lot of offspring. But they only live to about 40. Oh, okay, okay. So the younger Taric Taric, when the business started,

was about 40, 30 years ago. Yeah, yeah, yeah, the Clever Toad's been around for a while. Not like 200. No, no, no, no, no. Okay, cool. And Rowan has spent more on the Clever Toad than any other person in the entirety of the owning this establishment. No, someone's definitely spent more. Someone's spent more.

Is there a leaderboard? There is not a leaderboard, no. There is now. There is now. Well, they didn't say that he'd spent the most. They just said he's been spending a lot on the Clever Toad. No, I like to believe that he's spent the most. Or he's spent the equivalent of the years of other people spending it.

They've made more in two days than they have in a year. This has been a real great week for the Taric family. Considering it's only a bronze coin. And now he's making them fish, too. But yeah, you earn the sort of admiration. Mama Taric Taric is very happy with this. She's like, ooh, I don't normally like fish. you earn the the sort of admiration like the Tarek Tarek the uh mother Mama Tarek Tarek is very happy with this juice

ooh I don't normally like fish and like takes one of a whole fish head she shoves a whole she I think Chris Trott did choose violence

today he's in a mood he's in a mood today he's in a mood he's just sniffing chili or something it's the five millimetres yeah it was the five millimeters.

Yeah. It was the five millimeters. Pass on me. Sorry. Yeah. Mama Tarek Tarek shoves a whole fish head in her mouth and just eats the whole thing. Bones. Oh, I wasn't supposed to put that.

Mmm, delicious. My favorite part. Fantastic. Her favorite bit was the fish head. I'm fed. And so now that she has tasted it, she asks you for the recipe to share it. Here, it's on my arm.

And she gets one of the others, Ixie Taric, and reads it out to her and copies it down. And she's going to put it up on, she's going to make it as Rowan's Fish Head Stew. Oh, please. Rowan's Fish Head Stew. Call it Bliss Stew. Why? It's not my Bliss.

Bliss Stew it is. Bliss Stew. Oh, blish stew! Don't write that. Blish fish head stew! I made a corpology blish stew at the day of dawn. Everyone's getting round it. Don't worry, I'll have one too eventually. Oh, Tom, I'm going to slark you.

I know, I know. So, by the time Rowan's too shy. By the time Rowan has finished with this stew business, you have to go to the Duke's audience. Yeah. You have not picked up the outfit that you had made at Mystique. Can we not double up? No.

I didn't choose to be a part of it. You went to buy fish and you came back. I got a laughter after. You delivered the fish. Yeah, you did. And you went straight to the Duke's audience. No. All right, I will allow you to go and pick up the clothes.

But Rowan won't have to change in the street. That's fine. We were going to go to the line anyway, right? Yeah. Although I have added three temporary HP, so I think I've already eaten the stew. I've eaten the stew. Damn it. Lish, do for Zantz. I don't have to

get changed. Also, I'm carrying Ophelia's one. Ignis! Ignis! Just every now and then, like every 30 seconds. Just to keep it going. Ignis! We get Tim down. We need him to run.

Bulk charcoal. Accidentally launch it to a nearby house. I want to keep the consequences. You don't have time to pick up your clothes. You've eaten the goddamn stew. No, you ate the stew. You made the stew. You live with the stew. I didn't realize we only had an hour before,

like, I thought it was the afternoon. You had to make 20 portions of that stew. I thought it was in the afternoon. No, it's in the morning. Why do you think you've been queuing up? It's what I've been up here all night. Only the two had responsibilities, technically. I feel like Gruff would have been up

like super duper duper early, technically. I feel like Gruff would have been up like super duper duper early though. Because Gruff does get up super duper duper early. I have responsibilities. And also Gruff would have been really excited about nightly clothes. I will allow Gruff to go and pick up the clothes. With the fish though. But you have to spend a fate note.

Yeah, the clothes smell like fish. Make a dex hero check to see if you spill stew on your new clothes. No! Just a straight up dex. Make a dex hero check to see if you spill stew on your new clothes. Just a straight up dex. It's dex saving throw. Eleven. It's fine.

It's DC 10. You eat stew without spilling it all over yourself. As a point, I don't approve of the roll to see if you trip on the door. I hate that shit. Roll to breathe. Oh, roll the one. I'm dead. I'm still breathing. I can that shit. Roll to breathe! Oh, roll the one, I'm dead! Stop breathing!

I can't breathe! Um... Make an intelligence check to remember to breathe. To be fair, we've all had those days. Oh yeah, I've done it. Happy you never just had that day where you just sit there and go, how do I breathe? He never rolled to breathe in again.

Five minutes later, there it is! I remember! Oh, it was died. He remembered. That was close. I'd like to head over to the line, please, to meet Ophelia with everybody. Let's bring this all back in. A little bit of chaos.

Does Gruff look fantastic, though? Yeah, I mean, Gruff and Rowan both, like, you know, you have time to get changed on the way. Like, you know, Rowan's pulling his tunic on and things as he goes. But yeah, they do look a lot more respectable. Out of all of you now, it's actually Ophelia who's like, you know, some of her clothes

have still got, like, you know, because you slept in the street, right? Like, you didn't, you've not had a chance to, like, clean them, your hair's a little bit mucky, you know, that kind of stuff. Now you've got to eat fish stew on the street, so you probably smell a fish. Yeah. Or do, yeah, does Ophelia eat it or not? It's up to you. You can have three temporary hit points and eat it, or you can

not, and not have those temporary hit points. Ophelia would do a polite, I'll save this for later. Just give it to Percival. Percival, like, puts it in his robe, because he's a skeleton, and it just dribbles. It just moves away. You just see a pile, a puddle

of stew. The puddle of stew. The bowl's in his ribcage, but it just, as he moves, it gets jostled out. This is how Rhiannon, it's like when someone doesn't want their vegetables at the table, and they just try and pass it off as a pile of white broccoli on the floor. What's in there? There's a ribca cage with a wooden bowl and just a trail of fish stew. It's like sweet wrappers.

Everyone in the queue is going to have to stand over that as well. Sucks to be them. Yep. That'd be sick. So, you hear the procession of trumpets as some of the Duke's personal guard kind of announce, thank you all for coming. We will begin moving the queue

inside the Ducal Palace. You will take those positions. We will allow the public in as the audience. And then His Majesty, His Draconic Majesty, the Duke will arrive to take your questions and speak with you. You see Considerer Eddath Orgrim,

the dwarf that you had met earlier, comes and begins reading out the kind of formal procession of how things are going to go, reminding you of some of the kind of like courtesies and rules. You are to refer to Duke Ignarius as his draconic majesty, Duke Ignarius. You are not to speak until he speaks to you. Laying out some of like more formal kind of questions um and the process of it you are to be silent and until you are called up to speak

um if you basically break these rules you run the risk of being thrown out okay all right okay um you make your way uh the guards leading way from the kind of street that leads to the ducal palace to the dominus ignorum and you see the great portcullis is lifted and the guards escort you and the other speakers up into the most majestic excuse me grand building it is in terms of size, it is enormous. Right. As you step in, imagine the tallest ceiling. We are talking sort of 100, you know, like 80 feet tall ceiling.

The great glass dome with its kind of brass and gold fittings, you can see that to the side a number of kobolds are turning great wheels and the dome is being opened up, allowing in the morning sun. Luckily, it is a sunny, bright day, and so there is no rain or anything coming in. And you are led into a grand audience chamber. You can see that there are great pillars depicting draconic figures. There is an immense painting that depicts a red, you know, crimson-scaled dragon battling a very abstract-looking shape. It has the shape of a dragon, and it's streaked with black and gold and red.

And it has this almost demonic kind of twist to its form, but you can still see it's a dragon. And they fight in a valley pass, and it's been scorched and burnt with the Black Mountains, the Obsidian Mountains in the background. And you can tell that this is Duke Ignarius, and he's covered in wounds and scars, but he's grappling this abyssal-looking beast,

and he's holding it back, and the two of them are locked in combat. You can see this immense tapestry. You can see other pieces of art and decoration all scattered around the chamber. And at the very far back, on a platform that has a sort of, like, wheeled base, like stone wheels that looks like it can be pulled forward,

it's currently pushed right at the back leaving this immense open space in the middle but there is a kind of stone platform with three ornate thrones on it um and that's all set into the back currently um you take position uh you are led inside the lamplighters guilders Guild members are in front of you, and the ones who are holding the spot eventually give way, just before you go up into the Ducal Palace, to a human-looking man and a couple of mercenary-looking bodyguards. They kind of wear a scale mail and studded leather.

He's a little bit older. He's kind of got a friar-tuck haircut balding on top with a little bit wrapped around the sides. He wears a tiny pair of Prince Nez little glasses balanced on his nose very ornate looking kind of rich looking uniform but not ostentatious very rich fabrics very well made but nothing gaudy or showy um he has a little belt and he has a little pin of the lamplighter's sigil as well um and he kind of like patiently waits there um he would probably like regard you as you're making your way up. He'd just say, good morning, and, you know,

kind of make a polite conversation with you if you want to. Otherwise, he's happy to just, you know, go back to his business. He has like a whispered conversation with some of the people around him. Behind you are some members of the Stonemasons Guild. Does not seem to be anybody of too great an import there. They are dressed in the same sort of like, you know, nice clothes, nothing too ostentatious. But one of them is the religious person that you spoke to

at the Coil of the Empress, the one who took you up to see the Oracle, dressed in these robes with the symbol of the Imperial Flame, and they sort of greet you again quite formally. And then you can see behind you there is a row of other speakers, and you can see further down the line an orc woman who's wearing a blacksmith's apron and looks very upset and angry as well. And you can see that there are a few other members,

you know, people waiting in the queue. You are pulled up into Dominus Ignorum and you can see that kind of roped pillars have been set aside so that you stand in a line inside the building. And then on either side of this great chamber, there is actually seating that is brought in. And once the queue is set up, the public begin to filter in and take seats and they are told by Considerate Ed F that they are to remain silent. They may react, they may gasp and clap and cheer

and things like that, but they are not to ask questions, they are not to speak, they are here to witness the audience, not to be a part of it. And so they begin to take seats and you can see that there are various mixtures of people. Some of them look like wealthy merchants, wealthy trade people, artisans.

You probably would notice the tailor mist that you saw. You would probably see the priest and priestess of the House of the Rose, the two rabbit wild hearts. You see some of the figures that the two rabbit wild hearts. You see kind of like some of the figures that you've seen around the town. You would also see, not in the cube, but stood next to Considera Eddath, you would recognize one figure.

You don't recognize the other. You see Authorita Zarantekis, the heart of the orc that came with you from the village of Burnell. Next to him is a halfling lady, an older-looking halfling. Where have I got my details on these guys? A sister inquisitor. No, she carries the same symbol as Zarontechus, so the symbol of an authorita,

but hers is gilded in gold, indicating a senior level. She holds herself... She's older. She has, like, a little walking cane, but it's one of those kind of, like, silver-topped, solid, black-looking canes. Definitely a sword in it. I mean, yeah.

Like, if you want to make that assumption, it looks like the kind of cane that would carry a weapon in it, right? Like, there is almost, like, a section that is almost like a little handle and then it has, like, a brass fitting that she could almost maybe pull something out of, but you don't know. She wears a very neat black vest and she has a sort of black...

I can't remember the name of it. A little sort of black hat. Tricorn? Not a tricorn, but similar. That kind of... Fancy... Pilgrim hat. Like the kind of...

Yeah, like a witch finder's hat, basically. She wears one of those. And she's older. She's maybe in like her like 60s and she's kind of got wrinkles and like little white fluffy hair. She looks a little bit like

a kind of like Miss Marple kind of character but dressed like an inquisitor from Warhammer. Right. And she's got like that and she's like talking with the Considerer

and Tekkis, Zaron Tekkis is totally silent. Like he's like stood next to her and is taking ais is totally silent. He's stood next to her and is taking a secondary position. Sorry, what's the considerate's name again? Edath Orgrim. That's the one, yeah.

He is the considerate for Duke Ignarius. Cool. You see some other figures. You see some of the Duke's personal guard are speaking with a human man dressed in the Duke's army colors, and they offer a crisp salute to him, signifying that he has some sort of authority or seniority. He's dressed in very worn-looking armor.

He's not as fancy as the Duke's personal guard, but you can see that this is a man who wears the years of experience. His armor has, like, chips. It's well cared for. Not of experience um his armor has like chips it's well cared for um not chips sorry but like it has it shows use yeah dense or like has been worn um his boots are like wrapped in a way that like they're not going to come loose like his gauntlets have been adjusted so that they give him a full range of movement you know this is not somebody who's wearing armor for the first time this This is somebody who has seen action. He's human.

He has gray hair, very revolver ocelot with a little gray mustache, long gray hair tied back. And he seems to be speaking with some of the personal guard. But yeah, you kind of fall into this kind of waiting. There's the murmur of the audience as people are graciously waiting. But there is no sign of his Drakhanah majesty yet. The sun beams in from the open glass roof, giving you guys a brief moment. Is there anything you guys

want to say to each other, or to the people around you, or anything you want to discuss? You maybe have a couple minutes here before things get started. Ophelia's just going to be fixing her hair, just to try and get everything in place. Yeah, Percival's still brushing things out, or trying his best to clean you and tidy you up. I wasn't meant to be like this.

I was meant to be more ready. It's fine, it's fine, it's fine. Well, thank you for keeping the line, though. Oh, it's okay, it's okay, no problem. I had a wonderful night. Yes? Yes, I did, yes. You didn't sleep on the stone, did you? I had a visitor.

Okay, wait, to the line? No, the Gra Greyfather visited me. Right! Okay, the Greyfather. Yes, yes, yes, yes. Unsullied by mortal flesh, he was resplendent. I had enough of this yesterday.

I'm just going to... Sorry. This is sketchy. It was very exciting. It feels like you had a very spiritual, religious experience, so I'm happy for you. Oh, thank you, thank you. I've been blessed.

My path has never been clearer. You look very happy today. I am. I am happy. Feeling, in fact. I am. I would dance if I was not permitted to sit down. Right.

I'll have to dance later. Well, that's good. Good that you're happy. Thank you for the fish stew. Oh, did you enjoy it? The sentiment was there, thank you. I appreciate the care and thought that was put into it. Fair enough.

Thank you. Now. So has everyone got the rules down? Well, the rules, sure. What are we going to say? What things do we raise to the Duke? Well, let rules, sure. What are we going to say? What things do we raise to the Duke? Well, let's see. I think it's actually beneficial that we're second in line now,

rather than first, because we get to see... Yeah, we can see how the Ampliters ahead of us act in front of the Duke. Now, who wishes to speak for us? Who's got the writ? I'm a mess. I'm terribly sorry. You look resplendent as well, Ophelia. Can you pass that down to Kim?

As always. As Gruff is the bearer of the Duke's favour. The clever toad. The bearer of the curse. Your new clothes look very nice, both of you. Rowan and Gruff, you look very nice. Thank you. Is it on back to front? It feels back to front. No, no, no, it looks fine see the buttons are on the right way round. Oh, they are on the front.

Yes. I don't really know what this bit of rope does here. I feel like a curtain. It makes you look refined. It's the best curtain. It's the tassel-y bit here. Yeah, no, it looks good though. Okay, it's quite distracting.

Don't get distracted by it. He's just pawing at it. Don't play with it. Don't play with it. Don't play with it. She's dangling. Okay, but. You're a lord. No, but. Don't play with it. Don't play with it. She's dangling. Okay, but. You're a lord.

No, but. People have called you lord. I know, and I keep correcting them. They're convinced you're a lord, so maybe you should speak for us. I, well. Ophelia. Not in this state, not in this state.

I slept on the ground, Rowan, I'm sorry. Okay, Lord Santius. But we are the people who saved Burnell, right? Aye. That's maybe all we need to say. It depends how deep we want to go. Well, Zarentakis is just over there. They can validate our claims as they gave us the writ.

Yes, and also, I mean, there are people we've helped in Ashen's Rest as well. Like, we can see some of the people in the bathhouse. The bathhouse, yes. Do we want to press the issue of the demon? I think maybe that's for a future audience. We are speaking quietly, right? The lamplighters are right in front of us.

What has been said has been said. I'm assuming you are polite, because this is, like, you can't speak loudly, because this is a very quiet environment, so I'm assuming you're kind of doing that, you know, whispering. It's a big chamber as well, right? But it doesn't mean that people can't hear you.

You guys hear people whispering sometimes. Not today. I think we need more evidence. Yes? Okay. Yes. Yes. So for now, we are just handing in our favour. Nice boyos.

Nice boyos. Willing to help and assist in any way we can for the prosperity of Ashen's Rest. Is Sir Greyhold here? Does not appear to be yet. Are there any other knights? Nope. None of the knights of the realm. There are the duke's personal guard,

but no knights of the realm here. All already. All right. We should get you a calendar of knights. A calendar? Sexy knight calendar. That is probably, quite honestly, that is, especially here in Cauldre,

that's the kind of thing I can see cauldrons making. But it would be like those romantic pin-up portraits, like painted star ones. It'd be very tasteful. Or like Sir Gryold is covered by his crossbow across the chest, and a flag is wrapped around his lower half, and that kind of thing. Oh, boy.

I would have to do that if I was a knight. Because no one needs to see this, if I'm honest. Well, we don't have to. You don't imagine it's not really an ice heart type of thing. It's very much a cauldron kind of thing. We keep our clothes on. It's quite cold. Cauldrons, yeah, they're a passion of people.

Well, you know, it's a land of passion and pride and being proud of your body, regardless of what it is. They're a dad bod knight. Huh? They're a dad bod knight. Oh, so Grield is one of them. He's absolutely a dad bod type.

And, like, you know, cauldrons think that you should be proud no matter what shape or size you are. You know, they're very body positive. Okay, so that's all we're doing. Trying to find out what our potential, I suppose, reward might be, and handing in our favor.

And you know what? I put a hand on Xanthius. Okay, Al. You've got this. I don't want this. Congratulations. What, I'm doing the talking? You're Xanthius.

Surely this is a Groff thing. What did I do? The Pillars. The who? The Pillars. Working title. What? Oh, is that us?

Yes. We're the Pillars, I mean. The Pillars of Fortune. Of? The Pillars of Destiny. I'm not good with lyrics. Pillars of Death. We'll workshop it.

With the Pillars of Death and the we'll workshop it. With the pillars of death and the we'll workshop it. You do... You kind of feel in the air before anybody says anything because it goes so much quieter and you see the guards and all of the people of any kind of authority and position move to the sides. There's this kind of ripple of movement as everyone goes quiet, and then a number of trumpets, these long, elongated brass trumpets

hanging with the bannerets of the Duke, bearing the Duke's crest. Do-do-do-do! Blair. Shut the fuck up. And there is... silent. And then you hear...

He's making an entrance. As a shadow falls across the entire chamber from above. And you watch as everyone is looking up to the glass dome that has been opened up. And a shape, huge, massive in size, fills that dome as it begins to descend down and the shadow grows and grows and grows and swooping in, so graceful for something so big and powerful, landing with a crash but without damaging the floor or anything in the chamber, is a red dragon. The Duke Ignarius in their draconic form

is incredibly muscular, even for a dragon. You can see the very definition of each muscle tendon through its powerful arms, his tail, his rear legs, his chest and neck. You see that this is a heavily scarred dragon, the scars having healed in a sort of almost dark orange-amber-like colour as opposed to the red and pinks of the flesh and scales. Black jagged spines and spikes protrude from the back

and along the tail and even around parts of the neck. And you can see that one of the Duke's enormous red horns is jagged and rock-like and one of them is broken off, so it kind of is half shattered. And they have this kind of, yeah, rocky, jagged and rock-like, and one of them is broken off, so it kind of is half-shattered. And they have this kind of, yeah, rocky, jagged-like texture. These are not smooth, curved horns. You can even see that the frilled crest along his head and back and the very membranes of his wings also have tears and scars

and have almost been sort of knitted back together and healed over um bearing these long like scar-like lines along them the dragon itself wears ornate jewelry huge in size to go around it's only it's like an ornate gorge of gold around its neck big huge armlets around its massive clawed hands and even jewelry around the tail as well linked by these enormous chains dazzling with jewels and gemstones um silver and gold and platinum as the dragon lands two more fill the sky and fall in beside this dragon much smaller okay fill the sky and fall in beside this dragon. Much smaller, okay, much, much smaller. They are, if the Duke Ignarius is this huge,

nearly gargantuan-sized creature, the two that land next to him are sort of large to huge kind of creatures. They are still massive in size, but very clearly younger dragons, as you can see. One of them is, her scales are almost a bright ruby red as opposed to that dark, bloody red of the Duke himself. Hers are brighter, more lustrous, more sort of saturated almost.

She has a pink, fleshy underbelly with very few spikes or spines that you can see. And very much like the duke, she adorns herself with fine jewelry and actually pieces of silk, kind of in these long swooping, kind of like trailing ribbons that fall along her body. The other, on the other side of the dragon, is a young male. This dragon though, his scales are a mixture of red and black. The scales are a dark crimson, but he has these black jagged spikes and spines

and even his horns become black at the tips, his tail and his wings having the same kind of effect. You can see he's very sleek and regal looking. In a draconic voice, Duke Ignarius speaks. This booming, echoing voice fills the entire chamber, and almost for a moment, you guys almost feel yourself compelled to like, go to one knee or to buckle in some way.

But this voice is deep and rich and just fills you as it speaks. Welcome all citizens of the Empire to my home. I bid you come forth and speak of your troubles and needs so that i may consider them and act as ancient decree demands to protect and aid you you even begin to see a little bit of smoke and flame lick inside of his jaws as he speaks when he finishes and there is still this sun silence, you see his draconic majesty, the Duke. Magic begins to coalesce over his body and it's almost like he begins to shrink down. His form briefly glows, completely enshrouded in light as he becomes humanoid in size and shape, but very tall. Nine feet to ten feet tall, a powerful, dark-skinned man. The scars are all still present on the bare arms, the neck, even across

the face you see scars very much like the Draconic form as he was. The man is dressed in fine and decorative armor with military attire underneath and long braided, dark black hair. Still wearing much of the jewelry and things that was represented in the draconic form. The eyes, however, are still utterly draconic and a great pair of horns sprout from his head, a long tail. You can see patches of draconic red scales from here to there.

Almost like looking upon a dragonborn, but sized up, scaled up to be taller, bolder. Also dragon face as well. No, humanoid face, yeah, humanoid face. There is almost a slight beard to him, like a thick stubble, but has these gigantic horns, like red horns that sprout from his head. You know, the dark hair kind of done in a way

so that you can't see the seam of the horns, but they kind of fall and you can see there is like a large kind of like piece of jewellery that kind of connects them as well. But yeah, almost like taking elements of their humanoid dragonborn, but adding even more huge horns, the draconic eyes, the size and scale of him is just titanic in a sense. How's that feel? Man, I'm a little jelly.

I should have made that guy. The other two dragons do the same, and you see magic envelop them as they shrink down to a humanoid form still tall but perhaps a little shorter than the draconic duke um the girl that you can see um her humanoid appearance is she has her complexion is not as dark as the dukes um the duke is like a dark dark complexion um whereas hers is a lot more tanned, kind of like a deeper kind of brown rather than black. She has dark hair with red streaks, and those silks and the jewelry that she wore now

becomes her clothing and her outfit. It's very airy, it's very evocative, but almost something that you might wear in a hot climate. And it just kind of falls over her, revealing the beautiful dark ruby red scales along her arms. Her claws, you can see, rather than painted nails, they are draconic claws that are red in colour, but they almost look like painted nails that she has. Her tail kind of slinks out from underneath these ruffles and layers of silken fabric.

tail kind of slinks out from underneath these ruffles and layers of silken fabric um the other younger dragon um he has a darker complexion but not again not as quite as dark as as the dukes um he has intense almost straight black long hair um with that tan complexion and he's dressed almost in like a scholarly robe of black with red trim around the sides. Very austere compared to the gaudiness of the girl and the duke. There is almost no jewellery. There is no sort of ostentatiousness. He looks more like a wizard in a sense,

that kind of high-necked, long robe. And he clutches a staff as well that he conjures with magic as he stands there. It appears. They're all hot. They are. They are all hot. Yeah, I'm not going to lie.

Max, they are high charisma. They're sexy. All three of them are sexy. They're like a family that you're just like, oh, God. Yeah, yeah, yeah. This is like a hot, these are like celebrities, right? These are like, you know, seeing Hollywood celebrities that have magic.

They don't need surgery. They can just magic themselves to look how they want. Does anyone in the audience like start clapping and screaming when they see them? I think that once they take the humanoid form

and everybody kind of gets over that initial like awe and shock of the dragons, there is cheering and clapping and like everyone is very excited and happy to see the duke like this is a big deal to be in their presence uh for most people here um so there is definitely a revering them it's not like they're throwing tomatoes yeah for sure um for our two resident cauldrons so daisy

and xanthius um you would recognize the other two you heard of them, you know who they are. The female dragon, the woman, her name is Emberissa, and she is the Duke's daughter. Emberissa, Emberissa Ignarum. And then the male dragon, the younger male dragon, is Obsidius. Obsidius Ignarum. And you would know that Obsidius is... He is the son of Duke Ignarius and a black dragon duchess,

which is why he has the black and red. Scandalous. A little bit, a little bit scandalous, but not too much. Like, it is allowed, but, like, it's like, ooh. Especially since they are probably not, the girl is not from, you know, she's probably got a red dragon mother,

like they are from two different mothers, basically. But they are the Duke's children, and they are often involved in a lot of the business in the North Vale. You know, you would probably both know that Obsidius spends a lot of time in Kalskaris. He studies at the Imperial Academia, and so he is not often in the region. Whereas Emberissa is more commonly here in Kelskaris. He studies at the Imperial Academia and so he is not often in the region.

Whereas Emberissa is more commonly here in Caldra, spends a lot of time in Feros, the capital of Caldra and things like that. Would this be a rare site for this public hearing? It would be rare to have all three of them here, but they normally at least one or the other one will

be here when they are there. Is it at least one? Yeah, yeah, yeah. when they are there. It's kind of like... There's at least one. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Like, if they're in town, right? Like, they'll come along to it. Like, you know, it's kind of... Another public hearing day. Yeah, there's kind of a little bit of probably of element of that, basically. But it's also a chance for them to, you know, show themselves

because one day they will probably be, you know, a duke or a duchess as well. And you see that that stone platform, the wheeled stone platform, is brought forward by a number of guards and is moved into the centre of the chamber where now in their kind of humanoid forms they take these seats and sort of beckon forth to begin the public audience. Yeah.

How's everyone, like, what's everyone reacting? Like, how's everyone feeling? Is there anything you guys, before I just talk more? Because there's going to be a lot of me talking. No, I'm fine with that. How's Gruff feeling? Is there anything you guys, before I just talk more? Because there's going to be a lot of me talking. No, I'm fine with that. How's Gruff feeling? Like, this is kind of like Gruff, you know, this is your

before a dragon. Has he been in front of a dragon before? I mean, I've said that he was very reverential of the dragon who rules his province, who is...

Nacreosa. Thank you for that. Dyslexic hellhole spelling. So yeah, he was very reverential of her, especially because she has powers of an oracle. So I think he would be, but I don't think he would have ever seen her. So I think this is probably the first time. So he would probably have that same reverence.

He's been brought up like the dragons rule. They're the reason we have peace and stuff like that. I should make a point as well that there is an unconscious magic with dragons, which is their draconic presence. So if you guys don't want to be awed by them, it is a saving throw. Basically if you want to be like,

no, I don't give a shit about these people. Like I don't care about dragons. Like there is basically you're saving against their fear is a saving throw. Basically, if you want to be like, no, I don't give a shit about these people. I don't care about dragons. There is basically, you're saving against their fear or charm aura that dragons have. But you have to, yeah. If you feel that your character would not be,

oh, by these people. I think Gruff is definitely awed and he almost regrets being so grumpy about looking good. Nice, yeah. He's kind of glad now that he looks nice. But he still doesn't feel like he looks nice enough. Now you see the presence you're about to...

Yeah, I think there's definitely a majesty to the entire thing, but there's also almost like seeing a creature this big and this powerful, there's a fear creeping in as well, almost like an ice- ice cold sort of feeling. Has... Xanthius was never in the presence. No, no, he wasn't. No, no.

So this is your first time as well. First time, yeah, seeing a creature like this, yeah. So I think it would almost make sense for there to be almost just like a... It is a terrifying presence as well as a... Yeah, and this is the thing, is like there is a reason that the dragons operate this like feudal system where they are on top

and they are the nobles. And they're fairly, you know, most dragons are actually pretty fair in their rule. There are some dragons who are quite tyrannical though. There's a reason that they haven't been overthrown in terms of the empire, and that is because they are fucking dragons. As a point, like, Duke Ignorius is like a CR 16 red dragon.

Like, he is a big deal, and my dragons have, they're basically also archmages, but they're like powerful wizards as well as being a dragon. Like, I've got special. For context, what's our average CR right now? Well, you guys are are what? level 3? so your CR is like

you would be expected to up against like a CR 3 or 4 monster as like a group like yeah this is pretty high on that yeah there's also like

there's also like the tapestries and the windows of all of their impressive feats. Well, you guys know that Duke Ignarius is a literal war hero. Those scars that you can see on Duke Ignarius's body, he got fighting off the corrupted dragons of the Oriat Insurrection, protecting his lands.

He was a hero who held a front by himself for a while. Like, you know, he's, like, a heroic figure. And, yeah, like I said, my dragons all have, like, special legendary actions. They're not the base ones in the Monster Manual. Like, because base Monster Manual dragons, by the way, are a bit rubbish. My dragons are, like, way more powerful. They're, like, much more powerful creatures. So this is, like, there's a reason that, like, they are on top,

and it's because they are magically vastly stronger. Why have you scaled them ready for a fight? I haven't. I just know what they are. You just said that he was legendary, special. Yeah, yeah. Oh, I've got all my dragon stats. They're going to fight a long time.

You think I'm going to do a campaign where dragons are the rulers where I'm not going to have them all worked out and statted up? I feel like we're going to get incinerated in the next five minutes. No. Well, it depends how you act.

If you insult the Duke, maybe you will be. Okay, like poop. Yeah, burned. There's a boy! The two younger children, obviously still very powerful as well. Not as powerful, but they are obviously still going to be able to use magic. They're powerful. They're physically stronger.

They're going to be able to use magic. They're powerful. They're physically stronger. They're physically tougher. They physically have enhanced grace. And they're alluring. They're intelligent. They're wise. They are superior in most ways. What don't they have? Really, there's nothing they don't have. They're dragons.

They are literally incredible magical beings of power. They can get in the way sometimes. Yeah, yeah. Get trapped indoors a little bit. Yeah, they can't in the way sometimes. Yeah, yeah. Get trapped in doors a little bit. Yeah, they can't get in small places. Well, actually, no, they could because they can shape change into like a halfling and they'd be like, I'm a halfling now.

As a point as well, in their humanoid forms, they retain all of their stats. So they are as strong in a humanoid form as they are in a dragon form. They lose certain things like their breath weapons. They're using to show their horns and tails then. Yeah, yeah, yeah. They could totally look like a normal human. Can we all become dragons?

No. Is the Duke, is he still keeping his one broken horn? Yes, he does, yeah. So he has one broken horn and one thing. Same with all of his scars. He is making the choice to keep those in his humanoid form. Oh, they're medals. Yeah, they are, Yeah, absolutely.

What I've done for you. Rowan is like a child at Disneyland that's in the most immersive experience ever. He's meeting the princesses. Whoa, dragon! Whoa, whoa! It's scary for a bit, and then they turn to humanoid form,

he's like, oh, they're beautiful. He's like, oh, I can't wait to meet you, Princess Jasmine. And he hears everyone else making lots of noise. He's like, I can't wait to meet you, Princess Jasmine. And he hears everyone else making lots of noise. He's like, yeah! Really excited. And he's staring. Rowan probably is the, out of the dragons themselves, Rowan is clearly, like, heads and shoulders above everyone else here.

So you know that the Duke and the two children have seen him going like, yeah! Like, They can't help but see him do that. I look behind and there's clearly a couple of people behind Rowan trying to, you know, he is blocking their view. On that guy.

Once in a lifetime moment. Once a month, I guess. How does Ophelia feel? Ophelia's like, looking around, like, if people are clapping, she's like, politely just very good, very good. Following in with the custom, basically. Yeah, and she's kind of like slinking like behind Percival because she's very aware that she's not the neatest right now.

She's like, she feels a little bit bedraggled compared to everybody else. Yeah. I mean, the people in the queue, they're not all just like guilds and nobles and things. No, there are puppets. Well, yeah, there is no other nobles. There's a mixture of people. You probably would see, there probably isn't

farmers and commoners, or if they are, they are at the back. So I mean, Ophelia doesn't look so obviously horrible compared to everyone else. No, no, no. You still dress nice in the first place. She's very conscious about it. It's like when you know when you've got... There's one hair loose. Yeah, you can feel it, and you just like, you know, there's a bit of like dust. She's very conscious about it. It's like when you know when you've got like-

There's one hair loose. Yeah, you can feel it and you're like, ah, like really annoying. But like, yeah, she's very, this is the first time she's seen a dragon, so she's very like in awe. And I think that for Ophelia, like you've been in the presence of creatures

that have as much power yes um and they are in some cases they can be just as majestic like when you met the baroness uh the countess for the first time sorry the countess has that same like this it was such a ceremony when she came down the stairs of her palace in osseous and things like that and there was just something magical about her presence, that she seemed larger than life, that she seemed more powerful. But you've also been at functions where

heads of the House of Bones or the House of Runes have been. And the nobles of the House of Bones, the liches are just as majestic and powerful. They evoke that same sensation. So this is definitely, you're like,

oh, okay, maybe you can maybe see a little bit why these citizens are like, oh, yeah. She gets the hype. Yeah, exactly. And then for Daisy, Daisy, again, I imagine, would never have been in this kind of situation, right? She wouldn't have, but she would be just kind of staring in awe. She situation, right? She wouldn't have, but she would be just kind of staring in awe.

She would, yeah. Probably more frozen than Rowan's like, whoo, she'd just be like, whoa. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, nice. We kind of see that. You guys are enjoying this moment.

The duke gestures and he's like, please come first to speak. And the Lamplighter's Guild steps forward and the Duke smiles. Like when he sees this figure approach this human man with the little glasses and things, he actually kind of smiles and he

goes like, ah, Tobias, how are you my boy? Even though this human is like easily in his like 50s or 60s, the dragon treats him like a child. And he's like, how are your mother and father? And Tobias is like, they are well, your draconic majesty. And they extend their love and their thanks to you.

And, you know, it has been, they have enjoyed the retirement of life now that they are no longer, you know, with the guild and they are enjoying their retirement of life now that they are no longer with the guild and they are enjoying their life in the country. And he's like, I'm pleased to hear that, young man. God damn it, lovely. Yeah. But you also can easily,

you don't need insight checks to pick on this, there is history here, right? Like the dragon knows this man and knows that his parents, probably knows his grandparents and their parents and stuff like that. And he says, well, what can I do for the guild? Surely a guild as prosperous as the Lamplighters needs little from me.

And he kind of chuckles a little bit. And Tobias kind of bows his head. He says, ah, we, I have come before you, my draconic majesty, my duke, to ask for your permission. We would like to begin work enhancing the great lights that sit on the town's walls. We have been developing new techniques, and we feel that we can improve their functionality

and perhaps even give them a more military purpose should Ash and Rest fall under attack. We believe that they would be able to assist you in battles, power to draw upon. And you see the Duke kind of brings a hand up to his chin, kind of very human gesture. He begins stroking the stubble of his chin, almost as if he's unfamiliar to it, like,

oh, what's this strange sensation? And he's just to it like oh what's this strange sensation um and he's just like military power you know as well as i do tobias that we are quite safe here what need for we for such things your lights already illuminate our city and he's like well we never know what the future may hold my duke we would not wish to see i do not believe even his draconic majesty could have foreseen the Oreat insurrection coming. And you see the Duke's face kind of grows graver. Very true. What do you think, son?

And he looks over to the Obsidius, the other dragon. You are a greater master of magics than I am. What say you to such a thing? And you see the dragon kind of looks, and he is really intently analyzing this man. I have been away for some time, father. I would wish to learn more about these enhancements. Magic in the hands of humans is dangerous.

And you see that the duke is like, oh, the guild have long been allies of ours, Obsidius. Yes, but I will not trouble you with it, Father, but if I may, before we agree to anything, allow me to investigate. You know my studies have made me a rather knowledgeable sort on the matter. Do you oppose this, Tobias?

Would it be all right for my son to examine? And you see Tobias kind of, of course not, my duke. We would be most honored to have his Lord Majesty, his Draconic Majesty Obsidius investigate. Perhaps he could even offer us ways of improving our methods. I'm sure that we would have much to learn from one as learned as he. He says, well, then we will arrange that in the future. Obsidious will come and explore it. Was there anything else? Otherwise you can work with the considerate to organize such a thing.

Yes, there is one small other thing, Your Majesty, my Duke. Not that I wish to bring into question the High Marshal's service or those, the men and women under his command, but we have been having troubles with those thugs and ruffians command but we have been having troubles with those thugs and ruffians again they have been harassing our members of our guild when they

try and install and repair our lights um there is a criminal element at work here and it is causing some trouble uh and you see the duke kind of says like hi marshal i thought that this was being dealt with and you see the man uh that had been wearing that well-worn armor, the sort of gray hair with a little gray mustache. He definitely looks at this guild master kind of like, you prick. And he says, we have been, your majesty, these are, it's guild politics. And you know, we have had this discussion before. We don't want to get too involved.

No other citizens have been harmed as far as I know. And like, you know, he says, no other citizens have been involved. This is a guild matter. Tobias is simply trying to get us involved in his little game of politics. And Tobias

is like, my concern is merely for our business, but people enjoy the services that the Lamblighters Guild provide. We break this an illuminated city. People have no fear of thieves and muggers in alleyways with our lights. I only wish to make sure that we continue bringing a great benefit to the city.

The Duke sort of waves his leg. We will, you should speak with the High Marshal, but perhaps we can arrange a meeting. We will discuss this further, Tobias, at a later date. I do not feel that this is something I can give you my approval for now. I must speak with the High Marshal first. My Duke, I only wish to bring it to your attention, of course.

But that is all. As always, the Guild and the other Guildmasters and I extend our services. If there is anything that we can do to your attention, of course. But that is all. As always, the Guild and the other Guildmasters and I extend our services. If there is anything that we can do to service you or the great town of Ashen's Rest, or indeed all of Northvale, we would be most pleased to do so. And he bows and he leaves the building.

And you can see a number of people mutter and murmur as Tobias and his allies begin to leave. of people mutter and murmur as Tobias and his allies begin to leave. And you see the Marshal is horridly speaking with Zaron Tekis, and Zaron Tekis catches you guys, and there is a mixture of a look of being very mad at you and also a kind of like, you know, we should talk, but there's this kind of like, and then he goes back, gives you kind of a bit of a glare.

Why are you mad? Because you're causing trouble. You're involved in trouble. Let's put it that way. I just got hired, bro. Yeah. But there's a kind of, they have like a quiet conversation. But then you are stood at the front of this queue,

stood before the three dragons. The duke looks at you, and there is a look of like, I see faces I do not recognize. Please, come forward. What business do you have? How can I be of assistance to you? Step forward, Neil. Daisy curtsies.

I'll bow. Your Draconic Majesty, Duke Ignaris. It's a pleasure. And who do I have the pleasure of speaking? Normally I know many of my visitors. It is often the same problems you have seen already guild matters and such like but you are not familiar

to me. And he looks to his children Ember? Not to me father, I do not know them. They are certainly not from Feras. I know all of the important people in Feras and they are not among them. Wow. There is literally like a whatever.

Obsidius is like, not to me either, Father. They are not students of the Academia. I've not seen them. His Draconic Majesty, Duke Ignarius, we stand before you as travelers from disparate lands, bearing a writ granted to us by Zarantakis, a duke's favor. No, it wasn't, sorry.

It says at the bottom there. Captain Lucas Vaccaro. Captain Lucas Vaccaro. Xanthius would know. Sorry, for some reason I thought I said that. A duke's favor for our work in assisting the village of Burnell. You see, when you pull it out,

and Gruff, I'm assuming you pull it out. Gruff would, like, with ceremony, be like... You see Duke Ignarius. This almost, like, childish grin kind of pulls across his face, and he is like, marvellous! Marvellous!

Ah! Tegas! Marshall! Is this true? Has this been verified, Considerate? And the Considerate or Eddath is like, it has been verified by Captain Vakaro and Authorita Tegas, my lord.

These individuals, these travelers, were heroic in their efforts in the village of Burnell. There was some matter with a cult of one of the Embered, and they assisted in not only saving the town, but in also dealing with a problem, as I understand it, some relic that had gone missing. And the duke stands up, and he walks towards you, this tall figure,

and he takes a single knee, and almost like a proud dad, he, like, looks at at you and he's like, it is not often that I come across individuals who are willing to put so much at risk for those they do not know. I have a great love of adventure and heroism. Well done, well done indeed.

Is. Thank you, Your Majesty. You're just a cut to feel the role. He, like, looks at you. And, like, keep in mind, like, Rowan is probably, in his trachonic form, he's probably the same size. But there is still something just incredibly imposing about this figure.

Like, he kind of takes a knee so that he can probably get, like, an average view of, like, Daisy to Rowan and everyone in between. But, yeah, Ophelia, did you want to say something? Is this genuine or is this, like... takes a knee so that he can probably get like an average view of like Daisy to Rowan and everyone in between but yeah Ophelia did you want to say something is this genuine or is this like

you can make an insight check I was yeah anybody who wants to can make an insight check because I'm like if he's walking towards as well I'm like well I don't know

I don't think Daisy would um yeah anybody who wants to you don't have to 12 12 as well 12 as well

you guys both like his body language, the smile seems so genuine. There's, like, a glitter in his eyes, his draconic eyes that intensely look at each of you. And he's just smiling wide. And he definitely, like, it was as soon as he saw the writ and it was confirmed, it was like something kind of lit up inside of him. And he just is like, well done. Takes me back, and he kind of stands up,

and he nods his head, he goes back to his throne, and he says, well, those who have received a duke's favor deserve a duke's reward. And he kind of lets that hang for a minute. Do you guys say anything? Sounds like no. What? Yeah.

Too intimidating. Daisy's just like... And that might be your character's like, no, I'm just like... I think gruff. Daisy's just doesn't know what to do. The only thing I would say would be, what do you have in mind? Okay, yeah, I mean,

well, he says, I feel that those who have given so much disparate travelers from different lands, it is only fitting that those who have given great and worked at great risk for the benefit of Northvale shall be given a place to call their own within it. And he says, Eddath,

the deeds to the building on the southern part of town, is that still? Yes, yes, my draconian majesty, they are still available. No one has taken up the property due to the rumors about the place. Ah! Aw! Aw!

Told ya. I am sure such heroic individuals will not care for these children's stories. South of the city? South of the town. South of the town, so close to Dominus Ignarum. A true honor. Number 14.

Number 14. It is close to Dominus Ignarum. You don't have to write anything because obviously you don't have a name for it now, but you can pass that around. Okay, so we're there. By this decree, I, Duke Ignarius Ignarum, Lord of Northvale, do bequeath these lands,

this building and its surrounding land, to this group. Let it be theirs and theirs alone, with no tithe required or payment demanded. For it would be an honor of mine to count such noble souls as my citizens and to have you here, for if anything befalls Ashenrest, I would expect you to act within its best interests.

And he kind of grins. A dukely reward for a dukely deed. I think I bow again, like... Rowan is puffing his chest out, and his lip is just wobbling up and down, and he's welled up in his eyes, full of pride. Yeah. If there's anything that we can be of assistance with, we would be very happy to do so.

He like smiles down at you. Brave words, little one, but yes, speak with my high marshal, speak with my considerate, and indeed our high authorator. And he gestures to the little halfling woman that was with Zarantekis. There is always work for great adventurers to do, and in fact, he looks towards Considerate.

There may be something, yes, a matter to which those who hold great virtue, perhaps who, and he sort of gestures, a matter, a knightly matter that may be of interest. But that is something we can discuss later. For now, we must celebrate, and he looks at the audience. Celebrate these champions. What are your names?

Speak loud and proud who you are. Daisy Thistleheart. He, like, nods, and you hear the crowd like, Daisy Thistleheart, like... Xanthius, my lord. Xanthius. Hello, my name is Griffith of Tremoro. Griffith of Tremoro.

Rowan gets his lute out. I am Rowan! He hits a chord. Yeah, like the chord kind of resonates out, everyone's like, ooh, ah! You see, when you actually play that, make a performance check for me. I just want to see, like, you know,

how impressive is this, you know? 19. 19 total? Yes. It's enough that you see Ember, Emberissa, kind of, like, pricks up a little bit, and she kind of, like, looks at you, and, like, the faintest hint of a smile,

like, obviously somebody who appreciates music and art, like, oh, that's unexpected. And then, yeah, Ophelia. It is my honor. I am Sister Ophelia Delarosa of the House of Blood. The crowd is not sure what to say, and then some brave soul just goes, Sister Ophelia!

You see the duke, as you guys are all talking, he smiles and looks at you, and he kind of took you all in. He kind of, when Xanthius, you look at him, he is smiling. There's like a little something else there. Because he kind of fully takes you in when he got closer and he speaks your name

and kind of sees the golden scales and the golden tail and that you are a gold dragonborn, he keeps that smile and he repeats because he's like, Daisy, Xanthias, Gruffeth of Tremor. And he goes around. But there's almost like a catch in his voice. And with Ophelia, there is definitely like a moment

where he's like trying to figure you out, and then Obsidious leans in, whispers to him, and he looks, he says, well, it is my honor to have a diplomatic messenger, diplomatic envoy here in my town. How have you found my lands thus far, visitor? Your lands are most welcoming. I have very much enjoyed being here,

learning about Northvale and Ashendrest. You keep a wonderful kingdom, my lord. And he is so pleased as much. You can see that there is this swell of pride and also a bit of an arrogance of like, of course it is. And he just nods and smiles. bit of an arrogance of like, of course it is. And he just nods and smiles, well, if you require anything, please send word to my considerate.

I would very much like to learn more. As I understand your kingdom, your empire, whatever it is called, you have sent many envoys to the capital and to the other provinces, yes? Yes, I have, yes. I believe there should be one travelling now. I would like to learn more of this. What was it, son? Osseous. Oh, I would be honoured to tell you, my lord Duke Ignarius. We will set a date for us to convene and discuss, I am sure.

It would be of the highest honor. He nods. Is there anything else that I can help you with? Or anything you wish to say to me? Oh, well. I love you. We beg not more of your generosity, my gracious duke, draconic majesty. But we have been assisting others in the city as well, in the town as well.

Without even a place to call your own, you help as if you were already citizens of here. We have assisted in the bath house, and I'll gesture up to those people in the audience. Yeah, yeah, the mother and father of the bath house, yeah. The acolytes of... Almost in hoping that they would almost nod back to us. Yeah, they sort of the bathhouse, yeah? The acolytes of... Almost in hoping that they would almost... Kind of nod back to us.

Yeah, they sort of bow their heads. Yeah, yeah, yeah, they totally nod. You can see that Aurel, the mother of the House of the Rose, is blushing. She's kind of like, ooh! Like when the Duke looks at her and she's like, ooh! And even the matter you heard of earlier from the lamplighters, we were hoping to assist them as well.

You should have been here last week. We did tell him. Already, marvelous. You do such great works already. Well, go inspect your new property, I believe, and know that you have done a great deed, and it will not be forgotten. Well done. Well done to these travellers.

And you hear it like, oh, yes, like the audience all kind of claps. Just stop. Yeah, you guys. So with this, with the conclusion of you finally presenting this, and it being witnessed by everyone in Ashen's Rest, I am going to give you your first,

this is a kind of tracking mechanic that we're going to keep track of. You have gained a point of renown. Cool. A point of renown. Okay. In Northvale. So now remember that the Empire is split into different provinces, and within provinces there are different regions, right?

And your fame can go outwards. If you get quite famous in one region, it might begin to spread out into other regions, right? Now, for now, renown on its own right now won't do too much for you. As you complete quests or you do deeds that make that region see you in a positive light, you will gain more renown, and you might even be able to spend

renown um for example if in the future you need to convince a group or a faction or a guild to help you i might let you spend a point of your renown to just get them on your side because your fame speaks for you right or your actions speak forward to you likewise you might need to attain a certain level of renown to maybe buy certain things or get aid or request help and stuff like that. It's almost like a reputation level, right? Like in an MMORPG. However, there is a downside. And if you do deeds that bring ruin or, you know, bring you infamy, you might lose points of renown. And if you drop to a certain point of renown, you might not be welcome in that area anymore.

You might not be able to speak to a noble member of the Duke. I will tell you now, like, for example, Sister Ophelia, if you want to meet with the Duke and speak about faith and do that, you're probably going to need a higher level of renown. Like, he's kind of made that polite, like, yes, yes, let's talk later. But actually to get a meeting with him, you're going gonna need to like build up more favor points right to be able to do that um oh she's gonna yeah right so we need to

just what no bad diplomacy bad think about this if people blood tastes so good how good would dragon blood taste what that dragon blood you'd explode would dragon blood taste? What'd that dragon blood do? What'd that dragon blood do? We need to find the quickest repeatable daily so that we can up our renown in Northvale. To the bounty board! Yeah, but yes. So to clarify, when I was mentioning the lamp lighters thing, I know.

You don't need to clarify anything. I, but the intent, the the idea is for people to see, oh, they helped with these people at the bathhouse. They helped with the guild. That was a short one. You know the Carpenters and the Blacksmith Guild are in the queue behind us. I know.

They're really pissed off. I know, but maybe I didn't say it specifically, but with the idea that we have some information about the problem that they had just been addressed with. Yeah. I think what you said is that you had helped the lamplighters guild with the matter of ruffians attacking them you did that's what you know i didn't know the matter yeah just discussed whatever i mean i know what tom was like trying to get at and that like oh we maybe wink wink nudge nudge

we know a bit about that yeah that's what you were implying right samtia said it correctly okay sure all right okay also the renown chat came up i wasn't able to finish it was a whole thing i had like 10 pages of speech ready to go did you think you did no i didn't i don't think you did i think that's lying um but with that uh you guys are you you do have to sort of like you are kind of encouraged, like, you know, it's the end, like, you leave now. You need to leave. You do overhear that behind you, these stonemasons step forward.

You only catch a little bit of their conversation to the duke as you're kind of being ushered out, but you overhear that they are trying to press upon the duke that they have been unfairly treated and that the guild has suffered unfair treatment because of the religious freedoms of the citizens and that the Church of the Scions, especially the High Priestess Hulfer,

have been sending followers and warriors to threaten the members of the Guild about the Imperial Flame being there. Blasphemy. But you overhear that the stonemasons are trying to impress upon the duke that it is not fair, that the Empire and the Church have not outright said that the Imperial Flame cannot be worshipped, but that they are basically bullying them and trying to do it subtly

and trying to stop them from believing in what they want to believe. You overhear the Duke listening, but you don't catch his response to any of that, as you're kind of nuzzled out. The other thing that I think Gruff picks on is the blacksmith's guild. You see the orc lady, who you believe is the guild master that Grayson had mentioned to you, is kind of looking at the group of you, not quite sure, like, based on, like, what Xanthia said, but knowing what Grayson has said about you, is this kind of, like, confused, like,

what are you guys about? Like, you know, what's going on kind of thing. We were told before to keep silent when stuff was happening, weren't we? You were just encouraged that, like, you probably don't want to try and accuse anything because you don't have any evidence. No, no, no, no.

At the beginning of this audience, before... Speak when spoken to. Yes, no, yeah. You're not allowed to, like... You are only allowed to speak if you are asked to speak by the... So Gruff would know that if he was to try and have a quiet word with her... Not right now. Here, shout out.

Something for later. Yeah, yeah. Definitely something for later, for sure. Give them a nice smile. I'd give her, like, a friendly nod. Yeah, sure, later. Yeah, yeah. Definitely something for later, for sure. Give them a nice smile. I'd give her a friendly nod. Yeah, sure, sure, sure, sure. And with that, we are going to take our break here, as that is the first part of the episode done.

And then I guess with the second part, we will have you guys go and examine... Our cursed haunted... Your deed. Built on the graveyard. You said anything about haunted. I said there were rumours about it children's tales

you can do that as well if you want but yeah we will proceed with that in the next part yeah alright MTV Cribs

please see you in part 2 bye poopy rats