High Rollers DnD - Altheya: The Dragon Empire #15 | The Haunting of the Enticing Devil (Part 1)

Episode Date: March 12, 2024

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Pickaxe. In the words of Rhiannon, let's get nasty! Welcome to a brand new episode of High Roller's D&D. A dawn day has begun! A dawn day. A dawn day. We're here, ready to play some game. We hope you enjoyed our one-shots recently that we did. We've got the RuneScape Kingdoms one-shot that we did. And also Dune! Spice Must Flow.

That was a really fun one. We had a good time playing that. I loved putting the little blue dice over my eyes. Tom wasn't there. I like watching it. I'm saving the video. Maybe that'll be for Patreons. I'll put it up for Patreons.

Oh, no. It's like a 10-second video. I sent it to Modificus. They loved it. Mark, what's Patreon? I don't know, Tom. You tell me. What's Patreon? Oh, okay know, Tom. You tell me what's Patreon. Oh, okay, I will.

Patreon is a place where you can get early access to live streams and podcast episodes. If you support us, you also get it if you support us as a YouTube member or as a Twitch Prime subscriber. Join the Discord. You'll get access to all of those things. It's the best place to support us. It's the best place to be you.

Love you. Also, speaking of YouTube, we are close to 200,000 subscribers, I know. Yeah, all the way out of town, aren't we? If you're watching this on YouTube, have a little subscribble. Why don't you please hit the bell and press my...

That's the thing that happens. When you say hit that subscribe button, the button below lights up. Sometimes. Sometimes. Hit that subscribe button. Join as member. No, for the algorithm, you have to do it in an American accent because it's what it's all going to be based on. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Wow. Please stay with us, Americans. I was going to do it and try and do it properly. Hey, why don't you hit that like button and subscribe down below? That way the robot will definitely hear that. There you go. The robot. Please tell us if one robot works hard.

The magic YouTube robot that will help us win all the monies. Please, please YouTube robot. Anyway. Anyway, gamers. It's time to play Dungeons & Dragons starting now. Dungeons & Dragons. starting now. Yeah, yeah, the dragon. Hello, and welcome back to Althea, the Dragon Empire. Our heroes awoke to a fresh new day in the town of Ashenrest and promptly took themselves to a public audience with Duke Ignarius,

Draconic Lord of Northvale. The dragon arrived into his lavish palace, accompanied by his two children, Obsidius and Emberissa, appearing in their true draconic forms before becoming humanoid figures to meet and speak with the people of the town. On presenting their duke's favor, earned for their heroism with the events in Burnell, Duke Ignarius seemed especially pleased and excited with the party's efforts and rewarded them with a deed to a property in Ashen Rest, hoping that they would remain here and live amongst the Duke's lands and continue to aid his people.

After their audience, the party decided to investigate their new property and found it to be an abandoned tavern called the Enticing Devil. Broken windows, a collapsed roof, and an overgrown garden are however the least of the hero's worries as they quickly discover that the inn has a dark reputation and is said to be haunted by a figure called the Scarred Lady. You have investigated a little bit around the Enticing Devil. You have spent a little bit of the morning. It is approximately about 11am, and

in terms of weather-wise, it is a clear and sunny day. A spring day here in the Empire. And yeah, we're going to pick things up, but first, it is time for the Crucible of Fate. So I need a d6 roll from everybody. Okie dokie. Let's see what points we've got

to work with today. Here comes my failure! You've got one success. I've only had one. Think positive. Imagine the four, five or six. One. I also got a one. So two for me, so far.

Two for you. On my little platform. Five. A one for you. Chris Trott? Two. A one for me. Uno.

A one for me. Oh no. Yeah. This is bad. That was cocked. A five. Happy! Oh no. Yeah. This is bad. Oh, that was cocked. A five! Ooh! Two and four.

Two and four. It's not too bad. Lovely, lovely, lovely. It's pretty bad. It's not too bad. It's not too bad. It's not too bad. Yeah.

Yeah. I'll see more. It's still good, it's still good. You're an odd fellow. You're an odd fellow, see more. I have one small retcon. Okay. And Kim will want to make notes on this.

There is no tavern. I told you that there were 14 broken windows. This changes everything. I stand corrected. Having fully mapped the tavern out on a document is only 11 broken. 11? That'll bring the price down a little bit. However, I will also now, you guys are going to have, Having fully mapped the tavern out on a document is only 11. 11? That'll bring the price down a little bit.

However, I will also now, you guys are going to have, so this is just a little thing, this is for you guys to keep, because as you repair and maybe you made this thing, you can decide what you want to do with this place. So to give you an idea of the layout, it doesn't have the objects. So it's literally just a floor plan. Just the floor plan. Just the base level. So it has the main floor, it has the basement,

the second floor with the balcony, and then the top floor, the master bedroom. I'm thinking, right, first floor, in the back there, pantry. Pantry, yeah. In the middle bit, the Puget, pantry. Second floor, that pantry. Yeah. Then three pantries are on the outside,

and then we have a cellar pantry, a top floor pantry. What are we storing in the pantry? Pants. I'd like to propose that we turn one of yours into a pinball machine arcade. Do they have pinball machines in Alfea? They don't currently, but one could be made. There is a pinball wizard.

There is a wizard out there who seems to, there is a wizard out there who seems to specialise in making these contraptions. Perhaps, perhaps he could be a pinball wizard. We lock him in the basement until he makes

pinball machines. Sure plays a mean pinball. Yes. Yeah. It's not true! It took the second, Rhiannon. Man.

So. How do you think he does it? I believe the last, Adam. Man. How do you think he does it? I believe the last thing we'd met. That is for you guys to keep for that little floor plan, because as I said, this is, you know, you own this property now, depending on what you want to do with it. You could turn it into a place.

There is also, I need to do you a second map, which includes the garden and the outbuilding. But for now, the garden is sizable enough that... And full of brambles. Full of brambles. It is sizable enough... What's in here? There's nothing but sweet wrappers! I wouldn't go in there.

Oh my god. What's happening here? He's lost his pen. Oh. His apple pen. It's actually in his dice tray. Oh, yeah. Oh, you're pet. I can see it.

You're fully prepared for a game today. It's one of those Sundays. We've been in this studio for quite a while already, and we're still... The garden's going to take some work. I've been in since 11am! How many windows? Eleven. Eleven windows.

The gardens are sizeable enough that you could fit, like, a decent-sized, like, flower, vegetable, or herb garden. Or a sandpit. You could build a sandpit in there if you wanted. There is a single apple tree in there currently in the garden. Oh, nice. And then there is also this outbuilding, which isn't on the map that I've got for you guys there,

but there is also, like, an outbuilding. It's about 20 by 30 feet in total. Looks like it was, was like a storage shed. But you could build, like it's a large, large room there. Like you could easily build something else there if you wanted to. Could be a pantry. Not a church.

Nope. Church? Oh, I see. Could be. Could be. Can it just be my screaming room? Where I just go in and scream? Yeah, where you like padded. Maybe the cellar's good for that. Yeah.

Screaming from the cellar's not a good thing. For an inn. The Scarred Lady, though, generally speaking, when we were asking the one person we asked about it, hasn't harmed anyone. You mean Maeve? Maeve. However, the brambles did lash out

and get both Maeve and Lola. Yeah, and they caused harm. You also, what Maeve said is, yeah, the people that have encountered the Scarred Lady have run away before they could come to heart. Sure. So. So, yeah.

No, no, no. Hang on a minute, Tom. What? Some shenanigans have been going on since the beginning. Not me. Would you like to explain to the class what's been going on? What's been happening? He's spread Belvita crumbs all over the table.

I mean, look at Ree's side of the table there. Right. I put two of them up and I put them in his coffee. Right, okay. I wasn't done with my coffee, Mark. It looks done from here. All right, putting crumbs in coffee is fucked up. That's fucked up.

I thought it was empty, because you complained at the start of the stream that you didn't have a drink. I wanted another drink. You literally dropped it. Like, seriously, I've got a lot of crumbs over here. For podcast listeners, there's not a lot of crumbs. There's not that many crumbs.

You guys are animals. Can we put the crumb matter to rest? Can we move on from crumb gate? I'm going to be an adult about it, Mark, and I'm going to... You're just going to be the bigger man. I'm going to be the bigger man. The bigger person. Shake hands.

I'm sorry, Chris Trott. I'm not. I thought your cup was empty. I thought your mug was empty. I'm a big man. Yeah, you're a big man. Yeah, and I'm better than you. I'm letting you get all the sillies out now.

Oh, it's fine. No, it's going to be here a while. It's going to be one of those days. So I believe that we had last left things with you. Some of you had run out into the street, I believe. I think Daisy and Xanthius. I think we were all on the road, right? Yeah, I think you had all fled.

Are you still inside? You're really shouting at it. The brambles attacked Daisy. Daisy ran out into the garden. Yeah, Groff killed them and I ran outside. Yeah. I believe we left things with, yeah, so a few of you kind of spread around.

And yeah, it's about 11 a.m it is a clear bright day maybe a few clouds in the sky not too much um you definitely are attracting attention you can see quite a few of the locals kind of just like staring at you guys first of all the fact that you're even messing around with this supposedly haunted inn has brought a lot of attention to it you can see that there's a group of kids very keenly watching you from a little alleyway where they were kicking a ball around. But also just the shrieking and the shouting and all the windows banging and things like that

have definitely attracted people's attention. Sorry, what time of day again? About 11am. About 11am, okay. Okay, we need to take care of these brambles immediately, I can tell you that much. Overgrown and a little bit sentient. So that needs to be cut back straight away.

The windows, might be able to get those replaced, but what do we do about the ghost? Are you, where are you, you're on the street? I'm with you. Okay. And I guess the rest of the team. Minus Opheliaelia who is inside. Lavishing the ghost. I'm just going to take one of the cakes from the bakery

and just start eating it. I'm just staring at the house in horror. During the day, the house itself, it looks just like a run-down building. There's nothing too ominous about it. It looks more just abandoned. No, no. It's ominous.

Yeah, for sure. It's ominous to Daisy. um there's a vibe no yeah for sure yeah absolutely there's definitely been that element raining to other people perhaps who are passing by it would not have an immediate sinister air about it just about it just looks abandoned yeah which is a little strange because it's in such a prominent part of ashen rest um It's in a very kind of good area for, like, trade. So it's quite, you know, it would be unusual for an inn of this size to be abandoned and just left and not bought or sold or, you know, repurposed for some reason or anything like that. Quite the money spinner, if not for the haunting.

Potentially. I don't know who that was. I think I got possessed by a ghost. Very valuable. So everybody but Ophelia is out on the street. Aye. All right, what's Ophelia doing inside the inn? Ophelia's in the room where the ghosts...

We were right in the main sort of entrance. You were in, like, the main tavern bit. Like, there's an old bar. Like, the bar is still there. It's, like, worn and the paint... Sorry, the wood varnish is kind of stained in some places but it's a solid like wooden bar there's still some tables and chairs most of which have been knocked over or broken but there's still furniture like remnants of it around um philia will probably if there's like a chair she'll sort of saunter over look

around pick up one of the chairs and is there there any cutlery, like glasses or old cups? No, probably nothing like that left. It's all broken at this point. So she'll probably get out her water skin and uncork it and just take a swig, sit in a chair. Spirit of the Shadow Realm, we mean you no harm if you mean no harm to us. We are just

the new purveyors of this home, which was previously yours. I'm sure we could come to some amical agreement if you're willing to give us the time. If you stop harassing us with these horrible

plants, we will kindly have a talk with you, see if us with these horrible plants, we will kindly have a talk with you, see if we can work something out. Or if you have something to say, then say it. Can you make a persuasion check for me, please, Ophelia? It is gonna be at disadvantage, though. Okey-dokey. Just to see what kind of effect you might have.

Oh, that's a sick trick. Persuasion, 19. And that is a 7. 7. So 7 would be the lowest, unfortunately. You hear just... There's not really wind blowing today. There's like a subtle subtle very gentle breeze in the

air um but you just see a couple of these windows shutters just no immediate response whether or not you've been heard or whether or not the spirit is you know uh one thing i think i did mention last time is that you would know having having worked with the House of Shadows and things like that in the past, spiritual undead of this nature sometimes find it difficult to be visible in daylight. So generally, nighttime is when they're more active. And it tends to be when the House of Shadows

certainly did most of their work. So you might have better luck during the day. Sorry, during the night, to speak with this this spirit this scarred lady um whilst aphelia is doing that inside um but i have noted it down uh because you know there may may be a chance that it hurts you those of you who are out on the street you're kind of looking around you're chatting about what you're going to be doing next like xanthius is kind of laying out like we need to do something about this and the garden's a problem the ghost you notice gruff the first one to notice in fact i think gruff you're gonna notice before anyone else because you're passive perception

you see that two figures are walking down the street um and they stand out they stand out. They stand out from the usual townsfolk of Ashenrest. Ghosts. They are two women dressed in kind of heavy black and white robes trimmed with gold and one of them is wearing, clearly wearing armour underneath the cloak and has a large sword over, two swords, sorry, over her back.

The other is clutching sort of a walking cane and is kind of limping, like hobbling along. He's not as agile as the other one. The other one is quite tall. They both have these big hooded cowls and almost like these long kind of overcoat like cloaks. They kind of have like a mantle over the shoulders and then a heavy cloak covering the rest of them.

And they are, they stand out because obviously they are, first of all, not really dressed for this kind of weather or certainly they don't look like townsfolk. But at this distance you can't make any more, any more details out from them. But they're moving with purpose. Are they moving towards us? Yeah, they're coming down the street.

They could be just walking down the street. They could be coming, could be coming to see you. Could be, you don't know. Maybe we could speak with some of the townspeople, see what they know. Cause all we know is the name of the ghost. I'm just rambling, you can interrupt me at any point. Yeah, I mean, and you can see that there are, are like i said there are more people taking notice of you and you

guys of course quite a stir and you can see like people kind of like whispering like a couple at a doorway like pointing and whispering to each other in your direction the kids are definitely like super interested in you guys the fact that you've gone in and come out again like the kids are almost like and they're whispering and pointing at you guys as well. And you've got the couple walking down the road, Gruff, you're the only one who spotted them. You've maybe got a couple of minutes before they get to you. You're seeing them at the turning of the road,

walking down the street towards you. Hello, my name is Gruff. I'm from a little village called Tramoro. I still think we need an old priest and a young priest. Just anything holy. Anything holy to come and bless the place. If it works, I will take whatever works. These two over there, they look pretty holy.

And one of them's got a whacking great sword. Yeah, so when Gruff points them out, you guys all see the same two figures. Hard to tell exactly who's under these giant mantles and cloaks um but yeah you see these two cloaked hooded figures black and white cloaks um and robes trimmed with gold um and one of them is definitely armored with two swords we've seen anyone in similar garb before? You can make a religion or a history check. Religion or... Or arcana.

Basically to see if there's anything you know, like is this like an arcane-like thing? Is this a knightly order? Is this a... You know, it would basically be a check. You can make a check as well, Gruff, if you like. History, if you want to check and see if it's a knightly order. Thirteen for history.

Nine for arcana. Nine for arcana. You, Gruff, would not recognise this as belonging to a knightly order. This is not one of the famous knightly orders or anything like that. I'm out. Bored. Sure. I've got no idea. Sure.

With a nine. No. Anything from anyone else? Any point? Rowan is more distracted by the fact that he was recently attacked by the vines and was healed and is now looking for comfort in pastries. Pretty much what Daisy's doing. He's not fully engaging with these two people,

but he is eyeing up the kids that are making a, like, pointing. Yeah, yeah. And he's considering going over to, like, talk to them. Yeah, you catch their eye, and, like, two of them immediately, like, and they do that thing, that kid thing of, like, oh, we've been spotted, and then they go to hide. But one of them is a little girl,

probably, like, a little tifling girl. So she's got, like, rosy pink like skin she's got like twisted horns like little spirals coming out of her head um she's got the little tail um and she kind of is like and she just kind of like little like waves at you and then the old the older ones kind of like and then they pull her back into the alleyway like and then they go back to that you know peering around like oh did they us? Like that kind of kids thing that kids do. Rowan is going to get out the pastry and then is going to do a fake magic trick

where he looks like he's eating it, but then he makes it appear on the other hand. Sure, give me a sleight of hand check. Let's see how good at little magic you are. Sleight of hand. That's a six. It's probably dex. You probably arenlight of hand. No, that's a six. It's probably dex. You probably aren't proficient.

No. So probably not high. You do that thing of, like, an uncle trying to perform a magic trick where you're like, oh. It's very bad. It's very awkward. The kids kind of don't seem too impressed by it, but they definitely seem to kind of lower their guard down.

Like, I think that, like, although you are not, they're not immediately like, oh, ha-ha-ha, this funny guy, but they're definitely, like, almost laughing at you, probably more than laughing with you, or entranced by it. So, Daisy, you're just munching on snacks, looking at the scary inn full of ghosts. At that point, then, yeah, at this point, the two strangers are going to approach you guys at this point.

Yeah. Ophelia, when you get no response, do you stay in the inn? Like, you can see through the broken windows your companions outside, like they seem to be having a discussion out on the street. I think knowing what she knows, she'll just saunter up and just go to leave. I will come back in the evening, but I'm glad that you seem to have calmed down. But as I said, we mean you no harm.

I promise no harm will come to you if you do not harm us. What is Percival doing? Are you going to leave Percival here? Hmm. I think I'll leave Percival here for a minute. Do you give him any instructions? I'll tell him to stay indoors, maybe do a little sweeping. Yeah. When you say stay indoors, do a bit of sweeping.

He goes into the kitchen and finds like an old ragged broom, like half the bristles have fallen off. But he gets that and he starts scooping up all the debris because there's like broken glass and dirt and bits of wood and everything. And he just starts cleaning. He starts like, yeah, like sweeping up the place and putting everything into piles. And it looks like he's going to gather that and take it outside maybe

or like go out into the garden or put it into a corner or something like that and maybe i'll um i'll tell the the spirit as well this is my friend percival don't worry he uh he also won't harm you he's perfectly fine he's just going to tidy up a little bit sure and then yeah she'll go and join the others sure so you just the last thing you see is percival like sweeping up um when you come outside the gang is has been approached by these two robed figures um as they draw closer you begin to spot a little bit more detail about them uh the first thing you notice is the taller one um they're two women um and the taller one she is about sort of six two um quite broad like muscular um and you can see that under the hood, she begins to pull it back. This kind of bright, sunny, blonde Bob, very kind of Joan of Arc-y kind of haircut,

sort of just below the chin, kind of falling down, blunt fringe. And she's got very soft, kind blue eyes, a little bit of a tan to her skin. She's kind of gorgeous, but in that kind of athletic, like, you know, muscular kind of way, right? Like somebody who's outside working a lot. Is it like a diamond from Gladiators? Yeah, something like that, right? I think about her a lot. Yeah, sure.

And she's got these two swords, very beautifully made, like both on sort of the left, on the right-hand side. And she can also see that she's got knives and pouches and all sorts of travelling equipment under her cloak. Not elvish, though. Not elvish. No, they're human. Yeah, these are human, two human women.

You also would notice that she is wearing armour, like a kind of half-plate armour. And it has a symbol on it, which is of an eclipsed sun. Right. And you see that underneath their robes, they are wearing,

all of their armor and clothing is split into halves, and it is almost always a white half and a black half, or a gold half and a black half, and things like that. Gold and silver, black and white. The woman beside her is maybe only about five, black, gold and silver, black and white. The woman beside her is maybe only about sort of like five, six, five, seven. So she looks quite shorter compared to

the other woman. And there is immediately, you can tell that there is a sibling relationship. You can tell that these are sisters at least, almost twins, but not quite because there are such a stark difference between the two. Where the taller woman is strong and athletic and fit looking this other woman looks kind of sickly. She pulls the hood down and you can see that her hair is long and it's the same blonde but it's like a dirtier kind of like thinner version of the other woman's hair, right? Her skin is like more pale. Her cheeks are sunken. She has the same blue eyes,

but in like a hollow sort of like skinny kind of thin looking face. They look harder. They look like colder eyes as opposed to the other woman's. Okay. You also notice that this woman isn't wearing armor. She has a walking cane and has a prosthetic arm and leg made from ornately carved wood and metal that have been shaped. And she has no weapons on her,

has a couple of pouches at her belt and things like that, but has the same symbol in a kind of gold and silver medallion of an eclipsed sun. a gold and silver medallion of an eclipsed sun. And when they approach, they pull their hoods down and the taller woman will say, well, good morning to you all, good morning. Good morning to you as well. And she smiles brightly and she's just like,

it's a wonderful day, isn't it? Quite wonderful, yes. Beautiful weather, we've been blessed. Blessed by wonderful weather today. Indeed. A great gift from Lady Pyrrhus. The smaller looking thinner woman sort of like gives out a kind of mirthless,

do we have the pleasure of speaking to? And she pulls out a small notebook and with her prosthetic hand, she passes the cane to the other who takes it. Oh, of course, sister. And she flips through it with her prosthetic hand, and she goes, ah, yes, one, Xanthius Oregon, Daisy, Gruffydd of Tremorro, Rowan.

And then as she sees Ophelia leave, and a sister Ophelia de la Rosa of the House of Blood, diplomatic envoy of Ossias. Charmed. We've not wasted our time then, I'm glad. I'm trying to remember. What are you trying to remember, Tom? The name of this particular group. It was definitely mentioned before.

Yeah, it was. The Ecliptic Order. Ecliptic Order, that's the one. And as you sort of begin to remember it and vague recollections of this order, the thinner, smaller woman will kind of smile. And she's kind of got like very thin lips, almost flecked with like red, like bits of blood.

And she smiles and says, I am Sister Inquisitor Malady of the Ecliptic Order. This is my twin sister, Benedicta. And the taller one is like, a pleasure to you all. Good morning. And she says, we have been seeking an audience with you. We have just arrived in Ashen Rest

after we were contacted by an authorita Zaron Tekis and we spoke with Captain Lucas Vicaro in the village of Burnell. I do not wish to trouble you, but we were hoping for a moment of your time to ask you some questions. Well, a moment of a time I think we are willing to give. We would invite you in, but...

It's haunted. Yes. There's definitely a look. I'm going to roll here. The Sister Maladie, the kind of thinner, sicklier-looking sister, is kind of narrowing her eyes, trying to, like, weigh up whether you're joking or not.

But Sister Benedicta is just like, my goodness, an unrested spirit. Oh, Sister. Unfortunately, resides in this very tavern, or what used to be a tavern. Have you encountered it? Not directly. Oh.

We only got here maybe an hour ago. And you are certain it is haunted? It is not some fairy tale of the locals or some rumour? Yes, it is already occupied. Oh, how terrible, sister. We must speak with the local cathedral. They must send something to do about it. Not our business, Sister, but yes, we will speak with them.

A truly troublesome situation you find yourself in. Do you have some connection to this building, or are you merely sent to investigate? We were gifted... That's not my voice. Hello, my name is Gruff. Hello, my name is Gruff. Hello, my name is Gruff. From Tremoro, we were gifted it from Duke Ignarius himself. Ah, would this be in exchange for the favour that you were provided?

Oh, aye, you've got the measure of it. She still takes it in. A blessing and a curse, it seems. Not quite a duke's treasure, I'm sure you were expecting. I'm saying nothing. His body language says it all. Yeah, Sister Maladie definitely, like,

soaks you in. And she doesn't talk for a while. Like, she goes dead silent and just looks at you all. And Sister Benedicta is, like, happily, like, almost, like, looking around. She maybe looks past you, sees the children, and smiles and waves in their direction. But Sister Melages just looks. Yes, it's a problem we hope to resolve soon.

I mean, we've been gifted this land. We want to make the best use of it. Whether we fix it up and set it on, we don't know just yet. All we know is we've just got here and Bramble's lashed out at us. Anyway, what would you like to know? Well, I think that this might require us to take some place to sit and some place that I can discuss things at length with you. There's a cafe just down the road, our neighbor. Wonderful, do they have room for a soul to sit within? What are you expecting?

Are you hoping for privates? Yes. Well, in that case, we could invite you in here, but it's not very welcoming right now. You need not worry about my sister and I. We can take care of ourselves. I guess it's the daytime, so ghosts aren't so scary in the day.

What's that in the window? What? You see a black shadowed figure moving past with a broom. The sister, when you kind of make that, you point out, like, the sister, Maladie, will look over and says, is this one of your companions? Oh, yes, he's my good friend, Percival.

Don't worry about him. He's just helping clean. Yes, you're a sort of steward or assistant. Yes. He keeps himself to himself. He doesn't speak to anybody. He just... He minds his own. But I would very much like to speak with him as well. Well, he doesn't really talk. It's not in his... What's the word? It's not in his... There's a word for it. Capacity?

Yes, capacity, yes. I'm sorry. Is he injured in some way? Not injured, it's just he just prefers not to. He has no tongue. Ah, well that will not be a problem for me. I do not need him to have a tongue to speak with him. Oh good. But I assure you he will not be much assistance at all to you.

Why is that? He's just not the sharing type. Oh, I see. Can you give me a deception check, please, Ophelia? Not strictly incorrect. No, but there is an intent here of Ophelia trying to sort of deflect and mask away, right? 19! 19, 19.

A sort of thin smile spreads across his head. Well, I'm sure that your attendant can wait till later. I am much more interested in speaking with all of you, as is my sister. Yes, quite. I heard that you formed quite the heat of pharaohics in Burnell. We are most honoured that you would put yourselves in such danger for the citizens. Oh, stop it, you. No, it must be accomplished.

Such a heroic act in the name of the Scions needs to be acknowledged, my good fellow. Oh, we got this one. Yes, the Duke acknowledged, and I gesture at... Every shingle falls off. Yeah, like Every shingle falls off. Yeah, like every shingle falls off. And you see Benedicta with just the most seemingly sincere, cheerful smile just be like, oh, to own property, what a delight.

I know, right? It just seems totally, yeah, just seems to be totally just like, Oh, a residence gifted by a duke, what a reward. We have been truly gifted. Oh, you have, you have, yes, quite. So, this cafe, do you think it will suit our purposes? I would like to maybe perhaps speak with you individually as well, but perhaps we can begin as a group.

All right. I've only been to the cafe once, so I can't speak to its security, I suppose. We can just wait outside, I'm sure, right? And just come in one at a time? We can get coffees. I do get coffee. Oh, yes, a warm liquid would be most welcome. Okay. Yeah, you guys make your

way down to a latte fun. A little cafe at the end of your street. You enter and you see the delightful Maeve. Totally not a very rapidly created NPC on my behalf. But no, you see

her in her little sort of little, you know, her wear that she was wearing earlier, a little apron. She's got the little tiny horns. She's got the big over-the-top cowbell. There probably is a better place we could have gone on this. Right next door there's a place called

The Perfect Place for Interrogations. But like, this a latte fun is, it's like pink and white and cottagecore. It's like so sweet and innocent. And then you walk in with like these two holy inquisitors. And you see Benedicta is just like, oh, this place is a delight sister. Hello, how do you do?

And you see Maeve is just like, oh, hi, well, oh, yes, that's right, I was Irish, that's right. Yes. For a time. Oh, welcome back, yes. For a little bit, aye. There was a moment

where my accent was a bit different, wasn't it? It was very different. Hello. Well, welcome back. I see you've brought some of your friends.

Yes, these are the companions I was talking about. Oh, right. Hello, my name's Maeve. I run Latte Fun here. Can I get you more drinks? You've not gone through all those drinks and pastries already. Oh, no, I'm yet to finish my first one,

but we were hoping to just have a place to sit down and talk with these guys here. Yeah, and you will see that Sister Benedicta will step forward. Sister Benedicta of the Ecliptic Order, wonderful to meet you, Maeve. And then Sister Maladie will just say, a pleasure. Do you perhaps have somewhere private a room or such, a separate room where discussions can happen? Maeve is like, well, we do have a small room at the back.

There's no door. There's no door or anything like that, but you can go back there. And she just says, yes, that will be fine. We will take a seat there, if you don't mind. Apologies, Maeve. We would have hosted them at ours, but, I mean, you've seen the place. Oh, certainly. I don't want you messing with no spectres or anything like that.

That would be terrible. Oh, no, of course, yes. But by all means, go and use the back. I'll just be up here. If you need anything, come and get it. And it just goes back to, you know, fussing and polishing China and doing whatever it needs doing. And yeah, you guys make your way back into a rather cramped, like,

you know when you go in a coffee shop and they've got, like, a little room to the side that's kind of secluded from everyone? It's like two tables in it, but it's quite cramped. There's a nice window that looks like out onto the street um and you see that sister malady uh sits herself down with some effort like she has to like maneuver her prosthetic leg in um she kind of sits down and as soon as she sits down like almost just sort of lets this big long kind of you know exhausted sigh out sigh out. And Benedicta is like, do you need your medicine, sister?

Some hot water, please, Benedicta. And she goes and fetches some hot water, brings it back, and you see that she mixes like a little herbal mixture for Sister Maladie who sips it, places it down. Please take a seat. Now, I was led to believe that you encountered some peculiarities in the village of Burnell.

We have a report from Captain Lucas Vaccaro that an artifact of some sort was involved. There was some matter involving a planar element. I would love to hear what happened in your own words. Let's just scroll back a little bit. You can, if you want to, just be like, we tell her what we know of what happened.

You don't have to sit there and recite it all if you don't want to. Yeah, I think we basically told Zarantekis everything, right? We didn't hide anything. Well, Gruff certainly did, because Gruff kind of gave us sort of almost police... A military right there. So the important question I'm asking here is, are you going to tell this same story?

That's what you told Zarantekis. Yes. Right, that's the main thing, because it means that there's no discrepancy. And you can see that as you're speaking, Sister Inquisitor Malady is reading through this notebook that she has, and as you speak, she occasionally is just like... She asks a few clarifying questions, just like,

had you encountered this tiefling before? No. Kind of goes through it all. Is she adding anything to these notes, or is it literally just... For now, she's just reading. She's just checking the details. You do see that she gets to a point where she kind of says, like, ah, thank you, Gruffydd.

That'll do, that'll do. I simply wanted to make sure that your memory of the matter and the account that you gave to Orthorata Techis were similar. There is a concern. When our order first heard of this relic going missing, we feared that there may be an otherworldly element to it. And so we were initially dispatched to help with the search for these criminals. Once we had heard news that the matter had been resolved and that we were no longer needed, we were about to head back to Kelskaris when Zaron Tekes sent us a sending spell informing us that you had

encountered this and had a conversation with this planar creature and that there were some doubts about exactly the nature of this conversation but also to ensure that there hadn't been any undue influence. As you know, the planar realms represent a great threat to our world, to our culture, to the Empire itself, to our very souls. So it is in the nature of the ecliptic order to investigate elements Investigate elements where magic or the planes or any corrupting nature may bring one's health or soul into question. Xanthus, can you make an insight check? Sure. Insight, that is a 14.

Insight, that is a 14. When Sister Maladie is talking about magical influences, her eyes very briefly, and you think intentionally, flick to you, flick to Daisy, flick to Rowan, and flick to Ophelia, doesn't seem to take in Gruff. When talking to Gruff, Sister Melody actually is like,

kind of smiles. Puts her hand up and covers. Yeah, just covers Gruff a lot faster. No, he's kind of like, thank you, Gruffeth. And is very sort of receptive to the respect that you seem to be showing and, like, you know, the fact that you met. But there is definitely, and not that she's being disrespectful to anyone else,

but magical influences. Like, kind of the eyes fact that he's a man. But there is definitely, and not that she's being disrespectful to anyone else, but magical influences. Like, kind of the eyes just kind of very briefly flick to other individuals. Probably not Rowan, actually, I would say. Probably Gruff and Rowan are the two that aren't included in that. Just a couple of good lads, just normal men, just innocent men.

Just innocent men. Do NPCs make insight checks against us? And if so, is there a counter to that? Oh, I do. Yeah, I do. Yeah, I do. Well, if you are not actively lying, I actually have your... I'm not actively lying as much as, like, if they would glance at me, there is, like, a magical influence.

Yeah. Hand goes to chest kind of subconsciously. I refer to that as a passive deception check, which I have the numbers for. Passive deception? No, yeah, I went into your character sheets and I took all of your like deception and and uh things like that and i've worked out the passive score for them

okay um because yeah there might be things that you don't intentionally give away performance is another one like when you're trying to yeah you know play it cool and stuff like that um okay i regret asking she sister benedicta at this point um like you can see that sister malady she's been speaking for a while and she's like she begins to cough and you see like little flecks of blood when she holds up her hand flecks of blood kind of go into her mouth and so she begins drinking this like herbal mixture and sister benedicta takes over she's like now obviously we trust you all to be true souls of the empire we we are certain that you would not allow any sort of planar or otherworldly or magical influence

to jeopardise your souls or your service to the Empire or to the Scions, of course. But we do have to check these things because we want to make sure that sometimes these forces can work rather, well, nefariously. And we want to ensure of everything. Now, Sister Della Rosa, is that correct? That is, yes.

Now, I understand that you come from a different land where the beliefs and your culture is a little different. We understand that you have some diplomatic immunity with regards to some things that our faith might not look very favourably on, but I do hope that you haven't been encouraging your beliefs on any of these fine imperial citizens. Oh, goodness, no. I'm... People ask, people are curious, and I merely just answer their questions. Of course. But never in a... well, how should I put this way? Prostatising way. Oh, goodness, no.

And there's this kind of, like, moment between the two. Do you want to give me another deception check? Because there's definitely been a little touch of it, but maybe not that much. Just a little bit, yeah. Oh, seven. Is this something we can sort of almost not jump in on, but this is an open conversation, right? You can do what you want, yeah.

Because I almost want to say, like, Sister Ophelia, in her time that I've known her, has been more than willing to learn of the land rather than spread any information about Osseous more than anything else. Sure. I'm also going to say, you guys can at any point just be like,

can I just get a read on their body language? What's their reaction to this? Or like, if you guys want to do anything, feel free to jump in as well. You, for a moment, like when you talk, like there's almost like Benedicta and Ophelia like smiling and laughing

at each other kind of like oh of course and she's like of course and then when you sort of interject there's this almost

kind of twitch of the eye and then she flicks back to you oh that is wonderful to hear part of this reason for this diplomatic visitation as I understand it

is for us to learn about one another's cultures and faiths as well. Exactly. You worship a figure of death. Mm-hmm, the grave father. Yes, yes. And there's this, like, momentary pause, and you see Sister Maladie will just pat the other one on the shoulder. Not now, Sister. There the other one on the shoulder.

Not now, Sister. There are other matters to attend to. I know that you are reaches for sword. I mean, honestly, though, this suspended history has been nothing but friendly and sort of, like, really lovely, but there's definitely a strangeness to it. But, yeah, this interaction of, like, Maladie almost is like, enough, stop. There is a matter we need to discuss. I do apologize for my health. Sometimes I just want to take a moment.

This Tiefling, Caliphras, you said their name was? Have you had any contact with them since the events in Burnell? No. No. No. Did they give you any way of contacting them should you wish to... since the events in Burnell? No. No. No. Did they give you any way of contacting them should you wish to speak with them?

No, but we didn't really contact them in the first place. They just kind of appeared. Yes. So I don't know what. But they were quite keen to make this deal with you for blood and for these potions. Aye, bit of a prick they were. Well, they stole this relic,

a powerful relic from the sounds of it. The Lightest Pilgrim. The Hand of the Lightless Pilgrim. Hand of the Lightless... I can't write very well. That was fine, that was Rowan. It's all right, I can't write very well either. The Hand of the Lightless Pilgrim, yes. I have done some small research on my way here.

It was briefly held here in Ashenrest. But your effects, it was able to carve through great amounts of rock, searching for valuables or some such. Yes, it caused quite considerable damage. The miners of the town were getting desperate, I think. We have spoken with the former foreman, the forewoman of Burnell.

She has been arrested and taken back to Kelskaris for her involvement in this quite serious heretical crime. I believe that one of the criminals was captured alive but has since escaped the kobold. I have made sure that the local. Logo. Yes, the eel. The eel. Yes.

I have explained my displeasure to the local authoritor that this individual escaped. If they have connections to planar powers, then the ecliptic order is very keen to apprehend them. Well, I'm very glad for this information and for ascertaining the facts as we saw them. You are quite certain that this Caliphras has no further interest in you or your business? I only serve one.

I do not wish to get involved with the means of other planes and demons and whatnot. I think we were a means to an end. We were an opportunity to acquire a thing for them, and when they got it for themselves, we were no longer needed. Very astute, and this is the way of many of these warlocks. They approach others and seek to make deals or bargains.

They seek moments of opportunity, moments of weakness. Likely preying upon you in your injured state, offering kindness in one hand, but taking more than you know with the other. Well, that is all I have for the matter that proceeded in Burnell, but I was perhaps hoping to speak with, perhaps some of you individually, if I may. Xanthius?

Yes? Could I have a moment of your time alone? In this room here? Well, if the others do not mind, perhaps going to the rest of the little cafe, we can talk here. Rowan looks at Xanthias. Yeah.

I mean, if I look at you, there's a worry in his eyes that's not all too subtle, but it quickly, as I look back. How unsubtle? I mean, as I turn away from them, I look at the others like, don't go. But like, Puppy dog eyes. Absolutely.

Is this okay with everyone else? Are you comfortable? Would you like to stay? It seems like a... I would prefer to speak with Xanthias alone. I have nothing to hide. We'll just write in the other room. Mm-hmm.

When you all go out into the other room, Sister Benedicta moves and stands in the doorway. Oh, she's exactly door-shaped. Anybody who has a passive perception of 12 or higher amongst the party, you would notice that when she moves to the doorway, Sister Benedicta very, or tries to do it subtly, but she subtly casts a spell. And she casts Detect Magic as she moves,

and you see her eyes just for a moment flicker with almost like a silver sort of flare of power and then go back to their blue, but she subtly casts a spell. Those of you who got passive for 12 or higher. And she actually looks out all to all of you, and she's just smiling. She's just sort of like, just smiling.

all tall of you and she's just smiling she's just sort of like just smiling i've never cast to take magic i don't know the effect of it on me yeah uh but she but sister benedict was in the way looking out at these guys like she's facing away from you xanthius you sit across from the Sister Maladie. And it's so, you know, seeing these two together, they are twins, but in this kind of like, one is clearly ill and unwell, but they're almost this weird reflection of each other as well.

And she kind of looks at you with these kind of hard eyes. Before we continue, do you want any more water? Oh, I will be fine, thank you. You know what, I think I'll get one. I would prefer you stay. Okay. Forgive me. The name, Xanthius Oregon.

Mm-hmm. I have colleagues. The name, Xanthias Auregan. Mm-hmm. I have colleagues. I made an inquiry. Unfortunately, you aroused Mr. Tekas's suspicions, felt that there was something you were not being truthful about. And you watch as she,

she prays and she casts a spell. Can you make an arcana check for me? Or is this so much rude? Isn't that illegal? If it's the one we think it is, yeah. Depends. Arcana, 17. 17.

She casts Detect Thoughts. Detect Thoughts. Detect Thoughts. That's not illegal. Is it not? Surely. It can be. It can be. Now, the hard thing with Detect Thoughts

is to prove that it has been used because she can choose to use it and go into your thoughts, right? Caramel. Banana. Hammock. Yeah. But you know that the spell she's just

cast could let her read your mind you also know that if she normally it's only surface thoughts but if she tries to delve deeper you will probably know if she tries to delve deeper if she if you can kind of battle her will for it okay um but this almost like she casts it but shows no like she doesn't try and hide it. Like she very obviously casts a spell in front of you.

It is the position of the Ecliptic Order to ensure that there are not threats to the Empire to the Church of the Scions or to the souls of the people here.

You are a strange tale San Xanthius Auragan. Thank you. Auragan being the name of a quite prestigious family in Gildai. Gold dragon of some significant power and influence. Yet their son, their draconic-born son, does not live in their gilded home and palace, but instead is sent away to a small village in the neighboring province of Kaldra. Then, merely weeks ago, vanishes, traveling to the great city of Kelskaris,

where it seems you vanished. Is there something about your time in the city that you would like to tell me? You say vanish, yet I reappear not two days later in the village of Burnell. I wouldn't call that curious. I'd just call that traveling. So you had your business in Kelskairis concluded?

You simply left? I simply left. Not to my taste, unfortunately. The big city. I spend much of my time in a small village on the edge of Caldra. A different type there. So, two things.

There's definitely going to be a deception check involved here yeah um she can read your surface thoughts now you know that so you can kind of obfuscate your thoughts um so unless she tries to probe deeper you can stop her from like knowing anything more i think you can kind of just almost imagine like yep i went to the bakery and I went to the clothes store and then I came home. I think it's when she's initially talking about post-Oregon, there's a repeating like, why, why, why, why, why, why, sort of thought that's recurring. Almost like a, why are you looking into this?

Why me? Why do you care? But I'm trying as best I can to say as calm as I can through almost the questions. Yeah, I don't know. So I think there is some obfuscation, I guess, but there's definitely almost a initial, like, questioning. Why is she asking about this? Yeah, what do you possibly

like, what is it that's yeah, what have I given up that makes you so interested, I guess? Sure, sure, sure. Can I get a deception check though as well? A deception, yes. You and I both know that your business in Kelskaris was anything but what you said it was.

No. I went clothes shopping. Didn't like it. 12. You love clothes shopping, though. I do. Well, I didn't like the clothes there. You, she kind of leans forward and she brings this prosthetic hand up

to almost push like a sickly pale yellow of strand behind her hair, behind her ear. She smiles. I should warn you, Lord Xanthias, or perhaps it is just Xanthias. I am not a person to whom it is easy to lie, but I should also, and she kind of lowers her voice and glances towards her twin sister,

I am also not as blind as many of my order are. I know that there are sometimes moments when we must make difficult decisions. You ask why. Why do I ask? Why do I ask why do i care why do i know would it surprise you to know xanthius that it is your i assume birth father that first arose interest when we heard the name Oregon. Do you know what business is the Draconic Lord is involved in? I do.

I'm not sharing it though. I'm not sharing it, though. Um... What initial thoughts would come up, I suppose? Yeah. There's... Could even be a visual. It could be like a visual memory, you know? There's...

OK. At the mention of the father, there is thoughts aligning with not rage, but an anger, a hatred, that would probably be picked up on. In terms of do I know the business, I would probably just say, you've done your research, you know,

I have been away from home for a long time. Yes. What business he's involved with is no business of mine. Would you like me to make a deception check? Yes. I do. Fate dice. What's going on here?

You've got fate dice. I think that's an important one to have fate on my side for this one. Thank you. Thank you. Ooh! Oh my god. That's a nat one.

A nat one, a two on the fate dice, I get four, five. Oh. Dear. This is my second warning, Xanthius. There will, should you lie to me a third time, there will be very little I can do to help you. Let me make something clear.

I think that you have gotten involved in something of great interest to the ecliptic order, but I don't concern myself and my twin. I do not care too much for your business, but I would greatly... I could be a great ally against a common foe. And she'll sort of smile at you. My sister and I will remain here in Bash and Rest. And should you leave, we will know.

Consider a hand of friendship. She holds out her prosthetic arm, which you can now see is engraved with a very sort of disquieting image in Ulthea. You see a very corrupted-looking dragon, Galdvassar, the famous gold archdragon that became corrupted and turned against the empire, but being impaled by dozens of spears engraved into the prosthetic arm itself. And you see a holy figure shaped like Maelyr, the goddess goddess Melia, tearing out its heart. And the hand very deliberately angled so you can see this engraving.

Yeah, so, I mean, I guess I could make an insight check, right? Or something like that, but I mean, it's obvious. You absolutely can do. If you want to see if there's a meaning there that you're not picking up, or if you want to just, you know, you can make an insight check. I guess the sincerity of the hand of friendship thing rather than, I don't know.

Yeah, you can make an insight check. Kill you right here. Sure. 13. Now, you don't know if this is a deception or not. I'm going to roll a persuasion check or a deception check to see. Because I don't want you to know if I'm rolling.

I'm actually going to spend one of my fate dice on this okay because i think this is a cool dramatic role uh for me to use so whether or not this is deception or persuasion um what did you get on your insight uh it was a 13 yeah 13. so my uh role would be 13, so my roll would be 25. So you don't know. So this seems to be, well, I mean, it's, I would say that like, there doesn't seem to be any form of like, there's no giveaway signs, right? There's no body language to suggest there's anything there.

But there is this like look in her eyes. Her eyes are so cold and dead it's hard to really pick up on anything. But surely if you don't take the hand she just brings it back.

Well, it's more of like an initial like cold hard eyes. I'm trying to almost with a 13 just trying to read anything I can of the sincerity

of the claim. Because I know that there are many ways in which assistance could come for someone like me. And there's one particular route I do not want to take, and it's the route that most people would go for. So I am just trying to almost identify one or the other, but I guess if persuasion is 25, or deception even, could potentially... You don't know which way it was.

It was higher than your roll, I'll tell you that. I will hold the hand out but not take it just yet. My full story I haven't told to even the others out there yet. A dangerous one. So forgive my hesitancy. It is, believe me, I am used to keeping secrets. I am a follower of the Lady of Secrets, after all. Sometimes the truth is a dangerous weapon.

It is double-bladed. It can hurt as well as it can help. Keep your secrets, Xanthius Auragon. They might save your life. Yeah, I'll take the hand as almost a shake sort of thing. I'll take the hand as almost a shake sort of thing. I'm glad that you understand this situation. As I said, we will be staying here. Seek me out if you have information worth us knowing about. And do not leave the city.

If you do, it's fine. But I will be keeping an eye on you. And I will say this, you are my concern. She glances. My sister, your other companions, you have more in common than you think. It's more comforting than I expected. Is this all you wanted to know? I think I have enough for now. And she kind of turns away.

One last thing, actually. Does your chest hurt? What do you immediately think of? What's the first memory? The first memory or thought? Yeah, thought, I guess. I, the word shard would appear.

And it would be as fast as I can batten that away. But it's like and then you realise. Is there a response almost from that initial, no response. She just, but it's staring cold at you.

And just these very faint, thin lips, just a smile. Like there's an initial, not a shock as such on his face, I suppose, but like a, you caught me, and a cold chill down my spine, and then quickly, or as quick as Xanthias can. It's doing better, thank you. Should it become intolerable? Seek you out.

Yes, oh you won't need to, we will find you. Benedict, I think we are done. Would you perhaps ask Miss Daisy to come in? I really don't want to. You don't have to. Does Antheus come out? It's more that Katie as a player is physically like, I cannot do that.

That's fine. I can't, because I don't want to lock. I mean, yeah, I'm out as quick as, I want out of that room. As soon as that option is there, he's like scooching past. Yeah, but, I mean, it, how audible is that room, or how close is everyone?

And so that with Benedicta in the way, people would have to have been listening up against the thing. This was like a whispered conversation in the corner. Even Benedicta probably didn't actually hear what you actually said. Probably talking about the house.

Yeah. Conversation was happening. Trot's making a face like, I want to know. I was thinking, do I have harmonious recall? I think I used it today. I did, yeah, yeah. And also it has to be, again, natural. This is like in a wooden mill.

Oh, yeah, I use it in a tap. And also I can't listen in on people. Yeah, I think I would come out with as much of a smile and it's fine, it's okay. Who wants to go in next? But like, there's, he's kind of not quite meeting everyone's eyes, and there's almost like seconds when, if he's not talking, he's like stopping

and really deeply thinking about something and then trying to get back onto the conversation. His mind is very much elsewhere. So Gruff would have been watching the door like the whole time, like everyone's chatting, like I think Gruff would have been watching the door the whole time. Everyone's chatting. I think Gruff would have been staring at the door just because of hero members meeting you on the road. The circumstances of which you met Xanthia.

Yeah. There's been stuff. I'm the only one who saw his... Well, the only recent one who saw his hands in the tavern. So, I don't know. So, yeah, Gruff is just going to be staring bolt at the door waiting for you to appear. And as soon as you do appear, he stands up a bit too fast, like almost the chair kind of knocking on the table.

Clatters the table. You all right, boyo? Totally fine. Thank you, Gruff. Are you okay out here? You don't have to put a brave face on in front of me. You can say if you're not okay. I know. I'm your ward. She treat you okay? Yes. I'm unharmed, aren't I? Oh, my sister would never dream of hurting anyone. Not here. Not unless they've done something wrong. I appreciate that, but the boy is my ward. I have to check.

Ah, of course. You're protective of him. Understandable. I hope that that does not bring you misfortune. Oh, come on. Why would you say something like that? It is a dangerous thing to take one under your protection, to bond yourself to another.

Aye, but it's very knightly. It can be, depending on whom you are bonded to. Can I do an insight on that? Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. I think if she says that as well, Groff's eyes are going to flick to his hands. 15.

15. My hands? Yeah. Benedicta's eyes follow your eyes. He's doing the gritty. The gritty. Not the gritty. 15 insight.

There is a tenseness. I think you and Gruff are really the most experienced combatants in a way. You've watched trained fighters a lot back in the House of Blood. You would watch the house guard and the countess's personal guards train and spar with each other. You've seen Gruff fight. Like, you know, the Countess's personal guards train and spar with each other. You've seen Gruff fight.

Like, Benedicta has this smiley, sunny, lovely kind of woman personality, but her body is like a coil. Like, it is tight and almost ready to act in a moment's notice. And that's been maintained the whole time. Like, this high, smiley face, but like a viper she could strike. And there is a tenseness with everything that she's doing. Like, everything she's saying to Gruff is definitely this kind of like, oh, yes, absolutely. But there's this constant, like, wariness.

Does your ward get you into trouble? Does your, sorry. Does your ward get you into trouble? My ward? My sister? Oh, she's your ward get you into trouble? Does your ward, sorry. Does your ward get you into trouble? My ward, my sister. Oh, she's your ward. We are twins, and she says, and she looks back, she would have no problem with me telling you this, but she has always been ill ever since she was young,

and I have been blessed to be the opposite, to be strong and healthy. So it has always been my responsibility to look after her, but what I have a strength in body, she has a strength in mind. We look after one another. Like sun and moon. And she smiles like the very,

like the scions that we devote ourselves to, and the nature of our order. That is how I see it, yes. I consider us to be, I think that we were chosen for this, for this duty. I believe that the gods chose my sister and I to do what we do. And everything I do and what my sister and I do is for the betterment of the soul of the empire. the soul of the empire.

And you don't need an inside check. This woman believes everything she just says with every fiber of her being. Like, you know religious zealotry because you are yourself. Like, the way she speaks of her gods is how you feel about the great father, right? If the great father told you, I need you to murder everyone in this town,

you'd probably be like, okay. Back to the ground. You get the same feeling that this woman would do the same thing. If she felt that this town was corrupting people, she would be burning to the ground, right? Is that gonna happen? Is that a thing?

I'm just saying, this is just an example. What if? Okay. Wait, Ophelia, it's an anagram of zealot. I wanna check in. This is an out of character thing If you really don't want to I will retcon their mask And speak with you

Because actually I think That that bit with Xanthius Is what really Sister Malibu wanted Out of all of this If that's okay Of course it's fine I'm just not feeling up to it

At the end of the day This is a game You know me and lying Absolutely I can't No and that's totally fine And also This is a game That we play for fun,

and the whole point is if somebody's not comfortable with something, you don't get a choice. You made this. Mate, you put this in your backstory. You fully knew what we were getting into. I love that shit. I know you do. I need to lay down.

Your backstory said, hurt me, Daddy. Oh, my God, he's on the floor. It's understandable. Come and interrogate Gruff. Sweet Gruff. Come on. Gruff doesn't have anything I want to know about. He's not done anything for me to be suspicious of,

and she's got diplomatic immunity. I can't get her yet. I'm amused. While this is going on, can Rowan be talking to Maeve? Yeah, absolutely. What are you talking to Maeve? Yeah, absolutely. What are you talking to Maeve about? I love this coffee. This is wonderful.

What milk do you use? I've got to get ready for Jack's septic. I've got to get into my job. Oh, no. Oh, yeah. Well, I use all different kinds of milk. We've got oat milk, and there's this, we've got like, it's called like a bean milk.

It's called a soy bean. What's used in this one? Oh, that's cow's milk in that. Okay. Yeah, yeah, yeah, we get it from the local farms. Ah, lovely, lovely stuff. Yes, oh, thank you, I'm glad you like it. We get the beans from a place out in the Azar, in Azar Steppe.

They grow the beans in great fields out there. Do you? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. That's where I'm from. Would you like a bag? Don't, no, I couldn't. Of course, no, it's fine. I'll show you how to grind them.

I don't know what to do. Oh, you're going to teach me. Yeah, I'll show you how to grind them. I'm just picking up random recipes and don't know how to do that. You've learned a new recipe. You can write down in your bag a bag of coffee beans.

One. One bag. coffee beans. One. One bag. Kilo. Not a kilo bag. It's like one of those little tiny Starbucks bags. There's enough in there for one round of coffees. Like when you take a rest somewhere, you can brew up some coffee. Or one.

He's just going to be bouncing off the wall. Yeah, all one man's version. There are five cups of coffee in this bag, basically. Five uses. Five uses bag of coffee. Five uses. Five uses bag of coffee. Five uses. And of course, yeah, that's absolutely fine. Of course, that's what we're here for, right?

That's being a good D&D group. So yeah, so after that, sending Xanthius out, you hear kind of, you do hear the sounds of like scratching, like a quill on parchment. And then a few moments later, Maladie kind of steps up and is just like, well, sister, I think that I need some rest. It has been a long ride and a long journey and it has been quite non-stop.

Perhaps we shall find somewhere to rest a while here in town. I think that we will spend a few days here. Is there, I will say this, if there is anything that you feel that my sister or I should know about, please do not hesitate to come and speak to us. As I said, our concerns are with the souls of Imperial citizens. And we are... the Ecliptic Order stands separate to the individual churches and priests and high priests that may be found in each place. We have a hierarchy, and the Ecliptic Order is adjacent to it.

The Authorita knows I'm here, as does the High Authorita. And where might we find you? One of the many, one of the taverns here in town. Something comfortable. May we suggest the clever toad? We will investigate it. I don't suggest it, no. Not for two ladies of your standing.

Well, that's very kind of you to say. We will explore our options. Maybe somewhere a bit nicer, yeah. The grumpy hog is well furnished. Ah, now that does sound nice. Do they have, um, I've heard that there are baths in this town as well. Yes, there are, yes. Are they enjoyable?

They're wonderful, absolutely delightful. They're working now. Ah, good, yes. I'd heard that you'd had some hand in that. I find that a hot bath is very good for my condition. Perhaps we shall go there and then find a combination, shall we, sister? Very good, sister, yes. Well, pleasant day and scion and saints blessing to you all.

Blessing of the Gray Father to you too. There is like a shudder. Hurry! I rolled a one. There is like the mask of pleasantness breaks and like shatters and just the angriest look. But immediately, Maladie does not seem to care. But Benedicta is just like, how dare you?

Almost like, how dare you? And Maladie is like, come sister, I need your help to get to the baths. And almost is like, leave it. And you just watch as Benedicta locks eyes with you. And that look is, how dare you. Bless me, I'll bless you back. I know, but like, it's completely, no.

It is like completely hypocritical. Completely hypocritical. That reminded me of the part in No Girl where he's like, gave me cookie, gave you cookie.'s like gave me cookie gave you cookie gave me cookie gave you cookie I think the other thing you've got to remember for them is and this is for you as well the reason that she's so offended is the grave father

aka known as the grave emperor to the citizens of Old Faye is a planar power so to you it's just like that's my god and these are your gods and that's the same thing but to them they're like how dare you um it's like a terrible thing yeah it's like basically like to a high really religious christian like satan bless you yeah it's like yeah going up to the

pope satan says have a good day you know it's it's just like, what did you just say? But no, Maladie is... Which one is it? Benedicta. Benedicta is the tall, strong one. Yes, suddenly is like... That mask is... And then Maladie is the more sort of...

Definitely is a bit more sinister in her appearance and voice and everything else. But she hasn't killed someone. Yeah, and seems to be a lot calmer. Benedict's unhinged. Yeah. There's that religious zealot. Yeah, there's nothing scarier than true belief. Maladie's at least a bit honest.

Yeah, fervent belief. And they do make this weird pair, this incredibly tall, attractive, bright, sunny blonde bob, and then this kind of lanky, thin, the hair's all stringy and greasy, like, yeah. That's, like, the calm one somehow. A little bit, yeah.

Like, still kind of, like, just, like, sickly. Do you know what I mean? Like, imagine if you got, like, two, like, you know, blonde, pretty sort of, like, valley girls, and you made one really sickly and one really buff and strong. It's like when I stand next to Trot. Yeah, that's sick. That's exactly it. Not really sickly and one really buff and strong. It's like when I stand next to Trot. Yeah, that's it. That's exactly it. Not that sickly.

But yeah, they will make their leave, maybe with one last look of fury, and then also one last knowing look from Maladie, probably lingering on Xanthias and Daisy a little bit as well, but then a very pleasant nod towards Gruff and Rowan as well. And they will make their way back, pulling their hoods back up and making their way out of this area.

Well, you've made a friend there. I was just exchanging pleasantries. This is, they exchanged pleasantries to me and I reciprocated. I didn't expect Benedicta to absolutely fly off the handle like that. As you're having this conversation, this old man comes in and he's like,

Morning, ma'am. Can I get a caramel latte and a Danish? What's a Danish? It's a delicious pastry. You never had a What's a Danish? It's a delicious pastry! You never had a Danish there, boy? It's Batman. What? No! It's not. It's an oxford.

No, I've never heard an old mysterious mouse. Never heard of him. Gotta go. Gotta go. Accused every NPC. Have we seen Maeve yet? Quick! Maeve will serve this old man his little coffee and a dish. Have we just made yet? Quick! Maybe. Maeve will serve this old man his little coffee and a dish.

And you can see that people at lunchtime are starting to come in and she starts getting business. But you're more than welcome to stay. She goes back. Basically, Mark doesn't want to play the NPC anymore. She's busy with customers. Doesn't want to break out the questionable accent. The Irish accent, yeah.

What are you talking about? Irish accent's easy. No, it's not the fact that you were doing it. It's because I keep forgetting it. It was where you started last time, that's why. And I keep slipping into generic Scotland. What did you do in Scotland last time? I was trying to do like a Minnesotan sort of like,

oh, hey, but then it was kind of Canadian-y and then it kind of slipped and then it became a bit Indian and then it was Irish. Canadian-y, and then it kind of slipped, and then it became a bit Indian, and then it was Irish. Just let me do the American. So, I mean, do we want to stay here? I guess, like, are we heading off, or what? I think Gruff would suggest some fresh air, like noticing that we're not really paying customers anymore, like, you know, and, you know, it's a bit cramped.

Daisy's had a second coffee, so she's really jittery. How much are these coffees? They'd be like a silver piece. It's kind of like a luxury drink. Oh, I was, I didn't finish my first one, and I'm not finishing this one. Just like real life. Yeah, just like real, mother fuck. Got him. So yeah, Iuck. Got him.

So, yeah, I'm not getting one. Okay. Well, I mean, like, yeah, do you go for a walk and talk somewhere? Yeah, let's get some fresh air and head back to our haunted home. Yay! Troll?

If Rowan spots the children, he might try and approach them. Sure. But if there's talking en route, then yes. Yeah, no, you can... When you step outside, you can see that those kids that were playing with the then yes. Yeah, no, when you step outside, you can see that those kids that were playing with the ball have kind of crept closer.

They're now at the gates to the enticing devil, and they're trying to look in, and they're talking to each other and stuff like that. Percival's in there. Yeah, they're looking in. If they see a shadow, they'll shit their little pants. Good. Pants alert.

I will. Iit their pants. I will. I will be small. But they're sort of like, yeah, looking in and trying to like get a look in. And like one of them, there's like a young boy, like maybe like seven or eight. There's like another boy about similar age. And then they've got this little tiefling girl. And like they've basically tried to form like a little trio voltron to like look over the fence um and so they're on like each other's shoulders and then like the girls are i can't see anything like kind of calling out and

stuff like uh rowan's gonna approach them stealthily stealthily give me a stealth check so so giant he's very he's very five five I rolled a six, and I thought, oh, it's fine. You approach, like, trying to sneak up on them, and then they turn around, and you hear, like, a... And then they try and run, but they're all on each other's shoulders. So they go to run, and they all fall down into, like, a pile. And dust kicks up everywhere. Hello. It's okay, children.

I'm no harm. They just stare up at you in that, like... What are your names? I'm Rowan. Good to meet you. I'm a new neighbour. I'm Thomas! Hello, Thomas. My name's Jim. Hello, Jim.

I love Thomas. My name's Amy. Hello, Amy, Thomas, and Jim. We've just moved into the haunted house. Did you know it's haunted? What? No way! I know. We saw you going inside, and then we thought,

this god lady might have got you. And then Amy said that she saw a shadow moving around inside, and we were trying to see if we could see the shadow. But you live in the haunted house. Yeah, I went into the garden, and the vines attacked me. Whoa! I know. They're like freaking out.

So, what room is that? We heard, we heard that there's an older girl and she went in there and she said that she saw the scarred lady and she had to run away or she was gonna die. I don't want to die if I go in there. If you see the scarred lady, you die. Really? Yeah. If you see her face, you die.

What if we got rid of her? You can't get rid of a ghost. Unless, unless, do you have like a ghost slaying sword? I've got a ghost slaying lute. When I get out my lute. Wow! Playing some ominous tunes. They're like, I've never heard of an instrument that can kill someone before.

Yes. Well, we know swords go through spirits, right? Yeah. But music can capture them. Whoa! They're very impressed.

Yes. Yeah. They're like, yeah, oh, wow. So, yeah, there's been loads of stories that, like, there was a bunch of, there was some older kids, and one night they wow. So, yeah, there's been loads of stories that, like, there was a bunch of older kids, and one night they did them to go inside,

and they said that they had to go up. Because the ghost, she lives in the top. That's her room. She lives in the top. The top, right? And you have to go up into the top room, and you have to take something from the room and bring it back to show you you did it.

And apparently they got in, and they got to the stairs, and then they saw her at the end of like, like the balcony and then it rushed at her and she was like, I'm gonna die. And then they ran away and they were scared. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And she's got like, her voice is all like. I need you to do something for me.

Yeah? I have a mission. To capture the ghost? Yes. Wow. Me and my party, you see them over there? Yeah. We're going to go into the tavern at night time.

They all do that kids thing where they're like, no, you can't do that, you're not allowed. It's a really scary mission. Yeah. I need you to make sure you're at home, nice and safe. Oh, but we want to watch you die. Yeah. Tell me that, like, seven or eight-year-olds would not say that.

Yeah. Well, if I do die, you can come find the body in the morning. Yay! I don't want to find his body. Shut up Amy, you're boring. She starts crying and they're like, oh, Jim's like, you made her cry, now we're gonna, our mom's gonna be so mad at you.

Okay, if you want to be involved, until night down, sundown, down with the night and up with the night. Yeah. Until night comes. Bedtime. Until bedtime. You can scout the perimeter.

Make sure it's safe for us to get in. Yes, sir. Thank you. Yes, sir. I'm relying on all three of you. Okay. Okay. Amy, if you don't want to take part, that's fine.

I want to take part. Okay. I don't want you to part. I don't want to die. I'm not going to die, really, Amy. You have to promise you won't die. I promise. Okay. And I'll sing a song about our fight with the ghost. Awesome.

Yeah, they seem pretty impressed. Yeah, they're pretty happy with that. Yeah, all right. And make sure they're basically just not being impressed. Yeah, they're pretty happy with that. Yeah, all right. Make sure they're basically just not be around. Yeah, yeah. You want them to not be in danger. Yeah, for sure, for sure, for sure. Cool.

Is there any way you guys want to go after Roman has ended a spoken with these, oh, God, children? What's the time, by the way? By now, about midday. Okay time by the way by now about midday okay midday midday

people on streets midday with that then let's take our break so we'll take a break end of part one we'll see you in part two

see you next time bye bye go to Paris We'll take a break. End of part one. We'll see you in part two. See you next time. See you next time. Go Sparrows.