High Rollers DnD - Altheya: The Dragon Empire #2 | What's Yours is Mine (Part 2)

Episode Date: November 16, 2023

The first battle continues and the team encounters a potential ally! Support the High Rollers on Patreon and get early access to Podcast episodes, vods and more: www.patreon.com/HighRollers Music courtesy of Epidemic Sound, TCT Adventures (Solasta: Crown of the Magisters) and Jolene Khor! Check out Jolene Khor and all her wonderful work on High Rollers on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1WX3ICiTmf4GpHwImnQMs6 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Pickaxe. Welcome back to part two of Ulfea, the Dragon Empire, our new campaign here on High Rollers. You join us as our heroes after investigating a few matters around the village of Burnell, pursuing some criminals that are on the run and have caused the Duke's soldiers to lock down the roads and prevent them traveling beyond Burnell. They have joined the investigation. After discovering a few clues and figuring out where they may go,

the party have headed north and up into the hills. As the sun sets and as the shadowed moon of Mele arises, they make their way up, heading towards a mine, Blackrock Mine, built into the Obsidian Mountains that has once furnished Burnell with ore and treasure and prosperity. Having made their way up there with torches and lanterns now lit, as darkness fully encroaches the forests around the mine, they arrive just in time to see a number of terrified miners fleeing

from the mine entrance itself pursued by strange creatures sleek bodies with piercing talons and scooping mandible hands almost xenomorph-like in their appearance chasing after them several of the miners trip and fall and are descended upon by these creatures. Now a party rushes up to engage them as more still seem to be pouring out of the mine itself. And that is where we jump back into the action. At the top of a brand new run. Conch.

Conch. Conch. And we've pretty much seen various different abilities from the various heroes so far. Some revealing perhaps what their class may or may not be, or at least one of their classes may not be. Oh, maybe somebody's a multi-class. Ooh.

Yeah, who could it be? Or is there anybody? Or maybe Mark's just double bluffing. Or maybe I'm double bluffing. Yeah, I'm throwing people off. I don't know. I mean, we're level two, so you are. Guys, I was just trying to keep the mystery

so that people are like, oh, maybe Ree's a barbarian and something else. You know, I was trying to, you ruined it. No, I'm joking. Mystery solved. Mystery solved. We begin a brand new round. At the ruined it. No, I'm joking. Mystery solved. Mystery solved. We begin a brand new round. At the top of the round, we have Daisy Thistleheart.

I have one level in everything, actually. Yeah, that's fine. That's an achievement. We have Daisy currently positioned behind a wagon laden with chests, heavy-looking chests. There is a little rocky outcrop nearby with some sandbags and crates and things nearby. You can see that Ophelia and Gruff have moved up,

both engaging these strange powers that they have as they rush up to engage their foes. Xanthius shrouding himself in magical protections and wards, and Rowan creating an illusory pile of gold that these creatures seem to be drawn to. And that is where we start. Yeah, Daisy, kick us off. Okay, so she's ducked down behind and now she's seen Ophelia and Gruff running forward. She's seen everyone running forward

and looking all epic and badass. And she's like, okay, be brave, be brave, be brave. Be cautious, little one. And you hear the voice in your head. No, no, it's fine, it's fine, of course! And she's going to run this direction, 30 feet, and I can get to this guy with the miner beside him. So, 5, 10, 15, 20, 21, yeah. About here, yeah.

Can I attack him? Okay. I'd say because you can take an angle on the cart and it's kind of an awkward space there. You should probably duck under the wooden beam at the handles of the cart and scoot through. So I'm going to attack with my short sword. Okay. Yeah. Oh, 16 plus five.

16 just barely hits these things. 21. Oh, 21. 2100% does. Absolutely. So you find a gap between these kind of like chitinous plates and you thrust the blade in. So, um, I'll get my sneak attack on this.

You will indeed. The miner is sort of ready to fight. They did strike. So 11 damage. 11 points of damage. As you plunge the blade in, you find this weak point driving the blade in, and you feel Nim in your head just like now

kind of helping direct your strike a little bit as the blade plunges in the miner kind of distracting the creature and you watch as it spasms and twitches and as you pull the blade free and its body begins to slump down I do need you to make a dexterity saving throw for me Daisy both you and the miner

as this thick sizz sizzling, in the darkness, maybe black, dark blood sprays out, and as it hits, in fact, I can roll the miners, as it hits the miner, you watch as it splashes across his chest, and he begins to burn as this acidic-like blood sprays all of across him. Okay.

And he is unfortunately, let me, wait, did you kill him? I think you did. Is it dead? Did I kill the creature? He is so, the creature is dead. First kill! Yeah!

The creature is dead, but you watch the miner is like, like he's on death's door, he's like really badly in pain as he staggers back as this creature begins to melt. You watch as even if it hits the ground, you see that its stomach quite bloated underneath all the kindness plates. As it falls to ground, its armor no longer protecting it. Its stomach is quite bloated,

but all of its armor and things begin to dissolve very rapidly, almost like it's quickly burning in its own digestive acid, basically. I got a 13, by the way. 13 is enough. You're going to take half damage. One. One point of acid damage.

As you kind of and you just get splattered maybe on your shoulder and this like burning, sizzling skin as this thing dies. She's just going to be gonna be like that's it yeah he's the the miner is not even in a state to really thank you or say anything he's just reeling like half of his face is burnt and like all of his chest i'm gonna say sir move behind the lion man he's just just stumbling towards the light sources and things like that now.

Daisy, anything else? You don't really have any movement, you've attacked. No, because I was preparing to do an offhand dagger attack, but he died. Well, you still have your bonus action. You could, with your abilities, take a dash action if you want to using your things. Well, you've used sneak attacks, haven't you?

You could use cunning action. Oh, she a rogue! Yeah, you've used Sneak Attack, so you could use Cunning Action. Oh, she wrote! Yeah, you could use Cunning Action to take the dash action if you like. Don't forget as well. True, since I haven't used that off-cam. So you can keep moving. This is like a little ramp that leads up to the area above the mine. I think she will probably be cautious enough,

because she's not super brave. I'm trying to, she's not Aayla, she's not a barbarian here. So she's probably gonna duck back behind Ophelia, so that she's kind of in this line of defense, or beside that crate, maybe one back there, yeah. So I'll dash back there. You plunge the blade in, it spurts its blood over you in the minor.

You pull it free, roll into the sides. You then run past, weaving past the red-aurid Ophelia as she whips the whip kind of on coils next to you as you rush past. Wait, is that blood? What the hell? Yeah. And in fact, it is indeed Ophelia. Your turn next.

Nice. I think Ophelia, if she's running down, she's going to clock this monster up on her left. And then she'll jump up on the table that's behind her and like... Backflip, please. Oh, yeah, she's going to flip. But like... Flip over the monster and use that extra momentum

and just crack the whip towards this monster. Yeah, give me the attack roll. Would you, I was going to say, before you roll, remember, you can be reckless. But it has to be announced before you attack.

She's making a horrible face. But it just means that any attacks against you have advantage. So make yourself easier to hit, but hit them real hard. Or make your If it strikes against you, you have advantage. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Mm-hmm. So it's make yourself easier to hit, but hit them real hard. Well, or like make your choice. Well, yeah, but if you had advantage, you get to roll twice.

Yeah. Benevolent DM, would you allow? Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, exactly, exactly, exactly, exactly. That's why I'm reminding Rhi of it now. Backless. 20. That's why I'm reminding Rhi of it now. Backless! 20! 20 hits!

The Blood Whip lashes out, calling him a thing. Don't forget to add your Rage damage to this. Yes, an extra plus 2. 16! Oh my god! No, it's 12. 12. I got a 4, and then plus 2 plus 2.

8. 16 what? That was a rollercoaster. 16, 12, 8. What just happened? Did you read it as times 2 times 2? Do you just multiply 4 over the next 2? Listen, math is hard guys.

That's still good damage. Did you multiply instead of add? Yeah. Just a little bit. How? How have you done this? You look so excited. The whip lashes out and it cuts through the kindness plates and it catches the creature

across the neck. You watch as the acidic blood spills out of this thing onto the ground not enough to fully kill it but it is is reeling nearly blown over by this uh powerful one strike but you do leave yourself quite wide and open as you bring the whip back for uh your follow-up attacks on later turns anything else ophelia on your turn that's it i'm good thank you okay in that case we have uh you have the you just have the one whip, don't you? Just the one. You still have your bonus action, so I wasn't sure if you had a second attack. No, I don't.

In that case, we go to Gruff. Am I 25 foot from the one that I'm directly facing, who's kind of nearest to the illusory gold? No, no, no. And attacking a miner. 25 feet. You'd have to move. Yeah.

Well, yeah. Can I make the distance, basically? Yeah. Can I get to him? Oh, you want to get to him? Yeah. I am going to run. So your movement is 35 feet, by the way.

It's 25, apparently. I am looking at it on my end, and it says 35 feet. We're ignoring the encumbrance thing. Oh, okay. Yeah, we had a weird encumbrance thing. Oh, okay, yeah, we had a weird encumbrance thing. Oh, in which case, yeah, okay. Yeah, you can easily get to him. I'm totally up in his face.

So I'm gonna run over. Perhaps, you know, a little roar on the way over. Cheeky. Cheeky. Rawr. Rawr. Rawr. Rawr. Rawr. I feel like you have to throw this, guys. While I'm roaring and rampaging, I am shalala-ing.

Shalala-la-la. As a bonus action, you cast shalala. Shalala-ing. Shalala-ing. And I'm going to attack. Okay. This creature is actually, because of the pile of gold Rowan created, you have advantage.

It is distracted. Oh. Oh. My sweet boy, Rowan. That was a good move. I'm also distracted by the ghoul. Let's go Rowan. Blue goblin. Don't eat that ghoul.

He's playing a gold dragonborn for a reason. The highest was 16 plus five. That will hit, 21. The quarterstaff comes bludgeoning down. Eight points of Dimagios. Eight points of damage. Very similar to the one final feeder. You bring your quarterstaff

down, crushing a portion of its back and you kind of hear this wet squelching sound. The creature is still alive, but just barely as it staggers, kind of as it turns up to face you but heavily, heavily wounded. It's probably more of an RP thing than a mechanic thing, but Gruff would be looking to position himself between the monster and the miner, just that kind of protecting, trying to get in the way. Absolutely. You did take the attack action, and you have your armor of broken thorns. So I would say that if anyone was watching, why are you? There's a lot going on. But if you were watching, you would probably actually see that armor on Gruff's chest burst with a green light, almost like growing additional kind of thorns and flowers, as Gruff, in mechanic terms, gains 4 temporary HP. Nice. As almost by the power of striking this thing,

that seems to almost invigorate the living wood of the armor and seems to bloom and lend strength and vitality to Gruff as they do so. So that's what the Oakthorn... What's it called, sorry? The armor of Oakthorn. Okay, cool. That's really cool. Nice.

Am I allowed to confirm? Because people will probably be like, I've never heard of this. Nope, you never have, because I made it. I am playing a custom subclass by Mark, and that is I'm a druid, Circle of the Green Shield. Cool. And it's a sort of martial druid, almost,

like a more warrior-like druid. Inspired by the Green Knight. Yes, cool. Exciting. And a little bit of, if you're interested of D&D lore, the Warden class from Fori as well. There's a little touch

of that in here as well. Okay. And yes, I imagine you will not. There will be other custom things to come in the future. But yes,

so Gruff, anything else on your turn? So you've bonus actioned, you've moved in, you've taken your attack action, you've got your temporary hit points, you're good. Did you just call actioned, you've moved in, you've taken your attack action, you've got your temporary hit points. You're good.

You can call him Daddy. No, I said right. Right. Freudian slipped me, Thomas. You can call me Daddy. Don't encourage it. You can say Daddy if you want, Tommy. And speaking of, Xanthius.

Oh, yes, Daddy. I will run... I didn't miss a beat. Just like so keen. Oh, my God. So keen to please. You're my little Alex Horn. That's such a perfect analogy for your relationship.

So mean. I am going to run up to Daisy. Hello! Or next to Daisy, between Daisy and the miner there. You turn up next to her, she goes, ah! Daisy, you are doing a wonderful job. Good job with that thing over there. Blood whip!

Ophelia, keep doing what you're doing. I am going to cast what I believe will be my future favorite spell, because I've never seen it before. Oh, you've told me about it, haven't you? It's so cool. Tried to. Didn't understand a word of it.

So even more, these circle runes will appear in the air, and I'll almost punch at these runes to make this orb appear. It's a spell called Chaos Bolt. Oh. Okay. Oh. Oh. Hmm. Okay. Yeah. And I need to make an attack roll against a creature.

I just need to pick one. That sounds rad as hell. Take your pick. It's awesome. Now. So that boy's heavily injured. That boy's heavily injured. Both. The middle guy is not touched. The middle guy is not touched.

The one closest to the mine entrance preying upon this miner. Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. But I know that it also bleeds, but if it bleeds... We can kill it. I'm going to kill it. I can eat it.

I'm going to eat it. So first I just need to make a... I feel down. I am going to remind you of one thing. Yes. Your special thing. Uh-oh. That won't occur just yet.

I was going to say it needs to be announced as you cast a spell. You can't do it post-cast. So this spell can be any damage type though. Ah. So do I have to announce it now? There's everything. The thing is you really like this spell, so I want to say yes. But it will only apply to certain... Yes, so I want to say yes.

But it will only apply to certain... Yes, okay, I'll allow it. I'll allow it that you can activate it once you do the damage. When you go to roll damage, you can do it. Let's see how we go, Jon. So I need to do an attack roll against this boy. 23. That's a hit. Nice! So this spell, I roll 2d8 and a d6 for damage.

Whoa! That's a lot of damage. An eight and a one, which is frustrating. 16! So that is... So it is 15. That's close. 15 damage, but I get to pick one of those 2d8s to decide what damage type it is.

Right, a damage type, yeah. Yeah, it's chaos. That's really cool. I'll go with the 8s. If he rolls two d8s... If I double it? Yeah. No, if I roll two of the same damage type, the same number on the d8s, it then bounces

to someone else and does the same thing again. And it can keep chaining if I keep doubling. I mean, it's a very, yeah, it's fucking, it's a random chance. It's chaos. So there's also a chance that the enemy's resistant to the type of damage that he rolls, right? Yeah, but I can pick one of two.

There's a chance. Yeah, it could be bad. So which damage type? Just get ready for me to use that spell forever. So I'm gonna make that thunder damage. Okay. 15 thunder damage. 15 thunder.

So you watch as we see the punch, this blast of orb of force flies across, passing one of these miners, slamming into this creature. And as it does, it erupts with this thunderous You watch as the stone of the mine and some of the things drop down. But this creature explodes. The miner does have to make a dexterity stone.

Oh no. He does succeed, he's gonna take half damage. Oh no! He does succeed, he's gonna take half damage. Well, I'm gonna say this. Because this is like, you guys wanna try and rescue these guys, I'm gonna give them basically one death saving throw. So if you can get to them and heal them, they might be able to get up.

But this guy is like coated in acid. He's like rolling around on the ground and then kind of goes quite still and quiet. Yeah. Also, because it was thunder damage, I can't use my thing. Yeah. Thank you.

All right. And I've still got these glowing runes, well, not all over my body, across my arms. Yeah. End of turn. End of turn. All right. That's pretty fun End of turn. All right. That's pretty fun.

I fucking love this character. The creatures go. So into this. Ding dong. A little gremlin is coming to me. No, I told him now! No! Oh, the guy in the middle, yeah.

They're ignoring the guy on the ground. Is that gold though, huh? Well, these guys are rushing forward. The two that arrive are definitely, again, intrigued by the gold. The one that was closest, the one next to Gruff, I'm going to give a chance to see if it can work out that it's not real.

It does, you don't see any eyes on these creatures. They almost have like a complete faceplate that kind of covers their eyes, but there is obviously some sort of magical thing that they're distracted by. Almost like the idea, the concept of gold has distracted them. But I'm going to give them a chance

to see if they can work out that these things, it's not real. DC 13. Okay, the one that is currently fighting Gruff and the Miner does seem to acknowledge that it's not real. The other two are distracted. They are still going to make, you know, they're engaged in combat.

This one is currently fine. These two that have moved up are distracted. The one by Groth. Yeah, Groth. Yeah. The Groth, the one next to you, is going to make an attack against you because you were the one who harmed it.

Kind of, it looks at you. Do you carry, you've got like gold coins and stuff on you, right? Like you have some money. Ten gold. Yeah. Ten gold. Yeah.

It ignores the miner completely and turns its attention fully on you. Wow. And it seems to almost be looking... It's attacking towards your coin pouch. It's almost trying to get its mouth to where your coin pouch is. It's like a chain.

It is going gonna be a, duh duh duh duh duh, 14 to hit. That does not hit. Because, yeah, so as it does, it tries to bite in, and it's things would have struck you normally where you're unprotected, but where you have this new armor, and just thuds into it, unable to fully strike at you. Ophelia, the one that is just barely still alive,

is gonna reach up to you, it's gonna try and attack you with the same thing. That's a natural one. You're just keeping it at you. Ophelia, the one that is just barely still alive, is gonna reach up to you, is gonna try and attack you with the same thing. That's a natural one. You're just keeping it at bay. Very Simon Belmont, like just keeping it at bay. I was waiting for the Castlevania! Yeah, yeah. Yes, Rhi!

However, I have some more bad news. I'm so jealous, Rhi! More joining. Yep. This is just an endless horde. I think we have to get them out. This is just an endless horde. We have to get them out. We have to get the boys out.

You don't know. You don't know. I've realized as well, they like gold. Gold! You are gold. I am gold. They're gonna eat you. And they always believe in my soul.

Rowan. You are unstoppable. You've got a counter. I don't know. Always good. So there's definitive intrigue from at least two of them. One is currently fighting Gruff, though. That one's not affected anymore.

It was, but it seems to have worked out that it's not real. There's one by a miner that... Oh! I'm so sorry. I forgot one of their abilities. When the one that's fighting Gruff and seems very badly, seems to realize that the gold isn't real. The two that were distracted no longer seem interested, and none of these creatures seem to acknowledge the gold.

I've mined. I've mined. Ah. Very sorry, I literally had forgotten about that ability until I just reread it. Oh, good. I'm so sorry. Well, that's fine. Watch your head on the light.

Wait a minute. Why not with everybody at the back here? In a nice line. Why are we in a line? No, if we're in a line that they can't use, it's fine. Yeah, yeah, yeah. We can have acid spray or coke. Oh, yeah, no, we're ruined.

Fireball. Nice fireball. Fireball we're doing. Level two fireball. Going to fucking... I'm going to rage. J.K., I'm not to fucking... I'm going to rage. JK! I'm not a barbarian! You're going to sneak attack.

I'm going to actually go up behind Xanthius and clasp his shoulder. Ow! That was incredible. Thank you. Please do more of it. You're a hero. I'm going to cast Heroism on you.

Heroism? So, you're immune to being frightened. You gain 10 hit points equal to my spellcasting ability to modify, which is currently plus 3. Oh, good. And when the spell ends, you lose those hit points. You get them every turn? You get them every turn.

You get three temporary hit points every turn. As long as I'm concentrating on it. It doesn't stack. Okay. So it means that you constantly have to spare it. I can replenish you heal. Replenish you heal? Replenish you heal. Replenish you heal.

Yes. 10 hit points. Thank you. Thank you. I love you. Go forth. I will. That is literally my turn.

So action, movement, no bonus action? Nope. All right, okay. In that case, Rowan, the, oh. 60 feet, am I 60 foot from that miner at the back there? This guy? Yes. He was in the space, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30,

25, 40, 45, 50, 55, you were just within range. Gonna reach out with my other hand, and a flow of green. Is it a bonus action spell? You've already cast a spell as an action this turn. The old action bonus action. Oldest trick in the book. Oldest trick in the book.

Got him. You didn't cast a Ken trick, you can't cast any word. There's rules, gremlin. Yeah, and the rules, gremlin. You can do that, Tommy. I run games by rule. Incumbrance rules. Anyway.

All right, so we're in the end of your turn. The miners, these two are going to nervously kind of approach. They've seen that these things explode into acid. So actually, no, they're not. They've seen that these things explode into acid. So actually, no, they're not. They're gonna just stay where they are and ready themselves. Ready for an attack if anything comes near them. The two that are still surviving,

my apologies, I'm so gassy. Gruff, the one next to you is gonna take a swing. He misses, unfortunately. The one in the center between all the fights is also gonna take a swing. He misses, unfortunately. The one in the center between all the fights is also going to take a swing. He hits. Oh, that might go down. Well, that's not one of the injured ones.

Oh, is it not? No, it is not. It was one of the new ones that freshly moved up. It's the one fighting Ophelia and the one fighting Gruff that's badly damaged. So again, he kind of clunks it with the pickaxe, the pick biting into the carapace and the chiton, but not quite destroying the creature.

I was getting really dumb. I thought it was the creatures attacking. At the end of the turn, all of you hear this faint kind of droning sound, but Rowan, it's more than that. of like droning sound but rowan it's more than that you feel this this uh this strange resonance that has this aura of of of authority and commanding and and royalty and and and you feel this uncomfortable kind of resonance and harmony kind of from the earth, deep, deep in the earth. And it tends to come up and through the mind's entrance, like a mouth, this sound kind of projects out

and all of these creatures, as they kind of hear it, they seem to be filled with this burst of life and energy and they all get to take an immediate movement. What the hell, bro? Oh, one's up in my biz. That's nuts. One on Graf. Rune is visibly taken aback by that.

Another one on Graf. Graf's got three boys on him. Yeah. And yeah, they are all gonna take attacks. And three attacks. Yeah, one attack each. Oh! Maybe he's gonna take an attack each.

Okay. We'll start, I'm gonna go around with all the three fighting Gruff. They are all going to attack you, Gruff. Yep. The first one is a miss. The second one is a natural 20. Oh!

Ouch! Mark Humes, are we doing Mark Humes crit rules? Absolutely we are. Why would we not be? Sweet! Let's run through those as are in a bit. Good, that would be 11 points of damage. Excuse me, that's rude.

So you would take off your 10 hit points first, and then you would take the remaining five. Just trying to math uh seven so was that from the crit sorry that is from the crit how did mark hume's crit rules work mark you that's a great question i always do max the damage of the dice and then you add the normal damage on top uh so you roll the normal damage as normal and you add max but monsters get them too obviously that just happened yep um so they're quite dangerous. They are spooky. But yeah, so you watch as Gruff, this kind of scything talent, beds in and gets in between

the armor and digs deep down into you. The next one is still going to be a miss. It's only an 11 to hit you. So they try and strike you. The miner in the middle. The miner in the middle! The miner in the middle. He's going very heavily into you.

Yep, he does indeed. The miner in the middle. The miner in the middle. Yep, he does indeed. The miner in the middle. As a creature bites into him, and the creature looks around, lashing around, and then finally Ophelia, or not finally, Ophelia is a miss, so only a 7

to hit AC. And then, although I do get advantage against you. I still miss. And then Xanth do get advantage against you. You do, yeah. I still miss. And then Xanthius, and in fact, as you feared, like being this kind of golden Dremel, this creature seems almost drawn to you. And it's going to attack you.

That is going to be a 22 to hit. Yeah. Just a little. Yeah, that'll do it. It would be six points of damage. Okay, I'm going to expend a charged rune to reduce my damage. By? By an amount that is equal to, but no more and no less than,

an amount that I'm going to say hit a d6. So the hit impacts me, but one of the runes across my skin shifts and appears in the same place where I get hit and takes some of that damage. Five. Sweet. So you only take one point of damage. Wow, that's awesome.

Hey, what up? I'm a tank sorcerer. Torcerer. And it only comes off my 10 HP. I'm not, I'm gonna regret saying that, but. But yeah, it comes up with the heroism as well. Yeah, it comes off the 10 HP. So it strikes you, the rune flares to life, almost rebuff rebuffing the attack and even then as it kind of nicks your skin you

just feel so empowered by rowan's words that like your energy you know it doesn't seem to affect you basically you laughing at the fact that he thinks he's a tank oh trot says something and then i put something in my head and it's stupid okay okay, okay. We'll leave you with that one in your private thoughts. That one needs to know. Perfect. We jump up to Daisy Thistleheart. Hello. I would like to... jump up on this crate in front of me.

And I want to short sword attack the one that's hitting Xanthias, hopefully. Oh, I rolled a four, so probably won't hit him. Unlikely. I won't. I won't hit him. Bounces off the kindness plates. In which case, I will dagger. All righty. Try and hit him with the other weapon, which is a nine. In this case, I will dagger. All righty.

Try and hit him with the other weapon, which is a nine plus, wait, what's mine? First new characters, we will learn these numbers. 14. 14 is not enough, again, the kindness plays. These things are actually quite tough, fighting them up close. Their armor is quite thick.

They're tougher than us. But they seem like once you can get hit through, they're not too strong um yeah so wait that was a bonus action wasn't it yes yeah so you've actioned bonus actioned you've used five feet of your move about 10 feet because it's difficult to rain i'm just gonna stay up here okay next to aphelia you and aphelia you want to create aphelia next to you on the table in fact we go to aphelia next You and Ophelia, you want to create Ophelia next to you on the table. In fact, we go to Ophelia next. I'll let you reckless attack the guy in front of me, please. Yes, yes, yes.

Reckless. Eight, nine, 10, 11, 12. 12 is not enough again. Enough. Even though it's on its death throes, this thing quickly now almost, you know, you can see that as more of them appear, almost more calculating, more cunning, almost, you know, you can see that as more of them appear,

almost more calculating, more cunning, is predicting your movements, whereas before it was just this savage beast that kind of ran out. Now it almost seems to sense the attack coming, and it dodges out of the way. Anything else you would like to do? Is there a way I can step back off the table

and try and get towards Gruffydd? You could, you would risk an attack of opportunity. I will risk it. All right. You can easily just leap down and then... So, well, you actually have to take two because you would... Oh, actually, I'd say you could jump, actually.

If you give me an athletics or acrobatics check. Yeah, acrobatics check. She can jump. She can jump. All the way. Right? Acrobatics. Seven.

Or good. Twister echo. Yeah. I'm gonna reduce your speed by 10 feet. And you just take two points of bludgeoning damage as you kind of trip and stumble and it slows your jump and your movement. I might have resistance, because I am raging. You are raging,

so yeah, one point. Very good, one point of damage. You managed to kind of pick yourself up, and then, yeah, you keep running, and you get to where you are. I will now make my attack opportunity against you with advantage, natural 20. Oh my god!

Didn't even need it, didn't even need it. If I roll it again, I still would defeat. It's Tango. Oh my god, and max damage again, 11 points of damage. It's piercing, you would half it, so five points of damage. So with that Barbarian Rage, what does the rage look like? Because Ophelia's a bit more lithe, she's not super muscular in that kind of way

that Aayla was and stuff like that. Is this the blood almost as it goes to pull out, like it's pulled back, is there something supernatural about this rage or is this just almost dogged determination? I think it's sort of like changes her whole posture. So like before she's very like, when she's not raging,

she's very upright, very like well put together. When she's raging, she's more hunched forward and there's more feral state. Yeah. And like she's, yeah. So you see the wound,

it's just that she doesn't care. Like she gets this deep wound and just the blood trailing behind it, almost like a ribbon of silk, like, and then it drips. Yeah. Cool. I love it. All right. So yeah, that was action. You tried to jump over, nothing there. End of turn, right? Yep. All right, Gruff. to jump over, nothing there, end of turn, right? Yep.

All right, Gruff. Gruff is going to take a deep breath and roar. Very good. And as he roars, it's a very primal, savage roar, I would need all three of the boys to make a wisdom saving throw, DC 13. Wisdom saving throw. All right, DC 13. Wisdom saving throw. All right, DC 13.

The first one passes, second one fails, third one fails. So two are currently frightened. They are frightened until the end of my next turn. Excellent. So you watch as these creatures they kind of cower before you. So they have disability and disadvantage on ability checks and attack rolls.

As long as you are within visible range. They can't move close to me, because I'm stinky. Yeah, they can't move closer to you. As long as they, you know, they just can't move towards you. Yeah. And then I guess I'll attack,

I mean it feels like a waste, but I need to thin the numbers out, so I'll attack the one that I was, Attack them before, the heavily injured one. Working on, but I need to thin the numbers out. So I'll attack the one that I was- Attacking before the heavily injured one. Working on, but I know it explodes. So is there a way I could like, like shield blow or something like, no. You can shove, but it would take your action up to do that.

And it's not gonna, yeah. I think I just need to- I mean, I'd say like you're prepared for it. If you want to basically, what I would say is you could attack it if you kill it and you know it's about to spray its acid, you could throw yourself in front of the acid

so it doesn't hit the miner. You will have disadvantage on the dex saving throw and I'll have the miner basically succeed the dex saving throw. Yeah, it feels gruffy. Also in making this attack, I will gain four temp hit points again. Absolutely. Fuck it, that's gone. temp hit points again. Yep, absolutely.

Fuck it, that's gone. Oh, that's a bad roll, though. It's a three plus five. The dice giveeth, the dice taketh away. You swing, and unfortunately it misses, sweeping over this thing. It's now three of them. It almost ducks, seeing your attack coming before it would have had a chance to, sensing it in some way as it ducks down.

That's me. That's you, Dumbbebe. Xanthius. No, it's its attack rolls. It doesn't matter. Carry on. Two of them do, yeah. That is the heavily injured one and the one to the side of you.

The one closest to the tree line, isn't frightened of you. All right, Xanthius. I would like to cycle around this boy that is in front of me so that I am now in between two of these guys. Yep. And cast... Oh, I do apologize. One of the miners had prepared an attack

if one of these things came closest to it, and one rushed up to attack you, so I will make an attack from that miner who prepared his attack. one of these things came closest to it, and one rushed up to attack you. So I will make an attack from that miner who prepared his attack. Okay, that might change. He does hit. It takes 2.7. It's still very much up, but it is damaged. Okay, I will cast Earth Tread.

Will I? Oh no, it's a 10-foot range. That's going to hit Daisy and the miner. Please don't do that. Oh god, I need to get away from these guys in order to be good. Um... Okay, I will... just...

I will take the opportunity attack from this guy. Ignore the rotation thing in that case. Yeah, I'll just back up one to potentially take a hit from this guy. Okay. Does a 14 hit? It does. With your mage armor? Yeah, I've got 13 mage armor.

That would be six points of damage. Oh! Owie. Did you heal up from my temp? You gain 3 more temp. He doesn't stack, but he gets 3 more temp. I had 2 after my hit. Has it been your turn since then?

It's not your turn. They don't stack. No, they don't stack. No, I'm back to 3. Yeah. Yeah, I will just take six damage in that case. So you take three, and then you take three normal hits. Yes. And following Rowan's advice, I'm going to do another Chaos Ball.

Okay. So I'm going to cast this on... Yeah, the guy that was right in front of me. Unfortunately, in between Daisy and everyone, so sorry. Oh, fuck. I kind of got to... I don't know how to kill them when they're far away. Right. Oh!

That's a natural thing. Good turn like that. Natural 20. You do realize that I'm now going to take the damage when this thing dies of... It's only a little bit of acid. No, no, no, it's not the damage that he deals now. I'm not hitting you with this. So that is Chaos Bolt critting, which will be 2d8 and a d6 maxed, and then the damage as well. So he's taking 22 already.

Two and a five, so I can decide what damage he takes. It's either frost or lightning. I'll go with frost. 22, 29. And another two, so 31 damage on this one. What? Oh yeah, because you rolled the N. Yeah.

You watch O'Neil's lightning damage. Lightning damage. It just took my brain a really long time to... I said frost. You said frost. It also took my brain a really long time to pass all of the information he just gave me. It's a lot for Chaos Bolt. Chaos Bolt, I crit it.

Yeah. He's dead. He's dead. In frost, not lightning. The ice, as it cascades from the sphere, the purple energy of you punching forwards, you just watch as this thing flash freezes. Does it not explode if it's frozen?

I'm going to say because you froze it, its acidic blood wouldn't explode outwards. Like a globule of blood. So yeah, I'm going to say that it kind of just like freezes and dies. I'm going to say it does not erupt in acid as it does that. Nat 20. Yeah, and also you got a nat 20. I probably wouldn't have done that if you hadn't done a nat 20,

but you got a nat 20. Thank you. So yeah, you watch this thing. You all watch this powerful magic from this dragon. Not even just this one, but even the previous spell, this immense powerful magic erupting forth. And I believe I can use a sorcery point, Trot, you might want to clarify on this one,

as a bonus action to regain a spell slot? You can, yeah. It depends on the level of the spell that you're getting back, but first level I believe it's one, yeah. So I'll regain a- Or is it two to get a first level spell? One for cantrip.

Well, no, cantrip you don't get back because you can't- That's true, it's probably one. It will stay on the little table. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It will stay on the little table, but yes, you can. Definitely not for five years, no. No.

Well, after Xanthius, it will be my enemies, so you can have a look at that and how that works. It does cost me. Okay, I won't do that. Is it two to get first level back? Two to get first, yeah. Yeah, it makes sense because it's normally double the level of the thing that you need. Yeah. Sorry, new clan.

Bad guys. He's a bad guy. Oh, he's a bad guy. After episode two, you have to be an expert. This way. You 180. Wait, what happened on episode 180? You are a god. I know it.

I know everything. I know sorcery. Gross. You are gonna get an attack of opportunity as one is gonna leave from you to gang up with Ophelia. That's a seven to hit. Seven to hit is not enough. I actually forgot their pack tactics last time,

so Gruff got extremely lucky. The remaining of these creatures are going to lash out with their attacks. No, carry on. I keep thinking that frightened means I get advantage on attacking them, but I don't. They have disadvantage. Yeah. But the way it's also, so one is going to strike you with advantage.

This is the one I'm rolling now. The highest I got there is a 20. Yeah, that's going to hurt me. So you're going to take 7 points of damage. The next one is Frightened, but has advantage because of its Pactactics ability, so it's just a straight roll. That's a miss. It's a 2. So it's 2 or 5, but

its other ally leading it tries to strike at you as best as it can. So that's those two. Ophelia. One of them is Frightened of Gruff, so it is going to have disadvantage, but again, it has advantage because of its pack tactic, so it's just a straight roll. That is going to be a 15.

You're going to take seven points of piercing, so half that down to three. Round down. And then the other one is going to make an attack with advantage because you Reckless. And it also has a pack tactic, so that is an 18 to hit. That is going to be four points of damage halved to two. All right.

And then finally, Daisy, that is a 23, because I rolled a 19. Forts, seven points of damage. As these things rush up in a frenzy, some of them are so close to death, and they are just being pressed on. They have no hesitation. They have no care for their own safety or their own bodies.

They are being driven by something to attack furiously. As they do so, Rowan, it's your turn, sir. As I shake from hearing the sound of the mines and the deep inspire these things, I'm going to squ paths at this excuse me one second. It's okay. Go ahead. Thank you Get my long sword out Do you will it two-handed two-handed nice I love it. You can wield it two-handed. Two-handed.

Nice. Oh no. Oh, you have to attack. I just rolled a 10. I was gonna say, you just rolled three damage. I watched you do it. Oh, it's only a six, so a nine. Nine? Nice.

You smash the bench in front, but like, yeah, the attack, unfortunately, this creature nimbly dodges out of the way. And it looks so close to death, but just not enough. I look beyond at the downed miner and i just throw out a healing word which is a just a little gust of green energy that uh almost like gets drawn to him like a magnet i should have made his death saving throw uh last turn because uh i've got to do that do that now see if he's still up you don't have to mark off the spell

because you can see as you go to reach out with the healing energy. What about the other one? Choose someone else? Yeah, the other one is still up because he would have died and went down.

Yes, it goes to the other one. This miner is unfortunately dead. I forgot to roll his death saving throw. Rip in pieces. Rip in pieces. What was his name? You killed him. You don't know.

I didn't kill him. You exploded the boy. It was their blood that did it. I did it by proxy. Four points of healing. You see the one next to Ophelia, his eyes kind of flutter open. And yeah, he's insane.

You will not pass just yet. He's like looking around oh terrified but yeah he hears your resonant words anything else no all right in that case seeing that these things this guy is gonna rush up and he's gonna try and shove this thing away from him and daisy he's gonna like try and shove him off the bench to try and get him away and make an attack roll He does hit and have him make an athalos check and the creature making a check actually watches this guy Shoves this guy back and cause him to land prone Nice, this guy is gonna move up and he's gonna throw his pick at it. He's just

The pick goes scattering into the rocks and the trees far away. And he's like, I missed! I missed! I need a weapon! As he pulls it back to throw it, he lets go and it goes, ah!

You see a load of me's. Into rope, yeah, yeah. My little sword to the miner. He's like across here, like. This, if you like. Oh, yeah. He like looks. This guy over here is like 20 feet away. But he will look.

The other two miners are going to take swings. They're going to try and get up and help. Felia, he does strike the one next to you. Nice. Four. Four points of damage, in fact. And then the one next to Gruff is also going to hit. Yay, NPCs.

Go, NPCs. And three points of damage to that one. You watch as now two more of them are looking incredibly weakened. There are now three of them that look near close to death's door. Just need a good roll. Yeah, you just need good strike to do it.

To bounce amongst them. Hey, if I double that damage, when it happens, oh my god. Can you imagine? One day it's gonna happen twice. Hi! Your turn. Oh. I'm sorry. Oh my god. Oh my god, you you imagine? One day it's gonna happen twice. Your turn. Oh. Oh my god.

Oh my god. You told me three times. Can I run towards, so the way I wanna do this is I want to go towards the one that's downed on the table. I want to stab him and then run past him so that if he was to explode, I would be out of the way. Try and prepare yourself? Sure. Okay. I don't want to.

So the way I would rule this before you decide what you want to do with this, if that's what you want to do, basically you almost strike and keep running, the way it would work is you will, I'll give you a slight penalty to the attack roll, but if you do kill him, you'll have a bonus to your saving throw. But it is also prone, so you get advantage. Yeah. So that's even better? Yeah. Sure.

I mean, it's as good as it's gonna be. But yeah, to Rorge, because it's like, you're losing some accuracy for the strike, but you're gaining the momentum to help avoid the acid spray. 19. Hits. Yeah, absolutely hits.

You don't need to roll damage because this thing has one hit point. You can if you want, though. No, I don't. What you can do is a dexterity saving throw for me, please. And then run past. Where do you want to end up? Just like maybe 10 feet away from him.

Like here? Sure. Okay, okay, dice. Oh, for fuck's sake. Probably not gonna manage that. I see. 12. 12, but with the bonus from running past,

which is, I was gonna give you a plus two bonus, is a 14, it is a success. So I take half damage. You take half damage, which is only gonna be two points of acid damage. Okay, I'm still free. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Two point, two point.

But you rush past, strike down, it does catch you a little bit of spray as you run past, but you manage to avoid the worst of it as you dash past a little bit further. Two kills. Nice. Two kills. Um. We have Ophelia, then Gruff, then Xanthias.

Thank you, and I think, can I actually crouch down behind that little wagon there? At the end of my turn. Yep. And um. Own section hide? No. Oh.

I'm trying to find my thing. Come on. Come on, come on. I would like to use my... Oh no, it's an action, never mind. Okay. Don't worry. Next turn. Alright. So you crouch down, uh, Hidden, and we have Ophelia.

Can I do a reckless bite? What? I want. Oh, okay. If that explodes on you, it's filled with acid. I want a reckless bite. Just a head explode. I want to be a Dilophosaurus.

Do you get advantage, because you're reckless. 21. 21 more hit. Yeah. Four, five, six, and eight. Eight points of damage. So she's going to turn it into... So you have some special choices when you do buy a thing.

Do you have to choose those now or is it like when you do a thing? I can choose them now. What would you like to do? I can regain hit points equal to the piercing damage that by the bite or I can gain a bonus to the next ability. Check, roll. Attack, roll, you may. So, this is a unique situation because you are drinking the blood

of a creature whose blood is acid. You cannot heal from this blood, but I will allow you to take, if you get the bonus to the damage, I will give you extra bonus to the damage as you are filled with pain. Acid? Yeah, as you are filled with pain. Acid! Yeah, as you are like basically enraged further

by the acid spraying into your mouth. Why did I do that? What did you roll on the d4? Four. So you will have, normally it would be a plus four damage because of the invigorating bite. I'm gonna add two to that, so you get six extra damage to the attack

because it is this acidic blood filling your mouth. It's so fizzy. To the damage roll. Oh, my God. It also causes the creature to explode. I need you to make a dexterity throw. Yeah, like right in your face as well. I think he's just killed a few.

I mean, what a way to go. How quick can you bite and then pull back? Spit it out. Like biting a water balloon. Thirteen is just enough to succeed. You're going to take half damage. Let's hope I don't roll. I can see your hit points.

You take half. It would be nine points, so it's half to four points of acid damage. No, you don't half it, do you? Because it's acid. It's acid. Yeah, so you take nine points of acid damage. Are you out? do you because it's because it's acid yeah so you take nine points of acid damage did you just kill yourself by fighting oh my god but that was she yeah that's right no

that's right it was because you passed the deck safe so it is halved so it's four points of that sentence yes because it yes because it succeeded she gets up again she regrets her life choices She succeeded the saving throw. She gets up again. She regrets her life choices. She becomes personable. So you take four acid damage. So you watch as Ophelia, this very prim and proper woman that you met with,

is just this ferret, like, acid, like, drooling down her mouth. Just like... I feel like Ophelia just became Rihanna in Gremlin mode. Yeah, yeah, yeah. That was Gremlin. Literally, like, blood hunger vampire, became Rihanna's Rihanna in gremlin mode yeah that was gremlin that wasn't literally like blood hunger vampire like really

fangs bed literally I mean I think it's Camilla from Castlevania almost you've kind of got that fangs

just like biting in and you can see it trying to drink the blood but the acid just fills her mouth and just enrages her further the health was getting low

so I'm just like I knew what you were doing, and I was like, these things have acid for blood. I cannot let you heal from it. There's no way that you would heal from this. I know, no, it's fine. It's just like, yeah, you've got extra damage, absolutely. But yeah, but you watch, it's like, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Anything else on your turn? I've seen several. No. No, I think I'm good. Okay. The miner next to you is terrified. Yeah. Not of the creatures, very much of a feeling. All right, we have Gruff next.

I'm going to do something a little bit different. Yeah, I love it. Bite their head off. I'm going to bite their head off. I'm gonna do something a little bit different. Yeah, I love it. Bite their head off. I'm gonna bite their head off. I am going to, I feel like almost

the armor surges green again, but coalesces down Gruff's arm and turns blue as a knife of ice forms in his hand. And he blings it at the creature next to him that has the most health. So watch me miss this because it's a... It is a ranged attack series because this way next to you can have disadvantage,

but if it hits, remember, it explodes and that becomes the saving throw. I said it, I'll go for it. Yeah, no, just go for it. Disadvantage, disadvantage. You can still go do good. Nine plus five is 14, so that's not gonna hit. 14 doesn't hit, but it does still explode afterwards,

I believe. Yeah, so. So I have dex and throws or something? 13. 13 dex and throws against both, because it would smash both. Two of them. First one's gonna succeed, second one's gonna fail.

So the healthy one succeeded, the injured one fails. Five points of damage. Is enough to destroy the badly injured one, which I believe is this one over here. You watch as the ice shards hit it. I do need you to make a dexterity saving throw, and the other one is gonna take two points of damage, again, weakening it further.

Am I allowed to, I don't know, just protect the miner and stuff? Because it was this one that exploded, it wouldn't actually hit the miner. He was too far away from the miner. The one in front of you is, however, close, but yeah, that one's not exploded. That is 10.

10 is not enough. You're gonna take full damage from this for six points of acid damage. Cool, and just as a point of reference, because I cast a spell. It has to be a melee spell attack or hit points restoring, so you don't get your your um

your shield on this one learning new mechanics learning new class things um yeah so it's uh the spell has to be a melee spell attack so and and certain spells will specify that they are that um all right uh but yeah great turn you didn't manage to destroy one and you've injured another one. As you look around at the ice, it kind of coalesces, forming around. Nice. All right, Xanthius, you're up. I would like to, while running towards Ophelia, I want to blast a Firebolt Cantrip at the one that's fighting Gurath. At the one fighting Gurath, okay. So 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, but we're about to get in here. Oh, shit. Thank you.

Ignis! Ignis! Ignis! 15 plus four, 19. Is a hit. Which is 1d10 of damage on that dude. It is time. What'd you get on the damage?

It is, isn't it, Mark? It's fire damage. How much damage did you roll? Do I have to declare it? No. How much damage did you roll? I rolled have to declare? How much damage do you roll? I rolled a two. Do you want to add more? I do want to add more.

You want some more? Now this firebolt, it comes out of these smaller, it's a cantrip, so it's not the most ornate rune that blasts out of me. But then suddenly this light pierces through my clothes from my chest. This red, this gold gold that just empowers the spell even further the the flames that fire out you know powerful blast of magical fire and then

as this light in xanthius's chest crackle there's like a there's a gold and a red hue to it as it does that flame enlarges and it becomes this inferno. He's just thrown this bolt of radiant hellfire almost as it launches across. So you can roll that d10. I'll roll another d10, shall I?

Eight. Two d10. So that's ten damage. He seems like his class is OP. That's not my class. Yeah, but in general, this combo. You That's 10 damage. He seems like his class is OP. That's not my class. Yeah, but in general, this combo. You watch as the flame hits this thing, it engulfs it, and where normal flame would just blast it and send it reeling, there's something about this fire

that clings to this creature, and it goes to explode in the acid, but the fire just burns faster. And as the acid goes to spray out, it almost burns the acid blood. And it just, it does not stop as you watch this thing crisp and burn and it disintegrates into dust until there is nothing in the flames.

Reach out, Gruff, almost, the flames as they hit the ground, they're almost reaching for you in this minor, like something, it needs fuel, it needs to burn, and then it dies down. What have you done? Okay, it goes. I think I'm casting this spell as I was going to be running towards Ophelia

and I was intending to shout some words of praise. However, because of this effect, I also take a d4 of psychic damage. There's consequences. In this case, I rolled a one, which comes off my temp HP. No, it would come off your normal HP. It goes right through. This psychic damage ignores any temp HP, any resistance. It always goes to your hit point total. That seems fair. Nice.

And also as a point, there is other things as well. Not just 1d4 of psychic damage is the only consequence. I'm also going to add my own little spin on this. I'm going to say that I scream out in pain, even though it's just 1d4, but this is a... There's an inferno in my chest right now, and I will go crying. Crying over it.

Sure. Okay, I love it. Oh. So you just watch as Xana clutches his chest and falls down. Like, prior to casting the spell, it's this huge inferno, and then I am just overwhelmed by this energy that you can't see.

You watch as this last remaining creature, as everything else dies around it, as this last remaining creature, as everything else dies around it, something switches, something clicks, and it almost seems to snap as if waking up, its head jolting around, and it is just gonna run. Ophelia and the miner, you both get attacks of opportunity against this thing as it goes to run. Yep.

You... Ah, forget it. Yeah, no, Reckless is only on your turn, I think. Yeah. What'd you get? I didn't worry about it. Roll the one. I mean, yeah, it's just like you're so busy, like...

She's just overwhelmed by the feeling of the acid in her blood and she's just like... Like steam pouring out of her mouth and she's just like... Yeah, the bonuses to the damage roll, unfortunately. in her blood and she's just like, like steam pouring out of her mouth and she's just like. Yeah, the bonuses to the damage are awful, unfortunately. The miner does manage to land a hit as it's running away and does three points of damage,

which is enough. Come on, me lad. But as he does kill it, I need a dexterity saving throw from Ophelia and the miner. She's going to be taken out at the last second. Yeah, she's... Oh, I might be all right.

Is this the same for a creature literally fleeing or running away? Huh? No. Is it the same for a creature running away? She can't half it. It still bursts the thing even though it's... Yeah, yeah, yeah. Oh, no, you can. So what'd you get on the dexterity saving throw?

19. 19, you succeed, and so does the miner. So you're both gonna take six, half to three points of acid damage. Yeah! Bye! Ooh! You're on one.

Oh, yeah! I'm on one! Yep, it's number one. Holy crap. It's really called one. Jesus. With that. In five years, my barbarian is just like,

No, it's not downed, not downed. Yeah. This barbarian's, yeah, definitely a little different. You guys watch as the creatures, as the creatures fall, there is this moment of still calm. The miners breathing heavily, men and women kind of, are these, they're dead. Oh my, oh by scions and saints, we made it, we're alive. And they kind of kind of, are these, they're dead. Oh my,

oh by scions and saints we made it, we're alive. And they kind of look around, thank you, thank you so much for helping us. Oh my god, there's,

the others, and they're sort of like looking back, Marion, and they're sort of looking into the mine but they're like, we've,

one of them turns around and is like, we've got to get the hell out of it, get back to the village to let them know what's going on. And they're sort of

like panicking in what to do. What do you guys do? Like, how's everyone dealing with everything that's going on. And they're sort of like panicking in what to do. What do you guys do? Like, how's everyone dealing with everything that's going on? I'm going over to Xanthius because I saw him collapse. I'm not unconscious. Yeah, I'm just... Are you okay?

I'm okay. I think I'm... The burning is calming down. I'm better. Thank you, Rowan. But Ophelia might need your help more than me. Oh, okay. I drop you Rowan, but Ophelia might need your help more than me. Oh, okay. I drop you and move over to Ophelia.

Yeah, I mean, now that the battle's over and the rage subsides, what do we see with Ophelia? Ophelia's just rolling up her whip, tucking it away, pulling her hair back, taking a breath in, like composing herself. Just blood streaming down these wounds. Percival, as soon as the battle's over and Ophelia kind of stands back up,

you hear the shuffling of robes. Percival comes over, he's fixing your hair. It's like, he pulls out like a kind of comb and he's like brushing your hair from the robes. He's tying it all up in a tender. Do you bleed? You still do. You would do because you are um yeah you are still living

technically kill it yeah that's the second time i've made that joke today yeah yeah you are you your transformation is is unfinished so you are you still are mortal and you still have blood and everything else um i'll awkwardly walk up as Percival is readjusting Ophelia. Thank you, Percival. Hello. Thank you. Oh, Rowan, hello, hello. Hi.

Are you okay? That was strange. What do you mean, what was strange? Nothing was strange. This whole room. I mean, the monsters were strange. Those little things were strange. Xanthius collapsing on the floor was strange.

It's okay, I'm better now. You're better? Good, good, good. You all do see where the miners were splashed with this acid, where, like, you know, you've been just, you graze, like, for Daisy, even though you took some damage, it's like a little mark on your shoulder, like a red burn. The miners who took a heavily load of the acid, their flesh is all scarred and kind of bubbling and things like that.

Ophelia, whose mouth was filled with the stuff, you watch as there is all this horrific scum but it's beginning to like the superficial damage the cosmetic damage is almost healing itself um not restoring hit points but like no scarring just leaving like that flesh kind of untainted as the acid burns, just heal away. Okay, well, I'm going to see how everybody else is. Okay. Well fought, by the way. Good job with the sword. Very good. Good job. I missed. As you guys see, I just want to check in. We've got Daisy and Gruff. So Daisy, you're crouched behind this thing still.

You're injured. What does this look like with Daisy? I think she is now, because she's crouched on the floor, and kind of panicking because last she saw the battle was still going on. So she's in her own little world here going, Oh God, what do I do? What do I do? What do I do? What are those things? Nim, what are they? Do you know what they are? You hear the voice, the familiar voice in your head like,

It's alright little one, the battle is done. The battle is done. I can hear them, they're finished. It's fine, you are safe, you are safe. I do not know, those creatures are of your world. I do not know them. They are not of, they are not of the realms beyond. I do not know them. They are not of the realms beyond. I do not know what they are. They are of your world. But it is all right, you are all right. I use my power, use my power, tend to your wounds.

Okay, yeah, I think before I go back out and rejoin, Yeah, I think before I go back out and rejoin, I'm gonna stay ducked behind the the cart and I will use that ability. Yep. Please. Sure. For the day. Healing hands, all right. Healing hands.

So how much is that? 2d4. 2d4? Get on it. Everyone's watching. Oh, sorry, I'm not looking at your character sheet. Don't worry. Fuller. Four. So you kind of feel this power swelling up in you.

Your eyes take on that familiar glow. You touch your wrist, your hand, and you do see some of those burns and those wounds just begin to mend, and you hear Nim's soft song. You remember that song she sang to you when you were a little child, that same kind of harmonious choir-like voice, lyrics that are more sounds than they are words,

just that... That kind of aria, and you feel that comforting sound fill you as your wounds begin to heal. What about Gruff? Gruff, on seeing that Xanthius is fine, like he's up. Yeah, he's picking himself up, he's stood up at this point. Would be busying himself, checking on all the miners and you know making sure that they're okay um you know and that just securing it and all that making sure they're protected they're fine um and also probably

um kneeling over the body of the miner who died um and kind of bowing his head um you know probably you know i'm sorry that i couldn't save you. I failed in my duty to you. I'm sorry. You hear that? Like one of the miners, the one that was fighting alongside you, will come up behind you. She's a woman, probably an orc woman, actually, broad-shouldered, kind of miner's kind of physique. And she's just like, oh, poor Finn.

Please, you know, she's just like, oh. And we were just running. He was just, he was always a bit slower than us. He had a bit of a duff leg. Just, yeah. And she, like, looks down and she, like, kneels down sort of next to him. It's just like, sorry, we'll make sure that he gets back to his family and it'll be all right. And you can see that she kind of nods.

But thank you. Thank you. You saved the rest of us, honestly. I'm sorry that I failed him today. No, I mean, you saved, you and your friends saved the rest of us. I mean, we would have all probably died if you hadn't come along, please. Like, it's, it's,

and she kind of looks and like this kind of look of anger comes across. It was Marion and those, those three that she brought fucking with her. Whatever they did down in the mine, they woke these things up or brought them or summoned them or something. It's their fucking fault.

She needs to fucking pay for this. And you can see she's like, the rage is filling her now and she's just looking towards it. What was she thinking? I will write this grave injustice to you and I will do this for Finn. Thank you. And she kind of puts her hand on her shoulder. I need to help the others get back. I crave injustice to you, and I will do this for Finn.

Thank you, and she kind of puts her hand on her shoulder. I need to help the others get back. We need to get back to the village and let them know what's going on. But they're still in there, and I think they're calling these things or making them or summoning them, I don't know, but I think that they're still in there and they're making more.

You've got to stop them, or we've got to get the army up here or something, but like, and they look deeper into the mine. Get yourself to safety. Take everyone back to Benel. Tell Captain Lucian, Lucius, Merian, Elowen, Elenath. Hold on a second.

Tell Captain Lucas Ficaro. They were coming in the morning. Tell them to come now he did say he was going to stand up he was just like summoning them basically they were taking their sweet ass time they were taking them to come now he mustn't like getting a whole regiment of soldiers together you know it can take a bit to come ahead yeah um they she's like yes i will and like she turned to the others like come on come on and like she gathers them uh they will call back uh the woman that you were speaking to the orc when she'll She'll call back and say, like, oh.

And she, like, runs over. And the table that, like, Ophelia was stood on, she, like, rummages underneath it. And you can see that there's, like, some scattered things here and there. And she finds a very dirty, kind of torn up looking map. And she kind of thrusts it into her hand's gruff. And she, like, points and she says, look, it's a maze down there. But they went here. I'm pretty sure they went here.

The newest shaft. It's down at the bottom um marion's been we've been trying to find the mines running out the the veins are running dry and and she said that she had a solution and she took those three down into the new shafts where we've been trying to find new new veins they're down there um it's it's pretty dangerous there's some chasms and cave-ins and things like that, but they're down there. Don't follow this path. And she marks a line for you to follow. Because it does, looking at this map, there are all these different shafts

and twists and turns that you could follow on. But yeah, she does provide you with that before you go. Sorry, what was the mine called again? Was it Blackrock? Yeah, Blackrock Mine. Yeah, Blackrock Mine. I'll come out and join people. I'll probably dismiss the...

Actually, no, it's still dark, so I will keep light on my dagger, but I'll tuck it back into my belt. Sure. Yeah, I mean, I'm back up. I'm fine. Hey, don't worry about me. But I'm also close to Ophelia,

who I'm gonna be honest, look cool in my eyes, rather than terrifying. Could I go up to Gruff's map and just ask to have a look at it? No, I mean, he'd almost like, you know, share it. I think she just wants, basically Daisy wants to look at it and try and get Nim to also look at it? No, I mean, he'd almost, like, you know, share it. I think she just wants, basically Daisy wants to look at it and try and get Nim to also look at it and see between them if they can sort of memorize a little bit of it, or to give a better chance just in case.

Yeah, I mean, um, yeah, I mean, you know, you don't even need to roll for this because this is exactly what Nim does. Like this is, this was Nim's job. And you hear a voice like, I've memorized the root little one, yes, there's many twists and turns, but this is, I think I can see the logic of where these miners have dug, I can see the ambush points, I can see where I would strike, and yes, I have this memorized,

and sort of acknowledges that they've got it in their head. Yeah. Good. Yeah. And it's strange, because you don't have that memory, but Nim can give you that memory, and you can almost call it up like an image in your mind. Yeah. And it's strange because you don't have that memory, but Nim can give you that memory and you can almost call it up like an image in your mind. Yeah.

We're not going down there now, right? Yeah, what's the plan, Cruff? So he takes a deep sigh and the armour disappears, probably revealing quite a lot of blood and wounds. Marian is down there with a three. The miner, she said, whatever they're doing, summon these creatures. So they could be summon something more right now? Aye.

You do see that the bodies of the creatures, some of them, their acidic body almost dissolving them as they go, the one that was flash frozen by Xanthius' magic though is still very well preserved. We can study him. You see, and none of you have ever seen a creature like this. It is this bizarre thing, this chitin and almost rock plating with this fleshy underbelly.

There's parts of it that look worm-like underneath its armour, but then it has these digging, scything talons and scooping hands. Honestly, the best thing I could, pop culture-wise, if you want to imagine saying to give you a visual reference almost like a little tyranny like a termagon from warhammer these kind of like long elongated worm-like tails almost in these bulbous heads but no eyes um and it has almost that xenomorph element to that kind of elongated head very strange creatures. And you can see they have these distended bellies, like these kind of bulbous, kind of just swollen stomachs

that seem to be like shifting and murmuring. Well, we could hold the entry point. There's only one escape for them. Well, we assume. And wait for the army to arrive, or the soldiers to arrive? I don't think that Gruff should go anywhere in that condition.

I don't think we'd win that fight. This is too much. I don't know what that is. Pointing at the thing in the frost. What did they respond to as well? Did you see them fleeing? I'm gonna in the frost. What did they respond to as well? Did you see them fleeing? I'm going to touch the ground and see if I can feel

any of that residual tone that came out and commanded them. You touch the ground. The earth here, you know where the mine is, there's little patches of grass but it's mainly rock and stone and dirt kind of touch and it's a wide area.

You've connected with places before, but normally it's quite a focused place. And there is a presence, but it's very faint, very deep, way deeper than even on the map where they said to Gruff that these villains would be. And it's immense. There's this resonance, this discordant tone, almost like a wail, like a mournful cry of rage

and desire, hunger. It's not pleasant. It it's a very uncomfortable sound but luckily for rowan you feel it's very very far away and you feel that it has no awareness really um that's really kind of the best you can kind of summon but there is uh just the resonance the the earth here because you're trying to feel for that specifically, but you've always had a natural talent to feel the harmonies and the resonances of the world. And you sense that this mind, the stone here,

oh, it's suffering. Like this area is unhappy. There is something unnatural. It's bringing this wrongness here, and it does not like it. I lift my hand up from the ground, open my eyes again. The belly of Althea's very angry.

As in deep in the mind? Very deep, the belly very far down. Something is very wrong. Are the pebbles sad? The pebbles are in Azar. Hopefully they're okay. Are these pebbles? Are these rocks sad? There are no pebbles. We need to go near the river for pebbles. These are normal rocks. Are the normal rocks, then? This whole land is suffering. Something is wrong.

Okay. What Marion's doing? It goes deeper than them, but I'm sure that it's like poking an upset stomach. It's not nice to do. I start poking my stomach. Sure. In all things, there is a natural order, and I suppose there must be restored. But I... This is...

I don't know who any of you really are. So much power and potential came out of all of you in such fantastic ways. This is a lot to take in right now, you know? And we need... we need help. It is, I won't lie. I'm bleeding. I was surprised by all of you.

Some more than others, I won't lie. There was some ripping and tearing that occurred from one of you. But it was impressive. His eyes keep darting towards Gruff's bleeding wounds. Really? I'm on HP, dude, I'm just like.

Yeah. There is a hunger building. There is a hunger building. An incredible power, but if we can't push any further, then we won't push ourselves any further. As you guys are having this conversation, there is a kind of stirring in the rock beside the mountainside. And the rock almost ripples like a pond.

What? And someone steps out of the rock. You see a Tiefling, or a Tiefling, as they would be called. These are the children of Saint Tiefine, one of the sacred saints, Tieflings in the world, those who were basically children with demonic or infernal heritage. They have a deep emerald green skin, twisted horns, but the horns are almost jagged, almost stone-like themselves.

And they're bedecked in very rich looking clothing, lovely browns and dull oranges and golds and jewels, dozens of rings and necklaces and jewels, and they sort of. Oh. Looks around and then looks at the five of you. Hello. I seem to be in the right place.

Ah. Are you in pursuit of a dwarf, by any chance? A dwarven thief? Aye. We are, yes. And it's led you here. Our barrack must be nearby. Oh, you all look like you've been in a bit of a little scuffle,

a little battle perhaps. Hello, hello my dear. Who are you? Oh, forgive me, forgive me. Sorry, my name is Caliphras. Caliphras. Yes, yes, yes. My apologies, think of me, I'm a trader,

a sort of liaison and trader. I work with clients. You came from the, okay. Sorry, yes, a magic spell. I was trying to bring myself to the source of somebody who has upset someone that I work with. And I was hoping to be able to, I was hoping that there would be some soldiers

or some such that I could speak to to enlist their assistance. But it seems that I found the five of you. That's quite fortuitous. I must thank the stars and the scions and many in the spirits of the earth for what great fortune. Are you all right? You are looking very poorly. Would you like some help? We've just had a very intense encounter. Oh, well, please, please, allow me. Ah, yes, I think I have something. And he kind of opens his coat and reaches into a pocket

and pulls out and he spins them around on his fingers. You can see these golden long nails, like he's painted them gold and they're studded with gemstones. And then in the other hand, he has another one of these vials, two red vials. nails like he's painted them gold and they're studded with gemstones and then in the other hand he has another one of these vials two red vials consider this compliments of Caliph I'd almost like put a hand on to Ophelia to stop her from moving forward if you intend to I was gonna ask do you want anything in return oh no no consider this a gift I wish for nothing in return? Oh no no no, consider this a gift.

I wish for nothing in return and ask for no payment. Can I insight? Of course. That's it. Oh dear. Can I? Seven. Yeah, you can all roll insight if you like. I'm also really scanning this.

Filthy 20. Filthy. Rhi would not insight. Filthy 20. Filthy. Rhi would not insight. Filthy 20. Felia is insight. Dirty 20. Filthy. Yeah, what do we get on insights?

Filthy 20. Filthy 20. I got 22. 22. Daisy's gonna tell Nim in her head what's going on. I'll come back to you in a minute. 22, 20. Five.

Five. Seven. Seven. When he presents them, very clearly is offering them to you and smiles, offers them for free. With the insight, there's a grin. There's a grin of like, you think that this is legitimate, but Xanthius, you have seen traders before

and you've had experiences with those who offer something for free, knowing that they're building up to something else. And that often it's the thing that they offer for free that hooks you in. But he offers these two things. And for you, Gruff, it's definitely this is the smile of a man looking at those eyes. There is a million and one plans being hatched in those eyes like he is eyeing up all of you with these gleaming dazzling eyes taking in drinking in each of you analyzing you thinking and just a nice wild grin as he spins these potions in your directions. Daisy, you reach into your mind and you project this image

and you recite the words back to Nim, and you hear, for the first time in a long time, your friend, by the light of the peaks. And she speaks a word that sounds like a chime. You know it's language, but it does not sound like words. It sounds like music or like sound, but it's a harsh sound. It's like a curse, an expletive. Traitor, an agent of a realm.

Do not trust this one. Okay. I'm going to say. Sorry, um, we have to go back to, uh, we have to go back now. Oh. Well, that would be a terrible shame. Looks back

into the mine. I don't know how much time you have. I think that our dear Beric is going to cause quite a problem. That's why I was hoping to encounter somebody who would be able to... Well, I'd be able to work with somebody that would be able to go in and I could help and they would help me and we would stop a very bad thing from happening. But if you have to go,

and he begins to pull the potions away. I'll relay that in my head again. Yeah. And say, why can't we trust him? Should we leave? Nim will say to you, this Tiefling has made a deal with one of the Primordial Court.

They are an agent of a... of a... of a djinn, or a dao, or an efreet, or some other planar lord. Your friends need help, and... they are likely right. This criminal, this dwarf, has meddled in matters that it does not understand.

But... be wary. This creature has sold its soul. It's damned itself to an eternal life of suffering and war. It is trying to get into the world that I left behind. Get in, get out? Quick as possible? Trust your judgment, little one.

It's not great. But just be wary. And he is like, well, if you intend to leave, of course. Forgive the trepidation, Caliphras, but you just came from stone after a quite big fight. Yes, I'm so sorry to hear about this. If I had arrived sooner, I would have been able to help you. If only.

And when you say that, he grins at you, like, if only. Then we would have owed you more. But who is this person you work with, for, with? Oh, let's call them the Baron. The Baron. And this Baron, this Beric has wronged the Baron. Yes, greatly so. Beric has stolen something that belonged to the Baron. Yes, greatly so. Beric has stolen something that belonged to the Baron. I was trying to reclaim it. I try to avoid direct confrontation. I'm very skilled in certain

things, in magic and craftsmanship, and I know a trick or two, but I'm not the fighting sword, you understand. So I was hoping to encounter some brave soldiers, but it seems that I found something better, some brave heroes, perhaps, who would be able to go and deal with Beric, and I would be able to offer you some assistance, such as potions that can mend wounds or perhaps heal up these injuries,

or is it something else that you want? Still crimson in color, but I might be able to procure that if that's something you're looking for. And he's looking at you like he knows. Like somehow he knows the craving that's building in you, a feeling, that hunger. And he kind of grins. And you watch as he grins, he looks at you, he's examining.

And his teeth, like they become gold, but they mimic gold fangs and he kind of grins at you and then they retreat back in sorry go ahead if you've got something yeah the baron yeah i don't believe that's their real name no it is well it sort of is isn't. Can you tell me what their actual name is, then? I cannot. I am, as I said, I'm a liaison. He's a client. Client, you know, privilege. I can't divulge too much information, I'm afraid. I can assure you that this is a different matter and that all they are interested in is getting their property back.

It is their property. This dwarf has stolen it. And I am here to reclaim it for them. What's the property? Now that I will tell you. I will tell you that, because I think it's quite fascinating. Look, I genuinely mean it.

Nothing owed potions to heal you. You're clearly hurt. You're clearly injured, and I think you're going to need your strength to help me. So please. Provided we delve into the mines and deal with your little problem. I offer these free, no obligation. You walk away and i will it will mean nothing i mean if i was to insight

check this one as well i mean is it okay yeah anybody you guys can do what you want very kind of you thank you something for nothing oh thank you very much yes well you know it's it's i'm offering it for nothing material, but I like to think that it will maybe buy me some trust or buy me at least a moment of your time. Something like that, that's all. That seems extremely reasonable. Oh, thank you very much.

Thank you, what a charming man. Yeah. What'd you get on the insight? So I got a nine this time round, so I, at this point, I'm like, you know what? This time around, I think we might have rattled him a little bit. Spinning the vials around. 17.

17? 17? I mean, actually, that last bit when he said he genuinely is like, yeah, it seems his body language is relaxed. You see no signs of tics or nervous behavior. He's confident, if nothing else. He genuinely seems to be genuine. No tricks, no schemes?

None at all. On my dear mother, who I love quite dearly, I offer them. Ah! Oh, quite a feisty one. And to you, good wild heart as well. You seem to be quite hurt yourself. Are you sure? No. Oh, well.

And it's gone. He doesn't, like, it just disappears in his hands. Very well, very well. I'm sorry. I would usually be able to help in such a time, but I've used up my potential. I will be fine. So, yes, this property that Beric has stolen,

it was held for a little bit by the shrine, the priestess of Misar. Unfortunate matter, they arrested a fellow agent of the baron a long time ago and took the property into their custody. And the baron was fine with... They understood that there was perhaps some misunderstanding and that they were going to look after it. But Beric is stalling it for a different reason

and that the Baron does not like. They are... It is an object, a rod, called the Hand of the Lightless Pilgrim. Hand of the Light... Oh, that's a cool name. Yes, it is a cool name, isn't it? I don't know.

Tom says that. Mark says that. But yeah, he says, and this is a relic of my friend, the Baron. A minor trifle in his collection, but it was useful to an agent of his long ago. It helps one find veins of precious metals and ores and minerals and the like.

Very valuable to this, but it does seem to have had a bit of a malfunction. I think that Beric may have damaged it in his theft, and it seems to have called to, what is her name? Belaine, the embered goddess Belaine. She who hungers the worm of the depths, this ancient terror, and obviously such an evil of Ulfea

cannot be allowed to interfere with this matter, so I was hoping to find some people who would retrieve the rod, give it to me, and I will take it back to the Baron. And I'm sure there would be a lovely reward from the Baron if you were to do so. Can I ask who Belain is? You would know this.

So all of it, again, Imperial citizens, Ophelia, not so much, but the Imperial citizens, Belain was all of it, again, Imperial citizens, Ophelia not so much, but the Imperial citizens, Belain was one of the original gods, if you will, that came with Sovereign to Althea and helped shape the world. And the proto-magi killed Belain. Sovereign resurrected them with their flame.

But when they came back, they came back full of grief and rage and anger, just like Sovereign was and wanted to wipe out all life on althea and became corrupted and and uh warped from her original purpose and now she is one of the three embered these ancient beings that have become these evil deities and belaine is often tied to greed and the depths and uh is said to be said to live in rock and deep in the earth and loves to devour gems and ore. She is particularly feared by the dwarves

who they themselves become those materials and Belen is said to hunger for their bodies intensely. One of the three what? Embered. Embered. Yes. Gods, they are called that now They were once gods of Ulfea

But when they were resurrected By Sovereign They became the Embered These corrupted evil gods That are basically seen as heresy Like now It's like if you are a cultist Or an agent

Or if you worship the Embered The Church of the Scions Will absolutely come down on you As a crime And you will probably be executed My second favourite bit of Mark Lauren I'll be honest that will absolutely come down on you as a crime and you will probably be executed. My second favourite bit of Mark, Laura and Elmira. But yeah, Caliphras will say,

well, if there's anything more you wish to know, but do drink up, my dear, please. You're bleeding all over the place. That can't be enjoyable. He's just kind of looking at it. She's not sure. Sure. This rod, this didn't happen to be until very recently in the possession of a particular priestess.

You are right, on the money my intelligent friend. Indeed that is where the rod was being secured after it was recovered from my associate, another agent of the Baron. So... Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful. I can see you're intrigued. I can see it. In that case, do you have any information as to why Lucas Vicario is so... focused on hunting down... Is it Lucas, sorry? Or is it...

It was the Authoritor. Zaratecas is so... interested in... The lawman! The Authoritor. Yes, yes, yes. Of course, he hates cults of the Emberden. He believes Beric to be a member of Belaine's cult.

He believes that he has stolen it in some worship. I don't believe that to be the case. Beric is sort of the type to mainly be interested in his own financial gain. But yes, the authoritor and Beric have a long history. And when he began to learn that perhaps Beric was involved in this cult I don't know where he got such an idea.

And he's not even hiding it. He's just like he found some books and some scrolls in Beric's hideouts. I don't know how they got there. He seems to be particularly interested. hideouts, I don't know how they got there. Seems to be particularly interested.

Oh, I love this guy. I've hated him. You weave quite a web. You think me some sort of spider. Well, they are quite clever little creatures, quite pretty. And you see that as he says that, he focuses for a moment and two eyes, four eyes, eight eyes kind of appear over his face,

and they all blink in unison. Oh. And then they're gone. I feel a sense of unease. Why, my good friend? My big friend. Why? There is something terrible going on in the earth.

Perhaps that's what it is. Could be. Yeah. So, not sure. You don't seem forthcoming. Forthcoming, forthcoming. I've been nothing but forthcoming, my friend. I offer you gifts, I give you answers where I can.

But I'm so sorry if I seem duplicious. Thank you, actually. Thank you. Thank you. Well, quite the chatter. You're quite injured. You might be able to get in a little rest, a few minutes or so, but I would not leave it long. Even if you have summoned for help, I think that they might arrive in time,

but Beric and the others will be dead, the hand lost, and who knows how many more of those things, and he points at the frozen creature. 100, 200, 1,000? I dread to think how many there might be. Do you know what these are? Oh, creatures of Belain, spawn of some kind of the Embered Goddesses, I think, yes. I... Bellamorphs, I think they're called.

They feed on gold and gems, but in their stomachs they have a sort of portal that sends it to their queen, the goddess herself. I believe wizards sometimes harvest their stomachs materials for those bags of holding. They sometimes use their stomachs as materials for it. It's lore, man. Typical wizards as well. What's that? Super dangerous thing? We're going to make a bag out of that. We should harvest some vellum off stomachs.

Yeah, you can see that only that frozen one, the rest of them have all dissolved, and they've left slagged, pitted pieces of metal and iron and gold that were in their stomachs and have just spilled out as they've basically digested themselves but the one that's frozen is like perfectly preserved yeah this is our new piece of freaking enemy carcass that we drop off in a town and then never go back. Live in armor. Collect. Can someone turn this into a bag? We did collect it eventually. Just took a few. It's old campaign business.

It's done, it's in the past. No, but why is there always, early in a campaign, something that you go, I'll have that made into things, and you never do it. You never do it. Well, this one looks particularly small. You don't think you'll get a full bag of holding out this, but a wizard might buy it as a reagent or ingredients

for something in the future. And Caliphras will actually say, they are quite valuable. I mean, the little one like that might fetch you sort of 50, 100 gold to the right buyer. Wow. I'm a trader. I know these things.

So worth keeping. Worth keeping if you can. What about you take that? We get the other healing potion and a little bit of blood for Ophelia there. Oh. He looks at you and he kind of examines you. Gold, Dragonborn.

Gold, indeed. Very used to trades and contracts and things like that. Yes, I can see that. You've got the mind and the eye of a businessman. Thank you. A bag of holding. Perfect, destiny. No, isn't it? No, no, not quite.

Too small for that, but I like the cut of your jib. I'd rather have a purse of holding. Perhaps that noun is more likely. I'll tell you what, I'll take the corpse and I'll give you the potion and butt. And I'll give you some blood as well if you like. I keep some. But I want...

Of course he does. But I need you to go in, and I need you to get Beric. And I need you to get to the hand, and I need you to bring it back to me. And there will be another reward forthcoming if you do. The Baron rewards those who are loyal to him. One second. Huddle. Huddle?

Can we just take a moment, please? Take all the time you need. are loyal to him. One second. Huddle. Huddle? Can we just take a moment, please? Take all the time you need. And you see that he will move over. He'll actually kind of like move over to like this little ladder thing. He'll sit on it. He actually lies down, like completely relaxed,

his tail kind of swishing. And you watch as he kind of examines his nails, and you watch as his whole arm begins to slim down and his body shifts. He kind of takes on this more feminine form. He gains curves, his hair grows down, and he just completely changes into a female tiefling. And then she begins to examine and look at herself

and sort of pulls out a little hand mirror examining her face. Before we talk further, you can still hear me, can't you, Caliphras? Yeah. You can make an insight check if you want. I absolutely can. Not a chance! You look over, and actually, it's not... This time, she does not intend for you to like notice.

This is not played up. She's pretending to like examine her makeup, like maybe like doing this, like maybe drawing eyeliner on. And then the eyes just ever so slightly dart in your direction as you speak. And you know that yes, they are absolutely still listening.

All right. In that case, I will not say yes. I will just slightly nod. If time truly is against us and we need to stop this potential horde of, what was it, Belomorphs? It's correct, Belomorphs. Belomorphs from pouring out of this cave

and threatening the entire area, then unfortunately, Gallifreus is right. We might need to... If that's one of these things... Yes. It's becoming my opinion. Hold on. Wait.

I'm just piecing this together. Okay, okay. We're not going to gain anything until we finish the job. From the Duke? From me. Or from Caliphras? No.

Either. No. So we were going to go down anyway. We don't have to agree to anything. But right now, we're too heavily injured to go there. Gruff's very hurt. Are you okay, Gruff? If I very hurt. That's a good question. If I may speak. Of course.

I am going down for the Duke's favor. I am going down for Finn the Fallen. You may make your deals with this trickster. I will not. I'm not making any deals. I am sorting myself out. I am going to go into the mine. Do not worry about me.

But if you wish to make a deal with this charlatan, go ahead. I will not stop you. However, it is against my morals and my code to deal with such a slippery eel. Excuse me? No. Okay. No further. I'm going in.

And I can look after myself. And as Gruff walks off, you see him glow briefly, and his wounds start to knit together. You're going to cast Cure Wounds? I'm going to cast Cure Wounds. Okay. I'm also going to say, there's a homebrew rule that I want to introduce.

Once every seven days, like in-game time, you guys can use, for one short rest, you can make a short rest into what I'm going to call a heroic short rest, which instead of taking an hour, you can take five minutes, and you gain the benefits of a short rest. But you push yourself to do it, and you can't gain that heroic short rest again until you have seven days of downtime.

Not just seven days in-game, it is seven days of downtime right so you have to spend a week in a settlement or a town or a village cool basically doing nothing um and that will earn you your heroic short something we could have theoretically retroactively done yes absolutely yeah but you can also cast cure wounds because that's going to top you up and give you your hit dice back. I feel like Gruffydd's speech just then would almost invoke a West. I'd say that that could almost, rather than spending the spell slot, that could be you just healing. Absolutely. That's almost the heroic short rest.

I'm rested. Sheer bloody-minded determination. Well, I'm going with you. Okay, Gruff and Rowan's gone. Are you heading in? Yes, but I don't want to work with you. I don't trust them. To be clear, Ophelia, you might have my back on this one.

I just made a deal. I traded that thing for a potion and some blood. I still haven't taken the potion. I don't know what to do. I need help. Help that I traded for, as a reminder. I didn't make a deal. Did I make a deal? I don't want to make any... I don't want to work for anyone.

I don't want to make a deal with anyone. I just need blood. Which I have found. I've procured some. I don't work for you. What am I doing? I'm going into the cave with everyone else. Fine. I'm going to fulfill my dream. I will say this for Ophelia.

They're talking about this dwarf and this woman and this kobold. They'll have blood. There's blood down there. You are craving it. Fine. I'm coming. Ta-ta, darlings. I'm sure I will see you again another time. Can I just put the potion at his feet?

Yeah, you go up and you leave it down and her tail wraps around it. Well, no, she's changed, but her tail wraps around it and pulls it back up and then she takes it and disappears. No deal. I owe me. Good luck. My deal.

She blows you a kiss. And with that, we're going to conclude episode two of The Fair Dragon Empire. Oh, hell yeah. A little bit of combat. A little bit of combat. Hey, just to show off stuff. Class is revealed. You know who we are now.

Thank you very much for watching. We will see you next time. Take care and bye-bye. Bye. Bye. We will see you next time. Take care and bye-bye. Bye! Bye!