High Rollers DnD - Altheya: The Dragon Empire #21 | The Dragon's Confessions (Part 2)

Episode Date: May 2, 2024

The gang gather ingredients for a quick curse-breaking ritual in Ashen Rest! Check out Tom's secret Xantheus doodle for free on Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/103214750 ---------------------- HIGH ROLLERS LIVE in London on the 17th September 2024! Tickets live now: https://www.aegpresents.co.uk/event/high-rollers/ Add the Heroes of Altheya Minis to your TTRPG collection here: https://only-games.co/collections/high-rollers Enhance your bath time experience with the official Altheya themed DiceBombs at https://geekyclean.com/! Love the podcast? Give us a glittering 5 star review! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/high-rollers-dnd/id1401508198?see-all=reviews Support the High Rollers on Patreon and get early access to Podcast episodes, vods and more: www.patreon.com/HighRollers Music courtesy of Epidemic Sound, TCT Adventures (Solasta: Crown of the Magisters), Monument Studios and Jolene Khor! Check out Jolene Khor and all her wonderful work on High Rollers on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1WX3ICiTmf4GpHwImnQMs6 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Pickaxe. Visit CoorsLight.ca to learn more. Celebrate responsibly. Must be legal drinking age. Wait, time to create an extra line of defense and protect that lead. That's like 2FA on Kraken. A surefire way to keep what you already have safe and sound. Go to Kraken.com and see what crypto can be. Not investment advice. Crypto trading involves risk of loss. See Kraken.com slash legal slash CA dash PRU dash disclaimer for info on Kraken's undertaking to register in Canada. Welcome back to Orphea Part 2. Our heroes have been having a very heartfelt conversation. Secrets about Xanthius have been revealed.

A wake has been held for Ophelia. And in the Greylands, Ophelia met with Rahajan, the Merchant Prince of Nowhere, made some trades for a weapon, and has now continued on her journey towards the temple of the Grey Father in the Grey Lands. And that is where we are gonna jump straight back in with Ophelia. I would like you, Ophelia,

to roll a d4 for me, please. Okay! Oh my god, it's a lot of d4s. This is a good sign. That's a one, bro. That's a one. All righty. So there is one sort of final stretch of dust plain

before you get into the mountains themselves. The temple, you're going to have to navigate through the mountains to get to the temple itself as well, but you've got one sort of stretch of dunes to kind of cross. And as you are making your way way this new rapier in your hand and feeling this kind of surge of magic that you're you're unfamiliar with like knowledge almost flowing from the weapon into your mind of how to call on your blood and call on the power that's within it to cast spells. You begin to notice that across the dusty plains, it's almost not quite mirages,

but translucent places of the living world are sort of trying to overlap with the gray lands. And you begin to see almost like, not teleporting in, but like the world of the dead is overlaying with a city, and then a forest, and then a lake. Like, it's almost trying to overlay these real world places with the Greylands. And to navigate this, rather than your your physical senses this is going to rely on your ability to kind of predict and see the way of magic so i need you to make an arcana check okay let's see if you can avoid the hazards and things 20 wow yeah not only do you make your way

through navigating these this strange magical landscape of constantly phasing in and out of existence. But as it does, it leaves behind remnants of the real world that you manage to scavenge and pick up. So you manage to find some large pieces of wood and some large pieces of stone that you can add to your crafting pack, basically. Nice.

And those might be able to be turned into something, if you would like. You will need to spend a charge from the Breath of the Father to represent as you're travelling, like running out of food and water and things like that. Because the stuff that you got from Rahajan is really just to satiate you.

The actual breath is what's keeping you going. Okay. How many have you got now? I've used one, two, three, four, five, six. I've got seven, so I've got five left. Five left, all right. This does mean that you have an opportunity. You kind of find, as you reach the other side of these magical phasing in and out,

in the shadow of the mountains, you can take a moment to rest. And if you'd like to try and craft something or do anything, you absolutely can do. Could I try and make a campfire with this wooden stone I've just found? Yeah, absolutely. Try and give yourself some sort of comfort and respite. Yeah. This, I'd say, rather than making... I'll let you choose, basically.

You can either make an intelligence roll or this would be a survival roll. Oh, they're both bad. Okay. Or fate, if you want to use fate? There are two points of fate. Yeah, I'll use a fate. All right.

You spend a point of fate, so you add a d6. Oh, okay. So survival would make that 20. 20. You, after so long, like, you've tried so long, like you've tried to make weapons, you've tried to make tools, you get this like little bundle of sticks and scraps of wood that you've made

and you get some pieces of stone and luckily some of it seems to be some sort of flint and after multiple attempts, a flame begins. And it is like the Greylands don't know what to do with this because there's no real wind here to blow it out and almost the dust almost parts away. And you see that the land that you're currently stood on,

like underneath all of this dust, is a great mausoleum. And the mountains aren't mountains, they are pieces of stone from some giant tombstones that have been chiseled and broken away into jagged mountains. And there's this piece of stone underneath you that is enormous in scale and size.

And fire, this land has not seen fire and the fire does not know how to be fire here but it provides warmth and comfort for a time and then you watch as the fire comes to life and it seems to almost not take on a shape, but the fire moves. And it moves towards you. And it doesn't burn you. It kind of clings to you. Coalescing up your legs, up your arms, until you are wreathed. Your rags almost are aflame, but it's not burning you or the clothing.

As if the fire is desperate to cling to something that is like it. You are the only anchor that this flame has to this world. For the purposes of this, I'm going to basically give it that any creature that attacks you is going to take 2d8 fire damage as the flame is trying to protect you. And it's sustained on you. So you have this flaming cape for now that's kind is trying to protect you. And it's sustained on you, so you have this flaming cape for now that's kind of trying to protect you.

I feel like you'd be panicked to start off with, just like, ah! Yeah, yeah, yeah, the fire is almost crawling, almost reaching towards you, but as it does, it doesn't burn, and there's this pleasant warmth to it, warmth that you've not, and you realize, how long has it been? Has it been days, has it been? Has it been days?

Has it been months since you felt warm? And it takes a minute. Yeah. And then, yeah, you see the shadow of the mountains, these great tombstone mountains, and you have a ways to go. You have to navigate through these mountains to reach the temple. But you begin making that trek. There are multiple paths through these mountains to reach the temple, but you begin making that trek. There are multiple paths through these mountains.

There appear to be trails, probably made by creatures like Rahajan or like other travelers that exist in the Great Lands. You can try and follow those. That would be a survival check. It might take longer, but it would be the safer route. The more dangerous route is to climb.

And that would be a strength athletics check. You still have your plus three from Gruff's blood. You would need to basically, yeah, climb and sail through these mountains, but you don't know what creatures or dangers might lurk here. The paths would be

safer, providing you succeed. If you fail on the paths, you will encounter trouble. With the athletics, the climbing, it will be faster and you'll not need to spend as many of your breath charges. But regardless whether you succeed or fail, there will be some sort of complication. Fail obviously being worse. You'll be in a worse situation. Does my spider climb help with that with the climbing I would say it

does yeah because you can just walk up it but there is still going to be some element of like climbing and navigation right but yeah you'd absolutely I would say that you have advantage on that role yeah I'll go climbing all righty uh so yeah this is going to be an advantage athletics uh with an extra plus three um from gruff Blood. All right, it's rock and roll buckaroo. Ooh. Athletics. Tastes like sea salt. Eight, nine, 10, 11.

11 points. Give me a minute here. As you are climbing, you begin to see... You make your way up the mountains. And with your spider climb, there's no danger of you falling or anything like that. It's hard work. It's exhausting work. So do mark off one charge of your father's breath as you make your way up.

But you're not at risk of falling. What does happen, though, is as you get higher and higher, you begin to notice nests of those skeletal vultures and buzzards. And they're scattered all over. And there's dozens of them, but they're just watching you. And the temple is not far now. Like, you begin picking your way, you know, finding your way across the mountains, reaching towards the temple.

And as you're doing so, a great shadow falls over you. And this shadow is much larger than anything you've encountered before. And when you look up, you see that swooping down, gliding towards you in an attack, is a giant skeletal vulture. And it is... As it swoops down towards you, it's tattered, membranous wings.

It's got like a... It's kind of half skeletal, half zombie. It's like guts are like spilling out of its body and trailing underneath it like great ropes and tendrils of like ribbonous sinew and fabric. But this is going to be an initiative roll. Rock and roll. Hell yeah.

Let's go. You said two of the only in D&D words, tendrils and membranous. Membranous. I don't even think membranous is a word. No, but only in D&D does it make perfect sense. What did we get on our initiative, Ophelia? 22.

22. This thing is quick and it's reacting fast, but you are faster. So you have the first turn here. It is coming towards you. It is currently about 60 feet away and it's flying down towards you, but yeah it is your turn to take. You have your, pretty much everything at this point is unlocked

for you. Awesome. I'm going to use my first spell and cast Toll the Dead. Oh! This vulture. Okay, well do you want to read out what Toll the Dead does for us just for the sake of any new viewers? You point at one creature you can see within range and the sound of a dollar a spell fills around it for a moment.

The target must succeed on a whiz saving throw or take 1d8 necrotic damage. If the target is missing any hit points, it instead takes 1d12 necrotic damage. Alrighty. Well, I will roll a wisdom saving throw. This creature is not particularly wise.

What's the DC? 12. 12? Fortunately, I do beat it on a 13. Unfortunately. Uh, so throw. Uh, this creature is not particularly wise. Uh, what's the DC? Twelve. Twelve? Fortunately, I do beat it on a 13, unfortunately. Um, so as you ring, perhaps it's just your unfamiliarity with the magic. Uh, you do hear this dolorous bell, but this creature flying towards you, it does not quite grip onto it just yet. Okay.

Um, anything else you'd like to do on your turn? That was your action. Bonus action rage, please. So, since coming to the Deadlands, your first time of feeling that anger. And I guess, like, what does it feel for Ophelia? Is this, like, coming from like, desperation? Is this frustration? What is this anger being drawn from?

Just her will to survive. Like, I'm so close. You can see the temple. Anything to succeed. Yeah, and just... You hear your heartbeat, everything turns blood red in your vision, your eyes become bloodshot, your muscles almost pump with energy as you feel that surge, and this thing then dive bombs into you. Hell yeah, let's go.

It does have multi-attack, so I'm going to be making two attacks. The flame effect will only trigger once per turn, by the way, so rather than every attack. Did you just roll a nat 20? No, you didn't. It's happening again. You cannot kill what is already dead, Mark. Dice again.

Is it the same dice? It was this dice last time. That was a different dice. It's happening again. But this time, you're on what, like a million health. And you are raging. I'm raging. And this is piercing damage, so you're going to half it.

Nice. So, just looked up to all the dead. To all the dead. 16 points of damage, halved to eight. No worries. So this thing, its beak, tries to bite into your neck. And it sinks in, but can you roll 2d8 fire damage for me, please?

As the conjured flame will try and protect you. Nine. Nine points of fire damage. Nice. So you watch as the creature bites into you, it lets out a hideous shriek as the flames jump onto it

and almost try and pushing it away from the thing that it needs to survive in this place. And yeah, it sinks its teeth into you. It does then try and break you with its talons.

I will use a different dice. Well, that is only a, this, well, the beak, like the sharp piercing beak. It's a sharp beak. Eight AC.

Does that miss? That misses. That misses. So the talons you manage to fend off, like maybe with the rapier or like with the flames, you manage to kind of get it away from you. It is going to stay within melee range of you, and it's kind of trying to use its beak to bite down,

and it's striking you with its claws. The flames did seem to hurt it really badly, though. Nice. All right, and that can be a blood point as well. does yeah yeah so as a point for your blood point it only you only get one when you attack with a melee weapon if you cast a spell you don't get a blood point for that all right yep a point nice nice a point a point now that's not with you let's we don't have to shorten everything down to a short word. Why not? Why not? Mumes.

I'm just going to try and hit it with my sword. With your rapier. Rapier. Sure, go for it. Are you going to make it reckless? I shall. All right, you get advantage. A reckless rapier.

That's a 17. 21. That is definitely a hit, yeah. This thing does not look hard to hit. The 8 plus 2. You are raging, so it's another plus 2, so it's plus 4. So 4 plus 4, 8. 8 points of damage.

Yeah, you watch as, you know, even though it's piercing damage, you tear through the membrane of the wings, tear through what's left of its gut, ripping out parts of these entrails. It sprays you with blood that sizzles on the flame. But a devastating blow to this thing. Nice, nice, nice.

Anything else on your turn? You've got a bonus action left. You've got movement. You can't really move anywhere because you're kind of balanced on a mountain while you're doing this. Luckily, you don't have to make any checks because you've got spider you've got spider climb yeah no i think i'm just gonna keep waiting at this thing all righty so where i am so stay where you are all right it is gonna try and attack you uh again twice uh the first one with its beak is gonna be a 15 to hit you that does hit oh i do have advantage because you recklesscklessed. No, it's still a hit,

but it does not hit. That eyebrow raised just ever so slightly. That's eight points of piercing, half to four. So you take four, and then tries to strike you with its talons with advantage. Oh, I rolled two 19s. 23 to hit.

Yep, that hits. Now the talons do unfortunately hit a bit harder although not so much this time nine half to four four points of! Alright, I'm gonna make a Dexterity saving throw, correct? 12 to 6. What is happening? What is it? That is a failure. And in fact, it would also, before you roll your damage, it did attack you, so can you roll 2d8 fire damage for the Living Flame? Oh my god.

Oh my god. 8 and a 7, so 15. 15 points of damage. And then can you roll your Hellish Rebuke damage? 2d10 for hellish review that was the flame cloak the float three and so that's only four four points of fat damage from the hellish rebuke hey it all ends up and in fact it is enough with the maybe it's like the living flame i really like this as a flavor because you took hellish rebuke

maybe it's like the living flame i really like this as a flavor because you took hellish rebuke that living flame kind of joins with that magic you feel like i have this flame it's mine now i can control it and as it strikes you once you then latch lash out again with this living flame as the hellish rebuke kind of takes effect and you watch as this vulture is incinerated you watch as it leaves unfortunately you're not able to claim the resources because the bones just scatter across this vulture is incinerated. You watch as it leaves. Unfortunately, you're not able to claim the resources because the bones just scatter across the mountaintop, like just fall around you. But they're just blackened and it just becomes ash

and is quickly dispersed into the wind. Hell yeah. Because, yeah, you know, I imagine you're kind of bleeding from the wounds and things like that, but like on the mountaintop, clung to the side, rapier in one hand, flames like reaching out from the other one. You look around and you realize that you are high up on these mountains

and you look around and you can see the gray land stretching out before you and you are on the same path towards the temple. And there is this moment of stillness as you look out on these vast endless planar world of dust and in the distance from up high you can see like dust clouds as great legions of skeletons like move around you can see ruins maybe what looks like an actual city in the far far distance and just having that moment where you are victorious. With that, you will be able to reach the temple,

but we are going to come back to the rest of the team. Cool. That's cool, man. Good spell picks. Thank you. Very cool. I didn't know Barbarian could do that. Christopher Trotamus.

Crot, if you will. Yeah, crot. We jump back to the rest of the team. Morning comes. The sun rises. Unfortunately for Xanthius and Ren, you are still suffering from those effects. And Obi.

But Daisy and Gruff, you make your way down and see them sort of like keeping vigil, keeping watch over Ophelia's body. There is definitely rigor mortis keeping vigil, keeping watch over Ophelia's body. There is definitely rigor mortis is set in, like, with Ophelia's body. She's not smelling, but, like, there's a stiffness to her now. Percival has not moved. He's just stood, as always, waiting,

waiting for his mistress to tell him what to do. But, yeah, you guys awaken. Good morning. Oh, dear. How did you sleep? Oh dear. Sleep well? Yeah, yeah. Oh, I slept terribly.

Yeah. Good to know. Good to know. Daisy would probably be like, oh yeah, me too, oh so bad. Me too. Oh, so sleepy. I have such a shame now, we all feel terrible. I have a wisdom of seven, I'm like, yeah, they slept terribly. I think, I've been thinking a lot,

we've had a lot of time to think. Yep. Obviously we need to remove the curse. From both of us, yeah. Also, looking at Ophelia, she deserves a place to rest. Maybe we should start. Where are you thinking? Proceedings. Speak to someone at the cathedral, maybe.

I know it's not her... Well... ...religion. I don't think that's where Ophelia would like to be laid to rest. But they might have resources to maybe provide us so that we can put her somewhere where she would like to be put. Well, she was starting to build a shrine in the outbuilding, right? True. I wonder if there's space enough to convert it,

maybe turn it into a mausoleum or something. You know, I didn't ask her enough questions about her religion. So I wouldn't know. It's a good place to start, something she built herself. There is a house of binding as well. Might be able to help us with preservation or something like that. The house of binding is the temple of Saint Dathyr, who is the goddess of the patron saint of death, basically.

The talk of putting Ophelia to rest is making Rowan just like stream tears. Oh, big boy. Big green. Oh, big green. Come now. We've lost a dear friend. Aye. But, well, she went out doing what she loves. Falling off roofs.

Not working. Not working. I guess that's one thing we can say about Sister Athena De La Rosa. She's too crazy. Falling off roofs. The scourge on society. She loved to climb up onto those houses and just topple off. So maybe when we're out shopping,

So maybe when we're out shopping, we could get some nice... things. Maybe we check in with the House of Binding and see if there's a way they can help us preserve. Okay. Maybe they have a better idea of procedure for our tradition. I don't know. 100% you would know that the House of Binding,

there would be acolytes there who can cast the spell Gentle Repose, which basically prevents, like, a body rotting and, like, it wards it against becoming undead, but it also, like, the body stays fresher for, like, longer. Like, if it takes you a long time to bury them and things like that, it kind of preserves the body. The perfect spell to use on a fridge. Maybe.

Can you use it on food? It's a creature. I believe it has to be used on a living creature or a dead creature. So you could use it on, like, chicken. You could use it on, like, a chicken. Chimkin. Interesting. So who wants to go where?

Can't use it on vegetables or non-previously, you know, like, You plant the feelings, bro. They are, but they don't count as creatures in this. They're organic. They don't count as a... Huh? It's organic, though. Yeah, I did say that.

I mean, I'm not saying that. That's why abjuration, because you shield it from the bacteria. For those who don't understand, there was a whole thing in one of our campaigns about making a fridge. Some people might not. Some people would not. Hey, watch the short. What magic would make a fridge. Some people might not. Some people would not. Hey, watch the short. What magic would make a fridge?

Anyway. I don't mind going to the House of Binding. I also don't mind just going to the library to look for this poem. I think that really needs to be a priority, is getting this curse off you lads, because no offence... Why?

Look at her with fangs. You look absolutely dreadful. You look... You look... As my dad would say, you look shit. I see things. Away with words. Straightforward, that man was.

Well, where could we procure pure natural water? Well, I might be able to help with that. Good, okay. I, I might be able to help with that. Good. Okay. I think it should be quite quick and easy to get all of these things. Six silver needles, two clear gemstones, this fancy poem,

and pure water. And five gold rings. No, not the gold rings. I don't think we can afford that. And then we need to go and visit the sisters at the Grumpy Hog. Yeah. Are you okay with that?

Like I said, what else can we do? I know the Duke said to go to Blackwing, but I, I just don't trust him with this. Well, we can cross that bridge when we come to it. First things first. Remove the curse. Find a way to preserve Ophelia. Okay.

Sister Ophelia. Yes. Of the House of Blood. Yes. De La Rosa. Yes. Not in that order. So my question is, how are you dividing up this task?

Are you going to split people off to go get certain things? Are you going to travel around as a crew? And where are you gonna split people off to go get certain things are you gonna travel around as a crew um and where are you gonna go like where where do you have in mind to like come try and collect some of these things first things first with the water would creating magical water count as yes okay in fact there is yeah it would be incredibly pure water if you created it with magic in which case is there a whiskey barrel that has not been destroyed in this place absolutely okay you can create clean fresh water uh it's probably like the old sink as well like if you plug it up you can just fill that up it's clean but because i can create up to 10 gallons of clean water yeah it's probably not a need for all of that but yes you can create can i dump it on xanthius get him a a bath as well? It did say pure natural water.

Create water, basically, is like fresh spring water. Okay. Is what I meant. Yeah, yeah, okay. Pure as a bed. This is not, this can't be. Yeah, okay. Basically undiluted by, like, filth or, like, people, basically. Evian.

Luvian. Gruffian. Not sponsored. Gruffian. Not sponsored by spring water. So yeah, that is like hands down, just mark off a spell slot, and then that's done.

So Gruff will... First level spell. Yeah. That's Bristol tap water, that is. That ain't pure. Delicious. That's not pure. This stream is sponsored by hydration.

I say drinking a can of Coke. So pure. Hey, don't discount i'm hydrated by it um so that's easy uh what about yeah the rest of this stuff are you guys going to split up are you going to go around calls a place near the grumpy hog that's something our chemicals our chemical actually loads our chemicals where I think we'll find weird things like silver needles potentially and maybe those clear glass... Have we been there before? We haven't been in. Yeah, you've been in. We perused, realised we couldn't afford anything, left. We got the salve. Yeah, we got salve.

But were there a lot of like... There were not things like needles and things like that. It was mainly like herbs and ingredients and things like that. Xanthius, you have experience with traders and things like that in business. The silver needles, you would probably want to go to a silversmith or a blacksmith to make something like that. Or a needlesmith. Or what about mystique? Those would be like sewing needles.

You need silver long needles, like three-inch needles. So yeah, a silversmith or a blacksmith. So going to somewhere that would have that. What did you say? I love that band to three-inch needles. That really got Rhiannon. That's pretty good. That's pretty good.

It's pretty good. That's pretty good. That's pretty good. The clear gemstones. Gemstones, again, you would probably want to go to a jeweller's or somebody that sells, like, jewellery. So Mystique might have jewellery, like clear gemstones for jewellery. Or if you wanted glass objects, glass blowers. Any kind of, like, artisans thing like that, you can easily find a shop for it in Ashen's Rest.

Like, there is a big is a big trade guild. The silver needles and the gemstones or glass objects, we don't need to roleplay it. You can just spend a bit of money, basically. Okay. So it would be 60 gold for the six needles. I hand it for a platinum. Oh, yeah.

That's 100. So you get a 40 gold change. And then the two glass objects would just be five gold. Sorry, six gold for those. Because you just buy cheap gemstones or glass spheres. Do you want to take that one or shall I? He's mathing. Watch out, he's mathing.

I don't know if I trust his math. Oh, Lord, he's mathing. I didn't actually convert the platinum into hundreds. What a little thinking noise. I'm dyslexic as fuck, don't be me. What do we need? How much am I paying? 66 gold.

Extra six, okay. Or is that on 66 again? Is that including that? 66 total. It's all right. It's all right. We got there. It's how I ruin you guys,

is just make you do basic mathematics. I think the only thing I would suggest is that I do not go to the library to get the poem. Why's that? Because that was the last place I was with Ophelia. Oh. Oh, boy. I know. Isn't that miserable? Yeah. Why's that? Because that was the last place I was with Ophelia. Aww. Oh, bud.

I know. Isn't that miserable? Yeah. Rowan's happy to go to the library. One day we'll see happiness again. Or the House of Binding. You go to the House of Binding then. Sure.

Yeah, I'll probably stick with Xanthius because Boyle needs to look after. So Xanthius and Gruff go to the House of Bindings whilst Rowan is going to go pick up the poem from the library. We'll do that first. You go to the House of the Quill and Scale, which is kind of used as the sort of town library, and the law keeper is there. When you inquire about this poem, the law keeper is like, oh, no, no, no, my good man. We mainly stick to academic and historical texts here. For something like that, there is a bookshop in the north side of Ashenrest, some sort of printing house.

It's just off Greyforge. But unfortunately, yes, we don't tend to carry things like fiction and poetry here. Bookshop north. Right you yes it should be fairly obvious uh it's printing house or printing company or something and you can find it there um and he gives you like loose directions are you all right yes north yes some sort of it's called something printing house Yes. North. Yes. Thank you. It's called Something Printing House or Printing Company or something. Printing. Printing.

I walk away mumbling printing. Yeah. You mumble away and you begin making your way north, heading your way through the different streets and things like that. As you're walking, Rowan, you see just like a little girl, like dressed pretty simply, like kind of the outfit, similar sort of clothing to like what Daisy wears, but for a younger girl. And she gets your attention.

She's like, mister, mister. She like comes up. Hello. Why did you kill them? And you just watch as her eyes bleed and her face turns into a skull. He just walks backwards, shocked, disbelief. You killed them.

You're going to kill all of them. No, no. They're dead because of you. No, please. He starts running away. Yeah, you run away. She vanishes. Oh, my God. I don't think these nightmares are good.

Meanwhile, Gruff and Xanthius. Meanwhile. Meanwhile, they're clutching at chest. Yeah, Xanthius, as you make your way, In the total. Yeah, Xanthius, as you make your way, the long walk to the district, as you do, going up the steps heading towards the House of Bindings, you get halfway up the steps into the upper part of the district,

and you have to stop right now. You feel like your heart's going to stop. Gruff, hold up a second. I need to sit down. What's wrong your heart's going to stop. Gruff, hold up a second. I need to sit down. What's wrong? You are struggling to breathe. You can't get enough breath. Your chest feels like it's going to collapse.

In that case, I retract what I said and instead say... What's wrong? My chest, I can feel... Well... Deep breath. If I count to four, breathe. One, two, three, four. Can you give me a medicine check, Gruff?

No. He's dead. No pulse. 17, 18, 19, 20, 21. Yeah, like, Xanthius is really struggling to get, like, that breath. Like, he can't maintain that slow count. Like, he's really struggling. You think he'll be all right if he just rests for a minute,

but, like, it's bad. But in that case, yeah, instead of counting to four, I'll count to half a second, then one second. You do see, like, a member of probably the Duke's guard is like, is everything all right? Do you need help? Or do we need to get a medic or something? He's just winded. It's okay.

All right. And they all sort of go about their business. It's like a few minutes, five minutes, ten minutes, but you're eventually getting your breath back, Xanthias. Like, it's... you feel rough. I think it's, um... I think it's getting worse, Gruff. I think you're right. This is, uh... We need to solve this now.

OK, we're almost there. We've just got to get a few things. I'm sure Rowan's gotten his things. Hopefully. Here, take my staff. It'll help you walk. Can I summon the bird? Sure. I don't know why. I just wonder if I could.

You have to say the code word. And what is that? Seaside. He's... Gruff is bluffing on his arse. He's just, like, making this up. Seaside. Okay. And then, if you say it... Yeah. then gruff will do the magic to me. Okay, yeah, sure. And this spectral green cormorant appears and just stretches its wings,

kind of shakes its head as if shaking off water. I think watching that, if the bird has some kind of flow to it, if it's like a rhythmic sort of movement, I'll try and focus on that to regain some kind of... remove the shakiness from the breath and try and focus on that. This staff is like... it's big, right? It's big even for you. It kind of comes up to Gruff's head, and then Saren sits on the top of it.

Yeah. I mean, it's not unwield i mean it's not unwieldy it's not unwieldy it's a wooden staff yeah yeah okay and yeah i'll try and use the use sarin to sort of regain steadiness and composure to the breathing uh before we set off again i think seeing that like gruff would be like oh look someone's shown an interest in sarin life history about sarin telling all about the birds as you make the rest of your way there before i know but it was just in the middle of the mind new facts oh okay because i've got to tell you about her sister ira as well oh there's two of them you guys finish the journey you you come across the House of Bindings, the large temple dedicated to Saint Duthier.

There's beautiful gardens set outside. They are mortuary gardens. You can see there are some mausoleums and things. And behind them, on the far behind the wall, there is a large sort of hill, and you can see more mausoleums and things there. The temple itself, its doors are open, and you can see inside. It seems to be a fairly simple looking structure. Inside there aren't any pews or places for like sermons or

anything like that. It's more of a kind of functionary. There are side chambers where maybe the dead are prepared and then there's a ceremony for people to like come and say their wishes. But you don't see anybody inside. Instead outside just in front of the house of bindings um in amongst the mortuary garden you see uh a priestess she's actually an elf like a full elf not a half elf but she's young you can tell that she has probably you know for an elf well yeah for an, she's probably about 100 years, but obviously still looks like an adult. And she is wearing long black robes. But there is an element of finery to these robes. There is like beautiful trim and like gold lacing. And the sleeves, one arm has no sleeve.

It just has like a drape of fabric. And then the other one has like a very tight sleeve with almost like an archery guard of black leather and you can see that she's actually in the mortuary doing archery and you can see that she's blindfolded as she's doing it and it's the Japanese style with the long tipped bow

where they really draw it like a ceremony and then and it flies through and you can see that there are, like, target practice boards set around the Marchery Garden and she's practicing. And there are a few people watching it. There's maybe a couple of acolytes who are, like, watching. Looks like they're maybe preparing arrows

and, like, you know, participating in the ritual of it. But they take a few shots and... All of them blindfolded? The acolytes aren't, no. Like, the ones who are helping and prepared, but the elf is. Eventually, as you guys approach, the acolytes kind of say,

oh, right, watcher, there is someone here, someone at the temple, we have visitors. And she nods and takes the blindfold off, hands that and the bow off, and approaches you. And you can see she has ornate tattoos, almost like a skull face, kind of tattooed around her eyes and down into her mouth, her long elven ears.

Being an elf, there is still that element similar to Batwing where she looks like what you expect an elf to look like, but in the broad daylight, there's none of that kind of shifting appearance like Blackwing has. She looks exactly what you, and she just looks like an elf. Her hair is actually being pulled, taut back into like a tight bun. But you can see it's quite long and it's been styled up into braids. And she will say,

Greetings, good morning, Good afternoon to you. What brings you to the House of Bindings? How may I help you? Would Gruff know how to address her? Yes. Rite Watcher. The Rite Watcher is as in R-I-T-E Watcher. Like the one who watches the rites. Yeah. Kim's in love with her, by the way.

Sure. Kim's smitten. Yep. Yep, okay. Good morrow, rite watcher. Sorry for disturbing your ritual there. We, well, we've had a death. My condolences.

I hope that it was peaceful. It was absolutely anything but that. I am sorry to hear that. Sadly, this is the nature of things. We hope that death can be peaceful, but it is not always so. But at least she went out fighting and... Yes, yes. That is quite honourable. Death isir's gaze, Dethir's aim be true. Ah, well, that's a problem.

Yeah, there's a small hitch there, I suppose. This woman came from Osseous and had different traditions than we hold. Yes, we are taught a little of the nation, the kingdom of Osseous. Not too much, but we know that some of their beliefs are somewhat connected to some of the teachings about Saint Dathyr. But obviously we know that their afterlife and their belief in death is very different. but obviously we know that their afterlife and their belief in death is very different. I'm afraid that I don't know the rites of Osseous myself. If there is some other way that I can be of service to you or assist... Well, there is a matter of...

We were wondering how to preserve her body. Yes, I can send an acolyte to you to preserve the body. There are rituals that can be conducted, holy oils, that sort of thing that can help with that. Yeah, I think we want to put her to rest in the appropriate way that Ophelia would have wanted. May I ask, when did she pass? Yesterday.

Then we still have some time before that is urgent. But yes, I can send an acolyte. Where should I send him to? Are you staying here? You do not strike me as citizens of Ashenrest. Well, actually. We have the body currently at our residence, I suppose. The, what was called the Enticing Devil Tavern,

south of the town. She nods. She doesn't seem to react to that. She's like, oh, please forgive me. I am not so familiar with Ashen Rest myself. I have only lived here a short time. But the acolytes will know where that is. Don't let them go. Tell them to knock on the door, but don't go in.

Maybe call for us from outside the garden. Garden. Yes, is there something we should be... Oh, just a little bit of ghost troubles. That is disconcerting. We cannot have spirits roaming around. Oh, not roaming around, no. No, she's just in the

inn. She doesn't like it when strangers come in. I see. We're working it out with her. It's okay. We don't want any action taken against her. Well, if those are your wishes, even during the day, is this still an issue?

Some spirits are... It is rare that spirits are active in bright daylight. Mostly during the night, but as we said... I will have the acolyte call out to you. Thank you. From the street. But yes, I can have an acolyte sent there with... Would you require burial shrouds, wrappings, oils, incense, that sort of thing?

We can provide all of that as necessary. I suppose all of it and... yeah. I just don't know how much of it is breaking in tradition. I'm afraid I cannot help you on that. It is a whole other faith, not one... We are told of them in a purely sort of instructional manner to recognise that they have beliefs about death and undeath, but the details are lost to me.

I must say as well, there is a small donation fee of ten gold for these rites and things like that. Of course. And then, yeah, gruffle, you know, count out. Yeah, an acolyte comes over with, like, a little wooden collection box and you pop it in there. It's just literally to cover, like, the cost of, like, oils and incense and things like that for the ritual. But, yeah, the Rite Watcher will say,

yes, of course it is, you know, even if you're the dearly departed is not one of the faithful, I still take my duty in preserving the body of the dead quite seriously. I'm sad that I cannot perform the rites and that she will, that St. Dithyr's arrow will not find her, but we do our best to offer what services we can. Well, sometimes I think that's what counts, right? Is to try trying something.

Yes of course. Yes I will have, I will have, I will send the acolytes to you as soon as they are available. Thank you. We have a few services to provide but to perform there was a few of the Carpenters Guild were killed and things like that so we must attend to that as well. Good to know. Mm. Okay. We'll be leaving now. Come on, Tius.

Okay. Okay. But yeah, they will send somebody to come in and say something. And rather than role-playing all that out, because Tyria during the day is not as active, like, you would be able to have this acolyte come in, maybe Daisy warns Tyria, like, hey, this is going to happen, but it's fine.

But the building where Ophelia was... So you can't get to it without going through the inn currently. Yeah, you have to go through the inn, okay. Because there's a big iron fence that goes around the whole land plot. So the only way in is through the inn right now. Obviously, you guys can change that if you start remodelling and things like that. But right now... Is the building big enough to inter you start remodelling and things like that. But right now...

Is the building big enough to inter Ophelia? Oh, yeah, yeah. It's like a small little... Like a small barn, basically. I feel like maybe we'd move the body there. Yeah, yeah. Especially because there's a shrine, half-built shrine, shrine somewhere.

There's nothing that's been built in there or anything. I think you cleared the space away, really. And you laid some of your actual great-father statues and stuff like that in there, didn't you? Yeah, well... I think you cleared the space away, really. And you laid some of your actual great father statues and stuff like that in there, didn't you? Yeah, well... But you don't have a coffin or anything, so I don't know if you want to dig a hole.

Because the barn is just dirt floor, it's just grass. So you could just literally dig up the earth and put Ophelia's body in there. I don't know. Is that what they do in Ostiaseous you have no idea i look over at percival percival has just stood by aphelia's body if you take aphelia's body if you take aphelia's body into there like percival follows but i feel like they're a very mausoleum kind of people i feel like they let their dead wander free to be honest that too yeah you could Yeah, you could just, like, lay her body on the ground and, like, not bury her.

Well, I do... That's the thing I keep clinging on to, right, is what if she comes back as dead or as, like, Percival? Possibly. So maybe we should make it easy. I don't know. I think we should preserve the body for now.

Right. And then find out as much as we can. Yeah. To do this properly. Good. I don't want to bury and then find out that it's some sin. God, imagine if we did a cremation. Oh.

Oh. Wouldn't like that. No. Meanwhile, I want to ask Rowan, like, where does Rowan run to? Like, what happens with Rowan after seeing this terrifying girl that just, you know, assaults your mind? You know, you don't know this, but it's a hallucination. Where does Rowan run to?

Like, what's he doing? What happens? I guess it would be instinctual at this point. Yeah, he just runs, right? He's just kind of, like, holding his head. And it's kind of like that hazy, just taken a grenade nearby, like ringing in the ears. Those words are just kind of

looping in his mind, and he's stumbling about. He'd probably instinctively go to the closest place that's comfortable, I guess, which would be the... Clever Toad? It's not nearby, no. But you could go there.

You're at the House of the Quill. You're actually quite next to the Grumpy Hog. I've never been in there. Yeah, we have. I have been in there. We had a meeting with Ophelia in there for a while. Or if you went a little further, you'd be at the House of the Rose, the bathhouse.

Onto the bathhouse. How about this? As you are a little further, you'd be at the house of the rose, the bathhouse. Onto the bathhouse. How about this? As you are stumbling around, something that shakes you out of this, you know, stupor, is as you go to pass the grumpy hog, you hear music. It's good music. It's not, there's lute, but there's drums. There is like a tambourine. And you hear a very very soft and

delicate voice um you only catch the end of a song before the like the lyrics you only hear like the the last few kind of notes but you you vaguely hear a kind of like and then it fades off and you don't quite catch all of it um but you hear like a raucous round of applause. It kind of has like a medieval-y kind of like bard song kind of like tuned to it. And that is just enough where you're like, as you're stood in front of the tavern, like that kind of draws you out of that moment. It's three-inch needles.

I just try and center myself at that point. Remain distracted. Maybe get my own loot out and start looking at its intricate patterns and designs, maybe tuning it, that sort of thing. Just mindfulness. Mindfulness and something that you find comfortable and knowledgeable and things like that. Yeah, yeah.

And yeah, maybe you can pluck a few notes of that song because you did hear it like that and you kind of like you know um and yeah the the the the lute strums and it hums and vibrates softly in your hands there's something soothing like the rolling river or the the vast grassy plains of the steppe like really kind of settle into your mind. And you know that that girl wasn't real. Like you imagined it, you're tired. It was, you're tired, that's all it was. Like, you know, it didn't mean anything. That's what I'm telling myself.

That's what I'm reassuring myself with. And then yeah, I just kind of get lost in a song. Sure. Yeah. Looking inside, you do see, you know, there's a small band playing. It looks to be a Nalanari gentleman, kind of soft white hair, purple skin, very well dressed, and he's joined by a kind of trio of other musicians. It looks to be like a kobold on the tambourine,

like a kobold girl wearing like a very frilly kind of like pink dress and she's clapping a tambourine. She has like loads of earrings and jewelry on. You can see that there is a big orc lady as well. I mean, she's got like a drum and she's beating that to go with them as well. And they're playing some songs and they're sort of kind of playing a kind of greatest hits,

like Bard's favorites kind of thing, like the famous songs that people kind of all know, like equivalent of pop songs, basically. No, that's what I call... That's what I call Althea, yeah. Now that's what I call the Dragon Empire. And yeah, you kind of hear that, and you can listen in on a few of those songs

and stuff like that. Yeah, I take some time some time obviously to enjoy that and when i feel comfortable and energized enough uh that those haunting visages behind me i get back to the task sure trying to go try to find this bookshop basically you eventually find it uh You have to travel north into Greyforge and then you kind of roam around some of the streets. I don't know if you're... Can you pass me your map? I don't think this is a location I've put it on there yet.

This is one of the first ones I get to add. I might also ask people in the Grumpy Hog for some directions to this place. Yeah, I think there are a couple of locations up north on the map, but... Yeah, this is not on there, because this is a unique location. This is number 24. Location discovered. Level up.

And you see... Well, dang. Yeah, the worst kind. You see it's not a particularly large store. It's the ground floor of a building. It's a small printing shop with a mixture of books from leather-bound academic journals to bronzebacks, which are cheap episodic fictions on like a rotating display stand. And

they have very sort of evocative hand-drawn images. You know, these are the kind of your mills and boons and your, you know, famous five-go adventuring and that kind of stuff. And the name of the store is called Tombs and Co. Printing House. And you see the inside, there's a little gnome lady. She's got the brightest pink hair you've ever seen. And she's wearing like a little, like a little suit, basically, like a little sort of like lady's suit with a vest. And she's just going around adjusting a couple of the books. And it's only a little place. You're actually going to have to kind of really squeeze to get in there, Rowan, but you can definitely fit in just about.

Hello. Oh, hello. Pleasure to meet you. Oh, hello there. Please come in. Welcome to the Ashen Rest branch of the Tombs & Company printing house. Oh, it's a franchise. Oh, yes, yes, yes.

We're all around. No, no. Don't do that. No, no, yes, yes. We're all around. No, no. I don't do that. No, no, yes, yes. It's only a little branch, but we're here to sell our works and fictions. Are you a reader? Oh, yes. I read so much.

What do you like? All kinds. Oh, wonderful. Just like me. You name it, I'll read it. Do you like the Morrigan Vale series? I probably would. Oh, well, we've got the new one in, you know.

It's just been finished. Amazing. Well, I'm looking for a particular poem, if you have... Poetry! Yes. What a romantic! Oh, wonderful. Yes, yes.

Sir Mortimer's... Sir Mortimer Graves? Oh, yes. Cometh the Raven. Cometh the Raven. Oh, it's a classic, an absolute classic. Well, you know, it's a very short poem, but we have an anthology of his. We've got a book with a collection of his poetry.

Oh, The Whole Works. Not The Whole Works, but his sort of most famous. Some of them weren't as well known, but yes. Let me find one for you. And she goes around. Very much. And she scoots around. And she comes out with a small black sort of leather-bound book.

It's quite a nice one. And it just has a symbol of a little raven, and it's a collection of Sir Mortimer Graves' poetry, basically. It's just like, you know, it's an anthology. Oh, fantastic. And she says, like, yes, here we basically. It's just like, you know, it's an anthology. Oh, fantastic. And she says, like, yes, here we are. It's a wonderful copy. That would be approximately, let me see here.

And she, like, goes to a little list. I get, like, one gold out. That would be five gold pieces. Oh. That one. Great. You expect it to weigh in, right? It's quite thin.

And, like, it's thin leather. It's not like a big, chunky, fancy tome. It's quite thin. You know, it's not super many pages, and it's very plain. It's not a very ornate book. Do you have a little bag? Oh, yes. It is a silver piece of bag. But it's like a little hessian

woven bag, and it has the Tombs & Company printing house logo stamped on it. Oh, yeah. But it's like a little Hessian woven bag. Thank you. And it has the Tombs & Company printing house logo stamped on it. Oh, that's lovely. Oh, and don't forget, and she gets you a little piece of card, and she stamps it. Ten in the next one's free. Amazing. Bag.

Put that in the bag. No, no, the book. It's the, you know, it's all stamped up, all branded. Bag, bag, bag. Oh, now, may I ask you a question? Yes, of course. I've noticed you've got that beautiful instrument and you don't strike me as sort of the person,

you know, my usual clientele. Do you participate in sort of exploration and sort of, you know, go about the world doing exciting things? Could I call you an adventurer? Well, I'll tell you a secret. Yes? Back where I'm from... Yes?

They called me the Resonant Wanderer. Oh, that is a... What a lovely name. Yes, I don't know what it means. Well, the only reason I mention it is we've had a call from head office and we're always looking for individuals who've got exciting stories or who might be interested in pursuing leads

that we have about rumours and things like that because we're always looking for new things to write about. You're a writer? No, no. I dabble, I dabble. No, but I mean, I do have, you don't have to buy it now, and she pulls out,

and you can see it's like handwritten, like it's a handwritten copy of something she's working on. Oh, please. I couldn't take an original. Oh, no, it's fine. You know, I'm always looking for beta readers, people to tell me if it's any good. I need feedback.

I'm hoping to get it published. It is, it looks, you read the title, and it is very clearly an erotic romance. How much? No, no, no, no, please, a gif, you take it. The dragon comes in the night. Yeah, it would be, it would be called, it would be called like His Majesty's something,

like, you know, like, yeah. Scepter. Yeah, yeah, His Majesty's something, like, you know, like, yeah. Scepter. Yeah, yeah, His Majesty's Scepter or something like that. And it's about, like, a handsome dragon who falls in love with a young gnome woman, as it turns out. It's very self-insert. He had the most vibrant pink hair. Yeah, there's definitely an element at work here.

Is there something else? Yeah. I was like, what? But, yeah, she pops that in your bag for you. But no, you should,

I mean, this is a head office thing, but if you ever find yourself in Kelskaris, they're always looking for folks who are interested. Thank you.

Fantastic, thank you for the lead. Of course, you're most welcome. Vibrant. Most welcome. And there you go. Vibrant.

Oh, the whole thing. Oh, thank God, it you go. Oh, it's a whole thing. Oh, thank God. Yeah, it's the, yeah. Yes, it's my erotic fan fiction. This is Cometh the Raven. Yeah, so you flip through it and you find the page with Cometh the Raven on it. This is perfect.

Just what I needed. Perfect. I hope you enjoy it. I will, thank you. I'll be back with many adventures. Oh what I needed. Perfect. Well, I hope you enjoy it. I will. Thank you. I'll be back with many adventures. Oh, wonderful. Thank you.

Yes, please. And she sort of waves you goodbye. I hit my head on the way out. Yeah, you absolutely were Gandalf style. So sorry. No, no, you're all right. Are you all right? She's like calling out to you.

God, no. Ow! She's just like, ah! There's a dead end of the door frame. I think it's more that, like, I like the idea that Rowan says, no, but not about, like, he hit his head, more about everything that's happened. He's just like, no!

No, it's okay. He just, like, walks off crying. With his little tote bag. Yeah, clutching the tote bag, yeah. Now, I guess I would, thinking that everyone else has kind of done their thing and I've kind of spent way too much time regathering my thoughts,

I'd head back to the Enticing Devil. Okay, I thought you were going to go put a coin in the tote. Well, goddammit, I will! No, you said you didn going to go put a coin in the toad. Well, goddammit, I will. No, you said you didn't. I've got one now. Well, too bad. Yeah. Any of those prophecies come true?

All of them. So far, pretty clear. Well, you said you were heading back, so you're heading back. Yeah, that's where we are. You make your way back and yeah you all gather at the Enticing Devil would we not maybe make plans to meet

at the Grumpy Hog you could totally do that yeah absolutely that's where the sisters said they were going to be absolutely you can do that oh I mean Mark was about to say

when are you going to get the Inquisitors in I literally was going to be like well so what's your plan no you guys make your way to the Grumpy Hog and

can I remember that then yeah yeah yeah sure sure sure yeah we'll just clarify Because he was. He was going to be like, well, so what's your plan? No, you guys make your way to the Grumpy Hog. Can I have Remember That Men? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Sure, sure, sure, sure. Swamp Crab. Yeah, we'll just clarify. There's no point in Rob playing any of that stuff. Because Gruff did ask before they left, like, where are you going to be tomorrow? Yeah, yeah.

And you make your way back and stepping inside, the band has finished playing. The band that you heard earlier, they've moved off somewhere else or they've left the tavern and sat enjoying probably lunch at this point. You see Maladie and Benedicta, Sister Maladie and Sister Benedicta of the Ecliptic Order. Benedicta has like a massive plate. She's finished all of her food. It's like literally bones and like scrapes left. Maladie just has a bowl of like a very thin looking herbal soup and she's barely had half of it um and she's just sort of sipping at it casually drinking water um benedicta definitely uh she would smile like she is generally like tries to be a friendly kind of like uh welcoming person so she smiles and like nods her head in your direction. Ah, good day to you.

Saints and scions to you. Blessings. And she nods her head and smiles. Saints and scions to you. Hello. Hello again. Hello. And she nods. And she probably would, especially like Rowan, she would greet warmly as Gruffydd as well. Over his shoulder.

It's quite small. It's tied in. Under the armpit. Nice to see you again and to you as well and Benedicta is a lot more cold with Xanthius

whereas Maladie there's like a twinkle in her eyes again like very sickly pale you can see that like

her thin hair is like almost stuck to her like with sweat and she ah good to see you again Xanthius and you thin hair is almost stuck to her with sweat. And she... Ah, good to see you again, Xanthius. And you.

And to you as well, Gruffydd, I believe. And Rowan, is that correct? Yes. Wonderful, wonderful. Did you have much luck in procuring those required items? Check the tote. I believe we have everything we need. Put the water on the table.

Clear glass, three silver needles, the poem. It was six even. You've got all the items. Oh, yeah, yeah. Excellent. We will need a space to perform the ritual, and I know what you're going to tell me. I know that you have this spirit,

and you do not wish to see this spirit harmed, but if the spirit was the one who cursed you, the ritual would be most effective if it takes place where the curse happened. Well, during the day, we found better luck with inviting people in. Spirits tend to be weakened during these hours. Would this ritual harm the spirits? They may find it encouraging to move on,

but if the spirit is strong enough to have lasted and manifested in the ways that you have described, I don't think that this ritual will be enough to drive her away. I don't believe it will harm them. I'm just wary of angering her. Angering? Perhaps not. Okay. Perhaps I should reveal more,

now that you have gathered these things and clearly chosen to seek our assistance with it. This ritual, the curse that you are affected by, this curse of harrowing, what it really is, to explain a bit of the magic, is the spirit that you have encountered is a tormented soul. They have suffered some great evil or wrongdoing, and that torments them. It haunts them with pain or with fear. And that curse,

in a way, has been projected onto the two of you. Her fears, her nightmares, her anguish has now become a sort of malignant magic of its own and it has clung to you. The ritual purges you of that magic. It relieves it from it. It separates it from you so that we may properly dispose of it. Does it return those energies back to Tyria? No.

That is what I'm hoping the glass or clear crystal objects you have. The idea is that we will catch it, and then I will take it and I will dispose of it in an appropriate manner. Destroying malignant energy of that kind can be a little dangerous, and I would rather do that in safer confines.

Forgive me, my illness is... She's like really like struggling and she coughs and you actually see blood like come out as she's coughing and she wipes it away. Benedicta is like, sister, are you alright? She's like, I'm fine, I'm fine. Will this ritual take its toll on you?

Yes, yes it will. I will likely be, I will be weakened for days after this, but it is the nature. We do have alternatives. What would those be? Well, the Duke suggested we go seek out Blackwing. Yes, this elf who lives here in Ashen's Rest.

They are quite an old elf, as I am led to understand. Yes. I would not trust them. No? No, the elves are... I would not trust them. No? No. The elves are... Before they came to Althea,

before they sought refuge here on our plane, they are mercurial beings. They are beings of fancy, of trickery, of flights of fancy and passion. They can't be trusted with certain matters. They may take an interest in you now, they might help you now, but who knows what they might demand later on, or what bargains that will be required for you to make with them. I would rather sacrifice my own health

than have you turn into a planar creature. Well, it was the Duke himself who suggested we seek out Blackwing. Yes, yes. The Duke is... And Benedicta folds her arms. She's like, the dragon is not a very pious individual. And she seems a bit sort of puffed up about that. He does not approve of many of the church's teachings. Well, we were also given a task by the church, by Sansol Ilcara as well, but... How interesting.

Yeah. She told me of a creature in the hills across the Rubio River. Yeah. Bathed in a golden light, but has some kind of corruption with it. She smiles as you're explaining this, and you can't help but notice, Xanthius, that she, like, gives you a look. Really? Now that you're recanting that,

after hearing what I said, is there, like, almost a realisation? That's why I stumbled in real life just now. Okay, okay. Because as I started recanting it and I read about the corruption bit

I was like like that was legit like I stumbled. And that makes sense that Gruff is like oh fuck like yeah. Maladie just smiles

and says how curious. But this creature is across the river days away days outside of Ash and Red. And we'd have to kill it and cremate it and scatter the ashes while saying a prayer to Pyrrhus.

Oh, the sun be praised, of course. Hoping that such a creature exists in the first place. And you see Benedicta is like, sister, Benedicta enough. Sister? Benedicta enough. Gruff will give her a quick look and look down and be kind of... Yes, and it's time we don't really have right now. It is not.

You've likely... It has been, what, two days since you acquired this curse? Sorry, just I want to go back a little bit there. Sure, sure. You said hoping a creature like that exists. Yeah. I want to... I don't know if there's even any

insult, insight needed there, but like... You can make an insight check. Because insight isn't, remember, insight isn't just is she lying? It can be like, is she trying to tell me something that I'm not figuring out? Between the lines. Yeah, this can be your character, because your character might be better at reading somebody

than you as a person are, right? Yeah. And also, I'm not playing exactly as the person would be. Yeah, I mean, there's just a part there of almost like, you just let something slip there. Yeah. Would you want Gruff to roll as well? Because Gruff was starting to put something together.

Yeah, I'm saying you guys can roll. Yeah. I don't mind. Rowff was starting to put something together. Yeah, I'm saying you guys can roll. Yeah. I don't mind. Rowan is not piecing this together. Rowan's just happily, yeah. I rolled an A20. Oh. Give me the total.

Plus 4, 24. 24. And I got a 16. 16. I think both of you will get this. Gruff, you'll get a bit more information. Xanthius, I mean, she knows that creatures like that exist. Yeah.

She's implying that the Sun Sword is lying about this. She's implying that the Sun Sword is sending you on a wild goose chase. Gruffydd, you pick up that Systemality does not trust the Sun Sword here. And you have a feeling that perhaps since last night, maybe she's learned more, but she's not saying anything publicly right now. Would he necessarily... I'm trying, like...

I'm just lining up things in my head and I'm trying to figure out if Gruff would be putting this together. Because Kim's put something together that I message you in all caps about. Okay. I think that Gruff is yeah, absolutely. His intelligence

he's not intelligent but he's wise. Is his intelligence 10 or higher? No, it's 8. Okay, so I'd say that maybe he's beginning to figure something out because he's not book-learned. He grew up in a place where it was more about practicalities and stuff.

I'd say that as Kim, if you figured something out as Kim and you want Gruff to believe that, absolutely, you still can. What are you cooking? Well. Keep in mind that right now, and Maladie occasionally looks around because you are in a very busy, quite public tavern, and she's being very coy with her language as well.

And she says, Yes, well, I mean, time is of the essence. Likely you have encountered how severe this curse can affect you. Rowan looks down at that, kind of breaks eye contact. She nods and looks at you like, it is a terrible thing to burden fear, anguish, terror that this poor spirit has had to endure.

I feel for Tyria. I hope she can be put to rest. I am very hopeful that you will be able to find this as well. I'm happy if there is anything I can do to assist you, I would be willing to. As I said, this ritual will leave me weakened for days. I will not be much use of you for at least three or four days, but after that, I'd be more than happy to help you. I should also point out with this ritual, you yourselves will be needed to participate. It will not entirely be on me. There will be

some element of involvement on your part. What would you require? You and Rowan, is it? You will need to be the ones who sort of collect the malignant energy as it leaves your bodies. Nothing too strenuous or harmful, but you will be needed. I will have to focus on maintaining the sort of power to summon it. And Gruffydd, if I may ask you, I will need you to read the poem on repeat as we perform the ritual. Reading. Can you read?

Yes. Reading. Can you read? Yes. It does not need to be some... You do not need to perform it as some great orator or storyteller. You've read the poems of Sir Isabel. No, that was a bard. Oh. If you struggle with the reading... No, I'll do it.

Very well. I could have had the young girl, Daisy, read it in your place. Might be best. Well, there it is. But yes, so there will be some involvement involved, but nothing harmful. I'm worried about the physical... My arm's gone dead.

Really? The tote. I'll pull off the tote. Oh. It's like the purple and it's like the blood rushing back. I'm so sorry, I didn't want to interrupt. It goes dark. This curse is having a physical toll on me, so hopefully...

I could give you some temporary stamina to assist you with it. If it allows me to collect this malignant energy, then... When you say that you're physically suffering, what are we talking symptoms? Describe them to me. Struggle breathing. We tried to climb some stairs and I could not regain my breath.

Like my heart. I can assist you with that. Okay. It will only last an hour, but it should be enough to complete the ritual. Thank you, I appreciate it. Of course. I told you, didn't I, Xanthius? I'm here to help. And so is everyone else.

Besides, we cannot have this malignant curse taking the lives of good Imperial citizens. That is what the Ecliptic order was built to stand against. And then there is this matter of this... these demons and this guild. And she whispers more conspiratorially now... There is more going on than I believe. You realise... You realize this guild master, Tobias, has close connections with the Church of the Sion. Do you know that many cathedrals and temples have catacombs beneath them? Places that prying eyes cannot reach.

Tunnels that stretch out for miles. But a curse must be dealt with first okay okay okay with that that is where we're gonna have to end today's episode oh

sorry Ray I wanted to get back to Ophelia but wanted to kind of set the scene for this yeah no worries get the scene set we will pick it up with you guys get back to Ophelia, but I wanted to kind of set the scene for this. Yeah, no worries. We will pick it up with you guys going back to the Enticing Devil and dealing with this curse in the next episode. Then we have to raid the church. Maybe.

The catacombs. Maybe. Churches always go well for us. They do. Always. Getting into them might be quite tricky. How hard can it be? Yeah, we'll see.

But that is going to be it for this week. There it is. Fantastic episode, everybody. Thank you so much. Big round of applause to Tommy Wombers. Thank you very much. We've been brewing for a while and I know you worked very hard on that.

Held on to that boy. And that is it. Thank you so much for joining us. We love you and we'll see you next time take care and a buh-bye a buh-bye a buh-bye