High Rollers DnD - Altheya: The Dragon Empire #23 | Trouble in the Tunnels (Part 1)

Episode Date: May 28, 2024

Ophelia is reunited with the party as they head towards the Catacombs!! ANNOUNCEMENT: We've launched a new website, the hub for all things High Rollers including a new Fan Art Policy! Check that out and more here: https://www.highrollersdnd.com/ 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

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cold refreshment. Coors Light. The chill choice. Visit CoorsLight.ca to learn more. Celebrate responsibly. Must be legal drinking age. Hello and welcome back to Althea, the Dragon Empire. Within the inn, formerly called the Enticing Devil, our heroes set out the materials needed for a ritual to cleanse Xanthius and Rowan of the Curse of Harrowing, a powerful, necromantic curse inflicted upon them in the battle against the inn's ghostly resident, Tyria. With the help of

Sister Inquisitor Malady and her twin sister Benedicta, the ritual was began and seemed to go well at first. Meanwhile, in the planar realm of the Greylands, a world of undeath, Sister Ophelia Della Rosa of the House of Blood, envoy to the Theocracy of Osseous, completed her pilgrimage and arrived at an ancient temple to the Gravefather in the mountains. Seeking to earn another chance at life, Ophelia was confronted with a test about the weight of her soul, as well as meeting her patron, Countess Urimin Orsa. Impressed by her fortitude and drive to live and survive, the Gravefather granted Ophelia's request and returned her to life, but in doing so, a connection between the Material Plane and the Greylands was created.

In the inn, as the malignant energy of the curse was removed from Rowan and Xanthias, it suddenly transforms, infused with necrotic energy, into a pair of harrowgeists that then attacked the party. Summoned shades and spirits from nearby led Rowan to discover that Ophelia had returned to life during the battle. As the Harageists were defeated, Sister Malady collapses from her illness and is rushed away by Benedicta,

who is disturbed by Ophelia's return, leaving the party to deal with the strange and miraculous return. And that is where we pick things back up this week. With, I believe, Ophelia literally walking into the inn. Lich. Really? Oh!

Oh! Nice. Nice! Oh! It is still early in the morning, I believe. About midday, I believe. The sun is streaming in. It is slightly overcast,

but where the clouds are sort of coming and going, sun is kind of streaming through the broken windows of the Enticing Devil into that main room. Some of it has been damaged. There's chairs and things that have been broken and thrown away during the battle. And standing in the doorway, visible to everybody but Daisy, I believe, who was upstairs on the balcony, who has not yet come down, but you see the returned form of Ophelia.

Do you want to remind us, Rhiannon, because it has been a while, that there were some physical changes to Ophelia, isn't there? Like, slightly. So do you want to just remind everybody what they kind of see? Yeah, so Ophelia now currently looks quite gaunt. Her cheeks are more sunken in her eye sockets, so slightly more pronounced. She has scars on her body from the previous battle that she was downed from that haven't quite healed.

And the tips of her fingers up to her wrist are stained almost in like this blood red hue um and then she has black staining from the smoke around her mouth as well and like out of her wounds this like yeah it's ichor black staining pattern yeah just yeah staining her skin um the other thing that the more observant among you so i imagine maybe more gruff uh would notice this um but ophelia is also carrying a weapon that you've not seen her use before uh a very finely made rapier um made of this kind of polished silvery metal but inlaid with these red gemstones this kind of twisted basket hilt, is sort of still, probably still clutched in a hand, right, because you just walked in from carrying it,

so you don't have a scabbard or anything for it yet, so just still clutched in one hand, yeah, is what you guys all see. Ron is gonna be pointing. Is it really you? It is, it is me. It fills me with joy to see all of you. Hello! Is this some sort of side effect of this ritual we did? I have been seeing some strange things.

Me too. You actually can ever... Graft, Daisy? I'm upstairs. I'm gonna walk downstairs, see Ophelia, and just go, nope, nope, nope, nope, nope. And I'm going to walk out the front door of the haunted inn. Haunted inn, there's ghosts in the inn. Now there's dead people in the inn. And I'm just going to walk out the door. Nice.

Walk out onto the, you know, the sunny street. You can see that the commotion in the enticing devil, Daisy, has sort of drawn eyes, but also because this place has been like a site of hauntings, a lot of people are sort of trying to pretend that they haven't heard noises and seen things. Most of it was contained within, but some spirits did sort of like float through the walls

and things like that. So there's definitely, like, there's been sounds of battle and magic being used, but people seem to sort of be like, yep, yep, that's the creepy haunted inn. Yep, yep, just ignore it. And Daisy's now running out going, nope, nope, nope, nope, nope.

And so there's definitely a few eyes being sort of raised in your direction. Making holy signs and walking very quickly. Yeah, there's probably a little bit of that, like maybe some of the more pious members. Although you imagine that it seems that most of the pious people wouldn't live in this area because of the association with the inn. But there's definitely a few people just sort of shaking their head

and muttering prayers under their breath and pretending that whatever is happening, they are not involved in it in any way. Fair enough. Yeah. What about Gruff's response to this sudden appearance? I think Gruff is actually kind of nonplussed about it because he had this idea that,

or maybe this misunderstanding that she's undead, so... She can't just come back. He's kind of like, oh, okay. So... She can just come back. He's kind of like, oh, okay. Sister Ophelia, good to see you back on your feet. Oh, it's good to see you, Gruffud. The blood, did it help? That's not my voice. That's not my fucking voice.

Hello, my name is Gruff. Hello, my name is Gruff. From Tremoril. I'm from a little village called Tremoril. The blood, did it help? That didn't, yeah. Yeah, it helped. Would I have known? Because there was the strength of Christ.

You definitely felt, yeah. I mean, you felt something, and you could feel that strength as if you had drunk that blood. I think that you wouldn't, I don't think you, until this point, hopefully you wouldn't have known it was Gruff's blood, maybe,

but with Gruff asking you that, it would certainly imply that it was maybe Gruff who provided it. Oh, that was you! That was you who gave me the gift of strength! It's all I thought to do. I didn't know what else to do. I feel like we should just give Gruff a big hug. Oh, okay, this is happening. Thank you so much!

Okay, bitch. Awkward dad-parent. You came to me in my time. I was in so much need. I was in the wastes of the Greylands. I was lost for I don't know how long. Weeks? Days? Months? I don't know. But I felt your strength and it helped carry me home. Thank you. Oh!

Big hug as well. Okay, there you go, big boy. It's so good to see you, Ophelia. You look towards the window, you just see Daisy's little face poking in. Daisy, it's go, big boy. It's so good to see you, Ophelia. It's good to see you, Rowan. You look towards the window, you just see Daisy's little face like... Poking in. Daisy, it's okay, I promise. I promise. We thought you were dead.

How is it okay? You're dead. She's alive. I'm the same. I promise, she's alive. Prod her. Prod her again. I'm hugging her.

She's quite spiky. So there's a couple of things. One, Ophelia, you also remember that there was, I don't think you ended up using it, unfortunately, but you were also familiar with that, like, that almost music and that vibration. And you would probably recognize that as Rowan's music as well, like, as you were doing it.

But also, for Gruffydd, who is, like, the first to be hugged, and Rowan, now that you're hugging Ophelia, there is a kind of coldness that wasn't there. It's almost not from Ophelia. It's not that her body doesn't have heat, but it's like a coldness is clinging to her. Like somebody who's just walked in out of the cold, for example. Like something that you've not felt for a long time.

There's a sort of cold in the air around Ophelia. They're slowly beginning to warm up, but having just recently whatever necrotic energy was there is still lingering somewhat. A hand from the hug mound extends out and points at Xanthius and then curls. And beckons. Okay.

Come on, you, you will get in here. I don't fully understand what's happening. She's alive! Of course, I'm happy to see you, I just, I. You get in here. I don't fully understand what's happening. She's alive! Of course, I'm happy to see you. I just, I'm trying to understand how. Yes, tell us everything. Okay, I was... Or I'll get a seat.

Okay, I... Don't play truth. Well, I was granted a great gift. I saw the Greylands, and I met the Greyfather again. He's very dashing. He's wonderful and very forgiving, and he sent me on a mission to survive the Grey Father again. He's very dashing. He's wonderful and very forgiving. And he sent me on a mission to survive the Greylands, to reach his temple.

But I had to cross an endless, endless desert, almost, of nothing. There was just nothing. But I was hungry, and there were these terrible vultures and there were skeletons and there were these monsters that were like slugs but not quite slugs and then there was a merchant who was very lovely and very nice, very confusing but very nice

and he had this man in a cage which was, I mean I sent him on his way, he was a ne'er do well so he went and you know, he deserved his punishment. He was guilty of whatever. And... Something. Something. And he was just riffraff.

I don't trifle with the riffraff. And then I reached the temple after... I don't know how long I was gone. How long was I gone? A couple of days. Days? How long has it been? A couple of days. Days? How long has it been? Yeah, it's been just barely about two days at this point.

And Ophelia, yeah, it did not feel like two days. It felt like weeks for you. It felt forever. It felt like an eternity that was never going to end, but I persevered. I heard Rowan's wonderful music and Gruff's strength, and it guided me to my purpose, to the temple, and I made it back.

I swore loyalty to the Greyfather. I made promises, and I've made it back, and I have this, and I show veracity. Oh. Bloody hell. I was gifted this by my tutor, by Countess Oram and Orsa. She's wonderful. She's everything I wish to be and more.

And I was given this great relic of which I will smite those who did wrong to me. And then, and now I'm back. I have returned. And I'm so full of joy to see all of you and be back with everybody. We were going to bury you. We kind of almost did. You were in the little house outside.

Thank you for doing that. Oh, that's lovely, but I'm glad you didn't bury me, although I'm sure Percival probably would have heard something. Wouldn't you, Percival? Percival's just stood there, silent as always, dark cloak just inclines its head in agreement. He wouldn't move from your side. Would he not? No.

Percival, you are so wonderful. Let's give Percival a hug. But you're right, that's- Stands stoic as ever, but maybe a gentle pair of arms just to sort of acknowledge that you are being hugged. Even in death, you are so loyal. We were not far off trying to move you into the ground and have a ceremony and everything.

Oh, that's so sweet. Well, no. It's a ceremony. We were grieving. We were deeply saddened by what has happened here. Now you're back and- We're traumatized. We're traumatized because you're back.

I kind of feel okay. I thought you might come back. Oh, nice. Okay. Just because you're undead, right? I'm not undead. Am I undead now? I came back. I'm still Ophelia. I came back.

Osseus is a very strange place. We're still learning a lot about... I don't really understand it either. But... We're still traumatised. No, I wasn't undead before. Oh. Am I undead now?

I'll have to ask. I might have to ask somebody. I don't feel undead. You came back with this treasure, this weapon. It's testament that, not that I'm saying your journey and stories was just a dream of dying, but to have physical evidence suggests

that you did go somewhere. And you fought to get back. I did. I had unfinished work. So the Gravefather's always has been real, definitely. And I've always believed. Gravefather is your god, right? Yes, he is, yes.

And just to clarify, because I know some people in the audience go, Gravefather. Gravefather. Gravefather. Greylands. Yes. Just to make it nice and confusing for everyone.

It's my voice I think throws people off. Gravefather. Grave. Gravelands. Biker Grove. Gravelands. People thought Hves. Fico Groves. Fico Groves. Fico Groves.

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Fico Groves. Fico Groves. Fico Gro And Nick and Big Agroff. Most of the know will know. There you go. Iconic moment in TV history. Great father. I don't think he is very great. Sounds great to me. God, I feel it, babe. So you've met your god.

Yes. Twice now. This is blowing Gruff's mind. Like he is having a full on theological crisis right now. How? How? You can't just go meeting your gods. He presented himself to me. I was just wandering the Greylands and he came to meet me and gave me my mission.

One, for Gruff, because you are quite religious, you would have been grown up to be a Shunet. Keep in mind that in the Church of the Scions, in the Triconic Empire, you are taught that the Grey Father and the Plane, the Grey Father is considered a planar being. They don't consider him a god. The Church of the Scions does not consider the Great Father to be a god

in the same way that the Scions are. They would basically treat the Great Father as if they were like an archdevil or an archfey or something like that. So if anything, Ophelia's kind of, in a mixed-up way, kind of proved that to me because you could meet a planar being. Who says you're ever going to meet a god yeah that's certainly how the church of the science preaches it whether that's true that's this is like what the organized religion is saying that doesn't necessarily mean it's true

like clearly to ophelia the great father is a god and had the godly power to bring them back but for gruffs just to give you that context of the world like that is the teaching is that the these planar powers, they're not gods, they're powerful, but they're not gods. That's nice. That's real nice that you met your little god. He does not say that. He does not say that.

Oh, he's not little. He's large and very much in charge. All right, you crazy bitch. You heretic. It could be two deaths. In fact, you're a lion heretic. Blasphemous! None of this happens.

No. We should definitely do a battle royale. Yeah. All of this just comes in. Daisy will win. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Just stab us all from like 24 away. If you get lucky, maybe Xanthius takes them down, but maybe.

Only if that thing bounces. Yeah, and only if you take yourself down as well. Oh, yeah, I'll burn bright. He would take someone else out, but he'd die doing it as well. If anything, maybe Rowan's the last one standing because he just refuses to fight anyone

I'm just in the corner here right but yeah the you you know everyone's sort of witnessing this Ophelia you're kind of talking

you know you know explain the story Gruff you're asking about it Daisy you definitely notice that yeah like the inn is being given a wide berth. Like nobody is really approaching or anything like that. It is about midday, you spent most of the morning

gathering up the materials for this ritual. Yeah, and that is where we currently stand. So what has happened since I have been gone? So, oh bloody hell. I remember the fight. What happened? Do we know what the cause was? Oh, the duke. I'll come back into the inn.

The duke came. He was really angry, really angry. Have you ever seen a dragon who's really pissed off? He landed right in front of us. Yeah, in front of the tavern, yeah. He was angry that you had died. And we'd walk over and just. An emiss yeah. He was angry that you had died. I'm gonna walk over and just. An emissary, it was really bad for the town.

Slowly prod Ophelia's arm. That is real. Everyone was pretty. I have to check, Ophelia, because this is weird. I'm glad you're here, I'm really glad you're here. Do you want to hold my hand? Yeah. I'm glad to be with you.

Do you want something to wipe it off? You've got some... You've got red on you. I get out a handkerchief that's the same pattern as my scarf. Oh, I didn't realise. I haven't actually looked at myself since I've been back. Do I look different? First of all, we'll pull out your personal mirror from your belongings so you carry like... he holds up a mirror for you to... I look amazing!

Oh yeah, that was... Oh, my cheekbones oh wow i look like when black queen did the skull face do you remember oh you said it was really beautiful oh i'm getting closer wow can i have my hanky yes you can you can sorry yes closer to what Wow! Can I have my hanky back? Yes, you can, you can, sorry, yes. Close, that's a what? Oh, looking like that. Oh, okay. Wow.

Well, I mean, we could have left you on the ground for a couple of months. Oh, I would have meant I would have been in the Grey Lands for longer, but it's fine, it's fine. I'll work on it. We'll get there. Don't worry. Your customs are very strange, and I'm a little scared.

Don't be scared. Might have weaved a little bit. Oh, I'm terribly sorry. Yeah, we didn't really know what to do. I mean, okay, so you fell in battle. Yes. Everyone was distraught. Yes.

Deeply saddened, of course. Now you're here, don't really know how to feel. A little bit angry, frankly, but it's okay. You're back, that's good, everyone's happy. But also, made us go through a lot of different emotions, and now you're here, which is good. But I'm still kinda angry about it. But now you're here, which is good,

and I'm happy about that. Xander's having a bit of an emotional breakdown. Are you angry about, let it all out. Ophelia, because I'm angry at the lamp thing still. I'm pointing fingers in every direction. Would that I had more hands to point more fingers. Why are you angry at me? Point back at him.

I don't know. We also had a conversation. I was gonna say as well, you've not re-gloved the hand, have you? No, like that's out in the open. Oh, I see. Oh, it's looking bigger. Do you know about it?

There's more of it. Oh, this, yeah, okay. I have crown steel in my chest, by the way. I look out the window, see if there's anyone listening. Echoes a little bit, like, you know, there's no windows or doors, they're all broken. I didn't hear you say that, because I fell asleep.

You fell asleep during the story, I suppose. Yeah, you would have heard any relevant bits. Any bits that you were okay, because you weren't there, Katie, but it's like you heard as much as you wanted to hear. But the Duke came down. He was not best pleased that an envoy from Osseus had fallen in his great city. So that stirred up some emotions across the board.

I'm angry, but also really happy. And then we came back, we tried to cure ourselves of the curse. Oh, you removed the curse! Curse is gone! Hooray! What a great day. I'm so happy about that.

Still kind of furious. Oh, Minutes, it's... Yeah, we were fighting for that. Oh, that's where all the nasty things were. I remember seeing Sisters Maladie and Benedicta. Yes, that's why they were here. I see, okay. I did wonder.

See, curse, ongoing lifelong trauma. Yes, yes. Yes, I understand. It's been a lot. Yes. But you've also been through a lot. You died. I only died.

Which is quite big. And then you went through the Greylands and fought your way back. So we've all been through a lot. I know, I'm just... Okay. Compartmentalise it, one at a time. Let's start from the beginning. We didn't know what to do with your body.

Yes. I'm sorry, I didn't... Yes, well, I didn't... A, I didn't leave instructions, and B, I didn't realize I was going to die. This is a big risk. I apologize. I'm not angry with you. You don't have to apologize for dying.

They should be apologizing for not taking the lamp thing seriously, because that was, they want to kill all of us, by the way. It's not just you. They said one down, and they're going to try and get the rest of us, so this isn't over.

Oh. Incidentally, the duke did kind of threaten to break every lamp in the city and invade the Lamplighter's Guild, but the High Authority reminded him that he didn't have the authority to do that. In his own city? We're not allowed to do that.

He's not a dictator. Interesting. He's governed by the same laws here. So investigation still is ongoing, but I think, well, the cat's out of the bag. Hampered by red tape. Cats don't like being in bags. No.

I wouldn't ever put you in a bag. Don't ever put me in a bag! I don't think I'd fit you in a bag. I won't like it. You're too big! No cat likes it! I won't do it! What if it's so big a bag it feels so cold? No! No, I don't think I'd fit you in a bag. I won't like it. You're too big. No cat likes it. I won't do it. What if it's so big a bag it feels so... No. No, I don't fit the bag. What if it's like a sleeping bag and it's all nice and cozy and you can have a nap?

A bedroll. A cat nap, if you will. I'll take it under consideration. Okay. I want it canonically imprinted that if you ever try to put Gruff in a bag of holding, you have to make saving throws to fight them off. As soon as you're, like, waiting. You're all claws.

Just pinned. Yeah. But I will also grant that to you if an enemy tries to put you in a bag. I will grant you the same ability. Anyway. Yes, okay. Next moves.

So that's one. So Lamblighters, dragon. That's the big one. There's also some conspiracies going on. Oh, delicious. Okay. That very recently Lady Malady. Sister Malady.

Sister Malady suggested that, you know, the people that have gone missing from the Lamblighters guilds that are potentially to do with the lamps being corrupted may have used the Catacombs network. In the church? Under the churches. And that the churches might, or people in the churches might be involved in their whereabouts. Scandalous.

As much as I am loathe to say this, it was something I was going to bring to your attention after the dinner party. Because you boyos went and had the dinner party and I was up at the cathedral. Yes. Oh, saints and scions, bless me, I'm about to blaspheme. It's happening. Give me strength.

Rowan. Bardic Inspiration. Sure. You got Bardic Inspiration Sure, you got bardic inspiration. You've got this. I think Sunsword Ilkara might be involved with the smoke demons. Okay. Okay.

Knew it! When I arrived at the cathedral, I heard her say something, and at first I thought it was just, you know, stuff that your sister says, as in your religious leader says to inspire the masses. But the more I think about it and the more I think about the fact that what you were saying from the

dinner party about Ilkara being involved with the Lamplighter's guild leader and they were going to send you on a quest to leave the city to find Morris or whatever. I was also granted a quest by Sansor Il-Kara to leave the city to look for this golden beast to lift your curse.

They believe it was a means to get us out of the city and out of the way. And then, before she realised I was at the cathedral, I heard a yeard. Do not let yourself give into the same weakness you condemn. The light must act where the shadow will not. She was saying that to someone. Oh. I don't

suppose you caught the other person? No. Or even a voice? I thought he was just an acolyte or a worshipper. And... That does sound without context, just like normal teachings, but under the idea that she could be working with the shadows itself. Well, it was when you told me that she had a connection with the lamplighter,

guild leader that I definitely know the name of, but not... Tobias Leto. Tobias Leto. Tobias Leto. So we need to sneak into the church. I don't like that. And get into the catacombs. I don't want to go in the catacombs, there's more dead things!

It's okay, the dead are perfectly fine. So we need to sneak into the church. I don't like that. And get into the castle. I don't want to go in the castle because there's more dead things! It's okay, the dead are perfectly fine. They're not Ophelia. They're not Ophelia. They are, don't worry. She's attuned to the dead. How much control do you have over, I'm sure there's, what is Percival?

I forgot his name completely there. But who are, can you, how much control do you have over the dead now? The ghosts that were spilling in through the walls. I can't control the dead. The dead... Well, you're not a necromancer. No, they act of their own free will sometimes,

and other times you need a high priestess or someone who knows the necromantic spells to command the undead. I don't have that ability. But you're well-versed with them. I understand the dead. ability. But you're well versed with them. I understand the dead. So if we went into catacombs, you would be able to help us out?

Well, I wouldn't be scared of going down, maybe? I don't know what kind of catacombs they are. Like, how do you prepare your dead? How, you know, what is your ritualistic purposes? Is there really a good kind, though? Is what I'm saying. Well, our dead are free to roam and fulfill any tasks they weren't able to perform in life.

How do you prepare your dead? Do they roam? Do they perform tasks? It strikes me as well, it would probably be a case of each of the different houses of Osseous would also handle their dead differently, right? Like the house of bone would handle their dead very differently to the house of rot, and the house of rot would handle it very differently to the house of blood.

Like in the house of blood, they probably extenuate the bodies and then either use them as like withered kind of husks as like a zombie, or they transform them into vampires or something similar. Whereas in the house of bone, they would get rid of all the meat and just make a skeleton. Great, that's what we want. Or the house of rot, they're like, no, no, keep all the meat and just, right, right, make a skeleton. Great, that's what we want. Or the House of Rot, they're like, no, no, keep all the meat, we want all that on it. Keep it.

Lovely. Make it gross. So they would handle it very differently as well. So it makes sense that Ophelia would be like, yeah, like how, like it depends entirely on how the dead are kept here. You know, if the dead bodies are sealed in stone sarcophagi, very hard for them to get out on their own and cause trouble.

If they're just, if they're burnt, don't have to worry about bodies. If bodies are burnt here and stuff like that, it depends entirely, so. Death is a very specific thing to everybody, I suppose. Well, it's sort of the same here as well, because in ice art, or at least in my village in Temoro, we give them to the sea.

Oh, that's wonderful. Well, when you live in a land of ice, it's a bit difficult to dig up the ice. Oh, yes. So we give them to the sea. Also preserves it for longer. Obviously, our body would stay preserved in the ice. Whereas I feel like maybe in these catacombs

they enter... Well, I feel like you probably would be spiritual leaders and rich people. I don't imagine normal folk would end up in the catacombs of Cathedral. Anybody who is from the Empire can make a history check.

Xanthius and Daisy, you can have advantage because you are basically from Caldra. Okay. To know what. Am I from the Empire? Or religion. History or religion, I would say. You're from the Empire, yeah. You're from the Draconic Empire. You can all make a history or religion check. A seven.

An eight. A two. Even with advantage? Yeah. I got an eight and a seven. Nineteen with religion. Nice. Three. I rolled with your dice bomb dice, Ophelia. Nice. You gave me a two. Oh no.

So I'd say like, yeah, you know, for Rowan, you're more familiar with, like, you grew up in the Azar Steppe, and even then, your own community was quite nomadic, they moved around a bit, it's probably very different. Iceheart, very, very different. Daisy, I like the idea that Daisy just does not wanna fuck they moved around a bit it's probably very different ice heart very very different daisy i like the idea that daisy just does not want to fuck with the dead and it's like i don't care i don't want to learn never been something you're interested

in whereas xanthius maybe you witnessed like funerals and things like that in rust end you know you've been alive long enough that you know people would have passed away um it's strange the fact that sister malady mentioned catacombs or tunnels it's very uncommon for the dead to be interred or buried in culture because it is a land of like volcanoes and like you know fire and red dragons cremation is the most common form of burial for dead bodies is cremation only those as Gruff said who are very wealthy and can afford things like resurrections maybe or can have their bodies preserved in some way um in the in the incidents that maybe one day they could be brought back to life because there is a possibility there are miracles and things that

have been known to happen um but cremation is the most common so if there are tunnels and catacombs they are probably just to store ashes. They are probably not to actually store bodies for the most part. Would I know that these catacombs would be in any way accessible? Most definitely. Like open to the... Well, there would be probably, yeah, like a passageway from the cathedral. Sometimes it's not necessarily open to the public. Normally it's handled by acolytes of St. Dathia

or acolytes of the cathedral itself, but there would certainly be an access point into them, yeah. But we can't just walk in? Sometimes you can. Depends. If there's certain ceremonies being held, they might close it off. Other days it's open for you to

go down there and look. Do you have the same idea? I think I might have had the same idea. What if Ophelia the same idea? I think I might have had the same idea. What if Ophelia's still dead? I think unfortunately that wouldn't matter because I hate to say this to

Ophelia, Delorosa of the House of Blood. I don't think the church likes you. So I don't think they'd be very open to interring you into their most holy of sights. Oh, I don't think the church likes you. So I don't think they'd be very open to interring you into their most holy of sites. Oh, I don't like not being liked. I like you. Oh, thank you.

Even if you are blessed. Oh. Well. It was an idea, but you're right. It's a good idea. If one of us... So when would be a good... Provided we don't go with the one of us dies and gets put into this place, when would be a good time to get into this place?

The church is busy quite often. Nighttime is less so. They have ceremonies at nighttime. Past that, yes. Where is the entrance to the catacombs? You didn't see it in the main, but then you, so with Bright Shadow Cathedral, imagine it like a big open cathedral.

You go in, there's the pews, there's the altar. There are doorways that lead off to the side, and I think you've seen one side of them because you took Theresa there when you were covering her, and the Speaker of Secrets took her into a side and there was like a corridor with rooms you didn't see it anywhere in any of those but it must be somewhere. Right.

But it's probably not in that main central bit of the cathedral. It's probably down the back somewhere in the restricted areas. I would suggest if we are in fact dealing with Sunsword Ilkara, maybe we I would suggest if we are in fact dealing with, science won't take it away from me, Sunsword Ilkara,

maybe we infiltrate the catacombs during the day when she's busy doing a service. Sunsword, she does... While they're distracted. Yes, well, I was thinking during the nighttime service, but during a service... No, because she's a sunsword. She does the day services.

She's... It's the, what's the- Speaker of Secrets. Speaker of Secrets who does the evening services. Right, yes, okay, yeah, that makes sense. I don't think we should sneak into the church at all because they're all very big and powerful in here. They chased the cavern out for naming a pub wrong. I don't know if we wanna make enemies of that right now.

The whole point of these catacombs is for people to get away. There's got to be another point that's not from the church that we can enter from. We go in from the other side. Wherever they're escaping to is how we get in. Yeah, just don't really want to... True, but... Make them very angry at us.

Because we have a lot of people already very angry at us. I just don't know how much more I can take. We do also have a lot of allies. We can talk to one of them. and see if they know a way. I did come across... I had this lovely moment when you were all eating at the lamplighter's house. I met Sir Gryhold. Did you?

Oh, it was lovely. I didn't want to say because a lot has happened since, and, you know, some tragedy and disaster. But I had a lovely couple of hours walking around with Sir Gryhold. Oh, was he? He was lovely. His hair is luscious. Anyway, he said he would lend us his aid if we needed it.

Well, Sir Gryhold has also technically been assigned to protect you around the city by the Duke. Two things. One, and this is mainly of interest for Tom and people at home, I have canonically decided that Sir Gryhold looks like Senshi

from Delicious in Dungeon. Very cool. Like the big thick hair and the big beard. It's finished. But also, Daisy, you hear a voice. You hear Nim,

who's been quite quiet, like has been quiet whilst the sisters and that were here and things like that. While the trauma happened. Yeah. And you, when you were talking about

like being afraid of like the church and wanting other people to deal with it, you would hear Nim say to you, he has nicer armor. He has cooler armor than that, but just the face and the beard, I'm like, that's so griot now. That's who I've been lusting over?

Yeah. He's sexy. He's sexy. Yeah, you should watch the show. It's good. You hear Nim, Daisy,'s sexy. Yeah, you should watch the show. It's good. You hear Nim Daisy say, Little one, I know you are frightened, but if this priestess is dabbling with demons,

if this guild has the power to call them through to this world, they need to this world. They need to be stopped. Justice needs to be served here. They cannot be allowed to continue this, whatever. They have already killed one of your friends. Okay, yes, and I do want to do stuff about this, but if there was someone who, like,

I don't know, the Duke was really angry, could we maybe just talk to him and say, hey, buddy, we've got this thing, and we wanna go here and have a look at it? You have already seen that your world is so wrapped up in its laws, in its words and deeds and oaths. The Duke is bound by these laws too, but we, you, we can put a stop to this.

I know you are frightened. Okay. I know you are scared. Okay, but. I'm with you. Just, if this all goes wrong, I'm fully putting some blame on you here. This is just, I have to do that, I'm sorry. You are good at being unseen.

If anyone can do this, you can. Okay. Okay, we can go to the stupid cat gooms. Good, I mean bad, because I'm also terrified. I don't wanna go to the cat gooms, there's more death. I also don't want to, but we have to. Right? What other choice do we have? Well, I mean, you don't have to. You can have plenty of choices.

Be the best way to go. But we should find out where they are that's not going through the church, because I don't want to go in there. Because I think that they'll see us. I don't think it would go well. I could maybe. Oh, I don't really want to go well. I could maybe. Oh, I don't really want to though. It really is a bit of a bother and it makes me really itchy all over.

Mm-hmm. I can turn into a really small creature. Can you? Why haven't you been doing this all along? What kind? What would you turn into? A little mouse, oh my god, a kitten! A really small kitten!

Is it a kitten? Is it a kitten? Gruff? We won't put you in a bag. Turn into a kitten, Gruff. Turn into a tiny kitten. Is that what it is? I can carry you.

Don't keep this from us, Gruff. Please turn into a kitten right now. Come on. Come on, Gruff. I could turn into a kitten. Yes! What a good day! You know what? All those negative emotions I was feeling are gone! I feel so much better!

Kitten gruff! How many times? Now? Can you do it now? It just feels really undignified, you know? No. Why? It makes me really itchy and break out. Oh, does it hurt? Not so much, it just makes me really itchy.

And I always feel really weird, like a bit of my body's missing when I turn into a little thing. Oh, it just becomes so cute and small. I could carry you in my pocket. It'd still be a kitten, it's not gonna be like this big. It's a girl, yeah. It's a girl, yeah, that's true, yeah. I forget that.

So I could turn into a kitten. You could, yeah, yeah, you could, yeah. And I could turn into a kitten. You could, yeah, you could. And I could get down the door and see if I can find the other exit. Oh, that would be adorable. Fine. God! Why do you have your hand up, Daisy?

Just speak. If I have a really bad day, can I just ask that you, oh. Just if you turn into a little kitten for just a little bit, it would make me feel so much better. No. It's degrading. I see your face. I see the pout that you're making.

Put the lip away. Put the pouty lip away. Science and science, bless me. I'm being so tested right now. Okay, okay, okay. I think that's a really good plan. I think that's a great plan. I think being so tested right now. Okay, okay, okay. I think that's a really good plan. I think that's a great plan. I think it's the best plan.

I think it's the only way. 100% go into this. It's the only way. It's the only way. Wonderful. All in favor, all in favor? Aye. Aye. That's four.

I have two hands. I have a tail. Do we want to get some allies involved as well? Yes, probably. Please don't make me turn into a king in front of Sir Greyhold. I mean, they also have to see Kittengruff, and I kind of just want us to bask in the glory of Kittengruff. I don't feel like we're going to get anything done.

It's just going to be so distracting. It will, it will. Oh, but I'm excited. Speaking of distractions, I completely forgot to do our Crucible of Fate. That's true. I just was looking at my dice going like, oh, they're a thing!

Also, I'm saving Kim a brief moment of embarrassment. Hell yeah. No saving. Kitten Gruff. The more you mention this, the more I'll turn into something like a badger or something like that. You don't have to be a kitten, you can just be a cat. I could just be a cat.

A little rat. I could be a little mouse. A gross, gross little rat. Yeah, I would leave fire. Can you turn into a fire stone? I can turn into a fire stone i can turn into a fire stone gruff could specifically choose to be a gross rat yeah uh right what do we get d6 rolls a five tis a dice for thee uh a two a dice for thou me you me thou me thou the no me me the Thou! Me. You, me. Thou. Me. Thou? The. No.

Me. The. The. A dice for thee, a dice for thou. Yes. All right. Ye. A dice for ye.

Ye! Oh, my God. Dice for thee. Dice for thou. I've got two. Dice for me. A one. A dice for me.

Aw. Come on, guys. Yeah, we messed up. A dice for you! That's evens. That's evens. Three and three. Why are you really studying that d6?

I was trying to get it to the six. I couldn't find it. For a second there, I thought this d6 didn't have a six on it. But you were just looking at it. Can you imagine if that was the case? Put your bag of chaos down. Okay. Okay, well, I think we've locked in our plan. In terms of allies, we could get Ser Gryll to help us,

potentially, maybe, possibly. He has been told to be nice and to help us and guard us and save our lives. We would be asking a knight to infiltrate the church. For the greater good of the Empire. True, but I mean. They are devoted to the church. For the greater good of... True, but, I mean... They are devoted to the duke. Yes, but bound by the same laws as the duke. True.

Technically, we are. So Gryold is a knight of the realm, which means he is specifically sworn to Duke Ignarius. That can mean different things. It doesn't mean that he... I'm not saying he won't do it. I'm just saying that is... You would all of you, especially Gruff would know the distinction

between knights of the realm who are knights of draconic lords and ladies. You have holy knights who are knights of religious order. Specifically, they are normally attributed to a certain cathedral or bishop or something like that. And then you would have the knightly orders who are knights of specific orders that have their own missions and things like that.

So the different types of knights, it does affect their oaths and the kind of things that they do a little bit differently. Otherwise, and you should know this, Ophelia, systemality, unfortunately, as a result of the ritual, that drained her quite heavily doing this ritual. She's out for a couple of days. Yes. Good to know. That drained her quite heavily doing this ritual. So. She's out for a couple of days.

Yes. Good to know, good to know. Although, Sister Benedicta. Oh yes. I don't think either of them would be very good at helping. One, because I don't like them. But two, because I don't think they'll want to infiltrate the church either.

No, Benedicta thinks I'm a monster. And that Benedicta will also maybe potentially hurt. But she can think what she wants. I think she's a monster, frankly, so. Maybe we don't need her help. Okay. But I think we should ask Ser Gryll. Maybe Ser Gryll could guard the entrance

that we take in, remaining upstairs, and then communicate to us somehow if anyone decides to follow us. Could be that Gryul knows where the other entrance might be. Actually, I have an idea. Okay. The Mason's Guild... Yes? ...constructed this place.

Yeah? They might have blueprints to the catacombs and if they're pissed off with the lamplighters guild and want to leave in favour excuse me Xanthius carry on you're disrespecting your elders

he tried to Captain America that shit language I've been cussing Elders. He tried to Captain America that. Yeah. Language. I've been cussing since you were a little lizard. I know. I know, carry on. Till you hatched out, since you've been an egg. Since you've been an egg.

I don't know, do you come from eggs? Were you an egg? Eggs Antheus. You tell me, you want to. Eggs Antheus! You would not be, because your father was the dragon, right? So you would not be. Exanthius is a kitten grub. But if your mother was the dragon,

I think you would come out from Nick. Egg boy! I'm not an egg boy. No, no, specifically Xanthius is not an egg boy. I'm not an egg boy. Top of the round. Sorry, what were you going to say? It's like a Yoshi.

Meow. Meow. Yeehaw. That's my favourite thing. Memes are like, let's get it back on track. So, lots of cool plans, lots of cool ideas. Maybe you and me gruff, because you're going to be the cute little kid

that goes through. We can see if the Masons Guild has blueprints, and if you have a good access point to get in, without going through the church. Good idea. And especially because they're pissed off. They might have good incentive. Yes, exactly.

All right. Sounds like a plan. Justice will be done. That okay with you, Xanthius? Egg boy. Not an egg. Very specifically not an egg. Yes, I think that's a good plan.

Great. Well, I'm ready to head out. There's no time like the present. I think we have to have a test run of the kit. Maybe we should just double check. Have you done it before? Yes. When did you do it?

I wanna know. It will make me happy. No. Groff just did that thing, you know, when, like, dads kind of just disassociate for a moment? Yeah. And thinks of a million things, and then it's just like, no.

No. OK. So, wait, you're going to go to the Mason's Guild to get the blueprints, potentially? If at all. Some information about the catacombs, yes. OK. Great.

I'm going to tell Ophelia about this. Great. OK. Then everyone's on the same page. Which I think is right. And then I guess we'll meet up. In, let's say we'll take an hour. So maybe in 50 minutes,

nip on down to a latte fun. Yes. And get a round of coffees in and maybe some croissants and some pastries. Oh my gosh. Pastries, coffee, and a kitten in one day. I just feel like it's me. Pastries or something. Pastries, coffee, and a kitten in one day. I'm just feeling this pain. Here's a platinum.

I've still got all the platinum. Okay. Yeah, when you say a platinum, do you mean what? Because they gave you the bars. So that's 100 gold, basically. In pastries. Yeah, 100 gold stick of platinum. Keep the bar of platinum. I really don't want to hold this anymore. Well, if you stick of platinum. Keep the bar of platinum.

I really don't want to hold this anymore so I'm going to... Well, if you don't, I can take it. Okay, you take it. Oh, thank you. So did you give Ophelia

the whole 100 or the whole 500? Yeah, there you go. 500 gold of platinum. Wonderful, thank you. Write it down. I had... Because I don't trust

Chris Johnson to not write it down. Something to consider. Sure. Ophelia has come back to us now. At the turn of the, sorry. The group is together again. Yes.

And I think it happened in this place. She came back to us. So maybe the name of this place could be something to do with. Ophelia returns. Ophelia comes back. Uh, oh, uh, yes. Um, mm.

I feel like we should name it for Tyria. Tyria's turn. Rest. Tyria's rest. Tyria's rest? In Ashen's rest. Hmm. Think about it.

We're gonna go get our blueprint. Ophelia, Dampir. I just think it's quite sentimental now. We lace Tyria to rest. Ophelia is risen. The companions return. Yeast. Yeast.

It rises. Your yeast! Your yeast. Right. My brain hurts. All right. That caused physical pain. Do you, so Tom,

do you want to actually role play the chat with Ophelia? I think I can, I can, or do you want to smash cut it? The context Ophelia is 400 years ago. World smash cut. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Unless there's, I mean, unless you guys want to have a conversation.

I finished the entire story, which you would have already heard as re, but if there's any questions you have afterwards, we can go straight into that at the end of it, but otherwise. How are you? Are you okay? Do you need anything?

How am I? I'm fine right now, if anything. I feel great, at least. Well, now the curse is gone, I feel really good. Um, but, as you said, the hand, that's worse. Mm-hmm. And that started at some point, so I don't know what's next. Well, how long has it been since I first saw that on the road?

Well, when you first saw that is pretty much when I first saw it, but that was... Give me a moment, I'm bringing up my calendar. Give or take. Well, we did that day when we... We stayed up all night, so that confused the calendar a little bit. I'm trying to remember. That would have been...

We arrived at this time. One, two, three. You, that was when you fought the gnolls on the road, right? Yes. When we fought the gnolls, which was two, three, four. And then we arrived at this point. Oh, we've been a mess. Six, seven.

It's about eight days, just about a week. It's been about eight days. We've cost so much. Eight days. And it's that far already? Yes. Right. It's, what, about here at the moment, along the wrist or so?

Halfway up the forearm. Halfway up the forearm, yeah. But it was, to begin with. It was just the hand. That's concerning how quickly it's spreading. It's like me. Hmm. But I don't know how much I can cover up,

how much worse it's going to get. Yes. I mentioned to the others, Blackwing. Might be able to go to Blackwing for aid, but... They almost killed me. Yes. Just identifying it. Well, I think after all of this is wrapped up,

we need to see into this as soon as... I'd like to keep you around for as long as possible. I'd like to keep you around. Oh, thank you. Which is why I was so annoyed. Oh. Oh. Oh.

But that's... Xanthius. Thank you for telling me. I know I saw what I saw on the road, and I've been asking questions. It wasn't because I didn't trust you. It's because I wanted... I wanted to know more about you.

And I wanted to tell you. I was going to... Don't tell the others this. I I wanted to tell you. I was going to, don't tell the others this, I was going to tell you first. Aww. Because I knew that you would be on my side. I told you about the hand and you kept it silent. I could have told you about more and I knew you would have kept it silent.

And then you went and died. I'm sorry for dying. I really... I've never fought a demon before. I've seen them and I've heard of them, but I've never actually come close face to face with demons and the like. And I was stupid, probably. I was overzealous.

No, it was... No one knew what we were facing up against in that fight. We all made mistakes. I made maybe more than others. I didn't. And I just got lucky. And you got unlucky. Well, I was protecting you all. That's... I've only known you all for a short time, but you have become precious to me.

And you to us, so... Don't go charging in. We have your back, just as you have ours. Thank you. With that, then, we'll cut over to the team heading towards the Stonemason's Guild, a.k.a. the Coil of the Empress. This whole journey, Rowan is asking, can you turn into a beetle?

Yes. Can you turn into a lizard? Yes. Can you turn into a lion? Yeah. Bit big. Bit big. Not quite yet.

Adjacent cat? I don't know. It's only of a certain amount of mass at the moment. I'm not very good at it. Well, that means you need to practice a lot. Much like me in the loot. I'll just not do it. I can do lots of other stuff.

Well, you could. And no one would stop you from not doing it. But just think of Daisy's face when you have to tell her. You'll never be a kitten again. I'm quite immune to that. Right. I'll quite immune to that. Right. I'll find a new tactic. Either way, here we are.

I think you'll find the little pouty lip doesn't work on me. You're used to that. You see the Marvellous Stone Tower with the spiral design making its way up. You can see a couple of the attendants for the Imperial Flame, the worshippers of the Dragonants for the imperial flame uh the worshipers of this uh the dragon empress herself um out they're doing the front they're doing the same

thing they were before sort of speaking to people that come and go um but in the tower itself you can see the stonemasons guild at work doing what they do taking work orders uh preparing jobs you can see that like uh there are you can probably see hung up on the walls of the tower that there are these kind of tapestries with schematics of buildings and things like that. Like you kind of like the architectural plans of things that have been laid around. Um, you see a young, uh, halfling man who is attending the desk. Um, he's got little sort of like, uh, spectacles, like little medieval spectacles, like with the wooden rims and the big thick sort of like arms a little mop of like monk style haircut

and he's just like oh hello can we help you? business with the guild? hello hello I'm Rowan he's looking directly up this little halfling man

tomorrow hello hello to you both. We are wondering if the Masons Guild has information or documents about the building of Ashen's Rest. Of course we do, sir. Yes, of course, indeed, my good fellow. We keep all of our architectural plans here.

The Stone Masons Guild has been a very long-established part of Ashard's Rest, ever since even before the Duke, his father, who founded the town and was the former lord, we have been a big part of it. We have laid the walls themselves, every brick in the walls of the major building, even Dominus Ignarum, the Stonemason's Guild was a part of. We obviously do not keep the schematics for the Ducal Palace here. They are kept in a secure vault up at the Duke's Palace, of course. But the rest of the town, yes, we have.

Is there something in particular of interest to you? Are you fans of architecture, or are you looking to have something built? If you mention any sort of stone around me, I go beet red. I love a stone. Oh, I know. I love a stone. He really does.

I really love stones. He really does. Oh, oh, oh. And I've really taken a liking to Ashen's Rests architecture. Oh, right. Specifically, the catacombs. Catacombs, catacombs. Oh!

Bright shadow cathedral. Yes, the cathedral. Excuse me. A little bit of my mango juice. It's a birthday today. We make it fizzy with magic. Yes, no, we have the cathedral. Yes, we constructed the cathedral. Yes, there are some catacombs built into there.

He sort of goes, oh, it's funny, actually. It's something I always found quite curious. You know, there was a problem when they were originally building the cathedral because they wanted to have a series of catacombs to lay the ashes of those who were laid to rest. You know, normally the House of Bindings deals with a lot of that and they deal with it, but the cathedral themselves wanted some catacombs for some of the more pious and wealthy citizens

to be laid to rest and things like that. But, you know, it was interesting because they had to contend with the sewers, the city, the town sewer system. And the two tunnels were very closely overlaid. They had to be very careful to build them next to each other but not to allow any sort of foulness or things to make its way into. So it was a lot of clever engineering was done and very careful planning. They must be such intricate blueprints.

Yes. Well, let me fetch someone uh and he finds an assistant to come and take his place he's like come with me and you can see that he carries like a big set of keys on a large metal uh wrought ring not taking up too much of your time are we no this is why i'm here i'm here to help people with uh these sort of matters um and he takes you down uh not up but down uh the spiral staircase into a kind of records room. And he opens up the door, and you can see that this isn't like a secret place.

This is kind of kept as a place for people to come and look at architectural plans and things like that. And he takes you over, and he goes, there are these several large kind of wall-mounted, almost like stone drawers that are placed into the walls of the room itself. And as he pulls them out, they come out on these slick, long rails.

And there are these tubes of leather, kind of large poster tubes. He pulls them out and begins laying out plans. He's like, now we have to go back quite far. Oh, yes, here we are. Yes, original plans of the cathedral. And he lays out the architectural plans um and you can see the layout of the tower of the cathedral sorry you have the main sort of

chamber the side rooms there is a balcony uh sort of a second and even third floor where the bell tower is um and he points to a section just behind the altar the main cathedral where you can see on the plans there are stairs leading down so here is the entrance, the main cathedral, where you can see on the plans there are stairs leading down. So here is the entrance to the catacombs, and then he shuffles it along and moves the paper. And you can see here it enters, and yeah, clear enough, there is a large map of the catacombs themselves. Now obviously these are all sealed up and independent, and you can see that there are several channels here. Each of these rooms has been built with alcoves for the Ashes of the Departed. This section here was reserved for sort of more affluent members

to have their own private chambers, and you can see there's like a series of one-off small little rooms. And then these larger rooms are for more public collections of the things built into the alcoves, small plaques for where each of the urns are placed. Now, it's interesting because it's here, and he points to one long stretch. This section here, and it's almost a strange zigzag shape.

The reason it had to be designed in this manner was because a sewer line runs directly along here, so they had to change it and put it at a diagonal, whereas normally you'd have another chamber built into that. So when the catacombs go at an angle... Yeah, this section, and it's one section, it's basically like one diagonal line. I'm making a distinct note of that.

Yeah, sure. Fascinating. Yeah, and so at this point you guys can navigate it. You can see that the catacombs, it's not labyrinthian, it's quite clearly marked into kind of almost like a square with adjacent rooms leading off of it. And then just one corner of it is like a diagonal line rather than a right-angled line.

And he points to it and says, yes, and it explains that, yeah, basically they had to do that to not run into the older sewer system that was put in place. You don't happen to have the sewer plans as well? I'd be interested to see how they've been made. Well, we do, but they've been remodeled. It was the original sewers were built a long time ago, and as there have been improvements

to sanitation and magic and things like that, they have been altered. But the older tunnels, and again, he goes through and he starts pulling out these maps and things like that. Now, here are the more modern sewers which we use today. These funnel filth away. It goes into the river downstream, all of that kind of business.

But these, and he kind of shuffles the papers around. Now, these are the originals. They were much larger because back in when the Empire was first founded, when Ashen Rest was first founded, there was a lot more sort of manual effort that needed to be cleaned to make sure that there were not beasts and critters and things like that. Now we have magical materials,

and do you know what I hear that they even employ? Wizards create slimes that digest the filth, and they send them down the modern sewers, and they sort of scoop up all of the debris and that sort of thing. But these older ones, crews would have to come in and sort of clean out any filth or creatures.

Sometimes vault spawn would make their way down there. But yes, these are the original ones. And you see here, this section, this is the part that they had to build around. Yes. You see that, Griffith, yes? Yes, I do. Right there? Yes, I'm looking at it, yes.

Make a good mental note of that. Are you students of sort of masonry and architectural design? I'm a hobbyist, if anything. Oh, yes, very good. I've got to start somewhere. I'm on a pilgrimage. To learn about sewers? No, to...

What a strange custom! To learn about the cathedral. Oh, the cathedral! So you must be, you're interested. He's the sewer enthusiast. Oh, I see, I see. Yes, yes, yes. Well, I mean, yes, it was quite fascinating.

You know, the original guild masters, mostly dwarves, as is the way, they were trying to help build something new for the city and things like that. Very fascinating. But yes, I hope it's been rather educational for you. It's been eye-opening. Wonderful! Well, no, you're more than welcome. Can we take a note of the...

Can we... I don't have any parchment here. I mean, these are originals. You can't possibly take these. No, we we never suggest. Why are we laughing? We should go. Yes, I'm afraid I don't have any parchment or anything on me. Do you have the parchment?

No, because I'm not Nova. Oh, well, that's a shame. I don't know who Nova is, but... But yes, yes, I mean, and also... A donation is usually made to the guild for sort of coming and... I just gave away my platinum bar, so... That would be quite a donation, a platinum bar. I promise you're going to have to spot the men.

I think it's a donation. Obviously, it is not compulsory, but it is appreciated. He holds out a gold. Oh, a gold piece. Oh, very kind of you. It takes another gold. Yes, another gold. That's very kind of you, yes.

Would you like the bronze instead for the leverage? No, no, gold, two gold pieces, thank you very much. Gold each, perhaps, yes. Is that satisfactory? Yes. It is certainly a donation, thank you very much. Well, with that all nicely wrapped up, good day. Good day to you, good day.

Thank you for your time. What a waste of time! Yeah, he's like muttering to us as you guys are making your way back up. So yeah, so he's just up the stairs and then... Oh, freeloading. Bloody tourists. At least they could do five gold each. He's muttering to himself.

He's out, he's got them all. He's got them all away. He's a halfling, right? So yeah, he has to get the little lad around. Like... Too old for this. Used up a bit on my lunch break. All the way, he's a halfling, right? So yeah, he has to get the little ladder out. Too old for this. Used up a bit on my lunch break. He slides it all down. Goes back to his busy mango juice. But what I would like the two of you to do is you can either,

if you are trained, if you are proficient in survival, you may use survival. Otherwise, it is going to be an intelligence check. I am proficient in survival, you may use survival. Otherwise, it is going to be an intelligence check. I am proficient in survival. I am in survival as well. Well, then you can both make survival checks. And this is to represent how well you've memorised those maps and familiarised yourself with the landmarks and things like that

to try and find them. You say advantage? No, you can just use survival instead of intelligence. Gruffa still does have a bardic inspiration. Ooh. You could also spend a fate point. I'll bardic inspiration this. All right.

What's your bardic inspiration? D6, right? D6. Yeah, it's a free D6. Also. 14 plus 6 is a 20. 24. 24, yeah.

Gruff, you are pretty, you have cemented a kind of mind map. Well, yeah, and like I mentioned, like maybe using like landmarks of like, oh, there's a very, he mentioned that there was this large room full of these and that's the closest room to that. And then on the old sewers, that was overlaid here, but then this, you kind of create that mind map of it.

Also, technically, if it's a, if it's a interring ashes and it's a columbarium, not a catacomb, This is very strange here. Maybe it's something to do with a custom. I don't know what that fancy word that you use is. You hear your fancy words. Columbarium. Columbarium.

I don't know what that is. It's where you put ashes. Well, this is... They call it a catacombs, but they put ashes in it. Because it's Ashen's Rest. Ashen's Rest. In a world of dragons and magic?

God. Columbarium. Lay off, all right? Columfurthium. What? It's one of Cyberpunk.'s Rest. In a world of dragons and magic? God. Columbarium. Lay off, all right? Columbirthium. What? What is cyberpunk? I wouldn't give a shit. Grandparents' ashes are in a Columbarium in Malaysia?

Yeah. Playing the cultural card. I'm going to put you in a Columbirthium. What do they even mean? Please do. I don't know. What you could have done with my, but you nailed it, is roll that d6 again because I had bardic versatility.

Oh, do you want me to do it again? Well, you got a six on it. I got a four. Oh, you got a four. You can see if you get higher. I did not get higher. I rolled a four again. Okay.

I got a 15. You got a 15? 15's enough that you've got a good idea of it. I've forgotten everything. No, no, you have a good idea of it, but it's not as good as, so for the purposes of this, because you got way above the DC for it, 15 was the DC, so you've memorized that map and you can kind of have a good idea of how to navigate it.

But for Gruff, you don't even need to make checks or anything to go there. You can just get there once you're inside. You would have had advantage on navigating the catacombs and things to get there. Thankfully, I can't turn into a little kitten so well you might still need to go down there you don't know i need to anymore yeah no i'm not looking at it katie katie is holding up her journal entry with a little drawing of a maybe a maybe gruff kitten in a bag in a bag and it says don't do this don't do this gruff doesn't want to

go in a bag the other thing i'm going to give you on the 24 survival check is not only would you memorize the location of where that section was, I would say you can identify points that you could enter into the old sewer system not within the church. And in fact,

because that's only five ahead. You've got 24, right? Yeah, 24. So I rolled a 14 plus six plus four. Plus four, so 24. Not quite 10 over the DC then. Oh. But yeah, you can identify that there are several parts of Ashen's Rest, not like manhole covers, but they would be like sewer grates

built into the sides of streets and things like that, where you think you can get access to the old sewer system. Sweet. I think we've done a great job. I feel pretty good about this. Now for some pastries. I really hope they've gone to latte fun. I really hope so as well.

Well, let's find out. I'm trying to get in with my journey. Just like kicking your legs on the balcony. That's all I've been doing. Daisy? Huh? We're going

to meet the others. But first, latte fun. Pastries? Yes. Coffee, pastries. It's very important. The London Goblin.

Pastries. And then we're going to the catacombs. Which is weird because ordinarily they'd be called Colin Firthian. But I guess they have catacombs here. But we need to pick up the coffees, the pastries, and then we meet the others.

Yes. Yes? Yes. Good. Wait, have you been to a latte farm? Yes. I have, yes. Yeah, you have.

Okay. Yes. Yeah. All right. We're going now. All right. From the whole shebang. All right you have, okay. Yes. Yeah. All right, we're going now. All right. From the whole shebang. All right.

I'm buying the shop. Yep, you go there, you find Maeve. I'll take the lot. Okay, you buy the whole lot, like everything in the store. What's their special pastry of the day? Their pastry of the day is called a, it is called a cauldron called a... A cauldron... What do we call it?

We call it like a cauldron flume. And it's like a cannoli. And this is a pistachio and hazelnut flume, it's called. Double nut. Cauldron flume. Double nut and cream. Yeah, and it's got like almonds speckled with chocolate on the outside. Triple nut.

That's insane. Triple nut with a bit of chocolate as well. Quadruple nut. It's like a wafer-y. I've never seen a cauldron quadnut. I have. Messy. I'll take five of your cauldron quadnuts, please.

I don't... What voice did I give Maeve? She's Irish. She was Irish. She was Irish, that's right. Mrs. Doyle, yeah. A bit of Mrs. Doyle and a bit of Jacksepticeye there. I can't help him.

It's like when he does that... Sorry, what was that you said then? Well, I don't have a quadnut. I've only got the... I've got the flume, the pistachio and hazelnut flume. Oh, okay. Well, I'll take the pistachio and hazelnut flume. Okay, how many would you like? Five.

All right, five. Six. Six? Five or six? I want another one. And would you like any drinks? I've got a special blend from the Suncrest Isles. We've got a Suncrest blend in for the coffee.

Or you can have Cauldron blend. How bitter? It's a bit sweeter, actually. Sweeter? It's a bit sweeter, the Suncrest Isle one. That's good. Yeah, Cauldron's a bit bitter. Five of those, five of the plumes.

Five. All right, five it is. All right, five. And she'll start, like, putting them, making up little bags and things like that. We've got a ton of money. They would be... No, we're not. We have 500 golds worth of platinum.

Blood money. They killed her. The drinks would be about... It's mine. I died for this. We earned that money. Three more brass coins. Probably that silver piece each,

a five silver. That's for the coffee and the cake. Nice. Coffee and pastry. Five silver pieces. Done. I have just spent platinum on you. Take that back and spend silver.

Oh my god. You just hand a platinum coin. I have lost everything. Ruined. I'm never going to financially recover from that. Do you accept crown steel?

Dave eats it and becomes a god. Maeve will be like well if you just want to take a seat I'll go prepare those and I can bring them out. Okay. Where are we meeting the others, by the way?

I think the Stonemason's Guild. Oh, that's okay. Is that where they're going? You said here. You said we're waiting here. You said pastries. You said pastries and coffee. We are meeting here.

It's what you remember. Do you reckon we have time to stop by the Grumpy Hog on the way? Maybe. Why? I'm the way? Maybe, why? I'm parched! Oh really? That's what the coffee's for. Wine, Xanthius. Coffee? Have you tried it? I don't think I have tried coffee, no.

There's coughed tea. Excuse me? Coughed tea. No, coffee. Coffee. Cough. It's definitely not something that would be in Osseous, coffee. No, no, no. Coffee. Coffee. Cough. It's definitely not something that would be in Osseous, no. It gives you a good old energy burst.

Why would you name a drink after a physical reaction to something, you know? No, cough. Wine. Well, yes, but wine is wine. Coffee's like. Coffee. Yeah, but whining is.

That's what I do. I like to whine. I go, wine likes me. Well, try coffee. Okay. It'll wake you up. How tired are you, by the way? I don't feel tired.

I just feel hungry. What kind of hungry? Croissant hungry? Mm-hmm. Oh, okay. That's not croissant. Laugh. Okay.

This has been a while, hasn't it, actually? Two days? Yes. God, it's been two days. And you hadn't, even then, that was before you hadn't drunk before. Good, what about... It's been two days. That's how I feel if I haven't had any good food in a couple of days.

So maybe I understand now a little bit more. But Gruff did. You just need... Oh, no, that's true, yeah, Gruff did feed, actually, yeah, the blood that Gruff fed you. But yeah, two days is still, yeah. So you hit points worth.... So you hit points worth. Yeah, you hit points worth.

I'll be all right for a little while. Okay, good. Me too. Good, good. Are you good? No, I want pastries. Okay, fine. The pastries and coffees I brought over for you.

We have you guys meet back up. You guys eventually meet up, and that is where we're going to take our break. It's a great time. When we come back, what is the plan when we come back? So I've got a chance to think on the break what I need to do. Going down the sewers? Storm the catacombs.

You want to go and explore? Are we going to the sewers? Are we going to talk to Gryll? Yeah, maybe we want to get Gryll to come with us. We're going to try and find Sir Gryll first. And then find a good sewer entry point. Which you know about, right? And go in.

Okay. All the sewers. Alrighty. And crucially, there is no need for Kittengruff. We'll see. Alrighty. We'll see. In that case, we will see you just after our break.

Enjoy our fan art video, brand new fan art video. Yeah, baby. And go and check that out. And thanks again. We will see you after this. Take care. Bye-bye. Bye now. Bye. Bye now. and go and check that out and thanks again we will see you after this take care bye bye bye now

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