High Rollers DnD - Altheya: The Dragon Empire #40 | These Golden Hills (Part 1)

Episode Date: October 29, 2024

Xantheus and Ophelia find a potential money-maker in the middle of the Ash Hills! Announcements: High Rollers have teams up with Dispel Dice to create the Clever Toad Dice Set! Available next week! One year anniversary of Altheya next episode! Join us live for some celebrations (and cake.) _______________ Boost your Charisma with some HR merch! https://highrollersdnd.teemill.com/ 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/! Check out https://www.highrollersdnd.com/ for all the latest HR News! 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. Rise from your graves. Ah! Hello. I have a feeling. Hello. I bark Sherlock cubes. I have lost my voice.

Oh, so you're putting on that voice? I will be, I will sound a little deeper and a bit more sort of croaky than I normally do today. But hello there friends, welcome to High Rollers D&D. It is time to play some Dungeons and Dragons with your favorite British idiots. That's us. Idiots? What the hell?

A couple of kick things to mention before we get back into it. A couple of quick things to talk about before we get into it. Oh, this is the exciting one, guys. This is the exciting one. It's a little special, little special announcement. In fact, I think we might have a little video to play. Let us play the video. Samuel, please.

You will purchase a great gift. Fate shall soon be in your hands. The Clever Toad shall dispel misfortune. Watch for the next Sunday. Buy today. Or tomorrow. The Clever Toad Dice Set. Available to buy now via Dispel Dice.

Check the link in chat or the video description. Okay, it's not, you can't buy it today. You can't buy it right now, actually. You can't actually buy it right now, but that's a teaser because next week, next Sunday, you can. So yeah, we have partnered up with the lovely folks at Dispel Dice. Oh, they're gorgeous dice.

They're gorgeous dice, they've made us lovely sets. We're a big fan. And yeah, we're releasing the Clever Toad dice set next week. Wow! Look at those! The links will go live next Sunday. So tune in to our stream next Sunday and you will be able to purchase them.

Yes, they are good. Oh, they're good. They're real good. And just in time for gifting season. Quite right, Rhiannon. Speaking of gifting season, next Sunday is also our first birthday for Ulthaea. That's right, it's been a year. One year of Ulthaea.

Roughly. Roughly. As close as we can get for a stream Sunday. So check it out next week. You'll be able to do all the links and stuff, but we wanted to give you a little tease. So that is it for announcements. Unless there's anything else I've forgotten anybody wants to mention.

You're a really good DM, Mark, and I can't wait for this episode. Thank you. I'm gonna get some bonus points, I reckon. Bonus points? Bonus? Yeah, boner points. They were like, Tom did it to It's Halloween. Tom being into it.

So with that, let us run the intro and do the recap. I want a dice tray. Yay! ["Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy"] Hello and welcome back to Ulthair the Dragon Empire. Our heroes have set off into an area called the Ash Hills, searching for a missing knight who went to recover a lost magic shield for Lady Emberissa, the Red Dragon noble of Northvale. They travelled to the ruin of the Ashen Citadel, where they uncovered a suspicious group calling themselves the Reclaimers, who had taken some unusual prisoners.

The PCs infiltrated the camp and freed the prisoners, defeating the Reclaimers and discovering their connection to the magical metal called Crownsteel. A disk of the dangerous metal was recovered stealthily by Gruffydd of Tremorro from their leader, whilst Ophelia went below the ruins and recovered some potions, but also accidentally set off a trap that destroyed notes and a map in the process.

Speaking with the prisoners, a goblin woman named Penelope, and a sentient plant being called Boranth. They learned that they were aides of Lady Verithera, a green dragon who had come to the hills to try and heal the land of a blight that was spreading throughout it. After speaking with Penelope and Boranth,

the party explored one more room below the ruins, solving a puzzle that led to a hidden treasure room full of riches and an unusual coat. And that's what we're gonna pick up again this week. As a reminder, after you had solved the puzzle with the murals and the dragon heads and the shields, you opened up a secret door that was built into one of these murals,

and inside you found a small, well-preserved treasury. There was a gilded chest, which I don't believe has been looked in fully yet. There was a ornate painting in a gilded frame. Hmm? Hmm? Guess what's about to get cracked open. Right, I see.

There was an ornate, very valuable-looking painting in a gilded frame. Two obsidian statues of dragons with Ruby Knight Riders, like Ruby-carved riders. And then on a very well-made display mannequin is this beautiful blue, long, military-style coat covered in medals and like little charms and like dangling little connections with little,

you know, symbols or icons on them. Very, very unusual looking, but very beautiful, very well made. And that is what you find with the treasury ruba. Num, num, num, num, num, num, num, num, num, num, num. Like Kirby, I devour it all. What does that mean? I want it all.

Okay. Yum, yum, yum. Where, so the painting and the statues painting and the statues are significant of size that they're not just going to go in pockets, right? You will either have to physically carry them or they're going to have to go somewhere. The chest is also large enough that it is like it's going to physically have to be carried around.

Like in the original scene where you just take a painting off the wall. It just flips in the air, lands in the cockpit. There is no hammer space, you do not own a bag of holding. Damn it. Damn it. Before we check the chest, check the traps. Because the last one exploded on me. That's true.

They didn't send Daisy down. It was just Ophelia running around. I had a nom-noms, I had a snacky-snip. Yeah, there's a very dead man down here. Yeah. Yes. Just outside the door. Is it just Xanthius and Ophelia down in Gruff? No, all of us are down here,

because we were solving the puzzle. Because I was doing like a harmonization with the land and learned about... We did all that. Yeah. And then we went down. And we did... Let's just say for the sake of it, you're all in this room.

For everything that we did, we also had Daisy check the actual mechanisms for traps. I rolled terribly, so every time they, it was like, is this thing okay? I'd be like, oh, that was a two. I'd be like, yeah, that's fine. But it did turn out to be fine. Yeah.

You're right, Avila, we should just be extra careful. Okay, so. Things explode. Yeah, the trap that you opened before, the one that you tripped before, was that a mechanical trap or a magical trap? Do you happen to know? That was a device, I believe. The one I opened it, it went ding ding bof.

Okay, well, maybe Daisy, if you wanna just check that chest first, although we are behind the thing now, but maybe just check that for any kind of traps. Oh yes, I can try it. I can try this goggle thing. I can try out this... this goggle thing. Whoa, whoa, whoa.

Okay. Full of noises today, I do apologise. Tell me of your results. Four. That is four. I believe it is a dice for you. A three. A dice for me.

Five. A dice for you. Four. A dice for me. Five. A dice for you. Four. A dice for you. Uno. A dice for me. Three to two. And a dice.

A four, a dice for you guys. A four to two. Four to two. Very nice. Fates is lovely. If you remember, you can add them to ability checks, saving throws, attack rolls, or if you would like to make devil bargains

and such and things that you may wish as well. Fancy times. Yeah. Well, I've got the Gold Sight Eye as well, which fell out of Ophelia's pockets a few days ago. The magical, monocle sort of multi- For how many apples? Artificers.

What a world. Eyeglass. Yeah. And I could try that one out. I could do a detect magic through that, which is at will. That's a load of charges. Sorry? Was that a will joke?

You're better than this. I'm not. I'm so not. Yeah, there's three charges, and I can spend a charge to do Detect Magic with that one. Do you do that? You phrased it as a, I can do that. Sorry, if there was a slight upward trend in my speech there...

No, you actively said, I can spend a chance to do this. Oh, right, okay. You didn't say that you did do it. Oh, no, this is just, you know, people on edge. You know, how could I do next? What are you going to do? He's crazy! Where can I go? Anyway. Sorry.

Holy shit. I'm so sorry. Oh, you're probably all ready for what I'm gonna do now. I'm gonna use the tech magic on my god-awed side. Okay, great. You spend a charge from the item, two charges left. And yeah, you watch as the, because it's like a monocle, like a brass monocle that has all these different lenses and things like that, and as as the... Because it's like a monocle, like a brass monocle

that has all these different lenses and things like that. And as you sort of adjust it and tighten some various little dials and things like that. One or two? Two, one or two? But as you flip through the lenses, yeah, there is this sudden field of sort of ambient magic that is always present in the world,

because magic is a sort of sentient part of the world, but you see that that coat is very clearly imbued with, it would be imbued with conjuration and transmutation magic. It's a fridge. But yeah, quite potently enchanted. The chest does not seem to have any sort of magic on it, neither do the statues or the painting. The magical traps.

Okay, Daisy, any luck with? Sorry, this thing is weird. I'm still getting used to it. What kind of a check would you like? So what are you doing? What was the, how does Daisy actively search for these traps? What does that look like?

What sort of things do you do? I guess, can I check the other chest, like the device on the other chest that Ophelia opened? That's in a different room. You could go back in there and have a look at that. Can I just have a look at that? Yeah, yeah. And take that knowledge and look for that trap.

Sure, sure, sure. So, give me an investigate check. Just see if you can break down, because the trap did go off and it destroyed the mechanism. Just so you all know, my investigation is plus zero, so you know, do you think I'm... I'm ready for this. You can use fate if you...

You also have your Psy Bolstered Knack as well, which you can use, or your Radiant Knack. What? Your who? I don't have... What? That's new. No, it's a thing from my class. It's a thing for the subclass. Nack?

Yep. As in you have the knack to do something. Yeah, K-N-E. Like the PS3 game. K-N-A-C-K. Yeah. Did you? I thought you didn't say the N. I thought you said cack.

That's like, why different? Like cackered. So I think you can do it when you fail a check, you roll it, and if you still fail, you don't spend it. No, I've got the knackered. You can just let the die roll. Because knackered is after... Never mind. I think Trot's having a moment here.

I think he's having a moment. Knackered comes from... Tired. Yeah, specific... No, no, wait, that's buggered. Yeah. What is happening? I don't know. Oh, there you go. You don't have proficiency in. I don't know. Oh, there you go.

And I don't have proficiency in it. You have proficiency in it, there you go. That's why I was checking. Nice, great move. So no, you get seven. Seven. The only thing I would say is that there was some sort of mechanism that deployed some sort of

burnable alchemist fire type material, and it looked like, yeah, something was triggered and it activated some sort of like alchemical component. That's as much as you can figure out. I'm gonna give you a solid I don't know, friend. Okay. And I'm gonna step real far back for you, Jeff. Shall I just give it a little pry?

Little. Maybe open it slowly. And if you can feel some resistance, then stop. OK, OK, OK. What if it's just really rusted? It could just be really rusted, it's very old. Then I can just get really mad and then... Yeah, maybe if you open it really fast,

it will bypass the trap entirely. I don't think that will happen. I think it'll definitely explode in your face. Well, if you open it faster than the speed of light... What's that? Anyway... How fast is that? Open it to crack explode in your face. Well, if you open it faster than the speed of light. What's that? Anyway. Okay, well if you're fast, open it to crack. A wee crack.

Open it a little bit. Okay, you try to open it. It doesn't budge. This is a gilded chest. It has a keyhole for a key. It looks like it is locked. You try and open it. Oh, the keyhole.

Uh, this has a key. I've seen that one. I see. This is rather embarrassing, like a key. I feel like we've seen that one. I see. This is rather embarrassing, isn't it? It's right there. You didn't ask me if it was locked or anything. Wow, that's a big keyhole. It's not like a Zelda chest.

It's like, do-do-do-do. But looking at it, there is clearly a small hole that looks like it would be. Now, upon further inspection, that's locked. So the chest itself is gilded, so it is like a wooden chest. It's like your professional assessment. But it has metal bracketing and casing,

it's all been covered in gold filigree and stuff like that. But it is like, you do look like you could probably break or smash the chest open if you wanted to. Does it have any like, what's the word, heraldry on it? Or like? There is like symbols, yeah, there's like symbols on it. There's the symbol of North Vale, so like the Duke Ignorius' quest. Does the robe have any pockets?

Oh, the robe, yeah, it's not a robe, sorry, it's a coat. So it's like a big long military coat, a bit like Caladin's blue coat. Oh yeah, I remember you saying that. So it does have pockets on the outside, and it looks like it has inside pockets. I'm gonna have a little rummage. What color is it? Blue. Blue. Literally like a dark blue.

It's like a dark gray blue. Royal blue. No, a bit more sort of darker and grayer in tone. So more like a periwinkle. Periwinkle. Of course. Right, I'm there, yeah. Right, okay. I don't even know what periwinkle looks like.

The color swatch, I have to Google this now because otherwise it's gonna be in my brain for the rest of the time. But no, it's like a darker kind of a... Periwinkle, which is very bright. Okay, it's not that. It's halo blue, whatever Citadel paint is. Oh yeah, it'd be the fang, which is the Citadel color.

A lot more people want that over there. Right, yeah, okay. So yeah, it's like a darker gray-blue. And yeah, you reach into the pockets, and yeah, you find a small little gold key in the pocket. Is this kind of blue? There you go, that's literally it. For podcast listeners, that shit blue.

Is it gray-blue? It's that kind of blue. But like less saturated blue. I have key. Nice, key. There's a key in the. But like less saturated blue. I have... Key. Key. There's a key in the... Oh, that happened in between us looking for colours, sorry. There's a key.

There's a key. Okay, try it. It looks like... can I? Yeah, go for it. Click. Gently. Yep, opens. Seems to open the chest.

What's in it? Open it up. Careful. Da da da da. My huge hands encompass this chest. Hey. Hey. Hey.

Yeah, the chest opens. There's no tramp, the chest opens. Is it squeak? It doesn't squeak. Looking inside, this chest is, it's full of coins of mostly silver and gold, but the coins, not that many. You don't think it's like, you know,

this isn't like a heavy laden chest, it's kind of square, but these are old looking coins. Like these are like three, 400 year old coins, which that would increase their value in of itself because they would be something of like a little, you know, historical item as well. You guys, I don't think any of you, no, I would say Xanthius,

because you come from, well no, because you didn't grow up in your family. So actually I don't think any of you would really have a clue how much this would be worth. There's maybe like 200 golds worth of coins there. Right. Do a shot in the dark history check. Yeah, you can make a history check, absolutely.

Yeah, anybody can make a history check, absolutely. Yeah, anybody can make a history check, actually. 21. 21, great. So even though Rowan, you are not familiar with like mintage and coinage and things like that, you're able to like estimate that if these are the age you think they are, they are probably worth probably like four times as much money,

because they're old antique coins. You might need to go find a specialist buyer, or like an antique stealer or something like that, but there's potentially, the coins in here are actually worth about 800 gold, rather than 200 gold. There was someone in my old village that used to collect old coins like these. Really?

And he used to tell me that the older they are, the more they grow in value. And he showed me one and it looked kind of like, not this one exactly, but four times. Well, looking at it closer, the thing you would notice is, because you've been traveling through Cauldron, you've been dealing with coin recently and things like that.

Most of the coins that you've been dealing with in Cauldron of Leight have, they're emblazoned with the symbol and the image of Princess Infernia, who's the current arch dragon, the red arch dragon. These coins that you're holding have a different arch, red arch dragon on them. They actually have her father,

who was the previous arch dragon. And so that's what kind of makes them clearly older and more valuable, because they're minted from a different arch dragon. You see that? It's the old arch dragon, the Coltrera. They're kind of, I mean, they're prettyed from a different archdragon. You see that? I do. It's the old archdragon caldra. Is it? They're kind of, I mean, they're pretty good quality coins. Yeah.

I'm a bit of an archeologist. I see. Well, that's right, you do have the archeologist background. I forgot that, sorry. I would have just given you that for a check without checking. So you recognize that red dragon, but not your own dragon. Did he just eat a coin?

That's how we investigate, sir. What did you think? You recognize that? Old archdragon, but not your own dragon from your own province. Wow, you really didn't forget that, did you? No, I locked in on that one. Traveled a mysterious path.

Oh, okay. But yeah, so examining these, your... You're saying they're like four times worth their current value. What a gold coin would usually be, or a silver coin, we got both here. This would be four times that amount. Well, there's hundreds in here.

We're gonna have to try and get this out of here, and onto the wagon. Yes. Are we able to get, actually, is Percy able to help? I think he asked him to. Yeah, but he can carry stuff, yeah. He's not super duper strong, but he can carry stuff. We could take the whole super duper strong, but he can carry stuff.

Paintings as well might be worth. Ophelia, I was gonna say, with the paintings and the statues, the statues are made, this is a bit more like you come from a land of high art and culture, and the Countess' manor is full of beautiful paintings and beautiful, especially jewelry and things like that, and you've got training in jewelry and things like that.

You estimate that the two obsidian statues with the ruby knight riders are probably worth about 150 gold each, but they are quite big. They'll need to be carried. And then the painting is difficult to say. Again, it's one of those things of, it is a beautiful piece, it's in a gilded gold, like gold leaf frame.

It could be worth anywhere from like 100 golds to like three, 400 gold, depending on the buyer. Is there an identifiable signature on the paintings? Not on the bit that you can see. It says ZZZ on the back of it. You flip it over. It's worthless. Superlific.

Big penis. I mean, I wouldn't find these in my living quarters when the inn is all done up. They are beautifully black and red. Mm, do you think they're fitting? They're quite a few, yeah. Mm, you're aesthetic, yes. Thank you, thank you.

I mean, how heavy are the statues things? I'm just wary of the space in the wagon that we have already. Oh, they'll be fine, they'll be fine. Yeah, if you put them in the wagon, they'll be all right, yeah. Okay. Hot rod will carry, they'll be strong. Yeah, if you put them in the wagon, they'll be all right, yeah. Okay. Hot rod will carry them.

They're probably worth 150 gold each for the statues. 150, so wait, 150 has two of those. Yes, and the painting's probably one to 300. The paintmanship, the skill here on display is quite good. So the two paintings are worth, what, 150 ish you say? One painting. One painting. One painting. Okay.

Could be about a couple hundred, or three, 400 gold perhaps. So we're looking at about a thousand of all the stuff here. Yes. Yes. Roughly. What about the chest itself? Probably could be salt for some money. It's a nicely gilded chest,

probably from the same time period. Okay. Maybe. Well, we're gonna need to ferry all this back to the wagon. I haven't heard Percy clattering those pans, so that should be safe. I need a hiking pack of sorts. Not to carry all this stuff.

I've only got my little satchel. I can carry stuff in my arms though. Yeah? I mean, we can fill up the chest with as much as we can and then take that. I can make you into a bowl. We carry you and pile all the stuff on your belly. How is that going to help? Just create a surface area with which.

Sure we could do. Yes Daisy, why don't we just drive the wagon over here and then load it. Yeah that was gonna be a nice suggestion. Oh yeah. We'll send the strips, yeah. Well what about Penelope and Baranth? What about them?

We should go check if they're all right. Yeah? Can we just left them up there? We need to take them to the wagon as well? Yes. Who wants this coat? That's a point. Magical.

I looked at it. Oh wow, it did feel nice when I rummaged. Yeah, a type of magic that I've already forgotten, so. Conjuration. Conjuration, that's what I said at the time. Transformation. And transformation. And transformation, that's right.

Mutation. You hear that in your head. Oh, mutation, sorry. Your inner voice is wrong. It's almost like you have something to identify what magic objects are. I did. Completely. No, but you could tell what they did.

Well, yes. Completely. You can detect magic and also identify. But you can also identify. I'm just saying, if it is magic, we're taking this as well, this coat? Does anyone want it? I look at it and see its sizings. It is clearly built for, I would say,

a close to six foot frame, broad-shouldered, not necessarily gendered in any way, but just a broader, maybe more athletic or military figure, but magic, I don't know, might be able to be resized. Well, because a coat is easy to fold up somewhere. Oh, blue isn't my color, so I'll pass on the coat. It doesn't look like it has a hole for my tail.

We could make one. We could make one. Would that ruin the magic? It does have like a split up the back, so it's like a long coat, so. Like a trench coat. Give it to me, I'll carry it and identify it on the way. You want to be a bold? No. Okay. I'll just take the coat

and whatever else we can, let's all just carry the stuff up. I'll hold the statues. Okay. I'll just take the coat and whatever else we can, let's all just carry the stuff. I'll hold the statues. Okay. I'll hold big things. I'll take the painting. And maybe the chest. You take the painting.

I'll go get Rortree. Yes. And Percival. I'll do nothing. Maybe Penelope and Baranth. Oh, okay, I'll go be friendly. Yes. On the way out, I would identify the coat

with the gold sight eye. Xanthias. Hello. You identify this coat as a coat of useful items. Whilst wearing this coat, whilst wearing this coat, you can use an action to remove a charm, causing it to become the object it represents.

Once the last charm is removed, it becomes an ordinary, but very well-made nice coat. It will also resize itself to whomever is wearing it. The coat has the following charms. Two daggers, two bullseye lanterns, two mirrors, two 10-foot poles, two 50-foot ropes, two sacks, a 24-foot ladder, a bag of 100 gold coins, an iron door that will shape itself

to an opening 10-foot wide to 10-foot high, which can be barred on a side of your choice, two dogs, a portable ram, a scroll of ply, 10 gemstones worth 100 gold each, What? A riding drake with saddlebag, What? What?

A 10 foot cube pit, which can be placed on the ground within 10 feet of you, an artificial eye with a cat-like pupil, and an orb of gonging, which is another common magic item. Which is basically like an egg timer that sets off a loud gong. This is like a one-time use. Once you pull it off, it becomes that thing and that's it.

It's that thing forever. Oh, shit. You can't make it a charm again. It's like, once you make that dog, that dog is a real dog. The dog's not just for Christmas. We get two dogs! We can have two dogs!

I trip over something. And a Drake. Can I have that back? Can I have a flying Drake? It's not a flying, no, Drake is the horse equivalent. Okay. Yes. It's still a Drake!

It's basically a horse. While climbing up the stairs, I trip over. You have a, you have a, We even pay off. We pay off every time. Rodgery, but Casey, if you're a reference, Rodgery's not a Drake, he's just a Thundermine, he's a very different thing. He's a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, This bad boy can fit so many useful items in it. Does it have a bowl? Has sacks. Okay, it has a lot of useful items, but not every useful item, not a bowl.

What do you mean? But you can only use for one of those things. There's so much stuff in here. Once you pull it off, you pull off the little charm. So it has like, so this coat, it almost has like rows of medals, and then on the cuffs, it has like charm bracelets, like woven into it.

Right, so you take them off one at a time. You pull the charm off as an action, and it makes that thing. We need the dogs immediately. Police the house. We don't know if they are tamed dogs. They're all tick marks, so once you've used it, you can mark the tick box.

It's like, how is your name? It is available on D&D Beyond as a robe of useful items, but this is reflavored to be a coat of useful items. That is incredible. What kind of dog? I guess we'll be choosing. Oh my god, can we choose? I mean, I'm just looking at the charm.

Maybe not. It's just kind of a dog. So the charm, it has like a sort of mastiff looking sort of like guard dog, kind of like a, but who knows, that might just be a generic dog. A bloodhound. It could be, maybe, I don't know. So we pull off the charm.

Yes. And then it manifests. It becomes. So if we think of the dog we want, possibly. Maybe. Maybe, possibly. I mean, yeah, there's so much stuff in here. The potential.

You want it? The dog potential. I just want the doggies. You want the coat? Who wants it? just want the doggy's. Want the coat? Who wants it? You want the coat? I want the result of the coat. Yes. I think I'm so much mischief with this.

I want to see the dogs manifest. Oh, I don't like the idea of mischief. What? I don't like the idea of mischief. Fun mischief. There's a 24 foot ladder in here. That's useful. There's a portable ram.

There's a pit. And a here. That's useful. There's a portable ram. There's a pit. And a door which you can just go to, like an opening that doesn't have a door, and go door. It just attaches and becomes a door. That's so useful. But remember, once it's attached, you can't take it back. Like that door is in that thing forever.

Can we make a pit and put the door over the pit? Yes. And then they have the door in here. then we have a 10 foot door pit. Which we do in the... We could put people in the pit. We have a pit room in the Enticing Devil. Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's where all the drunk people go.

Two dogs in there? Yeah, yeah. Okay. I could put people in there and then I could eat them. All right, we're not... I don't think a felician have it. I don't think a felician have it. I don't think a felician have it. I'm overruling that, no.

No? No. I'm scared of what you'll do with a pit. There's so much potential for a pit. There's so much potential for a pit. There is, my parents used to have a pit. Did they? Yes. Well you're not getting the coat, sorry to say. That's overruled right now.

They said that's where the pigs live. Well hold on. What? This party's a democracy manifest. We can't have a leader. Rest in peace. You're just telling Ophelia she can't have a coat. Well, no, I'm just saying I don't want Ophelia to use a pit to lure.

To be fair. I never said lure. Yes. Did you miss construing my words, young man? What's the point of the door then? So you can shut the pit. Okay, all right, well, okay, fine. It gets noisy, my parents said.

I believe that's called a jail. Maybe. With a difficult entrance. Yes. Okay, well anyway, that's what this is. That's amazing. Which is wild. That's a lot of stuff.

We gotta be careful not plucking off the charms by accident. Are they quite firmly on there? You have to very, very intentionally pull them off. And it's only the person who's wearing the coat that can actually make it become a thing. Somebody can't come up and just yank them off. So you need to attune to it, is what you're saying. I can't remember if it needs attunement, I will check. Cool.

Well, I'm easy with whoever would like a card. Whoever wants it is going in the work and I am okay not to have it. I would just make a mess. So if Daisy wants it, you don't need to attune to it. That's nuts. Gruff, do you want it or otherwise Daisy has it? To be fair, it's just like a bunch of stuff.

It's not the most powerful. Have you met us? You like shiny things? It'll be fun. Yeah, but it'll be fun. It doesn't affect your own comfort. Roll it randomly. They're ready to go. Couple dogs in the most powerful. Have you met us? You like shiny things? It'll be fun, yeah, but it'll be fun. It doesn't affect your own comfort. Roll it randomly. They're ready to go. There's a couple dogs in the back pot.

It is. Does the enchantment change the color of the coat to the person's preference? Mm. It's a natural question. Fate dice, devil's bargain. I will spend a dice on that. Sure.

I want it to match my outfit. I will spend a fate dice, and a new addition to the enchantment is that it will alter its color. It doesn't alter its style or design, but it will alter its color. Only once. It's not like a color change. You can't be like, I'll make it black now,

I'll make it white now. No, it's a one-time thing. When you first put it on, it will resize to you, and you can change its hue. It's black now. Black coat, all right. Nice, tall. Very nice. Very elegant, very sort of militaristic. I like it in black, it's a good choice.

With like, orange, like burnt orange. Mm, fringing. Ombre. I love stuff, yeah. Good choice. The piping is what they call it. It's burnt. No! It's gone all black.

It's very... Take it off. No, It's gone all black. It's very- Take it off. No. The chest exploded. There you go. So there you go, Daisy. You now have the coat of useful items. Don't use it to-

Duck. No. Double duck. One action, fourth a charm. Do what you want. Dog dog drink. Just remember, they don't become charms again. They exist then.

Why did you make me? And if you create a sentient being, you are responsible for this. You're gonna turn around and Daisy's gonna be sitting on the Drake saddle with a dog either side, with a ladder propped up over there, there's a pit on the ground. It's like a moon night, the useless bullshit, go. If you take all the animals and you put them in your hands, and then you throw them in. You can't do a fly though.

You can't do a bunch and hold them and be like, you do that and it just comes out. It's like an LB. Like a thing. What if we smelted the bombs together? Once you pull them off they become an object. Like the thing. Like the thing. What if we smelted the bombs together? Once you pull them off they become an object. What if we kept them attached, smelted the bracelet down to a...

Maybe, you could try. I might lose its magic. Yeah, we just have a ladder with a long rope on it. Or just like a horrible, disgusting pit dog. A flesh ladder that barks. Flesh ladder. Kill me. Kill me.

Just remember young lady. Kill me. Kill me. Just remember young lady, a dog is for life, not just for winter tide. I know. That's why I'm saving it till we're back at the enticing devil to have the dog there. Tyria's rest. What the dog doing? What the dog doing? Can I pet that dog? There you go.

But yes, just don't be frivolent with it. What the dog doing? What the dog doing? Get a pet pet dog. There you go. Yes, just don't be frivolent with it. I'll be very responsible. No. Frivolous. Thank you, my brain just short-circuited. So yeah, the rest of you, as this is all happening, because you identify the coat,

you bring all the objects up, you go and fetch Rudry, Percival is happily there, holding the pots and pans. Sorry, Penelope. No need to make noise yet. Good job, Percival is happily there, holding the pots and pans. No need to make a noise yet. Good job, Percival! Brings it all back. Yeah, so when you go back up to the ruins, Penelope is just sort of sorting out her things, but she's also watering Berenthe.

So she's conjuring water and sort of like out of the air and it's sort of sprinkling on him and he's sort of dousing himself in water. Yeah, baby, yeah! It's not of sprinkling on him and he's sort of, mm, sort of dousing himself in water. Oh yeah, baby, yeah! It's not what he says. It's always a plot, that's how I... Yep. I'm so dry!

Percival, I have something for you before I forget. I found this chainmail. Puts the pots and pans down. Thank you. Takes the chainmail. Would you like to put it on, Percival. Would... Puts the pots and pans down. Thank you. Takes the chainmail. Would you like to put it on Percival? For you. Are you... Okay, you've asked him if he wants to put it on.

Can I put it on you, Percival? It just stands there waiting to be, yeah, it just puts the chainmail on, if that's what you command Percival to do. What kind of a noise does Percival now make with the bones rattling and the chainmail together? His bones didn't really rattle much before, but yeah, like it's chainmail,

so he has disadvantage on stealth. So he puts the chainmail on, puts his robes over it. He is now armored, he now has an AC of 16. Very fetching, he has a higher AC than I do. And half the party. He has a higher AC than everyone, I think. Half the fricking party. He is the strongest boy among us.

Does he have a sword? He does, right? He does have a sword, yes. Short sword. Yeah, the true hero of the party. He's gonna outlive us all. Well, that's right, you should be predicted first of all, you are very dear to me.

Just dance then. Look and go. He's a good boy. He is. He is a real go-getter. He was once alive. He's still alive. He is a real go-getter. He is a real go-getter. He was once alive. He's still alive. That is a point. So to put the chainmail on, Percival has to take his robe off.

Baranth is immediately like, an undead being, and I pull the bow. No! And you see Penelope, he's just like, ah! Like freaks out. No, wait, no, don't worry, don't worry. It's fine.

Good guy, this one's us. He's with us. He's very. Good guy, this one's us. He's with us. He's very precious, do not. He's our alarm system. With all that is within me, if you touch him, I will end you. It is a being of unlife.

It's dangerous territory. It's a different form of life. It's not un-life, it's just life adjacent. Have you heard of Osseous? They have very different culture there. With regards to dead things, I'm still trying to get on board with it myself. Death is part of the cycle.

This entity should not be here, but it is your choice, your affair. Thank you. If it means no harm, I will not take action. He will not hurt you unless I command it, which I won't, but he is under my command. Very well. Well, here's Roderick.

Yes. Big good boy. Penelope's eyes go really big and wide when she sees Roderick. Oh, just sort of like, I know. It looks up at him like kind of chops at him. You should watch me, it's amazing.

So feel free to get on board and we can make our way deeper into the Ashen Hills. Little New York. Just trying to make sure that I don't slip into Australian when I do Penelope. Little bit of New York. Yeah, yeah, she was quite a little New York kind of goblin. Yeah, that's right, hello.

Yeah, so yeah, you pull Roger over, you begin loading up with all the treasures and things you have, Penelope will say, ah, so what do you wanna do now? Where should we go, what's the plan? Oh, that's a good question. We've got the map, kind of, giving us directions of where to go.

A little bit further up. It points in a few directions, but most of it was destroyed. Like, that map is not gonna give you any help in trying to navigate or find anything. It hints that there is some sort of pathway or system or something, but... But they were all kind of connecting

into a burnt off part of the map, but they were all to the southeast, right? Yes, that was all you could pick up on, but that's still a very large area. Yeah, yeah, but it's still, that's a direction, south east. When I connected with the ground, Yeah.

and I felt the corruption, Okay. and its tendrils spreading out, there was a more recent event, where there was a good energy that was swallowed by corruption and taken that away. I can only give you this rough direction, but I believe that's the knight we're looking for.

Do you know who the good energy was? I believe that's the knight we're looking for. Okay. Well, could it also be Lady Verithera? Maybe, probably. Because she was taken by the other cultists, wasn't she? Yeah. That's right, yeah, they made a deal, they took her away.

They said that she was the second vessel or something like that. I can't remember. How, uh... A couple of days ago now. Abstract to those visions you have when you commune with the Earth? Yeah, it really depends on the Earth and how much it wants to tell me.

Okay, I'm just wondering if the swallowing by corruption is just taken by reclaimers. I believe that's what I, I got that sense from it. Okay, so is that followable? Maybe that way-ish? I mean, yeah, yeah. You're not gonna probably get much,

once you leave this area, you're not gonna be able to do it again and get another ping on the map or anything like that. Got a rough direction. Okay, well we were heading pretty much that direction anyway, that's where the ash hills are. So maybe we'll be able to pick up some more clues as we go. Just have to do the usual scouting as we do.

Which we're really good at, right? Just been a bit unfortunate. Penelope will also mention- Don't mind if you look at me. Penelope will- Put your coat down. You want a dog? Is there a map in there?

No. Oh. Penelope will also mention, you did also mention, we said that we met with the miners who first met with the knight that you mentioned, we said that you maybe wanted to go to their camp. We could take you there, but.

What direction is that? I mean, it's in that direction as well, but. That seems like a good stop off point. Yeah, how many days away is that? Maybe two days, day and a half, two days and a half, something like that. Okay. We'll have to take turns who gets to rest in the wagon.

There's not a lot of space for us. I mean, that's fine. I mean, Brian, I do not need rest in the same way that you do. I will be fine. Show off. Has anyone tried riding Rogerie? Well, Rogerie specifically,

because there's two seats right on the top of the wagon, isn't there? Oh, it's like the driver's seat, yeah. Rogerie's not really built to be ridden. It's like going, I want to ride an ox. It's possible. It's not really the right shape for it. Thank you for picking an analogy that we all would understand. Yeah, an ox. It's possible. It's not really the right shape for it. Thank you for picking an analogy that we all would understand.

Yeah, an ox. Oh yeah, when you ride an ox. But you've never ridden an ox before. That's the point. You're not supposed to. Okay, well. I'm happy to walk for the first leg. Okay, well we just need to keep an eye out

for anything strange, different. We're not on any roads here, so it might be a little bit more dangerous. Yes, we got to use our wilderness instincts. And I swear, I'm not that bad at it, it's just this place is weird. I'll try my best. It's okay, it's a complicated journey off the roads. We just need to make sure we're always going in that direction. Yes, and if anything does happen, we can handle ourselves.

We've seen that before with the wolves and everything else, right? We've got two dogs in the back pocket. We have two dogs in the back pocket ready to go at all times. And a pit. And also, Penelope and Baranthelio. If you can recognise the area. Yeah, I mean, I can take you to the miners that we met before.

Perfect. I can definitely take you back there, but we didn't go much further than that into the Ash Hills. We've not been here that long. We were just beginning to figure things out, so that's about the only place I could take you, but we can take you there. Okay, well if we happen to encounter any more problems,

you look like you could handle yourselves. I saw how you transformed the earth. I know a little healing magic and I can communicate with nature and things like that, but Baranth really, I'm not a warrior. If they fight me, I'm in trouble, but you know, Baranth, he's a really good archer. And yeah, I can use a little magic.

I can make plants grow and I can use healing and you know, can sometimes help with that thing. Or if you need to, I can make one of you talk to an animal or something like that. Could you do that right now? Yeah, well, if there's an animal you wanna talk to. I point at Roddry. Okay, I can only do it a couple of times a day,

so if I do it now, I can't do it later. What's he thinking? Okay, sure. She comes over to you, Rowan, and she looks up and she rummages in her hat, and she pulls out a little twig with some berries, and she pucks them off the little stick, and then she takes out a little leaf,

and she mushes it all together in her little hands. It's the best day ever. She's like, you gotta bend down, big guy, you gotta come down here. And then she smears it on your lips, so like coats your lips. It's like a, it kinda tastes a bit sour and a bit tangy, but it coats your, it makes your lips all blue. And then when she kind of finishes,

she closes her eyes, and a little bit of green magic glows in her hand. And yeah, you suddenly, your tongue goes a bit bubbly and fizzy. And then yeah, you look around, and she's like suddenly, your tongue goes a bit bubbly and fizzy. And then yeah, you like look around, and she's like, okay, there you go. Wait, that was it?

Hello? You go up to Roderick and say hello? Yeah. He he! I think of a voice I'm gonna give him, because I have to then maintain this voice forever. Minus four intelligence. Yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah, I know.

Minus four. Whoa, hey there. Oh my god. Ah. Yes. Rotary, it's me, Rowan. Hey Rowan. You're the best whatever you are, Thunderbeast ever.

I am? Yeah. That's great. Oh my, we're gonna be such good friends. You give me food. Yes, or do you want some food now? Yes. Okay. Roderick wants some food.

Want some food? Yeah. Give him some food. Oh, I'm gonna give us some food. Here. Hey, what's he saying? He's eating. What are you saying? What do you think, Roderick?

It's tasty. He says it's tasty. Oh, it probably is. Oh my God, you are a good boy. I'm a good boy? Yes, and Gruff is gonna take good care of you, okay? That's Gruff. I like Gruff.

Yes. He's nice. And we're all gonna take good care of you as well. No, he's gonna harm you. Take a good look at all these nice. And we're all gonna take good care of you as well. No one's gonna harm you. That's nice. Take a good look at all these people here. We're all best friends.

Okay. He looks around with his big dopey eyes. What does he think of us? What does he think of us? He loves us. Can you say that? Well, do you love us? Yeah.

Of course I do. He loves us. He loves us. I smush his staly face. That's nice. Oh, he loves this. He loves us. I smush his scaly face. That's nice. Oh, he loves this. Yeah? What's your favorite Scritch spot?

Oh, on my back near my tail. Oh. At the bay at the top. I can reach there with my hands and feet. Gruffydd, by the signs on Saints, I have an immediate mission for you. Right, what's wrong? Get to the back of Rodri immediately.

It's an urgent mission. What's wrong? What's wrong? Is he injured? He's got a good Scritch spot at the base of his tail. Well, that's very important. At the top, not like, yeah. At the top? Like on a dog. We enter the wagon.

When you get there, it's a bit right by their tail, yeah. I start Scritch. I use a little bit of the claw, not like in a dangerous way, but just so. He's a skeleton, he's a dinosaur, he's got thick hide, right? So actually you kind of need to use a little bit of the claws and... Oh yeah. Exactly.

Oh, that's the good spot. Okay, maybe ease off a little bit. I don't know why, is his leg gone? It's like, he's just like happily kind of like, he like rotates a little bit, tries to like help you get to the best spot. He's like, oh, that feels nice. Okay, amazing. Now, if you have any concerns or thoughts,

how long Penelope does this last? I have more food. You bet your bottom ass you can. Okay, great. Not your top ass. Can you mark off, that's two of Roderick's rations, actually, please. Yeah, he haggles chows down.

He's so hungry, what a hungry boy. He's had like twoerick's rations actually, please. Yeah, he happens to chow down. He's so hungry, what a hungry boy. He's had like two days worth of food. Yeah, yeah. Hey, buddy. I like hey. No, it's like a hello. Oh, hello.

All right, so we're heading to a mining camp now. You ready for a big walk? You wanna go walkies? I like walking. Yeah, all right. I like sleeping. Yeah, All right. I like sleeping. Yeah, we're gonna sleep when we get there, okay? Okay.

And maybe a couple days. Okay. We'll have a sleep in between. Okay. Now, I'm not gonna be able to speak to you forever. So, I'm gonna speak to you as long as I can. It's nice to speak to you, though. Well, Penelope's gonna have to join the party.

Yeah. Or... Yeah. You can do it? Yeah. Nice to speak to you, though. Well, we'll put an end to this, we're gonna have to join the party. Yeah. Or, you can do it. Yeah, my guy. I was about to say it. Yeah. Have you met a druid? This is the best day ever.

Yeah, druid. Totally forgot. Don't you remember the ember stoats? Oh, yeah. Yeah. Anyway. Don't you remember the embers toads? Oh yeah! Anyway, I think it lost 10 minutes. I think it's 10 minutes. So you get 10 minutes.

Rodri, in this brief period of time, you don't need to make an insight check because he's not the smartest tool in the dead. What? No, that's right. Excuse me? Correct term, yeah. That's correct. Smartest tool in the dead. Yeah. No, that's right. Excuse me? Correct term, yeah.

That's correct. Smart Tool in the Dead. Yeah. You leave my husband out of this. Leave my sweet boy out of this. It's a reference. So yeah, Rodri is a very simple minded beast. He likes sleeping, he likes eating.

Same, same. I can relate so much. He doesn't like anything too scary. Yeah, meaning that he's not the, yeah, there's not a lot going on in there. Yeah, same. It's like pretty. He's a complex being.

Yeah, yeah. Multi-layered, multifaceted. But he's very kindly, he's very sort of, he is a bit sort of like, not dozy, he's like dozy, like he's just, he loves sleep, like he's a bit sleepy all the time, but he's very kindly and very gentle. Rowan loves him.

Yeah. Well there you go. Did you, is that all right? Did you like that? Did you? Banana Pea, you don't know what you've done for me. I will not take it away from you. What have I done?

You connected me with Rodrietta where I never thought possible. That's great, I'm glad. You can do this all the time? Well, like I said, I can do it a few times. If only there was someone like us that could do that. I only have enough magic mana to do it a few times a day. I can't do it all the time.

The little animals you must be able to speak to. Must be incredible. Yeah, I mean, it's nice back in Mistwald, in the Mistwald where there's little animals all the time. I love speaking to them, yeah. Guess it gets up that you can't teach someone else. I mean, maybe in time. I mean, can you use magic?

Well, maybe I could teach you, yeah, sure. I wouldn't mind that. All right, yeah, we can do them. I can, yeah, I mean, like, you know, that's a big part of what Lady Vera feels, that she tries to teach, you know, she's my teacher. You know, one day she wants me to be a teacher to somebody, so I, you know, it's good practice for me

to help teach you, I guess. Well, how fortunate we have met. Well, yeah, you guys saved us, so yeah, of course. Yeah, I'm one of them. And now we have a lead, so. Yes, yeah, all right. A lead which we should do very well. I shall lead the way, follow me.

And you see, Baranth, when he walks, by the way, his legs stride, he's quite tall, but as he walks, it's like his legs elongate. So he has this incredible stride where he very quickly outpaces Rodri and the rest of you very easily, and then he waits, but he's keeping a lookout. He'll go ahead, and then he waits for you to catch easily, and then he waits, but he's like keeping a lookout. Like he'll like go ahead,

and then he waits just for you to catch up, and then he leads on a little bit further, and just never seems to get tired, or anything like that just goes. Like he's very good at traveling across the land. Let's follow Baranth. So to do this, we're gonna follow our normal travel rules, but because you have Penelope and Baranth,

you're gonna automatically, you don't need a guide, which is normally one of the base roles, and you're gonna automatically succeed that. So you're gonna make progress in your journey. Nice. There is a chance you're gonna, you're still gonna have a random event, so you could still have an encounter,

but regardless, you're gonna, you're always gonna have the upper hand. But what is everyone doing on this journey? To tell me what you are doing to pass the time. Are you practicing with Penelope? Are you staying vigilant and keeping an eye out? Because that is gonna affect, if something does happen, where you are, how you react, who can go first,

who rolls initiative, who's surprised, that kind of stuff. I'm looking at all the buttons on my jacket. I'm absolutely not vigilant at all. You're just... No, no, I'm distracted. Enjoying your distraction. I'm fully distracted. Sure, okay.

Yep, you spend time getting to know where all the buttons are. You, you know, you memorize, right, you know, this side I've got the dogs, and this side I've got the pit, and this side I've got this, and blah, blah, blah. Easily enough. Yep, Gruffydd?

I could either be sort of working with Roddry or I could be looking out. It's up to you. This is what you think Gruff would be doing on this journey. You know, the Ash Hills are a mixture of terrain. Sometimes you're passing through valleys and hills. Sometimes you're moving through small woodlands.

It is kind of a mixed terrain, mostly grassland though. Maybe if Rowan is looking after Rodri, having your newfound friendship kinship with him, or is it just dead to you as soon as you can speak to him anymore? I think it's very hard on Rowan when the speech stops. So he has to take a backseat. Okay.

It'll let Gruff take over. I'll look after Rodri. So you're gonna basically be the one on like driving the wagon, basically. Yeah. Because like Rodri doesn't, he doesn't need looking after, he'll just do his job. Yeah.

He just needs somebody on the reins to like, go, stop, turn, you know, that kind of stuff, so yeah. I'll heal him up as well. Sure. Because you know, someone... Yeah, are you gonna do a healing spell? What was that? Because someone... Someone thumbed your clap do a healing spell? Yes. What was that? Because someone...

Someone thumbed your clap next to him. That was days ago. Yeah, but... Yeah, would we have short rested and stuff? That was the... No, that was just before you arrived at the Set of Dells, so actually it hasn't been a full day yet. Okay.

So, yeah, this would be... He's like down three hit points. He lost, I think, three hit points. Yeah, that's what I think, yeah. So I'll do Cure Wounds. I'm being crucified over three HP. It could've been worse. Look at him.

Look at him. Look at his little face. Because he was resistant, that's the reason. I think he was just an anti-save too. Anti-saved. Like very little. Just look at his sweet little face and you tell him that he doesn't matter.

Cause doesn't he have like 12 hit points? I never said he doesn't matter. I rolled an eight, so full mega-heel. Oh, he's full of beans. He loves it. You know, there's a bit of a pep in his step, you know, when he's moving now. He's stepping.

So the energy flows through him. All right, so Gruff's just looking after Rodgery. Give me just an animal handling check. I just wanna see how your driving the wagon goes. Clever Toad dice, let's go! 18 plus seven. Great. Lots.

No problems whatsoever. You know all the terrain's getting a little bit rocky here. Let's move him off onto a bit of a softer path. Gonna put his needs first, but managed to do it in a way that doesn't delay the journey in any way. Great. Xanthius or Ophelia, what are you guys doing? I am probably near the cargo area of the wagon.

There's just something biting away at my mind. I've forgotten something. Am I looking for something? Possibly. It could be in the cargo. It's somewhere around here. Okay, where'd it go? Where'd it go, you know?

So you're just going through like, the lube agent from the ruins. Let's just, I've got this feeling that I've forgotten something or I've lost something. It's for the iron head next to you. Yeah, where is it? Where'd that go? Well, this is like over the course

of a long period of travel. So is this like you going through, like checking like the, like, is it in here? So is this like you going through, like checking like the, is it in here? Is this like going through your own stuff? Like. Someone picked it up. It's somewhere. Okay.

I can feel it. Sure. I don't get it. Huh? I'm not following. No, it's fine. Kim's just gonna point out and that's. Well, while Kim does that.

All right, if we're just saying it out loud, I'm looking for the crown steal. Obviously. What's wrong with that? Yeah. And would you like to make a check? Would you like to make a roll to see if you notice anything or?

It's so passive, like the searching. Almost like when you leave and you're like, I've definitely forgotten something. You're like patting your pockets. Yeah. I'm sure I've got that, I've got that. I must have everything. Yeah, I could do a check, I suppose.

Yeah, maybe investigate. I have advantage because of the gold sight thing. You do, helps you highlight things. Okay, I do still have a plus zero, just a 12. A 12, I mean it's definitely not amongst like, I mean you, cause you specifically were the one who patted down all of the bodies except the leaders, didn't you?

Yes. And they only had like coins and weapons and stuff, which I don't think you guys actually took, I think you left all that stuff there. You go through like all the stuff you pulled from the ruins, it's not in there, you're like, oh, I didn't check that. You're like, oh yeah, I didn't look at the leader's body.

That's what you could pick up on. Ophelia, what's Ophelia doing? I think Ophelia would stay at one side of the wagon, looking at the tree lines and stuff for any danger, like wolves again and all that kind of thing, and then she'll command Percy to go at the other side to flank both sides with the pots and pans. She'll command him to flank the pans twice for danger,

once for friend or... Sure. So we'll treat that as... Spend the entire night just single-flanked. No, no, no, no. We'll treat that as, if you have to make a perception check to see danger, you'll make it with advantage, because Percy's technically doing the help action.

So, how about that? All right? Nice. Poi-fweekt. What's Rowan doing? Rowan would usually be scouting, but he's also preoccupied, I think, a bit with Penelope and talking about magic

and trying to learn some stuff from her. Also, he's interested in the whole druidic and trying to replenish the land kind of thing, so probably a conversation about that. Is there anything specific you want to ask or? Just asking about Lady Verethira, I think. Oh yeah. And your mission. Yeah, she'll say like, oh Lady Verethira,

well she's the 16th daughter of the archdragon, of the green archdragon. Like she's. Bloody shit. She's the youngest. 16th. 16th child, yeah. Wow. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And she's kind of young, but it means that,

for a long time, she didn't really have a place in the court and in the things like that, so she really dedicated herself to learning, healing, and curing diseases, and especially helping the natural world, if there's ever a disease in a part of Misswold, because we live in harmony with the trees and the plants and the world around us.

And so if there was a grove or a glade and it got a sickness, she would go there and she would heal it and she's really good at it. But she hates violence and she hates fighting and she just wants to help everybody. She's real sweet and she's just great. And you know, when I came over here with my family and we don't really get along very well,

so she took me in. Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. But that's okay, you know. I was very little when we came to Elmira and yeah, Lady Vera Fera found me and she took me in and she's taught me everything she knows. I'm still learning, there's so much to learn. She's got, like a dragon, I mean, I don't know,

have you met any dragons before? Yeah. Oh, you have? Yeah. Oh, wow. We met the Archduke of Kaldra. Oh, really? And the son and daughter. Oh, really? I know. I've never met a red dragon, I met Sir Inglis, he was a really? I know. I've never met a red dragon. Well, I met Sir Inglis.

He was a red dragonborn, but I've never met a red dragon before. So intimidating. Really? Yes. I can't imagine. The green dragons I've met, they're so loving and they're so warm and friendly. The cauldron red dragons, they are bold, courageous, strong.

Oh, I don't know, that kind of sounds scary. It is. Oh, gosh. Yeah, terrifying. Well, I don't know what they're bold, courageous, strong. Oh, I don't know, that kind of sounds scary. It is. Oh gosh. Yeah, it's terrifying. Well, I don't know what they're like, but they have such an innate connection with mana and magic in the world. That sounds wonderful.

And with the Green Dragons, they can connect with the life force of Alte and the world around it. It's really beautiful. What? They can? Yeah, yeah, yeah. I can do that too. Really?

Yeah, but in a different way. Well, how do you do it? I connect through, it's called resonance. What, like in music? Yes, there's music emanating. I love music. Oh, no way. Yeah, and she's got like a little ocarina.

She's like a little wooden ocarina and like it looks like hand carved, like she's made it. What songs do you know? Oh, I only know a couple. You know, I do it because we travel a lot, and it's nice to have a little tune when you're walking and stuff, so. Well, why don't we do a little duet?

Oh, I've never really played for other people before. Hey, you play for yourself. Oh, okay, I guess I can try. I can always be louder than you if you ever feel uncomfortable. Yeah, that would be great. Can I just give you a look, and then you'll play real loud so no one can hear me?

You start and stop whenever you feel comfortable. Okay, okay. I'll take the lead. Okay, yeah, yeah, yeah, let's do it. Also. Well, you know, if magic, if that's how, is that how you use your magic through music? And the resonance?

Yes, I connect with the resonance. Well, you know, that's- Everything has music. That's exactly it. You know, if you can connect to the rhythm of a babbling brook or a stone in the woods. And the rocks next to them. Yeah, and the vines as they grow over and things like that.

The vines. That's like a thing that, well, if you can do that, I think you can definitely learn some druidic magic. Absolutely. Maybe not all of what a druid can do. You know, druids, they connect in different ways. But I think I could teach you a couple of spells if you'd like. Yes, please.

OK. And she will start to play. I'll roll, see how well she plops. but I think I could teach you a couple of spells if you'd like. Yes, please. Okay. And she will start to play. I'll roll, see how well she pops. Natural 20. Oh! Penelope is, you know, she's nervous and she's very shy and she kind of has this big hat and she hides herself away.

But when she starts to play, and it's this kind of jaunty little very fairy like, like tune, it's kind of lots of, it's like lots of little trills and things like that, but it really kind of energizes you and it makes you want to kind of walk and dance and move and things like that. It has a real kind of like pep to it. And she gets lost in it. Like she, as she starts to play, and at first she's nervous, but then knowing that you're there and you're kind of...

I'm clapping along. Yeah, like, and she knows that you're, if she gets embarrassed, she can hide underneath your music. She kind of lets herself go and she closes her eyes. And it's genuinely like really lovely and sweet. You know, it's not the, you know, it is a great performance. It's not like something that would be performed in the great halls or anything like that,

but it's a lovely little traveling tune. And enough to kind of like, yeah, give you all a little, yeah, this is nice, this little pep in your step. I will in fact actually make the journey cost one less endurance because it's Natural 20s, so there you go. Is it the kind of song that everything we do over the next day, you can always catch everyone

in the video. Like little humming it, like yeah. Humming a little part of it, like. Do do do, do do do. No, not quite that, not quite that. We don't want lost woods. But no, there's a lovely little kind of tune to it, excuse me. Yeah, and like with that, if you continue working

with Penelope, by the way, it's gonna probably take you a few days, but I will let you swap a bard spell you know for maybe a druid spell, like Speak with Animals or something. Oh my god. Yeah. Very cool. I'm gonna drop all my bard spells.

Yeah, it makes sense. That's what I didn't realize. Certain druid spells, like things that Penelope would know. So, like, she might not know some of the... She won't know any of the aggressive spells, like Moonbeam or... I have very few. I've got Charm Person.

Yep. If you wanted to swap that out for something like Speed with Animals. There's a Rebony spell. Not really, because that's kind of like... Manipulation. He would rather actually convince someone to be that friend, yeah. Yeah, something like that, maybe. Yeah, something like that maybe. It's up to you. It's a choice you can make. First level.

It can be a first level, you can do a high level one. Let's say, speak with animals specifically. I might need to manually go in and do it. So let's just say for now, you don't have to run a person, but you can learn to speak with animals. I will take a note of it. Yeah, and that will basically take you the whole journey to spend that time, so you're not helping with anything else. That's super dope.

Alright, cool. It sounds like everybody's got something they're doing. Yeah. So, give me a minute. I have to load up Shrubbing. That's okay. So we are currently at the Ursh Citadel, although we're down here. We're heading, like, what, south? Southeast, right? So we are literally just moving one tile down.

There's a save icon. Sorry? Hold on, lag. Spinning wheel. No memory card detected in slot one. Samuel, there is a map if they wish to use the PTZ. If thou wishest. Verily thou art quintessential.

Verily. So yeah, that is where we are right now, at the Ashen Citadel. That is where we started, up here. And yeah, so we're one, two, three, four tiles away right now, but we're about to move one more down. Oh, look at this dice, wow. That's a great dice.

How can I get that dice? Gravetode dice, available next week. It dispelled dice. On the Althea's first year anniversary. Sort of. Hack tag out. Maybe something else will be released too. Maybe.

What? What? You'll find out. Me, I'm being released. Into the wilderness. It's time, it's time. It's coming off, guys. The contract has ended. The pact? The pact.

The pact. Oh, that one, yeah. You guys travel for a full day. You find somewhere to camp, you may take a long rest. You travel as necessary. Whereabouts are you moving in your map? When you say rest, you mean a long... A long rest.

A long, long... Because I don't want to be there. I have a really big, really itchy in my pit. It's my pit. Okay. Arm pit! Is the tattoo. What other pit would, oh. I'm ready now.

Sorry, I'm ready for it. Mark is next to me. Why did you wear a knitted jumper over a tattoo that's healing? I'm an idiot. I feel like that's surely really irritating. I just read a spell on here called fairy toast and I got really confused for a second.

What is with my English today? Oh my god, am I dying? Is it happening? So what's the spell called? Anyway, fairy toast. And all I could think of was sparkly toast as in bread. Fairy toast? Yeah, you make a toast as in.

One of these weird spells when you like, remember that? Fairy bread is like an Australian thing, right? was sparkly toast, as in bread. Fairy toast? Yeah. You make a toast as in... One of these weird spells from the new... Remember that? Fairy bread is like an Australian thing, right? They put sprinkles on bread. The top of sprinkles bread! On white bread. Sugar on sugar.

Butter and sprinkles. Sorry, Mark, you just came round here. So yeah, I've added a little mark, which is where the mining camp is. So that's where Penelope's taking you. Oh, hell yeah. You guys travel for a day, you guys camp, you can take a long rest. Oh, hell yeah. You guys travel for a day, you guys camp,

you can take a long rest, nothing happens that first night. What? What? It's the first night. You were right. Are we, is this, are we all like, are we making it to the one year anniversary? I don't know because my head feels like it's a...

It's just a burp. What are you freaking out about? That wasn't a burp, that was auto-tuned. Yeah. Just make your way. That's the talent. You rest, nothing happens in the night. It's a peaceful night, the weather is clear. Nothing of any kind of urgent.

You pick the journey up the next day, and as you are, you know, you're maybe about half a day away from the point where Penelope and Berenthe are taking you towards this mining camp. And you come across, you pass through a small woodland. And you are the only one kind of keeping watch out, Afelis, so can you give me a perception check, please? Okey dokey.

Was it with advantage? Is it on any way, shape or form? Yes, with advantage, yeah. He's technically giving you the help action, so. Just got a dice tray. I do have two dice trays. You've got two. And you still rolled it outside.

18. 18. I rolled it in chocolate. Up ahead, you and technically Baranth would see this because he's kind of leading you as well. But up ahead, you notice that moving through this woodland, you come across a small pond. And it is notable because the pond itself has a sort of strange subtle golden hue to it.

And the plants and flowers that grow around this pool and in this little woodland have a sort of unusual nature to them. They don't look like some of the plants and flowers you've seen throughout the rest of culture on your travels. They have sort of red veins running through their stems and their leaves. They have more thorns than they should, but they don't look nasty. They're pretty flowers.

They just look different. And you notice that a group of deer are drinking from the fountain, like just a family of them. Up ahead, nothing disturbing them, but just that strange golden pool sort of draws attention. It is definitely unusual in some way. And it is on, you're gonna pass it basically, this pool. And the deer as well.

The deer haven't noticed that you guys are coming yet. They'll probably run away as you get closer. But the deer themselves are also a little unusual. Their antlers, like the buck has the antlers, the antlers are a little bit more twisted and they're black. They're not like a bone color. And throughout their fur, there are these little touches of gold almost, kind of similar to the wolves

that you guys fought. But they're not aggressive, they're just drinking, like normal animals and then, yeah, just some of them are grazing on the grass and the flowers nearby. But yeah, the wagon is gonna pass this pool, basically. Can I make a nature check? Ah, yeah.

To see if they're dangerous. The plants is what you're making the nature check on? Yeah. Okay. Looking at the deer, can I assume that they're the same as the walls in there? You can think whatever you like. Okay.

You are more than welcome to think and make theories as you wish. You're free to think. Yeah. Wow. Crazy, as a woman I'm free to think. Yeah. Oh my God.

What a crazy fantasy world. We give you that permission. This really is a fantasy world. Yeah. Oh my god. What a crazy fantasy world. We give you that permission. This really is a fantasy world. Oh, but only with my permission. Oh yes, sorry. Yes, yes, master's permission, yes. Can we vote as well? You can just vote.

Oh, I don't know about that. I don't know about that. I'm tasking a lot. This is the most silent. As a woman, you can walk into a D&D station and do stuff that you want to do. Whoa! Our tiny brains can't calculate it.

We're just not made for this game. We'll never get anything done. I think we're talking to the comments, right? No, I was thinking about Gary Gygax. Oh yeah, I mean no, it's a very cool space. Yeah. It's true, classic woman. Women, women can be shit heads too.

It's true. Must be a full moon. So fucking colorful. Are we doing the ritual later? Like, yeah, full moon ritual later? Yeah, yeah. Sorry, the token women will shut up now. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. And Tom and Trot said nothing. That's true. That's correct. I heard a squeak and I think that was both your buttholes just closing. Like, ugh!

I'm sort of like a, I got one foot in one camp and I got another foot in the other camp and I'm like, I'm all right. I think I'll be all right, actually. These two, I'm like, I'll be all right, you know. It's fine. That was a good place to be. I am very uncomfortable.

Should we make this nature roll, please? Rhiannon, choosing. Get therapy session, get therapy session. The dice have chosen a 14 for me, Mark. A 14 on the nature check. The plants, you're not from Illmirror, so you don't know the names of these plants or anything else, but you don't see,

you can see actually some of the deer are eating them, so you don't think they're toxic, you don't think they're aggressive, there's not enough structure to them for them to lash out and hurt people or anything. They just look like, yeah, they've grown a bit differently, they're a bit unusual. They just look like, yeah, they've grown a bit differently. They're a bit unusual. They might be like, maybe they've got like,

mild properties, like poisonous properties, or maybe they're medicinal in some way. But not ones you're particularly familiar with. Can I speak to Penelope? Yeah, sure. Penelope, you that seem versed in nature. Oh, yes. Sorry. These plants here, I've never seen anything like this before.

They're very strange. Is it to do with this pool? I don't know if it's about the pool specifically, but we've seen these kind of plants all over the Ash Hills, really. The animals and the deer too, and she's kind of pointing up ahead, and the deer are now looking at the wagon

and they're doing that thing of like, predator, predator, predator, do we need to run? No, no. Drink? Drink? Um. What were they doing? Sorry, I just.

Drink? Hm? Um. And Penelope, people are going to be like, yeah, it's kind of like the animals here. Whatever this sickness that Lady Verithere is worried about, it's been affecting things here for so long that things have started to change and twist.

And they're not necessarily bad. I mean, we examined some of these plants before, and they had a very mild toxicity to them, but nothing like, you won't get poisoned if you touch them or anything like that. Oh, okay. So they're pretty safe, but they're just different now. Lady Verithera said something about that the plants,

they had a high saturation of mana, of magic basically. So it's almost like they've got more magic than they should have. Interesting. Magical plots. Don't worry, Ophelia and Penelope, I can explain this all to you as a man. Please do.

If you wanna make Xanthias more of a dickhead. Oh yes. It's okay, Ophelia, I understand all of this stuff. Let me just run you through this slowly and carefully. I am not doing that, not canon. Zansplaining. Zansplaining. Oh my god. It's not even mansplaining, it's just that it does it to everyone.

It's just an arrogant dickhead. Yeah, that is what Penelope says, and she's like, you know, you're gonna pass by them. And she'll just say like, yeah, I mean, I've not seen water like that though before. We didn't see any pools or anything. I feel sick. What, just move on, is let the joke rise.

Yeah. So, what, could we like take a sample? Like maybe, I'm thinking maybe like, Blackwing or someone could? Yeah. Brianna brings everything. I have a book. Which is gonna come out and be like,

this is the slime I have. Every time you see something, you're like, maybe Blackwing with my slime. What did you put slime in? You had a vial, didn't you? I had a coffee cup. Oh, this is from? I got some slime in an empty coffee cup.

The sewers, right? The sewers, yeah. Did you get it? Okay, okay. I don't know if you still have that, because you've fallen over, you've done things. That coffee cup probably broke, and it's now crusty slime.

It was not sealed. That, you do not have the slime. You've got like a notebook. A notebook. Like, if you want to collect samples of things, you need vials with like stoppers. Like, you can't just be coffee cup, slime. Every time a family has seen something,

she is picked up and thought, if that's a black thing. If you have something you can keep a sample in, absolutely you can go up to this board. And at this point, everybody's heard these conversations, you can all see everything happening as well. I mean. Hey, what, look at these, look at these plants and this strange gold water.

The deer are backed off, but they've not left entirely. They're actually kind of watching you guys now. Oh, they are beautiful. Amazing. Now I don't want to be that guy. Okay. But. Go ahead.

There was money. I've been thinking it as well. I didn't want these poor deer, but at the same time, you know. There was a reward for deer pouts, but. Well, let me say no more. What? Okay.

Wait, what? Our player please like listing in on this. What are you talking about? Oh, you. How many deer are there? How many deer are there? How many deer are there? That's a great question.

I would say there's four, and two of them are adults, two of them are fauns. Okay. So the children live. Good, okay, well, look, they're living peacefully and happily, and will probably run away very, very quickly,

and we don't want them to run away and potentially alert other things out here. So we would need to be careful. But what was it you were asking about? Careful, what though? What's going on? Well, just in case there's anything else out here. Oh, right, okay.

We can't be certain. Oh, okay. Yeah, so maybe we'll let the wagon pass, and then maybe someone can stay behind and scout to make sure they're... You know? Feria, do you wanna scout? I can stay behind and scout.

Yeah, maybe if there's anything that falls off the wagon, I can carry it back to the wagon. Right. Ha ha ha. I'm going to spend a fate point. You can have a fate point back. Wait a minute, you guys, what are you guys talking about? You're not going to kill those deer are you? No.

There's the circle of life. That only applies if you're eating, if you're killing them to survive. I mean, what reason would you have? In this economic situation? Well. What economic situation? Well, if it helps, Penelope. Is it a housing crisis? We're absolutely strapped for cash.

Didn't you find all a bunch of gold in that ruined keep? Well, yes, we did. Didn't you find all those treasures? We have nothing of value on us. We are destitute. We're poor. We have an end to run. You say all of this,

as this little, with her big eyes, and she starts tearing up in her eyes. Oh, but hey, look, we've got, I'll go to the back of the wagon, I'll start flipping through the bounties and notes we have. We'll give it a good death, unlike, you know, the predators that would tear it apart. Oh, no, the, don't you know the wolf

that I tore apart the other day? Oh, yeah.'t show the wolf that I tore apart yesterday. Oh yeah. I had the predator test. You're gonna come back with a deer head. Look what I've got! I'm wearing a wolf's beak! I love you speaking! Wait, wait, wait, wait!

But then the pre, I love you! Arararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararararar Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Claring to you. Is this canon? Is this happening? No, that was a potential future. If I get the deer. That was a potential future. No, look, we had a load of people that were in need in Ashen Rest. They asked us to bring back these things. And deer pelts just happened to be one of those things.

She takes it and she reads a still thing. There's people in need. This is just for someone to, to be one of those things. She takes it and she reads the whole thing. Yes, people do. This is just for someone to, it's for work, it's not for survival. Well. Work is survival in Fulgur. Yes. She just like hands it back and it's really sad.

Maybe we don't have to. Well maybe we don't. You guys rescued us, I mean I guess, I shouldn't say anything, I mean it's just, they're not hurting nobody, they're just out there living their lives and it just seems really sad to kill them just for no reason. Well yes, but.

You know, if they were attacking or some sort of predator, maybe I don't understand, but. She starts mumbling to herself. She like goes, she's like, oh I'm gonna go with Baranth for a little bit. And she like, trots after and like. Hopefully we can hunt now. That's it, say that.

Great. Maybe we should swap tack and look for the piss drinker instead. The what? The piss drinker. There's another quest. Oh right, well yes, I mean, of course, we were just gonna do all of them,

I mean, we already have. I think you're the only one who's really dedicated to this killing lots of animals. I'm well, no. No, he's not, I like money. I specifically am not dedicated to. Now I like money. I'm not dedicated to slaughtering animals,

I wanna make that very, very clear. I'm just, I like money too. Everything has a price and a worth and a value and a cost. We found 800 gold. We have 800 gold in the back of the wagon. Yeah. And we could have more. Well, I was born so good.

And can you go to the painting and the statues? Look, I would just say that... I know exactly what I was saying as I am. Okay, Daisy, if a gnoll crosses our path, would we divert our course in order to stop it? Not if it attacks us. Well, sure, but. They're not attacking us.

There's a distinct difference between passive, beautiful creatures that have no predatory traits versus gnolls who are corrupted vaultspawn. They're dark eyes, these deer just like watching all of you as the wagons stop. Terrorizing people and animals. Just like looking at you from the distance across. And like, as a point of light, there is this gold pond between you and them as well.

Look, I'm... It's the gold pond. I get out a gun. I'm all for... I actually get out a gun. I think he's got guns, right? He has a gun. I actually get out a gun. I think he's got a gun, he has a gun. I forgot he had a gun. I'm all for hunting animals, but really it's only if we're... It's for us to eat them. You can eat them deer. They look real tasty.

I don't really know, they look a bit odd, and I don't really know if we should be eating... We have enough rations. ...whatever is, you know, fed by the land here, because it's a bit, I don't know, I don't know that we should be eating that. What if you go fishing in the Golden Pool? That's a really good point.

Is he magic? I'm a little worried, because we said some of our rations, fine, we don't have enough for the entire time. We need to go fishing. What if they're also kind of weird? Then we're buggered. See, buggered me.

You've moved a long way from the river, so there ain't no fishing now. Well, I think whatever's in the water and the food here, it's so small trace amounts that it can't really be super harmful to us. I mean, the deer that have been drinking from it, they look splendid. They look wonderful.

Maybe we can be. They look very expensive. Do you want to go a little... My concern... Send him to the pool. My concern is given the nature of this area and the stories we're told about Galvissar and all that, you know, and the crown steel in his veins degrading into the land, is that certain people in this party...

Oh, you think? ...and having more crown steel in their system. Big land though. I just wonder if the crown steel in the land is making itself into the water supply and the food chain, and if we start suppin' and eatin', it's gonna make its way into us, and some people already have a high dose of crown steel,

it might not be beneficial. Ridiculous pills, actually. Really, really big dose. You probably have the biggest one I've ever seen. Yep. All right, well, I'm just saying, I don't think there's nearly enough in the lands here to be harmful.

Maybe closer to the center of where all of this is coming from, sure, but right now? To be fair, the plants that Ophelia pointed out, and this lake in general, feels different to the corruption and the tendrils of corruption that came from Galvassar. I don't know, I might be wrong. I've just adapted to the land.

This land is a land. And this is over hundreds of years as well. And this is the effect it's had over hundreds of years. I think we can take a sip. On you go. I mean, we've already seen you being a bit more aggressive. I have not been aggressive. Fuck you! Language, Zampias!

I mean, there was literally crown steel on the reclaimers, which... There was! Yes, there was! I think if there were corrupting elements at this lake or near the deer, he would have similar effects. Yeah, and I've been positively splendid recently. Haven't you just been a real hoot? I've been a real, real chip-out guy. God darn wow.

Who's that guy? It's Santheus. Cool guy, cool calm guy. I don't know, I heard you spouting some sexism. I mean. You said, blame things. Ophelia needed something explained into her tiny, tiny mind. Eyes. I am. You said, like things. Ophelia needed something explained into her tiny, tiny mind. I am tiny and feeble.

Exactly. That is not canon. That is not canon. Oh, I'm not sure about this recurring bit. You brought it back. You did it. You knew you'd bring it back. Kim just brought it back to you anyway.

As is her right. What do you think? You know you bring it back. Kim just brought it back to you anyway. As is her right. I don't know. Good culmination of the day. That's why I doubt if I need to leave you with a bow. And I can't do anything. Now drink your respecting women juice and drink your soup. I'm just saying the water is fine. And the plants are probably fine. And the wolves, we've got some wolf meat.

Haven't we eaten some of that already? I don't believe you did. No. You skinned them. You didn't take the wolf meat. We just got the pelts. Yeah, well, kind of. Attempted pelts. Yeah, I feel like you really didn't do great. I kind of did a number on that one. You wanted to make a hat.

I feel you make mess, no hat. So, do you guys want to just move on, or do you need to... I mean, do we need to... Do we need to refill our water pouches at all? It's always, yeah, I mean, like, yeah, I mean, like, yeah. You could totally refill your water skins here, or... Yeah, I would... Well, I can create water. You're gonna It's always, yeah, I mean, like, yeah, you could totally go and refill the water skins here, or? Yeah, I would be interested. Well, I can create water.

You're gonna fill your water skin with a golden pool. You can literally create water. I can literally create fresh water. Okay. Okay. Or maybe Xanthias can detect magic on the pool and see what's going on. Do you have another coffee cup? You would have got the charge back.

Oh, okay, one charge. It's D3 ever steady. Is it one charge, or what does it say? I don't know. The next two weeks. No one chalk me. Like in a Fortnite. Where is my D3?

It's on the map. It's on the map. It's always on the map. Cool. All right. I regain this many charges to the gold side. I too. Oh, the two that you spent. What a great dice. Yeah, if you want, I could Detect Magic.

Let's have a look. Okay, I've Gold Sight Eye, Detect Magic on the area around. Yeah, so there is, like I said before, there is always a touch of magic in the air, the ever-present mana that exists throughout the world that just makes magic work. But looking around, as you've gone deeper into the ash hills, there is a bit more of a vibrancy.

Like the saturation's just gone up a few percent. And everything just seems a bit bolder. And that pond and the deer, again, just a little touch more. The ponders especially, you actually get trace, like, on everything you don't detect schools of magic, but on that pond you begin to see some elements of evocation magic, of transmutation magic, of like different types of magic,

and you, yeah, there's definitely something about that pool that is magic dense, shall we say. There is an increase in density to its mana. It's not like so tuned up that it's like, that's magic. Make an Arcana check for me. Okay. Do you want to fate it as well?

That is a plus three. Yeah, I'll fate it. Just to make sure. Sure. Okie doke, that is a 16, a natural 20. Perfect. You think, Xanthius, the density of the mana in that water, the deer it's reduced far too much.

You think that it's mainly these cosmetic elements, but you get a sense that actually drinking from the water of that pond, you think it would be invigorating to your own personal mana, like your own personal magic. Like your magic will be more powerful maybe, only temporarily, like it won't last forever,

but it would be like a temporary piece. Like, you know, you'd be replacing, you know, the mana that you normally consume from food and drink with a more enriched source of it. Okay. Oh, okay, so, magic users, surround me. That's everyone, that's literally everybody here, okay. That's everybody, yeah, all right.

Okay, well, this water, turns out, I don't think it's bad at all, if anything, it's more beneficial than regular water, fresh water, no offense to your create water thing there. But it might empower your spells in a good way. Not like the way I do it, you know, badly, and painfully, and detrimentally. Is that a word?

It is now. So I think it's actually gonna be a good idea for us to try and bottle this up. Potion it, I suppose. Do we have any empty potion bottles? No. Okay. What about the one that you had... The vitality bottle potion. Did you keep the vitality bottle potion?

I don't remember that. It's not me. Did you keep the bottle with the vitality potion? It's not me anymore. Oh, so you threw away the... I think I threw away the bottle. You discarded the Vitality Potion bottle. I did, yes, yes. Can I offer you a 10 foot pole in this trying time?

It's not really storage, is it? Okay. A sack? I've got a water skin. We could bottle this up and sell it. Oh, God, here we go. Well, potentially, yes, we could. The issue is a container.

Bottles, yeah. Yeah, well, yes, I mean, we could just have our water skins for now and then just deal it later on, but a bottle smith. Immediately. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. We could be sitting on a literal gold mine of potential. OK.

Un-cork my water skin, pour it all out. Would it be weird? I mean, I'm ready to just fill this up with this. If you guys all fill up your water skins, I wouldn't mind a little dip. You wanna just dive in? Just a little dip. Could you wait until we, yes, thank you.

Yeah. Wait in? I bet it feels real nice. I mean, I don't think it would hurt. I'm not sure if that will necessarily have much of an effect on you, but go ahead. It's kind of a barf. Maybe we should actually, let's fill up bottles first.

Let's take our samples first. And then you can go in. So I was gonna say, you're gonna fill your water skins with water from here. Yes. Okay, great. I would say that a water skin can carry about five days worth of food, of water basically. Okay, great. I would say that a water skin can carry about five days worth of food,

of water basically. Okay. I'm saving mine for the other stuff. What? You're not going to fill it with water. I'm not going to fill mine. So Gruff, Xanthius, Rowan and Daisy. Okay.

You may as well if you don't have any of that other stuff right now. I don't want to drink water. Okay, fair enough. Okay. It's just so plain and thin. Well, it's my, you know, you never know. So as you approach, the deer eventually run off. Once you get closer, they're just like, nope, and they flee. Ah, the money.

Scotching Ray. I mean, if you wanna make rangers out. No, no, I'm good. You go up and yeah, you fill your skins with this kind of golden tinted water. Fills up, goes easily in. You're just gonna fill your water skins up. I mean, you wanna try some, I feel ya.

I know you don't like water, but maybe this is better? I'll give it a little go, I suppose. Sure. Sure. If you want, I can try it first little go, I suppose. Sure, sure. If you want, I can try it first. It's probably gonna have less of an effect on me anyway. Yeah, what would that... Okay.

It cuts to Rome just guzzling this stuff down. Yeah. I'll get to you in a minute, because you're swimming in it. Yeah, so do you basically go up and start stuffing and drinking it? It is cool and fresh. There is almost a little bit of a,

not like a spice, but like a bit of a twang to like a citrusy kind of spicy fizzing on the tongue. But it's very refreshing, very clear. The two of you, you can only benefit from this once a day, by the way. So once you've drunk it, like that's your, you've drunk it for the day. But you both gain, if I am correct.

Corruption sickness. You gain a plus one to ability checks, attack rolls, and saving throws for 24 hours. And if you cast spells, the first spell you cast when you've drunk this gets plus one to its DC, or to an attack roll if it's a ranged spell attack. Very cool.

And plus one to ability checks and savings throws, as you say, for the entire day. Yeah. Holy shit. For 24 hours, yeah. Ability checks and savings throws, and that's it? Yes. Yeah, okay. Yeah, and then plus one to the first spelled save DC and spell attack you make as well.

Amazing. Amazing. Okay. And you feel invigorated and revitalized. Oh, you're right, Xantheus, this is really good. Right? I didn't think there's the, what is that, the sparkle to it? That's kind of strange, but you get used to it, it's good.

It's weird, it's fizzy, it's not quite like blood, but it's a similar effect, I suppose. Okay, well if we try and keep as much of this as we can, yeah, you're right, we should potion this up. Raph will take a little sip as well before the rowing happens. Yeah, you feel the same thing, you feel that kind of fizzing, refreshing,

and there's that element of spice, and then yeah, you feel like there's power surging in you. Zanthius, the effect is a little bit more prominent for you. You really like this water. This is good water. Yeah, that's the nicest water you've ever had in your life. I mean, it's okay, but it's... No, I mean, like you said, the fizz, it's really good.

Did you taste like a little bit of citrusy in there? I think I might have a little bit more, actually. Can I talk to Nim in my head and be like, I shouldn't drink this water, should I? Little one, it would always be my advice to never drink strange things one finds. Your friend may have found magic within it, but that does not mean it is safe to drink.

On campaign, the demons would often try and poison our water supplies and things like that. We would often go through rigorous purification rituals before we would ever drink anything we found in the wilds. I would advise you to do the same. Dade, you gotta try this. This is fucking good water. You're really making me actually not wanna try it,

Xanthius. Okay, right. You do you, more for me. Is Rowan swimming in it? Rowan is stripped down to his leather undies that he got from the town. Oh yeah, I don't know if you were there for that, but he went to a special shop and got leather underpants. Yeah, Gruff was there too.

Dungeons and Dragons, weren't you? I believe it was something called something like that. He's dipping a toe in to see how cold it is. It's quite cold, because it's like a natural pond, so it's quite cold, yeah. Perfect. It's also actually cold, so it wouldn't be freezing cold. This wouldn't be like icy, it's not freezing cold.

It's just like, ooh. I wade in. Yeah, you wade in, you start swimming around. It's like swinging in a little pond. A splash. Yeah, you splash around. Does any go in your mouth? Do you drink any?

Yeah. While you're swimming around? I'm like, mmm. You get the exact same effect as these guys, basically. Amazing. Backstrokes. Yeah? Butterfly kicking around.

I dive under. Sure, great, yeah, yeah, dive under. It's the golden tint. It doesn't, it's not foggy, like you can see the bottom and stuff you swim around. It's just like a little natural, you probably would notice, because Rowan, you're quite attuned to the natural world,

there's like, you get the sense that this is being fed by some sort of underground source, like the actual water itself, because otherwise it's just a pond in the middle of nowhere. I want to try and swim deep there. It's too small, like you can see that there are cracks like in the bottom and that's where the water's coming in from, and it's probably just filled

like a natural basin that was here, and then the earth has built up over time and stuff like that but yeah probably stagnant cool Swim back up Yeah, swim back up Lovely lovely and fresh and you feel great and yeah it said you get that same energizing vitality yeah absolutely Oh yeah You look positively radiant Rowan

Am I glowing? You are. Perfect. With that, we are gonna take our break. Oh yeah. Yeah. I would love to keep playing, but we do have to take a break.

Just gonna have some water. Just making some notes to myself about these things. Don't worry guys. We're turning into frogs. But yeah, lovely stuff. We'll see you in five minutes and see you in part two. Bye bye, everybody. Bye.

See ya. Hey, do you like role-playing games? Well, you should check out Mystery Quest. It's an actual play podcast where we focus on all kinds of indie TTRPGs with a rolling cast of special guests. You can find us anywhere where you get your podcasts. I'll see you there.