High Rollers DnD - Brother, Where Art Thou? | Altheya: The Dragon Empire #102

Episode Date: May 19, 2026

Xantheus' anxiety takes control as the heroes prepare to meet his brother on the road to Ashen Rest! Celebrate 10 years of High Rollers with this gorgeous A4 art card that showcases all of our characters from Lightfall, Aerois and Altheya! https://highrollersdnd.teemill.com/product/heroes-of-high-rollers-a4-art-card-signed/ Can't wait for Part 2 of each episode? Join our Patreon to get early access EVERY week (+ a few other bonuses)! www.patreon.com/HighRollers⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ _______________ Boost your Charisma with some HR merch! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://highrollersdnd.teemill.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Add official High Rollers Minis to your TTRPG collection here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://only-games.co/collections/high-rollers⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Bless your table with the Clever Toad Dice Set: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://dispeldice.com/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 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/1WX3ICiTmf4GpHwImnQMs6⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠v Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Pickax. Instacart knows that some people go bananas about getting the perfect, well, banana. Some want them green, some want them ripe, some want them ready right when they hit their doorstep. But with Instacart's preference picker, available at most retailers, you can choose to get your groceries just the way you like. That means perfectly right bananas, deli meat sliced just the way you want, and avocados that aren't still hard as a puck in the third period. So don't cross your fingers and hope for the best.

Download the app and get groceries just how you like with Instacart. Start. Staples Preferred Business Membership, built for busy business owners, because you've got bigger things to think about. With Staples Preferred, get free delivery, no minimums. Staples Preferred unlocks up to 3% back,

plus 10% savings on print and exclusive wireless offers. One less thing on your plate. Actually, a lot less. Visit staples.ca.ca. That was easy. Hello and welcome back to Althea the Dragon Empire. After vanquishing the stone-cursed elemental

and remaking the shrine of Althea atop the giant's wet stone, the heroes convinced their new friend Vricks to use the Ultharite's power to heal themselves, and then returned to Ashen Rest via the runestone of hearth and home. Arriving back at Tyrea's Rest, they introduced Vricks to their allies

and caught up with their friends, as well as the twin sisters of the ecliptic order, Sister Malady and Sister Benedicta. They learned that Xanthius's sibling had been sighted in Rust End a few days prior and set out to speak with Lord Obsidius who had withdrawn into the palace and seemed unwell an unusual occurrence for a powerful dragon.

They asked their friends, Bliss and Sir Griold, to keep an eye out for the sibling at the town gates and then returned to the inn for a much-deserved long rest. However, as he slept, Xanthias was visited by a familiar gold-skinned figure who offered to reveal his siblings' location, and though tempted, Zanthias ultimately refused. And that, my friends, is where we pick up today.

I believe it is deep in the season of gold harvest. The sun rises a little bit slower as the nights grow longer as we draw closer and closer to the winter months. But it is still a busy time. And the town of Ashenrest springs to life. And some of those, those of you who wake early, or perhaps those of you who sleep lightly, or perhaps those who didn't get much sleep at all, would hear the sounds of the town coming to life. Barkers and merchants, tradesfolk coming and going. the sound of calls being echoed through the streets.

And in fact, yeah, the sounds of your very own home becoming lively with activity as Mateo begins preparing the inn for a day's business. And where do we find everybody? We know where Daisy is. No Katie here, obviously, this week. But Daisy is wrapped up and will not be moving for some time. But where do we find everybody else? Anybody would like to go first?

I think as the earliest riser, Gruff is actually not at the inn. He's already out on the walls, collecting news, seeing, you know, if there's been any sighting. Any sighting. Joining up with Sir Griold. Perfect. Yeah, you would, making your way to the Southgate,

you eventually would meet a very sort of tired-looking Sir Gri-old. He's been sort of out here tonight, who is conversing with several of the guards. and he would turn to you and be, aye, gruff, how did you sleep? Did you manage to catch up on some rest? Oh, very well, thank you. Well, I feel a bit mean saying it in front of you,

but yes, I did manage to finally get some rest. I understand that you have a life of adventure. I've been having a lovely, very quiet time post-battle in Ashton's rest, so it's no problem. I must say there's not been any sighting of this gold dragon born that you mentioned. and I've been speaking with some of the other guards and they've not seen anything either. Good, good.

Today, I think we'll leave Ashen's rest and see if we can meet them on the road and deal with us ourselves before they arrive here. I mean, that would be appreciated, I think. As much as I want to offer you my aid, my duty is to my lord and to the people of these lands. But if you can take, if this person is in the...

intent to cause harm, you think? It could go either way. We're open for a peaceful resolution. I hope that it does come to that. But if you're going to have those negotiations, doing it away from innocent civilians would be wise. I thank you for your discretion, Sir Gryld. I just brought you a wee something to say thank you.

And I'll just a little bottle of whiskey to say... Oh, now that's a fine gift. Thank you, Graf. Thank you. Obviously, I won't have that now, but we'll save that for later this evening when I return to my quarters. But yes, no, I'm afraid that I wish I could give you some news,

but there hasn't been anything. In some cases, no news is good news. Mm-hmm. Well, I'll just nod and be like, would you like me to continue watching any longer, or... Um... Not... Perhaps you can get some rest, but if your guards see anything in the next couple of hours,

just send a runner. But I think once I rally the troops, and get them out of their beds, we'll leave the city as soon as we can. All right. And with that, he'll go and speak with the guards and make his way off. What about someone else from The Heroes? Ron will be up early as well. Not as early as Gruffeth.

But I think what Ronald will do is get up five minutes to when a latte fun opens. Yeah. And he's thinking, is Mateo up at this point? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Mateo's normally up quite early, getting everything ready. Oh, morning, Mateo. Good morning, Mattio. my friend, hello.

Did you sleep well? I sleep all right, yeah, it's not too bad. It's a little cramped downstairs, but it's not too bad. You know, it's that little, it's Santhius's collection of things like the weird spider and the frost rose. Are they not in containers? They are, but I kind of, it's very hard to sleep around them. Right.

I didn't consider that. He's got like his half of the cellar, and then I'm sort of in the other half, and it's very scary. I would never want to stay down there. It's quite awful. We should put up a curtain or something like that. You know, I put my head under the blanket, but I know they're there.

Yes, I mean, they are extra planar entities. Yeah, I just keep, I've had nightmares where, like, the rose, like, something happens and it breaks, and then the frost gets me and I've frozen solid, or that horrid-looking spider thing, oh my gosh, the nightmares I've had of that thing. Yeah, that could all happen. Yeah.

What didn't, I think I overheard this. He's not sure. I've overheard something about a demon gun, and that's somewhere in there as well. Yeah. I barely know what a gun was until we had a demon version of one. Yeah. I know.

I'll be careful down there. You're a cushion. I mean, what I would love is if at any point you expand the tavern, another room would be wonderful. I love working here. Love the job. Love the town. Would love us somewhere else to sleep.

We should extend it, yes. Well... Just if it's in consideration. Here you go. I give him five gold. Let's kickstart the extension project. What am I doing with the five gold? Put that towards the project.

Budget. Right, right. Might be a little bit more than that, my friend, but we'll put it aside, and he gets a little pouch out and he puts the five gold in. I'm about to go to latte fun. Mm-hmm. I'm thinking...

We're going to approach this situation. What situation? Oh, so Xanthias has a sibling, and we're not supposed to tell anybody about it, especially the guards that it's associated with Zanthias in that way. Right. We're going with VIP, but he's definitely related. Right.

Or they, we don't know the genital or anything. Sister, brother, sibling, non-binary siblings. Who knows? Who knows? Either way, they're absolutely blood related to Zanthius. Right. And they're on some sort of mission to come find Zantheus. We think either coming to kill him or coming to maybe have hashed out with him.

Right, okay. And that they both have dad problems. Right. So that's the situation there. Zanthias is thinking maybe don't go win guns blazing. Demon guns blazing. Probably not a good idea. It's good diplomacy first.

So I thought later on when it's closer, I'll make a stew. and get some pastries to sweeten the deal. I mean, the thing is, I don't know anything about this sibling. So that might work. Me neither. It might work. Who knows?

Who doesn't like pastries and stew? I don't know anybody who doesn't like stew, but I have met people who don't like pastries. Very boring, dull people, but they didn't like them. But stew, nobody, nobody dislikes a good stew. Stu's got everything. Everyone loves stew. You can put anything in that.

You can have vegetables. stew, you can have a meat stew. You can put vegetables in them. Oh, yes. Vegetables are very good, Rowan. You should put more of them in your food. Oh. Good tip. Rowan just kind of drifts away. That's it, that's it. Lost in thought.

Conjuring ideas. It's almost like a child's dream. The veggies have like faces and they're like dancing through his mind and then they're holding hands with the box. Everyone's doing little dives. Yeah, yeah. So that will be my plan is to go to a latte fun, to fill up the bag of holding

with sibling diplomacy pastries. Sure, okay. Yeah, perfect. Good plan. All right, makes sense. Perfect. Do you want to do Ophelia? Do you want to do Xanthias?

Ophelia? Ophelia! Wake up, wakey, wakey, wakey, wakey, wakey. It's so early. Wakey, wakey, wakey, wakey, very important business. Yes, yes, yes. Can I come in? Come in, come in, come in.

Okay, you decent. Enough, enough. Enough. What does that mean? I have a top on, I think. Good enough. I'm coming in. Okay. Ophelia?

Hi. Hi. Wakey, wakey, rise and shine. Yes. Good morning. Good morning. Good morning. Good morning.

Good morning. Xanthius. Hello. Hello. He's just stood in like the corner as you open the door. Like he's right beside you as you step in. Sleep well? I don't sleep.

The dream. Yeah, I know. It's wonderful. I've been making preparations for my brother coming over and meeting them. for the first time. Yes. So I was wondering what your thoughts were.

About what? Preparations. What do I need to do? By meeting a sibling? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I don't have a sibling, so I don't know. Okay, well, in that case,

what do you think about these, and I pull out two shirts? I have one from Wave Me, kind of got some flowers on it. What do you think? In season, out of season? Probably not in season, right? It's getting a little cold.

Okay, throw it away, not that one. What about this one? This one is basically just my usual. I'm not wearing it right now, it's kind of obvious. Yes, okay. Maybe bring the flower one back in again. I don't know where I threw it. I think I threw it over the banister.

We'll get it later. Mateo? Yes, I've got your shirt. Sorry about that. That one says more like welcome to Ashen Rest. Well, the one from Wave Me, the one that says welcome to Wean. It's more like Tuddle! It's more.

It's more fanfare, I suppose. It's got more theater. I suppose. Okay. Well, you could get a new shirt. Oh, Nixon. Oh. Well, okay, so flowery one for meeting them.

I think so? Thank you. Sleep well. Are you okay? Sorry? Are you okay? Going through the peak of the door now. What do you mean?

Why wouldn't I be? How are you feeling? Feeling fine, feeling good. Yeah? Yeah. You know, like meeting a brother. I wouldn't know. Meeting Percival for the first time.

Well, then it's going to be wonderful, isn't it? Right, yes. How could it not be? How could it not be? It has to be good. Has to be good, well... It's the morning. I believe he just shut the door on your mother.

I think he did. Oh, that's very rude. That was a bitch, wasn't it? Going down the stairs. Zantias Oregon. Hello. Do your own laundry and stop leaving it around the inn. It's clean enough.

We're not... This is the one I'm wearing, it's okay. So you're not wearing a shirt right now. No. All right. So as you go down... Luckily, the inn is not open. But obviously your crown steel arm is on full display,

and you see, like, Mateo and Springhart are like, Springhart's like, what's wrong with your arm? Um, your arm looks wrong. Gold Dragonborn things. Oh, okay. And just skips away. I got all the pastries. Oh, your crown steel show.

Yeah, yeah, hang on, hang on, hang on, hang on. I'm putting on the flower shirt. That's crown. What do you think? Right, your arm is still on show. It's a short-sleeve shirt. Yeah. Okay, I'll put my regular one underneath that.

It's gonna be too warm though. But if Editha said the flower one would be good. But do you really want your crown's tier on show for the sibling? No. Well. No, well. We have to get out into the public and then.

Fine, regular shirt, as always. I need to buy more of these. I only have one. Do you want one of mine? Well, that is a tailor we could. No. Yours are very open as well. I don't have any sleeves.

No, you don't. I've got, you could borrow one of my shirts. What are you wearing? I think Mateo actually dresses quite well. He's not Caldron, but he has like, he travels around a lot. So he has, like, different, so he rarely is wearing the same outfit. Like, he's normally wearing, like, changing his outfits. Like, it looks like he's bought some clothes.

So I think, like, he does kind of go through things. I've always imagined to him, like, going between, like, blacks, dark blues and maroons. Like, he kind of wears that kind of palette for his shirt. and like new things like that. Frills? Not too much, like quite, like I just imagine him as the two guys from El Dorado, one of the guy from El Dorado. So it's kind of like a big open collared sort of like criss-cross shirt,

but he wears like waistcoats with it, sometimes he has like a jacket, so he does have like a more broad wardrobe. Ophelia, how would you look with frills? Amazing. Okay, good. But what about my regular shirt? Is that bad in comparison?

What about both? Both is good. Why are what about a regular shirt with frills? I don't have that. I'm going to the shop. Okay. Cover up first. I'm going to the shop in a second.

Bye. Is he all right? Has he ever been all right? He seems very flustered. I think... Is this about the sibling thing? Absolutely. Santhias, do you want some company?

What? To the shop? Yes. Yeah, sure. If you want, is that what you want? You want. My wallet, don't you? Let's go. Think about money.

Where do you want to go? Where are we going? What shop? D&D? No, bad shop. Not that shop. Well, we can't go to the one that... There are other, like, general traders, and you can also go to the Artisan's Quarter where they have, like, weavers and seamstresses and things all up there. Nixir was just a particularly, like, fancy tailor. Like, you know, you go there and you buy things off the around.

But, like, there are plenty of people to go and get, like, It's just none of it's going to be as good. Like, even, like, the best stuff from the guild, it's not going to be anywhere near Nix's level. But you can have something like made, or you can have something, you know, like, customized. Yeah, by idiots. Why did we arrest Nixir?

They were so good. They were trying to blackmail you at the time. Yeah. And extort you. Yeah, but maybe... They were going to tell everyone about... Yeah, everyone keeps doing that. Can we not talk about...

I don't do that. The Nixer. situation. Oh, what I'm going to? Flashes of a wire and blood. In my mind it's chopping up all those cute vegetables.

And they're falling into the sea. Pulp everywhere. I'm sorry, little vegetable friends. Okay, maybe just my regular shirt is fine. In that case. Poldron or no Poldron? Afilia! I'm shouting from outside now. Santhius!

What happened? I'm sewing. Oh. Not for you? For me. I didn't know you could. I thought that was work. I'm really bad at it.

Open a window. Sorry, I'm really bad at it. We just had those refitted. Sam, yeah, stop throwing rocks at the house. Okay. We didn't have windows. Yeah. It was all weird, spooky chutters.

Remember one of the giant tree? It's still there. By the way. Did you remember a giant tree was alive? Mateo wants an extension. Okay. If we could all chip in five gold each, we'll be there in no time.

Is that enough? I thought I told him he could stay in my room. What? Because I sleep out in the Arbitage anyway. He's got the workshop, he's fine. No, well, okay. No? He doesn't like the workshop.

Why not? The essences, the spider, the frost thing. They hum, they make strange sounds. Yeah? And he has nightmares about them. Oh, wait. That's where he sleeps. And he sleeps, probably.

He hasn't found a demon gun, has he? Because I lost it. He knows about it. You've lost it. It's in one of the drawers. Keeps moving. Keeps changing drawers. I don't know where it's gone.

It might be under his pillow. Like, tell him he can move into my room. It's okay. All right, but I think we should expand our wonderful Tyrear's rest. Yes, with what money? I put five gold in. That's not enough.

Yeah, that's why I'm hoping that you would all put five gold in and then we'll be there. We have 4,641 in the party fund. Do you also have a giant gold dragon's, that you were originally gonna find, like, a buyer for? That's my pension fund. Oh, I see.

We could take off the nose. So while this conversation is happening, I am curious what Ophelia is up to. I want to know what Felia is doing in her room. What you're sowing? Ophelia's going to be finishing her veil. Oh, okay, yeah, okay. Like kind of remaking your veil that you lost.

Yeah, okay, okay, okay, okay. It's been half finished for a while, but she's picked it back up again. Okay. So you're working on that whilst they've gone out, I don't have this conversation out in the street, basically. Lad's talk, lads talk, lads talk. Lad's talk.

Yeah, so what's the plan? Like, what's the plan now? Well, I'd probably start drifting towards the Al-Azanz's area. Don't know, Synthius is... I'm adding stuff to my list in my head. Right, which list is it? A new one. A new one. How to make friends and be a brother.

Oh, well. That's tough, isn't it? I don't know. Be you. Yeah. Be yourself. Oh, but myself is the problem. That's why he's coming here.

So maybe I should be someone else. No, I don't think it's you that's the problem. He wants the crowns. The gem. This old chestnut. He wants the gem. Yeah. Gems.

Yeah, my gems. He's after my gems. It's crazy. So he probably doesn't really know much about you. No, probably. Well, I think he has it as well, by the way. Should have mentioned that. How do you know that?

Oh, I had another one of those. Oh, Ron, you know those dreams you have? Yes. And we all have those kinds of dreams? Yes. Yeah, I had one. Yeah, yeah. Wow.

And it was a midnight visitation, so to speak. What, last night? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Right, okay. I thought you kind of cut ties with them. You said he was never going to be a problem. him again. No. Sounds like a problem, Antheus. Wasn't. No, I told him to go away, leave me alone, come back, come again another day.

And you didn't get... Didn't get shot, no, not this time. What did he say? He wanted me to let him back in, of course, and I said, no, I'm not going to do that. Just to clarify, for your sake, he needed you to like, I mean, so he could give you the information, it's what he said. Yeah. Well, yeah. He wanted me to, open wide, let loose the shackles of my protections, so to speak. But I said no, because I didn't want,

he said he was going to guide me to my brother. Brother, by the way, brother, I didn't mention, Oh, brother. Okay. I have a brother. Right. Isn't that? That's crazy. Who also has gems?

Jules, yes, yeah. Is it as progressed as yours? as yours? Not sure. As embedded as yours? Maybe. As big as yours? Could be. No, almost certainly not. But, maybe not as pure either. But either way, we're more alike than I thought.

You have so much in common already. So much in common. It's just wonderful news. And that's why I bought all these pastries. I like pastries. Therefore... Yes. Sibling must have the same traits. Yeah. Now, if I was to swap places and I was chasing after someone who had escaped from the family with jewels,

then I would... Maybe harbary some sort of, you know, vendetta or hatred for a sibling they don't know so they can impose some sort of, you know, dehumanizing or villain sort of persona onto them. The half-giant must have show up at the very end of the road and say, here's some pastries, I'd say, you know what? That switches everything over.

That's... I'm on your guy's side. That tickles? My pickle. Yep, that pickle. Ooh. Zanthias, you said sovereign was done with you. Sorry? You said he was done with you. Well, he, um, uh, yeah.

Well, I thought so. He discarded. Turns out, 10 second rule. Pick me right back up again. Um, but I, like I said, no effect on me. But I don't like... I don't like that he's still

bothering you. I don't like it either. But the good news is, he told me about my brother. This could be a silver lining. Mm-hmm. Sovereign, big, nasty moon man. Yes.

Kept away, because bad. Yes. That's the gist of it. Need, Santhius. Kind of. Could have dismissed you and gone, found another. Didn't, though. So you must be really strong and powerful.

That must be it. Someone in Crownstil to want to come. come back to even though you said no. Yeah, yeah. Pleading now, saying please. So I say that's testament to you, Xantheus, well done. Yeah. Valuable asset.

Can he talk to you? Aphelia's not standing there. I don't know why I look at it. Oh, ghost. Can he visit every? That rock looks really Ophelia-like. I swear it moved. Why that rock got teeth?

Can you contact everybody who has jewels? I suppose. I will remind you. is a little bit of a world thing. Xanthius is in a very unique position. Most people don't have crown steel embedded into them. And also his magic is keeping that crown steel so contained, right? Most people are either carrying crown steel

in the form of an object or something like that. Or, and this is all something you guys would know from history, the dragons, people like Galvasa, are magical creatures and even some mages and things like that consumed crown steel. you've seen Xantheists do that. So it is very rare for an individual to have crown still like permanently in them

in the way that Xanthias does. I have a lightning rod, but for Sovereign. Yeah, so just as a little clarification, because yeah, like somebody might carry like a crown steel necklace or a dagger or like a, you know, but obviously they'd need to hide it, right? But like, and that would affect them and it could be the crown still,

sovereign can contact them if they carry crown steel on them. But just a little clarification. I didn't say anything. You're very special. Gruff just went very silent for a long time there. I'm assuming, like, in terms of the shopping trip, by the way, I'm not going to play that out, like you guys can just go and pick up some shirts

or whatever it is that Santhius wants, unless there's something specific you're looking for. And that would probably take, you know, an hour by the time you get there, like, shop around. If it's Groth, Zant, well, Zanth, Anthra's is fashion-focused. Yeah, but I don't like any of the places we go to. Right.

That's why it takes an hour. I imagine Rowan, maybe Gruff, I don't know, would be the whole like, we're going in, we're getting the thing and leave. Yeah, yeah. Gruff is absolutely the same. He's the sad dad outside the changing room, just like, come on.

We've got things to do. I go in with 10 shirts, I come out with none of them. They're all bad. And I think after two times of this, gruff just puts a paw on your shoulder, turns you around, pick one. Go back in there, pick one. Do what he says.

Okay, I really... It's getting very antsy. But none of them are like this one. Okay, thank you. It's got fluffy stuff on it. Groff, it's bad. It's frilly, you like frills. The little shopkeeper's like,

the shopkeeper looks at you, Xanthia's like, you don't have to get that one if you don't want it. Okay. Let's go home. A very awkward trip. How much are all ten of them? Oh, were there about sort of three gold apiece? That would be 30 gold.

One. That's like four extensions on Tyree's riff. Three, four, six. Five. Six. This guy's going to be in charge of a fake bank this weekend. Eight. Nine.

Yeah, we get it. We get it that Graff counts them out. Just count it out, pack them all up, right, we're going on. Okay, thank you, brave. You have a wide range of different. What is the time that you said you were never gonna buy? I was never gonna buy them, I'm never gonna wear them. You can give them to Mateo.

Maybe. Percy. Percy. We're gonna wear these. But yeah, the trip back is a little awkward. Really awkward. Yeah. Is there anything else we need for contingencies, plans? Well, now that you're saying that this

Leiblin has, also has, gems. Crying still, yes. I will, I want to make it very clear. I didn't say that laughing defense will not always work. You can't just, I didn't actually say. You're running out of the boy who cried rules. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I just wonder if a contingency plan would be thinking back to Lady Verithira

and her magics in purifying gems. Oh, close. Can you imagine? Isn't Verifera in Kelskaris? She's not here. She went back to the gem site. But I just wonder if... Oh, wait, I'm thinking it was a long time ago. Just thinking, well, maybe, yeah,

maybe she is back here. She's not back here. She's not back here. She went to Kelskara. Emberrissa went to Kelskaris with certain minutes. And Veri Therahira did say. that she would stop by them to try and help. I think she's probably in Kelskaris by now,

but I just wonder if there's something we can remember from those magics that maybe we can replicate or, you know, just think about something from that. Because maybe if we can purify or help, it might help with this. I'm afraid regeneration and things like that is not my strong suit. I've just had a...

idea. Yes, Rowan? At least to like start a process. Okay. I've just learnt a primal song. Yes. Of stone. Yes. And there are others. And it's great, by the way. Isn't it lovely? It's so good. I wish I could take credit, but it's literally the Othay's song. Anyway, um, I wonder if Crown still has resonance. I mean, uh, gems. Nice one. For podcast listeners, every time we say gems and pause, we are looking over our shoulders.

Yeah. No one there. No one there. It's a set. No one there. Wait, what's that? You feel your rock again. It's like a weeping angel.

You remember the proto-metevulse had resonances and things like that. Sure, yeah. And I could connect to them. Yeah. Everything seemingly has a song of sorts I wonder if Crownstile either has a song or is the antit.

James. Okay, no one around still, good job. Nice. It does seem to be right now. We'll get to the end of this conversation somehow. I wonder if gems have either a song or a void where song should be. Can you, well, can you, do I have a song?

Well, this is the thing. I've only just heightened my awareness of sorts towards stones, and I was staring into the fire the other day, and I got strange lights stuck in my eyes for far too long, because I looked too long. But I started to hear something. It's like an awareness. It's like being aware that a song should be playing,

but you can't quite hear it. It's like always round the corner. So it would be very difficult, is what I'm saying. Especially if there is no song. Okay. But I'll try. Take a listen. That's already interesting.

It's okay, safe enough to put your ear up against it. You are in the middle of the street. Listen to my heart. Boyos, we should do this. Something weird going up, my heart's fluttering. Listen to it. At home, boyos. Okay.

So as, we'll basically cut to you guys coming back, but I wanna jump back with a few there. So you finish your veil, you spend some time, you've constructed it. It is, make a roll. Let's just see how good. In fact, before we do the role, we should do fate, yes.

We haven't done that yet. I haven't rolled any good fate for the last 400 days. A toa? A toa? Nice. I got a one. Oh, another one for me. Oh, another one for me.

Full stack. Oh, that's interesting. Wait, so have we ever been full stack? I don't think so. I don't think so. It's a good time for it. It's a fun time. So yeah, I'd like you to roll for me. That's not even.

I just... And this would be... I would let you either do this as... Because you don't have proficiency in any of these tools. So this would either be intelligence or dexterity I would allow. It's like the nimbleness of like your fingers, but it's that knowledge of how to sew it. Well, with dex is an unnatural 20.

Unnatural 20. Interesting. She's been watching those tutorials. I tell you what. Again, I don't do this often. I'm going to spend one of my books at a complication. So I'll give you one little morsel, one little bite. A little tidbit.

You finish this veil, and it's actually quite beautiful, you know, for somebody who doesn't really know how to sew and anything, but I think that, like, what? She doesn't work. You don't know how to sew, or anything. Or anything. Or anything. You've made this quite beautiful or nay veil,

but I imagine that with that complication, I would very much like it that there is, Like you've maybe you've been adding in like symbols of the grave father, you know, like you've been adding in some little embellishments and decorations But there's something in this veil That Ophelia sort of does without thinking and I'd love to know what that is like something that that subconsciously she's done that sort of betrays her like inner elements inner thoughts So it could be you know, whatever

whatever you can think of, really. Like, maybe it's a, you've woven, like, names into it, or maybe you've done, like, a symbol of the Gravefather, like, the skull. But there's something else with this all. Maybe there's, like, there's a skull of the Gravefather, but then there's, like, a couple of, like, teafling horns, like St. Typhine.

Mm. Because I feel you really like St. Typhine. Oh, I love that. Yeah. I love that. I really like that. Like, you know, and you sort of are like... No, no, no, it's just style, it's just artistic.

But you look at it and that skull, you just instantly start thinking of St. Typhine. Yeah, I love that. Cool. I love that. Very, very cool. You put on your new veil. Percy's very happy.

You know, you make your way downstairs. And at this point, I think that this is the point in the morning where, like, Matteo's opened up Tyria's rest, and you've got a few of the, you know, nobody's coming in for a hard drink, but you've got a couple of people, like, coming in to like grab some bits and pieces before they head out. And then two familiar people that seem to be making this kind of their regular sort of place

that they come and spend during the day as Sister Malady is sat in her sort of table, you know, now by the currently not lit fire, because it's not, you know, it's the middle of the day. And Sister Benedicta is sat with her and they're both sort of waiting as she sort of come down and says. And you actually see that Malady is chatting with Springheart, the Dryad. and you see, like, Malady's, like, leaned forward, and it's just like, how fascinating, my dear, tell me more about these satir. What sort of things do they like to do?

What sort of games do they play? Tell me about them. And Springheart's just babbling away, like a very excited kid who gets to tell their stories, you know, or, like, gets to talk about their day. And Malady's, like, listening quite intently. And then every now and then you watch that she's making notes in, like, one of her many journals,

like something Springheart will say, like, Oh, yes, and of course, all the satyrs, they follow the centaurs, and the most strongest centaur of all was blah, blah, blah, and, like, you see Melody, like, writes that down, and he's definitely sort of taking this as, like, oh, how fascinating. But she's very good with the child,

whereas Benedicta looks so awkward around this thing, like, just, like, stiff-backed, like, yes, very good child. And, like, it just does not know how to deal with it, and you see Springheart does not like her at all. but seems to love Sister Malady and the two of them are sort of, you know, having a bit of chat as you kind of make your way downstairs. Mateo's just like, morning, sister, hello.

Good morning, Pteo. Good morning, sisters. How are we this morning? Oh, Sister Ophelia. Wonderful to see you, my dear. Sister Ophelia, pleasure. Pleasure, Benedict, sir. How did you sleep last night? Are you both well-rested?

Sleep is very rarely well. It's very rarely a comfort for me, coughing and sorts, but I try and get what I can. Yes, you slept all right. Did you not Benedict? I did. Obviously, I wake up to help my sister

when the coughing gets very bad, but we slept all right as best as can be. Do you know if there are any plans with Xanthias and that matter for today? I believe, well, I'm not 100% sure. They all left in rather a hurry this morning talking about clothing. Oh, clothing?

Yes. It seems hardly the thing to be brought. worrying about. Zanfis was very concerned about it this morning. I think he's got a bit of nerves about meeting this. I'm curious. Interesting. Well, yes, of course, please do keep us informed of your plans.

Yes, we will. I was very sincere when I said that my sister and I would be happy to assist. I think it is of a great importance that this matter is seen to as best as possible. Yes. I do also still need to speak with Xanthias. I had offered him to help him learn some magical techniques. And I doubt we will be able to master it in time for this confrontation, but if there is to be a confrontation.

But I would like to get him set on that track, if possible. Sounds like a good plan. Yes, yes. And of course, you're quite a warrior, are you not? Well, I try to be as best as I can. Oh, well, Benedicta, you're always complaining that there aren't enough sparring partners in the town. Surely Sister Ophelia would be more than a capable match for you. Well, I wouldn't have thought to impose. I do not know if Sister Ophelia regularly spars. I don't know if that's part of your training.

Sparred for a long time. My countess used to train me herself. But it's been a while since I've had a good spa. Well, I, the knights of the town are very rarely available, and the common soldiers, unfortunately, they would, I would need several of, you know, quite a few of them to pose anything of a challenge. Should you ever wish to have a sparring partner, I would be grateful for the opportunity. Well, I've got time now. I don't think the others are going to be back for a little while. How about we have a little challenge? I think Leib Benedicta is about to agree, and then Malady is just like, well, let me. Let's leave at just a moment. Let's see if they return any time soon. Okay.

And then once we've had a discussion and made plans, then perhaps you and Benedict can go and have your fun. Yes, yes, as my sister says, perhaps that's best. Okay. Would you like anything? Can I get you anything from the bar while you're waiting? Mateo is quite good at keeping us, he does a good job as a host.

He does, doesn't he? No, we're quite fine. We've eaten and everything else. my sister just likes the atmosphere and seems to in, well, speaks with this one and points at Springheart, who's just been, like, watching. Springheart's still very, like, nervous around you. Like, isn't unfriendly, but it's almost just sort of very wary. And especially you and Benedict are together sort of, like, has moved closer to, like, Malady's like side.

My sister enjoys speaking with this one. And, yes, but, you know, we're quite fine. Thank you. Okay, well, I'll just be at my shrine, but if you need anything from me, let me know. Yes, yes, the shrine of the great father, of course. Yes, we will. Thank you. See, just is like, I'm not fucking going in. Absolutely not.

I will tell Mateo to come and get you. But I think, like, after a few moments, you head out into the shrine, you know, with Percy, get things ready, but then you hear the crew coming back because the shrine sort of is on the section where you can hear the street behind you, basically. And you hear Graf and Rowan and Xanthias making that way. Hello, hello, how was the coming?

Yeah, fine. Mateo, could I get a lemonade? Uh, yes, of course. Thank you. Ophelia? Yes. You won't believe this? What happened?

There's a stone in the middle of Ash and Rest that is identical to you. No, is not. It really is. It was astounding. It was uncanny. It was uncanny. And I know my rocks.

Who would cover stone in my image? Teresa probably did it. Could have done, maybe. Maybe. I think it was Althe. that would be quite an order if I'll say themselves. Over millennia.

They knew that you were going to be here at this time. I like the idea that one of Ophelia's like disciples that came to church was like a really shitty stone mason who's like not made into the guild and so he's like just and like he's too embarrassed to like come to the shrine so he's just gone into the street

found like a stone column and has been like trying to like a really bad version of Ophelia. What's your wisdom of interest? I think it's higher than yours. It is. It's 15. Oh, okay, 15.

I was going to say, I like the idea that both of us are just, it doesn't look anything like a feeling. No, I think if Rowan says it looks like aphelia, unfortunately it now looks a little bit like... It's only gruffe, he's just being kind enough not to say anything. It's like, that's a rock. I'm wisdom 18, so I just play.

Yeah. But yeah, you guys make it back. The three of you would enter you see Materia, see Sister Melanie and Benedict to there. But it's still quite quiet. Hello. Hello. Rowan.

I know, yes, I know it's Rowan. I know you know. It's like saying my name. You do that, you do. Ooh, oh, oh, oh, hello. Zanthias, hello. Hi, let me take a seat here. Hi, hi, hi, hi, hi.

So, small updates on the gems. Yes, I get your meaning, yes. Do you? Yeah. Talk about. Crown Steer. It is also just you guys in the end. in right now. She just sort of nods her head solely yet.

So turns out, the sibling, it's a brother. I've always wanted a brother. Imagine that. Interesting. I could have been your brother. You are my brother, Rowan. How did you learn this? Dreams. Dreams. With, you know. And do you have these dreams often?

No, well, it's been a while, a long, long time actually. about, let's say, 12 days. Not that long a time at all. Well, if you think about it in like the real world scenario of a week-long gap in-between episodes, quite a long long time. But within this universe, you could call it a short amount of time, yes.

But he just likes to taunt me, you know? Starts writing down in one of her books. But they informed me that this brother of mine also likes to partake in Gemery. That does not surprise me. I figured that given your father's involvement, that this sibling, this brother, as you claim, as you say, would have either carry Crown Steel

or perhaps have been afflicted by it in the same way that you have. That does not surprise me. I am immensely curious about these dreams that you have, Xanthias. And in fact, it sounds like they are not dreams at all, but you are being spoken to directly by sovereign. Doesn't everyone have these? See, Rowan does? No one else have these.

No. So when I said everyone has these kinds of dreams and no one said anything? No, I don't have any. No. Okay, not just me and those who have had holy figures and knights who have had visions and dreams from the gods, from the Sions, from the saints. I guess I'll get that going.

Yes, I've heard there are reports. There is something of a cult who worships, and various, in fact, but some of their leadership claim that they can speak. But only those who have shown quite heavy crown-stil mutation, far more than what you have. Oh, we were in a church once for, um, and um, I, we, but it burnt down. We'd have been good to cover some notes or journals from there, I suppose.

Very interesting. In the Ashlands. I feel like there is much we have to discuss, Santhias, but still, as you are all gathered, I appreciate your friend Daisy is sleeping away. But what are your plans with this sibling? Well, so far the plan is that we have informed the guards stationed at the gates, Northgate and Southgate, to let us know if a gold dragon born is to arrive. And then we intend to escort them out of the city or far away from Ash and Rest to talk.

Right, an update on that. date on that. Yes? So... He's not here, is he? No. Okay. But I was thinking we always said that we would have the encounter out of the city. Yeah. We don't want this sibling to even enter the gates or near it. No, that's... My concern that that may give them an opportunity for hostages or causing damage, attack and guard.

I think we should head out shortly. Before they even reach the gate? Exactly. I think we're on to something with what Lord Obsidious said and what Rowan said about the tracking being disrupted. Yes, I did not ask how your conversation with Lord Obsidious. You spoke with him then. He's a bit, he had a headache. He's a bit odd.

Curious for a dragon? Hmm. But you said something, there's a crying spell and it was some sort of divination matter who's being disrupted, you said. Yes, probably heading through the Ashlands, which disrupts. Ash Hills. Ash Hills. Ashlands. Why, though, if they were coming from Rust End,

It's a direct road that leads to Ash and Rest. Why go into the Ash Hills? You would have to... It's a detour. Maybe something about the crown steel in them that... Curious. Clothes to it. On that note, Sister Superior...

Sister Superior, May. If you want to use her full title yet, Sister Superior, Malady, Sister Superior Benedicta. Because I forgot she got promoted. On that no, Sister Superior, I was just wondering, so during the Crown Fall recently, I observed some of the authorities using a ritual and salts to cleanse and contain the Crown Steel.

I was wondering if it was possible to acquire some of that for us to use in this encounter as a backup. The tricky thing with that, Griffith, is the ritual that you are speaking of. It is, she kind of looks at Benedicta, knowing that this answer isn't going to make her sister happy. There are sometimes rights within the church that do not necessarily have much power in of themselves,

but that those who are very faithful draw strength from. The reliquaries that the reliquaries that the, holy warriors used to seal the crown steel, they are able to suppress its corrupting aura, its malfeasance. But the salt, the ritual, it does not really do anything. It is a ritual that makes the faithful feel

that they are purging it, and that does have an effect. They feel emboldened in their minds. Crown steel, You have been very fortunate. Zanthius is contained by his magic. Were it not, you would have all been afflicted by it. You would have all been corrupted by it. Perhaps some of you would have resisted it. It can attack the mind. It can attack the sense of self. Perhaps you would have resisted it. And in many ways, that's what this ritual does,

as it bolsters the will of those who are closest to it and helps them overcome its intoxicating nature, allowing them to get it within the reliquaries. The reliquaries themselves have a ritual that must be performed to activate the warding seals upon them. But the salt, the prayers, they're just prayers. So I'm guessing what I'm about to ask you is also probably a no, is it possible to take a reliquity with us?

To what means do you think that this person carries crown steel, a weapon or some crown steel upon them? Santos? I'm not sure. The only way I could reasonably get some information beforehand involves... Yeah. The reliquary would be of no use unless there is crown steel to contain. It will not help against a person who is corrupted, who is mutated. It will not help against any fell magics they may be able to use themselves. It is used to block out the raw metals corrupting,

or the worked metals corrupting influence. I guess that's the thing, though. We don't know if it's an item, an artifact or embedded, if they've eaten it, what, you know, so it is a contingency. So I'm guessing... It would be very difficult to secure one. in the timeframe that is required. Were we to have a week or longer,

then perhaps I would be able to request one, but it will be difficult, unfortunately. And I imagine it generates an incredible amount of paperwork as well. It would be something that I would need to work incredibly hard to prevent the rival inquisitors investigating too hard, put it that way. Makes sense. Bureoxy will be the death of us all.

Yeah. Fear not. For we faced a crown still corrupted person. Quite a considerable amount of it, in fact. Yes. And we had no reliquary. No. It was all just out in the open.

It was just all out in the open, and we did great, and that person's recovering. Well, it was more I was open. It wouldn't come to violence, you know. Yeah. There was a lot of violence then. There's still a chance. That's still a chance will be okay. Yeah. Certainly, if you are able to convince this brother to turn against Oregonis,

that would be exceptionally useful. They may have more knowledge than Santhias does of what Oregonis is planning. They may know more of what is happening. So the more information we can get out of the... the better. Now, should it come to violence, I do know spells that allow me to speak with the deceased. Should we need to gather information from them? But hopefully it does not come to that. If it helps Xanthus, I can also perform a right which can force people to tell the truth. but it would affect all of us present in that conversation.

Open book. The option... About from sovereign. Should you wish, that is there as an option. Okay. Do you want to come with us? I think it would... Normally, with my health, I would avoid travel and dangerous situations, but I think that this one is important enough for me to...

Got that covered for you. At a stable nearby, we have Rodry. Oh, a pack beast of some sort. A good boy? Certainly a wagon is much more preferable for travel, but with my body, even that is quite extenuous for me. Anything more than a walk from the tavern to here is quite tiring. But I believe that this is important enough,

and my magic will be likely very useful, and Benedicta is a very capable warrior. So I would recommend you make yourself, well, if there are any other allies that you trust as well, for we do not know how dangerous this person is. But at the same time, the more allies you bring, that may also present a greater threat that may make it more difficult to convince this person that you mean them no harm. Now, before we leave Xanthias, just in case. I would like to begin teaching you that technique that I spoke of. Yes. I believe it would be of use to you.

I can teach you the fundamentals, but then the rest you will have to work on your own. I imagine that we won't be able to complete the technique before we find your brother. But I think it important that you know this matter. Okay. Could I at least attempt casting it even if I don't fully master it? Or? You could, but it could have quite disastrous consequences should you not be able to contain it.

You will understand more when I speak of it to you, but that is something I would like to do in private. It is a particularly secret matter between mages, and I'd prefer to keep it that way. Nice. Okay, yes, I'm more than happy. When would you... Is now good?

I think now is if your intention is to go and find this brother, I believe that any last minute preparations are best done now, and I believe that I should do this with you. Okay, sounds good, yes. Benedicta will make sure you go and prepare our supplies, gather your armour and everything else, equip yourself as if ready. Would you bring me my staff and my other materials as well, please, sister? Of course I will, sister.

I will go and do that now. Will you teach Xanthias here? We will need space somewhere private. somewhere with a large amount of open space. Trying to think of where that best be. And there's a workshop, but there's a lot of stuff down there. Add a bed now for some reason. At best we are outside and somewhere not near people in case.

Well, there are the gardens. As in the outside of the inn? No, we will need more space than that, I think. Could we leave the city wall? Yes, we could. Yes, we could do it outside. We're not actually far from like the Southgate. No, you're very close in fact. So I do actually have the map here.

Oh yeah, Matt. I do have the map here. So just as a reminder, Tyria's Rest is here. And this is the South Gate here. So you could easily go out and then go find like a quiet section out there somewhere. I mean you could like if the tawny grounds were empty. You could go there as well.

I mean they probably will be. Oh, it is probably empty. Yeah, of course. Yeah, there's no tournament on currently. So. Yeah, that was my third. thought, I guess, if, but I wouldn't. If I know they're going to be empty, then that's what I would assume.

Yeah, I think like you would be, you could be, and she'd be like, ah, yes, the tawny grounds, as long as that they are empty, that would be, that would be appropriate, I think. Yes, that sounds good. Wait, is there anything I need to bring? No, just yourself. Just myself? Yes.

Okay. Does anyone else need anything from me before I go, any preparations, any plans? We need to go over. Just pick one of these shirts, please. I'm going with the usual Xanthius brown one, black one, whichever color it is. I'm colorblind. For shades.

Mateo, I've got a bunch of new shirts for you. What I'll do, Xanthius, is to speak to everyone we know. Okay. And tell them how to not know us for a while. Yeah. Like this. Mateo? Mm-hmm.

If anyone comes in that looks suspiciously like Xanthius, Mm-hmm. You don't know us. Don't know you. Never heard of you. Your life is in danger if it is. Never heard of you. I don't know who that is. All the traveling we've done together.

Who? Zan... Zan... Never heard of them. They might also know the rest of the party. Griff? Don't know a griff. Perfect. If you could pass that message along. Springhart and Teresa as well. Yeah. That'd be great.

I think I try to keep Springheart. out of sight. That's even better. Just don't want any harm to come to you. Of course not. By knowing us. Leave it in my hands. I mean, it sounds like you're gonna go find this individual anyway,

so hopefully, we'll be alright. In case they sneak through past us. Yes, yes, no, that sounds good, that sounds wise, yes. Incidentally, move yourself into my room. Oh, I couldn't do that, Grafno. I can't kick you out. I don't use it anyway. I sleep in the armatage, it's nice and cool out there.

How long have you been doing that? I did tell you, when you, when you, when you, When you first came here to have my room. But I thought you were just being polite. I didn't think that that was real. No. Oh, God, yes, thank you. Gruff.

Oh, my gosh, yes. I don't have to sleep near that terrifying spider anymore. Oh, Darwin. What's wrong with my workshop? It's terrifying. Have you ever slept down there? Oh, God, of course. Exactly.

Never. You keep talking about this demon gun, and I don't know where it is. I think it's under your pillow. What? I think it might be there. Oh, God. By the saints and sions.

Good. Anyway, don't lay down too hard, I suppose. Anything else with anybody that's not Zen? Do we want Vricks to accompany us? Yes, maybe, yes, possibly. But... They are really going hard on the boundaries. That's the thing, is, are they a bit of an aggressor?

Yes, I... A trink. It's in that way, yes. Thrix are reforged, yeah. So maybe not, this time. I have given them a down payment, though, to accompany us to Kelskaris. What, they offered out for free? No.

They... They offered it for free. I wanted to give us some money, but there's honour and all that wrapped up to it. So she's bodyguarding us now. Amazing. She needed money. Bounties. They do bounties. Yes, but she needed the weaponry and the armoury.

You more the weapons too? No, I gave her 200 gold. I didn't know. 200 gold! I just spent 30 gold on you, boy, oh. Yeah, but 200. giving you money all the time. I know. What, you want bigger pocket money, do you? I'm earning a lot of the money too.

Really? 200. I think how many extensions we could add with that? 400, no. Ricks was starting with nothing, bless her. She did help us a lot. Yes, but well, we also helped Ricks a lot. Yes, we did.

An awful lot. Yeah, so it's a nice neutral evil, even. And now she's been paid in response for a job. Doesn't sound neutral or even to me. Sounds like 200 gold, damn. Zanthias, not being so transactional. I'm not being transactional. I just see pluses and minus, you know?

Some might call that transactional. Some might be annoyed when I ask for a receipt after a conversation. Go write it down in one of your lists and then burn it. With that, after this little moment, Xanthius, you take a few moments and with systemality, you make your way over to the grounds. It's like she is, you know, she moves.

like she can walk, but very quickly tires. But when you arrive there, the tournament grounds are empty. There's no tournament on today. There's no practice or anything like that. The nights are, you know, there's no tawny upcoming. In fact, I believe there was one when you guys were away. So it's quite, yeah, you missed out on the, it's Piracy's Torney. So it's currently quite empty, basically.

And she's like, ah, yes, yes, this will be quite perfect. Yes. Let's move to the center. Let's move to the center here. as far away from anything flammable or anything. Flammable? Wait, this is going to... Well, damaging, potentially. Okay.

This technique, really, it draws on your own magic, and it manifests in a way that is very unique to every mage who is capable of doing it. Okay. This is a signature spell, something that will be specific to you, to the nature of your power, to the nature of your will. Okay.

And so I do not know exactly what your version of this will be. You've mastered this as well. Of course you have. I have, yes, I have. What effect? Does your signature spell? Well, for mine, it is, it influences creatures around. It's...

How me to explain how the basics of what this... technique is. You are of course aware of essences. We've spoken at length about those. But are you, do you know that our world, Althea, the material world, the mortal world? It draws on all of the

planar essences. It draws on all of the magical essences. And in fact, everything around us, everything you see before you, there are minute, small amounts of essence, magical essence. magical essences infused all around us right now. Yes, yes.

And in fact, that is how you and I and many others cast spells. We draw on these powers, even unknowingly sometimes, and manipulate them, change them. Most majors are capable of performing this with formulaic spells. They learn the gestures, the semantic components. They shape it in the form within the bounds of their own control. their hands around their body, these sorts of things. This essence, which permeates our existence,

there is another name for it. Some scholars call it manner. This technique is sometimes referred to as... We create a field where we, as the mage, we dominate that area of manner around us. We seize control of it, we build upon it and we draw upon it in a way that allows us to change or to exude great power in a wide area around us. We create a zone, a field of manner that is ours to control. Does it dampen the abilities of other? No, it changes things, but it

it won't stop another spellcaster from casting their spell. Although it could, for example, my power disrupts a lot of necrotic and undead energy. So were an undead spellcaster to try and cast magic in my manner zone, my manor field, they may struggle. They may find it dampened because I siphon away the necrotic energy. I push it out of the field, which can cause great harm to undead creatures.

In fact, that was when we were fighting the spirits. I used it then. Yes. Okay. For you, it could manifest in a different way. Given your gold dragon board nature, but the nature of your spells, it might be fire.

It could be something else entirely. But what we are doing is manipulating a vast area around us. And the trick of this technique is you are, pouring an immense amount of magical control, magical power into the field around you. So this technique will burn your reserves of magic rapidly if you wish to maintain it. Okay.

But the benefits of it could be quite powerful. And the size of the area you wish to control also affects how difficult it is to maintain. Okay. But we don't know. Do you want to be far away when I attempt this? I will protect myself with some magic, but let me show you...

Also, is there enough essence in the air around here? I suppose this is quite a magical battlefield. But also, the material plane is constantly being replenished by the other realms. Like, it's very rarely that you would ever lack for this. Unless you were to find yourself in a place that was devoid of a particular essence or particular energy, but that may or may not be the case. But let me demonstrate. Okay.

And she raises her hands, sort of her sickly, thin, bony fingers and hands. kind of sticking out. You can see like, she's, you know, very sweaty, her lank kind of blonde hair, kind of greasy, stuck to her face. And her eyes glow this sort of ghostly green white. And you hear her just mutter, like under her breath. Manazone, life control. And you watch as a 30-foot field around her, basically, begins to illuminate with that green-white energy. And you can immediately feel being attuned to magic that a lot of necrotic energy is being pushed out and positive energy is being drawn in like life energy. And it doesn't envelop me.

She's far enough away. No, you're in the zone. Oh, okay. Like she does it with stood next to you and just, and you can see that she's now having to maintain, not concentration, because you see as like she will cast a healing spell. And you feel that that healing spell is actually empowered. right now in this zone next to her. But you can see that she is burning her magical reserves quickly.

And what in game terms, she has spent a third level spell slot to create a 30-foot zone. And then every six seconds, every turn, she has to spend a third level or higher spell slot to maintain the zone. Okay. But there is passive effects as long as she is within that zone or cast a spell within that zone. So cool.

And she shows you this and you sort of attuned to it and begin to sort of understand it. And you can see that like this is a regular spellcaster. Like this needs to be somebody who has a raw connection to magic. Okay. And, you know, you know that Gruff and Rowan and your friends can cast spells, but not like this, not in the same way that you and Malady and maybe a powerful wizard or a sorcerer would be able to. and you can see that she is dominating her will.

She is using her force of will to dominate this essence of magic and push out the energy she doesn't want and draw in the energy that she does, and that is then creating this effect around her. That's so cool. Okay. And she maintains it for a few seconds, and then you see it collapse in on her.

Are you okay? Are you okay? Yes, yes. Just my magical reserves. But I have more. but you can see there that were I to maintain that field for a long time, I would deplete my magical reserves. But also, were I to create a larger field,

I would have to expend greater power. And then subsequent turns. So, for example, if you did a fifth level spell slot, you'd get a 50 foot zone. Right. But then you have to spend a fifth level or higher spell slot to maintain it every turn. Cool.

So it's like you would burn through your power very quickly. but you'd have this enormous area of effect. What would happen if two of us tried to control a field at the same time? Normally that would then become a contest of wills. We would pitch our magical focus and will against one another, and generally the stronger mage will win. Those who put in the most power have an advantage. Okay.

But it is possible for a mage who has a great sense. of will or great mastery of their mind to overcome raw power. But it is difficult. Okay, yes, I am so ready to learn. Okay, how do you want me to stand? So, well, you can stand however you like, but what I want you to do is you take several deep breaths, really focus, sense the essence around you.

Feel for what calls to you. feel for what draws you, what you feel you have the most power over. And then try to manipulate that. I should tell you that it requires a certain amount of magical energy. One cannot do this with a paltry fizzle of magic. You have to make a significant commitment. It has to be a third level. That's the minimum spell level to do this, basically.

So would I, in order to... Is this just like before casting? This is just training, yeah. So this would be, I believe I'm going to set it as being a bonus action to do this. Oh shit, okay.

It doesn't count as casting a spell. Oh. So you can do this and cast a spell on the same turn. But obviously you're spending spell slots to activate it into the power. And it's also not concentration. It's not concentrating. Can I also mage rage on top of this?

Obviously, a bit separate turn. Separate turn, but yeah, but you absolutely could. Oh my God. Okay, cool. Nice. But you are, this is going to take time. to practice and build. This is kind of, rather than getting a relic, you're kind of getting this cool spell that, you know,

is a ability, yeah. Yeah. Also, you absolutely do have to name it and come up with a cool name that you say as you say. What is it? She said, Manorzone. Yeah. Life control.

Okay. But you can do whatever you want. Yeah. Well, I mean, obviously I'm going to latch onto the fire because it's so much. So, so, like, so, Xanthus, you know, you start to feel out. Yeah.

feel most... I close my eyes and like for a while there's nothing. Like there's no sense of direction or anything. It's just all I'm doing is standing in a field and my eyes closed. But after a while, like I start to see almost like these bronze sort of ruins kind of... If I was to...

Like in VR when you look down, it's just a black thing, but I can see the field of ruins below me as if I've got my eyes open and they're right there. and they start to almost shoot out kind of points of light to just different areas. And I start to see those vividly and clearly as they kind of guide me towards a certain essence. Yeah, well, I think, like, one ruin in particular keeps repeating

and you're almost seeing it, like, flickering and appearing around you. And it's a draconic ruin for fire. It's the draconic run for fire, and you begin to see that kind of filtering. And it's almost calling to you, not through a word, or a voice, but you, it's that burning, it's that, that power, you know, there's, there's power in fire, there's strength in fire, but there's also warmth, and there's, there's a sense of pride, and there's a sense of, of burning brightly, making your impact, being seen, and I think that that

maybe is something that kind of draws into Santhius, like, yes, I should be seen, I want to be seen, and that sense of fire becoming this thing. And it's only for a moment, this is going to take a lot of practice. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But you feel the whole of the arena around you. It almost takes on like an orange glow, and you and Malady, you maybe don't feel it as much,

but the temperature, like, rises in the area just briefly. And you get a sense that, like, were there to be any kind of, like, fiery spell or damage or something like that, it's a brief moment when you're like, you'd have more power over it, you'd have more control over it. And maybe a way to be revealed, but like...

So whether it being an aura as well, is that something that other people also benefit from as well? Okay. It's hard to see that. Okay, okay, okay. I think it's going to, what it is, is for a malady, for example, she could allow, like, you know,

if Gruff were to cast a healing spell in her manner zone, she can use her reaction to like bolster it or if a creature deals necrotic damage she can use her reaction to like reduce it and things like that she can do like effects around that or like she can target undead creatures and stuff for you it might be very different but like you know yeah

it will come down to what you kind of want it to be so have a thing like what might be quite cool for Xanthias I've got some ideas for it but if you have ideas yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah all right cool yeah perfect yeah I'm gonna work on that yeah perfect So you kind of spend a couple of hours like practicing this technique with Mali

and it's hard. Like ever since you've found your magic, ever since the runes started appearing, magic's come fairly easy to you. Like, you know, even the control of the runes when you disabled them to talk to Sovereign, it took effort, but like there was something that almost wanted it to happen.

This is hard because... I have to understand why I want this thing to activate, I suppose, rather than it just happening passively in my mind. And it's like, it's asserting your dominance and mind over something which is not, is just a part of the world. Yeah, yeah. And it's hard.

And it's hard to maintain that amount of concentration. And like, well, not even concentration. It's hard to maintain that amount of focus. And, like, you know, your field starts, like, it goes out to 30 feet and then it quickly collapses. And maybe you get it out to, like, 10 feet, and you can hold it for a few feet, and then it collapses. And it's tough.

But you think with training and time, you can get this. Like, this will be something you can do. Hell yeah. Okay. Signature spell. I need to name it as well. Yeah. And I need to shout out like an anime character. A hundred percent.

This will also be a thing of like once you use it or in a day. It's probably going to be it. It's going to be like a once per long rest thing to begin with. I mean, it'll be rough to cast it multiple times anyway with how much it's... Well, it does burn spell slots a lot, which obviously for a source of you can get them back. But again, that's a lot of resources to spend to keep this thing going. Okay, that makes sense. Yeah, very cool.

Very cool. And no concentration, which I love. Yeah, yeah. Not to say that it can't be, like, if you get incapacitated or something like that, it goes away. Yeah, sure. Like, if you lose, not concentration, but if you're, like, knocked out, or if you're, like, stunned and things like that, it would go away. That makes sense.

So, cool. Sweet. So, yeah, so Xanthus has gone for a couple of hours. What about anything that anybody else would like to do? Can I imagine we'd go and fetch fraud three? Yeah, yeah, yeah. And the wagon. Easily enough, yeah.

And so what is the plan? We'll have Daisy wake up and she'll come with you, but I'm just not gonna role play her, but is the plan just to like head out onto the road and then just hope you come across this person? Like, what is the plan? I mean, Gruff would suggest the idea of heading to the ash hills, like, you know, or the route sort of that way,

because... The way that you went there. It was like a main road that goes around. So there's a main road that goes to Rust End and then you sort of split off from that to head down towards the Ashen Citadel, which you know is on the border of the ash hills,

the ruin that you fought the reclaimers, this crown silk cult. You could certainly head that way. I'd use Serena's reconnaissance as well to see what you can see from the air. Yeah, and at least we're pretty sure they've gone into the ash hills based on the scry, not working, right?

So it makes sense to go out of the Southgate and just down the road, probably not at any great speed, because once we're out of the city, we're out of the city, and then we're kind of fine, right? Sure. Okay.

Yeah, I think that makes sense. All right. Well, this will take some time. I'm not going to do travel rules or journey supplies because you're so close to Ash and Rest, and also you're not going very far. But you get on the road. You begin making your way,

and you are on, you travel, and for a whole day, there is no sign of this stranger, seren patrolling. You travel, kind of this uneasy, when's it going to happen? Yeah. You know, constantly checking the horizon. Any sort of traveler or figure, is that them?

Is that them? But so far, for at least a day, nothing happens. Then on the second day, as you've turned off the road and you're making your way into the Ashen Hills, and Serran spots, you know, seren flying ahead of you, Seren spots a lone figure traveling through the Ashen Hills, walking towards the Ashen Citadel, the ruins that you had traveled through. And on your current trajectory, that's probably going to point where you'll encounter one another. Seren sees this six-foot-nine gold dragon-born, although they can't see the face.

The face is covered by quite a tattered, tan cloak that's being held in place by a tarnished brooch. And then the cloak just fills around these broad shoulders, and it's all tattered and mud-soaked at the bottom, and it's billowing behind them. You can see... Shut up. You can see there is a massive great spear,

like a broad-headed, huge spear, like on their back. But I think also Seren spots that, like, Under the cloak, there is a glittering of other weaponry as well. This is like somebody who's tool. Weapons of diplomacy. Persuasion. And yeah, they seem to be, although they're on foot and alone, they are making exceptionally good travel time.

Like they're moving very, very fast and don't seem to be getting tired from it either. And I think, yeah, on about the middle of the second day, Seren kind of constantly keeping patrol. And you see the figure clock Seren and looks and is watching, but keeping the hood so you never see the face and then just carries on, making no deviation from their path. And on the second of the day, you arrive in the ruins of the Ashen Citadel,

the bodies of the creatures that you, of the cults that you fought long gone. Is this the one where Rowan was completely invisible? It is the same way. Yes, and Penelope. Penelope. Yeah, it's the same place. Okay, cool, I've got it in my head now.

And you burnt an entire room of cul-thirsts to death. Yeah. Good days. As you... I missed them. Yeah. There is a sort of road, like a dirt trail that leads to the Ashen Citadel and then heads off, you know, used by travellers long ago.

It's since overgrown and everything else. But as Rodry and the wagon and all of you make your way, you sort of stop because down the road, you know, the ruins off to one side, you on this long road next to them, you see this figure just slowly approaching. Santhius, how do you wanna do this? Do you wanna speak to him on your own?

Do you want us to be scarce? No, no, everyone can come along. They already know that you're here, so there's no point. Staying back. Help me talk to them. Um, maybe they're, maybe they're, that's a lot of weapons. Maybe they're, let's just talk to them.

Let's just, from a distance. I'm gonna get a campfire going. Rowan, get a stool on. Yes. Okay, so you sort of take some time to like pull off to the side, start setting up camp. Rowan pulls out like the tripod with the cooking part. You set fire and you begin cooking.

This figure still continues on towards you. You know, you saw them from quite far away and they begin making their way down the road, although they slow their pace. Hello, I am Zanthius Orygan, but you already knew that. Do I need to introduce myself? They don't know my name. Maybe they do know my name.

I'm Zantius Oragone, but you already knew that. What's your name? Yes. Have some confidence in yourself. I've got up brimming with confidence. I can do that. It's just I don't want to make the wrong step, you know? Just a simple hello my do?

Simple hello. On a handshake, stay away from them. Just until we know... We don't know what their intentions are just yet. It's a big spear. I was going to say it's a bloody big spear. That's a very big spear. Rowan finishes chopping up a vegetable

and puts in the stew living simmering, but then he'll get out. What'd you just do? A vegetable. in the stew. Which one? What kind of? I don't know it was green. And long.

That's the most of the greener. Anyway. Yes. He gets out Sostaluto and starts beginning the song of Stone. But we'll kind of use this as a baric inspiration.

Okay. For Xanthias as he... So you're not using it as the ability, but you're playing a song for Xanthias. Just to bolster you a little bit, morale boost. But as he... as it gets to conversational distance,

I'll do it. Part of inspiration. You would notice Malady has kind of got out the back of the wagon with Sister Benedicta and the two of them. Sister Benedicta, like, kneels facing towards the sun. So the sun is maybe starting to set. So she sort of faces towards it, puts her sword on the ground, and you see that she prays to Pyrrhus and to the saints.

And she begins to softly glow. She's like casting spells on herself or prayers. and you see Melody also begins to do the same although hers is more arcane and esoteric but she conjures things like mage armour and she casts a bunch of other basic spells on herself and they are definitely like let's be prepared like you know

they're not taking sure that they're taking precautions I think rough as well is just trying to like a relaxed atmosphere food song but is also like but still armada yeah everything else yeah Everything's a weapon, stew.

The figure eventually draws close enough. In that case, I'll walk into the middle of the road and sort of stand to face them. You see the sort of bowed head, they're considerably tall, taller than you, they're huge, so broad. But now you see the cloak is picked up by some wind, heavily armoured, plate armour. It doesn't look fancy.

There's no Oregon sort of gilded, beautiful golden armor about this. This is not, you know, some highly decorated warrior. This armor is battered, well kept, but, like, marked by years of use. There is, you know, notches and dents and things like that all over it. The clothing is plain, very much, you know, not drawing much attention, and dark colors, maybe a hint of a golden trim, but it's long faded.

But you see on their fully draconic, like scaled skin and body, as they are a full kind of draconic dragonborn, not a humanoid dragonborn like you, Xanthias, just covered in scarring, blade scars, burn scars, scars of spells that you don't recognize, on anything where there is no arm,

you can see that this person has, you know, been in either a great many battles or has suffered quite greatly from injuries. And eventually they just sort of stop dead in the road. And you see the cow sort of lifts up with the hood sort of falling over one side and a golden draconic snout. And what color are your eyes, are they brown?

Mm, I might be green. Are they golden? Is he golden? I can never remember what color your eyes you are. That's a very good question. They basically have the same... Yeah, green. So they have the same, like, their draconic eye in their dragon one head is actually green,

not gold or brown or anything. And it's the same shade as yours. Although it's a draconic eye, it's hard to mistake it from being a similar color. Okay. And the gold that you see the scales, it's exactly the same as Xanthus's shade, like it is a pitch-perfect match. match, and this figure just sort of stops and looks you up and down. Ah.

And their voice is softer and raspier and a little more, not melodic, but like, it's not like this deep bassy rumble. It's almost like whispered, husked, husked. Ah, I was not expecting you to come out to find me. We were concerned what would happen if you reach the city while we're still there. I'm Zanthius Oregon. You're aware of this. What is your name?

Rexanath. Rexanath. Oregon. I just go by Rexanath. Or Rex to some. I tend to just go by Xanthus myself. I... I understand why.

You've kept yourself quite hidden. I'm not too big a fan of the Urigan name. Or their commands. Mm. Are we aligned in that way? So you're my little brother, the one who was cast out. You know of me?

I do. I didn't, I don't... I'm sorry, I wasn't a way. where you existed. Why are you apologizing, Cynthia? How would you have known? Because I... I'm imagining a world in which we could have known each other

from birth. Little brother, you don't want to know that world. It would have been... No, no, you would not wish to know that world. Because in that world, father wouldn't have exiled you. wouldn't have sent you away. And what you would have suffered as I have suffered. Or you would have ended up like the others.

And I don't think that that's something you would want. A world without our father then. Ah. A different person. Someone kinder, someone welcoming, someone that would have given us the family that we both... Maybe we don't deserve it. but... No.

No, we don't deserve it, but that's a nice dream. That's a nice dream. You know why I've come. I do, and you know that I'm going to resist it. Ah, I was going to ask if you had come to surrender yourself, if you were going to come back willingly, but... I don't want that life. No, you don't. Believe me, you don't.

me you don't. But that's all right, little brother. I can do you a kindness. And that is... I... I have to do what I've been asked. Why? Why? That's a good question, to one that which there are many, many answers. But I suppose... I suppose it comes down to two things. I fear what will happen to me if I fail, what he will do to me. and also because I believe he is the strongest, and following him is in my best interests. I... But I've spent my life not following him

and look at what I've achieved. You've surely heard tales of Ashen Rest, the things that I, Xanthius, have done alongside all of my friends here. Yes. I was going to say these friends, I applaud you for gathering these useful allies to you. That's very clever of you to do. I have a message for all of you.

I do not wish to harm any of you. That is not in my desire. As far as I am concerned, this is not a matter that you. concern anyone but my little brother and me. I must ask you, and I appreciate that you will likely say no, but I ask you now to walk away, to not be involved. And if you choose to stay, you will not only be making putting yourselves at risk, but you will be making life much harder for Xanthias. You will only bring him more. pain. So I ask you, as a kindness to him, walk away. If harm comes to Zanthias, harm comes to us all.

I stand with Zanthias. So be it. As I said before Xanthius, if family rejects you, you can find family. I wish it were not this way. I wish you could have continued living in that little village that I traveled through. I know it was not much of a life, but But you made friends, you ate well. I wish you had never been sent on that task to the city. I wish I'd never accepted it. But I did. And we're here now.

But you can always project that higher calling, that higher power that's telling you where to go. I do it frequently, not just from father, but... You refer to sovereign. Yes. I do not serve, sovereign. I do not care for some imprisoned god. There is something far worse that haunts me,

that has haunted me since the day I was born. The man, the dragon, who has, that I hate with all my heart, yet cannot help but admire and fear. Do you know what he would do if I went against him? I know that you were abandoned because father saw no value in you. I know that. I was there. I was there the day you were born. I was young then.

I had just been brought back to the Dominus. You were lucky. I was born strong. Very strong. The father saw potential in me. I wasn't clever or cunning like the others. the others. So he sent me to Erdis Kier, where I was thrown into the black market fighting pits and the assassination trials of their elite gods. I had to learn to survive, to kill. And then, when I was old enough, I was brought back. And the real punishments and training began. Father ensured that I would be a strong weapon for him to wield. If I may interject.

Please. Use this time that you have. What if we were to stop your father? If I may. In my experience, in my learnings, a father does not threaten. He does not inspire fear. A father should admit his sense.

failings. So the child can understand that invulnerability, there is strength, true strength, and there is a kinship. Such pretty words. Perhaps they are true, perhaps they are right. But what a father should be and what Oregonis is, the two things do not necessarily need to align. You say, Stop, Oragana, stop our father. You even know what you're implying, what you're suggesting. Do you even know the foe that you are trying to face? The power that he wields. Not just strength or magical power.

His cunning, his political power, his influence. You think you can stop a force like that. Little plucky band of friends. I'm sorry, old man, but... I don't think you have the strength. Things are happening. Things are turning. Such as?

Well, I'm not at liberty to divulge everything to you, but... I speak on my oath as a knight-errant. That he is not going unanswered. And you should be careful with those oaths, knight. I don't think that's an oath you can keep. I know him. I've done... terrible things for him.

And you have other siblings who do his work gleefully, who are his protégés in every way. And then there is the other, the eldest. I don't know if I'm more afraid of him than I am father. But in all your times learning to fight, the things that you went through, did you learn to retreat?

I wasn't, if I had retreated, I would have been cut down. There was no retreat. But Oregonis cannot act in the open. Let's say you never went back to him. What would he be able to do? Because so many things, little brother, death would be a welcome release.

But so many things that he hasn't been able to achieve with me. He sent you after me. He would send another after you, maybe, but... You understand he does that because he underestimates. He does not respect or value you. or value you, he thinks you are weak. He doesn't think you're a threat. That's why he sent me.

If he truly thought that you were a danger to his plans, oh, little brother, the things he would do to bring against you. You would never know another knight's peace. You think I'm his only assassin? You think he doesn't have allies? I see that you have two holy sisters with you. You think he doesn't have influence over their order, over other draconic courts?

How do Benedicta and Malady kind of react to that, I suppose? I mean, their malady is just stern-faced. Benedicta is her nostrils flare, and that angers her. And I think that she probably would blurt out just like, that's impossible, that's not true. none of our order would align themselves with a monster like him, but Malady doesn't say anything.

And Malady sort of maybe gives you, Xanthus, and maybe gruff, like, a side eye, like, you could be right. Doesn't say anything, but just gives you that look of, like, everyone's corruptible. But yeah. But you understand my option here, don't you? I either resist you now

and maybe you win. Maybe I'm dead here. Or you take me back. He takes this away from me and I'm dead there. I will spare you that. I will kill you and take back the crown steel and give you a peaceful rest. Because if I were to take you back,

he would do so much worse. And if that is the one kindness I can give to you, brother, I would do it. I really don't want to fight you. Nor do I. But... If I have to choose between you and me, I would rather at least fight

and let that determine the victor. And why not fight? Instead of you versus me, why not fight for an us? We could work together. We could leave here and just not go back to that. Quite simply, because the way The worst thing you can do to me is kill me. If I turn against him, and we would fail, I truly do not believe that you have any chance of success against him.

If I did, perhaps things would be different, but I think that you are doomed to fail. And he would punish us both, far worse than death. So if you kill me I suppose You're doing me a kindness I have no intention of dying today Nor I And I have no intention of going back with you

Good I think that wise Where do you want to do this then? Here seems as good a place as any Here in these hills By so much blood was spilled The same thing that's being fought over now. This accursed metal, this thing that gold dragons seem to be drawn to.

It seems almost fitting that this is where brother should fight brother once more. He pulls back the hood, pulls off the cape, and you see that his eye on his right side, all the scales and horn and skin and scales around it are all corrupted in the same way as Xanthius's arm. And instead, there is just a glowing gold and red flame with a black interior that's just burning where his eye should be. As he throws off the cloak, you can see a raise of axes at his belt. He has like a leather bandolier with all sorts of different pouches. He has, his armor has these sort of almost like stones

with runes carved into them, decorating his armor. He has what appears to be like a folded compound bow, like a mechanical bow and a quiver of arrows at his side. You see other weapons, knives, swords. The man is a walking armory at this point. I am thrown with legs. He just draws the speed.

and very deftly you see him just begin to spin it and sort of weave it around him. Yeah, I would just turn to everyone and just give a nod in that case. Casia weapons. Perhaps if you can defeat me, I will say this. He will be watching.

He will be listening. If you defeat me, and I have no longer any reason to fit him, I will tell you what I know. of his plans. I will tell you of your other siblings and what they are doing. But I ask,

do me one mercy, should you defeat me? Make sure my body cannot be brought back by magic. Make sure that Father cannot return me to life to punish me for further. I will. Thank you. I would extend you the same courtesy,

but I imagine your friends would prefer that I didn't. But I'll take the crown still, and it won't be your trouble anymore. You'll be free of that burden, all of you. Poor man. And with that, he just levies, draws out a hand, and that's where we're going to win today's episodes.

Oh, man. I'm guessing everyone gets a guard up, right? Yeah, yeah. This is not a surprise thing. We're going to roll initiative and go into it. but we're going to do that as a full episode. I do want to make it clear as well. Like, this was not like a foregone conclusion.

No, no, no, no. He has certain things that, like, if you had said certain things, they would have prompted certain roles. Like, it was possible that maybe you could have convinced him to, like, something else to, like, but you had to, like, basically, like, say certain things or trigger certain things.

And unfortunately, I just don't think you guys even probably, like, unless you'd come up with something creative, I don't know. Yeah, it was, I think my only sort of gambit was the, like, the sovereign play of maybe, of being like, well, I answered a sovereign. He's like, ooh, okay. Yeah.

Maybe there's some sort of higher power there. The impression you get is like, this guy doesn't talk. He doesn't even care. He doesn't even care. He just has it and it's a power. Yeah, it's really had to basically be like, we have this solid plan and evidence to take down your father. And like, this is how we're going to do it.

The solid plan is the ecliptic order right now. And that doesn't seem to be. Fair enough that it's corruptible. No, I, I'm happy with the way it's going. It could have been if you had brought like obsidious or if you'd like said like all these like that. dressed right now. Could have been, like, maybe a different thing.

But, like, he basically is just, like, he's more afraid of Oregonus than he is of you guys. So he has no reason to not. Like, he thinks he can actually... And also, like, considering you outnumber him, what, like, eight to one? Yeah. He doesn't seem phased at all.

Like, he does not seem that scared or worried. I mean, he's got a weapon for each of us eventually. Yeah, yeah. I'm just sad. He, yeah, and that's kind of the impression I wanted to give you that, like, you know, Zanthius has been made. mistreated, but this guy's had it pretty rough.

He's very sad. He's a very tragic character. I like it just being this really... We have to do it, but it's like... You don't want to. He doesn't want to. He doesn't want to. He doesn't want to. I don't want to. No one really wants to, but it has to be done.

It's so cool. It's quite nihilistic. That's one of the words I wrote down. It's like his key words is he's very nihilistic. Like, he's given up. Like, he's had all of his emotions basically beaten and, like, driven out of him. He believes that, like, things like friends and alliance, or weaknesses that can be betrayed.

And he's just utterly convinced that, like, yep, I have to do what Father says because that's the world. And if I don't, it will be horrible. Either this or next episode. Yeah. So, yeah, yeah, yeah. It's kindness.

Yeah. Well, for this one, I had the episode title in my notes. It's just called Brother Where Are Thal? Nice. I thought that was quite good. But the next one, I think, definitely, like, something like that. Cool. But yeah, we'll end it there.

That is the end of the episode. Like I said, it is a shorter episode today. Just a one parter. Yeah, just a one parter. We will see you next time, everybody. Take care. We'll see you next Sunday. We'll see you next Sunday.