High Rollers DnD - Coach Gruff and Father Varis | Altheya: The Dragon Empire #107 (Part 2)

Episode Date: June 25, 2026

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We've had the very first training session of the Ascension Alleycats as Gruff, for his nightly test, has met his new team that he must now coach, has attempted to get an understanding and a better grasp of what he is up against. Following that, our heroes have travelled into the Ossian embassy in the central district of Kelskaris for Sister Ophelia Del Rosa to meet with the now father Varys Evernight. As you have entered, poor Rowan has been a little overwhelmed and has fainted at the sight of so many undead creatures, seemingly just going about their normal business as you step into the embassy. Refreshments have just been delivered by one of these servants of the House of Rot, a grotesque, zombie-fied creature.

It's flesh sort of half-hanging on, you know, it's whatever it was once in life, very hard to tell now, as it kind of limps and skulks away, leaving a putrid sort of scent behind it. You have a brief little moment to chat amongst yourselves before perhaps Varys returns. So, oh, it's very impressive, isn't he? Yes, it looks a lot like your shrine. He really did a good job back there.

It's so much bigger, though. It's so much bigger. Oh, no, but the vibes, you know, the... The vibes are good. I'm home. Black and the red. There's likes in the blood. Timeless.

Oh yes, yes, timeless. Never really seen any of those guys walking around before though. So that's, is that the House of Broth? House of Rot, yes. Ha. Oh, right. Oh. They're fresh smelling.

Yes, it takes a little while to get used to them, but they are lovely. Lovely, okay, good. They did seem very polite, I'll get. They were very, very, very certain. This house of bone you need to look out for. Oh, really? Oh, what's Percival?

Yeah. Oh, he's a house of blood. But he's made of bone? Yes, he's made of bones, yes, but he doesn't serve the house of bone. He serves the house of blood. Oh, so I was originally created by the house of bone, and then given as a gift to the house of blood. Oh, okay, okay, okay, fair enough.

Yes. So watch out for those ones. No good. Or mostly no good. They just a bit mean. Oh, okay. Like Hawkins. A bit like Hawkins, yeah, because,

well, because you see, they're kind of at the top. They're like the head house at the moment. Wait, there's a hierarchy? There's a hierarchy system. Oh, I thought it was all just circular, all working together. No, we don't work together particularly well.

Where's the house of blood in that hierarchy? We're number two. Oh, great. Okay. It's, we've been number two for a while. Yeah, a long time. Well, okay. As you're having this conversation, just to check, the highest passive perception in the team is 18, I think.

19 with you. Even you, Daisy, you don't notice this until the last minute as you hear a voice coming from behind you guys as you're all talking, as you sort of hear a kind of voice like, yes, yes, house of bone, too powerful, yes, yes. As you mid-drink, look around, and you sort of have to look down because there is a three foot tall rat man

dressed in these sort of like tattered monk's robes. He's mostly human but he has like a really sort of ratty looking face and ratty ears that stick up. He has one eye which is definitely bigger than the other one and you can see that his hands are like stained green to the fingertips. He has like long claws. He has like a ratty tail that's kind of swiping around. and behind him are two ghouls.

They don't smell, they actually smell of almost nothing, but they are just silently, like, crouched behind him, as this little figure is just like, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. By the grandfather, yes, hello. I'm going to stand behind gruff. You immediately stand back. I feel you actually know who this is,

because this is one of the other ambassadors that you know was sent to the embassy. Yes. But before you, like, he introduces himself. Like he's not sort of expecting you to introduce him. Mortals in the embassy, welcome, yes, yes. I am greetings. I am plague bearer poxomis, ambassador of the house of rot,

keeper of the cauldron. Plague, plague bearers. Poximus. Yes, yes. Playver of the cauldrumus. Oh, pleasure to meet you once again. Ah, and it's the syrophilia, house of blood, yes, yes. How has Kelskaris been treating you?

Kelskaris is an interesting place. I am particularly fond of the Erdas Kureans alchemy. Yes, we've encountered a few of those. They are very good, we like, yes, and many good herbs in their lands. They have good herbs. Yes, they make interesting ingredients. Yes, yes. Death, death, poisonous, it's very nice.

Say death, death, poisonous? Yes. Okay. Whatever. You do you. And what? Mortals? What brings you to the house of death? I pointed Ophelia. Oh yes, we are here to attend the event that's happening. Are these your servants?

These are my companions. They're my friends. Are they loyal to the Grafathers? They're loyal to me. Ah, yes, yes, yes. Yes. Useful tools these mortals can be, yes, yes. There's Percival as well. Percival's loyal. Yes, Percy is here. You have given your, you have Gileven your servant a name. How curious.

Well, he's always been Percival. I refer to mine as ghoul one and ghoul two. See, that's good for, that's good for, um, for... I have many ghouls, you see. Hard, would be difficult to give them all names, yes, yes. Um, which one's which? It doesn't matter. Oh, okay, fine.

If I have two of them, one is one and one is two. Got it, okay. Two, then you see one of the ghoul steps forward. That one. Right, fantastic. Yes, yes. Okay. Interesting.

Where are you from, giant man? Rowan is pretending to sleep, but he's shaking. He is in torpor. I have smelling salts that will awaken him. I think he's okay. I think he's just overcome by the hospitality. It's been a very long of day. Rowan.

Can you give me a performance role? I wonder how good at pretending to be dead you are or asleep you are. 21. 21. Interesting. A deep slumber. May I partake of some of his blood to see what I can conduct with it? It speaks in when he is sleeping, yes, yes.

Interesting noise. It's probably best to ask him when he's awake, I think. Ah, yes, this strange idea of consent. What of you? Wow. A fellow beast kin. All right, that's me. Yes.

Hello. Where are you from? My name is Gruff and I'm from a little village called Treymoro. Where is that in this empire of dragons? Do you know of ice heart? Very cold. Up north. North!

Now we are getting somewhere. You say it is quite cold. Very cold. Any interesting plants or substances? Poisons, diseases? Any diseases? Cold does breed. Cold often kills many diseases,

but also in sight it can incubate many others. Yes, I agree. I agree with you completely there. Yes, yes. May I have some of your blood to examine? Not right now. Curses? Need it all.

Foul spirits of the grave. They hold on to their blood. Yeah, ridiculous. It just comes back. Ah, now there is one who has... Mmm, you are peculiar. Am I? Wait, how?

No, I'm not. Your blood is strange. Your blood is... Metallic. There is strange scent about you. God, Dragonborn, probably. No, no, have smelled many of the gold, dragon pawns before.

Well, I'd like to keep my blood inside me. He starts sniffing near your arm. I would, okay, well it's been nice to meet you. I put my other hand forward to shake. Oh, you offered to shake his hand? He reaches out and you see that his arm is covered in like warts and lesions and boils. His fingernails are like black and he grabs your hand

and shakes it vigorously. Most polite, always nice to meet a polite mortal. Yes, the house of rot blesses you, my child. It was nice to meet you, Zanthia. Okay, okay. Can I get a consent from you, please? He's coughing on my hand? He coughs in your face, and he shook your hand.

Oh, no. I got a con save. Yes. 14 plus 8? Oh, yeah. So, yeah, 22. You definitely are like, when he coughs, you can almost feel that there's something in the air,

and your body's just like, no. Nope. Same with the hand, you're immediately like, I think like, because you can like produce flame, right? Yeah. You just like maybe like immediately conjure light frames to just burn off whatever residue is there because like it is not good.

Well, it's lovely to meet you. Pox, Poxys, Poxys, Pogs. Plague, Plague, Paguer of the cauldrums. Keeper of the cauldron, correct. Hello. Greetings, small one. Hello. What is your name?

Daisy. Ah, Daisy. A weed amongst these plants, yes? Yes, is it a weed? Yeah, I suppose. Ah, it's a flower. What happens when you ingest it? I haven't tried. You have not?

No. Goul one, fetch me my book. It pulls from like a satchel, write down daisies to be investigated. It may be poisonous. Maybe. Maybe. And where are you from?

Daisy. Caldra, nearby. Nearby, Caldra. Red? Fire. Red. Fire, yes. Yes.

Mm. Mm. Well, a pleasure. And you. Good luck with your business. Are you here for Varus' event? Yes, yes, I would be attending. I will, yes, of course.

It is always a problem to be dragged from my laboratory and research, but Varys has made it very compelling. I intend to auction off some of my finer diseases. Oh, I look forward to seeing those. What are you wearing, by the way? Are you going for a more casual thing? Or are you going to go more... He looks down.

It's like tattered monk's robes. What do you mean? I will be wearing clothes, Sister Ophelia. Yes, but just to get an idea of the vibe. You know, like, is it going to be super formal? Oh, you speak of matters of which poxenus care about. Social, yeah, the social aspect of it. Speak with Varis.

I will, I will. A matter of I do not consider myself with. I will be wearing a cologne most interesting. Oh, no. Yes, yes, and he scurries away. Bless her mortal blood for the eternity. Bless for the mortal blood for the eternal for the eternal. Nice to meet you.

Lovely. Rowan buries his face in the chaise lounge. You just hear silent sobbing. How long have you known Oxymus? A long while. He's been around since I joined, since I came to Osseus, since I came to the embassy. He's been at the House of Rot for a long time.

I would say, Aphelia, like, this is just for your information, you know, this is what the case is. As far as you know, Poxomis is, like, 200 years old. Hmm. He, but he's mortal. Yeah. There's some weird, like, potion or something that he makes that, like, keeps him going.

He is old as fuck. He's technically not dead. Oh, wait. So, mortal? Like us, yes. Really? He just, he addressed us, has? mortals. He did, yes. Also, there's something in my drink now, and I think he might have spat it.

It's like bubbling green at this point. Well, it's up to you if you take it on. He blessed you, which is, and he shared his germs with you. Gems and, oh, that's a blessing. It's very precious to them. So for them to share it with you is quite an honour. What an honour. A precious disease of a house of a right is a great gift. I don't think I want to have to carry a sick Xanthia surround. Yes, if I to accept this gift was an open-air. What would get sick? What would happen to me? I'm not 100% sure.

I've never really done it myself. Okay. I've not really, I've not received a blessing myself. What an honour. Exactly. So it's up to you. You can ingest it if you wish. No.

No. Okay, up to you. Can I roll a medicine check to just see like the vibe? For the water? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, okay. 13. Um, 21. 21.

I won't give you a... all the information because it's quite high D.C., but I'll give you some. Just being close to Poxys and that cough and everything else, it was enough that like any micro sort of like contaminants that were in that water have been enhanced. And now it has basically turned into a mild poison. Yeah. Like it would be like eating bad food, basically, to drink that water.

It'd be like, it's like putrid water now. Oh, that's poison now. Yeah, yeah, no, I wasn't going to, mainly because it looks like snot. Yeah, it's kind of green. It's difficult, though. Do you want to, you know, drink snob? No. But he's gone now, so you can hardline that one. Not going to happen.

Okay. Insult or otherwise. Sorry, I want to follow. No, it's entirely up to you. It's a blessing. You may choose whether you wish to accept that blessing or not. Snot. That's very, that's good.

Happy Father's Day. So, if Father Farris offers us blood, are we expected to partake? Again, it's not forced upon you, so you may part you may partake if you wish. Okay. But it's not, unless you're undead, which will they understand that you are not undead, so they understand that you would not wish to partake it. Surely, just a waste of blood, really. Some people might have to just curiosity.

I mean, I'm closer to that than this. I mean like Teresa would absolutely drink blood because it's part of her religion there, right? Are there any other ambassadors you know that might be around or we'll be attending this party? I think that only that what you wouldn't know the House of Bone, because that changed recently and you don't know who that ambassador is. And also the House of Shadows don't tend to tell anybody who their ambassadors are. But there is another one that you would know along with Varys, which is, and I will spell this after I've said it,

Maj-H-H-R-H-A-R-A-S-H-I, which is M-A-J-H-A-R-A-S-H-I. Mahj-H-R-H-Rash-E, and then Sakat is S-A-A-A-A-A-T, and they are the Rune-Singer ambassador for the House of Shrouds. So Shrouds and Shadows and Shadows are different houses. Yes. Shrouds is mummies and, like, magical undead, and then Shrouds.

is spectral undead. Sprode. Yeah, those are the ones like quick smell. It does not take long after you sort of having this brief conversation. The ghostly maid returns honored sister and guests. Father Varys is very delighted that you have come to visit and has offered he would like to meet you in the parlour if you would wish to meet there.

He is currently meeting with some others but said to bring you along immediately. Wonderful. Okay, thank you very much. Of course. Would you please follow me? She just sort of floats to the side. What if I do with? Just leave it down, just put down, down. There's a side table there. Great, okay.

All right. Let's go. You probably would see, like, as you put it down, a few rats scurry over, climb up and start. It's like, slowly. But yeah, you will begin to follow this ghostly maid. She leads you down a long corridor, which has been beautifully decorated with,

there are statuettes, like busts, of some of the current embassies. ambassadors, but also figures of prominence within Osceus, and there are also grand portraits. The most grand of which, as you are passing, in the middle of this long sort of gallery hallway, is an enormous portrait of the Gravefather, sat muscular, pale white body, decorated in black armor with just a skeletal face, a huge giant morning star sort of clasped in one hand, leaning on a throne of bones behind a. of which and you can see just armies of skeletal figures

and different undead, vampiric creatures flying over a sort of, almost not a moon, but like a kind of moonlit sky behind this grand sort of portrait. I think it's not ahead as he walks past. Is that the first time we've like seen any of? I think so. The first sort of representation of him. A very powerful and imposing figure.

I don't just do a little slick. My initial. reaction was to nudge someone and say, get a little to this guy, but that's going to get us killed. There are other portraits and tapestries as well, some of them showing places in Osceas, others depicting, and you don't really recognize any of them, but figures of the various houses throughout the ages, different pontiffs and abbots and all sorts, but your knowledge is only so limited. And eventually you are brought to a grand doorway. Everything here is human mortal size as well.

This is not, you're so used to the Dominus where everything is like nine, ten feet tall for the dragon's humanoid forms to walk through, but everything here is no tall. So, Rowan, you're really having to like stoop and sort of like bend down. But as you step through, you enter into an elegant parlor.

There are stuffed armchairs, tables set out for dragon chess and dice games. There's a great wall, like library of books. You see that there are dining tables, little carts with drinks. There is actually a little bar with a skeletal bartender, sort of, you know, attending to the little bar. And you can see that there are groups of Ossian citizens.

Not all of them undead, some of them just humans or half-elves or dwarves, a couple of halflings as well. It looks like so the species and ancestries of Ilmer are replicated in the lands of Osceus as well. And they're sort of sat together like in, you know, little light conversations. little light conversation. You definitely draw a bit of an eye where you enter with a group of non-Ossians and as you step through. But also some of the people here are intelligent undead. You see at least another white like the creatures that you saw outside. You see at least one ghost that's just sat down sort of like perhaps playing dragon chess, a poltergeist who's moving

the pieces, very softly playing against a necromancer of some sort. But as you enter, You see that there is a sort of private room at the back and the maid sort of lead you through. And this is kind of like a proper sitting room with like a roaring fire. There is a long table laid out with very clearly glasses of blood and things like that. And sat sort of facing each other and in a conversation are two prominent figures. One, you easily recognize as Father Varys Evernite. He looks like a blood elf from wow. Like he's got the kind of like long, blonde white hair.

He has like pointed long ears as well, very trimmed and waxed eyebrows. He has the same gauntness as Ophelia, and is very, very pale as well. Bright red lips like paint, where his lower lip is painted red and his top lip is left unpainted. He's wearing long, bright red sort of like dark, not like dark red, but crimson robes, gilded with golds and silvers and black sashes and all sorts of different things. He wears like multiple rings on his hands. And it looks more like a noble than like a holy figure. Very handsome.

Very, very like, you know, beautifully handsome, that porcelain, you know, a moment in time frozen at the peak of his youth. And sat next to him is a figure who is, you can see that there is, the body is made of energy. a sort of purple flickering energy that has been wrapped with loose, almost gaps between it, runic bandages. So like a mummy, but it's not tightly wrapped like a stiff,

you know, like mummy, mummy. These are quite loose, so you can see this kind of bubbling, chaotic energy underneath and all the runes glow on the shrouds, on the bandages glow in the same colour. And the face, there is no face, there's just like a half- shrouded thing,

but as this figure, is like clearly speaking. And you get the sense that they are vaguely female. Like you can see the hint of a breast, sort of like the hourglass of hips, where the bandages are. And they are, you can see that in a glass, they have this kind of beautiful looking,

almost like a silk worm that seems to have a faint glow to it. And every now and then, they sort of touch a finger to it and it sort of withers a little bit and they seem to drain some energy from it. And these two seem to be in conversation. But as soon as Varys sees you enter, Varys turns up,

Sister Ophelia, oh, my goodness, it has been so long, my friend, and gets up and Grandly comes over and he immediately goes to hug you and just like wraps his arms, like, mw-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-hlesh-for-the-mortal. Flesh for the mortal. Father Varus Evernight, congratulations. Oh, my friend, no, you do me such a kindness.

It is because of my work here in the city and with the new temple and the Count thought that it was an appropriate adjustment. But it's, no, Various with you and I, please, Ophelia. If you were so wonderful to see you. And you're looking so well. Oh, you as well, my dear, as well. I love this, what is this? And he's kind of like gesturing to some of your new, you know, he looks at Varassi.

Now this is a mighty fine thing. Yes, this came from the grey lands themselves. Oh, me what? I have so much to tell me all about. And who are these wonderful mortals? Hello there, my friends. Oh, hello, flesh for the mortal, blood for the eternal. Oh, Ophelia, you have done a wonderful job.

Thank you. Flesh for the mortal and blood for the eternal. What is your name, my friend? Oh, Father, Evernight, I am Graffeth of Tremoro. Graffeth Tremor. You are friends with Ophelia? Oh, yes. Then no more titles.

I am just Varys. Please call me Varis. A pleasure to meet you. And what do you do, Graffeth Tremor? Oh, I'm a knight-errant. A knight-errant. That is a big thing here in the Empire, the knights and the knight-errant.

You are on a set of challenges or quests? Oh, yes, sir. On my path to becoming, well, hopefully, becoming a knight. Well, you must tell me all about them, uh, so good. No, it's not sir yet? Just Graffeth. Just Graffeth. Just Graffeth. And who is this?

Oh, statuesque man that I see before me, this looming giant. Hello, my name is, my name's Rowan. Hello, Rowan. Hi, it's pleasure to meet you, Father Ferris. Yeah, should you sit down if you don't mind? Please, come, sit, come sit. Once I've done introductions, I must say, I will not be rude,

but come sit and he sort of takes you, how he guides you over and sit you in the chair that he was sat in. Very cold, yes. But he sort of takes you over, sit you in the seat that he was sat in, which is near the fire, and it's very plush. You almost sink into it, so cushioned. It's so cushioned. Thank you.

You got a blankie. I think that we have something around here. And Varus himself goes and fetches a blanket and sort of puts it over you and sort of like that's that. That's better. Thank you. And what of you, my, this beautiful man, this golden man? Oh, please.

I normally have nicer clothes than this. This one says, come meet. Varus Ever night, a pleasure to meet you. I am Xanthius. Zantius, a pleasure. And you are also a friend of Ophelia. What do you do, my friend? What do I do?

A merchant of some kind? Oh, well, maybe this is maybe slightly distasteful for you, but I survive. Survive? Yes. A survivor. Let's call it that. Hmm, I see very well. And oh, who is this sweetheart that I see before me?

It's a lovely, lovely person. Hello. I'm Daisy. Hi. Hello, Daisy. A pleasure. Welcome to the Austrian embassy. I'm sure that Sister Ophelia has already told you much about it, but you are welcome here and welcome.

It's wonderful to see you. I'm so glad that you have found. These are your companions. They are, yes. Oh, I'm so glad for you, Ophelia. Thank you. I'm so glad that you have it. I know it's so important to have people around you all the time.

I was very worried when I knew that you would be coming, but I had already left, and I feared for you, especially the journey over here. I had not heard from you in so long. I was expecting to hear from you. Oh, my apologies. We've been so caught up and everything. I understand completely.

I have been the same as well. It was only when I, in fact, I think I saw it was this fellow in one of the papers. They saw you behind them and I was so surprised. Yes, we've been up to a lot. Many, many fun adventures we had. It was only that I knew that you were in this ashenress place. Oh, was it? So I could send word for you to...

You hadn't heard counsel from... Or I'm an or a Norse, or? Not that I don't wish to get into it too much, but my count and the Countess, they've had a bit of a spat and they are not in good terms at the moment. You know how it is in the House of Blood. It doesn't take much.

Lovers quarrel or rivalries. They brew and, you know, fight and flicker and it flows like easy blood, unfortunately. But still, I am being very rude. I must introduce you to one of our fellow ambassadors as well. as well. This is Maharajee Sakad, the Rune singer, Ambassador for the House of Shrouds. I was just finishing up my conversation with Demi. Oh, no, I'm sorry if we were interrupting.

No, my friend, my dearest oldest friend, no, please do not apologize. It is delightful to see you. You see that the Maharajaji stands, sort of doesn't stand, sort of floats out of her chair to sort of hover a few feet above the ground. And her voice, it sounds like it's in a very distant place. It does not sound like it's coming from in this room. Like an echo-e-so. Yeah, it's very strange. Is Maharajia title then? Yes, so they seem to all have different titles. So Father Varis, plague-bearerapoxys, and this is Maj-Harashi,

Maj-Harashi. Hello, mortals. It is an honor to have you here in the embassy. A pleasure to meet you. I am Maj-Harashi-Harashi. Sakad, as the good father has told you, I represent one of our five houses, the house of shrouds. An honor to meet you, Mahjrajay, Sarkat. Thank you.

And this is the one you told me of our sister Ophelia, is it? Yes. You are stationed in Caldra? Yes, yes. And you have befriended one of the dragon nobles here. Yes, we are in good standing with Duke Ignarius and his daughter as well. Oh, wonderful. You are performing excellent work for the great father. Oh, thank you. On it.

Of course. I will leave you to your conversation, but I trust I will see you at Varus' evening. Yes, I look forward to it. Indeed, I also look forward to it. Though such endeavours are unusual for my house, as we do not get to enjoy the food and drink as the house of blood. does. I'm sure that you will enjoy what Varus has to offer. Still, best wishes. Flesh for the mortal, blood for the immortal, blood for the... And as she sort of floats, you hear like the crackling of air as she sort of flights, floats away, makes her way out. Varus is like, well, come see it, let us let us have a little catch up. Yes. Have you had some bloods? I have wonderful, wonderful

for supply. I'm so glad. And just for the record, we do have non-blood for all of you as well. Yeah, I've had something recently. Very well. So what brings you to the embassy? Was it just to say hello? Oh, yes. I haven't caught up in so long. I wanted to come see you and pop in and just let you know that we'll be present, of course, at the event in a few days.

Excellent. Looking forward to it. Oh, good. Yes, I had asked Nemesia my assistant to make sure that she sent word to you and invite you to it. I'm so glad that you are able to make. I can't wait. Good. Yes, I can't wait. I'm really hoping we have a few good benefactors here in the city, people, some of the wealthier merchants who have kindly donated a lot of money for the temple, but I'm really hoping that this auction will help us raise some good funds. It's a rare opportunity to be able to build

the temple to the Gravefather, but I've found one of the Dragon Nobles who seems very, very keen seems very amenable to the idea. She's very accepting of our cultures and our magic especially. I think that there is perhaps an element of she is hoping that we will perhaps exchange some necromatic secrets in exchange for her assistance. Oh, Adaskir, is it? Yes, yes, Lady Glomissa. She is a very lovely black dragon from Odarskiy stationed here in the city.

There will be some others in attendance as well. Quite a political figure, Lord Ombraxian, another black dragon. But he's a little bit more vocal, and, well, I'm still trying to win him around. Well, I'm glad you've been able to find comfort here in Kelskaris. We've had quite some success in Ashen Rest as well. I've been able to build a shrine quite successfully, yes. Yes. It's going very well.

And is Ashen Rest a big town? Is it? It's up and coming. Up and coming. Oh, good, good. Yes. Well, I must say, I do envy the freedom that you seem to have, being out in the country. This is a lovely city, but it's very stifling.

I'm mostly spending my days here in the embassy or, you know, going to parties and meeting with all these nobles and trying to convince them. It gets a little tedious, I must say. Well, you are more than welcome to Ash and Wrist next time we are back. If only I could, my dear, but thank you for the offer. the offer. I just don't think that I will get a chance to, especially once the temple is built. I will be constantly providing sermons and trying to spread the good word of the great father. My flock has grown considerably, but there's always more room for growth. Always more room, yes.

Sister Ophelia has a flock of her own. Oh, yes, I would expect so with your shrine yourself. Yes, yes, I've been holding sermons too. Oh, wonderful. You're always so good with your writing and your art as well. I remember all of your drawings. that you used to do. Well, the Countess taught me well.

She did, she did. I wish that I had had the Countess's hard lessons instead of the Count's boring lessons on politics and diplomacy. But the Countess seemed more fun. Well, they have. They have. I must say, I'm very grateful to the Count for what he has done. But yes, I do envy some of the more fun things

you and the Countess got to do, especially the Swordplay. I don't forget how often you used to beat me when we would spar. That was very fun, yes. Yes, I never had a talent for Swordplay myself. I imagine that you must be quite a competent fighter. Oh, I... Mr. Gruff. I do what I can.

Cicerophelia is very talented with the blade. Many a battle she's fought with voracity. Yes, I don't doubt it. Voracity, is that the name of the name? Yes, it is, yes. Interesting. But no, I don't doubt it, but you as a knight-errant, you must be skilled as well.

Oh, yes, I suppose. I do my best, yes. Do you all fight? you all. Yes, we do. What sort of things do you do? I will summon a radiated blade. Oh, now that I was not expecting. I would perhaps diminish that around here, my dear.

Yes. That sort of light is very, it's something of an anathema to some of the members of the Ecclesiarchy. Don't do it around the House of Shadows, especially. A little tip for you, my dear. But yes, well, it's, I mean, you. You're more than welcome to stay for a drink and things like that, but we should catch up. I don't know if your companions have anywhere else to be, but...

Well, we're looking for somewhere to stay, aren't we? We all sort of tend to mingle together. Oh, there's plenty of inns and places to stay in the city. But, I mean, your friends could stay elsewhere. You could stay here if you wanted to, of course. I don't... Well, it's best that we sort of do everything together at the minute, so I think...

Of course. While we're in a new city and sort of getting our footing... Yes, yes, yes. Thank you very much for the invitation. Of course, of course. Well, I just want to spend time with you. I want to catch up with you and see. We should absolutely catch up.

Yes, yes, of course. And do the rest of you have business in the city? Will you be attending the auction? Well, I guess mostly those guys are having a conversation. Within the daisy chain, I'm confused. I was expecting, like, posturing and manipulation and all of this from this guy, and from Ophelia as well,

but he seems lovely, and they seem to be getting on very, very well. I don't know how to act. He seems great. Just act normal. I'm acting normal, but I'm so confused. Well, I think he's good because that, I think there's just a little bit of a little rivalry,

maybe, but they're very polite. They don't look like rivals, look. Yes, because they're being nice and polite. You can be nice, by the way. I mean, we've heard Ophelia's. We know what Ophelia thinks. But she's never going to go into somewhere ago. 19.

19. I would say, you know, you're watching Varys' body language, Gruff. And he seems very genuine. In fact, like, the look on his face when he first saw Ophelia, it was like somebody seeing an old friend that they've not seen in a long time. It was genuine. It was... And the way that he looks at Ophelia now, it's with a genuine love,

like a genuine friendship. He seems so genuinely excited to spend time with her and catch up with her. He almost, I would say with the 19, he's almost a bit put out and sad that she's choosing to like stay with you guys instead of staying here in the embassy. But he's not like projecting that. He's just like, of course, yes, stay with your friend. If you're looking for places to stay, I know a few places in the night walk district where the Erdaskiah district, I could recommend you there's a very fine place to stay. I hear a lot of good things about. Some of the other Ossian travelers like to go there,

but also a lot of Erdeskirians stay there as well. Wonderful. It's called the Skull and Skilet. It's a lively little place. I think you'll like it. You'll like it quite a lot. And they're used to Osseans being in there. So, Parsi and everything.

You wouldn't need to worry about hiding him in there. Wonderful. That is one thing that I wish, you know, we could, let our companions be who they truly are. I know. I know. We're trying. We're really trying, you know, the problem is is I think that for the most part, the dragons, you know, these dragons, for the most part, they don't seem to care.

No. They don't seem to mind at all. But it's this church, the Sions. They're very opposed to it. You know, they still see the Gravefather as a great threat. And they're worried that if they saw our companions, our friends, our servants walking about unhidden, that would cause panic and all these sorts of. sorts of things. So, yes, but we are trying. We are desperately working hard towards it. One mind at a time. Yes, yes, yes.

Eventually, perhaps not for some time, but in time there will be an opportunity. My friend, you had the question? Are you feeling better? It's above the table. Oh, right, okay. But yeah, after that, you can interact with Varus. Roe's gonna, he's in his blankie and he's in Varys' chair.

He's gonna start putting his hands in the seams, like in between the cushions and see if there's just anything there that are varis is that he's going to just put in the bag holding. Uh, uh, roll a D20 for me. I was in gold. This,

it's like, if you roll a 20, there's something because like, I don't think he's the type to really lose stuff. But like, you never know. 14. Any crumbies?

No crumbs, no, no crumbs. Um, you like root around in the sides of the chair, but you don't really find anything. It's also, it's not necessarily Varys' chair. It was the chair that he was sitting in when you came in. Roan will also build... If you'd rolled a one, I might have put something from the house of Rot in there.

He'll also build the confidence to look off the floor since the zombie came and start kind of just taking in the surroundings of like where Varys is right now. Yeah, it is... He's, he... So I imagine that, like, you know, there are other chairs and things like that, and he's invited you all to sit. He's taking a different chair.

But this is a lavish parlor, like little side room to a parlor. You know, when you go in like a really nice pub or a restaurant, they have that little private room, and it's got their lovely curtains, it's got the fireplace and tables and chairs and everything's laid out. It's like a little personal drinks cabinet. It's this beautiful parlor room.

It's definitely still Aussian-themed and decorated. Like, the curtains are dark blacks and dark reds, everything is all like pale bone white. The lanterns on the wall are made from skulls. You know, there's definitely these ongoing themes throughout the entire room. But Varius himself conducts himself as a gentleman. It's like somebody who's very kind

and seems to be very genuine. He dresses ostentatiously, but only in the same way that Ophelia does. Like it's not over the top. Like he dresses. as a faithful of Osceus, as, you know, somebody of a position, but also being a member of the House of Blood, where you're taught that, you know, how you look matters,

and, like, you need to preserve this, you know, you're given this great gift of immortality, and so make the most of it. Yeah. I'm feeling much better, thank you. I'm glad to hear it, my friend. I'm sorry that, I hope that it wasn't some of the other members of the Pekhizaki that frightened you saw.

No, no, of course, no. It's quite alright for it to affect you. It's terrifying. I don't know how to handle this situation. Well, you just need to remember, my dear friend. You have met Sister Ophelia and Percival, yes? I have met Sister Ophelia. She's my best friend.

Well, then the people here are no different. Whether you see, I don't know, a spectral, a former living person of the House of Shadows, they are no different. They have made a choice. They are a person, they have thoughts, they have ambitions and dreams and everything else in much the same way that Cicerofili and I do. The house of blood is definitely more the more presentable of us.

And I will admit that things like the house of rot, maybe addles the mind of a few of the people within it. The fumes and the diseases can make them a little quirky, shall we say. And the magic of the House of Shrouds, magic is their great pride and ambition, but some of them are perhaps a little too driven. But for the most part, we are just people. We're just people.

Some of us just go beyond living. We go beyond the life, as you know it, and choose a different path. There's nothing to be frightened of. Unfortunately, we did have a run in with a vengeful spirit, let's say, Mac and Ash and Rest. One that Ophelia sent to the Greatlands. Yes, he has moved on.

Oh, she's joined the ranks at the House of Shep? She has, yes. Wonderful. Well, and forgive me, Xanthius, you said? Yes, I imagine they were not affiliated with the hamisdust of the Shepardt. Not that, but in a sense, this is something that I speak of. We've heard about these restless, vengeful spirits, It's apparently that there are some here in the Dragon Empire who, when they pass on, they wait for this Saint-Dethier, I think you call them. They wait for the archer to come and to tether them and to help them be reborn.

Some of them do not wish to be reborn. They have business. They have things that they still want to accomplish. They have hatred. That is deeply tragic. But in Osseus, if someone passes on, there is all. always someone there to welcome them into one of the houses. We do not have such things in Osias.

Ah, and this is one of the great benefits, I think, of having the great fathers church here. We could help with something like this. Imagine in your ashen rest if a member of the House of Shadow had been present, perhaps working with Sister Ophelia, who could have spoken with this spirit and helped them. Yes. Yes, well, in the end, Ophelia did the correct thing. in sending them to the Greylands, but we also gave that spirit a choice as well.

Choice is a very important thing. But, before we continue, I want to know about Ophelia. Tell me everything. Well, I will not embarrass my old friend. Go on, please. Anything. Any story. How long have you known, Ophelia? Gosh, well, you came into the Countess

about ten years ago. Yes, about that. So, I mean, we knew each other up until what, a year ago when I first left Osseus, so nine-ish years. And did you travel across the sea together? No, I had left beforehand. The Count had got me my position here in the embassy, and I was sent across. I had earned something of a name for myself in Osceas,

and so I was sent across a little earlier. As I understood it, though, the Countess had promised that you had to be sent over to actors and ambassador and diplomat as well. We were just hoping that we would go at the same time. But, yes, but no. Alas, the count sent me early. Yes.

But yes, we knew each other for nine years, when at a formative part of our young mortal lives. And, yes, we used to spar together. We used to stay up and tell each other's stories. I mean, it was something of the Count and Countess, I mean, they are connected, but many rivalries. And sometimes when we knew that one was unhappy, with the other, we would tell each other,

and, you know, make sure that we were each helping each other rise in the ranks, and we sneaked around, and I remember, do you remember when we snuck into the Countess's blood cabinet? She was not happy. She was not happy about it, but we were well fed. So delicious, oh, it was what, 300 years old? Oh, that was wonderful.

The most delicious. But yes, we got up to a few shenanigans. Yes, I can tell. Yeah, well, everyone's, has been so welcoming here. Good, good, excellent. We also cross past with, what was it, poximus, keeper of the gildron.

Poximum. I know, what a character. What a character. I mean, I would say he's harmless, don't touch him. I, yes, where he attempted to, blessing. And you are feeling all right?

I think I staved it off. I mean, I guess I'll find out tomorrow. Quite the constitution on you. Thank you, yes. He's definitely kind of like looking at something, You'll make me blush. Ah, well, by making...

Well, blushing causes blood to rush to, you know, something very appealing to a dampier. Perhaps you can sense my heartbeat right. I can feel it. It races quite quickly. I want to have sex with you. I have gone one-eat-you. Well, it's been a delight to see you, my dear.

But I don't wish to keep you, and it is getting late. If you are still to secure accommodations, I do not wish to keep you too late. Thank you. Yes, well, if we're at a loose end tomorrow or maybe before the event, then yes, it would be lovely to stop by. If you're not too busy, I'd love to catch up with you properly.

Ophelia, I will always make room in my schedule for you. Thank you. Whenever you are ready, come by. I'm sure your friends will have other business in the city, and if you are free yourself, come and see me. We can enjoy a meal. That's wonderful. I've been craving a good Osseon meal

for a very long time. We will have them prepare something. We will have them prepare something and we can eat it here in the parlor or go up to my office. We can do some wonderful things, of course, of course. Oh yeah, also, what is the dress code? Well, ah, no.

I have said that there is no theme, but I am looking, I have said that I wanted to be an elegant evening in the style of the dragon's balls and a masquerade, not masquerade, but, you know, they... You call yourself. control yourself. That's what they're called, Dee. The dragon's balls.

The dragon's balls. Just one walks in like a fucking testicle. I think it's more telling that that's where your brains go too fun. I can feel it. Yeah, as soon as I said it, I could feel it. It's a perfectly normal thing to describe the ball, like, evenings. I didn't even go there until you didn't.

No, isn't the ball. He just thought. A ball. A grand ball. You said dragons balls. I think that's what it was. Because many dragons have multiple balls. Yeah.

Well, I never haven't come. The two of you. You've got balls on the brain. That's your problem. It's just cock and balls all the time, isn't it? Balls and Cunning. You'd be a big fan of ACDC's song about balls. Because they're singing about grand balls, but it's...

But yes, it will be an evening of... I am hoping for elegance and... There are the people that I've invited are wealthy merchants, dragon nobility, councillors, people of prominent standing. And then of course there will be an opening to Salmody public, but we are charging gold. We are raising money for the temple after all. So yes, I would, if you don't, I would get something nice. Yes. If you wish to make a good impression.

I shall, yes. Blacks and reds? Well, I will leave the colour choice to you. Do not feel that you have to be. You have to be in the theme of the houses of Osceus. You are not members of the church as I understand. So do not feel that you need to be. I would say, be yourselves, stand out.

Okay. Not hard for someone like you, I imagine. No, you, I know. You know very well already. You two would get along very well. I have a feeling that we would, yes. Yes. Yes.

I appreciate beautiful things. Yes. Well, I will leave you all to your way. Do you need an escort out of the embassy or are you all right? I think we should be okay, yes. I think I faint. Well then I will leave you to... Last, I'll leave you to your evening.

I'll have to do some work. Thank you, my lady. Thank you very much. Of course a pleasure. You see that coming into the room to kind of fetch Varys, you see a very, like, dark-robed woman. She's very much clearly a mortal, like, human woman. She's not a dampier or any sort of undead.

but she wears a heavy, similar to Teresa's robes, and she has a heavy chain with a symbol of the grave father. Dark hair kind of pulled back into a tight ponytail bun. And he's like, ah, Nemesia, I was just about to come up to the office. Yes, you do have quite a lot to do before the event, father. I understand that you wanted to come and meet Sister Ophelia, but we do have to get back to work now. And he's like, yes, yes, yes, yes, Mesao.

Of course, of course, of course. I don't think you're mad. This is my assistant, Nemesia. Ah, Nemesia, wonderful to meet you. Yes, wonderful to meet you as well. And it is cold. Well, back to work for me then. And he sort of takes her off, and she just sort of,

and then do-t-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch----. Sorry, I might have missed it. Nemesio, is they an Elmerin that's an assistant? No, no. They are, they are, Ossias has living humans. Okay. So she is an Ossian. But she's not a convert.

No, no, no, no, no, she's not a convert. She's an actual Ossian. But she's mortal. And definitely stink-eye in Ophelia's direction. But yeah, the Various leaves, leaving you alone in the parlour. Okay, shopping then, I suppose. Yes, what a lovely man. And what a lovely welcoming this entire place has been as well.

Thank you for bringing us here. Well, thank you for coming. I appreciate it's probably been different, shall we say. It's always interesting to meet, you know, new folks. Well, thank you. Thank you very much for coming in. It means a lot. Well, we've been getting used to different, especially with Percival and things like that. So more change is better. Wonderful. More unique things. If you want to stay here, by the way, we can...

I'm quite okay. I would rather stay with you all. Okay. Are we going to walk out? Yeah, we'll walk out. The second we leave, the property. Right, what about this bastard? Why is he a bastard? Why is this bastard a bastard?

I'm going to cut back from that a second because there's something that I want to happen as you go to leave. Just as you're making your way back and as you're coming into that main lobby, there is one figure as you are just about to leave. You're kind of arrived in that big grand central lobby with the grand central staircases. And making his way,

towards them, almost sort of walking towards you and then it's going to turn off coming from the opposite direction. You see a very, quite tall but thin human man, wearing dark, you know, black robes, but there is embroidered onto the robes is like the outline of almost like skeletal, like bones and arms, a rib cage along the chest, and it's sequent, it's incredibly elaborate and well made. a very heavy chain with the symbol of the Grave Father, and around him are about six skeletons. Like no robes, not like Percy, just completely, you know, raw, naked skeletons. Some of them, one of them carries a large book.

One of them is carrying sort of what looks to be like writing implements, you know, various others are carrying various implements of the faith, basically. And as he approaches, he sort of takes a note and interest. And you can see that his face, he's completely, clean-shaven, tan skin. He's not as pale as everybody else, but he has painted a white skull just over the top half of his face.

And he has these very piercing blue eyes. And he just sort of looks in your direction, looks at all of you, just sort of nods. Flesh for the mortal, blood for the eternal. Praise be to the grave father to you, guests. and a fellow Osian, I do not believe we have met. Flesh of the mortal blood for the eternal to you too. Yes, I'm Sister Ophelia Delarosa of the House of Blood.

Ah, another one of the House of Blood. You were not sent to the city. No. I see. Well, and you serve the Gravefather Loyal? I do, yes, proudly. What works have you accomplished in your efforts? I have assembled a flock of my own.

I have raised a temple in his name in Ash and Rest. I conduct many sermons. You see this genuine like pride, He's like I are. You have done fine work, Sister Ophelia. The great father shall truly be proud of you. Welcome. I am glad that you are present. We have not met, but I am Abbott Lorknard.

undercroft, the fleshless hand. And you know that that's the title for the ambassador to the House of Bone. Oh, that's a different name. My predecessor was involved in a matter, the recent attack on the embassy. Ah, yes. There was an incident they were tragically lost to us. My condolences. Thank you. They are with the Gravefather now. They have served loyally for many years, and as I am to understand it, they are to be made into a death white or a great honor. A great honor, indeed, to serve in the Great Father's armies in the Great Lens. Well, I'm glad that he was able to ascend to a rank that was suitable of his standing. Thank you, indeed. I hope that should you meet such an end, you will have the same benefits. It seems you have done great work. in his name. There's always more to do. Indeed.

And who are these? Mortals of yours? Mortal companion. This is Daisy Fislehart from Caldra. This is Xanthius from Gildai. This is Gruff of Tramoro. Flesh for the mortal, blood for the eternal. Nighterrant. And this is Rowan from the Azar Step. Gleash.

Not quite. but you have no need to speak the words if you are not the faithful. I hope that perhaps your companionship with the Honest Sister shall turn you to our ways, but... Turn? Yeah.

Well... Daisy. He sort of is politely greeting all of you, but his eyes definitely sort of linger on Xanthias for a minute. Uh-oh. Still, I will bid you phone with... Good luck in your efforts. You are here for varices, even.

Yes, I trust I will see you there as well. I will attempt to make it, but I am kept very busy. I will see if I can stop by. A wonderful to meet you. Flesh for the mortal, blood for the eternal. Praise be. Praise be. Praise be.

Honoured death to you all. May your bones serve a greater purpose. Oh, thank you. Can only hope. He just makes his way off, making his way upstairs. Some of these, you knew who are. What? in the dizzy chain.

He knew who you were. He was looking at you funny. Oh, everyone looks at me funny. But I think a lot of people saw that newspaper. Good. And then we fight to you guys coming outside. Right, so this bastard. Why is he such a bastard? Yes, I was expecting...

I was expecting posturing. I was expecting us to have to make a big scene, you know? Father Varus was delightful, mother. Exactly. He is always delightful. He's very good at it. Um, is that a bad thing? He seemed very honest and earnest and it seemed like he really cared for you.

Yeah, he seems to think very highly of you and fondly. Do you not feel the same? I think highly of him, but it's difficult. When you serve under the Count and the Countess, it's... They like competition. They like to pit... People against each other. They like to see who becomes the stronger one of the two. And, well, Varus just got a head start, that's all. I mean... How long was he here before you got here?

About a month. But when he was sent here, though, to Kelskaris? He was sent to a bigger place. Yes, the central hub of it all. That was quite an head start. Yes, well, you can tell who. The higher-ups favor. Well, it's not a fair competition then, is it?

I just, I have, I had to work so hard to make the same journey as him. So hard, and he just makes everything look effortless. But I think we almost get like a flashback to a little scene where sort of the camera races across the sea and we see, Ophelia, much as she is now, this was not long ago, but you go to see Varys, like you go to his chambers, you're like walking your way through the Counting Countess's estate to his chambers, you know, perhaps preparing for your expiring match or to discuss your upcoming events, and you find the room empty of his things. And a servant simply informs you that he's been sent to the Dragon Empire to serve as ambassador. There's no goodbye, there's no letter left for you.

just an empty room waiting for you. Let's see. But not to make excuses for you or anything like that, but with your disadvantages, you've still done incredible work. The Ash and Rest two months ago would have thrown Percival out, or maybe worse, but you've turned their minds, even with a place,

with such a strong love of the Church of Science. You've done good work there. On top of that, we've traveled across a lot of Ilmerra already and done amazing things. And he's stuck here. He is, but he loves it. He likes to... I know he says that he's bored

or that he wants to do other things, but this is what... this is his life. This is what he's always done. He's happy here, he's content. I know that. Well, you've spoken to the Grave Father, though. The Grave Father is... The Greyfather is gifted what Alex to you. Yes, but it's never enough.

It's never enough compared to him. It'll never be enough. I think you've achieved a lot, both within and without the name of the Greyfather. I think that's valuable enough. And that spirit of competition, I don't think has gone down to Varys, Maybe, sure, we've only seen met, spoken with him for five minutes.

He seems genuine to me. Um, and I'm a good judge of character. Um, sure. Well, he never said goodbye. If he really cared about me, he would have said goodbye. Or left something, a letter told me where he was going. Is that an opportunity that is afforded to ambassadors of the House of Blood? It doesn't matter.

If he cared, he would have... He would have left something. He would have said something. You heard the stories. We, you know, we... We weren't exactly the most well-behaved. He... If he cared about me, he would have made every effort to say goodbye.

He was capable of doing that. Well, Sister Ophelia, perhaps this is an opportunity to ask him. Honesty sometimes is the best. You know, you might, there might be of something that happened, or... I don't know, I just... Perhaps now is a time to rekindle our friendship and ask. Maybe. I can try.

At least we can catch up. At the very least. He seemed pleased to see you, genuinely. I hope so. I was pleased to see him. I'm just... I'm just still angry. That's fair.

But don't let that get in the way of your relationship now. I'll give it a try, gruff. I can always push him downstairs afterwards. That's also very good, yes, yes. Ruined that face? I mean... And he is very handsome. We're all adults here.

How many... Wow. How many daddies are you up to now? This is like five now. Got to catch you all. I think... Well, I guess very... is technically a father varis,

but like I see him on the same level. I've got my father, I've got my dad. No, I know that's what I mean, but like I feel like Zan and him would be on a similar wavelength. I don't think either one is the top there. Hell yeah. You'll be fighting to see you. You'll be fighting for the middle.

That's kind of how I see it. No, I'm a submissive, palmon. You give up eventually. He said it's so quiet. That we heard. So, that took about as long as it took. It is evening time. It is night time.

Did we want to try and find Emarissa, or should we just, what was it, the skull and? Skilet. Skilat. We could maybe head there. We need to find a place. It'd be nice to see Embrisa anyway. Yeah.

It'd be quite welcoming. Not that this wasn't. No, I understand it was difficult for you, Roan, so I really appreciate you coming. coming along. Thank you. You did really well. Big skeletal hand. You did very well, my friend. Thank you, Percy. That was a lot.

You're very tense. Would you like a massage? He really gets in the right places because he knows where they are. Boney fingers. Is the massage all about the bone? What was the, you know, the muscles around the bone? Good point. Yes. Yes.

When we get to a place of safety, I will give your massage. That's very kind. You're welcome. Thank you, Percy. I love that. Can you imagine if you just had a skeleton for on-demand massage? Hey, guys, I'm right here. One thing I will say, Ophelia, Delaroza of the House of Blood.

Yes. One thing Rowan has learnt, I'm Rowan. On my travels is I don't... Flash. Flash. Don't take things at face value as well. We're all smitten by Barris, but you know Barris. I trust your instincts more.

than I trust ours. Thank you. I think Stanthius is mainly the smitten one. What, no. He's very handsome, and he's very silver-tonged. But that also means they could be very good at their visage.

What's the visage mean? Where did that come from? You used it correctly. They were. You did good, yeah. Maybe you read in that book, you read Nash and Rest. I think you're owed the truth.

Thank you. You did shout flesh at that guy. I panicked. I panicked. I panicked look right at me with those blue eyes, and they look right through me. Show flesh. Did we act accordingly?

Oh, no, you were wonderful. Okay, good. Thank you very much. Cool. Because, yeah, I was concerned for a second there. No, I really appreciate it. I really do. Just you being there meant a lot.

Red and black. I do want to wear red and black to this. You would look wonderful in red and black. I know, obviously. But I want to, you know, represent. Even though we're not members of the Harris of Blood or Al-Othian culture, it seems appropriate. So I'd like to do that. If that's okay, I... Of course, of course it's okay, yes.

Okay, good. Gladly. I could say stand out. Would you like me to paint a skull on your face? No. Very well. Thank you, though. I can do makeup like Sister Ophelius.

Hmm, could you imagine? Mm-hmm. Would it be real blunder? Blood? Blood? We can use me. We can make something. Yes, we can make something.

Not from my personal supply. No, no, no. I would never cross-contaminate, yes. You don't want to get fur in it. Not the house of rot, are we? No, and if you had an open wound, it could be quite bad. What? Oh, okay.

Hmm. Anyway, right, let's find a play. If there's any way we can identify exactly where Lady Emerissa is, it would not be hard. to ask around for the Ignarius estate. Because if she's here, she's staying... Oh, you're specifically Ignorius Estate? Well, yeah, I think she told you that,

but also, like, a prominent Duke, like, Duke Ignorius is going to have somewhere to stay in the city. Because he probably has to come here for, like, diplomacy and things like that, and, like, you know, to help advise the council. For balls, for the dragon balls. That's not... Z...

Hachala. Hed challer. No, that's amazing. Well, it's such a beautiful night tonight, and it's our first time here. I think we should get a higher up view of the city. Let's take a Gryphon. The Watch Tower?

Oh. Griffin, let's take a great flight. And then we can, you know, see the entire place from above as we head to the Ignarious Estate. Yes. Wouldn't that be wonderful? Can I have some money? Oh, I was already counting it out,

but you just disrupted my thought. I got up to three. There's... Give me a sec. Taste the air. Four. No, don't worry. Five.

There's four thousand six hundred forty one there. Four thousand six hundred and forty one. Four. Two. Six. Three. Four. Okay, you're really throwing me off.

One. I completely forgot, by the way, that throughout all of this, technically, Vrix has been a game. I was going to say... Tell me that, remind me. I could buy in anywhere! Where has Ricks gone? I think maybe Ricks was maybe left outside the embassy

or something like that I know I imagine because no she's been paid to like be with you so I imagine that she was like maybe like was not allowed in because it's so heavily armed and armed Yeah What about what the fuckatchable Let's say that they did not come into the field

They were like guarding the entrance field let's just say that But for tomorrow Ricks will be there This is going back a bit Did Vricks stop any of the parents coming in to pick up their kids? I imagine, okay, we do a flashback cut where, like, they're trying to come in, and Bricks is just like, I do not know who you are.

Are you armed, pat down, like, yeah, like, you may proceed, tiny half-ling. He just picks up Pippa's parents and shakes them. Oh, my God. You have nothing. A four-arm frisk, though, would be pretty quick. Pretty quick, yeah. Brick knows what they're doing. Done.

Get them in the airports. All right. So with that, you can easily flag down Griffin chariots. These are kind of almost like a flying palanquin, basically. It's only two people per, but you can just get three of them and all go to the same destination, and it would cost you, you would be traveling from the inner district. Like, it would cost you about 10 gold per carriage.

It's 30 gold in total. Okay. A suit, like, Percy sort of just hangs on the back. He's logging. Yeah. But you get to enjoy this beautiful. You know, the carriages kind of land. There's like a system to flag them down.

There's like points in the city where you can, you kind of, there's like a long flag pole. You raise the flag and that indicates you want a carriage. Okay. They fly down, pick you up. You send the flag up until you've got all three. And then you take off into the air and like sat together in pairs. You fly does mean that I imagine gruff is pro,

like somebody's with ricks, basically. So it's like paired up. And you fly across the city, which just stretches up below it. And it really becomes apparent how big Kelskaris is when you viewed from up here. Because you think of, when I describe the path of ascension the coil, don't think of it as like a street with just one row of shops on either side. It is a street with a whole, you know, thick network of houses and shops all around it. And then the districts themselves are mini-cities of their own.

It's like ashen rest. It's like having seven ashen rests. Right. Sort of in each district. They are enormous. And outside the coil and those things. And the central district and stuff like that as well. So it is massive.

And flying over it, yeah, you immediately swoop over. And in fact, one of the carriage driver is like, Ignorius Estate, no problem. And, you know, takes you down towards it. Because they know the city pretty well. And they know most of the prominent nobles and, you know, names that they need to know. And so, yeah, you descend down.

You arrive at a grand... The Burn Bright District, very easy to see because there are red lanterns hung throughout the entire place. Like it kind of glows red at nighttime. But also, you see the verandas, you see the terraces on top of buildings. People are enjoying a late-night meal

under sort of like glowing magical lanterns on the terraces and the roofs. The architecture reminds you of Ashen Rest. A little culture. A little culture, kind of like a little Chinatown or something like Little Italy

or something like that. And you fly over and descend down and it's not the same as Dominus Ignarium, but it is a huge converted manor house basically. Or imagine like a townhouse. Like it's very tall and wide, basically.

And it goes up about four stories. There is a small garden with what appears to be like a bubbling, hot spring built into the estate itself. You know, probably some sort of either magically created underground spring or something like that.

And you see the red-scaled cobald servants sort of as you land, immediately scurry out. The little cobald in the maid uniforms and the little butler tail coats are just like, welcome, welcome honored guests, yes, yes. Lady Ambrissa did inform us that perhaps one day you may come to visit. Yes, yes, I'm glad to hear it. The Heroes of Ashen's Rest?

That's correct, yes, correct, yes. Is Lady Ambrissa, apologies? Please do be careful. Lady Ambrissa available? She is in, yes. And I am also pleased to inform you that Sir El-Dak is also awake and is feeling much better. Fantastic, great news. Yes, yes.

And we will begin. preparing a feed. Do any of you have dietary requirements or preferences? No blood. No blood, no blood, no blood, no blood, no blood. No blood? No blood? No blood? No blood? The opposite for me, yes. So blood for you. Yes, yes. Of course, we are aware of your preferences, sister Ophelia, being from Ossius. But yes, yes, we will begin preparing a great dinner. Oh, fantastic. Thank you very much. We can take you up to Lady and Burris's chambers into the lounge. How much? How much? for your food, the service,

staying here, how much would we owe you? Or Emberissa? Good, Mr. Xenthius. No, not at all. Of course not. You are guests of the ladies, she said, to ensure that you are treated as family. You are treated as honored guests of the house. You are, you, we are not allowed to speak of it,

but we know what you did for Sir Eldrack. We know what you did for Lady Amberissa. We would never dream of that. No, no. Well, thank you so much. Ixel, Ixel clan is of course happy to provide. Ixel clan. Wait, all the ones in Ashton Rest?

It's a different. Yeah, it's a different clan, yeah. Okay. This is obviously like the estate's family that look after the estate house, basically. You know, these are the servants who live in the city house. You know, you can't have the same ones. They need to stay in Ash and Rest.

But yeah, so they take you inside. And there is a sense of familiarity. it is like being at home in Tyree, like it has the same decorations, it has the same vibe, the same smells of Ashen Rest, and you are led up. And I think before you enter the chambers, that is where we're gonna call the episode.

So we can start with the room in the Amberissa again. Fantastic. And Ignis is okay, I'll drag Ignis is up and running. Yeah, it's been a long time since you rescued him and with proper care and attention. Yeah, if they can make it you, can be. Yeah, well, I guess we'll see how he is when we get in there.

Cool, yeah. Well, that's going to bring the episode to a close. Good job, everybody. That is going to be it for today's episode. We will see you next time for another episode of Highrollers. Hell yeah. Yeah, and we'll see you next time. Bye.

Bye. Hi, I'm Simon. I'm G. And I'm Boof. Have you heard about Pickax's hit new old movie podcast? Yomp! We each have a list of six films we want to share. Every week, we roll a dice to randomly pick which one we watch and discuss.

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