High Rollers DnD - Fallen Flames | Altheya: The Dragon Empire #105 (Part 2)

Episode Date: June 11, 2026

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Easy, breathable, and effortlessly cool. With a fit that creates natural movement and a wide leg that feels modern, not overwhelming. Plus, that signature, wait, for this price, moment. Old Navy's drapey denim wide leg. Welcome back to part two of Altheir, the Dragon Empire. Our heroes have returned to Ashen Rest following the battle against Rexanath. A emotional goodbye and a burial have taken place, a funeral, for the poor, poor tormented sibling of Xanthius.

And now new plans are being made to travel to Kelskaris, the capital city of the Dragon Empire, because Sister Rican Empire. Raphaelia de la Rosa of the House of Blood was invited to an event, and time has slipped away. And that event is only, what, three and quarter, four days technically away. Four and a quarter days away. And so plans are being made.

Thankfully, Gruff, Gruffeth of Tremoro, has a spell, which should hopefully allow them to travel to Kelskaros rather quickly. But that does leave some time for preparations, conversations, things that need to be done. Systemality, having spent the last few days recovering, is still weak, but is able to hold conversations for longer, is able to use her magic and able to assist with other things. But yeah, apart from that, you have returned,

and is there any other business? Sandeas, do you think we should go check up on obsidious and, sorry, I would call him Nord Obsidian? and let him know everything that's happened. That's a good idea. We probably should let him know about Rex and Oraganas and everything, yes. Good plan. How long until you're able to,

forage, walk into a tree? I need to sleep on it. Okay, okay. So tomorrow, like morning? Yeah. Nice and early, crack it on. We should be careful. Yeah. You might catch whatever he's got.

I don't know. I feel okay now. I feel okay now, and we did see him a few days ago, almost a week ago. Just increasing your risk. Okay. I won't catch what he's got. Okay. They wouldn't let you win if it was super contagious anyway.

Exactly. Yeah, we can do that. Is there any other preparations we need before we make our way to Kelskaris, anything we need to bring? Everything's there. As long as we have funds, we can get whatever we need.

We've got about $4,600. That's a lot of gold. That's a lot of gold. Well, not if we need to spend a thousand, a thousand, and then Percy needs some armor as well. Uh, okay. Suddenly. But I can fund Percy. That's okay. Yes. Well, either way, we've got the money for it.

So we can do that. Can I put my essence in your back? I guess so. That's a very intimate question. Can I put my essence, collected essences of the Thaywield and everything else? Are they safe in there? I guess so. Everything else is.

Like, for example, I put some liquid in there the other day by accident. Were you just poured some in? It kind of fell in. Okay. And then I got out of pastry and it was dry. How are you able to? to recover the liquid? I tried that.

Cup your hands and... It didn't work. Didn't work? It came out wet hand. So, okay, that's good. I mean, you at least got that back. But I can't carry it all out. No, true, but...

Yes. Okay. I'd highly recommend. You haven't tried like turning the bag upside down and willing water. I haven't done that. Rowan hasn't thought of that, yeah. No, okay.

One day. Keep everything contained and remember it really well because I've forgotten a few things that are in there. Really. I can write them down. Yeah. Oh yeah. This whole writing thing.

Yeah. It's a really good thing. Keep like a receipt on the outside of the bag. I'm gonna start from what I remember. Okay. Pastries, probably. Okay, no, they might be gone. I've tried pastries recently, they're all gone. Okay.

Well, at least we can do that. We can take the essences to Kel Scaris, and if we happen to recover one of, what was his name, Victor's essences. Close enough. Then we can, we've got it all these. essence is there? Yes. Perfect. They all fit in the mouth of this bag?

Yes. Okay. Can you put them in their own... They're all about hand-ishized. Can you put them in their own box? In my mind, it feels like they're like floating around in there, kind of like loose. Well, like I said, I poured liquid in there and the pasties were dry. Do you want to keep them like together so they don't get lost? I don't think together is a concept in there.

Yeah, I think we can just throw them in and just... Isn't that crazy? Recover them? I think they will go in their own bubble of sorts. Oh, that's breaking my brain. I know that Kim is now imagining liminal space in the bag of holding. I just went somewhere for a minute.

I watched your face go somewhere. I encouraged that. Literally out there. I went to go see it before the stream, so that's all I am now. Yeah. See what? Bag of holding, liminal backrooms.

Oh, fuck. Bag of holdings is back rooms. I can just hear the sound. So, thanks for hitting the yes. conversations of what's going in the bag of holding the next slide. Is there anything specific you guys want to do by preparations? You said you want to go see the obsidious? Is that happening?

I think that I think we should do that. And who is going and, you know. Rowland will always offer. Yeah, I'm happy to make a group project. We'll go if you want. Rodry hasn't seen him yet. I don't think they'll let Rodry in, Rowan. Yeah, there's big corridors, big doors.

What about Gibson? Gibson? Oh no. Where is Gibson? Where is Gibson? Where's Gibson? Gibson? Wait a minute, where's Boris?

Boro, I mean. I can hear some noise upstairs. I could hear tippy tippy tucks. Two nats 20s in a row, but a lot of other numbers. Mateo, Mateo comes out of the kitchen where he's been sort of like preparing

as he goes to be making plans. He is covered in bandages. Oh, what happened? Terrible kitchen. What happened? The gun. Was it the gun? Oh, okay, that's good.

Do you know what? I did move it. Okay, good. It's not under my pillow anymore. Where did you do it? Found that just on the side of the counter where I can keep an eye on it. No, no, no. These are from Rowan's little friend

that he brought back from the Azar Step. Boulder? Nope. Nope. Nope. No, the little lizard. He did that to you? Mm-hmm.

Oh, yes. Very bitey, very scratchy. Had to save Stuart several times. Oh. Try to bite Springhart. Really? Oh yes. Oh yes.

Oh, love Percy. No, no, no, no, no, no. Yes, yes. I mean, look at Percy's shins. And there's like teeth marks where Gibson's been nibbling the bones. My child! Must be very tasty bones. He has gold shins. He's been gnawing on the bones of my child.

Right, is right? It's not on, then he's going for spring hush. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. It's quite hard. Where is Gibson? I don't feel it. It's also not good that it's going for Mateo. Let's just make that very clear.

Thank you. Thank you, Santhians. Literally, I can't keep track of it. The last I saw it was out in the garden, that's the last time I saw it. I'm not looking after it. Stuart is a coat dog and does exactly what they're told,

and it's very nice. I like Stuart a lot. Stuart's very cozy, it's very warm, very funny, and it doesn't mess behave. Also, doesn't poop or pee. Coat dog. Coat dog.

And you thought it was silly. What about Borough? Polk talk. Look, Borough's small and flies around, but isn't too disruptive. Has Borough been bitten by? Probably mainly sleeps and eats. Poops?

Yeah. Well, I don't think a snake poops, does it? No. Not this one. This is like a flying snake thing. Everything poops. Because I don't know how, does snakes poop? Yes, snakes do poo.

It's pretty gross. How do they poo? How their mouth? It's kind of like, no. No, there is. Oh. But it's like a... It can't be a lot of it.

It's liquid. It's really liquidy. Yes, poops. Snakes absolutely poop. Oh, there you go. Well, they eat, so they poop. And it shoots out the back. It's a toothpaste.

I think that, yeah, borrow it. He's like, look, Borough does his own thing. He sleeps, eats, I leave him alone. He doesn't seem to... Yeah. This little bastard... Oh, whoa. ...is the worst.

We have customers. So bad. Well, this is the thing. I have to keep it out in the garden. He's your own. It's tried to bite customers. Really? Oh, yeah.

Oh, absolutely. Oh, right. It is so ill-behaved. It's just violent. It's constantly just... It wants to hunt. It seeks prey. Lovely boy, though, really.

Not really. No, Rowan. It's awful. I think you might need to... I mean, you literally just abandoned it here. You teleported it back here. And then just left it here. Yes.

Well, yes, it would be very busy time. I mean, Borough is at least small. Zanthius did that with Borough, but he's small, and he poops a little, it's kind of gross, but it's dealable with. Borough can't, like, tear people's arms apart. Not yet. I mean, you know, scratching and biting. It's not like...

He'd tear apart the kitchen at one point, no. Yeah, he did do that with all the flour, yes. Yeah, but... But Gibson... You need to do something with it. Like, either get rid of it or take it with you. Probably is diet, I imagine. And does he get enough walks?

I'm not paid to walk him, Rowan. I'm paid to run the tavern. Like, I'm not... Don't get me wrong. I'm very grateful. I get a bed. I get a lovely job. I love all the people.

I love my job. I love doing what I do. Take the tiny dinosaur with you. Or I'm going to kick it out into the streets and it will be the guards problem. That would be... Well, then take it with you. It's your pet, Rowan.

I'm trying to. I'm not here to look after it. It's not coming to the party. But what are you? What a bit? It's not. It's accidentally got in and caused a ruckus. It cannot come to the party.

Like it currently is. Something needs to be done. What if I get him an invite from Varys? No, it can't be in the building. The invitation says Angass. Where is Gibson anyway? I'm going to go out to the back and just look for Gibson. Sure.

Give me a perception check. I want to watch this through the window. I will cast cure wounds on the tear. Oh, he's like, no, don't worry, God. It's fine. There's scratchy. 23. 23, you see that Gibson has begun,

like this is not an environment that Gibson knows, but it's outdoors, and that seems to be something familiar, and has begun constructing basically like a nest or a little hovel that it can hide in. It has done this, and it looks like it is partially dug under Aphelia's shrine to do this, and it's constructed like a little entrance out of like sticks and wood, and you can see tracks leading to...

There are several, like, dead birds, probably what looks like maybe a cat that was, like, roaming around. It's a predator, like, it's a predator thing, it's not being trained, it's just being sort of abandoned here. Rowan. Rowan.

I mean, borough's not super happy, but, like, it's a lot more manageable. Oh, he's probably in this little borough that's going into your shrine. Wait, what? What? It's under the shrine. It doesn't go into the shrine. Gippson, I didn't know you could make nests.

Rowan, I love you to pieces. Yes, and you love my pets too. Can you please get the dinosaur out from under my shrine, or I shall do it myself? I'm hoping to, yes. Gibson, I haven't really trained call and response or anything, really, other than don't. eat Stewart.

That's all I really had time to do. You didn't even really do that. It's definitely trying to eat Stewart. I did silent image every day and this is our step. You did it for like three days. And yeah, you did three days and you forgot for several of them

because you didn't tell me that that's what you were doing. I gave you the assumption of assuming you would remember to do it every now and then. But that is not enough to train it out of, you know, a lot of natural instinct. You know, and still very young as well. How much does Gibson weigh? How much would Gibson weigh?

Let's find out. Five kilos. How big is he? I imagine like a German shepherd. He's not quite that big. Let's do... Rolfoelia looks very angry out there. I don't know if we need to go out there

and interject or just watch this handle. A healthy adult pug, which I imagine it's kind of of a similar sort of shape and size to. It's between 14 and 18 pounds. So we'll go with about 15 pounds. A puck. So if I were to mage, can I mage hand it out from under the...

Mage hand is five. It's five pounds, I believe. And now, Gibson. Ten pounds. Ten pounds. I'm saying it's 15. His ass is just hanging on the floor. I'll get in there, don't you worry.

It bites at the hand. It's biting through the... Come on now. Rowan's going to put his hand in. What's your hand? I can't, it's in the hole. Just pick out. I'll watch this hand.

You see Gibson go to like bite your hand, Rowan. No. I've missed with my attack, so you pull your hand back, but it absolutely goes to bite you. Hey now, Gibson. Now we can't be going around biting things like that.

You have to be fed food that I give you. All right? Have we got that on board? Now, you can't go around eating Mateo or Percy's shins or digging a hole in the shrine. Have we got that clear?

Do you have the ability to talk to animals? No, at all. Then, I mean, Gibson just looks at you. Okay, there you go. Nothing's changed. He's still there. Well, he's not doing anything wrong, is he? He's not biting or... He's going to obey.

He's going to cause my shrine to collapse. He's going to ruin the foundations. I can fill in the hole. We can put it. Do we need to put him somewhere else? I would like him to go somewhere else, please. All right, I'll put him upstairs. Where?

That's somewhere else, isn't it? What about in the shrine? No, no, no, no, no, no, no. He's not going in the shrine. Tis too many valuable things to chew on and too much wood for him to scratch. You begin to hear like scrabbling sounds as he starts digging. All right, all right, okay, I get it. Roan's going to get Gibson.

Can you make a, you got to grab him first. Give me an unarmed attack roll. Ooh, 23. Okay, you managed to reach in, you grab him. It's a firm grip. Pull him out, yep. He's got to push him down to the ground. Frashing around.

Do you put him on the ground? I'm just pushing him to the ground. Okay, you push him to around. He is squirming, he is desperate to try and escape. He's a little bit violent, isn't he? He bites your finger and any reaction is you're like, ow, he gets away as I roll a 19 to escape. Do I get a dexterity save?

I mean, he just broke the grapple, basically. He escapes and goes scurrying back into his hole. Can I, let me, can I cast friends on him? What are you friends, Ophelia? But I mean, on Gibson, yes. Is that okay, I have a spell? Try it, yes. Maybe it will calm him down.

Yes, we might need to resort to desperate measures. Yeah, sure. So yeah, I'll just, I'll try and emanate a sense of friendliness towards this creature. Come on, Gibson. So you cast friends, and immediately the creature's demeanor changes, and it kind of, wow, good, good, hi.

Gipson loves you. Giveson loves you. Nuzzles your hand. Ah. This is quite lovely. Oh, no, apologies. The target succeeds automatically if it isn't a humanoid. So you cast friends and it does nothing.

I've been tried. It had a moment there where it's... It was almost... I feel like something changed for a second, but I don't know. Anybody's free to interrupt any of this at any time. Do you think they should go in help with them? Because I can't speak to animals. Oh, that would be a good idea. You should do that.

I know... Oh, my toes! Row, it's getting my toes! Yeah, no, no. Five years from inside the hole. You hear it digging again. I don't attack the toes. I don't think Romans came through to it,

but maybe speaking to it properly would. I know I don't do it often, but it is something I can do. Well, evidently, I'm very good at raising pets, so I can go out there and try something if you want. Where's borrow right now? Huh? Where's borough right now? Stewart's having an apple, I bet.

Let's just try something. I'm gonna cast polymorph on Gibson. Okay. Oh my god. My gut. My gut. And give me one second. Nope, stop playing the trailer for the D&D show, thank you.

Why is that at the top of D&D beyond? That's not a fun place for it to be. Because you want to watch that while you're playing your game. Polymorph. Whistle 15th saving throw? A creature that you can see within range. Chends from a creature. Yep.

It has a chance ring equal to a less than the targets. It's equal to, so you can choose another CR0 creature. Would I know what a sloth is? Yeah, I'd say you can know what sloth is. What was the DC? 15. 15. Wisdom.

Do you have his stats there, I believe, on your notes, your extras? Yes, his wisdom is 10. Okay. I rolled the 16. You try to reach out and manipulate this creature's body, try and warp its flesh, use your magic to, Were you cast that yourself, or did you use the wand of the sculptor for that?

No, I've got it. Okay. Yeah. So you try and use your magic, your music, to try and reshape this creature into a form that may be easier to deal with. But the stubborn will of this creature is like, no, I don't want to change.

And the spell is rebuffed. Oh, my God. Rowan, do you want a bit of help there? I can't speak to it. I think I'm starting to lose a bit of control over it. Right. You hear something fall over in your workshop. Sent these.

Wait, what? You should probably go and find your pet. Hang on. Okay, I'll be back in a second. I think I just heard a gun go off. Oh, God. I see Borough wrapped around the demon gun. I'll be back in a sec.

Let me know how it goes out here. Bang! Boris got a gun. I just robbed to see it, Boris. I know it was funny, but he fucked something. But meanwhile, Graf, you head outside. I will speak with animals. You can't speak with animals.

Yeah. Okay. And, yeah, just very gently, like, you're right there, boyo? Hmm? Who is speaking? Hang out, Chanel, I'm gonna give him a funny voice. What's a funny act?

Hey, ooh speaking. Yes. Gipson. What's you want? Scalcer. You know me? No, now that's gonna fuck my vaccine up! What's you want, lying?

Right. Can't get me in here. You too big. I'm not trying to get you. I just, I wanted to know if you're alright. You see, you're a little angry. Well, angry. I'm hungry.

Been starving. No one fed me. Had to eat cat and birds. Found them in my lair, in my territory. So I killed them. They came into my land. What kind of things do you eat? Meat.

Okay, if I get you some meat, will you calm down a little bit? Make a persuasion with advantage. Or animal handling with it. Do animal handling. I should not have told a scouse animal to calm down. That's a hate crime. I apologize to all little puddlings out there. Me an animal handling.

Animal handling. And I think, yeah, no advances, but you do get to make the animal handling. I will fate. Okay, cause why not? Sure. 22. Okay. I'll, you get me some meat and we can, yeah, alright. Shicken a Coke.

Nice bit of chicken. Well, kevav. Right. Also, um... What? I was just wondering, could you stop attacking Mateo, please? He's, in, he's weak and in my land. He didn't feed me.

Right, but could you please stop attacking him? Why? Because it's not very nice. What does that mean? It means it makes people sad. And? They should get over it. These guys are all shit.

The predator and a predatory animal. Be happier back in the Azar step. I don't want to go back to the pen. Not the pen, but the... This is better. There's more space. What about the wilds? Wilds. What's wilds? Like this, but free.

No boundaries. No wall or pen? No. Yeah, I'd like that. All the unthinkin you can. Yeah. Right. But, well, is there lots of meat? Oh yes, but you have to go and catch it. That's fine, I can catch meat. Right.

Like that cat. Yum. Oh, God. So, there's also a little child in this garden. The wood, the tree. Yeah. Stop attacking her as well. Why it's a tree? If you attack her, you'll feel the back of my hand.

Make an intimidation. Oh, I'm terrible at those. I'm not very intimidating. They're not very scary. Fate it. Shall we, yeah, I'm going to fake that one as well. Yeah. Forre, stop.

Oh, no. Bang. 19. 19. That's a success, but I'm going to spend a fate back and have an add little consequence. This guy hates you. Like he's just like, he's cowed by you,

but he will remember this. It's like, Gibson will remember this. He's like, he like looks at you, his little kind of lizardy eyes, he turns. He's like, you protect the tree. She's under my protection eye. Hmm, you're bigger than me. So fine, I won't, I won't claw that tree.

What about the other tree, the big tree? Okay. Very well. We have a cord. I'll leave the small tree alone. We have an agreement. Bring me meat. I want my meat.

You said there'd be meat. I'm going to go get it now. Okay. Patience, little one. Mm-hmm. Be quick, or I'll find more cats. Right, Rowan. Hello.

Did that go well? A word in your ear, please. Hey, the lion. You can hear it, like, muttering to itself, like, stupid big lion. I have to wait till it's sleeping. And then what? Do you say that to him?

I said nothing. And it buries into his little hole. Be told. Yeah? Are you friends with it now? No. That thing's a little shit. It seems like it's very angry.

Right. It's starving. Right. That's why you haven't been feeding it properly. It's starving. And that's why he's acting out. Right. It's also, Gruff, you very much get the impression

that it's not trained. Like, these could be trained as pets, but it's like a wild dog or a wild animal. Like it's, right now it's in survival mode. It's in, it has no boundaries, it has no discipline. Like, it just hasn't been trained. You've brought back a wild animal with a prey instinct into a city and you've left it alone.

Yeah. Okay, so I need you to fix this now because it's not going to get much better. I add a word with him. He's killed a lot of cats around here. What? How many cats does he? Probably mice as well and a few birds that got too low to the ground.

But he is open to the idea of going back to the Azar step. Okay. If you keep him here, you need to feed him regular like. Meat. Yes. Well, I'll give a supply of coin to Mateo to get meat. But we're out and about. Savings at this his life.

So is it perhaps best, especially for the local wildlife and domestic life, if he goes back to the Azar step? Yeah, how will we get him there though? Do I know a tree? We were just there. Say, I mean, you know that there's in Scala's Sanctuary, though, a tree. You can easily go back to the house. Just front out.

I mean, I could, I could transport it. Maybe if this tree thing works. I'm starting to sound like it. Um. If we let him loose outside Ashenrest, that's not going to be good for the local fauna, is it? Not really, no. Let him outside the city walls,

he'll run off into the hills. Probably get eaten by a knoll. There's no knolls around it. That's who Ricks has killed. Now it's the time of the dinosaur. I don't see a positive solution to this D&D conundrum here. The solution is actually like, interact with the pet that you bought.

Is this shade? I'm just saying you bought a pet and then just went dump and I just want to, like, it's not going to be very well. You're trying to live with your bits. Barrow was also left. Borough is also like this big.

And a noodle. It's not a tiny raptor. Hey everyone, good news. Borough is asleep. Soundly around my neck right now. Great, fantastic. Unrelated. I think I need to store my Frost Spider.

but ASAP, he tried to break in. The bag of holies in there. Fantastic. I'm going to go talk that now. Just go whack it and remember to remember it. Okay. Frost spider. I'll make a note of that. So you're putting the Frost spider ones and stuff in there as well. Are the Frost Rose and the Poison Spider?

It was a frost rose. Yeah. It was a frost rose. Poison spider. You can't do a living thing in that bag of holding, can you? Do I know the rules for the bag of holding? Living things have a limited air supply. But this is also a magical, pha poison spider.

Maybe it doesn't need to breathe. Have a little straw. Right, one problem. What's that? Listen, so I'll make it simple. The thing with Gibson is Gibson just, like, you also, like, there's no instruction for Mateo to, like, try and train it or anything.

All you need to do is, like, actually train it or spend some goal to get him trained or something like that is what it needs. Rowan, I'm not saying you have to release him to the wild, but you need to do something about it, need to train him. You need to, if you're intent to keep him. Yes, absolutely. The main thing he needs right now is a constant supply of meat,

because he's starving. And a creature like that, when they're starving, and they act out... If there's a way to buy a load of meat and then keep it, so it doesn't spoil. Sorry, why is I around looking at it? You have the fridge, you have the fridge here. Why is they wrong looking at me? Well, I was thinking, if I'm not around,

but Gibson needs lots of meat, I need to buy lots of meat, but then store it without it going rotten. Is that so? Well, the Xanthius have the solution for you. Sorry, I've let that first part just wash over me. You're doing very well. Doing very well.

Come with me. Takes him down into the R-game workshop. Ignore the mess. So is this like a prototype of it? Is this like, what's it made out of your box of holding? It's like, it's like eight wooden beams with something just suspended. in the middle.

Like a ruin, like a crafted iron run. Does it have walls? Eventually. Okay, so this is an unfinished prototype. It's got some slats that I put along the side. Give me a second to just finish off. I'm waiting with baited breath. I put the walls on, I slap a lid on it.

Does it have a door? It will. Hold your hand just in there. Right here. Through that hole there. Oh, it's so cold. It's cold. Ice cold in there, Zadius.

Ice cold, right? Zanthius. I know. You're a genius. Now, if I was to box this, contain it, hold it, construct it, finish this. This could be something special. This could be something huge.

For now, though, can I put loads of meat in it? Yeah, yeah, absolutely, yeah. Amazing, thank you. There's no shelves or anything in there just yet. Right now, yeah, it's just a frame. I just got visions of Zanthew starting a fridge empire in this Dean's. I mean, the materials to make it,

It's not going to be available to everyone, but businesses and restaurants and pub. He's vans refrigeration over here. Bob vans. Bob vans. There's definitely potential market. Yeah. All right. I'll get lots of meat from the local butcher.

Okay, great. And then just throw it in this. I just realized I could make Xanthius's Box of Colding a magic item in the Kickstarter. Yes. Box of Colding, yeah. Zanthius's Box of Colding. Specifically, yeah. If everyone has, like, the coolest, most heroic stuff added to the books.

And then you've got... Zanz refrigeration. Zan's refrigeration. You can call it Xanax. Yeah. But, yeah, to... Long story short, you can store a bunch of meat in here. I will then sit down with Mateo, who's fully bandaged,

and have a long heart to heart with him about how sorry Roan is that he went through such a traumatic time in Gibson. I feel just a little bit bad that Trots Sunday... get away, who turned it into shame and a job. It's not meant to be shame. It's just that, yeah, this creature, I rolled for every day you are there, only two of them were above like 15, like 10,

basically, the rest of them were all below 10. So I was like, he's a little shit, basically. He is a badly behaved little lizard. Fine, probably as long. Could be a good boy one day. Potentions be a good boy. Absolutely, absolutely. Absolutely.

I definitely want to keep him. This is a rags to rich's coming of age story. I definitely want to keep it, but I want gruff to. to check in with him again, because that was the best voice. Either way. I take him a fish in the meantime, just as a, before the meat comes, there's probably a fish upstairs somewhere. Sure.

There's probably a fish somewhere. I'm fish. Because I'm fish. Okay. You fire, you acquire a fish. And he greedily eats it up, spits out all the bones, like an alley cat, like Tom cat just, and then he's stuck with a cat doesn't.

But definitely is still wary, and then he's still wary, is like in his little layer that he's made, his little nest, his little burrow, and it's like kind of watching you cautiously. But does seem to be a bit more sort of like, you know, seems very full, full belly, probably lays down, looks like he's probably going to go asleep. I'll crudely draw out a schedule. Okay. Feeding schedules.

It's basically every hour. Until he seems to ease up. This is fine, Rowan. But I want to. my wages to go up. If I'm going to look after your Gibson, I think it's only fair. Do you want a hundred gold? Yeah, sure, 100 gold. I've got 57 on me and then 500 bronze coins. Right, I don't really want all your bronze coins. How about this? We'll just increase my wages by, let's say, 10 gold, my wages, my monthly wages.

10 gold an hour? No. I don't know how they work. I'll talk to Gruff. If, but you are are saying you are happy with me increasing my wages so that I look after Gibson. Yes, please. All right. I can't promise. I'm not very good with animals, but I will try. I'm probably not going to be able to train him, but I can feed him. Well, here, I show a crudely drawn diagram of Mateo's stick figure,

and then there's a long stick with meat on the end. With the shrine and a hole, and he's like... So this is how you feed him. Yep, that's certainly what I was planning to do. Yeah. And then ultimately, we might have to pen him in at some point. So I might try and raise some funds. I'll feed him.

Yeah. You think about a pen and you think about training him, but I will feed him. Great. Thank you, Mateo. That will hopefully keep him calmer at least. I think it's mostly food. Yes. Survival at this point.

And just being a little bastard. I think he is also just a bit of a bastard. Yes. Probably yes. Yeah. I mean, listen, borough is not much better. I don't tell Xantheus, but he's a lot more manageable. Also a little shit.

Honestly, Stuart's the only good pet you've brought back, and it's because Stuart isn't real. He's real to me! He's a coat dog. I have not heard that from Daisy ever. He doesn't poop, he doesn't pee, he just is nice. He just sort of lays away wherever you want him, like, It's not real. It's a magic dog.

Would you like me to get a real one? No. Well, if you did, I wouldn't look after it, much until I'm paid for it. You see? Coat Dog. This is going to cut into our extension budget. Five gold, ten gold. That's two extensions.

With that, Gruff is just crying inside. He's got seren on his. Yeah, beautiful. Beautiful, so well trained from a young age. Gruff knows how to deal with that. Lack of responsibility. Yeah. Did you still want to go to Bebsidius?

Yes, yeah. You've had a nice little silly. Oh, the plot, yeah. Do you want a mask? A mask? Do I want a mask? Get sick. Oh, a face mask, right. Yes.

Like you said, they wouldn't let us say if he was contagious. True. As if they know he's contagious. Consider Allgram did seem to take you very seriously when you pointed out that he definitely was... Yes, he might be better by now. So we'll see what you consider it says. Well, dragons don't really get sick, so he probably is better.

That's why I'm saying it's stress. Could be. Stress is bad for the body. I'm very stressed right now. And the mind and soul. Heart and soul. Have you heard that song? I got a lot of heart and soul.

That one. It's a good one. Okay. I heard it in Kalscarus. So you make your way back up to the Dominus Ignarum. It is probably, you guys had a long rest. Actually, no, this is still the same day, so that you arrive back. So it's probably late afternoon, getting to early evening. About the time you've settled Gibson and everything else. And you make your way to Dominus Signarum,

passing through the local... Sure, pick up pastries. Sure. Pick up pastries as normal. It's on the way. You meet Considerate Orgrim at the door, who... is a little bit more, I wouldn't say happy to see you, but is less grumpy than usual. And it's like, oh, yes, of course, Lord Obsidious is, seems to be doing much better. Oh, great.

And I think would be very much intrigued in a conversation. Slippy pastry to consider it. Oh, he definitely takes that. This is a dwarf who likes his food. And he's like, very good. Thank you. And puts it in a point. pocket or something, wraps it in a handkerchief and puts in a pocket. And you'll lead back up to the

large wing that the obsidious occupies his personal chambers. There is no waiting, there is no that sort of obviously being a bit unwelcome you are sort of ushered in as you normally would be. And you see looking a lot more parkier, a lot more sort of animated, less sort of holding his temples and things like that. Obsidious in his humanoid. form, kind of pouring over a few things, books, and seems to have some sort of like diagram, some sort of arcane sigil with some sort of pendulum device kind of over the top of it that seems to be moving around. Gruff and Daisy, I think you guys have the highest passive perceptions. The pendulum does point, you see its swing and it is actually angling towards Antheus as this

Sidio kind of steps in. But Lord Obsidious will be like, ah, you are here, excellent. I wanted to inquire how things had gone. As I understand it, you left the city. You left the town for some time. Oh, I just wanted to say, first of all, I'm glad to see that you're looking in better fettled.

Thank you. Lord of Sidious. Yes, thank you. Well, I think it was just a lack of sleep and stress. And a lack of pastries. Thank you. My appetite has returned. I will indulge, but after our business is concluded,

what my magic has been slightly off the last few days, 12-day, I'm not really sure a couple of weeks, perhaps, it's been hard to keep track. But I did feel that there was some disturbances with yourself, Sothea. But I was led to believe that you were in the company of the Sisters of the Ecliptic Order and that you had headed out on some adventure or some such. Or was this to do with the sibling? You can still feel the disturbances?

Vaguely. It's disrupted. Huh. It was very weakened, but I did feel something. Okay. Do you want me to start? Yes, please. We tracked down Zanthias' sibling. in the Ashen Citadel.

You did. Part of me would say, why did you not come and ask for my assistance? But given my condition at the time, perhaps it was for the best. But to continue. You were not in the right. Physical and mental state, your lordship. No, but I do hope that you gathered information.

This sibling is not still with us, I take. They are deceased. Hmm. A shame I was not there, but still. We were able to ask a few questions. Good. Nothing of great consequence, but a confirmation that the diadem is involved. Which must be expected, given Nix and Mist's activities.

Apparently, Oregonus' plans involve collecting specific rare, pure crown seal for a greater purpose. That is a little bit more information. We did not know exactly that there were specifics. So that is good to know. What else did you learn? In terms of weaknesses for Oregonus, arrogance. Unfortunately, not a huge surprise. They're powerful, influential dragon like Oregonus.

It's not unexpected that they would be very arrogant. There are more siblings as well. Now that is very curious. We don't know much in terms of details for that. Rexnath in particular seemed quite to fear of an older sibling. Considering this Rexanath, you said their name, they took on all of you and the Ecliptic Order sisters alone? Yes. It must have been quite a powerful foe.

Ah, if I may, Xanthias, are you okay with me? Yes, please. Upon examination, Rexena's body had been modified quite grotesquely. Modified. Crown steel inserted into his body with crown steel wires, bound with crown steel wires, or wounds etched into his bones. He also seemed to use some kind of stimulant during combat that powered him. And when we defeated him, the body was almost like a weapon itself.

What do you mean? The crown steel charged to a point and then When he was near death. The sisters seemed to think it was linked to the ruins carved upon his bones. A protection of some kind that exploded. There is the contingency spell. Combined that with some sort of powerful blast

or powerful overload of magic. crown steel itself would enhance that magical power. You say that the crown steel was inserted into the body and there was wire of pure crown steel? Cisterophilia? The wires were almost vain-like in appearance. So the crown steel looked like he could transport throughout his body, through his muscles, through his bone. It was everywhere.

But I don't think it was entirely crown steel. a constructive mixed with something else as well. An alloy. Yes. I've heard that a few people have attempted that, but it's dangerous. Mixing crown steel with other metals is a meticulous process. It can ruin the crown steel. As I understand it, very few have the knowledge to do so.

Oregonus must be one of those few. To go to such lengths, create this soldier. Hmm. The crown steel in the body, did you recover it? We destroyed it. Destroyed it? When it was mixed with this other material, it made it much more brittle. Ah, and in the battle it was destroyed.

Yes. Disappointing, I would have liked to have studied it. Still, at least this is one less foe. This is one less enemy chasing after you, Xanthias, at least. one less thing to worry about. Yes. It was Santias' brother, your lordship. But as I understand it, you did not know each other.

This person was sent to kill you. This was an agent of your father. You did not know them. I don't know a lot of the people that have been sent to kill me, but this one stung more than it should have. I am sorry to hear that, but...

Oregonis clearly wishes you harm. He wishes to recover. Well, yes. But through any means necessary. Yes. The body is destroyed. There's no trace of it. He can't come back.

It was his request. He did not want to be recovered by his father. Gruff, you can see that it's very clear. Obsidious has mixed feelings about this. There is. There's an annoyance in everything you're telling him. He's keeping himself very calm, very matter of fact, but he's annoyed. You can tell that.

You can see his tail just flicking angrily, but it's subtle. Nobody else really picks up on it. But with your passive insight, you kind of pick up on it. Well, I'm sure it couldn't be avoided. And if they requested their body to be destroyed, Why? Well, to ensure that Oregonis couldn't bring them back. Their loyalty was tested then.

They were not truly loyal to your father. They knew what they had to do, but they fought still with some honor. It's just a shame that we couldn't learn more. Oregonis is immensely powerful, politically, magically. this could have been, we could have learnt more, but what is done is done. You said that there are other siblings and that you know that there are connections to the diadem. Seemed to suggest that the other siblings were more loyal to, Oregonus. They perhaps may know more, then, if they are more loyal.

Rex was not aware of any other plans. And perhaps these other siblings will give us the answers we need. Why collect pure crown steel? Why Galdvassar sought any and all, anything he could get his hands on? It seems that that is not what Organis is doing. More careful, more subtle, choosing what he seeks. We know that the crown steel you bear is different, Santhius. It is unusual, highly pure, very, very rare,

but there is something unusual about it. Clearly, Oregonis has a greater plan at work here. By the ancestors, if only we knew what it was. Could he perhaps be trying to reach sovereign? Open... Reach him. Communications with sovereign speak to them. Something tells me that's not Oregon's plan.

This Rexenath said, spoke of arrogance, and we know that this is likely to be the case. as well. I can't see a figure such a powerful, such a charismatic, such an influential figure like Oregonis. Seeking to open communications, looking for power, begging for power. It doesn't match what I imagine. But perhaps there is something there, but communication? I'm not sure. What if it was control? That is far more likely. would align more with what we've seen. You spoke of this Rexnaz being

his body being adjusted. Mutilated. Mutilated. But also he was still being controlled. Controlled through fear, controlled through these augmentations. He seeks to control Xanthias. He sends this letter, a threat, come home, or I will send someone to fetch you.

Control aligns closer with Oregonis's. Personality? Control a deity. Such a feat, even for a powerful dragon, is beyond their grip. Crown steel enhances magic. You said there were very few in Elmira that can manipulate Crownsteel. It's not a widely known practice. Of the ones you know, is there a chance any of them have begun working with

Oregoners. Forgive me, I do not personally know of any. I do not know any groups. We know that these groups exist. The diadem is one of them. It's a group that has access to the information required to work crown steel. There are then rumors that traconic nobles of Galvezar's era recruited Smiths taught them how to manipulate the crown steel. That knowledge was then passed on. there are half a dozen, a dozen smiths out in the world who knew that knowledge out in the empire. Must be assumed that that knowledge was passed on, written down, recorded, but obviously it is heretical.

The church tries to purge any of that knowledge that it finds, but I would not be surprised if there were not still those who know the secrets, who work for those who wish to create crown steel objects. It is, they can be useful. But to... But to... But to... To be able to do that to someone. That is different. Working the metal, but to put it to that use,

it speaks of how cruel Organus truly is. To their son. Yes. Well, as what I understand it, Oregonus does not necessarily see these Dragonborn as his children. tools, perhaps. Yes, well, anyway, we had got some information at least.

We know that if he's doing all of this on just for X and Earth, then that's a concentration of resources and experiments and facilities that gives us an opening, at least. It gives us something further to search for. These mutilations, it would need to be done somewhere quiet by skilled alchemists, skilled surgeons. Those people are rare. If they've been paid, if they've been bought, if they've been hired, there should be a trace of them. This is something that I can investigate.

It will take time, but perhaps I can get a lead as to where in Gildi this was done. and from there that gives us places to investigate. Is there anything else you would need from me? What do you intend to do next? Well, we actually intend to, uh, as quick as we possibly can, get to Kelskaris. I have a diplomatic arrangement in Kelskaris. But then once that's done... Do you have any leads to where these other siblings are?

Kelskaris. Ah, sir. That gives us an opportunity. The diadem is active in Kelskaris. This we know. Do you remember what I learned from Nixomist about the two members of the diadem that they spoke with? I believe I spoke of this with you. Yes, I believe so.

Named one, didn't you? Mr. Emerald. Yes. And a Miss Peridot, I believe. Yes, I remember. They seem to use these code names. Yes. Perhaps that is worth investigating

whilst you are there. I may have something that can help you with, but we'll need a moment. How would we message you? I can have a sending stone created for you. It will take me an evening to craft it, but I can have it sent to you. It will only work once per day,

but you can send word to me if it is needed. I can be in Kelskaris quickly. I know the teleportation circle there. I could take you if you still need transportation. Thank you. But I can get to Kelskaris quickly. If you need me, call for me. These siblings are as powerful as this Rekshner,

then I think you should have all the allies that you can. But also, Kelskaris is a political den. As much as it is a city full of dangers and threats, battles that you may have to fight. Remember, it is a center of politics of the empire. You must be very cautious. make sure that if you have a fight you have a very good reason,

good evidence to prove that you are not the instigators, or that you have a good reason to take action, make sure that whoever it is is breaking laws or putting people at risk. But also try and seek out allies. Alas, my sister, Emberissa, she is popular there. She frequently visits.

She knows the councillors of the Burnbright District. the Caldron district. If you require it, seek her out and her aid, but also see what other allies you can make. There are good people in Kelskaris, but there are many who are not. Be cautious. Be certain you can trust someone,

wherever possible. It is a den of very vicious wormlings. Everybody vying for power. Without the empress, the arched dragons are in a stalemate. A lot of the younger dragons are also pushing for political power, pushing for greater controls. But we are also seeing non-dragons, Ilkir,

trying to push for more and more. The church is particularly vocal in the city. So just be cautious. If you do decide to work with anyone else as well, Sisters, Superior, Maldi and Benedicta... I'm aware of the sisters. They tried to reach out to me when I was unwell. I was speaking with Sister Superior Malady before that.

There was also an indication that the Ecliptic order might... Some branches of it might be under Oriconnes' control. So... Troubling. It might be worth being careful around those as well. But the Malady and Benedict, you trust? Yes, completely. They will be useful allies.

Very well. Intelligent allies as well. Especially sister. Sister Malady. Yes. I got that impression. Strange, I almost would have believed that she was from her Dasquia,

the way that she is so relentlessly pragmatic sometimes. But still, I think that with what you have told me, I can begin to investigate a lead in to Gildai, perhaps finding out where. Oregonus is performing these horrific experiments at least that would give us somewhere to investigate. But it will take a long time. These things do not happen quickly.

So be patient. Until then, anything you can learn in Kelskaris, either from the diadem or from these siblings, should you account to them. You say that they are more loyal to Oregonus. So Xanthias, I know it may be difficult, but steal your heart against them. They may have the answers, they may have the solutions, the secrets that you need to survive. Do not balk away from doing what needs to be done. Get that information however you need to.

Yes, I will. Yes. Is there anything you'd like us to do for you and Kelskaris? No, no, no. I will investigate things. Perhaps if there is nothing else and you intend to make your way, I would speak with Sister Ophelia and Santhius alone for a moment. Okay.

Okay, of course. If the others do not mind. Not at all. Good to see you, Obsidius. Lord Obsidius. Thank you, Daisy. As the three of you make your way out, once the doors are closed, and the three of you outside become aware,

I think you would become aware that there is a magical, like you don't hear anything. Once the doors are closed, it's like no sound is passing through. Obsidious will look at the two of you, and what I am about to offer you is something that I fear the other three would not understand. They are good people with pure hearts. The two of you, gruff is a knight, Rowan and Dazia, sweet and endearing.

But the two of you, I fear, you understand what is required that sometimes needs must. So I would like to give you something that I think would be of use to you. And he goes over to a small side table with lots of different trinkets and things on it, but you see that one of them is under

a kind of purple shrouded cloth. He takes whatever it is still with a shroud on and brings it over to the two of you. and he pulls the cloth away to reveal a small bird cage that would fit in the palm of Santheus' hand. And in that cage is a small, purpleish flame. The flame flickers, and you see the visage of Nixomist form.

I present Nixomist. That's where he went. as in a scry of Nixon mist a you can make an archa chag for me Santhias

you don't need to you will know what this spell is okay okay this is a necromancy spell oh I would have learned about this even if you cannot cast it you know it as one that's used in Ossias

19 19 you definitely recognize that this is yeah this is not scry this is necromancy this This is a spell that captures a soul when their body dies. I see.

The soul is then imprisoned within this cage, and for a time, it provides use. Questions can be asked of it. Memories of it, experience can be borrowed. It is commonly referred to as a soul cage. I believe that, well, it is used in the lands of Osceus sometimes. The house of the shrouds are very fond of this particular ability. Yes.

I was taught it through my mother's journals. The Black Dragons of Erdas Kira are knowledgeable of necromancy. I was not able to stop Nix's body being destroyed. Whatever curse the diadem used was powerful. So I used this. At the last second before Nix's soul departed, I retained it. I have used a little of what remains to ask questions to learn what I did, but there are still uses remaining.

I offer it to the two of you. Forgive me, I don't fully know the powers of the spell, but... Wow. I can ask it questions. I can... There are specific things you can do. There are perhaps, there are four uses left. The soul fragments every time you use the soul cage

until eventually Nix's soul will be freed. You've got a low wisdom there. I do, yeah, yeah, yeah. What's your insight? Insight is... Passive or? Yeah, passive. Passive insight is 14.

14. It's not very hard. No, but it's high enough when I roll away. roll really badly. Unfortunately, Xanthius is pretty bad. Ophelia, you know this spell. There are theories that the soul becomes free to go to the grave father, to rejoin whatever world. But there are also those in the house of shrouds who believe that the tattered soul is not enough to be remade, to be reborn.

and some of the horrors that you saw in the grey wastes are creatures who are probably imprisoned and their souls broken down and then they become pale imitations of the soul. They are fragments of the soul, shadows and things like that. It's a fitting spell for those that mean to misbehave. Yes, but you see that you think Obsidious knows that but is like, yeah, the soul is free.

Sounds good to me. Yeah. Whilst you carry the sole cage, I will transfer the ownership to the pair of you. It has perhaps four uses of it left. There are various options. You can query it, you can ask the solar question, and you will receive a telepathic answer,

which you can understand, and it will answer you truthfully, but to the best of its ability. Maybe cryptic, the soul can be like that. You could also borrow some of its experience to grant you advantages when investigating or perhaps even in battle. Interestingly, you can also name a place that the creature saw in its life, and you create an invisible sensor somewhere in that place that you can concentrate on, either seeing, you can see and hear. through the sensors if you were there. And then finally, if desperate,

you can draw the life force from the soul and heal your wounds. What the hell, this spell is awesome. That's one of my favorites that I used in Black Rose, for the Black Rose. He holds the cage out to the pair of you. He casts a spell and a sort of purple chain flows between the two of you.

and you feel that you now have power over the soul cage too. This is a new thing I'm flavouring in. And he offers it to both of you. I'm sure that in your investigations into the diadem, having this will prove useful. I believe so. Yes, it absolutely will. But keep in mind,

I do not think this is a torturous and unpleasant spell, your allies may not view it in the same way that the three of us do. Okay, understood. What did you ask of... The two, I asked for information about the contacts that Nixir had, which is where I learned of Mr. Emerald and Miss Periodot, and how they could be contacted, which was the dead drop location, I believe, I mentioned to you previously as well.

And Willow Song Street, Willowong Road. So I have used two of its questions before. Okay. There are four more. This is an invaluable resource. It's extraordinarily valuable. Thank you, obsidious. Of course.

Now, I have a thought. Mm-hmm. The last time we were here, that purple cloth sort of thing in the side, was that there before? Maybe. What's your wisdom score? Yeah, sounds like...

Actually, what's your intelligence score? Because I would say memory is a bit more intelligent. plus zero. Plus zero. Hard to remember the details. Yeah. Could have been, certainly you've seen that like cloth before.

Yeah. My only thinking is like if they've brought them in to the room. Has to be while the soul was alive that you can create the sensor. So you couldn't create the sensor inside the obsidious's chamber. Wait, sorry? If you're thinking of creating the sensor in obsidious's workshop. No, no, no. I was thinking that they, if it's always been here,

Like even when we were here last time, they've only got one of these soul cages. If Obsidious actively had brought it into the room from elsewhere, there's another room somewhere, but he's probably got more soul cages. I mean, just because he didn't bring this one in doesn't mean that he doesn't have more elsewhere. Just the whole soul cage room.

They're probably all alphabetized as well. I'm just imagining like Death's hourglass room. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. It's fine. I imagine that actually the House of Shrouds, that basically, where it's just like, oh, yes, let me search and it's like, oh yeah, this one, and they mark like how many uses it's got left on it.

You trauma heads. Yeah. Okay, but it's fine. Obsidia said the soul is gonna ascend just fine, so. Sure. So which of the two of you is going to take ownership of it? It would like the cage. Would you like it?

It's more, like you said, House of Shroud-E, so would you feel comfortable with it or? Absolutely, this is within my realm, but also the information it provides can help you. I would say that you're both allowed to use it, but one of you just has to carry it, basically. I mean, I'm happy to carry it if you... Yes, absolutely.

A focal flame on you looks more ordinary than it does on me. Sure. I'd say like it's small enough that you could clip it to like your belt and it would hang off your belt, basically. Yeah, love that. Got a tiny dragon on one. But you have to ask me if you ever want to use it. Yes, of course. I mean, is this going to be a group thing?

No. You have just clipped it to your belt. I have. You could hide it. Hitch it under my skirt. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Hitch it up. But just so we're on the same page as well.

Nix are missed. The information we can get, diadem locations, potentially. Had they been to Kelskaris? They had, yes. You don't know for sure. Yeah, you'd always ask them. That would be one of your uses. Do we tell...

I feel like we should tell everybody that we have this. Do you say this in front of Epidias? He's got his opinion. He has got his opinion. I'll let him have his opinion. He can say what he thinks. I would advise you do not.

I do not believe that Grufferth would approve of this. This spell... The soul does not enjoy it. I should make it clear. This is not some echo or some... copy of Nixomist, what do you carry is the very soul of Niximist. This existence is not an enjoyable one. I do not believe that, and even if Rowan and Daisy could see the practical side of it,

do you really want to burden your friends with the knowledge of what you're doing? Sister Ophelia, you are of Osis. You know that the spell is useful. Yes. You know it has its uses. It does. Xanthius, to fight against your father, to do what needs to be done to stop him, this is the sort of thing you need to be prepared to do.

Now, you can share that burden and put it on your friends with their kind hearts, their innocence, or you can bear that burden yourselves. They are so innocent. I'll let you make that choice. But I wouldn't. That is not a choice I would make.

I won't say what I was thinking then. Okay. Yes, well, we need all the help we can get. Yes, this would... We did the right thing. Yes. Five days ago. Oregonis is not doing the right thing.

No, not by any means. So, yes. We can make use of this. Thank you. We will, thank you. And as I said, I will have a sending stone sent to you tomorrow. I will craft one. It will be limited once per day,

but it will allow you to send word to me should you need it. Thank you. We will be here for imagine a day. Yeah. Tomorrow morning. Tomorrow morning, yes. Crackdorn, Gruff said. Which, let's be honest.

Daisy. It will take me some time, and I may need to send it. I would suggest you don't travel until the sending stone arrives. Of course, okay. I will send all Grim to deliver it to you. Yes. Okay. Thank you anyway, Obsidious, and I'm glad to see you're feeling better.

And I'm glad. Thank you for giving me the information. I'm sorry that I could not be there to help you with Rax and Ath. It sounds like it was difficult, Sotheus. But it's very difficult. I could not imagine what it would be like to be forced to battle against Ember. I would not wish that on someone.

I understand that you did not know this brother of yours, but I can sympathize that it was difficult. Thank you. You're welcome. Yes, we appreciate your help. Well, in that case. Yes, we will speak shortly, I'm sure. And I think he, unlike the first,

or he actually escorts you both to the door and sort of has like a hand on both of your shoulders and sort of leads you to the door, opens it. But I think sort of he takes his hand from Ophelia to open the door, but the hand sort of lingers on Zan's shoulder for a moment, and then he sort of helps sort of guide you out, basically. I think you just touched my ass. He did not.

You've got a shoulder ass. What turns out for a dragon boar, shoulders are actually quite into it. Two anuses. Yeah. Oh. Stop it. Well, it was lovely, love, lovely, isn't it? That was nice.

That was nice. And you meet out with your allies. Okay, so, I think... What would you say? He was just talking about how, to begin with, meniophilia, we... He likes you more than he likes us, doesn't he? No, no, we had some differences, and he was...

He was clearing up the differences that we were having about us. Yes, making sure that we were working well together, just... In case I was to say something, Ophelia had the inclination to take it back to Ossiers. Did you have food? Together? No? No. No?

Well, that's not so bad, I guess. But, as we all are aware, we're all on the same page now. We can all be trusted. Everything is 100%. Of that. Of that. Of that. Yes. Trust is paramount. Honesty is good. We like trust.

Yes. In sight. Yeah. I mean, I don't feel like we say that last bit. You can make insight checks if you like. Should we make persuasion or not? Oh, no, don't worry about that. I will fate.

Nope. Would you like to use a fate? No. Oh, if I, wait, so. Unnatural 20. Okay. Actually, you know what? I'm not rolling.

I know I rolled, but I'm not. So can you take a fate back? because I'm not. I just think gruff would just be like... Just not roll at all. If they're going to say, yeah, this is it. Like, obviously. So, unnatural 20 for Daisy.

Mm-hmm. Dirty 20. There's definitely more with Ophelia. Xanthias seems pretty chill. Like, Xanthias actually seems totally confident, very normal, don't think there's anything up. Ophelia seems a bit on edge. Well, okay.

About what just happened. Like, you definitely get the sense that, like, She's uncomfortable with this conversation. She did the Ophelia smile after it, the... Very toothy smile, yeah. So toothy. But yeah, you definitely pick up that there's something up with Ophelia.

But Vanthea seems super cool. It just washes over him, so. I wasn't even listening. These two have been bickering the entire time we've been out here. We're not the entire time. Just for reference as well, I roll deception checks for you both.

Okay. Okay. Oh, and I do want you to announce it to the table. I rolled them. I brought up your character sheets and rolled the deception checks for you. But not been bickering the entire time. No, these two. Gruff's pointing at Rowan and Daisy.

Oh, really? Rowan and Daisy don't bicker. We never bicker. You would just were literally when I... I feel like you're role playing for me. You're literally just bickering when the door's open? No, I said that I brought him a pastry. They were bickering about a cidious.

Right, they've been bickering about a cidious. Vikranabata city has ever since you always been in there. Oh, right. We've been worried because we thought that, oh, we thought of so many horrible things. Oh, no, no, no, no, no. We rejected from the room. I've just been looking at this painting.

It's rather nice. It's very ornate. Oh, fucking, you know. It's a freaking ornate. Um, no, it was totally fine, like we said. You know, and I think we just can make prep for Kelskaris. Yes.

Um, oh. Oh. Oh, no, wait, you already know this. We're gonna get a sending stone. So we can't leave until we get the sending stone. Orgroom's going to deliver it. Clacketorn. Maybe a little bit later, hopefully.

Please, Orgrim, please. Dale Lowe's be over. I think we'll be okay. We have a few days in Kelskharit. Daisy won't be up until it's delivered anyway. We know that about days. Look, rough has a clock. Yeah, and nobody else is on that. And mid-morning is basically the end of the day.

Yeah. With... What time is it now? We could go get some final preparations and you can have your afternoon now. Oh! Oh, go. Graff just, like, moves his foot so he trips you ever so slightly. Yeah, that's fair.

It's 4pm, it's dinner time. So, to bring this to a close, you guys make your way back to Tyrea's rest. Yep. The rest of the day passes uneventfully. You begin to make preparations, drafting up shopping lists of things you need to buy, making preparations for things you need to do when you arrive in Kalscarus. Give me that lamp. How do you make cool...

You make cool costumes. Tell me your trade secrets. That is an option. Zanthia's why your lips purple. Hello man, oh man. Should you wish to borrow Nixomist's skill in tailoring, it would be available to you. Oh my God.

But instead, to close it out, as you all head to bed, we see we sort of travel fast forward the audience gets to see a little glimpse of a grand city like spokes of a wheel

there are segments each district divided into an outer ring of this grand city with a central massive long street and then a central ring with a great floating palace at its center

city of Kelskaris I sort of pass through a few different scenes. We see an old dwarf with a walking cane, one of his legs entirely iron, kind of with a cane and spectacles, bearing old robes of the academia, but sewn onto a patch is a number of dogs

chasing each other in a circle, a knight of the order of loyal hounds. He makes his way to an old, a sort of very worn-down park just off the coil, the central circle ring. And there we see a group of youths playing some sort of sport game. Fitting the ball? Well, sort of carrying of the ball and throwing of the ball as they appear to be playing this sport team.

the youth's complaining that their coach has abandoned them and that they're never going to make it to the next tournament and this old knight kind of thinking, hmm, it may have a solution for that. We then jump across the city and we see we travel into the district of Erdas Kier where we see this, incredibly glamorous estate of a draconic noble, not quite a dominus ignorant, but a grand, grand

estate grounds, decorated in the manor of Erlis Keir, deadly nightshade and poisonous plants in a sort of poison garden, everything very gothic and spooky. And in the grand lobby, plans and decorations are being arrayed, great crimson sanguine curtains are being hung, great gold of chalices overflowing with wine are being prepared as a very, very handsome young man, pale in colour, a little gaunt, very much like Sister Ophelia de la Rosa, his long white hair streaked with gold and black, as he seems to be speaking to a nine-foot-tall black dragon inhumanoid form, a female dragon, black dragon inhumanoid form, as the two are making busy preparations for what is set to be a grand event to become. You can see that this young man

decorated in symbols of the grave father as Father Varys Evernite of the house of blood makes his preparations. But then we cut away again and sat in a lavish, you know, house in a living room sat before a fire. We see two figures, humanoid dragons, humanoid dragon born, sorry. One, her hair long, blonde, beautiful, charismatic, scales of gold speckles on her cheeks, her tail sort of coiled around the leg of the chair, sort of speaking in hush tones with the young man sat next to her. His hair. a sort of dullish black-brown streaked with gold as well, worn long but tied back, again, the sort of speckled golden scales. But you can see that he has a pair of folded dragon wings

instead of a tail. And the two of them speak in hush tones. Father needs us to accelerate the plans. Did you hear what happened with Rex? I can't believe our little brother managed to best him. We should keep an eye out. Yes, you're quite right. I suspect we may be seeing him rather soon as we see the two siblings and that is where we're going to end today's episode. Yeah, dude, yeah!

As we, I believe in the next session will begin the Kelskaris arc. Kelskaris, finally, oh my gosh. I can't believe I'm going to be a handball coach. More of that, we'll save that, we'll save that. But that is going to be it for today's episode, everybody. We will see you next time. Take care. We love you. Bye-bye. Bye. See you next time.

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