High Rollers DnD - Fishy Business (Part 2) | Altheya: The Dragon Empire #70

Episode Date: July 24, 2025

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Pickaxe. Welcome back to part two of Ulfea the Dragon Empire. Our heroes have arrived in the village of Netting-on-Sea, a very local village for local people. They received a bit of an icy welcome until they were met with the lovely Madeline Ogden, wife of the Reeve, Merrick Ogden, who told them to go wait in the tavern whilst others are brought forward to him

to hear about their news and their business. Inside the catch, the local tavern, they met with Carla, or at least that's what their name is that they're going by, who was revealed to be a fellow Daev or Azamar, who was bonded with a celestial spirit, whose spirit in fact even knew Nym, or Surinam, Surinam, Daisy's angelic spirit.

There was a brief conversation about her past and what led to it, as well as perhaps a bit of foreshadowing of a potential threat in this figure known that is a Celestial Jaeger Hunter, a Nathalian who may one day become an opponent. But after that, the party met with Merrick Ogden as well as Jameson Cambric and his mother Hannah Cambric, the local marshal, former marshal of the town, who told them about some mysterious goings on

up at the abandoned church of Saint Talan, about 30 minutes away from the village up on the cliffside. Strange noises and lights after dark were seen, and the party end, Merrick asked the party to go and check it out before the festival tonight. Our party are not entirely convinced that there is not some fishy business. Episode 70, fishy business.

Fishing business going on in the town, but fearful that there may be something going on at the church, they have gone to investigate. And that is where we find ourselves once more. Oh, and also Gruff encouraged them to send word to Sir Joran to let him know what was going on. And then a little walk and talk. And yeah, you can have a little walk and talk if you would like.

Because we're leaving the tavern. Yes. God, they're probably murdering Sir Joran right now. Probably. I didn't evenan right now. Probably. I didn't even think of that. Yeah. Oh wait, I was tempted. He would have sounded the alarm.

Yeah. The thing is, Gruff is a trusting soul, Kim isn't, and Kim's read too many horror stories set in fishing villages with insular communities. Have you? Yeah. It's pretty much most of Cthulhu do. It's pretty much all of, like, yeah. Yeah.

Bit of that mess, yeah. Yeah, see? With that, are you walking and talking? That's fun. Right. It's sort of a very windy, there's like stone steps. You imagine sort of like, if you go on a walk in like rural Devon and things like that, you know,

Cornwall, you kind of get these like cliffside walks and things like that. It's kind of one of those grasses rustling as the sun is now nearly about to set like you are. The sun is just disappearing behind the horizon, so you still have a little bit of that golden light coming through. Right, I'm a bit suspicious about this.

Oh, I am, well, yeah. I don't know that it's a definite lead for what we're here for. But the things that I'm curious about is, Sir Joran told me that Coral's one of the champions. She sings to cast magic and she casts illusions. So perhaps that could be taken as melodic wailing or... ..funny noises and lights and that sort of thing.

I don't know how long these champions can survive out of water. I don't know if that's a thing, so we'll find out. But obviously we have experience with the haunted, with Tyria, so we know things like they're resistant to most magics, non-magical weapons, cold, necrotic, poison, all that kind of thing. I actually suggest that if this does turn out to be a ghost, perhaps we leave. I mean, we're going to be up to, what time is it, sorry?

The sun's gone down. I'd say it's like 7 p.m., like the sun is going down. So the moment we get there, it'll still kind of be in that, or is it gonna be getting into darkness? Pretty much darkness when you get there. I'm concerned about if there is a potential attack. It's like late summer, so yeah. I'm concerned if there is a potential attack on this village. It's like late summer, so yeah. I'm concerned if there is a potential attack on this village.

Perhaps we outran it, you know, with the attack on us, you know, six hours ago from this coastline. So maybe we're ahead of it. But I don't know, there may be something, something in my bones says something about a festival on a shoreline. With a giant pyre, yes. It's a great time. Yes, it is. Where all the villagers are gathered to attack and, you know, drag them into the water and all that.

I would say one thing, like, with a pyre, probably would be very antithesis to Eugenia, who is water in the ocean. Like, fire, if this was like sovereign cultists, you know, some sort of like sacrificial pyre would make a lot more sense, but yeah, like you don't imagine that like. It might be a sacrificial pyre, we don't know that.

But you just, the idea of a fire in the ocean, the two don't really match up. It is still a big little beacon. But the idea of a de-athering, no. It could be some sort of signal fire or something like that, yeah, for sure. I'm not necessarily saying that, you know, they're in league with Ojanya, but lighting a pyre

and villagers being on a beach at night, it's a great time to attack. Well, yes, I think we should go and check out this church either way. If it is Ojanya, amazing. We've got what we're looking for. Coral Song. Coral Song.

If not, I mean, Ophelia, we can stick around for a few days if this is something you're interested in. Could we have taken a short rest in the pub? Yes, well, you would have definitely had time for a short rest on the boat after the encounter last time anyway, so yeah, you guys absolutely can have a short rest. Yes.

Could you pull the traveler book back, it is crimping my map. Oh, so sorry. Thank you. You're right, we should head back to the shore as soon as possible. Um... I'm trying to keep an eye out on the ocean as best we can. Yeah, if it is a ghosty, we can deal with it another time, but...

Yes. Perhaps we have other priorities right now. Exactly, I would not want to get in the way of... the true purpose of this quest. And if it is a ghost, you know, by all accounts it's been here for a while. Exactly, it's not going anywhere. It's not going anywhere.

True. Yeah, so obviously spend your Hit Dice if you're doing short rests and things like that as well. And you do have about 30 minutes if there's anything you would like to do before you arrive. I'm going to short rest a drop. Yeah, I was just rolling on my Hit Dice there. would like to do before you arrive. I'm going to short breast a drop. Yeah, I was just rolling on my hit dice there.

Still not quite at max, but not too bad. Very close, actually. Oh yeah, you got really messed up, didn't you? I lost two HP. Oh, I was down pretty low. Okay, good stroke. Did you get an L? He got grabbed. Got grabbed. Wasn't oh hell. He got grabbed.

Wasn't his fault. He got grabbed and pulled under water, yeah. Wah. Wah. This is not groff. Daisy, are you, are you okay? Mm-hmm. You sure you look a bit, well, I mean, obviously,

he's meeting someone like you for the first time. I presume the first time. It's actually quite weirdly, as much as I know the bad side of it, it's quite comforting to know that there is someone else, because I haven't met anybody else like that. So. That's true. You could be best friends.

I bet it was lovely for them to hear from their own. I sounded very nice. They had a nice conversation was exceptionally nice to hear exceptionally nice nymph says okay, I'm good for you name name and Sabriel good friends at least These two have a connection not just now Wait, would I still you'd have to roll for the thing, and also is there a distance duration, a distance limit? No, it was only an hour or so.

Okay, so I'd say probably. It's gone. By the time you had the conversation, what would have been the reason? It might be useful to have someone back at the village to give us updates or anything. I think the range is a mile. I would say like a mile, you'd still just be in range.

So if I cast it again before we leave. Wow, you've already left. I can't do it, Mark's not here. This is a conversation, you said specifically. This is a walk into the conversation. And I get like that lasted an hour. It's like, okay, fair enough. That's against us.

I'd say it might still be up, if it's like, okay, fair enough. That's against us. It might still be up. If it's, like, when you get to this place, it will probably have like five minutes left or something like that. Daisy, I am a little concerned now that we know about these Yeagers. Well, I always knew there was people looking for Nim, but... Yes, but in Battle of Ashen's Rest,

you used your powers, your angelic powers, and were quite prominent. Yeah, because if I didn't, bad things would have happened. Oh, absolutely. But also, I didn't know I could do that, and... I'm just saying, I'm not saying you're at fault or anything like that, you know, it was beautiful, it was fantastic, but what I'm saying is that if I was a celestial hunter,

I would want to hear for signs like, oh, this little girl turned into an angelic being and flew across the sky. Well, as someone with experience of having to conceal their magic and doing it very effectively over the course of my life so far. You were just in the newspaper. You had fans turn up at the inn.

Your clothes had just exploded off. Could you just button that up? I think the kinds of creatures, I guess, that are searching for Nym or Daisy or people like that, I don't imagine they are searching for Nim or Daisy or people like that. I don't imagine they are searching for rumors in taverns or interrogating people in the streets. They're probably looking for different magical signs, perhaps.

I mean, it's always possible that they'll find me, but also the event that caused them to be so noticed happened and nobody was there and nobody saw it. This sounded very different. Yes. But also, I guess they were inexperienced, I suppose, at the time. Granted, they've only had their connection for two years. I don't know if maybe the strength of connection might also play a part. I don't know if maybe the strength of connection might also play a part, I don't know. Good point. I mean, you've had no interaction

with walking pieces of armor. Nope. Glowing, radiant, flying creatures. Okay. Well, that's good news, I suppose. Well, we'll keep a lookout, and if any such threat does come, they'll have to go through me.

Thank you, Graf. Yeah, I hope that I could get away, but the way I see it, I was almost dead anyway, so any years that I've had since then have been a bonus that I wouldn't have had if it wasn't for Nim. I am sorry that if I've brought you and your friends trouble, little one. No. I knew that the legions sent hunters after deserters, but I did not realize they would be so effective.

And I hoped that our powers would not be noticed but after the demonic attack perhaps Gruff is right, perhaps what we did to stop that demon in Ashen's Rest, that is the sort of thing that a Celestial will perhaps one day find out about. Well by then we'll just have to move on somewhere else. Or perhaps now with allies we can stand our ground. Maybe. Isn't him talking to you? Sorry yes I'm sorry. Can you tell him, tell him that my protection extends to them as well of course. I could Graf doesn't quite understand. Yeah. Well, if it happens, then I will go down fighting. We won't allow that.

I mean, we'll fight, yes, but we will, as we have done with everything else, succeed. Yes. No, we're not going down. Yeah. Yes. Bunch of glowing armor, what does it know? Nothing.

Exactly. Exactly. I'm doing good things with powers, right? Yeah, exactly. But a lot of people don't... A lot of people don't understand it. I suppose there are complications when it comes to inheriting these powers that fundamentally change who we are as people.

I guess like yourself, Xanthius, me. These powers which may ultimately save our lives. They've not been without their own perils in a way. But something we should look into for Carla as well. It may be this has had more of an effect on them than we realise or that they've communicated to us. You might be able to guide them in some way. Let them learn their powers the correct way rather than hiding away in a small town. Well, they did have a very traumatising sounding first encounter compared to me. I didn't know what was going on because I was little. And Nim, I'm very grateful not be, grateful.

I know you are. To be alive and to have a friend, all good things. It would not surprise me if Asabriel, Asabriel's skills were very different to mine. I imagine that this Kala, her powers will probably be very different to ours. Similar, she was able to summon, I recognize, a celestial armament when I see one, in the same way that you are able to summon blades like I would use. But it may be that they have other powers as well, but different to ours.

Mine are more suited to you and to our ability to scout and to search and infiltrate. That was very much what my job was as a Celestial Scout, but as a gunner, as a siege gunner, colors would be very different. There'll be different powers, but there's still power there. It's a good friend to have, probably. With that, you guys are walking up, not quite there yet, but you now see this sort of broken down stone church. Perhaps once, long ago, this would have been a quaint down stone church. Perhaps once, long ago, this would have been a quaint little community church.

The kind of thing that pilgrims and people of the village would have trekked up on a holy day. The sight of the ocean looking out from atop these cliffs, like looking out on that beautiful horizon, hearing the river not too far away as it winds its way through the valley here, attending a service, perhaps burying one of their dead because you can now begin to see the illuminations

of gravestones and little mausoleums and things like that. This is clearly where the dead of this village of Nethagon Sea were once brought long ago. Probably not anymore. When you say illuminations, you don't mean spectral illuminations. Like, you said illuminations of the gravestones. Oh no, no, as in like, as the light is. Just in the illumination,

you can just make out like gravestones and things like that. You can see that parts of the roof have collapsed in, parts of the walls have broken down, most of it's overgrown, the actual gardens and the grounds are thick with vines and bushes and way too tall grass. This place has not been attended to in decades, probably. But yeah, you see this coming up before you.

Mateo's like, I don't, is it a good idea if maybe I hang back a little bit, you know, in case I could keep an eye out on the town? Behind the scenes, there's a big difference between dealing with like fish men and ghosts. I'm not sure what I can do against a ghost. It's entirely up to you, Mateo. I mean, this is ultimately what we do as an adventure party.

No, and I want to see you do excellent with it, with ghosts. If it helps, ghosts are actually not really that bad. Oh, really? Well, no, they're kind of well. You've dealt with ghosts before. You've dealt with ghosts before, yes. Oh, then it's fine. No, no, they're kind of well, I mean you've dealt with ghosts before You've dealt with ghosts before, yes Oh, oh, then it's fine No, no, not a problem

Their souls manifested in a different way than the physical, perhaps That doesn't make it sound better, but Xanthus' tone fills me with confidence But I don't think your dagger's gonna work, though You don't think it will work? No, because it's not. Is it magical? No There is a chance Well, or is it?

There is a chance that they could possess you or so. Yes. Oh. They're also more powerful at night. Ooh. Right? Walk through walls. Yes, yeah. Maybe I'll just... I'll stay outside. Do you want to make some games? I'll stay outside. Yeah, that's what I'm talking about. Like we said, if it's just a ghost, we'll be out very soon anyway.

And then we run. And then we run, go back to the coast. Sounds great. And then deal with fish people. Sounds perfect. I can watch and observe from out here. Yes. And if it sounds very exciting,

I will imagine you all being heroic for the song I eventually write. And then you can give me the crib notes. Yes, yes, all right, yes, okay. We'll do that. But yeah, you guys arrive. We do have a battle map here. Why? Why did you use the word battle?

Because it also helps with exploration to show where everything is. Exploration map. I have taken away some of the walls. The walls are there, but for the sake of the cam, the PTZ, being able to see it and everything else, I have removed them.

Oh, it's like Sims. It's like Sims. It's like Sims. You would notice immediately as you begin to approach the outside, you would see that out in the courtyard, there is a familiar looking statue. It looks very similar to the one in the town square,

but this is not made of driftwood, this is made of stone. Very clearly overgrown, stained with age, its features kind of been softened by time. Perhaps quite hauntingly as you approach closer, some of that staining looks like the saint is just weeping down its face. Great. The air is very cold as you begin to approach.

This is the end of summer. It should be warm even in this sort of late evening time, but there is a chill on the air here. And Gruff and Daisy, you two with your perception would notice this. Silent. Just the rushing waves up at the cliffs just below you. Maybe the sound of a very distant river rushing. There are no birds, there are no animals. here it is, deadly silent as you approach it. What would you guys like to do? How come you need high perception to notice silence?

It's more the, it's noticing the absence of it, because it stands out, right? There's still voices in here. Yeah, you're also, you've got your own thoughts going on, you're distracted by stuff. Listen, let me tell you, you know, as an ADHD person, I can walk into a room and not realize it's silent. Okay, all right.

How are we feeling? It feels familiar. Mm, yes. Very cold. Is the plan if it's a ghost to just leave or to deal with it? That's the plan, I think, yes. I think so because, well, a ghost will be confined to this area.

No immediate threat to the villages. I just... Obviously, I would like to help eventually, but our priority tonight is making sure the village is safe. Perhaps we come back during the day. There are spells that I have that would be better suited, you know, that I don't have right now. Um... But for now, we look.

If it is Coral's Song, we fight. If not, we leave. Okay, well... I-I mean, I could go in stealthily. I could turn into something and creep in. I think they'll probably know. Yes, the spirit spirit they probably most likely know we're already here.

Tyria very much was aware of when we were around. Well let me try something out really quick. I've kind of stepped towards the door. And I'll bring down my Gold Sight Eye, and I will cast Detect Evil and Good. Okay, you're gonna read that out for me? It uses all three of the charges in the Gold Sight Eye. Oh no, it doesn't, sorry, it only uses one.

Detect Evil and Good, for the duration, you know if there is a duration of 10 minutes, concentration, I know if there is an aberration, celestial, elemental, fey, fiend, or undead within 30 feet of you, as well as where the creature is located. Mm-hmm. Stood next to you. I know there's one.

Hello. You know if they've replaced their object within 30, that has been magically consecrated or desecrated as well. Mm. And it can penetrate most barriers, but it's blocked by one foot of stone. So that's why I'm going to the door. Okay. If it's like, yeah.

Sure. The other thing is, does the spell say if you know specifically or just if they're... If any of those creature types are there or is it like you know if there are like undead specifically or like... I think it's just something you'll cry about. Cause like, like you might get pings but like you would probably know that like the creatures that you fought before like Coral Song and that are probably gonna count as either elementals or aberrations. True.

Yeah, I mean, so the exact wording is, you know if there is an aberration celestial elemental fey fiend or undead within 30 feet of you, as well as where the creature's located. Okay, well you know that there is one, you get a sort of magical ping about 10 feet behind you, as Daisy is glowing. Yeah, I'm in admiration.

You would also, with that spell, about 15 feet behind you, there is a very weak aura around Rowan. Again, I'm not gonna tell you if it's Celestial or what, because I think you just get a ping of like an aura. Yeah. Well, I'm just trying to identify certain types of creatures around me, and... Within 30 feet of the door, you do not get a sense of anything.

Is the door open at all? No, doors are closed. I've got 10 minutes of this. I should be able to tell if any kind of undead is within the region. Do I get it for a failure as well? Yes, you would get a faint ping on it. Just everyone hit it, anything for you?

No. Okay. I cut. He's just a man, an innocent man. I'm just a man. Oh, well I'm here, I may as well side eye Mateo. I'm just man. Oh, well, I'm here. I may as well side eye Mateo.

Oh. That's a man. A god! He's a golden god. A man. Okay. Great. What, what are you looking for?

Do I have something on my face? No, no, no, no, just, yeah, just. I think he's checking what kind of aura you have. Yeah. A good one. Oh, yeah, yeah, high T aura. So, I should be able to identify if there is anything strange as we explore this place.

I do need to open the door. Give me a perception check. Me? Yeah. Me? What? Minus two to my persuasion. Ouch.

I can tell. Did the, if it didn't hit the, it landed. It landed straight. It landed straight. It landed straight. It landed straight. Great, 17. It went everywhere, bro. 17.

As you go up to the door. What's wrong with my perception? That's gone. Fuck. That was like your first dice I ever rolled. Tom's truest dice across the room for class listeners and it's gone for all attorney. Find it, find it.

Tom, as Xanthia steps up to the door and you get these pings, these auras behind you of your companions, these different auras, not quite sure exactly what, but some are stronger than others. You don't see anything in your magical vision, the gold sight eye almost kind of like blinking and flickering, a bit like a Saiyan scout, almost. It doesn't detect anything behind the door, but you think you hear something from further in.

Hard to tell where in this church because the sound is sort of probably bouncing around the stone, but it sounds like movement or something inside. Scrape of stone. A loud irritating buzz, no. That genuinely gave me a fright. Scraping of like wood or something,

kicking a piece of stone and it... But it's echoing. Wait, wait, wait, shut up. I think I can hear something in there. I think there is something in there. Okay. Could be critters, rats. Maybe it was like scraping or footsteps or something. I'm not sure if it was anything small.

You're freaking me out, Dantheus. I'm sorry, I'm just telling you what I heard. I'm pretty sure I heard something. I could send in Sarah into scout, but obviously she's quite obvious. Why don't we just go and introduce ourselves? It would be rude, after all, to just spy around a place and not

feel like he's like, no friends. I'm not against, you know, if it was definitely a ghost, but I don't know how Coral Song would feel if it turns out to be her. That's a good point. I think we're gonna have to go in anyway, so maybe send Saren in and then we can go in more prepared. Have I learned from the vault?

I mean, clearly no. No. Let's make any preparations we need to make then, friends, and then get ready to... Other than if it's a ghost, those sorts of preparations, but if it is Coral Song, then this is obviously much worse than we anticipated. The door in front of you, Xantheus,

these are quite big, thick, well-made wooden doors, kind of iron studs, and it has a large iron ring pull on each side to pull open. Doesn't appear, you can't see how it could be locked, you don't see, yeah, probably is like an old key door, but it's all rusted and like, if it has locked, this lock has long since seized shut. I mean, we could.

There are also some broken sections of wall around that maybe you glimpsed as you were walking up that somebody could try and crawl through or like climb into. Here on the battle map, it's to the further on the sort of western side, you have a couple of broken bits. There are also, I guess you guys wouldn't have seen this yet, but there's some windows and things like that as well.

Okay. But it's pretty obvious this door's gonna make a load of noise opening it, right? The amount of rust on it, it's like the wood is all swollen from like the damp and the moisture. It's definitely gonna, I would say you can estimate it's probably gonna at least be an athletics check to open it.

Not sure how hard that will be though. We could try and find like, are there winches on this side of it? Yeah, you can see, I'd say like, Ophelia and Gruff can see that there is a kind of broken... This is a solid wall. That's solid. It's just, yeah, for the purpose of the camera.

But this, Gruff and Xantheus can see that, well, it's not a window, it's a piece of wall that's kind of half-collapsed, and like, you could squeeze in there. It'd be like a check, you know, you wouldn't need to make a check, but you would need to squeeze and sort of clamber in. But you could definitely do that.

Maybe we should do, avoid. Quieter. Go for quieter. If it is a ghost, like you said, they probably already know we're here. But let's take a look along, along the walls at least. Maybe get a peek in as well. Maybe we can just see better.

Okay, where do people wanna move? Let's just go around the table and take it as if like you're doing an action turn. So just do normal movements and stuff. Gruffin will move up to the section of the wall that is broken. Five, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30. You can pretty much get all the way there, Gruff,

with your movement, yeah, absolutely. What about anybody else? Who else is moving? Because you're doing all this at the same time. Like a squire. Gruff will follow Gruff. Okay. Behind.

Ophelia will hang in the middle, either way, so if anything happens, I can go to either the door. So by the statue of Tylan here, basically? Yeah, I kind of want to maybe the other side of the statue from Ophelia. Right here? Like, just down that other corner. Yeah, there.

Okay, I'll go spicy with it. I'll go all the way to the back. You want to start moving all the way around the back, Xanthias, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30. So there's not a... So you get to the side, Xanthias, and you can see there is an old window here. It's broken. It looks like it was once a beautiful stained glass motif of Saint-Talon.

It's been shattered. You can see like animals have probably come in and out of it once long ago. You have to squeeze past some trees, but you can get here and start looking in as well. So with my 30 foot aura, do I get anything strange from the coffins there or? The coffins?

No. Okay. No, you don't get anything strange from the coffins, no. When you, yeah, so like you get to there, Xanthius, as you look in from this window, obviously nobody else knows this yet, you, this whole church, you get the sense that there is a desecration happened here.

Okay. This has, this is no longer holy ground. Okay. This has, this is no longer holy ground. And you can see when you look in this old Baptist fountain, probably like Saint Talan being a river god, there was a lot of rituals that involved water and blessings, it's cracked and broken. But it doesn't look like it's not naturally been broken,

or this isn't just aged. Like something fell into this fountain and broke it, and then it's collapsed and smashed. And looking down, you now glimpse blood stains scattered here and there. Old, old blood stains. Okay. While you're doing that, what's everyone else doing?

I peek through the window. I peek through the window. You peek through the window. So, Graf, you see what would have once been the old altar, set in the sort of the main end, the vestibule, or whatever you wanna call it. I can't remember the name. You can see there's a small alcove shrine. You can see that there are,

you've got a pretty decent perception, haven't you? 17, 18? Yeah, 17. 17. You would notice that he's gonna go get the seagulls. Bark at that, bark at that boy. Do it, Tom. That's right, you carry on.

One of the flagstones behind the altar. He's fighting it, guys. Like, it's fighting back. Tom? Sorry. Are you okay? He's been taken away. He's gone.

Ah! Oh my goodness. See, this is... You could hear the screech of when Tom opened the window and the seagull went, Ah! What if I came back and I had like a scratch down my face? You'd be fine.

I'm surprising. I honestly, if I were you, I would have come in like. Ooh! Guys, my eye! He took my eye! Gruff, you see that by the altar, one of the flagstones in the floor has clearly been moved, like something's underneath it. Ahhhh.

Like something, but it's not big. It would have been something small, like maybe somewhere that like a priest maybe could have stored something or like hidden something, like something valuable. Um, but you also see blood. Little old dried blood scattered here and there. Excellent. What do you see, Gruff?

No ghosts, right? We can go? There's something unusual underneath the altar. And I have to tell you now, Rowan, there's old blood in here. Old blood? Rowan and Gruff, when you look, and sort of Gruff draws your eye to this flagstone area around the altar, you begin to hear,

and you know that this is not a natural sense, this is a supernatural sense, rushing water like a river's water. Whoosh. You hear that tooth, right? Yes. But there's no water nearby. Unless there's a river, but it's not,

like you should, this is sound, as if you're like next to a river. This is sound, as if you could reach down and scoop water out of the river with your hands. Shhh. Probably very strange here. A little babbling brook. It doesn't sound wrong or ill will.

It sounds pleasant, this river. Which is strange because in this place you feel this horrid, cold stillness, and the two are not at odds with each other. What do we do, Captain? I'm gonna go in. Why? Because someone asked to.

All right, I'll follow you. You wanna boost? I mean. Boost me, boy. The two of you are athletic enough. Boost me. So Grog gonna have to boost me. You don't tell the dragonborn. I think he's far away.

I can see it. Oh shit. The two of you clamber in. Xanthius, you've obviously seen that there is some dark magic about this place. Like this place, there is a taint of undead, but right now you don't detect any specific locations of it. It's just the whole place is kind of.

So I do also get, with Detect Evil and Good, if it's been magically consecrated or desecrated. So has there been a magical effect in order to remove the consecration? No, you think that this is, I'm giving you this for free, you think that something happened here that has broken the holy ground. Sure, okay. Which would need to be pretty severe

to undo that divine bond. Maybe you begin to see, give me a perception check. Kadoke? What? How are you missing? I don't know, dude, I don't know. That's the thing I really did take a road. My perception is so low that I don't have that perception.

This is masterful role play. That was, yeah, it is. It's all roleplay. Unnatural one. Unnatural one. Yeah, like you have this magical vision, but whether it's being blocked by the stone of the building, you're like looking into it,

like you can tell that there is something here, but not quite sure exactly where. Please don't roll that one. Don't roll that! It's all right, no, it's fine. It's okay. Please don't roll that one. Don't roll that! It's all right, no it's fine. It's okay. Okay. Yeah, I can't tell. What's Daisy and Ophelia doing?

You've seen Gruff and Rowan clamber in. I will come up to the wall beside where they clambered in. So, sort of tuck yourself here? Yeah, I'll tuck myself there. Okay. Ophelia? What's happening? Yeah, I think Ophelia will follow Rowan and Gruffin

if they're going in. You're gonna go in as well? Yeah. Just clamber in. What's happening? Oh, silence. Oh, what's happening to you? You don't crawl in like that.

Sorry. I'm very creepy. I better feel it crawling upside down. Oh yeah, spider climbing. Yeah. Just really unnecessary. Sorry, sorry, I forgot myself. Did your limbs dislocate just then?

My ankles can go backwards when I do that. Oh, leave me on my own, everyone. Matteo's just gonna go out to the statue, like seeing everyone so he doesn't wanna be on his own. He's like, oh. Can I investigate but not touch the flagstone? Yeah, what do you mean, if you're not touching it, what are you doing?

I'm looking real close. I'm just looking real close. That would be a perception check. I wanna check for traps or some shit. So, if you're just using your eyes. Just using my eyes. Perception check. But he has...

Natural 20. He has his peepers peeled. For 27. Got those peepers peeled. I'm looking real hard at this. With that. It's like cup your enthusiasm. He can see back in time.

I'm gonna spend one on my fate. Oh! To add a complication to this. That falls out. You focus, but in that focus, you sort of lose track of what's going on around you a little bit, and you're gonna be a little bit surprised

by what happens. What am I gonna be surprised by, Mike? You go in, and you move a little closer. There's a dead sneeze. You fucking. Bah! You can see, peeking out from this little flagstone, you notice three things I'm gonna give you. You see, peaking out from this little flagstone,

you notice three things I'm gonna give you. The first is that this flagstone clearly would have looked seamless, but something has shifted it. Maybe it's erosion, it's caused just a little gap where you can see it's hollow underneath. And you see something gold glittering inside. And maybe what looks like pages, like of a journal or something, or like something wrapped up in like a waterproof thing.

Underneath there, clearly put in place. And that sense of that river really hits you. And you can feel that whatever is in there, you can feel that whatever is in there, there is something of divine magic about it. The other thing you notice, buried beneath a sort of small pile of stones, near the altar as well, you see a blade. Looks like it was dropped and it's been covered up

by debris and stones. And you can see that its design is a large shark's tooth that's been sharpened. And then around the hilt, rough fishing rope has been wrapped dyed red, has been wrapped around it. This, and it's unmistakably some sort of ritual weapon. Those are the two things you notice. The third is the blood stains around.

You, maybe absently your paw just touches it to see if it's like how old it is and things like that. As you do, and this is kind of the complication, there is a flash of a vision. Suddenly your friends vanish and this church is not broken and crumbled. Not to the degree that it is. You see almost these shadowy figures, a shadowy woman.

No, what are you doing? I knew that you're getting these catches of conversation. It's too late. You can't stop us. This is no place for you. You watch as a mob surrounds this woman. A mob surrounds this woman. They pull out these shark tooth ritual knives. You don't belong here.

This is our village. This belongs to the bounty of the sea. And they descend on this woman, plunging blade into blade. You glimpse past and in this vision, you see at the back, nearest the door, two halfling-sized figures, younger, watching. Fling-sized figures, younger, watching.

They too pull out small blades as their parents bring them forth to join in with the slaughter. As you finish touching it, things come back. That is the point where you hear this hushed, whispered voice. As things begin to drift from the floor, sorry, out of the floor, the floor, sorry, out of the floor. You hear doors lock in place. Whoosh.

That's a lot of ghosts. Yeah, it is. Rising from the altar, you see the shadowed figure of a woman bearing a staff, something golden glittering around her neck. Yeah, just hatred burning in their eyes. That's gonna be an initiative for everybody. Oh, man. Shit. That is four and then the?

And then the priestess spirit. And sadly, these spirits were perhaps lingering somewhere beneath in the earth or the stone. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Not appearing until too late. Oh, man. Daisy. 21.

Xanthias. 21. I imagine you're first. We'll put Daisy first with Rogishness. Gruff. 15. Rowan. 9. Excellent. Ophelia. 17. No, that's two, sorry. Two. No, it's nine. That is a nine.

OK, great. Mateo is a five. Cool. The Haunted Priestess. Were you in as well, or were you on the outside? Okay. I'm on the outside. Currently, yes. And then the spirits are 19.

All right, Daisy, you are the first to react to this. I am gonna say Gruff has the surprised condition because of that complication, because you were so focused in this vision has like completely overwhelmed you. But Daisy, you're the first act followed by Xanthias. You feel, all of you by the way, feel the air just drop in temperature.

I'm guessing that I can, Ophelia and Rowan are standing there, so we can't get through. You can move through your allies, they just count as difficult terrain. So climbing in would be difficult terrain, and then moving through Rowan, Ophelia, would be difficult terrain, so you would only have 10 feet of movement.

What I might do is come around to this gap in the wall. Mm-hmm. And. Five, 10, 15, 20. And then that would be 30 feet to get you inside, or do you wanna stay outside? I'll stay outside there just now. I don't wanna attack just yet,

I wanna see the priestess. Yeah. Right, cause we've heard that there was a priestess. Oh, yes you did, yeah, yeah, yeah, you heard the story that there was a priestess that came here and something happened. Yep, absolutely. So I don't know any and something happened. That something bad had happened. Yep, absolutely. So I don't know any context,

but I know something bad has happened, and knowing Tyria that something bad had happened and we managed to talk her down, my instinct is to say, we don't mean any harm, we're here to find out what happened. This black, and she's not, like, Tyria still appeared in this kind of bluey ghostly form. This is a shadow, a shadow of a woman,

red glowing eyes. Whoosh. What happened to you, can we help? Death. Pain. Who hurt you? Blasphemy. You can make a persuasion check if you would like.

That's my line. Get along so well. No. Seven. Seven. Your words do not seem to reach this creature. These spirits look very different to Tyria.

There is very little, like Tyria still had the horrific scars and things, but manifested as a person. These are like shadows that have been brought to life. There is barely anything to them. They are more just like drifts of spectral matter, given vague form. I think that's all I wanna do is say, please help us make it right.

And then I'm kind of gonna see. All right, sure. Do you wanna, yeah, I guess that would be your action, so Xanthias. Yeah, okay, I mean, I can see. It's not dark enough that I see, it's not dark enough that I can, it's sort of dim all the way to the end. I would say it's pretty dark,

there are no light sources here, so. But I mean I can see all the ghosts. I would say you can clearly see these two, I'm gonna say like vision right now is like dim light, so anything beyond sort of 30 feet is kind of shadowed, and not super visible, until somebody has a light source. Another thing I wanted to ask, and it's just a rules clarification as well for 2024, because this came up last time we did a surprise roll.

Apparently surprise is different in 2024. Oh yes, you're right, it is different. So it used to be that you would just miss your first turn. Now it's disadvantage on initiative. Oh, there you go. All right, in that case, Gruff, can you roll with it? So it depends. No, no, no, that's the new rule.

I sometimes get stuck in old rules in my head, so. So essentially, it just drops you down in initiative rather than casting you a turn. I mean, it's good, yeah. That feels like it's a good turn. But just means you'll be much later. In terms of what I want to do, I suppose I would be... Both these things are actually going to act

before Gruff, so it actually works out. Yeah, so I'm not going to enter. Okay. I think I can hear sort of Daisy talking to them and pleading with them. I haven't actually seen them make any offensive actions yet, including middle fingers. But I will do a held action.

Okay. So I don't want to just open up firing on these things. Okay. But if they do, I suppose, can I give the particular trigger that if any of the ghosts attack, I shoot one of the specific ones closest to me? Yeah.

In that case, I'll do that. If any of the ghosts attack me or party members, then I guess I'll just go for the closest one to you. Okay. That's also close to me. Yep, so north side of the church. With a traumatic orb. Okay, all right, perfect.

So you're just gonna hold your action with that trigger? Yes. Okay. I would lose to take Evil and Good because that's concentration. It is, yeah, unfortunately when you hold the spell. I detected them. Yes, they're here.

I can see them. The spirits are gonna go next. And these two are going to turn and they phase through the stone wall and appear on either side of Xanthias and they are going to attack you. Treat me like a sandwich. This one phases through this column

and in fact it's gonna phase through Rowan and Ophelia and you both take, the, this is just a spirit, you both take four points of cold damage as it moves through you. It kind of leaves this horrid, chilling feeling. One, two, three. Three points.

And this one is gonna do the same thing to you, Gruff, and it's gonna hover over this loose flagstone, and you are gonna take two points of cold damage. It was four points of cold damage. It was four points of cold damage. And then they're gonna attack. So they just do their damage as they move through you. They are insubstantial. And yeah, that is gonna be two

life drain attacks against Xanthias. 17 on the first. Yeah. And then. Life drain? Yes, 23 on the second. Okay, okay, fine. The first is gonna be six points of necrotic damage,

and your maximum hit points are reduced by the same amount. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. The second is 11 points of necrotic damage. And the same again? The same effect. Brutal. Oh my god. Oh yeah.

Wait, for how long again? I did not tell you a duration. Ruto. Oh my god. Oh yeah. Wait, for how long again? I did not tell you a duration. Yeah, that's not true. Ophelia, one's gonna do the same thing to you. That is only a seven to hit. No, it doesn't hit. You kind of sent, you know these creatures,

you have been warned about these creatures, and you know their touch is anathema to life, and so as it reaches for you, you do everything you can to get away from this thing. Gruff, that is gonna be a 24 against you, I'm afraid. Seven points of necrotic and the same thing, your maximum HP is reduced by the same amount. And then it is the haunted priestess's turn, I'm afraid.

She is going to turn, and to you, Daisy. Yep. Is gonna step through, and she is gonna use her, first thing she's gonna do is use her frozen touch ability. That is an 18 to hit. You're gonna take, nine, 11, 14 cold damage, and I need a constitution saving throw from you, please. This fight sucks already.

It's not, it's a very difficult one. Not impossible, but it is a tough one. Wandered into a high level dungeon. Not really. I know. A normal level dungeon. 13, I promise. 13, I'm afraid to say that until the end of your next turn

you are paralyzed as this freezing chill spreads through your body. And you cannot move, you just feel your body lock up from this chilling terror. It is then gonna phase back through the wall, and hover over here, and then Rowan is going to use its necrosis ranged attack against you for a 23 to hit. Where's my D10?

I need my D10. That is gonna be... That is 17 necrotic damage, and you are frightened until the end of your next turn. Oh. Ooh. That's good. That's running away.

That is there go. Just check if Stone's Endurance affects that. I'm going to take damage. Just doesn't say damage type, it just says when you take damage. I'm going to D12 reduce that. Okay. I need to shoot off my Chromatic Orb. You do, yes.

So they... Oh, that's right, yes. It should have been before the Wraithwing, but it won't affect that. Yeah, yeah. So would they have attacked first? You're... I would say that because you said attack, they would have attacked first? I would say that, because you said attack, they would have attacked first, so they are in melee with you.

So I need to do two concentration checks? Just make your attack, but make it with disadvantage. I'm gonna ignore it. Okay, well it's disadvantage anyway, because they're right next to me. Yeah. Um, um, um, um, chromatic orb. Did you reduce that, by the way,

while Tom does works this out? Yeah, I got it reduced by three. Oh, perfect. I rolled a one. Eight? It's not enough these things don't seem terribly hard to hit, but maybe it's the panic, maybe it's as they rush towards you,

just the spell goes wide, scorches past. It goes really wide, it goes right down the center of the church. Who's in the middle there? You didn't cross it. Yeah, unfortunately the Chromatic Orb fails to find purchase, but it is now Ophelia's turn, followed by Gruffydd.

Can I try something? You certainly may. Ophelia, I imagine she would walk up to the altar with a hand out towards the spectre, and in it would be spare the dying, and can she try and calm, like see the pain in her eyes and try and calm her down by using this healing energy?

You got such a high religion check earlier. You got the 21 right when you were like thinking about undead and stuff like that. I'm going to tell you now that you don't like, the only way to calm these spirits would probably be, these are like vengeful, these are not like Tyria. There is nothing really left to reason with. The only thing that is probably gonna put them to rest

is for the guilty party that did this to be served justice. You don't think that there is anything you can do or say to these spirits in this moment that is going to stop them attacking you. And I will tell you that because of that role you made earlier. Okay. Right, like, and that's not me to shut down the idea,

like these are very different creatures to what Tyria was. There is nothing really human left to appeal to. They are filled with nothing but hatred and spite and bitterness and jealousy of the living as well. Mm-hmm. I think knowing that, Ophelia, I think will turn to the party and just say, we should leave. Help is not going to reach these spirits soon.

And she'll start making her way out. From the end you can hear, there's ghosts by the way, we gotta get out of here. Yeah, and she'll start making her way to leave, not to try and aggravate them any further, but to just start backing. So do you want to disengage? I'd like to disengage.

And then just move away? And move backwards, yeah. Okay, where do you want to try and climb back out this window? Yeah, back out this window. Not too far away in case things go really bad, but just... 15, 20? Yeah, just to show them I'm not... So you move out and nobody else could have seen this.

You see Daisy just locked in place, like she is not moving. Like Daisy, she is paralyzed with, and you can see there's like, rhyme and frost built all around her, and she's just frozen in place. Can I move closer to Daisy then, with my remaining movement? I've got 30 left. Yeah, of course, you've got crazy movement.

Yeah, you can move right up to Daisy, and she is just, you can see her eyes are like, panicked and like, looking at you, but just even her face isn't moving. Yeah, I'll move right up to Daisy. And she is just... You can see her eyes are like panicked and like looking at you, but just even her face isn't moving. Yeah, I'll just nod to her. Okay. All right. That's your turn? Yep. Yeah, you disengage, that's your action, so we go to Gruff.

Can I grab what's under the flagstone? You absolutely can. You will have to reach through the spectre on top of it. I'll do it. All right. Take three points of cold damage. You plunge your paw kind of cracking the stone of the flagstone that was left,

grabbing whatever is in your hand, and you feel in this aura of cold, it's like grabbing a warm spring when you touch something metallic and papers, and you grab it and pull it up. You're holding a very battered journal when you touch something metallic and papers and you grab it and pull it up. You're holding a very battered journal and a beautiful golden necklace with a golden carp

that is sort of housing what appears to be like a little ampule, a little vial of blood, it looks like. And this golden chain is decorated with symbols of the psionic faith. And even the carp has got beautiful, like little stones and things in it. It looks a little bit like a reliquary, like a little, a holy relic.

Does it look like the one that's on Priestess? Yes, it does, yeah. And when you grab it, this spirit looks to you immediately. And is fully focused on you now. As she comes towards me, can I just say Saint Tifane, guide me. You, when you say that, you immediately feel connection with this thing. Like this, this is of Saint Tlan. Sorry, yeah, Tlan. Saint Tlan.

That's right. Saint Typhine, Saint Tlan. They're very similar. Saint Talan. Sorry, yeah, Talan. Saint Talan. That's right, Saint Typhine, Saint Talan, they're very similar, Saint Talan. And yeah, there is this immediate connection with this necklace that you know that this is a divine item of that faith. Maybe not a voice, but you, almost like a current of river is almost pushing you away. Like, taking you out of this place.

You feel this current, like almost wanting you to go away from this place and back towards the village, is what you feel. I would say that would be your action to grab the item. You still have your movement and a bonus action. Can I... There's two things that pop into my head, but I don't know what a DM would allow.

One would be to activate the armor of Oak and Thorn, and the other would be to put the Necklace on over my head. I would say you can put the Necklace on as a free action. It is a magical item and it needs to be attuned, so you're not gonna get the effects right now. But I'd say you can easily throw it on, and then you summon, as a bonus action, your green armor of wood and mist and oak forms around you.

Absolutely, and you still have your movement action. But you would provoke an opportunity attack from the spirit next to you. I'll wait here until there's more clear. Okay, in that case we go to Rowan. Rowan's right. Thank you. Yeah, so you can't move closer to the Wraith,

the Wraith, the black spirit of the priestess. You can't move closer to them. You have disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks whilst you can see that spirit. Okay, I'm gonna pivot round towards Gruff then, without getting closer. Okay. And then touch your shoulder.

Yes, you can move there. Give you heroic inspiration. Oh, don't. So you cannot be frightened and you have five tenth HP. Oh, so you cast Heroism. Heroism, sorry. Nice, yeah. Is that what I said? You said heroic inspiration, I was like,

that's not a thing. Bardic inspiration is a thing and heroism is a spell. I'm assuming you mean Heroism. Heroism, sorry. Nice, yeah. Is that what I said? You said heroic inspiration. I was like, that's not a thing. Bardic inspiration is a thing, and Heroism is a spell. I'm assuming you mean Heroism. I mix the two together. Yeah, that's a great spell. Heroism. So you're immune to being frightened, and you get five, 10 HP.

Gryffindor, I'm gonna be right over here, and I run away. Okay. Yeah. Yep. So five, so you move five, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, gets you halfway down. Yeah.

Okay. You got this. Perfect. All right. Mateo. Is everything all right? It doesn't sound very good. Ghost.

There's ghosts. What's wrong with Daisy? Is she all right? He's like peering from behind this statue, like, ooh, he'll move up a little bit, trying to get a better view. He's like, it's very dark, five, 10, 15, he gets up to this gravestone,

and then he sees you, Daisy, obviously like paralyzed. He's like, is she alright? She's frozen. You can do it! He'll bardic inspiration you for a d6. It's like, he could use it on the same throat, maybe? You can do it! He'll bardic inspiration you for a d6. Okay! It's like he could use it on the same throat, maybe? He's just like, don't be frozen anymore!

He's the best. But yeah, he's gonna stay back. That's his bonus action, and then as an action, if he sees a ghost, he's going to run away. He's going to take the dash action. Sounds like a good plan. Good plan. We go back up to the top and Daisy,

at the end of your turn, you are no longer paralyzed, but it does take up your turn, I'm afraid. So we then go straight to Xanthias. Hey, what up? So I need to get away from these ghosties, and I don't want to proc their attacks, so I'm gonna use my spells. Ghost ghosties.

And I'm gonna do that by using a Misty Step. Oh, that's a good idea. I would like to go basically down towards the coffins there. Yeah, you have to be able to see the point you're arriving at, right? So 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30. You can basically arrive on top of this. Oh, actually, sorry, before I do this, I see Rowan running towards the window. I want to yell to him Go towards the door. I'll try and get it open for you

And then I want to use my movement to get bonus action and then a 5 10 15 20 25 30 Yeah, you can get right to the door and then use my action to Athletics check please the wood is swollen from moisture in years and rusted nails and rusted bolts. Athletics, yeah, plus one. Yeah! Oh my god! Oh my god!

18. 18? 19. The draconic strength surges through you and yeah, you pull and pull, and you feel like metal rusty metal snap, and the doors fly open. Cool.

And I, yeah, I'll stay here. This way, Rowan, this way, this way, this way, this way, this way, this way, this way, this way, this way. Not the window. Not the window. Door. To the, not the window, to the door. Till the To the, not the window, to the door. Till the.

Till the switch turns to a minus four. Yes. I'm done, that's all I have. You're done? The spirits. I was like, is he gonna do it? Is he gonna say it? The spirits.

This one is gonna phase through the wall and come after Ophelia. Matteo's trigger action goes five seconds. He's like, ah, ah! Smart boy. This's like, ah, ah! Smart boy. This spirit is just gonna, it's actually gonna just phase through you, Gruff, unfortunately. Ophelia, it's probably gonna do the same thing to you as well.

Why wouldn't it? A great perception check. So Gruff, you take six points of cold damage, I'm afraid. Ophelia also six points of cold damage. Five, ten, fifteen, twenty, twenty-five, thirty. Five, ten, fifteen, twenty, twenty-five, thirty. Oh, they've blocked the door. They are going towards the nearest sense of heat, and they see all life and they're rowing these two,

they just through the wall. Alive. Holy silence above. So, Gruff and Sieska. No. Please, Sieska. Ophelia, a 15. Doesn't hit. Doesn't hit.

Uh, Gruffith, an 18. 17. Oh. That is gonna be seven necrotic damage and your hit points are reduced by that seven, I'm afraid. Um. That's rough. That's rough.

That's Gruffith. Uh, that is gonna be it for those two. Unfortunately for gruff, the bad news continues. I want 69 hit points. Hell yeah, the weed number. The Wraith is going to phase through you as well, gruff. And this one seems to, the cold is even more intense. Seven points of cold damage.

The cold is even more intense. Seven points of cold damage. And then, yeah, it's gonna use its frozen touch and its necrosis on you, because you are carrying its holy relic. The frozen touch is only a 12 to hit. Does not hit. Does not hit. Necrosis.

That means you're not gonna beef. 18 to hit. Does not hit. Does not hit, necrotic. That means you're not gonna be. 18 to hit. That just does to hit. Ooh, that's a lot of damage. That is gonna be 19 necrotic damage.

And you are frightened until the end of your next turn. That frightened is end of you. You cannot be frightened, you're immune. You are no longer frightened, Rowan, so. Well done, Rowan. Is heroism concentration? Absolutely. Then can you give me a constitution saving throw?

Because you did take damage from the creature moving through you. I did. You're not concentrating on your spells right now, are you? When did they move through me? No, they didn't, sorry, Athena. No, yep, you're totally fine, you're heroism, but you are no longer frightened.

Step off, bro. You're not frightened though, so you can go where you want. I was probably, I did the heroism, but it was not on the role to do it. Yeah, it was, yeah, it's fine, you can do heroism. Yep, it just happens. But you can move towards the thing now. Yeah, you can move towards the wraith now.

But Gruff, you are now frightened from it. You cannot move closer to it. No, but I can't. Oh no, you can't be, sorry, my brain, I'm only retaining. Basically, to recap, no fright. No fright. No fright. We then go to Ophelia. One of these spirits is right behind you.

Who is frightened? Oh wait. Don't throw me off, dude. Can I, like, if Daisy will let me, can I move Daisy, like, past me, past the church, just to get her, like, if Daisy will let me, can I move Daisy like past me, past the church, just to get her like the other side so she's not trapped? Well Daisy's no longer paralysed. I'm not frozen now, so I can move.

I would just dabble her, just so she can get... Oh shit. Oh sure, just so she can get a little... So to do that you would have to give up your action to grab her and then spend half your movement to move her. That would be your movement to move her. Yeah. That would be giving up your whole turn. Yeah. Okay.

You sure? Yeah. Cause I can move on my turn. Yeah, just to get you more out of harm's way. Okay, so you basically initiate a free grapple with Daisy, you then move her. Wee! Yeet.

Like basically behind you. Yeah. And then that's it. Thank you. That's okay. Yeah. All right. Just defensively standing between her and this ghost. Okay. Who, okay don't Tom, I'm gonna say Gruff.

Hmm. I'm gonna stand between the ghost and my friend. Don't think about it too much. Don't think about it too much. Don't think about it too much. She's doing what Ophelia would do. Ophelia would be protective. These ghosts are nasty. They...

Lacey, why is that so funny to you? Sometimes things just get Tom way. Sometimes I don't understand the things that get you. It's really good. It's. Sometimes I don't understand the things that get you. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's really good. It's really good. It's got me. Hold back spirit, you shall not pass.

Uh. Uh. Uh. Uh. Wait a minute. Uh. Uh. Uh.

Is it me? Uh. Uh. You're right, Akeen. Nah, it's probably not the right place for it. I was thinking about jumping with my bunny jump, but I don't's probably not the right place for it. I was thinking about jumping with my bunny jump, but I don't think it's the right place for it. There is a roof to this.

You said bits of it were broken. Bits of it are broken? No, it's not broken. Not enough for a man to jump through. You're lying, man. Don't worry, friends. I'm not lying. Grab the hero.

Duck, ow. And his neck is snapped. He's dead. Drop the hero. Duck, ow. And his neck is snapped. Yeah. Joran, he's dead. He's dead, he's dead. God, so Joran's absolutely dead on the beach. He's not dead. Yeah.

Yeah, I knew when I said, like, go tell, I was like, yeah, I'm gonna regret this. Like, oh, is there someone else in your party? Yeah. Oh, like, yeah, when Jameson was like, there's someone else in your party? Yeah. Oh, like yeah, when Jameson was like, there's someone else in your party. Anyway, I will. It's an action to disengage, right?

It's an action to disengage, yes. I will disengage. Rowan is beckoning. I disengage. Okay. I'm gonna move back out. Which way do you wanna go, through the window or follow Rowan?

Or through the wall? I'm gonna, Kool-Aid man, window or follow Rowan? Through the wall. I'm going to Call Aid Man, just squeeze out the hole. Five, ten, this is difficult terrain, so 20, 25, 30. Which way do you want to go? Away. You have 35. You have 35. You want to go another five?

Yeah, another five. And then can I use my bonus action to cast Healing Word on myself? You absolutely 35. You want to go another five? Yeah, another five. And then can I use my bonus action to cast Healing Word on myself? You absolutely can. It's a bonus action? Yeah, yeah, it is a bonus action, yeah. You haven't cast a spell. I haven't cast a spell. Yeah, you can cast Healing Word on yourself.

I will leave that to you. I am going to cast it at... second level. Okay, well I will leave you to do that on your own so I can move on to Rowan, please. I can do it on my own. Hiya. I'll monitor, don't you worry.

Rowan looks ahead of himself. Yes. Him with healing, he's like, I wanna see the exact cropping number. Ghosts in front? Yes. I don't know. Count that for me.

Ghosts behind. There are many ghosts at this point for Rowan. Rowan uses his hands and does a square, creates a dimension door, and walks through it. Great. Oh, you have to mention to her the best part of the game. Where did you get that? Where did that come from? Where did that come from?

He's got it. So do you need to see the space you're going to? Where have you been hiding there? He's got it. So do you need to see the space you're going to? Where have you been hiding there? Location within range. So you can just- You're exactly at the spot desired. It's what 500 feet?

It'll be a place you can see- You can be down the fucking hill. He's in the village. So he's not quite in the village. He's on the boat. He's not quite that far. But like if you wanna get out beyond the cemetery, like beyond the church,

you can absolutely be completely gone. This way Rowan, come through the door. I just have a good disservice. I make my own door. You like move here, you look at Xanthius, and he just goes, whoop. We gotta work on your communications, buddy. Bam, well, he's dead.

I will go beyond the wall. Okay. And out of existence. Basically down the street, from like down the hall. Yes, come and see ahead what's going on. Okay, yeah, you just absolutely book it, amazing. Perfectly safe. Mateo will dash and basically go find Rowan.

Mateo is fucking out of there, dude. He saw what those ghosts did to Daisy and Ophelia and he's like, no! Smart boy, he's gonna last long. Daisy. Hi, I would like to run and then dash and then run again. You are fucking outta here.

Yep. Yes! Xanthius. I will, I'll move to the gap, because I want to make sure that Ophelia can break away from these things, just in case someone gets frozen in place. I don't have a way to stop that from happening. Okay.

So that's it. All right. Do you want to hold an action, or? I am- Cast a defensive spell? I'm just going to do a cantrip, Do you want to hold an action or? I am... Cast a defensive spell. I'm just gonna do a cantrip because I want to preserve my spells knowing that we have to go back to town and start killing.

Okay. I'll just do a sorceress first. You don't know that, but sure. The ghost of necrophilia. Okay. So I have to make an attack roll, which is gonna be this number right here. In the tray, holy crap.

That's right. 15. It's... Hell yeah, 2d8 of a damage type of my choosing. And I choose to do four. That's pretty bad. Four fire damage. Okay, as the fire, as the magic of the fire damage hits the creature, you see that because it is unsubstantial,

it is partially resistant, so it takes two fire damage. But it is a blaze. Two, baby. Is it, it's a ghost, it's not set on fire, unfortunately. No, it's also a sorceress burst, just doesn't do that. Yeah, doesn't do that. Anything else, Senteas?

This way! We're running from ghosts, we run from ghosts. Gruff, you are the closest source of life I'm afraid. Five, 10, 15, 20. Did he just say I'm alfai? No, he said I'm dead inside. I think I'm just alfai. No.

He's alfai. 50. I guess he is. Yeah, anyway. We all are. Yes, that's not really a surprise to anyone. They can't get through you, they only have enough movement to do it,

but you are surrounded by ghosts, Gruff. This one is going to move through you, Ophelia. My life. 10, 15, 20, and Gruff. Damn, they pissed. So Ophelia, you take one cold damage. Gruff, you also take one cold damage. And then all four of them are going to attack Gruff.

Oh my god. Is that because Gruff has the necklace? These things just, so the one that could move through Ophelia and Gruff, they tend to basically try and get to living creatures. I'd say that also Gruff is surrounded by like primal life energy of his armor, so it kind of makes sense that they go after Gruff.

So this is gonna be four attacks coming your way, Gruff. 17 on the first one. the primal life energy of his armor, so it kind of makes sense that they go off Agra. So this is gonna be four attacks coming your way, Agra. 17 on the first one. It is 17. That is unfortunately a hit. Next one is a miss, only a nine. Third one is, that's cocked. Stop getting cocked.

That is gonna be 23. The last one is an 11, so two hits. First one is seven points of Necrotic and reduce your hit point maximum by the same amount. Next one is nine Necrotic and reduce your hit point maximum by the same amount. Damn. That is all four of those spirits go. Then comes Big Mama. Then here comes the Big Land.

We can't delay Cruff's quest if there's no Gruff. I'm really stressed. Can't get to Gruff. Oh! So it's gonna go after a fee. Disappointed that that's your thought. Frozen Touch against Ophelia. I will wear Gruff's thing.

That is a... I will wear Gruff's thing. That is a... I will wear Gruff's thing. I will wear Gruff's thing. On grass. The half giant free as well. Yeah. That would make a good town. It would be a good town. It would be a good town. It would be a good. On the half giant fruit as well. 22.

That makes a good turn. It will be a good turn. It will be a good turn. It will be a good turn. That is gonna be 11 points of cold damage and a constitution saving throw, please, Ophelia. Oh no. Oh no.

Constitution saving throw, can I fate it? Can I fate it, please? Yes, do it, fate it. 22, 22, 29. Oh, 27. Oh, good, good, good, good. So you succeed. On a success, you are still slowed, so your movement is reduced by 10 feet. Oh no.

Uh. Wow. I could only move 400 feet. And then it is gonna necrosis its ranged attack against Gruff, because you do have the necklace. 19 to hit. Oh. I'm gonna spend a fate to add Against Gruff, because you do have the necklace. 19 to hit. Oh no. I'm gonna spend a fate to add point of damage

to this as well. Oh, of course you would. So this is, where's my d10? I was about to say something super weird. Just say it anyway. Which just almost fell out of my pocket. You were gonna call me the C word again, weren't you? Yeah you were.

I knew you were. I knew. 16 points of necrotic damage damage and you can't be frightened. Can't be frightened? Fuck off. You can't be frightened. Every time. Why me?

Because I love you so much. Well, it doesn't sound like you do. These insults are my love. This reminds me of that. My favorite of our shorts. On our shorts that you can go and watch. That's what I've been telling you all this time, Dom! Oh, I'm sorry.

I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Oh, this reminds me of that. My favorite of our shorts. That's so nice to hear. That's what I've been telling you all this time, Dom. Is that the same for everyone? I don't know, maybe.

I'm smart, it's like, it's a love language. That is all of the bad guys. So we go to Ophelia. Run! Disengage! Book it! Disengage and book it out of here. So you're just gonna run? Yeah.

I mean, even with your crazy movement, that's what, 80 feet? 90 feet? Well, no, you can't dash, so you'd get 10 feet reduced, so you disengage as an action, then you can go 40 feet. 40 feet. So I'm assuming you are gonna go around, you're not gonna move through these creatures. I could try their tactic, I guess, and just, no.

Do you want to? No, no. Do you want to? No, no. Five, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40 gets you to here. Because you do have to get these graves of difficult terrain, so. So you are still there, unfortunately. That's your action, your movement. After Ophelia, we go to... Gruffus. Oh, yeah.

I probably should disengage, really. Mm-hmm, mm-hmm, mm-hmm, mm-hmm. But, yeah. Cough, cough, cough. It's that life drain. Disengage. Suck it out of you. Disengage and then run. Run. So 35 feet.

Five, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35. Just on the cusp. Can I do a little heel? 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35. Just on the cusp. Can I do a little heal? It sounds like you need to heal in real life, bro. I do. Yeah. I'm gonna bonus action heal. No, can I bonus action heal myself?

Yeah, you've actions, you've moved, yeah, you still have bonus action. Yeah, I'll do a little tickle heal on myself. Okay. So carry on, will I just? I would love to. Well, at this point, basically, Daisy, Mateo, Rowan,

you guys are like down the road. So I'm just going to count you guys out of the initiative, which means it would go to Xanthias. Hi there! So nothing I can do to just push a feeder over this wall here and out of the fight. I mean, you can try and do the same thing.

Move up to a spending action, and then you would be able to like move like behind you, but it's not gonna get a sort of, you know, you're not sure where the boundary is as well. Obviously we know there's a battle map, and I'm not gonna chase you too far off that, but you don't know if the boundary is the wall or not. Today.

What would you like to do? I will do, just drop another Sorceress Burst on it. Oh shit, we're well over, we're well over time. 20 past. It's 20 past. Oh my God. Lol, we're having just so much fun.

In that case. My house is downstairs. In that case. What did you tell us? Did you know? Oh fuck him. Sorry Ted. I'm having a fight.

In that case I'm just gonna take two steps back and just. Get out of there. Yeah. Can I push Gruff? Yeah I mean like if you wanna just grab Gruff and like haul in the extra feet. Yeah absolutely.

That's what it looks like. Perfect. It looks like. All right. So what this comes down to is now all of these ghosts are gonna descend on Ophelia. No!

I mean, Gruff does still have the necklace. Yes, but these things also go after the thing with like closest to them in the most likely. The wraith will probably still, the wraith will do the same thing. It will go for Ophelia and then it will try and range attack Gruff and you are potentially still within its range.

So you are still gonna get a range attack. But I think the spirits literally do this. Oh, sorry. You know what? Fly around and just surround you. I was trying to find a spell that I could use to actually help you here. And I will do. I've got... I know this is going backwards in time because I did just leave.

But I do have Sanctuary. Okay. I ward a creature within range. Until the spell ends, any creature who targets the warded creature... Now, the thing with that is that would be your action, you wouldn't be able to move Gruff. It's bonus action. Oh my god, sanctuary's a bonus action?

Alright, so you cast Sanctuary on Ophelia? Yes. Alright, so I have to make saving throws, don't I, to attack? Wisdom saving throw, or choose a new target, or lose the spell. No, so these things are basically gonna surround you. Two of them are gonna pass through you.

Now this isn't an attack, so I'm gonna say that they can just do this because they just move through you. That is another nine points of cold damage for both of them. And then all four of them, so wisdom saving throw. First one, wisdom saving throw. 15. That is a 13, fails.

Next one, 16. Damn. Next one, 16. Damn. Next one, four. Nice. Three, so yeah, basically only one manages to get the attack. Nice, that's awesome. That is a 21 to hit though.

Yup. For six points of necrotic and your HP is reduced by that amount. Height pie. Height pie. And then the big scary one. Which can just get to Ophelia. Doesn't look so wise though.

Oh this one is very wise. Was a priest. Yeah. It's got four fate as well. Yeah I don't tend to use it on saving throws though. I will add it to damage though. That is a 25 wisdom saving throw. Yeah.

Frozen Touch on Fleetmeer. Oh, shit. That is a 13 to hit. Doesn't hit. Doesn't hit. And then it's necrosis towards Gruff. That is very cocked. That is a 26 to hit you Gruff.

I will spend a fate to add a point of damage. Did you wisdom that one? They, it's per creature, right? They multi-attack, so it gets it. You're so right. I know I'm right. 25 necrotic damage, and you are, well you can't be frightened.

Step up. But yes, this blast of necrotic energy, as you are being pulled across with Xan But yes, this blast of necrotic energy as you are being pulled across with Xanthius, this blast of necrotic energy. Thief. Kind of pull, collapses into your back. Ophelia. Yeah, I think Ophelia would just look at the ghost

and just say, we will help you. Just please leave us alone. And then you just book it out of there. All right, you are gonna probably take one little bit of cold damage because they've surrounded you. Three more points of cold damage, but you are out. And all of you, you continue running. You run down the sort of pathway

away from the church a little bit. You catch up with Rowan who had teleported back and you guys arrive down this sort of dirt, you know, overgrown pathway, looking back, and you just see these specters floating at that sort of walled outline of the graveyard and the church. Their red eyes just staring your direction,

and then one by one, they just fade into nothing. and then one by one they just fade into nothing. And that is where we will wrap things up. Okay. For today's session as we have already gone over. Nice, nice, nice. Yes. If we look down at the town, there's not like, an assault also happening down there as well.

I'm gonna save that for next week, Tom. It's not a pile with a daeva attached to it. We'll find out next week. Okay, carry on. With that, that is the end of today's episode of High Rollers. Thank you so much for joining us, everybody. We will see you next time for more of Fair the Dragon Empire. Nice!

Take care. Bye-bye. Bye! See ya. See ya.