High Rollers DnD - Fury of the Tarnished | Altheya: The Dragon Empire #111 (Part 2)

Episode Date: July 23, 2026

Xantheus' desperate fight continues in the Academia as the rest of the party race to his aid! Can't wait for Part 2 of each episode? Join our Patreon to get early access EVERY week (+ a few other bonuses)! www.patreon.com/HighRollers⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ _______________ Boost your Charisma with some HR merch! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://highrollersdnd.teemill.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Add official High Rollers Minis to your TTRPG collection here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://only-games.co/collections/high-rollers⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Bless your table with the Clever Toad Dice Set: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://dispeldice.com/collections/high-rollers⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Enhance your bath time experience with the official Altheya themed DiceBombs at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://geekyclean.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.highrollersdnd.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for all the latest HR News! Love the podcast? Give us a glittering 5 star review! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/high-rollers-dnd/id1401508198?see-all=reviews⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Music courtesy of Epidemic Sound, TCT Adventures (Solasta: Crown of the Magisters), Monument Studios and Jolene Khor! Check out Jolene Khor and all her wonderful work on High Rollers on Spotify: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/artist/1WX3ICiTmf4GpHwImnQMs6⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠v Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Pickax. Gregus believes in the art of living in choosing the pleasurable over the practical. It's why we craft our premium vodka in France using pure spring water from Jenzac. And why you hear the celebratory pub of our cork reminding us to make every martini cocktail count. So go on and make every moment count because there's no better time than now. Regus, make time wait. Sip responsibly. There's no shortcut for saving time, but saving money is simple.

Just combine your car and home insurance with Bel Air Direct and save. Get a quote at bellair direct.com. Welcome back to part two of Orfea the Dragon Empire. Our heroes, well, one of our heroes in particular, is currently fighting for his life against two agents of the diadem, who have tracked down and, cornered Xanthius Oregon inside a magical training room in the academia where he is fighting them off. The rest of the party are racing as fast as they possibly can using spells and wild shapes and everything they can to get to him as quickly as possible.

Guards have been alerted and are hopefully on their way, but we jump back into the action as Xanthius. Yes. The mage. who you had, just in Syria, is barely on their feet. Big fiery thing line, yeah. They are going to stagger back. That's the wrong guy, isn't it? Oh no, you're right.

25. They stagger back all the way to the door. Okay. As they stagger back, they are gonna kind of throw their hand back and three blasts of arcane power. Three like force, no, these are, glass of magical force are going to launch towards you. They can't miss, can't because it's not a magical missile.

That is a 14 to hit. Does hit. I may as well shield. Well, you said that your arm, it should be 13 plus your decks, right? Which is one. Oh, so 14, so meets it beats it. Yeah, but... You can shield.

You have your reaction back. I know gaming it a little bit. I know the rogue is about to go as well. I call it the rogue, but... Don't forget shield lasts... Just forever, actually, it's crazy. Until the start of your next turn. Yeah, so I may as well shield.

Shield, so you throw up your shield of runes, this force arcane burst slams against it. The second one is only a 12. Great. 11, terrible dice rolls. I'm just blowing, radiant fire right now. Huge radiant, fiery shield in front of you as these arcane blasts kind of bounce off.

I think that maybe actually. Well, I can oar farmer, little bit. One of them comes straight to my head, but I tilt it to the side. I can do that, right? Sure. I'm actually going to have them slightly move off to the side and take sort of like partial cover behind one of these pillars.

Rather than running to the door, we're out in the open. Yeah, I think that generally that is literally all they're going to do. The majors go, yeah. So that's the end of the round. All right. So end of the round, we now roll to see if our guards are 40% chance this time. Okay. So one to 40. 40? 64, I'm afraid. Sorry, 94 actually. So not this time, but 60% chance.

So incompetent. Myra rules very high. Yeah, I think. Well, I feel like it follows the tradition of MPC guards where just NPC guards are terrible. They're like making their way, because don't forget the academia is a massive place. They're searching these magical training rooms, but the doors locked, they can't hear sound coming from it. So they're literally opening doors and searching where they can. but they just haven't got to the right one yet.

So we jump up to the front, and the spy is going to take his turn. Okay. Step to me, Calvert. I don't say that in real life. That was not canon. This is where you can say it. I suppose.

You're in a locked, silent room. They're trapped in here with me. Sound free from me. Tell them all your things. I think that they've seen that you've got a pretty hardy constitution. Yeah. So he is just going to step up.

Okay. And yeah. In fact, actually, to be cool, he will fire his hand crossbow once as he closes the distance and then make two attacks with the blade. Okay. So, for benefit, Fury of the Tarnish, the Manor Zone. Yes. So just a reminder, resistance to physical. You can reduce physical and fire damage by spending heat.

Yes. And you'll roll a number of heat and then you reduce the damage by that amount. Yes. And you gain more heat as long as you maintain the manor. zone. You can also spend heat to boost, boost fire damage as well. Got it, got it, got it, got it, got it. And there are passive benefits depending on how much you have. Yes. First attack, the bolt from the hand crossbow.

Oh my God, I'm rolling so dog shit on these guys' attacks. You're rolling story, rolling story. 13 to hit. Yeah, great. He doesn't. Literally bounces off the magical shield, closes the distance, switches to the blade knife. Yeah. Oh my God. 12 to hit what is happening. I didn't even need to shield it. Don't start.

No, no, no, no. Bird attack. Don't glow. Okay, that's better. 27 to hit. That's higher enough to be shield. You see the second gem on his ring is going to glow and activate as the weapon becomes coated

in a new type of poison. Okay. So this one is another constant. Institution saving throw. Alright, I'll do that first. You are good at those. Annoyingly. Yeah, let's fate it, yeah.

Yeah. You're fate? Yes, yeah. I got two nat 20. Oh, I just saw that roll over. Oh my God. Half damage and you don't suffer other effects. Well, let me just say it was 31.

Okay. So yeah, you are, so this poison, you're gonna take half poison damage from the poison. poison gets poisoned by him. No. This, there is an extra, so there are two effects from this poison. One you resist, it would have poisoned and slowed you. Okay.

You resisted it, if you take half damage. However, if this poison reduces you to zero hit points, you are instead reduced to one hit point and fall unconscious. It's like a knockout poison. Cool. And that still triggers even though you've saved, because it depends on if it gets you low enough. Yes.

So let me roll this. This is gonna be halved, because you succeed. say you succeed. Yeah, I want to also note that I also have loads of runes right now. You do. Because I, because of all the sorcery points I spent as well. You have loads of ruins and you've got your heat as well. Right, but this is going to be a lot of damage.

Yeah, yep, yep, yeah, yeah, yeah. So that's halfed, that's the poison damage. And then this is going to be plus half a level. And I spent it on a level six, I use two. So I get six runes. Is that how it works? When spending sorcery points on a meta-magic option, when casting a spell,

you gain a number of charged rooms equal to the amount of sorcery points spent plus half the level of when I spend it on a chain lightning. So it'd be half the level of the spell, so it'd be three. Three plus the one sorcery point I spent, and I did it twice. Eight? Wait, what do you mean you did it twice? I used it on transmute and the empowered spell. Oh, okay. Oh yes, that's right. Transmute and then Empowered spell.

and then empowered. Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's true. I'm going to say... No, that's right. I feel like it doesn't. No, that's right. Because empowered specifically you can use on a spell

if you've already used a sorcery meta magic. Okay, well, it's good to know. I'm glowing as bright as a candle right now. So important to know. I do have some bad news for you. Okay. 24 physical damage, 19 poison damage. 24 physical 19 poison puts me at 33.

I have 31. I'm going to use some runes to... It would put you at 43. Oh, 43, sorry. Forty-three down... 12 over... I've got 31 right now. I need to burn some spells. Burn some ruins. And you've got your heat as well.

Which is a D-6 for each essence run I spend. Okay. So, if he's doing 40, I will burn 8. So 8 D6s. Eight runes? You can have no limit? I don't believe so. When you take damage,

I should know this, but you spend any number of charged ruins as a reaction. I mean, he's using all of them, basically. 86. I use shield. But I can use my heat. You can use your heat.

You can use your heat. It's not a reaction. But you can only do that on the physical damage, not the poison damage. Okay. So if I burn all for heat, because I think that's the only way I'm surviving this, I have to. So 4D6 reduction.

Sorry, there's a lot of numbers, I know. 3, 6, 7, 12 reduction on 4D6 is not great. 12. So that basically takes the physical damage to 12 damage, plus the 19, 31. No way. No, I'm at 31. He's at 31.

Oh, you're at 31. That's exactly the end. Exactly lethal. Exactly lethal. Damn it. He's got nothing else? Do I have anything else? I mean, I don't have a reaction

because of the shield. I definitely don't have a reaction because I haven't had my turn. Yeah. Not yet. Fuck. Do you have your Fiola? Yes.

Yes, I do. Oh, actually, no. your Fiola won't come into play because it doesn't kill you, it knocks you out. When a character is at zero HP and must make a deaf saving throw, but he poisons, so it knocks out. It's going to be enough out. But you might be in luck, because there are still guards,

you might arrive. I have an unreliable, immovable rod. You click that as you go down. They're not taking me with you. You can't take me. You put it through your pants and click it. Like, you have to take me without my pants. Unfortunately.

Yeah, no, I think, I think. That is so... And you definitely calculated it's 12, not 13. 6, plus 5. 11. Plus 1. 12, yeah. Did you have, like, you know, the tarot card or anything?

No, I burnt that a long time ago, yeah. That's, yeah, that's it, I think. Look, if there's someone in... He's desperately like... No, I know. If there's someone in chat right now who's got, like, a suggestion or something, sorry, I missed it.

I'm damned. I mean, it's unfortunately, because you shielded and you don't have your reaction, because otherwise those runes would have absolutely saved you. Yes. Yes. Let me make sure I got my damage, right? Um, innate sorcery doesn't help me, no.

No, it doesn't. Okay, so that's that. Shit. I mean, you lasted a long time. Three rounds. Yeah, and I've calculated the damage correctly. So what happens is, this. person dashed through. All of these other attacks have been deflected from your shield.

The air around you, as you see the weapon kind of plunging towards you, you concentrate and focus all of that heat, all of that flame in the room, and you actually watch as the blade begins to melt and it's almost being pushed back by the raw heat of the pressure, you know, of the manor zone. Dumb, dum, dum, but then something snaps and the blade cuts through and kind of cuts into you where you've been sort of battered before and you just feel your mind sort of real and this heavy intense sleep overcomes you. You are at one hit point, Xenthius. You are not dying, but you have the unconscious condition. Okay. And you basically have to be like woken up

violently. An act creature can take an action to... I mean I'm happy to... I'll take that over death saves. But I have some good news. Unfortunately the Manor Zone, ends, all of the other effects end. Yeah, it burned all the hair as well, so yeah. They, what you guys don't see is like this person, then the mage, they come

over to your body and they start sort of preparing to get you out of here. That is the end of the round, and that brings us to the guards role to see if the academia worm guards arrive. 60%. 60, yeah.

Not to 60. 44. Oh! You want... Goodness as... The doors open. Oh, I did put... Stop right there, criminal scum.

Yeah. I mean, it's also because of your... That 20 on persuasion as well, right? The door is... I broke the doors. The doors are broken. It's broken. It's broken.

But stepping in, you... Nobody sees this, but stepping in are... three guards, all dressed. One, all dressed in the central division of Kelskaris' worm guard armor. So the purple tabards with a slightly iridescent metal armor. These are the elite guards.

And these are, you know, they look after the academia. It's a very important place to look after. The one in front, a woman, a slightly older woman, human woman has her helmet off. And, you know, is the one who enters we've had reports of and then seize the scene two arms

and then they just draw you see these two diadem agents like whip round and yeah this is basically like we now enter like a whole other thing I think that because it's still the guard's turn

this one she steps to the side and she speaks a command halt and you see this magic wave out of her she casts the command spell on both of them. The mage succeeds, the spy fails. That means on his turn, he can do nothing.

He cannot move, he cannot take actions, he cannot do anything. The other two step in and basically seek to basically apprehend them. And I think that you can see the mage is looking around, not sure what to do, you're unconscious on the floor. They can clearly see that a battle's taking,

This mage looks burnt and beaten. And I think that these diadem agents just in a panic don't quite know what to do just yet. So these two knights are gonna make an attack, two attacks each. The first one hits with one attack, the second attack misses. I'll do all of this together. Nat 20 for the other guard.

Oh! So this is gonna be... They don't do a lot of damage, keep in mind. These guys aren't like superheroic heroes. That's gonna be 10 points of damage from the regular attack. and then, oh my god, max at 20, plus 25. Literally the mage is knocked unconscious by this guard. This guard just comes in, literally,

stop right there, criminal scum. Knocks over with the halberd, like spins the staff around, just knocks them out. Doesn't kill them, specifically knocks them out. He's very cool, I'm very thankful. How much health did they have left? The mage. The mage had 18 health left.

18, okay, okay. You were very close. And in fact, actually, if the male... If you'd kept the manor zone going, he would have taken some fire damage at the start of your turn as well. Oh, nice. So it's very, very close. That is, that is all of the guards on their turn.

The spy is halted. So that was at the end of their turn. It would be the spy's turn. Can do nothing on his turn. Zanthius, you're unconscious. Is he going to be like save or anything? No, it's just you are like knocked out, basically. You are unconscious until someone wakes you.

The sort of spy comes out of the command spell and looks around, and I think just throws his hands up. He's like, I surrender. Nice. I don't, you know, don't hurt me. I surrender. I submit. The woman, the commander, like, basically points

and is like, take him into custody. And the two guards go to grab him, put his arms behind his back. He drops the weapons and stuff like that. And is beginning to be frog marched out by these guards. and then I think the commander will come up to use Xanthias. And she doesn't know the full story here, so I think that she is going to sort of check you over to check you. Oh, shit.

You're unconscious. Does find the corrupted arm. I don't know if this is worse. And I think that there is definitely an element here of she does not know what's going on. I don't know if she would take off your shirt to check your chest or anything like that, but the arm is a lot harder to hide. Maybe doesn't know what it is yet.

You're not really sure, but she knows that something's going on, and I think that she will wake you, so she spends an action to wake you up, but there is like a hand on your chest, and you can see that she's got a sword in her hand, and she will just say, as you start coming to, like, easy? Where am I? Where am I?

You're in the academia. There was an attack. The one with the knife, where is he? He's in custody. We need you to answer a few questions. We don't know what happened here. We had reports at the churning rooms. Something had happened in them.

Where are my friends? I don't know. What friends are you with? What are their names? Grothoran, Daisy. Doesn't know if he is on the way. No. And you are...

Your name? Zanthius. I'm Zantius. I have a pass. I'm allowed to be in here. I... May I see it? Will look down and see my arm is revealed. Mm-hmm. And it's like... Pale.

Like... I mean, do you want to make an insight check? It's... Yeah. I think it's... yeah. It's more like, you know, there's... He can't hide his reaction to seeing that his arm is out right, but sure. No, this is more to get a read on her reaction. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

What's happening today? My guy, my guy. You're probably like a god today. It's insane. There is clearly something in the weave of fate today because an ambush that should have taken you out, that should have had you in the hands of the diadem, you have survived, but also,

you get the impression that this woman does not recognize Crown still corruption. Like, she is an elite guard of the city, of the city, but probably has never seen in her life. God, I'm fucking do. And I think like she checks you over as like, your arm, is it all right? What has, what happened to it?

Did they, did the attackers do this? Yes, yes, they were casting spells, the mage. Are you hurt? Very, yes, I can heal myself though. No, no, no, take it easy. I don't want you casting any spells. We need to get a few, things checked out, here, drink this, this will help.

And it's not quite a healing potion, but it's like a stamina draft. And you feel that you're slowly going to... A healing slab. Basically, you can take a short rest. Oh, yeah. Cool. All right. Yeah. You can sort of it. But she's like, I need you to

get up. Yes, thank you. You don't make any sudden movements. We need to get this all sorted. Just know that I was attacked. They attacked me. I was practicing in this room. Like I said, I have a pass, and I'll show them these. I have a bar. I'm allowed to be here. She checks it over.

She says, I can do what I want. She checks over your past. Yes, okay, very good. Is it burnt? Yeah, crispy. I think that like anything on Xanthia's past is protected by the Manitone and stuff. So she's like very good and she hands it back.

You then hear a cry from the other guards. Captain! As you hear like the sounds of magic basically, like kind of going off. It's teleported away. We're chasing the other guards. him now, and you hear the armoured footsteps. The woman rushes to the door, like, don't let them get away.

We need to find out who they are. Where's the other one? And she looks behind them as the unconscious mage who's been bound. Bubbling. Yeah, he's definitely injured. But she's distracted for a moment. I want to cast either disguised self or whatever it was I used to... You can use disguise self?

To cover up my arm, yeah. Again, it will only... Won't hold up to a physical touch, but it will make it look. look different. Do you make it look normal? Because she's seen it already. I want to make it look almost charred like it's been hit by a fire spell. Like you've just taken some healing, so. Like someone I've hit with fire spells before.

I want to make it look a little bit. I don't want to say this, like Rex and Ath. I don't want to say that. I've said it. But no, it's like, it's kind of you blend the crowns of corruption, but make it look charred and, you know, scarred and things like that. Yeah. She turns round.

And you see for a moment she's like, did it look different before, but doesn't seem to like fully recognize. Clearly seems to be. She very easily, like, kind of picks up this mage, throws him over her shoulder. And he's like, you need to come with me, Mr. Santhia. Yes, absolutely.

My friends might be coming. They're the ones who told the librarian that there was problems. I called out to them telepathically. Right. But they might be on their, they are definitely on their way. Well, in that case, now we're just sitting reading.

Whilst my guards try and chase down the other attacker, why don't you and I go outside and we wait for them in the corridor? Okay, yes, thank you for arriving. You should thank your friends if they had not called us for assistance. I don't, these men would have gotten away with whatever they were doing.

Yes, I will, but you arrive just in time. Yes, they fucking did. You step outside. And in the next two, three minutes, a giant eagle comes flying down at Daisy and Ophelia teleport out of mid-air from 500 feet away, just v-z-h-h-hom through a magical doorway.

And then a few moments later, a very angry-looking ricks arise. Like, where are they? Where are the assailants? As you all arrive to seize, Xanthius, beaten, burned, very badly hurt, but conscious in the presence of an elite wormguard commander with a individual over their shoulder.

Immediately morph out. You see the woman like draws the blade immediately on all of you. Who are you, set your business. No, we're with him, we're with him. Those are the friends. Those are the friends. Zanthias.

Gruff. Are you all right? Yes, I'm assuming you unlawed shape. I drop Robin around. Tweet, tweet. There's a tiny little Robin flying around. He polymorphed himself. I survived. I won.

I beat them. I lasted. The guards arrived just in time. I'm okay. Just to confirm, because there is magic involved in this attack. One of them has potentially escaped. My men are chasing them down currently. This is your friend. This is my war.

We're sure of that. This is not a deception. This is not magic. It could be. Just immediately I'm touching Xanthius and I'm healing him. They cast fire on my arm, so

it might not heal that. Ophelia. You cannot speak. You are a Robin. Tweet. I thought I was hit out. I dropped you. You're in a daisy chain.

I don't believe. You are in a daisy chin, but you have the intelligence of a robin. But it's just birdsong in there. I'm bouncing around you. I'm not in the daisy chain, so it's not out, right? Oh, you're a knoxan.

Oh, you knocked out. Yeah. I believe that. Well, you went to one hit point and no he was... I was unconscious is the incapacitated thing, and if you're incapaceted, I think it drops you. I think, so for your guy's benefit, I would have...

I try to share as much of, like, the journey to the place as I can during those turns. I'm going to drop the daisy chain and restart it with Xanthias in it. Okay, well, I mean, during the fight is what I mean, is I would also have shared almost this image of this red lightning, this like some kind of flash image of like what I see in that section, in that moment. She was Ophelia in the first, Daisy Chain. I can't remember.

You were. No, you won't. But you won't. But you would have seen like small snippets of the fight in between me giving you vague directions towards the place as well. So who attacked you? Who was that? Before all of this, please. This is clearly an attack has happened on academia grounds. I must ask you to remain here in the academia.

I must deal with this one, one of the attackers. We will want to interview you, find out what happened. Oh, God, I'm sorry. Do you know who these people were that attacked you? I don't. Give me a deception, chin. I know you technically don't know their identity, but you know that they're their diadem,

but I don't want to say I know the diadem. That's the bit where I'm like, I know they're perceiving. Deception. Oh. There's my three plus eight, eleven. Huh? There it is. Yeah, 11.

I don't know any faith to spend, but 11. Sir, clearly these men, to get inside the academia, to make their way undetected, they are clearly people of means. I don't believe that they would just attack a random visitor at random. Whatever you're trying to hide or protect, I'm just here to help you. Please don't lie to me.

Sweet. We were working on an investigation in the academia before this attack happened. I believe they may be connected to that. I believe they may be members of the diadem. I had assumed based on their ability to get in here and some other factors. Very well. Remain here. I will have some guards come and provide security.

You'll be escorted to one of the lounges. the student lounges. We want to get to the bottom of this and find out what exactly happened. I have to go and deal with this one, still holding this mage. Remain here. Yes, I will. I will. I will. Your friend seems to have healed your wounds, so I don't believe you are in any immediate danger, but I must ask you to remain on academia grounds until we send for you. Yes, thank you. Yes, I will stay here. Yes. And she makes her way.

leaving you guys alone for the moment. You healed for 50. 50! See what happens when daddy gruffs around? Holy shh. Am I your favorite puppy now? You're my puppy at the hour. The hour.

The hour. He's a fickle boy. We just ticked over to a new hour and a second ago. It was a very different favorite puppy. Different daddy. Can I feel like just grabs them to his shoulders? Just really quick. How are you here?

I ran. How did you know? I was told by Shadow Walker. Okay. So who was there? Who was there? Were they human? Were they... Yes, yes. Two of them. Diadem. Five rings. Was there a dragon with them?

No. No dragons. Good. Should there have been a dragon? When I was in the house of blood. Let me just fire up this chat here. In chat zone. There was a dragon talking to Count, to Father Varus. I believe she looked like you, a lot like you.

Uh-oh, siblings. Oh, good, oh good, okay. Can you show us, Sister Ophelia? Yeah, project an image of her in my mind. I mean, she was beautiful, but she looks. Yes, she looks like me. I think it's, again, to reiterate, She doesn't physically look like Xenthius, like her humanoid aspects.

It's the dragon elements. And again, like, for Ophelia to notice that is incredible. Like, it is, like, you could have easily, she could easily just be a random gold dragon board. Like, there's nothing to suggest that she is related to Xanthius or Rexnath. But once Ophelia points out and she focuses on those details, you will start to see it as well. I look at myself in the mirror along.

She was wearing the academia robes, but her baton, it wasn't right. You think she somehow has fake things? She is... Dispell magic on Rowan. To me. Hello. Hello, Rowan.

I just wanted to make sure you were okay. I'm sorry to add another bad thing to another already bad thing that's happening. But you spoke to my sister then? Yes. Okay, okay. But she had academy things. Does that mean that she's involved in this somehow?

I don't know. Why was she there? Why was she at the House of Blood? Ophelia? I don't know why she was at the House of Blood. She was talking to Father Varus. I don't know why she was there. Apparently, some showing interest in necromancy. I don't know.

Such good questions. Sampheus. Yes, Gruff, yes. I'm so sorry. I should have come with you. What, I... I stormed off. No, I left, Gruff. I left. I... I... I got bored.

Yes, but I'm meant to be looking after you. You. We're in the academia. I also have failed in duty. You stayed with the majority. That is the agreed status. You did what you were command. At last.

Rick understands. Well, it's like they said, how would they get into the academia? Like, they're the diadem. That's the only reason why they got in here. We didn't know they were following me. I presume they were. We didn't know how they could possibly have gotten into somewhere as high security as this, but they did.

But they did, it's not on you. I left confident I was safe. Well, the same, I'm sorry, boy, oh, look at you. I fought very well. Clearly you did, I'm so proud of you. And I almost won, but I didn't. Are we all splitting up, maybe? Can we have a new rule?

Yes, please. We all stay together while in Kelskaris at the very least. And Frix, you're looking after this one. You wish me to follow Zanthius, regardless of what the rest of you do? Yes. Very well. It might be for the best here. Acknowledgement.

You're clearly a target. Your siblings are here, too. Yeah. Yes. Excellent, the fight will come to Zanthius, and I will be ready. Yes, you will, for Xanthus. Yes. I was ready too, somehow.

Did. To last against two opponents who launch a surprise attack. You prove quite cunning, Zanthius. Your body is weak. but your mind is strong. Thank you, Vrix. Thank you. Can we smell like the flame and the burning from the room?

Not just that, but I think you can feel how hot that room was. That's not even the magical tampering of the room couldn't have made it that hot. Can we step outside or are we not allowed to leave this room? I imagine you guys around the corridor just outside. Can we go further away from this room? It's like having, you know when you have the oven door open?

And it's just like pumping out hot air, it's like that. During a heat wave, yeah. Yeah, yeah, exactly. He made a pizza and that was stupid. Yeah, very silly. Yeah, cold food. Eat it frozen. Cucumbas. Cucumbus salad, that's it.

Um, some. There were two of them, Ophelia. You wouldn't have seen, but a mage and, and, and, he had a dagger and some spells on the ring, but he's escaped. Kind of like, very much like an assassin or something similar. Yeah. No facial features, you didn't catch anything? I think like...

The spy guy was wearing like a mask, kind of classic, like, bandit mask, hood. So you only really saw his eyes. Yeah. The mage wasn't as well hidden. Very much like... Yeah, the mage is still hidden. Yeah, the mage is like with the Knight Commander

who's been dragged off. But they looked kind of like a wealthy citizen. They just looked like, you know, a merchant or a trader, somebody like that. Dressed quite simply. Pulled into the diadem. Yeah, but they also had the five rings. We have spotted the five rings on the body when it was there.

Yeah, the one, the mage one you saw also had five rings as well. I did say as well, yeah. So you did this pointing at the room? I want to say some of it, but no, I think I did all of that. You, but without points up. You used the crown still, but you didn't use sovereign's power. It was slightly, slightly empowered. Just a tiny bit.

But no, I, not him. I controlled the essence as though. I pulled them around me, and I felt the way they moved, the way they interacted with each other, the way every essence seemed to avoid the fire. I controlled fire essence, and I managed to cast that spell that Malady was trying to teach me.

And I was glowing, and I was... I was very, very hot. Pushing back their blades, melting it. I felt so strong. Proud of you, boy. I'm really proud of you. Thank you. And I'm so glad you're safe.

Me too. Thank you for running here. and thank you for getting the guards to arrive here on time as well. But we flew. I flew for about 100 feet and then I was captured and flown. He was trying to be gentle.

It was. You all made the correct decisions here. Finally, finally. Maybe other than going away to training your room. I should have come with you. Although, what a training session. I, yes. I feel like you've forged in the fires of bats

It will heal. I feel you're genuinely quite excited about how this has gone, which is scary but good. I am struggling to understand how I feel right now. I'm extremely, it's adrenaline, it's excitement, it's fear. I'm on the other side of the fear though, and I won. I can't help but feel elated, but I tried to send you snippets of the fight. You saw that lightning, right?

That was amazing. Red lighting? Sorcery. Transmuted. Don't get it. Don't understand. But I do understand. Controlling the flame. Wow. Yes. But

the mage. Captured and is now being interrogated. I have to stay here. But I'm going to work with the Wormgaard here. And they don't know about the, again, points at the... I don't think. I think so. I mean, I've still got the spell up, right? Like, it just looks like...

They think it's an injury. It's an injury. Have you got a long sleeve that you can put on now? Or maybe an academia robe or something like that? Before more questions arise from interrogation. I have a cum meet shirt. There it is. There it is.

I think you guys have this conversation. You kind of check a few things out. Not long after a pair of... a pair of Central Division worm guards arrive, not through like any sort of threat or anything, Matt, but ask, would you please follow us, come with us kind of thing. They lead you to a comfortable student lounge, which has been cleared out for you guys to sit in.

Maybe even like it's like a, I would say, maybe it's more like a cafeteria, right? Like it's kind of like a place where they've kind of cleared the space out. Like, you know, everybody's being kind of sent home. And you're sat there waiting. for a little bit. The night commander who was the one who took the major way ends up coming back. She introduces herself as, I need a name. Let's call her Elizabeth. Night commander Elizabeth. She, Elizabeth.

For God's sake. Elizabeth. Elizabeth. Elizabeth. Yeah, Elizabeth. So just Elizabeth will be. I don't even write it down. I don't know why, probably.

Night commander Elizabeth. Why Elizabeth? She kind of gathers your op-situal down. So, as I understand it from what you were telling me earlier, you are part of an investigation within the academia. Working with the authoritor. Which authoritative is? Thromlo.

Cromlo? Ah, yes. Fromlo? Yes, Frumlo. Holy shit. I am active today. I remember the name. So you were investigating this missing Professor Brockston.

Yes. And this has entangled you with the diadem. There was, well, I don't know if I should say really. It's the authority. Well, the authorita is working with the Central Division of Wormgaard. I don't think you'd say to me is anything that you would discuss with the authority. You're more than welcome to stay with me. I was acting under discretion because we know how wide-reaching that organization can be.

It's not that I don't trust you. I just don't know if I can trust you. I see. Why then would the diadem attack you specifically? Why not the authoritar? What has this got to do with you? He was on his own. Opportunity, perhaps.

But still, why you? the group of you, why not go after the authoritative? The authoritative is the one investigating it. Rona's sway. Maybe it's because we've had a previous entanglement with a professor. I see. She takes details. How much are you open with that previous?

Graph just says it what is. She takes notes about that previous matter. She then seems to stop in the middle of the discussion, as if she's hearing something in her head. She's like, would you please excuse me for a moment to have been requested by the dean? I would like to continue this conversation. It shouldn't take me too long to have this conversation.

I'll return shortly, and she heads out. About... Does she leave... Is there any other guards here, or is it just you guys? You've got the dozy chain of it. Yeah, you got the doze chain of it. But it's literally like two or three minutes after she leaves that another figure enters the cafeteria.

Not a worm god, not anybody of that. And in fact, actually, Daisy, you remember seeing this person? It was at a party once. A gentleman, a black human dragonborn in a fine suit, but black dragonborn. So like pale skin, but like black dragon scales, black dragon horns, black dragon hair, in a fine black suit. Very kind of like, you know, gently cropped black hair, comes and sits down, and he's like,

I do apologize for the intrusion. You may not remember me, Miss Daisy. We met at an engagement a few hours ago. My name is Malcolm Tooms. Yeah. I was eating snacks at the time, so I was quite distracted. Oh, please. You don't need to apologize.

I have been led to believe that you've had quite an unfortunate afternoon, Mr. Argonne. Something like that, so should I be talking to you? Well, I am worried that the Good Night Commander Elizabeth is going to ask too many questions of your recent engagements. And I believe that this matter is best resolved outside of the Central Division's hands. And who do you work for?

Well, I represent... Think of us as an order of knights. And once, several years ago, it was our duty to protect the empire from threats, threats from beyond and threats from within. That organization no longer exists. But I continue its legacy, and I work with individuals,

adventures, sometimes agents, to do what we can to help protect this empire and the people within it. And the diadem are of particularly interest to me. The central division is, like many of the divisions, is corrupted and has eyes and ears of the diadem within it. I have some sway. I've pulled the night commander away

and I can make it so that you are no longer of any interest to the Knight Commander. So you can walk out of here with me, and you won't have any further trouble from her or the Central Division about this incident. What exactly brings you here to us? Well, we've been following you, Mr. Oregon, for some time. How many people are following you?

Well, all of you, really. We've been aware of your activities in Ash and Rest. In fact, I remember when I saw Misty, a party where a planar device went rogue, we've been keeping tabs on you all, and the diadem is actively pursuing all of you. Specifically, I believe that they've been following Eusanthius, but related to the contraband

that you currently carry. However, the diadem is keeping tabs on all of you. That is interesting to us, and we want to help. How are you going to help us? What's the plan here? I have connections. I have people in the city that you can trust. People that I know do not work for the diadem.

And I have resources, intelligence that can be provided. Long ago, Watchtower was devoted to the protection of this empire. I continue to hold that oath. He looks towards you gruff as any good knight would, regardless of what the draconic council believe. Long times didn't we heard that name. Literally a year. The diadem are a grave threat to everyone.

If they have taken an interest in you and I believe that you have far greater connections would be good allies in this fight. I can help you and I believe that you can help me. Watch Tower, what remains of us, would like to work with you. I have to make an insight check. Sure? Yeah. Yeah, yep, yep, yep.

Insight, still no fate. No fate. Eight. I've lost on my heat. This man is so difficult to read. There is, every movement is very fine. Like, he barely moves. Like, he's so still when he's sat there

and speaking so calm. There's so little movement to him. It's very hard to get a read of any of his body language. He isn't even like in trying to be overly convincing or smiling. He's very neutral. His voice remains that even smooth kind of tone. But even his smile, it's very gentle, it's not over the top. He doesn't like try and reach forward and like kind of invade your puzzle.

It's very like kept very close. Very straight back. But you also feel like, yeah, he's tight like a spring. spring. Like this is a man who, if he needed to, he could not be here right now. But this is an offer, it is not a demand. You are more than welcome to walk away. And if you wish, I will let you continue speaking

with the night commander and you can resolve things as you want. Or you walk away and I will still make sure that the Central Division don't ask too many questions. But I'm putting this offer out. If you would like to work with me and my organization and my agents against the diadem, we would be very grateful and we would be very keen to work with you. You've proven yourselves as capable heroes of the empire. If you're from an order of knights, may I ask, what are your oaths?

I was, but that order was disbanded when the empress was killed. but our oath was to defend the empire from enemies beyond and within. It was to use the shadows as a tool to protect the people of the empire and to do the things that others believed impossible. Can I roll an insight? You am speaking? 16. Not bad.

You get a read on him. Again, he's very difficult to read. but asking him about his oaths. And when he speaks about this order, this organization that he once belonged to, and when he said about the Empress's death, you saw real grief. Like this is somebody who,

you get this impression graph that this is a man who spent his life in service of the Empress and doing what he just said, believing that he was truly fighting for the empire. And he lost something that day. and he's trying to hold on to the remnants of what he can but now he has to do it alone for and I'll say this in the

group chat yeah for what it's worth I think this is a man who knows the meaning of duty and service if it's someone who knows more about the diadem than we do then that's already a leg up for us but he's definitely not diadem himself no he's grieving

for the death of the emperors. The diadem, what we know of them, they don't care for that. Maybe we need the help. We can only keep our circle so small, right? I think we do need help. We work with Watchtower, then. Is everyone in agreement?

He seems genuine. Rowan. Oh, Gruff said that they're good, so they're good. Are these the kinds of people you want to align yourself with? Are they bad? No. Not. Then no. I do want to align me. Then no.

Throws off his cape. Tis I, Rowan, the destroyer. You need a moment. What a weird reveal. I understand that you're likely discussing this matter between yourselves, but if you need a moment, I'm more than happy to take a walk away. I know that I'm asking a lot, and you don't know me. But we know you.

I've had people keeping an eye on you. keeping an eye on you as best we could. It's unfortunate that they weren't able to reach you in time. Some of us just wanted normal lives. Alas, Mr. Oregon, destiny doesn't make those choices for us. Destiny makes those choices for us. Some of us simply aren't entitled to that sort of life. Those with power, those with ability, with talent,

with the will to do what is necessary. It's a sacrifice we have to make. I don't work with just anybody. I recruit only those of exceptional skill, exceptional ability. And they know the price that it costs to do what is right. Let me leave this in your hands. Think on it, sleep on it.

Come and find me here. He slides over a small card with the name of a... It would be called grain on the vine. And it looks like a little taverna, kind of cauldron taverna, but here in Kalscarus. He slides that, it's got like a, you know, the address on it and things like that.

I'll be there most afternoons. Come and find me there if you need me. Thank you. If you can't find me, add the grain on the vine. Ask for, ask for darling. Darling. Yes. That was, well, trust me, I also questioned that, but that's what she tells me she's called, so.

Okay, thank you. She's a character, so just keep that in mind. Thank you for giving us options as well. Yes. As I said, the Knight Commander Elizabeth, I think she's a good woman, and I don't believe she's an agent of the diadem. My problem is that her subordinates, her commanders, her superiors, I'm not sure. Almost any of them could be working in. As we've found with this organization, their connections run deep,

and we're not always even sure if somebody is an agent of them or not. They have connections throughout the city, throughout the empire. So wherever possible, I try to keep this outside of the Wormgard's hands. But if you wish to continue work with them, that's your choice. Will you, with all of your sway, will you receive the intelligence they also receive from the major's interrogations? We can make sure that we know what they know. Is there anything you would like to find out in particular?

Not right now. I think anything of true interest to me, I hope they don't reveal anyway. What makes you say that? You spoke of the contraband. Ah. My sway is limited in some regards, but if you wished, I could try and arrange for that prisoner to disappear from the Wormgaard's holdings

and instead offer you an opportunity to speak with them. As, and just for your information, the other attacker, they escaped. They had potions and other tokens, magical tokens, that allowed them to vanish into the crowds once they escaped out into the hallways. The mage is their only connection. Hmm. I mean, I really want to work with the guy. Like, above the table, do we want to work with the guy? I do. Yeah. I think we should. Yeah. Yeah. He's cool. I'm definitely not going to be true. Definitely not. No.

This feels like we've just met Nick Fury. Yeah. It's kind of hurts. It's like you've met Nick Fury and Tom Cruise from Mission Impossible. It's like the two things. You've met Ethan Hawke and Nick Fury, basically.

He's like, well, then I will leave you to it. As I said, the night commander will be kept busy for a while and should you wish to leave the academia, nobody's going to come looking for you. If you have any other information, Come find me tomorrow at the restaurant,

and we can discuss any intelligence there. Yeah, because it's late now, right? Yeah. I'd say by the time all of this has happened, you've been waiting for a long time as well for the night commander and stuff, so it's definitely evening time at this point. If I can offer you one last piece of advice,

stay together in the city, but also if you intend on pursuing the diadem, they know who all of you are. you will need to disguise yourselves or find some other way of hiding your identities. They know who you are and we don't know the exact communication between them, but something is happening. We know that there are plans happening in the city, something fairly big, happening between the diadem, another party, and it involves you, all of you.

Okay, that's a load off. All of us. Yay. Are we doing, is the ball happening tomorrow? Is that, is that in danger? I couldn't say, Sister Ophelia. The only thing I can, it could be. A lot of people in a very small place.

You say something big is happening. We recently just had a similar problem. My agents were able to stop the attack on the ASEAN embassy. I don't imagine the diadem would try anything like that so soon, but that doesn't mean that everybody in the fundraiser will be safe. Keep your eyes and your ears open. Keep an eye on. This sounds strange coming from somebody you've just met,

but don't trust anyone. Certainly not, no. This city is a vipers nest. And it's difficult to navigate, even for those of us with a lot of experience. As I said, we can discuss more tomorrow. I will leave you to your rest. But do be careful moving about the city.

You should be safe at Lady Amberus's estate. It's well guarded and well watched. I have my own agents keeping an eye on that residence as well. All right. I don't suppose you've also got agents in my hatchball team, eh? No, but we are aware of your endeavors with the children. My hope is that even the diadem wouldn't stoop so low as to attack you there, but be cautious.

Why, I didn't think about that. Maybe Washington, maybe Washington can help with that too. They'll have a handful of Piper. Pippa's got a knife. Yes. What if Pippa's in the diadem? Oh God. I don't suppose you can get me some uniforms for tomorrow.

No, dash, stop. Mr. Dumes. I'm afraid that's beyond my remit, Gruffeth. I, yes. I think, like nodding to everyone, I think we would like to work with you. And it's good to know. We'll see you tomorrow.

I will see you tomorrow. And with that, he kind of stands up. He has like a kind of walking stick that he kind of like, and he begins making his way off. That's so cool. Watchtower. We should leave right now, though, because if she comes back, then...

Yes, take the offer, I think. Take the opportunity. Do we leave a note? No. I don't think. I think we need to. I think that's what he's going to handle. Now, did we as characters here the name Watchtower before?

Or was it? Yes. Yes. Yeah. How do I remember that name, Gruff? We were told about it. Long ago. Yeah, it ago.

Scartalos. Really? Maybe. He's so surprised. I thought it was a national rest, but. Scaritolis asked us to a name that it's been floating around, and you've probably heard it from multiple places. A covert group who watched Crown Steel,

possibly disbanded after the Empress's assassination. Possibly disbanded. And it was in the episode that we met Scarados, so. They are very much the kind of like... Scaradatars. Scaradolus. How is 18th of May 2025? Yeah.

God and God in Heaven have mercy. Yeah. Watch Tower is very much like the IMF, MI5. Like, they were like, they were the espionage, like, Forth of the Empire. They were disbanded officially. But Tumes has kind of kept them going as like a private espionage organization. There may be more mentioned that's the one I can do.

It's one of those big names in the world. Outside of this, at the one shot we've seen, welcome to him stuff for, yeah. He's a character that I keep throwing into a bunch of different one shots in games. So, yeah. Yeah, yeah. Huh?

Toms and Combs. Yes, so it's his, so that's like the front company that helps make money. So it's like, you know, this massively profitable, like printing house, but also what a great way to get information is people coming and like selling, like, you know, to their stories and stuff like that. All my stories is.

Yeah, you did. Oh, though. That's part of the file. They've been keeping an eye on you since the early days of Ash and Rest. That little gnome who had her romance books, like, keeping an eye out on everything. So filthy! So, Rowan spills info and it goes to Watchtower, I spill in the phone. It goes to Wattel, everybody.

But I think we're going to leave it there, everybody else. We're going to bring the episodes to close. We pledged ourselves to the Watchtower. You did so good to that. Oh, my God. You did very, very much. Very, very well. I hope we get outfits.

From Watchtower. Watchtower. You probably won't get outfits, no. The secret organization. I'm a member of Watchtower. Yeah. But I think we do have to say, well done, Tom.

And also, thank you dice. Dice tells stories, right? How often are you guys like, oh my God, Mara rolls like crazy high all the time? It's so bad. Today it was so bad. It was like threes and fives and fours.

I could not roll anything. Anything that wasn't a 20, and most of them were, was like 19 and 17. It was only after the fight that I rolled a three. I got a 20 on convincing them. Yeah. Crazy. Genuinely.

Which, for me as well, by the way, she immediately was like, yeah, go and check it out. Otherwise, if you would, like, it probably would have taken a bit of time or like, oh, yeah, I suppose, go and check it or whatever. But yeah, like, it just all fell into place. I mean, even, like, the guards, like, searching the room. Getting their rate.

Okay, it was 60% but like still could have failed. It was a perfect time. Literally, he just gets knocked down. And then they're like, well, hello, hello, hello. What's going on here then? They're trying to steal the man. Just as he's unconscious as well. They walked in.

And they were literally in the process, by the way, the mage had, I think called a beat of force that would have put him in like a bubble that they then would have like literally carried and teleported away. So they were literally in the process of like, right, get this guy, oh shit, the cops. Like, you know.

Nothing suspicious here. Yeah, there was at that point, I think, like, there was no way the guards are going to let anybody walk out of that room. Like when they just not open the door, we're investigating it. Good Lord, what is happening in there. Or, Boria.

It's, like, fiery, like the fires coming out happening. Santhius, it's getting him for four out. No, mother, it's just the northern light. It's just the innate magic. Right. With that, everyone, Thank you so much for joining us. That is going to be the end of today's episode. Thanks to joining us.

And yeah, we will see you next time. Thank you. See you in a bit. Bye.