High Rollers DnD - Grave Concerns (Part 2) | Altheya: The Dragon Empire #92

Episode Date: February 19, 2026

The heroes return home with a list of daunting tasks... Altheya: The Dragon Empire Kickstarter is NOW LIVE! Support the project and get tons of amazing extras here: https://www.rollandplaypress.com/highrollers 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. At Medcan, we know that life's greatest moments are built on a foundation of good health, from the big milestones to the quiet winds. That's why our annual health assessment offers a physician-led, full-body checkup that provides a clear picture of your health today, and may uncover early signs of conditions like heart disease and cancer. A healthier you means more moments to cherish. Take control of your well-being and book an assessment today.

Medcan, live well for life. at Medcan.com slash moments to get started. Are you looking for a D&D podcast with actual stakes? A world where every decision the cast makes is met with consequence. Then journey to the world of Theria on Dungeons and Randomness. Where an actual play podcast with over 14 years of stories and our newest arc, Frostborn, was created with new listeners in mind. Check out Dungeons and Randomness wherever you get your podcasts

and join our incredible community for the adventure of a lifetime. Welcome back to Althea the Dragon Empire Part 2. Our heroes have returned to Ash and Rest. They have en route discussed the fate of the tailor, Nixon missed, and what their information may or may not be. They have returned to Tyrese Inn where Mateo has greeted them, and Zanthias and Gruff have made their way up to speak once again with Lord Obsidius, with a very direct, very humble and very sincere apology from Xanthius,

taking much of the anger and bitterness out of Lord Obsidius. What can I say? Leaving them in a position. I'm a nice guy. With the last word from Obsidious being that Nix and Mist will be taken care of. Perfect. To what degree we will have to find out. Lovely. Incredible.

I don't think we'll ever find out how. No. We'll see. We might even find out what happened to them at all. We will see. As we return, we find ourselves back. I'm assuming Gruff and Zantheis, you would begin to make your way back to Tyria's rest.

Yes. Yeah. Excellent. Just for the sake of it, before we jump back into the scene, dear lovely Thomas Hazel, hello, I need, because I was checking the calendar,

and I need a constitution saving through from you. It's been that long. Tis the season. Tis the season. Remember, no fate can be spent. Oh God, yes. Is this like an overnight thing? We'll find out.

As we're walking back. Yeah? Okay. Did a, wait, what is it? Sorry, constitution. Constitution. I've got a plus eight. I have a plus eight, so that's not too bad.

Right. Three, two, one. Watch a strike. Okay, what's good. You tell me what you got. I got a 14. Okay. Good to know.

That doesn't seem. I think the DC's gone up. Don't eat that. It's not the edible one. Please, what the edible ones, Tom. Slap him, Katie! We return to the scene of Terea's rest. The inn is not open to the public. Everybody has been sort of secured in the barracks

for their own homes. And although the danger is past, it is late. Most people aren't coming out. They are staying home. Which gives you guys a moment of just yourselves. A rare evening alone in the inn. Rowan and Daisy are both a half of it. a pint, a sort of medieval shandy inn.

Fucking worsted. As we return to you guys in Tyree's rest. This is part of me. Enjoyed the wire situation. That's pretty fucked up for hours. I know. What have I become? I don't think it was really you.

I think there's... I think... Crime to steal. It's having an effect on us. We're tainted. I think there might be some bad influences in our party. I'm in the basement. I point at the basement.

Do you want to... I want to say something to you, Daisy. I've not said to anybody else. I'm not going to think you're a special and privilege. I don't like the great father. I'm going to say something that I've probably said before. Don't. I don't know if I can...

I don't like you either. I like Ophila, but I don't like the Grafather. And sometimes I don't like the teachings that Ophelia teaching other people. And I'm like, do I step in? Because other people are influenced. How would we do that? I don't know. Do I get a wire out?

No, that's too far. It's too far. But it troubles me, because my power comes from Othay. I know this because I had a connection with the sword. And obviously, you know, but that comes into direct conflict with the teachings of the Gravefather. Disagreements in our beliefs will still be good friends. Yeah, that's what I've been trying to do. Maybe you should talk to Ophelia as a friend.

I'm wasted. I really shouldn't do it right now. I mean, you've had a whole half of a half of friends. So I do feel really unfiltered right now. It's crazy. Mateo, I'll have water, I'm tanked. Yep, yes, wow. Half a pint for someone your size. That might be a new record, I think.

You, I can't say a bad word to you. You're Mateo. Mateo, I'm just too good. He's like easily four or five pints in, like he's just been helping himself to the supply. He's like, look, all right, here's your water, Here's water for you. He anticipated my need.

I'm gonna go to the basement. You want me to come with you. I'll sit at the top of the stairs. Yeah, yeah. Okay. You make me. Broan's hand is shaking the water. Water.

You make your way down. So half of the cellar is like Xanthius's Arcane Lab, which I imagine does have like a partition wall and like a door into it so it is secure. But then the other half is this wine cellar and cask cellar and kind of storage area for the bar. upstairs and I imagine there's not really like chairs or tables down here Ophelia so you're probably like propped up on a barrel yeah just with your bottle

of real wine bottle of blood how deep are we in at this point like are we finishing a bottle or half a bottle she's savoring it so it's like proper like this is this is not drinking to get intoxicated because obviously it's blood this is enjoying this fine delicacy that you so greatly enjoy and yeah you come down you see a A very unstable looking Rowan making his way down the stairs towards you. Oh, careful there, Rowan. These steps have gotten bigger. They're the same.

How much have you had to drink? I had a shandy. Wow. Wait. It's just all gone to my head and now I'm buckling under pressure. I had confidence to come and speak to you but now I don't want to. Rowan, my dear, speak to me about what? Are you okay?

It's gonna be a difficult conversation. I don't like those. Right. Hang on, hang on, wait. I'm just gonna sit, like, put my wine down to, a wine, my blood down to one side. Oh dear. Conversation about what, Rowan. Are we okay?

Are you gonna kill me? You promise you won't kill me. I'm not going to kill you. Goodness no. Percy won't kill me. Percy will not kill you. Percy is very good. Could Percy let us have this conversation privately?

Of course, Rowan. Percy, do you mind sorry, my dear? What do you wish of me, Mother? Oh, could you go upstairs and see if Daisy's okay? I will, absolutely, of course. Daisy, says about Percy's coming. Daisy appears to be at the top of the stairs, Mother. Daisy, what do you do at the top of the stairs?

I like it here. Do you wish me to stay up here? Daisy, are you eaves dropping? What's happening? Are you dropping them eaves? She's had a shaddy too. You can come down here. No.

I run away. Should I follow her, mother? No, maybe he's just, Stuart, stay around the bar, maybe. She's curled up on your bed upstairs. Help with anything. I bury my face in the dog. Perfect.

You run up to your bed, Stuart kind of like happily looks up, but sleepy, little tail wagging, and you just huff dog as you go into. Huff the dog. Meanwhile, I imagine that Mateo is like at the bar, and he's like, hello, Percival. You can see, Springheart is just,

like glaring at Percy, like obviously he does not like him. He's like, all right, are you, Springer, you go over there. Percy, why don't you, oh, everything's done? Stack the chairs on the tables. We haven't got any business tonight, why don't you do that? He's like, I will have to ask mother. Mother, shall I step the table? Yes, yes, go ahead, Percy.

Very well, and then he goes to it, basically. Broan's trying to sit on a barrel. It collapses under it. We don't have to talk tonight. It's fine. We could just talk another day. I mean, it's up to you. I mean... Okay, we'll do it another time.

Okay, we'll do another time, again. Great. Good night, Ophelia. Good night. Robin Coase upstairs. You do. You're so bawling me like that. And he just bails.

He just bails on the conversation. He heads upstairs. So much build up. I've got an out. He got an out. I got an out. You can't give him an hour. You can't give him an hour.

When Ophelia just is like, no. All right. Okay. Where does Rowan go? He's up going upstairs. Afeel will follow Rowan. Okay. Rowan, come back here.

Okay. Look, none of this nonsense. Open shut book. What is it? Tell me, what do you want to say to me? What book? It's a matter of speech, Rowan. Right.

Just say what you need to say. All right. I feel less... Be brave. Be strong. I won't bite. That's a real threat of... It's not a real threat.

I was joking. I'm working on my jokes. Okay. All right. So, you know the Grave father? Very well, yes. Um, I... I think you're a really good friend.

Oh, that's nice. And I really... really respect you and I would, you know, I would do anything for you, Ophelia, not to the state of Percy, but I would, you know, you're a close friend, much like everybody else here. You know, and friends, thinking about what Daisy said, can have differing opinions. Oh, not you two. Happens with the church. This is why I didn't want to have this conversation.

No, it's fine. Because you're quite standoff. You aren't... Look, Rowan, my dear, I love you. It's been a very long day. Yeah, I've had too much to drink. You are fine. Look, just...

I understand... Do you? I understand why there's an indifference. I have... I have extra things to say. Okay. Feel free. I don't like that...

Other people are being swayed to your way of things. Because when they die, they become warriors, internal warriors. And that conflicts with me deep down. Mm-hmm. And, yeah, I don't like it. very much, and I let you say what you wish to say, to whomstever you wish. But as a friend, I'm telling you truthfully that I'm worried about you. I'm worried about, I'm trying to think beyond religion.

I'm trying to think about the little Ophelia that grew up, what her environment was. like what choices she got to make or not make and whether she had any choice at all do you have a choice well it's not much of it's not that I have a choice it's that I owe the great father everything that I have without him there wouldn't be a me is that that true yes he saved my life Osseus the house of blood saved my life I owe them everything. I was dying. Before. And before I want to. And my parents took me to the house of blood. Bargained with them. It brought me back. Slightly different, yes, and with different tastes for things, but a new lust for a life I never had and never could have as a child.

But not really your choice. It was my parents' will to save me. Clearly, I was... Of course, and they would do everything they could. That's come with a cost. The other cost would be me not being here at all. In that one instance, I like the Great Father very much

for bringing you back. I just don't agree with the rest of it. Well, it's all... It's what I must do. It's what I have been instructed to do. It is what... I must. It's my mission is what I must do. I can't do anything else, Rowan. It's not your fault if you don't. You didn't make the decision to come back. Your parents did.

You should be free to live your life like everyone else does. The house of blood makes me free. I can, I can, I can live, I can, I can, I can enjoy the wondrous things that life gives. I don't have to toil and, and suffer. can be free. That will only happen after for eternity, such as the price you pay. I'm sorry for bringing this up, Ophelia. No, don't apologize.

Do not apologize. It is very brave, and I appreciate you doing it, so thank you. You're welcome. You're a good friend for being honest. Everybody is. I just want to make sure you're okay. I am okay.

I will be okay. We'll be? Yes. All right. And I don't mean to be standoffish. I just... Since coming here, there's been a lot of pushback. Understandably, yes, I know.

But you must understand I have been given a role and a task. And I must succeed. I must succeed. Especially against Varus. I just want to say one final thing. Mm-hmm. Some people have been given things that they had no choice but to take. And right now we're fighting to remove that.

That can happen to anybody. No one can fully control us. And they shouldn't. You deserve better. Who would I be? Who would I be? whoever you want to be for once. I know things.

I see things of people, not just the ground and the rocks, but I feel them. And I just feel sadness from you. I'm scared. There's a lot of unknown. But what I have with the Grapefather is unknown. To the very end, it's a known path.

I don't know what I would be if I were to stray from that path. I would do what I could do. what I could be. It scares me. I am not telling you to do anything. Only that you do what you want to do. And that what you are choosing to do is for you and not. For somebody else.

That's all. And whatever decision you make, you know you have. Five, I look at Mateo. Six. Percy. Percy. Dear friends. that no matter what choice you make,

we are here for you, and we will not abandon you. Thank you, Rowan. I really mean it. You are a good friend. Hug. Yes. It's going to be okay, Ophelia.

Gruff's with us, and Gruff knows best. Yes, gruff is wise. Very wise. I think sort of... Because this conversation has actually happened in the upstairs bar, because you were kind of on your way up to bed, and Ophelia grabbed you.

You know, when Percy and Mette... and Springhart have all been just listening to all of this. Mateo is just like smiling and nodding. Looks at you, Rowan, like, yeah, really. And just is like giving you this like great job. Like, you know, you know. And probably would just

doesn't leave the bar, but would just say, always hear if you need to talk. Sometimes speaking with our closest friends can be difficult. But I've lived a very varied life. and if anybody knows anything about, well, changing who you are. I know anything to about that.

So I'm always here. Thank you. And you see sort of scoots over, very wary to approach you, but little Springheart sort of looks up and sort of just reaches out her hand and this long sort of pink flower grows out of it kind of thing and she snaps it off of herself. off. He's right. You are sad. I know you don't like me and I don't like what's been

done to you, but you deserve to choose. I feel it just like wearerly just takes it and sort of twirls it in her fingers looking at it, sort of just looking at all the facets of the petals. Yeah, a little pink, almost like posy kind of flower. Thank you. I will honder on this. Good night. Everyone, and she would just go her up to her room. Make your way out. Zanthius and Gruff, you guys return. Good news, I am not dead. It's just Mateo. It's like they're wood. Mateo and Rowan. The others have gone to bed. Oh, right. Okay. It's quite late. It's good that you're not dead. Thank you. Thank you, Mateo.

It was a really touching goal from all. Happy to see you, as always. Good. There's a... Gruff, by the way, like, immediately, spring. It's like, gruff! Just like, immediately. I'm saying, like, clings to the fur and the armour. Scurry crawls up onto your shoulder, almost as this, like, little tree girl, just immediately into your shoulder.

Is everything okay here? Rowan and Ophelia had quite a heart-to-heart. Oh, not a fight. No, no, no. Okay, no. It was a very touching heart-to-heart. I think Sister Ophidi is reeling a little bit from it. Daisy ran up to her bed to find Stuart, as I understand it.

Right. And probably fell asleep. She did have half a beer. Okay. Has everything been okay while we've been gone in a tavern? Looks to Rowan. Fraudian. Frodo you.

About what, the blood? No. About... Of religion. Oh. I had a shandy. Rowan, that's not a lot. It was beautiful what he said.

He said it was really beautiful, Rowan. I hope so. I hope Ophelia doesn't take it. Well, it was very personal, actually. I'm sure you had the right words. I don't know. I was slurring. I'm stumbling about the place.

Maybe to begin with, but by the end, no, you had the wisdom of a sober man. Thank you, Mathieu. You really came through. I've seen a lot of drunken advice, and it started as that, but it became genuine. Do you know what I mean? I hope so.

I just care about a filia, you know. And maybe it came out wrong, but just worried about the whole Gravefather thing. Yes. Grave father up or Grave father down? Down, probably. I am sure you said all the right things. Likewise, Antheos.

I did. Because you're here. Yes, I did. And you're alive. Me and Obsidious. Was it groth that did this speaking? Honestly? I actually did very little.

Wow. I was about to say it sounded like it all came from gruff, but nope, these words were mine. Boyo did me proud. Yeah, well, I didn't even have to nut, well, I nudged him once, but I didn't have to do much more than that. Yeah, yeah, but turns out I might be a kind of nice guy. Well, we know that, otherwise you wouldn't be here.

Well, yeah. Anyway, um... It is quite, it's like, you know, midnight at this point, the time you've got up to Dominus, come back. Well, we've done everything. Today, right? I screwed a bit. Everything that we'll ever need to do has been accomplished today.

But tomorrow, we're going to see the Duke. Everyone will be celebrating and cheering and congratulating all that we have achieved. Which will be nice. That'll be nice. There might be some drink there, so maybe just water. I'm never drinking again.

Look at my gay. That's it for me. Mateo, can have another water, please? Yeah. Good idea. Drink that before bed. Well done, everybody. We did. We stopped Crownsteel today. If I do not go to bed in the next five minutes, I am simply going to lie on the floor and never get up again.

Oh, where your hair was wanting a conversation out in the earth. That's fine, I'm joking. No, so Leo didn't want to talk to Graf? Oh, it's joking. It's the shandy. Oh, joking. I need to learn what that is. Yeah. Ask Aphelia. She's got some good ones. Well, the Springheart makes a noise of like, mm-hmm. I don't want to talk to my feeling out.

Well, goodnight. All right, so everyone heads to bed. Yep. Sleep time. You all have long rest, you can all. You can all have a lovely long rest. Fells slots. Oh, yeah, baby.

But whilst you sleep. Here we go. Zanthia. Oh, goody. Hello. You have a very fitful sleep. Yeah, yeah, you did. I forgot about that.

You wait. You wait. You wake up, still early in the morning, but you are blisteringly hot. It's like it's a hot summer's day. You're sweating, and so much of your body like itches and burns, I'm afraid to tell you that your corruption has increased.

Okay, okay. It's got your tongue. Well. I mean, the last time it properly increased like this, it was the entire hand. Well, I think it's up there now, right? I think it's like, you had, you have had one minor mutation thus far.

Oh no. Oh. I'm afraid that at this level of corruption, you gain a major and a minor mutation. I'm gaining, oh god, okay. You also, do you remember your flaw that you chose? Right. That has now increased to rank two,

and its effects worsened. Okay. I can show you or I can send you the suggested effect of that. Yeah, okay. But I also, and I'd like to leave this choice up to you, or you could simply let me choose the mutation. It is up to you.

Wait, I can choose? Well, as Tom you can choose. Penis! Penis! I mean, I'm glad you said it. Penis. No, so, either I can choose or you as Tom. Because Antheus doesn't get to choose.

Who is Tom gets to choose? No, I think it makes sense for the world to choose for me. For the world to choose for you. Well, would you like me to read out the Tier 2 effect of Pride or would you like to have a little read of it by the screen? Yeah, why not? Let's have a... You could never apologize.

Above the table kind of thing. I am never wronged. Because this is all like an RP. Yeah, guys, this is a thing. The second, the Tier 2 effect of pride, you know that you are an exceptional athlete, grace, for attractive, whatever trait you picked previously. That wasn't the case before.

You know you are exceptional creature and feel immense satisfaction at being recognized as such. So it's basically, like before you would dislike anybody who suggests otherwise, like there's no doubt anymore. Like you are the most exceptional being that you know of, you know, in that regard. Wait, as in like number one above all, you know you are an exceptional thing of that.

And being praised in that way, it's not quite mind control, but if somebody recognizes you as that, that is like the best feeling in the world. Sure, yeah. I imagine that with your mutations, though, you see, as you wake, tossing and turning and sweating, you sort of pull the bed sheets off,

and much of that upper sleeve is ripped and torn as the corruption has now extended all the way. way up to near the shoulder. And I think for the other one, God is dark. I think rather than, it has not increased in size. Like the corruption has kind of spread up to the arm.

Okay. And that fiery burning, like your arm just constantly feels warm, like internally hot. And you can see that more the veins of red have widened. And it's almost looking at them, it's almost like magma is like,

flowing through. It's like you can see hot lava flowing through your veins and fire flicks to your fingertips even greater than before. Is the arm itself like grown more almost spiny as well? No.

Cover up or okay? No. So these are the two options. That is one of the mutation options is that it becomes more spiny and, you know, wicked looking. Sure. The other option, and I'll let you choose,

is it begins, your minor is it begins to affect your eye on that side as well. Those were the two I thought would be the coolest. The eye itself? Or like, because that's hard to... So the minor is just the iris. Okay. Obviously, if that develops into a major mutation,

that might have a greater effect. Cool. Or you can have what's called the path. So the mutations are all divided into helix paths. You currently are on the hand or arm helix for your primary. and then you either have the eye or what's called the armour helix where your corruption begins to grow more hardened

and scale and spiked like. You want that one? That looks cool as shit. But I imagine that it's harder to... Zambunceus doesn't know this, but... The more mutations you have, the harder it is to hide. God, I don't know. They're both cool. They're both cool. Dice?

I think you should have a really ugly one. An ugly one. Like, corrupt nose hair. Just the one. And it just like... I do. have other ones for other things, but these are the ones I think make the most sense. You've got your suggested.

So... These are much who suggested. Arm becomes a major... Your arm is becoming a major mutation. That is unavoidable. But you gain a new minor mutation, which is either going to be the eye or what's called the armor helix, which is natural armor. Let's... I could just dice it.

Flip the coin. It's up to you. It's your character. I'm not going to take that agency away. That's true, but I still... I like when chaos chooses for me, you know? So roll the dice. Okay, in that case, should we say,

should we say, you just do a D6. I do have a D2. Yeah, she actually does have a D2. What do you mean don't use a D2? I bought these for a reason. It cost me like 70 pounds. What? I bought a lot of dice.

Should we just say evens and odds on a D20. So odds being I. I, evens being the arm. Watch, this. Drive. It's a 12, so therefore. So the arm has become more spiked. The scales on the outside have become hardened, almost steel-like, you know,

not quite covering the whole of the arm, but enough to provide you significant protection, but almost the spikes almost twist up out the forearm and out the shoulder, like this is hideable but difficult. Right, right, right. You're going to be, you're going to need two. Big billowing sleeves. Yeah, or like a jacket or something like that.

Like the spikes aren't... Oh, fuck! They are not protruding like miles out. They are small at the moment. They're gonna grow, actually. Your new hand, as it has developed, you can now, once per day cast scorching ray and fireball for free.

Fuck off. At base level, so you can't enhance them. They just cast at their base level. Um, uh, wait, unenanceable as in, as in you can't, um, the free version, the free version you can't, yeah, can't you just cast it at its base level. Yeah. Um, you do not need material or verbal components, uh, or a spell casting focus, uh, to cast those spells. Um, shit, yeah, that's like my two most use spells.

Um, uh, however, yeah, from your fingers all the way up to near your shoulder is burnt and blackened like it's been completely engulfed in flame. Fishes of red and orange magic seem to glow throughout it like rivulets of lava. Like, went through it. As for the, and then for the armor, the body helix or armor helix,

rigid plates of dark bone-like protrusions kind of go all along the arm. They can be hidden or disguised, but would be visible without appropriate clothing or preparation. This reduces any piercing or slashing damage you take from non-magical weapons by your proficient. bonus. Oh, wow.

So you reduce... That's pretty good. That's pretty good. Non-magical piercing or slashing damage. And that's almost you using your arm to protect yourself, right? Like, walking blows with it and stuff. Yeah.

I mean, mechanically, that is the one I was kind of hoping was going to come up. Sure. Yeah. But like I said, that pride... It built, right? You are beginning to manifest more and more of that pride mutter floor.

And yeah, and it's very obvious. Like, you can tell that the crowns, and perhaps because you've been taken out, you've been disabling the ruins, whatever it is, maybe that's accelerated it, you're not sure, but the mutation has... So it is a noticeable, like, overnight that was just a burst. Yeah, you sleep, and like, you're tossing and turning and sweating in your sleep, like, you had a fever.

But then when you wake up, you look, and, like, the sleeve is, like, shredded from where the plates have grown. You can, you, the hot, you know, you're just, dripping in sweat from this arm. And, like, moving the arm around, like, that heat is not going away. Like, it's permanently hot to touch your arm. Like, if somebody touches it there,

it's almost, most people be like, ow, like, ah, you know. Oh, no, it's cold. Okay. A drag, to a dragonborn, a gold or a red dragon, you know, you're probably going to be like, oh, that's fine. I don't know. I've got viruses too much, yeah.

But to anybody else, that's, it's going to be very unpleasant to touch. Like a scalding coffee, you know, like when you hold a coffee cup that's too hot, you're like, ah, ah, Ah, I want my real life. Two hot chocolate's at the ice, yeah. Exactly what that's like. Yeah.

You know what that sounds like when someone... It's true. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Trap fell up his stairs holding hot drinks, one. Two hot chocolate. On Discord. So, tired of.

That is you. It was fucking hilarious. Anyway, that was me. Thank you. I don't wonder about us. When a certain amount of time passes, it just happened to hit that time period last night. The corruption text in.

Very nice, very nice, very nice. I like the helixes. Very cool. You're gross. I'm not to a lot more about that. What? You dream. Fucking grandfather's coming for me.

I heard you talking shit. Oh fuck. Wire. You dream back to a place that you know very well. The plains of a Tsar, the Azar step. You're on a road that, stretches out long in front of you. Spaced along this road are great stone monoliths,

natural rock formations that stretch up like fingers reaching into the sky or spikes trying to split the sky. As you begin to walk along this road, storm clouds roll in. It's not uncommon in the azar. Storms are very common. In fact, the very wildlife, the very nature cultures there have developed around it. But there's no shelter, there are no storm shelters or anything like that for you to run to.

But you're not worried. These stone monoliths will likely protect you. The first bolt strikes the first one. And as it does, there is a sound like a cacophonous cord being wrung out. Shortly after, that chord lingers and begins to harmonize with the peal of thunder as it rolls across you. Sostanuto grows hot in your hands. And the thunder, as the vibrations strike, it almost make the strings play. And it too adds its own notes to this strange symphony that begins to play out.

For as one monolith is struck, the next a different chord sounds. And then the next, and then the next. and then the next. The stones grow more and more distant down the path, but you can see that they lead to something. What do you do? Hey, buddy.

Are you trying to tell me something? Point the Sustinuto forward down the path. Every time one of these stone monoliths is struck and that thunder rumbles, the string plucks and plays on its own. without your input and harmonizes with the storm. I feel like I want to know more about the song, so I'm going to continue down the path

and see what the other monolith chords are. And it begins to play a melody, as you do, as you begin to walk down as they grow more distant, but then they suddenly, many of them are in a row, and you begin to hear this melody, and it's an ancient song. A song not made by Yotnir or man or civilization.

This is a song as old as the stones. This is a song from the beginning of a world. One of the first songs. A song of thunder, a song of storms, a song of wind. Much like the river has a song. Much like the rain has a song. Much like the ocean and the stones and the grass. All of it has a song.

But this, this is a song of storm. You follow the path and you see that at the end of this road on these great plains of a bizarre plateau, a big stone plateau begins to rise, a huge flat monolith that stretches out and the path leads to it. It leads to a set of rough-hewn stone steps that have been carved into this great monolithic plateau.

by the Azar people over many, many centuries. You see way markers, stones engraved with the names of travellers who have been here. You see trinkets left behind by travellers. Begin to make your way up. It's a long and hard journey. This is a tall plateau, and these steps sometimes become so narrow that it's almost like climbing a rock using these as footholds. But you make it.

It's hard but good. Your Dale giant Yot near blood, it feels good to make this kind of journey. And when you reach the top, sweating and exhausted as you are, you are met by the most breathtaking view of the planes of a czar rolling out before you. Broken only by the occasional hill or rocky outcropping or river or copse of wood, but you see these rolling plains, beautiful as they are, which is with the storm clouds overhead, occasionally crackling with lightning and thunder, perhaps glimpsing at a few of the thunder, flying thunder beasts up in the air far in the distance. Behind you, great mountains that separate Azar and Iceheart rise up behind you. But there is a little up here, a few scrub bushes, perhaps a few stepbuds that are kind of bowled up, protecting themselves from the storm.

But at its centre is a large stone bowl. are a single large rock with faintly glowing green veins that run through it. Vains of a metal that you do recognize. You remember seeing deep under the sea in that village once. The rock has been decorated

with prayer ropes and talismans. You see, offerings have been left here. Some of them, old, worn, decades, maybe even centuries old. Some of them are new. Some of them freshly made. But whenever this place is, it is deeply sacred. What do you do?

Why? Why me? Why teach me the song of storms? Why was I on this path? I'll walk towards the stone? As you do, the song of storms begins to close. quiet, grey clouds begin to roll back, blue clouds and blue skies in their wake and sun beams down.

And as the sunlight catches the green veins in that rock, they shimmer and shine. Almost, feel it almost calling to you, calling you forward. Yeah, I'll almost instinctively reach out with one of my hands, but also kind of glance at the pattern and see if they're reacting in any way? They react. They glow, that same shimmering green. But you know you can feel that there is... This rock, this stone, this is natural, this is meant to be.

This is old and ancient, just like the storms, just like the songs. But the patterns, they're wrong, manufactured. the same but false. But they come from a similar place. The same magic resonates within both, but one is ancient and true. The other is new and false. As you reach and touch the rock,

you almost feel this presence, presence that you have felt several times in your life, a connection to something. The sword seems to whisper the sword. Yeah, I'll get out my sword. What do you do with it? I'll look at it, first of all, at its tattered current appearance because of what happened to it.

It's jagged, broken edges that make it serrated and vicious. I may not be a true source of your power, but that was not really my choice. But fate has brought me this sword. And it sounds like you would like it back. Do you do? I offer it. How so?

By the far, break the stone. What do you do? I'll thrust it into it. Bring up this thing, this corrupted sword. And press its tip against the rock. Perhaps not sure what you're doing, willing, willing it to go inside. but it doesn't for it is a stone and the sword itself is stone but as you press down you almost slip and it scrapes the blade along the stone

and like a wet stone it chips away at those jagged edges and it begins to sharpen it begins to smooth it and as you bring it back you see that some of that shattered broken edge has been smoothed away and you feel the sword itself has become lighter cleaner. And that's when the dream end. Ooh! Daisy, you don't dream. But when you wake in the morning,

your head may be a little sore. Stewart sort of curled up around your feet. You do hear a voice. How are you feeling? Mm, don't like morning. I don't think it helps when you have alcohol. I didn't have much. It's fine. It's fine, it's fine.

It's a lucky thing that I am here to purge most of it. I don't think your body likes it very much. Daisy, I'm afraid. Of Lord's hunting? Well. I'm afraid of it, but not because it's hunting me. But after I saw Yanaria, she was an ancient celestial, an elder from long, long ago.

and what was done to her. Daisy, I'm afraid that I'm doing that to you. That I'm doing to you what's being done to Xanthia. I know that my memories, my fears are beginning to bleed into you. And what if it doesn't stop there? What if this... What if you die? And because you're bonded to me,

you are sent to the lucent... What if you are sent to be a soldier? Well, but there wasn't a choice. And it's better that we're together. What if we're not? This thing, this hunter, this Yeager is coming after you for me. It doesn't care about you. It cares about me.

And it might, Daisy, it might hurt your friends to get to me. It might hurt the people of Ash and Rest, or might do you. terrible things to find me because of what I did, because I ran away. Maybe we should be finding a way to separate us. But I don't want that. I don't want to be on my own. But you're on your own. But you're not on your own anymore, little one. I understand that when you were younger, that was the case. But look at now, you've got all these friends and people that will protect you. But you don't need me anymore, Daisy. Where would you go? Perhaps I should go back.

I know. But if I bond with anyone else, it would just be the same thing all over again. But remember, we heard the tales of those who've done great good. When they've bonded with a human and great deeds, we've already done great things. Because we're together. I just don't want you or the others to get hurt. If it comes to that, that. then I can...

I can go. The thing is, is with this hunter, if they are as celestial, even if you or the others or warriors of this world are able to fight them, they'll just reform back in the celestial realm. They'll just come back again.

Well, then, we just keep moving. That doesn't seem fair to you. You deserve a good life, a happy life. With friends and comfort. But you're my friend. You're my family. You're my friend, you're important to me. I don't see there's not another way.

I don't want you to go back. You're willing to pay that price, even if you're forced into a life like I had. I've had a life because of you. I wouldn't have had anything. The only reason that I've had these memories with my new friends is because of you. I wouldn't have had any good.

I just remember what that priest said to Ophelia, and it made me think. Perhaps if we find others of my kind, other Davids, this blacksmith that they spoke of. I think we'll get answers. I think we need them, Daisy. We'll get answers, and then we'll work it out together, because that's what we've always done. We're a team. need that. This rod, this blacksmith, perhaps they can give us answers that we seek. Maybe if we find out how to use that, it would help to protect us both and everyone else.

I hope so. I just, we've had such wonderful times together, but up until now, I, I hadn't realized the consequences of what bonding with you would mean. And I need you if it ever reaches such a desperate place. You need to let me go. I don't know if I would survive. You would. You're a survivor. And we've helped. Helped Xanthius. And he's in a difficult position too. I'm sure that everyone would help. I know. I know he would. But I just need to know that if it comes to it, If you fall and they come for you because you are bonded to me

you must let me go and stay here in your realm do not be taken to the Lucent Peaks do not become a soldier like me and if our bond condemns you to that I need to know that you will let me go we'll find answers we'll find out we'll find out what happens

in any of these situations and then we can talk about it. But at the moment, I don't have any thoughts of separating us. And I am happy and I am fine and you are not doing anything bad. Him goes very silent when you say that. Leave that conversation there. Early in the morning, the rest of you sleep, dream as you normally would. and as you begin to prepare yourselves and head downstairs

there is a loud from outside as a courier Bam Bam Bam Bam Bam Bato lets them in By order of His Majesty The Trinic Lord Ignatius The Heroes of Ashen's Rest Daisy Thistleheart

Sister Ophelia Del Rosa of the House of Blood Rowan Gruffeth of Drimoro, Knight Errant And Xanthias Oregon I hereby invited to a ceremony at the Dominus Signorum to celebrate their heroism in the face of groundfall. Ceremony? No.

Hello. Heroical. Sorry, yes. I told you all about this. Well, maybe I didn't. Most of you went to bed early. Anyway, upon noon at the Dominus Signorum, thou art to a prayer, to appear.

I thought we had less time than that. Noon's pretty good. Thank you. What do we wear? Tudda-da-da-da-oo. And then hits. The horns two. That wasn't really unnecessary.

Inside. It's like a little halfling man. He's like, goes on his way. That was really quite unnecessary. Yeah. We were gonna go anyway. We were gonna go anyway, but... I don't really give in to this pomp and say, don't we?

We did the job. Job well done. Oh, the next job. We got you in the outfit. You can put that on again. I think I've grown a bit since then. Grown more muscular. No. Pure muscle, rough.

More muscle. BOD. Do you think the men with the horn will be there at the ceremony? I think there's gonna be even more of them. Oh no. There can't be more. With even more horns.

We said more than more than one note, at least. Yeah, really, more is just a bur-bur-bur. It's just a burp-pur-pah-bub-pah. There's someone else. We could just skip out. I think that Duke Ignarias would not like that. No, we need to have a party. We need to celebrate how amazing we all are.

Yes. Yes, I agree with that. I very much agree. Oh, maybe we'll get another Duke's favor. Maybe we'll get another tavern. Where? I, well. Probably just this.

No, no, no, no, no clothes for you. New clothes for you, new clothes for you, new clothes for you, no clothes for me. Last time I bought clothes. I got ambushed to the one refined tailor in town is suddenly out of the business. I'm sure there's somebody else. There has to be somebody else.

Not as fancy, but yeah, you can get other clothes. Yeah, there's other clothes. Clothea's and Taylor's, but they're just not as exquisite. Speaking of, Antheis. Yeah. Oh. Yeah. Ah.

What happened? Just, just avert your gaze. I mean, my gaze is definitely not averted. Is it that obvious? It's a bit spiky. I was really hoping it wasn't. It wasn't like that yesterday. No.

I know. I know. And I know it sounds... Is this because you got really close and... Did you just? touched the crown steel on it. No, no, no, no, no, no. Well, no, no, no, no.

I mean, you were close to it, but probably not for long enough. I, I know it sounds like I'm being awful cavalier about all of this, but I, um, I think this is just the natural progression of things. And this is just narrow the next stage of it. And I'm really trying to hold it all in. But this is, is it, does it jut out? Yeah, a little bit.

A little bit. Massively, but it does, yeah. You're gonna need like a jacket or a coat. Okay. Like a shirt is not gonna cover it up anymore. You definitely need more clothes. I need more clothes. But again, I need to, I mean, order clothes

while not being present because they're going to measure. We can just send them your measurements. That's easy enough. We can do that. Just add a few centimeters on one arm. I mean, again, you guys have like traveling clothes and things like that. You can find a way to disguise it for now, but it's just not a custom, like, nice outfit, but it is like, a long-sleeves.

Nix's, I've got the key. What do you? Let me tell you. I'll give it back to him. He's probably dead now. Is Enthius going to start wearing really puffy sleeves now? I might have to. Or just like a jacket with like, you know, a bit of extra room in the shopping.

I mean, my more dressed up outfit has a longer cloak. I could just cloak it up a little bit more. Double cloak. Big padded, pointed shoulders. Well, that's a point. I do have that, I have a pardron. All right, so. Point to shoulder is a very odd skin.

Flip that to the other side and get like a... How dare you. Sharp. Sharp. Ships love sharp angles. Big fan. So, just because I want, there's a particular thing I want to do before we wrap up the episode.

Yeah. Well, then we're going to get by clothes. Sure. You do that. Oh, okay. You do that. Close get. You are summoned to the Dominus Ignorum.

The street is actually lined with, the elite duke's guard. You are not the only ones being invited. It seems that several soldiers in the army are also being celebrated for their heroism and exemplary acts on the battlefield. This is like a full, big ceremony. It's not being conducted necessarily in the Dominus Ignorum,

but on the steps outside and people have gathered around to watch. You are heralded as the guests of honor. No, you bloody know. Representative Sir Morning and Sir Glory are also there being heralded as great heroes, Sir Greald and Dame Cassandra as well. But this is about the common soldiers. Many of them, you know, there's probably about 60, you know, soldiers who are called up, who personally are met by the Duke,

handed a, you know, silver or gold medal, like large medal that will probably be worth quite a considerable amount of money for them, given, like, a pouch of coins as well. and their deeds are retold. They have a professional kind of bard who recites their deeds they performed on the battlefield. You know, you recognize one. Bliss actually earned a recommendation, having saved the lives of several other soldiers

when they would have been separated and just drew the beasts away, basically. But that act, and managed to survive. You know, took a nasty wound for it, but managed to survive. but there are many of these similar stories, right? One of a cavalry officer who was sadly killed and a young farmhand who had experience

riding drakes and horses, jumped up and took his place and managed to help deliver a massive charge, people who filled shield wars and things like that. Many of these kind of stories. And eventually all of your stories, you know, the Duke Ignores is like, citizens, my people, you know these heroes well,

for they helped protect this town against the demonic enforces that tried to claim our lives once before. And yet here they stand again, for when there was a need, when a call was made for those who would travel out with our holy knights

to defeat the great enemy that stood at the sight of the crown for. These five, they stood. stood up and they volunteered. They made their way to face a great and powerful enemy. And for that, we owe them our thanks and my riches. And a large chest is wheeled out full of gold and platinum coins.

But there is one I wish to highlight very directly. it was he who offered himself first and foremost, before any others, who offered himself to go on this journey, not knowing if his friends, his allies would journey with him. A knight errant, nudge, nudge, gruffeth of Tremorow. Oh, bloody, that's wrong, hide me, hide me, right? Stand up straight, stand up straight. Jones, pushing gruffeth in front. This is your moment.

Stand tall. You're a knight. A great chance. champion of Ash and Rest, a warrior, and a man of great honor, to boldly volunteer yourself. In such a dangerous act, though you have no obligation to this town or to these people, I would like to present you with a personal gift. Orgrim, he calls over, and consider Orgrim comes walking out, carrying something under a red velvet cloth, and he offers it to Duke Ignorius, who stands.

He rips off the cloth and reveals an incredible battle axe. Oh, shit. Its blade, its crescent blade is etched with draconic runes that glow with an inner fire. Roons of pride, of flame, of strength. The back half of the axe looks as if it has been dipped in molten lava and then cooled. It ripples and flows backwards with an exquisitely long red Drake leather. Hilt, and the pommel, the capstone at the end, is of that of a roaring dragon's head. Fuck, yeah.

This is Tharak Vull, roar of the mountain. An axe I forged myself in my younger years. It stood with me as I fought in the Oriat insurrection against these crowned fallen fiends. And I can think of no other warrior I would have wielded again now. He kneels so that he's sort of at a similar level to you. Will you take this and defend those who need defending as you have? As I always have, your lordship. You are no knight of the realm,

but I know you will be a fine knight of this empire. Take it. It's hot, warm to the touch, but as you do, the sort of axe blade seems to almost glow with an inner fire as gruff. You now have Tharak Vole, Relic Battleax. Oh my God! My God.

But it's not blue. And that is on D&D Beyond that you can act. Wow. Holy shit. It's not blue though. So how do we know it's for gruff? You have one fact and that's it. With that, we will bring this episode to a clove.

Oh. Now you got a magic weapon. I want you to tell me all about that. About that. How are we spelling it? Oh yeah, how are you spell? Tharak VAL, T-H-A-R-K, apostrophe, V-U-L. Yeah, all right.

Thalak V-A-V-R-O-O-R-O-T-R-E-L. Oh, there's tears. VALIS, oh. That's rules. And it is a relic, so if you unlock its tier, it will increase. Oh, nah, nah. It's got that lot of text.

You got it there? Oh, there's a lot of text. A lot of it is describing the weapon. Sure. But for the, for now as a Tier 1 relic, it is plus one to hit and damage. Great. Any fire damage you inflict with the weapon

via a spell or class ability, you may re-roll the fire damage. So for example, Gruff's primal, when he gets to add elemental damage to it, would be able to re-roll that. Or it has a fate action, which is you can replace one of your attacks as part of the attack action by slamming the axe into the ground

and it does a 15 foot 3D6 flame burst basically. I like this one. and it will set people on fire as well with it when it does it. So, you know, pretty fun. Only a little burning hands, but still fun to replace an attack with. Wait, is there anything in there about how to upgrade it? You want to hear it now? Because it's heavy metal that's four.

Yeah? Is there something Gruff would know? Yes, Gruff feels like it has this almost instinctive knowledge when he has to attuned it is and a tuned weapon. To unlock Tier 2, you must come. completely submerged the weapon in a powerful magic source of lava and reclaim it in your own hand. Okay. Okay, okay, okay.

Location quest this time. Yeah, we'll find out. Might be... No, I did not expect that. Well, with that. Cast it into the fire, okay. Okay, I will. I'll grab that.

To do it all. We will bring this episode to a close. Oh my God, that's awesome. Still lots to do, because I think, actually no, I'm not going to bring, I'm not going to end the appointment. so just there. One final cinematic. Later that day, we're kind of jumping ahead a little bit. You know, you guys will have some time to do some other things.

But later that day, a strange wind is blowing in towards Ash and Rest. And a part of that wind breaks away as if it was sentient, as if it was a current. Ten wisps of wind fly down to the gates of Ash and Rest where they materialize into 10 individuals, all wearing black and white robes bearing the symbol of the ecliptic order. Seven of them hooded, shrouded, brothers and sisters,

warrior monks and priests amongst them, solemnly their heads bowed fall into line. Two familiar faces, Sister Superior Malady and Sister Superior Benedicta stand at the head of their eyes. younger warriors. But ahead of them is one more figure. A tall wolfman with grayed, gray shaggy mane, one of his eyes.

Half of this wolfman's face completely torn and burnt away. And in his eye socket, a glowing blue magical eye. The hood kind of pulled down, you know, dark leather armor, emblazoned. with the symbol of the Ecliptic order as High Inquisitor Argus has arrived with the ecliptic order and that is the final scene we see for the episode. Materialising from the wind as well, that's...

That was dope. So much trouble. Oh yeah, I've been in worse. And with that, that is where we're going to bring the episode to an end. Hell yeah. We'll see you next time, everybody. Oh, you know what? I think high rolls might be good. You think high rolls might be good.

You think high rolls pretty good, eh? You know, it's pretty good. It's pretty good. We'll see you next time, everybody. Bye-bye. Bye. Bye.