High Rollers DnD - High Rollers: Aerois | #14 - Brush With Death (Part 1)

Episode Date: November 5, 2018

The party of five head deeper into the ruins and find more than ghosts in this evil place! D&D Beyond is the official digital toolset for Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition. Use the code HIGHROLLING on D&D Beyond (http://bit.ly/dndbeyondhighrollers) to get 25% off all digital items (excluding the Legendary Bundle)! Music courtesy of Epidemic Sound Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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You'll wish this spectacle of flavour never ended. Try the new Firecracker McCrispy today at participating McDonald's restaurants. them crispy today at participating mcdonald's restaurants hello everyone welcome back to high rollers a dungeons and dragons podcast in the world of arois run by dungeon master mark sherlock humes with me tom playing keelakad kala the bard slash cleric i am chris trott i'm playing lucius yun eloine elinastro and i am a high elf sorcerer hi i'm Rhiannon I'm playing Sentry I am a guardian paladin hi I'm Katie I'm playing Aayla a wild elf barbarian

and I'm Kim I'm playing Nova who is an air ganassi and she is a hexblade warlock we're sponsored by D&D Beyond check the links in the description

for more information about them and make sure you check out our streams on twitch.tv forward slash highrollers D&D to see the brand new

twitch integration the party of five continue their exploration of the old elven keep and discover there's more than ghosts in this evil place Welcome back to Erois here on the Oxcast with the High Rollers. That's us. Stop talking now. We're those guys. For a recap, let's do a recap of what happened last time.

Especially for Rhiannon, who needs a recap. Yes, please. She got real. You now have four arms. Buckle up. That's not true. Each one has a laser on it. That's not true.

Of a different element. Oh, please. Fire, ice, water. One day. Why must you use arms? No. General Sentry. Last time on Hyrule House.

General Kenobi. General Sentry. Last time on Hyrule House, General Kenobi. The gang set off from Rosehall, which is a small frontier town on the continent of Suvona after their airship crashed and they made some friends in the town. They are currently investigating an elven ruin of which the town got its name called Rosehall, where they have encountered some spooky goings onon and some not-so-spooky goings-on. There seems to be an old elven palace with touches,

kind of elements of the fae, definitely a ghostly woman that has been seen on numerous occasions now, who is an old elven princess from the days just after the Sundering of Eros. And yeah, you the days just after the sundering of Euromys. Um, and yeah, you are

currently just investigating that, uh, the ruins or the house really. It's not much of a ruin, more of a full, fully, uh, intact manor house. Upon arriving, you were beset by, um, what appeared to be a number of tricks designed to try and spook you away, revealed to be a pixie who had been summoned and controlled by the princess to basically keep people away from the manor house. You discovered a few things. You discovered some elven bodies out in the gardens, or Nova and Quill did, still wearing rusted armor.

Stepping inside, you were assailed by two spirits of elven warriors who seem to be kind of the vestiges of life looking to drain away the life force of the party leading Nova and Quill to be in a precarious position. Their maximum hit points released.

They are not in a good way. Arval Dagus, the dwarven merchant who's been accompanying you, showed that he has a very crippling fear of undead and spirits and didn't seem to be very useful in a battle. Valor, who is the young ward that you've kind of taken on after her guardians were murdered, continues to prove herself. She seems to have a bit of rudimentary skill

with lockpicking. She's carrying us. A little bit of magic. She's kind of carrying you at the minute, yeah. She's a nat 20 generator. Well, she is, weirdly. And yeah,

and I think that that's pretty much where we were. And the spooky skeletons also recognised Bella. Yes, the spirits did. They seemed to have some sort of recognition. Well, they kind of said you.

They just, you know, you're not quite sure of the nature of it. You did discover a ring, a magical ring, a sword away, and signs that the house has been plagued by thieves who met a grisly end at the hand of some sort of trap or some such. Yeah. Is where we're going to begin today. And in fact...

We're in combat. No, we were exploring the secret. No, exploring. I just got the ring. So you've taken the ring, right? The ring of warding, was it? Oh, yeah. Barrier ring.

Barrier ring. That was blown open already. Put it on. Because the description of the manor house can be quite hard and like obviously trying to detail it without a big map without loads of dwarven forge I thought I would just draw you guys a map you will have to ignore

some of it as if you were not there that's cool that's so professional it would be more professional if I had something to cover it up with so we'll see if the map cam is on, if Steve can get that going at some point. There we go. So you guys are currently on this side.

So this is the side that's closest to Rose Hall. And this is the main hallway where you entered. This was the study-like room where you found the bookshelves and the body. And then this is the corridor with the stairway. Oh, we fought the skeletons. Okay. There were more spirits. There were ghosts.

Spirits. They were. So we've explored, what, three rooms of about 50? Yeah, and this is the first floor. This is the ground floor. Okay. So. Cool.

Okay. Just try and metagame and know that you've not seen any of the other stuff. Yeah. Not that I think it gives you too much information. Oh, also. We don't know where things are. For Rhianna's benefit, the second floor has a bridge that goes across the river. Yes, it has a bridge of size, so like you get in Venice where it's kind of arched over the river.

Oh nice, cool. And it has windows that look out onto the river itself. Where's spoopy lady? Has been seen. Okay, spoopy lady. Ah, thanks, Tim. Okay, cool. Cool, cool, cool. So we're currently

here in this corridor you are currently yeah you I think everything is in the study but you had seen the corridor you'd opened the door

and seen that the corridor lived and then we got attacked by the ghosts yes nice and then I believe that you were debating

what to do yeah so I've got this ring and the ring lets me cast shield which is pretty useful it's like a physical barrier shield that you hold shield oh no sorry yeah you can conjure a shield i can conjure like a magical spell shield yeah yeah i can do shield nice and i can do that as a reaction can't i uh man i really should have

written it out for you even though i gave you all the information last week tom hazel it's not on my it's not on my character i know because i because I've not added it there. I was hoping that you might write down physically. It lasts for a minute. It's not magical. It is. You can use it twice per day. It lasts for a minute. And when you use it, you can conjure a spectral shield, which gives you a plus two bonus to AC

as if you were wielding a shield, but you get no penalties, even if you're not proficient. And you also can't hold anything else. Well, because, yeah. It's a free hand. It's my onlyicient. And you also can't hold anything else. Well, because, yeah. It's a free hand. It's my only hand. But you can cast spells with it.

It's like, basically, it kind of projects along the forearm or whatever. Oh, wow. Nice. But, yeah. Cool. Twice per day, lasts for a minute, plus two AC, basically. Okay. I will make it in D&D Beyond and then add it for you. Ah, so it's a Mark Hulme special.

Yes, it's not a common magic item. And yeah. You'd also, there were a couple of other things you noticed. There was a strange creature that had stolen a few things that seemed to be able to create these kind of portals. Don't mind him. He's just wandering

around. Oh, it's the camera. Oh no, the lights went out in the mansion! So spooky! Thanks, Steve. So yeah, at this point you guys had

found the ring. What do you want to do? There's still no books in this room, are there? No. As I mentioned last time, the books in the study, because it looks like part of the window and the wall had broken away with a blast of this trap, and that has let moisture and overgrowth kind of take over, and the books have decayed and worn down.

But looking at the spines, you don't think that these were... It's not like these were spell books or or you know anything particularly impressive these look to be just kind of you know more old-school like you know pieces of fiction but also maybe like encyclopedias of like foliage and the kind of stuff that like rich people might have just as a status symbol it's not necessarily useful knowledge to be gained from what from whatever those old books were you don't think Nova probably knows

all of it yeah whatever fiction bleh I mean even like the few encyclopedias and things there

it would have been like basic plants of you know herbology of the lowlands or something like that you know

it's not going to be anything esoteric was there a secret passageway where we found the lockbox or was it literally a secret compartment lowlands or something like that. It's not going to be anything esoteric. Was there a secret passageway where we found the lockbox or was it literally a secret compartment? A secret compartment. A secret compartment that held the

jewellery box and some potions which had been destroyed. If there's nothing else to ensuade here, we should move. We should keep going. Well, this is going to be very useful um at least for keeping me alive but i'm not sure about it really suits you oh thank you it's uh it's my it's the same color as my beak okay it's a lot did you just say looky are you adopting lucius's

vocabulary he's rubbing off on me it's dangerous not literally what What does that mean? Nothing. I've just... I've gotten used to his vocabulary. Okay. That's adorable, isn't it? He's wordy. He's learning. He's so cute. Okay, well, I'm already sick of this.

Wordy's for the birdy. If you're all done talking funny and debating trying to forget the spirits. Well, yeah. I mean, what do you all want to do? I'm afraid I'm not sure if I think I can go any much further. If there's any more of those spirit

things. You can't be left alone. I've heard the stories in books that my nanny used to tell me. If the group splits up in a haunted house, that one always dies. I think he's talking about just leaving the house, Lucius. I mean, I can wait outside. What if there's ghoulies outside? Well, I mean, we didn't see any

when we were passing through on the road, and quite frankly, at least there I know I can make a run for the gate and get away from here. Our chances are too diminished with you going, but I understand you feel scared. Well, I don't. I mean, the problem is, is, I mean, if I freeze up again, I'm just gonna be a burden.

It would be useful to have you at least by the exit if we ever need to make a quick getaway. I can hang out outside, but. That's true. But I think we need to carry on. We can't leave now. We know that what we're looking for is still here. So now's the time to carry on. We can't leave now. We know that what we're looking for is still here. So now's the time

to carry on, I guess? Well, that's up to you folks. I think. I could hold your hand, Orville. I don't need no hand holding. It's just... Like I said, ever since I was a boy, I've had spirits and ghosts

and that sort of thing. It rubs me up the wrong way. I just, I don't know. I can't describe it. Vala. Yes? How are you doing? Pokes around.

Fine. I mean, I didn't get injured or anything. And I mean, I'm not scared by these things. I mean, I guess they are scary, but just, I don't know. I mean, they seem to be able to be hurt by magic and things like that. You want to carry on? I mean, yeah, this place, I mean, it's old. There must be knowledge here, right?

And I mean, these paintings, and she gestures to the painting sort of in the study and in the hall, which kind of show this alien kind of landscape and this woman, this elven woman in white. And there's something, you know, look at these places. There's something strange about it. I feel like there's definitely, well, I don't know. It's kind of cool. I think it's kind of cool. And I want to see more of it.

So as long as we're all careful and the big strong ones are at the front right? Probably makes sense. Big strong ones at the front and we don't even know if these things... The kind of effect they might have on sentry we don't know so... Probably safe to assume nothing is good. Probably. But they did recognize Vala, somehow. There was a recognition, though. I'm just wondering if it's a good idea. As much recognition. As much as she wants to fight, and I admire that.

You know I admire that, Vala. That's fantastic. She nods, yeah. But is that safe? Well, I mean, you guys kept me safe before, and no offense, but so far you guys would have been turned away at the locked gate if I hadn't opened it. This girl makes a good point. We need the lockpicking skills. Okay, she's tagging along. It's fine.

I was like, I'll wait here in the hallway, just in case you need to make a quick escape. Ooh, watch out for that thing that steals things. Yeah, there are things around, Dargol, so if you do see anything and need to bail outside... Well, if you hear me screaming, come back. You froze before. There was no noise whatsoever. So the likelihood is that the same thing will happen again. True. All right, let's get going before we get spooked again. So, yeah, where do you want to go? So, I mean, so far, you know that there's a corridor.

It's got a stair leading up, which kind of has like a gallery effect. Like, you can see the top floor looks down onto the corridor with a staircase. You can also tell there are two more doors, one on the far side of the building and then one directly in front of you where you come out of the hallway. So these rooms are all upstairs? No. These rooms are rooms you've not explored yet. So these rooms are connected. So these are doors. And upstairs is a different drawing?

Upstairs is a completely different floor. Okay. Okay. Okay. We've not seen this. You've not been upstairs at all, so. Well, we know the woman we're looking for is upstairs on the bridge. Yes.

At least that's where we keep seeing her. That's where you keep seeing her, yeah. So should we just go straight there? Sneak there. Sneak there. Are you good at sneaking, Sentry? I'm terrible at sneaking. You're sneaking. I just fly really straight.

I think a ghost will probably see us coming before we even see it. Right. I feel like they can already see us and they can hear us right now. Most likely. Stay for just a minute. Okay. Well. You guys make your way.

Yeah. Let's go to the corridor then, I guess. Give me a marching order. I think I've still got a couple minutes left of the detect magic as well, yeah. Yep. Do you detect? Do I detect as I'm going up the stairs? Well, first of all, give me a marching order.

As you leave the room and you start hitting the stairs. I'm in the middle. I'd like to be next to Nova. I'll go in front. Front? I'll be at the back. Okay, so front, second. I'll be second, yeah. And then you two in the door.

So I guess I'm behind Sentry. And then Vala will probably be in front of you. So you're at the very back and then Vala's between you and Quill. So as you make your way out, you open the door. The doors here, most of them are still maintained very well. You can see that their hinges haven't rusted and things like that. But occasionally the wood has swollen a little bit and you kind of have to shove them.

Ayla kind of has to give the one an elbow just to open it where it gets stuck. And there is kind of a creaking sound as it does so. As you begin making your way into the room, Quill, you do notice that on the stairs there is a very faint aura of magic. And I just need to check what school of magic it is. Okay. Hogwarts. Don't go up the stairs yet.

There might be another trap there or something. I can see it. Abjuration. Abj it. Abjuration. Abjuration. And abjuration is... One day you'll remember things I tell you. Is abjuration the same as my ring? It is.

It's protection. It's warding. So if there was an abjuration trap, for example... It would, yeah, potentially. Abjuration is defensive in nature. It could be traps. It could be many sorts of effects. It could be sort of like an alarm.

It could be like a warding, like a barrier or something like that. Can I grab my little bag of sand and throw it up the stairs? Yeah. Not to throw it just like as the bag. Oh, the full bag. Like a ball. I want to see if it triggers anything. Okay.

So you throw this big bag of sand. You can see that there is a faded, worn carpet. Pocket sand. Pocket sand. There is a faded, worn carpet which kind of goes up the stairs. It has designs of roses and flowers and that sort of thing. But a lot of it seems to be quite moth-eaten. A lot of it's kind of been worn down.

There's a faint smell from the carpet as well. The whole place smells very old. It has that, you know, old person's house kind of deal. Like mine? Okay. Yeah, you just throw the bag of sand and nothing seems to happen. Huh. How was that?

That's my little blotter. Quill, you hear from the doorway opposite you where you came in, as you're kind of stood in the middle, so you've got like Ayla right in front of the stairs and then the rest of the party kind of stretch down. There's a couple of things. So the rest of the party, you see that there are two more paintings.

These are hanging on the wall on the other side by the stairs, just along this wall here, opposite the study. These paintings show a very handsome looking male high elf with blonde hair, very regal looking clothes, stood in this alien landscape. And you can see he has like a sword. It's very posed very heroically, kind of like romance novel cover, like long flowing locks. And then the other one is another one of this strange alien landscape, these two paintings. Quill, as the group are kind of like,

you've said like called stop and people are nervous throwing the sand. Yeah. From the door opposite you, you do hear a kind of clanking sound, like somebody in armor moving around. I'm not going in there. You have a flashback to a different life. You just hear the creaking of floorboards.

Very, very faint, but you just about barely hear it. As your perception for hearing, I'm not going to take any penalties on it. One, there's definitely something in that room over there moving around, and it's armoured. I guess, did it sound like the skeletons that came and attacked us before?

No, they made no noise. They passed through the walls and just this rasping. There was no noise, but they kind of gave off this aura of cold. The room felt chill when they came nearby. This one just sounds like, yeah, something in armour clanking around.

Hmm. I'm not going in there. Okay, so something in armour clanking around in there. I suppose at some point we might see it when it comes through the wall, like the other ones did. Two, yeah, still some magic on the stairs. I don't know what it is yet.

Might be a trap, might not be. Might be an item. Could be another shield ring thing. Can I look and see if I can see anything on the stairs? Yeah, perception check. Which does that, can I look at the painting of the High Elf and see if I recognize him? Or the stairs? Yeah, perception check. Can I look at the painting of the high elf and see if I recognize him? Or the landscape?

Yes, you can try. Give me an intelligence check. Or arcana. 17. You look around the stairs. No, apart from this face, whatever Quill has detected, whatever magic is there, is invisible to the human eye

like you just, it just looks like a pair of old stairs, you do hear the same clanking that Quill did, like as you're kind of looking at the stairs, you just very faintly hear this, and there's almost like a breathing to it, you can almost hear this kind of raspy breath coming from the same room

and yeah, just a very faint, and then just the rest of the house seems very very still is the room as cold as it was when it's warmed up since those creatures were vanished

I can think of that dispatched dispatched desabarated I don't know. Never. Is that painting signed? I don't know because my dice almost rolled an 18 and tipped at the last second to a 2, meaning I had 6 on intelligence. I mean, looking at the painting, it's nothing you recognise. Like the landscape, the figure means nothing to you really.

I don't know. It looks really strange. i feel like i should know it but i i he's probably the prince in this legend that you were talking about i know i really should find out the artist and get my portrait done so while those two are looking at the painting quill i'll head up the stairs now that okay so you start heading up the stairs yeah to ayla are you going up the stairs with quill or are you gonna stay where's the sound that you described coming from? Is it this? There's a door, yeah. I kind of want to go up the stairs to see

what the glow is, not to figure it out. So when you start making your way up the stairs, you reach like a small landing, and you can see that the rest of the stairs extend up into the second floor. There is a faint moment where you feel as if you've stepped through a bubble. Like you've pierced

some sort of magical bubble. And for a split second, you think you hear like a ringing of a bell, and then it just vanishes. Ayla, what are you doing? Is he still there? He's gone up the stairs. What were you doing as he walks up the stairs? I just want to kind of

linger near this door to just listen. I just wanted to listen to if that noise is going to be closer. You listen to the door, Century. I'm going to follow Quill upstairs. So you start upstairs. Vala kind of looks around and just kind of lingers near the bottom, sort of in between all of you, like the four of you. The door that Aayla is stood in front of opens very slowly.

There's this kind of like... It's pulled in. And you can hear it scraping against the floorboards. It's kind of heavy wood, like... And then stood in the doorway, kind of almost looking down at you, even though you're very tall, is a figure in... It is a full suit of elven plate with a closed helm you can just see that there is a thin slit for the eyes the rest of it is a full suit of armor um where there would be skin

showing it's been bound up with like leather or a tunic that seems quite faded but the whole plate armor has a very faint blue glow almost like veins or thorns that run through the whole armor, and the whole thing just glows, and there is a faint glow of blue in the visor. There's no... I can't see eyes, it's just glow. You can't really see this faint blue glow, but it's a very thin slit,

and as the door opens, you just see this kind of figure stood there. They've got a long sword sheathed at their side, but they also seem to have a multitude of other weapons. Various other swords. They've got about three, four

swords on them in different scabbards. Three off the belt and then one in a back scabbard, which looks longer, like larger and longer, like a greatsword. And as it opens, he just kind of stares down and you just hear this you shouldn't be here what is everyone doing fracking toasters so I'm on the stair I'm on the landing of the stairs I suppose it like turns You're halfway up. Who are you?

It like turns and you see its movements are very slow and deliberate but still organic in a way. And it just turns and this very faint glow just begins to pulse a little bit like I am Selick Zostro, Paladin of Siaska. Leave this place now. Only death awaits you here. Okay, well, I believe him. Let's go. Are you here to protect this place? I was sent here long ago to protect something, yes.

Is it a princess? Princess? Ah, I wonder how long it's been. Few of you newer generation folk have come by. Thieves seeking to plunder this place. Most have died. You must have some strength to have survived, my brethren. We seek

information, not trinkets. Information there may be, but are you willing to pay a great price for it? How much? Lucius, I don't think this is a money thing. Oh. I suggest you all step inside

your feathered friend and the armor that accompanies him they've alerted her guardian step inside the great hall it generally doesn't search in here and then he just melts back into the room and you can see that

whilst he moves the armor is near silent but his boots just hitting the floorboards while giving away this clanking sound and the swords like these four swords on his body are constantly hitting against each other and that's what creates the clanking noise but the armor is silent as he moves that's cool and he just we need to get you some of that but he just melts back into this this room beyond and you can see kind of peering through the door uh what appears to be, you know, sofas, armchairs, much better preserved than the ones you saw in the study.

There is also a great fireplace right in front of the door, and inside it, a green flame is just crackling on the wood, like a continual flame. This is downstairs. This is downstairs. Hey, he's actually talking to us. Yeah. Positive.

I'm all for following... I'm all for following the thing that's not actively murdering me, so yes. I'm going to go in the room. Okay, so you step inside the room. Balor follows. Can I hear anything now that I've gone through the veil, I suppose? So, yeah, after this guy finishes talking, you and Sentry are still on the stairs as everyone else starts moving in.

And you begin to hear... Yeah, I'd rather... Yeah, let's go in the room. Yeah, I'm going with that guy from the second floor. And it's drawing closer and closer. Okay, I'm following that guy. Can you pick up my bag of sand? Oh, yep, got it.

Yay! So you pick up the bag of sand and then you all follow into this room. Very important, yeah. Leave no track. The last person in this armoured figure, Selleck, shut the door. And be as quiet as you can.

Get her. Bah! Try to make her roar. Make her stop. You idiot. Disadvantage? I don't do that to myself. No, I'm not going to make disadvantage.

Thank you. Wham! Sixteen. Okay. So, Lucius, you pull the door quiet, and it's quite stiff, so you kind of gently shove it, gently shove it a bit more, gently shove it a bit more, trying to do it as quietly as possible.

Pissing door! And then it's as you're just beginning to close it through the thin gap of the door, you see this enormous armoured boot. Whoever wears it must be at least perhaps like eight, nine feet tall. Their leg is almost as thick as your torso as it just hits the stairs and you hear wood begin to crack. The second boot comes down and a red mist begins flowing down onto the stairs itself. You just hear a intruder.

And then you shut the door. God, we're intruding. Let's go. I hate this place. Come. And you can see he gestures over to, there are sets of sofas, armchairs right in front of this fire. And in front of, kind of in a pile,

you see piles of old elven knives, a batlax, scraps of armor, leather. You can see that one of the armchairs has been hacked up and like strips of leather have been cut from it. And it looks like he's been making makeshift armor pieces and things like that. And he goes down, kneels on the floor, this wooden floor covered with a rug in front of this green fire. And he begins meticulously taking the armor, wrapping it or like putting parts on himself and things like that. Just gestures over.

Quite the pastime you have here. Must be boring. Yes. I must be always prepared. The Guardian, my former brethren, they are always seeking me. It seems that they have an aversion to this place. Perhaps they still sense of Siaska's last prayer to me. What? There's a long story. Are you prepared to hear it? Yes, I'd rather hear that than...

Well, that thing is stumbling around. We don't know what's going on in this place, so it seems like some background info is needed, friend. Yes, this is a cursed place you have come to. So what knowledge you come to seek is... Well, we'll discuss that later. I told you I am a paladin of Siasca. The princess here, Vesilvena, she was exiled just after a tragedy that tore apart our world.

From the few thieves that I have spoken to, I have come to understand that the world has shifted considerably. That there is a... there are cities that fly through the sky. Yes, I live on one. Indeed. There are cities that fly through the sky. Yes, I live on one. Indeed. We were... The Sky Cities had just risen when Veselvena was exiled here.

My order was sent to keep an eye on her. We had a small monastery not far from here. We would check in every few days. She had been dabbling in magic that the Star Mother had forbidden long before her death. Planar magic.

She had become obsessed with it, dangerously so. She spoke of a prince, an elf of another world that she was in love with, that she wished to bring to this world but after the archways after Vortensar

Siaska did not wish another planar incident the planets too many of them are gateways to Starbane and his forces so we were sent to make sure that Veselvena did not continue her research and his forces. So we were sent to make sure that Veselvena did not continue

her research. It was a few years after she settled here. She seemed content with galas and parties, inviting nobles from the Sky Cities, some of the merchant dwarves that had begun to colonize this continent you call

Savona. But after a time, she missed her prince. She began researching planar magic once more. Her studies became more dangerous until one of the serving staff came and warned us. She was about to conduct a ritual to bring her prince to her. My fellows and I came to the palace to stop her, caught her in the middle of the ritual.

I begged her to stop, told her that this was a danger, something she didn't understand. But my brethren were more upset than I. They were offended that Veselvena had turned her back on Siaska's teachings. They sought to teach her a lesson. They shattered the mirror, a device that she had created to speak with her beloved prince, disrupted the ritual, and Veselvena in her madness killed us all, myself included. What?

It seems that my brethren, their rage, turned them into spirits. No doubt, I'm sure you have met some, judging by the look on your friends' faces. But I managed to. Perhaps it was my sympathy for Veselvena, my last final prayer to Siaska, that I might be able to one day free her from her madness. But it seems that my armor, a holy relic of our order, kept my sanity intact. I am dead, but my spirit endures, as you can see now. And Siaska is keeping you alive?

I believe perhaps a part of her holy magic, yes. What magic is keeping Veselvena and all of the others here alive? The other spirits, I believe, are bound by their murder, by her. Their rage, their anger, their... Vengeful. Vengeful spirits, indeed. As for Veselvena I believe that it is her loneliness, her desperation

to reach out to this beloved prince that keeps her bound to this place. She is a lonesome figure, a tragedy of sorts So you're protecting the world from them? I wish. I'm not powerful enough to stop Vesselvenna.

She was a powerful magician in her own right when she was alive. And now, as a spirit, she has other abilities. No, my only hope is to stop fools like you from coming to this place, getting themselves killed. What if there is a way to for us to finish? I would that would be a great deed indeed. If that was possible if there was a way to convince Vesselvenha

that her research into planar magic was wrong to free her spirit make her see Siaska's light I think it might be able to bring her a peace. What was the name of her prince?

It is Swiftzong, I believe. She spoke of him before she was exiled. She was obsessed. She was in love with him. Is that the man in the painting? Yes, Vesilvena was a painter herself.

She was an artist. She created paintings using illusory magic. The paintings move on their own, show scenes from her memory. Oh. But the prince, yes, the elven male is this Prince Whistle, the one she saw in her mirror. Oh, so the world and the landscapes in the paintings, are, the elven male is this Prince Whiffsong, the one she saw in her mirror. Oh, so the world and the landscapes in the paintings, are they the prince's?

We believe so. That was the other world that she glimpsed. I see. We're not sure how she got this mirror, whether it was something she created herself or perhaps something she found, but it allows her to view other worlds. My brethren destroyed it when they stopped her ritual.

Okay. If you are here because of Siaska's magic, you must have a purpose. Do you have yet to fulfill? I believe so. I believe it is to try and find some peace, but I can't do it alone. Vesuvena will not listen to me. When she sees me, she sends her guardian, an animated construct.

Yes, I saw that, Tim. Quite large. It was her bodyguard. She created it when she became paranoid that the Order would try to stop her rituals. It killed many of my brethren when we came to stop her. It killed, like, the top quality paladins of Siasco. Several of us, yes. Yes, we don't stand a chance.

There's no point being here. It has some immunity to certain magics, but it is also a very competent warrior in its own right. Let's just leave. I think we've got everything. Thank you very much for your time. Good. You should leave this place. Before we go, what room did she conduct her ritual in?

It was up on the second floor, across the corridor, the archway. It was her study. I don't suppose she had a book that she was using? He looks at you curiously. She had many books. That's how she learned of Planar magic in the first place. They were old copies from the elves who, after your kind, the Ganassi, came to Erois.

Many of the high elves, well, they wished to see the return of... Jasavir. Indeed. And so they began to research planar magic alongside the Ganassi that were rebelled against Siaska. I believe that she managed to locate several of their copies. We couldn't destroy them in time before she killed us.

Why? You kind of, you see, he kind of Why? Why? You see he begins to stand from his kneeling position, and a hand goes to a blade at his side. I should warn you, Ganassi. I gave my life to stop Vesselvenna from investigating planar magic. I do not advise that you do the same. There is dark things that await out there beyond the dark beyond. Do not think yourself so clever as to know yourself beyond a goddess does.

It's got a lot of swords. Wait a minute. Very good point. The guardian, you said the guardian doesn't come into this room. It avoids this room, but... What about the corridor? If it were here, it would come. It could potentially be waiting out there now.

No, I mean the corridor beyond where we left Arvel. Perhaps, if he can sense your friend. It cannot sense life beyond a radius. Several thieves have eluded it in the past. Interesting. Can we trick it somehow into believing we're not here? I mean, if it does not sense you after a time,

I imagine it will feel that you have gone somewhere else. Right. I mean, Arvel's by the front door. He's safe. I mean, either way, I don't think we're going to get out there before he comes across Arvel.

I'm sure Arvel has some sense and is already outside the gate. Yeah, I imagine so. He's terrified. Do you know anything about any old clans? Old elven clans? Yes, you do not strike me as an elf from the Sky Cities. There were many of your people. They came down from the Sky Cities. There were many of your people. They came down from the Sky Cities when I was a young recruit.

They formed clans, you called them. We knew them as tribes. They came down, they rejected the Sky Cities. I did not know many of them, but there were several. I heard reports that a group of them were fighting against Starbane's forces, the Court of Shadows. Yes, there was a group of clans that... I'm trying to find out which one might be where I'm from.

They were called the Laerdalan. The Laerdalan. Four tribes emblessed with elemental powers. I remember hearing of them. Veselveno was interested for a time. I'm afraid I'm not much of a historian, but she may have collected information about it.

Ah, damn. I was hoping that you would know all of it and we could just go away and leave her. I'm afraid that my studies to see Asger took much of my time. I assume if she sees you, she's going to get really mad.

She does not approve of my presence. Her powers over death do not affect me, but I do not know how well they will fare against you. You are living, after all.

I think so. This one's barely, at the moment. Yeah. She becomes enraged when she sees me, when she senses anything that disrupts the illusion of our previous life. Right. So if we pretend that she's still alive? That may be a way to keep her calm for a time.

But I am too much of a reminder of the ritual that we disrupted. Nova, do you know much about spookies? What? No. Like how they're bound here and why they're here? Why are they here? I don't know. Is it like an object?

I know as much as anyone knows in that they are spirits that died with something still needing to be done. Right. I suspect that Veselvena's unfinished business would be the ritual she never completed.

Yeah. But I think that I would hope that I could convince her to give up this heresy. She died for it. I don't think you're going to convince her to give up this heresy. She died for it. I don't think you're going to convince her otherwise. Then if nothing else,

if you are of good hearts, I ask you to destroy her. Better that her spirit be freed that way than this madness enduring. If we destroy her, what happens to you? I will find peace. I think he wants that, don't you? I would very much like to

go beyond the cradle, have Killara take my spirit up to, well, wherever Siaska is now. I assume you can't leave this house. I could, but until my business here is done, I don't see a need. Okay. In that case,

are you willing to assist us? Of course. Could you keep the big scary busy? It will be tricky. It senses life. It mostly ignores me, but I may be able to keep its attention for some time.

Do you know if it's like a similar construct to myself? No, I know your type, Guardian. You are blessed with an intelligence, a spirit. This thing follows Veselvenna's orders. It is similar to you. I believe that the magic used to create it was derived from the creation of your people, but it is different. It is not the same.

It is more single-minded. It has been told to keep intruders away. That is what it will do. Like the stupid little pixie outside. Yes. There was a few of those creatures. There are a few more that linger in the house as well. You may find them on the other side.

Joy. Great. You said you were from before the Sky Cities, correct? Well, I was a boy when the Sundering happened. We were kept safe on a city that was lifted by Hesper, but I chose to come down here and do my service. So do you know about my old city, Solven? I'd heard of Solven, of course.

A city of wonders. Technology, carriages that moved on their own, weapons of light. Yes, I know of Solvin. Do you know where it could be? I'm looking to try and get back. I'm sorry, but what I heard after the Sundering was that it had been destroyed. I mean, I was only a boy when it happened. I'd heard the legends, but as far as I know, it was lost beneath the waves. Okay. I'm sorry, Guardian.

That's okay. One more question. Yes, Ganassi? Meet Vala. And I'm going to point at Vala. She kind of like awkwardly waves. Greetings, young one. You seem a little young to be travelling with this band.

Uh, two of your brethren, the ones that sucked the life out of us, they seem to recognise her. He looks down. You look familiar, but I could not say I know her or know you.

He just looks at her curiously, you are human? She like nods. I'm not sure how my brethren would have recognized her. I would ask Siaska, but since becoming undead, my powers do not function as they once did. Well, they recognized as much as an undead

can recognize things, I imagine. It might have just been a thing that they do. Confused. Perhaps. Their minds are warped and twisted. They no longer see sense. They cannot be saved. They can only be destroyed now.

She's just got one of those faces. Yeah. Are there any paintings in this room? In this room? Yeah. Yes, there is. There's one hanging just to the side of the fireplace. It shows the vessel van of the princess

holding hands with the handsome-looking prince underneath a beautiful gazebo with that alien background behind them. Does it move at all? This one doesn't, no. None of the ones you've seen so far have the movement. Movement.

Yeah. So what's your recommended plan then? He looks at you, he's like, you know, very emotionless, just this full suit of armor. I'm afraid that I do not have one. I know not your capabilities. I only know that I have not been strong enough to,

I cannot stop the Guardian, and I cannot stop Vesselmen. I would suggest that you take the lead on this, if you truly wish to put a spirit to rest. If you do, I can, well, I can either give you my service for a time until my spirit passes on, or you'd be welcome to this armour that has protected me. Is that so?

Yes. If you free my spirit, of course. You must be smelly. I have. You've been in it centuries. Nothing a good clean wouldn't fix, I'm sure. Yeah, you've got to reuse this. It does, yeah.'t fix I'm sure. Yeah, you've got to reuse this.

It does, yeah. He smells of dead corpse. I mean, I imagine kind of almost like almost like preserve like a mummy

like that kind of dry dusty smell. I imagine my detect magic is gone now but when he first came through Oh, that armor's magical. Yeah, super magical.

All right. The weapons aren't but the armor is. So it's plate armor that's silent. Yeah. Okay. That's very cool. That would be a useful sentry.

Yeah. You don't know what other properties. It might have other properties as well. It certainly seemed to protect his spirit, so it might have other properties as well. But yeah, and it's full. It's elven in design. It has a fully enclosed helm,

so the actual helm is like a full helm with just the visor um but he's augmented it right like he has like straps of leather and you can see that there's like little knives kind of all over it and things like that like this guy's a walking armory he's just got everything yeah so he's got silent armor but to counteract that he's strapped a whole bunch of weapons for himself so that when he walks he's like like, clank, clank, clank, clank, clank. Does he really need to stay silent? No. Not anymore, yeah.

Awesome. But yeah, as a visual aesthetic, he looks very Dark Souls, like that classic Dark Souls boy. I was going to say, is there a fireplace with a sword in it? No. A bonfire. There is the fireplace with the green flame and the pile of armor and scraps and stuff that he's got.

Green flame blade. Okay. We could use both your valuable skills as a paladin of the Order of Siaska that can't defeat... You should know that my skills as a paladin, I no longer have the divine connection I once did. I'm still a competent swordsman, but I do not have access to my holy energy.

Anything you can provide. That's all you need. A good weapon. I'm just saying the Order of the Paladin of Siasca couldn't defeat this woman. Couldn't defeat their guardian. This ragtag band and a small child is about to face them. Hey, Valor's

really good. She's the best of us. I know. She says a lot for us. It was the Guardian that eliminated them. I don't think I'm the best of you. I appreciate the confidence, but... You're in the top five. I'm good at picking locks, but...

It's useful. I guess. I think we're going to die. No, but it was the Guardian that defeated them. If the plan is that we... She's also very powerful with magic. True. And also a ghost. But... It's fine, we crashed out of the sky in an airship. We got this, right? We defeated one big Guardian poor in that place. Just don't look at Quill's eye right now because I'm trying to pump it up. Yeah. I mean, obviously, if we

took a rest for a while, maybe we'd be better prepared. What is this place like in the day? The spirits inhabited remain the same. They will avoid some of the rooms. Most of the

curtains have been drawn and block out sunlight. But I know I know for example my brethren cannot stand to be in the sunlight so they can still fight but they become weakened so interesting but okay

is there anything else that is useful to know how to if we have to fight this guardian you mentioned he's immune to some magics. Yes, he is. Do you know what kind? I'm afraid I do not. I remember I saw

a thief try to cast some spells at him once, but yes, it is difficult. You did a big light spell and that seemed to be really good big light spell. They tried to... That seemed to be really good. The thief I saw tried to, as the creature is made of metal,

they tried to heat it, and it seemed to have no effect. That's all I can tell you. I'm out. Right. Seems to be quite resistant against magic in general. Oh, good. That's my only forte. I would suggest, then, that you avoid it as best as possible.

Right. I can do that. It can be avoided. That's my only forte I would suggest then that you avoid it as best as possible Right I can do that It can be avoided I can avoid it And I am not exactly the quietest But you are Maybe we could get you like a little dagger Well Valens got one of my daggers

Yeah If you require a sword I would lend you one of mine I don't know if he's ready for a sword yet I'm ready for a sword I feel like that's sword. He looks at you and judges you. Do you have any experience? I did some fencing with

Daddy back in the day. Fencing? When I was five. Ah, yes. I have just the thing for you. He takes one of the swords as a long, slender rapier. It's been kept in a fairly good condition as best as this guy can in a manor house without

a whetstone and things like that. It's not rusted, but there's definitely like it's grubby. It's, you know, the hilt has kind of the old leather wore away and he's replaced it and things like that. But it's a simple elven rapier that he can offer you. Vela's been sharpening her knives.

I know. If you have a whetstone, I would greatly appreciate it. And Vell is like, yes, of course, here. And he's like, nah. And he starts sharpening his end stuff. And then he'll do yours. We could rest until daylight. They're weak to sunlight, and that's something.

Yeah, that's the perfect time to attend it. Should we maybe get Arvel? He's waiting in the corridor. Maybe we could bring him. He's not. I we maybe get Arvel? He's waiting in the corridor. Maybe we could bring him. He's not in... I strongly believe that Arvel has probably left the building. No, but he might need to know that we're staying here. If you're intending to rest here,

be warned that whilst the Guardian sometimes avoids this place, I cannot promise my brethren I'll not find you here. You don't sleep, right? I do not need sleep. Could you let us know of course if it's coming of course do you wish to go fetch your other friend i think we should because otherwise he's gonna be out there on his own who's the quietest of us we don't all need to go valor puts her hand up okay i am probably the quietest um

quietest? Yes, I guess so. I could try. I'm really not very quiet. Or am I? Valla shrugs. Okay, Valla. You've got this. If you guys think I can do it.

We'll attack that thing if it touches you. Wait, hang on. I could just cast Message. I believe you have to see them. No, I can cast it through solid objects if I'm familiar with the target. What's the range? It's 120 feet.

If he's by the entrance, if he's still in the hallway, it will reach him. If he's outside, it won't. If he's outside, I think that's solved the problem. So I guess I could try to... Yeah, I can apply to this message. Yeah, whisper a message So I'll try to whisper into that corridor Where I think he still is

And I'll just say We found a safe room We're staying here for the night We're having a nap Arvel There's a big guy in between us You don't get a response Okay he's gone There's a big guy in between us. You don't get a response. Okay, he's gone.

He's outside. He's just gone. Well, how can he respond? He can do one response. He can respond. Part of the spell is you can send a response. You're dead! Well, he's outside.

Or he's just outside. So is the plan you guys are going to take a long rest here in this room? Yeah. Okay. And then wait for... Look at that. I don't like that stone face. Super sunrise, and that's the perfect time to fight them. Okay.

So you're going to take a long rest. I'm relatively fresh, so after my four hours of transect state, I'll... Take watch? Yeah, I'll do half of that as well. Sentry can also do it, and you've got the undead guy. You've got... Yeah.

Make a watch. Options are plenty. Meanwhile, me and Nova are just getting rid of our... You and me, buddy. Just falling asleep. Valor will also sleep. Catching Aziz.

I'm going to... She needs to sleep for eight hours. I want to just chat to him about all of his knowledge about anything. If he has any knowledge about plants. Long blooded.

So, this will be the second night you've rested outside of an inn. The only person of you who has bedroll is Ayla. Sensory, you aren't going to be affected really as badly. The three of you, what are you resting on?

Are you going to try and make a makeshift bed? There's sofas and stuff. There's one sofa and an armchair. I'll take the armchair. She's going to curl up in the armchair. I'll give my bed to Quill so that he can get a good night.

Because he's dead. So you let Quill sleep on the floor, basically. Well, it'll only be four hours for me. And everybody has rations because you can't forage so everybody needs to mark off a ration we bought enough for a load like 10 century you don't need to eat you're like warm plate we don't have any plate oh good uh there

is a fire there's a fire yeah warm fire we can hold the plate by the fire for a bit hold your hands out um okay yeah, mark off rations. Ah, crap. Ration gone. I actually marked all of them off. No! Okay, and you're taking a long rest, right? So eight hours. Yes, please. Four of which I'm watching the end. Okay, so you're doing it at the end. Who's doing the first four hours? Ayla?

Do you want to do the first four hours and I'll do the second with Lucius? Lucius. So you two take the first two and then you and Undead Guy take the first one. Yeah. Okay. Do you want to talk to the undead century? Is there anything you want to talk about with this,

with this fellow? So, so what's next? Yeah. It's like Selick, Selick Zostro. Um, he kind of like,

he, it's hard to tell where he looks apart from this visor. He kind of just turns around very similar to you in that you just have this flat facial feature. It's like two blank faces just sitting at the end of a room. He looks at you. Forgive me, Guardian, but I remember stories of your kind having familiars of a sort. Yeah. Do you not have one?

I do. I like point to my belt. It's like shattered. Yeah, just have one? I do. I, like, point to my belt. It's, like, shattered. Yeah, just wrapped up in a chain. Yeah, he was set upon by someone that we fought. And fortunately, he didn't make it out. Do you have any chance of, forgive me, can you repair him? Can you restore him to life?

I'm not sure. I don't know where to go to repair him. I guess Solven would be the only place I could go. That's the only place I know that would have the knowledge to help me. But without Solven, I don't know where to turn. It's possible that the Sky Cities or Magisters from there may know. Like I mentioned, Veselvenna herself had studied the magic used to create Guardians, and that allowed her to create her own version, this Protector.

Yeah. Perhaps it's possible that there may be knowledge of that, of a sort, that will help you in fixing your friend. He's not the same as you, I understand. No, he's not, no. Perhaps then that there may be enough magic there for you to

restore him. I hope so. Yes. It must be lonely. I can imagine a similar... It has been a long time since I have had anybody brave enough to remain in this place. Yeah. I used to protect a royal family in Solvin, or the royal family of Solvin. So without them, I'm unsure of my true purpose. So until I can get back to Solvin and find out what's happened, if I can find any remains or any inkling of where I came from or what happened,

then until then I'll still be unsure of my true purpose. Well, it's difficult. I feel I should not really preach. I am a corpse in a suit of armor after all. But I've spent hundreds of a suit of armor after all. But I have spent hundreds of years contemplating my purpose now. It is not always an obvious answer.

You seem to be traveling with a good sort. They seem the type that would benefit from a protector. Yes. I'm sure that if you continue with them, you will find a purpose. Thank you, Nod. Can it be canon that Novus sleeps like that?

A book just falls out of my hand. It's like in Hercules, like when Pegasus sleeps, when baby Pegasus... Yes. So, can you and Mr Undead Guy Are going to make perception checks Okie dokie Dead eyes See no future

Deep It's actually an arch enemy song I don't know why I rolled But I got a natural 20 You wasted it Okay. I don't know why I rolled. I got a natural 20. You wasted it. That's gone forever. Can we bag that? That's the future.

You'll remember that. So many dice. Why? Okay. Don't look at me like that! I hate your deadpan face! I'm looking for my book of big monsters Genuinely Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes is really great. Such messed up monsters in that. So great. I love it I love it too, but man they messed up. That's not what he's getting, is it?

Yeah, pretty much. Let's look at it. What did you get on your perception check? Nine. Nine. Oh no. We did. Just as Lucius and Aayla, you guys are beginning to awake, but before you have a chance to

really become aware of what's going on, as you're beginning to pull yourselves out of your elven meditations, the room begins to grow cold. Oh, no. I see cold. At first, you don't really notice it. You just kind of move closer to the fire,

and you see the undead figure kind of just hunched over his weapons and armor. And then you hear this rasping, like the dangling of chains mixed with swords being drawn, scraping metal against metal as the air temperature plummets to freezing cold. Drifting down through the ceiling itself. Oh. Three spectral elven warriors, green shapes shimmering into being, begin to descend. Oh no. I would like

everybody to roll initiative. However, they're getting a surprise round. Oh. Would that be different for me and Lucius who are kind of half awake? You didn't get alerted.

I will say you guys probably will get a... Yeah, you'll get to act normally. Same with Century and the undead guy. But the rest of you, including Valor, are out for the first round. I'm guessing our long rest didn't take. Nope, not yet. Shit. So Valor...

Sorry, if you put down Spectres, and they are at 22. Oh. And then Valor is at... 9. Oh, and the ghoul guy is... 21. Oh, fireworks.

Huh? Celic Zostro. Tom Selleck. 21. 21 for Selleck. I did think Tom Selleck. Thank you. That whole time.

That's it. A line moustache across his strength ring. No. Yeah. And you begin to watch as these things begin to draw down and you are not quite sure what time of day it is so have we had

the long rest no so I've still got four hours halfway through okay let me just put my HP back to what it was

please do so who's going first Chris Trott I've given roll of initiative tracker to Chris Trott because I keep forgetting it because you've got

the surprise round they do but it's equal with Kim, Nova. Hi. I rolled 22 as well. But you were asleep. Yes. So this round you don't get nought this round. It will basically be the spectres, then

Sentry or whoever out of the initiative is those guys plus the ghoul guys. You, Quill and Valor miss this whole first round of initiative. Cool. So these creatures begin to descend down and as you kind of see them coming down, you watch as the

Selerik just grabs like one of his swords, probably the largest one, the big great sword, and just kind of like, get your friends. You must be careful. Do not let them touch you. And he kind of readies his weapon. But these things just ignore him and immediately come for the living.

And they can sense that it's basically the three of you. So one, one, and one. They're going to attack each other as they just drift down into the middle of the ring. So against Aayla, that is a 21 to hit. Lucius, that is a 12 to hit. Yes, it hits, 12. Still hits.

Really? I got 12. Yes, it hits. 12. Still hits. Really? I got 12. Yep, okay. And then Sentry, that is an 11 to hit. No. Okay. So, Ayla, you're going to take... Oh, no.

Really bad. I rolled crazy high. That's going to be 16 points of damage, and can you make a constitution saving throw, please? Oh, save. We're at 11,000 viewers. What? Yeah.

That's not possible. Hiya. Hi. Welcome. We're about to hit some goals. We're about to die. Fail. That's a fail.

Really? Yeah. That is, yeah, a hit point maximum. I'm like, I'm at half power. What did you roll? A fucking four. Plus, what's your bonus though? For a constitution?

Saving throw, yeah. So it'll be only eight. Oh, fuck. Yeah, no. Not much better for Lucius. Twelve. And constitution saving throw, please. I have just rolled a lot of sixes on these sixes.

So my max hit points is now... Reduced by 16, yeah. Fuck me. Okay. 15. Scary things. 15? You do not have your hit points reduced.

So you take 12 damage, necrotic damage, but you don't get your thing reduced. I feel like ringwraiths and stabbing the pillows of the hobbits scene. So they kind of like drift down and they draw their weapons, but as the weapons pass through you, it feels like there's no physical wound, they don't cut you, but it just feels like your lifeblood is just being drawn out of you. Your body goes cold, that area where if they strike you turns icy numb. Ayla, you just... energy and life just get sucked out of you. Your body goes cold. That area where if they strike you turns icy numb. Aayla, you just

energy and life just get sucked out of you. Oh man, that sucks so bad! Century, they go to strike you and even though they're spectral, you raise up the Solvin shield, you focus for a minute and this kind of pulse of that protective energy that you harness just manages to rebuff it as if it was a normal

weapon. You just block it away. Who's after the spectres, Chris Drop? Number two, it is the ghoul. If we're going to go back around. Yeah, so the ghoul. So, no, so it's just normal initiative, but just don't count Novaquill or Valor just yet. It's the spectre.

Okay, so he charges in with his greatsword, and he's going to take two swings at... He probably sees you get necroed and so he's going to come after that one because he can see you turning pale grey I'm dying! Okay, his first attack is a miss Oh good

But he gets a second attack which is a hit He strikes through however not as much damage as he would have liked If he doesn't kill So you watch as the greatsword swings through However, not as much damage as he would have liked. So he doesn't kill. So you watch as the greatsword swings through, and the sword itself doesn't seem to have any magical properties. So whilst it cuts into the spectre, again, you see the blade is resisted

and the wound doesn't seem to be as severe as it should be. Who's next? Rhiannon's next. Hello. I would like to divine smite one of these guys in the face, please. Okay, so you Divine Smite. If you hit, then you can spend it. Yeah, and then it's an extra d8 as well.

Yeah, so roll for hit first. One hit first, one hit first. Did we have enough? 19. Plus your normal bonus. Yeah, that's going to be a hit. Did we have enough rest to have a short rest? You were taking a long rest.

You either take a short rest or a long rest. I think that's how it works. We'll clarify that in the break and stuff. I've completely forgotten. So it should be under your actions, so you might need to switch to actions. Come here. I feel like such an old person. No, it's fine. You've not played for a while, so. So 19 plus your attack bonus for your battle axe. So attack bonus.

Plus five. Okay, so that's 24 easily hits. Cool. So you do damage. So your normal damage is 1d8 plus 3, but you wanted to Divine Smite as well, right? Divine Smite, please. So that adds another d8, because you're going to burn a spell slot. But because they're undead, you add another d8 on top of that. Nice!

And it's radiant damage, the second amount of damage. Tasty. And we've got a spirit. Oh no, I've got a d8. Dead killer. So if you can roll the first d8 plus 3 for me, because they are resistant to that. Okay. And then we'll do the radiant damage.

4. Plus your... 7. So 7, so it'll take three uh and then another three and then another two d8 yeah two six so that's plus three five seven twelve nice is that in total yes 12 in total okay so the the battle axe itself cuts into the creature into thisith, and you can see the blade itself just kind of passes through it. But then you focus that purple energy again, that pulses, and this radiant burning light just kind of erupts out of it.

You can see it begins burning parts of it away. Awesome. It just begins snarling and howling, and then just desperately turns on you, as you can see these cold, dead eyes. Who's after Sentry? Unless Sentry has something you can see these cold dead eyes. Bring it on. Just shivering you. Who's after Sentry? Unless Sentry has something you can do as a bonus action.

Let me see. I think Divine Smite is an action. It would be Aayla. I would like to rage, please. So you rage, thunder and lightning begins to crackle around your arms. She weak, but she mad. Natural 20! Nice. Wow your arms. She weak, but she mad. Natural 20! Nice.

Whoa! No, it makes me bleed my whole body. So double damage. Double the dice damage. What? That's not what I imagined happened there. Oh no, that's pretty bad. Okay, so four, five, six, seven, eight.

No one drinks my life energy but me. 10, because I'm raging, so 10 damage. Yep, so halved. And then you need to make a dexterity saving throw from my lightning. 15. That's a pass. So half.

What were they resisting to? So I rolled a three, so. One more damage. It's one damage again. But that's only because they halfed it. Only because they halfed it, yeah. Well I know, but still. So lightning crackles out from the water hammer,

slams into this thing. Again, the water hammer seems to absorb some know, but still. So lightning crackles out from the Warhammer, slams into this thing. Again, the Warhammer seems to absorb some of the blow, but the lightning crackles over it, and the lightning does seem to... Oh, no, it has resistance to lightning as well. Of course it does. But it still takes one. It's fine, it takes half.

It's never going to ever do more than one damage. So who's after Aayla? One day. So Rage, Lightning, who's after Aayla? It is... Wait, can I... Wait. All of us, so...

So Quill and Varys, so it's you. Quill, Valor, and me are all the same. So it's you, and then it's a brand new round. And then you guys basically, you're waking up as you begin to hear these howls and screams. Yeah! Can I just quickly look and see, are there curtains in this room? There are not. This room seems to be in the very middle Oh, yeah, oh good

But you know that you can run out there out there were windows like in the study And that that room for example, so if you want to try and lure them away old animated construct wandering around Why don't we get him in here? Yeah? Sorry, I'm gonna back up as much as I can okay So you're gonna press yourself up against the thing this creature is like, it looks like it can just follow after you. Blade ward myself. Okay. So that's your action.

That's my action. Okay. Okay. Yeah. No, I'm not going to tell you if that's what Lucius is going to do. That's what Lucius is going to do. So we go back up to the very top. Everybody is now awake.

Valor, Quill, Lucius uh sorry uh nova uh you guys wake up and you can see three more of these specters ayla looks very like gray-faced you can see the same haunted look like kind of her eyes look up here sunken centuries like holding one off like smacking it about with divine light lucius has backed himself up and one of them is just trailing after him like um and yeah's going to be another attack to each of you guys bring it on so Ayla that is a 12 to hit you

why not get your first because I'm like 22 it was the surprise round you missed like basically they got the surprise round these guys are awake you go to sleep so this is a brand new turn so brand new turn we got the same initiative what's your dex mod plus 3 So this is a brand new turn. So brand new turn. You'll go after these guys. We got the same initiative. Oh, okay. What's your dex mod?

Plus three. Oh, in case it's you. Yeah, plus three. So in that case, it's you. Okay. That did not hit me, though. Yeah, we'll keep that. Did I see them take the normal amount of damage

from melee weapons, like non-magical weapons? I mean, based on what you remember as a character. I realised as I said that that was a load of bollocks for me to just say from my mouth. What would you like to do? Can I Eldritch Blast the one that Sentry was fighting?

Yeah, sure. So you pull out Dagger Tiangong, point him as this beam of light. Yeah, sure. So you pull out Dagger Tiangong, point him as this beam of light. Eleven to hit. Eleven does not hit. This thing kind of swifts. The mist of its body kind of coalesces, forms the side as the blast

careens past, smashes into a part of the wooden wall. I don't think I can do anything else. Okay, so now it's there, guys. Can I back away, though? Yeah, so you just back off into a corner of the room. So, yeah, at the moment, like, without a map, think of it as, like, quite a long room.

It's quite a long, like, maybe, like, 60 feet long, and then it's about 20, 30 feet wide. There's all sorts of scattered furniture. Lucius is backed up near the door. You've backed up into a far corner, like, let's say, the right-hand corner. Ayla and Century and the rest of you are still clumped in the middle, basically, where you were taking a rest.

So the first one misses Ayla. Lucius, this one chases after you. Please. That's a six to hit. Nope. And then Sentry, that is a ten to hit. So you begin sensing the absolute fear of this touch. You begin putting on the defensive,

dodging to the side, just making sure these weapons can't touch you as you begin fending them off. Who's after them? Spectre Man. Cedric? Selleck? Tom Selleck. He rolled a natural one on his first attack.

He's really great. So he's swinging, but you can see that the creatures almost seem to know his fighting style and they're easily able to anticipate what he's doing. The second attack, however however does hit again. He's still fighting the one fighting Aayla. That's gonna be nine, thirteen, half to two, six. That's a lot of damage.

Yeah, so he swings through with this greatsword, again cleaving through and trying to distract them, but they're just ignoring him, they don't pay him any attention whatsoever. After him, Sentry. Sentry. Cool, I'll just ignoring him. They don't pay him any attention whatsoever. After him. Sentry. Sentry. Cool, and let's just give him a good old-fashioned smack. Okay, so just get the battle axe.

Get the battle axe. Tac roll. Tac roll. That's a whacking. That's a natural one. Not a whacking. That's a six. You swing wide, but this time it kind of senses,

and now it's afraid of this holy light that you're able to bear, and it just backs off immediately, and you just swipe, goes wide, as you swing the axe through the air. Can I hold my shield up and get ready? Yeah, do you want to try and position yourself next to somebody, or...? Yeah, maybe next to Ayla. Okay, so you're going to move up towards the air,

and you're going to get ready so you can disadvantage. Okay, great. Who's after sentry? That would be Ayla. Smack. Yep. Hopefully. Please.

Oh, no, that's not a hit. That's only a 10. 10 is not enough, sadly. So this thing, it brings its spectral sword. As you bring in another heavy swipe, it just kind of blocks you, sending you staggering back. Does it still, does my aura still,

because it's still in my aura, right? Yeah, yeah. You can use a bonus action, I believe, to zap it. Yeah. So that is a 13 deck save. Just succeeded. Damn it. That's a one.

So one. One day we'll do more than one. Just a little zap of lightning. Like a little, little like a shot. Fuck you. It's up, Ray. It's because he's low power.

Me, Quill and Bella. Okay, so who's got, so I think Vala has the highest deck. It's more out of all of you. Yeah, Vala's got higher's low power. Me, Quill, and Valor. Okay, so I think Valor has the highest dex mod out of all of you. Yeah, Valor's got higher than plus two. I've got plus two. Okay, and then between the two of you, I'd say you go first because you're awake first. So it'd be Valor first. So Valor, you, then Quill.

Valor will... She knows that these things don't... She's seen the fighting and works out that that's probably not going to work. don't like she's seen like the fighting works out that that's probably not going to work she will try a magic missile against the one uh fighting ayla because she saw that you got the everyone's like oh shit she's well but it's also they see like the life has literally been sucked out of you and they know how bad that is so she will magic missile this one at first level so that's four uh six or three, nine, and these missiles slam into these spectres

and they just tear chunks of it away. It seems to have a full effect. MVP, Valor! MVP! Which actually will, the one fighting you, the last missile hits and it just... Yay! Awesome. MVP! But you can see Valor kind of holds her thing back.

He's like, she just says, I can only do that one more time And she kind of goes into a defensive position Doesn't have that many level one spells Lucius? No, she doesn't I will cast a spell on the spectre Which one? The one in front of me

Yep, what spell? I'm going to cast What was that? The one in front of me. Yep. What spell? I'm going to cast... What was that? Melfsnow. Fuck off. Chromatic Orb at second level. What's that?

Chromatic Orb, second level. So I believe in the attack roll for Chromatic Orb. I'll do it with cold damage. Okay. So attack roll for Chromatic Orb. You never hit with this spell, it's crazy. Total? Just the base? Eight, no, nine, sorry. Nine, not enough. You kind of throw the orb, this bolt of cold

flies forward, smashes against an armchair, just covering it in ice, but the creature just just covering it in ice but the creature just looms forward. However, you cast a first level or higher spell that dealt cold damage. So with your Dicromancy, you can choose one to take, I think six points of cold damage? Yes, it is six. And which one would you like to take it? The one that's higher than you?

Oh, yes. Okay, so that's the first time that one gets hit. The cold does seem to not Slow it down It kind of The gold again It freezes parts of it But it just kind of

Slides through Does it look resistant? It looks resistant Quill Okay I'm gonna Go Quill Wake up And

Go to Just a far point Of the room I suppose You go to the far Left hand side Which is further From everything else It splits everything up

It makes it easier To fight them individually And I will cast A level one guiding bolt Okay to the far left-hand side, which is further from everything else. It splits everything up. It makes it easier to fight him individually. And I will cast a level one Guiding Bolt at the one fighting Lucius. Which is the one Zostra is fighting? What's the one? He was fighting the one fighting Aayla. That one's gone now. That one's gone.

So it's just the one fighting Century and the one fighting Lucius. The one fighting Lucius, I will cast a level one Guiding Bolt at. So... Nice. 9. So Guided. We keep rolling 4s.

In your kind of dazed sleep, you throw the Guiding Bolt out, but it just slams into the wooden paneling by you, spreading out this blast of light around it. It looks nice. Does it still have an effect even if it doesn't hit the advantage on the next attack roll? Is that only on a roll? On a hit.

Yeah, 4d6 damage. Who's after Quill? Could I swing a shield? Oh, you want to conjure the spectral shield? Yeah, so you focus on the ring and as a bonus action you this spectral kind of shield hovers into place around you

and gives you plus two to AC. Awesome. Nova. Top of the round. Nova top of the round, yeah. We'll try and get through this, then we'll take a break. We'll get through this combat. Can I cast Tolver Dead on the spectre that's attacking Lucius?

Yes. So can you please make me a wisdom saving throw? Dong. 13. Natural 20. I'm not even sure. You still take damage there, right? If it doesn't say. You point to the creature you see within range,

and the sound of a dolorous bell fills the air around it for a moment. You must succeed or take. Yeah, normally cantrips, it's just... If it passes, it passes. Is that just... So you try and ring this... You get Tiango in your hands, you ring him like a bell, and the pulse kind of echoes out,

but the creature just shudders for a moment and then it turns on you um i'm so squishy after nova it's the specter's go i believe yep correct so uh all three of them two left two left trying to think if it would go after... Does it have enough movement? I'm pretty tucked into this corner. It would just attack Lucius. I'm so in this corner. One on Lucius, one on Sentry. Lucius, that's an 18 to hit you.

Sentry, that's a 10 to hit you. No way. So you won protecting Lucius. You were moved over to Ada. Oh, shit. What's that con saving throw? Eight. I also got seven HP left oh my god

is that it is that a legit let's take a break what no I think we have to take a break amazing oh shit

what's what's we'll see you in a minute okay yeah Steve if we can go to a break oh fuck what

hey me again if you were hoping for a relaxing episode of your favourite D&D nerds you're not getting it this episode sorry we'll be back on Thursday for the next part of this episode make sure you check D&D Beyond with the links in the description and we'll

see you on Thursday to see what happens with Lucius and the rest of the party in this gruelling combat. Oh no!