High Rollers DnD - High Rollers: Aerois #140 | A World in Chaos (Part 2)

Episode Date: March 10, 2022

The team meet with leaders around Aerois to uncover many new threats! Support the High Rollers and get early access to podcast episodes and Studio updates on our Patreon: www.patreon.com/HighRollers Grab some High Rollers merch: https://freshmerch.fm/collections/high-rollers Music courtesy of Epidemic Sound Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Pickaxe. Pickaxe. Pickaxe. Pickaxe. Pickaxe. Pickaxe. Pickaxe. Pickaxe.

Pickaxe. Pickaxe. Pickaxe. Pickaxe. Pickaxe. Pickaxe. Pickaxe. Pickaxe.

Pickaxe. Pickaxe. Pickaxe. Pickaxe. Pickaxe. Pickaxe. Pickaxe. Pickaxe. Pickaxe. We all good? We all ready? For some more talking to NPCs. Oh yeah. My favourite thing.

It sounded sarcastic. It wasn't, it is. I love it. If I didn't like talking to NPCs, I shouldn't be playing this game. That's true. You shouldn't be playing this game with me. You could probably play with somebody else who's just like, combat, combat, combat. Whereas I'm like, no, this week that's true no you shouldn't be playing this game with me lancy you could probably play with somebody else who's just like combat combat combat whereas i'm like no this week it's an npc i love it i love it what are you gonna say i'm so annoyed about this joseph experiment

thing i'm so annoyed about it why are you so annoyed just um why just um just i don't know i'm annoyed about it but doesn't it make sense it does it makes perfect sense it's a great ethical and moral dilemma it's like scary the whole law that I gave you at the very beginning of the campaign but I'm annoyed about it the consequences of giving a four page backstory to your character

ten ten pages this is pages four to five now you're going to have to go to Vortensar and you're going to have to stop this thing and then all of Kim's detailed analysis of the city of Vortensar can come in.

Let it happen. So, to refresh, and again, if you guys have anything you want to say, especially folks who haven't had a chance to talk a lot yet because it's been a lot of queries in StormE storm eye and stuff like that do just jump in but you are currently in the war council room uh of horizon with danica and rain uh the other delegates shall we say have left um as you have been updated on the status of this conflict with

chaos valkyrian the status of the city of vortensar, the Ganassi city, and lots of other things. Danica and Rain basically have let you know that there are a few people here who are specifically here to kind of speak to you guys and them about problems that are occurring on Erois that they think you are the only ones that can help. This is the problem with being the Avengers. People are going to come to no fucking problems um so uh they the first people is uh the denica says uh let us bring in

the first set of individuals uh we have baron sovrano of porta sovrano as well as baroness erin coralsong of the Triton people beneath the sea. And they are led in. And yeah, this is, you have actually met Erin Coralsong before. She is the Triton who helped you with all of the portal underneath when you went to Aegis V, was investigating. Yeah, good thing we mentioned that. Mutated, yeah. Mutated Tritons who had been corrupted by Zarkira, it seemed.

And lots of other stuff going on. Baron Sovrano, you've heard the name uh because you went to porta sovrano uh where you spent some time before being whisked away uh the baron is literally like the kind of like the free pirate who kind of made the city and has you know one of the various people that controls the area. They are half elf. They wear an incredibly flamboyant hat, a big sort of pirate captain's hat, very much like Lucius's. They are wearing sort of a leopard print sort of coat.

They look like Richard O'Brien from the Crystal Maze. Lots of sashes, a big cravat, big tall boots. And they look a little bit at odds with the baroness who is this beautiful triton kind of like mermaid lady uh dressed in sort of like a mixture of silks but also like seashells and netting and all this kind of stuff um and they both enter uh being escorted by guards and and uh the baroness kind of gives you a very caught bow, and the Baron, Baron Sovrano, just kind of claps his hands and looks and says,

Ah! These must be the storm chasers that I've heard so much about. Pleasure to finally make your acquaintance, heroes. I hear that you enjoyed the splendors of my city for a time, and I heard that you helped out my favorite winemaking nuns as well.

That certainly puts you in my good books, helping the ones who give me my wine. I don't remember. Did we also go to... Was the fighting ring that Sentry destroyed also? Yep, that was in Port, Sovrano. Yep, Devil's Dance, that was it as well. But yeah, the Baron kind of nods his head

and the Baroness says, Storm Chasers, I believe. I think that you were using the ship at that time, but it's wonderful to see you again. I'm sorry that it has taken so long. There have been, as far as I can, as far as I've heard, the legends of your tales and your exploits,

you have been very busy, but it is wonderful to see you again. They both nod their head. And Danica says, you mentioned a problem to discuss with the Stormchasers. Please, feel free to speak freely here. And they sort of nod at each other. Baron Sovrana will say there is

there are some issues that need to be addressed and I have done the best I can and it has become apparent that these same problems are affecting the Tritons the people under the sea of whom we have had perhaps a strained relationship but now we find ourselves allies in circumstance. About four days ago, Volcanos, the large volcano of the Hawk's Dawn Archipelago, became exceptionally active. It sometimes becomes quite active, it kicks up a bit of a fuss, make some noise. Never like this. It has been spewing lava, ash, for days. What's more is

other volcanoes that we thought were dormant have become active in the archipelago as well. We are seeing... Oh, I should allow the Baroness to speak on this. Arryn will step forward and say, along with these volcanoes on the surface,

there have been great vents of underwater pressure, geysers of hot water and steam emerging into our currents, killing off wildlife, disrupting the flow of the currents around it, and generally causing problems. And then there is the matter of the gemstone dwarves. And she looks at the Baron. It seems that we've both seen these creatures. They look like dwarven women made entirely of gemstones.

Diamond, ruby, emerald. Walking around as if they were real creatures. They explore Solvin ruins. We've seen them exploring Solvin ruins built into the cliffs and apparently the Baroness has seen them on the bottom of the ocean attending to ruins down there as well. Sometimes they are dismantling them, sometimes it looks like they're exploring them. We don't know what they're doing but when they appeared was when these volcanoes and the events, the underwater events, began

as well. There's also been seismic activity, earthquakes, shaking the town, causing tidal waves. They're getting worse. Whatever it is happening, it is increasing in frequency. And I genuinely have begun to fear. I am not normally a man to be afeard of anything. I like to believe that my people are capable of weathering any storm, that we can overcome anything.

But if this continues, we may have to leave the archipelago. I don't knowing any storm that we can overcome anything but if this continues we may have to leave the archipelago i don't know if there's anything we can do if the ash continues to spew if these earthquakes continue it will destroy what settlements are in the hawk storm uh and aaron will step forward and say my father and i we we have also come to this conclusion the the ruins of solvent in, they're unlivable. These vents, the seismic, the earthquakes, the currents, it's all changing dramatically. And if it continues for too much longer, we may need to abandon it. And I don't know what that means for the rest of Erois. Do you have any indication of

where this external influence might be located? So we have an idea of what we might be dealing with. It's all over the archipelago. The only thing we've seen are these gemstone dwarfs. It's the only correlation that I can find. When these dwarves arrived, the volcanoes became active, the vents, the earthquakes, all of that was at the same time. But I've sent troops-

Has anyone tried to speak to the weird little shiny dude i've sent people to go and speak to them but they are either ignored or well you've got to remember a lot of my military are ex-pirates there have been some altercations and my men were destroyed completely i can't can't claim it in any other word either magically magically sent away uh banished or teleported away, or they were attacked, they had to flee with their lives. They're powerful. Whatever these gemstone dwarves are, they're strong. They're powerful.

And they didn't respond. Not immediately. Like, if you just try and speak to them, but they won't let us interfere with their work. We tried to speak to them, but they simply either ignore us, or if we try and stop them digging into the Solvin ruins or the mountains,

that's when they turn aggressive. They will warn us. They will tell us not to interfere. They mentioned something. What was it that they said, Aaron? You mentioned this on the way over. We have spoken to them. We've managed to have brief conversation. They simply state that they

are on an important mission for the forge mistress and that is all we know right okay but we do know that they are very very interested in anything to do with solvingvin. One of them has tried... Several of them have approached Triton and Hawkstorm traders and have handed over immense amounts of diamonds, rubies, sapphires to buy Solvin relics. They are buying them

in vast numbers. Is it any kind of particular relic? Is it weapons? Armor? Weapons, armor, things that we don't understand Is it any kind of particular relative? Is it relic? Is it weapons? Armor? Weapons, armor, things that we don't understand. Parts for machines or constructs.

We don't know. We don't know what they do. But anything. Pretty much anything that they can get their hands on. Crystals, weapons, all sorts. Go and beat up little gemstone dwarfs till they tell us what they're actually doing, maybe? Well, that's what I think you should do indeed. You're the storm chasers, you've fought off creatures

and dragons and you've slayed gods, I've heard. Erin is just like, I disagree. I think that these dwarves are willing to speak as long as we don't interfere with their work. But I think that maybe they will speak differently to you. You clearly have a much more involvement in the gods of this world. Maybe they will respond differently to you. I think we should speak with them.

The Baron thinks that you should go and destroy them and stop whatever it is they're doing. Which may work. We don't know if they're directly responsible, but the timing is awfully convenient. There's two parts to this. Part one, we go and Quill tries to talk to them.

Part two, they don't talk and I hit them. I like this woman's plan. I like you. You're a smart one. I'm great. I think actually it's plan I like you you're a smart one I'm great actually it's not so much Quill who should go and talk to them I think it's Sentry who should go and talk to them the last time we were at Volcanos was after all

to see the Prime and if there are Forge Mistresses etc being involved is there a chance they're rebuilding a Prime or more constructs maybe the volcanoes are all active again maybe they're being used if there's vents coming out of the ocean maybe the forges have been restarted valent relics from from solvent as well i mean yeah i'll look to Valor and also like

is there any indication of Titan influence here Valena for example Valor will lean in and say I've not been able to locate where her demiplane is but Valena was the she was the steward of Solve it she was when long ago

when Erois was one continent Valena was the steward of the domain. It's her lands. When I was going to start researching where to find Velenor's demi-plane, Solvyn the Hawk's Dawn Archipelago was going to be my first location to start searching. But I don't imagine it will be deep in the earth, which probably means deep underwater or within the mountains where these volcanoes are active. It will be somewhere around there. I mean, crystalline dwarven women, to me, it definitely must be something related to Valena. I've gotten the feeling that she does want to speak with you, with me, but I still haven't been able to locate her

just yet. But it could be that maybe these Crystalline Dwarves may be able to lead us to it. They may be able to take us to the Demiplane, or we may be able to at least follow them. If we can find some, track their movements, maybe they could show us where they're going. If there's anyone they'll answer to, it's the leader of the Guardians and the Prime herself. I think so. I think Velenor would... Well, and Solvin was your home, Century. I think if nothing else, this is obviously important to you as well, but Velenor was the patron of your world. I think that she definitely would respond to you. And I imagine that these

Christening Dwarves are very likely to do so as well. Not that I'm sure that they will speak with all of you, but I think Sentry's presence would be good for such a thing. The Baron will say, This is all very nice, very lovely, I'm glad that you seem to have

all the... But I do want to press upon you that this, if this is not dealt with soon, these disasters are only going to get worse. More people are going to lose their homes or potentially even die. My people are struggling. Nature is one thing that we can't really do a lot about. Even the druids that we have access to say that they can't affect these earthquakes.

They can't change these. The volcanoes are beyond their control, they're too powerful so are you going to help us? I guess is my question, I'm just going to come out and say it will you help us? Was there any indication there was other people that were going to be

presenting? Danica looks at you and says like there are two other groups that wish to speak with you For the sake of Solvin, I'd like to help Danica looks at you and says like there are two other groups that wish to speak with you. For the sake of Solven, I'd like to help. We just need to plan when we can help people. We'll hear everyone out, make a solid plan, but we want to help Erin will nod and say I knew you would but I have said to the Baron we will work together

we will do what we can to aid one another to try and give you as much time as we can I think that I must concoct the Baron that if this is left too long however both of our people will suffer but we will buy you what time we can i think one thing

because we will help it's just a case of when uh one thing we could definitely use your expertise in is going underwater because i feel like of course that's where we're gonna have to go so we'll need your aid in that at least of course course. Azaria will mention, ah, I... This may be a good opportunity, if you were intending to go beneath the waves, to test a system upon the Stormchaser. A system that I've been working on to...

Upcoming and inevitable matters. What? Intriguing. I believe we were asking for upgrades to traverse the Astral Sea. Indeed. Indeed you were, yes. And this would be a perfect test. The system is basically a sort of magical barrier pressurization system to create an environment, a breathable, livable, environment upon the storm chaser as you have expressed that you do not wish to change the aesthetics of your ship to keep the open top sailing ship motif rather than the more sort of elegant enclosed space of valkyrian ships this is the system i've come up with underwater

would be a perfect opportunity for you to test such a system tested in the erosion sea understood i mean that would certainly help. If we can kill two birds with one stone. Three birds! Actually, I hate that phrase. If we can solve three problems, then we may be able to recover the Astral Gate. Knock

three nails with the same hammer? That'd have to be a big hammer. Aayla certainly could. Look at the size of that thing. More than three. Three? that thing. More than three. Three? Come on. More than three. Very well.

Sure. Well, Arryn and the Baron will turn around and say, well, thank you for your time. Reach out to us. As soon as you need our aid, we will be in the Hawk's Dawn Archipelago. If you come and speak with the Baron, we will ensure that we have emissaries who can communicate with the other Tritons. But I hope you can help us. We need it.

You will most likely be hearing from me specifically. Just listen out for clear skies. Very well. Thank you both. Thank you, Danica of Horizon. Danica just sort of nods. We should see... You're very popular people.

I believe that we have who is it, Rain? Rain pulls out a scroll. Yes, rather an odd one of this one. She seemed very nervous about coming up to Horizon. We received a communication from somebody apparently you know, Storm Chasers. Skaldi

Ravenscar of Mierskir, Priestess of Calara, reached out and wanted to speak with you. Was I dead? No, we were dead briefly. Super dead. You were mostly dead. She was there when I died, I think.

She led us to the tower where I died. You were there before, because you were there when you were playing Sentry. Sentry, however... Super dead. No, because Sentry met Scaldi after she was raised, but you were doing Sentry. Sentry was super dead. No, because Sentry met Scaldi after she was raised, but you were still dead. You got the other half

of the story. You got the beginning, I got the end. There is a bit of a middle where things got a little bit messy. Let's bring her in. Did she still have that giant creature with her yes i think she's left it in the stables but yes it is here um yes we'll call her in uh yeah

the door's open and storm is still alive alive now uh uh same as she was, sort of looking, you know, dressed in the vestments of a priestess of Calara, but looking worn and tired. And she sort of comes in. She bows her head. Storm chasers, it's good to see you all again. And she kind of like looks like almost on the verge of tears, and is just like, I'm sorry to come with you with these problems,

but something terrible has happened, and I believe that you may now be one of the few to help with this. I've come to understand that you are seeking something with the gods of Arois. There's been talk that you helped Zephia overcome a madness or some such? Yes, well... I'm not going to say anything. Well, whatever it is, if you helped the people and Zephia herself.

Well, whatever it is, if you help the people and Zephir herself. Over the last few months, Calara has slowly been stopping. She no longer answers prayers, and she's stopped giving power to her priests and priestesses. I've spoken with a few others in Mirskir who have spoken to others in other parts of Erois, and this has been happening for months, slowly losing their power.

But also, there is a group of knights, the Order of the Blackened Rose. They were once the most loyal of Kelara's followers. They've been going missing from all across eros uh over these months just walking away and leaving to go somewhere unknown recently these knights have returned but they are changed they are pale and gray faced and they wield necromantic power that they did not have before. They've been attacking places,

delivering swift executions and killings to any living that they can find. When local forces have killed them, they turn to dust and reappear somewhere else to continue this. Survivors have reported that these knights openly weep. They cry and mourn as they do this swift killing. And they whisper

comforts that they are... They say something that the grieving lady is saving them from a worse fate. They leave black roses on the dead. What the fuck? People have started to call them grief knights. worse fate. They leave black roses on the dead. What the fuck? People have started to call them grief knights.

I don't know what to do. I no longer hear my goddess's voice, but I know that these knights are connected. They must be. They once had a headquarters, a base of operations, the knights.

I've learned that much. On the continent of Jakesh, there is a place called Nightbloom Hold, which is where the knights trained and where they underwent their initiation rites. I don't know if the knights would still be there. From what I hear, they travel to many places, but maybe there are some clues of what happened to them or what has happened to Calara there. I heard that

you helped Zephia. I hope that you can help Calara. Oh wow. Well firstly I want to say thank you for having the courage to come and present this information to us. And also I want to apologize for the last time I saw you and to thank you for guiding the storm chasers across Mierskir. Oh you don't need to thank me for none of that is necessary, Keelak. We have all heard the stories of what the storm chasers have been doing. We know that you are saving our world from these

invaders, but also these other whatever else is happening to our world. It seems that everything is falling apart. I grieve at what is happening to our world I fear it is hopeless so you are the only ones

I could think of that still have a flicker of light to offer well regardless we owe you a massive debt for the help in Mierske Kalara do you believe or have you do you get the sense that she

is no longer guiding souls through the astral sea I don't know she won't answer prayers but when we perform funeral rites I still I still feel that she is taking their souls but I have no magical way of knowing anymore I don't know I don't know we no longer have the ability to return the dead to life even the greatest of our priests none of them receive

magic from Kelara anymore none of us are able to do so okay wow magic from Calara anymore. None of us are able to do so. Okay. Wow. Anyone else got anything? That's dark as hell. Yep.

Yep. You have my greatest condolences. The to-do list. Yeah, Nova's just writing this all down and when she was writing that down she's just like Thank you, Sentry The knights, they were a small order. There are not many

of them, so it's not like this is some huge force or army that is roaming around killing everyone These are, you know, maybe 50, maybe less. I don't know the exact numbers, but in the comparison of things, it is a small number of these knights.

But it is just the very manner of their being. They appear seemingly out of nowhere, and they don't torture or try to cause unnecessary pain it's it's this grim swiftness they they simply march through from what the survivors tell us just trying to kill as many and as quickly as possible as painlessly as possible and i fear almost as if it is is kalara is, I feel that she maybe is trying to collect these souls or guide these souls, but as if she feels this need

to do so quickly as if, as if I don't know, but Can we just hug Scully? I'm just gonna hug She sounds like she needs a hug A hug, we hug Yeah, I mean, even just like looking at her like

you it's just like all the hope is just drained out of her like it looks like she's mourning make a um make insight checks no make but you can make an insight check or you could make a religion or arcana check. Oh, I'll do arcana. Son of a... I could do religions. Plus 12, I got 14. Aww.

I got a plus 9 and I got a 12. Pretty poopy. Anyone else? Or just these two nerds? You can do an insight. I'm not skilled in any other things. Sure, me neither. Can I get advantage because I'm hugging her?

I rolled a 17, which makes it an 18 in insight. Okay. Lucius gets a 20. 18 on center. Okay, so the two most magical know nothing. Yeah, very. Maybe not most magical. Lucius is pretty magical all so I think like yeah quill and nova

It's probably more like you guys just feel incredibly sympathetic to scully and you don't you don't pick up on this stuff Um, I like you. I mean you remember fighting alongside scaldi This doesn't seem right like you you just get the impression that like this is this is more than just her feeling sad Like there's there's something else at work here. Like you, it's like not, you don't know if it's a spell or something like that, but it's not, you don't think that the warrior, sort of like the warrior who helped you fight through the night eye would react in this way. She would have more of a fight in her, right?

Sentry and Lucius. I think Lucius, this is like maybe like a lingering effect of your vision you can see that the colors scaldi's colors like her clothing her skin her hair all of it's been like drained as if something is pulling life from her as if like as if something is pulling this connection away in century you feel it more as you go to hug her you get this sense that like there's like a thread connected to to scaldi and it's it's pulling light and hope away from her it's you know it's like sucking out her her her energy and her hope and everything else right like and you get that

this is a supernatural thing not just magic this isn't like a spell this is like her divine connection you and lucius can tell that her divine connection to her goddess kalara the titan kalara is responsible for her just hopelessness like it's like whatever is happening to kalara is happening to scaldi as well in some smaller way this is grave indeed thank you scaldi thank you licious this is more important than i believe even we realize and kalara i mean that's an importance to us specifically right now. And to be able to deal with this situation, I think, would benefit all of Aroas, despite you saying the small amount of followers.

I don't know what you're... I know that you have... Whatever is happening, I know that there must be something more to it, but... I just know that you have so much that you must do for the world and i don't want you to think that um i don't want you to think that there is an immediate danger it is sad and it is tragic but this is a small handful of individuals but it is just they are having a greater effect on on Kilara's worshipers as well but if you think this is if you can help then obviously I would be I would be forever in your debt

if you can do something Valor will sort of look over you all and say I believe that this will help with what we've been doing. Again, very much like Valena, I believe I can break into Kalara's demiplane. I believe I know how and I know what needs to be done when we get there. It's been locating it that's been a difficulty. If I can come with you when you confront one of these knights or maybe at this hold this this this keep that they had that may be able to guide me to wherever her demiplane is but i think that we might need to investigate first maybe find some of these knights these grief knights or travel to their their hold and investigate first. But that might be the clue I need to locate the Demiplane's location.

Where is this hold? You said you might know where it is. Ah, yes. Well, I don't know exactly where. I know that it is in Jakesh. There is thick ancient woodland and jungle there. And Nightbloom Hold, the Order of the Blackened Rose, they were famed for their wreaths of black roses, natural black roses. They only grow in Jakesh.

It must be there, somewhere in that valley, in that woodland is where the hold must be. I don't think you can fly an airship, though. The canopy is thick and the winds are chaotic and wild there. But there are places to land, but you might need to explore it on foot. Is Jakesh Valkyrian controlled? I can't remember. Jakesh is pretty

neutral because it's mainly like woodland and jungle. Like it's pretty thick. There are a few settlements there, but it doesn't really have like a government. It's kind of just like the archipelagos where it's kind of loosely controlled. It doesn't have a formal government like Zephen and Giselle does.

Very similar to Al-Saraf in that regard. It's more of a natural wilderness. A lot of people don't settle there. Yeah, you can live there, but it's not easy, right? So people prefer to live in the other places. Okay, well, we can get into the specifics You can live there, but it's not easy, right? So people prefer to live in the other places. Okay. Well, we can get into the specifics of how we solve this a little bit later, but for now, we can either find a knight roaming Erois

and try to locate Calara there, or we can go straight to their hold, encounter more of them, sure, but we'll definitely get more information there. I think Rain will be sort of like scratching his chin and he'll say, Miss Scaldi, do you know of the locations where these knights have appeared? Yes, I know some. I've been speaking with the other priests and priestesses. Could you give me a list? I don't know much about magic or necromancy, but if these creatures are, when they're destroyed, they vanish and reappear elsewhere. There must be some similar connection. There must be something from which they are anchored to and if we are talking about kalara it would make sense that they they are connected to places strong in kalara's power graveyards or or similar or temples it may be that we may be

able to at least give you an idea of where one of these grief knights might reform or perhaps appear if we can begin to figure out a path i may i may be able to help you with that we have seen one before. Like a long, long time ago near that tower outside. When they were a Blackened Order of the Blackened Rose. Yeah, a knight of the Blackened Rose. But when we saw, like, how armoured was this guy? How terrifying was this guy? Well, I mean, when you met them, you were like level four,

so probably quite scary when you met them. I mean, he nodded to us and like we waved at him. Yeah, he was on a horse he was wearing full plate armor they have like a mantle of like black roses like around their shoulders full helm they carry a lantern in one hand or at least like on their belt and then i think they had either a giant two-handed sword or a pole arm of some kind i mean they they look like formidable warriors, for sure. And if Scaldi's saying that they also now have necromantic power, like,

yeah, I mean, these guys are probably going to be pretty bad news. Also, abilities not too dissimilar. Not too dissimilar to what we fought in the Feywild. The woods, yeah. The Sands of Things. Yeah, the riders. Yeah. Maybe. He had a war horse as things. Yeah, the riders. Yeah.

Maybe. He had a war horse as well. So, yeah. Woohoo! Cool! Well, we will... Miss Skeldee, you should stay in Horizon for a little bit of time. I know you are probably tired from your journey. We will make sure that you have fine accommodations. Please try and get

some rest. And we will let you know if the storm chasers have any more questions We will bring them to you to inquire the police like we have temples to kill our here. You are more than welcome to and And rain will sort of nod them and I think Danik will say like I think that she should have some rest you do Have at least one more group of guests to speak with as well On on the mention of mentioning the temple to Calara, how does she react to that? Does she seem hesitant about going that way? I think she just seems sad.

I don't think it's like she seems more hesitant. I think it's just like anywhere. It's almost like she just feels a bit hopeless and like, you know, like everything's futile, like, you bit hopeless and like, you know, like everything's futile, like, you know, strong, strongly depressed, you know,

like, yeah, just like feelings of pointlessness, like, you know, um, so yeah. Uh,

but yeah, Scaldi, unless you have any more questions specifically for her, you can always come and ask her later as well. But to move things along, Danica will kind of see her escort out. And then your last guests, uh, will arrive. Um, Danica will kind of see her escorted out. And then your last guests will arrive. Danica will say, well, Rain will say,

presenting Warringard Sana Long Ears and the wild elf Morgaine Frostblast here on Matters of Alcerath. And Sana, who you recognise, Borafolk, tall bunny woman, will enter alongside a very, very, almost white-skinned elf with white and blue hair, who you've met before.

She was at the meeting, the summit. Ayla knows as well. This is Morgaine Frostblast, who is another chosen, like very similar to Ayla. She has the power of frost storms. And they enter. Morgaine just sort of like sits in a chair, puts her feet up on the table immediately.

Santa kind of like looks at her, kind of like makes a face and then turns and says, it's good to see you all again, my friends. Fortunately, not here on good news. Things are kicking off. Oh no. No pun intended. Mm-hmm. do you want to speak

and then the wild elf is like shrugs no not very good at it you tell them alright I'll tell you yeah we got one of those you I'm improving she's definitely you definitely look the part now. Still,

Italicus. I believe that the Warren Keeper and many of the others mentioned to you before that there was a matter of concern with Italicus and some of the tribes. He's making a move. There have been other members of the Beastfolk families, the ones who have sided with Italicus,

who have bought into Italicus's belief that the weak need to be culled in order for us to survive. They've been spreading this message. They've been going around telling people that the time is drawing close. And yeah, Italicus has decided to start. Three beasts have been unleashed on Alciarath. And yeah, Atelicus has decided to start. Three beasts have been unleashed on Alcerave. A beast of the land, a beast of the air, a beast of the sea.

These things are enormous. Gargantuan beasts imbued with elemental powers, commanding lesser beasts, ravaging destruction. Yep. Ravaging Destruction. Yep. Okay, I don't know what else has happened today, but none of you seem that surprised by this. Sorry, sorry, Sana. A lot, a lot has happened. Yeah.

It's almost like, you know, the world's ending. Yes. It certainly feels that way, but we're here to stop that good that's why we came to you i mean morgaine here wants to go and hunt them herself but even she acknowledges that maybe the wild elves are a little bit out of their league on this one and then you just see like frostburst looks at her and says i didn't say it that way i know you didn't say it that way but that's what that's what it is uh and she just kind of like like makes a face we've seen the three beasts uh they're currently rampaging all over the place people can avoid them it's hard to miss them so people can get out of their way but if these things are left unchecked for too long they're

going to go to other continents luckily al-saraf is not massively populated the wild off tribes exist there quite a few beast tribes live there but we are nomadic people we we tend to move around we know how to change our homes when we need to we know when to run when we need to uh but if these things get into like places like giselle or zafen or anywhere else any any civilized area they're going to cause problems. So I'm coming to my best monster killers I know. These rampaging beasts, are they roaming in a pack or indiscriminately across the land?

The three are in... So there's one of the land, one of the sea, one of the air. They don't work together, but the beasts themselves have lesser beasts seemingly under their command beasts seem to almost naturally fall under their sway and follow them uh i can give you some more information about each one if you prefer oh yes please the beast of the land we don't know what to call them we we honestly don't know what to call them at the moment but uh it's a gargantuan creature, elemental earth and rock infused into it.

It has a similar form to a rare reptile found in the deep jungles of Jakesh and Al-Saraf, a T-Rex. Though this one has a spiked tail and a giant horn. And it commands other beasts. tail on a giant horn and commands other beasts it's like okay beast of the air is a giant rock though this one is infused with elemental air and lightning oh my god other rocks fly with it and then the beast of the sea is a giant multi-headed sea serpent is it does each head head have a different power? As far as we can tell, no, they're all the same. Cut it off, it grows back.

Maybe. None of us have managed to get close enough to try. But, uh, yep. See beasts follow in its wake. And the longer we leave this, the more beasts will join its army, I suppose. Well, the more destruction it will cause and the higher chance that they'll make it to another continent. I mean, I guess the beast of the land, the T-Rex, won't get off Al-Saraf unless it's aided through magic,

such as by the druids. Or the beast folk druids that are with the telekis find a way to transport it elsewhere, but the sea and air can go wherever they want. We may be able to separate, at the very least, the sea from the land, but the one in the air is going to be a problem. Yeah.

You've got an airship from right here. We have an airship. I think the ship's probably smaller than the beast, but sure. Probably, but you're all on board, right? You're worth a few airships, aren't you? Ayla? I believe Santa looks at you with a grin.

Come on. You're worth a few airships. I've seen one Nova go into an airship. Yeah, we did kind of take one down. Nova's actually pretty good. I can't do that anymore. That's honestly for the best.

But in that case, the priority would be the air. That one can assist both the land and the sea anywhere. So if we can take that one out sooner, then we can focus on the other two and split them apart. Morgaine will say, whichever ones you're hunting first, we will help you. The wild elves, this is the kind of challenge that we strive for. We want to fight it. In particular, and she looks at Aayla,

you mentioned wanting to come to Al-Saraf long ago. A ritual's been prepared for you. That's mildly terrifying, but also I'm very intrigued. And also, when you did say that there was beasts ravaging the lands and, you know, just being generally terrible,

although that's horrifying, I kind of do want to be the out of it so yeah me too but that's it are you done long ears yeah i'm pretty sure i'm done i've told them about the destructive beasts that are threatening all of aromas yeah i'm done okay okay at least it... From what I understand, they're easy to track at the very least. These huge... Yeah, just look at the sky! It's there!

Stompin' on us! Oh, you meant... okay. Well, actually here. It would help if we were here. Well, thank you. Thank you for bringing that to our attention. Add it to the list. Add it to the list.

Well, when you're ready, we've got a base camp set up for you in Alcerath. Morgane's got one ready to go, some nature thing, but yeah, we can guide you from there. Are you able to communicate with Quill when we're not around? Yeah, I think somebody will be able to. One of the Beast Walkers will be able to. One of the Warren will be able to.

The Sending Spell, right? We can do that. Please let us know if any towns or people are under threat and can no longer run away from any of them. Yeah. If the creatures stay confined to al-saraf that should be okay you should have some time there are settlements there but none of them are like big towns or cities mainly even like my own the warrens you know the borough folk that live

there we all live underground so we're not too much in danger. The bigger worry is that these things getting off Alceraph. But who knows? Maybe they're going to take their time there. From what we've been able to gather, Atelicus, these three are maybe sort of Atelicus's opening act. This is Atelicus kind of sending his message to the world. If you can't beat these, you don't deserve to live, seems to be the world. If you can't beat these, you don't deserve to live. Seems to be the impression.

And knowing Italicus, he'll just use these three. If it's left too long, he'll just make stronger, stronger and stronger ones. Our entire plan is to send a message back to all the gods of Eros.

It's just a matter of when. Glad to hear it. Well, we will buy you what time we can. We are trying to hunt this thing ourselves or at least slow it down with various versions. But yeah, the sea and air are difficult ones for any of us to deal with.

The beast of the land is the most powerful of the three, but it's also the one that's a bit easier to distract and cajole and keep pinned down. The other two, definitely tough. Anyway, we'll leave you to it. Good to see you, Storm Chasers. And Santa will just sort of

give a little tip of the hat. Good to see you. Thank you. Thanks for the news of Doom. You're welcome. Are there any pillows or cushions in this room yeah there's cushions yeah if anyone's watching over she's waving like really friendly while they go out but as soon as the door shuts she picks up a cushion everybody just screams into it

she's just screaming into a cushion. Okay. Right. Okay, I feel better now. As you guys are having your screaming moment, Danica will wait and then she'll say, obviously this is very dire news. I will remind you, we do have allies. These beasts, the dragons,

may be able to help us, at least give us some advantages, or at least be able to spare some of their number to help us fight them. us some advantages or at least be able to spare some of their number to help us fight them i fear that this the matters of the hawkstone archipelago and these these knights these death knights i'm not sure our allies are too much help with that but at least these giant beasts i think that we can at least send some forces to help slow them down but don't forget you have allies in all of this we are any any of any advice or any help that we can offer is here this is not always just on you to solve or at least not solve by yourselves you're still definitely going to have to help solve them, though. If I could suggest, I suggest that we go to Volcanos first.

That has the most civilian potential casualties there. In the meantime, perhaps we could get some allies to scout for the knights, track them down, at least see where they're going. From a safe distance, a really safe distance, but just at least get some idea of where they're going from a safe distance, a really safe distance, but just at least get some idea of where they are going. And then, yes, like you suggest, dragons to help with Artilicus's monsters and just to slow them down at least until we could sort out... Steer them from civilians.

Yeah. Rain will not be sensei. I think that that's definitely possible. I think the dragons will be able to at least keep a delicacy's beasts distracted whilst you solve these other problems. Not to put too fine a point on it, Miss Vija, but you also will definitely spend some time

thinking about how you want us to proceed with Vortensar as well. Don't forget that. Oh, yes, that was part of the screaming into the cushion. Yeah, that was part of that. In terms of scouts, we have our wild elves. Thanks to Aayla, Rathras and the commandos would be able to potentially do that.

We also have Sentry's guardians. We have a unit of guardian scouts that we could dispatch to try and locate these knights. We could even send a unit to J'Kesh to try and locate this hold. We could even send a unit to Jakesh to try and locate this hold. So at least you're not spending time trekking through a jungle trying to find it. The guardians could help Sentry because you have a connection with them. Would they be as susceptible to these knights as regular us kind of folk are?

these knights as regular us kind of folk are, given that you have a connection and they have the souls and the matrix and the stuff and the things, and maybe they wouldn't kill those, the guardians, the same way they'd kill us. Maybe they wouldn't. I imagine that Calara's influence wouldn't reach them. I mean, certainly like if a Guardian dies, Calara doesn't help with their soul in any way. We could send them to Morskia. That sounds like a good plan. That sounds more...

Safe. Safe than sending the Wild Elves, yes. I can have the Guardian Scouts dispatched to locate these do you want to locate their base this night bloom hold or do you want the scouts to try and locate some of these knights

or at least track them you should at least try and find out where they're coming from, who's sending them I think going to the hold will probably be a good place to start alright, I will have the guardian scouts dispatched to Jakesh I think going to the hold will probably be a good place to start. All right. I will have the Guardian Scouts dispatched to Jakesh, and they will try and locate this hold, this keep,

and then we will update you as soon as we know more. What forces can we send to distract these beasts? Gustaven does have a number of airships griffin cavalry, we have the dragons some of the dragons would be capable of breathing underwater they could distract the sea beasts as well if

it's not my place to say but if it were me if we were able to help the tritons with this problem with these volcanoes and the natural disasters that may that may allow the tritons to then help us against these sea beasts they may be able to then allow us to buy more time at least until you can you can finish them finish it off i do have a feeling that yourselves and danica, and I do not say this lightly,

I feel that yourselves and Danica probably represent the most powerful individuals here on Aroes. These creatures, it's possible we could defeat them. If we send large armies, many, many adventurers against them, it's possible they could defeat them, but we would lose a lot of lives doing so. And I feel that those lives may be needed. Oh, my fun needed you have that

as well my sailor the choices here are entirely with you I think the hawkstorn archipelago is the priority right now especially such a large land well an ocean mass succumbing to volcanoes we need to prevent that as soon as possible what's more we intend to go there anyway land, well, and ocean mass, succumbing to Volcanos.

We need to prevent that as soon as possible. What's more, we intend to go there anyway to recover this, admittedly broken and sentry-kicked Arcane Gate for... I've suddenly forgotten your name.

Azaria. Azaria to research. Um... Oh my god, your face. So, I think that would be useful. Plus, the tritons to help with the big ol' sea monster would be super handy if we fix this quick. With our aquatic storm chaser at the front. After testing its capabilities.

Test that and then we can take that into battle. Oh, it's all lighting up, guys! Sorry, it's very doom and gloom. And I'm aware of that. I'm trying to keep the hype up so that we can just get through it, you know? It's helping. It is actually helping quite a lot but

in terms of the testing uh azaria do you know of any uh potential problems we might encounter with these oh yes many oh you do good okay great um that is why we're conducting key like that is why we are conducting a test right right i love tests. Of course, my studies, my process on the ship's upgrades would go considerably smoother if only I could examine Sentry's matrix. She just looks at Sentry with her veiled eyes and just this bright red lipstick smile. Yeah, I don't see- Is that just as he's saving the world just now? Yeah. I don't see how understanding a guardian matrix would help our ship underwater. Oh, that is fine, Nova. Not all of us can be masters of arcane knowledge and sorcery.

I regret calling you that before we invited you here. What, have I said something wrong? No, no, no, no, it was just, I knew you'd latch onto the Master of the Arcane thing that I mentioned sooner, but anyway, anyway. Sentry, off limits. What, what am I off, Why am I off limits? Do you want to be investigated? You can be investigated.

I just assumed you didn't want Azaria, you know. Poking around. She's just gonna look, right? Sentry! You've seen her. I may need to perform some slight magical

investigations to understand Sandry's busy Sandry come stand over here behind Ayla come stand behind over Ayla behind Ayla come on I love how you are all like Sandry's like okay sure and everyone else is like no no no don't trust the scary

lady we saw how the twin star looked when she was investigating that it was torn apart and that's my girlfriend's ship you know put it back together again it's fine now oh yeah i don't know the air conditioning doesn't work quite right but yeah come stand over here it wasn't quite the same afterwards it might be in one piece but it's not quite the same the same afterwards. It might be in one piece but it's not quite the same. It was better now. She made it better.

That's how it was. So, before we finish the episode, just so I know, so that your Dungeon Master can prepare. Hawkstone Archipelago, I think, is... You want to investigate the natural disasters with the volcanoes and the earthquakes. Test the airship. What you assume is

Valena's influence and potential demiplane. Okay. Also, we've got to get Solvin. Is the plan to go to Port Sovrano and try and fight these dwarves? Are you just going to try and have Valor figure out where the demiplane is?

Do you have an immediate course of action? Like a set sail for... They seem to want to go to Solvin. Yeah, to go to the underwater remnants of Solvin, basically. I don't know, I feel like... Maybe this is up to Sentry.

Does Sentry want to go to Solvin? Because I feel like there's a connection there. Yeah. Okay. Alright. Yeah, I mean, the city of Solvin to sentry one and go to solving because i feel like there's a connection there yeah yeah go straight there okay all right yeah i mean the city of solving doesn't fully exist but a large chunk of it has basically become the new home of the tritons basically so yeah you can head there all right cool cool cool cool cool all right well with that unless there's anything else you guys want to bring up oh just more screaming into the cushion that That's that, he says.

I'm dropping three apocalypse events on us. Well, four, he's talking about the Jasper experiment. They're not apocalypse events. They're symptoms of an apocalypse. They are symptoms of the level 20 D&D campaign that we're currently playing. Yes, yes, they are symptoms of that. We're not level 20.

What is level 20 then? You're close enough you got nothing artelicus's apocalypse riders i don't know what we call in these three monster yeah just fucking i'll come up with cool names uh godzilla rodan mothra hell yeah that's really good mark man you really pulled that out of your bum real quick. That's amazing. God damn. Well, thanks for that. Thanks for that. You're welcome. Well, you know, I've basically just given you stuff

that you were already going to do anyway. I've just made it more fun. Yeah, pretty much. It's just tied into the Titans part by going, oh, you're going to go here? Let's just tied into the titans part by going oh you're gonna go here let's just do this man the order of the black rose thing like the description of those just kept going yep oh my god oh my god the goth in me was like yes the player in me was like oh god yeah well what what happens when a when a goddess of death goes mad like a kindly goddess of death goes mad right oh they're like well better better hurry up and get everyone dead

so i can look after their souls yeah you know yeah you you helped zafir didn't you helped yeah helped let's just stand in front of lucius so you can't see the army he's wearing Helped. Yeah. Helped. He's just standing in front of Lucius so you can't see the army he's wearing. That's fine. That's it. That's it from us. Thank you for joining us. We won't be back next week,

but the week after, back to Aramis. All right. We've got to start one of these apocalyptic quests. Bye, nerds. Bye, everybody. Goodbye. Bye.

Bye. Bye. Bye, nerds. Bye.