High Rollers DnD - High Rollers: Aerois | #40 - Ticking Timebomb (Part 2)

Episode Date: July 18, 2019

Barely surviving the recent encounter the team are scrabbling to find out what just happened! Support the High Rollers and get early access to podcast episodes (and more) on our Patreon: www.patreon....com/HighRollers Thanks to our sponsors D&D Beyond and NordVPN! NordVPN allow you to browse securely and protect your data online! Get three years and an extra month free for 75% off with the code HRDND here: www.nordvpn.com/hrdnd D&D Beyond is the official digital toolset for Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition. Create your FREE account now and start digitising your campaigns here: www.dndbeyond.com/ Music courtesy of Epidemic Sound Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Starting point is 00:00:00 Pickaxe. Bumble knows it's hard to start conversations. Hey. No, too basic. Hi there. Still no. What about hello, handsome? Who knew you could give yourself the ick? That's why Bumble is changing how you start conversations.
Starting point is 00:00:41 You can now make the first move or not. With opening moves, you simply choose a question to be automatically sent to your matches. Then sit back and let your matches start the chat. Download Bumble and try it for yourself. Hello, welcome back to High Rollers, a Dungeons & Dragons podcast in the world of Erois, run by Dungeon Master Mark Sherlock-Humes, with me, Tom, playing Keelakad Kalad, Bard slash Cleric. Hi, I'm Rhiannon, I'm playing Sentry, I am a Guardian Paladin. I am Chris Trott, I'm playing Lucius Vue in Elowin El'm playing Sentry. I am a guardian paladin. I am Chris Trott. I'm playing Lucius Vue and Elowen Elinastro.
Starting point is 00:01:08 And I am a high elf sorcerer. Hi, I'm Katie. I'm playing Ayla, a wild elf barbarian. And I'm Kim. I'm playing Nova, who is an air ganassi and she is a hexblade warlock.
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Starting point is 00:01:36 You can check them out with the links in the episode description. Anyway, on to the episode. Barely surviving the bomb and the attackers, the team scrabble to find out what just happened. We're back for more High Rollers. Thanks for joining us. Let's carry on playing. Let's. So, before the break,
Starting point is 00:02:10 you were ambushed inside Nanny Norfear's apartment by an explosive device containing a fireball as well as several thugs that were teleported in and a sniper on an opposing rooftop. A shooter. opposing rooftop a shooter you have a shooter a couple of them have appeared to have gotten away but you have captured one of these
Starting point is 00:02:32 figures, one of these thugs these cutthroats my question now is what do you want to do? North's apartment is slowly burning the main living room is on fire. There is an intense fire building
Starting point is 00:02:48 in that room. What is the plan? We'll drop out of initiative for now. But lingering here for too long, that unless something is done about the fire, it will spread. I'm going to go in there and cast Snowball Storm.
Starting point is 00:03:04 Okay. Yeah, sure. What level do you want to cast it at? It only starts at level 4, I think 2nd actually Because how much damage would it normally do? Just roll the damage for me Whatever level you're going to cast it at
Starting point is 00:03:19 3d6 Sure, just roll that, let's see if that's enough It might need multiple castings Or it might need to Three Fifteen Yeah, I'd say that's probably enough to butt out a good building fire Certainly, although you don't suck out the oxygen in the room
Starting point is 00:03:36 You lower the room's temperature enough That the fire is finding it hard to cling to stuff And the magical ice kind of Just completely covers the room. With your Dicromancy you can throw in a bit of extra ice there as well, kind of summoning the ice. Yeah, I'd say that you can definitely with that, you manage to quell
Starting point is 00:03:54 the flames. Then I kind of stumble, so I'm on 3 HP and just put an arm on a burning, singeing table. Well, like, no fear will come up to you and basically, like, pull you back and say, like, no, no, no, Lucius, don't go in that room. You've improved, haven't I?
Starting point is 00:04:09 You have, but come on. And she, like, drags you back. Like, we still need to stay away from the windows. Whatever that weapon was, it's still out there. The one that took out your Arakoka friend. Oh, is Birdie okay? Yeah, I mean, I peek from the room. I'm also staying away from that window in the room that I'm in.
Starting point is 00:04:26 And sort of come through. And you just see, and it's bloody. Like, you can see his beak. Parts of it have been shattered. There is blood all over his tunic, blood all over the walls and the floor from the bullet. And Quill looks bad. Can I just try and, like, tie just a bandage so, like, his... Iage? It's painful, Quill.
Starting point is 00:04:45 As she's moving it, it's anguished. Just so I can hold it in place. Do you have a bandage, or are you going to... Can I use my scarf, my mother's scarf? Easily. Just gently. Gently putting it, she's resting in a position where at least you're not feeling this pressure as it's pulling down.
Starting point is 00:05:02 So you can't eat or drink or speak, but it's kind of got your beak in holding place. I'll just be like, it's okay, Quill, it's okay. At least we're not in the middle of nowhere. We're surrounded by temples. We can get this scene to as soon as possible. I, like, move my hand around, like, trying to find some gestures,
Starting point is 00:05:19 and then thumbs up. Just, yeah. Big feathery thumbs up. Just a thumbs up. Cool, cool. I'm going to, can I lay on hands on Lucius and just give him my Just a thumbs up. Cool, cool. I'm gonna, can I lay on hands on Lucius and just give him my last ten hit points? Cool, yeah. Thank you,
Starting point is 00:05:29 thank you. That's okay. Aayla just kind of looks mad and stomps around a bit, like looking pissed off, like We really need to get Quill to a healer. We really like, who, who Mrs. Norfair, Miss Norfair, who would be best?
Starting point is 00:05:48 The Cathedral of Siasca has a powerful priestess there. Elris, I think her name is. She's the high priest of Siasca. Is that the nearest? More importantly, I mean, we need to think about how we've, and you can hear in the background like like, this kind of, like, like whistles kind of being blown and stuff like that. It's just like, you'll need to want...
Starting point is 00:06:11 The watch will want to ask us questions of what happened. Obviously, we've got one of them, and at best we can hope that there were some witnesses to the explosion and the gunshot. Well, that chap still appears to be crawling away down there. Don't know, by the time you look back out, those, into an alley, and then they've vanished from sight, basically.
Starting point is 00:06:31 Do you need to be hidden? No. Overwatch. No, why would I need to be hidden? I don't know either, I don't know if you're, you're the new nanny or old nanny. I mean, I'm still the same person, I've always been Lucius, it's just,
Starting point is 00:06:43 now you know a bit more about my background. But we've just been defending ourselves. There's no need to worry about it. A man has thrown off the balcony with a torn throat. Yes, defending ourselves. You're very strong now. Very scary. I mean, it's not about strength. It's more about expertise. I've lived a long life, Lucius, a difficult life.
Starting point is 00:07:06 You know, you learn how to... When you're not very strong, you learn to strike where you need to strike. You lifted a table. You could have lifted that table. Any of us could have. Perhaps not the Ganassi, she seems a little... I'll give it a go. I, like, look around, and from, like, my cartographer's set,
Starting point is 00:07:28 I, like, pull out a piece of paper, look around a little bit more. I've got an ink... I've got an ink pot. It says it's got a quill on there. I'll pretend I don't. I pluck a feather. You just ask to borrow one from... Yeah, and I just write on the paper, Prince with a question mark. Sorry, say that again paper Prince with a question mark sorry say that again
Starting point is 00:07:46 Prince with a question mark the Sky Prince could help yes potentially at least give us premium access to maybe his healers yes the royal family will have healers
Starting point is 00:08:02 did you recognize them are they they the wind barons? I suspect they are, yes. I mean, I've not encountered them, but the fact that they were deliberately... They came to my property. They were clearly after myself or Lucius or both of us. I suspect that they are the wind barons trying to kill off loose ends.
Starting point is 00:08:23 I think we need to... Certainly what I would have done. Were they wearing blue? No, they're wearing all black. Elite unit. Or just trying to disguise their identity in some form. Aayla's got
Starting point is 00:08:38 the unconscious one dragging him around by the scruff of her throat. Smeek is probably straddling him, like, just punching him on the chest. I guess we should find out what we can from this one. Well, if you want to, I would ask him very quickly before the guards arrive,
Starting point is 00:08:56 because once they take him into custody, I doubt we'll get another chance. I can try and stall them for a little bit of time if you have ways of questioning him. Just remember, threats of pain with people like this, people think that torture is a tool. It's not very effective. Torture?
Starting point is 00:09:12 Was anyone thinking of torture? I wasn't. Ada's like, well, yeah. Can I handle this, please, if you don't mind? Of course. I'm going to go and try and stall the guards as best as I can, give you enough time to answer some questions, but you won't have long
Starting point is 00:09:25 A couple of minutes at best Thank you You there Scoundrel Smeek Slammed him What? Could you put Smeek in check please?
Starting point is 00:09:35 We don't need that She like pulls him back Hey Aayla just drags him back And then he points at Quill And then points at the man You can still speak yes
Starting point is 00:09:47 and he looks around um Ava's got him by the neck but is anybody like holding his body
Starting point is 00:09:55 because otherwise he's just he's got his arms I can hold him back okay so you've got like you're gripping onto him yeah
Starting point is 00:10:01 okay he's like now thanks to your friend on the outside, the shooter man, he shot a very loud weapon and there is now guards coming here for you. You have moments. If you tell us who you're working for, maybe we can let you have a head start.
Starting point is 00:10:25 He just chuckles a little. It's not funny. It's really quite serious. I mean, the authority is going to take you away. Oh, it's very serious. Yes.
Starting point is 00:10:35 I mean, maybe torture is the solution. I don't know. You can do what you think you can. He kind of like looks at you like when you say the word torture he just laughs. Like. He kind of like looks at you like...
Starting point is 00:10:45 When you say the word torture, he just laughs. Like he just kind of smirks. So you don't mind being locked away for a very long time? You think that I'll stay locked up for a long time? You've got a lot of faith in this city. You shouldn't. And he just grins. It's been a bastion of peace and hope for a very long time.
Starting point is 00:11:05 Some could say it's become weak. Right for the plundering. Not everybody's a little goody elf like you. Some of us have got bigger ambitions. How much do the wind barrows pay you? A lot. But it's more than just gold. So you do work for the wind barrows?
Starting point is 00:11:24 Good. He just shrugs. And who are they paid by? The careless merchants that go about their business without protecting themselves. That's who pays us. Great. Well, I hope you have a lovely conversation with your authorities. We must be going. But feel free to hang out with the smouldering embers of my dear nanny's apartment that you so kindly torched.
Starting point is 00:11:57 I won't forget it. Thank you. What was your mission? Quill, write something. I'm writing something. Can I turn it to him and just say, why us? He just... You catch... His eyes glance towards Lucius.
Starting point is 00:12:16 He's just like, a bunch of rich folks in the city. What's not to go after? What did you ask, Nova? So what was your objective? He just... I mean, he's under no... He doesn't think he needs to answer your question. He just sits there.
Starting point is 00:12:34 You were going for Lucius, weren't you? One of your guys said, look for him. Who's that, Nova? He just shrugs. He just shrugs. He's just like... You get the sense, I will tell you thisugs. I don't know. He just shrugs. He's just like... You get the sense, I will tell you this, with, like, all of your insights.
Starting point is 00:12:48 Right now, this man doesn't think he has anything to fear. Or certainly he is not incentivized to give information. He thinks... He thinks he's safe somehow. Even the threats of guards and things like that didn't seem to trouble him. Hey, Ayla? Yeah? Do you want to threaten him. Hey, Aayla? Yeah?
Starting point is 00:13:06 Do you want to threaten him a bit? I can. I think he's just, he's a bit too comfortable. Yeah? I thought we weren't going to do that. I just want to find out if it was, he was coming for Lucius. I think we know. Whoever Lucius is.
Starting point is 00:13:24 I think that's kind of given. Like, they were calling for him. Yes, I agree. They only attacked here once we arrived. And they also said look for him, you know. Plus, we don't really have time. We need to get going. True.
Starting point is 00:13:41 And Layla just looks at you. What do you want me to do? Do you want me to threaten him? I can threaten him. I'll break his hands. Legs. Just for fun. I mean, it doesn't make us any better than them.
Starting point is 00:13:54 Well. Let's just get going, shall we? We need to get Quill to a healer. Yes, let's focus on the important things here. Should we go and hand him off to the guards, I guess? Sure. Can I, do you say he's wearing, I guess? Sure. Can I... Do you say he's wearing a bandana?
Starting point is 00:14:06 Yeah. Can I take his bandana? Yeah. You just pull it off. He's like... You can, like... Push him on the ground. Trash.
Starting point is 00:14:16 You can just, like, push him in front of you and stuff. Yeah. I mean, it doesn't take long. A few minutes pass, and then Norfyr starts coming up the spiral staircase. And you can see other residents are now, like, poking their heads out. There's, like, you know, working elves and families. So we're like, what's going on? Is there a fire?
Starting point is 00:14:33 There was a fire. There's smoke. And the authorities, the badgers, are kind of like, you know, in their black and white uniforms. You see a mix of elves, half-elves elves and humans um but mainly those three uh and they're like it's nothing to worry about the fire's already been quenched it's just the smoke we're checking it now please don't worry we have staves on hand just in case anything happens please don't worry everything's under control here um and then they kind of usher them inside and uh you see there is um one of them does not appear to be a normal
Starting point is 00:15:05 City watch officer I see One of them Is very clearly A royal guard Not just a royal guard Lucius you would recognise her As the captain of the royal guard
Starting point is 00:15:22 Oh Her name is Valera Demethal. I've seen her before. You would have seen her in things like processions. You would have remembered, you would have been young, but the Sky Prince's, Sky Prince Aradan's father
Starting point is 00:15:37 installed her as the captain of the guard, even though she's not from a noble family. She's from a working class family, but she excelled and kind of against tradition he installed her into the captain position. I'll try and stand up a little straighter.
Starting point is 00:15:54 She's middle aged. She wears the full plate royal guard armour with the blue tabard of Gusthaven. You can see that she's not carrying a weapon, but there is a younger kind of elven man behind her in a squire's kind of outfit.
Starting point is 00:16:12 It's not full plate armor. It's like a breastplate with like a gambeson. And he is carrying, he has a sheath sword and shield, but he's carrying a large spear with a banner on it. He's just carrying that for her. spear with a banner on it he's just carrying that for her and she marches straight towards you gather you guys gathered turns to the others turns to the sea watch officers is like can we make sure that they remain in their houses please I need to speak with the witnesses this is the captain of the
Starting point is 00:16:42 Royal Guard so Oh travelers Oh. Travellers, may I speak to you privately somewhere? Absolutely. We really need to get some medical help. You will, but first I need to speak with you. He's bleeding a lot. He can't speak. Look at him. She looks over. He's like, he doesn't appear
Starting point is 00:17:00 to be dying, so he can wait. Unless you wish to go against my orders. We go first. Oh, right so he can wait. Unless you wish to go against my orders. We go first. All right, I can wait. Some of you have some practical sense. Insight, please. Okay. She kind of ushers you back into Ophir's apartment.
Starting point is 00:17:18 Smeek is just kind of sticking to Aayla and seems to understand that this is kind of a tent situation and shuts up for a change. He's learning. He'll learn. He's not... Yeah! He's stupid, but he can still pick up on certain things.
Starting point is 00:17:34 Also, you can see that he looks terrified of the people in armour. Like, anybody in, like... This woman looks very imposing, and he's just like, don't want to mess with her. She steps you in and you can see the squire follows behind her along with a robed um elven woman um she gestures
Starting point is 00:17:51 to initially to the living room sees that it's a smoldering frozen state and then gestures to the kitchen uh nor fear was it do you have a table or something we can set up? And she's like, yes, I suppose I've got a small table here. She's like, good. She doesn't sit down, but she looks around and she gestures to Quill. You should sit. Make sure you get some rest. Obviously you're not in a state to talk, but there is still a way that we can ask you some questions.
Starting point is 00:18:20 The rest of you. I've already spoken with the Sky Prince, so I'm aware of who you are, Lord Elinasto. Oh. Oh, that didn't work. I mean, I applaud your attempts at disguising yourself, and against most, it would likely work. However, I have seen you before. I know you, I know your family, I know your situation. I cut so much of my hair off.
Starting point is 00:18:46 I really thought it would do something. It will for others, but I think as Captain of the Watch, ever since your return from the dead, I have taken an interest in your case, as it were. It's an honour, Captain. Thank you. There is something that must be made very clear. This sort of thing does not normally happen in Gusthaven.
Starting point is 00:19:08 This is why I am here, personally. What happened? Someone take me through it step by step. The Wind Barons are trying to kill Lucius. That is jumping forward quite a few steps, but noted. Let's start at the beginning. You came here. Why? It's the only person I knew that...
Starting point is 00:19:33 This Norfair? Yes. She's closer to you somehow? My nanny. Ah. Interesting. I knew that she was in one of her many places, and she was here, and I came to her for aid and guidance.
Starting point is 00:19:48 See? And then how did the explosion take place? Some sort of metal sphere came out of thin air and then exploded from a tiny speck of orange light and then set everything on fire. Quill, there is definitely a hint of recognition. As Lucius is telling the story, it's like there's that
Starting point is 00:20:08 just ever so slightly her face changes or there's like a glint in her eye of like she's either heard of these devices or they're used. I guess I don't recognize the Ethereum on the bottom. You wouldn't know. The only person who has any experience with Ethereum here is Lucius.
Starting point is 00:20:27 Okay. That's right. Then I don't write it down. Let's see. The sphere, how did it arrive? You say, did you mention it teleported? It seemed to have just existed. Just came into existence.
Starting point is 00:20:39 Yes, it kind of bent. It's all sucked in, and the stuff is came out of it so the explosion takes place a fiery explosion yes say it's similar to a spell effect poor nanny north is all her furnishings are all gone the curtains went up the carpets gone the table the side table so she does not own the property it belongs to the city but yes yes. If I roll for Arcana, could I... Yeah, sure. You can make an Arcana check, yeah.
Starting point is 00:21:09 Sorry. Sorry, everyone. Kim's a bit sick. 26. Yeah. You've seen this spell before. You saw it in Bright Flame Abbey. This is a fireball.
Starting point is 00:21:18 It's, you know, it was a fireball spell. It wasn't like... It wasn't a chemical explosion. This was a spell Contained in the sphere And then when the sphere Opened it Activated the spell Which is rare
Starting point is 00:21:28 You've not seen anything Like that before Very rarely Oh it was definitely A fireball spell The sphere opened And there was a bead And it was red
Starting point is 00:21:37 And then boom Fireball So no chemicals No It was a spell It was a spell There's a sphere though The smoke in here is really
Starting point is 00:21:46 Sorry Nanny Norfea She brought up a table immediately And deflected the Lord Elanasto I don't need to hear the heroics of your nanny Just here And you see the robed elf woman stands forward
Starting point is 00:22:01 She's like Did you conduct an investigation in the And you said the where were you standing when this situation took place in the living room yes most of the damages
Starting point is 00:22:09 she looks at the guardian sort of like finally clocking on that you're there like guardian she bows her head the robed woman steps in
Starting point is 00:22:18 and you see her beginning to conjure a spell you know beginning to cast some sort of spell you guys have seen it before Quill's used it to detect magic. Her eyes kind of flash into a colour.
Starting point is 00:22:28 She begins looking around the room, scanning it around. So the explosion took place, and then you were... There was... Witnesses have reported a loud thunderous boom. What was
Starting point is 00:22:44 that? That's probably what damaged poor Birdie. There was a shooter man on a rooftop just outside the window and then hit him right in the jaw. He's probably still around. We didn't have a chance to encounter him in combat. Really? She mentioned. Squire, go inform the local watch. Have them on the lookout for somebody who was on... Do you see what weapon he was carrying? You said it was some sort of firearm? Yes. Probably a very powerful one to do that sort of damage.
Starting point is 00:23:16 From this range. And also there was a man that fell off the balcony. Unfortunately, one broke their leg, the other one is perished, and is dragging that one away. Right, Squire, go and inform the local guard. Make sure we're searching for these individuals immediately. Yes, Captain. Sorry. I also have this bandana. I don't know if it will be any helpful to you in your investigation, but maybe it's something to look out for.
Starting point is 00:23:37 This was taken after the one you've claimed captive? black but we'll see we can always investigate it if nothing else it may help with the well we may be able to scry or use it in some magical sense to locate more of them so the explosion happened how did you did these men come in through the stairs how did these attackers arrive i believe they also i saw them in the stairwell they just appeared like the sphere did like time they teleported or something well then Ernesto I need you to be
Starting point is 00:24:11 extremely clear with me do you believe that these men were did you believe that these men teleported in themselves or do you feel that they were sent here by something can I do a sort of arcana
Starting point is 00:24:22 you can make an arcana given how we would have seen perry teleporting using a device and how similar very similar okay um i would say that yeah we'll see what he gets 19 plus yeah yeah so you know magic lucius you know magic is part of your your, almost. You understand magic inherently. These men had no magical ability. They didn't use it in combat. They didn't seem to have any ability to control it. They almost fell out of a hole in space.
Starting point is 00:24:57 You don't think that they brought themselves here. You think that they might have been sent here from somewhere. I'm almost certain they were sent. They don't seem to have any sort of magical abilities themselves. They came at us with melee weapons. Very interesting. Very interesting.
Starting point is 00:25:18 Can we fix poor Birdie now? She looks around. Yes. I'll leave you go however I will not lie you will be closely monitored we do have
Starting point is 00:25:34 several witnesses who report things that happened and considering that you were all seemingly injured in the explosion I have no reason
Starting point is 00:25:41 to believe that you were the ones who caused it nor do I believe that you were picking fights with people inside an apartment that they had no reason to believe that you were the ones who caused it, nor do I believe that you were picking fights with people inside an apartment that they had no right to be in. I'm not a fool, I don't
Starting point is 00:25:50 believe, I believe that you were victims in this case. But, whoever these people were, they were willing to cause significant damage to Gusthaven in order to get to you, Lord Elanaste. Or perhaps your nanny here.
Starting point is 00:26:06 Either case, you are under close observation by the City Watch. If you attempt to leave Gusthaven, I would expect you to tell us. You need to come and inform us if you intend to leave the city. I have concerns. I would advise you to be very cautious, Lord Elanasto. Gusthaven is not the bastion of safety that many think it might be. Things have been changing over the last several months. That's what our captive said, that it's ripe for the picking, I believe.
Starting point is 00:26:37 Yes, yes. These wind barons have been causing a lot of trouble, not just in the city, but also attacking airships and travellers, messengers along the way. They've become very bold of late and I... You get the sense she's about to say something and then she
Starting point is 00:26:55 stops herself. I would advise you just to be very cautious. Whoever these people are, they clearly want to either capture you or kill you. And from what I've seen, they have the resources to continue their efforts. Have you seen this kind of tactic before? This sort of teleporting in and using spell bomb spells? She took the blast quite badly, sorry.
Starting point is 00:27:20 She looks over. It's a bit smoky in here. I'm afraid I can't really discuss Ongoing investigations with you You are still just a Tourist Well we're going to be dead soon At this rate
Starting point is 00:27:32 Don't say that Nova Not in front of Birdie No I just feel like Some information could help us With our survivability Right you know We'll keep a close eye on you She's the royal guard
Starting point is 00:27:42 But also Captain Actually But also I do, actually. But also, I do not believe they have frequent access to this sort of thing. I'll tell you that.
Starting point is 00:27:53 Is the captive still about? Yeah, he's being kind of manhandled by two city watchmen, two badgers. Okay, so I have a question about the Eye of the Storm. Yeah. Does it have to be verbal? No. Cool.
Starting point is 00:28:10 Can I see it? You remembered! You can see him. Okay. Can I ask with the eye while looking at him? Yeah, this is a discussion. You don't feel like you have to get a perfect question. We can talk about it. I'm using the Eye of the Storm. You guys, you watch as quill just kind of goes quiet and sits quieter
Starting point is 00:28:29 Yeah, he just kind of like that. He just drifts into the background and you almost forget about him slightly That's cool. You begin feeling this buildup of energy. So I know That if the question can't be answered it doesn't doesn't expand't expend a charge. So I will very specifically look at him and ask, who sent you to kill us? Okay. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Yeah! So. Okay.
Starting point is 00:29:00 So. Okay. So, you close your eyes, and you see before you just fog and cloud and storm. Lightning. And you picture the question in your mind, and the captive, this kind of half-elven, thug-like fellow, beaten up up bloody,
Starting point is 00:29:28 and you see his image and you ask the question, who sent this man to kill us? And a blast of lightning and then suddenly... Oh, I do actually see something. And you begin to feel the world shift and you know you are no longer looking at the now, but at the past. Only a minute. You see inside a beautiful stately room. Polished white glistening walls, beautiful
Starting point is 00:30:06 bookcases and desks all around, magical paraphernalia, spellbooks, potions, pendulums, talismans, that sort of thing. And you see the four men
Starting point is 00:30:22 that you fought, plus the one with the rifle. Oh, I can actually see him now. They're stood in a circle on what appears to be a sketched out rune. And just standing behind them you see completely
Starting point is 00:30:38 masked and cloaked. But you see, I mean, you have perception, clearly male by their frame and their bulk um and they're kind of hunched over uh and they have a long metal staff in their hands and you just you see this like hand reach out um and you just basically hear uh a kind of muffled magically altered voice yeah whoever this is has taken whoever this is you can tell that they have taken deep care to hide their identity from the people they're sending so whoever it was didn't want
Starting point is 00:31:21 the people they were sending to know who it was that was sending them. Okay. And you see him just in this kind of muffled voice like, find the Elinasto boy. He must not believe. Right. And he raises a hand and you watch as and then they are warped
Starting point is 00:31:40 like a teleport spell. They're sent. Mm-hmm. And then the and you're in the present again. Okay. like a teleport spell. They're sent. Mm-hmm. And then the... Oh, you're in the present again. Okay. Oh, that was cool. Fuck no, it's Scorb. It's a cow. It's a cow.
Starting point is 00:31:57 And you kind of knock back in as you hear the captain like, I will not keep you longer. I know that your friend requires aid. I would recommend you take him to the cathedral of Siaska do we need to have our weapons resealed we kind of burnt the seal sorry
Starting point is 00:32:12 technically you should technically you should however and she summons her the mage that was with her and the mage turns around and just says, I can confirm, Captain, there was some sort of evocation spell here. Presence is lingering, as you would expect from a fireball that's dissipated.
Starting point is 00:32:34 And she nods and she says, We'll continue investigating the scene in a moment. I need you to place a writ of authority on them. And she's like, All right, Captain. To say what? That I'm permitting them to carry their arms in the use of their own self-defense only.
Starting point is 00:32:52 You are not deputized. You may not pursue criminals. If you see any of the people that attacked you, you are to inform the City Watch. But if you are attacked, you may defend yourselves with these weapons. Am I understood? crystal clear, yes ma'am
Starting point is 00:33:07 place them all on all of them I am assuming that this goblin creature is with you yeah on the goblin as well and you see that basically it takes a few moments for this elven mage to come round and she basically takes your hand.
Starting point is 00:33:25 And when you have the mark of admittance, like the passport stamp, another symbol is added to it. And the symbols are all marked in unusual ways. It's almost like a collection of runes that don't mean anything. It's not like a language, but it symbolizes something that you're allowed to do. And each one is upgraded, and including yours as well, Lucius like you're basically given the same like writ of passport stamps yeah and norfair gets it as well do they cover up the scrote we had some scrotes carved onto our hands last time yeah do you remember this our immigration scrotes yeah i'm wondering how much i should give you that jaw back
Starting point is 00:34:03 i'm just saying uh and then should give you that jaw back. I'm just saying. And then you are given permission to leave. Praise the Asgore. We have the Royal Guard watching over us. I feel a lot safer. They seem a bit
Starting point is 00:34:17 out of their depth. The Royal Guard. Don't they? I'm assuming you're saying that as you're leaving. Like quietly. No, no, no. I would never. Like never that as you're leaving. Like quietly, like yeah. No, no, no, no, no, no.
Starting point is 00:34:28 I would never, like never would never do it in front of the three, but like. I figured, I figured. Just do it quietly afterwards. One more question about the eye of the storm. When I am viewing that, am I able to. It happens in an instant. It happens in an instant. So you can't write, You can write down afterwards.
Starting point is 00:34:45 Yeah. But I think the way we're going to do it is like, I will tell you what you see, and then it's up to Tom to write down what he remembers. Okay. Do you want to know how much I wrote? Sure. Nothing.
Starting point is 00:34:58 Maybe that's something you should start learning. I remembered lots, but I can't do that anymore because y'all got to stop relying on me. Yeah, sure. Also, Nova has no idea. You didn't see that anymore because y'all got to stop relying on me. Yeah. Also like Nova has no idea. You didn't see that. So whatever you remember I would recommend you write that down.
Starting point is 00:35:11 Yeah. I'm going to do that now. Because it's literally like you see it in an instant and then you're like back in the moment. Okay.
Starting point is 00:35:19 Y'all are so bad at this. I know. Okay. So what's the plan? Fix the boy beak boy yeah you can make your way downstairs
Starting point is 00:35:29 a crowd has begun gathering like it is late at night by the way you're probably all quite tired you've been travelling for most of the day
Starting point is 00:35:36 it's late at night but there is a crowd gathered they're looking up at the building and kind of chattering and murmuring to themselves okay
Starting point is 00:35:44 I'm going to be deceptive now. Oh, I can't believe we were so close to that explosion that just the floor above us. I mean, why even speak? Just shut your face and walk. Because we look guilty, or part of it. I heard they're after the McGrowners. Let's go. Unbelievable. Interesting. You make your way outside.
Starting point is 00:36:09 The streets are quiet. There are still people traveling. Even though it's late at night, it's kind of like any big city where people will always be going and to-ing and fro-ing. Late night sushi. Late night food, people going about their business. But Gustaven is a bit more quieter than a big kind of lowland city.
Starting point is 00:36:23 You can either walk your way back to the trade district, which will take some time, or you can get another pegasi carriage. Yeah, can we pegasi this boy to the cathedral? Yeah. How much did I charge you last time? Something like 20 gold or something? 20? Yeah.
Starting point is 00:36:39 Yeah, I think it was like 20 gold. I think I'll discount code. Like first time use on the... So you guys are in the breeze. I roll this on checkout yeah one two one two
Starting point is 00:36:47 peg one yeah well you travel through two districts so we'll say 20 gold is there no like ambulance pegasus no
Starting point is 00:36:54 so how do they escort like injured they normally just escort them themselves like if they was like the royal guard yeah you'd get like
Starting point is 00:37:03 evacuated otherwise citizens are kind of left to do their own thing okay fine fair enough but also your injuries like that's why she asked are you dying like you were i did say i suspect that the squire or the mage or like one of the city watch there would have like could have done spare the dying or bandage your wounds or something like that yours is clearly an injury that needs more specialized healing yeah oh i guess is an ambulance in like a dnd universe is that a weird thing it's not a weird thing i think that there would be like carts and stuff to carry the injured around yeah um but i feel like i think the fact that you can walk yeah so it's kind of like well i just mean i guess the point of an ambulance is to rush someone
Starting point is 00:37:43 to a healer quickly but in like a d&D universe, healers can come to you and just be like... Around the universe so quickly. Would you ever just have hospitals? So not having to go to a... Do you ever get... I think there are healers who aren't holy, but they tend to be more medical, like alchemy and stuff like that. Yeah, it tends to be more stuff like that.
Starting point is 00:38:03 A churrigan. A churrigan because that would still require natural healing like they could you know and the thing is don't forget you guys are rich adventurers most people can't just go to a temple and be like hey here's 300 gold for my broken leg they're just like
Starting point is 00:38:17 I'm just going to wait a month they just get it bound they get it splintered and then they're like I'll wait for a month or a couple of months whereas you guys have the power to be like, yo, yo, yo, temple, here's a bunch of gold, get my friends. Just run, bam, bam, bam, bam, bam, bam, bam. Make his job. And the temple's like, well, yeah, sure, this helps us.
Starting point is 00:38:38 This funds what we do. This is the power of the gods. Capitalism. Make it it rain heal the pain just be lucky that I'm not going big farmer on your ass it's where the clerics are like oh yeah you need extra regeneration
Starting point is 00:38:56 that's a thousand gold just wait until quill levels up do you want a new limb or they just stick some wood on you but yeah we won't play it out. The thing in big cities like this, we don't have to play out every trip or every day. You guys can just say, for the next day, we want to do this. I love it.
Starting point is 00:39:15 Minute by minute. Can we just heal Bro Boy? Yes. You can just go back to the temple. Oh my god, she just brought me back. Elris is asleep, but one of the other priests can cast Heal My Heart. She's going to the temple. Oh my god, she just brought me back. Elris is not Elris is asleep, but one of the other priests can cast Thank god, she's a bit pissed.
Starting point is 00:39:30 They probably have a late night priest, because it's Siasca who is the star mother as well. They actually have late night priests who take sermons and they'll do things late at night, because this is actually when the clerics of Siasca are the most powerful.
Starting point is 00:39:48 Another question, sorry. Yes, that's what we're here for. Heal Minor Injury is like a cleric spell, isn't it? Yes. When? Am I meant to have that? You can prepare it. Oh, it is in my spell list? You can prepare it, yeah. You need to prepare it to cast it, though. Right, okay.
Starting point is 00:40:03 I didn't think it was in my list yet. It's got verbal components. it, yeah. You need to prepare it to cast it, though. Right, okay. I didn't think it was in my list yet. It's got verbal components. Yeah, you can't hang it on. I haven't made it as a spell in the Indie Beyond yet. Okay, okay. But I would like to. Yeah. But yes, you will have access to it.
Starting point is 00:40:16 Could no one learn it? Yeah, it's a ritual. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Person? Yeah, you can learn it. Could I learn it from this person? Yeah. Do you remember the rules on how much you have to pay to learn it?
Starting point is 00:40:26 Um... I think it's like 50 gold per hour. And it's an hour per level. Yeah, look it up. I'll look it up. But, yeah, there's no reason you can't ask them for like, hey, can you put this on a scroll for me? That I can learn. I think what they
Starting point is 00:40:42 would do is you would probably have to buy a scroll from them and then you would copy that scroll into your book so it's a bit more you can't just pay them and say hey can you teach me this spell because they're like no you you need to be a you know you can learn it from the holy scriptures but also our power comes from siesta i cannot simply teach it to you but what they can do is they can transcribe it onto a scroll, which would cost, for a third-level spell, I mean, off the top of my head, we're just going to say 300 gold.
Starting point is 00:41:11 And then you'd pay your amount to transfer it to your Book of Shadows. So it's for each level of the spell, the transcription process takes 2 hours and 50 gold for the rare inks to inscribe it. Okay, so all of that stuff, you're in Gusthaven, you can acquire rare inks and stuff like no problem. So it's 300 golds for
Starting point is 00:41:27 the scroll and then 150 for the inks to transcribe it into the Tiangong's crystal database. Would people be okay with me? What is the spell?
Starting point is 00:41:36 It's called Heal Minor Injury. Would people be okay with me learning it? Bear in mind, Quill can learn it. Well, once I get it, I'm going to prepare
Starting point is 00:41:43 it instantly. I'm going to need that as soon as possible. The thing is, again, you can go for a long rest, and then in the morning, you can't cast it, because you've got a broken joy. Well, I can't now, yeah. But in the future, you don't necessarily need to have it prepared all the time. You could get an injury like a broken arm,
Starting point is 00:42:02 and then be like, if we rest rest then the next day I can heal my thing. It does have a gold component cost so you'll need to buy components and stuff. There's probably no point in me learning it then. I mean, I just came back and went down into the lost jewel. Wait for Quill to prepare it. Quill can inscribe it to a scroll
Starting point is 00:42:22 and then you can put it in the thing. Yeah, I just need it added then. So you go to the temple 300 gold to heal Quill can inscribe it to a scroll and then you can put it in the thing. Yeah, I just need to add it then. So you go to the temple. 300 gold to heal Quill. I'm going to talk about money after this. Once Birdie can speak I'd like to have a sit down. It's done. He's healed.
Starting point is 00:42:37 Take him into a little side room. There's a little chapel. They perform the ritual. He comes back. Takes the scarf off. He can speak again. That was ridiculous. Oh, it's so bloody. Well, it hurts still.
Starting point is 00:42:53 I feel like I lost a few chips and things there, but... What? Yes. He's saying like, is the quill fixed? He wants to know if you're fixed. Yes, yes, yes, I think so.
Starting point is 00:43:12 Well, it hurts still, but it aches. It's aching rather than gone. So that's a win. That's a big improvement. Pew! That, it was that. It was one of those. I think it fits.
Starting point is 00:43:24 Thank you, Smeek. Any loud bangs, I don't like. Lightning, whatever that was, Thunderstone thing. You're not having a great time with it, are you? No, I just got back. We got you some shiny new armor as well. Yeah, but maybe I did need that armored beam.
Starting point is 00:43:43 You need a helmet. Yes, or a helmet. I did say armored beam class when we went, but maybe I did need that armoured bead. You needed a collar. Yes, or a helmet. I did say armoured bead class when we went, but that's fine. I think we should have a chat about money. Perfect. Money, not the topic I was thinking of. Yeah, I think there's a lot of other things to talk about. Well, money allows us to do things.
Starting point is 00:44:01 It does. Perfect. And... Well, how much do we have, Nova? Oh, why did you have to ask me that? Probably about a thousand. A little bit more.
Starting point is 00:44:13 Maybe 1,500. I don't know. I'll work it out. Just carry on. 1,500. Are you worried? No. I would be. I've got considerably more waiting for me because of the... Because of the assets. They said they're going to repay you, right? Right. And I also received a letter, a will.
Starting point is 00:44:32 From a will? Yes. Right. And in that, I have a decent amount of gold that we could utilise to allow us to reach our goals. gold that we could utilize to allow us to reach our goals. So while you're all shopping, I found some information. Here it is. My proposal is an airship.
Starting point is 00:44:56 A what? What? An airship? A what? Sorry, you mean one of those things that we almost died on? Yes, but what better way to tackle our issues than to face them head on? You have the funds for an airship. What? I have about 30,000 gold pieces.
Starting point is 00:45:11 What? Waiting for me and I feel like it could be useful. You've got, just to check, you say in that review you've got 20 from daddy, okay yeah, but then you know you've got another 23 still to come from the compensation. You have about 43,000 in total. I have about 30,000 gold pieces. That's fine. It's just more for Chris Trott's information. I wanted to check that you knew how much you had. Okay.
Starting point is 00:45:36 As in you have an airship or you have enough money to buy an airship? I have enough money to buy a base airship, which would allow us to go wherever we want to go. Valley of Storms? That includes a crew? Let me get the information. It's all very... Just to note,
Starting point is 00:45:55 a lot of this came from the new Acquisitions Incorporated sourcebook. So thank you, Jerry and Alyssa. Where did you find that? That's new Wizards official on D&D Beyond. It's on D&D Beyond. This will include a good time. This will include a first mate, I assume they're friendly, ten crew members, four untrained hirelings,
Starting point is 00:46:15 I guess for menial tasks, and a skilled hireling as well. And who will captain it? We're just going to be passengers on it, surely. Well, we'll have a first mate I assume will be qualified yes so this information by the way this came from I think like North here maybe had like an advert or something like this is where you've got it flyer it's there's a there is a shipbuilder in the docks called sprocket and Lily's shipwrightwright shipwright co shipwright company uh sprocket and lily um
Starting point is 00:46:50 you would know it it's they are it's a family of gnomes um who only build airships for specific purposes or eccentric pay buyers they don't make like cargo airships they're like no we make airships for battle and like they're just you know they're no exhibit cargo airships they're like no we make airships for battle and like they're just you know they're no exhibit style yeah they're they're very on a subwoofer in the bottom yeah they they hand pick their clients for but people they think are going to do good things with their ships so this will be a very unique airship to us so we could tailor it just a point for lucius you would technically be the captain because you own the ship, it's your ship. I would be captain and I think I should get an appropriate hat for that but that we can talk about the
Starting point is 00:47:34 hat later on I know it's not important but maybe it should match the airship bow cover coloration but maybe it should have a feather in it or something like that. Right okay. Maybe two feathers. But also... Is two feathers too much? Lucius... It might be too much. What do you want to do with the airship?
Starting point is 00:47:51 What do we want to do with the airship? I think is the question. Is your plan to leave Gustavon? Isn't our plan to leave Gustavon and save the Eros? Eventually. Lucius, do you not want to spend your money rebuilding your estate? Uh, yes. Well, once we've you know,
Starting point is 00:48:12 achieved our goals, we can come back to that, right? The estate's not going anywhere. Lucius, what about what you were saying about your father? What about him? You thought he was still alive?
Starting point is 00:48:29 Yes. Yes. Well... Do we not still want to look into that? Well, I looked at Nanny Norf here and... I saw truth there, you know? I saw reality and I was in denial. But we just saw people teleport out of nowhere. Yes. I'm just saying if that technology exists on Gustaven, maybe your dad... I don't know, maybe what I'm saying is cruel and I shouldn't really be giving you hope, but...
Starting point is 00:49:01 I feel like we should, I don't't know we should look into it more it's clearly something weird is going on here the houses are fighting there's weird plots going on all over the place the wind barons are doing something strange yes do you want to leave all this behind you I want to do something about it people are in danger and we are people to help the problem but all of this is trivial if there is no Eros. You're right. I think we need to look at the greater picture.
Starting point is 00:49:31 How about... Smeak agrees, I think. I think so. I think he does. We should... I saw Mark's face. Like, multiple times he looked at the time, like, how long's it been?
Starting point is 00:49:46 It's been a little while He bought He bought I think I've had enough loss And I don't want To lose The entire Planet
Starting point is 00:49:57 I don't want other people to lose We should check in on what's happening On Callie's rest At least Yeah What news there is And think how quickly we could get there I know there are other means
Starting point is 00:50:08 It's like probably overrun with him I can check now Say what now? Eh? Um Quill! So the stormy eye You probably noticed it
Starting point is 00:50:22 Because it's not an eye as such I can, yes, it's got some lightning in it, but I can use it to see things. A lot more things than, thank you, Smeek. A lot more things than normal. Smeek is bowing for the podcast. So, for example, I looked at the person we captured and i asked a question who sent him to kill us and i could see the moment they teleported in however the person that i saw made many efforts
Starting point is 00:51:00 to disguise themselves not necessarily from me looking at him, but from the attackers themselves. They don't even know who they're working for. Is there anything that you saw that could distinguish them? Well, you just said him, right? So that's a start. I'm pretty sure it was a man. Well, they had some disguise on their voice, but looking at them, 95% sure. That's half of% sure. Tall, short. That's half of Gusthaven. Tall.
Starting point is 00:51:27 There you go, tall. Any clothing, weapons? It's very... Well, they had cloaks. They had whatever efforts they made to disguise themselves. They had a staff, a big metal staff. I saw you probing him for that. I saw that leading question.
Starting point is 00:51:46 Any weapons they were holding? Clothing as well. Yeah. But, yes. Big Metal Staff, with which they used to cast the spell, I assume. And Big Cloak. He showed the staff,
Starting point is 00:52:01 and it wasn't like their other hand pointing forwards. I don't do that. I don't say that. I mean... Good memory. I don't say that. I mean. Good memory. I saw what I saw. You all heard the vision earlier. No, they didn't.
Starting point is 00:52:17 No, they didn't. So, yeah. So, anyway. That's a great start. But I can use it to also see other places or see a potential future as well. Do you want to see the future of Varroas if we do nothing? I think it's more immediate future than that.
Starting point is 00:52:40 Is it more immediate future than that? I think I specified. I can definitely try. Can we change the future? Well the benefit is, is that if I ask a question that is unanswerable, then I can keep the power. Can you see what happened to my father? Do you want to know the answer?
Starting point is 00:53:05 Well, we'll find out next... Do you want to know the answer? Wow. We'll find out next... No, no, we've still got like 25 minutes. We've got tons of time. In order for me to move on and do something good for this world, I need to know. Have cake. Thank you, Century.
Starting point is 00:53:22 Do you like the cake? I was actually very peckish. It's exactly like I told you. Where did you find this? I bought some. You bought cake? Before we went to Nanny No Fizz. We didn't have a chance to eat it.
Starting point is 00:53:31 Some of it is a bit burnt. It's a little bit singed. You know what? It's perfect the way it is. Cake for Smig? Cake for Quill? My jaw still hurts. Cake for Nova?
Starting point is 00:53:44 Chewing was very tough. Yes, thank you. I need a little also. Thank you, Century. We could use some cake. Thank you, Smeak, too. Smeak's mouth is covered in crumbs, and they're just all down him.
Starting point is 00:53:58 He's like... You can see he's never had sugar before. He's like... He's like going off on anybody who doesn't. He's like after sugar before. He's like... He's like going off on anybody who doesn't. He's like after quills. Like, he's like... Oh, don't kiss me. Calm down, calm down.
Starting point is 00:54:11 Calm down. Contain it. Contain it. Use it. Keep my cool. Use it. You gave him cake. He's never had cake before.
Starting point is 00:54:21 Channel it. It's exactly like I told you on the beach in Voxer. You just have to keep moving forwards, no matter what. But maybe that you need to use hope to keep moving forwards. It's up to you. I can try. Quill, I always look to you for wisdom. That is not wise.
Starting point is 00:54:43 I always look to you for wisdom. That is not wise. If I go down a path that wastes time and the forces of Starbane grow whilst we're doing such, that's a waste. We could find out now and pursue our goals faster. If you want me to see. I think so. Okay. I think so okay well I've got two more charges I guess like
Starting point is 00:55:10 I can use it two more times you do have to be in the vicinity of the area if it's a specifically like you would need to go to like the mansion and stuff well I can two more times
Starting point is 00:55:18 I can ask specific questions so if you want I can look to Kali's rest to see what's happened to it. I could potentially look for a specific person. I could look for Arvel or maybe Vala.
Starting point is 00:55:36 Maybe. How many times can you do this? Two more times. Ever? Ever. In a week. I guess I don't really know how to describe it. You know that it will take seven days to recharge the power.
Starting point is 00:55:51 Yeah. That's fine. You can know that. I'm sure we could get news of Kali's rest another way. I can prepare the sending spell. And then contact someone there. It's just if you wanted to see it, if you wanted to... Well, I would see it and then describe it, but... I'm just more thinking about...
Starting point is 00:56:11 Are you okay? Just nodding towards Lucius. I can do that. I can definitely do that. But I need to ask a very specific question, because otherwise I might see the wrong information. What happens if you ask the wrong question? Like I said, if I ask the question that can't be answered, nothing happens. If I ask the wrong question, it might give me information I never need.
Starting point is 00:56:37 Then you ask, how did Varian Elenasto die? No, because if he didn't die, I would say but you could be what was Varian Elanasto doing at the exact point of the explosion? Yes, because you could just see him die of old age.
Starting point is 00:56:57 God, I don't want to think about that. Technically, we could kill two birds, one stone. Kill is probably the one word. Well, but if the question can't be answered, if he is still alive, I could ask who killed him. If it can't be answered, if no one successfully... But someone could in the future. And I'm not ruling out... We need to specify it to this moment. Yes this moment yes well no so Quill knows that the power works differently he can look into
Starting point is 00:57:29 the past and ask a question or he can look into the future and ask a question so if he asked a question if it's a past tense thing if you said who killed Varian Illo and Alonasto and he wasn't dead it wouldn't work and you would know that the question couldn't be answered. Which would, as Lucius rightly points out, smart play, indicates he's still alive, if that is true. What about, like, what happened? What happened at the point of the explosion?
Starting point is 00:57:56 It's up to you. We're looking for the person who did this. Yes? Right? No, we're looking to see if it happened. If it happened. If he got out, how? Well, we're looking to see... If it happened. If it happened. Who survived. If he got out, how?
Starting point is 00:58:08 Well, that's what I mean. If he's not... If he did get out... Yeah. Then I won't have an answer. Then we ask what happened to him at the explosion. Yeah, because if he got out, you'll see him teleport away or... Okay.
Starting point is 00:58:23 Okay. You guys make your way? Yeah. You're already in the Azurbright Plaza, which is the noble district. So it's not too far. You can just walk to the ruined remains of the Ananasto estate. You make your way there. It is late at night.
Starting point is 00:58:38 The tiredness is heavily setting in, but you want to see this done. The cradle shines its multicolored lights down on you, and you've kind of not noticed it now, but this is as close as you can probably be to it. It's brighter, it seems so much closer, and there is a heavenly feeling about it, looking up at this multicolored barrier of light that just encompasses the whole thing,
Starting point is 00:59:02 its protective shell. The Elinastua estate ruins are behind closed iron gates but with century and alas help it doesn't take it doesn't take much to climb over nobody seems to stop you a few onlookers perhaps watch from windows of nearby est, but you make your way out into the middle of ruined rubble and stone, broken beams, burnt, splintered woods. There are half-burnt pieces of furniture, pieces of parchment scattered around, and you stand there in the middle. Now, Nova, Aquila, while you're seeing this vision, can you speak? It happens in an instant. I can recall it afterwards. So, shall we be ready? I'd like to know every single detail.
Starting point is 00:59:57 I'll do what I can. I guess Nova gets that from the notebook and Quill already. Thank you. What's Quill's intelligence? 13. 13. thank you what's quill's intelligence uh 13 13 there's enough that like if you immediately recite then you guys can just listen to what i'm describing and make notes from that okay cool cool so you don't need to like write it down and then recite to him if you immediately like
Starting point is 01:00:16 hey uh like you come out of it and you're like right i saw this and then i saw this and then it would be like an instant it's like remembering what happened like a second ago to the point where i kind of even like phase out of whether or not I should be telling the details as they are. Like there's no like... You're like, is this still happening? You're like, uh... But I just mean like,
Starting point is 01:00:33 even if it's something like, something someone doesn't want to hear, I just tell them exactly what I saw. Sure. Okay. I'm giving that down to you to like... I think whilst it's happening, I think so too. Well, I just mean like as the...
Starting point is 01:00:43 I come out of it and then I immediately say it as quick as I can like before the vision fades and I'll start I'll say things like yeah I still think we'll
Starting point is 01:00:52 blow the threads for RP purposes we'll still have Quill recite what he he knows but it's up to Tom how much he shares okay
Starting point is 01:00:58 all right so that's the plan what were you doing I was just gonna say I think Sentry would I think she'd find it quite difficult to look at all this
Starting point is 01:01:06 So I think she would just gently tap Lucius on the shoulder And just take a respectful step back Stand quietly At the edge of the burnt state I think Aayla will kind of See that, because she doesn't really She's just like, yeah this is too feely for me She picks up Smeek
Starting point is 01:01:22 And moves back and stands with Sentry And maybe like, puts Smeek next to Sentry so he doesn't cause any problems. Okay. So Nova and Lucius are stood with you. So I don't mess this up. Ask me the question. And I will recite it to you as best I can. So I don't ask the question myself.
Starting point is 01:01:44 So it's your question. And it has to be a part like what happened in the past. How did Varian Elinasto die to this explosion? That's the question? That's the question, and I recite that. Close your eyes. You see the storm gathered before you. Bolts of lightning.
Starting point is 01:02:07 And you picture the estate. And you picture Lucius' question in your mind. Time begins rolling back. And you find yourself in... Now just remind me of the question again. How virion illo and elenasto die to this explosion you see a workshop and it's full of designs things you don't quite understand metal cages rods machines ethereum Very organized, well laid out workshop.
Starting point is 01:02:47 There's a framed picture of a family, an elven family. Lucius, his twin sister who looks remarkably like him but with two blue eyes and long blonde hair. And then a mother and a father. Trunks, materials, and the door opens. And a, not old, but older elven man very distinguished very trim beard um his blonde hair turned to like a dusky gray uh his eyes dark circles as if he's not been sleeping wrinkles and stress his hands tremble slightly as he makes his way down the steps, almost in slow motion to your vision.
Starting point is 01:03:33 As he reaches the bottom one, begins looking around, and then sits down. You see a glow begin to emanate from under the desk he like his eyes go wide he peers down underneath it and you see another one of these metal spheres as it pops open it's not just a fireball inside some hideous conflagration this terrible energy bursts out in green and violet flames. You see the man open his eyes wide, and he has just enough time to reach for the picture before... And then you're back in the present.
Starting point is 01:04:22 I saw a workshop, and I saw a picture of the family. I saw your father coming down the stairs, and he sat down at the table. There was another one of the bombs, the bombs we saw in Nanny Norfyr's place, except this time it was much, much more powerful. And he looked under the desk and that's when it opened and he reached for the family photo before it exploded. I'm so sorry, Lucius. Oh. I'm so sorry Lucius oh I'm so sorry thank you thank you Quill
Starting point is 01:04:50 I just need to I'm just going to walk away yep the estate is the building a couple of the outbuildings and far walls are still standing
Starting point is 01:05:02 but they've been torn down I'll probably walk towards where the workshop was, I imagine. It's near the centre. It was built in a kind of basement floor. You can see it's been torn open. The actual trapdoor's open and the stone steps leading down. Yeah, I'll walk to that.
Starting point is 01:05:16 Yeah, the steps have been ruined by the power of the explosion, but you can see into the workshop itself. Yeah, you could climb down easily enough. It's just the steps are all broken and fucked up. Yeah, I'll try. Try and go downstairs, yeah. So you guys watch as Lucius dips down. Yeah, you make your way downstairs.
Starting point is 01:05:36 And the room's been blasted to pieces. Like, parts of the ceiling have collapsed. The flames... The actual ceiling of the basement has been blown off like you know the power of the explosion launched it all up into the air um shreds of wood it seems like that explosion took out everything almost instantly like it kind of erupted up and out and then took out the rest of the house right um and you begin just looking around and most of it's broken and torn to pieces but uh yeah there's just perhaps a blackened glass broken picture long burnt away but there's a
Starting point is 01:06:17 picture frame half of the picture frame still remains i'll pick that up and dust it off. Yeah, just the only thing is that on the back there is just a there is just a small kind of in metal writing like inscription on the back of the frame itself, which just reads the Alinasto family.
Starting point is 01:06:41 I imagine Lucius' hand would be kind of trembling and Tiz roll down his differently coloured eyes and he'd just clutch it to his heart and just kind of fall to his knees in the ash just sits there for a moment
Starting point is 01:06:57 the rest of you just a quiet still night there's no wind really there's just a gentle breeze but not enough to make a noise I thought of so many inappropriate things I could have said and then he farts he rips a big one you just said them anyway yeah I did
Starting point is 01:07:13 I had to get them out I know you can't handle the serious stuff for long it's fine yeah you just look and see Lucius just descend into this workshop and then just quietness. Sentry and Aayla, you watch all of this happen. You don't hear what happens,
Starting point is 01:07:29 but judging by Lucius's reaction, the news obviously isn't good. It's hard-hitting. Yeah. I've just muttered to myself, one day we'll stop losing everything we love. Oh, jeez. One day.
Starting point is 01:07:43 Yeah, Aayla kind of looks over and is like, we're going to be okay. Oh, jeez. One day. Yeah, Aayla kind of, like, looks over and is like, we're going to be okay. We'll fix things. We'll do something. Yeah. And Smeak just kind of, like, takes your hand and takes Aayla's hand.
Starting point is 01:07:57 Hold your hands. And then detonates. Smeak was all along. It was Smeak. You should have listened to me. sneak You should have listened to me You all should have listened to me I think yeah I think Quill's just kind of like Rhiannon's gone
Starting point is 01:08:19 We need these moments We can't have too much serious stuff Yeah I think Quill's just now a bit more solemn now that he's recited and seen that as well. I think that Quill... You feel... You feel that divine touch on your shoulder. Knowing that presence that Hesper is with you always,
Starting point is 01:08:42 where you draw your power from, it's always there. You almost hear his words in your mind, like almost whispered on the wind itself. You know, you're in a sky city, this is one of his places, places that he saved. And you hear sometimes the right questions are the hardest ones to ask. That's a blessing. I think after a bit I'd probably go after Lucius and just quietly try and just, I don't know.
Starting point is 01:09:16 You walk over and you see him just kind of like knelt in the middle of this open blasted open workshop just clutching something to his chest and you just kind of stand on the edge and you look down and see him. knelt in the middle of this blasted open workshop, just clutching something to his chest, and you just kind of stand on the edge and you look down and see him. I'll just go up and just quietly put my arm around him.
Starting point is 01:09:34 Okay. You just feel this kind of comforting presence put around you. He would have loved to have met you. He had so many wonderful ideas, and you would have shared a lot with him as well. I'm sure you would have come up with a very interesting prototype. I definitely would have loved to have learned
Starting point is 01:09:53 the business and what you're making. Well, I'll do something about that. I'll try. I'll keep it going. That's the best thing you can do. You're his legacy now. It's not over.
Starting point is 01:10:14 You know, you're still here. I am. Quill. Despite all of this, your eyesight good as it is you catch something a shape
Starting point is 01:10:30 seems to be flying down through the night air wings spread out and it's going straight for the workshop where Lucius and Nova are. Right.
Starting point is 01:10:46 And you see this figure with wings just like dive bombing towards it. Okay. What do you do? Do I... You got an action. I'll give you an action. Knowing this, is this like a landing pattern of the messengers? Or is this like knowing flight?
Starting point is 01:11:04 Make a perception check for me me so you've seen it with your passive but now let's see how much information you can quickly glean uh 17 17 this is not this is this isn't something is gliding it's not an arrow croaker it's not flapping its wings it just has like wing shapes and it's gliding in and it's a humanoid it's a figure like a humanoid figure with wings and it's gliding in and it's literally like feet down just about to land on on the top of the workshop i mean obviously being in the middle of the workshop i i guess i'll just warn everyone on like the estate like the blasted open estate yeah century ayla and smeka by the gates you're in the middle and then lucius and nova ahead of you like in this workshop in this like sunken basement workshop
Starting point is 01:11:57 okay figures like flying down just about to land anything i would just say to everyone we're not done yet we're not done yet and then um okay so i point my pistol up just in case okay you didn't reload it he doesn't know that okay uh so you point the pistol up and lucius this figure kind of like you are startled you and nova as this figure just appears like it just seems to appear at the top of the workshop. And looking down with a white porcelain mask shaped with a large star, almost like a kind of like, you know, like a white porcelain mask with a star on it is front long cape dripping down. long cape uh dripping down um this figure humanoid figure with gloves uh throws something in the air um and you just watch as this smoke cloud encapsulates around and this voice this kind of magically modulated voice is just like who the hell are you? You're not Lucius Varian, Eloin,
Starting point is 01:13:06 and Alonasto. And then, and then a hand crossbow starts pointing down. And that's where we're going to end today's episode. Oh my god! Of course it is.
Starting point is 01:13:15 Of course it is. Where else would I stop again? Where else would I stop? What an episode! Great episode. Of course you know. Amazing. Like, it's not,
Starting point is 01:13:25 it's not a big surprise. But who are they? Who is Moonstar? And how? Moonstar! Moonstar! Moonstar! I hope you enjoyed that.
Starting point is 01:13:33 I think that was a great episode. I was very hungry. That was great combat. Loved it. Everyone was on point in the combat. Yeah. I controlled myself when Smeet came out. You did, yeah.
Starting point is 01:13:41 I didn't lose my shit. I got Insiperation. You got Insiperation coin. I remember those go away at the end of the session, by the way. What? I don myself when Smeet came out. You did, yeah. I didn't lose my shit. I got Insiperation. You got Insiperation coin. I remember those go away at the end of the session
Starting point is 01:13:48 by the way. Yeah. Thanks for the great episode. What a great episode it was. We hope you enjoyed it. We'll see you next time. Bye. Goodbye.
Starting point is 01:13:55 See you soon. Bye. Thanks for listening to this episode. Remember to check out both D&D Beyond and NordVPN with the links in the episode description.
Starting point is 01:14:04 You can also support the podcast on our Patreon page, patreon.com slash highrollers, giving you early access to Thursday's podcast episodes on Monday. We'll see you on Monday for the next episode when the team discover the identity of the masked flying assassin. We'll see you then. Thank you.

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