High Rollers DnD - High Rollers: Curse of Strahd #15 | The Evil Within

Episode Date: August 12, 2020

Xiros finds himself in deeper trouble after his actions last episode... but don't worry, a certain demon has his back! Support the High Rollers and get early access to podcast episodes (and more) on our Patreon: www.patreon.com/HighRollers Thanks to @jackgtmusic for the Aerois/Curse of Strahd mash-up intro! Music courtesy of Epidemic Sound Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Pickaxe. Because the Skip app saves you so much time by delivering stuff like your favorite cool treats, groceries, and bevvies, you get more time to have the best summer ever. Like riding roller coasters. Learning to water ski. Applying sunscreen to your dad's back. Yep, definitely the best summer ever. Squeeze more summer out of summer with Skip.

Did somebody say Skip? This episode is brought to you by Dyson OnTrack. Dyson OnTrack headphones offer best-in-class noise cancellation and an enhanced sound range, making them perfect for enjoying music and podcasts. Get up to 55 hours of listening with active noise cancelling enabled, soft microfibre cushions engineered for comfort, and a range of colours and finishes.

Dyson OnTrack. Headphones remastered. Buy from DysonCanada.ca. With ANC on, performance may vary based on environmental conditions and usage. Accessories sold separately. Last time on Curse of Strahd, our party have come to Argenvostolt, the mansion of a once proud order of knights and a silver dragon who opposed Count Strahd von Zarovich. In search of a powerful weapon that could aid them in destroying the vampire lord,

the party have entered Argen Vostholt through its graveyard, sought a long rest inside its mausoleum. However, Strahd, seeking vengeance as well as his obsession Tatiana, attacked them inside, causing the party to flee, sadly losing their ally Shadow Beyond the Veil, a Tabaxi priestess. sadly losing their ally Shadow Beyond the Veil, a Tabaxi priestess. Fleeing inside the broken chapel of Argon Vostholt, many things were revealed as Strahd flew away with Shadow's body. The party met a new ally, a mysterious and filthy survivor called Dog's Body, with a strange accent. But, more importantly, in a moment of epiphany, Irena,

who the party had rescued from Strahd's clutches, came to the realization that she is the reincarnated soul of Tatiana, and recalls much of her previous life. Though, this does come at a price, as Zeros is now being drawn to complete a part of his deal with Asmodeus,

marking Tatiana for unknown purposes. Exploring the haunted mansion, the party are trapped and attacked by a number of ghostly warriors, and in this heated battle, Zeros makes his move, marking Irena with the infernal greatsword, He Who Grins. And that, my friends, is where we we begin today in the middle of a combat and it is a fresh new round to set the scene for our podcast listeners who can't see our roll 20 map um you are currently in a narrow corridor uh at the very end of uh the northern sort of wing of the

mansion uh it was a t-junction and a wall of stone has fallen to block the path that you came from off, leaving you with just a thin horizontal corridor. It's about 10 feet wide. On either side, there are two rounded tower rooms. The doors flew open and these spectral ghostly warriors flew out towards you. A group of three of them have engaged uh yesper is mark

irena and xeros in one tower rose is just outside of that uh that tower behind the door and then ziki and dog's body have been left to deal with three more of these phantom warriors who came from the other side uh quite a few injuries all around as well and that is where we kick things off today in the middle of this combat uh there's some new dog's body art on screen for those of you who are looking beautiful what a handsome man yeah he smells real bad i probably should have had some flies added to that um spanky hot boy. There we go. I specified hairy. Like, yeah, look at that chest.

Magnificent. And as an audio description of Dog's body, he's very quite tall, quite muscular, but in a sort of athletic, survivalist way, like quite lean but still muscular. Quite dirty, covered in scars, right, Kim? He's like scarred all over his body. Long, dark brown hair with a big thick beard,

glowing eyes, and then a kind of half piece of armor across one arm as well in rags. And you've got a great axe, I believe, yes? Mm-hmm. Big old, big old axe. Which I believe is currently covered in like icy magical frost um as you had initiated your blood right as they are a blood hunter yes um one thing to note for you stat hunters out there i initially screwed up in rolling um some of the stats for dog's body um so with marks i misread um the kind best way. So int was like minus one.

Mark has let me sort my stats out. So his stats are better for a blood hunter now. Sorry, I misread it. They need intelligence. They need intelligence, not wisdom. And you'd had higher wisdom. Yeah, yeah. That's fine. That's no problem.

So he's smarter, but less wise. Less perceptive, but more knowledgeable now. Cool. So we begin. Jesper, you are currently, you have one of these phantom warriors in front of you. Ismark is beside you. Irena behind you.

And you have just seen Zeros kind of mark Irena's chest with this circular, almost perfect circle scar with three triangles burnt into the middle of it across her chest. But there is a haunted ghostly warrior in front of you as well. And I believe Irena had actually conjured a spell on your weapon that made it deal radiant damage.

It's my go! Okay. I think what I will do is I will glance towards Zeros and shout What are you doing? Traitor! Traitor!

And I will stab with my holiness on my imbued weapon at the spirit in front of me. Angrily. It may as well have been Zeros. Sure. We stab him. That's you, that is.

That is. 25 to hit, and that's 12. Piercing holy damage. Well, no, so the weapon does its normal damage, but you get a D4 of radiant damage. Does it also mean... Oh, no, I changed it, didn't I? I said it changed it to magical damage.

Magical, yeah. So it's 12 magical damage. Magical, yeah. Yes, that's right. So it's 12 magical damage, enhanced damage. 122. Cool. Yeah, so the rapier pierces into the spirit's form, and you see the light of the magical energy now sort of coursing through its body,

splitting it apart into vapors, but it's just barely still kept together and as you yell the word traitor the spirits all echo it you see that you kind of hear them all sort of silently like traitor traitor traitor traitor traitor traitor

all agreeing I'm gonna dagger stab as well that's only a nine though to hit sadly this one the ghostly weapon comes up and actually parries the dagger away right and that's me well do they agree or are they speaking of something else entirely

yes but anything else bonus action move actions anything you would like to do no I'm still tangled with this spirit so I don't really want to disengage right now i've just did my attack i'm seeing it through okay uh xeros mistan our dragon nice i mean i've i've done what i need to do uh in and by that i mean i've marked i've marked who i need to mark uh so now I just get Killing.

I need to use a second wind because I'm low on health. So I'm going to use a second wind, which is a d10, plus five of HP recovered. So 12 HP back. Pretty good for a bonus action. And kind of gaming it, but they don don't get attack of opportunity on forced movement do they no not on forced movement

right well I'll move one closer to Irina Tatiana which means I will get hit by this one dude yes I almost forgot I knew no he trotted it Chris trot No, he trotted it.

Chris trot. Whilst the party uses roll 20, it has been proven that I'm not allowed to use roll 20, so I will be using physical dice. Alright, so it will take a swing with its spectral longsword in your direction. 19's 19 to hit.

Ah, dang. Seven points of force damage. As you kind of step away, it lunges forward in a practiced military maneuver and cuts you across the arm. I want to... I know I just marked her. This is a bit mean, but it's trying to help her. I want to push

Tatiana away out of the range of this ghost and towards everyone else and say get out of here, get safe. Okay. So you can make a shove attack I believe this is in the player's handbook you can do this. So I think you

let's have a look. I like to play by the rules i could just make it up but i know that there is a specific thing in this so let's have a look shove attack i believe it's called i'm trying to shove it with my full shoulder like i'm really a creature so using the attack action you can make a special melee attack to shove a creature either to knock it prone or push it away from you. If you're able to make multiple attacks, this attack replaces one of them, so you still get an attack after this as well.

Oh, neat. Okay. So you need to make a strength athletics check contested by their athletics or acrobatics check. She will be using acrobatics. Okay. Well, I got 22. 22. Oh, I got 22. 22. Well, Irena gets a 23.

Whoa. All right. And she moves in a way that you have not seen Irena really do before. She pirouettes like a dancer at court. do before she pirouettes like a dancer at court there is this kind of very agile movement as she sees xeros charging like get away but kind of forcefully going to shove her back she lifts her blade up and spins it around as she pirouettes and you know kind of twirls on the spot um as you kind of stumble for a moment uh xeros um not able to to shove her uh and she kind of looks down she's like i don't know what you're doing i don't think i'm willing to trust you now i mean sure fine um in that case

i'll use my second attack uh he who grins which is currently on fire on the guy that's right next to me, the wraith that's right next to me. And I get 29, 17 slashing damage, 9 fire damage. And I want to use a thing as well, a goading attack as well, so that it gets disadvantage on anyone but me. Okay. We'll spend the point. The save is irrelevant. As you sweep the greatsword down,

you just watch as the flames seem to burn away the ethereal presence of this spectre as it just... and the vapours vanish before your eyes. Oh, okay. So you still spend the superiority, sadly. Yeah, that makes sense but yeah you uh yeah you watch as it

just burns up uh burns away um anything else xeros on your turn that's that's all i got well then we go to ziki miss dan second of the draconic

okie dokie after seeing xeros carve that mark into irena's chest, she's going to try and hold on to what semblance of positive energy she's got left. After seeing that, she's going to

cast a level 2 Cure Wounds on herself with the power of Lyra. Lyra, your goddess that you are well- Plus your modifier as well, spell casting mod which I think is

plus 5, so that's 10 wow, perfect 5, 6, 7, 7 healing sorry, it's me, there we go 2d8 plus 5 oh plus 5, okay so that was 10, sweet so 26 total nice that is me perfect

cool um so you don't want to move or bonus action or anything yeah i'm good i'm good for now i'll take whatever's coming to me now okay take me witness me oh it's is mark the lessers go is mark is mark the bro and i think that he is just so stunned for a second he kind of looks in xeros's direction and looks at irena and it just doesn't seem to quite understand what's going on um i'll have him um he'll make an attack against the specter uh just out of kind of reflex in his military training uh that's a natural 20 though so it's cool cool guy 14 points unfortunately

well actually even half so yes but where you had plunged your weapon to the one next to you and the light head burst part of it away you see that it's form had become so thin and wispy from your attack is Mark with one kind of like primal scream almost

he's just like frustration like he brings his sword down in a double-handed strike and you watch as whatever whispers uh wisps or ethereanus was there just vanishes uh from his strike um but then he the rest of his turn he will wheel on xeros what are you doing why what did you do uh then we go to irena uh and irena on her turn will she's already used this um she's used one of these so she will uh uh who's very hurt is j Jesper or Rose very hurt? I'm hurt.

Dog's body, you're hurt? Irina will... No, I've only taken one damage. Irina will move away from Zeros. Zeros, would you like to opportunity attack? No. No. Thanks for asking, though.

Okay. She will call out and say... She'll turn around and say, like, the others are in danger. Quickly. She will move back, and seeing Dog's body's wounds, you see her kind of hold a hand up to her chest. Don't, Father, please. Heal this one's wounds.

And she will cast Healing Word on you. Only first level. For a whopping five hit points, dog's body. Woohoo! True power. That'll be... So that's her move, action... Oh, bonus action for Healing Word, technically.

She will just ready an action. She brings her rapier up in a very defensive... She's kind of holding it in the direction of xeros uh and the others in the tower she's kind of like holding a weapon at the ready um rose venande you know i'm gonna move uh just one space over and i'm gonna um so i think when the middle one that is mark was fighting died my uh thingy, thing, thing, slayers prey moves over. Can I move it to the one in front of Zeke, please, and take two shots at that one?

Absolutely, you may. Please. Different class from the barbarian. 21 to hit 21 21 will hit yes and the second one is only 14 14 is not

enough I'll tell you these guys have an AC of 16 so the 14 misses I thought I was right on that you do get your slayers praise as well oh my god I rolled a 1 on my damage I was right on that. You do get your Slayer's Prey damage as well? Yep. Oh my god, I rolled a one on my damage. So five damage with the bow and one damage on Slayer's Prey.

Oh, we're having that kind of a day. All of that is halved as the bow is not magical. So it gets absolutely nothing. It bounces off the stone wall behind it and you can see that it just leaves this small hole in the misty form of the spectre. So it took three damage. It took half. Anything else,

Rose? No, thank you. Dog's body. Okay, I guess I will just keep hack and slashing the one in front of me the ghostie directly in front of me So that is

with my great axe That is a 22 to hit Definitely hit So that is a d12 5 plus 4, that's 9 damage.

And then 1d6 cold, although I remembered at the weekend that ghosts are technically immune to cold. But it still makes the axe magical, though. The Crimson Rite does, yeah. The cold damage has no additional effect, but the actual blow, where once it would have sort of passed through them, this time it cleaves into it as if it was a living creature. You see the wisps bleeding away like smoke coming from its body,

and you can see this great rent left in its armor from your now enchanted axe's strike. Anything else, Dog's Body? Extra attack, so i'll attack again yep that is a 13 to hit sadly that is not enough this one it brings up its spectral shield and it blocks it aside um as as you do so uh leaving you still somewhat surrounded pressed up against a kind of dusty filthy window that looks out onto the hills around Argenvost Halt. You can see them kind of stretching out behind you.

The phantom specters all move at once. One lunges towards Zeros, and in fact, being the smart boy it is, it will move through the walls and kind of reappears, merging from the wall in front of you, Zeros, as you're turning around, kind of standingears, merging from the wall in front of you, Zeros, as you're turning around, standing in your way.

Another one will do the same thing to emerge behind Irina. And then the others all take their attacks against their relevant companions and including the ones that moved. So Zeros, one attempts to strike you um it attacks you twice with its long sword that's an actual 20 another one oh no okay this is bad i'm pretty much gone so now um and then the next one the one after that was a 19 to hit as well so oh shit okay

yeah that's only a one on the crit so it's a eight plus one plus three nine twelve points of damage uh yeah that's enough that's enough xeros goes down does he have a second attack on me already uh he does but he wouldn't have made it against you if he went down uh these creatures

are not interested in in killing people that are down um it moves that attack i'll just put against is mark um so it will still hit is mark and that'll be five points of damage to his mark who i can't remember what hit points he was on so i'm just going to put him on a certain amount uh i'll put him on that i don't think you got hit too much at all no yeah i didn't i didn't take it out down too much but i know he did have some damage um okay so that one was the one that was fighting xeros who moved in front of him and you see xeros kind of hear this heavy thud jesper and his mark are the

only ones that really see it um then one will attack you rose as you are firing the bow um that is going to be a 20 to hit, not natural. Yup. Yup, that's going to be six points of force damage, and then its second attack will go against Irina, which will also hit. I'm doing very well. Five points of damage against Irina.

Yep, you are. As always. Then again, Ziki to attacks. That attacks that however is only a 13 that does hit oh my god that's 5 points of force damage I'm rolling quite badly on my damage rolls if that's any consideration

and then 15 to hit you on the second one Ziki which is another 6 points of force damage so these two spectral swords kind of cleave through. And then Dog's Body, that is a 17 plus 5, 22. Don't kill me, you. And then the last one is only an eight to hit you. No, that does not hit me.

That won't hit. Sadly, the first one does do max damage of 11 force damage though so it kind of rents into you um cleaving down through your armor even though the blade passes through physical objects uh it still cleaves your flesh just fine and that is the end of the round so we go back up to jesper as the ghosts all converge you can hear this haunting chant that seemingly was started by jesper but now all of the rest of the spirits follow up on traitor traitor traitor traitor traitor traitor traitor uh i will and they're not looking at xeros when they say it move towards this, heading south a little bit, looking through

the spectral body at Xeroth's drop into the floor. And as I'm swinging about, I just say good riddance. And attack! Okay. 11 to hit. I'll leave it up to see if Zeke hears that. 11 to hit is not

enough. This thing parries with its longsword. Okay, and the dagger follow-up 25 to hit six piercing it does but the dagger is not magical so this only takes a half as much damage as the dagger strikes it doesn't quite have enough to pull the wisps away like your rapier did I'm leaving still standing with some

extra time look back over my shoulder at Irina and shout out, Are you okay? Are you hurt? I'm a little bit, but whatever he did, it hasn't done much to hurt me yet. This thing is more of a problem, and she can see her fighting against one of these spirits as it turns its attention to her. That's me. Okay. of these spirits um okay as it turns attention to her that's me okay uh xeros i need you to make a death save my my my duda my my chum my pal my buddy but watch this it's going to be a nat 25 so far that's a failure no it's a core of a nat 20 that 20. Ziki! Oh no!

I'm going to disengage and run towards Zeros. So action, disengage, and then you can move. You should be able to just move yourself as you need to. So that's 10,

20, 30? So I'm up there. Yeah, you can move through the friendly spaces. So the only thing is... Oh, no, you disengaged. So yeah, no attacks opportunity.

But that's your full turn, I believe, unless you've got... That is my full turn. That's your full turn. All I can do is do the source report thing. One thing both of us keep forgetting, by the way, is because of your pact, don't forget that undead,

when they attack you, they have to make a saving throw. I keep forgetting about this. So that's the thing that i need to remind you that's one of the features i will make a note of that so you do have five more feet by the way do i yeah you could have just you could have just moved straight dead but i think that that's you could yeah you what do you want to do like move to here there you go um yeah you did 25 sure that movement. Sure. Okay, thank you. Okay, I'll make a note of saving throws. Thank you. Ismark seeing you running

Ziki, he's hurt! We need to find out what he was doing! And then he will go for the spirit that him and Jesper are now fighting. Ismark the greater will attack three times twice with his long sword once with hand axe his first attack will hit his second attack will hit and his third attack will miss so we get four damage to four damage to that's whopping four damage in both attacks oh my boy

so you can see him and yes but with these non-magical weapons are just like pulling little strands of ethereal vapors away, but this thing still remains in place, still threatening everybody around it. Irena, on her turn, will attack the creature in front of her. She can't really use Thunder Wave anymore. So she will just attack it manually with her Arapia

for a... that's going to be 13 to hit is not enough. So she goes to strike it, but it misses. But she will look over to Rose and will say something along the lines of don't let the darkness distract you your aim will always be true here in my presence rose

and she will bardic inspiration rose so you have a d6 you may use within a minute uh 10 minutes i believe um so it's a d6 you can add to an attack roll or a saving throw and then okay what I'm a bird I will take I'll take another two shots at the same one that I was shooting before. Well, don't forget, before you do, Katie, you are within five feet of an enemy creature, which means you'll have disadvantage with a ranged weapon. There is a spectre next to you. Okay.

Well, you can either move away, you can either move away and risk the attack of opportunity, There is a spectre next to you. Okay. I have disadvantage there. You can either move away and risk the attack of opportunity or disadvantage. Disadvantage is a 21. Okay, cool. Yeah, still strikes, even with the threat.

The second one is a natural one, so it's a miss. That's not going to hit anyway. Another arrow. So eight damage with the bow and four damage slayer's prey.

So twelve total, half to six. Which one was that against? The one that you found out before? The one that was attacking Ziki? Yeah, the one that was right in front of Zeke. So the one that's lower down. South of Dog's Body. So another arrow whistles past, nearly kind of like flicking through Irena's hair,

striking into the creature, but sadly still not quite having enough purchase to cause any major harm to it. Dog's Body body unless there's anything else rose bonus action or move no okay dog's body uh hey shouty people i could do with some help here this this ain't looking good for dog's body um and then I will attack with my great axe. 15 to hit. That is not enough. It just barely misses.

Not enough. As the spectral creature kind of slips away. AC 16. And then a 10. I hate this game. Hate it. Hate it. Don't like it.

I'll be rolling another character then. Yeah, slammed into the ground. Ice kind of spreads out, but not quite enough as these ghosts, thinned though their numbers may be, begin the slow death of the party. The one that had downed Zeros

turns its attention to Jesper, who it keeps striking at him. He will attack you twice, Jesper. That is going to be a 14 to hit. No. Followed by a 23 to hit. No. Yeah.

For five points of force damage. As the first one, you manage to parry with a rapier, but the second one, in a very kind of delicate military maneuver, swings through in a feint, strikes at you. swings through in a faint strikes at you the next one is the one that chased after Irina and Rose

same thing, one attack against Rose, one attack against Irina Rose, that is an 8 to hit you, it's a miss but against Irina is a 17 for 3 4 points of force damage so again it manages to strike at Irina you hear a sort of

sharp yelp uh come from her as she's fighting um and then dog's body you are now left with uh two on you i'm afraid and they're going to take advantage of the opportunity two attacks first one is a 15 uh hits that hits that's five points of force damage. Are you still up? Mm-hmm. It's just nothing. 14 to hit. That is exact. Still a hit.

Another five points of force damage. I'm still up. Next one attacks. That is 14 to hit again. That's another nine. Oh, another four points of force damage. Next one attacks. That is 14 to hit again. That's another nine. Oh, another four points of force damage. There we go. You hear an, oh, you hear an, oh, fuck. Nice.

I knew this would happen. I knew this would happen. Drops Dog's body, just floats forward towards Rose, and with its final attack, Rose 14 to hit. You manage to press yourself up into the corner as its longsword swipes at you in a desperate maneuver. And we jump to the top of the round with Jesper. Might need to get Zeros up there, chum.

You could definitely use some firepower. I called it. I called it this would happen because y'all too busy fighting each other. New boys just like, hey guys, we got a problem here. I also think the other problem was I don't think the party realized

that there were three more. Yeah, you guys have, nobody's fought each other yet. I think the other problem was that there was three that drafted through. Yeah, you guys have nobody's fought each other yet. I think the other problem was that there was three that drafted through. Yeah, not hitting is also a problem. Well, my

cure wounds is a touch. So I'd have to face three attacks to get to you. Yeah, I'm dead. That's what I'm facing right now. Do I do it? Mine is to touch.

Right, right, right. You wouldn't have to do an opportunity attack to heal me. Who are you? Fuck off. Irina's got your back, dog's body. Don't worry. So, it's really annoying because my my blade flourish right requires an attack first in order to me to gain the the flourishes that come after it as a noble and benevolent probably the best dm i've ever you know it hasn't ever had the flattery doesn't ever work What is the question? It says whenever you take the attack action

Can I disengage with my sword Swinging wildly And Utilize the Can you disengage not as an action? Oh yeah good point yeah I can't do that Alright nevermind Rogues can disengage as a bonus action

So in theory a rogue could make two attacks Disengage and then move away If you can do that then great But if youues can disengage as bonus action. So in theory, a rogue could make two attacks, disengage, and then move away. If you can do that, then great. But if you can't, disengage as an act. I'm afraid. I'm going to look back. Damn it. And just fucking barrel my way through.

Okay. This is going to be... You get one attack from that guy, and then I'm guessing you're going to go through. So moving through is difficult terrain, so it's going to be 5, 10, 15, 25. It still is, yeah, because as you pass through it, there is still resistance there, like almost like a creature's trying to shove you past,

and you kind of have to push through them, barrel through them. In fact, actually, can you even do that? I don't know I've got 40 foot of Walking speed you do. Yeah, you've got the you've got the mobility feet. Oh, I do. You're right I'm useless fine these things so I feel like i have to now be utility in health i'm probably gonna get this wrong this is like one of those obscure rules um i'm gonna say you can you can try and move through the thing the ghosts but just make a you're gonna need to try and like maybe like shove them aside a little

bit um there's probably a rule that says you can't move through an enemy creature's face yeah make a um strength check the fact that it's a spirit it moves through yeah i'm gonna give it disadvantage i'm gonna give it disadvantage on its check what do you want an acrobatics or athletics i think it would be athletics technically because. Because it's... That's the difference between a plus seven and a plus one. Cool. All right, 21. Natural 20. Oh, you got a natural 20.

So it doesn't matter. So yeah, you shoulder branch your way through these creatures. They try and resist with this kind of spectral force, but kind of dogged determination you push through. It is going to be three attacks of opportunity against you, though. Yikes. Which is not great. First one of opportunity against you, though. Yikes. Which is not great. First one.

12 to hit. No. Second one. 10 to hit. No. Third one. 11 to hit. Literally the worst I've rolled on attack rolls all night.

Every single one was below 10. Blessed. Yeah, exactly. attack rolled all night. Every single one was below 10. So, yeah, exactly. You kind of slide on your knees at one point, dodging underneath these spectral blades. Acrobat, tumble your way through the corridor as you manage to reach Dog's body just as this last creature takes a swing for

you. Alright, level 2 cure, level 3 cure wounds. Because I got all this fucking way. 13 healing from 3d8. Yeah, tell me about that. Hey, 13 hit points is better than no hit points. Correct.

Yeah, I'll have that. That's nice. I like that. Cool. Is there anything else you can do or would like to try and do? You've got some extra movement. You are next to another ghost. You could press your luck.

No. I'm going to stay where I am. That's the end of my turn. I've taken enough time. Okay. Zeros. It's Death's saving throw, I'm afraid. Death's saving throw. It's okay because this is going to be a nat 20 oh no that's a 1 oh no

oh so that's a 1 wow I mean we'll come back we'll come back to this in a minute for sure we're going to come back to this

wow as far as you are aware your bro is in need of healing what would you like to do I was going to run down over him and I was going to spare the dying on this boy as you reach out

with the magic to try and prevent his soul from slipping away, you reach out, you touch Zeros' scaled body, and as you try and conjure the magic, you feel the whispering voices of the figures that you met in the mists. That one is Is lost. And as you reach out.

For a thread of life. You find nothing. Except for maybe. The faint sensation. Of heat. And fire. As you see. The infernal runes.

Along the great sword. Beginning to pulse like a heartbeat that is your action I believe and your move bonus action bonus action cry can I do that can I just like can I just like

pound on his chest just like like why just like, I just want to like, can I just like, like pound on his chest? Just like, like, like, like why? Just like why? Hear the reverberation of the claws beating against Zeros' chest as Ziki's cry and words fill this empty crumbling stone tower. Ismark, for his turn,

kind of looks down. He's like, no! He can't be gone! And he just lays into the ghost in front of him. In fact, actually, no. Do you know what he does? He drops his weapons and he reaches down and grabs the greatsword and it's still flaming.

He starts swinging it around. Oh my god. Avenge me! down and grabs the great sword and still flaming he hits twice with the attack he's not as strong as zeros that's six and eight eight plus 17, 18, 19, 20 points of damage, which is enough that this last spectre still remaining. As the blazing greatsword kind of swirls in his hands, it burns away the last remnants of this spectre. And as it does, you see Ismark kind of drops to his knees, the greatsword falling by Zeros' hand once again, as he grabs his collar along with Zeke, and he's like,

come on! Get up, my brother! Get up! We need you! Aww. Irina, on her turn, will look towards Xeros, but sensing a greater

threat, will focus on the enemies in front of her. will look towards Xeroth but sensing a greater threat will focus on the enemies in front of her um she will she will look back towards dog's body um and she will use a bonus action

seeing that he's been healed by uh Jesper um she will call out, You're not done here, warrior. Please, we need your aid now more than ever. I believe in you. You can do this. You can destroy these things. She will Bardic Inspiration you as well, dog's body.

So you have a D6 that you can add to an attack roll or a saving throw. And then she will try and strike at one of these spirits, but sadly it blocks her attack, parries it away. Rose. I'm going to pull out my sword and double attack the one that's in front of me now that it's way too close to me

and do that instead. That's definitely not going to hit. Lay down 11. Not as accurate with your blades as your bow. 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. I used the d6 and I got to 15 and that's not, still not enough. Not enough, sadly. Same with the inspiration.

16 plus 7. That will hit, however. Next one. So, 4 damage with the sword one damage with oh wait that's not the one that doesn't have slayers pretty sorry it's just four anyway yeah so again the short sword tries to strike through but just doesn't quite seem to have um as much of an impact i don't have magic i can't do things all do things. Your main sorcerer is now mourning her dead brother. Dog's body.

Bardic Inspiration, what's the etiquette in rolling that? Can I make my attack roll and then if it misses... Yes, you can roll the attack roll and then choose to add it afterwards, I believe, yes. Okay. I'm going to give Jesper a cheeky wink. Cheers, love. And that is a 23 on the axe.

That will hit. So that will hit. So D12. That is one point of damage plus four. That's five points of damage. Five points of damage. So the axe cleaves through. That's the first attack.

Comes cleaving into the spirit's back. Second one is a 23 to hit. Hit as well. And then six, seven, eight, nine, ten points of damage. Ten points of damage, that one. With these two strikes, you do hamper this spirit. You can see half of its form has now kind of being pulled and faded away. Still standing, but nowhere near as formed or as conscious as it once was. It seems to be kind of slipping and fading away as you do so.

However, these last string of attacks definitely have enraged those that remain, and they redouble their efforts. The one fighting, there's basically two attacks against Rose, two attacks against Irina and then two attacks probably against Dog's body because the spirit, you were the last one to hit it.

Jesper hasn't hit it really yet. Rose, two attacks against you. I had a re-roll thing but next time. Next time. You got it next time. Well, that's on your weapon. On my axe.

So if I roll a one or a two on damage rolls, I can reroll. So I can reroll it now, because that's not going to change it too much. I just need to take one damage off of the one. So that was seven points of damage plus four. So 11 points of damage instead of just the five. I just took one off and then did six more damage to it

because it's an easier way of doing the maths. Cool. Yeah, still the same. It doesn't kill it, but it's still standing. Rose, the first one to attack you was like a 23. It hits you for four more points of force damage with its first attack. With its second attack is a 24. It's going to hit you as well for five points of force damage.

The one against Irena, first one will hit. Second one will miss, actually. First one deals seven more points of force damage. You can see she's now beginning to look quite injured and bloody as this thing is torn slashes in her tunic and armor. Dog's body. The first one against you is a miss, eight to hit.

The second one, however, is a 22. Yeah, that'll hit. That's going to do 10 more points of force damage. So all the wounds that were healed from Jesper are cut and reopened, new scars formed, but you are still standing, and that is the end of their turn. Jesper.

Jesus Christ. I'm going to... I'm going to attack the spectral spirit in front of me. I know it's not great, but here we go. That's a natural one, but an eight. So, with that, I guess I'll hit with a dagger as well, because why not? Nineteen, eight piercing, down to four.

I will move back over here. So with my mobile feet, which I forgot, when I make an attack against a creature, it cannot do an opportunity attack against me for the rest of that turn. Perfect. So I'm using it to basically disengage. Good luck. Sorry. I'm useless. I'll heal you next time.

Okay. Anything else? I can't really do anything else as a bonus, so no. Okay. Zeros so no. Okay. Zeros Mistan. Okay. You feel... You remember blackness.

You remember the creature reaching out, striking you across the chest with its ghostly blade, and then just darkness is what you remember. Being surrounded by a black void of nothing. There is a tiny bead of orange light. Like a flame that pulses. Like a heartbeat. You hear a very familiar voice now

now you cannot be done now there are still parts of our deal technically your soul belongs to me now Zeros dying when you forged our pact I'm afraid

the outer worlds the heavens don't look very kindly on that you're stuck in Barovia so I don't get to claim it just yet but you don't get to claim it just yet. But you don't get to leave either. So instead, you're going to be my little champion. And at the end of your turn, Zeros, your eyes open.

Okay. Do I have control of Zeros zeros that's a great question and one we will find out next next turn vicky shit you see zeros's eyes open but they are pure red his pupils are. His eyes are no longer white or draconic. They are instead pure red orbs, like rubies, in fact. They glitter and shine. She's... I don't think she'd know how to react. She sees him wake up, and I think...

I think knowing that he's awake's awake she's gonna go over here but just in fury in rage seeing him go down like that she is fuming um the dark i'm gonna cast word of radiance on the two specters in front of me. Okay. So that's a con save of 13. Con save of 13. Okay. Imagine she has like black tears streaming down her face. Cool. The second one is

also a fail. So both of these creatures as you kind of like rush up and you've got to remember that your eyes are now this kind of like really pale milky white from your transition back, I believe. Like the pupils are almost completely banished. So as you kind of got like these black tears begin pulling down your white scales like ink dripping from a page. this sickly green light washes over you. Rose, it covers you and you feel this horrid

chill of the grave spread through your body as it kind of erupts all around Ziki. Roll damage for me, Ziki. So that's 1d6 radiant damage. Okay. So that's 4d4 damage.

Four points to each one. so it's 4d4 damage 4 points to each one you watch as like this light burns away one of them is nearly you know disintegrated you can see parts of it have burnt away from the sickly green light but one of them just manages to kind of shield itself just barely and then they both kind of

look at you and their faces for the first time seem to have emotion and there is fear there is a terror in them as you unleash this power upon them. Is there anything else you would like to do? I'd like to use my bonus action and gain a

sorcery point, please. Using my font of magic. Thank you very much. That's my last one. Ismark looks down at Zeros. You're alive! Come on! And he puts the greatsword in the grip and then turns around

but can't really see a way to get to the fight. So we'll probably basically spend his turn helping Zeros up and gathering up his weapons. Oh, that's nice. Irena on her turn will spell wise

not a lot she can do instead sensing the desperation of the battle. Dog's body can't throw itself out the window. Bye! Sensing the desperation of the battle. Dog's body, you can't throw yourself out the window. Bye. Oh, fuck this. Sensing the desperation of the battle,

you watch as Irena begins to sing this haunting melody. A song in a ancient language very similar to vistana for jasper but different older um a sad ballad melody that echoes off the stone walls but as she sings you see that the armor the clothing that irena is wearing her hair begins to shift and the shimmering pearlescent spectral form of a wedding gown and a wedding veil begins to form all around her as she begins levitating gently over off the air and this music fills the hall. She is going to use Mantle of Inspiration. So Rose, Dog's Body, Jesper and Ziki, you all gain

five temporary hit points and you may now all immediately use your reaction to move without provoking opportunity attacks. Holy crap. Damn. All right.

So 5 temp HP, so that you can add that as temp HP, and it comes off temp HP first, any damage, and then you get a free move without any opportunity attacks, thanks to Mantle. That's great exploration. Awesome. It's dog spotting moving.

Oh, it's not my go I know you get a free move You're one of the people you get 5-10 page speed Oh I can just move You have to use your reaction to do it So you won't get any opportunity attacks I will move Out of this window

And fuck off Into the woods You may do that if you wish to jump out the window Do we provoke opportunity attacks out of this window and fuck off into the woods. No, I'll move next to... You may do that if you wish to jump out the window. Do we provoke opportunity attacks still? Nope. You don't provoke opportunity attacks. I'm trying to

heal you. I moved there to... Yeah. I was like, I'll just move over to this... Come back here. I'm trying to heal you! Not being your meat shield, I'm like, you've got the magic. Let us heal you.

We have that, we just weren't close enough before. And then for her movement, Irina's going to move back to here. So that was her bonus action. Then she kind of is still covered in this spectral gown. She moves back with the rest of you, and then projecting forward, she conjures a wave of thunder like she did previously, and she will cast Thunder Wave.

Damn. Just missing Ziki. So the two creatures make a constitution. So one of them will pass. The other one will fail. So Ziki watches this thunderous force erupts in front of you. Cool. One of the creatures, one of the specters looks,

in fact, this will destroy it, actually, because it's magical damage. So one of the ones in front of you, Zeki, this thunderous force kind of causes it to evaporate as it just vanishes into nothing. The other of causes it to evaporate as it just, you know, vanishes into nothing. The other one does seem to absorb some of the damage, but still kind of is reverberated and wisps of it and begin pulling away as it

does so. But that was Irina's go. Rose. Hello. Hello. Can I shoot the one that's beside arena which has got my slave spray on it yes yes absolutely you're no longer disadvantaged uh 19 plus nine that's a hit

10 plus nine oh my goodness i hit with both both hit holy shit pew pew pew pew um so 10 damage on the first attack uh oh i rolled well and that's 17 12 damage on the second attack and then slayer's prey is four to 13 total um that's all halved because of the resistance to non-magical weapons but you see that the these two arrows you you know that you can't affect it that badly so you target the arrows at like parts where its hand meets its um weapon at like the joint of its arm and you can see that they leave these huge gaps um where the creature is barely able to keep itself together through its force of will, striking pretty savage blows despite the fact

that it's resistant to your mundane weaponry. But yeah, very firm attacks. Dog's body. Piss. Olotech. Yeah. There are people near me. I like people.

First hit is an unnatural 20. God damn. I got really excited. I thought that was a natural 20. No, sorry. Unnatural. And that is a 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 points

of the marge. One sweep, the great axe cuts off the head of the marge one sweep the great axe cuts off the head of the spectral warrior and as its head vanishes its body disappears into smoke 5 10 15 20 25

I could go after the second one but I'm feeling a bit... Yeah, I'm just feeling a bit sad, though. They can heal you. Yeah, just make sure I make a beautiful corpse. I'll push past

my lovely meat shields because this ghost is going to end me. Trying to heal you. I'll push past my lovely meat shields. Sure. Because this ghost is going to end me. Trying to heal you. That you keep running off to. Blood Frenzy! That is a 24 to hit. The gray axe comes crashing down.

15 points of damage. Oh, and then a big blow as well, kind of rending half this thing in half as its body begins splitting up into these strands, these wisps of ethereal matter, heavily, heavily wounding it. Dog's body's attack as it does. In retaliation, it will strike at you and Ziki.

It's only two remaining targets. One attack on each of you. Ziki, that is a 22 to hit for 5 points of 4 damage. So that will go off the temporary hit points first, don't forget. Then 16 to hit Dog's body

for 9 points of 4 damage. Down. You need to make a saving throw. Is it a saving throw? Oh, that's true. Yeah, that is. I think it's under your features, Rhi. It's like... Okay.

I can't remember what it is. It passed on the saving throw for sure, though. It got like a 19, so... Was it among the dead? Something like that. Have a read. With saving throw. Yeah.

It got like 19, so I think it passed. Ah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, I got it. Any undead creature that tries to attack you call me on that because i will forget um and i have to make a same i'll make a post-it note of that and put it on my monitor sounds good uh right hopefully the last round yes but yeah you see dog's body swing this huge blow nearly ripping this thing in half but then you just watch as he falls to the ground as a ghostly sword sticks out of him for the love of eva running i come heal uh cure wounds level two ding dong oh that's a 14 points it's more than the third. 148.

Yeah. Yeah, it is. Get up! So yeah, dog's body. Ugh! You come back to life. Ugh! Seeing this man over you again.

Hello again. You're too reckless. Let's end this. Oh no, I haven't got anything else. I'm just saying stuff Alright Zeros I haven't quite fully decided if you're fully in control So for the time being

You can you know Act I can act as normal Well so first things You are no longer charmed by Strahd Death has freed you from Strahd's control. All part of the plan. Yep, definitely.

For sure. Okay, I mean, if I'm back, then I'm going to move forward, push past Ziki, and then hit this ghosty thing. I'm waiting for you to interrupt and say, like, no, you don't do that. I want to hit the ghost. Sure. Okay. And he who grins, boom.

27 to hit, 14 slashing, 12 fire. Oh, my God. So what the rest of you see, what the rest of you see, I want to describe this for Jesper, Dog's Body, Irina and Rose, is you see emerging from the door behind Ziki, and you could swear that Xeros looks taller, that his body looks more muscular,

and with these red gleaming eyes like rubies. The eyes are completely red and now multifaceted like rubies he kind of one claw rips the door frame as he emerges behind Ziki stepping past and with just one hand he who grins plunges into the ghost

as it erupts into flames um all of the spirits are now dead and you see your companions all around you Zeros, as a point technically we don't really use alignments anymore, but you are now

lawful evil if we were to use alignments perhaps during the week you and I will talk about respeccing Zeros' stats as a fighter. Again? Well, I believe that perhaps now a

black guard of Asmodeus is perhaps more fitting. A paladin of sorts. Oh, shit. So now, at the point, you are a loyal servant of Asmodeus. He sends you mental commands, and you do them to the best of your ability. Your only savior, your only hope of ever having a life with Zeke

is to serve Asmodeus as a vessel in the mortal realms. You are basically an evil paladin now who is driven to serve whatever as modius wants otherwise you will be pulled into avernus turned into a lemur and you will live as a miserable devil for the rest of your eternity though that is what will happen to you if you don't serve as modius as well right does Barovia count as one of those realms? I guess. Does it?

Right now, Barovia is still. Yeah. You can fit whatever somehow as Modius has influence over this plane. You don't know why. And me and you will have some private conversations away from everybody else. As Modius reveals to you the exact nature of what is going on in Barovia. Oh, my God.

Okay. Has he given me any... What's that? I low-key wish that Shadow had a deal with someone. Well, you say that now. Little Shadow here is just left out in the corner you say that now we'll wait and see

um things might not go so well for Xeros in time um have I have I got any you will get to come back

as shadow by the way Kim don't forget you will get to be shadow again yeah you get to be little vampire cat I want to be with the pie though that might happen sooner than you think yeah cat i want to be with you think you

might happen sooner than you think you are you are out of initiative stand back hellspawn and i raise my rapier to zeros get away you really wish to fight me, Jesper? No, I wish to survive and for you to not kill anyone else. I've killed no one. What are you?

What have you become? Do I really know? I don't. I mean, you don't... Nothing... As far as you're concerned, really, nothing's really changed for Zeros. In terms of what. I mean, you don't, nothing, as far as you're concerned, really, nothing's really changed for Zeros. Like, in terms of, like, what you've become,

you don't know. But your goals are still pretty much the same as what they were, I think. Like, apart from, like, you are now very dedicated and loyal to Asmodeus, as in, like, yeah, I'll do what he wants me to, like, no questions. You know, the deal still stands.

You still want to accomplish his goals that he gave you. You still want to protect Zeke. you still want to accomplish his goals that he gave you you still want to protect ziki you still want to destroy strad or like well you want to follow through on what as modia said about um the the deal he gave you um otherwise you still yeah um you can still feel you know if you still feel any sort of companionship to rose or is mark or uh dog's body or irena i'm nothip to Rose or Ismark or Dog's Body or Irina. I'm not going to say Jesper because I think that's very clear what your relationship with Jesper is right now.

I'll be your friend. But yeah. Yeah. I'm also going to put you on one. Where did you go? What did you see? Did you go to the... Was it the mist?

What happened? It was blackness. Darkness. But I'm back now. Yes, with what purpose? It looked the same. Who do you work for? Strahd himself?

Not Strahd. My intentions are the same. I will kill him. Look at... Everyone. Am I going insane? Or is this creature trying to kill us? My intentions are the same, I will kill him. I mark Tatiana. To keep Zeke myself alive this mark

is not one that I recognize it is not from Barovia is this the power that brought you back that gave you that weapon

dog's body can I have a cheeky read of his sword? Dog's body understands infernal Yeah, I think I said what it stood for before Ismark's got it right No, Ismark gave it back to me Ismark put it back in his hand Such a chill, cool guy

Loyal servant of Zeros. It's a pyramid game. It's buried in my note somewhere. It's something along the lines of like, because there's different script on each different side, because it has these two blades, effectively. One, this elegant, curved, black, very neat, but very sharp

edge. And I think the infernal on that translates to something along the lines of the smile for my friends the smile for my enemies the smile for my friends the smile for my enemies so the jagged red side is the side for my enemies and then the curved polished nice looking black

side is the side for my friends um sure we can't have this creature which continues to return from death loiter around us as we try and cleanse this place of evil itself

he is evil evil. Zeki has already come back from the dead. Why are you not so afraid of her? Because I did not see Zeki hurt Irina. What did you do? Zeros, tell me. Brother, please. Why? Why? What is this mark?

You said you mark Tatiana. Why? What does it do? I don't know what it does. It was part of the deal. One of three tasks. To bring back Ziki to keep us alive.

I didn't know Irina was Tatiana. You are not serving our party. You're not helping us. You're helping yourself. I'm keeping us alive so we can be strong enough to fight Strahd. I challenge you to fight him alone.

Huh. You back me into a corner. What a noble team what do you all think of this uh Rose has got like an arrow knocked in her bow she's not like letting go of that at the moment she's very

much standing back, but also just not looking away from Xeros right now. How many more do you have to mark of us? None of you. No more markings. What even becomes of Irina now that she

is marked by whatever brought you back? I have no idea. Great. Fantastic. You worked for a evil creature of some kind. Completely oblivious as to what power

it wields. Who knows what you're drawing into these lands to make them worse than they already are. I can't trust you. I'm sorry. You don't have to. You just have to believe we're strong enough to kill Strahd. And then what? Do you bring another evil in its place?

Do you even know what you're doing? By being so selfish? He did it for me. He didn't do it for himself. He wasn't being selfish at the time. I'm sorry, Ziki, but it is. He's risking an entire land of people for you. That is blind. His point still stands, Jesper. Are you strong enough to defeat Strahd without him without Ziki no no I'm not whatever you have done

Zeros whatever you have done I will not forgive you for it. I think perhaps it is best if Ismar and I depart. There is a place we can go, a safe place. But I do not trust you anymore. Whatever power you are serving, it is not of Barovia. whatever power you are serving it is not of Barovia

and it has some purpose here that I cannot understand and I don't think Ismark will forgive you for what you've done you see Ismark is just looking dejected his head is hanging low kind of staring at his hands but your point does stand is hanging low, kind of staring at his hands.

But your point does stand. You've seen what Strahd can do. I see it in the memories of Irina Kolyana. What he did to your friend Shadow beyond the veil. He is strong, not unbeatable. And his curse must be lifted from the land of Barovi, his madness. It began when he killed my beloved Sergei, and it has not ended for centuries, decades, hundreds of years, perhaps a thousand or more, as my soul wandered these lands. This game, adventurers from another world who have come to slay the vampire lord,

has been played out many, many times. There have been many Tatianas, many Irina Kalyanas, many Strads, well, just the one, perhaps. Many lifetimes. In this circle, it must be broken. It must be ended. Still, she touches the scar on her chest. If I find out that what you have done will harm me or my people... She looks you dead in the ruby eyes, Zeros.

Like I said, I have lived for many lifetimes. I have no hesitation in taking just one. She looks at you dead hard. Do what you have to do. You understand that concept, I believe. To do what you have to do you understand that concept I believe to do what you must absolutely it's not safe for Ismark and I to travel right now

we are all injured in this place these spirits are not aligned with Strahd and they serve some other being here your friend here, this Mr. Dog's body survived in this place perhaps we can find a place to rest

quietly but you still need to find this weapon that you came for and then she looks at you, Jasper perhaps that will give you the strength you need to face him without those you do not trust thank you for everything you've done to help us

I am sorry to see you go well I believe that we will certainly meet again very soon I believe that destiny will certainly meet again very soon. I believe that destiny will draw us together. But given this development, I think that both Ismark and I need to find out more about what Zeros has done. We need to learn more about what...

We need to protect more about what we need to protect ourselves. Perhaps better. There is a place. If you do need to find us again, there is a tower near the lake. It belonged to some old wizard, but recently

well, I think that it has a new resident. Somebody who can help us, I think. We will go there. Perhaps to Krezik. It has walls. And it is a place that was... Well, there is a place there

where Sergei and I... We used to go to be alone. A little pond. With a little shrine to the Dawnfather. Yes. Yes, we will go there. We will go and find our friend and then we shall head to Krezik. You should continue your search here and... Well and decide what you are going to do.

Nice lady. Hi. You might want to be careful about Krezik. Don't know how long it's been since you've been there. Bunch of zealots moved in. Bit crazy. Bit weird. Not as weird as you guys.

Are they enemies of Strahd? Not sure, really. Haven't figured that one out. They chased me out before I could work it. But he seemed to follow something called the Abbot. That does not sound like Strahd. So perhaps we will still be safe from him there.

But thank you. We shall be careful. Ismark just kind of steps up looks kind of moves in front of Zeros and looks up at you still quite tall but he still has to look up

a little bit I told you once before that I would do anything to save Irina so I understand why you did what you did I told you once before that I would do anything to save Irina. So I understand why you did what you did. This pact. But my word still stands.

I will do anything to protect Irina. And if this mark puts her in danger I'll kill you and then he just turns and moves to his sister I thought you I thought that never mind it was an honor to fight alongside you is Mark

kind of stops in his tracks but he doesn't look back he just continues oh it's so palpable I could grip the tension and eat it nom nom nom I love it

delicious yeah eat it. Nom, nom, nom. I love it. Delicious. Oh. Yeah. You guys are now in an empty corridor. This stone wall, after about 10 minutes, the stone divider that came down retracts, by the way. Right.

Can I ask, of the specific wording of the Ismark, the greater achievement, was that to keep him alive at the end? Yeah. Does he have to be alive? I believe that the ismark the greater achievement um was that to keep him alive at the end yeah i believe that the ismark the greater achievement is that he must survive until strad is defeated okay so still have to be with us go on doesn't have to be with you the whole time but that doesn't mean to say that like i'm not gonna see if anything bad happens to him like if he's not with you guys like if you want to okay if you want to try and convince him to stay like this isn't me as a dm saying i'm gonna like irena and his marker leaving forever you guys can convince him to stay if you think it's safe for them to stay with you now's the time to speak to him but as far as they're concerned fucking xeros just carved a demonic rune into irena and they're like

yeah not really sure we can trust him so yeah would um dog's body recognize it as like as modius and like given that yeah i think i think dog's body is being an asimar right like you once had an angelic connection yeah you fucking know that's the holy symbol of Asmodeus. Like, he's got, yeah, 100%. And the ruby eyes, you know, Asmodeus controls the ruby rod, and, you know, there's definitely a big old devil connection going on for sure. Yeah, you speak infernal. He who grins, the two sword, all signs point to Asmodeus. Yeah, okay.

If I was to do a symptoms checker scrolled around it but I would say that Dog's Body would also know that Asmodeus whilst being a devil is not a demon like Asmodeus makes deals they have to he has to you know by a

magic imposed on him by Primus who is a very powerful being like Asmodeus has to stick to the letter of his contracts. He has to keep his word. So Dog's body would know that as well. It's not like Zeros is possessed by a gibbering demon of madness and death.

It's not a puppet. It's more delicate than that. There's something nefarious, but it can be dealt with in a way. So yeah, I guess if we pick up, like, they're walking away. I've just watched this whole thing go down, and I'm like, I don't really know. But if there's one thing Dog's Body does know,

less numbers is bad. Sure, yeah. What's Dog's Body say? I'll try. It's Lufa. The voice is going to go whack in this, okay? That's fine. Don't worry about it. Hey!

Hey! No! This is bad. Is nobody going to stop them? This is bad. Less people. Bad. She heals. Yes, but I don't think that she should go

on her own. I think we need to be around her. I don't know how to do that. Pretty lady! Pretty lady, stop! They've stopped. They've turned around. They're listening. They're listening to you, you know, you guys. You know, Irina's looking at you.

I know. I know I don't look like much. And let that be a warning to you as to what this place does to someone who is left on their own. You need to stop. You know Barovia. It does weird things. You know the devil. This is what he wants. He wants you to turn against each other. He wants you to become alone because he can deal with you better. That's what this place does. He turns friends against friends. He turns siblings against siblings. He drives people mad. He makes once great fighters petty and small. Take it from me. Look at me. You won't survive here long

if you don't work together. I don't know exactly what's going on here, but you're gonna regret it. You're gonna regret falling apart. And eventually, you're all just gonna end up dead or on your own. you'll wish you could see each other again even if it's to fight you'll wish you could hear each other's voices outside of your head so please, like, just try just, I don't know Dragonborn

you've clearly done something you've made a deal with Asmodeus I recognise that mark on her deal with Asmodeus. I recognize that mark on her chest. But Asmodeus, he has terms. He has contracts. If you tell us, tell us what the exact wording was, maybe these guys, maybe they'll listen to you. They'll trust you.

At least... I don't know what you're trying to do, but I tried to fight Strahd once. And this is where it started to go wrong. This is where my story ended, where it is now. Please, take me as a warning. You don't want this. now. Please, take me as a warning. You don't want this.

Marking Tatiana was part one of the deal. There are three parts. You have to believe me when I say harming you does not pertain to the rest of the deal. From now now all I do is retrieve Strahd's soul and at Asmodeus' command

return it back to him making him mortal, making him killable Irina's eyes definitely, her eyebrows go up at this. She doesn't say anything. Why?

Why would Asmodeus want this? I'm sure he doesn't tell you. Strahd wants to escape Barovia to conquer the rest of the mortal realms Asmodeus wants to stop him, I imagine Who wouldn't? And with Strahd out the way It's a prime throne For a devil to take, is it not?

Would you prefer stride leaves? I just don't like doing deals with something I haven't done a deal with. We don't have to do it your way. Just because you have a deal. Trading one evil for another

it's not good enough Zeros Ziki obviously you remember the words of the shadowed whispers of what was promised to you but also Irina there is one thing

that you mentioned if you just destroy Strahd's body as I mentioned this has been done times before even if destroyed by sunlight destroyed by running water things that would normally destroy

a regular vampire the dark powers will just bring Strahd back. He's bound to Barovia. It is his prison as much as it is his domain. As long as his spirit is here, even if you destroy him, even if you destroy his undead nature, he will come back,

as has been done many times before. But, if what this Zeros. If this Asmodeus. You mentioned it. Is true. If there is a way to find a piece of. Strahd's soul. To reunite it with him.

To make him mortal. To undo the deal with the dark powers. That would. End things. Permanently. No more Strahd. No more mists. powers that would end things permanently no more strad no more mists I do not believe that there is

any shred of strad von zarovich's soul left what he had to do to kill sergey to had to do to kill Sergei, to drink his blood, to kill countless. I struggle to believe that there is a chance

that any soul could remain. But if there is, then this dragon has a way of reuniting it with him. To undo the vampirism, the curse of vampirism. That is... I hate to use the word, but that is a very tempting solution. Vengeance for my Sergei.

Vengeance for all the souls that Strahd has ruined. To be rid of him. To see his soul. To see all of this taken from him. The thing that he cherished most was his youth, his life. To rob him of that permanently

would be the greatest revenge. This is not a decision for me to make. I am but a lost soul trapped here. I do not have the power to do it. But if you all commit to this, or another

solution, if yes, but you can find another way to break this cycle, I would greatly greatly beg you to do it until I find another way this is the only way I see

until we discover more of what the taroka readings gave us the sword, maybe there's something else as well until then restoring a soul into his body and finally defeating Strahd

it's very tempting indeed I just want nothing to come of it afterwards once Zeros has fulfilled his deal and I will fight to the death to stop it. I remember

from Irina's memories, Madame Ava was taken by a creature of Strahd's, struck with a blade, a strange blade. But her soul, was it returned to Barovia? Perhaps there is a way that if we can speak to Madame Ava's soul once more,

she may be able to guide you or perhaps complete the reading. Ah, I didn't consider that. Maybe there could be some hope. How do we find the soul? Well, the abbot, perhaps, of Krezik, if he is a cleric, a powerful one, he perhaps may have the ability to return the dead to life, or perhaps there is the Amber Temple.

It is a legend. It is where Strahd went for the forbidden knowledge of the curse of vampirism. But it is said that it harbors other knowledge, forbidden knowledge, that may also give us solutions. We tread a dangerous path. By seeking this power to bring certain things in our favor to defeat Strahd are we not tampering with the very powers that made Strahd in the first place

we are I guess that is my question to you Jesper of the Vistana how far will you go to rid this place of Strahd? Can you do it as a man with a sword and a song? Or must you seek out a greater power? I cannot answer that question for you.

My Sergei was a man, a great fighter, with a sword of sunlight in his hand. And it wasn't enough. Strahd killed him. Before my very eyes. I hope you will be a greater man. I'm not worried about this one, Dog's Buddy. I'm not worried about Rose.

I'm worried about those two. The Dragonborn. Rose. I'm worried about those two. The dragonborn. Do they not look like two people devoted to each other to make sure that they'll do anything, acquire any power to make sure

the other one is safe? They've already done it. They look like victims of Barovia. And I still sense I still sense a great goodness in this one. She moves up to Zeke and sort of puts her hand on Zeke's arm. There may be darkness here. I can tell that you have spoken to those that... that Strahd once spoke to.

The same darkness lingers in your eyes. But I still see so much joy your goddess is still with you I don't want the darkness I'm trying so hard I didn't mean for it to be

like this I'm sorry that is what makes you better you didn't ask for this you didn't seek it out mean for it to be like this? I'm sorry. That is what makes you better. You didn't ask for this. You didn't seek it out. But you did what you had to. Can any of us say that we would do anything different?

I don't know. If I could have saved my Sergei, if they had whispered to me and offered me a way to save him and kill Strahd, I don't know. Maybe I would have said yes. If they had whispered to me and offered me a way to save him and kill... Strahd. I don't know, maybe I would have said yes. Perhaps it's best if we get some...

I hear what you are saying to me, warrior, dog's body. Is Mark and I... Perhaps we shall take some a moment to just be by ourselves discuss things but I do hear the wisdom in your voice you're you speak through

perhaps we could all do with a bit of time to just think I'm going to find this damn sword I'm going to start moving out okay okay I'm going to go with Jesper sure oh whoops

there goes the castle there goes the castle it's gone holy crap oh man oh tommy too much you wait until me and you can have a conversation because i don't want to give too much away to these guys but you and i are gonna have a good old convo um yeah old talkative zeros he'll tell all oh wait oh wait um yeah what's the plan guys um irena and his mark are going to basically duck into one of these rooms um they basically are like we need to talk and figure out what we want to fucking do um they definitely dog's body's words definitely seem to have got to them and they are considering whether going alone is best, but they're going to need a bit of time just to figure things out.

The rest of you, I know that there are some injuries and things like spell slots. I don't know if you guys want to rest. Sounds like Jasper and Rose are just like, buck and go. Yes, also, have we had a long rest? Did we get one? You did get one in the mausoleum before strata you did okay so it's not i think you've still got spell slots i think you've still got some haven't you rose you've got some how much i've got first level you have one hit point by the way okay okay oh this could be a really good job one it could be not if he keeps getting back up but with one hit point

it won't turning more and more demonic each time alright well Asmodeus for god's sake stay up really yes for all people I'm gonna

look back to dog's body and say you coming you're the only one I can trust outside of Rose poor fucking Ziki Ziki's getting shit on and she's done nothing wrong poor Ziki

apart from make a deal I mean nothing's against Zeki personally. I feel so finicky for poor Zeki. What she said just broke his little heart. Maybe he should stick with Zeki. This is it. Dog's body is going to become

the new glue that keeps the party together. He's like, stop fighting! Stop fighting! He's the neutral ground we all need right now. He's like, stop fighting! Stop fighting! He's a neutral ground. We all need right now. He's true neutral. I love it. I just wanted friends who are alive.

Well, you've got some, potentially. They're gonna die so long. They just don't like each other very much. Oh, God. Where are you going? are you going far I don't think we should split up we're searching for the sword I think we need to be at

yes but I think we need to be at full strength if we had come across that that bunch of spirits and it was just us we would be dead by now we don't need that good then i can make a deal with the devil and come back stronger i'm going to go sit alone for a while i could do with licking my wounds finally a good idea from jesper

zero stinks to himself maybe you should times on the floor then ow you just want to take a short rest you want to take a long rest you got some so the two tower rooms by the way you guys didn't really look in them but they're mainly full of like broken beds and things like there are cupboards and storage units there are like scatterings of things clothing um candlesticks a of trunks, that sort of thing in there. Definitely rooms you could rest in. There was also a room you passed with like beds and a fireplace. It did sound like there was a noise coming from the fireplace, though. I'm going to avoid that room.

Yeah, you want to avoid that room? Okay. Sure. Yeah, I'm just going to like roll up. Sleep in bed. Sleeping. Sleepy bed roll. So you get, like, at the corridor, like, Xeros and Zeke go into one tower, and then

Jasper and Rose are in the other tower. And Dog's body's, like, in the middle, like, which one do I go? I'm just in the middle. I'm just gonna lie on the floor in the middle. I'm making such, like, angry motions as well, like slamming the bedroom on the floor in the middle. I'm making such like angry motions as well, like slamming the bedroom floor. Like slamming down and then folding my

arms and then just close my eyes angrily. I'm just moving like Zeros normally, but it's still somehow louder and stompier than you. Fine! But Jesper thinks that he's doing it on purpose yeah um okay um yeah so my question is short or long rest what do you guys want to do

i think short short short rest yeah short rest yeah you take a short rest guessing our goes from tatiana does that go does that go? I think so. This is an 8-hour boy. Yeah, no, it's a 1-hour. Short rest is 1-hour. Cool. All right, I'll take a short rest. And you may spend hit dice.

So you can spend hit dice. A 1 and a 2 on 2d10. Lovely. Don't forget you get your comm mod. Oh, a 10. To each one as well. A 10. So you would get your comm mod 10 10 so you would have got comm mod on those

as well Tommy yeah so I hit my 9 I'm on 10 HP you're on 10 oh great what do I have hit dice spent already so you only get half back when you take a long rest you don't get all of your hit dice back you only get half back when you take a long rest. You don't get all of your hit dice back. You only get half your hit dice.

And you'd spent them all as you lost before. Yeah. Damn. So, better try and get some heals. Very good. Big short rest from you guys. Not from me though.

Back to full. Back to full. Back to full. Ziki, whilst you are resting with your passives, one thing you do notice, by the way, is inside the room you are staying in, you discover the glint

of a potion bottle just subtly poking out from beneath the kind of ruins. Obviously, during the fight, it was too busy for you guys to notice, but now you are resting in the room. It becomes quite apparent.

Buried under the wreckage is a small, broken-open coffer, and it contains four potions inside. Ha-ha! Our town's got fat loot! Fuck you, Jesper! Wow! You don't need to identify them. Being an arcane spellcaster,

just handling them during your short rest is enough to tell you. These four potions, there's four of them, are potions of invulnerability. Oh my god. Oh shit! That's a big deal. Yep. Dog's body is going to go hang out

in the dragon tower um so the potions you do that's what you find you literally find empty sconces dirt cake windows broken beds and that's it

the potions, by the way, for the effect, when you drink it, for one minute after you drink this potion, you have resistance to all damage. Wow! That's awesome. For one minute. So basically, you basically get one point.

Not emotional. No way. Yeah. After this hour, you're going to be really cranky and angry from your horrible rest and we're going to come out eating cake. We've got this full bore that was pre-killed for us.

The best meal of our lives. Yeah, you're still on 10.8. Cheese, bored, wine. Oh yeah, yeah. Shit. Can I go hang out with Irena and Ismark? I'm done with these people. Yeah, sure.

Yeah. And I think that that is probably a good section for us to finish up for today. And then we will continue exploring Argonvostol next week. Yeah. And get the sword of sunlight. Oh, boy. Yeah. Get the Sword of Sunlight. Oh, boy. I cannot believe you rolled a nat 1.

I can't believe it. It was perfect. One fail and then a nat 1. Like, that was, it was destiny. It was. And now I'm not a fighter. Like, I'm a paladin, I guess. So, as a point, yeah. So, we're gonna make some changes to

xeros obviously i didn't know this was gonna happen today so i've had the rough ideas planned for what happens if xeros dies ever since he made the deal right but i didn't know the specifics of when it was gonna happen i haven't fully prepped it all out but yeah the like this was always going to be a thing like as modius wants the he wants what he wants and he currently has a very hefty leverage and um grip on uh xeros's soul so yeah basically uh gonna go well yeah it's gonna go well yeah and yeah don't worry xeros isn't like you know gonna but there's there's bad shit to come as well there's gonna be some penalties to all of this that isn't just all yeah uh sunshine i'm about to find out all the secrets of barovia in the process too uh certainly the big one you're gonna know the big one for sure um yeah how'd you guys that

that was a long fucking fight but as a point by the way this is a fight that's in the in the official module um i haven't changed it that fight was completely unchanged it is a fight that's in the official module. I haven't changed it. That fight was completely unchanged. It is 100% a deadly encounter for your party. That is a horrible fucking fight. The fact that you guys came out of it as you did is pretty fucking good. Argenvost as a whole is

brutal. And just following a Strahd fight as well. It's very very very gruesome yeah that was great love it you guys did fucking great roleplay yeah fucking top stuff from dog's body

and that little cheeky bit was heartbreaking Jesper I fucking love that Jesper's just like fuck these dudes like no yeah I think I just love uh twisted the twins have become the twins are all sorts of fucked up yeah we've gone full barovia i think somehow

it's in our brains now yeah i mean you basically are barovia uh yeah kim um i've i've been having some thoughts i know you've obviously got dog's body but You basically are Parovia. Yeah, Kim. I've been having some thoughts. I know you've obviously got Dog's Body, but Shadow will be back. Don't worry. I've got some plans. I can lock Dog's Body up. It's fine. No, I mean...

Okay, when I say this, I am referring to the fact that Mike come back to try and kill the party. Come on. As an evil vampire cleric. I want to be a tortured undead spirit who loves Rose but also tries to kill everyone else. Maybe. We could do that

as well. We'll see. Hello, my name is Elder Missan and I would like to share with you the most amazing book. There you go. Nice. Amazing. Thank you, everybody. Thanks for tuning in we will be back on sunday for our main campaign eros uh high rolls eros which is uh 5 p.m uk time uh we'll be back for that we hope

you enjoyed the episode and we will see you all very soon um don't make any deals with us modius i will I will. Bye.