High Rollers DnD - New Recruits (Part 2) | Altheya: The Dragon Empire #62

Episode Date: May 8, 2025

The applicants are in as the team prepare their interview techniques for their new tavern... before things take a drastic shift! _______________ Boost your Charisma with some HR merch! ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://highrollersdnd.teemill.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠ Add official High Rollers Minis to your TTRPG collection here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://only-games.co/collections/high-rollers⁠⁠⁠⁠ Bless your table with the Clever Toad Dice Set: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://dispeldice.com/collections/high-rollers⁠⁠⁠⁠ Enhance your bath time experience with the official Altheya themed DiceBombs at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://geekyclean.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠! Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.highrollersdnd.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠ for all the latest HR News! Love the podcast? Give us a glittering 5 star review! ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/high-rollers-dnd/id1401508198?see-all=reviews⁠⁠⁠⁠ Support the High Rollers on Patreon and get early access to Podcast episodes, vods and more: ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.patreon.com/HighRollers⁠⁠⁠⁠ Music courtesy of Epidemic Sound, TCT Adventures (Solasta: Crown of the Magisters), Monument Studios and Jolene Khor! Check out Jolene Khor and all her wonderful work on High Rollers on Spotify: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/artist/1WX3ICiTmf4GpHwImnQMs6⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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We hope you're enjoying your Air Canada flight. Rocky's Vacation, here we come. Whoa, is this economy? Free beer, wine, and snacks. Sweet! Fast free Wi-Fi means I can make dinner reservations before we land. And with live TV, I'm not missing the game.

It's kind of like I'm already on vacation. Nice. On behalf of Air Canada, nice travels. Wi-Fi available to Air Plan members on Equip Flight, sponsored by Bell Conditions Supply, seercanada.com. Welcome back to part two. Our heroes are currently enjoying some downtime in Ashen's Rest, with discussions about opening Tyria's Rest as a proper bar to bring in some income whilst they are away, doing some research

into various topics, as well as trying to recruit staff for their new venture, and that is where we load up. How have you set up Tyria's Rest for these interviews? So who wants to do the sort of chatting to the people, figuring out if they're a good fit for, you know, the sort of clientele we expect to be bringing into this place? Who should be?

Well, who are we looking for? What are our criteria? Well, we're looking for efficient. That's a good start. These should be really friendly and nice. Friendly and nice, of course, especially if they're talking to the customers. We're looking for someone who's always gonna be on time.

We don't want people showing up late all the time. We want... Hygiene. Oh, very, yes, clean. yes, this is culture after all. And we want... Just nice people. Nice people. Nice, clean, friendly.

Are we in agreement with that? Nice, clean, friendly, smiley. Has anybody ever hired anyone? I don't wanna do it. You don't wanna talk? I'd say yes to everybody. Oh really? I'd struggle to say no.

I don't wanna do it. I'll be there for it, but I think that you're better with words than I am. What's the word? Agree. I'm gonna go find some nice people What's the word? Agree. I agree. I agree. I agree. I agree. I agree. I agree.

I agree. I agree. I agree. I agree. I agree. I agree. I agree. I agree.

I agree. I agree. I agree. I agree. I agree. I agree. I agree. I agree.

I agree. I agree. I agree. I agree. I agree. I agree. I agree. I agree. I agree. I agree. I agree. You're all sat behind the table, waiting. Maybe Theresa's come round to offer her help and she's sort of like meeting people outside of bringing them in.

Oh, thank you, Theresa. Of course, Sister Fie... And she kind of scurries off as your first interviewee arrives. Oh, okay, someone's coming, okay. Everyone, look professional, look professional. How do you do that? This, you see entering, next to Theresa, you see a, next to Theresa,

you see a human fella. He's maybe sort of in his early 20s, so quite young. He has like a black hair with a side shave. And he is just talking Theresa's ear off. And he's like, and so of course, yes, then I went and I studied in the city, and he is just talking Theresa Zieroff. And he's like, and so of course, yes, then I went and I studied in the city and I'm a huge fan, I love art and I love culture.

I go to the theater all the time. Have you seen Blah Blah Blah? It's brilliant, it's absolutely brilliant. You have to go, you have to promise me you'll go and see it, right? I think we might be ready to talk to the first applicant. Oh, hello everybody, welcome. Oh, hello, hello, hello there, hello.

Lovely to meet you, lovely to meet you. Hello there fellow, hello. Hello. I didn't know you should have. Well, nice to see you. Thank you for coming down to the prospective opening of Tyria's Rest. Yes, yes, yes, the bar, yes.

The bar, exactly. Well, I'm Benedict, lovely to meet you. Yes, I'm here, I've got a little, and pulls out a parchment by C.V. C.V., very efficient, okay, wonderful. What's done up in Kelskaaris? Kelskaaris? Yes, I was a student there, you see.

I see, okay, now what brings you down to Ashland Rest? Well, my family's from here, you see. I've just okay. Now what brings you down to Ashland Rest? Well, my family's from here, you see. I've just moved back in. I'm sort of, sort of after my, I'm trying to find myself. Okay. And. There you are.

Here I am! He's a funny fellow. I was like, oh, wherever I'm here. Yes, but no. Mother has said that I have to get a job. Okay, right, Mother, okay. Now, okay, and, is there anywhere else you've been applying to?

Oh, I've been applying all over the place, but I love bars. Okay. Perfect place to work, isn't it? They say you've got to do what you love. I love bars and I love drinking, and so I thought what a better place. Drinking, well, you won't necessarily be drinking

too much on the job, you'd be serving drinks to customers. Yes, yes, yes, of course, serving drinks. But you know, I love the whole experience. I love chatting with the people at the bar and everything else. Do you want to peruse the CV while we? Graff takes it with two pawns. Great.

He's battered Spectacles out. Just scan that one over, and so what experience do you have in serving drinks to customers, talking to customers, working? Yes, yes, oh, so much experience. Yeah, oh, you know. That's fate. I just, you know, I've been served a lot. Right, okay.

And I feel like I'm the sort of person who learns through observation. Of course. Right? Yes. And I've observed a lot of bartenders and bar people serving drinks. And you know, I'm very intellectual. I did go to the academia and Kelska,

I was like, I said. Yeah, the academia, of course. Very got absolutely excellent marks from all my professors, all my teachers. And you know, I feel like I've got that young energy, very chatty, very lofty. Full of vim and vigor. Vim and vigor.

Spunk and' vinegar. So what's the CV you're there say for experience? The CV is, you know, and for, you know, it's a parchment with his address, which is, you know, a little house here in Ashen's Rest. Has his name, his details, and it mainly details like his studies, where he was an architect. It has his name, his details, and it mainly details his studies.

He was an architect. He studied architecture at the academia. He also took lessons in, Ossian, we'll say, as well. So he speaks the Ossian language. It doesn't say what grades he got in any of these. I see, okay. But has quotes from professors.

The quotes include things like, Benedict was a student in my class. They're all like, all the quotes are filled with dot, dot, dot as well where they've just taken chunks out. Yeah, it's like, they were certainly a student in my class. And. They existed. Yeah, existed.

My presence. Lots of potential is like quite common. Oh. There's no work experience. Yeah, existed. In my presence. Lots of potential is quite common. There's no work experience. It probably says, there's a lot of like taking everyday things and trying to make them sound impressive. Experience in word and excel.

It's exactly that, but it's like experience in time management and social skills, you know, things like that. But yes, I feel like, you know, everybody's always telling me, Benny, that's my nickname by the way, Benny, they always say, Benny, you're such a funny lad, we love hanging out with you, Benny, you're such a, and I think that that's what you need in somebody,

working behind a bar, isn't it? Well, you certainly have charisma, you certainly have a flair about you. Now, just one quick question. Yes. What would you say is your biggest weakness? My biggest weakness? Well, ooh, I would have to say that that is,

oh, sorry, I'm gonna spend another fate point here. I care too much. Uh. I'm just too nice. Yeah. He is like, you know, I'll be honest. Because I know what you're thinking. Okay. My biggest... Indulge me.

The ladies love me. Too much. Okay. And, you know, I love them. And it's very, I get very distracted. Don't we all? Don't we all? Don't we all?

Absolutely. You know, and obviously, I keep it's very, I get very distracted. Don't we all? Don't we all, don't we all, absolutely. You know, and obviously, I keep it under check, but I just can't say no. Pretty lady asked me for a drink. I have to, you know, I buy it. I see, I see. That's quite a, okay, well, I mean, we can discuss that. Ladies man, you creepy.

Okay, I didn't mean to read that out loud. Sorry, what was that? No, nothing, it's okay. We're just making some notes here, and Gruff, you've got a question. Can I do a devil's bargain? Yes. I would like to kill this man,

and nobody sees it, and then give it to... Skeleton! Wonderful. He is quite tall. Ah! And he does speak Ossian. Ooh! Ooh!

And he's a ladies man. How's your dancing? He's a ladies man. I'm a brilliant dancer. A brilliant dancer. Fantastic dancer. Wonderful. Used to go to the dance halls up in Calcarus all the time.

Yes. Can't have drinkies without a bit of dancing. No. And how are you with, let's say, for example, a halberd? What? A weapon, the halberd. A weapon, ooh, no, no. I'm a man of peace, don't believe in violence.

Do you like cloaks? Love a good cloak. Love a cloak. He can be crazy about cloaks. He totally thinks this is about the interview, and he's like, yes, I'm in. He's like, yeah, I love cloaks. No, I can bring my own cloak.

If you need me to wear a cloak. You're employed by the House of Blood. Right, the House of Blood. Yeah, okay, well, I am looking, my wage that I'm looking for, you know, I do have something in mind. No, we can get to that. Gruff, what was it you wanted to say?

Yeah. Can it be that Gruff has gone and bought a keg? Right. And attacked, like, the old pups. Oh, I see. I want him to pour me a pint. OK, yeah, I'll say just one fate for this. A test.

A test, and so you like, oh, well, you know, he's like, oh, yeah, absolutely, absolutely, can absolutely bloody do that, no problem, absolutely. He goes behind the bar, and I'm gonna roll with disadvantage for Benedict. Okay, okay. I'll roll it publicly. Public roll, very nice. Yeah, I'll do a public roll for this.

To see, I'll say this will be, he's not proficient. I'll allow him to use his dexterity for this, which is a plus one. That is a six, so a seven. He tries to pour it, he accidentally pulls too hard, the thing like comes loose, and he's like sprays it, and he puts it back in. It's all head, there's very little beer in there.

He's like, here you are! Thinks he's done an amazing job. This is a terrible pint. Okay, now, I mean. But yes, a little bit of practice and I'll be all right. You know, totally fine, not a problem. Do you think that's salvageable gruff? No. Okay.

But if it helps, I'm only looking for five cult a week. Do you think that's salvageable Gruff? No. If it helps, I'm only looking for five-colt a week as the wage. Absolutely not. Get out. I could go down to three. Time waster. Thank you for your time. We will contact you if you are successful.

All right. Okay. Good to meet you. Good to meet you as well. meet you as well, thank you. He's looking at Gruff terrified, scampers away. Gruff's just already entered the kitchen to dump the pine. It's awful, it's terrible. You have to mop up a little bit as well. Do you want my notes? I would love your notes, please, yes.

Let's see what we think of... Pancake was very violent, didn't like it. Loves drinking and talking to people. Good, yeah. Let's see what we think of. Pan shake was very violent, didn't like it, ouch. Was quiche, yes, quite quiche. Loves drinking and talking to people, good, yeah. Never serve people a drink, but he's had a drink, so he knows how it works. Then I made a note that we should put some flowers on the bar, because I think that would look really nice.

Oh, okay, I mean, yeah, that's a good idea. And then I said, ladies man, ew, creepy, because he was creepy, and then I said now that we need to mop the floor now, and that's inconvenient. Yeah, we need to clean that up. That is inconvenient. That's wasted inventory.

That's a waste of a good beer. That ain't things, OK. I've got the next one ready. They're just outside shopping. OK, so. As well, five gold a week, having a laugh. Five gold a week. What is the actual, What do you expect?

For an unskilled sort of bar person, like one to three gold a week is the sort of range you should expect. For a skilled person, it'd be four to ten. Okay. So... That was not skilled. Well, no, you're right. It sprayed all over himself.

Theresa's like, come on, this way. Come in, lady. Let's make some new notes. Hello, welcome to the prospective Tyreus rest. The next person in is a very old lady. She's maybe like in her 70s. And you can see that she's not quite dressed like a nun, but she has like a rosary of the sun,

and she's holding that in. She's got a little bonnet wrapped around her head, proper grandma. Hello, my dears. Hello. Hello. Thank you. Hello. Would you like to take a seat? Yes. Okay.

I'll stand up and get round and sort of. Oh, what a sweet man. Well, thank you. Thank you both. Yes. Coming down to the job interview. What's your name? Yes, the job interview, yes.

Oh, my Reginald and I, we need the extra coin. Now that he's so sick, he can't work anymore, but I'm still fit as a fiddle. Okay. My name is Alice dear, hello. Alice. Hello everyone. Alice or Alice dear? Alice. Alice, okay. Dear.

Dear, right, okay, second comma. Do you think you would? This is more like 90 than 70. Oh yeah, she's a late 80, but she's old. Well, as you know, we are looking for bar staff for a up and coming bar, Tyria's Rest. We will be serving drinks to customers, quite long hours, I imagine.

Is that something you think would be a good fit for? I read on the advertisement, you just said wanted. Is it just bar staff you're looking for? What experience do you have? What do you think you can offer us? Well, I was a barmaid a long time ago. Wonderful. And I was promoted to assistant manager back then. I thought perhaps I was ready for the next step.

And the manager? All I could, you know, I'll be honest, I'm very desperate for the work, so I could be a server again. Oh, and she like, I'm still got it, and she like hoikes up her skirt a little bit, like I remember what it was like back in the day. Okay, and where was this that you worked?

Oh, I used to live in Emberford. Emberford, and? It's where I met my Reginald, and my Jason, and my Harrison. At the same time? Oh, no, no, no. One after the other, a few years apart. Okay, okay, okay.

And how long ago was it that you were working in a bar, though? Oh! Oh, so long now. 50, 40 years ago, I think. That's quite a long time. Madam, if you wouldn't mind, I have a little task for you, if that's all right. Yes. So I have a pint glass here.

Could you go and pour me a pint, please? Oh, of course, of course I can. But no grabbing. And she goes so fast. Ha ha ha. Graff sits on his paws. So I'm gonna do the same thing. She is proficient.

Okay. She's worked in this before. She's also very old, so she has a negative dexterity. I see. Is it proficient, does she have an advantage? Proficiency, I will give her, so it will be disadvantage because of her old age, but I'll give her a plus two bonus.

Okay, all right, okay. No, I'll give her, I won't give her disadvantage because she's proficient, but it's gonna be a negative bonus. Sure. I'm gonna reverse it. She has a minus one, but a straight roll. A one.

No! She, like the floor's still a little bit wet. I'm gonna spend a point of fate. And as she's going up, she slips. No! And you hear an audible like, crunk. No! Ah!

Oh, my lady, my lady. Oh my lady. I can do it, I can do it. Jump in and do it. That's important. You can't cure wounds, but her hip is most certainly broken. No!

She's like, ah! Less inspiration! The heel! Okay, you heal the broken bone. Jesus Christ. But she's like, shaken up, I'm gonna have to do the operation! The real! Okay, you heal the broken bone. Jesus. But she's like, shakin' up, and she's like, I'm sorry, I'll do it. And she tries to get off the silt.

I don't wanna get off the silt. I'm sorry, if we don't get the gold, Derek and I, we won't be able to. Derek! It's okay, I'll just go. I'll just go. It's Derek! My other husband's.

So you help her up. When you help her up, she does pour actually a decent pint. She definitely knows what she's doing. That looks pretty good actually, Anus. I do, now I have to, now I do have to, oh my leg. But I have to, what does a pint of ale go for these days? Back in my day, it was a couple of copper pennies,

but I think it's a bit more now. It's a little bit more now, yes, that's right. Maybe we should talk about the managerial side of things. Maybe we can sit down for one period of time. That would be marvelous. If we're hiring a manager, we're looking for something a little bit long term. Where do you see yourself in five years?

Ha ha ha ha. Dead. Ha ha ha. No, no, I'd like to think that Derek and Reginald and I can have a, I'd love to retire out to the Suncrest Isles, you know, somewhere on the beach, somewhere, you know, the good weather can help us all feel young again. I heard the Waves meet is really nice. Oh, that would be delightful.

But yes, I mean, Manojira sitting down would be wonderful. Yes, we'd need someone to help take stock in inventory and count how many kegs are left. Yes, I'm very good with the letters and things. And manage the staff, right? And managing the staff. Oh, yes, of course I'd have to do. But I allow, you know, the youngins, I spoil them rotten.

All of my 16 grandchildren, I, you know, I really do spoil them. You can't spoil them rotten though. I know, but it's why we've got no money. I just spend it all on my children and grandchildren. Surely with that many husbands, you know how to keep them in order, right? Yeah, it's true, yes.

So if you just treat them. Very good at ordering men around. Well, there you go. Like, just treat them. Just only have men, and I'll be all right. Okay. Good idea, good idea. Right, well I think with...

Is there healthcare with employment? Not anymore. I just used the boxes. It's me. I should get them side waivers when they come in. Well, I hope you consider me for the position. We will let you know if you are successful. Here's my address.

Thank you. Give you like a little piece of butter. Let me guide you out. Oh, thank you, big strong fellow, thank you. Gets led out. She's definitely not walking right anymore. There's a weird crunch in her hip. There's like a weird twist to like her leg.

I tried my best. Yes, no, you did the best you could, Daisy. I don't have sound anywhere. If you could just give us a quick recap of your notes there. Um... Reginald is sick and that's really sad, actually. Yes. But she was a barmaid and she was an assistant manager

and that's a lot of experience, which I think is really good. She seems really nice. She seems really nice. She seems really nice, but then she did say that she has lots of husbands, and I don't know if the past ones passed away naturally, or if she maybe killed them. Oh, that's a decade. So that was a question that came to mind.

Fair enough. Just as a thought, because there's four husbands now, and that's an awful lot of- No, there was more, there was definitely more. Was there more? Okay, you're right. We are six. Yeah, okay, so I just wanted to know that she didn't kill.

Maybe that's a follow-up. And then I wrote, oh my god, she broke her hip! Yep, yep. And then I wrote, she would spoil the children, and personally, I wouldn't mind that. That would be quite funny. I'd quite like to be spoiled. I'd tell you about it anyway.

Yep, okay, well that's... And then also, small note, we should. That would be quite fun. I'd quite like to be square. I agree with you by name. Yep, okay, well that's, uh. And then also, small note. We should get cushions on the seats. Cause I imagine that if she's sitting down, she might want a cushion. That's a good idea. Flowers and cushions, yeah. Okay, so, um. Three points. So, so far, the best one.

Of two. Of two. Yes. By far. As you say that, uh, Theresa's like, ready for the next one? Why do you look, Cary? Just really quick. Let me just clean up this. Yes, just clean, we just need just a couple seconds.

We don't want any more broken hips. Yeah, there's lots of blood just there. Just, what's your opinion, just a preliminary? Okay, okay. Go sell. Coming in, wearing kind of like a little short cape with the hood up, kind of a black short cape hood up, even though it's really fucking warm,

it's like summer and it's really hot and warm outside, wearing this little cape. Quite young, probably sort of like 16, 17, teenage boy, human, has like a little tiny scruff of a goatee, big, thick spectacles, but he walks in like this. He's like, almost like he doesn't have a neck. And he just walks in, his expression unchanging

as he just walks into the middle of the room. Oh, thank you for coming to Tahrir's Rest. As you know, we are looking for Barstar for our future opening. I don't like his face. It's making me laugh. I hate this. We will have a few questions for you

to determine your suitability for the position. Oh, he's a mouth breather, get him out. Firstly, hello, hello. What's your name? Taryn. Taryn. Taryn. Taryn. Taryn. Hello. Firstly, hello. What's your name? Taryn. Taryn? Taryn. Taryn.

Taryn. Hello. Okay. Good to meet you, Taryn. We have got some questions for you. Okay. Obviously, you know the position in, well, what do you know about the position?

So that those people wanted. The bar staff? Sure. So serving drinks, talking to customers, and... Yeah, okay. Yeah, cleaning up. How do you get on when you talk to people? Do you like talking to people?

No. Are you old enough to be around alcohol? Yeah. How old are you? 17. 17. And do you have any previous experience of working in... It's really odd.

I can tell how much you're holding it in. I'm gonna go be the life. The podcast listeners, he has been making the same dumb face the entire time. The eye contact is so red. I choke for myself from breathing. Ooh. All right. I'll answer that question again.

Oh, shit. Do you have any previous experience? I've put on the same face since the last time. I've put on the same face since the last time. I've put on the same face since the last time. I've put on the same face since the last time? I'm pulling the first same face at Tom. I don't have any previous experience working in similar lines of work. No.

No. OK. What skills do you think you would bring to the table to our final establishment? So many skills. Yeah, OK. I was. What's your final establishment? So many skills. Yeah, OK. Um... LAUGHTER And, uh... My boss! Like, like, like...

What do you think would fit? I could kill a man with a sword. That's OK. LAUGHTER Oh, my God. I'm a master of the blade. LAUGHTER I'm also, uh...

really stealthy. No-one can see me. Stealthy, stealthy. When I want to fade into darkness, no-one can see me. Stealthy, stealthy. When I want to fade into darkness, no one can see me. Okay, well we will have some small tests for you. I'm so curious, can you try that right now? Yeah, sure. You have to close your eyes.

For how long? Two seconds. Two seconds, okay, everyone close their eyes for two seconds. I can kill him out of a sword, I don't know. He has a part of the plane. Okay, one, two. You open your eyes and he is behind one of the columns holding up the balcony, but you can just totally see

off of his body. Okay, yeah, no, I mean. I can see you. You can come out from the pillar. Yeah, you can definitely see him. Where did he go? Yeah. Don't, don't, don't defeat him.

Sorry, this't defeat him. Sorry, it's so funny. It's a best direction technique. Sure. I mean, can you tell people anyway? Well, yeah, I can serve drinks. Okay, you can serve... Well, I mean, we do have a quick test for you here

if you want to try out serving a couple of the three things. Oh, God. Like, young man, here's a pint glass, go serve me a pint. Okay. He's unskilled, but he does have a plus two. Wow. Modifier. Oh, I'm just rolling one, hang on.

I'm gonna help Taron, I'm spending a fate on his roll. I don't want this guy around. 17, 18, 19 total. Oh my God. It's a good pint, it's a really good pint. It's not the best, but it's really good. That is actually quite impressive. I've got to ask, what time is your bedtime?

I got to bed what I want. Right. My mom tells me I can go to sleep whenever I want. Now obviously we like to cultivate- I like to stay up at night, I'm a night owl. Oh, night owl, that's good to know. We like to cultivate a good work-life balance, so it's just interested in your interests,

your pastimes outside of work. Studying the blade. Studying the blade. For fuck's sakes. Fighting evil. Fighting evil, that's a good idea. Learning dark magic. Dark magic.

Dark magic. Yeah. More like, like. Check this out. He cast the cantrip mage hand and knocked something over. I did that. No, that's... Wow, okay. I mean, we'll definitely need someone to clean that up now.

But I could totally use that. Like, whatever. I can do that as much as I want. Now, I will say you won't be getting into a lot of combat situations in this line of work. You will be friendly, you'll be... You guys are adventurers, right? Yes, we are, yes. Yeah, cool.

This is for the bar. Thank you, thanks. No, we've fought a lot of evil ourselves. So evil might come here, but I'm ready. It's... He doesn't have a sword, by the way. I don't think we should let him have a sword. No.

This is the part where you're making eye contact with us while you're doing that. To the love of... Thank you for your time. Oh, actually, really quick... You're welcome, my lady. Now... My head... You're welcome, my lady. Oh. Now, study the bl- Okay, now, there is a potential position we might have open for you, actually. So, how tall are you?

He's like scrawny, but he's like, you know, he's not short short. He's, you know, probably like 5'7", 5'8", my height. How do you feel about dancing? He looks short because he wears this weird like half cape, and then he just has likeasant trousers and normal shoes. So he just kind of looks oddly proportioned. Now, Afeeba, feel free to take the lead on this one if you want, but how do you feel about dancing?

Dancing? Ballroom, that sort of thing. The dance of death is the way of the blade. Okay, so... So I'll... Really cool. I'll take that as a yes, I suppose, whatever. Ophelia, is that...

Okay, not gonna... Okay. What? Well, you don't want to consider this for, you know... For the job? First of all, yes, the position that Percival once had. It does. Okay. So you guys all did help with your adventuring and stuff? For the job? Percival, yes, the position that Percival once had. It's ours. Okay.

So you guys don't need help with your adventuring and stuff? No. No, I mean, no. No, I think... It's okay, I can work here too. You can work here, yeah. I'll save up money and buy all my equipment for when I can go adventuring. Oh, okay.

Do you have a sword? Yeah, I totally got a sword at home. Right. Well, mom says I'm not allowed to take it out of the house. That's for the best, that is for the best. Mom sounds like a good woman. This is okay. I don't have any more questions.

No. I got the job, so I got the job. How much do you want per week? Like, two gold. That's actually not bad. We will get back to you. We'll be in contact if you are successful, of course. Check this out.

And he throws like a little, like, but it's a business card. And it just lands on the floor in front of the table. See you later. He just leaves. OK, he actually has business cards as well. That's Preparate, he's prepared. Fear is just stunned.

His name on the business card is Terran, T-E-R-R-Y-N Darkblade. Of course. And it has his address. Okay, now that is, no one else came with a business card. One person came with a CV, obviously, but... I don't think Dark Lady was her actual last name.

What just happened? Well, give us a quick rundown there, Daisy. Mouth breathe loud. Yes, yes. Didn't like that. No, it was very loud. Doesn't like that. Didn't like that. No, it was very loud. It was piercing. Doesn't like people, not ideal. Doesn't like people.

No, doesn't like talking to people. No. Does he have a neck, question mark? I didn't see one. No, Master of the Blade and Stealth, wrong, terrible, honestly embarrassing, insulting. We should get curtains, because I think it will make it look cozy in here.

Also, he didn't spill the beer, which is, you know, the first of that. That was actually the best. That was good. So maybe behind the bar, maybe behind a wall. Well, my channel... Far away from the customers.

The one by the front door. Well, remember you need a manager and then service, and service is someone who runs the drinks, the tables, and you know, does a lot of that stuff. Didn't spill the beer, but then is a night owl, is he an actual owl, question mark, didn't see a neck. Mm. It's all coming together.

Shake shifter. That's what I, I don't have anything else. Maybe Dark Plade is her actual last name then. Maybe. I doubt it. Thanks to Daisy's incredible poster, those are your three applicants this week. So.

So you're welcome. So what's everyone's opinion on? Please stop, he's not here, he's not here! He's at the window. Theresa, if you could, you're right about curtain. I can still see you. Yeah. Okay, bye.

Okay, thank you. Theresa, if you'd like to come in as well, I think we can discuss this together. What? I'm just gonna say it. Yeah. I didn't like any of them. None of them?

I don't know what just happened. I feel like... Well, we... We almost killed someone. I feel like it was a fever dream. I feel like I've just woken up from a nightmare. I feel like we went to that vault and we saw all those horrible things in the vault,

like the family and the Galwack and all of that. Maybe they all got out and found our recruitment posters. The last one was definitely from there. Honestly, I think these three were stranger than anything we saw in that damn vault. You're right. You're right. Sweet old Alice? I think they've all got potential.

Okay. I can't believe you guys don't wanna hire Taron Darkblade. You don't want me to do that NPC every time you come back to the inn? I might quit. I might quit. I thought it was hilarious. I almost strangled yourself by keeping your neck.

You have to do that every time we're back at the inn. It's when you gotta like, laze your eyes. You just gotta kinda go like. Do you want my nose? You can have them. Hey. Hi. Now Benedict was very kind.

But he was very charismatic. I also did write, ew, creepy. So we have to take that and kiss him right. Okay. We should probably run another week of. I think. If you have like, NPCs in mind, you can try and convince them to like leave their jobs

and come work here and stuff as well. No, the whole Taric family. Sometimes... They have their own inn. What if we destroy their inn? No, Rowan. I've taken the clever toad and now I would take all of your staff.

I realize. And do... Sometimes you just gotta throw a catch back. Yes. You just gotta release them back here. You get a bad catch, you just put it back in the river. In the water. That is not edible.

Can we throw all of these back? Because I'm worried that Alice is lovely, but I am still concerned about the number of husbands that are not accounted for. And- Very little money though. Also is very injured. So I feel like she should just rest.

We did that. Technically we didn't, the floor did. But technically Benedict did, because he did spill the beer. So Benedict, terrible. Alice, very nice, but should be in bed. And Taryn, no! Very young.

Probably shouldn't be anywhere near a bar. Or any humans. No, absolutely not. Or people. Ever. All right, so we're gonna have to keep the ad open. Maybe you're meant to do. Or a new poster. Okay. Maybe let's do a revision, and because I think there was a bit of confusion

about what the job actually was. Yeah, we've got some good feedback. Hey, this is our first try. This is our first try. We make mistakes sometimes. Throw it back. We just lost one week. What's one week?

Just a week. We sit back into the ocean. Maybe we'll get some higher skilled people, maybe we'll get some more people suitable for what we're expecting. Maybe drown the first one higher skilled people, maybe we'll get some more people suitable for what we're expecting. Maybe drown the first one. Maybe drown, yeah. And it's also, we're doubling up.

We're looking at people who could be a perfect Percival. Got a good base. You find it really good, I think Benedict would have made a really good base. He came very close. It's just a snowy sword fight. But again, we can't really, he's still alive, so that's a big old trouble.

Oh, there is that, but. There is that, I mean, sometimes dead is better. Alice might be dead. I mean, she's got lots of husbands, I mean. Yeah, but she's also got a broken hip. Yes, broken bones, they do linger. So, what's the plan? Run it again!

We'll run it again! You wanna spend another week of like downtime doing stuff in Ashen's Rest? We should do some research about the people who are looking, I don't know, did you say research about like bartenders and stuff? Yeah, you can do that. The best were.

Yeah, yeah. Yeah, that's true. Check out this vineyard. Yes. Like a more vineyard. Yes. Like a more time-efficient approach to hiring. You could certainly take a, rather than doing downtime, if you wanna just do, like, go out on a quest, I should also say as well, one thing,

because this does happen over sort of the period of a week, during this downtime, Rodri and the NPCs that went from Colville would arrive back in Ashen's Rest, so Theravall, Velessa, and all the others, and Pasquale all arrive back in Ashen's Rest with Rodri. They traveled fine, they didn't have any issues on the road or anything like that.

So you get Rodri and the wagon and that all back. And yeah, they have also come back to Ashen's Rest. Say, I've got an idea. Yeah? What if any of them want to stay in Ashen's Rest? You can try and convince them. And maybe work at the tavern. Okay.

I somehow doubt that that fancy Elf lady would want to stay here as a barkeep. Just lack potential. She's a priestess of Malia, so. We could ask. I like all of them. None of them gave me any of the vibes that any of these people did that I hated a lot.

What? Yeah, we just weren't asking the right questions. I think my interview was practically flawless. I think you asked the right questions. I think they very much showed us. Did he have a neck? I don't know. It's odd, really.

Maybe we should go find him and study him. Do you think that's why the breath thing? It's like the polar opposite of the Galowak. Yes! Galowak had all neck. Terran has no neck. Maybe that's where he got it from, Galowak. Anyway...

It stole people's necks. Yes, is he a Volt Spawn? Is he one of the experiments? Yeah. I'm totally a Volt Spawn, was he one of the experiments? Yeah. I'm totally a Valt Spawn. He's just, he's back again. Like sometimes you just walk past, he's just out the window.

He's just trying to stealth in, and every time we're like, out! And we don't want you in our adventures. We're perfectly capable. Spray pot. You're gonna regret that. I don't think I will. Yeah.

Okay, good evening. You'll never see my blade coming. He keeps fogging up the window. Yeah, he does. Oh, dear. He has to like... You don't have a blade. I will do.

One day. Oh, I dread that day. Smoke bomb. There's no smoke bomb. He just says it and then runs away. What we don't know is he's the crossbow guy. Yeah. Oh, that. There's no smoke bomb. He just says it and then runs away. What we don't know is he's the crossbow guy. Yeah. Oh, God.

What do we know? What if a crossbow guy was just up on the roof going, pfft. Yeah. You'd have heard him. So, yeah, what is the plan? What would you want to do? Do you want to reach out to the NPCs?

Like, those, like, we'll say that, like, you know, they come by, they make sure they drop off all of Rotary's stuff. Again, very, very grateful for anything you've done for them. They would tell you that their immediate plan, Squire Pascal is going to wait here until Dame Cassandra comes back.

Assuming that she does, who knows what's happened to Dame Cassandra when she went off on her own adventure. Sister Velesa and Theravile will, they're gonna remain here for a period of time while they recover, and then they're probably gonna have to set back off to go and get Theraval's artificial leg made. So they're gonna linger here for a little bit,

but not for too long. Okay, fair enough. So if you did wanna try and convince them to stay and run the tavern, like, you would probably be doing that in the next week or two, basically. Or you can go off, you can go off on a little adventure, see what's up with this vineyard.

Do a little side questy, I think. Pretty good idea. Grog's gonna make a fuss of Squire Pascal, though, first. I would assume so, yeah. A heckin' fuss. Yeah, but he seems all right. Again, there's no sign that Squire Pascal even remembers the madness or anything like that.

Just doesn't seem to really have any recollection of that period. He has been eating, he's very skinny, you know, very skinny. He's still very physically weak. But it looks like Sister Valesa has been looking after him and making sure he's been eating and everything else well. Theravall also, kind of like Gruff, Theravall's a bit sort of like that, like, come on, boy, come on, eat up, like, kind of looking after him, but sure he's been eating and everything else well. Theraval also, kind of like Gruff, Theraval's a bit sort of like that,

like come on boy, come on, eat up, like kind of looking after him, but in a Gruff tough way. And so he's looking a bit better. He's not looking as peaky and thin, but it's gonna take some time for Squire Pascal to heal. But yeah, they're pretty good. And he's got lodgings in Action's Rest, right? Yeah, yeah, absolutely, yeah.

He would stay in with Dame Cassandra, who lives up in the Ducal Palace, so Squire Pascal can go up to there. Or he can stay in the Forge... Sorry, they stay in the Forge barracks, so he has quarters in the Forge barracks. Okay. That's also, again, if you want to think of NPCs,

I know that Rowan was pretty close with Bliss as well. If you wanted to approach any of those other NPCs that you know, you can try and convince them to come and work in the tavern instead. They don't want a life of violence anymore. Yeah, I could reach out to Bliss. Just, yeah, again, not trying to tell you guys what to do, just making sure that you guys know your options.

I would go about that, but he has to guard the tarix. Yeah, he's guarding the tarix. There's a lot of tarix up there. If you, and again, I did say one of the jobs was bouncer. You want to get your best bud? If you want to approach... I think Rowan's gonna... He'll probably do it for free.

Give him free goes on the toad. Theresa, I'm not... I mean, also, like, any of Ophelia's followers, if you want to try and put them to work in the bar. Yeah, because Theresa was kind of looking after the place already, right? Theresa was not to serve drinks and things like that. Obviously, you know, working is not necessarily within the confines of the Grave Father.

But, you know, you could convince them to do it. Like, if Sister Ophelia asks, they will probably do it. Okay. Is the not working a benefit that is granted If Ophelia asks, they will probably do it. Mm-hmm, okay. But... Is the not working a benefit that is granted to someone of Ophelia's tier, or is an acolyte, even an acolyte, is like, I'm not working? It's the teachings, isn't it? It's not that you,

because there has to be some people working on it, so it's not everybody can sit around playing all day. That's reserved for the vampires, and the higher-ups and things like that. But it is generally a, you try to, if you work, you have to balance it with hobbies and things that you're passionate about and stuff like that as well. You work only as much as you have to.

And obviously in Osseus it's a little bit different because they have undead to do all the manual labor. You don't need tavern staff in Osseus, that's what skeletons are for. They are the ones serving all the drinks, they're the ones doing the work in the fields, work in the mines, that kind of stuff. So what if we actually get several bodies

and have a skeleton staff? You could certainly try. Don't give me dreams, Gruff. Oh my goodness, it'll be like being back at home. It would certainly be interesting for the population of the Empire to have a undead run bar. There might be something like that

like in Kelskaris, which is a big city, like there might be like an Ossian citizen who's set up like a kind of themed restaurant almost for themed bars. But it's like for the true Ossian experience and it's all undead servers and stuff like that. That's probably a thing that exists. But in a place like out here.

Would it be a draw for people to come to the bar? Right, or would it be horrifying? Yeah, exactly. Like, it's, yeah, you have no idea. The place was almost burned down simply because it was called the Enticing Devil. Yes. And there was a ghost that haunted it.

Oh, and a ghost. But the Enticing Devil name Yes. And there was a ghost that haunted it. Oh, and a ghost. But the Enticing Devil name alone was enough to scare people. Minds can be changed. Hearts can be persuaded. Yeah, yeah. Skeletons are good boys. Can be raised.

Skeletons can be raised. Okay, well I think it's worth we check out that Vineyard at some point anyway in order to procure some premium wine for the bar. Yes. So only about a day's travel. Rowan's got the rough directions to the vineyard. So would that take an entire...

It would take one day. It wouldn't be a downtime. It'd be about a day's travel. Day there, day back. Okay. That's still weird. I mean, we do also need to discuss what we intend to do once we, you know, fully head out

and leave Ashland Rest again. What's the next journey? I wouldn't quite mind if we could go towards this wave's meat. Okay. There's another knight's quest there. Okay. Yes, a. Okay. Yes. A good one to pursue.

Anyone else? Wait me. It is beautiful there. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I haven't been there myself, but I've seen pictures. There's even one in the newspaper. It literally, Wave...

Suncrest Isles, you all would know, is... There's kind of two draws to it. It's kind of two draws to it. It's kind of a massive tourist destination. It is a beautiful coastline with many resorts and casinos and gaming parlors and things like that. Like it is a proper tourist destination. Kind of Costa del Sol kind of,

what's the place in Final Fantasy where you have that? Costa del Sol. Costa del Sol. Yeah, Golden Saucer. Golden Saucer kind of combined. No, not that one, we're not going there. Well, it is kind of a little bit because there are a lot of gaming parlors,

because the Bronze Dragons, known for their arcane magic, they are very well known for their arcane magic, so another reason to go there is it is one of the greatest repositories of magical knowledge and arcane knowledge outside of the academia in Kelskaris. Like, it is, if you want to find powerful mages or speak to dragon lords and ladies

who have vast amounts of arcane power and knowledge, that is the place you go. The other thing that bronze dragons love is they love games. They love games of chance, games of skills, strategic games. And so there are gaming parlors are a common thing amongst the Suncrest Isles. And so it is like a mixture of like casinos,

but also kind of like, there's like arenas and all sorts of like fun activities to do that. But gaming is like a, you know, a popular pastime for Bronze Dragons. Is there a tree stump hitting game? Probably not a tree stump hitting game, but there might be similar-like affairs. But it is probably, as you are having this discussion,

Here we go. Xanthias. Me, specifically? Yeah, it would be you specifically. You receive a sending spell. A very deep, familiar voice. Oh, here he is. He's in your head.

Sending, 25 words, all right. Xanthias. Come and speak with me immediately. At the palace. Ten, I think. Developments... in the matter... of the ash hills?

Six more to go. Seven. I've got eight. How we all count from the middle? I'll go with seven. It's the middle. Go with seven. You have much to answer for.

Ha ha! Oh! Yes! Oh! Oh! Oh! Bunny, bunny, bunny, bunny, bunny, bunny, bunny, booey. Oh, that's so good.

We're off to see the dragon. Does it count as 25 words if the answer is just one? Ah! Oh, ma! Just one. Two words, fuck off. I thought that's more like what you were gonna say. I thought you were gonna be pissed.

I'm just not gonna reply. You're gonna ghost him? Well, we don't know about it. You have a sweet baby boy. I know, now I'm just saying to Tom. You're gonna ghost him? Oh, I gotta reply. Okay, great, I love that.

To be honest, that's how you treat us, not gonna reply. Okay, great, I love that. To be honest, that's how you treat us, to be honest. That's why you don't get included in group calls. We never get to talk. So you just don't respond at all? Okay, the next day, you get another session. To Xanthius? Yeah.

In fact, there would be two sending spells, one to Xanthius and one to Gruff. Now I'm being told. Hold on. Yeah, I've been my spells, one to Xanthius and one to Gruff. Now I'm being told. Hold on. Yeah, I'm being my wife. One to Xanthius, do not test my patience. Oh! This is important for you to know as well. Well.

It is important we work together. We're halfway to the vineyard. But don't test it. Now. Like, it's like full stop as in come now. Okay, all right, okay. And then to Gruff, Sir Gruffeth of Tremorro. Hello. We must speak about the matter of the Ash Hills.

Xanthius is ignoring me. Ha ha ha ha ha. My patience only goes so far, that's it. So yeah, he absolutely was like, oh, oh, you're not gonna fucking reply? All right, I'll tell your dad. Ha ha ha ha ha. So has everyone got what they need? We're heading to the vineyard very soon.

Can I reply? You can reply, yeah, I mean, Xanthius and you can both reply to Obsidius. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Who's this? Oh my god. You know him, yeah, it sounds just like Obsidius. It could be somebody pretending to be Obsidius,

like somehow, but sounds like him. Your lordship, disappointing to hear, where are you? Oh yeah, he didn't say where he was. Will resolve. A few moments later you would get another sending spell. My apologies, Sir Gruffydd.

I am at the palace. Right. Keep our meeting secret from my father. Come quickly. Was the crown still tasty? No. Um. Um.

I mean, yeah. Can you say that? Gruff wouldn't. Received unacknowledged. Your lordship. No response from Xander? I say, K. I just, I almost tend to just do a fine.

Just fine. Oh my god, by the time I would fly over that palace and beat your ass! I do not like this guy. I have zero respect for his authority. Are we all together when these messages get sent? Yeah, I have no idea. Are we on the road to the vineyard, or? Yeah, like what's the situation in terms of the road?

Say that these would have come maybe just as you were starting to think about. Oh yeah, we should go and do that. I might just quickly go and say bye-bye to, or, I haven't really said hello, either. Oh, just a, really quick, what is it, Gruff? Just, a really interesting message. When?

We didn't get any posts this morning. Yeah? We have a post this morning. Yeah. You go first. Well, I just received a message from our good friend, Obsidius, you know, that one. There's been dragon. The really powerful dragon. Yeah, the really powerful dragon. Apparently there's been some developments in the Ash Hills

and they've returned that they would like to communicate this with us. In the palace. ASAP. We should go. Go immediately. Yeah. Come on in. When did you get that message? When did you get that message?

Earlier today. That message, he's not lying. Just the one. Huh? Just the one message. I imagine so. Have you got another one? Deception check, please. You imagine so.

I imagine so. I imagine so. I imagine so. If you had said, like, I'm not sure, I would have been like, yeah, I'll let that slide, but I imagine so. If you had said like, I'm not sure, I would have been like, yeah, I'll let that slide, but I imagine so. I really should have rolled first to see what I was gonna say there,

but either way, I imagine so fits. What roll I just got, I got like. Deception. Oh wait, deception, my deception's really good. Am I insight or perception? Insight. Okay. What'd you get? What'd you get. What'd you get?

What'd you get? What'd you get? Oh, someone needs to say. Tom. I got a 12. 19. Ah, shit. I imagine so.

I mean, I presume so. Do you wanna try that one again? That tail's twitching hard. Do you wanna try that one again? I got a message yesterday as well. You got a message, you didn't text. Did you not reply? Yeah, I replied.

What'd you say? Why didn't you tell us? He said I had a lot to answer for and it's, I. You do! Stop! Yeah. I was hoping we could just go to the vineyard and I could focus on all of this and just.

Oh, Zanthes, did you think that going to a vineyard was gonna make the giant, powerful dragon less pissed off? Because I think that maybe that, okay, I'm getting too angry, I need to go, I'm just gonna go, I'm gonna walk away. The longer you leave it, the more angry he's gonna be. Yeah, I know, okay, we can head up now. It's just, I wanted to just enjoy the moment

and build this place and have a good time. Oy. When a big, scary dragon sends you a message, you kind of have to do the things. We've got your back, Santheus. Okay, great, but just. However, next time, could you bloody answer him? Because I don't want him in my head.

Tell him me what's what. I was busy. I was distracted. The interviews were happening. I think we should go lay right now, though. Yes, I did tell him that we'd be going soon. Okay, let's go, let's go. I don't believe he messaged you as well. That's ridiculous. Okay.

You all make your way up to the Ducal Palace. Guards know you well enough, so does Considerate Orgrim. When you mention that you are here to speak with Lord Obsidius, he simply nods his head. He says good luck. He nods his head. Before we go, can I tell a pathetic? Yes.

What was said between us and him, we do not say in the presence of a Sybius. Well, I'm too scared of him, I wouldn't dare. But we should talk about it at some point soon because everyone else, because we should probably talk about it with them. Don't even think it. I'm not thinking about it, anything. I don't know if that dragon can read minds.

No telepathy when we're in there, okay? Okay. Okay. Okay. You guys make your way up, consider Orgrim as our guest. Yes, I believe Lord Obsidius said he was expecting guests. I will take you up there immediately, of course. He leads you. Hi, Consider Orgrim. Yes, hello, Mr. Lord.

Takes you up. Leads you up to this side tower that you know to be Obsidius's tower. You went to that same chamber with the various arcane accoutrements all around you. The large, huge domed ceiling, ready to open and let Obsidius come and go as needed. One thing you would notice, having had a little bit of experience with it, is you do notice that there is a circle of runes built into a section of the floor,

which have a similarity to the runes on the rune stone of Hearth and Lone. Mm, okay. When you arrive, Obsidius is not there immediately. Shame. But consider it all grim, Steph shuts the doors behind you. All right. There is a brief moment where you guys are alone.

Is there anything you'd like to do whilst you have this seeming moment alone? Okay. Do we call him or? I'm sure he'll be here soon. Okay. I wonder what he's found. I'll just have a look around like shelves and things.

Yeah, the shelves are full of books. There's also locked cabinets that have reagents. Not quite the vault stuff that you guys have encountered, but definitely magical looking things, crystals and objects and strange looking tools and devices, rune stones, powders, candles with sort of symbols engraved into them, sort of wizard stuff. There's also one particular tome that is bound with chains

and just hovers up in the air, sort of near a grand looking desk covered in papers and parchments and things like that. You'd also notice that there is a spiral staircase built for a very large humanoid person that goes up to a second floor. But as you are looking around, is anybody else doing anything?

It's just Samthia's looking around. No. You guys are all just stood there like. Daisy's trying not to think of anything ever. Because Graft's like, don't even think it! And she's like, la la la la la la la. You just wait impatiently, just tapping, just hard things to do.

To see Lana. Robin? Maybe it's worth us being on the same page here. Yeah, okay. We obviously want Xanthias' best interest, so we have to make sure that his safety is paramount. Appreciate it. Um...

If there's developments in the Ash Hills, we certainly want to hear that. Are we all in agreement that we will help? Of course. Yes. Help who? The only thing I'm confused about is he keeps telling us not to tell his father. Wow.

When you say that graph, you hear a voice from that upper platform. I believe that you have seen my father's reaction when Crownsteel is mentioned, as the tall, imposing figure of Obsidius slowly begins to descend down the stairs, dressed in the sort of finely detailed black, red, gold, crimson robes, the symbols of Ashton's rest and his father blending perfectly with the black and red scales of his skin, the giant horns curled back. He's wearing his hair long and straight, not braided or dreaded this time,

just perfectly long straight and tied back, looking perhaps a little bit more regal. Oh good, you are here. I was braided ahead and come back later. So I was busy preparing something up above. I have asked you here. Does he look, just before he said, does he look visibly any different

from when we last saw him? Reception check, please. In terms of, like, crown stealing wise. Yeah, I figured that. Yeah, people can make a, yeah, you wanna make, people wanna make a perception, so you make a perception check. Rolls on pieces together.

Sure. I'm gonna spend a point of fate. I'll do a perception check. Rolls all pieces together. Sure. I don't even spend a point of faith. I'll do a perception check. 26. Wow, okay. 19. I'm also not gonna, because my perception's garbled.

19. 19. 21. 21. The 21, you can definitely, you don't see like any mutations, certainly nothing like you've seen with Xanthias. He does seem like he's dressed more fancy, and he's not carrying himself any different. Like he still is acting his normal way,

but he's definitely dressed, like maybe he's come from like somewhere where he had to be dressed formally or something like that. Again, Ophelia being a courtier, like the kind of thing that the Countess would sometimes come back from a ball or an engagement and look nice, you know, related to that. Daisy, you don't spot any corruption.

What you would perhaps see though is, and this is more of an insight role, but I give it to you with such a high perception, is he's agitated. You can see his hand is clenching, almost unconsciously, he's clenching and unclenching his clawed hand. His eyes dart at Xanthias, and they are...

There's a very, you know, contained but angry sort of rage or frustration towards him. I cannot remember what we did and didn't tell him. And he looks at you all, glances around, let us just be certain, and he clicks his fingers, and you feel like a pulse of magic go around the room, just in case anyone is listening.

I did not have time to contact you, but when Lady Verethira and I arrived at the place of these reclaimers, this where you found Xanthias and Ser Eldrach, most of the crown still was gone, as were the reclaimers that I think Lady Verethira incapacitated, but were not killed. He looks around.

I fear that they grabbed what they could and fled before we could arrive. There was some left, but low quality, low tier, crown steel has been destroyed. This worries me. There was also, I examined Ser Eldrake. There's something that troubles me,

something I've not seen in my research. I fear that Crownsteel, something has changed. Last few days, a week perhaps. With his corruption or? There were still pieces of crown steel inside Ser Eldraak. They did not just feed it to him, but surgically inserted some.

I extracted what I could. One of these pieces, a small shard, no bigger than my claw, and he called it massive, you know, quite big claw. It was of an exceptional quality of crown steel, high purity, we would call it. There was a faint glow to it. I have not seen that before.

When did this glow occur? A few days, perhaps a week ago. Oh, fuck. It troubles me. I intend to speak with experts on magical matters. I will be traveling to the Suncrest Isles to speak with some of my contemporaries. But these reclaimers, it is worrisome that they managed to reclaim some of the better pieces

that were left behind. They still pose a great threat. And there is a matter of you, Xanthius. Well, if you're asking about the glow, I'm afraid to say I have to confirm it. Show, show it to me. I mean, I've got like a mendable shirt now, I'll just almost.

Slice it with a glow. Yeah. He looks at it. This is the same. What has changed? What do you... Do you know something about this? We've been on... an adventure of our own, while you were investigating the Ash Hills in our wake.

Um, and, uh... managed to embark upon a quest that led us to a proto-magi vault. If something strange has happened in there, I couldn't tell you, but we have been on a long journey and it's only recently I discovered this curious change myself. He analyzes you with a cold, hard stare. I can roll if you want. You told the truth. I did, mostly.

Well, no, you didn't know really what happened. Oh yeah, you're right. They haven't told you what. I do know that a proto-magite like... Tried to take it out and something happened. A light. But you don't know. I'm not certain.

Yeah, fair enough. Some people know, but you don't know. Yeah, okay. And there's no glance to the rest of you. Like, he thinks Xanthias is the one. Like, he trusts Gruff and that to tell him if he needed to know. So he looks at you reluctantly sort of nods. How...

You can see that he's looking for something else in your eyes. Give me an insight roll. Ooh, Yikes. I said only Xanthius can make this roll because it's related to something that I think I will... He would recognize. Fated.

Okay. Because we have accrued quite a lot of fate thanks to those interviews. 15 with my insight, 16. 16. You see his eyes flash with that same Detect Magic spell you've seen him use before, and he's looking around your throat.

But he doesn't say anything, and you don't pick up any more than that. But there is a kind of frown. If you're hoping to see that I've removed it, I happily tell you that I have not. Curious. You say you entered a Proto-Majai vault. What did you discover?

Horrible, horrible creatures. They are terrible places. Yes. But they can be valuable. I trust that you found something worth going into such a place for? We rescued several people. They were being held in stasis, I presume, for experimentation. Awful. Well done.

And there was nothing in there that could help you with Xanthias's condition? We tried looking for answers, but no, it wasn't successful. Technically true. Technically true. Technically true, it wasn't successful. They didn't seem to know anything about Crownsteel. That would make sense. The proto-magi, when they built their vaults,

they were alive, they were alone. We... we were not yet even created. Sovereign appeared, they fought. The protomagai were destroyed. Sovereign was not yet the crown at that point. Sovereign was imprisoned within the crown after the protommagi were destroyed. It would make sense that any constructs or servants or records they left behind would not know of Crownsteel. But it would be immensely valuable if any proto-magi had survived.

They are creatures obsessed with magic, born of it perhaps or made of it, I'm not sure, but proto-Cr a crown steel in their hands would be extremely dangerous. It troubles me but the ash hills are large and it still interferes with divination magic. I was not able to track down the missing crown still even with Lady Lady Verithera's help. We did destroy what we found there. And I am hopeful that she will be able to cleanse the waters

in the land of its corruption time. But I must travel to the Sun Cristals and speak with those who may know more or be able to assist me in my research. Well, that's a destination we're intending to head to as well at some point in the near future. Forgive me, in your sending, you said I had much to answer for.

I may as well start answering for it now. What is it I need to answer for? I found the destroyed ruins of the village. There could have been valuable information there to gather of these reclaimers. I trust that was your handiwork, Xanthias. So you blame me for destroying a shrine to Galvassar? I am angry that your

recklessness and desire for destruction may have cost us an avenue of information. Plus, you don't even know, do you? Enlighten me. Whatever happened in that vault, my spell is no longer active. I lost track of you. Well, as I said, I had no hand in removing that spell.

You are technically on another plane of existence in a vault. I would have, no, that would have been made apparent to me. This was something else. And even as I look now, my spell is not there. They had strange devices there, as you can see, and Gruff will tap the thing on his chest. Curious. May I see it? Of course. They implanted these in everybody that they were trying to process.

He cast a spell? Yes, this is a curious thing. I can see that this is no magic. This is no arcane magic. I am no proto-magi scholar, but I know that this is unlike any other magic I have ever seen. But I can deduce that it is, it makes you vulnerable to manipulation,

makes you vulnerable to energies of the mind. For what small benefits it gains, it looks like they are almost an after effect of this control. Would you like it removed? I would. I owe you that much. He reaches out, touches it with a claw,

and he casts Remove Curse on you. The thing just puk, outs of your chest, and doesn't leave like a bad injury, it doesn't leave like a gaping wound, it just, boom, and falls out. You can now un-attune to the Cyanide Camper Fire, you are no longer bound to it. That's a relief.

Getting rid of the psychic vulnerabilities. Yeah. It was nice having telepathy, but we've got that. If we'd gone into that fight with like that, I would. Or if you fight anybody who uses psychic magic, like or psychic magic, you would have been pretty bad. Also it's taken up an achievement slot, you know? That's true, yeah.

You see he mage hands it up into his palm. Would you mind if I keep this, Sir Gruffydd, for study? Of course, I don't have any use. I do not think it would be of much value, but should you wish, I can give you something for it. As I said, it was used, well, as you deduce, it was used for control. It was used, the controller of the vault

was trying to get me to go into stasis, I presume to be experimented on, and all the people that we saved had similar attach to them. Well, that spell, I'm afraid I cannot, well, I could cast it more, but I would rather save my energies. But the priests at the cathedral,

Brightshadow Cathedral, they should be able to help any others. Any divine powers of Malia and Pyrrhus should be able to remove these as well. You should send word of that to Corvail. Yeah. He mage hands it, opens up one of these cabinets and puts it inside

and then closes it with a mage hand, locks it. Well, that explains your situation at least. I thought that you had meddled. I did not meddle in your hex, Obsidius, but if it will save me from your questions in the middle of the day, look, you trust me as much as I like you, Obsidius.

If you want to put this back on me, go ahead. You are an insolent little thing, aren't you? You can track me again if you like. You see that there's real consideration. He looks at the rest of the party. How do you react? How does the rest of the party. How do you react? How does the rest of the party react to that offer from Xanthius?

Rowan's more wincing at the confrontation. Yeah, I think it's that Xanthius is pushing it a bit. That kind of thing. Yeah. I feel just like glance to Xanthius, glance to Presidius. Just slowly glance back again. I feel him just glance to Xanthius, glance to Posidius. Slowly glance back again.

And is it like you support that like, he's rolled a pretty good insight roll here. Kind of supports Posidius. Oh, like to be tracked, okay. What about Graf? Conflicted, genuinely conflicted. Genuinely conflicted. Very well.

I will. He reaches out. I'll cover the crowns deal again. If he's reaching towards me, I just... Instinctively, I know. Because I've seen him have a sort of look at it before, and now it's potentially stronger. I've seen him have a sort of look at it before, and now it's potentially stronger. Like if he does reach towards me.

There's another thing that you don't know about. Oh shit. That I just realized. Oh shit. Oh no. You watch as Obsidius grips your neck. To place the spell as he's done before, he goes to trace this serpent around your neck.

As his hand gets close and he begins weaving the spell, which is a unique spell, none of you recognize the spell, it seems unique that Obsidius has maybe created it himself. And there is almost a part where he traces this thing around your neck, and part of it included a line down to the crown still, almost like an alarm wire. As that line draws close to the wound, something happens. As you feel, Xanthius, you feel really dizzy.

You suddenly feel really dizzy and hot, and like your chest really starts to burn and ache, and it didn't do this last time. Spell is different, Obsidius. Can you give me a Charisma saving throw? Charisma? Do I see anything in his eyes? In Xanthius' eyes, let's see how this saving throw goes.

Or do you want to do something to help him with the saving throw? Mmm. I don't know what I could do though, because I wouldn't know what... Could I trip Xanthius up? To like, to do what? Just like, knock him off, like... To pull him away from Obsidius? Yes, but I'm still going gonna have this saving throw take place.

But you'll pull him away as like, yeah. I'm gonna say this is beyond the realms of fate. Okay, sure, makes sense to me. Okay, 17 actually. 17? I do a quite high charisma save. You do. But not high enough. I imagine, yeah.

You watch, the daisy and gr, Rowan and Ophelia, Xanthius looks unwell. His eyes start to roll back into his head. Are you okay? And you see that the glow. Step back, Ophelia, step back! You see the glow on the crown steel glow brighter, and there's almost sparks coming off the crown steel glow brighter, and there's almost like sparks

like coming off the crown steel as Xanthius' eyes kind of flicker gold and then Gruff knocks him away, sending him flying back from Obsidius as Xanthius like, oh, that's so weird, you felt for a second like you blacked out. And Obsidius is looking at his hand and looking at all of you and looking at Xanthius.

What is that? What was that? What did you cast on me? What was that? Same spell I cast before. My tracking spell, my spell that analyzes, surges in crown steel power. What was that?

And you can see for the first time, Obsidius is not in control. He's like, I don't know what that was, and he's never really been in this position before. Okay, I'm gonna look at Gruff. So I imagine I'm in this fainting. I mean, Gruff, you literally just like, threw me to the ground as well, right? Yeah, and I'm probably standing, like, looking at you.

Are you all right? I think so. What happened you. Are you all right? I think so. What happened there? Are you with me? Was I not? Last I remember a spell was being cast on me and now I'm on the floor.

So was that you who did that? I'm gonna connect to Gruff. OK. He can't hide it. Obsidius will kill him. He can't. He won't get a chance. He won't be able to. Does that mean...?

LAUGHTER Well... I mean, I feel like it's... Well, do we end the episode here? I feel like we do! What do you mean you want to get a chance? LAUGHS OK, OK, OK, OK, OK, OK, OK, yeah.

Yeah, what do you guys do? Santheus. Yes. Something happened in the vault with Santheus and Crownsteel. The glow. The glow. What is, you know what it is, tell me!

I don't know what it is, I don't fully know what it is, but the Crownsteel glowed, it defended. We tried to get them to remove the Crownsteel from him, and they couldn't, because the Crownsteel evaporated them. Can you give me a deception check? She's not keeping the truth she's gonna elaborate, but she's giving him time. Okay, all right, okay.

To... You see him look from Daisy to Xanthius to Gruff. Xanthius, Gruff is not, he's looking directly at Xanthius, and he's putting himself between Obsidius and Xanthius, and he will not let Xanthius, like... He looks at Daisy. Lord Obsidius, something's happening with Crownsteel, and I don't know what it is.

Tell me. There is a celestial connection. It's something with Sovereign. Sovereign. Xanthius is not in any control of it. None at all. Of course, Crownsteel comes from Sovereign. It is metal forged from his prison.

It falls to Ulthair at his bound with his energies, their energies. Sovereign possessed Santheus's body. That's not possible. I'm sorry, Santheus, this is something, we're trying to figure it out. We're trying to work out a way to fix this. Obsidius casts a spell.

I don't think any of you know this spell, so if you'd like to know, it's an arcana check. I mean, I'm like, heightened right now. I'm not gonna tell you, it's an arcana check. Probably, I'm still stunned. Eight. Eight? Yeah. I don't know. Okay.

So it just, He casts a spell, unless you guys do anything, and then he looks at you, Daisy, and he reaches out and he grabs you on the shoulder. I need you to make a wisdom saving throw. He's casting Detect Thoughts. He's gonna plumb your mind for what you know. I'm gonna tell him what I know.

Yeah, but he wants to, he needs to know it. He needs to verify it. Wait, what, what, Wisdom saving throw. Well, you can choose to fail it. I can fate it as well. I know. Yeah, but he wants to, he needs to know it. He needs to verify it. Wait, what, what? Wisdom saving throw. Well, you can choose to fail it. I failed it as well. I failed it anyway, but. Okay, yeah, so you feel his presence

sort of enter your mind and he... Can I just show him the vision, the exact vision that Nim had? This is what I was gonna say, is he makes this spell and he just dives in there. And immediately in Daisy's mind, there is this almost like you feel this presence of this black and red dragon surging in,

and then a warrior of light just stands like, no, and just stands there with the sword. Show him. I mean, outside of this, I'm also standing up, like what do you mean sovereign? Show him what? standing up. Like, what do you mean, sovereign? Show him what? What do you mean? What do you know, Gruff?

Show him what you saw in the vault. Sure. It's important he knows. Very well. He's smarter than us. He knows what's going on, maybe. Nim sheaths her blade. I'll whisper to Xanthias, Nim saw something.

Nim saw everything that happened in the vault. I'll show you, Xanthias, Nim saw something. Nim saw everything that happened in the vault. I'll show you, Xanthias, I will, I'll show you. You, there is a moment where Obsidius sees the same vision that Daisy and Gruff saw, which I will now reveal for the people that were not there. We do. Yeah, okay, good. We see the vault.

We see Vermilion Ox and Iron poised over Xanthius' body. Its tendrils attempting to extract the Crownsteel, knowing it was killing Xanthius. And then you all see the same thing. The Crownsteel begins to glow. A power sort of pushes Vermilion Oxanine away as that glow becomes a blinding radiance and none of you can see anything.

But Nim, a being of celestial light, can see just enough an outline of this blinding radiance. Vermilion Oxanine is pushed away as Xanthias goes from being prone to writing himself, hovering in place, his eyes full of celestial golden light. Oh fuck. And he just raises a hand in Vamilinox 9's direction and a blast incinerates Vamilinox 9 and cracks the vault.

And then his body goes limp and falls to the ground. For fuck's sake. God damn it. As you do, Obsidius kind of stumbles back, looks down, you're between Obsidius and Xanthius. And if he's looking some kind of way, I will get the shield out. I know you will, but it's not gonna help. I know, but it's what he's gonna do.

Lord Obsidius, we can fix this. Xanthius, stand behind me now. Daisy, make a persuasion roll. I've shown you everything I know. You... No. Persuasion roll. I've shown you everything I know. You, no, persuasion roll please. And then nobody else can do anything else just yet. I'm putting everything on pause until this persuasion roll is resolved.

19. Yeah, fair enough. 19, not 19. Can I use fate? You can. You can. 24. 24's good. It is really good. It's not a full success, but I'm gonna say

it stays his hand for a second. You have a round as Obsidius looks like he is literally about to blast Gruff and Obsidius with a high level powerful damaging spell as he's just, he just turns to kill them, like kills Xanthius and Gruff is unfortunately in the way. But he is like, he is going to kill Xanthius with his spell. I go large.

Okay. The armor of Oakenthorns comes up, the shield goes out. Yeah, Filius' scarab armor activates. Okay. That is where we are going to end today's episode. No! Oh shit! Oh!

Oh no! I don't know what I've done. Um... God! I had completely forgotten about certain conditions I put on the Groundsteel and now Obsidius. And yeah, and with knowing what he knows, but we'll see what happens. Shit.

Shit. There was no way to hide it from him. No, they literally have to be that happy. As soon as he had, as soon as that interaction, like him trying to cast that spell, which does something to the crown, like, you know, the crown still reacts in a certain way, and yeah, it's just, yeah,

a certain somebody does not give a shit who he's dealing with. He would, you know, try and do something. He would have tried to blast Obsidius out of nowhere. Or do something else. You don't know what Sovereign would have done. He might have done something else, but for now, this is what's happened.

In Daisy's head, she thought that Obsidius was gonna get blasted. Of course, yeah, yeah, yeah, absolutely. No, absolutely. No, absolutely. Well, hey, we'll find out next time in a 10-minute long episode. We will see what happens. Oh no.

We will see what happens. Yeah, that's gonna be a while to wait for that one. This was such a chill episode. Yeah. And I was just like, yeah, I'll just have like, Obsidius, I know that this is kind of going into post-game stuff, but like, I was like, yeah, Obsidius wants to know what happened.

He has to tell you that the crown still went missing from the thingy. I was gonna have him be like, oh, you guys are going to wave me, I need to go to wave, I need to go there, I'll teleport you there. And it was designed as a save you travel time conversation. It was like, yeah save you travel time conversation. It was like, yeah, we'll do that. And then when you were like, fucking track me, bro.

Well, there was a part of me that was just like, look, you clearly don't trust me. This is only gonna be more problematic unless you track me. But the thing is, even then, I was like, because you were so like, do it, he was like, I don't wanna do it now. And then because Ophelia's like, please do it,

he was like, okay, well, I'll put it on there. I was kind of hoping that he would be like, fine, I wouldn't wanna do it now. And then because Ophelia's like, please do it, he was like, okay, well I'll put it on there. I was kinda hoping that he would be like, fine, I won't. As soon as he got started, there was no way to not tell him. I was like, well, better just give him the full truth, otherwise it's gonna suck. Do, do, do, do, do, do, do. Well.

Hey, this is, call us bastard. Sorry. This is crazy. We're on the coast of an episode, but hey, I'll start rolling up another character. That's why I like. Roll the coast of an episode, but I'll start, hey, I'll start rolling up another character. That's why I like my- Me too. Me too, Woody.

I feel like I'll fight a dragon next time. That's why I'm like, well, you won't get a chance to ask them. I mean, like, are you, are you? I hope you like the smell of burnt hair, because I'm all hair. I mean, like, I guess the fight hasn't started, started. It's just people have been, like, arming up, right?

But I don't know if it's gonna stop now. Like, you guys, by all means, you might surprise me. And, like, there is a chance you could win. I don't want to fight Obsidius. But that's the thing is, if you kill him, that's awful. It didn't even work! That's so bad. There's no way we can, like, consider it Orgrim,

just let us there, like, we had an arranged meeting, like, it's not even like, once we do that, that's like. Yeah, we can't, we would be, Ashen's Rest is no longer home, everything we have is gone, so we can't fight. And we just hired Terran. You did not. Darkblade. Now, if you had Terran. You did not. Darkblade.

Now if you had Terran Darkblade with you. What if he was outside the window? Yeah, Terran Darkblade. I fucking kill the dragon. Nothing parts with that kid. That's true. Teleports behind him. Oh man, hey, I think that's a, that's.

We have to end the, yeah, that's the end of the episode, guys. Woo! That's the end of the episode. It's been a good run. It's been a good run. It's been a good run. We'll see you next week, I guess. Maybe.

Next time. For a very small moment. Oh my god. Oh my god. See you in a bit. Bye! Bye! Bye!

Bye! Bye! Bye! Bye! Bye! Bye! Bye! Bye!

Bye! Bye! Bye! Bye! Bye! Bye! Bye! Bye!

Bye! Bye! Bye! Bye! Bye! Bye! Bye! Bye!

Bye! Bye! Bye! Bye! Bye! Bye! Bye! Bye!