High Rollers DnD - The Deadeye (Part 2) | Altheya: The Dragon Empire #65

Episode Date: June 5, 2025

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For early, ad-free episodes and lore-expanding bonus content, join Beacon at beacon.tv or become a member of midst.co. Welcome back to part two of Ulthaya the Dragon Empire. Having defeated the mysterious, watery Warlock on the beach of Wavemeat, our party have discussed the matter with Caliphras, learning a little bit about their pact mark and the affairs of what is going on. Whirlock. Whirl, like carry on with your- Whirlock, yep.

I thought you were going with like a murloc thing. No, I'm getting my fate dice. Nobody's getting fate dice every night for a pun. It just causes too many problems, guys. But yes, the party concluded that battle. They learnt more about the situation from Caliphras learning why Prince Gallian, some sort of elemental lord, has sent this thug,

this mercenary, this warlock bounty hunter, after Caliphras, as well as learning a little bit more about how warlock magic with the elemental planes, at least, seems to work. Point at me when you burp. Rhiannon! She keeps burping at me. You just burp into his face.

Rhiannon's burping so much. It's just she's swinging around. But always, she's up digesting. Just like ready salted crisps. She literally poured them into her face. She did, she did. We're just gonna let that sit for a minute. That's true.

It's lingering, yeah. Yeah. With that, the party you went back to, Brannock, the Minotaur's bar. Yep. You also, a random intervention by a random bard on the beach. Exactly.

It was destiny. Yeah, bard, yeah. Mateo, Mateo Neridel, AKA Dead Eye, as you've named them, came to your assistance and has now seemingly become a friend that you seem to have made. I think it is an extremely bard-like thing for Rowan to do to just drag in a random backside. Absolutely.

Listen, he gave you bardic inspiration, you gave him bardic inspiration back, and the only attack I could think that he would have would be to throw a dagger, and my god, what a dagger it was. It was the best. Max damage all the way around. There's a universal link there. Like just seeing a guy with a little lagoge beard

and long brown hair throwing a dagger. Oh. It's got like a good connection. Oh. Yeah. A different life perhaps, a different time. I love dead reckoning. I love that.

That's a great in-joke. Great in-joke. But, Caliphorus has offered to get you rooms at the Radiance Hotel, one of the finer establishments here in Wavemeet, up in Glittercliff. But you have also been pointed that you have some time. Gruff is gonna remain at Brannox the Bull on the Beach Bar to wait for Ser Joran Harper, his next nightly quest.

Brannox the Bull on the Beach. Giving you time to explore Wavemeet and perhaps go and entertain yourselves elsewhere. And that is where we- We're gonna just burp and cry. Burp and cry. This is a full spectrum of emotions here. Yeah. And that's where I hand it back over to you guys. Going on your gravestones.

Rie's gravestone is definitely gonna be like, damn she really do be burping and crying. Yeah. Yeah. Anyway. Anyway, let's be serious, let's get gambling. Yeah, were we told where we could go a gambling? The Lavender Gardens.

The Lavender Gardens. That's right, I've already got it written down in my notes that I wrote. Oh, notes? That's right. I don't believe you. Yeah, and the Lavender Gardens is number nine on your map. I've already read mine.

On the main street. Ah. What was that? I'm leaning. It sounded like you were dying. Oh yeah, it's not too far away, it's just past the place we got closed. Web Song Closiers. That's the one. Web Song Closiers, yep.

So we can head up that way again. Web Song Tailor. Yeah, I mean, you're not in any danger or any threat here, so wandering through the streets, it is quite a busy town, wave me, lots of tourists coming and going. And as you approach the Laminar Gardens, first of all you would see a resplendent view through the streets. It is quite a busy town, wave me. Lots of tourists coming and going. And as you approach the Lamina Gardens, first of all you would see a resplendent building.

Are we bringing Dead Eye with us? Yes. Mateo. Yes. If you would like to. Can do. I guess as we're leaving they'll probably still be there. We add another person.

Sure. Yeah. He can be our tour guide. He knows it. I imagine that like as you finish your conversation with Caliphorus and things like that, Mateo comes back into the bar, having befriended those two guards

and giving them the full accounting of what happened, they have left satisfied that they have done all they need to. Amazing. He comes back in. Is everything all good with the guards? They believed everything I said. I mean, everything you said was the truth, right?

Well, yes, embellished, but very much the truth. Okay, that's good. I mean, it was weird, like, they didn't even question a thing. They just listened and wrote it down and said, well, they said, good job, they said, well done. It sounds like they said, like, you and your friends are heroes.

It sounds like you are having just a wonderful day. I don't even know your names. No, you don't, no. I think it's about time we introduce ourselves. It sounds like they said you and your friends are heroes. It sounds like you are having just a wonderful day. I don't even know your names. No, you don't, no. I think it's about time we introduced ourselves. Yes. Yes. We know your name.

Obviously everyone knows your name. Mateo. Dead Eye. Dead Eye. Dead Eye. Neridel. Neridel. But honestly, just Mateo's fine.

I go, but I do like Dead Eye. I have to say. Too cool. It's working pretty good. It's working right now. Um but I do like Deadeye. I have to say. Too cool. It's working pretty good. It's working right now. Um, well, yes, what a circumstance. I can't believe it. Well, you-

I just thought I'd give you a little music accompaniment, you know, a little soundtrack for your back end. The soundtrack, what's very nice. What's the surname again and will you spell it? Neradel, N-E-R-I-D-E-L-L. Nerodel. You're well actually. Just one L at the end.

Oh for fuck's sake. I think the clever toad premonitioned you actually. Wait, what was the... I did nine of these. Nine? What is the clever toad? Well... Oh no, don't explode.

I slap a big hand on his... Poo! Okay. Poo! Have I got it? With such an oblivion hurt noise, you just did that. I was so scared to laugh. Poo-ha!

Ha ha ha ha! By the night! It's you. By the night! By the night! Oh my god. Yes, carry on. I just go into the story of Clever Toad.

Okay. As we are on our way to... We said it's a wait. I don't need the story of Clever Toad. Okay. As we are on our way to... We said it's a wait. I don't need to. I explain the toad. He's just, he's like, okay? A magic toad that tells the future. I love it, I love it! Currently in our tavern, in a... You own a tavern?

Well, yes, we do, yes, in a... Ashen Rest. Ashen Rest, sorry. You talk so much! So much to trees! Is that how you do it? Cold, that's, uh... Ashen Rest. Ashen Rest, sorry. You're talking so much. So much, cheers. I'm from Caldre. I'm from Caldre. No way. Oh, I'm from Caldre. Yes, I'm from Feroz.

I'm from, well, the big city. I've never really traveled out to the country that much. Ah, no, we haven't. I sort of came here on a bit of a holiday. Oh. Just stopped by. Well, you wouldn't believe it. We are, I mean, have you ever thought

about heading to Ashen Rest? Well, I gotta say, I didn't really have a reason to, I mean, have you ever thought about heading to Ashen Rest? Well, I've got to say, I didn't really have a reason to. I mean, being in the city keeps me pretty busy most of the time. You know, I'm performing in theaters. You know, I do a little tour around all the different theaters in the city. Oh, quite popular in Feros.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, you know, I'm on the small scene. I'm not one of the big players, but I'm known in the sort of indie scene. He's emelishing. I think that's a shame, because we were looking for staff and performers and things for our upcoming tavern in Ashen Rest, and it's going to be quite a popular opening,

what would have been the hero's Ashen Rest after all. I mean, I could consider it, depending on the pay, of course, you know. I can't remember the price. I think we should hire him. Yeah? Yeah? If you're interested. I think we should hire him. Yeah, yeah. If you're interested. I certainly could be.

To be honest, the option we had before. Mark has to bring up fucking Stronghold. I mean, just to make it clear, I would be a performer. I'm not coming to work as like a server or anything like that. I would want to be a performer. You'd be competing. You'll do what you do best.

Now, does it come with room and board? Well, there's lots of boards. It's made out of wood. There's a few rooms, there's a few rooms. Okay, is there a room that I can sleep in and stay for free? You can stay in my room. Ooh. You can have your own room.

Ooh, marvelous, so fucking I can have my own room. Where? We can discuss the details later. Because Graft's not here and Graft knows best. It's a real up and comer. Okay, okay. If you get in on the ground floor. Yeah. Oh boy.

And if you have any friends you'd like to talk to about this, maybe the more people you recruit, the better it is for you. How about on your own? Well, yes, I mean, there would be a sort of... Generally how this works is the tavern or the establishment pays a week fee, and you perform for the week. And then any extra drinks and things like that, that's obviously increased revenue for you,

and then I make tips and things like that. You know, it's generally on that sort of basis. There's normally a flat fee for the week, and then I'll get tips and things like that based on know, it's generally on that sort of basis. There's normally a flat fee for the week, and then I'll get tips and things like that based on my performances, but you get, generally, if a performer's good enough and draws in more crowd, then obviously the business makes more money.

Did we get a sense of how good he was based on his beach performance? He's like, I would say, I will count him as, I will count him as an expert. Ooh! Okay. So he's not a master, which is the highest level, but he is a quite significant high. He's not rubbish.

He's not rubbish, and because you have had this sort of adventure little moment together, he will discount his price, and he will say, listen, to leave my regular gigs in Feros, I mean, I would need to be looking at something like 15 gold a week is my general price. 15 gold a week, that's a... You've already spent 25 gold today, so...

No one needs to make any commitments. No decisions now. You said that your friend Gruff here, he seems very distracted, you know, I don't want to jump in. Just as a friendly invite, you're welcome to our tavern to come meet us if you like the establishment

and what you have on offer, on your way back to Feroz. Yeah, well, I need to go. Feroz is before us. I don't know where it is. Yes, I figured. But yes, I mean, I can stop by. Yeah, it's not too far from Feroz to the Action's Rest. Yes, perhaps I'll visit.

I can sort of eye it up and see what I think. Sounds good. But for now, we're all in Wave Meet. Aren't we here now? Holiday! Yes, you're here on holiday as well. Kind of an impromptu, unintentional kind of holiday, but also... A working holiday... Working holiday.

Working holiday. Working holiday. We have some time off. Yeah, okay, yes, yes, yes. But we are currently... It's kind of the same for me. I've been performing here and there and doing bits and pieces.

And how long have you been here? I've like three days. I've only been here for a few days. Three days, have you been to Lavender Gardens? I haven't yet. I was sort of saving it for the next couple of days because I've heard that that's the place to go, but I don't want to get, you know,

I don't want to gamble too much. You know, they say that you should go in, I have a set amount that you're happy to lose, and when you do that, you leave. And that's it. That is how they say it. A good, healthy idea. That is good.

However, if you have gone maybe 10 rounds of losing, then there's probably a win coming. Probably a win coming. Yeah, yeah. And also I've heard in groups, we're a lot more stronger with willpower and we don't egg each other on to keep gambling, right? Yes, sure.

I mean, that makes sense, right? You're looking out for each other. We're looking out for each other. Yes, exactly, yes. Well, I mean, if you're heading... You're on cut. Well, you know, it's also... Cut, cut!

If you don't bet, I'm not your friend anymore! Fred, Fred! Fred! Yeah, he's willing to accompany you to the Lavender Gardens, for sure. Okay. Let's go, Matteo. I like that, I like that.

Add that to your repertoire. Now, in terms of money for both of you, Rowan and Ophelia. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. I've got a ruby to sell. A ruby? I didn't sell it with, in, fill in the blanks. Do you know how much this ruby is worth,

or do you just have, okay, I was gonna say, or do you just have a ruby? No, it's the ruby that I had, that I tried to sell to the little... Magathera? Magthera. Magthera. But get around to the transaction, slam window in the face.

Oh, you'll be able to sell that here, absolutely. Yeah, so that would be some play money. That's not bad. I have a potion that hasn't been identified. I'm almost certain it has. It has. It probably has. I've written it down with a lot of reading.

I think, now I'm just remembering this for you, it might be a potion of speed. Oh yes, do that! It was a potion of speed that you were willing to give to Maga-thera. Mark said, remember, this is a unbelievably rare item. It is a rare item. So don't trade it into Maga-thera for...

Can you please change the description? I think she was literally offering like 10 gold for it and you were like, yeah, okay. she was literally offering like 10 gold for it. And you were like, yeah, okay. I was like, I don't do that. I want to imagine the table in five minutes. Herbs and spices. Herbs and spices.

That was it, herbs and spices. Yeah, when you say I want to trade this potion of speed for gambling money, how is Mark gonna react then, Rie? No. No, that's fine. I mean, it is still money. But also like, the Suncrest Isles, because there's a lot more magical study, if you take it to the Copper Crescent Academy,

they'll buy magic items and potions and things like that, and they'll actually probably offer you a small amount of money for that potion. Just a couple of streets away from the Lavender Gardens. I have also got Feywild Herb and Spices. Yeah, I don't think that's worth much. Still be worth something. I still have these Lightning Metal bars,

but I think we're going to make them into armor for Gruff. Yes, I would quite like you to keep hold of those. Yes, I'll keep hold of those for you. Would you like them? I can give them to you for safekeeping. We'll sort that out, but just don't sell them. We could split my Ruby sell. I've got a bottle of blood.

No one wants a bottle of blood. The blood is so valuable. No, for you, yes. Sorry. I'm just, well, is this some sort of in-zoke? Your bottle of blood? No, we've been around, we've traveled a lot. Oh no, I've got a bottle of blood.

Look, it's here. Oh. Isn't it beautiful? Why? For magic, some sort of ritual. For magic, yeah. It ritual. For magic, yeah. It's for some man, I think, is what Maga-Thera said, some...

Oh, right. They have a whole collection of different bloods. So much, so many different, as beautiful. Nofita loves blood. Right. Loves the stuff. Loves it? Who doesn't love blood? Who doesn't?

I've got it all in me. I'm full of it. Full of it. I wouldn't say that. If you come to Osseus, you'll see your blood flowing like doesn't. I've got it all in me. I'm full of it. Full of it. I wouldn't say that. If you come to Osseus, you'll see your blood flowing like waterfalls. It's quite spectacular. Osseus?

Yes, it's a... Well, the place across the sea. Yep, yes. The place full of all the ghouls and the undead and the skeletons. Well, I mean, that's where Ophelia's from. What? Yes.

You're from another land? I am, yes. Yeah, you still haven't, that's Ophelia. Do the full. I'm Sister Ophelia Delarosa of the House of Blood. Oh my, by the saints and scions, what a title. I know. A dragonborn lord, noble.

Well. A yacht near a bar, musician, traveler, wanderer. You said a knight's quest, a knight? Any points in the rough. Knight errant of Sir Gruffydd. A princess? Student of a famous wizard? I have a nickname too.

Killshot. That's right, you do. Do you have a nickname? She is Shot. That's right, you do. Do you have a nickname? She is lethal. Are you an assassin? Maybe. No. No, I'm nice.

But that's what an assassin would say. No, I'm just Daisy, hi. Hi. Watch your back, Gwatae. I'm Daisy. That's all right, Daisy's just there. I mean, did he see me kill the thing? He definitely would've, yeah, he would've seen you.

But I think he thought that was some sort of spell. He thinks you're like a wizard, because you threw a magic glowing sword into a creature and it exploded. I'll summon a glowing dagger. That's great. What, that's, what a cool thing that you can do! We can all do some pretty spectacular things, yes.

Dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun! But like, as soon as Rowan brings it back! But Rowan's like, when you pluck Sosnuto, it's all these different tones and it sounds like this whole band and like the earth and the sand shake in rhythm. He is a man with a lute. Like, there's no, there's nothing special about this.

I give him space in my frequency for him to carve out there. But it's definitely not as cool. Yeah, he is an expert. Yeah, he's good. So Rowan's considered like a master in that case. Rowan is, well he is an expert. So Rowan is like a master in that case. Rowan is, well, the thing is, Rowan is like, being a PC, you're like a level above.

Like a master is like an absolute expert at craft. So I'd say Rowan probably isn't there yet, but he's like building up for that. Also, wait, the Sot-Soluto is doing a lot of work. Yeah, and it's also, there's an inherent magicalness about what he's doing that just elevates all of you, and this goes for all of you, you're all elevated above normal people, right?

Even an expert of something in the same field as you guys, like an expert mage is gonna be nowhere near as powerful as you. Obsidius. Well, he's a dragon. Damn it. Worth a try. And he writes kill Obsidius back in his notes.

It's all he's never left. Same as an expert thief, right? Like, he's not going to be able to disappear into the shadows in the way that Daisy can. Like, Daisy is inherent, like, has a magical thing that makes her even better at this thing. Yeah, we're pretty cool. We're pretty cool.

It's not about Mateo. Mateo is like, he is, I'm gonna give him class features, but he would be a level zero bard, basically. He has bardic inspiration, and I'll maybe let him cast some cantrips. Hey, he has a dagger, man. He had that one dagger. But he is like, baby NPC, like level.

Lots of skill bonuses, not much else. Yeah, speaking of, at this point I'd be like, Matera, missing something, and I produce the dagger. No, there's no way you got that. That must be a different dagger. I totally did. You swam out and you found that dagger in the sea. Check these out.

That's gross. Yep. I can't get rid of it. I'm so sorry. You've got it too. Dagger. Oh yeah, he does. Yes. Ugh.

Yeah. Ugh. Anyway, we've got some stories. It just makes that kind of cat like, ugh, noise. Bars love stories, because you need content. I need to name this. This dagger.

Oh no. Yes, you do. I need to name this. This dagger. Oh no. Yes you do. Shark Slayer, no. Something. Shark Bait, ooh ha ha. Scalebane. Sorry. Scalebane.

That's good Santhi. Thank you. Scalebane's great, sharks have scales. It's been barred. Not Shark Bait, Shark Bait, ooh ha ha. Okay. A little bit too meta, Daisy, I think. Yeah.

Shark Bait, ooh. Scale bait. Anyway, let's go have some fun, have some games, get some money. Yes, let's sell that ruby and then... What do you want to sell? Things like the ruby, you would be able to find. There is a...

What is the name of it? Clothier's. They wouldn't probably buy it, but at number eight, there would be, number eight, would they not just have in the lavender gardens, just like a cashier's? Is that my month I wrote on? If you keep writing, it's just the same. I'm gonna need it back.

Number eight, where is number eight? Number eight, oh. Going insane. Oh, is it gone? Are you playing a game with the dice again? No. You're hiding something. There is no dice. There is, number eight, there is a cat's collection,

which is a sort of, not like a general store, it's kind of like a mixture between like a KET, K-E-T-T, KET's collection. Okay. And it's kind of a sort of P-A-W-N store, a porn store. Thank you for, you preempted that one. But it is also, it's kind of like an upmarket pawn shop

in that it's also like a general store for like general supplies. But they buy and sell in all sorts of goods and they have like more antiquities and odd items and things like that in like, you know, glass cabinets and things like that. But then they also have like racks and like a desk for like mundane supplies that like people

in the town might need. What was the name of that place again? Ket's Collection. K-E-T name of that place again? Ket's Collection. K-E-T-T. Ket. Ket's. So plural of ket. So the collection belonging to ket.

And, and... Matteo would know where that is. Yeah, like Matteo can kind of point you around. You can also ask the guards and stuff. And Ket's Collection is a, like I said, it's kind of a, not like a junk shop, it's kind of a bit more upmarket than that. And you see this kind of very old looking,

let's say like an old Wild Heart, like he's an old Catman Wild Heart, but he's not a humanoid cat person, like the one like a person with cat ears and tail. He's like tabaxi, kind of like full anthropomorphic, and he's a hairless cat. And he's just like really wrinkly, and you can see that he's quite old,

like he's one cat, one eye's gone kind of milky cataract, and he's kind of turning a paper with a single claw. He wears like a luxurious looking smoking jacket kind of robe, and you can see that he very meticulously is taking care of like these odds and ends and trinkets and things like that. And when you enter he's like, may I help you?

I love you. Welcome to the Cab's collection. Shovell in, shovell in. Thank you very much. Cablets are very close to the cabin. It's cramped. Cramped, full of wonders, yes. I suppose, it's just, there is an armoire in my back. But what is inside the armoire?

Mystery! Mystery, I do like mystery. Rowan, off the table. Rowan, take the lead. Hello, I have a ruby. Would you like the ruby for coin? What do you like? I will, I buy, I buy, I sell. If you have wares, I am willing to purchase them.

Now produce the ruby. May I see you to purchase them. Now produce the ruby. May I see it? You may. What is it? Snapped it out of your hand. And he pulls out, he kind of like, you hear him opening drawers, and like he's rummaging,

like somebody rummaging in drawers full of junk, and he pulls out like a jeweler's eye. Now what was it you were saying, Rowan? You wouldn't accept anything less than 150 for this? Well, yes. Yes. 150 gold? Yes, for a ruby of this purity, yes.

Give me a persuasion roll. Is that a helped persuasion roll? Yeah, you can have advantage. Sam Thiers is sort of helping you out. Suck. Keep in mind, if you flub this roll, it's gonna be like Obsidius where he's gonna lose patience. If he loses patience, he's gonna make the price go up.

Or he's gonna give you off for your best. I rolled two, twice. What is your persuasion out of interest? Eight total. Or he's gonna give you off for your best. I rolled two twice. Great! What is your persuasion out of interest? Eight total. Eight total. Eight, okay. Do not insult cats.

Do not insult cats. In my eye, I may be blind in one, but the other works perfectly fine, my dragon lord. It's a, it's a. Miss Ruby. Hmm. That is not that fine a lord. It's a, it's a. This ruby, hmm, it is not that finely cut. I did knock it apart a bit. It has been damaged. I will offer you, at most I would give you 100 gold.

That is significantly lower than we were expecting, I'm afraid, that's a, yeah. Then perhaps you should not have insulted me. I didn't insult you, I was simply stating the price of the ruby. I mean, we're from Ash and Rest, it's the sort of prices they pay here. I just didn't realize wave meat had such low prices.

I knew you were. Give me another persuasion roll. You're gonna have to make up the difference. Yeah, no advantage on this. 26. 26. And that looks at you. 26. 26. And that looks at your... You are bold.

Thanks. 115. I will offer you no more. How many bronze coins is that? That's quite a lot of bronze coins. But it's the only gold. Deal. He licks it, puts it down. That is odd.

It begins, he pulls it. You can see he has to rummage, he goes up, and there's all pouches hanging from all sorts of things behind his desk. And he goes over to them and he's like, pours out the coins, counts them up. He's doing what you did. Goes out to another one, finds more,

silver, puts those away. He sniffs the coins. How do you live like this? I live like that. Make a request, please. Five of that gold in bronze coin. That's a lot of bronze coins. Is it?

Bronze coins. About 50 bronze coins. 50. But you need a place to store it Rowan, remember? Safe keep. All right, very well. If you don't mind. He will load up 110 gold into one bag,

and then 50 bronze coins into another bag. 110 gold and then five. 110 and then 50 bronze coins, yeah. And he will hand those over to you. He starts unlocking like a glass cabinet and he puts the ruby on sort of like a display of other gems and things like that, puts that in there, writes a little handwritten note.

He's selling it for 150 gold, by the way. That's fair. Yeah, I can kinda hate that. Do you do patents? Patents? Yes. What, a patent of what? I don't know, I heard it in a,

or I read it in a magazine. A magazine? An article. A patent for what? They said if you've come up with something really important and you should keep that to yourself. So the other people- I am not some engineer or guild.

I have no interest in buying your schematics or some sort of- Very well. It takes off Lamp Hat. For podcast listeners, Trotmined taking off his ridiculous lantern hat. Pretend you didn't see that. Don't tell him.

Do you have anything more to sell Kett? Can I, while he's talking, can I sort of like look around the rest of the shop? Is there anything of interest in here? Make a perception check, or investigation. Invest, thank God. Just as good, actually. So bad.

I do have advantage, actually, with my gold side eye. 14, 15, 14. 14. I will say, this shop is so crammed full, even with the help of the gold side eye, it's hard to find anything in here. I'm like looking past everyone in a really cramped aisle. You find two things of interest.

You scan one sort of glass camera that has jewelry and rings and stuff in it, and one of them you detect a hint of magic about it, and you can see a rune, it's crude, it doesn't look like it's been made very nicely at all, it's almost just like somebody's bent metal into the shape of a ring and then welded just like a flat, not even like evenly cut symmetrical disc onto it.

It's like so crudely made and then scraped a rune, a magic rune into it. But the rune is a rune of like force. Okay. And that has like a magical quality to it. And that's being sold, it just says ring, question mark. I will say 200 gold. 200 gold for a ring that I have no idea what it does.

And then you're sort of like, you look at that and you're sort of going through it and it's just like at one point like a mannequin like nearly falls on you. You have to push that away. You find like, you know, a rack of like dresses and like tuxedos, like that you're like going through. You go through it, and Daisy's trapped in hell.

How long have you been in here? So long. Daisy's like wrapped in three coats, unable to move. They just attacked. But you, you go through everything and then you find, it's actually propping up a stool that, like a stool that one of its legs is broken, and then that's like next to a desk

that's covered in like books and crap and stuff like that. But one of the stool legs you notice is just a plain metal rod, and when you look at it with the gold sign on, you see glowing runes that don't appear visually. And it appears to be some sort of sturdy metal rod. If you like, can you identify them if you? I can identify, but I think it would take 10 minutes

either way. But let's say about 10 minutes. The ring, I mean, it's quite crudely made. That one? Organic. I suppose there is an organic nature to it, but I can't vouch for the craftsmanship. Yes, this frankly ugly ring, 200 gold for this?

With magic. Do you know that? I know it's magic. You know what kind of magic? What's it do? Magic. Right, you know what? I know it's magic. You know what kind of magic? Magic. Right, you know what? It does magical things. Like, have you tested its effects on anything?

It does forceful things. Right, forceful things. Now, has this been identified by a mage or? Even used at all or? Do you wish to buy the ring? Not for 200 gold, no. Then, yeah, move on. 100 gold.

175. 105 gold. 170 gold. 105 highest offer. Make a persuasion roll. Oh shit, I don't want to buy this fucking thing. I don't know. Persuasion.

21. 21. Oh my god. 150 lowest I will go. No, I already said 105 highest I would go. Then we are at an impasse. Deal, no I don't. He's like, he's one of those really wrinkly, hairless Egyptian cats.

It's just like, he's, and he's very old. He's got liver spots all over him. Half his teeth are missing. Well, I won't accept your 150 for the ring. However, we were looking for some furniture, so this stool, 20 silver. For the stool? You want that old crappy thing?

The thing propping it up as well, I'm trying to like take both. I know what you're trying to do. He's like looking at it, he's just like, ah. Because for the bar, it's quite, you know, it'd be good for the eclectic. Yeah, we think this might just be the exact right height we were looking for. But it's only got three legs.

Well, it's only got three legs. Well... It's something. Yes, if you want the stool for 20 silver. 15. 20 silver. You said 20 already. Okay. You know how to bother. Like, the thing that's holding it up is not attached to the stool.

He is literally selling you the stool. If I pick up both things, I want... No, no, no. is not attached to the stool. He is literally selling you the stool. The three-legged stool. If I pick up both things, I want... No, no, no, the rod is not the stool. Well, I want the rod with the stool. Well, then you have to buy the rod. Well, how much for the rod? Well, he like looks at it.

He's like, oh, 10 gold. 10 gold for a rod? Yeah, it's a metal rod. It's good iron. Good iron. It's good iron. You don't have a common rod. And in rod we trust.

Good iron is not worth 10 gold and you know it. Five gold. Seven gold. Six. Deal. All right, fine, I'll pay six gold first. Yeah? Whatever.

It's got runes on it, right? It's got runes on it. But he only, cause he had the gold side eye, the runes aren't, like the rest of you, Xantheus looks like he's buying like just a squat metal. I mean it's an okay stool. Ah, don't worry about the stool, I don't want the stool anymore, I got the rod.

The why? So that's good. But no, you have to take the stool, you've bought the stool. I'll take the stool as well. That was part of the seven gold, yeah, okay, I'll keep the stool. Guess I take the stool as well. That was part of the seven gold. Okay, I'll keep the stool. Guess I'm carrying a stool to Lavender's Column. Yes, I guess you are.

I hope they don't have seats there. It's a fairly chunky stool as well. And because the rod's not attached, you have to wedge it under and then sit on it. It's really awkward. Here you go, Rowan, can you carry this for me? Yep. I'll keep the rod.

Why does he say yes to it? He hangs it off of his backpack, like by one leg. Well, that's how you haggle. Any other business? Anyone else have anything to sell? Ophelia Knott. I have fine dresses for the fine lady. Oh, I have so many dresses, yes.

Daisy's gone again. Fine jewelry. I have fine jewelry. I mean, I have things. I have a painting. A painting? On you? Yes.

You don't have a painting on you. That is at the tavern. What painting is it? One of the ones that you found? Yeah, that's not on you. You're not walking around with a giant horse. Exactly! No, I am putting my foot down.

You have no bag of holding. You have no, like, it is at the inn. That's like a large scale painting. I'm letting him get away with carrying a stool because he's half giant. That's like a real painting. I'm letting him get away with carrying a stool because he's half giant. That's it. Also, it's a stool.

You do not have a painting on you. It's like a chunky stool. It's like, you know. Well, you walk around with a whole stool. Okay, but walk around with a whole stool. I'm saying she does not have the painting. No, she definitely doesn't have that. That's insane.

I have the painting. No, she definitely doesn't have that. That's insane. I have a book. I have... You know what, I figure we'll meet up with you later. I have a robe. That's my clothes. No, you can't have that. I don't actually have that much. Are you well, my dear?

No, I think I'm having sunstroke. I'm not using this. Very common out here. Drink more water. Oh, water think I'm having sunstroke. I'm not using this water. Very common out here. Drink more water. Oh, water, it's horrible. Like this. Tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk. Oh, no.

Like it was, he doesn't like that. I think I'm going to leave. Yeah, let's thank you for your, whatever that was. I feel like you can have half of this. What is this? The gold, that I got from Ruby. Oh, you sure? 55 gold.

Oh, well thank you. And then we'll all double it. How does Ophelia buy so many things yet have nothing in her inventory? Yeah, but where have they gone? The things. You're not getting my copies. No bronzes.

No, it's okay. Well, I bought the things for Alana Vedante a while ago before you left. I've got to keep her happy, you know. She likes nice things. Stop having a conversation in my shop! It's very dusty in here. Yeah, it's like one of those really musty smelling,

like crammed full of stuff. You sure you don't have that beautiful ring? Under the dresses. Not for 150, no. Very well. Under the dresses! Daisy! How do you stop going to the back of the shop?

I like to imagine Daisy like Ferin is like in a chest and it's just like her legs sticking out flailing. Like just like trapped by like scarves and like crap. All right, Kent, we'll get out of your hair. I mean, he doesn't have any. We'll go. I have hair. That's not you can see.

That's the weirdest thing anyone has ever said to me. All right. TMI catch TMI. Let's go. All right, shed out our money. We're good now, right? Yes. Oh wait, do you have anything to sell?

I don't wanna do this anymore. No, I have money. Don't worry, I have money. Do you both have money for fun? Oh, plenty have money. Do you both have money for fun? Oh, plenty. Yeah. All right, let's have fun. Let's have fun. Yes. Okay.

You. 424 gold. Fucking Christ. You make your way down. I saved it. We got a share from when we saved something, we did something in Eshenrest and we each got, we each got 500 gold and I have 424 gold left. I'm saving it. On a short, short walk, I identify a rod.

Yeah. Yeah? It's an immovable rod. Oh, I knew it. I knew it. That's pretty cool. It's pretty good. That's pretty cool. I mean, it's just the same standard one from D&D 1.

And it takes what, six gold? Six gold. Six gold for an immovable rod. I think that's a deal. That's pretty good. That's a pretty good deal. That's a pretty good deal. But to us, you look like a crazy person, because you just bought a stick.

You have no idea what I've just done today. Now, I will say you have no idea the condition of this immovable rod. Oh! It might run out of power at some point. Oh no. I'm going to say it is an unreliable immovable rod. Oh!

So it might work. We will find out every time you use it. Amazing. Simple mechanic on that, roll a D20. If you ever roll a one or a two, it stops functioning forever. Oh wow. Oh my god.

On activation and deactivation? I will say yes, on activation or deactivation. Yeah. So if it's activated and it runs out of power when you activate it, I will say it stays there forever. Amazing, yes. Or like years before it, like you can't deactivate it and then it just drops at some random point.

It's just a nuisance for everyone. In the way. In the middle of the road. Wagons have to go around it. You won't believe the deal I just made, by the way. This stool is alright, actually. It's a pretty good stool, but this rod, he had no idea it was magical.

It's magical? Yeah. What does it do? Of which a lump of metal. Well, let me just press this button real quick and show you what it does. I really hope it goes. Roll a d20, one or two. It's like in the middle of the road, by the way.

Yeah, yeah. On the main street. A four. A four. Click. And it hovers in place. OK. Wow.

See, it flies. Rowan. Try to move that rod. I can move that rod. Try to move that rod. I can move that rod. You can move the rod, of course you can, of course you can. You've got just full charge at it. Wait a second. Yeah, well, let me give you a hand.

Let me tell you, it's like, like. Grip on the other side. Yeah, yeah. Come on. This is like the Avengers, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah. By the side. Yeah!

It's like when the Avengers try to lift Thor's hammer. I mean, Daisy, you wanna give it a go? No, I'm doing a good job. I had a smile. Yeah! It's like when the Avengers try to force hammer. I mean, Daisy, you wanna give it a go? No, I'm good. Mm-hmm. What sort of infernal machine is this? Machinations. Yeah! Yeah!

Yeah! Yeah! Why won't you die? Why won't you die? Okay, everyone, that's the magic that is contained within this thing. This is everyone, that's the magic that is contained within this thing. This is gonna, you don't understand,

this is gonna disrupt trade for this town. You don't know what you've done. It's okay, don't worry. Dink. I rolled a d20. 18. Okay. Wait. Inmovable rod. That's incredible.

Why, how did you, that's the greatest thing I've ever seen. If I press this button, I'm not doing it again, it will just become completely static wherever I put it. You're the strongest person I've ever seen. That's not how this, sure. It's magic. How does it, how? 20 gold.

Shh. You didn't pay 20. It's magic. Shh. I didn't pay 20, I paid less. It's magic. I'm taking Bob more away. You paid six gold.

Tomorrow I'll kill again. What? It's time to dodge the next one. Ha ha ha. Anyway. My mother sold, my mother was into arms. She sold swords. She spent a big gold,

bit through gaps, slept in a bed good in fucking slacks. So, I made a good deal, I made a good deal. I did a good thing today, I got Dragonborn today. Well done. Right. Anyway, let's go play a game. Can I get to the gambling hall now? Yeah. So as you make your way down...

So I'll move. I like to... Is this on your stool? It's still on the stool. Yes. What would you like to do, Graeme? I'll just sit on my stool. It's only got three legs. Make a Dexterity saving throw. I like to think that Rowan just keeps forgetting, but...

Ten. Ten? You manage to catch yourself before you fall, I guess. Let's make a dexterity saving throw. I like to think that everyone just keeps forgetting. Ten. Ten, you managed to catch yourself before you fall over. Can I have that? Oh yeah, sure, I'll put that in place. Did you click it? Did you just click it? Roll a d20.

Three. So you just sat on a stool in the middle of it. Wow, that is robust. No, it is, it is. It's a four, I did three. So you just sat on a stool in the middle of it. Wow, that is robust. No, it is. It is. I got three. The thing is, I've got no idea this is unreliable, right?

Do you want it back? What happens if we? Yeah, sure. Just, no, you just press that button again. Six. Best idea I've ever had, by the way. Just make an immobile rod unreliiant. It's immediately more fun. It's way more fun to have that two out of 20 chance.

What percentage is that, two out of 20? One in 10. One in 10, so yeah. It's so unlikely to fail. There you go. One, two, three, four. It's a 10% chance, basically. Now I would like to keep this separate from the store.

We'll just get a replacement thing for that store. Or we don't actually have to pay for it. We don't need to pay for anything else. That's the same height as the legs. That's why he was using it. It's exactly the right height. He's obviously gone like, oh, that'll do, and put that in place for the leg.

Not realizing what it is. And didn't it and didn't realize what it did. Because the thing is, you don't know there's a button until you identify it. So until, because it's like hidden in the room, so you don't know. Interesting. Also, while we're here, I would like for us to earn lots of money through gambling.

Yes, that would be preferable. Of course, step one. Yes. Then then, do you remember I had the idea of Ashen's Rest having exotic bottles of liquor and wine and things from different places? I'd like us to buy a real special one to put behind the bar. That's a good idea. I've been sampling a few from the bar.

Yeah, I've been very good at it. Very good. Very good. Very good. Very good. Very good. Very good. You would probably want to find a local thing that's exclusive to this region and find that here. Yeah, you can look into that later.

That'd be a nice treat for us to take back. Yes, we'll have a look around. They'll probably have stuff in the lavender gardens. Yeah. Most likely, possibly. As you make your way down the main street, you see before you this opulent building on the corner. It is at least three to four stories tall.

You can see that there are crowds of people coming and going at all times. Oh, this place looks too busy, actually. Maybe we should go elsewhere. I need to see that. Oh, this place looks too busy, actually. Maybe we should go elsewhere. I need to sit down. You can see that out the front, there is this ornate sort of hanging gardens design

where all of the front of the building is decorated with leaves and plants and flowers, and then it has rivers flowing down the sides of the building, coalescing into a fountain, which magically is going off in different patterns and colors, kind of very Vegas kind of fountains, like in different colors and things like that. Sort of swooping half spiral stairs

lead you up to a grand entrance, where written in illusion magic, so it's glowing, is this very ornate decorative font of the lavender gardens with a flourish and stood there at the front, a handsome pair of attendants wearing these kind of amethyst colored, almost glittering like crystal garments. Like the fabric itself almost looks like it's crystalline in these kind of like royal robes, these big sashes, both have a slight element

of sort of like maid and butler vibe to them. And they just sort of, welcome, welcome to the Lavender Gardens, please come on inside. Let us know if you have any questions, anybody who, as you're sort of coming up. And it leads into a sort of courtyard, not courtyard, a sort of entrance chamber that you can see splits off and goes into two directions

leading further into the complex. There is an enormous glass window that looks onto an interior garden at the very heart of the building, where you can see a bar and chairs and everything. There are gardens and like little plants and botanical areas scattered throughout all of this. And it's all decorated in beautiful purples and golds

and lavenders, soft teals and things like that. Very sumptuous, very rich. Waiters pass by, there are just trays of drinks that they offer, like drink, anyone drink? Anyone like? Yes, please. Yes, and you snatch it up. And it's like a very pleasant, gentle, sparkling wine. Lovely.

How much for the drink? Oh, these are complimentary, sir. Then I will take two. Yes, absolutely. Yes. Another halfling, sort of carrying up on her shoulder with little entrees, like little, kind of almost crackery dishes,

with a little bit of cheese and a slice of fig and some seeds. Yes, yes, please, please help yourselves. Right, I put my two glasses in one hand as I go for some of those as well. Yes? They have snacks. I know, this place is fantastic.

Yes. Yeah. And there's your sort of attending, you can see people are coming and going, and at the heart of this sort of welcome area, there's like a little stage, and you see a man, a dwarf, stood on this, and he is just wearing this vibrant,

almost glowing, purple suit jacket. And then he has a kind of big sash, sort of almost like a toga almost underneath this purple short jacket that goes down to his knees. He is wearing these polished purple leather boots and his beard has been like, ribbons of purple have been woven in amongst all of his beard and he also has flowers just all over him, like on his shoulders,

on his lapels, in his hair, around his belt. He has like wisteria flowers hanging down. And he is just like, welcome, welcome, friends, please come on inside. And you see a lot of people like, it's Master Rafal, it's Master Rafal. And they're sort of like gathering up to him. He's like, welcome, welcome, our rare gift for me to be on the floor. Rare gift, please come and enjoy our games, please come and enjoy.

What are you, is this your first time? Oh, so beautiful to see you, my friend. What's your name? Ah, beautiful world, please, let us get a drink for my friend to celebrate it. And he's calling out. I'm just being this master of, this host and master of ceremonies.

Master Rafal? Yes, and you would hear that his name is Rafal Iag, and you would hear that his name is Rafal Ir-Gildenthal. So, R-A-F-A-L. And then I-R, like lowercase I-R, dash Gildenthal. G-I-L-D-E-N-T-H-A-L. Rafal Ir-Gildenthal.

Gotcha. And you can see that being a dwarf, his earth skin is gold, and it has been polished into golden flowers that almost look like they're coming out of his neck. You can see a few on his arms, one out of a knuckle, and they've all been in different types of flower and leaf and everything, and they've been beautifully carved.

This is some exquisite metalwork to work the gold into that design. And he's just big smiling, he's got a gold tooth. And he's just like, ah yes, hello my friend, oh welcome, welcome, brilliant, brilliant, oh marvelous. Oh good luck todays, he sees somebody winning, carrying all these tokens and prizes and gold. He's like, oh we have a glorious winner!

And you can see a lot of attention lavishing it on. As you all sort of looking around, the crowd sort of moves on and he sees you. He's like, what is this? We have some new guests? Welcome, welcome, please come on in, come on down. Enjoy yourselves here in my garden. Well, thank you very much for having us

in your beautiful garden. No, it is my pleasure. Now, I have a good mind for faces and I do not remember seeing any of you here before. Is this your first time here in the gardens? Yes, it is. Yes? Oh, well then please let me be the first to truly welcome you to the Lavender Gardens.

My little piece of paradise, my center of the mind and of chance. I am the master of ceremonies. I am Raphael Gunther, one needs to bow deeply. A pleasure. What would you recommend we play first? Oh, what a question, one of my favorites to hear.

You have come with something in mind, or you are open to new experiences. Tell me, my friend, what kind of things appeal to you? Do you like the thrill of the unknown? Of rolling a dice and gambling it all on the results? I hate rolling dice. Do you like to tease and test the minds of others? Somebody who enjoys perhaps a little deduction

and skill with a bluff and a lie. I'm good at reading other people's faces. You should play that. Or do you like strategy? Perhaps you have a tactical mind. I think we are quite tactically. Very tactical. I'm just in time places of sweep to be honest.

I like the thrill. Well, thrills are good. I do like thrills. I mean we were intending to partake in a little bit of gambling as well. Yes, yes, well there's plenty of that here, my friend, don't worry about that. So, I shall explain it to you all first.

There are games in which one can wage a coin and win coin in return. Okay. There are also other games, and for those, there is a fee to play said games, and one wins fortune tokens. And these tokens can be exchanged for wonders, prizes, gifts, luxuries,

sweets, drinks, whatever you wish. Can these fortune tokens be transferred into gold coins? That, no. That is what the gambling games where you can wager coin against coin are for specifically. But these fortune tokens, it is something we share across all the gambling halls of the Suncresta. Also, should you visit somewhere else, you can take your tokens from the Lavender Garden

and use them elsewhere with you as well. Hell yes. Hell fucking yes. And in a way, they are their own form of currency, friend. You can buy drinks with them, you can buy accommodations, even the Lavender Gardens does not have rooms for travelers to stay in, but other gambling halls, gaming halls across the isles do.

I certainly wouldn't mind looking at the luxuries or prizes that we could win with these. Yes, well, you have plenty of time for that, my friend. Why don't you enjoy some games first? Yes. In fact, let me give you something to get you started. A complimentary game chip for all of you, and it gives you one game chip.

Oh, thank you. This will entitle you to play any round of any of our non-gambling games for free. Well, it makes sense for us to start with something light before we start to put some money. Well, the real gambling for gold, we have a responsibility. We don't like to see people getting themselves into debt

or to struggle with making bets that they cannot afford to pay. So we do try and make sure that we look after such individuals and we do not let them get themselves into too much trouble. So we try to mitigate it. But those who are willing and have a little coin to spare, of course we'd love to offer the opportunity

to test your skills against another who has seeks the same fortune and glory as you do, of course. It seems that that might be your kind of thing, sir. You have got that eye about you. You wish to test yourself. You read me so well. Perhaps, well, two games come to mind. Two games?

One which is gambling and one which is not. Nine Mages is a tactical strategic game. It is in fact created by early dragons. The early bronze dragons created as a way to teach tactics and strategy. Yes, it's very much about spatial awareness, planning ahead, thinking before your opponent. And that is a non-gambling game.

It will cost you a game token or gold to play. And if you win, you win tokens. Have I heard of nine mages? I don't think you would have, no. Do you have any proficiency in dice games or card games? Simple weapons? Nope. Okay, no then.

Nope. It's weird, I'm surprised I don't actually. Okay. But no, I haven't heard of nine mages. So you haven't heard of that. It sounds fun. It sounds like a strategy kind of game. That's sounds fun. Sounds like a strategy kind of game. That's my speed.

More like a chess kind of game. And then he says, but if you are looking to wager some gold. Eventually. Crown and sword is always a favorite. Crown and sword. That sounds fun. Never played it.

Would you like me to give you the brief rules? Well, what would everyone else like to do? That one sounds cool. This nine mages, is this a one versus one kind of game? Yes, it is. Normally it is played one versus one, yes. Okay. I'll watch.

What? I'll watch you play. You can play. It'll be a good starter game to get our tippy toes wet. Yes. There's also, we also have for larger groups, if you wish to indulge in a group game, we have the Court of Masks,

which is a social deduction game that you play with a large group. All right, sounds good, let's do that. It's quite good fun, a lot of groups of friends like to come and play it as well. We're friends. We offer private rooms, but also you can play it here in the hall and win fortune tokens with it as well. We're friends. That's nice. We offer private rooms, but also you can play it here in the hall

and win fortune tokens with it as well. Hmm. Sounds fun. Let's do that. So that is a game where you will each be given a hidden role and there are different teams within the game that are trying to complete different objectives and you must lie and deduce and suspect

and also perhaps persuade others to go with what you are trying to achieve. Oh. That sounds fun. Okay, okay. And then finally perhaps something more casual. There are other games of course, but something a bit more casual.

We have our famous, we have our famous lucky frog machines as well. What? What is it? What was that? The lucky frog machines. Lucky frog. Yeah.

What is that? Well, we had them commissioned by someone long ago. And they seem to be quite popular. They seem to be sort of a more casual way of winning fortune tokens. And he gestures to these rows and rows of these magical looking machines that sort of stand up, that have like spinning, they're basically slot machines,

but they have like different symbols and they're all decorated and they're very ostentatious, gilded, like glowing like magical like little features on them and things like that. Does it say ZZZ on the side of it? You would have to go up and examine them. Can I go and have a look? You can, yeah, yeah. And finding on the side of it? You would have to go up and jam it. Can I go and have a look? You can, yeah, yeah.

And finding on the back of these machines, produced by ZZZ. Yeah. Rowan is the same person who made the clever toad. Really? Yeah. I did different things. I'll be right back.

That's incredible. I go and start the fun. Straight to the lucky frog, okay. Of course he does. The lucky frog is one gold a go. Straight to the lucky frog, okay. Of course he does. The lucky frog is one gold ago. You put the gold in. They're a little more expensive than I'm afraid. Pull the, there's like a big lever on the side.

You pull that and you watch as these kind of, it's like a mixture of clockwork and magic at work as these three wheels begin to spin. Can you roll 3d8 for me, Christoph? Okay, no. Oh my god, that's like so difficult. They're gonna have to match or something. That's so, that's like, ugh.

Now, what did you get? Eight, eight, one. Eight, eight, one, so you got a double, and double eight as well. Clever turn. You get two frogs. Show off. Two frogs, but their eyes are like gold coins

and they're like, there's sparkles all around them. And it's, and you got a one, did you say? The one would be a, it's like a very grumpy looking bird man face. Interesting. Tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch tch What does the bird man look like? What do you think he looks like, G? He looks like a sort of peregrine hawk, kind of like with a little tuft of feathers out the eyes. Out the eyes. Out the eyes.

He has an eye patch. Interesting. Some weird yellow beak. Strange symbol to have in there. Well, wait, Rowan, how much? But he's kind of like making an angry face, like. I just got eight fortune tokens for one gold. One gold?

That's incredible. I'm gonna put one gold in all the slot machines. If I do this this many times, I get way more. Let's say you do a row of five. Roll 3D8. Two, two, five. Two, two, five, so another double. You get two fortune tokens.

Okay. Oh, so for as many as the number in the 10. You gotta write this down, I'm not keeping track of it for you. So you've done one. That's not a double. So what is that, a nothing? What did you get?

What did you get though? Five, three, and eight. Five, three, eight, okay. Nope, you don't get anything. Hello, Tos. Nothing comes out. You might get something for like a sequence of numbers. Maybe.

Six, five, three. Six, five, three, nothing. Six, five, three, nothing. Okay, total, right. And now we start doing the big ones. Two more. Seven, six, three. Nope. Okay, nice one, nice one.

Six, three, two. Nope. Right. So you do five and- Do you have a hand total? Have I done? You've done six, you've got 10 tokens. Right. So you do five and... You've got ten total. Have I done? You've spent six, you've got ten tokens. Well... We still kind of... Mark off that six gold, please. Well, Rowan, you look like you're having just the most...

He's like, ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. I didn't get any more tokens. Are there any more icons? Yeah, there's different icons, yeah. But none of them are, it's like star, there'd be like a bell. There's only two characters. Like a fruit. So there's the frog and the angry bird myth. There is also, on the seven,

the seven is a kind of like, really quite handsome looking wizard in like a blue pointy hat. And he's like cheekily winking at you. Nice. Incredible. Okay. Yeah. The bird looks really dumb and angry. A portal opens up and this bird man goes.

Slightly worse drawn as well. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay, cool. Hell, this bird sounds exactly like me. But yeah, you see Rowan is pulling on all these things on the lucky frog. I mean, I'm happy to either leave you to it or if you want to come along to the, I want to try out this nine mage.

You can do that while I'm doing it. Yeah, if you want, yeah. Is it a single player anyway? I'll come in at nearly the end. Would I be going against another one of us? So the way that nine mages work is it's like a little lobby.

So you actually kind of go out into the building and you go up to the second floor. And the second floor is all like split off into three different rooms. And one of them is, it's got like nine mages as a, it's got like a name above the door. And it has these two very stylized like wizards in robes like kind of pointing at each other.

Oh no, I like that. And when you step inside, you can see that it's all, it's like chess tables laid out, but with like, a seat on either side, and it has like the little timers, like little crystals that you tap to keep the time. And you basically, the way it works is you pay a fee, and then they will match you against a random opponent

who is also looking to play, basically. So we're gonna lobby, bro. What's the fee and where are the rules? So it is 20 gold to play a match, and if you win, you win 50 fortune tokens. That is a risk I'm willing to take. 20 gold removed. Can I have a rule book?

Yeah, so there's a very charming, let's say a half elf woman. And she's like, yes, I can give you a tutorial if you would like to. Thank you, I've never played the game before. It's quite a complicated looking board. So, Sam will have to try and zoom in on this. Okay.

So, whoops. You see before you quill, you see inlaid into the table, Quill? I'm sorry, it's because I've got quill on the brain. Xanthias. Yep. You see a series of squares connected by lines

with dots on any kind of joins and corners. For those of you who are familiar, this is Nine Man's Morris, which is a very famous old game. And the way it works is you take turns placing tokens down, in this case, purple and bronze, like little gemstones. And you start off, you place nine tokens each on each of the little dots.

If you get three in a row, you can remove one of your opponent's pieces. Then once all the pieces are placed, you take it in turns to move one of your pieces around the board following the lines. And again, if you get three in a row, you get to take away an opponent's piece. If you get down to three remaining pieces,

if all you've got left is three pieces, you can move anywhere on the board with them. But once you're down to two or fewer pieces, or if your pieces can't move anymore, you lose the match. I have been watching the Korean game, The Devil's Play. Yeah, yeah we have. That's why I'm sighing so much. Because.

In preparation. Oh God, I'm not gonna win this. What do you mean? I'm not gonna win this. I've never played this game before. That's true. Even play. That's true. But yeah, for podcast listeners,

just give the night wins, Boris. Also, we don't have the time to play it today, so. No, that's right. Do I make a roll in that case? No, we will play this next time. We're playing it next time. You can all watch me and Tom play a game of nine majors, AKA nine majors.

Let's come in early next time, and we can do it for like a members thing. Just like, just cut away to this? No, I want it in the main episode. You want it in the main episode? Yeah, I want it in the main episode. All right, podcast the main episode? Yeah, I want it in the main episode. All right, podcast listeners, get ready, because next time we're going to describe

Nine Men's Morris turn by turn to you. That's fine. Yeah. Also, is the board correct? Does it have the missing line at the top there? I don't know. I Wikipediaed Nine Men's Morris, and that was the picture attached to Wikipedia,

and I printed it. Okay, it's not. So I'm gonna assume it is. That's Nine Mages. In fact, I think that is right, because I remember it being like, Okay, there's a missed one. But maybe it's not.

Hey, that's Nine Mages. Nine Mages. Nine Mages. Nine Mages doesn't have one line for some reason. And then it breaks into a tie. It probably does. It probably does. I've paid, I'm entering this tournament. So who would I be going, I'm looking around the room,

there are some very, very concentrating faces in there, I imagine. There's people like this, and it's all different ages as well. There's no children allowed in the gaming halls because there is alcohol and gambling and things like that. But the youngest is sort of 17, 18, and they're intently staring at this board,

placing these movements and things like that. You can see a few people look like tourists who are just giving it a go. And you can see that there is, excuse me, not like a matchmaking, but they do tend to be like, they're not gonna put you up against some incredible pro player. They're gonna kind of match you against somebody.

Now this is my first time playing this game, so I mean, is there someone maybe just as... We will make sure that you are somebody against somebody just as an experience. And that would still be for 50 tokens if I win against somebody? Yes, that's right, yes. We do offer, a lot of people come here

to play for ranking. We offer it as a sort of competitive gambling for fortune tokens, but also a lot of people come to play in tournaments and rankings and things like that. That tends to not be for Fortune tokens or gold, that tends to just be for prestige. I do like prestige.

Daisy Ophelia, would you like to? I think you would have little ways to go before you could join in on any of those tournaments. Oh, you're about to see something amazing. No. I would love to see that, sir. Daisy Ophelia, would you want to join in this as well? Or do you want to be around?

I'm just gonna, I'm here for moral support. I mean, you can play your own games as well, if you'd like. Well, I'm here for money, so I'm going to find something that gives me a little bit of cash, I think. Yeah, well, the easiest one to do for that would be Crown and Sword. And we can do that, like, if you guys want to do that

all together, we can do that later as well. You can play against each other, if you would like. Ooh! Okay, well, at least I'll, I at least want to see my competitor. Like if you guys wanna do that all together, we can do that later as well. You can play against each other if you would like. Okay, well at least I wanna see my competitor. Okay, it will be against a sort of middle-aged woman, like a, let's say a wolf wild heart. But she's like middle-aged, she's clearly with like her partner,

and they're sort of like, ooh, and they're like playing against each other, and they finished a game, and then she obviously is like, comes up and is like, yes, I want to play again, and they're like, oh, perfect, we have two brand new players, like. Looks like I'm going to be your competitor for this game. Yes, as you have played one game already, madam,

although that was your first game, we will give the advantage to the sir, so you will be going first, which gives you an advantage. Thank you, it is my first time playing this game. Oh yeah, that sounds fine. I am just here to give it a go, I didn't really know what I'm doing. I'm about to get destroyed.

Nice. I will consider if we do it in the episode or if we do it as a members video, because I do appreciate that for podcast listeners, it would be the worst. But with that, I'm potentially looking at doing a round of crown and sword amongst the rest of the team as a little betting game.

We will get to that next time. Yeah, it's gambling time, it's gaming time. Gambling time, baby. Gambling time. High rollers. I will try and come up with even more mini games, specifically for Riannon, because I know there's like,

there's a high drive of playing mini games there, so. Perfect, with that, thank you very much for joining us, everybody. We will see you next time. Hell yeah. Hell yeah. Bye. See you next time. Bye. And we're the Video Game Outsiders podcast and we just joined the Pickaxe Network.

That's right. We've been covering video game news and reviews for the past 20 years. On everything from Xbox, PC, Switch, and PlayStation. Sony's dead. They're not dead. PC Master Race. Anyway, if you want to hear us, if you want to know more about the show and listen to John and I argue every week, you can do that on VideoGameOutsiders.com or anywhere podcasts are available.