High Rollers DnD - The Harlequin (Part 2) | Altheya: The Dragon Empire #84

Episode Date: November 13, 2025

The team are guided towards a new ally in the city of Vathalien... the ever mysterious and curiously powerful Harlequin! Altheya: The Dragon Empire Campaign Setting begins in Q1 2026! Register intere...st and support the journey to release here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/rollandplaypress/high-rollers-altheya-the-dragon-empire Can't wait for Part 2 of each episode? Join our Patreon to get early access EVERY week (+ a few other bonuses)! www.patreon.com/HighRollers⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ _______________ 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 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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Starting point is 00:00:00 Pickax Pickax. have entered the city of Vathalian in the Faywild, having successfully managed to bluff their way inside. That's right. We deserve some close calls, some close calls. But you snuck your way inside and through convincing one of the locals
Starting point is 00:00:49 that you are here to help and that you are not some servants of the unseely, you have been directed towards a figure that you be able to help you. Plus you. Wow. Oh, God, the disguise is dropped immediately. We've been caught.
Starting point is 00:01:02 What a noise that was. No, it's because she tried to stop it for so long. And then just unleashed. Blit! Blah! The episode of bodily noises. Anyone want to fart next? Why am I surrounded by this?
Starting point is 00:01:14 I'm going to fart next. It's going to be fine. I'm sorry. You have been directed to an abandoned marketplace, and having waited there, you have been directed to speak with a figure called the Harlequin. And indeed, as you wait, you begin to see that the elven people of this city,
Starting point is 00:01:34 at least those still remaining, those tormented by the unsealie, have gathered, and in this gathering, the Harlequin and their people, their organization, whatever it is, have appeared to hand out supplies and goods and things like that. And, yeah, you see them moving about the people. you would watch as they begin giving out supplies,
Starting point is 00:02:03 the harlequin themselves, their sort of magic animated scarf, going into various bandolier of pockets and pouches and giving out sweets to children, and perhaps some of the more mirthful and youthful of the fave and though there may not be fully children, some of the satyrs and pixies and things like that, the joyful people come buzzing up and things like that.
Starting point is 00:02:25 The Harlequin, their head and their mask looks directly into the building you guys are hiding in, sort of tilts their head, and then goes back to whatever they were doing. And you would hear, because your Comprehend languages would have ended by now, Rowan,
Starting point is 00:02:42 because it only lasts an hour. Eventually they gather everybody up, and you would hear them speak in this Sylvan language, this elven language. And the harlequin, their voice, projects from underneath that mask as if unaffected by anything on their face. And they speak with, most of the elves that you've met have a very androgynous, you know, not very clearly male or female sort of switching between the two. The harlequin has a much more sort of masculine demeanor to them and their voice is much more masculine.
Starting point is 00:03:19 Elefeth Eccanar, there are men, elethetheth, and begins speaking with the crowd. and the crowd respond into something. And you pick up from subtle clues that it's almost like a request as the Harlequin sort of bows and begins to perform a small sort of little one-man play that tells the story. Again, it's all in the language you don't understand, but the story that you pick up on is two rivals,
Starting point is 00:03:52 two rivals in the sword, two rivals in poetry, two rivals in music, who sort of chase and hound each other at every opportunity, but eventually fall in deep, deep love with one another, though their rivalry continues, even though they are utterly devoted to each other. And you get the sense that these two figures are perhaps deities to the elves, that they are some sort of gods or belief, and that they inspire competition and to drive you on
Starting point is 00:04:25 to kind of raise yourself up against the people that stand against you and to be better than yourself. And this story kind of is told. And there are jokes, there are funny bits, there are sad bits. And even though you don't understand the language, the performance, like this harlequin, the way they use their body, is so natural and instinctive. And you pick up on these story beats,
Starting point is 00:04:47 even without understanding a word. And Rowan, you would note with the kind of sweep of their hand, music begins to follow them around, like when you play Sostanuto and music fills that around. And that music helps guide that story as well. It sets the tone. When it's more funny, there's a bit more of a jaunty comedy vibe to it. When it's tragic and beautiful, there is a somber delicateness to it.
Starting point is 00:05:10 When they clash, he manages to almost fight himself and, you know, a little bit like wit in the stormlight. there is almost this other illusory duplicate that faces off against him and he fights and duels himself in a sort of fencing duel and then eventually sort of embraces and sort of leans down and romantically kisses this image before it dissipates and things like that and there is this exceptional showmanship to this performance and the people it's all very hushed though
Starting point is 00:05:38 as if they don't want the sound and the music to spill beyond this square and eventually this performance comes to an end the supplies are given out, the harlequin makes time to go and speak with all of the elves. But every now and again, and I think that maybe at the end of the performance, as they bow to this light, light clapping, there is a bow in the direction of the building that you're all in.
Starting point is 00:06:04 I eventually wait, and you see that all of the other troop that have been gathered, they escort the other elves away until it's just the harlequin sat on this dried fountain. And you see that they, with a, I think that they would, they're just juggling a dagger, a couple, a pair of three daggers, they're just sort of idly, and then they catch it, put it into their belt, and then just look over. And in Ilmerin will say, it is safe now, you can come out. Thank you for your patience. my assembled audience.
Starting point is 00:06:47 A role will come out clapping. Wonderful performance, really good. My thank you, good friend, my strange but not unwelcome audience of a different world. What are these new players that doth appear in this curtain call of the great Vathalian? Hello, my name's Graf.
Starting point is 00:07:12 I'm from a little village called Tremoro. Ah. Welcome to the stage, gruffeth of Tremoro, the little village. Far, far from home it would seem our player has come. Quite far. These are my companions. We are here on a task for another elf. Ah, one of my kith and kin has bid you into the city of Payne Torment.
Starting point is 00:07:37 A gift I can't imagine is so easily and welcome amongst you. amongst you. What do you take of our once great city? I must admit, I did not expect this level of pain and torment and the subjugation of the meek, the infirm and the vulnerable. Alas, a tragic tale is that of the elves and of Vathalian, and now Queen Melisgari of the blooded eye now rules this roost, and such many of its pigeons have flown away, leaving only only the weak, the infirm, and the vulnerable behind. What is your name?
Starting point is 00:08:19 Daisy. So sweet a thing and full of light, this player doth enter the stage, it seems. Yeah, our friend is called Blackwing, but I can't remember their full elven name. A Blackwing. A bird who flew the coop long before the... flew the coop long ago.
Starting point is 00:08:42 Have they sent you to fetch the sticks and stones that they left behind? Something like that. Yeah, but it wasn't sticks or stones. It was a few other things. Yeah. What have they sent you to recover from their wayward nest? Well, I remember off the top of the dome.
Starting point is 00:08:59 Well, it was a folio of their artwork. Yeah. A jewelry box. Loven blanket. All various things scattered around their previous residents. Blackwing painted a very different picture of Phithalian, and we came to encounter arriving here. Santhius Oregon, by the way.
Starting point is 00:09:19 Santhius Oregon, a delightful name. Are you hero or villain in this little story? We're a hero every time. Of course you are. Of course, we all are, or we not, the heroes of our story. And Blackwing, yes. Painter, quite a painter and a poet and a weaver of many things. that they have not set neither claw or wing
Starting point is 00:09:44 within Bathalian in some time. I imagine that their fond memories of a once beloved city very different to the reality of today. Quite what luck befalls the actor who departs the stage before the final curtain call. I imagine a creature of Black Wings' power would be of much use. here right now. As would many of the fallen elves,
Starting point is 00:10:15 once the king and queen's guard, or the loyal warriors, or those even who kept to the shadows, you would be surprised at what little such individuals can achieve when darkens spreads across such a great, great error of our once beloved home. I would know. But tell me, what does a daughter of the lands so gray and barren
Starting point is 00:10:42 o' to an elf like Blackwing. You are a delightful sight, but one I did not expect to see upon this stage tonight. Oh, thank you. I am Sister Ophelia Delrosa of the House of Blood. I'm here just to accompany my companions on this quest. Blackwing has no sway upon me at this moment in time. I don't owe them anything.
Starting point is 00:11:05 They owe me nothing. Mm. Curious. Curious, curious, curious. Once long ago, when I took to a very different art, servants of the Land of Grey were Once I came across too often. Many times did our blades clash
Starting point is 00:11:33 And he begins to almost mime that duel that he did earlier. Never once did I think that one would visit my city in such pleasant tones. You would have been, well, very unwelcome here long ago, and still would be. For even though the unsealie are full of hate and spite, their nature still turned towards the enemies of old, is vicious still. vicious still. They may hate their people, but they hate the other realms far more, for the old grudges still linger. The Thayernilmere have shown me that just enough, don't worry about that. Hmm. Your mortal world.
Starting point is 00:12:24 Sorry, I'm going to sneeze. Carry on. There's some dust in the air. I'm sorry. Why would it come out? He's stuck. He's stuck like that. This is role-playing. Zantias is gonna sneeze. I'm gonna breathe fire. Harlequin. Yes.
Starting point is 00:12:44 Firstly, I just wanna say the music that you emanated was stunning. He loved the addition. Thank you. Secondly, you decided to stay in the Faye. I'm interested as to why. Decisions, decisions. I am not the writer of this story. I, the script was written for me long ago.
Starting point is 00:13:07 I made no choice of the matter, no, no, no. Everything's predetermined? My story is. I have no choice? Perhaps you do, perhaps you do not. I am not the author of your story either. I would not begin to anticipate it. I know what my place in this great tale is,
Starting point is 00:13:25 and clearly yours and mine have coincided. You will be a player in this great tragedy, at least. Tragedy. Oh, yes, the tragedy of Vathalian. How else could you describe such a tale? Look upon the city and what you have seen. It is saddening to see it in this state. Even us outsiders can tell the difference between what was before and what has been done to it.
Starting point is 00:13:52 It's awful. Tell me, maestro, for truly I can see by that... I haven't been called that before. Well, but you bear the instrument of one. I do. But it's such a big word. You know? Yes.
Starting point is 00:14:05 Such a title. Well, an artist must respect and acknowledge another artist. Where mine perhaps is swayed by words and deed upon a stage. Yours is through music of great renown. Wow. I do some local gigs. But tell me, I have a question for you then. Were you in a position to rewrite the fate,
Starting point is 00:14:29 rewrite the script and tell a different tale of Athalian? would you? I feel like we are merely stagehands rather than main actors, so to speak. We are merely here to swap out a prop in the back. But is it not the nature of a stagehand? One misplaced prop, one trapdoor unclosed or curtain called too early
Starting point is 00:14:55 can bring the end to a performer's fate? Well, frankly, I didn't know the stakes were so high. Yeah, what could some simple stage hands, simply arriving to procure some, like Rowan said, props and quickly flee the scene, possibly do to change the fate of Athalion? Perhaps you are right.
Starting point is 00:15:18 Perhaps for now, these humble stage hands, if that is what you are to be, are but shadows flitting across the back of the set. Perhaps you are merely here to gather up poor lost birds. nests, but perhaps one day if these understudies would take to the stage. And you see that from nowhere a knife has appeared in his hands and he's kind of dancing it across his fingers. Perhaps one day these understudies shall take upon themselves a main role and assist in a queen's downfall.
Starting point is 00:15:58 like grabs it and sticks it into the stone next to him or the wooden fountain next to him. Such a prize could not be gathered. Well, the great father helping the fay. What a power play that would be, eh? Quite. Well, if the father of unlife would ever wish to have a great debt owed to him,
Starting point is 00:16:23 then there are those there are those artists who do not for whom vengeance is the greatest muse of all and they are willing to give up a part of themselves to see that story told. Is this a script you've seen fully written and is this just a casting call or... I am but a humble player, Xanthius.
Starting point is 00:16:55 I would not dare to dream. of what scripts may come and what tales may delight upon the great stage that is Vathalian. But if I can see, were I a dreamer? Were I one to envision? I would like to believe that such a tale could one day take place? Should I find the cast brave enough to join me? Groffith. Hello.
Starting point is 00:17:29 Are we actually in a play? I don't really understand. On that note, I'm a rather simple man of simple words. It's my wife. The finest audience we can imagine. It's my wife who does the storytelling and has a beautiful... You are a lucky man? I am incredibly lucky.
Starting point is 00:17:44 I don't even know how I managed to convince her to marry me. But that's another story for another day. She's the one who uses words. I speak plainly. I do not like what I've seen here. It is cruel, it is unkind, and there is a great injustice in this, injustice in this world. What can I do to help? For now, dear sweet simple gruff, for now perhaps you are not the actors I seek.
Starting point is 00:18:15 For the queen is a foe most terrible, a dragon, literally in need of slaying in the old stories of your world, I think. ago, but she is perhaps a little beyond you for now. For now, help the bird, take back their trinkets, remind them of what you have seen here. If you wish to help Vathalian, perhaps the raven need return to its roost. I won't do what I can. This place is not right.
Starting point is 00:18:52 Alas, the unseely can never not be a part of the Faye-Wield. They are as much a part of life as we are. Light and shadow, dawn and dusk. Cruelty, well, think of the winter in your realm. Is that not cruel? It kills the starving and the hungry. It robs the strong of their strength. Cruelty is as part of life as is joy. One cannot exist without the other sometimes.
Starting point is 00:19:26 But to see this, to see such tragedy on such a scale, to see such a dark tale spread across the stage, I would like to see. I would much prefer to be in a comedy once more. The third of my tenants is to bring hope and comfort to those in need. need. Oh. If I must, I will return here.
Starting point is 00:19:58 I'm just one man. But I will help in any way I can. Well, on a stage as dark as this, perhaps it is just but one man who will make that final line of dialogue ring true. Perhaps it will be that one man who makes the cunning play, the final strike. The final strike before the great curtain comes crashing down. But still, you are here for other business, and you have no doubt been sent to the harlequin to seek some aid. For few in this city will speak of the language of your world,
Starting point is 00:20:36 nor be able to entreat with you. You have come to quite a dark and dangerous place. Yes. The scarf and offers Daisy a little wrapped candy. Well, yes, we obviously have, what? Yeah, carry-eye. Oh. Wait, is this free?
Starting point is 00:20:58 Forgive me, forgive me. I give it freely and without any obligation, little Daisy. Well done. What a sweet little... Thank you, Graf. I mean, it's after all that's the whole reason why we're here in the first place. Yeah, you're kind of...
Starting point is 00:21:12 I promise, yeah. The Raven up to its old tricks again, I see. Yes. A fever for a fever. The raven. We are looking for... We're looking for... Quoth. Quoth.
Starting point is 00:21:22 We're quothing. What? I thought it's quoth. I don't know. Quoffing is quite a different thing entirely. What a very weird thing to say, Rowan. It's like... So it's queffing.
Starting point is 00:21:34 But we are looking close. Oh, okay. Okay, Rianan. You didn't need to go there. God. Ophelia, please. Wow. We were all there on the certain.
Starting point is 00:21:47 We are all thinking it. We were all thinking it. We were not all thinking it. I was just the only one, brave enough to say it. The three cues. Courage is the words that we need right now, courage. The three cues, quoth, quiff. That's a new t-shirt design.
Starting point is 00:22:03 The three tenets of life. This episode. No, definitely not. The picture is that thumbnail. It's Rihannin's in it. We're looking for his hairs. It's in the tapestry. In the tapestry.
Starting point is 00:22:18 In the tapestry. side of the city, yes, in order to procure those items. Yes, I can send you on your way and guide you to... You just can't help it, can you? You just have to... You all have to. You just really had to let that grow up. Genuinely, I don't think we were all thinking. You and Trot might be.
Starting point is 00:22:37 Come on. I was. Yeah, the majority of the table. All right, okay, I will give you the majority of the table. Let's not use the word. Thank you. I don't use the word everybody. Honestly, I praise the bravery.
Starting point is 00:22:48 Thank you. I'm so quick that we didn't have a chance to think of it before it was already over. There was no hesitation. I welcome someone else just blurting something out. Exactly, see? And I'm glad. And I'm glad. Sometimes the tap just stays on just a little bit, you know?
Starting point is 00:23:03 Sometimes. Sometimes it stays on too long. Sometimes. Sometimes it floods the bathroom. Sometimes that water bill's going right up. Yeah. Are we good? Are we done?
Starting point is 00:23:12 Huh? Should we put this aside? Yeah. We'll come back. It's got to come back. Always does. Yeah. Like a blocked drain?
Starting point is 00:23:21 Like a blocked drain. With that. It is just a natural... No, I can't stop. Shall I just give it a bit more? I'm just going to give it a bit more time. You tell me when you're ready to continue playing the game. You tell the story.
Starting point is 00:23:34 We'll just suddenly weave it in sometime. I'd rather you didn't. We'll see. We'll see. Got a pissed on a lady. That's true. That's true. I'm surprised you guys aren't giving her a harder time. Oh.
Starting point is 00:23:46 You're a hard. Yeah! Right. Tiny hat. You, the harlequin will say, yes. The raven, I will guide you to the raven's nests. Free George! Yes, yes, yes, no obligation.
Starting point is 00:24:04 You're being so responsible. Grafted the noise and it reminded me. However, I will not be able to assist you myself. I have other matters that I must attend to in this dance that we employ here. And I should give you fair warning. The tapestry, one of the few thorns in our new-blooded queens.
Starting point is 00:24:34 I, the tapestry was once home, and with a gesture, he sort of conjures in the fountain, with the sort of central part of the fountain becoming this great tree and creating like almost a replica of the city, and this illusorin illusion, zooms in on a part of the city. The tapestry was once home to majors of all kinds, the greatest weavers and enchanters of the great city of Vathalian. They created such beauty,
Starting point is 00:25:05 created weapons and instruments and clothing that glittered and glamored and was full of magic of the Fayweild. So prominent was the tapestry that even the royal family themselves gave them an entire portion of the city to call their own, build what you like, construct towers and homes, fill it with your arcane wonders. And then when the coup came, and you see this illusion,
Starting point is 00:25:33 sort of parts of the city turn dark, and you see little miniature armies kind of working their way in. The great Queen Melisgari knew that these troublesome weavers would be quite the problem, and dispatched her people to bombard it with magic and rocks from the Cyclops and all sorts of destruction reigned upon it. The weavers that had remained were killed. But they left one last gift for our new queen. Their guardians, the spells that they conjured, they linger still in the tapestry. And so far, the queen's forces have found it a rather troubled. place to be. Alas, unfortunately, the spirits and the guardians and the spells that linger there still cannot tell friend from foe, and so the whole district has become closed and sealed off, too dangerous until the queen can find a way to deal with these troublesome wandering wizardries.
Starting point is 00:26:38 So, once you get inside, there may be some challenges that you must overcome, but Blackwing's nest is not far to be found. I can take you there, whenever you are ready. It's good to know the Queen still has trouble in her own fiefdom. Yeah. The Queen's thief. Elias, if only it was safer for our own people to go there. I don't know if it's helpful at all, and I'm just trying to move the conversation on.
Starting point is 00:27:11 I'm just trying to move the conversation on. It's fine. It's fine, it's fine, it's fine. Don't look at him, don't look at him in the eye. Just ignore him. Maybe actually I'm just gonna turn Santhius around, so he's just. I'm gonna sneeze again, I'm gonna sneeze again. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:27:28 I don't, I don't know. Oh God, I'm done, go home. But yes, we can follow you into the tapestry and hopefully we'll be able to avoid all the trouble. We managed to get through the gates after all. Yes, quick and cook out, just... Impressive, impressive to say the least. Honestly, for us, it's very, very impressive.
Starting point is 00:27:49 We don't usually manage that kind of thing. We did good. We did very good. We do extraordinarily good. Sometimes the shadows are great allies. Sometimes it is in the hands of a capable performer that we must don a new mask and play a different part to the one that we normally know. Or panic pee on someone's leg.
Starting point is 00:28:10 The Halloween night laughs out loud. It did happen. Now that is a trick I haven't tried myself. It worked really well. I was not chroniced. I was just playing the part. It did it very well. I would say as well, one thing that you notice
Starting point is 00:28:26 is there is not a single part of this. And you're pretty sure that this is an elf, like the build, the body and everything else, but you cannot see a single bit of skin. Like the mask is almost like a helmet that's sealed around. The scarf, the animated scarf is like wrapped fully around their neck, they wear these long gloves,
Starting point is 00:28:45 like there is not a part of their body that is exposed to anything. And all of the movements, like the voice is so clear through the mask and the way they turn their head. And you could almost even swear that that mask, sometimes the expression on each side, changes ever so slightly. So one half might look angry,
Starting point is 00:29:04 but when he was talking about the tragedy of Vathalian, it seemed more sad. And then when he laughs, both sides almost seem to grin, but one is more of a maniacal, quite sinister grin, and the other one is like a happy grin. And it almost shifts and changes in subtle ways like that in response to what he's saying. Yes, well, when you are ready,
Starting point is 00:29:25 if you are prepared and wish to be gone from this place as quickly as you can, I will take you there. The shadows will be our guide. I will take you there, unseen, unbidden. I like unseen and unbidden. I like both for those things. Yes. A lot.
Starting point is 00:29:41 I will get you as close as I can. can to the tapestry, but alas, the shadows, the magic of the tapestry itself will not permit me to travel within it. And it is guarded as well. Right, well, I think we're good to go. As ready as will be, yes? Very well. Same disguised as before. Well, that is up to you. I will take you to a place unseen and then you can decide from there what you wish to go. Unless there is any more questions you have of Athalion or the elves, it is not often I have such a wondrous or audience to speak and entertain with it has been some time since i spoke to anyone of your realm
Starting point is 00:30:17 there were those i used to would beseech me for gifts and i would grant them from time to time oh actually i was wondering if i could it's not so much a gift but i just saw you know um you and your friends were handing out food and supplies earlier um can i can i donate these um and i'll take out three healers kits. A very kind of kindness you have done here, Gruffeth. Tell me, would you tell me a little of your story? What is your story? I know so little about you, but a gift to a Faye is quite a powerful thing.
Starting point is 00:31:04 A gift with such pure intentions even greater, and I wish to see it returned. I just, I saw those children in need of food, in need of, of healing, in need of toys. And I have these spare, I don't need them. I just wanted to help. He looks at you, Graf, and could you tell me, we obviously, as players and as the audience, we know Gruff's story. But in Gruff's mind, what is something, what is the thing beyond your immediate task here and now? What is something that Gruff desires?
Starting point is 00:31:52 Like a heart's desire. Like a heart's desire. Like in his heart of hearts, what is something that Gruff wants? To know where his youngest son is. Okay. You see that the Harlequin graciously takes these three healers kits. opens them up, sort of nods, and just sort of puts them behind his back, and then they're gone.
Starting point is 00:32:19 Like they just vanish, like there's nothing back there but just like a magic trick. And he looks at you and the mask kind of tilts in your direction. Well, a gift such of this, please allow me to provide payment. That seems to be fair. Oh, no, no, no, I, what did you say? I insist. I give this freely.
Starting point is 00:32:42 No obligation. And he pulls from a pocket a... What would work in this? Gruff wants to know where his youngest son is. He pulls out a little broken shaving mirror. It's this beautiful, carved from some sort of scrimshaw, like a bone, like you would find back in Ice House. but it's not anything of ice-heart design.
Starting point is 00:33:13 This is beautiful fay foliage, but it's carved from some enormous bone. And it's a broken shaving mirror, and he'll pass that to you. Oh, thank you. It's all right. Not a problem. There's no magic or anything, like...
Starting point is 00:33:30 You, I think when Graflight holds it, you know that this definitely has some magic to it. Okay. Yeah, this is... And I think that you would probably hear in your mind, when you are lost and thoughts of family linger look into this and you will know and you just hear that in your mind
Starting point is 00:33:55 and I don't recognise the mirror is okay well I think a very a wonderful gift quite from the heart a very kindness is there anything else I know a few stories, I know a few tales. Should you have any burning desires to know of the Faye, of Athalion, I mean, do you, for chance, know anything about Black Wings, Harris itself, any troubles we might encounter simply navigating the place?
Starting point is 00:34:28 Obviously a very, very powerful, magical creature, but... Quite a weaver in their day, they were quite known. Well, did they provide you their key? a token to their house? Yes. Ah, then you will have no difficulty at all. Perhaps, uh... Yes.
Starting point is 00:34:46 Yes. Why'd you look at me like that then? Because you don't remember. I said yes. And then you looked at me like, no, you fucking didn't. So I was like, did we not? No, you looked at me as if to say, did we get the key?
Starting point is 00:34:59 There was a mutual look. You will be fine. The protections and the guardians of Black Wings' estate of home should not bother you so. Say hello to the old man for me. Old man, there's an old man in there? Probably at the freezer. What?
Starting point is 00:35:17 Fucking good reference, do you? Fucking 1990s Tomb Raider. If I start hearing the clanking of the glass moving around, I'm running. Wow. Zoomers hate that one. Yeah, the Hullochem was just saying, like, no, you should be unaffected, of course.
Starting point is 00:35:36 I cannot guarantee other majors, their spirit, and guardians that still linger, I cannot promise you that they will care for Black Wings' trinkets. Okay. An above game thing, by the way, I'm just going to say this. This Harlequin figure is clearly a very powerful fay.
Starting point is 00:35:56 Yeah. And if anybody had, like, a big question or, like, you know, this is a good... If you have, like, bigger questions, like, this is a good time, or if you have anything that your characters might want to know, it does not have to be about your immediate situation.
Starting point is 00:36:11 This is a figure of some considerable power. They mentioned basically being like a warlock patron. Like, you know, you're kind of looking at an archfay level. Hello, I'm Rowan. Hello, my friend. You... My fellow performer. So, you've been around
Starting point is 00:36:33 probably a lengthy period of time compared to our lifetimes. Most certainly, my life times. little mayfly. No offense. No, none taken. So, I forgot my question.
Starting point is 00:36:47 Ah, so easily. Yeah, it's just, went right out of there. Anything that can bring it back, Rowan? What were you last thinking about prior to? Rocks. Is it to do with rocks? Something's still a giants.
Starting point is 00:36:59 Giants. Oh. Has the Faye ever encountered the proto-magi? The proto-magi. is a term this is a term your people use, is it not? You refer
Starting point is 00:37:15 to the inhabitants of the material world who had come before. I know of them, yes, but not there are what is your question? I wondered if they affected other realms, not just the material and whether
Starting point is 00:37:33 there was any knowledge to be gleaned about what they did. the beings that you refer to how should I relate to them if we are players upon the stage they they seek they sought I should say
Starting point is 00:37:55 to control the theatre house they meddled in great matters like brokers They saw things as Currencies and accounts, matters to settle, to proke and to prod. They tried many times, some successful, to enter into these woods and upon this stage. They bargained for power. they took power
Starting point is 00:38:36 their goals hard to say we know that they wanted to control much but those Faye who entreated with them I myself was never won a pact was broken
Starting point is 00:38:59 between them and they will not speak of these beings. I know only of them through mortals such as yourselves who came to me seeking help and answers, delving into
Starting point is 00:39:11 what do they call their theatre? The vaults. Many came to me asking for the power and gifts to explore those depths to find the answers
Starting point is 00:39:22 like you seek, but alas, I could not give them directly, so I could only give them indirectly, encouraging them to explore
Starting point is 00:39:31 to delve, to seek out, as is the way, to reach the end of the story. Alas, I do not know the beginning to that one. One of the rare few that I don't, I'm afraid. That's okay. But they have been, they were, it's difficult for us to say, I have existed for so long that time, such a it is an overture
Starting point is 00:40:06 that I cannot remember when it begins and ends it fluctuates, it peaks and it falls, sometimes the tempo is fast, sometimes it is unparably so slow. They came before you, your kind.
Starting point is 00:40:24 And quite a stirring, there was that figure, the traveler of across the plains, The child, the child of the plains. They came seeking power and magic. I met them once. When they met with the transcendent court, I was but a humble minstrel back then.
Starting point is 00:40:50 Power they radiated. Power of all the realms. They bore wings of luminous light, the crown of, hellish fire. They wielded a scepter of law itself, and chaos was cloaked around them like a cloud and cloak. The dead, even the dead, had given a gift to this child. They'd come to us, seeking to learn about life. It made quite an impression on one of the old members of the court, if I remember. Oh, she loved him dearly.
Starting point is 00:41:34 So much so that she left this realm, went with him, or went with them, I should say, onto whatever journeys they transpired. I believe that, yes, all of you came from that child, I think. The one who created you're the world. That after the, after this. Yes. No, no, no, no, no.
Starting point is 00:42:00 No, no, Alfei was, alfay was once of here. I, this is. Are we all related? I think we might be. What, this is all, okay, hang on. No, I've got nothing. That's, um, a lot. Because it's staring at me.
Starting point is 00:42:27 Yeah, you seem confused. Do you not know. the one who created your world. After these, you call them, the proto-Maghi, they destroyed you. Your world was barren, lifeless, yes? Yes, and the great father saved us all. What was the guy?
Starting point is 00:42:45 Sister Ophelia de la Rosa. I did not realize such a, such a comedic player was with us. It's not comedy, it's very serious. Oh, it is the comedy of the utmost. Oh, no. For comedy is born in deception, is born in ignorance. No, you don't know.
Starting point is 00:43:04 There is no deception here. This is truth, I'm telling you. A grave father, I suppose, perhaps had a hand in it, yes, in the way that all of the play in our realms did. For they gave their power to the child. And the child rebuilt, brought power, brought life to your world. Well, what's the name of this child? To me, I simply knew them as the child of the plains. They carried gifts from all of the planes.
Starting point is 00:43:37 They were somehow born of everything can ever think, but not anyone. So what of all the paper? They were a monarch. They were, they were regaled. They were treated as if they were a king or queen. So what are they all fighting for? What are all the plain our realms fighting for? Plains have been fighting for eternity, dear sister.
Starting point is 00:44:04 We fight simply because we are opposed. Life fights death, it resists it. Law pushes against chaos, light against darkness. We fight because that is all that has ever been known. So there's no great cause. There's nothing at the end of it. It's just fighting for the sake of it. fighting, and that's it.
Starting point is 00:44:28 I could not speak to your realm, but here in the Faye-Wield, we fight to preserve what we loved, to preserve this, to preserve the feeling of life, the pain, the joy, the tears, the laughter. That is what we fight for. We fight because eventually there will be an end, and we struggle, we, we, we are life. It is very difficult for me to explain these concepts to you, mortals, for you are, you are not concepts, you are, you are so much, you are so delightful, you are so, curious.
Starting point is 00:45:11 Such curiosity, such passion, such desire within each of you. I've never felt more like a stagehand. stagehand than a main cast member than right now. Yes, I do have a lot of questions. You're right about the curiosities. Oh, surely. You, you know what I speak of. The fighting for always.
Starting point is 00:45:42 Oh, my dear little Daisy, no, forgive me. I am not speaking to you, but to the one within you. Oh, yeah, that, yeah, that checks out. And you would hear Nym in your head say, I do understand this trickster, this clown. I understand them. It is very hard for you and your kind to understand, but I don't know what this child that he speaks of.
Starting point is 00:46:05 I was but a humble soldier. I don't know anything about this. Nim doesn't know who the child is just so that you were... Percy, do you know there's a child? Oh, Sister Rphelia, my memories are only of when you... my time with you. I am afraid that I am not aware of the greater teachings of the Gravefather, I'm afraid. Good. Okay. A liar. But, but just... I am a liar in many cases, dear sister, for an actor is always a liar,
Starting point is 00:46:35 for we are, we wear the faces we must for our roles. But in this, there is no deception. I speak of history and of truth. And this face you're wearing now as a storyteller, this mask you're wearing. What are you beneath that? Ah. Now that is an excellent question. It falls a storyteller to leave a little something for a sequel, of course. But I will tell this. I was not always this clown, this performer.
Starting point is 00:47:15 I was a musician. I was an entertainer. an entertainer. I entertained kings and queens of this realm, but I was also a soldier. Not so much a front line soldier. No, no. Shadows and secrets were my realm.
Starting point is 00:47:34 I fought, I protected, I kept secrets whilst wearing many masks. So underneath this one, the masks go on on and on. But I was once a soldier, very close to many of the ruling powers. But alas, since the unsealy and the hags, my power has waned. And I am not the... I am but now, your humble bard. A storyteller and little else. Can I roll a history check to see if Gruff somehow would know about the child, like some old forgotten hair?
Starting point is 00:48:21 Make a religion, Rob. Yeah, sorry, I meant religion, yeah. I'm going to fate it because I feel spicy. Love it. Nope. Three, six, nine. Total of nine. I'll tell you this.
Starting point is 00:48:38 It's a failed role, but I'm going to tell you something. I'm gonna spend two points of fate. Oh. Gruff. These teachings, you remember old teachings of the Sions and the saints. He said that this child was regaled and and clothed and treated like a king or a queen, a monarch, a sovereign. Powers of all the plains who created or remade Althea.
Starting point is 00:49:29 That is the creation story of sovereign and taught by the church. Santhius. Yeah, I'm also trying to figure out how much of this is just like forgotten Althea law from like three years ago. Like how much of this is common knowledge that we are just completely blanked on. Yeah, it could be. But for you, those two points of fate I just spent,
Starting point is 00:49:52 oh God. You feel sort of burning in your chest. Your mind flashes. And you, you know that a memory is almost sent to you as this pain in your chest and you, from your own perspective,
Starting point is 00:50:23 you are stood in the most incredible palace that you can imagine. You know, elves, beautiful, surround you in gorgeous, you know, glowing gowns and silks unlike you've ever seen before. There is the sound of music and the smell of wine and food and life exudes around you. But not just that. There is also you can hear the sounds of ritual combat.
Starting point is 00:50:53 You look over and you can see that two elves are spinning, dancing with blades, but cutting each other. And every cut leaves these strings of crimson bloods kind of spraying around the place. You know that there is debauchery happening beyond these great crowds of pretty elves. There is life of all kind happening. And you are stood before a council of about 12 or 13 elven figures. Other fay nestled amongst the crowd. Looking up at them as they present you with a gift, a kind of seed, glowing and glittering
Starting point is 00:51:37 and you reach up to take it and the hand is not your own hand it is this being almost made of gold but through it are lines of black and red almost like gold alloy perfect
Starting point is 00:51:53 like beautiful not corrupted almost the most perfect humanoid androgynous hand carefully sculpted nails and everything you take this seed And as you bring it up to the other one, you can see that there is this rod of silvery metal with, like, pieces floating, but it's perfectly symmetrical. It has these, like, floating pieces at one end and at the other, and it's perfectly, and you can sense that you are holding, like, the essence of law in your hands.
Starting point is 00:52:26 And you can feel this burning, fiery crown upon your head as you have this flash of sovereign, accept. some sort of gift. Do I want to recognize the gift giver or at least that carousel as, I guess it's hard to tell with the mask as potentially this person standing in front of me or... Make a...
Starting point is 00:52:45 Mate, I know this, you're going to laugh because it's perception, but just roll a perception of it. Sure, yeah, yeah, yeah. I guess it'll be also extremely hard to tell. Yeah, I'll... Yeah, sure. Fate it, sure. Perception, perception.
Starting point is 00:52:57 Do you not need one more blue? Because there's six. I've been spending it. Yikes. There should be somewhere. It might be a red I'd taken. You spent two red and only put one blue up. That's why it'll be.
Starting point is 00:53:08 Well, I got, with my minus two, including my fate. So you scan the crowd. You don't recognise any of the figures there. Yeah. You don't recognise it. I imagine it's also extremely hard to tell. Yeah. But I think that that process of taking that burning and that memory coming in,
Starting point is 00:53:28 can you roll a, I believe that normally with you, It's a constitution saving. It's true. But was it wisdom? I think when you've made certain types of check, it is a constitution one. I feel like it was wisdom. There's a part of me.
Starting point is 00:53:46 Huh. Because that's obviously two very different bonuses. No, I am almost certain that for this, what I am asking you to do is a constitution. I'll do you a constitution then. It's different to what you might be thinking. Sure, okay, though. That is a, oh, 14 plus 8.
Starting point is 00:54:03 So, 20-something million. You do 60? 22. As that crown still in your chest does seem to flare for a second. You guys don't sit because it's underneath the clothes, but you feel the crown still itself almost flare with power as that memory is interjected.
Starting point is 00:54:20 I think you can, it's not that subtle that you can almost see me back away quite sharply and almost breathing in, you know, like when you touch something hot, like yeah um and kind of yeah a wide-eyed kind of looking at this this person before me now um yeah just trying to absorb that that image for just a bit uh but is that them sorry they were they were also talking about who they were and all of that stuff yeah they they yeah they finished you know they've said that kind of piece on that and I sort of just probably gone back idly like a coin is now sort of
Starting point is 00:55:03 flicking between they kind of flick it and catch it with their other hand their dexterity like they bring out a second that you know it's there's almost always movement in some way like even if it's subtle um well sorry uh just you said they left with a woman a fay woman originally of the fay yes i believe that uh there were many This child had many followers from the different realms. Some of the Prinal Isles, one of the Faye. They drew many of interest to them. This child travelled all the realms gathering gifts from everywhere.
Starting point is 00:55:46 Yes. They believed it was their birthright to be gifted these things. Like magical essences, right? Like things to empower them, to make them stronger. I suppose. as one could see. Imagine how you think too small, Santheus. What do you refer to as these essences? Beyond that, take the very concept of a plane of itself. And imagine that formulated into an object. The essences are echoes, slivers, embers of such a feat, but similar, yes.
Starting point is 00:56:23 And why did they give this child with these things? Who was this? Why were they so? regarded as this that is a part of the story that even I do not know. I remember only that they came to court and were treated as if they were a member of the court itself. As if they were
Starting point is 00:56:43 an inheritor of the realm's power. But you know the ending of their story, right? I know that they traveled to your world, to your home and we made it. Rebuilt it.
Starting point is 00:57:00 I know not of what has happened since. Your kind rarely speak much of your realm. It is always seeking power and gifts. I rarely have the opportunity to ask. But that's a story we could tell you. I would be delighted. But a gift that needs some kind of reward a transaction. I wish to make a transaction with you.
Starting point is 00:57:26 You do. I'm more than willing to make a transaction. A story of our world for, I don't know, some kind of assistance, I guess. He looks at you, the mask, kind of almost looks directly at you and you can feel this figure looking at you directly. What is Xanthius's heart's desire? So this is a Xanthius question,
Starting point is 00:57:56 and not an influenced Xanthia's question. I've asked the question. Where's the line? That's true. Because I think one side is edging towards, like pushing Xanthias towards, like that revenge against his father, taking back Gildai.
Starting point is 00:58:17 In some variation in some form. The other one is simply the removal of the crown steel, and that's like the Xanthius hope. Right. So you said there's two hopes within you, basically. Yeah, there are two wolves. Sure. Let's leave this to fate.
Starting point is 00:58:35 Okay. I'm going to roll one from each side, whichever rolls higher. I suppose the red is the influence. Sure. Whichever rolls higher, and if it's even, well, perhaps this is a deal that won't happen. You want me to roll it over here? So Tom can see.
Starting point is 00:58:53 A five and a three. Oh, five on the blue, three on the red. No. No? Other way around. Was it, I didn't, I can barely read those guys. Yeah, they are hard to read, but it was. So a five on the red, three on the blue. Okay, so the, the harlequin.
Starting point is 00:59:14 I see it is like my heart's desire, right? But it's like a gentle, mental, nothing. I feel like it's both of these things, it's like, this figure has this ability to look in and know an individual's heart's design. and in this case he sees two, but one seems a little brighter than the other. Yeah. The hero, and he looks at you when he says that, and that word lingers in the air.
Starting point is 00:59:40 Yes, transaction is possible. Life is about many things. In exchange for the story of your world, I would hear what has happened to your world since well since it's as you know it as you know the story of your world it's creation its development
Starting point is 01:00:02 what has occurred tell me all that you know I mean this is a story that will be spotty for sure but it should be more complete than well the account of someone who's not heard of it since its inception
Starting point is 01:00:16 I gladly welcome a story told how do I do this so I think like to sum it up I think that, because it's Xanthius doing it, I would like Xanthius to do a performance role. Okay. With a performance skill. And is this something where I'm literally going to have to do,
Starting point is 01:00:33 because this is going to be tough to recant the story of Althea. You would just recount it as it was taught to you, right? Like you would tell it as, because there is a creation myth, as you know it that has been taught to you. You can tell of the Dragon Empress, you know that history, you know... Oh, this is more of a question of, do I literally have to... No, this is what the role is going to be. Yes.
Starting point is 01:00:53 I'll give you Barthick. Start now. You give me Bardick? Yeah. So is that a D8? Yeah. Can we help? Yeah, somebody could help, yeah.
Starting point is 01:01:01 So that would be the help action. We'd give him advantage. Could Gruff help with like filling in what he knows from church? I think it's also, I would lean on others in order to fill in gaps from, you know, different parts of the America, from Osseus. Well, now, so that's going to be my next question. So Gruff is going to provide the help action. Sure. You have Bardick from Rowan, and I imagine that Rowan's probably, you know, you're a storyteller,
Starting point is 01:01:21 you add like a bit of music. of music as like Xanthus doing the story, things like that. My question is, does Ophelia want to, because the story that you know is very different to the one that Xanthius begins telling. Yeah. So is this, you try and counter it and say like, no, no, that's not what happened, or are you going to be silent?
Starting point is 01:01:44 Can Ophelia be silent? Yeah, right, yeah, exactly. Oh, man. The thing is, I think I would, depending on how you interject, I suppose, it's not that it would be so unwelcome to allow additional sort of viewpoints into the ideas. Because I almost want this person to have a full understanding of the potential sort of stories in this place. But there are things, which you would know this as Antheus, that if you say them, they are in direct contradiction to what Ophelia has been taught is true.
Starting point is 01:02:19 So, like, even if you invite her to do it, Ophelia would have to be like, well, no, that's wrong. It's actually, it's how Ophelia crazy is. Because, again, I don't want to have to recant the entire tale of the world of Ophaya here in this moment, so I'd rather leave this to a nice roll. There's a book for that.
Starting point is 01:02:35 And even that might not answer all the questions. But, yeah, so my question is, yeah, what kind of Ophelia's approach here? Like, is this, are you, I guess the question is, are you supportive of that Xanthius' story, or are you contradictory? Like, are you sort of country, you know, would you outright be like, no, you're wrong.
Starting point is 01:02:54 That's not how it is. It's like this. Or would you be like, well, you know, I'll see this, we believe this, but blah, blah, blah, blah. Well, because after what she's just heard from. The Harlequin. The Harlequin, yeah. And, like, I think she'd be so, like, no, no, this is absolutely how it was taught. Like, how can you say that?
Starting point is 01:03:17 Like, this is, yeah, I think she would be. So it would be a bit more... Cool. On the offensive rather than... In that case, you would basically be... I would argue that that is going to be like... That would take away the advantage of gruff helping
Starting point is 01:03:31 because it's like a failure and gruff are like canceling each other out, right? Sure, yeah, yeah, yeah. So it just becomes a flat roll, but with the bardic. But with a D8, I will fate it. There's... Okay, this is probably the most esoteric question I could possibly ask Because I don't, obviously we don't feel the, as characters, the effects of fate, right? I've never said that.
Starting point is 01:03:57 But there's a part of me, like this creature before us that where, for some reason I've just got this vibe of like they are literally like the fate strings that are just spilling into the world. Like, is, I'm just going to roll. So I will use a fate. I have a D8 from Rowan. and I'll use my crown steel dice. Cool. Shouldn't have rolled my crown steel dice, but this is a performance check.
Starting point is 01:04:22 Yes. Performance, okay, plus four, so that becomes seven, with the fate, that's nine, 14 total with Rowan's Bardick as well. So I think that here it is this kind of contradictory, like gruff trying to support you, Aphelia contradicting a lot of what you're saying,
Starting point is 01:04:42 no, that's not true, the Greyfather created and Greyfather did this, And nope, that's wrong, you know, the dragon empress. You know, you're just like, oh, well, like, she's clearly not as powerful. Like, you're kind of contradicting a few of these things. But also your own lack of knowledge, right? You know that there wasn't war with the giants, and the Harlequin's like, well, what was it about?
Starting point is 01:05:02 And you're like, I don't really know. Hang on, like, I'm an isolated sort of... But you convey some of it. Homestchooled, yeah. Yeah. And the Harlequin kind of listens, and it's like, well, thank you for this wonderful tale. You have certainly given me more information than I have. had before we began, and I've learned some things.
Starting point is 01:05:20 I mean, I'll also, I'll tell the story of the crown as well, and what I know of the sovereign there as well. That's the main sort of reasoning, yeah. Ah, then this, what a name to give themselves. The sovereign, the sovereign is the child, I speak of. The sovereign, I don't know, carries with them. But you say that they, they, The, the, this anger, this storm of light that they conjured,
Starting point is 01:05:52 this rage and wrath, that is curious. For the child was not like that when I saw them here. Still, one must make sure that a good storyteller is paid. And a troubadour is rewarded for their gift and their, bare tail and we'll reach into a pocket and pull out and put into your palm a golden coin but it is not an Illmeran golden coin it does not look like a face silver coin this coin radiates heat and is emblazoned with two heads and you sort of flip it over on one side you see
Starting point is 01:06:46 your own stylized outline. Cool as far on the other side you see your father's draconic face okay when you kind of close your hand around the coin
Starting point is 01:07:02 you know that this coin will bestow strength on you as you know when it is time, but you will need to flip the coin. Mm-hmm. Depending on what side it lands will be the power that you gain.
Starting point is 01:07:24 Oh yeah. Fuck you, fuck yeah. Two-faced, dude. Yeah, and it's, and it is a coin that you can keep and just keep for yourself. Oh no, Katie. A coin. I know, I was, I just realized that.
Starting point is 01:07:37 I was like, fuck, I've done another coin. All I want is for everyone to spam the shit out of Tom. We didn't use the coin. We didn't use the coin. I direct you to the episode where I used the coin and it was fucking badass. Yeah, thank you. You saved it.
Starting point is 01:07:54 It's worth the weight. I was worth it. I was saving it for a good thing. Fuck, I just realized that. But anyway. Thank you for your gift. For a transaction. For the payment.
Starting point is 01:08:04 Yes, you're most welcome. As I said, we pay our troubadours. Make sure you always pay a bar. Yes, yes. We are gaining short on time. But yes, Rowan, please. So you may have noticed we were in that house earlier and we watched the whole thing.
Starting point is 01:08:20 And I've got some rocks and a piece of charcoal if you'd like that in pavement. A rock from your world? I would be delighted. Okay, well, I've only got one left. I'm lying. We all know it's the lie. There you go.
Starting point is 01:08:37 Takes it. My second favorite rock. I will treasure it. Thank you. Set that five times. It is, though. I can't choose favorites. He will treasure it.
Starting point is 01:08:50 Every rock your second favorite. I have one more question. Ah, curious, yes indeed. Would you like this lightning metal as a payment? It's from, it's from a vault. It's from one of the protomack. Ophelia! I have an ornate painting for you.
Starting point is 01:09:08 If you offer it to me. They're not used it for anything. If it is being offered, I would gladly accept it. I was like 90% sure that was in my workshop. It has no word. I'm pretty sure I said Zad, this is workshop. I don't think it is. If you kept it, you kept it.
Starting point is 01:09:22 I don't think it is. No, I think I offered it to you and then... I think it has been sat in Ophelia's inventory. I tried to steal veracity, that's not being used. Could have put it into the boat. Could have done a load of stuff with it, to be honest. It just doesn't come up. Could have been used to make weapons, armor.
Starting point is 01:09:37 Could have been great. Is it not used for gruff? No, but no. The Harlequin will, and this is in payment for my story and my answers. For an answer, yes. Ah, you would like an answer? Yes, please. Takes the glowing sort of bar of electrified metal.
Starting point is 01:09:55 Oh, God. What would it take to end the Plainar Wars? What power would I need? Oh, sister. Your hands you back the metal. That is an answer I cannot give. For I do not know, and I do not believe that there is a power in across these realms in anything that will ever answer that power. In fact, perhaps the only one who knows or can foresee it could very well be the Lord of the Greylands himself. For I know that he believes that eventually he will win.
Starting point is 01:10:36 inevitable, it may take a thousand, 10,000, 100,000 years of your lifetimes. But he believes that eventually he will win, but I do not believe there will ever be an end. They are eternal. That's what they all think. They all think that they're going to win. And that's why they keep going. We is the Faywield. For us, the ending is not, it is not of any import. We do not fight to win.
Starting point is 01:11:08 We fight to survive. That is the nature of the Fay World. We muster our warriors to live our lives. We do not seek to win. But we also are greedy and hungry for resources. And so we will fight for these petty things because life is petty as the elves and the Fay can be. But I cannot answer your question, sister.
Starting point is 01:11:32 as far as I know, as far as any know, and he looks at Daisy and nods in your direction, there will never be an end. The wars will be eternal. Is that not what your grave father tells you? That you will forever be un-life, that you will live forever, to serve forever? Yes, but there has to be an end somewhere.
Starting point is 01:12:05 I feel like all we do, all we have been doing is fighting. I have answered as best as I can. Thank you. You are welcome. Knots his head. Well, there are no further question. Then let us on to the next act in the next scene, shall we? I believe, dear stagehands, if you will accompany me as we exit stage left.
Starting point is 01:12:38 And he gestures to a shadowed doorway in one of these ruined buildings. And you can kind of see into it, it's shadowed, but it's not fully dark. But as he gestures, that doorway goes pitch black. Vantor. Vanta black. Don't get sued. Don't see that way. Actually, yeah, it's copyright.
Starting point is 01:13:01 That's the end of the show. The pink you can, the pink you can use, that's copyright, Fanta pink. The pink is pink. Yeah. Pink is pink, yeah. The pink is pink. Gestures.
Starting point is 01:13:10 To the shadowed doorway. It's not quite black. That's not quite black. It's kind of dark green. I guess we'll follow through, I suppose. Yeah, he's waiting, he's like gesturing for you guys. We'll share ourselves. Yeah.
Starting point is 01:13:27 As you step through, you are no longer in the ruined marketplace. You appear in a completely different part of the city as you emerge from a darkened alleyway. Still very much the city, though. Still in the city, but you are now on the other side, the dusk side, as you exit from this alleyway. And you can see that it is on the other side of one of these silver sap rivers with a bridge crossing over it. and you are looking out onto a walled-off interior part of Vathalian that has guarded positions all around it, but it has its own wall within it.
Starting point is 01:14:08 And you can see that just appearing above the city, the walls, this interior wall, you see odd glows and strange noises coming from beyond as people give it a wide berth. You can see these beautiful towers and buildings that are very different. Everything else has a kind of uniform look to it, but all the buildings beyond this wall look individual,
Starting point is 01:14:36 as if they've been sculpted and shaped and chosen for individual purposes. And yeah, he gestures and says, The tapestry, your stage awaits. I love that. But, you got nothing? I was just going to win the episode there. It's thin.
Starting point is 01:14:58 Cool. With that, let's bring today's episode to a close. Nice. As we end the episode. And I think the next episode will be the final part of this little foray. As you guys will step into the tapestry and seek to find your way to black wings to stay. Kind, really.
Starting point is 01:15:15 Well, you've been sent there. All the same movements, just given permission. Yeah, we also have the key. Yeah, we also have the key. And we're just going to sleep there as well. I guess so, yeah, yeah. What a cool character. Very cool.
Starting point is 01:15:28 Oh, good. I'm glad you like the Harlequin. Halloquine. Very cool. Very, full reference, by the way, because I know people always say, like, oh, I got like these vibes and stuff from it. It's fun to talk a little bit about the inspiration.
Starting point is 01:15:38 Imagine a sort of V from V from Vendetta mixed with the Harlequins in Warhammer. They have their elder Harlequins. There's one called the Solitaire, and that's kind of like the... I was in the visual sort of. look of them or... A little bit, but I imagine a kind of very fantasy
Starting point is 01:15:55 a harlequin, but like mixed in with like pieces of armour and sort of very ragged and put together. And I think you mentioned Warbreaker as well. There's like a bit of animated scarf and stuff. But almost, yeah, a little kind of a little touch of V from Vendetta more in their personality and sort of like
Starting point is 01:16:11 their speech and stuff. Yeah. I wish I was eloquent as eloquent as that script. No, you were very eloquent. You did it really well. Like all the... There was some rhymes in there as well. I was like on the fly, like, oh, I can rhyme that.
Starting point is 01:16:26 Oh, I really liked it. Excellent job, you snuck through. I had a whole combat encounter just in case things at the gate went bad. No need, dude. The Cyclops, by the way, 3D12 plus eight on the bow. Nasty. The fantasy ability, by the way, is the first time they are targeted by attack, it triggers their, like, prophetic vision.
Starting point is 01:16:49 you get this disadvantage in the attack against them and then I have advantage on my attacks against you and then it recharges basically okay I thought it might have been like the sort of wizard the thing the quill had I can't remember even know
Starting point is 01:17:02 oh portent yeah no oh there are um there are other types of cyclops who have that ability this is a century this is like a guard like a PSY copse PlayStation why is that not a monster That should be a cyclops, a psionic cyclops.
Starting point is 01:17:22 That's rad as hell. It's really cool. Oh, I did also ask you... And then there's the guy who shoots the beam out. I also asked you in between episodes as well, like, how high was the wisdom save on that Palaquin hag if I was to try and do Dominate creature on this? It wasn't super high, but did have advanced on it.
Starting point is 01:17:40 That would have been a bad choice. Turns out all you do is piss on the floor. All you had to do was piss. You just got to piss. Anyway, thanks so much, everybody. We'll bring the episode to a close here. We'll see you next time. Take care.
Starting point is 01:17:53 Bye-bye. Bye-bye. See you later. Bye-bye. Bye-bye. Bye. We get to the point. We give you a critical analysis of games and tell you which games are worth checking out. Things we value, rigor, your time, gibbons, buzzwords. You'll get it all at So Very Wrong About Games. Critical reviews. What's Hot? Longtime classics. So very wrong about games, wherever you get your podcasts.

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