High Rollers DnD - The Power of Friendship (Part 2) | Altheya: The Dragon Empire #99

Episode Date: April 30, 2026

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Plan started just $12 a month. Learn more at tellus.com slash online security. No one can prevent all cybercrime or identity theft. Conditions apply. Welcome back to Althea the Dragon Empire Part 2. Our heroes are currently on the road, traveling towards the giant Wetstone, when would you believe it, they were attacked by bandit raiders,

sorry, robbers, no intention to murder, but very swiftly, they were, the folly of these bandits's actions was proven to them, and after a brief discussion about the economics and necessities and symbiotic relationship of bandits, and adventures. And friendship. And friendship. A power of friendship.

A power of friendship. As well as a bit of reverse robbery with the main bandit being forced to give up boots, clothing and everything. Everything but his pants. Everything but his pants. The encounter was resolved. And you find yourselves once again

back on the road. The rest of the day's travel goes by pretty easily and swiftly. You all can hear this much more musical humming and droning coming from Vricks. There's almost this,

just this, yeah, this almost, it's melodic almost, this kind of like, mm-hmm, mm-hmm, almost like humming, but you're not sure it's actually sort of a conscious noise that's being made. Hey, Fricks, I just wanted to check in after... Yes, Friends Amtheus. Friends Amtheus,

friend Vricks. I just wanted to check in after that. Did I, I didn't overstep my parents there when I, you know, I intercepted your... The musicality sort of fades away and it becomes a bit more of a drone. Anoyed. It was frustrating that you ended my challenge.

Right, okay. It's just we didn't want them dead. Why? Well, they didn't... I don't think they deserved it, really? They challenged us. Not to the death. I suppose the terms of the challenge were not specified.

No, they were. were very much defeated, surrendering. In all of my other challenges, it has been to the death. Really? Well, sadly, except one. Um, right. Well, I just want to make sure that we're good. Yes.

Great. And just... Happily, I am very pleased. You should be. You performed fantastically. That leap you did over the... Whatever the pet was called, I've already forgotten. Darling.

Darling. Thank you, Daisy. That leap you did over Darling was incredible. Proudly. Yes, it was. Yes, it was. And it's good to notice that in yourself. I'm feeling very talkative today.

How is everyone doing? Scala did say that you were very talky. Oh, really? Yeah. Scala shared a lot of information with a lot of people. Wait. You were the first, so you wouldn't have known that. I wouldn't have known that.

I believe that was said to gruff. You are very talky today. I just, you know, I just want to check in with people. I think we did very well there. Aphelia, you just pushed a big thing. Yes. A very big thing. Was it amazing.

It was, I honestly, I didn't expect it. Me neither. It was crazy. Speculatively, you are far stronger than I accounted for. Well, thank you, I think. Your body in frame does not look as if it should be so strong. Oh, well, thank you. You are small and thin.

Inner strength. I'm trying not to, well, hmm, yes, I suppose I am small and thin. Yes. But still strong. Still strong, yes, thank you. Admiration, it was impressive. Thank you, thank you. You were impressive too.

Thank you. And you look amazing. Pride, thank you. You wear that coat very nicely. It hides my shame. There's nothing to be ashamed of. This device is most interesting. It starts waving.

Put the gun down. It is fine, I will not fire it until battle. Okay, good. But it is curious. It smells strange, it has strange pheromones. Really? Put it up next to like the antenna. Don't.

Hey Daisy, that bow is unbelievable as well. It's quite fun, isn't it? Pretty fun. I can change it, look, I'll change it into a dagger. That's what I know and love. It has like the hill, the hill of the dagger is still like the rod, but then it kind of creates like a blade and then it makes the blade replica of Daisy's old knife.

Very nice. That's incredible. And it works well for you? So. Feels good? Yeah. Yeah. I don't know both things.

I mean, I did quite a lot of damage to the thing. It looked like it. You did. If there was a numerical value to it, it was high. Yeah. I think so. Oh, I can also make it this. I'll make it a spear.

So yeah, you watch this again, the rod creates like the head. hill, but then a golden long shaft and a golden pointed end come out the other side. You've got to be careful where you're pointing it. Do you know how to make it long? Do you know how to use that thing? No. No?

No, but Nim does so you can't, they kind of just help me. Oh. That could be something that Gruffith could trade your wheels. Maybe. Oh no, I mean, I'm not a very good fighter myself, boy. It was only because Sir Griel taught me a few tricks that I know what I'm doing, but I don't think I'm in a position to. NIMs are in handled. I think, yes, NIM. NIM's probably far more a...

Hey, can you turn that thing into a kitten? No, that's Gruff's job. If only there was someone or something that could turn into a kitten. I can have a sword, too. I think we're getting close to making camp now. I can involuntarily collie more people. Oh, that could work as well.

It will have your face on it, though, weren't? Probably. No, actually, it will. No, okay. Rowan, I mean this very seriously. If you turn me into a kitten against my will, will be in very bad terms with one another. would never, plus you would resist almost immediately.

I think your will is far more stronger than. Conjure's memories of being mind controlled. Gruff gets sad. Aww, this... You did great with those guys at the back. Hey, you know what? Yeah? I didn't lay a finger on anybody.

No, you didn't. And that feels good. Actually, I don't think I did either. That's phenomenal. I know. Look at our character growth. We're doing it as a team. Please, I laid me.

many fingers upon them. You did, yeah, you, yeah. I'm glad I was the other side of the battlefield. I don't think, I don't think Gloumiston's have like five fingers. They probably have like three big just like claws on each hand. Or 12 then. Yeah.

Hey, how did my, I tried a new spell? That was very successful. Did it look? The red thing? Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, queen, fair spell. We are on the same page. The House of Blood would approve of the red.

Really? The red. Now, I didn't look to, I wanted to look terrifying, but not, hmm. Intimidating. Yeah, ya, ya. Yeah. Now, did I look?

Cool. You looked very, uh. I've got the word for it. Yes. Imposing. Imposing. I looked imposing, me, a little of me. That's great.

And the way they fled from you? They, instant. By, they saw, the worst thing possible. I know, in a good way. In a great way, it felt very empowering. I wonder how far that guy went. I don't quite fast.

No, where they went. Surprised. I am, it is incredible that a figure of your small, thin, meek stature was able to frighten such warriors. See, I felt that too. This, this, this, what you're doing? The, fuck? What?

Yeah. What? I, I, I, I, I, I, I wasn't sure how to take that. Take what? The thin, me, I feel you was also called small a frame. Oh, I see, I thought you were saying that you were confused how someone's thin and me

as me as was also able to do this, but no, no, no, no, no, no. Of course you me meke all the time. Well, you, you, um, now if I'm saying the wrong thing here, let me know, you like your gauntness. I do. True. It's, I always, I feel stronger than I look, I suppose.

So it's strange to. And I look stronger than I, I am. That's true. You're strong. When I go big, big, but, you know, you push me. And even then, like, you're not strong

in the way that if you, like, were muscular, you would be strong. You're strong because you have size and leverage and weight, but not strength strength, do you know what I mean? Do you remember when you pushed that bellamorph into a hole? You totally did that. That was pretty strong. And he was big, yeah.

And that was before you were big, big. That was just big. is an admirable feat. Thank you, everybody. Yes, yes. But I think strength is in everything, is it? I'm not even slightly strong. I think that when you say that,

Rick's is just like, regretfully, no, you're wrong. Strength is everything. I'm not strong at all. No, it's always good to be. You are nimble and quick and small. You are dexterous. Yes. That is a form of strength.

To be whole of mind like I am. Your magic is very powerful. Yeah. And your form is... Miserable. If I am to understand it from what you said earlier, your form is impressive to your species. You have many mates.

Yeah, well... You said you had many mates? Virile. Yes. Well... Xantheus is an expert in mating. Is he now? When did you have this conversation?

When Zanthius informed me. I don't think that we've ever heard. Where are we Xanthius? I would say yes. Yeah. Deception. It's deception. Yeah.

I think Zantius fucks. Canonically, we know he doesn't. Well, he just hasn't had time. Oh, 19 plus eight. Okay. Nobody's insight's beating that. Yaw. You all believe it.

I mean, he is a very attractive specimen. I would assume so for your species. Is golden? I'm golden. A lovely tail. Lovely tail. Big muscles. Your metallic sheen is quite attractive.

Thank you. Thank you. And I've got the stamina to back it up. If you are a dynastian of a similar sheen, I would mate with you. Really? Your she is impressive. Thank you so much. Thank you.

You're welcome. I suppose you did win the fashion show as well. Yeah. Yeah, he did put him in papers though. I'm surprised we haven't had people flocking. They have. That's true. Yeah, we have, so.

If things like that happen, can you let me know because I'm a light sleeper? Okay. That's why we didn't assume that anything was happening because, you know, Rowan's a light sleeper. Sometimes I like to wake up at like 2, 3 a.m. and have a nice peaceful meditation session. It's always blissfully quiet.

Yeah, it's pretty quiet. Well, I just haven't had the time that we have important. It's been a lot going on right now, so. And as this awkward conversation continues, you make camp for the evening. This is smooth. This is smooth. No, as this conversation, as you begin to make camp, and yeah, you guys can take your long rest.

You can continue the conversation if you wish. So when you're banging hard at night? Well, like I said, it's been a while. What do you want to know? I do. Okay. Good night, Rowan. What a good turnaround.

Yeah. You know? What a great day. We started the day with some unfurling of difficult thoughts and feelings with Scala. And whilst that was raw and vulnerable, look how strong we are now. Yes. God, we get along like, well. Trees and rocks. Yeah.

Well done. Well done. Yeah. Just let that one hang. Just gonna let the laughs come. You rest, once again, your night's sleep is not disturbed. You find a little secluded way off the main road to make camp, pitch tents, that sort of thing,

and you pick up your journey on the third day. You travel for a little bit. I think that perhaps during the night, actually, something wakes you up from your sleep, just a faint rumbling in the ground again. But this one is different to when the giant beast was sort of making the ground shake. This one you all quickly identify is like an earthquake.

Okay. But not insane. You know, this is like you feel the ground shake, kind of, you know, your tense rattle and a few things like that, and it very quickly fades after that. But to feel it this far, you know, it must have been, you know, close, something quite nearby.

Rowan, your homeland's rumbling again. It does do that, and all I can recommend is going with it. Okay. Let's flop. Okay, just let it go. Just... ...a-roll around. Crazy.

I really got him. I really got him. That really got him. That very famous, quick advice of just go with it. Just lay into it. You're going to spray in an ankle or something if you just try and take it. Just try and tense, just, loosey, baby, wherever they'll take you. Okay, good idea.

Yeah, it quickly goes. And once you are all certain that it is safe and that there's no immediate danger, it's quite easy to go back to your camp. When you awake the next day and you begin your journey, it's not long, perhaps about halfway through the day just after midday, you, Rowan, begin to see on the horizon a familiar-looking chick, a plateau, sort of rising out just before the great mountains

that begin to form the sort of early stages of the collar, which is the mountain range that runs through Ice Heart, but this is the sort of what is known as the eastern Azar Mountains. And it's from here, you would start to head south if you wanted to follow the road down into Kelskaris. But following these directions, you know that you are to continue sort of northeast. And as that plateau begins to form on the horizon,

you also see something else, the first of a great series of Stormwatcher monoliths. And you had seen a path, a kind of guiding line of these things placed. And the skies very, very quickly, begin to turn grey and stormy as you draw closer and closer to the first of these great stones. There is parts of you, and I think Gruff and Rowan, you can feel this. That storm is not natural, that is being formed by some power.

And as you draw closer and closer, a bolt of lightning hits the top of this first great monolith. the first in a series, and they seem to be spaced out in a line sort of as you travel. And when that first stone is struck, to most of you, in fact, everybody but Rowan can roll a performance role, in fact, actually. Performance?

Yeah, because I want to see if, like, your own musical knowledge will pick up on this being, perhaps more than just a sort of thunderous blast. Wow, Gruff actually gets a dirty 20. I got a 21. A 21. Yeah, it was a 17. Nice.

That's pretty good. 14. 14. No for Daisy. So Xantheus and Griffith. Start throwing it back. You, as the lightning strikes this first monolith. Yeah.

There is obviously this great cacophonous, thunderous blast, and there is this, there's no splintering of rock. Whatever this stone is made of it, almost seems to absorb the lightning as part of it. And there is this kind of, you know, thunderous boom, Fidier and Daisy, that's all you hear. But Gruff and Xantheus, you can hear that there's something more to it. There is a musical tone hidden within that blast as it strikes the lightning. Sounds, you know, almost like the chord of a piece of music.

But for Rowan, that chord is so much more prominent. Like, you hear the lightning, you hear the thunder, but you hear the first note more than anything else. A very strong, you know, what, what? would be a good opening note, do you think? I don't really know music, so I pass it over to... Major chords, so... A major. An A major. So it has like the sound of an A major,

this kind of like strike, it kind of resonates with you that you can hear it. And also, you don't just hear the musical note. You hear a voice as it struck. Only Rowan hears it. It is a very androgynous voice, gender neutral. You're not, it doesn't sound male or female, but it sounds old.

and it sounds both kind and terrible at the same time. And you hear the word stone. Yes. Huh? What? You heard that? I heard...

Big, big boom noise. Yeah, the lightning. I heard that resonating. There was a chord to it. Yes, you hear it too? My wife plays a bit of music. This was what's in my dream. That might be an A major.

Correct. What? It was like this, and you get Sustanuto out and plays the A major. Yes, that's it. When he plays it, Gruff and Xanthius, you almost hear the stone monolith, reverberate the same chord back. And Rowan, you hear that voice again in your head,

but softer, far more gentle, but you still hear it. Stowe. We're getting very close to you. Keep doing that. That's good. This is where you saw your dream. Yes. Okay, okay.

And this is just the first one, and you can see that the path leading to the giant's wet stone, there are many of these monoliths lining the path, basically, that leads there. Okay, keep playing the music. Let's follow these stones all the way through your dream. It's likely to change as well. Okay. Oh, I'm so ready for this.

Then these are... The lightning's not going to... That's what these are for. They draw the lightning in. Copper caps. Well, in my dream, I wasn't hit by any lightning. Good, okay. So, were we in your dream?

No. Okay. Maybe I never look back. We would. You lead the way. Shall we stand behind? You can all see that Vricks is like, why are we stopping? Like, it's, like, Vricks is, like, so eager to go, and is, like, kind of glancing back.

Carry on, but keep playing that. Yeah. So, as you draw closer to the next stone, again, the same thing happens. Almost as you get within a certain range of it, it's like a bolt of lightning is sent to strike. And when it does, it's the next chord. There's a progression. A song is being played here. And you hear the next word,

storm. And then the next one, the same thing, a new chord, see. And then as you follow, it begins to form just this series of words. Storm, stone, sea, air, hunt, sing, fight, grow. grow. And those first series of words, it's rhythmic, it's building, it's melodic, but it's like a chant almost, like the beginning, like an introduction to a song or like a chant to begin.

And then the next ones, there are more words. You are more than rocks and roads, dreams and hopes. as each one is struck two of those words combined. Live, die, love, hate. The songs are yours to write, to learn, listen. Sorry, listen to the beat of earth, the aria of wind, the base of oceans, the heart of fire. And that last one, you now stand with this great plateau

sort of in a short distance away from you. But each time it's struck, there is a very definite progression. There is a song there. That's beautiful. Like, Rowan has got little tears welling up in his eyes because he feels empowered and passionate about this music. It feels like the best song that could ever be played.

And you don't think that those words you're hearing, they're not meant to be the lyrics to the song. that is a message being conveyed to you and you alone, Rowan. But you could take those chords and there is definitely a song that could be written to it, but those words are not the lyrics of the song. They are a message being imparted to you. It could be you could use some of them as lyrics to a song,

but you don't get that that's the intention of it. It is a message to you specifically. But you also find Rowan, and obviously you're a skilled musician and everything else, but every single one of those notes in that progression, you can remember them perfectly. Like there's no, like, what was the third one again? Or like, what was the fit?

You know exactly the perfect order of those progressions. And they're all notes that can be played on Sostanuto as well. No micro turns. Nice. Is there any, because when Rowan plays as a magical sort of physicality that comes out of it, is there anything? Well, I imagine that you've been playing in. each note as you've sort of moved past, right?

Yeah. But you've not played all of them together yet because you've been playing one and then moving to the next one and then playing that and then moving to the next one. You've not played them all just in a complete sequence, yeah. Yeah. But there's definitely like there was that resonation. Every time Rowan strums the same note,

there is a resonance with the Stone Watchers, the Stone Watcher Monolith. Cool. Yeah, I think Rowan is absorbed in the performance of it, almost like he's fully connected to the land and whatever this voice is, assuming it's Ulthi of a kind. And yeah, it's almost in like a trance-like state performing. And you hear that the songs are yours to write, to learn.

That's kind of repeating, listen to you, the beat of earth, the aria of wind, the base of oceans, the heart of fire. It's kind of building and building. And Rowan, you play that sequence, you play that song. And as you finish the full thing, you get this urge almost, it's a sense, it's not coming from your patterns. It's not even really coming from you. You can almost feel Sostanuto. And you almost feel like this, you want to hold it up once you finish playing.

Hey, buddy. You. Okay, there you go. as you hold it up, there is one final flash in the sky and a bolt of lightning does not go to the stone watches and goes straight into Sostanuto. But it doesn't break. You watch as this perfectly, this beautiful artisan-made loot

takes that bolt of lightning and you hear that sequence play out, you know, enhanced. There's this magic, like when you normally play and you add magic to it, that is almost tenfold. And this beautiful, incredible sequence of music plays out. And you see, everybody sees, in fact, a pattern of lightning forms along the frets at the top of the neck of the lute. And it is a giant's run.

It is a run of giant magic. Giant runes, I think Xantheus and few and very, perhaps Gruff and a few others may have heard about them or seen them, but they are the magic of the giants, is what they use. And this pattern sort of forms over the fretboard. And you see that there is a faint sort of in the intricate carvings along Sustanuto's wooden frame. Lightning is sort of running through them.

Cool. Is Sustanuto okay? Yeah, I think so. It wants this. It wanted me to lift it. And it's now, it's got all these giant ruin. on them. For Roman, you intrinsically know

that this has infused your loop with power. This giant's ruin, that Sostinuto has gained some sort of magical power. You can now cast two cantrip, elementalism and shock and grasp, as long as you're using Sostenuto, but perhaps more impressively, once per day, you can cast

chain lightning. Oh. But you didn't have to take a long rest to get it back. You can't just use the spell slits a one-off from the loot itself. It does use your spells off. That's exactly how it fires out of the top of the neck.

But you have to play that sequence that you just heard. It's basically you play that and then it fires the chain lightning. To figure out what that sequence is now, I suppose. And I leave that to the more musically talented because I don't know music at all. It has to be starting in A major.

Yeah, it does have to start in A major. But yeah. this, and that message, you get that sense that like, this is what perhaps you're being drawn to. And I think that even as you hold Sostanuto, you know, your green patterns, there is a moment where they change to lightning blue.

And they almost have like a lightning effect to them. And then it fades back to green. And Sosanuto's lightning calms down and sort of fades back into, there is a faint outline on the neck, on the neck of the loo underneath the strings, that outline of the giant's ruin is still present, almost like slightly burn into it,

but not jagged and burnt, but intentionally done. But the power seems to, like, calm down for a second, but you know it's still there, and your geometric shapes return to normal. I guess I'll try and reach out in my mind and just offer a thanks to this force that has imbued my Sostanuto. There is no response.

Wow. That looks powerful now. I could examine it if you want. Detect magic, I guess. There is a powerful sense of evocation now within Sustanuto. It is now a magic item. Wow.

Fancy. Very cool. Hell yeah. Hell yeah. Yeah. Is this, I think, this wasn't in my dream. This is something.

This was. Okay, no. But the wet stone is near, right? You are looking, so you've reached the end of this path of monoliths, and the plateau, the giant's wet stone, this enormous, like, you know, it's like a giant hill, and then it's just been sliced, and it's completely flat at the top. That is still a little ways away,

but you can clearly see the path that you need to take. And now that you're sort of looking at it, and I think Gruff takes this moment sort of like, I have noticed that there's something going on over there and points, And at the base of the plateau where you can see, in Rowan, you remember that there's a stairway that sort of carved into the mountain itself, like this narrow stairway.

And you remember it was covered with like religious, you know, altars and offerings and things like that and ropes and archways and things like that. Around the base of that staircase, at the base of the plateau, a camp has been set up, a sort of temporary base camp. And you can see that there are various tents.

You can see figures a little bit too far. way to really pick out any details at this point. But yeah, you can see that there is something going on there. Have you seen anything else like this around the Azar Step? These resonating lightning sequences. Those are all scattered around. In fact, there was one in Yalt. It was built on the hills above Yalt.

There's just one of these stone monoliths. They're like a known thing in the Azar Step, Stone Watch Monoliths. Well, the ones that they all give off a tone, though. No, that's different. Maybe there's more of these around, and I don't know, maybe something else to empower Sostanuto even further. Maybe.

Such a stunning, beautiful song. Although, you know, I've played and heard these melodies before, the way it was just connected with me so deep. I feel empowered by it and that I feel accepted in a strange way. And Xanthius, you cast detect magic on it. That sort of giant's ruin, whilst you can detect that there's evocation magic instilled into Sosanuto, this is not a kind of magic you have experienced before. This is not arcane magic as you know it.

It's not Gruff's primal magic. It's not even the divine magic. not even the divine magic that's sort of aphelia and in a sort of sense, Daisy, when you use your healing hands, there's a touch of divine magic there. This is something else. This is, this is giant's magic. This is not... Oh, is in the means by which it was infused into the...

Well, and Sostenuto itself, it's like something has awoken in Sostanuto thanks to whatever that lightning, whatever this song was. But the magic within it is Giants magic. Well, whatever it is, Sostanuto is far more powerful than it was before. Did you hear a voice or did anything... Yes. Yes? While the lightning was striking throughout, I was hearing words that as we got closer,

filled with even more words, and they were telling me messages of writing stories. The stories I write are the ones that should be told. I felt very much empowered by that. Did you recognize the voice? It felt old. Warm, but also a little scary. Right. Powerful.

I think it was Althe. Maybe. But maybe it was something, because this is giant magic. Well, if something's talking to you and we can't hear it, then suppose it means you're on the right part of whatever you've been doing. keep doing it. Somebody out there really likes what you're doing. I guess so.

And this wasn't even at the final goal. This is just in the run-up to it. I thought my dream was, the lightning was leading me to the path, you know, to the top. Because there's some steps and the shrines and everything. They were in my dream. And you know that the stone is up there. Yeah, Vricks is like with gruff and you can see that she's agitated.

She's like... Did anything happen to you? What? Cute. Aggressive. No. Why are we waiting? It is here.

This is it. What is this camp? Why are they here? People camp here. It's offerings. We can press on. I can tell you are very impatient. Yes, yes.

Yes, we are so close. I wish to be fixed. I wish to be mended. You're free to go ahead, Rick. Very well. But we can investigate Sostenuto further. I would love to hear you play it at some point. Yes.

will. It wants me to. Yeah. The elementalism cantrip, I will add these properly to the Indy Beyond. Basically, it allows you to just do minor effects with elements. It's a can't camp so you can like scomp earth and air and fire and that kind of stuff. And shocking grasp is obviously shocking grasp. Chain lightning, chain lightning. Chain lightning.

Chain lightning. Yeah. Yeah, you see Ricks literally is almost running towards this camp and Graff sort of is like, oh, I don't know if that's a good idea and sort of begins to... The steps are a little old and... Well, as you draw closer and closer, you see that this camp is actually pretty significant. This isn't just a couple of tents, and it doesn't appear to be like pilgrims either, because you quickly notice that there are armed mercenaries patrolling this camp. They're like making patrols. And you begin to see banners,

flags and banners and crests on the sides of these tents. What you see is a shield-like crest flanked by Draconic Claws, which are holding a book and a quill, and on the shield itself are three ruins in Draconic, which I believe only Xanthius reads. Yes, well, someone else might, but... Oh, I think Gruff might. I vaguely remember...

Gruff saying that he did as well. No, he doesn't. He doesn't have it as a language. Weirdly speaks Goblin. Oh, yeah, I remember that, that's... Yeah. But I'll tell it for Zanthius and anybody else who does understand it.

You know that those three runes, Xanthias, in draconic, it is Akadis, Avrix, Akatom, which would translate in common to... There you go. So you read the ruins as well, and that translates to learn, grow, become. Right. And I think... Crystal in Final Fantasy. Kind of.

But you can make a history role or an arcana role. It would probably be arcana. for all Zanny, Zan, Zan, Zan, the Man, Man, Zany Man. You do have fate as well, by the way, as a wrong way. That's true. Use it. Yeah, let's pop a fate on this one. Yeah, I'll go with the Arcana route for this.

And the D6. 13. With the 6 on the fate. 13? Yeah, 13 total. But that's what I mean. Ron, did you want a history check? Yeah.

Natural 20. it kind of makes sense actually that Rowan know this um it does remind you of something uh xanthius something maybe you saw in kelskaris but you can't really remember too much but rowan you know this um you know i think that being a traveler and being a storyteller you know of the academia the you know the great center of learning in kelskaris is sort of a place where you can learn magic but also history geology it is basically like a university that teaches everything and that symbol is the Academia's crest and that phrase learn, grow, become, or Akardis Avericks, Akatom is their motto, basically. And you, so these tents are all property of the academia.

The mercenaries walking around, though, you don't get the sense that, you know, they've obviously been hired, but they mean, they're not academia guards or anything like that. They seem to be a mercenary company. Their tabards have a beautiful sort of rose on them, a rose pattern, sort of cream, and and red coloring for their mercenary banner. And they seem very professional. Like they've kind of got like a border. And when they see this giant dynastian bug running towards them,

they very quickly begin to mount up a squad. And you can hear them shouting like, stop, stop. Don't come any closer. Don't come any closer. Hold your ground. We will open fire. And you see Vricks does stop, but is sort of, you know, hunched.

And is in that sort of like, I'm gonna shoot them with my gun. I imagine we're gonna rush up too. Yeah, well, Gruff was chasing after anyway, and I think Gruff is like calming frecks down at this point. But yeah, you guys kind of make your way up, and yeah, these guards are sort of, you know, holding their hands up, and they're like,

please, citizens, don't come any closer. This area is off limits. It's, it's, it's, it's, the academia is performing some research here. We can't let you anywhere nearby. Academy. Sorry, sorry. We were hoping to gain access to the wet stone. I'm sorry, but the academia is performing some important research there.

We've been hired to keep the area secure. Nobody's being allowed up to the wet stone. Has something happened? As I understand it, they sort of look around, and they're like, look, we've been hired by the academia to just keep anybody away. As we understand it, there is a professor from the academia performing some sort of important research. That's all we know.

that we, that's what we need to know. How long will this take? I couldn't tell you, I'm afraid. How long have you been here? A few days or so. Give me an insight role, everybody, actually. Okay. 11, 14.

19. 21. 21. 18? Nope. You do have the fate as well. Yeah, all of you who got above a 17, you definitely can tell that, like, a couple of the guards kind of look each other

with a bit of sort of like, you get a sense of apprehension when you sort of ask, how long have you been here and the guard is like, oh, like a few days and they glance their eyes around and they seem apprehensive. Not like they're hiding something,

but more like something's on their mind. Is there something we should be worried about? No, no, not all, no, not at all, no, no, no. This is whatever the, it's the academia's business. We've, we're, and they sort of like say, Perhaps we'll get our captain. You should speak to our captain. Yes, please.

And they'll send one of their, you know, other members off. And within a few moments, you see a halfling man sort of approach. He's wearing the same tabard, but he's got really nice armor. But you can see he's an archer. He has like a kind of composite short bow and a really nice quiver and things like that on his back. And he approaches, and he, with a very sort of jolly, he's like, Hello there! Hello, hello.

I'm Captain Janick Jir Willow of the, Company of the Daring Rose. Sorry, Janick, Jeerwillow. Okay, cheap. That's me. Janick? Captain Janick, if you prefer. Sure, let's go with that.

Of which companies are? Company of the Daring Rose, sir. Daring Rose. Yes. Sorry, we journal everything as we travel around. So, yes, as my subordinates have said, we have been hired. This location is currently being secured

for the academia, and I'm afraid that, you know, we're having to stop any pilgrims or travelers or anything like that from going up to the wet stone, I'm afraid. Some important geological matter. Do you know how long until we could gain access to the wet stone ourselves? I'm afraid that is something that only the professor would know and the professor has not been very forthcoming on how long this is going to take. Believe me, I would love to have me in my troop back in Kelskaris

and taking on a new job. We've been here a few days now, and it's not the most exciting job, let me tell you that. We've been traveling for three days, and we're not the closest to civilization. Could we perhaps use some of your buildings, your tents? Do you not have any of your own? I mean, you're more than welcome to camp with us. I can't really spare any supplies or camping equipment, but you're more than welcome to camp out with us.

As long as you don't go near the wet stone and go up to the wet stone, I've got no problem with that. Like, you know, the rest of the years, our step is free for you to... Do with what you wish? It's a real shame. I didn't realize that a natural place could be cordoned off by anyone. I thought it was a public right of way. Well, when you say that, Roman, I mean, yeah, you're right.

Like, in theory, this shouldn't be allowed. This is a holy site. It's a pilgrimage site, right? Only the arch dragon should really be able to commit something like that, the arch dragon of the Azar Step. I assume the academia got the go-ahead from the arch dragon. Well, I believe so, yes. I mean, I kind of imagine the academia would have sent the professor here

without the proper approvals. Many people travel here far and wide on a pilgrimage longer than we have. I understand that, sir. I understand that. We've had to turn away a few people. You have? Yes, yes, yes, we've had to. As I said, we've been... This is a job by the academia.

Apparently the knight who is accompanying our company and is accompanying the professor has witnessed that they carry documentation from the arch dragon. They carry a signed writ which allows them to do this. Who is the professor that you are with? Oh, it's, what's his name? Professor Broxton Brasquil.

I believe he's a head of geology or, geology or occult geology or something like that at the academia. He's the one that, he's the one that hired us on behalf of the academia. Do you have any idea what they are investigating? Some, some unusual stone up there, I think, I couldn't say. The crown? I, I imagine so, I don't really know, sir. I'll, I'll pull gruff to one side.

Gruffless. Are you thinking what I'm thinking? I have no idea what you're thinking for you. All right, then I'll say it out loud. I think we should both use our abilities to connect with nature to find out what's going on. All right, we can definitely try that. I don't think we can do, I don't think we should do that right in front.

You know, we shouldn't, I'm going a bit Irish with him. Hello, my name is Graf. I don't think we should do that in front of... They might notice, yes. But I don't have to get close. Would the Arch Dragon really let somebody do it? I didn't know their name until... That's true.

A few days ago. That's true. Should know better. But this does seem strange. It's one of the most important things of this area. Mm-hmm. And it's welcomed by all walks of life. For it to be cordoned off by the academia is a strange one for the arch dragon to approve, given its importance.

I agree. What are the rest of you doing as Gruff and Rowan sort of have this conversation? I think I'm just having an idle talk with this captain. So you came from Kelskaris. Yes. And, yeah, crazy. You see, Vricks is making that really angry-sounding, like a hornet, like a hornet's like buzz, you know, when they get really pissed.

You hear this deep, resonating buzz and pieces of her carapace are vibed. What carapace remains is vibrating. And she is just angry. This is unacceptable. You cannot deny me the wet stone. I've traveled so far. Apologies for Briggs here,

but we have been, like we said, on a very, very long journey and have been very eager to get to the wet stone. You see, like, Vrix's hand is on, like, the pistol. The other one is, like, holding the halberd, and you see quite a few of these mercenaries are like, starting to put hands on weapons, and they're definitely watching bricks,

like, you know, when you've got somebody who's very clearly volatile. Can I ask, are they investigating Altharite? I, you would need to ask the professor, sir. We're just here to stop anybody going up to the stone. We don't know anything about what's actually going on up there. I would love to talk to the professor. Yes, if it's Althorite they're interested in, it's something we've interacted with before.

Give me persuasion check and Daisy you can either give advantage you can either give advantage you have advantage You have a better persuasion than persuasion persuasion and fate

you have only plus eight and yes I will fate it okay Okay 16 plus 13 plus 19 plus 8 27 please 27 please 27

27 hmm don't I want to do something with my fate here show you. I'm going to spend one. Okay.

And I think that you see Janick kind of, he looks around your group, he sort of looks at you, and he looks at Daisy, and he sees Vrix, and Rowan and Gruff Ruff, Ruff, kind of whisper into each other. Afili is just kind of there.

Yeah, watching. But also, Aphili does look quite intimidating just in her natural presence. I think he's also, because Vricks is getting agitated, she's also kind of feeding a little bit off that. Yeah. The two of you are kind of like,

a bit sort of agro. She's quite a religious person as well. The fact that they shut down the religious site. This is upsetting you. Yeah. So I think Janik is sort of wearing, eyeing this situation carefully, and I think that he says, okay, okay. You seem to be a knowledgeable fellow.

Thank you. And you and your friend here. I could maybe arrange for the two of you to speak to the professor if your friends are willing to wait down here in the meantime. Would it be okay if my very tall friend went instead of me? It's just that he actually knows the thyroid more than I do. Is that me? Yes, you're the tallest one, Rowan.

He knows he's from the Azars. He's also from the Azar Stat. Hello, I'm harmless. Yeah, look at him. I'm just a bard. All right, all right, yeah. So I can let two of you, but we'll need to send word to the professor. He won't want to speak to you up on the plateau.

We'll try and bring him down to come and speak to you. Okay, sure, yeah. But the two of you can come closer, come, you know, Like I said, I think we can be of assistance to the professor. We'll let the professor just say, dad. Okay, and could you swap me for Friggs? That's a definite like that. But yeah, so you see that the guards are kind of keeping their hands closer.

Vricks will just say, pleadingly, friends, Antheus, please let them, make them convince them to let us up to the stuff. I will, I will, Vricks. Don't worry, when we come back here. It is unacceptable. I am trying to feel all of your concerns right now. Captain Janick, have you been dealing with this? I must say you're the most aggressive lot that have come by.

Mostly it's been pilgrims who have just been sad and gone on their way. We don't need to make your job harder. I know that you're far away from home. I assume paid very well for the extra days you've been out here. Yes, I mean, the academia has promised we've been paid a certain fee and we have fees when we return based on the length of the job. I'm sure we can clear this all up with the pretext. Professor.

We'll just go over here and have a sit and have a nice refreshment and they can talk to the professor and I'm sure we will manage to resolve all of this in no time. Virx coming at a snack. Sounds good. You see, Vrix is like, I,

and we'll follow, but he's like constantly looking back and is watching what's happening like a hawk. Rowan and Xanthius, you're led away. Daisy, you can look after Gibson again. I don't think they'll let Gibson in. Okay, do you want me? I'm gonna, I'm just gonna connect to you in head so that you can, you can inform me of what's happening, okay?

I'll say it in my head. Connect us to Othelia and Gruff, but not Frick's, just in case we say something that might enrage. I will say, Gruff will also be like, I'm also going to summon Saturn because hopefully a bird flying overhead won't be too much noticed. I'd like someone a dragon.

No, maybe not the dragon. Noted. So I think that as you are sort of moving away, Gruff will subtly call Serran. materialised Serran and then sort of who, who, whu-flip. I'll fire up the group chat. Sure.

Rowan and Zandthius, you are led deeper into the actual main camp. Yeah, it's the Scrape sound. Yeah, yeah. And you are sort of led into a kind of very comfortable looking tent where there's like chairs and a table. It looks like this is where sort of like meetings are held

and things like that. And you see there's banners of this daring Rose company. Can we... Now that we've sort of crossed the threshold, I suppose, where ordinary people would go through. Sure. Are we seeing anything strange? Like, is there almost a gap in some barrier that we can see?

Have they buried off the entire sort of wetlands? No, because there's only one stairway that leads up. Right, okay. It's quite a high plateau. Like, it's a small mountain. It's like a giant hill. Just wondering if we can see anything. You can't see anything at the top of it.

That's the thing. From where you are down low, you can't see anything happen up there. Seren might be able to in a moment. Sure. But you begin, you sort of are led into a place. And inside waiting, actually, you can see she's sort of looking over some ledges and she's kind of going over a few things. Janick introduces you, he'll sort of open the flap and just be like,

excuse me, ma'am, Dame Vasha. I've got a couple of travellers here. They say they might be able to help the professor. And their group are a colourful lot. figured that maybe we should send word for the professor and have them have a chat with them. They seem a bit knowledgeable about, was it Ulthorite you said, sir?

Ulthoride, we've encountered it before, and we believe the wettstone might be infused with it. You see, stood there is a resplendent-looking, sort of maybe in her, like, 40s woman, wearing, like, gilded armour. Like, it's armour that's been gilded with gold patterns and various sort of accrued ones. She looks fabulously wealthy, like silk,

and her armour being gilded. Her hair is a bit of a balliage with like blonde streaks all the way through it. Very, very friendly looking face, and she will turn round. And you can tell immediately this is an actual knight. This is a proper knight, not an emercenary. And she would just say, oh, by Joe, hello there. Hello, you said. Altharite, you said.

That's right. I think that is what the professors. Is that so? We've encountered it before, and we believe we might be of some assistance to the professor. All right. Lovely to make your acquaintance as well. Pleasure. Dane Vasha of the Rose of Zenith, Knight of the Order of Golden Pass.

I will offer a hand. Zanthias Oregon, a hero of Ash and Rest. Oh, a fellow hero. Pleasure. Pleasure to meet you, Rowan. Pleasure, pleasure, pleasure. Well, yes, I mean, gosh, I think that the professor's having a bit of a difficult time

with the whole affair. It'd be rather good to get some assistance. It would be good to get out of here. Tell them you're traveling with a knight errant. A knight errant. Well, we too are traveling with a knight-errant as well. Oh, Jolly Good. Jolly Good.

Yes, at the same time. Very well, very well. Well, I mean, hopefully we can get this show on the road because these poor mercenaries are being stuck out here, missing out on good opportunities for their trade, for their craft, their business. V-A-V-H-Y-A-V-A-V-A-V-A-V-A-V-A-Y-A-Y. What? Yeah, just asylum Y in there.

Vashya? Vasia. No, no, the why is silent. The Y is silent. There's no way I was going to put it like that. Yeah, I know. That's a T-Shha. You've got to have fantasy spells.

I'm Thayer, the Y's silent. They are the Y's silent. Yeah, okay. But yeah, and I imagine actually Xantheus, this is one of those nightly orders that you might have heard of. Okay. Because I think that they would have been sort of known,

they're quite popular in Guildi but also being a gold dragon board having an interest in transactions and merchants and trade the knight of the golden the order of the golden pass they're an order of knights who basically

their sort of cause kind of like gruff circle of loyal hounds they're not attached to a particular province they're not attached to a particular holy order they sort of have their own mission that's endorsed by a dragon basically they're sponsored by a draconic patron And theirs is they basically do, to call them mercenaries would be a bit of an insult,

but their whole thing is to raise money for good causes and to also work with mercenaries and merchants to ensure that they are being dutifully prosperous and fair with their business. They're sort of like a watchdog, but an actual nightly militant order. So like if mercenary companies are like ripping people off, they'll send in the knights to literally kick the shit out of them and teach them a lesson. But also they might do them to, like, help protect a mind

that's, like, making loads of money for, like, a particular place. Like, they're kind of attached to more transactional affairs, basically. And obviously, resplendent in her sort of gilded armour, it's very kind of obvious that that's what Dame Vashire is about. And can I ask, is there any actual threat from the whetstone? Any concerns? Well, make a persuasion roll for me. Yeah.

Sure, let's fate it again, because I don't. to know, persuasion. Yeah. Eish, not so good this time. 19, actually. 19? Well, you seem to know about this authorite business. I dreamt about it.

Well, we're just wondering, you know, since it's... And you said you're a hero of where? Ash and rest, in Caldra. In Caldra. Well, truth be told. It was going fine initially. We turned up, we set up the camp, the professor goes up. and begins doing whatever he's doing up there.

And then he was in a foul mood. Just kept saying that something wasn't right. It was going to take longer. You know, we were only supposed to be here for a few days. We've been here over a week now. And then a few days ago is when the earthquakes began. And something's off, I think. But the professor's being quite tight-lipped about it.

Now, as I understand, This has all been approved by the Arch Dragon, so I'm not really sure, but something in my gut is telling me that something's not quite right. So perhaps it is good that you've shown up. Perhaps we can have a chat with the professor. Do you know them very well? No, goodness, no. I was attached to the company of the Daring Rose when they were hired. I'm not here for this particular purpose. I was simply sort of sent to keep an eye on the Daring Rose, make sure that all their business seems fair, which it does seem to be. They seem to be a rather dependable mercenary company. But, yes, I was attached to them at the time when they were hired for this job.

So, of course, my duty as a knight is to come with them and make sure that they're doing what they're supposed to do, they're earning their keep. Yeah, it's a very curious matter. Well, if it's been closed off to the public, I imagine there must be a good reason for it. Oh, they wouldn't like that. No, well, they would not like that in the Arsragon.

That's probably why there's all the rumblings. Yes, I sometimes forget quite how wide-reaching the academia's strengths are, you know? Well, if they have the right approvals. I think at that point, there is a sudden... The earth really begins to shake, and there is a moment of panic as things start to get knocked over.

Just everybody at the table give me a dexterity saving throat. You're not going to take any damage, right, and we'll see how badly this sort of affects you. How embarrassing is. Yeah, kind of. Eich. 21.

21. 10. 10. High. This is gonna be like, 27. 27. I have never been moved. 10. 10. You just roll with it.

So, Aphelia and Daisy, you deal with it quite fine. You manage to keep your footing, but this is really extreme. You guys are also out on the open, so you're not really in any danger of anything. But I think that inside the tent, I'm going to spend a point of fate here, you're quite close to the actual base of the plateau. And there is this, you know, enormous cracking, angry earth sound. And Rowan, you can feel Ulfe is not happy. Like, this is the earth itself, like the land itself, is angry at what's happening.

And it has been angry for a while. And as you are doing this, you suddenly hear a great kind of crack as the ground splits. and the two of you slip into this fissure with your 10 DC, you see the knight Dame Vasha sort of managed to throw herself back and immediately reaches in, like, grabs like, kind of offers her hands, you manage to kind of grab hold, and she kind of strains and trying to hold you up. Janick immediately comes in and begins helping.

As you nearly fall into this, like, fissure, as she sort of pulls you up, you can hear cries from some of the guards outside, and those of you who are outside, so Daisy and Ophelia Gruff and Fricks, you see that, like, pieces of the plateau have broken off rolled down and have, like, crushed several of the tents, and it sounds like at least a couple of guards

have been injured in that process. Can we see if we can go and help? I think automatically I'd be like, I'm not trying to get in or anything, but is everyone okay? There's this moment where the guards aren't really sure what to do. They want to go and help their friends, but they have been paid to do a job, and they're sort of like, no, we can handle it.

Just stay there, just don't come any closer. And they're sort of keeping you at bay, but you can see that they're kind of sending off people to go and check on their friends. But you see the dame sort of like, Giac, they're getting worse. That's the worst one we've had so far. Whatever the professor's doing,

they sort of pull you up on this floor. Althe does not like it at all. Althei, the dead deity, Althe is gone. Very much not dead. Very much not dead. It'll be ridiculous. The church tells us that Althea gave up their life. Althe is gone.

There is no Ulthae. It is just Althea now. I think the land begs to differ. That may be the case. Clearly, you're right. Clearly something the professor is doing is causing these earthquakes. Divine intervention or whatever it is,

it doesn't matter. Something is clearly wrong. Could we please go speak to the professor? We won't interrupt there. Yes. Yes, let's... It won't interrupt your job. No, let's take you up there immediately.

and sort of they pull you out the hole, and I think that she will turn around to Janick and say, like, you go, like, check on everybody outside. I'll take these two up to see the professor, and the two of you are sort of like that. We're okay. Are you okay? We're good. No, we're fine.

We fell into a split in the land. Hang on, everyone. Seren's just getting into position now. She's just flying over. I'm going to see what she sees. And I think that the last thing we're going to see is Seren's flying over. and Serran sort of flying over with keen vision looks down,

not understanding what she's seeing, but sending it all to Gruff. We see at the top, we see that big, wide, flat plane. There is patches of scrubland and a few errant rocks and pieces like that, you know, maybe an old broken tree that's sort of grown out of a section of it, but is mostly just dead wood now. But at the very top of this plateau, we see, this is the audience in Gruff, we see the giant's wet stone, this kind of like dull, dark grey rock, similar in colour to stone raisers.

There is no glowing green colour or veins or anything like that. It almost looks dull, spent, as if there is no, the ulcerate there has been used up or gone or mined away. But we see the stone itself and scattered around it are various, uh, tables and desks with books and ledgers and canopies are sort of drawn over them to protect them from the elements. And there is this angry-looking dwarf wearing wizardy robes. You can just barely sort of see their earth skin of tin and copper sort of growing out of their body. And they are just sort of almost screaming in rage. And we see that they are controlling what appears to be like an earth elemental made of stone and rock itself

that is trying to pull the stone free. But it can't. Even though with its immense strength and its ability to dig, this thing is just not coming loose and he's like bellowing at it. And you can see that there is a smaller elemental like digging around the stone,

almost trying to like dig it free and give it more leverage to pull it open. But that does not seem to be working. And that's what we see as Rowan and Santhius and the knight Dame Bashar. Start to ascend. Yeah. Start to ascend.

Very cool. That's where we're gonna leave the episode. Oh, I love it. Very good. I love it. Love it. Love to see the academia as well. Yes, yeah.

And that's the first time, I designed it specifically for this, their crest and their motto. We've not had that before. Learn, group, become. Yes. A cadis avricks acatom. Yeah, but also,

and this is a little behind the scenes, so I do have to tell you that Professor Broxton is a professor of the seventh circle. Seventh circle. Get a load of this guy. He is the head of the esoteric geology and magical minerals department. Hoo!

This is a department head, okay? This is like a big, this is a big guy. This is one of them, one of them. Not quite the dean, we're not looking at the dean of the academia or any of the, you know, you know, department. So you have like the section heads and department heads and things like that.

But it's like a proper university. It's much more like a kind of Oxford University, Harvard kind of deal, the academia. But yeah, we will leave it with that image of like Seren seeing this as we see Rowan Xanthius and the night being sort of led up with the rest of you still down below.

Nice. Very cool. Very cool. All right, that is going to be it for today's episode, everybody. Great episode. We will see you next time. For episode 100. Episode 100. 100 episodes of Alfaya, goodness me.

a big Rowan episode as we bring this hopefully to a nice finish and we'll see you next time take care everybody bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye Hey I'm Simon I'm Jim and I'm Boof Have you heard about Pickax's hit new old movie podcast Yomp

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