High Rollers DnD - The Song of Stone (Part 1) | Altheya: The Dragon Empire #100

Episode Date: May 5, 2026

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Pickax At No Quest for the Wicked We ask, What if we start an actual play podcast That never plays D&D? What if we combine the joy And friendship

of our home game With studio quality sound design? What if we tell stories that will make us And our audience cry With laughter And sadness And everything in between?

And what if we wrap it all up In a nice, polite Canadian bow? Well, we'd have a Multi-Award-winning podcast That's waiting to be Your New Favorite show. Start at the beginning with our binge-worthy first campaign,

dip your toes into one of our many series or one-shots or jump right into our ongoing second campaign, released every other Wednesday at noquestcast.com or your favorite podcatcher by searching NoQuest for the Wicked. Hello, and welcome back to Alfea the Dragon Empire. Our heroes have traveled to the storm-racked,

but free and airy, a czar step. Pursuing mysterious dreams of Rowans, they seek the giant's wetstone, a holy sight of the believed dead deity Al-Fei, who restored us. Ulthea after the bright storm. In their journey, they have met and brought along with them, Vricks the Broken, a giant beetle person known as a dynastian, as Vricks seeks the wet stone to restore her broken horn and shattered carapace. After a very brief and educational

encounter with some local bandits, the party then found a long line of stone monoliths, which when struck by lightning, cooled out to Rowan in rhythm and song, holding aloft Sostanuto his loot, Rowan felt it become charged with powerful storm energy. Following the line of monoliths, they arrived at the massive stone plateau called the giant's wetstone. However, they learned that the site had been locked down by a professor of the academia of Kelskaris and a mercenary company have been hired to keep anyone away from disturbing his work. Rowan and Xanthius were convincing the lead knight and mercenary captain to let them speak to the professor when a sudden earthquake struck the area. The knight, Dame Vashya, felt that it would be a

good idea to check on the professor with them. Meanwhile, Gruff used Serran to scout over the plateau and saw the Dwarven Mage with Earth Elementals trying and failing to excavate a large stone from atop the plateau. And that, my friends, is where we come back together today. As a reminder, Daisy, Ophelia, Gruff, and Vricks are all down in the camp, the mercenaries camp at the base of the plateau. Meanwhile, Rowan and Xanthius, along with Dame Vasha, have headed up to the top. Now, I want to clarify, this is a massive plateau. This is, you know, nearly, not quite mountain, but it is enormous. It is about maybe 1,200 feet in the air.

So it is a significant climb. You have been, Rowan and Xanthus, you've been sort of winding your way, excuse me, you have been winding your way along sort of very rough-hewn cut steps that have been made into this plateau. And along the way you see kind of a bit like Tori shrines in Japan. These kind of like wooden shrines have been overlaid over on the staircases with, you know, decorative ropes and holy sigil. and offerings of flowers and dried fruits and nuts

and things like that have been left. It looks like none have been left for some time as most of them that you pass have rotted away or have looked like they've been in a state of disrepair. And you know, you're making this climb up there and it is very clear that this is a very well-respected place. This is a holy pilgrimage for the people that seem to believe

that Al-Fei is not quite gone. Accompanying you to remind you of her description, Vasha is a human woman sort of in her, kind of late 40s, early 50s, like she's got gray streaks running through her blonde hair, but she's dressed in the most ornate, very, very expensive-looking golden armor, and she's sort of leading the way towards this professor. Meanwhile, down on the ground amongst the camp, the rest of you are sort of not being watched, but you are sort of with Captain Janick Jir Willow, who was the mercenary captain, a half-ling mercenary captain

of the company called the Company of the Daring Rose, which is this mercenary company. And him and a couple of guards are just sort of staying near you. They seem to mainly be worried about Vricks and Ophelia, who have been very clearly angry and not happy about sort of being told that they have to wait down here. So they're kind of keeping this wary eye on the two of you. But is there anything anybody would like to do

Before I go in with Santhius and Rowan I'm going to stop them But just in case anybody in the ground There's anything you would like to immediately do Does Daisy have the telecoms up? It's up So at the end of the last episode Gruff had Seren flying around

Doing some recon That's correct So Gruff would recant, retell What Seren is seeing In the group chat So seeing this site Seeing the wet stone with the earth pulled away from it

and fundamentals and this very angry dwarf. Yeah, and I think last time I said it was one elemental, I'm actually going to slightly rec on that and it's two smaller Earth elementals who are sort of digging a channel around this thing. You would have also noticed that there is like a tent with some supplies, and maybe you, like, Serran can see that there are some other figures

sort of milling around that tent. Looks like there are like papers and tools and things like that. It does look like a kind of archaeological, like, survey site, basically, but you can see this very angry dwarf mage, ornate robes, sort of just pointing at this rock and, you know, controlling the elementals, but looks very, very angry gruff. So I'd communicate that with everyone, and also could, like, sarin get a kind of rough look at troops, like how many soldiers and stuff like that?

In the mercenary camp? Sorry, mercenaries, yeah. Yeah. I mean, it is an expansive camp. It kind of surrounds the, entire staircase that leads up. And there are, you know, there are quite a good number, like a dozen tents. And you can, even those of you on the ground, you can see that, you know, there are

several, several mercenaries, you know, that are waiting around, basically. This is not an insignificant number of them. But they're also attending to injured, who seemed to have been injured in that earthquake. You know, there was a bit of a landslide, some rocks came down, fishes have opened up, you know, they're definitely responding to that. And so the four kind of with you right now are sort of focused on you. Everybody else is kind of attending to that. But also, they're still keeping a border patrol, right?

Serran can see that there are actually groups a bit further out who are making sure that any other travellers who came this way get turned away. So I'd say that the four next to you are like the only immediate threat to those of you on the ground. And that's what Serran basically sees. Yes, sir. I would communicate basic aerial recon and perhaps. The message that this is not a punch and kick our way through scenario. Oh yeah, I mean like feel free to just say whatever gruff would say.

What's the maximum range on your... It's like a mile I think. It's like pretty big. Okay, and we're not like a mile away up, travelling up this thing, aren't we? I need to check how many... No, yeah, you're fine. A mile is 5,000 feet, so you're okay. I think it's a mile? Let me... I'm checking. That's a lot of Kims. That's a thousand Kim's.

Just over. Just over. It was $1,200. Oh, my God. But yeah, we'll check when Dasey checks it on the range, but I'm going to assume that you guys are still in much fun. There you go. So, yeah, we're more than fine in range. And you don't need to see them, do you? No, because I

did it before that set off. Yeah. So, yeah, you have some mental communication up. Those on the ground, Vrix is angry. It's making this low, almost rhythmic, like, war drum, like, droning, like, mm-hmm, mm-hmm. It's almost, like, revving up almost. And you can sense, I think, Aphelia, you can just sense that there's anger. You know, this is a creature, you can't read her facial expression.

She's a giant beetle, but you know that she is getting angry and angry. And you too may be feeling quite angry as well. But we got, we jumped to Xanthius and Rowan. You guys have been traveling up these steps for a while. Is there anything you guys want to do or talk about or ask, Dame Vasha as you are making your way up because it will take you like two minutes or something, you know, maybe like, you know, five minutes

to make your way up. So this is a pre-Gruff message? Yeah, this can be whilst, gruff message probably would be as you were like coming up these stairs, basically. So, you don't have to, this is just if you want to. I'm giving you a chance before, like, we jump into a scene, basically. You can also still talk in your heads

to these guys as well. If you would prefer to discuss stuff, like telepathically. Just so you know, guys, we are still going up. It doesn't seem to be any end to all of these steps. Up and up we go. Rowan's...

Doing good. You don't need to do that in the group. Sorry. He's not actually breathing like that in real life. It's only in his head. There'll be nothing left if you don't hurry up.

They're desecrating a holy sight. Right. Let's get going out of this. Oh yes, yes. This is post-broth message. Sorry, I missed that bit. Can you gauge if you She might be someone who would protect a holy site and maybe be on our side during this. I know that they have to protect this professor,

but if they're doing something awful... They seem lovely and that they have nightly order, so I think they'll do the right thing. I hope so. Right, Dame? Hello? Was that you... Did you ask me something?

As a knight, you do the right thing? Oh, well, we try to, but my nightly order is we have certain values. I suppose in most parts, yes, we try and do the right thing, but I suppose what is right, what does one determine as right? True. Well, if, say, for example, you have, you're looking after a wizard as a knight,

and they're called Professor Waxton. Yes. And they're naughty, but you're a knight and you've been sworn to protect them. Yeah, hypothetically. But this Professor Waxon is to be. naughty stuff. Whatever you do, just don't make it too obvious right now?

He's doing a great job. She actually smiles, like, sort of as you're making your way up, she kind of smiles in your direction. Well, in this very obviously hypothetical, and pretty depends. My... Idiot. My order, I am currently sworn to the mercenary company.

And it is my duty to make sure that they are conducting fair business, fair business, that they are performing their duties appropriately, and to ensure that there is good prosperity for all the people of the empire. Those are my knightly orders. Now, me and myself, if the professor is up to something nefarious, yes, I would try and I would, I like to believe that I'm a good person, and I would assist in doing them, but I don't really know what they could be doing. I mean, as I understand it, they have all the proper paperwork. They have, this has all been approved by the arch dragon and the academia, so I'm not quite sure what you're implying.

As we're kind of going up to steps, it's a full hustle at this point. The ground did open up beneath us, and I've never seen that before. That does concern me, but that, we don't necessarily know that that is the professor doing it. Oh, yes, but she doesn't know that, right? We don't know that he's the reason

that all of this is suddenly happening. I kind of point out shrines and things that are like centuries old, that if there were other earthquakes and things, they would have been disturbed by now? No, I freely admit that these earthquakes trouble me, and I want to ask Professor what's happening for certain. But maybe it's, you know, this place has never been,

I don't know what he's doing, but he has the paperwork to come and conduct this survey, and perhaps that has never been done before, and it is causing these earthquakes and things like that. We will speak with the professor and see what happened. Lead the way. Yes. Running.

Are you, like, running or are you taking your time to go out there? Because this is a fairly big day. With the prod from Ophila saying desecration. You're sort of hustling a lot. That's a hustle now. Okay. Like, the dame will sort of be like, right, let's make our way and sort of kind of follows you.

For Zoom. Meanwhile, like I said, this is probably going to take them about sort of five minutes to actually make their way up there, assuming you're moving at sort of like your average walking speed, right? One of the rest of you on the ground doing, like, are you just going to wait to hear from this? them, because if something does happen, you're not going to get there for like 20 rounds.

If they're at the top and you're at the bottom. So just keep that in mind. Yeah, I guess the problem is they're not going to let us pass. Is there... You don't know? So they're in front of us, right? Excuse me. On the battle map, they are, to represent that they're sort of with you.

They're kind of like... I would say that they are definitely stood in front of the steps, I think. They did move. I think you said they moved... Like, as we moved closer to see if they needed any help, they kind of... They sort of moved. to move into the place.

And I think they're not trying to be like an absolute cordon, they're just making it clear like, we're not allowed up there, basically. Like, the captain is being quite friendly, like he doesn't seem to be like an asshole, like he's like, you know, are, really sorry about it, you know, just gotta wait for the boss and, you know, technically we've been hired to do this,

so, you know, our company's reputation is on the line. If I like kind of just walk away, they're not gonna like follow us or. Doesn't seem to be. We should also roll for fate, actually. actually before we go. Huh. Two.

Oh hell yeah, but I always jump straight in. Two, it's a dice for me. Oh, my. Oh, I hate you. What did you get? Two. Oh, no, the dice for me. Six.

Oh, that's a dice for you. Six. A dice for you. Cinco. That's a dice for you. Yay. Takes a while too. Oh, three, that's a nice even.

Even, evens, evens, love it. Oh, Hugh, Stephen. You, Steve. So yeah, so graph, you can definitely, as long as you're not going up the stairs, you can definitely walk away, for sure. So in group chat, I'd be like, right,

I'm kind of wanting to follow the boys up there. I think this is gruff. Oh, hello. I'm thinking of wild shaping into something and climbing up the step that way. Ooh, good idea. But that would leave the rest of you on your own. Is that okay?

I feel like we might need to try and get through this somehow, and I don't think they're going to let Ophelia and Rick's through because, you know, their anger. Have you tried mommy scenario? Huh? Were one of you shouting for mummy and crying and trying to push through the crowds? I don't think it would be very believable

for Aphelia to do it, but I might be able to... Oh, that's a good idea. That's a good idea. Oh, hey, Gruff, I can still see Serran flying around. Can it see anything more? Can they see anything more? Is there anything in particular looking for? Maybe get Seren, like, right up into the professor's face and just really try and examine those documents or something.

I think they might be suspicious that there's a... That there's a bird that's not of this terrain in the area. Yeah, but that's... flying up and is looking at documents. Yeah. And ever so slightly glitter in. I don't know. It'd be quicker than us running up there.

We're still going up, by the way. I could see the top. It's an old for me, dog. But nothing new, dog? Sorry. It's vernacular. Okay. Okay, it's nice, I like it. What's wrong with you guys today?

Like, there's a silliness. I haven't been outside for two weeks. Yeah, I've been around people for two weeks. Well, okay, well, if anything new happens up there, let me know. A dog. All right, dog. Okay, dog.

I thought you were more of a cat type. I'm a leonin. Yeah, it feels like it leans more towards the feeling. It doesn't actually mean the dog. Guys, I said liensitian. Good one's answers. It's I salatian for like brother. Affectionate.

Well, we could just say that you didn't say that. I didn't say that. I just, I could really like. We don't need to have dog be part of the vernacular. I'm sorry, this is in my head and it's sticking around, dog. Dog. I could maybe fly up there, but it's gonna be pretty bright and very noticeable and I don't think that.

Oh, I can fly. Did you just remember that? Wait, I can fly. We should both just be flying right now, right? You should be. Okay. If you take off, that's gonna probably be suspicious, though, if you suddenly just cast fly and run away from the night, right?

If I do that, it's gonna be very, much. Oh, why is she flying? I'd suggest perhaps the three of you try and find a way. Like, it's also, it's going to be five minutes. It's not that long, guys. Like, you know, to go up all this massive thing. Up and up and up forever and ever. There's no way of knowing where these steps are going

and the river keeps on flowing. There's no rivers, entities. Dog. Dog. Dog. Dog. Is that how we sign off in group chat now? Dog? No, no. No. I'm going to veto that one. Dog. Are you sure? What's wrong with you today?

Tim's got an excuse. I'm just talking in voice chat. What are we calling this voice chat, by the way? Is it like, I've got nothing. What's up, everyone? Dog. What's up? He's just feeling silence.

If someone else speak, he's feeling silence. What's up, dog? Let him. I hate it. Right. In that case, I'm just going to, Rough moves away. The two of you, Sister Ophelia and Daisy,

you can move faster than I can. if something happens up there. So I'm going to start moving up there as some sort of animal or something like that. If you could just keep an eye on fix. Yeah, I will. I'll keep them close to me. I don't really know how to... They're very angry, as am I.

Yeah. I mean, I think we might have to try and convince them nicely that we would like to go with our friends. Maybe. See how that goes? I worry about leaving them by themselves in this state. No, no.

Bring Vicks with us? Well, yes, but just say we're anxious because now we're separated. I don't know. Maybe that'll work. Do you have the ability to... Dimensional Door? I could Dimensional Door.

I can climb up quite easily. Right, so if anything happens, you dimension door and take Fricks with you. Yeah. Can Seren give images? Yeah. So... Groff can see through...

Seren's eyes, basically. And then you can also... ...that... to the group chat. Yeah, so you've got a spot that Serran can see 500 feet up the mountain where there's no guards or anything. I mean, like, that would be on the stairs, like going all the way up, right? There's no guards on the stairway.

Like, there's no guards on the stairs. Wait, you say you can send images in the voice chat? Yeah, you can. I can see myself through Serran's eyes in the voice chat. Well, no, it would be if Grubb chooses to send that. It's not live stream. Share your seren. It's like there's a live stream, and I'm holding my phone up to the live stream.

No, it's more like you have to imagine the, you have to visually picture it and then do that. Well, then if you have our Fantasia, Graf conduct. You're saying it's like really low resolution right now. Something's wrong. What's your ping? Right. But I can't into, like, I was imagining, like,

not a Thunderbeast, but something like a smaller, kind of lizard-type thing that can climb up. Yeah, you can turn into a lizard. Yeah, you can imagine like some ice-hot, like little snow lizard or something that can scurries up the mountain and things like that. You move off to a discrete point, you transform, nobody really spots you doing this. I didn't think I'm going to make you make a check for anything,

and you begin scurrying up the side of the thing. And you'll basically keep pace. You'll arrive a little bit after the boys have got there, basically. Daisy and Affili, do you guys want to do anything, or otherwise I'm going to go to Xanthia's arriving. The boys. Aphelia will sort of take Vrix. You're like, okay, Vrix, let's, this is obviously winding us by up.

Agitated. Me too. Should we go, just have a little wander somewhere, just see if we can just find another way up maybe. We're going to go and wait for, I'll say to the guard. Sure. We're going to just go and sit down and wait for our friends and relax. We don't want to be any trouble to you. That's fine.

But they're not going to move from here. They're going to watch you move off. No, we're going to move off. Yeah. Vrix will continue saying to you is just, agitated. I do not see another. not seen another way up from here. That appears the staircase is the only way.

I do not think I can climb that distance. Okay, for you. If necessary, I will. I have a way for you and I, and Ophelia can climb. I can get us on the staircase. You just have to come with me when I ask you to. Very well, friend, Daisy. I will point out that for like,

Ophelia can spider climb, but it's not like a lizard. Like, it's gonna be very obvious that Ophelia is like running up the side of a mountain. Yeah. With Daisy, the spell casting might draw attention because it is like a full spell. Like, you know, there's gonna be magic, there's gonna be light and effects and things like that.

It gets you ahead of them, but it might, it's probably gonna be very noticeable, the two of you doing that. But you can move really fast and everything else. So is that the plan? Like, do you guys go off and you're gonna follow or are you gonna wait for a signal? Do you wait for a signal?

Yeah, Brad, can we let us know? Guys, can you give us a signal when you're like, Close to the top. Oh yeah, yeah, sure. I was just wondering, why do we call it voice chat? Surely it's just chat. What's the alternative? It's mind chat.

You know what I mean? Zanthia, enough to you bullfucking, please. What if you call me? She's called for the insult page. You know when Kim goes to the back of the book? Is that for my son as well, dog? It's not replied. Okay, gross dead.

So, in that case, Zemtheis and Rowan and Deem Vesha, Yeah, like I said, this is about five-ish minutes after you set off. You eventually come and, Rowan, this is very, it has that deja vu sense, because you've walked this path. You remember these last few steps especially. There's a shrine, you know, this archway, this sort of made from local wood, like gate-like shrine, there's offerings, there's ropes.

And you remember, this is just like the dream. And when you step up and arrive onto the plateau, it is, almost identical to what you remember in your dream. There's little patches of azar shrubland and little plants that kind of pull themselves in. There are rocky outcroppings. There's even like a broken gnarled tree that's sort of winding its way out of one of these fishes in the rock.

The only thing that's different is you see the remnants of what appears to be like some sort of field camp, a large ten table with boxes and supplies. and you also see people that were not present in your dream. You see a wizardly dwarf, long white beard, neatly braided. You can see a mixture of tin and copper skin sort of protruding from his cheek lines and across his hands. Maybe like two of his fingers have become,

one is copper, one is tin. So he's old. but still very active, right? And you see that he's controlling these two small, you know, Earth elementals, really just a collection of like boulders and rocks and pebbles that are trying to like dig out a channel around this enormous rock, which you remember very well, this flat, dull grey stone. And then you also notice there are a few other figures.

As you arrive at the top, you and Xanthius, you would notice all of this as well. There are three other figures. they are wearing similar robes to the dwarf, but a lot less ornate. They have the look of like apprentices or scholars. They don't carry wands or spellbooks on their belts or anything like that. They look more academics, but they still have the badge of the academia symbol, and they're sort of busying themselves, and they look up in surprise as the three of you emerge out,

and there's this sort of look of panic and not sure what to do as they see you. But the dwarf, the professor, he seems to just not even notice you guys arrive. Like he's so focused on what he's doing. And you begin to hear, like, cursing. Like, he's just like, by the science, he's kind of like, you know, how, this is, why isn't this working? Hello, hello. What? Professor. Professor Proxton.

Hi. He spins around and you just see this intense anger. Who are you? What are you doing here? You need to stop your experiments. You're causing some real trouble. and there. Earthwakes and all of that stuff.

Doesn't it's fine, it's fine, it's just, who are you? What are you doing here? Any points at the night? What, you were not supposed to, you and the mercenary company, you're not supposed to allow any of them up here? Me and Xanthius and Rowan, we have experienced with Althorite.

We've encountered it before, and from the looks of things, you've experienced Althright, I think not. Oh yes, bottom of the sea. Oh yes, bottom of the sea, of course. Yes, in Wave Meet. Certainly. Get, knight, get them out of here.

They're not supposed to be up here. Oh, come on, you... We did! He does not believe you. He just points and it's just like, Dame, what are you doing? They're not supposed to... I instructed the Messenari Company.

I was not to be disturbed. I give a look to the Dame. She kind of looks to you and looks to Professor like, I'll let this play out. Like, she's happy to kind of take a moment back. If I may, Professor. Who are you? I am Rowan of the Azar Step.

and this is a very sacred place. Yes, local superstition, nonsense. Althea is dead. It's just a rock. I beg to differ. Yes, of course you would. And, uh... Spiritualist nonsense.

Hmm, what should I do? Performance of creation. Okay. I will manifest what I consider would be Althea. Okay. What does... Out of an amalgamation of stones. Sure.

Just like a statue, basically. A statue of. What does Rowan see Althe as? Because there's no depiction of Althe. No, but to Rowan, it would be all the parts of nature kind of combined together. There's not necessarily a humanoid form with a humanoid face. More like an ent of sorts.

Okay. With rocks and moss and birds and things living within and insects and trees. just a manifestation with the green glow between joints and stuff like that coming out the eyes. But what's important is I want him to see the energy that flows from my wrists

in order to create this as well in the first place. Sure. He watches all of this. You see the students sort of kind of garth. There's three of them. There's a human woman. There is a dwarf man and then there is a wild-heart cat.

but it's not a humanoid cat person with ears and tails, it's like a full-on anthropomorphic, like, feline. A bit more like, kind of like gruff, but more cat-like, you know, more kitty. They're sort of just stunned and just like looking at you in absolute awe. The professor sort of narrows his eyes, and then we'll just say, an impressive feat of transmutation, my boy, but that is not going to convince me that you're some herald of some dead goddess or god. Well, you seem very powerful, very knowledge.

in the arts of the Archame. I am a professor of the Academia. I'm an Archim Professor of the Seventh Circle. Do you have the ability to look into my mind? I have not prepared that spell today. I could, but I do not have that spell memorized. I did not think I would need to be diving

into the depths of someone's mind. I'm not supposed to be being disturbed. This is important work for the academia, you understand. Rowan gives a sigh. The important work could be dealt with. could be dealt with by looking into my mind, which would prevent desecration of such a sacred sight, angering the entire as our step,

and instead you can just look into my mind, and I can give you proof that I'll say exists. He rolls his eyes. Well, that is unfortunate, for I do not to have that ability with me today. And besides... None of your apprentices? They are not majors.

They are scholars. Well... Besides, you could simply imagine whatever you want to imagine. You could believe that Althe is real. I do not doubt you clearly are some faithful. You believe that Althe is not dead. The Sions teach us otherwise.

But clearly you believe that Althe some spirit of the land is alive and I am angering it by disturbing this. These are just freak earthquakes. This is just disruption. These things happen. I beg to differ, but I don't have, or you seem to be a person of fact and evidence.

I am. This is why I am here. This is an important site, geologically. Not for your spiritual reasons, you understand, but this, and he points towards the stone, this, this is important, and it should not be, it should not be left here to rot away. It needs to be studied.

It needs to be examined. It should be in the academia. You will only anger what put it there. If you continue with your desecration, if you have any value to the geology, you understand that geology comes from where it began and must remain there. Whatever damage removing this stone will do to this small speck of land is worth the knowledge we would gain from its study. I'm afraid I don't see...

I do not believe that this is some spiritual... divine object. It is a matter of esoteric geology. That is why I'm here. May I see your evidence that you have approval from the arch dragon? He... Give me an insight role.

Xanthias can make one as well. I will fate. Oh, excellent. I'm also going to roll insight for the dame as well. She's listening. You can see that this night, she's listening to this. conversation with great interest, like the back and forth.

Not one? Not one. Oh, even with the fate. For a ten total. Ten, I got six. Six, too. I'm just trying to figure out. Is seventh level, is that high or low?

High. Cool. Thank you for clarifying. Yes. The Dane definitely seems to, like, cock her head in his direction, doesn't say anything. He sort of bristles, like, who are you to demand to see my papers? Are you a servant of the Arch Dragon? Are you a member of the Academia?

Then I owe you nothing. Well, I can't let this continue. What does that mean? It means that I must protect Althe. I should warn you now, boy. I am a professor of the Academia of Kelskaris. I am here by the Archdragon's approval. I warn you now, taking action against me.

If you incite violence against me, You will not only be committing a grave crime, but I am a professor of the seventh circle, and I will not hold back to defend me and my students. I don't know why you thought that I would take to violence. That seemed to be what you were implying. You seem to be threatening me. I'm just saying that it's not just...

You would not allow it. What does that mean otherwise? I don't think Althea would allow it, so please continue. Well, then let's allow it and see what Althea does. All right. You could simply just look over the edge here and you'll see the earthquakes that you've... I'm aware of the...

Do you think I'm stupid, boy? I'm aware of the disturbance. If you're seeing the... If you're feeling some resistance, where is that coming from? I don't care. What is pushing you away? The knowledge gained from this stone

is more important than any damage I might do you. What is... What is stopping you from taking the stone? I don't believe it is stopping me from taking the stone. These are freak earthquakes, probably being disturbed because I'm disrupting this. You're an arcane professor. and you're believing in happenstance.

Yes. Circumstance. Just, just coincidence. Oh, rather than a dead god who died thousands of years ago. The seventh level of the arcane circle, is that high or low? Because you sound lowly right now. It's telling me that this is coincidence. I'm telling you that it is not the work of Ulthé, is what I'm telling you. And what if... What if it is?

Then let them strike me down. You're not only strike me down. You're not only striking yourself down, but you're endangering this entire encampment. Out of all its people as well. You're being reckless with your science. I thought the academia would be far more... And what would you know of the academia? Well, I know a lot based on what I've seen from you.

Oh, do you now? Interesting. Only that you're reckless with your... Experiments. And you are entitled to your opinion. But I have been working too hard and too long to be denied by too vague. who have stumbled into my camp. Dame, take them away. I'm done. I'm done with this conversation.

Make them leave, or I will. I've opened up this conversation, basically. All my responses to it. Sure. So I'll give them some time to think about it. You've told us. Well, I've kept my side at least open what I've been. So you're like repeating in your head what you're saying, yeah.

Don't back down. Stand up for what you believe in. Okay, I think we should probably go. Now? I'm starting to think we just let Al Thay get this guy. It's going to get innocence, Santhius. We have to stop it. And how do we do that without turning to violence?

Do you want us to start making our way up there? Is this... Is this... Is this guy? We're stopping him from doing his work, right? Not stopping him, you know, permanently. I think what Rowan's gonna do. If you attack him, it would still be a crime.

Rowan's gonna fall to his knees. Without good reason. then it would be a crime. Rome's going to fall to his knees and using the powers that he once had to harmoniously recall. Hmm. Try and connect with Orthe in some way

and have a conversation or at least ask for a sign. Proof, something, before innocent lives are lost. Asking for a sign. But you aren't specifically before innocent lives are lost. Yeah. It kind of changes things. There could be a sign, but that would put innocent lives at risk.

I think you commune, Rowan, and you can feel this plateau is an ancient place. This has been there since the bright storm. Althe themselves sculpted this and left their mark here, specifically. When the world was being rebuilt, when the damage of the bright storm was being washed away as Alfei gave themselves,

gave their body, gave their spirit, gave much of their divine energy back into the world to heal it. They left this place. One of many, but you get the sense that this is one of those places, a mark, a fingerprint, a point. And you know that there is power held here.

The stone that you saw, the stone that this professor so desperately wants, it is dull. The ulthrite, you remember seeing it had a faint green glow when you saw it before. The veins in this stone are dull. There is no magic left in that stone in particular. At least not the magic that arthritis should possess. But you know that there's still something. something there is perhaps not the magic of the Ulthraite but there is a connection to Althe in that stone and that's why it is resisting this effort to remove it I think that you

would hear in your head a very faint dreamy almost as if somebody was muttering in their sleep voice the dragon would not allow this you get that sense the arch dragon, Eliodnir, an ancient dragon, a dragon as old as the emperess, you know, one of the empress's first children, one of the oldest dragons in the empire, the arch dragon would know what this is and would know who left this here. And there's no way that the arch dragon would sign off on this. And that's kind of you get that brief kind of sense, but you don't get the sense that like you get this an almost reluctance. like there's this hesitation to cause a sign because you think that, like, nature, it... It engulfs, yes.

It's very likely that any sort of sign could hurt innocent people. Okay. You do see that the three students, they're sort of, like, huddling together, and they are, like, I don't think you need an insight check. I think, like, both of you and the dame. You can tell that they are, like, really uncertain.

Like, they're sort of looking at the professional, and looking at what's happening, and they're worried and they're scared, and there's doubts in their minds as well. But the professor is not moved by your words. And seems to just, not even through an attempt of persuasion, like, no persuasion is going to convince him that a God is not, that a God that is supposed to be dead is alive, and that you are somehow it's mystical messenger that's come to, like, stop him.

He just isn't going to believe that. Um, Rowan will say in his mind, whilst he's just coming back to everyone, he's lying. They don't have approval from the arch dragon. And Rowan's going to open his eyes and stand up. The Dame looks at you. You're committing a crime. What? You have no approval.

Proposterous. Of course I do. I can take you to court, and I will have the backing of Duke Ignarius, Scaratelos. If you can hold yourself in court as an academic probably could, then you have nothing to fear. It would be if you brought this to a matter of authority, you would have to prove it.

Can you give me a persuasion role with advantage? That's so good. And also, because you have mentioned certain things, the DC has been lowered significantly. Because you've mentioned that you have the backing of, you've mentioned a draconic lord, and you've invoked court, basically. Ooh!

Okay, I'm just behind going, like, Oh, she. The nine and a six, six nine, nice. Usher up the frustration, goodness. Wow. Plus 11. Oh, do it. Oh, okay.

No. You see this dwarf panic. No insight check needed. Like you see his eyes go wide. This threat of court proving it, him having to prove it. And the fact that you mention these dragons by names. No, that is what?

And I think the dame puts a hand on your shoulder, kind of nods at you. I think at this point, as a knight of the golden purse, I would like to examine that document. Yes. And I would have my two friends here witness it as well. You wouldn't refuse a knight, would you, Professor? and he sort of, like, wipes his brother.

Of course not, of course you can see the document. Of course. Yes, yes, of course. I've got it here and reaches into his robes, fetches it out. The two elementals have stopped digging, this whole conversation, like they've not been, like, while he has to concentrate to have them do it,

so they've just been sat there inert, basically. Can I say in my mind to Xanthius, because he's more arcane than me, make sure he doesn't do any trickery. Yes, absolutely. I will cast, detect magic. Yeah. I think being under such scrutiny, there's no way for him to cast a spell without it being obvious.

But he sort of comes over and he looks between the three and he sort of, give me another insight role, the two of you, and I'll roll one for the Dame as well. You can spend fate as well, if you like. I'll spend fate. Where's some gecko gruffie at this point? Still taking time. Like you guys, I think that basically you are not going to be here for this conversation.

Right. But if things escalate, then you'll probably arrive. quicker and everything else. I got 16. 16 on insight? Unnatural 20. You definitely, you get the hint of like,

he's sweating and worried when you invoke court, but now he's sort of, there's a bit of confidence is coming back to him, and it's almost an arrogance. And you can almost, Xanthius, I think you can almost

imagine him in that voice, like, they'll never be able to tell this is fake. Like there's this kind of like, they'll never be able to know. There's this kind of arrogance to him. So he hands it to the dame, Like, of course, here it is. See for yourself.

I showed it to the mercenaries in the academia, but if you wish to, if you insist, I don't want to trouble myself with the bother of going to court. If you really must see it, so be it. And she pulls it out, and it is an official-looking writ, much like the writ that you got from Duke Ignorius, and, you know, there's all sorts of academic and legal babble in it. But the gist of it does seem to say that, you know,

Arch Dragon, Eleo, Adnir approves the academia, specifically Professor Braxton to conduct a survey and potential extraction of geological materials from the Holy Pilgrimage site known as the Giant's Wetstone, yaddy, yaddy. It's all quite well written. But what I would like is you and the dame, you guys can make a, I'm going to say that this is going to be an investigation. Xanthius, your goal to I will help you on this.

It does give you advantage. It does give you advantage, but also, I'm going to say for Xanthius, the DC's lower, because a lot of this is written in Draconic, and also there's an element of almost like a trade agreement and you're kind of used to some of those and things like that. I think I'm just going to let Xanthias do it, so can I assist? He already has advantage, so... I'm just going to let Zanthias do it.

Okay, sure. The dame is also going to roll as well. You could help the dame if you want, because, like... I don't know how I would help. No, I think that's... Although I do know Draconic. Oh, do you? Yeah.

In that case, you would also have a lower DC if you did want to roll for it. Okay. It's up to you. You may as well, because you're both... You never know, you might roll a 20. You might roll a 20. So you might roll high.

I'll assist the dean. Yeah. Okay, sure, I'll give her advantage. Have you about the fate. Last fate. Fate it. I think, you're going to fate it? Last one. Last one.

All right. Investigation. I have advantage plus zero, however. And lower DC as well. Advantage plus lower DC. I mean, 17. That is enough. and in fact, yeah, that is enough because of the lower DC,

because you speak draconic. And I think that, I think, like, you've spent time with Lord Obsidius, you've spent time with Duke Ignarious, and you've probably in your time, like, I don't know, I guess Xanthius wouldn't remember anything from his father or anything like that. Sure.

But you've got this sense of, like, no. You just get this sense that this is a, forgery. It's a very well-done forgery. And I think what gives it away is it's the way Eliodnir has signed it. It's too human. It's too, you know, remember, an arch dragon would be, you know, nine and ten feet tall. The way that you've seen Ignarius and Obsidious, especially Ignorius, he doesn't write neatly. It's like big, like as if he's not used to writing in common. And I think that Eliotrano's signature is just too good. And that is like, you're like, this is a forgery.

But it's not like... And I think that the seal is wrong as well. Like you notice that the seal, like the draconic seal of the arch dragon, it's not right. The seal of the arch dragon for the Azar Step, it features a long flat plain with mountains and sort of lightning bolts. But it also, an unknown small thing is it has two, it has a small creature

like a tiny thunderfang and it has a plant in the sort of corners but they're very small and detailed. This signal doesn't have those. It has everything else but it misses those two crucial details. As if somebody was like, oh the Azar Step, yes, it's that but only somebody from the Azar Step

would probably know that those two things would be kind of crucial. Yeah. I feel like as well we've had paperwork from Duke Obsidious as well. We had writ. Definitely ignores. Yeah, you've had the writ from Duke Ignatius, right? And I think that's the thing is like his signature wasn't this knight, it's beautiful, and this is an old dragon, he's not going to write in common.

He's going to be like, name. Yeah, I'm wondering what the play is here, though, because I guess he could explain away stuff, or we just make him sweat, and then hopefully spill. I think the dames also picked up on something, because I rolled a 17 plus 1 for 18, and with Rowan helping lower the DC, she also, I think she doesn't spot the signature thing,

she spots the sigil. and sort of looks at the two of you and sort of draws your eye to the sigil and she taps it with a finger with like an armoured finger and sort of raises an eyebrow at both of you. It is very good, very convincing. What do you mean? Convincing. What do you mean?

Well, it's just... There's a few... The sigil, for example. Yes, I don't remember the sigil of the Azar Step lacking details. Surely the Archdragon Seal wouldn't miss out on such crucial. parts of its national identity.

But you've got an answer for that one, right? The sigil? The sigil? Well, perhaps he used a different stamp or a seal, but they must have different. A different stamp. A different stamp. Must have used a different stamp. And a signature.

Well, that is the Arch Dragon signature. Of course. Is it? Yes. Of course it is. Is it? I mean, you've caught the guy. He's in this panic. Like, you're making it very clear that, like, he's been rumbled. And I think that he sort of glances between you all

and sort of looks between you and Rowan and the knight with you as well. It's a fake. And you hear the students be like, Professor, what, what is that? Like, do they say that, are they saying that your writ is a fake? So, wait, what does they show that to the academia? Vasha, does this mean it's a crime and that they are, they should be a, What's the plan? I believe that forging an arch dragon's signature,

certainly a crime, although one that the professor could probably weasel his way out of with a hefty fine, but the academia would not look very favorably on one of their professors. Probably not. Faking that. I mean, removal of tenure, fired from the academia itself.

I mean, surely they wouldn't want to stain like this on their world. Rowan is looking at the damage caused around the edges of the wetstone. It'd be interesting to inform the art dragon of what's happened here. Aye, there's no need for that. There's no need for that. It seems that I've been requesting to come and examine this site for decades. Every time Elidna has refused. But you must understand that stone.

In fact that you knew it was authorized, It is studying of it would, we would learn so much. It cannot just be left here to be given fruits and nuts and... Rowan will step up. Sort of looks up at you. It's enormous, a giant kind of dwarf. I think you misunderstand. That's the point of a stone to stay where it's put if it wants to stay there.

But we can learn so much from studying, from studying it. from breaking it from understanding the metal that was once within it. You will learn nothing. If I leave, will you pretend that this... You will not inform the arched dragon? What do you think, Xantheus? No, I was going to report everything. Oof, the academia is quite rigorous on its...

The academia will learn, regardless of my students. And they've witnessed the whole thing. Like, they're like, but... Our professor. But he will just, he looks, and it's just like, if you agree not to inform the arch dragon, I will leave this place. I would take my students with me.

Is there any way we can connect him to our voice chat? I guess not. Not unless I see him. I want to just give him a burst of what I've had by, like, just imprinted. Unless you have something that can do that, he does not have detect thoughts or anything like that. I could do it through...

Like the biggest silent image you've ever done. Silenic attack. Oh. But again, you got to remember, like, he can just be like, where you're just using a spell to create that, right? Like, this is the hard things. You can't prove something that you believe, right?

And he is an academic, right? You know? But he's fully cowed at this point. You've caught him red-handed. He does not have the permissions. And he doesn't... seem like a violent sort. He's not gonna fight you or try and kill you. He's, he knows he's been rumbled, he's like, hands up. He's now gonna do everything he can to try and save his

reputation and career. There is a way you can see less of a dull stone that also, by the way, contains no authorite anymore. No, I'm aware of that. It's lost its properties, but we could still learn from it. You can learn from a site underwater that we have found, where it's the evidence is extremely clear so long as you promise not to invade upon it like you have here. I would be amenable to that. I have papers and documents

if you can mark the location. I will give it to you. And everyone here is witness. The students are like nodding. And all the people that I heard to. That it shall be respected and not attempted to dig out like has been done here.

But you said it is active. The authorite is clearly visible. Then that would be a great discovery, and I would be able to learn much. So yes, I will not remove it from its sight. I will not disturb its location. Well, perhaps a train. Instead of trying to spend so long trying to get to one dull stone, you should have looked a bit wider.

I have searched across the empire. This stern, alt-right, it has not appeared anywhere else. This is the only site of which it has been a known location. You say it is under the water, it is deep beneath the sea. Indeed. How would I find such a thing? We did. Well, yes.

Clearly you are, you were lucky. You were fortunate. Rowan, I think those little pixie things that were under the water are really going to give them a hard time. Rowan, we are sort of promised to the people that they would live in peace. That's true. Well, would it be nice to give you that information? What?

But it's a shame. It's a sacred side after all. Yeah, you're actually not going to be a professor after all of this. Sorry. So you won't be able to research it anyway, even if you did. Know the location, so... Shame, really. Oh, well, it's just going to have to go undiscovered.

That's just how things go. Yeah. Yes. Well, you... You see a change come over him. Like, you've just real fucked this guy. And he, I think, like, who, I think the dame is still holding the writ.

And he will just, foolish boy. We could have had an agreement. And he, like, cast a spell and the writ burst into flames. A weekend roll initiative, but he is, he is like, He's gonna, you fucked him, he has to now take action into his own hands. Like, if you made a deal, if you made a deal with him, he may have, would have done something different. I didn't want to give it up though, it's a good point.

I was thinking of the Capron and, yeah, the Silmir, we said that we would. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But like, like I said, he's not going to be a professor after this, or he's going to be, like, seriously. But I think the idea of it was that, like, you gave him this location, and then he would have gotten his, gone out of it and stumbled his reputation, yeah. Yeah, he could have been like, no, no, I went and found it actually in another place. Bit about 180.

I'll roll initiative I guess. Just to see what I mean basically yeah like you guys if he's about to start throwing hands well I mean he might be but I'm gonna roll in the show because I want to know who's going first and stuff so I got a I got 14 14 for Xanthius 11 11 for you Rowan yes and then unfortunately for the night she's got one so he is going first

He sees that the writ is in flames, like, burnt off this part with the sigil and the signature, like, burn it from the bottom upwards. He runs over, 510, 15, 20, 25, 30, and immediately cast teleport and takes his students with him. Oh. You can't counter that. I can.

Oh, do you want to? I mean, I mean, I think I've had a teleport before. That would take him really fucking fucking I mean, he could go back to Kelskaris, basically, or wherever he wants. Yeah, he can teleport to any location he knows. Because I don't know what he's going to do to his students. He's probably going to try and kill them or try and get away with it or something.

Well, you know, there are other solutions than just killing them. Did you project the image of the writ into the group check? I can. I guess we could. And not at the time. It can now be a memory thing. I suppose. But even then, like, that's not evidence, right?

Yank. So the big question is basically Xanthius, are you counter-spel? If I see him, like, casting a spell, and I've got to take magic, so I know what he's... Yeah, yeah, he's casting a spell. Like, he runs up and he begins weaving the spell. Whoa, okay, counter spell, at... I don't know what level telepath is.

Well, you don't do it anymore. You don't do it based on level anymore. It is just a flat level three spell. I make a Constitution saving throw, I believe. You attempt to interrupt the creature on the process, casting a spell. Creature makes a Constitution saving throw on a... Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Well, I think what is going to happen is... So it's against a DC of 17. Yeah, spell dissipates and the action of something is wasted. Well, here's the crazy thing, though. I'm going to count a spell your countle spell. Cool. Can I just counter spell, his counter spell? No, because you've used your reaction.

But can he cast two spells? He can. He's an archmate. He's like a superbuffle mage. He's a dick. Because this counts as a different thing. He's a dick. This isn't actually him casting a spell,

he has an ability called protective magic, which reprobates the effect of it. Supply, dick, ed. Yeah. So you would make a Constitution saving threat against his spell save DC. And it's Constitution, you say? It's Constitution.

And if you succeed, then I make the saving throat for the counter spell original. Okay, I'm just trying to see, I think I might have some extra beef here. But if not, I do not have extra beef. No, I don't think I do. Okay, Constitution, that's good. Constitution.

DC 17 as well. Sorcerer, 17. No fate on the table. Okay, okay. We are fatheless. Watch his drive. 19. 19.

So you resist his counter spell. Now I rolled to see if... No, no. No. No. Constitution saving pro. That is an 18. Oh, he rolled to same as me.

So, he vanishes with his four students. Shit. And he makes my cast me spell. His two elementals fall apart. I will inform immediately in the group chat. He's teleported away and burnt the evidence. Oh. What can we do?

Has he appeared around here? I'll keep an eye out to see if he comes back. This area maybe? I doubt he will. You probably go back to the academy. Yeah, the dame is like throwing a thing on the floor and has tried to put it out and is trying to preserve as much as she can. But she's like, damn, it's destroyed. What's important is the sternness.

Can you mend it in some way? I don't have. Mending you have to have a join, you have to have a seam that you can mend together. If it's burned, it's booked. The Dame will just say, look, I am present, I was witness to all of that. I can present the case to authorities of what he's done. They'll believe you. You are a knight.

They will, they will, and everything else. But, I mean, good job on spotting the forgery and getting him. That was you. Well, but if it wasn't for your... confrontation about the court. I don't think he was willing to do it. That was a great idea. I really scared him.

And it felt good to scare him, you know? Yes. He's so cocky. He'd cocky people. I shouldn't have promised the authorite. That enraged him when we took it away. I think that, unfortunately, is the case. Yes, he seemed to be quite willing to sort of make a deal until that point, but...

He had something, everything to lose. He'll do his best to cover his tracks, but this is in the hands of the authorities now. I can bring the case before them. The same of the mercenary. He's also, if this was a forged, if this was not authorized, he's also going to owe the mercenary company of the Daring Roes quite a considerable bit of gold, and that certainly won't be forgotten by the golden purse any time soon.

I'm sorry that whatever business brought you here has sort of tangled you up in that, but... It's fine. Thank you for your assistance and doing the right thing. Yes, of course. I could tell him there was something. As soon as you brought up the writ, he got very shifting. And I never saw it myself. The mercenary company saw it, but of course how would they know a forgery from it? Yes.

If I may. We have a very, very eager dynastian that would love to come and see the stone and has been blockaded by this forgery. Yes. Can we please have our friends? Well, I will go and inform the mercenary company to pack up and head home that their employer is now a criminal, essentially. So you and your friends are free to,

I suppose this site is now free for anyone to access as they require. Great. Problem resolved. You can come up now. Yes. Well, let me go. The dame is going to give approval and tell them to pack their bags.

Let Frick, no. I will tell Frick. Sure. Yes, we can go now. We need to wait for them. I'm not waiting. Angry. It'll be soon, don't worry. Gruff, you sort of, you know, again,

this is like five minutes. You kind of get here as all of this is sort of like Can I just like at the end of this just appear on like Rowan's foot? Oh, you stay as a lizard? Say hello. Little black and white lizard. Are you a sign from all say? Right, it's me, boy.

Oh. Roughness. Hello. You say in his head because you go. It's very cute little reptile. Yes, I thought I'd try and come. Your mouse is moving. Oh, is no, it's in your head.

Mm. Right. It's probably, could you stop that? Stop that, stop tickling my chair. Sorry. You pretty- Just so cute. Can I put you on a rock? Okay, put me on a rock then.

He's just gonna keep doing this until you go back. Picking you off again. Can you ask the day? Take me out of your mouth. I didn't do that. It would be very bad for you if you did. Yeah, I screeed the, like, toxin. Or it's also as soon as your temporary hit points go away,

you come back to being rough. Well, it depends if he's chewing. If he's just sucking, I have a psychedelic toxin on my skin. None of that happened. You're here. Okay. All right. Could you tell the dame that perhaps as well, if it's a fordery,

then if she inquires in the office of the Ars Dragon, well, there would be no evidence of a request, right? That's being moved. Yes. Is there some way that we can get in contact with the dragon here? The Ardragon. Well, you can travel to the main city and speak with him there, but it's several, you know, nearly a week or two away, I think.

It's a court. Yes, I mean, it's a court. I'm not sure what you are really expecting in the ars. to that to be. Honestly, we've met a lot of people. We seem to get into places that it's weirdly easy for us. Tell him we're really good friends with Lord Obsidius. He likes us a lot.

Tell her that. Have you heard of Lord, have you, have you, sorry, have you, sorry. Are you telling her? Yes, have you heard of Lord Obsidius? No. Have you heard of, Duke Ignarius? Garitalus.

Calderan, Caldron Dragon, yes, yes, and? It's just, What does that information, how is that relevant? Give me a second. Hey, Daisy. Huh? What?

We're friends with dragons, it's just fun. Yeah, we're friends with dragons, it's just fun. Graf, can I put you all my talk about? Yes, but sorry if, I'm sorry if I've not been clear. I'm just- I'm sorry if I've not been clear. I'm suggesting the dame gets in contact with the arch-dragons court

and majesty's, secretaries and all that. To determine if the writ was ever issued. ever issued dog in the first place. In the first place dog. Dog, are you calling me a dog? No, no, that's an ice heart. Ice-heartism. What are you talking about?

That there is talking to me in my head. This little cute blue-black reptile. Is it blue-placed? Well, your little lizard friend is quite right. Yes, that would be a suitable way of providing at least some more evidence. I mean, my testimony alone should be strong, but that will provide some more evidence.

The difficulty now will be tracking the professor down. If he's teleported back to Karl Scaris, he'll have weeks of a head start to try and vanish. Is there such a thing as an academic of the eighth level? Yes, there are this. I do not know the exact inner workings of the academia, but such a powerful mage is very rare. The professor is, I mean, he was the head of a department, as I understand it. He is quite significant in the academia's leadership. There must be others of his power that would want to be informed of this and do their due diligence. Yes, of course there will be.

It's just whether they can find him. By the time we inform them, but at the time I can catch up and find, inform the authorities, he will have a significant head start. Rowan, what's the biggest number that they do at the academy? Ask them. I wonder what the big number is. Who's the big, the big, bad? How long, how bigly does the number get of the circles?

I don't know, I'm not from the academia. You understand that, right? Don't you? I'm from a nightly order that's not connected to the- Nobody knows. Nobody knows how big the numbers go. Graf, can this your belly, please? Can I have a look at your belly? Please.

Leaving this madness, the Dame is gonna start making her way down to try and inform the mercenaries of what's happened and like tell them that this is all. Dame, we'll leave this in your very capable hands. Yes, thank you, that seems wise. Can I please look at your belly? It's white. It's white.

Oh my god! By the science! Please put me down. Sorry, Griffith. Sorry, Griffith. But yeah, I mean, at this point, you know, it takes a little bit of time, but the dame comes down. She informs the mercenary company that their services are basically no longer required,

that their contract has been breached, she's been witnessed to it. They are sort of, there's a kind of mixture of relief and also annoyance, but they seem relieved to go, yeah, and they're kind of relieved to be making their way back to Kelskaris. But there's also, they're quite annoyed that they've been involved in, like, an illegal activity. but the Dame assures them this isn't going to reflect on them she's going to make sure that everyone knows that they were unaware,

that they've been duped and tricked as well and yeah they basically begin packing that up and that gives complete freedom for Aphelia, Daisy and Fricks to you guys can make your way back up. Janick will just offer a heartfelt I'm so sorry, obviously we were just following orders and we believe that this was all legitimate

so I do apologise for keeping you from it. Well from what our friend said it seems like a very good forgery so Yeah, I mean, we looked at it and it looked legit to us. I mean, it had the Arch Dragon signature, it had his seal. You know, how else, you know. Maybe there needs to be this kind of verification process next time. That's what the seal should be, but...

Apparently the feel was slightly wrong. So you can reference the correct seal against the forged one, maybe. I suppose say, yes. Lesson learned. Daisy, hey. Daisy, ask them if they know what number the academia goes up to. Do you know by any chance what the highest number of fancy wizard things is at the academy? He was apparently up the seventh circle.

I'm afraid. I don't know, miss. I've never gone to the academia. I don't really know much about it other than there's a lot of majors and scholars and book learners in there. I don't really know that much about the academia. We just really want to know what the biggest number is because we keep thinking we hear the biggest number and then we hear a bigger number and we just don't know how far it goes. Neither do I. I'm afraid to say. They left all their paperwork up initially. Start rifling through and see if you can find a bigger number. Yes, find the numbers.

You start rifling through. The papers mainly are. This feels so naughty. Scholary notes about the composition of the giant's wet stone. There's kind of diary entries from the professor expositing his frustrations. It seems that like the stone and the area around it

resisted all magical attempts to shape it, to move it. They try to physically break people. and it broke all of their tools. It's not evidence that Othé is doing something back. This is Roa Muson. Sure, sure, sure. Again, yeah, it's definitely, I mean, the professor was getting frustrated

and believed it just to be a magical property of the stone itself. Yeah. There's no divine interpretation behind it. It seems that the earthquakes started when he some of the other menals to start digging out from under, and that's when the earthquakes and things like that started to happen.

have a look at the wet stone. I won't go near it yet. I'll wait for a bricks to arrive. I just want to see how much has been dug out compared to my dream. A significant amount, but not enough to cause any permanent damage or anything like that.

It looks like they were digging out and trying to get as close as they could maybe to try and lift it out or bring it out. But it's really kind of a shallow channel all the way around it, basically. Thankfully they didn't get very far. No.

Yeah, it looks like he'd only started this like a day or so ago. and it was taking the elementals quite a lot of time. Again, the elementals should have been able to dig through this like butter, but even they were struggling to like dig and shape the earth as well. Quite a powerful professor to be even able to make a dent here. Yeah. Yeah. When the other guys get here, what's the plan?

You just need to take Stone Razor, right, and just, like, do you need our help with anything? I think we should let Bricks go first, because they're very eager. Okay. We'll let bricks go first, and then after that, in my dream, yeah. None of this was here, but I simply walked up to the wet stone

because it invited me to it with its song. And yeah, I was compelled to bring out Stone razor. Is it inviting you to it now? Do I feel any pull to it now? Do you feel that same sense that's been sort of drawing you here? There is a sort of pull towards it, but it's not like you're hearing a voice

or something calling, you're feeling like a tug, like it's just a kind of familiarity. Just feels nice here at the moment. And what about, do you know what Briggs has to do? Is it that up to Vricks? I think get close to the wet zone and Althea will reveal themselves. Okay, okay, just wait for Althea to reveal themselves.

Yes, it's very high up. Is there like great piles of dirt around it where they've moved the soil out? It's not even soil, it's like stone, and there's not actually. There's no evidence of it. Maybe the elemental's absorbed it or ate it or something like that, but yeah, there's no actual piles of dirt and rocks and things like that. I'm a little concerned, Gruff and Zane, that yes, there is superstition with Orthe,

and they're asking a lot of essentially a place, a monument, that all they made, but it's not here to grant wishes or perform miracles. It may not give Ricks what they want. Do you know of any other stories of people traveling here? The things that's been approved? The things they got out of it? You hear stories, of course.

Right. How, you know, the blind can see again and legs are healed and whatnot, but how much of that is just passed on? From just being a good. a good story. Problem with stories. How much can be true? Regardless of what happens or doesn't happen for Vrix, we'll be here for her.

We will. You come back to a humanoid form now, Graf. Yeah, sure. Okay. I mean, it's up to you. You don't have to. Just like being a lizard. But maybe that was Kim that just like being a lizard. I think that was Kim, not there. Gruff doesn't seem to like being tiny out.

I will have come out of me. Like, I think after the humiliation, the belly, I would have turned back into Gruff. It takes some time. You all witness that, yeah, the mercenaries are packing up, you know, slightly getting their stuff together, but it takes you some time as Ophelia Vricks. Vricks is almost running, like, you know, like almost like running,

but is trying to keep their energy and things like that. But you managed to make it up, and, yeah, you all arrive at the top of this plateau, and you see what running is seen. A large flat space with little rocky outcroppings, and, you know, this gnarled tree and little clumps of moss and things like that. And then just, yeah, this very obvious different stone that sort of rises out the ground. kind of like an altar, almost like a table, a stone table,

large, flat, and just sits there, almost waiting. Have you ever had a dream that felt so real? Do you wish? Eganess, how is this, can we approach the wet stone? Is everything? Fricks, I'll say is all yours. You will allow this, friend, Rowan? Of course.

Be careful. Fricks runs up. And treat it with respect. Just out of interest, where is everybody? Just to have interest. I will be a little further forward. Yeah. Because I'm interested by it.

Yeah, about there. About there. Respectful distance. In case there's any personal things they want to talk to a say about. I think Ophelia will be sort of towards the back, towards the camp. I feel like she's picked up some of like the rotten fruit

and like just sort of tidied up some of the like little... Sure, the little piles of things, yeah. I'll be next row and I traveled up here with him. Mm-hmm. Daisy Griff? Anywhere you want to be? Right. Look and see some of the paperwork. I just want to see if there's anything worth keeping for...

Sure. Rowan or the academia. Like, if we're going to go to Kelskaris, then I might take the paperwork that they had just to prove... It's more proof, isn't it? It's proof that he was here doing something, yes. There's no mention of the writ or the forgery. There's nothing in there to implicate him in a crime.

It's proof that he was here. proof that he was here and doing something. Although I don't know if it specifically mentions like this location. It just talks about, you know, it talks about like the subject to the material. It doesn't necessarily mention, I went to the Azar Step and the Giant's Wetstone.

It's not like that. It's more like the material is resistant, my magic is not working, that kind of stuff. But it's potentially still useful. And then gruff. Can I have a sit on the rock by the tree and he'll probably take his pipe out? He won't light it, but he'll just like...

Sure. Kind of have a sit. I kind of want to cast a spell, I'm not sure. I was thinking of casting commune with nature and just seeing if there was althorite in the area. Okay. And also, I just, you know, just out of curiosity because you can choose three things.

So mineral, which, for me, would be althriate. A portal to another plane of existence. Just, you know, he has in mind of one we were last at the mines, and Rowan had that weird experience with Bel-lane, not Bel-Tane. And also, if there's a high challenge-rated creature in that area. In the area.

Cast the spell, so you can mark off the spell slot. You kind of sit down and take your pipe out, and you begin to commune with nature. the rest of you watch as Vricks very nervously sort of immediately all of that sort of burst of anger and aggression becomes an excitement that then turns its weight into nervousness and apprehension those last few steps towards the wet stone are almost hesitated

but eventually she sort of reaches it and looks around sort of uncertain what to do sort of reaches out, places her four hands on the stone, drops to her knee, sort of places her head where her broken horn is against it. You hear, please, fix, fix me. I do not wish to be broken. I wish to reclaim, my honour.

Wetstone, Althea, will you fix, fix me, fix, fix. And there's nothing. There's no reaction. The dull veins of Ulthrite, which you can now see and you recognize when you saw Ulthrite, they glowed with the magic. There is no magic glow in those stones, not anymore. Your commune with nature, Graf, the spell, you feel the spell go out of your body, but something says to you, wait.

You feel that spell energy come back and you. you regain the spell slot. But the spell, it didn't fail, something pushed back and just said, wait. But Vrix starts looking around like, am I friend Rowan, am I doing it wrong? Must I perform a ritual? Sort of starts rubbing the horn on the stone,

like trying to get it to work, but nothing seems to be doing it. Please, I do not wish to remain broken. Oh, yes. In my dream, I was doing what you were doing. I had the thing that needed mending, and I rubbed it against the stone? I am doing it correctly then. Do you feel anything? There's nothing, just stone. Do you believe that Othe is there? I do not know. I have heard of this name, but people say they are dead, it is dead, some say it is alive.

The cobald, the scaler said that I would be fixed here, that it would hold answers, that it would, it would fix me. Why is it not fixing? What have I done wrong? There must be a reason. Anger? Why? Why must I be denied at every turn? Why must I be shamed?

Rowan thinks inwardly as I please, I'll say, please, just they deserve it. Frick needs this. There's no answer. Oh. Vricks, after a few moments of desperately sort of clinging to it, just pounds it with her fists, with her claws, stands up to another foolish errand, another wasted opportunity. There is nothing that can fix me.

I will remain broken and just storms off and goes to stand sort of by the entrance waiting. You're not broken to us, Fricks. Please, solitude. You should approach. the stupid rock, friend Rowan. Though it will do you no good. I'll have a word with it for you.

Fulish rock. Waste of time. Just fume it. There's just anger and frustration, but also despair. Just like running through this creature who was praying, like hoping so much that this was going to fix it. I mean, Rowan, part of him also feels this doubt as well

because ultimately, you know, the powers that he's had and the connection he's had before, why would it manifest in a stone like this? And was it just a dream? You know, the doubts are just seeping in a little bit. So you will try and breathe that out, take a moment, and then step forward. Just to check, is anybody moving the position?

Santhias, are you going with Rowan? Are you going to stay where you are? I'm just staying here letting Rowan have his moment. Sure. Yeah, I am kind of like looking sadly towards Vricks and towards Gruff in a way where I'm like, in my head, just thinking like, is there anything that we could do for Vricks? Anything at all?

Any spell? Any restoration? Does that work? Would that work, Graf? Am I having to think, but I might need a few more resources? But there is something I perhaps could. can try in the meantime and Gruff starts rummaging through his satchel. Sure. Daisy and Ophelia or anything? Anything you want to do or move?

No, I think Daisy's just going to stay where you are. But like, they said solitude, so she's like... Once to go, once that thing, wants to go and speak to them in hell, but it's holding back. Said solitude. Sure. I think Ophelia will find if there's like an empty barrel or something to shove all the rotten fruit and stuff into that you're just... Yeah, you can definitely like...

It looks like there's like some supplies, like digging tools that are all broken and some like camping tools and things like that. Fine. And then she'll probably move around a little bit closer to Ricks, but like not getting in their space. Sure. Rowan, you approach the giant's wet stone, and as you draw closer, you can see exactly what Frick did,

just a flat, dull stone, the ulcerite, dull, no longer glowing. You begin to imagine, as you sort of get closer, and begin to imagine this place being here for, you know, a thousand, plus. years and all the pilgrims that probably came here, all those stories, people coming to have their blindness amended or to, you know, have their inner turmoil fixed, or to fix an heirloom a weapon or a magic item, knights on a holy quest to fix their shields. And you imagine that

light in the wet stone getting dimmer and dimmer and dimmer and dimmer with every pilgrim who came to visit this place. Power doesn't last. forever nothing in nature lasts forever it is finite life is finite but as you get closer you again as if somebody was speaking to you whilst they were dreaming whilst they were sleeping a mumbling gentle kind of voice and that's where we're gonna take a break no oh true but yeah I'm gonna wait for my response yeah yeah yeah We will see you guys in part two. We're going to take our five minute break.

We'll see you then. Nice. See you later. See you later.