Legends of Avantris - Beneath Dark Wings | Ep. 55 | Children of the Damned: Part 1
Episode Date: July 11, 2025The party meets an unlikely ally and guide through Castle Gloomveil... Gain access to an exclusive campaign, Shroud Over Saltmarsh, over on Patreon: https://legendsofavantris.com/patreon The Crooke...d Moon, a folk horror supplement for 5e, is available for preorder! Get the Crooked Moon at: https://thecrookedmoon.com/ Watch more D&D adventures in the world of Avantris live on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/legendsofavantris Check out our merch store: https://shop.legendsofavantris.com Join our community on Discord: https://legendsofavantris.com/discord Watch our many campaigns on YouTube: https://legendsofavantris.com/youtube All other links: https://linktr.ee/legendsofavantris Watch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/R2YGWE72x6c?si=uYZiPUahl_zmnESH
Transcript
Discussion (0)
Hey man, welcome to Legends of Aventress.
I'm Toa Komanui, and you're listening to Beneath Thark Wings.
Here's basically what happened last time.
Why don't we kick off with what happened last time?
Oh, as I need to silence my iPad.
I found my notes.
What happened last time for people who took notes?
Do you want me to read mine?
Go ahead.
They're very in-depth.
It's going to be a while.
Well, I'm not going to read the last time because that was for the session before.
Read the important vets.
I will read.
everything that's on here. There is a large
gilded wooden box that is immune to
the fire. It's his philactry box
and it's in him. Roll for
initiative, 13.
Voices wail within the crackling beast.
This boss is a fucker.
A Nubian guardian.
Down to 60 hit points.
We kill the cruel litch, amber is cracking.
Escher finds the amber key.
Suggestion on Toa. We enter
the area outside the room and are beyond
space and time as we stand before
Amber sarcophagi. Toa,
tarhawk the five-headed destroyer
Luffy Fekra, queen of poxes
Felix
The eye of shadows
Caprice
Shami Amari, the lady of delights
Iris
The soul hunger
Luffy Felix and Toa are
Taken over by the entities
Iris tries to divine intervention
But it fails, damn
However, she falls unconscious
and sees anubis in the Egyptian dark domain
He tells her she has his caw inside of her
Gross, she must come to the dark
domain, he needs her help,
only one sigil,
Sigel, is still lit.
Kill Ankhahotep
and Thar is Dune,
who will break free soon,
must immediately go to the dark domain.
No time.
Must go now.
When Iris returns to her body,
she tries to say pee three times,
because I won't write the name out.
But as the last pee comes out of her mouth,
Anubis takes control of her body,
and she becomes the...
Aviator?
I spelled that wrong.
The aviator of Anubis.
She speaks to her friends
and channels his power
to free them from the dark power within.
Where the blood queen
amber sarcophagi has been is another cracked sarcophagi. Escher is laying on the ground with the amber,
that's, I meant in the room, just in case you're wondering. As another cracked sarcophagi, Escher is lying
on the ground with the amber key in his chest in all caps. Clearly he succumbed to a dark power,
and the key now swirls with the dark power inside. Escher was overcome by the dark power.
Tenebus. Swibed them on different lines. Oh, the aviator.
Yeah. We make our way to the barbarian camp.
While we're resting, we hear the sound of the giant rock as it gets closer than fades away.
Before, out of nowhere, the rock lands 50 feet from the hut.
Legend lore, Amber Key.
The dark ones trapped from light of day have no escape but theirs away.
To transfer them from where they dwell, it takes a long forgotten spell,
but have no fear the lore exists in dark domains beyond the midst.
We've teleported to the Vistani camp.
We need to find out how long it's been.
It's been a week.
We will travel with the Vistani tomorrow,
Castle Gloomvale, his wagon can traverse the mists.
The idea is to do a stealth mission and to kill the Carine King with a small task force.
Spend the night in my temple, Escher visits in the morning.
We rally and get in the carriage and begin our multi-day journey to Castle Gloomvale.
Alexi, Alessandro, and Ervin meet up quickly and the Alessandro gets back in the wagon.
I don't know why that was important.
Alexi gives a speech to everyone.
We travel for a couple of days before finally being able to see the silhouette of Castle
Ramornia in the distance. We sleep
another night and then meet up with Escher at Castle
Remornia. We ride for a few more days
and we finally see Zararkosa.
Today is the day of the assault. We ride
into a valley. Strange geometry
with spires and looming spires in a city
of dark stone. In the city
is a castle. It puts Castle
Romagna and Castle Borovia to shame.
In the mist clouds, it's hard to see the
moon, but it's not clouds. It's a
mass of giant vultures and vulture riders.
We hear rumbling as we look at the walls.
A voice calls out.
Alexi inspires everyone, but not mechanically.
He calls on the morning lord and the clouds open
and the sun appears killing tons of undead in our path.
The battle begins.
Mists swallows the wagon.
We ride through the mist and arrive at the steps
to Castle Bloomvale, the end.
That was really good.
I forgot some of those details.
And then I have one more thing.
That's what I said.
I read it and I was like,
I know what happened last session.
Wow.
Does everyone feel like they understood
what happened last session?
I've never been more clear on it.
You forgot the part with where Caprize and Escher operated a curic.
I did forget that part.
So sorry.
I did forget that part.
It really sucks that that was not worthwhile to go into my house.
You have negative inspiration.
Oh, and there was a box.
There was something about a box.
Yeah, wasn't there a box?
You guys killed Exa Panter.
And we destroyed his...
Yeah, you destroyed his factory and killed him.
I thought that that.
That was pretty obvious from my notes.
Yeah.
Well, you just said a golden box.
And then I put that we rolled for initiative and I got a 13.
And he was a motherfucker.
And he was a fucker.
This post is a fucker.
I just rolled a 14.
Congratulations.
You all hear the sounds of battle.
But a very far distance away and behind you as the
forces, united forces of Borovia, a rebellion leads their uprising against the government
of the kingdom of Skehthrinau. The forces of the Carian King Vorok clashes with the
werewolves, wear ravens, crusaders, Vestani, and an actual angel as...
as they crash into each other in a great battle.
And it seems as if much of the forces in this city,
this great, bizarre city of Zarakosa, has left.
The city seemed to be quiet.
You hear very calm murmuring.
It seems as if people aren't particularly concerned.
even though the city is being assaulted,
you look up and you see the massive structure of Castle Gloomvale.
It looks from this vantage point, it looks more like a mountain
than an actual structure in its sheer size,
made out of black stone with dark gray accents,
leering gargoyles, all with strange, grotesque vulture-like heads,
all peering down numerous spires
that puts Castle Remorna and the Castle in Borovia
to shame.
And you see it spiraling up in various different ways
and angles that seems to be just an unnatural,
almost magical construction and geometry and architecture.
You are probably about three to five blocks away.
You're between a row of strange stone buildings, about two to three stories each with complete slate walls and fronts.
And you seem to be behind almost in an alley way.
And you hear the distant murmur of a few townsfolk that seem to go about their business.
But you feel alone.
and you see look up and you're expecting to see dozens of maybe hundreds of vultures,
centuries looking for enemies, but they seem to have left.
You see a couple flying around and roosting in the spires and the parapets of the tower and the castle.
But most of them seem to be over the battlefield.
What do you all do?
Is there like a clear way to get in that's not very guarded?
You haven't discussed that yet.
So I will then say that you are all able to exit the wagon.
As Asher and Sophia Anna get out and join you,
and Alessandro Takash, he cracks his back and he lets out a laugh and says,
Ha ha!
Wasn't that a glorious travel through the mist?
It has been so long.
Alessandro does a good one.
Does he not?
I mean, it looks like we made it all on peace.
Yeah, well done.
This is, uh, I mean, what do we do now?
I mean, is there like a plan to get in or is there a clear entrance way that we go?
I mean, this is, if something goes wrong now, this is, um, we don't really exactly have an easy way.
I mean, can we go back in the, through the mists if we need to?
Yes, I will wait here and,
Use my sorcery to make myself and, of course,
Fred and Marmalade invisible.
And we will wait for the signal.
I am going to take a look around and look at the cart
and make sure that I really soak it in.
I really wanna remember this location,
just in case.
You have to tell you.
Good call.
I'd like to be very familiar with it.
I would say,
I lick the ground.
Make an investigation check.
And if you want to take,
I'll say if you want to take 10 minutes to do it,
rule the advantage.
What do you want to be familiar with?
This location.
So that I remember it.
So that I'm not like,
oh yeah, where the fuck did he park that car?
Where's my car?
Yeah.
So while we're talking,
I would like to take 10 minutes
to really soak it in.
I don't know if there's like markings
of the streets or how, right?
You know, I'm just going to really soak it in.
I got a 13.
plus, you said investigation?
Yep.
Holy shit, why is my investigation plus 10?
23.
23. Okay.
You feel like you've memorized this spot.
And you've actually noticed that there is, on, there's an actual inner wall.
You're actually not too far from the outskirts of the city.
Castle, Gloomvale is towards the eastern side of the city.
And you notice a point on an inner wall where there is a, there is the stead.
that looks like a Shadar Khai,
a soldier, perhaps general in armor,
but it's chipped in one of the helmets has,
one of the wings, the vulture wings on his helmet,
has chipped off, and you remember that as a detail
where, as a specific detail that you can teleport back to.
Okay, cool, thank you.
And at this point, Escher steps forward and says,
well, we're not going to go through the front door.
I don't know if that was your plan.
Why not?
You want to kick the door in and say,
Hello, we're here to kill your king and your princess.
No, why don't we just be nice and like charm our way in?
These aren't charming people, Lofty.
Now, I believe our fearless leader.
Although, you look like you could be a very good and insane.
As he looks at Sophia, I believe she has a plan.
And you see Sophia, her black hair is tied up very tightly behind her,
and she is fully decked out in her whip, her axes,
her throwing daggers, vials of holy water,
symbols of the morning lord, really fully adorned in holy relics,
holy relics and blessed items.
As she surveys the scene and she's been ignoring you
this whole time and has been looking over the castle
and she says,
I believe that the entrance to the castle sewer
is not too far from here.
There should be a great according to our intel.
A number of the keepers of the feather
sacrifice their lives to get this close.
I believe it is on the eastern side of the castle towards the exterior wall by the cliff face where the city drops.
So there's like a cliff beyond?
Yeah, so basically there's a castle wall and there's a big cliff face as it goes as it just dives deeper into a huge ravine.
Um, all right, well, I mean, then that sounds like a good plan to me.
Um, any concerns?
and the more strategic members of the group?
I think that that's sound.
I mean, there's not going to be anything that we can't deal with,
especially if we have the element of surprise
and being a little bit more stealthy.
I'm almost done, I'm sorry.
We should have done this before we start a story, but...
I'm going to look to Sophie-A-na and just ask,
do you anticipate any particular obstacles
besides what we might be a surprise.
I do not know what is going to be in Castle Gloomvale
and what awaits us.
Even our best sources,
our best intelligence
that attempted to infiltrate did not make it back.
But I think that if we take the time
and are careful and smart about it,
we should be able to make our way.
You may have to split up to cover more ground.
This castle is massive, labyrinthian.
It may take us hours, days, to find where we're going.
I don't feel like we have that much time, do we?
That's why we need to cover as much ground as possible.
And it doesn't really seem like we have much of a choice.
However long it takes is how long it takes.
We'll do what we can to reduce that time frame, but we just have to hurry.
Well, then we should go right now.
and lead the way.
If you know the way, I mean, I don't know if you know the way,
but I mean, it sounds like...
I mean, look at her.
She knows the way.
Do you know the way?
I can get us there.
Do you really expect me to go into a sewer?
That's so disgusting.
Tell me that you all have a problem with this.
Oh, yes, I very much not a problem with going into a sewer.
But we don't have any choice.
Let's go.
I've done worse.
There's no time for bitching.
Oh, well, I guess if Iris is fine with it,
I look really bad.
I do. You make your way through the city, peering above you to make sure you're out of sight.
Are you somebody to go stealth way? Yes. I would say so. I need a group stealth check. We're deep in enemy territory.
I would say we were going blending, right? Because there are people like walking around.
What should I use? I was going to ask if we saw anybody. I would say you look around. There are,
Ooh, that was terrible bad.
You look around and you see a couple of clothed figures, hooded figures.
You see a few eyes kind of peering out the window and then closing it.
Some people seem to be afraid of the battle, but most people seem to be calm.
And actually, you see that these streets are mostly empty.
And you do see that as people are moving about, you start to see that the people kind of have,
many of the people have an awkward gate as they kind of move about,
strangely, and you get a glimpse beneath a hood,
and you see the long tongue and the sunken sallow face
of a ghoul.
As you just see these ghoul shambling about,
with the occasional Shad Arkai, the dusk elf,
dressed in relatively nice clothes,
being in a strange city, going about their business.
But the streets are not nearly as populated
as the other major cities that you've been to.
He must be making all of the men fight.
And the women and children too.
Is something funny?
Yeah, funny thing to say.
Why? Why is it funny?
It's horrifying.
Yeah, that's like really terrible.
It's just the way you said it.
Don't, don't worry about me. I'm just tuned.
All right. All right.
Um, I got a, uh, yeah, what do we got?
17. 17.
I got a 10.
Wow.
Warm it up, everyone.
This is your stealth?
Yeah.
I got a natural 20, so 29.
Let's go.
Okay.
And 26.
Double let's go.
We're just pulling the whole party.
Like, Scarab is a natural.
Okay.
I need a roll for Sophia and for Escher.
Okay.
Okay.
This smells so bad, I don't want to drink it.
You keep your, you try to stay incognito.
You pull your hoods up.
Toa, you hunch over perhaps attempting to look like one of the ghoulish ogres or other giant.
giant can and shamble around as you make your way darting through the streets,
skirting the massive exterior of this castle, and there's an exterior wall around it,
where buildings are actually almost like pushed up against it, tilting backwards in a very
strange geometry. You make your way to the eastern side of the castle, and you hear the bubbling
and running of, doesn't sound quite like water.
Sounds thicker, denser.
And the smell hits you well before you see it.
It's great.
As you...
I don't think it's great.
It's really more of a disgusting brown.
As you follow, as Sophia Anna points out to several of the civilians
that are walking around and Escher leans in and says,
I could always cut that one's throat.
He wouldn't even know it was coming.
And then she's like, as should they wait for the civilians to pass?
And it really just seems like there are several older elves,
and obviously elves have very much prolonged youth,
but some that seem to be perhaps not quite in fighting shape
are the ones, perhaps some of the younger ones,
and ones perhaps of higher station.
As you see more of the people walking around,
but on this side, this close to the sewer entrance,
exit, that houses start to get more sparse as well as the businesses.
As you see finally on the other side on the wall a dark black metal grate.
And through it you see this disgusting gray brown sludge that's mixed with streaks of
what looks like a deep red as it spills as it makes it
way through almost like a small stream as it makes its way through a gate, that black metal grate
through the wall, underneath the wall, and then over into a disgusting waterfall, sledgefall of
sorts, off a cliff to the distance. Does this grate look like there's an easy way through it,
like some sort of a maintenance hatch, or is it a solid iron gate? It is a solid iron gate. And although
Although that there are gaps, you look that really only like a small creature could perhaps fit
through easily, especially the given that this is trying to keep out humanoids of the slender
elves.
I would turn to Sophia on and say, did you have a plan on getting past the great?
I mean, I have a few ideas, but I figured I'd ask first.
She turns to you, and there's a very small hint of a wry smile on her face, and she says,
I thought you would come with good ideas.
I have an idea, too.
I could pull the grate off.
Actually, might be less noisy than my idea.
Whatever we do, let's just do it quickly.
It stinks.
I'll take a deep breath and just never let it go.
Are we going to have to walk in that disgusting brown smelly water?
See?
Then I've changed my mind of not going in the Suez.
Well, I mean, there might be some, you know, parts and points
where we can walk along. It will take me weeks with the amount of water that we're able to find
for bans to wash this sludge out of my fur. Yeah, and would she get something stinky in there?
It really stays. We don't really have a choice, Iris. I'm sorry. If there was another way.
Toa, you all have to care of you. Oh, I mean, that's fine. I usually can't or do that anyway, so...
Well, fine, problem solved. If it resolves everything immediately, that's right.
Yes, I just can't talk in it. So about so great, too.
think you could get it off?
If you think you can pry it off, does it look like totally...
It's totally built into the wall.
Absolutely.
And I'll call it the wall.
I could definitely...
I don't think I could get there, yes.
I would say the wall is probably 50 feet.
I...
Tell us as strong as you are, maybe it'd be easier if I'd smell the bars.
If you want to, that's fine.
I was just thinking, I could try to help by, you know, Ripping McGradyoff.
But I mean, if you want to be...
If you want to...
No, Toa, that's a great idea.
Why don't you give it a shot?
I look to...
I just look at Sophia Anna, like, quizzically, like...
Are you gonna let this happen?
What if I just run up the wall in and drop a rope down?
I mean, we don't know what's on the other side.
I mean...
Yeah, but we don't...
That's right.
We don't.
We don't know what's on the other side.
Do you know what's on the other side?
Well, there is a small courtyard, I believe,
and then another grate into the castle.
Well, I mean, we'll be completely exposed.
at least by using the sewer ways, we're going under the castle.
Nobody will detect us coming in.
We'll retain the element of surprise for as long as possible.
It's so steep.
I'll walk up to the grate.
Okay. Do you wade into the sludge?
Yes.
Okay. The smell is absolutely vile.
Make a constant of a saving throw for me.
I'm going to start taking a rag out of my pack and start tearing it into strips,
which I'll roll up into little cold columns.
Oh, nose tampons.
I think that's a 20.
20?
Well done.
Okay.
No, no, no, it's not 22.
Oh, even better.
Even more well done.
You heave and you heave and you he...
Oh, never mind.
That's your con.
You are able to resist it.
I need to make an athletics check
because you try to rip it off.
Oh, no.
That was con check.
Athletics check.
God.
Ooh, that's definitely much worse.
I guess I'll save my research
from the beginning of the castle.
Yeah, let's say 15.
15.
You see Toa and Toa, and Toa, you're super confident.
You grab two of these bars, and they're actually these square bars.
They're not rectangular.
They're very angular.
And you grab, it actually kind of hurts your hand, and you yank as hard as you can, and it doesn't budget it.
All right, I tried.
Now, Felix, can you please melt the bars?
Yeah, that was a good attempt.
Do we think that it will, if we melt the bars, then clearly anyone who walks past will be able to tell that someone is on this way?
Are we sure that's the smartest thing to do?
I think trying to remove them so we can prove them.
put them back into place, is the only way we're going to be able to go through this.
What if they have the alarm?
Well, believe it or not, I think I can help with that too.
It's going to take a little bit longer, but I can do it.
You'll have to do it twice, Sofia.
I mean...
I mean... It'll be... It's going to be a long way in or out, but if we want it to look like
no one was ever here, it'll be worth it.
Well, if I know the Crusaders of Borovia, they will...
fights to the end. We have time.
All right. Just give me one second here.
And what I would like to do is basically walk up to the bars as close as I can and the dagger in one hand.
And I will raise up my hand and create flame with a precedent chasing in my hand.
And I will walk over to the bar.
and using the flame, I'm going to get creative here,
I'm going to snap my fingers a couple of times,
sparks are going to fly from my hand,
and then on the third snap,
the flame in my hand is going to basically turn into a blow torch,
and I'm going to basically cast firebolt over and over again
at a very close range,
and it's going to look as if my hand is a blow torch,
and I'm going to slowly start cutting through the iron bars,
creating at least a four-foot-tall gap,
So even Toll would be able to bend down and squeeze through
and try to retain this piece of iron gate.
Okay, okay.
I would say with that creative idea,
can you get me an Arcona check?
I can't.
I am going to walk up to Felix put my hand on his back
and say, I believe in you feelings and give him guidance.
Okay, you do that.
What does guidance give me?
A D4.
Let's go.
And you need to be at Conducision's saving throws.
You do this.
The smell overwhelms you.
Let me do that first.
I do have a decent con score, believe it or not,
a con saving throw.
Oh, yeah.
Plus eight is going to be 25 for my con saving throw.
Okay.
It's vile, but you're able to do it.
Iris, you're able to kind of reach your paw out
and not wade into it just quite yet, and you tap them.
And you tap them, and you feel guided by the power of a newress.
Oh, yeah.
30 for Hanna?
Okay, you don't need to roll anything else with that score.
30, and we'll keep this roll for the next one as well.
and it takes you about 10 minutes at least,
as you are constantly every six seconds
and you turn into a blow torch and you're...
And it takes a bit,
but you're able to be very surgical about this.
And suddenly with a little bit of help from Toa,
who's able to finally use his strength
and heave it out and pull it out,
you now see that there's a large gap
with the piece retained.
I would basically have asked
Toa to like grab it and like hold on to it.
Don't lose that. We're going to need it on the other side.
Hold this. Everybody, go through, go through.
Oh, gross.
You want some rag?
I can't actually smell it. I haven't been breathing for
the whole time we hear. I'm going to climb up on the Toa's back
and with my arms around his neck. I'm not waiting into that water toa.
Yeah, I mean, you stay in as long as you got.
Neither am I.
And you see as Escher poofs and there's.
of a flying bat as he just flies above it.
He really needs to learn how to fly.
Flies through the grate.
How deep is the sludge?
The sludge comes up to probably your mid thigh on,
I guess I'm a normal person, so it would be up to your waist.
And it'd be down to like your calf, Toa.
Perhaps your knee.
So it's not that I've got it for cute.
No, no, no, no.
I'm kind of like I'm ashamed.
I usually like being so cute and petite and tiny,
but now it's really awful.
Sofiana gives you a pat on the back, Felix,
it seems a little bit, probably a little bit harder
than she had been intending.
Or maybe it was as hard as you were attending.
Yeah.
I knew that you would have a good idea.
Yeah, thanks.
And you all make your way through,
and are you gonna attempt to well it back?
Yeah, well, so what I'm gonna have Toa do
is I'm gonna say, all right,
all right, Toa, just kind of put it back where it was,
and I'm gonna need about 10 minutes.
Can I join you?
I assume you're mending,
the grate.
Oh, I'm gonna transmit it back the way that it was.
That works too.
And I take 10 minutes to pass fabricate.
And using the raw iron material that is that gate,
I would like to transmute it back to the way that it was.
I would say you do that.
You see that as Felix is taking his time to draw out
alchemical ruins, probably along where this grade is.
And his hands glow, as his eyes do as well,
and suddenly the great is as good as no.
Oh, don't touch your face.
Oh.
Yeah, you're probably right.
I press the concentrate to take myself
and clean my face up.
Both of you who have stepped in, you've stepped in.
Yeah.
I did.
Not breathing.
Consulose and saving.
Even if I'm not breathing.
I have an ending breath.
Yeah, no, you're like, we'll hold your breath.
So you need it.
I have rags in my nostrils.
Advantage.
Okay.
Thank goodness.
Can you also just float above it
with your like primitive liberty?
Yeah, but then I have to grab on to somebody.
It's a whole thing.
I really just, you know,
and I didn't think.
That's gonna be a 21.
21, okay, you're fine.
As you wade through, those of you that are waiting,
as you make your way through,
when you see it's probably about a good 30 feet
to the next grade,
and you see now that there's a very
very small courtyard that's very sparse, and it's meant really mostly for external defense.
As you see, there's a few stairs up to the parapets on the walls, but this is on the eastern
side of the castle, and you see there's a huge mountain that goes up on the other side
and a cliff below. It's not super heavily defended because no army would attack from this
portion, so it's actually very unpopulated, which is probably why they decided to have
the sewer run out this way as well.
And you see that as this river of sludge continues,
and connects to the castle,
and you see now an even larger grate
of a similar construction.
Oh, boy, okay.
Are you ready?
Do it again?
Yeah, we can do it again.
It's been a while this is I flexed these magic muscles
and I have a feeling I'm never gonna cast that spell ever again.
Okay.
You never know how many grates we'll find?
You're doing a great job.
And I'll say, I'll keep that roll.
You take the 10 minutes.
As Toa, you see something in the corner of your eye
hanging from the mole that's on, via the totem that's on your back.
And you see a little hanging back as Escher
is just resting on your back as he's polymorphed.
As Sophia Anna just kind of shakes her head and says,
It's amazing what wizards can do.
And you were able to do the same thing
as you continue to wade as you're able to rip it off.
And as you wait, however, Luffy, with your stealth roll of 10,
I didn't forget it.
What?
I didn't forget it.
What do you mean?
As you're able to pull it at,
Felix is able to cut through, you're all able to get through.
You stepped a trip and you-
No, no.
anything but that.
You trip and you don't fall into it,
but you drop your spoon
and all of the stuff that you're carrying
into the sludge.
No!
And it lets out a clattering
along the side of this stone.
And it echoes
through this place.
And you hear the squawk
of a vulture from above
as it seems to be getting
closer to the flapping of wings.
As you pull it back
and you begin to transmute.
Okay, all right, I'm better try to hurry.
And I'm focused on this task as fast as I can't.
I need you to make,
I need you to make a dexterity check
just to see how quickly as you're trying to do this.
And we're going to be dexterity contest.
Speed run that bit.
Oh, am I still on the effect of guidance?
No, guidance is just a one time.
Oh, no.
Just straight up dex check.
Uh, yes. And I'll say actually make an Arcana checker.
Might. Yeah. If the water is way steep on Lofti, would her, would her things actually make it clattering on the...
Along the side of the stone. Okay. Yeah. So, eight for decks, uh, 28 for Arcana.
28 for Arcana. Um, okay. You are able to do it. It takes you about, you aren't able to do it any faster. And as soon as you finish, you hear the flapping wings incredibly close. You have to see.
the talon of a giant vulture landing,
and you are able to just sprint away.
And as you make your way in,
I need everyone to make one more group stealth check
as you see an armored Shadarkai
at top of a giant vulture land and inspect the bars.
Even worse.
17. 10.
How far away from us are they?
I would say that they're probably,
you would have been able to get pretty far in,
So I would say that Felix is the closest, but you're probably a good, at least 30, 40 feet away.
Okay.
I got a nine.
Nine.
15.
Oh, these are disgusting.
Everything's competent.
Oh, but did you see this?
Just don't use that to brew anymore.
Ooh.
Find another spoon.
12.
This is my spool.
12.
Oh, boy.
It's 17.
17.
Okay.
Let's see.
Escher and Sophia and I can save you guys.
Yeah.
And they roll very high.
Oh, that's nice.
as, as Toa, you're able to just pick up Lofti along with Iris and just make sure that you're able to get her far away.
And you see this as Satar Kai is inspecting.
And the craftsmanship and the work of you actually using a transmutation spell and not just bursting your way in, he has no idea.
He has no idea.
He just looks around and then flies off.
You've made it into Castle, Gloomvale.
undetected.
Yep, Rick.
Nice.
I think we're in the clear.
There was a vulture out there.
Well, yes.
That's why I'm holding you right.
Can you not put her too close to me?
She smells horrible.
I start pressing.
She smells like she fell into the bog of eternal sense.
All just do this.
I'll just use each under one on.
I'm like, I'm like,
and I would say, given the magic of prostitiation,
you're able to actually shockingly clean up.
Once we're out.
Out of the goop, I'm gonna need a little bit more of that,
because my shoes are full.
Oh, well, and I don't know what's gonna do
for the stick, but at least, you know,
it won't be like actively on you.
You got shit, new shoe.
And you see now as this, there's a sewer
that's probably about, it's actually shockingly high.
Toa, you had to hunt a little bit to stand,
but not that much.
It's probably about seven feet.
Is it stone?
It is stone.
It is the same dark.
stone that Castle Bloomvale is made out of as it continues upwards and this river this
stream of of filth continues to very slowly move past you but it still makes that that disgusting
sound as it makes its way through and you see the stench is vile but it doesn't smell
entirely like humanoid ways that you'd expect
There's the smell of rot and decay and is it flesh as you continue to make your way.
And everyone who is waiting, I mean, you know, everyone who's actually waiting through the sludge as they make your way up.
I'm waiting. I'm waiting. I'm holding Iris. Are you mean? I guess. Oh, no. I guess you're holding my hat. I'm also holding my breath.
Okay. If that's for con. So, Sophia. Everyone to make a constitution saving throw as you feel, as you feel.
something within this.
I'm on hot fire to be.
Already.
24.
It helps that I'm advantaged
at con saving terms.
18.
18.
Uh,
23.
23?
Okay.
You all feel this strange
there's a stench
and almost something
that's trying to kind of seep into your
flesh.
As you make your own.
through as it seeps into your clothing or your bare skin.
And you see Sophia is at the lead.
And she actually has held up a symbol of the morning Lord,
and she's cast light on it.
And it's illuminating the tunnel as you make your way through.
And you see her, and suddenly, as you feel this kind of
this stench as you're making your way through,
you see off into the darkness where it seems to level off,
this sloping downward pathway seems to level off.
seems to level off deeper into the castle.
And then you see Sophia Anna as she locks up
and falls forward into the sludge.
Oh, God.
Oh, gosh.
Pick her up.
I would help.
I'm slapping Toa.
Go get her.
To help.
I'm weak as hell, so I would help.
I could reslip her up and get her face out of the goddamn sludge.
OK.
I would say with both of you, you're able to heave her out.
And she's dripping with this horrible sludge.
Is it in your mouth?
Oh, yeah, it's in her mouth.
And her mouth was open when she fell,
and her eyes were open,
and she's locked up,
and she's completely coated.
And it's absolutely vile stench.
I have a rag on her face already,
just trying to do my very best,
getting in her mouth,
trying to give it up.
Oh, my God, so,
what's wrong?
What's the matter?
I think she's frozen.
She's like,
uh,
uh,
uh,
uh,
but,
but,
but,
but,
paralyzed.
Can one of you fix it?
Can you,
can you,
restore her?
in a lesser sort of way?
Yes, of course.
And I'll cast lesser restoration on her.
You place your paw over her,
not having to touch her,
as you cast lesser restoration.
And suddenly she vomits
past you into this river of sludge
as she says,
I'm sorry, I do not know what happened.
and immediately you see a poof, and Escher is now standing horizontally alongside the wall.
As his hair, his beautiful hair is hanging down, as he looks at that and says,
well, I am glad I decided to fly.
Now you're just showing off.
What the hell just happened?
You could do this if you could.
You would do this if you could, Grace, you know.
I will dip my gloved right hand into the sludge and kind of patsy.
pick some up and look at it real closely and say,
what is this stuff?
Make an Arcona check at advantage.
26?
You, after you examine it, the feeling around your ankles
and your knees and what happened to Sophia,
and you've experienced this before.
This is the effect of the curse, of the disease,
of the venom of ghouls.
Oh, my.
Oh my God.
And then I will relay that information.
Yeah, we can't get any of this anywhere.
If I wasn't clothed, I'm actually worried about it seeping through my clothing.
We shouldn't be standing in this.
Well, let's get out of here quick.
Oh, God, I mean, is it, are we gonna die?
Like, even if we get out, is it like in us?
I don't know.
But we should get it washed off as quickly as possible.
Let's go, let's go.
And I just start hustling.
I'm trying to keep them up out of the money.
Okay, you're all able to hustle as you make your way through,
and you had to spend probably another 10 minutes
and will keep those roles that you had
as you're able to resist.
And you actually see as As Asher,
as you're able to clean her off with that presiditation,
Sophia Anna, and she is a lot more careful
and she takes it slow.
She doesn't stand in the lead anymore,
although she holds out her symbol,
of the morning Lord as a beacon of light,
and you continue your way for another 10 minutes,
and the ramp levels off, and you continue straight,
and finally, you see as there are stone walkways.
You're able to get out of the sludge
and continue onward, and not much further,
you see a metal ladder coming down
that goes to a circular hatch in the roof.
And Sophia Anna is definitely, she's embarrassed.
I say this pretty obvious to tell that she's embarrassed
that she led you and immediately she got paralyzed
and fell into shit, to goolshed.
As she looks at all of you and says,
well this is our godsend.
I was not sure if this would actually be here.
We probably would have figured it out, but I'm glad it is.
Uh, ladies first?
Yes.
Yes.
I, I have the very least, I have this and she points to the vials of holy water.
If we need to make a quick escape.
And she climbs and leaves the way, and you see that there's a heavy wooden hatch.
And she climbs to the top and she lifts it open very, very strong.
slightly looks up and closes it, and she gives you the sign that it's all good, and she lifts it up,
and she climbs out, and it's just darkness above. What you all do? I would hastily follow her,
provided everyone else is good. Yeah. Momentarily to make sure that Iris and Lutti get up.
I would place one of them up on the ladder, and then I would follow one. And Escher brushes himself off,
making sure he looks good.
It's like, well, I look a lot better than you are.
I guess that's a saving grace.
And he goes last as he transforms into his vampire form.
This waist is slopping out of the top of my boots
as I go up the ladder, so he'd probably have to wait until I totally get it.
He watches the sludge fall from the boots.
And you all enter a very small chamber.
probably no more than, it's very tight, probably about eight by eight in this room.
And you see that there are some boxes and crates and chests.
This seems to be a storage room of some kind.
And you see that there is a large metal door that seems to go deeper into the castle.
And once you all get out, Sophia Ana places the
the hatchback, and
she
tests the door and
says, well, this is locked.
It doesn't even have any creative way to get through.
That's not my voice.
We could try to pick the lock.
I could try to rip it open.
So it seems like it would be like
Really loud.
We really want to just rip open every door.
Oh, come to shore, man.
Are you being angry today?
You're so much.
Fine, do I have to do everything myself?
Escher steps forward and he pulls out a pair of strange implements.
And he says, I had to sneak into a lot of houses.
As he makes work picking the lock, and very quickly,
it unlocks.
And he opens the door and he peeks out.
What do you see?
And he closed the door and says, is a split hallway.
The hallway splits into like a left and right type operation?
I think this is where we have to split up.
I mean, that could be pretty dangerous.
It could be, but I think that if we're going to make our way
through this labyrinthian castle,
there at least two groups will be able to find what we need to.
And I'm here also for selfish reasons.
I know that Ravanaughia and Vorak himself have been
researching the realms beyond the mists.
I intend to learn what they're looking for, what do they know.
And I can cover a lot, ground a lot faster.
I'm bringing Sophia with me.
And she says, oh, hurry now, so you get to decide or do you deal either.
And he says, well, I would go by myself, but some extra holy water around doesn't hurt.
You all have iris for that.
If you think that that's best, I mean, to have the way to communicate in case things, you know,
And Adros, could you do your thing, like, you know, send a message?
No.
I'm currently picking my spells for the day because I forgot, but I would never have this sending.
If there's only, like, if there's, like, a magic item or something that you can use to communicate with, that seems like the way to go.
Lucky for you, you read my mind.
Countess of Kreskov always comes prepared.
Oh, really?
That's great.
That's pretty serenly, yes.
We very ready come prepared.
So this is my plan.
And Sophia on a scarp, but she listens, she isn't interrupted up.
And he says, I think we need to get to Ravanovia before we go to Vorok.
I do not want to risk any time that we have where we can save my little bat.
Is that fine?
I know that we need to kill the Karean King, and that is our primary mission.
But I want to, in case there's any risk of whatever he could do,
perhaps, what if he does something to her, if he loses the upper hand?
Well, and, I mean, separating the two of them also will probably benefit our fight against the precarion king.
If they're working together, surely he'll be weaker apart.
Yes, that's true. That sounds smart. I agree with him.
I think there's an argument to be made, Rick. Those are all valid points, but you've been a huge help to us, an ally.
And I want to be a hero to you. I want to help you. So let's go and find out what's going on with your daughter.
What happens if we find her before you do?
Try not to kill her.
I'm going to...
Does he have the key?
No, I think I have the key.
He is going to look at you then, Iris.
He would know that, right?
As he will say,
I'm going to try to find
if there's anything about ember
or anything about an ember key
in anything that they have in this castle.
Beloved. Yes, please let me know too hard.
May I have it?
Oh no.
But I would love for you to inspect things about it.
Do we think it's safe?
I mean, if you can find a way to use it from his daughter, I mean, I'm okay with it.
Please don't listen to this conversation, Aisha.
He's going to eavesdrop.
If he finds a way to release this entity that's in this key,
to put the entity that's in his daughter in this key,
he will do it regardless of.
what it means this entity will do to the rest of Brood.
Why do you want to have the key?
It is because you need to be able to look up the place.
I could do a quick sketch,
and you could have the symbols and the whole thing on the side.
In case there's any resonance for artifacts that I find.
Resonance?
Yeah, that sounds a little like BS.
I'm with Iris in this one.
All right.
I will go on record and not saying that I agree with Escher,
but it's not BS.
I mean, that's a real thing.
Is it H.S?
No, no, it's a real thing. It's a real thing.
And, I don't, he's not just, he's not just making stuff up.
Now I'm not saying we turn the key over to him.
I just want to let you know that it's a real thing.
I just sing and make magic. I have no idea what you're talking about.
Alright, never mind.
Look, we, we have Thorstein we have to deal with.
We have the Kerry and King we have to deal with.
I cannot also have to deal with what it is in this key.
Because it gets let loose to save your daughter.
I'm sorry.
We've already got two on our list.
Fair, fair point.
Fair point.
I will find what I can.
And if there's anything I can find to transfer,
deal with it before we find Ravanaughia,
that is my goal.
I would love that, yes.
Okay.
And whatever happens, remember what we told you,
don't get any pee in your mouth.
You know what I'm talking about.
Yes, don't let the pee your mouth three times.
Excuse me.
Yeah, she's saying to keep the pee in your mouth.
Hold it in your mouth.
Please.
I mean, that's hardly a challenge.
Lovely.
I think I do, but that's a very inappropriate time.
Sofianna, do you think you can keep up?
You're talking about the word that starts with P, you can miss it.
Ah.
What will happen if I say?
Keep it in your mouth.
End of the universe type stuff.
The whole thing is fun.
The Vora.
What we're worried about with this key is nothing
compared to what we would worry about
if you let three peas out of your mouth at once.
Yes, the bottom line is we don't know,
but we don't wanna find out.
All right, to follow it down.
To swallow it down.
You've done enough to earn my trust
and compliance with your wishes.
Thank you.
She, Sophia Anna steps and says,
I can keep up with you, creature of the ninth.
You may have to try to keep up with me.
And you see, you see.
I see Escher smirk and he says, okay, holy warrior, I like to see that fire.
No offense, but you all would slow us down.
I'm like walking between them, like, tapping my foot.
Does this smell like, I'll come in here?
No, I think it's the ghoul shit, caprice.
Man, what are they doing those quips?
It's grinding them up.
And with that, both of them step out, and you see that there is a hallway that curves off to either side deeper into the castle.
And Escher turns back, and he hands out a small wooden box, and he hands it to you.
And he says, it's a bit of a care package I provided.
I had some time to create while you all were riding to Castle Romagna.
You should be able to communicate with myself, and he reaches into his pocket, he pulls out
what looks like a small stone, almost like no bigger than this, but there's a strange alchemical
marking on it. You've seen similar things all over his castle, and he hands one to Sophiaana,
and he says, press the room and talk into it, and we'll all be able to hear it. It's a communication
device. I hadn't named that Brutus
started calling them
Rocky Talkies. I don't understand why.
Oh, is this what Rocky Talkies are?
Yes, we've heard about
them in Siket. That's so cool.
We have these in Galtica, but they're called shell phones.
Well, they're male of shells.
Yes. That's very impressive. I'd like to know how they do that.
Why do you call them a phone?
That's going to be my... Because it's phonic.
Like, here. Like...
So why don't you call them shell phonics?
You'd have to ask the shop. I have no idea why.
I've never gotten to have one.
It's one fewer syllable.
Oh, do you get them at J-Mobile?
How did you know?
Did I, have I mentioned them?
I've seen the advertisements in the paper.
I mean, the papyrus.
That's pretty funny.
I've been waiting to make the shell phone joke
since session three of the neat dark wings.
You said Waki-talkie, and I was like,
what is that?
And I was ready to make the joke,
and then we moved on.
I kept my fucking mouth shut
for like three goddamn years.
Anyways, I'm not mad.
Everything is canon and Golica come.
Everything is legal in New Jersey.
How many do I find in the box?
You see that there are five of them,
and you actually see where a six one might be.
There is a vial with a shimmering grayish liquid.
It's like a dark gray.
and he points at it and says
that is also
something to use as a last resort
if you need to attempt a diplomacy or sneak
it will allow you to alter your person
into a Shadakai
I just hope your acting skills are up to snuff if you need it
There should be about 10 doses in there
if you use it sparingly
Um, have we good at acting right?
We've done it before. We've done this once
before and it went terribly. Is there any other way? It went all right. Do you have potions that make us invisible maybe?
We can't do it again. It's fine. We can't do it again for you. It's in a very, very poorly last
well. We'll practice. We'll practice. I don't need this. You're not told on the
time that you sold Lufri into slavery. We didn't. We lent her. And we saved her. We went back for her.
You did not save me. I saved me. We were on our way to save you. Yeah, well, a little too late, huh?
No.
What I'm trying to say is that, let's try to practice because I don't feel very confident in my abilities.
All you can just...
Both of you practice right now. Do your best Shadakai.
I don't even know what they sound like.
Well, that's not a good start.
I like vultures.
I like to ride on vultures.
That's not bad.
Ah, dark magic.
And if it has been a very little more emo.
A little more emo.
Iris.
I can describe myself anytime I want.
Oh.
Stitch abominations.
Abominations are my hobby.
Necromancy.
That's pretty good.
Thank you.
Sophia Anna Shallwey?
And she says,
How coop and good is.
She turned to you.
In her wincees.
I wish you all of the best of luck.
May the morning lords,
light of dawn shine and light your path.
Thank you.
May we meet in better circumstances.
Is there you?
Anything that we should say to her if we find her before you?
Escher looks at you and says,
I hope I find her first.
But if you all, you all do find her first,
tell her that Papa misses her very much
and wants her to come home and he's coming to save her.
We will.
And, you know, if there's something we can do,
you know, maybe we fix her up and she'll help us out.
And if I do anything stupid,
because of Ravanaughia, I'm sorry.
Is there anything more undoing than a daughter?
Hello?
I mean, what do you mean by something stupid?
Well, just not thinking clearly, getting myself killed, captured.
Don't bother saving me if I could capture.
Let me turn into a horrible abomination.
Why?
I'm not the idea of that.
Why would you do that?
That does not go for me.
If I get captured, you all come get me, huh?
Yeah, we save each other.
You're going to be fine.
All of us. We're not.
We're not going to leave anybody behind.
Yes, yes, we are going to figure everything out.
Right.
Things always turn out.
Exactly.
I will see you all on the other side.
I wave to Escher.
I turned the waves up.
And then, I wave to Sophia.
Sophia.
Yeah, Sufianna just looks at you and just turns and follows.
More morning Lord bless.
And she had to turn and says,
if you see my daughter, tell her something similar, but mother, not father. And she turns.
And leaves.
She's a tough, tough woman.
I feel like you have to be to live in this land.
Do you think there's an after-nor afternoon and an evening, Lord? Like different phases of the day?
I highly doubt it.
I'll have to ask her when she gets back.
Okay.
So, you are now alone with the five of you, and you hear something in your
in your heads.
Check, check, one, two, one, two, is this thing on?
It says five small voices in the box
that's in front of me.
Yeah.
I think he's trying to talk to us.
Hold on.
And I start juggling them
and then getting each one of them to all four of you.
Ha!
You do that very effortlessly.
By G. Mobile.
Couldn't they come up with anything better
than just the name?
I mean, I thought he made them,
so I'm really surprised that you saw that.
It was a scripted on the back.
What an absolute loser.
He claimed he made these.
He just purchased these.
Mail order, clearly.
He just took credit for somebody else's work.
That's son of a bitch.
Look at it.
It looks like it's been refurbished.
Is this, does this word?
No, there's quieter.
Ow, quiet.
What?
Quieter.
I can hear you.
You don't have to shout to her.
Can you hear whispers, too?
Yes.
Oh, yes.
Sorry.
Okay, we can all communicate.
Wow, this is pretty cool.
My screen is cracked.
I don't know what that meme is.
Oh, man, that's what you do I go to get this thing repaired?
How much is it going to cost me?
Mine's not charging.
Is it still under warranty?
Oh, I see the problem.
It says, Made New Long.
No wonder it's a piece of crack.
Oh, there's a bunch of dust in this little hole right here.
No wonder it wasn't charging.
That's what you get for not creating things.
in Korovacia.
Hey, you guys are hearing things?
What's he saying?
Find us, you're saying.
And you'll hear this in your ear
any time I want to,
we want to communicate with you.
Yes, please you despairingly.
We could be a life or death situation
and we need full focus.
I don't know, I feel like singing a song.
Can I sing you songs from time to time?
Sure, why not?
Great, thank you.
Okay, now focus on the mission.
Which direction did they go?
They left.
All right, we're going right.
Are you all ready?
Do you feel prepared?
Yeah, I mean, this is it.
It's now or never.
It's the moment of truth.
We better get to move on, because this place is gigantic.
This is like one of the bigger castles I've ever been in.
And I've been in many.
You've been in many castles?
Yeah.
I don't think I've ever been in a castle before,
unless the big central thing in Zentra counts as a castle.
the castle? Well, you've only been on your little island. I've been like all over.
I don't know anything about castles, so I'm going to stay in the back and just
follow everybody. Okay. Well, I could go first. I probably know everything there is to know
about castles, so I'll just lead us exactly where we need to go. Okay. I would just create a little
bit of flame for some light. Yeah. The only place you've been in a castle is the bedroom.
Oh.
God her.
That's not true.
I've been the dining hall.
You know,
it's not how you get there.
Yes, I know, but they were ashamed
to allow you in.
You don't know that.
You haven't been to every castle.
Oh, I've never been to a castle.
I've seen temples,
garden complexes,
palaces.
But that's castle.
You should never be ashamed of your back door.
I don't.
Felix, I think you should leave the way.
Oh, really?
Yes.
All right.
Just don't, stay close to me.
Well, if we can find the back door, then Lufty will easily be able to get us to his bedroom.
Well, just somebody leave the way.
Then we'll keep an eye out for it.
Fine.
Everybody just having you said.
Remember, we have to be quiet, all right?
You...
What are you doing?
A crazy flame.
Oh!
I am, you know, bottle following.
As I've been doing to do, Felix's Orbs of Fire, right?
So you leave this storage room behind, closing it quietly, and a flame immersing in your hand, casting light.
These are very dark hallways.
I would say that you don't even need to roll, that you would know that Shad or Kai have incredibly strong eyes in the dark.
Oh, that's right.
And they probably don't need much light.
You do see occasionally that there are wall sconces that have...
have some strange like candelabros of these black candles that are let, they just let out a little bit of light as you make your way through and you walk for a while before seeing anything.
You don't have to see pathways splitting off into various directions. And you, you kind of, you listen and you hear some horrible groaning and wailing and moaning of
of horrible creatures down one and you keep moving.
And you hear that similar thing and the shuffling of ghouls, perhaps of undead, lumbering footsteps.
And you follow the pathway that is the quietest as you make your way through,
but you understand now what they meant that it was incredibly labyrinthian.
And this place feels absolutely massive.
And eventually, you find the pathway leading deeper into,
the castle, you see ahead of you, Felix, for the first time, beyond just stones, and the occasional,
just locked wood-in-der metal door, you see bars and darkness beyond, and you see that on either
side of you. What do you do? So the bars are on either side. So basically, they're cells. You
see cells of bars. But there is, we can continue forward. You can continue onward, and this seems to be the
pathway to go. I would
like lower my flame
a little bit and like peek in one of the
cells to see if it's occupied.
You peek in and you
see immediately a glint
of white, a streak of white,
catching off of your flame
and you see a skeleton
sprawled out onto the floor, its arm
out. Oh my gosh.
What is you? Oh gosh.
Oh, sorry, it's a skeleton.
There are dead people in the cells.
Is it a lot? Is it animated?
No. It's just.
just a pile of bones.
You'd like it to be?
No.
Oh, maybe later when we have more time.
That's quite possibly the
spookiest thing I can ever think about.
The point is that these people have been
in these cells for so long.
They've wasted away to nothing.
How far from the cell are you?
I like peaked around the corner.
I was close.
Yeah, yeah.
So as you turn back, I need to make a Dixirty saving throw.
It disadvantaged because you're turned away.
I think it would be really cool
if the skull is a name of life.
You didn't agree?
That's gonna need.
Well, yes, if we round them all up,
we could have quite the band of merry skeletons.
Seven.
It's like a scary innet.
Seven. Yes.
Oh, I love that.
As soon as you hear that,
you feel something,
grab your ankle.
Ery hand.
And you take.
I would scream.
Sorry, sorry, sorry.
Something grabbed his ankle.
As you see a skeletal hand
reach out and grab Felix's boot.
And I would jump for toe.
And you take six points of necrotic damage.
Oh, Jesus.
If I'm able to, I jump into Toa's arms.
And I will say that you're easily able
to kick it away.
To kick it away and leap in.
As you hear,
what's wrong, Felix?
What's wrong?
That guy!
You grab me!
As you then see two skeletal arms
reaching out
through this sound.
They were animated.
I was wrong.
I was wrong.
I'm so sorry, but I was right.
Are you coming?
Are you okay?
It hurt.
Just don't get too close.
That's twice in the last hour.
I've said something's going to happen,
and then we got the shell phones,
and now there's animated skeleton.
Maybe you're clairvoyant.
Maybe anything I say happens.
I can cast clairvoyance.
I don't think you need to.
He's unregarded.
Well, it doesn't work the way you would think it would.
Oh, me?
It's unfortunate.
It's disappointing.
I know.
Stay away from the doors.
Who knows what's in the rest of these cells?
That really hurt.
Are you sure?
You're okay?
Yeah, I'm right.
Did I kiss it?
No.
You show?
Yes.
Okay.
Bones are very sharp.
Yeah.
It also, I don't know, felt like some kind of magic or something.
I don't know.
Are you overcome?
By what?
Magic.
No, it just burned a little.
I think I'm all right.
Like a bony fire.
Yeah, kind of.
Straight.
We'll keep your light up and we'll just move cautiously.
Okay?
Well, we should be aware that if anything died, that is not in one of those cells,
it could also burn with bony fire.
So it's good information to have.
Sorry, it hurt.
I'll be fine. Thanks.
You make your way through,
which is now very clearly the dungeon.
As you pass cell after cell,
you hear several skeletons in these cells just animate.
I would like to keep my ear out
for anything that sounds like someone alive.
Make a perception check for me.
I feel.
Oh, 17.
Oh, let's go.
These are very...
I forget that my perception is fine.
Right?
I'm so used to playing Queenie. That's the only
character I play anymore.
As the pathways,
basically you see that they split off,
but then it just ends in cells.
You look in and you see that there's
oh, there's
some, there's not a skeleton. This is, it's a corpse.
Oh, gosh.
The Shadarkai, you see
a woman face smeared
in blood, hair stringing down, deep scarring.
You're not sure if she's dead or alive.
You see another cell, very heavy padlocks
that seem to shimmer with a faint,
I'd say you'd be able to see the shimmer,
Felix of magic on these locks.
I prepared that spell.
And you see-
Canuck.
And you see clumps of bodies on the floor,
and you're not sure.
if they're alive or dead.
Oh, geez.
And you, but the path continues onward.
And Iris, you see as the path goes forward, you hear.
You hear what sounds like the very deliberate,
rhythmical tapping of metal on metal
and splashing of water and a mumbling of a voice,
a male voice that's up ahead.
We need to stalk him.
Hmm?
I'm hearing some sounds with my fulime ears.
The sound of metal on metal, water, tib-tabling, and the mumbling of the main voice.
I would bring my flame to just a time there is life in here.
I'll listen out and see if I can perceive the same.
I would say...
It is possible they might know how to traverse the castle.
I mean, it might be undead life.
Or just like a chatty skeleton.
I've been listening for the sounds of the skeletons.
It does not sound like the sounds of skeletons.
I would say with that perception,
you'd be able to tell that as a Shadar Khai.
It sounds like a Shad Khai.
They're clearly wanting to listen to my chemical romance.
They might even be humming Helena.
I don't know what any of that means.
Well, it's a Shadakai thing.
Does anyone have eyeliner?
It's a very famous Shadar Kai.
We could trade them some eyeliner for
information. We might have to get the jump on him and force the information out of them.
No. Does anyone have a teasing comb or some hairspray? I've got a comb and a mirror.
That will work. Should find them. I'm excited. I've never met anyone from alchemical romance.
Neither have I. Oh, did I say it incorrectly? Yeah, it's an outcome. It's a common mistake.
Oh, yes. I, not my kind of music.
I like instincts.
Yes.
They also went to Galtica, sure.
Yes.
Big, big world tour like that.
The whole campaign concept, right out of the game.
There were huge rivals with the goat street boys.
We're on a hall right now.
How many more can we come up with?
What do you propose we do?
Use the thing that Escher gave us, the little sippy-sippy.
Turn into Ashatakai.
Ashatakai. Yeah, we could use that resource or I could do it for free.
Can you hear it? Is it possible? Well, yes, I guess I've met a few people in my life. I could hear that they were dumb.
Well, one, we're not sure that, we're not 100% sure that it's not a skeleton.
I'm too. I'm sure. She said it's not. I'm sure. It's not. It is not. Toa.
What if it's a skeleton? It sounds like an elf.
Tora. Yes?
I dally with the dead, my dear. It is not a skeleton.
sure 100% is not a skeleton.
I don't even think skeletons can talk.
You have to have a tongue in like a vocal cord.
The skeletons could be learning, Toa.
There is a knot in anything.
Don't say that.
Have you considered that?
Do Nat's feast on poop?
Yes.
Good.
Probably.
Let me go and scope it out and I'll be right back.
And I will...
No, we should come with you.
I'll turn into a Shadarkai anyway, with this guy's self.
And I will make my drab as jailer
as possible. Okay. Make a deception check, just generally. I suppose that's of
acceptable quality. And that'll just be... I don't remember Caprice being particularly
receptive, though. A 30. Okay. You don't particularly jailery. You haven't seen any of
these jailers or guards, but you see his Caprice changes into a Shadar Kai. All right, we wait
here. You talked to the skeleton, and you'll come back and
tell us what to do. I think the others want to go with me. Yes, I'm going. Let us go. You are now my
prisoner, yes. I think it might be best if we stay behind. You watch out.
You're not your prisoner. In the deception that I'm creating by assuming this outfit
and appearance. What? You see, I'm even using a cool voice. No, I hear the cool voice. It is
on a scale of one to ten, it's ten on the cool scale. However, thank you. If we're
If there's a prisoner in here, do I think it's a prisoner or do I think it's like a Shatter Kai roaming the halls?
You think it's someone doing something that's free?
They're free.
I'm sorry.
I was hearing the sound of the metal on metal and I thought maybe they were in a cell.
I am your prisoner.
No, don't put me in a cell, you horrible, eyelinered fiend.
And I smack you.
And if you guys need to get in touch with us, you can just use the, the,
the G-Mobile phone.
And I am holding it.
So for just a brief moment,
Escher just here,
and you can use the cell phone,
and then it turns off.
What's what was that?
Are you a total?
Okay.
Do you proceed?
Yeah.
So what did you do?
As if she were my prisoner,
even though she was unshackled.
Maybe you're in front of me,
and I'm giving it like some shoves or something.
Yeah, that's good.
It's good.
Oh, don't push me.
you dumb person.
Do not call me dumb.
I am your jailer.
Yes, and I'm your prisoner,
and I hate it.
Maybe this after you get disadvantaged.
We'll be following a lot of like me.
Oh, I thought.
Thank goodness.
No, no, he's already gone.
Of eyesight.
I would extinguish my flame
for the three of us to kind of like skulk in the shadows.
Okay, why don't you guys give me a stealth check
and we'll see how close you can get to witness
what's happening here.
Oh, well done.
How does an 18, sorry, an 8.
Son of a bitch.
How does an 8 feel?
We'll see how it feels.
I got a 4.
A 4, okay.
I got an 18.
I think I got a 15.
15, yeah.
Roger that.
So you're able to slink behind them as Caprice.
You push Iris forward, and you see as this dungeon goes off into various different cells,
You see a circular room that's covered in the walls
with these strange implements.
Blood is stained in the floors
and these walls of this dark stone.
You see that there's various manacles and clamps
on the walls, various boards, various,
you see what looks like a very large, ornate iron maiden.
You see what looks like, manacles to,
what do you call those things that basically pull you apart?
Stretcher.
A rack.
A rack.
Monkey bread.
You see a rack.
You see various torture
This is a torture chamber.
Oh, hell yeah.
And you see as there is, you see very, facing away from you, you see a completely bald Shadar Kai, a little bit of wrinkles.
It seems to be a bit older, seeming to, and there's blood all over a metal and stone table.
As there's a basin of water that he seems to be washing implements.
And you see him take out a scalpel and there's a psalp and there's plastic.
and there's all sorts of things.
You see that there's actually a bloody needle
and thread, very thick coarse thread beside him.
As you see why this is the case, chained and clamped
and manacled to a basically vertical, slightly inverted,
ramped, almost like a board, is a Shadar Kai.
who is covered in scars and is bleeding from some of these wounds.
And you see that one of his arms,
he's a male shadow Kai, one of his arms has been removed and stitched up.
Ew.
And you see that there's...
100%. 80, 50?
If like, yeah, brought down down here.
And you see that the stitching of it seems to be.
relatively fresh. As you see that this bald Shad Arkai and this, this, this, you would see that the,
the, the, the, the Shadar Kai that is, is, is, is bound would be slump forward if it would not for the,
the man, the, the band around his head and his chest and around his arms and his legs. And you see
actually that there do seem to be, they're around his right arm. There does seem to be a, some sort of
strange manacle that shimmers when you being magical yourself, and you also notice this,
is a strange shimmer of a similar color to the locks on those prisons. And you see as, and do you
make yourself known as this very clearly a torturer? Iris, I suddenly am starting to feel like
our story is going to lead to bad times for you. What do you want to do? We're already here.
If I have to, I'll use an illusion.
Get into room quickly.
Hello, fellow Shatter Kai.
How are you?
I'm just standing there.
All right.
But Toc and Felix did is way better than this.
And you never give a shit ever again.
You guys are stealthy enough that you're able to see this very closely.
And you see as the shit.
So can you explain to me really quickly?
There are two Shatter Kai in this.
Yes.
One is the torture and one is the torture.
torture. And the bold one with the torturer. Is the torture or not the one on the rack? Yes, the one on
the rack still has hair and it's very mad. Are they a lot? But no arm. They see, they see me
passed out. Okay. I apologize. I was not clear on that, but he would be slumped forward, but,
and passed out. But, um, and you see there's a, there's vials of strange liquids. And, um,
uh, as, uh, as this, uh, this torturer. And you see there's actually a, a, a ring of keys around
his belt or tied to his belt as he turns and you see the face of an if an elf could
look older and sunken in this he looks and he sees as he stares past you with one
glass eye and a very cruel angular face and he says what are you away from your post
I got a cat burglar here and I am bringing her down to loosen her tongue
Should you not be posted at the ball that is happening?
I should, but who else would escort this prisoner now to the dungeon?
And he looks at you. Where does a tobacco come from?
Well, I come from neckbiz, specifically a place called Siket.
And I'm here to steal.
Quiet, and I smacked...
Ah, what the fuck! That really fucking hurt!
Take a whatever it would damage your melee attack does.
It's one minus one.
One.
Make a deception check and a persuasion check.
Versus is that just a general deception check?
Oh, God.
It's going to be a 31.
31.
He says,
I do not know how
the bags you got in, but you should be at the department.
all of the guards are stationed at the ball.
I agree, but this one, as you can see, is my prisoner,
and I am going to be the one to loosen her tongue.
Why don't you go and take my post, I cast a suggestion.
The torture is just going to be like, why am I here?
How does that work?
You have to make some kind of a phase.
He fails catastrophically.
Yes, he fails catastrophically.
I know how to use these instruments and you will make great guard.
He looks and says,
I should be at Ball 2.
Make sure I have the keys for the various cells.
Oh, yes.
Thank you.
I couldn't have been easy.
It's barely an inconvenience.
I love being level 13.
Do not forget to put this one back in this cell.
He will talk and he turns.
And you see that there's actually stairs going up
and he just walks up.
and cleans himself up.
And you see there's actually just blood all over an apron that he has,
and he undoes it, and he puts it on the table
and attempts to clean himself up as he makes his way up to the ball.
Caprice, that was bloody brilliant.
Are you okay?
No.
I'm sorry.
You did exactly one point of my life.
Oh, how many times would I...
Let's not, you know...
I think we're okay.
What do we do with this guy?
No, we could try, he said he would talk.
We could try to, well, we should get everyone else in here, but I think we should try to wake him up.
Hey, hey, guys, the, the torturer is gone.
I make sure, you can, uh, oh, it's upside down.
Hey, you can hear me now? Hello?
Yes, yeah.
Okay, yes.
We're all alone with an unconscious, a one-arm shatter.
I think it's okay if you get it in here.
many skeletons are
none
skeletons
Oh, thank goodness
and I walk up
aside from the one
that's in me
and Iris
Oh
God!
There's a skeleton
inside you?
No, so it's fine
everybody has a skeleton
that's how you move.
You have a skeleton
inside you
but not a spooky one
like a normal one
Yeah, it's how you walk around
It's warm and wet
I've been
I've been following up it before
It's fine
It's just life
Felix is not lying
Toa a skeleton
controls every
everything you do. No, no, no, no. It's more like you control the skeleton inside.
You know what, let's just go. Come on, go to the cell. Yeah, you're trapped inside the skeleton.
That's right. You hear a voice in your head. Oh, fuck, we are doomed.
As you all enter the torture chamber, you see as this bloodied Shatter Kai,
seems to be covered in scars all over his body's left arm, completely gone, sewn up.
But you see something interesting.
As you look at his body, he's completely shirtless, only wearing tattered pants.
And you see that there is a subtle tattoo that he has on his deep gray skin.
More of a light gray, I guess, a light gray skin.
As it's right over his heart, and the symbol looks familiar.
It's in a circle is a raven's head.
It seems to be very...
It's a tattoo.
It's a tattoo.
It very clearly seems to be the symbol of the Raven Queen.
Over his heart.
Over his heart.
And he is a Shad Arkai.
Yep.
Yeah, okay.
By the Queen, this is horrific.
What are they done to him?
I don't think he's had a very good time.
They removed his arm.
You can see, there's as many injuries.
Who knows how long he's been treated here.
Why would they be torturing another...
Elf, she had not gone.
Must be a traitor.
Maybe he defected or tried to defect or was a traitor.
Look at his tattoo, right?
I'm not proud to know this, but war is pretty horrific.
The things that these nations do to each other and their own people, it's terrible.
It's unfordivable.
Do we know if the king and everybody like this nation worships the Raven Queen?
I believe that you know that they've turned away from the Raven Queen, that they hate the
Vorok wants to get revenge on the Raven Queen.
You already know that.
So you know that he hates the Raven Queen.
Maybe he just still worships the Raven Queen.
And so the...
I hope so.
Can you imagine getting a tattoo and then no longer worshipping that God or goddess?
Oh, it's embarrassing.
I have a friend of mine.
Do they have tattoo removal services in Goldaacare?
Well, they have magical tattoos and you remove them because it's like a...
You know what?
I'm gonna undo my illusion.
I'm just being caprice again.
You know, maybe we have this all wrong.
Maybe he had another tattoo of the Raven Queen on his arm,
and that's where he wanted it removed,
and so that's why he's down here.
Or maybe they tattooed him with a Raven Queen to insult him.
Actually, to be fair, we don't know if this is a good person of it.
I'm kind of going with...
We could assume it probably is,
and that's why they're torturing them.
But until they're conscious, we have no idea what side of...
You seem excited, go ahead.
I don't know, I just, you know, he's mysterious.
I can inspect him medically.
Okay, yeah, do that.
Toa?
Yes.
Did you want to say something?
You keep signaling to the god of the universe.
I would like to inspect them to see if I can tell what would need to be done to wake him up.
Make a medicine check.
That's nice.
Double.
Double, double join in.
Are you double joined it?
17.
17.
You inspect this unconscious Shedarkai,
and he seems to have passed out
from the pain of torture.
Very, very weak,
and you think that he's,
mechanically, that he's very low on hit points,
but you do see,
and kind of the smell catches your nostrils,
that there seem to be a variety of,
They smell like, almost like alcohol, like smelling salt,
like something that perhaps could revive someone in to continue torturing.
And you see several of them being actually emptied.
Some of them are empty besides,
and there's actually a few more that are lined up.
And I would say you could probably get that sense.
Well, there are smelling salts here.
He could put it under his nose and attempt to wake him that way.
Lufty, would you like to do the honor?
And she seems so excited.
He could probably just have him smell your spoon.
It seems that's...
Well, I wiped it off.
Hold on me.
Gotcha, bitch.
Nice.
Okay.
Uh, yeah.
Okay, I'm gonna do it.
And don't talk about my spoon that way.
Everybody be ready just in case he's really pissed off, which I'm assuming he will be.
Well, luckily he's still strapped down to a table.
And missing an arm, so we're probably okay.
Is there any way that we can just, you know, maybe calm him down, so if he starts screaming his head off, we don't attract detention?
Well, we should gag him.
I know that seems harsh, but...
I have this simple little ditty I do where people think I'm friends,
but after a minute they think I'm their enemy,
and it really is a worthless spell.
I wish I hadn't taken.
I've used it once this entire campaign, course shit.
That really seems like worse than a double-ed-door stuff.
What a wild run.
Why wouldn't you swap that out?
It's a cantrip.
I can't just swap it out.
Yeah, you can at every level where you get an ability score improvement.
You can swap out a cantrip.
Tell with it.
It's the smartest thing you've ever said.
It's a rule as of, I think, 2017.
Oh, maybe it was 29, too.
No, why read the rules?
You guys are saying a lot of things that I don't understand at all.
Well, you are from Korovok.
Are they doing a bit? What's happening?
What's it?
I don't know.
We're all going to die.
Okay, everybody, hold on to your butts, and I'm going to
and kind of wave it under his nose.
You see as it waves under his nose,
and you see that the strange liquid,
it slithers out magically,
and shoots into his nostrils,
and shoots through his lip.
And you see as there's kind of this strange shimmering glow
of a similar color, but not entirely the same
as that shimmering magic, as he sputters.
And his wounds actually seem to, although they had been bleeding
and some had been just recently stitched up,
you see as they kind of fused together
as he seems to be healed and resuscitated.
And Mace, could you please join us at the table?
Holy shit.
It wasn't him, it was in the best deception of all time.
Oh, I'm so exciting.
I have no idea.
What would you have done if we killed the guy?
He stabbed through the test.
A lot longer.
We're two to go on before we.
Yeah, we actually just like slit his throat.
We know all the information we can get.
I was like, oh-oh, I was going the wrong direction.
We need all the information we can get.
Let's just unlooson his intestines and then he'll die.
Let's kill him and then cast speak with dead.
Yeah, it's perfect.
That'd be kind of tight.
You get five minutes with Mason, then it's over.
That's what she says.
Thanks for having me, buddy.
Thanks for coming.
Thank you for coming.
Oh, here, let me scoot him.
Scooch on down.
Scoot on down to the table of D&D.
That's my song.
I don't think he's any threat.
He's armless.
Yeah, okay.
Well, but also, you know, he better be good.
We'll just go.
Yeah, we've got a lot of shit.
So,
oh, man, we fill in my cool thing.
my core feet.
Coffy.
You see as this Shatter Kai sputters and his eyes open
and he has very, very dark eyes,
despite all of the resuscitating that he's gotten,
he's still incredibly scarred from who knows
how long he's been here being tortured.
But he looks at you and he perceives you.
And I would say, Zellic, you seem,
You've been tortured, same as always, for several hours.
And you expected this time that you passed out
to awaken yourself.
But suddenly there, rather than that same familiar torture
whose name you still don't know,
despite him being the only soul that you've seen
and who knows how long.
It's these five strange-
We're literally all over you, staring at you.
Yeah, five strange weirdos.
Hey man, don't don't, don't, don't yell out or anything.
How's it going?
You look like shit. How do you feel?
Lifty, that's pretty insensitive.
Are you a good guy or a bad guy?
We're not going to hurt you. We probably should have started with that.
We're here. We might hurt you. I don't know you yet.
We're here to help. At the very least, it looks like you've been through a lot.
If you're a good guy.
Did you know that there's a skeleton inside you?
This is a new form of torture.
Um,
We're not with them.
We're not here to torture you.
No.
No, we got rid of that.
Strange, bold one.
But don't let that get you invigorated or anything.
You, we're in control, and so...
Yes, we may not look very strong, but we are.
Why are you down here?
Who are you?
Are you good or are you bad?
Let's start simple.
What's your name?
Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.
I've been guessing really well all day.
Does it start with a name?
Yes.
No, not that it does, but does it.
Voraaicenta.
of torturers down here.
That's a long name.
Does it start with a B?
Does it start with a C?
Just bleak or tell us.
I will answer your questions
if you remove my shackles.
Ooh, so about that.
That's gonna be kind of a non-starter
to figure who you are and what you're doing.
Are you a good guy or a B?
Yeah, let's just start to know.
What's your name?
Does it start with a D?
Zellick.
Oh, man.
You should just say at the end of the outset.
You used all of your good stuff early on.
That would have taken a lot of guesses.
If you would start it...
If you had started at the end of the alphabet,
you would have gotten it right away.
Well, next time I...
I'll just try to do the opposite of what I think is a good idea next time.
Okay, we should focus. Sally.
You've already gotten more out of me than the last torturer.
Oh.
We're not torturing you.
Not yet.
So what you're saying is that that bald guy wasn't the only torture?
How long have you been down here?
Yeah.
What day is it?
Oh, fuck, I don't know.
I mean...
Tuesday.
Oh, my God, is it Tuesday already?
I think it's a Saturday.
Oh, it is?
Yes.
I don't even know what day it is.
This is an uncomfortable question because we never really discussed.
We've been waiting through shit for hours.
I think it's the 15th day of the 11th month.
That helps.
I think it's the 12th month.
Been down here for days and months, even a year.
Well, if you're not sure, it's probably the latter.
Why are you down here? Why do they have you imprisoned and why have you been...
I assume this is not for fun. You're being tortured, yeah?
As I said...
Not just into this.
These questions...
These questions have been asked of me for weeks.
But you'll answer if we free you.
If you remove my shackles and prove that you are not torturers with mindgivus.
I will answer your questions.
How do we know that you won't,
how do we know you're not a torturer with mine?
It's so weak that you believe the one-armed
shot our guy could overpower the five of you.
That's what I was going to say.
Yes, actually, that's fair.
How does he, like, how does he look to us?
He's pretty fucked up, yeah?
He's fucked up, yeah.
He doesn't look like he's not skinny by any means.
He seems to be, at least he was relatively fit in an average build.
But he's, yeah, he's really fucked him.
Why don't we say this?
Here's the deal.
You've said that King Warwick has sent down torture after torturer to do this to you.
And we'll say that the reason we're here is to deal with him.
So clearly you're not on his good side.
Neither are we.
And maybe that's a starting.
Do you know how to traverse this castle?
I've been here for quite some time.
Mainly in this section, but
I know a way around.
Let's lock him.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Worst case scenario, we kill him.
No, no offense, just if you're a bad guy.
None taken.
I say that every day.
Oh, okay, so you don't hate us
because we're not shallow.
Oh, why would I?
Someone told us they were.
We're going to hate all of us if we weren't shared our guy.
Yeah.
Who wasn't that?
I don't remember.
It was me, and that's because it's true.
Well, apparently it's not true.
You're wrong, it seems.
Well, one guy out of our many billions.
Wait, before we unlock you,
what's with the raven?
Huh?
And be truthful.
Your tattoo, my chest.
I'll give you that.
This is an emblem of my patron.
Oh.
So, magic, Yusam.
Not right down.
That is horrifying.
You know what magic us can do.
We have one.
Yeah, that's true.
All of you can use magic.
But it's different.
I don't have...
I have a god that gives me my magic.
It's clearly a good thing.
What's the difference between a god and a patron?
Oh, you have to make a scary pact to have a patron.
For what it's worth, the tattoo is still of a god.
It's such a...
I say let's let him go. He looks terrible, so we'll just, you know.
No offense. No offense. Yes. Yeah, I'm sorry. Without offense. My hair's ragged,
bleeding from everywhere.
Oh, well, let me get out of there. All right, so I would have picked this one first,
so I'm going to do the opposite. Well, he's trying to figure out the keys. When we unlock you,
you will stay right where you are. Yes, we won't make any sudden movements towards us.
We won't make any sudden movements toward you, and we'll speak friendly together,
and answer whatever questions we need to answer to become old chums.
Agreed.
Oh, I love it.
Let me know when you get to the one that you would have done first.
Just one says sin kills on the side.
Was that the one that you would have done first? Yeah.
It's the last one that you thought.
Oh, God.
It's the last one.
You know, you were running hot this morning, but now it's like, you're just having some bad luck.
All right, it's fine. We're gonna get through this.
You and me...
Possibly be my rescuers.
And I finally'll pull up in the actual shackle-sackle,
and you'll feel your arm release.
Just to be clear, we weren't sent here to rescue you.
It's more like we're gonna help each other out here.
Yes, I just happened to hear the muttering and the clanking metal.
Otherwise, we would have walked right past you,
and you'd still be stuck in here with that old heathen.
Yeah.
We sent him up to him.
He said there's a ball.
Do you know anything about that?
Are they really having a party?
Well, the entire place is at war.
And they really don't seem like party people, you know?
Yes.
I really can't picture a party around here.
What are they even going to wear the travest of costumes if it's a costume ball?
Maybe alchemical romance, if you know?
Oh my, do you think?
Did you have questions?
I'm so sorry.
No, actually.
Does anyone have any questions?
The ones that we had before.
I'll say.
The caprice you're able to use that key to remove all of the shackles from Zellek.
But however, the one that is still around his right arm that seems to be the one that shimmer,
that's a separate, that's a different key.
And he just has it on him.
Oh, but I did release his arm from one.
You did release his arm and you were able to release him, but that still is on.
None of you seem to be working with your wristy guy here.
Damn.
What does that do?
This seals my power.
To the way, I think.
Yes.
So you can't do anything while this remains on?
Well, that works for us.
But it doesn't work for you.
Can't if we need help? I don't know.
What do you mean? What doesn't work for?
Well, if it seals his power away and he can't use his power, then should he decide not to stay with us and he finds himself in trouble, he'll be powerless.
Right, but we just need to figure out where we're going. I mean, you just need to figure out where we're going. I mean, you can't use his power.
where we're going. I mean...
Why would we carry another person with us when they be of no use?
He's going to... Well, he's going to... He knows where to go.
Yeah.
Oh, you've like a map.
You said that he came here to kill Vorok.
Well...
Yes. Well... In so many words, sure.
Yes, that's exactly what you're very cryptically said to deal with so that we didn't be
implicated in anything. But yes, we're going to kill him.
I don't mind being implicated.
Oh, so you're going to help.
I've come here to kill him.
Oh, lovely. Well. Isn't that fun?
fun when things are just like work out. Serendipitous that we would find ourselves together in this room.
Where are you from? Are you from this land? It's almost as if the gods have brought us together.
Aw, it is nice.
I knew. Gods of death, you see.
Him and me. Oh, that's a rhyme. I might be a bard. I'm really enjoying this. You're attractive.
And you actually see he actually is kind of ruggedly handsome. He's probably, he's considerably older than you being a Shatter Kai, but he seems to be about a million
age, middle age for an elf, you would say, maybe a little bit past that.
I'm picturing Lucius Malforn, but that's not. I think that's actually a great, that's exactly,
yeah. That's pretty much it. Yeah. Jeez, and I thought I was the one with the daddy complex,
huh? Your complex is with my daddy. That's true. Miao. I was born here. In this room?
Oh, in this room. In this land? And you want it back? The only thing I want.
is the blood of Vorok
and Rabinovia.
Oh, well, therein lies the rub.
We can promise one of those things.
Yes. We're hoping
to somehow free Ravinovia from the grasp of that spider being
that's inside of her and return her, speaking of daddy,
to her daddy. Who's a vampire in case you are wondering?
Kind of a long story, but we are trying to save her.
Yeah, she's possessed by evil.
Once we do get rid of that, then the thing that caused
you any harm in the past, we'll be...
She's technically a small girl, but she's a vampire, so she's really a woman, but she's
got the body of a child, and...
It's honestly, it's a mess, but we're hoping to correct all of them.
Well, fuck, it's just difficult, you see.
After they removed my arm, she dragged me into a banquet hall, or she brought my best friend,
Rotfeaster, Carrying and vulture, Rotfeaster.
What was the name?
Yes.
A carrion vulture.
The remainder of my family.
And a hideous ritual fused them together.
Oh.
She's been doing things.
My condolences.
So you're saying that that just happened?
I mean, that wound looked pretty fresh.
I mean, until we, you know, it cured itself with the thing that...
Yes, it was recent.
I mean, why?
Is it just they don't like that you worship the Raven Queen?
The Kerry King, I spit on the ground,
has ruled these lands as long as I've been alive.
Always dealt in ghouls and abominations
to secure power and make this whole kingdom run.
I was born into a middling family in the Shadrachai.
I found I had a talent for raising vultures,
larger, more ferocious.
This was useful.
A raised Rotfister
from his egg.
This was useful to the king
that used my vultures to
carry bodies from the warfront
back to the castle
to change them into
a ghoulish army.
There were talks at one point
that I would be elevated
but being faced
with the horrible sight of this necromancy, I begin to doubt for our purpose.
Why? We amassed such a force. Why? In this way. And that's when the COVID conspiracy
reached out to me via a silver raven. What is that? I'm so glad you asked.
It's probably nothing. Let's move on.
The COVID conspiracy
Led by a man named
Krishnak, the sect of Shadarkai
That have refused the ways of the carrion king
Seeking power not in necromancy
But in the Ravenculton
You know, that's... I was going to ask
If there's one of you who didn't like what was going on here, there had to be more...
What was the name of
The person Gornok?
Grishna. It's like you're not even listening.
I'm not.
You're distracted by his ruggedly handsome thing.
Well, shut up. Don't say it out loud.
Well, everybody knows now. It's out.
You are the worst wing woman in the entire world.
A blush.
This isn't happened in 200 years.
I'm sorry, his name was Ghorok.
It's Krishna.
Gishnuck.
How is strong is the Corby conspiracy?
We used to be 50.
60, 70.
Now it's just me.
You're the last one?
That is not what I wanted to hear.
Oh my gosh.
He said it was led by Grishnik?
It was led by Grishnik.
I think it's led by you now.
Well, there's not much left to lead.
What happened to the rest of them?
We, as a group, had begun to doubt before we came together, seeking power and embrace.
and the Raven Queen and with that we secretly sieged upon the kingdom disrupting supply lines
anything we could do to try and fight back against his bored power grishnak on a mission into the
kingdom found information he came back sent word that it was borok himself originally was a
a caretaker in the confidence of an original Shadarkai queen.
Thousands of years ago, he banded together with mages,
attempted to usurp her power and banished her into the Shadowfell.
And that was the Raven Queen in her banishment.
You're saying a Carian King banished the Raven Queen to the Shadowfair.
amongst others.
And in the act...
Well, shit.
This is definitely a new development.
In that act,
it became something
we call the Nagpa.
She cursed several
that turned against her,
attempting to re-surp her power.
They were hideously transformed
into vulture monsters.
Forak
made a path.
to gain power that could attempt to rival homes with some ancient force beyond the mists.
I only got a name.
Anketept.
Well, it's time for us to go.
No, Anketep, he's, we know all about him.
Yes, oh, we do.
We know that name. I mean, Aris is basically that guy.
Hi.
What?
What?
you. You serve Anketan.
No, I serve Anubis.
Who's currently, I think, imprisoned by Ancatep.
Look, long story short,
should I tell him?
It took all of my confidence to tell you
when I've known you for at least a week.
And you really just let that slip.
You are awful.
Yes.
Well, it seemed very relevant to the conversation.
I don't know what?
To be honest, he has given us a lot of information
and has been forthwith.
I never know names or anything.
And he said a thing I recognized.
I contain part of Anketep's soul within my body.
I just recently discovered it to my god told me.
Right before I became his aviator.
Oh, sorry, Avatar.
You're the Avatar of a loop.
Oh, no, no, no, just for a moment, to save my friends.
We've been there alive.
It's a long story.
Oh, it's really cool.
Well, thank you.
My god is currently weakened, and I imagine that that
done him none too good.
might be able to help each other here, then, all of the warlocks that serve Vorok or bestowed their power by him
and threw his dark pact with Ankatept.
Interesting.
Anteatel.
All the people that we could have run into, you're not even like an enemy of my enemy type operation.
You're straight up ally.
We're aligned.
You like the missing link.
That's pretty funny.
There was one other thing.
Wow.
Settled.
There was one other thing.
Grishnach that night told us that he had heard of two other aspects of this plan.
There was something of import in the Raven Child.
And that through the work of the work of the...
the new princess, Rabinobia von Zarovich, the child vampire, and her line of children,
and the machinations of the chained god, whose vengeance against the Raven Queen threatened
all of existence. He had something to tell us that would help us put an end to this whole plot.
What was it?
I never found out.
Oh no!
We set a moment to meet
and where we expected Grishnach,
legions of ghouls, descended upon us.
The conspiracy was wiped out.
I was taken, along with my family,
and brought to gloomvale.
Well, they tortured me for the information.
From Grishnock's location,
what he had found out, who he had told.
And I gave them nothing,
except my own.
Would you like it back?
Oh, can you do that?
I can now.
That's exciting.
But first, is he still alive?
Gishnak is either dead or a traitor.
You're sure, maybe he's just hiding.
You know, when people get scared, they hide,
or when people try to attack, you hide.
If you're a real win.
I'm gonna go through my pack and offer you water.
Sorry, you've been talking for so long.
Here, drink.
Drink, please, just take it.
It's just a water skin.
Thank you.
I'm going to walk over to him,
and I'm going to touch the arm
that has been recently severed,
and stare up into his eyes for just a second
too long, get flushed, but you can't tell him,
Black Cat. And I'm going to
look down, and I'm going to cast Regeneration.
Oh, shit.
Using my only seventh-level spell for that, so.
Whoa.
boy. Hopefully we don't have a boss battle later. To be fair, it's the only one I have.
You can roll it. You'll take 48 plus 15 healing and in two minutes your arm will regenerate.
How painful is that?
Oh.
It's like a tiny little arm of room. The sun might have tusks.
I mean that's up to my. I missed what you said about the two other aspects of the plan regarding the Raven Child
Ravanaughia and the Chained God.
Just that the Raven Child is something of importance and the aspects of it are like played into by the Spider Princess Ravanaughia, Banzarovich, and the Chained God.
Okay, so the Ravanaughia and the Chained God are after whatever is important about this Raven Child.
The thrust of that?
Could be.
I believe the Raven Child is something.
He just heard of the Raven Child and was going to...
and was going to come,
yeah, knew that it was important
was going to come to elaborate
and knew that whatever aspect of
whatever the Raven Child is,
the key components of it were
Baroness von Zaravich and
a wayline
of kidnapped children.
And then the chained God was the second thing,
separate from the Raven Child.
It would involve, it basically had to do
with the chain god, and things were really bad.
Got it. I couldn't figure out where the dividing line was.
And we know that there's a, we're racing against the clock to prevent a horrific fusion.
Oh, and for every...
And that there already was a fusion.
There'll have been a few.
Each minute, you're going to regain 10 hit points up for an hour.
Nice.
That's a pretty powerful spell, I'd say.
Yeah, I took it because I thought we might need it if we battled something, but it's fine.
You'll survive.
So what do I, I mean...
So you're just fully healed.
I would say that this fully heals whatever hadn't been done by the elixir.
So you had been in low health and recovered, but now this fully heals you.
And you see as this disgusting fleshwork of as an arm grows fresh and new.
And where there had been scars all over, there's a brand new fresh arm.
Did the tattoos just stop like in the scars?
Like it's very fresh.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
There's like, there's no other tattoos, but like, yeah, that scarring is all here.
and now it's like a fresh arm.
And as soon as you...
As I look, as soon as you...
You've got to grow, this arm hangs limply at your side.
But then you feel the presence of Anubis
and you're able to move it around.
Miraculously.
And it feels like all the phantom pains that you had.
It's almost as if Anubis himself
is channeling and allowing you to move your arm.
I didn't know. You could do that.
That's badass.
Well, thank you.
I cannot do it any longer.
That's one of the most of the most of...
amazing things I've ever seen.
Why did you use that when I cut my hair in that horrible bar?
I look terrible.
You could have just grown it back?
I had to wait two months.
Yes.
And you'll never cut your hair that short ever.
You're so selfish.
Also, it's not much, and don't eat it too quickly, but I have some rations here.
Thank you.
You're going to need your strength.
And thank you, Iris.
Oh, I didn't tell you my name.
And thank you, Mysterious, De Bexia.
Thank you.
I'm sure you'll find a way for a page in some way.
Oh, that reminds me.
Hi, my name is Capricio DeCesto.
You can call me Capricis.
It's a pleasure to meet you.
You, Zellic.
Caprice.
Zillic.
Yes.
Your last name is yes.
Zillic, Sithrogose.
Oh.
Sithrigose?
Sithrogose.
Sithrogose.
S-Y-T-H-R-A-G-O-G-O-G-O-G.
S-Y-T-H-R-A-G-S.
A G-O-F.
Syracobos.
My name's Felix.
Felix.
It's a pleasure to meet you.
Oh.
You know, I didn't know that would go like this.
Yeah, if you couldn't tell, I'm for Koravakia.
Oh, well, how do you find yourselves out here?
Oh, and this is Toa.
Oh, Towa, come inui.
Yeah, be shy.
I'm not from here.
I didn't think you were.
And I am Iris of the Sam's daughter to the Pharaoh of Siket in Neckbed.
And I curtsy, pleased to me to your acquaintance.
She says that all the time.
We don't have any proof she's daughter of another parent.
Explain to me, the amount of things my father has done for us.
That's true.
I mean, she sent that woman once, he sent that woman once to, like, rescue that baby,
but you could have just paid a homeless person.
End of the time that we were in.
What?
No, I would not do such a thing.
As they do this bickering, I would make a list of all the things my daddy have done.
And I would say, Zell, look, the fact that your arm has regrown and is able to move it,
it's pretty miraculous to you.
It is absolutely.
It would be something that would be incredible.
And it like shifts with gold, golden sand just until it's fine way up.
No, I'd say that it continues.
I love that.
I love that.
Specifically asked for a lefty.
Oh, no.
I'm so sorry.
It was the first time I'd ever done the spell.
And you feel warmth that doesn't really leave,
but although it seems to be the sand
and this whole, this divine power that manipulates your hand,
it's connected to your will.
You decide how it moves.
I will deeply bow to Iris and bow with my left arm,
shimmering in golden sands across my chest, and say, I've never had much love for stations,
but I am eternally grateful to you.
Who will?
Yes.
Ah, well, you see, what?
Did you hear what he said?
No, I was mumbling a little.
He loves you.
I heard him say it.
No, that's not at all what he said.
He was grateful.
No, he said the N-word, and he said it in your general direction.
He loves you.
Oh, my God.
He's going to ask him about you.
I now understand why you've slept with so many people.
Why?
You hear things that don't happen.
Oh.
So like, when everyone tells me I'm perfect and I'm beautiful and the best they ever had.
Caprice, do you have a key there that will remove this shackle?
Be more used to you.
Probably and I bet I can guess it on the first one.
Never in all my centuries did I imagine I'd encounter a group like you.
And you would be the ones to save me from horrible captivity and torture.
You know, this is an interesting device you got there.
It just dizzy.
How common are those around here?
I'm going to be honest, I don't want to find one of those on me.
I had never seen it before, but I suppose only Forox enemies would.
and up until I turned against him
I would have been considered an ally
Look around here, see if we can find more
They'll be dead useful against a bad guy
Oh yeah, that's a great idea
Thank you, oh
I broke the key off inside the hole
And because that happened
What I would say to?
I think our unsuspecting nature
is what allows us to be as successful as we are
Yeah, people tend to underestimate us.
It's true.
And I've never quite understood why.
It's a powerful tool to be underestimated.
I'll say that you were able to investigate the room,
and although none of the keys on...
We want to loot the bodies.
Oh, was that?
We want to loot the bodies.
Oh, there's no body.
I guess you can lose him.
Just more.
I'd like to loot our torture.
Oh, there are skeletons we can fart.
I'm currently.
I'm currently shirtless and wearing tattered pants.
Are you sure?
Well, you can check.
All right.
None of the keys, and we'll just say because you have time,
you're taking the time and inspect it, you don't find any more of these strange
manacles, just the one on your new friend's element.
But you are able to find there is a small chest that is kept on very heavily locked and
actually set three of the keys on that key ring, open it.
And you see a shimmering key of the exact same color
and type of that man-o-
I wonder what that key is for.
Probably not of use.
Yeah.
So did any of the keys on the ring work?
No, no, unfortunately no.
I think we're all to be stuck that way.
You're fucked.
I mean, you, maybe we can find some way to turn you
into like a bomb and you can throw yourself at Bora.
I don't think that's gonna be necessary,
but if I really thought about it,
I could probably figure out I wouldn't do that.
But that's not going to be necessary, all right?
We're going to get the thing off of his wrist and we're going to all work together.
What was in the box?
What was some strange, magical key that was glowing with a similar light to which his brace that was glowing in?
So we assumed it was probably that.
How could you possibly assume that that's not the key?
It's absolutely the key.
Do you want to try it?
Do you want to try it?
Do you want to try it?
Because I don't want to touch a shimmering key.
It's probably just an explosive torch.
It's probably the key of pain.
I don't know.
It's really the key.
You know, that's not the dumbest thing
that reason ever said.
Couldn't really.
It was.
You might be right.
I wouldn't be surprised.
Honestly.
We've seen weird things.
I like to take the shimmering key
looks exactly like the manacles
and attempts on lock them.
It's actually the key of paying him.
He does $4,600.
He's brain leaks out of his ears.
Oh, he was going to be.
be something of allies.
I'm afraid. I prepared regeneration instead of resurrection.
With your new
arm still shimmering with golden sands,
you stick it in and it unlocks.
And as soon as it falls to the ground
and you feel that Eldritch Arcane Magic
returned to you.
That's right.
Well, how do you feel?
Oh, that's unsettling.
Yes.
Is that, are you still?
Did anyone ever told you that's creepy?
Yeah.
I've never done that before.
I've never had my magic tape.
The Let me be is the first.
That is horrifying.
Okay.
Well.
But how do you feel?
Don't take my magic from me.
I won't have to do it again.
Okay.
You got it.
I feel powerful.
I'm still going to keep this thing.
On a scale of one to twenty.
How powerful do you think?
Like at least 45.
What?
I don't think.
That wasn't on the scale.
I was going to say it stops at 20.
Simple math. Like I feel around 13. It's embellishing. I thought that's something you do here.
What? No, that's just a group. I know everything we say is factual. No, yeah, I mean we
forgive you that idea. I'm really in a sense myself it's about a 13.
Oh great. So we're alive. May I have a key of pain? You may? Thank you.
Thank you. Well, I suppose now that you're out and you're free and you have
Both of your arms.
You be careful with that, all right?
That's that, no.
Be careful with that.
Does it look like if you were to close it,
it would just re-lock up?
Are we sure we trust a freeze for this?
Well, you need to close it and then stick the key to do it.
So it's a two-step process.
We'll probably take two actions to apply, given the end,
to inferred a power of such an artifact.
Yeah, okay.
I mean, if you want the key, it could be a two-fer.
I don't really want that anywhere near me, honestly.
kind of scares me.
I'm gonna put it in my pack.
Make an Arcana check.
I already have a key,
which would like me to keep them away from each other.
24.
Double key?
Yes.
I don't put in my head.
Basically, you get a sense of the magic
and from your studies.
God, what is the anti-magic aura
that, like, high-level spell?
A leech level spell.
Oh, AMZ.
Anti-magic.
Anti-magic.
Anti-magic.
Anti-magic.
You get the sense that that's basically
that spell transferred into a,
device. That's a nightmare. Yeah. If we're playing something in the Witcher universe, it'd be called dimeridium.
Oh my God. We need a little bit more. I will close it. It doesn't lock, but I'll just like
recircle it it. And then I will put it in my pack. I've given the key of pain to Nikki.
Okay. I mean, I or whoever you are.
Oh, thanks. As I feel my magic's returning to me, I would cast, press a digitation to just clean the blood off
myself, straightened my pants, and slick my long, like white, silver hair back and straightened.
What?
God.
You got these things?
That's pretty nasty.
Press the digitation from like old spice or something.
Yeah, yeah.
You could?
Sense?
Yeah.
Yeah.
A little blue dish, you know.
It comes on.
Pine into universe.
You better call dips.
You better do it.
Three, two, one.
What?
You don't know what.
What is Deans?
I'm trying to be gracious here because you're my friend.
So you know how to get to Robinovia?
Or at least the king.
I know how to get towards the princess town.
Perfect.
It's amazing.
Then we should go.
I agree.
We have probably about another 15, 20 minutes before that glass-eyed guy comes back here,
realizing that he's not a garden, that he's been terribly fooled.
I do believe we should be.
have a quick conversation about what all this looks like.
When we get there, you are not to do anything hasty.
Do you understand?
Yes, that's right.
We can't let you kill her.
At least not if it comes to blows.
And it might.
We will be the ones that make that decision.
And I do understand what this means for you.
I understand your family was taken from you in the horrors that you had to watch at her hand.
But I hope that given what we have done here,
The magical resources we have expended all you
because we trust you that you would trust us and our judgment.
Though I know we have not proven
we can be trusted or that our judgment is sound.
I can promise you that it is.
And you can save all of that pent-up revenge for King Vorak.
And the spider thing once we get it out of her.
Yes.
Exactly.
Yeah, we might be able to fight that too.
And then we'll be able to keep our word and kill evil.
I'll never forget the sight of my family.
being meldied with Ratfeaster.
Screams turn to the sound
I can't pull worlds too.
I've come for them both,
but I never act hastily.
If you saved it,
she has been overcome by
a spider entity.
You believe that she is saving,
she is good.
And we can split the two
in my blade
and I'll summon a
gigantic broadsword that's slightly curved.
Kind of like a skimitar?
Not quite as curved as a scimitar.
It looks as if it is almost carved of bone.
Whoa.
And the hilt around it hidden at what would be the handguard as it slides down a trim of purple feathers.
Everything you just said was very sexual
I can say it's slower
He does not a pronounce skimitar
It's a fucking idiot
It's pronounced skemter
Yeah
So your bone blade curves to the left is what you're saying
So it actually has a slight
upwards curve
Oh
Huh
What you know
It's really good for garrotting
It's that spot
Grodding
It's when you cut straight into
Yeah no okay
No, I just want to make sure, you know.
It's cool.
I am so right now.
Next two of us.
I, my,
uh,
my blames vengeance will
seek those truly responsible.
And then I'll,
like,
put it towards my back and it will just disappear.
So you can hide that from,
from the torturer guy.
It's very cool.
I need to call on Noses comment.
When Zellick is introduced,
the campaign. He has his hop on the 1d10 scale.
It's his Prisma modifier. Every
1D10 days, roll 1D10.
If the result is 8 or higher, he gains one extra
point of hot. When he reaches 10 hot,
Lifti and Iris lose the ability
to even.
No, this is pretty good for stuff like that, man.
So good.
No, this is pretty good for stuff like that.
I love it. If I could give you
inspiration, no, I would.
Roll for sexual attractiveness.
Oh, I got to 18.
Does that mean you resist?
Oh, Towa now has a teen sexual attractive.
Oh, you actually, okay.
I said.
Why was just telling me a Pax Unplugged about like,
I think one of his campaigns.
No way.
That's amazing.
How do you do that with your sword?
That's so cool.
You accidentally break the V-O.
You stand the V-O.
Don't move.
You're making it way.
Basic first thing, you're not supposed to pull it out.
Two!
Oh!
Somehow I don't think my vengeance is going to find out as a target.
Holy fucking, Derek.
Derek is also really good for stuff like that.
That's all I'm good for.
He's ruining moments and themes.
Well, I don't know how rest did you feel or how long you've been.
After the regeneration, he feels like a million fucking bucks.
We all are on a bit of a tight timeline.
I'm ready to go.
I want to spend no more longer in this chamber.
If I could, I'd just like to find my cloak.
Oh, yeah, well, we should find your positions, and then we can go.
Oh, he mentioned a cell.
Is it in there?
Can you just show us which home is your cell?
Oh, yeah.
They came into my cell, they beat me unconscious, they brought me here,
they tortured me, they ripped my arm off,
they fused my family to my oldest friend.
I'm really sorry about all that.
Very few memories.
And you think the cloak is still here after all that?
Which kind of fruit?
It's a black cloak with a silver shoulder trim, purple edges.
I suppose we can look inside this armor.
There's actually a contraband thing and a cloak is there.
I'm back, baby.
You know, if I had a million guesses, I never thought we would find that thing.
It doesn't do anything, but it just looks cool.
Enjoy.
I'm sorry all of it. Stuff happened to you.
Baby.
That's a very comforting.
I'm glad.
I'd swirl the cloak around me,
and probably at this point instinctively,
I would poke my right arm through it,
and it would fall onto my shoulders,
but I'd leave my left arm out.
Okay, yeah.
Up the sleeve and just let it, like, ride on,
like, unjacketed, and just sit on me with the sleeve hanging.
Let the new one bleed a little.
Yeah.
Yeah.
You know.
Cool.
Some air.
It's still clammy.
Like when you take off really thick wolf thought.
Yeah.
It's shimmering with golden sand, so.
If you've ever been there, it's really gross.
I just kind of spend more time.
Your arm's kind of shriveled up inside the cast a little bit.
That's gross.
If you follow me, I can guide us towards the beginning of the Princess's Tower.
Is there anything that we need to be aware of on the way there?
Obstacles.
We've seen a bunch of animated skeletons, so we're aware of that.
Should we look like a Shad Arkai as well?
Because we have the ability to do that.
Yeah, what do you think?
I have a feeling if you take the guise of a Shadar Kai,
you would probably not fool me.
Well, that's what I'm saying.
Clearly, thank you.
At least somebody agrees with me.
But it's probably a good thing to have in your pocket
in the event that it's, like, really necessary.
All right, well, I will follow behind you.
What don't you think we would fool anyone?
Do your best shadow guy impression.
It's pretty good.
We were practicing.
Oh, yes.
I'll help you workshop it.
I like Vultures.
Oh, is that too soon?
I'm so sorry.
Necromancy, O'Dar.
I'm so sorry about your VultureBiss film.
I didn't mean I was did it before I even met you.
I swear that was my impression.
You let up.
You should have kept, you should put the gas.
Yeah, you shouldn't pull off.
If I've learned anything, it's and yes.
You don't go back.
You have to commit.
Literally my main thing is I like vultures.
He really likes vultures.
And his vulture die.
I don't think he doesn't stop.
He has to store my aviary from me as well.
The whole aviary?
His whole thing is kind of vultures.
Oh, that's so sad.
It's kind of offensive.
All right, me what are you doing there?
Think of all the little eggs that are going to hatch and not have your face.
Switch to rules and abominations.
Oh, I like, necromancy.
Oh, I'm going to go writing my journal.
Oh, yeah.
And listen to Chemical Romance.
Even though I liked the undeth, I named it a live journal.
Uh.
Maybe I also like...
Okay, I see where you're coming from.
I only allowed ten friends in my space.
Anyway, let's go.
Okay.
With that...
It's a fuck out of here.
We leave the sounds of running water.
Yes.
Zellick is able to lead you towards the,
towards Ravanaueva Manzarvich's tower, as Zellick has said,
that she has her own tower, it seems.
And as you make your way, you know,
Zellick, as you know that there is a relative shortcut
to get in the direction that you're going.
You're basically on the entire other side of the castle.
And, but it is through a very dangerous room and a very dangerous hallway where several, many of, you had heard kind of, as you were in your cell, you'd heard several of the guards mentioning someone had had an accident there, perhaps even had their head taken off or had never returned from this chamber.
And you know that that's the place that you must go through first in order to get on that direction.
Do you wish to relay and hit that?
Yeah.
I would relay what I know.
Oh, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.
How certain are you that Ravenovius in the tower?
Is she always there?
Is there any chance that she's at the ball?
Oh, yeah.
Do I know about the ball?
What I know?
No, you know anything about the ball.
I don't know anything about the ball.
So, like, how certain are you that she's in this tower?
I mean, should we let Escher know?
Yeah, I mean, we should.
There's no reason not to keep them updated.
I've been sitting on my G-Mobile this entire time.
Oh, so he probably knows.
Should we just check?
Give him a peep.
This is someone you work for.
More like work with.
Yes, Caprice.
Hey, everybody, how's it going?
Is it you singing the thing into the...
Of course.
I have some going, Escher.
We've run into a few obstacles, but nothing that we couldn't cut down very quickly.
You may find some bodies and blood in our wake, but we are making good progress.
Well, we found an ally. We found a Shad Archai who seems like a cool guy.
And you trusted him.
We trust, trust him.
Present tips.
Well.
Yeah, he's very attractive.
Good luck. I see the library up ahead.
You don't have to whisper it in mind. You have your own.
Oh, oh.
Yeah, but yours is out.
I don't know if he can hear you actually.
Can you only hear me or can you hear her?
Yes, that's how they work.
What?
He didn't hear that?
Did you hear that?
No, I heard you.
Oh.
I don't think that there's like, if, you know, microphones were a thing.
I don't think there's a microphone on it.
It's a microphone.
Come on.
This is all relevant.
Tell him about the tower.
Oh, oh, so he, his name is Dellick.
is a cool dude.
And Eid told us that he's leading us to the tower
where your daughter typically resides.
However, we also found out that there's a ball,
and it's happening in what I can only assume
as a room for balls that you could go to,
or the tower, and we could maybe split our work up
and maybe one or the other.
I don't know. What do you think?
I just want to talk.
I can't just talk.
And it's at this point, Zellek, you know that the,
that Ravanaughius Tower, the Prince's Tower, you had heard,
is basically directly connected through the large bowl room in this castle.
So that you'll have to go through a ball potentially in order to get to the tower,
unless you want to find another way.
But the most direct way would be through there.
Scratch what I just said.
Apparently we have to go through the ball in order to get there.
So perhaps we'll find some of those bodies in your way.
awake, which is a really cool way to say that. I love that. Good job.
I mean, we're going to have to disguise ourselves either way that, right? I mean,
there's no way we go waltzing across the ballroom, if you will.
We're going to use some of that, that drippy juice that you gave us. All right?
I'm glad I thought ahead. I may be delayed. There seems to be a lot.
And you, it is a bit of hesitation.
Apparently, the librarian wasn't at the ball.
And he says, there's a lot here.
We will catch up with you.
No, you hang up.
You hear nothing.
I assume everyone else has heard this because we all have these devices,
so I just put away my device.
So that's it.
We have to become the Shadakai, right?
If we want to go through the ball room and there's a ball going on,
but I think we should wait until we absolutely have to before we take it.
I agree with the tone.
I think that we should not use it now,
but the moment we need to fall, you know, balls over.
The room can be empty.
That's positive thinking again.
I'm in for it.
If we need to, what kind of garb would be appropriate for a shadow archive ball?
Anything fancy.
Anything fancy.
Fantasy is my name.
Colorful fancy or like...
I've been going to Iris this whole time
and you did not correct me.
The second?
Yeah, like...
What does that mean?
You got it.
You know, like, look at this castle.
You know, if I'm picking like a ball gown,
you know, it's not going to be yellow
with a bunch of fluffy cupcake outings.
It's going to be...
Oh.
It's going to be...
Gothic.
Ah, there it is. That's the word I was thinking of. Thanks. You got it right out from here.
All right. Yes. I don't rely. I mean, I don't have anything like that.
Oh, you thought Fancy was my real name.
Yeah, well, you just said Fancy is my name. Fancy is my game, you know.
No, I don't know.
Isn't the same more fancy is my middle name?
No, danger would be the most direct route to the princesses town.
No, not my real name.
Oh, is at this point?
No.
My real little name is Latrude.
You all hear a loud reverberating voice.
It's been a shithouse in Sikethe.
That echoes through every hallway that booms all around you.
And it says,
Welcome to all my visiting guests and counts from across Scephronil.
The ball will begin within the hour.
Come for your hors d'oeuvres.
And your beverages, our victory is soon coming.
And we'll all raise a class in honor of me, your carrion king.
I know you're enjoying all of the lights in your guest rooms.
But you must put them aside for now, show your respects.
me. See you soon.
I fucking hate that shit.
Leave. All right, so we have like an hour to get to the ballroom and then I didn't know.
Did I actually say how long the portions of the last?
I would say that you get the sense that'll last indefinitely as long as you need for this case.
Oh boy.
Do we feel as though like, and you can just tell me I wouldn't know this, if it's like any other type of illusion magic that can be peered through?
be peered through?
I think,
how does alter self work?
It's not technically,
it actually does alter yourself.
Yeah, it's all the basically changes.
So yes.
So this is not just an illusion.
It's not an illusion. It actually alters yourself.
It alters your person. So you can't be
like touched and then
they can be touched and they probably get the sense
that maybe the proportions are off and
someone who would be
watching the subtlety and the movements
would not feel very feel very
very Shatter Kai. But it is not an illusion.
And you get the sense, there are magics that can peer through true to true forms and all of that.
But, you know, that's relatively powerful.
I guess my, it's not just disguised self.
I'm not using disguise self.
The mask of Nimbonsi that I got is altered selves.
Oh, yeah.
I've been calling an illusion mistakenly because I didn't appreciate the distinction.
All good.
Wow.
I understand.
I believe it's a transitation.
We have like an hour to get to the ballroom, I guess.
Do you know how any, how any idea how long it will take us to get there?
This place is like a mate.
I know the quickest route, but 45 minutes.
You get the sense that it would take you if you hurried.
It could take a little longer than an hour, no matter how fast you hurry, but basically you would need to go through this.
If you want to make it within the hour, you're not sure if you can show up late, but I would say that you would need to go through that really dangerous room.
We go through the room, the gods were talking about earlier.
We can make it to the ballroom in, with just over an hour.
So are we trying to get through the ball before it starts?
Oh, I don't think we can if it takes over an hour.
But we don't want to be...
I know parties. We don't want to be the first ones to the party.
Because it will draw all attention to us.
There will be no one there to hide with him.
Yes, that's true.
So maybe we shouldn't take the very dangerous room,
because then...
If we go the long way, we don't have to go by the dangerous room.
We'll get to the party late.
and then we won't be
center of attention, fashionably late.
Perfect. That sounds good to me. Why take an unnecessary
risk if it could end up with us dead
and then we never even get to Kingborough?
Just to reconfirm that idea,
do Shadr Kai have an extremely
cultural idea of punctuality? And we'll be showing up late to a
party and that's like extremely not in
Shadar Kai culture like approval
and we'll be the only people showing up?
I would say that
it's they love to
Your voice has changed significantly.
I would say they love to party.
They love lavish engagements.
And like, you know, there wouldn't be like,
maybe staggering towards the beginning,
but they would be there very much for the whole party.
No, I don't care what the Shattaki does.
I refuse to be the first person to arrive at Ball.
I would never do it.
I would never do it.
I would say that if you, I think that the general sense
is that with how massive and elaborate
Burrampian it is, if you take a long way, it could be several hours more. Yikes. Or like, you'd be
very later missed the party. Well, that doesn't seem like that's any better of an option either then.
Well, can you tell us about the dangers of this room? Yeah, why is it so dangerous? I can tell you no more
than I heard. Hmm. Yeah, that's true. Well, let's try to move through it fast, but the rest flow,
so that we get the best of both worlds. Yes. Well, we could churn into Shadokai now.
and make our way there slowly while we practice how to be Shadakai.
Yeah, but then what if it runs out?
As a feeling it will not.
Oh, no, it says right here in the bottle that it says less as long as narratively relevant.
Oh, well in that case, this is perfect.
Bottoms up, huh?
And I'll take mine and become a Shatter-Kai.
So just for clarification, there's a dangerous room that is not the ballroom.
Yes.
It needs to go through a very dangerous pathway, a hallway, a hallway,
where they seem, there's something to be
dangerous where guards have, they're
afraid of, they've guards have gone, have
not come back, they've had accidents,
it's not good.
Just pee peeve all over there.
Don't pee at the counter.
Get that pee out of your mouth.
Just don't do it three times.
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Thank you.
You are all discussing which way to go.
And which movies are our favorites.
a long way or the short way.
Oh, we're going the short way.
I mean, we've been convinced.
Someone just drank their potion.
I did.
All five of you need to drink your potion.
Well, then I'll do the same.
He needs to drink his potion, too,
because even though your Shadar Kai,
your outfit needs to change to look bullish.
So the only issue is...
No, no, one, two, three...
Well, are you...
I can just...
Yeah, because she said we had about 10.
That's two uses a person if you don't use any.
Because you already basically haven't.
Yeah, then we're good.
So, yes, if you'd like to or you should,
you can also...
Nothing with the word illusion enemies.
We had this conversation, okay?
And I don't mean to be crying.
We had this conversation.
The only thing you've said to me all day is I hate you,
and I'm sorry you're here.
I also said please order...
You said, buy me habit burger and don't come back till you have it.
That was Andy.
That was me.
I said those words.
Yeah, nothing with illusion in it.
You nerd.
All right.
Fine.
Okay.
I won't use illusion magic.
I mean, unless you want to be, you know, put back in the dungeon.
We've got some illusion juice if you want it.
We have to go around and tell everyone we look like.
That's not going to get closed though. Is it?
Alter self doesn't change your clothes.
It changes everything.
Yeah.
Look, I don't make the rules, man.
But like, you don't get to decide what you look like, right?
It just zoops you.
No, you get to decide.
Oh, you do?
Oh, you do?
The potion, I just assumed it was like...
No, it's zoops your outfit too.
So you just got to use your...
Just think about it. It's magic.
I think this is one in my just ended up as like a grumpy.
He's the DM. He doesn't have shatter-kye, man.
You could.
Yeah, if you want to.
Oh, yeah, if you have a spare potion.
I'm not a potion back.
We have two spare potions.
One?
Yeah.
I thought we had 10.
Well, yes, but two spare ones.
You have two per everyone because I don't need it.
Oh.
That's fine.
I drink my potion.
You meet it.
What do you guys look like?
I look like a shatter-cutter-cuttun.
Shit, I don't know.
I mean, I guess I'm like, how much taller are they normally than humans?
Are they about the same?
Okay.
Well, then I'm not freakish or small or anything.
Oh, boy.
I'm the tallest, pokiest shot archide that anyone's ever seen.
It definitely looks odd.
Still much shorter and less bulky than Not than Tintoa is.
But I think that Atoa would try to at least pick an appearance that he could at least sort of feel somewhat in Omen.
You're the vanilla wow night elf of Shatterka.
Yes, yes.
I basically, your hands are like hands.
Oh my God, your hands are so uncomfortable.
My forearms are like this big.
Okay, Pop-I.
Exactly.
My eyebrows are like eight feet long.
Oh, stop.
Every time you close the door, you actually,
ah.
Yeah, that would be awful.
No, I would say that I retain my same height.
Yeah.
I would be thinner than most Shatter Kai.
I'm not like a, you know, a warrior shadow shadow shadow shadow.
Shatter Kai.
I don't know.
I say that I'm a kind of scrawing looking for, for Shatter Kai.
That's about it.
Cool.
I don't know what kind of clothes.
You would probably do a better job helping me understand the formality of the clothing and things like that.
But, you know, I would say that it's a reasonable.
Uh, regal suit.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Uh, I would have, uh, shorter hair, probably like short black hair.
Uh, and I would get a, uh, black suit top to bottom with maybe like a, like a purple
ass guy.
Okay.
Very nice.
Very fancy.
Regal.
I'm thinking of the torturer.
And so I appear as a very younger version of him, no glass eye, but bald, long ears, um, the
same color skin.
And you can see this very vibrant plaid purple.
It should really be the lining of a jacket, but it's the entire thing all the way out.
And instead of, it's like a silvery white, very shadow Kai hair color button down with a white bow tie.
And you can see the like double-breasted nature of my jacket forms a long coat tail in two long flaps out of the back,
almost touching the ground, and I'm in my same height.
I think that that would satisfy Caprice's wishes in this way.
Great.
I would be, I assume a bit taller than I am now, but probably not that much.
Still fairly.
Shorter for a Shatter Kai.
Yeah, on the shorter, petite end of a Shatter Kai, I would have long black hair with
bangs that basically cut right over my eyes and my ears would stick out.
and I would be in sort of like a shorter ball gown,
almost like a Gothic Lolita kind of dress.
Very cute.
I'm wearing skinny jeans.
I was going to say, this joke will never die.
I can't beat it today.
I'm wearing a long-black, a long-sleeved black shirt
with a band tee for alchemical romance over it.
My hair is completely teased, like super ruined.
I've got way too much eyeliner on and gummy bracelets on my wrist.
Love that.
You are a shadow high and very fancy, fancy shatter-goy.
I'm wearing like a huge, a huge black taffeta bustle gown with a parasol.
And my hair is tied up in like these dark, actually I'm going to go pure white, white hair with ringlets falling down around my shoulders.
Long sleeves that kind of taper to a point on my hands.
Parasol's in the touch.
Thank you.
Oh, and for my outfits, I didn't mention that.
Toa hasn't seen that many examples of, like, fanciness before, like formal balls and things.
So he would probably think something similar of, like, the formal military uniforms of Korovacia.
So I'm thinking something kind of like, like, sort of like, think House Atreides, like, formal military, but purple instead of green.
Yeah, exactly right.
Okay.
You all look like that.
And you proceed.
I feel pretty good.
I guess I shouldn't sound like that.
You have to use this sort of guttural sounding voice.
Do you want to talk about that?
I don't know that this fits my body.
I mean, I think I'm only going to do that if somebody addresses me.
You will probably be addressed.
Are we going to have to talk like that?
You know, you remember that the one female Shadar Kai that you had questioned and speak with that had a voice that sounded not too different from Irises.
I think it sounds fine as it's.
Perfect.
Oh, uh-oh.
So I'll just pretend to be like you.
This variety of voices and accents you could have.
I'm getting conflicting.
Oh, boy.
Let me ruminate on that, I guess.
I'm sure you will also be fine.
I just probably can't sound like this while I'm talking like a Shad-Archai.
You know what I'm saying?
This is very confusing.
I don't know.
Well, I guess it is a little weird.
Yeah.
I think if we run into any Shad-Archi, you should let me do the talking.
Great plan.
I think that's a great idea, but I'm going to work on more Shad-Archi voice.
What does it sound like to her?
Oh, hey, it's me.
I think that's great.
I guess I.
Oh, this is what I'll do.
Good eye. It's me.
You have to say good today.
No, I don't think that's very close to what we're going for.
I thought it was great.
It's not a vulture.
Could you drop the octave, though?
Could you drop the octave, though?
Put it down the world.
It's not a vulture.
That's actually good.
Yeah, you just have to keep getting lower.
Lauer.
You watch us.
Toa is actually getting there.
He's just physically shrinking and talking the same.
He looks like a shambling crime show.
Let us go through.
Can we make our way through the danger room
and then we'll enjoy the festivities?
Yes, that's true.
We should get the move on, okay?
Yes, we should move quickly.
Leave the way.
Okay.
Zellic leads you through Castle,
Bluevale.
And you don't really see many people,
especially on this side of the castle,
You know that you're very far.
And you see hallways going off.
You see strange doors.
But I think the thing that probably draws your attention the most is jutting out of walls,
you see what look like strange-looking metal gears that are turning,
and they're carved with strange alchemical rooms, it looks like.
And they glow with a faint, bluish-greenish hue to them.
And you hear kind of...
And as you walk through some walls that you pass, you can hear ticking or clicking, some kind of machinations that don't seem that dissimilar to what you had experienced in Castle Romagna that Asher had done to his own castle.
But it's strange to see it here, especially Zelluk. You know that that would be probably new or newer within the past several decades.
And as you arrive at this chamber that, you know, cuts directly through to the more central, you're really on the far wing, and you know that there's all sorts of rooms.
And without Zalek, you imagine that it'd be very easy to get lost in here.
And you could probably wander these halls for hours, if not days.
But you approach a door that many of the doors you'd seen had either been like a very heavy wood or a metal.
This is incredibly heavy stone with a double.
door directly ahead, and it almost looks like the door of a mausoleum.
And you're there?
Is it?
This is the...
This is the room.
And you have no idea what could be on the other side.
Just the danger lurks.
Something happened earlier today, and the guards were on alert about it.
They were talking quite a bit about it, but from what we've already walked through, it seems
like there have been enhancements to the castle. I don't recognize those contraptions on the walls,
the ruins. I guess there is actively a war going on.
Yes, that's true. So we just need to be able to expect anything, okay? Be flexible.
Right. And maybe one of you guys go first, and I'll just stay back here.
I'll try the door.
You grab, you grab, you see there's stone handles,
and you do all of your strength,
they just pull it, just to crack it,
and you see just a slit of about probably three inches
of darkness, pitch blackness within,
and the stench that waths out of here
is so horrifically vile.
It's like a condensed version of the slop you walk through,
but it sounds, it smells familiar.
That's lovely.
And it doesn't,
It doesn't smell unlike the stench you had experienced on the road when you were attacked by a dozen ghouls.
There's a...
What's how is that smell?
I'm guessing it's some undef.
Again, like last time, we gotta be careful for any substances or anything.
Don't let any of it get on your skin if you can avoid it.
I'm just worried about that poison, the venom.
Yeah.
I pulled with all my strength and only managed to move it.
managed to move this thing three inches. So now that I've not been electrified or terribly burned,
uh, would, uh, one of you gentlemen be able to pull it the rest of the way? I am not a, uh,
out. All right. You open the door and you see, and the stench waffes out even more, and you see that
it's just pitch black with that. And as you listen, you hear,
I look in and see if I can see something.
It's pitch block.
My eyes go completely white as magic swirls around me, and I cast eyes of the grave.
And I am going to locate any undead within 60 feet.
Wow.
Not G's of the greas or each.
Within 60 feet, you peer into the darkness, and you can't see them.
but as you peer, you know they're there.
18.
18 goals.
My eyes go back to the color that they originally were.
There is a mess in this room.
18 of them to be exact.
Maybe more.
My magic only extends so far,
and it's too dark for me to see how large the chamber may be.
There are at least 18.
If it's relevant,
I can see in darkness
both magical and non-magical
to 120 feet.
Magical darkness too?
Is that Shiretie?
It's an Eldridge invitation.
Oh, devil-sized tie.
All done.
Okay.
So once Iris says this,
you step forward and you channel your devil's sight
and you look in and you can confirm
that Iris is exactly right.
You look around and you count.
You see three different types of ghouls.
six of each.
Six of each of these strange types of ghouls
as they, some cling to the wall and scatter about,
some are gorging themselves on rotting flesh.
Others seem to be kind of like pushing into each other.
Others are just shambling around aimlessly.
You can very much see that this is a holding place for ghouls
for this wing of the castle.
How big are they?
I mean, can we take them?
We've dealt with some in the past.
I don't even know what to do with him.
Goals are of all sizes.
This is what Warrocks Army is mainly comprised of.
A couple of walls.
They're on the floors.
They're everywhere. Do I see any of the ruins
or any kind of like contraptions?
In this room, no.
Okay. Just the goals.
Just the goals.
There's piles of rotting flash.
You see bones all over the place. It's food.
You get the sense that it's pretty dangerous to feed them
and to basically get them out.
them out and some might lose an armor, you know, their lives.
Hey, Mike.
Yeah.
Do you know what a group of ghouls is called?
A gaggle.
A gable.
A gauble a ghoul.
That's really good.
If you didn't already have inspiration.
I already have it.
Look, the greases and shambles.
Hey, this is my new Shad of Kaihberg.
Hey, I don't like that, man.
I want to gobble those ghouls over here.
Hey, what do you got for lunch?
I'm going out. I'll get you something. What do you want?
I think the formal word is a stink. A stink of ghouls.
Oh, God. And the stink is incredibly present. It's filling the hall. And it's not just the rotting flesh of the feasting on the ghouls themselves to stink unnaturally so.
Would I have an idea of what, like, would I get the sense having been exposed to some ghouls, like what their like agro type is?
Do I think in complete darkness of the room
would we be able to traverse it
without drawing their attention
if we're extremely quiet?
Make a history check.
Are they taunt them?
I'm never to do.
Just straight.
Do you pull one more?
Do you make an advantage for me, please?
Oh, if I do.
Given that you are from,
you are from Zarcosa.
Pretty good.
18? Not bad.
You know that
I would say that it was a good idea
that you all took your potions now.
You know that they are generally controlled
by necromancers.
And when there is not a necromancer,
there is a trait to their curse
that makes them not immediately,
they don't have that necessarily
an immediate taste for Shad Arkai.
So as they would be smelling and looking for flesh,
had it been you all, they'd immediately
I'm incredibly ravenous.
Nice.
And so, but you know that even though
if you get too close, just flesh
at all, if you make the wrong move,
if you provoke it in the wrong way,
that they're very wild
and unpredictable, even regardless with that curse.
They're vicious, mindless, hungering,
hungering on death.
I think we should
boast of ourselves as much as possible
with all you, think of me.
Out of all of us, who are the weakest?
Caprice, Felix,
and probably Zellah.
Why do you mean weakest?
I mean, health-wise, if you were hit a multitude of times, you'd probably die the quickest.
He did just get a brand new arm.
A hit more easily sort of thing.
Like I know to take a hit and people often miss when they attempt to attack him.
Lufty is very dexterous and versatile.
I myself stay far out of prey.
But people tend to be drawn to Felix and Caprice.
And I was killed that one time, so I hear you. Where are you going with this?
I'm going to cast aid on the three of you. So you'll gain fifth, I'm going to cast it at a fourth level.
And so you'll gain 15 temporary hit points.
Tith wing? Wow.
For eight hours.
Oh wow. Big fan. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow.
That is all.
Oh, right.
Thank you. I appreciate it.
I feel like it could take more punches.
Yes, thank you, Lydia Harris.
Hopefully, you won't need it.
Are we sure we just want to stroll through there confidently?
I mean, maybe we'd ring a bell.
Because you didn't give it to me.
How long is the room?
Like, from door to door?
There's a door on the other side.
You'd be able to see that.
There's a door on the other side.
It's probably about, this is a large holding pen.
And you see that actually, it's relatively empty.
You get the sense that probably most of the ghouls have been,
probably what they were, the accident that had happened earlier that day,
was probably getting a bunch of ghouls out to be go fight in the battle that happened,
that is currently happening.
And so it's probably about, probably at least like 60 feet across.
Go ahead.
Well, you know, I trust that if you think that we're safe in these forms and we can slip by without a fight,
I gotta default to your judgment.
What would draw their attention?
Yes, that's right.
Can they smell us?
Because I can smell them.
They can smell, but they won't.
In your current forms, they would smell you as dusk-outers.
They won't.
That's good.
Well, Felix, could you create a smell or something on the other side of the room
so that they all rush at the other side of the room
and we could quickly skip around?
I could.
Would that be a possibility?
I mean, never mind.
Fuck.
Okay.
I didn't know that minor illusion was only sound of her image.
Yeah.
You read something every day we say here.
Well, it might not be a...
Yeah.
Yes, yes.
Yeah, I can do it.
You never fail to surprise me.
You can do everything.
Anything I put my mind to.
I love that about you.
Thank you.
So, why, it's a rule.
What?
What?
What?
Well, I mean, if they can.
can't see us right now and they don't care what and they're all sort of in one room why don't
just feel like just blow them all up you don't think that we make a lot of noise and have people come
running think with your head toa come on get your room yeah what if we want to kill them the
strategic way to do it would be to just keep the door cracked lock the other side so that only one
ghoul could come at a time and we go one golly-goly, two golly-goly, three-goly, just lure them out.
He's a wise warrior once that had that exact idea.
Everyone laughed at him, though.
How about...
There's no bad ideas.
I like that.
And I really like the Pupy-Poo thing.
That was cool.
Well, it's just a suggestion.
What if they show up later?
And it's like, oh man, I wish we had killed all those ghouls when they were like, all alone in that room totally contained.
I think that there's always a chance of that, but I think we want to maintain our surprise
and stealth as long as we can.
All right, we can walk through.
I'm prone to fearmongering, and now that sounds like a pretty good idea.
Well, I was just thinking it's like, you know, we have to go through, and it's like right near
the ballroom, and if they find us, they're like, get the 18 ghouls.
They're not going to release ghouls into.
the castle. What happens if we get to the other side of the room here and we haven't killed any of them
and we make a noise and then the door's locked and we're fucking stuck and all of them come to give us?
Well, I'll turn them away from us. Oh, okay, yeah. Roll out. What are we gonna say?
I would say that you know that the party is very, very far away. Okay. So they're still,
this is just on the way. It's not like it was this room than the party, it would just happen to be on the
Yes, yes.
There's a way to go.
There's a long way to...
There's a long way to...
Who didn't lock the door to the ghoul room?
I was just looking for the bathroom!
It's like a ghostbusters.
Okay, who brought a dog?
And I would also say that, Zalik, you would know
that there's a variety of ghouls that they have.
There are laboring ghouls,
and there's also serving ghoul, servant ghouls,
and these are very much the vicious warrior garden
in like kill murder goals.
These are very much bred for murder.
So yeah, soldier goals, yeah.
Good old murder goals.
All right, so we'll walk through.
I can distract them with some smell if we need to.
And Iris can be our backup plan
for if everything goes pear-shaped.
You'll be able to do it far enough away?
I think a couple of people say.
No.
Oh!
This completely changes everything.
I'm a little distracted today.
I'm so sorry.
I think that we might be able to move through the room without drawing their anger.
We might as well try.
I think we just have to trust you.
If they begin to approach us, we can start blasting.
All right, you can see, right?
Yes.
Well, then let's lead the way and maybe form a chain.
I can't see anything with that.
We can all hold hands.
I'll stand directly behind.
directly behind Zellick.
I always say that holding hands is the most intimate act.
I would prefer if we held each other's hips
and sort of cha-cha through.
That's nice, too.
I don't really see any strategic benefit to that.
Well, the rhythm will help me with my magic.
You want to condense the width.
They have to move as single file as possible.
Oh, we should shuffle like cramps.
We can grab walk, if you had grab walked.
And so I got squat down, I start walking sideways like this.
Bear in mind that he looks like a Shad Archive.
Right.
A very damp.
A very stab.
I like big mutton chops.
I take three steps into the darkness and just put my hand back out.
Oh yeah, what would my spoon be?
What's something shatter-kaii from my screen?
My staff is my parasol.
Oh.
It's just a spoon, but it's got jaggy.
It's a spork.
It's a salad fork.
So, yeah, I was going to say, is a spork just an emo food spoon?
spoon?
Like that is that?
Emo eating utensil?
A knife?
Yeah, a fork or a knife or a knife or some sort.
I like spork.
I think that's edgy.
Sporks or edgy?
What about one of those potato mashers with like the, I mean, I know that you're doing bludgeoning damage, but for this flavor.
Just be like a big, like beating stick.
A big beating.
You know, like a flogging torturing tool.
You could have a, you could have like a ceremonial cane.
Oh.
Like a beautiful cane of some sort?
Classic traditional
Dust Elf spanking paddle.
Sold.
With a
bedazzled paddle.
Weirdly enough, I have the desire to turn into a footstool.
Those are drought.
Not Dustalps.
Yes.
Yeah, no, I like that.
I have a spanking paddle.
So, Ira Zellic is extending his hand as he enters.
and it's water.
Look, do you take my hands, darling?
Okay.
I'll go next.
What was that?
Then me and Toby will bring up the rear, right?
Yeah, yeah, I'm happy to.
Either way.
Are we stuck grabbing?
You, no, she has your hand.
All right, well, I'm saying.
Don't me, I'm sorry.
You seem some body.
We're holding hands, mate.
That's all I'm in.
It's all right.
Oh, hi, dumb ass.
Hey, yeah.
Suck, so, suck.
You make your way to this room.
It's this gowie on it.
And the stench is absolutely violent.
As you make your way through, I need everyone
to make a Constitution saving throw,
as you hear the shuffling and the shambling,
the shambling, the shambling, the slick, disgusting.
I'm sorry, God.
A bad one.
You're not getting poisoned.
It's a horrible stench, and we're going to see if you puke and what smell that might trigger.
Oh.
Oh, boy.
15.
Yeah, I got a 12.
I have a plus eat, so I don't mind trying to re-roll.
10.
We only have three twists.
Okay.
Oh, wow.
Then we'll save my guess.
We should save them.
Also 12.
I got a 12 as well.
A lot of 12s, a lot of lows.
10.
I rolled a match for one, so we just still 10.
Oh, wow.
So who got below it with 13?
All of us?
Except for me.
Iris,
you hear
as all of your friends
be retching violently.
You are not pooping in this place
I say myself.
Because I'm not actually going to
say it out loud,
but in my head I'm going,
they, I'm not peaking next to me right now.
None of them are doing it is.
Your midway through as you walk in,
and Zellick, you're taking everyone
as far away from all the ghouls
and you hear the,
and you all just hear this.
And you have this slit, disgusting, slimy movement.
And the stench gets so bad to get the center of this room.
Everyone except for Iris begins vomiting.
And as soon as you start puking, the scent of, you can tell that the scent of the vomit starts to have them go nuts.
As they start getting closer and you hear them approaching.
I have a question.
Would Iris need to make another role against the sound of our puking?
Probably.
I would say there are six of us.
You would be like inophony.
Well, we're still.
As they're puking, you have,
and as they're puking, you have, and as you.
And so I should still be able to sense them because of my.
Oh, no, you sent them all coming.
I'm going to cast Turn on Deb.
Oh, okay.
How does that work?
I will tell you in a moment.
And I also think there's a CR track.
I'm going to use my channel divinity to turn undead.
I present my holy symbol and speak a prayer, censoring the undead.
Each undead that can see or hear you, I guess, so that matters.
They can see you.
They can see.
Oh, or hear you within 30 feet must make a wisdom saving throw.
If it fails, it has turned for one minute or until they take any damage.
What's the DC?
18.
Holy shit.
Okay.
Wisdom?
Good luck.
It's terrible luck for him.
And while she's doing that, I'll be like, oh, no.
While I'm puking, I'm going to...
18?
Take a wide crab stance and go into a battle trance and...
You're holding two hands like this, right?
Oh, yeah.
Well, no, I only have Felix's hands.
I'm going to do that.
That's four things already.
Oh, let me get this little guy and this little guy.
So I have a lot of G20s, folks.
I don't care for it.
Five, six, seven.
eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, fifteen, sixteen, two more.
They all fail.
Oh, wow.
Wow.
Literally 18 failures.
I'm trying to see, because they're saying that it should be, it's below a certain
C or only, but I'm not seeing that at all in here.
Yeah, there's an additional portion to turn on dead once you reach a certain level.
It's destroyed where they're destroyed if, yeah.
Oh, so there, so then there doesn't apply.
Unless, unless you should have destroy on dead.
No, no, so it's all the same ability, but I think under a certain CR, they get destroyed.
If they're above a CR, they just get turned, right?
It's not saying that at all.
I mean, I can read the whole thing.
Yeah, read that.
Channel divinity.
A second level, you get the ability to channel divine energy directly from your deity using the energy and feel magical effects.
You start with two such effects, turn undead, and an effect determined by your domain.
Some domains grant you additional effects as you gain levels is noted in the domain description.
When you use your channel divinity, you choose which effect to create.
You must then finish short or long rest.
You use your channel divinity again.
Some channel divinity effects require saving throws when you use,
I'm reading the whole thing.
No, then there's another turn of death section.
Yeah, channel divinity turn on dead.
As an action, you present your holy symbol and speak of prayer, censoring the undead.
Each undead that can see your hue within 35 of you must make a wisdom saving throw.
If the creature fails the saving throws, turn for one minute until it takes any damage.
A turn creature must spend his turn trying to move as far away from you as it can't willingly move to a space within 30 feet of you.
It also can take reactions.
For its action, it can only use the dash action or try to escape from an effect to prevent it from moving.
If there's nowhere to move, the creature can use the dodge action.
That's all it says.
You destroy undead
When an undead feels it's saving for
against your turn and dead feature
It is instantly destroyed
If it's CR is lower than the threshold for your level
We are
It's two
It's two
Fucking go
You hear the shambling shifting
slavering ravenous
cannibalizing ghouls
As they are drawn to the scent of the vomit
As they are charging
As every single
one of them hiss as although you can't even see it
except for you. Thanks, Jan.
You're able to see this in color
as you are all
coding in disgusting
gore and
the rotten meat and rotting flesh
as all 18 fucking ghouls
are popped and explode.
I would like turn them to sand.
Oh yeah.
I was going to say they should walk in sand.
I want to say like all of a sudden
a sandstorm whips up and I will call out
to my God.
I will say return to the sands,
and then I will turn them into dust.
They still haze.
And you see a light that shines out of iris,
and although it is swallowed by the darkness
to everybody else, you can see in colors.
And you see this radiating, almost a sandstorm of gold around her.
And you see as they all try to heal their eyes,
and you know that they hate sunlight,
but they're even more viciously hateful and afraid.
of this. And you see as their
disgusting rotting flesh
given shape
fade away into sand.
And I'll just say for rule of cool,
the entire room is blasted
and all the rotting bits and
flesh is completely scoured
clean. And now there
is a fine layer
of sand across all the stone and the stench
has been perched.
Thank you, Mike. That's so nice.
Oh, they all did?
Yes.
Oh, gosh.
You were gonna summon smells.
I was gonna until I realized I can only do it
and I'd fly 10 feet away.
That was incredible.
Well, they're gonna do this car and all these tokens.
Thank you.
What kind of idiot said this room was dangerous?
This is crazy.
To be fair, if they had been more wise,
we would have had to deal with them.
That was amazing.
But they weren't, so we didn't.
We can thank Anubis
his guidance and assistance this day.
I do every day. Thank you, Anubis. Thank you, Anubis.
Amaraneth is exactly right. The sand serves a sawdust for the vomit.
It's all soft off, and it's coated and covered, so it's just this fine sand.
And there's a warmth to it, and Zellic, it actually feels like the hand
that swirls around your arm constantly. It's almost like your divine hand.
there's this divine level of sand
and then it shifts and shimmers and fades
and then the magic fades
it just turns to regular sand.
A high school janitor
walks in with a pushroom.
It's 11.
The cleanup ghouls come in.
Damn it, I was going to do that, Chuck.
It's not a little bit, friend.
Sorry, Mike.
You can clean here.
Yes, again.
You're saying something's out?
I don't know if you were.
I think I cut you off.
There are no other threats in this room.
We should be able to make it to the door with ease.
Yeah, let's go. Let's go.
This is great.
It was amazing. Can we see now?
Is it still dark?
No, it's still magical darkness in here.
You get the sense that it's kind of like the Kiwi enclosure at the birdhouse at the zoo.
It was kept perpetually dark.
You never fucking see it.
Yeah, you never fucking see it.
And so you get the sense that.
Oh, like the cuckabur at the aquarium.
And so the gobble of ghouls is entirely gone.
That reminds me of a song.
I close my eyes.
Only for a moment in the moment's gone.
Sand in the wind.
All they are is sand in the wind.
It's nice.
It's just means pulled for.
Lighter.
Oh, I mean, Gould's hand pulls out a lighter.
I'm the meaning to ask you as we walk.
Yeah, I will say you're able to.
to leave the chamber very quickly and close the door behind you. You see more hallways going off
in different directions, and you see those strange gears within the castle. Someone will go
on either side of the walls and the ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch with the same glowing
alchemical runes on. And I will say that you all recognize, this color seemed to be very similar
to the lantern that hung from Alessandro's carriage wagon.
Oh.
You're going to ask me something.
Oh yeah, I've been meaning to ask you, since you put his arm back on, now that you can
cast that spell, if I ever stub my pinky toes so hard that it pops off, would you be able
to fix that?
Of course I would fix it for it.
Oh, thank, thank goodness.
Is that something you're afraid of on a regular basis?
Yeah, I have a phobia of that.
It's pretty specific.
Is that happened to someone you know?
Oh, I don't know, but I figured it could, potentially.
I don't see why it couldn't.
Once I realized that, you know,
pinky toes could, I mean, I don't know, be stubbed.
Yeah, but, like, only there for balance.
I mean, you'd be fine if it popped off.
No, I don't want to have my pinky toe pop off,
so you can fix me.
It's not going to kill you.
If your pinky toe pops off,
I will use all of my magical abilities for the entire day
to make sure that your pinky toe regrows in two minutes.
That is so sweet.
Do you hear the ghouly?
dogs, the ghoul dogs.
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