Legends of Avantris - Beneath Dark Wings | Ep. 7 | Sealed Fate: Part 1

Episode Date: July 24, 2024

The party just saved Nora Strongbow, and now they head to the hunting lodge tasked with a sacred charge.   Gain access to an exclusive campaign, Shroud Over Saltmarsh, over on Patreon: https://legend...sofavantris.com/patreon The Crooked 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/WmOviXkZMG8?si=mXCaC9exDy4XlwWn

Transcript
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Starting point is 00:00:01 Welcome to Legends of Aventress. I'm Capriccio DeCesto, you can call me Caprice, and you're listening to Beneath Dark Wings. Here's what happened last time. I can see clearly now the ogre's gone. Something happened to Beatrice. She's gone, she's not on this plane anymore. Oh, we're just here to do the reconnaissance.
Starting point is 00:00:20 I feel like we wasting a lot of time and then waiting for a transformation. Let's get up there. Let's get up there. But blocking this, an enormous hill shine. You start to see more and more smears of blood. And you start to see up ahead of the head. of you, iron cages, hooks, all just built up
Starting point is 00:00:35 on the very, very, very top of Butcher's Bluff. Murder Beauty, her fleshlies. It's not easy being ogre. Yeah, we gotta check all the present. However, there's now a third figure. Almost bigger than the ogre, smaller than the giant. Hairy, horned, bull-like, human-like. Holding a large crowd.
Starting point is 00:01:00 The guy's affected. The transformation literally just happened. What? Just doing to the giant now. Put it on the head. The skin shifts, the muscles, up bolt, hair sprouts over its entire body. And you find a girl. Nora kind of grabs onto your arm, Iris, and says, I need the bow.
Starting point is 00:01:20 Is it possible, Felix, there? There's no military anyway. These guys are legitimate beast monsters. They might be fucking heavy with his intro. This is your resting song. It says your resting song. It isn't very long. Hey!
Starting point is 00:01:32 They're going with us to the fucking lodge. All right. And you spend about five days. Very large, elaborate lodge that kind of spans all the way down with a variety building. It's almost like a compound. And you've arrived, all of you, and Nestor says, you've arrived at the Lockfeather Lodge,
Starting point is 00:01:53 and you were all in the five. Woo! You all had left Lifty's hometown. of Hirstein, known for its beard and and horses, predominantly, and a town that predominantly worshiped the god of drink named L'Apouard, who was the god that Luffy herself had raised to be a monk of. He had left after kind of dropping off a gentleman
Starting point is 00:02:25 who had allegedly contracted beast plague, and they were working on a cure or trying to figure out what to do about it. And till you decided, you know what, screw this, we were going to go off to this place called Butcher's Bluff. We hear that there's a lot of strange happenings, things of people being kidnapped in the various regions, being brought to this Butcher's Bluff and elsewhere in these highlands.
Starting point is 00:02:57 And there was an interesting development that their predominant ogre clan and the predominant hill giant tribe, the names that I have, Boulder Mall, Ogre Clan, and the Rock Gut Hill Giant tribe, which normally abhorred each other. Absolutely just hated each other
Starting point is 00:03:19 because they want to be eating human rights, both of them, and there's only so many, and they hate sharing. They never watched Essing Street as nice. Or blues quotes. or Little Bear, no, I'm kidding. Oh, Rock, God. Why are you such a grouch?
Starting point is 00:03:37 Or Arthur. No, okay. And so... Or Mr. Rudge's neighborhood and poor. There you go out there. Unbelievable. Unbelievable. Yeah, Mr. Rondland.
Starting point is 00:03:46 Brackle Rock. And so the party decided to head and investigate, see what was happening. As they were making their way, they saw off into the mountains. Oghers, hill giants, war bands, both. marching. Ogre is writing massive horned the beasts and giants lumbering along northward to a mountain pass directly past the bluff where they were headed. On their way, they heard the noise of a scuffle where they saw River Troll attacking a burly human man. They saved the day and encountered Nestor, Strong Arm the Third.
Starting point is 00:04:33 Nestor Warren Strong Arm the Third to you. And he was a hunter. A ranger, he came from a long line of rangers that specialize in hunting giant kin, Etten's, ogers, trolls, giants. And he'd been ambushed. He'd been in a hurry, and the river troll had snuck up on him because he knew that his sister had gone off to an investigation. the strange union of these, this hill giant and ogre, these war bands.
Starting point is 00:05:11 And it had been a very long time since she had been back to their lodge where many hunters in the area congregated called the, what was it called, Andy? It was the Lockfeather Lodge Lodge where she had been missing from for at least a week, which is very much unlike her. you realize, well, hell, shit, that's where we're going, because this is a narrative. And you decided that you would keep an eye out for her in your investigation of this. Arrived at the bluff. Found it relatively unguarded. And you did get ambushed by some ogre watchmen with their large cat pets. And you dispatched them quickly. You dispatched them and then realized through some spy glasses that this lookout post had been observing was that
Starting point is 00:06:08 there was a meeting stone arranged at this pass through the mountains, Krola Mountains. And all of the ogres and hill giants were camped. All along the mountain ranges of the ridges. ridges, just as far as I could see hundreds, hundreds of them. And you all decided that some bad mumbo-jumbo was going on. And through some quick thinking, Caprice managed to entirely pass a combat encounter with a hill giant, and just convinced him just to keep running. Well, thanks to my buddy Toa over here. Yeah, there you go.
Starting point is 00:06:55 You spoke giant. Yeah, you translated. Yeah, you translated. That's right. That's teamwork. but yeah, you can speak giant. And they arrived to the top of Butcher's block, which is this huge rock formation of shaped like this bloody hook.
Starting point is 00:07:12 And they encountered Tho Log with Butcher, who had a number of humanoids, mostly humans, trapped in cages. They quickly dispatched of him through just an embarrassing display at low rolls on my part. You fucked him off. And an OP party. And an OP party.
Starting point is 00:07:30 God, this comp is bullshit. It's fine. It's fine. I've made adjustments. Oh, boy. Let's go. I have made adjustments. Adjustments.
Starting point is 00:07:39 He's sneezing that intense stairs. That's his slurfs. This is a chock grudge. No, he's going to be like, I cast this spell. Well, this doesn't count as a creature. So nothing that you do, any of the spells won't apply. Well, I'm going to attack it. Well, it's also not a creature.
Starting point is 00:07:59 You can go fuck yourself. It's really good jits a creature. It's not. I empower my players that feel like heroes. And so you dom-stomped him out of existence. Hashtag Domstomped. Hashtag Domstom. And it was there that you discover the altar
Starting point is 00:08:21 that he was at had a similar resemblance to the strange altars that had been erected in Miss Crow's crossing, the strange iron crown, the emblems of the. the intricate maze of swooping paths. And you then saw one final time, too far away to do anything, but far enough away from danger at the very least.
Starting point is 00:08:44 After Beach, it just got murdered by a bloodhawk. Okay. It's not personal. I understand this is a mature stream, but that's across the line. It's all right to cry. They then saw a... Creature join, which the names that they did here,
Starting point is 00:09:08 Chief Blub, Rock Gut, Blub of the Giants, and Lord Gokmar, Boulder Mall. Maybe I didn't tell you this, but I didn't know, it's not a letter or something. I do not have them written that. It's not that relevant, Street. What were you from slowly? It was Blub, Rock Gut, and War,
Starting point is 00:09:27 Chief Blub, Rock Gott, Gutt, and Warlord Gokmar, Boulder Mall. You saw it in a letter or something, There's always a letter. They just info-tops on the part of me. How do you spell that? G-O-K-M-A-R. They then realized that were meaning. You did know this, the Herald of the Horn King.
Starting point is 00:09:43 A creature similar, somewhat, to the horned beasts that you had slain and encountered in Miss Cross-Prossin. This one was bull-like, bovine in appearance, but considerably larger, larger than even the ogre warlord himself, almost as large as the hill giant chief. Horned, disgusting skin. You've heard of minotaurs, and this seemed far more bizarre than that.
Starting point is 00:10:19 And he offered a crown, much larger, but very similar to the iron crown that you could see on the altars. Police out on each of their heads, they grew thick black fur, horns sprouted from their head and their bodies grew and they seemed to get immense power. As beasts emerged into the scene, they started passing on the gift to all of the ogres and the giants. So it was agnostic as far as the beasts were concerned.
Starting point is 00:10:47 All of the ways in the camp were all capable of receiving the gift. They received the gift, and they, the ogres and giants began marching through the pass to join the Iron Legion, heading east. direction, which you have a general sense, is the capital city of Zentra. Iron Legion or? The Horn Legion. The Horn Legion.
Starting point is 00:11:10 The Horn Legion. Iron Legion is something, but I don't know what that is. So, you did find, however, Nestor's sister, and we apologize for the long intro, has been a while, so we've just going to make sure that everyone has that fully refreshed. You found Nestor's sister, whose name was Nora, but what's her middle name, It's very important.
Starting point is 00:11:30 It's very, very important. Nora like that. Nora Juliet's strong arm, who was very, very keen on getting her weapon back, which she called the strong bow. They found it beneath the altar, returned it to her, and she began speaking to it before losing consciousness from how brutally she had been tortured.
Starting point is 00:11:49 Ed, Iris was taking care of her. She noticed a very subtle outline of a tattoo, a jagged, chaotic spiral. seemingly crossed with jagged chains. They then joined Nesser with their bugbear guy Jamminy, who's a drunk and hilarious time, who I forgot to mention until now,
Starting point is 00:12:13 she whips the shit out of people, she's a bugbear, and they started to make their way through the highlands to, which they seem up ahead the lock feather lodge. So, along with a bunch of other prisoners that are in top. Yes.
Starting point is 00:12:30 That's true. Yeah, we saved a lot of people. So, you mean, 12, alive. You all, getting into the campaign, you all, it's a gloomy, cloudy day, the morning opened with rain. You're used to it at this point. You're used to kind of just the general dampness
Starting point is 00:12:48 that life in Koravakia has brought you. It's dried up a bit, but there's a heavy overcast. As you see up ahead through these highlands, up through various bends and ravines and cliffs, sitting high on a cliff face, nestled into the clockwood, the forest that you had entered into these highlands in the south entrance. A enormous hunting lodge. Three massive balconies. One. One to the north, one to the east, and one to the south. And three stories tall, built mighty, mighty wooden logs with intricate carvings of all mannered
Starting point is 00:13:44 animal and beast and monstrosity into every inch of the woodwork. You have with you, your party, Jammini and tow, as well as however many captives I said you're freed, it's not that relevant. 12. 12, exactly 12. I mean, it is relevant. 12's important. As a Baker's doesn't.
Starting point is 00:14:07 As Biggers doesn't. I wrote 12. I think I'm still carrying Nora's body. I think she's still unconscious, great. It's been more days, isn't it? She's still passed out. He's rough, yeah. But is she conscious?
Starting point is 00:14:20 She is kind of loosely conscious. Okay, so we're carrying. Yeah. Okay. A Biggers doesn't in advance is 12. Oh, they don't have that. I'm talking out. I don't know when we get back around my head.
Starting point is 00:14:34 I get this doesn't. So we're approaching it. Do we see the lodge? The lodge is looming high on this cliff face up ahead. And as you notice, there seems to be a path through the highlands, up around rocks and up through around crags and peaks, seemingly winding up to this lodge that is nestled up on this mountainous forest that is directly behind. I think that's the lodge, everybody.
Starting point is 00:15:08 We should probably make our way up there. I know that there are a lot of people who are hurt. I can use the rest. Thank God. All the muscles in my back are killing me and I can't wait to sleep on a bed. Yeah, I know, and like she's getting really heavy. Oh, don't complain.
Starting point is 00:15:21 You're fine. But I'm not fun. Maybe, maybe, weren't we both carrying her? Or, I mean, if you want to carry her on their own, I would appreciate that. That means I could use both anus to jam with Caprice on my ukulele, but
Starting point is 00:15:34 why don't you can handle that and I'm going to jam? Sure, sure, sure. You're a gym in? It's large, it's large, it's big, it's made of wood. It's lodge, it's large,
Starting point is 00:15:48 everybody get there, it's good. That was actually pretty awful. It was pretty good. You know, I'm working on it. I'm working on it. I don't normally agree with her, but that was pretty awful. They can't all be winners, you know.
Starting point is 00:16:02 wheelchair. I like it. I thought it was very good. Thank you, Lootty. Thank you. I appreciate that. She's very low-stones. What I'm going to nest her steps forward, although he's still injured, is I will take Nora. It is my burden to bear. I failed to rescue her. I failed to do what you heroes did. So I will take her for what I can. She's not that large. No, but I can see that you're kind of hurting. I don't mind carrying her. I'm just complaining loud. because I've got people here that are just jamming on their whatever,
Starting point is 00:16:34 because I'm just literally trying to get her to like a bed or something. Well, a bed is right up at the lodge. She will be safe. I'm certain. I'll tough it out. It's okay. Are the rest of your family in the lodge? Are we expecting to meet anyone? Has it just been you cooped up in there?
Starting point is 00:16:52 Well, it is the lock feather order of hunters. Hmm. Most of us have been dispatched various areas of the Highlands here to scout out the movement of the giant kin, and that's why my sister and I were called in. So, dispatched is in like they left and went to go somewhere, not like, you know. Well, I hope for their sake, not like, oh, you know. Hmm. Well, I just was trying to understand if the lodge is empty, or if we're going to be
Starting point is 00:17:28 margin on a party or what the deal was. There will be a skeleton crew there, I'm sure. Oh, that's awful. Oh, yeah, that sounds really terrible. You house the undead in your home? No, no, I... Then I... What on earth do you mean by crew's skeletons? Anubis is not a fan.
Starting point is 00:17:47 Yeah. Of the animated dead. I only like me on my bones. I am not fan. That is more of a turn of phrase. You might want to be more clear. The turn of phrase or... A metaphor.
Starting point is 00:18:00 What's the difference? What's really the difference between the ten of a... You know, I think we started this conversation last time. Oh, maybe we did. It was a difference in an analogy and a... Yeah, yeah. Toa, we can discuss it later. No, that's what, anyway, I'm just trying to learn.
Starting point is 00:18:14 I know. It's like that saying, the shoes on the wrong foot, but the sacks don't know the difference. Right? That's a new one. I haven't heard that one before, but... But I appreciate it. Well, I tried.
Starting point is 00:18:28 many steps up tearing over you and says, my old man always said, anyone who wears socks with the loser you can just forget about. Let's fucking go. I'm sticking to listen to you. You assholes, aren't you? Yeah, let's make our way up. But I want to hear more about this lock feather group. Are they, like, a secret group? Are we invited in?
Starting point is 00:18:48 Do we need to take our shoes off? What's the deal? Being with myself and with Nora would be enough to grant you temporary passage. Normally we only let people in the order from a noble family such as the strong arms to enter, but you are with us and you've done the order an incredible service by saving Nora, who is the direct apprentice
Starting point is 00:19:16 of Hunt Master Holmholt. And it is Holmhart, H-U-L-N-H-A-R-T. Holmh-H-H-H-R-T. All in the heart. Hunt master. We appreciate your kindness, and I can promise you we won't be staying long. Well, you can stay as long as you want,
Starting point is 00:19:35 as long as it's not one of those things where it's only going to be for a little while, and then you know the friend is abused as the hospitality. It won't be wrong. Thank you. You're welcome. Thank you for all you've done. Nora here, and he kind of like pats his sister's long,
Starting point is 00:19:50 blonde hair. I will, if there is any issue, I will speak directly with, with the hunt master and will make sure you have passage. He will absolutely be there. What about these people? Because I don't, you know, not trying to be rude or anything, but I'm going to be up front and honest.
Starting point is 00:20:07 You know, we're probably going to leave them here because they're safe. It's probably not safe to take them onwards to where we're headed. I agree. I thought that was a given. They're not, we've gotten to safety. They're not a responsibility. Right, but they may be overstaying they're welcome.
Starting point is 00:20:21 They're, of course, more than welcome being with me, and especially with Rora. We can really sit down with each one of them, talk to them, understand their backstory, what their name is, and age that sort of thing. And then we'd be able to send them on whatever path they need to go. I will have depota judge each one. I think all of them were named Unicorn Kevin. You know what I thought I thought I had that. Hold on.
Starting point is 00:20:48 One gem. Hold on. I think I can find seed here real quick. Does anyone find it interesting that they're all wearing red shirts? Of course, they will be able to stay for a time. There will be plenty of food there. We are hunters. We are great at hunting the mighty elk that roam these highlands,
Starting point is 00:21:08 but they cannot stay forever. We will ensure that they are safe. And if we must, I will strongly encourage Huntmaster home to send a representative to wherever their homes there may be to escort. but they may not stay forever. We appreciate that. We just, we can't be responsible for them, and we don't want you to be either, but we appreciate all that you're doing.
Starting point is 00:21:33 Well, I'm deeply indebted to you, so I will do what I can. You're not indebted to us, it was just, we were just in the right place of the right time, it's fine. Well, this here, and he holds up the incredibly intricately hard bow, and he says, this here is worth
Starting point is 00:21:48 more than you can know to my family. Oh, don't mean, sorry. It's not, Well, let's not get ahead of ourselves. I mean, we're not averse to gifts. Well, I'm not in it. I will see what I can do. And Jamity kind of trundles ahead.
Starting point is 00:22:07 Okay, I'm fucking tired. Don't make me get out of my bowl with to hurt you, son of the bitch. No wrong fun, Gemini. Her name is. Jiminy. Jimmy, cricket. Don't call me a fucking cricket. And she pulled.
Starting point is 00:22:24 force yourself a nice drink of whiskey, we proceed to the lodge. Okay, so you, you wind through, and as you're making your way through, I won't even make you roll for it. You, you start to see almost too late had they had malcontent the hooded, cloaked figure with a long bow, a crossbow, short bow. As you see Rangers stationed all through this test, and as you are all walking, it seems to be on high alert, and then they notice Nora and they notice Nestor, and they stay their weapons. And you hear just the occasional call of a far-off bird. Oh, they must have noticed that's in the group. It looks like everything is going to be fun.
Starting point is 00:23:26 Oh, do you know these people? No, but I'm nobility. My name precedes me in most cases. That's Beatrice. She did that. I hope so. Throughout our time to the lodge, I would have taken the time for ritual or her back.
Starting point is 00:23:42 And she is... She's here, but that's not her. No, you said that to me on character, and I just didn't register. That's right. Maybe it's that frog that I sent with the message. Oh, no. That was...
Starting point is 00:23:55 That was... I don't think that frog's coming back. I mean... I mean, if you think about it, we traveled at least like... At least a week, maybe. In a frog's travel time, even if you knew where we were, we'd take him at least a month, maybe, being generous. I don't think that frog's coming back.
Starting point is 00:24:16 Oh, what's a shame. You're sorry. That would have been fabulous, though, it worked. I don't think frogs. Is that noise? It was a valiant effort. I can tell him. You see Nestor put his hand with some bird sound.
Starting point is 00:24:37 I don't know. Don't fight. All of those sounds combined into one. It's beautiful, or not all. as in a sound of acknowledgement as it starts to kind of echo through these cliffs that you're winding your way through.
Starting point is 00:24:59 The lodge grows until you, in your vision, until you arrive in the main path. You see on either side of the door, the shape of elk, a wolf, a bear, a great eagle. all sorts of animals carved in intricately. As you're approaching, you're starting to realize
Starting point is 00:25:25 every pillar and beam of support is carved with some sort of creature. And it's incredibly beautiful. Whatever this lodge was would have taken a very long time to construct. And as you approach almost as if they were leading for you, you hear it up, as the doors, massive double doors of this lodge open, and it's pulled open.
Starting point is 00:25:57 And you see in front of you a human with a long, shaggy mane of graying hair, a large scar across his face, huge, great big, bushy beard with a massive long bow and an even larger sword on his back. As he immediately locks eyes with all of you, his eyes dart to Nora. And he shook up,
Starting point is 00:26:36 Nora! What does happen to you? I'm going to rush up to him and I'm going to toss him my bag. Oh, thank you, darling. Please prepare the largest sweet And draw me a bath My joints are so tired The rest of my friends are going to need a room as well
Starting point is 00:26:52 I'm so happy you had this place prepared When is dinner But he has heard of her As soon as we say that He puts his massive hand on your face And pushes you aside Oh, rude My father will hear
Starting point is 00:27:05 I will not care who you are Nora is she okay Nestor What's how could you let us happen? Oh he's obviously speaking a different language I've riddened toe and I go, I kind of like this guy. Well, I can see while you like him, are you living vicariously through him with physical violence against Aris? What is that supposed to me?
Starting point is 00:27:26 Your words, not mine. It was obviously a mistake he tripped and fell on me, and then he's speaking a strange language none of us can understand. Yeah. Iris, I think you're going to find that names don't carry as much weight around here. I've been telling people I'm the Cestow. Oh, my God, you're still talking. Who's going to draw me about?
Starting point is 00:27:46 As you say that, this large, burly man who is about the same size as Nestor, if not a little bit larger, but considerably older, scoops up Nora. And his... Hold on, dear. Who are you?
Starting point is 00:28:04 I am home. What is my name? Homehart. Phone Fletcher. I know my own name? Do not ask question. J. are you going to resist
Starting point is 00:28:14 as he tries to grab Nora out of your head? I mean, I'm of a clan heart too. I'm of anvil heart, but hold on. We just be bad. He's with an oil in A! God! He grabs you. Hold on, me gentle. I'm going to hand it to him, but I'm going to push you aside.
Starting point is 00:28:28 His massive hand is going to push you back. She seems you mean they keep tripping all of the place. And I'm Lofti, what's going on, man? Do I give him Nora or do we make up a bath? He's grabbed. He's taken her. He's just great to them. I don't think it's a decision we made.
Starting point is 00:28:41 Okay, well, she's not. consenting, but here to go. Do not tell me what will you do? And he turns around and he runs into the lodge. And Nestor kind of looks sheepishly down. He looks incredibly embarrassed. As you see a row
Starting point is 00:28:59 of rangers all appearing, mostly human. It seems to be no more than five. There's three human, but there's actually there's one dwarf and there seem to be one wood elf among among their number as they all kind of disperse as Holmhart leaves into the lodge, carrying Nora his massive arms. And the door remains open for all of you to enter. I'm sure you dooshoes.
Starting point is 00:29:29 Grave, he's a bit of a grump, isn't he? Who is? I can think of fog up and jump into Nestor's arms and just put my arms around him and say, so do you carry me across the threshold? Immediately his face turns beat red as he blushes. And like, there's like a sparkling of like pink glitter around his face. As he's like, he kind of like covers his face and then, well I suppose if you insist. I do, I do. He carries you across the threshold as you all enter.
Starting point is 00:30:08 You back in the- Before we enter, I hand a parchment, what is, is clearly a drawn-out bathtub, and I hand it to Iris and then walks out in to lodge. I'm not quite sure what this is supposed to mean, but your doodles have no effect on the caprice.
Starting point is 00:30:24 And I throw it on the ground. I draw it when I pick it up. But this is exactly what you asked for. I asked for someone to draw me a bath. Yeah, that's... Oh, you piece of shit. What a... What a joke story.
Starting point is 00:30:40 What is... Toa. Should you carry me across the threshold? No, fuck it, I don't care. I'm just going to walk ahead. I look at toe, and then I can walk inside. And the whole party, Jammini just takes her hat and kind of her leather hat and ingest it over her face into sheer embarrassment and says, I don't know what the
Starting point is 00:31:13 frick I get myself, but I'm going to meet me at least three more freaking drinks. And she stumbles in behind all of you. as you all enter the Lock Feather Lodge. In front of you, as soon as you step in, doors shut behind you as two of these hunters are manned at the side. The doors would. Yes.
Starting point is 00:31:35 Everything is wood, a slight metal for hinges and additional support and the like, but it is a large, massive lodge made of intricately carved logs. Thank you, thank you. And you feel the incredible heat of a roaring fireplace, something that you have not, a comforting warmth that you have not felt in quite a long time. As you look across into this room, there's a massive stone fireplace, roaring fire. And the smell hits you immediately. The glistening fatty meat of a huge,
Starting point is 00:32:14 a giant bore, just glistening as it turns on a spit. in this huge fireplace. There are large staircases going up to the left and to the right. At the center of the room of this large hunting lodge, you see a sidel of a crest of an intricately woven design of what looks to be some kind of horned beast
Starting point is 00:32:47 that is this massive circular rub that has kind of been woven into this crest, which you assume to be the symbol of this lodge. There's all sorts of seeding arrangements. There's very few actual individuals enjoying themselves in this space, but there's one person manning the spit
Starting point is 00:33:11 as you get to the sense that most of the hunters are outdoing their duty. You see, that there is a railed balconies inside with a staircase leading up in a staircase leading up as well, as well as doors leading out. This is probably the largest structure that you've entered in Korabaki, as since any of you have entry. You're probably not except for you, Felix, obviously, you've been in larger buildings in the city. But as far as in your journey, the largest structure, and you hear the loud stomping footsteps of
Starting point is 00:33:50 of Huntmaster Bone Fletcher as a door slams off to the right side of the launch and Nestor beckons you all and he says he will be taking her to our sages who will hopefully be able to mend wounds that we were
Starting point is 00:34:11 unable to heal I assume that he will need to talk with her to ensure that all of the secrets that they share remain secret. Well, I assume he would need to talk to us so that, you know, if you can figure out how the hell she got in this position in the first place, right?
Starting point is 00:34:30 Like, we didn't even have a minute to introduce ourselves. Like, you just kind of took her from me and, you know, I just, anyway. Yeah, she was in pretty serious condition when we found her. And where she found, she was found, and these kinds details. We'd love to have a longer conversation than just, hey, here's Nora. Bye. Well, I assume as soon as he is certain of her safety and her health, then he will be more than happy to thank the heroes that saved her life, the life of
Starting point is 00:35:04 his prototype. Please, please stop calling us heroes. No, no, no, actually, I think that's a great word. I don't mind it. No, I think it's a wonderful, like this. Please, please. He's ignore Felix. He hid his head. Well, I've hit my head many time. I'm quite tall for these hallways, so I understand, Felix. Although you're a bit of a little guy, no offense. He lexed unintentionally, and it's like larger than your entire course of up. If he taller than Toa?
Starting point is 00:35:33 He's nearly as tall as Toa. So Toa is taller. Toa is a massive Goliath. What's your head, Toa? I understand that you might actually... Yeah, you know, back down a little bit. I'm literally feeling a walk around like this. Do the holes.
Starting point is 00:35:48 Do the little, yeah, exactly right. You don't want to crawl on a little force. It would be fine. It sounds uncomfortable to do that. Well, I will also guide these poor prisoners who we will not discuss and learn the names of it all. Up to the sage to make sure that they are well and make sure that they are fed.
Starting point is 00:36:12 Goodbye. You may speak amongst yourselves. How long would we have all? of journeyed from the Butcher's Bluffs here and then like days. And it was like a week. All right. I name each one of them saying goodbye because I would have communicated with all of them.
Starting point is 00:36:26 What are the names? Well, there's Samuel and there's Dante and there's, you know, I name each one of them in turn. It's like to come up with fucking names on the spot. There's definitely a Peyton. There's Time Wrenkers, Peyton, there's Hans, there's Cloud, there's Mina.
Starting point is 00:36:43 There's Mina. There's Milford. No. That Alphonse is a great idea. Let me tell you. As they're all guided up, and that says, please make yourself at home. This is my temporary home is also your temporary home. I will try to get an audience with the Huntmaster if that is what you wish.
Starting point is 00:37:09 I think that we would all appreciate hearing a little bit more about the history of this lodge, but also to make sure that Nora's okay. I mean, we got her this far, but I would also be concerned for her health. If we could speak to him, that'd be great. And perhaps to learn a little more about the horribly destructive force that we just saw formed now marching towards potentially the capital city. Oh, and you tell him about that. That might be recent news.
Starting point is 00:37:34 If he doesn't know anything, they may be new. They should probably all know about it. I almost knew right away. And can you find out if he's working on drawing me my bath? He didn't confirm nor deny. I would assume he is not. I apologize. We are simple hunters of meager needs.
Starting point is 00:37:53 Your customer service here is pitiful. We have a delightful bore on the spit if you would enjoy that, but that is... She won't eat that. Don't tell me I won't eat that. Goodbye. Come, come disposable prisoners. Let us go. Does he don't have the bow?
Starting point is 00:38:12 He does, yeah. Would it be all right if you kept that with us so we could do some investigating? No, it would not be all right. It's a family heir to. I will be taking this with me and providing it to Nauron. I just want to make sure that it's not, like, infected. I will ensure that it is not infected. I appreciate your concern, Herja.
Starting point is 00:38:29 Amal Hart. Are you aware that your sister talks to the boat? Yes, I am very aware. You know that Herger talks to her weapon and it's not sentient. I am, well, neither of us know that. What is that mean? She seemed very convincing. She seemed very convincing.
Starting point is 00:38:45 I talk to my, you know, my viol every once in a while. What is the definition of sentient? It doesn't mean it literally has sentience or... I walk away towards the door on the fire and just walk towards the food. I mean, if you really believe it's allowed like a stuffed animal, could that just mean it has sentient? Join me by the fire. We'll talk a little bit about intelligence,
Starting point is 00:39:06 and I'll be happy to just walk you through the Chinese room translation problem and a lot of other artificial intelligence. All like two, my, you can leave you all discussing philosophy. I'm going to curl up in the space right in front of the fire and just kind of languish there. All dogs have fleas. Oh, they do, too. All dogs have fleas. It's disgusting.
Starting point is 00:39:28 That's a pretty simple one. I mean, the song we sang earlier when we were outside may have been a little bit more advanced than I realized. Let's start simple and then we can work our way up. It's my tuning song, but if you want to tune in like a full flitch song. Oh, no, I would say, you know, I was thinking if you're at 101 level, we would start at the basic like tunes and then we'd work our way up. over time, that kind of thing. That's funny. Just you can teach me, and we've got plenty of time.
Starting point is 00:39:50 All right. We start talking about AI while I start tuning like hot cross buns over the fire. And I also get very close to the fire. It really warms me and uncomfortably close. I should be burned by it, but I'm not because of my hellish resistance. You see Caprice almost like fall into the fire, right? One of you tries to get close. and it is uncomfortably hot as Caprice is just relishing.
Starting point is 00:40:20 It's just the blazing heat of this massive fire, this roasting, this gigantic boar. You see a young human female just kind of turning this spit as its legs are bound together. It's turning, and it seems to just the fat is glistening off of it. The smell is emanating to the entire structure. It smells fucking amazing. Oh, hey, let me help you with that.
Starting point is 00:40:46 I start turning the other side of this bit just to give her more help. Thank you. I appreciate that. Sure. So as we're all gathered around here, I figure I ask, Lufty on a scale of one to ten, how comfortable are you in turning into like a roasted marshmallow? What? Well, okay, I'll just take that as a no. Are you threatening to kill you? You are.
Starting point is 00:41:13 He is, a shit's a turn to me. What? No, I would just say it would be a joke because you're like an air genocene-assie and stuff. And that like toasted marshmallows are kind of like a thing. Oh, because they're like air-puffed marshmallows. You mean because I'm so sweet? Yeah. Yeah. You know, I love the dude and whatever the fuck your name is.
Starting point is 00:41:34 I don't think that's what you fucking meant. That because of just a drunk ugly bumbele so shut your mouth. How's good? No, I'll do whatever the fuck you pay me to do. It keeps more of that good shit coming from your hometown. How much we got that left, by the way? I've been rationing. I'm very, oh, shit, no, we're almost empty.
Starting point is 00:41:56 Oh, no. Well, we're going to have to think about that. Maybe they have some alcohol here, and we could barter. Go kill a bore for them or something. That sounds like a fucking sidequist, and I don't think we have time in its monthly campaign for that. Well, we could just say we did that. and then we'd be fat.
Starting point is 00:42:17 If they had any whiskey land around and I don't just fucking steal up. Well, we want to be good and hoot, like, yes, here. You know, we're not a deal. Do you have any whiskey that our friend could have or we could pay for it? Figure out helping you with a stamp
Starting point is 00:42:31 if you could give us some bullets. She looks at you, and she looks a little confused. He's got this kind of tied back red hair and freckles with bright green eyes and she kind of looks confused in a strange dwarf, not really doing much. Your hand is on the other side.
Starting point is 00:42:48 There's not an actual hand on the other side. Your hand is on it and is just kind of turning. I'm pretty strong, so I got thick fingers. And she's usually goes, thick-affed fingers in order to turn this business. And she looks at you and says, we do have a store of alcohol for sure, yes. Where could we find out?
Starting point is 00:43:09 You should ask the hunt master. He is the curator of the alcohol. He enjoys it quite a lot. Okay, so, yeah, he just took off with someone that we just saved without really getting to know us, but you don't have to have, like, a tavern or, like, a bar we could buy from. He controls all the alcohol. I mean, this is not an establishment for exchange. We are all part, we are all family here.
Starting point is 00:43:34 Yes, absolutely. Tell us a little bit more about Old Fletch. Is he, what kind of guy is he? What are his likes? What are his dislikes? Is he in a relationship? Is he out of a relationship? relationship? What's his deal?
Starting point is 00:43:47 He does not speak of his lost love, but he is a very kind and benevolent huntmaster, and he is the wisest teacher you any ranger could possibly hope to have. And he's been
Starting point is 00:44:03 Huntmaster here for some time, it seems like. Many years. Many years. Decades. He did seem to care a lot about Nora, and I can respect that. He has been grooming Nora as his replacement for some time. It's why we've had
Starting point is 00:44:19 why she's been here this entire time. And Nestor only recently arrived and he's quite not a skill but his sister. She kind of looks down awkwardly. He told us the same. I think he's self-aware enough to know that about himself.
Starting point is 00:44:36 But he seems like a very genuine guy. He is, he means very well. I worry for his safety if he was out blown and then came across a troll or some other sort of beast. Yeah, he'd be in real trouble if something like that happened. I can see that for sure. It would be, I don't doubt that he is able to be helpful, but compared to Nora, I don't think so. Nestor didn't tell us, do you have spare rooms here? Are we all going to have to share a room?
Starting point is 00:45:12 You may have to double up. We have rooms with a number of bunk beds. You may all fit into a single room. I have a very important question. Do you have ice cream Sundays here? No. He puts his head of his hands. Oh, I was, for some reason,
Starting point is 00:45:27 I thought that was like a local specialty. I must be mistaken. We have the meat that we kill and we roast it over a fire. It's acceptable. And we have the alcohol that Huntmaster curates himself. That is what we're.
Starting point is 00:45:42 we have, and we have, when we can get things like bread, we enjoy that and mostly just meat that we kill ourselves. The pilgrims demand more greens. Greens, we don't care. We wear green. We don't eat any plants, I mean. Do you like get in like forage for the truffles? We'll get some fungus and some berries when we can find it, but our, you know,
Starting point is 00:46:12 Prime source of nutrients is the meat that we eat. The bone marrow and the flesh. We're not going to get into nutrition here. We don't have enough time for that. It's a Friday night. God damn. Oh, you're right. Why don't we go to the important thing?
Starting point is 00:46:30 Go amongst yourselves like and stuff. Well, that was a hell of a thing that we saw when we were at the top of that bunch of fluff. Can we talk a little bit about that guys? How's Beatrice? Why did I wish you? for her? She's fine. I thank you for asking. She's, you know, I, she's magic, so she's fine. I just, I don't like sending her on, on those dangerous, you know, missions. She's willing to do it,
Starting point is 00:46:55 but I don't like, I don't like to ask that of her. Well, she's okay. She's fine. She's fine. Does she have, like, flea will, or do you make her those things? Well, that's a great question. I guess I've never really thought of it before. I, I mean, she's magic so I can make her do anything, but I wouldn't do that. I mean, you know, she's Beatrice. So you ask her? Politely, yeah, I, I, I talk to her, yeah. And is she, is she sentient?
Starting point is 00:47:26 Out of character. I actually have no idea. Yes. Yeah, I mean, yeah, she has her own thoughts and ideas and we can converse. How long have you been conversing with Beatrice? Oh, I mean, I kind of always just, had a gift for magic, I suppose, and learning. So she's been with you since you were a kid. Been a while, yeah.
Starting point is 00:47:48 I mean, that's a very special relationship. I apologize for sending her off into the nothingness and for everything that happened. I thought it was a good idea at the time, but... I mean, she's used to it. She does these things. You don't join the army and get into, you know, trouble without expecting there to be a little bit of danger.
Starting point is 00:48:05 In this country, birds can join the army. I guess through the extension of the army, To me, yes. That's so strange. What customs are unlike anything I've ever seen? Did you have a rank? I'd rather not discuss it, if you don't mind. Oh, that's fine, I just would refer to Beatrice by extension as the same rank.
Starting point is 00:48:26 It'd be like Lieutenant Beatrice or Colonel. We ran away. I mean, it's not, I'm not a part of the Army, and I think it's best we just don't talk about it. Okay, but that's fine. I'm, you know, discretion to you want to do. I think that means that he was at like the lowest. That's sort of where I was... He'd rather not talk about it.
Starting point is 00:48:46 He said, I wouldn't want to talk about to side the two. Even if he had a rank, it wouldn't matter at this point. Anyway, I apologize. I'm sorry, and yeah, no, I... No offense taken. It's fine, it's fine. I mean, that's what she's here to help. She's always looked after me. It's... She cares.
Starting point is 00:49:04 Better be known, I would never let you send Dakota ahead to scout out for anything. Dakota doesn't have legs. I was doing the same thing. But he's got, like, the magic stuff that could probably make her fly. So she could... I don't know.
Starting point is 00:49:18 If it's an enemy, actually... I like flipped through my spellbook. I could picture it animating. I think I saw that in a movie called Beetlejuice one. I saw that too. Yeah. Yeah, that's the one.
Starting point is 00:49:30 What the fuck is a movie? It's the opposite of staying still. It's a movie. It's a movie. Oh, thank you. We're going for a horny. skinny boy? I'm pretty gorny, let's say.
Starting point is 00:49:46 I know, I can see it. Right there. What do we make of this ritual that we witnessed? What do we make of this legion that appears to be uniting large-scale creatures of all types and shapes and normally hate each other, normally selfish, normally that sort of thing?
Starting point is 00:50:05 Listen, as it so happens to be, as I probably have already mentioned, I'm going to the capital regardless. It just so happens that it looks like all of these creatures are heading in that direction. I don't know what's going to happen when this army reaches Zentra. But we're talking about the military here. I mean, they're prepared. They are massive.
Starting point is 00:50:28 They are absurdly powerful. And again, with all of what I thought, the beast plague not being a real thing, and now we see this strange convergence of magic and transformations and things. You know, it's going to be bloody. I can't imagine they're going to Zentra for any good reason. No, I don't think they're going there in the trade. It's going to be a massacre, one way or another.
Starting point is 00:50:54 Yeah, I mean, no, there were hundreds of those things. I mean, I appreciate that Zentra may be well defended and well fortified, but man, it could get really ugly. I'm not looking to do the military favors. I'm not suggesting we give them a heads up. Trust me, but I am worried about potentially my brother being in the capital. Well, yeah, and there are also the many tens of thousands of citizens who would live in a city that size. Of course.
Starting point is 00:51:20 They don't have any control over. I mean, we may be the only people who have witnessed us ritual and have seen the Legion going in the direction that they're going. And we can get word out to them at the very early leaves. That would be a favor. Now, I don't know for sure. And I was hoping to discuss with Nestor at least a little bit because I don't want him risking his. people's safety in the lodge of safety, but it wouldn't surprise me if the military was doing some sort of Massive reconnaissance
Starting point is 00:51:47 Just in light of things that we're aware of Reconnaissance is far out from I just wouldn't put it past them and I don't want Nestor to be unaware And if it if it means me having to also talk to Holmhart I will even though he seems Rather grumpy, but I don't I don't want to lie to them and I'd rather them not be questioned by the military and have them Tell them that we were here I'm willing to give Holnard a second chance
Starting point is 00:52:12 He showed up And he glanced at us And then he saw Nora in the state that she was in He was pretty flustered in that moment He may be a benevolent nice guy Like our skittner over here I just want to let Nestor know first And ask him what he thinks is best
Starting point is 00:52:27 I don't want to assume Well we're going to have to talk to him anyway About the booze because I can't stay here that much longer Okay I'm with the fucking boo chick I mean honestly if we could get hands on a little bit now and then a little bit later. I'd be happy to pay for it. I mean, we did find a substantial amount of gold in that, uh, in that, uh, bluff there.
Starting point is 00:52:48 Well, I think my question is, what connection does this family have to all of this? Because, honest, you, you saw some kind of way out of character. Did we see Steve? No, okay. They had like a conversation. Then I think that, I mean, they're just going to sit here all these terrible beasts. The capital can deal. the support of these ranges I agree with you assuming that they'll want more information from us, maybe they'll tell us what they plan to do
Starting point is 00:53:19 and we can either look I don't want to tag along we need to get to the capital but if maybe they want to come with us that's fine they seem capable. I mean their whole bag appears to be hunting these beasts but they're transformed so that's a new introduction and also there are hundreds of them.
Starting point is 00:53:36 I mean I only saw a few people out and I don't know how many got sent out into the into the world. It could be quite a number. And if there's a serious force here, then there's a serious force here, and that's great. But if not, then they're hopelessly outmatched. They might be able to defend themselves, but not much else. So if I learned anything, based that the secret path to a man is through his stomach. So I think everyone should help me cut this damn bore up.
Starting point is 00:54:05 And we feed it to him. We're knock on his door and like, hey, Nora's got a fuck. and eat, right? So you're going to come out here with her, we're going to feed her, we're going to feed him, and then we're going to talk to him. We did, we, we requested audience. I think that we're going to start helping her slice the board. If you just give him time,
Starting point is 00:54:21 he'll come back out. I don't want to press, they're being very generous. Are you planning to put a bib on him and play mini airplane? No, but I definitely want to play some pancake. What the fuck is an airplane? It's similar to an air denazis. There's a whole plane.
Starting point is 00:54:39 of air, you've not heard of it? I've heard of the airplay. You know what? I see this chick and she does air to things. That's all I can fucking got. I've got a guts of this. I got a... It's a little bit.
Starting point is 00:54:54 I guess fucking so. That's true be told that. One likes whiskey, the other likes Budweiser. That's the simple. That's the distinct characters. Anyways. Are we going to cut up this fucking boy?
Starting point is 00:55:08 Hey, hey. little girl over there. And she's like, yes. Her eyes have been on Jammini. Not really sure how to act with a fucking bug pair, just to know. Which, you know, that
Starting point is 00:55:22 one of the primary, there are three primary antagonistic forces. And you know that one was an ogre clan, you know that one was a hill giant tribe, and the other was a gobletoid host, which she used to belong to, that did not agree to the gift of the
Starting point is 00:55:39 Horn Legion. And so she, he's kind of looking, been eyeing Jamity and she's turning the spit. And, uh, yes. Well, I'll help you out. No worries. Don't worry about Jamie. She's all right. I mean, have you heard the stories about Bug Bear sneaking around in the night and just hear about that little girl? And he said, uh, yeah, yeah, no, I have, but we'll cut it out, Jamney. We killed a lot of bug, but we've killed a lot of bug, we've killed.
Starting point is 00:56:12 Kill the Otobug Bears. I'm sure you fucking have, but most of us are a bunch of lazy drunk hoops, not like me. No. That is a lot like me, isn't it? You don't seem to be very lazy. I mean, you really, you know, when the time comes to whip it, you whip it good.
Starting point is 00:56:31 Da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da. You might be a situation. I don't give it to first. Please think I still have some. You have, absolutely. For the log as well, for the long. I've managed to get inspiration for that. Oh, thank you.
Starting point is 00:56:45 I generally have not given much inspiration, but you've, oh, hope. Do I pin directly here, or maybe bleeding, it's fine. Do I have one? I hope I don't. Do I have one, or do I, does it, it does it, it caps up one? It caps at one, yeah.
Starting point is 00:56:58 I'm not that benevolent. Are you all right? So with that, she said, okay, what's your fucking plan, Dorfie? Big guys? I'm going to hail from her. That's more like it. I'm gonna help her cut the board. If you want to help out, that'd be great. Maybe you could hold a spit on this side and you can start carving. Can we normally carve your meat over the spit or you take it somewhere else and do it?
Starting point is 00:57:25 You normally take it off the fucking spit. Oh, we just eat it right off back at home. That sounds about fucking right, but I assume these folk don't do that. Zara, well, we're going to the, to the, let me have... Okay. You just can't tell me to tell me to tell you... And the two of us we could handle. You help her move the massive bore. And both of you, Toa and her and Pras and yeah, no. Jametian Capriest are just kind of watching, hanging out.
Starting point is 00:58:00 As Hergia and Toa help this girl lift this massive, roasted boar, now I'm just finished roasting, back through one of the doors on the ground floor into this large kitchenish kind of area. There's a massive granite slab. She drops it down on, with your help, pulls out the spitz, glistening golden boar. She goes to this long row of cutlery.
Starting point is 00:58:26 Now, hold on. I may not know much about me. Well, we have to let this rest for at least 15 minutes before we start carving. Otherwise, the juices are there. It's going to spread. You know the more about better than it. Never wrong.
Starting point is 00:58:36 I'm fine. I'm all. Well, I mean, this is my first time on this job. I don't know how to cook. Oh, I mean, I mean, Geraldine was her cook, and she's off on a mission and that, so I'm just, I'm here helping. Let me take the cutler, yeah.
Starting point is 00:58:54 I'll happily do it. I'm usually good at most. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt. You guys set your cook out? Mm-hmm. How badly are you hurting for hunters? We need all of the, the experienced hunters that we can get. There's those rookies left at the lodge. Where did they go?
Starting point is 00:59:12 they wouldn't follow the Horn Legion and the rock guts and the boulder mills. So what would you do if the lodge was attacked? Well, I don't know. Hopefully it won't be attacked. I mean, what's going to attack the lodge? They're all heading northwardly. Can I roll a perception check in case I hear anything that may be in pending doom?
Starting point is 00:59:40 He may attempt if herds are trying to listen out for danger, feel free to roll that. 12. You don't hear shit. All right, let's get back to carve I attempt to carve the bore and as expertly as I can't. She hands you, make a dexterity
Starting point is 00:59:57 check? Is it not a cooking check? I would say sleight of hand would be. Slight of hand, you know what? I buy it. I buy it. Fine. Why not? I'm not proficient. I'm not gaming. I'm just That would be what I would choose. And that will be a 19. I'm not bleeding all the way. 19.
Starting point is 01:00:13 You see Capri. take this long knife like it is the feast day of Saluna and Golpica and just slicing off meat like as if and he just
Starting point is 01:00:31 be glisting and dicing he's slicing and dicing the just this glistening fatty meat of this bore it smells even more enchanting now that it's being sliced by this this this carving knife that Caprice is expertly, deftly wielding.
Starting point is 01:00:49 And there's platter upon platter upon platter of different cuts of different sides that Caprice, you know. You know from being part of a large Galtican family. Pork is definitely... And I've seen it done on the street. I mean, people do this to attract people. They put like a big fan behind the board and blow it out into the street, get couple of customers, that kind of thing.
Starting point is 01:01:13 I would like to flip my husband. Fogu de chow to yes, I heard the meat. The glistening fatty meat. Oh, no, no. So there are, there are, you sufficiently, Caprice, you carve, boy. It takes you probably a good hour. This is, this beast is fucking massive.
Starting point is 01:01:38 And despite how well you were holding your expertise. I said I would fucking do it. I mean, if you want to take the bag, We could cut that time in half. Well, I'll take the back. She takes the back, let me tell you. And it is, it still takes an hour. Oh, yeah.
Starting point is 01:01:54 Hersje, make it just straight dexterity or a sleigh of hand check, why not? Because we could have used. We knew I don't want to. Ah, four. It is not cut down the time at all. Everything that Herge does is incredibly butchered. And jacket.
Starting point is 01:02:09 You really did just do this right off the spit. It's like the way my dad talking. You know, we're going to have to, let's take up this plate of meat now that we're done to see if we can maybe work our way into the heart of Homehart. Yeah, let's do it. All right, anyone else coming with our Jedi?
Starting point is 01:02:29 I suppose I'll tag along. I need to speak with Master. I'm coming. We all go. I'm sorry you're not getting your bath. No, no, no, no, no. Hold on, Skinny. You had some fucking wish.
Starting point is 01:02:46 Oh, there you go. She tucks it like a bottle of whiskey that she had this young girl I just kind of pulled up. She just yanks it out of her hand, takes a plate, and gives you a little half salute and it's like, I'll do whatever you want, you know what to fucking find me?
Starting point is 01:03:03 And she kind of just stumbles out into the large rooms that's in front of the fire and start just devouring this point. We'll just fill it up with water later. You won't know the difference. I used to do it growing up all the time. We won't tell him that you store that. That whiskey's pretty much gone.
Starting point is 01:03:19 We're talking to the young lady. Yeah, the young lady. We'll just fill it up with wine. I mean, you know, I know what bug bears can do, so that'll be fine. Okay. Just make sure she doesn't catch on fire when she's right there, you know.
Starting point is 01:03:30 One ember, and a bug bear would just go up instantly. I don't say I'll risk any of my safety to save her. I can tell you that the smell would be atrocious. That sounds awful. Why would you tell me? I just, I don't want anything to happen with this beautiful lodge. I'll keep an eye on her, I guess. For the best.
Starting point is 01:03:50 Her? Him? This is a great question. I mean, I never asked. Me either. No, I think she, when we first met her, she said that she was a female bugby. I've just been rather focused. I didn't even think about it.
Starting point is 01:04:05 It's not my note. It's my understanding, at least, perhaps. I'm incorrect, but that's what I would be assuming. Let's make our way upstairs. See if we might be able to get an audience. I'll take the carved meat. Can you grab some, why don't you guys grab something like drink? It could just be water.
Starting point is 01:04:24 It doesn't have to be alcoholic, but we don't know anything. Not far to watch this down. I'm not far like a jug of water. Okay, you find a jug of water. We make our way up to where we think he is. Okay, you find a large junk effortlessly. And you find out to where he is, and you see Nestor, this long hallway where their doors all through.
Starting point is 01:04:44 at the left, these thick wooden doors. And you see Nestor leaving a room in the center, off to the side where you believe these sages. And Nestor's leaving, and... Hey, Nestor, can I interest you in a chop? I am very ravenous. Very ravens. Oh, are we, are we staying quiet?
Starting point is 01:05:08 He grabs a piece of me, and he just tiggled his bare hands. And just like, oh, no, one more, one more. Okay. That's good. Huntmaster Bonefletcher and Nora are discussing. She wakes and she's being tended to by a sage. She'll live. They could potentially use.
Starting point is 01:05:38 I am not going to interrupt them. Oh, I will, and I walk up and knock on the door. Okay, goodbye. He runs. He sprints. I want to run after Nest. Okay. Nestor, wait, please.
Starting point is 01:05:49 and he'll run down, you just takes after him. As you do that, Hirshah, you bang on the door, and after probably about 20 seconds, the door opens, the looming figure, the shaggy gray beard, the scarred face looking down at you of a Huntmaster,
Starting point is 01:06:15 Loebacher, looking down, he says. Is it supper time? Oh, yeah, for sure. We just finished cutting this up nice and fresh right off the hot off the spike there. And, you know, we guarantee freshness and goodness out of this. Actually, Nestor just ran away with some. We actually had to pry it out of his hands, make sure he didn't need all of it. We wanted to save some for you.
Starting point is 01:06:39 And we heard Nora was okay. So we figured we'd come by and give some. Yeah, if either of you need some nutrition, he leans down, puts both of his hands on his knees. He realizes he's, like, lower than Toa at this point. but look to the rest of you. Just saved my Laura. Yeah, I mean, I carried her all the way here, so we sure as bailed it.
Starting point is 01:07:04 She was caged and we released it. Come in, come in. We shall enjoy it all together. Oh, yes. We all watch it. You all walk in and you see a person in these simple green robes, long, kind of this coppery skin, long, slender, eel, ears, long brown hair tied back into a ponytail.
Starting point is 01:07:30 And Holmarth beckons, it's female a wood elf, you probably recommend a Wadolph, beckons her and says, "'I'm Nora is fine for now. I appreciate everything you have done. Now go rest and enjoy the boar that is down in the kitchen. I'm sure Elise will tell everyone that is ready. Go eat! And then the elf woman nods and bows to the hot master and makes her leave.
Starting point is 01:08:05 Did I catch the Wood Elf name? Never said that name. Elise seemed to be the young girl. That's what I got, but I didn't think I got the Wood Elf name. Correct. Thank you. You did not get the Wood Elf name. And he rips the plate of meat from you and stops.
Starting point is 01:08:23 and stops over to, you see in a very large bed, seemingly small in this bed is the tiny human form of Nora, resting peacefully in a very kind of soft pastel green nightgown, in this plush bed, resting on these enormous pillows that kind of dwarf her, her size. And she's, her eyes are kind of just half open. And she's looking around.
Starting point is 01:09:02 And she looks at all of you. And you see, propped up against her bed, is the strong bow. Very close in reach to her. And she looks at all of you and says, are the ones that kill Thogar. Yes, that's us. We found you.
Starting point is 01:09:31 Well, one's missing. He went after Nestor. Well, most of us, it's most of us. Hello? Should we introduce ourselves? She probably doesn't know. I would appreciate that, yes. We traveled with you three days.
Starting point is 01:09:44 She was on top. She was on top. She was really good. Hi, my name is Capriccio de Sesto. It's a pleasure to meet you for a reel for the first time, I guess. you can call me Caprice. I'll let everyone else introduce themselves rather than step on their toes
Starting point is 01:09:59 in his way. I'm Herjia, Anne Boehart, and we fought for you and we freed you, and I carried you here on my back for like a week. My name is Tella, and I helped carry you here sometimes when she got tired or didn't feel like it. But she
Starting point is 01:10:15 felt like it most of the time, so it wasn't that often. I'm going to use my feline agility and I'm going to basically rush to her. I'm going to put my hand on her. I'm not sure if she remember me, darling. It is with Anubis's blessing. He should not pass into the afterlife. I'm going to feel her temperature.
Starting point is 01:10:40 Your skin is feeling better. I'm glad to say it, darling. It is. Please rest, more. She grabs your, your paw. You're like a paw, right? Yes. A paw.
Starting point is 01:10:50 A paw hand. A paw hand. A paw hand. A furry hand. A furry claw. What's, is it? What's the difference between Paul's head and a henish claw? What is the different teeth?
Starting point is 01:11:00 I'm finally manicured nails. You have these very long manicured cat claws, but like painted into the fire. Are they obsessed? You could see the tips of them. You see the tips of them, and you notice that you've seen her extend them, and there's this beautiful color of gold, maybe.
Starting point is 01:11:17 Oh, yes. A gleaming gold that you would have seen, and she kind of grabs onto your furry paw. She looks at you and says, I thank you for reuniting me with the strong bow. And you can see the kind of, there have been a weakness to her voice that any time you had heard her speak, especially when you had first found her, that has gone, you understand that despite her smaller stature, that she is, there is a strength in this young woman.
Starting point is 01:11:48 And she kind of lets go of your head. And she reaches over and she pleases over and she pleases. just a hand gently on the top of the long bong as she looks at all of you and oh and this is Lufty is also with us yeah I yeah I didn't carry you I guess I could have but I just I didn't but I was there it was to see I can confirm it would have been quite the process to carry me for all of you so I I appreciate the stronger of you did. And you hear Master Holmhart allow.
Starting point is 01:12:34 Yes, the ones that are the biggest muscles are obviously the strongest. Is that right? The Dwarfins of Goliath? I suppose, I suppose. Where's the skinny man that came in with you? Well, he's with Natchez. Is you too right to commit home hard?
Starting point is 01:12:54 Bones bleacher. To be honest, I have no idea where he is. He went after Nestor. He just sort of turned around and darted. I couldn't stop him in touch. Skinny boy was a sweet boy. Very fitting. Okay, welcome.
Starting point is 01:13:05 I will enjoy some pork. And he will continue to eat. And you'll all sit down. And meanwhile, Felix, you were chasing after Nestor. He arrives down to right in front of the fire as Nestor is, places his hand on one of the large stoves. and make up hearth, as he's just kind of wiping his brow, this, let have this large sigh.
Starting point is 01:13:32 Nester, are you all right? Oh, oh, Felix! I thought you were going to meet with Nora. I intend to. I just, I wanted to talk to you first. You've been so gracious, and, you know, it seems like it's only right that I talk to you before I talk to Homehart,
Starting point is 01:13:54 and I suppose I was looking for some sort of advice. I got to ask you a question, though. I know we're pretty far from Zentra, but you haven't seen, or any of your hunters haven't seen any of the Korvachian military out this far, have you? Corvachian military, I wish. We've seen the occasional patrol, but it's been coming more and more sparse as the Horn Legion seems to rally their forces. I don't know why they are controlling less, although
Starting point is 01:14:32 normally I would say I don't welcome their iron fist, but now is it dark time that I would... I'd say it gladly appreciate. But they have been few and far between, I will say. Well, you all seem like
Starting point is 01:14:52 good people and and I wouldn't feel right if I didn't tell you the truth. I just, if you see the Kovaki military or anyone comes around, I need you to pretend like you never saw us. He kind of narrowed his eyes a little bit, strokes, long, uh, red mustache than he has. Why do you expect the military would come all the way up here to our launch? I don't necessarily expect that they would. I, I, I hope that they wouldn't, but you never know. And, and I, and I, and I, and, I, you know, and I don't want to risk your safety or the safety of my friends or any of these people here. They're just innocent people, and I just think it would be better for everybody if you forgot you saw us, particularly me.
Starting point is 01:15:40 Well, if that day ever comes, I will say I'd never met, Ophelis Ackerman. I have never once said my last name. Oh, Aphelix. Not even to Toa. Oh, to Felix. I appreciate that. And you have to say your first name. Yes, yes.
Starting point is 01:16:02 I have only ever divulged my first name in game. And I just, I wouldn't feel right staying here if we also didn't tell Holnardt. He seems like he runs things. He does run things in his way. I don't want him to kick us all out if he finds out that he's potentially harboring a criminal, but it's for good reason. I don't think he will. We don't particularly care for the long talent of the military.
Starting point is 01:16:37 We do things on our own, and we do things according to our ways, our ancient ways, our old ways. The ways of the ranger, the ways of the hunter, not to their totalitarian brutality. brutality. Well, if you want to tell him, that's fine. If you're not comfortable talking to him, I'd be happy to do it. It's fine. I would relay the message. I appreciate.
Starting point is 01:17:07 I appreciate the warning of you. I truly do. And I appreciate everything that you and your friends have done for my sister. It's the least we could do. Like I said, we were just in the right place and the right time. And due to that, divine providence, I still draw breath. Otherwise, I would have been killed by a lonely river strong. My family line would have died with me in shame.
Starting point is 01:17:36 I appreciate you and your friends and even the bug bear that you care with you. He kind of glanced over his shoulder at Jammin who's just shoving pork down her throat and just pounding back all manner of beer and liquor that she has. Well, that's all I wanted to say. I guess I'll just let myself into Home Hearts Chambers. That's where your friends are, yes. All right, thank you, and I'll just walk back. You walk back to the rest of you,
Starting point is 01:18:08 hanging back to the rest of you. Nora managed to eat some of this pork herself, and she's a little bit of energy returns, a little bit of life returns to her cheeks as her kind of her long blonde hairs is flowing out onto these pillows that she's dressed up upon. And you can see that this simple
Starting point is 01:18:30 kind of pastel green nightgown that she has is kind of clinging her entire body, not leaving much skin exposed at all. And she's just looking at you and says, what do you intend to do now? I think that's a good question. I mean, it sounds like you all know about the whole legion, is that right?
Starting point is 01:18:57 based on what the hot night messers said or there's a hut master there with that? I'm still here, yes. Oh, I'm concerned to you. So we heard downstairs that most of you are out either stalking or tracking the whole Legion. What do you know about? Yes, all the veterans are outtracking the whole Legion.
Starting point is 01:19:17 We have always the rookies here. But as I am here, I am stronger than ten of those veterans. I should make up the difference. What could possibly... What could any one ranger, or even a few rangers or a dozen rangers, what could they do against such a massive force? They will keep in awe on them.
Starting point is 01:19:43 Follow the movements. As they make surveys through the past, past butcher's bluff into the clockwood that sprawls towards Zentra. We must finally, as much as it makes me, stick to my stomach. Coordinate with those dogs
Starting point is 01:20:04 of the military. We must warn them. We must warn the people. Despite what I feel about their tactics, the Korovacians people are my people. They are my blood. I was born here. I was raised here. I lived here.
Starting point is 01:20:24 I can guarantee I would die. How long have you enough guys known about this Legion? It seems like a pretty fresh union across the different groups. And fresh it is. Extra fresh. It's fresher than this pork, even.
Starting point is 01:20:49 Even more fresher than that, yes. Oh, dear God, how long has that been on the spit? It's came up out of nowhere. We have scouts into the forest since he's beastmen. Is it been just weeks? Has it been a year? How long would you say you've been months? It's been months.
Starting point is 01:21:06 Oofta. because we First we thought that We've heard the tales of the beast plague Thought it was simply just a tale Fairy tales Told them A useful tool of the government
Starting point is 01:21:20 To help keep people Align Until we saw the results See town after town In the forest Yeah Turning to beasts themselves Joining the Iron Legion
Starting point is 01:21:36 making them larger and large. The ones that survived, that is. The ones that weren't slothed like cattle. Are you aware that it's not just ogres and giants and they're not just coming together
Starting point is 01:21:54 and doing one of these and then moving on that are totally... What are you talking about doing one of these? I walk up. What's the Dillon. CIA's got you pushing too many pencils.
Starting point is 01:22:11 Sorry. Those are my cookies. Put it down. It's not a Duma. No, I mean, are you aware that they're being transformed? That the hornedness as, as, is actually some sort of magical
Starting point is 01:22:31 original type operation. Toa can describe it in full. He was the one who saw the whole thing. Yes, they would, they would. Have you done this? There was a giant. And I speak giant. I'm loosely related to giants.
Starting point is 01:22:44 And the big boy. As you can see, I'm very big boy, yes. I don't have horns, or I don't have fur, I don't have hooves. I'd advise you would not be standing here alive. Yes, and I think that would be fair, because those are things.
Starting point is 01:22:57 Those are terrible things. And there were these bull creatures that we saw, and they were granting this power to the giants and the ogres and they were transforming them before eyes covering them in fur
Starting point is 01:23:15 and they were growing in size and they were growing horns and becoming far, I'm assuming, far more powerful than they were before and that's why I think that this is even beyond
Starting point is 01:23:27 this just is merely giants and ogres trying to attack a city this is far beyond that they're probably 10, 20, 30 times stronger. I had never heard of the giant king joining the ranks.
Starting point is 01:23:44 I knew what they were doing to the Korovachian villagers. I knew they was raiding, slaughtering the ones that survived, becoming mad, growing fur, and horns, and wandering into the forest. But if it is true, what you say, as they've fouled. Foul ochres and giants have joined in their ranks. We truly made beyond the past doom. What can we do to help? I must leave you now.
Starting point is 01:24:26 You protect my dear Nora. She is the last of my sacred duty. Where are you going? I am going to go and talk to those who must talk to. to. She must stay here. I must stay here. It is our duty. It was a foolish choice to allow her to go and investigate. I regret it. I regretted every single day she was gone. I must stay here. She must stay here. What are you saying, skinny boy? You know, you call a lot of people skinny boy. I do, but no, mainly you. Oh, I mean, I don't know how you guys are. There's two of me. There's one boy
Starting point is 01:25:15 who is not so skinny. No, I appreciate that I'm the skinniest boy. However, I just, ignore it going alone seems like the problem here. I'm not here to tell you your business, but, you know, if you, you have, like, sort of a buddy system,
Starting point is 01:25:30 and she'd gone with Nestor, or the, I don't know, there's probably traditions and stuff, but like, if you just, impair people and then he's, like, walks over to you, and leans down. Even,
Starting point is 01:25:50 you're a fiend, welcome in my home. Here we go. Because you have done a great service to my dear Nora. You have no idea the sacred chart I and now her. You cannot comprehend such a thing. Give it a shot. I'm all-
Starting point is 01:26:19 I will not. It is not for you to know. He stands back up. I must go. You enjoy this pork. Nora, you tell someone they must leave. You have the power here, not them.
Starting point is 01:26:39 Goodbye. He stops out, leans down, opens the door, steps through, slams the door behind him. Does Nora awake? She heard all of? She's awake. Nora, what do you make of all this?
Starting point is 01:26:55 I mean, if I were you, then my dad told me not to do something. I'm not saying he's your dad. I'm just saying, if I told me, like, Now Persia, I don't need you going out and drinking all that moonshine with your buddies at 3 a.m. in the morning, you got school tomorrow. I'd be like, fuck you, dad. I'm going to go drink out anyway. And then I would never tell him about it. I just escape out the window, come back in, you know. He snores louder than Ma does. So, you know, he definitely wouldn't hear any of that. So would you make of all this. Would you, we would definitely, I feel like, you know, with that bow and it's an heirloom and I don't want to put you in danger, but, you know, she could make a valid ally in all of this mess that's going on. right now. We could really use all the help we could get. Yeah, I'm feeling I'm really out in something with the buddy system.
Starting point is 01:27:37 And as soon as that happens, Felix, you pass, the door opens you're making your way to the hallway. And you see the large form of Holmhart. And he looks at you and says, go join your friends if you must sign busy. And he just walks right past you. And he stops past you. You manage to make your way into the room, right, as Caprice.
Starting point is 01:28:01 and the buddy system is happening. If it's any consolation, my buddy system's right here, it's worked out pretty well. Yeah. Yeah. I'm the only person that doesn't have a buddy.
Starting point is 01:28:13 No, I thought you had a friend. Yeah, you've got a Luffy. Don't insult me. Jinks, you're maddened. You're so sure. We were from the best friends. I heard you. I heard you.
Starting point is 01:28:23 Don't go back on it now. I'm trapped out. I told me to keep that quiet lofty. That's a secret between the team, that's a secret. But when you love somebody, you have to shout it from the mountain tops, yeah? And we're like up here on a mountain lodge, so why not shout it?
Starting point is 01:28:39 I think I'm sick. I need to get to my room. See if there's beds. He's love sick. I don't think he's found it. Love sick. All the while, I'm sitting on the bed next to Nora, basically, just still checking on her. Yeah, so you are, you're the closest one to Norm. Absolutely.
Starting point is 01:28:58 She's kind of still holding on cursorily. one hand on the strong bow, another hand on your palm, as she looks at you. All of you is Felix now entering, the entire party. And Nora all entered as she looks at all of you, and she says, I was a fool for thinking I could go alone, for abandoning my duty and leaving it, to hunt master bone Fletcher. But I doubt any of you have a sacred duty. as important as the one that I bear
Starting point is 01:29:39 on my shoulders that weighs on my soul. Can we help? No, you cannot. You must leave me. I have helped. You, as I refresh the music,
Starting point is 01:30:03 really random question, but is Holdheart, Holnheart, more than a foot taller than I am? Yes. You're 511. You're 511?
Starting point is 01:30:17 Yeah, I mean, yeah, he's... No, probably not a full foot. He's probably a good, like... A six, six to... Probably eight inches higher than you. Eight inches higher than you. Taller than you. Oh.
Starting point is 01:30:30 Higher than you. I like that. Tall than you. She looks at... And she continues to kind of her piercing, ice blue eyes. piercing it you, despite her weakened state bandages from peeking out from her green nightgown.
Starting point is 01:30:53 She says, you do not understand. And you have helped by saving me from my fate for my foolish bravery that I thought I could help and I abandoned my sacred duty. I never should have left. It is my fault, and you have, vented my mistake from costing the hunt master and our sacred vow. In the lives of those 12 people.
Starting point is 01:31:32 I'm less concerned about them. Do you mind me asking what your secret vow is? Let me know if that's prong. I don't mean to pry. That is prying, yes. Cries kind of glance at Iris. Yeah, don't worry. At their own business, we don't need it.
Starting point is 01:31:47 That's fine. I didn't need to pry. I just says why he's no, but it's got her rule that she doesn't care about those 12 people. I do not. Why would I? They were innocents that were in there with you. They were all trapped in there. You have no idea what this land holds.
Starting point is 01:32:07 You can tell us. No. So we fail. I don't care much for Zanesa. I'm going to look to you on this one. They're safe. Like I said, they're not really our responsibility. Her eyes kind of glance over to Irish, who members, despite her drifting in and out of consciousness,
Starting point is 01:32:26 the very brief conversation they had once she was first rescued. And she gives a very subtle nod before turning back to the rest of you. If you continue to value your sanity and peace of mind, you will not pry further. And if you truly value your sanity and peace of mind, you will leave this land. You will leave Korovaika, you will leave Striga, this continent. Well, that's not going to work too well because I was literally just about to ask you for you how far we were from the capital. We are far, but we are not an unreasonable distance to a main road.
Starting point is 01:33:24 It will take you to Kordavakia. If that is your path. To Zentra. Pardon me, thank you, Tela. That's not right. We know you, man. Thank you. I mean, she's still a little loosey.
Starting point is 01:33:38 And I'm very looping. To be fair, we, I'm born and raised here. I'm not leaving. There's no way I'm leaving. I've got things I have to do. I mean, you could come to Galtica. It'd be all right. We could all go back.
Starting point is 01:33:50 We can play some flea. I'd like to visit sometime. I would like to visit sometime, and I'm sure that there's much that I could learn from you and that land. But I have things I have to do here now. I'm kidding you. We all have things that we need to do here. That's why we have. across the body of water.
Starting point is 01:34:06 I'm not kidding. Someday I would love to visit. I mean that. I would love to show you around. It's one of the best places on Earth. I'm sure there's lots that I could learn. Yeah, on the Earth that is named a ventras. This lake, this rock.
Starting point is 01:34:23 He said Earth. This, I knew what, I also knew what he meant. If the orb were on, I didn't even know if the world is flat or round. I don't know what I know. Definitely flat, definitely flat. But I guess my, Point is, why tell us to leave? Again, I don't want to pry.
Starting point is 01:34:48 Like Toa, I respect your privacy. What does it mean to pry? She hesitates. I will not tell you more than this. If I fail, if Homeheart fails, and if the others who bear our sacred both fail, It is not just Korovacia that will fall. There is not just striga that will fall.
Starting point is 01:35:30 All of the ventrists is at risk, but we are doomed first. It is our burden to bear. We all have a burden to bear. I have my burden to bear. Our land. There's a terrible weight, and I've said too much already.
Starting point is 01:35:56 She looks over, glances, makes that kind of eye contact with you, Iris, before glancing back down the sheets her knees poking up, the heavy blankets and covers that cover her small friend. I appreciate, I appreciate the warning, but we're not leaving. We can't. I'm sorry. Then I hope I succeed. I hope we all succeed. I had the sake of my saviors. It would be safer for us if you told us at least things to look out for, things to avoid.
Starting point is 01:36:45 I mean, you watched us through that cage. We're not incapable humanoid. I cannot. Those that do not know the nature of my vow must not know. It is my oath. Is this a vow? You know what?
Starting point is 01:37:05 I'm not going to even ask. You guys have your own business. We're guests in this home. I would propose that we... Did you finish up on pork? I could leave a little bit here. I'll have one more slice. Okay, okay.
Starting point is 01:37:16 Well, you're still recovering. Why don't we let you get some sleep? Perhaps we can retire. We've been traveling for quite some time. Yeah, I'm a little tired. I agree. And I know you've already said there's no way we can help, but if there's ever any reason,
Starting point is 01:37:30 don't be afraid to let us know. I'm sure you could get in contact with us again. Yeah, if you think of anything, let us know. I will not need to. I pray the hun masser has not led us astray. He seems very capable,
Starting point is 01:37:54 he's very strong and least. He is. It's kind of cool he appreciates mastering. No one else does. Buddy, how? Felix does. Felix does. We all do.
Starting point is 01:38:05 Come on. That's what I was going to say. Of course I do. But, you know, it's just, it's like, it's sometimes nice to feel acknowledged. But anyway, That's besides the point.
Starting point is 01:38:17 My point is that I think that you're in very capable hands, and I wish you the best of luck in whatever these ominous, sacred charges. And again, like Felix said, and others have said, notice now if there's anything we can do to help the help. If things change and you can let us no more, we are certainly here to hopefully prevent doom for the entire planet. I pray, and all of you should pray to the gods. that you should not need to help.
Starting point is 01:38:49 Which gods? All of them. We have a few religious types here, so they'll pray to the gods very hard. I'll do my own. Whatever you worship. Praise to them. You get some rest.
Starting point is 01:39:07 One of the other women, there's a few extra slices in case you get hungry in the middle of the night. Yeah, you know, there's basically just like two or three here. I'm just going to leave the platter. And then, yeah, exactly. And we'll let you get some rest. We're going to go find our room, if you feel like getting up and around. Tomorrow morning we'll be in the main...
Starting point is 01:39:24 It's not a hotel, but the main lobby, for lack of a better word. And with that, she nods and all of you and says, I thank you for returning our family heirloom to me. She grasps the strong bow and looks at all of you as I'm, for saving my life. Master home heart is old. had I followed him and lost
Starting point is 01:39:54 I would not have been able to take up his burden you've done more for our country our continent and of entrances as a whole than you know I'm indebted to you and I think well maybe when all this is over we can enjoy pork again with some fine need and we can talk a little bit more freely
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Starting point is 01:40:50 to pick up your own copy of our first published supplement. The Crooked Moon, a folk horror tone for Dungeons and Dragons fifth edition. and don't forget to snag all the extra goodies like dice, miniatures, plushies, a tarot deck, and more. Thank you. Door opens, toe open the door. I'll open the door. And the lot of you leave.
Starting point is 01:41:17 Yep. I try to find just the nearest person. I'm right behind it. You find the lease. The young woman freckles. Red hair. Red hair. That had been turning this bit, and she says,
Starting point is 01:41:34 I have rooms for you. It's perfect. I was just going to ask you about this. We shouldn't waste any more time on that business, so I'll show you to your rooms. Or in your room, we have bunk beds, and you can fit six of you quite easily. It's fine.
Starting point is 01:41:51 I'll go put up bunk. Taua, if we've talked about this, if there's bunk beds, you can't stay above me. Yeah, you're going to crush anybody of that being possible. Tell what, you're welcome to sleep in the bunker over me. I mean, we always gunk together, though. Well, I don't think that's fair
Starting point is 01:42:09 if you never let him have the top. It's not that I don't want him to, it's that I have to continue living. Well, I've just never heard the top bunk. And you're welcome to have the top bunk above me. I'm very conflicted about this, I'll roll the dates.
Starting point is 01:42:23 You can have the top bunk. You have to say... Are you sure about this? I don't want to accidentally... Nope, no, no, no. Exidentally, Prussian kill someone. I would rather accidentally and push and kill Iris.
Starting point is 01:42:33 I would also preferfew Prefer that, but I'll roll the dice. We're saying we guys. Just slat me a list. How many rooms do you have for us? We have one room for you. They can accommodate all of you. Oh, well, in that case, you can say about her,
Starting point is 01:42:46 and I'll just take the top bunk of another bed. We're in the same room. It's fine. It's fine. Yes, yes. Would it make you incredibly happy to see it? Yes, yes, I've never hit the top bunk. And you're welcome to the one.
Starting point is 01:42:57 Every time we get, we've found an inn. It's more like a hostel. They have bunk beds. Felix is always luck. You could kill me. sleep. I'm like, tub bunk. I should want to take my tub bunk. I also have been a ventis port for the bad guys. Oh, that's a good point.
Starting point is 01:43:10 There's a bad guy. It's never personal. But tonight, if you feel like rocking it a little bit more, I wouldn't be upset. Don't rock it too much, though, because then you might break the bunk. Rock the bunk bed. Rock the bunk bed. Finally. Fucking. Fucking song. Don't want it.
Starting point is 01:43:30 You know, I'm just going to take a bunk bed. whoever wants to sleep above me is fine. And I immediately slapped down and turned and appeared to go to- At least guides you to a room that is six bunk beds. Who would have thought? And he says...
Starting point is 01:43:45 Your Buckbearer companion says you'll just be up later and I'll sleep on the floor and she's used to it. So sweet dreams, goodbye. And she just walks away, leaving you the six of you alone. For the first time in quite a while. I did what I said.
Starting point is 01:44:03 I immediately went to any of the bunk beds arbitrarily and sat down and turned and started to look like I'm getting ready for sleep, taking moods off. Unpacking my traveling pack, etc. Caprice, do you mind if I take the top? Jump on up. I throw my bag up and climb up. Okay.
Starting point is 01:44:23 So Toa sleeps above Iris. Felix leaps above Caprice. high-fied toe from across the opposing busbed. I'm going to wait until everyone's asleep. Okay? And who's taking top bunk amongst the ladies remaining? Doofty. You should take the top bunk. I am pretty light. You're so kind. I'll have fun up there. Before we all go to bed, I just call Beatrice out and she sits on the bedpost next to.
Starting point is 01:44:58 You all see this very faint glowing. shimmering blue light. As you almost feel like, ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! Anyway, as this tiny blue, sparkling blue bird apparates out of nothing and flutters down
Starting point is 01:45:20 and sits on the bedpost throughout the Lex and Felix. I made frog noises from my bedpost. Make a performance check. What did those frogs nose is seven? Ten.
Starting point is 01:45:35 Hmm. I think you have to actually The devil's it. What is it? It's a mowler. It's a Rolwag! Blah Blah, blop, blah. Blah, blah.
Starting point is 01:45:50 It is the worst frog impression you've ever heard in your entire life. It is an embarrassment. It's got a man. You say we're a sick cat in the room? No, to her. I'm fine, darling. I'm fine.
Starting point is 01:46:04 They're called the backseat. No, that's, well, she's not a cat. I'm asleep. Sorry. Anyway, you go to sleep. I had frost triggers. I'm a cat, I'm a cat. I'm a cat.
Starting point is 01:46:17 I'm a cat. I'm a cat. I'm going to play Frost as well as Gregor. Delightful time. Check out the YouTube or whatever. No, not yet. No, not yet. I'd like to perceive. Oh, I'm sorry.
Starting point is 01:46:29 I'd like to perceive when everyone is asleep. I'll say everyone would like to stay awake. Unless anyone else would like to wait, stay awake, I'm just going to kind of in my sleep, I'll take my sort of figurines of the formal spirits and just sort of place them out in the direction that I can at least perceive where northeast, south and west is.
Starting point is 01:46:48 And because she had said, hey, pray to whatever you believe for that, I'll just sort of privately to myself pray that she can accomplish a goal. You see Toa before he heads to bed, he looks out, there's a large window in this room that you have. You see Toa look to the stars. Before then walking back, climbing into his munk,
Starting point is 01:47:09 and like this creaking above you, Iris. Like Iris is kind of looking up as the creaking of the bed, and you see those who care to look, a shark, a turtle, a boar, and a large flightless bird, a large two-legged, tall bird is placed in a certain placement of a scene. seems to be in a square. And you all don't get off to sleep except for Caprice literally. I like to leave Dakota out, like, leaning against the bun so I could grab her.
Starting point is 01:47:48 You all do your magical bullshit, however bullshit navigate you have. Dakota is lying out. And it's just like, you know, oh, I'm going to, no one can be a surprise because fuck you, DM. It's playful. And Capriza is the only one awake. The rusty skin and the midnight blue eyes. staring up at the bunk that has feelings. Does Beasts look awake?
Starting point is 01:48:19 You don't know, I'll roll for something. I know. She's awake. I'll stand as if everyone is asleep and quietly move over and I'll just sort of gesture her like... You see this slightly shimmering, she's radiating a, rating in some sort of blue light, light, but not enough that would disturb someone.
Starting point is 01:48:45 And this is the soft bluebird tiny form in an orange breast. He looks down at you and then tucks her head into her wing. Okay. Assuming that she got, I'm going to the bathroom.
Starting point is 01:49:01 I will step out into the hallway. Do I see anyone in the hallway? Am I in the same hallway as Nora? No one in the hallway, you are in the same hallway as Nora, correct? You are just probably five rooms down to North. I'll walk down five rooms, and right before I enter,
Starting point is 01:49:19 I am going to disguise self and make myself up here to be Holmark. God, are you fucking shitting me? I take one piss, and this is what happens. Hold on, hold on. Is this Grico? How are you, Lord? I imagine inshote to Grico.
Starting point is 01:49:39 I'm just kidding. You disguise self. All of a sudden, wait, does disguise self change your height? Up to one foot. Oh. You found that. Oh, is that what you were asking? Dude, I got to get it off, man.
Starting point is 01:49:57 That is clever as shit. Man, Mike's going to fucking hate you. So you cast disguise self as suddenly the slender form horned, rust-colored skin, peopless midnight blue eyes, shifts into the large human forms, long gray hair, bushy gray beard, scarred effigy, one eye, white, crystalline, home heart, boneflesher stands at the door. an enormous illusion hand reaches for the door and grabs it, it's locked.
Starting point is 01:50:48 That makes sense. I mean, I'm sorry, but I needed it to the world has to make sense. I'm going to have to buy myself some thieves tools. I will turn and walk back down the hallway undoing this guy's self and reenter and reenter without any tools to open a door. That is a barrier
Starting point is 01:51:18 that I would not be able to surpass without breaking it. That was almost a disaster! I don't have any way of undoing that, so I will, I will, the boldness having stopped, I will go to sleep. Make a sell sorry for me. That'll be at 26. You walk back to your room.
Starting point is 01:51:42 No one seems to have noticed you had ever been gone. You didn't be a tress. her tiny bluebird head tucked into her blue wing doesn't even lift. Her head does not even lift as you enter back into the room as Caprice dropping the form of Holmarth as you make your way, slip into bed stealthily, getting rid of your leather as in donning a nightgown or a male nightgown and get out of sleep. Anyone else or anything?
Starting point is 01:52:15 asleep. Okay. You all enjoy a long run. Oh. Morning. The morning sun. So we're definitely officially level five at this point. You're 100% level five. Okay. Just want to make sure. Fireball! Fireball the fucking ruins! What if I told you I didn't take it? Then that would be just fine. Okay. Even the gate explodes and flames. Everything is made of wood here. Don't cast fire This place is ancient and beautiful. I would never. Felix has an appreciation for the history.
Starting point is 01:52:57 Yoink. And the morning sun shines through the window, casting its yellow and orange hues as the sun rises above the horizon. The more the mountains of the Krova, mountain range in the distance, the sun rises higher and higher. Casting its glow upon all of you through the window of this lodge. Awakens those that would be awakened by such sunlight.
Starting point is 01:53:41 You're all in the room together in three separate bunk beds. What do you guys do? I don't know if we all have any, you know, thing that we want to do, but I suggest we start heading towards Zentra as quickly as possible. Again, I don't necessarily want to head into the lion's den here because that's where the Kowakian military is going to be, but we have to at least see where these beasts are going. I agree, I mean, I think perhaps it's not the worst idea to possibly,
Starting point is 01:54:18 I hate to say it, but I think it's not that, you know, warning the military, or at least someone in, the city. We're not going to be warning the military. Maybe not the military, but somehow warning someone. What? No. No. Well, here's the thing.
Starting point is 01:54:41 I mean, it could be imminent doomed to the entire city, so I think that we could possibly catch up. And what I'm worried about is, I mean, maybe we could use some of these rangers to, they can guard us through. but I mean, you know, I think we'll be trying to rush there, but can we possibly beat the entire force? They have a four-day lead on us.
Starting point is 01:55:08 We have to try. We have to. We don't have a choice. There's no reason to delay. You guys ready to hit out? I think Capri's still sleeping. Well, it's fine. When he rises, maybe we'll rouse him,
Starting point is 01:55:28 but we should eat. We should. We should replenish our stores. We should make sure we're good to go. There's a far journey ahead of us. All right. Well, I get up and I'll just pack my things. Iris, you feel the creaking of the,
Starting point is 01:55:47 not quite the stables you would have hoped structure of your bunk pad. Uh-oh. As to as massive form. Can you please make a dexterity check for me? Ooh. 21. Fuck. Everything.
Starting point is 01:56:02 It's fine. As Toa, the massive tattooed Goliath gracefully descends down the ladder past Iris's perfect, curled form, maybe not, curled form on the bed beneath Toa. Oh, I didn't sleep on the bed. I slept on the floor.
Starting point is 01:56:24 She's hugging her face. Past the floor that Iris is currently kind of burying her face. changed that. I slept on top of Lufty. Yeah, I was gonna say. So Lofty was on top of Irest, so Ballytoa, no one was Belitawa. No one wanted to risk that to the garbage.
Starting point is 01:56:43 I made it seem like I was going to sleep there, and then I waited until Lifty fell asleep, and I climbed on top of course. And so, Horacea, you kind of just heat yourself out of bed and realize that two of your companions are above you, as Lifty, you're laying out on your back with your arms kind of outstretched,
Starting point is 01:56:59 and you feel the hot breath of iris breathing on you the warm black fur of the tobics. He curled up in a very tight-knit, not a bowl per se, but a disc. A don't know. A flashy disc. That's kind of gross. As I wake up, I'm going to start pawing her face. Good morning, and I'm going to jump down off of the bed.
Starting point is 01:57:28 I'm used to waking up this way but you know it's still kind of weird if someone has the pushing in your face like where has those feet been you know
Starting point is 01:57:42 a lot of places you don't really want to know ooh well anyway I love this Toa I'm gonna go get breakfast I'll see you guys soon do you think they hate breakfast
Starting point is 01:57:53 Let's go find out I think we should go find there Let's go We'll exit going for some sort of breakfast meats. If you leave the room looking for breakfasts before your man. You guys, yeah? I go over to Capruci and I start making biscuits on his fingers. I'm supposed to be doing this.
Starting point is 01:58:14 I guess it works sometimes. You're just kind of slapping him. Yeah, just like I... All right, all right, all right, right, right, right. Geez The best part of waking up is knowing you're not dead I spring out
Starting point is 01:58:31 Trying to find the lie That isn't the new part of you I think it's a positive attitude you start today with Thanks You know it's going to be a minute I'm a little tired So let me just get my things together Are we all going downstairs?
Starting point is 01:58:47 Oh I suppose I was waiting for you to get your ass up Well, it's going to be, you know, I've got to brush my teeth. I got to... No, you eat your fucking breakfast first, and you go brush your teeth after. You don't brush your teeth, eat food, and then you go brush your teeth again.
Starting point is 01:59:01 Do people brush their teeth in the interest? You're not... You're not there. We're not... We're not doing. ...all we have to room. Fuck you. Make a personal chicken check.
Starting point is 01:59:11 Oh, okay. Oh, I'm actually okay at those. I'm not... I'm not... I don't know who you think you fucking are. You're fucking thriller jacket. All of a sudden, rocks the squads from you... the ceiling of the lodge and kill him.
Starting point is 01:59:24 Do, do, do, do, do. Alright, I believe you. I'll just go. I don't care. I believe you, and I'm like, oh, after, you know, that it makes sense, but then you get the, all right, and then we make our way down. And he gets rid of the coffee breath.
Starting point is 01:59:42 Iris, what do you, and Lufty, what are you doing? I'm just going to go with everybody else. Okay. So, you all make your way down into the grand central room of this lodge. And there seems be the remains of the board that had been slain and been served previously to the entire rest
Starting point is 02:00:04 of the skilled and crew serving this lodge has been ground up, prepared into the sausage, and been fried up. And you smell the sizzling, delightful fatty meats. Those keep the fucking track. fatty meat is sizzling in the pan. There, you all awake, you all enjoy sausage predominantly.
Starting point is 02:00:36 The remains of this bore, all of the parts that would not be the primus cuts, have been ground down, stuffed into skins and serve a breakfast. Most of the skeleton crew of the Rangers are all enjoying in this central room, predominantly human, but the occasional dwarf and the elf.
Starting point is 02:00:59 You all are enjoying your breakfast. You notice that many... Clearly. Clearly. Oh, my goodness. You are all enjoying your breakfast. Sausage. The remnants of this enormous bull worth is slain by the hunters.
Starting point is 02:01:23 Who else does that breakfast with us? Janiswax. stumbles up to you and says, hey, it's fucking A-A-M and I'm already drunk. That's what you expect. They're like, because I'm not that used to-any-ways. We are all enjoying breakfast in this grand hall as rangers are grabbing scraps, wolfing it down, dropping the plates off in the kitchen area that you experienced. Or Caprice gracily carved that door and are making their way out of the hall.
Starting point is 02:01:54 Jammin, did you sleep outside or did you sleep in front of the fire? You're right? I killed myself right up in front of the fire. I'm enjoying some of this delightful bacon. And it's 8 a.m. and I'm already enjoying this delightful whiskey. Is that the same whiskey from last night or did you take more whiskey? If you keep a secret, hey, Skinny, come here. Yeah.
Starting point is 02:02:19 And why does everyone call me Skinny? Because you're very skinny. It's more whiskey. Welcome to a cloth, buddy. Both of you are very skinny. various kitties for good old muscles. You know, secret secrets are no fun.
Starting point is 02:02:32 Secret secrets hurt someone, is what I once heard. Well, I heard muscle, Sonic Adventure 3 plus muscles. This goes here. You lost. Hey, hey, everyone. Suddenly I'm in the campaign. It got two mena. You lost me.
Starting point is 02:02:50 Gus, you're a ranger. So Harry Carey, Will Ferrell's Harry Carey and Calamity Jane from Denwood. I'm trying to separate the wall here. It's very difficult. Very difficult. It's very. Gotta give it up. Gotta give it up. Got to give it up.
Starting point is 02:03:05 Go get it from me. I'm failing tremendously. Just kidding. No, I actually am fan. Now, I'm not kidding at all. I'm horribly failing. But Jammany stumbled up to you her kind of a long, brown, furry ears. Her gleaming golden eyes looking down at you. And she says, well, I'm almost fresh out of booze.
Starting point is 02:03:30 All Zixie, all, especially Blue Girdle over there. You brought me the good shit. I appreciate the fucking good shit I do. Well, you're very welcome. I mean, down a massive goblin of the ale that was brought from Geerstein.
Starting point is 02:03:52 Gus chickens. I'm chickens. No, I'm just kidding. So, isn't it? And I'm running out of alcohol, though, and I am very much a cowardly... Have you ever met a bug bear?
Starting point is 02:04:07 I'm very cowardly. I come from a very cowardly folk. What are you going to incentivize me to stick around, or shall I wander off into the highlands, finding any etton that I can steal fucking liquor from, and maybe get myself cute? To be fair, we're headed to Zentra, And there are some very rich districts there,
Starting point is 02:04:32 and there are some very fine alcohols. And there are some very poorer districts there with some very alcohols. But you probably want the good stuff as well-meaning as Patrice is trying to be. But all the districts have alcohols, is all the kind of saying. What makes you skinny boys think?
Starting point is 02:04:53 No offense. None taken. I would fucking hope so skinny. And another skinny. Well. You're kind of more of the horny, horny skinny time. I mean, I'll be skinny one. He can be skinny A.
Starting point is 02:05:06 No, you're a horny skinny. No, you play a fucking instrument for your fucking instrument. You're a cow bat. And you, like, snap your fucking fingers and pulling your cone. And you're just like, you're like, we do at the park. You know what I'm saying? Oh, that's a new one. I'm going to let that one go.
Starting point is 02:05:25 And point fucking being, should I require, a conscious supply of the good shit. Oh, the good shit, okay. I think you don't see a... You know what? I appreciate your fucking open mind.
Starting point is 02:05:43 But I am, I understand. Oh, you know, I am a bug bear. I am a goblinod. And she sits her incredibly long arms out and waves her long hairy fingers above. if I
Starting point is 02:06:04 step into fucking Zentra I would be strung up fashion than you can say zibidi-bobidi-bib-dib-jib-dib-dib-di-zib-di-bib-di-zib-di-bib-i-bib-i-i-bib-i-i I've officially stopped Terry. That's pretty fast but what I'll say is you don't have to come into Zentra
Starting point is 02:06:20 the point is to just guide us there and then when you get there you could increase the Rangers can guide us if Jeremy doesn't want to go we shouldn't waste our time who's to say the Rangers are going to take us there They've already told us that there's a main city, a main road not too far away.
Starting point is 02:06:38 I'm sure. I don't like having Damity around. I think that we should find a way to incentivizer with alcohol when we get the Zendro. That's fine. If that's what you want, I... Or we could give you gold and you could go and then you could join us there. Iris, you're saying something. Is that you're saying my accent that she's fiddles in me here?
Starting point is 02:06:53 No, I just have a fucking... This is getting... This is stupid. It's lucky to do in my accent. It's a lot of my accent. I can't do any accents. Like, except. You know, I was supposed to do Brooklyn. I just turn it.
Starting point is 02:07:07 I'm just going to talk up here. It's fine. But you almost... I think we should go to the spring cord and... It's the only voice they can do back here in the fucking... You almost did the Huntmaster's voice.
Starting point is 02:07:19 Oh, no, I can do German. That was pretty good. I can do German. Anyways... We have to go back to Kirste. Austrian. Not in all. Jim Hitzie, do you know how to get to Zintra?
Starting point is 02:07:31 I mean, I wondered at there once when I was the young. fucking blank bear, but I can probably figure it out if you're gonna, you're gonna pay up. Look, I don't mean to call all of you stupid, but the purpose of the main road is that it takes you to the city, so if we get to the main road, I'm going to hazard guess that
Starting point is 02:07:47 we take it to the city. I'm just, is it a good idea taking the main road with Felix being brutally hunted by the military? There are two factors here. The main road is almost certainly not the right path to take, jaminy nose shortcuts, and the horned
Starting point is 02:08:03 Legion is also there, and if we want to get in front of them, I feel like short cuts is the way to, you know, long cuts seems like the wrong way to go. Well, Jametys shortcuts are short because she's incredibly fast, incredibly sneaky, and is alone. There are six of us, and I don't know if you've seen Toa, but he's not sneaky.
Starting point is 02:08:22 He's absolutely not fucking sneaky. If you're just fucking large, son of a bitch. August, you and I have been agreeing a lot more lately. I got to go with her on this one. I'm just, no offense, Jamity, but I'm not seeing the benefit to taking a belligerent drunk to the city with us. I think Caprice has a good point. She's been very friendly, he's been very somewhat useful, and she's got, she took us on a shirt, she got us, she got these villages. They were horribly injured.
Starting point is 02:08:55 She got them down the mountain and the safety. I offer the situation. She's not happy with it. There's nothing we can do about. Well, we can offer the goals. if you can buy our own booze. Yeah, yeah. Would you accept beer, uh, gold?
Starting point is 02:09:07 I don't think you're understanding what I say. It's like beer, but it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, she's a bug bear, darling. She can't go somewhere and just purchase alcohol. She's a mercenary. Well, that's, can you purchase alcohol or do you have to acquire it from theft and or, or mercenary style? Generally, fucking, now, now, now, now, you look like the fucking rush of the hills of my fucking bleed. and your stupid fucking eyes and look very just
Starting point is 02:09:37 unbelievably unnatural to me but the point of fucking being skinny other skinny is I am a creature I am a boogie woman of the night
Starting point is 02:09:52 you understand it and if if anybody finds me looking around outskirts of their civilized so-called fucking talent
Starting point is 02:10:02 I will be strung up faster than you can say zip-z-op-zub-de-bop. Like I fucking said. Yeah, you keep saying that word, and I don't know what that means. I think it might be bug bear. For what? What could that mean? That seems like an incredibly, just inefficient language.
Starting point is 02:10:24 Both of the times she said it, I'll be strung up faster than zip-z-op-lobib-de-zop. So I'm assuming that Zips-op-Zubbibbibok is just a long-hand bug bear for fast. How's the argument you what I'm fucking talking about? The blue chick is that's understood. Well, then the point is you don't have to walk us into the city. You need to get us there. Just take the short... What are you going to fucking give me?
Starting point is 02:10:46 What are you going to guarantee for me? We can acquire alcohol. I'm sure enough that we would be able to get you enough good whiskey to make it to Zentra if you can guarantee that your shortcuts get us in front of the Horned Legion. I'm not tailing at the rear so that we can warn. the citizens, though. Hey, you should have check, Caprice. With advantage, because you're being
Starting point is 02:11:10 assisted by everyone else. Let's go with 29. I rolled a 16. You know I fucking hate barns. It's pretty fucking good. 29, huh?
Starting point is 02:11:32 Will! Good. That's going to fuck to your pussy. Hey, if you've had some blood of hospital, I don't do it for you safe. But if you can't do it, I mean, that's up to you. Jamonies' golden, glimmering, beauchel eyes narrow at you, Caprice, at your peopaless midnight blue eyes.
Starting point is 02:11:51 The freakish, horrific, devilish eyes that are so unlike any of your companions, and especially unlike any of your family. And she leans down at you, towering her furry. brown ears, her shaggy brown fur, the kegs at each of her side running out empty, as you know. She looks down and he goes, You make your hard bargain, but I ain't got no fucking better prospects.
Starting point is 02:12:30 If you keep me nice and fucking drunk, I'll guide you the sense of faster than those hooves, sons of bitches. Those limes, sons of bitches. Which I say very politely in front of me's company. All right. Thank you. I appreciate the offer.
Starting point is 02:12:53 We welcome if we can find you enough. Even if you can get. I ask you for some good food, some good drink. And I've proven my word to you have an eye. She does some hat slightly. All you do is rescue me from that fucking head. And then I give my fucking hat, give my fucking boots. I think I'm not.
Starting point is 02:13:18 that you've clearly helped us along the way, so I think you might as well join us, perhaps you can do a ranger or two with us as well. You kidnapped. I ain't gonna say I don't know for these, trust these fucking rangers or something else, whatever they said. Fuck it.
Starting point is 02:13:47 I'm just saying the week, the seven of us have a good fucking arrangement going. I got all we do here. You provide the booze, I provide the guidance, You don't need to... Do you don't really complicate none of this thing. You know fucking true, big fella? You big son of a bitch.
Starting point is 02:14:14 With your stupid fucking tattoos! You didn't mean a band of it? I don't know. I don't get it. Hey, hey. She didn't meet it. It's okay. You have stupid fucking tattoos, super animals. She's good, aren't they?
Starting point is 02:14:28 Her opinion doesn't matter, in order. It's fine. You're fine. You look good. You look good. No, I mean, let's get a vote. You have stupid fucking tattoos. A fucking fish looking a thing, or a turtle, or a fucking, a pig, or fucking chicken?
Starting point is 02:14:45 As long as we're talking about tattoos, did you notice the tattoo on Nora when we rescue her? Do you know anything about that? What are you fucking talking about? Do you know anything about that? You don't know any of that. No one of he knows about it, but Iris. What's fucking happened? Just kidding.
Starting point is 02:15:04 Yep. I, uh, no, I just, uh, you know what? I'm just excited about the correlations. Too, that's a stupid fucking tattoos is what I'm saying. Oh, thank you. I appreciate that. I don't think that's stupid. I mean, I'm not, I mean, I'm not.
Starting point is 02:15:20 I've got to consider if they were stupid enough. I mean, this is sort of what more people do. Anyways, um, perhaps. Well, it sounds like you'll join us. So thank you. Uh, let's find the Rangers and see if they're... Only, only if we can get him booth. Or her booth.
Starting point is 02:15:36 Her booth. that we know she's on her. How many fucking times I've just talk about us getting into it? Let's just start. I'm just saying that if she needs booze, then we can... That's a good thing you fucking notice that,
Starting point is 02:15:51 you son of a bitch, you stupid, rust-colored... You look like the fucking inside of my fucking toolkit. You rust-colored, son of a bitch. That's not the first time... That has to be offensive. That's not the first time I've heard that. Hey, you know what I'm saying?
Starting point is 02:16:09 With those fucking horns on your head, how the fuck do you put on a hat? I got big fucking ears. I don't. But at least I don't got no fucking horns. Where the fucking plains do you come from? How do you walk into a city and not everyone's stringing you up
Starting point is 02:16:24 from being some fucking devil from beyond the planes? That's what I thought. For real, yeah. All right, let's just make you some... She looms over you. Her gleaming golden eyes are blazing at Caprice.
Starting point is 02:16:38 As she feels like she's done enough. I think she's sobering up. We should probably get her some blues. Yeah, no, I think that more blues might be ideal at this point. Yeah, yeah, let's do it. Let's go find the Rangers. Let's go, I look for the nearest Ranger. You're all warning as a group.
Starting point is 02:16:59 Is there one around that's not Elise? You, no, there's Elise that is immediately apparent. Let's go talk to Elise. Maybe she's got something. Oh, Fisian fucking God. Fuck you guys. Oh, hey, good mora to you.
Starting point is 02:17:17 Just trying to figure out where we can pick up some of that good old whiskey that we had last night. Gee, that was quite a trip. We're interested to know it, but, you know, if any of the hunt masters have to have any more that we could be. Get off your hands. You stop. You walk up to, Elise. the young human girl, not much older than 18. As she kind of narrows her eyes a little bit
Starting point is 02:17:45 and she looks at you, this dwarf asking, almost demanding. Make it worse phasing check. Natural Twitty! Gotta give it up, gotta give it up. You gotta get up. I provided full context. I provided the most balanced resin dice you can possibly find in a white,
Starting point is 02:18:10 elephant gift exchange that all of us in the band camp did and Maya fucking got it. And she's enjoying the fucking benefits. All of these flavors and you choose to be salty. No, these, so when you watch me play as Grico,
Starting point is 02:18:26 I will use the dice that come from the same company that she's using now. They are unbelievable dice. I will look up, I don't even know what the company's called. I am embarrassed that I don't know. I can say you've been like hot in this shit. No, it's amazing. And I will say, you are experiencing the benefits now, anyway.
Starting point is 02:18:42 So she looks at you. To this coincidence. You're persuading. What do you get, 29? 25. Whatever you wanted them to do, they do. Whiskey. Find that additional whiskey.
Starting point is 02:18:54 Yeah, we want her to find her to find out. So Elise immediately, she turns around and just runs off looking down into their cellar for whiskey. Well done, her, Joe. That was nice. Thanks, man. I appreciate it. I don't know if she's scared of you or if she just is really interested.
Starting point is 02:19:09 I have no idea. Well, no, I'm shorter than her. Usually I don't scare most people. Can I look around for the guy, for, what's his name? Hun-Harmardt. And I'm going to look around for Nestor as he's doing that. Both of you make her set and check. Just straight.
Starting point is 02:19:27 Let's go 18 for me. 16 for me. You're looking for whom? Nestor, specific. You're looking for whom? Homehart. Homehart. So the rest of you, Toa, you look around, you're looking at homeheart, you do not seem to find him.
Starting point is 02:19:52 However, Capriccio, Caprice, you look around and you see the large form. The nearly bull had the wisp of red hair, red mustache. You look around and you find the breakfast that you see most of these rangers. grabbing rations, tucking into their bag and venturing out to the front door, the back door, the side door. You remember these large balconies
Starting point is 02:20:25 that are facing the north, south, and east. They're leaving quite effortlessly, getting their rations for the day and leaving. However, Nestor, nearly boldhead, a wisp of orange hair,
Starting point is 02:20:47 grand mustache. Nearly sparkling for his radiance. He's grabbing piece after piece after piece of the remnants of the pork from the previous evening. I will approach him. He's grabbing these pieces
Starting point is 02:21:07 and he says, oh! Priest, welcome. Enjoy this wonderful breakfast. We've all enjoyed this. together. Oh, yeah, no, I'm stuffed. I already had a little bit of breakfast over here. We had the sausage variety, but I see everyone is taking
Starting point is 02:21:23 rations. Are they all going out to continue an investigate, or is this indeed? Oh, oh, wow. Wow, you're sending out more of them? Indeed, they are. I mean, you all six of you know that this horn region
Starting point is 02:21:39 pose far greater of a threat than and then most of the other dangers of our great country. You know this to be true. And have you had a chance to see your sister? Is she doing all right? I have left her with Hunt's master, bone flasher.
Starting point is 02:22:05 I know that they share a special bond, and I cannot comprehend what he has passed down to her. It is a strong bond. It is an embarrassing In fact that I was not worthy Only Nora of my family was worthy of taking on such an oath All of us here at the lodge were only Only Nora herself was able to take on the oath
Starting point is 02:22:36 That she has taken You speak of the, you know They mentioned this a little bit earlier yesterday You speak of the vow That they take when they become part of the Lockfeather Lodge in general that's sort of like an initiation
Starting point is 02:22:53 type operation. They didn't let you do it? I will say that Mr. McEagher, we're sleazy in check, please. Let's go with a 19. He looks
Starting point is 02:23:11 at you, his eyes kind of narrow slightly. Now, you understand that Hunt Master Bone Fletcher and my sister Nora have a vow that none of us can comprehend. Yeah, no, they specifically told us that, and I respect that very much. And even I, in all of my training, cannot muster even a hair or a fraction to her greatness or the greatness of Hunt's master bone pleasure.
Starting point is 02:23:54 I can comprehend. I can begin to comprehend what they are going through. But I understand the severity. And I understand I must do what I can to assist both of them. Whatever I can do to assist in their bud.
Starting point is 02:24:21 Well, you know, we're really glad that you guys are you okay? And I start to like... He starts to tear up. He kind of clashes his face. Tears start to form at the corner of his eyes. He says, I wish I could assist the burden.
Starting point is 02:24:48 Even in our ancient family life, I cannot. And if what all of us saw passed the curled mountains, but a nuisance to their oath I fear what both of them must have bearing down on each of them
Starting point is 02:25:23 every single night and day it terrifies me fills me with sorrow but I appreciate what you have done to ensure that each of them have come to they're all But it's been nice being here.
Starting point is 02:25:56 I appreciate it. I'm sorry that you can't share the burden, but you can't in a way. You don't have to know. You just have to do everything you can to support Homehart and your sister. And that seems like the meaningful way that you can give strength to the Rangers that you work with. And yeah, yeah. You trail off there. Yeah, I trail off there.
Starting point is 02:26:26 and I just sort of take a ticket disadvantage. Yeah. Uh-huh. We're not doing critical fails on ability checks, but with a one I'll... Oh, my God. Fuck you. Fuck Bards.
Starting point is 02:26:44 I see that, man. Happily. Now, what you fucking see is... She's like, never mind. I'm going to sit back down. She said, when he says back down. as you can see the eyes of Nestor's strong arm searching, not connecting to any of the sex.
Starting point is 02:27:10 As he nods and says, I wish I was strong enough. I truly wish I was. To help the burden from Huntmaster, Holnardt and tear Nora, but I cannot. It is a burden that both of them. share together.
Starting point is 02:27:37 And I don't think any of you understand. At least as far as I understand. Are we all there? You're all there? All six of you. Well, there's one way you could help, and it's... How is that? Toa. We were looking for just a ranger to
Starting point is 02:27:53 perhaps help read us to Zentra and track this whole Legion and hopefully get there to Zensra before they do, and track through the moors and the forests and you seem like a very capable ranger, and I think that your help would be widely appreciated amongst the group of us. We're looking for honestly all the help we can get.
Starting point is 02:28:17 Tomor, make him say the same thing, please. Shrek. That's, oh, wow, all that's pretty well. But that persuasion is 19. He nearsize at you. You are a good man. I see the purity of your heart, and I see all that I cannot do for Nora and for Huntmaster, bone pleasure. But I see what I can do for you and your friends.
Starting point is 02:29:00 I would gladly guide you to Zentra in the fastest route that I know. That's phenomenal. Thank you. Are you ready to leave? Let's go. Yeah, I mean, we're ready to go when we handed whiskey over to... Yeah, okay. Do you mind if we bring a few barrels of whiskey on the way? Just to enjoy our time. You want to talk to, to Holmheart about that. He is the one that curates our selection.
Starting point is 02:29:30 Can you close some strings, maybe? We could just, you know, make a persuasion check. You, son of a bitch, roll low. Well, that's it, 21? That's a 20. That's a low medal in 90. Woo! Gotta give it up.
Starting point is 02:29:44 Gotta get it. 21, total. I will do what I can, Toa. At the Makani Islands, I appreciate all you've done for our people, despite being from so far away. We'll get ready to leave and we'll be waiting just right here. Once you're ready to go, then we shall be ready and we'll take the barrels of whiskey with us,
Starting point is 02:30:10 and we'll be on our way. Okay. Anyone else doing anything else? Nope. Okay. So as Nestor leaves, he starts to walk up the stairs through the hallways that you've experienced. And as you hear him lumbering off, you hear It's probably normal, right?
Starting point is 02:30:51 Echoing in the distance. Is he still there? He's run off to Walmart. I think that's probably fine. Just maybe it. That's what they did when we arrived. I'm going to go out on a limb and say, if Toa, you think that's normal, it's probably not.
Starting point is 02:31:13 I'm going to lumber over to the nearest one down and look outside. is there a nearby the number of she locks the lumberland she said all they call thunder thighs so hurried his thunder thighs
Starting point is 02:31:25 smack together in the refractive way in an attractive way if you have any fucking tastes at all you fucking heathens yikes
Starting point is 02:31:37 I'm reviewing my hand here a little big goof-star hashtag the big goopto that's a not for me dog So you recall that the front entrance, I'm going to make, this is a very important decision for you. Okay. That there was a horn blaring all around me.
Starting point is 02:31:58 You know there was a large balcony to the north? East and west, south. There was a large balcony to the west and then to the east, and there was a large balcony to the south. And you know that there was a, that the west balcony kind of emptied out towards the woods
Starting point is 02:32:22 towards the cluck wood from which you came you know the east side was towards the moors towards the highlands toward the cruel mountain range which had just come so with them south similar circumstances you know this seemed the case what are you doing
Starting point is 02:32:43 version We came from the east and the west? You came from the... The woods or... You were heading west. You came from the east, the direction of the lodge. And we know that the capital is northish. Right.
Starting point is 02:33:00 Right. Yeah, I'm going to do this for now. Oh, we're going to think. So, so mountains, mountains, mountains, mountains, mountains, mountains pass. We'll say mountains, mountains, mountains, and then there's also mountains, mountains, mountains, mountains, X. Can you raise that?
Starting point is 02:33:21 This is about Lockfeather Lodge. Just like a square or something. This is a pass. You know that there's a balcony to this side, to the north, to the south, and then you know that there's forests. Hold on. Extreme close up. Basically up entirely around this mountain range.
Starting point is 02:33:54 And there's a balcony facing that way as well Correct. North, south, west. There is. So you know there's a balcony fallacing, north, north, south, east, and west. Oh, in all directions?
Starting point is 02:34:09 In all directions. Where's Butcher's Bluff? Bush's Bluff was about like here. You're about here. North, south, east, and west. And we know that Zentra was to the north. Zentra is way over in this direction.
Starting point is 02:34:33 In the east. In the east. You hear I'm all the way up this business. So I'm hearing the horn, but I don't know what direction it's sounding in. It's just 360 degrees. It is very large. It seems to be coming from the direction of the hunters, the rangers.
Starting point is 02:34:56 that seem to populate this mountainous region, that you're currently residing. No, no sense of back, right, forward, in front of... All around you. All around me. All around. Would I know what that, like, what that horn sound means? Megan, tell us a check.
Starting point is 02:35:19 Hold on, hold on. She's a Dracula. I'm a Dracula. I'm a Dracula. I'm a girl. She's a Dracula. She's a Dracula. No, you've understood.
Starting point is 02:35:31 Ooh, yes. That's an 11. 11. It seems to be sounding from all around you, Lifting. So there's a bunch of horns. There are horns raging from the north,
Starting point is 02:35:44 from the south. That wasn't actually my question, though. What is your question, Lifting? My question was if I would know what that horn sounding means from being in the area. You do not from that entire this rule, you do not,
Starting point is 02:35:59 unfortunately. Okay. you hear the from the north from the west from the east. So you need to pick the left. From the west.
Starting point is 02:36:15 I'll pick the one that's is this north? Yes. I'll pick the one that's to the east the way that we came. The past, from the direction of the past. So as you are sprinting down the hallway. And why don't we change the music a little bit, shall we?
Starting point is 02:36:35 Hold on, my phone turned around. Boink, we're going to, let's get here a little bit lazy, hold on. Comment 100 videos. Undertale, who would have thought? Anyway, excellent music. I'm not played the game. I love Sands Undertale. I love Sends Undertale. Lois, I hashtag memes. Anyway, so.
Starting point is 02:37:01 You are all sprinting out as these horns are blaring. As you hear shouts emanating from all directions, as you hear these horns blaring and you hear shouts, voices shouting. They're coming. You're heading towards the east, which is the main interests of the... Yeah, we're headed towards the entrance. But the norms are the other side. No, it is towards the east.
Starting point is 02:37:43 towards the direction you can. Oh, I see. This is north, that's east. Yeah. So you're going from east, the east, where the... They're coming from all directions. They are coming from all directions.
Starting point is 02:37:59 And I hear they can say they're coming from all directions. I want to run to the, I want to go to the forest side, the complete opposite side of her desire. Here you do that. You do that? And I look around, do I see anything? So, I'm also running to a location. I guess I will shoot.
Starting point is 02:38:14 If I can get up as high as possible, I want to also witness with whatever I can in any direction, just trying to get a sense of what's coming up in what angle. I'm going to find a safe spot within the lodge and commune with the eutris and have her in my eyes. You see the flickering of a glowing blue bird. Lofty, what are you doing? I don't know.
Starting point is 02:38:46 This is panicking. What the fuck are you doing, Luffy? You have seconds! Join me at the entrance, Lufty. It's a good thing all the experience people are here. Yeah, I guess. Are you... You're one second.
Starting point is 02:39:02 You're going to wait. You have to decide right now. She's going to the priest. Yeah, we're all going to the gate except for Toa for some reason. Then Felix. Yeah, I would have followed Iris. I don't know where I was going on. I seem to be fallen to prison.
Starting point is 02:39:19 Yeah, we're all going to be following some reason. Yeah, we're all. mostly going to the gate except for these two. So the two of you are heading towards the forest side. You're running up the stairs, running out to the outside. My goal would be to stay close to you,
Starting point is 02:39:33 and when you got to a certain spot, I would hunker down and I would... Beavis just flitters down to your shoulder. Your eyes become hurt as she flies up. These skies become dark. Both of you, you see the sky
Starting point is 02:39:52 darken. Oh, fuck. Shadowy forms, ringed deforms. Flapping. Uh-oh. Descending upon you. As clawed legs.
Starting point is 02:40:08 How close are that? Avian talons, a bit of far off. As flapping wings, make intelligence injecto. Felix, and Joe. Int is my specialty. Sorry, I'm switching back from
Starting point is 02:40:24 to D&D Beyond. D&D Beyond. Int, I got a 12. I got a 3. A shit roll. 12 plus 1? No, 7 plus 5 is 12. These are humanoid avian creatures.
Starting point is 02:40:40 They seem to have wings grueling out of their spine. They seem to all be female. Large, black wings, dark wings. Black, they're, every single one of them females, they're all fucking Harpies. Yeah!
Starting point is 02:40:59 I know this. So they are coming from the direction that we will look. They will coming from the west side. Okay. Directly from the forest. I'm gonna pull my-in. I'm gonna say, I'll get this, Phoenix and bitches fly around, look around.
Starting point is 02:41:14 No, upon seeing this, I'm going to call Beatrice back to you for safety. Okay. And that way I can gain control of myself. Beers flies in, both of you. Run to the entrance. We're with Lucci and Iris. We're at the gate.
Starting point is 02:41:29 I'm hoping that they're closed. But we're not seeing a hard. They're closing behind you. You run up. You see a sea of black feathers beneath you. Running, scrambling. These hunch figures, not much larger than you. Humeroid figures, long black beaks, no wings to speak of.
Starting point is 02:42:02 These are raven-looking creatures, sprinting up the pathway up to the lodge. Before the gate closes, I want to be behind the wall with the rest of the party, and if there is a staircase up where we can look down and over the wall, that would be where I would like to be where I would like to be. I'm sure that's probably the case. I don't depend on how you construct a case and lock, uh, lock feather. Sure, okay. So that's where I want to leave. You miss, I don't want to be, I don't want to be a lot of as the door are shutting behind you. You see these creatures, making them tell us and check both of you.
Starting point is 02:42:42 Oh, uh, 17. Nat 20! Oh, got to get enough to that national enemy. What's your bottom of fire version? 21. What's your Kenku? I'm sorry. These are Raven humanoids running up with short sword, short bow drawn, sprinting up.
Starting point is 02:43:07 You see in the skyline aiding them. Stone figures. In the sky. Flapping. Wings sprouting from shoulders. Avian looking faces. Beacon. mouth, large gleaming eyes flying over these kanku they're sprinting up these mountain paths.
Starting point is 02:43:40 Or stone you said? Stown. Weaving in with wicker and wood. Oh, fuck. Jesus, holy. As they seem to start in sprinting up the pathways. Anyway, I love this song. So they are sprinting up this cliff pass
Starting point is 02:44:10 heading towards you, you managed to get behind the large wooden door slamming shut as this narrow passageway above you is exposed. As all of the remaining hunters, the very few young, you rookies, are joining in the horn sounds they look fucking mortified
Starting point is 02:44:39 as they are sprinting beside you getting their bows ready, ready to volley upon the evaders. I'm going to start running to each of them and sort of try to like pep them up as quickly as possible like give them a shot to the shoulder, like as much as I can try to remove that fear in the air. Come on, you know, we got this.
Starting point is 02:45:01 This place has stood for probably hundreds of years There's not going to be any issue. Just follow your training and everything's going to be fine. Come on, come on, we got this. We got this. Persuasion? Performance.
Starting point is 02:45:16 Performance. 26. Pretty fucking good. They seem to be incredibly bolstered by your simple display. You're with Caprice bolstering him as he goes to the Rangers.
Starting point is 02:45:34 Iris and Luffy, what are you doing? Can I activate the sacred weapon feeling bolstered by Caprice's candor? I would say would everyone activate you activated. Cool. Do you say that there is a staircase to do a lookout? There are various lookout points from this lodge
Starting point is 02:46:01 and all directions north, south, east, and west, which do you want to head off. Um, I would want to, whatever the main pathway that's coming up towards that, I would want to look out that direction. Like where they think there's a coming from. You sprint up towards the direction of Caprice and Herta. Up and up and up. You look down there are creatures running up humanoid, black feathered, long black beaks. They seem to be ravenoid in their composition.
Starting point is 02:46:33 They are running up with long, with short boats. with swords driven up. They are sprinting towards the door. You see in the sky above them eating the stone figures, long gray wings, long beak similarly, kind of blazing almost in this strange, sickly green light. What you would experience, making the tell them the check for me, Lifty.
Starting point is 02:47:06 Yeah, I'd like to try to get a count on on how many there are on the ground. Well, I mean, both. Grounding. Megan Strain tells you check. Another undertale song. Okay.
Starting point is 02:47:19 Seven? You're going to take it and tell us. There are a lot of fucking raven beasts sprinting up this mountain past. There are a number of stone creatures avian in their appearance. Blazing with a fiery, greenish hue. flying above them,
Starting point is 02:47:40 heading directly towards the lodge. Iris, what are you doing as Luffy looks at this? I'm just going to run this right back. So you are sprinting towards the gate? Yeah. You run up using your feline agility, running up through the various staircases, looking out as these Kenkin,
Starting point is 02:48:01 these humanoid-looking creatures, are sprinting up the mountainside, heading towards. this hunting watch. Can I check the other two, I can see that their harpies flying in? I just want to look at North and South to see if there's anything,
Starting point is 02:48:17 like if it's harpy's all around or if it's just harpy from the one entrance? Make a perception check, please. Ten. As you're running down, leaving Felix alone, you realize your party is rallying towards the front entrance.
Starting point is 02:48:37 You start to see the hunter gathering, the Rangers gathering. We'll hold them all for the best we can. Harpies from every side and ourselves for this. Thank you so much for listening to the Legends of Aventures podcast. We hope you enjoyed the session. If you want even more campaigns to listen to, become a member of our Patreon at the Pearl Dolphin Tier higher
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