Legends of Avantris - Curse of Strahdanya | Ep. 15 | Creeping Rot: Part 2

Episode Date: July 15, 2025

The Azran Expedition uncovers the ghosts of the past in Argynvostholt, a ruined mansion that once was home to a dragon and his loyal knights.    Gain access to an exclusive campaign, Shroud Over Saltmarsh, over on Patreon: https://legendsofavantris.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/GEJpkqn4co8?si=s4UqoYfQI3F02Vvc

You are back at the Wizard of Wines and listening to Curse of Stradania, a legends of a ventrus podcast. Last time, the filthy druids that danced and chanted atop Yester Hill were defeated, and the source of the spreading blight was finally purged in fire. A minor victory, yes, but the Azraan expedition returned to the Matako family to find a bloodbath of butchered ravens, and they murdered Stefania. Did that go a little overboard, do you think? I did warn them.

And a life where a life is more than fair. Daughter is resurrected, so mother is murdered. Justice. But of course, as always, the lizard cried to his God and the fire lord returned the were raven to the realm of the living. For now. We shall see if this peace remains. This episode is brought to you by our generous supporters on Patreon.

You can become a patron yourself by following the link in his show notes. We are eternally grateful for your support. With that out of the way, let us proceed with the conclusion of Chapter 7, Creeping Rot. Let's go back inside. Sure. Sure. Lead the way.

No, shit. I will like your path. And I'll walk back towards the water and I will fall. You make your way back up to the vineyard and everyone has already laid themselves down to sleep. Sofania is off to the side, but she is close enough to be within your shop, but far enough way to give you a little bit of privacy for her to have some of her own, as she slowly sinks down beneath the covers, wishes you all sweet dreams and a good evening,

and she begins to fall asleep. Do you anything before, Ben? I don't know if I could fall asleep. I'm going to be honest. I was chef's like, I don't know. I don't know if he's going to be able to get a full night's rest. He's fucking, he's like twisted up.

He doesn't want to leave anybody. I mean, do we, do we have any kind of, do we have any kind of watch or? Professor, I got to be honest with you. I don't know if I can sleep. We should take watch. We have a long set, but one of us should be awake at all times. I was situated.

Let me at least take first watch. And I don't even know if I'm going to be able to sleep. be able to close my eyes. I'm a little shaking up. Do what you need to. Please get some rest. I'll try. Don't stay up all nights again.

Yeah, all right. All right. I will sit down and I'll have some blankets pulled up, but I'll kind of be propped up. And I'm going to take Shredaña's journal, and I just want to, like, read it. And just kind of center myself and focus on the fight ahead. Okay.

You can do that. I'll just pray before the lantern and I'll take a second watch or third watch whatever we need and then go to sleep. Okay. You all find yourselves asleep. It's peaceful, dreamless sleep. You wake up and you enjoy it long. Ooh, there we go. You wake up to another overcast sky outside.

rain pelting at the windows, the sound of it hitting against the roof overhead. When you look around, you see that the bed where Stefania had been sleeping has been fully made up, and you can hear her bustling around upstairs in the kitchen, the children running around and playing. Shall we collect our thoughts as we wait until midday? I would have spent the morning kind of like tying up my wrists and like the bleats. and like the bleeding finger that I had from the day before. And just to flavor up my athlete feet would have been doing like pull up. You have pushed?

Athletes are. Not F.E.A.C. Not F.C. Athlete's feet. I don't know I've never heard it that way before. Amazing. You heard it here, folks. Are you heard of your first votes?

I don't know how the athlete's foot. It's the flavor of athletes' foot. You guys thought you were taking just like a cool new thing. You could do, but actually flavor. So she would have been doing like rapid push-ups

and sit-ups on the floor before anyone got up and then walked outside and like do a lap around the house. Yeah, just strengthening up for physique. Okay. The credits. Oh yeah, she put her hair up in braids

Which is why I'm afraid They're like this right now To keep them out of her face So what's the game for? We'll wait until We rest get back And as soon as they are back We'll let them know what happened

And we will set off immediately So if we find this sword Let's just say I'm not I'm not guessing that we're gonna Let's say we do Right What are the cars we have left we have

one connected to Sergei which we know we're not getting to unless we get in Castle Ravenloff now yes and then the other

we believe is in the drowned village the Holy symbol is in the drowned village and the sword is with Sevier

we promise we would return the gem holy symbol well well yeah I understand we're worried about the gem

I'm more concerned about what we need to in the next two days. If, if, we're going to just bow to what she says. Do you really think that we should do that? Shouldn't we just go about our business? Let her be angry. She's going to be anyway.

Unless she descends out of the sky and slaughters us also. Let her come. I think I'm more than happy to help. We would like to write her up a note, letting her know that the cleansing took a little bit longer and that we are delayed to take her slosh. I'm afraid she won't go for that at this point. Professor, you asked her pretty straightforward if we could have more time,

and she's at the end of her rope, it seems. I think we decide when the time comes. By the way, we can stop heading east as soon as we can. And I think I would just sort of read and prepare until midday and start to kind of, you know, help me hear myself. I understand that we've been warned about the danger that might be lurking in that stop, but I don't want to get a foot closer to Ravenloff without at least knowing what's going on in there. I mean, I mean, some holy symbol, we don't even know what we're looking for.

But we know that whoever this foul creature is is watching it, looking over and guarding it. And I don't want to leave here. I don't want to leave here or even step a foot closer to Ravenloft without knowing what we're dealing with. I think that's why. I agree. Well, let us find

what we can with this order of the Silver Dragon. All right, and then we can at least take a look to see the threat that we're against in Borez. All right. Should we wait for Davey and Super Bowl? Yes. I think we should. Ms. Conno, if you have a moment,

moment I'd like to speak with you. So we'll go somewhere private, I'm not sure where that would be. I was in the vineyard area. Yeah. I wanted to take an opportunity to apologize. I know that

the other day in the vineyard with the druids and the madness that was happening at the time, I did something quite unspeakable. I won't research it here. I would like the opportunity to explain myself and to apologize to you. I'm devout to my God, though later, and he praises that all should take suffering upon themselves

and take it away from others. And in my desperateness to help this family, I felt that it was my duty. to appease my God and to do anything that I could to end their suffering in the hands of these druids and I it was no excuse for the way that I handled that druid, but

I felt that I was just overcome by a desire to do right by my God. And I see now that I acted rashly, I think probably because of the slam that there. It's no excuse, but I hope you know that I

acted out of devoutness to my God and not out of pure substance and I am sorry for the grief that it caused I prayed over it heavily the other night

I realized that I was weak that is why I acted the way that I did and I have renewed my faith and renewed my own strength and I will not have that way again please accept my humble fault. I'll put both of my hands behind my back and I will bow to Victoria.

Thank you, Victoria. I certainly appreciate the words and I have the utmost respect for both your God, Ilmeiter, and for Sarnass's Fire Lord Garrick's. And then I'm pacing with her around and I kind of gesture to the, to the horizon. I can't say I worship one God in particular.

I have the utmost respect to many gods. In my homeland, we are not devout to just one. And much of my practice and meditation under the

watchful gaze and training of my master Dentecate. was simply to bring balance and restore good in places that are shrouded in darkness. I fear in that moment I did sense a darkness to wash over you. I felt it wasn't my place to fight you, as I felt that would only have added to the show. I respect you for your worship of many things or how you speak that. I think that that is a wiser course to go now that I've seen.

As much as I care for my God, it's when you give all of yourself to one thing, you in turn are losing all of yourself. I think to spread yourself to many things, is to keep a piece of yourself the way that it's structured. I think by committing, sorry, oh, no, please. If I were to commit myself to one deity, Lord would bring in balance.

I feel that Ilmator has assisted us in this expedition and uncovering the evil of this land as much as Garex has with Sarnax's faithful worship. And I will turn to her and motion for her to put her palms in my hands. If you would allow me one thing that you have seen me do before, and I feel if you are afraid ill-made or would have any objection to this, I'd like to form the cleansing ritual I do on myself every morning, every night, on you, if that would be okay.

I would be honest. And so I will, I'll take out my ladle and I'll take out my water pouch and I'll pour it in there. And holding her hands, I'll pour the water over one hands. As you do this, the water runs red. What? I haven't done anything. Are you bleeding? I just immediately flip her hand over.

I'm like, it's quickly putting shit under my armpits. Are you feeling okay? I feel fine. I don't understand. Is it just dripping now from her hand? Yes. I take out my water pouch and I empty it immediately. The water runs clean.

I'm so sorry. I am sorry. This is very strange. It must be strong. It's wickedness again. I must admit to you that I came to this land for selfish reasons to find a piece of myself that I did not know. I have found more than I bargained for, I find.

But I don't understand this yet, and I hope that you can understand this is not what I wish, this darkness that seems to be creeping over me. It's not something that I've called to myself, not intentionally anyway. I understand completely and I accept your apology of whatever's left of the water pouch without putting it through the ladle

I'll just try and wash our hands clean of this blood. You take the water pouch and begin to squirt the rest of the water out as it comes into contact our hands. It drips with blood. I'm sorry I thought this meant to help. We'll make sure you're cleaned up before we go back

inside. This is so terrifying. And I'll just like take out like one of my old shirts and I'll try to wipe her hands clean of the red can I divulge to you she has come to me in my dreams

dark things quite sensual things as well not terribly bad I don't understand this connection that I have with her that she has with me but it is

quite deep and something that I fear I cannot control her hands between mine drying them between the comments What makes you think she was so drawn to her? She seems to sense a darkness in me, something that I suppose I felt in myself.

I've tried to fight with the guidance of my guard and something that certainly feels flared now that I've moved into Borovia on this expedition. I don't know exactly what it is, but I think it has something to do with my lineage, something that I'm not fully familiar with but it is the reason that I came here

I've been holding it in I've tried to keep it secret but I don't think that I can anymore I saw when you received that sphere you were called upon you were called as someone

of good nature of good intention and I think that you could be a positive force in me I don't know if I should share this with the professor with the rest of the expedition. What has your God said? Have you prayed to your own matter about this? I have. But I fear I get no solid answer.

His guidance is always to resist the darkness and move toward the light, take not darkness from others who suffer and push them towards the light. But when you are constantly trying to... to uplift everyone, I feel that you find yourself lower. And I'm happy to be in that position, but I am afraid that that puts me in a dangerous spot with the rest of our party. I understand. I hope that I can be a source of life for you, which you may lean on me when you feel weak, that I can carry some of the burdens and share them with you. So you are not weighed down. very great.

I look her straight in the eyes, holding her hands and just fucking the is it bloody? It's bloody. Her hands are taped with dried blood. You're able to get a lot of it off, but that which began to dry smeared over her hands as you hold them. I've got her fingers

out like this, seeing the cake blood. I've shoved the napkin, the shirt back in my bag. And I'm doing one of these with her fingers and just pressing them down one on one. And I put my hands over hers and I clasped it. The spoke that sticks out furthest will get hammered down first.

Regain yourself. Gather the strength I know that lies dormant within you. She may be praying on you because she senses your temptation. I will do everything in my power, Mr. Toy, to protect you. I will stand between her and you. even if that means her blade will drive through me first. She must promise me. She will do everything can strengthen your mind

against these unknown forces, these allies or treachery. These are all games to her. She is simply acting out of boredom. We cannot let this. We cannot succumb to this matters, as so many of the people in these lands have. I will do that.

I will pray harder, and I will stand told for you. I have much respect for you. I see why the professor chose you as his assistant. You're very knowledgeable, very wise, very organized, and you have much to contribute to this expedition. Do not lose yourself. The further we travel deeper into these lands we must get. I will not continue.

five what you told me today to the professor unless you wish you to. I feel that is a private conversation you may wish to have with him. Perhaps you'll write. But know that if you wish to speak to me on anything else, as long as it does not bring danger to yourself or to any of us, feel free to pull me aside again. I'm more than helping, more than willing to lend a year. I appreciate your guidance.

Karen. Time. give her a full 90-degree foul. Cricsey. Michelle will you for shit? Michelle. You make your way

back inside of the winery and you rejoin your friends and you're in the dining area again. Breakfast has been laid out. Stefani has been up all morning cooking, preparing for a lot. You eat, you enjoy

the morning and you go about your business for the rest of the day. Spend a significant amount of time playing with the kids. Vasha is constantly pestering you for more coffees, the boys for more taramels. They get in an argument over who had the better candies. The boys believe they did. Vasha knows she did.

And they begin to leave you alone to harp on each other. And midday begins to dawn as you hear the commotion coming from the the area in which the wine barrels are are loaded and removed from the wagon. You see the elderly form of Damien makes his way in through the side door, hunched over his staff as he makes his way in. Well, you are all still here.

Eating all of my food. Running up my electricity bill. Eating all of my. Thank you for your half-for-tality. He's got a gigantic smile on his face. Did you deliver the wine? We did. Every last drop of it, we have our barrels.

We have new barrels back. We will begin to fill them once we can. And an old man was able to rekindle relationship with his stuff. How are things in Balakia? They were, you know, Falaki. Ridiculous, blazing sun. It was raining. all night. They couldn't keep the vicar man on fire the entire time. The Vergo master was screaming

that all will be well. Children were crying. It was not all well, but they pretended it was, and everyone went about their night. It was fairly uneventful. They had their own wicker man. Not a wicker man as such, but it was more like a vicar son, and they lit it on fire. It was supposed to symbolize the morning lord in the evening. I see. the fire of joy or some crap. All right. All right. But, you know, it was raining and it wouldn't stay lit.

They needed someone like this fellow here to keep it a light. My fire would not have gone out. I have no doubt. We got derated yesterday. It seems you were in a bit of a way last night with my dear Stefavia. Yes, you've heard of the news. Yes, we heard midday or mid-evening last night. things are well here

it took everything to keep the boys from rushing back home but they understood that she was safe with you you can't stay long we have business to attend to but just please be careful as you can take every precaution we will try to stay mostly

to divinely but we will keep our eyes out we have very capable scouts they will look for you they will watch you and they will let you know if they can't of anything that comes your way. If anything can keep the wolves of bay in the forest, the druids, it will be my ravens.

You should have safe passage. That at least I can guarantee. If the Countess Trudanya chooses to return, is there anything you can do to survive? If the Countess Trudanya returns, I fear it is my time to rejoin my wife. But think of your child children and grandchildren. I wanted to turn to Davian coming in with them and seeing that he is coming in with

the before I see that he's returned. Oh, this is hours after that. Oh, okay. Sorry. I stand up and I bow to greet him. Can you promise me, Davian, that a few of your ravens will always be here at the winery if you were to ever... I will let them know that no matter what seems to be brewing on the horizon, they are not to leave. that they may send a few, but not all.

You will not let the lapse in judgment like this happen. Thank you very much. I know the travel around here is not quick, but as always, don't ever hesitate to send for us. Yes. I will if I need to, for sure. And she said so in her letter to me, is if I would disagree, but you are family now.

You are Markovius. Martikovs, sorry, Romano. Oh, that was an intentional? No, it wasn't intentional. You are Martikovs. It's very similar. That is very similar. I'm like, oh, shit.

They're the same guy. You are Martikovs. Maybe not by blood, but by the lights that shines within protectors of Borobia, friends, and family to the keepers of the feather. That means a lot.

Thank you. You have a wonderful family and... You have free room and board at the end. Oh. No. My son didn't say so, but you can let him know. Mind he gets six, throw wine, so it will work out. You see a smile on his face, a joy that he can say something like that, and it be the truth.

Thank you for keeping us hope in the stock land. We'll make our way, and please do not hesitate to stay in touch. And I'll grab my case, and I'll say, shall we? Darien, did you mention Stroud sent you a letter? Oh, Stefan. Oh, sorry. She's talking you for some reason. It's a lot of am.

I'm pretty sure you just called me there you. I did, I did. Please forgive her. She's had a long night. Please stop calling Vasha Stella. It's not her name. I'm very bad to name. And please, if my good friend, Shepherd, has planted the second crystal.

Divines are all ready growing. Did you see? I had not. It is a fertile seed that you planted. The power is unmatched. I would be very glad to return all three to your possession. Did you know? Was it intentional?

I know you worshiped the dragon god. Yes. Did you intend to burn his symbol into the lambs around my home? I did not. The fields themselves were charred last night. They are incredibly fertile, it seems. The symbol of your dragon god. The great eye of the dragon?

Great eye of the dragon. Thank you, Fire Lord. It is the tenet of my god, the fire lord, that great renewal comes from great destruction. So after we bring, and I'll look towards shepherd. The great judgment and furious anger of our

destruction upon Shadanya there will be unbounded you have my word on that. One day I hope to walk the lands of Rovi and not need seeds planted, magical seeds to grow

on. To allow my children to play in the woods and not fear for their safety. And that we can spend the evening together without talks of the devil. One day that will be true. But in the meantime,

Stefania has packed you in a couple of satchels of food for the road. It's too good. It's too much. It's fine skins for each of you. And I believe the children have thrown some things in there for you as well. Of course.

You have missed them. We will keep the road safe. You should have, if we can swing it, we will keep the road safe that you will have an own-a-ventful journal. Just don't do so at a cost of your own safety. Your safety is ours.

Now. So, yes. Stop running up my electric. You'll try. Thank you. Is Basha around anywhere? She's running up and down the stairs. You see she runs to the top and she pants.

And then she runs. all the way back down and she does some push-ups things she saw Kana doing and then she rushes up the stairs. She gets about halfway. She trips a little bit but she jolts back up and continues the rest of the way and pretends like it never happened. And then she runs back downstairs.

I am going to... The kids kill you. You're going like, oh! Too much! I'm going to say... Vasha, before I go. She's running all the way back down. Yes, just one a moment, okay? Because I need to do

Two more. And so she runs down and she runs back up. I'm not just tired. I just need to tie my shoes. She reaches down and she ties a little bow. She runs back down, runs up, runs back down. She's standing before you, a little bit of sweat trickling down her brow. I'm a very strong raven. You are indeed. Are you going to give me candy? Before we go.

I mean, are you going to tell me something that's really boring? boys know you're giving me candy. I'll get down on one knee and I'll say, we have to go now, but you need to stay safe. You need to protect your mother and your brothers, right? I think I'm rounding up and down these stairs, Professor. Oh, do you want to see something really cool? Yes, please.

Okay, my. And she roots around in her bag and she pulls out a little notebook. And she's their drawings and things all over in the top hat. A naginata. Orms. A lantern. She opens it up. Do you see what it says on the inside?

Does it say? Student, Professor Vasha. Well, I have no doubt you'll be wise as your talents have no limits. I put a spell on it. You did? Yes, it's a protection spell, so if anyone tries to read it, I will know, because my brothers will try to read it. Well, I'm sure that spells very...

Spell is very powerful. This works already. Not with the spell. They've got caramel on it, but... She's studying, and you will be able to use a very powerful... I know that this will work. Can you look down and you can tell there's no spell on it whatsoever? But she thinks there is.

Before I go, I'll give you one last thing. I'll open it up, and I'll take out my last bag of toffee with that, like, kind of pastel pink wrapper, and it's like a nice, hefty parcel of it. I will say, this is for you. This is the most. special. This coffee is only for big, strong ravens. You understand?

If I eat it now when I'm still kind of small, will it hurt me? No, no, I know, but save it until after dinner. Do you understand? Yes. All right, I'll say it. Procidigium, and I want to use presidigitation to make like a glowing ruin of a raven with like little eyelashes as it was a Basha. Oh my! Did you see what? It's for you.

Oh my gosh, it is for me. And she holds it. You saw that, right? I did. Only, only a really powerful raven with the magic could do this. That's right. I'm going to make my mom so proud. Keep studying, stay out of danger.

Stay here, don't leave the winery in. I sent you a parent. If you sneak a peek at my book, I will know. I'll be here when you come. Stay safe. I wrote a... I wrote a spell for you, and I put it in her sack. We did.

Yes, baby. It's a really powerful one. I will read this on the room. Stay safe. And Fasha, it's a pleasure to meet you. It was a pleasure to meet you, too, Professor. She nods her head to you. To my studies.

And she turns around. She holds her book closer, and she slowly walks up the stairs, regally. Fasha, can I say goodbye? Oh, sure. But if you try to shake my hand, I will probably break your bones. I have been doing push-ups, and I know that meets her hands strong.

It does, and maybe this will provide you some padding, and I will take some bandages out of my pack, and I will wrap them around her knuckles on both sides. Do I have a wound? No, this helps you in case you would do push-ups on the floor. Or punch my brothers? It does provide quite a bit of padding, and I'm like, give me a couple wax. to have her try to punch me if she was.

I'm like, you sure you want me to do this because I might kill you. Absolutely. I think I can take it. I'm not going to hold back because a big raven, a strong raven does not hold back. That's all right. She punches it super soft. She punches you right in your gut.

I'm falling over back on my knees. Oh, no, oh no. Come, I'm so sorry. I told you. I was really strong. And she looks around. Her mom is like trying to hide a giggle as she just looks over. Oh, no. No, Vasha. You know what I said? No fighting in the house.

But she doesn't know me. No fighting in the house, Vasha. It's true, Vasha, we must respect your mother's wishes out of respect for her. And all of her hard work in hospitality and I give her a nod. And I pick myself up and wipe off my hands. She helps brush off some of the dirt. Now give me five more. She goes down. She does push-ups. They're weak and she's struggling, but she does it.

Great work. When I come back, that's my book. We'll enjoy yourself, get strong, and we'll see you soon. And one day, I will protect you when you're old like grandpa. We'll need it. He's not really good protection. He's very strong. I just said that because he might be listening.

Well, good day. Thank you for your hospitality. Thanks for us. Stay safe and we will take care of. Be deaf. deal. No. Turning.

You've Shepherds alone. What? No, no. Not that kind of. Oh, my God. It's a little common misunderstanding. It's all right. I get called that a lot, but it's,

then we're dealing with a different kind of devil. Not that really large imp? Uh, not to my knowledge. Oh, no. And she opens her book and she scratches out of pages that Shepard, the nicest really large imp I've ever had. Oh, no. I own my brother.

can't be said you weren't in you. It's fine. It's a common misunderstanding. You know they never need to know. You're a really large imp. Fair enough. Whatever makes you have. Okay, but I'm bored. Bye. She rose up the stairs. See you later, a little

one. To the ruins then, eh? Let's go. As you go to turn, you hear a I knew it wasn't going to work. Hold you, and she yells it to her brothers. And she attempts to blow out the light and the lantern. It's magical. They're so stupid. I said

so. And then she runs up to say. Ever burning. All right. So if I'm looking at the map right, then I think we got ahead this direction. And you're all right with me taking the leap. Please do. All right. I'll follow the map

that we have towards what we believe to be the ruins. You travel. You make your way along the path. And you start, it's around two when you leave, and you watch as only a handful of ravens follow you, but they do follow you. Occasionally you see them dart over the trees,

and you hear the strange call that they used to communicate. You hear the sound of wolfhounds. It's almost as if they're keeping the horns of the forest as bad as you make your travels. and you are able to make a quick time in an uneventful, an unadventual, I can't speak, uneventful journey as you make your way towards the creeping lane that meets you towards the mansion. High above the river valley, juts a quiet promontory upon which looms a sepulchral mansion, its turrets capped with fairy-tailed combs, its towers lined with sculpted battles.

A third of the structure is collapsed, as is part of the roof, but the rest appears intact. A dark octagonal town rises above the surrounding architecture. Out of the fog comes a distant peal of thunder, quickly accompanied by the howling of wolves in the woods below, but the house stands silent, seeming like the fossilized remains of some long-dead thing smote upon the mountainside. Night has slowly descended around by the time of the beach. this place and darkness enveloped the entire thing. Not a single light can be seen blazing the inside of this ruined decrepit nature. Does any of this look familiar to me?

From this area? No. No. Are we going to be all right if we have to set up camp here? I think so. There's been no sign of danger. I worry about what they were saying about. some sort of madness.

I know we haven't seen any people, but I'm certainly on the guard here. I have a feeling it might just be legend. The odds of people living up here seems unlikely. Has anything been just legend since we've set foot in this land? Probably right. You're probably right. Well, I'm just saying we should be aware.

That's approaching with some caution and keep our ears and eyes open. No. So we will You begin to make your way down the path You can remove that and reveal the first man You begin to make your way

Down towards the mansion And the first thing That you see Immediately It's home with you, Shepherd Perch to top A 10 foot high fevered Granite is a moss-covered statue

of a dragon its wings tucked close to its body. Where are we in terms from? You're heading directly, yeah, big ass map. There's the statue of the dragon.

For everyone at home, this map is literally the size of our giant ass table. Hold on, ma'am. And we got a big table. We got a big old... Biggle table. Wow. Sorry, I'll interrupt you.

A 10-foot wine. 10-foot-mile cube of granite. It's a box-covered statue with a dragon. Its wings tucked close to its body. The statue looks east towards the mansion. I'm going to walk up cautiously, but not too cautiously, and get close to the statue and try to wipe the moss off the statue

to get a better look at it. You move in closer to it. The fog that surrounds this place, thick, steps, makes it hard to see the dragon's features from a distance, but upon close inspection, It's easy to see that this is a silver dragon of noble berry. It's spiny frill, cracked and broken in many places. It's about 10 feet tall, but looks much more imposing perched on the granite block.

The whole thing is made of stone. It appears marble. Well, would you look at that? That is, well, I mean, not that I've ever seen one, but... Does it look familiar or something? It does. I mean, it looks like a silver dragon. if I were to, I guess, take a gander.

It is. I mean, you know? You're aware. I would notice over a dragon. Of course. This is a silver dragon. Their methods of ice over fire is not my preference. Wait, what?

Ice over the fire. Yes. What do you mean? The breadth. The silver dragon is ice. No, no, I can't be right. I mean, no. The dragons all breathe fire.

I mean, that's what that's what dragons do. No, of course, not shepherds. They breathe fire, ice, acid, electricity, poisonous, fumes. And I'm just going to keep trying to, like, try to, like, wipe the moss off the sashy to get a better look at it. This is very, I mean, it looks ancient. It's mouse to buff it up.

Catering. It is troubling that in order that is started by a silver dragon with that sort of protection would fall to madness and ruin to the state. I fear the evil that lurks here,

but I am certain will purge it. I guess we know that they've been around while this was here, before Shradanya became whatever she is now, and I mean, that's got to be hundreds and hundreds of years. I wonder if this information is ancient. Perhaps they had some legitimate intelligence against her.

If it was recent, I mean, she's so powerful now. I can't fathom anything beyond Taroka cards could chip away at her armor, but that's why I'm hoping that perhaps this is. some kind of ancient library inside these roads. Absolutely. Can I pace around the statue and kind of go off to the path here? I'm going to run my hands over the grass and just take a look and see picking up the soil if there are any tracks or if anyone has been through here recently.

Sure. Roll an investigation check. Did you survival? Sure. I'm better. 21. Yeah, you can tell if there are tracks, someone who's been through here recently. Can I tell how recent?

Probably within the past day. Humanoid tracks? Yeah. I'll rejoin the group. I don't think we're alone. Someone has walked into the last area. I wouldn't have come here. They appear to be human tracks.

Perhaps it's the order. They are still here. Let's not try to harm them. Remember, they mentioned if we could cure their madness. They could be allies. You may find friends here. Yes. That's the goal.

So let's ask questions first. And shoot only if necessary. Sure. All right, Shepherd? Sure. Absolutely. Understood. Okay.

I'll walk up to the I'll walk up the flagstone steps flanked by stone railings climbed to a landing in front of a pair of tall wooden doors with rusted iron bands and knockers shaped like small dragons. Carved into the lentil of

of the entrance is the word Arganvost. Arganvostsvot. It's written on there somewhere. Well, Arganvoss, that's the name of that dragon. Yes. Why, I mean, of course, of course. And I'll just reach up and bang, bang, bang, I'll pound on the front door, not using the knocker.

You pound on the front door, and it is unlocked. It slowly creeps open on its feet. The door moves behind you. You hear strange, crackling noise as the mouth of the dragon statue opens. And you're all blasted with frigid, cold air. Looking at it, you feel as if something more should have happened here. But it's just cold air. Oh, that's not.

All right, all right. Is that a trap? It may have been one that was not necessarily, fully armed, I suppose, but wow, we gotta be more careful, I guess. Maybe it's sense that we've meant no harm. I think I'm losing my edge either way.

Let's be more careful going forward. No trouble. To long after death to maintain this sort of power, it's impressive. Indeed. I will gently push the door the remaining way open. pushing open the door

reveals a dark foyer this room feels like a king's tomb a grand staircase leads up to stone balconies held locked by stone pillars and arches a tall faded tapestry depicting a nobleman of silver armor named from an iron

rod above the staircase landing six sets of double doors needs for this foyer along the walls displayed on marble pedestals a three alabaster busts of handsome men a fourth bus and its pedestal been knocked over, and their shattered remains like strewn across

mosaic floor. Two chandeliers, wrought iron hanged in the ceiling, like monstrous black spiders. There are black spiders hanging from the ceiling? No. They're shanglers. Oh, chandeliers. Yeah. I'd like to step in.

Do we recognize any of the bus? Stepping in, you begin to look at the bus, and they all look very similar to each other, but none of them look familiar. Oh, all these men. They are. Perhaps they have ancient knights. Man of the Orr, man.

Just in case, I'm not to cast me a darker myself. I'll stand up next to Shepherd at the front. Should we announce ourselves? Yeah, I guess it couldn't hurt. Hello? Is anybody in there? A great shadow with wings moves across the walls and disappears. You keep a soft, beast's chis in the darkness.

Boy, oh, my. No, something's there. We've heard of your greatness. We mean you no harm. We are friends of the dragon. We're just looking for help. Any kind of information. We don't mean any kind of harm.

In your response. I'm going to, like, carefully take a few steps forward and go deeper into this main entryway. Okay. Towards the back where the stairs are. I'll be right next to you. slowly kind of like looking around seeing if we can see anything. Are there any

like places for torches to be that we might be able to bring light to this room? The chandeliers above seem to be the only source of light. And they're extinguished. So it's a stark in here. Can I cast fire bolt into the chandelier and try to light the handles?

Absolutely. And I'll cast light into one of them. So it's radio and I'll cast light in the center here just to get an extra glow. It'll be separate. Okay, you're easily able to shoot your fireball top. It ignites one of the candles in flame jumps from candle to candle to candle to candle

until the entire chandeliers. Any signs of this creature that we've heard? We don't mean any harm. I can't stress that enough, please. We're just here for information. Ms. Cama, do you see any footprints inside? I'll let me kneel down and scam the floor, and especially checking near the stairs.

You look around and the shadow that was moving over seems to have to secure. It's quiet in here. It looks old and empty. And like it's been many, many years since any of this has been in use. A sick layer of dust covering everything.

Any footprints in the dust? Not that you can see, not over the staircase. I mean, if we want to just try to give this place a wants over, I think that's fine, but there's something here. And I think we need to be careful. I suggest we stick to the first floor for now. Together. It's clear the floor where it will stay together. And we do what we can to make sure that we know that we're not being aggressive.

Yes, we don't steal. We don't damage anything. We're looking for information. You're simply looking to help everyone here. I will call out. And remember the silver dragon beats all. Swiseworth. Yes.

But what do you mean by that? A card game, Shepard. The silver dragon beats all. Demon. The... Pick a devil light your path, Shepard. I guess. I pick these doors.

And I just point over to the first... I, like, randomly pick. And I pick these over here. You make your way up the small step that leads you out of the parlor into the hallway, into the hallway area. You lightly touch the door. You give the knob a shake. You see immediately this room is not locked.

You slowly ease the door open. Five barrels lying wooden braces along the walls of this dark moldy, storage. Do you have light on you? Yep. I'm having my lantern. You shine your lantern around, casting the barrels, casting shadows along the entirety of this. As you see something skitter off in the corner, you hear a voice.

I mean you no harm. I mean you no harm. Please do not hurt me. We don't mean you harm either. It's, it's orange. You see a 17, 18-year-old boy, look, his way around the corner of one of these barrels. His features are a almost silvery gray, bits of purple, bits of blues, or his skin, his ears pointing in a soft point.

As he looks out at you, he seems to be dressed in the regalia of the pastoni. He's clearly not of their lineage. I simply am waiting out the storm and the blights. Come on out, it's fine. We don't mean you harm either. Please, please come out. You have heard the blight. It is safe.

Wow. I'm so sorry. I'm Savid. The name's Shep. It's great to meet you. Wow, what fortuitous kind of events that you would be here. You say the blight has been removed? It has been purged.

Yes, I am Sarnax of the Edelwood. It's great to meet you. And I'm going forward a little bit. And as soon as I'm going to pull him. Oh, God. And I'm going to cast a lantern over his face. Easy, easy, easy. What are you?

I'm Savid. What is, what does his skin look like? It's colorful, but it's dusky. It's dusky. Got it. I'll let it go. What do you mean? What am I?

I've not seen any of your kind before. I am a dusk elf. A dusk elf? An elf of the shadow. Hell? Dust elf, we've yet seen an elf. Pardon our, our, uh, intrusiveness. We're not from around here.

There aren't many. We are but a small group. We have set up camp with you, we stand me outside Velocchi. Oh, I mean, you're far away from Volaki. Yes, what are you doing out here? Well, there's a Vistoneker She went missing

But I was four or five days ago And so many of us We have gone out in an attempt to try to find her You haven't seen one, Arabel No Small Vistani girl, maybe five or six You think she might be in here I didn't think she was here

We stay far from this place But I was afraid She might have wondered close to Vares. So I was heading in that direction when a group of lethal blights came upon me on the road and I have been wounded badly and you look down and you see that he has gashes all over his abdomen. He is

bleeding heavily. He's almost bled through the rough bandages he's put around himself. I have been, it's cold in here. Never colder, but I have found my way in here against my better judgment to avoid the middle lights. They wouldn't come in here either. But we try not to come in this place.

It is a curse. May you allow me to inspect? It looks at you uncomfortably. He's just that. If you would like... He is a healer. Yeah, I'm going to be honest. It's not going to feel good,

but you'll feel better later. That mansion will keep you one. Oh my. Do you see that right behind you? What is like? And I'm going to cast here with him. He screams as you pass hair weeks. I am told it hurts less when they are not expecting it.

I don't think that it felt any less painful because I wasn't looking. I will say that I did poop. You pooped? Is it done the phrase? Oh, 13 points of feeling. It makes you feeling better. We've all been through it. Sarac is giving us all the ringers, you know what I mean?

you'll recover just fine. Well, I do feel a bit better. I was barely hanging on, to be quite honest. I've put on quite a show. Boy, what do you know about this matter? I don't know much.

I know that it is a place that ages ago was mortared over by a silver dragon named Arvinnoss. We like to assume him informs us are outside in the entryway. So all of that is real.

As far as I know, yes. The story's the Stani though. This was his home. When we sat foot in here, we thought, I thought I saw something. Stittering, Wayne, hissing. Oh, yes, it's like an alarm or a trap, we think. I've been in here for well over a night,

and nothing more has happened. But it happened when I walked in, too. a shadow that and you've seen nothing more. Do you think it's a beast? Some sort of creature? No, I think it is a trap to scare those ways that makes their way in here. You mean simply an illusion? Yes.

At least as far as I know I haven't traveled to the house. I can't be sure, but... All right, all right. I don't mean to press. I understand you're weakened. I apologize. No, it's fine. I'm having a hard time coming

to terms with these plates. We are told to stay, to stay away, but these stories of Oregon busts are good. He was a noble dragon. He led a group of knights called the Order of the Silver Dragon, and they gave shelter to refugees who'd come to the valley to escape Strud's army. And I find it hard to believe that this place has become what it is. And since being in here, I try not venture out. The ballroom across the way, there are nine giant spiders that I could count. What? The horrifying things, but

outside of that, they've not found much. Oh, yeah. And you've been in the other rooms. The rest of the... I went into the ballroom, and then I ran back into the wine room. I don't try to drink the wine. It went bad probably a hundred years ago. And you look over and you see there's a small pile of bomb in the corner.

I'll take some of the rashes out that they packed for us. He must be back. Oh, this would be great. Thanks. And he begins to start eating him. This is no place for a boy to be. This is far too dangerous. You're telling me.

So why don't you go on? I feel now that I know the lights are gone. Before you go, I want to grab him under his neck. You're putting a little more pressure than you need. Having an elf here, I want to turn his head and look at his ear and kind of tap the point. This is rude. He's done the same to me.

You are a Duskowah. Yes. I don't think I've ever seen a Duskiel before. Can I also say Gulles? Do you have other family with you in the encampment? Yes. That's all of us that there are in Verovia in the encampment. Svidri were you born in Verovia?

I'm sorry, yes. How long have you and your family traveled with him? Stani, for as long as I know, they accept us for who we are. And you have, tell us of your family? A mother. Not them? No mother. A father, yes.

He's, you know, a bad. He's a little, it's a little hard. He wants the best for me, and life in Borobia is not easy, so tough enough, you know. We do plan on hitting What are you going to hit? Sorry, term of phrase. We're planning on paying Berez a visit.

Oh, that's okay. You've done a phrase. Oh, where did he say as in came up? I was sorry. Outside of lock. Outside of lock. Okay. That one does it.

Have you seen any large cats? She was asking me a question. Oh. Something for up the lady. My dad told me that. I was going to ask, you said that the Astani girl was missing.

Does she run away or was she kidnapped? She's a wild spirit. And so we hope that she ran away, which is a horrible thing to say. But in Borovia, well, it's just another day, you know? She headed toward Bres, which is where I was headed when.

The needleblades attack. Well, run off home. We will stop by Berez and take a look and see if she's there. You will. And we'll bring her home back to Velaki if we find her. I will let them know that you aren't looking. They're going there anyway.

So, yes, we'll keep an eye out for tracks. I'm sure she's not that hard to track down if she truly wants to do this. It's great. I will let my family know. We are the saviors of doomed children you will find. That's a horrible thing to be. Better than a bunch of dead kids. Exactly right, Shepherd.

Have you heard of any tales of what or who resides in Perez? We know very little of the land it could definitely use any advice. The wicked woman lives there. She believes she's the mother of Stroud. She believes she's the mother of Strath. She's crazy. I don't recommend you get involved with her. That is my fear.

She has found our sweet. Well, I don't know we will be getting her back. Do you know anything about her? She's prone to luring in children. She doesn't have any strange. We don't go there. She is powerful. And the land itself is drowned around her.

It is, there is a curse in that land. And it is best that you stay away, boy. We can save one more doomed to child. If you turn back the way you came. I'm not going to say no. I will make my way forward. And if you see a large cat with huge tusks run the opposite direction as quickly as you can.

Okay. I will. You will find your sister. I hope she's not my sister. but please find her. I've thought you all called each other brothers and sisters. But we still need, yes. I see.

He simply lives soon. We'll go on now. Stay to the roads. Stay safe. We're going to take care of it from here. Look to the ravens, follow their calls. He looks at you and is something a bit quizzical to him, are a bit nervous. Okay, I will do that.

then? The audience? Yes. It will be your guardians on the path home. Goodbye then, and good luck. But let them know you're coming.

Thank you, so much. You hear he quickly runs out. You hear the pattern of his steps, the door slamming. The sound from running down the stairs. Then quiet. Now, we got to check out the rest of these rooms, but what he's saying is right

about the ballroom, I'm going to suggest you wait till last on that one. I'm not really scared of much spiders. I just really want to deal with the bullshit right about now. I would suggest quite the opposite. You want to go in there and just clear it out now?

In case, we run into some danger and the noise alerts them and we're stuck apart by how many did he say eight? Nine. Nine. Nine. I mean... It's closed in there. The number's a number. A number's a number. I'm just a little sore

professor, I can loosen up and we can just go in there and clear them out. I'm always one to act on advanced information as quickly as possible. They didn't hear us coming in either. It is your call. I say we just take them out and we continue clearing this floor. Can I

just get a minute to stretch a little bit? Please. Okay. And I'm going to actually like physically stretch and get ready for some spider hunt. Spider hunting. Are you doing anything else in this room? We'll look around. So I think as well, an investigation check.

Do you guys want to assist me? You're on your own, professor. I got warm enough to do. Well, he's stretching all of you. Okay. Go to the barrels. Uh, you scout the room and you see that all of these wine barrels

are not wine barrels at all. They're champagne caps. All of them marked with the label Champagne de los Santos. Oh, shit. And one of them. The good shit. The good shit. one of them hiding a door.

If you hadn't noticed it at first, if you hadn't been looking at the label of the champagne, you never would have noticed the small latch and set into the stone wall. Hold on. What do you mean, hold on? There's a door. So are we killing spiders or not? Well, let's just see me this door leads.

Now that this isn't a dead end. Gun, all right, all right. It might just be a compartment, we don't know, and I will open the door and see where it leads. It leads directly to the room. next room over towards Mikey. Oh, not this one. This one.

There's eight, okay. Oh. This wood panel den has been ransacked. Its furnishings tossed about. A cold, dark hearth dominates the west wall between two narrow windows. Standing upright against the north wall is a sarcophagus made of black wood

with a queen's effigy carved into its lid. As you move into this, room, a fire erupts in the dead hearth and assumes a draconic form. What the hell? It hisses, crackles, and unfurls, and smoky lind. Yes.

I need you all your life for initiative. Oh! He's like, yes. No. My dear friends. Oh, yes. Oh, fuck. No. No. No. Oh, my.

The fire erupts in the dead heart and assumes the draconic form with kisses, crackles, and then curls in smoky waves, shepherd. I immediately, having, having, like, been called off guard, I stumbled back a few feet drawing both of my weapons and say,

Sarnax, I don't know what to do here. As an action, I use Hunter Sense, and in a bonus action, I use Slayer's prey. Neither are spells, just abilities. So the Hunter Sense, as an action, I choose one creature I can see than 60 feet, I immediately learn whether

the creature has any damage, immunity, resistance, or vulnerabilities, and what the creature is, if not hidden from divination magic. It is... Because I'm not willing to attack it yet. This only works on creatures? It specifically says choose one creature.

You scan the room. The only creatures you can find a friend who walked into the room with. Woo! So, my slayers. prey will also not work them. I can't designate this thing. Sar Sarnax isn't what I think it is.

And I'm just backing up. What is it, Shepard? It's not now. I don't know what this is. Is this your turn? That's my whole turn. Is the dragon the yellow? Yeah, I made it. I made it. I used my bonus action ending action. That is it. You see as the fire undulates and gets larger. The fiery dragon

Hisses as it addresses her. My knights have fallen into darkness. Save them if you can. Show them the light they have lost. With that, the fine person. Vaginvoss, is that you? You're no longer an initiative. I'll speak in Draconic.

I'll speak in Draconic. I'll speak to Ricanic. Where are your knights, Greek dragon? What does he mean? That wasn't a creature. That wasn't... I think it's out. That wasn't anything that we could have done anything about.

I panicked. I panicked a little. I'm sorry. Is this his sarcophagus? I'm going to pat it down and take a look at it. Just be careful. You tap down the sarcophagus. It's covered...

It's covered in dust. and as you open it, you see it's been converted into a wine cabinet. But now inside, only shattered wine glasses and decanters should be found on the shelves. Looking around the room, the other furnishings include rotted divans, broken chairs, overturned Ottomans, and smashed oil lamps. That's another illusion to remnants of the dragon. I'm going to pull back the veil of you, detective. I had no attention.

Don't that again. I had no intention today. I actually had to write down fire room on a piece of paper so I'm talking about I'm an interest in charge. All right. Okay. I had no intention to attack. I was going to have her taken me.

I would let's use Presidio and light the fireplace again to see if I can get you know, serious black back in the fire and ask some question. Gary Oldman, are you there? Yikes. Terry, come to the fire.

List something or another. Oh, yeah. Try up. You great prude. You relight the fire. And it roars happily in the heart. A warm glow fills the room. And warmth pushes out the frosty air

that was trapped within this dead. We have our quest. We will find the dragon knights, gain their allegiance, and they will be allies who ride against the countess with us. How can there possibly still be some sort of dragon knights here hundreds of years later? The power of the dragon, the power of fire, Shepard. You believe that they're still roaming the halls?

Yes, I do believe. And the reason why the Shredania still lives is simply their annexion alone. Shepherd, evil only triumphs, basically the annexion of the good. All right, sorry, nice. So I guess you're going to say, lead the way. lead the way and I will light it. Done. And I will go out the doors.

Not the door we came in, but the other doors that we decide to leave. I suggest we light every hearth that we can see. Warm up this place a little bit. Maybe that's what he means by bringing light into the darkness. Bring some life back to this place. It's a great idea, Carmen. I won't disagree.

Are we still looking to go kill some spires? I believe we should go floor by floor surgically and clear this place in case there's danger like spiders. So spiders. Yes, spiders. Yes, yes, Mr. Morgan Spiders. Perhaps we do not have to slay them. What?

Spiders? Yes. Spiders are creatures of darkness. We'll step in and scare them to the shadows while we take a look. I mean, he'll leave them to their layers. That poor fellow we saw earlier

seemed pretty adamant that these not were not just tiny, a little litty, Biddy spiders. He was but a child this morning. We are far more powerful than a number of arachnans, regardless of their size. Well, I'm not debating that. I'm just saying, uh, so be it. Why don't you take a look?

Why don't I just... Would you like me too, Shep? Take a look. No, no, it's fine. I have a feeling if I offer up your assistance, the Saranx is going to tell me that I should lead the way. So I will do it. Uh, but all just...

Just be ready in case these aren't just itsy-bitsy spiders, if you will. I will waltz on over to the ballroom, no pun intended. And you've got to. Try the handle. Rubble is thrown throughout the much of this vast chamber, caused by the partial collapse of the rooms above it. On the pink marble floor, fallen chandeliers lie in its broken chairs and other furnishings. Thick web stretch from wall to wall and moving among them.

are too many giant spiders to count. Too many giants. So they're giant. They're giant. They're giant. Really? Two by two. I'm going to poke my head in.

Like open the door and like peek my head in. You see them skitter around. They don't seem to take notice. And I'm going to pull my head back out and slowly kind of keep the door crack. There's a lot of them. And they ain't time. enough for us to handle? Well, I'm, you know, I've dealt with my share of wolves and spiders and things.

How many's too many for you, Professor? Well, a single fireball from Sonax could take out a dozen. How many did I see just too many to count? They were everywhere. Let me just say this. I know I'm not a learned man. I can't count that high. Oh, all right.

Oh, I don't like leaving, but Oh, geez. I'm sorry. Perhaps we, it seems as though we're being spurred. No, it's the wrong playlist.

Perhaps. Were there any huts that we could light? Well, from what I could see, it was pretty dark, but it was also a little drafty. I don't think that room is necessarily enclosed. Perhaps I can

bring some lights to the darkness and just push them back. No need to kill them. My thought is that they probably just moved in from the surrounding wilderness. If I had to get it. I would say you saw enough to see that the roof was completely collapsed in and it looks like they're spilling in

from outside. We can attempt to scare them, but it wouldn't shock me if they just lash out in confusion. Well, Samaks, if you would like to... I am hesitant to continue through with countless giant spiders. Yeah, by. Perhaps we can scare them away, and if we can light some fires here and just keep them away,

that would be more than fine. If they're creatures of tonight, then maybe we can also return here in the morning when there is better light and visibility. They may be less interested. I should find that we have the time to wait. allow me to attempt anything I can do to assist

and we'll be ready in case things go hair-shaped if you will if they descend upon me get ready to kill them that is what I can ask them all of you and we won't let you die sarnance not yet we're and then with a single nod

I'm going to fly open throw open the door and you throw open the door and you shine your light in and immediately you see all of the the eyes turned towards you. Thousands. Creatures of darkness.

This is bad news. Basque in the light of day. I'm going to cast daylight in the center of the... Oh. Cast daylight in the center of the room. All right. Tell me what it does. That's nice.

Tell me what it does. As it's always prepared as a late lyric, my goodness. Oh, my goodness. It's so fun and flavorful to have all your spells. Seekfoot radius sphere. so it should be able to get the whole room. Spreads out from a point you can see in range. The sphere's a bright light, and they sheds a dim light for initial 60 feet.

So I can choose a point. I stole the center of the room, and the light shines from an object and moves with it, completely covering blah, blah, blah. Obviously, it can be blocked on the ground in seven objects. Any spells area that overlaps with the area of darkness created by the spell. A third level of lower is immediately the spell. Wow. So it, like, it just spells third level of alarm, magic.

No dark. Is that? Holy fuck. You reach your hand out as the motivifier swirls towards the middle of the room. Instead of igniting the entirety of this space, a beam of pure sunlight shoots forth from the heavens and illuminates the entirety of this room. Hundreds of giant spiders spilling out towards you. But if the light illuminates them, you watch as they all begin to rear back.

climbing up on their webs and like a waterfall of legs and hair and chittering mandibles, they climb out over the broken side of the wall and deep into the voice. Back to the darkness, you creatures of the night. Duns are nuts. Wow, wow. I'm going to be honest, I lost count way before the total number that I saw just spill out of here. Brilliant, how nice? Nice job, French.

Nice job. How long is this last? I believe it lasts. We should be quick about to investigate the room. Yes, let's investigate. An hour. We have daylight for an hour in this room. Cast my firehold into the hearth and light on the set.

You're quickly able to light both of the hearts, the hearts, bits and pieces of the roof are scattered within them. There's enough, there's enough kind of light to light the fires easily. All right, let's spread out a little bit. We got them here and quick ones over, and we'll continue. So what do we see in the main ballroom? Let me just investigate. This is the professor investigating.

The main ballroom is just as it had been described, the pink stone floors, the chandeliers crashed down around you. Most of this room is destroyed. What remains is held together by the thick webbing of all the spiders. So is there anything you know if investigating? No. Okay.

Bonwood? I see a door at the far side here. And one and the other corner. Both the process. You open the door and find yourselves looking at a 20-foot-long table with sculpted dragons for legs. It stands in the center of this hallway.

The chairs that surround the table have backs carved to resemble folding dragon wings, and several of the chairs have been overturned. They're smashed to pieces. Suspended above the table is a crystal chandelier that glows with a soft white light. Standing in windowed alcoves are two life-sized statues depicting nights with dragon-wain elms and shields.

Rainwater trickles through cracks in the ceiling, flowing down the west wall and adding to a large puddle on the floor. Five sets of wooden doors lead to this hall. The doors in the northeast corner hang open. A pair of leaded glass doors, their panes cracked and broken, stand open between panels of stained glass

set into the East Wall. These panels to pick silver dragons and flake. Beyond the glass door lies a dark, misty room that appears to be a chap. I'm going to immediately

walk up to the life-size statue of this warrior and just like really take it all in and then go to the tapestry that you just cry. I'm really entranced you walk to the station

and you immediately notice the armor. The same armor you saw in dreams when you looked down at yourself. Magnificent. I don't do this. I've seen this before. What do you mean? I mean, it was just a dream, but I've seen this armor in my dreams.

Perhaps it was a message from this dragon himself. Perhaps. I don't know. I just assumed it was a lot of talk of everything we'd been talking about, and I just had some dreams. It means we are aware we are supposed. We are where we are supposed to be in this very moment. I hope so.

You have a connection to the stray, Shepard. Please, if you feel any certain way. But how could that be? Any dream, any vision. Let us know right away. I've never even left Yonah, let alone left Adventress. How can I have any kind of... I don't know, but maybe when you were teleported here,

maybe the dragon chose you or saw something in you. Sure. And I'll go from the armor to, like you said, the tapestry and I'm just very enamored with the with the silver town. I'm going to the chapel. Sarnax goes into the chapel. I'm going to go up to the puddle of water.

Oh shit. You inspect the puddle of water and it appears to be water that's corning from the rain outside from the giant hole in. I'm just picking it up, passing it through my hands just sinking back on the blood red water that fell over

Victoria's hands and I pick it up and snobed it doesn't seem like rainwater. It smells like rainwater. You can see where it's sitting the roof and leaking in through the hole. I just wipe my hands off of my pants and I follow them in. And you look at the tapestry. The tapestry is made with fine silver thread,

and it depicts dragons in flight. It's beautiful even at its age. Sarnhouse. You walk in the chaperna house. The chapel, a cracked wooden pillars support a wooden, new-shaped balcony that overhangs the stone-walled chapel. Narrow archways lead to spiral staircases that curl up to the balcony. And a door set into the north wall has a wooden beam barren. At the east end of the chapel rests a stone altar flanked by iron candelabros.

The altar is carved with a rising sun fast-relief. Tall arching windows set with panels of stained glass decorate the wall. behind the altar. One of the windows has been shattered, covering the chapel floor with shards of colored glass and allowing thick fog to billow in and fill the room. Through the fog, you see three armored figures kneeling before the altar. I mean you no harm, knights of the silver dragon. You hear the clanking of their armor as the knights write themselves and turn towards you. No helmet adorns their head and the rotting faces are easy to see.

They look at you, their eyes wild with hatred. You see as all three of them reach for their hills. And I'll speak in Draconic. Lay down your weapons, knights. I come in the name of your lord, the silver dragon. Roll of persuasion check. And advantage. Do we hear that?

Oh, yeah. I will rush to behind Starmat. Did you stick to your comic? I don't think so. Okay. We hear loud voices. We hear, we hear, we hear, God, I got our own loud, stop.

I think I speak television. Oh, 16. Could be worse. Oh, I speak to high, so I guess I understand this. Yeah. Your voice booms out through the chat. And for a moment, the wildness, the madness, the madness.

overtakes them. But as you say these words, a sadness overcomes them. All three immediately turn from you. Kneel to the ground, the clanking of their armor against the stone,

as they bow their heads in prayer. I'll raise my hands. I'll step forward and cast my lantern light through the fog. And I'll try to get close enough to see, get a better look at what they are. Roll a Religion check.

God, I am not rolled above a 15 this entire night. Is it above a 10? Religion, yeah, no, it's a 20. Or no, I have 17. Oh. This fucking guy. Are you fucking serious? 17 or 12.

Still, anyway, fine. This fucking guy. I was about supporting up to a 12. Jesus. I rolled with an end to. Anyway. Anyway, you can tell that these appear to be revenants. Oh, fuck.

Hey, hey, Sarnax, you're all right in there. What's going on? I have encountered the knights. What? Knights, if you have honor left, do you still serve your master? You. Indracotic. All undercutt.

You see as their hands once again go to their hilt, hearing you speak. The madness almost pulling at them. The grace that they gave you by not attacking, slowly fading. Uh-oh. But they hold their ground. They let their hands fall, and they once again bathered them at the altar of the silver dragon. Sarnax?

I don't know what you've said. We should let them be if they're not attacking us. Very well. We should continue to investigate and hopefully find some way to cure them. I thought we wanted to gain their favor. Yes, but if they... Is this not working? They seem to be agitated.

They're agitated. Allow them their worship at the altar. Yes. we shall continue to investigate. Hopefully they mean us no harm. Did you say what's on the altar? It appears to be an altar that's in reference to

Silver Dragon, but Sarnax would also see as he looks around. The chapel seems to not be dedicated to Arvin Vost, but dedicated to the god of dog. Yes. Lord of God. Morning.

The morning, Lord. This is a hole upstairs we can go look at. I guess we should continue. I believe there's one more room that we did not check. You have a couple of you. Yes, on the floor. You have a bunch of stuff covering up other areas, which I think probably is typical.

Let them be in. Before now. Maybe we can gain the Silver Dragon's favor and join them in prayer. Stop right now. I'll back out very slowly. and I'll close the doors. This podcast is brought to you by our Patreon. Become a patron today at patreon.com slash legends of Evantris

and gain access to tons of exclusive perks, including a monthly movie night and a weekly Patreon exclusive campaign set on the high seas, shroud over salt marsh. You can also go to the crooked moon.com to pick up your own copy of our first public supplement, The Crooked Moon, a foot horror tome for Dungeons and Dragons 5th edition. And don't forget to snag all the extra goodies like dice, miniatures, plushies, a tarot deck,

and more. Thank you. And from what I understand, we haven't been that direction yet. Did we feel like we fully investigated? I will, yes, all the rooms you've been in, you feel like you're fully invested. So because this is such a large thing, I'm not going to make you look for specific things. I'll have you roll for investigation if it's necessary, but other than that, when you look through the room. I'm going to try these doors here to see if they're unlocked.

Yeah, that door does appear to be unlocked. Yeah, I'll walk through. You walk into the room, what appears to be a kitchen. The kitchen has been plundered, tables overturned, the floor is littered with rusted utensils, and smashed cookery. Narrow windows slanking a hearth, look out over a cemetery. An open iron

top hangs from a hook inside the blackened fireplace. It rattles on its hook and bobs up and down so something is inside of it. Do you see that, Shepard? I want to send a mage hand over

and just gently tap the cooking pot. Your hand flies over, towards the cooking pot, slowly descends in, all of you watch is the pot occasionally jolts this way, that jolts that way. And as the hand makes contact with it, a bat bursts forth and flies all around you.

You all jump as you feel the breath leave your body. It's just the bat. It makes a strange, squeaky noise as it flaps its wings, moving haphazardly here and there, as it swirls around the room flies out of one of the windows. Does it look like a vampire bat? It looks like a normal bat.

I'll try to go up to From our shepherd to yours. We're happy to have you. That's right. I'll try to go up to one of these windows if it's looking like it's trying to make an escape. What's this wavy thing? A curtain?

Yeah, it looks like a curtain to me. I just didn't know if it was something. see past that? Because I can keep this covered if we haven't gotten there. No, you can't see past. Yeah, sure, you can see past that. Okay. It doesn't say what it is, and I'm not quite sure.

Because there should be a wall. It's a little like a curtain or something. Yeah, you can see what that is. Is the bat looking like it's trying to escape? It's already escaped. It's just a bat. Oh, okay. It's just a jump scare.

It's going to open a window. That's cool. But this, there's a horse? Yeah, I mean, it looks like some sort of fireplace if Sarnax or O'Connor would be the pleasure. Or, of course, the professor, my back. Just did you. I have a presentation at light. More lights and warmth in space.

You light the hearth, and already the warmth of all of these roads is palpable now. The coldness, the stillness that was on this level is slowly fading. All right, all right. That's a little jumpy. I think we're... Look, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little bit concerned about the beings we saw in the other room. So if we could maybe pick up the pace

and get to the bottom as quickly as possible. Let's just... We'll give a quick look around and we'll continue on. You make your way through the curtain into the next room. What appears to be... Huh? It would be a basement. Yeah.

You make your way through the curtain. You have what appears to be. with servants' borders. Cattered brown drapes cover the windows of a circular room and a heavy curtain hangs across an archway that you've just come through. Shrewing about the floors, the wreckage of half a dozen beds and other pieces of furniture. It looks like the staff of the house once slept you. The room contains nothing of value. You make your way out of the door, down the steps, and across the pathway. Oh, okay. Not a basement entrance from what we can see yet. Up the next stairs and through the next door, you find yourselves in a parlor.

Tattered velvet drapes cover the tall, slender windows that encircle this parlor. The furnishings are covered with dust and cobwebs and lie and disarrant. A damaged brass chandelier hangs in the ceiling, which is covered with a faded mural that depicts metallic dragons and colorful birds flying beneath white clas. Time and neglect to damage the furnishings, leaving nothing about it. I'm just going to say that I don't damage. I'm going to light all the camera.

If it's 10 feet away, I'm just going to... It's damaged, but there are a few candles there you're able to light. Do I see a gold dragon? You do. I'm going to step close as I cast my light on the gold dragon in particular, and then bull's eye, the lantern, to shine on. The candle that it illuminates burns far brighter than the others. And as it burns, the wax.

that drips from. Glitz. Gold. Shepherd, do you see that dragon there? Yeah, I mean, it looks gold. That is one of the forms of the duality of Garex. I mean, I know you said that he was like a gold dragon and a red dragon at one point. Yes, that's right there. Well, this is a dimension of the order of a silver dragon. Back there, see the flame glows brightly, the power, the raw disrupted power of fire.

From that, that's what you must form in your soul. So what does this have to do with silver dragons? As to do with silver dragons, they are allied with the metallics. I'm trying to keep up. I really am. Fear not, remember that image. Let it sear into your brain. All right, all right, I got.

I got it. You feel as if you've thoroughly explored at least the first level of this decrepit. So I would say we would head back to where we saw the chapel. The thing to have two winding. Oh, that's right. A stairwell that went up. You also saw that there were, that there was a staircase in the main streetway. I don't think you would fuck with that.

No, that's just going to say in character. I'm not comfortable going back in that chapter yet. We should go up the main stairs. We got a perfectly good staircase right here. Yes. To ascend the stairs, you make your way onto two stone balconies that flank the main foyer. Bullets-shirts cards resemble knights and shining armor to put their elegantly carved stone rail. Weapons and shields to stune the walls along each of these walkways,

while alabaster busts of handsome men flank the hallways that lead north and south away from the foyer. At the west end of each balcony is an archway that leads to a spiral staircase going up. That's these? Yep. Let, uh, uh, this direction, and I'll point to the north. Okay. You begin to make your way down the hallway. Doors, or one door appears to the side, depending on which way you used to say.

God damn it. We'll keep going this way, and I'll point north. All right. He paths a door, slightly ajar, leading towards another adjoining hallway. Professor, I'm going to cut out for this. Let's take a look. All right. And I will gently push open the already ajar door, just to peek inside.

Looking in, two beds with torn canopy, stand against opposite walls with the tattered, the rug line and the floor between them. Set into the far wall is the fireplace. Black was soot. Soft, hiss, issues from the heart. Do you guys hear that? Yes.

Should we ignite the hearth? No, don't, not... Not this one. Yeah, yeah, that's a great idea. Great Silver Dragon. Are you here with us? You approaching? I'm putting my head. Yeah, we'll go on.

We'll step in. Yeah, we'll be inside the room. You speak at the harbor. Nothing happens. Let's poke around the... I'll go walk up and I'll just take a look at it and shine my light through it to make sure there's nothing. As you get within 10 feet of the fireplace, a small hissing dragon made of ash and smoke

erupts from the fireplace, filling the room with soot as it beats its wings. It beats and beats its wings until it falls. flies up into the air, soot's raining down around you. Just as quickly, it flies out the room quickly. Hollow it. Professor, like the fireplace. Went out the door we came in?

Yep. And it's flying at a speed of 30 feet. I will run after it at my normal movement speed. You run after. I'll quickly like the harrow here. I'll follow chapter. Yeah, we'll... Run after the small dragon.

It leads you back out the way you can. came all the way down the hallway and up the spiral staircase. Oh, shit. This one right here? Yep. Fudge. So it's the room that's pointing directly towards me. It flies in over the rubble and directly into that room. Oh, this room. So we're like stuck at the rubble. We can we get over the rubble? Yeah, it's just difficult terrain. And you see that flies into that room directly in front of you.

I guess we'll... Let's go. Yeah, we'll be careful to climb the rubble, but we'll hurry after it and say, well, watch a step everybody, come on, careful, careful. We'll make our way in this way, dragon. Following this ashen dragon. You look in and you see as the dragon descends

onto the back of the throne. The west wall of this 50 foot long, 30-foot-wide audience hall was stumbled, leaving a gaping hole in a pile of rubble. Weapons and shields that once hung from the walls have fallen to the floor and succumbed

to rust. A large wooden throne carved to resemble a dragon, with unfolding wings, faces three tall windows to the west, slumped in the throne, is a gaunt armored figure with one gauntlet wrapped around the hill to the great sword. Let's make sure it's not still,

you know, walking around. So the ash-jack has disappeared? No, it's perched on top of the... On top of the throne back is lost. So the figure's on the throne. The throne is facing you. Okay, so it's not facing the windows. It's on the throne back, roughly around

shoulder. area to where this goth figure sits on the skeleton or like a zombie ask or like it's hard to see its face is out tilted down Argan Vossum's a bit of the product We are here To reunite the

Knights of... Go away Do we see that speak from the figure? You do? It's not rude. It raises its head out. The creature's grip on the Great Sword Titans. If you've come to destroy me, know this. I

perish defending this land from evil. Over four centuries ago, and because of my failure, I am forever doomed. If you destroy this body, my spirit will find a new corpse to inhabit, and I will hunt you down. Cannot free me from my damnation?

Nor would I wish it. Do you have come to free this land from the creature that feasts on the blood of the innocent? Know this. There is no monster I hear. more than Strudonia von Zorovic. She slew Argonvost, broke the life of the night that I loved, and destroyed the valiant order to which I devoted my life. But Stradonia has already died once. She can't be allowed to die again. Instead, she must suffer eternally in hell of her own

creation from which she can never escape. Whatever can be done, to bring her misery and unrest, I will do. But I will destroy anyone who tries to end her torment. And looking up at you, you finally see a sallow got-face of this. Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Oh, my God.

What comes from the cameras? Yikes. Yes. Okay. So we all heard that. All right. And you see as once again the head mulls back down. We don't mean to fight him? No, we don't want to do that. You speak openly.

We wish the saying that you do, good night. We are servants of the dragon. The dragon has been wounded. There is a dragon in my heart and in my soul and within this lantern. And I intend to purge this land of the wickedness. His head tilts back up and you see a bit of madness flare with them. Ang, frustration, sadness, and anger. Your dragon is not mine.

Mine was killed long ago when we failed this earth. Take your dragon with spits on the ground and be gone. Do you not wish vengeance? There is no vengeance for blood spills of the ones you love. There none quite like eternal damnation. let her rot What about the black of the abyss Is that not far worse

She would revel there She would thrive She would love the torment One day this land will be free of souls For good It will be nothing but her In her empty hollow No means

It's all she deserves But until then you sit in this dark chamber Alone while she prays On the people that who are still here the souls that exist. Are you willing to do that? I am. And I am.

But perhaps you should reconsider, though this is not your dragon, there is a dragon that breathed fire just in front of you. Someone who could perhaps defeat her. Then take your dragon. And be gone. Have we inferred at this point that this is Argonne? No, it is not.

He worshipped. Argonne. Are you cold? good night. Always. I see. We will leave you to your rest. Sure, this son.

Is there a heart in the room? I should be able to see. There's one. Perhaps he's just... Tainted by the sea. Tarnished for his time in the cell alone. May not speak to him, encourage him in another direction.

I believe, as well I'm backing up trying to guide them all out of my hands. If you're looking for help, you'll not find it in this room. Try one of the weaker them. Good day. Be it rest. Good night. I'm going to walk out and try to go.

His eyes start backing before you between all of you. And you see for a moment as if he almost stands up in pure fury, pure anger, he's holding onto his hilt as if he intends to slay, where you stand with the madness of sides from the moment he shakes his head. He reaches his hand up and he cuts the small warmness that rests to the side of him.

I don't need to understand this. I don't need it. We must obey the command of the dragon raid of flame. Yes. He must return the warmth of fire to this dark and cold place. But if the strongest of

them is not willing to fight. It will be the power of fire that invigorates. The dragon in the fire told us that they are mad and that we can save them. He's standing out the whole end. Yeah, we're walking. The perception is high enough that you can hear movement off to a room to the side, the one that you can see on the mouth of the tables. Okay.

He said there were others. He's referring, I think, to the three downstairs. I don't know. They didn't seem like they were open to communication. There may be others in some sort of position of command. Yes. Do you hear that? You can investigate.

I hear something. Let's go. All right. And we'll walk towards the room with the table. You open the door, slowly push it in. Through the dust and the cobblets, used a faded warbam, adorning the wall through a spacious chamber,

in the center of which stands a heavy wooden table. An iron chandelier hangs above the table, which is surrounded by six high-backed chairs, with wood-carved dragons brush top them, slumped in five of the chest. chairs are skeletal humans in tattered chamber. The corpses tilt your head.

Tilt their heads in your direction. One of them growls. Why do you the living disturb the dead? I like nudges, sorry, Max. We wish to unite and rekindle

the knights of the silver dragon. Do you have honor left within your bones? Knights. Four of them put their hands in their hiltz and begin to stand as the one towards the back raises his hand. Do not touch them. He looks up at you, the madness still in his eyes that he seems to overcome it. He looks directly at you, Shepherd.

He has come to you, Ogden Bottsman. I see faint silver glow around you. He has come to you and dreamed. I mean, I had... One of us, and he slams himself on the chest. His bones rattle a little bit under his hands. The four around the table all do the same. One of us.

Yeah, I had some dreams. I did. Of course. But I thought they were just dreams. He looks between all of you. Join me. And he looks to the... the skeletal forms that are there.

Go. We have much to discuss. There's skeletal shapes. Slowly move up, freeing the chairs for you to sit down at the table with this strange skeletal man. So he's also a skeleton. Also a rabbit.

I'll tell you everything you want to know. Yes, of course. Let's sit down. Please tell me. Professor, assistant for the fireplace. I don't like the hearth. If only these old,

could feel the warmth. Before I go any further, my name is Shepard. Sir Godfrey. It's a pleasure, Sir Gauthry. And then I will, in extraordinarily crucial detail, describe both of the dreams that I had, three of which are party members are hearing for the first time. I felt it for a long time.

I knew he had not fully left us. madness creeps in but not always. He's still with us. But what do we do? What do we? What do we? It goes to you. Ravenloff. This is a shepherd.

Why did you not speak at the same? I mean, I thought they were just dreams. We've been talking a lot about the order with the Davian, and I just assumed it was on my mind. I didn't know any, I mean, sorry I kind of told me a little bit, But I don't mean it to be an accusation. I was embarrassed.

Perhaps the dreams are telling you to just destroy the castle? I don't know. Do the rest of you get these kinds of dreams? No, he doesn't speak to us. But I've known for a while that he is in unrest. He hates what the order has become, that we sit idly by. Most Fogonia carries out of a reign of heaven.

But there is no getting through to Vladimir. He will not move from the spot on the throne. He will not fight in this fight. We met him just a few moments ago, actually. And he let you leave. Yes. Yeah. Today must be a good day.

What can we do to help? Is there anything that we can do to lift this madness? I'm not sure. But I think so. There are bones that dwell in the deepest recesses of Casson, somewhere she is in the remains of Argonbebost. They should be returned to the mausoleum. They should be returned here.

I believe that if you have returned home, his light would shine over Borovia once again. You know the story. You wouldn't be here if you didn't. I don't know what to say. The other day, we've been through a lot. and I made the decision that I'm not

I'm not leaving here I won't leave her alive unless she's dead I know you talk about action and I've been trying to stay level-headed at the professor's request but I'm done and if it's my last thing I do I will

fight to the death to see her dead for good yes that is why he's come to you that's why dragon's spirit It rages inside of you. I mean, it can't be.

It's got to be Sarnax. No. He looks at Sarnax, but his eyes drift back to you. He is blessed of a dragon. You are blessed of another. Your soul shines with a silver light. You are a shepherd of salvation to this land. And the silver and the gold will unite to destroy the wickedness

that reigns over this land? And do you believe the only way to regain the order of the silver dragon to retrieve these bones? I can't know.

All I know is our past. Our future is cloudy. I believe that you've been called here for a reason. I have felt Arganvoss's unrest. The moment you walked into this room, I can see his presence upon you.

He calls to you. He begs for your help. Uh, right, I guess. He reaches into his pack, the pack of his side, and he pulls out a letter. Fuck! That's fancy. Hello. That's a lot of the shine.

Oh, wow. And it says, My knights have fallen and this land is lost. The armies of my enemy will not be stopped by sword or spell claw or feng. Today I will die. Not avenging those who have fallen, but defending that which I love. This valley, this home, and the ideals of the order of the silver dragon. The evil surrounds me.

The time has come to throw off this guise and show these heathens, my true fearsome fold. Let it spark terror in their hearts. Let them tell their stories of dark triumph against the protector of the Balinac Mountains. Let Argonvost be remembered as a dragon of honour and valour. My one regret is that my remains will not lie in this rightful place. In the hallowed mausoleum of Argonfus taught, no doubt my bones will be scattered among my enemies, like the coins of a plundered hoard, trophies of hard-won victory. I do not fear, dear this.

Though my body will die, my spirit will live on it. Let it serve as a beacon of light against the darkness. Let it bring hope to a land wrought with despair. Now, to battle. A. Is he keep it or does he want it back? Oh, you're sorry. He's shown it.

It's foiled with silver. Oh. I want to sometimes you're damn. those things they show out. Oh, God. So shiny. How did you fucking do that? So I like run my finger over the silver.

Oh, you know, hey of silver. Yeah. And gosh, does he seem to warrant back? No. Then I'll just lay it on the table in front of the party and, like, you guys take a look at it. I'll just like lay it on the table in front of the party. You pass it to me. I can put it in front of the camera, too.

Yeah, that'll be better. I'm going to beaks of my sleeves. for being so forthcoming. That's possible to see. I wish you could help you tonight. How old is that letter? And then the A at the bottom is also this was written.

This was in his journey. Written on the night that he died for us. This is all just a lot to take in. Do I know having attuned to the blood sphere, do I learn what it says in here about the about Kavanaugh and the Balanoff Mountains.

No, that's something you'd have to ask other people about. Okay. So you're attuned to it, but attuning to it isn't going to give you like all of the lore about it where it came from, etc. You know it's like properties, the type of damage it does, if you were evil or not go to line, what do you kind of thing.

Okay. Then our efforts to light the heart is in this cold place are misguided. I guess for now. it would seem that way you lit the hogs well at least

the bones will be open is there anywhere else in the house you should see before we leave you can make your way through the rooms if you want it's not much more here but ruin that seems to be the case

if you were to bring back the bones I believe Vladimir will speak you if there's anyone that can help you against Radonio it will be him. Where in Ravenloft are the bones? I couldn't tell

you. But I do leave Archipostrum and I can say, we do leave on occasion. There is word of a vampire

and I haven't met him and I put his name, whispered on the way if anyone knows were to find the dragon's bones. It would be that man. If you can find him. You will have valuable information unless she's

already gotten to him. No, there's no way. We've met him. You have? You've been fortunate enough to POS has, yes. There's no way she would do him in. No way. No, no, no. I don't believe so. I don't believe so. Excuse me question.

He reaches out and grabs your hand. You could do this for me. Vladimir was the love of my life. I would do anything to see his man as cured. Of course. I know my death pains him. It broke him that day.

Losing both myself and our world. Bring the bones home to us. He looks to you, shepherd. Be our champion. Light the beacon in Rovia and set people free. Do what we could not. Yeah, of course.

Anything you said. We'll do it. Well. wonder the holds if you choose it's nothing but rock we will restore the honor and glory to your order and silver will unite with gold

yes we have cast back the spiders that have fested fallen areas of your of your home we have purged the blight of these lands by yesterhill I'm confident that we can restore

honor and dignity and reinvigorate these soldiers to fight with us against Trudania once more. One step at a time, it seems. Let it be you that cleanses evil from Boroughia. It leans down.

And if you see a tear begin to spill from his eye, and he seemed shocked and surprised. I have not cried. to finish. Well, doesn't matter. It will be a cleansing

by fire. You have my word. I don't think we should have traipsed around here. I agree. I think there's nothing to find. There are rooms. Our old rooms. You could sleep there for the night. I was just going to ask if there's

some of the way. We could stay. It will not be comfortable in our own and we don't upkeep the place. Some of the other soldiers seem to be a little upset by our present. I would avoid them if you can, if you can. But should any of them make move, they are overcome with the madness. Even myself, I find it to overcome me on it.

Let them know that you were here by the will of Sir Godfrey. Well, all right, we will do that. I find it distasteful to even ask, but is there anything in this structure that can aid in our journey forward? There may be, I would have to question. Where are you? Latsby. It will take me some time.

That's fine. We've got all night. Yes. We won't set out until the morning, and you just take all the time you need. What time is it? It's late. It's late.

Very late. Yeah. Okay. Very late. At this point, it's probably almost three o'clock in the morning. Yes. Past 50. Oh, yeah.

Mr. Godfrey, if I may ask if you plan to see Vladimir, I understand you have both walked these lands for a long time but on yester hill I believe I came across an artifact I was wondering

if you knew anything about this and I did it in a grave by this one of the kids I was called to me that seemed to choose me spoke to me the voice on the horizon

and I could not overcome myself and I shame to say that I dug through the grave and I found this spear and I pulled it up and tried to hand it to him. Immediately

reburied everything. He doesn't take it from you but he puts his hand there. He did not do well in my end. Back before even we had come to this land, there was a group of barbarians that ruled the mountains.

They were nobly. but they were ruthless. Their chieftain, the high chieftain of their clan, Kavan wielded this spear in protection of the mountain. If it came to you, it was his spirit that guided him. Was you a good man? It was. Do you know how he perished?

I do not. He died long before Fadanya came to his flag. They are an ancient people named an ancient tribe. In the first rooms. Do any of their kin still lock these lights? None of the time away. Thank you. Greatly appreciate that. Well, we'll get to the...

Do you tell us where the room would be? Because they gave you a rough destination. You'd easily be able to make your way there as you just do. Well, you'll get settles in for the night, and please take the time you need. We will come back in the morning and shall. It was great to meet all of you. May the wings of the drag.

and shroud you from age. Oh, and you as well, of course. I hope that I will be seeing you again, too. You will. In the flame of the dragon, light your path. Good night, sir, God. Walk out of the room, and to our rooms. Yeah, we'll go to the room and get settled.

I can take first wash. It would like second, third, fourth. Take second. Second. Yeah, I'll be up early. I'm going to feel a fourth. Fourth time, next time.

Yes. Make your way to the dark room. There are a few beds that line the wall, a hearth in the corner that you easily set of blades and begin to make the room

some semblance of comfortable. It can be any room that you see, Beth. There you go. It went down. Whatever.

The room itself begins to warm. And with press the digitation and a little, a little work, you're able to tidy up the room enough. It's a fairly comfortable logic. Lucas comes out. Fixing some teeth.

This is the power of the dragon, the power of the divine. You see that these men kept here for centuries by their oath and they will get their redemption with our help. Believably.

I'm glad we at least have a chance to redeem these people. But this does mean, if I understand correctly, we're making two trips into castle rainwalk. It means we meet her for dinner. And hope to the gods that she just lets us walk. And we collect two sets of bones and perhaps we escape. Or we walk out and she won't notice. You know, that seems unlikely, right? It does seem unlikely.

We'll have to plan based off of them. Very carefully. Our experience at Lady Walker's house was to go in with mortgage with itself. That is something that I believe we can get assistance with from our entertaining man with the monkey, I guess. I say, Sir Gophrie said that he would know.

He would just be able to help. He would know where they are. And that was huge. Could we employ him to get them for us while we're distra? He doesn't have an invite. He already told us. He's wanted to go to Castle Ravenloff since God knows how long, but he doesn't have an invite.

He seems shocked that we did. Shall I ask him? Can you? Yes. Would he break in for us? I mean, I would be surprised, but it would be a pleasant one, for sure. How long will it take us to arrive at Milwaukee? At this rate, I'm not sure.

Another day, less. Professor, any idea? Do we have the map? It would be... I didn't make it. Oh, I'm going to go. I'm thinking it would be... It depends if you want to stop by Beres.

I don't know if it would be a time at this point. We do not have time. We must make... I hate to say it, but you're both right. Our appointment is critical. We have one today. Unless we're in the evening. Unless we can, on the way back, perhaps just peek in to see signs of the girl.

Maybe look in the road. we gave that boy our word that we would at least take a look in whether we find her or not alive. It would be important to save her, but send a message to Van Richter. Get him thinking about our plan ahead for tomorrow night. I need to know how far we are from Valaki so I can see where we are here. We are not that far. We're just up in the mountains.

So give me just a moment. to place my lantern in the center. I'm just going to gaze into it. I'm going to cast sending to Von Richter. And I'm going to say basically in 25 words

basically. I'm Lucy Bucci. We wish to we are. Count them exactly. We have dinner with the countess tomorrow evening. We need the bones of the

silver dragon and her brother. Can you help us and can you meet us in Vlaki in the, you know, 10 a.m. Not even, like in the late morning. This is Sarnix. You can reply this message. Oh, what up. Love grandma. You wait for about 15 minutes and then you hear. I'm not going anywhere near that, Cassidy. You're absolutely insane if you think you're getting two sets of bones out of there.

Are you crazy? Where are you? Are you dead? You're not dead. Come see me soon. Love. Foundry. Love him. I love him. Now, now.

I don't want to say I told you so. But for as great as this man seems to be, he seems limited in what he can do only because of vampire magic. What do you want to say? Perhaps I can get some clarification by. messaging him again. I mean, I won't stop you. I'm just, you know, I don't want to...

If I might suggest, Shradarana has taken an interest in several of us at this point. Perhaps one of us could provide distraction to her while we secure the bones and make a way out. Thank you for volunteer. You're the craziest person in this whole party. I'm not necessarily talking about me. If you think that we're leaving anybody alone with her, while the rest of us go traipsing through her goddamn castle. What options do you suggest? We don't know. I'm sorry. I'm not being a problem solver right now. I understand. I'm not contributing in a helpful manner.

Real perception check off you. Oh. Oh. I've always wanted to accept me. I don't want to. No. To sleep. Oh, he's got to see. 21. Perception is saying? I got a 21. I got a 22. I got a 12 and I never saw that bone dick coming. 24. Ew.

Damn. I never saw the bone dick come. Mature stream. Mature stream. Did everyone get above a 12? Oh, I got exactly a 12. So that's not exactly good. Let me just grab my answer.

All right there. All of your attention is turned towards the slit in the side of the wall that opens out the open window. As you see a large rucksack tossed through it with a loud thud, it lands on the ground. And a mere moment later, you see a rope tossed into the room. There is no one. Heaving and a haunt is one hand and then one other. As a woman pulls herself into the room. What the fuck?

Brown trousers tight around her legs, a large billowing white shirt. Her hair in large, in brown ringlets billowing around her. Two gold, large gold earrings. are dangling from her ears. Her hair tied up into a scarf as she heaves herself in. Oh, dear God. Who are you?

Who are you? We're here first. Hey, get your voice is down. You keep your voice down. Who are you? Get out of my room. Oh, in your room? Are you dead? No, you dead. We're not dead. What's you doing here? Why would you ask you? Shut up.

Be quiet. Who are you? If the revenants hear you, they'll kill you. They know we're here. Who are you? Who are you? They are noble knights. What are you doing?

intruding in their castle. Oh, God. You're just... Good night's sleep. What are you doing? Why are you being quiet? I'm sorry. Lower your voices.

All right, let's all just take a goddamn step back. If I might speak plainly, madam. We are here, I imagine. Whatever you choose. Esmerelda. Davenier, just said this. she reaches out her hand It's a pleasure

And your name? I'm Miss Victoria Isaacs Well, that's really pompous, no offense Stuffing That's what I was born with, unfortunately This is our party I am Sarmax of the Ablewood That's an even more pompous name than this one

It's no offense Truding on the hallowed ground Of the sacred order of nights Oh no, they're long day So you might You can't ask what I can't No, if you've seen them you would know that long day.

It's been a long day. It's like a long day. Esmeralda de Avenir. Or Avigneur, but it's spelled Avenir. Isn't there. So how long you've been squatting here? Squatting. Yeah, you heard.

Oh, well. I come and go as I choose to. What are you doing here? I'm sorry, it's been a long day. My name is Professor Clayton Azran as I'm pulling a snake's tongue in a honeycomb out. and it has been a long day, so I do apologize for his. Is that snakes? Artificium, and she rolls a two.

I need you to tell me exactly what you are doing here and why, please. Oh my God. Is that the... Porton is the best of all the game. Ports is the most alpha mechanic in the game. People say Wachie's broken.

No. Suggestion, would you ask? I am. Quite a suggestion. Get, you get fucked. Well, please, do tell us what you're doing here and why. And who you are? Fucking.

You have a tower. I should have known. I should have known. Yes, because it hasn't happened all sessions. It's got to happen at least one. I have first watched for the rest of going to bed if you would like to take a few time. Oh, no. Things are just getting good, Professor.

You were really happy when you rolled that, too, weren't you? Yeah, I love rolling well. It's my favorite. I get to roll above a 12. on Fortin. Yeah. Yeah. No, 14 is the highest of point.

I'm just sorry. What was your question again? Oh, just who are you? What you're doing here? I'm Esmeral is a tabin yet. It's good to know that you're telling the truth. And you... What's exactly how you're doing here?

I was planning to sleep. What are you doing here? Why? Why sleep here? Why... Would you prefer to sleep out in the woods? No. I mean, why are you near here?

I was looking in on a terrific hagwoman I'm like, hmm. You were in Boresse. Tricky, Wissard. You in Bres? No, I haven't been in to Bres. I was heading to Bres. And what brought you back?

Well, you were on the way from where? Did you come from? I was on my way from Scouting Woods. You don't look like a Bistani. I don't. You don't look like a Boreauvian. Where are you from, girl? I'm not from Slat.

Borovia village. Brove you proper. She is staring daggers at you, but she seems amused. Well, what is your goal? Why? Who do you work for? I go to find my father. Who is your father?

I work for no one. I work for myself. Your father, tell us more. Depends. Which father are you asking? The father I'm finding. The father I was born from. Let's try both.

We got all night. This is a different, I was getting ready to go to bed. Professor, I could know better. I got them out. My father was a man. named Grishka is the Vestani from Mubovia. The father I'm looking for is one Rudolf van Richten.

He was a smiley man. And just to clarify, oh, maybe it won't work if I asked the question, but which one is which? She looks at you and she just smiles. In looking at her, can I get a sense of her like background? Does she look more like Van Riptin or like

the Vistani? She looks more like a Vistani. She sounds just like. the Vasani name is she? Uh, you know, I think she was born. So, Rish, but she was pretty straight. Maybe. That's what I'm trying to get in the bottom of moment. And that's kind of what I figured,

Professor, I didn't mean to step on your toes. No, I mean, you know, we can all speak to a few guests. What was your last name again? Asmeral Al-Wazki. Davenier. Davenier. I can't believe I almost went to bed.

You were lucky you were not destroyed the second you got through and so were you. We worked hard to gain for favour of the revenance. Oh, did you? Excuse me, yes. That's it. Congratulations, would you like a round of applause? We've brought someone that can speak to the comic

and literally worships a dragon. Really? She looks at a show and she says, Hey, how are you doing today? Dachonic, rolls off the tongue, do you think? It does. It is the most elegant of all the tongues. Where'd you find him? On a rock somewhere?

I heard the... Odinine. I'll write you. That's a good one. So why are you looking for Van Richten? Well, the old man is going to get himself in trouble. His name is beginning to precede him. If Stradonia catches when he's there,

he will find doom. So he has to protect him. Are you an enemy of Stradania? I'm an enemy of all, now. What makes you think that you haven't caught her ear? Your name has not called me. Because I just got back. Got back from...

There's no name to be on the wind. Got back from where, if you don't mind? Sugar. Where else? Wait, you can leave? Vistani. Are you one of the Vastani that can travel in and out? Oh, Stradonius...

Oh, Vestani can. Can you get us out of? Not without Shradonius the mission. You have it. What? Why is this the catch? What are we? have to do? Her land, her rules. Keep your voice down. Stop telling me what to do. You broke

into our room. He's fucking on one right now. I mean, don't me to take you out of here. And then you yell at me for telling you to keep your voice down when the damn skeletons are roaming about. We've got their permission to stay here. That very polite skeletons have my permission to stay here. You cleaned up and intentionally made it look at it. Do they know that you've been staying here? If they knew, you aren't ashamed. I do. I think I'd be trying to keep your voices down so they didn't find out I was staying yet.

Would you want Van Richten to know where you are right at the staring moment? Oh, Tom, no. Would that be a legitimate threat? He can't know I'm here. Are you sure about that? Of course, I'm sure. And why? He comes to know that I'm here.

Because why? Because he does reckless things from the people he cares about are involved. Do you want him dead? Do you know who he is? Forever. Of course we don't want the man dead. He's one of our greatest allies here in Borovia. Really?

Yeah. Yes. He's self-serving, you know. Of course. That's fine. He does what he wants. You know him. You've met him.

He's my father. It's the only father I've known. Why do you wish him not to know where you are? Because he does reckless things and the people he love are in. The people he loves are in danger. So why do you think he's in Borovia to begin with? You think he's here for fun?

Do you think he hunts vampires for fun? He told us he was trapped here like we are. Why is he here? Vengeance. Four? You see a look of sadness over the face. His son and his wife. I murdered my struggle.

How? Not all for Stony are kind. There are those. My family is part of them. that are evil as they come. They stole his son in the middle of the night, and so with him to strodom.

She turned him into a vampire son to spite him. Damn it! He had to take his son's life with his very own hand. He happened to his wife. She killed herself. She could not take the pain, losing the boy.

He blames himself. If he had stayed home, her for longer. He could have helped her get through the darkness. He was off killing vampires? He was off looking for where his son was. He didn't know it first. He needed to keep yourself from him. His last remaining king, you hide from him.

It is not all joys, joy and frills of family. There is a darker side to our tale, and not for one I'm ready to divulge. You do not think I do not understand a dark family. history. But when you could end his suffering, when you could lead him from this land, you think I could end his suffering. If he searches for you? Yeah, he does not search from me. I'm here to make sure he does not die to that vampire. I will, I will kill him.

What can you do for us if we take you to him? What? What can you do for us if we take you to him? I don't want you to take me to him. I want to say it's far down. Oh, but who else is going to do at what you think? Certainly not you. Oh, you think you're going to do. Oh, you think you're going to going to do it in that dress? Absolutely. With an ass that large, not your actual ass, but that bustle thing you've got going on. It's a fashion statement of this century. Yes, and it precedes you everywhere you go.

How are you going to sneak in anywhere? It can be quite sneak. Oh, I doubt it. Keep your voice down. I cast blindness on her. You are? Yeah. Just for fun.

Well, yeah, okay. Just for fun, huh? Yeah, she pissed me off. Is there a DC for that? What's the DC for the winness? What's your real? No, just kidding. It's a con save 14. 12.

She immediately looks around the room. Oh, clever trick. Well, the sottis have curses, and she wrenches her hand out, and you now have a pastony curse. Oh, shit. Hey, hey, hey, everybody says you've gone. What the hell is going on here? Do I need you to make a wisdom saving throw? Oh, fuck.

with some saving thorough. Oh, that's a seven. Yep, that's a seven. Right. You feel a strange tugging at your mind, overcome you. And let's see what she's choosing to do to you. I love this.

I look at Shepard. You know, Shepard, for the first time in Borobia, I am speechless. I cannot think of the words. If this ends up being our downfall, you feel your arms go limp at your sides. You are unable to perform any, any act that involves fine motor skills

that use your arms at all. You no longer have control of the muscles or the boats within them. They just flop limply at your side. What is this? All right, all right. Everybody just calm down. What the hell's going on? Blind.

Oh, yeah. Time out. Can you see? Of course she cannot see. She's blinded other things about. I'm sorry, her sensibilities can be a... I can smell your frustration. And I can smell your...

Arumentum. How long is this going to last? I just spell the palms. Oh, look, they can see all of you again. How are your jello arms, darling? Because jello... Okay, enough, ladies. You might better have another spell stored for me.

How about this? I'm going to tap you on the head and cast Laster Restoration on. We don't know. We don't know. We don't know. We don't know. I don't know. you cast luster restoration and you attempt to move your arms and they remain

jiggling. I'm so sorry she did that to you. I believe she cursed you. It's a different spell than to spell magic, unfortunately. Let me move curse. Yes. I saw. She did that.

Are you a little more powerful than that? I'm only one of the room with skittles. No more infight and I'm done with this. Then keep your voice down. I didn't know we're here. They don't know. I'm here. Okay.

then maybe you keep your voice down. Well, I wouldn't be a good thing to think about before you cast someone's geno arms. Don't you think it would be a good thing to think about before you go casting spells on people whose abilities you don't know? That's a fair point. That is a fair point, but I didn't think of it because I was angry. Offly presumption.

Keep your voice down. Victoria, there's nothing I can do for you, I'm sorry. Let us all just take a step back and let cooler heads prevail, and I can't believe that I'm the one saying those fucking words. This will be a valuable learning experience for you, Victoria. I got to go with Sarnax on this one. I want to calmly get up while they're all screaming at each other and just step forward and sit down next to...

Esmeralda. Thank you. Just kneeling, sitting back on my feet. I have my arms folded. Are you trying to steal from me? No, not at all. I haven't introduced myself. Yes, I know.

I asked you why you were being so quiet and you ignored me. I thought you might speak. I didn't hear you. I'm sorry. Oh, because everyone was yelling. That would be part of it, yes. I apologize for my colleagues' outbursts, but... Isn't she huge, though? With our arms, flopping about playing them.

Well, are you able to remove it? Of course. Anytime I won't. Well, why don't you go? I dispelled you, so if you could remove the curse from her. And we all promise to just keep our hands and magic abilities to ourselves. Agreed? I don't know.

I think she really looks much better like that. Come on. Be a little bit more, you know, let's be the bigger person here. Why, cast, lights. That's what I'm saying. Be the bigger person here. I could have blinded and deafened her if I wanted to.

But we don't need to do that. That was the weakest of all curses I couldn't give her. Fantastic. We are cowed by your presence and ability. Thank you. And she bows. And you see that in one hand, She actually holds a rapier.

Oh. It's a thing. A true vampire hunter. Well, it was a pleasure to make your acquaintance. Yes, no, you're out of my room. I thought you go to sleep. This is our room as offered by the residents. And I will be leaving.

At least restore our friend first. You're happy to share the space with us. Would you agree to restore her if I said, if you did not, your father would know where you are at this very moment. I'd be willing to take that chance, would you? Victoria, I think you've said enough for now. I want to lean forward and try to make eye contact with Esmeralda and get her attention.

We are also heading to the rest. We've heard that there is a young Westani girl that quit missing. Her eyes kind of dart quickly around all of you. There's a bit of sadness that overcomes her face. A young girl, you say. Yes, we met a Duskow earlier that was hiding out downstairs named Savid. He said that... Don't trust those.

Stony. He seemed, Jay. Why not? He might be, but their self-serving. If you are there... They align with Stradonia. Do they. The ones outside of Larkia.

Was he trying to trigger the Duskills? I don't think they would... I don't think they would make light. of younger going missing. It may be shady in their dealings, but they are very much about family.

If they're looking for someone, and someone has gone missing. Asmeldo, you seem like a very capable and powerful woman. I don't doubt your ability. Well, I like this one. Why didn't you let her speak earlier?

She grabbed you and she pulled you in. What was your name again, darling? I'm Connor. Well, Conner. It's lovely to meet you. Esmeralda Davenye. It's a pleasure to meet you. But we don't.

Do you like her like that? I do. I did. Look, she giggles. With enough momentum, you could miss her the arm's right across your face. All right. Let her be. Her pride is wounded.

All right. Do you think it's been effectively, we did? Yes, I think it's been more than effectively. She snaps her fingers and you feel the muscles begin to move in your arms again. Thank you. Probably unnecessary.

Oh, yes. I... So was faking my eyesight. Yes, when you had it back in an instant, didn't you? Not with your doing. If it is all right with you, if you would like to perhaps share this space with you, we don't mean you. Do you want to cuddle? If you insist.

No, I don't. I don't want to cuddle. I like to sleep by myself. I just wanted to see if you were interested. There is disappointment in your voice. In my voice. Do you want to cut? I will cuddle the flame of my lantern. I like this one, too. Talk to me more, listen.

What do you wish to hear? I don't know. Tell me something funny. Tell me a joke. I've told the joke in my entire life. That's hilarious. You're saying, Conn. I was suggesting that maybe we head out to Berez in the morning, all of us,

and we can watch each other's back. I think we would make an excellent hour, and we're more than happy to help you as well. I could use some fledglings to take care of the weak things that are out and about the swamp. Someone to watch my back while I take care of the wicked woman there. We are also eagerly hunting the wicked woman. We haven't heard much of her, and I believe you mentioned very briefly that she was a hag. I believe she has something that will aid me in the eradication, Strudonia. Well, if it's all right with you, would you mind joining us to her?

Well, no, because you're welcome to join me. I think that is a fair... That's fine. That's fine. Can we share this room with you, and we will not mention that you were here to be... Well, when you ask nicely like that, we should... The resemblance is on K. Yes, the apple does not fall very far, does it? We do not have much time.

We have to be quite a ways by tomorrow night. But if we get up in the morning and we just investigate and look for the girl, it is our intention. Whatever you do from there is you're not. business. Lovely. Well, into bed, show. Yes.

It's interesting. Who had first watch? I'm not going to take one, so. That's fine. As long as I don't know if any of you come near. In that case, if you don't mind, I'm going to take second watch after the

professor. I don't know who claimed it. Do you mind if you're a third watch? Take second? All right. Appreciate it. And fall for Sonax. All right. Good night. Good night.

friends, companions. fledglings. Fledglings. I always say acquaintances to stop. No. I think allies.

We need to make allies. We'll see. Come the morning. Good night, then. Yeah, good night. You see as she looks around, she takes the nicest bed, the fluffiest bed.

God, I hate her. Two of them together and stretches out on them. I like her so much. I like her so much. I'm fine. She kicks some iris throwbacks. She kicks her boots off. The smell of her socks is not appealing.

She doesn't seem to mind. She has a holly falsely? Oh, yeah. Her to- Oh, my God. Too hard. I want to do something on my third watch, but I'll be... You're going to take three watches? I know it's a joke.

I've got something for when the professor wakes me up. There, for this to all occur in this. She begins to snore loud, you know. The place of hallowed honor in history is troublesome. I will slither up and I will curl around my lantern. As I said, it's like a low glow and I sleep around the warm of the bed. I'm going to sit next to Starnax and kind of lay on the ground and put my hat on my face and kind of like sleep on. Well, you can fuck right off, Dave.

I love that. I'm going to say, before you go to sleep, I wonder if we might speak a moment. Of course. Somewhat intrigued and somewhat troubled by the young boy that we met earlier today

and by this creature we've intercepted this evening. The elves that they mentioned the dusky Elis. What do you know of this? I had a feeling you would be interested in that boy. And I must say I knew you would be interested. I've known from the moment

we met you understood my history. Well, you, can I speak freely about what would I know about? Yeah, I'd say you know things. And I'll let you know if you say anything out of wine, but likely you know. Buckle up, ladies and gentlemen. Well, as you know, I've spent most of my

life researching the darkness, the shadow fell and dark things and other cultures as well, but the dust elves as he called them, I know them more frequently in the elven tongue is the shadow kai. They are the

shadow elves. They have an innate darkness. They are not dark elves, as you might think. Hence the term dust to keep themselves separate. but my understanding is that there are elves that, at one point in time,

went to the shadow fell and were touched by the shadow as all beings are in the shadow phel, and they were changed wholly, just like the original elves, the Eladron, from the Faywild, then they came to the material plane, turned into the elves that we know, and then at some point someone to the shadow pheldera. Beyond that, I'm frankly shot to see a shadow Kai in Borovia. It's been entirely humans, but it seems to be at least some small set of them still lives or was trapped, or perhaps they can travel as well. I suppose we should have asked.

We were busy. I suppose you know just no coincidence that I answered your ad for an assistant or this expedition. Of course. And it's no surprise to you of my interest in this boy and his family care of teacher. Yes. So, I do you find sir. I know that we are tight timeline, that we are moving towards a deadline that will not wait for us. But you understand that I am looking for exactly what he said.

I feel I must meet this family he speaks of to learn where they are from, where they have gone. I have wondered why you are so pale. I have wondered why you've given me a certain sense. It's different than the other half of excitement. Because of that, you've come all this way. I think that is more than amenable. I have not shared this knowledge, this assumption of lineage, with the rest of the group. I assume that it is your decision to make as a leader of our expedition.

but I would, if we can manage it, with your blessing, see these people, see where they lead, where they've been, where they've gone. Yes, if you can find family here, please, I would never stop there, if we have time. I won't endanger the rest.

But I will, I will, if we can, we can stop. Just know that, it's not it's not entirely safe to do so given what we've learned from that victory. I know.

I know that it's not. Frankly, I never had any assumption that we'd run into a lead like this. A person of this lineage, I just, I came here with the highest of hopes,

but no expectations. Yes. Well, I hope you learn as much as you can, and I hope you find that you're looking for wasn't all a waste, even if we all die. As long as we're careful, and I go to the sleeping.

The sleeping bird. She's more disgusting of her. No. No one is more disgusting than her. Fair. Just ask Iris. She'll tell you. I won't mention anything to the moment. they may have questions about why you are particularly interested about dust. Just be prepared.

I will not hurt. I just, not use. Well, just know that you learn or die, there's nothing to hide. It's obvious. It's a message. Thank you. Good evening. Is anyone doing anything else?

Will they? No, I'm already sleeping. I'm out. I'm just waiting for a festival. wake me up. Yeah, I'm just going, I'm waiting for my watch. Provided his watch goes well. Just real quick on my watch, I would open my case and I would pull out a little crystal ball

that's shaped like an eye. And over 10 minutes, I would like to cast your points. And I would like to place a sensor inside the kitchen of the winery, but where I could see out the window. Just so I can see any signs of... I want to make sure that everybody's safe. Like, are there embers

the hearth, it's a blood man. I would die. I just don't want to put in any bedroom because I ought to be respectful. So where you met, Sir Godfrey? Oh, no, no. I mean, at the winery. Oh, at the winery. Just to check in on them, make sure that they're not a horrible... You place the sensor

there and everything is clean and quiet. And I'll say for the sake of this campaign, it will... It will work similar to and you'll get both vision and hearing just because it makes my job easier as a DIA. And all is quiet until the door creaks open.

The pattering of small feet. You see as Vasha sits herself at the table. Her notebook, she pops out. Her little quill pen as she begins to write in her journal. Occasionally she looks over and she grabs a taffy.

She looks around the room. It will protect you, mom. I know what happened. But I won't let it happen again. I will be the best of all of our friends someday. And I will make you the most proud. And she can be used right. I will say the rest.

You're doing up your kids. We should be in bed. I should I'm so like you But I will dispel it And once my watch is ended I will go wake up shelter I'm sorry, Professor

And I'll reach into my vest And say you might help me up As he grabbed my hand, he receives a note As he pulls me up to my feet I'll I'll wake up con next everything you sleep well? Yeah, yeah, I'm good. I'm good.

And I'd be happy to read the note too. Perfect. All right. Nobody else hears this. I will roll over and then I'm going to sleep. It says, I fear she's looking for one of the four. If so, she can't add it. We need all.

That's all it says. And I just take my watch and wait until it's time to wake up Kana. That's it. You wake up Kama? Hey, Conlon. Your turn. You all right? Yep.

I'm up. Don't hesitate to wake me back up if anything weird happens. Okay. So I want to just quietly pace to the window and look outside. And I just want to peer at that building that was over here and just see if I see any sign. If you look outside from this vantage point, high on the hill near the Balinac Mountains, you're able to see. the entirety of Borovia is spreading out around you. The only thing that doesn't reach your gates,

a small village of Borovia itself in Castle Raytham. Even from here, you can see the ruinous embers what once was Old Bonegrinder, the flickering of lights in the town of Balachi, and even off to the side. Quiet nestled in the shadows, the winery, the wizards, the wizard, the whines, why look out towards the mausoleum.

It's quiet, nearly perfect. It's if it somehow escaped the majority of the destruction that laid waste in this place. Though it's definitely old with age, and there are a few areas in which you can tell it did not weather the war completely. It still looks fairly nice. It seems to be the only place in this entire mansion that the Order of the Silver dragon seem to keep.

And I can't see Berez from my vantage point, right? Any weird, like, strikes of lightning or weather patterns? I mean, it looks like a stormy night, but nothing unusual, nothing that seems like it would be magical. No druid fuckery. Yeah, no druid fuckery. I'm going to

walk over to the door that we have closed over here and just listen to it to hear if I, if I hear any movement or muttering or talking any signs of life? I say you do

hear things here and there. It seems like they pace the cord orders, etc. But nothing unusual. I'm staring over at Asmorelda. I'm just watching everyone breathing and glancing or keeping my

gaze longer on her and trying to discern if anyone's having bad dreams or if they're sleeping grounds would be peaceful. Isn't this moment that you begin to hear from this, marlera, muttering, loud, yelling, struggling, and all of you, wake up. I immediately walk over it.

As you look over, she's struggling against the bed. No mommy, no daddy. Why? Why you? Why? Why? Where is everyone? Who was he? Why did he take you? Why? Why? Why? Why? And a voice you haven't heard from her before. A true Vastani voice. Your blood is so warm. Daddy. Daddy. No. No, Mommy, no. Daddy, no. Daddy, no. Daddy, no. And you see as she begins to cry and strained against the bed and against her clothing. She's lashing out.

Who are you? What did you want? Why did you do this? and you punish the girl for the choices of her parents. I curse you. I will find you. I will hunt you down and I will kill you. And then silence comes to her. Is that it?

I mean, he must've been a nightmare. There is truth in dreams, Shepherd. You know that more than anyone else. Fine. You're right. You're right. So, I just see. It's right.

Five a moment. I just pull the blanket over her. I don't try to touch her. I just jet right. She kicks out. Wait, what? Shradanya killed her parents. Yeah, but the voice?

She was sure. The voice wasn't hers. She was raised. Her voice was fake, and it is an ax just like Van Richter. She's looked very well from the father. Yes. Let her rest. She may wake up again.

I'd rather not to stir her life. It will take the last watch. Sleep well. And I'll wait till everyone's asleep. Look around. And I'll very slowly kind of cast my light on everyone to make sure that they're sleeping. And I'll place it down, my lantern down on the ground, and I'll make it blow a little bit brighter. I'll hesitate.

Go out a branch tiny twigiddle with. Fire wood. I, what happened? And I thank you for your power. I believe that we are on the righteous path. And I believe that the shepherd shall be a vessel of your wrath. Am I on the right path? Garrick's.

I stare at this way. You stare for a moment. It interrupts. We can trust my own judgment. And then I'll take the last watch. You all are able to get a long rest. No. And wake up to the light filtering in through the lone window this room.

Esmeralda has already dawned her boots and is sharpening her rapier. Well, you sleep in a lot of you. Would have gotten started at least three hours earlier. Thank you. Well, I need fledglings. You all do nicely. She slaps, uh, Victoria. on the rear. Now, I already put that strange, fluffy thing. Put it on and let's go.

Let's go. All the trust. I'll spend the time that they're getting ready, like, doing more push-ups and just like flanking on the floor for like five minutes straight, centering myself, part of my meditation and I'll jump up once everyone's ready. You have great muscles. I'm talking it on the ground. Thank you. Firmly defined. I'm... The quality rear. Well... Amen.

You know, uh... You also have a quality rear. What? What? God. You seem... You seem upset that I didn't compliment yours. Uh-huh.

Dear God, I don't even know what to... Professor, have our plans changed here now? Is this... Please. We're going to Bres, yes? We will join her very quickly by Bres. Bres, Bres. Bres, with a B. B.

and let her deal with the hag all on her own. No. Yes, that sounds wonderful. No. I mean, that was, her word's not mine. Keep an eye out, and we will investigate. It is going to get dark. Safely.

I think we need each other. We will look for signs of the girl, bring her back to the lucky, and then return in time. But you all need to be quiet. I need pure quiet for all these. Fine, fine, but just so we're all on the same, page, do you mean to just slay the hag now?

Hello. Of course I do. That's what I thought. I just want to make sure the professor understands where all our motives are. I just need you to know. I'm going to kill the evil that lives in Britain. So just to be clear, if you're screaming for help, at the hands of this hag, we should not interfere. What kind of ledglings would you be if you didn't help me when I was in need? I'm sorry. What are we? What is this? What are we?

Can we just a level set? expectations here, Professor. I suppose that would be why. You met a hag. You know they have millions, so when she summons all of the things, I want you to go out and I want you to kill them, the weak ones, which is what you can handle.

And I will handle the woman. If I need your assistance, I would call for it and you all assist me. It should be pretty easy. Unbelievable. We won't. We will plan accordingly once we understand what we are dealing with. We do not have enough information to make such calls.

For timing perspective, just out of character. We saw Stradanya yesterday. Yes. So we don't have to meet her for dinner tonight. We can meet her for dinner tomorrow. Yes. So we have all of today and we have to set foot tomorrow.

By the end of day tomorrow, we have to have to see whatever we want to do. If we're talking from a meta perspective, it was very clear that you were not ready to do this. Correct. To fight the head. Okay. Just as long as we're all level set and expectations. Clinton has a few tricks up his sleeve to convince the otherwise.

Of course he does. Oh, new points for today. I'll don't my hat and my poncho, and we can set on off into the swamp. Right, we will. So, Ismorelda, are you leading the way? Of course. And you see as she takes a rope,

throws it out the window, and before you can see anything, she vaults out the window, and you see if she skitters down. Come on then. I dropped off. Let's go. I'm going to watch her go out the window and be like,

there's stairs. I mean, this is totally unnecessary. This is amateur hour. Is exactly what I'm coming. Are you staying? I'm already climbing down the road, and I'm waiting at the bottom to help anyone down. Damn it.

And I'll just climb down as well. We'll just leave heaven down. I'll just sigh. There are stairs. I say it. They don't know I'm here. Well, let's just make all with it. Wait.

Would we supposed to wait for the gentleman who was going to check the house? Oh, yeah. Well, it's a little late for that then. The way I feel about it is that he knew we'd be there on that. If he didn't find what he found, maybe there wasn't anything. Are you going to make me wait? Yes. Yes, sweet.

Wait five minutes. Terrible. I'll get that. Do you want to lose more than your arms? Whoa, whoa. You know, Professor, I really thought we'd settle. level of professionalism here. And now we got...

Can we all just, again, please, take a step back and realize that we... Do you want your pet? The little isn't to run off in... He's not my pet. He's a person. Yeah, he's checking. He's gone. He's checking.

Please, be respectful. Is he co-blooded? Does he get cranky when he doesn't get some light? To be fair, he makes his own. He always has that lantern. Well, that's convenient, then. It is a portable heat lamp. not really one to complain either.

Does he lay on rocks and lick things? Lick thing? He just, he... Why do you ask these questions? No, I knew... He's a lizard folk. I knew of the stony once. He does lizard folk things.

He carries a lantern. You're seeming very angry for someone who's Fettron Park on a magnificent journey. No, I'm not angry. With a very talented individual. Oh, and who might that be? I'm so close, darling. I'm so close.

I'm trying to distract her. Esmeraldo, what can you tell us about Madam Ava? Do you have to do squats when you talk to me? Do you want me to? I want you to stop. It's distracting. Girl, girl, girl! I'll stop.

Sister Godrick. Sir Godfrey. Anything to change the scene? Sir Godfrey. Queen's head. She was very much. Right. Yeah.

To Godfrey. You just see one of the curls that's like neatly tucked in just going, like, unsurling. A moment happens and you see the skeletal form of Sir Godre as it makes its way down the stairwell and into the stairwell and into the foyer. We are setting off to reclaim the bones as we have promised to bring honor and reunite your own.

Order. I can't thank you enough for what you are heading out to do. Mention nothing of it. It is what we need to do, what we must do to destroy Trudarnia. Were you able to find any items that could assist us? I've been unable to get Vladimir to even consider it, but I am working on him. I see. It's a better place I can send something to you.

To the lock he healed. To the Blue Water Inn. I would do that. Address the Sarnax of the Able World. Would Sarnax suffice? No, the entire thing, there may be another Sarnax. Can you? Fuck, Mikey.

God, you're scared. Fod! I spill over my hand! Oh, my God! Oh, boy. God. Oh, okay. Well, can you spell it for me that?

Yes. Allow me and allow some of those So, nice. It's actually shockingly good penmanship. Thank you. I just meant the ABLE hurts.

A little flames. Yeah. Aw. That's rough to you. There's no eyes. There's no eyes. There's no eyes. We will return the bones

as soon as we said. I thank you for your efforts and for your honor. Good night. Well, it's the morning. No, good day. With a kick. Okay, never mind.

I'll turn. It's a good thing of night and you are good. Never mind. Sir God. Am I good? And I shimmy on now. Let us continue. He doesn't, he had nothing for us.

We should not have presumed. All right. Leave the way to her. She's tapping her. But you're lucky you have her. If you didn't, I would have left by now. Well, be the way. Connor, walk ahead.

lead the way I'm going to bring up the rear if you don't mind so am I great uh oh bad I'll be in the middle

as I like passed through the party to get to the back I passed Clayton and be like I thought she was taking the lead and then I just like headed the back of the party uh

can I so she watches as you walk um a little bit ahead I'm slightly uncomfortable Oh, your slow pace is infuriating. And she pushes you out of the way and she begins to stroll ahead. Well, come on. And as soon she goes out there, I'm like, oh, thank God.

And begin to make your way down the pathway. It takes a few hours until finally. Darkness begins to descend around you. Not the darkness of night, but the darkness of the overhanging trees. Ground around you becomes less firm. Water is. infiltrating every bit of earth at your feet. You can tell that you're getting close, the smell of muck and mire,

the stench of the swamp. We are definitely getting close. At the half hour, so, it ruins of Rez. Are you ready? Do we see any signs of the girl? I don't know, do you? I see swamp and denting us. Do I...

In DM, do I see... Yeah, you don't, you know. I guess they would be difficult to see it. any tracks in the muck in the mire or in the mud or has anything hardened? Oh, no. It's all just soft water watch. And frankly, from a meta-game perspective,

I've been thinking about it, I think we didn't see, we did not see Shudan yesterday. We saw it two days ago. Yesterday we woke up wait until midday, came here. The day before that was we were softed Shadda. That's actually true. You're right.

All right. So from a medigame perspective, if we just check out the ruins, can we still make it die even? if we basically had directly back to you would be making it to Castle Ravenloft probably around one midnight or one. So technically the very next day. I mean you could like book it, book it

and potentially make it there. It's still early morning right now. It's probably around nine. I would sue, yeah, I'm probably traveling for about three hours. We probably left around six. It's on the way, but just learn what we can, and then we'll bug it to the locket. All right, well, are you ready? Yes. For darkness.

For spookiness. Yes, yes. We're all very capable. You don't have to psych us up like that. I haven't seen you do anything to complain. You will. Jesus. I can do this.

I'm like a sparkly out of myself. Ah, ha. Pristigio. Professor. I'm so. Anyway, let's continue it. And she slowly she quickly begins...

You're parenting me! She begins to move forward. You walk for another 30 minutes. The trail hugs the river for several miles. The dirt and grass soon turned to marsh as the trail dissolves into spongy earth, pockmarked with stands of tall reeds and pools of stagnant water.

A thick shroud of fog covers all. Scattered throughout the marsh are old peasant cottages, their walls covered with black milding. Their rooms mostly caved in. These decrepit dwellings seem to hunker down in the mire, as though they have long since given up on escaping the thick muffin. Everywhere you look, black clouds of flies dart about hungry for blood. The fog is much thinner on the far side of the river, where light flashes amid a dark ring of standing stones.

And just as quickly as you notice it, you notice a light flashing off to the other side. A hut hunkered down in the mire and rising up from the front of you. A gigantic skull inside of it. A wizened woman splashing blood about her body. She doesn't seem to notice you as the skull rises into the air. You look around you quickly. you see movement as if things are darting off into the underbrush

and as the skull rises higher the blood splashing here and there you begin to hear her sing a loud, almost screechy song My child in the castle will one day be mine Mother will be young and together will die

The bones of the earth, the blood of the damned. Mother is coming. Your mother, I am. And that is where one's such a... Oh, my God! Yeah! Oh, fuck! Oh, fuck!

No! A son of a gun! Bathing in blood is quite the interesting skincare routine, don't you think? My other mother has always been an odd one. I'll stick to drinking it. At the very least, we finally get to see something other than blights and druids, who would have thought that I'd be glad to see a bunch of lonely old zombie nights

waiting for death in utter boredom and monotony. At the very least, this Esmeralda seems like an interesting young girl with a wild spirit. I have a feeling we will get along quite well. Will the expedition be able to reclaim the skull of the silly, silver dragon who thought he could actually kill me? Find out in Chapter 8 of Curse of Stradania, fallen from grace. In the meantime, if you wish to watch Legends of Adventress tell similar stories of Dungeons and Dragons every week, you can follow us on Twitch.

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