Legends of Avantris - Curse of Strahdanya | Ep. 16 | Fallen From Grace: Part 1

Episode Date: July 22, 2025

After dealing with disaster in Vallaki, the party gets urgent news that leads them to the Abbey of Saint Markovia.   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/s9IBS60dSrY?si=l8APSihKTfGDYREu

You are back at the drowned village of Berez and listening to Karsov Stradania, a legends of a ventrus podcast. Last time, the Azran expedition left the druids of Yester Hill and the Martikov family behind to explore the ruined manner known as Argen was told. It is there that they discovered the knightly order that had once rode against me. A foolish mistake that brought it all tumbling down. They pledged to retrieve my prize trophy. Dragon Skull, that may have happened to belong to the order's leader and founder Argonvost.

They set off once more, encountering the spunky monster hunter Esmeralda Davinier, and finally stumbling upon the old crone who claims to be my other mother. The one and only, Baba Lysaga. This episode is brought to you by our generous supporters on Patreon. You can become a patron yourself by following the link in the show notes. We are eternally grateful for your support. With that out of the way, let us proceed with Chapter 8, Fallen from Grace. After traveling for most of the day or for the early morning,

you have found yourselves outside of the drowned village of Bras. Looking through the waterlogged buildings, the swamp reclaiming them as your own, you see far off towards the edge of the forest line, a square cottage, almost waist deep in the muck, and outside of it, in a skull too large to be human. Shepherd, you don't necessarily have familiarity with them, but in your background, you look, and it is definitely a giant's skull. You see this woman bathing and she slashes blood over her body as the skull, as the skull begins. to rise. You hear as she sings out, not

noticing you. You see her reach in and she finds a sponge amidst the blood and begins to wash herself squeezing it out of her hair as it begins to mat and tangle. The blood drips over her face as you watch it splash and

drip down the sides of the skull. She whips around happily. It's in this moment. As Morella grabs, all of you, and yanks you down behind the ruins of a bit of the house. I wasn't quite expecting that. God the gubs, what the hell is that? How far away are we?

Probably 500 feet. There's an entire ruined city between you and this woman as well as a field. She's too far out there, Professor. I can't quite get a baron on this one. I've never seen a school that's big. I mean, I haven't really. either in person, but from what I know and what I've seen, that's a literal giant skull. I've never hunted one myself, but...

Are there giants in Borovia? I haven't seen my name. I don't know. What were you intending to... I'll turn to, um, Esmeralda. What were you intending to do once we arrived here, child? It was, one, I'm not your child, and two, I faced hands before. There's nothing like that.

That's large in charge. I was planning on getting her attention and slaying her if need be, on walking straight in and doing what I needed to do. We were warmed by a previous acquaintance that we were going to be a little out of our league here. I think that might be right. You see as she's looking around, she begins to look around the village. I don't think we're going to find much help in a place like this.

Do I see any signs of the girl or maybe like any what steps that would have come through here that would have been a smaller size? Roll lesser mile check. Come on, shiny dice. Shiny doys. Oh, not bad. The first roll of the night. Dirty 20. Looking around, the ground itself is covered in the, and maybe at its smallest about two to three inches of water.

so it's difficult to see it's murky but as you look you can see the soft muck and silt beneath the water and you can't find any footsteps aside from the ones you're like if we can get a little closer which i don't even really like the prospect of i can probably uh get a little bit more info on what we're after dealing with here but but i got to get closer I don't I don't want to just walk away from here but that Davian is a smart man he would know

child are you afraid of this where is all of your gumption and resolve Esmeralda I'm not afraid of anything but I'm also not foolish enough to step in and get myself killed I have a task to do

so Donia will fall at my hands And when she does, it will be because I'm not stupid enough. She can myself kill. Can I discern whether or not she is actually, if she's telling the truth, when she says she's not afraid. Voll, an insection. Ooh, I don't really know. Oh, 16. 14.

She seems to be telling me this. Now, we said before we came here, we would take a look and look for the girl. Donya is waiting for us. And having to, so if there's a sunken town, we have to. So, like, all around. And it's quite large. The way you're at, you're only seeing a portion of it, rotting buildings,

falling in covered by fines. These streets themselves, you can see bits of them that are coming out of the muck. And it looks like if you traveled in further, you'd get to areas that were as covered by water, but it's all very old and very dilapidated, and you have to travel through the entirety of it to even get to the field that extends out towards the site.

Professor, I'm not able to find any tracks through all of this mud and byers. We could potentially, moving any closer may make too much noise in the waters. It makes sense that we're here. We're certainly not going to find her. This girl, if we don't get closer. If the child has wandered into this abominable place, there is surely no hope for her. I think there's hope for her.

I just hear that in this daylight, now at this time, we may easily spot. splashing through the muck. It's your call, Professor. It is. Well, do you believe if we're in ancient combat, can we slay her? I think she would take the moose, if not all of you down before, if you would kill her. That depends. We're no...

Do you want to be the sacrifices in this spot? We're no use to the people of Borovia fit. Is there a tree line, like a surrounding... the sunken city where like it looks like it's not as wet and shit. And the entire thing is just two to three inches of water at least. You would have to make your way through the tree line and further out, at which point you probably wouldn't have you of any for this area. I want to, Securio, my case will open up.

I will pull out that glass, kind of crystal ball, eyeball. And I will say, we may not need to get close to learn at least something. thing about the child's whereabouts. All right. Give me 10 minutes. Sure. I'll keep an eye out.

Weird. I just want to keep watching this creature and like just trying to keep my eye on her from like any kind of movement or leaving. I'm worried. While the professor is doing this thing, I'm just going to keep my eye on her. She doesn't seem to notice you, but you see that she is, the skull itself is raising up. Her hut seems to be on what appears to be an incredibly large stump. even larger than the Glysses tree that he took down,

large enough that the top of it chopped off is easily able to house what appears to be a one-rood shack. There is a faint glow from the inside candlelight flickering this way and that, as she is floating around up and down. Occasionally, she raises down to the mire itself, and you see a big label that she pulls out, and she gets to scoop pond water, swamp water, in into the blood itself.

and continue to cope herself. She bates. Can I kneel down in the water after looking around for footsteps, seeing her, do I see her ladling? Yeah. On water? Can I, like, scoop my hands in the water and just knowing what I know about pure water,

see if there's any elements about it that are strange or different or dangerous? 11? It looks like pond water. Taste our water. Yeah. It looks like it looks like swampy

grayish green water twigs and leaves and bits of floating silt any blood not this far out after 10 minutes past I will say

Privaccio and I will cast clear voins and I will place the sensor uh what fuck direct near her but hopefully behind something where she won't necessarily be able to see immediately.

I drown myself in water. I am sure whatever professor Ezran is doing will not be foolish. Talk about your child. You'll surely not be foolish. If heads have blindside, I wouldn't know about that. No, you would not? Either way, I want to try to hide the sensor from her a direct line of sight. I mean, she seems distracted right now, Professor.

I don't know what you're doing, but what she's doing is savage. She has been basically circling this hut. She's been going up and down and around and dipping, et cetera. There isn't really much around it aside from a fence made of bone. You could attempt to hide it around the fence made of bone. Wherever would be the most logical spot based on what Clayton sees you're on. So you're trying to get it inside of the hut? No, I can only get it.

to a place that I've seen or that I'm, basically that I've seen or been to before. I haven't seen inside the hut so I can. So it has to be somewhere that I can see. So either maybe on top of the hut, wherever you think makes the most sense, logically, that Clayton would see based on the view. So what are you trying, what are you trying to view with it? I want to try to, once we view it, see if I can see maybe into the hut or see, like, torn children's clothing, blood, a carcass.

I just want to try to get some sense. So I will say, can it float? So under the rafters and above, but not immediately in front of one of the windows, instead of going to be your best bet. That way when she's up high, she doesn't see it. When she's eyed line with it, it's hidden by the slope of rafters. And when she's inside, she would look out. Well, that's why I wanted to know what he's planning on doing with it.

While he is trying to view her, I'm like, I don't know. While he's staring into his crystal wall, and while, like, Kana's kind of leaning and scooping up water and shepherds, keeping an eye on it and, like, being disgusted, I'm going to walk up to Professor Azrin, and I'm going to lean in and try to whisper this.

And I'll stage whisper here for our friends at home. Should you find remnants of children, I would implore you not to speak it out loud, especially in the company of Shepard. I say nothing.

I'm just looking. You stare into its murky depths, or you stare into its crystal depths as fog begins to swirl and move within it, creating forms. An exact image of what the crystal sees, the top of the rafters itself, the spiders skitter about, webs, rat carcasses, deteriorating, bones, and you stare, and are able to look deep. into the hut itself. You're able to stare in and you see the rotting wood of the floor.

A cauldron in the very center of this room, a bed made of straw with tattered bedding seems to be moth eaten and maybe even animal even. Stains of blood line every inch of this place. A large clawfoot bathtub

sits in the very corner bubbling with blood thick, blood, and scattered all around bones, every small bones. But as you look, the skulls are not human, a goat. And then you notice, in the far corner, tethered to one of the sides of the corner of the room, a small black goat bleeding and gray it looks horrifying do I see any signs of

I see my face but I don't know anything about that do I see any signs of of children or any signs of anything do I get like a closer look at I was looking in you see a table where you see the slaughtered remains of goats and where it seems to be that she

a bucket underneath where she is collecting the blood of guns. Okay, so if I'm confident that's what I see, I will look up and I'll say, I don't see any children remains. You're sure. Yes. How do you know?

There were bones, but they seem to be, based on my understanding of physiology, they looked all to be animal bones. So no sound of the girl. Not a single human skull. No kids in cages. No kids, no cages, no, just she's slaughtering black goats. What the hell is this one?

There's a goat inside right now as we speak. Living. If I could only get closer, we'd be able to learn some more. Is it worth the risk? I don't think so. I don't. Not if there's no hostage situation going on. If that girl that we're looking for is not in there, then I don't want to pick a fight.

Like you said, we're no use to this place dead. I do not believe breaking into a hut to save a goat is worth our lives, even if we learn more. But if we think that even with one additional party member, we cannot take down this woman, I fear that we will not be able to

parlay with her. We failed to even cooperate with the hags of the bone grinder. And this one here seems far more savage and primal. Yes. The bone grinder was

nearly all of our lives. that was nobody hags this truly is the hag that gave Shredania vampires vampires did you say that something why would I know

well we don't know is there a coven there may be two daughters that she has like the hag at bone rider it could be in our very midst what does Sarnax know about

polymorph? Is it on your spell list? No, you know, you're a cleric. Roll in our comic check. Of like hags and their ability to polymorph potential children in a goats. Oh, dear God, Mike. Oh, I didn't even think of that.

Yeah. Oh, no. 11. I would say you haven't encountered polymorph before. Or if you have, you definitely not in relation to hacks. The children, the child is not here.

Do I do us, would Kana know anything about hags just living? Traveling? Traveling maybe, but not specifically about like their spell lists or what they can do. I would say that people who would be the most likely would be Clayton and Victoria. So the sacrificing of goats has no like meaning to me. We know we got to come back. Yes. She's got something we want.

She's got something that we need. Did you find the symbol? No, I saw nothing. here's what I propose we travel we keep a very large perimeter around the hut we travel along the perimeter

and look for any signs the small children of the Bistani color look for tracks and it's the most we can do for that boy that we met in Argonboswald I do not wish to be cruel

but we've already wasted a great deal of time and we have an appointment this evening with the Countess. And we do need to speak with this child's father if we can. Are you referring to me as a child? I'm not a child. I'm probably older than you are. How old are you? 23, darling.

The child is father. See a look of frustration on her face. Look, I'm going to be quite honest with you. You can walk around this month of a lot, but every move we make is closer to her noticing we're here. If you don't intend to fright her, getting her attention is the last thing you want to do. I concur with the child. Well, then we should get off.

And we don't know what kind of magic she has. Look, we're coming back. We know we are. All right. There is no hope here, Professor. This is a place of doom. I think of that missing child. And I think of Asha, maybe she's lying dead somewhere as well. Professor, it pains me deeply to think that someone might be missing.

But probably the best news we do. could hope for right now is that we found nothing. Yes. That's a good sign. I was a missing child alone on my own. And you're fine? And you look at me now. Yes, you look very capable. She makes a move as that she's going to stand up, seize the

hag floating in the sounds, and she raised herself down. Will you get the gist? I would normally stand. Are you amenable to this plan? We leave now. Oh yes. I have no intention of staying here. I need to do a little more research. Are you accompanying us to

Velaki? Well, I will accompany you to the edge of Fulaki, but I won't we go. Are we returning to Valaki, or are we heading straight for dinner? Well, Valaki's on the way. We need to speak with Van Rieckon before we go. And learn as much as we can. Oh, listen, I'm definitely not going in. And we wouldn't force you to, so we'll be part ways there, but we don't have much time.

It's still the morning, but it's a long way to go. All right, Mr. Morgan, could you? lead us as carefully through the swamp as you can and let's get the hell out of here. Yes, sir. Professor. Say no more. And I'll try to navigate us as quickly and quietly.

Roll a nature check and everyone rolls stealth. Survival? Oh, yeah, survival sorry. Stealth, stealth, stealth to sell stealth. 21 for my survival check. Right. And then we all need to make stealth. Yep. 18.

18 for me. 18. 15 for cell. I got a 16 for self. I got an 8. Okay. You begin to make your way out of the outskirts of the drowned village of Burrace. And Esmeralda seems to be just as nimble as you are, as she silently is able to communicate with you. As you look this way or that to make your way out, Clayton slipped on a bit of submerged mossy rock.

but Esmeralda is quick as she grabs him and he makes barely any sound. She passes you on the shoulder and pushes you forward. I'll stand behind you. As you make your way out, it takes you about 10 minutes of struggling along the swamp laden ground

before you finally find your way back out to the path that you know leads further towards the ruined mansion of Argonnevostholds and then up towards the crossroads that will take you back towards Velaki and then Castle Ravenloft. It is, at this point, probably about 1,30, and almost 2 in the afternoon.

I'm keeping an eye out at the back of the group or any other signs of the girl. Roll in an investigation. And can you help me with... So when I cast a divination spell, I regain... Okay. Seven.

Okay. Let water get cascades. Got it, the waterfalls. If you notice anything, I will let you know. So I'll plan. So are we on the road? Yes, you're now on the road. You are safely out of earshot.

You can no longer hear the singing and the noises coming from the Haggig School. Well, our plan then. We arrive in Balakie. We speak to Von Richtim. Hopefully he's there. It's the middle of the day. We are going to have to get lucky unless you can speak to him somehow. I can indeed, professor.

What do we wish to tell? him and I will send him a message. Well, let's save your energy, and if he's not there, we can send him a message. You don't want to just send him a message and have him wait for us when we're at. That might be better to be if you're willing. If you're willing. You just have plans tonight. Yes, we do, but I feel as if we should be entirely prepared and waste no time on a wild goose

chase. That's fair. We don't waste time, and I suppose we'll waste more time getting there. finally he's not there, and then having to send the message that he could be indisposed for the entire evening, and then we are out of luck. Well, please do send him a message now. I'll leave down, I'll cast sending, and the general gist of what I'm going to try to say is we are rushing back to Velaki. We are dining with the countess tonight. Can you please meet us in Velaki in X number of hours?

when we expect to be there. Yeah. Tell us where to meet you when we ever we expect to be there. And how can you help us? Or can you help us? If that would fit in a sentence. It takes about 10 minutes before you get a response back.

Well, aren't you the demanding ones? Quite a bit busy. Can't meet today. No longer staying at the inn. But left a present for you. Come find me. Winky face. I'm to say it.

Can't write. This new update added more emojis. I can't keep up with all of these spells, I guess. But we're basically hurrying back to Blocky, I guess, as quickly as we can, not trying to be stealthy at all, and just trying to make as much ground as quickly as possible, right? I agree. Wait, so he can't meet today. No, he cannot.

He said we should come find him. He's busy. Well, I mean, we could always just go pay Chad to visit again. Is it wise, dine with Shredania, without speaking with him first? I don't think we have a choice. You're right. Do you think, I pulled the professor aside so as Marlda's out of your shot? I don't know what her plans are outside of researching the hag and Perez, but do you think she would be of use to us?

Do you think she would be interested in helping fetch the wells? She does not have an invitation, unfortunately. Could she seek in? It would be a death sentence. Pretty slick. Feel free to ask her. I'd feel like she won't risk her life in that way, but it's worth a shot. My understanding that she does not have as much power as she thinks she does.

So we are to dine with the countess and potentially not fetching their side of these bones. Well, we dine with her and then in the middle of the night, we hopefully sneak down to... We're going to table at for now, and we'll revisit that one, because I'm not so sure about that. Well, how else do you plan to get the bones, Mr. Morgan? You're using a lot of yous and how do you play? I don't plan on anything. I plan on, at the very least, we try to find Van Richten first, and then we can discuss what our potential plan might be. But the plan is to get out of their live. I agree. But the plan, we also must retrieve two sets of bones, both of which

lie in the crypts of Ravenmoff. And this may be our one chance to be invited in without having to fight our way in and potentially die on the wedding. I believe that Van Richten would be the one that can assist us. But if we cannot find him, what are the consequences of us missing another appointment? Do we think that the countess will return to the vineyard?

That's what I'm worried about. Oh, we got to go to dinner. We don't have a choice. So two sets of bones. One was the... Dragon, and one is... Silver dragon. One is Dimitri, I believe, a brother. Demetri. And one is Ogandost. Argynboss.

There's no good option. That is the running theme of this entire expedition, Professor. Did you like me to ask Esmeralda? Please. Turn towards her and approach her. Esmeralda. Yes. Once we leave Velaki, where do you plan to go?

I'm not sure what she mean once we leave Volochi. I'm not going into Valki. Sure, I apologize. Only once we part ways. and we head towards Ravenloft, where do you plan on going? What do you plan on doing? Well, I have some reconnaissance to attend to you

and got some research to do a light head towards Borovia village and ask a few questions there. Otherwise, I'm not sure. Would you like to accompany us to Ravenloft and we can split ways once you go to Borovia? This evening. We're on the way there now.

You were just going to draw up to Ravenloft. Do what? We have an invitation. I don't. How well do you know the grounds? Not at all. I haven't been there. Do you know anyone that might? None alive. Can you ask the dead?

I'm trying to retrieve something that's buried in ravena. Oh, dear. All right, then. Um, well, I will say I'm intrigued. It could use your help, but I don't want to impose on any of your other events. I will have business at Ravenloft. Eventually, not yet. I'm going to do what I need to do.

What that woman, that thing has, is important before I set foot on the ground. But after I retrieve it, or we retrieve it, I guess, if you'd like to tag along, then we'll talk. But if you want to go tonight, you're on your own. What do you need from the hag?

What are you looking for? Some items of importance. Not sure. You don't know what you're looking for? No. The card wasn't specific. I would help in obtaining an item of value that would assist in the downfall

for Donny von Zarvich. And that to me is the only thing that's important. That and that you do more squats. Is this a card that you received in? How did you come across it? And she reaches in her pack and she spreads out. Troika cards. Well, if you're talented like I am, you discover your own fortunes.

Did you do that reading yourself? Of course, I said. Do they look exactly like Madame Mabos? They look similar, but not as old. May I see those? Well, clean your hands off first. There's an energy about you. Procidio. Play your mind. Spotless. Clear your mind. Procidio?

doesn't work like that, plate to Nazran. How do you suggest I clear my minds in a place such as this? Stop thinking about anything, Don't. Don't put all negative thoughts in my cards. All right. Are you ready?

Yes. She hands them to you. I thought she was a bunch of emojis anyway. I just like making a dew towel. All right. You won't be able to do anything with them. Do I get any sense that they're magical at all? Yes.

Ah. Oh, my God. These are indeed legitimate Tiroca cards. What did they tell you? What I just said. That's all they told you. Did she have a whole deck? Yeah.

But she didn't take out her specific cards. She just handed the whole deck of cards. Not to overset my bounds here, but you are pretty explicit in saying that you are to assist in the retrieval of this item. Well, that's what the card said, so that's what I'll do. That makes me feel a whole lot better. I've never seen a full deck before. Of course you have.

You've got a reading from Madame Mab of course. Yes, but she only drew cards. Yes, I witnessed them, but I've never looked through. You must have shuffled them. I shuffled them, but I never got a chance to look through every single individual car. Oh, yes, of course. She's nothing to look through them. There's a her phone.

These are beautiful. Yes, I know. Where did you get these? I inherited them from my mother. I see. Well, they must be very special to you, and I'll hand them back. It seems as if it's unavoidable to ally with the child in the retrieval of the symbols of the cards to create. And thank God there are no children here.

It's also better than the alternates, aren't. Now, it seems like our fates are intertwined, as foretold by the cards. I believe that you are... Fated to help us with retrieval. No, no, no, no. That can't be true. Why can't it be true? Help you?

You'll... Look at your arms. You're so weak. Oh, boy, here we go. Well, I'm weak in muscle, yes, but... The strength that I need is all here. Oh, really? I just fooled you with the cards. I was just trying to be polite. It's just you in your private possessions.

Really? Yes. He always talks about how... gentlemen do certain things. A true gentleman would I wouldn't say, oh yes, I will take my grubby hands. Lovely, I can't wait

until I can watch you kill Sredonia with the strength of your mind. It will happen. You know. It's win. Yes, I know, and I'll be the one to get the final blow. Do you have something caught in your throat?

Yeah, just a little bit of flam in the back there. I apologize. Continue. Did the Cod's fate? Were you fated by the cons to defeat Stradania as well? That is relevant. What did the cards tell you, if you don't mind me asking,

what did the cards tell you beyond helping any retrieval and something? I don't need to talk to you about my fate of my cards. All right, and I won't try. I am destined to assist. Oh, shit. What did your cards tell you? You want to be the better or bad news or good news or whatever you call it? Our cards told us that we will be the ones to retrieve.

So your cards? said you will retrieve this item. Yes. But did they say she will kill Stradonia? We will face her. What do you mean your cards told you that? Was I there? Did it say I was there?

No, it did not mention you at all. No, that can't be true. It does not mean that you cannot help us. You can have a role in all this by assisting us, you can aid in the defeat of the devil shrub on you. I will get the final hope. We'll get back to the Locky, and when we do, we will part ways.

But I'll be in touch. How can we reach you? I suppose Sanis can reach you either way. I can. But if we were to want to find you, where do you post camp? Where are a bit safest to that night? Well, we will definitely be in touch after. or when the time comes to go back to Beres.

All right. Well, we still go to a bit of travel, so until then, I'm going to, she grabs her cards and she starts shuffling them. Just do it how you do. I'll continue to eat trouble. So we'll continue on with Falaki. Yeah. You continue towards Milwaukee.

You notice the ravens that move and dart around you. Once again, how long the wolves far. the distance, but the almost croaking like noise the ravens make seem to scare them away. Even when it feels like the air around you is beginning to

choke you and the forest itself is looming over you, there's a safety that these ravens are bringing with them. The protection of the Martikov family for what you've done for them. And your adventure, your journey through the forest, all the way from Borez, to the crossroads

that lead to Balakia is uneventful. It is as you get to the crossroads, hear Esmeralda dig her feet into the ground. Well, this is where I'm going to leave you. So, let's see. You're heading that way. Yes, East.

Well, I guess, no, I'm not going to hit that way. You know, I think I'm going to risk yet. I'm going to jump through the woods. It's got to head that way. well, whatever you do, just stay safe and don't take the whole card thing too hard on yourself. You know, we don't have a choose our roles and all this. So just, you know, it'll be all right. Fans, the cards out in front of her.

Oh, my fate is destined to be great. We'll see each other again, I'm sure. Yes, let's stay in touch. Yes, and you, she looks at Victoria. Stop being such a prist. And she walks away before Victoria has a chance to say anything at all. Stuffy, that one. She slapsed you on the ass and walks into them.

Well, hopefully she doesn't die. I won't. Good luck. Don't need it. Just like my father. We... Suppose we go to the inn and see what Thunrechtin left for us. If the gift can be found at the inn at all...

He said, come find him. Well, come find him, but he left a gift, so... Can we water then? Well, Shepard, we can repeat our thieving escapades. I'm not sure that's going to be necessary. We'll just see what we find when we get to the end. Very well. Isn't the festival today?

It's already passed. Is it yesterday? No, it was a few days ago. Oh. But we know the wine got that in time, and I believe that they inform the burgo mass service because of our deeds that enable the wine to be delivered in time. Yeah, I'd like to stay out of the

stockade. Yes. Yes. Remember, we should be on the lookout for the agents of the widow. Tusha. All right. And we should, I don't know if we don't have time right now, but we should check in with Father,

this is the name. Lucian. Lusian, Father Lucian. And just make sure that the children are not doing well. All right. All right. I suppose we do not have time to stop by Blinskis. Sorry.

No, no, absolutely not. Out of the question. Do you think it's even done by now? Perhaps. Are you trying to buy more toys? I mean, we will handle that another time. We are under the gun, as they say. All right.

To the end. Do you have blue water? You make your way to the gate. surround the Locky, and as the guards see you, they don't even question you this time. If they begin to open the gate and you make your way in, past the church and down the long, winding road that heads directly towards the blue water in.

And that's where you're going first? Do they seem, has their demeanor changed since we left? No. They're still just staring at us. Yeah. Are there flyers for the next festival? Yeah. Maybe if you head down into the deeper parts of the city.

Okay. Okay. But so far you've seen that. Okay. You make your way directly towards the inn, and you push, are you going into the main area or up to the rooms? Because there are two entrances, the one that goes outside up to the room, to the one that goes inside to the tavern area.

The main tavern area. Yeah. All right. You make your way in, and there are a few people here. Not many. and you see, you see, one, the female Markov that runs the cleaning and busying herself behind the bar. But this time you do see that there are three large casts of ale behind her, and they seem to be dripping, flowing, almost bursting of wine. Hello, madam.

Well, hello, it's been so long. Yes, it seems like the wine has been delivered. You have done a good thing for my husband. He is very happy to be reunited with his father. It's touched our hearts that we are able to have... You will run a free round on us. Well, thank you. And she immediately pours you a wine as she hands it out.

We don't have much time, but we can have a drink. And while we drink... drink for me. Did Rick Tavio did Rictavio happen to leave Ooh, that was close. Did Rictavio happen to leave anything

for us before he left for today? Oh, well, he didn't just leave for today. Yesterday, he packed up his entire room, he paid the remainder of his bill, and he has left for good. Oh. But if he left anything, he didn't leave it with us.

Would you mind if we just checked his room. Oh, well, I don't know if that would be right. Right, if it's inappropriate. But there is no one staying in there. I will leave it the key. Just return it before he leave. It's just going to take one quick piece.

He's not anything that is his problem, not ours. Yes. Do you know if he's left Locky, completely? I have not seen him. I don't know. He said he had business on the other side of the village. Interest. I see.

The other side. All right. Well, that's good health. And we appreciate your generosity in hospital. Of course. Are you staying for the evening? No, we are not. We have plans this evening, but I appreciate...

Do we still have the rooms? Are you still paying for the rooms? I think we paid for at least a few nights. I think we definitely have run out at this point. Yeah, I don't remember how many we paid for, to be honest. Two rooms for how many nights I've got in. Oh, wow. Oh, that guests staying in the rooms.

that we... We don't get guests to the lock, you often, so no. Well, how much for room tonight? It is five silver pieces for a room.

So golden knight. Here, he's seven gold. You reach into your pack, but fine, no gold. Professors, is everything all right? I can get this one. Hold on. I must have, I must have, no, no, I must have misplaced.

Hold on one second. And I start checking. Fuck, I start checking everything. Rolling a residency. Sure. Really, Professor, it's no problem. I don't mind helping out. Is it anything okay?

You look everywhere and you can find no gold. I'm going to go try to pull seven goal out of my pack. You reach in and find no gold? I seem to have misplaced all of the gold. Do I have any? Professor, I... We're all out of pocket. I can't find my money either.

I had already spent all of my money. Well, you may have actually been the smartest thing you've done since we got to. Never mind. So I didn't miss places. It was... Well, I'm going to check the rest of my belongings. Does Victoria have any? No.

I want to check the rest of my belongings. I see if I'm missing anything. Roll in investigation check. Can I pat myself down and do the same? Is it a different guy? Oh, I only got a nine. Eleven. I mean...

You pat yourself. down and you're pretty sure that you have everything on you that you had. Just no gold. This must be... Well, unfortunately we do not have a goal at the moment. We will get back to you on that, but... Well, I can't, I can't let

you sleep out. What you've done for a family? One week in a small room. And I will pay you back. Oh yeah, we'll find a way to make the money up, no problem.

If we can have two rooms for one week, and I will write you an I-O-U. The smallest of the rooms. Just one room or two? Two rooms, the smallest. Yes, the small one. It doesn't matter. Yes, of course. And I'll also get some parchment, and I will quickly just write an I-O-U.

It is an honor system. I believe you. Are you sure? I'm happy to. I haven't spent much time with Basha. I've only seen her from afar, but she was a sweet girl, and I have heard what you have done. I'm happy to help clean in the kitchens

or anything to the thing. Well, if you are around this evening, you can help wash dishes if that's worth. Yes, of course. We are unfortunately indisposed this evening, but we will help however we can and what we have time for. But do not worry, if we are unable to pay you,

we will find someone who will pay. We should go check. I just like stare awkwardly at her. We should go to. her. Yeah. Just think off. It's eyes crossed.

I guess no doubt that you will. It's constantly. We should just go check Ritavio's room real quick. Professor, I think

it's important. And she hands you two new keys and Riktabio. We'll be right back. Thank you. I'll see you soon. I'm near

start marching towards Ruktabia's room. Oh, yes, yes, let's go. These are the consequences of trusting Strangling. To the room. We should perhaps take a great lesson

in this. I want to get into Rikovia's room, I guess I'll try the key to open the door and see if it's more good. Just go. Yeah, it opens the door easy. All right, I'll make sure everybody gets to say when it holds the door. God damn it! Don't tell me.

All of it! Professor, do we still have the doll? It doesn't seem right. Check all your things. I look at everything else. I seem to think I have everything. It seems like you have everything else. Damn, it's the goal.

You've got to be shitting me. I doubt it was her. How could she have gotten into my case? Then who else would it have been? Maybe the doll cries out. Maybe the doll crawled out and that's how she'd get to him. If the doll's able to open your case from within and was doing so to wash us, it would have happened in numerous number of times while we were traveling with the strange girl.

Listen, I don't even have much need for money. But the point is, it's the principle of the matter. You don't go around sealing things from people. Yes. In fact, limits my spellcasting ability as well. Damn! We shall tell her father what she's been up to and give her, give him her location. Well, as we saw her.

We don't know if she was the one to take the world. You're right. We don't know. This might be some kind of trick. Maybe the gold is somewhere. What else can we do but presume? What about the young boy? Did he leave?

Did he leave? We spent a night with the girl, but the young boy was he just? Did he come back? We do. Do go steal money from people? The order seemed like good people. They don't have any need for money. When was the last time we remembers knowing that we had gold on us?

Days. I said, let me see the rest of my goal. Yeah, that morning before you had left. Yeah. I mean, there's no way the winery, those good people wouldn't steal from us. There's no way. Maybe we entered some sort of magical force field. took it from our packs.

It's that a thing? Gold has magical properties. It does, yes, but maybe it was a magic of the hag that there was some field we walked through that evaporated on the gold. Oh, God, damn it! This is concerning.

The most obvious solution is right in front of our faces. He trusted a young girl with whom we had no business, trusting. He let her into our camp and travel with us. and she seems to be a liar and the thief. I'm not.

It's been in the position for a sin, Godchester. Let's see what's in. I'm just like looking around the room at this point. I'm furious. You're easily able to see a small, wrapped up person that is sitting on the desk. And as you unwrap it,

you pull the twine, the knot from the twine around it, you let the paper fall away. You are able to see a letter and five health versions. Just baseline help those rooms? What's the letter said? Are you handing it to me? I assumed you opened the package. I wasn't going to touch that.

Oh, well, you were looking through the room. Okay, I will... I will... I will open the letter, and I will read it aloud. Friends... A quiet least about people here. My time here has come to an end. I've learned all I can from the luck. So, I'm heading out. I'm sure you'll find me. I have no doubt. I'm not going to write the letter exactly where I am, that would be stupid. It would be ridiculous. I'll be around the lake somewhere if you look hard enough.

You know, doing what I need to to aid you in your cause. I think I found something. An answer. It's important. Come to me. Do it quick. Or don't. Or quick. Richard. Rudolph and Rickon, the science of us.

Well, this is unfortunate. P.S. So you don't die. Drink this. You're feeling pain. Do you hand them out? Yeah. Okay. We all. They'll take a health potion. Regular healing potion.

This does not help us with our gold issue. We have no need of gold, professor. Yes, we do. Of course we do. Well, we got a barter a little bit here, Sarnax. I mean, come on. There's services. We need goods and services. You've given Blinsky countless gold pieces. Yeah. And here we are. I made you with my gold what I so choose, professor.

Yes. You were the one that got pickpocketed by the child. We don't know that for sure. Don't you feel foolish? You don't know that for sure. You now have a Ufi side quest. Can I discern by the, like, the emptiness of my pouch of just, like, how it might have been stolen, like does it look like there's anything that's...

I would say that at the time your passive perception wasn't good enough to discern anything. Okay. So there's really no way to tell. You're in the heat of all kinds of things. A little weight on the side of your hip would have been... So there's no current evidence existing of any kind of... Like if it was magically removed or someone like physically removed. I would say looking at your pack, you can see that it was definitely opened and taken.

Okay. Well, looks like someone must have bifled through my fingers at some point. Well, I'm glad that she was disappointed when checking my possessions. Damn! Well, we don't have too much time to wait. Victoria, you may feel vindicated for your hatred of this child. If it was, in fact, her, maybe she's using this for a good cause, maybe to help the fight against Trudonio.

that if it was for a good cause, she would have said something along the lines of, hello friends, may I borrow some coin to fight the good fight against Tridanya, rather than pilfering it from you. It just doesn't seem like she would have asked us if it wasn't. It does not seem like it would have been in her nature.

No, I think we were robbed, yes. I think, I think we were clearly robbed. It is not by a vagabond. Because she's a thief. Perhaps. Damn it! She's a vagabond in disguise. what was disguise about her profession she was clearly a vagabond

no she was he was a subject from the moment we met her and we trusted her so easily because she mentioned one name she probably has no relation to honor it damn it my sentiments exactly well i want to make sure that the university compensates you all fairly once this is all said and done in the meantime we need to find some way Well, I guess we have plans for dinner. We can't waste much time. We're not going to be able to make it around the lake before dinner, right? I don't feel comfortable as waltzing in there without having any kind of plan.

What do we do? I agree with you. I'm just worried about time constraints. Can we, like, take out a map and, like, take a look and, like, see if we can, like... It's probably around seven-ish right now. Oh, no way, how. We could get there probably by midnight, maybe. or later?

That's... Well, for a vampire, perhaps a 3 a.m. dinner is what she is presuming. Well, I mean, but that's just even taken into account us head and raptor, the castle. We go draves and through the woods

looking for this man, good old Rectavio, if we will. We may not even make it till summer. The board's out there now, I suggest that we maybe better know that we're going to be rich. But only you're polite.

She doesn't deserve our politeness. Maybe not, but she could still kill us. I am less worried about her trying to kill us, yes, than her returning to the vineyard to finish what she started. Right, so again, my vote is we just said to the castle. I know how you're feeling, Professor. I agree with you, but I don't think we have much of a choice here. Oh, maybe we send a raven and let her know that we'll be a day-lain.

Or do we really want to risk that? The lives of innocent people. Perhaps we could simply ask her for an extension? Or just let me know that we're on our way. Get a sense of her feeling about timing. All right. That's a manable. Just to ensure the safety of the...

I would prefer you write it out before I prepare my magic, professor. Right, why didn't I think of that? Yes, and I'll take out a quill, and I will write out, Dear Countess Bonzarovic, unfortunately we were way late in returning to Velaki, it is now quite late, and we don't believe we will be able to make it until very late in the morning. Would you be amenable to giving us a sense? extension in meeting perhaps in a day or two in the evening and we could have a much more

pleasant dinner than if we were to rush now and awaken you in the early morning. Signed Clinton Azran, Professor Clayton Nazram, the Azran expedition. She seemed pretty clear that she did not want an extension. I don't know if asking for a day or two is going to enrage her we'll be just letting her know we're going to be arriving later in the evening. At this point it doesn't hurt to ask if she responds with, oh, I'll kill everyone if you don't arrive,

then we can head straight there. Maybe you just include something that says we are more than happy to rush to Ravenloft immediately or if tomorrow the next day works, that will be fine as well. Soften it a little bit. I miss Arnick

These I'll then cast my spell These are the words Of Clayton Asran Delivered by the power of Garex You fiend of the night And then I'm going to And I'm going to deliver the gist of it

But hardened He said that out I'm going to do I forget what he said Like the whole thing But basically the whole gist is just like as blunt as possible. And,

but I'm getting all of the main beats. Once he's done, I'm going to say, Professor Sarnax, Sarnax, Professor, just as expected. Let us know what she says. And so how to send him work? Let me read the exact thing. She doesn't have to respond.

25 words or less to a creature I'm familiar with so I'm familiar with her here's the message in her mind recognize that I'm the sender and can answer in a like manner immediately if she so chooses the spell neighbors as a creature

an intelligence score of at least one to understand the meaning of your message. Wow, I don't know that. Any distance or even other plans of existence, yeah there's a 5% chance if it's on another thing that it doesn't arrive. That's it. You wait and wait and wait.

get no response. So we should just get on the road. Yes. Yes. I understand the apprehension professor. I'm just trying to do. Yes. Yes.

Yes. Yes. Yes. We're doing this with the full knowledge that we may not leave that castle, ever. But we don't have a choice. I'm at peace with that. Are all of you a piece with that? No.

How could I be? But we don't have a choice. We can't trust the lies of countless wear ravens. All right. All right, let's go. I would like to check our rooms to see if while we were gone they were pilfered with. You have new rooms now. Oh, they're different than the ones we see it.

Yes, she just gave you the two smallest rooms. No, my. All right. Well, we should let the innkeeper know that we will hopefully be back at some points, but to keep our rooms. And to return, Benrickensky. And right. So we'll do that way out right, and we'll just drop the key off.

You make your way back downstairs and you find her. Well, it's good to see you that you were back. Did you find everything that you needed in the room? Yeah, he left us a small parcel, and it was a nice little letter. She reaches out for the key. It was kind. I don't know why he would leave that in there when he knows we have to clean it up, but I will ignore that.

Sorry. And this came for you, maybe a moment after he went upstairs, and she hands you a rolled-up piece of parchment. Oh, hell. Oh, my dear. I look at the wax seal. There is no wax seal. Oh, shit.

I'll open it. I will open the parchment. We all take 16. Is it look like someone else has opened it? My head explodes. My charming new friends, I'm saddened to inform you. that I have been pulled away this evening. Matters of the utmost importance

require my attention. Immediately. Consider my invitation void. I will inquire again should I require your company. Yours in eternity. Stradamia von Zorovic. Void.

Void. Just, just like that. She's just gonna, she's just gonna rescind and void it? What does it mean that she has business to attend to? Well, now we're never getting what we need. Guards, I hope that doesn't involve the wear ravens. Damn it, why did we just not go?

She might have canceled. You're screaming all of this in the middle of the end. No. She might have canceled almost even if we were on route, but we just sent for that as soon as... I don't believe we could have prevented this. She said it arrived moments after you went upstairs. It would have been well before Sarnhard said his night.

Oh, okay. I don't believe that perhaps I should have not called her a feat of the night. I'm sure. I'm certain that didn't help. Wait, you called her that in your message? Yes, of course. You're all aware that she sent that before you probably even made your way to run her. Yeah, right.

Before we even got to the argument. Well, no, it arrived right after you went upstairs. Then we have one option now that our schedule has been cleared. Potentially indefinitely. This is both good and terrible. I'm very relieved that we don't have to see her now, but I'm worried that we may not get another invitation and it's very cryptic business that she has to attend to.

Could be very bad. I guess now we've got plenty of time to go find our guy. Yes, we have time. A boat rental. We could take the boat or we could go along the edge. We should also meet with a burgomaster while we're here. He's looted us this entire time. I believe it might be a good idea to try to speak with him.

My preference would be meeting with Von Ripton tonight, if at all possible. You have the best information to perhaps help us make sense. of what has happened in his letter. It may be easier to track into the woods. It's a huge lake. He could be anywhere. Well, he said across the lake. So perhaps we make our way to the other side.

I have a feeling if we can get to the other side of that lake, we'll be able to find him. You know, he's the kind of person where if he doesn't want to be found, then we wouldn't. But he said if we look hard enough, I'm fairly confident I'd be able to find him. All right. well then yes we should we should make haste and yes it is late

uh let me draft a letter to the burgomaster first and get that delivered and request an audience in the next day or so maybe two days sure at some point when you can see us alright um

uh Victoria take this down um Dear burgomaster, can we know his name, young burgomaster and baron? I don't know if you do. I don't think you ever said. I don't think you ever, yeah. I think you just know him as the baron.

Dear, oh, gracious, burgomaster. Do you want me to do this? Baron, oh, yes, please. I'll take out my colleague with this. Baron of this wonderful city or town of Wallachie. We, the Clayton, the Azran Expedition, of Miss Halley University, secured your shipment of wine,

as you may already be aware, just in time for the festival. We were happy to help out the mental fortitude of a town in a great time of revelry. Let's keep it light. Reveory, we would love to, if you have the chance, we would love to speak with you and hopefully learn more about your town,

and your goals to see if there's any way we can assist you in furthering your goals. Signed. Professor Clayton has me. Should you say all will be well? Oh, great idea. P.S. Post-cript. All will be well. We are a winky face, I believe. Well, I don't know how to.

That's what Sonics said, right? Yes. The balleroying. Yeah. I'll scroll it up and I'll just wrap it as a client and I will say could you send one of your ravens

to the burger master? I'll pay you back for that for posts as well. I think if we could then she takes it and she raises in the air one of the ravens whoops down and grabs it. Thank you so much. Of course. Let's do help. You do not look like you are

having the best of time. We've run it a little bit of a rough patch, if you will. We'll get through it. We'll get through it. All right. Well, do you know if there happen to be boat rentals here? Bill, if you take the path straight out of Volaki and you go to the edge of Lake Zorovic, yes, there are boats there.

That's it cost of money. Not that we could afford it. Normally, yes. I don't have to deal with it. And maybe we'll just have to provide some sort of service in return. I have a great number of toys. Ah, neha, God. All right.

Well, good day. This work of Fantasmogorio, the lantern that displays the shadowy stories. Oh, that is called phantasmagoria. You know, we'll keep that on the backburn, as they say. Sarnax, when we get there, we'll see if anybody might be interested. Does that sound good? Keep it on the back burner, Shepard.

Yeah, exactly. On the back, it burns the brightest. whatever makes you happy. Star-X. I appreciate your use of allegory and burning. Anything for you, buddy. Can we? Yes, please.

We will leave the end. Thank you. And we'll head north towards the lake. Okay. I want to keep an eye out, and I would tell him to keep an eye out for any agents of Lady Votter. You begin to make your way along a cobblestone path that you know leads directly past Lady Vodka.

walked her house. Walked yourself. And you begin to get close to it. You see lights on the inside. There are sounds, noises, laughter. She seems to be having some kind of dinner party, get together. All is well, only locked herself. And it's around this time that a raven swoops down and places a letter firmly in your hand. That was fake. I mean, it's probably about 20 minutes of travel and they fly. I will read. Hello, new friends. Thank you for what you have done for the city of the Locky.

I myself and my son and my wife are so pleased to have you visiting us in town. I am a very busy man and I do not have the time to see just anybody, But I will fit time in for the bringers of vine. If you do me but one favor, there is a man in town. His name is Pluto and he is a drunkard. He has been causing a lot of issues in town making everyone feel less joy. And as we all know, all will be well. Bring him to justice.

Bring him to me. You can find him normally fishing on Lake Zarovich. Bring him. And you will gain an audience with him. Your friend, question mark. Hopefully see. Berrin Vargas. Berbilis.

And you just like read it out loud to us. So what? Now he expects us to be lawman. Is that what he's getting at? We got to bring him some drunk? Well, he clearly... respects our capabilities. It seems more of a test.

He could send his goons to grab this Pluto drunkard at any moment. Could he not? I would think so, yeah. So he is giving us a task that is morally questionable to see if we are dogs. So are you suggesting that we don't do this?

Yes, that is exactly what I am suggesting. I am not keen to vent to his... Well, I mean, what's the purpose? Why? Well, I mean, we're going to go rough up some guy who's just fishing because he's thinking negative thoughts and he's not being all happy, go lucky. I suggest we at least speak to this man. See what he has against the burgomaster. I mean, at this point, we need all the help we can get. This man is an enemy of Shadana.

And he's in a very powerful position. So you just want a curry favor, really? Yes. And if we need to rough up one drunk, it so be it. He spends a night in the stocks. Who do you think's roughing up the drunker, Professor? Well, I think we can compel him to join us. Or you can rough him up.

Either way, I don't really care at this point. All right. The lives of all of these people are in danger, the souls. We go to the lake, we find a ride, we'll barter with some spooky goddamn lamp. get in the boat, we go find our guy, and on the way back we look for this fishing drone. Deal? That sounds good, yes. We want to stop by the church?

Not tonight, I believe. It's late. It is late. I suggest we continue onward towards the lake, and then when we return, we could see the children. I'm eager to see them, and I want to make sure that Irene is doing all right, but it is late, and if they're getting an early night, I don't want to rustle. are probably tired from their knife lessons. I hope so. I am as well.

Hopefully. All right. Let's see what we can find. The shorewards. So we'll head north and we'll head to we'll head to the lake and just see what the deal is with boats. You make your way

along the path another 30 minutes or so travel. Until you exit the date, the gate. and begin to head down the winding path towards the lake. The foot of the mountain nestled in the misty forest of the large lake. The water is perfectly still and dark, reflecting the black clouds overhead with a monstrous mirror.

Pulled out along the south shore three small rowboats. A fourth boat can be seen in the middle of the lake with a lone figure standing, holding a fishing hole. And a sack? A large burlop shaft. sack that shakes this way and that is he wrestles with it. You hear a

squeal almost as he grabs onto it and you hear, you can't make out the words, but he seems to be shouting. And whatever is in this sound, definitely something alive. What the hell is that? Do you want to see that? Is that a fishing pole?

Does he have someone, is he taking someone prison? Ah, damn it. Can we find him already? This was not according to the plan. That might be our man, right? Yeah. All right, let's get this over with. Let's see.

He begins to shake it again, and he drops it into the water. What the- How far out are we? Is it very big? It looks, it's big enough to hold probably a gnome or a half-lake. Oh, hell no. Shepherd, I'm going. No, you will not go.

You will hold this lantern. What? Catch up when you can. Well, I don't want to take the passage with your life. I can't even hold on. What? Remember I am. still a lizard and I'm going to sprint

and dive in and swim as fast as I can sprinting to the business. All right. I need you to make an athletics check. Ooh, baby. That could have been way. How far out are we? 19. 19. You are at the edge of the lake

and this is roughly in the middle of the lake and you can see that. You can see the... Oh, shit. So it's like way out there. Yeah. So hold on. So quarter of a mile. So like,

it's at least like... You swim down. The water is murky and dark. And as you get deeper and deeper and deeper, it's darker and colder. And your eyes are kind of tuned to the darkness like this, but this is darker than you expected. As you swim and you swim and you swim,

something darks past you and then past you. And then past you on the other side. but you continue forward in a straight line until finally you see at the very edge of a sack as it begins to plummet towards the bottom, wiggling and moving slower, slower, as it slowly succumbing to the lack of oxygen. I would like to also say, come on both, we can deal with the consequences later. All right, and I'm looking at the lantern that Star-Nax has given me with a sort of like awe and reverence. Like, I don't want to break this thing, and I don't know what to do with it,

and I'm, like, going to just start, like, moving ahead and, like, trying to look for a boat, but I'm having trouble keep my eyes off the lantern as I'm, like, using it for a light source. The bugs are easy enough to untie. Any of you have proficiency with nautical vehicles? No, I don't. Carla Rowe, just hold a lantern out so we can see. I will attempt to row the boat.

I'll jump in and try to... I'll say you're able to row it. It's just not as fast as you would like it to be. You're trying, but occasionally you fear to one side, and then the other side and you write it. But you slowly start getting into a rhythm and you're strong enough to handle this as you beat the paddles against the water.

What are you doing, Sarnax? I am going to try to swim as quickly as I can down to it. And the second that I get it in my clutches, I am going to, I literally can't do anything as far as movement. But I would like to try to go up and grab the satchel and try to get it up to the surface. You grab onto it. It is heavy.

it's still wiggling, but very, very softly. I need you to roll another athletic ship for me, please. Is the wriggling of the thing inside the sack making it difficult for me to come up? No. It seems like it's struggling against the lack of oxygen, so it is weaker. And so it's not, it's moving so you know that whatever is inside is still alive, but it's not enough to... that I would use hold person in that situation. A three.

You begin to climb up. You begin to swim up. And as you're about to cast your spell, you feel all movement inside of the back completely stop. But you continue to swim and swim and swim. You eventually get to the top of the water. Your head pokes out. You pull the sack up and out of the water around you.

And you see a mere maybe 15, 20 feet out. rowing towards you the waves, the movement of the waters pushed you further towards the shore than you had expected. You were probably, I would say, about maybe 100 feet from the boat of the other man, but only about 15 feet from your friends. The stuff's moving, and I'm going to try to open the bag, pull out my sacrificial dagger and slice open the bag and try to find whatever's inside. You slice open the bag and you pull out. As I'm swimming.

Unconscious and limp body of a small bastani girl. God damn. You deal with this. Sheppert comes with me. I'm going to grab you on the fucking shoulder. And I am going to dimension Dora. Yes. And fucking, like, fancy looking door will open up, glowing with blue energy.

I said the lantern down before this happens. I'm going to open the door and pull Shepard through. And we're going to peer right on the boat with him. You appear very on the boat with him. You appear. right on the boat with this guy. He looks up at you. Oh, well, fuck. What do you want? I am really grabbing by the lapels.

I will set back in. I will just pull him in real close. Don't kill him? What the hell are you thinking dumping somebody in the lake? I'm trying to fish. I need to make money. I slap him real hard. Oh, geez. Who the fuck are you? What do you want? I saw what you just did with that sack. You've got wine. I slap him again. Oh, what are you doing?

You better start talking, pal. What do you want to know again? Why are you? Oh, I think I got one. And he tries to pull up his line, but it is completely empty. No. Is your name Bluto? Who's asking?

I am. Who's I? Would you like to live, friends? Yes, it's Bluto. Why did you throw a sack with a small child in it into the lick. Oh, you mean that? That's just a, that's just a disgusting

disgusting vastani. I immediately punch him in the face. She's going to grow up to be a whore. I punch him in the face. Oh, fuck my teeth. Why are you murdering children? Because I've very bad luck to this, do the lucky.

If I kill her, then the official cover through the water. Is someone paying you to do this? No, I'm just broke. And I'm out of vine, and I just grabbed that from the camp. Good gods. So you think that killing children? Yeah, I'm not children, Vestani.

A Vastani child is still a child. I'm going to fucking kill him. Hit him again. Hit him again. No, ah, fuck. Don't give him no. You're ruining my buzz. We're taking him to the burner master. We're both killed, Brett.

Yes. They're taking him to the burger master. Well, at least she's dead now. Now the fish will come back to the lake. Fuck you. Why would killing her... And he brings bits on you. Fuck you.

I'm presiditation at all. Why would killing a girl bring fish back to the lake? Because obviously the vistani are a blight on this land, and they are what brings all of the bad things, so you kill them, and things will come back. Fuck the vestani and fuck you too. I'm going to attempt to start to like bind him and see if he resists. I've roped in my pack.

I'm just going to start taking it. He looks down and you start. Dead bitch. I'm going to, I'm going to continue to beat him as I'm trying to like, beat him with a submission and then like, knock him out. Yeah, I just, I don't know. If I can try to do like a non-lethal blow. I will say at this point, like he's too drunk to resist you. You're able to knock him out.

You've seen season one of Deadwood, my last episode. That's exactly what it is. Just fucking wailing on him. And then I'll tie him up. And I'm like, you know, huffing it puffing covered in his blood. Well, now we can't go dragging this sack of shit through the woods while we go look for Van Rington. You take him back to town tonight. Damn it!

I'm getting sick of this shit, professor. As in my, why? How do these people come up with these insane beliefs? Assadine bullshit. Probably the boat is approaching us soon. You are in the boat. You're not even making a move to move it at this point as you pull this girl's body.

Water longed out of the boat. Take the child. Not breathing. Victoria, please add me my lantern. I grab her and I immediately pull the girl over on her on her stomach, and I'm just trying to get as much water out of her chest and patting it as possible. and then try a medicine check.

I am going... You are patting her back. You are trying as hard as you can to get water out of her body. Nothing seems to be coming up. Her head is lolling back and forth with every whack. I've put on her back and I'm just pressing her chest. Kana, allow me. And I'm going to hold up my lantern as my hand is going to glow

and I'm going to cast cure wounds attempting I can heat and basically vaporize the water. in her lungs. I'll place it directly on her chest. Love her son of a gun. Turn to vapor. And I'm going to pass cure wounds at a

second level. Okay. Flood, cure wounds. 2D8. 2D8. That's true, guys. 2D8. Oh, I only have 6. Oh, it could be 1.

9 plus 14 points of healing. Connor, you're pressing down on her chest, trying to force the water out as Sarnix reaches in and you feel her skin become warm as is healing magic. The healing flames of Garrett's into make their way through her veins and her body. And she spits up water all over you as her eyes open up and she looks up at both of you,

breathing shallowly. I'm holding her in my arms like, are you okay? What happened? I am okay now, I think. You're safe with us. there's that piece of shit drunk bluto don't worry we're taking care of it may be a seven year old girl as soon as that happens I'm letting

Kana just take her she begins to like wipe herself off I am going to kill him you have suffered a lot and we just dragged you out of the water I think it's best if you stay here and stay warm don't worry we're going to take care of the man that she looks out to you he's on that boat

and so are trying to punch him in his penis I'm sure that's exactly what they're doing. Child, he is also on that boat with my acquaintance shepherd, and I'm sure he will not survive the encounter. Take solace. I hope they don't kill him before I get to get a punch in. I pray he shows an ounce of restraint. I am not optimistic.

You see if she flops herself down. She's covered in. Oh, I'm so cold. She folds her arms. I take my cloak of protection off and I wrap. wrap it around her body. Oh, for a freaking fish! I don't control the fish, stupid dumb drunk.

I'll also, I'll put my lantern down directly next to her. I'll have it be the wide business. Thank you. I appreciate the warps. Both of you. I'm Arbel. What's your name? I am Sarnax of Gatelwood.

It's a long name. Can I call you Sarnax? You may call me that. Children call me a dinosaur. What's a dinosaur? I thought that was a child's creature of some imagination. I don't know. I've never heard of one.

I'll ask my dad. What's your name? I'm Kana Soyo Kaze. It's nice to meet you. That's a really long name, too. Can I call you Kana? Kana is fine, yes. Okay, cool.

And this is, uh, this is Victoria. You're really pretty high. Our friends on the boat will be here shortly in life. Canna, please row us towards the professor and chef. Roll quick, because I'm going to punch him square in his jaw. Okay, just don't shake the boat too much. haven't really done this a lot before and I hold on and she

leans over and she peeps into the water sorry still lots of water in my stomach oh no it's fine hopefully there is some jaw left after my acquaintance is through with it does look like normal vomit that's coming up yeah it's water okay I'll row

quickly towards that all patter on the back oh this gross this is the first good luck we've had in some time. I didn't know you could do something like that, Professor. That was quite the trick. Yes.

Yes. Well, it comes in handy occasionally, but I didn't want to waste any time. I appreciate it. I wish I could use it to more than it looks like Connor and the rest are joining a short tree. He's still alive? Yeah, unfortunately. Seems to be that way. I don't recall.

any dead or alive clause in the request from the Burger Master, was there? He told you to bring him back so that he'd to serve justice. All right, yeah, then we probably shouldn't be killing him. I guess I'll turn a shepherd

and I'll say. I think do we now feel comfortable using this man turning him in as leverage to hopefully gain the favor of his burgomaster? Yeah, I think that's fine. I don't necessarily trust this guy,

but at the end of the day, this guy will face justice. At least this makes the grayness of morality a little less gray. Agreed. Well, we can return him tonight and then hopefully find Van Richten tomorrow.

It's too late to be by the time we get back here it'll be far too late. Look, like I said before, this guy's the kind of guy that if he doesn't want to be found, won't be. But if he does, we'll find it. I guarantee I can track him.

If he wants to be found, and as long as he's safe, somewhere out on those woods, we'll track him down. I promise. Yes. All right. Well, I think doing it today will be safer. And I believe that

either way, we can at least get a good night's sleep in a bed and deal with all of this in the morning. And then why we're supposed to wait until they arrive? It's around that time. The boats get close to each other. Arbel jumps up quickly and moves past you.

You don't even have a moment to write yourself if she steps at the front of the boat and jumps in. This podcast is brought to you by our Patreon. Become a patron today at patreon.com slash legends of Aventress and gain access to tons of exclusive perks, including a monthly movie night and a weekly Patreon exclusive campaign set on the high sees shroud over salt marsh. You can also go to the crooked moon.com to pick up your own copy of our first published supplement, The Crooked Moon, a folk horror tome for Dungeons and Dragons 5th edition. And don't forget to snag all of the extra goodies like dice, miniatures, plushies, a tarot deck, and more. Thank you. Water in your mouth, you fucking drunk, and she slams him right in the

face. Hellie, only, she's alive. Damn, she's peppy. What? You guys all right? She's like, she just starts whacking at him. Hey, hey, hey, easy now. He's already out. Child is he dead. He's not dead. The professor wouldn't let me. No, we cannot kill him. He can be child. No, no, he will see justice. The burgomaster will... In my way, are we going to put him in a stack and drop him into the water? Well, no, nothing so savage. I'll suggest it. So you see my shirt, this was a pretty shirt, and now it has holes in it. I'm very sorry. We will get you a new shirt. As soon as we can afforded. We will bring him to the burgomaster.

Do you not have any money? We have what we need. We will bring him to the burgomaster and we will make sure he sees justice. We will not murder him. I would if I could. Well, I'm just glad you're all right. And in good spirits. Oh, no, me too. Where do you live, child?

Oh, I live in the Vistani camp, just down from Vowaki. So if we get you back to shore, you're going to be able to make it there safely? We should escort her. We got to take this drunk all the way there. What are you doing out on the lake? No one's come out on the lake in the longest time. I thought I was dead for sure. It's kind of a long story, and it's just a little lucky that we showed up when we did,

but we're heading back to Velocchi now. How did you get lost? Were you kidding? I didn't get lost. This idiot stole me out of my tent. He just walked right in and grabbed me. In the middle of the night. Can you believe it?

no one noticed? Obviously not. Stupid family. They didn't even come to find me. We didn't hear that you were missing. You did hear him missing? They are looking for me? Yes, we met

Sabine. Savi, thank you. I must know. We met a Joskell named Savid. And he said... Oh, so you don't have any of your money then. Could he have stolen our money?

Of course he could feel your money. You could be holding it and he could steal it. All right. Is that in his nature? Yeah. Or going to the Fistani camp then. Is that, does he live with you? And there's a sani camp?

Yes, he does. We have to make sure that we keep medical locks and keys on all of these treasure wagons. Well, I'd be happy to escort you back to your family. Maybe we can have a word this soon. Oh, we're escort,er. So we will have to drop this man off, but we will escort you home and have a wordless of eat. Okay, if you want to, my dad is going to pay you so well for saving my life.

Well, that's good to hear, certainly. I'm not sure we... That is good to hear. Yes. Could you row us back to shore, please? So what are you doing out here on the lake? We heard that there was good fishing at night. There's no fishing in the lake.

They haven't been fishing this lake in a long time. How long is a long time? As long as I know. Do you know what has happened to the fish in this lake? No, I don't think anybody knows. But this stupid drone comes out here every single day and he claims he's fishing here and he's getting fish. It's not true.

And his lies only got him so far. And now people know he's a liar. And now he has a lot of people money. And he thinks he can just kill me and drop me into the lake. I'm not going to stand for it. Then she kicks him. Shepard, is there anything on, or professor, is there anything on his person that may be suspicious? I'm sure Shepard searched him.

I guess we'll search him. I don't know if you want to... Just empty, empty caps of... Wow, he's just a drum. He ain't got nothing. Fish and worms. He's committed to fishing out here with no fish. Do you think it's your family's fault? Well, you know, the people in Philadelphia,

They don't like the Vizani. They think that we are less than people. And so we don't go into Vlaki, and he is dumb and drunk. And he seemed to think he told me, he put me in the stupid bag, and then I bit him. When you look at the bag and you can see that there's a tear in the burlap where she must have really bitten him. Looking at his hand, you can see a huge bite wound. And so he gagged me, which was not good, because he was. I think it was his sock and it smelled horrible.

But he was telling me that he just thought that if he killed me, that the fish would come back. But they wouldn't. And I know they wouldn't. And I told him that I felt it when I touched him. There is a mysteriously potent change to this lake. I experienced it while retrieving you from the water of darkness. seem far more choking in the darkness of the depths of a lake.

I don't know much about that, but I do know something cool about this lake. There is a mad mage that lives. Is it on the other side of this lake or the other side of lake? Berytog. I could be wrong, but I think if this lake, maybe it's very talk. Perhaps we could ask your family. Sure, they probably want to tell you.

They don't like outsiders. Did you say mad mage? Oh, yes. This is a mage that tried to fight Stradania and then would push off the ball and fell but not to his death. And now he hunts the forest. Yes, we've heard of him. He still lives. I mean, that's the story I was told. For seven whole years, I've been told that story. I'm seven. Just in case you didn't know.

One of the first stories we heard, Brovia, a wizard. Is he an enemy of? of the countess. Oh, I don't know. Probably she pushed him off of it. Yes. I just thought he stopped the dog, but he makes himself look like a gigantic elk.

Interesting. But I've never been out to the water he's seen. It could all be stories, but perhaps another ally. He said it was either this lake or make a bear talk. Yes, I heard the story that there is a tower, a magic tower that is across the lake. But I can't remember if it was this lake or Lake Baratuck. I guess we can ask around and find out, but for now, we've got to drop this jackass off and then get her home. Yes, we can discuss later.

Let's get you home and let's get this man in custody. It is still very cold. Well, I'm growing, but she's got my clothing protection around her. Can I sit in one of your laps? I suppose so. If that's sure, well... The professor would probably be the most adequate. Uh, yes.

Oh, yes, Cotoria. Oh, yes, please. No, I like your top hat. I'll sit on you. Oh, all right. Huh. She climbs onto your lap, and then her eyes go near white as she grabs your hand. Oh, God.

Oh, no. No. You. Not you. You are so kind. There is a shadow on you. It will follow you always. It is coming soon.

What's you doing? It will come soon, the shadow. It will find you and it will come soon. The darkness. She will open her mouth. A mouse running with blood. Oh, no. She lets your hand go.

I'm so sorry. I can't control one. that happens. Can you see the future? Like bits and pieces of it a little bit. I'm learning the Tiroka cards. What are you, child? I'm a fustani. Clearly a

very powerful one. No one else in our family can do it. I swear not to tell people because they get really uncomfortable about it, but... What did you say about she was coming? It was coming, not she.

Oh, it? But something is coming for you it will haunt you always there is nothing you can do to stop it did you see what it was a shadow a darkness and a mouth dripping with blood

by the gods well thank you for letting you know what you saw it caught me off guard I would have kept it to myself but I was overcome thank you for me if I see anything dark and dreary in your future

I won't tell you. No, and I think it might be best you do tell us if you wouldn't mind. Yes, please. If you want to know, if you're sure. Orbel, you have a very unique talent. You should not be ashamed of it. You're an adventurer. Well, I'm a professor.

All of you. On an expedition. Well, you must take me with you. Where are we going? I've always wanted to be an adventurer. Let's go. No, it's far too dangerous. No, it's not dangerous.

A young girl, yes. Well, at the very least, if you want to go on a little adventure, we're going to bring this guy to justice first. It'll give you a taste of adventure, and then we're going to get you home. I can't go into the city. What do you mean? They won't let you in the city? They will be mean. They'll spit on me.

They might even take me and put me in chains. I would never allow that to happen. Velaki. Vesomian is welcome in Velaki. Or about you and I can wait outside while they take care of. I'll make sure nothing happens to you. Perhaps you do not need to accompany us through this

city. And perhaps we can have our time with his gentleman and not risk that he gets away. I'll pull out my I'll reach into my road and I'll pull out my sacrificial dagger. I'll flip it around.

I'm going to hand it to the group. Oh, I'm going to hold it out. She'll reach out for it. Do you want, what do you want to me to do? With this, this is cool. What does it look like? It is almost entirely black. It's a jagged handle that's made out of a very dark wood that's carved. There are some strange wailing faces in it.

And the blade is dark, like almost obsidian. It's also jagged, but absurdly sharp on the edges. And as I look at her, I'll lean down as it. Do you know where the heart is? On your dagger or on a person? On a person, I'm going to lean down and I'm going to kick Bluto over. And I'm going to point down to exactly where I would have shown the other children and Irene. That is where the heart is, child.

It is not justice to turn over this drunk. murderer to the authorities where he may just be put into the stops. I will let you decide his fate. No, no. A quick thrust of your blade,

of my blade in your hand right there, who ended very quickly. Starnax. She jumps down onto him. She has the blade in her hand. I meant it when I said this. My old vine turn to water

in your mouth, you drunken, rich of a man. She takes the blade, she rears it out or flips it, and smashes it down into his face. You begin to see a bruise begin to form right on his symbol. But I'm not the cold and heartless person like you are.

I will not take a life. She stands up and she hands your blade back. Bring him to justice. This is not my choice. Very well, child. And I'll take the dagger back. Then justice shall truly be done.

Let us go and can you just do that as well? Grab someone's hand. Tell the future. No, it doesn't always come like that. But if they come, it's normally if I touch an object or a person. Would you, you said you were learning the two local cards. We happen to have, don't we have a deck? No, no.

We returned it to her. Well, maybe one day once you've mastered the art of Tiroko, we come visit you again and you can give us a reading. I would love that. That would be a lot of fun. I'm good, but not the best yet. I'm sure you'll be. But I am only seven. Is Madame Ava teaching you? No. I'm learning myself. Is she willing to teach you? Maybe. But. She's a fall away away from here. I don't go to her.

camp. Oh, that's right. So we're going to go on an adventure, you will take me with you? Yes, you will have to stay quiet, but I believe you can at least come with us and witness what we can do.

Okay. What is so iconic about her that makes it look like she's stunning? Like, does she have... The clothes that she's wearing, the features that she has, the color of her hair. Are you worried about being recognized? If I go into the village, they will know who I am.

Not if you take this, I'll unclasp my hood and I'll pull it off and I'll... She's got my coat of protection. Hold that. If you keep this over your head, no one will recognize her. She puts your hood on and begins to sit there and it falls over her face. You imagine when she stands up, it's going to absolutely tour her. but for all intents and purposes, she just looks

like a child wearing an over large cloak. Did she have two cloaks on? Well, there's a difference between a hood and a cloak. Like a robe and a cloak. A cloak is just like World Warcraft, the thing that hangs down the back. Oh, it doesn't have to do it?

Oh, okay. Well, does she need the cloaks? I can take it. I feel that that would be your decision to make. I am trying to make her feel comfortable to go from the city because we do not have time to be wasting, skirting the edge. Does she look ridiculous with the cloak Anna put on, or does she look?

I mean, she just looks like, you probably barely see your cloak. So, I mean, it would be easy for you to take. She's been wrapping it around herself as a blanket, so you can easily take it from her. Are you feeling warmer now, Ibel? Yes, I'm feeling warmer. I'm fine. Is it okay if I grab my clip back? Yes, please.

I'll take it off her shoulders and I'll just go it back on. And I'll hold out my hand to grab hers with mine if she's willing and go in into the city. Keep her face down towards your feet. If anyone asks, you can just say that you're my younger sister. Okay. She reaches up and grabs your hands and immediately you feel her hand, go tight. It's her eyes, roll back in her head. Limbuttering.

Coldness, stone, tear, blood, pain, whimpering, cold, stone, blood, pain. Cold, stone, blood, pain. Oh, no. I'm so sorry. It's okay, are you feeling okay? I think I will walk by myself if that's okay. I can, I'm happy to walk with you. We don't have to go inside here. I, I, I will not hold hands if that's okay. Okay.

Child, before we part ways, I will move. insist that you hold all of our hands, please. She looks at all of you nervous, but it has been so dark. This land is dark, and we are prepared to hear what you have to say. It could be really helpful. More than you know, my friend Shepard, who will be the first. Right now, we're going to do this. She reaches her hand out.

Yes, Shepard. Before I changed my mind. All right. She grabs onto your hand and then her eyes roll back. Light, pure, light, pure, light, happiness, joy, sun, pure light, light, light, spinning, spinning in the tower, light in the tower. The dragon rises, the dragon rises light upon the land. Oh, yours wasn't so bad.

Okay, you? Light the tower. Yes, I suppose I'm next. Well, hurry. Don't cut me with those. She grabs your hand. I don't see anything at all. Nothing but flames, flames, flames burning.

The sunlight, the sunlight and screaming, the sunlight and screaming, all will turn to ash. Oh, ouch, that one hurts my heart. Thank you, child. You are correct. All will turn to ash. I don't want to do hers. She looks up at Victoria. I mean, we're not going to make you do anything that you don't want to do, but again, any information you can give us is going to be more than helpful.

She slowly reaches out and she grabs Victoria's hand. Her eyes roll back almost immediately. Madness. Torn between two sides, Vicet and good. Vickett is winning. Yes. Pickett wins. Yes.

Thickness wins. She looks at Victoria for a moment. The other hand. And she grabs her other hand. Evil, you're evil. But light, the light of the dragon, the light of the flames, the light of your friends.

She turns and she looks at Victoria one more time. You have everything you need into you, inside of you. Hold it. Hold the light within your heart and push back the wickedness. Or they all die. Yes. I wish I had ended with yours.

Sorry, I couldn't know. Mine was very good reading too, child. Not to me it wasn't. There was fire everywhere, consuming everything in its path. Yes. I have seen it too In the flames Orville, did you see anyone in line

Shackles But no one A whimpering cry of a voice I've never heard before To the man or woman I could just tell It was desperate Well thank you

We greatly appreciate that you did this for us I'm sure it's incredibly exhausting I don't feel so good And she turns the sign And she immediately starts vomiting up Whatever it was she teed last take out my water pouch and I'll kind of pat her on the back

and wait for her to finish and then offer her some water. They go pass on the water for now but thank you for helping to come in the time. Do you want some food? No, for sure, no food. Okay. We won't bother you asking me more questions

about our reading this. We want you to feel that. Okay, that sounds like it would be for the best. All right, well, let's go to town. I feel naked. You are basically naked. What do you have besides?

Tiny little shorts. I basically just have like, yeah, like, burlat, more or less. Just like shorts and like a little, like a linen shirt. Do you want my poncho? I mean, it's just a little something over your shoulders. I honestly didn't think he was going to say yes.

And I'll just like take it off and I'll get it to him. I'll put it on. I'm kind of like, have the poncho be like kind of half over my head. There you go. You're looking real good. It looks like a wet blanket song. It is better than

the alternative. A wet lizard. A wet lizard in plain sight. Draw more eyes. This makes me feel safe. I'm glad I could out. So how big is this drunk? It's a normal size of a human.

Okay. Then I'm just going to be. basically put him over like firemen carry him. Like 511, 5.11. I'll like firemen carry him over my shoulders and, you know, stopping when necessary for a break. Yeah, I figured.

And I'll follow the professor into town with this guy on my back. I'm back. Kana, keep an eye on the child and just make sure no one recognizes. It is now probably getting close to 10 in the evening as you make your way through town.

The lights and the houses are undulating in their lanterns, small flickering flames that illuminate each one of the domiciles. And the roads around you are fairly sparse as you make your way towards the burgomaster's mansion. You seem to go unnoticed. Make your way to the door. There are two large knockers on the front. You quickly move forward clean. You begin to wrap on the door on the knockers and it takes a moment. Eventually the door itself swings open and standing there

to your surprise as a man in a red velvet robe cinched at the waist, his chest is not contoured like you would hope. He's definitely packed on a few pounds and spiraling tufts of chest hair.

His hair kind of spilling down around him as he looks at you. Well, if you have done what I have Baron Varges At your service Oh, Baron himself

Yes, you've come at ten Yes My servants are sleeping And I was in my room Reading a book On the joys of living in Borobia I wrote it Oh

Well, it's a pleasure to meet you Professor Clayton Azran Of Miss Hary University In the Azran Expedition Oh yes, yes, yes Long, long, long words Yes, this is my expedition here But Clayton Azran

Yes Thank you This is the drunk. Yeah. Can I put him somewhere, please? Well, you can put him on the city. And he opens the door just wide enough. You can see a long hallway, dark wooded floors.

A few doors here and there. Candle lamps lighting the hallway, and there's a large city as if we're waiting guests, plush velvet tufted fabric that you're able to toss his body down on them. I'll, like, drop them down on a lot. This thing would be like, oh, gosh, I'm gonna need a bath. I will call for Isaac once we are done here, but tomorrow. Maybe tomorrow good for you. Yes, yes, what time?

You know I will do you one better. Anytime within the next four days, you may call on me. All right. Well, thank you so much. The festival went well, I presume. It was a smash hit, of course. Rain or shine in the Lucky All. built me well.

Yes, we have much to discuss and we won't keep you. What is so mate? What torment will you bring to this drunkard? They don't know, but he said anything about torment. He will get his justice. His justice. We found him doing horrible things.

I wish he would... Yes, he did do a horrible thing. Which is... On the evening of the festival, in the middle of the entire group as we were trying to light the pirate to the morning lord, he pulled his trousers down around his ankles

and he moved me. He built a. That's it. What do you mean? That's it. I was embarrassed. It ruined, well, people laughed. But outside of that, it ruined the entire festival for a mere moment, but of course, I put on a great show.

And we had to find him, why? Were the guards busy? Because he wound me at the festival. Yes, well, I believe this man deserves punishment. And he will get it. Isaac will handle it. And they will put on display. He's a murderer.

Who has he murdered? He's attempted to murder a child. Whose child did he attempt to murder? A small child. We do not know who they are. Where is she? Dead. So he didn't attempt to murder. He did murder.

Yes, he did. Well, it comes with a less sentence, but I will add it to the one of him mooning me. All right. Yes. Well, good day. Good evening as it's worth. Yes, good evening.

And do what you will with him. I will. You see as he looks between all of you. I'm up and down. Yes, I will. Within the next four days, you may call on me midday.

Between midday and three. Midday, two. Midday, midday. Midday and two, midday. Have a lovely evening.

And I would turn to leave. He turns around. He's there. And he rings a bell on the side of the, on the side of the wood paneling and you see multiple bells, and one of them marked exactly here jingling somewhere upstairs.

Goodbye, he slams the door. Do you notice how he said the sentence for child murder was less than that? Yeah, I fucking heard him. Gosh, damn. But a dishonorable man. This is a dark place.

I'm not surprised, frankly. I would expect nothing less. What would be? What does he think we are? Just a bunch of people doing errands for him? Yes, that seems you need a situation, Shepherd. We might not get much out of him once we do in the time. But I think we need to head to the home, the stomach cancer, and get him.

Yes, we need to return this child, gets him to sleep, and we can see him some other time. I want to find Vamriktin. And we must retrieve your gold from the dusk elves. Yes. See, it was not, in fact, over under. Well, I think we still learned a valuable lesson. Not to jump to conclusions.

That was not the lesson I was referring to, but well-made, Kama. The lesson was we should be less trustful of people that we meet. I will

spare this child from my immediate distrust. Perhaps that is foolish of. But we should cease being so amenable to every stranger we come across that does not immediately try to attack us. That's fair. It was a good lesson. Let's get her help.

For what it's worth, since it's dark out, my natural explorer ability says that as long as we're traveling through favorite terrain, which is a forest, we can't be lost except by magical means, and I remain alert to danger even when I'm engaged in other activities. Thank you.

Would this be a short rest kind of the whole travel crew? Yes, I would say that that would be fine. I'm going to use arcane recovery for the first time this campaign. Nice. It's so good. I just never fucking use it. The, yeah, as we're walking, I'm going to be kind of hanging towards the back.

And I'll be kind of staring down into my lantern as I'm thinking about what that said. And I will kind of sidle up to Shepard if I think I can get a word in where I don't think others are going to hear. I would say you'd be able to do that. Remember

the from the sacred text, Shepard. Yeah. You are not in all stories. I'm going to look, linger up my eyes over Victoria.

to set from all sides by the tyranny of the highborn and the treachery of wicked souls. And I'll turn and I'll kind of cast my eyes at both the humans. Blessed is he, or he is the savior of doom to him. All right, all right, yep, I heard you. I'm just going to lean in closer and say, nothing is coincidence, Shepard. Right. Right. Nothing's going to this.

Perhaps this is the end for all of us. I'm just going to pull away. You continue to make your way along the past. Past the burgomaster's mansion, past the church where you see the lights are nearly completely extinguished everyone in their beds. And out of Alaki, towards the Astani Camp, you see the winding road that leads down towards it. You continue to make your way along, Shepherd. You feel yourself almost innately in tune with the nature around you. You're able to stop the group when you need to prevent any kind of meeting with the wild itself.

And finally, the woods heart to reveal an expansive clearing, a small grass-covered hill with low houses built into its sides. Fog obscures the details, but you can see that these buildings, feature elegantly carved woodwork and have decorative lanterns hanging from their sculpted eaves. Atop the hill above the fog is a ring of barrel-tumped wagons that surround a large tent

with a calm of smoke pouring out to a hole in the top. The tent is brightly lit from within. Even at this distance you could smell the odors of wine and horses that emanate from the central area. You see the sotny all around, moving this way and that around the fire that burns

in the middle. This is my home. This is one of my family. We're happy to get you here safe. Leave the way. Come on, let's go. And she begins. My robe back, please. Are you sure?

You see that the bomb farm is completely covered in mud? It's the scene worse. Do you, but can I, oh, fine, then she takes it off and gives it back to you. I immediately tear off the palm shop, but I'm going to get back in my robe of my road. Yeah. You make your way. up the hill. And at first, things begin to quiet. These people are looking about, confused as you approach. And then just as quickly, oh my God, she's here. Arbel is here. Everyone. And you begin to see as they all begin to mill about. They run towards her. They're about 15, maybe 20 Vistani here as they begin to pull her into a tight hug. She's, oh, love the invention, please. And occasionally you see her eyes roll back. But if someone else touches her, she, um, she, um, she, She gains consciousness again, and you can see she's struggling with all the physical affection.

But eventually, they are able to move away from her as they look down at her. Sweet darling, what happened? We will get your father, and the few of them run off and head towards the largest of the tents. And she plops herself down on the ground. Well, I will tell you this story. I was hunting in the woods and a large knife. wolves all around me, but I had them. I killed at least

15 of them, but there were two more on me. And as I went in for the final kill, it was going to be a double kill. Two blows, one at the same time. Both next, I promise. When all of a sudden, a man, I did not see him because the wolves were in front of me, they grabbed him. It was that stupid drunk from town. You know who I'm

talking about? And they all start laughing. They know she's lying. He took me. He took me to a boat. We waded out into the water. I fought him. And I almost had them. As I was about to knock him over, he splashed water in my face. He flipped me over, put me in the bag. I clogged my way out. But he pushed me back down into the bag. Somehow, I don't remember. I was very tired. And then inside of the bag, he told me he was going to kill me. He was going to sacrifice me to whatever lies in the depths. And then he dropped me. It began to plummet faster and faster and faster and faster into the water. And then all of a sudden, out of nowhere, I could see it through the sack. There was a bit into it.

It tasted like one. And anyway, then an eye, one single eye, a lizard's eye. I passed out. I couldn't believe it. I must have been dreaming. I wasn't. It was this guy. And they all turned their attention directly behind her and notice you for the first time as they all step back.

It's fine. The story continues. He saved me. me, he pulled me to the surface and there I was unconscious, cold in the bag, but he let me out. I don't really know this part of making it up because I was unconscious. Anyway, all of a sudden, I'm a wake and I'm on fire or I felt like I was on fire. I reached me. Anyway, I was fine and then I got up and I said, I go kill him! And they were really nice. They rode me toward the other side and there was this man in an obscurely large

top hat. I don't know what came from. He had it when I met him. And then this other guy who is Got horns, but he's not the goat. Anyway, so we're there, and I jump out. I leap over the pretty one. She was throwing boat because she's the strongest. Who was thought? Anyway, so I jump over, and I get in, and I pommel into him. He is completely awake.

They don't even know that he's bad, and I'm like, he is bad, and I pommel into him, and I almost kill him. They pull him off of me. It takes three of them to pull him off of me because I'm so strong. But they pull him off of me, and they said, no, you will not kill him Arabelle. He will live. So, I curse him and said. Oh, and then they brought me here.

He's not dead. We delivered him to the Bergobaster, so he's as good. He's dead. Anyway, he's great to see you! And she starts, like, hugging lightly. All I'm like, we found. Is someone clearly, like, her parents? At this point that you see off towards the very back,

two very tall male Gastonni looking out over you, both of them, a light smile on their face. One of them steps forward. He reaches down and he picks up Arabeau. He holds her up and he rubs noses with her and holds her tightly to his chest. And he looks down and puts his mouth directly by her ear. I have missed me so much my sleek little friend. And he holds her so tightly.

She kisses him on the cheek. I've missed you too, Papa. They saved my life. I mean, I would not be here and want for them. Be tired. And he smiles. I would do anything for you, my little one. Go see her uncle.

And he puts her down and he kind of pushes her forward. She runs towards the mat in the back. And you see his face light up for a moment. He still looks at you skeptically, but he picks her up and he puts her on his shoulder. the tallest one of all of the Vistani today. We live in L'Arabelle. She looks down, yes, be tallest and the prettiest.

And then she laughs, as he slowly turns around and leads her back towards the camp. The rest of the Vistani mingle about you for a little bit, looking back between this tall man, and you know to be the father of Arabelle and the rest of you. But they realize, as he kind of looks between them, that he's looking for privacy as they slowly move back away. They wait. Thank you. We appreciate it. Thank you. Thank you. And may a couple of them run around and pat you on the back.

Vine not me if you make your way up. Does he look like he does have any interest in talking about? No, he's standing there waiting for everyone to disperse. Oh, just off. Okay. Before he begins to talk to you. And as the last of the Vistani leave, giving you their praises and their fangs, he turns and he looks between all of you and then turns. directly towards Sarnaz and reaches out his arms. Am I to believe that you are the one that saved my dear sweet daughter, Bill? I simply pulled her out of the depths.

He clasps your hand. I cannot thank you enough. And he reaches down, he pulls out an envelope in his pocket, which you see the symbol of Lady Votter. He opens it. My friends at the Vistani camp, there is a nuisance in the Lockhe,

one I would like to be rid of. I will give you 15,000 gold pieces if you dispose of the new adventurers in this land. Yours, in the love lady field above them. He takes it and he crumbles it up, and you see as he tosses it behind himself with near perfect aim, It slides 50 feet and lands directly into the fire behind them.

She paid the entire camp to kill us. Well, she paid us to try, and I will say we were going to. But 15,000 gold. It's a lot to keep a family running. What you have done for Ardo Bell, I will make an enemy of the walk-on woman. For you. You are welcome, Thank you. We appreciate your hospitality.

Thank you, and I bow to 70 degrees. What is your name, sir? Muvash. Muvash, it was great to meet you. How you spoke? L-U-V-A-S-H, I believe. M-B-A-S-H, I believe. M-V-A-S-H.

Yes, L-U-V-A-S-H. It's an honor to meet you, M-V-A-S-H. John comments on the present. You do not need to thank us. Saving duty. How true was our story? The beginning was, from my understanding, fabrication, but towards the end seemed accurate.

It appears that Brutel came into your camp at night and took her from the tent. I don't know if you have been a guardsman. You see a look of anger, rage on the space for a moment. and then he centers himself and calms down. I will deal with it. I just know that there are likely others in Velaki that blame the Vestani.

You mean all of Valki that blames Vestani? Possibly. I don't want you to think that just because Bluto is in custody that your children, the others in the camp, are safe. How did you get Otterbell past the Barrett? A very makeshift disguise. It was adequate. If he had seen her,

her fate would have been worse than that wretched drug. I would not have allowed. If only. Well, it seems as if we cannot trust anyone in this wicked land. Trust is something that must be earned, and even more so in this place. Should never be freely given. You have today earned mine.

Are there, if you don't mind me asking, are there others in this camp that still mean us home? If I say you are one with us, you are one with us. My brother and I are the only ones that know of this letter. That's good to hear. Let me ask you one more question. Are you allies of counter? to Dhanya.

That depends on what you mean by allies. We will do nothing to incur our wrath, but we will not go out of our way to assist them. Please, if you hear of anything that involves us, good or bad, we would greatly

appreciate hearing about it. I will make no promises, but I will do my best. I would like to inform you as a father that... You are a father yourself.

As if I am informing you as the father that would need to hear this. Oh, I see. I am no father. I gave your child the opportunity to bring justice to the drunk. My blade in her

hand was at his heart and she chose to pass on that's with personal justice. you should know that. You asked a seven-year-old to kill a man? Yes, I did. I asked for to decide whether he lived or died.

It was her right. I am starting to think I understand why you are a threat to Lady Vachter, but our bell is the best of us. It seems that way, yes. But it is her, was her right to decide. I think that right has been passed on to you. If you feel as if Bluto has not received the appropriate justice from the burgomaster, I would hope you would take it into your hands, the hands of your agents,

to make sure that justice is done. We don't go into the village, you see. I see. Even if I wanted to take the man's fate in my hands, which I would be a liar if I told you I did not. I would wring his neck between my hands. I would spill his blood. blood at my feet for what he did to my sweet girl.

The choice is no longer mine. The choice was Arvilles. If she gave him life, then so be. So be it. I was proud of her in that moment. Her respect for life is unparalleled. I hope more people strive to be like. I strive to be.

Don't we all. The heart of a child is something that we lose as adults. But it is late. You need to sleep. You will sleep here. And we will deal with more things in the morning. We have lots to talk about, I think. Well, there is one favor, if I may ask of you.

Around the fire, let's go. All right. He begins to move you towards the fire. He pulls up logs for you to sit on. There is a circle of wagon. all around you. All of them you see with locks that radiate a sense of magic. And he sits you down around the fire,

begins to pile plates full of food and goblets of wine as he passes it out to all of you. What is your favor? I can make no promises. We happened to cross paths with a duskow boy from this very camp, Shavit, I believe his name. I wish no harsh punishment on him. You were very people, he met.

in Oregon Postolte. He was looking for your daughter. That would be correct. Yes. Or so he said... I will have your money for you anymore. Thank you. Please.

No punishment needed. Unless you do not lie. He passes around a bit of parchment. Please just write your name and what you had. Do not lie. I will know. If I don't, Arbel will.

And I will make sure you get everything back. All right now. The exact gold pieces that I had. 99. 248 gold and it appears to be 42 Electrum.

I love Alexa. I'm sorry, it's silver. I'm sorry, it's silver. Sarnax. The Aedlewood and I'll just simply write nice try.

He seems confused. No, whatever. Yes, is that the question? Yes. That is my request, yes. Thank you. Thank you for returning that to us.

I cannot thank you enough for delivering Arbiltuah. She is quite a firecracker, that one. That's what I said. We were worried that she had been taken by the other mother and turned into flying potion and the skull of a glinted giant.

You see his face changed for a moment, a bit of fear. No. Baba Lysaga would never dream to touch Arbor She's one of the few with strong blood running from her face.

So that wasn't just a euphemism or an allegory. I mean, she, they literally are related. Who? Wait, what did you say? Her name was? Baba Lysaga. She has

Stradanya's blood. No, Arnabelle. I don't know. Yeah, I'm sorry. You lost me. I'm not like the professor. Are they related? Distantly, yes. How soon?

Her mother died in childbirth, but she was one of only two, the daughter of Madame Eva. Babba is the daughter of Maramava? No. Her mother was the daughter of Madameha. The grandchild of Madame Eva, and you're saying Madame Eva is related to this Baba Lysaga. No. I'm not in this person. Bob and Lysaga would never touch a descendant of Fredania.

There are only but two, Madame Eva and Arabeau. But cards. I see now. So is she, how is Madame Eva related to Tridania? There are fate histories about it, but we don't know. And not all of the Samaicamina. of this. But with what you've done,

I believe I can trust you. She tries to hide her lineage, but if you look close beneath the wrinkles, you will see there is a small, but faint, resemblance to that

of our lovely hunters. And our bowers, not of any of us grander? The only one. And what would have happened had she drowned this evening at the bottom of that lake.

My heart would have never been there. If the loss of the woman I love and they lost my seatbelt, the world would be a much darker place, what they lost, a big child like him. She's good. She's strong. How are relations with Madameva's hand? Is there a reason why you choose...

After Bartabelle's mother died, We were not wanted there. We set up camp here. Orville does not know that Madam Eva is her grandmother, and I would prefer if you keep it that way. Yeah, we won't say anything. I don't know how much longer I can keep the lie. Her powers, I'm sure he has noticed to grow.

And there is only one person that I would be able to help her harness and control them. Is there anything we can do to help restore your faith in that why does she why does she cast you out knowing that her granddaughter listened

and she did not she was sad it was hard to look at the small form the baby that had taken

the life of her girl she could not look at her we felt shunned by the rest of the cab so we chose to leave with but the few, my brother, and those who would come help us protect the small girl.

So we have set up here, and we do well by ourselves. Our goal, my brother, he makes sure to take care of us. He goes in and out of Strega, and he brings what he can to supplement the camp. But she's

not reached out and we have not attempted to reach out. Do the countess know of these relations? I do not believe. believe so. Even with Madame Eva. Madam Eva has never she's never tried to

gain favor with Tradanda. Even for as long as I feel but is it true that the Vastani have the powers? I only know about the legacy because Arbel peaks in her sleep. Her dreams

are prophetic. And I've heard them. I had to separate ourselves in the rest of the destiny and these agendas. So as none would discover what I know. For if anyone knew

the blood that runs through her veins, I fear for her sake. What information have you gained? That's which I have told you. Well, it's clear that her divination magic is extremely powerful, even for seven years old.

It is. Unlike any I've seen, and she would curse me worth she to know I'd said it, but stronger even then than Madame Eva. I was just going to say that everything. How did you and your brother gain the blessing of Sredania to walk in and out so freely into sugar? Oh, Vivestani we have always had the blessing Stradania. Back before she, he looks up, back before she became where she is now, she was a goal. conqueror, a warrior. The Vistani roamed the lands of Striga. She was wounded in battle.

And had it not been for a small group of Vestani who healed her wounds and returned her home, she would have died. Did that her bistani live today? No, this was ages. The Vistani are not granted with everlasting life. Except for her Eba. She doesn't seem to age any longer. Do you know how she came upon that?

I do not know. Don't talk about it. Eva is the leader of Olvisan. It is not our place to question. Even here in this small village we've created for ourselves, it is not my place to question. Demetriarch. Well, I suggest if there's a way to have Erebel taught by Madame Eva,

she's a prodigy, she could be the most, powerful diviner ever to have lived. I agree with you, and one of his days we'll have to make the trip. We will have to take her to the camp. Let us know how we can help when that day comes.

We'd be happy to ask for you. These words are not safe. You would be willing to take her for us? If that is what you would like. If we have the time, of course, we have other business to attend to, but... I don't think.

on this. We'll talk to our goal, and we will see. As a professor, I feel like it's my duty to encourage and enrich this child's powers, especially given that it is... Are you sure you will be able to handle her on a long journey? I think, with all powers combined, we could... Well, we'll do our best. What the professor's saying. That's right. You can be a complete proud smile on his face. If anyone can handle this one, it would be.

Let me know if she's a foul mouse. We've been working on it. Don't let her. And perhaps she could teach me a thing or two as well. Well, I have no doubt, but I'm trying to cut it out. Yeah. She's... Argyl is a little brash, and she learns a lot from him.

She shouldn't. Wow. So maybe we can talk about this more important, but we would certainly appreciate any information you have about Bavar Masa. I don't know much more, but that she believes she is the mother, the other mother of Lady Sturtania. There is a whisper that she was the midwife that delivered the baby.

She's been here for as long as Barovia has been. I do not think that Stradania sees her in a kind light. But many have died at the time of light. But many have died at her hand for saying she's anything but the mother of the Countess. That's really the extent of what I know. She's highly powerful. We don't dare to go down that way. With that and the Dragon's Keep, it's not safe for us.

We happened to find Savid at the Dragons Keep. What was he doing down that way? I think he was just seeking shelter looking for the daughter. Oh, so he claims. So he calls. I will have to deal with him this night. Please do. We did venture to

rest. Bres. Perez. Looking for your daughter. We did happen to see the Baba Lassiger there. Las Saga. Lassaga.

L. L-S-A-G-A-G-Saga. Yeah, there you go. You got. Do you feel she is more powerful than strong? There is nothing in this land, or as far as I know, any land that is more powerful than Speratania. But she is close. We saw her in the midst of sacrificing the black goats.

Is that any significance in these lands? She bays in blood to keep her young. Next you see her, she will be fine. she would be far more appealing than she was. But goats? With much rather goats than people. Is that her specialties? You could head down there and ask her if you like,

and he looks sick to his stomach. Sarcasm is often lost on you. This, by the way, is what you saw. Oh, fuck. I don't care for it. Does she actually talk to people, or were you being completely. facetious. She has spoken to, I have talked to

adventures that have spoken with her and made their way out. So she's not outright violent. I would be careful what you say. She has a quick temper. Well, we won't let Sarnax within 10 miles that place, then. Other than that. Did she favor anything in particular other than goats? Stradania. I would not slight that name in her

presence if I would feel. But I would also err against even going to see her at all, unless you have to avoid her at all costs. No. We will know that if the time comes, we must see her. It will be to destroy her.

We can only hope. But I do. I owe you a... I owe you for bringing my sweet darling our rebel back to us. And potentially even for meeting her to her. Yes, it would be an absolute honor.

He looks around him. There are wagons all about with padlocks. Each one of these wagons is a treasure wagon. You may choose one. But only but. A treasure wagon. The concept is foreign to me. Is it exactly how it sounds?

It's. Ah. Well, you're... It's very generous. How do we choose? Is there information? Do we look more desirable than the others? Maybe we should let Arbel just.

Well, she seems to be, do we think Arabelle's already asleep? Yeah. Oh, okay. So they're, do you see, it looks like they're kind of dotted. Some of them appear to be families, wagons, and others are, our treasure wagons. So all these are out here. Of course, it be used to, these are, oh, these are not wagons. These are buildings, right?

Yes, those are hovels. Yeah, I got it. So these are all the wagons. So seven have padlocked that seem to be treasured. Yes. Yes. You know what's in all of this? Well, I don't keep, I don't keep it to memory, but I have a list of everything inside.

Professor, would it be more appropriate for us to choose randomly? Oh, no, you will only choose randomly. It is fate. Maybe funny way. May we use fate magic to determine which one to choose? Please do. What are you thinking there, Professor? Well, maybe not fate magic, but Sonax could maybe ask his God.

What he thinks? I Garrick's works in mysterious ways I can simply ask yes or no questions and I get cryptic responses I do not think determining what

loot we should pilfer is a question I would even consider asking of the fire and why don't we leave it to luck Farsh has been great

but maybe this is a chance for it to turn around a little bit Well, let's pick a number between one and seven. But five of us, perhaps number five. That is a fair point. I think that's a reasonable guess. Is one clearly like the first one? Sure.

We'll start with the northmost one will be number one. So whichever one is the northmost, that'll be number one. The fifth one going clockwise. It's every other one. Okay. So if this is a tractor wagon, so one, two, three, four, this one. Right? All you're right. I skip one. So this one. Should I circle it or you got it? So what's your plan?

That's one when I point at it. That's the one you're picking? Yeah. Oh, I think you guys were like rolling or something. No, no. Picking five because they're five. They're five of dots. We picked number between one and seven. And we decided there are five of lots. Okay, number five.

A good choice, then. He reaches down to a key ring, and he begins to count out the keys and tosses one to you. Oh, fun. That's it. I am going to head to bed. And we can take all the contents of this wagon? You will leave the wagon, but you may take what's inside. Thank you for your generosity.

Leave what you want. Thank you much you both. Yes. And then we'll see you in the morning. Thank you, sir. Sweet well. Thank you. All right.

Let's see what we've got. This is fun, a little game of chance. I hope it's not another shame of the tagger. Oh, well, wouldn't that be unlucky, but I guess the fate will of that. And I will open the padlock. Open the padlock. The door slides open. Looking inside seems to be piled with things.

Wooden bits and things here and there, bits of cloth, the stony clothing, as well as a wooden chest. an iron chest an onyx jewelry box with gold filigree a large wooden throne with gold inlay and decorative stones

a rolled up ten foot square rub with an exquisite unicorn motif a small wooden box we don't have much use for furniture shall we see us in the boxes

I believe that is split up and we'll take a box I think there were five boxes. In the wooden chest, you find 1,200 electron pieces. Each stand for the profile of the signature straw. Hold on, hold on. A thousand 200 electric. Yep.

The iron chest contains 650 gold pieces. 650? Yep. The onyx jewelry box, appears you worth around 250 gold pieces, contains six pieces of cheap jewelry, worth about 50 gold per seach, and one potion of poison worth about 100 gold pieces. And if stones appears to be worth about 750 gold pieces.

They rolled up 10-foot square rug with the exquisite unicorn motif is worth around 750 gold pieces. And inside the small wooden box are 12 fake potions and stopper gourds. Look at them, there are no magical property to these. all that's written on them is the word exit exit we'll take those I'm not sure we want to just take their stuff in set it just seems

we don't really have time for that yeah so why don't we just take how much was the jewelry worth in the boxes the jewelry the jewelry the jewelry boxes worth $250 and each piece there were six you were 50 gold pieces.

That's 300 200,000. Mm-hmm. So, so 300 plus 250, that's 550 for the box and the jewel. So we'll take that. We'll take all the gold inside

of everything else. Electrum. And then the electron. And then so... So that's 650 plus 550 is what? 1150? Mm-hmm. Okay.

So let's make sure that... 60, 50 was 550. But with the jewelry, I don't know if we're assuming like we'd keep the jewelry because we'd have to go find a place to sell it. Well, it can be used as magical for it.

Yeah, so I think we'll take it to if it's made of gold or like metals or the jewelry. Yeah. Okay. So yeah, we'll take that. So I will say I will add all this

just knowing that part of it is in the form of and I think as far as components go, I think I can use I think some of my spells I could probably just use that. Use the jewelry itself to convert into components. Is it ours? Okay. As long as it fits the value.

Yes. So how would, uh, who would like this potion? How does it work? Do I understand the properties of it? It just is poison on it. Poison. Poison?

exit poison who's feeling poisonous it seems like work of treachery I'm sure we can't mean more about it because it's what's the time Victoria why don't you take us and I'll hand it to Victoria

and then it'll take the fake potions that say gourd or that say exit in the gorge all right shall we did give us a place to sleep is there a clear place for us to there's a small tent that looks to have been made up

So you're taking just the jewelry, the jewelry box, and then the potions. And then all the... And all of them. Is there anything magical about this rock or this throne? Maybe it has a history to it and we could learn more about it. I'll use to text magic. You're casting it? Yeah.

You're not. Ritual casting it? Oh, yes. Wow, I'm so infested. Oh, no, I have to ritual cast it because I have to ritual cast it. J.K. Sam, I forgot Wizards. That's interesting. You used to detect magic, and the throne itself seems to be just a spectacular throne.

There is something strangely magical about the carpet. I'm glad I did this. Thank you, Kauff. I'll approach it and I'll enroll in. It seems to be some kind of magic on this carpet. What kind of magic? I'm so bad with schools. Where are the schools again, Mike? Probably trans mutation.

Conjuration, adjuration, evocation. Divination. Yeah. What's Scrying is strying is divination, right? Divination, yeah.

It's divination magic on this truck. Well, that sounds rocker out. But why are a rogue? I have no idea. So, like, you know, filed people with a rug? Well, I might be able to... I'm sorry, that's dumb question.

Did I prepare... Do I even have identified? You used it before. I think I do. I do. I do have to use it before. You could use it. As long as I have the hundred gold with my new case upgrade and level five, I could turn these pieces of jewelry

into the component. If you give me 11 minutes, I will say examiner. And I will be just identified on the rug. 11 minutes past, and you're able to tell that the thread that's woven through this is infused with divination magic. And it seems to be able to be, it functions just like a shrine spell. Wherever this rug is, whoever's on the other end, see.

All around you. Someone is fine with this rub. Jinnucon? Can I flip it over and investigate? and see if there are any like markings or tags or words that may indicate like who might own the other piece to this. Sure, well, that's an ancient. That'll be a four.

Yeah, there doesn't seem to be any tags or anything like that. It's pristine. It looks beautiful. It's definitely someone of power, someone who had money. Well, they've been staring at the inside of this carriage for, who knows how long. Maybe they're not even watching it, you know? Maybe we should bring close to the fire. It's useless to be having a little bit of it makes of it.

Should there be something that this is not something we should bring to the Bistani? Perhaps they are aware. Perhaps they have the ones spying on us currently. That is very likely to be the case. But now, the game is not. up, so hopefully we are not in danger speaking in this wagon. Let us leave.

Yes, I'll shut it. You'd dispel the magic, but would that be an offense if the Vassani are using this? You could ask him, it is our rug. That is what he said, is it not?

We may do with it what we'd like. And I would like to dispel the magic. All right. I've been learning more about it in mourning. It's been here for So I feel that the spry spell is on. It's a sri spiel.

I know that. Either way, I believe we should respect it. That's a good point. It is all rough. It is. It's our property. It's none of us using it. If so,

it'll right. And I will open the door. I will go back in, and I will cast the spell match. Oh, fuck. Just for us what? Like a sensible spell? What is it?

I had my, just my, just five. 14. So only fourth level spell on below, so depends how high it is. What level is scribe? Uh, three? No, is it five? I think it's fifth level, yeah.

So you just missed it. I do it. I do. Up, point. Yes, good points. Good points. I didn't say that as Shepherds. Yeah, it's a fifth level. I will roll.

I need the accent. That rule is now a 12. So 12 plus year. So it's 17. So as long as the seventh level, spell are below. You are able to, you feel the magic and flow away.

As threads become just simple, silver threads. I got to wonder. I got to wonder what it was doing in here. How long it was sitting here. I mean, how long is somebody going to watch through the eyes of a rug looking into some dark wagon?

or years. Perhaps we could listen in. Maybe. I'm not very familiar with the spell, but maybe we could ask him more about in the morning. In the morning, we can see where they retrieve the drug from. It's certainly not. I am still

suspicious. You should definitely take watch. Yes. I will take first watch. I'll take second. Now take the last watch. So we'll settle down and get asleep. You settle down,

and you begin to fall asleep, and you all have long rest. Yay! Oh my, it is not every day that you learn that you have a new family member. Little Arabelle, a Vistani child with the blood of myself and Madame Eva running through her veins. She cannot be very important to this story. Can she? Now that the heroes have saved yet another child, surely this must be the last one, yeah? At the very least, they did not bring her to the Church of Saint Markovia.

That place is getting a little crowded. Does this little girl have a larger role to play in this story? Find out in the conclusion of 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 & Dragons every week, you can follow us on Twitch. You can also enjoy our many campaigns on YouTube, support us on Patreon, and join our community on Discord.

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