Legends of Avantris - Edge of Midnight | Ep. 8 | Gathered for the Feast

Episode Date: June 25, 2024

A night of celebrations takes a dark turn...   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/izO3nqDOEfs?si=wCrTeDGhcdXYrhgn

Welcome to Legends of Evandris. I am Sir Marius Renathia, and you're listening to Edge of Midnight. Here's what happened last time. What would you do? Six people ran out of the woods at you while you were at your home. Well, she and maybe others were working on some sort of ruin, and we have found symbols of Mother Midnight. You are able to easily and undisturbed make your way through the forest.

No trial's fair. Do you have because I was at the Mirabelle House today in their master bedroom in their armour? And I found this thing and he reaches into his pocket and he pulls out what is very clearly a witch ball. We've had a confession. Mother Midnight has been captured. Her trial will begin tomorrow. This is so fucked up. This is about to get so dark. There is a manipulation happening. I rule guilty.

But with mercy, you all turn your gaze skyward and above you, where once had been the face of a leering hag is now a large but plain full moon. Just like that, the full moon, a druskin ball, lost its toothy grip, bent nose and evil eyes. And for the first time in a long, long while, the people of false sense will breathe again. And live without spending every waking hour wondering, guessing, a sewer. this would be the day that the witchcraft would finally get them. But not this night. This is a night for celebrating, for dancing, for eating, for drinking,

for all manner of debauchery. Some might even call it a night for soon. The gasps of terror from the serilians around you turn to silence as all eyes stare transfixed on the faceless moon. The only sounds that break the silence, that break the silence are the hiss and pop of burning flesh. The scent of cooked meat hangs heavy on the air, and your stomach's groan and hunger against your will. And then the silence is swallowed by roars of jubilation. The city, still looking upward to the milky white full moon

hanging overhead, now flanked by the crescent moon as it arcs through the sky. Men, women, and children cheer, cry tears of joy, embrace, and even fall to their knees and pray. all giving their thanks to Fultus and his one true path. However, one final slam and bellow from Hugo silences the crowd once more, as Archbishop Renalt speaks to his flock. Fultus has blessed us this night with the destruction of the coven of the Midnight Moon. It is through your diligent prayer and adherence to the one true path that has allowed our province to finally be freed from the wickedness of Mother Midnight and her daughters.

We shall all reap the rewards of our piety, and tonight you may celebrate. Take this one evening to be merry, for tomorrow the real work begins. May Fultus's blinding light guide your way on the one true path. The throng of townsfolk erupts once more into jubilant cheers, despite the stench of burning flesh that hangs heavy over the crowd. You watch as Archbishop Renalton the rest of his clergy turn and end up. the cathedral. High Inquisitor Mayville and her inquisitors step down from the stage and make their way to the jail. Soon, the church's laborers get to work to put out the fire

and pull the charred bodies from the smoldering wood. Joy has returned to Cyril. You now stand in the midst of the city center of Cyril. All around you is jubilation. People darting this way and that cries and hollering of happiness, not sadness. That was easy. Barely an inconvenience. But if I'm being completely honest, Riggsie, I don't believe it. How could this actually be? I agree with you.

It seems as if it was just too easy. Garsh, this is the greatest day of my entire life. We're genuine heroes and we save the day like an old story. Isn't that great? Yeah, that's great. I mean, clearly she was Mother Midnight. I mean, you saw what happened. I am very, like, fixated on this moon, and I'm, like, squinting at it.

Because I'm just, like, I'm just, I'm just, I'm just, disbelief. For someone with enough power to change the moon, she didn't put up much of a fight. Come on. Or somebody said, I mean, maybe she's not too good hand-to-hand. When we caught her unaware, she wasn't expecting it. We are technically genuine witch hunters. That's what Lord Druskinvold said, at least.

When I look at the moon, does it look like the moon I would have been familiar with in a non-bred domain? Does it still look altered in comparison? It is definitely not the same moon. I would say you can easily tell it both of these moons are not the moons of a vandris. They look similar. This moon now no longer carrying with it the visage of a hag. You can see it's actually very similar to the other moon that has been traversing the sky back and forth every day that you've been here.

But they're clearly not the same moon. Do we know what time it is, roughly? What time in the execution? It was just after evening. just after evening. Oh, dear. Oh, dear. Hey.

Well done. Look at you. It's like you've been looking at your dusk and bold time. It's supposed to be suspenders about giant movies. Shucks. Darn, I was open for the movies.

I'm just staring up at the moon, silent listening to my companions talk about what a shocking term of events this is and try to memorize its face and get a sense of it. Well, so I guess now we've succeeded, we see what happens next, and hopefully the children, the townsfolk, and the blinds all vanish. And then we can collect our prize.

Our rewards! Should we go to the orphanage and see if the kids are better? That's certainly a start. Well, we could, we could do that. Should we also try to find where the mere bells got off to? I've been a little concerned that they weren't missing so early in the morning. Yes, I agree. Hopefully now that this has been taken care of, they're no longer in any immediate danger.

It is late. I would propose we go to the orphanage in the closest thing that this place has to a morning if you would agree with it. I have a no rush. Or is it in like early evening, like early evening? we got all night. It's party time. Evening is evening. And as Jericho says that, you look around and it does indeed appear

to be party time. You notice that... It's party time. Party time. I sing the entire... Jericho sings the entire party time song from the animated Titanic film that I'd rapping to all the things. I wish I had.

any fucking idea when you might. Please tell me that's not a good man. That is literally Walter White meme. What the fuck are you talking about? I wish I did it every later. Do whatever you just refer for it. Anyway. I don't feel like going to an orphanage at like 7 p.m.

Thank you. As you look around, you see that in fact, with the archbishop having made his way back into the cathedral behind you, and with the takedown of these pyres, it's being cleared away by the people seemingly responsible for it. You see that the rest of the people in this town seem to be celebrating. They are openly having drinks in the city center.

You see that the guards have put down their swords and shields and are chatting and flirting. And you see that there is an air of relief and relax about the city that you had not felt before. you also notice, actually roll over perception check. Ooh. Prescription. I failed. Natty 20, let's go. Mike has magic dice.

Magic Mike, if you will. I got 24. 17. Old lady. I have a dirty 20. Bam. I love you, 23. All right.

Everybody, but apparently Jericho, you're able to, you look around and you see that The sense of fear that the townsfolk had about you has almost completely vanished. You see children that are walking the streets with their families pointing at you and calling you the Saviors of Cyril. You see families huddled together and you overhear a bit of it where they're asking, well, should we invite them in? Should we should give them? Well, we should feed them. We should give them something. We should thank them. People, their attitude towards you has completely flipped on its head. And under the din of happiness and hope, there is one bit of suspicion and hatred.

You feel it just on the back of your neck as if somebody or something is watching you. Hairs spike up a little bit. As most of you turn to notice, that standing in an alleyway surrounded by what appears to be a gas, of doating followers, leaning up against one of the walls with a look of frustration and hatred on his face is none other than William Van Brunt, as he eyes all of you up and down with a scowl of disgust on his face. As you turn to look at him, he does not look away. He watches the group of the group of devoted followers around him, especially his chubbier, shorter crony, moves in around him. in around him, almost guarding him from you,

he stands up, he pushes his way towards the front, he looks at each of you directly, and you're grim. When he makes eye contact with you, I stem right his damn eyes. You watch as he spits on the ground, he cracks his knuckles, and he turns and walks away into the shadows. His crony is following behind him.

How many cronies? I would be ready. I would be ready to like, hold me back, hold me back your room. I would be ready to like, trying to keep them from doing anything stupid. Like just 20? Like just 20? All right, Billy, walk away. That's right. Who's getting a reward? We are.

Gentlemen, please, that man. Roll a, uh, roll a, uh, roll a, uh, roll a, uh, All a provocation. Intimination. Intimination. Thank you. How wide is the alleyway? I bet it's, it could fit another house in it.

Like these are quite large alleyways. I really want to get into a wall. Shit. Uh, 15. 15. You, let me roll to see if that's going to happen.

Okay. You hear. the volume in this town has exploded from what it had been with the amount of laughter. They are songs. You see far off down one of the main, down the main street towards Samuel Goods Inn. You see that light is spilling out onto the streets and the sounds of laughter and song are just echoing through the streets. And so it's hard to hear, but you imagine carried on the wind, that you hear William Van Brunt's voice,

but it's not directed at you. He said something to his cronies. They all erupt in laughter, as he just completely ignores you and continues to walk. Gentlemen, please, it would not be pious for us to beat him in the street like he deserves. That man someday will receive justice. They always do.

For being a not-nice feller? Mostly coward. What kind of justice do cowards get? Marys? Swift justice. Gosh, that has not been my experience. Am I gonna give swift justice? Feel your coward.

I mean, Virgil says it every day, every hour it seems. Let me ask you a question. Does a coward defeat to Hank? Well, no, I guess not. I mean, maybe they could. I don't know. I think maybe it might do you well to not listen to that bird so often. I think he's just cross and I'm gonna get the amber cane. Get away from me, Virgil. You're not gonna have no more power over me.

And he continues to assault my Hulk. We need to have, like, rig, like, a ravenom of the spring up here. They're just, like, one of those bats. We actually need bats. We need, like, to control of the swain raven. Yeah, the swain bird. We think we better be watching out for that one this evening.

He had a look in his eye like he was looking for trouble. If it comes to that, then we'll deal with it. Yes, he will find trouble if he comes to book for it. But... Justice is not guaranteed. It is a party afroar. I believe justice is guaranteed

if you deliver it yourself. On that point, we agree. You hear the sounds of heavy footfalls coming up behind you, the sound of heavy plate boots on the cobblestone foundations that you stand upon.

As you turn to look at what appears to be a night's temper. but he's older than the ones that you had normally seen. Not by much, but there's an air of, there's an air of importance to him as he walks up to you. And as he does, you begin to see that his colors are a little bit brighter and his armor is a little more intricate as he makes his way directly towards you and stands to attention. Good evening. Night's Tempah. Maka. Mako. VOLO.

VOLO. Good evening. I have an important message from the Archivisiel. You are to dine with him this evening, in celebration for what has happened this day. Do the Knights Templar, are they referred to as Sir? So, Sir Volo be the formal way to approach Marco? Sir Volo, it is a pleasure to meet you. VOLO.

Is it in a first name? It's not Marco Polo. It's Sir Mary is. So it'd be Sir Marco. Volo. Yeah, you could say Sir Marco. Isn't that how nice is usually their first name? A pleasure to meet you, Sir Vogue.

Thank you for the invitation. He, as part of his face, smirks up a little bit, and he looks at you and I'm simply doing my duty to deliver the message to you. I can't begin to thank you enough for what you have done in this town. Um, and I need you all to roll a perception check. Man, Tim. Not good this time. 21.

A, 23. No, 22. Ah! Give me an 11. Oh, wait. No, a 13. He's gonna believe. Right.

Oh, bad. Four. Oh. Anyone who rolled a 10 or above, you are able to see that though he thanks you, the smile does not fully reach his eyes at these words.

As he continues to say, we are thankful for what you've done here. Clearly the killing of the witch and her, he kind of looks out almost a sense of sadness on his face. Those that were assisting her is clearly cleansed this city of the wickedness and filth that enshrouded it. Well, nonetheless, we thank you for what you've done. That does indeed appear to be the case. He looks up to the Hag Moon and nods at all of you. I would deliver you to dinner at your earliest convenience.

We can make our way in there now. That's what's required. It's quite an honor, Sir Marco. To dine with the archbishop. I'm sure how often does he dine with just us common, with the common folk? You see, is he kind of, as you begin, to talk to him. He kind of, that stiff demeanor that he'd had as he walks up, you see, he kind of relaxes a little bit. He puts his shield down up against the fountain, and he places his sword

down next to it, and loosens his belt a little bit to kind of relieve the tension that his plate armor is putting on his form, his muscular form. He can tell he's a very strong man beneath all of that plate that he wears. He's probably been doing this for most of his life. as he walks towards you and he places his hand on your shoulder. Well, Jericho, this is the first in my time that I've seen the Archbishop. Invite anyone that wasn't part of his family or the High Inquisitor or anyone of real importance in this town to dine with them. So I would say you can consider it an honor, truly.

Oh, gosh, I do. And for your time as well. I myself have never had the opportunity. So when we meet again, when I, come back from the mines, you'll have to tell me about it. Minds? Why are you going there? Well, I'm not quite happy to be heading out there tonight, but myself, along with a small group of the Knights Templar,

been sent by the Archbishop himself, some of the highest ranking of the Knights Templar. You see, this mine shut down many, many years ago. And with Cyril on the rise and on the mend, with the which problem resolved. I'm sure I'm sure the Druskin

roles will be visiting any time now. The Archbishop believes that it is a good time to get the mines reopened. What now? As soon as possible. The sooner we can get the barricades cleared away, the sooner the good folk of Cyril can have work, can feed their families.

It's a gold mine. There's an emerald opportunities for many, many of the families of Cyril in that place. Go to mine. Yes. Osternerius was just telling me about mine goblins. You better be careful.

Well, I myself have never seen a goblin in the mines. To be quite frank, I don't think I've seen a goblin in all of tholocence. But it's possible, given how long the mines have been closed off, that there can be all manners of horrible things in there. So the night's Templar and I will move the barricades, we'll check throughout the tunnels, make sure everything's safe. And at some point, tomorrow, we'll... We should return by morning. What if it's not safe? What if it's not safe?

Well, that's why he's sending me. As the captain of the guard, there's no one better to go. The knights ten while we're taking are the best of our men. Well, now that the witch problem has been dealt with, there's just the normal things in the beastwood, which I'm sure you and your men are more than capable of dealing with. Absolutely. It will be a long night, but nothing.

Much afraid of. Well, we just came back from that way, towards the mine, and we got a real spooky feeling. So if you are fixing to go, then maybe bring an extra dozen or so nights, just in case. He smiles at you, he reaches out, and he clasps your hand.

You've got a kind soul on you, Jericho, I can tell. Harsh. I don't know if I even have a soul at all, but I appreciate your mighty kind words. If you've got one, there's a kind, I'm being fair now. I can't say it. It basically says if you've got one there's a kind one in there. If I keep dressing there, you're not here too-kind too. You're too kind.

That sympathetic accent that just starts coming out. So here's the thing, I mean, there might still be other hags around, so just be careful. I mean, if you take like 20 good men, you should be fine. If there were to be a hag around or something, which I highly doubt, Mother Midnight gave us, confirmed the names of all. or 20 of the accused, she can confirm there were anyone left. I imagine that myself in the knights would be able to handle it. You see as he reaches up and he has a very dark mustache.

It's almost equates to a nice tombstoney style mustache that hangs down. And you can tell he takes very good care of it as he strokes it and thought for a little bit. I'll keep your warning to be. not in mind but I think that I think that we should be fine please be careful Captain Voldo

Yes You were there when Mother Midnight confirmed these names Myself no But I trust the High Inquisitor Thank you Are you sure you wouldn't benefit from a few more hands

If If you're Fuck why do you have to keep talking to me You're Plank Fungus, shut up! Text me your further questions. I have a job to do. I'm going to the minds. Fuck you.

Yes, what was your question but say it as comfy? Are you sure you wouldn't like a few more hands? That was really good. God, that sounded just like me. Oh my gosh, sick. Darsh! I'm like, oh my God The hags have got her

I don't know, I can't do that accent when I'm trying But what I'm trying to do with everyone It sure doesn't want to start happening He turns to you And well I appreciate I truly do appreciate your concern But I can't take you away from the dinner with Yonge Bishop

I would never be forgiven It would be the utmost Dishonour Yes, thank you However, if we require additional help, if whatever we find this evening is more than we can handle, we will be back in the morning to early dusk. And if tomorrow brings you no pressing matters to deal with, we would love to have your help. We could meet up in the square at sunrise, or moonrise. assuming that there are not so many courses during this dinner that would prevent us from doing so

I would happily meet you here in a square and sunrise for this purpose well you won't be having dinner all evening but you will need to sleep yes I was trying to make a joke oh yes well great who do you think there's going to be that much food no it's what's a joke have you and your Have you and your troops cleared the mines before the regent of woods? Well, it was, I led the mission to close up the mine, many, many years of it. Since then, we've tried not to go out that way.

Missions we've sent out, well, as you know, we were dealing with Mother Midnight. Those troops did not return, but with Mother Midnight gone, it's not a fear that we have. Well, keep an eye up with those pigeons. Boy, flimbing. Wait, Briggsie, what are you? Are you alright, Brisey? I don't know what you mean.

Blimmy. Well, I think when my friend Brissy is trying to say it's strained Eliot's tongue. I cast and flick wounds at second level, three. Keep an eye out for pigeons. It's gonna sound awfully, uh, strange, but just keep an eye out for pigeons and just, if you got some men that are good with a crossbow or a bow, just, you know, clink them down. We will do just that. They make good eats.

Pigeons are present all over Cyril. If ones in the woods, we'll be extra cautious with the pigeons. He looks between all. An extra men. 20 good men. They can solve anything. If the witch threat has truly been quelled, I mean it when I say we cannot thank you enough. The city has dealt with its fair share, and I look forward to a day when my family and I can live each day without fear. Well, glad we can help you. When are you set to leave with your men?

The moment I've delivered... Well, when are you set to leave with your men? You are fine, this is my problem. I'm gonna claim me, but dub it. What? Believe it. Oh, the moment I drop you off with the archbishop, then I'll be able to go. Oh, wow.

Karate. I don't know what it is. I can't do that accent on my arm. They're close. There's just something that's happening right now. The moment I've delivered you for dinner is when I'm, I will rally my men. You will head like that you down. All right.

Well, um. I think we best get going then. It's not keeping waiting if he never does this. No. Probably. No sense in delay. You better have bacon. What kind of aside?

As soon we get there, sooner we can leave. That's all for me. Oh, I might enjoy a nice long evening feast. Dinner with my companions. Take the opportunity. I mean, I just really fall out of fantasy. I think it's just really like a fantasy. anything and I don't have to eat.

But I mean, if you never has this, it's gonna be nice. I mean, maybe. But I think it's gonna be nice. So... I'm sure the food is gonna be delightful. I'm more concerned about the company. Well, we can try to ask questions, information if we need to.

But I mean, I'm convinced. The moon's gone. If the moon didn't change, then I'll be like, okay, was that really hurt? To your point, it's kind of my thought. but as I just cannot believe it. The evidence is right there staring me in the face. So I must draw the conclusion that you've done something.

We have any hesitations left. There's no better place to get answers. And a hot meal. Well, I hope for our sake that you truly did bring back about the midnight. Mealy's standing right there. I said to whisper. Yeah, I said aside. What I can say is,

though I believe when he looks up at the moon, that what you did was right, does not sit well on my heart to see so many serrilians burn. Did you know any of course I? Of course I did. Don't let me get you to dinner. Yes, I knew every single one of people I've grown up with. friends

Cyril is not large it is in compared to in comparison to many of the provincial towns that you'll see in forces it's still it's still small to us

and every life lost is a scar on our souls that will never truly heal well I'm very sorry that your friends were witches never would have known. All of them were good people. You never know who to suspect. I guess that's what we've learned in this horrid adventure.

You never know who you can trust. And that is the past that I'm choosing. That is the path that I'm choosing. To believe that Mother Midnight truly has gone. And that they were, as witches will be, good at playing tricks. and they just got one over all me. That's just how I will wake up in the morning. I walk up and all He will. He'll pat you on the back.

So, uh, dinner? Yes. I should, I should take you to the cathedral. He'll reach his down, he grabs his shield and throws it onto his back. He grabs his sore, he holsters it, tightens his belt. And he turns and leads you towards the cathedral. As you making up the step, The Knights Templar that flank the sides will wrench open the doors and allow you entrance.

And this is the first time you've been inside of the cathedral, any part of it. And it is, it feels so much larger inside than it looked outside. Everything inside is completely pristine, all of the wood, freshly waxed and oil, the scent of candles and smoke, almost intoxicating. The incense burning towards the back. The altar has a beautiful, thick blue velvet cloth with silver embroidery, the symbol of fultons. You see statues of saints and alcoves, tons of religious iconography and symbology, everywhere that you look, and all of it is rich and beautiful. As you slowly make your way through, Marco does not say anything additional. almost in reference to this place that you're in, is he leads you towards the back

a large wooden door at the very back of the cathedral arched into a peak. He opens the door and ushers you in. You make your way through room after room at the back of this cathedral and slowly up a winding stairwell until finally he leads you to a large double door that is completely gilded in silver. blue. Well, this is where I'm going to leave you now. I hope you have a lovely evening. I thank you again. And, as I've said, if you have no pressing matters tomorrow and you would like to talk about what has happened with us at the man, and I would love to meet up with you at the

town center in the morning. Captain Volta, my sincere sympathy for the loss of your friends, when you return I would like to buy you drink. We will drink to their never. I would like that very much. Think of that and be back. Enjoy your evening. You deserve it for all that you have done

for cereal. It looks, your Marple. I will see you tomorrow. Good evening. And he reaches down, he grabs a metal keychain at his waist, and he pulls out

a large, opulent he inserts it into the lock and unlocks the door. When you're ready, enjoy your night. And he turns and just as quickly descends down the stairwell and leaves you in this large entry room. You know that beyond these doors lies your dinner with the Archbishop. There's no point to wait. This is a very dangerous time.

This is the time between when we have done what we need. to do it for another midnight, but also before we have gotten our rewards. We must still tread carefully, so I would ask each of you to watch what we say in front of the Archbishop. I think that's wise advice. Some were certainly not going to be rude. At least I wasn't planning on it. No, but let us not forget that this was a man who burned 21 people in its end or guilty

tonight. My voice will get a little lower and I'll say, I'll be dead quietly. you agree, it could be dangerous. It's not how I would have handled things, but you've done good, we're heroes. Is that not how trials normally go? It varies from city to city. This was perhaps on the extreme.

I said it before that I was here to do with Phil must. Not with our tradition must. I'm not going to go in there and kiss his boots for having us to dinner. I mean, that's a good point. Phillips still with our prizes. So I mean I'm with you I don't even think about that. Is that if we're fucking up now somehow, you're like, oh just kidding, thanks for doing a job but for some reason you said I don't like you now and you don't get your thing. No. I mean Philip seems to be a man of his word. I don't see him backing out at this point.

I also agree with you very, very, I should he offer to make another deal or offer some sort of additional task. I would say that we deny that and go to film. Certainly don't owe him anything. I agree with you there. There are people to help. I wouldn't say no. Always aid and all that.

Let's just go enjoy dinner. For worse, that can happen. That's a great point, Charmarius. Staying positive or whatever it is, you say. That's exactly right. and enjoy a nice meal amongst friends. After being genuine heroes, and I, all that you could hear all those folk out there,

if I can hear them through the church, but they're cheering and celebrating. This is the happiest I've seen them, downtrodden, hungry folk. It's since we got here. I think we should take some time to at least appreciate that there's a little bit of happiness and a little bit of joy in this town. That's right. And we will be careful.

There's no reason not to be. Always be on our God. What? Let's you see? What? There's for dinner. How about that? We need the win.

No, I couldn't eat. Bacon, let's see. I would open the door. You open the door and you're immediately overwhelmed with the smells of food. Roast goose, stuffed duck, heeping piles of roast, rosemary and thyme potatoes, pots filled with grapes, Pots filled with grapes. Yes. a large ham with a ripe apple in its mouth.

And at first, this is almost hard to see with the almost blinding light of chandelier after chandelier hanging from the ceiling. This room is the most lavish room any of you have probably seen your entire lives. The walls are draped with fine velvets and silks. The table is longer than you possibly could have imagined in almost every single square inch of it.

is topped with foods. There are puddings and cakes. There are side dishes of any kind you could possibly imagine. Any type of food that you could have wanted to eat is now laid available on this table. And at the very head of it, sitting in a large ornate chair in a, in a similar robe to the one that you'd seen him wearing, but no longer with the hot, with his large hat atop his head atop his head. is the Archbishop. And you see that in front of him is not just one plate, but four, piled high with food as he eats and shovels food into his mouth, licking the sauces and the bits from his fingers. And as you come in, his mouth is full as he looks up and raises his hand.

Without even thinking to swallow, his mouth completely filled to the brim with food, he calls out to you. Please take a seat and enjoy what I have provided for us this evening, for we are to dine and celebrate the downfall of Mother Midnight. I'd immediately pick a seat that's the farthest away from this possible. Does he sound like that, or does he sound like his... He sounds like himself, okay? I'm trying to hear him. No, no, I mean, does he sound like his mouth is full of food? Oh, yeah, of course. Oh, okay, okay.

Well, I don't know. He wasn't sure if he sounded like super clear. I'm like, are you fucking... Is it reverberating? Oh, yeah. What you see in this room is simply this table. The three chairs on either side as close to him as possible, him at the head of it. And then off in one corner, you do actually see there's a significantly larger table

with an incredibly large chair that's made of an older wood. Parts of it rotting. It doesn't look like it's nearly in a pristine condition as this one. is. Occasionally you see the doors off to the side. There are one on either end. You'll see quickly what appear to be a Knights Templar, but of a much

lower rank, not nearly adorned as the Knights Templar you're used to sing, will rush in with trays, platters of food, and replace ones that have been partially eaten, not completely eaten, but very clearly the archbishop's plate shall never

be empty. Is there also a small hobbit singing a forlorn song? during a massage where these horses churned. Well, and that's where we'll in the session. The name of that song also being Edge of Night.

Is it going to? It's all coming together. Well, we've discovered also known as Pippins. To the end. Well, I would like to sit down as close to him as possibly on his left side.

If I could. You're easily able to do that one? I'd rest my shovel up against the dinner table and just look over at them and sit down, and the chair would probably kind of groan under my figure, as this one always does. And, you know, I'd say, you know how to put out a meal. I'll sit down across from your room. And I appreciate because I can only hear out of this year the fact that I'm facing the Arch Spaceship to Rangley. I would start ravenously eating with my hands, not in any kind of sense of decorum.

And he doesn't seem to even think twice about it as he responds to you. Yes, yes, yes, I have to find his low voice. Yes, we have much to celebrate this night. Well, Lord Philip Druskenwald will be so impressed, and Cyril will have much renounce. for being the city, the province, to rid all of Ruskinvold, of Mother Midnight and her daughters. It is a wonderful time to be a Cyrillian. Remind me, Archbishop Renaud. For how long did your moon...

For how long was it cursed with Mother Midnight's face? For hundreds of years. As long as I can remember, remember, but no longer will her visage remain intact on the brilliant milklight of the moon. And that is thanks to you, and that is why I allow you to dine with me. I'll go up to the table and probably like the second for the story for a seat. And I'll lay my staff, you know, against the back of it and sit down kind of stiffly and grab like, I don't know, of the potatoes, like a sprung of roast meal.

There's a really nice, what appears to be a mushroom and cream suflay that you might enjoy. I'll pass right on over that and grab like a roasted sprig of rosemary that's probably a garnish and just kind of gnaw on the stem of it. Perfect. I love that. There are many, I would say there are bits of clove, tons of, there are whole cloves of garlics. You could just pick one up and start to eat. eating that.

Many things that you could within your character to eat. Lord Philip, when will he be joining? My hope is that he will be joining us at early dusk. Sorry. But it is truly up to Sir Philip when he will arrive, but I've already sent

words that Mother Midnight has been disposed of and he will see that her image has vanished from the moon. imagine he will be here the moment he can. And what that means for us is that I will have a place of honor at the

masquerade. No doubt. You will all be there, of course. Yes, they received our invitations when we were first to invite to this place. So he's been noted for it already. He knows what we get. I have sent word, but when he looks at the moon, he will know.

You're not word. You're going to be known. for housing the witch for centuries. All of Druskin Ward is known for housing the witch for centuries. She doesn't just terrorize Foulson's.

She terrorizes all of the province of Drosken Ford. She is everyone's problem. I was just the first one to be rid of her. I'm sorry, what did you say? She just said that she lived. I think he said that she lived in Sarah.

In a house in Folston. Huh? Folson is in the province. You was in the city. Unless she did live in this city. She lived in serious. Oh, God, she did. Yeah.

She literally had a house. I was just thinking of the hut in the woods. Oh, it's here. I begin cutting. You watch as the Archbishop, as he reaches down and he grabs his goblet of wine, and it is filled to the brim, as he chugs back every last drop of it and sets it down.

down. He reaches down and he picks up a delicate purple and pink pastry cake and pops it into his mouth and begins to eat it. His mouth completely open as he choose. Is this like one we've seen before? No, it is not a dream pastry. Oh, okay. You can clearly see, I would think Marie Antoinette in her glorious pastries on top of, yes, pittipu, on top of flattered. On top of flattered. as he eats this while he stares at you. Anyone who has been Druskinvold long enough knows that Mother Midnight has homes in every province. Where she chooses to stay is at her whim.

I will forgive you that outburst as you are new to the lands. But do not forget whose home you are a guest in. You pass me one of those, little big ones. He looks up and he claps his hands. and you watch as a Knight's Templar, who appears to be probably maybe a 13-year-old boy, clearly in more of a page sort of rank, looks disheveled and nervous as he rushes over and he whispers in the Archbishop's ear. He would like a pastry, provide him, do not make me ask twice. And he will reach over directly in front of the Archbishop, grab a couple of pastries,

and put them on a small porcelain tray and quickly deletion. tray and quickly deliver them to you. Oh, you didn't have to do that. I mean, I could have gotten up and grabbed. I'm sorry, but thank you anyway. I'll pick pastries off the floor and all. Pursuing that scandal. Tonight is a night of celebration.

Yeah, I can be canon. Thank you. Well, I'm very, very happy to be celebrating. I would like to ask you, Archbishop sitting here seeing how eaten food is particularly new to me what would you recommend at this fine spread

that you've provided for us? What's your favorite? There is nothing on this table that I believe any of you would find distasteful, and if there is, you will let me know, and I will have it addressed. My favorites are the sweets.

Anything sticky, sugary, filled with a jelly. Ooh, you like, you see that as he looks over the table, his eyes linger on the platters of sweets. And you see for just a moment his eyes ignite with what almost looks like lust for the sweets on the table. This guy's a sick pervert.

I know it, I can feel it in my bones. Well, I guess I'll just enjoy some jelly doing it. And I guess I'll top that with fwag, quag, quag, bra. The blue one there with the sprinkles is a divine caramel filling that. Just try that one. Oh, is this, are these crabs from the lake? But eat it slowly.

Oh, I'll cast some cake and I'll grab some crab meat. I don't think you can eat snowy. Well, it's a little bit of... Oh yeah, so I left my old pal Virgil out of the cathedral out of the cathedral on account of He refused to come in for fear of igniting into hellfire on account of him being a demon and all. I'm frankly shocked that I could come into this place. I'm sorry, what have you said? Oh, my old pal Virgil, he's the weird crow.

He refused to come in because he's on account of being a demon and all. Anyways, this looks delicious. We have to... And all the food is water. You watch his... He's eating a pastry himself, his mouth, a gape as he chews. But he stares. a Jericho as he takes every bite of the food that he's eating.

It all just slides off. We will have to touch on that matter at a later time. I think what my good friend, Jericho here, is trying to say, and I think that he's just telling a bad joke. I see. You see, he's our traveling bard, our entertainer, and he forgets himself in the wards. Oh, no, I'm just saying that if you

If you think your Grim's rude, you should be a provincial. Is he also a traveling barb that forgets himself? Well, occasionally. I've forgotten myself once. He's not from regular places. He's not from the city like you and I are. You know? Well...

He doesn't have the sensibilities of... Tonight is not a night to judge one another. Tonight is a night for celebration. Well, I actually have a joke. I guess... I guess I could tell a joke. If you're putting me on the spot here, Sir Marius, that's, uh, oh gosh. My eyes kind of narrow at you. And I'm just like,

I have a relevant joke. Uh, and you know, we got some, some, some, some priests here. So a priest, uh, a worshipper of, of, of Fultus, of Shar and, and of, of Lathander walk into a bar. And then they say, out. Uh, huh. Uh, yes. Uh, because if they're wearing the big hats, is that one?

Well, well done, Janice. Sharrings do not wear big hats. I don't get it at all. I'm sorry. No, no. So they walk into the bar and you're presuming it's perhaps in a tavern or a saloon or an inn.

But instead, it's a bar and they, ooh, they hit their head. That's actually a lot of. That's why they all say out to the exact same time. They're all walking. That's pretty ill typical. I feel like IRL, you just heard that joke for the first time. I'm kind of getting that impression as well, Derek.

I didn't get it. Are you serious? I didn't get it, I didn't get it. You must be getting. That's the second old is true. I thought there was, I thought there was more. Two people that's able didn't get it. Jericho lands real well.

Did you get it? Yes. The only joke older than that is like what did the chicken crust. Everyone knows that joke. I'm sorry to imagine. Why did the monkey fall out of the tree? Because it was stable to a loaf of bread. It was dead.

Oh. I was like, oh gosh, did they walk into a holy protective aura around the bar? What happened? Oh, my goodness. I told a really genuinely great joke about all of them. Clarence. Yes, and the one about your demon.

Sure. Yes. Great jokes for dinner. On the knight that a witch has been slain. Is there anyone else in here to Justin Bishop and us? Unless one of the page boys of the Knights Templar

come in to refill the food? No. Were we expecting anyone else tonight? And I'll kind of look at the other table with like the chair, the images. No, just us. A private dinner. Myself, the head of Cyril, head of Fultus.

And the six witch hunters that have saved this land from Mother Midnight. We think we were hoping to see your sister and family. We were a bit worried when they were both in the morning. Yes, they discovered a witch ball in their home. I can say he reaches down, he pulls off a leg of goose, and he begins to eat, and as he chews and swallows, he continues to talk to you, it was pleasing to me that they were not named as one of the accomplices. Finding a witch ball in anyone's house is tantamount to execution.

Now that Mother Midnight has gone, it is sad what has happened to Colette, but now that the mother midnight is gone it should be quickly reactified. What happened to Colette? She was found this morning overcome with the witch sickness. Yes.

What is? Only dusk. We, for all intents and purposes, we can still call it morning and evening. Even though it has nothing to do with the moon, and the moon in the sun. That sounds more. That'll make it a lot easier for me. Because I'm sick of saying early dusk.

Or not saying it and having to think of it. Yes, this very morning. How is she now? Is she better? Not as of yet. But it may take a full night. As she sleeps it off, I imagine that come the morrow, we will find Coletin the best spirits possible. That's very nice to hear.

I was quite sad when you said that she had gotten sick like all that mother's She knows been happening a lot, but now she should be feeling a lot stronger and probably better than ever before. Loud knock appears at the door quickly, booms throughout this room. You see as he looks up, his mouth still full of pastry and meat as he looks up to one of the page boys and they rush over, and they unlock and open up the door. And then immediately you see as they rush over, almost nervous, unlock and open up the other door. And with a loud thud, you hear and see as Hugo makes his way into the room. Jesus.

Hugo, what are you doing here? Interrupting my meal with these heroes. You see as Hugo, his feet almost in-turned, pointing towards each other, he slumps over and is playing with his fingers. Gary out there. Things that Hugo. Not to eat. Scared. And you can see, even though you can't see his mass, you can see that he's definitely perplexed.

And the archbishop looks towards him. What could there possibly be to be scared of Hugo? Look at you. Your hideous form, far larger than any of theirs. Fear is for the weak. Take a seat at your table, Hugo. Hugo who disgust me. When you see as Hugo bows his head,

Yes, hungry. You will be fed. And then you should not fear. I did not raise you to fear. Oh, man. And he takes a seat at the table and he waits. It's like a giant fucking chair. It's huge, and the table itself is huge too.

And they're not made from the same. made from the same, they're not made from the same wood clearly. This table is rickety and old, but it was made for him and you wait for a while as the archbishop looks a little cut off guard. My apologies for Hugo. He was not intended to return until later this evening. He, his wicked mother, it is not his fault that he looks or acts the way he does. It was his wicked mother. He cannot be held accountable for his hideousness or his stupidity.

And you see as he claps his hands one more time and one of the page boys comes out and he's holding a tray. And you would imagine with an entity this size as Hugo that this tray would be laden with food. But there is simply a small jar of milk and one chicken, one chicken leg. If he puts it in front of Hugo, eat and then retire. Seeing this slide out to my seat and walk over to work in his city. I'll go forward to four to deathless. And I will clip onto the plate of the larger of the two wings before returning back to my seat. The archbishop turns and he watches you as you go to do this.

Roll a perception check. The archbishop doesn't stop you. But you can see a look of disdeme. see a look of disdain, grace his face for a second before he's able to steal his emotions. And as you place the chicken leg in front of Hugo, he looks down and then he tilts his head up at you. And even though he's so much larger, he's still looking up towards you. And you see a look of sadness in his eyes through the slits in the mask. And then he turns his head towards the archbishop.

May I hungry? What's his hand out? Yes, Hugo. The witch is dead. It is a night of celebration. Now, let us return to our pleasant conversation between good company. Why can we just...

Just have him pull a chair up in this table. I mean, we don't mind. I do. Hugo needs to learn his place. It's a lesson he's been learning since I was so kind to take him under my... wing. I was going to say, I mean, looking at horrific in appearance, I mean, I just look at at Briggsie. I will say he does look at Briggsie and there's a slight sneer on his face at

first, but he quickly covers it up. I don't... I don't want to step out of line, but... Then don't. Well, I'm curious as to why you don't feed him more. I figure you want him to be at full strength to help protect the towel. If he had not abandoned his duties this evening, if he had played his role as he knows he should, he would eat his full meal. All right. Hugo is mine to oversee, and he is well taken care of. When his monstrous form ripped the life from his mother's body, it was under Fultus's watchful eye that he was,

he was destined to reside with me, and that I would keep him on the one true path. We all have sins to bear. Allow him to bear his. And you see that Hugo is just staring, he hasn't touched his food, he hasn't touched his milk. He's simply staring down at it waiting for the conversation to end. Well, thank you. Thank you, Hugo, for saving all of our lives and being mighty grace strong and heroic. That's what they sing about... Do not compliment him. It will go to his head.

Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Mr. Art, your grace, your highness, your liege. He is too stupid to understand what you are saying anyway. Now let us feast. The night is young and there is much to celebrate. Like these creeplops, eh? He reaches forward and you see a silver bell on the table and if he rings it.

You watch his three of these pages. these page boys come in with trays laden with food and they remove the three that are only about half consumed in front of him they remove them and replace them with three brand new trays that are piled with steaming delicious food and for the time being the Archbishop talks to you he tells you how well the church is doing how excited he is to reopen the mind it'll be simply a night of clearing things away and then hopefully the the townsfolk will be able to enjoy meals, even a fraction as wonderful and bountable as this.

As without the gold from the mine, the economy in Cyril has been suffering significantly. And it is difficult now for him to import the pastries that he does from Edwardia. And he talks about his hopes for the future and that he's excited to, be able to enjoy the masquerade with you. And once the, once you have acclimated yourself to the feelings of your first witch burning, that you'll easily come to see why tonight is a night for celebration.

And your countenance does not seem to deter him as plate after plate is consumed right in front of you. And the night continues on. I would press him at some point to ask about, what things take a turn for the better, how Fultus' Church can help those in need. The orphans, for example, whether the gold will be used in that direction immediately

and in what to what degree. How the folks who have been starving and going insane might be able to enjoy such lavish dinner and such as a good good gun? Well, I can't imagine that... that they wouldn't enjoy a nice meal here and there. Of course, their repayment for their dedication to Fultus will be their lives. Their mortal lives. Yes, that Fultus will see fit to heal them from the witch's curse and the witch's sickness.

The reopening of the mines will allow any honest Cyrillian to contribute to society. That is all well good. And once the coffers in the church are filled to the brim again as they should be, then we will be able to provide the rest of Cyril in a way unlike Cyril has ever seen a new day under the light of the one God. Well, and then full coffers be on account of tiths and tiths and taxes. Of course. Of course, yes.

It is Fultus that provides the mine, after all. He's mighty powerful. Yes. Redness. I'm glad you're enjoying your feast. The, uh, this crab cake... These crab cakes are delicious. It's not at all what I was expecting.

It's about this time that you hear the, um, you hear the chair legs of, um, of Hugo's. chairs, they slide across the stone and echo throughout the room. And you see a look of frustration on the archbishop's face as he continues to chew with his mouth open, just staring forward, making no eye contact. And you all watch as Hugo turns towards him, looks at him, almost waiting or wanting some kind of attention, notice or anything. He waits for a moment and nothing comes before he finally turns and walks from the room. Sleep well, have pleasant dreams, Hugo. He stops for a moment and you see that for the first time in this entire night, the

Archbishop stops chewing for a second as his eyes shoot directly toward you, but he smiles and continues to chew. Yes, Hugo, good night. And Hugo turns in his tracks and you feel him looking at all of you. And then you can't see it, you feel just, or you, you, I would say you can't see the smile on his face, but you see the crinkles right at the corners of the eyes where he clearly, um, clearly got a smile from him as he says, Who knows? What? I know what you have.

And he turns and walks from the room. Good, uh, good, uh, sticky, very sticky pastries. Gosh, I love sticky. Yes. And look at that. how I am starting to tire. Today has done much on my nerves. It is getting late into the evening, if you don't mind.

I'll shove my chair back and just screech and stand up. Yes, I thank you for your audience tonight. If you hear from Philip and he arrives, please let him know that he can send us immediately. We will have the Knights Templar come to him. fetch you from where you're staying the moment you arrives. Until that point, the city of Cyril is yours to enjoy. You are our honored guests and the saviour of us all.

It has indeed been an eventful 24 hours since we returned the woman who brought to justice to them. Yes. And as I say that, I'm going to have to detect thoughts. Okay. Just for the surface level stuff, there's no save involved, is somethingly enough. I want to get a sense of, let me make sure that... I'm going to rich on this one. We are so fucked.

I grab my shovel. My heart is a thing. For the duration, I can read the thoughts. if the creature you choose as an intelligence of three or lower or doesn't speak any language, you're unaffected. Well, he's unaffected, Sam, because he's clearly not flat.

I get a sense of the surface thoughts of the target, which I will make him with my action, just to get a sense of what he's feeling, if he's thinking anything besides being tired, or if he's thinking anything about the last 24 hours

when I mentioned that. You immediately get a response back. And these words echo in your mind. Do not dare to pry in secrets that are not offered to you. Not in the house of a god. Ooh. And you feel your magic dissipate in an instant. And your brain explodes?

That's an instant, man. Fuck. Thank you for your half the power of it. Before we go, let us thank that that is truly responsible for the downfall of Mother Midnight. For it is not you, but me and Fultus. Bow your heads and let us give thanks. And he reaches his arms up and he bows his head

and he begins to mutter in a language that none of you understand. As he then stands and rises, it was with your help that Fultus could close. cleanse this land of witchcraft and wickedness. May you find this evening pleasure, and may you enjoy all that Cyril has to offer. We will speak again. Amen.

One last question. I do not know how frequently you go out into the streets of the city, but if you have any tavern recommendations, who might be able to enjoy after such a lovely dinner. Ah, Lathaka, you read my mind. There is but one tavern owned by Samuel Gould. You know it. It is open. Enjoy what it has to all.

I was going to propose the same thing. I'm glad you thought of it as well. And if that's the only tavern, then I suppose that I will be finding myself there. Good evening. Good evening, of course. Thank you for this bountiful harvest. You made you know. Praise to Faultus and to the Archbishop.

You know, I'm going out. Does he leave the room? He waits for you to leave. He just stands with his arms outstretched and watches you all. And you start to notice, as you kind of take a little bit of time, the page boys that are at the edge begin to slowly start creeping in slower and slower, almost as if you wait too long, they will forcefully usher you out of the ground. I have beaten only protein, but I'll take one small suite and start to make my way towards the silver doors.

He allows you to take the suite and you... Ooh, I should probably grab something for Virgil. Gosh, I don't know. Probably this sausage here looks unappetizing, Bridal like that. The blood sausage? Oh yeah, oh yeah, this one looks actually bloody. I'll wrap it up in like the napkin.

You may go. Oh yeah, of course, thank you very much, Archbishop. You grace, your highness. And as the door's about to shut, you hear him say quickly, another tray of sweets. And then the door closed. is with a click. This podcast is brought to you by our Patreon.

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miniatures, plushies, a tarot deck, and more. Thank you. I get any like sense stepping into a cathedral into the church like given my construction? No. Okay. Well gosh I feel a lot better about that. Not even like a little hard work right here. No. No, the moment the door shut it's almost complete silence. The candles flicker along the walls and cast shadows. around the large stone room that you're in, and almost as if the light dances down the spiral staircase that you know will take you out to the main portion of the cathedral.

And you are able to make your way through the cathedral and exit whenever you would like. Hey, Virgil, I got you this to go play. I know that technically you were present through the whole thing, and you were eating the whole time too, but it feels fun to feed your crow. Your gross growth, here you go. Virgil come down and absolutely.

mind. That's my finger for the . So are you heading straight out into the street? Yeah. Yeah. We're going to basically, I would probably take the time to, given that this is so, like, a level of grandeur that I've never experienced, I would look at the stained glass and the statues, and I would linger.

I would walk with my friends, but I would just kind of take it slow. If there's like chanting or any kind of music going on, I would just try to listen just to kind of take in what the cathedral of the blinding light would have to offer in terms of art. Okay. And I have a reference for it, despite everything that I've seen. Well, I meant what I said to Lethaca. I fully intend to go to Samuel Goods Taven. You're all welcome to join me if you'd like. Was it the rest of the Hope Path Walker's rest or something? What did they call it?

Bought it, Dad. Neither die. I see no reason to go back to Mirabelle's just yet. No, we should... Night that's still young. We should enjoy some evening and perhaps we'll learn some tunes. Until we leave the cathedral, I am maintaining my... Yes, and general...

Rival reverence? Respect. Optimism. I'm being respectful. I am maintaining this level of errors, being in a, you know, a righteous place, I suppose. Um, as we leave the cathedral, I guess, presumably the doors will close. behind us. I'll look around and all like all smile and say, gosh, that was one of the nicest meals I've ever had. This was, I have, imagine someone like me or something like me, sitting

and enjoying and breaking bread with actual genuine nobility or royalty. Well, I don't know how it works. First or see how I'm about to do something. And it is almost hard to hear what Jericho saying over the roar of the night around you. laughing, giggling. And as you look, you see, is that a couple, coupling in the alleyway off to the sign? You see that where all of the knights should be stationed, there are no knights to be seen. Knights Templar are nowhere to be seen on the streets. And then you notice that is definitely a couple coupling in the alleyway. And one of them is a Knights Templar. Well, there they are. As you look around, you see that there are people drunk and passed out on the street.

You see games of gambling that have picked up in different corners. You see candlelight erupting in many of the houses and sounds of joy and debauchery and sin, filling the city to the brim. Once we are far enough away from the temple, this, my veneer will have dropped, and I will, I will, I will kind of turn to whomever is listening and say out loud, that man is overly cool, does not seem to practice what he preaches. I mean, this is a dark land. With a whole lot of spooky shit going on. It's kind of what I would expect from a bishop in a place like this.

Very few here practice what is preached if would seem. I mean, look around now, this is nice. People finally lighten up. If you're enjoying it Then this is truly a godless place Well said They said that they were able to have at least one lad of merriment Perhaps a little revelry

Celebration, but to Celebrate beyond the creed Or dogma of your god is Tales I can use an ale to wash that Meal from my lips I don't care where we go As long as it's away from this place

Oh love me a tariff hypocrites, Les go. After you? Don't you think that we should check on her little Colette? I'm not sure if she's back into her home. I don't recall if the Archibishop said that she was being held in a medic,

Pontchart Cary, hospital, or do I recall? You know that they're, they've not mentioned anything about hospital. You know all this that kids were taken to the orphanage, but as for where Colette was, you don't know. And that is, most of those children were orphaned. Imagine Collette's probably at home being taken care of my parents.

I have much concern for Ferran feeling very much responsible for the current state. But I do not think that she is as of hope. And if they are, we'll find them. But for now, we'll stay out of the house and give them some peace and quiet. I'm sure they're struggling to sleep with all of the merrymaking that's going on. To that tavern. All right. That I don't know the name of.

It is with haste that you're able to make your way towards the tavern. This is a tavern you're familiar with. It was the tavern you had intended to spend your first night in Cyril in. And as you make your way through the streets, you are met by all manners of debauchery. At one point, one of the doors, the houses open, and you can clearly see in the firelight and the torchlight a full-blown orgy. Whoa! And you are your put off and you're shocked, because this is not the town that you had just been in.

At least it doesn't feel that one. Years and years of fear overtaking these people as they are finally, as they finally feel free. And given the go-ahead by the Archbishop to let loose and enjoy their evening, they are doing truly that, whether this is what the Archbishop had intended or not is up for debate. But the streets of Cyril are as lively as they could possibly be. you eventually make your way to the tavern, to the inn.

And it is almost with a shock to see that this is the place that seems to be the least debauchess. It is packed to the gills with people who are drinking and laughing, gambling, there's music. You see people who are getting a little touchy feeling in the corner, but nobody doing anything that you wouldn't see being fairly normal in any other tavern and anywhere in a vandras. And as you take your seat, Samuel quickly thanks you, offers you rounds on the house all night long

and puts you up at the same table that you had sat at the first night, provides you with rounds of drink immediately. And for an hour, people are constantly coming up to you, thanking you, calling you the heroes of Cyril. You're told over and over and over again that the people in this town knew that they were witches,

every single one of them, and they got what they deserved. And it wouldn't have happened without you. And look at what Cyril is now, thanks to the heroes that came to town. Apologies for their quick judgments on you, and they should have known that the witches had clouded their judgment for fear that if they trusted you, their demise would have come sooner.

It was all humans, what were the witches. We'd know as monsters, None of the kind. As you drink and enjoy your evening in the cavern. I would have my hat turned over and as who will come up, I wish to heroes with a witch slay is. If you want, you feel in generous to leave a tip, please. It's good.

And they do. And you, I got some of the tip face through this. And you see that many people come up and occasionally they turn out their pockets and most have nothing, but the few bits of change they have, they throw in there. You get a copper here, a copper there, nothing more than a silver or two. But I would say by the end of the night, you have about ten silver pieces.

That's what I'll go? I bite every single silver. Any of them who are thankful that they knew which one of those are I wish, I tell them that I'm sorry for their loss, and if they give me any confusion, I would correct the loss of the person he thought they were. the person he thought they were. That's fucking got them. Yeah, absolutely.

Fucking witches. Now spit and walk away. I... Go ahead. Oh, I just wanted to say that it is good to be sitting down in a public place like this, like the Pathwalker Threats,

which is the name of this tavern. Oh. Hey, my memory came true. Beautiful. Well, you know, these night fellas, the one that was copulating in the alley and the ones that are going

in the minds are quite a strange bunch. Do you think the Templars? I wrote a song about it. Courts your house. Oh, it's a good setup. Thank you. I guess I never need it. I never need a setup for a song, but it always helps.

I don't like Timmyandu. As you begin to strump. As you begin to strum, Samuel stands up on the bar and stomps his feet, calls out for silence. Jericho's about to play a song. Let everyone listen and enjoy. And the din of the tavern quiet

as everyone turns to you to listen. And it's at this moment that you notice in the very back corner, shrouding shadow, surrounded by ten cronies. That's a. That's up. William Van Brunt, who quickly takes his legs

boot after boot and slams them down on the table and leans back and looks at you skeptically. A couple of his cronies, their knuckles and he calms them down. And you see as he whispers, listen. And everybody quiets for you to play your song. Well, gosh, I'd say that's lots of pressure, but I was built to be a genuine performer in crowds,

in front of crowds and taverns. So I'll just start. And you know, this is perhaps if you know the word, well, you don't know the words, because I just wrote it. Shut up and sing your song! One of the coronias starts yelling from that. And I was like, okay, bach, bach, they're knights of the town, see,

zero, they're probably not that evil. They have truth sex, a witch's hex, and hygiene quite medieval. And I just continue. Well, Dr. And I continue. There is silence in the tavern. And everyone stares at you.

They look between each other, confused. The Templars aren't that evil? What is it doing about? It was kind of more context-sensitive for my friend. And then Van Brunt begins to clap in the entire tavern. begins to roar with cheers, encore, encore,

and they begin to drink and indulge in lasciviousness. This is really nice, Jennifer. Oh, thank you, really. I can't believe they enjoyed that whole song, me singing about them having sex, being hex, and not bathing very much. It was a serious song. You imagine that they probably,

it was as true as it was lyrical. You imagine they probably didn't enjoy it, but if Van Brunt clapped, they were going to. Oh, gosh. Well, that was, well, this is a great audience. Perhaps we can stay, after we get our genuine rewards, perhaps we can stay in town and, you know, find some jobs and enjoy the village and, and be friends forever, and never leave each other's side and never go back home again. Jericho, I'm leaving as soon as I can. I have to go back to my king. Oh. Lord Philip has, but he says that he has.

gives me that cup. I'm leaving. Oh. I think that more to myself. You're always welcome to visit. There's nothing saying that we have to stop being friends. Okay. That's okay. Of course.

I don't know why I thought that we'd be friends forever. We just met like a weekend. With a loud thud, your grim, right next to you. A large boot finds itself directly on the table. and as you look over, Van Brunt is standing between you and Marius, one of his legs up on the table, his rippling calf muscles directly in your face. His full package, nearly inches. As he looks down at you,

as the boot comes down, you turn and look toward what you know to be Van Brun, your eyes landing on his boots and then making your way. up to him. He is flexing his muscles while he runs his fingers through his hair. And you notice that none of his cronies have followed him over, but they all are watching from that corner, whispering amongst themselves, as he looks down at you and he says, so, you keep staring me down on the streets of Cyril. You truly think you're a match for Van Brunt. Meet me outside in 10 minutes and we'll have a go. Is he talking to your group?

He's talking to your girl. Marius very slowly closes his eyes and just ever so slightly tilts his head down and then continue to drink his ale. The rules are no help from your lackeys. And I'll get no help from mine. One on one, mono e mono. Up for it, green skin. And you see he looks like he might be a little

tipsy. Yeah. Oh, you got a shovel. You'll cut them in half, Yoram. No weapons. Oh. You got big old muscles. You'll rip them in half, Yorker.

I don't need the throxema. It's about time this party got started. Yours. Side in ten minutes. He looks down at you, his eyes, completely taking all of you in, as he slowly licks his lips and he nods. A flex.

And you can see that my bicep is the size of his body. He flexes, and you can see the size of his bicep is the size of your body. Well, uh-oh. Is he bigger than me? He's not, but he is. He's trying. What is it that Andy always says? I flex my thighs.

What? Yote. He's a joked. He's a chunked. He's chunked up. He's chunked up. He's chunked up. He's like, uh, I think.

Absolutely yoked. He's huge for a human. Oh, my God. Well, I'm big for a work. You see the letters on his chest are straining against his pecks as he flexes his muscles. And you watch as one peck dances after another. He looks towards fair and he gives you a wink. I'm with Zach.

You see his eyes alight with almost like a challenge as he turns and he looks back towards you. 10 minutes. and all of his cronies roar in laughter as he whistles and motions for them and he stomps outside. Don't forget to stretch. And his cronies, he doesn't even turn as him and his cronies disappear into the darkness.

You see, I will say you see one of them lean up against the doorframe as if they're waiting. Yorgam, you are not seriously considering this, are you? I thought this note was going to be a total, waste. You're being baited. He's attempting to lure you out for something.

He wants to fire. This is your only chance. To do what? Let's clear on how you're going to cheat and kill him. I generally would say no to that, but I'm with you. A guy's an asshole. Am I the only one who has not gone mad?

You're planning on killing him. I don't plan on killing him, but if I hit him, too hard, he'll probably die. It just makes sense. Ah, but... All right. All right. Do you, you like want to go about this the honorable way?

He challenged me in honorable combat with his very unimpressive manhood hanging in my face. What was I to do? It was quite long. So there was nothing that I could do to convince you on what? This size of my pinky. The size of my pinky. The only fair way to have this out is both of you change your penis is how can we compare. Is that it durian or are you happy to see me?

It's like a rugby ball. That is not what you want for a dick. That's a disease. I'm gonna come out saying that is so many. That's the witch hacks. That is a conviction. That's not in one of the deformities of the witch hack. That's Duryan penis!

I win! Jesus! Oh, you mean half your face fell off? I got Durion penis. Yes. Oh, you kids are dead. Derry and Dick. Where is Caprice?

You know, do we really have to cure this witch accent? I mean, I'm kind of okay with this. I can live in a few. And you're sure that there's nothing that I can do to convince you otherwise. You could be my second. Sure. What is that? Was that, you're asking me that I know this would never happen, but on the off chance that he beats you half to death,

you'd like me to step in? That'll just mean you hold my shovel. You know what, your own for you, I'd be honored to hold a shovel. I assumed that he meant that you'd be the second person he'd fight after he'd be defeated. Well, if it comes to that as well, Lethaca, sign me up. Well... I can't beat down two skinny boys in the street this evening. I'm being in Brontal, dude.

I'm gonna go to the bar while they're talking about. I've been meaning to bring this up for a while. You keep calling me boy. How old are you? Count time in different ways. I don't really thought about it before. I never. All right.

Or actually how and just magical pieces. It's just kind of timeless, you know? So you city folk use a different method of keeping your ears. I think what he's trying to say is, Daddy. He's a horribly afflicted with a curse that makes him live forever. So he knows that he looks kind of like a boy. He's really not. This pretty boy?

Yeah. And just... This blonde hair? Just so you're aware. If there was something in this universe from a meta perspective to measure our strength, you and I will be able. So if you're another feeling, as they say, froggy, I encourage you to leap. Uh, settle down. As I said, what'll do for tonight?

Okay, york. In a fifth fight, he's got raped. Yeah, we'll see. Jorke, how good that is. Yor-Grum, I meant to ask, are you used to fighting with just your fist? Or is mostly the shovel? Mostly the shovel? That's how we settled disputes where I come from. Nothing crazy, but strength rules.

Oh, well, I hope, I'm sure you will not listen to Briggsie, and you'll, I presume it honors a big part of your clan, and you would never do whatever, anything that Briggs will tell you in a fair match. I just think, Billy would use some hands. I will tell you, do anything you need to survive. That's the rules where I come from. I think we'd better be on the lookout for those other guys. He's not gonna be in a fair fight.

He hasn't done anything fair since we got here. I agree with you in that thing about whoever you are. I'm just talking to myself. The masks actually reflect on a mirror. He stares into it. Um, I've come back and I've gotten from the bar from Samuel Good, a small amount of cooking oil. If we're going to do this. Oh, do you? Do you, huh?

Yeah. Sure. I take my shirt off. Roll a persuasion check. If you can't, you can have some of my greasyy hair noise. My hair mud? Yeah. It's all natural, baby.

I'm sure. The drinks were on the house all night, within 11, unless I could enjoy advantage for that benefit. I don't know. Hmm. Because of what happened previously in his inn, and he feels very bad about it, just a small amount of cooking. That affects the icing.

I mean, oh, please. Please. He doesn't have oil, but he does provide you with essentially bacon grease. And so it is thicker. It's not as good to distractiveness. But he provides you with a small little ramekin of bacon grease. I have a ramekin of baking grease and I warm it up with my paws and I start to make sure that your muscles are actually quite ready. Oh, you're just oiling.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm not in greasing you up. Gosh. It's been about 10 minutes. It has. I guess we'll all go outside and we'll support you. I would get a refill and then bring my flag and a veil out with me. I'd crush my meat and then just walk out.

As you begin to exit the tavern with your fresh drinks in hand, the entire tavern erupts with cheers to the saviors of Cyril as you make your way into the dark uh the dark street in front of you one of van brunt's cronies is standing there waiting for you he looks you up and down he's significantly shorter than van brunt and most of the other cronies and he doesn't say anything to you but he snickers a little bit to himself as he turns down one of the alleyways and motions for you to follow. And all of you do. You follow behind this this man gave you no name as he leads you through twisting back streets of Cyril until you come out behind what appears to be five houses that back up to each other, none of them with yards. And in the very center, almost dug into the ground,

you see where stones have been removed probably years and years ago is a rough fighting pit. and standing in the very center of it is Van Brunt. And as you round the corner, he looks up and he whistles at his crony who immediately rushes beside. You see that on one side of this ring, for all intents and purposes, all of his cronies surround him in a half circle.

There's an empty spot on your side for your cronies to surround you. I'm going to lean over to Briggs. And very quietly to him so that your room definitely cannot hear me. I'm going to say, now I know that this would never happen. But, at what point do we actually want to step in if we need to? I don't really want this to become an Apollo Creed, don't throw in the towel, situation.

I don't know what the fuck you just said. If he starts to get killed, when do we stop it? Well, I mean, he said he wanted it to be honorable. I'll leave it to your sense of honor. I mean, I don't think we should let him die. He's like about to get killed, like he's about to, you know, be a fucking guy. He wants to ban and stop it, but I mean, he wants to do it on his own.

All right, maybe you hold the shovel. Oh, shit. It's fucking heavy. Eddie, you're going to make you second. We are going to honor the rules of this fight. It's been a very long time, and I'm not going to be able to get the smell off. So this better be worth it. Unless he is...

in danger of death, we do not step in. Van Brunt... Oh, I'm sorry, what? I said, what about of the fucker cheats? Well, I think he... It's at Faron saying this, that Van Brunt clears his throat. He begins to flex his muscles. I'll leave him in a pit before he says anything.

He looks at you and he smiles as he spits on the ground. This is going to be a fair fight. One, William Billy Van Brunt, to get him. against this guy. Your name is Jorgi. Your name is Jorgi. And you hear everyone behind him erupt in laughter as they all just chant Yorgie and they make fun of your name.

No, and they say things under their breath. One calls me Yorgie. Your city calls me hero. And I will step four, I'll say, that's right, his name is in. intimidation check his his name isn't Yorgie it's your grim and I have a song for him oh boy that you all are going to be singing as he fights I wrote a D12 I said now I got an extra one well please don't roll a D12 it looks very similar they do much better much better you get a variation you got a 61 oh that's a

Unproficient, 22. Okay. You see, just for a split second, as he falters for a moment, but he does not let your words sting too deeply as he ignores Jericho. You can sing your song, but he is going to ignore you

as he begins to recite the rules. The rules to this game are head-to-head. combat. Mano e Mano, our lackeys, cronies, do not get involved. The first one knocked unconscious loses to understand. Now do. Now, let us draw lots to find out who will go first, and we're just gonna roll for initiative. And as soon as he finishes doing that, I'll play, I'll play like a a tune on my banjo. I will sing,

it's your grim, the lamp, the mist, you're grim, he's always piss, your grim, I see the tombstone, you're grim, for a thousand orcs is

your grim, the retribution, your grim, for all those toothless orphans. Oh, for I want to see them. Van Brom's very confused. And I cast Barton

inspiration is still holding. I'm gonna see if he notices. Roll a sleight of hand. Is it a cast? He just played music. No, just playing music and so I don't know. I'm just gonna see if he notices that it's a spot or not. What am I rolling? I assume he's a big don't need to. I'm just joking to see how perceptive he is. I was thinking about making you do a slight of hand, but I just want to see if he's stupid as he looks. And so I will, it's a deep place. As he storms into the the dirt where the stones had been previously billows up around him as he dust the dirt off of his, off of his incredibly tight leather pants that hug every bit of his body. You can see his during the clearest day.

I'm just trying to discuss you. So what did you roll? 22. I'm going to be at me horrified. I agree with him. You do get to go first in battle. And just as he moves to have you step forward, he whistles out at the men behind him,

and he grabs onto the front of his shirt and completely rips it open. And you see his rippling oiled chest as he stands there flexing at you, trying to look intimidating. I flexed back my chest covered in bacon grease. Grace me upon And for the purpose of this

Go ahead and put your mini in that circle Oh! Wow! The circle was there all over. It was the moon. And then I know that this isn't bigger intimidating, but he looks like a witch hunter, so we're going to use... He was so confident that you could bait me into one-on-one

combat when all of my comrades are like You're fucking idiot. I knew it. Didn't I tell you I had something special for you if it happened? Oh. So confident. It's your...

When it would have taken her less than 10 seconds to draw it now. That confident. I was so confident that he would do this in an incident, but I don't need to. I can't draw a pipe later. It's gonna be in the fucking tavern. And you just, you get to do it.

You get to go first. He digs his feet into the ground. What do you do? Let's see what happens. Just an actual, so that may not be relevant. Have we had a long rest by this point since the last time we're in combat? Yes. Yeah. Okay. Yes. You woke up and dealt with the madness of the city as they were in actively acting your witch hunt and then you watched people burn and had dinner. Nice. Okay. Just a casual friend.

Just a nice little Sunday. I'd be a full help. Yes. I got a check in here. How much help do you have? The bacon grease. 49. I know. Okay. Thank you.

And my AC's 18 at that. That does help me. Yeah. I would move, I would move up to, and we're not getting closer. Wouldn't be fair to say just for like, we'll move to add each other?

Yes. And you would meet in the middle. Yeah. Yeah. Everyone behind Van Brut begins to cheer. here. Billy, Billy. Kill him, Billy. You're grim, the lamp he meets, your grim,

he's always pissed. Uh, let's say 12, 12. 12 misses. Oh no. Dan Brunch, you go to hit him, but you, you're not, you've been, I would say, greased up first. Don't do you. Don't blame the grease.

You've had, you never have. You've never had bacon grease put under your armpits before, and as you go to right hook him, your arm slips on your large back, and it completely flies. Are you recklessly attacking? You betrayed me, Bacon. I don't know that I have that. You did your past level two. You see roll out for advantage, but then he...

Yeah, you can get him advantage. That's a question, but then he's advantaged. So, reckless. It says melee weapon attacks, but I mean... That's a... That's a right. I gotta check these at the airport, you know what I'm saying? So do you need a band-aids your grim?

Because you are cut. Because you are cut? That's good. It's all right. Yeah. Is that fair? Yeah, attack him rightlessly. I agree with gold standard.

You just can't use your shovel. Anything else you can do? That's better. That's better. bodybuilder. She's choosing him with the 17. 17's good, baby. It looks like you're going to miss as Van Brunt moves to the side,

but you were fooling him. You expected that as you come in with your left just as strong as you're right and you tumble into him. Oh, I don't roll then. Well, plus the reckless, is it just advantage? Is it just a advantage of that a game? Oh, rage. Yeah, so it would be

oh, you're raging. Oh, you're raging. I'm not raging. Okay. So it'd be just five. foot. Straight up fist. I actually want to go in and I go to punch him, I open my fist and I slap him my face. You hear behind you as he like staggers back with the strength of this. How many hit points? Oh, five. It's a solid five damage at the time I hit him. Well, just remind me. I'm going to have a lot to think about. As you hear almost silence, almost silence behind him and and then he quickly turns and gives them an evil look. And then he quickly turns and gives them an evil look.

they're like, Billy, and he immediately charges in towards you. I'm advantaged on him because he's reckless. Yeah, yeah, yeah. He is only fine. He might have a puncher. With a natural 20, he is going to, he is going to go in and he is going to, I'll give you the first one.

He is going to punch him to. Of course, range is a kidney is where he goes. And you're gonna be pissing blood from three ways. Oh, God. Just like back from the shades. I still don't really. 18 points of bludgeoning damage because he punches into you.

He is then going to spin around with a grace you weren't expecting. And he is going to attempt to grapple you with his bonus action. Oh, no. I need you to roll an athletics check, and it is an athletic contest. Fucking Christ.

You did remember to rage for a friend. Right? So you're... No, this is a fair, honorable fight. I don't think being angry is unfair. Yeah. You can rage now. I would say raging is part of what you do.

You would imagine that would be fair to do. Or not rage as much as that channel is not raised. Just like grappling you what he's doing now is what he can do. All right, I'll read. Oh hey, yeah. It's your life. It's your fight. It's your fight.

It's your fight. Wait, let him on our way. I'm gonna destroy 20 kilometers. I'd be cheating the whole way. What was that rolling? Ironically, you were rolling in athletics. Welcome, Patogol. You're not.

He's also greasy for baking grease. You're not. He is also greasy as well as his chest slides over your body. If he whips around behind you and his arm right up against your neck, he is now holding you in a grapple. He whispers into your ear. Shit, I'm gonna fucking kill you.

Whoa! In my ear. Dude, this guy's out for one. I thought that was the deaf one. And your friend is your turn. I turn a head back and say, your breast smells real nice. Okay.

Can we do anything? We can cheer on. I mean, you can. I'm not going to stop you. We're on number. But you can do it every one. He must be holding back. He went in for a slap and then he's getting absolutely demolished.

He said he was talking about a game. I thought he was, this seems a little bit theatrical. It's much more than your room. Let us just wait to see what Yorgrim is cooking. You hear the people behind all of Van Brunt's cronies cheering and screaming, Billy, Billy. I would sort of be like, oh well, yeah, Yeah, I mean, he looks looking pretty rough over the air.

And I would like to cast him a bitch. Chast hex on Billy. I feel like Jordan's gonna be really pissed. What does hex do? And I would like to make him disadvantaged on strength checks. Wow. Would I know he's doing that? No.

Bruttle. Drupal. Trying to think of Van Brunt would, I would like you to roll a sleight of hand just to see if you would notice. Oh God, I need a good die. Come on, come, come on, come on, come on. Oh, that's got to be.

And I'm proficient. That's got to be. You sure? This could go sideways real quick. Uh, 16. The only thing on the line is your room's pride. You, uh, you see as, as Van Brunt leans in, and it's almost as if they have this quick exchange of words.

As he looks up, uh, uh, uh, a brink. and he meets your eye and you see as he licks his lips almost as he almost as if he has some knowledge of what you're doing I won't say he knows that it's hex but he feels that you in particular have have changed the role of the game interloat all like my lips around along the difference yeah your room Yorkie uh what is so I assume I grappled your grappled so what is that I don't know what that means so you just uh your speed is you're grappling you're grappling you're Your speed is zero. Okay. Do I roll at like disadvantage for hitting them? No, you can't get away from them, basically.

Uh, 17. That hits. Okay. So five. We would take seven if I, I don't- Are you ready? Are you? All right, all right, I'll rage, yeah.

What does that look like? Yeah, what does that look like? What happens? Why are you so upset with this? It's supposed to be honorable combat and then you 18 points of damage And he's straight dishonorable. So first of all, he is unhonorable.

Okay, you're not in the fighting pit. You can't understand. I'm trying to understand. I want to get in your room's head. Well, it's, you know, it's a scary place. Okay? You can't be in there. Seven points of damage. Seven points of damage.

You watch as it looks like Yorgreem steals himself. himself and all of a sudden his muscles ripple as you see rage across his face. As he quickly reaches behind himself and with lightning speed, I don't know how you do this, is able, no, I'll say you. With the, yeah, you crack your head back and immediately the back of your head comes into contact with Van Brunch's nose. Blood begins to leak out of it. He takes his tongue and he licks it up.

his crowd once again start chanting Billy. He is going to go in. Oh, are you all good? Yes, well done. Very good. He is going to go in and he is going to, he's got you grappled. So he is rolling at advantage against you.

And so 18. 18 minutes. All right, he is going to hit. And he is going to do. Sorry. Right. As I see Van Brunt rearing up for another bit, I say, well, the first one looked like it hurt.

He's gonna do 11 points of damage. Oh. Is this bludgeoning damage? Everything is bludgeoning damage, except as he does this and punches into you, you feel a piercing that you hadn't expected. And you see a quick glint of silver in his fist, a tiny blade clenched within his fingers,

as you are going to take an additional. Everybody get your perception die. I'm ready to. Additional six points of poison damage. Poison damage. And I need you to make a Constitution saving throw. You're getting gladiator. As Van Brunt uses the cheat ability.

My name is Marcus, O'Reilly. And yes, you can all roll a perception check to see if that. This son of a bitch! Buddy! Not natural. Oh shit. I was rolling at Kinsa. 26.

Marius. A D-C-13. I do. Yeah, 22. 22. So you're not. You were able to shrug it off. You would not succumb to the poison condition, but it was still poison damage.

So I would take six points of bludgeoning damage and six points of poison damage? Yes. Well, so you take the damage that I told you initially, which I think was 11 points. Well, but that was bludgeoning. That was, yes. So, you're resisting. Take six. And then his bonus action was to cheat.

That's with 11 is five. Oh, I actually have to roll to make sure the kind of that that hits. And it does, so we're fine. So he used cheat that hit, and so you'll take five poison damage, but you've shrugged off the poison condition. Cheat is a real thing?

Yeah. Really? And for anyone who's a patron, maybe we'll, well, it's a real thing on his stat block. Oh, I love it. We may put up William Van Brunt on Patreon. Oh yeah.

I love that. gonna be dead tonight. Someone's gonna die in this way, it's going quick. So do we perceive any blood or the blade with a perception of 20 and other free race? That's 14. I would say yes you do.

I would say with that though you also noticed that Briggs he cheated as well. So that was his turn. Went and down. A booty gun. That got one shot and one punch. It's your dream. I'm trying to have my buddy.

I would say, well, you're probably loud enough, so... I wouldn't, like, shout out, but I would say loud enough so, like, the crowd can hear it, and just say, so this is what you call honorable, hidden daggers and poison.

What? And then I'd just try to hit him again. What did you just say? I didn't see the blood there on the back. What did you say? With an 18... He's got a dagger on the sound. He just stabbed him.

That punch. We have to stop this. Seven points of damage. I don't know what to do. I've never been in a pit fight before. The man has a blade and yogurt him is unarmed. He spits, he actually, I'll say he spits directly on you. And he'll say, he'll spit in your face and he'll say,

where does he get at all? You talk of honor. You talk of honor. I can't do. Honor. Honor. Like, can you totally talk of honor? I can just say.

They're like, they're talking about it. You talk about art and your fucking bar gave you inspiration and like this shit head over here is like hexing me and stuff. So like fuck up, shut the fuck up and take the poison damage. He doesn't say that in that voice, but he essentially says like, don't talk to me of honor. Tell your friends to stand down or this will end quicker than you want it to.

As he is still grappling year. What did you all do? And he is going to, he's going to punch in the... I would have, perhaps. I don't see any of it. Perhaps, I don't, I didn't get any of the perception checks. Perhaps you'll pull him aside and get him caught up. 11 points of damage.

First, they did this. Oh, blah, blah, blah. I'll get you caught up on that. Just a bunch? Yes, and then you watch as he still, you guys are still linked together. He's going to use his bonus action, and he's going to lick the side of your face.

Oh, yeah, this guy gets. And he's going to say to you, you taste like defeat and he's going to heal with second wind. Ooh, yikes. How did he defeat the taste? What is second win from, God? It's a fighter. It's a fighter, oh, cool.

He's, I think he's an attack. He's in a lot of fighter. And that's his turn. So he didn't cheat there. Oh, that was so close. We have twists, we have tons of twists. He isn't fired. No.

No. Did you use that? That would be 20 to hit. And I would say, yes. I'm just kidding. I'm kidding. You gotta get used to me. It's a Carmen Mickey. I would say, My friends have done nothing to aid me.

But if you liked that, have a little bit of this. And I just slam my forehead in his nose and try and just crack in the nose. You hear a loud crack as his nose cracks to the nose cracks to the same. side marring his gorgeous face. Blood streaming down from his nose. Seven? Yeah, seven. Do I have any ability to break out of his hold of me?

Did he use an action to try? I could use my action to do with them. I think so. If he keeps up his grapple, I believe, it has a beautiful apple. Acrobatics are uplachs. I could be wrong, but I think that's how it works. We just slamming each other with head butts back and forth. He's basically just grappling back and forward for the new.

And so it is his turn. He is going to... He is going to... He is going to attack you. Uh, uh, natural 15, so yeah, he's gonna hit. Man, it's a landed shock. He's hitting his shocks. But I rolled a 1 on the D8, so that's fine.

Six points of damage, bludgeoning damage. Um, and he is going to a... attempt to continue to grapple you. And so another athletics contest. Yeah, he's disadvantaged on that. Oh, really? Yeah, because of heck. Oh, shit.

We got a natural one. Oh, there we go. Unless you get a natural one. Well, no, even if you get a natural one, he has to beat you. He has to legitimately beat you. So you, he punches into you, directly into your gut,

and the force is so strong. It knocks you forward a bit. I throw up on. The oil, you do. No, you don't. The able on you, wrenches you from his grasp, as you're now about five feet in front of him,

both you staring each other down. Your Grim. Come on, Yorghum. Oh, baby. Nice. A one-two skidoo. Well, the natural 20. There we do.

The one-dural 20. Yes! Well done. I'm gonna twist to drug that. Yeah! Oh. Bring it back. Bring it back.

You got. Did you roll again? You roll again. Spike it. You got it. You got it. Two in a little. Oh.

It's right there. It's a little worse. It's a little worse. What is it? It is a... No, I can twist it. You can twist a twist it. You can't twist a twist.

It's two. No, it's two misses. Yikes. As you move in and you attempt to hit him. As old, old, old Billy begins to move back and forth and your fist whizzes past him as he goes to strike in on you. He is going to action surge and he is going to take both of his actions to make his punch attacks. Yeah, he needs him.

Is he still disadvantage against you or advantage? No, I don't think so. So it's just a regular attack? Yeah, it'll just be normal. One is a natural one, but the other one is a natural 19, so one of them. is going to hit. I'll yell at Billy. And I got a full eight.

Thirteen points of bludgeoning damage. God, that's so much. I carry the one. Oh, yeah, you're talking about. You're going to say. I can't do my voice. I'm going to yell at Billy and say, your mother teach you to fight that way.

I can't do my voice at the moments I'm laughing. He's not even going to turn and look towards you. just trying to just about them. Well, yes, Farron, she did. She was quite capable with a fist. I don't like the way this is going, Mary's.

I don't really know what to make of that. So are you still standing? Yeah, yeah. Okay. And so that's his turn. He attempted to use both of his actions to, or two actions. Oh, and because he's got a bonus action,

he is going to attempt to cheat. Oh, so he still chained? Huh? This would be the second time. Okay. Classic, Billy. 15 doesn't hit, so no, he's gonna miss. As he swings in, but you're able to dodge out of the way, you all see very easily the glint of the tiny blade that is encased in his fist, as it just narrowly misses your Grimm's cheek.

Look, he's cheating. He's still shaking. As he ends, is that all saying, okay, every crowd with me. You don't know the words. It's your name. Yorgrim, the night the mist. And then I will sing that, and I'm going to cast Ealing Word at a second level on Yorgram because he cheated.

Billy drop that blade all shove it up yours. I would yell to Yorbrim. I would yell to Yorgrim and say, you need to call this off the man has a blade. How's he to look at one two each bit? Oh, he looks fine. Oh, fuck. I mean, he's second winded.

He's, he's feeling good. It's like, it's a game. Points of healing is all you can get. I mean, eight points is a lot. That's half of one of his grits. We're about to clear the fucking benches. And it is your turn or mine? Well, oh, it was my turn.

I can't remember. Oh, yes, yes, it's your turn. All right, I'll swing out of him again. 21. That helps. He seven miles an inch. Mm-hmm. All right.

He takes the damage and you see a cut appear on the side of his face. A couple of bruises beginning to form, but he is holding strong as he is going to go in with his punch and he is going to hit. Of course he is. Another max damage.

13 points of bludgeoning damage and an athletics contest as he once again attempts to grapple you and he is at disadvantage because of is it athletics or just straight? Athletics. Yeah, you are able to wiggle out of his craft that hex doing work. All right, I'll throw it back. I 13 misses. He dodges out of the way and No. And just as, just as you dodge out of the way,

he goes in with his punch yet again and gets a natural too. So he is going to use his bonus action to cheat. He's gonna use his bonus action cheat, and he still fails. I got two threes in a row. I don't think this fella's fight an affair. I mean, I don't think I know.

He still has the knife. Yeah, clearly. And you can see that there's a little bit of blood in his eyes and he's wiping the sweat blood from his eyes as he's fighting you, but his punches aren't landing as hard as they had been before. It's your turn. Interesting. Should we do something? He's not dropping the knife. This hasn't been a fair fight from the beginning. And your room doesn't want anyone to interfere.

It's too late for that. Ten misses. He is going to use that opportunity to jump in on you. 16? The image? No, to hit. Oh. Oh, yeah, you're 18, you're 18. And then after one, okay, I need to move you away. Uh-oh. As this fight is continuing to unfold in front of us,

I'll shout out at the rest of Williams' friends. Cross the way. They're still chanting Billy, Billy, Billy. Listen, look, look at the dagger in his hand. Look at your hero. Billy, kill him, Billy. Fuck him up. He's fucking cheap.

What happened? Is your turn? Uh, uh. Just leave the door up in here for you, Fowl. You got a chance. It's missing. The phone's ringing. It's destiny calling.

I'm sworn or fudge. Will you take the charges? Yeah, he called your ass collect. Uh. Look, I'm sorry. Well. Oh, boy. Oh, boy.

All right. He is going to. he's going to punch in with a 16. No. And then the chief will hit as he hits with one arm. And then he comes around with the blade and he is able to slice you with it doing nine points of poison damage

because I rolled max on a D4. And then I need to make a Constitution saving drill. The good is it all I don't have to, because that will kill me. You'll be a zero, not 10. Wait, wait, do you have the orcish thing? It's only half-hors? Oh, that's half-horks. As he misses with the right hook,

he swings in with the left and you all see, as the blade shines easily and collides with Yorker's face, a gash appears across his cheek. Your eyes begin to roll back as William looks up at you, and he laughs as he rears back with his foot and kicks you square in the chest, throwing you back into the fighting ring as he spits down at you and he says, I told you I was the stronger one, idiot. And he kicks dirt at you and he turns around and he begins to walk away.

And he doesn't look at any of you as he says, your friend has made a fool of you. We'll meet again. and next time you won't be walking away. You are unconscious. That's the go, we have to get in there. And just as soon as he steps up out of the ring, his cronies swarm around him,

and almost like a swarm of insects and pests, they nearly carry him down the alley and away. And you are left with your grim, unconscious in the middle of this fighting pit. I want to heal a Yorkroom, but I cast instant diarrhea. You cast the ground. You hear... Why are you seeing him?

You hear down the alleyway. Oh, boss, what the fuck smell? Jesus. Oh, yeah, I would immediately jump in the pit and run to Yorkroom. I jump down and I will immediately go, Yorkrim. And with his name as the word of command, I will cast Healing Word. I'd like to call out, as Derek says that.

Oh, Mr. Van Brunt, now that you finish that tense fight, you should probably relax all of your muscles very tensely. I'm the cast of Jession on him as he's walking away and then play the brown note on my band. What is he after a role? I know it's possible because I've played Caprice, but I'm a cleric. I can't be like, oh, it's a faith real hard in your pants.

It's a Wisdom 15. 13. 15. So he, I suggest that he sheds himself. He's, uh, you, you can't even. And I play the brown note on my banjo. You can't see, uh, what's going on. Um, you can't see Van Brunt. He's swallowed by his cronies. And they are making quick haste down at the closest alleyway. But you do actually hear the words, hey boss, what the fuck's that smell? And then that's the last you here about. So that is canonically what I think of now. I speak out to you. You feel seven points. I see death saves.

Yes, have you adjust your HP and go up to seven and I'll go away. Yeah, because his attack was not lethal. I've never made death saves and D&D beyond, but I understand they're like faces and stuff where they're like... Yeah, they're hearing. I would help you administer your aid. Yeah, I'm there. I obviously call upon my mistress of pain to undo the pain that you're feeling now. to the initial set, but pretty quickly you and I are probably both working to make sure that the cuts are cleaned of getting out of each other's ways, that sort of thing.

I would say we probably work extremely well together when it comes to administering medicine. Are you going to wake up? Are you okay? Where is he? He's long. He's a fucking cheez, what he is. Ran away, I see. How do you feel? I just cough out a bunch of blood.

Well, I'm sorry. I'll give him some, I'll take some mushroom and, uh, well, mushroom. What mushroom? Yeah, you're a big, you know, mushrooms. Yeah, you can't. A mushroom. You took mushrooms from the hut. Oh, not that mushroom.

Oh, no, not that one. Here. Here. Oh my god, his penis is a durian! That's a word! Wrong one. No, not that mushroom. I will take some mushroom that I had in my

satchel that I brought from a forest with me and crush some up into a little cup and pour some water from my water skin and hand it to him to drink, and I'll cast Carol Williams on you with a beautiful. I need to all roll a perception check. The mushroom water that you get to do? Yes, you do. Sorry.

Hey! It tastes like it. Everything's going to be okay. And then just let me know who rolled the highest. What was it, perception? Perception, please. Oh, not me. I'm a 21.

11. 24. Now, and that's a lot to go. I'll walk up and I'll take my hat off. And I'll look really sad. And I'll say, I'll say, well, I'm 14. I'll say, well, I'm sorry that wasn't going as well as you were hoping. Yorghum.

I thought my song would have changed the tide, but if it's any consolation, they'll probably be calling him Van Brown from now on. So let me get this right. What Farron told me is right. You were cheating as well. Me? No. Want it cheat? I saw your hands.

You made some epic gestures. You didn't cast any magic. What was this? I cheated. Oh, I think. Just have a twitch then, eh? Yeah. I don't...

I don't think that... No. All deception, see if you can convince the mother of mine. Insight? Yeah. And he wants to figure out whether he's a liar. Not that you don't already suspect it. I got a 20.

Yeah, he's a liar. I don't know. Yeah, well, yeah. Well, no, I only heal your room because he pulled out of life. 22. Look, all I was doing is that the second he made his first hit on your room, something was up. That hit was too unnaturally for that guy. I mean, Sim.

Thinking about the punch, the initial punch, did that look like raw strings? I mean, he got a crit on his first punch. Yeah, I mean, that was a kidney shot, but it wasn't a dagger blade, and it wasn't... No. That was an unusually lucky shot, but it was not. It was a fair fight until we began to interfere.

Look, he had luck on his side, and I was just giving Yogi some of my luck. That's all always to me. I don't think that makes it any less cheating. I mean, I did cheat because I felt very peer-pressured by what you did, and then I saw Yorghum get bleeding out from the terrible dagger wound. And then I couldn't help myself. I was so into the music, he just has the power to heal sometimes.

Lethica, as you're listening to this, you hear the sound of pattering footsteps coming from the alleyway behind you. I would immediately turn. expecting one of Don Brunt's companions or somebody drunk listening in on us while we're driving this private conversation. I would want to make sure that we're alone. You look and you all watch this, all of a sudden Lethika rolls around and stares down the alleyway behind you and listens and looks intently and at first Lethika you don't see anything at all because you're looking in the wrong space. You hear the sound

again and your eyes move from where you would expect to see an adult and move down to where you see a small girl standing in the shadows. And as she sees you notice her, you see Anya make her way out of the shadows. Like, hello? Do you know who I am still? Like, you remember me? Hello. What are you doing here?

It's the middle of the night. I know. I have something empty tell you and I'm like super scared. How did you find us? What have you been doing? I've been wandering the streets all alone. I brush over and I'll just try to hold my hand over her eyes. What?

Everybody's fucking in the street. I know. I like totally saw it and you're super gross. I saw some nice buttholes. Well, I suppose I can't shield you from those eyeballs that have already what been seen. You're just like, totally okay or you're like totally gonna die. I watched that. fights and you could have won if he wasn't like super stupid. I'll be fine, youngling.

So. So. So what, what are you trying to? What are you going to tell us? Do you want to see something that's like cool, but also like horrifying and not cool at all? Yes, very much. And she, you notice she has a little satchel at her side. Why? I want to see that.

She reaches in and she pulls out a glass. glass jar that's glowing with the same fungus that Farron had taken from the Hagot. Where did she get that child? So, like, I found it on the window still at the orphanage tonight before I was going to go to bed. And so then I was like, well, that's kind of weird, though. I really like it. Because, look, it's, like, glowing. Oh, and if you shake it, like, not glitters, but, like, little lights come off of it,

and they dance around, and it's kind of cool. But so the thing is, like, I'm super scared because the matron has been spending a lot of time outside in the woods, and they showed up when she came back. Do you think that's, like, good or bad? You are speaking of Maggie McDonough. Like yetos. Certainly is not good. How are the other children in the orphanage?

You know, like, the ones that are dead are not doing so well, but the ones that are alive are still alive. that. No change. No. Nothing like the transformation of the... No, but like I was not snooping because that would be sinful, but I was like looking around with purpose and other people's stuff and like I found a couple more of these

jars all over the place. They totally weren't there yesterday. I know it. Like you just found multiple jars of this stuff in the orphanage? Yeah, like in different places. not all of it looks like this, like sometimes it's mushed up and like sometimes it's chopped up and stuff, but it's all like this where it's like super green and like illuminate and stuff. And it's all in jars. Is she still holding the jar? Yeah.

Well, you give your jar that you have your perfid. Yes. Do I have to give it the way? Because you know, I snooped in someone else's stuff for a long time to get this. with purpose. That's what I said. I looked with purpose in other people's stuff to get this. You don't have to do anything. Do you want me to open it and give it to her? No, I want you to keep it as it is and just give it to it. Okay, so like in my heart dear, no. You're not. Yeah, no, sure. And she hands it out for you. Thank you. Okay, but so like the real question is, like, I don't want to sleep at the orphanage tonight. Great free, no. Yeah, kind of. You. You know, like it's just weird. Like all of a sudden she was out in the woods and now like she's back and stuff.

Like what if she found that they snooped in her stuff and she gets mad at me and puts me in like a cage or something? What does she get me to Hugo? Oh my gosh, you should get me to Hugo! You should not be afraid of Hugo. Have you seen the cages on his back? Oh my gosh if I was in one! Yes, it would be bad to be in one, but you would not put her. Wonderful and beautiful... Don't you think she might...

Don't you think he might put me little girls inside of cages? No, he only puts two singles inside of cages. So it's not sinful to steal other people's stuff? Not tonight. No, that's definitely sinful. I've been paying attention. Not tonight. Oh, not tonight! If I had a nose, I would be doing this.

So it was totally okay for me to steal this. I mean, to take it from somebody with purpose, because it was important and even though it was their stuff, it's now mine? Well, yes. Would it be bad? I think we need to get into the particulars of it exactly. But maybe we should walk our home and see if everything is right to be. No, I don't want to go back there. Can I stay with you?

I would have suggested the same, but your room's in no condition. That's true. You can take me back in the morning. I promise, I won't put up in any fights and I won't go through your stuff, as long as you don't leave it out. I'm worried about waiting until morning to get to the orphanage. I don't see any other way. If presumably this has been going on a whole time.

I don't know, right? What's one more nine? I want to take out the mushrooms that I had gotten from the hut and compare it to the ones in the jar and see if, like, does one with, like, new growth versus old growth or, like, are they the same? I would say the one that she handed you looks to be fresher. So you're going to let me stay with you tonight?

And she looks at you, like, think about Puss and Boots in Shrek 2, with her big eyes as she looks out at you. Just for one night, I promise I won't be a nuisance. Anya, have you ever spent a night away from the orphanage before? Yeah, before my parents died. And what was the consequence? What do you mean? Did they punish you for leaving? Well, if I left my house when my parents were alive, I'm sure they would have been real a man.

But Maggie, like... You can't call her that she gets real mad. I tried to call her Mags once, and she looked at me with daggers in her eyes. It was like, real scary. Oh, you're gonna know as a thing or two about daggers in his person, flesh. So anyway, like, what I'm trying to say is that I don't even think she'll notice, because like, she went upstairs and went to bed, and once she takes her little tonic, she is like, you know?

Sometimes I can see her snoring through the roof. It is a dangerous night, and I do not think that we will find anything at the orphanage. But you know, if you don't want me, I will go back alone. No, no, you can stymophon. That'll be just fine. Okay, cool. I would like that. I think maybe we should get off the street.

It's pretty late. I would say it's nearing. It's the witching hour now. It's like well past midnight at this point. And traveling since we can. definitely looks tired. Yorbram, can you stand? Yes. I'm going to offer my head to help you up.

I appreciate it. Okay. It's okay, Marius. Like, his pride this totally hurt because he just got the shit beat out of the film. Well, I didn't want to be that guy, but... Like, no offense. Yoram, I think we need to have a conversation about... You ever heard the...

the story of the boy that had the wax wings and flew, he thought he was so strong and powerful. He flew too close to the sun. It flew all the way up to the sun? Well, no, he tried to, and the sun didn't like it very much, so the sun sent a bunch of evil of cack hawks and devoured the boy and turned him into a whole bunch of pieces and he'd add him up whole.

That is such a cold story. What I'm getting is that... So don't kiss off the sun, you're going to... Have a little bit of humility. I feel like Von Braun, I don't even say it now. I feel like I'm watching my friend make mistake after mistake. And I think that Van Brut cooked you up a big old piece of humble pie and you ate the whole thing in one bag.

Do you have more stories like that? Oh, now I got plenty of stories. I also, oh, I think I also have children. Most of my stories are great for children, but they're a little grim. But you're grim, I'm grim, the book is grim, But then, no, we got a book. What is the earth is he talking about? I'll try to fish out the book

that I, do I have the book on my person? Is that the last one to have it? What story book? The story book. Oh. I have it, I have it, I think. Didn't you give it to me? Oh, it's in the bag of holding with creepy art.

Oh, that's right, yeah. It's right. I was going to ask for it, but then there were horrible riots. Right. Or a riots. Such as life. We should probably go somewhere, where I can crawl into bed and get like super comfy.

Maybe have a glass of milk and like get to sleep. We have a place like that. Let's just make our way. Okay. I would really go before a step away. I walk over at Jericho, put my giant work hands on our shoulders, and just say,

I know it might seem like just making mistake after mistake or this madness drove me into the pit. But you can learn everything you need to know from fighting in one-on-one honor. Not. I had to know if my feelings about him were driven by anger and clouded my judgment, or if he was truly what I believed him to be.

Well, I guess that makes sense, but I will tell you, being friends with Briggsie, I don't think any fight is ever going to be fair in your future, nor neither fair nor honorable. Well, the only thing that matters to me is that he was the first one to cheat, and nobody did anything until he cheated. Well, I think that's probably true. Also, but I think that you should also say sorry to Marius, because he offered you a hand and you rejected it. I don't think that's very nice or friendly. We should all be more friendly. A feeling hurt? Excuse me? Feelings hurt. Don't mean to hurt your feelings. With your hand, I just knew that I could stand. And, um, all right.

Just asking, said that... Your group. What, yes? I was crafted to easily manipulate the feelings of children and simple townsfolk. Can you really do that? Easily manipulate my feelings. I'm a children and also a simple townsfolk. Well, I did just entranced with the concept of being told the story, didn't I?

I know, but you totally didn't do it. No, I'm real sad. That's what you mean. We should get going The point I'm making is it doesn't matter if someone's feelings are hurt or not You're trying to be friendly That's all I'm saying We should all be friends

We must get dressed I have a date that sometimes Who do you have a date with? Are you going to like make the cheesy faces? Are you going to see his butthole? No I mean An appointment A time to meet someone we all do Oh, roll.

Um, uh, Marco. Voldo. Captain Voldo. Captain of the Guard. Oh. I'm sort of open to see him tonight. He was going to be back in, at dusk up, I think.

I hope that he's, uh, he's okay. I'm sure he didn't run in, I'm sure he and his, his, I'm sure he and his, I'm sure he and his nights are good at killing mind goblins. They seem to capable enough. What is the mind goblin? I don't... Marius, told me all about it. Marius, when we get back to her,

for we're sleeping, can you tell me the story of the mind goblin? I wish I had any idea what you were talking about. But Jericho just said that you told him a story about the mind goblin, and that all I had to do is ask you and you would tell me a story of the mindgoblin, but now I'm...

No, I'll tell you the story of the mindgoblin. I just want you're going to remember the story of the young boy with the wax winds and the horrible sunset, demon holmes. Sounds like the boy was very strong to create, until the sun.

Okay, well, since you don't want to go back and go to sleep, I'm going to walk alone. No, when they're going to go right. I'm sorry. I'll grab her in a house. And is with them. They use swiftly for the sake of property, make your way back to the house.

You use the key to enter inside and all is quiet. There is no food left out for you, almost as if they knew that you would be having dinner with the, with the bishop. And it sounds of sleep. You can tell of their movement. You can see a candlelight under the door of what you know to be Colette's room. And you can see the occasional pacing of what you imagine to be Francois. And you see the, you can see the shadow cast by the form of Colette's

mother as she's clearly rocking in a chair, maybe holding her daughter, maybe rocking next to her. But they're clearly in the room with her while they attempt to nurse her back to health from the witch sickness that ideally should be cured in the morning. As you make your way to the bedroom that you have and you get set up in there, it's really easy to pull out enough bedding to make a small spot for Anya to sleep somewhere in this room fairly close to you. And you all do the things that you do to get ready for bed. Is there anything additional that any of you would like to do? Yep Privacy, pray, take my mask off

Lights and incense Put my hair down Just have some shard time, you know Standard All right I just shout out really Really quick I would go over to Marius

And Just say Jericho's where I'd have I've been on my own for So long the last time I had. I don't know others help me.

You immediately hear Anya's voice. I was like totally not eavesdropping, but like that's really understandable because most of the kids that are at the orphanage are dead, so like I have a hard time talking to them too. Not the dead ones, but like the lived ones. You hear my voice from behind the curtain. You said you were asleep on you.

I can't go to sleep until someone tells me a story. Jericho promised the good devil. I'm looking watching your room walk away from there. That's, look at that. We're becoming better friends. And it's okay. I never had any companions before. See, Virgil, I have friends and stay away from that loon.

And we could have a story. If you would hand me the story book, we'll pick one, pick one that the young lady would like the most with the nicest picture. You have like a full storybook? Let the good I mean bad to Jericho Let the cock in the place of their storybook Do Jericho Goddomia's story

Just ask the creepy bag to give it the old Oh uh Mr. Creepy bag if I may call you that My name is old Jericho split You can call me Jericho Motuspoke too Would you mind procuring the children's A storybook? Book of Stories? If you want to crawl over there and get them this in order for us to get some sleep, you may be so.

But if you will touch any child this after night, I promise I will come you and something you wish not to be. The bag is completely silent and there's no motion that comes from it at all. Miss Lothagammer. Until finally, the mouth of the bag opens up. You don't see any arm emerge, but the storybook is tossed across the room. We're gonna... Thank you, kindly. Thank you, Bag.

Thank you, Beck. That's Dirk's favorite thing. Well, they don't really... Might as well. It's not getting away from an intention. I'm getting some real Adam's family vibes from Bag, and I'm really into it. Some real Adam's family.

I would like to step forward, and I would have put my banjo off to the side, and I would have... Everybody else gets into bed, and they close their eyes. Huh? I have stuff I'd like to do. She's gonna see me impaired to that.

Well, why don't you tell me what you would like to do? Knowing that the mirror bells are all in the same room together in the house, I would like to speak about a little bit and kind of go into their master bedroom like we had before, check again for any, all the areas we had checked for like the witch ball, and then I'd also like to go outside the house and, presuming there's a window on Colette's room, check outside the window. It's on the second four. I'll look up and see if there's focus on this. Okay. A roll an investigation check for me, please. 20. I will say you are quickly able to do this and you attempt to get this done before Anya

is laid down to bed knowing that any kind of additional movement could wake a child and then you're going to have to read her more stories and it's going to be a two hour long excursion and so you make your way out and you begin checking around the house and outside and your first stop is outside. And you look up and you can see in the window, clear as day, that Zepharine is rocking Anya, or not Anya, there's rocking Colette in her arms and she is occasionally placing kisses on her head. You can see Francois pacing back and forth and the outside of the house looks pristine.

No signs of fungus whatsoever. As you make your way into the bedroom, you look everywhere for signs of, you're of witch balls, et cetera, and you find nothing until you come to the window sill and you find a jar of fungus. Good. I will... That had not been there the day before. I'll slide open the window quietly and take the jar with me, kind of concealing it,

and working into the room. Okay. Oh, sure. And then, um, you were, you were doing? Yeah. You can make into the room, slip into bed. Um, while that was the case, I was. would basically pick up the book and I'd say well come here women and look at the I don't

know if they're pictures in this book yeah I would say what you like to I would flip through with the pages and say where did you get this book oh this book belongs to the little one which is collect that's a lie where'd you get this book we we found it here in Colette no no this is this is you have a book like it no this is you have a book This is my book. No. This is my book and it was taken from me when they into the orphanage. Where did you get this book? And she looks visibly angry. She stands up and stomps her feet. And she crosses her arms and she stares down to you. Look at the front page. My initials are on there. A.A. Look at it. I mean, I do occasionally black eyes. Anya Adelaide. That's my name. I will flip to see the initials. You open it. clear as day, there are the initials AA written on the inside of the book.

How did that little girl got my book? It's all I had from my family. It's all I had from home. I'm sure she would be... I'm trying my stuff back on and turning the mess to my face. I'm sure she would be happy to

give it back to you if you explained that it was taken from you. That does not seem like the type of youngling that would I want to write her wrong. I'm just going to take it. She has no say it's my book. Well, I mean, to be fair...

And you said tonight I could do whatever I wanted. I could steal! God, Jesus. I came back to get us real quick. Damn. Well, why don't we start with telling a nice story from it, from your book, so you already know all the stories.

Why don't you tell me what's your favorite one is? My favorite one is, there's one in there, and it's about a horrible werewolf, and like this little girl that wears a lot of bread. And at the end, the werewolf eats everybody. Well, that sounds like a very pleasant, delightful age-appropriate story.

And the best part about it is there is a song in the very back that don't go into the beastwood, don't go and get out! Get out of the beastwood! Go! I'm trying to be... Run! Get out!

It's a very loud on pleasant song. Oh, well, I just... Okay, I'll... And I'll do... Who wants to... I'll be the narrator? Who wants to be the evil werewolf? Little Turner should not snore like this.

She won't be dead soon. Would anyone still care for a bedtime story? Oh, I sleep. So who's... Are you asleep? I am... I've been trying to get everyone to comment. down I go to the fuck's asleep. You can tell

but I'm still awake, though. So to anyone who is still awake when I return to the room, now that I see that Anna is asleep, I'll kind of lowly whisper. I found something. They're badgered. I haven't anticipated this reveal.

I will slide back the privacy screen, and I'm dressed and ready to go. What is it? I woke up like this. Maybe she's born with it, you could show it. Maybe it's a mask. Maybe it's a mask. I'll retrieve the jar of mushroom that I take in.

This is the jar that I'm making it. I found it on our windows there. In their beverage. That's right with the mirror building. Mirabels. Mirabels. The Mirabels.

The Mirabels, veteran. Is it the same substance of the family town? I'm assuming. Mm-hmm. Yes. Yes. Well, I'm gonna go wake up the rest of the gang. I don't know if they'll be, they might be mighty crawls.

Hey, everybody, wait till we found some fleets. What? What did you find? No, not you. I'm just fell in late. It's too late. I'm awake now. What is it, Jericho?

We found another jar on the windows of... What? The fungus, the mushrooms, the goo. Here at this house. On the window sill. Exactly. It was making the children sick. It wasn't on the child's windows of.

It was on the parents. Well, but even at the orphanage, the witch balls were under the bed of those that fell ill. It would be something like that. This jar, the mushrooms are completely whole. whole. They're not chopped up, they're not mashed. All of them that we found so far have been whole, correct? No, the ones that you found in the hot, there were some mash, there were some

cut out, there were some whole. The ones in the jars that Anya brought were where, they were like mashed, et cetera, none of them were whole. So it was kind of like mushroom paste, like a glowing mushroom paste. Yeah, yeah, like a glowing mushroom paste. And I will say with my with my roll for a little Anya, I know what that mushroom is. What is it? That came from the mines. Oh.

How do you know that? Because I've seen them before. And the mines? No, in pictures. The mines were closed up a long time ago, but they used to find this in the mines all the time. They're like along the walls and stuff, like deep underground and they would give light and stuff. I don't know what they're used for. Is this story from a story from your book?

No, the stories from my book are about a lot of people dying and horrible stuff, and they're great. I have a question for you, Farron. Please excuse my ignorance when it comes to things like this, but... Assuming that this is a bad sign, I always assumed that mushrooms would need to be open and out to cause any real harm to a person, but... If that, being in a jar, is enough to harm someone, perhaps we shouldn't be near it. I'm wondering if it's not what that's been used for. It's only been found on the outside of the homes and it's got quite a light to it.

Perhaps it's just a marking it. Well, I was. I originally thought that the witch balls were marking something as well. People were marked for death almost. So maybe this is another kind of just a marking. Don't you think it would just be too apparent? No, that a lot of strange, creepy light

does seem a little obvious on the news, you might say. If I would put my hands around the jar, like, do I feel sick? Do I feel anything from that? Nope. It's very strange. Uh, little one.

Yeah, what do you want? I'm not learning to get asleep. You should have gone back to the orphanage. I'll be asleep by now. But I wouldn't have my book, so. Did you see? Did the matron bring these back? Were any of the use?

Well, I assume that she brought them back because they showed up after she got back and she's been spending a lot of time out in the woods. Were they all full? We're all what full? All of the jars of fungus. No. They're kind of like how that one is, where it's the bottom.

I'm all outside. On the cells. Windows. No, like all over the place. I found one in the closet. I found one on the table somewhere. I found one underneath the chair. I found like three of them on the window seal.

There's kind of like all over the place. All we can do is confront as soon as possible. Sweet. Do you remember from any of your stories of these dangerous machines? I have no idea. I just know that they came out of the mine. It's pretty common. You could really just show basically anyone, them and ask like,

hey, do you know what this is? And like, literally anyone in town could have been like, oh yeah, I've totally seen that. I mean, I think that leads credence to thinking that the mushrooms themselves probably aren't dangerous. What means that someone has been going in there to board it up mind? That's right. That is pretty freaky, because they close that place off, you know. The Tebalahs are there now.

Surely they would find some evidence of it not being abandoned all this time, right? Then... Then... Tomorrow, when Sir Marco is coming back, tomorrow, right? And he's going to meet us in the square, right? So we can bring him to the jars, and then we can take him. You should totally ask him, see if he sees the NAR down there. Like, I'm really good help.

You should keep me. Have you talked about adopting, like, a little, like, you know, seven-year-old girl? Has it, like, correct your mind? Like one? No, yes, it has. Really? Yeah, I think that we'd love that.

Yes, of course. I'm so excited. I can't wait to get back to the orphanage. I'm going to tell the matron that I'm being adopted. Oh, no, whoa. Yes! He means in the more metaphorical sense. Oh, no, yeah.

Not literally adopting you. We do very dangerous things. Okay, but I was like really, really need to go to bed now, so can you all, like, shut up and let me get to sleep? Yeah, I really need to go to bed too. This whole sleeping thing is, like, new since the whole thing. And I really enjoy it now.

You understand? Well, you know, when you leave, you won't be able to. Oh, I guess if you get your thing, then yeah, wouldn't you? I'm going to enjoy it won't less. All the way. Do I remember in what context we've heard about

the people going mad from the minds or reminds me something for the point? You're not going mad from the minds necessarily,

but you know that Knights Templar were going out there because of the witch problem. That was the general direction. They were

dancing firelight in that general direction, and nights were not coming back. And we've found their bodies, right?

So I'm conflating the madness that we were in the which diseases. There were adults that were going mad. The children were going sick. We're getting sick.

The mushrooms that we got out of the hut, do I remember that when we went back at, like when I pulled them out later that they had begun to glow less? No. I would say they haven't grown less. They're just like slowly starting to, you know, they're not in the earth anymore,

so they're starting to decay and return to earth. I guess that's my question. So it's not like they're eternally fresh. Yeah, that's kind of what I'm. getting out so we know because these are glowing brightly that they were freshly picked okay interesting I worry that the presence of this even in the containers therein will cause us hot you have any of the same fears there we seem to be harmless but there's really only one way to check that out I'll pop

the lid off and sniff it and do I get me a little more do I get hot I would say, there will be no role for this, you sniff it and you watch as a couple of these green spores are essentially inhaled into your nose and you immediately see as for irises glow with a faint lilac light before quickly shifting back to their regular color. I guess I don't see that. But you don't feel anything different.

I take several steps back and cover my face with the quality. I stand up. No, no, put it in, put it in, put it. the jar, the jar lid, lid, put it on, okay, there we go. Good job, Miss Farron. Your eyes went a little cookey, little, uh, purple-y, is it purple? Is it purple? Is it, even one violet? Oh, Lila, Lila. What's the difference? Not normal, I don't think. We don't have many layers out in the forest. I assume that's a change. That must be what they're using. We're the witch balls.

are killing people. Oh, who? And these things are to make people sick. Who the fuck knows why to do any of this? I don't know if I should have this. Uh, maybe Mr. Bag? He's the bag. He's the bag. He's the bag.

I didn't seem to be making me sick in the jar of it. I doubt the bag in joy. Just to be safe. He's the bag. He's the bag. I do agree here. If you begin to feel ill, we may not be able to help you. We need you.

I'm sure I'll be right. I mean, if you don't have a constitution saving through. I'm just kidding. I know. I have a five-second delay. I sure there's nothing that comes out of your mouth. My team's Faising. I look like he was going to pew.

Fairfurt you know it. I'll carefully place each of the three jars into the bag. Every single time it's like. Yep. The hand just reaches up. and takes it and pulls it in. It kind of greases nice. All mushrooms have never been good ghosts.

We need to talk about your history with mushrooms at some point in your room, but now's not the time. You all feel, it is now almost 3, 4 o'clock in the morning, and if you're going to get enough rest to be able to meet up with the captain of the guard, then you're going to have to go to sleep fairly soon.

I'm already behind my screen. Yeah. I'm in front of bed and picking out my mouth. I'm going to prayer. Good night. We have our plan. I think it's a good one. I'll go to the broom closet.

And you all settle in for sleep, and as you slowly start to drift off, you hear, good night, my mom and dads. Good night, honey. As you settle down for the evening, your body's weary, the screams of the evening's witch trials still echo in your ears.

After much restlessness, you are frightened able to drift off to sleep and you all dream. The exact same dream. The darkness of slumber is shattered by amber light that surrounds and consumes you. It radiates from a spot in the distance that slowly grows and grows as a sound of church bells clang around you. Soon, all you can see is amber as the tolling bells turn to a deafening drone of reverberating musical metal. Within the amber light you see seven dark shapes, zooming over you, all horned and winged as they bellow out guttural, malevolent roars.

You stare at them in horror as something begins to overtake you, uncontrollable emotions rising up from the very core of your beings. You all feel sinful. You feel the need to indulge wholly in the respective sin that has been threatening to consume you. Suddenly, the overwhelmingly tempting the lure of sin abates, and darkness returns in an instant. Around you, the sound of gnashing maws and tearing flesh erupts into the darkness, as if some grotesque feast is playing out ahead of you. Through the darkness, you see the silhouettes of two beastly figures hunched over an unmoving third. As each creature illuminates in the darkness, you see the blood and gore of a macabre meal.

A huge and grotesque centipede and pigeon devour the entrails of a disemboweled weasel. The two vermin stop their feasting to slowly turn their eyes on you. they are the color of lilac. Immediately the horrid bechial dinner is swallowed by shadow once more, and all that remains in the darkness are two tiny red motes of light that continue to grow and grow. You stare into two glowing red eyes, peering from the hood of a cloaked feminine shape as it slowly walks toward you. You see nothing but its silhouette in the orbs of light within as a strange woman stops

before you and reaches up to pull back her hood. With a swift motion of her hands, she lets the robe fall from her body and pool at her feet. As your eyes focus on the body before you, you are not met with the form of a woman, but instead, shrouded in darkness, a goat's skull sits before you. In its darkened eye sockets, two red gems illuminate the darkness as they glaze with ruby light. You stare in horror as the skull stares back at you. And then the skull begins to grow. It increases in size as the silence of the dark. is pierced by the sound of slithering flesh.

The skull grows muscle, tended, sinew, blood vessels, then skin as it transforms into a horrific beauchel goat with twisted ebony horns. Its bulging red eyes squish around the blazing rubies as coarse black hair grows from the newly formed skin. The head of a monstrous demonic black goat stares at you with horizontal, nearly rectangular pupils before letting out a horrifying bleat.

A hexagram of runic magic quickly framed, its animalistic face as behind it glows the terrible light of the hag moon. The crone-like face of it twisting and moving as it opens its gnarled mouth and swallows the goat head hole. It then turns its craterous eyes toward you and an ancient voice croaks out two words. My sacrifice. You awake in a start, drenched in sweat and you hear the clanging of alarm bells and the shouts of panic voices around you. Through the window, you see the flickering orange glow of fire in the city. Oh, no. What's going on? I leave the room closet. Did anyone have a dream?

I just had a drink. What did you do about? Yes. I dreamed about a horrible face and a goat and monsters and seven things and... I'm looking out the window while he's describing this. And the moon. And the moon? No, I had a same fucking dream. It was a share. It was a show. The only question I have in my mind was, was it shared by just a six or the city? Little one! Little one! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Well, I really woke me up. I was like a sleep for like two minutes.

Oh, are you having pleasant dreams? No, it's never any dreams at all! Okay, good night, have a good night. Sweet dreams, sweet dreams, go sleep! No, no, she has to wake up. The house is up on you. It does not. Okay. I would say you're easily quickly able to run over

the window and you see that you scan the horizon of Cyril and this house is very close to the cathedral at the highest point of the city you're able to see out over everything before you and at first you don't see it as smoke is billing everywhere and then your eyes notice it the orphanage in flames oh oh we need to go is this is this awesome and accident and I'll get my hat out oh yeah I'll get dressed Getting ready to go. I get my banjo. I'm pulling one from the office to go out the door.

It's no accident right after we all shared that dream. It's not over yet. Even if she is dead. We bring her. Make sure she stay safe. You're right. She looks up to you your grim and she reaches up her arms. I'll be up. I picked her up.

Is her mares? Do you want to need the way? On my shoulders. Perfect. She rests her back on the tombstone. Perfect. She wraps her arm around your neck and she rapses her arm around your neck and she kisses your cheek. Thank you, New Dad. Comfortable.

Yes, comfortable as I can be. And you see as she looks out and her eyes begin to water as one tear rolls down her cheek as she looks towards the orphanage where if it hadn't been for you, she would have been tonight. It's all right, young lady. We're gonna make this right. This hold on tight. She squeezes, she squeezes and hold on to you. Not that church! Oh, sorry, I'm like really hearty. I finished getting ready. I reattach my mask to make sure that it's totally firm.

Shall we? I'm sorry, we're going to have to skip our time with the captain, but we must make our way to the orphanage. Agreed. I hope to see him. The captain's in town. I'm sure he's at the fire. Agreed, let's go.

Yes, honey. You quickly donn everything that you have with Arbel and Toad. you begin to make your way out of the house. You see that the mirror bells are also dressing, and you can see that Zephyrine has Colette clutched tightly to her. They don't speak to you, but they knowingly look at you, not trying to hold you up as you rush quickly out of the house. Hope you're feeling better.

You sprint through the streets of Cyril, past the townsfolk who run away from the direction you're heading. Their eyes filled with fear. As you turn the corner, you see the sword, of the orange glow even more present. The Cyril Orphanage is completely engulfed in flame. The sound of shouting knights and the members of the Fire Brigade undercut the roar of the inferno.

The sounds of shrieking children pour out from the shattered windows as it being chased by the licking flames. You approach as quickly as you can. Ladders are propped against the side of the orphanage as knights impotently attempt to save the children within. The Fire Brigade uselessly throw basins of water onto the blaze. When you finally arrive, you are met with a sound far more horrifying than the sound of screaming, the sound of silence. The painful quiet of death

as the shrieking ceases entirely from within the burning building. As soon as the last whimpering voice is extinguished within the blaze, the fires flare up and the hue shifts from orange to purple. In a horrifying moment of deja vu, you hear a deafening cacophony above you once more that nearly ruptures your eardrums. However, rather than the horrific cries of agony that had just been piercing the morning air of Cyril, the malevolent cackle rings out across the land, a laugh so thunderous that it shakes the very foundations of Cyril itself. The malicious, gleeful cackle fades into the silence of death as the lilac flames engulfing the orphanage return to a raging orange. You cast your eyes skyward and the moon gazes back. No longer the soft silver surface had been the night before, returning your

gaze with malice and vindication, the face of a grinning hag stares down at you. Her lips part she smiles wickedly at you all. The hag mooms overhead, now larger than ever before. And that is where we will end the session. That's fucked all of me. It's not over yet. Oh, my God. Also, we got more than me to know it.

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