The Glass Cannon Podcast - Ascension Part 2 – Into the Mistwood (Austin)

Episode Date: March 15, 2025

The Founder's Day Festival is cut short by a strange illness and a sacrificial ram rising from the dead. Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/8mqLp6VwDMY Join Troy Lavallee, Joe O'Brien, Skid Mahe...r, Matthew Capodicasa, Sydney Amanuel, and Kate Stamas as they tour the country. Get your tickets today at glasscannonnetwork.com/live-tour. Access exclusive podcasts, ad-free episodes, and livestreams with a 30-day free trial with code "GCN30" at jointhenaish.com. For more podcasts and livestreams, visit glasscannonnetwork.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Starting point is 00:00:50 You are listening to the Glass Cannon Network, the premier source for role-playing game entertainment. Music I had brisket for breakfast! It is an appropriate name for Joe because at 9.30 this morning he had a brisket from Bucky's. I was not lying. It was like, what did you get from Bucky's? Some nuts. What did you get? Some gummy bears. What did you get, Joe? A brisket sandwich. Man, and as far as gas station brisket goes, it was really good. It was really good. How the hell are we doing, Austin?
Starting point is 00:02:08 Ah! Oh, baby! Oh, it's so good to be back. So good to be back. Psh, psh, psh, psh. How many of you have guns? No, don't tell me. No, no, no.
Starting point is 00:02:22 Do they allow them in? I think they just allow them into these theaters. Everybody's packin'. Welcome to Glass Cannon Live Ascension Part Two! Woo! Part Two! Ow, ow! How many people saw Part One in Dallas last night?
Starting point is 00:02:40 Holy shit! Holy shit! Baby, love it. Hell yeah! Thank you so much. I am shocked, surprised, and extremely humbled at how many people made the trip from wherever you live to Dallas and Austin to kick off this new tour and this story.
Starting point is 00:02:57 Who's better than the Niche? For you guys. Nobody. It was a Niche caravan going through Texas And apparently at Buc-E's there was yeah with like right behind us at Buc-E's now We all went to the same Buc-E's isn't that awesome when we left Dallas this morning as we drove in a minivan We left around 9 a.m. I said I got a surprise for you guys But I'm not gonna tell you of course this 90 B 90 Bucky signs the minute you leave Dallas and take 35. Eventually, I had to tell them, I'm taking you to
Starting point is 00:03:30 Bucky's, and they had no idea what to expect. Sydney, I think you probably purchased the most unique item. Do you want to inform the crowd? Did you know that Bucky sells bikinis? Sydney, this is a family show! Sydney is wearing a two-piece beaver bikini. I would've just worn the bikini, but it's fucking cold in Austin. So maybe next year. Who's to say? Let's keep talking about fashion.
Starting point is 00:04:11 Joe, you might have the best shirt you've ever worn. It... Boof, boof, boof. Where did you get this? I got to thank the Naish for this. Two Naish members gave it to me in Dallas, and I couldn't couldn't be more you back there? No, I didn't think so. They said they weren't coming to Austin unfortunately, but repping them here, thank you so much. It's amazing. It rocks. Yeah. Just beef with the Texas flag. Beef with the Texas flag. I'm going to wear this
Starting point is 00:04:37 everywhere in New Jersey. I can't wait. I can't wait. Kate, what did you get at Bucky's? Some girl dinner? Girl dinner? We gotta explain this. I got these like pickle flavored pretzels. Yeah. And I got these really spicy cheese balls. You did not.
Starting point is 00:04:55 I did. I got the same pretzels as you. And I got some gym shorts. You got gym shorts? Yeah. And they have Bucky's beavers all over it. They have Bucky's pretzels all over it. You have to.
Starting point is 00:05:03 And. So cute. Dramamine, because you. It's rough, isn't it? I had to lay down when we got to the hotel. On our way out of Bucky's. I did drive over a median. I was like, they know who we are in this town. Like truly, like a dad.
Starting point is 00:05:17 True Texas thang. A dad in a minivan, he went, hold on, and just turned and drove over a highway median. It would have been another five minutes for me to turn around. It was right, he started to make the turn and I was like, that's a median, and he goes, yep. Sydney and I are in the back, Sydney and I are in the back because of course we are, and we just look at each other like, just gripping for dear life. The GPS was going to have me go another seven minutes to do a U-turn.
Starting point is 00:05:43 No, no, we have a show to do in Austin. So we can explain girl dinner and boy dinner. Because we can't figure this out, but there were these... No, no, no, no, no. Boy lunch is girl dinner. Well, we had a long discussion about this. The math of it all, let me explain. Can you? Boy lunch is equal to girl dinner. That's sexist. Yup. The highway just says there's one sign, it's Bucky's logo and it says
Starting point is 00:06:17 jerky. Boy dinner. And then seconds later another $10,000 billboard that says, Beaver Nuggets, girl dinner. One of the signs just said, slay. Yeah, slay. Buc-ee's. Slay. What makes it girl dinner? What makes it boy dinner? You know, I think that's between you and God.
Starting point is 00:06:39 No one can decide what's girl or boy dinner. Matthew, what did you get at all Bucky's? I got some dill pickle pretzels that I shared with the group. I didn't have any. Wow. I did. I did. The car ride was tense. So you snacked on some of Matthew's pickle pretzels while hiding your own bag of
Starting point is 00:07:03 pickle pretzels. I didn't want to open my bag. She didn't hide it, she just didn't offer it. None of us saw it. That's messed up. Kate is not a sharer. It's called being a Virgo, and I appreciate it. It's called my things. So you got some pickle stuff. Did you get a bikini too? You bet.
Starting point is 00:07:21 Well, you bought some toys for your child. I did. But you didn't buy a Bucky Beaver, you bought Bluey toys. I thought that was a little rude. But you know what? Bucky's was the only place I've ever seen those Bluey toys. Okay, that's fair. I feel like if you go to Bucky's you buy a Beaver.
Starting point is 00:07:36 I didn't know the cultural associations, alright? Well now you do. I might feel differently next time. Girl dinner. Girl dinner. Let's go have some lunch or as we call it, girl dinner. Ha ha ha. Skid, you get some more dinner in there.
Starting point is 00:07:51 Yeah, what's it called? Breakfast, yeah, it's a boy dinner. Ha ha ha. We made a much more inappropriate joke about this that I'm not going to repeat. I can't even remember. Oh, wait, oh no, I do, okay. Ha ha ha.
Starting point is 00:08:02 Ha ha ha. But it was my fault that it came about, so I feel a little bit of responsibility. Yeah, surprisingly it was your call. Next VIP, if you come up to me, I will repeat the joke. That's one joke we can repeat. So we left early this morning, it was like a three hour drive that felt like five hours, and normally they're fun drives. We're jiving, we're making jokes.
Starting point is 00:08:26 It was silence for like three hours. Well, because Joe fell asleep. Joe fell asleep because Joe was very hungover. Yep. Yeah. Do you want to talk about it? It was McDermott's fault. Your voice was a whole octave lower this morning.
Starting point is 00:08:42 Yeah. Well, I actually didn't feel like I had that much, but we were at intermission, and he was like, I mean, it's already whatever it is, 10. And I was having a great time. I thought the Dallas show was awesome. Yeah. So I'm backstage, I'm like, this is working.
Starting point is 00:08:58 This is fun. Your characters are awesome. But Dermot's like, you want some Maker's Mark? I'm like, yup. Well, we all had the Makers Mark. Yeah. But did you double fist it with a Voodoo Ranger? No. I think that was where I made my mistake.
Starting point is 00:09:14 It's not, it wasn't his fault. Liquors drunkened him. Yeah. And the hotel bar made him stay up. Yeah. Yes, the hotel bar we went to until they closed also was an option. Yeah. Yeah. Yes. The Hotel bar we went to until they closed also. Yeah. It's an option. Yeah. Well, it wouldn't be a Texas show if we didn't overdo it. Yeah, it's true. But yeah, it was a very sad car ride and I just sat there with my thoughts.
Starting point is 00:09:36 My favorite moment was when Troy just out of it. We were in complete silence for about, I don't know, 15 minutes. The choice goes, I'm bored. You're driving. You don't know, 15 minutes, and then Shredder just goes, I'm bored. You're driving. You don't get to say that. He did. I said, I'm bored. At one point, it's completely silent again for like a while, and he just goes,
Starting point is 00:09:56 what do your characters want? I remember that, and I was like, oh no, please don't ask me this right now. What do they want in this world? Kate and I are like so carsick at the back of the van and we're like, stop talking. Don't ask me to speak. We could use that time to get to know each other's characters.
Starting point is 00:10:12 You just stare at your phones and your iPads. You got Teletubbies. Well, we're here kicking off a new tour, doing back-to-back shows. This is the first time in a long time that we've done back-to-back shows Certainly with with the with the drive in between is a lot, but I am excited after last night me too The sky's the limit New tour where we do an intermission now just as a heads up, take a break, go get a little pop! Have some Makers Mark up your joe.
Starting point is 00:10:50 Don't do it. Don't do it. Drain your weenies. I wasn't gonna do a recap, because I don't like doing them, but I think I'm gonna do one, because a lot of people didn't hear the show. So I'm gonna do a very tight cap.
Starting point is 00:11:04 How about a little cap music? Ooh. Tight. Man, this cap. Dap that cap. This cap better be tight. Let's see your caps. Caps out, by the way.
Starting point is 00:11:12 Bottle caps out. New rule for the tour. You get one cap per episode. And once you dab that cap, it's gone for the session. You probably will not earn another one unless you're funny like skit. Okay. Joe forgot his cap and Kate has a question.
Starting point is 00:11:29 Mine's in the green light. Teacher, what happens if you don't have your cap and you forgot it in your hotel? You do not have a cap then. I'm sorry. Guys, you gave us one fucking cap. It's so small. In my big bag. It's coming from me. Even I have my cap cap I remembered it that is that's staggering. I know Brian. Can I get some fresh caps when you have a second? This is the last cap. I'm gonna give you and it has to last until December But this is the recap the recap our
Starting point is 00:12:02 New story takes place having Kate In a little village little town a little city of Rosewood Vale About a generation or so ago 30 something years ago a group of settlers United in their faith of the goddess Sidana, the cleansing light, they came into this valley. It was just rock and soil. And the leader of this group, known as Lord Montrose, said, Do you know of this land? Long ago there was a castle that stood there called Highbury.
Starting point is 00:12:41 This land was called Keswick and something here, and the land was cursed. They brought in specialists to try and clean the land, and they said it couldn't be done. And not only that, if anyone ever tried to live here, it would hasten their passing. The curse of this land, the blight was so deep. Yet as this group came into this wasteland, the leader, Lord Montrose, saw a single rose growing at the edge of a brackish river.
Starting point is 00:13:09 And in that rose, he saw a sign. He said, if this rose can bathe in Sidon's light, then perhaps we, with Sidon watching over us, can cleanse this land. And cleanse that land they did. We push forward in time. A generation later, Lord Montrose has passed, but his son has taken over, Lord Percival Montrose II. And he and his wife and his two children
Starting point is 00:13:42 are preparing for the first Founders Day festival. They want to have a festival to honor his father and these original settlers who have helped to create this town. Now the water is clean and potable. The land has is the fields have been tilled. There's crops, there's houses, there's a settlement. It's a waterfall. Probably a windmill. Did I mention the windmill?
Starting point is 00:14:07 Yeah. No. There's a windmill. Oh, he did. Now? And there are no gnomes. No, there's one gnome. Except for the treasurer.
Starting point is 00:14:16 There's one surviving gnome, but he doesn't- he lays low. It's like it's Will Smith movie, but he's a gnome. It's like gnome and legend. Very few halflings and gnomes because they're silly. And a lot goes on at this festival. It would be impossible to recount all of these things, but we are introduced to our main characters in this story. Sydney, who are you playing? What are they? What are they? I'm playing Andromeda Quinn. She's young, about like 24, 25. And she has sort of an accent that I'm workshopping.
Starting point is 00:15:12 Every show changes a little. But it's sort of implacable to not be offensive to anyone, ever. Or offensive to everyone. Or offensive to everyone. And then it's even playing field and no one can be mad. Yeah. That's definitely how that works. But yeah, she's got short black hair, and she has sort of these intense scarring along her face and arm that make her stand out and make her very unique in her mind.
Starting point is 00:15:46 But yeah, she's quiet and she works under the arcane advisor in Rosewood Vale. She's an apprentice. Yes, an apprentice to Riddian Silverfron, the master of the arcane here, female elf. Joe, tell us about your soon-to-be dead character I made it through part one. That's the most We all know that's a big step yeah, yeah, it's a new record
Starting point is 00:16:20 For the tour really Breaking new ground every with every episode. I am playing Killian Dawnwall, an elf fighter. A family man, as we saw in the first episode, who has a couple daughters, about seven and ten years old, and works for the city guard. That's really all we know about him so far. And he's hot. Hot as hell. for the city guard. That's really all we know about him so far. And he's hot! And I have to say, every time you say his last name, I don't hear D-A-W-N, I hear D-O-N-G.
Starting point is 00:16:51 Dongwall! Killian Dongwall! Dongs, baby! Did somebody order an elf pizza? With extra sauce? Kay, who are you playing? I'm playing the hottest elf you've ever seen. Her name is Helena. She is the...
Starting point is 00:17:16 What did I say? My goodness! Not safe for work. Yum yum, give me some. Helena is a sort of handmaid for young lady Willow, who is the daughter of lady, or I guess now baroness Abigail. Ooh, spoiler. A lot of stuff is going on with that,
Starting point is 00:17:37 but she is a sister of Cydonna, and yeah, that's kind of what we know about her right now. Yes, she's wielding Cydana's favorite weapon, the sickle. The sickle. That sickle could talk. Matthew Krapadekaza, did you get that a lot in high school? They say Krapadekaza. That had phased itself out by elementary school.
Starting point is 00:17:58 You wet the bed. Who are you playing? I am playing Sir Norval Mont the pious is a champion of sadon and I just wants you all to know the goddess is here with you. Thank you all for being here. Look at that jaw. It's a very pronounced jaw. And of course, Mr. Skidmar, known for a couple memorable characters over the years. Who have you invited into this story? So I'm playing Oswin, who is a reformed outlaw and poacher. What we know about him is that he is missing the first two fingers on his left hand.
Starting point is 00:18:51 He is left handed and he is missing those two string, his bow drawstring fingers. And so he has trained himself to shoot a bow right handed. That is what he is in the midst of doing. And he is just trying to survive. He has been made an outcast, a pariah, because of his clear scar that he has, like that evinces his background as someone outside the law. And so he's just trying to survive.
Starting point is 00:19:22 Like many people, he has come to Rosewood Vale to start a new life. To perhaps maybe bathe in Sidon's light. Ladies and gentlemen, Brian McDermott. You'll have your caps when I'm ready. No, this is mine. I only have one best you buy your own money here John I've been using it I'm gonna have a beer later oh rude friendship anyways back to my recap that was supposed to be short.
Starting point is 00:20:05 Kate mentioned her character, Helena, is a handmaiden to the daughters of the Lord and Lady Montrose. They have two daughters, Willow, who is 12, and Beatrix, who is 12 and Beatrix who is 18 at this festival as it kicks off the Lord Announces to everyone that he has some big news Not only are they celebrating this first Founders Day festival But after a long time petitioning the crown of Mendev petitioning the crown of Mendev, they have been recognized as an official barony of the crown.
Starting point is 00:20:47 And now he will be Baron Montrose and his wife, who is also pregnant, will be the Baroness. And in exchange, his oldest daughter will be sent to wed the second oldest son of the king. And his youngest daughter will be sent to tutor at the castle, basically as a hostage, and when she comes of age, she will marry the third eldest child, who by all accounts is sickly,
Starting point is 00:21:17 has some sort of disease that makes him look way younger than he is, cannot walk on his own. The town is very shook up by this. Seems like he has given up the farm for a chance to be recognized as a Baron. But the party continues. They do their funny voices. We meet some new NPCs, and eventually they bring-
Starting point is 00:21:44 Mixed deal. Yes, mixed deal. We'll be seeing more of him. We meet some new NPCs and eventually they break steel. Yes, mixed deal. We'll be seeing more of him. They meet the sister to the queen who is a holy sister of Sidonna, Violet DeWitt, who is hotter than Kate's character. Listen, I thought about this. She's a human. I'm still the hottest elf in Rosadale.
Starting point is 00:22:02 You are the hottest elf. Second hottest person the hottest elf in Rosadale. You are the hottest elf. Second hottest person hottest elf. Elves aren't people? Don't get me started. She seems lost in thought at the ponies. Mick Steele is really coming out. That's Mick talking. Yikes, am I right? I lost my train of thought so the sister is just kind of staring at the ponies, and she's a little standoffish
Starting point is 00:22:34 weird Helena talks to the Baroness and the barra Baroness seems a little under the weather perhaps she ate a gas station taco from Bucky's become relevant later and Taco from Bucky's become relevant later and Eventually they bring out a ram these two hunters bring out a ram They're gonna sacrifice a ram because that's what they do in this town. This is a symbol This is a sacrifice to side Donna a symbol of courage fertility strength not only for the town but for these young daughters who are about to be sent to New Nerison. And as they're pulling the ram to the altar and the father, Father Selwyn, Borvis is ready to sacrifice the ram, the rope breaks and all of our heroes jump in. There's a tussle with the ram. Killian gets knocked to the ground, punches the ram in
Starting point is 00:23:22 the nuts, and eventually... I forgot about that. After several tries, Sir Norville wrestles it, and they pull it to the altar, and then Father Selwyn, he can't... First try, first try. He can't bring himself to kill it. Killian takes the ceremonial knife, kills the ram. Moments later, the Baroness buckles over and vomits what looks like black bile, and at the same time, the dead ram wakes up. That is where we start our story this evening. Woo! Woo! What is going on?
Starting point is 00:24:05 What is going on? A lot of layers here, LaValley. A lot going on. A lot going on. You should listen back. A lot of ins and outs. A lot of what have yous. A lot of how do you do's.
Starting point is 00:24:15 A lot of interested parties. Kate, bring them all over. And we didn't even mention more about the ponies. You really need to listen. You don't have to listen to the ponies. To the first parts. I think the ponies. You really need to listen to the first parts. I think the ponies are gonna be really important later. Stop making the ponies important.
Starting point is 00:24:30 Is this Randolph the Great? I don't know, I can't see. No, I highly doubt that. I think it's Randolph the Great. I can't see that, but I can see you. Roll for initiative. Oh! Yeah!
Starting point is 00:24:45 Alright. Roll for initiative. Oh All right roll for initiative My friend a pair of mini dice from gray who couldn't be at the show, but a friend gave me them for gray Thank you. Yeah, you are. Thank you. Yeah, we all And I love mini dice The map Joe we know And I love mini dice. Let's take a look at the map, Joe! We know. Let's take a look at the old map. Ah.
Starting point is 00:25:11 Ah. Valdry, you are so beautiful. This is what this creature may look like. Oh no! Why am I right up by the stage? Why am I so close to the frame? Did you mean water buffalo? What the heck? You need not be that close.
Starting point is 00:25:26 Why am I outside of Sir Norville's Bless, or whatever. Why am I outside of Sir Norville's Bless, or whatever. That would be my aura. Your aura. Yeah, get in that aura. If you'd like to come bask in the light of the goddess. Oh, look at that, you move in the aura, and you got the little thing on there.
Starting point is 00:25:41 Fun. Oh, fun. Look at this, watch this, you move out, goes away, move in. Oh, that's so cool. Wow. It's the simple things. That's cool. Show table tops.
Starting point is 00:25:51 All right. Matthew Capitacaza, what'd you get? I got a 19. Woo! Not great. Whoa! Not awesome. Killian.
Starting point is 00:26:04 27. Oh my god! Whoa! Is that natural 20 over there? 90, 18. 90, 18. Oswin. Roll like dog crap again, I got a 14. Ugh.
Starting point is 00:26:19 Distracted. He's drunk still. Oh yeah, he's still drunk. Helena. Dirty 20. Dirty 20. So dirty. Yeah. Yeah. Distracted he's drunk still. Oh, yeah Helena dirty 20 dirty 20 so dirty 25 nice High initiative wizard round one
Starting point is 00:26:38 Killian you are right there. You are the one that struck this beast down and you you get to act first. What do you do? Oh my god. I wasn't expecting to roll such a high initiative. Don't do it! You're a fighter now! Don't encourage him! You're not a spellcaster anymore! Don't! Don't! Don't encourage him! You're not a spellcaster anymore, don't! Don't encourage him! Don't encourage him! Don't encourage him!
Starting point is 00:27:11 You heard the people, delay! Give them what they want! I think we all should delay, how interesting. Yes, let the ram go first. Yeah, let's... Let's defer to the ram. Man, yeah. Let's defer to the ramp. Bad situation.
Starting point is 00:27:29 Okay. Killian is going to, going on instinct here, he's going to, oh man, this thing rises up and it seems to him to have just risen from death. He does not have his weapon in his hand. At the time, he was just bringing it up. He sliced it, and I'm assuming he returned the ceremony. Dude, if you were Sidney, you'd have every single one of your weapons in your hands. Several buff spells already cast on you, but you're Joe O'Brien, so your weapon is at home. Your armor's in the shop.
Starting point is 00:28:06 I think you're right. You wouldn't bring your weapon to the festival. It's not on you. Yeah. You're guarding the festival. I know. You wouldn't bring your weapon to a party. It's not Texas. He is going to quickly reach into a pouch at the side that is leaning on his hip. He still has this bastard sword sticking out the top. Magical condoms? Yeah, the condom. Oh, yes! He's like, somebody's ready to run.
Starting point is 00:28:42 Don it! Don your armor hastily! Don the magic, see? I know how to put it down. Here's what I'm gonna attempt to do, this is new. He reaches into his satchel, and he pulls out a pre-made vial that he pulls out and shakes up quickly, and it charges, begins to go glow purple with this strange light, and he is going to throw a ghost charge bomb at this creature.
Starting point is 00:29:18 Ghost charge, ghost charge bomb. The alchemist stuff, man, that's awesome. So he does do some alchemy stuff will learn about this as we go But he pulls this thing out and boom this purple explosion. Let's see if I can actually make contact with the creature It's a ranged attack. Here we go. It's gonna be 17 to hit that is a miss Misses unfortunately Should still do splash damage splash damage. So it does to still do splash damage. Splash damage. So it does two vitality splash damage.
Starting point is 00:29:50 Okay. So if it has some weakness to that it would trigger. Okay. And he does not have his weapon ready and this thing looks like it might charge. So in a remarkable move of self preservation, he's going to move behind Sir Norval. Or Olus.
Starting point is 00:30:07 Olus? Rune? The earth shakes beneath our feet, and we all tumble five feet to the left. He's like, I don't know where that thing is, but it's coming at us! And he's going to try to grab his blade next turn. We'll see. It's funny, we were joking about it when we saw the art, but he really is sort of like Elric then yeah, you mentioned that I was like yeah, yeah, Elric of Mel de Bone, a written by Michael Moore cock. I was just talking about Michael Moretta.
Starting point is 00:30:36 I guess his name like he lives nearby here. Does he really? Yes. Oh wow, or so I was informed before the show draw row back up. Yeah, okay okay andromeda quinn yeah andromeda sees this immediately thinks that's not good. That's probably wrong. Shouldn't do that ram shouldn't come alive pretty intelligent character, so she is going to immediately go into like a defensive stance and she stops shooting fireworks. She's not doing that shit anymore. She's like, this is serious. I'm going to telekinetic projectile and she's going to wave her arm and from the stands around her
Starting point is 00:31:19 there's like cups and bowls that people were eating at this Founders Day festival, and wooden tops and little toys and stuff that were left behind. There are? Thank you. Yes, and. If you had asked, you would have known that the janitor just came through and cleaned up all of it. You've never seen such a bare staging. Ah, shit, she thinks. If only there was just garbage lying around. You do see one light solo cup.
Starting point is 00:31:46 I see a loot on the map. Perfect. Is that a loot? She calls out to the loot with her magic, and she's going to fling the loot at the ram. So telekinetic projectile. All right, give me an attack roll. Crack die. I roll. Cracked eye. I bet.
Starting point is 00:32:08 Cracked on a two. It was. It was. I don't want to know. Let her have fun. It was cracked. It was. It's just as equally not great.
Starting point is 00:32:24 That was a cracked 19. We wouldn't hear a crack 19. No, it was! It was between a 13 and a 1. It was right between. That's going to be a 16. No, that's a miss. Okay, yeah, I rolled pretty low. The mood goes flying and hits a child. BING! A child that happens to be allergic to music. The child dies.
Starting point is 00:32:46 Starts going into shock. Andromedos flings. This goes back to the Giant Slayer days. Any time anyone missed with an arrow, it killed a child that was nearby. I don't know what behavior you're trying to enforce. What's worse is, the child was allergic to music, so it was the anaphylaxis that killed them, not even the loot. She flings it misses. She goes, oh no, and then she's just going to put up a shield
Starting point is 00:33:14 as her last action on herself. All right, then shield buff. She's nervous. Oh, she should be because it's dead Rams to Oh, she should be because it's dead Rams to Question mark exclamation point All right dead Ram is going to come charging off the stage It's got this like dead look in its eyes that eyes eyes are just these black pools with no iris, no pupil. First action, it steps up to Surinurval. Second action, something about this ram,
Starting point is 00:33:53 its aura seems to infect all of you as it comes closer to you. Maybe you've never seen the dead rise before, and it's enough to provoke a will save from all of you. Oh no. Oh wait, so what is your bonus? So when you're within 15 feet of me, you're within my aura. My oath as a defender will protect you. During my daily preparations, I can swear an oath to defend against a certain kind of enemy during your deeds that day.
Starting point is 00:34:20 You picked rams? I picked undead. Oh, hold on. Hold on. Blades in the dark flashback to this preparation. You're in your house. I wake up that morning. Oh honey, there are two beautiful towns people in the bed with me. I say, would you like to say a prayer with me to greet this blessed morning? I can't stand up. Let me lay hands upon you. No, no, that's what got me into this mess. Ask her, ask her.
Starting point is 00:35:01 I'll roll. Well, as you know, I have seen some things in my time. Okay. And this day I shall swear an oath to defend you, ma'am, and you, madam, against the foul deeds of the undead. Okay. So he grabs both their hands Blessed say Donna, please aid me in my my efforts to defend these people against the foul work of the undead You guys want to go again?
Starting point is 00:35:43 No, no pressure. I'm just offering as a service I might provide. We're very hungry. Oh yeah, I can make eggs. Yeah, let me go make eggs. Let's eat eggs first and then we'll talk. Flashback to this moment. So basically, I chose undead because I said, Skid, what do you think from these choices I should choose? And Skid said undead undead. Basically every day. So basically, if you're in my aura, you get resistance two to damage dealt by creatures with the chosen trait, which I chose, undead.
Starting point is 00:36:12 I'm assuming this risen from the dead ram might be undead though? Maybe. So you all get resistance two to any damage the ram will do. But nothing to the will save. Nothing to the will save and nothing to me. Is this a fear effect?
Starting point is 00:36:28 Yes. Did you roll bad too? You're giving me bad energy. You're giving bad vibes to the table. What did you roll? I'm going to Dap my cap. You Daping that cap? Dap it. I'm going to tap my cap you tap in that cap I'm doing an early cap tap. Oh, that's it. Let me because I believe I fumbled.
Starting point is 00:36:51 You believe you fumbled yeah with a natural to all right tap it and tell you rolled up. What was the total just like your ass. The total was eleven super close right on the line. Tweener it's super close right on the line. We're tweener do you really be now I want to make sure I fumble so I dapped the cap.
Starting point is 00:37:15 Here for your fact. Oh well now we'll find out twenty one success. Okay, okay critical success, not not because you're a bravery. Oh, he's don't fuck with Killian dude. Yeah, I will. I will. I will all year often drum to quit. What you're all I think I'm gonna adapt my cap. You Dap in that Joe. Joe made me nervous. I rolled a four. My total would be a 12.
Starting point is 00:37:52 And that's another tweener. I'm like, I don't know. You guys think I should dapp it? But I know it's not a fumble, but if I fail, it could still be bad. Sure. Nick Lowe, if you're watching, make a Dap That Cap drop. Yeah, please do. Yeah, thank you, Nick. I'm going to Dap It. I'm going to Dap It. All right. She's Daping It, folks!
Starting point is 00:38:11 Amazing. That's going to be a 26. Oh! Success. Ooh! Caitlyn. 25. Success.
Starting point is 00:38:21 Will is my best save. Capitacanzo looks a little nervous over there. No, I'm not. I'm not. I'm not. I'm not. I'm not. 25. Success. Will is my best save. Capitocasso looks a little nervous over there. 19. Oh!
Starting point is 00:38:32 Failure. Oh. Skidmore. I am also going to Dap my cat. Oh my god, a triple! This is the first triple Dap in, essentially, history! In, essentially, history. In, essentially, history. You got to see it, Austin.
Starting point is 00:38:48 Triple dap reroll. I roll the natural one, so I'm gonna. Oh, yeah. Natural 20. Oh! Oh! Oh! Hell yeah.
Starting point is 00:39:02 Wow. You are immune to whatever this is. Yeah. So are you. For the rest of this combat. Awesome. Matthew Dukkappadakaze, you are frightened one. Oh, yeah.
Starting point is 00:39:13 OK? And remember that frightened affects all your numbers, including your AC, which is important because this thing's about to bite you. this thing's about to bite you. Oh no. Hunk of, oh! Look like a 21 and then I realized the dice don't go that high.
Starting point is 00:39:31 Is it a 12? Is it a 12? Is it an 11? Shut up. It's been a long week. That is a 25 to hit. That hits. Oh no on a bite. What is this a dragon kidding? I just got excited. You take nine points of damage. Give me a Fortitude save.
Starting point is 00:40:07 That must be your best save. It is. But I rolled a natural two. Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Dap, Four caps! Matthew Dappadakaza. Daddy 19. 29. 29 is a critical success. Yeah! Well, the good news is the Ram is done for now.
Starting point is 00:40:41 Helena. Helena, you see her hands start to glow again, but instead of casting Bless, this time she's going to cast Vitality Lash. Ooh. So, Ken, the ram, please give me a fortitude save. What did you say to me? Please.
Starting point is 00:40:59 Let me find my sexiest d20. There she is. We'll talk later at the hotel room. What kind of save was it? Fortitude. 16. Fail! Nice! So you take four damage, and that's all that happens. You take full damage. Full damage? To the tune of what?
Starting point is 00:41:22 Fuck, 2d6, four points of damage? Vitality damage. Vital. Okay, four points of... Does that seem like it maybe hurts it more than I expect to for four points of damage? It does scream out in this like, ahhhh! Scream, when you hit it you heard a similar scream. Maybe? I will yell out, free action, to Sir Norville and say, what do you have in your hands? Nothing.
Starting point is 00:41:58 Nothing? What weapon do you use usually? A longsword. You're a longsword. If you come near me, I can infuse it with vitality, if you want. Otherwise, right now, finish my turn with Casting Shield, because that did not look pretty. Wow. Well, there it is. Helena casts Vitality Lash on this ram. Matthew Capitacaza, it is your turn. Sir Norville draws his long sword, action one. He pulls out his shield, action two. Boy howdy.
Starting point is 00:42:34 Gotta play it straight. Yeah, I appreciate it. And then he will, instead of taking a strike, he will cast his focus spell. Oh. Shields of the Spirit. So he will cast his focus spell. Oh, shields of the spirit. So as he raises his shield, ephemeral spirits, the light of Sedana starts to float out from the shield and surround the aura,
Starting point is 00:42:58 and it's going to focus in on Kilian. So basically you're gonna get plus one status status bonus to AC and each time an enemy makes an attack against you, they'll take 1d4 Spirit Damage even if they miss. Wow! So wait, is this just on me? What if I move? Do I have to be next to you? You have to stay in my aura. And your aura is 20 feet? 15 feet. 15 feet? feet wow amazing
Starting point is 00:43:26 Awesome, dude What does it call again? Shields of the spirit shields of the set light was that spirit guardians at one point or It sounds like a little bit like spirit guard sounds like it, but I don't know shields of the spirit Okay, okay. He'll say he'll say it was like kill him. We ought to take care of this now Yeah, yeah Well, there's no need he's like like trying to get his like Yeah, this is no right now. This is no time for science
Starting point is 00:44:00 Look what I did to you look at that Foundry do so this is why tickets cost $3,000. For that production value. Are you done with your turn? I'm done and I go down and my Frightened condition goes away. Correct? Oswin! Okay, Oswin is far too close to this creature to be effective. So he's going to wrap his weathered yellow cloak about his frame and dash away from the ram, and he's going to draw his bow, and... No, to the right.
Starting point is 00:44:52 Yeah. What, uh... Woo! Yeah! Good job, Joe. Okay. And, uh... Okay, and uh...
Starting point is 00:45:15 And with his third action he's going to hunt prey. Oh! Okay, does that include an attack roll? No, that's it. That just gives you a bonus for the next time you attack? Yeah, the bonus damage. Yeah, bonus damage. Get a nice clean shot there until someone screws it up. Round two Killian dong wall. Stop. All right. So if I was to say move in order to flank the creature like this, is that doable considering the stage? The ramp just kind of ran right off it.
Starting point is 00:45:55 I'm going to say rule of cool. You're flanking there. He's going to draw his weapon, move over there, hop up just like super quickly onto the stage. It's a low altar. Get behind this thing. Just say, Novel, take his attention. And then he's gonna slice it from behind. Attempt to anyway. It's off guard.
Starting point is 00:46:15 Off guard. Too bad you tapped that cap. Yeah, too bad. Another natural five. But it is an 18 against off guard. That is a hit. All right. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:46:29 Fair is fair. He is two-handing the bastard sword, so that is 17 points of damage. Nice. Nice. Yeah. Nice, all right, so a juicy hit on this thing. And that is his round. And that is his round andromeda Quinn
Starting point is 00:46:48 Andromeda feels like Norwell and Norville and Killian have this sort of under control. She also doesn't want to ruin this area It's her job to kind of keep it clean and keep things orderly so she's trying not to cast it's her job to kind of keep it clean and keep things orderly. So she's trying not to cast extremely damaging spells to the area. She also, when you jumped on stage, she's like, be careful not to trip on the, okay, this is good.
Starting point is 00:47:14 And she's gonna look over and see like these loose planks from when they were building some of this stuff earlier. And she's gonna again do a telekinetic projectile as she flings like a two by four and tries to conk the ram on the head. Nice. Nice. Let's see if she can hit this time and drop it a quint. Tits.
Starting point is 00:47:36 Stop saying tits every show. Yeah, sorry. 12? Oh no. Tits. All right. So. Double down. I'm not going to stop. Again, she's going to miss, almost hits Killian. Sorry!
Starting point is 00:47:52 Jimmy, did you take your loose board medication? No, Mom, I won't need stop doing this to the kids. She's going to cast Shield again and think about what she's done. She really should. It's the dead ram? Exclamation points, turn! And yet again, everyone except Joe and Skid give me a will save. Caps are not plentiful at the moment. Oh no! Kate, no! The last dab.
Starting point is 00:48:30 Wait, is that a... Are you dabbing it? Is this the last dab? This is the last dab or the natural one. You dabbing that cap. That cap has been dapped. That cap has been dapped. All caps have been dapped!
Starting point is 00:48:45 That cap's been dapped. All caps have been dapped. 25. Okay. There you go. Success. Matthew. 22.
Starting point is 00:48:58 Success. 21. Success. Nice! Yeah. What a waste of action! The ram, having been struck by Killian, turns and goes to bite at you. I'm going to give you a bonus to your AC. Just take a plus one here. A little circumstance bone, because you're on the
Starting point is 00:49:20 higher ground. It's trying to reach up towards you and bite and here's my role. First things first, take one D for damage. Why? Because of my shields of the spirit. You attacked the, you checked the one that is under Sadonis protection. Okay. Do you want to roll it for me or you want me to roll it? Cause I will one. You take four points of damage. Oh, I bet! Awesome. Nice. You outlying mafioso. Alright, so four points of damage. Then I rolled a juicy 26 on Killian. Yeah, that'll hit. Sure will. All right.
Starting point is 00:50:06 I'll do my D100. Oh! Oh! 11 points of damage. Jeez. And then I need a fortitude save from you. Okay. That triggers my reaction.
Starting point is 00:50:18 Oh! When an ally is damaged and we are both in my aura, my retributive strike an axe. So I get basically an AOL. Nice. Oh, cool. That's going to be a 21 to hit. That's a hit. Yeah, buddy!
Starting point is 00:50:36 Dude, what's better than a champion? Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. 13 points of damage. Nice. Oh! Oh! That's the sound it makes.
Starting point is 00:50:49 You're a 42 save sir. 18. You take 1d6 persistent void damage. Oh no. Oh no. Persist. Remember to reduce the damage you took by two. Yeah, okay. I could probably do that here on foundry 1 d 6 minus 2 void carry this oh It did work. It's better than foundry virtual table. Yeah, right Go out and buy it immediately virtual table top, am I right? Go out and buy it, immediately. It still has one more action. It did the bleh, it did the bite,
Starting point is 00:51:30 and then it's gonna turn on Sor Nurevul, and try and bite you. And I will, even with the map, even with the map, that is gonna be a 22. Off the shield. Wait, it does it your because your AC raise you didn't use shield. I didn't block. It was just the AC boost you son of a bitch. All right. Awesome turn for the heroes Helena. So this void damage that you did to Killian is that... Do I know if
Starting point is 00:52:08 there's a way to get rid of that if I were to heal right now to counteract that since it's vitality and void? There's something you could do that would give him a boost to his flat check, right? Yeah, but you'd have to take two actions to do it, describe to the GM what you would do, it takes two actions, and then I reduce my flat check from 15 to 10. Okay. Well, that sounds fun. How much do you care about, Killian? Don't forget, you are the other elf of this party. Also, don't forget, god, and I hate sounding like a whiny little piece of shit.
Starting point is 00:52:40 So don't. But I am carrying over nine damage from getting gored by this thing right before this fight. That is my role. You are a cleric. I should do that. I love a nonchalant cleric. By the way, because I used my reaction, the resistance against damage from undead increases to five. Oh, wow. What?
Starting point is 00:53:12 That's cool. I think just for Joe, but I'm trying to read it now. If a creature with a chosen trait, undead, triggers your champion's reaction, it did, and your champion's reaction grants resistance against the triggering damage, it does, the resistance increases by five. So it's resistance seven.
Starting point is 00:53:28 Wow! Wait, but is that for everyone in the aura or no, just for the person? I think that's everyone in the aura. Wow! Correct me if I'm wrong. That's sick. Or don't. I know who I'm killing in Milwaukee.
Starting point is 00:53:41 Matthew, stop telling him what you can do. All right, so do you want to take two actions to, if you do, explain to me what you want to do that may lessen his flat check and make it really interesting and cool. Have you taken damage? Yes. Okay. I'm going to do something really cool then. I'm going to do a three action heal. Oh, okay. Over the space that's centering on the Ram. So the Ram's going to take this heal. That's very presumptuous that Ram is undead.
Starting point is 00:54:17 So when I do a three action heal, it's 1d8 plus 8. No, it's just the die. It's just the die. Yeah, I struggle with this with suki. It's confusing in the wording. It's the weakest one, but you get the most people. Yeah, just one d eight. Yes, that's it. Oh, okay. All right, that's fine. Well, which seems silly and well, no, no, no, it's not. You have to decide though if you're healing or damaging. It's to do both. Well, no, no. You have to decide though if you're healing or damaging. It's 2D.
Starting point is 00:54:46 Well, no, if I do vitality, then the undead creature. No, not in 2E, I believe, right? They're all in. The other thing right here, you channel vital energy to heal the living or damage the undead. That's the first sentence. Balls. Yeah, balls.
Starting point is 00:55:03 It's okay. I'm gonna do a two action deal on Joe. You can also sweet because it's hurt the ram. I wanted to originally turn the ram, but I think that I should be healing. Also, I think it's 2 D 8. You're if you're using your action is 2 D 8. No, no, even three action. Everything is 2 D 8 base now because you're casting at second level yeah yeah okay so it should be 2d8 plus 16 for the two action version yeah 2d8 plus 16 yeah it's way better to do two action version like crazy better it's 28 points a heal that is exactly how many hit points I'm down. Wow! 28. Okay, nice.
Starting point is 00:55:46 I do the two-action heal, and then I'm going to move next to Andromeda and behind Norville. I want to be within range of Norville to perhaps give him a boost on his weapon. Okay. Maybe. Next turn. Why, hello? Hello. All right.
Starting point is 00:56:04 Now is not the time, Norville. So your character's fucked too? Have we? Oh, maybe. It's a small town. I started a new adventure so we could get away from this. Andromeda looks at Helena. Hi.
Starting point is 00:56:21 Stop. Get out of here, you. Oh, okay. I'll be over here for the casting. Do you want to touch? Hello there. And Tromeda also no. Do you want to touch?
Starting point is 00:56:33 No, not right now. No, I focus. Because you're in your room alone and don't touch yourself. What? Oh, George, this is not the time. I should just say, just so no one is surprised, that being in the light of my goddess sometimes
Starting point is 00:56:46 gives someone a tingly feeling. So much is happening! That's normal, don't worry about it. Sir Nurvold, it's your turn! Alright, I'm going to swing at the Ram. Okay. Okay. 30 to hit.
Starting point is 00:57:02 That is a critical hit. Nice! 30 to hit. Oh! That is a critical hit. Nice! 24 points of damage. You strike, what is your weapon? Longsword. Longsword. Two handed? No, you have a shield, right? You bring that Longsword back and you strike the Ram
Starting point is 00:57:20 very close to where Killian originally sliced its neck and as the sword hits the ram, it just crumbles into dust. Ooh. Yes! Wow. Senor Buu. Everyone, everyone.
Starting point is 00:57:36 Oh my god, it left a blood spot. Oh. Oh, I downloaded that modular. Oh, I was wondering, I saw the thing. Oh, that's great. Everyone who dies will have blood. Is everyone all right? I'm fine, except for I didn't get to use
Starting point is 00:57:51 any of my ram-related jokes, because I didn't get to do any damage to the thing. I feel guilty about this. Would you like to make some post-it steps? Well, what is going to happen was, is going to shoot the ram, and hit it square, and I was going gonna whisper to my longbo says now. I guess you're a Rambo aren't you? and then like sorry we missed that if I shot at it and it
Starting point is 00:58:15 Met out of the way, but if I missed I would then say oh, I guess maybe it's a dodge Ram And then I had like four to five more, but it's not worth getting into. Well, perhaps we'll encounter another ram. Well, yeah, you're to God's face. My ear is always in my goddess's face. While they're talking, Joe, you take 48 points of persistent damage
Starting point is 00:58:48 See killing on the edge of the stage. It's like looking at the the dust that's left and he just starts to kind of step down the stage toward it and he stumbles like off the stage and then he And he's trying to breathe and he feels as if the very life is being sucked out of him So 1d6 plus take four Take 4 points, my Christmas dice. So he starts dying, 4 points of damage. Uh, natural 4. On the check.
Starting point is 00:59:13 Okay. Can, now do you wanna try and do that... thing to give him a chance? Yeah! Killian, what's wrong? I don't understand. I can't... I can't breathe. Okay, um, stay calm and she's just trying to...
Starting point is 00:59:26 I can't, my vision... And yeah, he starts blinking and looking around. Did you eat a taco? Oh god. Earlier in the day? No, this seems different. He's grabbing at his armor, like trying to loosen it, maybe that's it, but... She's like looking around on him to see what's wrong, maybe like a medicine check?
Starting point is 00:59:49 Okay, yeah, try a medicine check. Let's try a medicine check. Get that condom off him. That's right. The what? Don't worry about it. Here's the problem. Don't worry about it.
Starting point is 01:00:00 Nineteen, alright, I'm going to say that's enough to reduce the check. However, as you're feeling this this death energy course through you, you're stumbling around and you look up towards the altar and you see your first wife. Whoa. Just standing there serenely. Oh.
Starting point is 01:00:22 And she reaches out her hand towards you as you take four more points of void damage. Wow. It's just like your wedding day. Did I learn anything about what's afflicting him with my role? Yeah, void damage. Natural one, failed again. Oh. She's stepping towards you.
Starting point is 01:00:50 Does she look younger, older? She looks exactly like how she looked the last time you saw her alive. So, old. Yeah, like an elderly woman, you see, basically. And he's shaking and he goes to a knee down. And you guys are seeing him look at nothing, right? Just looking at space. And he's like, how? What's happening to me? Squeezing his eyes shut. Um, so, I assume you would tend to... You can continue to do something.
Starting point is 01:01:30 Tell me if it's cool. You don't have to roll. Just tell me what you do. But if it's cool, I'll reduce the flat check to a DC10. If it's not cool, I might raise the flat check. I think she's going off of her instincts and trying to do like a treat wounds type of thing. She's like, maybe that's healed that I did earlier, did not get everything. Why am I talking like Andromeda? I don't know. Why are you so impetuous?
Starting point is 01:01:50 Because you're standing next to her. This is infectious, having fun. That is part of it. I don't know, it just seems so fun to do. Andromeda puts her hand on Helena's shoulder and she says, do you need my help? What is going on? Have you read anything about this in your books? This is void damage?
Starting point is 01:02:08 This is dick is classic for it hurting and Opposite of her of healing is the hurting okay got it So she she tries to treat wounds if she doesn't know anything else outside of like I'll give them out to mouth anything else outside of like, really damaged. I'll give them mouth to mouth. Oh! I'm going to breathe the light of the goddess into you now, Gilliam. You hear them talking and it's all like, Yeah, as Sir Norval, like, his shadow casts over him, he just tries to push him away.
Starting point is 01:02:41 No, let him. The goddess will save you. Let him. The goddess will save you. Let him. The goddess will save you. This will also, if I spend ten minutes doing trying to make out with you, will restore my focus point. You take three more points of void damage.
Starting point is 01:02:54 Give me a DC ten flat check. Natural five. Oh man. Can I assist with Helena? I did treat wounds though. She's here, she's here. He starts saying like to the ground. All right, so let's do treat wounds
Starting point is 01:03:14 because you're trying to at least give him, if you can't, let's try treat wounds now. That was a critical success. We'll say that lowered the check, now you're going to do treat wounds. Oh wait, 48. Did you succeed on the check? Yeah, I critically succeeded. 5, 6, 9, 10.
Starting point is 01:03:33 Wait, what is happening? She's treating your wounds while you're having the void damage. Treat wounds is 10 minutes. Is it battle medicine or do you have it? Oh, we're still in combat. Do you have battle medicine? Then yeah, I would do battle medicine or do you have? Oh, we're still in combat. Yeah. Okay. Yeah, battle medicine? Then yeah, I would do battle medicine. Okay.
Starting point is 01:03:47 And so that was a 25. Um. Alright, so. Alright, so he's, yeah. What was the 48? Because that's gonna be. For my treat wounds. Yeah, yeah.
Starting point is 01:03:57 Well, how much was it? Oh shoot, I forgot now. 10. You said 10 and I said 14. And then he's saying other numbers. I'll say, I'll say he goes, he breathes kind of life back into him and maybe she sort of starts to vanish Yeah, and he's like no wait just wait and He'll take damage again. They'll take five more points of damage. Come on. Just roll out of it. There we go 13
Starting point is 01:04:19 There we go. Okay. Wait, do I not get the bonus cuz she did tree wound son of a bitch I just wanted to hand wave it. But yeah, she didn't do that. She damn it Okay, wait, do I not get the bonus because she did tree wound son of a bitch. I just wanted to hand wave it, but yeah, she didn't do that. She God damn it. Can I do an arcana check to give him a boost to get to reduce his check? It might be time to let him go. You made it to the second. I see you. So. Sometimes it's necessary to shoot the horse. Without getting too much in the weeds here, are you the only one that can reduce his flat check?
Starting point is 01:04:52 I don't know. Who else has medicine? Ken and John. Anybody can. But let the 13th have it. I'm trained in medicine. That's fine. It's all about what you're all trying to help him.
Starting point is 01:05:02 What you saw. That's enough to reduce the check. Yeah, the last thing he'll just say is I'm sorry I'm so sorry I'm so sorry and he starts breaking down crying start breaking but then all of a sudden like his breath comes back he looks up noination. And he just looks around at all of you. Who were you talking to? Are you okay now? There's no need to apologize, we've all had the Founder's Day punch together.
Starting point is 01:05:40 Puts the blade of his, the point of his bastard sword into the ground and just like pushes up off the hilt, stands up and he's tall, 6'3", he's almost as tall as Sir Norval, not quite. Just stands up tall, looks around at all of you, nothing. Just nothing. Are you alright? I think so, yeah. Just couldn't breathe there for a moment. It must have been something the creature bit me.
Starting point is 01:06:09 And he looks around at the priest, right? You said there was like a priest that was doing the ritual? Father Selwyn Borvis, he is standing up and looking around and you see that some members of the guard are whisking away Lord and Lady Montrose. Two of the men are actually carrying Lady Montrose away from the dais.
Starting point is 01:06:29 Oh, right. There's just a pool of this black bile laying on the stage and the crowd has started to disperse. The rest of the guard are like pushing them back. And in fact, you see the dwarf captain of the guard come over and says, get to your posts, get these people out of here. The festival's over, the festival's over says get to your post get these people out of here the festival over the festival's over
Starting point is 01:06:45 We must investigate this bile Yes, say right arm our necks just a moment just a moment. He says to the captain watch killin this This something happened here with this whatever she threw up It woke this goat and I it's a ram a ram whatever and he goes over to the some elf you are the bile don't don't touch it he has a glove on he's gonna like pull his glove off you ma'am ma'am you're somebody of intellect Do you have any insight into what this might be?
Starting point is 01:07:26 And you, Madame and Lady Andromeda. Perhaps you have some knowledge that might be useful. I'm but a humble guard. Andromeda looks at Helena. Perhaps you would also know, but I think that that was Undead. Oh yeah. Oh, okay. Oh, for sure. Yes, okay. For sure, yes.
Starting point is 01:07:52 And Helena crouches down to inspect the black bile. Yeah, I would like to roll, if you'll allow me, I have Undead lore, but I'd like to roll my lore master about Undead to see if I can recall anything about the black bile throwing up, being sick. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. And Killian, you're over there as well? Yeah, he wants to put his fingers into the bile. You're still going to do that, huh?
Starting point is 01:08:20 I rolled a 28. The entire table is stepping up to help you. He pulls out a long metal straw. Well he just has this history in alchemy and he works with his hands and so he's touching it to see if he gets any. First rule of alchemy, touch everything. Touch everything. Touch it with your hands.
Starting point is 01:08:44 Put it in your mouth. Put it in your mouth. Touch everything. Touch it with your hands. Put it in your mouth. Put it in your hand. Make sure you experience it with all five senses. What does it taste like? Andromeda, you don't know any direct connections between vomiting black bile and the undead. You've heard of stories of some undead that drool this blackness that they can infect with this. You don't know if there's a causal connection or if it's just an odd coincidence.
Starting point is 01:09:10 Did you roll on this like a medicine? I rolled like a medicine check, it's a dirty 20. Yeah, so it's not uncommon if you have like blood in your intestinal tract for it to like coagulate and come up like this, but this would be a lot of blood which makes it all the more dangerous where she's You know seven and a half eight months pregnant and and you feel it and it has a
Starting point is 01:09:34 viscous quality to it Killian Just a very unsettling Series of events here. Can I roll knowledge on it?? Yeah, you can roll so I mean I can roll religion I can roll arcana. Yeah, I can roll crafting. Yeah, like craft alchemy. Yeah, I mean, it's not an alchemical substance. Sure Okay. Well, that's important to know. Yeah, you know, like is it biological? Yeah But you but you might be wondering like maybe she was poisoned, right? Right. Yeah. So why don't you roll alchemy on? Yeah, all right. I'll roll Craft. 15.
Starting point is 01:10:08 Your brain goes right there, right? You're like, someone poisoned the Baroness. And you try to see, it's got this sort of like coffee grind texture to it. Ugh. Ugh. Man, that's so gross. Well, that's unsettling, yeah.
Starting point is 01:10:21 And you're not 100% sure, but you start to worry now. The guard in you comes out. The 100 plus year old elf in you comes out, who has seen assassination attempts, who has seen assassinations perhaps, and you sober up real quick. You're not quite sure from testing the bile that there's poison there, but you're not
Starting point is 01:10:45 ruling it out. Yeah. All right, so he's going to stand up and quickly walk towards Sir Norville and just quietly up near your ear, be like, I'm not 100% sure, but it's very possible this is an assassination attempt. Why are you telling secrets over there? Andromeda also walks up. Are you talking about the bile? Lady-eda also walks up. Are you talking about the vial?
Starting point is 01:11:06 Lady- We'd like to know what you know. Lady Helena, you work in the Baron's household. Yes. If you know anything about what happened- I don't. I don't know anything, but I think- Look, it's not substantiated or anything, but it's very possible this- You the new magic assistant? Yes. I have been here for almost a year.
Starting point is 01:11:28 We've talked before. Have you studied any necromancy or anything like that? My name is Andromeda. I know who you are. We talked at the tavern and when I walk outside, I've seen you. I talked to you at the tavern? Yes, you were very drunk. That's kind of rude.
Starting point is 01:11:48 I bought a round for you and you and Helena. I know who you are. I know who you are. Hello. We met before too. Remember me? This is Arswin. Right, yeah. No, that's a great memory, yeah. This is Arswin. Come, come. No, that's a great memory, yeah. This is Arswin. Um, come, come, come, Arswin, come.
Starting point is 01:12:08 All right, no, don't. No, perhaps Arswin collects herbs sometimes on the outside in the forest for me and the mage. Perhaps Arswin would know if this is the poison. I could, like, if it's like a natural sort of cutting, substance that, like, you can find in the woods, perhaps. I'll give it a shot. Right?
Starting point is 01:12:31 I'm going to go down, I'm going to bend down. He's just, while Oswin is examining it, he's going to say quietly to the three of them, as Oswin is examining, he's going to gonna say there is no direct evidence but it's possible she was poisoned it's possible it was someone was trying to assassinate her I don't know for sure though why would one want to assassinate the Baroness unless to get to the air yes unless the new child it will be the air but who would stand to gain from such an assassination besides the crown?
Starting point is 01:13:08 This is all interesting, happening on the same night? Right, so if the newly whatever Baron becomes, I don't know the words for it. Will you listen into the whole festival? Newly invested Baron? Well thanks Mr. Smartypants, we're not all so educated. The newly invested Baron is killed without nair. Then what?
Starting point is 01:13:33 They have control. It passes to the king. Passes to one of his daughters, who will soon be marrying. To one of the panes. One of the kings. Right. Who install one of the king's sons.
Starting point is 01:13:46 But again this returns to the question we were asking ourselves earlier. Why would the Crown of Mednev have any interest in our small town? I don't know maybe. I mean the whole reason we stayed here in the first place and he looks at Helena. The whole reason we stayed in the first place was because it was useless land. Because no one else wanted to be here, because there was nothing of value here. That's what made us safe. That's why we stayed. We have to tell them. Let's be sure what we know. Oswin, have you discovered anything? Yeah, he's like bends down and with his dominant three-fingered right hand
Starting point is 01:14:25 He like takes a pinch of the substance rubbed it between his fingers and sniffs it touches it on his tongue and That's a 20 nature 20 nature Thank you And what does it taste like, Troy? I mean, it tastes like copper. So it could be blood.
Starting point is 01:14:51 This could be... Yeah, it seems like blood. It just... There's a lot of it. You know, the medical part of you says this wouldn't be crazy, dangerous. There's a part of you that thinks like maybe there's poison involved but the the highest check among you cannot say for sure what happened here and because you're still smarting
Starting point is 01:15:17 from this ram rising up, you're having trouble distinguishing between these two events. They have to be related. They have to be. Sister Andromeda. The moment she vomited this on the ground that thing woke up. Not a sister. You're all sisters in the light of the goddess. And right now you're standing in my aura and the light shines down upon you. Okay. Thank you. Do you think your boss might be able to analyze this? Oh, perhaps? We should take a sample. I can ask.
Starting point is 01:15:54 Before that, can we roll it? I don't know if there's a check. But can she be trusted? Who? The arcane advisor. Riddian Silverfront? Yeah yeah you don't have a lot of connection with her it's like a different department she wasn't here when we founded the town because she's another yeah no she came in she came later and he has she was sent from my Julian hasn't had a lot of interaction
Starting point is 01:16:19 with her now yeah so he's like I think a dropper even says, she's tough. Tough? She's tough. This is the word I would use to describe her personality. Perhaps if you, Killian, and Sir Norville came with me to say this is important, she would listen to the words from your mouths, but from my mouth it is sort of squeaky mouse. But I don't know that we can trust anything she says anyway. What would we get from her?
Starting point is 01:16:54 What does she know? Well, why can we not trust? You think, well, if we cannot... We just don't know is all. But who can we trust if we cannot trust? I don't know if we can trust like anyone they slaughter either. I trust Helena. I trust Helena. And I think you should go and talk to them.
Starting point is 01:17:13 Talk to the family. Find out where she's been and who she's been talking to. They like you. Find out if she left town recently or spoke with anyone unusual. Find out who that rider was. Your boss, Sir Norval and Killian comes over, the captain of the guard, Barvis Tonk, and he says, gentlemen, this way. He pulls you aside and he says, when you struck the beast, are you 100% sure that you killed it? Can you say with absolute certainty
Starting point is 01:17:48 that you murdered the creature? You mean when I slipped from... Yes. Absolutely. No question. I saw it fall. You felt there was no heartbeat. I held it with my other hand. It went limp completely and I felt it die. Yes. And it felt its heart beat stop you felt it yeah stop and I described slowly like feeling this connection between this creature's death and what's happening what might be happening with this barony so like yeah he felt the life bleed out of it in fact you may have even taken some joy in it in some weird way. Alright, calm down. What the heck? That's almost an anathema. Oh, almost.
Starting point is 01:18:30 Better watch yourself. I never claim to bathe in any light with a bunch of chicks. He says to you and Sir Norville, he says, the you, uh, let's make sure this area is dispersed. Meet me in my chambers later this evening. We should talk. Um... Yes, I'm gonna make... I'm gonna check in on my family, make sure they're all right before I meet... That's fine, that's fine. And I'll meet up with you.
Starting point is 01:18:58 In an hour and a half. Talk to the family. Ninety minutes? Nine... Ninety minutes is fine. Yeah, would you have an appointment? I don't know why I'm looking at my wrist. Is your wrist alright? Do I need to heal it for you? No, it's alright. And Killing is going to turn to Andromeda. She's already prestidigitation-ing the blood away, just hiding everything. I can see already
Starting point is 01:19:24 you've got some talent thank you this is nothing this is sort of the things I do to pass the time it's very nice is Dutch So I have to get back to Bjork, tiny, teeny, tiny, Icelandic, small, okay. She says all of that. Look, do whatever you think is right, but if I could ask you a favor, just keep it to yourself for the moment. You could come and we could talk to you after we talk to our boss. But don't tell yours. Not yet. That is not a problem for me because I don't talk to anyone.
Starting point is 01:20:14 That's a really sad thing to hear. It is. No, no, no. Nothing is sad. Come talk to us. So, normally, suddenly it's like square up in front of you. It's not sad. I believe you have a lot of important things to say.
Starting point is 01:20:26 Oh. Her face softens. This is true, but I don't feel like I have to say them. I think them. I feel them. You know? There's so much wisdom in what you say. Killian rolls his eyes. She turns back to Killian. He looks at Sir Norvo and says, She could meet us later after we speak with Captain.
Starting point is 01:20:52 Perhaps we will meet at the tavern where we have talked many times before. Yes. We will sit at the table that we always sit at. Well, I'll just, you lead me there. I'll sit there. Sir Norval Poulskalina says, like, is your wife aware that you're meeting with Anjumma at a table in the tavern many, many times?
Starting point is 01:21:19 No judgment, I just want to make sure I got my story straight. Quick question, in the lie of Saitana, as you so eloquently describe described if you don't remember something Did it happen? Morally speaking it like did it happen? In a former life I was a philosopher I Believe I have to consult my book of of scripture but I believe the answer is yes.
Starting point is 01:21:51 Objectively speaking. Well, we all have different interpretations. I'll see you at the meeting. Andromeda also says- He's going to go to his family. Yeah, Andromeda says bye to Helena. She says, you should meet us later. See if you find the things that that
Starting point is 01:22:06 happened to Lady Montrose I I will try my stutter is really bad today guys sorry this was what my stutter this was a very scary event we are all struggling what said it's acting up yeah I thought it was a character choice. No, I was not trying to do that. And she holds your arm, Helena, and she says, You are so strong, and they like you, they trust you. You're one who knows about this, okay? Okay, I mean, I didn't know about this whole deal with the Baron, or not the Baron. Baroness?
Starting point is 01:22:45 The Pains. Oh yes. But you will. But it sounds like some of them didn't even know either. I thought you left. My dear. We should... I think the Baroness knew.
Starting point is 01:22:54 I'm talking to Elena, the hot girl. I said I left. I don't even know why I talked. Before I leave, we should make one thing clear. Andromeda leaves! We shouldn't speak of this to anyone. I mean, everyone saw it. No, but on your theory, we shouldn't speak of what we suspect.
Starting point is 01:23:20 Okay. Anyone could be involved. Oswin, we can trust you with the secret, yes? Oh, right, yeah, of course. Scout's on her, and he lifts his severed fingers and a salute to his eyebrow. We'll see you at the tavern. Right, see you at the tavern.
Starting point is 01:23:37 You're buying, I assume. I thought Killian was buying, it's his table. As long as it's not me, yeah, it's great. It's his table that apparently he uses to see Andromeda with him. Oh, right, he only knows it well. Where no one suspects. Do you hear the rumors this guy's starting? Bye! Bye! And we fade out of this long scene.
Starting point is 01:23:59 And you were so worried that you wouldn't have enough material tonight. You wanted us to bond! And you were so worried that you wouldn't have enough material tonight. You wanted us to bond. Shut up. Fade out of the scene and lights come up. A single torch in a sconce starts to light up a small room where a dwarf, Barbus Tonk, the captain of the guard, is sitting with a mug of ale by a table. There's a knock at the door.
Starting point is 01:24:30 He goes to answer, and it's Killian and Sir Norval. And he says, come in, come in. Some ale. He goes to pour a beer for both of you. Thank you, Captain. Much obliged. It's been a long day. I didn't sleep well last night. It was a strange day. Yes, indeed. This was not what Lord Montrose Barron Montrose had planned. I checked in on the Baroness there, not letting any visitors in.
Starting point is 01:25:13 Apparently she is recovering safely. She has no memory of what happened. Captain, we have reason to think, I mean, we have no proof, but we think it might be an assassination attempt. Could have been. I have thought the same thing.
Starting point is 01:25:29 We cannot rule out. Well, no one can be allowed to go in there. No stranger. No, no, and don't worry. I have guards at the door. Not Mick. Can we trust, you're not Mick. No, Mick, I said home.
Starting point is 01:25:41 Can we trust the households? If there was poison, it could have been one of their staff. Frankly, we cannot trust anyone. I agree. If we can't trust anyone, how can we trust each other? Well, Killian, you and I go way back. If I can't trust you, I can't trust anyone. I know you have become close here with Sonorvo. I'm unimpeachable.
Starting point is 01:26:10 I don't understand, I don't know what that means. You don't know what that means? No, I really don't know. I'd have to look up that word. Could be a hundred. Does that mean you can't be kicked out? No, my honor and my valor and my truth cannot be questioned. See? I thought it was totally something different.
Starting point is 01:26:30 Did you think it had something to do with peaches? I didn't rule that out. But, uh... Any pitted fruit, really, it wouldn't have to be a peach. This is why he's the captain. He doesn't rule out any possibility until he's thoroughly, thoroughly investigated the matter. I wasn't one for book learning.
Starting point is 01:26:54 I didn't learn about peaches or rim peaches. I disabled my parents gave me. It means the same thing. It's like flammable and inflammable. Well, look, Captain, if you'll permit me, I think that there's something here that's there's a couple of things happening. There may have been, yes, an attempt on the Baroness' life, and we could all speculate on what that was and why,
Starting point is 01:27:22 even if it's, but whether it's true or not. But neither case, at the same time that she goes ahead and gets sick on the stage, that goat comes to life. Ram. Ram. Jesus Christ. That ram comes to life and. You did kill it, you should remember.
Starting point is 01:27:42 When it bit me, I saw something. I saw something that... Well, I don't even see in my dreams. I saw my late wife. I saw a woman that hasn't been alive for a very long time. Well, you were bit by the beast, perhaps it temporarily infected your mind. Of course, yes, but what kind of beast, how could that beast be here in Rosewood Dale? Why now?
Starting point is 01:28:13 This is what worries me as well. There's no knowing why the Baroness fell ill. What does that sound? I think they started early at the tavern. Someone's here, Captain, get down! Where's my gun? I need some DP for the caffeine hit! For that caffeine hit! There are two problems here that I see right now.
Starting point is 01:28:40 Just two? Well, there's more, but right now the two main things is the Baroness Felleel. We cannot rule out nefarious reasons but this ram goat. Goatram. Goatram. This goatram. This goatram. Evil beast from beyond. How could it have been so transformed? Where did we acquire this ram? I don't understand these type of things. I don't know how things come back to life. I've seen many things in my day
Starting point is 01:29:12 but have not experienced. As have I. Things like this. Regardless of where it came from or what has happened here, now we all have to deal with the ramifications. Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!
Starting point is 01:29:27 Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Untap that cap!
Starting point is 01:29:34 Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Wow! Yeah! Not even in the scene. He's not even in the scene!
Starting point is 01:29:41 I'm sorry! Untappin' caps last night. He wasn't in the scene, that was just a cutaway. Yeah. It was a monologue. He's at even in the scene. He's not even in the scene. I was tapping caps last night. He wasn't in the scene, that was just a cutaway. Yeah. He's at the bar already. I'm just talking to myself outside. I know. God, you're good.
Starting point is 01:29:58 Where did, Captain, where did we acquire the ram? Shut up for a second. Okay. I have guards posted outside of the Baroness's room but Lord Montrose has made it clear we are not to go in there. So we'll put that on pause for now. I will keep my ear to the ground and make sure the men that I put in charge can be trusted. But what I need you to do is investigate this goat room. Understood.
Starting point is 01:30:32 I don't want you to just grab other members of the guard. You two I trust. Assemble a team. Go into the mistwood. Find out what you can. This is where the ram was caught. Go in there. Hunt. See if you can learn anything. Is there some sort of necromancer living in the woods? Is there something that has done something to this ram to make it come back to life? If we can rule that out, it will help.
Starting point is 01:31:05 It makes sense. I didn't think of that. Maybe it was already infected before it even came. Yeah. We'll rule it out. We'll rule it out. Well, I have an idea of our team, Captain. I think we have two trusted... a sister of Sedona, a trusted spellcaster, and a guide that will be able to get us into the Mistwood. Well, I don't know about him. He knows the Mistwood well, but can we trust him, Sir Norval? What was that? He knows the Mistwood well, but can we trust him? He's a criminal. Do you not believe in redemption in the light of the goddess?
Starting point is 01:31:41 I believe in it, but I haven't seen it yet from him. He helps us. He skorks around, he comes to town once in a long while, doesn't talk to anyone. He's colorful. Ha ha ha. Sadistic or normal? Yeah, for real.
Starting point is 01:31:59 I find him quite enjoyable. Just the music of his voice alone is enough to entertain a crowd of hundreds Well you your blind trust is inspiring, but I'm gonna keep an eye on him he knows the miss wood though There's no doubt in that and this new young assistant to the arcane advisor she seems I Mean there's nothing to mistrust about her. You seem to know her quite well. She says that? I don't know that!
Starting point is 01:32:32 I believe her. She freaks me out a little. She's got that weird eye and the scar down her face. Cut to Andromeda, back in her room, writing in her journal about the day. I have so many friends. Cut back. She's smiling wide. Cut back. She's smiling wide. I mean we don't know she might be touched by some demon from the abyss All right good it seems like you know people of multiple disciplines
Starting point is 01:33:21 Yes, and Helena she's she's dressed for a adventure. She's ready. She could go on a moments notice. Yes, it's good to bring one sexy person into the forest. So first thing then, at dawn, we'll set out. Well, I think we, sure, yes. Great. Yes. Do you have any equipment that might exceed the value of our starting wealth that we might be able to take with us into the forest? Can we open the evidence locker and take those ten healing potions we confiscated off of?
Starting point is 01:33:57 No, no, it's not that type of adventure. You must wear what you have and make sure that those you travel with can be trusted as well. We will do this. Alright. Report back to me say tomorrow evening. Or do you think you'll need multiple days in the Nistowage? Depends on what we find. If we find something fast, we'll come right back, report to you tomorrow evening. If we don't come back, I'm sure we'll just need to take out one night. No, no, if we don't come back, you're going to send out a party to rescue us.
Starting point is 01:34:34 At what point should I assume you're dead? I would send out someone you can afford to lose like Mick, just to make sure. And then you can assume the worst. All right, after 48 hours I will send out Mick. If Mick does not return within 24 hours, I will assume you're dead, and we'll start a new adventure. That should get us through what, St. Paul?
Starting point is 01:35:01 Great. Maybe Toronto. All right. We don't have to see Mick until then. St. Paul? Great. Maybe Toronto. All right. We don't have to see Mick until then. Yeah, we don't have to see Mick until we're in Canada. All right, good, good. You've had your ale, now get out. Thank you, sir.
Starting point is 01:35:18 You're welcome. Thank you for calling me sir. Ha! Sorry, that was loud. All right, we'll head out. We should go update the team at the time. Yeah, we'll update the team at the tower. And you head to the Mockingbird Tavern, where just this morning, Sir Norville and Oswin saw a lone rider riding into the valley and up to the gates on the same day when this odd tragedy began. And we'll be back right after this quick intermission.
Starting point is 01:35:59 Yeah baby! Woo! Woo! St. Pete! Woo! Woo! Woo! Woo! Woo! Woo! Woo! Woo!
Starting point is 01:36:11 Woo! Woo! Woo! Woo! Woo! Woo! Woo! Woo!
Starting point is 01:36:19 Woo! Woo! Woo! Woo! Woo! Woo! Woo! Woo! Woo! Woo! We were at lunch yesterday in Dallas just kind of talking about the show and I was asking about their characters a little bit more and then I was like all right so what about an intermission this is something we kind of talked about
Starting point is 01:36:36 backstage off and on over the past year I'm like should we do an intermission and they were all like yes you know it's really unanimously yes I was like all right we'll do an intermission. And so we did like a haphazard little unplanned intermission yesterday, and it was fucking great. And we just did it again right now, even better. It's so nice to have a little break.
Starting point is 01:36:58 But yesterday we like, we didn't even have a light change, we didn't have any music, and so I was like, I'll put together a playlist or something. And I was, my whole last together a playlist or something and I was, my whole last week has been consumed by two things. It's been consumed by creating this world and this story as best I can and Saturday Night Live's 50th anniversary show. Saturday Night Live has been such a, I mean, it's influential to any sort of artist I think, but like, at my age, at 46 years old, SNL has been a part of my life
Starting point is 01:37:31 for a long, long time. And I watched that show, and it was typically uneven like all SNL shows, but I was just, I was consumed by it and consumed by this room of people. There were all of the cast members from 76 all the way to now and all the celebrity guest hosts. I mean, if a bomb ever hit Rockefeller Plaza, not Rockefeller, but Rockefeller, what is it called? Center? 30 Rock?
Starting point is 01:37:58 30 Rock. Thank you, 30 Rock. Well, if it was a big bomb, if it hit Rockefellereller Plaza it would take out the entire... But it ends with one of Paul McCartney doing golden slumbers all the way through the rest of Abbey Road and he just crushed, he annihilated and I was telling Skid Backstage because he hadn't seen that part yet. It's like Tom Hanks is dancing next to Jerry Seinfeld with Larry David and Paul Rudd and Pedro Pascal, all these celebrities. And I'm like, man, imagine being the Beatles.
Starting point is 01:38:31 There's only a couple of them left and you changed the world with your music. And what a wonderful thing to have a show that goes on for 50 years. And I was like, all right, we've been doing this for 10 years as of this year can I do it can I do this for another 40 until I'm 86? We can least do it till you're 64. It's not really physically demanding. It's not physically well the way we do it it is but know, even if even if I can't do it, what can the glass cannon go for fifty years? What an accomplishment that would be and you know, I was like I were not. We're not the Beatles. Maybe not yet. Okay, but I'm like maybe we're the clash and I'm like yeah, we're the clash. It's pretty fucking cool to be
Starting point is 01:39:23 the clash. I don't think we're cool enough to be the clash. We are. Well, in our sphere, I think we are. Don't sell yourself short. Anyway. Sydney's cool enough to be the clash, for sure. Thank you. Thank you.
Starting point is 01:39:34 I'd rather the sex pistols, but I could be the clash. So we can ride on Sydney's coattails to the amount of cool we need to be either the sex pistols or the clash? Everybody needs to wear one Bucky's bikini, and then we could be the either this X-Wistols or the clash everybody needs to wear one Bucky's bikini and We could be the clash listen. I would wear a Bucky's bikini to get to be the clash I think it's a fair trade is a sentence. I just said Well something to think about what can you do what can you do to leave your mark?
Starting point is 01:40:04 You can choose something for the core rule book instead of the player core or player core to yes What can you do to leave your mark? I'm gonna interrupt you there. You can choose something from the core rule book instead of the player core or player core two. Yes, we found out during the break that Matthew cheated. What else is new? Matthew, downside of intermission. I specifically said you can only choose things from player core one and player core two
Starting point is 01:40:22 because if you can learn those two, then you can do other things. And Matthew, we found out you chose an oath from a different book. From the Core Rulebook. Yeah, which to be fair. Pathfinder Second Edition Core Rulebook. Sounds like it should be allowed, but it's not.
Starting point is 01:40:39 No, the reason is, you guys don't know how to play the basic game. Oh. Learn these two books, then you can play with other books. We have been doing this for 10 years. You'd never know. Yeah. Yeah.
Starting point is 01:40:55 Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. You got a month to lemon law that. Mark on it right now. But in the meantime, let's come back in with a scene of sorts. A six-sharing forest. The Mishwood Forest, in fact, this borders the northern portion of Rosewood Vale.
Starting point is 01:41:20 As I said, in Dallas, Rosewood Vale lies within a valley. The northern border is the Mistwood Forest. We push our way through the forest and it's densely packed with these old trees. There's sunlight streaming through the treetops, splitting the light into beams that pierce the forest floor at odd intervals. Into this scene a group of hunters skulk interview. They're carrying crossbows and and spears, longbows, and swords.
Starting point is 01:42:05 And among them we see Killian. Maybe a lower third on the screen says the fifth of Desnus, 4801. While Killian may not look younger per se as he's an elf. Maybe he's a little more fresh-faced. He and his companions. When I think of Joe, I think of fresh-faced. That's right. His hair is shorter, that's how we know it's in the past. His ears aren't drooping.
Starting point is 01:42:46 Are my ears drooping? No, you look great. As an elf ages, his ears droop. He and his companions, these other hunters, they're looking to the left, looking to the right, moving quietly, moving slowly, moving purposefully, so as not to disturb the brush. A dwarf. A dwarf slides up to him. This is a dwarf that we now know. His barb is Tonk, the future captain of the guard. But in 4801, he is but a settler of Rosewood Vale and a fellow hunter. He whispers to Gilean, Have you ever hunted ram before?
Starting point is 01:43:31 No, only godrum. But they're loosely related. Some of the same habits. My father was a hunter. I was always amazed at the size of the animals he would heft home on his back. He may have been a dwarf, but he always felt like a giant to me. He took me on a hunt once, hunting for ram. He said, never come at them from below. They scare easily. They'll clamber up the side of a mountain like a wyvern taking flight.
Starting point is 01:44:23 You all right. Sorry, I just had 14 Wheat Thins. They told us to pack light rations. They just wheat thinned. A whole sleeve of Wheat Thins. The whole sleeve of weavers. Anyways, don't fucking attack them if they're above you. It's very dangerous. They can climb up the side of a mountain like a woman. Understood, yes. If you spot one, take the high ground. Suddenly, one of the other hunters makes a bird sound. Caw-caw.
Starting point is 01:45:09 During a ram hunt? They eat birds. Caw! It's got to be a fast-ass ass ram to eat birds. Now I get why the ram was like that. These rams are fucked up. Guys are ruining the hunt. Bird sounds.
Starting point is 01:45:38 Bird sounds. He puts up his hand to motion to the group to stop. And he bends down, you all see him, he points to a tree and the bark at the bottom of the tree is all like chipped, there's these crisscross patterns on it and he points up ahead and you see similar trees with these like ripped bark patterns going all the way up to a cave.
Starting point is 01:46:05 Then he points to you, Gillian, and Barvis, and says, you guys go up there. He points to the rest to like spread out to the sides. Bird sounds. So the two of you break free from the grope and approach the mouth of the cave while the others fan out its eerily quiet. Barvis takes the lead and he steps up to the darkness to listen. Roll a perception check. Killian is going to reach down into his satchel. He pulls out a small vial and pops the top off of it. Just says, I don't have the natural bone talents you do. I need some help. He drinks a vial of dark vision. So that he can see better in the darkness.
Starting point is 01:47:06 His eyes seem to shift and change ever so slightly. You see everything like. And he shakes his head a bit and then opens his eyes and they have this like kind of glowing quality now. I like that. And a whole roll of perception. A negative of a film. Yes.
Starting point is 01:47:22 15. 15. Barvis is peering into this darkness and as he does you see a little crumble of pebbles from above just kind of fall to the ground near Barvis's feet. You look up, Barvis doesn't see this and jutting out from the wall there is like a rock and on top of the rock is a ram and the ram jumps down at bar holy shit what do you do he's going to he's got his bow out so he's just gonna like draw and loose and try to hit the ram as it's falling. Roll to attack toward Barvis. Maybe skewer it, knock it off course slightly. Alright, attack roll. Oh 28.
Starting point is 01:48:11 28. It hits the ram with all force. The ram changes direction in this fall and crashes to the ground next to Barvis. Barvis turns, attacks it, and the rest of the group closes in and you just watch as they attack this ram trying to keep it alive and tie it. You feel power that you've never felt before. Yeah. And then we come back to the present day. Interesting. Riddian Silverfron, female elf wizard, arcane advisor to the new Baron and Baroness is in her chambers. I was thinking about this in the green room during our intermission. I thought that it'd be interesting if the way arcane advisors work in this world,
Starting point is 01:49:13 they're hired guns in a way. So you have a town, you have a village, you have a city, you hire one of these court wizards basically. The King of Mendeb is gonna have the best of the best. A city like Rosewood Vale that only recently got recognized, for them to have an arcane advisor, that means that Lord Montrose had to spend a lot of money to bring someone in.
Starting point is 01:49:39 They're not like farming them up. No. They're training from within. No. You have to buy, yeah. And so if your apprenticeship goes well. Call up a triple A up. No. Training from within. It's, you have to buy it. Yeah. And so if your apprenticeship goes well. Call up a triple A wizard. Exactly. If your apprenticeship goes well,
Starting point is 01:49:50 you could very well be the next arcane advisor here. Or it's possible that Riddian Silverfron would send you back to the mages college. And you would be then sent and put in a position somewhere else. You have chosen this life. The door opens, and it is you. And she is just working on something. Pardon me, a divisor silver front?
Starting point is 01:50:20 Yes, what is it? And Andromeda comes into the room, she has some tomes and paperwork, things that she was supposed to bring in anyway, and she places them down. The fireworks were a big success and the lavatories are clean and the festival Overall, pretty good? Good, good. I heard there was some trouble? Oh, oh. Um, yes, actually I wanted to mention to you that it was uncomfortable, a part of it. Were you? Did you see? No, no, I was busy here, working. I don't get involved in celebrations of this town. Of course I understand. You are paying attention to the big things, and that is why I take care of the little
Starting point is 01:51:15 things. There was a ram that... It died and then came back to life. And in my understanding that is a necromancy. And perhaps you would know about these things because at the college they don't teach us. And it is not permitted to talk about. At the mention of a ram coming back to life and necromancy she finally turns to look at you. You say a ram was sacrificed and came back to life. Yes it was the sacrifice that they were doing, but the sacrifice happened and then the Ram rose from the dead.
Starting point is 01:52:12 And I am telling truth, this was undead. You know this is dark magic at play if what you say is true. No, I understand the ram-a-f- ram-a-f- f-k-ish Quietly, Andromeda turns. Aswin! This is not something that I talk about lightly.
Starting point is 01:52:46 I do not know about this. And I shouldn't. It is forbidden. I just wanted to bring to attention. Good. Well, I will send a missive. You are dismissed. Andromeda. Yes?
Starting point is 01:53:10 Do not discuss this with anyone. Yes. No. Good night. goodnight. And Andromeda carries out all of the things that she brought into the room back with her to her room. Was she wearing a beaver bikini? It was for the festival. It was an unsanctioned beaver. She turns around at the door.
Starting point is 01:53:50 Um, advisor Silverfront, I would kick myself for not asking the questions to you, but do you know necromancy? You are an archmage and you know so much and and I want to learn from you and not that I want to learn No. You are dismissed. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Good night. You leave and you shut the door. She walks over to the door, listens, gently locks the door. And then walks over to the bookshelf, starts running her fingers along the tones,
Starting point is 01:54:44 and pulls one out. And we fade out of that scene. Shady. Yeah, she's, she's going to have you killed. The yellow page, she's looking up assassins. The yellow page, she's looking up assassins. Hey. Assessors.
Starting point is 01:55:13 Passes for hire. Assessors. We fade back up, it is dawn. Or as it's known in this part of the world, dong dong. Yes, rosy fingers of dog. Nice. Nice. Nice. At the edge of the mistwood, yes. I'm not changing the oath of the defender.
Starting point is 01:55:51 I. Whoa. Whoa. Whoa, whoa, whoa. That is outright defiance. You're feeling strong. This is rebellion. I did break the rules.
Starting point is 01:56:01 It is not from Player Core One or Player Core Two, but it is remaster content because it is included in Lost Domens, Divine Mysteries, which came out in December. That's not the point. That's literally plenty of shit is from Lost Domens. You just made it worse by saying it's not from before. Unfortunately, I've already sworn an oath.
Starting point is 01:56:21 My hands are tied. My hands are time, my hands are time and your oath is dope as shit. We'll talk about this at home at the edge of the mist would we see Oswin we see sort of normal. We see Helena Oswin by the way, he doesn't have a house. He doesn't have a place to stay so I don't know where he slept. Flashback. How do you recruit Oswin?
Starting point is 01:56:55 Well we said to meet at the tavern. Alright we met at the tavern. And so yeah I think we kind of fast forwarded that but yeah I think we met at the tavern and asked you to guide us into the Mistwood. Now, we already saw Killian had been there years before, but perhaps it's been years since he set foot in it, and the forest is a living thing, it changes constantly.
Starting point is 01:57:16 So he would rely on your expertise. I says, oh, right, it sounds like steady work, government work. Alright, yeah, no, it sounds like a deal. Do you, sorry, I never asked you this before you know, come across a couple of copper pieces and they can scrounge up enough to stay in the, you know, like a fine establishment like this here. That's rare. That's rare. I don't normally, I don't know, like stay out in the bling to look out the woods, you know. Alright, um, sometimes I just watch your mouth move and I don't hear anything but sounds.
Starting point is 01:58:06 Well, Oswin, I think that before, if we're going to ask you to do this, I think it's only right that we give you a roof to sleep under tonight. So we decided you're going to stay at Killian's house. So if you'd like to stay at Sir Norville's house, I'm sure he'd be. He doesn't have a family or children to take up beds and, you know, plenty of extra room. Right, so Norville. Oh, unfortunately, my bed is spoken for tonight.
Starting point is 01:58:34 Are you serious? What did you have tamed, like? After all we've been through, what we got to do tomorrow morning, again, tonight? Who is it? I'm just trying to fulfill it. You have someone lined up? Who is it? I'm just trying to fulfill it. You have someone lined up, who is it? Well, that would be inappropriate to say.
Starting point is 01:58:52 But all I will say is that I'm trying to fulfill the edicts of our goddess, Killian. You and I have a very different definition of the goddess. I don't have to step on anyone's toes or anything. So if it's alright, I met a little bit of a, you know, a little bit of glint here before. So I said, I can stay here on the tavern like tonight. And then like perhaps going forward,
Starting point is 01:59:16 like I find it like, so there's a contract, like to somebody's place to actually sleep. But for now, like, I don't want to bother you. But you got like, you got a bar coming over there. So I don't want to bother about you got like a you got you got you got a bar coming over there and say the order wasn't step under. You know it's fee I can't. I cannot abide this no no no I can't kill Ian will reimburse you for the V. Expense. Well, all right, all right now we're talking now that says like that's a cutable fair treatment. You know, I think that's the only I think that's the only fair fair way out. I don't have
Starting point is 01:59:46 a dime to give you. I've got no money and draw that up palms into your hand that's missing the two fingers. She palms a few like a silver piece and she kind of just shrugs at Oswin. All right. Oh, we're here. Let him sleep where he wants to sleep. I'll keep receipts like if that's the issue. I'll get receipts for all the expenses. It's government work. All right, stay in the tavern then. We'll meet you here in the morning.
Starting point is 02:00:22 All right, see you in the morning. Dawn, when the rooster crows. A roof and a bed, whoo, feel like a millionaire. All right, so. That's where he was. Good flashback. That's okay. Glad we established. I just wanted that.
Starting point is 02:00:37 So we'll go back to where we were eight minutes ago. But we're all richer for having seen that. Glad we sorted that out. Except for me who had to pay for the room. You got me immersed. I gave you money. Edge of the Mistwood. Oswin, where do we go?
Starting point is 02:00:56 Yeah, good. Well, ehh. That damn... Yeah, no, fucking take it away. Well, I suppose. Seems like you got this under control. Go ahead. Listen, he's going to say some things that you can interpret them however you need to. I know, it is.
Starting point is 02:01:18 Today's supposed to be good to get out of the... I feel like we're playing six different games. I'll tell you what Sydney's doing over here for the audio audience. She's having some boy dinner. She's showing off some jerky over here. Sydney, you're having some boy dinner. I've got to start drinking water. I've been eating so much jerky. I feel like the salt content of my blood has raised to an unhealthy level, but this turkey is so fucking good. Beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef,
Starting point is 02:01:52 beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef,
Starting point is 02:02:03 beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, beef, All right, you five idiots. again in October for some reason. Stop railroading us, Troy. I'm literally giving flavor text. I don't even need this. He comes into his house, he says, hey, wife. No, let's go. All I was going to say, the five of you morons stand at the edge of the mistwood, brought together by both circumstance and fate. You have been tasked with a mission by Sir Barvis, not Sir
Starting point is 02:03:02 Barvis, Barvis Tonk, the captain of the guard. Captain Tonk. Captain Barvis. Captain Ton guard, Captain Tonk. Captain Barvis. Captain Tonk. Captain Tonk. Go into the mistwood, see if there's some dark shit going on that would make a ram that was captured there
Starting point is 02:03:17 come back to life. If there is, then we know. If there isn't, at least we can rule that out. So what do you do? I swear an oath. You're gonna swear a new oath in Milwaukee. Oh! Get his ass.
Starting point is 02:03:38 I swear to defend you all against the forces of darkness, specifically undead. Let's go, Osmond, which way? All right. Can I do just a survival check? Yeah, absolutely. That is a 20. 20, all right.
Starting point is 02:03:58 At the edge of the wood, you try to pick up some tracks. And you do see, you know, I don't know if you see direct tracks, but you get a sense of like where you should head, right? This is your jam. Why are you even rolling dice? I think he's like, he's almost like sniffing the wind and just kind of, it feels wrong somehow.
Starting point is 02:04:22 Like he's just trying to find the direction of something that's off. Yeah Okay, so you brought the right guy for the job. Yeah for real and You Move into the mistwood. It's not long before when you turn around and look back. You don't even see the town anymore Mistwood is thick with trees and because of the waterfall nearby and that lazy river, it's called the Mistwood because there's a lot of fog in here. So why is it called the Mistwood? I just told you. There's water and condensation and shit. Go pick a new one. But luckily you have a professional tracker and hunter with you and he leads you in the
Starting point is 02:05:15 direction that makes sense. And at a certain point you all smell something awful. It's a definite smell of death. You know it well, perhaps all too well, after the events of last night. And so, moving in that direction, you see a lake, a small pond up in the distance. And just at the edge of this pond, there are flies buzzing about over a carcass. Zzzz, zzzz, zzzz, zzzz. Maybe as you enter the clearing, it's still a little bit far away,
Starting point is 02:06:03 a bird like, ah, a bird flies off, picking at the entrails of something up there. Everyone stay on your guard. Stay within 15 feet of me if you want to benefit from some cool shit I can do. Let's go. Let's go. Feels like this power is waning. We should use it before it's all dried up. Before it's exhausted.
Starting point is 02:06:34 Let's go. If I have to swear a new oath, I think the GM will regret it. Because the other option is quite powerful as well. Killian is going to, again, go into his pouch, draw a vial, and drink. He's going to drink an eagle-eye elixir. It's Elric! It's fucking awesome! It is Elric. Yeah, I don't know enough about that guy. I know his disposition, but these little details are cool. I didn't realize that. He's a drug addict.
Starting point is 02:07:04 Yeah. Yes, I remember that. That's awesome. Now, well, this is no, no, no, it's okay, because Elric makes his own drugs right right and doesn't distribute them. No, he uses them to keep himself. Well, no, Troy, Troy, so it's a eagle eye elixir. He gets a bonus to perception for the next hour. Okay, so let's go to Elixir. He gets a bonus of Perception for the next hour. Okay, sweet. Let's go to the map. Take a look at the map.
Starting point is 02:07:27 Let's go to the map. Ooh. Oh shit, this is awesome. Oh wow. Whoa, ooh, oh my God. Yeah, Foundry Virtual Tabletop. Cool. So you can see.
Starting point is 02:07:40 I'm still taking Persistent Void damage. Uh oh. Oh no. It's been a rough night There we go I forgot you're supposed to take minus two, but he cheated so don't worry about it All right, so you see just at the edge of the river behind this little ridge here is some sort of carcass that Yeah, that's what the smell must have been
Starting point is 02:08:04 that that's what the smell must have been. Can we do a perception from here or are we too far away? No, well, you can, but perhaps someone with elven eyes and heightened perception. Yeah. Yeah, he's gonna do a perception in the area as well. Let's just make sure there's no other lurking creatures or animals to either side. What's your elf eyes see?
Starting point is 02:08:24 That is a 26 perception. 26 perception. Whatever it was is mangled. Like it didn't just die, it was like torn apart. But maybe, you know, carrion birds have made the situation Worse than it is, but it is gruesome With a 26 you see enough Fur or whatever it looks like it might have been a you
Starting point is 02:09:02 What's one of us, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E can't win a safe if you had said female sheep, we would have said to you. Looks like it might've been a female sheep. You I'm all right. So yeah, he'll share that share that with the group. Having gotten close to you, but it looks mangled sheep and he'll start. We'll check it out. Galsman. Can you keep an eye on us from a slight distance? He'll cover you. And he has his bow out, knocks a bow in his off hand, still feels wrong, but he's trying to drill himself into feeling, drill his skills,
Starting point is 02:10:02 to feeling the way that they did before he lost his fingers. Yeah, Killian will approach, actually he'll turn to Andromeda. Just be like, just give us a moment, keep your distance. If it looks clear, I'll call you up, alright? Yes, I don't want to do that. I don want anything smells bad and seems bad so have a good time I want to come and look okay stay within 15 feet of me and stay behind me don't touch it again Killian don't just touch stuff please and don't taste it so Andromeda hey you Oswin how you doing drama and Oswin stay back while Helena and Killian and Sir Norville push forward. All three of you give me a perception check. Let's fucking go.
Starting point is 02:11:12 23 for Killian. 17 for Sir Norville. 21. Are you trained in perception? Master expert? I think I'm an expert. Expert. OK. As you get close, you see the remaining entrails of this creature and there's this moment where,
Starting point is 02:11:35 you don't know if it's the wind or what, but they seem to like twitch ever so slightly. And all three of you get washed with this like sick feeling that you know that feeling when like your stomach drops? Yeah. You're all like whoa. Yeah, all morning in the car today. All three of you give me a will save.
Starting point is 02:12:06 Okay. Dirty 20. Dirty 20. 19. Oh no. Oh no. I just want it to look. No, look at Joe and Sydney.
Starting point is 02:12:24 I feel sick from looking at his dice Listening audience Joe has leaned his eyes Worst part is I don't know whose mouth has been on this mic And I just put it in my eye That's a natural one. Killian! Oh my god. Austin, you don't know what's about to happen. So why don't you tell them? Why don't you tell them?
Starting point is 02:13:05 It's kind of perfect. It's a, God, this is when it's fun. Cool. I like to think that that vision that we saw of you hunting with Barvis was a memory that you were having. For some reason, that came into your head. Yeah, good thing we got your flashback in. Yeah.
Starting point is 02:13:22 I'm sick. And the last part of that memory was this sort of like empowering feeling that you got. This ram was going to strike down your friend and you just hit it and saved your friend's life. And you felt this like little hint of bloodlust. You felt it yesterday when you slit the throat of the ram. In this moment that feeling that sinks all three of your stomachs, Sir Norville,
Starting point is 02:13:51 you're able to sort of ground yourself but Helena and Killian, something starts messing with your brain and in this moment you start worrying about who you can trust. Oh nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo This is how it manifests for the next round. Everyone around you is your enemy, and they must be dispatched. With your critical failure, this lasts for one minute. Roll for initiative! Jesus Christ! I'm having a Lone Star! Jesus Christ! Oh. I'm having a Lone Star! Oh! This is really bad.
Starting point is 02:14:51 This is not good. This is really bad. No! Oh my god. Here comes the natural 20 on initiative. Guarantee that. Oh no, real shitty, sweet. Oh boy.
Starting point is 02:15:07 Oh man, this is what it's all about. Helena, what'd you get? 12. Natural two. Gilead. 14. Okay. Sir Nervil, the pious.
Starting point is 02:15:24 Natural 20. Oh. Might be good. Okay. Sir Nervil the Pious. Natural 20. Oh! Might be good. 26. 26. Oswin. 26. 26, very good.
Starting point is 02:15:36 Andromeda Quinn. 15. 15. Yikes. Now, here's what I'll say. Sir Nervil the Pious, you will go first in this round. You felt that sinking feeling, but you are connected to Sidonah,
Starting point is 02:15:52 and her cleansing light has purified you immediately of whatever this energy, this dead carcass is giving off. When you look up, though, you see into the eyes of your companions to your left and your right and they look like they are ready to tear you apart. What do you do? Listen, I see the way you're looking at me and I just want to tell you, don't do it. Yeah, Killian will look right at you like wide-eyed. It's just like it was you. It was you the whole time and he starts reaching for his sword.
Starting point is 02:16:31 She's I see anyone else is like to see anything else. No, you know you can roll some checks. You can tell me what you want to do. I mean, I guess I'll spend an action to see whether like to just to look around and see if there's anything that could have caused this. Yeah Natural 20 Oh Perception You see something that? Killian saw moments before he was transformed you do see that this Carcass seems the
Starting point is 02:17:06 entrails seem to be quivering like they're like lifting up little little little bits of it. I am not your enemy. Hang on one second. I'll raise my shield second action. Third actions swing my sword at the entrails. Okay, do it. 16 to hit. 16, whoa, hey, it's a dead carcass. Wham!
Starting point is 02:17:33 You hit. Blood splatters up, coats Killian and Helena's face, maybe goes right onto your symbol of Cydonna hanging from your neck and continues to twitch. Oswin you see this you're about 25 feet away you might not see this look in their eyes they haven't made an attack move yet against Sir Norville or any of you but you just just see Sir Norville, wham, this dead carcass. What do you do?
Starting point is 02:18:07 Yeah, I think I'm going to make another. I'm going to make a perception check. Just to see. Okay. Natural one. Oh God. You know what's going on up there? Maybe you think like, oh, this thing must still be alive.
Starting point is 02:18:21 Sir Norville is just putting it out of its misery. All right, then I am... I'm going to trust that he knows more than I do. Good. I'm going to do Hunter's Mark on the corpse. And I... Yeah, I'm going to take one shot. I'm going to take a shot.
Starting point is 02:18:42 Yeah, okay. Natural one. Oh my god! I'm going to take one shot. I'm going to take a shot. Yeah, okay. Natural one. Oh my god! All right, I'm going to dap the cap. Okay. You're daping that cap! Oh, you're daping that second cap! Oh my god. All right, natural two.
Starting point is 02:18:58 Jesus. You know, skims on the edge of the lake. Andromeda Quinn, what is going on? Okay, Andromeda doesn't know, but she realizes that the energy, the mood has shifted over by the carcass, and she's far enough where she can kind of hear what's going on, and she realizes that
Starting point is 02:19:24 Killian doesn't look good, Helena doesn't look good. Can I do a counteract? Can I dispel magic against what this is? Would she know that she can do this? I know this is not like a spell attack, but would you allow me to cast dispel magic on the effect itself? Cast anything you want whenever you want. I want to know if it's worth it to do this. I want to do Dispel Magic and do a counteract check against whatever the effect is. Okay.
Starting point is 02:19:55 And roll, can I roll my, can I roll the counter attack is what I'm asking? Yeah, yeah. Okay. So I'm going to use my proficiency bonus and my intel. I'm gonna use my like spell attack. It's a plus 10. Can I use that for this?
Starting point is 02:20:10 Is this cool? Okay, I don't know what the vibe of this is. 27. Really good roll. Yeah, that's a good enough roll to know that you feel like you should succeed at this. You have one action left. You don't know if you succeeded or failed.
Starting point is 02:20:36 Okay, I think she has a feeling it failed. Yeah, she does what she knows to be a dispel magic, which is her her first thought like get rid of whatever's going on here. Something evil. Level two. Level two. So she does this and she kind of looks nothing happens and she thinks, if only Silverfront was here. This is above me. I'm just an apprentice. This is above me. I don't know what to do. I am okay. I shield." She just shields herself. When in doubt, shield. Killian, you stand next to Sir Norval, and in your head, you have this memory that is even real of Barvis being like, I think he's behind it. Yeah, I can picture this like so clearly. It was you, it was and he's gonna go to
Starting point is 02:21:33 his, I mean I, there's a couple different ways to play this. I'm gonna play it like he's not of his right mind. So he just goes to his belt to the first weapon that he can grab which is just his dagger. He's just going to pull his dagger out, grab you by the throat and just try to stall. So I'm going to do a roll grapple check. Well, I'm not going to do that. I'm going to do a suit, so you don't grab me at all. No, I'm going to do a snagging strike. Oh, so he pulls out a blade one action Second action. This is an attack where I get a grapple if I hit you with the blade. So here he comes. Anybody surprised by that natural 18?
Starting point is 02:22:16 30 to hit. That hits, I'm going to shield block. Okay. Okay. That's perfect. So you like push the shield up to like your neck Yeah, I'm like push the blade. This might this might really work off max damage I'm happy but it's just eight eight points of damage because I just pulled out the dagger by she has hardness eight All right, she was hardness eight
Starting point is 02:22:42 If the strike hits the target is off guard okay so I don't have to deal damage so I do he grabs him he stabs him and you are now off guard because he has a hold of you so you're you're off guard you're not technically grappled because you could all you have to do is move away right and and you're ungrappled but as long as you stay next to me you are off guard and I will attack a second time okay stab and then stabs snagging John a two action no it's a one action Wow so second attack with the map is a I'm sure it's a miss with a 19 miss yeah so in the second time it glazes off some of his armor but he's just going at you and holding you killin killin
Starting point is 02:23:27 I'm not your enemy. I'm not I don't want to hurt you don't make me hurt you Helena I've been betrayed before it won't happen again. Oh, could you stop stabbing me, please? That's just not very kind Please stop, please stop, please stop Or the thing to my daughter. That was it. I understand I see that you're frustrated. I see you're feeling betrayed. I'm here for you and Troy just to be clear to me to Andromeda. Nothing has happened. Nothing has happened Yeah, whatever you've done, you know that dispel magic is not the solution here.
Starting point is 02:24:08 As Killian goes to stab Sir Norville, and now Oswin, you see this as well, but Helena, now that it's your turn, you feel this same thing. There's like a connection between you and Killian as the first settlers of Rosewood Vale If Killian is against this guy you are as well. Yeah I think that the confusion clouding her mind and her gut instincts at this point of like these are all my enemies and then
Starting point is 02:24:36 Her longtime friend Killian Starting to go in on Sir Norval saying like it was you it was you all along She's already feeling not confident with being shut out from like the high lords. So she equips her sickle. One hit. What, uh, Helena, Helena. You see her grab her sickle, take it out.
Starting point is 02:24:58 I don't think, I don't think that you are in your right minds. I felt something. Yeah. You fooled me and she slices. Wow. No. All right.
Starting point is 02:25:12 18. Miss. Okay. She's gonna try to slice again. So she's like kind of feeble. Like a wild swiping. Alaina, that's quite sharp. At you.
Starting point is 02:25:21 Ooh, 19. Miss. Miss, miss, you to get into flanking 18 18 and 19 with the flanking yeah, it was still a mess. You're off guard. Well, you're off guard. It's yes, that's I have my shield. I have my shield. Yeah. All right. You got one more action. The land. Do you want to slide up to here? Oh no, I use an action to draw to draw. Draw slice. All right. Hey, looks like everything's gonna be just fine
Starting point is 02:25:45 Hey, uh, Andromeda. I think something's happening here. Um, and I and he's and then killing is going over his voice It's just like also when it was him. It was him alone. Take him out Draw that turns to Oswin. I don't know what's happening. I don't even know if it's magic I got there was there's something from this this this this court this corpse here It was an emanation the goddess protected me, but clearly it's gotten? There's something from this corpse here. It was an emanation. The goddess protected me, but clearly it's gotten through to our friends here. Of course you would blame the sheep! It's a you! It's the top of round two.
Starting point is 02:26:19 It's a me, Mario! It's a me! Sir Norval and Helena roll a will save shit. Okay. All right. You're out for a minute. Twenty five. Okay, you have regained your senses. However, Sir Norville, twelve for the next round. You see the people around you as your enemy that must be killed. Can't we be on the same side now? We turn on the rest of the I'll leave that up to you. It is your turn, but you
Starting point is 02:26:53 have to dispatch with the enemy. You so all I have to go on is I see everyone around me as my enemy as your enemy. Yes, and they must be dispatched with and you feel like you're alone. You're fighting a battle against four people. Okay. What would you do as a warrior in this situation? If you were one against four, what would a warrior do? Don't say I take ten steps back. Draw my weapon one against four one against four. Oh, I like literally everyone. Yeah, they're all your enemy. So when you were calling over to Godwin for help, you were- Yeah, I felt like it maybe was just the people
Starting point is 02:27:28 right next to me, but yeah, whatever. Okay. I could always use Oswin to take you out, then kill Oswin. Yeah. Yeah. Like any tactical fighter would do. Yeah. So what I really wanna do, I don't know that I,
Starting point is 02:27:43 I don't think the shield has the shove trait though. Because I want to like shove them away from me. And then start attacking. But I can't do that without a hand free. I'm just checking to make sure the shield doesn't have that trait. It does not. So... To be clear, you're still off guard, and the way to get out of off guard is just to move out of my reach, basically move out of your reach. So I can't just move.
Starting point is 02:28:09 Yeah, that's the way I read it. You know, I could be wrong, but you just move out of reach. Yeah, I'm just going to swing at you. OK. With the long sword. OK, all my enemies must be eliminated. I mean, he just swung at you and tried to stab you in the neck.
Starting point is 02:28:28 Well, they both did, but he's got me wrapped. I didn't hit. Did you make that argument? As you're trying to kill me? Do you make that argument? 22 to hit. Oh, farts. Yeah, that's a hit. Oh, farts. Yeah, that's a hit.
Starting point is 02:28:46 Damn it. Not the worst damage. 13 points of damage. Jesus. That was not proportional. So I'm like, you're still hanging on to me. And behind me,
Starting point is 02:29:02 Hoenn is just hacking with the sickle. So he's going to try to is just hacking with the sickle. So he's gonna try to rake you with the longsword to get you off him, and then he's gonna shield bash Helena. Just like, get off! Oh no! I like it. So that'll be a nine to hit.
Starting point is 02:29:20 Miss! Nice! Oh my god. And then third action. I will move away Okay to try and remove the off guard condition all right And I will reactive strike Move maybe missed yeah 20 I'm no longer off
Starting point is 02:29:44 I'm off guard so long as you can make the reactions as that strike is happening. You would be off guard for the purposes of the reactions. Yeah, because you're within my reach at that point. Then that hits. Shit. Damn. Seven points of damage.
Starting point is 02:29:56 Wow, this is crazy. This is a base, I can picture it in my mind's eye. I know, it's crazy. What's going on? Now, Oswin, you have the most interesting perspective here, because you're not touched by this, but you've seen all of them attacking each other. What do you do? You say, what? They say to each other! I think he's just going to do another...
Starting point is 02:30:16 He's trying to figure out what's going on, so he's just going to do another perception check. Okay, do you want to do a knowledge check? Yeah. I'm kind of limited there. What are your knowledges? Underworld lore? Maybe it's a gang. Right, yes.
Starting point is 02:30:32 Clearly this is gang activity. I told you not to wear a red bandana on your back pocket. What's wrong with you? That sheep wasn't paying its gambling debts. That's right. I could, I don't know, nature. Try nature. Alright, nature.
Starting point is 02:30:50 12. No, no. This is outside of your specialties. He just doesn't know what's going on. I think though, I think he's gonna on the off chance, like he saw the
Starting point is 02:31:16 the corpse of the the you attack attack. So he's going to do a hunter's aim strike. Okay. At the you the royal you right the Royal U. The empirical U. Okay, that is a 32. Hits, I mean that's a critical hit. Okay. Nice. Terrible damage. That is 10 points of damage. Arrow hits, I mean just a chunk of spleen, more blood and viscera
Starting point is 02:31:45 sprays up on Tekeleon. It's now been hit by Sir Norval and Oswin. You've tried to dispel magic and none of this seems to stop what is going on here. You have one action left? No, that was two actions. Okay. Andromeda Quinn the wizard
Starting point is 02:32:06 Okay Clearly dispel magic might not be working. I'd like to do a check I don't know if it would be arcana then if she would think perhaps magic is not associated But I do have undead lore as well. Oh That's that's great. I have have my Lore Master, so I'm going to roll with that for my undead. What is Lore Master? Lore Master is cool.
Starting point is 02:32:32 Basically, you can roll a recall knowledge for anything and use your Lore Master's modifier. So you have general knowledge about a lot of stuff. Because she has undead lore, but it's lower than her lore master. Yeah, but usually the DCs for specific lore is lower. Right. Yeah. Isn't that interesting?
Starting point is 02:32:52 Undead lore role, here I go. See what you got there, Sid Vicious. Not bad. 26. Oh, that's incredibly good. And she's like thinking she's doing the, what is it, Benedict Cumberbatch with all the numbers in Sherlock. She's like, this you, this Ram, these are related, how? You see long division happening for some reason.
Starting point is 02:33:22 You don't know the why of what is happening here. But I know the you. But you know the you. That's right. That's not... It was fine. It was fine. It was fine.
Starting point is 02:33:37 It's not an applause break. It's not that funny. Yeah, it was fine. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I think Loremaster is not in player core or player core two. What the fuck, Matthew? She, but I think Loremaster is not in player core or player core too. What the fuck, Matthew? She also didn't lose. Are you so hurt that you had to do that to me in front of everyone?
Starting point is 02:33:54 I'm just perhaps exposing the flaws in the rationale. The Dance Player's Guide, page 179. Good lord. We're going to get yelled at by Papa after the show, Matthew. This is a self-inflicted wound. We don't have to do player memory. Do you know how big those two books are? Read the books! The issue is that we're not reading those books,
Starting point is 02:34:16 it's that we're also reading others. It's an advanced players guide. Damn it! It's fine, it's fine, it's fine. Go on. You're the only one that understands. Here's what I'll say. It's a haunt! There, it's fine. Go on. You're the only one that understands me. Here's what I'll say. It's a haunt! There is a haunt happening here.
Starting point is 02:34:30 You don't know why, why the body of this sheep is giving off this energy that would make people want to attack their allies, but there is some sort of haunt that needs to be disabled. But there is some sort of haunt that needs to be disabled You've used Lore master for the last time how many actions you have left? But I thought you did not use loremasters. No, I did but it's fine. I thought you used lore on dead truly It doesn't matter I can just take lore master out and train in the undead and it would be the same exact It more master doesn't fucking matter, so Matthew, shut up.
Starting point is 02:35:06 I'll just undo it and it doesn't matter and it's fine. I don't think you should have to. I play by the rules. Unlike someone. Wow. All right, Andromeda realizing this. She does a lot of mental math to learn that it's a haunt, I guess. And she's going to say to Os learn that it's a haunt, I guess.
Starting point is 02:35:25 And she's going to say to Oswin, who's closest to her, we have to find out why it's doing what it's doing. This is not related. This is its own problem. And she's going to do a hydraulic push. And she's going to try to hydraulic push the body of the ram into the water. Oh, that's interesting. That's awesome.
Starting point is 02:35:43 Yeah, if there's someone who would hurt proximity. But I mean, 26 doesn't tell her at all how to disable the heart. No, because she cheated. It's not. It really isn't cheating. It would be the same. It's a plus ten either way. It doesn't matter. All right, so I'm going to hydraulic push the corpse of the you corpse of the you. It's a ranged spell attack. Here we go. 25.
Starting point is 02:36:08 Ooh. That is a, I'm gonna say that's a critical success. Yeah. Oh, we heard. So, which is exactly what I needed. I was hoping it would crit 10 feet, so it shoots into the water as she, like water bends some water up
Starting point is 02:36:24 and then reverses it back into the U, knocks it into the water as she water bends some water up and then reverses it back into the U, knocks it into the water, and it's going to take 6d6 bludgeoning damage. I don't know if that matters for this corpse. Don't worry about the damage. They've damaged it a ton. That's not important, but pushing it back ten feet is important because it also sinks into the pool. as it sinks, you are all out of the proximity of this. Wow! Bottle cap! Sydney!
Starting point is 02:36:55 Bottle cap! Bottle cap! Bottle cap! You know what, Sydney? Bottle cap! Unchamp that cap! Yeah! Yeah! Unchamp that cap! Yeah! Yeah!
Starting point is 02:37:05 Because there's like two minutes left. Feels so good. The body of the you sinks into the water and I guess just from the proximity alone, you are all immediately shunted back to your right mind. I just lost two arrows. Those aren't free. Let's never get those back. Those aren't free.
Starting point is 02:37:38 Sorry, I didn't know I would push it so hard. No, I mean, it's in the long run. It's an exchange I'll take. Hey, are you fighting? I would push it. No, I mean, it's in the long run. It's an exchange I'll take. Hey, are you fighting? I don't know. They tried to kill me. Sorry. You tried to kill me.
Starting point is 02:37:53 It was the strangest thing. You said I was your enemy, that I betrayed you. I saw it in my head, all of it, your whole plan, how it all came together to poison her ladyship. And I saw the same thing with you and you and you. Same. What is happening here? I hated all of you. No, it was... For like six seconds. He tried to hit me with a sick, twice. It was an infection of the mind. It was from, well, I put it into the water, but it was from that something.
Starting point is 02:38:35 This has become a blighted place, I fear. Evil. Thank you, Andromeda. Well done. Sorry about your arrows, Aswin. I didn't mean to lose them. Here, I'll jump down and get them. No, no, no. Go back here. No.
Starting point is 02:38:47 Bloody madman. He's great, but no, don't do that. Is there any evidence around like of how this corpse got here, how it died, what happened to it? Or could I roll some sort of check now to understand what the haunt was? Give me a perception check. Perception. You're looking for some sort of evidence?
Starting point is 02:39:16 21. 21 as well. No. No. You used to love your elixir power. Do you get a bonus? Yeah. No. You used to love your elixir power? Did you get a bonus? Yeah. Is it perception?
Starting point is 02:39:29 Is that what it was? Yeah. Great. 27. Nice. You see out into the lake there are these stones, right? You see they're like poking at the. Yeah the surface of the lake well They just look like regular stones however the one in the middle there
Starting point is 02:39:50 Something very strange about it. It doesn't quite just look like a rock it looks like Something that has been shaped like purposefully shaped purposefully shaped. It's very odd. It jumps out at you as you're trying to survey. Oh, there, in the water, just rising above it. You see that, that rock? Yeah. It's not natural. It's just a weird rock.
Starting point is 02:40:15 Did you say walk? Walk? My stutter today! You said the weird way to walk. Rock? Weird, weird, weird rock. It's not a walk. Weird, weird, weird walk. That's not a walk. It's a course of Chady's cooking going on at the end.
Starting point is 02:40:30 It could be. He's gonna go a little distance from where the body fell into the water. Careful. And he's, I'm gonna check it out. And he's gonna swim out there okay taking perhaps the long way around yeah yeah give me an athletics check just I came out of the range of oath of the defender a completely legal oath his
Starting point is 02:41:00 athletics is sky-high yeah what's up yeah so he's it like an Olympic swimmer out there glides through the water in armor oh yeah impressive with 17 weapons on his belt leave them on the shore all right so would you roll for athletics Uh, sure. God damn it. Fucking cheesecake. Like, what? Uh, that's a 14. Alright, so really for right now, it's like how much time does it take you to get out there? Okay? Yeah, yeah. And you get over there, and as you get closer, you're like, that's not a rock, that looks like a statue.
Starting point is 02:41:38 Oh. And when you get close, you can't really see, so you go underwater, and you open your eyes and there's enough light streaming through the trees that you can kind of see. And it just looks like this old, old statue that has either been worn by time or perhaps purposefully destroyed. It looks like a female figure. Maybe, maybe she was holding a shield and had some sort of weapon in her hand, but the
Starting point is 02:42:11 weapon has been broken off of the statue. There's no head, but it looks like either purposefully destroyed or just worn over a long time. But as you get close to it, that feeling that you felt when you started attacking your allies, it intensifies to this point where you just feel so wildly unsettled, you feel out of control. The closer you get to this statue. It doesn't manifest in any way, but you just feel evil. God. What do you do? He wants to see if he can see anything on the statue in terms of an inscription or anything like that, if there's any writing or anything. Give me a religion. Do you have religion? Yeah. Give me a religion check. Oh no! Oh!
Starting point is 02:43:09 Did that just hit her in the face? Yeah, it hit her right in the face. What happened? I looked away for a second. I squeezed it and it shot out from my face. What just happened? I need like a close up instant replay, Francis. Yeah.
Starting point is 02:43:23 It hit me right in the head. I squeezed my d20 that shot out from my fingers. He was so angry. What did you actually roll? You shot her with a die? I think that's what happened. I assure you it was unintentional. It was a natural three. You were on the shore. Do you ask him like, what do you say? What do you, what is it over there? Did you shoot that statue with a dog?
Starting point is 02:43:49 What do you do with the statue? It's a statue. It's a woman. It looks like holding a shield. I can't see the there's no head. I'm looking for an inscription. You explain how you feel. Yeah. Yeah. And he'll say like he starts to fall back a little bit like but it's evil I'll know it is The rest of you roll a religion check My forte dirty 20 got 21 Natural seven.
Starting point is 02:44:28 23. 23. Okay. Andromeda and Helena, I'm not sure, but it sounds like if the weapon she was holding was a long sword, that that was a statue of Iomade. Oh. Iomade.
Starting point is 02:44:48 Oh. And the feeling that he is getting makes you, Andromeda, think that this statue has been desecrated. Oh. And we'll see you next month. Oh, one month away. Oh.
Starting point is 02:45:04 One month away. One month away. Thank you, Austin. Thank you next month. Oh, one month away! One month away! Thank you Austin! Thank you Texas! Thank you Texas! Woo! Love you guys. It's time to make your membership official. Start your 30-day free trial today and become an official member of the Niche at jointheniche.com with the promo code GCN30.
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