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C3 Episode 71 Agents of WAR Chapter One
287 Plays4 days ago
Is a Cloud of Swords a metaphor for something?
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Transcript
Introduction to Eberron Renewed
00:00:00
Speaker
Hello the Eberron campaign setting.
00:00:14
Speaker
I am your Game
00:00:19
Speaker
Master, Eric.
00:00:23
Speaker
and welcome to eberon renewed natural play podcast set in the eberon campaign setting i am your game master eric I'm Mia. I'm Philip. I'm Madison. I'm Jeff.
00:00:34
Speaker
And welcome to another episode. Folks, what happened last time?
Recap and Preparation
00:00:37
Speaker
Valk gave us all presents, and it was very kind of them. It's true. We did a lot of prep and selected a new job.
00:00:46
Speaker
We're going to go to Oloth in Thrain and investigate what sounds like a Shavaroth incident.
00:00:58
Speaker
Also, we stole a boat. Yes. The bow was stolen. So yeah, you all have done your preparations. I recall that Selina went to the map room to lessen the likelihood of you running into trouble on your way. Kaz used the pigeon turret to contact Valira, who is in Oloth, was there for the festival.
00:01:22
Speaker
trying to remember, Nyx created another rune, correct? Yeah, it's on Valk's sword. Right. And what did Val get up to? him trying Oh, the resistance. You all have resistance. anya Don't remember me. It's fine.
00:01:34
Speaker
I did. I just did. i just remember. our tennical garden We have resistance 16 against the weakened condition. Yes, Eric. So yeah, any last scenes at the headquarters that you all want to do before you take off? So you are in Kalazart still.
00:01:52
Speaker
The easiest way to go about this is going to be to hop on the lightning rail.
Travel Debates
00:01:58
Speaker
And you all kind of talk through your past. You say that, but our past experience does not suggest the lightning rail is the easiest way to get somewhere. I've never had a good day on the train.
00:02:09
Speaker
For some reason, Selena studying maps for an hour makes it less likely that something's going to happen on the train. She's checking the Waze app and it's where where there are no delays reported along the yeah line.
00:02:21
Speaker
No time loops reported. If you leave during this window, then the likelihood of there being a train attack is much lower. But if you leave during these windows, that those are the apps created. It's like, which window of time is most likely to have a train heist occur?
00:02:34
Speaker
Hey, the map room wants to know if the cops are still there. hi women reported ahead. Are they still there? I believe the talk track that you all had was going on the lightning rail to Eston and then seeing if you get a ferry across the river up there, since that'll take you right onto the road.
00:02:53
Speaker
Um, or you all could take the lightning rail, the lightning rail around the lightning whale through Vataron and feels like something we might run into on the ferry. he did here Why we got lightning wheels. Okay.
00:03:08
Speaker
Or you could take the lightning rail around Thornwood and go up, basically into Breland and then into Thrain. So there's your two options. But I remember where the map is now. Basically, the benefit of staying on the lightning rail is that will drop you off onto a road, which is very easy to follow. The finding a ferry is kind of an unknown. You all have never done that before. So that's the real only potential hiccup in Esten to finding a ferry.
00:03:35
Speaker
Any strong thought? Any weak? I suppose that traveling to Esten means we don't have to cross a border. Sure. Fewer checkpoints.
00:03:48
Speaker
People asking... where we're going and why can't be a bad thing. Sure. And then the fairy. Sure. That'll go fine. I can think of no possible reason why it wouldn't. It's just people take the fairy every day, guys. It's going to be fine. That's right.
00:04:04
Speaker
Nothing. Yeah. So. Cool. Esten, it is. Sounds good to me. Sounds like. All right. So. You all have your lightning rail tickets. Javier has acquired them to you all and, um, Alget delivers them.
00:04:20
Speaker
Like I said, any, any last things that you all want to do with any NPCs or anything before
Arrival in Eston
00:04:24
Speaker
we head out? This is not necessarily a scene i want to I just want to know as a player, the person who popped out of the tree they're still at the mandor right we haven't yet yes they are they're taking some time to figure out what they want to do and then javier has kind of given them and it's open a blank check as it were like if you want to head to sharn if you want to head wherever like we'll buy you a ticket once you figured out what next steps are
00:04:53
Speaker
Will you remind me then we got enough of a description from her that it it wasn't it wasn't the actual woman that I saw in my memories that she described that kicked they came and told her her lady to kick her out, right?
00:05:11
Speaker
We talked about that. almost positive. Yes, her lady was the one that announced that they had to leave. and But there was a unknown figure to her that had arrived at the Court of the Silver Tree shortly before that and
Ferry Encounter
00:05:27
Speaker
proclamation was made. She did not give a strong description of what this stranger looked like, though.
00:05:32
Speaker
income I was not present, so Val does not have this information. But there was a drow that was at the festival.
00:05:43
Speaker
Yep, that's true. That information needs to be passed along. Oh, that's right. Yes, and now when the I'm the one that was told to record that. Where did I write that thing down?
00:05:55
Speaker
This was Hendrik, right? Yeah, had the murder the murder board about drow. It was Hendrik's murder board, and it was the specific kind of drow that I know I wrote down and spelled wrong. It was Sulatar, but I don't know the drow at the... Was the one at the festival Sulatar, though?
00:06:11
Speaker
Did we know? Apologies, but... you drowl the The Sun's Blessings sausage eating contest winner 986, Hendrik, is who you're speaking about. Yeah, man. I'm big bro thief Kaz. What are we doing? That's just his timing now.
00:06:28
Speaker
really So, yes, he had mentioned Sulitar Drow being around. This Drow did not have the markings that he had mentioned about a Sulitar Drow, but you can still mention it if you want.
Thrain and Warforged
00:06:41
Speaker
ay I mean, if they didn't have the markings, then I believe that I will let the sausage king of the river piddle rest and digest. All right.
00:06:51
Speaker
So a couple of days have gone by. Last thing I would want to check, the Knicks would definitely check. couple of days have gone by. Have any strange pieces of graffiti appeared either in Nick's new quarters or in the chapel?
00:07:05
Speaker
Nothing in Nick's new quarters and nothing since the new graffiti that it appeared when you first got home has shown up. Okay. Noted. Um,
00:07:17
Speaker
In that case, Nyx is down in the lobby with her pack. Ari called us her pack. Yes. Nyx pushes the backpack behind the door. So you all head into Kalzark to the lightning rail station. And ah yeah, you see that the remnants of the bonfires are still being cleaned up as you all are headed in.
00:07:39
Speaker
Most of the stuff with the festival has been taken down. And yeah, the Jeff, roll a D12 for me. Yeah, one You do not run into anyone in Kalisart. So you head to the train station and yeah, you take off unless there was any objection to it. Javier typically likes to buy your train tickets for early in the day, just to give you all the most travel time during the day. So fairly early morning and you all are off.
00:08:12
Speaker
um javier did spring for slightly better accommodations than last time uh business files yeah yes you're seated you're seated up not in the nicest bougiest area but yeah for highest ranking officials being sent on business trips do we have a boost with a door like is it just four of us and a door now yeah There is a door on your little seating area and you all got two sleeping rooms with two beds each in them instead of having to cram. Fantastic. I won't have it in
Shadukar's Mystery
00:08:46
Speaker
my neck this time. So you all take off on the train.
00:08:52
Speaker
Selene is in the hot seat. Oh man. Is the one that had not been in the hot seat. Boy, I remember that we gave you a heads up, Madison, and told you which like faction I was going to question you on. And now I can't remember which one I told you.
00:09:09
Speaker
I believe it was Breland. Right. Okay. So we'll save that for the end. Okay. So we'll start with Jeff. Jeff. Ask a question of Madison.Selena.
00:09:22
Speaker
but um And this may be, ah honestly, a misunderstanding of Selena's past. Does Selena miss the trappings of the wife that she had, or is she materially happy at the manor?
00:09:38
Speaker
Like, does she miss the the diplomat largesse? Not largesse, what's looking for? Luxury? Yeah, luxury is a great word for it. I can always hiss count on Philip.
00:09:49
Speaker
Part of her kind of misses some of that, but I feel like the trade-off of like the independence makes it worth it to her. like There's nothing that she misses like crazy. Okay.
00:10:00
Speaker
Philip? Selina's in the library all the time. What does Selina read for for pleasure? Does Selina read for pleasure, or is it always research? No, she definitely reads for pleasure. I think she likes...
00:10:15
Speaker
She likes kind of adventure, like fantasy-ish books, some romance. Nice. I love the idea that like in Eberron, fantasy adventure books would just basically be like spy thrillers to us. Like yeah like yeah all these things are plausible. They're a little ridiculous, but you know. so Yeah. Trying to think what the fantasy equivalent in Eberron would be.
00:10:38
Speaker
Anyway, Mia. I wasn't prepared. i You got to go last. You're ordering last at the table. don't do words. You had all this time. put through this I guess.
00:10:50
Speaker
Sorry, that's my own personal hang up when I'm at a restaurant with a
Planar Theories and Orcs
00:10:53
Speaker
group of people and the last person doesn't know what they want.
00:10:57
Speaker
You've known what we're doing this whole time. And anytime Eric gets impatient with you about that, just order what he ordered. if ive gotten better i I'm getting better. I'm growing. I'm healing. so I'm healing.
00:11:12
Speaker
I guess, would there be anything that Selena would kind of want people to be more aware of She's pretty quiet. She's pretty observant in the back.
00:11:23
Speaker
um So she doesn't get a lot of the spotlight. But that doesn't mean that she doesn't want the spotlight. So what would be something that she would want people to pay more attention to? oh that's a good question. in this plus Good job, Mia.
00:11:38
Speaker
Nailed it. That's all of my brain power. I feel like Selena's not very good about like being confident enough in her own ideas when things are happening and like speaking up about kind of her own ideas.
00:11:52
Speaker
Like I feel like she's somebody who will give her ideas when asked, but she's not as confident to like just pitch in. Now is that Selena or is that Madison? Oh, that's both. Sorry, just on the food ordering thing, I have to share a story because i think Philip's the only one that knows this story. A couple of years ago at Gamer Nation Con, Philip and I went to Chewy's to go get dinner.
00:12:14
Speaker
And after we had placed our order, we ended up being joined by some of our wonderful patrons that were also at Gamer Nation Con. And one of our wonderful patrons, Becca, no scoped my entire or drink sides, entree, everything.
00:12:30
Speaker
And those of you that don't know, one of my biggest pet peeves is somebody ordering the exact same thing as me as me as a restaurant. I laugh about it because Becca would have no way of knowing that that's what happened, but it was just astonishing to me that like I ordered a cocktail and she ordered the exact same cocktail I did. Like it was a wild.
00:12:47
Speaker
So anyway, that's so fun. Becca, the one who always asks the questions during the reviews of what's your favorite food and what's yeah if your favorite treat. It's been a long con. It's a long game, yeah. She's got a board. okay
Arrival in Oloth
00:13:02
Speaker
and aren't right in Eric's eyes the whole time. I even think it was like a burrito where you got the option of like shredded ground beef, like fajita chick. Like, if she even got the same protein style. It was crazy.
00:13:14
Speaker
Anyway, what are Slayna's opinions on the nation of Brelandt? You know, i don't feel like she had super strong opinions before in her intro episode going to that gala in Metrol and being attacked by the Breelish ambassador.
00:13:30
Speaker
i think she probably doesn't have a great opinion of them now. Fair. That's fair. Okay. Well, and the train ride is Boy, that is one thing that I'm not great about is calculating. This is actually a pretty short train ride. You probably didn't get sleep in cars. This is probably a day trip from Kalzart to Esten.
00:13:52
Speaker
But you do have a private sitting room. So you arrive in the city of Esten in Khyr. ah For those of you unaware, Esten is, i think, the second largest city Khyr.
00:14:08
Speaker
It's certainly in the top three. but it is for lack of a better way to put it. Like, the industry town of Khyr.
00:14:19
Speaker
Like it's where the war forged are made. It's the birthplace of house Canis. It is trying to think of like a good, it's like the Pittsburgh of Eberron. So yeah.
00:14:31
Speaker
Um, that's just kind of the vibe is it's not like a luxurious metropolitan area. It's a much more of an industry working class town. But you all depart.
00:14:43
Speaker
You tell me gang, it's probably evening ish. Are you all not fully dark? The sun's certainly starting to go down. Are you you all headed straight for the ferry? Are you trying to like make it as far as you can in a day? or do you all want to kind of hunker down, stay the night nest in and then head out in the morning? It seems like if we cross now will be night night will find us on the road like it'll be it'll be camping yeah basically you would know looking at a map the if you take the ferry the only thing between you and Olaf is a military and a three military base and they're not gonna have it in so naturally and Nix is in favor of going on and just camping but I'm fine with that yeah
00:15:39
Speaker
out Well, we're obviously only one who wants to stay, so I guess we'll... Nyx is caught completely off guard because the last time she she suggested that we go across country, she was voted down. And so when everyone goes for it, they say, oh.
00:15:53
Speaker
We've done some living since then. True. So we're not staying in Eston. We're just going to camp on the road. je I think if Nyx suggests that, Kaz might read unnecessarily into a desire to get there quickly. Yeah.
00:16:05
Speaker
given that we think it might be uh shavaroth based and give it okay fully forgetting that nix just has that's just how nix rolls let's go So you all head to the docks on the river in Eston, and you find there is one smallish ferry without clientele awaiting someone to approach.
00:16:31
Speaker
You all probably have a pretty good idea as to why this ferryman is not lined up with clientele, in that you see a drow standing there on a ferry awaiting for someone to come take their ferry. Is it the same drow?
00:16:46
Speaker
Different drought. Okay. It gets around. It's been remarked as unusual to see, to see drought in this part of the world. So yes, it is. It's almost like my little like random table to generate NPCs just got hot on certain entries.
00:17:03
Speaker
That has decided that you're wrong and drow are actually 40% of the population of Kyre. Um,
00:17:15
Speaker
But I, Nix, oh, trying to think of who else. You all, Nix and Valk are the only two that would have a reasonable shot at recognizing this. So Mia, Phillip, you can give me a intelligence or wisdom based check.
00:17:34
Speaker
I would take paranormal investigator and
00:17:39
Speaker
Nix. What are your backgrounds again? Keep connected. Reliquor runaway, Shevroth touched, Black Marketeer. Reliquor runaway. Okay. Hold on. that case... 29.
00:17:55
Speaker
Wisdom is stacked, buddy. I don't know why you keep letting that be an option. Shit! It's a very common option. It's to like notice things. seems Absolutely stacked. Well, 16 then. Gotcha. You say, um, I'm sorry. I just was looking at my character sheet and notice I don't seem to have, I seem to have failed to write down what I rolled for my icons for this arc.
00:18:20
Speaker
I have it written down. oh good. You rolled. One with wards of dust and one with silver flame. Thank you.
00:18:32
Speaker
You're welcome. Vauk and Nyx, this was DC15. You both see that there is a brand on this drow's face over their left eye
Breakfast at Cinder and Chalice
00:18:44
Speaker
that marks them as a prisoner of the Gachkala.
00:18:50
Speaker
in the demon wastes. Wow. For those of you, I don't know why Nick knows that. For those of you unaware with Eberonian lore, the Goshkala are a several clans of orcs that fight to contain the evil that lurks within the demon wastes, basically keeps the demons from getting out and also prevents people from going in because you might get corrupted by a demon and then try to get out.
00:19:16
Speaker
um But the downside is if for some reason you find yourself teleported or just lost in the demon waste, they generally won't let you leave because they assume you're a demon.
00:19:27
Speaker
And they'll typically kill you because they like to kill demons. It's reasonable. Reasonable. just Don't worry about it. Don't worry about it. It's a personal So, Valk and Nix would know that this drow at some point was regarded by the Goshkala as at least a demon sympathizer, if not a demon outright.
00:19:51
Speaker
And they joined the club. So, but other than that, they do have really intricate white tattoos going up their arms. They're wearing a sleeveless tunic and there are.
00:20:05
Speaker
With my check, do I, so with a, with a, with a background in smuggling, I would assume smuggling things in from Zendrick is probably a lot of that market. Yeah. Do i do I recognize what drow culture there they're coming out of with that check?
00:20:26
Speaker
Yes, I'm looking to see what iconography this subset of draw typically have. Is it scorpions? It is not Scorpos. Oh, okay. Cool.
00:20:39
Speaker
It is not Dubokori. mean, that's kind of thing. It's not fire or scorpions. so Okay, then I probably don't know because that that those would probably be the only two that yeah that have any like major trade dealings with scorpions.
00:20:51
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. Fair enough. Then I think Nix is very, Nix is very business with this person.
00:21:02
Speaker
Um, okay this is, this is a drow and Nix doesn't recognize their ah their tribe, but she does recognize that they've had some sort of run-in with Tagashkala.
00:21:18
Speaker
And while Nyx hasn't had any run-ins with Tagashkala, she's aware of them and doesn't want to commiserate with, what, people mistook you for a demon? I'm me too! um You don't want to share your trauma and bond over it?
00:21:36
Speaker
Not ever. And so, yeah. Nyx, four.
00:21:43
Speaker
Oh, that would be eight copper. Uh, next pace.
00:21:53
Speaker
Straight across. Uh, yeah. Good. And he just kind of turns around and walks to the other end and grabs the word that now is escaping Eric's brain. And I just want to say the big stick. And I know there's a better term for that.
00:22:08
Speaker
Pull? Punting? Is it a punt? Yeah. A punt? Punt? There you go. Um, grabs the punt. And once he sees that you all are on the raft, he pushes off and begins quietly just taking you across the river as the sun begins to get lower on the horizon.
00:22:30
Speaker
It takes, gives him space. It doesn't try to stop anyone else from conversing with this person, but Nick's X is giving him space. Okay. Anybody else try try to talk to the nice drow man?
00:22:41
Speaker
Sorry, it turns out the boat is the punt. The stick is the bow. but So I will not steal this one. And no, I do not talk to the drow man. I've never, never heard a good story about one as a 16-year-old from privileged society. Like, it's not good. It's just true.
00:23:00
Speaker
Sorry, had wear flashbacks. You got to be careful with it. Yeah. ah yeah fair yeah Okay. That's not talkative. All right. Selena, not talking you. No, i don't think so. So much time.
00:23:15
Speaker
can train no one let's stick quick player characters it's fine you You all the shore. If he would like to talk to talk what she say but
00:23:29
Speaker
Grob just materializes. He throws the raccoon into the water. so Now Kaz will talk to him. well Now we're going to have a problem. Oh, I was thinking something different. I made a decision. Kaz doesn't like Grob. No good reason. It's just true.
00:23:43
Speaker
It's not a rat. Yeah. but My man goes in for a high five. Okay, there's a small dock on the opposite side of the river. There are a couple. You you all saw Chiron soldiers on the docks on the river.
00:23:58
Speaker
there is ah You see a couple of figures standing near the dock. As you get closer, you see that they are wearing Thranish military tabards, and they are both...
00:24:10
Speaker
Warforged. The drow looks over his shoulder as you all get fairly close and he just says, have your papers ready. Papers. And he docks and lets you all disembark.
00:24:23
Speaker
Papers were provided the last time we crossed a border, right? So we all have, yeah, you have your papers, traveling papers. Yeah. They're not... like Javier just gave you all like legitimate like travel papers, so they've got your real name on it and everything. Sure, I just wouldn't otherwise have any, because yeah I wouldn't have had them with me. but i disappeard yeah Never took your driving test, because you were living in a fit the fairy world. so Yes, that's why. The two Warforged step forward, and one extends a handout.
00:24:54
Speaker
says, papers, please. And the other one... presuming that you all do not withhold your papers as he is looking at each of them. The other one asks nature of your business in brain freelance inquisitive.
00:25:11
Speaker
Have a job in lot. I see you all. I don't see what the business is with those orcs. Have you heard anything?
00:25:19
Speaker
Obviously you've heard something. Yeah. Yeah. We're, we're stationed Anguaki, just south Oloth and we heard about what happened. I guess those orcs came to Thrain to investigate Shadunkar and Don't know what they did there, but they left without fixing anything and then stopped in for the festival in Oloth and then they went crazy. You all went crazy.
00:25:47
Speaker
Oh, go ahead. What does it mean go crazy? Exactly. They just started attacking folk. Was anyone killed? There were some pretty severe injuries, but luckily people in Oloth, they, uh,
00:26:02
Speaker
They're hearty folk, so they were able to hold all their own and subdue the orcs. So... so Yeah. The Lita in Oloth, Rune, she was able to put them to sleep before they caused too much harm.
00:26:17
Speaker
All of you would know. Even Kaz. Yeah, because this would have happened before Kaz got taken. Shadukar was a beautiful city in Thrain on the coast overlooking the Scion Sound, just on the outskirts of the Burnt Woods. So the little peninsula that you all are on you can actually see it on your map.
00:26:34
Speaker
um It's at the north of the little place the northern tip of the little peninsula that you all are now on. It, like I said, was a beautiful city until it was captured by car masks.
00:26:46
Speaker
And the city was held hostage for months. And then when Karnath decided to withdraw from the city, they destroyed it completely killing more than 7,000 people, uh, on their way out.
00:27:00
Speaker
And now the city is, regarded as cursed with unnatural creatures still living in the city, in the wreckage. You all can give me a intelligence check to see what else, you know.
00:27:14
Speaker
That would be like the the general, the broad history and the rumors that currently exist about it. But I'm happy to have a check to see what you all know in addition. Jesus. 23 smart one.
00:27:27
Speaker
Selena, this makes sense. i got for you I got a natural 20. You make it make sense. It's a 20 for life. That's what mine is as well. You are muted, Philip.
00:27:39
Speaker
26. You all know. Good eggs. so I am working on the assumption that a city that got entirely annihilated and and everything was left behind in it is probably the sort of place that you go to to steal stuff to sell black market.
00:27:55
Speaker
Yes, but this is a very dangerous, this is like super high risk, unknown reward type of job. Especially for Nyx, because the Church of the silver Silver Flame will occasionally send clerics in to try and cleanse the place.
00:28:09
Speaker
But they have been completely unsuccessful up to this point. and in fact most of the clerics and paladins that get sent in do not come back so based on what this warforge has showed you these orcs traveled from the shadow marches to try and investigate cleanse do something in shadow car then they left came to o'ath and then went berserk so that's what you all know about shadow car kaz i mean
00:28:43
Speaker
maybe Renee told you about it. I don't know. Sure. Read it in the papers. Yeah. I mean, Kaz has been reading periodicals from his time that he was away. I have been trying to catch up. Yeah.
00:28:57
Speaker
Yeah. You've been Steve Rogers reading it. 20 years of continent wide war that you are downloading at speed.
00:29:08
Speaker
Yeah. He's not been doing great. Yeah. I don't know if you guys have noticed, Kaz has not got it together. Yeah, that just hit clicked with me as what your attempt to catch up would mean.
00:29:22
Speaker
ah oof um and just just for context for the people learning about the world of Eberron, when campaigns normally take place take place after the last war,
00:29:34
Speaker
The destruction of shadow car is regarded as like one of the worst atrocities in the entire hundred years of the last war. So like, this was a big thing that Karnath did, um, so much so that I think the dates line up. Let me check.
00:29:51
Speaker
Yeah. 12 years ago. So all of this happened in nine 61. So 25 years ago, 12 years ago, about twelve years ago Yeah.
00:30:02
Speaker
Thrain bombed Reckonmark, which is like the, where the military school is in Karnath. It's the military training grounds. Most people regard that as retaliation for Shadukar.
00:30:13
Speaker
And so nobody was really that mad when they bombed Reckonmark. They were like, you know what? We all get it. So, um, yeah, there's some Eberron history and context for you.
00:30:25
Speaker
So yeah I'd be careful. The people in Oloth are a little touchy right now about outsiders. So don't expect a warm welcome when you arrive, but... We heard a weird detail about a cloud of swords?
00:30:40
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. Is that, I mean, is that real or is that just, you know, people see things when right weapons are flying around. And so, yeah, there were a couple people that claimed that they saw a bunch of swords flying through the air in like a swarm formation or a cloud or whatever, however you want to put it.
00:31:05
Speaker
ah I thought also when I heard that that maybe people were just being you know poetic in their language, like there was a cloud of swords. Yeah, a veritable cloud of swords. Yes, yes. A decent name for a fantasy novel.
00:31:18
Speaker
it Yeah, that would be good. this yeah Maybe something more alliterative. I'd read it. Cloud of cutlasses. Okay.
00:31:31
Speaker
um Anyway. A miasma of metal. What are we doing? I'm still here. And the other Warforged looks, uh,
00:31:43
Speaker
They are clear. All right. Well, be safe on the road and safe travels. If you all need place to rest for the night, if you don't want to just camp on the road, you still got a decent walk till you get to Olaf. You can feel free to stop in the keep.
00:32:00
Speaker
ah We have visitors barracks that people can rest in if need be. Just don't expect nice accommodations and being foreigners don't expect warm welcomes. Great. But it's a resource for you.
00:32:14
Speaker
Safe travels. Thank you. You're And the ferry has pushed off and is headed back across the river and you all can take off north on the road.
00:32:27
Speaker
Philip roll a d12 for me. oh no, five. Okay. The trek is uneventful. The sun has fully fallen. And you start to hear the nightlife in the burnt woods begin to get a little bit louder as nocturnal creatures begin to hunt and gather are you all going to go ahead well i was gonna have two questions one how far are we from anguar like is is it actually really an option to walk or are we gonna get there like two in the morning so you all probably are another like
00:33:04
Speaker
I would say 30 minute walk from Anguar. So not super long. To go onto Olaf, you're looking at another, probably like two and a half hours for that trek.
00:33:16
Speaker
So you you'd be getting into Olaf after midnight. um So yeah. Second question. Why is it called the Burnt Wood? Why is it called the Burnt Wood, Philip?
00:33:27
Speaker
I don't know. Yeah. Tell us a story. um the there's something about the location of these woods and the trees in them that the bark is always perpetually black and looks like charcoal and will even occasionally like the moss that grows on it is pale gray so it looks like ash sitting on the bark no one knows why They've tried to figure out, but it's, they're just oaks.
00:34:02
Speaker
They just look really weird. So yeah, nobody ventures into it that frequently. So there might be some reason lying in the heart of the burnt wood, but that's, that is why it is named that.
00:34:15
Speaker
Fair enough. and So are you all going to camp on the road before you reach the keep, are you all going to try to stay at the keep or make it onto Ola? I would probably say camp.
00:34:27
Speaker
That's my thought too. camp yeah yeah okay so you all get off the road just enough to where you're not just sitting right there for someone to find you do you all go camp on the coast or in the woods nix would go towards the woods i'm calling where nix goes yeah nix would be inclined to go towards the woods she's not going to walk the opposite direction of the group I wanted a nice little water view, but... i have yeah The woods sound a little creepy, to be fair. one ki I want a campfire.
00:35:06
Speaker
still You can do campfires on the beach. Yeah. We have to walk to the woods. yeah that foot You have to get a permit. It's It's a little... Illegal bonfires, it's fine. some It always brings out some jerk with a guitar.
00:35:23
Speaker
Yeah, the bar will show up eventually. Oh, I didn't bring my loot. Darn. It's not in the bag still? No, no, no, it's not. Not really?
00:35:36
Speaker
It's at home. Yeah, Kaz has only slept outside against his will and by necessity, so he's just like, whatever, man, where you guys go, I go. We could have stayed in Esten.
00:35:48
Speaker
In fairness, Nyx also exclusively sleeps outside by necessity. like Fair. Fair, fair, fair. There was a really nice tavern called the Gilded Loom in Aston that you could have stayed at. Yeah. move Yeah, because it's really nice and quiet. Yeah.
00:36:02
Speaker
Yeah, it is. me So, staying in the Burntwood, you all set up your tents. Mia, roll a d12 for me. That is a one. Okay. Who's keeping first watch?
00:36:16
Speaker
Is anyone keeping watch? This is definitely taking a watch. Yeah. I'll take first watch so that I can do uninterrupted sleep. That sounds like something Cas would value. That's what I would always do on like overnight road trips is like, I'll take the first leg.
00:36:30
Speaker
Don't worry about it. Cause I don't want to be the one to wake up at 2 AM and be expected to stay awake the rest of the time. Yeah. Look sharp. You're driving all of us around. So Cas on your watch, nothing happens.
00:36:44
Speaker
Oh yeah. Thank you. So later in the map brew. sweet. Jeff, or no, Jeff Harding rolled. Madison, roll a d twelve
00:36:57
Speaker
on your watch, nothing happens. And now it's morning. So you all head out, you see Anguar keep, there's some additional warforged patrolling the walls up top.
00:37:14
Speaker
This would probably be something notable for you all is that like Thrain doesn't typically employ that many warforged. And the fact that the only Thrainish soldiers you've seen so far have been warforged is kind of weird.
00:37:29
Speaker
Maybe not weird that you all are going to do anything about it to like investigate, but it is something that you all would clock as being interesting. Any reason you all would want to stop at Angkor Keep on your walk? I think so.
00:37:41
Speaker
I mean, is there a reason we would think they would give us any answers if we had questions about what happened? 30 minutes away. One random soldier knew some stuff. So, I mean, it it wouldn't be unreasonable to think, hey, maybe the military base right by where this attack happened would know something. but Oh, no, wait. It's not 30 minutes. It's two-hour walk, right? Because it was a half-hour Anguar, two-a-half.
00:38:02
Speaker
Yeah. So we can't really just pop back over if we decide we want to do this. It would be a bit more arduous to to double back. Right. Yes. Yeah. How did you say they were eyeing us?
00:38:15
Speaker
They weren't, they're just on patrol. They see the walking on the road, but they see people walk. Like you all like cross paths with a few people like, you know. Sure. Nyx isn't going full demon mode, so they're not like super like on edge around Nyx.
00:38:28
Speaker
Great. Yeah. i I mean, I don't know. Unfortunately, Kaz would not take the initiative to do it on his own. So I don't think so. Okay. So you all keep walking. Yeah, here we go. So Mia, roll a D12 for me.
00:38:43
Speaker
achiel Oh, I lost. That's another one. From Ingwarkeet to Olas. nuppy Nothing happens on the road. So you all arrive and you see
00:39:01
Speaker
a fairly small town on the edge of the Burnt Wood as you all approach.
00:39:09
Speaker
people don't seem super on edge. They do see you approaching and some people just actually, they, they probably don't give you that wary of a look. Um, they just kind of acknowledge like, Oh, some new people coming into town, the festivals over. So like most people that would have come in for that have left already. and as you all approach
00:39:37
Speaker
a, human woman, In her mid forties, she has dark brown hair with some light streaking of gray through it pulled back in a tight ponytail.
00:39:52
Speaker
And she is wearing cleric robes ah with some, you know, leather armor implements throughout it with the symbol that you all recognize bold ray on it.
00:40:04
Speaker
Um, and she approaches all of you and says, uh, welcome to Olaf. Um, how can i help you? We're, um, we were here. We were asked to come and kind of look into what happened with the orcs recently that we keep being told went crazy.
00:40:29
Speaker
I don't know. Feels reductive based on what other, what we've heard, but that's why we're here. rob My name's Kaz. Nice to meet you Kaz. Um, yeah, we had a pretty, yep.
00:40:44
Speaker
Do we know where Javier got this job from? Did someone contact Javier and ask for us to come? Or is this just something Javier heard of happening?
00:40:55
Speaker
Javier heard of happening and the cloud of swords was a notable extra planar thing that like, yeah. I just don't know if we've been hired or if we're butting in. Yeah.
00:41:06
Speaker
Full butts.
00:41:09
Speaker
Can't leave. Yeah, great. Yeah, we had a pretty severe incident with some of the Shadowmarch orcs that were attending the festival. And you hear a voice off to the side approaching say, yeah, I knew they were coming. And you see Valira in her resplendent hat and pirate's coat walk up.
00:41:29
Speaker
I've worked with them before J-Room. um I can vouch for them. They're good kind. They saved my shit, in fact. So... Cool. Family podcast. I said a P and J run kind of like tension out of her shoulders, lessons little bit. You least get the sense that she respects the Lyra's opinion enough to take her word on that.
00:41:50
Speaker
That's well interesting. You probably want to talk to man. My handwriting is atrocious. Sometimes I look at my own notes and I'm like, what is that word?
00:42:01
Speaker
Um, only when it's like proper Eberron nouns, because there's not like an easy frame of reference. It's just like, just a string of letters. Yeah. You should probably talk to Channara. She's the Madonna inquisitive. That's been looking into it and she's questioned the orcs. So, um, she might be the right one to talk to who hired the Madonna inquisitive. We reached out. I don't really have the resources to launch an investigation and.
00:42:28
Speaker
There was someone at the festival that had Nagani connections, so they just kind of made the quick introduction and got them here. Oh, we've heard it both ways. Cloud of swords. Yes? No? As far as I can recall, yes. I did see a large number of swords flying through the sky while the attack was occurring. I understand what that sounds like, but that what it But through the sky, not like... Correct. Like well above what's happening, not...
00:42:55
Speaker
Not like someone cast a spell. Correct. they They did not seem to come from any individual here. They did buzz down relatively close, but they didn't directly attack anyone.
00:43:10
Speaker
It more seemed like a force of nature than a direct attack. How often has this happened? Never. Never. That was the first time.
00:43:21
Speaker
Yeah. It has not happened since. We specialize in plainer matters. Are there any any regularly occurring manifest zones in this area? I mean, there's, you know, rumors about the burnt wood about potentially being, you know, burning in.
00:43:42
Speaker
Yeah. Thank you. God. I kept wanting say fiery in and I was like, that's not it. I'm trying Fiery on. that should We were about being Fernian or even Dolor or Mabarin just because they're creepy at night, but we've never seen anything come out of them. yeah ah And then obviously with Shadukar and what Karnath did up there, there's always a chance of some lingering Mabarin or Dolor in magic, but we haven't seen anything that indicates that.
00:44:17
Speaker
Hey, Selena, how much of your clothing is Carnathian make? Did you keep your wardrobe when we were to tear? Oh. Oh, no.
00:44:28
Speaker
Be honest. I'd say it's probably like half and half. Like she bought some new things. Okay. But there are still definitely pieces from Carnath. Okay.
00:44:40
Speaker
Corset. was like, any of your hardware would still probably be Cardassi for sure. Let me roll for her real quick just to see. Yeah, when she mentions Shadow Car, you definitely see her full-on mean mug Selena as she's looking at your group.
00:44:57
Speaker
Cool, cool, cool. It's one of those like quick eye flick look up and down. like She wants you to know that she sees your attire and that she knows. So that would be the only thing that I could think would be related somehow.
00:45:10
Speaker
And he has a... Any other inexplicable conflict? People have been on edge. I understand there's a war on but outside for the past two decades, Olaf has been mostly untouched from the war.
00:45:26
Speaker
Thankfully, there's no real resources here. We're not of strategic advantage. Its population it grew quite a bit after the Shadukar incident. That's the only impact the war has had here.
00:45:42
Speaker
Nobody's really been on edge. We don't have much fighting here. We have a tavern. Some people get drunk, say the wrong thing, but nothing like what I saw that day.
00:45:53
Speaker
I have a question. might. Falk knows how to set the compass, right? Yeah. Okay. Okay. Yeah. I said he did not set it before, so it's just kind of.
00:46:07
Speaker
this Yeah. Cool. Just spin it, set it off and see what happens. Does that take time? ah No, you can. i mean Yeah, you can turn the dial.
00:46:19
Speaker
Yeah. Egg diver into sir stick. so This is going to take me an hour, guys, please. Yes. Time off. 100 rounds. We got this.
00:46:31
Speaker
c sily So the only name Jerun gives us is Chinara, as someone we might want to talk to. Yeah. Okay. Valiris says, i was also here when it happened. I can confirm everything she's saying, especially about the cloud of swords. Super weird.
00:46:49
Speaker
What happened to the swords? They just went away. They just like flew off over the trees again. And then we never saw them. They might be in row at by now, just airing through people. Interview dictates. They must have stopped at some point. And the orcs are still present. is that Jay rune says they, they, ah they are being held. Yes. Until we figure out what happened. Didn't ensure that they're no longer a threat.
00:47:13
Speaker
Where in the town hall, we have a small holding area. Are they not insisted that they not be let go until the investigation's over? Are they cooperative? Do they even, do they remember what I mean, I know we'll talk to them if we're, a if we're allowed to, of course, but...
00:47:32
Speaker
yeah They don't recall what happened. you They were at the festival, and then according to them, the next thing they remember is waking up in the holding area after I'd put them to sleep. ah did Did they already say how long the incident lasted? I i must have missed i didn't have it in my notes.
00:47:49
Speaker
The entirety of the incident lasted about 90 seconds total before Rune put them sleep. Okay. But they are being... As cooperative as can be expected from a sudden incarceration, they don't understand?
00:48:06
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, they're not they they haven't been violent. They haven't made threats. They they understand. They're just confused as to what happened. Sure, sure. And they they the only real emotion we saw from them is that they are they seemed very happy and thankful they didn't kill anyone.
00:48:23
Speaker
How many were there? There were five. Yeah, so what? One of them is more vocal than the rest. It seems like he speaks for their group. um His name is... Where my notes go? There they are.
00:48:37
Speaker
His name is Karag. K-A-R-A-G. Obviously. mu You're free to ask around the town if you want, and I'll cooperate.
00:48:49
Speaker
However, I'm able to just let me know what you need. How many people were immediately involved in the ta the attack? Well, the the five orcs were the ones that immediately started attacking people. Most people ran and scattered. ah Valyra and her crew immediately jumped into action, trying to hold them off.
00:49:07
Speaker
um I was not present when the attacks started, which is why it took me some time to get them to go to sleep. um Also, our head of the guard, Halden, was fighting alongside Valyra and her crew. Did Valyra leave? I thought she was still there.
00:49:25
Speaker
I'm right here. don't think any people were involved. yeah' restless it's Just like she said, the five orcs, me. So they didn't actually get to any civilian super? The civilians ran pretty quick.
00:49:37
Speaker
They saw orcs pull out their weapons and start swinging, and they did not want to stick around. But me, Jesha, Karak, Giles, we did our best to hold them off, then hold them join the freight.
00:49:48
Speaker
And your crew's okay? Everyone's... Yeah, Giles took pretty nasty gash to the arm, but he's healing up. And Jess's jaw got rocked, but he doesn't have a tongue, so he wasn't going to talking anyway.
00:50:02
Speaker
So, Nigel, think we do that. Yeah, i don't recall that. Because y'all didn't talk to the crew much on the trip. Well, what would he have said back, Eric? How we have talked to Jesser. All the time.
00:50:16
Speaker
but took but what rich tapestries these NPCs are. I was dealing with my own things. And does anyone know when the orcs came into town or if they're native?
00:50:29
Speaker
They are from the shadow marches. They they come down, they traveled to Shadukar, did some business there, and then came in for the festival. So J. Rune says, they had been here for ah a day. Sorry, Valyra's accent slipping in.
00:50:43
Speaker
They'd been here for a day. before it happened. All right. Well, that's a start. Yeah. Feel free to, we have a tavern called the cinder and chalice. If you want to stay there, or you could stay on the ship if you like.
00:50:59
Speaker
Send in chalice is probably nicer, but if you don't want to pay for accommodations, I'll put you up for free. Guys. I'd like to stay on the ground. What are you, can we stay down here, please?
00:51:10
Speaker
I still have a robe. You never know where those swords are, because I show back up. If we're up there, who knows? Sure. Staying in town might give us the chance to observe a little bit more than staying on the ship would. Than staying. thief Fair enough. Okay. So.
00:51:27
Speaker
You see a sign with a chalice on it that is softly glowing orange center. It's a pretty simple building. Are y'all going to the cinder and chalice? Are you going to the holding area? Jeroen says very early in the day, right?
00:51:44
Speaker
Cause we camped on the road and then walked in two hours, a couple hours. So it's still pretty early breakfast time. Sure. But you all could head to the town hall, the holding area, to talk with the Madonna Inquisitive. Just whatever you like to do.
00:52:00
Speaker
That felt like a hint, right? At his breakfast No, it wasn't a hint. Man, you. Man, you. Well, I'm peckish. Nyx tried to give me whatever wilderness survival stuff she eats when she's camping, and I was simply not in interested. too this is why you need to pack your own In your Pimmockin and hardtack, Valk says, is Valk eating a sandwich? I mean, he did take like the breakfast burritos from the ship, so. What, my own what now?
00:52:26
Speaker
You still have the breakfast burritos from the entry ship? old. I tried to show you how to set snares. We might have caught a rabbit.
00:52:37
Speaker
What's the name of the spell that keeps bodies from decaying? Gentle Repose. Gentle Repose. Does that work on food to keep... No. I went to uni. I got it. I'll make it work. So what's playing game?
00:52:50
Speaker
Are people... like Do we get the sense that that people generally gather in the... cinder and i'm sorry most people are working right now like they've gotten up to go do their various trades and jobs but you know people people do go like you get the sense this is like the one spot this the town population here is maybe 150 people so this is like the place if people aren't going to cook at home that they're going to swing by to get food before they head to work i'm not sure how much we would get out of them because that's why i asked if there were any civilians involved if they all ran yeah
00:53:26
Speaker
I mean, i assume we we will get a chance to talk to some at some point and ask them at the very least what were the orcs acting like before they went nuts. But do we just want to go talk to the orcs are in holding? Is Channara there with them as well? Like, they all got it together?
00:53:43
Speaker
Yeah, Channara is holed up in Town Hall. Okay. Seems like a good place to start. Yeah, I'd like to eat this, though. I thought you had your breakfast. Should've packed your own lunch, I guess. ate it, I thought was hungry on the list. Ralph's had one breakfast yet, but... What about... One about... Yes, that... You know what? If you package it that way, Philip can't get mad. Let's go eat.
00:54:07
Speaker
And discuss what... Very little. Nyx is like two steps towards Town Hall and... it It turns around everyone's leaving. Of course. It's time for food.
00:54:20
Speaker
So you all head to the Cinder and Chalice yeah fantasy food podcast. There is a, I think it was originally a manga, but now it's an anime that is like about like a fantasy, like dungeon crawling crew, but it's all based around them. Like delicious what? What is It's dungeon.
00:54:38
Speaker
get to monsters. i get to eat monsters Yeah. I started, I started watching the anime. I've not gotten far in it, but I, I, I believe there was an, I'm actually rowed about that once is my only, uh, it's my only familiarity with it.
00:54:55
Speaker
But yes, you see a woman behind the bar as you all walk in she says, welcome to the cinder and chalice. Feel free to take a seat wherever. And one of the boys will be right with you.
00:55:11
Speaker
It's a steamed It's not themed, no. It's a very... It's themed as the inn. Yeah. Simple, straightforward tavern. You take seat and a half-elf man in his 20s approaches. says Hi there. My name's Kelm. I'll be your server.
00:55:30
Speaker
ay What would you all like? What do just have? For drinks, we have a spiced black leaf tea. ah We have our goat's milk sweeted sweetened with honey, an apple cider, chicory brew, and then we have our hearth bread, sweet rolls, and preserved fruits.
00:55:50
Speaker
If that interests you, we have two eggs in red sauce, a spiced porridge with apple skillet roots and smoked sausage and eggs. must have a beef hash or a fish stew.
00:56:02
Speaker
Some people like that in the morning. We have some just fruit slices if you want something like that, but that's, that's typically what we have. Maybe that sound good to you. Beef hash water.
00:56:14
Speaker
Beef hash with water. Now the beef hash does come with our red Thrakl sauce. Is that okay? Try to cut back on Thrakl. It's a distinct type of spice found.
00:56:26
Speaker
it's a distinct It's a distinct type of spice found in Thrain. That's canon. That is C-canon. That Thrakl spices are distinctly Thrainish cuisine. Thank you.
00:56:38
Speaker
What's a Thrakl? Not much. What's a Thrakl with you? Thrakl spices are generally very like Asian adjacent, ginger, soy, garlic.
00:56:51
Speaker
ah this is a Is it a plant? Is it a means of preparation? Is it a bird related to crows? They call it Thrakl spices, and that's what they kind of taste. All right, sure.
00:57:03
Speaker
That's fine. Yes, it's as it is as it comes. It is a favorite of Thranish Quixin. It is thick and filling and hot. ki key you You can just put that on the side, just in case.
00:57:16
Speaker
Okay. Sure. It seemed like you were hesitating. You could put it on the side. I said, as it comes. hook You guys are a cute couple.
00:57:27
Speaker
do Very He just left his bag. physically us its And I'll have the chicory.
00:57:41
Speaker
I'm still going to order. isn Is this the first time Kaz is going to have chicory? Because Kaz is in for a bad time. Oh, no. ja ah jeff Jeff's had chicory enough to know that Kaz is in for a bad time. He might love it. it's one of It's like, you know, some some people like Malort. It's just... it It's bad coffee. Nyx looks at Kaz and then decides not to say anything. and Jeff loves chicory in coffee, not by itself. but is Is he going to be back?
00:58:06
Speaker
There's no way of knowing. No telling. Okay. So, chicory, what would you like to eat? No. No. um Doc's going to sit on the curb and eat a breakfast. He's crushing breakfast.
00:58:22
Speaker
Sad on the side. I'll have the beef hash and breakfast. You made us come here. We were going to go do our job. Sorry, Jeff. What what was Kaz ordering?
00:58:36
Speaker
i'll I'll also have the beef hash and breakfast. Okay. Great. Oh, hi. And what about for you, ma'am? I will take the tea and the porridge.
00:58:50
Speaker
Tea and porridge? And you, sir? Sausage. Smoked sausage. and how How would you like your eggs? Sunny side up.
00:59:01
Speaker
Okay. Just like Valk.
00:59:06
Speaker
Cass says separate checks, by the way. And ah anything to drink with your sausage? The hardest liquor comes. Hardest liquor. Okay.
00:59:19
Speaker
Sounds like a quest. And he just, he he walks out with a sword over his back. Put the helmet on. i'm off to get the hardest go to the the depths of the wood,
00:59:36
Speaker
there is a distillery
00:59:41
Speaker
So, yeah, e leaves to go put in your order. Do you suppose they have hard liquor? This place is very, very family run. They'll figure it out. To be fair, I think Valle ordered the hardest liquor, and so that is a relative. That's true. yeah So you might just be getting a light beer.
01:00:01
Speaker
ah Fantastic. if you He just fixed the hardest one to spell. we so Well, we never opened this one before. This one's frozen? Yeah. Your most difficult liquor.
01:00:15
Speaker
So if the if the orcs don't remember anything,
01:00:22
Speaker
Are we okay? Kaz looks to Nix. What kind of business would be done in Shadukar? And is that the sort of thing a group of orcs might be willing to share with us, even if it would help us get to the bottom of this?
01:00:38
Speaker
i don't I don't know a lot about the Shadow Marches. What I know about the orcs there is many of the orcs there, followers of various druid traditions. It's not what I associate with druids.
01:00:55
Speaker
Attempting to cleanse... I presume... I've heard all sorts of horror stories about Shadukar, but... It's not what I would associate, what I would assume druids to be doing, but i certainly it could be.
01:01:10
Speaker
i would very interested to know what led them to come here. i that That seems to be a missing piece to me, is why why did they come to Shadokari in the first place?
01:01:23
Speaker
Uh, it's a long, it's a long trip and it doesn't seem like it seems like the, the church sends clerics to try and deal with it.
01:01:34
Speaker
I know, but they're not, I think likely to have asked for help from orcish druids. What kind of business is done in Shadrkar?
01:01:46
Speaker
Well, very bold or reckless. people might attempt to recover valuables.
01:01:58
Speaker
I knew, and I emphasize in the, and I emphasize the use of the past tense, other criminals who tried it, but it is a very high risk thing.
01:02:16
Speaker
I don't know what might have once been in Shadowcar that would interest druids. It could be that something there is important to them. I note that, well, I would also be interested to know how many of them went in.
01:02:30
Speaker
Good point. Most of what I hear is people going in and not coming out. So the fact that five of them came out is interesting that they survived.
01:02:43
Speaker
We're probably on the right path in assuming Shadukar was the destination of the journey, and this is just a a way back?
01:02:56
Speaker
I assume a stopping point on the way back, somewhere to resupply. Yeah. there's There's not really a town on the other side of the of the peninsula, unless they wanted to cross over to Balmara.
01:03:11
Speaker
But I... My hypothesis right now is that our initial thought was right, that this has something to do with Shavaroth. Oh, sure.
01:03:21
Speaker
That doesn't mean it has nothing to do with Shadukar. I think the assumption that the magic in Shadukar is all Mabar or Dolun is just a... is just a bias based on the fact that Karnas is the one that destroyed it.
01:03:38
Speaker
Sure, but if we think of... What might cause the plane of war to bleed into our world?
01:03:51
Speaker
What better than a massacre?
01:04:01
Speaker
So, I think it probably has something to do with Shadukar. I don't know if it has anything to do with the fact that the orcs went, but if they've never had problems before, it seems likely. I... I assume their belongings were... Maybe they weren't. Maybe their belongings weren't searched.
01:04:18
Speaker
Who knows what they brought with them from there to here. that I mean, I know that... The Inquisitive will have searched. Sure, sure. I can't hear Inquisitive without thinking of the newspaper.
01:04:31
Speaker
It's like... We're freelance Inquisitive. Why did you tell her we were journalists? Not that one can... Well, I don't know. I was going to say not that one can carry... a plane in their pocket, but who knows, really?
01:04:46
Speaker
Well, yeah. You can certainly carry something that might open a portal to a plane in your pocket as we have very much learned.
01:04:58
Speaker
Yes. Something that they brought out causing it would make a certain amount of sense. Yes. Or something attached to them. Yes. Sure.
01:05:10
Speaker
think we all understand that. I guess we should have. vt Well, we could ask that bit of a plane has it more or less attached to all of us? is that ah not Was that not clear? No, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. yeah yeah yeah Yeah. No, we get it, Nix. It may have. it It gave me a look. and they have Maybe it was just leftover yeah from the... Quit trying to make this happen. know.
01:05:31
Speaker
a yeah and A young half-elf approaches the table and he says, so sorry, Kelm got tied up, so I'm bringing your food over to you. Notable, head up this looks cool exactly like the half-elf that took your order.
01:05:43
Speaker
So I have sausage for you, beef hash for you, the porridge, and... the beef hash as well, sauce on the side, and then chicory, water, tea, and ah this it very...
01:06:07
Speaker
Brother Mathis in the back just handed it to me with a laugh. I assume that's for me. Yes. Brother Mathis. This is straight movie. Ix takes the side of sauce, stares at Valk, and dumps it onto the hash.
01:06:23
Speaker
Oh, I'm not looking. Okay. If you all need anything else, feel free to flag down Kelm. If you see him, I'm Karis. So I will also be happy to help if you need anything. And he takes off.
01:06:36
Speaker
m twain Also dressed exactly like your first waiter as well. Well, I'm glad we can flag down either of them. Cause I don't know which one's which. yeah The food is delicious. You can tell it's all like local ingredients, a very filling, very good. You like the frackle sauce?
01:06:49
Speaker
Yes. The frackle sauce is incredible. Um, can't believe you wanted this on the side. I said to ignore it Valk, do you shoot the liquid liquid or do you take a sip of it? How do you consume?
01:07:03
Speaker
I appreciate Nia's reliance on the dice to dig such a... I'm the same way. I love it. we ah We are shooting it. that was That was a solid 18. Oh boy. give me a Give me a save. Yeah, a save in the system is just a D20 wolf. That's 12. Just a straight 12.
01:07:21
Speaker
12? Okay. Valk, your throat immediately like spasms from like the foul nature. like Your body is just like...
01:07:33
Speaker
Get out. Get this out. Get it out. Poison. Get this out. In fact, me and like is the form that Valk just exists Valk's baseline form or... Okay.
01:07:48
Speaker
Then... How's other forms at the ready? Yeah. Your body wretches. What form does Valk accidentally briefly transform into?
01:08:00
Speaker
I think out of pure uncomforting, Valk will shift to a purple tiefling. in this Okay. So you all see Valk shift into a purple tiefling as Valk retches, masculine or feminine presenting tiefling.
01:08:17
Speaker
Masculine. And then revert back to Valk. Okay. and That was interesting. How is it? How's your drink? It actually has a really great aftertaste of like warm... supposed Vomit? the Cheesy vomit?
01:08:32
Speaker
Cheesy! Just Parmesan, baby. That's Parmesan liquor. You know, I'd try it. I was going to say like a warm spiced like blackberry cobbler.
01:08:45
Speaker
is kind of the aftertaste as and parmesan. It's great if you can keep it down. i don't think that's legal. I don't think that's legal. As Vout's reacting, you all hear a faint laughter coming from the kitchen.
01:08:58
Speaker
Some of that local flavor. Awesome. yeah Fairly certain it was a prank. hu From Brother Mathis?
01:09:07
Speaker
Perhaps of the whole family. don't
01:09:14
Speaker
The food is delicious. Kaz, you take a sip of chicory. Yeah. It's awful. Yeah. But i do i do I feel like it might invigorate me a bit?
01:09:28
Speaker
I mean, there's probably a part of Kaz's mind that thinks that drinking black chicory makes him more of a man, so probably, like you know, okay there's a little bit of toxicity in all of that, so...
01:09:40
Speaker
Awesome. The way you said awesome, Jeff, you did not move at all. And it generally looks like you were frozen, but Madison was moving next to you. And my brain was like very confused for a second. I'm like, we've been spending a lot of time together. So, so I'm led to believe that this was not like roasted root of chicory. Like one would have now, these are just steeped chicory leaves. So it's just bitter and disgusting.
01:10:02
Speaker
Yeah. This is the bad chicory. Yeah. This is, this is ultimate chicory. Kaz was uninformed and unaware and did not have a good day time. I think cats if it's if it's that bad, Kaz might have a bigger a bigger reaction than Valk did to his drink.
01:10:18
Speaker
No, it's it's it's not like a prank bad, like awful. It's just they don't get caff here. right They have chicory, so this is what they drink. yeah and it's And it's fine.
01:10:29
Speaker
Chicory is caffeine free? Why would people drink this? Well, what's the point? Historically, if you... Okay, so if that's crazy... That's crazy.
01:10:40
Speaker
If you roast the roots, it adds a nutty, caramely flavor to coffee, and it extends... It extends the coffee... if What's looking for? It bolsters your amount of coffee that you have. That's what gota originally was for. So if you're short of coffee, you can add chicory and it's like... So it's like adding sawdust to flower during the Great Depression, and not a full replacement. of Yes, yeah that is that is a great analog.
01:11:08
Speaker
I was misinformed as to what the role of chicory was. I thought was just a full-on replacement. So they don't get much caffeine here and they have to supplement it with chicory. Sure. Because no one would just drink a cup of chicory. That'd be insane.
01:11:21
Speaker
Sorry to all my chicory. Someone's going to come at us. Someone's coming at you in the discord. Also. as As we start to wrap up this episode, given the time stamp, shout out to my coworker, Trevor, who started the podcast on the episode where we went on a rant about how insane it would be for this to be someone's first episode. See?
01:11:41
Speaker
Jeff is for the people. and dragon war Shout out All of us were. Eric's the only one. I know. We all collectively. It was only there. On my coworker, Trevor.
01:11:54
Speaker
So. Shout out to Trevor. Trevor. Trevor. the the third Trevor now associated with this podcast. We'll call it an episode there. Sure. What enough to go out on.
01:12:06
Speaker
ah Thank you all so much for listening. If you want be part of the conversation surrounding this episode, can hand it over to our Discord, the link to which is in the show notes of the podcast. Go to our YouTube channel, youtube.com. If you want to check out some TTRPG videos made by your boy, Philip.
01:12:21
Speaker
Good. Not your boy, Philip. Philip's about to do a separate announcement. Also YouTube related. Go. Also on YouTube and Spotify, you can find Tales from the Laughing Tree where we have another actual play called Blades and Banners. It's Pirates. And Eric's a player on it. I don't know why he's being this way.
01:12:41
Speaker
Also, I also have a friend named Trevor who listens to this. There are ever so many Trevors. We're in a sea of Trevors. ah We also have a Patreon. Patreon.com slash the Pantheon. If you want to financially support the show, you can do so there.
01:12:54
Speaker
Thank you all so much for listening. I have been your Game Master, Eric. I'm Mia. I'm Phillip. I'm Madison. I'm Jay. We'll see you next time.