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C3 Episode 26 Bright Moons Rising Chapter Five
0 Playsin 13 hours
The troubles in the town escalate as the party struggles to find cooperative allies.
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Transcript
Introduction to the 'Abroad' Podcast
00:00:02
Speaker
um threaten with the coach boy twenty radio at your gamers role radio Hello and welcome to Abroad, your new actual play podcast in the Abroad campaign setting. I'm your Game Master, Eric.
00:00:26
Speaker
I'm Mia. I'm Phillip. I'm Madison. I'm Jeff. You guys never match my energy.
Recap and Preparations for the Woods
00:00:32
Speaker
What happened last time, everyone? By the time it gets to me, everyone's just so bored that I don't know what to do. Oh, a lot.
00:00:39
Speaker
A bear. just We caught a bear. I killed a bear. Yeah. Yeah. You murdered a bear. And I'm still sad about it. Yes. a A bear attacked. We slew the bear. We're getting ready to go to the town into the woods.
00:00:53
Speaker
And Alondra gave us a token that should hopefully help the strange, possibly a manifestation of the forest itself, possibly just an elf who lives out there, not kill us Also, Alondra apparently lives by a code that says don't save people from bear attacks. That's exactly what she said.
00:01:11
Speaker
Yep. That is actually what she said. Her code prevents her from impeding bears. So you all are headed out to the woods. You're headed to Angelina's residence based on our last conversation that was four minutes ago.
00:01:25
Speaker
I'm going to Angelina's aggressive zone. We don't know where she's going to be. some Yes. All right. Mia, roll a D12 for me. Oh, don't worry, I got this. Hold on. Not that one.
00:01:36
Speaker
There it is. starting off strong. That's a one.
Journey Through the Woods
00:01:40
Speaker
Okay. Nice. You all don't encounter anything for your the first leg of your journey. I do need somebody who is attempting to navigate these woods to give me a check to successfully navigate the woods.
00:01:49
Speaker
So who would like to be the one? leading the party. Could you describe the mechanics of such a role? Yeah. It would be a wisdom or intelligence based check using your backgrounds as relevant.
00:02:01
Speaker
I don't have any woody wood woodland backgrounds. So does my background of Thelanus help with the woodland stuff? like I think so.
00:02:13
Speaker
I'd allow it. Alright, then I'll take it. And it's yeah it could be intelligence? Yep. Plus backgrounds? Okay. So... That's a natural 20. Yay! Okay. Kaz, describe... Kaz, describe how your Thelonian connection...
00:02:28
Speaker
caz describe how your theallonian connection Really? Why'd you make that face? You don't like Thelonian? You turned one of the vowels into an O. Yeah. Thelonian. I mean, there's no E in Oklahoma and I'm an Okie.
00:02:41
Speaker
I think you're an Oklahoman. there is There is a nickname to call you an Okie, I suppose, if you must. I like Oklahomaese. That's good. Also. Anyway, Jeff, describe your Thelanus-touched background. eighty But you're not an A-key, I think is the point that we're sitting on.
Discovering the Mysterious Hut
00:02:59
Speaker
We're not changing the primary vowel of Oklahoma. yeah We're not Oklahomaereans. We started with T-H-E-L. Thel... Onion. Thelanian, fine.
00:03:10
Speaker
Thelanese. God. Anyway, I don't know how to answer that question. up He... Use your imagination. Yeah, I know, I know, I know. I know, that's... this or Maybe Kaz doesn't know. It's just like, oh yeah, Woods, got it. I think that there is a shimmer when he's in these natural places that I think... I don't know...
00:03:32
Speaker
if he recognizes it as a safe path but I think that that is what is it's a subconscious drawing to certain choices that would lead him down the safest path and I think that that is just it's That ineffable nostalgia feeling you sometimes get when you eat something and you're like, why does this make me feel wistful?
00:03:55
Speaker
I just think that there are certain path choices that make him feel that way. and He's drawn down. When you said there was a shimmer, I immediately pictured that thing in some RPGs where there's like a little...
00:04:08
Speaker
glowing trail that leads you in the direction of the quest some of the paths have extra yellow on right i know that's what i'm supposed to go well you find the hut with the exclamation point over it perfect what a great section of tholanus to exist right no you you all find a small clearing in the woods that you see a hut standing in has a very run down look about it uh from the outside but you do feel A very like any anxiety that you had, like going through these woods, just kind of like doesn't melt away, but is eased slightly, I
Meeting Angelina and the Animal Attacks
00:04:44
Speaker
guess.
00:04:44
Speaker
Is the hut made of pastries or baked goods of some kind? Does it have does it have stilts that look eerily like the legs of a large bird? They do not.
00:04:56
Speaker
Okay. It does have... They do not. Does it have sticks? They look like the legs of a lion. No. Dope. Right? It appears to be hut. Okay. I don't know. I want to say that all of my concerns melting away is alarming to Nix, but that seems contrary to what you just said. Are you all walking up to knock on the door, or what are what are we doing?
00:05:14
Speaker
God, it's so hard to... There's no... For some reason, I think would be best if Kaz knocked first. Okay. Is that reason that you hate me and want me to die? Okay. Okay.
00:05:25
Speaker
I'll do it. No, all of my concerns melted away. Therefore, I definitely don't think this is a wood witch that would try to eat Kaz. I think Kaz is protected by... he has knowledge that his magic is foul-tasting.
00:05:38
Speaker
And therefore, will i want to be eaten by the wood witch. Yeah. I mean, if one of us needs to knock on the door, eventually Kaz will... will in the same way that eventually Kaz needed to talk to the entire town of Kernville so that he didn't kill everybody, I will go and knock on the door.
00:05:53
Speaker
There's no checking for traps. There is merely my post-traps bringing dexterity to worry about. Let's see what... After a moment, the door opens, and you see the face of a purple-skinned tiefling staring back at you.
00:06:08
Speaker
And she smiles slightly and is like, Can I... Help you. I think he goes, are you Angelina? I am. We were told to come and talk to you.
00:06:19
Speaker
you royalty? I'm sorry? Are you royalty? Certainly none that I'm aware of. You said we, and I only see you. Oh, but where are you guys? I step out of the way. Sorry, I thought Kaz, it sounded like Kaz was going up on his own while you all hung back, was like i the vibe.
00:06:37
Speaker
Perhaps I misunderstood the the width of the space here. I assumed we stepped into a little clearing and there's a hut. Yeah, I just wasn't sure if you all were approaching the door together. so I'm not going so far away from them that they would be unseeable from the porch, that's for sure. Yeah, I think I'm like a few steps back from Kaz.
00:06:53
Speaker
Okay. Pretty close. Apologies, misunderstood, no problem. Can I say that i'm royalty though? Would that be okay? Is that a thing we can do? ah z few Yes. Sorry. how How can I help all of you? Well, okay.
00:07:05
Speaker
We've come to Ashdown Landing. Hollow. Hollow. We've come to Ashdown Hollow at the request. By request. So that we might help them with the... He's really having trouble figuring how to talk about this right now.
00:07:21
Speaker
Animal attacks. They've been being attacked more often than seems reasonable. by the local animals of the woods. And we talked with the director, I guess, of the Tanner's Collective, and she mentioned your name and several other people in town mentioned that you might be someone worth talking to.
00:07:40
Speaker
We're concerned at this point that we've done something to mess up the relationship between the town and the woods, and we'd like to try to set things right if we can. Of course.
00:07:52
Speaker
um Please, come in.
Angelina's History and Connection to Nature
00:07:54
Speaker
And she will invite Dr. Srianda into Kaz steps aside. Come in! Somewhat of deep, greater constitution to go in first. Zalk will go inside. Yeah.
00:08:04
Speaker
Silly. Follow. I will follow Vow. Yes. Come in last. Okay. Inside, you find a ah very well-kept but still modestly sized space. It's not bigger on the inside or anything.
00:08:15
Speaker
There is a ah warm fire going and the strong spiced smells that are quite lovely ah throughout the house. She gestures. There are some seats around a small table by the fire, and she walks over and sits in a lovely, large, cloth-padded wooden chair, gestures for you all to take a seat.
00:08:37
Speaker
is going to sit by that fire. Yes, i I believe that your your mission is... One of great importance, but potentially great folly, unless you can change the hearts and minds of those in the town. Also, the height intergression of the woods, it's coming from deeper in, unfortunately, in the heart of the woods. I've been able to speak to some of the animals, and they use pseudonym, it would seem, of someone called Deep Root that they are listening to.
00:09:15
Speaker
i perhaps some context is, would be helpful. I am from Ashdown Hollow originally, but I left about 300 years ago. What? So, 300 years ago, dear. You look fantastic.
00:09:28
Speaker
Thank you. Since moving out here, it seems that something about this place has helped sustain me. So i yeah i was in the town. i was and a leader, you might say, but eventually decided it was time for me to leave. And since moving out to here, I felt a deepening connection with nature and small things here and there.
00:09:49
Speaker
But most recent development is being able to speak with animals. That happened about 50 years back. Some animals, the ones that want to talk. Wow. So are you like a druid now?
00:10:00
Speaker
I was a tanner. I'm not magically inclined, as it were. least that I'm aware of By chance, you said you can now speak to the animals. The animals ever say why they don't want to talk to Alondra anymore?
00:10:15
Speaker
No, she's never come up in conversation, unfortunately. No, I, all, the animals have stopped freely conversing with me as well. Okay. They've just, when, when I've seen them and tried to engage with them, they have mentioned this deep root figure that leads them and protects them.
00:10:32
Speaker
That makes sense. ah I just want to make sure that I didn't miss putting something together. The the the wolf the wolf clo cloak, pardon me, in the Tanner's Collective, they didn't mention that as being Angelina's, right?
00:10:45
Speaker
Nope. Nope. She was a Tanner and this is some... Sure, sure, sure. Yeah, that's a good thought. I'm going her. Yeah, hey... We spoke with some of the tanners that are still in the town. i mean i'm Obviously, you've never worked with them because you haven't been there for 300 years.
00:11:00
Speaker
Did you? they have a a large cloak, a wolf's cloak, and they spoke about the person who wore it with some reverence. Was that you? no that if that wasn't mine.
00:11:12
Speaker
That was Erevo's wolf. Did you know that person? I just find it fascinating. I don't know if I'm going anywhere with this. What was that name again? The wolf cloak? The adventurer's name was Ervo, E-R-V-O.
00:11:24
Speaker
The wolf's name was Bramble. I haven't thought about it better long time. trying to figure out how to ask some questions here. have noticed sitting out of the wit Have you noticed any sort of like magical influence? I'm sure as you've noticed, a lot of the animals are starting to almost organize under this deep root that you're mentioning, you think that is more like trained intelligence or like a magical intelligence?
00:11:50
Speaker
Well, all animals have a certain level of intelligence. It's just the ability read into it. But no, I think that whoever this deep root individual is, is certainly...
00:12:03
Speaker
They wield some level of magic just to be able to communicate with the animals in the way they they do. And to, I don't know, just a feeling. I can lead you to the borders of where the heart of the woods is. But unfortunately, whatever is whatever deep roots is up to, I cannot pass into the heart of the woods.
Concerns for Marcus and Navigating the Woods
00:12:23
Speaker
Have you tried? I've approached it, but there is a ferocity in the animals there that they don't they don't give chase, but they stand guard. They won't listen to me.
00:12:33
Speaker
So it's not like a magical barrier. It's just more of an actual the animal. have Have the animals you've spoken with given you the sense that they've grown ah greater discontentment with the town being here or that the people of the town have been taking more than their fair share from the forest? or Did they share this idea or is it possible that they're just been being made to feel this way or being...
00:12:58
Speaker
Are these thawing from somewhere else? i I did not try to speak to them of this prior to the concerning behavior, but they certainly speak of Deep Root with reverence and that he is protecting them from their own destruction.
00:13:12
Speaker
He's been here for three hundred years Do you know of any other people who, by chance, would live out here? Any other... This sounds weird with me saying it. Any other ladies?
00:13:29
Speaker
We're winning the... Out in the woods? Some people live point, seeing an elf. Are you talking about train? We don't know. We sure might be. Kind of. Yes, she is the steward up the woods, I suppose. Is this elven woman?
00:13:43
Speaker
Yes. oh Is she an elf? Yes. I've seen her shapeshift, though, so she might be a druid as one. And how do you spell her name? So hurry. T-R-E-Y-N-A.
00:13:55
Speaker
tren I changed it. I had that, and then I changed it to T-R-E-I, because I thought you were going to be squirrely with us. I can take you to her if you like. I know where she resides. That would be very helpful.
00:14:05
Speaker
Has she been around the woods as long as you have? Longer, perhaps? She may have been around here as long as me, but I i only met her what past 80 years or so. Around the time of the start of the war.
00:14:19
Speaker
but Do you know if she like leaves the woods often? Or would she have a reason to leave? I don't know that she would have a reason. Like I said, she speaks as though she is charged with protecting these woods, so I don't know what would draw her away.
00:14:35
Speaker
Okay. When Marcus was described to you two, he was described as like... Not something to be warned about or avoided in the woods, right? He's just a guy out there like it wasn't. Yeah, he's a Goliath logger who's just... He's from the town trying to sound the curse.
00:14:49
Speaker
Okay, gotcha. I just wanted... mean, I don't know we need to ask Angelina about him, but it doesn't seem... Yeah, ask about his in general well-being. Have you met Marcus out here? Is he okay? Did he...
00:15:01
Speaker
He seems to be spending more time out here than most people and is okay. So i I apologize. I don't know a Marcus. If he's out in these woods, though, he should not be. It's dangerous, especially at night.
00:15:15
Speaker
He seems like he's one of the main loggers of Goliath's. Maybe we should try and check in on Demis. Where, how far from where we are is he?
00:15:26
Speaker
and Can we show on the map to Angelina? He was, i think he would have been closer. with Maybe it was more of a, Oh, Yeah, he would be like probably about 45 minutes navigating straight away from Angelina's hut to where he is.
00:15:40
Speaker
Is Angelina willing to mark on the map where we might find Trayna? And then we could, or does she think that, you what, can ask her, hey, would you be willing to show us on this map where we might find Trayna? Or do you think we would be better off coming as guests of yours to meet her. I'm more than happy to give you... She more has an area of the woods that she resides in. She doesn't have a ah home, so to speak.
00:16:05
Speaker
I can mark that area for you. It would certainly be... She's not a fan of strangers. So you think we'd be better off coming your introduction? More than likely. Do you have anything?
00:16:17
Speaker
we did receive a Yes, we received a token from Alana. That's right. He's going to hold up the little... Oh, you know Alondra? ah thin Yes, if Trina knows that you're coming with Alondra's blessing, then she would also welcome you as not friends, but at least not enemies.
00:16:34
Speaker
All right, mark it down. you with a Am I a friend? To you? ah Of... Trina. Oh, yes, we are quite friendly. She comes and visits me sometimes. Do you have a name that I could borrow and perhaps not return?
Warnings and Planning for the Journey Back
00:16:48
Speaker
shut up up And she kind of looks around and she sees a small, like, like clearly she like used a knife to carve ah a small badger's head out of a piece of wood.
00:17:02
Speaker
and she grabs it off the mantle and says, you can take this. I'm happy to park with hits. It's really glad the, the preposition that sentence was out of not into, um
00:17:15
Speaker
But yes, i I don't leave my house much to wander the woods, especially nowadays. So I haven't been over in that area that you have your map marked that this Marcus has set up camp.
00:17:26
Speaker
But it's if you have any concern for his well-being, it might be wise to go check on him. Because if he's camped out here, he is ah putting himself in grave danger. I would also, as you all are investing in this, recommend that you all return to Ashdown Hollow before the sun sets.
00:17:43
Speaker
Do not stay in the woods after dark. Why? Yes, thank you. The animals far more active after dark, and it seems that they're just a lot more fierce and ferocious.
00:17:57
Speaker
And the woods are, in the best of times, a dangerous place at night to begin with. And these are not the best of times. Are they the worst of times? Some might say that. and so Jeez.
00:18:07
Speaker
Well, it's really a tale of two forests. Well, I quit. Got it. I'm sick of this place. I'm sick you being- You've been here for almost a decade, Jeff. You can't leave now. Holy cow. That is true and factually correct.
00:18:21
Speaker
Um...
00:18:25
Speaker
What time is it now? i mean, do we have time to go check on Marcus before dark or is she telling us basically when you leave here, go home and start get early? No, you have time. Like you left in the morning. So you, yeah, it took you, I think I said two hours to get Angelina's hut.
00:18:38
Speaker
ah was But we'll shave, we'll shave a half hour off of that because Kaz was so great at navigating the woods with his remarkable wall. So do we need to go talk to Marcus? He seemed pretty intent on us making sure he was not dead.
00:18:52
Speaker
Right, but if we solve the problem, won't he not be killed? Well, we could already be killed. And if that's the case, we can't do anything about it. We could at least confirm go back and tell them that they're loggerids. They didn't ask they ask you to do that?
00:19:07
Speaker
No, he's just a he's just out here as one of the potential points of contact. How far out of the way would it be to go and check on him? opposite way to Trayna. Okay.
00:19:17
Speaker
And closer to town, in fact. You would be backtracking a little bit, getting closer to Ashdown, going to check on Marcus. We can check on Marcus on our way out of the woods. That's what I was thinking. We are reasonably confident we can get to Trayna and back without Nightfall. and mark just as Just so I can clearly illustrate.
00:19:35
Speaker
So, we can do a visual representation just to how going and judge it be different than all four of our maps in our heads. There's so many ways you can... think plot this out because i have terrible news i've developed the hiccups it's going to be audio goals so this is ash town hollow this is the edge of the woods you all travel to angelia's hut here train is mark is this way marcus's mark is this way so if you go to meet with treyna it is super duper out of the way to go check on marcus on the way back like if you yeah you probably won't make it back before dark if you go out of your way to check on marcus after meeting with treyna we'll hope marcus is fine
00:20:11
Speaker
Yeah, I am fine with checking on Marcus tomorrow. Yeah, he's been out here. He'll be one more day. Won't hurt. how Are we going to be able to get out of the forest in daylight if we still go to you training? That's further. Yes. and you Unless you get lost in the woods, which is always possibility. Yeah.
00:20:28
Speaker
Okay. Sorry, real quick, Kaz. When you brought up the wolfskin cloak, you were the one that brought that up, right? Yes.
00:20:39
Speaker
Before you all leave, she circles is like, why do you ask about Ervo's cloak? I have no reason not to tell her the truth. I just say, hey. Well, because it was kind of, it was displayed in the... Tanner's.
00:20:53
Speaker
and not the not the Not the Tanner's home, but the Tanner's Guildhall workshop? Well, the opener used to be the Tanner's workshop. And when I asked about it, I was told that it was the cloak made from the wolf companion of a great person that once lived in the town.
00:21:13
Speaker
And I know that you're held in high regard and you said that you'd been a Tanner, so I thought I would ask. That's all. hi Thank you for pleasant memory. How do you follow up a is there a reason you asked question with it awkwardly? You want to know why I want to know why you want to know. Yeah, it's what I do. that's Wait, that's what Mia does? That's what Valk does. Because I don't want to be like Valk people personings.
00:21:36
Speaker
ah but yeah both Yeah, I don't think I can follow that one up. So um well be safe out there. If you have any other need of me, feel free to come by again. Thank you for your help. You're most welcome. Yes, thank you.
00:21:47
Speaker
Okay. So we're trying to get to Trina's area? Yes. Yep. Yeah. All right, Kaz, give me another navigation check. You got It isn't yours. 23. Okay. Madison, roll a d12 for me.
00:21:59
Speaker
All right. That's an 11. Okay. Everyone can give me a wisdom-based check to try and proceed via hearing. Wow. My special ears.
00:22:10
Speaker
I didn't do so hot, team. Oh, good. Me either. Great. I mean, I did better than Madison. Yeah. Oh, that's one? I didn't really. We'll see. We did bad, I think, is is the story here. Yeah.
00:22:24
Speaker
I have a five. No, I get to add my level. have a seven. Oh, I forgot about our level. I have a 20. I'm better. What? I rolled 17, which I thought was going to be pretty bad. Okay, with your double digits, that's... How is that bad if you roll?
00:22:37
Speaker
boo this man 17 didn't roll above a 20 i did i have i thought i had a negative modifier to wisdom when i first rolled it but i don't and so once i mean didn't eat math correctly it was it was fine yeah rub it in so what does it say on your dot 17 nothing makes that a bad roll enough nothing makes that a bad role It's sitting beside my two, so I was really confused.
00:23:04
Speaker
I read it as a seven, and I did my math wrong, and then I realized everything was okay. This is a change to your story. i don't know how to come back from this. said it's the You'll never recover from this. Okay, never mind. I demand to live this down immediately. One is a seven. Now yours isn't bad. What? I am myself bad. Well, I'm looking at it from this angle. is this ah It's the sparkly dye. It's not the the liquid pour I usually use. That's more clear. So Kaz got 17. Dirty 20.
00:23:30
Speaker
A dirty 20. and More absurd. I've got a 10. 10. Nix? 7, which is an actual bad roll. 13. 13. thirteen Yeah, Philip is the only one. No, no, Madison. Madison's also not great. I mean, a 10 is functionally average.
00:23:47
Speaker
I suppose. Okay, so with his awful, horrible, deplorable initiative roll, Kaz is up first. Wait, what? ay I'm giving Jeff crap for saying he had a bad initiative when he first... I didn't know we rolled initiative. You told us to make wisdom checks.
00:24:03
Speaker
Oh, my bad. Spoiler. 17 initiative is a great roll. Kaz, as you are walking about, you hear some underbrush like sticks snap behind you and the left before then hearing another snap behind and to the right.
00:24:21
Speaker
And so clever girl. So you all won't have any negative aspects to your initiative rolls. I need you all to roll initiatives. Yeah. I can't wait for Jeff to roll What? I'm so surprised that we are rolling initiative.
00:24:35
Speaker
I rolled terribly. I rolled a nine after all my modifiers. Is that good enough for you guys to be upset about? No, it's bad. God, man, that's terrible. Why are you arguing about it? Sorry, not is that good enough to be upset about. Does that meet your badness requirement?
00:24:50
Speaker
Yes. I don't require a bad roll from you. i don't like Jeff's going to figure out a way to punch someone through a screen. I talk to my students. that' Selena, what'd you get? Thirteen. Nyx? Seven.
00:25:01
Speaker
The same thing you got for... Look at that. Could have kept my note tag. Valk? Fourteen. okay All right. i You all see from behind you two wolves like converge onto the path, starling at you.
00:25:18
Speaker
And then in front of you, a much larger wolf that steps onto the path, Like, this is about the size of the grizzly bear that you fought in town, this wolf. Oh.
00:25:32
Speaker
Oh. As it snarls. And the large, that the dire wolf, is going to charge at Kaz, who is leading the group through the woods. Mm-hmm.
00:25:43
Speaker
Mm-hmm.
00:25:47
Speaker
And that is a dirty 20 to hit your AC. Yeah, it hits all of them. 10 damage. Okay. Hey, did we? Yeah, we we slept and stuff. So we'd be back at the full.
00:25:58
Speaker
Okay, I said it. My numbers did not reflect that. And now they do. Vauk, it is your turn as the dire wolf rushes up and snaps at Kaz and bites into his forearm.
00:26:10
Speaker
Ew. I am going to draw my finessey new sword. Thank you, Nyx, for letting me borrow that. And I'm going to gain my focus.
00:26:21
Speaker
you don't say Selina, you got two wolves coming up behind you and then one up front attacking Kaz. I'm going to try to cast confusion on the one attacking Kaz. Okie dokie.
00:26:32
Speaker
That wasn't a great roll. Let's see. That's a 12 against mental defense. Mental defense. Just barely misses.
00:26:42
Speaker
ah Would you like to invoke your iconic relationship to re-roll that? Give it another shot? If you want. You have a guaranteed twist. but No, not yet.
00:26:54
Speaker
Alright. Alright. Then the wolf, like, you see your magic kind of engulf the wolf's head as it, like, shakes for a second and the magic dissipates and lets out a low growl as...
00:27:09
Speaker
And Slater, clocked this in the wolves earlier, so I'll i'll give this to you as a freebie. You see as the wolf is like fighting down on Kaz and you try to cast a spell on it.
00:27:23
Speaker
Its eyes shoot to one of the other wolves and then back to you with kind of a slight head gesture and the wolf that it looked at charges at you. Oh boy, that's a natural 20.
00:27:35
Speaker
So that is going to be, for just the regular wolf, 10 damage. Hold it. As this wolf pounces on you and you prone as it lands on top of you as it starts to try and attack and bite you.
00:27:49
Speaker
and And then the the other wolf is going to, they are a pack, ah try to join its companion in attacking the downed prey. So it's also going to rush over to Selina with a plus two.
00:28:03
Speaker
That is a 13 to your AC. Does not hit. Okay. He tries to snap at you, but can't gain purchase with its companion there. All right.
00:28:14
Speaker
It is now Kaz's turn. Okay. So I rolled, or i drew a defensive die. And so I am. That's supposed make sense. Yeah. But we'll see what happens. I roll a 15, which is okay. I get a plus two to my AC for basically until they miss.
00:28:32
Speaker
Okay. Okay. Like, if he tries to bite me again, which I assume he will since he's currently biting me, might he's a little higher for one bite until they miss. And that's it.
00:28:43
Speaker
I suppose, can I try to wrench, it would be an action to try to wrench my arm out of this thing's mouth? Or is that? I mean, you're not you're not mechanically bound to it. It doesn't have you grappled or anything. I was just trying to be you clever with the with my my word paintings. No, of course.
00:28:57
Speaker
I mean, that that's it. I guess, can I use a quick action to draw my dagger just to have it out in case I decide I need to stab at this guy ah that's fighting me on my next turn? Sure. Yeah. Okay.
00:29:08
Speaker
I think when I draw my dagger, no one's looking because of the wolves, but if they were, they would notice that there's a bit of Mary Poppins action, and my dagger's a little longer than the sheaths somehow. Not enough to make it mechanically special, just enough to be weird.
00:29:22
Speaker
That's delicious. Love Okay, Nyx. There's a dire wolf attacking Kaz, and Slayton is getting pounced on by two wolves. i don't like any of that. Nyx is going to test something, and Nyx... draws the actual physical sword that she's wearing, her old longsword that is silvered, and rushes at the direwolf that's trying to eat Kaz.
00:29:43
Speaker
and I shall attack. 17? ah seventeen That's a hit. but That's a very nice roll. 21 damage on the attack. Wow.
00:29:55
Speaker
All right. Does it seem affected by the silver sword at all? It does not seem more affected by the silver sword. No, That's good. Can i jump in with better yet here Yes, you can.
00:30:08
Speaker
that And we're going to try to do the ghostly duplicate. Nice. Love that. That's why. oh I did boost that one.
00:30:19
Speaker
That is nine. Did you add your level? 11. Don't tell me you made me at my level. I still need... Just barely misses. You didn't need to do that.
00:30:29
Speaker
I hadn't looked at it yet. I was getting the the thing pulled up when I asked that. So I wasn't asking for no reason. Does hit. Anything happen on a miss with it? Yes. It takes extra damage equal to a spell level.
00:30:42
Speaker
I'm assuming that's just a two. Smileable? No, one. No. Yes, one. it said What did you roll on your natural That was a six. yeah the nine top was a six 16. You retain your focus on a one through five. That sucks. Yeah, it's not. All right.
00:31:00
Speaker
Well, we'll just move on. ah Okay, we're back to the top of the round, which means Escalation Die is now at a one. And the wolf, the dire wolf is going to, it doesn't like how much Nyx just hit it for. So it is going to try to kind of cast Kaz aside and pounce on nicks Good.
00:31:20
Speaker
That's a natural 19. 27 to hit. Or sorry, 25. Oh, well, if it's only 25. Sorry. Yes, of course that hits. 10 damage. Ouch. Oh, what was? Oh, it's natural 19.
00:31:33
Speaker
Hits. Alrighty. It is now Valk's turn. I'm just going to stay where I am and retain or regain my focus. Nice. All right.
00:31:45
Speaker
Selena. Okay, at the new one I took when we leveled up was Color Spray. so Okay. but They have to make sure I'm doing this right, but it does say Close Quarters. Yeah. Intelligence mislevel.
00:31:56
Speaker
Okay, that's better. 24 against Mental Defense. okay Okay. I believe. Yes, 24 against mental defense. Absolutely. it's Mentally strong.
00:32:07
Speaker
Sorry, you need to real quick roll a 1d4 to see how many of these wolves you can target. Because that's part of it is. Once. Dang. Yeah. Okay. Would you like to use your iconic relationship to re-roll that? Oh, I'm so nervous about the twist.
00:32:20
Speaker
I think it's actually really funny and's really pushing you. Only you. I also think it's technically just a d20 roll, so that that one's not eligible. so Okay. Although I would let it slide this time if you want to.
00:32:33
Speaker
What are you? No, no, no. I don't trust that. Okay. Is it 2d8? 2d6. That's eight damage. Eight damage.
00:32:44
Speaker
Okey dokey. Sorry.
00:32:47
Speaker
who sorry All right, and it does not have fewer, the 10 hit points are fewer after the attack, so it is not weakened. Okay. Okay, it is now that one of the wolves turns.
00:33:02
Speaker
So is going to try to, the one that got color sprayed into a 10, natural one. he would out for that 20, that dies. And that is a natural 17 versus AC.
00:33:17
Speaker
Yeah, that hits. Five damage. Okay. The other wolf now gets in and invites it here. well How you doing? Okay. Okay. It is now Kaz's turn.
00:33:31
Speaker
Unless Val... I heard you say something. are Is Val wanting to jump in? Yes. Okay. so I'm going to do bitter lessons on the one that missed. Okay. In attack.
00:33:42
Speaker
but are she Please do something better. Okay, that's that's a lot better. That is... oh see 16 plus 5. That is a 20. like twenty 20?
00:33:54
Speaker
Yes. That hits. And then oh she this my doa that is... That 13 psychic damage. And the ally missed. The target missed gains the same amount of temporary points.
00:34:11
Speaker
Okay. Okay, wait, what was that? 13. Awesome. Nice. got And you say you rolled a natural 15? Yeah. So you got to keep your focus.
00:34:21
Speaker
Yes, I did not. Well, I guess it doesn't matter. I didn't add the escalation die. yeah right Yeah, you hit. So you're good. Okay. Yeah. Okay. Now it's Kaz's turn. Okay. How does Nick's look? Is Nick's visibly hurt?
00:34:35
Speaker
That was about a third of my hit points. Okay. So, I mean, yeah, she's she's probably bleeding. I think in that case, I have to target myself and isolate.
00:34:45
Speaker
This is visibly her. She's probably not the worst. I'll remind myself how this works. Okay. All right. I'm to roll this. One, two, three is you. take Okay, good. You get to heal using a recovery right now. It's free.
00:34:57
Speaker
So roll one your recovery dice. I get 10 temporary hit points and a strange eye, limb, or other physical feature that lasts as long as temporary hit points do appears on my body. What happens to me today?
00:35:08
Speaker
If we get wolf ears, am I mocking them? Let's see. Let's see which body part grows. Turns into Eddie Munster. Yeah. That's sweet widow's peak. What is it? What is the description?
00:35:19
Speaker
it it just says, oh goodness, where'd it go? A strange, the other person, me, grows a strange eye, limb, or other physical feature that lasts as long as the temporary hit points do.
00:35:30
Speaker
okay Okay, your mouth and nose turn into a wolf's snout. Oh, man. no i not fair yeah not No other part of you, though. So it looks especially weird.
00:35:43
Speaker
A bite and a transformation. He's got to know. Kill it with fire, Nyx. It did get bit, yeah. But Nyx knows that the silvered weapon did not anything. That's true. I have actually tested this particular thing. Nyx, you took Tigery one time. so That's true.
00:36:00
Speaker
as You say Nix, it's fine. Yeah, i there's a dire wolf in front of me. I'm going to stay on the big thing. i i'm I'm sorry. I was battling with myself for a moment about switching to the technically better sword in the middle of a fight, but I feel weird about it. So, yes, Nix. The...
00:36:13
Speaker
so yes nis the The wolf turns, ah bites into her, Nix dodges back, some of the metal scaling is starting to work its way down her arm, and she launches herself at the wolf again. Does 16 hit.
00:36:29
Speaker
hit AC? AC. No. Does not. Escalation, 17? 17 hits. I was about to spin my die. Oh wait, I can't spin my icon die. I spent my icon die to have this sword.
00:36:40
Speaker
That's true. the very beginning, I already used it. Okay, that's seven and eight. 12 plus. That is 16 damage. 16 damage. right. Yeah. damage sixteen damn oh right Escalation does not damage, right?
00:36:57
Speaker
Correct. I'm gonna jump in again, because I kept my focus. I'm ready to try, better yet, here again. Please actually work this time. It's not, it's not gonna, I up four this time. am not, Valk and Nyx are not on the same page.
00:37:14
Speaker
But I keep my focus, and it takes an extra one damage. i will mark that. Thank you. And has been marked. All right. Now we are at the top of the next round. Escalation 9 is now a two.
00:37:24
Speaker
Yeah. All right. The wolf is going to... It's going to keep attacking next. Bring it. boy it's not. That is an 11 to hit to your AC.
00:37:36
Speaker
Yeah. The armor plating is extended across her shoulder as it bites again, and it clamps down around the metal. It ah releases and kind of like snaps its maw in pain. And yeah.
00:37:48
Speaker
Valk... I'm going to use my comic rebuke because I still have my focus on one of the wolves on Selena.
00:38:00
Speaker
Nice. That should be fine. This should be fine. One of them is markedly more damaged than the other if you want. to Yeah, we'll do the one that's more damaged. That is 16. he so tea Nope. eighteen 18 against mental defense.
00:38:14
Speaker
That hits. All right. I am everywhere except for where I need to be. And that is a lovely, lovely. What is that? Seven damage? No, not in damage. I keep forgetting my modifier. Plus two.
00:38:31
Speaker
Describe how Valk's mental attack on this wolf kills it. i think Valk is getting a little stressed that he's failing one of his friends. And the other is getting absolutely just mauled by two wolves.
00:38:47
Speaker
And he just like looks at it and just does like good grip action. And then it just kind of falls. Nice. And he's surprised at that that worked. But now he's going to kind of try and shuffle into a darker corner.
00:39:02
Speaker
just in case they kind of figure out what's going on. Valk, as you do that throat care action and the wolf goes to die, I'm trying to see coves.
00:39:13
Speaker
The wolf... And Slater, you're also equally shocked as the wolf turns into the mulled wine you were drinking the night before and just splashes down on the ground. What? as Oh, yo. You could probably take a stress point for that as... Yeah.
00:39:28
Speaker
What? That's lovely. Touched by Zoriat, man. Weird stuff happens. So, yeah. Selina, you are now covered in warm mulled wine. donald And a wolf still. I was about to say, better than a wolf.
00:39:40
Speaker
but And it's ah still by Tert. Yep. So I am just going to get my focus and regain composure. All right.
00:39:51
Speaker
Selina. All right. Let's do Ray of Frost on the other one that's on me. Okay. Since it's on you, Ray of Frost is not a close quarter spell. Oh, shoot. You're right. You're right. You're right. So I think you can still cast it. You just have a penalty. oh okay. It's disadvantage.
00:40:06
Speaker
i had to take a talent to avoid that. Okay. So yeah, roll twice and take the worst roll. Okay. Well, shoot. That's a big difference. Okay. That's 14 against physical defense.
00:40:18
Speaker
Sorry, real quick. You don't have disadvantage. Sorry. Oh. You can take the the good roll, but they get an opportunity attack is in the penalty. Okay. if You can decide that that penalty is too great and not do it.
00:40:32
Speaker
I was just, yeah, looking after roll real quick. Let's do it. Why not? Okay. That is a 25. Yes, that does hit. up Okay.
00:40:43
Speaker
That is 15 damage. that is fifteen damage Nice. Very nice. Yeah, that that hits it hard. It's still up, but it it definitely felt it.
00:40:53
Speaker
It is staggered. Reading that wrong, it definitely says opportunity attacks on this one as well. My bad. but It's okay. It's okay. but We're all friends here. Okay. That wolf is dead. So the other wolf with the devastating hit from Selena, this wolf is going to attempt to run away.
00:41:12
Speaker
So it will try to disengage. It does not successfully disengage. So it's going to run. Selina, you can get an opportunity attack if you want, but that would just be a melee attack. And I don't know Selina even had a weapon out.
00:41:26
Speaker
No, I don't think so. try to kick it but yeah that wolf goes to take off into the woods uh we'll say it is nearby for the next round in terms of targeting attacks and then it will disappear into the trees kaz it is your turn there are two wolves still just one there's the well one are in the regular right sorry well the dire wolf's not running away and the dire wolf bit me And so I am going to and you are still engaged with the direwolf port, right?
00:41:57
Speaker
The find the spell that I just had my yes, the target of this spell is one enemy engaged with me. So I'm going to roll. It is an icon spell. I rolled the Blood of Vol if you want to flavor this.
00:42:09
Speaker
Excellent. My thought being this is the one that's both attacked both me and Selena and she is very Blood of Vol tut. This is the one that's attacked you and Nyx. Me and Nyx. Okay, well, yeah that changes things a bit, but I'm still attacking this one because it attacked me.
00:42:25
Speaker
The Selena thing was for flavor. Alright, that is a natural 20. Woo! Nice. Which makes it like a 26 or something. Okay. And which spell is this?
00:42:35
Speaker
This is the evil touch. This is... So do I roll two detail this instead of 1? Yep. Roll 2d10 plus charisma. And it is a natural even hit. So... Well, let's see this first. that I mean, I rolled a one and a two. beat So plus charisma is... plus Wait.
00:42:53
Speaker
Was it this game that I did that in in one of the sessions? Somebody remind me. Did I do the house rule of you take max damage on the first die then roll one additional die? I don't know. Maybe. For what? like For critting...
00:43:04
Speaker
for critic Instead of rolling double die, you do one of the dice at max and then roll an additional. So in this case, it would be 10 plus 1d10 to prevent this kind of.
00:43:16
Speaker
It would certainly feel better at this moment. it This is how it was like twice before. So I'm pretty sure it was. We'll just need to write that down. Yeah, write that down. That's going to be the the rule.
00:43:28
Speaker
so Okay, so like so it's 10 plus 1. one Plus the 2. You could take... 10 plus 2 plus Charisma is 5. Yeah, so 17 damage to my nemesis, this Dalai Nol.
00:43:45
Speaker
It is not down, but you see the life drain from direwolf as necromantic energy pulses through it and
00:44:02
Speaker
Yeah, like you see the eyes of the wolf kind of like glaze over and that kind of that undead cataract eye thing for just a second as it like snaps back out of it, like almost you were on the verge of turning it into an undead wolf and then it resisted the magic and like pulled itself back out of it.
00:44:22
Speaker
Okay. And did not like that. And I just say, I stay standing there because I'm certainly not going to run off after this other wolf. So, I mean, you could disengage as a move to just try and get some distance between you and this wolf if you want, but that's up to you.
00:44:38
Speaker
I don't think Kaz does this time. Okay. Yeah. He's been bitten and he survived and he hurt this wolf and he's in it until this thing's down. Once bitten, twice shy. Twice angry. Nyx. Seeing the wolf reeling from Kaz's spell. Nyx attacks. That's real good. 23, 25.
00:44:56
Speaker
Hit. 10. That is 14 damage. This wolf is looking really rough. It's not down net though. One more time. Then I'm giving up.
00:45:10
Speaker
Let's go, Vauk. No. What'd you roll? A five. Do the math. Five. It's the 11 again.
00:45:20
Speaker
The escalation die is up higher. 14. That's a hit. Okay. I gave up already. every Every time you've made this roll... If you would, you're the last, or you've been doing it last in the initiative right before the round rolls over.
00:45:35
Speaker
If the escalation die would have been one higher every time you would have rolled, ah you would have. That's so funny. I didn't need to know that. Yeah. yeah That's why i was like this time, do the math, do the math. Okay.
00:45:46
Speaker
Now I'm lost. Nevermind. I got it. Yes. Which is an additional 11 damage to the attack. Just a duplicate swing.
00:45:57
Speaker
Cool. Valk, how does your assistance of Nyx's attack kill the direwolf? Can I pass it off to Nyx? Sure. Would you kill the direwolf?
00:46:07
Speaker
This is a duplicate swing. What is Valk doing here? Is there like suddenly a ghostly second Nyx? Is it? Like a second swing, like your blade almost glitches. Okay.
00:46:19
Speaker
I'll tell you what, I mean, if you want to pass it on to me, I'll tell you what happens because it makes a lot of sense with what with the Venn diagram overlap of Nyx and Valk.
00:46:30
Speaker
There is actually a, briefly, ah second Nyx on the other side of the wolf. that is full like full demonic look and wielding the the the big glowing sword that she usually does. And as the wolf turns on the Nyx that's physically here, the other one just jams the sword between its ribs and the wolf goes down. Nice.
00:46:59
Speaker
Very cool. Okay. Just to clarify, we can keep going through, but is anybody going to try to kill the wolf that's running out? I'm not chasing the wolf. Let him go. Kaz? no. God, I want to know what he would turn into, but no.
00:47:11
Speaker
Okay, then maybe that wolf takes a cocktail, then Selene will just start drinking it. Not have a drinking problem. The first step is admitting that you have a problem, Selene, unfortunately, so we'll keep working on it. Selene had a one drink.
00:47:25
Speaker
Not even whole drink. Selene's only cold. Selene's only drinking cold. She can't handle laly char she can't have handle it I mean, valid. Yeah. And bears keep interrupting her drinking.
00:47:36
Speaker
Yes, that's my drinking problem. Bears! Just hearing somebody whose friends are saying you have a drinking problem and then responding, it's the bears! They're my drinking problem. Okay, let's go to bed. Let's go lay down for a bit.
00:47:49
Speaker
Okay, the quiet of the forest returns as the sounds of battle fade away. You hear the the pads of the wolf that is sprinting away from you all fade into the woods.
00:48:01
Speaker
as quiet falls back over you and we'll leave it at an episode there Thank you all so much for listening. If you want to be part of the conversation surrounding this episode, you can hand over to our discord, the link to which is in the description of this podcast.
00:48:14
Speaker
We also have a YouTube channel, youtube.com slash you can't go on. If want listen to myself, talk about TTRPG stuff, fill it, do the thing. And you can find on Spotify and YouTube tales from the laughing tree where we have another actual play called blades and banners. It's pirates in ever on indeed.
00:48:32
Speaker
we also have a Patreon, patreon.com slash epantheon. If you want to financially support the show, you can do so over there. Thank you all so much for listening. I've been your game master, Eric. I'm Nia. I'm Phillip.
00:48:43
Speaker
I'm Madison. Jeff. And we'll see you next time.