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C1 Ep. 15 Darkness Rising Chapter 2
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On Eberron Renewed Beric, Therudak, and Dex infiltrate the town of Xandrar to try and figure out what is going on, but not before dealing with the shadows that are attacking the town. Will they be able to drive back the shadows? What role do they Swords of Liberty have in all of this? Find out on this week’s Eberron Renewed!
Featured Music in this week’s episode:
“Clenched Teeth” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
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Transcript
Reflective Opening with Neruda Quote
00:00:07
Speaker
You can cut all the flowers, but you cannot keep spring from coming. Pablo Neruda.
Introduction to 'Eberron Renewed'
00:00:33
Speaker
D20 radio, your game is roll. Hello and welcome to Eberron Renewed, a D&D fifth edition actual play podcast set in the Eberron campaign setting. I am your dungeon master, Eric. And I'm Philip. And I'm Randy. And I'm Jeff.
00:01:03
Speaker
And welcome back to another episode of Eberron Renewed.
Recap: Tower Explosion and Half-Orc Encounter
00:01:06
Speaker
So gentlemen, what happened last time? A tower exploded and we rescued people from the fire. And the guys got to meet a really cool half-orc, who nobody could understand.
Meeting Commander Bala of the Dark Lanterns
00:01:22
Speaker
The three of us saved people from the wreckage of the building and then went to meet with Commander Bala of the Brelish Men in Black. The Dark Lanterns. The Dark Lanterns, a CIA-ish organization. And so Theradak is a member. Barak is on the fast track to become a member if he wants it. And then poor Lyle Dex is just kind of also there. Although consultants tend to get paid better than employees.
00:01:52
Speaker
So I'm looking forward to the sweet, sweet GPs at the end of this. But anyways, you don't know my boss very well.
Aerial Arrival and Battle Setup
00:02:01
Speaker
We got to fly on a boat and landed in, well not in the middle of, chronologically the middle of, geographically the outskirts of a battle with shadows. Yes. So we're going to pick up from there. Krast landed near, he kind of followed you down Lyle because he hit his button correctly as well. And so you two are on the bank of the river.
00:02:26
Speaker
You are separated from them on the outskirts of town, basically on the other side of the town from the river. It's not a large town. And then Barrick is taking a night swim in the river. So yeah, what do y'all do? Climb out of the river. Okay. I say, let's go soggy.
00:02:43
Speaker
Do I make you make an athletics check to swim? No, up to you. It's a pretty still river, so you're
Shadowy Battle Begins
00:02:48
Speaker
fine. The bank is very muddy, though. You just keep going quick. I'm sorry. All the water turns black. So Mississippi Moon. The third act's obviously going to look around for his companions and begin looking for them. Yeah, and how far away did you say he was from us? I mean, he's on the other side of the town from you all, just given how differently the buttons were hit. So give me a perception check to try and look around and see them.
00:03:14
Speaker
17. Okay, yeah. Looking through the fighting and stuff, you can recognize especially the familiar silhouette of Krast standing on the bank of the river on the other side of town. So you can try to book it around. Yes, gonna make my way in that direction. Okay. As you approach, as Barak's climbing out of the river, Krast looks at you and says, well, it seems that we've stumbled into a bit of a situation here and the shadows have, you think, have invaded.
00:03:43
Speaker
Breeland. So, Theradak, your training has been going well, you've been progressing pretty well, but I'm gonna need you to take
Theradak's Golden Chest Plate
00:03:50
Speaker
this. And he reaches into a pack that seems much smaller than what should be able to contain what it contains. It's bigger on the inside. And he pulls out a golden chest plate that you all recognize and he tosses it to Theradak. Don't forget that one, Crass dies.
00:04:07
Speaker
Put it on. So that's plus one plate is what it is statistically. So your AC goes up one. What? What? What did Trevor? He was like 21 AC. But with that, you know, retrospectively, noticing all the shadows looks to see is the moon high.
00:04:27
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. You know what? And Dex just does a real quick double check on the ground to make sure that our shadows aren't dancing. Your shadows are not dancing there. Unless you're dancing, then your shadows would dance. I'm rarely not dancing. The moon does not seem the same as it was on the night that Jacob went missing. OK.
00:04:46
Speaker
This is a piece, a golden chest plate with a bright purple gem laid in the center of the chest. And although the gem is purple, there seems to be a amber light swirling within it, is what you notice about it as you strap it on. And if you know anything about complementary colors, that means it's a brown amber.
00:05:11
Speaker
You say it was golden, the chess piece was golden? Yes, you have the armor strapped on, the battle still rages on in Zandrar, so how are you all going to approach this? I suppose let's go kill some shadows. Yeah, hey, Barrick, you want to run over there and do some damage? Let's go have fun. Barrick sort of looks at the shadows and...
Barak's Black Sword in Action
00:05:32
Speaker
Well, I guess this is what you wanted. And he closes his hand and the black sword just sort of materializes its way down the blade and he rushes towards the shadows. You hear and I say, I say, wait, I got a cool thing too. And I push the button and I cast daylight. Their deck looks at grass for like permission.
00:05:54
Speaker
Yeah, go. As the sword appeared in your hand, Barrick, you hear kind of a almost unsettling like in your head, like a contented sigh. As he runs, Barrick does that. Barrick just shivers. Okay, so as you all run into the city through a couple buildings, your path is blocked.
00:06:21
Speaker
As you see four shadowy figures emerge from the darkness of the alleyway and stand before you, but then, out of the ground where a shadow resides, you see two paws like come up and out of the ground pulls a mastiff made of shadow who is snarling and ready to lunge at you.
00:06:45
Speaker
Eric, are you going to make me fight a dog? Sweet, sweet pup. Yep. Make me fight a pup. All right. It's a mean shadow pup. I'm really a dog. Right. It's a shadow manifestation. Yeah. Looks like a dog. Better to trick you. You know my weakness. It's floof. I mean, are we rolling initiatives? Is that what we're doing here? Yes. Yeah. Eric. 10. A natural 20 plus one.
00:07:12
Speaker
Right? Eight. And just for the record, I get the ad seven. I don't think I've ever gone before, Lyle. I got my fumble up the way.
Shadows Resisting Attacks
00:07:21
Speaker
Okay, Theredak, you are up first. Theredak, having never fought shadowy creatures before, rushes the, what'd you say it was, a mastiff? Yes. Now they're within, they like, don't know, right? Yes. Like we're that close. I mean. Okay.
00:07:40
Speaker
Great sword in both hands, rushes up to the mastiff and swings at it. Okay. 23. You hit it. 14 damage.
00:07:55
Speaker
You notice as your sword, where you would think it would collide with the mastiff, it just passes through it. You see some of the shadow wisp away, but it didn't have that good feeling that you get when you fight. You get the sense that you didn't really do to it what you wanted to.
00:08:17
Speaker
As you have rushed forward, the foreshadows just merge onto you, attempting to take you out, and so the first one
00:08:28
Speaker
That is going to be a 10. Nine. Okay. Twenty. Yes. Okay. So one of these shadows hands land right on your chest of your breastplate and you take five necrotic damage. Rounded down, right? Yes. And you feel just energy drain from you as your strength score reduces by two.
00:08:58
Speaker
And so you're you're just weakened as this shadow touches you and the last shadow crits
Battle Intensifies with Necrotic Powers
00:09:10
Speaker
on Theradak. Oh, no. Well, it was nice knowing you, Theradak. Yay. Did you come prepared? I rolled second character before we had our first session, so I was ready for when I died. Are you prepared for this? You want to just be crashed the rest of the day? Just kidding. Okay. Part of his crit was that any ones or twos on his damage roll, he got to reroll.
00:09:29
Speaker
So that is 10 necrotic damage and your strength score goes down one more as you're weakened even more and he has a plus 2 AC. Wait, that shadow does? Yes. That's a really good crit. During this barricade I was like, oh no. The shadow mastiff rears up on lunges at you. 17.
00:09:53
Speaker
Nope, and I'm going to repost. Okay. Making melee attack at him. 25. That is a hit. 15 damage. Okay.
00:10:06
Speaker
And that uses one of my superiority knives. It still doesn't feel quite as nice hitting this shadow dog as you are used to it, feeling when you hit other dogs. Okay, Barak, it is your turn. Barak charges at whatever shadowy being is closest to him. Okay. He goes ahead and activates his Hexblade Curse. Okay.
00:10:32
Speaker
It's gonna be a lot. 25. You definitely hit it. That'll be 11 damage from Cursebringer, which is magical. I think you said plus one magic sword at the moment.
Humor Amidst Battle
00:10:46
Speaker
If that's relevant for such things. Do I get any better result?
00:10:51
Speaker
I guess I wouldn't know it's better. But you firmly connect. When having a shadow sword, you can't get shadows with it. So yeah, the shadow kind of wails as it recoils from Cursebringer's touch. And you hear Cursebringer in your head just go, yes!
00:11:09
Speaker
like that's very that's very distracting it's very very hard to maintain my forms while you do that it's apparently pretty easy for curse we're gonna maintain an erection please don't ever make that sound
00:11:32
Speaker
Anybody. I'll warn you to take your headphones off first next time. Alright, Dex, you're up. Okay, remind me from the last battle that we did with shadows.
00:11:44
Speaker
we don't it doesn't feel the same to us but the blade makes contact and stops it doesn't pass through right it passes through them then because they are ethereal shadows then what would keep my ribbon weave from passing through one and into another that is a very good question game balance mechanics um are you saying this is a game we're about to die
00:12:10
Speaker
Um, I mean, say no, that's fine. I'm going to like, you can, you can make that multi attack attempt if you want, but I'm going to have you roll a percentile die as to whether or not you hit Theradak, who is in the middle of them, like up there.
Dex's Strategic Moves
00:12:26
Speaker
So you're saying that there's I don't have an angle that I could get to where I could potentially take to right now They just closed up on it. Okay, cool. That's fine. Then I'm not gonna do that I mean, I don't know Theradak yet, but I also don't feel like killing him. He is on the team so Theradak appreciates this I like knowing that there's not like a minimum level to which you have to know someone before You would want to kill them
00:12:53
Speaker
I wouldn't want to kill it. I think it's the inverse, actually. Right. Yeah. All right. Then, yeah, I'm just going to go the nearest one to me, fling out that blade. And that is a 14. That is a hit. All right, cool. Four. That's six, 12, 13 damage. Nice. OK. Those are bad rules. I got two ones. Oh, you did? Yeah. I just saw the six on your sneak attack deck.
00:13:21
Speaker
That's the only one that did well. Okay, and now Krast is going to sprint up into the fray to protect Theradak. So he is going to swing at the Shadow Mastiff as well, but you hear him invoke the power of the Silver Flame as he rushes up and Silverlight reads his sword in flame. That is a huge
00:13:44
Speaker
hit and you just see the brilliant silver fire just almost ignite within the shadow mastiff and it rears back in pain. It's not dead, but man did that hurt. So yeah, Theradak, it is your turn. And how many creatures are up on the half work? Five? Five. Four shadows and one shadow pump.
00:14:05
Speaker
Theradak just kind of picks his great sword up over his head and sticks his chest out and dazzling flair. I like the idea that Theradak thinks he has to assist it with the chest. I was like, okay. So they all need to make Constitution saving throws. It's more funny because none of us can actually see him flex his pecs under the arm. Right.
00:14:31
Speaker
Okay, two of the shadows managed to save, but the Mastiff and two of the shadows did not. Nice, so...
00:14:42
Speaker
The shadows rear back in pain but the shadow mastiff just lets out this deafening howl as the the dazzling flares that erupt from the jewel in your chest pierce through it and the shadow just ignites from within as it the wisp the shadows fly away as it dissipates into the night sky.
00:15:08
Speaker
So, howling like a forlorn puppy. And they're all blinded, correct? Yes, the shadows are... I'm the same way, Jeff. I'm way sadder in a movie or a video game if a dog dies than the thousands of people who frequently die in movies or video games.
00:15:25
Speaker
The dog's not a bad boy. Right. He's a sweet boy. Okay, so now it is the Shadow's turn, so they all have disadvantage, so they're just gonna flail wildly at the half-orc in front of them. That is a miss. Then another one is going to attack Beric, who ran up and struck him. That is going to be an 18. Yep, that will hit.
00:15:51
Speaker
I'm sorry, I rolled as if I had advantage, not disadvantage. He rolled a four on one of his dice. So he misses you. Another one attacks Dex. 14 with, okay. And the last one attacks Crast. Who misses? So they're all just flailing about wildly. Barak, your turn. We take a moment to watch them do. Barak just sort of
00:16:14
Speaker
It pivots backwards as it swipes at him and then steps in again as he swings and the shadows just sort of trail behind the black blade as it swings. Yeah, I say, ooh, and then, oh, hey, cool. I was going to say, I'm going to roll a one after setting it up. 26. That is most certainly a hit. Yes. That would be 12 damage.
00:16:40
Speaker
12 damage? Okay. The shadow that you strike, Cursebringer just plunges into its chest and it looks almost as if Cursebringer draws the shadow into him as the shadow dissipates and wisps off on the night wind. And if I wasn't at maximum hit points, I would retain some hit points right there. But instead, because I have Cursebringer now, I move my curse to the next one. Okay.
00:17:07
Speaker
Fancy so many things destroy all of them You're doing all this and Dak and I was like I hit him real hard though
00:17:19
Speaker
I blinded them. Yeah, I was gonna say that was that was not nothing. It is now it's his turn No, none. I mean none of them are a full strength anymore, right? Two of them in fact are full strength still. Okay, and they're blind advantage. Yes, right Is there any way by which I would remember though? I mean, I don't know the decks really has the cognitive Situational awareness to notice which ones haven't taken hits yet, especially from a dazzling light So I guess I'm just gonna go the one closest to me
00:17:47
Speaker
And I mean, these things don't show wounds exactly, so it's harder to tell. Drip shadow, I don't know. So Rivenweave, the one nearest me. Dang it! I mean, that's a 19, that's why I'm dang it. It's a 26, I hit him. 16 points of damage.
00:18:03
Speaker
Okay, you swing through again, and while your ribbon weave still swings through, not with that real satisfying feeling, the shadow still just lets out a screech, like, ah! As it dissipates into the air, as shadow light rips through a shadow. Okay, Kras attacks another one of the shadows, doesn't do a whole lot of damage, but still makes contact. And it is now Theradak's turn.
00:18:34
Speaker
This is not an attack roll. Okay. He's okay. You sure? No, it was not. Derridaq has a special homebrew mechanic on his character that Randy will occasionally roll to see if something happens. Yes. Now this is an attack with a great sword on it. Did he go bonkers or something? Apparently we don't know. You don't know. Krast knows.
00:19:05
Speaker
I don't know it depends on what the other thing is now my strength is at 17 so that makes a modifier what three
00:19:17
Speaker
Yes. Yeah. So that's going to affect my two hit. So 13. Okay. That is a hit. There you go. 12 damage. 12 still just doesn't, doesn't feel right to hit these guys. And now it is the shadows turn. So one's going to attack their deck.
00:19:41
Speaker
16 to one hit so it is now barracks turn the one that I moved my curse to I attack Okay, and we have advantage because they're blind. Are they still blind? They are no longer one. Okay, mr. Oh That's gonna be display that is Total of 12 it Oh, what it'd be excellent
00:20:09
Speaker
Then that would be 11 damage. Okay. Just shifts effortlessly to the next one and hacks into it. Excellent. All right. Dex. Okay. I mean, this is for you to decide, heck, can I go for a double hit yet? Or am I still going to risk hurting one of the crew?
00:20:32
Speaker
If you want to try to move around onto the other side of them, I will say yes, but they with a disadvantage will get an opportunity attack against one of them will.
00:20:46
Speaker
Here's, here's a question. Uh, my swashbuckle, my third level thing is that I don't get, if I'm attacking a creature, they don't get an opportunity attack. It's that post. Yeah, it's you attack them and then it's, okay. Got it. That's what I just wanted to check. Okay. Um, then I'm just gonna, I'm just gonna, I'm just gonna, um, I'm just going to use my room. We've on the closest one again. Okay. That's what I'm going to do.
00:21:12
Speaker
and I'm going to do it for 26 attack again. I love this weapon until I just use it seven times in a row and it gets boring, so here's what I do. Because I am still working with it, I'm still just learning it, I feel pretty confident I've had a good battle so far, so I'm going to bring it.
00:21:37
Speaker
all the way back behind me the full the knob sails over my head the whole thing and i want to see since i know it's just going to sail right through this guy i want to see what sort of speed i can get going okay i'm going to just bring it over my head like i'm casting a fishing line whip it down as hard as i can and just try to bring that whole blade to the ground okay and i and i do that for
00:22:02
Speaker
I can't count 19 points of damage. Okay, so yeah, you bring it. It does not lose any speed as it passes through this shadow and just dust kind of kicks up as the ribbon we've played just lands hard on the ground and breaks.
00:22:21
Speaker
And then you look at the shadow and the shadow has not come back together after you sliced it down the middle as it forms to Newton. Does it do the shadow or the cartoon thing where it just peels away from itself? Yes, it just pools on the ground in darkness. And as I am wont to do during battle, I go, did you guys see that? Did you guys see that? They were like, this is how we roll.
00:22:51
Speaker
And Kras is going to attack once again. That is a hit. Actually, no. You know what? How many hit points are you down, Theradek? Seven. Seven. Kras lays a hand on you and you feel your power restored as you are back up to max hit points. Get all my strength back too, right? No. And now it is Theradek's turn.
00:23:20
Speaker
Well, he's bringing his greatsword back around to take another slice. Okay. 18. That is a hit. 13 damage. Okay.
00:23:50
Speaker
The last Shadow remaining tries its best to attack Theradak with disadvantage. That is a critical fumble. So yeah, it is now Beric's turn. Beric will swing away with Cursebringer again. Ha, you scared of me. 19. 19, that's a hit.
00:24:20
Speaker
Uh, that is 18 damage. So yeah. Goodbye. Kurt Springer once again just seems to drink up this shadow as you plunge it into it. We're like, this podcast is like reverse ASMR. Just repulsive noise. We just make everybody squicked out every time we do anything that's not a human English word. Uh, looking down the street further into town, do I see any more adversaries?
00:24:48
Speaker
Um, you actually begin to see, um, as you all are fighting, the shadows have begun retreating, um, whether or not they're disappearing into the, the shadows or, uh, retreating back across the river by virtue of a bridge that runs into Zandraar and running back into the Eldean
Shadows Retreat
00:25:08
Speaker
reaches. So the, the shadows are retreating. And the humans are not fighting each other?
00:25:15
Speaker
No, they're not. You notice that as as each individual fight starts to break up, the people wearing the masks are starting to take off like they're they're not sticking around. So, yeah. OK, hang on.
00:25:35
Speaker
Hey, Barrick, remind me again, we're supposed to be pretending that we're scouting out for the cannons, right? Yes, that's right. I mean, I think that we could safely say that what we did was self-defense, but we probably ought not to go
00:25:54
Speaker
Finding the the the leader of this militia to find out what just happened, right? Maybe we ought to just run to the nearest fella and say we're very scared and we're new here Can you hold my hand for a moment and tell me what just happened? Everyone give me perception checks 21 I have rolled three 19's natural 19's but for perception that gives me a 25
00:26:19
Speaker
Okay. Dex and Dak, you two notice amongst the people wearing blue masks that seem eagle in shape. Does that mean anything to me? Um, no.
00:26:35
Speaker
Okay. You notice a another figure that seems to be almost guiding them, but from a distance, like you see them glancing in a certain direction and you see somebody giving hand signals, but it's somebody in a red owl mask, but this, this person seems to be, have fallen back into an alleyway there that kind of slaps Eric on the shoulder and points up to the owl
Blue Eagle Symbol and Swords of Liberty
00:27:03
Speaker
guy. Okay.
00:27:05
Speaker
Um, you do note, um, just by virtue of, of noticing these things. Um, the, the red owl figure is a female just based on body shape. So, Oh, and I'm gonna, uh, I have turned off daylight. Okay. I've recalled the spell. I'm trying not to draw attention to us. Okay. Um,
00:27:31
Speaker
Yeah, I think, I think, uh, Barrick, do you know what this is? Like, I mean, did you see the red lady with the owl hat? Um, yes. Different than the blue folk with the eagle hats. And, uh, I mean, do you, you're from this era, not this area, but you know things, Barrick. Do you know this? Look like she was directing them. Everyone give me history checks. You all been operating in the area long enough to wear.
00:27:58
Speaker
15. Two. Three. Nicely done, gentlemen. Barrick, you can recall...
00:28:05
Speaker
that the symbol, a symbol, not B symbol, but a symbol of the swords of liberty at their inception was a blue eagle. That's what you can note about the masks. Well, if I had to guess, I'd say that they're probably swords of liberty. They use a blue eagle as their symbol sometimes. I think they call him Sam.
00:28:35
Speaker
This is a very bad podcast Really so you think those might be the swords I guess I mean when the shadows are coming the enemy of your enemy I guess that does make sense and for all I know they had launched an attack on the town and the shadows showed up in the middle of it. That's fair, too
00:28:52
Speaker
Alright, I guess we just need to... Kras, do you wanna... I mean, give us some direction or should we go... should we wait till morning before we start our grand ruse? Well, the plan was to wait until morning, but... I mean...
00:29:07
Speaker
Do we want to go capture one of those guys? We could try that. I mean, the fact that the Swords of Liberty and the shadowy figures are openly operating in Xandrar, I think our timetable needs to change because this attack may happen again tomorrow night and the night after. So I would be remiss to delay any longer from action. So you suggest we pursue?
00:29:36
Speaker
Yeah, we can do that. Pursue the shadows, pursue the Swords of Liberty. I would be more inclined to pursue the Swords of Liberty personally, but... Yeah, we know. Here's the thing, I already turned off my daylight. We're gonna do better against the Swords of Liberty than we are, if it comes to blows, because I've ruined our disadvantage. I mean, I ain't got no problem putting it to a...
00:30:03
Speaker
Well, those are not going to work. There's four of those. We're going to have to start running about right now. As you all are talking, people are still filtering out of the town. Which direction do you start running? There's only one bridge over the river, right? Yeah. I start running towards the one bridge out of town. OK. Whoever we're pursuing has to go across that bridge. I say, well, okie dokie. And as I do now, I run after Barrick.
00:30:32
Speaker
Are you going with them? Theradak turns and sees them running toward the bridge.
00:30:41
Speaker
He glances at Krast and lets his shoulder and takes off. Let's go. Okay, so you all are kind of, at this point, chasing shadows because they are the figures that were predominantly crossing the bridge. Everyone has your- Wait, the swords aren't? They were filtering away from the town, but everyone give me perception checks as you run across the bridge.
00:31:07
Speaker
the non river word direction away from the town, I guess. Oh, everyone give me perception checks. All right. Philip misunderstood the situation. 16. I don't know. 18. 14.
00:31:24
Speaker
you two are able to notice that DC 15 as you as you all are crossing the bridge you see in the distance kind of where there are tall trees almost blocking moonlight you're able to see small ferries going across the river the direction that you are running into and you would notice this is your cross I'm just making sure because this is a fantasy world you mean boats yes not
00:31:51
Speaker
I was going to ask exactly the same question. This is also the right part of that world for fairies. You all see on the other side of the river from Zandrar, and you two especially would have been aware of this just with the geography of Breland. You see ruins of a town that is referred to as Old Zandrar, which is a ruin from the time of the Dakhani Empire.
00:32:32
Speaker
of the hot goblets.
00:32:38
Speaker
I don't know for sure, but it looks real similar to the last time we were in a ruin. I believe we referred to it as the night thing. Yes. And the Theradak goes, wait a minute, are we trying to catch a saddle figure?
00:32:55
Speaker
Well, I don't really figure we can capture and interrogate a shadow. Yes. But we probably can one of the swords. Yeah. Did we did we see swords on swords on the fairies? Yeah. You get the sense that the swords are taking the ferry. So you all can either continue across the bridge or run along the coast and try to capture a sword as he's approaching the ferry. Get me on that boat.
00:33:18
Speaker
Yeah.
Pursuit of the Swords of Liberty
00:33:19
Speaker
Okay. So you all kind of after stepping on the bridge, um, are running down the coast towards where you spotted the fairies getting into the water. Um, everyone give me perception checks again. Um, name of this episode, perception check.
00:33:41
Speaker
26 22 14 you two traffic bear got a story for you You hear a scream kind of coming from outside of town a little bit away from the coast Back toward back towards the town like you the town is now getting to be behind you You're running along the coast. The boats are down here. The screen was
00:34:02
Speaker
To your right essentially like having to go inland if I oh wait just describe the screen I didn't successfully perceive the screen so never my describe the scream to me it's adult and You would you would say probably feminine in nature now what?
00:34:19
Speaker
Yeah, I'm trying to decide what Dex would do. Barak is running. Yeah. Yeah, I know. That's I'm trying to decide if I would veer. I mean, obviously, if I veer, I'm going to say something to you. If I keep running, I'm going to. Your time in Sharn has taught you that.
00:34:36
Speaker
Swords of Liberty are not easy to spot just, well, now you know why. They wear masks when they operate as the Swords of Liberty, so. This is going to be our chance to get one. Yeah. I'm running with Barrick. Is it Barrick? Jesus, just screaming micron. There it at. You running? Does this scream sound like, now you see the screen, somebody's in trouble.
00:35:00
Speaker
Does the scream have a very abrupt end as though it was the last scream and it's beyond help? That would be easy. By chance the scream of someone who's excited because something really good has happened. Ah! My birthday! It's a girl! There are no follow-up screams, but the scream did not end abruptly. Theradak would yell. Somebody's in trouble. I must go assist.
00:35:28
Speaker
OK. Well, now I'm feeling a bit hamstrung. I mean, Kraskin can go with Theradak. We can split the party if you like. How far are we from Swords of Liberty? From where you saw the fairies entering, probably about, you would guesstimate, 60 to 100 feet. And Theradak's not just run off. He's like, he's relaying that this is what he wants to do. Right. But have you stopped running because they are continuing to run. Are you running with them? I yelled it and I have stopped.
00:35:59
Speaker
So you're not running towards the screen. You've just stopped on the bank of the river. I'm stopped waiting to see what they're going to do if they're going to follow me. I'm still running. They have both resolved to continue. I never once perceived that there was a screen. So Barak has no reason to stop. He's going. And you would not have heard me yell someone screaming, I need to assist.
00:36:18
Speaker
Uh, maybe, but I also figure that we just dropped into a town in the middle of a battle and probably a lot of people are screaming. That's kind of what I'm at. Like, yes. So Christ is still with me. What does Christ Christ look to him for leadership? Obviously he's my Christ turns to you and says, we have to get the swords and then turns and continues to run. And then they're a deck would. Okay. Okay.
00:36:44
Speaker
Okay, so now Safebet, Beric and Dex are 20 feet ahead of Krast and Theradac. Yeah, so you have a pretty good sight on the entry point for the fairies at this point. And you can see a couple figures running through the woods towards the ferry. I hate to say this again.
00:37:06
Speaker
Which side of the river are we on? You are on the east side. Are we on the side with the town or the side without the town? With the town. You basically ran out of the bridge, stopped, and then people running through the forest are people coming from outside of town? Yes. Got it.
Team Split: Shadows vs. Swords
00:37:19
Speaker
You hate to say what again? Perception checks. Okay.
00:37:27
Speaker
Twenty-three. Twenty-five. Okay, you two, notice. You actually manage to spot through, well, not even spot them. You hear a straggler and you look and you see the blue mask, like it's somebody that's fallen behind the rest of the group headed towards the ferry. How far are they from me? They're about 30 feet from you. Okay, here's what I do. I change course to intercept.
00:37:51
Speaker
Okay. Bring out the ribbon weave. I'm going to go for a grapple check to trip them. Okay. And I get advantage on that. So... The red owl mask is nowhere to be seen? No. Okay. 18. Yes. Nice. All right. So it wraps around his ankles and he just falls flat on his face. Saradac following closely behind as he swings, passes him, jumps on top of the dude. Okay. How far am I from those running for the face?
00:38:21
Speaker
I would say about 35 feet. Sweet. I misty stepped within 15 feet of the pack and lightning lure one of them. Okay. Give me a strength saving throw. Were we gonna do a little prisoner's dilemma scene? Yeah we are. Your buddy said. Awesome. Good cop bad cop.
00:38:39
Speaker
Good cop, bad cop, Dex cop. I'm a loose cannon. 21. Gah. Passes. But now they are aware of you. So an issue. Sweet.
00:38:55
Speaker
Is that us too? Since we... Yes. I'm going to say... ...baric and crass to get away, I mean... Actually, I'm going to say, I'm just going to... Third deck. You can hold him down, right? Yes. Alright, and then I come from the shadows... Can I get a surprise attack since I'm coming from the shadows? Sure. Alright, so I'm going to come from the shadows and the front guy of these three, because I've got 30 feet to move so I can get right up on them.
00:39:21
Speaker
And I rib and weave him. That's a 16. Hit! 4, 6, 7, 11 points of damage. Alright, don't give me your initiative scores, everybody.
00:39:35
Speaker
Nine. I forgot. Fifteen. Twelve. Fifteen. And Theradak Kras tells you that he can he can hold him down. Go help the other team. So the swords are up first in the initiative order. Two of them are going to rush up on Beric. That first attack is a ten. Miss. And his second attack is an eight. Miss. And the second one attacks 21. Ah, that hits.
00:40:06
Speaker
Six damage. And lastly, 14. Miss. Okay. And the last one attacks Dex. 14. Miss. 21. Yes. Or 22. That is a hit. Eight damage. Gleesh. All right. So yeah, they turn and attack you. And now it is Dex's turn. All right. Same dude. Okay. 10. Miss. They're adapted.
00:40:36
Speaker
Rushes up to the nearest one, swinging his majorly big sword down, trying to catch him right. No, he's not. That's going to be a eight. That is a miss.
00:40:58
Speaker
All right, Barrick. How many of them are around me? Two ran up and attacked you. But in the whole group, there are three total as the third one also within 10 beat of me.
00:41:12
Speaker
We'll see, yeah. Okay. Then as Barak runs up, seeing that the lightning lure failed and seeing them charge towards him, he just twirls Cursebringer around underhanded and thrusts it into the ground, and I need a strength save from all of them. Okay. How are you? You really are just a one-man wrecking dream. I love it.
00:41:37
Speaker
Nine, seven, and three are same. They all three take 14 necrotic damage as these tendrils of dark energy erupt out from the ground where I thrust Cursebringer. Also, they can't take reactions until their next turn, should that become relevant for them. You hear Cursebringer in your mind say,
00:42:05
Speaker
No, these are not enemies of the darkness.
00:42:10
Speaker
wait yeah i i didn't hear that but i think you need to seek clarification okay wait i assume he means enemies of the light because oh yeah if they are enemies of the darkness wait they're not enemies of the darkness then is this like they're neutral these are not enemies of the light these are a neutral third party okay wait what would i say in front of all of them wait what they are not
00:42:36
Speaker
Those that wish to bring darkness. One of them swings at you. That's a critical bumble. And his second attack misses as well. Second one... Miss. And... 18. Hits. That is six points of damage.
00:42:55
Speaker
Dex. I mean, I don't know nothing about no dark enemies. I'm certainly trying to bring darkness to me. I'm gonna swing to hit. And that is a 13. 13, that is a mess. There it at. Once again, swinging that greatsword around. And that's going to be 14. Miss. Okay, Beric.
00:43:24
Speaker
You explain, I'm gonna fight. Swings at one of them. Not your enemies! Is that a triangle? What? This is the most hilarious thing in my head. 19 against one. That's a hit.
00:43:43
Speaker
13 damage. Explain what you mean. I have told you all I can, they are not enemies of the light. One of them swings at you. Well, they seem to be enemies of the... That's 11? Of the innocent people in this town. And 15? 15 hits. Okay.
00:44:04
Speaker
That is four damage. And the second one attacks you. Yeah, that's gonna be a hit. And the second one is a miss. Five damage. They sought to drive back the darkness, not embrace it. But they also blew up a tower in Sharn.
00:44:26
Speaker
And I just turned and I say, uh, there it acts and things have happened. Uh, we just let Barret go and he'll tell us later. He sounds... disturbed. Well, yes.
00:44:42
Speaker
That's not a bad description. That is an accurate description.
Unseen Shadowy Threats Discussion
00:44:46
Speaker
But he's our disturbed guy. As you all are having this conversation, it is your turn to attack. And I'm not even breaking the conversation to do this. I say, he is a bit disturbed. Because I don't break conversation, I miss. That's a 20. There it is. I will hit you if you will be still.
00:45:12
Speaker
20. 20. That is a hit. 13. Eric. There are enemies you cannot see that they have the light to flush out.
00:45:24
Speaker
Yeah, did they do it by blowing up a tower in Sharn? There are greater threats than you can imagine! Sorry, are you telling me it doesn't matter that they blew up a tower in Sharn? That is precisely what I'm saying to you! Barak, are you gonna do something, bud? Yeah. Can you always talk to himself? Yes, and apparently I'm acknowledging that there are turns in this real battle. 21. Barak, I can't go till you go.
00:45:47
Speaker
21, that's a hit. Seven damage. I am actually just trying to subdue somebody here. And at this point in the fight, all right, if you're not part of an organization that just blew up a bunch of innocent people in Sharn, then I would invite you to step back and we'll all have a talk about this instead of trying to kill each other. It's their turn, so they're going to swing at Barrett.
00:46:14
Speaker
Miss, miss, miss, and a hit. Four damage. Dex, it is your turn. Eric, what the hell are you talking about? The sword thinks they're not enemies.
00:46:29
Speaker
But he doesn't think they didn't blow up a tower in Sharn. He just doesn't think it matters. It's not not the tower blow up. Okay. I go along a bit with Dex's idea. And so instead of slashing, I'm going to attempt to trip just to try to slow one of them down, get him up, get him prone. Okay. And that's a natural 20. Oh, yeah. So you trip him.
00:46:58
Speaker
And he hits us on a rock and gets knocked unconscious I think that's right or Can I just do double damage and make it clear that it is non lethal so I can knock his ass out knock his butt out?
00:47:13
Speaker
No, I'm knocking his ass out because I rolled a 20 and I don't get to... I don't get to do the cool table. He's trying to additionally attack that donkey that came out of the woods behind him. Was that what I'm doing? That's fair. Also donkeys. Umm... 9... 8... 12... 13... 14... And I only get to roll this one twice or I double damage everything. That's all that I said, thank you. No, sneak attack doesn't get doubled. Oh, okay, so that's 14 plus... That's 20 damage. Okay. E...
00:47:44
Speaker
It's hurt real, real bad. And prone, that's a word. Okay, there it at. He's swinging away. Fifteen. Fifteen, that's a hit. Rerolling the one. Nicely done. Thirteen damage. Thirteen damage. Are you going after one of the standing ones or the one that went not prone?
00:48:10
Speaker
the one that's standing that I've been spitting on. He looks real rough. He's starting to get pretty bad. Can I use a check as a bonus action if I put the guy on the ground and then I wanted to say, I wish I would have thought of this again, wanted to say, do what the man said. If you want to step back, we can have a talk and then roll that as a checkers out of full action.
00:48:29
Speaker
Well, I can assure you based on the conditions that he gave for stepping back and having a talk, none of them have any interest in stepping back and having a talk. Fair enough. No, this is not narrative. This is me asking, can I do... Is that a full action or could I use something like that as a bonus action? If you're making a check to effect change, then it's an action. Okay. And since I don't have...
00:48:49
Speaker
changing change affecting check what I'm gonna do is just be the change you know I'm starting with the man in the mirror but he's different like every day it's at heart okay so Barak it is your turn so just so that I understand everything that's been said to me
00:49:12
Speaker
The sword acknowledges that these guys blew up a tower in Sharn. Yes. None of them have acted perplexed by me accusing them of blowing up a tower in Sharn. No, they have not. So these are definitely terrorists who blew up a tower in Sharn. From a certain point of view. From the evidence that I have. Yes. My mentor does not like that at all. I'm not really worried about that.
00:49:35
Speaker
The blowing up the tower thing, that's kind of a deal breaker for me on friendship. I'm gonna try to subdue him still. Okay, the one on the ground? No, the one I'm fighting.
00:49:52
Speaker
14 okay, so you managed to use curse bringer in you describe so how you said we've been Parrying back and forth while I have a one-sided conversation and then I start shouting at him in fairness How would he know that I've changed from to shouting at him? Yeah but eventually I twist the sword and Disarm him and as I step in I just wing out with the pommel of curse bringer and catch him straight in the front of his mask
00:50:22
Speaker
And he just drops. Okay. And then I just sort of stand into a defensive position and I'm perfectly willing to let the other guy run away because we've got three of them now and that's plenty for me. Okay, so it is the swords turns to attack. I'm sorry, do we have three? You took one down early, you just tripped one and I just took one. The one that's down we have, the one that you have we have, the one that tripped.
00:50:45
Speaker
Oh, I thought he got knocked unconscious too. No, he just hurt. Oh, he's just hurt. Okay. Yeah. So you sort of liberty that's still up at you is going to attack. And that's a print. That is going to be nine damage. So he slices into you missing the plate and catching some flesh.
00:51:11
Speaker
And now it is Dex's turn. Still on the ground, right? Yes. Remember that thing I did a minute ago to that shadow? Where I brought the full force of my ribbon weave straight down onto the ground and it was really rad.
00:51:25
Speaker
Feel like it's gonna be a lot grosser this way. Yeah. Trying to decide how good of an aim I would have with it. Or if I'm just gonna... Whatever goes, goes. First, let's see if I hit. I don't! Damn it! That's a 12. Does he have advantage because the guy's prone? Yes, you do, actually. Hell yeah! That's a 13! Well, I did, but I could.
00:51:49
Speaker
Okay. Wait, do I also get advantage because I just really want to do this? Triple advantage. Double advantage? Okay, Theradak. Super secret probation. Theradak grunts from getting hit and swings with his greatsword once again. 11. That's a miss. All right, Beric, you have an unconscious one in front of you. Theradak is fighting one and there's one on the ground but conscious, trying to stand up now. Does it look like...
00:52:18
Speaker
Just a quick glance around. Have the rest of them made it to the boats at this point? There's only one ferry left. You get the sense this was the last group trying to get across. There are no other swords around. No others. Okay, so I just level Cursebringer at the one that's still fighting. Okay. And say, listen friend, this fight's done. All you can really hope for now is to get out of it alive.
00:52:44
Speaker
Don't kill him. Trying an intimidation check to get him to lay down his weapons. While I'm talking, I go, shut up for a minute. 17. 17. You seem just like the wrong kind of crazy with the way you've acted in this fight. Plus halfway through my thread, I went, shut up for a minute. To where he drops his sword and attempts to take off the other direction away from the boat.
00:53:13
Speaker
Are you going to take an opportunity attack against him? Just want to punch him. Okay. So this is going to be an attack roll with just your strength modifier since it's an unarmed strike. 11. You miss. So you try to swing at him and just as he runs away.
00:53:32
Speaker
You all hear him running away. The one that's on the ground that you trip is still trying to get up. So I'm going to say we can go ahead and you can make an intimidation check if you want to try and subdue him or to get him to just run away. Fuck him on the head with your staff. That's exactly what I was thinking. Can I go for a non-lethal headflacking? I mean, I've done it before. Yeah.
00:53:57
Speaker
Yeah, just the same guy Plot twist top it over. Okay. No, not you. Let's see what you can do
00:54:06
Speaker
Hell yeah. Twenty-four. Twenty-four, that's a hit. Alright, and so I'm gonna roll all these damages. Actually, let me do this. Does a five put him unconscious? No. Okay, then I'm gonna do a sneak attack then. That's eight, eleven. Just enough. Just whack him in the back of the head and his head hits the ground hard and he is sprawled out on the ground.
00:54:33
Speaker
Everyone, I immediately unmask him just because I want to know what he looks like. It's Old Man Withers. Oh, I knew it. Everyone, the theme of this episode, give me a perception check. Oh wait, real quickly, can I tie him? I've got 50 feet of rope, I'd like to tie him. Just hog tie him.
00:54:51
Speaker
And once again, the theme of the episode, Beric Fails. 13. That's a 20. What's my perception? 6? 23. You are the only one to notice. I see all. Dex, you hear all. Also that. You hear back from where you ran. You hear sounds of a struggle from back the direction you came. Like back towards the town? No, like where you immediately came into the fight. Where Krast is with the one on the ground.
00:55:22
Speaker
But you are the only one to hear this. Okay. Um, my guy's tied up. Your guy is not. Yeah, he's unconscious, but not tied up. All right. Um, I just say, I say, Dak, something's happening. I say to my voice, I say, Dak, something's happening with crass. Let's go. And
00:55:42
Speaker
Okay, do you follow them or do you stay with your fellow? I will stay and tie up the prisoners, confident in their competence to deal with one guy. Plus, we have little sending stones, so if it's real trouble, you can just call me. This is not my joke, it's from another thing, but can we please refer to them as rocky talkies?
00:56:00
Speaker
Sure. You all come upon a scene, you heard sounds of a struggle, but there's not actually a struggling struggle going on.
Krast's Interrogation Tactics
00:56:08
Speaker
You see the sort of liberty that you all captured tied up with his hands behind him around a tree trunk as you can, once you get close enough here, craft demanding that he be told who was behind the bombing and he's beating the prisoner trying to get the information out of him.
00:56:26
Speaker
This is a side of Krast that neither of you have seen before. It's, it's very violent. Okay. I am going to, I don't work for Krast. So I feel that I am justified in using the extra skill. I have an intimidation and not just trying to use persuasion. Okay. To get him to back off before I say anything though. I say, say, if they're a deck, I would never hurt Krast, but I got to get him to stop this. Do you understand?
00:56:54
Speaker
That third act runs up and gets between the prisoner. Okay. Okay. And I need him alive. And I walk up and I say, um, crass buddy, I do not want to have to put you on the ground, but I will, if you continue to do this, we need to talk to him. I know you're trying to get answers. There are better ways to do it. We have two more. We can get them in rooms. We can compare their stories, but this dude's going to tell you anything you want to hear to get you to stop beating them.
00:57:24
Speaker
So knock it the hell off at a 22 Crass just looks at both of you and he
00:57:37
Speaker
he can't even express his anger and frustration and kind of disdain for the two of you in this moment. And he just turns and starts to walk away. You don't get the sense that he's like abandoning you, but he's just right walking it off. But yeah, he's just
00:58:00
Speaker
Yeah. Okay. I want to do two things. I want to holler at Beric to walk the prisoners over into this clearing that we're in. So we're out of eyeline. After a moment, I come dragging the prisoners. Okay. They're unconscious. Oh, that's right. Do I need to sit there and act out? Anyway, and also I want to take out my water skin and
00:58:30
Speaker
And I can't hand it to the guy because he's tied up around the tree, but you know Do I can to clean his wounds up? Is he is he bloody has he been beaten to the point that he's bleeding or is he just no I mean yeah walked around there is blood. I mean crest had his armor on so like gauntlet punches So he's bruised and battered and bloody pretty bad so I washed the dude up a little bit like I'm not trying to be gentle about it I'm just simply
00:58:56
Speaker
Being marginally decent. I gotta want to be good cop. I just want to be neutral cop Who? Who are you? We never got names or anything. Did we I say?
00:59:09
Speaker
Dante De Caneth. Yeah, yeah. Hi, I'm Dante Caneth. I'm new around here. Sorry about him.
Conclusion and Future Setups
00:59:23
Speaker
And then around this time, I hope that Barrick is there with at least one guy. And I'm gonna let my friend introduce himself. But, you know, we showed up during a really weird time and I
00:59:36
Speaker
you know it seems like you guys are bad guys and we so we decided to kind of take a little bit into our own hands here but it gives you a very incredulous look when you say that they are bad guys of course he would he following the ideology he thinks that they're good guys I'm not I'm not concerned about that
00:59:52
Speaker
Alright, well, thank you all so much for listening. Next time we will get to some interrogations and figuring out what's going on with the Swords of Liberty and Xandrar and the bombing and the shadows and everything. We will see you all again next time. Once again, I am Eric. I'm Philip. Randy. Jeff. Thank you all so much for listening and we will see you next time.
01:00:27
Speaker
I think there's a time and a place for bad language as emphasis. And it's everywhere often.