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Ep. 84 For Folly’s Sake - De Profundis
114 Plays3 years ago
The Party take some much needed downtime in Tali’s pub.
Follow us on our Twitters - @FellowshipTable
Intro written and produced by Joseph McDade - https://josephmcdade.com/
The Fellowship Party Twitter Pages:
- The DM/Mark - @HastilyRolledDM
- Drago/Ian - @IRolledA1
- Folly/Callum - @TheD20Gamer
- Princess Helena/Casey - @unicorncrit
- Carstan/Will - @Natural20Will
- Robin/Darren - @DarrenPage06
- Claude/Danny - @totalpartythrlz
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Transcript
Alarm at the Pub
00:00:00
Speaker
He runs, he runs out setting off the alarm of the pub, by the way. Go for folly's sake.
Podcast Introduction
00:00:35
Speaker
Hello everyone and welcome to this week's episode of The Fellowship of the Tabletop. We are a live play 5e D&D podcast set in the magical, magical homebrew world of RF. My name is Mark and I'm the Dungeon Master.
Character Introductions
00:00:46
Speaker
And also with us for today's episode, we have Ian, who plays the Dragonborn barbarian paladin, Drago. Steven! We've got Will, who plays the human bard, Karstan. Steven! Callum, who plays the gnome sorcerer, Folly Fizzlebang the Ninth. Steven! Casey, who plays the human champion, Helen the Sleepguard.
00:01:06
Speaker
Darren who plays the human fighter rogue, Robin. Steven! And we've got Danny who plays the human cleric, Claude. Steven! What is it with Steven? I really wanted to see Danny just go, Claude! Who is Steven?
00:01:23
Speaker
I don't know. If Stephen is listening to this episode, please tweet us out, because that was a shout out for you. Thanks for listening. At Fellowship Table. So on the last, yeah, to all the Stevens, everywhere, you know, Steve, I don't know any, what? Who's a Steven? Steven... Steven... I know a Steve. Figal. Stigal, there you go. I know Steven Stigal. No, I don't. Anyway, there's a lot of Stevens out there. Oh yeah, Steven Hawking. Make it mine.
00:01:53
Speaker
So on last week... R.I.P. Yeah, a hero. He ain't got a tweet or something.
Editing Remarks
00:02:02
Speaker
Anyway, I like your podcast. No, OK, let's carry on. I'm probably going to edit this out, to be honest, but you know.
00:02:17
Speaker
I wish I could play D&D with you.
Challenges and Banishment
00:02:20
Speaker
You just suffered an alignment shift and unfortunately all your powers in palace no longer work. We've got an entity 3.5. You are banished, you are banished. But you weren't banished unfortunately, someone else seems to have returned to a place they were banished once upon a time, as will, not
00:02:38
Speaker
Well, as Karsten went through some trials and tribulations, he met a quite interesting character. He met a chicken wizard called Olgremoth on a demi-plane as he passed through a door, leaving the party after being frightened under the spell Frightened by the creature they were fighting in the pits, steeped down in the rat-run to prove that they were allowed out and given this 24-hour reprieve from the Abkryskra before the city would lock down.
00:03:05
Speaker
and they would be found. So they had this period of time to kind of sort out their share to get the stuff in order before the upcrisco would come a hunting.
Powerful Influences in Goldview
00:03:15
Speaker
And now the party are relatively aware of the strength and power of this group that are currently imposing themselves upon the city of Goldview.
00:03:24
Speaker
Upon making the way back to the half hoof in the pub which Naltali is the owner and proprietor of after Kennard gave over the rights to her in a rather odd situation a few episodes ago, the party came across Kastan face down in the mud and upon finding them Drago resuscitated him and went inside and started to have a number of conversations regarding what has happened.
00:03:47
Speaker
We find ourselves inside the pub everyone kind of dotted around on tables and Tali's just handed over a full brimming pint to Helena. Helena was just also they just figured out also that because of Helena's return to the city and because of her parents
00:04:03
Speaker
for want of a better phrase, missing from the city, being taken away for a period of time, she is the
Helena's Destiny as Leader
00:04:10
Speaker
heir apparent. She is the next in line to become the leader, the queen of Slickguard. And it's all kind of just dawned on her as Tali passes this pint over to her. So, Queen maybe then, Tali suggests.
00:04:28
Speaker
No, I don't think I could do that. There's got to be another way. We've got to find out where my mother and father are. You could always become a republic. What is that? Well, that's like what we have in the Sanguin Lands, where you're led by a council and you elect the leaders and
00:04:50
Speaker
Thank you. No, no, no, no. We do not want that. I'm sure I speak on behalf of every person in this land. Absolutely not. I mean, I'm not here to make decisions, really. I just prefer to leave my father to do that.
00:05:08
Speaker
Okay, but I mean, if, if, if, I mean, if he's no, no, no, no, no, no, the princess has spoken constant. But what I mean to say is that in the, in the time for a bell, I'm saying in the, in the instance of the king being absent, that would make you at the moment, the de facto temporary ruler of sleep guard.
Meeting Sebastian
00:05:31
Speaker
Right now. Me? No, no, Helena. I was like, Claude, I was talking, I was, I was talking, I was looking at Helena but talking to you. Oh. Yeah, and Helena is getting quite warm and she's just downing this pint quite quickly. Jesus Christ, it's slowed down. You're going to knock yourself out at that rate. Fuck. Sebastian pipes up from the corner with his legs up. She slams her pint on the table.
00:06:00
Speaker
She's listening to you. He just stares back, not saying anything else. Just gives you like a bloody good work that and kind of nods at you. Oh, she's your brother. Sorry, she wipes her mouth with her and the back of her hand and takes in a bit of a sigh. Yes, that's Seb. Sorry, I didn't introduce you.
00:06:25
Speaker
He stands up at that and takes a deep bow. Sebastian, sleep guard, you are the bard I've heard so much about, the one that ran away. Yeah, that's me. Good man. I like you already. Thanks.
00:06:47
Speaker
Well, just, you know, you know your limits, you know where the begin, you know where it ends. Death is the infinite one, you know what they all say. Well, I think they say that at least. Anyway, but, you know, you know where your limits are and you're, you're fucking pegged it, mate. That's how I do. And bloody hell, you and me, we're cut from the same cloth, my man. Well, um, I mean, I, I don't quite think we're cut from the same cloth. No? No. Oh, all right then.
00:07:15
Speaker
Wow. We're probably different. A lot. I also wouldn't take it as a compliment to cast down. You did leave and you know you did. I still don't know really how I feel about this.
00:07:31
Speaker
Have we not got somewhere to be? I'm sorry. I just feel like we're wasting time. I don't know about any more. I don't know where else. What time of day is it, Mark? Sorry. It is late in the night. It's all happened in one day. The last time we were asleep, we were outside the city. I feel like we've been doing this. It feels like so long since we were asleep in the forest.
00:07:53
Speaker
Right, well then I'm heading to bed. Good night all. And she's just going to walk off. Bye. I should probably mention the sleeping arrangements if you just hold fire at your highness for a moment.
Sleeping Arrangements and Risks
00:08:08
Speaker
So there are two options really where you can sleep. I've had Ken out sorting it out. Yeah, I've been sorting it out for you. So basically the option is
00:08:17
Speaker
We've got rooms upstairs, but they apparently, so yeah, so basically they get checked quite a lot by the Obcisca, they come in. Can you let me finish, please? I'm talking, okay? So basically, they get searched a lot by the Obcisca, they come in and just have a warrant and they search through the rooms looking, well, for you. So the option is nice beds or can I sort you out? Yeah, I'll sort you out with some hay and some places near around the barrels in the basement.
00:08:45
Speaker
can I do that again and I'm gonna get angry okay let me just finish what I'm saying then you can see your bit okay remember our arrangement okay thank you so the option is rooms upstairs chance of getting caught downstairs not as comfy but less chance of getting caught we got you between the the big casks down there so they're not likely to search down there so can I think yeah they don't normally search down there I swear to god can I fucking kill you a minute
00:09:14
Speaker
Right, so, Helena, the choice is yours. There's enough rooms for everyone up there. There's enough room for everyone in the basement. If I'm honest, I think I could take a comfy night's sleep and I don't really... I'm not really afraid of anybody coming to find me. OK. There's plenty of rooms upstairs. First left, any room, they're all empty. Wait, aren't you crisper looking for a cell?
00:09:43
Speaker
Um, well, I, I did say, uh, we'll be a few episodes ago now that I'll be spending the evenings, um, at the, the hail storm. Uh, uh, what is the word about, not Barracks, is it a Barracks hail? Hang on. I'm going to the mist here. Hey, you'll, ah, the hail storm district.
00:10:10
Speaker
I'll be staying at the Hailstorm District so that, you know, the known heretic is quite far away from you in the event that anything happens. And I'll be safe. But isn't us splitting up dangerous? It's just for the night. I'll be back when I wake up. It's just, you know, in the event that there might be a raid.
00:10:34
Speaker
uh they're looking for me they might not find me if i'm you know where normal people and people of rank and stuff are they might be like oh company them because they're an inter-kingdom militia i mean didn't didn't the guy who who was at the present didn't he say that i know this happened before i ran away but didn't he say something about us being given time when we wouldn't be hunted or
00:11:00
Speaker
Oh, that's true. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Jago, your sister said that we'd have 24 hours without being disturbed. Not my sister. And I would just say you guys should sleep wherever you feel most comfortable tonight.
Security Measures at Night
00:11:20
Speaker
I do like the sound of a comfy bed. I think Alan has already made that decision. Why don't I just alarm the door?
00:11:29
Speaker
people would barge themselves in, at least one of us would get a bit of a tense up and try and warn the rest of us if we need to. Whoa, whoa, whoa, Folly, you're not going to dent my woodwork eye or anything. This isn't going to affect it. Purely magical effect, sir. Open something, you're like enchanting the door. Right, OK, but that's not going to, you know, lower the value of the property or anything, is it? If anything, going to make it give up. Do it.
00:11:57
Speaker
So Folly is going to wander over to the door straight away anyway, just going to pull out like a piece of fine silver that seems to dissipate into the area of the door just below it. So if anybody crosses this doorway, aside from myself is how I'm setting it now, because he still doesn't trust being in a tavern, it's going to wake me up and send off a mental alarm in my head. Folly, is that the only door into this place?
00:12:27
Speaker
I don't know, is it? Er, no, there's another one. Where's the other one? Come with me! And she takes you down the long corridor to the right of the bar, and at the end of that, the corridor kind of bends a sharp left turn. At the end of that, on the right-hand side, at the back of the building, there is like a back door, which is where you would kind of get down to the cellar, et cetera, from that door as well. So she kind of gestures towards that door, and she stood watching you as you do it, taking it in. Hmm.
00:12:57
Speaker
Castle, do you know any other kind of spells? I have a solution, I have a solution. Where does that door lead to? This one, the back one. That's the one. To be honest, I've never really looked and she opens the door and it's still raining at this point, deep in the night, no lighthouse. She kind of looks up and down. Side Street doesn't look very busy. There's no shops or anything. A cut-through perhaps?
00:13:28
Speaker
OK, Robin will come to the door himself. Glance up. Is it effectively an alleyway? It's a bit bigger than an alleyway, but smaller than a main road. It seems to be a place of kind of it's a through route, but also a place of storage. It seems to be the back of a number of venues, shops, pubs, this kind of things where they kind of store their stuff. But you could also cut
Surveillance with Nura
00:13:52
Speaker
through it as well.
00:13:53
Speaker
Okay, without saying anything, Nura is going to descend from the rafters and fly down the steps and land on Robin's outstretched forearm. Robin's going to give her a ruffle underneath the beak. And without saying anything, Nura is going to take off and just perch on the rooftop directly above the door. Nura will find me if there's anything untoward that happens outside this door.
00:14:19
Speaker
There you go. There you go. I mean, it is a side street in Goldview, so lots of things on toward might happen here. She's attuned to me. She knows what I'm looking for. OK.
00:14:33
Speaker
Right, well, I'm going to go to bed. I'm tired. I assume that we just help ourselves to the drink. I mean, you guys have saved my life innumerable number of times, and I haven't worked out how to keep a budget yet. So I know I'm happy to pay entirely. Obviously, I'm just saying that I'm OK to go behind the bar and pull myself one. Drago, you pulled me out of any number of problems. Take what you like.
00:15:03
Speaker
I got a free bar. Literally got given it. Well, I didn't quite give it to you. Anyway, I'm impressed too, but apparently it made sense at the time. I don't really remember how it happened, but
00:15:19
Speaker
we've got it recorded that apparently Tali now owns the pub. Don't question it. I was the legal notary that and having had some legal training at the university I did witness it and yeah it is all legal this bar does now not belong to Tali. Right so the yeah cool okay and she starts to sweat a little bit under the the added pressure of being a... I mean it's not like you've just been told that you're
00:15:40
Speaker
Queen of this place. I know, but you know, for me, it's my equivalent of being told I'm Queen. You know, in my little world, it's a big deal. And you are more than up to the task, darling. Shit, this is going to be a great pub. It really is. Just think, you can put a plaque up saying that Prince, that Queen Helena has frequented this pub. But I shouldn't put it up yet because obviously they're a bit presumptuous. I'll put it up soon, though. That's a good idea. You could get it made.
00:16:11
Speaker
And then you could sing it at Karstan. If you did a good song, you know the one you did on the pub with wheels? I've got lots of good songs. That was a good one. I really liked that one. The idea is to try and get people in the pub, not keep them out. I think you're fine. I have packed out many of our drago. I believe you. I like your music, Karstan.
Struggling with Backstory
00:16:37
Speaker
Thank you. Right, anyway, I could stay up and talk all night with you a lot, but I'm shattered. And you've got a couple of... Well, yeah, I guess I've got to talk to Kennard about that at some point. Right, I've picked out a room, so I'll see yous a lot in the morning.
00:16:53
Speaker
Night time, lovely hospitality. Welcome, I didn't really do much, but anyway, she's going to wander up the stairs. It's one NPC down. Kennard's going to turn to the rest of the group. I've got some business to attend to in town. I hope you'll excuse me. You can't leave. You'd have to leave by the back door. Don't leave by the front door. You'll set off the alarm. I don't think you should leave at all. I feel like you should tell us your entire backstory. When were you born? He leans on the table for a second.
00:17:24
Speaker
It was only a few years after the unending that my mum on a dark and stormy night gave birth to me. My dad left three days later and went and joined the Blackmouth Rangers. And ever since then it's been a dream of mine to change this place for the better. And ever since then I've been searching for the lead, something
00:17:46
Speaker
to join me in some way to Gerryontra, the hero of Blackmouth and really bring honor back to my mum. What was your mum's name? Well, no, you had to ruin it. That was amazing. I really, I was in. My mother's name. Funny you should ask that because she had a name and she had such a name that thinking about it brings
00:18:14
Speaker
brings a tear to my eye to say it. I'd like to record it in my story so it can be remembered forever. Don't you fucking talk about my mum in your story, little bastard, and he's gonna run out the pub. I literally panicked. I couldn't think of a female name. No, that was amazing. I kept having Steven in my head and I couldn't do that.
00:18:43
Speaker
I think you should have named her Steven. I was there, I was thinking any other name, literally any other name, Steven. No, any other name, Steven. Look, give me any other name. Work, work. Oh, my days. He runs out setting off the alarm of the pub, by the way. For fucking sake.
00:19:07
Speaker
Oh no! I'm gonna go back and reset the alarm again. It takes another 11 minutes. Dragga is going to walk behind the bar and start pouring him quite a few drinks and just lining him up. And anyone else, feel free to take them.
00:19:35
Speaker
Carson's going to walk over and grab one of the drinks and then he's going to go and sit by Claude or stand by Claude if he's standing. I'm sitting down in the middle of the room like that drunk guy in the pub but I'm not actually drunk but that guy in the pub tries to speak to everybody around him. Okay, Carson's going to get a chair and sit next to you all. How are you feeling?
Sacrifice to Close the Blight
00:20:05
Speaker
strange you know it's like you were saying that you were for a bit of an ordeal there i'm sorry we weren't able to better help you no i i'm sorry i feel like i've let helena down oh i feel like i've let you a little bit yeah no just a little bit but like we came out all right in the end and we were all worried about you and the chicken man yeah there's i'd like to talk to you at some point
00:20:36
Speaker
And I'm just going to look around in a bit of amusement. And what are we doing now? No, no, but just me and you. I need your advice. Everyone, we need some alone time. We can go elsewhere, Claude. I mean, there is a room downstairs, I believe, full of casks. I mean, I'm not moving.
00:21:03
Speaker
We could go downstairs, Claude, to the cellar. It's urgent, do we want to... It's up to you. It's up to you. That sounds like yes. Guys, I'll be back. Me, Karsten, I'm going to go have a little chitchat.
00:21:17
Speaker
Okay, and as those two leave Clankety Clank and Bagpipe Man, to start to make the way down, we're going to follow them first of all. And you go down, you turn as the way to the back door, and then there is a pair of doors to the cellar, which lead down some dusty stone steps into a relatively well-lit cellar. This space is big enough for probably, well, it's one, two.
00:21:38
Speaker
six different large casks of different ales that are kind of stored down here. There are a number of smaller barrels, but what you can see between each barrel is a kind of a bedspread laid out between each one, enough for the whole party. There also is a small table in the middle, two wooden chairs that have been placed there with a candle on it, lit with some bread upon it and a large kind of jug of water with a number of clay cups next to it as well as you come down. It's nice and quiet, cool and still.
00:22:08
Speaker
if I'm going to be very excited about this. Sorry, go on. No, you go on. I'm very excited about this little bedroom that's been laid out. I'll be very excited. I'm just going to go, I quite fancy a sleepover actually. And I'm going to take off my weaponry and my helmet and place it on one of the bed rolls, grab a piece of bread and stuff. Sit down like really expectantly towards cast down. Like, yeah, give me all your gossip. What's up?
00:22:35
Speaker
Okay, unless anyone else wants to listen in on this conversation, as a character, I probably only want Claude and Mark to hear. Okay. Oh, you're telling us to fuck off. Okay, I'm with you. Why didn't you just say that? That was a backwards way of doing that. I was trying to be polite, I was trying to tell you to fuck off.
00:22:55
Speaker
Will, be polite, no way. So if you wouldn't mind, everyone except Danny and Will, could you remove your headphones or deafen, please? So you come down and you gotta close the stairs behind you and close the stairs, sorry, close the door to the stairs behind you. And so it is just you two alone with the lights, the candles, the quietness, the stillness. And as Claude, you take your helmet off, releasing your face for the first time in quite a while since you've been wearing this helmet.
00:23:24
Speaker
and your beard flapping in the wind. You pop yourself down and you're looking attentively at Claude, at Carson. Claude, there's something that Ogremoth told me that I haven't really told anyone else and he said maybe I wanted to talk to someone who could give me advice and
00:23:53
Speaker
he said maybe I need to find someone that would believe I was talking to a chicken wizard and I thought you were probably the best person to talk to about that. Yeah mate, I mean I've absolutely been there, you know, I feel you. So he said he saw the future and the past, he said he'd saw and he described the stabbing of the book and with Theonics Reaver. You know in your vision when you saw Helena get covered in that blackness and you tried to fix her?
00:24:23
Speaker
I did. We succeeded. Algrimorff said that a mortal life is needed to close the blight. Right. His implication was that, as well as stabbing the book with the knife, that whoever did so would be giving up their life, body and soul. Right.
00:24:55
Speaker
As in we wouldn't be able to bring them back. Okay. He said that if that wasn't done, then the blight wouldn't work. I see. I thought as someone who'd seen it all, I thought maybe you'd want to know that.
00:25:25
Speaker
Yeah, as I understand it, and you have to understand, Karstam, it's that I've experienced death and come back, so it's not like as final as everyone makes it. Yeah, but he said, the way he said it, and I asked, the way he made it sound was that he knew that maybe we might try to bring that person back,
00:25:51
Speaker
but that we couldn't, that what had to be given up to close the blight. It said that life followed death, but death, it was needed for life. I'm not even going to begin to understand that, Riddle. I'll leave that one to you. But if you're telling me that that's going to happen and whoever does it ain't going to come back, well, you know,
00:26:20
Speaker
I'll put my hand up because the master wants this blight to end and I want to spend a tote with the master in his fancy halls. So, you know, we'll do this, be fine. I've been for too long, man. I'm over a hundred, I think. I just thought you should know because the way that Ogramoth spoke, it was strange because by telling us what had happened in the future, we might
00:26:48
Speaker
try and change it or it's already I don't know it was but the point is that I wanted to tell you because I feel like someone else should know just in case we spend if if if others find this out and we spend so much time trying to work out a way for there not to be a sacrifice that we then fail when we already know that it's needed do you know you've you've told the right person I think
00:27:20
Speaker
I think anyone else that have the exact same reaction that you've just suggested. I always sort of felt that my life was tied to the blank and then when that's gone, you know, I'm done. Yeah. I mean, I don't, I don't, he didn't say who had to do it. Just that it was, it was something that would have to happen. And you know, if, if Helena is,
00:27:51
Speaker
the future queen of sleep guards. I mean we can't, I don't know her brother Sebastian much but I don't know. You do not want him on the throne. I would never speak ill of the family. I've served my entire two lives but you do not want him on the throne at all. It would be a travesty. So if, I mean I hope Helena's parents are all right but if she is the future of sleep guard then
00:28:18
Speaker
she she does you know she'll want to be the one that stabs the book you know that yeah because we saw it in the visual believe that she's the person who planted the vision wanted you know her to believe that she should be the one that does it or i think i think it's like auger morph says by knowing something we can change it i think helena will think that that's her destiny but but by us having seen what has happened we can change it to be someone else
00:28:48
Speaker
I just wanted to show you. I just thought I had to share someone. I just didn't want to tell everyone, because then we would have gone round and round going, Draka would have been all like, no, I insist that this is not the way forward and I will. We will make sure that nobody dies. And Robin would have said, well, I think that we can change. The destiny isn't fixed. And you know what they'd be like.
00:29:17
Speaker
It's like they're in the room, Castan. I don't know how you do it. How can you just completely transform into someone else but not have the horns, like Drago or the eyebrows, like Robin, or the smell of folly? How do you do it? It helps that I spend time with you guys. Yeah, it's nice that you're here, you know. When we had to form the Castan search party, I was a bit worried. So was I.
00:29:47
Speaker
I think if I hadn't learned what I knew, I don't know whether I would have been able to come back. I don't know whether I would have been. Well, I mean that because of running away, I don't know whether I would have deserved to come back. You came back.
00:30:16
Speaker
The courage is in there, mate. I wouldn't worry about it. And I just don't think I'd make a very good knight like you wanted me to be. Knights come in many shapes and sizes. Some wield axes. Some can barely spell. I'm not very good with axes. But I can spell. But you can spell. And that makes you better than
00:30:40
Speaker
pretty much every one of the ones I've met that are like my rank or... Oh, I don't think so. I think you're really good at lots of stuff, Claude. Yeah, thanks. This is an interesting situation, we're sort of in, you know? This is almost like you've come to a holy man for wisdom. That's why that is part of, I know,
00:31:11
Speaker
Yeah, it's. I mean, if I know Akiva's meant to be bad, but with everything I've seen, everything you've done, I know, but people have made us, you know, we've grown up like this. But with everything I've seen you do, I can't believe that everything we've been taught is right about him. And. You know. Yeah, I thought that you'd be a good person to talk to about this.
00:31:43
Speaker
Well, for once I've really felt like a true cleric here, in parting wisdom, talking about godly things and fate and, ugh, it really made my day cast down. Thanks for coming back in the mud. It's all right. Will Helena forgive me? Yeah, yeah. Thing is, mate, her entire world's crumbling around her. And the only thing that she thought was solid, you know,
00:32:12
Speaker
is upstairs and in this room, and when things like that get awkward, you know, it's funny, imagine, you know, we get on a ship, go to Sangwee land, and then your entire world's turned upside down. I dread to think what's happening. If your crisper is powerful here, I dread to think what's happening there. Yeah, this is the thing. They'll go away, because they're a bunch of assholes. Once the blight's done, I'm going to march us all down there. Well, you're going to march us all down there, actually.
00:32:40
Speaker
We're in this lovely gown and I'll point to my pyjamas. And I'll say, hey, Christopher, fuck off. I mean, I don't think your clothes will fit me, but thanks. You can have them, man. Well, you seem to be using them, so I'll let you keep them for now. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, you'll be there too. I mean, Wenzel, though, you'll be there as well. Yes, in some forms I will.
00:33:11
Speaker
And in some forms, I will. I suppose. Here's the thing. Here's the thing. The thing about the princess is the actions speak much louder than words. Yeah. And the reasons why maybe she's feeling what happened is because, you know, she saw it happen. You know, you went away. But the next action you take, it will completely, completely change your mind.
00:33:42
Speaker
You're right. I need to... I need to prove myself again. And also all the stuff, you know, about her entire world crumbling around her. Yeah. We'll get there, we'll get there, we'll get there and you'll be great. You'll be so good. You're already so good. Thank you, Claude. I needed this. That's all right. We've got to stick together and make sure we're all okay.
00:34:12
Speaker
Wanna head back up? Yes, that sounds like a plan. I think the DM wants to pan the camera up there anyway. And as the camera. Yeah, I'm just going to walk over with an arm over his shoulder. And I'm going to then. Kiss. And class time will say, thank you, Claude.
00:34:37
Speaker
And then the camera finally pans up. Ah, thank you, bastards. As that embrace takes place and you take a moment just to regale your thoughts and sort yourself out and re-bro yourself up, because obviously we can't show emotions as men, the camera kind of pans up the stairs and round into the room where the rest of the party are currently located. I'm going to wave so you can get everyone back.
00:35:02
Speaker
So for the rest of you that are upstairs, you've just seen Claude and Karsten go off down to have a frank conversation away from you all, which leaves
Post-Conversation Interactions
00:35:13
Speaker
the rest of you up on your own. So you've got Folly, we've got Folly to the fire, Rucksack now off, Drago by the bar ingesting my alcohol. We've got Robin and we've also got Helena trying to ingest this new information that's been given to her. We've also got Sebastian Satnikorn just taking the whole scene.
00:35:32
Speaker
in. The camera kind of pans over to see what Folly is up to to begin with. So the last thing we left you, I think you were by the fire, was that right? No, you'd set the alarm. You reset the alarm over Folly's sake and reset the alarm. So you're by the front door, Folly.
00:35:47
Speaker
Yep, Folly just kind of muttering to himself, resetting this alarm. When he is... Eventually, he's not setting a trap, he's just setting an alarm. I don't have runic spells. After it's all finished, he's going to wander over to the bar, pour himself...
00:36:07
Speaker
a little bit of whiskey and he's just going to kind of head to the fire. He's going to sit there nursing it a little bit. It doesn't take a lot to get Folly drunk, so he's still being a bit cautious. Drago would have poured the drink for you because he's behind the bar. Folly would have accepted it graciously. I just nodded to Drago. It would be larger than your normal tipple. I can imagine so, and that's probably why Folly... To the point where it slightly overflows when you take it over your hand. I'm new to this.
00:36:37
Speaker
Don't worry about it, dryer. It's certainly a generous portion. It's good to have you back, anyway. It's definitely good to be back. I won't lie. I'm quite fascinated by where you did go. Claude said you went on ahead, but I'm afraid I still don't believe it. You barely remembered me when I found you under the sewer.
00:37:08
Speaker
Claude said what? Claude said you'd gone on ahead. I was to Goldview, and that we were to meet you there, but without any arrangements to wear or when. Told us to have faith. Well, it sounds like he was... covering... I think he was... I don't know why.
00:37:33
Speaker
Well, I guess you did meet me in Goldview. It's still a bold question. It's very unlikely to wander off like that. Well, I didn't wander off, so... Well, what did I do? I mean, it's a really long story and I guess, don't get me wrong, I want to tell you, but I also want to tell everyone and I'm kind of, this might surprise you, one of those people that like to explain things once kind of deal.
00:38:02
Speaker
Yeah, actually, that doesn't surprise me at all. I know you like the sound of your own voice, but I certainly know you don't like repeating it either. Exactly, that backhanded compliment there. If that's funny, because you could not backhand me, you're very small. So yeah, I'm happy to regale my story and tell you all, but it's probably best for when all ears are here.
00:38:31
Speaker
Assuming that people want to hear it, of course. If not, then, you know, fire questions away. I have nothing to hide. Well, at the very least, I would have liked to speak for them, but I would be most certainly interested in hearing it sometime. I'd bloody love to hear it. You hear Sebastian shout from the other side of the pub. You're not a part of this conversation! Twice!
00:38:54
Speaker
He's a snarky one, isn't he, the little one? Bloody hell. But Mr. Dragonborn, Mr. Dragoman, I'd love to hear your story. Just FYI, part of it, ignore the gnome. Yeah, just saying. I'm sure the very least cast would be interested. Never mind about the nippling idiot over there. Bloody hell, I can hear you, you know. You do know who my dad is, yeah?
00:39:20
Speaker
Your point being? And you have any respect for the monarchy around here? Well, you're still friends with my sister. That's because she's a good person. Yeah, about your sister. She's a dear friend to every single person in this party. I'm trying to get the gist if you're as good of a friend slash brother as we are to her.
00:39:47
Speaker
Ugh, gosh, I mean I could say yes, but would that really change anything? Would you think any different of me?
00:39:54
Speaker
I'm trying to get the lay of the land because it sounds like she's got a hell of a future in front of her and everyone to support her would be a good thing. Right, so, yep, 100% behind her. I will do literally anything to not run this shithole because I would make it worse. So if I can keep her or get Mum or Dad back, yep, 100% behind it. As long as I can just, you know, get on with my life,
00:40:21
Speaker
and enjoy myself and, you know, I'll be happy. So if that involves keeping an old age dog up there, then by all means, I'm game. You realize how lucky you are to have a sister like that to even have a sister who's in the same room as you. He's going to look over to her at that point. Well, yeah, but she hasn't been here for years.
00:40:48
Speaker
and she's alive and here and strong and powerful and for whatever reason seems to want to look after you. I just hope that her kindness is repaid in kind.
00:41:07
Speaker
He's gonna put the empty pint down on the table and go for a second- another one that's already lined up on there. I had to kill the fucking vibe and he's gonna walk off and just find a quiet table in the corner and be crude. Hang on, Folly, you don't speak for me. Then why mention my name?
00:41:37
Speaker
Let me finish, Drago, please. Could you indeed hurt Helena? I will engulf you in flames hotter than those we find in the worst of hells. She is a good friend and a good person. Now, I believe Drago may be beating around the bush. I could be wrong, I don't know. But I am not wrong. No, I think I made it quite clear, Folly. This person's not exactly the brightest of people, Drago. He's still family to Helena, so do be careful with what you say.
00:42:08
Speaker
I say what is on my mind and I always will. Yes, but I am asking you to be considerate of your party. I believe I am. I don't want to see Helena get hurt by anybody, let alone family. Yeah, but killing her family would hurt her. I want to make that point perfectly clear. Jogo, it's merely not an empty thread because I probably would do if he were to hurt Helena, but I think it would be well deserved if he were to.
00:42:40
Speaker
Be there as is may, it's not your choice to make. But it is a decision I am prepared to make if I need to. I know, but I've also been here when you've threatened party members before. True, I do seem to do it quite often.
00:42:55
Speaker
Just check yourself, okay? Sebastian's going to look to you both as you just have this to and fro between you both and wait for the conversation to naturally lull. He's seething. We're quite angry at this point from what's being said, being threatened in such a way. He looks up at you. Well, he looks towards you, Folly, and says, Jessica Renstrad, namering a bell. New. Thought it wouldn't.
00:43:27
Speaker
She's one of the kids in Evershire. She's one that didn't make it. You weren't responsible for that fire though, weren't you? Just think about it. There are my people here, not yours, and it's going to walk away into the corner.
00:43:43
Speaker
So Robin, you've just seen this altercation, a mini altercation kind of take place as you're taking in the situation and these comrades that you've traveled with, there's quite some time arguing with this new, new individual on the scene.
Rising Tensions
00:43:57
Speaker
Sebastian goes and sits in the corner on his own and you see Folly and Drago going for another drink and it's a bit icy in the air. Is there anything you want to do before Claude and Karsten return from their basement love adventure?
00:44:10
Speaker
Yes, there is. Robin is going to take stock of this conversation just very quietly from near the stairs. And he's going to glance at the bar and see two of the full pint glasses. He's going to weigh up whether he should do this or not in light of the evening and the situation. And he's going to think, I think I know what this person is going through to some degree.
00:44:41
Speaker
and maybe I can help. And he's going to grab two of the pint glasses and just very quietly make his way up the stairs after Helena. Okay, okay. We will follow you up the stairs and you wake him up the stairs and you take the first left as you heard Kennard say. And in front of you are a number of doors, all of which are open, save one.
00:45:09
Speaker
all of which have prepared rooms, one only. The first on the left is the door that is shut. There are seven rooms, sorry, there are eight rooms up there. Two doors are shut, apologies. The far end on the right is shut and the first on the left is shut. All the other doors are open, the other six doors are open. Robin will knock on Helen's door. Which one is that you're knocking on?
00:45:36
Speaker
I assume the shut one. Well, there are two shut, sorry. Tali's gone to bed as well. Okay. Is there anything to suggest which of the door is potentially like belonging to like tavern staff and which one is like a general room? The room at the far end, if you're kind of looking at the doors, looks nicer. I will assume that that's the room that Helena is in and go and knock on it. Tali answers the door. What?
00:46:05
Speaker
Tali, I was looking for Helena, sorry. No. Sorry, not her. Her hair's got like, what's her name from Frozen with her hair's all kind of up and knotted. Princess Anna, yeah, when she's on the Coronation Day, yeah. Like that, but you know, less cartoony. More realistic, you know, poor. Yeah, she's there. Not like poor, like that. Like, is it like...
00:46:29
Speaker
That's exactly how you made it sound. No, no, I didn't mean that. I didn't mean that. I've got... Keep sat on everything, fucking hell. Oh yeah, fucking hell. No, it's the way Sebastian talks. I've got that still going around in my head. It's the guy from, sorry, anyway. Not me. No, probably down the hall. Yeah, I'd figure. I'd figure. Yeah, sorry. Just go to close the door. Taking the master bedroom for yourself.
00:46:57
Speaker
I thought I'd run the place. I might as well give myself a nice room. Hell of a 24 hours, Talia. And Robin will just turn away. Goodnight. He'll go and knock on the other closed door. Hell, I know you hear a knock from the outside.
00:47:12
Speaker
I thought you were going to say, Talia answers the door. Oh, I'm still here. How is this happening?
Robin's Revelation to Helena
00:47:18
Speaker
And in every room, you're in your mind. And then Robin wakes up and he's in the Sword Coast and everything's been a dream. The end. No, Helen, you hear a knock from the other side of the door. Helen is going to open it partway and you can see that she's actually in a sort of a small white slip of a night dress. Oh.
00:47:42
Speaker
It's quite dark in her room. Sorry, did you want anything? I was just trying to get some kip. Yes. I wanted to check if you were all right. There seems to have been a lot of heavy information thrown about over the past 24 hours. Well, you seem to have been at the centre of most of it. Listen, I don't want to have this conversation on the landing.
00:48:12
Speaker
Come on in, let me just put something else around me. And she goes into the room, leaving the door ajar, and she grabs the sheet from her bed to sort of put around her as well. And she turns on a little lamp and sits on the bed and gestures to Robin to come in. Robin has kind of, with his two pint glasses, become kind of like the schoolboy outside the head mistress' office at that point, while Helen has gone in to make herself decent. And awkwardly, when he gets the nod, we'll just come into the room.
00:48:43
Speaker
I thought you might appreciate this. I know you were trying to get to sleep, so probably not, but I brought it for you anyway. You know what? It probably isn't a bad shout, and she's going to just take one off you. Thank you, Robin. You're welcome. How are you? I've just got a lot to think about. I've just been reunited with my brother, who I can't really say was
00:49:12
Speaker
It sounds awful, but he was never a favorite of mine growing up. I can see why. And now I feel quite protective over him all of a sudden. And he's the only thing I've really got left here with my mother and father not being around, Lucian being away. I feel this news of me being the...
00:49:37
Speaker
The heir apparent is just too overwhelming at the moment. I don't know how to deal with it. Robin will gesture to a chair. May I have a moment to sit down? Of course. She's just going to gesture to one of the chairs. Robin will sit down and he will look as if he's trying to find a way to phrase what he's going to say. And then he'll just say, when
00:50:07
Speaker
There was a time back on the Sword Coast when I belonged to quite a large family and there was a specific job, I suppose you would call it, in a city called Neverwinter and I didn't want to do it because I think I knew
00:50:37
Speaker
that something was going to happen and that not all of us were going to survive. And I remember my mother saying to me before that point that when I told her I didn't want to do it, she said to me that there are no, her exact words were, sometimes we find ourselves in situations where there are no good choices on the table.
00:51:08
Speaker
But that doesn't mean we can turn away. We still have to make a choice. And I say this to you now because 24 hours after that, I found myself alone in the world with just me and my sister.
00:51:33
Speaker
we were wanted, we were in trouble and we had to go our separate ways and that must have been nearly two years ago now and I haven't seen her since but I understand why you feel protective of your brother and
00:51:59
Speaker
We have to make a decision in the morning about whether we leave him here or not, but I don't think he's safe in this city. I agree, which is why I'm glad he wanted to join us. I have to ask, well, you can choose to answer if you wish. I understand some things are best kept private. What was the job?
00:52:28
Speaker
Neverwinter had these ancient cloisters and there was something at the heart of them. Something dangerous. I didn't get a chance to see it. And it was your family, sorry. We made it into the central cloisters and my brother, Dragonborn, we weren't blood relatives.
00:52:58
Speaker
The last thing I remember seeing him is him plunging his blade into my mother's back. Oh my goodness, I'm sorry. And? You never speak of your mother? Well, she wasn't my mother, not really. She found me and Ella when we were very young and she taught us the means to survive
00:53:28
Speaker
While she raised us, we were orphaned at a very young age. My father went out to market one day. We lived on the farm. He went out with the carton horse and then the, he never returned. And that left me as a 10 year old boy with a four year old sister to try and navigate the world. And that's when we met her.
00:53:56
Speaker
She had the matriarchal name of Starling in this family group. It's complicated, but she raised us. Then she was your mother, no matter what. I like to think so. And that was the last time I saw my brother, until he murdered Sheidar's sister.
00:54:26
Speaker
It's a long story. But anyway, I think the point I'm trying to make here is, Helena, is that when she told me that there was an irrevocable change and a decision would have to be made, and there might not be any good options on the table, I think you may
00:54:51
Speaker
be feeling the same way. And I don't want to preempt the way you feel, but I can't imagine that the past 24 hours have been easy for you. And I just thought if I could offer you any wisdom, it would be this. So it's that I need to make a choice. I think you have to understand the choice that has been made for you. In your parents' absence,
00:55:22
Speaker
you are not the heir apparent you are the queen of this city maybe not officially but every child in the street that we pass today every citizen who strikes bread in this city everyone who's passed through that gate you are charged with their protection and i say this to you not as a daunting thing because
00:55:51
Speaker
I want you to know that you do not have to do that alone. I've seen many things and I've looked for someone and something to believe in ever since I've came to this plane. I thought it was Elphir. I thought he was wise and I thought he was the right person to follow. He certainly presented himself
00:56:20
Speaker
in that way. But I was wrong about him. But I don't think I'm wrong about you. You wandered into the wilderness by yourself to take charge for your family, to take charge for your kingdom. You fight on the front lines when your brother proves you could easily sit behind the castle walls. You could easily have been on that boat yourself. But your tenacity and desire to
00:56:51
Speaker
to do good means you were elsewhere. I don't believe in fate, and I certainly don't believe in any of these gods that exist in this kingdom, but I believe, well, I believe in you. And I think, I think if you are queen, even if it's only in your parents' steps, in your parents' stead,
00:57:21
Speaker
then this city is blessed. And no matter how bleak it is, there is hope. And that hope is you. And it's a burden you haven't asked for. I know that. But I've just heard everyone else downstairs leap to your defense. People care about you. They admire you. And they will follow you.
00:57:53
Speaker
And she gives a look at you, quite a long look at you, and she smiles at you. And she says, thank you, Robin. I don't often hear delicate comments such as the ones that you've just made. Well, I think
00:58:19
Speaker
As you step into your title, you're going to find a lot of people who will tread on eggshells around you and use titles. It's odd that for a long time I found it very difficult to call you Helena and I would call you Princess or your Highness, even when I wasn't supposed to, but I feel like now I can call you by your name as an ally. So you should, you're a good friend to me Robin, as are all of
00:58:49
Speaker
All of them. Even my stupid brother. There are daft, spoiled brat of a brother. And you're right. I feel a lot of protection over him. And if you're worried about that, then you're worried about the other thing. And that's that I will need to protect others in this city so long as my mother and father are absent.
00:59:20
Speaker
I think I have an idea of what we need to do. But I think whatever we propose to the others in the morning, it's going to need your blessing because we're leaving this city in the hands of dangerous people who are doing unsavoury and dangerous things and will continue to do them whilst we're not here. Do you care to tell me your plan now or shall we save it till the morning?
00:59:50
Speaker
Where we need to go to find this book is going to be important but we're almost certainly going to have to go, I assume, to the front lines to close the light. You think we need to do that first? I do not think we have any sway in this city as much as I would like to stay and
01:00:14
Speaker
and Ridley of Chriska in order to ensure that people here are safe. Thousands of people live in this city and I don't know. I guess I... No, I agree with you. I think the Threadbears store is the next place for us. I have no idea where my mother is to cure her of her illness and that's really why I came back here. I wasn't expecting
01:00:43
Speaker
to be overthrown by the Ofciscra. I wasn't expecting to not have my mother and father around. That wasn't part of any plan. And I think we now need or I need to rearrange my priorities so that we do save the people of the Blight and then we can tackle what's left of this city in order to
01:01:13
Speaker
Hopefully regain our throne, our place on the throne. If we destroy the blight, could Lucian help us? I know Claude says that that's maybe not on the table, but could he? I was always going to speak to him about it. If we can get message to him, I will absolutely reach out to my brother. I adore him. I trust him.
01:01:45
Speaker
And he will also have extra intel. I know it. Once we defeat the Blight, I think our next step has to be to reclaim this city in
Leadership and Future Plans
01:02:00
Speaker
the name of your family. And now I understand Lucian's role and what he has forfeited to fulfill that role. The attempt to reclaim that city is going to have to be led by you.
01:02:17
Speaker
And when the time comes to that, Helena, I will stand behind you. Thank you. I wouldn't doubt it. And she holds up her glass for you two. Cheers before she downs the rest of her pint. Robin will do the same.
01:02:43
Speaker
As he gets up and goes to leave, he's just going to turn back and say, oh, there's something you should know. I'm starting to become more comfortable with this and I guess more comfortable with who I am, but my real name is not Robin. My real name is Dustin.
01:03:14
Speaker
I think when all this is done, Dustin is who I would like to be. Thank you for trusting me with this information. I take it everybody else knows about it. Do you know, I don't even know. I've spent... Gosh, I don't even know.
01:03:43
Speaker
Does this have anything to do with what my brother was saying to you? He was saying that you... you look like somebody he's seen before. Oh, that, yes. Well... Turns out this kingdom is full of curiosities. Something else for us to figure about. I'm not sure how to take that. No, neither am I. Um... Neither am I.
01:04:13
Speaker
Though it stems to reason that this day would end with another riddle. And as and when I encounter this man with my face, which I'm sure I will, I'll deal with it. And she nods. Good night, Dustin. Good night, Helena.
01:04:41
Speaker
And Robin, as the door closes to Hell in his room after a frank and honest, humble conversation has taken place, you start to make your way back down the stairs towards what remains of
Reflections and Rest
01:04:54
Speaker
the group. Noticing Carstan and Claude have now come up from their little conversation below. Was there something you wanted to do? Yeah, I think Robin would get to the top of the stairs. He'd hear that Mirm is underneath.
01:05:07
Speaker
And he'd feel this wave of tiredness and the emotions of not trusting the party from earlier, the newfound respect and affinity that he's picked up for Helena over the past 24 hours. And he'll turn back on himself and he's just going to go into one of the empty rooms and sit and contemplate and probably fall asleep himself.
01:05:30
Speaker
And as your eyes close, as the wave of exhaustion and tiredness rush over your body, as your mind races through the events that have taken place over the last 24, 12 hours, five hours, and the busyness that encapsulates a metropolitan city and those that are fugitives within it, that's what we're going to leave it for this week's episode of The Fellowship of the Tabletop. God damn. Wow, fair, that's been some big one-to-ones in this.
01:06:15
Speaker
That was a really nice vibe as well.
01:06:22
Speaker
We've got the highs, we've got the lows, we've got a bit of everything in there, mate. I love this. I love you all. It was good. And we're going to get the highs back. And thank you very much for... That was such a shit segue, but I was struggling so hard to find a way to close this out. The highs have never left us. I thought you were going to... I still haven't... Well, no, I thought you were going to go... I was just about to sign off really well and then you've just talked over me and now I'm flustered. What did you want to say? DM.
01:06:49
Speaker
I was just going to say, I left it on, you know, I love you guys. And then you could go, well, and if you loved listening to us, I thought that was a good little, I was gifting you with that. My mind was still shocked because I was just like, oh, we're leaving it there. No, you could have adapted the highs into if you want to say hi to us.
01:07:05
Speaker
Okay, right. I'm just going to sign off here. Thank you very much for tuning in and listening and making us a part of your every day week. We love you for it. We really do. We love you more than we love ourselves sometimes. Okay. If you wanted to keep in touch with the podcast and follow us, please do so on our combined Twitter page, which is at fellowship table.
Social Media Mention
01:07:20
Speaker
And then if you wanted to go one step further and follow us individually, you can do so. I'm at, I rolled a one. Casey's at. Unicorn quit. Danny's at. Total party thrills. Darren's at. Darren page six.
01:07:32
Speaker
Callums at DED20Gamer Will is at Natural20Will And our sexy sexy DM is at Hastily Roll DM Until next time