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Ep. 102 Individual Purpose - Bellum Draconis
39 Plays2 months ago
Still reeling from Baals and Nyx's decision to go into the tournament "bloodied" our group explore individual purposes in Scorchelm.
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Intro written and produced by Joseph McDade
Music kindly provided by Fesliyan Studios
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Transcript
00:00:01
Speaker
shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank shank
00:00:45
Speaker
Okay.
Zencastr's Features and Discount
00:00:48
Speaker
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00:01:14
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00:01:41
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You can set the podcast loudness and levels with the click of a button, and the post-production processes can also automatically remove those ums and r's and sh- AHHH! In recordings. And even awkward pauses in conversation. You said you wouldn't kill him! Weird.
00:02:07
Speaker
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00:02:33
Speaker
You can find links to this in the podcast description via whatever podcast app you're using. There. I did it. will Will you let me go? Well, that'll just unbound your hands. And you're good to go. Then is this the choice? We each just go and pursue our own personal interest?
00:03:26
Speaker
Can I start at some point? All right, here we go.
Host Introductions and Tone
00:03:30
Speaker
a Now.
00:03:34
Speaker
That's an old-school one. It's been a lovely time. You know what? It still works. That's made it into the opening, so I don't know why we're being silent about it. You may as well Guys, do you know who I believe in? Joe Hendry! We've got Pooh Bear. Pooh Bear, who plays the human cleric, Emron. Say his name and he appears! We've got the edgelord, Callum, who plays the little fish. I believe! Ian, who plays the tiefling water, and Nyx Carell. And Joe Hendry! My name is Mark, and I have no fucking clue what they're talking about. But last but not only's least is our grandmaster of gambits, the tamer of tales, the... a custodian of challenges on the bard of battles and boons ah the the og dmd of dnd dungeon master danny i believe in miracles i thought you were gonna say like like like boobs then rather than whatever you you said boons yeah the d and d thing because but we're a dnd podcast not a boob podcast
00:04:56
Speaker
Well, sometimes. we quickly at home We could be a podcast or a Callum's cock podcast. Depends how many beers are in us. Absolutely. Two so far. We find ourselves at first in sleep guard.
00:05:14
Speaker
down a well-known alleyway where we see a long-toed old girl stood, sat on a busat on a barrel, fingering an orb.
Fantasy Setting and Character Dynamics
00:05:25
Speaker
But then all of a sudden, something starts to shift and change. And sleep guard no longer seems sleep guard. It seems the world is torn and shifted and we're pulled into almost a different timeline, a different look.
00:05:38
Speaker
and a different old girl. Many of the features stay the same, especially the long toes, but a few of the features seem adjusted somewhat. The voice sounds only slightly different. And he still turns to us and delivers a recap. And everyone is staring at me because obviously you've heard that Will isn't here. And I haven't told anyone who's going to do the recap. And I think it's only right that we let our resident poo bear. Oh, probably wasn't you until you said now. So congratulations on that. And as I mentioned, this is what you see. Listener is old girl. It sounds almost like old girl, like a really bad impression of old girl as a recap of the last events of our ah heroes commences.
00:06:38
Speaker
Donkey balls. I believe that these people are doing things. So anyway, they're in this big tournament place and lots of things are happening. The people are about to go into a fight and oh my gosh, some guy comes along and says, no, you're going to fight some rats instead. So people are going to fight some rats apart from chef who thinks he can do his own fucking thing. Anyway. go go They all go through, and they do their various tournament things, and the crowd loves some people, they hate other people, and Ron falls flat on his face. They go through, and they find themselves in this room, and they see the other challenges, and Nick spas an orc sitting against a wall, and he goes over, and says, what the fuck you doing here, boy? And Nix goes, oh, it's not Marauder. It's OK. And then they all leave. And all of a sudden, oh my god, it is Marauder. She's a Valkyrie. the Oh my god. Spoiler alert. And yeah, the party have got lots of things to contend with now, boys. Oh, that was so good. That was so good. Fantastic.
00:07:42
Speaker
Fuck Joe Hendry, I believe him will. Wow. I mean, maybe it's in the name. Maybe it's in the name that you both share that affinity between one another, but it's just... Fucking hell. Draining, isn't it? It's the love of effort. Especially because he prepares his far more than I just is. And it's the face going bright red as well, which is the impressive thing. It's a lot of effort to do your... You only have to work to get the right rising and falling of that voice. Yeah, it's impressive.
00:08:10
Speaker
anyway stop sucking wills dickck and let's ah get on withson podcasting anyway and so the world again in gives great blow the wo what my that the world shifts back to the normal frame of reference and um we the the camera pounds down to dry like we meats um um while i shut up and You're done, Mark. Tag out, tag out. who nice So before we begin, listeners you remember may remember from three episodes ago at the start of this official, we'll call it downtime, but really it's quite an active downtime. ah Each of the players um were
00:08:42
Speaker
offered a super objective of various different things they can pursue over the course of the month that they will roll, accumulatively against each long rest, um to try and achieve ah a greater a thing, such as a non-combative feat, or learning a new language, or a new proficiency, or raising a standing with a certain um ah faction.
00:09:03
Speaker
What we didn't hear during that planning phase was the thoughts of both Raines and Seth. So, Raines. Over the course of the month, when you have time to yourself and when you want to um take time away from the party to invest in yourself, what is that super objective you're going to pursue?
00:09:20
Speaker
Yeah, as you probably heard many times as Raines was coming in to Scorchtown, he's very much of the opinion that he is fucking done with that Devert, so he does not plan on leaving by the way they came in. He said that he plans on leaving by boat and Raines is going to be as true to that as he can. Now, there's a slight problem with that, which is Raines has always relied on paying people for passage on boats because he's got no sailing nuance or expertise himself.
00:09:46
Speaker
So what he is going to do is he's going to invest as much time as he can in seeing what he can learn about sailing, how artificery could be particularly useful in sailing, he's thinking about boat repairs and mending on sails and and all sorts like that, or to self to be able to keep inspection to boats because he can go under the water now because he can give himself gills and we can give him suit gills and allow himself to just get a swimming speed equal to his movement speed, which will allow him to play a bigger part in keeping things shipwright, as also he thinks, he's not basing that on any knowledge, he's basing that purely on his knowledge of artificery, but such is the nature of artificery, it is the vassal of discovery, and this vassal of discovery is going to be put towards seamanship.
00:10:34
Speaker
Woof.
00:10:36
Speaker
there see but So you're going to take the month to learn how to be more proficient with water chemicals. Yes. Okay. Or semen, as as Puber says.
00:10:53
Speaker
And Seth, your month is spent pursuing what, a super objective? ah The observant feat. The observant feat. No, i'll get more than that. and Yeah, the big thing is he's he's getting into the city, he's trying to understand of critical movements. um He wants to understand the ah their presence of the city, how many they are, how they form the base operations, um best places for dissent.
00:11:14
Speaker
and then possibly try and find allies against the Chris Graham. It's going to be working not directly with them but kind of and just to picture and place and understand and see those connections in those kind of subterfuge groups. Not necessarily actively taking part because that's a much more active thing to do but just being very much a little bit of a spy boy and sitting there trying to take in this much information about those that might fight against them as he can to build up a network of information that would benefit him and by doing so, increasing his observant
Adventure Kicks Off
00:11:45
Speaker
skills. He's going to spend a lot of time watching and listening and trying to mouth read from the lip read, et cetera, which is something you gain through the observant feet as well. That's what I'm looking for. Great. Okay. So thank you both. We shall begin.
00:12:02
Speaker
You all now stand back in the receiving hall of this ancient training center of many of Dralak's finest warriors from from days gone by. Following the completion of your proving and some of your fellow competitors also completing the same trial, this larger chamber that you began this journey in is alive with excitement.
00:12:28
Speaker
The entourages of various competitors huddle around their their champions, their leaders, and and the rumors are buzzing with an energy of ah both anticipation, angst, but pure, pure thrill as well. That VIP style gilded balcony that that was was a fair height from you when you enter this room has now lowered somewhat and you have good visibility of the three, four dozen incredibly well-dressed, immaculately provisioned folk of all races, creeds,
00:13:07
Speaker
Again, human in the minority here. There aren't many faces that particularly stand out or indeed any to most of you.
Tournament Stakes and Negotiations
00:13:21
Speaker
for you aren't necessarily well-versed in the movers and shakers of Dralak, or or really those nobles of influence outside of your home kingdoms, except for one face that Seth, you have been trained to identify from either side of the camp you have served on, the leader of the Abkryskra, Delmonde Trace.
00:13:45
Speaker
ah ground level from you leaving the hall uh particularly urgently is the games master of this year's competition prego the majestic and his champion the valkyrie marota it's unsure what you do see is marota placing a slave collar back on her neck Without delay, Baal beelines away from you and straight towards that pair and pursues them as they exit the hall, having generated significant interest in your proving.
00:14:23
Speaker
Osiris Mightlord and Nyx Carell are instantly mobbed by various parties. Bookmakers, bards, artists, fans, opponents, all trying to learn more about you. Learn what makes you tick. Learn any strengths, any weaknesses, anything about you they might use to an advantage, anything they might use to decide to bet on you.
00:14:48
Speaker
Reigns, you experience about half as much as what Seth and Nix are being subject to.
00:14:58
Speaker
Al and Emron? Alpha, but Al as you go trading by for the purposes of this duel. Not so much activity. After a few minutes of this multi-sensorial barrage, let's call it, the crowd are quickly dispelled by a sharp whistle.
00:15:18
Speaker
As they eventually part, like the biblical sea, they reveal, about 30 feet in front of you, Lord Vordand, diligently pouring whisky into a series of glassed glasses, an enormous cigar in his mouth beckoning you over. The crowd maintain this wall-like constitution, as you're all slowly ushered from behind to join his table.
00:15:46
Speaker
He raises a glass to you, takes a seat, leans back in his chair, places his boots upon the table, and says, my dear friends, let's talk. Please take a seat. Do you have any more cigars? Of course, Ali opens his lapel, reaches into his inner breast pocket, produces this jade tin, opens it.
00:16:15
Speaker
and uses mage hand to float it to your direction. And then as it places it close to your mouth, do you take? Yeah. The mage hand rotates, causes a small flame, and ah lights it for you as well. This is um good stuff. Pantheon, you have it? Oh dear, no. This is the finest from this good land, my friend.
00:16:46
Speaker
I have to forgive me, it's been a while since I took in cigars. I beg the question, voan we were led to believe that gold put keep was under protection as collateral for what we were doing, and yet I can't help but know this. Just coming back to what we were talking about earlier, it's up on that board. Which does lead me to my next question. I don't really care about the keep much, just a little old rubble, but we left some fine folk at gold put keep.
00:17:16
Speaker
What have you done with them? Straight to business. I like you. You know me. May I just congratulate you all on your ah performance there? You in particular, and you, and points to both Nix and Seth in turn. Please, if it's a gold port keep, you wish to discuss, take a seat, take a load off. Let's, let's get into it. yeah right The other, or you saw yeah the other four of you.
00:17:44
Speaker
Is this table part of like the platform that lowered down? or no said and the As the this sort of room has been revealed, there there are a lot of people now, that so tables out, chairs out, drinking has started, bards are beginning to to get ready to perform. It's it's turned into a pseudo bar. Everyone's approached, but he's not sat down because he didn't sit down last time they encountered this guy.
00:18:06
Speaker
Okay. Seth would sit down um but with a more concerned look over to where Baal has gone but will eventually sit down and rather loudly thump his spell book onto the table and flick to the back end where he has a sketch of the cart.
00:18:21
Speaker
going to rip that out, put that in his pocket and then take out a charcoal um tipped pencil and then start writing ah fastidiously down. Not what's happening, which is you just see the pen scribbling down as you he's not listening to the conversation at all. He doesn't know who this man is, he doesn't really care, he's got more on his mind.
00:18:38
Speaker
I've all taken a seat next to Ray. Nick's is staying in the background, not a part of this conversation. If there's a wall, he'll be leaning against it, one foot up against the wall, his knees together, um ha kind of low down, obscuring his eyes, ah but he's got an ear towards the group. But he's trying to ah appear like he's it's just...
00:19:01
Speaker
his own man at the moment. So you were sort of ushered from that corral of of um interested people closer towards the table, but it would have been easier enough for you to branch off and sort of perch at the bar, but perch at the counter that that the the ah dwarf um trainer was positioned at, which is a good sort of 20 feet from that table. So you're you're at a distance where you're not involved, but you can still still be there and be somewhat alert to it.
00:19:30
Speaker
I see. Well, since you're not all joining us, he just uses his mage hand and splits Nix's glass, pours some of the whiskey back into your's reins and some back into his.
00:19:46
Speaker
So, like I said,
00:19:54
Speaker
I can just as easily remove it from the offer of prizes, should you be willing to fulfill the debt. I'll be honest, when I learned you went to the desert and I saw that one, the, oh, points towards the door, she seems to have gone, the half-orc comeback enslaved. I figured it was an unsuccessful venture and your fortune had disappeared.
00:20:23
Speaker
It seems I was wrong. So since our debt is still in hand, and since you there, pointing to Nix and her, went to some considerable paths to lower that debt, perhaps we can discuss fulfilment of that payment?
00:20:43
Speaker
By all means, but but before we do that, you're going to tell me about Acilda and all the others who are currently in Moonrise Tower. It's that annoying bardfucker. I can't remember his name. Try not to pay attention when he was talking. Either way, not too fond of the fact that he could be somehow collateral in whatever you're offering up here. So before we go any further, I'm talking about logistics of the deal. You're going to tell me, with respect, London, what's happened to our friends at Gopalkeep. That's still there.
00:21:14
Speaker
Good. They're untouched, they're unharmed. After the duel, I was planning on heading there and saying, you either have new masters or the debt is being passed back to you because your friends, meaning you, the party of two, three, four, and this new individual I've never met before, justice towards Seth, were unsuccessful. But it seems we can avoid all that altogether.
00:21:44
Speaker
Okay. So how much of the debt is left if anyone nods towards in Nix's direction and where Morota went, if they had paid off some of it? 4000 gold remains. Well, that's more than I think we started off with. There's interest, you see. That's how debts work. 3400 was what it was before. Yes, it's been a number of weeks.
00:22:12
Speaker
Now, you know, that it's highly unlikely as we move over the desert that we would have communicated that accumulated pardon that and amount of gold. However, you do know that we've probably got some gold. So you're either here for a partial payoff or you're here because, I don't know, you've got something else that you want from us. You've got something else to offer us because I don't believe you've traveled all this way to stick that on the board just to try and see if we've got you a gold.
00:22:42
Speaker
Why are you here, Von Dan? And if I've misread this and it's simply about the gold, then we might as well end this conversation right now, because we don't have it. My, my. You must cross paths with some very complicated folk. I am simply here for the money, dear boy. Right. Thanks for the cigar. I assume we're done here. How much do we have to put down for you to take it off the prize list? I'll tell you what.
00:23:13
Speaker
Perhaps there's something we could come to an agreement on. There are six of you, if you include your friend who just left, competing. How about 3,000 gold and a 10% taking of every bet placed upon you each? So you want 3,000 gold offers?
00:23:36
Speaker
and 10% of whatever bets. Well, I don't think we can even put that together, so. I'm happily to wait till after the duel to see what the yield is. It's a gamble because what if you all fail instantly to attract any attention and then you walk away relatively unscathed?
00:23:57
Speaker
So people can put bets on us while it's going on? Not just before? Oh, yes. Thought so. So that's going to look up from his spell book for a second that he's writing and and taken Von Dadd for the first time. And Von Dadd, sorry for the first time, and um make a suggestion to him. How about we don't pay you anything? You take none of our money, but we tell you who ah is going to win the competition.
00:24:27
Speaker
Absolutely not. Why not? You could make much more money than 3,000 gold if you know exactly who's going to win. You must think me born yesterday. I deal in absolutes. Seth has a good point. There's no absolute in 10% of a taking we don't know yet that's talking about money in the future. So that isn't an absolute. Agreed, but I'd rather take a gamble on 10% than 100.
00:24:56
Speaker
Hold on, what's Seth saying give us the keep either way? Seth is saying if we win, we get the keep, which of course we would be within our rights to choose
Team Dynamics and Tournament Strategy
00:25:05
Speaker
anyway. I mean, Seth is saying that if you know if we tell you who's going to win, you can put all your money on him and make more money that way, rather than having to spread bets out on all of us.
00:25:16
Speaker
Bear in mind also, Marotta, but is that the the Valkyrie, the one that's the favourite so far, she has been one person. We have within our midst, and he jests us over to next, six of us, but two that are, that were well received just now, if I'm not mistaken, three, and he points towards reigns.
00:25:39
Speaker
so Half our group is well well and you know impressed in the in the in the competition so far. We're going in as a group. There are six of us. There are lots of individuals. The likelihood of us coming towards the end of it is higher, and then we can decide who wins. and Therefore, you can have the winner.
00:26:00
Speaker
Make a persuasion check. Oh god, I thought you'd just take it. Persuasion. Ooh, this is a straight roll because I've got nothing on this. Okay, middle of the road, 13.
00:26:17
Speaker
It's not huge. I dislike that arrangement. I'll have to insist on my first offer, unless you can come up with anything different. Seth's gonna open the Swallow Cup, Shaky said I didn't know and even know what a gold board keep was anyway, and he's gonna start writing. It was a good try, it was a good try Seth, thanks for... I can tell you're in a bind and then you want your... keep back. I will remind you that... Ola willingly took out those debts. Newing, newing, knowing, I'm sorry, it's this whiskey.
00:26:57
Speaker
knowing they needed to be repaid. She did.
00:27:04
Speaker
So the tournament's in two days, yeah? It is. And Danny, this is me asking you, so is that, is that, so we've got a day after this day and then it's that day or is it? That's how two days works. No, okay. Just whether it's two days lived, you know. Yeah, we're not doing this in two days time, Pooh Bear.
00:27:23
Speaker
We're not getting back on this, this Zencaster and recording in two days. Which if you want to join Zencaster, follow a link in our description. a Oh, what's up. How long do we have to consider it? I need to remove this with a fair warning. So in the morning, perhaps take the Eve.
00:27:49
Speaker
We could take the rest of the day in the evening to decide. Wait, one minute.
00:27:56
Speaker
minute So what happens if no one picks to win gu put keep the deed to Goldport Keep? What happens to it then? Then I will go there with my debt collectors, I will evict the tenants, and I will take the Keep, as per my agreement with Orla.
00:28:15
Speaker
But surely even if we survive and no one chooses to gold port keep, we could still pay off the debt to you. You could still make money on it. Yes. I won't be departing here for a few days. If you are the victors and you can come up with my 4,000 gold, then yes. I will return the deed or renounce all rights to the debt that holds it. Hold on. Hold on. There's something you ain't saying here, Norman. Which is, you've just put that up there as a prize to be won. Someone wins and they pick that. They ain't giving you a penny for that.
00:28:44
Speaker
So what do you get out putting it on that board?
00:28:49
Speaker
A personal question. How I choose to do business is my business, dear friend, and he raises a glass. I think you don't have anyone who's likely to give you anything for that save for those of us sat here at this table. That's all I think. You'd be surprised. There are some local benefactors that are quite interested in the keep.
00:29:15
Speaker
And he just gives a very subtle nod in the direction of Delmon Trace. Not over a fucking dragon egg.
00:29:27
Speaker
Well. To the morning then, we have to. This has been enlightening. I assume you'll be here if we turn up here. Or where can we find you? I won't be returning here till the beginning of the duel, I expect.
00:29:43
Speaker
should you wish to summon me and converse further you'll find me or personnel who work for me and he points to about six or seven individuals around the room and enjoying the servitude at the dragon horde tavern i have other business about the city i can't guarantee an immediate audience but you never know which time of day you choose to appear If I don't see you by, let's say, mid-morning, I'll assume you wish for it to remain a prize. And we will meet and discuss again after the duel. Reasonable? Very well. Good cigar, everyone. Always fun to chat. My friends, it is always a lively experience meeting you.
00:30:45
Speaker
I must say, I do feel for the ah half-orc. She's her promise. Nasty. Nasty way to be ah seeing out your twilight years in servitude.
00:31:02
Speaker
I'm pleased to see that the same misfortune didn't fall upon your shoulders. There is a story there I'd love to hear. What about Eros?
00:31:13
Speaker
Well, why you're no longer traveling together and why she seems incarcerated to the Games Master of the Jewel of the Desert Champions this year.
00:31:28
Speaker
We'd like to know that as well. I'm mysterious. Bye then.
00:31:42
Speaker
Okay, thanks, bye. And he sort of raises his hands and clicks, and a couple more of his entourage take a seat at the table, more another bottle of the whisky appears at the centre of the table. And he just begins to take in the atmosphere around him, still sat, still feet in the air, these beautifully gold, sold boots.
00:32:06
Speaker
What do you guys want to do?
00:32:10
Speaker
We should go and find somewhere where we can all chat, I think. Yeah, somewhere where we don't have, you know, prying ears.
00:32:21
Speaker
Maybe we go back to where we stay or... Got a bar, works for me.
00:32:30
Speaker
aye You make gestures to leave. Nick's not with the party necessarily. Is there anything you're doing? Sorry, Seth would stay seated still writing. We wouldn't move for a minute or so. ah Yeah, Nick's is purposely just waiting to see What happens and in in in honesty, Nix is waiting to ah slip out and find the right opportunity, but also aware of the delicate, sensitive situation to which he kick started. And so if the time isn't right, he's not going to do it. But if everyone just starts to get up and go. Yeah, and that's what opportunity we're getting up and going.
00:33:17
Speaker
I don't think Rains would leave without going, Seth, Nix, you're a part of this conversation. yeah I assumed.
00:33:27
Speaker
ah Seth wouldn't respond for a minute and just continue scribbling and then in a quick breath look up towards Vordad who's still there and just say, who owns the egg? Pardon me? The egg. The golden egg. One of the rewards who owns it, do you know?
00:33:47
Speaker
who donated it. yeah i Who was it? And just sort of looks to one of his aides and this quiveling human leans back to Vorden's ear and whispers in, ah, I understand it. That came from the games master, Prago the majestic himself.
00:34:12
Speaker
Motherfucker.
00:34:15
Speaker
Do you know, and he's looking more towards the human at this point, do you know how long Brego has had the egg? And Vondent looks up to his aid and the quibbling human shakes his head vigorously.
00:34:32
Speaker
Where does he keep it in the city when it's not here? Does he have a vase of operation? Vondent just sort of leans in at this point.
00:34:42
Speaker
Are you planning something, Scarface? No. Something of that wealth needs a good place to keep it. And obviously he has a good place I want to know a secure location. I've got some goods myself I'd like to to keep safe. What gossip? What gossip? I see. Well, I don't know exactly. But if I were hoarding something that valuable,
00:35:14
Speaker
I'd ask around.
00:35:21
Speaker
Thank you. I'm sorry we couldn't be more accommodating with the money for a ah ah Shadow Place ah Keep, you know, the place with the slaves. I don't know. It's a goalport keep and I get that that quivery voice over here.
00:35:43
Speaker
It's about to give you some more info. Yeah, Baldy, what have you got? Born down steps in again and says. That wasn't too towards you, for that, by the way, it was a two friend. I hope not. The most secure place, this side of the castle, I expect Or it'd be the merchant's guild hall where you'll find banks, all sorts, vaults. Perhaps it's being kept there. Perhaps in a private estate.
00:36:26
Speaker
There's price on this information. I'm sure I could find it a bit more accurately for the right price. No, it's fine. Thank you very much for that. And what about um the helm of teleportation?
00:36:39
Speaker
What about the hell of teleportation? Do you know who owns that? When it's not put up for auction or price? I do not. I do not know. The money? 45 grand? That was collectively donated by the Tri Crown. So what will happen to that when the... ah When the competition ends, if no one picks it, does it roll over? but Perhaps. Perhaps it goes to charity. Perhaps it goes to bolstering the coffers of the kingdom. Perhaps it goes to gambling. Perhaps it goes to prostitution. Who knows? Perhaps they're going to buy a really big cake. Yeah. Okay.
00:37:26
Speaker
They're the things I'm most interested in, so thank you for that. I just want to learn a little bit more about what I'm going to win, you know? Have your eyes on anything in particular. Should you be victorious? Yeah, I've just told you three things I'm interested in. Yes, but if you only get to pick one... I haven't decided yet. Interesting. Because when I win, you will see what I win and you'll see what I pick. Sorry, Osiris, could you just repeat that one more time? And he just...
00:37:57
Speaker
gestures to a couple of his entourage to approach you, not hostily, just a bit closer as though they're listening in.
00:38:06
Speaker
He's going to look around at them and he's going to have his hand move down towards the side of his spell book, looking for a tab for third level and there's nothing there. Fingers up the side for second, nothing there. Up for first level, nothing there.
Demonic Threat and City Tensions
00:38:23
Speaker
He's going to lick his lips.
00:38:26
Speaker
I said, and he's going to raise his eyebrows, my brow, when I win, then you will see what prize I pick. And one of his aides touches you at the moment where you declare that and cast Thormaturgy upon you. And the entire chamber hears you declare, when you will win, that's the prize you will pick. And Vordent stands slowly, and there is this din across the whole melee.
00:38:55
Speaker
Raises his glass, does a very light posh clap. My money is on this one, he announces to the entire chamber and points directly at you, Seth. Osiris, my lord, and a chorus of, Osiris, my lord, rings up around the chamber. It wasn't my intention. But Matergi's a minute, so that is also amplified.
00:39:24
Speaker
Go on, Seth, let's let's let's go. Come on. yeah sorry and even that's what he's a muttering like high-end voice you so excuse me he called you Seth I thought your name was Osiris Mightlord yeah bro it's a nickname we all got nicknames bro get over it shut up and he's gonna learn the fucking names bro and he's gonna just um yeah whatever it's a nickname and then just like as you're shuffling out he just turns to his quibbling aid one more time and says make sure the nickname is also recorded up there
00:39:56
Speaker
Osiris Seth, my lord, has a ring to it. That's it. And then he'll catch up and um ah wherever everyone rains and just kind of like, come on, like, I should like quickly, let's fuck off now. Let's go, let's go, let's go. And he's like bright red on the face, even those weird blotchy complexion. He's still like, cheeks are flushed. That wasn't fun. That wasn't what he wanted. And he's, he wants to get the fuck out of there now. And he's rushing trains. Okay, let's go. Let's go. Let's go. Let's go.
00:40:27
Speaker
So the five of you step out back into the heart of Scorchown, the scorched plaza. And again, I filled with those familiar sights. This time, though, there is a crowd in front of the outer courtyard of the melee, all just trying to get a good look at all of you. Since we're out, what time is it in the sky? Mix looks up some position. It's not yeah yet late afternoon. It's sort of two 2.30, 3 o'clock. Okay, so a day and a half left. Day and a half left. Before the start. We've got the rest of this day and we've got tomorrow. Yeah, day and a half. Two days, yeah. What's happening though, is you notice that the gates to the courtyard are shut and there are members of the chriscra blocking the exit.
00:41:24
Speaker
There are a couple of other um combatants who are trying to leave. You notice that Prago and Marotta are not in that cluster, but you're in this courtyard with with horses, with traveling gear, with like squires almost, but not squires because it's not like a nobility thing, but just like servants of of competitors.
00:41:44
Speaker
There's a couple of people at the gates challenging the chris crib about why they're being blocked in and there's just a sea of people looking in, in awe of you all as you sort of step out. More so, Osiris, Seth, morning, not morning lord, might lord. Glory lord. Morning wood. Morning wood and Nick's corral. What do you guys want to do? and Everyone's going to try and weave its way to the front and find out why they can't get out.
00:42:13
Speaker
Well, that's something Seth's just going to whisper if he can to Nyx, we need to talk quickly.
00:42:20
Speaker
And if he's not nearby, he's going to cast message and say, we need to talk quickly. But we do M1 first. M1, as you sort of push your way to the front, there are three of Kriska and there is this sort of 12 foot wide iron gate behind you that's that's that's being barred.
00:42:39
Speaker
And this drow in a crisper leathers just sort of raises a hand, not weapons drawn or anything. It just says, my apologies, sir. I cannot allow you to leave just yet until the city is secure. What do you mean secure? What's happened? There has been an incident.
00:43:01
Speaker
Can't go into detail. He looks at his colleague on his right shoulder, his colleague in his left shoulder, and just ushers you back a bit from the populace that are behind him. He just says very quietly, I think something has attacked the city.
00:43:26
Speaker
Is it a dragon? No.
00:43:31
Speaker
It appears to be something more demonic. ah These golden baby faced masks. Golden Halberds. Yes. He looks at you curiously. Oh, fuck.
00:43:51
Speaker
You're familiar with these? what can Can someone just, because Nix remembers, like, like that, but I'm sure there's others here. I remember, obviously, because I make great notes and I listen, but I can see, like, Callum's face is completely confused. so for I thought he was frozen. Sorry, I didn't realize he was still there. On behalf of Callum, Poobear, could you just explain the golden babies? So these are, this is the demon Callum that came to try and take You were away when you were in, you know, fighting the snake people. Oh yeah, of course. Fucking hell. Christ. I should listen. Right. I've got your back, Callum. And poo bear. You know what? Thanks, Ian. Thanks. Emron, um we encountered one on the road. Not quite sure what happened. It just appeared out of nowhere. Attacks. But we did kill it. Oh, it's Alpha. I didn't realise you were here as well.
00:44:50
Speaker
I have just been remaining next to Reigns for now. Yeah, but I went to the front of the crowd. I have overheard somehow.
00:45:01
Speaker
Thanks, Alpha. Would you mind if I take a couple of notes? Yeah, go ahead. Yeah. yeah And he sort of produces a ah piece of charcoal and and a notebook. You met them on the road. One of them. One of them. A single. Appeared on the way as we were travelling from Snake Run to here. Appeared on the road out of nowhere. When? Was it one yesterday? Was it the day before that? Yeah, it was. Not yesterday. dear Day before.
00:45:45
Speaker
And you fought unkilled it? yet And killed it, And killed it. Did you learn anything about it? What it is? Just that it was something demonic. ah We captured it at Albert and it certainly had some
00:46:04
Speaker
It was definitely something infernal. I see. and um Anything remarkable about your group? um Traveling with royalty, magic, ah affluent personnel?
00:46:21
Speaker
and so i mean We've got a couple of us you were who are who have some magical talent. I wouldn't say we're like the most powerful folk in the world, but no, it was very strange. We were traveling and then this sandstorm kicked up and then this thing appeared.
00:46:38
Speaker
ah Thank you for the information. How many of them attacked? Looks around again. Nine.
00:46:53
Speaker
Nine. Flippin' hack. Bloody hell. Would it not for the orcs? I fear some... ...injury... ...or the worse... ...would have afflicted the civilians. Which part of the city did they... ...pate in? The southern slums.
00:47:21
Speaker
Oh.
00:47:24
Speaker
There was this screaming according to reports.
00:47:34
Speaker
Well, good job the city is safe then. Yes, I apologize for the inconvenience. As soon as we have received word that the yeah incident is clean, we will let everybody return to their normal daily activities.
00:47:55
Speaker
Cheers. And he just sort of nods and takes a step back. Thank you for your help. Everyone sort of shuffle away and sort of move away from the front of the crowd towards where it's probably a bit thinner where everyone else is.
00:48:15
Speaker
And em everyone sort of look around and lower his voice a bit. So those demons attacked again.
00:48:23
Speaker
Is it possible they are pursuing me?
00:48:28
Speaker
They were after you to start with though, they appeared in the southern slums they said, which is a long way away from me, given that they appeared literally in front of us. It's a long way away from where we are now.
00:48:46
Speaker
Perhaps they pursue somebody else with some form of memory room, some form of... Alfa, how many people do you think are wandering around with a memory room in the chest? I do not know, but we are counting more and more of my kind, just because they ah do not have the autonomy that I have. Alfa, did you leave the city this morning? No. You didn't leave the walls? I merely travelled to the mystic quarter.
00:49:21
Speaker
And that's that's within the walls of the city. I do believe so. ah I've checked your information again, Callum. I'm trying to check my map now. I have to try and bring my map up. No, it's outside the city walls, just... Thank you. It's in the Fenberg district. Yeah. It's in the Fenberg district, which is indeed outside the city walls. You should have had the map up. I don't know, maybe because you left...
00:49:50
Speaker
City walls, maybe. That was the closest they could get. I don't know. There's lots of... The city itself could be under some form of protection spell. It's not unheard of. It's not unheard of. This place is what they could enter. The walls of Shadow Men were inscribed with runes and that kind of stuff, so it's not unknown. Okay, right. We could do with gathering more information on this.
00:50:18
Speaker
I think we've got more pressing in stuff to try and survive a tournament. But yes, you're right. We are going in unbloodied. We will not have to worry about surviving a tournament. It is not us. Two members of our party. just We need to try and work out our best to make sure everyone lives. But there is a creature out there that does wish to kill me. While it's the three of us, can I just interject? I assume we've Seth's with us as well, sorry.
00:50:43
Speaker
This is happening simultaneously, so I'm imagining Seth and Nyx just took a step to the side, and you three are clustering. Well, that's a pretty well.
Tournament Strategy Debates
00:50:50
Speaker
I assume we're all united in the fact that we're not going to let Gopor keep falling to whichever slave deal and fucker, or even worse, Delmon Trace or Crispy or whatever gets their hands on it. We're not going to let that happen. We made a promise to Ola. We did. And there's a lot of
00:51:08
Speaker
Seth was saying he had some kind of plan before we all went in or round about and we need to hear what he's got a thinking in his head. I hope someone does because I was really, really inspired two days ago about normal going in it for ourselves and not doing anything hostile or stupid. why Why are two of us doing hostile and stupid things? Well, it's par for the party, I believe. So there's a few things you need to know, Rains.
00:51:35
Speaker
I don't know whether I told you this, but you know that dreams I've been having with a platform. Right. So in one of the ones I had recently, Bar were there.
00:51:50
Speaker
And then I'll say, hold up, him right I'm going to do something really fucking stupid. No, but then here's the weird thing. It wasn't just a dream because you remember when we came to the city, someone said, I want to meet you. I went to meet that person.
00:52:06
Speaker
And they had had the same dream as well. They'd seen me in the dream as well. Which means the dream is more than just a figment of my mind. Okay.
00:52:23
Speaker
And... I wish I knew what to say to that, Imran, but that there's there's already a lot going on and that just feels like another thing onto the top of the cake, I mean... The the gnome said he was a dragonborn called Drago.
00:52:36
Speaker
The gnome said that. Well, yeah. Said he was a dragonborn. He said he'd been changed. And you believed him? Yep. And he said that the four of us on that platform were bound to the gods, me to Alido, him to Akiva. And he said there was a human bound to Tiriani. And he said that they were safe. He knew who it was.
00:53:05
Speaker
and that they were safe, wouldn't tell me who it was. And then there's a dwarf that we need to find as well.
00:53:14
Speaker
ah this I mean, this Drago fellow was essential to stopping the blight. Everyone's heard his name. He couldn't rack up in Dash Kaur and not be recognized for crying out loud. I mean, he could go anywhere and people would know who he was. He destroyed the blight.
00:53:33
Speaker
Everyone knows he arrives here with a human and ah and a dwarf. I don't understand what this is, Imran. I don't understand what I'm hearing from you. I don't understand understand what we're doing. I'm just trying to say that the point is if if if the dream I've had is is true, is prophecy is the future, then I'm saying that Baal's quite important because I've seen him in it.
00:53:59
Speaker
Okay, it's going to be really, really awkward when he dies tomorrow or on two days time. I think we need to have a ah conversation as a group. I've been thinking about that. Perhaps when we go get together, we need to make some kind of deal, a pact that we go in there and we don't fight amongst each other. Yeah, but we made a deal, Imran.
00:54:24
Speaker
Two days ago, two days, we all said in the back of a cart, let's stop doing stupid things. Two of us did stupid things today. Yep. But Seth and, and Baal are bound to protect three of us.
00:54:44
Speaker
I mean, really good way of going about it is to put yourself into mortal combat with one of them. If Nyx is one of them.
00:55:00
Speaker
Do you know, if it weren't for how everyone else has gone close to fuck, I would want to win that tournament just so I could take the keep off the table and that fucker in there with the fancy cigars gets to fuck all.
00:55:13
Speaker
I think we found out what Seth's plan is, but all I know is I think we need to go in there. And my intention is that we make sure that us six, or however many of us are left, are the last one standing. And then I'm intending to walk out of that and leave Nick's and Baal to do what they need to do.
00:55:32
Speaker
Which is? We get the two of them to the end and then we just let them be. which I would love to do, Imran, but there are people whose lives depend on us, people who if they leave Goldport, keep full back. So you've got to then kill them then? That's what you're saying, Reince? Well,
00:55:55
Speaker
I don't know. And one dad said, he said that he wasn't leaving straight away. We could still come up with, if we send up having 4,000 gold after the tournament, because we've lived and we've made bets on ourselves and whoever wins, we could still buy the deed off him.
00:56:09
Speaker
He said that. He said he wasn't leaving straight away. We could still finish the tournament, have enough money, and get it off him. That's ah assuming that this Valkyrie who's in there on the path of Delmon Trace doesn't win it, and hands it straight over to the odd CRISPR for whatever whatever reason they want it. No, he's i think I think the Valkyrie's under, not the control of Delmon Trace, under control of the... ah Prego. Prego. Oh.
00:56:40
Speaker
If we go in as a six, we need to make sure that the last two people standing are nicks and bow.
00:56:50
Speaker
That's what I'm saying. i That's how we make sure. I am not sure if I agree. I'm kind of with Alpha on this one. I mean, they've done something but particularly stupid here.
00:57:04
Speaker
So you're willing to fire both of them then? I'm not willing to fire anybody. I don't have to step into that thing. I'm not prepared to let people at Goldport keep full by the wayside here. We have to go into that arena. I assume a boat. You've got to go into that arena, Ines. You enter the contract. OK, I can walk out the second I walk in. You can. How can they? No, I don't think Nixon can.
00:57:36
Speaker
I do not believe the contract stated that they had to remain in there, merely that if they were to fall, they would not be revived. I mean, Alfa, as much as that I think you're correct, I don't think you strip your hand on that blade with the intention of walking out. I think you do it because the stakes are, for some reason, perceivably high. Actions and emotions can run high. Anyway, my point is we've got a day and a half to get ourselves best equipped for this tournament.
00:58:06
Speaker
I need to go and see the guild and see what resources I can get from them or throughout the contacts for them. Hemron, you would know best. I still need to repair my pistol ready for the tournament. Where do you think would be the best place to go? Personally, we go to find Clan Shadow Shield and we use their resources.
00:58:28
Speaker
Finest forges I know.
00:58:35
Speaker
Before any of that happens, we knew a collective plan, and we need to make sure that everybody, that there's some error that needs clearing before any of that happens. There is, but I don't think that's going to happen until tonight, because I reckon the moment it all goes open, I reckon Nix will be off wherever you're looking once. And on that call for a collective plan, the three of you turn to Nix and Seth, and we will roll back the clock about 15, 20 minutes
00:59:06
Speaker
And at the point where M. Ron went to go speak to the Episcoport guard, Seth, Nix, you turned to each other in a moment, in a private moment. You did well in that.
00:59:24
Speaker
Thanks. You too. They were drinking your Seth flavor.
00:59:36
Speaker
Sounds wrong. A little bit.
00:59:41
Speaker
What's up, Seth? Yeah, you know a lot. You're imminent death, balls of imminent death, death, the blight, you know, the implosion of the party, the usual shit. Sounds like a normal day. I've got a plan.
01:00:05
Speaker
And the plan only involves, well, it involves everyone, but it mainly involves you. Yeah. A lot of plans do seem to involve me. It doesn't involve you doing very much. If that's any consolation, no high stakes. It involves me saying yes. Right.
01:00:28
Speaker
It involves you doing what you do best and then saying no.
01:00:37
Speaker
Right. I'm not savvy. I'm not either. It's been a very big morning. It is. Talk it to me slowly. Simple. You win the competition. We steal the egg.
01:00:56
Speaker
Hear me out. I was thinking the other way around because I'm not going to lie, Nick, you're a wily little bastard and I don't trust you as far as I can throw you and I can't throw you very far. But I like you. And it's very hard to hide a ship. It's very easy to hide an egg. Okay? Right. The plan is this. Okay. I need you. I'm not very, I'm good at threatening people, death and punishment and pain. I'm not very good at finding out information.
01:01:25
Speaker
We need to spend, you and I, the next two days, finding out everything we can do around this, and he looks down at his spell book, prego, why he has the egg, the merchant's guild hall, and any leads we can have to find the location of where this egg will be kept after the competition. We find out where it's kept, the security, how it's going to get there, the route they're going to take, the gods they're going to use, and on the journey back to this prego's base, we harsh the fucker.
01:01:55
Speaker
We take the egg into a bunch of sex and then we go and put it on and he's gonna pause and point your tap next in the chest your ship the Esmeralda Because this relies on you winning the competition I Mean the fact that you've come up with this just assume presumably in the last couple of hours is very impressive and yeah
01:02:26
Speaker
Like, I'm in awe of that, seriously, Seth. that's That is amazing. But Baal... Naturally. But also, we want to steal the egg before the tournament, am I...? No, after. After. After the tournament. Okay. Because what I'm thinking is, they're not going to keep... This is a very valuable item. They're not going to keep it in some space in the middle of Drolak. He's going to take it somewhere secure.
01:02:51
Speaker
and not make a big omelette out of it. Because I reckon you crack that egg, you could make a lot of omelettes. Yeah, absolutely. We're going to keep it. Okay. Baal wants that egg. I know that. We all know that. You're not going to back down from your ship and your... I can see it in your eyes. The minute you saw it, you went all quiet and weird like you do when bad things happen, which seems to be all the time. And I know Baal and I know he will not stop until he gets that egg.
01:03:18
Speaker
So what we need to do, you and me, and maybe be some of the others, if they are, as you say, savvy on the plan, but you, especially because of your, you know, sneaky wise, we need to find as much as we can about where this egg's going to go, about this prego individual, where it's going to be kept, where do they keep it? How will they get it back? What will they do with it after? Why do they have it? How long they have had it for? Where did they get it? Every fucking bit of information we have, right? Then right We will tell Baal that information. And we will tell him if you back down and walk out of the competition, and we allow Nix to win, once Nix has chosen his boat, we as a collective will steal the egg for him. I'm in a bind here, if I'm being honest, because if you die, I could go to hell. And if Baal dies, I get double the curse, okay?
01:04:14
Speaker
like a bad two for one offer. So kind of screwed. You can't blame it for my part in this. So I don't care. Okay. if Flow like sand, vitality to void. You know, it's, it's just time. It's gone. It's in the past. We can only work with what is in front of us now. Yeah. So let's work with what we've got. Okay. yeah That is the basis of my plan. We need Intel. We need information.
01:04:44
Speaker
to make this work, to convince Paul. that's This all relies on us convincing him that we have a, and he's going to look again as well, savvy plan that will work, that is reliable and completable so that he will take himself out because he will trust us. And trust is fucking important here, Nixia. That way you don't die, he doesn't die.
01:05:11
Speaker
We win. We just really annoy this pryko. Demon. Okay. Which, you know, we're going to annoy anyway. Let's be honest. It's a demon. Right. What do you do best?
01:05:25
Speaker
ah So we have to go our separate ways and find this information out is what I'm hearing. We could go separate ways together. I don't really know yet. I have little bits from your Vordad friend. He told me that it's Prago who owns the egg. I don't know if we can trust the information. You lot would be better place for that. And he mentioned about the merchants. I know a little bit of both characters and that holds up. I would say that Prago No, it's all too well what he or them have planned here. We might all just be pulled by the strings of the master puppeteer. But Nix, and he, Seth's going to make a motion to walk towards others and double take back again. This can't be any, this is the plan until the Nix plan comes up, brother.
01:06:18
Speaker
This needs to, if we go for this, this needs to just be the plan. We need to be very transparent with this, because any deviation, you see what prego can do. Any deviation and we're all dead. And if prego doesn't get us, the abcriska will. And if the abcriska don't get us, the dragons will. And if they don't get us, the ocean will take us.
01:06:38
Speaker
ha We can't, we can't have any other internal plants here, brother. This needs to just be the plan. Same page, yeah? I know you've got your own thing going on, but one thing at a time, yeah? One thing at a time. Just think about it, yeah. Anyway, why are we moving? Why are we still in this crowd? And at that point, the cluster of the three shadow Mendians, when they turn and say the line about we need to be united,
01:07:12
Speaker
the five of you are now staring at each other, and the gates and crowd disperse, and the gates begin to open. And if Chris were to step aside, and people are freely moving once again.
01:07:28
Speaker
hey um Seth's going to take a breath, kind of look to the three shadow mandians and then Take one look just back towards Nick's and with the kind of raised eyebrows and kind of like a, well, without saying like, what's your answer? It gives like a, well, what's the next step? What's your next step towards Nick's?
01:07:51
Speaker
Nick's will look down at the ground. Everyone walks over. So we probably want to spend the rest of the day trying to get as much of ourselves. Well, we need to get ready for this tournament.
01:08:05
Speaker
And I imagine we've all got a lot to talk about. Yeah. Yeah. But, but first, and he's going to again, look towards next and try and catch his eye. I'll put a hand on his shoulder, but first rain walks over and I'm kidding. I'm kidding.
01:08:24
Speaker
Nick saw eyes on the ground. and put one foot in front of the other and just walk in step with the group. He's not looking anyone in the eye. um Least of all, Seth. Deep in thought. I ain't got time for that. Anybody got time for that? But first what, Seth?
01:08:51
Speaker
Never mind. We need to find out some information. We have one and a half days to figure this all out. A lot dressed on it. And then he will, to save everyone, the listener, et cetera, repeating, he will then relay exactly what he's just said to Nick's, to the rest of the group, the importance of finding as much information about Prago, the Merchant's Guild, explain the concept of his plan, the talk around trust, et cetera. I just stopped talking about it. Everyone's going to be like, shh, great, mate.
01:09:16
Speaker
You know, we're in a bit of a crowd of a lot of people who probably would want to pass on a lot of information to other people. Maybe we should have this conversation in private. Shit. Sorry. Yeah. Okay. Don't call me Seth. Remember? I'm, um, what am I? Cyrus. Yeah. Okay. You were already asking questions to Vaughn dad about the other items. We needed a lead. We needed something to start with. He's a dodgy suspicious as fuck twat. It's okay. I gave him some other, I didn't just talk about the echo. I talked about some other things as well. Okay. So I tried to throw him off.
01:09:46
Speaker
your idea sounds great but let's talk about it you know in our in our
Moral Dilemmas and Responsibilities
01:09:50
Speaker
secret place that you know we can be secure in yeah okay sorry i'm just aware of how much time we have yeah that's well but let's go okay is there anything anyone wants to do this afternoon before we get ready because we've got the rest of the day and today to get ourselves equipped ready for this tournament ae No, the competition, it's pointless. Someone will die unless we get this fixed. Oh, fuck. And he's going to rip out the back page of his spell book where he has the long list of all the questions that I have written down as well, if you need them. And he's going to thrust it into everyone's hands. He goes, just pick something and and try and find something out. We need this. We need this information or both. Ball will not bite. If ball doesn't bite, we can't do it. One of them will die. That's it. That's as simple as it is. Okay. Nix, are you coming with me or not? And he's going to grab at them, but not by the scruff of the neck, but just by like a a shoulder and pull them to a stop. Are you going with me or not?
01:10:45
Speaker
You're muted, so we don't know. Nix, I can't hear a word you're saying, bro. Yes, yes. I'll find out information. I'll go and ask. I've got some contacts in the city about Prago and the Egg. ah ah I can do that right now. Everyone looks and goes, well, I need to go hit the guild hall anyway to go and talk to my guild anyway. Okay, that's a good stop. Maybe they know something about this person as well. We've got to get some leads, brother.
01:11:10
Speaker
But equally, we also need to survive the tournament first. Yeah, I know. i know it work if It's easy for me. I just need to sleep that's and I'm good to go. it's just I need to replenish stuff. You guys might have other things. But there's other stuff, you know, it says there's any equipment or any other potions that we could have with us in that tournament to help us.
01:11:32
Speaker
I'm going to do what I do best. I'm going to find information out for you. And Nix is going to shrug off the the hand of Seth, do a little bow, tip of the cap to Alpha and Reigns, and long strides out of there.
01:11:47
Speaker
ah Seth's going to watch him go and then nod and then quickly pull out his map and he's going to head towards, he's going to start making steps towards the merchant's guild hall, that area. And we'll look to the others and go, I'll see you back at the piss nude, yeah? Later this evening. You're going the way I'm going, but...
01:12:05
Speaker
Okay. I'm just going to, and he's going to jog and he's going to start making his way quite quickly through the crowd, um, through people and just bumping into people and stuff like that. Trying to, yeah, he's, he's suddenly realizing how little time he has and he, he doesn't want to let him go and stick with the other thing. You know, Seth, he's a Cyrus web. He's really enthusiastic. And one turns to rain and offer, but you know what?
01:12:34
Speaker
actually just actually coordinating a plan would be much better than him running around like a blue arsed fucking desert fly thinking he's got everything done he's not too far wrong though we do need information we do but the point is that it's all fucking useless if two members of this party die in the fucking tournament before we even get through the plan but if we can give them a reason to not compete to walk away Absolutely. Then no companions need die. i Running around the city like a blue arsed desert fly is not a good way of doing it. Do you have a more logical suggestion? It would be to break down these questions he's got and go, right, you do this, you do this, you do this. He's going in all flustered. We know exactly Seth isn't exactly the best face of this party. But he does have connections. Does he? I think so. Does he?
01:13:32
Speaker
As I said, I think so. We haven't had much evidence, but there is certainly, he is part of some ah form of secrecy. He starts to do secrecy shit and he starts to sweat and he starts to get nervous and babble. Fucking hell, it's like a mini-nix when he gets nervous.
01:13:51
Speaker
Right. Rains has gone quite distanced and now he's going to chip up and say, there are a group of people that God will keep who we vowed to protect, who vowed yet They would be safe there. They are not getting overlooked in all of this because two of us decided to take this into their own hands. and I totally agree with you. Which is why I intend to make sure that we work out who the winner is. We put loads of money on them and then at the end of the tournament we go up to Vondan and say, here's your 4,000 gold, you little twat. Can we have the deeds please? If I may, this Vondan has already proved he is not of a trustworthy sort, correct?
01:14:32
Speaker
yeah if we were to gain any substantial money after the tournament who's not to say that the price is now eight thousand twelve thousand right he could easily change his mind he could equally
01:14:48
Speaker
we know What do you want from Alpha? we We, as a collective free who made that promise, should be fighting together to take that key off the table. That's the guarantee play, win this tournament, take it off the table. We can't do that because two people are going to die if we do that. Now, there is a part of me that's so angry that it's like, well, that's just an exercise and survival of the smartest. And we let the stupidest just go their natural way because I'm that angry about what they did in there.
01:15:19
Speaker
And now I'm supposed to instead of looking into very important things about people who came through here, who came across Aerith to die in the hands of some Drake, in the gut of some Drake, I should be instead looking into what Yandere and Magnus were doing. Instead, I've got to go running across the city to run Erens on a fucking egg. No one's making you do anything, Reans.
01:15:47
Speaker
Then is this the choice? We each just go and pursue our own personal interest? I have no doubt that is Osiris is doing. You've got a lecture to go to tomorrow, Alpha. I am fully aware, but there is much I can still accomplish within the city.
01:16:09
Speaker
Which by the way reigns, you are welcome to join me. Yeah, thanks. a Sorry, I'm here. Imran, you're the moral compass here. Explain to me, Imran, because I'm struggling. Explain to me why I shouldn't invest all of my efforts right now into getting Gopal keep off that table to save people who we swore to protect. Why I should not be doing that. Instead, I should be running around after an egg to put Kate, Balaamniks. Not saying you have to.
01:16:41
Speaker
i know I know you're not, but tell me why. Tell me why I don't understand it, Emron. I'm trying to understand it here. I want to do the right thing. I just don't know what that is right now. Because there are ways of us getting the Ds to go put keep without having to win the tournament.
01:17:00
Speaker
But I know within my shelf ratings that an Emron points up at the platform in the sky but that that is something bigger than us, and for some whatever reason, the dreams I've had don't just connect me to others, but they connect me to Baal as well.
01:17:24
Speaker
I'm not saying that gold pork keeps not important. And I hear that, Emran. I do. I do. I do hear that. But actually, Alpha is right. We're on Warden's puppet strings. We start trying to break the strings or do something else other than the rules that are set out in front of us, which is win that tournament and take it off the table. He's just going to cut the strings or rearrange the strings.
01:17:48
Speaker
We can't play him. I think Alfa is right about that. But he can't raise it too much. He's a businessman at the end of the day, Reigns. And if he just keeps dicking over people trying to pay debt back to him, then no one will do business with him. He will be reasonable at some point. He has to be. He'll be reasonable. He's got no no motivation to be reasonable with us. I feel our hand is overplayed with regards to Goldport Keep. We've already discussed many times about repaying him money, negotiating money. it It seems logical that he could quite easily raise the value. He could take just just take just take the money out of the equation, take the bricks and mortar out of the equation. All that took us in were no one else would. We were refugees. We were outcasts on the other side of the world. We had nowhere until we had there. The people who we then saved, some of us, we brought them back from death.
01:18:47
Speaker
they were they were the most downtrodden people we met and we gave them safety and now but we're building things there i planted potatoes that that there are things that that we're being done to help people forgotten that nix is bound to have all and dad somehow don't forget that this sucks right don't start walking
01:19:14
Speaker
Where are you going, Rains? I have no earthly idea. Well, I'm going to go to the... um Rains.
01:19:34
Speaker
Okay. So, I'm to go. right yeah
01:19:44
Speaker
um i like i notes where wants to go You've indicated that you' you're all going to end the day at the Pistonute or that the instruction is let's, let's end the day at the Pistonute, but we'll we'll see how this plays out. So, Nick is the first to to leave this group. Where did you go after the events of the melee?
01:20:03
Speaker
Nix is going to find his way to the Temple of Tiriani. Okay. So this will require you to walk back through the scorched plaza. In doing so, it remains that hustle and bustle and that busyness. So I'm just going to need you to make a ah wisdom saving throw with advantage.
01:20:31
Speaker
as you step through this very busy celebratory scene. Absolutely.
01:20:40
Speaker
With advantage, you say? Mm-hmm. Cool. How is a 24 with a crit on that? It is excellent. You step through and, you know, you you're aware of crowds of people in party-like atmospheres like this. There'll be nefarious individuals up to no good.
01:20:58
Speaker
You've already had a pickpocket attempt by by by Vlad earlier. you're you're You're savvy to the fact that you need to keep your you your wits about you and you avoid clusters, you avoid getting bumped, you make sure you're you're secure as you move through. You are none the wise you are none the lighter, let's say, in anything valuable. And you step through to the other side of this plaza and what's in front of you are three beautifully kept, well-crafted, almost um ancient Greek-like but conserved temples. And this fourth one that is is is has is being built and is near completion. At the top of this fourth one is iconography that you are you are loosely familiar with that relates to the eternal ones, the followers of Akiba that is now legal worship, Aerith-wide. But the three immaculately kept. One
01:21:58
Speaker
is the temple to Vatinis, one to a Lido iconography you would never forget in your time with Emron, and one, the temple of Tiriani. And they are these equally statured, there is no temple that is that is particularly bigger, but the temple to Alido is positioned so it is always lit by the sun whereas there are parts of the day where the other two will be cast in shadow and the temple of Alido definitely is the busiest from from this scene and and you know whether or not some of some of Emron's tales on the road about Alido worship has ever rubbed off on you
01:22:37
Speaker
Aledo's rise to divinity happened in the kingdom that we now call Dralak. So there is an ancestral homeland feel to that being like the dominant religion here. But equally busy are the the houses of the Tinnis and Tiriani. And I take it you're you're heading eastward into the Temple of Tiriani. Yeah, Nyx would take a a glance at Aledo because of the ties of Emron and kind of just look at it through um kind of Or when you close your squint through your eyes in a kind of shrewd way as if to say, yeah, don't judge me and ah we'll carry on walking towards the Temple of Tuiyani. Nice. So you've come accustomed to walking on on cobbled sandstone for most of the time you've been here when it's not been like a boarded boardwalk of the harbour district. And when you step into this temple, there is this luscious aroma that
01:23:31
Speaker
Scorching myself is a really sweet-smelling city because of the kiltrad and the tobacco smoke, but here it's it's more floral. There are smells of lavender, of chamomile,
01:23:42
Speaker
It's really cool here and unlike sort of um anglicized places of worship that are cold, um ah monolithian structures here, rather than stone walls, they are laced in in plant life. You can't really see the roof of this building because it is it is is vines and and flowers and fruits.
01:24:06
Speaker
There is nothing in sort of a form of a pew or altar. This is instead just one huge bed of flowers that that sps spans this great hall. People sitting in worship, almost like in picnic arrangements, sitting on blankets and and their their proximity to to to life is is is how they practice their religion. Those who work here, the devout followers of Tirani, also so act like gardeners almost. They they tend to to the greenery here. They preserve it. You magically enrich it. This is the biggest cluster of sort of um plant wealth that you have seen in a long time.
01:24:49
Speaker
What would you like to do? Nick, this heart is beating faster in his chest. um Just for the fact
01:24:59
Speaker
that he would never have thought to find Sura in this place, and the last time he saw her was on the deck of the Esmeralda, and that anticipation of seeing someone who you were really close with um
01:25:20
Speaker
but haven't seen for a long time is starting to build. His heart is starting to beat a little bit faster and his breath is catching in his chest. Meanwhile, he's trying to search for that familiar face in this throng of people as he's trying to snake his way through. um he's trying to He's just He takes a deep breath and he gives into his senses and he's trying to listen out for any familiar tone of voice, ah or with his eyes, any any familiar sightings, ah but he's going to make his way into the temple itself.
01:25:55
Speaker
So yeah, that's what Nix is doing. He's trying all his might to keep that. There's a lot of thoughts going through this, this poor young Cleveland's head, not so much poor, but his head and he's trying to keep his heart rate down as well. And he's he's just wanting to find Sura, but he's not going to shout a name yet until he's in the temple. And that's when he'll start vocalizing. And you're not sort of, um,
01:26:20
Speaker
addressed or challenged within stepping into that temple at all. It's a very welcoming space. No one recognises you, who stares at you, it's not like walking into a tavern and everyone sizes you up because this is a very inclusive space. And immediately you step on lush grass. And it seems like the dumb thing here is that you remove your shoes
01:26:46
Speaker
There is a ah host of shoes to the side of you as you walk in and you see everyone else is barefoot.
01:26:55
Speaker
ah
01:26:58
Speaker
yeah Anyone wearing shoes? Anyone at all? You wouldn't need to make a perception check because you're actively sort of identifying this, but not as far as the eye can see.
Nick's Struggles with the Curse
01:27:09
Speaker
Okay, this is weird, Nick will remove his big old dusty, caked in sand and mud brown boots that go all the way up his calves. He'll just slide the slide the zip down and go barefoot. Nice.
01:27:30
Speaker
And as you step into the space, the grass almost acts like vines and hugs you and caresses your feet as you take each step. You feel lighter. You feel incredibly comforted. You feel cool. It's like stepping into an air conditioned room from weeks of being in a desert heat. You're actually feeling the cold sensation for once.
01:27:56
Speaker
and
01:27:58
Speaker
What's beginning to happen is a number of um the sort of handmaidens of this space just turn and mark you. You do a scan of the room and those who aren't in worship, those are who are who are facilitating the space will turn and mark you. The far distance near this fountain is this really ornately dressed, high priestess-like figure that that hasn't turned around yet.
01:28:24
Speaker
The handmaidens, three of them, walk towards you. And as one gets relatively close, clearly human, freezes in her stance, turns around, and walks to the the temple. Cool. Nick's gonna run after her.
01:28:51
Speaker
You catch up within seconds. What do you do? do you Do you shout? Do you grab? ah
01:29:01
Speaker
in a He'll take the the vibe of the room. So if it's everyone's kind of whispering off his tone silent, um he's going to speak in the same sort of hum tone as the as the room. and so sir No, no, no. Yes, yes, yes, yes. She's just not even looking at you, she's just talking over her shoulder with her hand raised back towards you. No, Sora, like I need to talk to you. You have to leave. You cannot bring... No, I don't. Do not bring your curse here at all. I ain't got the curse with me. I ain't got the curse with me. I need to talk about this. You are cursed, Corral. You must leave. Yeah, but Sora, like of all people on the ship, I really need to talk to you.
01:29:44
Speaker
I spoke to the captain. No, you couldn't have, impossibly. He's imprisoned. Yes, I spoke to him. He's imprisoned, as you said, behind the bars. i ah There's so much I need to talk to you. ah Just give me, give me 20 minutes. Surely there's a place around here that we can go and speak. Please, sir. i You don't know how much I need this.
01:30:13
Speaker
On that plea, could you please make a persuasion check? If I knew I was going to make checks, I would have touched myself.
01:30:22
Speaker
I don't know that's how checks work. But that's OK, though. Who's at 19? 22 in total. Yes. There's a beat. She lets out a considerable sigh and looks up towards the stained glass mural on the wall.
01:30:42
Speaker
makes a gesture over her heart, and you you audibly hear her whisper a short prayer to Tiriani, turns to you, takes a seat, doesn't look at you, takes a seat and looks at the grass between you. Okay, we're doing this here? This is where I feel safe.
01:31:06
Speaker
Okay. You can be, you're safe with me. it's It's nothing's changed. There's so much, well, yes, a lot has changed actually. I've got so much to say in such a small amount of time, but the feelings I have for you and and our friendship, that hasn't changed. None of my commitment to the ship, the crew, nothing has changed. I'm only working. You don't know how hard I'm working. I'm only working to right my wrongs from the Esmeralda. And I might have a way to do that.
01:31:37
Speaker
But I've got a couple of questions. Where's thisre the crew? ah What are you doing here of all places? The Temple of Tiriani? You're not a religious follower. You're a carpenter, a surgeon up please at the worst of times. Hello, your voice. Sorry, there's a lot to... I've got a lot to so talk about. There's like a lot happened since that night on the ship. so A lot has happened and it's all your fault we're here.
01:32:08
Speaker
Yeah, you don't think that I haven't felt the guilt for that? That everything I've done since is to try and reconcile this. And I'm... I'm running out of options and possibly... Yeah, not, Nix. You fucked all of us harder than we've been fucked before.
01:32:31
Speaker
Every night I sleep is a nightmare. Everything I possibly try to do fails. Everywhere I go, I am followed. Everywhere I turn, I am seen. This is the only place where I feel safe. Okay, sir, but you got to fill in some blanks for me. I was just by the ship code, marooned, left, completely just by myself, no gold.
01:33:05
Speaker
Just me. And I've done everything by the code since. I've gotten the gold. I've got the means to get the Esmeralda back up and running. I've got the potential for getting the ship.
01:33:26
Speaker
What happened when I was left ashore? What happened since then? How did the ship fall into disrepair? How did the crew get cursed and what does the curse mean? You say you're running, what are you running from? Spiders. And what's the nightmares? Spiders. Everywhere. Always. Hulking. Stalking.
01:33:56
Speaker
And this is everyone? Everyone who was on the ship that night. Everyone who is subject to whatever it is you called upon.
01:34:08
Speaker
You haven't made a deal with it. Have you saw it? Please tell me you haven't made a deal because there's just's no going back on those deals. This is the worst thing in the world. Please say that you haven't spoken to any but one singular big huge gigantic motherfucker of a spider.
01:34:24
Speaker
No. Has anyone else? only It's all well and good seeing these little spiders. That's how it starts. But has anyone seen, for want of a better word, the mother of them? Only you did, Nix. And it's because you did that we all have to live with your decision. Right. So I'm trying to write that. Every fiber of my being, you don't know what I've been through to try and rate this, and I'm still trying to rate this, and I don't know if I will, but I have promised that I will die trying it. um That seems to be more and more likely as the fucking days go on, trust me. Where's the rest of the crew? I only know a few other than the captain.
01:35:15
Speaker
Vasil
01:35:18
Speaker
Vaseel was killed in Goldview, drawing a dragon attack. What? No. What? The same day you were cast off that ship, that dragon attacked the city, Vaseel was killed. What? Why was he on the ship? Surely he should have been on the ship? Why wasn't he on the ship? That doesn't make any sense, the only eye was cast away. The captain sent him to keep an eye on you.
01:35:47
Speaker
to keep you protected. The captain feared your mouth would get you into trouble.
01:35:56
Speaker
Vaseel was meant to come back after a few days once you'd found your footing. He was the second in command. ah but but ah and And like Zane, Valben? Zane sails on another ship now, the Broken Steed. It's a merchant vessel out of Moonrise, all above board, navy. Seems to be safe. I haven't heard from him in months.
01:36:26
Speaker
Valben is now a slave.
01:36:31
Speaker
baron mcorus to the proprietor of the Hall of Mirrors here in Squatch Elm. Liddy joined a mercenary group, the Sand Vipers, I think. Lim and Nim, well, they were they were killed killed by the spider at sea.
01:36:57
Speaker
The spider.
01:37:03
Speaker
They drove them mad. They kept saying, the spider wants me, the spider wants me, and they jumped overboard and drowned. There's three members of the Esmeralda just just dead. How long?
01:37:26
Speaker
The crew's done. There's one thing we do know about the curse.
01:37:34
Speaker
It'll only be lifted once you appease whoever you spoke to that day or fail to speak to that day. I thought the curse only got me. I didn't realize it got all the ship. It was killed.
01:37:57
Speaker
Ah, okay. Can't see why you wanted to run away from me. um See why everyone would want to run away from me. ah I don't know. With the captain in chains. Second in command, Vasil. Dead. Zane on another ship.
01:38:31
Speaker
Yeah. You're the only one.
01:38:37
Speaker
Occasionally. Not that they're me, but I'm cursed. Occasionally I see Valbin. But you're not allowed to speak to them. Yeah, but you're the youngest. What? If I could... Well, how can I fix this, sir?
01:39:00
Speaker
You need to end the curse, Nix, and only you know how. What will you do?
01:39:08
Speaker
I'll serve Tiriani till the end of my date. Even if I break the curse? She has shown me a warmth and a sanctuary that I have never known. What about the code? The family? The ship? We have no ship. We're a broken family. The captain is...
01:39:30
Speaker
about to be, well, as I understand it, is a registered prize for slavitude. Hang the code.
01:39:44
Speaker
Everything I've done up until this point has been by the code. Then you are the only pirate left in all of us. I've done some things sir to get
01:39:59
Speaker
To get to this point, I've done some things.
01:40:04
Speaker
And did you say that... In order for me to break the curse, did you even know what that means? I haven't told anyone this, ah but the curse, the spider... And she sort of flinches when you say... You flinch! Fucking imagine being face to face with it!
01:40:24
Speaker
And she begins to sort of make a holy gesture and begins to mutter prayers under her breath as you're sort of invoking this eldritch thing.
01:40:34
Speaker
I have to deliver for this curse to be broken, I have to deliver three innocent lives to the sea. One of them being Sebastian fucking sleep guard.
01:40:53
Speaker
My captain, he's another one on the list and the only other person I can call a friend in my life, Marota, I have to take her.
01:41:06
Speaker
These people have done nothing. Two of them have protected me and given me their lives at times. And one, use the fucking air of a kingdom.
01:41:26
Speaker
And that's just the beginning of it. I have lied and stole. I mean, a very pirate of me, but it's getting harder. I have found my way into a group. Then you must leave them. They'll suffer the same fate.
01:41:48
Speaker
Nix, I am holding everything inside, not to punch you in the face and tell you, well, that's just fucking your comeuppance for dealing in this shit that you have brought upon all of us. But you can't understand I'm trying to fix it. At some point. and She starts crying at this point. I don't care how you fix it. At some point, a sinner has to find redemption because I am trying really hard, but it's It feels like I have to cross every person in my life. Double cross, kill even. This is why these magics are dark, are disgusting, come with insidious hazard.
01:42:46
Speaker
You're naive to the risks when you started it, Nix, but you have to live with the consequences. I don't mind myself living with the consequences. It's those around me living with them that I don't like. And that's what I'm trying to fix. And if it takes my life, so be it.
01:43:06
Speaker
I am a long way from feeling sympathetic towards you, Nix. I'm not trying to gain sympathy. I'm trying to fix it. Then what are you doing here in a temple to a god you don't follow? You're the person that the captain said still resided here. I had to give it a try. I don't know. You might have known something.
01:43:26
Speaker
And you're... Are you gonna try and help, captain? How? I have no... He's running away in a jail cell. Surely... It's not the first time we would have broken someone out of prison. I'm not a pirate any anymore, Nick. None of us are.
01:43:44
Speaker
That'll end it when she just looks at the floor again.
01:43:54
Speaker
So you think I should just break the curse? I won't do anything to stop having these nightmares. And if that involves telling you to do whatever the fuck you can to stop it, then yes. Okay.
01:44:18
Speaker
Okay, I'll break the curse. um
01:44:25
Speaker
Try to remember, even if it's just for the sake of a memory, the times on the Esmeralda that we all shed.
01:44:44
Speaker
Um, they mean a lot to me and have, uh, full barrel was steered my direction, uh, in choppy seas. So I probably won't see you again. And that's I'll try and fix it. Sorry. When I am capable of forgiveness, I don't want forgiveness.
01:45:12
Speaker
And I don't want sympathy. I'm aware of what I did. Just know that I'm trying to fix it. That's all I want you to know. And I don't expect or want anything else. And fix it soon.
01:45:28
Speaker
Or die trying. Nyx will get up, turn around and walk out and pick up his boots. And as the camera zooms out of the temple of Tiriani,
01:45:42
Speaker
And just as that Grand Theft Auto V character re-select screen, where it zooms you across the city and zooms back in, we just see Baal on the coattails of Prago and Marota. And just as Baal reaches out to speak, to grab, to attack, to cry, that is where we're going to end this week's episode. The Fellowship of the Tabletop, the Lendricarnis.
01:46:11
Speaker
Oh, donkey. That was a nice little nixie moment there. It was nice. Oh, thanks. The chat was ah ever so nice as well. Can I just say, let's ah let's pick out some of the hornholes. Who's in the cooch? Does Nix have toes? ah What is this? If I could turn back time. Nice. I like it. I like it. When you fucked the spider, have you ever heard the tragedy of Nix Carell the Cursed? It's not a tale to the followers of Tiryani would tell.
01:46:43
Speaker
I think hornholes gets my vote.
01:46:48
Speaker
um Thanks everyone for listening, tuning in, making this part of your day week. Speaking of hornholes. Speaking of the hornholes, we hope that your hornholes enjoyed our voices and that we have enlightened the senses.
Conclusion and Listener Engagement
01:47:06
Speaker
If you wanted to keep up to date with anything that we're doing, we do post now, as you know, the map of Scorch Helm. If you want to click on that or refresh yourself of where we are and what we're talking about when we mention places, check our X page. You'll find the image on there. It's our Photoshop tabletop. Then if you wanted to go one step further and Follow us individually. The chat's still going, so I keep an eye on it. I'm at eyeball the one Darren's at. Darren Page, 0-6. Pooh Bear is at. Natural20. Will. Will is at. Fellow Jimin PC PC. Surprise.
01:47:44
Speaker
i tora
01:47:47
Speaker
kaumsza The Gamer. that Mark's at. Hey Stroll DM. And our VIP of D and&D Dungeon Master Danny can be found at Total Party Thrills. Until next time, stole your line.