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Ep. 62 The Visitor and the Minecarts - De Profundis
99 Plays4 years ago
A decision is made, a spell scroll completed and an unexpected visitor appears at the door.
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
- Carstan/Will - @Natural20Will
- Robin/Darren - @DarrenPage06
- Claude/Danny - @totalpartythrlz
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Transcript
00:00:24
Speaker
No, your countdown's beginning.
Introduction and Characters
00:00:31
Speaker
Hello 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 world of Aerith. My name is Mark and I am the Don John Master. And also with us for today's episode, we have Ian, who plays the Dragonborn Barbarian Drago. Don John Master.
00:00:49
Speaker
Callen, who plays the gnome sorcerer for the Follyfids along the ninth. I'm done in, I'm broken already. The human champion, Helen, a sleek guard. Don Johnmaster. You've got Danny, who plays the human cleric, Claude. John Johnmaster. Will, who plays the human bad cast, and fuck you all. Don Johnmaster. And Darren, who plays the human fighter, Rogue Robin.
00:01:13
Speaker
What exactly is John the master of? No, I said Don John. Don John. I heard Don John. Yeah, Don John. Don John. Don John. There's no O at the end. Don John. Are we getting out? That's like a hundred years ago. It's about a hundred episodes ago.
Reunion and Peril
00:01:39
Speaker
I don't know actually longer than that mate it is about okay I'm willing to bet on this that it is 58 episodes ago so if you guys are just tuned in we love each other really just speaking of fucking the DM who wants to hear what happened on last week's episode of the fellowship at the tabletop I do I do yeah
00:02:03
Speaker
Well, luckily, I remember. So here we go. I mean, it's vague. Last week's episode of the Fellowship of the Tabletop, we left the Galanin Hollows, the party finally reunited. Of course, save for Darren. He was replaced by a very, very poor imitation of him via myself. So apologies, Darren. But unfortunately, Robin died last episode. So you got to reroll as a worm or something. I know.
00:02:29
Speaker
You ever think about it? So anyway, we made our way from the Galanin Hollows as one party finally reunited with Helena and Claude retelling their story of the inner turmoil they faced within Helena's mind and the visions they had of the ending of the Blight. They also met up with the rest of the party who basically explained to them what had happened with the Onyx Reaver running into Elphir and the hordes of the undead that seemed to envelop the Galanin Hollows. And they made it out literally by the
00:02:58
Speaker
skin of their pants, that's not an expression, by the very, very, very, I can't think of a good expression here.
Journey to the Great Siphon
00:03:04
Speaker
They almost died, basically, just made it out in time before death and, you know, kind of encompassed them and took them took them for a ride back to back to Akiva. And they made it out and finally started making their way along this long path towards where Kennard a few episodes ago had mentioned they needed to go, which was something referred to as the Great Siphon, which was a massive basically ski lift, but instead of
00:03:26
Speaker
carrying people for their adventures in the Alps. It actually holds these massive kind of skips that can fit all the supplies and take it down off the mountain towards Goldview where they used to sell all the wares from the quarry.
00:03:39
Speaker
However, it's been abandoned as long as the quarry has been abandoned, which as far as Canard could remember had been quite some time that there were people who were quite keen to get it started up again. We made our way towards this large tower which supported the main wire that took all the skips down towards the
00:03:58
Speaker
bottom of the mountain and inside this tower was almost a lighthouse keeper-esque room at the base of it. It was all made of wood with a wooden staircase going up the outside but at the base of which was a door and inside that door was a small living quarters with a small stone staircase down within it as well. Within there there was a fire that was lit and the stories of the events that had taken place to the two groups of parties were passed from one to the other. Robin at one point decided that the
00:04:26
Speaker
upon the subject of Elphin, he wanted to just step outside and took himself outside for a while. And as the party regaled the two stories, Helena tried to remember some important information about a book she saw within her mind, a book which might hold some of the answers too.
00:04:44
Speaker
How to End the Blight. Upon hearing this, Kastan decided to go into her mind to try and help her remember this, knowing that he had comprehended languages. And after a bit of a two and a fro, and a bit of a messy entering into the mind, Kastan managed to write down these demonic scrawls, which you saw upon the book, and worked out that this was the title of some kind of anti-holy text almost called The World Away.
Personal Reflections and Dilemmas
00:05:10
Speaker
I managed to decipher one phrase from it.
00:05:12
Speaker
We join the party a few hours later with rest taking place, an order of watch in place as well, though the space feels incredibly safe, warm now with the fire that Tyler lit earlier, as Robin enters back in and makes himself comfortable in a corner of the room. There's a fire going in the corner with a couple of bookcases filled full of boring fiction tales of old.
00:05:40
Speaker
and a couple of spaces for sleep where the party have kind of spread themselves out. For expediency, would anyone like to be on watch as we start up the episode? And just kind of picking us up halfway through. I assume it would just be a standard watch. Like before we went to sleep, we would volunteer ourselves, as we have done previously, and fall into pattern. So Drago would probably take the first watch. Who would take the second one? Anyone?
00:06:07
Speaker
Robin probably wouldn't volunteer to take a watch, but he may still be awake during Drago's watch, if that's okay, as he had a lot on his mind. I'll take watch two. To Claude takes the second watch. Helena can take the third. Helena, Tyler will take the watch with Helena for that, then probably either follow your cast on, I guess, to finish up. I'll take the next one. Well, cast on. You can take it together. Cast and get along, please.
00:06:34
Speaker
Fair enough, fair enough. And as we fall into this order, it's almost like quite melancholy, the speed at which this happens. It's not like, right, now we're asleep, now we need to get on. It's quite the pace feels like it's fallen out slightly. And we're just kind of calming down after reading, regaling back these stories that have taken place to two different groups of the party and trying to understand what this means.
00:06:55
Speaker
moving forward. We first join, sat by near the fire, drago, keeping watch with the door ajar looking out, which is our only entrance and exit to the space, with Robin sat in the corner forlorn, but awake in the corner as the rest of the party takes themselves aside and either rests, meditates, or licks their wounds, so to speak.
00:07:16
Speaker
I'm glad you made it out. I didn't know if you would. I didn't think I would make it out. And I didn't think I'd make it out as an owl when I did. While I'm here, I guess I have cast down to thank for that use of magic. And, uh, Joago's face kind of, uh, shows a look of disdain at the word magic, especially when used on himself. I flew for the first time.
00:07:41
Speaker
that was something enjoy it so hard to process emotions at the minute that I'm not entirely sure what it made me feel but I'm alive because of it and I suppose for that I will be grateful yeah it seems our job is not quite done here
00:07:57
Speaker
Drago, I've been meaning to ask, what happened between you and Elfir? You were there. Are you talking about in the mines or like before?
Mission's Weight and Challenges
00:08:06
Speaker
You looked like you made a conscious choice to save him and I... Ah, yeah, that. I told you before we entered that we couldn't write him off and if there was an opportunity to save him, I would take it.
00:08:23
Speaker
And so I saw an opportunity and took it. I think I can save him. And Drago looks down at the fire and his brow creases in as he remembers.
00:08:36
Speaker
When I walked through the flames and grabbed him and prayed, begged Akiva to step in and save him, I saw a look of recognition in Elfia's face deep into his eyes as if he had woken from a torturous place, and it was for a brief moment
00:08:57
Speaker
but he looked me straight into the eyes and it was like the elf ear that we came into Aerith with and it will be a look that haunts me now and I still couldn't successfully bring him back because that dick of a god or whatever he calls himself
00:09:18
Speaker
stepped in. I can't excuse Elphir for what he's done, but I can certainly save his life for the things
Interrogation of Tristan Fonema
00:09:23
Speaker
that he hasn't done, and that's what I will do. I think everyone here has a path to destroy the Blight. I feel like mine might be changing to save Elthir. I haven't figured out the how, but something has changed since we've exited that mine, and I just need to find out a way.
00:09:46
Speaker
Mark my words, Elthea's not lost, and I will get him back. And you saw that. You truly believe we can save him. As close as I see you stood next to me, and as far as I know deep down that you are Robin, and I can look you in the eye and I know the man you are, I looked into Elthea's eyes and I saw Elthea as he was, as he will be. I miss him. I don't.
00:10:14
Speaker
But I feel like I have to save him now. No, I guess like, it just doesn't sit well with me. That creature, that thing he was with...
00:10:24
Speaker
Yeah, I know that creature. When I rejected his overtures, he showed me a vision of my sister's death. I shook it off as being a trick, but seeing you swing your sword at him in it. As you brought back that memory, Drago's hand kind of clenches, fist clenches, as you were, sorry.
00:10:46
Speaker
And I can't stop thinking, what if she's really gone? I don't think that you should take any stock into what that God has said to you. If you are worried about family members being lost, there's a hint of recognition in Drago's voice. Obviously, he's got Cy and Car out there. Claude might be the best person to talk to. He's almost too informative on my members of the family.
00:11:16
Speaker
Either way, don't take the words from this God. I look forward to killing him. Mark my words on this as well. I will kill him. A lot of anger in front inside of me and a lot of rage trying to... I don't know. I need to get stronger. I need to get stronger.
00:11:33
Speaker
Where do we go from here? We take the cards down. Draggo shoves his head over to the line of mind cards slash pseudo stair lift. We take the cards down to gold view. That's the next destination for us. We're on the path of finding a book now.
00:11:57
Speaker
is more informed than any of us from her travels and Claude's travels. They have ironed out a path for us in a way to defeat the Blight. And we're looking for a book of the world away. It's a holy text as far as I'm aware. It's things that's always above me.
00:12:16
Speaker
You and me both. I think this fight's going to get more dangerous, and we're going to lose more before it's done. We've only lost, well, not only, but we've lost Shader so far. That's enough. We haven't lost anyone else yet.
00:12:32
Speaker
that we know of. As for your sister try not to dwell on things that you can't truly know about and keep faith because you're needed here and we need you and we need you at your best because like you say things are going to get tougher so ask the questions and try and find out where your sister is but don't let it detract you into a dangerous situation where you might not be around to ask
00:13:00
Speaker
said questions keep your mind sharp i think whatever we're facing is good at establishing ways of testing our faith and well robin takes a hip flask off his waist i don't know what i've been saving this for but um i picked this up before well i picked this up in neverwinter and um well it's nearly all gone robin takes a swig of it the last of this sort of coastian whiskey
00:13:28
Speaker
and offers what's left of it to Drago, just holds out the hip flask. Drago's nostrils flare as he takes in the scent and then reaches out, grabs the hip flask and with a nod, we'll get through this, and tips it back into his gullet. I'm glad you're here. I'm glad you're here too. And as the fire continues to crackle and burn,
00:13:50
Speaker
the two original OG members of the party separate and Drago goes to wake up Claude for his watch kicks him Claude you are awoken by a slightly whiskey smelling dragonborn Claude oh you smell nicer than usual agreed this stuff is good your watch righto i'm just gonna walk out
00:14:16
Speaker
And I'm going to nod my head at Jago and I'm going to have a nice little stroll outside. Okay. Anything you want to do on your travels or are you just looking around? What are you doing? I think I'm going to, um, it's going to be quite dark. We're in night cycle again, because I know for some part of it, we were like traveling during the night and resting during the day, but we're now in. Yeah. We've caught up, thank God, because that was, that was no fun to keep up with. But yeah, we're back to normal now.
00:14:41
Speaker
Yes, there's still snow caps around, or are we on rock? No, still snow around. It's really, really cold, but you've walked a little bit away out of the quarry. The quarry seems slightly warmer, undeterminably warmer. Though where you move now, you're kind of on an outcrop near the edge of the mountains, which is relatively snowy on the edges.
00:15:03
Speaker
Okay I will just use the powder snow on the surface and I'll sort of mark out an Akiva shrine in the snow and I'll just spend my watch while I'm looking around also praying and having a mini sermon because I believe I'm the only follower so he has got a hundred percent of his people praying for him at that moment. Yeah I'll just thank him for the lessons I've learned, I'll thank him for the
00:15:29
Speaker
opportunity to go and help Helena for giving me the knowledge of where we need to go next and for helping protect my friends and I'll just have a religious couple of hours to myself. Please take your clothes off and just do a dance. Something out of Ace Ventura.
00:15:51
Speaker
I was thinking more like, thank you for the music. Yeah. How would I like to think that maybe there's some sort of Greek traditional Greek dancing perhaps will happen. Smashing some play. That's what I think I might do.
00:16:13
Speaker
I thought it'd be more you go old school and go Clay Peak blessing the eggs. That's just ancient, ancient sleep guardian law, that. That's more of a rite of passage than anything else. If you're interested in what I'm talking about, please look back to episode 10 of The Fellowship at the Tabletop. Good segue, good segue. I'm not even sure if it is 10 though, but anyway, sorry Claude.
00:16:36
Speaker
I have never met another follower of this religion, so I practice it in whatever way I think I can. I also don't know how to practice this religion because I've never seen anyone do it before I fell into a hole of death. So yeah, that's just what I'm going to do. I'm just going to figure out ways that I can sort of pay my respects and keep a withered eye on the cable car contraption.
00:17:01
Speaker
And as you do that, you work through your number of almost routines now less than religions and just kind of routines that you think give some kind of homage to Akiva. And what you feel near the end of one of your prayers, one of your sections of reflection upon Akiva and his blessings he gave upon you, you get a noticeable sense of
Scrolls and the Great Siphon Plan
00:17:24
Speaker
kind of a lift almost like you would when you use the blessing of the key up on the group and yourself, you feel a lift, you have inspiration. But you also feel this inspiring feeling. As it enters you, there's a sense of loss, or sadness tinged with it as well, almost as if imagining if it was an injection of adrenaline,
00:17:47
Speaker
There was something in it just not quite as adrenaliney as it used to be. Something feels diluted ever so slightly, ever so slightly. Your watch passes without any issue. There is silence upon the mountain top, the deep dark of the mountain top.
00:18:07
Speaker
The wind barely moves, so any noise you are alert to, nothing but the small faltering of the odd rock that totters over the edge of a nearby ravine. You are in line to wake up Helen at next. Helen and Tali, you said next. So as I come back in, I'm going to, while they still sleep, cast bless on both of them while they aren't around.
00:18:34
Speaker
awake to receive it knowingly and then I will wake them up and then I will go back onto my little bit of ground and fall asleep again. Okay, clawed out with spell slots left over. I know, look at that. There's always a space for a bless. He didn't draw hard enough in that fight, obviously, that's what it was.
00:18:53
Speaker
So, Helena, you awake to a rather grotty Tali who has hair kind of everywhere. She's obviously been deep in her sleep when Claude gave her a swift kick to wake her up. I guess it's you and me for this watch then, eh? Yes, don't sound so enthused about it, Tali. I'm just a bit tired after what we've been through, that's all. Yes, me too. I've had my head examined quite literally.
00:19:18
Speaker
Aye, I've been there. How was it, by the way? You know, sharing your mind with Claude? Well, I had to share it with Claude, and then I had to share it with Kastan, so it's been investigated to the max, I'd say. Aye. It was private, and it was made public, those people who I'd shared it with. So it wasn't my ideal sort of fun.
00:19:43
Speaker
No, you can say that again. It wasn't my ideal sort of fun. Yeah, it wasn't literal behind us. I was just making a... Never mind. So what's... I know what we're doing now, but what are you going to do, given that we're going back to Goldview and given that, you know, your family's there?
00:20:05
Speaker
Well, I've got what I suppose I need at the moment. So we'll go back to Goldview and I'll try to find my family. I'll try to find my mother. I need to give her what we've got, the crystals. I guess that's right. I'm not sure. I feel like I, well, if I go back to my father, maybe he will point me in the right direction.
00:20:29
Speaker
Hi. Let's hope. Let's hope. Yes, but for now we will protect, you know, this party and hopefully tomorrow will be a bit brighter. Yes. Yeah. Let's hope. Let's look to the future and spend less time in the past. I think that's right to do. Have you still got your book, Charlie?
00:20:50
Speaker
yep and she reaches down and grasps that her father's book by her side yep still got that uh still looking at it every day and you know continue to try and decipher what my father was was saying uh it's not any of the spouse or
00:21:06
Speaker
Not recently, not since the hollows, not since Elthea and everything. I don't have the energy to look at it today, but maybe if we are destined to go on these contraption up there and she gestures up to the minecarts, then I can envisage that we'll have some time. So maybe I'll look over them then. How did you find the gallon and hollows? It was the second scariest thing I've ever done.
00:21:32
Speaker
You're only slight, and I know that you've practiced some spells, but not all of them. So I could say that you'd been relying on a lot of us, slash myself, not, uh, nor Claude. Yeah. Well, it was, but it was the, it was the claustrophobia of it. The fact that we couldn't just.
00:21:53
Speaker
The difference is, when we were at Bleakmore and the undead were pounding against the gates, we could always run away and move back. But it was our choice to stay, but this time there was nowhere to run. They were encompassing us, they were surrounding
Descent and Scenic Views
00:22:09
Speaker
us, and that was
00:22:10
Speaker
That was the worst thing. That's why it was just. I just. We almost lost Robin. You have no idea how close it was. I saw him at the end of that corridor and he wasn't leaving. He wasn't going anywhere and it wasn't until Foley dropped you and went to him. If he hadn't done that then we would have been mourning another loss.
00:22:29
Speaker
Well, I have known you all for a long time, but what I do know of Robin is that he's a fighter and he will do anything to protect you and the rest of us. Aye, but there's more to this world than just me. I think the sooner Robin realizes that the better because he can't always be there to protect me. I don't know. I know, and I think Robin knows that too. Aye. And there'll be a time when you'll save him.
00:22:57
Speaker
I don't know about that. We'll see. If I could repay the favor twice now that he's already received me. Once from captivity and multiple times actually from death. If I could just repay him the once, that would mean the world to me. But we'll see. I'm sure you'll find the time. Well. Maybe I'll just buy him a drink or two. That's true. I'd say that he wouldn't say no to that. Yeah.
00:23:19
Speaker
Maybe I'll do that. When we get to Goldview, if it's anything like of what I've hired, it'll be a nice place to visit. A bit of civilization. Definitely. The ales there are stupendous. Stupendous? That sounds great. I'm looking forward to it now. I'm not quite so nervous anymore. Thank you. Good.
00:23:39
Speaker
NMS, there's anything else you want to say? No, no, no, cool. And the watch passes without much of a problem. And then the two of them decides to wake up finally. Polly, and Karsten, or just Polly? You can wake up Karsten as well. Well, what's going to happen? Maybe Tali misheard and thought it was both of you. And Tali goes over to wake up Karsten, and Helena goes over to wake up Polly. Karsten, wake up. It's time to...
00:24:07
Speaker
Do you watch? Wake up. OK, I'm awake. OK, I'm not. Night. And with the two of you awake, the fire's still red hot. Talies just brought the flames back up with control flames just before you went to sleep. So it's a nice hot fire as we reach kind of 4, 5 a.m. with the sun close to rising now. And you can see some light in the sky above you, but no sun yet. What do you like to do? Volley, do you think we'll make it?
00:24:35
Speaker
What? Down the mountain? Yes, we'll be fine. No, beyond that. It depends what you mean by make it. I don't know anymore. The things I saw in Helena's head, I don't know whether it's the future or a projection of what might be. Just doesn't spit bleak. Who knows what the future can actually hold for us, Castan? We can just get there in our most pleasurable amount of time and see what happens. We can't control what will happen.
00:25:05
Speaker
Make sure you're on the right side of things. No, I know. And I think we are on the right side. Does it really rest on the few of us? I know everyone else is doing their best. And there's the obsidianists and all those people fighting. But does it really come down to this few handful and cast a more gesture at the others asleep?
00:25:30
Speaker
How can the weight of everything just come down on us? I don't know. Everybody has to take up a weight every now and then. Let me ask you something. Back in the... Back in the Hollows when Drago held Healthier and said he saw the moment where his character seemed to return to him. He seemed so adamant that he can save him. But let me ask you, if he can't be saved, would you kill him?
00:25:59
Speaker
Well, I've never met him, so... If it meant the end of the Blight, would you kill him? I suppose we've got to. I mean, the Blight's everything for us. I mean, I know that Drago and Robin and Talia are here to help, but the Blight's not... they've not had to live with this affecting their world. You know, it's... That is what concerns me. The mercy that Drago showed Elph here. An enemy that for many moons I've been travelling with them, they've...
00:26:28
Speaker
been resound and they wanted their own vengeance and now minds have changed. Should it mean the end of the black? Do you think Drago would ever kill Othea? Or do you think he would merely try and save him? I don't know who can predict what Drago will do depending on what side of the bed he wakes up on. I mean, he's not the most predictable person in the world.
00:26:49
Speaker
No, no, no, of course not, and that is indeed one of these strengths, but I... I know what you mean though, I think if it came to a choice between, I don't know, I mean, they seem pretty adamant on wanting to try and save him, and I don't know, it's... I fear he may be too far gone. I fear that if Drago won't do what needs to be done, then it may rest with one of us, you, me, Helena, Claude.
00:27:14
Speaker
Those two, Drago and Robin, they are not of this world. And perhaps they could be on in the person. This is not their fight. All I know is, Folly, I think ending the blight is going to cost a lot more than we've paid already.
00:27:30
Speaker
I wouldn't disagree with you there. I think a lot of people are going to die before the Blight ends. A lot of people already have. Should the moment come where somebody else needs to die for one reason or another, I hope that you will, as I will, do the right thing. Yeah, of course. The difference between ending the Blight and saving
00:27:54
Speaker
this elf there. It's not a question, is it? It is what it is. Not for us, but let me pose another scenario, if I may. I believe that Jago and Robbins and Tali's adventure started with them trying to get back to their own world if they had to choose between saving our world and going back to theirs. I don't know. I mean, I've never thought about it. You've traveled with them
00:28:23
Speaker
the longer. I've never quite thought about whether that would be a thing. Now you mention it, I suppose if I wanted to get back home somewhere I'd do everything I could and yeah, I don't know. We all want to go back home, Karstan. We all do. I believe that
00:28:43
Speaker
while Drago and Robbins and Taly's motives at the moment are indeed aligned with ours. I believe our world should still be our first priority, and I would expect no less of it from them. I have nothing but respect for all three of them. They are
00:29:03
Speaker
wise and capable and excellent warriors. But sometimes thoughts, doubts creep into Pertens' mind, especially after everything we've been through, especially after mercy shown by Drago of all people. It's something I never thought I would see. Now, I know, and I thought after he was in the flames and we made him stay there, I thought that was it. I thought we were going to get a win. Get something. It's hard.
00:29:33
Speaker
But I hope when we get to Goldview and we have a chance to find this book and do what we can, I hope we can try and make sure that we are as prepared as we can be for whatever comes. Because the hollows were scary. And I think things are going to be a lot harder than that when it actually comes down to it. There are certainly strong enemies ahead of us. And I do believe caution and improving oneself is the best course of action we can do for now.
00:30:02
Speaker
And as Folly says that, Karsten, you and your high perception start to hear something off in the distance. It sounds almost unreal at first, but what you do start to hear, but you imagine it's some kind of almost hallucinogenic thing left over from Helena's mind because it sounds so out of place. You hear a song, a little singy song, off in the distance, echoing almost.
00:30:24
Speaker
And it gets a bit closer, and this goes on for a little bit, but you just assume it's something, some residue left over from your use of spells into the minds of Tali and Helena. And as it gets a bit closer still, and a bit closer, you start to realize this might be real.
00:30:40
Speaker
And you hear it. Getting closer and closer and closer. And fully by now you probably do hear it.
00:31:00
Speaker
What is that? Who is that? And suddenly, at the door of the small space you're in, gets kicked open and stood right in front of you is this relatively stout short man with a large black hat on it, a long gray mustache, brown leather apron, white shirt, some black spectacles on his nose, but kind of ashen suits all over his face as he continues, takes off his backpack,
00:31:30
Speaker
Oh yeah, you're full rested. You're full rested. The rest is over. I don't know how I would feel about this, but if someone just came bursting in, like, you know, I'm shooting from the hip, buddy. Yeah, go for it. What do you want to do? No, I don't know. I think... Wait a shit on the DMs. What do you want to do? I don't know.
00:31:48
Speaker
Oh, Calla, what do you feel? How would you feel that Folly would react at this point? In all fairness, if Folly is near the door when this guy bursts in, there is literally going to be quarter staff pointed straight at him, flame of blades at the end of it. Nothing actually done yet, but a clear warning, say, hold on there. Who the hell are you?
00:32:10
Speaker
Can the other four of you make perception checks, please? It's a DC-10 to see if you hear the door slam. I mean, you've got to be pretty sleepy to not hear it. Thank you. And we'll hold that and we'll see who else is awake for this. I won't say that to Foley because of its disadvantage. OK. Nah, it's quite loud. Ian, what'd you get? 14. Cool. Helena? 10.
00:32:29
Speaker
10, no problem. Claude? 14. And Robin? 7. Okie dokie. So Helena just about groggily wakes up, Claude wakes up, and Drago wakes up to this slam door, and this figure stood there. I'm imagining kind of like a, he looks a bit hipster steampunk, but almost by accident. This is just like literally, he's fallen into the style by accident somehow. He sounds like a monopoly guy.
00:32:53
Speaker
It's a lovely guy. A little bit taller, comes cracking in, hits the door open. Like you're very obviously in and around the space, but somehow he just walks in, takes his backpack off, starts moving over to the fire without noticing anyone. He stops at that and turns very slowly towards Karstan and looking directly at you. Are you alone here? Oh, it's me and these six other people.
00:33:21
Speaker
As he slowly slowly rotates around he starts to kind of take everyone in oh fuck ah Didn't I didn't see you all here very sorry to have missed the hats We're not you're pretty hard to miss I mean have you killed that have you killed that one he points over towards Robin no only You excuse me
00:33:45
Speaker
He's asleep. I see. Two birds as loose as better than one in the grave. That's what they say, don't they? So, yeah.
00:33:53
Speaker
No. No, they don't say that. Excuse me? They don't say that. No. Do they not? No. Well, I happen to. And I am some people. And you are? I am. And you are as well. And he is pointing the follow. And the dragon one is as well. Do I know you? I do. Stay tuned before I hear you off this mountain. Have I met you before? No. Your voice sounds familiar. Are you an asmr? Really?
00:34:24
Speaker
No, the DM's got a limited number of voices, unfortunately. He does that. I found out the only one that was like, hang on a minute, I've met this guy. I'm very different. We need to level up the DM so we can have additional voices. I can make him sound more like Joe Wicks a little bit. How about that? What are you doing here? This is my home. Thank you very much.
00:34:50
Speaker
I may ask the same to you, young dragon. What are you doing in my hut? Taking refuge for the night. Did you pay a rent? Did you ask for one? Absolutely not. Then there's your answer. Fair.
00:35:08
Speaker
Hello. You've got a magnificent beard. Can I just say that from the get-go? Thank you. I like your shiny house. Thank you. My name is Tristan Follnomer. It's French. You wouldn't know it. Tristan Follnomer? Close enough, actually. Oh, well, my name is Claude. Nice to meet you.
00:35:30
Speaker
Very nice to meet you. This is where I... This is Drago. He's the dragon that you pointed at. That's Robin, who you thought was dead. Outside this folly, he just threatened you. What you're doing is Karsten. This is Princess... I mean, this is... oh, Helena. And over there is Charlie. And over there's Charlie. Oh.
00:35:53
Speaker
Robin, this you have most likely woken up. I'm not going to make you roll for it. You will come round to this. Oh, I see the corpse has woken up finally. Hello. Hello. Tristan Fonema. Nice to meet you. We're in this house cast and we should be polite. Well, I mean, I mean, it's all the way up a mountain near a massive place that had lots of dead ends. So it seems a bit weird.
00:36:18
Speaker
Yeah, I can see why that would be weird, but unfortunately for you it is not weird because I happen to be working upon the mines, young bard. So you know how to work this contraption? Absolutely not. I work by digging bits of the mine. I hope one day that the mines reopen and my family can own it again. On your own?
00:36:43
Speaker
There are many people with me many of whom are not here right now save myself Insight check fail as in you pass he fails Okay, he's lying. No, he's 100% lying You're lying
00:36:58
Speaker
That's very rude. This is his house. No, he's lying, Claude. You're lying. There's nobody else with him. He's lying. But he basically just described what a miner does and he lives near a mine. Claude, trust me. I can tell when people are lying. I've done it enough myself. He's lying. I think we're getting ahead of ourselves here. That's a bit harsh. This is your house. It is a little bit, yeah. Insight check.
00:37:23
Speaker
He's lying. This isn't his house, he's lying. I own this house for six generations, thank you very much. I have been a liar. Okay, what are you doing here? Who is this? What are you doing? Who is this man? All right, and then Drago takes out Dengon's deception off his back and just levels it towards his neck. What are you doing here? Drago, he's pood himself. I have not pood myself. He's lying. Okay, fine, I have a little bit.
00:37:52
Speaker
One last time. What are you doing here? Fine. I left because... Fine. I got kicked out of Blackmouth ages ago and now I've been staying up here ever since. Draggo looks to Carstan. Are you... I assume you're going to tell me if he's telling the truth. Mark, I assume he's lying. He's lying. He's lying. No, I'm not! Are you a deserter? I am not. Sword still at your neck. Is he lying?
00:38:22
Speaker
he's lying. Robin at this point is just looking this bloke up and down, trying to investigate if there's anything that will give way as to who he is. Where his words are failing, he's hoping he's... Give us an investigation, Robin. It's good. It's a 28. You look him up and down as the sword is pointed at him and he flicks between Kastan accusing him of lying and Drago brandishing a sword of death upon him and you get this faint
00:38:51
Speaker
understanding that the clothes he wears seem to be that of a blacksmith almost it's a thick leather apron that would seem remiss in many other professions except that of blacksmithery or weaponry and some or husbandry in some regard really something that used his hands or helped make something either that or he stole it you can't really decide and the the number of lies flying out of his mouth seemed to color your decision slightly
00:39:15
Speaker
I happened to be down a few arrows, and I know a smith when I see one. Where's your forge, and how long have you tended to it? It's not far from here. It's only about three or five hours away. I've been there for a year or so, and we haven't got many customers. I'm not going to lie, because we're in the middle of a quarry in the middle of nowhere in the Scarborough Mountains. But I'm hoping when they open the mines again, eventually, business will return to how it was before. That's my aim, at least.
00:39:44
Speaker
You're three and a three, five hours away from where you live, which then of course poses the question, what are you doing here? Yeah, again, what are you doing here? And the sword just pushes up towards the skin. When the truth there, Mark, sorry. No, he wasn't. Guys, perhaps.
00:40:08
Speaker
Right, listen, my friend here is quite prone at chopping people's heads off, so you need to start telling the truth, because either we do this the hard way, which is his way, the easy way and he talks to us, or you do it my way and that's not very nice. I really like the hard way. Look, could you do your thing for me? That light thing that you do that makes people confess everything.
00:40:32
Speaker
Oh no, it doesn't sound very pleasing to me. Let's talk like civil people for a minute. Let me just get some things off my... I'm getting impatient. Drago just chopped his head off for God's sake. I like the idea. Drago starts to draw the sword back. Final question. What are you doing here before I talk yet?
00:40:49
Speaker
Let me be very, very clear. If you've looked around the Skyward Mountains recently, you'll realise there's nothing really here except the cold and the mountains, and they are dead, and they're dead, and there's lots of dead, and everything's gone, and I'm the only person here, and I haven't seen anyone else in a very, very, very, very, very, very, very long time, and you're the only people I've seen in a very long time. There's a place where there's nights and clean and warm to stay, so I came up here to stay some of my nights and clean and warm, you see, before I go back to my forge, before I go back to work, and wait for the people to pretend.
00:41:12
Speaker
Do you want me to look satcast and again? You're lying about the forwards. Why are you really here? It's weird. Why are you really here? More to boot, Mr. Question Time. David Dimbleby. Seriously, you're gonna do this right now. Yeah, you don't have a lot of options here. Colloquial references are not on the table. But...but... No, your countdown's beginning. Very well.
00:41:43
Speaker
I got A6. I'm not backing down. I think that I could take you. He's lying. I mean, I don't need you to tell me that you're lying there. Puny man. Give me a moment. Listen, sir, you're facing death. You need to level with us and perhaps...
00:42:05
Speaker
Perhaps this doesn't need to end with your head on the floor. I'm going to use persuasion on him. I'm going to cast guidance on Karsten. OK, what do you need for that persuasion? Is it just a straight persuasion roll against his intelligence? I've got a 25 on my persuasion, so yeah. What does that go against? Or is it just a DC? It's, I mean, yeah, it's a DC. Where do you think my words and the situation will persuade him to actually stop being a cock? He looks... What do you like to do, Danny?
00:42:34
Speaker
add a d4 oh cheers it's been a while since i've had to hold my sword up to someone in this manner i've missed it okay i've got a 27 okay in a series of events that feel somewhat similar to that of the ozran islands for drago ever so slightly um we find ourselves at odds with the civilians stood between a rock and a hard drago place and cast and using
00:42:58
Speaker
persuasion upon him, rolling such a high number. He looks between the sword tip that's now on his throat and Karstan's decision. Sword tip, Karstan, sword tip, Karstan, and moves his neck slightly away from the sword tip and goes, very well. I heard something on the mountain. The gallon in hollows collapsed, and I wanted to see who was responsible. Who told you that? How do you know that? I heard it. It made quite the kerfuffle.
00:43:26
Speaker
But it's only just happened. Who could have told you? No one. It happened a few hours ago, young man. If you were there, you'd know. Yeah, but that's what I mean. As in, you can't have heard it from someone. You must have been nearby. Yep. Why are you nearby? I told you I am waiting for the mines to reopen.
00:43:49
Speaker
cast down, remember we're in his house, he lives here. I live here. Also, is he telling the truth? He was. He is apparently here for some reason waiting for the mines to reopen that never will.
00:44:04
Speaker
they will open i have heard it from the king himself really you know him personally i met him describe him to our friend here may i um may i interject at this point yep what why
00:44:21
Speaker
Why do we care about him? Why are we wasting our time on him? Because it's a bit strange, Robin, that some random dude comes up a mountain. He's the first person we've seen and we've spent days climbing up these mountains and this guy just happens to be here. I don't believe in him. I mean, Robin, I've got no loyalties so I don't care what we do with him.
00:44:38
Speaker
We are in this man's house. If I may interject myself back into this conversation, I have the same questions for you. I have spent many a day on the mountain of met no one and all of a sudden I meet six of you all at the same time. It's like when they say you're waiting for a cart and then to arrive at the same time. I find it very suspect. There are seven of us actually. Sorry?
00:45:06
Speaker
or seven hello oh sorry i forgot about you in the corner um we came here on a very important mission right where we came up these mountains looking for no no no we came up looking for jamus i believe you because i rolled really badly and we received
00:45:32
Speaker
Who's Jamis? Well clearly you haven't been around the bottom of Blackmouth in recent times. Jamis has ordered a head hunt show down there and we're looking forward because apparently he came up here for a walkies a little while ago hasn't checked in. You know we're just doing the rounds.
00:45:51
Speaker
hmm do you think he's up around here up in up in our vicinity up where we currently may be residing well he's you know he's one of them he's one of them ranger types he likes to go into the wild for a while yeah yeah you know we'd follow up on leads we're not really rangeries we thought we'd travel as a big group and then we came across your lovely house
00:46:14
Speaker
But enough of our story, because we don't really need to tell you it. Because, you know, there's more of us than there are you. So, come on. I would say this Jamie's situation feels very much a bit like a shocker. But really my struggle when you're missing one of your own, you know. That must really be hard. Can I help in any way in searching for him whilst I make myself comfortable in this lovely house? We found him. Yeah, it's all right. Thanks.
00:46:42
Speaker
No, I think you just come in, actually. We're staying here. This is not your house. We know that for certain. So you need to go back to where you came from. Helena, could you roll intimidation, please? Surely. That'll be 17.
00:47:00
Speaker
He looks up at you for a second and kind of takes in your stature, your demeanor, the aggression in your eyes and in your voice. Sorry, I didn't mean to intrude upon yourself, Princess Helena, whatever. Fine, I'll go out in the cold then. Okay. Good day.
00:47:28
Speaker
And he picks up his rucksack again, puts it on his back, takes one final look around the room and his eyes land on Helena just for a second longer and it is a shifting glance of worry and then shuffles out of the room. Then he quickly scuffles out of the room and starts making his way back along the path.
00:47:49
Speaker
I feel like we're not going to enter Goldview quietly anymore. We're quite far from Goldview. It's going to take him, I mean, think about how many days it took us to get up the mountains. We'll get down far quicker than him. I think we should leave, though. So, Folly, I think you and I need to go and try and see if we can take a look at this mechanism and see if we can get this thing working. Yes, yes, of course. Let's not waste any more time, shall we? Yes.
00:48:19
Speaker
What time is it? We're up awfully early, aren't we? It's sunrise, so you only had a few hours left. It's fine. You've had your long rest. It's fine. It was a bit earlier than I thought, but it's OK.
00:48:32
Speaker
Okay, so you two looking for a, to find out how to make this thing work. Yeah. So you've got two choices. You could either take the wooden staircase up around the outside towards the top where it seems like goods could be stored and put upon the skips, or there was a staircase within where you currently are, a stone staircase going down, further down beneath where you currently reside. Which would you like to do?
00:48:56
Speaker
Shall we start at the bottom and work our way up, Folly? Sounds good. Let's go. Okay, as you move down into the kind of basement almost of the space, the two of you, it is quite dark, Folly. I'm assuming... I have dark vision. Yeah, exactly. And Karstan, you would have used torch. Yeah, exactly.
00:49:14
Speaker
And as you go down, it's a very small basement, big, big cobwebs strewn over barrels and collections of wood and hay, et cetera. And in the very center of the room, though, is this large metal hatch that seems to have been up against the wall. You can tell from where it's currently located, this would be on the outside wall of the room you were in upstairs. You notice the front panel of this is a large wrought iron
00:49:40
Speaker
hatch with a with a handle on the front and you also notice cast and absolute I think both of you would notice that there are scorch marks all around this hatch though to touch and the feel of the area it's very cold um everyone we've got a weird hatch that we might have to open it would be helpful if everyone was here just in case there are gribblies behind it
00:50:01
Speaker
Gribbly. Gribbly. I would just, while we're getting, mastering to go down there, Robin would just say to Helena, forgive me, Helena, but that man seemed to abscond very quickly at your behest. Didn't you say that there might be people out looking for you? Yes. What's your point?
00:50:24
Speaker
He could be a scout looking for you. I suppose. My father wouldn't know anybody like him. He was awfully drunk and confused. Well, I struggled to get a read on him at all, which makes me rather uneasy about him. We appear to be attracting quite a lot of attention as a group.
00:50:46
Speaker
What would you have suggested we do? Oh, no. I'm not suggesting anyone's done anything wrong. I'm just suggesting that... I mean, we could send out. Yeah. Track him. Not a bad idea. Robin will, first of all, scour the floor to see if there's any inclination of where his tracks go. Sorry, the tracks of this man. Yes. As in once he's left. Mm-hmm.
00:51:10
Speaker
Yeah, OK. Give me a perception check, please, Robin. 15. OK, as you follow where the tracks have left, they seem to follow back towards the gallon in hollows, or at least the way you came. Though, from your quick scouting around, there's very few kind of obvious paths apart from that way, back and back to the Skill Road verdant.
00:51:31
Speaker
there aren't any other paths off from where you are you're kind of on a bit of a the end of a path so to speak so to go back the way you came seemed would seem to make sense
00:51:41
Speaker
Okay Robin will snap his fingers and Nura will appear from the pocket plane on his shoulder and what Robin will do is again he will just say an elvish to Nura stay high follow the road if you find him return and Nura will just take off. And she takes off high into the air following your command as she makes her way along the path that you have set her.
00:52:07
Speaker
As the rest of you move down into the basement of the space, it's quite a small cramped room, probably 30 foot by 30 foot and some of it taken up with barrels and other ecoutrement, the stairs taking up 10 feet of it as well. You see a small figure of folly and caste and stood in front of this large metal hatch.
00:52:26
Speaker
You're all kind of down and around there, Tali's kind of peeking down, around the stairs, looking underneath at you all as you process this. Karsten and Folly, as the kind of leaders of this expedition to the hatch, what would you like to do now? Well, we've got everyone here, Folly, because, you know, a weird hatch, and given how close we are to going in hollows, just want to be careful. I don't know about you. No, no, I certainly agree there.
00:52:53
Speaker
Let's investigate the hatch then, see how it opens and if we can open it. Yes, I probably want to open the hatch. I'm going to investigate the hatch. Wait, so are we investigating or opening, or both? Cast I will investigate first. Give me investigation then, Cast I. Okay, passive of 26.
00:53:13
Speaker
OK, so the way you imagine, as you can look, it's got some hinges on the right hand side and a twist knob on the left hand side. There's no even lock in place. It seems to be very obvious. Just open shut hatch that's used to keep something in or out, pretty much. There's no lock.
00:53:30
Speaker
look like how how long has it been shut for has been shut for a while you can discern from the cobwebs that kind of streak across the front of it it has been as untouched as the other items down here which seem much more untouched than what it seemed like upstairs upstairs seemed more recently lived in down here seems to have been untouched for quite a long time well let's give it the hold heave ho then and let's get this open
00:53:55
Speaker
Alright, let's open the hatch. Okay, it opens, the handle turns and the hatch opens up and inside you see something quite odd cast down, but for Folly this seems to spark a real interest and joy in what you see inside here.
00:54:14
Speaker
Thank you for that. You don't even know what it is yet, Caroline. I don't, but it's sort of interesting joy. So there you go. What you see inside is a small compartment, the ceiling of which is made from three solid metal ceiling panels almost within this little space. It's a tiny space. It's like a cupboard. But on the base of this space are three parchments that are lined up facing upwards.
00:54:41
Speaker
as you look closely at this space is all filled full of scorch marks the entire thing is blackened with ash and scorch marks and folly as you get closer and closer you start to recognize these parchment these seem to be scrolls of magic of some description what would you like to do uh folly's just gonna grab him
00:55:01
Speaker
Okay, anyway, his interest is going to be completely overcome by any sort of logic and he's basically going to dive down and try and scoop them up. Okay, you've grabbed them all, all three of them. And as you start to look and read over them, they are very straightforwardly, what seems like scrolls of firebolt. But what you notice at the end,
00:55:24
Speaker
is that written into the middle of the the kind of the spell the semantic element of the spell is a repetition clause built in through stock magic which means that once activated once it will repeat and keep firing over and over again.
00:55:41
Speaker
However, what you notice is the bottom portion of it, which is basically the last part of the semantic spell, which is basically go now, has been ripped off it. You imagine that filling in the last line would complete the spell and make the kind of repeating spell usable, so to speak. Do you think this is some kind of like weird
00:56:05
Speaker
power thing to power the mechanism? Yes, quite possibly. Either that or somebody who's really into multi-shoot effects, multi-fire effects. Well, it would make sense maybe that something is fired or there's something that's got to generate energy.
00:56:25
Speaker
or something and we all know magic's pretty powerful in that. Folly's just going to look around and see if there's any kind of crevice or whatnot that looks like it's been severely scorched or anywhere that looks like an entryway that would obviously have a burning capability so like a chimney stove or such kind of area. Okay give me an investigation check please Callum.
00:56:50
Speaker
Yay, my first roll. 17. You can't find anything that's kind of chimney-like or anything like that, but you do notice that the three metal panels above where these three scrolls were held are movable. And as you push it up slightly, it does give a little way before coming back down and push up and it gives a little bit before coming back down. Karsten, these panels just on the top, they do move. Come give me a hand. Let's see if we can't start something.
00:57:18
Speaker
Oh, okay. Am I about to lift you up and you're about to push it? Well, the on these low down, the like the hole. Yeah, I imagine it's kind of oven height. So you kind of crouching down to like to get into this little space. It is like literally the size of an oven as well. It's quite a small area here. Okay. Sorry, I picked something else. That's fine. Sorry.
00:57:39
Speaker
Yeah, okay. I mean, what do these scrolls do, Folly? Because you're just kind of picking them up. These scrolls, they're very bulk-standard firebolt spells, so nothing really for damage dealing, more for heat generation, but they seem to be continuous. So think of it this way, if you can fire one,
00:58:02
Speaker
These scrolls enable you to fire multitudes one after the other, one after the other, one after the other, almost like a perpetual magic motion machine. That doesn't sound very standard scrolling. It's been adapted somewhat. It's rather clever. I must make a note of this, see if I can replicate this kind of spell. But I do believe these are definitely here for a reason. Let's roll this back. What's it been adapted with, Folly?
00:58:25
Speaker
Well, as I said, normally a firebolt can just fire one. These have been specifically adapted to fire multiple times for an individual target, basically. Folly, is it stock magic? No, no, no, no. It's not stock magic. It's adapted... Do I have to do a persuasion? I think... I'm doing insight, so... We have literally got the world's greatest detective in our midst. Yes, you have to roll against Sherlock Holmes.
00:58:54
Speaker
You can either order deception or persuasion, it's up to you. Against his... I'm going to do persuasion. Persuasion is only if you're actually trying to persuade me towards the truth. If you're saying a deceptive statement... It's going to be deception. I want to persuade him that I'm interpreting these scrolls as I'm telling him. I don't see it as a deception because I'm telling him what I'm reading these scrolls from. This isn't a if the DM permits. Because you know you're going to lose.
00:59:22
Speaker
You know that this game is deception. It's a deception thing I have to do. Yeah, it will be. Ah, you son of a bitch. 13. No. I was one bit off a tough in 20 for that. So, Kastan, you can read through Folly's face and his twitching eyes and his little, little tells he has in his face and the twitch of his mouth that he is trying to pull your leg somewhat.
00:59:51
Speaker
Folly, I won't tell Claude if you don't, but you know he reacts to stock magic worse than I do, and I think that shit's a bit weird.
01:00:06
Speaker
matter is that I said it multiple times. Stock magic is only bad in the forms of the user and people who don't know how to understand it. I've read these, they seem perfectly fine, slightly adaptive, but admittedly between me and you, there seems to be a little bit missing off the bottom of these scrolls, but I believe that's just the final part of the spell which basically tells the fireball to move.
01:00:31
Speaker
Do you think that if these fire bolts are laid out like that and these panels move, maybe they're designed to fire and push the panels up or something like that? I certainly believe it's worth a go. Do you think these scrolls have been deliberately unfinished, as if someone's torn off the end to stop them from working? Or is it just that they've been left deactivated for the next person to use?
01:00:56
Speaker
I believe it's more, the end is being torn off to stop those who don't understand about stock magic from using them ill-advisably. Wrong, okay. But you could finish them? I do believe so, yes. Right everyone, so what we've discovered is these completely innocuous scrolls can in fact be used to power this machine, we think. Could you roll Deception please on the whole group? Sure. Does everyone want to roll Insight against Karstan's little Deception?
01:01:26
Speaker
okay uh what did you get will i got an 18 okay did anyone beat an 18 god damn it we all share this i hope someone did i didn't have to roll because a drago would just take this at like it's it's scrolls and stuff like that he doesn't yeah no drago's just like
01:01:47
Speaker
Sorry, Darren, Robin, you're saying? I rolled 20, yeah, I rolled 22, natural 20. Okay, so when Robin, sorry, Robin, when Karsten turns around and says to the group, these innocuous scrolls, you see a slight shift in his eyes, and again, a slight tell, and as he says this, you realise, hmm, he's holding something back. You're not sure quite what, because he's a very adept liar, and very adept at the art of persuasion. But you know, something's not quite
01:02:13
Speaker
what he's saying here, but everyone else is there nodding along fervently. Tally is like 100% there with your cast. I'm like, oh yeah, great idea. Wonderful. Wonderful. Sure. But why is it taking two well-adapt and knowledgeable people in the arcane arts as long as it is to get on with it? Because sometimes, first of all, Robin, I know you're not from Paris, so this technology is really, really old.
01:02:40
Speaker
So sometimes the makers may have made things a bit different than what they do now. That's why we had to both look at it. And not only that, but with us not being completely familiar with this technology, we certainly want to make sure that whatever we do, it is right and it is intended. Because if we bugger it up, you're going to blow us up on you. Not me. If we bugger it up, then the other ways of the mountain are going to take a substantial amount of time that we don't have.
01:03:10
Speaker
Can you make it work or not? We believe so, yes. Why does it sound dangerous? Because everything's dangerous, Claude. Life's dangerous, and it's one of life's lovely mysteries. But can't you just fly down?
01:03:24
Speaker
I could. I can. You have always got wings. Can you go flow down and get some help and get us back safely? I don't fancy falling off a big machine in the sky. I'm not flying. It'll be fine. Just consider it like a leap of faith. You could pray to your God and see if he moves these. Let's see how that turns out. There's no praying to no rods. Can we get on with this?
01:03:46
Speaker
playing to rod did you say did you say rod or did you say god god i know i said rod that was on purpose did calum say god i said god i misheard that hilariously
01:04:02
Speaker
Okay so Folly and Carson is to turn back around. I'll give you this with advantage so one of you can do this. First thing you need to do is see if you can decipher and understand what is missing from the scroll specifically. So this is going to be a history check to see if you can discover what is missing, exactly the wording is missing from this scroll. So does one of you want to take the lead on that? How's your history Folly?
01:04:27
Speaker
decidedly mediocre only a little bit of um i i read a lot on history but i never seem to remember a lot of it mine might be better than i think i i think it would be yes okay you cool not that we're playing this matter what so i've tried to do it in character dammit so no you covered it well i'll give you that at least you made the effort
01:04:47
Speaker
We could have just sat there and gone, right, let's talk numbers, but you know, we didn't. Yeah. Fuck it. Okay. Are you going to give me help that other one? Does that count? Yeah. So I could give him an advantage. Okay. Roll number one, roll number two. Well, that's better.
01:05:03
Speaker
21 on the history check okay you remember exactly the phraseology that is necessary to complete this scroll and now the final part of it would be to write it on the scroll itself which I'm going to consider slight of hand given that the space is really limited on the scroll itself
01:05:20
Speaker
So if we want to take you on a sleight of hand, you can take it. It's not with advantage because you can't really help someone write. I know as teachers, that's a lie because you can, but we're going to consider that this doesn't exist. Education doesn't exist. So it's just one of you on your own for a sleight of hand to write in this inscription. We've established in roleplay that the Sanguine Lands have excellent universities. Just saying. Apologies.
01:05:46
Speaker
Folly, do you want to just, as I write, could you just make sure, just keep watching and just make sure I'm... I can oversee it, yes, no problem. Yes. Okay, I'll do the writing. You make sure I don't fuck it up. Okay, and as you finish off, as soon as you start to finish off these phrases that you remember, Karsten, you can feel the scroll start to get warmer and warmer as... Roll. No, no, oh yeah, sorry, yes, do roll. I'm thinking gonna pass anyway, but... Oh, yeah, it's 19. Yeah, yeah.
01:06:14
Speaker
As you finish off the last word of it and place the final full stop at the end, the scroll seems to unfurl slightly and become warm with energy, and as you feel this red glow start to appear more and more in the middle, is there anything you want to do with the scroll? Put it in the oven, put it in the oven, put it in the oven! Popped in the oven, and as it popped in the oven, the first fireball hits up, and then the firebolt hits up, and indeed this metal plate pushes far up when you hear...
01:06:40
Speaker
as it comes back down and you can hear da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da da
01:07:07
Speaker
No. No. You've seen me do this spell plenty of times, Claude. You know it's not stock magic. No. No. I try to make some kind of legitimate argument. No. Robin will just lean over to Claude and Hannah and go...
01:07:25
Speaker
He's lying, isn't he? He's about to explode. I think so, yes. I would like it if you didn't blow them up or turn them into frogs. We promise that no one will turn them into frogs. That's it. I know. Tally turns the leaves. What about the plate? Yes, I follow suit. We've got the portrait. We need to start going upstairs to see if the mechanism is working.
01:07:53
Speaker
No, I'm not answering my question there, Kalban.
01:07:58
Speaker
If you go upstairs and get on a chair, I promise you, you won't see anybody get blown up. I'm not getting on a chair. There aren't any chairs. What chair? The carts upstairs. You're really lying because there's no chairs. I've seen the carts and there's no chairs on them. We guarantee you the chances of being blown up whilst on these carts are minimal.
01:08:26
Speaker
I think you're lying. It's a shady sentence. Alright, roll then, roll then, do it. Go on then. Give us a... Claude's insight versus Karstan's deception. No, no, no, actually I want to go persuasion because I'm minimal. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm falling out. Okay. I got an 18. Now Claude's going to use divine intervention to make sure you...
01:08:52
Speaker
yeah it's my best skill I have a plus nine but I only got 14 ah what a shonda okay the risk of blowing up will be minimal when we're in the when we're in the counts okay castan I trust you entirely with my life I know you won't do anything to disappoint us or my friends
01:09:10
Speaker
I'm sorry, Daddy. I feel bad. I feel like I've just used the skills to make you do this. I'm sorry. I woke up like a robot. Walk upstairs like you have requested now.
01:09:21
Speaker
Meep, morp, meep, morp. Oh, I feel like it's becoming a bit difficult. Sorry, Danny. Kastan's not only gone straight into other people's minds, he's then started to call people out where they're lying, and then start to fabricate his own devices. This is interesting stuff, Karband. Yeah, Karband. And as you all head up, you can see very slowly and clunkingly,
01:09:48
Speaker
The cart's moving, but the cart's kind of probably shaking each time. It kind of jolts forward a little bit. It's very broken at the moment. Guys, Strava cools down. You're creating movement. Yeah, we just need to get these other ones going. Give us one second. No, that's fine. It's just you guys down there now. Blow yourselves up. Okay. Expediency. Could you each give me one d20 roll that I'm going to base off your Arcana?
01:10:16
Speaker
I think we need to adjust the alternator. I can imagine like this Willy Wonka sort of like you're putting things into the machine again.
01:10:33
Speaker
i really want i really want folly to come out bright orange and like it's all gone a bit wrong and i've got a riddle for you about what you should do do you want some arcana tech or do you want i'm gonna give give me arcana yeah
01:10:49
Speaker
OK, I got 19. 22. Yup. Why did I ask the two spellcasters throwing Arcana check? What was the point? Yes, you both pass. You both do a scroll each and manage to definitely copy down what you've written. And just as they get hot, you put them under and they start firing. One, two, three, one, two, three. And as we went up above, you notice the carts stop swinging as much and become moving smoother as they start to pick up pace. And you can see the carts now rolling quite smoothly down the mountainside as well.
01:11:19
Speaker
I feel like, is there a way for us to do this so that they'll turn off eventually? Because I feel like we're leaving this contraption. It's like a shortcut into the middle of sleep. You could, but I don't think, I think Folly would be the only one to be able to know how to hack a scroll. Yeah, he has asked me actually, could I have a look and see if I can put a time limit on...
01:11:43
Speaker
these things or something give me a history check oh not history see if you can remember reading about time elements of multi-repeating stone it's one question i do have which i'm not quite sure on is how far across like how how far east across sleep guard are we going if we're talking about this coming down near goldview no one said it came down near goldview
01:12:06
Speaker
Because I thought that's what people were saying. There's like, we need to make old for you when we got to the bottom. And I thought, no, we're really far away. You really can't draw go to maps or anything. He's not a cartographer. Oh, man, who writes how maps work. Fucking Garmin over there. Can't trust him.
01:12:24
Speaker
He's never been to the Sea of Earth before. He doesn't know. This is like taking Garmin out into the fucking North Pole. No chance. At least he knows where fucking North was. So for expediency what I'll say is that this is now up and running as you shut the door to the... Wait, no. What was your score, Callum, for your history? I rolled a natural one, so I got an entry.
01:12:47
Speaker
You have literally no idea. You can remember there is the possibility, but literally all wording of a time limit repeater has left you. It's been almost, God, it feels like a lifetime since you last were able to do it. So unfortunately, you can't remember any of that. So as you shut the metal latch to the door and you set this going, and you move up and outside to this, as you pick up your belongings and move up, round the wooden staircase, up to the top of it, you notice that these large skips seem to be coming out of the center of this tower.
01:13:16
Speaker
and then being taken down single file, there's one every kind of 30 or 40 feet or so, and they come up out of almost the center of this tower, so you could jump into it before it got to height, before moving down. They are big enough to arguably comfortably fit two of you in at a time. I am gonna need an order of which you're gonna travel in, just so I know who's in what car, because they're gonna be about 20 or 30 foot apart, okay? So the cars are coming up, we're all up there,
01:13:45
Speaker
um who wants to go when oh so um okay yeah we'll skip over i was gonna see if we had folly had any spells that he could cast that could try and make this place okay i'm gonna can the door be locked can that wooden door be locked you know the one towards into this tower yeah you could you could try you could tell it's a sleight of hand or lock picking we've got to climb the stairs out yep yeah yeah you can lock the door on the exterior door yeah i'd like to try and at least find
01:14:11
Speaker
I don't know do something to try and lock it and um I don't think I've got any other spells that could I use to like try and lock it. If only you had like a thief in your mix. Okay can I lock it or you can't hand? Yeah use the light of hand go for it. Uh that's a 32. What? That's a 32. You're on a 32 for the light of hand. I rolled a natural 20 I've got plus 12 to my light of hand.
01:14:35
Speaker
I mean, I set a DC of 19. Okay. Yeah. You managed to lock the door after you leave and somehow managed to fit a piece of wire in and then deadbolt the door from the inside as well. So the door literally won't open, even if you realize that you've left your instruments inside. Not that you have. As you take the staircase up, you join the rest of the group there. Tali said, like, where have you been? Hurry up. We're waiting.
01:15:02
Speaker
Didn't want people to like... Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Come on, hurry up. We're trying to decide who goes where. Okay. What are we doing then? Fuck it. I'll go first. Why not? Drago just gets into the nearest. Maybe we should distribute the heaviest people around. We don't have all the heaviest people in the same car. I just walked in. Very heavy. Ah, and Tyler's just going to jump into the one with Drago, and then it's an irregret head choice. Ow! Ow! So many owls!
01:15:28
Speaker
I guess it's you and me. Good choice. How many two to a cart? Which means you can comfortably kind of, you've got a bit of room to lay down as well in it. You could fit a third in, but you wouldn't be able to rest at all. So the next one, it's probably about 10, 15 feet away from reaching the apex before moving down. Would anyone like to jump into the second cart? I'll take this one, shall I? I'll follow.
01:15:58
Speaker
So just make a note of this. We've got Drago and Tali, then we've got Helena and Robin. And that hits up and starts to move down out of the central column. Another one. I'll say to these two really quick. Karsten, Folly, let me take this one by myself. I'm quite heavy, but also you should both have an eye on whatever's happening behind us in case you need to get it going again.
01:16:23
Speaker
okay but once we're on these we can't really go back but okay okay just look after us love you bye and i'll jump in and Fat Claude will just occupy the bathtub he's now in and as you hear you can almost hear the groan of this skip kind of go fud bastard as you jump in and then the one behind it i'm all right i'm thinking folly and castan are you taking i think we're the only ones left yeah yeah yeah
01:16:48
Speaker
Okie dokie. And as that hits up and starts moving down, you start making your way ever so slowly in Control B away from this loud now tower that seems to be firing these fire bolts as the carts slowly move down. And as you stand up, you can kind of very comfortably, even vitally, rest your arms on the side of it and look out over this now spectacular view as you start to slowly descend the mountains, the clouds off in the distance, the view you can see of the sun, of the moon, of the
First Glimpse of the Blighted Land
01:17:17
Speaker
distant cities and glistening water off to the east, you can almost touch obsidia from where you are. You can see that fire at the moment. But in front of that you can see this darkness, this scorched land off fire into the distance. And for some of you, this is the first time you've managed to actually set your eyes on your target.
01:17:37
Speaker
to set your eyes on the home of the blight to the east, always to the east. And as you slowly take the cart down, as you rest into your buckets, into your bathtubs as Claude calls them, that's where we're going to wrap up for this week's episode of the Fellowship of the Tabletop.
Conclusion and Farewell
01:17:56
Speaker
That was such a beautiful image. It reminded me of Alton Towers meets Fun Fantasy 7's Golden Saucer. I loved it. Very much like a skinny watch as we're all there with our 90s throwback, big jackets and coats and everything. I can imagine like Dragos got like some really... Yeah, all of that.
01:18:20
Speaker
I love that. That was real good. And we hope you enjoyed it too. All of you listeners listening in at home, at work, on the commute, at your gym, wherever you find time to listen to us. We appreciate you for doing so. Thank you very much for tuning in and making us a part of your everyday week. Like I say, we appreciate you and we love you all. If you wanted to keep up to date with the ongoing and the podcast, you can do so on our Twitter page, which is at fellowship table.
01:18:47
Speaker
And if you wanted to go one step further and follow us individually, you can do that too. I am at iRolled1. Darren's at... Darren Page 06. Mark is at... Hastily rolled DM. I thought I'd try to pick you out there. Danny's at... At Total Party Thrills. Casey's at... Unicorn Quit. Will is at... Natural 20 Will. And Cunty Callum's at...
01:19:14
Speaker
wow wow d20 oh god i don't even know how to handle anymore d20 gamer i remember it now until next time guys i think that was uncalled for that was violent that was mean