World of Ae'oene Bonus: Thalira and Kaldin, Part 3

Transcript

Speaker: This bonus episode is brought to you by The Crisp.

Speaker: Hail Hydrate! Hail Hydrate!

Speaker: That's never going to get old. yeah but The World of Aeon, bonus content of legend. Taliran Cowden, part three. I really hope we get those ingredients in time.

Speaker: The World of Aeon contains stories with mature themes. Content warnings are in the episode description.

Speaker: Welcome back, audience, to the world of Aeon, Stories of Legend. Today we have a fun bonus episode for you, but before we get into that, I do need to explain a few changes we're making to our upload schedule.

Speaker: For the next three months, we are going to be doing one episode a month instead of two, and I am sorry for that. I know you guys want to hear more from us, but it is necessary as we get ready to transition into season two.

Speaker: Of those episodes, two are going to be Talira and Kaladin three-year gap bonus episodes. As we continue their adventure along, tidy a few things up, and that first one is going to be today. Then the last episode of this transition is going to be a table talk episode where we're all going to get together. We're going to review all of season one, our exciting times and moments together, and also answer questions that you have for us.

Speaker: Speaking of which, I have at the table with me MJ and Rennie. How's it going? What's up? What's up? All right. As per usual with bonus episodes, let's just get right into it.

Speaker: As we join you both in the adventure that you had previously been doing, going to collect the nectar of a honeysuckle bramble deep within the bogs of Western Nitro Tare, you had just fought a Titanoboa coming out alive and well and having somehow found in this incredibly rare plant, this component needed to potentially save Talira's mother.

Speaker: As our mind's eye comes back into the scene, we find that you all have collected it and you are now on your way back, following roughly the same route that you came in on, which luckily now, with your experience of the bogs and swamps here, knowing a bit more of the potential pitfalls of the potential animals and beasts here that could reach out and touch you in ways that you don't want it to.

Speaker: You guys manage to find your way out much more unscathed. And speaking of, as you are passing by a similar area that you remember a vampire chicken, or at least some sort of chicken beast, flying past you all, the same spot you had seen the Camelodiles, nearby, you end up running across a very large nest of some bird with three very large eggs.

Speaker: The coloring of these eggs, looking similar and fairly easily, your you can recognize it probably belongs either to that bird you had seen or something similar. And I believe it was... Renny, you can remind me. Was it you who rolled good enough to under to recognize that it was a vampire chicken?

Speaker: Yes, you, Kalden, recognizes these eggs as vampire chicken eggs. Huh. Huh? I've never seen one in real life or anything. I've only read about it. But I thought they usually had more eggs.

Speaker: Like at least a dozen. That is strange. I don't know. Perhaps something got to them? Could be. There could be just other creatures that eat eggs around here, but i don't know.

Speaker: Well, I guess we'd better keep our eyes out then. About the time you say that, you end up hearing trudging through the mud, the rickety sound of like some sort of small hand cart.

Speaker: ah Both the rickety sound of the cart itself probably not being put together super well, but also the the wet sound of a wheel pulling in and out of mud. Sounds that nobody probably likes to hear. i and he probably know probably wouldn't like it.

Speaker: but I thought about making the sounds, really, really did. But then I thought better. But you hear that approaching. And, well, there it is. Someone's looking for breakfast. Breakfast?

Speaker: Oh, no, ma'am, these are specimens. Specimens? um Excuse me, for what? As you see a tall man looking, I mean, frankly, a similar in the heights to almost Lyra.

Speaker: No, she's a foot taller. ah whole You're She's she's seven four I thought you were like closer seven. Okay, I take that back. You just see a tall man who, at least for for Calvin, a very tall human man who is very scrawny with a small little brown or round glasses on the tip of his nose and a bald head.

Speaker: He rounds the corner of the trees hastily, pulling this this warm, barely put together wooden cart with a black sort of coating on its wheels that you can see, although it still kind of gets into them into the mud.

Speaker: it helps it go through this the shallow waters mud a little bit better. um Well, for developing guard chickens, of course, when I finally figure out how to get them semi-domesticated, I'm going to be rich.

Speaker: You're just going to steal them from their mother. You realize whatever one hatches first of a three will die, right? It can't survive off two eggs. What is wrong with you? no, no, no. yeah Well, of course.

Speaker: A singularly chicken will eat the rest anyway. No, I'm i'm not doing this just willy-nilly. This is a specific environment I have studied... fall to the brim food and that the mother can gather to feed its young. i've i'm not so I'm not stupid. I studied these things. A singular chicken can survive completely fine without the need to eat its siblings due to this specific area being free of other vampire chickens. So it has very little competition. I leave one egg as I have before every time.

Speaker: I brought the first mother hen here to this spot myself two generations ago. I have three other areas with a similar experiment going on within 60 miles of my home. Plus, I help out the mother in gathering for its young. I am not without a heart, okay?

Speaker: So you risk the rest by stealing from just a different nest? I'm... We saw a vampire chicken getting chased off not too far from here.

Speaker: i mean, if she saw you steal eggs and followed you, like, they're unprotected right now. Like, what are you doing? Well, I still have to allow some measure of natural process to take place. This is a calculated risk, as is the case with most scientific experiments. say It is a calculated risk, and I have grown more and more confident in knowing the behaviors of the chickens I have raised.

Speaker: The one this nest belongs to, her name is Phyllis. She's actually grown quite fond of me and approaches me for physical contact, given that, of course, I'm not around her nest. um Speaking of which, I do say it's time we get a move on before she returns. She probably will not be alone. You're more than welcome to take a rest in my home, though. You can follow me. Probably like a four-hour walk from here.

Speaker: Um, I, yeah, when we're observing him, does he seem like he actually cares for these chickens, or is this just an um-actually guy who is full of shit?

Speaker: No, surprisingly, like, while he is definitely... Someone who is very proud of whatever experiments he has going and intelligence that he has has studied, do you see he does care for these beasts. And maybe not in the same way that you might, but as he's talking to you, he's taking the time to delicately place large, these other large eggs within the nest that you can easily tell aren't the same species.

Speaker: Probably some sort of lizard from the area. But he's making sure that they when he places them, they don't crack. They're not going to fall over. And they almost exactly replace the existing eggs. He squats it, lifts with his legs, making sure to only carry one at a time. I mean, he you can even see the cart. It's filled with wool blankets, things to make sure that the eggs are going to be warm and that they're not going to like die and be devoid of life by the time they get back to his place. I mean, you can see the cart while it's rickety. He has taken the time to make sure the wheels have this this weird coating on it that allows it to travel a little more steadily through you know this this biome. So maybe not the same kind of care you're having, but definitely there is a quite ah a delicate level of care that he is taking.

Speaker: And does it look like there's anything else going around with the environment at all? Does it sound like mom's coming home anytime soon and we should skedaddle? Yeah, as you're looking around, you kind of listen out and hearing throughout the forest, or not the forest rather, but the swamp area that you're in, it's...

Speaker: It's eerily quiet, sounds of drops and movements of water. You don't hear any of like the serrated beak noises that you'd heard previously, so not sure whether she's nearby or not. But when the process of looking around, you do notice this little this little patch clearing that has the raised ground for this nest to be perfectly placed.

Speaker: There are a couple trees that have runes etched into them. And you can recognize them with the rune work you've done, Talira, that these are some sort of runes of protection. Hmm. Protection for you or protection for Oh.

Speaker: No, i I don't need it like that. I manage myself. It's for the area surrounding the nest, you know. Like I said, I need to protect my specimens and my experiments to make sure that we can continue on through the generations.

Speaker: um Oh, i I'm so sorry. I forgot to introduce my my name is Jamie. ah It is nice to meet you. I'm Talera. Talera Grimstone Eculonati. Long name.

Speaker: um and And you? Just call me Talera. yeah I got you. Okay. Calden. Calden. That's more my speed. Nice to meet you, Calden. Hmm. Well, pleasure making your acquaintance. um Like said, the invite still stands if you want to, um but I'm not sticking around to have the mother come back.

Speaker: And he starts pulling his cart away, back the way he came. Thank you. ah Calden, we will need to rest. Would you like to camp out or would you visit with Jamie?

Speaker: He kind of gives me the creeps, but it might be safer to go there than stay here with all the Camillodials and the giant snakes.

Speaker: And we don't want to risk the flower. It's true. Let's double check everything is safe here then, and then let's head his way. Alright. Are you hurt?

Speaker: By the way, the Camillo dial didn't get you or anything? No, I'm fine. you You were the one getting constricted to death. Are you okay? Your armor looks fine, but I guess it could have... Is there anything broken?

Speaker: no You never complain, so I can never tell. I'm fine. like The armor is a little... It needs a bit of a buffing, but it'll be fine.

Speaker: Are you sure? It's fine. well It hurts like a peach, but it'll be fine. All right. Bruises go away. Okay, if you say so. Before the vampire chicken mother can come back, you take a look around the area and and decide to follow Jamie. And so you do as he slowly leads you out of the area and through the reeds and more into the marshlands where there's still absolutely threats, but maybe not giant snakes like there were in the swamps, at least not that you know of.

Speaker: You see that Jamie keeps a wary eye for predators, but he seems to know the route that he's going, and he seems to be like he's taken it countless times. And his time estimation was about correct. After about four hours, a ah thick a thicker patch of trees comes across the horizon, and he leads you through the underbrush, and soon...

Speaker: This brush gives way to a view of a tropical, not sorry, not a tropical, but a paradise grove out here in the middle of marshes. As you see a beautiful marsh grove of rare cold water geysers that blow like 20 feet in into the air. There's an elevated pool that is somewhat filled by these geysers and a small waterfall into a section of very colorful reeds that you've you've only seen a handful of times on your travels through marshlands so far because they're very rare reeds making for a beautiful landscape.

Speaker: it's It's really a wonder that this thing can exist within the biome like this. Jamie turns you all as he opens up the view for you all to follow him in. and Welcome to my humble abode. I got lucky coming across this grove, to be honest. But I've tried to make the most of the opportunity and stay respectful to what Aeon has given me. Oh, and please, please be wary of Paula.

Speaker: She is my youngest and most successful of my chickens so far. She is a wonder. She lives here with me, and she's taken to the training I've been doing extremely well. i can't Honestly, I'm pretty excited to share it with somebody. You're the first guest I've had in an incredible amount of time, so just please be gentle with her. She's only, like, I'll say three months old or so.

Speaker: And sure enough, you see a little puffy white and red chicken about the height of, like, Talira's knees or so. Looking well-fed, flapping and gliding as it rides off of one of the geysers and...

Speaker: Flaps its wings in ah an attempt to like glide down to the ground. And then as soon as it hits the ground, races with incredible speed across the ground towards you. Taneira? Taneira? Hi there, pretty birdie!

Speaker: Yes, Kelden? I'm in love. He's so pretty. She's the cutest thing i think I've ever seen in my life. So fluffy! You see as it comes running up, Jamie takes out, out a little satchel he has, he takes out some little tiny small bird eggs like quail eggs and throws it at Paula as Paula jumps up and snatches him out of the air one by one. And then he hands a couple eggs to Keldon, as he sees you're enamored by Paula.

Speaker: I toss one to her. Not super far from where we're standing. Her beak is extremely sharp, so don't feed her directly. and Just be careful how close she gets. ah maybe Maybe a little further toss than that. She's she's not named out any predator, so see she isn't extremely aggressive, but so instincts carry over in unexpected ways sometimes. i still Still be wary of that.

Speaker: As you toss it, Paula moves her head side to side and kind of jerks it, and almost like you see a dog move their head and cock it to the side, you know, as like curious and like a curious nature. There was another word I was trying to think of. Oh, you definitely see chickens do that.

Speaker: Oh, yeah, no, they we give have chickens down the road. like they would Yeah, it's hilarious, actually, and very cute. Yeah. Smelling the rest of the other egg or two that he gave you, Paula approaches you slowly, kind of winding a little bit side to side, stopping often to make sure to take in your scent and things. But as she approaches, she also does notice how large Talira is and kind of tends to stay a little clear of Talira. It's okay, little friend. I will not hurt you. And Talira also keeps her distance.

Speaker: As she gets a little bit closer to us, I toss one in the air like you would like a ball to a dog. So she has to kind of jump up for it. Yeah, and you see with incredibly strong legs, she jumps up and snatches it. It's gone in a moment as she then sits right in front of you, kind of licking her beak and starting digest it.

Speaker: She's beautiful. Fluffy, I'm going to die She is quite beautiful, yes. I'm glad she likes you. Now, remember, she's still a wide animal, so if going be staying here you for the night don't have or however long, just try to treat her quite like you, you know, not quite the same as a house pet. You might find that you end up bleeding if you do that. Ha ha um He takes off his shawl and pulls it down to the side, reveal like a shoulder pauldron on his right arm. And you can see that there's different scars, marks over the course of his arm, literally like the size of pebbles. Essentially, you could easily tell it's about the size of the beak of a young vampire chicken, you know.

Speaker: Ow. It's all good. They don't mean it. it's they were Again, they're wild animals. I am in the process of domesticating them. So there ah there are mistakes that are going to be made, but, you know, it's okay. I just made a bad assumption. But anyway, don't be scared of it. Just don't treat her like a house bed. But please, make yourselves at home. I haven't had any predators within this clearing in quite some time. Five years, maybe. So you should be safe wherever you like.

Speaker: Thank you very much. Thanks. Appreciate it. He just gives you like a small nod and then starts to take his shack um towards his home that seems to be built ah of of different bamboos.

Speaker: well Do we see any nice, like, flatter clearings that we can set up our tents? Yeah, you see, like, it is still marsh. It's a marsh grove, so there's still definitely, like, shallow spots of water and reed areas that, like, obviously won't make good for camp. But there are are several large up-built mounds of dirt that are naturally occurring here that appear to be covered in like, a soft...

Speaker: Short grass that'll be it's gonna make perfect for camping wise. Just make sure not to roll down the hill In your sleep Cool. Oh, you know. Are there any other kinds of things that Talera might notice about the land, other creatures, specific plants that might stand out or anything like that? Yeah, there are several different kind of cloves and and flowers here that would make for good good ointments and things that you've seen Gwynedd use. The water here seems surprisingly fresh for a marsh as the wading in through the underbrush that surrounds this probably helps clear it a bit. But also, as you look in, you see...

Speaker: several small, not minnows, very, very small fish that dart around in the shallow waters here that you've seen before that are for the purpose of of sanitizing and cleaning. like So the the water here has to be clean. You just got to make sure you don't get any the fish in it because these these little tiny minnows are in abundance in the shallow water here where you do notice there's a absence of tassel tufts, which you've seen before back in Nevoa. As Tassel Tufts make these areas, you would have seen them on the way in as well, naturally occurring. They make home in these marshes and feed on small crustaceans and minnows and fish like this as they go across the ground, sucking up water to get these specific food sources. They are lacking within here. And so these little fish are in abundance here, cleaning the water very well.

Speaker: Cool, cool. Talira would ask to Calden, you think it might be okay if I take a little of one of those plants over there? I see one that might help with a little bit of the aches and pains and... I know I will be a little sore from that constrictor.

Speaker: Yeah, of course. Cool. So, Calden... Hmm? Where are you from?

Speaker: Because i i don't want to be pushy, but every now and then your accent changes. And I'm just curious. I mean, you know the accent's fake.

Speaker: Like, I came up with it with you and Gwynedd. Well, yeah, but, them yeah, I don't know. What are you wondering about?

Speaker: Is it there any particular reason you feel like you have to have it? Around us, I guess.

Speaker: Around you? Yeah.

Speaker: It's just easier if I keep it all the time.

Speaker: Reinforces it. I guess that makes sense. Do you want me to say anything if it slips again? Maybe not in front of everyone. Okay.

Speaker: I can do that. Thanks. Yeah. Well, that was awkward. um Are you going to go collect plants? Yep, yep.

Speaker: Plants. but Okay. I'm going to set everything up while you're gone. Sounds good. Cool. And break.

Speaker: Okay.

Speaker: Our most awkward friends. The most awkward friends, yes.

Speaker: Talira goes and gathers some of the plants around the area, taking it all in, enjoying just how peaceful this this grove is for a while. As, Calvin, you settle in and you notice that Paula slowly kind of growing more comfortable with both of your presents, but especially yours.

Speaker: As, at one point, the chicken sits down after you get a fire, you both get a fire built up. and sits down as if she's just another member of your party, almost reminding you of just, you know, some weeks ago, with Maeve and Yellen sitting around the fire on the way back from the broken bridge of the giant metal spike.

Speaker: At one point, getting so comfortable, Paula even tries to play with you. at least, that's what it seems like. Hard to tell with a somewhat wild animal. And Jamie walks up at one point, bringing you all some tea.

Speaker: some tea you You see, the behavior she's showing, she she's like packing you and then dashing away. It's almost endearing. she's I think she's trying to play with you, although she's done that several times with with me, and, well, you saw what happened.

Speaker: So do or don't engage? Um, well, depends on your pain threshold, I guess. Well, ah with the armor off, its some I'm a little more...

Speaker: squishy but that's only because that is flesh. I'm more fleshy. That's fine. After a while, you'll get comfortable and you're able to get some much needed rest, considering the encounter with the Titanoboa and the Camila Dials and just frankly how the past month has been.

Speaker: And throughout the night, Calden, you specifically have the perception being notice that Paula had like patrolled the perimeter of the clearing as if guarding this homestead, this grove.

Speaker: And at some point later in the night, must have taken up a spot between you and talira As you wake up and find her kind of nestled, warm by the fire between you two. I would die for Pala.

Speaker: I would too. She's so cute. She's absolutely adorable. I love her. And they just get bigger. my god. They get huge. You could ride one, a full-grown one. I could ride one.

Speaker: I don't know. I am heavy. They get huge, Talira. They have to eat a lot to get there, but they can. How have my people not had vampire chickens before?

Speaker: o That's a scary thought. Right about then, Jamie approaches shortly after you all have woken have this conversation with a tray of morning tea. And he's he ah words words fucking words. Jamie says that.

Speaker: jamie says that Yep. now The whole nerd thing is actually an act. He's like, oh, fuck. What was I going to say? Hello, everybody. i go ah oh no.

Speaker: He greets you. they Greet. That's the word. oh my God. ah um After you had attempted to finally reach out and try to pet Paula and she dashes away, not quite letting you that close.

Speaker: Don't worry. she She doesn't let me pet her either. Yeah. But I will say, the interactions you've been having, Arthur, have absolutely been added to my nose. Like said, I don't give many visitors, so really the only human interaction she's had is with me.

Speaker: This has been phenomenal for my research. The fact that she's warmed up to you faster than anyone before, well, I guess anyone ever, it's just amazing to see.

Speaker: Um, that's good to hear. i guess. Yes, well, it's quite a wonder, I must say, even if you don't quite understand the implications of of just how amazing this is.

Speaker: In fact, it is quite an amazement, actually, when I was observing them in the wild, their cunning instinct for hunting food while avoiding conflict, unless absolutely necessary. i It was it's just fearsome how crazy they can be in defense of their own eggs from predators and one another. I could see they had so much potential. I just had to jump on it. In fact, it's just a market that has not is just completely untapped.

Speaker: Now, first Some of those traditional chicken characteristics and and instincts, they they exist and at first they are very, very visible. But you in a safe and domesticated environment, after some generations, I've started to see quite the improvement. and you know Careful planning, careful training. Those those behaviors can be minimized.

Speaker: I just I don't know if they can ever be fully bred out of them, though. But, you know, it does give them somewhat of a charm to them to see them in, you know, so relaxed in a safe environment. i just I just worry it quite won't be what I need as far as guard chickens.

Speaker: My family raised chickens. We had a few over the years who were particularly demanding for cuddles.

Speaker: Maybe if you're lucky someday you'll get that cuddle of vampire chicken, but that's only if I'm successful. So I will say while observing Paula's behavior with you all throughout the night, barely got any sleep. I thought of just the best i idea I'd planned.

Speaker: yeah How would you like to help me impart out the leading research on the vampire chickens? I've got an incubator already set up. ah You can take an egg with you. I've got the enchanted mirror journals that I use. that you can I've got a whole care package for you. You can do weekly reports on their training, developments, observations. You can be a part of just you can be a part of something amazing.

Speaker: um Sorry, we... ah i I don't i think we're good for that. We kind of... I don't think I am the the ah scientific sort, but... the are We're not a good environment for raising anything. Piss-piss now.

Speaker: It's not difficult, okay? No, you can do this. As you observe things, you just write them down on journal as you do it. It's perfectly fine. Even, you know, feel free to actually keep a feeding schedule written in there if you'd like. Whatever you want. As long as it's in regards to the chicken, it will all be good. In in fact, it automatically copies it all into my journal. That's why they're enchanted the way they are. and You don't even have to remember about contacting me because, like, you just write in the journal.

Speaker: You know, actually, no this plan is actually so good. I won't even take no for an answer. if In fact, here, and he grabs this. He goes to grab a big like satchel, this big bag he had brought with it um the behaviors Paul has shown around you all specifically, especially you, Calden.

Speaker: It's it's too good of an opportunity to pass up. So, yes, yeah rear i've I've got this. As he sets this, look essentially this very large duffel bag very carefully down in front of you and opens it up. And inside you see that there's a very sturdy notebook with a sigil engraved on the cover. It includes an inkwell with three wrapped chicken feathers that you can use for as writing and tensile. And very specifically within here, you see a bunch of different stuffing and things for insulation and protection. But there is like an oval shaped item. It's completely leather bound stitched together along one side. All of this...

Speaker: sitting and shoved into this bag with as much protection as could be. Uh... Kalden glances over at Talira, just super bewildered and, like, overwhelmed. He has no idea how to react in this situation right now.

Speaker: Meanwhile, Talira is beaming. She is so excited. Fluffy chicken. And she looks over to Kalden. You're going to be the best vampire chicken dad.

Speaker: Uh... ah Look, you get another bodyguard. yeah It's perfect. I guess we're adding another member to our party. Yes, yes, absolutely. I went ahead and in the first few pages of and of the of the journal, I went ahead wrote some advice and tips for care on the vampire chickens, you know, being newborns. yeah this In the leather contraption I have here, there is an A. So you you don't get Paula. I'm so sorry. I know you're already attached to her, but I just can't let her go. She's too precious.

Speaker: But you can have a brand, brand speckin' new one. but i Like i said, I've got plenty of advice and tips in there for caring for one from newborn to adolescent. After that, frankly, I kinda wanna see how you do it and what what your experience will be after that that would be different different than mine. So just make sure to write down your results. I can't wait to see what you what you find.

Speaker: So ah based on what you all look at, I'm sure you're gonna be taking off today to wherever you need to go. Is there anything I can try to you know help with you, especially since you're gonna be doing this for me? If you have any salves or anything we could take for injuries and stuff, um that's always nice.

Speaker: Oh, absolutely, absolutely. And he, like, goes to run off back to his to his house. So, where are we headed next, Lyra? Well, we got the bramble nectar and, um, Lou's taking care of the salmon eggs. Looks like all we have left is the big lizard shit.

Speaker: I guess the closest travel point is back where we came from. you could probably find a cleric and try to hire one back to town and contact Gwynedd and let her know we're ready for a ride.

Speaker: We'll also check in, see if this Scoiliad has any luck with Lou, if we need to gather anything else. Scoilad, for sure.

Speaker: Right. Squirrel. It is weird. I think he was trying to be friendly or like relatable or something.

Speaker: i I, he is a very nice person. It was just not what I expected. Is person the right word? Being? Being. um Yeah. Being.

Speaker: Was not what I expected. Um, I can't say I ever had expectations for that, but yeah, you, yeah. That is true. I didn't, didn't meet mine either that I didn't know I had.

Speaker: Yes, it was all very confusing. But your mom's in good hands. Yeah, I hope so. We'll, we'll be able to sniff out this dragon shit in no time, I'm sure.

Speaker: As you all get packed up to leave, Jimmy comes back and hands you some salves, a very quick and small, awkward conversation, and he bids you farewell. Paula ends up following you all to the edge of the homestead and squawks at you both, but as soon as you break through the underbrush, you can hear the quick, quick patter of feet as she runs back into her home.

Speaker: Luckily on the way back, you're now taking a different route than you're used to. So was maybe a little bit more on edge, but upon coming across a main road, you get super lucky and find a caravan of, once again, component hunters. a Different caravan than you had seen on the way into this region.

Speaker: But regardless, you end up finding out that half the people in this caravan are members of the Adventurers Guild, hired to essentially as escorts. And it makes your trip back just that much quicker and enjoyable, as well as safe.

Speaker: And while you're passing through the city, you manage to get in contact with Gwynedd. And before too long, you're back through the other side of the city and finding your way to that unassuming round rock on the side of the road.

Speaker: Well, I guess let's get back to the village. um I want to make sure I get the nectar to the Goliath before I go off tracking a dragon. I don't want them to have to hunt down two ingredients if everything goes tits up.

Speaker: Everything's going to be fine. But yeah, it's a good idea. Yeah, sure. And sure enough, at sunset, the day after you're able to contact Gwynedd, you get down and but you both place your hands on the same stone that brought you here.

Speaker: And after 10 minutes of just awkwardly kneeling on this stone, not quite sure when it's going to finally activate from Gwynedd, you're sucked in once again, dematerializing materializing it into nature itself as the couple days that it takes to transport back this way happens once again.

Speaker: giving you some thinking time, some time to maybe connect with nature a bit more. And then suddenly you pop back into existence, rematerializing back within the Goliath encampment. Again, feeling the vomit on the edge of your throat.

Speaker: Oh, I'm never going to get used to this. I regret they going back here. ah We have to do this two more times now. I hate throwing up so much. I hate throwing up so much.

Speaker: Do you think this is dangerous for pregnant women? I would never have thought of it, but now we have an egg. I can confirm when I was pregnant with Siobhan I did not waste own travel, as Gwyneth's walking up.

Speaker: Do you think our egg is safe? I'm sure it is probably fine. Just make sure to take good care of it. Wait, you have an egg? ah Yeah, Talira's pregnant. Talira!

Speaker: There was no gap. There was no pause at all. You were ready for that.

Speaker: Well, couldn't be Kaladin.

Speaker: mean, it would be really hard for it to be Talira, too. God. You might have dabbled.

Speaker: Good Lord. hu Talira ran off with Jamie whenever you weren't looking, Kaladin. Talira. Talira. If you're going to dabble with men, find better men.

Speaker: Damn, raise your standards, girl. I'm filled with regrets. Literally filled with them now. yeah That was really funny. That was really fucking funny.

Speaker: You all are greeted back into the Goliath encampment, having brought the honeysuckle Bramble with you, as well as a new member of the party, although not quite born yet completely.

Speaker: After delivering the bramble to the Scoiliad with Gwynedd by your side, you make your way into the tent, able to kneel beside your mother and taking her hand once again, as it's been a few days. And after being able to have a few moments with her, you hear the flap of the tent open.

Speaker: You look behind you and find the familiar face of Catea, otherwise known as Granite Fist. Talira smiles a little bit at her, doesn't really reach her eyes. You can tell she's worried. Granite Fist, it's good to see you.

Speaker: It's good to see you too, Grimstone. You look healthy and strong. Your mother would be proud to see you in such condition, especially considering all the new stories I can see on your skin.

Speaker: Too bad the, uh, what was it? It was a Titanoboa? Too bad it couldn't tell. But, uh, if more effort means a more powerful cure, then I'm all for it.

Speaker: I am sure. But don't kill yourself trying to do this too quickly. You are doing your part and your mother knows. She will stay alive long enough for you to complete your quest for these ingredients.

Speaker: But still, what what if it isn't quick enough? What what if I could do more and don't and... it's just a lot. You see as Granite Fist, she quickly, but not but not aggressively, more with a a sense of sternness, raises her foot and puts it to your kneeling shoulder and shoves, turning you and putting you to face her and also onto your ass at the same time.

Speaker: She then bends over the waist and brings her face closer to yours. And I taught you better than this. Are you telling me you don't know the extent of your own abilities? I know the extent of my abilities, but this disease doesn't fucking care about those.

Speaker: And Talira actually shows fear on her face for once. Not about what Keteia, Granite Fist, does. Granite Fist trained her. she She's not afraid of Granite Fist.

Speaker: She's afraid of disappointing Granite Fist, but it's all about her mom. She's so focused on helping her mom right now. Still looking you straight in the eyes, Keteia responds, but your mother trusts them, as does everyone here.

Speaker: She offers you her hand to help you up. Get out of your own head, Grimstone. Lead with the confidence of the tiger and the wisdom of the elephant, and let your will be as unmovable as the mountain as we know you are capable of.

Speaker: After helping you up, she she looks slightly up to you, and you can feel the presence of your of your mighty mentor, knowing what she's capable of, and also knowing just the care that she has for you and your mother and the way she presents it.

Speaker: And before you can respond, she turns to leave. You won't leave for the dragon shit until you are ready.

Speaker: Fine. How long? You know yourself best. You make that call. Tlaera nods. As she opens the flap of the tent and looks back at you over her shoulder.

Speaker: Glad to see you finally have battle-worn armor. You've looked fresh for far too long. The next Titanobo won't be so lucky. and then you are left alone with your mother as the flap swings closed.

Speaker: Lyra takes a big breath, swipes her hair back, stands up and rocks back on her feet a little bit, just trying to shake everything off. And then she goes and sits by her mom, grabs her hand very carefully. Again, she's just so fragile and it's terrifying to her.

Speaker: And she just talks. So, um, mom... I might have brought home another pet.

Speaker: Well, technically I didn't, Kalden did. And it's not staying here, it's coming with us. um But I've never raised a vampire chicken before. um So that's going to be fun, I guess.

Speaker: I hope you hang in there long enough. I don't want to be too late. And she'll sit there for a little bit. After about half an hour to an hour or so, she'll pat her mom's hand and say, I should probably see what Calden and Lou have gotten up to.

Speaker: I'll be back. I love you, mom. And she fixes the blanket around her mom and squeezes her hand very gently and leaves the tent.

Speaker: As you leave the tent and are able to find Calden and Lou, you're all are able to, well, have a rare moment of some relaxation for the rest of the day as you kind of get settled, remembering Katea's words that you need to be ready and you need to be rested before you leave.

Speaker: Taking that to heart, you know you have some time. Yep. So as you guys have some downtime the rest of the day and probably the next after that, is there anything specifically that while you are back at your encampment that you want to get done or anything you want to check in on?

Speaker: I think we should check in on Yelena Maeve. Yeah, I think that's a good idea. We could go see Gwyneth, see if she could cast sending for them. Okay.

Speaker: I think that's a good idea. Yeah, let's go. You guys are able to go find Gwynedd pretty easily as she's taking a break from from treating your mother and and making sure everything's good there as you find her down near the creek, not very far from the encampment, just washing washing up and washing some of the supplies and bowls and things.

Speaker: Taliric, Kalden, nice to see you. I assume you guys are getting some much-needed rest? Yeah, I kind of lost that fight with Granite Fist. She had me on my ass, said I'm not getting... going back on the road until I've gotten some rest. Well, she likes the number three, so I guess that's about how long I'll be here. I had a feeling that would happen. Yeah.

Speaker: You know her. As expected. I assume you came to me because you need something? Yeah. Um... I was hoping you might be able to cast the sending to Maeve or Yellen and see how things are going on their end.

Speaker: I don't want to completely forget about the mission, you know? I understand. Yes, I can definitely help with that. Let me finish the cleaning that I'm doing here and I'll meet you back at the tent.

Speaker: Thank you. Sounds good. Just a little while later, you all are able to meet at the tent, and she looks to either one of you. And so who will I be sending to? You mentioned Maeve or Yellen?

Speaker: Either one. Yellen, I guess? Yeah, that works. All right. And can I get a description of him? He is a Blue guy. Kyanite.

Speaker: Kyanite tiefling? Kyanite, yes. Blue, of course. Kyanite. And he is... And Talira will give her a description of Yellen's facial features and try to be as accurate as possible.

Speaker: So chiseled and handsome. but Gwyneth looks at you with an eyebrow. they stop He's the manliest man I've ever met. He won at the Battle of Fisticuffs. Oh my gosh.

Speaker: There is long joke about that, but anyway, yes. um So that's what he looks like. How many words do I get again?

Speaker: It is 25. Okay, let me count. Mom is holding on. Okay, I think I got it.

Speaker: Mom is holding on. one more ingredient for remedy. Lou safe and settling in. How are you?

Speaker: What news? Any updates? Okay, that should work. And she begins and finishes the casting of Sending as you see her start to focus and concentrate on the spell and wait for a response.

Speaker: And a moment later, he says, well, things have got interesting for a moment, but we're on our way back down from the mountain and we may need some help. And I believe there was more, but I think he forgot the 25-word limit.

Speaker: Fuck. Okay. did they did it Did it sound urgent? Like, did he sound distressed? Somewhat. Your friend has an interesting tone of voice. he He was definitely heavy breathing, somewhat distressed, but also as if trying not to make you worried.

Speaker: How so? Just what I can gather from his tone of voice. Shit! ah I wish we could get there to help them. It would take weeks, months, maybe. There's no way... How would we even find them when we got close if they were even still there?

Speaker: Talira starts pacing. You can tell she's really worried about all of this going on. She swipes her hair back and shakes her hands out a little bit. um I mean, I might be able to get the sooner on my own if we needed, but it would still still wouldn't be quick.

Speaker: Whatever happens, it won't be quick enough. If gwil you think you can get to them in time, i mean, go. you can You can catch up to me even better. i I'll take on the dragon myself. That's fine. Thalira, I'm not leaving you to face the dragon alone.

Speaker: Well, I mean, I'm not hunting a dragon. I just need that Shit, my goal is to not to be seen. Yeah, and you're very good at not being seen. You need me for that more than anything.

Speaker: We shouldn't have to sacrifice our friends just to save my family. That isn't fair. ah

Speaker: I need some space. I can't think. And Talira rushes off. She has this grotto that she... considers her thinking space and she rushes off to that. It's by a little mountain stream.

Speaker: the grotto is like a small cave, not a true cave, but like a little outcropping and rocks that you know has been carved by water for you know, thousands upon thousands of years.

Speaker: And as she's rushing off, she sees where it's getting close and she's just tugging at the straps on her armor, just working on doffing it as quickly as she can. After a few minutes, her armor is in a pile on the stone and she rests against this slight outcropping and she's pressing her back and neck against the cool rock, just listening to the sound of the water, trying to calm down.

Speaker: While Talira is trying to manage her emotions and her reaction to this news back in the tent, earlier in the day, obviously you guys would have been having conversations. Kelden, would you have done the mind link with Lou to where she would be able to speak with you guys?

Speaker: I mean, probably at some point, but it's also limited duration. So without 100% confirming, like, we were just talking to her, I wouldn't know if it was currently up.

Speaker: Okay. In this case, let's make the assumption that it is, if that's okay. Okay. Yeah. Okay. they're hanging out a lot. It makes sense. Right. As we go back into... The mind's eye, rather, goes back into the tent.

Speaker: Lou, obviously being here for all this and and looking very concerned. As she watched Talira walk away, she turns to you, Kalden. That is such a long journey to get back there. How could anyone get there in time to help? i mean, who knows where they'll be or what they'll be doing.

Speaker: I... Kalden's kind of pacing, chewing on his bottom lip, just like fidgeting. teleportation? Gwynedd, do you have a way to get us there?

Speaker: If my daughter had finished the waystone in the peninsula, I could help. But alas, the best I could do is shave off a small amount of travel time. I have a couple of more times I can spare the energy for a communication spell as well, if that is something that could help.

Speaker: Can you ask if it's urgent? I can try. If it's urgent. Talira can't risk her mother's life, but I know she would feel responsible if something happened to them and we didn't at least try.

Speaker: I can contact him again, yes. Thank you. And I'm sorry to put you out like this. It is no problem. Gwynedd once again looks into the distance and begins to concentrate and begin to cast the sending spell again.

Speaker: you hear her say into the void towards wherever Yellen might be. Your friends want to know if it's urgent. Are you okay? Is any anyone hurt? She waits and listens.

Speaker: And a moment later, Yellen responded, I don't know where I'm at. Maeve is in danger. We've taken serious damage.

Speaker: And something from my past has caught up to me. He sounded panicked. Fuck.

Speaker: Calvin starts pacing again. Shit, what do we do? Thank you, Gwynedd. I... As always, you do so much for everyone here. I'll...

Speaker: I'll figure out how to tell Talira. Talira. There's really no way for us to get there. Well, if you'd like tomorrow, i can... I can scry on him. That may give you some more information.

Speaker: But unfortunately, today, most of my energy is used in the daily care of Grimstone's mother. Understood. Thank you, Gwyneth. And he leaves. as As you leave the tent with Lou, not really sure where you're necessarily going right away. i think he's pretty frustrated, and he chucks one of his actual daggers at a tree.

Speaker: shit So, this sucks, dragon dick. Fuck, Lou, I'm... I forgot you're here. Sorry. Um... It's going to kill Talera to not be able to help them.

Speaker: But we can't even try if we don't know where they are. can't just not tell her.

Speaker: Yeah, that's understandable. See, that's hard. I, you know, if you want to, you could pat my head. Maybe it's a good thing I'm in Bear Forum right now. They say petting animals can help calm anxiety, I think. I think I heard that somewhere.

Speaker: I don't want to be weird about this, Lou, but like you're a person. Yeah, I know. I know. It it was a little weird. I just, I can see you're so conflicted. I just was, I don't know how to help. i i I appreciate the sentiment.

Speaker: Well, maybe Talira won't find it as awkward. She could still use some some comforting. Where did she go? I don't know for certain, but I might have an idea.

Speaker: At least you're not alone in breaking the news to her. Talira, after about ten or so minutes, she's sitting against the rock. In that time, she's been crying, hyperventilating, breathing. she is...

Speaker: She's just having a meltdown at this point. um And um

Speaker: this was the place that she's come ever since she was a little kid when she needed to run away and escape. And so after being here... She's finally calming down a little bit and coming back to herself.

Speaker: um She is able to concentrate and feel the water around her and listen to the drips of of the the droplets coming off of the rocks and finally able to breathe again.

Speaker: Is this a spot, having spent some time here previously, is is this a spot that Calden would know to find you at? and Probably, yeah. I mean, it's she'd been going there ever since she was a kid, and Calden's been with her about a year now-ish. Yeah, he would know.

Speaker: Whilst Kalden leads Lou towards the spot that is suspected, just as they come over the ridge and Talira begins to come into view, Lou sees your pile of of of armor having been taken off and kind of looks to Kalden.

Speaker: Um, Kalden, does Talira get naked when she's upset? Who knows? She is in the water. I mean, who wants soggy clothes, right?

Speaker: Noted. Okay. I doubt she's naked, Lou. At this point, they're just getting close enough where, Talira, you can hear that snort that Kalden just made as they come over the ridge.

Speaker: Definitely outside of the mind link point, so she wouldn't have heard Lou's response, which is hilarious. Talira hearing Kalden's snort in response.

Speaker: Kalden? Are you decent?

Speaker: Uh, yes?

Speaker: To, maybe out loud even, Lou. I told you she wouldn't be naked. Yeah, so as as they're able to see Talira, they find her with her armor in a pile near her.

Speaker: Her chain mail is in a heap. Her gambeson's been thrown off haphazardly. One sleeve's landed into a puddle from the dripping water. And she's sitting against the rock and she's fiddling with a palm-sized stone while staring at a different water drip.

Speaker: And it's very clear she's been crying. Keldon comes and sits down next to her and leans against the rock with her. And upon seeing this, Lou also silently walks up and just curls up next to your leg, making sure that you can feel her fur and the warmth, hoping to help comfort.

Speaker: How are you feeling? Talira wipes her eyes and she's quiet for a brief moment. I'm hithered again. It was just a lot.

Speaker: Sorry. I, um... Gwynedd reached out to Yellen again of confirm if they needed urgent help or not.

Speaker: How bad? ah he He said, um yeah, he doesn't know their location at the moment, but they're both in a bad way.

Speaker: He said something from his past has found them. Talira nods. She's still staring at the dripping water, not making eye contact.

Speaker: Okay. Okay. Do we know where they are? No. Yellen doesn't know where he is.

Speaker: And the tears start rolling again, and this time, silently. She nods, pauses, and you can see her wading through her thoughts before she's speaking, just trying to find the words.

Speaker: Okay. And she says that okay in giant as she is grasping for any language. Has Kalden started to learn giant yet?

Speaker: Probably a couple words here and there. Like he would he would understand like yes, no, okay. small Small phrases. Okay. And back in common...

Speaker: Then there's nothing we can do right now. With that being said, and and seeing the tears start to roll again from Talira, and Calden, in your head, you still hear Lou as she speaks, probably not even realizing that she's speaking to you.

Speaker: I think I'm gonna cry. God, I never handled tears well. And Talira, you're able to hear her whimper just the slightest bit. Pretty noticeable that she's trying to kind of hold it in because she doesn't want to like, she doesn't want you to think that she's trying to make it about her or anything.

Speaker: As soon as Talira hears that, something like shifts and her eyes immediately dart from the water that was dripping where they had been fixed and straight to Lou.

Speaker: Lou, you okay? And she places her hand on Lou's shoulder. She stretches her her neck out and she touches her muzzle to your cheek softly. She's trying to comfort and ends up wiping away some of your tears.

Speaker: Luz's eyes find you, Kalden, you hear, tell her I'm just a stupid empath, Sol. Luz, can sound for you. and I can see that.

Speaker: I'll be okay. It's just fucking bullshit. I'm okay though. um As mom would say, things are of a muchness right now.

Speaker: That doesn't exactly sound right translated, but that's what we have. I think it fits still. Sometimes when I have too many big decisions with people I care about, I freeze.

Speaker: everything is too much and i become untethered with myself. It's just, it feels like my body is bees just buzzing everywhere. And there I am, like outside of my body, watching everything that's happening around me, but I'm just stuck.

Speaker: And this place just brings me back to myself, you know? I think I can understand how that feels. Not the bees, but the disconnect.

Speaker: I've felt that a lot in the past. And more again recently. I could see when that was happening. If we have a way to help them, I'll go.

Speaker: But you can't risk leaving. You can't just abandon your mother. And all of that unfinished, we don't know how much time she has.

Speaker: ah know. i know. They're strong, Tanira. We have to trust them. i know I And we can't help them if they don't even know where they are.

Speaker: Calden stands up and pats Tillyre on the shoulder. One of the only times he's ever capable of doing so. It's empowering in a way. You haven't eaten and you need to. I know you probably don't want to, but you you still should.

Speaker: Gwynedd promised to help tomorrow. We can maybe try scrying or something. maybe Maybe you'll recognize where they are if we see.

Speaker: Scrying will be good, but the thought of food, like it just smells like too much right now. We'll do something bland.

Speaker: Oats. I'll start with tea. I'll accept that. So you guys end up heading back to camp, get you some tea, maybe some food, and continue to rest for day and the evening as a restless night proceeds as obviously full of worries on the mind.

Speaker: You all wake to a storm passing to the north, flashes of lightning in the low rumble of thunder in the distance as the sound rolls its way up the angled landscape. Early that next morning, you guys are able to find Gwynedd as she greets you.

Speaker: Good morning, young ones. I can see the eagerness for answers in your body language. I assume that you're following up on scrying on your friends. Yes, if you would. I'm sure I can spare a moment for my favorite elf and my good friend's daughter.

Speaker: So, yes, we can do that. Thank you, Skyspeaker. Gwynon leads you over to a small water bowl just outside the tent of your mother's. You normally used as like a birdbath, but obviously has a secondary purpose.

Speaker: Do either of you have something of whichever friend we're going to be looking upon? It'll help with making the ritual connection stronger. Not of them, but acquired with them. Would that work?

Speaker: No, no, no. Kaladin has a single strand of Yellen's hair and a locket he keeps on him at all times. Oh, what? It's a friendship thing. It's a bro thing.

Speaker: Ah, okay. Purely platonic. Bros keep strands of hair of their bros. Got it. Yeah, yeah. It's in the bro code. I need strands of your hair now, by the way. Both of you. i already have Jax. You're a bro.

Speaker: You're a friend. You're such a good friend. I'm not a bro. Damn, did I just get demoted? Wow,

Speaker: that's rough. That's rough, buddy. Ouch. No, bro is just a slightly different category. It's a masculine category.

Speaker: Fair. Oh my God. I am sis. ah and Your titties too big. True. that's that's the thing that's That's the thing. If titties are too big, can't be bro. that I couldn't be bro a year ago. Now I can be bro.

Speaker: Yeah, it's ah it's in section code of Yep, yep. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm going to have to, like, message the others and tell them they can't call me bro anymore.

Speaker: Unfortunate. We can call you bruh, though, because that's different. That's fair. yeah That is. that's that's the That's the gray area, you know? Got it. Okay. Let's log back in. As Gwynedd, obviously not hearing anything about a strand of hair, looks to you, Talira.

Speaker: It is better than nothing, but not a strong component. Are either of you skilled enough to maybe mold clay or something in their likeness? I would not trust myself with that Calden.

Speaker: I Calden. Well, in that case, roll me a dexterity check. I don't think you have proficiency in Potter's Tools and also have Potter's Tools, but if you do, you could obviously use that bonus as well.

Speaker: No, I do not. So is it just a straight roll or? how would that work? It would be with the dex modifier, I believe, if you have proficiency with the tools. Let me look.

Speaker: Well, that's when you add your proficiency bonus, but I have, if you're doing just a straight dex roll, I have a dex modifier. That's true. Or if you're doing a skill check, I have different modifiers for each skill. If it's like sleight of hand you want to do or something like that.

Speaker: I would say it'd probably be a dex check, so you'd get that dex modifier in this case, because it technically is using a tool, but it's a dexterity type tool. So I'll give you that modifier. but Okay, cool, cool, cool, cool. cool

Speaker: 18 plus 5, 23. 23. Not too shabby. In fact, I'd say that's probably pretty good. ah Who are you trying to depict? um My boyfriend.

Speaker: My boyfriend. Oh, well.

Speaker: And that's being kept in, too. Fantastic. um up Probably Yellen. He hung out with Yellen more than he hung out with Maeve.

Speaker: Right. So that makes sense. Because they were banging? Because they weren't banging. What? I knew it. I knew it. Drums. They were practicing drums. Right. Right. That kind of banging. That's totally... Like a gong. Musical instruments. That's what we were hearing through the walls. Those thin Clanging pots and pans together just for shits and giggles. Right. Right. How Talira and Maeve did not murder them, have no idea. Right. Yeah, because those tent walls are really thick, you know? Uh-huh. Beat up so much sound.

Speaker: As you complete this kind of like molded clay in Yellen's likeness, surprisingly well. It's beautiful. It's fantastic. Talira cries when she sees it. it's It's accurate It's like the David. It is a Ken doll.

Speaker: Sorry, Yellen. That's just what you are. Oh, man. So yeah, with 23, you're able to mold pretty good little clay version of Yellen surprisingly well.

Speaker: And Gwynedd sees it and this should do nicely. She takes the figure and she finds a thin slat of wood and places another bowl of water so that it may float.

Speaker: And as her palms start to softly glow with arcane energy, The slap begins to slowly rotate, and as it continues to go round and round, it slowly gets pulled under the water. That figure suddenly loses its physical features and muddies the water as Gwynedd stops.

Speaker: The spell failed. That's not a good sign. What does that mean? What? Why would it fail? Was item good? was the item no good No, no. Listen, I won't lie to you both. I only have known for this to fail on three occasions for me.

Speaker: Either who you're trying to scry on can force the fail themselves, or they are not of this plane of existence, or they are dead. He can't be dead. I'm not even going to entertain that option or right now. how How can he force it to fail?

Speaker: yeah we We are dealing with other elemental planes. Maybe... Alright, that makes more sense, yes. ok Okay, okay.

Speaker: That would make it impossible for us to find them. Do you think that they found him? What was that weird cult group Verruta was part of?

Speaker: Zorogog. Right. Okay. They were headed for Orlonus. Did Siobhan say anything to you, Gwyneth? I... I feel like the mayor was in... we We were told the mayor was involved, right? Was in league with the Mistborn?

Speaker: I hope they told Siobhan. I hope so, too. I think we would be chasing shadows if we attempted to go after them. We just have to trust they can handle themselves.

Speaker: But the sooner we kill your mom, the sooner we can search. Fuck.

Speaker: Talira nods. Ugh. Fuck! You're right. I am ah think after yesterday, I don't think Granit Fist would think me rested.

Speaker: We'll leave tomorrow. Tomorrow. I need to swing my axe, get some of this energy out. I'll see if they need someone to chop some wood right now.

Speaker: I'll get our supplies in order. See if anyone needs assistance with anything in the meantime, I guess. Okay. I'm sorry I couldn't bring better news for you. It's not your fault, Gwyneth.

Speaker: Thank you for everything, Skyspeaker. She nods. If you would like to scry your new sending again, just let me know. I can manage possibly one more today. Otherwise, I must dedicate all my energy towards your mother.

Speaker: Are they both bound by the planes? Sending is not, although there is a small chance it can fail if they are not of this plane. ah Then, asking, would you be able to ask if it was Orelgog someone else or but for the plane they're on?

Speaker: If asking questions is the goal, that is well within my capabilities. Anything to help us locate them if we can. And, um, if I can ask one more thing.

Speaker: Earlier yesterday, I heard that the Scoilyad could not break loose curse. Do you know who we can look to to find who might be able to?

Speaker: First, should I contact Yellen again, or Maeve? Try Maeve this time. Okay. And regarding Lou, if the Scoylead could not manage a solution, be honest, I do not... I don't know what or who could.

Speaker: It must be a very specialized subset of magic that would be required. Okay. I'll come back to that then. ah This is Maeve, and Talira describes Maeve.

Speaker: Gwynnard once again focuses on the sending spell.

Speaker: A few moments later, well, it does not sound like it went well for them. I don't believe she knows that she was sending any message back to me.

Speaker: Her thoughts were incoherent and jumbled. I was able to make out a few words and thoughts, among them being red snow, death, and the need to fu fulfill Yellen's last wish. Fuck.

Speaker: I'm sorry. Talira just nods. She's out of reactions at this point. Gwynedd, could we trouble you tomorrow before we leave with one last attempt to scry on Maeve, now that we know she's alive and Yellen seems to be not?

Speaker: Yes, I'm sure I can manage that. Just have a model clay ready for me in the morning, if you would. Understood.

Speaker: We'll skip to the next morning as you spent the rest of the day gathering supplies and getting ready, knowing that tomorrow would be the day that you take off to find the next ingredient for the recipe to save your mother.

Speaker: You find Gwyneth early as promised, and she repeats the ritual. This time, as the clay figure on that slat dips beneath the water instead of it turning muddy, a visual comes to the surface of the water as you look upon a bloodied, beaten, and be bruised Maeve, almost unrecognizable.

Speaker: She leans forward, laying upon the mane of her spectral steed that you previously saw, Moss, appearing to have her eyes just barely open and massive bruises around them keeping them that way.

Speaker: And even though you can barely see them, you can see defeat. She has one of her legs bandaged haphazardly, and the other one seems to have a bend in it where there definitely should not be. There's also a young tiefling woman as well, looking similarly beaten and bruised. They just silently trod through the snowy embankment of whatever mountain they're on.

Speaker: Does it look familiar to either of us, the surroundings? I'd say, unfortunately, you can at least tell they're pretty high up altitude wise because the the snow um and and like the the clouds and fog that would be up there, it makes it hard to really make out the true size the mountains to even know if it's even the same still mountain range. Really, the only clue you could get is the fact that they are high enough in altitude to have that level of like foggy cloudiness.

Speaker: What does Talira see in that? Because she does have the wanderer feet. With her knowledge of maps and geography, is there anything that stands out to her?

Speaker: That's a good point. I always forget about that feet you have. Yeah, given that, I'd say yes, because they're surrounded by trees and I would and obviously regionally you're going to have different species of plants and trees. And I would say that you you happen to recognize the specific texture and color of the bark in these trees to know that it's ah this obscure type.

Speaker: It's wet hemlock is only native to the mountain range north of Nevoa where you guys previously were. She's still in the mountains north of Nevoa. There was a tree that only grows there.

Speaker: That mountain range is massive. I could try to go ahead and scout, but there's no guarantee I'd be able to find them.

Speaker: They aren't waiting for rescue. By the time I even get close to Orlanas to start searching, who knows where they'll be? Gwyneth, when you can, can you let Siobhan know? Maybe she could do something.

Speaker: Yes, of of course I can. I'll speak with my daughter soon and give her an update regarding her friends. Okay. Okay. As she's processing this, her eyes start to glass over.

Speaker: i shouldn't have left. It's fucking my fault. It's all my fucking fault. yeah isn it this Is it my fault then? Is it my fault because I came with you instead of being there to help them?

Speaker: What if I doom them to die just by leaving? I know it's not your fault, Kalden. um Are you going to blame me and say that I'm dooming them by not leaving right now?

Speaker: No, you can't get to in time. Don't be fucking hypocrite, Talira. You can't do everything all of the time. You're only one person. We'll do what we can. We need to We need to get the last ingredient for your mum.

Speaker: And then see what we can do for Maeve. and know. Fuck. You act as though you're someone who can see the future and prevent every tragedy that exists.

Speaker: I know I can't. It's just... There was no good answer. If I stayed, they might not have been in this situation, but then Mom would have.

Speaker: I feel like no matter what choice I make, I'm dooming somebody. And I can't handle that. You can't punish yourself for this. It was still my decision.

Speaker: It's my burden, and I have to carry it that weight. I knew the possibilities. Why is it only your burden? We both made the same choice, Talira.

Speaker: We both came here to help your mother. And they both insisted on continuing forward. Grimstone, come here for a moment. Talira nods and goes to Gwynedd.

Speaker: She passes through the fabric flap between the tents leading you to your mother's chambers. Gwynedd... I don't want these decisions. I don't want to be the one to determine who lives or dies and then it ripples outwards.

Speaker: I know it's why i know I'm not meant to be my mom. I'm not meant to follow her steps. I can't do this. She takes your mother's hand and pricks it with the end of a little dagger and she places the blood as it pools into a small bowl and she silently hands you the knife then she holds out the bowl.

Speaker: Talira takes the knife and she looks at the bowl. Just a little bit of your blood, please. Oh, all right.

Speaker: And she pricks her finger and squeezes a few drops in the bowl. She takes the bowl back from you once there's a sufficient amount of blood in it and then places your bloodied hand into your mother's.

Speaker: She reaches down and grabs a handful of dirt, adding it to the bowl and reaches into her, into a pocket of her cloak, pulling out a small pouch. She dumps out what appears to be maybe dust of like a sapphire, some sort of gemstone into the bowl. And finally, with impressive speed, she whips the dagger through the air and into the corner of the tent.

Speaker: She walks over and picks up a now dead field mouse, the dagger sticking out of it and proceeds to use it to mix the bowl. You watch as she practically glides to position herself behind you and your mother, holding the bowl between the two of you, placing your hands just above it.

Speaker: And then she begins to proceed with a ritual, some type of magic that you've never seen her or anyone else use. She chants out words that, Kalden, that you can recognize, although you might not be in there, you can hear them from behind the cloth.

Speaker: As the words leave her mouth, they seem to fill the room, and the pressure the air increases and increases, and suddenly the bowl ignites into flickering blue flame engulfing your hands, but it is cold as Gwyneth finally speaks.

Speaker: It always surprises me how much you remind me of my daughter sometimes, always failing to recognize the faults in the words you choose to speak. She continues as she waves her hand around and then forward, bringing those blue flames that engulf your hand with it as a trail begins to appear in front of you, Talira.

Speaker: She repeats the movement to the left with another path appearing in front of your mother. and you begin to notice that there are varying bright spots along this path, like nodes within this trail of fire.

Speaker: Gwynedd takes her hand. She reaches forth and grips the air and pulls it as if it's a rope, and the trails simultaneously move forward, almost appearing as if you would be traveling upon them. With that yank, you go careening into these nodes, finding out as the first one fills your vision, you come out into the other side in a memory.

Speaker: It's your memory. and you look over and see the same thing happening in front of your mother but with her memories, being able to witness those at the same time. You speak as if your mother and you follow different paths, have such opposite roads of life that have given you such different skill sets, capable of handling such different things, but you could not be more wrong, Grimstone.

Speaker: As the memories, these key life events, they fly down the flamely road, taking you in and your mother's memories side by side, you can't help but notice the similarities between them.

Speaker: Yes, they are absolutely different, unique in their own rights, and yet something deeper seems to be shared. The memory of your father's passing comes into view as little young Talira, confused and lost, cries next to her mother, wondering why she can't make mommy happy.

Speaker: Dawncaller looks just like a young Talira in her memory, wiping her tears away while looking at her young friend holding the hand of her late mother upon her deathbed. Different, but you hear your mother with the same sort of, why can't I?

Speaker: You are not your mother, Grimstone, but you are your mother's child. Do not think that she once did not have the similar challenges, worries, or doubts. She experienced loss, defeat, or decided she did not want the responsibility.

Speaker: This road, this flamelit road of time continues. as you see the memory of the other day as you went to the clearing just yesterday. You watch as your mother walks to the rock opposite of the same exact stream and buries the back of her head into it, crying out, why does it have to be me?

Speaker: You may not want the responsibility of these decisions, but no one does, Grimstone. Mom. The road catches up to the memory of you just in the other room.

Speaker: and lined up next to it, you see your mother kneeling beside Granite Fist as she says, i don't want it. Why do they want me to train to be next chief? Sure, I am strong, but I am not meant to help those grieving. i am not meant to be the hard fist when there is no choice left.

Speaker: You see Granite Fist reply, and yet that is why you make the best choice. Grimstone, you may not want that responsibility, but that is part of what makes you special.

Speaker: And while no one expects you to lead a tribe, look at all the memories you just witnessed of your own in which you made the life-saving decisions for your comrades. You can and you will handle it.

Speaker: Gwynin reaches out her hand this time, twist her fist into this tight ball stopping the roads of flame. Then she waves at the bull once more, sending out new streams as these new roads of flame join the roads ahead, curving off in different directions.

Speaker: These are your potential futures. Now tell me what you see. Talira looks at her mom and then back at Gwynedd. She didn't want it either.

Speaker: She always seems to handle everything with so much grace. How does she make it look so effortless? You and your mother are more alike than you know.

Speaker: And remember both of your paths as she puts the bowl down and releases the spell. And she lifts up quickly to grab hold of each road separately. And as it begins to fade, she claps her hands together so that your mother's road and yours collide for a moment before fading away.

Speaker: Remember both of your paths continue to move forward. Talira stares for a minute at the area where the spell had been cast, imagining all of those possibilities at the point where they collided.

Speaker: You're right, as always, Skyspeaker.

Speaker: Are you sure you're not Goliath and were changed? I swear you know our ways better than us sometimes. Maybe in a past life, Grimstone.

Speaker: I know it hurts to have to make the hard choices, but make them with confidence, with gusto. And remember that in the event your decision could be a mistake, accept your mistake in earnest and learn from it.

Speaker: Don't let it stop you from moving forward.

Speaker: Yes.

Speaker: Yes. Nature does not dwell in the past. It's always moving and it's always changing.

Speaker: And life always finds a way. Even in ruin and destruction, sometimes it seems like that's where it thrives the most.

Speaker: I made my decision because I trusted my friends to be able to handle it, even when I knew my mother's life depended on me. I'm not going to let her die.

Speaker: The tribe needs her. And you see Talira stealing herself against another onslaught of tears and... And I must trust my friends can get through this.

Speaker: I won't let my choice be in vain. Gwyneth just simply smiles at you and then opens the flap to walk out, allowing you to leave with her. As she goes to leave the tent entirely, she walks past you, Calden, and she pauses, speaking very softly to only where you can hear.

Speaker: I'm going to prepare your travel. Can you please leave a small amount of your blood hidden for me? Huh? What? Pardon.

Speaker: What? Calden mind links with Gwynedd. Just Gwynedd. Okay. For what purpose?

Speaker: Protection and privacy. Privacy? For you, yes.

Speaker: I will leave it. Fantastic. Thank you. Out loud to Lou, who I'm guessing is standing out there waiting for us. Yes. Lou, do you mind staying here for when T'lyra comes out? I'm going to get some last-second stuff before we head out.

Speaker: Lou just nods slowly. Okay. Cal then goes off to some secluded place and, like, super checks around that he's alone.

Speaker: And I guess gets some blood in a vial and hides it for Gwynedd. Alrighty. Alrighty. Is there anything that you guys would like to do else before leaving for the next ingredient?

Speaker: Talira would sit with her mom for a few minutes after all of this and talk with her or talk to her, really. I'm so proud of you, mom.

Speaker: I had no idea. I've always been proud of you, but gods, I respect the hell out of you. and know it's been hard And I'm going to make sure you get better, okay?

Speaker: I love you. And Talira would take a deep breath, brace herself, and stand up and walk out. All right. Well, if there's nothing else, I would say that we'll move on to going to get the dragon shit.

Speaker: The moment we've all been waiting for. Yes, the dragon shit. Our favorite. As both of you are prepared for this next leg of the journey to go collect the ingredients that are needed to help cure Talira's mom, Gwynedd has also finished her preparations, asking that you meet her at the same waystone that previously had brought you to the one near Fotharia.

Speaker: As you meet her there, she begins the same ritual following the same steps she did last time. And once again, in the same way, you are dematerialized as you are now transported across the planet, still taking time to do so, but materializing in front of an unassuming round stone that sits within the mouth of a limestone cave now on the southern end of the country of Trolf.

Speaker: o oh Oh god, I'm used to this and yet I'm never used to this. It smells so different suddenly. There's something disconcerting about it.

Speaker: It's like you stop existing for a time and then come to. Exactly. As you all take in the surroundings of the deciduous forest in which this cave sits, you smell the sweet smell of honeysuckle on the air. You see beautiful pale purples, faded yellows, and rich oranges.

Speaker: the leaves in which you are surrounded by as they fall and collect on the ground around you, painting a beautiful landscape. And luckily, as the forest around you isn't all too thick, you're able to look up through the canopy and see the peaks of these massive mountains known as one of the largest mountain ranges on the planet of the solar major mountains.

Speaker: Luckily, you have a roughly drawn map that Gwynedd had supplied to you. Of course, given Talira's skills of knowing her way around landscapes, you know that you've got roughly about a week journey on foot through the foothills, towards the valley in which Gwall sits within.

Speaker: hu Well, no time to waste then. Talira nods and she starts looking around, getting herself oriented, and she starts walking. She's still trying to gather herself after the events of the day before.

Speaker: And about 20, 30 minutes later, she finally asks, Did I make the right call? I don't think there always are right calls.

Speaker: I guess. I guess it was always going to be a bad call. We don't always get the privilege of knowing how our choices will ripple. Even the most innocuous decisions can have horrifying consequences.

Speaker: Mom had a hard time with them too. Gönnett showed me that. Clears quiet for another couple minutes and then breaks the silence again. Can confess something stupid to you?

Speaker: i almost dragged Lou along. I can't protect her if I'm not there. Tlira? Calting? Can you promise me something?

Speaker: Of course. There may come a time when I need to leave. i you I may be a danger to those near me. Don't chase me, if I do.

Speaker: I don't want to be the reason you or others get hurt. Caldyn, I promised I'd protect you I will go with you, and I accept any risk that goes along with it.

Speaker: You are not the reason I would get hurt. They are the reason i would be, and you bet your ass I'll be hurting them back. He doesn't say anything.

Speaker: He just looks kind of contemplative. You know, but right before Skyspeaker left, Gwyneth... I told her I made the decision i did because I trusted that they could manage it.

Speaker: And that I needed to have faith in them that they can. I'm trying. I didn't bring Lou because Granite Fist is bigger and stronger than me and i have faith in her.

Speaker: Don't run because you're afraid for us. We can handle it. Hmm.

Speaker: Look, I have my suspicions of what you went through. I'm not asking for confirmation or any details that you don't want to give or are not ready to give, and I'm never going to do that, Calton.

Speaker: But what I will do is I will take down those fuckers so they can never do it to another person. And that is a threat and a promise. Right.

Speaker: where we We're a team. We protect each other. Exactly. You and I, we will always be a team. At least as long as you're willing to put up with me.

Speaker: Right. As you both begin your trek towards the town of gu Guala, moving through the forest with ease, the first dark of the day comes, this being one of the daily eclipses. As the sunlight begins to disappear behind the guise of the dual moons, temperature of course drops suddenly, as it does every day. But what is different today is suddenly you get that that eerie feeling like you're you're being watched.

Speaker: Can we roll like investigation to our perception, I guess is what that would be ah to to see what we feel, what our spidey senses are picking up? Well, of course.

Speaker: Go for it. Let's see what you get. Oh boy.

Speaker: Well, that's a six. So um instead I'm going to say that's a 10 plus 10, a dirty 20. Fucking rogues. Good lord. My goodness. Okay. That was an eight.

Speaker: It's a good thing. Technically you rolled higher than me.

Speaker: No, I rolled a three. Oh. Oh, no. Never mind. Yeah, the plus five is perception. Well, Calden, you notice that peering out from behind a tree some maybe 25, 30 feet away, the light that the moons cast happened to glint off of a pair of red eyes.

Speaker: Tanira, he points towards it. Something is watching us. As you point this out, trying to give some direction to Talira, those eyes disappear behind the tree, and a silhouette of a bipedal creature darts away quickly.

Speaker: Did you see it? Where? Can you talk to it? I don't know where it went. Or if it's sentient. Well, um let's keep a lookout then and keep moving.

Speaker: yeah As you do indeed move on, the moons do as well as about roughly five minutes later, Kalden, you notice a figure lurking on a tree branch up ahead.

Speaker: It's up in the tree. Can I roll investigation or nature or history or something like that to see if I can figure out what this is, if it's something I know or read about or something like that?

Speaker: Yeah, absolutely. Either you're... Any of those three honestly would work. History is going to be obviously if it's something you've encountered before and you're drawing your own personal knowledge. Nature, if you want to think about maybe the characteristics of an animal or something that would occur in nature naturally. An investigation. probably that. okay then Yeah, if you want to do that, go for it.

Speaker: Okay. Let's go. 17 plus 4, 21. twenty one Yeah, that will work. You look as close as you possibly can. Obviously, it's not completely dark.

Speaker: Eclipses generally have a very, very dim light, which does help. And without making it too obvious to spook whatever this could be, you take in more details and... quickly find that is obviously something humanoid. You had already seen its bipedal, but with the way its legs bend forward at what's obviously like a knee, you can see the outline of a head.

Speaker: But the speed in which you saw it dart away and the way it moved kind of hunched over and it's very predatorial like. and And watching that, it's it's like your mind clicks. i'm going to give you a little bit of like a history rule kind of mixed in with this. Your mind like clicks on something from your past and you latch onto this idea.

Speaker: It's something that you know well. You're definitely able to conclude it's not something natural. it's actually unnatural. yeah hear hear How close is it? It's around 30 feet, you know closing in as you guys walk.

Speaker: Cool. I attack it all three times with my psychic daggers. Okay. Yeah, absolutely. Give me some rolls. Cool. Okay. 18 plus 9. Yeah, yeah, definitely.

Speaker: Cool, cool, cool. 19 plus 9. nineteen plus nine 14 plus nine. Yes. Damn. All of those hit. They're fueled by fury and spite. I am sure of Hell yeah. And before you roll, you don't need to roll damage. Knowing what your psychic daggers, like what the minimum of of that is. With sneak attack. with sneak attack, of course. This can maybe give you a little insight to the condition of this creature as well, but you don't need to roll damage because that is enough as you watch it fall lifeless with a thud to the ground, or at least what you can assume to be lifeless.

Speaker: Talira, please stay behind me. He is going to cautiously approach it and also kind of swing his his pack around because he keeps a wooden stake in his pack.

Speaker: And he's going to pull that out and have it raised as he approaches this thing. Okay. Okay. Yeah, as you approach it, you can you can make out the paleness of her skin tone, also noticing the femininity of the facial shape and different physical characteristics.

Speaker: Her eyes and mouth are stuck in a reaction of surprise, obviously not expecting the attacks that you threw, but that reaction of surprise also showing its mouth, showing an obvious two long pointed teeth and its piercing red eyes, obviously dead.

Speaker: Okay. I want to nudge it over onto its stomach to see, like, its back if I can. Yeah, absolutely.

Speaker: ah She has clothes on, so i if you're looking for anything, you'd have to move those. um Yeah, I pushed the shirt up. Do I notice anything on her back?

Speaker: Any markings? No, not really. Nothing that looks intentional and familiar? No. Okay. Calden?

Speaker: Is that what I think it is? ah vampire? Yes. Looks like it was starving, which is and lucky for us. It means it hasn't hurt than anyone recently.

Speaker: Yes. And now it never will again. Exactly. You did good. I can tell it's not the first one you killed, though. Not quite the first one, no Is that you being facetious in having killed the many, or have you killed something else similar?

Speaker: I've killed very few. Well, you have the skill to kill many more if you choose. Most are not this weak. A weak is boring.

Speaker: I don't think we're boring. How do we kill a more interesting one? With cunning? And more than a little luck? It's a good thing you're cunning. And you and I, we're lucky.

Speaker: I think I used up all my luck for the next century meeting you. Nah, we keep making more luck. Look how many people we've helped together. That's not luck. Maybe, maybe not.

Speaker: But to Lou, the mama bear we stopped from what rampaging fruitlessly through the village, to the people in the town who really needed answers.

Speaker: We were the answers to a lot of prayers. Is it luck? Is it us? I don't know. I'm going to keep doing it, though. And that's all that matters in the end.

Speaker: Exactly. As you both begin to walk away, the sun begins to peek its face out from behind the moon's. And as that light hits the body of this twice dead being, it begins to sizzle and burn to ash.

Speaker: Would Talera know any uses for vampire ashes? Because that kind of seems like a spell component. It's definitely a good spell component. um I don't know if you would know anything specific, like what spell it's used for, but I'm sure having spent enough time with Gwyn, you probably know that it would be useful to her.

Speaker: ah One moment. If I've learned anything, Gwyneth likes weird shit from dead things. Hang on. Antalira's going to grab some vampire ashes. Nice. Okay. Fantastic.

Speaker: As you all continue on, it does take that, what I say, about a week-long journey or so. Eventually, you make it to the small city slash town of Guala, built of sturdy stone buildings beneath an interconnecting path system of tree houses above.

Speaker: The town being cool and shadowed by the thick canopy of tree cover allows for the moss and occasional ferns to thrive alongside of some of these stone homes. It is noticeably apparent that this city was built alongside the trees of the forest rather than like clearing them to make room.

Speaker: As you see these roots, they've woven their way into buildings and instead of clearing removing them, they they just altered the buildings and accepted them as part of heart of the the foundation, essentially. Yeah. And as you make your way around the city, you find your way to what is obviously a tavern that's below a general shop.

Speaker: Talira is looking at this with the hugest wide eyes. She is obsessed with seeing how nature and the built environment interacts here. She is in awe.

Speaker: You know, I still prefer the wilderness, but this would be the city I lived in if I had to be in the city. It feels very comforting. Yeah.

Speaker: I'm going to have to come back here. As you guys walk into the tavern, you you see the immediate big feature, a massive root about the width of Talira burst out of one wall given that you're in the basement.

Speaker: And it disappears into the flooring in the center of the room. But you do notice the place, it only has a few patrons around as on one of the tables. Some people are playing dice, but it's not all too busy. As you go further into the tavern, you see the bartender is a light green skinned orc, has a like a full stubble across his chin. Mostly bald head though, except for the thin horseshoe of graying black hair all the way around, just like my grandfather. What is it with you and balding? He's not, like hey, he's not bald. He's got a solid horseshoe. Balding. Balding. i have so many characters that are missing hair.

Speaker: Like half the people from Kalden's backstory are balding in some way. Loses deepest fears unlocked. i so don't want to be bald. It's so an actual fear of mine.

Speaker: I don't know why. I don't know why. i Obviously, it's ah it's a crutch I have. Oh, man. I need you to sit and just look at pictures of hairstyles. He has wavy, luscious locks, this bartender. Thick hair. Okay, I will give him some different hair. That's fine.

Speaker: He's got it pulled up into a Portland hipster bun. Oh, my gosh.

Speaker: He has Kyle's hair sword sticking out of it. Love it. Yeah. He looks cool and not bald. I love a good horseshoe. I can tell. Let me redo that. No, I'm leaving this in. Oh, yeah, yeah. Keep keep going. Keep going. fair enough, fair enough.

Speaker: The world gets to know how obsessed you are with making characters bald in some capacity, because I've had to deal with this. That's fair. Further on, the bartender, though, he's like an average build. He's not, like, very big, not very small, just kind of an average guy. but He's got a rag thrown over his shoulder as he addresses you guys. ah Welcome newcomers. What can I get you?

Speaker: Uh, anything my-sized? It's been a really long day. Is there anything you recommend? Do you, are you able to do just like a blue state? I'm sure we can do something along those lines, yeah. I'll just warm up a slab of sirloin if that works.

Speaker: For the big lady, though, ah does a liter-sized mug work? She looks at her hand. Yeah, sure. Thank you. I'll take a sirloin too and maybe a little warmer than his.

Speaker: As he brings you a drink and he yells back to the cook around the corner. Do you all have business with the miners guild up the road? No, we are part of the Adventurers Guild. Mostly just passing through.

Speaker: We heard a rumor there's a dragon nearby, though. Is there anywhere we should be mindful of for that? Oh, yeah, you must have heard about the local legend. The legend has it that after this damn mountain range that overlooks us here, it rose so suddenly that it destroyed and killed like so much of the land and people that a dragon made its home in a new cave system to the south amongst all that chaos.

Speaker: ah was so many centuries ago though, but they say that's why as these trees grew that we built, the city under its cover and didn't cut them that way you know we wouldn't be spotted from above as it flies. Ah, but you've not had any problems with it ever?

Speaker: Well, not in my or my parents' lifetimes at least. um Some of the workers at Smith's Undermine, they say they swear they've seen it fly overhead before, but not many believe them. I think at least it did exist at one point.

Speaker: Too much of it in our city's history to deny it fully, I guess, but whether it's still alive is a question for the gods. Oh, this is good. Talira takes another very hearty sip of ale.

Speaker: Not a sip, a swig, girls a guzzle. very hearty. i Very demure.

Speaker: I didn't have

Speaker: enough suction and so I just like inhaled too much and then I started to like inhale monster and that's a bad day. Oh no. ah What kind of dragon was it?

Speaker: Or did that also change through the tails? The dragon, since you mentioned it, has changed in appearance a lot of the rumors I've heard. But one thing does stay pretty consistent, and that is the fact that it's one of them ones that uses water as its element.

Speaker: One thing that you guys would know as it's somewhat common knowledge, even though like dragons aren't as common nowadays as they like used to be in and what would consider be considered like ancient Aeon is that like the original dragons of the material plane are elemental in base, not chromatic like regular D&D.

Speaker: Water? Yeah, ah water. I don't know. The books say they can be extremely dangerous. Hard to imagine if I'm just getting sprayed with some water, though. What if it's really hot water?

Speaker: Like, I've accidentally taken the lid off of a pot of boiling stew, and it had a lot of steam right to my face. It was very unpleasant. See, now that, that sounds terrible. I wouldn't want to be meeting one of those.

Speaker: We staying here for tonight, boss? Do you have any rooms available? What's it cost? Yeah, I've got some availability. I can set up room for, or two, I guess, for you. Be eight silver pieces at night here.

Speaker: Oh, did you not want to share a bed again, Talira? Oh, I mean, one or two rooms, it's up to you. I was kidding, you take up so much space. That's true. Do you have beds large enough for my giant friend?

Speaker: Yes, might be a high ask, but I've got a double bedroom. We can move them together and we can make it work for some more length. I mean, I have a bedroll. I'll be fine on the floor.

Speaker: I mean, I guess we just mostly need the room itself and a place to clean up. That sounds good to me. And he reaches behind the bar and pulls out a little key. This one's 4A, down the hall as he points to a opening on the sidewall.

Speaker: As we're walking away, but it's not very good practice to just announce our room like that. What if we had stalkers? Well, that's a good point. They really should just write that shit down and, like, slide it over to us.

Speaker: Maybe we should suggest that to him on the way out. Maybe. As you make your way to the room, you both spend the evening cleaning up, resting after you you know finish your nice hot meal. wanted to ask you guys, is there anything else in the evening or in the morning?

Speaker: um Do you do or do you just take off down the road to investigate? Oh, we're heading off. we Yeah, we're we're on a mission. We're in a hurry. Trying to get this done as quickly as possible. Yep, that sounds about right. Okay.

Speaker: Then, in the morning, head off you do. You begin traveling down the road towards Miss Thundermine, and it's about a day's travel. And a couple of hours into the trip, a group of four riding on like a small wagon pulled by a donkey as you see it heading up the road. and You notice there's two dwarves, an orc, and a half-orc heading your way.

Speaker: Hello! Enjoying the nice weather today? It's lovely. So, um, Talira swipes her hair back. She looks a little bit nervous. We're with the adventurer, skilled in looking into something, and we heard there was a rumor of a dragon.

Speaker: Is that true? The orc that greeted you looks at the guy next to him, which is the dwarf. Oh, God, it's not this dragon business again. You must be off your nut like the young boy here. He says, pointing to the young half-orc, as he responds. You've seen it, too.

Speaker: I told you the legend is real. It's pretty obvious I'm not from here. i'm just trying not to die. You've seen it? There's no need to believe my son's daydreams.

Speaker: Everyone knows the dragon of the stores here must have died ages ago. Just in case, and Talera looks to the younger half-orc, which way did it fly? Fly?

Speaker: no no, it wasn't flying. I was hiking up to my favorite lunch spot the other day, and when I looked down into the valley, I saw a really dark-colored, like, reptilian-type creature just walking across the stream.

Speaker: It had these massive wings, so I knew it had to be the dragon. It disappeared back under the canopy, though, and by the time I could hike back down, I had lost its trail. You trying to get closer to what you assumed to be a dragon? Like i said, he's off his nut!

Speaker: I didn't think about the danger. I was too excited at seeing it, to be honest. He's always loved the tales of the local Gwalla dragon and how it protected the town once from the hill giants. He forgets the stories of when it toppled people's homes, though.

Speaker: And that is why I have a healthy respect for them and don't want to die on this mission. Well, if you want to steer clear, most legends say that it lives in the complex cave system to the west of the mine, about a half day's walk or so. If it was real, then way too close for comfort, but if we can use these explosives this close with no issue, then I'd say you have no dragon to worry about.

Speaker: That's good to know, thank you. yeah Yeah, so do we head east then? Well, you both stay safe on your journeys. Thanks. Thank you. You too. The wagon then rides on past as you see the half-orc kind of turn around and look at you guys one last time.

Speaker: But it continues on, and you are left alone on this road.

Speaker: Well, um I guess we should sniff around and see if he took a shit they anywhere around here. This is the weirdest quest I've ever done, you know.

Speaker: Well, my life has certainly gone literally nowhere where I ever expected. As you all head west into the forest, taking some of the direction from that group that you had just talked to, it takes you a while, but you're able to find a creek, and with the tracking abilities that Lyra definitely has, you're able to find some old indentions in the ground, matched with some scratches saw some of the bark of the trees, and you kind of get the indication this could be the path of maybe the dragon, or at least something large enough to be similar.

Speaker: What would it be survival or investigation to roll to track down this shit? How good a sense of smell do you need in order to be able to smell dragon shit? Yeah, seriously. would definitely need a roll because like dragons don't defecate super often. But I think like survival or investigation, I think, could work here. Hmm.

Speaker: So that's a three, but the good news is oh we know I'm proficient. So that's a 10 plus eight. Good, because I rolled a two and I only have a plus five.

Speaker: So that's a seven. Wild. Big smile.

Speaker: Talira, yeah You brought something to put it in, right? What? Wait, wait, wait, what?

Speaker: You think I'm just going to, like, pick up a shit with my bare-ass hands, like the entire-ass log, and walk away all the way back home holding turd?

Speaker: Of course I have something to put it in. Well, it gave me a jar. Yeah, thank goodness Gwynedd gave you the jar. You would have certainly forgotten that. I absolutely would have forgotten them that.

Speaker: I would have put it in something. It's fine. Yeah, one of mine that I brought. No, see, like, I learned underwater basket weaving. I could have made something if I to.

Speaker: oh

Speaker: Yeah, I'm glad you have a jar. I didn't want to use one of mine. See? Now you're thankful for the jar. It's also a good thing when it knows I'm not a logistics person.

Speaker: With the rolls that you guys did roll, you're you're looking for a while and you kind of go upstream trying to find... There's way to sugarcoat A pile of shit.

Speaker: You unfortunately don't find that right away, but what you do find as you follow the stream up, you end up finding the mouth of a cave, one that is easily large enough for what you would at least imagine a dragon could fit in.

Speaker: And you also see markings of scratching of where maybe a foot had dragged. You see where ends of wings, where maybe has a claw on the end of its wing, where it would scratch the side of this cavern.

Speaker: It's fairly obvious. Well, looks like we've found something's home, dragon or otherwise. Delightful. You know, I can't see shit in there.

Speaker: Talira smiles and winks at her terrible pun. Calden rolls his eyes and peeks his head in. As you all make your way into the cave, darkness beginning to envelop both of you. Here, a couple drops of water as some stalactites loom as you continue forward.

Speaker: As you go around a couple curves, surprisingly, it doesn't get all too much smaller. Right before you're about to round another corner, you hear a voice ring out.

Speaker: Stop right there. but Hello? We apologize for invading your home. We meant no disrespect. We're in search of a medicinal and ingredient to combat a curse.

Speaker: How dare you address me me so casually? I am the great... Oh,

Speaker: fuck it. Leave me alone. Let me die slowly and alone in peace. You're ill. Is there anything we can do for you? I'm sorry.

Speaker: How should do we address you? I understand names are important. You are ill. How can we help? You can leave. The cavern shakes slightly, followed by an intense coughing fit once again.

Speaker: Does Talira potentially see some mullein growing nearby? Or did she? Probably like earlier in the day. Yeah, like especially alongside the road that you were traveling on.

Speaker: Okay. Is Kelden moving forward at all? Yeah, I think he's going to keep moving forward. He's going really push his fucking luck here. Yeah, yeah. And Talir's not about to leave Calden alone with this thing, so she's going to follow him But quietly, she's going to say, you know, we could come back with some mullein tea.

Speaker: did you Did you see some? Because we don't have any. There's mullein all over the side of the road. That is good for lungs. Perhaps you could go connect some.

Speaker: It might be a few hours, but I mean, that maybe could help our friend feel a little better. He kind of holds out a finger like, okay, just a second, and steps around the corner to see if he can get a look at this dragon to tell if if there's more like physical injuries that we might want to address besides what tea would help with. Okay. Yeah.

Speaker: As Kalden turns the corner, he sees this cavern open up even further into this massive opening, seeing ruins of what appears to be part of some lost stronghold. These massive pillars, a couple crumbled, barely left of what could be like some sort of statues, as you can see at least, which appears to be a leg and a boot from one of them. In between those two pillars, though, lays a winged beast, this dragon of midnight blue scales and a singular spike protruding from the top of its muzzle, curving down towards the back of its head.

Speaker: And Kelden, because of your very, very good ability to see in the dark, he's able to see the rampant missing of scales. You see scar tissue peeking out from behind the areas that it's missing. One of his legs even looks like it's broken, as you can see, like actually see the bone protruding out of the joint.

Speaker: But it's been like that so long that it's calcified over. You even see one of the wings of this beast is is full of rips and tears. I mean, and you come in around a corner, it's it's he looks rough.

Speaker: And as you do, you you you notice just in time to see like some bloody water is is getting choked up by the coughing fit he was in. But he notices you. and very quickly, a shot of very, very high-pressured water leaves its maw heading straight for you. and need you roll me a dexterity saving throw.

Speaker: Oh,

Speaker: The good news is, guys, I have evasion, so hopefully... mean, we know this isn't the end of the Kaladin. It's true, it's true. Plot armor! 14? thin line.

Speaker: A thin line of pressurized water. A little bit of blood included. Just barely missed Kalden grazing his cheek, bringing blood to the surface of your cheek. When the stream hits the cavern wall behind you, it is easy to see. that little hole the size of a dime.

Speaker: And you can't even see the end of that hole. Fuck. what Did I not make myself clear, little elf? Shit! You okay, Kalden? Well, I've never been great about steering clear of trouble when someone was in need.

Speaker: You'd think I'd have learned after all these years. i mean, that's why we're friends. What's going on with you, our hot-breathed friend? Why can I not just die in peace?

Speaker: You don't have to die, you know. What mortal ants like you know of what an old dragon wants or needs? I suppose very little, until we're allowed to learn. You got a look at me, didn't you, little elf?

Speaker: I did. I am a disgrace of my former glory, and far past the chance to live again.

Speaker: i hope that's not true. Otherwise I should just die now. You've clearly survived a lot. What's afflicting you now? Inability to heal myself.

Speaker: We don't heal well without the arcane, and I lost that after some dumbass hill giant tribe managed to catch my head between two of their hammers.

Speaker: Fuck. Shit. We aren't healers versed in magic, but we do have salves and potions that could lessen your current injuries.

Speaker: Is it possible to repair that connection to the Arcana? None that I'm aware of. And it'll be a cold day in hell before I allow little ants like you to learn the secrets of ancient draconic magic.

Speaker: Well, I suppose that's understandable. I wouldn't want most anyone to know them either. The offer's still available for our potions and salves. I can understand the pride of an ancient thing.

Speaker: We didn't come here to trifle with you. We're here for a... well... poorly embarrassing now. Tincture ingredient to treat a curse.

Speaker: I promise any aid from us comes with no strings. That was pretty good. That was pretty good. Can you, can you roll a persuasion roll for me? Oh, um, do I have to?

Speaker: Can't he just like me? Um, well, no.

Speaker: There. Fine. Fine. How's a 25 feel? Yo! Well, still no, as far as him liking you, but, ah you know, that will, that'll, that'll help. Yeah, that'll help a lot.

Speaker: Okay, okay. The dragon response, of course. Ugh. Not again. Again? Ugh. Follow the creek until you either find it at a curve or on a rock.

Speaker: And for heaven's sakes, especially now, please just leave. Teneira, can I have your potions? Of course. And she immediately hands them over.

Speaker: If you go ahead, I'll follow soon. I'd like to at least leave these with it. Just let me know where you're at before stepping beyond the mile radius of my abilities.

Speaker: Okay, yeah, I'll be careful, okay? Should I find mullin? mean, I feel bad for him. i don't want him to suffer. no it'll take you hours to get that.

Speaker: And the potions we do have will likely be more immediately effective anyway. If it'll even accept either. You should get what we came here for, for your mother. Okay. Thank him for me?

Speaker: He nods. Can I roll an insight on the dragon? Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. Because I feel like I'm getting the vibe of, like, Clint Eastwood, kind of grumpy old man meeting the annoying neighborhood kid that he, like, will eventually begrudgingly grow fond of. Like, that, you know.

Speaker: i was just curious if, like, Calden gets that vibe from him. Okay. Yeah. Yeah, I'd say you at least get something similar. Obviously this thing's old, it's been around the block and it just... yeah, you you get it.

Speaker: Cool. Then as Talir is heading off, Caldin is going to step around the corner again. feels a little silly to carry on a conversation around a corner. Little elf, I don't get to eat very often anymore. You are truly going to make a mistake very soon.

Speaker: I'm sure your eyesight is still keen. I'd make a very poor meal. Dragon eyes are obviously very large. You can see him roll his eyes. I've told you what you want to know. What are you still doing here?

Speaker: Just patching up my bleeding heart, I guess. and Look, I doubt the number of potions we have will be as effective for you since you're so large. But it's not like it'll hurt for you to take them anyway.

Speaker: There's a pause for a while, a fairly long silence before he speaks.

Speaker: All right. You can add them to my horde. This massive dragon, he just, he goes to move and you hear as bones crack, the small sound of pain kind of coming from him.

Speaker: Little moans of pain. He just, he just can't help it. you Obviously wouldn't want to show weakness in front of you, but it just comes out. He moves to the side by about 10 feet and revealing a small path, there is a massive pile of treasure and gold that sits maybe 70 feet back into what was this atrium of whatever this fortress used to be.

Speaker: Calden steps forward and deposits the potions T'lyra gave him. and And I think he has a few in his pack too that we stole from Verruthah. That we did. Indeed.

Speaker: So he puts those on the pile. And he got he has some salves, too, from his his medical pack. First aid kit. Whatever they're called.

Speaker: Doesn't matter. I have these salves as well. They need to be externally administered. Will they be helpful to you at all? You see as he's eyeing you very carefully when you are around its horde.

Speaker: I'll manage... Kaldun puts the potions and salves down and steps back so that the dragon doesn't have to be so wary of him.

Speaker: glad you don't actually want to die, suppose. Oh, I do. I just carry too much pride to kill myself. He looks pretty upset at that. Leave me be, little elf.

Speaker: Go spend your time saving someone that wants to be saved. All I've been doing for years is trying to save myself, and I'm not even sure I want to be saved.

Speaker: I am no member of humanity. We dragons prefer our solitude. But I have observed you for longer than you have been alive, young elf.

Speaker: For you two have even one friend that you regard so close. That should be enough to want to be saved. I'm not so sure about that. An extremely high-pitched ringing bounces off the walls of the cavern as a piercing stream of boiling water puts a hole in the wall just past where your torso is. And it's immediately followed with a violent stream of coughs.

Speaker: go

Speaker: You rude child. When an ancient and wise dragon bestows it as advice and wisdom, you agree and be thankful. Do you understand how rare that is?

Speaker: Ungrateful bastard. Ancient and magnificent, you certainly are. But you're not the first ancient creatures told me how I should think. Be gone, little one. Maybe someday you'll properly be thankful for what you have.

Speaker: Calden turns to leave, and he stops before he makes it around the corner. I heard tell of a dragon in these parts who once saved a village from some hill giants.

Speaker: I hope it finds a reason to be happy again someday. And he leaves. As you round that corner that you came from, another drill of water hits the wall behind you before you leave, just hearing the sound of terrible coughing and the wrenching up of water and blood.

Speaker: Calden, as as you catch up, Talira is just about to start heading back as she had followed the creek. She had found some shit, some poop. A turd? A lot. the best ah alert i don't know what the best word to use it is.

Speaker: but She found the loaf. yeah You found the loaf that hadn't deteriorated like too far. You found it like stuck in like a sharp bend in the creek that you had previously missed. It hadn't quite gone far enough other Disgusting.

Speaker: Gods, this is really the worst fucking adventure I've ever been on. but Dragon shit. Gods. I'm sure we'll have worse in the future. Ugh. Yeah, I guess you're right.

Speaker: Everything okay? We'll have to replace all our potions and salves. That's fine. Easily doable. I mean, we just had to spend the money for them. How bad did he look?

Speaker: Years of injuries that didn't heal properly. Hundreds of years, maybe. He's so old. Shit. Ourselves aren't going to do shit.

Speaker: Might be better than nothing. I don't know. hope. I mean, still, I'm glad we gave them to him. i mean, he sounded bad. Oh, shit! To be honest, I don't think the potions will do much.

Speaker: I don't know how dose it- I found the shit! Sorry, keep going. Ew. What were you saying? I don't know how dosage works with potions, but they certainly went through to treat a dragon.

Speaker: I guess I just hope it lessens whatever pain he's in right now. Can you please bottle that up? Oh, yeah. I mean, it's not as large as I'd have imagined for a dragon. Boy, I do not care about that right now.

Speaker: I mean, it looks like it's been broken up a lot, so maybe it started bigger. Yeah, fair. Let me just... Leafs slipped! Leafs slipped!

Speaker: Okay, okay. Jarred, separate bag. We're going in another separate bag. I really need to wash my hands. Please do.

Speaker: And if we could just never speak of this again... it What? You don't want me to boop your nose?

Speaker: i will let that dragon eat you. No, you won't. You like me too much. I'm very cute. I'll let it eat me then. No, you're too much of a survivor. Look, as long as you tell mom the last thing I ever got her was shit, I'll let them eat me. Ooh, you know That's a good one. Next time she scolds me, I'll remind her of the time I brought her back some shit.

Speaker: Yeah? You're probably one of the bravest people I've ever met, you know that right? Huh? Like, you just walked up to a dragon after he tried to kill you. And when we got what we needed, you stayed to talk to him more.

Speaker: A fucking dragon. You're insane. fucking love it. I mean, i don't know if it was brave. Probably mostly just stupid.

Speaker: You're a badass. That's definitely not true. I think it is. But I'll drop it for now. Well, you guys have obtained the ingredient that you came here for.

Speaker: If you guys are good with it, just for time purposes, there's not going to be any surprises. I'll spoil that for you now. On your way back home, still going to take that same week time, but you're able to find your way back to the waystone.

Speaker: You can use the Scroll of Sending that Gwynedd sent you with as she then performs the ritual. And once again, you are dematerialized and you spend that however many days before you've rematerialized back in the tribal lands of the Goliath.

Speaker: I'm not pregnant this time. Well, that remains to be seen. You don't show immediately. You know... Maybe we'll find out next time if Talira is actually pregnant, because that is going to be the end of today's session.

Speaker: Is Talira pregnant? Who's the father? Find out next time on the World of Aeon.

Speaker: Oh, my gosh. Hope you guys enjoyed today's episode.

Speaker: A little sneak peek or not so much sneak peek at what happened during that three years time where they were over there fucking dying and we're picking up dragon shit. You know, this is this brings up a good question. I don't know if any of the audiences ever wondered this, but before we before we finish this up real quick, does Calvin and Talira hold any guilt like that Oh, 100%. I figured. Absolutely.

Speaker: Like, I don't think, i mean, obviously you guys hold guilt, but I don't think it's ever been like said out loud. Maybe there has been dialogue and I've just forgotten. We checked in on Maeve to make sure she was still alive.

Speaker: And I'm sure we tried a couple of times. It just, it hasn't been shown yet. Maeve ignored us full stop. So there was not much more we could do there. And we were under the assumption Yellen was dead. that's true. Yeah, that's true.

Speaker: Well, that is going to be today's episode. i hope you all enjoyed it. Stick around for next time. We're excited to keep on giving you more content. And of course, this is the end of an episode. We got to do our shameless plugs on all podcast platforms. If you scroll down, we have a little link tree that can take you to all of our socials and other platforms.

Speaker: If you like us and want to see more of our content and maybe short form content, you can find us on those platforms. We'd love to hear from you there. as well as we have our community where you can find us on Discord, and maybe you might be able to interact with us a little more personally. Not only that, but we have a lovely Patreon. dutedda ah Yes, we do have a Patreon, as every other D&D podcast does, but ours is the best. We don't expect you guys to, by any means, monetarily support us, but if you want to, that is one of the ways you can, and we will greatly appreciate it. Plus, you do get, you know, some benefits from being on the Patreon.

Speaker: You'll get more of us. And I mean, who doesn't want more of us? That's exactly right. That's exactly right. ri That's what we're saying. And if you don't want to get more of us, but still want to monetarily support us, which I don't know why you would. But hey, if that's your or maybe if you just want to do more, we also have a coffee.

Speaker: If that's your kink. Yep. And we don't kink shame here. No, of course I kink shame sometimes, but I won't kink shame that. We won't kink shame that. We love you guys. Hope you guys stick around for more and we'll see you next time.

Speaker: Bye. Bye.

Speaker: We would like to thank our cast, myself, Curtis Woosley, as the GM, MJ Gunther as Talira Grimstone at Kilanathi, Safira as Maeve Strongheart, Rennie Armas as Kalden, and Jack Baldwin as Yalin Yakal.

Speaker: Additional thanks to Scentic GFX for our graphics, to MJ and Rennie here for our show editing, and our intro and outro music composed by Ryan Moons, owner operator of Eyes on the Moon Studios................