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C2 Ep. 30 Accounting for the Fallen Chapter Three
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The party finds themselves face to face with their quarry in the conclusion of the arc, but not everyone is who they claim to be. And what will the party find inside the book?
This episode is brought to you by the generous donations of our amazing Show Sponsors: Laura Pickrahn, Darrin Katzska, Irene Viorritto, Ryan Royce, Darrell DeLaney, Jessica Smith, Charles Compton, Richard Cree, Danielle Bramhall-Smith, Nastasia Raulerson, The Kamm Family, David Scrams, Elizabeth Clark, Andy Dossett, Rebekah Gowman, deviouspoptart, Eðvarð Arnór Sigurðsson, Michael Clark, Eric Witman, and Shelby Johnson.
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Transcript
Opening and Sponsor Acknowledgments
00:00:00
Speaker
The following episode is brought to you by the generous donations of Laura Pickron, Darryl Delaney, Darren Katska, Deavius Poptart, Irene Villarito, Ryan Royce, Andy Dossett, Danielle Bramhall-Smith, Elizabeth Clark, Eric Whitman, Jessica Smith, Charles Compton, Natasha Rallerson, Richard Cree, The Cam Family, David Scrams, Dustin Troop, Edvard Arnoff, Michael Clark,
00:00:25
Speaker
Rebecca Gowman, and Shelby Johnson, as well as all of our generous patrons.
Introduction of Hosts and Players
00:01:16
Speaker
Hello and welcome to Eberron Renewed, an actual play podcast set in the Eberron campaign setting. I'm your game master, Eric. I'm Phillip. I'm Trevor. I'm Randy. And I'm Jeff. And welcome to another episode. Gentlemen, what happened last
Recap of Previous Episode's Combat Encounter
00:01:29
Speaker
time? We almost got wrecked. Yeah. Yeah. So much lumps.
00:01:37
Speaker
I couldn't quite understand what he said and I thought Puddin was involved and I was very confused. I heard, we got ambushed by some hoodlums. That's what I said. What were they called again?
00:01:48
Speaker
Ravers. Oh ravers. Hoodlums ravers. You see them. It was a very disastrous combat encounter. Milo nearly got knocked out, but barely managed to avoid that thanks to fancy magic items. Eris is having an ongoing... Thank goodness he rolled that random triumph at the beginning of the session. Eris is having an ongoing crisis.
00:02:15
Speaker
and was also reduced to one hit point, wound, sorry.
Raynard's Temple Encounter
00:02:20
Speaker
Hob is riddled with critical injuries and his face is all scratched out. Yeah, everybody but Raynard got a critical injury. Why was it that Raynard didn't end up with a critical injury? Because his fear ran away. Because when he ran away, he stayed away. That's the big biz.
00:02:39
Speaker
And then Raynard set off a Reubs Goldberg machine and notified everybody to your presence. I just knocked on the door. Okay, so where we left off, you all back at where you stopped to allow Raynard to sneak up. I'm not here to sound. Yeah.
00:03:02
Speaker
Yeah. We're here. And then Brainard. Yeah. Do you think they saw him? So, Brainard, you see in the temple. So, there's three people that have now been knocked out by a falling chandelier, as it were.
00:03:32
Speaker
And you see a tiefling woman standing there looking at you with dark purple skin.
00:03:46
Speaker
and large horns that kind of come out and twist vertically as opposed to like going around like Graham's horns. And she is wearing robes and kind of looks to you confused.
00:04:02
Speaker
You also see a human man standing next to her. Clearly, they were in conversation when all of this happened. And you see another group of lackeys kind of standing nearby the door. They're all startled. And the woman goes, who are you?
Negotiation for the Book
00:04:20
Speaker
Why? I doubt they're going to be super happy to give us the book now.
00:04:32
Speaker
Oh, I don't think there's a book. It was but an accident. I we're we're not there, are we? You're not there, Milo. I yelled it. There was an accident. I just waves now he's just echoes through the through the fallen district. I just say, yes, I'd imagine draws down more raisers. I'm not wanting to talk to me currently. I can see how you might be not.
00:05:02
Speaker
Who are you? Yes. I can't think. Raynard. Hello. What do you want? We came for a book.
00:05:23
Speaker
Are you all making your way over here or are you just like? I find it really interesting that that Rainard is in the middle of it and we're all at the back. It's called Penance.
00:05:37
Speaker
Okay, Reynard, I'm gonna need a charm check to kind of dissolve the situation. Okay. And based on the result, we can, we can figure out
00:05:55
Speaker
So this is going to be a one red, two purple check. Would you like to flip two story points to use your heroic ability? Yes, I was going to say that. Yeah. OK, so what that allows you to do is remove a purple die. What did you when we upgraded, did you just upgrade the
00:06:22
Speaker
Like to the improved version? Is that right? Do you remember, Rainard? Did you guys do that when you spent all the points? We did that in the moment when you all earned it. I remember we went around and decided.
00:06:35
Speaker
Um, so you can remove a purple of your choice. The improved version was to remove, uh, if there are any setback, you can remove a setback of your choice. I've that sounds familiar. So like to use neck for charm or neck for it. Well, neck for it is if there, if there are setback, you get to remove them. So you up to two. So there aren't any setback die on it right now. So, um, you're good there. So you don't need to use neck for it. Um,
00:07:02
Speaker
But we have one red, two purple difficulty. You will get to remove one of the purple of your choice after the roll. So you are good. Wait, hold on before you roll. There would have absolutely given the circumstances that you're making this charm check. There would have been at least one setback die on the check. I forgot to add it. So you're not for it would come into play. So you are because you are so charming. The fact that you literally just knocked out three people and made this entrance is not going to have an effect.
00:07:32
Speaker
So it looks like if you ditch the second purple, then you'll have a success. Yes. Let's do it. Okay, so one success, two advantage. So what do you say, Reynard? Give me the context of your charm check. So you just said we're here for the book. Are you going to admit that it was a mistake or what are you going to do?
00:07:58
Speaker
I say, look, my friends are a little worse for wear back there. And I did not mean for this to happen.
Successful Book Retrieval
00:08:11
Speaker
Of course, why would I? I came here probably as the worst representative of our group, but here indeed. And we are looking for a book and I did not mean to kill your friends.
00:08:30
Speaker
First off, I don't think they're killed. They seem to be breathing. They're just incapacitated for now. So this was definitely gurgling. And the human man standing next to her is like, so you're here for a book, you say? Yes.
00:08:59
Speaker
And he looks at the tiefling woman, Alendra, do you know about a book? And she looks at the man standing next to her and is like, we, some time ago, did come into a possession of a ledger of sorts, detailing some less than favorable things about, I'm assuming,
00:09:27
Speaker
Your employer, come in. I have no ill intention. All right then. So you all see Raynard walk into the temple? I have to start moving at this point. Yeah, Milo's heading that way. He wants to see Raynard come to folly, not to death. So...
00:09:54
Speaker
Reynard, as you approach and then your companions around the corner behind you and... Sanigo? Yeah, San is there. Then Eres goes. She... We're with him, kind of. Sorry for the... I assumed. Church. So here's the situation.
00:10:25
Speaker
I'm assuming you all work for the clan if you're here seeking this book. Would I be correct in that assumption? Yes. We're here on behalf of the board of Mars, yes. Okay. And she kind of eyes Milo and says, surname? Keg bottom.
00:10:54
Speaker
So, if- Which implies you know my first name? Nope, just making sure your last name wasn't Boromar. Very well. I'm assuming that if you all were sent down here to retrieve this ledger, then,
00:11:22
Speaker
somebody within the clan isn't the biggest fan of you. I've also worked alongside the clan plenty in some capacity as House Tarkannon has a alliance with the clan, but things are becoming shaky. And so we were merely seeking a weakness to ensure
00:11:52
Speaker
the shared prosperity continues between the clan and ourselves. So while obviously your entrance could have been better. In my defense, you had a table for a door. That's, that's, that's, that's a statement. Boy, this is when you don't talk. Oh boy, this is ever when you don't talk.
00:12:22
Speaker
So here's the situation. I need the ledger as leverage. So I am reluctant to give it up to you. Now, Raynard, since your paragon is still active, you can make another charm check to attempt to convince her that the book is better in your hands than in hers. It will be daunting, so it's four purple.
00:12:54
Speaker
But I got it. But your Paragon is still active. Yeah. I'm going to use a story point to upgrade one of those dice to a red. And with your two advantage, let's say that you get two boost die on this check. Sound fair? Yep. Oh, gosh. Okay. If you remove one of the purple, you end up with two success, two advantage.
00:13:24
Speaker
Perfect. So let's do it. Give me give me your speech. Give me your your. Wow. Invince her to give the book. Wow. The people, Trevor. We're waiting on baited breath. Oh, come on. That's my line. Come on, please. So I'm.
00:13:48
Speaker
Convincing her that we need the book She has just told you that she is reluctant to give the book up to you because she needs it as leverage against the clan Well, I would love to know why you need leverage against the clan But I I promise you that book is Better off in our hands for everyone Why why is that Because We
00:14:20
Speaker
Have a plan. You have a plan? Yes. So you also need the ledger for... That is interesting. With you all being inside the clan. Let's just say the big guy's got it out for somebody. Right? You can't see that. I was petting my chest. Yeah. It's just a wall.
00:14:49
Speaker
Yeah, this was hard. Same color, right? I'm just killing it in an audio medium right now. I would like some level of assurance that you actually intend to use this in a way that the situation is
00:15:11
Speaker
Essentially, the alliance between Boromar and House Tarkannan has always been based upon the agreement that the assassination business was Tarkannan's monopoly in the town, at least between the clan and us. And we have started getting word that that's no longer being held up on Boromar's end.
00:15:35
Speaker
that they have started taking upon themselves to take contracts that involve the targeting and killing of certain individuals. So this ledger would allow us to provide some level of incriminating evidence against the clan to assure them they should not continue in this endeavor. So if you all have a plan, I would like that plan to include
00:16:06
Speaker
A bit of quid pro quo, as it were. Do what you can, if you have the ear. S goblin, it means she wants something. Whoever you're intending to go after, if you could also figure out who is behind the assassination division of the clan and
00:16:36
Speaker
take care of them in whatever capacity you see fit. Now, when I say take care of them, I don't mean take them out. That's our job, as I just said. But if you could discredit them, get them out of their station, convince the clan that assassination game is not worth it. I'm not expecting you to do this tomorrow, but... I tend to wonder if the head of the clan knows
00:17:05
Speaker
that this is going on. So you're saying that the leadership of the Klan is weak enough at this stage where potentially things could be happening without their knowledge? Saying weak enough. But I mean, it depends. How long has this been going on? We've gotten notice of it and started noticing it in the past three months or so. I'd say that's definitely enough time that
00:17:35
Speaker
They would certainly know what was going on. Definitely not weak. Well, do you agree, whatever your plan is that you intend to enact, you will also do what you can to figure out who is behind the assassinations that your clan has been committing and do what you can to
00:18:04
Speaker
Stop it. If there is anything to be done. Obviously, if the head of the clan is behind it and the clan itself has approved of these actions, then there's nothing to be done. I don't expect you to do that. Just we will have that knowledge then and we will move forward accordingly. I do not speak for all of us, but for my part,
00:18:25
Speaker
I am certainly willing to look into it. Yes, I don't believe we need any assassinations in the Boromar Clan. And Milo has definite reasons for being willing. Yeah. Okay. Um. Well.
00:18:45
Speaker
Now that I have your assurances, I am more than happy. And she reaches into a bag and pulls out a fairly thick ledger, brown leather cover, little bits of parchment sticking out of the edge where things have been bookmarked, things like that. And she hands it to you, Milo.
00:19:05
Speaker
and says, well, with that, I don't think there's any reason for us to be holed up down here any longer so we can head out. And the human man standing next to her steps forward and says, if I could have a word before
Discovery of Kylie's Note in the Ledger
00:19:28
Speaker
you all go.
00:19:30
Speaker
and he's looking at Milo and Raynard, the two that spoke up affirmatively. The human man turns to the tiefling and the other grouping and says, I'll catch up to you if you could go ahead and head on out. I just need a word with them regarding the ledger. And she kind of gives him a side eye, says, okay,
00:19:59
Speaker
Very well, Sifist, but we will see you soon. Spell that? Sifist S-I-P-H-I-S-T. I wonder what Sifism is. So if you all are willing to stay around and talk to this individual, the other House Tarkan individuals begin to leave.
00:20:24
Speaker
So it's just him and you four left in here. You say he's a Tiefling? No, he's a human. He's the human. Human man. He you all notice there's no check required because he's not being transparent about or opaque about it. He watches the tarkan and leave like waiting for them to get a distance away.
00:20:52
Speaker
So it's just kind of awkward silence as you hear footsteps leaving. And he turns to Milo, who has the ledger, and says, this is awkward. I need the ledger because I'm undercover.
00:21:20
Speaker
I've been on this job for, uh, almost half a year now. And, uh, it was to get that, that, that ledger. Um, I'm, my name is Cephas Coldor and I am a, I'm a member of the King's Dark Lanterns and I've been undercover for some time. Um.
00:21:51
Speaker
And I need the ledger for my investigation. No, the investigation into what exactly? The Citadel for a long time has been attempting to build a case. I'm not going to get into details of what the case is because you all work for the people that we're trying to take down.
00:22:21
Speaker
but you all seem willing to have a conversation like this. We're trying to build a case against the Klan and the power that they hold in every facet of the city. I had a contact on the inside for a while, but they've broken off contact. So I went undercover to try and track down a more tangible source rather than being fed information. So Milo, give me a,
00:22:52
Speaker
Arcana check. Okay, just go ahead. Go ahead. Okay, for success to advantage, heal two strain. After he has spoken and you're starting to speak, you feel the book.
00:23:20
Speaker
It feels like the book is vibrating in your hand. Okay. Um, go ahead. I'm sorry, but I simply do not see any reason for us to give up the book that pertains to our employer.
00:23:51
Speaker
who sent us on a job to acquire this and expects us to return it. I mean, so that was all smoke that you were blowing there just now? You may take that as you will. All right, Mr. Kegbottom, I suppose there's nothing that I can do to
Cephist's Revelation as an Undercover Agent
00:24:19
Speaker
convince you.
00:24:20
Speaker
I mean you wish to use the book to take down the clan and I mean unless anybody else here can give me any good reason that we should turn over this book. Thoughts anyone? Not to interject here um unsolicited but I'm going to uh I don't know what you all
00:24:51
Speaker
do for the clan. I don't know in what capacity you work for them. By this context, I mean you all came here to fetch something, albeit it was incriminating evidence against the clan, but
00:25:05
Speaker
I don't imagine that you all are killers. I don't imagine that you all assassinate people. I don't imagine that you all do a lot of the horrible things that your employer does. And I don't know that you all would condone it if you were told the laundry list of reasons that we want to take them down.
00:25:29
Speaker
if you elect to hold onto your book. I'm not gonna do anything. I'm not gonna pull a wand or try to take you in. But I mean, know that at that point, the halfling Mr. Kegbottom and the elf with the short-haired Reynard will be officially obstructing justice and will be therefore enemies of the King's Citadel.
00:25:58
Speaker
That's just the reality. I'm just laying it out there for you. I'm not, that's not a threat. It's just what it's going to be. If that's how you want it to be, I will walk out the door gladly and leave you with your book to protect your employer who is killing people. There are sort of slides a hand onto the grip of the Fletcher. Do you have any questions for him? Anything that you want to ask him? How many?
00:26:27
Speaker
Credentials that could prove who you are I mean, I'm sure you do not as you are undercover Citadel dark landers typically don't carry a badge when you've been undercover
Milo's Skepticism and Emotional Conflict
00:26:42
Speaker
five months. So I'm trying to decide if Milo would know that or not.
00:26:46
Speaker
But he would probably be smart enough to know the guy's undercover. He's not going to have anything to prove. Milo has a four intellect. Milo can get there logically. This is true. I got to think that Milo's smarter than Randy sometimes. I mean, I just can't see giving the book up. It occurs to me. That there's got to be a way where both of us can leave here happy. We have to return.
00:27:17
Speaker
with something saying we completed this job. You're, well, I would say associate, but, um, stooge that just left, um, is, is, is correct. Obviously we were sent here because we've got a bit of a target on our packs as well. In the sense that
00:27:42
Speaker
We're fairly certain that someone in the organization also wants us dead, but can't simply just do it. And dead, worse than obstruction of justice. Here's the oral, I mean. Yeah, that feels like negotiation. Yeah, unfortunately, I can't throw a threat in there to make it coercion, so.
00:28:11
Speaker
or else. Just add or else to any statement. I feel like being big is coercion. Coercion is a state of my being.
00:28:25
Speaker
Okay. Um, so I am going to use a story point to upgrade one of the dice. So it's one red, one purple is your difficulty for this negotiation check. I can't win that if I don't also upgrade then I can't even stalemate it. So you could, I mean, both of the negative dice have blank sides. Yes. I mean, yes. Could certainly will upgrade me. One advantage. Yeah. It's a good thing. I upgraded, huh? Look at that. Yeah.
00:28:56
Speaker
Oh man, how do you use one advantage when you fail on something and you're in a literally unwinnable situation that your friend Eric put you in? I mean, to be fair, Eric is not the criminal that gave a random person their proper name. No, no, certainly. Guys, what do you do with one advantage on this role?
00:29:24
Speaker
You can pass a boost die to someone else who can try something different or... Yeah, because here's the thing, if any one of you tries to do something, because we're all together now, and honestly, well, did... Yeah, no, because I wasn't there yet. If any one of you tries anything, you get to add two advantage if you succeed, because I'm standing next to you. So I'm going to pass a boost die to whoever acts next to try to make something work. Okay, so... So does he respond in any way? Yeah, he hears you and says,
00:29:53
Speaker
I understand your desire to have all parties out here walk out happy. I just don't see, I mean, we both want the same thing and it's not something that can be magically duplicated. Almost step outside and make sure this isn't some kind of trap.
00:30:14
Speaker
and Eris turns and walks back out the door. Fair enough. I would argue it's absolutely something that can be magically duplicated. Just probably not right now, right here. It's not in a timetable that we would both be happy with. So I... Are the Tar Canons still in sight? You see them about like two and a half blocks away, just kind of like close enough to where they would be able to hear
00:30:44
Speaker
combat but they're not like waiting to spring in if that makes sense. Are they looking this direction? Like are they watching to see when he comes out? Some of them are others are frankly looking around hoping that ravers don't come to eat them. So Eris pulls off her scarf and sort of
00:31:04
Speaker
waves it in the air and then puts it back. She starts to walk towards them. Eric starts to walk towards them and gestures with a yes, yes, this is not just wave come here.
Deciding the Group's Approach
00:31:20
Speaker
I hope doing what I'm hoping he's doing. So the tiefling begins to walk towards you. The other three kind of hang back a little bit.
00:31:34
Speaker
Uh, yes. Uh, sorry, we, we weren't, we were just waiting to make sure that you all weren't seeking to kill anybody. Is your, is your man in there trying to run a con on us?
00:31:52
Speaker
I, he said he wanted to stay behind to talk to you about the ledger. I know nothing beyond that. He says he's a King's Dark Lantern undercover who wants the ledger to build a case against our employer. That's exactly what I was hoping for. And then, I mean, she, give me, hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm. Yeah.
00:32:21
Speaker
Because yeah, there is a chance that you would just be trying to bait them into fighting each other. Sure, sure, sure. Yeah, no, I totally get this as a... So yeah, I guess it's going to be a charm check because you're trying to say something to get it believed. Like, damn, I wish Tasha was here and that I had taken a fancy paint job. But look at my fancy car. Yeah, look at my fancy car. It's the most absurd talent. I'm totally going to take it. You're right.
00:32:47
Speaker
Thank you. Thank you, Trevor. I appreciate that, Trevor. Okay, so your difficulty is one red, one purple. I would like to upgrade. You all are out of story points now.
00:33:03
Speaker
I don't have any, everybody makes me believe, everybody believes in me powers. So yeah, but this is too interesting to like, sorry, I'm not engaged with you. I want to see, I want to see what, what happens. So it would have been weird. Paris goes, hub, come outside with me in the doorway to where you can be seen by all parties and look real imposing. Um, okay. Go and roll. Trying to think. No, there's nothing I can do to get a boost out here. All right.
00:33:33
Speaker
Wait, I gave you a boost die. Oh, that's true. Oh, yep. Oh, boy. This one blue die. Go and roll it. Four advantage, no success. Unreal. So she... Okay, four advantage is like a crapload. Yes, it's a lot. It's bordering on triumph territory. That feels like she doesn't believe you, but she's got to come back in, right?
00:34:05
Speaker
And then what's he going to do, renege on her promise when she's in the room? She doesn't think I'm trying to trick her. I'm a stranger. She has no particular reason to just take my word as gospel. Okay. But she does not here assume I'm trying to trick her. Okay. And there's room for dealing here. Okay. And then Eric says, look, he's got,
00:34:37
Speaker
So he's got two, that was Jeff. Look, he's got the names of two of my friends now because they introduced themselves to you for some reason. And if he is what he says he is, then he's going to, and we don't turn it over, which we shouldn't.
00:35:10
Speaker
Then they're gonna, they're gonna have the Latinas after them. And I don't know much what we can do about that. Cause you know, we just got nearly eaten by a bunch of mongrel, whatever these things are out here. Um, so I dunno, is there, um, okay. Um, she says,
00:35:39
Speaker
a moment. And she signals for the other Tarkanans to come with her. And she rounds the corner and walks in. And as you all are still in there, Saphis kind of starts and looks at her entering. Alundra, I thought you were leaving. I was. I was. But then I have this blue-haired one outside.
00:36:08
Speaker
telling me that you're a member of the King Citadel, a Dark Lantern, in fact, who is undercover here, attempting to get the ledger from me. So care to explain yourself? Okay, so he is going to be making a deception check.
00:36:30
Speaker
Yeah, I just couldn't think of any way to turn that into a negotiation. This is weird to make a role that literally like, there's not even a side like a PC versus DM side. This is like an internal conflict to become amongst two NPCs. Okay, three success, a threat and a triumph. And so... Wait, so he gets a triumph in his denial? Yeah.
00:36:53
Speaker
So he kind of hangs his head and glares at the three of you that are still within his line of sight and says, Alundra, I was trying to do you a favor. I was trying to hang back, tell him I was a Dark Lantern so I could get the ledger for us, for Tarkhanon, because I don't trust them. I don't think they're gonna go through with what you say. I think they're too loyal to the clan.
00:37:20
Speaker
And I don't think they're going to go through with it. So I was trying to hang back, get the ledger back for us. And I told a tale about being a dark lantern, um, to, to try and flex on them, I guess. So that's what happened. This is bollocks. Um, so certainly not the negotiation I heard. Well,
00:37:50
Speaker
I just met you all and you walked in here and knocked out three of my compatriots.
00:38:05
Speaker
Right. How goes through there like that when we walked in? I didn't put him there. That's who we did. And I operated in a state of good faith that you all were actually coming here to negotiate fairly. But it would seem that that's not the case. Well, no, he just said that he said what we said he said.
00:38:34
Speaker
No one's been dishonest except for him. Well, he told us he was a dark lantern. We told you he told us he was a dark lantern. He told you he told us he was a dark lantern. Okay. At one point, yes, that's fine. At one point was my friend, the blue-haired one, dishonest with you.
00:38:54
Speaker
No, I'm referencing the fact that Cephas is now indicating that, based on his conversation with you, that it doesn't seem like you intend to hold up your end of the bargain. No, he says he doesn't. He believes. It's not our intention to give him the ledger.
Questioning Loyalty and Intentions
00:39:11
Speaker
And she looks at Cephas and like, Cephas, do you believe that they're going to hold up their end of the deal with giving them the ledger?
00:39:20
Speaker
Um, Cephas looks at a Lendering kind of shrugs and, I mean, based on the conversation I had with them, uh, when I asked for it back based on Dark Lantern business, um, and that it seemed like they had beef with the clan as well, and that we could have a mutual relationship in this endeavor, Mr. Kegbottom here was the one that said, well, I don't see a reason why we would betray our employer. No, that is exactly not what I said.
00:39:49
Speaker
I said that we were sent to procure the ledger for our employer. And that was our mission. And that's all I said. You assumed that that meant that we were actually going to return it. But we're going to keep it for ourselves to do
00:40:20
Speaker
what we intend to do with it. Okay. Here's the deal. I'm going to give the person that got you all in the situation a chance to get you all out. Um, so unscathed because, uh, yeah. Um, Reynard. I'll give you a shot to dissolve the situation with charm. All right.
00:40:47
Speaker
I'm going to spend a story point to upgrade it because I don't want all of them. So this is going to be. Two red. Oh. So I should spend a story point. If you want. Two red actually hard.
00:41:14
Speaker
Actually, you can't because a story point can't be used twice in one turn. Since you all didn't have any to start, you can't use one. I don't get anything else from all my charm. I mean, you have a crap ton of talents that we took right before the session started relating to your charm. Give a really charming statement and maybe he'll give you an extra boost die before you roll it. But I already had them going.
00:41:42
Speaker
Let me take a look real quick. You're gonna get two extra advantage if you succeed because I'm here. Okay, so leading in this check, Trevor's gonna use two of the fancy new talents that he got. The first one is congenial. So Trevor has one rank in that and that allows him to suffer one point of strain and downgrade the difficulty of a social check that he is about to engage in. I think it's specifically charm or negotiation. So that downgrades the difficulty.
00:42:12
Speaker
uh, negating the story point that I used. Um, and the next one is his tier three talent informant. Once per session, you may reveal a contact that has information pertinent to the current situation. So, okay. So you have a contact who's told you there's a dark lantern undercover in house.
Reynard's Contact and Doubts
00:42:34
Speaker
Uh, or something like that.
00:42:39
Speaker
I think it's someone, like one of this, one of the Tar Cairns would have to be the person, right? Oh, does it have to be someone here? Um, you may reveal a contact who can shed light on a chosen subject. So no, you, we could do that, like narratively saying that like,
00:42:55
Speaker
you know a guy who knows a guy that you have this information, or it's up to you how it's used. If you want to reveal that one of the three lackeys that's been hanging around the whole time is actually- You're drinking, buddy. Somebody that you know from like House Velarn. And it's like, see, your entire organization is riddled with people that revealing that I would like easily grant you an upgrade and a boost on this check.
00:43:22
Speaker
because now you've put a lot of doubt in her head about the current situation. Okay, then yeah, let's do that. I knew that guy knocked out. Okay, so describe it. Just describe it. So there's an elf amongst the lackeys that's standing nearby. What house did you say? House Fearland. Your house. Fearland. Oh.
00:43:47
Speaker
Yeah, you were a member of House Fearland until you got kicked out. No, you gave an example a second ago and said something different. You did call it for Lauren earlier. Oh, yeah. That's how I, like, for some reason, like, called it for so long, but that's not right, as the listeners have pointed out. Fearland. Okay, well, anyway, Raynard turns to the Tiefling and says, what's his name?
00:44:16
Speaker
His name is, uh, Lannon. Of House Fearland? No, of House Tarkannon. No, no, of House Fearland. And this, um, this elf kind of looks at you, Raynard, and like looks at Alundra and looks at Cephist and just,
00:44:43
Speaker
Are you supposed to have marks? Can't you just like check people before they join your organization? Well, some of us have illusion that we can use to cover up our mark and show something else. And then in an instant, a like puff of smoke happens. And once it settles, that elf is gone. Um, and what's up? What'd you just, where'd he, where'd he go? Um,
00:45:13
Speaker
So it's not possible then that. Yeah. OK, Trevor, go and roll your charm check. OK. With an upgrade and a boost. Oh, hold on. Against one purple and one red because you downgraded it by suffering one strain with congenial. OK, found it. Here we go. And yay. One six.
00:45:41
Speaker
Oh, and to advantage, thanks to Hob. Now wait, when does the disregarding purple thing go away? It's already gone. It was for two checks, essentially. So she furrows her brow and looks at Cephist, looks at Reynard, looks at all of you, looks at the purple-haired one, or the blue-haired one. Seems that we have some digging to do
00:46:10
Speaker
in House Tarkannon, Cephist, you can come with us and we will sort this out amongst ourselves, I suppose. And Cephist kind of throws his hands up. I've been nothing but honest with you, and if you
00:46:35
Speaker
really believe that the ledger is best in their hands, then I'm not gonna question you any further, so we can go. And she says, oh, go ahead, Milo. I do believe that it would be wise to thoroughly look into him as. I'm gonna stop you there. I don't know you. We had a transaction that has gone sideways since the second I agreed to it.
00:47:05
Speaker
So you'll forgive me if your opinion means nothing to me right now. Well all I was trying to say is that you have your name as well. We're done. We're done. We're done. And she gestures for Cephas to leave and she walks behind him with her other lackeys. You're welcome. I'm not sure we should let him go.
00:47:36
Speaker
What does House Tarkannon do? Assassination. They are the aberrant dragon marked house.
Concerns About House Tarkannon
00:47:44
Speaker
So they're not an actual official house. They're more of a loose association. Yeah, they're an assassination guild. And most of their members have aberrant dragon marks. Basically. Look, I don't necessarily want to dwell on the fate that we may have resigned him to, but I'm not worried about his fate.
00:48:05
Speaker
But no, well, I'll continue now. But if he is found to be what he portrayed himself to us as, I believe Tarkanin will make sure that any information he might have likely won't get back to the Black Lanterns. Right. And if he escapes on their way out?
00:48:36
Speaker
I mean, it's possible. What would, would you have had us killed him here? Yes. Well, that's not something I'm interested in. Enos Reyna's name, Enos, Enos Milo's name. I really think the names. Ultimately, we've been found by our reputation and our descriptions by people with far fewer connections than someone from the Black Lanterns.
00:49:05
Speaker
Dark Lanterns. Them too. You're the Black Lamps. I've heard it both ways. I don't disagree yet. To interject real quick, Asana says, maybe this discussion could happen while we walk before more ravers show up. I agree. Let's leave. Does anybody have a bag?
00:49:32
Speaker
I mean, you all probably have something. I mean, I don't. I don't. So, fair enough. I've got a lot of baggage. I just, I assume whoever was going to carry it would pick it up and we'd get out of here. Unless, I mean, Eris wants to make a petition to follow them and try to take that guy out. Eris has made a petition. It is rejected, apparently.
00:50:03
Speaker
And does anyone else, is anyone else interested in following Eris's idea of taking him out? I mean... Now I feel like we should be. Yeah, Milo. Milo being Milo, probably not. Okay. That's all Milo can be, is Milo. Yep. But Raynard, are you saying that you would be in favor of that?
00:50:31
Speaker
No, I was just saying as a player listening to the way Eric is inflicting his words, we should be interested in that. No, I'm, I'm, I'm just genuinely like how many I'm trying, but how many other Turkians were there? And there was a Londra three, uh, like one and then Cephist. I get minus one. So two lackeys and a house, full iron elf somewhere skulking about. So it would be fearless, not for best case scenario. It's five of us.
00:51:03
Speaker
versus a dark lantern and three members of the assassin clan to get ourselves good and bloody. Even if we win before we have to walk past the ravers to get out of here. Yeah, we just expose a member of the Citadel.
00:51:34
Speaker
who knows, who will at very least be able to easily locate Milo. We just exposed a member of Ausfjallen, who apparently knows Reynard. And so it won't be odd for the for the lantern to put who Reynard is together.
00:52:07
Speaker
Do you think the clan's gonna cover for us? We're the Dragon Mark House and the King Citadel? Do you think they can? I don't know. What's your suggestion? I think he needs to be dead. Right. I'm gonna need more of that. I want to be very wealthy and attractive, but I need a roadmap.
00:52:36
Speaker
But you want us to go and pick a fight with all of them. That's what you want. That's what you think we need to do. I am open to other suggestions of how to make him dead, but that's what I see right now. Like, do the rest of them need to be dead? Not as far as I'm concerned. That's what's going to happen, I imagine. You think they won't defend the person that as far as they know, they still believe. Sure. I'm not saying it's not going to play out that way.
00:53:10
Speaker
But, I mean, what's the alternative? Milo in jail. I don't know what the house would do to rain out. Or we could burn it all down and run. Burn all of what down? Whatever's here and run. It's a big C, you hide. I'm not hiding. But you won't fight either.
00:53:43
Speaker
And what do you think we do? I'm concerned that we enter into this fight right now over one of myriad possibilities. Look, I'm, I definitely made a mistake in offering up my name.
00:54:11
Speaker
I had no idea what I was thinking, but Dark Lantern, he has my name. Taos Tarkanan will either take care of him or they won't. I'm willing to take my chances. And if it ever comes to
00:54:40
Speaker
The lanterns coming for me, I'll just have to deal with that if it occurs. I think House Tarkanan is, from what I understand, does a really good job of getting the information they seek. We just met them with two double agents.
00:55:08
Speaker
out of the... Also, they left behind their unconscious mates here on the floor. They did. They did. Hey, Turnville, you got anything to say about all this? I got your name too, bud. Be nice to know where you stand. I already expressed that we should leave. I thought we left and we were walking and talking. That's what I had assumed.
00:55:38
Speaker
Now, I mean, if the possibility of going after them is still in play, then it doesn't make sense for you all to leave unless you're stalking them, because they're going in the opposite direction that you're going. Ah, well. I mean, you all know me. I want the job first. We have got the job. Let's leave with the job and finish the job. I have some...
00:56:04
Speaker
thoughts on that as well, but now is not the time to discuss that. We need to resolve this and be on our way. Eris stomps over and rifles through the pockets of the unconscious Tarkanen. You find four silver five copper. And Sana says, OK, let's
00:56:35
Speaker
Please go. They have Milo and Reynard's names and Milo and Reynard don't want to kill the man that has them. That's all I need to hear. Great. Let's go. Um, I'm sure it'll only be Milo and Reynard to suffer. Okay. Um, unless anybody's going to further, um,
00:57:01
Speaker
discuss things, then we can go ahead and head on out of this nightmare scape of a city district. So you all are able to get out without further incident. Like I said, the ravers, even if they are around, know better than to trifle with you all at this point. As you're walking, Milo, the ledger continues to like
00:57:29
Speaker
It feels like it's, it's vibrating still. Is it not in my satchel? No, Milo. Okay. Milo's not going to say anything about any of it until they're clear and safely away from this district.
00:57:53
Speaker
Yeah, the vibration like it comes and goes. And once you're out of the district, the vibration returns again. OK, so you all are in the stores headed towards Tasha. OK, so. On the way, Milo says. This. Ledger. It is it's vibrating off and on. Maybe there's a head in it.
00:58:25
Speaker
I was thinking more of a hand. It's just cut out. It's like that chocolate for Valentine's. I did that once when I was in like grade school and another girl blew up my spot, told the girl I was giving it to beforehand. And then when she opened it and found the head in it, it was ruined. I didn't do the head part. I should have been more clear. I believe there was candy involved. I definitely want to.
00:58:55
Speaker
peruse this ledger before we turn it over.
Ledger Examination and Financial Inconsistencies
00:59:04
Speaker
I mean, you're in a safe district now. You can start flipping through if you like, or wait until you're seated in Tasha, whenever. At some point before we get back to our HQ. Okay.
00:59:22
Speaker
He's Milo is specifically because he's not sure. Like whose actual ledger this is actually belongs to. So he wants to find out if there's any indication of ownership. He wants to see if he is anywhere in that ledger or his companions or anywhere in that ledger, and specifically if his wife's name is anywhere in that ledger.
00:59:52
Speaker
Okay, so as you begin flipping through, the first thing you note is that this is not a recent ledger. This is not like it was taken last week kind of thing. This has been filled and out of commission for some time. You see red ink circling certain aspects of the journal.
01:00:22
Speaker
And due to your high intellect, you can pretty easily spot the circles are indicating financial inconsistencies of money that isn't where it should be in terms of the claims finances. And like where the bookmarks are, are marking these pages where these inconsistencies have been found. There is nothing about
01:00:49
Speaker
You don't see your name, you don't see Hob, Eris, Reynard, Sonic, Cidyl's names. Nobody's names are in there. It's more like account records of the various organizations within Boromar. So you see the names like Peerlads, Ravens, Delvers, like where these different associations are spending their money. The
01:01:19
Speaker
One thing that you do notice before you need to make any kind of check is there is a note on the back, the inside of the back cover. Somebody has written something. Um, and it, uh, it says iron hatch. And it's like to this, whoever iron hatches, everything has been marked clearly in here. Please share this with those who, you know, um, need it.
01:01:53
Speaker
My life may be in danger. And it's signed like, please act quickly under barrel. Hey, do I literally how it sounds. Do I recognize the writing? Give me a no, you know what? Yeah, the writing is familiar to you. The handwriting on the back cover.
01:02:25
Speaker
And as you're looking at the writing, it feels like somebody has stuck an ice pick right through your forehead. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, underbarrels really. Yeah. I wasn't stretching anything. Underbarrels a pretty huge clue to Milo also. The nether barrel. So Milo sees this and he just
01:02:55
Speaker
says Kylie. There's a note written on this ledger from Kylie stating her life may be in danger. And I need to find out
01:03:24
Speaker
who the devil's iron hatch is. We met a war for his name, Hutch. I think I think I think Hobb hearing that and knowing that that makes it even more likely that he did not stop somebody from killing his friend, Kylie. Oh, is not happy. Is there anything else like a check I can make to glean maybe what this message
01:03:54
Speaker
Yeah, give me, boy, this is a tricky skill to decide on. Because there's not a like mathematics. Just give me a perception check. That'll work. The difficulty is going to be three purple. And I'm gonna use a story point to upgrade. Well, you know, I'm gonna have to use one
01:04:25
Speaker
Especially at this point, I really want to give you all story points back, but that's fine. Um, okay. Go ahead. You have an upgrade. I have an upgrade. Everybody has an upgrade, one success, one threat. So the information that you gleaned from this, um, Milo and Milo is like shaking as he tells this to you guys.
01:04:52
Speaker
You flipping back through, note that the red marks are on financial logs exclusively with the black lamps.
01:05:09
Speaker
section of the organization. Now, like I said, this isn't recent. This is a fairly old ledger. Well, you obviously know the timeline of the ledger now that you know who wrote it. So yeah, that's something that jumps out at you. Furthermore, you recall that as you're looking at this message,
01:05:37
Speaker
And at this point, you all are approaching Lower Memphis Plateau. Lower Dura is really close to Lower Memphis, so it's not a long boat ride. As you're pulling into the dock, you kind of realize that you put it together through this check. Iron Hatch could.
01:06:00
Speaker
Could, not a guaranteed thing. With some lateral thinking, if Kylie's handle was under bottom, then it wouldn't be crazy to think that Iron Hatch would be much like the agent surname that you just interacted with. Koldor might be a connection. Maybe. You don't know. You did roll threats, so I might be feeding you false information. You'll never know. Koldor?
01:06:30
Speaker
Yep, Coldor, Cephas Coldor. He introduced himself after everyone else left. So yeah, that is the information that you can glean from this based on your one success and one threat. Okay, so you all have docked and presumably are disembarking headed back to the four sales.
Deliberating the Ledger's Fate
01:06:59
Speaker
I don't know if I can give this ledger up. No, no, Milo, you see, that's not an option at this point, because now we're in with the Dark Lanterns because of that ledger to get it back. I bet we could have you can have a bit of time with it, but. He's coming back tomorrow. Right. It's it's it's evidence.
01:07:30
Speaker
I knew, I knew that I did not leave the fireplace burning that night. I knew it was not my fault. So what is the, what is the theory that this means? That Kylie was what, why, what about her name beyond this ledger? I can tell you since
01:08:01
Speaker
if her name is Underbarrel, which obviously that's what she was using, and Iron Hatch, thinking along those same lines, was the Cold War gentleman we met this evening. So if he is a dark lantern,
01:08:30
Speaker
That to me implies that Kylie had been a dark lantern. Does the timing of Kylie's death line up with what he said? Yeah, he said that he had a contact within the clan that was feeding him information that he lost contact with and he had to go undercover about half a year ago is what he said.
01:08:55
Speaker
And so Kylie died about half a year ago. I was thinking it was six months before the six months before the started. I was thinking so longer. There's contact. Yeah. OK. I was thinking it was I was thinking it happened longer ago. No. Now I almost want to go find this dark lantern and. Speak with him if he still lives. I don't know what to do. Kylie was informing.
01:09:25
Speaker
on the organization you were working for? It's hard for me to wrap my mind around, but it certainly would appear to be so. And you think the clan found out? Somebody definitely found out for sure. I mean, I would assume it would have been the clan.
01:09:54
Speaker
I mean, I would, I would hope not, but I mean, that's, that's the only way I can figure it. So does that bring us back to running? I'm certainly not going to run. I'm going to find out who's responsible.
01:10:24
Speaker
Milo, do you think if you had time with these numbers, you could decipher something? Is there a reason beyond, and I'm sorry because I do understand, is there an actionable reason beyond the sentimental that you can't give this book up? I swear if he goes behind this, I shall kill him. Sure, and I'll be right there cheering you on and probably getting a few punches myself, but I need my question answered.
01:10:56
Speaker
I'll do what it takes to duplicate it, to copy it, to do whatever, if there's a reason you need the numbers. But if we've gleaned all we can from it, then we need to- I have until tomorrow, correct? Yes, you have until tomorrow. Right, that's what he said.
01:11:24
Speaker
He likely thinks we're dead, so he's not going to come calling for it tonight. Perhaps we were unsuccessful in acquiring this ledger. And you know, something else occurs to me also. Why he gave us the reason that Vigo sent him. Perhaps Vigo did not send him at all. What if this Jason character came of his own free will?
01:11:57
Speaker
What if it's a trap? I don't understand how, how could it be a trap? It's my wife's handwriting. Viggo's out for us. Trap by Viggo to set me off. I'm saying there's a lot we don't know.
01:12:25
Speaker
And look, I mean, you say go, you're part of my cast, I'll go. You say the writing is actually on the ledger or it's a note, like a separate note in the ledger. It's written in the back cover of the ledger. So it's on the cover.
01:12:50
Speaker
No, it's not on the outside. It's on like the inside of that. But he couldn't rip the page out. Correct. Could I alchemically remove the ink? All the ink? From the note. To be safely placed on another piece of paper. Well, yeah. I mean, if we hand it over, in the event that we hand it over, I'm picturing a sequence of events in which
01:13:16
Speaker
This note is read, oh, Kegbottom read this note. Better get rid of Kegbottom. So I'm wondering if there's a way through artifice or alchemy that I can erase this note once we've presumably copied down what it says.
01:13:35
Speaker
Even if somebody like die hard into everyone lore fights beyond it, I'm going to say yes. In this world of fantasy and magic, there's something you can go get at a general store that could probably just remove ink from from parchment. I mean, in this in this world of mundanity in my apartment, I can go to in your heart. Yes. In my in my above the restaurant apartment.
01:13:55
Speaker
You mean you probably have. I can make something by things. People buy things. So your options essentially are to do what you can with the book tonight until Jason shows up to collect it to see what you can get. And Eris can do her wizardry on the back cover to remove the code names and the message and everything.
01:14:18
Speaker
You could try to go somewhere that can magically duplicate the book, like copy for copy, how Civis might be able to have a service that could just quickly, with magic quills, just write page for page everything in the book. Magic and copy. Yes, Magic Kinkos. I think Milo might go for that for sure. Or, as Milo pointed out, you could try to lie to Jason and say,
01:14:45
Speaker
We, on our way out, ravers attacked, they got the ledger and took off. Like, you could come up with a lie to say. Eris votes against that. No, Hob also votes against that. We just made ourselves do a Dark Lantern to get this book. I'm not giving it. Eris probably says we could kill Jason. No, I'm kidding. Eris is not actually going to suggest that we kill Jason at this point. I, Eris would vote.
01:15:15
Speaker
that we go get it copied. And Eris would suggest that we fly to a different district to do that. Bob would ask again because he hasn't gotten an answer. That's true. Can Milo make sense of this? But is he thinking it makes sense of these numbers? Is there a reason we're trying to copy it other than the note? Because if he just wants the note, we will absolutely get the note cut. But I think the whole thing is evidence. The entire thing is
01:15:40
Speaker
Yeah, I assume the evidence we can decode it, he'll know what Kylie was trying to communicate to the lanterns and thus what got Kylie killed. The information that Milo currently gleaned from it was from flipping through the pages while driving somewhere. So, yes, if Milo was given a day, a week to like get into the numbers and try to follow Kylie's tracks into what she found, then, yeah, there would absolutely be more that can be found. And they can actually I'll tell you Milo's going to
01:16:10
Speaker
I mean, I'm going to use my ability. Yeah. Yeah. I thought you said Kylie in the boat. That's why I kept trying to get you all to have two story points at any point, but you all kept using them back at me.
01:16:25
Speaker
We were in the spot, man. My thought was we're going to flip it back because it sucks. My thought was we have the book. We have the ledger now. It's the point. I'm going to get those two. Well, it also means this can be a recurring thing. Even if we conclude the arc here, we can say, well, we have a copy of the book and now that's a recurring project. We have money. Yeah. I'm sure we have more than enough money to go to a House of Enclave or whatever and get this thing
01:16:55
Speaker
Magic Z-Roxed.
01:17:00
Speaker
you all are able to go back, you in fact know exactly where to go to get to the Civis Enclave back when Raynard got tied up in a horrid game of cat and mouse with a cockatrice statue. So yeah, you all are able to go to that Civis Enclave and- We've never been here before. Oh wow, the architecture. This is also new to me. Just looking up like- What a secure second story window.
01:17:30
Speaker
You all are able to pay for the fee. It is, uh, uh, one gold piece to have a ledger of this size copied page for page ink for ink that, you know, the color option is always more expensive, but you need that. We gotta have the color. Gladly pays. Okay. Okay. So yeah, you all get the book copied. Return to the for sales on the way back. Milo says something else is on his mind. You know,
01:18:01
Speaker
we were sent for this ledger. Now we were either going to obviously die in the attempt at its retrieval or we were going to acquire it. And I would have to assume that they would know that we were going to look through the ledger and that I would find this information. If the note's gone,
01:18:29
Speaker
Then and they don't. All they knew was that it was incriminating, but if if this is a copy of what Kylie had, then probably the original copy. Was destroyed. And this is what was meant to be in the hands of a dark lantern, so there's no telling that they even have seen this before. And I got rid of the note, so. There's nothing.
01:18:59
Speaker
There's something obvious tying it to Kylie. And so as long as they don't... Yeah, I think it's okay. I mean, nothing is actually okay. I would like to be clear. Not everything right now is absolutely terrible. But this particular thing, I think will not be brought back on us immediately.
01:19:27
Speaker
inevitably, but not immediately. Okay. Um, we could pick up on more of this in the downtime episode probably. Um, but yeah, you all returned to the for sales.
01:19:40
Speaker
Milo begins, now there's just three booths along the wall with Milo, Eris, and Sigil like frantically working on things. Raynard feels lonely at the bar. But yeah, Jason comes at some point the following day and retrieves the ledger.
01:20:02
Speaker
and pays you your gold. Jason is as... What were we offered? I don't recall. You all weren't actually offered up front. But Jason gives you each seven gold pieces for your trouble. And Jason is as impersonal as he was when he gave you this job, collects the ledger, and then just walks out. End of episode.
01:20:29
Speaker
Thank you all so much for listening. If you want to be part of the conversation surrounding this episode, you can head on over to our Facebook group, The Geek Pantheon, or join our Discord, the link to which you can find on our website, thegeekpantheon.com. We're also on Twitter and Instagram at thegeekpantheon, and we have a YouTube channel, youtube.com slash thegeekpantheon, where I post a couple of videos a week on DMing, GMing, and all sorts of other stuff.
01:20:53
Speaker
We have a Patreon, patreon.com slash the geek Pantheon. If you want to be part of our Patreon community, a lot of great people in there, a lot of fun to hang out with. And there's a lot of tears over there that you could probably find one that you're going to enjoy if you want to support the show. Anyway, thank you all so much for listening. I have been Eric. I'm Phillip. I'm Trevor. I'm Randy.
01:21:14
Speaker
I'm Jeff, and Patreon operates on a tiered structure. There are not, in fact, a lot of tiers on our Patreon.
Conclusion and Community Promotion
01:21:22
Speaker
Do not worry. It's quite fun. Thank you all so much for listening, and we will see you next time. Bye-bye.