Ep. 150 Ahoy There! - Bellum Draconis

Transcript

Speaker: This is the last time you'll see nicks in this campaign. I'm dropping you guys off at port of fucking

Speaker: Hello there. got Willy who plays the Dragonborn Balvalcon.

Speaker: and the kingdom of dryak joining you for this week's episode you got me mark you despite the human bladinger seth farrow re you got dar who playsd the halfoak barbarian thak sunjari hello there we've got willy place the dragonborn druid bal valcon Shpinked her.

Speaker: We've got ion who plays the tiefling waterer Nyx Carell. Hello. The Braeburn pie-loving smashing Ab Edgelord Callum who plays the Warforged Artificer Alpha. Love the spes... Fuck.

Speaker: Nice. He's also shirtless just as an effort. love it. It's very hot. It's very, very hot. that name was. We've got Puby who plays the human cleric. Emron?

Speaker: We're all a bit moist. And by last but by no means least is our adventure architect, the arbiter of anarchy, the alchemist of all, the archmage of the arcane. the anal eloper and gag choker, Dungeon Master Danny! Yes, that is me. Gag, gag, gag. And speaking of gag, gag, gag, we see old girl choking on something.

Speaker: And luckily, this this this large, busty woman is affording him a Heimlich maneuver. i to so good yeah ah ah g glut And third time, the orb just comes out of his mouth, still glowing, and he stares at it and this says...

Speaker: I thought I tamed that gag reflex.

Speaker: Pirates of the Dralachean. The bad ears summon a tidal wave and yeet Alpha the fuck off into the ocean, and he's caught in a riptide, but he saves himself with a thunderstep.

Speaker: Nyx recalls who the big baddie is. It's Harrowtide, an infamous warlock of the seas. The drowned whisper, some big nasty motherfucker. This is personal. Harrowtide yeets most of the crew off of the ship, and the party is split but between water and warlock.

Speaker: Harotide is chilling the water and fucking shit up, but Tharok returns the fever with some tasty petrification. It seems to start working. And with some spread damage from the party, these bitches be dropping.

Speaker: Wildfire Spirit comes in clutch with the KO.

Speaker: few moments after Harotide's death, the seas return to their calm state once again.

Speaker: Nix grasps the wheel once again.

Speaker: And as though nothing had happened, your journey is relatively uninterrupted, for this entire exchange happened in less than five minutes' worth of distraction.

Speaker: The conditions remain good. It's a favourable wind. You're still confident of making Scorch Helm

Speaker: before the sun sets.

Speaker: Some more weary than others after the battle. What do you all do as the sale resumes? So with the spell that Baal has got, the aura of vitality, I've technically got the next six rounds to be able to pump healing into people that are nearby.

Speaker: he knows that Nyx is obviously fucked up, um so he's naturally going to do that. I've i've rolled all of the heals now, um but I'll put 19 points of healing into Nyx. Okay.

Speaker: Does that make him look like he is almost there? wo like he's almost there yeah like he's he's just under like i don't know 10 three more points on the edge i'll put i'll put three more points into nick's um he can still take more just saying this is i'm sure normal night for us i can still take more ball knows that yeah he bite the pillow and those Yeah, exactly. Yeah, I'm going in dry.

Speaker: um But if there's other people that look to be injured nearby, I mean, Bal's trickling a little bit of blood, but he's not he's not too bad as he yanks the harpoon out of himself. um But looking around the group, who else seems to be pretty fucked?

Speaker: Anyone want to declare? Looks like Alpha and Darok have raised hands. Alpha is definitely a little bit fucked. Cool. In which case Alpha is going to take 11 points of healing um and Tharok will take the final eight points of healing then.

Speaker: I'm about 25% fucked, but I'm okay.

Speaker: That's a good level of fuck. As these heals sort of bounce out and shed amongst the party. anyone else licking their wounds? Farok's not licking his wounds per se, but he's going to ah gather up what he can of what is left of Harrowtide.

Speaker: And he's just going to sit it up on the deck and he's gonna just going to say, i'm going to mount this fucker onto the end of my boat. There's a sign of any other demons that wish to come on board.

Speaker: I think technically he was unliving rather than a demon. Just saying. Now dead as opposed to undead. Do you call that re-dead?

Speaker: Deader? Deaded? Deadest. Anyway, who the fuck is this fucking prick? and if he points us In terms of the remains, there aren't much and that form like his form. It kind of breaks down into like barnacles and shells.

Speaker: um But the trident that he was wielding although split in two, um or relatively unaffected. Yeah, he'll pick up the, he'll look at the trident. He's just looking for anything that he can mount to the the front of the boat. he's he's He's listened to these stories about his bad luck, and he's now he' now going to go, this will make a fine addition to the sign of the severed compass.

Speaker: he'll say, is he starts looking through some of the stuff that's down here and just kicking away the dust and everything else. This fucking guy was turning to stone, by the way. I fucking saw it. This fucking sphere is fucking great.

Speaker: want me to have a look at his trident for you? Sure, why not?

Speaker: Cool. I'll cast Identify on it, Danny. Great. ah So, it is a trident plus one.

Speaker: It does an additional D8 acid damage.

Speaker: And on crits, causes hallucinations for the target. who I explained that in a suitable D&D lore. It's called the Trident of Bile Water.

Speaker: and Anyone want to keep this or can throw up, put it on the end of his boat or sell it, whatever, i don't mind.

Speaker: so of course like yeah i've got not fucking but We've got enough fucking gold on this boat. We don't need to shell it. I'm going to mount it to the front. Or we could give it to the wing watch. you know They might use weapons.

Speaker: Upon hearing, dedicating it to the cause, that... We're enough. I will take what's left and he's just going to pick out the barnacles and other bits and he's just going to ah make a collage or something.

Speaker: That's a genuine thing, as he said. but more fight Like a pasta picture of kid mix with barnacles. Like what happens to the Simpsons car like when when they when they they leave a farewell message to Lisa.

Speaker: Very specific reference. Didn't get that one. But I got it. I got you, Darren. I know exactly what you mean.

Speaker: So do you all sort of um assume... Sailing positions once again, Baal, or I actually think it was Alpha who was using the prevailing wind feature to keep your wind pumping those sails.

Speaker: ah Seth, do you return to the crow's nest?

Speaker: Seth is slowly, he's getting he's going to look down to his hands, look at the shadow blade and kind of unsummon it. And then sheath the scimitar of wounding and then kind of like look back into the water and just shake his head. Um, as he remembers where he left the other scimitar shrugs his shoulders. Uh, and then, um,

Speaker: is any of the Did any of the barnacle creatures end up staying on the ship? Are there any remains of One did, as well as Harrow Tithe, yes. Okay, so Seth's going to go over and just, out interest, start poking around.

Speaker: look In his mind, looked a little undead. I'm pretty sure it isn't, but to him, it's the same kind of weird form, and he has got history with that shit, so he's going to go over and just ah take out like a little,

Speaker: dagger or something else he's got and just kind of poke the remains and just kind of have a little inspect. not I'm not looking for anything, but he's just going to be interested in that. And if they happen to have anything upon their person, perhaps I'll search and searching the item, but mainly just out of his own interest to poke around and just squat down, have a little poke around and Nithra probably skittering around, kind of looking at, pointing at bits to to turn over and look at and just tittering away to him.

Speaker: Yeah, there's... It's mainly ash, and the party's suspicion is undead based on evidence in in the combat. um But it's not like burnt ash, it's it's kind of like...

Speaker: You know when you pick up a charred log or anything that's been in a fire and once you it keeps its form, but once you hold it, it then kind of dissipates and breaks. But as you kind of sweep through or neither of us sweeps through that pool of of um sort of burnt coral, the cutlass itself that's made of like coral and steel is still intact.

Speaker: And there is this um pristine sort of blue conch shell as well that was unaffected. Yeah, he'll um he'll grab the grab the cutlass and kind of just turn the turn the shell over in his hand a few times. If it looks worth something, he'll pocket it. if If it looks like it's valuable or good to fight with, then he'll use it.

Speaker: Both kind of have a sort of magical resonance when you pick them up and handle them.

Speaker: Do you want me to have a look, Seth? Yeah. ah At that set, he kind of snap out it realized you stood there and nod his head and just hand them hand them both over to the shell and the... and the Not rapier, but the... Cutlass. No, what do you call it? Cutlass, thank you. Cutlass.

Speaker: i'll I'll do identify again yeah twice over the next two minutes. ah It's a the coral cutlass. It's a regular cutlass, but it also does 1d6 of cold damage.

Speaker: And... ah In addition, you've got the Conch of the Drowned Deep, ah which has one charge, but allows you to ah summon a water elemental to the battlefield. Oh, shit. Everyone says these things and goes, here you go, this is what they do.

Speaker: There was a whole layer to that fight you guys did not access because I didn't have the time. ah Seth's going to, as you hold them out, Seth's going to reach out and just take the conch and just, not the conch, well, yeah, this the shell, the conch thing, and i then just nod to you and um pocket the look at that and and then just turn turn away and start poking the... I'm going to flip like...

Speaker: um flip like

Speaker: Emron's just inhaled too much ash there as he's been identifying these items. I was definitely not wanting to cough on Mike. Sorry. Our listeners appreciate you. Thank you. appreciate you yeah And so do I. Emron turns to the rest of party and goes, so we've got cutlass, there's bit more damage if anyone wants this.

Speaker: I don't really think it was worth it. Not particularly good with the brand. Emerald, take it over to the treasure store we've got and just hoik it onto the pile of gold. Nice. Got a loot pile.

Speaker: Nice. We're going to attract a dragon at this, right? So anyone... i dont anyone's and So... I'd call that lunch, no? What kind of accent was that? was sort of going for a bit of, I'd call that lunch. I can't combine that. I caught that one. I'd call that lunch. This is holiday, Emron. Right room. After that, would return up to the crow's nest and be seen just in a fervent i like trans this is how holiday emron right through and set with that room after that would return up to the crow's desk

Speaker: and be seen just in a fervent and um one-way conversation of Nithravar just talking at Seth and him either nodding or shaking his head or every now and then pushes Nithravar away once or twice, maybe unsummoning him by accident and burning a spell slot or two in the process. And do like ice cream as this um afternoon sort of progresses and Nyx is very much in his element,

Speaker: Seth, as you continue this diatribe with Nidhrafar, he just perks up about half an hour of you sort of squabbling is the right word because it's very one-way conversing, but you're kind of like physically challenging his vocal activity.

Speaker: On the point to where he returns to make another comment, he just says, ah bird of prey approaches and begins to look very gnarled in his teeth towards the skies. Okay, at that, Seth's going to um draw his scimitar of wounding and start the flat side of her banging against the side of the crow's nest until someone quite hop bu but but but pa until someone looks up and he's going to scan the sky. Can can Seth see? He's going to bang it before he looks. but Can Seth see where Nithra was?

Speaker: He's going to point the scimitar towards. Your passive perception is high enough to see a single um medium to small-sized bird beelining for the ship about 200 feet away for fuck's sake farak will go and he'll just pull his uh he'll pull his um mithril vest half plate back on and pick up the spear and go we're gonna have to fight another fucking thing what is with this fucking ocean i thought you were part the all the love of the battle i am but frankly it's just kind of getting a bit silly frankly

Speaker: We've got a more battles. is ehar If you're going to be with us, if you're part of the Undying Heroes, Champions, it's going to there's a lot of battles to come.

Speaker: Like a lot. Good. I'd like battles, just sensical ones where I've done involved birds of prey trying to eat me. To clarify, it's a little bit bigger than a seagull. Oh, this should be fine. They look bigger further away.

Speaker: Don't worry. My mild annoyance is now receding. Rest assured.

Speaker: It doesn't really deter in its um direction. It had straights for the crow's nest, Seth. And it gets with about 15 feet of you if you want to make any action towards it.

Speaker: But as it does, I need you make... Could you... you go first. He just back back up. I mean, does it look like ah a bird of prey or does it look like a seagull?

Speaker: It's a bird of prey, but not something that predate prey on a human. Oh, well, he's just going to kind of step back from it thinking it's going to land because it's in the sea and it needs somewhere to land when it's tired. So it's going to step back. He's not going to kill it for the sake of it, but attack if he's going to hold an action though. of it If it becomes violent towards him, he'll fucking stab it with a scimitar.

Speaker: flies and roosts on the crow's nest beside you. And there's one thing you're familiar with. It's a very particular set of birds as this sparrowhawk perches.

Speaker: I stab it. No, doing it. Far up from below is just going to shout, ah, yes, good. Eat the fucking closet. It kind of looks from from where you are all on deck. it kind of looks like a sparrowhawk would do it kind of floats for a second and then darts straight down to to Seth's read like area, but you don't see the nuances of this and just roosts on the crow's nest beside you.

Speaker: Seth, it says. oh shit. Seth doesn't say that. He looks shocked.

Speaker: good to see you're alive.

Speaker: He nods. More and more arriving by the day.

Speaker: I'll wait for you in the piss noot.

Speaker: When you land, come straight here.

Speaker: Seth's brow is furrowed, but he nods his head slowly. It's clearly Sparrowhawk's voice. It's clearly Sebastian Sleetgaard that's that' speaking.

Speaker: Safe journey. And the bird... Nods and salutes. The bird flies out. to the south back to land and Nyx is very diligent about keeping land in sight the entire way and is using that as a point of navigation.

Speaker: And you're you're beginning to pass Nyx farms and and sort of um outposts now. A fizzlebangs leash is perceivable on the horizon. You know you are maybe an hour from Scorch Helm.

Speaker: I'll indicate that to the group as well. Seth, is there anything you were doing, sorry, from that that moment? and No, he'd just kind of ah just be sitting, not sitting, still looking out across the sea, watching the horizon, but just thinking about the kind of remembering what what the mission was before before the dragons, before that will happen, before he thought it was over, before...

Speaker: you know, he he broke his vow and all that. and And now to kind of regain that again. And so it's just kind of almost resetting himself, reminding himself, go back, back to, back to the place where it all began. and to kind of restart this process um and just kind of mentally preparing himself for that.

Speaker: Now, Nix, could you make a ah perception check for me?

Speaker: Do I still have bless? No, that's what truly gone. Worth asking. How's 24? Yeah, banging. you You're really diligent throughout this voyage about using this land to map your progress. And what's really alarming is you aren't seeing other ships that You are heading towards Scorchelm, the busiest free city in the world. yeah

Speaker: You understand the you know what's happened in the last few days, that that a lot of people evacuated the city, that there are these things from the sky that have fallen in 12 different locations and that people are distracted. But you should be seeing Fossan's Armada.

Speaker: You are... sort of between 10 and 15 miles from the city at this point, there should be far more naval traffic than there is. This should be independent. There should be pirates, smugglers, traders, just non-gilded sailors.

Speaker: And the seas are really quiet for a day of favorable wind. There should be bigger ships than this one overtaking you with large like cargo, but it's it so quiet.

Speaker: You haven't seen a sea this quiet in these conditions ever. Usually seas are quiet in maelstroms, in in hurricanes, in in thunderous, horrible weather. Not these conditions. This is perfect for sailing and there is no one here.

Speaker: But you are maybe an hour now from the capital if anyone wants to do anything. Have we had a chance to short rest in this time? because obviously's built with I'll consider, yeah, yeah. this has been about four hours of sailing. So if you want to take a short rest, everyone, please do.

Speaker: Thank you. Where's Barl? Sorry. Useful for Ian to reset his Warlock spells on short rest. Nice. Pro tip. Barl would have been stood kind of... That is a pro tip. Thanks.

Speaker: Do you not know your Warlock spells thelo really are set a short rest? We hardly use these short rests.

Speaker: Bar would have been by your side um through most of this. After like the initial combat, you would have used his his flight speed to check over the boat as well. Not really sure what he's looking out for, mainly for any Klingons.

Speaker: um But he's yeah he'll land back by next. Did you say that you were still damaged somewhat? ah Now that I've taken a short rest, I'm not. Well, you wouldn't be now, but he probably wouldn't have let you get to that point.

Speaker: So he would have cast a cure wounds on you at some point and licked you back to health for 13. Yeah, I'm full. Yeah, yeah, yeah. he would He would have seen to your wounds with his tongue flaming.

Speaker: nonosh Nosh, nosh. For the vast majority of the remainder of the journey, he would have been eyes just completely peeled on a swivel um in full kind of protector mode, but stood probably by your side.

Speaker: ah So on noticing the lack of ships as we're getting closer, Nyx would turn to you and just indicate as such, just with one hand kind of scanning the horizon. It's strange.

Speaker: It's... We're heading into... i mean, you know this place. The busiest port in all of Aerith. There's no one here. It's it's a ghost town.

Speaker: It's very strange. I don't know what we're going to enter into. I'm a little bit on edge about it. It's...

Speaker: Never experienced anything like this coming into this port. I don't know what to make of it. ah Right. Barl's going to put his arms on a swivel again. The first thing that jumps into his mind, because of what happened technically the previous day as well, is to do with dragons.

Speaker: ah So he's going to scan his eyes to the coastline, to that if he can see the city in the distance, to anything like that, to see if there's been any obvious signs of attack. um And then kind of failing that, casting his eyes to the ocean, see if there's there's any, like, whether there's debris or... Because, I mean, we've been raided technically on the way to this port. Like, that's his first thought, is some form of attack. Firstly dragons, then something else.

Speaker: Make a perception check. Oh, yeah. And he's got his shield on for this, so it's at advantage, which is a 23. 23.

Speaker: There's nothing, there's not like smoke signals or anything on the horizon to suggest anything's in immediate danger. and like avian activity around you, the gulls are gulling, ah the sort of dolphins are moving around the bay. like Nature isn't disrupted here, which is usually a positive sign.

Speaker: You spy a few fishing ships on the horizon so people are still working. But just those larger movements of forces aren't here.

Speaker: There's larger trade ships, there's larger diplomat ships. The grander travelers and the sizable migration just isn't really seem to be doesn't seem to really be happening, which is somewhat a bit of a um ah lift for you as as a man of the the environment over the man of the urban, if that makes sense, is that that that ecosystems are benefiting from this lull, if you will. But you're taking your cue from nature here, and and nature isn't alarmed, if that makes sense.

Speaker: Okay. I don't think it's an attack of anything like that. I wonder if it's people are scared...

Speaker: Of the return of the Kartrans. I wonder if it's people are hunkering down, unsure of what's coming. Well, we know that the Obkriska have headed south. We know that they've left the city. and There's no Vossan ships.

Speaker: That's the thing. I think if I was putting my money on it, I'd say that Vossan has taken all the ships. No, no. I don't know. Alpha, can you hoist the foremast, please? i want to just drop our speed.

Speaker: foremast The front one. Thank you.

Speaker: Well done, Callum. yeah If there's no Vosan, who's protecting the city? there's no If that's two of the triumvirate gone, do the orcs have ships?

Speaker: Yeah. And they're not here either. wouldn't it's just it's there's nothing the sea's calm there's no even there's no wash from other ships we're not on a choppy shorefront here it is it's as if i don't know like you said there's no immediate threat or danger but still to go in with a wary eye well i think I know it's not exactly the epitome of order and law. In fact, it's quite the opposite, but it was still kept in check, wasn't it, by those forces? With them gone, are people fleeing the cities?

Speaker: Possibly. Seth just kind of leans out from the crow's nest would I be able to hear that conversation or parts of that or pretty high off aren't I you're 50 feet up but there is no wind and voices sort carry in that stillness um okay ba or next week were you trying to keep that private no it was just a conversation I was whispering everything fuck you um We had our hands over our mouths. In a winless event, I'd say yes, that was perceivable with your passive.

Speaker: So if anyone was looking up, which they're not, they'd see Seth's head poke out from the crow's nest, hear that conversation, and then just poke back in. And then I'm going to use the remainder of the short rest to to switch a spell.

Speaker: um take one out. i realize i'll no take when i I realized i had one in the bank that I hadn't learned that I had just one spell randomly going. So he's going to re reactivate his use of um speak with dead.

Speaker: Given how quiet everything is, he's thinking, hmm, that might be useful if we hit ground and it's what he imagines. The blight is returned and everyone's dead and it's the undead's fault.

Speaker: That's what he imagines. so that's what he's got. Penny for your thoughts. I love that spell. It's one of my favorite spells in the game. Great. So and anyone else doing anything as we're now coming into view of scorcher?

Speaker: Farok. Yeah, Farok has gone back to the cabin and opened the doors and is just looking at the pile of gold and is just going to go, any ideas? What the fuck we do with this? I've got ideas. Spend it.

Speaker: yes Yes, good. I agree with the idea of spending it, but if we have to leave the boat, we have to leave the majority of dish here, yes? Can't you use the protection that McBenner left on it? Does that still work?

Speaker: Do I look like a fucking wizard? I've got this great big bag that's full of protection, and you can put all the coins in there as much as you want. It's just got stay with me. That's all. Can can can your bag take 54,000 gold pieces? It's a bag of holding.

Speaker: It's still got a weight limit. It still has a weight limit.

Speaker: I'm willing to test that theory to how far we can go with it.

Speaker: It will not hold all that coin. Farrah's going to say, and he's just going to scoop up two handfuls and he's just going to walk up the stairs, like carrying these goals. Not really. Mix's face is like... to Open the bag. Falling out of your hands. Yes, it doesn't matter.

Speaker: I've still got most of them. Open the bag. But... Yeah, sure. As nicks his He didn't even try hard for this. It's shock. Like just can't move quick enough to open the bag. Hands off the steering wheel ah opening the bag.

Speaker: I know we hit some rocks. Farah's just going to let all this, just to pour all this gold as best as he can into the bag. He's not.

Speaker: What's the going rate for one of those fancy bags, Nick? Maybe that's the first port of call. We get couple those. We can buy some more bags of Alden, yeah. We've got the money for it. I just don't know where it goes, Barl. That's the only thing. I have a question. With a wink. and Firstly, can your bag take more?

Speaker: What? How much is already in there, Ian? He can take more. He can take more. Give me a second. Right. boom Sounds like a sex joke as he walks back down the stairs, just going to get more gold. i can ah How much can a bag take?

Speaker: Because all that's in there at the moment is gold.

Speaker: Everything else is worn. Bag's a funny name for Nix's ass. He's just like a magician's sleeve. Touching his toes like, oh, there's one. There's two.

Speaker: If you turn this tail, is it like one of those machines that turns it into a like you were here coin? It flatters it.

Speaker: Hold on. it we go. The bag can hold up to 500 pounds.

Speaker: but How many gold pieces is is that? How much gold pieces is 500 pounds? A standard unit of any coin can weigh about, is it a third of an ounce, according to... What the fuck's an ounce?

Speaker: Mark, how much 500 pounds in some other metric that we'd be able to understand? Shit now, 500 pounds is 250 kilos, which is... um

Speaker: ah My mind is dead right now. I've got nothing. A lot. 50 coins of any type weigh one pound. exactly So I can carry...

Speaker: 25,000 gold coins. so i depending how much you gave me, i can take 23,500. Yeah, is still going. he he clearly can't carry 25,000 gold coins. So, he's just gone down the stairs, scooped up another load, and he's just walking it back up the stairs. This is the last time you'll see nicks in this campaign, either way. I'm dropping you guys off at port and fucking off.

Speaker: Just as he's doing this, he goes, so I understand that we might not be staying in Dralak for much longer, which means we may be using the ship again, which makes a good thing. Come on, we can keep going. Yeah, don't worry, I'm coming. Yes, I'm aware I'm dropping coins. I'm trying to do it at a speed that means I don't drop too many. Abau, can you stay the ship? going to side.

Speaker: Oh, fuck. ah oh Yes. Yep. gonnis Don't forget that money's for us to spend on, you know, saving the world. yeahp Yep. Yep. Yep. Yes. Good point, Emron. I suggest if we're going to use this ship, frankly, we may need some guns. So we need to think about making this ship a bit more safe for actually further up distance travel. Yes. If we have to leave Dralak because this one's in trouble and he'll point at Baal.

Speaker: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I can carry more coins in my pockets as well. Like, and it's not just this bag. Costs about 300 for a life. Just saying. 300 for a life. You want to fill my pockets too?

Speaker: Winks at Nick's. Got you. Do we want to just start? I mean, ah so you... Alfa, you eat stuff. Come on. long. Everybody's going to grab a shitload of gold right now. 23,000. Hang on. there's bag. can take 23,500. Big one.

Speaker: twenty two thousand out of nix's in nix's bag i can take twenty three and a half thousand big So if everyone is consenting to that, Nick's, for the remaining sort of 40 minutes of this journey before we are in the bay, um go ahead and mark that you have 23,500 gold inventory and the rest will remain, unless you guys do anything with it here. think the rest of us are going to start putting it in our pockets as well at this, right? Fill your boots, I guess, if Tharok contents, I suppose. Seth's not jumping in yet.

Speaker: Well, depends on how much you've got in your carry capacity left, because obviously gold does weigh stuff. yeah How many gold pieces is £100? Well, it's 100 50. I've got 150. that'd be 5,000 gold 5,000 gold pieces, yes. um got hundred and fifty that'd be that'd be five so five thousand gold pieces five thousand gold pieces yes Farah will just say, Farah will just say, well, this gold is much better being put to use by us than sitting here in this room like a fucking twat.

Speaker: So what I suggest that we do is we think about how best we can use it to save the world. If we're doing that with this gold, then you can spend nuts. Anything that's left once we save the world, we can spend getting pissed.

Speaker: I like him. Yeah, me too. For the cause.

Speaker: So you're filling your invent your personal inventories too. yes How much we got left after that? um Probably enough for 5,000 each, maybe, is it? I like that.

Speaker: How many of us are there left? There's five of us left. Seth's not taking any. It's not his money, didn't earn it. He's not touching it. I'll take Seth's half. but Seth's half?

Speaker: So hang on, so it's 53. Alpha, you don't use money. I'll take yours as well. 54 minus how much did Nick take? It's 23 and a half. It's 21 left. 21 left. Sorry, that's terrible math. There's not 21 left. No, no. 54 minus 23 and a half is 30,500. That's better maths.

Speaker: Yes. So you could take five. Val could take five. Darrell could take five. Calum could take five. And there would be 19,000 left. nineteen thousand like Farrakh is just being pragmatic here. He's aware that they're about to leave this ship and that the the door that it was locked behind has been kicked in.

Speaker: So that there is no way of securing this gold. 30,500 minus because it's five each and there's four of us, leaves 10,500 gold left. There you go.

Speaker: So everyone, fill up your inventories to that extent and you'll say that that's what stays on the ship unless you do anything else with it. Bile can't actually carry 5,000 because he's weak as shit.

Speaker: Then deposit back into the ship what you wish. I will let you know what I deposit back when I just weigh up what I've got technically and I'm frustrated that I can't hold 5,000. There are banks in Scorch Helm should you wish to convert or deposit. i can I could make some things. I can use some fast crafting. I could create some things to carry bags of gold. Anyway.

Speaker: anyway While you're all doing inventory management. great It's great great listening to that. It's just the best. It's the best day of Nyx's life. He's Scrooge McDuckin swimming in this stuff. Nyx with a very heavy pocket.

Speaker: Oh, yeah. Grasped the rudder wheel.

Speaker: The bay of Scorch Helm opens about a nautical mile ahead of you. And as you begin to sail in, what what you were here not seven days ago, more than that even, nine days now.

Speaker: And in that day, that evening was people fleeing for their lives.

Speaker: Flags of every color that came to watch the games.

Speaker: And the chaos that night that ensued.

Speaker: Bay is relatively empty. None of Bosan's armada can be seen. It is an entirely vulnerable port. It has ships docked.

Speaker: But the Kristochra don't have an awful lot of nautical power. Their forces are heavy. ah heavy But those orange sails are nowhere to be seen here.

Speaker: As you move into the bay, usually this would take a long time. It be a bit of an an art form to to get yourself to a jetty and to moor up.

Speaker: But there are maybe 40-odd jetties in this capital. There are maybe nine free straight away that you can sail straight into.

Speaker: And I imagine you pick one in the Harbour District closest to the Pissnut for ease of ah entree.

Speaker: As you move into the port, the sounds of the city begin to filter into your receptors. You you hear that industry, you see that plume of amber smoke coming from the Greyglass District where Keltrad is refined The city has its pulse again, like it did when you arrived before the games and after the shock of what happened in those few days after.

Speaker: Could you please make an arrival roll as we evaluate how your journey went? Now, this is a D8 plus your survival modifier. plus one for your success in telling the story to the sea elves, and plus another one for your success in defeating the sea raiders, if that makes sense.

Speaker: Are we all rolling this? No, just Nyx, who is the guide for this journey. I got a 10. Can I use a d6 preparation die, please?

Speaker: Oh, ah no, they are not allowed in the arrival roll. They have to be used in the journey. It's survival ball. Ten it is. Ten it is. Ten it is. As Nyx was operating as the journey lead, Nyx is the one who'll make the role.

Speaker: But with that arrival role, you all arrive full of hope. The journey was hard, but you emerged from it with renewed hope and renewed purpose for the road ahead.

Speaker: Each player gains inspiration plus one if you've already got it banked so you have an additional inspiration and all levels of exhaustion are gone if you are carrying any of those forward sorry Danny you broke up was that all all level up was that I think that's what all levels exhaustion oh right just checking sorry I thought missed that additionally you gain 15 temporary hit points until the next time you lose health daddy why does it feel like he's buffing us before the big bad

Speaker: It's ghost town. It's a ghost town. This is exactly what someone does is buff you up before. Thank you, Nix, for the high roll. Thanks, Nix. We won't die as quickly. Thanks, Nix, for the high roll.

Speaker: Welcome. Welcome. Thanks for the gold. While we all jingle around, Dralak, just... And you moor up. And you, having spent a very long day at sea,

Speaker: see familiar sights once again as you went enter that harbour district. And the revelry is a bit subdued from the first time you were here, but there is still revelry nonetheless.

Speaker: And the piss-newt is a stone's throw from this position. What would you like to do? ah Just knowing we're going to the Piss New, Farok, before they leave the boat, will just, he'll, he'll do the best he can to secure the the cabin, um which had the rest of the gold in it.

Speaker: And he's also going to grab McBenn's diary, knowing that Drago may be there in the Piss New. He's going to honour McBenn's wish to take McBenn's journal. His chest, his chest, not his diary.

Speaker: um I'm going to cast mend on the door to fix the door. Great. And is there any other precautions you wish to take? Sorry, go on. I was going to say, just quickly say to the group, seriously, though, if we can get another one of those bags, we don't need to worry about leaving the gold. Is it worthwhile just quickly one of us running off into the trade district and see if we can grab one?

Speaker: Yeah, or just go yeah or yeah if you go get a big box from the piss newt, we can just put it all in there and then carry it with us. I don't mind. My pockets are filled and I'm fucking heavy. I don't know if and this is only a fraction of of what there is.

Speaker: can we Can we carry a box filled with gold coins from a ship into the pub? Well, if we split between us, then the weight's lessened. You're right. Maybe someone could go It's not particularly conspicuous, is it?

Speaker: Carrying big box gold. Someone could go and get another bag of olden, and that should hopefully take up the rest of the gold that's left.

Speaker: Who's quick? I can go camelball, if anyone wants to ride me. Well...

Speaker: I mean, I'm there.

Speaker: But I feel like at this point, i don't need to say that.

Speaker: Not a sex joke. You do that. um

Speaker: Will some of the the rest us wait on the boat? Does half us want wait here? Half of us go with you just in case. go Going price for a bag of holding, it's 5,000 gold pieces. but a pretty Good job, Nick's got loads of money. That we've got left, yeah.

Speaker: Don't we have an artificer on this boat? No, no. We've got a sorcerer, maybe. Someone. Oops. Yeah. I used to. It still makes sense to, technically, because of the money that's left, but.

Speaker: Danny, while we're waiting for them, um if they're going to go somewhere, I'm going to um use my channel divinity to ah create a an item i'm going to make a really good lock to lock the door with.

Speaker: Okay. Great. Fantastic idea. Because I've fixed the door. In that time, takes to make... find various bits of metal around the door, but around the ship that I can use and then use my channel divinity to... Yeah.

Speaker: Cool. ah if anyone wishes to purchase said item we can expedite that it's relatively easy to buy one of those from the bazaar yeah that'll be done so mark off that coin well we'll come back with it i'll i'll have spent all of my inventory which is what 3100 no no no nix would have uh stayed your hand and god literally have 25 000 gold in here let's just take the five and and oh just bar does barl go barl are you going too yeah i'm i'm I'm being ridden. ah Just to get in there speedily. Oh, are you visible?

Speaker: Do you remain camel the entire time? I think so. That's the plan, yeah. Which means all of his inventory is is technically within his... So who is there? Nyx. Just Nyx and a camel. Standard procedure.

Speaker: It's 6,000 gold in that case. Fuck! You hear branded the cheater of the Jewel of the Desert Champions. Ha!

Speaker: If I hear that said, oh, would I? Yeah, you would hear that said. Yeah, if I hear that said. Nick does the negotiation and he has branded the cheater and um there's a bit of a surcharge added because people don't want to trade with him.

Speaker: Fuck you and your business. I can go elsewhere. i don't need to take this. no no No, no, no, no, no. The camel will say as he kind of pokes his head into the shop. No, Nick, he didn't cheat. that He's not a... He didn't technically...

Speaker: Try to... Fuck it. Wildshape back into... I'm Undyne! Can we say the same about you? Barth's going to go back in and just go, just hold on, just hold on. ah No. he Hi.

Speaker: Barthalcon. Walking volcano. You may recognise me from such things as, I don't know, winning the knights set the Champions, but... This is your favourite establishment. used to be the one thing that I This favourite establishment in Scorch Shop. What he'll do is he'll put a finger up Nick's lips as he kind of says that and goes, maybe I should recommend this establishment to some of my peers.

Speaker: Make a persuasion check at Disadvantage. Yeah, no, it's... Oh, wait, hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on. I'm going to touch you and give you guidance. You don't need to give me guidance, friend, because it's a disadvantage in the first roll.

Speaker: It's a two overall with my minus. 10,000

Speaker: Good news is we got the bag of holding. Bad news is we got haggled up to 50,000 gold pieces. What did you roll? ah It was a three minus one. But not a natural one.

Speaker: No, no, no. The best offer you find from a series of lectures... Use the fucking guidance. Use the fucking guidance. It's 1d4. Well, if you tap my bum... I'm tapping.

Speaker: I'll turn that three into a four, baby. Ha ha ha.

Speaker: Four and a half thousand gold is the best price you get for flaunting your face around the market. Yeah. I'll just say, ah it's incredibly generous of you. Thank you so much. And I must say, a fine shop. Yeah.

Speaker: I think my my friends, my colleagues, maybe some of my sponsors actually might want to frequent. He'll say as he's kind of walking out the door ah with with that in tow. And he'll use he'll have to use a first level spell slot to turn back into Camelbarl.

Speaker: nice to be ridden as as ah as barl leaves first and nix just kind of leaves afterwards as nix closes the door he's just going to point at him and fuck you and cast tass just hideous laughter so he's going to go prone can i do a wisdom saving and throw 14 please this is where the shopkeeper is actually an axe adventure he's actually level 20 yeah we'll find out It's like that shopkeeper in Zelda. Whenever you steal something, it comes back and fucks you up.

Speaker: Yeah, you succeed. They're on the floor laughing out loud. Yeah. Fuck you. As you leave. Nice. This is where we discover that they've just paid four and a half grand for like a crusty cum rag, right? it like The shopkeeper will remember this. Well, there's a sentence.

Speaker: No. so I'm a dying bitch! As Nix flips the bird. And that just echoes around the marketplace. you um You return to the ship. four thousand 4,500 gold lighter, but now able to store the entire contents of McBenner's personal wealth over two bags of holding.

Speaker: One controlled by Nix. Who was holding the other bag? but I will do it and just say, I'm happy to hand this out as and when um it's not. Okay. So, okay.

Speaker: Mine, but it just, I think at the moment, if I, if you're happy for me to hold this so that I can, as well, resurrect anyone, that would be wonderful. As I said, if the plan turns, that we need to get out of Dralak, I would like to invest the money into making this ship a bit safer and a bit more dangerous and a bit more, but if it doesn't, then fine.

Speaker: We do it when we need to. So, That leaves, if you will if you top up what Nick spent, that leaves 7,000 back into what Nick spent on this bag. That leaves 7,000 to go in this bag.

Speaker: Unless anyone else wants to offload themselves what they've got. I'm all for gold, but like let's just yeah you don't need to top up the bag that I've got. 11,500 into your bag then, Barron. That sorts us out.

Speaker: Yeah, put it all I put it all in there. Where do we need to go first?

Speaker: anywhere we want. we We don't have going to go anywhere first, do we? Seth's going to start walking straight towards the Pissed Noot. During the whole titivating around the money, if we in the docks, you would have seen Seth. The minute the plank goes down, like an NPC turns and just starts walking straight towards... He's sat around for half an hour. we He's there then.

Speaker: He'd have left instantly. the the The command was as soon as you hit the harbour. And as soon as he hits harbour, he wouldn't have touched the man here, but he's gone. so um Barland Nick just so you know like but just after you left Seth walked off to the piss note just so you know thanks I suppose we should buy the bar but but I mean go there right of course yes we could invest in the pub I feel like that's a worthy investment. I've heard that pubs are just popping up all over the place. None are closing down.

Speaker: Also, probably worth mentioning, the the boat that we're on, I know that it's Tharok's. It's yours now. um But obviously, this McBenna fellow, they probably don't know his fate. So, somber faces is what I'm saying. Tharok has a hold of McBenna's chest and he's just like, yes, of course, he's always my friend and im I mourn him.

Speaker: I am sorry, Tharok. Thank you for the gold. I'm i'm sorry. You still got his arm? Barl says we'd like this. No, no. um i search Alpha. helped. Barl back to the world's expression. Alpha helped Tharok do a funeral right for the arm. So the arm has been and um is no more.

Speaker: Right. Piss nuke then. And then if we've got time, we can always equip ourselves up for the next fuck... Next dragon we've got to twine. rock. That's apparently what we do.

Speaker: So, you head into the Pissnut.

Speaker: Last time you were here, it was a scene of shelter. And inside were people fleeing the creatures that were invading the city.

Speaker: that the stone um mechanical invaders from the object in the sky. Now, this tavern has been restored to to its former glory, truly.

Speaker: But inside, inside are 200 to incredibly wellarmed strong

Speaker: Parties of adventurers, of individuals from all creeds and cultures, all wearing the same black insignia of the winged watch, all taking refuge.

Speaker: And as you move through, Gumbar, who was sweating from every single pore in his body, to libate these travelers from all corners of Eryeth. And as you're moving through, you're hearing accents from every single kingdom, accents that some of you have never even encountered before.

Speaker: And in that chaos, Gumbar just clocks you all, and you just see his shoulders drop.

Speaker: And in a second, he turns and produces ah tray with six tankards and just thrusts it into Seth's chest and then makes sure to include an empty bottle and gives Seth a knowing look and puts that in his and on the tray as well.

Speaker: Seth nods in way of thanks. And it's impossible to kind of hear over the just the the hubbub of this place, but Gumbart clearly mouths, it's good to see you.

Speaker: And then just gestures towards that stairwell at the back of the pub. And do you will continue in that direction. Yeah. yeah Absolutely. Let's go to our secret underground penthouse.

Speaker: Super secret, baby. You head downstairs and there Tharok because he's never been there before. That's true. Tharok has. He's winning watch. This is the VIP quarters. This is our core. Forget what you know, Tharok. You're about to be upgraded in your time here. You're welcome.

Speaker: You roll with us now. It was a very expensive entry fee, but you're with us. but The Undying Champions.

Speaker: Could spend some of the gold spreading that name around Nick. Yeah, thanks to the gold, by the way. Yeah. yeah You're welcome. He's still holding McBennish. He's not putting this down until he can give it to Drago. He's still got McBennish's chest.

Speaker: Okay, let's keep going. You descend down the stairs and you'd expect to see those three orcs playing poker, but they are stood in full uniform of the winged watch amongst about an entourage of another six individuals.

Speaker: Two...

Speaker: anyone else getting a fucking vibe here? I mean, I've never seen the winged watch be so obvious before. It's not a shadow organization anymore.

Speaker: It's front and center, right? Yeah. Well, maybe maybe they're the ones protecting Dralak. Not Dralak, this scene. Because they're not seeing anybody else. Yeah, there we We'll find out. Okay.

Speaker: Therok, you stand in amazement as the five people you're traveling with step through an open fireplace into a small chamber behind that's guarded usually by one figure, but this time two.

Speaker: One side of the door, you see a goblin, a half-drunk, barely conscious goblin. But on the other side of the door, a halfling. very proud of this posting, very happy to see Seth, who's the first person to emerge, and greets by his surname as Orla embraces Ferreriva one more time.

Speaker: And Orla Goldport then proceeds to open the iron-cast door with its lead lining and invite you back into your safe house.

Speaker: And she just smiles at you, Seth.

Speaker: Good to see you. Welcome back.

Speaker: He smiles a small wry smile, nods, gives her another pat on the shoulder, then walks past into the space.

Speaker: As you all begin to descend into that common room again, Ola shuts the so door with herself inside. And you see ah this big board table that that you've become accustomed to. Three figures.

Speaker: You see Sparrowhawk.

Speaker: You see a red-skinned tiefling.

Speaker: And you see lizardkin. The three leaders of the Winged Watch. Ghostwing, the Red Rook, and Sparrowhawk.

Speaker: Anything you wish to do. We're back. Rumours of our demise are greatly exaggerated. Oh, ah yeah. Just before anyone says anything very, very important.

Speaker: ah And he's going to look at the group quickly. Cards on the table.

Speaker: There might be someone listening. yeah. He's going to kind of ah sigh, as he says. We had to make a deal with Prego.

Speaker: We've also got a new name as a group. We are collectively now known as the Undying Champions. Priorities next. nick next movie no No, no, no, no. Shit sandwich. It's good. I've heard about this. You're meant to kind of make news. Right, right, right, right. Also, also, um we ah we ah bring news on McBenner.

Speaker: Ghostwing just raises hand. who just raises his hand Please, why don't you sit first? I can still smell the road on you.

Speaker: At sea, but yeah, sure yeah

Speaker: And Ghostwing proceeds to take the tray off Seth and begin to set the drinks down. And they've been nursing drinks also. And the Red Rook just kind of sits, makes sure she's really visible, just sits and leans in attentively. And she's got this huge ledger on a table and a quill.

Speaker: And she's just kind of just um moving the quill really dexterously between her fingers.

Speaker: A Sparrowhawk makes a point of going straight to Seth as well and just clasping you both shoulders, shaking you, Seth, smiling, and then ushering you to your seat. Welcome back.

Speaker: You're the last ones, Sparrowhawk says. Have the other missions come back? They have. Did it all right? you um You actually had the longest to travel.

Speaker: Yeah, we'll hear the reports tomorrow in the meeting. We're bringing it forward. We're running out of time, but we'll talk about that in a moment. We've got some news on that as well um that we found while we were out in ah yeah Finding McBenner.

Speaker: Ghostwing just kind of gestures everyone to sit. We're keen to hear it. Take your time. Have a drink. Let me fill you in on what's about to happen.

Speaker: just Yes, Barg? Danny, has the, um... the The journey that that got us there a few sessions ago, we talked about it taking perhaps a day and a half in good conditions.

Speaker: Is that what's happened? Has it taken us a full kind of day and a half to get back? No, it was under a day in great conditions. um And with a with with Alpha able to control the wind the entire time,

Speaker: there was no chance i was able to slow you down. You made that distance up very quickly. Yeah. Hero. Okay. So when, when, um, ah ghost wing says tomorrow,

Speaker: there'll be a kind of and an initial twinge of the kind of the eye from Baal as he kind of, you see, he seems a little bit deep in thought and then kind of composes himself. It's minuscule, it's brief, um but obviously for him time is ticking. So that's on on his mind, but yeah, he goes to kind of sit and if Sparrowhawk mentions he'll go, ah don't worry about it. It's something we can bring up tomorrow.

Speaker: Everyone's back.

Speaker: After you left the last meeting, we assigned the rest of the jobs.

Speaker: If you recall, we sent a group to go to the anchor, the object in the sky. They have a report, but as you can imagine, the Ipkriska are there.

Speaker: We sent a group into the Ipkriska Garrison here in the city.

Speaker: They found out some very interesting things. How about you?

Speaker: All of you.

Speaker: You can tell me in a moment how you're third in Beach Barrow Port, but I see that our friend is not amongst you.

Speaker: What happened to the group that went to the gates? You said something about a demon gates that people had to go to? it Yes. They're back. Okay. There were two others.

Speaker: Our mutual friend, the gnomes, they handled the gates.

Speaker: Good lads, then. They made it back quite quickly.

Speaker: And the group who went to investigate the leashes,

Speaker: it's more dire news than we were anticipating. Anyway, I see McBenner is not here.

Speaker: Dare I ask? Yeah. um Start at the beginning, please. And Ghostwing then takes a seat and a sip and Red Rook dips her quill in an inkwell.

Speaker: And Sparrowhawk just remains silent, but focused on largely on what Seth's responses are to certain things. Like Seth is his core focus, but then it's leading, is leading.

Speaker: Watching his reactions, basically. And Seth, you you feel the eyes locked on you from him as he's just trying to read subtext with everything that's about to be said. you get that impression? I'm sure the others are weighing But we got to the coastal port that you sent us to.

Speaker: was going to hold up a hand to you, Emron. I'm really, really sorry. There's something that happened before that. ah One of ours.

Speaker: Reigns. Oh yeah, him. what What do you mean him?

Speaker: Reigns is dead.

Speaker: He tried to make his way home. We think. And...

Speaker: Nix has seen it through some vision. We've kind of got confirmation he didn't make it home. Yeah, was it was... It was brutal.

Speaker: It saves... It saves us having to deliver this news to you, then.

Speaker: What do you know? was murdered by his grandfather.

Speaker: Hurry on. Yes. I am sorry. And makes a point of looking at Alpha and Emron. Just for anybody who looks Alpha at the moment, sparks are getting very dense.

Speaker: Emron looks conflicted. Like, he's he's both saddened by the news, but obviously they knew about it already. And also, he he had his feelings about Reigns and what he did. So, Emron sort of looks looks bit conflicted and

Speaker: When Reigns passed, Seth was at risk of dying as well. So we had to make a deal with Prego to make sure Seth didn't die.

Speaker: Reigns didn't just pass. It wasn't like he slept and never woke up. He was murdered, Emron. Yes, he was murdered because he he walked off.

Speaker: and He left us and went his own his own way and unfortunately made some very poor choices, Alpha.

Speaker: But the point remains that ah we have, unfortunately... We're now bound.

Speaker: Yeah. Deals. Everyone shows him his his arms where the tattoos are there and probably the others are on the others. um Prigil, we had to give him something in return.

Speaker: And basically when everything's decided about Princess Imolda, Gartron... E has to be at the table there as well. Redbrook speaks up.

Speaker: See, this poses a problem because you've got a devil. You've made a deal with a devil. Yep, we know And you think he's seeing everything.

Speaker: He is. he He can see everything that we see and hear. And he made it very clear that he knew exactly what happened in the meeting that before we left. Because he could see through the the the connection he had to Seth and Bahl beforehand.

Speaker: Or just to Seth beforehand. He knew exactly what happened in that meeting. He can see and hear everything that we do because of our connection to him. I'm sorry, Redrup, on top of that, I think he can... He's got some ability to to to judge the future in some way. He knows things that we can't possibly know. He he knew of our...

Speaker: friend's death in the tournament um of the Duel of the Desert Champions. He knew of the journey that we were to make on this very mission. he He had someone set up to actually meet us after experiencing what we've experienced, which we'll tell you more about. he he knows the future.

Speaker: And he knows more than we think he knows. So, yes, we've made a deal. He's also a cunt. Yes, we established that quite heavily, but also he knows he knows everything.

Speaker: It's also related to another one of his kind called Grazett. He dropped that to us. don't know if that bears any relevance.

Speaker: And it's his brother, Tolkienon, who is leading the gold-faced demons that have been attacking Aerith as well. So he has an invested interest in everything that's happening.

Speaker: And he's always been one step ahead of us. He's the reason why Tolkien can't come to this plane, because whilst he's here, Tolkien can't. And the only way Prigil gets to stay here is if there's people bound to him through his deals.

Speaker: Apparently. This is what saying. I mean, don't you wrong. I totally agree with you, Red Rooks. I can see it on the look of your face. so She's rubbing her temple quite furiously this point. I trust Prego about as far as I can throw him, which unfortunately isn't very far because he's a twat.

Speaker: And... and quite frankly, he might be lying through some of it, but equally, we don't have the power or the know-how to be able to know if he's actually telling the truth on some stuff. But we need to have, we thought we'd have everything cards on the table before you start saying any secret stuff around us is essentially everything you tell us.

Speaker: And he wants him and Baal will point at Alpha. Well, he wants I am older, not actual Alpha himself. And the I'm older separate Alpha now. Red Rock stands at this point And gives a knowing, obvious look to Sparrowhawk and to Ghostwing.

Speaker: Can i On that look... Cast...

Speaker: Hmm... Yeah, let's fucking... Let's fucking go. going to dip into... Red Rook's mind. assume you're going to subtle spell that as well? ah Yeah.

Speaker: just Just to help you out there, just in case otherwise it's really obvious. um I'm only going for surface thoughts, hu ah so I'm not going to um'm not going to probe, and it is going to be subtle. It's just hand under the table, kind of just a kind of ah vibration motion with his hand as I cast detect thoughts, and I just want to get that surface.

Speaker: Make a stealth check for me. Faha! Hang on. What does Subtle Spell, does it remove all components, just one? um That's only a nine. And Subtle Spell allows me to... Do you need me to read it When you cast a spell, you can spend one sorcery point to cast it without any verbal, somatic, or material components.

Speaker: So nobody can actually tell you're casting it. you know Except for the material components that are consumed by the spell.

Speaker: ah Sorry, the outcome of your roll? Oh, it's a nine. Thank you. And as Red Rock stands and gives that knowing look, you just hear, well, I think we found our spies.

Speaker: That's what i hear. That's the surface thought she has at that moment you choose to read. ah ah who And as she stands up, she just announces to you, well, so one enemy we think we have...

Speaker: Tolkelon. And you've made a deal with his brother and he sees everything you do. One enemy we think we have is the Gartrans.

Speaker: And we harbridge the only future of those people in him. And points at Alpha. Alpha.

Speaker: i mean it's it's in ah The only thing that would really just complete this cocktail and now looks at you, Nix, with a certainty, is if the Criscor are watching too, and then looks away.

Speaker: Insight? Can we perceive that look? Sure. Do you want perception or insight? No. i think Baal's going to jump in on this one as well. You can you could roll so because you're you're reading body language there.

Speaker: Farok's going to do it as well, but for different reasons. 22 from Baal. ah That's a 14 from Emron. 11 for Farok. Farok is now bristling, because...

Speaker: hunting down. Yep. Farrakh is just starting to become very alert at the talk of traitors being in the room. No one said that. Oh, sorry.

Speaker: That was my detect. That was in a detect thoughts. Oh, retcon that. Apologies. Farrakh is just starting to look very, very kind of just like what's going on. He's confused. Because because she's talking about us being, um, making deals with your enemies. Yeah.

Speaker: Yep. Despite those roles being very good from you both, you don't clock. Okay, fine. That she made a point of looking at Nyx when she said about the Chris Grit watching too.

Speaker: She then continues. I'm beginning to think that our biggest risk is you.

Speaker: But I'll hold my tongue for now. And she sits back down with her quill and listens in.

Speaker: Do you want us to take it up from... Ghostwing leans in. so we From Beachborough. We got to Beachborough Port.

Speaker: ah The Chrisquad gone. um Apparently abandoned the place. Um, place was fairly deserted. ah we then understood that Ben had headed deeper into the desert to some kind of outpost run by the Chris.

Speaker: So we, we traveled through the desert to, to get there. It wasn't very far. We found this like ziggurat temple that the U and used to Um, um We went in there, found various traps, found a Kriskra armory that had a ah note saying that the, and then one looks at the others.

Speaker: What was it? Convergence, alignment,

Speaker: convergence alignment it's it was the alignment and the alignment is something about being wrong about the chris and the alignment being in 58 days which now should be 56 days yeah so something about an alignment and we can come back to that later because that there's there's dreams involved in that as well so we found that we then heard some fighting or something going on so we went to investigate we found a a blue dragon and surrounded by lots of dead of Kriskra.

Speaker: We killed the dragon and may have smashed some eggs while we did. Then Shondrala Carr showed up and nearly killed us all.

Speaker: Then I believe Chandra Carr threatened Baal saying he had to he had a week to leave. He's brushing over the fact, I suppose. um

Speaker: I think despite me going a little bit forwards in time from this moment, It appears that the Abkhrisqra had established the eggs themselves there within that stronghold. is Somehow in a matter of days, including the creation of, I think, an adult dragon, centuries old.

Speaker: there somehow there's some sort of temporal manipulation going on. I mean, I'm sure we could discuss this in more detail, but either way, yes, as Emron says, there was a dragon.

Speaker: My party was attacked. They slew it. I brought it back because Shondralakar arrived. And... and

Speaker: Well, she's got a vendetta against me. Partly deserved. Not entirely, I don't think, but she won't believe that. Anyway, it's a perhaps too long a story that the short version is.

Speaker: fuck. The medium version is. You know, I won the... um say one. fucking hate saying one. You know that I got the egg from the Jewel of the Desert Champions?

Speaker: They all nod. My mother's Egg, the eldest Ertu, Galefather's Sleet. Well... Oh, fuck me, there's a lot to fill you in on.

Speaker: um might as well tell you.

Speaker: Because he knows. i imagine you've already heard part of this.

Speaker: Through our gnome friends. Any kind of looks for any kind of nod from them...

Speaker: We are keeping reports independent for now. Right. Well, the night of the attack, I was helped by our gnomish friends and taken to a chris-chris stronghold elsewhere, eventually, shall we say, and the egg was placed into the care of

Speaker: Lucian Blythbane.

Speaker: Sparrowhawk smacks the table

Speaker: very quickly.

Speaker: It wasn't my choice. Not initially. I wouldn't have dreamed to it. In fact... I would have done anything in my power to avoid that, but like i said, this is the medium version of the story. It should be shorter.

Speaker: Long story short, it appeared to be the lesser of all of the evils, and he swore upon his life that he would do everything he could to protect it.

Speaker: And I believed him. I'm a relatively good judge of character. You'll have to take my word on it. But... There, confronted by Shondradhika in this temple, all of us probably about to be blitzed pretty much into a pulp, a...

Speaker: Wow. certainly an adult golden dragon saved us. And through the fight, got itself injured, looked like it was on its last legs, managed to kind of chase down this fight, got in front of Shondra LaCarr, was talking to it and managed to somehow, I don't understand how, talk it out of murdering this golden dragon. And yes, again, long story short, I'm sorry. and he's going to turn back to the group. I said it would be a short story. I'm sorry, bear with me.

Speaker: Basically, Shondralakar says that I've got a week to live. I've probably got about five days from today. So that might be something worth noting because if I am, wherever I am in the next five days, if I am within Dralak, Shondralakar is going to hunt me down and completely and utterly obliterate me regardless of where I am. So if I'm in the city, chances are the city is going to be attacked. So I need to leave relatively soon.

Speaker: But that's besides the point. The point I'm trying to make is the golden dragon. It was Valkyret. It was the egg. It was the egg that I saved from the tournament. Centuries old, at least.

Speaker: Two, three hundred years, at best guess. The heir to Galefather Sleet. What, six days after I'd rescued it? Five days, maybe less?

Speaker: Fewer? It doesn't make sense. Something is going on with time. some Somehow people are playing with time. The Akriskra, there's more to it.

Speaker: I don't understand. All I know is

Speaker: Galefather Sleet's heir.

Speaker: She's hundreds of years old. She's ready to regain her powers if a rightful heir of Sleetgard reclaims the throne. And Barr will say this staring directly into the middle of the group. He will do his best not to make eye contact with Sleetgard.

Speaker: Sebastian, even though he's fully aware that they probably all know who Sebastian is, even if it's obvious that he's deliberately kind of staring randomly somewhere else, that's what he's doing. He doesn't want to reveal that information, even though he knows that it's, yeah, they they they know that.

Speaker: If the rightful heir is back on the throne, Al'Khareth can reclaim her power, her mother's power, our power. power, I suppose, to the matriarchs of the kingdoms.

Speaker: Fuck, that was the longest story. We're alive. Chondrala Carr left. We have a week. I have a week. You guys will be fine if you stay away from me in five we found, while that was happening, we found what was left of McBenner.

Speaker: Seemed to have been killed by the blue dragon. Don't know whether he was fighting with the Kriska or against him. We arrived so late and it was all a bit of a mess. We have no idea what actually happened.

Speaker: um But we we we we found Macbeth's arm. um And then we returned back into the temple while the others were dealing with Shondrala Kha.

Speaker: And we met someone called Thera of Clan Silvermoon.

Speaker: who They nod. Who had been sent by Pregel

Speaker: to be there. um Which was again weird because it's like Pregel knew where she had to be um She'd been investigating or looking after or looking into the Yuan T and their disappearance.

Speaker: Obviously, we also found Tharok amongst all that, and he helped us. He's a fantastic fighter and brilliant asset to the team. um

Speaker: We survived. We met back up. And then we found McBenners-Bolt and sailed it back here. And this clanswoman.

Speaker: Yes. She's bringing our elephant and cart back with some Blue dragon eggs? Welcome to the eggs. Did we take those with us? Has she got them?

Speaker: She has them. She said she'd return. She said that they're climbing. she was going to take them Shrondola Carl, wasn't she? That's Or bring them here. And that's all she knows. That's all she was there because she was asked to be there.

Speaker: By Prager. She knew McBenner.

Speaker: McBenner knew her.

Speaker: I see. Because she had his pack.

Speaker: He'd asked her to look after it.

Speaker: Ghostwing stands. Tharok, I am sorry. I am deeply sorry for your loss.

Speaker: Farok will nod and go, he was a good friend and he was a good ally to all of us. I will do what I can to honour his memory and put this right.

Speaker: Orla, join us. and Ola sort of scurries down and takes another seat at the table.

Speaker: Everyone who's sat here now, as well as the heroes of the Blight, all know of Sparrowhawk's identity.

Speaker: We do not need to be cryptic. Right.

Speaker: Now I understand your brother's purpose in the up-chrish-crash, Sebastian.

Speaker: And he just kind of nods with it but the bit of a hyper-focus around the room.

Speaker: Dharok, you need to raise your hand. ah but but No, Farrakh's jaw is wide open. Farrakh has done a lot of travelling with Sparrowhawk. Two and between. Sleetgaard, he's always been told to to never like broadcast that.

Speaker: This is the first time that he has discovered... this heat This is the first time that he's reached the inner circle of the winged watch and has heard that he's Sebastian Sleetgaard. Farrakh's jaw is wide open.

Speaker: he He's in awe and shock of what he's hearing right now.

Speaker: um Maybe not all of us. On the subject of the Eres of the Blight, I know this I had another dream about climbing up there and one points up.

Speaker: And again, I saw myself, Drago, the dwarf, and and a human figure. and the words that were said while that happened, that vision happened, was it's alignment day.

Speaker: It's over to you for now. Indicating myself... Drago, the Dwarf, and the other human. Just in case that's something that's relevant, because obviously Alignment Day is something we've mentioned is coming up.

Speaker: It might be linked to the Gartrans, the demons, and what's up of in the sky.

Speaker: Thank you. Are there any more details you wish to include in this report? Is Drago among you? Farrakh will ask. you

Speaker: He's not in this room, but he has returned.

Speaker: He'll say that and he'll just keep the chest.

Speaker: we've We've come across some funds from McBenners so we can use them to sort of increase our strength, but also help the wing watch where it needs to be used.

Speaker: Ghostwing just looks at Redbrook says, donate what you wish.

Speaker: It would have like a thousand gold out of it. It was all right.

Speaker: Nice.

Speaker: If there's nothing else for your report.

Speaker: I think that's about it. We've sort of skimmed over any unnecessary details to just give you the starring highlights. Killed a famous pirate on the way home, but that's beside the point.

Speaker: Oh, and at Beach by Report, we found someone trying to make a boat that can sail on the sands, but you know.

Speaker: I wish them well. From the Sailmakers Guild. They're trying to use Keltrad to make it magical.

Speaker: Sounds like a useful connection nonetheless. And we found our name as a group. The Undying Champions. The Undying Champions. Yes.

Speaker: It's good, right? And they nod. The trio nod. All are massively nods. Seems aptly named, given our penchants for not dying.

Speaker: yeah We'll present your report as you have given it in the meeting tomorrow. Now that you're here, we needn't delay.

Speaker: Now let me fill you in on a few things that have happened since you've been gone.

Speaker: The Akriska have not returned to the city. They remain at the anchors. The sights, or these 12 legs from the sky, have hit each kingdom.

Speaker: Lord Vossan is nowhere to be seen. He has disappeared. What about his ships?

Speaker: Vossan bought power from every mercenary group when he stopped paying them. When the coins stopped.

Speaker: Let's just say in his disappearance, no one's wearing orange banners anymore. What of his vault? What vault?

Speaker: Huh.

Speaker: He has a vault in Dralak. I'm sure. He's probably the richest person on Aerith, but I don't know anything about that. Right.

Speaker: And Baal kind of looked somewhat confused.

Speaker: Now...

Speaker: Fizzlebang's leashes have been malfunctioning and we're losing control of the orcs.

Speaker: The kingdom is vulnerable.

Speaker: should need to remain vigilant. Is the Watch, the group, protecting this city then? We don't number enough and we aren't making a grand appearance if we choose not to.

Speaker: I mean, the the hundreds of people in matching uniforms upstairs is really inconspicuous, but... This is the only place we can hold down, and you can only see those uniforms because we permit you. Oh, okay.

Speaker: Should you have walked in and you were anyone but the six of you, you would have seen ah very different scene. Well, good to know. So who is policing this city, or has it all gone to shit?

Speaker: A trace amount of a criss-cro, a trace amount of orcs,

Speaker: And we're paying a number of mercenary groups just for a few days to hold the peace.

Speaker: We are a pressure cooker.

Speaker: Now that you're here, we'll bring the meeting forward. We will meet tomorrow morning. You will see our full number, as much as we could muster in this time. We will share your report, we will share the report of everywhere else, and then it is time for action.

Speaker: And this is where Sebastian stands.

Speaker: I'm taking a leaf out of Seth's book. We're tired of questions. I want to know who we're going kill, what we need to do, and how we fucking stop this thing.

Speaker: Big day tomorrow. I've got big job for you all.

Speaker: Does it involve getting to the platform? Not yet.

Speaker: There's one more piece.

Speaker: Is it to get the human person?

Speaker: No.

Speaker: Okay. Drago assures me that's covered. If he says it's covered, then that's fine. I'm happy.

Speaker: I'll tell you tomorrow. I don't want you with this information overnight. I will. No, not. I'm not going to it. Seth, walk with me.

Speaker: This meeting is adjourned. And Ghostwing stands. Bar. A word.

Speaker: And the red brick closes her books and heads towards the exit. and just turns, places a hand on your shoulder, Alpha.

Speaker: I'm sorry for your loss.

Speaker: You carry the fate of us all, I think. and

Speaker: I'm sorry.

Speaker: Losing parents isn't easy.

Speaker: She just gives you nod and slowly walks out.

Speaker: And we sort of begin to dissipate this meeting. And into the training room, Ghostwing waits. And out, side the chamber,

Speaker: Sparrowhawk, Sebastian waits. What do you six want to do? orla is there too but she's kind of just collecting her things having a drink and going back to assuming guard duty uh are we at least perceptibly by ourselves at the moment then yes you'd be given space to converse only like ghostwing is an audible range if you were to shout um no so nix will say low to the group and he'll just look around first they think we're spies they're not wrong ah I don't think of that we're the spies, but our connections are um making us a hindrance.

Speaker: I don't blame him for thinking that. It's still my place to tell you. I always thought they would do after we had to make that deal with Prego. You twat. yeah You were right to to put the cards on the table. I just wanted to let you know that's there for Red Rook anyway.

Speaker: That's her pressing thought. Any way to wear protection so we're not so riddled with so many infections? I was going to say, I mean, unless there's some magic items that we might be able to find that can...

Speaker: aye I have something in my book that I'm slowly working towards. Something about removing curses. no promises.

Speaker: Oh, shit. If it's a curse, it could be like a geese or something like that. I don't know. The cape, the red cape. It's nice. I don't want to be fucking cursed with this fucking cape. like It's just attached to me. and like you could You could remove the curse and I could wear it. I don't know. Early days. but Found it in my book.

Speaker: And I've been reading about it. ah i was planning to try it later on tonight. But as we're talking about it here...

Speaker: As you say that, um Nix, on your shoulder appears Nithravar, and he's just saying really loud, in like but conversational, but just overly loud.

Speaker: Seth knows of a way to remove the curse. Kill the demon.

Speaker: i mean, that's an option. He's not wrong. Yes, yes. Folded through the hells of time itself. Allow it to float in the miasmic past. Sure.

Speaker: Hard pass. The demon. Kill the demon. Prego. He's talking about killing Prego. Kill Prego. I mean, I think we need to be a bit more powerful than that. Don't get me wrong. I'd love to twat him.

Speaker: Yeah, Nithravar, you weren't here when Alpha just cut a couple of loot strings and basically... Nearly died. Yeah, nearly died. Pretty much. so but Death is immaterial in this plane. We pass through time and space.

Speaker: See bigger, Dragon Man. so It's nice to see that Nithravar's getting on board with the Undying Champions. Let's be honest, that is that's as undying as it comes. He's right. So we've got a lot of funds, guys. I know.

Speaker: And then one looks towards shadowing. and ghost Just before you go on that, because you're branching off on the conversation. But later on tonight, if we just would dive into the book and we'll see.

Speaker: Is it a euphemism? No, I'm very much talking about ball hearingring curses. You hear a throat clearing as you guys start entering into flirtation. has been staring. I'll remove your curse any time.

Speaker: Seth has been staring at Sparrowhawk the entire time since he mentioned about wanting to talk and just been standing waiting patiently for him to either make a move out of the space to go somewhere or get others to fuck off. He's out in that chamber where Victoria guards. Right. and Yeah, then he's gone.

Speaker: But, Bar, we'll follow attention. You need a translator Seth moves on. I need a chat as well. I'll hold that thought. Remove my curse later, Nix.

Speaker: yeah Yeah, yep, yep, yep. I'm talking about... ah Not everything's about fucking!

Speaker: um Yes, yes. No, you're right. It isn't. Good one. And he'll turn and swagger away. I'll watch you go.

Speaker: Everyone just started there awkwardly with Alpha and Tharag. We're like... So nobody wants to talk to us three then. Nope. Farok's a bit... Farok's just taking all the faces in the room. he's He's never been this far into the Inner Circle, the Wing Watch. There's a little bit of awe and inspire happening for Farok.

Speaker: Welcome to the Inner Circle, Farok. Pretty much we're the fuck-ups of the group. Yeah, feels like that. Peace, that's one together. Bah. Hello.

Speaker: I mean, camera attached to your shoulder as you move into the training room, which still bears a lot of the scorch marks on the walls and the training dummies from your last ah sort of outburst of fury in there.

Speaker: And Ghostwing just sort of repairs, you see Cast mending on some of the chains that are holding up so the the mannequins and the training dummies. And everything he says from this point on is on in Draconic.

Speaker: Was it really her?

Speaker: Her as Valkareth? Yes.

Speaker: It was. How do you know?

Speaker: We have a connection. Hmm.

Speaker: I can't explain it. I know it. You do?

Speaker: I know the connection of a brood and a broodmother. know the lure of a dragon's a dragon's embrace.

Speaker: If she's back, or if that throne is now to be filled,

Speaker: that is a good thing. It is. I'm happy for you.

Speaker: Thank you. What was this...

Speaker: exchange with Chandra Laka? What did she say?

Speaker: She said her two enemies were myself and the Ibkrisgra.

Speaker: It was only dumb luck that she let us live.

Speaker: And there is a time on your head. There is.

Speaker: have less than a week within these sands or she will hunt me down.

Speaker: I am the founder of this organization.

Speaker: The Winged Watch.

Speaker: Because I have

Speaker: an innate interest

Speaker: in the dragons.

Speaker: The dragons of Aerith are maybe the key.

Speaker: If you promise me,

Speaker: you will support our cause in what we ask tomorrow.

Speaker: I will stall, if not deter, Shondralukar from that time

Speaker: How on Aerith do you plan to do that?

Speaker: Ghostwing just smiles. All the lizard teeth on one side of his face just glistens for a second. He holds out his hand.

Speaker: and Like a gesture to shake it.

Speaker: I don't very much like making deals without knowing what I get. This is how I show you. Trust me. Right.

Speaker: I do. And you'll shake. And in this instant, you are filled with this vision of this colossal green dragon.

Speaker: who flies above a kingdom you've only heard through stories from Reigns and Alpha and Emron.

Speaker: This dragon is male,

Speaker: but fills, his silhouette fills the sky. As it flies around for moments, you begin to orient yourself with the geography of this land. You are in eastern Ereth, far eastern Ereth.

Speaker: And as you return to the brim and ghostwing lets go of your hand, you will not learn my real name,

Speaker: but I command the kingdom of shadow mend.

Speaker: I am the Dragon King there.

Speaker: I have favor with Chandra LaCarre and she will listen to me.

Speaker: I can only assume this form once.

Speaker: Bar's eyes are wide. Very wide. And the hand that's gripping Ghostwing's kind of shudders. Starts to shudder.

Speaker: He's kind of like

Speaker: ah

Speaker: Do I... I don't kneel. Do I kneel? No. You are not of my brood.

Speaker: Except my ask tomorrow.

Speaker: i will squash what Shondralika has planned for you.

Speaker: I have sworn myself to Valkyraeth. I will not interfere with that. And what I ask will only aid her in her assent.

Speaker: Two seats remain vacant. On the dragon thrones, we need to fill them. I will not have some blue scale fuck. Stop that.

Speaker: Do you understand? understand. i understand

Speaker: I'm in.

Speaker: Get some rest. Tell anyone what you have learned.

Speaker: Well, on Valkyra's head it will be. I'm in a habit of being threatened by your kind, it seems.

Speaker: Dragons are complex creatures. Good evening.

Speaker: And he begins to walk back into the dull light. Walks into the common room. Sorry. and Brushes a shoulder on the way out with Seth.

Speaker: He gives a knowing look to Sparrowhawk.

Speaker: Walks through the fire.

Speaker: A Sparrowhawk is just perched against the wall and nods Victoria to leave.

Speaker: closes the door to the chamber as Seth, you emerge through.

Speaker: Pushes against a brick inside this chamber, which seems to deaden the fire. And you're in this sort of sealed box temporarily.

Speaker: It's just you and him and Nidrafar.

Speaker: I'm gonna keep this short, Seth.

Speaker: I'm really fucking scared.

Speaker: I'm really fucking scared. bad smell on the wind and don't fucking trust anyone.

Speaker: apart from you and my family, but one works with Chris Crone, one's in a castle, you know.

Speaker: It's a big fucking job tomorrow we're going to ask you to do.

Speaker: telling you now because You ain't going to say shit, are you? You're not literally to tell anyone about this.

Speaker: stuffh's still ah Seth is still kind of at... ah um ah Oh shit, what's the word? so attention Attention. Yeah, thank you, to attention. throughout this and is It's not even making eye contact. and It's just stiff.

Speaker: Seth, please relax.

Speaker: I need friends. I don't need servants.

Speaker: To that, he will drop to a very, very stiff assies pose that's, if anything, more awkward and more stiff than the attention that he was at prior to that.

Speaker: If shit goes down,

Speaker: I'm coming to you.

Speaker: I'm really concerned that

Speaker: this is spiralling and people have been suspicious ever since Reigns just blurted his mouth in that last meeting and gets quite emotional at this point.

Speaker: Tomorrow I'm going to ask you to kidnap

Speaker: Delmont Trace. I'm going to ask you and your friends

Speaker: to take your fucking shit or whatever, grab that bastard and beat every single answer out of him.

Speaker: And i need you to I need you to be on board with it because I'm tired of not knowing anymore. I'm tired of looking over my shoulder every single time.

Speaker: friend to friend.

Speaker: I need you to yank this guy out wherever the fuck he's hiding, in beat him within an inch of his fucking life and get every single answer we need out of him. And I need you to do it.

Speaker: Seth's going to, the mention of At the mention of kidnap, his eyes lock onto you. the mention of Delman Trace, a smile is going to break out across his face. And as you continue to talk, his head continues to nod slowly, methodically, and with purpose towards what you're saying. And then at the end, it going to lean excuse me he's going to lean forward.

Speaker: and um And tentatively, unsure whether or not he should or not, is just going to put a hand on ah um on on his shoulder as a son of reassurance

Speaker: and look at him in the eye.

Speaker: Thank you.

Speaker: And that is where we're going to end this week's episode of the Fellowship of the Tabletop, Bellum Draconis.

Speaker: Oh, titties. Oh, donkey. We're rich and also screwed. Wow. That was a lot. That's a lot to chew down.

Speaker: That was a full meal. lot That was a full three-course motherfucking meal right there. i am full. your Rennies, friend. Get your Rennies. Not sponsored. Other heartburn medications out there, but if you feel available, yes.

Speaker: To ah extend the meal, you can do so. We have some desserts out there in the form of social media. We have a website, which is fellowshipofthetabletop.co.uk. We have a Facebook. We have an X. ah The Elon Trump spaff is brilliant. It's front and center on there. Go and check it out. And while you're there, check me out. I'm at home all the one.

Speaker: Will is at... Fellowship NBCBC. Poo Bear is at Natural20Will. Mark is at HastilyRollDM. ah Cox, Apple, Pie, Smashing.

Speaker: Callum is that I am the after dinner mints for this three course meal at the D20 Gamer. Oh, he said that on many a dates. Darren's out.

Speaker: Darren Page06. And our VIP of the D&D, Dungeon Master Danny can be found at Total Party Thrills. Until next time, guys.