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Prologue 2 Father? – Bellum Draconis
113 Plays2 years ago
Join Emron, Alpha and Reigns as they journey to Goldview in our 2nd Prologue episode.
Follow us on our Twitters - @FellowshipTable
Intro written and produced by Joseph McDade - https://josephmcdade.com/
Music kindly provided by - https://www.fesliyanstudios.com/
The Fellowship Party Twitter Pages:
- The DM/Mark - @HastilyRolledDM
- Alpha/Callum - @TheD20Gamer
- Emron/Will - @Natural20Will
- Reigns/Darren - @DarrenPage06
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Transcript
Arrival at Goldview
00:00:23
Speaker
What do you think, Alpha?
00:00:31
Speaker
The splash of sea fills your nose with salt. As you head up onto deck, you are temporarily blinded by the light of the sun high in the sky. It must be midday by your reckoning. As you quickly scan around, you see ship hands scrabbling around the small vessel.
00:00:49
Speaker
How it survived Haddo's Bay upon leaving Shadowmend is a wonder to you. How it survived the open waters of Evermouth, the treacherous circumnavigation of Traitor's Bay, avoided Palladia's detection, outran an obsidian scout through Jethan's Sea, into the Sea of Bracecraft, must be the work of the gods. Now, with the sands of Dralak on your port side, and the dead lands of the emberscar blight to your starboard, ahead is your goal.
Alpha's Human Interaction Question
00:01:16
Speaker
The bronze storm sea, named aptly, given the light reflection the city of Goldview gives with its protected body of water. You notice the absence of clouds in the sky. Oi, tin for brains. How about you likes to give us a hand? Our necks were out for you in shadow, men. Return us the favor. You turn, and the squab that addressed you looks high into your eyes.
00:01:43
Speaker
all white and browned shirt, many sizes too big. He stands there, boyish in complexion, motionless, eyes on you. On you. Who do we see? Callum. Hello. You see, standing in front of you, a automaton.
00:02:10
Speaker
glazed in bronze and copper, approximately standing about six foot tall. He is in very, very simple clothing, more so a simple t-shirt that is far too baggy, trousers that don't fit right, shoes that are worn, tattered, gloves and a cloak that has a hood that he can bring up as he wishes.
00:02:39
Speaker
You want to turn back to them, because... I beg your pardon, sir, but... are you referring to me? Well, yeah, you're the only one I'm looking at. Well, my apology, sir, but the reference to, um, myself was not... as you deemed. My name is Alpha. Yeah, I likes to prefer it to tin for brains. I saw you've been useful for these last couple months since we got you at Shadow Mend.
00:03:08
Speaker
I keep telling you, I do not have tin for brains.
00:03:13
Speaker
That's got a good ring to it, though. Anyway, listen, mate. I've got some issues with some barrels over here. Do you mind kissing hand? Lifting some up with your old chum, old chum, old, you know, your mecco arms. Yeah, lovely. All right. And you look over and he's pointing to him beckoning over to another number of barrels. He's trying to lug up to the aft of the ship.
Alpha and the Rum Experiment
00:03:33
Speaker
There's a couple of, um, on the small, small vessel, a huge number of sails. The vessel seemed to move quite quickly, but the whole vessel seems to creak and groan. It's ancient, really.
00:03:42
Speaker
Not that you would particularly know that, Alpha. And there's two sets of stairs up to the after the ship, which is higher where you would control the ship from its rear port position. And he needs to move the barrels up there. They aren't particularly big. They aren't particularly heavy. He's obviously just boarded the job. And there's about six or seven of them. He picks one up and then gestures to you. Grab the other one, will you? Yeah. And with no hesitance, Alpha will
00:04:10
Speaker
kind of walk over and just pick up a barrel. After you, my good man. Well, good man, first of all, been cool in a while. He starts walking upstairs, lugging it, and as you pick it up, Alfie, you realize it kind of lugs a little bit. Whatever's inside doesn't seem to settle properly. You've known this to be something they call a liquid, something that moves on its own volition once energy has been placed into it.
00:04:35
Speaker
And you move these liquid barrels up one at a time, one at a time. Is there anything you'd want to say to this, this squab as you're, as you're, as you're kind of giving him a hand? Or you're... Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, no, I will be talking to him as we're doing it and saying, do tell me, I believe I've heard the contents of these barrels referred to as a liquid. Perchance, what liquid is it? He gives you a sly smirk.
00:05:01
Speaker
Well, these are the special barrels of liquid alpha. These are the special barrels of liquid designed only to be consumed upon entry to the Bronze Storm Sea. It's what we call our victory liquid. It makes your bones feel great. It makes your limbs loose. It makes your tongue slack. Do you get my meaning? I have none of those extremities. I'm afraid those sensations elude me. I have no bones or tongue to speak of.
00:05:30
Speaker
I don't really know what it would do to you then, if I'm being honest. Maybe we'll drink some and find out. Let's have a go. Let's have a go. And by this you've kind of lifted the last barrel up
Mystery of Alpha's Past
00:05:39
Speaker
and he looks around to the left and to the right, checking to see if anyone else is in his vicinity, maybe to offer it to, who knows. And then he doesn't pull it out from on the barrels. He pulls something from his hip flask.
00:05:51
Speaker
and undoes the lid, takes a quick swig, and you see him, his face, pull some strange faces, Alpha, before handing you over this hip flask, imitating to you to copy the motion. And I copy it exactly. So I grab, I tilt head back, and I take a swig out of this hip flask. And you consume some liquid. This liquid seems to burn. I mean, do you have a throat? Give us a bit of information. Do you eat? What kind of things do you do, Callum? Alpha.
00:06:21
Speaker
Alfa had the capabilities to eat and drink, however it doesn't really have much of an effect for the most part. He's not like he needs to eat and drink to survive.
00:06:35
Speaker
That being said, he does have a slightly functional inner capacity to feel. So as he takes liquid, he would feel it going down what people would call his throat to esophagus and kind of feels it go down past his chest and just kind of swirl around in his stomach a bit. He's going to kind of just hold the front of his stomach and give a puzzled, bemused look to this human he's been lifting all these barrels with and he's just going to
00:07:05
Speaker
almost like one of those interesting things to shake the head. When you take a really strong shot and you just go, there. It's like that, but without the sound effect. It's kind of head twitch as it takes a swig. Yeah, nice. It's a good stuff, isn't it? It's a very interesting sensation. I'm going to take another swig before he responds.
00:07:27
Speaker
Oh, don't say, oh, that's my personal stash! He kind of snatches it back off you, puts the lid on, gives it a swirl around, there's a little bit left, and then he matters to himself. That's what we call rum. R-up-ma-rum. Rum. These barrels are all filled with rum. We're gonna drink it when we get close to Goldview. We're only about half a day away now. Ah, good. I really can't wait to arrive in Goldview. I'm quite excited.
00:07:55
Speaker
I think it's going to be, it's going to be great. It's going to be great. Now
Friendship Dynamics Explained to Alpha
00:07:59
Speaker
I've got a bet with some of the lads on actually. And I thought I'd ask you why you're up here, Alfa. Um, what happened at shadow, man? I'm going to, do you not, or do you not want to compute that for me? I'm going to hesitate for a moment and, um, I'm just going to respond in a very kind of flat tone.
00:08:24
Speaker
I believe I'm not liberty to discuss. He's going to throw both his hands up, palms facing you. All right, all right. I told the guys, that's what you lot would say. Your business is your business. We are nothing but worthy messengers delivering you from chaos to the calmness of sleep guard. Right. If I may ask before we proceed, what was the wager? Well, I lost.
00:08:53
Speaker
I bet. And so I had to, I was the one to ask you, you drew straws. That was all I was going to ask you and I lost it. So there was no bet as to what actually happened in shadow men, just more so if I would respond in kind to somebody's request. We've got theories.
00:09:12
Speaker
ideas but like you said not our business we are but the crew here you are but the cargo no one asks anything if anyone came aboard obviously you were to hide in the place you hid when we went around traitors bay uh none the wiser we were a shipping you know shipping and fishing vessel and you guys were disappearing to the into the hull of the ship no questions asked um that was the deal that was the that was the wager that's what we got paid
00:09:37
Speaker
No questions asked. But we were just out of interest. We've been travelling for quite some time, my tin man friend, and I just wanted to pass a few things by you, see what you thought, if we were mates or not. Obviously not a problem. Business acumen, you get it, I get it. We're work friends, we're work friends, that's what we are, aren't we? Do you consider me a friend? Work friend, yeah, absolutely.
Emron Shares His Past
00:09:58
Speaker
What is work friend? How is that different from what? Friend friend. Well, you know, we have a we have a transactional, you know, situation going on it, you pay us to do a service. Therefore, we work for you. That means, you know, we're not friends, because our friends, you know, you and have you and pay each other.
00:10:17
Speaker
Do you get me? Your friends don't pay each other for just being in each other's company. You pay us. We work together. Therefore, we are work friends. We are friends, but we will. Do you get what I'm saying? I see. I believe so. So I do things for you without getting any recompense for said action. And that's a work friend. Let's say yes.
00:10:37
Speaker
And he's going to give you a smile and a nod and a wink. And he's going to turn around and kind of walk away with a little bit of like a half wave, half salute to you. And he goes off to two of the other crew and just points up and mentions and they go, ah, yeah. And they go by and kind of cleaning down the deck. One of them starts shooting up. A small kid starts kind of walking up towards the central column of the ship and starts climbing up to the crow's nest for his shift up there as well.
00:11:04
Speaker
Anything you want to do on the deck Elsa while you're up there and kind of alone up nearly after the ship? Just knowing that obviously in the next kind of half a day we're going to be arriving at
00:11:18
Speaker
gold view. Alfred's going to walk up on deck and he's going to basically walk around and stand in various positions on board the ship. So from the back to the front the side, he's basically just trying to take note of the smells, the sounds, the sensations he feels when he stands in different areas of the ship. So he's going to go to the very front, stand there for a few minutes, the back.
00:11:46
Speaker
the left and the right. He's going to get in some very odd positions. He's going to be like trying to climb up into the crow's nest for a little bit as well. And then slides down and says hello to the little child that's in there as well. He doesn't speak, but he gives you like a little wave back. Yeah. So that's what Alpha Pop would be doing. Awesome. Could you give me a perception check, please? Oh, yes, I can. My first roll.
00:12:10
Speaker
Last week, Ian and Danny rolled like super high all the time. So you've got to keep up that trend of rolling super high, Callum. So what'd you get? Four. I started, I mean, to go on. You stand around the ship and you smell salt. Now what you assume is salt. You feel the water is wet and you feel that the sun is warm. You know the wind moves your hair and seems to make this vessel propel forward. I have no hair, by the way. Oh.
00:12:40
Speaker
Will you feel the wind pass by your ears then, let's say? You have ears though, don't you? Yeah, I have ears. Good, good, good. Aside from that though, you don't really notice much. You bump into the crew every now and again, you're not really used to the way in their machinations, the way they move and walk around this swaying ship, which still gets you off guard, the motion sometimes gets you off guard still. And you wander around, pretty much ignoring everyone, not really noticing a lot of people, even when you go to the very front of the ship, you don't notice anyone, you look out quickly, scan around and turn back.
00:13:09
Speaker
You do notice two bits of land, one to your right and left, if you are facing the front of the ships, the port and starboard, and you see two very different lands across this ocean you're passing through onto the right, you refer to as your right, is blackened ground. There seems to be a cloud almost hanging over the area, but
00:13:33
Speaker
movement and some life in and amongst it to your right. As you look to the left, you can see these off in the distance thin yellow strip, which is the deserts of Dralak, which you have been told about from some of the cruise stories late at night and the riches that can be found there, the mountain ranges, the desolate deserts that surrounded and the wonders that are hidden deep in the spine of the world.
00:13:59
Speaker
Aside from that, you don't really notice much else. And as you continue your walk around, the camera's going to move away from your crap perception roll. And it's going to follow us down into the dark of the underdeck of the ship. And down below decks, we see this smoke-filled chasm under the water surfaces, kind of a large room used for lugging trade goods. It's empty, save for the provisions of the skeleton crew and the three stowaways and their belongings.
00:14:28
Speaker
There's a series of hammocks that swing gently in the rocking of the Beckford, which is the name of the ship, the Beckford. And there's enough for the crew and then youth, the three stowaways, as you're kind of known to by the crew.
00:14:46
Speaker
There's room for a small set of kind of tables, upturned barrels that have been sawn off and cut down to make stools and chairs and tables for crew to eat, drink, play games, et cetera. And it's pretty much empty. This is prime time to get things fixed, to get things going, especially on the entrance into Goldview. In one of the hammocks, though, closest to the steps of the deck is a humanoid who lays busy in this hammock doing
00:15:13
Speaker
Well, what do we see and what are they busily doing? It's a good question, actually, given the things I was going to have him do probably.
00:15:21
Speaker
don't involve him lying down. So you see a six foot four. He's a big guy, but it's not total muscle. There might be a bit of a point because he's 35. And if you look at his skin, there's various burns on his arms and a little bit on his face where he's clearly been singed from his
00:15:51
Speaker
his occupation as a blacksmith so he's this big guy sort of probably you know not very light on his feet when he walks around but he's probably just lying there perhaps he's just having a rag just cleaning his hands because by his hammock his really large hammer which seems to have a rather
00:16:12
Speaker
overly large one side of it compared to the it's not a balanced hammer as it were just looks like it's just been finished having a bit of oil or something on it just to keep it nice then buy that perhaps on a barrel chain mail shirt is also draped across so
00:16:30
Speaker
This man is lying there, Emron is his name, with his boots on, some thick common leggings and just a shirt on, probably very cheap material, not expensive at all, just quite well worn.
00:16:51
Speaker
awesome lovely and as you as you lay there and just kind of clean down your hands and just pondering about the closeness of the situation and you know how this long months and months at sea will be coming to an end very soon you hear the pit bat pit bat pit bat of someone coming down the stairs very light on their feet a small figure and you recognize the sound of these feet there's only one person this small on the ship
00:17:14
Speaker
And it is Tarot, which is the name of the deckhand who is the young boy who is usually up in the crow's nest. One of the very few boys that were willing to get on board of the Beckford and come across to Goldview.
00:17:31
Speaker
You've spent quite a few times with him and he loves coming down and seeing you and seeing just how big you are and like the stories you tell and just everything about you is just interesting and he has a real affinity to you and you've noticed that get closer and closer. But the one thing you have realised and learnt about him, you learnt it the hard way really for a while was that he doesn't talk particularly, he gesticulates and sometimes will make some noises with his mouth that he, since the,
00:17:59
Speaker
you learned that a while ago he had a bit of a falling out with some of the ever mouth pirates when he was he was a bit younger and they took his tongue and he hasn't
The Tale of Angel
00:18:07
Speaker
dared speak since then because of because of ridicule of the way he might sound but he comes down and just spends time in your presence and um you hear him down the stairs and he comes in with his big old loose white shirt that he tries to keep as clean as possible he's done all the buttons up and he always does all the buttons up when he comes to speak to you or see you and but when you see him on deck the buttons come down obviously because it's
00:18:27
Speaker
because it's hot, but he's done all his buttons up, he's tucked his shirt in, he just comes down and just stands kind of respectable five or six feet away from you, just kind of respecting your space, but just kind of standing there smiling at you. And Emron sort of turns and puts the rag down and sort of strokes his black beard from him and goes, young master Tarot, how can I help you?
00:18:51
Speaker
He just smiles and waves a few times at you and just kind of makes some kind of a mouth movement with his hand like talk, talk, talk and makes a movement with his hands to look like a book. You wanted me to regale you with some stories or you wanted to take me above?
00:19:10
Speaker
And he kind of gestures, either way. He doesn't mind. Either way, he's a big smile on his face. He's just loving your big voice that fills the room and just your presence. He's just there just to... He's being talked at by you. That's all he wants.
00:19:25
Speaker
Well, so where were we before? Let's see. So I was telling you about one of the games in the arena. So this big lad, Angel, they called him, mainly because he used to look really pretty, but then someone took a fish to his face and he looked really ugly. But the name kind of stuck as a bit of an ironic thing. So this angel's up against these three other lads and one of them's got a trident and one's got a net.
00:19:53
Speaker
And Angel, he had a bit of a reputation, you see. He used to finish all of his games really quickly. And the problem is, he was looking a bit unsteady. There were rumors after the match that apparently he'd been drugged. But he was there with his back against the wall. And all of a sudden, you hear this bang, bang.
00:20:14
Speaker
Bang. And it turns out that someone in the crowd is beating a drum because in the in the ordinary days when they used to count how quick he used to fight they would have bets on how many beats of the drum it would take for him to defeat his opponents.
00:20:29
Speaker
So anyway, this drum starts spinning and all of a sudden you see Angel stand a little bit taller and then the pike comes in and he suddenly grabs it and he suddenly pulls the person holding the trident to him and he wraps his big thick arms around him and just starts to squeeze. His eyes are big at this point, just like, oh my God, just like drinking and everything you're saying. Sorry, we'll continue.
00:20:57
Speaker
I have no fairness, I'm loving this right now. So he gives this man a squeeze and a swear. I was there in the pits and we'd all stopped our work repairing some of the armour and we were just listening and I tell you.
00:21:15
Speaker
I've never heard the sounds of bones breaking echo so loudly it was horrific and so this angel drops this man and he sort of falls to the floor like some kind of rag and then he looks at the other two and at this point you know if if if it weren't so what I think they'd be pissed themselves but they sweat it all out of them so they're there and and and they take a few steps back
00:21:45
Speaker
And all of a sudden, the crowd are now taking up the beat of this drum that's slowly going on. And I tell you what, the bookies are absolutely just swearing because they thought, it's all right, Angel's going to lose. It'll be fine. We'll make some money. But all of a sudden, that's it. Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah. They've stopped taking bets now because they're thinking they're going to lose too much money. So anyway, so these other two back off and.
00:22:10
Speaker
And I don't kid you now. You've seen a lot of that. So he picks up the limp, raggy body at his feet and he starts to spin round and round.
00:22:23
Speaker
and round and the boy at this point starts spinning round and round and round like just turning round on the spot to kind of mimic your story and then he earls the body at one of them and as the body hits him he sort of stumbles back and then he looks and angels right in his face and with a really quick he's all of a sudden angels got this helmet that's just been lying on the floor and he's hammering it into this man's face over and over again um
00:22:51
Speaker
The other one coming from behind. Angel turns around, puts the other body in his way. The other guy takes the blow from his mate. So this time, Angel's now taking out two of these fellas who were quite frankly looking like they were gonna win, but Angel recovered. It's amazing. You couldn't make this shit up, I swear.
00:23:12
Speaker
and it's it's it's print and then Angel suddenly lifts this dead body above his head like some kind of I don't know herculean sort of hero from old and he throws it and it bounces off the arena walls
00:23:29
Speaker
And then the other one just turns and just starts running for the gates. Now, of course, in the arena, once that gate closes and the fight starts, that ain't opening until one person leaps. So, unfortunately, Angel walks up and I tell you, a man walking across to a fine arena,
00:23:53
Speaker
You couldn't have just believed the crowd were drumming away, and this pulse, it was like it was infusing to your very bones. And just as Angel reached him, the man just turned around. And I tell you, these are some big lads. And I've seen them in pubs, in farts. And I've never seen a grown man who's done so much start to cry. And I tell you, it were
00:24:22
Speaker
It was almost heartbreaking until I realised what absolute tossers they were. So Angel defeats them and I've never heard such a roar in the crowd.
00:24:33
Speaker
And then Angel disappears after that fight. He's never seen again. Now, some say the bookies and the people who would fix the fight, you see, for them three to win, getting him in. But I reckon, I reckon Angel was like, nah, having none of this. Took his winnings because he bet on himself like any good fighter will. And I told it out of there. Who knows where he could be.
00:24:58
Speaker
The boy is just, Taro's just staring like, amazed and he starts like clapping, like just clapping and a big smile on his face. Will, I'm clapping, I'm clapping. I am here in awe of this entire description right now. I am loving this story.
00:25:17
Speaker
Bear in mind, and listen, I didn't really, I told the order you guys would be coming in, but I didn't really tell you what would happen. Like, springing a mute boy on you so he couldn't have a conversation was literally, I told you in the moment there, Will, and that was spot on. I'll give you some inspiration. What a fucking... I want you to make Angel an NPC now. I want to see this Angel. I've written down M on stories, and I've written Angel the cage fighter. He's already written down, he's already on the door now.
00:25:41
Speaker
He's been involved at some point. So that was, that was cracking. So the boy is just listening. He's just amazed at this. And as you kind of come to an end, he's, he's, you know, gives you your time. But then he starts watching what we're doing and he's going to reach for your hammer.
The Elf's Reflections
00:25:55
Speaker
Not to grab it and use it or anything, but just kind of to touch it. I bet he's unsure as to what you would do. He's never done this before. He's always been really respectful of your belongings and kind of would leave you at this point. But he's going to slowly reach for the handle of it whilst kind of looking at you in the eye. So everyone just reach out his hand and pace up in the end and just sort of tilt the handle towards Tarot.
00:26:16
Speaker
and everyone says you can touch lad but as much as i admire your bravery and your heart you ain't gonna be able to lift it but if you want to put hands on it that'd be right by me his eyebrows lift up big smile on his face he puts two hands on it and despite what you said tries to lift it and it literally doesn't even move he strains again
00:26:40
Speaker
And he's gone from quite an aggressive motion, trying to lift it from the handle. And then he very gently, with the pads of his fingers, not using anything more than that, slowly tilts the hammer back towards you in a sign of respect for the weight of it. And he's going to stand there awkwardly for a second, just smiling at you. I take it you need me to come follow you somewhere, yeah? He's going to shake his head.
00:27:07
Speaker
Oh, then his eyebrow shoots up and his finger goes up and goes, and you're going to have gestures like walking up the stairs and then ghost and then there's like a point with his hands and you see him do this. He has four gestures for the different parts of the shift and the point is the front of the ship. It's the bow of the ship. He wants you to go to the bow of the ship. I'll head up to the bow then.
00:27:32
Speaker
Cheers, lad. Sorry, go on. M1 sort of heaves himself out of the hammock, stoops a little bit because he's a big guy and these boats are probably not built for tall people and sort of minds himself on the beams.
00:27:47
Speaker
And while that's going on, you're going to start making your way up. It's going to pan out one more time. We've just seen Alpha kind of wandering around the deck of the ship. And actually, Alpha, you're on such a crap perception check. You actually missed one of our other players who actually is on the bow of the ship, the very front of the ship. You literally just walk straight past them as they sit there. This character is sat facing the front, facing out.
00:28:12
Speaker
to their goal, to Goldview towards where Goldview is, to the bronze storm sea and all the hope that this new place can bring. Legs are dangling over the edge into the water and they are just looking out placidly. And as the camera cut up hands, I believe around so we can get like kind of a full 180 view from the back round to the front to see this figure. Last but by no means least, Darren, who do we see?
00:28:39
Speaker
What you see is an elf, an elf of about 40 years of age. He has two golden brown eyes with the two colours interweaving in each pupil. Thick dark hair which is held out of his face by a long braided ponytail. The braids appear to have a series of inscriptions in primordial.
00:28:56
Speaker
which is the language of the Ganasi folk for those of you who aren't fully aware of what that language is. They are marked with the colors of the elements of fire, earth, air and water. He has a thick beard that covers down to the neck and an equally thick mustache that seems to just curl around ever so slightly, kind of Captain Hook style.
00:29:16
Speaker
He has pointed elf ears that protrude into and out of his thick matted hair. He wears quite fashionable clothing of brown and gold weaving boots that lead into a similar design going up the torso. The clothing is weaved with studded leather. A golden andros think sits on the left of the chest plate and a golden gyno think stretches out from the right. Both with wings unfurled reaching out to touch the other.
00:29:39
Speaker
They go over a studded leather brown doublet. On his head to the set of sun goggles, for those of you unfamiliar with the shadow men climate and fashion, a pair of sun goggles are part goggles, part sunglasses, very useful in the kingdom that is blessed by a sun god.
Captain Helios' Secret
00:29:57
Speaker
A herbal smoking pouch is attached to the black belt with gold fixtures. Over the top of his clothes is a burgundy duster coat that has a black hood weaved onto it. He is approximately 40 years of age, which is quite young by open standards. His complexion is quite useful. His right arm, though not only partially visible, seems to have a set of tattoos marked on them in both of the sun and the moon, surrounded by arcanic symbols.
00:30:24
Speaker
As he currently looks out to the sea, he is just taking in the horizon and seeing these gold specks, and then all of a sudden turns his attention back to what he was doing. He pulls down these goggles, turns to what looks like some kind of still kind of like ornament in his hand, which is meant to be a meerkat that probably doesn't really look like a meerkat. I can show you what it looks like. Picks a potato peeler out of his bag and starts just casting mending on it as he starts to bend little bits of steel.
00:30:50
Speaker
Amazing. Thank you so much for a great description of your character. And as you're doing that and you're taking your time with it, you're enjoying the view, you're enjoying the weather, as you always have through these journeys, you feel a little tap, like a single finger tap on your shoulder. And you know what this is. You know who this is. It's the captain. Tap, tap, tap.
00:31:20
Speaker
Good afternoon, I assume by looking up at the sun, looking where Molly's soul is possessed as we are now. Approaching afternoon, Captain. Yep, it's almost afternoon. Jesus Christ, that voice goes through me every time. Captain, I have a favour to ask of you. I'm going to hold the little figure out towards him and go, does that look like a mere cat to you? She is going to look back at you, though she often does get confused with looking like a man sometimes, and just go,
00:31:49
Speaker
No idea what a meerkat is? No one. We have them in Shadow Man. They tend to congregate around the cities. Sister Hold, Great Haddle. They... Well, I hope they look like that. But I don't actually, obviously, know because you don't know what one looks like. Do you know where Emeron is? I could do with his opinion. Can't be found on the deck. But listen. Something I should tell you, really, before we get into deck. The dock.
00:32:20
Speaker
You know how all these months you've referred to me as hag bastard? When we reached land, I give you, the crew decided it a while ago. It's given my hag appearance and that sometimes I can be a rather bastardy person. You understand the name, it's quite important. I hear that. And she scratches the huge scar that gashes across from her top left corner of her temple down under the ice. I wouldn't pick that.
00:32:48
Speaker
It's an old wound, don't worry, I've been alive longer than you've been, grown that beard. Listen, I'm just going to tell you this, your highness, because when we get in and you refer to me as a hag bastard, people might not know who you're talking about. I'm going to tell you my actual name, but I have to ask you, if you tell the crew, I'll stab you in the throat. Yeah?
00:33:17
Speaker
Don't tell the crew, or get stabbed in the throat. I got it. That's right. The name is Helios. H-E-L-I-O-S, if you're right to get that. Helios. Helios, I might... Don't say it out loud, you twat. Oh, yep, yep, yep. Just keep your voice down. Sorry. Hack bastard. I like it. It's got a good ring to it. Strikes fear into my enemy's hearts. And she coughs up a loogie and spits it off overboard. Yeah, fear and...
00:33:46
Speaker
Do you know what it's like? I can honestly say, hag bastard, I have absolutely no idea what it's like.
Political Changes in Goldview
00:33:57
Speaker
I've just had it back, someone calling a hag bastard, and it's really made me laugh, sorry. I have no idea why I call this one, hag bastard. Leave it to me. No one knows, really. Now, you see we are approaching
00:34:15
Speaker
Sleek card.
00:34:17
Speaker
That's why the sea's tone hazy shade of bronze. Is that correct? That is correct. The sun gleams off from Dralak and from the high buildings in Silicard and in Goldview, causing the sea to take on a hue, a sepia colour. It's quite a fantastic sight when you get closer. The sun hits just from behind as it starts to sink into the sea. This city will sing like the golden pinnacle of Eryth that it is.
00:34:47
Speaker
It's rather fantastic. Are you ready for that? As I'll ever be. Tell me, my good friend. We've never really discussed it. May I call you my friend? Thank you. I wonder. I have wondered for quite some time now. What do you intend to do in Goldview now that we have happened to ferry you from Shadow Men to your homeland to the other side of the world?
00:35:12
Speaker
Uh, will you be requiring our services once we reach the port or would you like us to fuck off and me and hag bastards crew go pillage some, uh, I mean, help some folk. Uh, hag bastard, are we being frank and honest with each other as we have this conversation? Yes, for sure. I'm being nothing but honest, apart from the thing where I said I wasn't going to pillage people. Insight check. Oh, do it. Yeah.
00:35:43
Speaker
First roll baby. First roll of reigns. Here we go. 16 plus whatever. 16 plus two. That's an 18. And she's being forthright with you as she has been for the majority of this journey. Okay. My plan when I found this city is to head up to that fancy castle where the royal family is where God lives and to go up to King Leopold and
00:36:13
Speaker
Try and find some form of refuge or safety or some earthly idea what I'm going to do with my up to this point, quite worthless and quite meaningless life.
00:36:24
Speaker
She nods at that and kind of, you can see in her eyes an appreciation of the truth and she can tell that you are being truthful as far as she is aware, you are being truthful as well. Emon, you've approached this conversation warily because you know what she's like and Alpha, you would also be an earshot of this kind of conversation taking place as well. The ship's relatively small, we're all kind of up on deck now at this point anyway.
00:36:48
Speaker
She would nod to this, she would nod to this and go, you haven't asked much after the Royal Family of Sleetguard really, and there's some things you should probably know. The Royal Family don't really run it anymore. There's Helena, who's Queen in theory, but it's the Obcisca that run the show there now. You have
00:37:08
Speaker
No need to speak to the royal family, Leopold and most of the other members of that family line of sleep guard have gone. It's just Helena, just her. And she is a recluse hiding away. We'll not see her speak to anyone as far as my sources will tell. It's a, it's something nefarious happening there. They have Chris square run the show and it, something doesn't feel right. Well,
00:37:35
Speaker
That's new information. Can I give you my useful piece of information that I think you should do because I know you all so well? I think you're going to in regards to what I say, so... I think you should go to Claypeacall. It's a lovely little place, tavern. You are a bunch of weaklings, all three of you. One, two, three. Look, it turns you on and points to you. You, alloy man, you know, confuse me more than life itself. You, my good sir, and points to Emon.
00:38:01
Speaker
Now, you're my type of boy-man, but unfortunately, not very good on a ship. And you, my boy, need to hide yourself away. I think that you need to find some folk who will help you hide or protect you or are powerful that can defend you. I do not think you will find that in the... I think you might find that in some of the folk in the dregs of society. I think you should go shovel shit, so to speak, and see what dregs you can find that can help you.
00:38:30
Speaker
I'm afraid I have no shovel. He just stares blankly at you for a minute. Captain, if you don't mind me saying, you have just delivered some news to the three of us that is somewhat maybe going to order what we plan to do when we get to Goldview. And if you would be so kind, we need to have a candid and frank discussion amongst the three of us that you are not privy to. I hope you understand.
00:38:57
Speaker
Absolutely. Frankness is always my way.
Planning Next Steps in Goldview
00:39:00
Speaker
Head bastard out. And she's going to turn around. I'll make myself laugh. She's going to walk around, turn around and wander off. And she's going to like hit one of our crew on the back of that. And she's going to stop. Thank you, madam bastard.
00:39:13
Speaker
She doesn't hear you, she's pretty much deaf anyway. And she wanders off down into the deck, starts kind of working with the skeleton crew that she has to get the ship into dock. Leaving the three of you at the bow of the ship, open skies, open seas to the front, to the east, which is the way you're, west, sorry, to the west, which is the way you're going. Nothing but the ocean breeze and the sun beating down, no other crew around. You three are alone. I'm really hoping that one of you two has a bright idea of
00:39:43
Speaker
what to do in lieu of that information. I mean, it sounds a bit like our plan just gone shit crate without any paddles. So I failed to see the reference of shit in this time. Why is shit of such dominant importance at this moment?
00:40:03
Speaker
It means we're in a bad place. You don't want to be paddling in shit, basically, because it tends to get on your hands. I tell you what, Alpha, I got an idea. Let's hit that memory bank of yours, whatever you call it. Why do you call that thing again? My memory unit.
00:40:23
Speaker
Oh, a member unit. Okay, well, take out your unit and let's... I beg your pardon? Well, you know what, you heard me. And let's give us something. What do you got? What do you got still away in that thing? I have no idea at the moment. Let's bring up some... Emeron. He's got that glazed look again. I don't know why I ask him these things every time. He just seems... It's fine. I'm just gonna wave my hands in front of his face. It's like he switched off. I have no idea what's happening right now.
00:40:53
Speaker
I assume that he's working on accessing his memories would be what I would describe. How quiet it works, I'm not quite sure. I'm pretty sure it might have been a fluke, but we'll see what happens. He's read so many damn books in that last year. I mean, you mean to tell me stay the way in that memory unit of his, he hasn't got anything useful. Alpha, are you still in there? Crack, you're alive. What do you think, Alpha?
00:41:24
Speaker
It takes a bit of time just as he gets this glazed over look in his eyes and he basically eventually comes back and according to my records there are several underground cliques that can be found within Goldview possibly some that do indeed
00:41:44
Speaker
go against the current standing of the so-called upkriska according to many sailors or pirates um he says in quotation marks that are on board the ship it is possible that some of those may help us i mean captain seemed to suggest us uh
00:42:06
Speaker
going to clay people and finding ourselves gainful employment. Now, it doesn't sound like too bad a plan because I doubt our very dwindling supplies of money will last that long if we want to stay in the city.
00:42:24
Speaker
If I'm wrong as well, father, but you do not want my presence to be known that well. I don't think employment would be the best course of action for this. I mean, it seems illogical. We've been through this. When you say father, are you talking to me or are you talking to him? He is father. You are dad. And can you stop doing that near shot of other people? It is fucking weird if you don't mind what I'm saying. I like the intimacy that the word provides.
00:42:53
Speaker
Quite frankly, Alpha. Yes, Father. We're going to have to get some type of work, even if it is you are annoyed. If we want to find ourselves some private place to stay where you can't be seen, then we're going to have to find a game for employment. Now, thankfully, as a person with manual skills, as it were, hopefully try and find something. I mean, it's possible that the
00:43:23
Speaker
clan the guild as a place in Goldview that I could try and find some employment. The only problem is any potential connections back home, but it could be that this is a
00:43:40
Speaker
a guild that was set up before, you know, things kind of went shut the gates and don't listen to the outside world. So it could be that I can get a job there and they've not heard about anything that's happened back at home. And that's Dandy, but one of me and Alf are supposed to do while you do that. I mean, well, you can get jobs as well. I don't. I'm not going to lie.
00:44:09
Speaker
It's, I mean, plans up Shitcrate, as I say. So, we need money according to my records and what has been spoken about this vessel. Most adventurers do indeed perform deeds and services for such monetary rewards. I mean, calm down there, Alpha. We're just a prince, yeah.
00:44:36
Speaker
you and a civil blacksmith so let's calm down. It seems the most easy and profitable way to gain monetary values. How much coin do we have left?
Alpha's Societal Impact Discussion
00:44:52
Speaker
What you got, Alpha? Alpha's just going to reach into these real loose pockets.
00:45:00
Speaker
You've got to reach into some loose pockets and just turn them inside out. I do not believe I have ever carried any kind of monetary presence. Wonderful. What about you, Imran? I've got about 15 gold on me, but that's not going to last long, is it? I've got about 25, give or take.
00:45:24
Speaker
Sure. I mean, I'm not gonna lie, Alpha, these sailors and the other folk you've been talking to, when they say adventuring, I don't quite think it's like in your books you've been reading. It's not always what they say. Are we not adventurers at this moment? We have left our home, gone out on a vessel to the open seas. This is how many of my stories start.
00:45:55
Speaker
Yeah, but yeah, I don't mean to put you down and don't get me wrong, you read all you want. Some of us can't read, but it's, you know, you've got to think that these stories, you know, when they're
00:46:17
Speaker
When they're written, they're written so it always sounds a bit happy because otherwise you don't want to be reading something that's a bit, you know, grim unless that's the kind of thing. And is this not a happy venture? I don't know. We've left our lives and everything that we built back at home.
00:46:35
Speaker
and on a boat that we've been here for a while. Everything smells of salt and just the sea. Everything keeps moving. I'll quite like to be able to stand on land and not have to feel everything moving underneath me, personally.
00:46:54
Speaker
I think it's marvelous out here. The smells and sounds are quite overwhelming for my senses. Either way, I think Emran has the right of it. We're going to have to just get into that city and hope we can hide and play in sight and the city is going to be the best place for that. We're going to have to find some work and we're just going to have to keep playing this game for as long as we need to play it. Now, Emran, there is another.
00:47:20
Speaker
There is another point here, that me and Alpha, we're stuck on this ride until its destination, but you don't have to be. You are a human, and you could easily get yourself some Smith work and be out of harm's ways. You come with us, I hope you'll stay, because you're about the last friend we've got.
00:47:49
Speaker
I'd be a pretty shite friend if I left you alone here while you were in the lurch. So let's just put aside any thoughts of me leaving you and just try and think about how we can do this together. I don't mind working and trying to keep us all
00:48:05
Speaker
for a bit until we can find, you know, we could chop your beard off and cut your hair, lad. And maybe you can, you know, look a bit different and you'll blend it with any other elves that are into the city, you know. Goldview might be, you know, more metropolitan than we used to and it might be a bit more mixed and you might be all right, but I know. Well, I appreciate that.
00:48:28
Speaker
I too can blend in, but it will only be for a limited time. I'm more than happy to offer any services that I can. You're going to have to be really careful. We can't have you walking around.
00:48:39
Speaker
like this. Do you remember the little boy on the boat nearly shit a fit when you walked on? He's got to climatize to you now, but you're going to cause quite a stir in that city if we don't come up with a wave. I have noticed that first impressions of my presence seem to be met with mostly negative reactions. I mean, we can get around it. We can throw a cloak over here and you'll be fine for now. I already have a cloak. But that's what I mean.
00:49:05
Speaker
I mean, you put that over you, put the hood up and you're just some big guy who doesn't want to show himself and we might be able to get around it. Well, I think we get to gold view. We find ourselves some accommodation. We got enough gold to put it up for a few days or a few weeks if need be. If we're willing to stay somewhere that's not particularly pleasant and
00:49:33
Speaker
We then look to figure out how we can survive.
Brigands Approaching
00:49:38
Speaker
And that's the plan. And with that comes a squawk.
00:49:45
Speaker
You hear a squawk, and there's a squawk you haven't really heard before. There are no birds on the ship. There's no parrots. There's not that kind of a stereotype. The squawk comes from a buoy, Tarot, high up above your heads in the crow's nest. Your eyes dart up and see Tarot gesticulating madly to the aft of the ship and out to sea. It drives the squawk again, not speak, but just squawk and continues to point, point, point.
00:50:11
Speaker
If you look out to the port side and after the ship, you see two small rowing boats catching up with the Beckford. The sails of the Beckford are now relatively slack. There's not much wind in the air and these small rowing boats beat the water furiously, maybe six or seven figures upon them in total.
00:50:33
Speaker
You squint and see a number of lightly armored short sword wielding brigands readying ropes and knocking arrows. Between them and gaining fast is a vessel that you have dodged since your time around Traitor's Bay about a month or two ago. Always off in the distance but never out of sight.
00:50:49
Speaker
Pirates, brigands, assassins, body snatchers, no matter their quarry, it does not bode well for you and the crew of the Beckford. Suddenly, Alpha, the young squad that you were chatting to earlier, runs up to you. The bastards snuck up on us. Taro wasn't up in his crow's nest again. The lag. We're going to need your mates too, Alpha. All three of you. And he looks to you, Emon, and says, you're going to need your hammer.
Cliffhanger with Brigands
00:51:37
Speaker
I was on tender hooks for that. I was on the edge of my seat. I love the way he talks. I love it. It's slow, but it's fast. He talks. He says lots of things, but you don't actually know much more. It's such a great way of him talking, telling stories. I'm so looking forward to all that. Will's made up stories that we put you on spot for. I am now going to make a point that every time that we make camp, I want to hear a story from Emron before I go to bed.
00:51:38
Speaker
And on that, that's where we're going to leave it for this week's episode.
00:52:06
Speaker
We need a bard to write all these down, that's what we need. Yeah, we need a bard.
00:52:11
Speaker
Really bad. Really great introduction to the characters. Thank you so much guys for that. And yeah, we're going to see a bit of first level combat next round. I should have mentioned that really listener. We are all back to first level. This is first level stuff. Oh shit, I need to change my character sheet. Yeah, not level 20. Let me take off my legendary armor. Knowing you Callum, you probably somehow managed to squeak in some legendary armor at level one, probably.
00:52:38
Speaker
Well, I didn't seem to find it just casually. I kind of tripped over it. I was wandering around. You were fishing. You were fishing and just pulled out some some legendary equipment. Yeah. Yeah. No mention it. Yeah. Oh, look, the the the deck of many things. Where did that come from? Yeah, I would probably leave that well enough alone.
00:52:57
Speaker
No, I like the idea of a deck of many things. If you get given it, you've got to use it. If Alpha found that, he's literally probably just dealing the cards. He can't turn on the motorway. That's fucking dangerous. You can't deal these cards. And then I just disintegrate into nothing.
00:53:17
Speaker
Yeah, pretty much. Well, nonetheless, that was a great introduction to your three characters, guys. Thank you so much. We're going to have to have a second prologue to see what happens next. Yeah, we are. What happens to these little brigands and how we deal with some first-level combat. It's going to be interesting for you guys to portray new characters. Interesting to me, jumping back from I was having to throw CR 20 stuff at you in the last campaign to now see what we can do with them with some characters and have some fun with that. Well, even lower than that, I think, mate.
00:53:41
Speaker
I mean, you say that, but there are creatures at level one that can just kill level one characters outright here. A swarm of rats is deadly to level one characters. Hell yeah, so we're gonna have some fun with that next week as well. I don't want people to know what my health is.
00:53:53
Speaker
Oh, I've seen it. It's terrifying. But I better do the thing for Ian really, shouldn't I? Thank you very much for joining us and make us play every week. We love you for it. If you want to follow the, keep up to date with the podcast. You can do so by following us on Twitter. We are at fellowship table. If you want to go on set further and follow us individually, you can do so. You can follow Callum at
00:54:15
Speaker
at the D20 Gamer. You can follow Will at... Natural20Will. You can follow Darren at... Darren Page, 06. And you can follow me at h2dworlddm. And that's all for now, guys. So until next time, farewell. Farewell. Farewell. Farewell. Farewell. Goodbye. Farewell.