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Ep. 66 Oldspore’s Spokes and Spirits - De Profundis
99 Plays4 years ago
In a very meta twist, this week the party find themselves becoming the fellowship of the tavern.
Follow us on our Twitters - @FellowshipTable
Intro written and produced by Joseph McDade - https://josephmcdade.com/
The Fellowship Party Twitter Pages:
- The DM/Mark - @HastilyRolledDM
- Drago/Ian - @IRolledA1
- Folly/Callum - @TheD20Gamer
- Princess Helena/Casey - @unicorncrit
- Carstan/Will - @Natural20Will
- Robin/Darren - @DarrenPage06
- Claude/Danny - @totalpartythrlz
Recommended
Transcript
The Need for Disguise
00:00:00
Speaker
No, you should go, but you need to disguise yourself. If the epichrist sees you, then they will eliminate you.
Introduction to The Fellowship of the Tabletop Podcast
00:00:33
Speaker
Hello and welcome to this week's episode of The Fellowship of the Tabletop. We are a live play, 5e D&D podcast set in the magical home-brewed world of Aerith. My name is Mark and I'm the Dungeon Master. And also with us for today's episode, we have Will, who plays the human bard, Karstan. Hello, hello, hello. We've got Darren, who plays the human fighter, Rogue Robin. Holy bitty ocean, Batman. We've got Casey, who plays the human champion, Hell in a Sleepguard. All right, mate. We've got Danny, who plays the human cleric, Claude.
00:00:59
Speaker
Pub on wheels, pub on wheels, pub on wheels. Ian who plays the dragonborn barbarian, Drago. Alright mate. And Callum who plays the gnome sorcerer, folly, fizzlebang, the ninth. I'll have a point. What
Claude's Transformation and Warning Note
00:01:10
Speaker
is happening? On last week's episode of the Fellowship of the Tabletop we came down off the side of the Scale Road Mountain after completing our work at the Galanin Hollows. However, Claude was turned into an eagle. Drago was convinced that this eagle form would stay forever.
00:01:23
Speaker
drama ensued. Half an hour of this drama ensued with the party confused about what the hell was actually happening. An injured Tali was finally healed after Claude was turned back out of his polymorph state into human and the party made their way to the great northern road south in order to get to gold view. Upon the way, before they left however, Folly and Karsten found a note that would
00:01:44
Speaker
It was fired on a black arrow into the side of the tower, which they landed on, which was a letter from Kastan for, from Canard, the man, the Blackmouth Ranger they helped further up the mountain previously. He had very, very quick, he kind of fast traveled, I think Dan, that's what we decided.
00:02:01
Speaker
And the note basically told them that Goldview had changed, that they were under watch, that Chris Crowe were looking for them, Delmon Trace was looking for them, that the name doesn't really ring a bell to many of you, and that maybe Disguise might be their friend. He also mentioned that he knew they traveled with royalty, but had the ear of the king.
00:02:20
Speaker
and then said, make your way to the half hoof inn, which is the pub which you know that he is now kind of going to run in place of James Hargreeve, his good friend that had died up outside the gallon in hollows. The party started making their way along the northern road and it got to the afternoon before this monolithic cart pulled up. It's not a cart, it was a pub on wheels, practically this huge contraption called old, what did I call it? Something fun and cool, I reckon. What was it?
00:02:48
Speaker
Old Spore's Spokes and Spirits led by Frena Oldspore, an extraordinary who managed to build this thing.
Debating Travel Risks on a Tavern on Wheels
00:02:58
Speaker
Oh, you don't know that yet. Anyway, and she invited them on. There was some umming and ah-ring as the group weren't too sure because of the fact that it's not very subtle. And if they're being watched and followed, that may be a huge giant
00:03:10
Speaker
Tavern on wheels maybe isn't the best route in. They decided that they get dropped off a mile or two outside of the city as to make their entrance into the city via the stables more subtle. And this is where we find ourselves in the pub. On wheels, everything's shaking and shuddering slightly, but it feels quite therapeutic, quite relaxed really. There's a nice warm fire
Inside the Mobile Tavern
00:03:29
Speaker
and in the corner there's a little stage area where you can see cast and getting out different types of instruments, thinking which one to play, looking quite excited.
00:03:37
Speaker
The bar is armed by a friend at Oldspore who stood behind there and she has a small kitten, a black cat, that sits behind the bar sipping on some water and eating some fish. The other patrons are only other members of the party, save for one. In the corner you noticed a small halfling with looking quite regal, straight blonde hair, piercings in his sharpish ears, is a blue coat turned up
00:04:05
Speaker
sleeves to reveal white material and a rather ornate but fancy looking dagger plucked into his belt as he sips on some port in the corner looking through slithered eyes towards you all. They're the only two people on board aside from the other seven of you. We're going to start over with Drago as he entered first onto the cart and I assume, Drago please correct me from wrong Ian, I assume you'd go straight for the bar.
00:04:32
Speaker
That's absolutely correct. I would just walk in, take a quick look at the surroundings. Nothing for perception-wise, just as you do when you walk into a place. Note the little man at the bar. Sit on the other side of the room to him and order a drink. If you say it's manned by that lady, so... Frenner, yeah. Wait, Frenner. Yeah, he'd just sit and wait. If...
00:05:02
Speaker
It was like trying to picture if the bar was in front of him and there were seats at the bar and he could
00:05:11
Speaker
lean over, grab a glass, pull a pint, he will do so. He'll take it upon himself to do that. Yeah, you could absolutely do that if you wanted to. Yeah. So he'll do that. He'll help himself to drink and just sit there and just take in. This has been a long time in common. There's been a few battles, a few come to Jesus moments, a few healthiers alive. No, he might be dead.
00:05:33
Speaker
Oh, he almost, Drago almost died, and then there was a whole fucking minecart thing, and then the eagle thing. It's been a long time coming for this drink, so he's just gonna sit there, just get his pint, and breathe out. And as you're slowly nursing this pint of a rather poorly pulled ale, you hear a voice from behind you as it moves around the corner. Oh, helping ourself now, are we? Don't worry, I'll set you up a tab. Yep. Good. Short and to the point.
00:06:02
Speaker
Much like our other friend here. And she nods her head to the halfling in the corner. I'm going to make some drinks for the others. Do you want me to just sort you out with a second? Yep. OK. And she pours you out another one and just slides it next to you, makes a note of it, and starts pouring through some other drinks. You see her collect up.
00:06:19
Speaker
a two drinks to begin with. She reaches down and glugs out a cup of milk and then also pours in a very ornate port as well from a smaller glass. You see the halfling look over confused and concerned at this in a very ornate little glass. She picks up the two and walks over to
00:06:40
Speaker
Carstan, who's sat over by the little stage going through his instruments, hands over the small glass of port before moving over to find Claude and give him the glass of wine. I'm sorry, give him the the pipe of milk. Claude, whereabouts would Claude be, do you think? He was seconds behind Drago on entry. So would have... How, how, how does this lady know that Claude only drinks milk? I had taken some a plot device and just assumed you'd ordered with her.
00:07:09
Speaker
Okay, fine. If Mark is overruling fine, I will accept my nothing. Nothing cool. Nothing. Nothing cool. Nothing cool. Nothing cool. Nothing cool. Nothing cool. Nothing cool. Nothing cool. Nothing cool. Nothing cool. Nothing cool. Nothing cool. Nothing cool. Nothing cool. Nothing cool. Nothing cool. Nothing cool. Nothing cool. Nothing cool. Nothing cool. Nothing cool. Nothing cool. Nothing cool. Nothing cool. Nothing cool. Nothing cool. Nothing cool. Nothing cool. Nothing cool. Nothing cool. Nothing cool. Nothing cool. Nothing cool. Nothing cool. Nothing cool. Nothing cool. Nothing cool. Nothing cool. Nothing cool. Nothing cool. Nothing cool. Nothing cool. Nothing cool. Nothing cool. Nothing cool. Nothing cool. Nothing cool. Nothing cool. Nothing cool. Nothing cool. Nothing cool. Nothing cool. Nothing cool. Nothing cool. Nothing cool. Nothing cool. Nothing cool. Nothing cool. Nothing cool. Nothing cool. Nothing cool. Nothing cool. Nothing cool. Nothing cool. Nothing cool. Nothing cool. Nothing cool. Nothing cool. Nothing
00:07:34
Speaker
So, are we going to talk about the fact that you might have... Drink, just drink, just drink. Let me have one at the very least. I've tabled that conversation for a different time, but you're okay. Only question.
00:07:48
Speaker
I've been for a while now Claude. That's all that's important right now. Cheers. I will cheers him and I'll watch Karthstan fumble in to the instrument zone. You're gonna watch Karthstan as you see him playing his instruments you're gonna notice that occasionally he seems to cough for several times and they stop what he's doing and then he goes back to his instruments and this happens several times.
00:08:13
Speaker
Okay, interesting. The lady, a friend at Oldsport, will also make a round. She stops for a second to take off her headband and pull back her red hair and tie it back up tighter before moving over to where Helena is. Helena, where abouts might you be and what might you be doing? So should I take your order? Yeah, Helena will be sat on her own waiting for anybody else to come and join her when she went in
00:08:39
Speaker
Draga was sat by himself. She knew that she shouldn't really intrude and Karstan was with his instruments. So yeah, she found a little table on her own and she'll just be sitting there waiting to give her order. And Franette will walk over, drink? Whatever he's having at the bar. And she points to the halfling.
00:09:01
Speaker
Very popular port at the moment. All right, not a problem. I'll be there in a second. I'll just work around your other friends and see what they want. Ranger, by the looks of things, I'm gonna say, and she's kind of looking over to where Robin is. Kind of put two and two together with a bow. Yes, yes, you've got that right.
00:09:19
Speaker
And she walks over to you, Robin, and it's going to take an order, but what might Robin be up to at the moment? Robin has probably just drifted in with Tarly. He will look around and see that Claude and Drago are at the bar.
00:09:34
Speaker
He will see Castan doing whatever it is he's doing, and he will see Helena sat on her own, and will go and sit with Helena, and will assume that Tally is following him and doing the same. She is, but she's distracted a little bit by Castan. She's quite actually looking forward, you can kind of hear her saying to herself,
00:09:52
Speaker
Actually quite interested to hear him play it properly as you move your way over but she does she does follow you over and you see friend I stood in front of you looking expectantly I'm getting a port for the lady. What can I get you to oh? Well, what do you recommend ales cheap? I don't want to do cheap. What do you whiskey? Yeah, okay whiskey for you and for the girl just Yeah whiskey, okay
00:10:20
Speaker
Never had it before. Well, it's good. You might enjoy it. And she quickly turns away and looks back. Whatever your smoking, I'll have one of those as well. She looks to the cigarette still in her hand. I'll get you sorted. No problem.
00:10:36
Speaker
and she walks off and then turns back again and quickly goes port whiskey whiskey and then walks off towards um folly uh folly whereabouts might you be as she looks around the uh the small warm and nice smelling mobile pub um folly would probably walk in um i think
00:10:57
Speaker
for this
Threats from Obciscra and Goldview Entry Plan
00:10:59
Speaker
instance at the start he would be avoiding Drago and Claude sat at the bar and would join very rapidly Helena, Robin and Carly at the table. He would kind of just hobble up as best as he can and he would look at me and say, I know where these days normally go but
00:11:19
Speaker
before too much alcohol is consumed, and most of us can't forget what we're actually doing, I believe there's something that you should all know. I believe it's also best to keep Claude and Drago out of this just for the time being, as they're not one for subtlety. Read the notes and I'll explain, and he's going to bring the notes out that he took from the arrow, firstly passing it to Helena,
00:11:45
Speaker
to let her read it and then obviously round the rest of the table. I believe I have to be very, very careful. You read over the notes and I'll just reiterate what it says to you. You've made it this far. There is hope yet. Come to me at the half hoot hoof inn. Not half hoot. Half hoof inn. Goldview is changing. You are not safe here. The Obciscra are looking for you. For Claude. They asked for him by name. There is word that Delmon trace himself as heading up this search.
00:12:11
Speaker
Come in through the Union Pass, find the stables, tell them Kennard owes you a pint, they'll know what to do. The abcristrian know you travel with royalty, but they have the ear of the king. Disguised might be your friend, for her and for the others that don't blend into a sleepguard crowd well. You did right by Jamis, now I must do right by you. Make haste, Kennard." And I assume, Helena, you drew that out to the others?
00:12:35
Speaker
Yeah, I'll nod to Folly first just to check that it's okay to read out. Folly would nod back, but it'd be like a volume quiet kind of thing. Yeah, that's fine. I won't shout it out, but I will read it clear.
00:12:52
Speaker
And then I'll say, so who's looking for Claude? Why are they looking for Claude? The Obciska. Basically, I believe they've got a wind of his, shall we say, religious activities. And I believe that is why they hunt him. And they don't approve? No, no, not at least. I don't know the Obciska.
00:13:19
Speaker
having studied in the Sanguin lands, or been trained. Trained in Heralampia, a different place. So she turned right to the south. Okay, sorry, but I thought she was training the obsidianus, because I've encountered her in obsidian, haven't I? No, no. Yeah, there was a thing where when we first met, we were probably in the same room at some point, and I have recognised her way back when. Did you not just ask me, you know, you would have known me as part of the royal family?
00:13:44
Speaker
No, because I need you by sight. But anyway, sorry, just to throw a span in the works there, sorry. Sorry, I'm just trying to piece this together. The train was in the Heral Empire, which is to the south. You trained under Garmir, who ended up transferring to the Legion of the Fourth, which is under the Obsidianus. So it's the Tiefling that you met outside Bleakmoor, which is the connection there. But yes, I think there might have been a moment in the Sanguine Lands prior to that, but... I mean, also, we've seen that the Uprisk are probably very well known, given that they're everywhere.
00:14:13
Speaker
Yeah, let's assume, let's assume that. So, let's say, but again, I consider Helena doesn't give a shit about most of this stuff anyway. Okay, that's cool. Sorry, I just, I just have rather than Helena standing like I didn't know anything that doesn't know what that was. You probably know. Karsten, you would know, Folly, you'd know, aside from that, Claude, you would know of, but you know them just as probably the, you know, the Claude way, the big baddies who don't like what I think about. Claude did mention them in, um,
00:14:41
Speaker
Bleakmore. When we had that gear change in Bleakmore, I said it because they were on our tail trying to pursue me and that's what kicks us on. So yeah, you all know that there's something pursuing me.
00:14:56
Speaker
But then I'll also add to the conversation. So why do we have to disguise ourselves? Why have you mentioned me in particular? Well, I was hoping you could fill me in on that, Helena, in all fairness. Why are people after you? You're a member of the Royal Family. I've not heard of any ill will towards your family at the moment. I was hoping it's an answer you might be able to give. No, they're not.
00:15:24
Speaker
It's not that they're after me. Obviously, my father was keeping an eye on me. And I don't like to tell everybody who I am that I'm part of the Royal Family. It just hasn't seen me in a different light. My father was, I think I'd mentioned it to you before, he'd had his people to look out for me. But I'm not sure why I should be in disguise now. I'm coming into homeland.
00:15:47
Speaker
Really? Perhaps they know you travel, perhaps they or Chris could know that you travel with somebody who they, shall we say, disagree with. Oh, perhaps. And you being a very recognisable person, especially in one of your hometowns, as it were, disguise could be of a necessity. So do you think the look that I'm going for at the moment is not disguise enough? I think certain things may give it away.
00:16:16
Speaker
I believe we should possibly look at disguises or possibly even magical alterations in preparation for entering Goldview.
00:16:25
Speaker
I've never had a magical alteration cast upon me before. It wouldn't be cast upon you, I'm afraid. So something entirely of your choice. And I'm afraid it'll be a bit of a stock magic potion, which I understand certain people don't approve of. So I won't force it upon you. But the option is there should you wish to take it. No, I think if it's for the safety of everybody here, then I will willingly apply.
00:16:53
Speaker
I agree that we should follow Canard's words. He's not led as a stray so far, and he's been a steadfast friend to us. I think it would be foolish to not follow what he says, especially given the gravitas of the situation. Indeed. And I do believe that you, Robin, and Tali would probably be blending in quite easily with the rest of the crowd. I don't think disguises for yourself would be necessary. I have my ways of going unseen in the city, and I can assure that that happens.
00:17:23
Speaker
The letter seems to suggest that these men, these bounty hunters, whatever they are, they're potentially on our tail rather than ahead of us. Is that correct? I would interpret it in the same way that Robin, yes. Just a quick bit of info for you guys that would know. So, Karsten and Folly and Helena, the Kriskra are an arm of the Sanguinlands government. Their sole purpose in being there
00:17:50
Speaker
is that their job is to root out and ruthlessly eliminate any presence of any faith that is not of the triumvirate of the three major religions you are allowed to practice. The reason being, 41 years ago, the faith of Mixawas betrayed the trust of the Erythian people and summoned a demon akin to that of Orcus upon Traitor's Bay.
00:18:13
Speaker
Their job is just to eliminate anything that isn't those three, which they can police those three religions. Anything that isn't of those three faiths, they ruthlessly go for. Delmon Trace is known for his ruthlessness when it comes to just eliminating contact with any of the illegal religions.
00:18:30
Speaker
They're basically the Inquisition, aren't they? They are a fanatic armed Inquisition with backing from the capital. And one could assume they'd have a presence everywhere. One could assume. And may not even be actually an overt presence. It may be covert, we have no idea about it.
00:18:49
Speaker
They are renowned for any and all tactics in order to get their results. Usually they bypass legislation so they don't normally arrest. It's normally they get the okay and because they are mainly a bank of battle-made spellcasters, these are
00:19:10
Speaker
done quickly, swiftly, from distant snipers, if you will, usually, from what you guys have heard that have taken place off in the Harel Empire and in Chalamand, in some far-flung places where these religions tend to crop up. I assume I'm not in this conversation because I'm over elsewhere. You're over on stage. We're going to come to in a moment, actually, whilst you're doing your coughing. So I assume that
00:19:36
Speaker
Folly you've kind of added that into your sorry to drop you in with that and we can just assume you've just you've just kind of applied that knowledge to the to those that aren't aware of the situation so Tali and Robin. Mightn't I suggest that we inform Drago of this I don't wish for him to get himself into a completely drunk stupor when perhaps that's the bad idea given the current
Subtlety in Sensitive Matters
00:20:00
Speaker
Absolutely, absolutely. I mean, Drago can hold his ale with the best of them, but it's definitely been a while and I feel he may be trying to make up for some lost time. Give me a letter. I shall trust you with it, Robin. Robin will just walk over to the door. He will also say to the table before he goes, if anyone can, I'm not entirely sure how or why this is the case, but I think if anyone can broke
00:20:29
Speaker
broke this subject with Claude in a way that may stop Claude from maybe reacting. It's probably Drago, but I'll allow him to make that decision. For what it's worth and his loyalties, I believe Helena might also be a good shout, and he would gesture over to Helena as he says that. That is indeed true.
00:20:50
Speaker
Perhaps, Helena, you may wish to take Claude to one side and maybe try and broker this to him as a matter of royal instruction about not overreacting. I will try. I'm not sure if by just giving him the letter that would
00:21:07
Speaker
be easier for everybody he can't read if you do remember so you would have to explain to him and advise him what to do he has great loyalty to you and your family so i would heartily recommend a nice intimate conversation sure
00:21:25
Speaker
I would maybe do as soon as you can. And just because we don't know who else is on here, Robin is going to just cast illusionary script on the note. Anyone in the party can read this letter, but anyone outside of the party will just see squiggles and stifle.
00:21:47
Speaker
images on the letter. It effectively means the only people now who can read this letter is everyone by Claude who just can't read, but everyone in the party can read this letter that no one else can. Lovely. And are you guys going over to approach?
00:22:03
Speaker
Yeah, Helen, I'll go over to Marge Claude. And as you both get up with the drinks to go over to your respective two people, do you want to pop over to Carstan and you're over there still going through instruments and coughing? Tali's looking over a little bit, you know, wondering what you're up to over there a little bit. I'm portraying the condition that I'm currently still in, unless it goes otherwise. So we're still coughing. He's going to look over to Frenner, who I assume is nearby.
00:22:33
Speaker
Yep, she is. She's kind of wandering through. It's quite a small area, so she's always nearby. Fenn, are you expecting any more passengers? Not at the moment. In a couple of hours, we should be passing through an area where I usually pick up a couple of travellers. Might get a few more then. That's fine. I just didn't want to sort of, you know, start and not really have the full impact if there's not many people here. How long will it take us there to Goldview?
00:22:58
Speaker
Take us through the night. Probably at morning. We'll be there. We'll be there one morning. Absolutely. These horses travel fast. We need to stop. Okay. That's fine.
New Traveler Brings Caution
00:23:07
Speaker
Thank you. Everything okay? Yeah, I'm fine. I'm fine. All right. Don't feel you have to start now. You can leave your instruments there. No one's going to touch you. It's only me and, well, Nat Chap over there, and she nods towards the halfling.
00:23:20
Speaker
Yeah, who is that chap? We don't ask names, so I don't know much. All I know is that I picked him up at Evershire and he's mentioned something about Valagard, that's all I know, out to the front, jolly good time. He keeps singing the praises of the Solid Guard surge, but aside from that, I don't know, he feels like a tourist if I'm being honest, but it's not my place to ask. How is Evershire at the moment?
00:23:48
Speaker
There's been a spate of arsons recently. Part of the city was burnt down, but it's recovering well. It's not my favourite place to go, but I get some good customs from there. People like to use it as a base to travel out and explore some of the blights, especially rich patrons from other lands.
00:24:04
Speaker
Yeah, I can... not exactly a tourist attraction from my opinion, but okay. You'd be surprised we get some pretty interesting characters, him being one of them, and she nods over again to the halfling again. Anyway, I shouldn't pry. It's not my place. I pride myself on my privacy, obviously. Of course not. Okay. Don't feel you have to play straight away though, bud. If you want to grab a drink, feel free to join your friends at the bar.
00:24:29
Speaker
Casson's going to finish, take his port and go and sit down with Helena and that lot.
00:24:41
Speaker
And as you sit down... What I was thinking was, as Carsten walks over, as he sits down, Robin and Helena stand up and walk off, literally just as that happens, they walk off entirely and Folly had just kind of sat there awkwardly for a second with you.
00:25:00
Speaker
Don't take it personally, they have to go and speak to someone about... It's all right, Tom. I cast haven't already known what's
Carstan's Delayed Performance
00:25:09
Speaker
about to do. We've found out together.
00:25:13
Speaker
informed Helena and Robin and Tali of the situation. Because I was going to try and lie and I know Karsten can see straight through lies so it was going to be a bit of a difficult conversation if I'm being honest. You're far too honest to make a good liar there Tali. You should keep that. It's a wonderful choice. Okay sure that it's not the best trade I have but anyway. Karsten will take us with Paul, cough a little bit more and then yeah. Can you do that into your elbow please? It's not very hygienic when you just cough into your
00:25:40
Speaker
Sorry, I'll keep social distancing on me. Thank you. How come you're not on the stage casting? I thought you'd be raring to go for a performance. Well, the problem is I've got you guys and then I've got the halfling there and sometimes best to let the place get a bit more of a crowd before you start. You're waiting for more people, are you?
00:26:01
Speaker
Yes. Are you sure we can't just have a little bit? You always talk about your performances, and in all fairness, I know we kind of mock you for it, but I was rather hoping just to relax and chill back a little bit for a change. We all need a break. Okay, I can start in a minute. Let me just get myself sorted now. I'll start up.
00:26:22
Speaker
excellent excellent and just as that says the the cart lurches again to a stop quite violently and all the all the ornate items and lanterns that hanging from the ceiling kind of swing back and forth quite violently before coming to a still again uh you see freena step over the bar step over it and undo the last two
00:26:41
Speaker
slow it down, she goes out for a few minutes and then comes back in with another figure. It's a human, he's a male with a bit of a beard on a brown beard, long brown hair, takes his hood back and kind of looks around a little awkwardly because everyone's staring at him a little bit and he walks up to the bar and just grabs a pint from behind as Trena pours it out for him and sits himself in a corner looking quite quiet, just quietly sipping the drink
00:27:06
Speaker
as the latch gets put back up, front of knocks to let the driver know to continue movement as we pick up pace again, back up to speed and we picked up another customer. So yes, at the table with Drago, presumably 10, 15 minutes have passed. Drago is perhaps on his second or third beverage now. And respectfully, Claude would have said nothing during this time that was anything close to a serious conversation, just very much
00:27:34
Speaker
Respected the need for silence and I just want to cut in here to just say what you'll be seeing is you'll see drago Down one pint real quick and then sit on the second one that was already there and he's just kind of Slow on that one. So it's really nursing them if it's been ten or however many minutes. He's Not even a quarter the way through the second. There you go. That's what you're seeing. So I have a question
00:27:59
Speaker
I don't drink the poison that you like to consume here. Of all the places, and you know, you've drunk in a few places in sleep guards, like, you know, we've been around a lot of the nicer places and a lot of the shit places, but where was your favorite drink? No, no, honestly, in the last time we've known each other, what was a nice pint you had?
00:28:26
Speaker
Listen, Bill, I really could do with just taking a silent moment here. I'm not. This is the first time for a long time where I can just sit and drink. Can we do this another time?
00:28:45
Speaker
Just out of 10. A rating out of 10. That drink you're drinking right now and I won't say anything for another half hour. A six. All right. I'll find you a seven next time. I mean, I'm just going to sit there in silence. I'm just going to look around into the fire, uh, taking Kastan's, uh, nervousness and just enjoy sitting in silence next to my half dragon friend. Companiable silence, yes.
00:29:10
Speaker
Nice, I like that. And as you're doing that, Robin and Helena, you approach Drago and Claude. Robin would just say on the way over, just discreetly take Claude to one side, Helena, and try to stop him overreacting, if you can.
Conveying Urgency and Disguise Need to Claude
00:29:29
Speaker
Are you doing the same with Drago? I think I know how to broach the subject with Drago, yes.
00:29:36
Speaker
OK, sure. See you in five. And Helen is going to swerve her way to Claude and approach him, tap him on the shoulder. Hello. Claude, can I have a word? Yeah, you can't have it here because me and Drago are enjoying a quiet minute. Yes, I was planning on taking you aside. Just us two. It's not a very big room, so we'd better move somewhere where Drago doesn't get bothered. That's fine. We can go to the back. Sounds perfect.
00:30:04
Speaker
Thanks, Drago. And she's just going to take Claude sort of under her wing and scooch him around off his bar stool and to the back of the cart. Is this about the equal situation? No, no, no, no, no, it's not about the equal situation. I think we've all moved past that. Yeah, please don't let Carston do that to me ever again.
00:30:27
Speaker
I can't promise anything, but I'm sure that's not gonna happen. Listen, Claude, we've had some news. Now you can't, there's no reason why you should overreact to the news. No, no, no, no, no, just, Claude. Oh dear, did folly threaten you as well? No, Claude, I'm just gonna come out and say it, but I think you need to be quiet, listen, whilst I do, okay? Can you do that?
00:30:53
Speaker
Is this about? No questions. OK. No questions. No questions. Not until I finished. OK. So we've had a letter. We found a letter from Kennard. You remember Kennard. Which one is like 30 letters? No questions. OK. Kennard. You remember Kennard. Just nod if you remember Kennard. Yeah, Kenny. Yeah. Sure. So he's mentioned that the Obcriska. Obcriska? Yeah. And I'm going to drop my half-drunk pint of milk on the floor.
00:31:21
Speaker
Oh, shit. And Elena's gonna try and scoop it up with her hands. Did they kill Kenny? Back into the cup if she can. Did they kill Kenny? No, no, no, no, no, no. Kennard's alive, Claude. The halfling looks over. Carry on. Claude, just keep it down, because we're getting a little bit of a detention, and we don't want that, do we? What's happened to Kenny? No, Kennard's fine. Kennard's the one that wrote the letter. You crisper. You're doing awesome. You got it. You got it.
00:31:58
Speaker
Dig deep. You broke her, Danny. Sorry. Oh, God. The abquiska are looking for you. I know. They have been following me for a while. Right. So we've been told to meet Kennard at the stables
00:32:15
Speaker
He's none of Crisco, is he? No, no, no, no, no. We've got to... He was there the whole time! No, we've got to meet him at the half-hoof inn. We've got to ask at the stables for him. Never heard of it. Right, but that doesn't really matter. All it is is that we'll have further information for us. We've got to try and disguise ourselves for the best we can to get through to him. But... Without the old Crisco looking at us, seeing us, noticing us. Does that make sense?
00:32:44
Speaker
No. What don't you understand? What is it you're saying? Kennardsby is in trouble. Kennard has wrote us a letter we'd found. We need to meet Kennard. He's said to disguise ourselves so that we don't get seen by the Ocriscua because they are looking for you. Because that's our home. You're a print, and I'm going to say this quite loud and defiant,
00:33:11
Speaker
You're a princess of Goldview. No, I will not. Claude, Claude, Claude. That is my home. I have not been there in decades, but that is my home. I will not walk in there scared. Claude, you need to calm down. We are getting attention that we do not need. I've been asked by our friends to take you off. Is it the small man's the Obscrisco? Obsc... Obsc... Obsc... Claude, Claude. Yes. Stop. Because we are... we're getting out of hand and we don't need to do that.
00:33:41
Speaker
I will not be afraid in my own home. I understand, but we just need to do this, just this once, to just get through to Kennard and once we see Kennard then we can discuss it further with everybody else, yes. Kenny will make sure that's fine. Sure, yes.
00:33:57
Speaker
Can I just interrupt ever so slightly?
Overheard Discussions and Interruptions
00:34:00
Speaker
And suddenly just in front of you is the small halfling with his blonde hair and... Are you an escrotum? Am I a scrotum? Yes. No, I'm not. But you are speaking very loud and part of the parcel of travelling on this is...
00:34:17
Speaker
Subtlety. I'm sorry, I apologize on behalf of my friend. I don't understand what you want. Claude, Claude. Well, I want... And I want to hold their hand out in front of Claude to just try and... Firstly, I would not like to be called a member of the of Kriskra. That bastard force has nothing to do with me or anything I'm doing here, thank you very much.
00:34:35
Speaker
Yeah, so we're not accusing you of anything. Good sir. We're interrupting a very important conversation, small boy. Bye. Bye. I'm 44 years of age. You, I don't know how old you are, you little big... I don't know how old you are, not anyone. Helena is going to shout, not shout, but like under her breath. Robin, a little help over here, please.
00:34:56
Speaker
You bloody listen to me, you bearded fucker. Well, I don't want you to refer to me as a member of the Chriska. I've got nothing to do with them. Thank you very much. Please give a point, he's jabber-spinger up at you. Oh, God, as well, to try and, uh, bridge a gap.
00:35:11
Speaker
I only came here for a bloody good time to see the, see the Slinkard search fight and this bloody man is bloody saying things about me being bloody, a criss grab bloody hell. Everyone, shut up. I have been waiting for this drink for a long time. I need you all to keep your voices down.
00:35:34
Speaker
Okay? Because we all need to drink, and that's why we're here. Conversations to yourselves. Bar, back to quiet. Please. It wasn't for the want of trying, Drago. I'm sorry. Bloody good, bloody good point, Dragonborn man. I'd bloody well agree with you. Stop talking, my friend! We're just a drink without words! Bloody good speech, that was. I'm gonna turn back to Helena. What?
00:36:01
Speaker
did you not hear the dragonborn you bloody idiot you said they're bloody talking and there you go bloody talking again you tell me off and not bloody talking and he starts bloody talking again oh my god for one reason um who's the bar lady again he's axe frenner have you got another room in this place
00:36:19
Speaker
This is very odd. This never happens. Yes, we do have it. It's a communal room of hammocks for sleeping. Yes, it's just points to one of the two doors. One door, obviously, you assume leads to some kind of kitchenette area where storage is made. The other one leads off to a smaller area where there's some hammocks. Is anyone in there at the moment?
00:36:38
Speaker
No, everyone's here. Fine, I'm gonna go in there. You points to Claude. Don't kill anyone. You points to the little man as you were. Thank you. And he just fucking walks off.
00:36:50
Speaker
Now, about your acts. Sorry, I'm going to intercede here. The cast hand's going to come over. You haven't played anything yet. On the halfling and say, perhaps it's best that you just ignore us, listen to the music I'm going to play, and for the rest of this journey, you just ignore the rest of us. So I need you to make a wisdom saving throw. Is this a suggestion? Yeah.
00:37:15
Speaker
uh 13 yeah he's failed okay he's gonna look up to you for a second and look back at claud i didn't come on here for any of this stuff you know what i'm gonna get another drink but um do you know any uh of the good seafaring songs of of the sea i do i do i'll go and start playing fantastic uh uh
00:37:35
Speaker
Sorry for bothering you all, but very silly of me. Let me get you a drink and he looks to Helena and to Claude. One on me. Don't order through me. I don't know how it works, but just when you get one, it's on me. Well, we'll at least finish jabbering, Prince. I mean...
00:37:53
Speaker
Helena, what is it you're asking? Because I will not be a fugitive in my home. And you shouldn't either. I'm not necessarily asking anything of you, Claude. You can do whatever you like, all right? You're a grown man.
00:38:08
Speaker
But what I am saying is that we're all going to be travelling together, and we've all been asked very politely by our good friend, Kennard, to disguise some of ourselves as we move through the town. And if you don't do that, then what's your choice? Kendra wrote to us and said, if Claude doesn't disguise himself, then he's going to kill him. Not in so many words. I don't understand what you're asking. It just sounds like I shouldn't go home.
00:38:33
Speaker
No, you should go, but you need to disguise yourself. If the aquisca see you, then they will eliminate you. People know me there. I want to see my friend. And I've tried to do this sensitively, and you've not really handled it well.
00:38:52
Speaker
Well, but I don't understand. This is our home. I know it is. And we're supposed to walk as if we're just walking through and we don't know anything about it. Listen, we just need to discuss ourselves. I don't have much of a problem with it myself until we get to Cammard and then we can discuss it further. That's all I'm asking, really. If he can't stop an abscriscrum,
00:39:12
Speaker
Only the king. We could go to your dad and your mum. Well, then we shall afterwards, okay? It sounds like we can't, because they'll get us. I have put us all in danger. No, they don't know that we're here yet. We have been warned, Claude. This is a good sign. If the problem is the chriscrum, as someone who cares about your family, I don't think I should enter the city, because otherwise I put you and my friends' lives in danger.
00:39:40
Speaker
No, we're not going anywhere without Claude. I will hide. I will hide in this pub on wheels and you can find me. I will not go in if it means you can't see your family and my friends can't go stare and laugh at the two-headed orc. They should really do that because it's not so regular that you see a two-headed orc that you can't point and say, that is a freak of nature. And it's important that you do that because there aren't many zoos anymore.
00:40:12
Speaker
Listen, the important thing is, clearly I am a problem and I don't want to be. Well, clearly, but I don't want to tell you that. I'll wait for you in Travelling Pub and when you're finished, you'll come see me. But someone has to go see Tim's, my friend, and say hi and I miss him.
00:40:29
Speaker
if he's still alive because he was like 60 odd before. No, I think Kenard wants to see you, Claude. I think he wants to see you. But you can pass on a message. I don't think it's going to work that way. If I walk into Goldview, I am not hiding, it's my home. And you're quite certain of that. So I'd rather not go in and make sure you all are okay. Little Robin, Little Robin might get shot.
00:40:53
Speaker
Can you just wait here? Is that OK? And Helena's going to tap Claude on the head and then walk over to Robin. We have a problem. Yes, we have quite a large problem. Claude is not accepting the fact that we are going to be going to meet Kennard with him in a disguise.
00:41:20
Speaker
He thinks he should wait in the pub on wheels for us until we're ready to come back and fetch him. OK, if that's the way he wants it, then I suppose that's the way it's going to have to be. But who knows where they're going? North, south? He's not going to be in the same place for a number of days. It's going to be a while before we're finished in Goldview. Well, perhaps if we can get to Canard with expediency, then
00:41:46
Speaker
we may be able to get to the bottom of this and to bring Claude into the city. But I think for now we've made enough of an impression on this pub. And I will just look at it. I'll mention the humour. I'll just say under my breath, our new guest, just keep an eye on how interested he is in what's just happened. I'm going to go talk to Drago. That's fine.
Party's Split and Claude's Refusal to Disguise
00:42:11
Speaker
I just feel like the party's a little split at the moment.
00:42:15
Speaker
Oh, Helena, I agree. And I believe me when I say this, I'm on your side. Well, I think we have to do this as unified as we can. But I suppose there's only so much we can do to try and convince Claude. And what we can do is be prepared to help him and save him from himself, perhaps. Helena's going to take a swig of her port to finish that last bit off. And she's going to just slump on one of the nearest chairs and take a deep sigh.
00:42:43
Speaker
When Helena moved to speak to Robin, Claude would have gone into the other room where Drago was, not said anything, stormed through the door, sat in the corner of the room facing the wall and sulked, not said a single word. Okay, just to give you some context, this room is literally like one you'd see on a ship almost. It's quite a thin room, but it's got three tiers of hammocks.
00:43:04
Speaker
And there's about eight or nine spaces for eight or nine patrons, if you will, to have a little kip in them. So Drago, I can imagine you just, they're all empty, so probably just sat on one of the bottom ones. Claude, I'm assuming you've kind of stormed to the end and faced the wall and sat on the floor and you're sulking there. So Robin, that's where Drago will be if you want to find him. You clocked him going out through that same door if you needed to speak to him.
00:43:28
Speaker
I clock the silence in the room, I look around and I go, couldn't help but overhear you only gave the A of the 6, the whiskey I would say the 10, and I'll just hold the letter out in front of him. But I'd avoid having too much. Does that have bad news in it? It's not exactly good, and it's news that you need to be aware of whether you want to be aware of it or not.
00:43:51
Speaker
When do we arrive in Goldview? Tomorrow. Fine. I'll read it before then. And Drago takes the note. Until then. And it just kind of leaves the silence in the air. The Mage Hand. Sorry, the Mage Hand comes flying out and just flips the note open and goes, you need to read that now. I don't take kindly to magic. And he snatches the note away from the Mage Hand. You should know that by now, Robin.
00:44:18
Speaker
And you should know when I say I'll do things, he'll be done. And you should know when I say you need to read it now that I do so lightly even if you are in one of your patented moods. This isn't a patented mood, Robin. I am allowed some time to myself. You're allowed all the time you want to yourself.
00:44:40
Speaker
when the situation allows it drunk. Unless you're gonna make me read this note forcibly there is no way right now I am reading this and you're only erating me further. What's your play here? My play is that we're not safe. So you come in holding a piece of paper instead of saying it?
00:44:59
Speaker
Well, for some reason, Drago, I thought that maybe subtlety and nuance may be starting to become a factor for you, but perhaps the old you still rather deep- The old me is still here and you should be afraid of the old me right now. Claude, in that moment of silence, you've been clocking everything that's been happening in this conversation just FYI.
00:45:19
Speaker
So yeah, I'm in the far corner of the room. I could hear them shouting, and I'm just going to create a dark orb of energy in my hand and cast it in the floor space between Robin and Drago, and I'm going to cast Silence in a 20-foot sphere. No sound can be created in this space any longer. Is there a saving throw for that, or is that just... Sound just doesn't work. You speak, and it immediately stops.
00:45:46
Speaker
So as you then both of you try to continue this conversation, you're just met why nothing, no sound comes out at all. You can't even hear the rumble of the car anymore, you hear just nothingness. A dragger just sits back down. Robin stays for a second before turning and going back into the other room. And as you enter back into the room...
00:46:04
Speaker
You see Tali still giving dodgy eyes over towards Karstan, who's over back with the instruments. She finishes off her whiskey and stumbles over towards Karstan. Karstan, there's no nice way of saying this. Why are you coughing so much? It's fine. I'm just a little bit, um, I think that fight, I don't know. I'm just not feeling a hundred percent, but it's fine. It's okay. It's not going to affect my performance ability. It's fine. I don't believe you. Cause I know what I'm assuming Mark is that I don't actually know I'm poisoned. All I know is I don't feel very well.
00:46:35
Speaker
I got you. So he's not lying, but yeah. Oh no. The DM knows. entirely doesn't. Cool.
00:46:41
Speaker
Okay. Well, if you see all right, then I know I'm sure it'll pass. It's, it's, it's, we've got bigger things to consider. I assume that we heard most of that shouting match for a bit before it went silent. And then it suddenly went silent. Yeah. Yeah. And this is the most, this is the most non-private private pub that we've ever had. Frena is bereft. She's apologizing to the other patients to no end for everyone. I'm sorry. Sorry. I've never normally happens like this. Uh, yeah. Yeah. We heard most of that as well.
00:47:11
Speaker
There are bigger things to deal with than the mood is not feeling well. It's fine. It's probably just the cold or something like that. Who knows? Well, how about you lighten the mood a bit then? You've been tinkering with your instruments for a while. I'll play something. Yeah. Okay. Thank you. She's going to teach you at the bar, grab another whisky and just plop herself down, taking in all the atmosphere of everything that's happening.
00:47:37
Speaker
do you want just a performance check from me or well what are you looking for whatever you want really you can give me a performance check if you got something prepared you can have give that a go what are you fancy it's up to you i can i can try this adapted c shantu song if you want
00:47:52
Speaker
do it give me a performance check first okay so I know you like I know you love the role and it's with advantage isn't it and you got some ridiculous no no I think actually technically consider it even though cuz I know you're gonna say the poison might say advantage because of that the amount of time you've been preparing for it you're kind of getting yourself amped up so that would give you advantage so consider it just a straight role with your coffin
00:48:16
Speaker
It's a 20, not natural, it's fine. Oh, lovely. Okay, brilliant. Yeah, go for it. Give us this little shanty you got.
00:48:26
Speaker
In obsidia there lived a maid Mark, well, what I do say? In obsidia there lived a maid And she was mistress of her trade I'll go no more a-roving with you fair maid A-roving, a-roving Since roving's been my rue I ache I'll go no more a-roving with you fair maid
00:48:48
Speaker
I asked this maid to take a walk, Mark. Well, what I do say? I asked this maid to take a walk that we might have some private talk. I'll go no more a-rovin' with you, fair maid. A-rovin', a-rovin' since roving's been my ruin. I'll go no more a-rovin' with you, fair maid.
00:49:10
Speaker
Then a great big drowlack rammed my bough, Mark, well, what I do say? For a great big drowlack rammed my bough, And said, young man, this is mine, Frow. I'll go no more a-rovin' with you, fair maid. A-rovin', a-rovin', since rovin's been my ruin. I'll go no more a-rovin' with you, fair maid.
00:49:32
Speaker
then take fair warning boys from me mark well what I do say so take fair warning boys from me with other men's wives don't make too free I'll go no more a roving with you fair maid and on that the room
00:49:48
Speaker
which started off quite sour and quite against you in terms of starting to sing by the end of which by that last verse you're getting large roars of laughter from the halfling the human in the corner is crippling over himself twice over and everyone in the room bursts into laughter at the end of that song friend is banging the bar
00:50:07
Speaker
And everyone's clapping really, really loud as everyone gets in. The man in the corner reaches over, gets a glass of whiskey and brings it over and puts it on the table for you, giving you a thumbs up. The atmosphere suddenly is lifted slightly. Everyone's kind of patting each other on the back slightly. And you've really hit a good note, given that how dark and how sour everything had gotten up to that point, Karsten. And Frennish says, take a minute, take a minute. No, no, no, have a break, have a break, have a break, have a break.
00:50:33
Speaker
and kind of ushers you over to your friends and Tali's there just like amazed like starstruck uh uh Karsten I didn't know you could do that that was pretty good that was that was pretty fucking that was fucking good that that was that was I like that a lot that's great
00:50:57
Speaker
Yeah, very, very good cast and very, very enjoyable. A lesson with a moral to it. Really? I just like the tune. I couldn't hear what was being said, but I just... because you coughed a little bit. But apart from that, I mean, geez, that was incredible. That was so good. Yeah, well done. Well, that was great.
00:51:15
Speaker
So as the song finishes and Thali's busy talking to Carstan about how amazing he is, he has a bit of a fan now in Thali, Robin you've joined and listened to the end of the song and you've appreciated it but your blood's still up from the conversation with Drago as you plop yourself down next to Helena. It seems Drago like Claude doesn't wish to appreciate the gravity of the situation right now so I think we should be leading the caution for everyone in this party. What do you mean? He wasn't in any position to entertain
00:51:45
Speaker
the immediacy of the threat. And well, I think it's down to those of us currently present in this room to manage that threat for the time being. That's fine. I think we know the importance of this. I just hope by the morning everybody else will too.
Scouting for Threats
00:52:03
Speaker
I'll do what I can and Robin will go to one of the windows on the car as the most quiet window he can potentially find which is probably difficult but he will just snap his fingers and Nira will reappear from the plane and she will be outside the window and Robin will telepathically without saying anything will just say
00:52:26
Speaker
hover around about a mile from behind us and if anything looks to approach return to me and Nira will just take off in the reverse of the car and she's going to hover about a mile behind the car just keep track with this and if anything untoward appears she will return to the car and let Robin know.
00:52:46
Speaker
Yeah, okie dokie, brilliant. And as you do that, you send off Nura, you do look and see the small black kitten kind of jumping around, letting off the odd meow around the space, but kind of jumping around from play space, looking for attention, rubbing up against you where she can.
00:53:04
Speaker
Yep, Robin will just try and not draw attention to Nura. We'll just turn around and just start to pet the cat. And we'll return to the table next to Helena, decide he wants a second whiskey after all, and start to take a drag on the cigarette finally. And we'll just brood. Classic Robin. Have a good brood. Yeah, nice. Thanks, Darren. Thanks for the great work.
00:53:26
Speaker
With that we'll just pass over to Drago and to Claude. They're in this area of silence that's been cast by Claude in the hammocks. They're slowly kind of shaking from side to side in the movement of the tavern. Is there anything you want to do, Drago?
00:53:39
Speaker
How long does silence last for? Up to 10 minutes. Not that you would know instinctively. Not that I would know, but I just wondered, really. Okay, so, Drago's sitting in the silence.
Drago's Spiritual Dilemma and Communion
00:53:54
Speaker
Is there, like, so, just to picture the room, if I wanted to speak to Claude,
00:54:00
Speaker
but like, get close to him. Is there, is it a job of getting up and moving to him or am I already too close to him because of the proximity of how small this room is? Yeah, basically it's too small. Until you've got to wait till silence finishes or leave the room. Yeah, so Drago would turn towards Claude to see what he's doing.
00:54:22
Speaker
The moment I'd feel the vibrations on the floor of your footsteps, I would stop the silence and I would let our sighs so you could hear it. I assume you can hear me. I didn't want you or Robin to say something you might regret. Me and Robin are fine. Don't worry about it. He was doing what he thought was best, which is what he always does.
00:54:44
Speaker
You both made your points. I felt like that was the best time to intervene. I'm sorry if it was not. No, I appreciated it. Rage builds up quicker me. Me too now. Claude, I need your help with something. Yeah.
00:54:59
Speaker
I've got to do something that I'm not sure that I want to and I'm struggling with it. Well, there's something I want to do and I'm not sure that I want to and I'm struggling with it. So we're in the same boat. Why don't you go first? Um, it doesn't exactly involve you. So I need, um, I think you're my best chance at achieving this basically the long way round of it.
00:55:30
Speaker
And Dragos is kind of shifting uncomfortably. Is I'm going to ask for a favor from you. Okay, okay. And Dragos is there. Silence for a moment, previous. Okay. Okay, so I need to talk to Akiva. I couldn't let that happen. And I would really appreciate it if you were there too.
00:55:59
Speaker
I could make this happen. Jigar kind of looks at him pointedly to go, when? I will require you to do something for me. Oh no, that's fair, that's fair. Claude looks very un-Claud-like at the moment. And he's going to take Drago's flagon of ale out of his hand. Okay, risky move. And he's going to take a sip. And then he's going to hand it back to Drago.
00:56:26
Speaker
Well, I mean, you can take it, it's yours. Let's talk about this another time. I want you to close your eyes and remember the thing that you care about most. Oh, okay, okay, okay, okay. I'm doing this. I'm gonna do this. I'm gonna do this, okay. Right, close my eyes. My eyes closed.
00:56:49
Speaker
What do I do? Just think about the thing you care about most. And I'm going to recast silence but towards the doorway to this room so that me and drug are outside of the 20-foot radius are still audible. And yes, I will heightencast commune mark and I'll burn if it helps.
00:57:11
Speaker
amplify it, I will burn all of my sixth and fifth level spell slots to sort of try and achieve a whole one minute audience with Akiva if you will allow. So as you cast Silence on the area and as you both sit there for a second, every time you commune with Akiva, and this happened for both of you now, it is a bit like an acid trip, you kind of pop it and then you wait and you have to just wait for it to kind of kick in, so to speak.
00:57:38
Speaker
and always comes in the same order it's always an audible sound of buzzing like thousands of bees far off in the distance getting louder and louder followed by your vision starting to haze as you feel as you feel you're dropping but you stay exactly where you are it seems to go on for quite some time as you fall but don't fall
00:57:59
Speaker
as your vision fails and your hearing is replaced by this now cacophony of buzzing noise which fills your ears and as you kind of feel like you've stopped falling you just hear a voice you have your audience, Claude what is it you want from me? I am submitting the floor to my friend, Master
00:58:26
Speaker
He wishes to speak to you. You've bring Drago here, Drago. Why are you here? I would like everyone to take off the headset apart from the three in the proverbial space. Only Mark can tell we will take the headsets off. Not Ian. No, it's fine. I've got no idea what's happening. So I'm just I'm literally going with this shit.
00:58:53
Speaker
He's the producer, Will. You bring Drago here, Claude. What is a Jewish Drago? Point of reference. In this space,
00:59:13
Speaker
If we were to imagine it in our minds, is Drago stood up in a black void with Akiva and Claude next to him? Or is this all, you know, when you close your eyes, is it just a voice in a black space or is there some sort of like dream like body?
00:59:34
Speaker
Paint me a picture. Claude, Danny, you're mid-saying, do you want to add something to that? Yeah, picture how, like, you're on a platform in a sea of darkness
00:59:50
Speaker
And you're speaking to basically a shaping of lights. He doesn't take it changes. Akiva changes form every time you speak to Akiva. And Claude is basically almost like a gargoyle channeling a ritual. So it's almost as if it's it's just a direct conversation between YouTube. He is the conduit between you both.
01:00:13
Speaker
OK, cool. So the reason why I asked that is if it was possible, Drago would be pacing this dark spherical space as if, you know. Yeah, you definitely have the capacity for that, even if it was metaphorically. Metaphorically. Yeah, or physically, it's possible. He's just got, you know, nervous energy and movement. And so he's not stood in one spot looking up, talking. He's shifting his weight uncomfortably. He's walking around. He's wringing his wrists.
01:00:40
Speaker
The dark swirling mist of Akiva in front of you that constantly changes shape is at the moment a kind of a light blue aura color just so you know but again this seems to be innumerable in terms of its color capacity and it shifts slightly from position and speed and color constantly as it waits. I've been wrestling with
01:01:03
Speaker
coming to you for a while. And unfortunately fate has shown my hand. You're, I mean, is it even a friend? Tristan, Tr- Tristan was killed recently. You're aware of this. The mist turns a violent red for a second then goes blue again. He was my brother.
01:01:32
Speaker
His loss is incalculable. I lost more control after his death. He is gone forever. The being that killed him killed my father. And more to this, he took Althea and turned him into something dark and twisted. I fought this being one on one.
01:02:00
Speaker
And Drago's pacing more as he's remembering the events that happened not so long ago.
01:02:09
Speaker
There was no truest strike for my blade. It was a perfect shot, and I did no damage. Nothing harmed him, and he laughed in my face, gloated, drew me closer, and said I needed to get stronger. I don't know how I can be stronger, and I need to be, because I need to kill this being.
01:02:37
Speaker
I need to save Elthea and I have something in my gut telling me that this will also help the cause of the blight and I need to get stronger
01:02:53
Speaker
Not so long ago we had a conversation, you and I, and you asked me to help you in your cause to be a follower of yours, similar to what Claude is. I come to you now and ask you, does this make me stronger? Will you make me stronger? Because if you can,
01:03:19
Speaker
Give me the power to take on this being, whomever it is, whatever it is, wherever it resides, and give me the power to either end his life or save Elthir and help the Blight.
01:03:37
Speaker
and make me stronger if I give you me will you help and will you give me the power that I need this is no small feat that I give myself to you
01:03:54
Speaker
You know that I am not a follower of religions or gods, but if it makes me stronger, I don't know what else I can do, and I will give you my sword. What say you?
01:04:10
Speaker
Akiva and Drago, with that, kneels on the floor, head bowed. There's a silence as the mist continues to swirl into different shapes and voids. You look into it and almost make out, try and making out faces or things that you recognize, some discernible humanity in this deity you see in front of you. And as your head is bowed and you kneeled, you hear the voice of Akiva return. You are not strong enough, Drago, not now.
01:04:40
Speaker
Ahhh!
01:04:43
Speaker
The best way of explaining this is in a more corporeal form. And the mist is going to zip around a bit in front of you, a figure will appear, and it is a slightly ethereal version of Tali stood in front of you. This isn't me. It's just easier to speak this way, just because I know you'll listen through this form. It's still me.
01:05:12
Speaker
It's still a Kiva. You would become a paladin of the eternal plane. You would learn new powers. You would create new lines of connection with me. And you would become more powerful, Drago. The creature that killed your father, that demon, Grazit, haunts not just this realm, but many realms across. He makes it his business to find business.
01:05:37
Speaker
And wherever he does that, he leaves chaos behind. He is partially the reason why the blight is taking place. He is partially the reason why those that should have been watching over the undead, the dead, the souls, left their posts. He is partially the reason that you're here. I will accept your request, but know that at some point I will need you in the eternal plane to teach you, make you understand what will be needed.
01:06:06
Speaker
and how to access your newfound power. But this cannot be now. There's too much at stake now.
01:06:13
Speaker
It will be soon, but your friends need you. Your friends need you now. Fair enough. It will be in the coming days. Fair enough. I will become a paladin and a follower of you. I will swear an oath to you. I will give you my sword. I will lay my life for you, but I want...
01:06:36
Speaker
guarantees that I will have the power to do what I must and save Althea. I cannot give you the power to save Althea. That is not a spell I can give you or an ability. That is a moral choice. One that I am not in control of.
01:06:55
Speaker
and one that you will have to make. As you are a follower, know that like Claude, you make your own decisions with the backdrop of a Kiva always there. But it's up to you to make the right call. Do you understand? Yes, I do. Please forgive me for taking on the form of Tali.
01:07:14
Speaker
It's easier than, well, and she nods over to where the mist was. It's fine. I dare say I have a lot to learn about how you communicate. You understand this is very difficult for me. Absolutely.
01:07:29
Speaker
I want to kill this Grazette. Up until now, I've never even found out his name. So thank you for that. If it helps, you can find him in hell. And that's not a figurative speech. That does help. Okay, fine. And with that, Tali, sorry, the figure of Tali, which is Akiva, looks over to Claude briefly.
01:07:52
Speaker
And Claude will just say, well, he's concentrating on this prayer to make sure this conversation happens. You won't be doing it alone, Drago. That's why I asked you here, Claude. Very well. I will come to you in the next few days, and I will need you.
01:08:08
Speaker
You will similarly to the way Claude disappeared. You will no longer be on this plane for an amount of time as you complete your training. But I cannot do it now. Events that are taking place on the material plane in this very second necessitate you being present there. Because without you two, your companions are about to die. I recommend you make haste back.
01:08:30
Speaker
and the figure of Tarlie dissipates back and the mist just reappears just swirling in the distance now that blue controlled blue mist and aura in the distance I will bow my head and say master at a pretty uh hour volume
01:08:47
Speaker
and not look to my friend, but just listen. Drago looks to Claude in this inferior master. And I will take off my amulet and pass it to Drago. I think he'll need this now. Okay. Drago takes the amulet.
01:09:08
Speaker
And as you take it, you both just appear back in the room with the hammocks, the darkness with the movement, and you realize now you're kind of, as you make eye contact, you're passing over the amulet on the material plane. For the rest of you, the song's just finished. There's a jovial atmosphere in the air, there's warmth in the air. Everything seems to be going quite, quite positively at the time. Carson's just released that awesome single, which he'll soon be releasing on Spotify, I'm sure. And the room feels quite nice and warm. Robin.
01:09:36
Speaker
You've just popped over, maybe grabbed a drink, and as you go back maybe to stroke the cat, you hear a squawk from outside and you feel an imminent sense of danger. You know there's to be a connection to Neura. All of a sudden, Neura comes in through the window and is sat quite forcefully on the window still looking directly at you, fulfilling the command you previously asked her to do.
01:09:59
Speaker
So as Nero lands on the windowsill, Robin will click his fingers and Nero will disappear into the pocket plane. Robin will look over his shoulder and say to Helena, arm yourself. And then he will shout, he will announce to the rest of the cart, we need to stop the cart. There is immediate danger approaching.
Ambush on the Pub Cart and Chaos
01:10:19
Speaker
And Robin will immediately go to the door. And if he can open the door,
01:10:25
Speaker
he will look out at to the, I assume now, evening sky and just see what he can see. See if there's anything he can see. It would pretty much be night time by now. At you saying that, Frenet has grabbed a bow from behind the bar. The halfling stands up, goes up, up, looks a bit confused about this. And as you look out of the window, just as you manage to get your head out, you see these two streaking lines of fire heading straight towards the cut.
01:10:52
Speaker
And just as you take a breath in to turn to the others to say fire or whatever you were going to say, there's just darkness. There's just darkness for everyone. There's a bright flash and suddenly there is cold air and shouting and then darkness again. As you open your eyes, you look around and you're not where you were when you last closed your eyes. There's a ringing in your ears and you can hear alarmed voices, screams and fire.
01:11:17
Speaker
You find yourself in an angle you weren't remembering. You find things off-center. You can hear voices that you don't recognize. And you hear this one commanding voice riding out now over these whipped up winds. And all it says is, by order of Delmon Trace, leader of the Obciscra, you are hereby arrested as heretics, and the attempt to resist will be met with lethal force. And as you look around, you realize not only are you outside the cart,
01:11:44
Speaker
But this cart has now flipped. It's now on its side. It's split in two. This seems to have been attacked. There seems to be some kind of ambush. And that's what we're going to leave it for this week's episode of the Fellowship of the Tabletop. All by Lorde. And a fair man, and a fair. Well, hopefully nobody's burned loads of spell slots or anything to commune with a god or anything like that.
01:12:07
Speaker
We'll consider a short rest that's taken place, which you can bump up some stats if that helps. Short rest don't do anything, mate. It's a long rest. They do for me. I've got my battle ability up. Robin's at full kilter.
01:12:21
Speaker
That was an amazing ending. Oh, my God. Incredible. I thought we'd actually have the fight, though, because that all that stuff that took place in that, I thought that'd be that was amazing. I'm so happy with all that stuff. But I thought I've got the fight ready. I've got that. That's what the roll 20 map was for. I spent ages on it. It was like an hour building this map, but it's great. It's there for next week anyway.
01:12:40
Speaker
Oh, wait, hold on. What are we doing? I've got a close to fucking episode. This was a great episode, guys. It was amazing. Like, I really enjoyed it. I dare say that all the cast mates really enjoyed it. And you know what? I'm pretty good to say that you guys fucking enjoyed it at home. And if not, don't listen again. But still, that was fucking top dollar.
01:13:05
Speaker
hashtag top dollar. However, regardless if you enjoyed it, if you didn't enjoy it, thank you very much for tuning in. I'm making this a part of your everyday week. We really, really, really like you. All of you. Yes, even you alone in your room. Listen to our voices. This is going to be weird.
01:13:23
Speaker
Me. Probably me, to be honest. I'm alone in myself listening to this a lot because I just like hearing your voices. And you know what? If I wanted to hear your voices more, I could do so, I dare say, on our Twitter page, which is at Fellowship Table. And if I wanted to hear you individually, I would then follow you individually on your own individual Twitter pages. I'm at iWorldA1. Darren's app. Darren Page, 06.
App and Social Media Handles Reveal
01:13:46
Speaker
Callum's app. The D20 Gamer. Casey's app. Unicorn Crit. Will is at...
01:13:50
Speaker
Natural 20 Will. Danny's at. Total Party Thrills. Darren, what are you again? Darren Pay J6. Brilliant. And our majestic Marvelous DM is at. Hastily rolled DM. Till next time, guys.