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Ep. 85 A Fond Farewell - De Profundis
181 Plays3 years ago
The party confirms the plan for the last chapter in Goldview, and says goodbye to someone who holds a place in their hearts...
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
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Transcript
Introduction to 'Fellowship of the Tabletop'
00:00:00
Speaker
With us gone, you're the champion of a queen. Talia Icewind, champion of Sweet God, has quite a nice ring to it, no?
00:00:39
Speaker
Hello everyone, and welcome to this week's episode of the Fellowship of the
Meet the Players and Characters
00:00:42
Speaker
Tabletop. We are a live play via the D&D podcast set in the magical homebrewed world of Aerith. My name is Mark, hello, and I am the Dungeon Master. And also with us for today's episode, we have Danny, who plays the human... Cleric Claude. I knew you were trouble when you walked in. We've got Will, who plays the human bard Castan. I stay out too late, got nothing in my brain.
00:01:06
Speaker
It's kind of a lyric. We've got Ian who plays the Dragonborn barbarian Drago. Are we out of the woods yet? Are we out of the woods yet? Are we out of the woods yet? Are we out of the woods? Callum who plays the gnome source for a folly fizzlebang the ninth. Because the player's gonna play, play, play, play. We've got Darren who plays the human fighter rogue Robin. And he said marry me Juliet you never have to be alone. And we have Casey who plays the human champion Helen the Sleetguard.
00:01:36
Speaker
It's a love story, baby, just say this episode is brought to you by Taylor Swift. Is it listening? That was just it's now implies that we're Swifties. Yeah, we're Swifties.
Recap of Previous Episode
00:01:52
Speaker
What happened last week?
00:01:56
Speaker
you know what i don't fucking know what did happen last week we uh we returned back to the half hoof inn to have a lovely conversation with thali and our best mate that whom's whose name i've forgotten canard canard canard and also sebastian came along yeah we just had three fucking npc's there that was loads of fun to play it was loads fun to play um we had some conversation uh we know that cast and and
00:02:19
Speaker
Yeah, Claude needed to go and have a little chit-chat down the stairs in the cellar where they had some beds set up they were allowed to stay and that would keep them out of the way. What the hell was that? Was that rats? We went downstairs for secret kissy times. Oh, kissy times. I thought that was rats. I was like, were there rats? I forgot. I made a swift next album to name it. Is it rats? How dare you. She names her albums after specific times in her life.
00:02:48
Speaker
downstairs for kissy times will be one of them. You are a proper Swifty, aren't you? You're a proper Swifty. I'm a massive Swifty. I'm a fan. I'm a fan. I'm a fan. I could sing you all her songs right now. I could do the greatest hits. Do it. Swift, great. Start it. That's it. You've got to become a bard.
00:03:07
Speaker
No, no, no. And also on last week's episode, a few of us started to go into bed, we also came to the existential realization that Helena is the de facto leader of Goldview and of therefore Sleepguard, because her family members are incapacitated, Sebastian doesn't want it, and Lucian had given up his title, therefore kind of leaving her in this awkward position of kind of being the leader of an entire country without really realizing it, which was quite fun for everyone to realize.
00:03:33
Speaker
What else happened in the episode? We finally got Karstand back. He talked about the wizard chicken man for a while and talked about what he was told, how this divination wizard who has the foresight told him in very cryptic means of the future, what is to come, what might happen. And obviously the question then becomes, if I've told you that, will it still be there in the future or not? We had a bit of a consternation, a bit of an argument between Foley and Drago,
00:03:57
Speaker
as usual, and it's so conspired that Sebastian kind of dropped a bit of a bomb on folly, not physical, but a bomb of knowledge, a knowledge bomb, an emotion bomb, naming one of the individuals who had died in the fires at Evershire, which if you remember back listener, almost 50 episodes ago, that
00:04:18
Speaker
follow was responsible for that fire, starting with the two groups of gangs in New York style fighting sides before they all convalesced and started beating the crap out of each other. And we kind of left it with Robin having a good discussion with Helena upstairs, kind of saying, whatever happens, got your back, Jack.
Discussing Safety and Sleeping Arrangements
00:04:40
Speaker
I'm on your side. I'll be behind you. A nice kind of show of loyalty there between two members of the party. And that's where we kind of left things.
00:04:48
Speaker
Now, just off the bat, just really quickly, I was going to go straight to a long rest and it'd be the morning. Was there anything people wanted to do prior to that, though, to slow down this level up even more, just out of interest? There was talk about Robin and I sending a message to Robin's sister, but I'm happy to wait till morning. I have one spell slot remaining that I've been saving for that very purpose, so it's up to you, Robin.
00:05:16
Speaker
Robin has had quite an overwhelming day where he's learnt a lot. If you were to come and knock on his room and ask him, he may be receptive to that. He went to bed at the end of that, so unless you seek out Robin, that's not going to happen. Robin has had a very emotional day.
00:05:32
Speaker
OK, Denmark, I will delay this till the morning. OK, lovely. Thank you. Anyone else? Dragos, everyone's gone to bed. And I remember last episode that Thali said it was more of a risk if everyone slept upstairs as opposed to downstairs because the kriscra could still search the place. So Dragos, he is sentinel downstairs in the main room where the main door
00:05:59
Speaker
to the tavern is and he's going to rest but he'll be there slumped up against the bar with the axe of Shader in his hand and he'll be nodding off there. That's where he'll sleep. Lovely. If anything was to come in, there he is.
Folly and Sebastian Reflect on the Past
00:06:16
Speaker
On the sleeping arrangements note, Mark, I'm perhaps taking the spot in the basement, the hidden one.
00:06:22
Speaker
Yep. Cause obviously, you know, wanted man and whatnot. Absolutely. Yeah. So we've got Helen and Robin in rooms upstairs. Tally's also in the room up in her own room upstairs. Uh, Kennard left, if you remember, he ran out because you kept asking him questions about his past and the DM couldn't think of answers quick enough. So he set off the alarm spell that Folley had set at the door and just fucking pegged out the house. Yeah. Major redo it. And we have, um, we have, who do we have on the back? There's another back door.
00:06:50
Speaker
Was it another alarm spell? No, it wasn't. Sorry, it feels like it was ages ago. It really wasn't. Robin had put his familiar on the back door. Yes, nearly on the wall. She's on the rooftops outside the back alley. Yeah, with the express knowledge that if anything was untoward, was to come towards the door, that she was to inform you. Absolutely. So that kind of leaves for Helena. He has a conversation with Seb before he goes to bed.
00:07:17
Speaker
Yeah and Sebastian Nightshade is the name he goes, he went by but yeah Sebastian Sleepguard is kind of lent up in a corner, leaning back on a chair, legs up on a table, kind of a sheep pulled over his head just kind of having a little nap in the corner but he is still downstairs for the time being. That's why Folly would probably wait until Drago is also asleep before he would go over.
00:07:43
Speaker
Drago would be intently listening to your conversation, Folly, because of the shit that went down last episode and because he's being aware of what's going on. Then Folly would whisper quietly. Okay. Okay. Drago, could you give me a perception check then, please, if you do want to listen? How's a 22? Despite the fact that Folly whispers, you will be able to hear.
00:08:14
Speaker
Awesome. Bastard. But obviously, Folly, you can... I would not be aware of such a thing. Well, give me perception if you want in return, and I can tell you whether or not it's high enough for you to notice that Drag is listening. My perception is pretty shit. Actually, I don't think I can get it, because I have a zero modifier to my perception. So, at best, I'm going to roll a natural 20, which I don't think is going to happen. Do you want to give it a go? I rolled five.
00:08:41
Speaker
Okay, yeah, no. As far as you're aware, Drago's there, a slightly lolling in the corner, not lolling, he's nodding off in the corner, having a little nap. He's very, very still, so you assume he's asleep. Okay, that's fine. So Sebastian's over there, he's leaning back, you can just hear him quietly, kind of snoring, like in a light nap, and light nap stage. He's got a drink kind of resting on his chest, held in his left hand, his right hand tucked underneath his left armpit, hat down low, just kind of slowly, you know, flossing as well.
00:09:11
Speaker
Yeah, Folly would kind of wander over the back. In a very low kind of quiet way, just to see if he's awake. He doesn't, he doesn't respond. Excuse me, Sebastian? Oh, oh, you. Yeah, everything okay. May I ask you a couple of questions?
00:09:41
Speaker
As long as they're quick, I'm really tired down here. Well, depending on your answer, this may not take too long. He puts all four legs at the chairs, brings his legs down, takes his hat off, rubs his eyes for a second, and polishes off the whiskey he's got in his hands. Go on then, little one, fire away. Tell me, if you don't mind, how did you find out about the name?
00:10:13
Speaker
There was a letter going around a week or so ago about donations to the family. They were looking for money to raise some funds for a funeral, raise some funds to cover costs, rebuild the house. It was quite the sob story, you see. Word got round to the Zevishar fire. And obviously then Chris caught hold of it and then they weaponized it as they fucking intend to do.
00:10:39
Speaker
The name was quite clear, and once I heard what you lot had all been up to, I put two and two together. It doesn't take a genius. I see. Um, Tabby, were there, were there many? Many what? Many who suffered.
00:11:03
Speaker
fuck now listen you know i just meant to shut the conversation down i didn't want to upset you please please please humor me i i think i need to notice do you know how many there were he takes a second he kind of rubs his eyes for a second puts the whiskey glass on the table and rests his elbows on the table as well kind of playing with the whiskey glass in his hands while looking at it
00:11:31
Speaker
including Jessica. There were five, so four others. I don't really know the names of him being perfectly candid with you, mate. Her story, she was the youngest. It was the only daughter of a family, mother and father's house destroyed, da-da-da. It was a bit of a story, so yeah. How's he?
00:12:00
Speaker
still have the letter with said round? I realize it might not be something that would take your interest but
00:12:11
Speaker
He pats himself down for a second, his chest pocket down to his side, in his back. No, I don't think I have. It's not the kind of thing I'd hold on to, really. It's not particularly nice news to keep. I could probably procure one, though, around town. I'm sure someone's still got a copy of it somewhere. I could ask around. Damn, if you could. It's quite funny.
00:12:40
Speaker
I've always handled my magic quite freely, but putting a name to something an innocent one at that, it changes how one thinks sometimes. Now, come on, listen mate, look.
00:12:59
Speaker
Accidents happen, you know, at the best of times shit goes wrong. You can't, you know, take to you. They got to take on the shin, brother. You know, you're a powerful little, little fella from what I've heard and see the fucking chaos in your eyes. You know, these things happen. I've never been one to shy away from death, but only to those who deserve it. I, an innocent person is very much a different thing. I, I'm not quite sure.
00:13:29
Speaker
how to deal with it, I think. It's unusual. Well, just before, do you know how to get donations to them? Is there an address one could possibly send to things? I mean, I'm afraid I don't have much money, but there are things in my possession that are of great value.
00:13:57
Speaker
Yeah. I mean, like I said, I could, I could sort that again in the morning, folly, you know, like I could.
00:14:06
Speaker
given what you need, I'll take it down. I'll find the address. On the letter, it's got the address to the place they can send it to. It's a central location. It's some kind of, gosh, what was it? It's next to the statue there. It's like a blacksmith or something. There's a blacksmith's in town and they've kind of headed up the investigation. They ended up taking in, you know, they were broken into the same night, shot burned down. So they kind of headed up the taking of donations. But
00:14:35
Speaker
Yeah, I could sort that out. I could get a runner to take any items over if it's something you want to do. Well, it's quite possible. I do know the area quite well. I believe there is a small stock magic trade in that area, but I believe that they may actually know the value of this and follow is going to
00:15:04
Speaker
very kind of cautiously whip out the tier three potion that he made in the dark somehow and you're going to explain to him what kind of stock magic potion it is because I know the value of this and I think even on the stock magic trade it could well even if they don't know what they're going about it could sell for two thousand two and a half thousand gold pieces
00:15:34
Speaker
um hopefully that can make some way towards making amends although no money can come at cost of a life or five he solemnly kind of nods his head and there's a little wry kind of knowing smile that rises out of his mouth i always fucking knew there was some good in you you know at all you know scary spells and waving a stick about
00:16:04
Speaker
Bloody knew it. I'm a good judge of character, Folly. I bloody told her that. I told her. Told who? Your sister. No, my sister. Helena, you know. The one with the armour, clankety-clank, gets angry a lot. Swings and flails. Well, don't go spreading it about. I do have a bit of a reputation to maintain. To be honest, I've already forgotten your name.
00:16:30
Speaker
That's probably for the best. Yeah. I mean, I haven't, obviously, Folly. I know who you are. I remember names and faces, but, you know, I'll just forget it. It's fine. I've got a friend. I've got a mate. He owes me a pint. I'll get it sorted. We'll get a runner sent up to Evershire to the blacksmiths, and, you know, I'll see if I can find you that letter. He might have a spare copy. Someone may be on the green barrel estate might as well, actually.
Robin Investigates a Mysterious Figure
00:16:52
Speaker
Now, if you don't mind, I am ruddy tired. It's been a long fucking day and I'm just going to, and he picks up his hat and goes to kind of cover his eyes. If, if you please. No, no, of course. Thank you for your time. No worries. Sorry for giving you an existential moral crisis. And he puts the hat over his eyes and leans back on the chair again to sleep. Folly is going to take a quick glance at the door before
00:17:22
Speaker
kind of timidly going upstairs to find a room to settle him. And you're going upstairs, are you? Yeah, yeah. Night Folly. I'm going to go upstairs, even as Drago says that to Folly, he's just going to be a quick glance over. He's not really going to respond with any physical thing, but he's just going to turn to him and say, good night, Drago.
00:17:51
Speaker
and then rather sheepishly go up the stairs. Oh, folly. Oh, God, I could see your little gnome-self going up, just plod, plod, plod. Oh, God. Anyway, he did threaten to kill Helena's brother. Yeah, but still. I still feel sorry for him. Well played, well played. Yeah, that was epic. Love that. Sorry, I'm not mistaken.
00:18:17
Speaker
So the party is now gonna split over these three levels of the half hoof and some down. Oh, actually, where's Kastown at? Kastown will have gone, he'll have left Claude downstairs and will have gone to find a comfortable bed to sleep in. Thought so. I assumed you were upstairs, but I wanted to take a check. Cool, lovely. Man of fine taste. Of course. Of course. So, we... He's in his bag, wipes his pillows.
00:18:46
Speaker
keeping everyone awake. Now, the night, most of the night passes without an issue until about 4am when Robin, you are awoken by basically your trigger of Nura warning you of something outside the back door of the pub.
00:19:11
Speaker
Does she speak to you, Robin, or do you just get this sensible... It's a telepathic trigger. She would have the means of waking me up. It's a telepathic link between the two of us. So you're woken up in the dead of night by just this kind of jolting feeling of something happening from your link to Neura at the back door. Robin will immediately go to the... Does my window overlook the alleyway?
00:19:39
Speaker
from the one you picked which is the one next to the kind of tallies room yes it actually does yeah okay i will have a glance out the window before i lose my senses and go into neuro i'll try to use my own senses first i will glance out the window what do i say okay could you give me a perception check please
00:19:56
Speaker
12. Lovely, you can see a figure at the door they haven't entered in but it looks like the the outline of a of a humanoid are kind of lent up against the door or pressing against the back door from where you're currently located. Okay, aware that this is a busy city and 4am this could be anyone, early bird, looking for food. Robin is going to walk into Neura and attempt to get a closer look at this person.
00:20:26
Speaker
Okay, and as you pass over into Nura, your eyes kind of pivot round and down and you can see this figure quite clearly, have a shock of white hair, ragged clothing, and he's just banging on the door. Just kind of ramblings of what you can assume is a drunk. Does he look like a generic local drunk?
00:20:56
Speaker
No, he's got, yeah, because there's shock of white hair, kind of a grizzled patchy grey beard, kind of long deep bags under the eyes, but he's got kind of a dirty, sullied white shirt on, but it looks like a pretty nice one, brown trousers and boots, and that's it.
00:21:17
Speaker
Is there anywhere closer, like a door sign, a barrel where Neuror could sweep down just to get an even closer look at this man? Yes, so just to the right of his location, so to your left from where he is, there's a stack of barrels. Remember this back street is almost like a working street with a supply street to other shops along the area. So yeah, there's a couple of barrels in it. So a stack of crates actually really quite close by that would make you about 10, 15 feet away from this figure.
00:21:45
Speaker
Okay, Neira is going to swoop down and land on the barrels. Not doing it subtly, I'm happy for Neira to draw this bloke's attention. He doesn't notice, he just continues to stop banging now and just kind of leaning on the door and kind of pushing against it. Not really trying very hard to open it though. Okay. Robin is going to snap out of Neira.
00:22:14
Speaker
and it's going to make his way downstairs to the basement. Okay, and down there you find a Claude, I assume in his nightwear, snoring incredibly loud, echoing round this oak-caste-filled basement. I will be saying a little lullaby to myself in infernal
00:22:43
Speaker
I love the violin infernal. Yep, like the demons are whispering me a good night's sleep. Is the man still knocking on the door? You would have had to walk past it in order to get down to the basement. No, he's not knocking on it anymore, no. Oh, I assumed it's the basement door that he's knocking on, because Claude's the one asleep near the door that Nira is looking over.
00:23:08
Speaker
No, Claude's below. The basement door is next to the stairs to get down to the basement. Oh okay, but I haven't gone into the basement. I'm in the bar. I've gone to the back door. Still really nice to know. I thought last time when we went under, there's a door that overlooks an alley that goes into the cellar. That's what I thought happened last time.
00:23:35
Speaker
the kind of normal floor, there's a back door and right next to the back door are the stairs which take you down into the
Breakfast and Daily Plans
00:23:41
Speaker
basement, into the cellar. But it's okay, I really enjoyed knowing that Claude sings Lullabies and Infernals. That was really good. Yep, some book coming out sometime 2023. Robin will instead then head towards the back door. And you can just still hear this kind of against the door.
00:24:04
Speaker
Who is in the bar, Gistrago and Sebastian? Correct. I will... Clear my voice and say in a clear voice without opening the door loud enough to probably wake anyone who is sleeping downstairs. Can I help you? Uh, I just need a drink.
00:24:33
Speaker
4am in the morning, bars closed, go away. And the voice just kind of peters off away from where you can hear it. You can no longer hear the voice. I will walk back into Neurith just to check his direction of travel.
00:24:54
Speaker
He's moved up towards where Nura is and he's just having a piss basically next to some barrels and he's kind of, he's kind of swaying a little bit, holding onto the barrel. At one moment his eyes do kind of look up to look at this bird and he just kind of waves at it a little bit like, hello, finishes up and then starts kind of stuttering further down the street away, finding another doorway to lean on, push against that door a bit and then continues walking on, walking on down the street away from the half hoof in.
00:25:23
Speaker
Robin will just glance at Drago for a second, think about the fact they haven't had a chance to talk yet and will contemplate waking him. Will instead just glance at Drago and does he notice any change in Drago that would suggest that he's been gone for more than the 24 hours that they've been separated? Give me a perception check.
00:25:51
Speaker
this is better 17 you notice a couple of things there's striking similarity and you can't put your finger on why but there is now the striking similarity between something to do with drago and the same feeling you get from claud you don't know where this is founded it doesn't feel visual or auditory or in terms of a smell or anything like that any any other senses but something else seems to
00:26:18
Speaker
just remind you of Claude. They couldn't be more opposite, but something seems to remind you of him. That, and of course, the way he holds and wields Shader's axe, which up until now, he has not previously done. Aside from that, his sword is still present. He doesn't seem to have aged older or younger. There's no additional scars or damage to his body. Aside from that, you can't really discern much else.
00:26:45
Speaker
Robin is going to contemplate that whilst he has had a very emotional 24 hours that there may be something more profound that's happened with his friend. And he's going to put his feet up on the table, just slump in the chair, pour himself a couple of stiff drinks until his body intentionally relaxes and he drifts back into sleep until the morning comes.
00:27:12
Speaker
And as you fall back into a slightly alcohol-induced stupor, you find solace, you find calmness, you find a reprieve, and there's a calmness that seems to fall over the city of Goldview as the sun slowly begins to rise at daybreak. And with the new day brings a new sun and a new level for everyone in our party. Congratulations, we are all level. What level are we now? 12, 13?
00:27:40
Speaker
12? 12. 12, yeah. I mean, it'll be 13 if you want. Shut up, Will. So would the new day brings a new sun and slowly the city of Goldview starts to creak into motion as industry and commerce starts to abound and life starts to kind of bring itself back around from the quiet, definitely quiet that night brought over the city. An unknown entity to everyone who is well known or well acquainted with the city of Goldview.
00:28:10
Speaker
The ones of you that are downstairs are going to be awoken first and actually there are four of you that are going to awake all at exactly the same time and they're going to be Folly, Drago, Sebastian and Robin because the front door of the half-hoof inn is opened and the alarm is triggered.
00:28:29
Speaker
So, Folly, from your room upstairs, bang, you're aware there's a alarm going off and you are getting this bell in your head. Drago, Sebastian and Robin, bang, you've heard this door open and sunlight is now streaming in. As you see the kind of outline of a human, as they stand there, you realize it's Kennard and he kind of looks around at everyone, hey,
00:28:50
Speaker
Good morning. I brought breakfast and he's got under his arm, a big kind of basket full of eggs. And he kind of walks quite quickly and moving a couple of chairs and tables around. Close the door, close the door behind you. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I got it. I got it. And he shuts the door behind him and puts the lock back on again. Right. Morning. How'd we sleep?
00:29:11
Speaker
Yeah, I'm fine. I'm okay. Canard, you don't happen to have a local who tends to come and knock on the doors here in the early hours of the morning asking for a drink? Ah, shit. Your guess is as good as mine. I mean, I've literally been here like three days yourself, so local, no local, no idea. Probably. It's a big city. We've got some weirdos here.
00:29:36
Speaker
He was old. He smelled funny. I was able to take that much from near. Probably nothing, but he was insistent on getting in here at four in the morning. He seemed quite drunk and wasn't making much sense and left as soon as I told him the bar was shut.
00:29:50
Speaker
Right, well I'll let Sally know and you know she can keep an eye on that and just cause any problems, use one of her spells and give them a swift fireball so that'll scare the shit out of them I'm sure. Like I found some eggs, do you want some breakfast? Yeah, food is good.
00:30:07
Speaker
Fuck yeah, I'll leave you guys to wake up the others. I am buzzing, right? No idea how much of a good deal I got on these eggs. Fucking, you don't get this kind of stuff outside of the major cities, I'll tell you that. Now the eggs in black mouth are fucking tiny, quail-sized. These bastards, look at them. They hold them up. They're goose eggs. Fucking brilliant. And off he goes, mattering to himself about how big the eggs are, off into the kitchen area to start wrestling up some scrambled eggs with some rye bread or something like that.
00:30:37
Speaker
Sounds awesome! Damn!
00:30:42
Speaker
So he's off doing that and you can hear tinkering away and he's kind of hollering off in a little song as he goes, as the rest of you are kind of there.
Stories and Background Sharing
00:30:51
Speaker
The remaining people, Tali's going to be asleep, teenager, she's asleep for the next like seven hours probably. We've also got Helena, Robin and Karsten that are upstairs. I'm downstairs. Oh, sorry, you're downstairs. Of course, you're Daniel, Daniel, Daniel. I think she just said something.
00:31:27
Speaker
Robin, we'll just look at Drago and we'll say Drago.
00:31:38
Speaker
Morning, sorry. I'm still coming to the world. Morning. Morning. You well? Yeah, it's been a while since I slept. Yeah, yeah, I'm good. I'm good. I'm looking forward to Kennard's breakfast. Never thought I'd be saying that. You, you said something about a drunk
00:32:03
Speaker
Yes, trying to get in at 4am. You must have been exhausted. I'm surprised he didn't wake you. He cleared off as soon as I told him the bar was shut. Okay, cool. Sounds par for the course here. Sebastian, are you awake? Yeah, yeah, fine. Just, uh, just, uh, yeah. Breakfast is Defo a good thing, I think, right now. Good morning, Sebastian. Yeah, good. Yeah, if it is, indeed.
00:32:31
Speaker
It certainly is. Before the others materialise, something you said yesterday that has struck my curiosity. Is a man with my face, or I have the face of another man, something along those lines, were you drunk or is there some kind of truth in your musings?
00:32:51
Speaker
Oh, fuck. Yeah, no, you do. You look the spit of him. Uh, Hellstern. What is this? You know, it's, it's, you know, this chap very well known travels the land. Hellstern. We see him around these parts sometimes responsible for some high profile assassinations. And you look fucking spit of him. That's why I thought, you know, uh-oh, Seb's gone and pissed himself because here comes Hellstern. Hellstern.
00:33:22
Speaker
Well, that's the name, you know, I don't think it's his mother, you know, birthed him and said, Oh, look at him cute. Now, I assume that wasn't his real name. Yeah, I mean, I'd hope so. Otherwise, you know, no wonder his mother hated him, you know. Tell me, what does this man do? Well, he kills people for a living. I'm rather fucking good at it.
00:33:41
Speaker
And you say he's got Robin's face. I mean, they just look the absolute spit, brothers. I don't know, identical twins. You just, everything looks exactly the same.
00:33:54
Speaker
Does he travel alone? Does he run with a group? An order? No one really sees him long enough to ask. I saw him in a pub a while back and, you know, he popped through. It was an incredible sight when he walked in. Everyone went and fell silent. Normally you wouldn't when a human walks in, you know, as fucking run of the mill in a pub, normal, but the chap was covered in blood head to toe, walked up to the bar, took a drink, turned around, nodded to a barkeep and left.
00:34:21
Speaker
Fucking crazy stuff. So I got a good look at the chap. A curious thing, but murder tends to be illegal. I'm not familiar with the customs in these lands, but I assume it's against the law to kill people. Yeah, yeah, absolutely. Bad move, bad move, bad move. Except when the local populace helped cover it up.
00:34:44
Speaker
And especially when it's a member of the Obcrisco. So... People didn't seem to give a shit. Well, most people did. Right. Hellstan was a member of the Obcrisco. No, no. The person he killed was. Person he killed. Person he killed Drag... Drag... Drag... Oh, yep. And are the Obcrisco aware of this man's presence?
00:35:01
Speaker
Oh yeah, they'd like him dead, or found, or killed, or, you know, dismembered, put in spell hold, you know, take your pick. Hold on. Is this... is this person, this Elstan, is he, like, an ally, or an enemy? From what I've heard, I don't think he's either.
00:35:22
Speaker
I think right now he's a complication, especially if the odd crisper are hunting for his face, i.e. they know what he looks like. I'd hate for a case of mistaken identity. Yeah, that's, well, I wasn't thinking about my own safety. I was thinking about, yeah, your safety. That's totally where I was at, 100%. Sure, of course. During this, Helena, you would have also come down and just caught the end of this kind of conversation taking place. And the smell of eggs now is filling the half-heath in.
00:35:52
Speaker
On coming downstairs or on arriving into the room, she would just walk past Robin and just say quite lightly under her breath. Morning, Dustin. Good morning. And then she's going to go up to Kennard. Smells great.
00:36:15
Speaker
That I get a sing at that. Oh, thank you Your height lady Accident getting the wrong voice. Thank you very much. I just need a bit more oil and milk and the eggs and Slow stirring it's doing it like the French do not excuse me kendron Claude yeah, have these eggs been blessed? Hmm have you blessed the eggs?
00:36:40
Speaker
I don't know what you're talking about. I got bought the eggs. Take them off. Take them off. You gotta go blessing before you feed them to royalty. Stop touching my trousers. What are you doing? It is tradition. I'm just going to ask a message to, um, to Canard and just say for the love of God, man, say you bless the eggs. Just say you bless it. Counterspell. It is tradition.
00:37:07
Speaker
It is tradition... Actually, I've just called down the spot. I don't think I have counter-smell at all. No, I don't think you do. I'm going to say that's a heck of a waste of a spell slot on a cantrip. Never mind. Carry on. Is it worth it? He heard the message, but what do you mean, bled egg? It is tradition when you serve breakfast to royalty that you bless the eggs in the ancient sleep guardian way.
00:37:33
Speaker
I'm from sleep god i've lived in my whole fucking life what do you mean bless the eggs you need to take the eggs to the closest well offer your clothes into the well say a prayer to tiryani and she will bless the eggs you cannot serve breakfast to a member of the royal family without blessing it first i didn't think i've ever had blessed eggs before claud i'm going to give you a look as so say please yes you have
00:38:02
Speaker
every single morning, but the thing is, the breakfast was always presented to you in the grand dining room when you awoke. The cooks were actually out blessing hours before.
00:38:12
Speaker
Claude, listen, we humor you on a lot of things, but this, I'm sorry, I just like some eggs. All I'm saying is that when we were in Clay Peak, everyone but Elphir had blessed eggs and, you know, look what happened. Thank you, Kennard. And Helena's just going to reach over and just scoop some out with a nearby cutlery...
00:38:33
Speaker
thing he's going to uh thwack your hand as it approaches with a wooden spoon on it hey eggs are finished here princess or none you're not gonna have all undercooked eggs mrs go sit yourself down i'll bring them out right fine fine cannot i think you just committed treason yeah i know i think i regret that actually
00:38:52
Speaker
Nothing happened, folks. Nothing happened. Very good. Blessings. Very good. Blessings. Yeah, just to placate everything. So what do I get in the nearest well, take my clothes off, all of them, or just like my top, or what are we all about here? Sorry. Can I interject?
00:39:08
Speaker
I'm really sorry, I must interject. Everyone's coming in the kitchen. Oh my god. We're trying not to withdraw attention to ourselves. You stepping out and offering your clothes into a well might succeed in drawing attention. Excuse me, Robin, but when the town crier hears that someone ate some eggs without blessing them in sleep guard, that will draw more attention, I assure you.
00:39:31
Speaker
I had no words. Drago, please lean in with some common sense here. We can't have Kanard going out into the street and blessing eggs naked.
00:39:40
Speaker
Sorry, what's going on? You're going to get naked, Kennard, and bless them eggs. Fuck, everyone's in my kitchen. There's such a small kitchen here. I didn't think I was in your kitchen, and I've walked in here. Well, I am in the kitchen trying to make some, and I'm gonna burn them. Kennard, is your breakfast ready yet? No, because I keep, I haven't done all the eggs yet, because I can fucking, it's getting told to bless them. Right, okay, I think we can trust that you're gonna bless them and do what you need to do, and everyone, too many cooks in the kitchen, let's reconvene in the center of the tavern.
00:40:08
Speaker
and Druaga's going to walk out of the kitchen. As Robin's going, he's just going to say to Canard, you can recant on your deathbed, I'm just saying, and then leave. So, whilst everyone's been in the kitchen, Carson's come down, heard a kerfuffle, and just sat down in the seat in the middle of the bath, just waiting. Sebastian's also there, he's just grinning at you, by the way.
Cultural Exchange Over Breakfast
00:40:30
Speaker
Yeah, and Helena walked off away from Kennard as well after he scolded her. So she's just walked back into the room of where everyone else is waiting for their breakfast. Oh, Carson is going to be like, so what's it like being a prince?
00:40:47
Speaker
Fuck me, that's a big question. Great, scary, lovely, hate it all, love it all, blah, blah, blah, buy me a drink. Sure. Any cool stories for me to add to the story I'm writing, you know, about Helen, a bit of background to beef out the story of the Queen? Yep, yep. No, Seb, you're not telling him any stories of any of our childhood. It's not happening.
00:41:12
Speaker
Come the fuck on, there's some quite cute ones there. You jumping in the river, almost drowning, that was fun. Yeah, that wasn't fun, that wasn't fun. No, Lucian pushed me just accidentally, but, you know, I slipped, I suppose, but it was Lucian's fault, not mine. He said, have a laugh, fluff, laugh, splash, splash, and then push me in the water. It was hilarious. This is going to be an excellent part of my story. That's not how I remember it. And you just stood laughing at me from the bank.
00:41:38
Speaker
Yeah I was on the other side and I couldn't swim. I'm the youngest, I couldn't swim then. Yes well I was only training to swim at that point anyway. So I've decided, new book idea, it's going to be Queen Helena from her rise to fame, the swift rising star working title, that's it. So I'll write our adventure and also write about Queen Helena's rise to
00:42:01
Speaker
Queen Hood and To Save Her. Oh, it's gonna be a great book. It's amazing. It sounds like a very long title. I said it was a working title. It takes some time, but obviously. So anyway, Seb, so there was the time when she nearly drowned. Okay, this will be a good character boarding thing. I can work that into her background. That's fine. Anymore?
00:42:19
Speaker
Yep, yep, so a few years after that, get this right, she has her first encounter with wine. Oh, right. Did you hear about the blessing the eggs conundrum that they're going on about in there? I heard something about blessing the eggs. But it's actually quite similar. Okay.
00:42:34
Speaker
It involves a lot of wine on Helena's part. Well, she wasn't blessing in eggs, let's just say that much. I don't understand. What is this blessing of the eggs? We don't do this in the sanguine land. No, no, no. And you also don't need to go into it, Seb. I've just said you shouldn't be telling my new sort of friends about old history.
00:42:54
Speaker
Yeah, good point. Okay, listen, but, you know, maybe we'll talk another time when the princess isn't around, you know, I'll tell you some. This sounds good. Yeah, yeah. So tell me some stories. It's fine. And, you know, we can, I'll think you can have a nice little chapter in there as well. It'd be fine. We'll make you sound like you can go.
00:43:11
Speaker
Yeah, yeah, absolutely. I'll check it first before you publish it, because you've got to make sure you say the right things about me, and it gives you a little wink. Oh, right. I'm going to grab myself a drink, and probably while there's fun, the rest of you are coming back into the middle area. The last person to leave Robin, as you leave the kitchen, and the door shuts behind, a couple seconds later, you do hear the door creak open, and you see Canal sheepishly with one egg,
00:43:38
Speaker
uh having a look around as he starts removing his shirt as he moves towards the back door and and and heads heads out of the of the tavern lord canard you hear the door to the back door open again he stands there shirtless with an egg yeah i thought you were a smart man what are you doing he processes what you just said you see the the cogs in his head turning
00:44:04
Speaker
He puts his shirt down, gets down on his hands and knees and goes, uh, uh, bless this egg. And then stands up, puts a shirt back on and goes, well, I kind of done it. So, uh, covered all bases. And then he scuttles back into the kitchen to, uh, to finish off the, I won't tell if you don't. And then I'll just go back through.
00:44:23
Speaker
okay and eventually we've kind of got everyone in one place in the front of this room a number of tables kind of dotted around people are kind of scattered over the place but again it's still empty a couple of sconces have been lit by canard on his way back in there's some light there's some nice warm sunlight coming in from the windows at the front of the half hoof in
Talia's Emotional Decision
00:44:41
Speaker
The space feels a bit barren as a pub normally does during the day when there's no one in it before opening hours, but it feels nice and quiet and warm and there's a warm, convivial energy in the air given the morning's mischievous acts that have taken place already so far. Is Tali not around? No, she's probably still asleep.
00:45:06
Speaker
She did have a late one last night, I suppose. I am not not going to wake her. I've taken on many fierce beasts in this world. I am not ready for that. No, I mean, it must be a big responsibility taking on a new venture, you know, like this, this establishment.
00:45:26
Speaker
Yeah, it makes me think if she's gonna stay here when we move on. I don't know. Or if she's gonna come with us still. I mean, she certainly made an enterprising start into the world of business for someone so young. It sort of landed in her lap, really. Literally, yeah. Sort of like how it's landed for me, I suppose.
00:45:48
Speaker
Yeah. How are you dealing with that before we get on to the day? I don't know really. I didn't have much time to think about it last night. I was so tired after the
00:46:01
Speaker
The drink I sort of passed out. I guess there's probably not much you can do right now. I think, as we've just sort of established with Tali, is that these things will fall to us and we have to accept responsibility. So the next step, as Joago kind of sits up and looks towards everyone. We got a heading. We know where we're going. Yeah, we need to go get the book.
00:46:30
Speaker
I seem to remember we're going to the book and we're going to some shop. Yeah, the Red Bear store, yes, yes. OK, and that's where the book is? I think so. Isn't it? I think you mentioned it might be where someone thinks the book could be if it was going to be somewhere where it is, but it might not be. Right, so information that will lead us towards where the book actually is. OK, and where is this store?
00:47:01
Speaker
It's on the way out to the city, isn't it, Claude? Yeah, I can take you there. Or do we come to a decision about whether or not I should remain in the basement? What? Why? On the account of, you know, it's sort of me, that's the problem here. Well, I think after yesterday, it's probably all of us that are now the problem. Yeah, fuck it, then I'll go.
00:47:31
Speaker
Look, I think what's happening here is we're getting ready. Helena, we're your blessing, of course, to leave the city and carry on with our main goal, which is to defeat the Blight, unless I've missed something of the last few days or hour. That's still the main objective. I mean, it's a shame we don't have the time or the funds to
00:47:58
Speaker
better equip ourselves to take on the blights. But yeah, it's fine. Well, I mean, that's what we're doing, aren't we? We're going to better equip ourselves to take on the blights. That's why we'll be looking for this book. Yeah, I mean, it's only a book. I mean, like, you know, just make ourselves a bit stronger, a bit more better equipped. I mean, maybe there'll be other places along the way, but I'm right in thinking that we are limited here, right?
00:48:25
Speaker
Well, if we have any bad choices, yes, if you all think we can't stay in the city too long, then yeah, probably. I don't think I think we were told, weren't we, by Italian? We were. What better equipment do you think you need? Well, I don't know. I mean, in these fights we've been in, I don't know. We do we need better, better arms, better, better armor. I mean, you don't, Claude, obviously you you clank like like anything. But I'm just saying, do we is it something we need? I don't know. Are our fights going to get harder?
00:48:55
Speaker
This city is fully in the control of the Ebbcrisp area. I don't think we're going to find too many merchants or blacksmiths who are going to be willing to help us. Agreed, and that might even tell people where our whereabouts are, which I don't know. So gather our supplies here.
00:49:17
Speaker
and then make our way to the Threadbear place. Threadbear's discount store, yes. Okay, so Threadbear, and then we leave Goldview onwards. Folly? Yeah, yes. Did you ever get to have a look at that staff I handed you? Yeah, but I've not had the time, I'm afraid.
00:49:41
Speaker
I just didn't know if it would be useful for anyone. Many of you, you look like the staff wielding type. No, I suppose I am. I only need a good hour, really. Actually, no I don't.
00:49:55
Speaker
I'm just checking my spells. I'm like, do I need an hour? No, it's not an hour. I only need a good 11 minutes to be precise. Sounds very precise. Are you sure that sounds a bit vague to me? What books have you been reading for 11 minutes and where can I get that from? 11 minutes should be sufficient time. I'm afraid since we
00:50:25
Speaker
got the staff things have just been a little bit busy. It'll be good to know. I mean, a lot of a lot of a Kriska equipment tends to be quite magical. So it might be something that helps you. I don't know if you can use it to cast more spells. I don't know. Who knows? Might be useful for you. Where are we leaving for Freddy Bears? I think we can give you 11 minutes, Folly. Don't worry, you take your time. I mean, I don't know about anybody else, but I could with some more eggs.
00:50:50
Speaker
Yes, Kennard, where are you? We are very hungry. Yeah, I keep your pants on and he kind of kicks the door and he comes out with like plates upon plates of eggs and dry bread and some little, what look like kind of blood orange, bits of blood orange on the side that have been torn up into quarters and placed on the side of them. As he lays them out, he's got a pocket full of cutlery tissue that he's dumped on the table. And he looks at Claude, thumbs up.
00:51:17
Speaker
These eggs have been fucking blessed. Instantly, I'm going to cast Thaumaturgy on the plate of eggs that will appear in front of Helena, and emit like a little holy sound that just goes... As they're placed down, and I'll just give Kennard a big nod of approval. Kennard's going to look literally amazed at this point, like, what the fuck just happened? Yeah. Do you have any condiments? Have I got any what?
00:51:48
Speaker
condiments you know things sources to go alongside breakfast oh i was about to say the other thing we don't have them because this is a fantasy world uh let me just uh let me just go well we have them in the sanguine land so uh you need to start yourself
00:52:01
Speaker
Yeah, fancy population control. Anyway, yeah, I think we've got some, we've got some, we've got some sources or something. Let me just go have a quick look. It comes out and brings out, God, I don't know what sources would they have. It brings out an array of, array of sources for your perusal and enjoyment. I will repeat the same process as well, make these have a holy sound when they appear. Fucking hell, what the hell? Any pepper?
00:52:27
Speaker
Jesus Christ, you don't ask for a lot, do you? Fucking hell, yeah. He goes back and gets a pepper, and there you go, puts it down. All right, no need to get it to you. Here I go, he's going to get up, walk upstairs, and just call Tali. No ifs and buts or anything, just from the hallway. He's not going to knock on the door or anything like that. It's just, Tali, breakfast is ready. And I'll be down in a minute.
00:52:51
Speaker
Wow, she's matured. I feel like that was our I am Groot section for the second Guardians of the Galaxy. No, I was trying to throw my voice like it was far away but it came about. All of a sudden Charlie's gonna come down a middle-aged woman and a whole new plot like starts. I've lived a lifetime. Get out of my pub! I'll try that again. Yeah, I'll be down in a minute.
00:53:21
Speaker
There you go, that was great.
Helena's Leadership Role
00:53:24
Speaker
Yeah, that's true. I'll be down in a minute. All of a sudden, since taking over the pervert, Harley has smoked 40 cigarettes a day. Brilliant. Robin will just say to Helena, Helena, you will recall I said to you last night that I think you only face bad choices and that you're going to have to make a bad choice.
00:53:52
Speaker
You face a situation where this city is yours by birthright under the current circumstances, but we have to leave. If there's anything you would wish to do, there's only one you trust to tell what you plan to do and to inform that you will return when you can.
00:54:13
Speaker
you have until nightfall to do it. Nightfall? Really? I thought we were going to leave like this morning now surely. Nightfall is too long. Well if I'm honest I think that I should just do what we've planned to do. I think the most nearest and dearest are either cast away and who knows where and the other
00:54:38
Speaker
are here. We could go and see Cassandra. She was talking to people that were running the underground. We could let them know that their queen is out there helping fight the Blight and where she will return and reclaim her city. Cassandra will help spread the word at the lodge.
00:54:55
Speaker
But I don't, I'd rather not. I just, what if we fail? We won't fail. I wouldn't like to bring hope to these people's lives and then for them to be crushed when it doesn't work out. Sometimes hope is all people have. Rebellions are built on hope. Don't. I knew you were going there. That's terrible Will.
00:55:23
Speaker
Hannah, these are your people. It's your call. It doesn't matter what anyone else here thinks. She's not really got any words. She's really full of contemplation and she's thinking about the right thing. She's got lots of decisions that she feels that she's having to make and she doesn't know the right thing to do by her people. But she knows she's got to think quick. I'll go and see Cassandra.
00:55:51
Speaker
Okay, do you want anyone to go with you? Are you happy to go on your own? I can go alone and she's going to look at Seb at that point, sort of in hope that he gives her the nod that she can do this. He kind of puts his shoulders up like, I don't mind, do what you like.
00:56:12
Speaker
Oh, you've got such a good brother. Oh, fuck. No, sorry. Shit. Was that me come with you? I'm really bad at reading signals. Your face is so boring. I don't know what you're saying. Sorry. I'll just involve myself. Hello. Fuck. Sorry. I feel like I misread that. I was hoping that maybe you'd...
00:56:28
Speaker
Well, I don't know. I thought perhaps you'd give me that push to go alone. And I think that's probably what I need. If I am to be the queen of this land, then I need to make these choices alone and I don't need anybody else to hold my hand.
00:56:44
Speaker
Right. Yeah. Fuck. Yeah. Yeah. I'm not coming with you darling. No, that's all you that's all you I'll I've got my own shit to go deal with so if you don't mind dilly-dally morning What what and he's just gonna turn up and he's gonna head outside the door He's gonna give you a quick a quick smile on a wink Helen that just as he just as he turns His back to the door to push the door open with his back He gives you a wink and a junior smile before heading out into the sunlight classic Sebastian
00:57:09
Speaker
He's a delight, you should be so proud. Helena, I think maybe, look, you've got this, you have your own power and it's far greater than you probably realise, but maybe some time alone while you seek out this. Cassandra, I think you said. Yes, I mean, I saw her, you know, only a day or two ago and she didn't recognise me. What makes you think she's going to believe that I'm her? I'm the princess?
00:57:39
Speaker
care. I mean, we introduce ourselves as people who knew the Royal Family and, you know, how do you know Cassandra a little bit? I'm pretty sure she should believe as if we, I mean, either you can say you are the Queen or we can pass on a message if we're talking for the Queen. A castan, I mean, if you don't have anything else that you'd like to do with your day. It would be my honour to act as your herald, your Majesty. Thank you.
00:58:08
Speaker
And she sort of feels a little bit like she's let herself down by not being able to manage it alone, but she really appreciates the support. The team's all coming together. It's all right. This is adding more verses to her song. Carson sat there scribbling. There's no stakes about her becoming queen. It's great. OK, just so my brain gets this. Our plan.
00:58:35
Speaker
Helena and Castan, you're going to go and find Cassandra. You're going to spread some truths that the Queen Helena is here and back and will fight, I assume, for the city. Yes. And then while you guys do that, we'll stay here and await your return. Afterwards, we're going to the threadbare and we're going to find this holy book to then go on and defeat the Blight.
00:59:06
Speaker
I think that's it. Do we need to wait for your return? Can we not go to threadbare without you? We could swing by, I know the route, so we could either leave the city by the gate near the lodge and then meet you around or we can make our way through the city streets and meet you at threadbare if that's quicker for you. I think we could do that. I don't know. We've been so split over the last
00:59:33
Speaker
Well, I don't even know how many days or weeks. Well, surely it won't take us long.
00:59:37
Speaker
Exactly. I am not planning on it taking you guys that long to go out and then you guys come back here. I just think I think what because the lodges is towards the edge of the city and threadbare towards the city. I don't know whether if we go from here which near the middle of the city to the edge and then back in whether we run the risk of running past too many checkpoints. Now I know that the guy in the prison area said that we'd have until this evening, but that doesn't stop.
01:00:06
Speaker
I suppose the, the, the, the, Chris were from spotting us and, and, and still, you know, acting just because they weren't acting. You know, this land better than me. How long do you think it's going to take you to go to that destination, talk to this person and come back here realistically? That depends on the morning traffic, I guess. Well, Carson, it only took us about an hour before. Yeah, this is true about now. Right. We'll wait here for you.
01:00:37
Speaker
Okay. Okay. Just to give you some context there, the lodge is to the west of the city near the city gates, about four buildings deep in away from the west side of the city gates. To get to the shop you're looking for, you have to go out to the kind of northwest entrance. So it's quite different. So it's almost like 11 o'clock on a clock and then also 8 o'clock on a clock.
01:01:06
Speaker
So there's a bit of a difference there, departing where you need to go. I mean, what I was suggesting was we go out and then we go out the walls and we go along the outside, but I think Drago wants us to come back. So that's fine.
01:01:18
Speaker
Yeah, and Mark, by what you were saying there, so Drago's thinking the shop is one way north or something like that, and then where they're going is the other way, the opposite way. So it's like the taverns, the halfway point anyway. Is that right? No, it's more like imagine a face of a clock like normal.
Claude's Shrine Proposal
01:01:38
Speaker
And the very center of the clock, the analog clock, the very center of the clock is where you're pretty much at. You have to go striation your way north at about 11 o'clock to get to the shop outside the city gates. And then you have to go about seven or eight o'clock to get to the
01:01:57
Speaker
And the lodge. Yeah. So it's, it's, it's not really in the middle either. It's not between the two. It's, it's actually equity. It's like a triangle, isn't it? Yeah. Like a triangle. To which end, Robin would just say the Chris Greer setting up these mind reading checkpoints and as a group, we're not inconspicuous. We, we stand out. I, I, I think going in two paths and then leaving the city and meeting outside of the city is the best course of action. I agree.
01:02:24
Speaker
I defer to you guys just whatever is the quickest to get us out of here by completing all the goals. Yes, I think Carson and I can go to the lodge. The Queen and I can go to the lodge, leave the city and follow the outside of the walls or we can come back if you want to. It's clearly up to you. Honestly, I genuinely just want this to be quick and I didn't think that splitting the party again would be conducive to getting this done quicker.
01:02:53
Speaker
and you hear from behind you a yawn. I've got enough of you got a message. You could just speak to each other across the city. Where are those eggs? Carly wanders off looking for some eggs. Carly, are you coming with us or are you staying here in your tavern? I'm staying here for a bit if it's all right. I'm not being funny, but going off and fighting the blight sounds fantastic, but who's going to run this place? I feel like
01:03:18
Speaker
Ken Harble just, you know, collapsed into a pile of tears if you know what I mean. Hey, look, I'm right here, you know, you could at least wait till I leave. No, I'll say it to your face. It's been great, but I think that it sounds like a war zone and that's no place for someone like me.
01:03:39
Speaker
If it's all right with you all, I think I'd much rather prefer just to keep keep myself here. They don't know they're looking for me. There's not a description of me out there. I think I'll be safe and Canard's not going anywhere. Are you Canard? No, I guess I'm not then. So I've got him here just in case, you know, anything kicks off. And hey, I think I'm all right. I've picked up one or two things from my dad's spellbook anyway. I don't know what to say, Talia.
01:04:06
Speaker
Well, I don't want to die, Robin. No, no, no, I know. It's just, it's been a long time and I'm going to miss you. Why? Oh no, don't get me wrong. I'm not, you know, passing this off is an easy thing. I don't do well with this kind of stuff. I'm going to miss all you guys. And I wish you'd stay a bit longer, but I understand why you got to go. But hey, I'm still going to be here when you come back and you are going to come back, aren't you?
01:04:36
Speaker
Of course. Hi. I have a suggestion. Okay. Um, Charlie, I guess since you're in charge, I've got to ask you now. Yes, you do, Claude. Um, how would you feel if I told you that no matter where we were in Eric, we could be back here in a moment's notice? That would be fantastic. And it would make me feel a lot better, but I don't envisage this being a realistic proposition, Claude.
01:05:06
Speaker
I know it's entirely very simple to do. You just have to allow me to designate a shrine to a keeper in your basement. I'm sorry, what? Won't that get into a lot of trouble if it's ever found? No, because I can disguise it because you know, the good thing about this is no one's ever seen a shrine to a keeper before.
01:05:30
Speaker
That's a good point. Hi, why not? Listen, I'll move on. Actually, you can move it. You're a big boy. I move one of the old casks in the corner. You can do it behind there on the wall and then I can always push it back into the corner if anything is questioned about it. This will be, well, to the best of my knowledge, the first temple
01:05:51
Speaker
of the eternal ones. Whoa, whoa, hang on a minute. You said a small shrine, now it's a fucking temple. Well, the thing is, there's no shrines anywhere to the best of my knowledge. So the fact that there's going to be one means that probably this is the temple as well. Might even be the cathedral. I don't know how it works. This was the high holy place of Akiva is what it would become.
01:06:12
Speaker
Yeah, I started sweating. And when we defeat the Blight, everyone will want to come here, Tali, because they'll want to come to the holy site where they began. Oh, they will be pilgrimage. Think of the money you could make. Right, well, yeah, I know, but it's a lot of pressure on a girl to use. Well, I'm happy to remove the shrine after we have defeated the Blight to return to you. Then it'll become the ex-location of the Akiva shrine and I'll get loads of people visiting it. Yeah, it's true.
01:06:42
Speaker
the
01:07:12
Speaker
in the pub. I think that's a wonderful idea and then we don't have to worry about saying bye-bye because at any second we can just return within a second. Okay but you know give me a better notice just just you know so I can prepare like get some rooms. Yeah I mean I'll send word ahead you can contact us while we're out on the road you know it can make it happen.
01:07:33
Speaker
Okay, this feels good, this feels like you're not really going and you'll be safe. And I will just put my hand out and I'll say thanks in infernal to her.
Farewells and Emotional Bonds
01:07:44
Speaker
Fuck me, that's terrifying. And I'll say sorry in infernal. That honestly sounded like you just swore at her, Claude. Bless you, did you just sneeze?
01:07:55
Speaker
No, I was trying to speak the language of the eternal plane. Never mind, never mind. You probably did, but I just don't understand it, you see. Ah, OK. Well, well, I will go take myself off and do that then. But before I go, I'm going to just go up to Carstan and I'm going to give you my executioner's axe. Oh, Jesus, this is heavy.
01:08:24
Speaker
You said you wanted some new equipment. I don't really use this anymore. I don't think I have the hands to carry this. Well, then what are you bellyaching about? This is a big weapon. You don't want it. You don't need anything. Look at me. Look at me, Claude. Do I look like the kind of person that could swing a big axe like this?
01:08:46
Speaker
Yeah, because the strength comes from within. Look, well, I appreciate the metaphor, but my strength comes from places that are not in my muscles. Okay, I'm going to cast Enhance Ability. How are you feeling now? Which ability have you enhanced? Strength. What's it increased by? Two. Okay, that takes me to a plus one modifier.
01:09:13
Speaker
Wow. I now have a buff bar. Significantly better. I now have a strength of 12. Bull's strength, this is called. The target has advantage on strength checks and your carrying capacity doubled. Wow. How long does this last? One hour. Brilliant. Wow. Wow. This is amazing. Give me the axe. There you go.
01:09:42
Speaker
Thanks. I have removed over 500 heads with that thing. Wow. I wonder if this has like got any latent magical abilities. Or perhaps the souls of the people executed have been trapped within it. This will make a great part of a story. Oh, this is amazing. Don't worry. By the end of it, everyone will think it has. Okay. Well, I'm just happy that there's a smile on your face.
01:10:09
Speaker
And I'm happy we got empty eggs of plates here. I hope you all liked your breakfast. It was delicious, Uncle Chef. Very well blessed. He's very well blessed. Blessed with the whole bear. Yeah, whatever. He walks off. Mark, just FYI, I am declaring the half of inner sanctuary so that I may cast a word of recall, which means me and five other creatures can teleport from anywhere back to our desired designated sanctuary.
01:10:40
Speaker
Within an instant. The half hoof in becomes the half hoof shrine to Akiva. Or the Akiva... No, I haven't got another one. I'll think of a better one. Nice, that's awesome. So if at any point we need to get back to Thali or our base, we can do it as long as I can breathe. Oh, wow. That's a big ask. Even then the breathing part is up in the air.
01:11:05
Speaker
Questionable way up in the air. I get it. Nice. Okay, cool. So just just from a DM's perspective. So I know what the F's going on. What the F's going on. I can tell it's been time with a young child. So we've got Castan and Helena heading over to the lodge to speak to Cassandra was the general consensus that the rest of you were heading over to the thread bears discount store. Yes. If that was the quickest way to get shit done. Yes, it would be. Yeah.
01:11:34
Speaker
Well, everybody was actually having that conversation, though. You would have seen Folly just kind of in the corner being very Doctor Strange-esque, so he just kind of sat cross-legged with his rod levitating in front of him. What? As he's trying to identify the spells that are on this rod that Carstan gave him.
01:11:52
Speaker
A rod? A rod. I knew you to, yep. As soon as he said, he's just sat in the corner with his rod. I was like, oh no. Would you prefer a staff? Was it a staff? It was a staff. Okay, that makes more sense. I was like, I haven't given out no rods. Fine, staff. Go to staff or staff. The thing you took from the apocalypse. What you have discovered
01:12:16
Speaker
Well, what you have discovered of this stuff, you learn a few little interesting things. You first learned that all the staffs at the of Kriska have and you've looked at a couple now over the over your time in the corpses of which you've seen many of and they all look slightly different. They share a number of common traits. There's a long arcing.
01:12:35
Speaker
a pointed top to it with a blue orb of light within it. But the gnarled focus of the staff is always different. And what you start to discover as you look at this stuff is that a incantation has been placed upon it to give it a certain characteristic. Given your understanding, that means that these staffs could be mass produced, but different attributes are placed upon them. But what you notice about this one is it seems to have a withering quality to it. And what you have in you, well,
01:13:04
Speaker
It's a staff of withering and what it has is on a hit it deals the damage if you were to hit someone that physically hits it it does the damage of a normal quarter staff and you can expend one of your three charges which you have to roll to regain daily at dawn an extra 2d10 necrotic damage to the target. I can whack things now.
01:13:29
Speaker
So you thwack it and you can choose to spend a charge. You have three charges per day for that.
01:13:36
Speaker
Yeah, so the staff you kind of have down at your side are folly, as you've now kind of understand the very qualities of this withering staff you have upon you, procured from a member of the abciscara, as the group kind of stand up and cannot clear the last few plates away, taking them, and he looks back at you as you stand and starts tucking a few of the chairs under. Talia comes out and looks over at you and just says, you'll be back, won't you, before you leave? Just to say goodbye, at least.
01:14:06
Speaker
Don't worry, Tali. It's not really goodbye. It's just, see you later. Tali, I don't think we'll be coming back after we got our stuff. Right. Okay. Well, in that case, um...
01:14:22
Speaker
And she goes to each one of you in turn, and well, he goes up to, no, Seb's not there, goes up to Karstam first and kind of gives him like a little quick hug around the kind of waist and pat on the back kind of a, yeah, see you later, good luck with everything. She goes up to Helena and doesn't really know what to do. He starts to kind of bow a little bit, puts a hand up for a handshake, a high five, and then just goes in for a kind of a little polite kind of bow and says, your high five.
01:14:51
Speaker
Helena will bring her in just to give her a bit of a cuddle. Oh, thank you. All the best. And say hi to your brother. I've heard a lot about him. I will. Thank you, Charlie, for everything. Thank you. It's nice to have another woman around, you know, for all these... It's going to be strange without you.
01:15:15
Speaker
If Claude's done what he said, then, you know, I won't be too far away. And she turns around to Folly and kind of squats down to your level and kind of puts an arm around you and says quietly in your ear, don't fucking blow any of them up this time, please. Folly's just going to kind of pat her on the hand and just whispers to her as well. I'll try not to.
01:15:43
Speaker
But keep up your studies, yeah?
01:15:46
Speaker
And she smiles back and nods the head, I will, I will. She turns around to Claude and just kind of doesn't say anything, just goes in and just a big kind of grabs you around the waist and just gives you a bit of a hug and a move. Oh, I'm going to feign like she's too strong. And she's going to laugh at that and kind of just push you, pang in your arm a little bit as she steps away and just says, you keep an eye on them all for me, will you? Yeah.
01:16:17
Speaker
You go make a really good pub happen. Nick, I already am. She smiles and she turns to the final, I have a final two, am I right thinking? Yeah, final two. The final two of the group, the original two that have traveled through into a different world with them. She first goes up to Drago and stands there for a while and she's going to put out a hand to shake his hand, not looking at you, not making eye contact, just hand out.
01:16:49
Speaker
Drago will extend his hand out and take hers, kneel on the floor, and just kind of wait for her eyes to reach his. If she does, if not, it's just going to be that awkward silence. Eventually, after a couple of seconds of silence, she avoids that she does her eyes dart up and they make contact with yours.
01:17:16
Speaker
Soon as her eyes make contact with Dragos, he's just going to nod his head and stand back up. She kind of reciprocates and nods her head as well. Uh, there's tears in her eyes at this point as well. And she's going to turn finally to Robin and, um, and isn't really sure how to, to now process really what's happening. And, um, she's just going to kind of break down sobbing and just going for a big, big hug round, uh, round Robbins.
01:17:45
Speaker
one arm round the neck, one arm round the waist, it's like a proper kind of bear hug thing and she's kind of sobbing into his chest a little bit. Just trying to stifle it, trying to keep it quiet, but it just kind of you every now and then in the quiet at the pub over the crackle of the fire and the morning sun beaming in through the half roof and you can just hear these quiet sobs into the clothing of Robin's shirt. Talia.
01:18:14
Speaker
Yes. Look at me. Look at me. She pulls her face away and there's red eyes, tears in her face. Robin is also quite teary at this point. And he's just going to say to her, with us gone, you're the champion of a queen. Talia Icewind, champion of Sweet God, has quite a nice ring to it, no?
01:18:41
Speaker
Yeah, it does. It does. Keep an eye on this city. We need you to. Only you can. Talia, you need to listen to me. I saw what was in that spell book of your father's. Talia, that spell book contains the spell wish. I've only ever heard it spoken about, but it
01:19:10
Speaker
How would be on the comprehension of any of us save you? That book of Ogramos that I've got you, whoever he is, he has a part to play. He keeps appearing, this demiplane that he appears in keeps appearing. Study your book. If we fail, it's all on you.
01:19:37
Speaker
The power to save everything lies within you. And Robin at this point will just take his hands to the side of her face, look her in the eyes and say, I know that you will be brilliant. Find the courage to do what's right.
01:20:06
Speaker
Be brave and if that fails you, just be kind. And she is kind of struggling to look through the tears that she's stifling as she looks back at you and she just says, I will. I promise that will. I'll keep it up. Just make sure you all come back. Just make sure you do. We will.
01:20:34
Speaker
He'll just point to the brace around her neck of the Robin and Ren that he gave her all the way back on the sword coast. I'm staying with you, Tally. We're all on. Be brilliant.
01:20:49
Speaker
I will I will and I'll do it for you and you ever need a place to stay you come back here and there's gonna be rooms there's gonna be beds and there's gonna be fucking eggs I'll tell you that Ken I was gonna make some some some great eggs and and
01:21:05
Speaker
and I'll be here and she's looking around at you all at this point and I'm gonna stay here and so you've got something to come back for so you're not just you're you're not just out on your own you've you've got to come back because I'll be I'll be I'll be waiting Talia and Talia yeah we're coming back I give you my word
01:21:28
Speaker
Good. Yeah, good. Right, I need to go wash something so... Good luck to all of you. I love you all and just be sensible. Stick together. Do your thing. Do what you're meant to do. Do what you're made to do and just...
01:21:58
Speaker
You'd be brilliant, too. And that she's going to take a second just to look at you one final time before nodding at you, Robin, and then heading out down into the basement. She kind of wanders off into the kitchen to the basement either way to kind of busy herself with something. Kennard stands awkwardly by during this.
Kennard's Support and Departure
01:22:23
Speaker
Right, I'll just... Well, I can't really top that, can I? So I'll just say... Thanks for everything, Kenny. Yeah, that's it. We need the Rangers up north. Oh, aye. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I've got lettuce sent out. I'm just waiting on a response. Good man. Love you too. If things get too bad here, try and get a message to us.
01:22:49
Speaker
Hi, I'll speak to Tali about getting a message out. I think message was something she was talking about, some spell or something. If she can't do it, I'll talk to your lovely brother Sebastian, your Highness, and see if he can get something out. And don't forget. But anything kicks off. I'll let you know. I don't know what he's doing, actually. I don't know where he's going and where he'll end up. Don't forget Cassandra at the Lodge. She can be trusted, I think,
01:23:16
Speaker
have the best interests of the realm in mind right okay i'll uh keep in mind gives canard a leveled look uh fire in his eyes and just says look after and then he'll leave he's nodded towards that yeah i will drag oh don't you worry you've got my word
01:23:42
Speaker
We'll be here. I'll, I'll, I'll keep an eye on her. Like she was my own sister, my own daughter, whatever. You know, I'm here till you guys return. And anything, anything she needs, anything you lot need, we're both here for you, okay? Like she said.
01:23:59
Speaker
You know, there's something bigger here. There's something coming. There's something here for you when you return. If there wasn't a big enough reason to save the world, know that you got this young girl waiting for you. And some old toger who needs someone to cook his eggs for him.
01:24:17
Speaker
Sorry. Crikey, can I have it this way? I'm starting to think she'll be the one looking after you. In fact, I'm going to convince her. Hey, well, you know, okay. Well, maybe, but that's beside the point. The girls' sprites. Right. Okay. Fuck off now. I thought you guys were busy. I thought you had something to get on with. We do. Come on, everybody. All right. We're stragging this out now, guys. Right. All
Beginning a New Journey
01:24:37
Speaker
the best. Hey, be safe. All right. And, uh, ain't true. Uh, okay. Not sure what I'm aiming, but okay.
01:24:47
Speaker
We're gonna aim at the blight when you're shooting at them, you know? That's what I was getting at. It was a... I thought it was a nice way to end my section before I left, but, you know... No, that's fine. Thanks for bringing it up, Karsten. I appreciate it. I'm not quite the wordsman like you were. Ah. Whatever. Yeah. Just make sure you're being inconspicuous when you leave, alright? No, wait. Conspicuous. Conspicu... Oh, fucking hell. And he's gonna... He's gonna walk off down into the kitchen and start washing pots.
01:25:13
Speaker
Claude will take one last look at his sanctuary that is now surrounded by a pub and we'll just say, and so it begins and we'll walk out.
01:25:26
Speaker
And as you leave the shrine of Akiva there, everything or the accoutrement of your shrine kind of set up, there's the skull, there's the unlit candle and a few other things there. As you leave and you shut the door to the basement, the image kind of sticks to this darkened shrine. And then just as you leave and the door shuts, there's a moment of silence and then...
01:25:50
Speaker
the candle lights in the shrine as we move out and away. And as we start to make our way out of the bright streets and the group splits and takes your separate routes across the city, one to Funkin' Threadbare and Threadbare's discount store to learn more about the Dawn Strider and the book The World's Away, the other to Cassandra to stoke rebellion in the city against the Abkrisgra. That's where we're going to leave it for this week's episode of the Fellowship of the Tabletop.
01:26:22
Speaker
I was battling so hard not for a party split. And the rest of us would be making sure what happened. We left the pub. That's all that happened. I know. Well done guys. We left the pub. We entered the pub and now we've left the pub. But I think we've established totally like the frame where you're all going. We've got that forward momentum going now.
01:26:51
Speaker
Well, we've also said goodbyes to people as well, which I think was important to do. Goodbyes or see you later. That struck up what snuck up on us, didn't I? Fucking hell. Yeah.
Listener Acknowledgments and Engagement
01:27:02
Speaker
Wasn't expecting that. And speaking of goodbyes. Yeah, I need to get a segue in somewhere.
01:27:09
Speaker
Cheers and thank you to every single one of you that tunes in every single week and makes us a part of your life. We appreciate you for it, especially during these crazy times. If you wanted to keep in touch with the podcast, you can do so on our Twitch page, which is at fellowship table. And if you wanted to go one step further, you can follow us individually. I'm at iWorldA1. Will is at... Natural 20, Will.
01:27:35
Speaker
Darren's at... Darren Page 06. Casey's at... Unicorn Quit. Callum's at... The D20 Gamer. Danny's at... At Total Party Thrills. And our hero of a DM is at... Tastyly Roll DM. Until next time guys.