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World of Ae'oene Ep. 20: A Deadly Lesson
34 Plays27 days ago
Realizing Jellen and Kaldin haven't returned yet, Thalira is determined to track them down. Along the way, she joins forces with Eric Strongheart, seeing a side of him few have and lived to tell. Undor proves to be a dangerous place, with threats lurking around every corner. Thalira may be strong enough to find her friends, but the challenges she faces may require her to learn some hard lessons first.
This show is written with adult audiences in mind and contains content that may not be suitable for younger listeners.
This episode has the following content warnings: Strong Language, General Violence
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Our cast:
- Curtiss Woosley as The GM
- Rennie Armas as Kaldin
- Sapheara as Maeve Strongheart
- Jack Baldwin as Jellen Ykalle
- MJ Guenther as Thalira Grimstone Eku'Lanath
Additional Credits:
- Show graphics by Sentic GFX
- Show editing Rennie Armas and MJ Guenther
- Intro/Outro music composed by Ryan Muns, Owner/Operator of Eyes On The Moon Studios
- Music, Ambience, and & SFX purchased/licensed from Monument Studios, Adrian Von Ziegler, and Michael Ghelfi Studios (https://www.michaelghelfistudios.com).
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Transcript
Introduction and Episode Overview
00:00:01
Speaker
Destabilizing Foundations, Episode 20. The World of Aeon contains stories with mature themes. Content warnings are in the episode description.
00:00:22
Speaker
Welcome back, ladies and gentlemen, to the World of Aeon's Stories of Legend, Episode 20. Man, for so fun, fun story. Yesterday, i recorded the bonus episode that hopefully not guaranteed, but hopefully releases right after this episode.
Cast and Plot Developments
00:00:39
Speaker
I just I'm it's going to be I'm so sorry to the cast members because fun fact, everybody, we do have the cast here. Rennie, Jack, MJ, they're all here. ah Say hi, guys. Hello. Hello. Saphir is not here because as you guys know, Maeve is not currently with the party. Saphir is here in spirit and also discord.
00:00:55
Speaker
Oh, my God. Saphir is in discord. I didn't know that. Yeah. Oh, my God. Hi, Sephira. Good morning. I recorded with her yesterday, but I've got a challenge today as a DM.
00:01:06
Speaker
So it's going to be fun. And cast members, I hope you all understand once you get to go listen to that. But I'm gonna leave it at that. I hope you are ready for a very fun and interesting episode 20. We've got a lot to get through and a specific place to go to get everybody back together. And, you know, we as cast, I think we are all tired of having a split party. So let's see if we can do that today.
00:01:28
Speaker
Everybody on board for that? Hell yeah. Let's do Hell yes, please. All right. All right. Well, let's do it.
Tlira's Mission and Challenges
00:01:34
Speaker
Let's get into this.
00:01:51
Speaker
As we had last left off, Tlira had just finished the meeting with several of the leading convoy of the ambassadors from the Aether. Piara's, what would you say, right hand, left hand, similar to the Lord's right hand, left hand, all of them at the meeting. Got a little tense at times, certain accusations being thrown, but at the end of it, Piara surprisingly...
00:02:18
Speaker
offered a job to Talira and her friend. Whether that will be accepted is yet to be seen. We'll revisit that. Because right now she has something more pressing to deal with, and that is finding Maeve, and also seeing what's taken Calden and Yellen so long.
00:02:33
Speaker
And speaking of Calden and Yellen, last we left off with them, they had blacked out in the sewers of a very cold city that we're pretty sure Calden thinks is Undor.
00:02:45
Speaker
So... as we return back to Talera, worried and stressed, as Sally is leading you back to the apartment complex that Maeve's apartment as well as you all's from last night is at.
00:02:59
Speaker
Sally turns to you just outside the apartment complex. Okay, Talira, I'm going to have to leave you here. I hope that's okay. I have a lot to take care of, and I just want to say thank you.
00:03:12
Speaker
The events of the last day or two have been very stressful and traumatic, and I've been thinking a lot on how to address this. Obviously, i'm I am emotional given everything that's happened, but Maeve is... She's very dear to me. I almost view her as a daughter, and and I know it's been hard to...
00:03:32
Speaker
process these emotions given what happened. I've never been through an event at ball like that slot, but I have to steal myself. Maeve looks to me as the person who gets things done.
00:03:45
Speaker
And for me, as a human, it's been very hard trying to keep up with elves who have lived so much longer than me. But I do it and I'm strong at it. I'm good at it. And I don't want that that view she has of me to fade.
00:03:57
Speaker
And I think that's extremely important here. So I need to leave you to to find her. as well as As well as I'm the woman who gets things done, Maeve is, and she's told me you are as well.
00:04:10
Speaker
I do what I must, yes. I'm just going have to trust you to bring her back. She says you're a protector. I'm going have to trust her word. I'll get her of back. Okay, I'm going to go take care of business, because Fenlin is little unpredictable right now, so good luck.
00:04:28
Speaker
You too.
00:04:31
Speaker
I'll see if Yellen and Calden are back. They hopefully will have some more information. Sounds good. She gives a slight bow, out of respect, and turns and walks with haste and gusto back towards the World Council building.
00:04:49
Speaker
Okay, and Talira will go into the apartment and shout for Lou and Kiro.
Security Breach Investigation
00:05:01
Speaker
Well, ah I'm back. It went about as well as possible, but are Calden and Yellen here? And just to make sure, did you go inside the apartment? Yeah, yeah, she enters the apartment.
00:05:16
Speaker
That's what thought. I just want to make sure I didn't miss it. Okay, yeah, out of the doors, Kiro comes out looking fully in armored at this point and having gotten ready and so much so that he had enough time where he you can see he yawns a bit.
00:05:32
Speaker
Oh, what took you so long?
00:05:35
Speaker
I had to meet with a bunch of high, high position the authorities. They were pretty pissed about what happened. For good reason, there was a big security breach.
00:05:50
Speaker
Yeah, I can understand that. Well, I've been napping, because I didn't know what the fuck's going on, so can you catch me up? There was a big security breach. I had a meeting with everyone. We worked it out. They are looking into it. ah We are off the hook.
00:06:06
Speaker
And i I took a contract to find the truth of what is going on. The P. R. Bhakti the ah rest of the druids are not pleased that Zor-El Gog's name is in the mud here and they want me to try to clear it. I told them I'm not going to take a contract to clear their name, but I will take a contract to find the truth and yeah.
00:06:34
Speaker
He's kind of just eyes furrowed and looking at you, trying to just process everything that you just said. That's a lot. It is a lot, a lot. But we still have to find Maeve Where the hell are Calden and Yellen? It shouldn't take this long.
00:06:51
Speaker
Oh, hell if I know. Lou... They were going to what? The... the What district was it? the Blanking on the name, but anyway, the district where they go buy shit, the market district. They were going to the market district and they should have been back by now. ah I guess we'll give them another hour or so and if they're not back, Lou, would you be able to sniff them out?
00:07:15
Speaker
Lou looks up at you and nods her head and immediately begin turns around and begins to walk back out of the apartment as with extreme confidence. You've seen her track before and smelling, obviously, and it doesn't appear like she's actively looking for the scent and tracking it She's walking with the confidence as if she's already picked it up and knows we don't we don't have to go immediately like i don't want to rush out if they're on their way back that just will cause problems but let's let's give it the moment lou lou turns around and looks at you and then just plops a rear end on the ground
00:07:53
Speaker
You doing okay? She nods her head. Yeah. And Talira kind of plops down on the ground next to her and puts her arm over her. I'm glad you are. She leans her head into the, just into your, I guess height-wise, would probably be the side of your abdomen. Yeah.
00:08:13
Speaker
And just kind of lets out a sigh. oh Fuck, this is bad. Well, if you two lovebirds are done... ah Love... but Kiro, the fuck?
00:08:23
Speaker
What? What? ah Okay, sorry. Not the time. ah you you're right. You're right. Regardless, I'm not one to stand around now that I know what's going on. Because, my God, I was just a couple days behind and y'all got into such a mess.
00:08:39
Speaker
I mean, you right if you're right if they come back and we left and then it just creates a ah harder problem and more time taken. But I mean, there's three of us. I can stick around just in case they come back and you two could go since you since Lou contract.
00:08:53
Speaker
I don't know. a Fuck. OK, hang on. I need a minute to think. And Talira stands up and starts pacing.
00:09:05
Speaker
We need somebody here just in case, and I want if something bad happens, Kirill, you... you have to get home. I mean, they'd be fine without me, but yeah, I'd like to get home at some point.
00:09:17
Speaker
I was going to take you on smaller kinds of adventures and things where... where you
Sacred Springs and Spiritual Insights
00:09:25
Speaker
couldn't be put in too much danger because the clan needs you.
00:09:30
Speaker
Thalir, I can handle myself, but I understand what you're saying. And hey, we've had some- Well, I've had some fun adventures. But listen, you're part of the clan. If you need me, I'm there. But I also trust you to handle yourself, so this is your decision to make.
00:09:43
Speaker
Okay. Fuck. Okay. I'm going to roll the dice because I am also having decision paralysis, and I'm going to let chance decide. Roll high for Kiro to stay.
00:09:56
Speaker
I'm rolling a d20. Okay. That's a 12. Kira stays. Okay. I think we'll be okay. You stay here just in case they get back. I can do that. Before you go, though, where's the closest tavern? I don't know my way around the city yet.
00:10:09
Speaker
Don't get yourself in too much trouble.
00:10:15
Speaker
I know A likes to have a little fun. I know you. Don't get in too much trouble. It's half a block to the left. All right. Remember, we are in the Noble District. This is a very nice place.
00:10:28
Speaker
The drinks will be expensive, and you have to be on your best behavior if you go to the nearest tavern. Understood. Understood. If you want the tavern more your style.
00:10:39
Speaker
And she gives him directions about half a mile away. Yeah. To the sleeping dragon. Yeah. he He smiles a bit and smirks and then he gets serious. And for a moment as well, you you can see the change his demeanor. To be honest, I think this might be good.
00:10:53
Speaker
One of the reasons I came with you is to understand how the rest of the world works. From what I've gathered from what you're saying, this is the world union. This is where leaders meet. It is. This might be just where i need to be. Especially if you are going to become a leader.
00:11:05
Speaker
I got a lot to learn. You be safe. You too. Love you, bro. Love you too. All right. Let's go, Lou. Lu gets up. Surprisingly, she turns around and goes up on her hind legs and kind of and gives a bear hug to Kira real quick, then leads Yon of the apartment building with the utmost confidence and direction in which she's going. as she walks, she gets around the edge of the edge of the wall from the World Union Tower where the ball was held, leading to that same market district that we've mentioned several times in the show.
00:11:39
Speaker
And this is the point where there's so many scents and so many people that she puts her nose back to the ground. And she stops walking so quickly and with so much confidence. And this time you can see the the the thinking on her face as she weaves in and out of people, goes by a stand, comes back around.
00:11:54
Speaker
After a bit, she leads you around the wall to the gate of the Divinity District. She stops and looks up at it and then looks at you and nods. In here? Why would they go here?
00:12:06
Speaker
Okay. um With the gate of the Divinity District, is it like a thing you have to knock on or you just walk in and it's like, I'm here, I'm in the Divinity District.
00:12:19
Speaker
It is an open, very, very large open archway. I say gate and gate's really not the right word, but there is a gate there that could be closed if needed, mainly for security purposes in case you know bad things happen.
00:12:30
Speaker
Kind of like the Ishtar Gate of Babylon sort of deal? Yeah, exactly. Exactly. And there are a plaque on each side and the Divinity District's official name, although people a lot of times just refer it to the Divinity District, as you've heard around town.
00:12:44
Speaker
But the official district name is the Sacred Springs. And the above the gate in this wall, as you've seen throughout the rest of the city, is indeed the aqueducts. And this one being one of the largest because it runs directly from the extremely tall and large lighthouse that overlooks the city that is within the Sacred Springs.
00:13:04
Speaker
Whoa, this is beautiful. Can you pick up where they went from here? Lou takes a hesitant step or two through the gate and her eyebrows furrow and she kind of shakes her head a bit and you see almost a shiver goes through her body.
00:13:25
Speaker
She looks at you and shakes her head no. I would like to use my band of speak with animals. Okay. I'm going to use a charge of that. What's going on, Lou?
00:13:36
Speaker
that Their scent's gone. What? And as she looks at you, who has not stepped through yet, and she says, and also the air's just different here. It's it's called the Sacred Springs for a reason, I think.
00:13:51
Speaker
What do you get? I mean, it's fit's it's warm and inviting and just, I don't know. i've I don't have a lot of experience with the divine, but it's just different. wasn't I wasn't ready for it.
00:14:07
Speaker
You're okay, though? Yeah, yeah, I'm okay. She seems kind of lost in thought. Whatcha thinking? I... um their scent wouldn't just disappear. It shouldn't, no.
00:14:19
Speaker
I mean, someone cleansed it, do you think? I'm almost wondering if there's a constant cleansing going here, you know? That would make sense.
00:14:31
Speaker
Well, we know they went in here, and you don't sense that it went back out? Not that I could tell. it the the The track's fairly you know recent, only some hours old, so I'm fairly confident they they went in here. i mean, as you look around, there's several different different springs and pools. It's very verdant and green within here, and there's a variety of different small stone and brick homes.
00:14:59
Speaker
um They look like homes, at least. They're not, but... that are in this district that all face this very large trisancta lighthouse. I'd be one that to bet they went in there.
00:15:12
Speaker
Let's go there. Yeah, okay, let's do it. And Talira goes in. As you approach the lighthouse, you go up the steps to the front doors, and just as you're about to knock, you feel a slight shake in the ground.
00:15:28
Speaker
What is that? I don't know. That was weird. Could I roll something to figure out what it's coming from? Either... Perception, nature, investigation?
00:15:43
Speaker
i'd accept probably perception or investigation in this case. That's a dirty 20. You can tell. That didn't seem like a naturally occurring earthquake.
00:15:56
Speaker
It didn't quite have the same kind of like depth of feel. Like if, for instance, my house sits near a train track and when my house shakes, when a train goes by, i can tell the difference between that and an earthquake, right?
00:16:08
Speaker
Right, yeah. This seems more localized and it and it it felt like it was nearby. Something heavy moved nearby. i don't know. Let's keep going. Yeah.
00:16:19
Speaker
What does Talira see? Do you knock or you just open the door? Oh, she knocks, yeah. You knock, and after a moment, the door very quietly opens to a shadowed, robed figure in all the white with embroidered green, like emerald green on his robes. And you see the depiction of a sun on his chest.
00:16:40
Speaker
Would Talira recognize that symbol? You are very well traveled. I would say yes. Cool. Probably the largest current organized religion in the world is the Temple of Celestia. Okay.
00:16:52
Speaker
And that would be of that. Would she know of a proper greeting for somebody with the Temple of Celestia, or is it... Probably not. It's... Okay. Yeah, any kind of, like, formal greetings are generally done between, like, the you know the actual members of the temple. Right, yeah. Okay, cool. Yeah.
00:17:08
Speaker
Hello. I am Talira Grimstone Eculinati of the Stonespeaker Clan. Um... I'm looking for a couple of people that may have come by here. There was a Kayanite tiefling has a broken horn and a younger elf.
00:17:30
Speaker
Oh, yes, I do believe that and another member of the Thrysancta did see the individuals you are talking about come through here. What a busy day for us here in the Sacred Springs. Please come with me.
00:17:45
Speaker
Thank you. And he opens the door, and as you step in, you see massive opening to this lighthouse as you look up to a very large vaulted ceiling, and the first thing you notice is the little floating orbs.
00:18:01
Speaker
that just slightly move around within the air here as you take in the rest you see made of stones and there are intricate carvings paintings and such this middle area fairly gray in in color for the most part but from multiple different areas especially from up above there are waterfalls of sparkling water that come down and hit pools that are at varying levels, including one down at the level you're at. And you can see there are holes in the wall where they lead out on a couple of them into aqueducts.
00:18:34
Speaker
and There's a staircase to the left that this member of the lighthouse motions you towards. I do believe there are other people here who are looking for an individual, although not the ones you had mentioned. it Seems you are along a similar path.
00:18:50
Speaker
They might have been... I'm looking for her too. We traveled together a long time ago and those the other two were my friends. Actually, she is my friend too, but them we all got separated. May Amun-Ra help you find your missing friends. Just follow the stairwell down. Mind you, the experience down there is very different than here.
00:19:13
Speaker
How so? Must not know much about the Tri-Sancta Lighthouse. This is an area that was designed to give home, as we have expanded it to others as well, to all of the different deities and religions of...
00:19:27
Speaker
Our universe. The three founding members being at the top of the lighthouse who gives light to the world for Celestia and Amun-Ra, the sun dragon. This middle area is for the anima clarigi.
00:19:39
Speaker
They guide souls to the afterlife, holding holding a belief in the balance of the world. And at the bottom is Mordmeon, whose guiding principles are peace and the the powers held in sleep.
00:19:56
Speaker
As in this? Some may view it that way. It is a sleep of course of of kind. Some members view it as the eternal sleep where peace maintained.
00:20:11
Speaker
Things are a little different for us. Obviously, I'm Goliath, but... them Thank you. I will find them. Yes, absolutely.
00:20:23
Speaker
Talira... anything... I will say, while Talira is saying all of this, she's mesmerized by the floating lights. She's not going to touch them. She learned that lesson with little light back in episode five.
00:20:36
Speaker
um Or four, whatever. love that. But she is absolutely mesmerized by the lights. Lu is as well. As you look, she's eyes are sparkling as she's just watching them all. And you can see at one point it's much out of her reach, given how short her to the ground her stature is. But at one point she kind of reaches her paw up and motions towards it.
00:21:01
Speaker
They're beautiful, aren't they? Talira says to Lu. So it's like bear grunting. um but ah Is your your spouse should still be up, right? I think it's what, 10 minutes?
00:21:13
Speaker
Yeah, i would say that's still up. probably don't have a lot longer on it, but they're beautiful. what What are they? What are they? Talira says to the clergy member and gestures to the floating lights.
00:21:27
Speaker
They are lost souls. Anima clergy helps guide them and, well, their numbers are not great. They have essentially viewed this space as a stopping point along their journeys.
00:21:42
Speaker
Will they find a place to rest soon? I like to think so. My belief is a bit different than the Anima Clarigi's, but we accept all beliefs here, as one of the guiding principles of the Sacred Springs is that it takes many beliefs to make the world and humanity ah is what it is.
00:22:00
Speaker
It is a shame for them to be left here untethered like this. I hope they find the rest. They won't stay here forever. I can assure you that. All right. Thank you again, Lou. We should go.
00:22:14
Speaker
Absolutely. Walking into the basement of the Tri-Sancta Lighthouse, having a different but somewhat similar feel and air about the basement of this lighthouse as the air feels dead.
00:22:28
Speaker
You see rows of beds with a couple of them having people sleeping on them. It's dark and broody. The first thing you notice after that is opposite of the room, or rather opposite stairs in the room, there's a fireplace that seems to just be smoldering and a big group of people in front of it.
00:22:48
Speaker
They look official. You see the armor of some city guard, an official-looking tunic with some symbols on it, and you recognize...
Erik Strongheart Joins the Quest
00:22:56
Speaker
Erik Strongheart opposite of them speaking, looking looking fairly annoyed and angry. And you can see that he has several of his soldiers, his guard, about four or five of them behind him as well. And when you notice him that here, his armor is not the shiny displayed armor that you saw at the ball where it's meant for looking good for events. The armor he's wearing looks battered and broken and dented.
00:23:23
Speaker
Doesn't look weak though, don't mistake that. Just looks very well used. It looks like damn good armor that's done its job and protected him. Exactly. Sir Strongheart.
00:23:34
Speaker
He turns us his head suddenly, and you can see radiant red in his eyes fade as he he looks to you angry and then sees you and recognizes you, and he softens just a but but bit.
00:23:46
Speaker
Talira, what are you doing here? I was looking for Calden and Yellen. They were trying to get a scroll to um potentially try to contact Maeve.
00:23:59
Speaker
So you're looking for Maeve, too. I'm glad to fucking hear it. You can join me then. Where are we going? These people gathered my fucking way. We're going continue on the trail we got.
00:24:09
Speaker
What trail would that be? He points behind the fireplace and you can see that there is a dark archway, not being able to see past their glowing runes around its around its edges.
00:24:21
Speaker
Through there. These people with the city are trying to come shut down the illegal portal that they've had down here. They've had a portal down here? What the fuck? Yeah, and I'm telling them they're gonna have to wait. Yeah, because we tracked Kalden and Yellen sent to here, and knowing them, they went through that portal.
00:24:39
Speaker
That's the shit we are trying to get to the bottom of. And he steps back up and broadens his shoulders to the person who's in the tunic with the official symbol on it. Now, I don't know if you know who I am or what I'm capable of, and you feel the ground shake like it did a moment ago, but you best not shut that down until I come back through it, do you understand me?
00:24:58
Speaker
and You see sweat drip down the brow of this random human man who appears just so small and sunken in at the sight of Eric doing this again. All the guards behind him, the city guards, you can see them.
00:25:11
Speaker
You can't tell if they're vibrating with anxiety of excitement of ah of an upcoming fight or out of fear or maybe both. um the most the the the most i i can The most I can give you is day. yeah We don't know where that portal goes. It might be closed. He looks at you, Talera, and Eric says, we'll be fine with a day.
00:25:30
Speaker
Then a day it is. Let's go. Agreed. Right as he's about to step through it, he looks back. If I'm not back through in a day, though, and you still close it, respect you doing what you have to do, but just know the weight that's going to sit on your shoulders when I find you.
00:25:42
Speaker
and he And he just steps through without another word. So for the listeners who can't see Renny typing Zencaster chat, Yellen goes, ah weren't we gone for two days? Or I should say, Jack says this. And then Ren replies with two days later, maybe we needed more time, actually. didn't see that.
00:26:03
Speaker
That's so funny. So ah a day week? I guess we'll find out. guess we'll find out.
00:26:14
Speaker
All right. It's a heist out of Undor. This is assuming they find the right portal. Right. Yeah, exactly. Exactly. Indeed. But luckily, so as you step through the portal and end up in the room I had previously described with four doorways available, he looks around as well as his four guard with him look around and as you step through.
00:26:34
Speaker
Lu immediately puts her nose to the ground and now, unfortunately, the spell having worn off, she looks up to you and and nods her head forward and immediately begins walking towards the portal to the right.
00:26:45
Speaker
Lou knows where they are. Let's follow her. ah Sir Strongheart, this is my friend Lou. She is ah cursed. She's a halfling. She looks like a bear to me, but we can talk about that later.
00:26:58
Speaker
Come on, y'all. Let's follow the bear. As they go through and follow you and Lou through the portal to the right, as you come out to see a large square room with a statue in the middle, of, if I remember correctly, I described it as a night dragon that is almost demented looking.
00:27:14
Speaker
As you continue to walk around it, you see ah small pile of bones and what's left of bodies. What the fuck? And Lou looks looks up at you again and like nods nods very confidently, you knowing that i mean she begins walking with gusto and confidence once more, like this trail is still seemingly fresh. By just a couple hours, it is a strong scent and there doesn't seem to be much here that would that would mix with it to make it hard. And she almost begins for running at this point. It's it's fresh, let's go.
00:27:45
Speaker
Man, this bear's good. She must have a real good sense. told you. Come on, come on. And you hear the clinking of armor as they all begin doing a slight jog, keeping up with you guys. As you're jogging, so you're looking for Maeve as well. You said Galadin and Yellen were also looking. They were, yes. Why were you not with them? What?
00:28:01
Speaker
I had to be at the meeting. Administrative duties are a bitch when they get in the way, I understand. Yeah. I'm just happy to hear that you all are looking for her with such gusto. I admit... Well, I have two promises to keep here, so three, if we count the contract.
00:28:16
Speaker
What do you mean? oh This is probably a time to talk after we find them, but we are trying to investigate the real cause of the disappearing children. Zorilgog is not happy their name was in the dust, and they want us to find, clear their name. I said I wouldn't clear her name, but I would find the truth.
00:28:38
Speaker
Yep. All right. That's definitely a discussion for later. All right. well We'll save that. Regardless, I'm glad that Maeve has friends like you. Come on. Let's pick up the pace. As you all continue on, make a couple turns, find a piece of burlap sack that was left that Calden and Yellen wouldn't have wouldn't have picked up or maybe missed.
00:28:55
Speaker
s As Lou smells it and kind of and points with her nose at it, what's this? Picks up the piece of burlap sack. They had her in a fucking sack. Oh man, when she comes to, they're gonna be in hell trying to fight her off. I hope she gave them hell.
00:29:10
Speaker
Oh, I know she did. Now it's our turn. Let's keep going. You continue on. And after a while, you come to a small room with a little bit of flickering light of a fire shining light across the other side of the sewer.
00:29:23
Speaker
As Lou comes in, turns in, and you hear ah not ah ah anything of of pain or fear, just a surprise kind of yelp or grunt. I don't exactly know what I would call that from a bear. But obviously with all of you right on here, heels you turn the corner and you see this room with a small fire in the middle that has a a ah what would you call the three sticks that can hold? ah I don't even know what that's called, actually. i own one. Three sticks that hold a what? Yeah, I have a thing that's it's like three sticks that come up and a chain that drops down from the center to put over a fire so you can cook over fire.
00:29:58
Speaker
i don't yeah I don't even know what that's called. It's a contraption to cook over the fire. Yeah, it's not exactly a fire grate, but I know what you're talking about. Yeah, i don't know if that thing has ah has a name. um Audience, if you're listening, comment it for me so I can learn.
00:30:13
Speaker
Be the google Google search for me. You see that, you see a couple crates, and in the corner you see a small a small cot. And on it is a dark elf who is tied up. I recognize that work anywhere. Calden was here.
00:30:27
Speaker
You come up and you see him you see him struggling, and then he sees you all enter the room and he stops and goes wide-eyed again. Oh, no. You are me, Sir Strongheart. By all means, be my guest.
00:30:38
Speaker
I might be a little nicer than you, but the okay. Talira walks over, big and imposing, and moves down the gag as she says, which way did they go, and which way did the your people take Maeve?
00:30:56
Speaker
go but um um I don't know. Please don't leave me here. All right, then tell me everything you know. that This elf and a ah ah crystal tiefling came and interrogated me and left me here. They had me contact my boss, trying to find their their friend.
00:31:15
Speaker
I don't know anything. I'll be be honest with you. I'm useless. Can I incite that? Go for it. The DC is super low. Bro is straight up pissed himself.
00:31:26
Speaker
Do you think he's telling me the truth? yeah
00:31:31
Speaker
That's a 23. twenty three This dude's going through like an existential crisis right now. Good, let him reconsider his life choices. He should join a different religion and cult.
00:31:44
Speaker
He has no fucking clue. You're fucking useless. I know I am. I know I am. Get a different job. ah probably I probably should. i Okay. okay it's time I really try my poetry. What did you tell them? They took her north in the city.
00:32:01
Speaker
Or northern areas of the city, but so by the sewers. That's that's all I know. Sir Strongheart, do you want to try to contact his boss? I don't think I have a way of doing that.
00:32:13
Speaker
so I don't think so either. Anything else you want me to meet the ask? I don't think he has really anything. He is dumb as shit. No offense. No, I can tell. He's a useless little fuck is what he is. Let's move on.
00:32:27
Speaker
I'm sure the trail is still still fresh. We'll follow the trail your to your friends, because if they've been moving, it means they probably have an idea. I'm sorry, we're going to have to leave you here. I can't trust you to not follow us or hurt us.
00:32:41
Speaker
Just don't don't gag me again, please. I'll let you scream for help. Wait until you can't hear our footsteps anymore, otherwise I'm coming back. Okay. Yes, ma'am.
00:32:53
Speaker
Talira crosses her arms and, like, stares daggers at him. You can tell he's not gonna disobey you whatsoever. ah Cool. Cool, cool, yeah.
00:33:04
Speaker
All right, let's go. As you continue on, takes you the better part of an entire day following the trail of Kaldun and Yellen, knowing that they were on the trail of Maeve. This is your best chance.
00:33:15
Speaker
But
Sewer Battle and Confrontation
00:33:16
Speaker
after about part of the day, you make your way further into the sewers to the north, where it's more recent construction. Recent is recent's a term because it's still technically true, but this isn this is an old city, one of one of the oldest in the world.
00:33:29
Speaker
You can tell by the way the sewer systems and the stonework is, having to be maintained, built with limestone into the into the stonework to where it kind of fixes itself, but it still looks old.
00:33:40
Speaker
And you get into the newer construction areas. Making sense. It's what Yellen saw when he had scryed. After a while, you take a right at a tee. You travel 30, 50 feet down on the walkway up next to the sewer. And Loof stops and looks at you. And eyes are wide.
00:33:58
Speaker
I'm going to go ahead and use another charge of speak with animals. That isn't the good look. What's going on? Look ahead. And as you do, you see the stonework has been upturned. Some of it fallen, cracked, thrown into the end of the sewer system. It looks like an intense fight would have happened here.
00:34:15
Speaker
You see blood splatters and drops on the ground. And you still see frozen member of the Mordifer Pactum in the river or in the in the sewer. as it had frozen partially, part of the ice had frozen to the wall, keeping it in place.
00:34:28
Speaker
As you see, the ice is slowly melting as the sewer sewer water runs around it. So it's slowly melting it, but there's still a frozen member of the Mord for Pactum. Shit.
00:34:40
Speaker
Is there scent anywhere near this? I can tell it it ends here. Okay. um Talira turns around and looks at Eric and the rest of his men.
00:34:56
Speaker
did Did he bring his men with him? or is Yeah, he's got four them. of his men with him. Lou says the sentence here. Looks like they put up a fight. They put up a damn good one.
00:35:08
Speaker
We're going have to use other means. all right Well, was going to use this for Maeve, but this seems like the best course to find Maeve, because if they fought somebody while they were trailing her, they don't want them to find them. So if we find them, it's going to lead to Maeve. It's the most logical sense to me. What do you think?
00:35:26
Speaker
That's what I was thinking, too. All of his men nod their head up and down as well with you. He hands you a scroll. This better not be a waste. I really hope that your friends are as good as I think they are, as good as Maeve says they are.
00:35:39
Speaker
They are good. You have the likeness of your friend. You're going to have to be the one to use this. This is a locating spell. It only works once you're in a certain vicinity. The vicinity is very wide for this one. I paid a pretty penny.
00:35:50
Speaker
But they do have to be on this plane of existence. I haven't used it to find Maeve yet, because I wasn't going waste it if I didn't at least know that those parameters were true. Sir Strongheart, are you sure?
00:36:01
Speaker
As you say that, Lou's ears prick up, and Eric, Eric also, you can see his eyes, they stop focusing on you as they now look past you and over your shoulder.
00:36:12
Speaker
Till Ira turns around. You see a faint light, probably 150 feet down the sewer in in the dark, coming around what appears to be a bend in the lines. You can't make out when anybody's saying it's super distant, but the the sound carries enough to know that there are people.
00:36:27
Speaker
are what What kinds of sounds of people? Just people talking. Okay, okay. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Not like screaming, running people, just people talking? No, no, no, just people talking. And it appears to be the light as it gets lighter and lighter, again, quite a distance away, but you get the sense there's a couple different sources of flickering fires, and somebody might be carrying a torch, multiple people maybe. And as the light passes around the corner and the people pass into view, keep mind this is like 150 feet away,
00:36:57
Speaker
The air around you electrifies and becomes heavy as the ground begins to vibrate and you hear very soft from Eric.
00:37:08
Speaker
Delira, move out of the way. What's going on? I'm not leaving you behind. as this light is walking now down the path towards you. All of this happening in a short amount of time.
00:37:19
Speaker
And from this distance, it's hard to make out a lot of details. But of the men, there's one that's a little taller than most within the group. And you can see the glint of the ah the light.
00:37:30
Speaker
And you notice that it's it's not glinting off of any armor. These people, there's about five or six of them. They don't have any armor, but it shines just for a moment enough for you to see The distinct feature, at least on one of their heads, seems to have a silver stripe of hair down his head.
00:37:47
Speaker
And he's wearing a suit. That's all you can make from this distance. It's not a lot to go off of. But you see a look of recognition in Eric's eric's eyes. Move out of the way now.
00:37:58
Speaker
As the air continues to electrify where you start hearing crackling and you can visibly see bits of static electricity now beginning to shock through the air. Yes, sir. And as you move, you take notice that the the ruined ground around you, the small rocks and pebbles begin to levitate and float off the ground as the ground continues to shake more and more.
00:38:17
Speaker
And the group in the distance stops and the sound cuts out of them talking. Can I do an insight check on this? Go for it.
00:38:27
Speaker
22. Who are you inciting? or Are you just inciting the general like give me some details what you're looking for Talira is first looking to Eric. She recognizes, he recognizes something. So trying to put two and two together of what's going on, who is this person and how much beef does it actually seem like they have?
00:38:54
Speaker
With a 22, you still, there's nothing to go off of to give you an idea who that might be, but you can read Eric as well as his men and his men have all taken a ready stance, seeing Eric like this. In fact, you can actually see all of them are ready stance, but they are all fearful and not fearful of the people in front of you. They are fearful of Eric.
00:39:13
Speaker
Okay. As Eric's eyes are fixed, unmoving, and you've seen the look of bloodlust before. as As you're looking at him getting this idea, lou moves to the side with you. I'll let you speak to Lou real quick.
00:39:25
Speaker
I think that's what you're about to do. Yep. Lou, stay back. This looks like it's going to get heated. What the f- No kidding. as you so And as you're trying to study Eric and get the get the sense of what's going on- And Talir is pulling out her axe as she's saying this, by the way.
00:39:39
Speaker
Eric's armor begins to shine in a golden red. and you watch as spectral wings come out of the back of him. Oh shit. As this happens, his hair doesn't doesn't glow. It's not like he's fully going Super Saiyan. I know a lot of what I've described kind of matches that. was thinking he's going to have his own like Sailor Moon transformation. His hair, his hair just begins to levitate like the pebbles and rocks around it, as in gravity seems to not affect this man in its current stature.
00:40:09
Speaker
And suddenly the ground underneath him caves in as you hear the rumble and the impact of something that's not there. It throws his men behind him off off balance. And then a second impact as the entire stone structure underneath him crumbles into the sewer next to him. And he is in a blink gone as you see a streak of light red lightning.
00:40:29
Speaker
down the sewer and you feel the impact as an earthquake erupts, almost throwing you off your feet, in fact, I need a dexterity saving throw, as you hear screams and panic coming from down the sewer system.
00:40:41
Speaker
So that was 12. Okay, well luckily, Lou rolled an 18. So as as you end up having to go down to one knee, trying to catch yourself, Lou manages to stay on all four, having a bit more of advantage with the lower center of gravity and bear as a bear.
00:40:54
Speaker
And as you catch yourself a second later, being slower, you hear the sonic boom and you hear the yell of Eric. VIRON! Shit! You feel the ground shake with an impact again as you hear more screams and more yelling down the sewer system.
00:41:10
Speaker
And his men, once they recover, begin running after him. Lou, whatever happens, you stay safe, okay? One of them, stop. No! Go find, go find Maeve. This is not a fight for you.
00:41:22
Speaker
As the rest of the guards continue running on. No, you go find Maeve. We've never seen him like this. This is not a fight for you. Okay. You've got the scroll. Go find her. It's what he would want. And then he just turns and runs, runs on.
00:41:35
Speaker
Fuck. And Talira looks to Lou after she gets her balance back. We need to get away from here and then we use the scroll.
00:41:46
Speaker
And she she nods like yeah, let's let's go. This is crazy. this is crazy Talira will quickly look around to see what safe path they would have to get away from the main area of of the fighting.
00:42:01
Speaker
The way you came, to be honest. Oh, okay. Okay, cool. the opposite direction. Yeah, absolutely. And as you're running, you hear another voice, because everything just carries through the sewer. You hear another voice kind of cut through a bit.
00:42:15
Speaker
Oh, Eric, it's been a long time. And then you hear, what'd you do with my daughter? Well, fuck. that That voice seemed very chipper. Talira, yeah, she...
00:42:27
Speaker
after after getting to a place that seems like it's shockwave free or shockwave range free? Yeah. Quick question for you, Wren.
00:42:38
Speaker
I can't remember all of the things about that ring. You can't be tracked, can you? You cannot initiate a telepathic conversation with me.
00:42:50
Speaker
Okay. I just wanted to make sure there wasn't anything else with that. I mean, there's other things, but nothing having to do with my ability to be tracked. So then Talira will use the scroll to track Kalden versus Yellen.
00:43:03
Speaker
Fantastic. You you un unfurl the the scroll, you're able to read it, and you you realize this is not... It's like an altered version of some of the more known locating spells. This looks very custom, but it gives you an incantation, and as you unfurl it, you see a small couple of components within it. They're almost like stuck to the sheet. Someone must have used some sort of adhesive.
00:43:25
Speaker
And as you see the incantation, the words on the on the scroll glow. You watch as the components dissolve and the scroll itself begins to burn away. And in your head is inserted an image of down in a valley, almost...
00:43:41
Speaker
It's not quite the same, but the the best description I can have to give an idea of something in the real life that would describe where this is at is down almost in a mine, how the earth is stripped away.
00:43:53
Speaker
You have different levels, and down at the bottom is this very large open area, sits a tall Gothic mansion. The image for a moment expands out, showing the city around it, and then it cuts off, and that's all you're able to see.
00:44:08
Speaker
Okay, I have an image of where they are. It's a large mansion, stone, large columns and pillars and flying buttresses. Why do I know that word in common? It's it's actually one of the first words they teach you yeah common class. Yeah, yeah, definitely. Like that quite often.
00:44:32
Speaker
but Does, when the spell happens, does it like zoom in like the direction to go or do you only just get that one and image? You just get that one image.
00:44:44
Speaker
I need to get somewhere high. If I can see the lay of the land, I can figure out how to get there pretty quickly. Absolutely. Let's get out of the sewers then. You go up into the city. There, we can, we can find something. That sounds good. Yeah, we'll look for like a clock tower or something.
00:44:58
Speaker
And it takes you the remaining time of the day to be able to find a clock tower and then get up in it. But the by the time you get up in it, well, I say day, it's really not a lot of day here, mostly moonlight that you get to look from.
00:45:11
Speaker
And unfortunately, due to certain events that maybe or you may or may not have just witnessed, you feel a slight shake that feels a bit different. And as you get up into the city, you see that in the far distance, there are two volcanoes and they begin spitting ash again into the atmosphere.
00:45:26
Speaker
Shit. It looks like we're on a timeline, Lou. but Let's hurry. And for yeah time purposes, this is a very ancient city, as you are now in Undor. And you are able to find a clock tower that you're able to go up, and be able to get a lay the land. It's not perfect, but it gives you some ideas.
00:45:41
Speaker
And you spend the halfway into the next day searching, and you're able to find the mansion. As you and Lou approach this dark stone mansion, gargoyles and ivy cascading all around, you take the winding path down with the plumes of ash from the volcanoes in the distance, darkening, blocking out the moonlight.
00:46:02
Speaker
You approach the very large double doors to this this estate. As you grab a hold of the door knockers, you knock it against the door. And for a few minutes, you knock again. and as you're finishing knocking the second time, the door suddenly jerks open. It only jerks, though, that first movement as it's a heavy door and you can hear the unlatching as it does so. And then it slowly swings open fully to show a tall woman, elegant black dress with a slit down the side, extremely straight and glistening black hair with very, very pale pasty skin.
00:46:40
Speaker
As she looks down upon you, and yes, I said down, Delira. She's about a head height taller than you. Damn! Lady Dimitrescu here! And as she looks down upon you, with impossibly dark brown eyes, Why, hello.
00:46:56
Speaker
How may I help you? I believe a few people I'm looking for are here. Well, there are quite a bit of people employed at our estate. They would not be employed.
00:47:09
Speaker
let me rephrase. We have quite a few people imprisoned within our estate. Who could you be looking for? Talira takes a big breath in slowly exhales. I'm going to choose to give you another chance with that last statement. He better not be imprisoned.
00:47:31
Speaker
Calden and Yellen. calalden And Talira gives her the appearance and talira gives her the appearance of calden describing hair ears you know elf yellin blue crystal teaflling Hmm.
00:47:54
Speaker
I do believe my mother said that she had some... guests that were going to be incapacitated for a few days. I think I caught a glimpse of them and one of them was blue, and... Yes, I do believe that... Incapacitated what way?
00:48:07
Speaker
oh just taking a... a nice... much needed nap, it appeared. Okay, well then let me see them. I'm so sorry, I'm afraid I cannot do that.
00:48:18
Speaker
Why not? If they are your guests, surely another one won't hurt. Well, they are my my mother's guests, you see. And she has requested some privacy until they could be awoken, and I believe she said she had a deal to strike or an offer to give. I tend to stay out of my mother's dealings as much as can. where are they?
00:48:44
Speaker
Well, they're on the estate grounds. Can you be a little more specific? Because i need to see them right away. You will take me to them right now. That's just not going to be possible. You are more than welcome to wait here in our in our waiting area in the front of our estate here. And we'll give you a place to rest. We'll give you food. I do believe they'll probably be awake sometime on the morrow.
00:49:05
Speaker
Calvin! Calvin! Calvin! i assure you they cannot hear Ma'am, excuse me. I'm so sorry. They cannot hear you. You have no need to be afraid. They are being well taken care of.
00:49:16
Speaker
Take me to them right now. This is your last chance. She just, she gives the smallest movement of almost like a a hip. What would you call that? Like a settling into one leg and her hip kind of pops to the side a little bit.
00:49:30
Speaker
I can't do that. As a sly little smile comes to the corner of her mouth. I've tried telling you they're perfectly fine. My mother is very upfront when she has more decided ways of going about her experiments. So I don't believe they're in danger.
00:49:44
Speaker
Oh fuck no, you are not experimenting on them. That's what I just said, is she's not, she's very upfront. I'd like to insight that. Sure, go ahead and give her a roll. 16.
00:49:57
Speaker
sixteen You can tell her facial expressions haven't given much away. She's been... the the only ah really emotion you've seen is that little sly smile, and you could tell that she didn't care if you saw it.
00:50:09
Speaker
She's very hard to read, and... i mean, there's nothing been given away from what you could tell that she's been lying at all this entire time, but you also don't know if fit the opposite is true. She's just... She's very hard to read.
00:50:22
Speaker
Talira attacks. Okay. She said last warning. Okay, roll the hit and then roll me some initiative. It's gonna be back and forth between me and you. Oh shit. the The initiative is just to see if you get to attack again, since this is, I'll consider this of essentially a surprise attack.
00:50:38
Speaker
Okay. um Before she would. but That was an 18 on the die. 27. Holy shit. holy shit Yeah, that's gonna hit. And what is your initiative? Just so I know.
00:50:49
Speaker
Oh, did not roll that yet. 13. Okay. You will get another attack before she goes. Beat her by one. The way, since it's just gonna be one-on-one, me and you back and forth, when you hit, fully describe your attack and how how it would go, and we'll just, we'll do a little bit back back and forth here. And if you have questions of obviously of surrounding and movement, feel free to ask, so. Cool.
00:51:12
Speaker
Talira has her axe out. Morticia is talking and Talira is done. She just interrupts, swings and goes for her shoulder, trying not to immediately kill, but definitely hurt severely. As she does that, axe comes down.
00:51:33
Speaker
I told you that was your last warning. Where the fuck are they? How much damage was that? That was... Oh shit, that was max damage. 15. 15, okay.
00:51:47
Speaker
She watches as you interrupt her as the axe cleaves into her shoulder and looks down at her shoulder as it sits there, the blood pouring down the front of her dress at this point.
00:51:57
Speaker
It is rude to interrupt. I'm trying to tell you they're safe. I don't believe you. Where the fuck are they? And as Talira does that, axe is coming down again and stops right at her throat.
00:52:09
Speaker
She gives a big sigh and closes her eyes. Well, it is a mother's job to teach lessons. Do you have anything else to do with your turn? did Did you want me to roll that second hit?
00:52:21
Speaker
You said you are going to stop at her throat? Yeah, stop at her throat. If you're going to stop there, then no, because you aren't hitting her. Okay. But if you want to actually proceed, then you can. Sure. Could I use that as an intimidation check instead? Yeah, go for it.
00:52:35
Speaker
Cool. I had already rolled the die. it was 17 die. twenty two 22. Okay. The answer doesn't change. Hmm.
00:52:46
Speaker
I do see you mean business. And you seem strong. But I'm afraid the mother's job is to teach lessons. I tried giving you the easy way out. You're more than welcome to sit and stay. And that offer will remain on the table.
00:52:56
Speaker
But it seems I must teach you first. Are you good if I start her turn? Yep, yep, that was my turn. Okay. She will then, in the blink of an eye, with both arms, will raise her open fist like a claw and rake them up your body one at a time.
00:53:12
Speaker
Shit. As it's doing so, you see that her nails have extended out and sharpened. Let me roll to hit. Man, I'm rolling really bad. First one is a 14. Nope. Second one's even worse.
00:53:26
Speaker
A nine. Oof. Describe describe ah how you would dodge this or if they would just bounce off your armor. Oh yeah. Talira looks at it. It just leans her armor into it.
00:53:40
Speaker
You haven't seen anything yet. We'll see about that. And then she will open her mouth and cast poison spray out her mouth. Oh Directly in your face. Constitution saving throw.
00:53:51
Speaker
DC 17. Not a problem. That is 22 to save and Talira is resistant to poison damage. Shit. Okay, nice. And with that, you don't even take half damage. So how how do you brush the poison directly to your face off? Like, how...
00:54:08
Speaker
kind of know I mean, she's directly in your face and she just opens her mouth and just sprays poison out. How does Talira just brush this off? Talira looks at it as the poison is coming at her face and she just goes, like exhales through her nose.
00:54:25
Speaker
And like, it looks like it's annoying, like got pollen to your face or something and sneezes. Was that supposed to hurt? Hmm, all righty then. She will stay right there in the doorway. Cool.
00:54:39
Speaker
Talira is going to use her bonus action to turn into giant lady. Okay. For my first attack, I would like to grapple. Okay, go for it. It a contested strength, if I remember correctly, you're right. That it is.
00:54:55
Speaker
Oh my God, I have not rolled over 10.
00:55:01
Speaker
This is a two before modifiers. I don't know if she can succeed because even if I roll a nat one, it's a 10.
00:55:13
Speaker
Yeah, ah you you, you, you won that. ah You, you won that. Cool. Talira grabs her as she's, you said she's standing at the door? Mm-hmm. Okay. Talira grabs her by her neck, throws her up against the door.
00:55:35
Speaker
Where are they? She just looks down at you again, still not showing emotion whatsoever yet. I told you my mother cannot be interrupted. why can you niles just not wait well give you food, we'll give you lodging. With her throwing her up against the door, would you do that as an attack or an intimidation?
00:55:54
Speaker
Either, i would say. Yeah, I'd be good with either. Because um I'm kind of thinking using the door as an improvised weapon, cracking yeah her her head against it.
00:56:07
Speaker
Absolutely, roll some damage. i am good with that. Cool. I will need to roll to see if I throw her hard enough. 16? Yep. That is hard enough.
00:56:19
Speaker
And improvised weapon would be 14.
00:56:25
Speaker
14 total damage. 14. Good Lord. That's insane for an improvised weapon attack. I have Tavern Brawler. Very nice. As you slam her up against the door, her her head reels back and smacks against it as well, and you you can loudly hear the impact that it makes. and A little bit of blood trickles down the back of her head and across her shoulder as well into the already gaping wound in her shoulder.
00:56:49
Speaker
Well, that hurt. Anything else for your turn? No, that's it. Okay. She will use her legendary action, Entangling Wither and Bloom. Ooh.
00:57:00
Speaker
And that's going to be a 24 to hit. Finally rolled good. Or at least I rolled decent. That barely hits. Dang, your AC gets that high when you're big? ah Actually, that that doesn't even count big. My AC 23. I didn't realize your AC was so so high. yeah so That's crazy.
00:57:15
Speaker
Yeah. Okay. as you stand there holding her underneath you, a massive spike growth of black roses grows immediately out of the ground beneath you, wrapping around you as the spikes burrow their way between the gaps in your armor, finding their way as you are now wrapped in black rose viney thorns, and they pull you down to the ground, down to a knee.
00:57:37
Speaker
At the start of every one of your turns, you can do a strength saving throw to attempt to get out of this DC 17. Shouldn't be hard for you. But also at the start of every turn, you will take 46 necrotic damage, and half of that can either go to her or a creature she picks within range. Oh, shit. It will continue every turn until you save or she drops.
00:57:58
Speaker
Shit. All right. And she will increase the size of these thorny vines around you using druid craft as they become massive and around 15, 20 feet tall and about three feet wide as that you are now entangled in a giant thicket of black roses.
00:58:17
Speaker
You will take 10 necrotic damage and she will heal five. oh
Morticia's Encounter and Revival
00:58:23
Speaker
As the vines come up into, like, through Talira's armor and start constricting, Talira grunts out and she fucking bashes Morticia in the face with her shield. Hell yeah. I love it. 21 to hit.
00:58:44
Speaker
Okay. Not as good of damage this time. That is nine. for Talira's second attack. I'm going to ah once again hit with my shield.
00:58:57
Speaker
Another 21 to hit. As she comes down with her shield, fiery shackles erupt from it, holding Morticia's neck up against the door, also with hands and feet.
00:59:14
Speaker
11 total damage. As the fire erupts, shackling her to the door. h You are more powerful than I gave you credit for. I guess I better end this quickly.
00:59:25
Speaker
She will now drop concentration on the entangling Wither and Bloom. As the, because Druidcraft was casted on it, it does not disappear. And she will then cast Transport via Plants. Underneath you, it breaks apart and... harder and a portal opens up. And as you look around, you are falling from the top branches of the Great Tree of Nuna, looking across the forest in Viore as far as the eye can see.
00:59:49
Speaker
Oh, fuck. No save or anything? I'll give you a dexterity saving throw. Okay. Dirty 20. Dirty 20 will get you half damage as you try to slow down your descent on the branches of the Great Tree.
01:00:05
Speaker
You take half of 65 bludgeoning damage. That's not as bad as it could have been. Holy shit. The great tree of Nuna is incredibly big. Like, um we're talking, you if you remember the, the essentially the Yggdrasil, like the life tree from Avatar. It's a tree like that.
01:00:25
Speaker
It is massive. How much damage was that again? 65. Divided by two? Divided by two. divided by two I almost wonder if I should add more for hitting branches on the way down, but I'm to say with your dexterity saving throw, you managed to use those branches well to slow down instead.
01:00:43
Speaker
Fuck, what is she going to do now? i guess She's going have to... like Is there a way to climb it You make this impact on the ground, blood spurting out of your mouth from and just gasping for air. You look up and she falls through the portal as well with you, but you see she has spectral wings, black as the night sky.
01:01:01
Speaker
Talira, after she lands, all of the air has been slammed out of her lungs. She wheezes.
01:01:13
Speaker
Fuck. Okay, you're fucking done. And she pulls out the longbow, knocks it, and lets an arrow fly.
01:01:23
Speaker
All right, roll the hit. That was an eight. That does miss, yes. She's gonna let go and let loose another arrow. 15 to hit.
01:01:34
Speaker
That just hits. Holy shit.
01:01:39
Speaker
For eight damage. Somehow by a miracle of the gods, you let loose your arrow taking careful aim as she is flying directly down towards you and it sails and finds a mark in her calf as you finally hear a yelp of pain out of her for the first time.
01:01:53
Speaker
You are magnificent. You just barely hear it. I mean, it's, she's so far away. She will continue to fly down. You will get another round of attacks that she is not within spells range yet.
01:02:07
Speaker
Second verse, same as the first. She's going to let loose another two arrows. Not one. Nope. and a two. Oh no, as they both miss. the Unfortunate.
01:02:20
Speaker
With how how agile she is in the in the air, she's able to avoid them fairly easily as she finally gets within range. And she yells out, I do think it's about time we go back home, don't you?
01:02:31
Speaker
Let's finish this. And she casts Circle of Death. Oh, fuck. I need a constitution saving throw. Okay. Nat 20. That's insane.
01:02:43
Speaker
Let me tell you, when Thalira is motivated by how missing Kalden, she pulls out all the stops. Oh yeah, oh yeah, she's, I told you. Proven today.
01:02:56
Speaker
Okay, you take half of 43 damage, Necrotic. Talira looks up at her, now basically panting, like she's in pain, she's hurt, and she cracks her neck and knocks the bow again and lets another two arrows fly. And now that she's within 150 it's not at disadvantage.
01:03:23
Speaker
18 to hit, and then the second one will miss. While you're rolling damage, as it as the first one misses, the second one comes in too quick of a succession for her to be able to be able to dodge out of the way as it hits her just below the damaged shoulder that you had just cleaved into her as she winces just a bit.
01:03:40
Speaker
The fact that you are still standing is astounding. A battle of attrition, though, is my favorite. Another 11 damage. She will continue to fly forward 30 more feet and stop. Is she still in the she still in the air? She is, yes. She is ah now 120 feet away, exactly. And as she looks down upon you and is going to cast Spike Growth as once again, black thorny rose bushes and vines grow out all around you within a 20-foot radius, causing difficult terrain wherever you are, as well as you to take piercing damage, however you would move. tairra holds her shield out in front of her and just starts laughing as she pulls another two arrows from her quiver, knocks them because her shield is strapped and lets them fly again. Okay.
01:04:30
Speaker
Another one is going to miss and then 16 to hit for another seven damage.
01:04:41
Speaker
She's looking not bloodied yet.
01:04:45
Speaker
Fuck. OK. I will fully tell you that way we can we can play it out as far as our roles and everything, but to give an opportunity for you to take a section of time and like speed it up for the for the audience to make it like a. but no She meant it. She's war of attrition. in you She's going to stay at 120 feet. She's going to catch cast Eldritch Blast over and over with Spike growth around you and use her a legendary action every turn.
01:05:12
Speaker
All right. Once your arrows run out, what would you do? Fuck! Get the fuck down here! Are you afraid or something? It is simply smart strategy.
01:05:24
Speaker
Like I said, war of attrition, and unfortunately, you're on the losing end. What'd you say your DC was? 23. twenty three Perfect. I rolled a 24 and a 23 for her last, her fifth turn of Eldritch Blast. So, and with her casting an actual spell for her Eldritch Blast, a total of 22 force damage.
01:05:46
Speaker
She's still up. She's at this point going to look around for those fallen arrows. Cool. You take 2d4 piercing damage for every five feet you move. Shit.
01:05:57
Speaker
For the spike growth. We'll give you a total of, we'll say you moved 15 feet total so far, you think? Or you want to do it one turn at a time? Or how far would you move? She's going to do what she can to get out.
01:06:09
Speaker
Another 22 piercing damage. And she goes down. As more Eldred Blasts are on their way to finish the job, what is going through Valera's mind as she sits among a field of black rose thorns bleeding out?
01:06:23
Speaker
I'm sorry, Lou. um sorry, Calden Yellen. Please, you have to get Maeve. You have to get Maeve. I know you can do this. I wasn't fucking strong enough.
01:06:36
Speaker
The world goes black. As you wake up, unknowing how much time has passed, gasping for air in the middle of the welcome area within the mansion of the cartel family, Lou, the bear, sits bawling over top of you with most of her weight sitting upon your chest.
01:06:53
Speaker
As you also look around the rest of the room, taking it in, in wide-eyed wonder, realizing that your life has came back to you, you see an attendant with a a stainless steel serving plate with a little glowing drink as Morticia takes it and drinks it, and her whole body glows for a moment. and You can see all of her all her wounds immediately heal as she picks up the second little glass off of it and comes and bends over to you.
01:07:16
Speaker
Welcome back to the world of the living. Here, drink this. Why would I trust anything you give me? It's what I just drank, and you see how I am. Talira looks at Lou, nods, I'm okay, and she will drink the little glass.
01:07:37
Speaker
You get the effects of a long rest as a warmth fills your entire body. As I told you, you're more than welcome to wait here if you need a room for lodging. You're more than welcome to, but if you can't sleep, I do understand.
01:07:48
Speaker
If you need some food, clap three times and attendant will come and take your order. Are you done? Do you understand? Talira just looks at Lou. I know how to win this now. You see Lou just look at you, staring deep into you and just shaking her head side to side, tears coming out of her eyes.
01:08:07
Speaker
Lou, I promised Calden. I know how to do this now. I can do this. And Talira gets up and once again move rolls her shoulders back, grabs her axe and goes as she gets big.
01:08:23
Speaker
And as the fight begins again, Morticia just... a Some lessons are hard to learn and one failure is sometimes not enough. and just a round or two of combat time so six 12 seconds in she puts a hand out as if to stop you for just a second i did not realize the time i have a place to be so i'm sorry for making it so abrupt as you start to hear bones crack as her torso enlarges and the skin starts to be replaced with black scaling out of certain scales, it doesn't stay one scale, but rather starts to expand out into overlapping and rotating scales, starting to form scaly black roses across certain parts of her body as a tail begins to form and her face begins to extend out into a maw of a dragon.
01:09:15
Speaker
As just like her patron, she's able to take on the form similar to a night dragon. as she now stands 20 feet tall, taking up majority of the room before the 30-foot ceiling of this area as she looks down upon you.
01:09:30
Speaker
Have you learned yet? I'm not the smartest here. I never claimed to be. And Talira sighs. You actually see fear in her eyes for the first time, and she goes to attack again.
01:09:46
Speaker
As you begin to undertake the looming battle of Morticia Cartel in full form, she swipes the claw down, batting you against the now closed double doors, breaking them open and out into the courtyard in front, knocking the wind out of you, immediately breaking, cracking several ribs.
01:10:07
Speaker
As she drops the transformation, walks out the door, and then re-transforms again. Now out into ah open air, her wings unfurl. Wings of scaly rose petals.
01:10:19
Speaker
Describe to me Talira's response as she gets up, having just taken that impact. She wheezes out whatever remaining air is left in her lungs as she takes the impact and realizes she can't win this.
01:10:40
Speaker
And she looks to Lou with tears in her eyes and resignation. Morticia drops the form, recognizing the look on your face, having seen it many, many times.
01:10:55
Speaker
I take it you've learned your lesson. Fuck you. It is a hard one to learn. You'll come to thank me for it one day. Fuck you.
01:11:06
Speaker
And she spits.
01:11:11
Speaker
You remind me of my daughter sometimes. Anyway, we'll be watching. As soon as my mother is done with your friends, they will be released. She turns on her heel and walks back into the house and up the stairs.
01:11:23
Speaker
Talira doesn't move, not for a few minutes. she eventually goes back to her regular size of seven foot six, and she rolls onto her hands and knees and pushes herself up and sits next to Lou and uses her last of her uses of her ring.
01:11:51
Speaker
are Are you okay? As Lou just sat sitting in front of the open doorway, watching you process all of this.
Motivations and Past Adventures
01:12:00
Speaker
She, she was telling the truth whole time.
01:12:04
Speaker
i know. I had to watch her just drag your body through a tree. Thalera, you were dead. I wasn't strong enough. She didn't even look phased.
01:12:17
Speaker
You are not dumb, Thalera. Could you not see that? I wasn't strong enough. You won't always be. How am I supposed to protect you or Kaladin if I can't get to him?
01:12:30
Speaker
She walks up to you and puts her hands, or her paws rather, on your knees by making smarter decisions. Protection isn't just strength of body.
01:12:42
Speaker
Why did you keep fighting? She kept me at the distance and she won because she kept me at the distance. I thought if I could keep her close, I was going to... doesn't fucking matter what I was going to do. It didn't fucking matter in the end.
01:12:57
Speaker
I thought I had a way to win. Why did you take the fight again? Because I thought I could keep her close. And then I might have stood a chance. And because I have a promise to keep.
01:13:12
Speaker
She was preventing me from getting to Calden and Yellen and then Maeve and... I'm sorry.
01:13:26
Speaker
Understand. I need you to ask yourself, this promise that you're trying to keep, protect Kalden, and you say Yellen and Maeve, but Kalden's always the common denominator.
01:13:37
Speaker
Why? Why are you willing to stupidly die and not fight with your head when it comes to him?
01:13:46
Speaker
You're willing to die for him, but Lyra, I... We've been... i don't know, being a bear makes this hard. and You're not stupid, and neither am I. I want to... If you're willing to die for him, are you willing to live for me? Lyra... Because you just looked me in the eyes, knowing you were going to lose, but convinced yourself you could win to take another fight that was doomed to lose.
01:14:10
Speaker
just it Just in the name of Kalden.
01:14:15
Speaker
I am so sorry, Lou. Gods! I… I don't know what to say. Of course I am. First of all, yes, of course I am.
01:14:27
Speaker
I… I did think that I might have a sliver of a chance to win, which is why I kept going. I stopped when I realized I couldn't.
01:14:40
Speaker
And for that I'm glad. and don't want to live through that flashback again. You were right, though. I was stupid. It was pretty badass when you chained her to the door.
01:14:52
Speaker
It was, wasn't it? I think I saw a sliver of surprise on her face just for a second. You should have seen when I was shooting her with my arrows. She was like 500 feet away.
01:15:04
Speaker
Didn't think I could hit her. I did. Um, just next time you see that look in my eye, just take a second to think.
01:15:15
Speaker
I will. I promise. She goes in for a bear hug. Talira hugs her back.
Calden and Yellen's Predicament
01:15:21
Speaker
Meanwhile, Yellen and Calden, you come back to consciousness in a comfy bed as you hear the whistling of someone within the room.
01:15:34
Speaker
i had just whistling their day away. It's a nice, happy tune as you begin to take in the room around you and it is dark, lit by my orange and red lanterns that cast shadows across the sharp fixtures of the room.
01:15:49
Speaker
You can tell you're underground. The mustiness of still air reaches your nostrils, and as you look up, there's moist stone that drips. A little bit of condensation in different parts as one lands on the forehead of Eucaldon, cool as it would be in a cave.
01:16:08
Speaker
There's a ah dim blue light that seems to almost flicker against the wall above you. Slight reflections off of the glistening of the condensation.
01:16:18
Speaker
You can recognize the light is not natural, not of any sort of fire or anything. The whistling just continuing to echo throughout the room as the room is large, probably 40, 50 foot ceiling. It's not square, nor does it look man-made.
01:16:33
Speaker
Are we in the same bed or... No, you are not. if you were to look over, you'd see in your beds, you are in beds that are next to each other. Oh, okay.
01:16:52
Speaker
Do you often bring guests to caves? Oh.
01:17:00
Speaker
You're awake, hello! Hello, hello! Oh my- it's been so long, I didn't realize just how potent that spell was. Still a learning bit, you know. Experimentation as I tend to be.
01:17:13
Speaker
What do I see? I'm doing... I'm perceiving the shit out of this place. I'm really looking. Absolutely. Go ahead and actually, if you could both roll me perception checks so I can give you like a a varied amount of potential it's pretty good things. 20. 16. Woo, nice.
01:17:30
Speaker
I will start with Yellen. Describe the things you both see, and then I'll go to just Kalden. What you both see as you you either prop your head up or you sit up, you look around and see a peculiar, and um on a large amount of peculiar items and fixtures and furniture, all of different styles. A lot of Gothic style designs here, but also you see what are very obviously torture mechanisms, different kinds of tools. The blue light that I had mentioned that you look up and you see Not quite to the same brightness as it doesn't hurt your eyes to look at it, but you've ever seen the light of welding that's happening, it is that flashing and buzzing of some sort of light that's happening. As you see, the the term that comes to mind quickest to you as well as to me would be a gremlin that is actively using some sort of tool and maybe punched over a small table.
01:18:21
Speaker
And as you take in the room, you see a very hunched back old lady with a very pointed chin and wavy gray hair that is fairly unkept. with one spectacle is sitting on a high stool at a table and looking over at you all. Oh, and behind her is a very large stairwell leading up to a door near the top of the opposite side of the room.
01:18:43
Speaker
And, Keldin, as you notice and you take in and look around, there are a few things you notice. One thing that your eye catches specifically looks to be a, maybe a backpack or some sort of contraption hanging on the wall with mechanical wings spread out from it.
01:18:59
Speaker
And the other thing that you notice and take in is not anything you visually see, but something you smell. And I'm going to DM that to you. So sorry, audience. What the fuck? I smell chloroform.
01:19:12
Speaker
I missed it if you said in the description, are we tied to the beds at all, chained in any way? You are not. You are not trying to tie. You are free completely.
01:19:24
Speaker
Fully clothed, no kinky shit.
01:19:28
Speaker
There was no response to that. I know, you didn't say anything. think we might be buck-ass nude yelling. i think it's about to get kinky. I'm so sorry. No, you are completely in the same clothes that you had and weapons and everything. You have not... If you were do quick a quick check, it doesn't seem like anything is missing.
01:19:47
Speaker
Okay, cool. I figured that's what I would be smelling. Are you ready for the question? Did we get a long rest? Ha ha ha ha ha!
01:20:00
Speaker
Seven males. What good question. That's actually phenomenal question. That is a great question, actually. Yeah, I would say yes. Yeah, yeah, I would say you probably do, yeah.
01:20:11
Speaker
but Do we get a level? my thank goodness. Yeah, i would say you definitely do, yeah. Thank goodness. Oh my gosh. Calden was not looking great. Mostly because of the soul that he touched, if we're being honest. it Whoops.
01:20:29
Speaker
Look, you make one mistake. This little the light of mine. It was pretty. It was. it was very pretty. Okay. Callum like scrunches his nose up and sits up, super hesitant, still looking around.
01:20:47
Speaker
Madame Cartel, I presume. Oh, you remember my name. It's been so long since I've seen you, darling. The two of you know each other already.
01:20:57
Speaker
No, not really. ah just acquaintances. No, I've... I spoke with him. Actually, i don't even think I spoke with you, did I? No, I know more of his old former benefactor. Would that be correct, Calden?
01:21:13
Speaker
I wouldn't use that term. Fair enough. Anyway, what were you all doing... messing with our operations.
01:21:25
Speaker
It seems you have a friend of ours. we would like her back, please. oh Oh, I see. You know that girl, Poog was... I happened to have spoke with Poog a bit about his operation he was writing because I had personal interest, I believe, and i won't get into that.
01:21:46
Speaker
But regardless, what was her name? I believe it was Maeve? Yes. yes What a beautiful name. Yes, um, well, I may be able to help you.
01:21:59
Speaker
What do you want? I think that depends on exactly what you want.
01:22:07
Speaker
You must be parched. Let me get you a drink. No, that's all right. And but I think, if anything, we just want to find our friend, and frankly, I have no interest in dealing with you.
01:22:18
Speaker
Well, isn't that rude to show somebody who has shown you such hospitality? I've given you a band, I've... Oh, yes, it's very kind to kidnap us out of nowhere. Well, to be fair, you were killing my family's employees.
01:22:33
Speaker
To be fair, they attacked us first. That's not actually true. Oh, it's not? I thought it was. We shot first. Oh, I thought they were going to jump us. We're Han Solo.
01:22:44
Speaker
It definitely appeared that like they were gonna jump at you. That would be correct. they They were trying to get the jump on us for sure. Right. Well, you make a good point. Okay.
01:22:55
Speaker
Well, regardless, I don't owe you anything yet. Likewise. Because I was just doing my, well, they were just doing their job. But regardless, I could help you in your...
01:23:08
Speaker
escapades to help your friend. I can surely understand the tragedy of a lost friend, but I need something out of it. Something to further further my experiments, you see.
01:23:21
Speaker
Kalden's just glaring at her. I think he's stood up. Why? Why such a... Why such an angry face, Kalden? You've ruined such perfect skin you have.
01:23:33
Speaker
Ew. What the fuck? Oh my. You don't want wrinkles like an old lady like me, no. I think we'll leave now. Oh, you will not be leaving? No, we haven't made our deal yet.
01:23:48
Speaker
I could give you the exact directions to your friend. What do you want? Well, that's just a simple little thing.
Negotiations with the Old Lady
01:23:56
Speaker
I just would like a future promise for rights to your dead body.
01:24:03
Speaker
What? It's simple. I want nothing now, but in the events that in the future you may or may not come to lose your life and soul, then I want your physical body.
01:24:16
Speaker
Why? ah Well, that is not information that you are privy to. Look around, honey. i I push the boundaries of arcane knowledge in ways that the acute Dorums would think me vile for. Um...
01:24:35
Speaker
No. No, we're gonna have zombie Kaladin. Oh boy. Dude, bad deal, bad deal, bad deal. There's nothing in that offer that says that they're not gonna try to kill you right away so they can collect immediately.
01:24:48
Speaker
That is true. That is so true. Fae logic.
01:24:59
Speaker
So you just want a dead body… after death? No, no, no. I want Calden's dead body. um Now I understand. I can see the looks on your faces. I've done, I've lived a long time. I've lived a long time. And when she says that you can see like light kind of pulse in her eyes.
01:25:20
Speaker
am no ignorant fool. You need guarantees. Obviously you should know. I probably know where your friend is. But who's to say and stop me from killing you now? Surely the fact that you haven't attacked me now knows that you are not i ignorant as well. You know I could kill you.
01:25:37
Speaker
think maybe we should have a private conversation quickly, Galvan. Well, let me at least tell you how I would do it first. It'll sweeten the deal. Let me least tell you how I will kill you first.
01:25:50
Speaker
Here's the deal. If I kill you, it ruins it. i need the soul of the body to have lived a life of their own for the experiment I have in mind. Specifically Kaladin's. So it would rather be an enchantment of sorts that, one, it would not work if I would be the one that killed you, and two, upon death, your body just automatically teleports to that bed right there.
01:26:15
Speaker
You might have to get in line if you want that body. Oh, Pishposh. He can't touch me. Caldun establishes a link with Yellen. mean, what choice do we have?
01:26:26
Speaker
We don't have to do this, Caldun. I'm sure we can find Maeve. We have to find Maeve. She... It's not worth your eternal whatever she wants. It's just a body. It's not. Calden is your body.
01:26:40
Speaker
You'll know what she could do with it. Probably nothing worse than it's been done to it before. No, I don't think this is a good idea And I don't think you should go through anything worse than you already have. Do you remember? How long would it have to be dead before you took it?
01:26:54
Speaker
Hmm. Well, my thought was immediate teleportation, but, um... I guess if you have some requests, I would be willing to lend an ear Give it a week.
01:27:06
Speaker
Hmm. Three days. Five. That's a deal. Where would you like your, let's say, tattoo? What?
01:27:16
Speaker
Well, like I said, I have to enchant your body. on and and no, no. No. You just made the deal. No, you're not putting anything on me.
01:27:27
Speaker
Oh, honey. You said deal. I it did not say deal. You said deal. You going to go back on the agreement we just had?
01:27:38
Speaker
You said five days. I agreed. Both parties had not agreed yet. There was no official agreement. Listen, it's just a small tattoo.
01:27:49
Speaker
ah Like a runic symbol on a shield. What makes Kaladin's body so special? Why do you need it in particular? Why would you be asking that?
01:28:01
Speaker
Because you insisted on his with me. eat Say, I take your deal. What but then? is Is it any different? Absolutely. me It's incredibly different. You're just a random crystal tiefling.
01:28:17
Speaker
body's a body. I've lived a life. Calden's body. Calden's body has undergone. It's just special. Let's just say that. Calden, in your head. You don't hear anything cause you have a ring. I remember this time.
01:28:29
Speaker
Haha, caught myself. Ugh, so many ideas.
01:28:35
Speaker
It's I chose it for a reason. i know, I know. Hmm. This is Calvin's deal to make in Calvin's deal alone. It's just a small tattoo. I'll even use ink.
01:28:46
Speaker
I'm not in the the torture mood this morning, There's no reason for to have to mock me. You see her eyes kind of like look up to the corner and around and looks like he shits she's thinking. She raises an eyebrow and cocks her head to the side.
01:29:03
Speaker
No, I do think that I must. Yes, we can even hide it. Put it on your buttocks if you wanted. No, surely nobody sees that.
01:29:14
Speaker
She's not wrong.
01:29:21
Speaker
Not even he sees that, so like he stands in front of me and goes, nice ah ah Damn, Kyle, you got a fine ass today. i mean, he probably does, but... He does not do that.
01:29:36
Speaker
No, I mean, he probably has a fine ass, but... Oh, I mean, for sure, with how much traveling we do everyone's got fine asses. Exactly. Chiseled.
01:29:50
Speaker
A chiseled ass. That's right, chiseled ass. Which is not actually very nice looking. no
01:29:59
Speaker
What guarantee do we have that you'll take us to Maeve and let us all leave with our lives? Well, I would make a guess that it'll probably take you maybe 45 minutes of walking time to get there.
01:30:16
Speaker
I'll give you a fragile crystal that if you break it, it kills me. But it has a timer, so it should deactivate about the time that you get there. A crystal that kills you?
01:30:27
Speaker
Oh, sure. I'll tie it to my life force. ah boop Easy, easy business. What the fuck? Yeah, I have so many questions. Who the fuck is she that that's an easy peasy thing?
01:30:39
Speaker
Just like, oh, casually, yeah. I'm going to crush it now. What are you talking about? I'd take that risk. I would crush the crystal. It's either that, listen, I could give it to you and you could kill me now, but you won't find your friend.
01:30:54
Speaker
And based on, the based on how she looked from what Poog told me, she was on death's door, you know, just recently. What did you do to her? I didn't do anything.
01:31:06
Speaker
Well, Poog's side business. What did you people do to her? Guess you better find her to find out. I will say. He rushes at her. Okay. What do you just rush? Like tackle, attack? wants to like grab her clothes.
01:31:23
Speaker
Like you're going to grab someone's shirt and get in their face. She does not flinch. Let's you. What did you do to her? The rank just decrepit breath out of the moldy rotten teeth in her mouth hits hits you in the face.
01:31:40
Speaker
Honey, didn't. I won't take one day, ten points to death.
01:31:45
Speaker
You see, in fact, as she goes to speak this, you actually see a ah small like centipede crawl out of the edge of her mouth and go down into her jacket. Honey, he did nothing.
01:31:58
Speaker
We were asked to hold her We were asked to hold her. Well, Pug and his men were. and but And that's an easy contract to get paid from.
01:32:09
Speaker
So we be obliged. And what did your people do to her while she was with you? To be honest, I don't know. But I'm jealous to have had a subject.
01:32:20
Speaker
Pushes off from her. So what about that deal? And if she's not where you say she is? Hmm. Deal's off. Well? No deal. Hmm. That's a good point.
01:32:32
Speaker
It'll take me a bit longer to make it, but I could make the enchantment that it only activates, um, once your friend's likeness has reached a vicinity.
01:32:44
Speaker
That seems a bit too vague. Well, that's the best I can do. I don't have her here to connect it to her soul or anything like that, but I can... somewhere to, like, Ascending or Scrying, where you just need, like, their lightness.
01:32:58
Speaker
Same sort of components to the spell. Enchantment, rather. Well, you just let us go. We'll find her on our own. You could.
01:33:09
Speaker
But then you might not make it there, and it wouldn't be me. Surely you'll know where you're at by now, Keldon. You said you can't be the one to kill me. So we're gonna leave. Okay. If you'd like to, you're more than welcome to.
01:33:22
Speaker
But just know, he's not in his mansion. I'm gonna roll deception to see if he's keeping a straight face right now. Okay, go for it. ah I mean, it's gonna be a good roll.
01:33:36
Speaker
I mean, the roll isn't good. It was a 21. You said you you rolled a two and you got to a 21? Fucking rogues. Reliable talent.
01:33:49
Speaker
Yeah, can't roll below a 10 for things I'm proficient in. Oh, that's crazy. Okay. Well, if that doesn't faze you, then by all means, you're welcome to leave.
01:34:02
Speaker
He glances back at Yellen. Yaelen is looking very confused currently because he he can he could definitely sense the history between these two, but he's not like, I know what's going on. He has no idea what's going on.
01:34:16
Speaker
Kaladin, I don't know this woman and I trust your judgment. You really shouldn't. I do.
01:34:29
Speaker
I yeah don't think it'd be wise to take the deal. But I think as long as I can find you within three days, I'll be fine as well.
01:34:41
Speaker
So I will leave it up to you. if If I don't take this deal, you then we should probably split up for your safety.
01:34:55
Speaker
Kellen, I'm not leaving you. You need to find Maeve. We're going to find
Earthquake and Decisions
01:35:00
Speaker
Maeve. The entire building and structure shakes like a violent earthquake for about three seconds.
01:35:06
Speaker
And Yellen looks around. we're going to die trying, I guess. It's been periodic the last few days. What is that? Volcanoes?
01:35:17
Speaker
No, from what, um, we've taken our interest in it as well, because we like to know things, and it seems more localized. And she kind of looks directly at you, Kalden, and gets a big smile on her face.
01:35:33
Speaker
Evil grin. If you leave, maybe you'll find it. If I don't take the steel, your life is in danger, being around me. My life is always in danger.
01:35:45
Speaker
If both of us die, we can't find Maeve. I mean, I suppose that's true, Kaladin, but I'm not going to just leave you to your own devices somewhere we don't know where we are.
01:35:57
Speaker
Somewhere you don't know where we are. We're team, Kaladin, and I'm not letting Granny Goodness gobble you up, and I'm not going to let angry tremors in the earth swallow you either.
01:36:13
Speaker
Does she look undead? ah No. No? that Like, she has like... No. Like, her skin isn't like dead white, like it lacks blood flow. Like, she's creepy and she's dirty and weird, but no, not undead.
01:36:28
Speaker
In fact, whenever you saw the flash in her eyes, that was very opposite of undead. Okay. When Kalden said that he wasn't... that they were just going to leave, did she stand aside or anything?
01:36:41
Speaker
She never was in your way. She's just still sitting on her... She never moved. She's actually still sitting on her high chair, on her little stool. On her high chair? ah Yeah. my third She's a short lady. yeah She
01:36:57
Speaker
She is like a hunchbacked and a short woman. Yeah, just hunched over on her stool over her table. I can't do it again. don't think can take this to you. i I don't blame you. i don't think Maeve would blame you either.
01:37:13
Speaker
But what if we can't find her? What if she dies because I said no? Kaladin, we could be out of time already. It's been two days. Our greatest chance is getting to her now and trying to find some way to bring her back.
01:37:31
Speaker
you You can sky her. I can try. This is all in your guys' head, right? just make sure. Oh, yeah. Yeah, yeah, that's what thought. Nope, they're saying it out loud, and you just hear yakety-sacks in the background.
01:37:46
Speaker
Oh, man. She's just sitting there with, a like a plum like, just a Just an awkward kind of grin, just... wide-eyed, eyebrows raised, um staring at you guys.
01:37:59
Speaker
Calde, no matter what happens, I'm not leaving anyone behind. We find me together, not at all.
01:38:08
Speaker
I'm going to start leaving. Oh, so you... you done talking to each other in your heads now? you You're leaving. You're actually leaving. it You realize what's out there, what the possibilities are.
01:38:22
Speaker
I'll have my chicken back now. Where is Yana? What did you do with her? Oh, you mean the big hunk of meat? Oh, yeah, she's in this table. She's fine. She's fine. But okay, if you don't want the deal.
01:38:35
Speaker
Well, your loss, um, um, Tiefling. You're part of the Anima Clarigi, correct? Oh, you've hid the nail on the head. Yeah, you've got that feel about you.
01:38:47
Speaker
Thank you. we We deal with them a bit. Are you... I'm sure you discuss... you discuss the the deal together. What else would you be discussing right now? ha Is Kal... Kalden's out the door already, right?
01:39:03
Speaker
No, the second she started talking to Yellen, he stopped. he would actually prefer to kind of position himself a little bit between her and Yellen. Listen, and with you being with the end of Kluigi, I imagine that you're worried about his his soul, I take it, correct?
01:39:23
Speaker
I'm worried about my friend. Well, body is just a physical material, really. who And it's still a part of him.
01:39:34
Speaker
Agree to disagree, I'm just... I was going to make a deal that I could... make sure that nothing happens to the soul. um Specifically, you could oversee that... that's your moment... It is not my place to toss around Kalden's soul in a wager.
01:39:52
Speaker
Hmph. You sacred types. Always like to ruin the fun. We're done here. And he leaves. Toodaloo! Have fun! Good day, madam.
01:40:04
Speaker
I said good day! Thank you for saying it, because i didn't want to interrupt with that.
01:40:13
Speaker
I'll always be the impulsive one with a quote. So, as you both climb the stairs and go out the door, you go down a hallway. realizing one you don't exactly know how to get out of here.
01:40:26
Speaker
As you walk with confidence, as you go down the hallway and into a welcoming area with a giant, massive staircase and a very large painting of the matriarch and patriarch of the cartel family above it with two very large windows on either side.
01:40:42
Speaker
And in this area, sitting on a bench is Lou and Talira patiently waiting for you. Talira. Calden. Tanira, are you okay?
01:40:55
Speaker
Fucking hell, Kalvin! You're okay! Yellen, you're okay! mean, think we're alright for the part. What are you doing here? Trying to get to you.
01:41:08
Speaker
He's gonna walk over to her and like, reach out to her. youre okay? Did they... did they hurt you? Where's Maeve? He looks away.
01:41:19
Speaker
He looks kind of ashamed. No, no, no, no, where is Maeve? It's okay, tell me what's got your... Oh, fuck. And Talira, she... She looks away. Kaldon has only seen her once, maybe twice, after the initial sending of what happened when we found out we couldn't get a hold of Maeve or Yellen. We couldn't find them.
01:41:46
Speaker
Or we saw Maeve and we couldn't get to Yellen. We'll find her. We still have a tracking spell. We'll find her. She's here somewhere. Maybe. wait We were told it's about a 45 minute walk, wherever she is.
01:42:02
Speaker
oh How wide is your tracking spell? That's how I found you. We could scry. The spell we have, we have to be closer than that.
01:42:12
Speaker
Right? How close? Oh, um, I don't remember what the shopkeeper said. I think it was 500 feet, maybe? Seems a bit short. A thousand, I believe.
01:42:25
Speaker
Okay, um, if you can get the picture, i can navigate too. All right, let me see if... Let me see if Scrying can do us any good.
01:42:37
Speaker
I have a sword still. You know what, if I use that for now? To do the Scrying? course. And you're okay, Kalden.
01:42:48
Speaker
Yeah. right, I'm going to scry. While he is scrying, Lou gets off the bench and comes over and gives you a hug, Kel'vin. He hugs her back. He's looking at the door like a lot.
01:43:01
Speaker
Where Kiro? He stayed behind just in case you came back. There are things he needs to learn there too.
01:43:12
Speaker
That's good. And nothing happened while you were here. You've been safe. Eventually. I'll tell you about it later. its We need to find Maeve. Right.
01:43:25
Speaker
Yellen, as you scry, you attempt to reach out and find Maeve's presence. With your arcane abilities, you find that the spell fails.
01:43:35
Speaker
Hmm. Let me ah double check what could make it fail really quickly. We have a few ideas of what can make that fail. Talia and I. Then I will ask you guys. You've experienced that before.
01:43:50
Speaker
i couldn't find it. Like it... it failed or you couldn't see anything or... It failed. There... it could be she died, but... Or she's no longer on this plane.
01:44:07
Speaker
Exactly. That was what I was leaning towards. If it was the Aethercrow who took her... She's probably on a different plane. So we have to find a rift.
01:44:21
Speaker
Okay. ah Is there a way we can sense that out? No changes in air pressure, don't know. What that face you're making, Woos? hello I don't know. Just curious what your solution's gonna be.
01:44:37
Speaker
That's a face of somebody who knows something, which of course you do. You're the DM. That's the face of someone who knows we're forgetting something. Yeah, exactly.
01:44:48
Speaker
What are we forgetting? Not forgetting, necessarily. i think you very well know it, you just don't want to do it. And that's why I'm smiling.
01:44:57
Speaker
Okay, i i have a question I have a question for the granny, I think, so I'm going to say i have ah I have an additional question to ask the old woman.
01:45:08
Speaker
I'll be back momentarily. Yellen. I'll be fine, Galden.
01:45:16
Speaker
I don't think you should go alone. I don't intend to fight. was that old s saying, sticks and stones can break my bones, but words can only hurt me so far.
01:45:27
Speaker
Her words can very much hurt you. They really can. Well, yeah I think it'll... I think it'll be alright. I'm just gonna step back inside the room.
01:45:41
Speaker
i mean, we walked quite a ways. Oh, I thought we just stepped right out of thing. You stepped out and walked down a hallway. A very love pretty long hallway. oh okay. I'll go down the hallway. I would like, actually, before he walks away in his head... You know what?
01:45:57
Speaker
Please don't go and never alone. Please let me come with you. If it will ease you, Cal, then you can come with me.
01:46:06
Speaker
He's gonna go with him.
01:46:10
Speaker
I don't think that's... I don't think that's best. I just found you. I can't let you go alone again. We're just down the hole.
01:46:21
Speaker
I'm going to include Talira into the eye link. In the head. Gotcha. Okay. I'll be right here, Talira. Okay.
01:46:33
Speaker
Okay. If I don't hear... but If you're not back in what? What? How long before I follow?
Closing and Credits
01:46:42
Speaker
If we don't come back and four hours, then...
01:46:46
Speaker
come break the door. That's a long time. It is a long time. I i don't think it'll take that long at all. but I'm giving you 30 minutes. 30 minutes. What conversation do you think is going to take four hours?
01:46:58
Speaker
Are you going to sex her up? It's going to be a debate. We're going to debate. It's going to be an erection that lasts longer than. Like, that's oh that's more than emergency situation.
01:47:10
Speaker
Maybe give us like an hour, one hour. How long is the hallway? That'll include the time. It's, I mean, it's like a, it's not terribly long. It's just, it's, you're in a mansion. So, I mean, probably what takes you ah a minute or two to walk down a wing of a mansion, you know? Okay. All right.
01:47:28
Speaker
Yeah. So give us maybe 45 minutes. Okay. 45 minutes. forty five minutes okay for five minutes You walk down the hallway, open the door, and you both walk in to the platform with the stairs to your right, overlooking what is essentially Grandma Addy Cartel's laboratory.
01:47:46
Speaker
I think given the time, we should end the episode there. I wanted to get a little further, but regardless, audience, thank you so much for listening to another episode. Cast. That was a wild ride.
01:47:58
Speaker
Woof! No kidding. The world of Donatnotes is brought in part to you by viewers like you. Thank you. I don't see us getting any donations yet. Yeah, yeah. we we need We need a Patreon for that first. But don't worry. We want to have one eventually. So thank you guys for listening and we will see you next time for episode 21. Bye-bye. Bye. See but-bye bye um see it
01:48:34
Speaker
We would like to thank our cast, myself, Curtis Woosley, as the GM, MJ Gunther as Talira Grimstone Echelanathi, Saphira as Maeve Strongheart, Rennie Armas as Kalden, and Jack Baldwin as Yelan Yacol.
01:48:46
Speaker
Additional thanks to Scentic GFX for our graphics, to MJ and Rennie here for our show editing, and our intro and outro music composed by Ryan Moons, owner and operator of Eyes on the Moon Studios.
01:49:21
Speaker
you