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Ch. 31 - Pyramid Schemes | Corrupting Presence
30 Plays6 days ago
Everyone knows the food pyramid is predicated on junk science and lobbying from the dairy industry. An accurate food pyramid would be all soup. Soupamid.
Meet the cast:
Dungeon Master – Zach Meikle (IG: @zachabee)
Clay Campbell – Prima Zhao (IG: @primbdraws)
Faunalyn Vaydark – Shannon Meikle (IG: @sharsharbinks)
Glimki Treefellow – Jordan Johnsen (IG: @jordan_johnsen)
Edited by Zach Meikle
Follow the show:
Instagram: @bard_soup
TikTok: @bard_soup
Website: www.bardsoup.com
Music & Ambience
Jazz Drum by Valentin Iakovlev from Pixabay
The following songs are created by Alexander Nakarada (www.creatorchords.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.0 License
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Beyond the Horizon (0:00)
Before the Storm (5:43)
The Poodle (14:41)
Time is of the Essence (16:19)
The Basset Hound (26:13)
The Cavalier King Charles (30:14)
The Jack Russel Terrier (33:28)
Prepare for War (40:05)
Mystery Palace (46:36)
Detective Goofarian (59:58)
Cocktails and Lobsters (1:01:39)
Foam Rubber (1:36:50)
Superepic (1:37:42)
The French Bulldog (1:41:51)
Red Mystery (1:50:28)
Blinking Lights (2:14:22)
8-Bit Tavern (2:39:09)
Additional music and ambience created by Tim Roven (www.tabletopaudio.com)
The Madding Crowd (6:38)
1940's Office (18:19)
Protean Fields (42:27)
Foghaven (1:43:11)
Sound Effects
Additional sounds provided by Pixabay
Recommended
Transcript
Alliance and Quest for Etigan
00:00:00
Speaker
Now, let's see... where were we? Ah yes, that's right. After venturing to the lakeside town of Manus, our heroes allied themselves with a young rebel by the name of Callum Swift, who traveled with them to a petrified grove in search of the nature spirit Etigan.
00:00:19
Speaker
Glimke was able to commune with the spirit, and a ten petal plumeria flower bloomed in his hair. a means of keeping Etigan alive until he could be reunited with a piece of himself lost within the mines.
00:00:31
Speaker
As our heroes began their return trip out of the grove, they were stopped by a familiar presence, a man made of locusts, the Butcher. Thayun Zahir.
00:00:43
Speaker
They quickly scattered as he attacked, and Glimki was told by Eddegin that, in exchange for some of his remaining power, he could summon forth one of his old allies, but Glimki would have to reach a tree across the clearing first.
Battle with Thayun Zahir
00:00:57
Speaker
As he attempted to do so, Glimke was hit several times, and with each new injury, the flower in his hair lost a petal. The fight raged on, and as it did, an earthquake shook the grove, causing the ground to collapse, and Glimke barely avoided being pulled into a massive ravine.
00:01:15
Speaker
Clay and Farnelin managed to hold off the butcher, and Glimki was able to reach the tree. As he laid his hands upon it, the stone encasing the tree ruptured, and in its place stood a treant named Sapfeand, who struck at Thayun, nearly killing him.
00:01:29
Speaker
However, this endeavor cost Edgin another three petals, leaving him with only four remaining. Seeing that his opening had closed, the butcher attempted to escape, but Farnelin tracked him down knocked him unconscious.
00:01:43
Speaker
He was quickly restrained and Clay cast Zone of Truth spell in order to interrogate him. What followed next was rather grisly and we don't need to get into it, but long story short, Thayun Zahir offered to take the party to Prince Elling Malfurth in exchange for his life.
00:01:59
Speaker
They counteroffered by attempting to get him to take Farnelon's place in her deal with fish head Franny, but he was unwilling, and ultimately clay finished him off. Our heroes returned to Manus in the branches of their new ally, and said goodbye to the tree in Callum for the time being, and decided to return to Onkyo.
Hosts' Australian Adventures
00:02:19
Speaker
Upon returning to the city, they went to their hideout at Speakeasy Artworks, where they designed a symbol for their rebellion and hatched the next step of their plan, entering the office of Boontar Strigamall and stealing the documents needed to incite a mass rebellion.
00:02:34
Speaker
You already said all that. What do you want me to say to that? Really, what do you want me to say? On with the story.
00:02:57
Speaker
Come gather round, travelers, and sit on the stoop. We'll tell you a story about Batsu. Three lovable scamps in our traveling troop.
00:03:11
Speaker
We'll tell you a story about Batsu.
00:03:41
Speaker
G'day mates! It's me, Zach, from Bored Soup. You see, we usually record our show up in Canada, but daylight savings is rapidly approaching and with it, my seasonal depression.
00:03:53
Speaker
So I had the brilliant idea of moving our show down to Australia. We've only been here a few days, but I've already picked up the accent and been bitten by several poisonous animals. Lucky for me, I've got me mates.
00:04:06
Speaker
And they also sound like this. Prima, who are you and who do you play? I'm Prima and I play Clay Campbell. Crikey! That's a shit accent, mate!
00:04:18
Speaker
What are you talking about? You're never gonna make any friends here in Melbourne unless you start talking right. but Anyway, next up is me mate Jordan! Uh, crikey, dingo baby.
00:04:30
Speaker
I'm Jordan, I play Glenky Tree Fellow. Mate. Aye,
Rebellion Plans and Infiltration
00:04:34
Speaker
comedic use of the C word. Moving on, that's my sister, Shannon. G'day, my name's Shannon and I play Lady Fauniland Veydark.
00:04:46
Speaker
Super happy to be here. Honestly, this whole bit has really got me wondering whether the Meikle siblings are odd for not like for not having any inhibitions about doing accents.
00:04:57
Speaker
or whether Chauden and Breema are odd for experiencing inhibition. And it's something I'm gonna ponder while I go swim with the kangaroos.
00:05:07
Speaker
Now you're showing off. There is no accent I can't do except the ones that would be offensive. I'm offended. I don't know. Those don't sound like Australian accents to me.
00:05:20
Speaker
I thought it was pretty good. I think Shannon's was better than Zach's. What the fuck? I thought Zach was just doing Callum's voice. but But I don't know what he sounds like. i Enough of that nonsense.
00:05:34
Speaker
It's me, Zach. Welcome back to BarnSynth. And we'll be recording like this for the next six months until I don't feel scared when the lights go out at 5pm. Let's jump in. We join our heroes standing on the streets of Onkeel.
00:05:50
Speaker
You're on this major thoroughfare looking towards the Korak Mining Company's head office. It is the largest building you've seen in the city, stretching up easily five stories, surrounded by a thick stone wall with spikes on the top.
00:06:08
Speaker
The building itself is constructed much like the rest on this side of the river, with large slabs of stone and concrete moulded together in harsh angles. But you notice it's slightly pyramidal, in the sense that it angles ever so slightly upwards, getting narrower at the top.
00:06:24
Speaker
You dwarven security patrolling the area outside the wall, and several more stand guard in front of the main gate. through which you can see a few yellowing trees scattered amongst a large stone courtyard.
00:06:39
Speaker
All right. So I guess I'm feeling confident in the sense that we walked out of the artist's place confidently. And Grimki, you look honestly better than you've ever looked.
00:06:51
Speaker
Except that time you dressed up as a princess. That was better. But I just, I mean, like, the closer we get, the more I realize our plan is essentially... Our plan is essentially complete the plan. they really We haven't really broken it down into a ton of actionable steps.
00:07:07
Speaker
Do know what I mean? Like, I'm just wondering, does anyone else have anything? Any ideas? Any MacGuffins? Anything? When I say MacGuffins, do people know what I mean? No. i don't I thought that was like industry slang, but I'm starting to realize I think that's something that I might have made up.
00:07:25
Speaker
I think in real life, I learned that word like the day before you used it for the first time the last session. So it is a real word. Oh, good. But I didn't know what it was until that day.
00:07:37
Speaker
It's interesting that I heard the word twice in unrelated situations. That is interesting. This might seem naive, but I feel like there's an element of flexibility that will do us some good.
00:07:51
Speaker
feel we over planned this. Everything's going to go sideways anyways. We just keep it simple. We got to get inside the building. We got to get inside the office. We got to get the thing from behind a painting and get out.
00:08:04
Speaker
Right? Yeah, that's the plan. I just think, you know, like the getting into the building, getting into the office, that's the tricky part. But it's okay, we have the letter, we have the cover. We're all very prolific liars. It's going to be good.
00:08:17
Speaker
does That was my opening if we wanted to use a magic item that we've forgotten about. Are we choosing not to proceed with any magic items that we may have forgotten about? Oh, you mean like the ah above the table chat we had before we started recording? Yeah, the above the table. Yes, exactly.
00:08:33
Speaker
No, I choose to ignore that. does Just kidding. Let's see. Gloomkey struggles to... He's like continuously spitting hairs out of his mouth from his mustache and beard that keep getting in his mouth as he sifts through his bag.
00:08:53
Speaker
And Glimki, at the very bottom of his bag, after moving moving over some silverware and a bag of illicit drugs, finds another little bag of dust and pulls out the bag of dust of disappearance.
00:09:08
Speaker
And he'll present that to you guys. don't remember where we got this, but I mean, this might come in handy. This is a bag of dust, Glimki. Okay, I cannot see how this would be helpful at all.
00:09:22
Speaker
I'm pretty sure if you sprinkle the dust on you, ah you disappear. Something like that. That's awesome. That's really helpful, actually. Yeah. It is so situationally appropriate. Well done, Cleopie.
00:09:36
Speaker
You know what? And I put my handbag in Clay's hands, just assuming that when I shove it at Clay, Clay will catch it. And I start rifling, like pawing through it. And I pull out like four bottles of perfume.
00:09:49
Speaker
spray myself with one, pick up another one, spray Glimki with another. i just thought that one would suit you. It's a bit musky, but there's like a hint of vanilla. And then I pull out a different one that looks a little different, a little more potion-y. like, this is the perfume that Phalo gave me. It makes you more palatable.
00:10:06
Speaker
I have never needed it. Oh, interesting. Could be beneficial. mean, I did try using it before, but it didn't work super well for me from what I remember. Also just mechanically above the table, the dust as described, when you use an action, throw the dust in the air, you and each creature and object within 10 feet of you become invisible for 2d4 minutes. So this is pretty powerful. You can just turn the whole like safe invisible and just... Yeah.
00:10:36
Speaker
So that could come in handy. I guess you guys are the ones infiltrating the office, you guys want to take this? Yes, that's fantastic. Okay, and then do you want to take the dust, or the perfume rather? i mean, you already smell good, but do you want to take the perfume in case you get into a a bit of a pickle and need to give yourself some juice?
00:10:55
Speaker
Sure, yes I think that's a good idea. Excellent. Okay, I like this plan. I just- my only fear is if one of us goes invisible while we're inside, that might be conspicuous, right? Especially if security is tight. Someone disappearing is more conspicuous than someone never being seen.
00:11:11
Speaker
What if you start invisible? Exactly. What if- Clay, have you ever picked a lock before? Um, I've broken some locks before. Ooh. Actually, that's true.
00:11:21
Speaker
You're a criminal. I feel like getting out is more important and visible and instead of getting in. Because it' it's only two d four minutes. So mechanically, it's like we... That's like... That's a escape plan to me.
00:11:34
Speaker
Okay, escape plan. Okay. I think that's great. But if we sneak in, then they won't be pursuing us out. Yeah, but we don't even know where we're going.
00:11:44
Speaker
That's true. So we didn't expect like hot exit. Yeah, essentially. yeah Let's go back to the original plan. The original plan was Clay and I...
00:11:55
Speaker
talk ourselves into the office because we have this letter demanding an audience. Glimke is going to make a diversion by claiming that something is wrong with the mines or something. Just create a diversion. Get Boontor Strygmal out of the office.
00:12:07
Speaker
Clay and I will break into the safe, make it look like nothing was ever taken. We ideally, we leave, you know, we wrap things up. We leave. He suspects nothing, right? We don't have to make a hot escape and no one's on to us.
00:12:19
Speaker
But if something goes wrong, we have this dust so that Clay and I can make an expeditious escape. And if we have to, why don't we meet up at the artist's house? Okay. Okay. I think that's fair.
00:12:31
Speaker
Excellent. That's We're not going in together? Um, I don't know. I think it would look weird for a Korak company dwarf such as yourself to go in with us when we're pretending auditors.
00:12:44
Speaker
Sure. So do I need to go in at all? Oh, diversion. Got it. Diversion is very important! but didn't I'm up to speed now. Just gotta get Jigarol out of his office.
00:12:57
Speaker
If he's even there, what time it? Would he be there right now? It's the end of the day. we We're going now because we think he will be there. It's the end of the workday, so we have to go quick. Okay, it's enough planning. You're right, we're overthinking it. Let's get our cute little butts over there.
00:13:10
Speaker
Okay. Let's do it. Okay. ah The three of you walk up together. Yeah, who I think... I mean, that's up to Glimki, because Clay and I are supposed be together. You guys you guys go. Because I think it's smarter that you're in the building and then I started start a diversion versus i go in there, start stirring shit up, and you're like, we're here for an audit, and they're like, no, no, no. Yeah, excellent.
00:13:31
Speaker
but We're currently in Meltdown. ah Can you wait till tomorrow? Clay and Faunelin, the two of you approach the gate. There are several dwarves on duty. Faunelin, you've been here before, but you don't recognize any of them.
00:13:49
Speaker
appear be on a different shift perhaps and one of them a female dwarf with like an aggressive pomp with shaved sides not quite not quite a mohawk but getting dangerously close raises up a hand in greeting day afternoon what can I do for you hello I love your hair very cool thank you know, it's very chic. I like when somebody expresses themselves. I think hair says a lot about a person, don't Yeah, suppose. I haven't given you much thought, really. Just my hair.
00:14:24
Speaker
Oh, it's effortless. I respect it. You know what? Good for you. Now, on an unrelated note... and That was funny. It wasn't clear.
00:14:35
Speaker
On an unrelated note, my colleague and i are auditors. we have been sent by the King of Erdenin himself. He's very interested in the Korak Mining Corporation. And we have been offered an audience with your Mr. Strigamool.
00:14:51
Speaker
Here is our writ of notice. And I pass over the forged document. Now, remind me, what is the claim from the document? I know it's authorizing you to you know, be there as representatives of the King of Airdenine.
00:15:08
Speaker
Is there an element that specifically instructs them to give you an audience with Boontar? I think this document was actually... I forged it in such a way, I believe, and if not, let's just say what I did was I forged it in such a way where it seemed like correspondence had already been happening. And it was along the lines of like, yes, we would like to see you. Like you have been granted an the audience with Buntar Strigamol. This is confirming we will be keeping our appointment on this date.
00:15:37
Speaker
You know, we are looking forward to a happy, like it's not like a straight up letter from the king saying, let my people in. It's acting like this is a business deal that's been negotiated and we are there.
00:15:48
Speaker
and we're expected. Okay. In kind of vague terms though, like I think a super critical eye would be like, this is kind of loosey goosey, but it looks professional. It uses a lot of big words.
00:15:58
Speaker
Give me a deception roll with advantage. I love getting an advantage. It's such a little like let's treat when I do a good job. that was a natural one.
00:16:12
Speaker
um that was a natural 11. Deception is 18. She looks at it, gives it a quick scan, hands it back to you. Says, right, welcome, Professor Eugene Clay, Fitzclay, us Clay.
00:16:31
Speaker
We can, of course, but welcome to Colerac. Happy to have you. Why don't you come with me? And she looks at the other guards and gives a little hand gesture and two of them push the large gate open and she escorts you in.
00:16:48
Speaker
The grass in the courtyard has been replaced with uniform gray paving stones, and the few trees scattered around it look sickly. Branches droop, leaves, though they do have leaves, are yellowing and falling off even though it's early into the summer.
00:17:08
Speaker
You are brought through this courtyard up a small set of stairs. and through a set of heavy iron doors.
00:17:20
Speaker
You enter an administrative building filled with the muted sounds of echoing footsteps and shuffling papers. It is a mausoleum of commerce. Everything is in shades of gray and brown and 70s yellow.
00:17:37
Speaker
The aesthetic is rancid from floor to ceiling. But the guard brings you to a desk. where several dwarves in matching business attire sit scribbling away with quills upon scrolls.
00:17:56
Speaker
You watch one roll a scroll up, stick it into a case, and load it up into a pneumatic tube, and it goes, and gets sucked off somewhere into the building. The guard...
00:18:08
Speaker
looks at you and says, all right then, so, uh, they're going to take it from here. Uh, you can talk to any of our, uh, any of our agents here and they will get you to your meeting. Best of luck.
00:18:20
Speaker
And she walks out of the door. A younger looking dwarf, he's got A very narrow, pointed goatee of a beard. He's got curly brown hair.
00:18:34
Speaker
He looks up at you. He's got little spectacles on and says, boy, what can I do for you? Yes. Hello. the way, may I say, is there anything distinguishing about them, this person? Any features?
00:18:47
Speaker
Real hairy mole on their cheek. Mole, mole, mole.
00:18:55
Speaker
Wow, I love your... hair. It looks really nice today. Thank you. I'm Professor Eugene Clay, Fitzclay Clay, of the Academies of Erdenine. We have been sent at the behest of the king You know, I'm not privy to all of the negotiations. I believe there was some communication with the King of Erdeneen and your Mr. Boontar Strigamall.
00:19:19
Speaker
The culmination is of that is that my colleague and I have traveled a very long way and we have been offered to meet with Mr. Boontar Strigamall and we are here to meet with him at the agreed upon time, which is now.
00:19:32
Speaker
Give me another deception roll with advantage. No, because I'm so good at forgery. Holy shit, that's two natural ones. If you didn't give me advantage, I'd be cooked.
00:19:43
Speaker
Anyway, I got a 21. He takes the letter from you, the writ, and reads it over and doesn't say anything, hands it back. He flips open this large ledger and starts...
00:19:57
Speaker
flipping through it and then stops on a page and starts scrolling through. If you like peer over the desk you can see it appears to be a calendar and it is full with appointments and meetings and it's just numerous names are are referenced in here not just Boontar Strigamol you see many other names and positions just this huge company schedule tome and he his finger slides down it It says, I'm afraid we don't have you scheduled for today.
00:20:26
Speaker
And Mr. Strigamore is quite busy at the moment. But given you've come all this way and we are eager to hear about your business needs, perhaps you would care to meet with our Vice President of Southern Hemicircle Partnerships, Domnal Shvorkin?
00:20:43
Speaker
We would love to meet with Domnal Shvorkin. Um, will you? Shvorkin, yes. No, Shvorkin. That's what I said. No, it isn't. Okay, I would love to meet with Mr. Domnall's Forkhead.
00:20:58
Speaker
will Will you be escorting us to his office, or who will be walking us up there? We would honestly love a tour of the building while you're at it. It's such spectacular but bit of brutalism. Isn't it, though?
00:21:09
Speaker
It's ah truly, truly something special.
00:21:16
Speaker
yeah snap Snap out of it. Back with me. Stop thinking about the building. Back with me. Tour? You were going to give us a tour? Honestly, so I'm seeing this is what? in An entrance area, beginner administrative building sort of stuff.
00:21:28
Speaker
He puts his hands on the desk and pushes his chair back. You hear a little wobbly wheels go do across the floor. And he steps up and walks out from behind the desk and says, yes, come with me.
00:21:42
Speaker
So you say here, yes, we've got an administrative area. Lots of business takes place here. We have ledgers and keep track of appointments, meetings, invoices.
00:21:54
Speaker
finances amongst other things of course there are specialized offices for all those functions so we're often in a support role but if you'll come with me and he leads you up this set of just wide plain gray stairs your feet echoing off the floor so yes we see here second floor we've got our accounting department Most of the number crunching happens here.
00:22:18
Speaker
Keep track of sales, profits, items pulled from the mine, items sold from the mine, reserves, et cetera, of course.
00:22:29
Speaker
Moving on. And here we have our third floor. This is where many of our junior associates, managers, and other middle managers congregate here. This is where their offices are. If you work hard, you get an office.
00:22:41
Speaker
That's the nice thing about Korak. If you work hard, you get an office. That's they always say. Been here 12 years and any day now I'm sure I'll have my office. And he says this without a shred of irony or pettiness.
00:22:54
Speaker
He says that with the fervent belief of a company man. I'm sure. i can tell you've got that look about you, that sort of responsibility, dependability, you know, honesty, reliability. That's the word I was looking for.
00:23:09
Speaker
guess it's just a shame about the budget appointment. I hope that doesn't set back your office getting. I mean, Strigamall is expecting us and he's going to think that we missed the appointment and we'll be having it with somebody that we've never spoken to without any of the underlying...
00:23:25
Speaker
business acquaintanceship. I mean, Mr. Strigamall has coordinated with the King of Erdeneen. They have sort of that rapport. They've done the preliminaries. We were just here to seal the deal, but I suppose we'll be going back to... would you call it? And I look at c Clay, would you call it square one or square zero? think zero, ma'am.
00:23:41
Speaker
Yes, square zero. Maybe square negative one, even. Anyway, I'm sure, um sure, you know, you've been very loyal. They won't be too hard on you that that didn't make it into the agenda.
00:23:53
Speaker
Give me an intimidation check. I want to roll good so badly. i want to roll well so bad. yeah That is... It's great, guys! My kingdom for my silly little perfume.
00:24:07
Speaker
That is an 11. looks at you straight in the eye. i assure you, any administrative issues were not on our end. Come along.
00:24:19
Speaker
And he leads you up to the fourth floor and says, now you see here, this is our C-suite. Executives have their offices, vice presidents of various offices and departments right this way. And he leads you down hallway.
00:24:34
Speaker
And you can see some of them, some of these offices have windows and you can see dwarves in various suits and robes sitting in very plain offices, minimal decor, very drab. Everything is muted. It almost looks like a flashback and how pale the colors are, but it's your life and you're living in it. And he leads you down a couple hallways before standing in front of a door. And he raises this, this hand up and knocks.
00:25:02
Speaker
And And ah second later, the door opens and this heavyset dwarf wearing rather long flowing gray robes. He's got a salt and pepper beard that's braided in five or six neatly done braids.
00:25:18
Speaker
He opens the door and looks at the younger dwarf and says, yes well what's this then? What's this then?
00:25:30
Speaker
He says, G'day sir. These individuals are here on behalf of the king of Aedonine. And unfortunately, they made and a mistake with their scheduling.
00:25:42
Speaker
and are unable to meet with Boonta, but I thought that perhaps you would have some opportunity to discuss with them about perhaps a trade agreement. They are looking to procure some materials is my understanding from the mine.
00:25:53
Speaker
And the dwarf looks at the two of you and kind of nods his head. very good then. Yes, sure. Come in. Come in. Yes, please. ah Do you need anything? Water? Um...
00:26:05
Speaker
You know what? And I come in and I both close the door, like cutting off the door that was outside. And clay. please I don't need any water, but I thought maybe maybe your your employee could use a glass of water. It's just, I don't know what kind of recreational substances you have on this island, but it's just his pupils were a bit dilated and he was really a bit disoriented. Actually, I really apologize for the intrusion. my colleague and I are not here to meet with you. We have an agreed upon, and I show with the document. An agreed-upon meeting today with Mr. Boontar Strigamol, and I think your employee might have thought that you were Boontar Strigamol.
00:26:44
Speaker
They were very, almost nonsensical. I think getting high on the job is what is what is happening. Give me a deception check. No advantage. No.
00:26:55
Speaker
I need one good roll tonight. Oh, that'll do it. That'll do it. That'll do it. I mean, I don't know what the DC is, but that's a good roll. That is a 22. Okay. He pushes past you, opens the door and says, Mr. Wicker, if you could please report downstairs for a mandatory drug test.
00:27:14
Speaker
And the dwarf says, ah yes sir, I did one last week. That's very and good, but this is this week. Please perform another. Can't be too careful these days.
00:27:25
Speaker
And he says, oh okay, yes. sir Bows and departs. Would you mind terribly? directing us to Mr. Strigamall's office. I'm so, again, I'm so sorry for the inconvenience. I just, you know, I wouldn't want, i just hope that our two companies can get off on the best of feet and missing an appointment would be a terrible look for us.
00:27:47
Speaker
He shakes his head. no, no. Please come into my office. I can help you. And perhaps if a deal is signed, then I can bring you up to Mr. Strigamore's office myself and we can inform him of the good news.
00:28:03
Speaker
If you would like, make an inside roll. And Clay, are you attempting to enter the office as the door is opened again? Yeah, I'm following behind. Okay, so you push in before the door slams shut. He doesn't really take note of you.
00:28:17
Speaker
He closes the door, but you manage to slip in And the two of you are are in this office. It is fairly minimally decorated. There's a simple wooden desk, a couple of plain office chairs or the fantasy equivalent.
00:28:31
Speaker
There is a small portrait on the desk of this man, Domnal, with another man and a small child, both dwarves. ah Please. Please.
00:28:42
Speaker
I didn't know gay people could be capitalists. Did you say that out loud? No, but I think it. ah Yes, of course. Sorry, did you say up to Mr. Strigamall's office? This is such an interesting building. I didn't realize there was another floor up there.
00:28:57
Speaker
Yes, yes. The sixth floor is Buntar Strigamall's, Mr. Strigamall's office, and also personal residency. He's quite married to the job. Whoa, he lives up there. Yes, he he rarely leaves the building.
00:29:10
Speaker
Oh, wow. What about you? I see you've, is that a family portrait there? Yes, yes. Back in, uh, near Valdir. My husband and our child. You have a beautiful family and may I say your your child, I can see his beard coming in and it looks just like yours. That is so sweet.
00:29:27
Speaker
He's got a smart look about Thank thank been several years, so the beard might be a rivaling mine at this point. But we'll see next time I have a chance to go home, maybe in two, three, four, five years.
00:29:42
Speaker
You are all so very dedicated to this company. I really find it ah very admirable. But it must be somewhat hard for you not to see your husband and child for so long. Not at all.
00:29:54
Speaker
So, tell me, what does the King of Erdenean require? and the King of Erdenean, well, it's just, you know... It's just that I'm actually not here to negotiate a deal. I'm an auditor. i believe the deal had already been somewhat brokered between Mr. Strigamall and the king.
00:30:13
Speaker
we can take it from scratch. I'm sure there won't be any problems. The king of Erginine wants standard terms, you know, 25% renegotiating biannually, quarterly audits, this being the first, and and no interest because friends, and, um, you hang a few Airdenine banners around and discount at, um, Airdenine inns for all the minors. And, um,
00:30:37
Speaker
Fondalina is going to think back so hard to when she was a child and she spent a lot of her time like hiding under the desk in her father's in her father's office or like hiding behind the curtains and just eavesdropping. She was just a huge eavesdropper, total weirdo. And she's going to think back to like what business words people use and if she's missing any.
00:30:59
Speaker
Yeah. Give me just a flashback check. Oh, well, that's a raw 18. Perfect. Based off the expression on his face, you suddenly realize you're missing lots of them.
00:31:10
Speaker
Many of the words, in fact. He looks at you a little confusedly and says, no sorry, a pardon me. Perhaps I'm playing ketchup. Are you attempting to procure materials from the mine or are you attempting to...
00:31:22
Speaker
secure some sort of controlling interest in the mine and an investment in the mine because the Korak Mining Company is independently owned and operated and we are not looking for outside investors. We are well and truly established and profitable.
00:31:40
Speaker
No, no, of course we're looking, yes. However, if you wish to discuss investment opportunities, I could send you to our VP of investment, Klaus Fringe. You know what?
00:31:51
Speaker
Yes. Why don't you send me to Mr. Klaus? I didn't want to say that last name. And... Fringe. And I'll come back here. Yeah, okay. And I'll come back here, sure. And I'll come back here shortly and we'll we'll discuss it further. It has been such a pleasure. Just point me in the right direction. That way, that way.
Diversion and Chaos
00:32:09
Speaker
No, no, please.
00:32:10
Speaker
This place is a maze. I get lost here twice a day. Come with me. And he pushes himself up from his chair. Son of a bitch. pushes out of the office a little bit of a waddle.
00:32:21
Speaker
Glimki, you are outside staring at the building with the instruction broadly to cause a commotion at some point. There's not really a means or a plan of when you are supposed to start making a hoot and a holler.
00:32:36
Speaker
So what's Glimki up to, I guess? Okay, we we cut back to Glimki. would like to imagine it as if it's like like a camera pedestal from his feet walking up, but he's like walking with a limp and dragging like a dead leg behind him.
00:32:53
Speaker
And he's covered in dirt and mud and like a mulch and dust. And he's approaching the main door. waving his arms at the guards at the doorway as he approaches and is like boys sound the alarm ah give me a deception or performance roll do you want more
00:33:22
Speaker
was so
00:33:25
Speaker
You sounded kind of posh? You were like, boys? Oh dear, boys, good heavens! was 17. 17. He's such a good actor.
00:33:36
Speaker
Yeah! You really assumed the character. Two of the guards run up, they grab you, put their arms under yours. If they notice that you are lighter than a dwarf, they don't immediately remark on it, and they- Oh, I push them away. I push them away.
00:33:54
Speaker
Like, angrily, trying to get past them like, Did you hear me? I said, sound the alarm. The female dwarf with the pomp looks at you and says, What's going on then, mate?
00:34:09
Speaker
Very dramatic over-the-shoulder turnaround. have reason to believe that two people are posing as some kind of officers and have made their way into this building.
00:34:20
Speaker
Let's hit!
00:34:24
Speaker
You need to gather all of the employees but somewhere, the cafeteria, anywhere, and do a very thorough check of credentials. And you're probably wondering, where am I? I'm sure, but I was just jumped on the way here. Look at the state of me.
00:34:36
Speaker
Give me one more deception roll, and I'll say with advantage. Ha ha, 18. Yes. Rolling so good. Faunal and Clay, you are led down a hallway to another door.
00:34:52
Speaker
Simple wooden, the dwarf leading you. Domhnall, he knocks, and an old dwarf with just the whitest, longest beard, completely bald head with about a few wisps sticking off of it. He leans on a cane.
00:35:08
Speaker
The door opens on creaking hinges, and his office appears to be a mausoleum. It is just... gray there are cobwebs everywhere he says yes and domino says voice president fringer there are some people here who are interested in investing in the mine but we haven't had an investment 15 years arm aware We are fully profitable. We do not need outside investors, but they are interested nonetheless. And I said I would bring them by to speak with you.
00:35:47
Speaker
That's nice.
00:35:50
Speaker
deep within the bowels of this building. plan one Oh,
00:36:01
Speaker
bla or I'm sure that's nothing to be concerned about. Probably just some protesters outside will spray them down with a hose or have them executed or some such, whatever, you know, the wheels of commerce must spin on. Yes, the wheels of commerce must spin on.
00:36:17
Speaker
Come in, come in, come into my office. I will leave you here in Vice President Klaus Fringer's excellent hands. And that's all for me. And he looks at the camera.
00:36:30
Speaker
This guy. And walks off. Come in, come in. Can I get you some water? Hi! Or perhaps some water? They stopped giving me tea many years ago.
00:36:43
Speaker
They think I'm dead. Okay, well, I make like a gassed face. Oh my, I think my lady time has just arrived.
00:36:53
Speaker
You know, the Crimson Hurricane? Hurricane... Bloodnado? You know... the The red devil. I think it's just arrived. Is there a bathroom? Where's the bathroom? oh Yes, I'll take you.
00:37:10
Speaker
and he takes like the slowest. No, no, no! I insist I am so embarrassed because there is blood leaking out of me and all up into my many petticoats. And I insist that as a gentleman, you keep your distance lest you catch my hormonally malaise.
00:37:29
Speaker
It's simply improper, indecent, I am ashamed. I must go cleanse myself, both physically and spiritually, in the loo. So just point the way, and my colleague and I, who is a, well, who is here, who is...
00:37:48
Speaker
Who is here with me will help me mop it up. That's right. It's a two man job. Now, where is... has a harder pack. Okay, go. Sixth floor. Let's go. Let's go. Should we use the dust?
00:38:01
Speaker
Yeah. Wait, we should find his broom first and then use the dust. It's the sixth floor. It's the sixth floor We need to go and cannot be seen. Have we been going up the floors using stairs or an elevator?
00:38:12
Speaker
Stairs. Okay. We go back to the stairwell then. Okay, I think we should use the dust. Now? Okay. On you? To get to the office. On both of us. Okay.
00:38:23
Speaker
I think we go up to the office. We just go in there. We fucking ransack it. We know it's behind a painting. What is behind a painting of? I wrote it down. ah Behind a painting. all the paintings. just look behind all the paintings.
00:38:36
Speaker
It's just a portrait. I just have it's behind a portrait. Okay. Okay. So how about this? We go in there. If Boontai is in there, you keep him off of me. I break into the safe. We get out of there. We're completely invisible. We just go outside. Okay.
00:38:48
Speaker
yeah In and out. Eight minutes. Let's go. And if you see any important documents, steal those too. Okay. Deal. Let's go. You're dusting? Dust. We're dusting. Wait, I want to kick the old man to make sure he's really dead.
00:39:01
Speaker
you He sits up he die and then collapses again. no but lets i Can I take out my hand mirror?
00:39:18
Speaker
but Two lines of dust and disappearance on my mirror. Are we snorting it? Your insides become invisible. Yeah.
00:39:31
Speaker
who Yes, Claire, I'm snorting it. She like wipes her nose. I assume her fingers start to fade even as she wipes her nose. It spreads from the fingers and the nose down. Clay, do you also do a line?
00:39:45
Speaker
No, I just like daintily wipe it up with my finger and just like spread it on myself. Perfect. Yeah, you pat it on and start to disappear in clumps. Faunolin, you disappear from the inside out and I need you to roll two d four Oh yeah, it's not even eight minutes necessarily. it's like two minutes Oh, that's a four.
00:40:03
Speaker
Holy shit! No! The lying allegations are going to come back because that's two fours. Eight minutes! No way. Holy shit. You run down the halls trying to retrace your steps until you find your way back to the stairs.
00:40:16
Speaker
You find that there is a stairwell leading up to the sixth floor. It has two guards stationed at the base of it. Even with the alarm?
00:40:26
Speaker
They are like looking around a little concerned, a little confusedly, but they do not leave their posts. They're there, but I will say because they are distracted by the alarm and you are invisible, no role necessary. You slip past them, run up the stairs. Yeah. Yes.
00:40:44
Speaker
Find yourself on the sixth floor. There are two hallways that branch off from the top of the stairs. One the left, one to the right.
00:40:55
Speaker
And I will say amongst the noise... And it's like, it's not like, you know, it's not like red alert light splashing. Like the alarm is down, you know, closer to like main floor, first couple floors up here. It's, you know, a distant blaring sound.
00:41:08
Speaker
I will say from the left, you see this big set of double doors and you can just make out shouting from behind the door. What we hear?
00:41:19
Speaker
So you thought it would be a good idea to allow him out with five kegs of blast powder. Yes, but the idea was we would see who he was contacting and we would, we would catch him.
00:41:32
Speaker
No, no, no, no, no. and He should never have been allowed out of the storehouse. Yes, but if we cut him off, we, we, we stop the plot. If we take him after, then we catch them all in one fell swoop.
00:41:44
Speaker
No more dissidents. Get out, get out, you're fired. And the door swings open and you see this middle-aged dwarf. He's got a heavily scarred face, a sword on his hip.
00:41:57
Speaker
He pushes past you angrily and the door, ah you see a larger individual, not a dwarf. Seems to be, maybe they've got a little bit of ogre blood. Maybe they've got a little bit of giant blood, just like a big individual in a suit walks up and closes the door shut.
00:42:16
Speaker
I whisper to Clay, um new plan. I'm going to try to kill Buntar Strigamole. You're going to kill him? I think we should kill him. Yeah, let's kill him. I'm going to try to slip him through the door. Okay.
00:42:27
Speaker
Wait, so that the door was on one side of the hallway. What's on the other side? Another door. I'm going to go for the other door. Can I sneak in from the back door? Sure. You walk over there.
00:42:39
Speaker
and you push the door open, and you find yourself in a rather large open floor plan apartment. It's fairly spartan, shall we say, not extremely lavish.
00:42:54
Speaker
You get the sense that the things here are nice, but they're not flashy, very utilitarian. You see that there's a living room sort of area with a large bookshelf you quickly scan it and see that they're mostly books on minerals and elements and mining operations and famous dwarves do you speak dwarven dwarvish i don't think so ah kind of just thought this room would be connected to the other room yeah is it is it connected to the office
00:43:26
Speaker
You look around, it appears to be separate space, but I think that makes sense because because i made it. No, I think that that makes sense to you because of what the other VP said about how the upper floor is divided between his office and his living quarters.
00:43:44
Speaker
And this appears to be his living quarters. Okay. Quick scan around the room. Anything interesting or like incriminating? Any portraits?
00:43:55
Speaker
Yeah, you look around. There's like a couple pieces of art, but they are like, imagine one of those brutalist structures turned into line art. Just very simple, very black and white.
00:44:08
Speaker
Nothing that you would describe as a portrait. There's no files that say top secret, just sitting out on a desk. Yeah. What? I know, right? All things considered, pretty clean. He either cleans up himself or he has cleaning staff to take care of that.
00:44:22
Speaker
There's a bed area you can see. Is there a kitchenette? A little kitchenette. Okay, Clay's going to go into the kitchen and since she can't cast any spells without becoming visible again, she's going to use the stove to set a small fire in the apartment. Okay.
00:44:43
Speaker
Okay. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. You find some, some Tinder and some Flint and steel. One of those like fancy ones they use in science labs where it's just a handle with a little scritchy part and you just start sparking that. Maybe you take a couple of the books and start ripping out pages and little fire starts to burn and you start a fire in the kitchen.
00:45:11
Speaker
Okay. While that is happening. Fondlin, what are you doing? I'm going to do something kind of bad. So I'm in the room with Boontar Strigamol, yeah? No, you're in the hallway. Great. Well, I want to want to go into the room with Boontar Strigamol.
00:45:24
Speaker
I wanted to slip in when that guy left. Yeah, I'm going to say you were too far away. Like the door opened, guy came up, pushed the door shut. Okay, okay. So you approach the door and I got to know, what are you doing?
00:45:38
Speaker
I listen for just a second. Do I hear anything on the other side? Give me a perception roll with disadvantage. Oh, okay, cool. That was a five and a 16, so that's going to be a nine.
00:45:50
Speaker
nine. I'd say with a nine, you can hear a little bit of conversation. like Conversation. But not enough to make out the words.
00:46:00
Speaker
And then a second later, with your ear pressed to the door, it swings open. And a dwarf in a simple suit walks out, attempting to close the door behind him.
00:46:14
Speaker
Ooh, I am going to like hold the door, but try to do it in a way where it seems like the door just jammed at its apex a little. Like, you know, sometimes when doors swing open and then they kind of like get caught a little on something like the rug or something.
00:46:26
Speaker
And I'm going to do my best to get through the door. Give me an acrobatics check. Ooh, acrobatics. I'm pretty good at that. And I rolled mediocre. That's going 16. 16 is enough.
00:46:38
Speaker
And you manage to just delay him closing the door. And he scowls and then tugs on it again. And it closes behind him. But you are in the office. Is Boontar there?
00:46:49
Speaker
You look around. You see this large office. It is, frankly, far too big for any office. It's open, it's completely open, but it may as well have rooms.
00:47:02
Speaker
There's an entire conference table with 20 chairs spread out around it. There's a fireplace with several couches and a large marble table scattered around it. There is a bar with just floor-to-ceiling bottles of wine and brandy, other liquors.
00:47:22
Speaker
At the back, there is a large oak desk stained a nice dark color, a very lavish, not quite a throne, but this plush chair behind it.
00:47:33
Speaker
And you several dwarves as well as a larger individual. One is this, starting with the larger individual that you saw outside, like i said, he appears to be maybe part dwarf, part something else. He's tall, he's thick, his hands, each of them look like a cleaver, just these massive fists.
00:47:53
Speaker
You see on one hand he's got a dark metal ring know wrapped around a finger. It looks like to be straining, the skin is bulging around it. There are several more dwarves of Various ages in similar uniforms to the one that just walked out. Appeared to be security or perhaps personal aids.
00:48:14
Speaker
And then lastly, you see dwarf in gray pinstripe suit. He's got dark thinning hair that he has combed over.
00:48:25
Speaker
a dark black beard with gold threads woven into it. So he's got several rings. On one hand, he's got three rings of differing metals. On the other, he has a dark metal band similar to the one the larger individual is wearing.
00:48:38
Speaker
And he walks over to this desk and sits down in the chair and begins writing. Remind me, are there any paintings around?
00:48:51
Speaker
There is a painting above the fireplace. There is a portrait of Buntar. Appears to be a few years younger. He is holding a gem-encrusted cane and not scowling, but definitely not smiling either at the ah viewer.
00:49:10
Speaker
Interesting. And do I see, like, this is an enclosed room. I don't see any way that loops around to where Clay might be, right? It is a very large office, but it does not appear to loop. And there's no bedchamber or anything in here, yeah?
00:49:22
Speaker
Nope. This is an office. It is for professional meetings and gatherings. It is lavish. I'm in so much trouble. What was your plan? You know, based off your experience, that it is for impressing guests and business associates and anyone who would come in and need to be dazzled.
00:49:42
Speaker
It stands in stark contrast to the bedchambers that Clay has explored. Okay. God, I wish I had those drugs. Okay. ah Is there alcohol in here?
00:49:54
Speaker
There's a whole bar. There's a whole... Is there alcohol in his private kitchenette? A few. few bottles. small A small bar, I'd say, like a mini bar. Clay's making molotovs and he's going to like bring them across the hallway to the other room. Holy shit.
00:50:09
Speaker
While this is happening, I'm going to say we cut down to Glimke, who is in the the lobby of the Korak head office. A scarred-faced dwarf walks out past you, and one of the one of the guards that you're speaking with says, Mr. Kennel, this individual says that there are some intruders present in the building. He says, I don't give a shit.
00:50:33
Speaker
I don't work here anymore. And he walks out the door. What? He's like, uh, um, okay, okay. Um, could we, could we, could we please get some security personnel here?
00:50:44
Speaker
And a couple of guards walk up. What's the, what's the situation? And they look at the guards with you and they look at you. It's about damn time. We're looking for two people.
00:50:57
Speaker
Dwarf-like, red hair, big scars, okay? They're in the building. When you say dwarf-like, what, what does that mean? dwarf adjacent.
00:51:07
Speaker
I think that's pretty clear. Do we mean Dwarc? Do you mean Dwarcs? ah It's like, uh, it was, I don't know, it was dark and they beat me up, as you can see.
00:51:19
Speaker
Yeah, you look like shit. Thank you. Okay. All right, everyone. Has anybody seen two dwarf-like individuals with red hair? Braided beards. braed but Braided beards.
00:51:31
Speaker
Big scars. Big scars. All over the face. Real ugly motherfuckers. Everyone turns to look at ah ah a dwarf who's sipping a cup of coffee and eating a donut. He's like, oh, come on!
00:51:44
Speaker
One of the guards says, please detain that man and we shall continue the search for the other individual. but Guys, it's me. It's Terry. You know me. a It might not be him. It might not be him. Two guards tackle him to the ground and spread out a few more spread out throughout the building.
00:52:00
Speaker
Or Terry. You could be an intruder. You gotta be safe here. Indeed. Do you require first aid, sir? Yeah. Um, well, no, you know, I think it's like subdermal.
00:52:12
Speaker
Subdermal, it's like, i think I just need to rest. Must have hit you pretty hard to, uh, bust, uh, bust a thick skull such as ours. I'm actually going to say this guard is going to escort you over to a ah chair and is going to attempt a medicine check.
00:52:30
Speaker
Oh, okay.
00:52:33
Speaker
Oh, man. You're not gonna like this. But that's a natural 20. Okay, alright, alright, alright. Oh, boy. and he starts pawing at your, at you like, feeling your head, like, checking your pulse.
00:52:44
Speaker
Just, your nose, it looks crooked. Is it broken? And he grabs your prosthetic nose, and it comes off in his hand.
00:52:57
Speaker
Goonky screams. What the hell?
00:53:01
Speaker
ah And he's gonna put pause to face.
00:53:10
Speaker
I'm gonna need you to make the biggest stinkiest deception roll of your life. That's crazy. This is so funny. ah Oh, shit.
00:53:22
Speaker
That's a good one. That's an eight. An eight. Bye, George, my nose! It came coming off my face. He grabs your hand and pulls it away, revealing a smaller, intact nose.
00:53:42
Speaker
What the hell is going on here? Kill the alarm! We found our intruder! Oh no... No, no, no, no, no. no no no no no you You need to listen, okay?
00:53:53
Speaker
This is bigger than me.
00:53:57
Speaker
The dwarves grab you along with Terry and they drag the two of you into ah an office. There's dim green light swinging from the ceiling, ah metal table.
00:54:09
Speaker
You really are like, why do they have this room? Like, what purpose? This is an administrative building. And they chain you to the table with a handcuff. And we're going to cut upstairs to Clay and Faunalyn.
00:54:22
Speaker
Clay or Faunalyn. We were doing very different things. Yeah. I'm going to say, Clay, you are still... Unless... Yeah. You know what? we're goingnna We're going to say Faunalyn for the time being. Because I think Clay is in a holding pattern of making incendiary devices.
00:54:36
Speaker
And Faunalyn is alone in this office. I'm going to say three of your minutes have been... We'll say two. We'll say two of your minutes have been eaten up. Because you haven't done much.
00:54:46
Speaker
No, I would like to see if there's a place for a a grown elf woman to hide. Like, imagine I was going to hide here for a prolonged period of time. Is there a really good hide and seek spot in here?
00:54:59
Speaker
You look around. Give me a perception roll. Oh, that's a natural 19. That would be a 23. There's no wardrobes or closets. There is a large conference table, which maybe there's the fireplace, though a fire currently burns inside of it.
00:55:17
Speaker
And there is the the bar and the desk. You could hide behind either of those. But there's nothing nothing that somebody couldn't see you just by happening to walk around a corner or look in the wrong directions.
00:55:32
Speaker
But I think with 23, you know that you could take your chances by shimmying up the fire. Or you could probably hide behind the bar and hope that nobody gets thirsty for the next bit of time.
00:55:45
Speaker
Okay, here's what I'm going to do. I'm going to try to play the long con. I am going to go back to the door and I'm going to knock on the door three times as if someone is knocking on the door. And then I'm going to wait near the opening side so that if someone opens to check who's there, I can slip out.
00:56:02
Speaker
Interesting. Okay. Boontar looks up at the large individual and says, Wimbley, check the door. And the large individual waddles, I keep saying waddles.
00:56:14
Speaker
I don't know. He hes he steps over these big thumping footsteps, thump, thump, thump, pulls the door open, peers out. There's nobody here. Hmm.
00:56:26
Speaker
Sharoos, see what that alarm's about and ask when my new head of security is arriving. And one of the dwarves in uniform steps out and you follow them into the hallway.
00:56:37
Speaker
I do. Okay. I'm going to go towards where I believe Clay went. I'm going to go towards the backwards way. The opposite way. Backwards way is crazy. But saying that, I go the opposite direction.
00:56:50
Speaker
Yeah, no problem. You watch as this dwarf walks away down the stairs. You follow them and then keep going down the hallway entering the apartment. It is full of smoke. Oh my god.
00:57:01
Speaker
Oh shit, Clay, were you making a diversion? Oh, Lady Fallen, are you here? I'm here, I'm here, where are you I'm a making some some weapons we can use if you want to go kill Boontar.
00:57:15
Speaker
Oh, I was actually thinking I would hide under his bed and then tonight I'm going to strangle him with a magic rope and make it look like a suicide. Do you want to stay with me and help me overpower him? Because I'll need somebody pull his legs. Oh, I was going to make it look like he left the oven on and his whole building hurt to the ground.
00:57:28
Speaker
But no, that's really good, but it's... okay Okay, yes, this is good. This this is good. This is good. We can do the fire thing. We can do the fire thing. Everyone will run out. I need to get back in the office. But you need to make the fire go quickly because we're going run out of invisibility, okay?
00:57:41
Speaker
No, I'll make my idea because we'll make it look like a suicide. I think... No, but the fire thing is a good diversion. I don't know what to do. What do you think we should do? Did you see a painting? Did you find what you were looking for in his office? Yes.
00:57:51
Speaker
Did you get it? There's too many men in there. I cannot i cannot look right now. There's like five guys in there. Okay, so we evacuate the building. The alarm's going. Is there a smoke detector in this room?
00:58:02
Speaker
No. Why not?
00:58:06
Speaker
Are there pneumatic tubes that end up in this room? The ones that you mentioned from earlier? Oh, good question. Yeah, that's a pneumatic tube. Okay, I start shoving, like, stuff that's on fire through the tubes and it's
00:58:23
Speaker
so oh that's so good okay final then goes oh shit okay we're doing your plan and i'm gonna run out the hallway and i'm gonna stand near the stairs and i'm gonna shout i'm gonna try my best to imitate any of the dwarves or guards that i've heard because i have an advantage to imitating voices that i've heard yeah and i'm going to yell something like Fire!
00:58:41
Speaker
Fire! Evacuate! Multiple explosions! We must evacuate! And
Moral Dilemma and Mission Decision
00:58:47
Speaker
then I'm going to try to hurry up and stand next to the door so that when it opens, I can get in there again. Okay, we're going to cut away. that The pneumatic tube thing is so fun!
00:58:58
Speaker
Glimke, you are in an interrogation room. Okay, how much time do I have? Because I have some things I want to do. Starts smelling smoke. A mean looking dwarf with a scar over his eye.
00:59:11
Speaker
Got a big cigar, big meaty fist. He's wearing like a blue suit. he takes the jacket off, rolls his cuffs up, slams his fists on the table. All right, punk, you're going to talk and you're going to tell us what you're doing here.
00:59:24
Speaker
Wait, is this Terry? No, Terry is beside you whimpering. Hold on, hold on, hold on. Was there any moment before this guy came in? Just here. But when it was just me and Terry in the room just get just Just asking. I'll give you 30 seconds with Terry. Okay, Terry, you said it's... Oh, jeez! Terry's crying, right? How much... I didn't cry!
00:59:44
Speaker
How much length do I have on my chain here? like I can make it to Terry, right? Yeah, I'd say you two are like sat next to each other. Okay, Glinky puts his hands on Terry and is like, Terry... I'm gonna lose my job! They think I'm a terrorist! Terry, gonna get through this. It's all good. and terrys and You did this to me! No, Terry, it'll all make sense very shortly. andlin he news I'm never gonna get an office now! Glinky's going to use sleight of hand to try to put the black leaf in Terry's pocket.
01:00:13
Speaker
Give
01:00:17
Speaker
me sleight of hand roll.
01:00:21
Speaker
13. will say, okay, perfect. I would say normally with disadvantage because you were handcuffed to the table, but Terry is so distraught that he does not, he's paying no attention. And yeah, you just like, like that scene in now you see me or whatever, where they're throwing the card around, you just, and the black leaf little baggie flies the air and lands right in his pocket. Perfect. Step one is complete. Step two.
01:00:44
Speaker
I walk back over to my side of the the chain of the desk and I retrieve the perfume from my pouch and Gunky spritzes himself with the perfume um and then instead of sitting in the metal chair, he props himself up on the table very proudly and sits with his legs crossed waiting for the guys to enter.
01:01:05
Speaker
Yeah, the door gets kicked open and this this dwarf... You're doing the Joker? What is you this? For the audience who can't see Jordan, he is sat all the way back in his chair doing the slowest of the whole class.
01:01:27
Speaker
I'm just picturing the chain getting all taught every time you go. Okay.
01:01:37
Speaker
Well all done, boys. Well done. passed the test. Congratulations. um
01:01:49
Speaker
The hell are you talking about, punk? Oh, I see. it's still It's still coming all together, isn't it? ah My name is Geronimo T. Gates. I'm part of the new Core X Security Audit team.
01:02:01
Speaker
You probably saw two of my compatriots earlier doing a a significant audit of the business here. um Well, this is all part of the plan, boys, and... I'll have to say you passed with flying colors.
01:02:12
Speaker
I mean, except for one small hiccup. You found me. Congratulations. ah You saw through the ruse of my disguise. However, some things were flying under your nose. I hate to say it, but your friend Terry here, even in the small interaction that I've had, is hiding something, i have to say, pretty pretty sinister.
01:02:33
Speaker
If you don't mind checking his pockets. You tell me how to do my job, punk. It's an audit, sir. Give me a deception roll.
01:02:43
Speaker
With advantage? you know, I know i I lilted my voice in a way that implied us something. Absolutely the hell not.
01:02:54
Speaker
But doesn't give us something? So many elements. but But you have the perfume. Yeah, that's charisma based, right? Yeah. Yeah, yeah, for sure. ah So you have you do have advances actually because of the perfect... Nice, nice, nice, nice, nice.
01:03:08
Speaker
Still 11. Come
01:03:14
Speaker
He looks at you skeptically. Yeah, yeah. You expect me to think that I wouldn't know about what you think about this being an independent individual audit or something about the security?
01:03:25
Speaker
Yeah, that's right. You think you're pretty sly. I'll bite. And he walks over to Terry and feels around one pocket. Terry's like whimpering.
01:03:36
Speaker
feels the other pocket. Well, I'll be damned. Do you have anything to say for yourself, Terry? I don't know how I...
01:03:46
Speaker
A likely story, Glimke dangles his wrist with the chain towards one of the guards.
01:03:55
Speaker
He looks at you, looks at the other guy. Interesting. All right. Well, story has some credence. What's your name, Mr. Special Investigator?
01:04:07
Speaker
Sorry, were you not listening? Geronimo T. Gates. No, fully flew my brain. Geronimo T. Gates. Well, Mr. Geronimo T. Gates, this is quite the situation we find ourselves in.
01:04:18
Speaker
But so far, your story adds up. I tell you what, I'm going to talk to some of my people, run this up the chain, make sure that you're who you say you are. And then he pats his pocket and you you you hear just a little clink of metal keys rattling.
01:04:34
Speaker
And if everything checks out, then you'll be on your way soon. The door swings open. A door from the reception area is fully on fire. And you see that the lobby is exploding as dozens of molotovs.
01:04:48
Speaker
Boom, boom. This interrogator is knocked over. he hits his head on the table. He's knocked out. Terry starts just he just sobbing, lying. I'm going to die! Glicky wants to immediately rush over to get those keys.
01:05:02
Speaker
Yeah, you reach into his pocket. You grab the keys. i I slap Terry across the face. I grab him by the cheeks. And I'm like, Terry, you'll live to see another day. and I'm going to unlock his things.
01:05:15
Speaker
He's Thank you. I also don want to take the black leaf back. Yes. Thank goodness. Thank you, Geronimo.
01:05:27
Speaker
And you run out into the burning lobby. What the fuck is happening? We are going to cut back upstairs. Clay is feeding pneumatic molotovs into the the entirety of the of the office building. Jesus Christ.
01:05:43
Speaker
Fonelin, what are you doing? I would like to say that when I ran out and ran the gambit of like, there's a fire, we've got to evacuate now. Also intruders and tried to impersonate a dwarf. I want to say I also threw one of Clay's molotovs like at the hallway kind of so that like there's a burst of flame in the hallway also. Totally, yeah.
01:06:03
Speaker
There's not a rug per se, but there's still an explosion of fire and the large individual swings the door open and says, Sir, there appears to be a fire in the building.
01:06:16
Speaker
What are you talking about? This building's made of stone. There's nothing... flat ah Sir, I'm aware of that. There is smoke emanating from your bed chambers and there is fire everywhere, from what I can tell.
01:06:28
Speaker
Fine. Fine. Nine hells. This is insane. All right. All right. Let's go. I'm slipping into the office. Okay, yeah, no problem. I would say they don't even close the door.
01:06:38
Speaker
ah You watch as this larger individual, the two remaining security personnel and Buntar Strigamol file out of the office. They are kind of flanking him, they you know, guide him around the flames, down the stairs, and you step into the office.
01:06:54
Speaker
Clay's going to follow too once she's shoved enough but flammable things down the tubes. Yeah. You just, there's there. Hey, let this be a lesson to all you at home. Work-life balance is important. If you're so married to your job that you have pneumatic tubes running into your bedchamber, you gotta, you gotta step back. You gotta to take some time for yourself. But I guess in a way that's kind of what email is.
01:07:18
Speaker
Hmm. Says a lot about society. Clay and Faunelin step into the office. Awesome. I run to that painting and I take the painting off the wall. Is there safe? There is, but it's not like any safe you've seen before.
01:07:32
Speaker
It is like a smooth, not quite marble, not quite glass, but smooth panel. Smooth, like dark metal panel. And you see that there are three circular indentations in it.
01:07:46
Speaker
It's the size of a ring. How big is the whole unit? The safe? Yeah. Maybe one and a half feet to each side. Does it look like I could just like take the whole thing? It is like embedded in the wall. Oh.
01:07:59
Speaker
All you can see is like this glass, not clay glass, but like this, this pain, this dark, smooth pain. Okay. ah and Three, it looks like three rings, like finger rings.
01:08:10
Speaker
Like finger rings. Clay, was there a jewelry box in the in the bedroom? Did I see a jewelry box? Not in the time that you searched. I mean, I think your time was spent largely committing arson. And I'm going to say, given the time as it took to commit said arson, you look over and you see Fawn Wynn next you.
01:08:28
Speaker
Oh, eight minutes are you look over and you see Clay. Shit. It makes sense. Shit, shit. Okay, okay, okay, no, it's okay. I like the idea of taking the whole thing out the wall. Let me just try it, and I want to see if there's anything. I know it's not a standard lock, but does it look like I could pick it somehow?
01:08:44
Speaker
There are these circular inserts. Yeah. And way I see it, if you can, you can, yeah give give me an investigation check. Oh, that's a natural 20. Okay. and okay here I'm going to say with a natural 20, you immediately figure out the nature of this safe.
01:09:02
Speaker
Oh, how easy. You, that's not to say you're able to open it, but you look at it and it is, Perhaps it different in execution, but similar in spirit to ones you saw in your own father's office many, many years ago.
01:09:20
Speaker
And you look at it and you get the idea that the rings on Buttar's fingers, the three rings he wore on one hand, likely go into each of these indentations and function as the dial for multiple combination locks.
01:09:39
Speaker
All three different combinations. Oh shit. you look at it and you realize it is going to take multiple checks to pick. And from your investigation, you can tell extremely complex locking mechanism.
01:09:55
Speaker
Not impossible. Nothing is impossible, but going to be extremely difficult. Are there any traps? Like if we fuck it up, oh it will explode or something or destroy what's inside. Yeah, be prudent.
01:10:07
Speaker
Clay, you ask that, and I'd say combining with Faunlin's natural 20, you look and you see that there are little vents surrounding the safe. Okay.
01:10:19
Speaker
likely for poison or perhaps other paralyzing gas to emit from, some sort of gas distribution system. Okay. it's embedded in the wall. Okay, Lady Fondalyn, this doesn't look like any kind of safe I've seen before.
01:10:35
Speaker
In the past, I've thrown a safe out a went out of a window once, so that was my thought of how we could get the safe out, but I don't know if this safe can be removed. And if we try to remove it, maybe something comes out of that vent and destroys whatever's inside or something bad happens.
01:10:51
Speaker
Okay. You were okay with the murder plan, right? um well Well, let's see what what the the evidence of his like crimes is first behind the painting.
01:11:01
Speaker
like we We need to figure out yeah what he really did. okay Maybe going to start looking around, like running around. i'm going to start checking the windows to see if there's anything that looks like a way in from outside. If with the aid of the magic rope, I'm like thinking, I'm like, if I move a barrel there and if I break the window lock here, then could I get back in here sometime again without having to go through the building?
01:11:28
Speaker
You are on the sixth floor. So it is possible. Magic rope will definitely help. It is also, as you know, pyramidal shape. There is a slant. So it's probably going to be a lot easier than if it was a vertical climb.
01:11:44
Speaker
Still hard. You're still very high off the ground. If you were to slip or lose your balance, you could be your death. But theoretically, if you were to leave, you could find a way back in from the outside. I will remind you that there is a spiked wall that is also very tall, very difficult to climb.
01:12:01
Speaker
But turns out when all you have is a magic rope, everything looks like a wall that can be climbed. So probably probably doable. I think with with your assessment, climbing won't be the biggest problem.
01:12:15
Speaker
It will be avoiding security. Both the security that exists now and the likely strong response that is to stem from this afternoon's endeavors. Okay.
01:12:28
Speaker
Is there a way that I could wait on the roof without being seen? Yeah. Okay. I'm going to grab Claire by the shoulders and say, listen to me very carefully. like Here's what I think we should do.
01:12:40
Speaker
I think there's no way we're getting into that safe without Buntar's rings and without the combination from him. Maybe I can crack the combination without the rings. That would be fine. What we're going to do, what I think we should do, is hide on the roof.
01:12:50
Speaker
Let all this hubbub die down. When Boontar comes back, when he goes to sleep tonight, we sneak into his room. We kill him by making it look like a suicide. We take the rings off his fingers. I hack the safe. If by chance the safe isn't hackable, that's fine. I'm sure he's written down his password somewhere in this pile of notes.
01:13:06
Speaker
Okay, we're going to make it look like a suicide. We're going to leave a note saying that he sees now that his company is an abomination. Word is going to spread about that. It feeds into the rebellion. Boontar is dead, which fundamentally destabilizes the enemy at the most critical level.
01:13:18
Speaker
and all we have to do is kill one tyrant. I don't like killing people that much, felt really bad about Jordan, but it would feel so good to kill this guy because this guy is exactly like the old elven fuck that ruined my life.
01:13:31
Speaker
So basically, I'm going to call the rope forth. You're going to pull his legs. Wait till you hear a snap. And then we're going to make it happen. Okay. We're going to hide on the roof until he goes to sleep.
01:13:42
Speaker
Yes. Are you with me? Yes. I agree that if he's been the mastermind of making this island the way it is now, then he should definitely be taken to justice.
01:13:54
Speaker
But I did set his bedroom on fire. So I don't know if he's going to be sleeping there tonight. Shit, okay, how are we going to get those rings and get back in here? We're just going to have to come back another day, I guess.
01:14:05
Speaker
Shit,
Heist and Strategy Debates
01:14:06
Speaker
I don't know. I don't know what to do. We need those rings. I want to find a way to take the safe first. Because if we have the safe, at least, then we can just get the rings and we don't have to come back here. Is there a way? But if we take the safe, then he'll know that we've broken into it. He knows that we've taken the document. you know what I mean? Or maybe the jig is already up though.
01:14:25
Speaker
Maybe they're not mutually exclusive. Okay. We take the safe out of the wall. You get it out of here. I wait here. i and all and she mimes a noose. See what I can do about him. And if I can't do anything, that's fine. I'll find my own way back.
01:14:39
Speaker
And either way, I get the rings. Because if what's in here is really that important, then us having it, like, that's maybe enough to get him to do what we wanted to do Walk the wheel for 50 years.
01:14:54
Speaker
Oh, shit. Yeah, I forgot about the wheel walking. Someone will do it. Oh. Yes. and No, Clay. Clay. No, Clay. We need to kill him. Because I can just write in his suicide note, it's my last dying witch that my most loyal follower, my the best company man, will walk the wheel for 50 years, thereby fulfilling our obligation and setting the other dwarves free to ruin all the other islands.
01:15:18
Speaker
So I think we can make a lot happen here. We just need to hang one bastard. Can you hang one bastard with me, Clay? Just one is a treat. Okay, you really want to kill him.
01:15:29
Speaker
I just think it's the best way to get the rings and to destabilize and in a way to, ah you know, get a sort of justice against a man who resembles a man that I hate that I'm powerless to do anything about. Okay, so i we have to find a way to remove the safe and you're going to stay here and you're going to... him.
01:15:48
Speaker
I don't know. i don't know what i wish you would stay with me and help me. But no, we need to get the safe out of here. Is he coming back here? Is he going to come back here? Probably, right? I mean, there's precious things in this office. I imagine that once he finds out that the document is gone, all hell will break loose.
01:16:04
Speaker
Hmm. It's just I really have killing him in my head now and I really like the idea, I'm just, I'm racked with indecision. Okay. Can I take a look at those ring slots? Are they, would they be, what kind of rings were on his finger?
01:16:17
Speaker
I'm also thinking back, what kind of rings? Were they generic rings? I have a lot of jewelry. Do I have rings like c signet style rings? Like rings that would resemble the rings that I saw on his fingers. Yeah, can we pick this without the key? Like, without the rings?
01:16:30
Speaker
Without a closer investigation? Hard to say. But I will say the thing that stood out, they did not appear to be adorned with gems or insignias, house symbols, nothing like that. They weren't signet rings.
01:16:44
Speaker
They looked fairly plain, like almost like a wedding band. But the thing that stood out was each was a different material. Hard to say for sure without a closer inspection.
01:16:56
Speaker
but appeared to that one was copper, one was silver, and one was gold. Okay, Fonelin definitely has silver and gold. If not rings, then like hoop earrings.
01:17:07
Speaker
just take out one deal of tv silver piece and one copper piece. we we Do you have a copper ring, Clay? No, but if I take this copper penny and like...
01:17:19
Speaker
bend it into shape? Can we fit it into the slot? We'll say you take a copper piece and you you bend it with all your might. Extremely hard to do, but you do and is an imperfect fit.
01:17:35
Speaker
But does it feel like I can twist the combination lock or whatever with it? Nothing seems to happen. Okay. You don't know if you need those pieces Rings specifically, it's possible that they are magically attuned to the safe.
01:17:48
Speaker
It's possible that they are just regular rings. But you think at the very least, it needs to be a perfect fit. If not those rings specifically. Do you have any rings?
01:17:59
Speaker
Do you want to try too? I have gold and silver. hi If we get the safe out of here, there is a chance that on the way out, I can shake his hand and get his rings off his hand.
01:18:11
Speaker
There is slight chance. I'm willing to run the gambit. You get out of here with the safe. We will not be able to come back because as soon as he realizes I've taken his very precious rings on his hand, assuming I succeed, I'm not immediately thrown in the dungeon. I trust he'll break me out.
01:18:24
Speaker
And not immediately thrown in the dungeon. He's going to be after me. So I don't know if running to the arch's house will be enough, but... Let's get the safe out. I'm with you. Let's get the safe out. My murder plan is very, very good, but it can wait.
01:18:37
Speaker
I will try to get the rings off his hand. And you know what? I trust you. You get the safe out of the wall. I'll get the rings. We meet at the rendezvous. Yes? Okay. Okay. Okay. How do I get this safe out the wall?
01:18:51
Speaker
Don't ask me. japs Okay. I give Clay like a super quick hug. I like squeeze Clay close for just a super split second. Good luck. And i run out and I'm going to, um yeah, I'm just going to try to act natural like a woman who is scared to be in a burning building. And what is going on?
01:19:09
Speaker
Cough, cough. What? We are going to cut to Glidki. um Yeah. What is the scene down here? It is chaos. There are fires burning everywhere. it seems like the bottles are maybe slowing down a bit, but people, several people are on fire. it is, it is bad.
01:19:27
Speaker
There's also some people like stepping up, you know, like there's some taking like flasks of water and, uh, you know, whatever. There's a old fantasy water cooler that someone's ripped off the wall and is like trying to spray onto the some some of some of the burning furniture.
01:19:43
Speaker
And you see just numerous individuals in suits and business garb come running down the stairs, dwarves all of them.
01:19:53
Speaker
Fire, fire! Fire's on the second and third floors as well. Fire! and And where is Strigamall? Everyone freezes temporarily. A man on fire stops and says, you guys, the president.
01:20:07
Speaker
Yeah, the president. My God, boys, we need to figure out where Sir Gamal is. The crowd parts and you see a large individual dwarven, partially something else as well, leading the charge as a man in a pinstripe suit follows him closely behind flanked by two security officers.
01:20:29
Speaker
Mr. Strigamool, Mr. Huzzah! The man who's on fire says, Huzzah! And then is burned alive. ah Sorry. The panic immediately resumes. People start screaming again, running for the doors as Boontar and his security team lead him towards the exits.
01:20:43
Speaker
Glimki joins the detail. Possible.
01:20:49
Speaker
Insanity.
01:20:52
Speaker
you follow i remember i mean a that's true how long does that last an hour a minute one hour one hour wow okay you smell good you start following along give me a performance roll with advantage yeah buddy come on now wow you're not gonna believe this 12. well we're rolling right in the middle believable You started following along.
01:21:22
Speaker
You catch some weird looks as this dwarven individual with like just bits of latex hanging off of their face and a tiny nose centered in it all wearing a hat and a big gray beard.
01:21:38
Speaker
very slender for a dwarf, starts following along, but no one immediately questions it. There's a little bit too much chaos for anyone to really scrutinize in this moment.
01:21:50
Speaker
And you are led into the courtyard where a carriage pulls up, piloted by a dwarf in a Korak uniform, and...
01:22:00
Speaker
a couple more dwarves in matching security uniforms step out. They open the door and say, Mr. Stricklemole, please step inside. We are going to escort you to a safe location. Oh, Mr. Stricklemole.
01:22:14
Speaker
Hold on just a moment. He pauses and turns to look at you. Pinstripe suit. I really want everyone to know he's wearing pinstripe apparently. He pauses, turns to look at you, raises an eyebrow expectantly. Yes! Yes!
01:22:30
Speaker
Boontar, I know you don't know who I am, but I have reason to believe that this is a targeted attack on you. They have somehow understood your movements and whereabouts and planned a very sophisticated and targeted effort to take your life.
01:22:46
Speaker
And I know i am just some weird looking man, but you have to trust me and I feel like they may have infiltrated your security team, so I don't know if you can trust this carriage.
01:22:57
Speaker
Give me a persuasion roll with advantage. That's so good. Oh but a twenty two 22. And what do you suggest?
01:23:09
Speaker
I think according to your security detail, there is a plan B safe house, correct? I think we go there on foot. We don't know this thing could be trapped. The large individual says, no, hold on, sir.
01:23:20
Speaker
It'll be much faster to take you via carriage. No, he is right. Until we have a better understanding, we will walk. Open the gate! And the gates swing open and you begin to move.
01:23:34
Speaker
He turns to look at you and says, What is your name? Uh, Boontar, my name is Geronimo T. Gates. I was tasked to come here for a security audit and it just so happened, lucky for all of us, that I'm here on the day of this attack.
01:23:50
Speaker
I do have a question for you, though. Yes, and what might that to be? What if it's a distraction, Boontar? I have understanding that you have something significant tucked away in your office.
01:24:02
Speaker
Some documents, yes. Well, if you let me run back into that fire, I can secure those documents and meet you at the safe house. Oh, you genius. I'm gonna need a persuasion roll with advantage. Hell yeah. But I'm going to tell you this is going to be a DC 25.
01:24:20
Speaker
Damn it. Can you do this?
01:24:29
Speaker
Oh, that hurts. looks at you and says, no, that is okay. The safe is very secure. i don't think even a bowl could rip it out of the wall. And they should they try, they'll be met with the most unfortunate surprise. Trust me, the security is top of the notch.
01:24:43
Speaker
And he looks at the rest of his agents around him. At least the architectural security. we will have a full analysis of what happened here today. We've already fired the head of security, which I'm glad for.
01:24:56
Speaker
His replacement will be chosen soon, and they will have very small shoes to fill, evidently. Come with me, Geronimo. You're on my team. Of course, sir. The large man leads the security detail like just a wedge, pushing people out of the way, clearing a path.
01:25:14
Speaker
The dwarves surround Boontar Strigamall, and you begin to make your way down that main promenade. And as you do, we will cut back to Faunalyn. looking very worried and scared in the stairwell you run down the stairs and you catch up with a heavyset dwarven man the vice president of southern hemicircle partnerships domino schvorkin he's kind of panting heavily he says hello how do things go with ah vice president fringa
01:25:46
Speaker
I do not stop. As I'm running, I kind of bump into him. I just like knock him over and keep running. Hate this guy. who husband child He rolls a 14 on his dexterity saving throw. Does not tumble down the stairs and die.
01:26:02
Speaker
i just who whoa And continues his way down. Hope to see you soon. And you are gone. I'm just, I'm only looking for Boontar. I only have a minute to make this happen. I'm hoping I can catch him.
01:26:16
Speaker
You run out into the the lobby. You see it is aflame. There are people screaming still, but a lot of the people managed to get out into the courtyard. You see they are congregating, and you look through the crowd, and you see Boontar in his suit, surrounded by his large head of security, or not head security, but the large security guard, several other dwarves, and your dear friend, Glimki Treefellow.
01:26:41
Speaker
Oh, oh joy. i don't know what Glimki's been up to I just know what I need to do. So I'm going to pretend to be like running to safety. And as I run past Boontar, I am going to orchestrate some catastrophic fall, like bump into someone and rebound and just eat shit on the floor right in front of Boontar and go like, oh goodness, it's so traumatic.
01:27:08
Speaker
Give me a performance roll. Awesome. Oh, okay. That's going to be a 15. With a 15, you do not take any damage from throwing yourself on the ground. You managed to do a very convincing pratfall.
01:27:21
Speaker
However, Boontar and his security team do not stop and you will take four bludgeoning damage as a dozen dwarves step on you and keep moving. Awesome. I grab Boontar's pant leg and I yank.
01:27:35
Speaker
Pants him. I'm going to have a contested athletics check for this as you try and grab on. yeah I'm so athletic guys. Don't even worry. That's gonna be an 11.
01:27:45
Speaker
He gets a 10. You just like grab on and he tries to kick you off and you hold on and you are now being dragged down the street and he stops and looks at his security guard says, see this is what I'm talking about.
01:28:01
Speaker
Why is this allowed to happen? Please sir. Oh, please sir. Geronimo. ah Take care of this? Yeah, Glunki steps in and grabs Svonlin by the wrist to pull your hand off his pet lick.
01:28:13
Speaker
And in some kind of... We don't really have a code for this, but Glunki will pull your hand off and say, The hysterics have to stop. Whatever you're after, let me know now.
01:28:28
Speaker
Because I assure you, it won't be found here.
01:28:33
Speaker
Oh, who are you? It's something about... I think something about you rings a bell. Yes, the bell is ringing and I squeeze his hand. Like where... Like I squeeze his hand and I squeeze it three times.
01:28:46
Speaker
We've met maybe one... Maybe up to three times we might have met. I'm so sorry at the smoke inhalation. I feel hysterical, but... No, yes, it's... It's three. We need to move.
01:28:58
Speaker
Geronimo! Get rid of her! Three ringing bells. i it's ah The hysterics are are taking over you. Release Boontar here. um we We must get him to safety. Sonalyn starts muttering to herself like a crazy person. She's like, oh, the metals, yes. Oh, the hot, the metals, ah yes.
01:29:15
Speaker
Gold is my favorite, but there are others. And she's just like, she's acting like she's fully had a psychotic break and she's going to get up and start like wandering around just dazed and confused and like grabbing people and being like, do I know you?
01:29:28
Speaker
Do I know you? Give me a performance roll, and I'm going to have Boontar roll insight with disadvantage, kind of overseeing that exchange, but only half paying attention to it.
01:29:38
Speaker
I got a nine. Lucky for you, he got a six. He got a six? Sheesh! Wow. He sees you are pulled away, and that's good enough for him, and he starts moving through the crowd all the way down the street, and you watch as they run off.
01:29:56
Speaker
Glinky lets go Fonelette runs after him. you You keep up and you watch as Glimki along with the dwarven security detail of Boontar Strigamall enters into the green sapphire.
01:30:09
Speaker
Oh, is that where we stayed? Yeah, the first That is where you spent that one night. Oh, shit.
01:30:25
Speaker
doctor Quickly, it's my son. I think he's caught a plague.
01:30:32
Speaker
Gothica Plague Worlds is a dark fantasy 5e compatible TTRPG coming to Kickstarter in November. One of the cobbles of gas-lamp lit streets inspired by the Victorian era, choosing from many new subclass archetypes or even one of the brand new classes.
01:30:47
Speaker
Gothica Plague Worlds is a complete package with new mechanics, storylines and a diseased world ready for your next campaign.
01:30:58
Speaker
ah boy should be fine You, however, do not look so good. Let me take a closer look. No, don't come any closer. It's too late for me, Doctor. Bolt your door and do not open it.
01:31:13
Speaker
goodbye but
01:31:17
Speaker
yeah
01:31:24
Speaker
and
01:31:34
Speaker
Gothica Plague Worlds is now live on Kickstarter.
01:31:40
Speaker
We are going to cut to clay. That was so smooth, you guys. I loved it. That was crazy. Jordan, you're on fire. Yeah. ah My heart is pounding.
01:31:55
Speaker
think This slow clap is one of my favorite bard suit moments ever. So good. And then you rolled so well, you got away with it all. Yeah, you fell for it.
01:32:10
Speaker
That was awesome. Clay's gonna get himself killed. The exchange of the dust for the perfume was the perfect thing. Yeah, that worked out really well. God, we almost had it with the 25. Yeah. i rolled on the die.
01:32:27
Speaker
I was wondering, I didn't know what your persuasion was. was like, is that even possible? no Just out of range. If ever we needed nat 20. Nat 20 would have done it.
01:32:38
Speaker
Okay, so yeah, Clay, you are in the office. There is sounds of people moving through the building still. It seems like some people are now going through and trying to put out the flames, but you don't you don't know how long it'll be until somebody comes to check the office, but for the time being, it is yours.
01:32:57
Speaker
Okay, this safe. Is there a way to inactivate the vent trap around it? Yeah, you take a look at it and they're fairly small vents, but you look at it and potentially you could find a way to plug it effectively or potentially you could use your thieves tools to try and deactivate the the mechanism by which it operates.
01:33:23
Speaker
Hmm. I'll just plug the holes, maybe. ah With what? and think clay would have like modeling clay or something on her in her art supplies. Sure.
01:33:34
Speaker
I'll just like shove that in plasticine. We'll say you take gas, take some modeling clay that you've you've acquired and you manage to plug up the holes. You don't know if it's like a perfect fit.
01:33:47
Speaker
It's possible that, you know, it's not airtight, but you think it'll probably reduce the flow of gas should any gas attempt to emit. Okay. And are there any seams where I can like detach this thing from the wall?
01:34:03
Speaker
You get give me an investigation roll.
01:34:08
Speaker
That's not good. Oh, that's really not good. I rolled a two, and with a minus one investigation, that's a one. Oh, dear. You start looking around for seams or...
01:34:22
Speaker
other yeah know a way of prying this thing out. From what you can tell, it is seamless, just like built into the wall. It's above a fireplace.
01:34:33
Speaker
Yes. Where does the... Is it connected to like a chimney then behind the safe? Like how would that work if it's above a fireplace? Tremendous question. You look down at the fireplace and you see it is burning but emitting no smoke.
01:34:49
Speaker
and you determine it is likely a magical fire. Something akin to an ever-burning torch. Dang, I don't have any ideas. I just really wanted to get the safe out of here.
01:35:03
Speaker
Cool, cool. cool are There are windows in this room. There are windows, yep. Okay. And...
01:35:15
Speaker
Do I hear sounds of people approaching or anything yet? Give me a perception roll with disadvantage. Okay. With disadvantage? yeah yeah Yeah, unless you want to open the door. I'd say if you want to like just listen through, it seems to be a thick wooden door, hard to hear through. So you can either roll with disadvantage and not expose yourself, or open the door, make it easier.
01:35:38
Speaker
But if anyone's out there, they might see Okay, just listening while I'm while i'm like investigating the safe. Then I rolled a six. A six. You put your ear head up to the door, your ear up to the door.
01:35:49
Speaker
You listen. You can't hear anyone. Okay, good enough for me don't know if that's... Yeah, you don't know if that's... Because there's no one there or you're just not hearing them. Okay, i run back to the wall with the safe. So the safe is made out of a weird like glass material that's... You said there's like a panel?
01:36:09
Speaker
Yeah, it it it like appears to be yeah just like this weird, like dark, reflective panel. Okay. And then beyond the edges of that is just stone? Yeah.
01:36:20
Speaker
Okay. Do I think I could like break the stone part? If you had the right tools and enough time, potentially. But we're talking like sledgehammer. Yeah, my mace. Metal spikes.
01:36:34
Speaker
Yeah.
01:36:37
Speaker
what's the AC on the stone wall? With a mace, I'm going to say very hard to do. um' not going to say you can't, but like hard to do.
01:36:49
Speaker
ah Okay, Clay's gonna rummage through her bag for anything that she thinks can help and like she finds the mysterious potion that she got from Tildy and she suddenly remembers Jaquise and his gigantic claws and how he could rip through the ground and claw through dirt and stone.
01:37:12
Speaker
and she's gonna remember that Tildi said this is the same potion that made Jaquise strong. She's gonna down the potion. Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh.
01:37:26
Speaker
It's got a muddy flavor to it. Does this have a beyond you state? It's thick. You choke on it for a second. You choke it down. It's like drinking a pudding cup mixed with a little bit too much water to make it a comfortable texture.
01:37:41
Speaker
and you feel your body begin to change. Oh yeah. walls stretch and elongate. The safe seems to double in distance away from you. Uh-oh.
01:37:55
Speaker
As Tildy the witch tried her best to replicate the potion that made Jakese big and strong, but in doing so, created a potion of diminution.
01:38:05
Speaker
For the next hour. Tildy! Your size is halved in all dimensions. Your weight is reduced to one eighth of normal. You are no longer medium.
01:38:16
Speaker
You are small. yeah You have disadvantage on strength checks and strength saving throws. And your mace in your hand, which you were swinging up to bash at the wall, shrinks down to match your new size.
01:38:28
Speaker
Awesome. This is great. Beautiful. That's so funny. Shit. No! Okay. Oh, no. Clay is now glimpy-sized, I guess.
01:38:44
Speaker
Wow. So pretty big, actually. Yeah. Tall for a gnome again.
01:38:53
Speaker
ah Too small to climb through the vents. Too small to do anything. man there's no chimney. Oh man.
01:39:04
Speaker
Oh man. Tilde, how can you? It's a fake chimney. It's a fake fire. hang it So it's not even hot, right? It's not hot? Is it hot?
01:39:14
Speaker
It is hot, but it's just not actually burning anything. It doesn't require a fuel source. don't have any spells for this, eh? Yeah, I don't. I didn't prepare anything.
01:39:26
Speaker
Let me see. Let's see anything I could possibly use here. Yeah, no. Oh no, I promised Lady Fonnell and I could get the safe out of here. And now I'm tiny.
01:39:39
Speaker
i guess I just have to abandon the safe here. Okay, I'll make my way back to the door and peek around the door into the hallway. Yeah, you peek. I'm to say you hear sounds of people approaching from downstairs.
01:39:56
Speaker
You hear multiple sets of footsteps running up the stairs. Wembley said there was fire in Mr. Strigamore's office as well, or Mr. Strigamore's chambers as well. We must investigate those and also the office to ensure that there's no further damage to the upper floors. Okay.
01:40:12
Speaker
Clay's going to take a cloak and, like, put it around her head to hide her horns and then go out and pretend to be a dwarf also.
01:40:23
Speaker
What?
01:40:27
Speaker
Amazing. You run out as a group of dwarves run up the stairs and spot you. okay Okay. I think the fire started in Strigamorel's room.
01:40:41
Speaker
I was just doing some housekeeping for him and it looked like his kitchen caught on fire.
01:40:49
Speaker
Okay, so there's a lot going on here. On one hand, name's Sprigamole, not Sprigamole. Sprigamole! Sprigamole! You're tiny, but you still look like yourself, so you're like a little cow person. No, I'm a dwarf! Half dwarf, half tiefling.
01:41:07
Speaker
So you like pull the cloak over your face, so just your eyes are sticking out. Just these yellow gleaming eyes coming out of this cloak with these like parts that are like clearly stretching. Those my braids. Yeah. but Excuse you. I'm going to say make a persuasion rule with or persuasion or deception with disadvantage.
01:41:28
Speaker
Oh no. i don't
01:41:31
Speaker
Disadvantage. Okay. 12. twelve Unfortunately, I rolled 19 inside And they say, thank you, thank you.
01:41:43
Speaker
And then one says, wait a minute. His name's not Strigamorel. And they all turn to look at you in unison. I dash down the stairs. Get her!
01:41:55
Speaker
And they give chase down the stairs. Okay, I throw off my cloak behind me to distract them. And then i make my cloak of many fashion.
01:42:07
Speaker
It's just the the big the symbol that we came up with for the edit gang on the cloak. Oh, hell yeah! it just sounds sick. and just says save ed again fuck you stricamorel yeah very respectful you start running and you see that even though you are smaller your speed is not reduced and you are able to outpace them uh and they you just are sprinting down the stairs and they're trying to keep up but you're you're just putting distance between you and them and if you were like
01:42:45
Speaker
Stop her! Stop her! But people are busy with the fires. You dance around some dwarves. You manage to jump over a couple, sprint out the lobby, into the courtyard. One's like, close the gate! Close the gate!
01:42:56
Speaker
And it begins to slam shut. But not before you dive out the way. Tumbling to the ground, picking yourself up, dusting yourself off, and you are out. Oh.
01:43:12
Speaker
Okay. You see Fonelin muttering, metals, metals, precious metals. Yes, yes, yes. Maybe like 15 feet away. Okay, i run up to her and I come up to her like waist or something now. You do. I like tug on her. Lady Fonelin.
01:43:28
Speaker
Lady Fonelin. Do I know you? Fonelin, a dwarf starts pulling. What? Do I know you? Metals. Ring, ring. It's me, Lady Fonelin. Oh, did you, did you get it?
01:43:40
Speaker
No, I, it was too hard to get out of the wall, so I drank, do you remember Tildy? Of course. I drank the Jaquise potion, but it made me small. remember Tildy.
01:43:51
Speaker
I really thought she was, you know, like, secretly really good at her job, but I guess she was bad all the way down. Okay. I wanted it to be big like Jaquise. You know, maybe next time.
01:44:03
Speaker
Is the office empty? There were dwarves going into it to check it out when I left. I want to try one last thing. I'm going to try to go back upstairs. I'm going to take advantage of chaos where I can. i know the way.
01:44:16
Speaker
i avoid being seen when I can. i want to try to make it back upstairs. Okay. c Clay, are you staying behind are you going with... I guess I'm going to ask Fondalyn if she saw Glimki and what happened there. Oh, Glimki seems to have infiltrated the posse and they've gone to the green sapphire.
01:44:32
Speaker
I still think my assassination plan might be a go just in a hotel room instead of his room. But they're over there. We need to pretend we don't know Glimki. Okay. I don't think I can go back into the building because they kind of saw me and they slammed the gate shut, so... Oh, you need to get out of here then, like, ASAP.
01:44:49
Speaker
Yeah. and also feel much weaker than I usually do. Here, and I pull clay around a corner and I take off my own wig and I shake all its contents, like, down the front of my dress so that I don't lose any of my treasures.
01:45:01
Speaker
And I... I tie my wig using the two long curling tendrils that usually like sort of frame my neck in decolletage and I use it to tie it behind Clay's ears and I um like rip an adornment, a ruff off of my skirt and I kind of wrap it around Clay's head so that it looks like Clay has like some kind of very silly hat on but Clay now has, Clay is now red but has a beard and a hat.
01:45:29
Speaker
I'm going turn my cloak, turn off the eco-terrorist message and back into a regular regular dwarf looking cloak. Dwarven design. Amazing.
01:45:41
Speaker
ah yeah Yeah, you do so. And you see some guards like peering through the crowd, but you slip out unobserved, having changed your appearance enough.
01:45:52
Speaker
Fondlin, the gate back inside is closed, but how you wish to proceed is up to you. It's still pretty chaotic inside, yeah? Yep. Cool. I'm going to walk 20 feet to the side and go slither forth magic rope and lasso it to the top of the fence and just try to, like, last like launch myself over it.
01:46:11
Speaker
I'm going to give you a choice. Similar to last time, there is a spikes at the top, which provide a feasible... point for your rope to affix itself to. Otherwise it'd be difficult given it's like a stone wall.
01:46:26
Speaker
You can attempt to do so carefully, which will prevent you from taking any damage from the spikes, but will increase the likelihood that you are seen. Or you can do it fast. Nope, I'm in a rush. Okay, then give me a, we'll say an acrobatics roll.
01:46:41
Speaker
Oh, okay. That's going to be a, an 18. You pull on the rope, and start running up the wall, and you sort of just, almost like you're gonna do a backflip, you just like spring off of the wall at the same time that you tug on the rope, and you just propel yourself through the air as the rope swings you over, and then you release it as you're falling down the other side.
01:47:06
Speaker
And the rope comes free and you avoid the spikes and you look around. No one seems to have noticed you. The gate is slowly reopening as several guards like, well, now you've got to open the gate. We're trying to, we're trying to, what are doing?
01:47:19
Speaker
Come on. Open. You saw she got out. So now you got to open. Come on, guys. We really all talk about security here. And you are back inside. I just hot foot it back up to his office, again, taking advantage of chaos as much as I can.
01:47:34
Speaker
Okay. I'm going to say, as you run up the last set of stairs, you see some people, mostly like staff now, security staff or other personnel who are working to put out the fires. A lot of them are contained. It seems like things are are dying down. They've got it under control for the most part, as much as fires raging in your office building can be.
01:47:52
Speaker
But you run past all them. Get to the sixth floor and you hear just a commotion coming from Boontar's personal chambers as smoke is billowing out. Nice one.
01:48:04
Speaker
But you hear the sound of people saying, like stamp it out, stamp it out. All right. Jeez, how do you leave a stove on when it's fire and sticks? oh And you have a window to get back into the office.
01:48:16
Speaker
I get back into the office and i don't plan on staying. All I want to do is open a drawer or, you know, grab, like, see the papers on his desk. I just need a sample of this man's writing.
01:48:29
Speaker
Something with his signature at the bottom. And that is all I need. I'm just going to grab that. If I see anything that looks interesting, like important to our cause... i don't I don't think I can do anything about the safe, but i just want I just want a piece of paper with this man's signature and writing on it.
01:48:43
Speaker
And if I see anything that looks relevant, I'll grab that too. Give me an investigation check. Oh, that's not very good. That's not very good. That's a seven. Seven.
01:48:54
Speaker
um Okay, pity. With a seven, you... hey man, i want I wanted to give you something, but with a seven, I just can't do it. With a seven, you basically just grab the first document you see.
01:49:07
Speaker
It bears his signature, and that's good enough for you. I would say if you wish to take more time to see if there's anything interesting beyond that, like anything in the drawers or any like more paperwork that might bear relevance, you can do so.
01:49:27
Speaker
But it will increase the likelihood that somebody comes to investigate the office. Okay, well, how about this? I close the office door and lock it. You don't have a key.
01:49:40
Speaker
I close the office door and I... I push a bookcase down in front of it. You push a bookcase down in front of it. I push a bookcase over or I do something. I move a chair, something heavy. Sure.
01:49:55
Speaker
That'll buy me a little bit of time. Okay. I am going to roll a percentile die. There is a 25% chance that somebody comes while you're investigating.
01:50:05
Speaker
So from a one to 25, someone will attempt to enter the office in the next several minutes. Awesome. That is a 46. You may make another investigation check if you would like.
01:50:19
Speaker
And if you don't like, then that's crazy that you stuck around that. yeah That's a 12 that time. I will say, with a 12, you take another second, just start reading through the papers as quickly as possible, and one sticks out to you.
01:50:36
Speaker
You're not taking time to read them in detail, but it catches your eye because you see it as a bill of sale. from the Korak Mining Company to the Malfurth family.
01:50:51
Speaker
Holy! Oh, the plot! Somebody! His plot just got killed! Oh my god! Another lead for the princess! what what was what is What was sold? what was the What's the bill for?
01:51:04
Speaker
You see that the Malfurths purchased various fine metals and gems. Some of the nicer, fancier offerings that the Korak Mining Company pulls from Charea Mine and had them shipped not to their nation of Onos, but to villa.
01:51:31
Speaker
on the island of Bogatyr. Which one's Bogatyr? What the hell is going on? That's where my brother is. And we will cut to Glimke.
01:51:42
Speaker
You reach the hotel, step into the lobby and a dwarf, a familiar looking dwarf working at the desk, sleepily looks up and says, good evening. Oh, good evening, Mr. Scrigamore. Will you be staying with us tonight?
01:51:58
Speaker
Yes. Prepare the executive suite. Of course, Mr. Strigamo, of course. There are some guests there, but we shall have them summarily removed. Just give us a bit of time. Perhaps you would like a drink from the bar or some some some food from the restaurant in the meantime. No, I will go in now and they can leave now. Very, very very good, Mr. Strigamo.
01:52:23
Speaker
Walk this way. And he does a silly walk that everyone else emulates. And, You, Glumki, do you do the silly walk? Uh, yeah. Nice. Good. they Oh, they would have known. and They would have known if you didn't do the silly walk. And you walk up several flights of stairs through this garish hotel until you reach the the penthouse suite, the the executive suite. And the hotel staff knock on the door and a dwarven man in a bathrobe opens it and says, What's the meaning of this?
01:52:55
Speaker
I was in the middle of my bath. I'm sorry, sir, but you must depart immediately. The hotel, Mr. Strygamore, Ah, say no more, Mr. Strigamore. I hear. And he hands Mr. Strigamore the the robe and the dwarf runs out of the hotel buck naked and you are brought into the executive suite.
01:53:13
Speaker
It's bad. It's gross and bad. it is it is It is a holiday inn. In the world of ah fantasy hotels, this is a holiday inn, which by fantasy standards, pretty nice. But by any other standard, pretty bad.
01:53:25
Speaker
Pretty bad. Okay, so, okay, give me a lay the land. Is this executive suite? Is this like one of those things where it's got like an attached living room to a bedroom? Exactly. Perfect, perfect, perfect, perfect. There's a balcony. There is a jacuzzi tub.
01:53:38
Speaker
Glimke's doing several things here. Once he gets in the room, lay the land. I want to know what the layout is. So, yeah, living room, balcony, bedroom. But then the next thing that I think Glimke would do is really try to string together using Faunalyn's uh, ramblings and using that to like, try to narrow in on something on Strigamall's person that matches to rings a bell, three medals.
01:54:04
Speaker
Those are the clues that I got. Don't. Yeah. I'm going to say he got an inside role because of the three medals thing. That's where I felt we crossed a line, but he didn't pick up on it.
01:54:16
Speaker
And I'm going to say with the information, she took the risk of conveying that information a little more directly. You glance at his one hand and you see he's got this dark metal ring on it appears to be a dark metal and you look at the other hand and see that there are three plain metal rings copper silver and gold.
01:54:34
Speaker
Gimki looks to the other security guards like how how's everybody set up in here. They are fanning out. A few stayed out at the the entryway, are manning the door. The larger man is kind of doing a ah sweep, checking around. A few position themselves on the balcony and are looking out with spy glasses.
01:54:51
Speaker
We'll say all in all, there's a dozen dwarves. Don't find that one. Oh, God. Okay, so Glimke is going to take a very deep breath to calm his racing heart.
01:55:02
Speaker
He's going to look at Boontar and say, Mr. Strigamole, a word? And he's going to kind step through the, I imagine, like sliding French style doors, like between the bedroom and the living room. Yeah, 100%.
01:55:16
Speaker
Boontar is like looking at the bed and it's unmade. He says, what is this? You own a hotel and you think they're going to treat it nice. But what what is this? I get here, the executive suite, the bedroom's not even made. Yes, um it's a mess.
01:55:27
Speaker
I'm afraid there's maybe there's more of a mess to deal with. Glumki tries to discreetly close the doors gently, like peeking out at the other guards. He's hamming up a little to like show Boontar that he's he's looking for for a threat.
01:55:42
Speaker
Boontar, permission to be candid. Permission granted. Thank you for asking. Am I right to assume that in the latest few weeks, if not months, there has been an increased activity in what you may describe as terrorist ah activity?
01:55:59
Speaker
No. Honestly, no. I got a report couple weeks ago that a guy in a bar was saying we ought to do something. Sent some people to look into it.
01:56:11
Speaker
Sounded like it was a guy and maybe a couple of his friends. So it didn't seem like a big deal. Okay, well... Well, you see, looked into it a little further, and my chief of security, Wuskar Rogen, he determined, he apparently discovered a plot by an employee to procure several kegs of blasting powder and then give it to these ah these individuals for personal gain. I... And we caught wind of the plot in advance, you see, but if it were up to me, which it should have been, Wuskot did not tell me, I would have had that man caught and imprisoned, but he wanted to use him as bait, you see, to catch these individuals, so they set a trap.
01:56:52
Speaker
But the problem is that the individuals got away with most of the blasting powder. We caught the guy who sold it, but they got the powder. So yeah, I guess there's been an uptick in the sense that this been we've been from zero incidents to a few disgruntled people now have several kilograms worth of explosives that could do extensive damage to our facilities if used in the wrong way.
01:57:15
Speaker
Right. I mean, it's interesting that you mentioned this kind of inside element of your head of security. What I was concerned about is exactly that. It's a little convenient that these people somehow, from whispers of an uprising, now a full-on fire attack at your headquarters.
01:57:34
Speaker
I suppose there's also that. do you think that was terrorism? It seems a little too convenient for- I assume that was just like faulty wires. No, it seems like a coordinated attack. i I hate to say it, but I feel like there's probably more people on the inside. I mean, your head of security?
01:57:51
Speaker
Who's not to say that some of these people aren't in on it? Glinky would like to- use minor illusion, he's gonna come close to Boontar and be like, just take a listen.
01:58:02
Speaker
And he's going to create a whisper of some chattering just beyond the door of a guard being like, well, we'll wait till he's asleep and then we'll take it.
01:58:14
Speaker
Okay, this is a big swing. I'm gonna need a sleight of hand as you attempt to channel this spell without him noticing. Okay.
01:58:26
Speaker
That's not great. It's only an 11. no. He gets a 12 on his percentage. Oh, goddammit. No, He looks at you fidgeting, trying to like channel the spell, and grabs your hands and says, Stop fidgeting. It's unbecoming of my new chief of security.
01:58:46
Speaker
Thank you, Geronimo. You have been honest with me in a way that your predecessor was not. It is time to take decisive action. We need to flush these rats out and kill them all.
01:58:58
Speaker
Can I trust you to do this? I swear on my life. He stabs you.
01:59:07
Speaker
With a pin. With a Korok logo on it. and You stamp. Welcome aboard, Geronimo. Pleasure to be here.
01:59:18
Speaker
I'll never sleep again. That's the spirit. What's up with your nose? It's very small. Oh, yes. This is was a disguise. It's a long story. i was here doing an audit to test your security team and to be quite frank, they failed horribly.
01:59:32
Speaker
That does not surprise me. In fact, I found one of your employees filled almost every pocket with black leaf. Oh, what the hell? Yeah, we really got to get a handle on this situation.
01:59:43
Speaker
We need to be tough on crime, you're right. Okay, first order of business. I need you to vet the security team, make sure that there are no more intruders or untrustworthies. Second, I need you to go to the governor's house and we need to secure a proclamation that gives Korok security a little more leeway to get, shall we say, tough on crime.
02:00:05
Speaker
Yes, of course. I was going to suggest the same thing. Perfect. You'll find she is very amenable to my requests. It should not be a problem. Again, there's just there's one thing that I'm worried about.
02:00:17
Speaker
These are these men just outside and he's going to go up to the door and close it all the way this time. I don't know if we can trust any of them yet. I know I need to vet them first, but it's the trouble you see with what's in the safe.
02:00:32
Speaker
What about the safe? I don't know. I just, I've heard whispers. they're so They're after it. These terrorists. Who else? Well, probably lots of people. i don't know. Sorry, so lots of people? got important stuff in there. Exactly. And I wouldn't put past one of these low-life scumbag rats to make a move on.
02:00:52
Speaker
And let's be honest, it's not so secret. Those rings of yours. No. He runs his hand, his fingers over them, is twisting them slowly. Mr. Shrikamal, I've been here ah day, and even if I can spot the keys to a safe, you don't think these guys can?
02:01:13
Speaker
He takes the silver ring off of his finger and hands it to you. Divide and conca. You hold on to this, and I shall entrust one to a close confidant, and I shall keep one for myself.
02:01:29
Speaker
How's your relationship with the governor? We own her. Could she be trusted with a ring? Yes. Give me another one. I'll take it directly to her. Give me persuasion roll.
02:01:42
Speaker
With advantage. I'm smelling pretty good. With advantage. Hell yeah. Glimky with that perfume is lethal. They're fully a spy.
02:01:53
Speaker
Yeah, seriously. Crazy to watch. okay Okay, 18. it is It is too risky. If we're going to start taking security seriously, and Geronimo, frankly, I'm a little disappointed in you. This not what I expect from my new chief of security.
02:02:07
Speaker
If you think that I can give you two rings, what happens if somebody stabs you what kills you? Then they've got two of the rings. Buntar, that's the beauty of it. The only people that know that I'm the chief of security are you and me.
02:02:22
Speaker
If there's any time to take a risk, it's right now. I'd be so bold to ask for all of them. No, no, no. Absolutely not. You take this ring to the governor, the one you have. I'll tell you what. You take the ring you've got to the governor.
02:02:34
Speaker
And then next time you come here, when you come back, I'll give you the other one. And then that' that's that's safer.
02:02:43
Speaker
This isn't your first rodeo, I can tell. Of course not. You don't get to the top of the pyramid without being... Pretty damn good at this shit. Glinky takes the ring, he closes his fingers around it, and and he turns and hurriedly walks to the door, but then stops and says, well, wait, sir, if I leave with the ring and leave you here with all of these guards, who's not to say they'll make a move on you right now?
02:03:09
Speaker
You watch as his hand drifts like to his To his other hand, the the he starts caressing the dark ring on his other hand. Starts spinning it slowly. Do not worry about that. Wembley will keep me safe.
02:03:22
Speaker
I am unworried about that. Okay. Is there any way, but is it just the pin that would be enough for the governor to know that they can trust me? No, maybe not.
02:03:33
Speaker
I hope not. Gods, I hope not. I hope security is not that shoddy. And he grabs, he he opens the bed, pulls out the drawer from the bedside table, pulls out a Gideon Bible, rips out a page, and just scribbles some instructions on the back and signs it.
02:03:50
Speaker
There you go. that that should That should do it. Okay, perfect. And you stay right here. ah I'll be right back. I will not go anywhere. Glinky turns to the door. he slides it open. He gives Buntar one more final nod and then tries to slip out of the hotel room.
02:04:07
Speaker
Yep. A few whisper, few mutter. One guy's like, who's that? Don't you know? That's Geronimo. He's the new chief of security.
02:04:19
Speaker
And you step out into the hallway and down the stairs into the lobby. Is there any possibility that we can do a retroactive check on how much I can get a look at all of the rings when we were in that discussion?
02:04:33
Speaker
Yeah, for sure. I honestly say you look at look at the one you've got. The other two are pretty much near, like look like exact matches just in different metals. Probably used in like the same forge.
02:04:46
Speaker
That's exactly what I was hoping for. Goonkey hurriedly walks down the hallway, down the stairs, through the lobby, and out into the streets before breathing again. Amazing.
02:05:00
Speaker
You exhale. Where are you going? Not the governor's house, that's for sure.
02:05:09
Speaker
To the artist's house. Okay. Clay, is that where you're going? I think Clay's probably like loitering outside of the inn waiting for Glimki because that's where Faunelin said they were headed, but she's too scared to go in in her disguise.
02:05:26
Speaker
Perfect. Clay, give me a stealth Okay, that's the best I've rolled today as in it's over 10. What is my stealth though? Plus zero, so it's 11. 11. Glimki, what's your passive perception?
02:05:39
Speaker
ah Pretty bad, 10. Okay, Clay, you're in an alleyway beside the hotel and you glance out and you see Glinky his disguise step out into the street and let out a big exhale.
02:05:55
Speaker
He does not appear to have spotted you. Okay. I take a look around to make sure no one's watching and then I like catch up with him. Give me a perception roll.
02:06:06
Speaker
Why am I rolling so poorly today? 12? twelve You glance out at the street, there is immediately been an increase in security. You can tell that much. Like, there are more guards.
02:06:21
Speaker
They're out. They are not like, you know, knocking on doors, but like there's an immediately like, it seems like the nearby guards from like other buildings or from other streets were pulled into this area after news of the fire spread.
02:06:34
Speaker
And they seem to be mostly congregating down the street at the HQ, but you notice that there's more guards and likely to be more guards in the future. And you, you follow Glimki and catch up with him.
02:06:50
Speaker
Glimki, Glimki, it's me. Oh, thank God. Glimki, clay is your height. Oh, Jesus, what the hell? see a red dwarf with a beard similar to yours. ah You can explain later.
02:07:04
Speaker
don't What happened? I- I honestly... I don't even know, dude. But I got this, and I flashed the ring.
02:07:15
Speaker
Oh my gosh, that's a key to the save! That's a- yeah, but I only got one of them, but I have a plan. We have to get back to the artist thing. Okay, let's go. Bonalyn did head back into the building, but maybe she's done there.
02:07:30
Speaker
Unfortunately, I feel like we're are not gonna get this done tonight. Okay, let's get back to the speakeasy artworks and maybe she'll meet there. Let's hope she can find her way out of all that trouble.
02:07:43
Speaker
I believe in her. Now tell me what happened. Oh, I put on that awesome smelling perfume and i I am the new head of security.
02:07:55
Speaker
I think the old head of security got fired because Callum's friends managed to get the blast powder. Oh my goodness. Well, you know what? Something just occurred to me.
02:08:07
Speaker
If we can make a pit stop at Speak Easy Artworks and make a mold based on this ring and I can get to the governor in a reasonable amount of time, perhaps we can still play off this whole security detail thing.
02:08:19
Speaker
So we should move quickly. We'll give her a fake ring? No, no, we'll give her the real one, but we're going to make duplicates. Okay. I think she could probably help with that. Here's hoping. The two of you make your way through the streets.
02:08:33
Speaker
avoiding guards wherever possible, eventually crossing over the Painted Bridge back into the artist's district of the city, and we cut over to Faunolin.
02:08:46
Speaker
so This episode is crazy. i'm like overwhelmed. I've never been so stressed. Yeah, I'm literally, you're doing amazing though. Honestly, yeah you're both firing on all cylinders. I'm wildly impressed. Foniline is going to hang the painting back up over the safe.
02:09:03
Speaker
She is going to clear the doorway. And then she's gonna, Fondalyn's gonna break the lock on the window with the butt of her rapier so that it can't lock, so that if she ever wants to try to stage a suicide, she can get in easy.
02:09:20
Speaker
And she slides open the window and Fondalyn's gonna study it look at it. She already looked at it. She got a sense of the best way down. And she thinks like, oh, if I could like, if I could like break a bit of stone there, then maybe I'd have a better step.
02:09:34
Speaker
She's going to use the magic rope, which I think initially was in Clay's inventory. But a few episodes ago, i just kind of yoinked it off you and have had it with me ever since.
02:09:45
Speaker
You can have it back. That's okay. You seem to be making more use out of it. She's going to say magic groups to the fourth. And she is going to, you know, she doesn't want to be seen, obviously, but she's going to exit down the side of the building, paying attention to how she could get back up again.
02:10:02
Speaker
Okay. Exit down the side of the building. Why don't you say it like that? It's a pyramid. So she can affix the rope to something and then just like slide down the side, mission impossible style. And then, you know, take some falling damage.
02:10:14
Speaker
Yeah, yeah. I'm going to say it is still light out. There is a chance you are spotted. I am going to need a stealth roll as you attempt to work your way down the building. Like, does it even matter anymore?
02:10:28
Speaker
Yeah. I will pull up my hood, understanding that I might be spotted. i will pull up my hood. i got an eight. So several people started muttering and someone shouts, there's someone on the roof.
02:10:41
Speaker
Fuck. And you see ah crowd, but several guards run up and people start pointing. You can't help but notice that a few run back inside the building.
02:10:51
Speaker
Back inside the building. What? Okay, I'm going to go.
02:10:58
Speaker
You know what? I'm just going to hit the ground. I'm just going to do it. but but but as i As I go down, I'm going to say, I want to die. don't want to live anymore. I want to die.
02:11:08
Speaker
I'm killing myself. I'm dying on purpose. And I guess I hit the ground and roll and I lie there and I'm like, am I dead? Did my suicide work?
02:11:21
Speaker
Could I get a acrobatics check as you hit the ground? Thank you. That is actually a good roll. That's a dirty 20. Okay, some quick maths. The building, six stories.
02:11:34
Speaker
yeah Each story, more than 10 feet. I'd say it's like a big, you know, big office building. Like the lobby is like pretty ornate. Boontar's quarters ornate. But angled. But it's angled. So I'm going to say roughly 60 feet of falling damage. 66 of falling damage are on the table.
02:11:50
Speaker
Reduced to three because of the angle and because you were like part way down when you like let the rope free and because of your successful acrobatics check we will have the damage so you're gonna d six halved easy easy easy easy easy you take 14 damage reduced to seven that's nothing i'll jump again as you hit the ground and tumble and several guards gather around you not another move am i dead i want to be dead did i die
02:12:22
Speaker
You're going to wish you were dead? Yes, that's the point. I tried to kill myself by jumping up the highest window I could find. well, you're going to wish that you wish you weren't dead, and then after that, you'll wish you were dead again.
02:12:36
Speaker
much is this? And while they're talking, I'm like standing up and dusting off my clothes. What is this? Ow. Oh, can I just make a break for it? Bonus action, disengage. Make a break for it.
02:12:49
Speaker
I'm going to say you can make an acrobatics check with advantage contested by they' athletics because there's a group of them. It'll be, they'll also have advantage. I rolled well. I got a, uh, I got a 22.
02:13:01
Speaker
I got a 17. Several hands grab at you and you just manage to pull free. You kind of do another one of your little tumbles. You grab the rope. It starts to slither and coil around your shoulder.
02:13:11
Speaker
i think we need to emphasize, I've been a little loosey-goosey with this rope if it's been very lasso-like. It is 60 feet long. it can move 10 feet. It can move like foot a second.
02:13:23
Speaker
Like two feet a second. No, but what if I throw the end? Lasso style. It's still a rope. Yeah, yeah, no, it's still a rope. Just if you like slither forth it, it's supposed to just go shh. Oh, see, I see. have to help it if you want it to go fast.
02:13:37
Speaker
Understood. Yeah, but you you watch as it starts to slowly coil around your shoulder as you run. It's trailing behind you for a second, but it coils up and you start running. The gate is open and the guards like, close the gate, close the gate. And the guards are like, no, no, I'm not doing it.
02:13:55
Speaker
I'm not, I'm not, I'm not. Open the gate, close the gate, open the gate. Enough, enough is enough. It's a big fucking gate. I'm done. And they watch as you run out the party's yard. That's hysterical actually. Just peering into the street.
02:14:08
Speaker
No. As I like, as I like dodge them, I go like, Not a company man. You can't be killed, bitch. And then I run past them. Not even I can kill me. Then I keep running.
02:14:23
Speaker
Where do you go? I like run some laps around the city. i like hide in an alleyway for a bit. I like... I like make sure no one's following me and after some time has passed and I'm confident i am not being followed, I pull up my hood again and I straighten my skirts and I stealth mode my way back to the artist's guild.
02:14:46
Speaker
You do that. As you lay low, maybe you find a bar to sit in you chill for a while, waiting for things to die down. The streets are busy with guards. You manage to slip out, avoid them, it takes you some time.
02:15:00
Speaker
Night falls. But you make it back to speakeasy artworks. We're gonna jump back in time slightly. Clay and Glimke, you get there first, but it is late evening by the time you arrive.
02:15:13
Speaker
And Baina has left, but she gave you a key, as you know. so you you open up the the door and step inside, maybe light a few lanterns. Oh, we light lanterns, and I'll tell you exactly why.
02:15:27
Speaker
ah Go! Wimki storms in, lights the lantern, like illuminating the, don't know, like a table in the room, and he slams down the silver ring. Then he starts rummaging through table drawers and cupboards, taking things off tables, but he's looking for candles and wax.
02:15:46
Speaker
She was in the process of packing up when Clay first met her. She decided to stick around for the time being, but a lot of her stuff is in crates and you tear them open and you go through stacks of clothing and dishware, some framed photos or the oil painting equivalent, but you managed to cobble together the supplies that you were looking for.
02:16:10
Speaker
have more plasticine too. oh Holy shit. This is crazy. Okay, so... i see where you're going. We're gonna make duplicates of this ring. We're going to grab like a ah stein or something and we're gonna heat some of this wax up. And what we're gonna do is we're gonna make... guess what... I can't... I don't know the exact term, but it's essentially like a... like a melt-away mold.
02:16:33
Speaker
So we press the ring into the clay and plasticine to make a void. And then we're going to pour the melted wax into the void so that we can create duplicate wax versions of the ring. oh But does the material matter? Because they had...
02:16:50
Speaker
Yeah, so we'll need material later. That's something that you and Fonelin have fun- This is Glimpy now talking. Okay. Now we- and like as we make the wax duplicates using the the clay and plasticine to create these wax versions of the ring, you- when Fonelin gets here, you guys need to source the material for a silver- what are the three materials? Silver, copper, and gold.
02:17:12
Speaker
gold, so we need a silver, copper copper, and gold version of this ring. I need to take this ring to the governor. My life depends on it. Okay. In the meantime, you have these molds.
02:17:25
Speaker
Try to recreate the rings. They all seem the same, at least at a glance, just different material. Okay. But if I can win over the governor in some way by proving my loyalty, delivering this ring, going back to Strigamold, I think I'll be able to get back to the same.
02:17:41
Speaker
Okay, i like this. You're in his good books, you know? So... Somehow... gonna stay there. Somehow, but this... If he doesn't get onto you, onto you. This perfume has worn out, because he smells like B.O.
02:17:56
Speaker
He's been sweating more than anything in any day in his life. And he's like, I think with without the charm of this perfume, I hope he doesn't see through the facade, but I'm going to be a lot more safe now, as being pretty dumb with the placement, but I think I had to.
02:18:14
Speaker
Obviously, this this help helped me um get close, so... We have the ring, but I have to go. I have to make sure this is done quickly. he'll He'll be curious, I think, with how much time I'm away.
02:18:26
Speaker
Okay, I'll get started on making the metal versions of the ring with this wax model. Cool. Okay. Okay. Be safe. Yeah, you too. You especially.
02:18:36
Speaker
And Gluki will run down the hallway and stop at the doorway and put a fist in the air and be like, out again! Run out into the night. Amazing. You run out.
02:18:48
Speaker
Finally, you get back to the artworks as Clay is working on this project. Yeah, so yeah, let sorry, let me just clarify. You've made the mold, obviously, like the inverted mold, the the negative space mold, right?
02:19:01
Speaker
so So how this would work in actual practice now you have the wax exact duplicate, the actual, it's not an inverted, it's an exact duplicate. You would then press that wax into sand, and then you would pour the molting metal into the sand, and it'll melt the wax, replacing it with metal.
02:19:21
Speaker
It's like an inverted... mold. I don't know how... It's like a melt-away mold, yeah. Yeah, no, that makes sense. Why Goki knows this, I'll explain it later. He's done some traveling. He's got a few months of un undocumented backstory that we never got into.
02:19:36
Speaker
Stay tuned for the flashback. I think Clay could learn how to do this. It's adjacent to, like... Totally, totally, totally, totally. So, Clay, you are there. You've got these these wax rings, and...
02:19:52
Speaker
Fonelin, you get back. Door is locked, presumably. Okay. Gamekeep, please. Please let me in. I open the little slot and go, password.
02:20:05
Speaker
Password. Oh, I wasn't listening. Every time you talk to that artist lady, stop listening. Oh, my God. I'm so... She's like your friend. You know what I mean? Oh, was it please? Is it please?
02:20:16
Speaker
Just kidding. Maybe you follow in. Come on in. Thank God. Oh, good one, Claire. I open the door. i was like standing on a stool to see into the eyes. Yeah.
02:20:27
Speaker
just You're still little. Is this a permanent condition? ah it's been an hour and by now, right? Am I normal again? Yeah, we'll say you suddenly, your limbs start to stretch and you once again tower over Faunalin and you watch as Clay snaps back into their original size in front of you.
02:20:48
Speaker
I'm so sorry to do this yet again. i bring this up every time this comes up. I know that Faunilin exudes short queen energy. I know that she has the spiritual presence of like a yappy chihuahua, but Faunilin is canonically tall, okay? She's like pushing six feet. She's a lanky-ass elf. She's noodley, but she's tall.
02:21:12
Speaker
You know, fair play. so sorry. You know, in my mind, it's more of a clay being freakishly tall than fallen being notably short. I was imagining them the same height, but clay has horns, which adds, like, an extra chunk. I imagine them, yeah. All right, fine. Let me take it again. And then they have a wig, which adds an extra. They're the same height. They really just both stripe in the ceiling.
02:21:32
Speaker
Yeah. Clay begins to stretch their horns, elongate their body stretches and their horns come up to their exact height of Faunilin's waist. Which she's not wearing and anymore because she gave to me like a beard. The potion wears off and you're tall again.
02:21:50
Speaker
Thank you. i feel much better. Faudelin gets in and Faudelin starts like catching Clay up with what she what she saw and everything. Like what she knows about Glimki and the documents that she got. And while she's doing that, she starts off just doing some simple like getting her life back together tasks. So she takes her wig back from Clay and she neatens it again and she changes her clothes and she, and you know,
02:22:16
Speaker
straightens up. But then she starts, while she's still talking to Clay, she lays out on the table all of the documents that she got and her forgery kit. And she starts forging.
02:22:27
Speaker
She doesn't know what the best thing to forge yet is. So she forges anything she can think of in his writing. Like we're talking, she writes ah she writes a love letter to somebody and she leaves it unaddressed and she signs it Boontar.
02:22:40
Speaker
and it's And it's, I know you're married and I know we can't be together and I know we would be ruined, but. And she finishes everything but who it's addressed to and she writes a, she writes a, to blank, your performance has been severely lacking.
02:22:54
Speaker
You are fired immediately. You will not receive any benefits or pay. And she makes like 15 of those. She makes like ah she makes a let us into the mines immediately. Like these people are to be led into the mines immediately. Do not interfere with them.
02:23:07
Speaker
Signed Boontar. And she she just cranks out. I will say those are what she works on to start. I'll say that's like a shopping list. Yes. Each one will take ah <unk>ling not significant a gallga is' a significant amount time.
02:23:20
Speaker
Make sure you get you know you're trying to emulate his writing. You want to look good. course. And his speech patterns and everything. Exactly, yeah. make it Make it not just a letter signed by him, but something more involved than that.
02:23:32
Speaker
So we'll say you make maybe a couple of those. Give me a couple of forgery rolls. Intelligence plus your preference to the modifier. Which is a plus three, I believe. Holy shit. Wow. Okay. So today was a long day. rolled three because I specified three types of documents I wanted to forge. ah I rolled a one, a four, and a six.
02:23:51
Speaker
So all of them are below a 10. Okay. Maybe I'm just starting to get the hang of it. I like don't have his writing down yet. You're starting to get the hang of it You maybe sprained your wrist when you hit the ground at double digit miles an hour.
02:24:03
Speaker
yes But you you work on that. Is it 99 or 12? Who knows? Clay, what are you doing in this time? I guess while we're catching each other up and she's making the forgeries of the documents, I'm going to be like working on making duplicates of the ring, but in different metals.
02:24:22
Speaker
Okay. I think you come to the conclusion that Baina lacks the metallurgic tools required for that endeavor.
02:24:34
Speaker
You specifically need a way to melt down that metal. It's got a very high melting point. You're going to need some sort of furnace or kiln or other type of space that is equipped to generate heat such as that.
02:24:50
Speaker
Okay. okay In episode 22 of Bard Soup, the special guest episode featuring Inkblade Publishing, i don't know if that was 22, but imagine if it was. Actually, Clay melted metal into a lock using burning hands.
02:25:04
Speaker
Can I do that? What say you about that, Diab? Huh? I'm to say... Please, please let me do that. She said please! I'm going to you can, to to steal a phrase, you can certainly try.
02:25:20
Speaker
What do need to roll? First off, where's your metal coming from? Are you starting with copper, silver, or gold? I have coins. I'm just going to use up all my money on this. Okay, perfect. They come in the exact same metals.
02:25:33
Speaker
Okay, here's here here's how it's going to be. It's going to take 10 of that coin to make an attempt and you need to generate enough heat with that attempt to do it. Otherwise, you're just going to have like a massive, like it's not to be fully melted or just kind some fused together coins.
02:25:52
Speaker
Where are you attempting to do this?
Gold, Connections, and Crafting
02:25:55
Speaker
Does Baina have like a fireplace? Sure. Somewhere like... Sure. Somewhere where there's already like heat and ash and stuff, I guess.
02:26:06
Speaker
Okay. Well, I just checked my inventory. I don't know how accurate this is anymore. Because I have 34 gold and one silver. Okay. So I can only attempt to make the gold.
02:26:17
Speaker
ah Okay. Perfect. So you take 10 gold coins and we'll say you find like a pot, just a black iron pot, and you set it in the fire and you cast burning hands.
02:26:33
Speaker
Could i get a damage roll, please? Damage? Just damage? Okay. Yes, damage. Where's my burning? Come on. come on Believe.
02:26:44
Speaker
I should use like ah bigger fire spell for this if it's based on damage. 3d6.
02:26:52
Speaker
That's a 10. The coins start to glow a little bit in the pot. Not melted, maybe getting a little more malleable, but...
02:27:03
Speaker
It's going to require significantly more than that. And just just to clap back slightly, slightly, that the lock was a magical, magical mechanism designed for such a thing, designed to be melted by dragon fire. And it was aided by a dirt wizard shoving clumps of...
02:27:28
Speaker
mud into the lock at the same time to force it open. So again, i' I will tell you, this is possible, but it's going to take more than 10 fire damage do That's fair, I guess.
02:27:40
Speaker
I just it'd be cool if she could be melt metal. i Hey, if you want to cast more spells, it might be possible. No, I'll just work on maybe like making a copy of the wax ring in like a more sturdy material just in case.
02:27:57
Speaker
So I have another model to work with. Yeah. Also, does she see the Malfur's document that Gondolin has? Oh, yeah, I explained to Clay everything that I saw. Like, we're just gabbing. Like, Faunaline is giving the most thorough.
02:28:13
Speaker
She's doing crafts, and she's also being like, and then I said, I'm kidding myself, and I didn't think they believed me, but I was very convincing. And she's like, Faunaline gives them moment by moment, play by play.
02:28:25
Speaker
Of stuff Clay was there for, too. She's like, and then you went invisible? Can't believe you jumped off a building. That's really... Actually, no, I can't believe. ha ha. Ha ha I've done that a few times. can think of immediately four things. One the first things that I've learned about you was that you like jumped from building, I'm pretty sure. I am i feel the circumstances always force me.
02:28:47
Speaker
you maybe it's because I grew up in the trees. I'm really not scared of heights. That's good. Yeah, it's really good that I keep throwing myself off buildings. ah Same thing I said to Glimke, I guess as long as I'm there and you can avoid, you know, endangering your life, it's all good.
02:29:03
Speaker
But yeah, so you found this connection between the Korak Mining Company and Malfourth. That's huge. Yes. And he's on Bogatia where my little brat little brother is. So we can go have a family reunion.
02:29:16
Speaker
and go beat up a prince. What if the princess is there on Burgatier? That's what I'm hoping. i'm hoping maybe that's just where Malfourth is with the princess. I was really kind of worried that I had killed our last lead with the butcher.
02:29:34
Speaker
i don't regret, you know, killing him. But what if he could have led us straight there? But now we don't need him because you found this clue. Exactly. you know what, Clay? Strategy has a place, but so does rage and so does justice.
02:29:48
Speaker
When I face down some of my enemies, I don't know that I'll act strategically and I don't know that there will be anything wrong with that. It was horrifying when you ripped his mouth open. That was gross.
02:29:59
Speaker
But everything else, I stand behind you 100%. Thank you. So, Fonelin pulls out her forgery kit. Part of a forgery kit is literally like wax that's made for making like models of things. Models.
02:30:10
Speaker
And she'll just like hand over whatever she thinks will be useful to Clay while they're talking. Be like, oh, this is probably better than candle wax. Oh, thank you. And yeah. This is awesome. It's like a craft session. like really a yap yap and craft session.
02:30:25
Speaker
Yes. Oh, my God. At at some point, Fondalyn like pours out like she fights she like rifles through the cupboards and tries to find some wine and she'll pour out whatever spirit she can find. And she'll pour three cups. She'll save one for Glimke.
02:30:36
Speaker
And she'll put down the she will put down the forgery when she realizes that she's just her hand hurts and she's not doing a good job today. And she she gets back to work the friendship bracelets that she's been making. I'll wrap your wrist for you and like cast some healing spells.
02:30:53
Speaker
Yes, please. Thank you. I jumped off yet another building. That was actually one of the least painful buildings that I've jumped off of.
Glimke's Deception and Success
02:31:00
Speaker
We are going to cut away to Glimke. You hurry through the streets, back over the bridge, into the dwarven district of the city.
02:31:10
Speaker
You've been instructed to go to the governor's manor. You don't really know where that figure it out. I'll ask some people. Okay. Some civilians, some... By civilians, I mean like minors or like security types.
02:31:23
Speaker
and I'll stop at a security type and be like, straight up. Strigamol, and I'll show him the letter. Like, I need to see the governor. Please point me in the right direction. Are we defacing Bibles now? It wasn't me. Strigamol.
02:31:35
Speaker
This is important. See? Signature right there. Well, Mr. Strigamore defaced it and he reaches into his pocket, pulls out a Bible and starts ripping out pages. Very good, sir. And he's just tearing it up. Yeah, so you're going to past the main street, ah then down maybe five blocks and a big, big mansion surrounded in barbed wire.
02:31:56
Speaker
Can't miss it. That makes perfect sense. Thank you so much. I think he will run off when he's like out of Issa. He wants to stop and clean himself up. Like he wants to remove all the prosthetic.
02:32:06
Speaker
He's going to take off the extra stuff. The beard. No, we'll leave the beard, but like all the peeling away shit. Sure. The fake nose. And yeah. Okay. Everything that's like just like one of those hindrances. So you look more presentable still in disguise. yeah the time being, might need a touch up in the morning, but for now it's good.
02:32:26
Speaker
You follow the instructions. Eventually you find this mansion. There are ah few lights flickering from within, some lamps burning from within, but you see that surrounding the mansion is a wrought iron fence that has been crowned with barbed wire, and there are numerous Korak security individuals standing guard around it, and beyond this fence is a rather nice mansion. Like, it is perhaps the only building on this side of the river that does not...
02:33:00
Speaker
fit in with the dwarven architecture there's wood and there's soft angles and there are are there's some color though it's peeling and there's like a thick layer of ash on the roof but otherwise it is ah fairly nice estate right takes a moment again to i think calm himself down Like, I think at this moment, all of the hijinks is kind of catching up with him and the anxiety is like almost grips him again. But he thinks about all this shit his friends were just going through and the the fires and the the people that are risking their lives, even the young Callum and his friends trying to get the black powder. takes another breath, and then he's going to walk up to the guards and very proudly present himself as Geronimo. So he clears his throat.
02:33:53
Speaker
My name is Geronimo T. Gates. I am the new head of security for Mr. Buntar Strigamal. Here is a letter of authentication. You can see my badge here. I need to see the governor immediately.
02:34:05
Speaker
They take the letter, reads over it, hands it back to you, and snaps to attention. Ah, Eddie's. Greetings, sir. The governor is inside.
02:34:16
Speaker
Would you like me to inform her of your arrival? Uh, please. And with haste, it's very important. Follow me, sir. And the gate's pushed open, and you are led into into the estate, and brought to the front door, and there's a big rope, and the guard pulls on it, and inside you hear a dung-dung.
02:34:39
Speaker
it takes a couple minutes but eventually you hear footsteps and the door unlocks and you have not seen this individual's face before because her statue was defaced but you see a a human woman with auburn hair that's rather thin and she's wearing sort of a uh like a large shawl that's wrapped around her. She's got a few wrinkles around her eyes, pale skin.
02:35:06
Speaker
And she looks down at you and says, Good evening. Why are you here? Evening, ma'am. No time to explain, but i believe that you and Mr. Buntar Sergumal are in danger.
02:35:19
Speaker
There has been an attack on the headquarters. This is for your safekeeping. And he extends his hand with the silver ring. Give me a persuasion roll or deception.
02:35:32
Speaker
seventeen 17. She takes the ring. Is this ring for my protection? um I was instructed under Boontor's friggin wall's direction that it would be safe to split up the rings so no one can get access to the safe.
02:35:48
Speaker
That's all I'm privy to. So you have been trusted with this ring. She takes it very well. Will that be all? ah Glinky stomps his foot, salutes, and says, yes, I have to go back to my leader side here and make sure that he's safe.
02:36:05
Speaker
Very well. Good night. Glinky, again, ah one more thing, ma'am. She starts to close the door and then says, yes. he He comes up close to the doorway and says, there may be some people on the inside, so be careful who you trust.
02:36:18
Speaker
I always am. Okay, bye. And then he pitter-patters down the stairs. to Excellent. You run off back to the hotel? Yep. I got to keep up appearances now. You got a new crew now. My question is, is there anything specific you wish to accomplish upon returning to the hotel? It's getting late.
02:36:38
Speaker
I will say your perfume has worn off. You have been tasked with assembling a new security detail or at least vetting the existing one. Honestly, I think just like getting back and the just following through on the plan. Just being like, okay, give me one of the rings.
02:36:53
Speaker
You keep one. And the governor has one. He gives you the copper ring and then dismisses you. Perhaps you spend a few hours...
02:37:05
Speaker
performing whatever kangaroo court job interviews you feel you're obligated to do in keeping with this new position you've been given, acquired? i don't know.
02:37:19
Speaker
The individual Wembley is big and he looks at you with perhaps a bit of distrust. the other guards answer your questions succinctly.
02:37:30
Speaker
Not that there's anything for you necessarily to be looking out for from a suspicion standpoint, but even if there were, they all seem like loyal company men. I think over the course of these interviews, I think, yeah, you get the sense that if anyone's going to problem, it's Wembley.
02:37:45
Speaker
The rest seem happy to accept you as their new boss. You are in a position of authority. So I'll say if you wish to leave for the night at any point, you are within your rights to do so?
02:38:00
Speaker
No, I think Glimke wants to make sure that he um makes a good impression. So he's going to send off the guards in the room and be like, I'll i'll take first watch.
02:38:10
Speaker
And he's going to put a chair in the corner to like be watching the door. And he's going to try to stay up do the suicide plan i'm not privy to the suicide plan independently come up with the suicide plan give me a persuasion roll as you instruct the security detail to leave not all of them just like the guys in the room just to be like hey like you can take a break like i'll take first watch come back and like come back in the morning or whatever like take a break that was good
02:38:42
Speaker
I will say, give me a persuasion roll for all the same for Wembley. Okay. I got a 13 out of the die, plus 4, 17. he looks at you long and hard and says, we'll be downstairs if you need me.
02:38:55
Speaker
And Glimke nods and says, no further. No further. And he steps out. If you're attempting to stay up all night, can I get a constitution saving throw? Mm-hmm.
02:39:06
Speaker
Only a 10. 10 is what you needed. yeah. You resist gaining a level of exhaustion. You manage to stay up all night.
02:39:17
Speaker
You don't benefit from a long rest, but you don't worsen either. Perhaps at one point you step out onto that balcony. Things quiet down overnight in Onkiel.
02:39:29
Speaker
Never fully, but it seems some of the smithy operations or whatever's billowing out of the numerous complexes throughout the western side of the city...
02:39:40
Speaker
They slow down a bit, and with it, the air clears. You watch as the sun bursts into life, casting dawn on a new day in Zav.
02:39:53
Speaker
Light streams through the clouds. Today was a very successful day. You all pulled off a plan that could have failed at any step along the way, but you somehow cobbled it together.
02:40:08
Speaker
You've got a means to get into that safe. It's just going to take a little bit of fine work. Fondland has one less day until she walks the wheel. Etigan has been quiet since the grove, but you can feel him in the back of your mind growing, or at least enduring.
02:40:32
Speaker
And as the next day begins here in Onkiel, that's when we'll stop tonight's episode of Bard Soup.
Behind-the-Scenes and Banter
02:40:40
Speaker
I feel like I'm breathing for the first time.
02:40:59
Speaker
Thank you so much for listening to this episode of Bard Soup. It was extremely fun to record. I think you can tell that. also tried some new stuff with the editing, so let me know what you thought of it.
02:41:13
Speaker
I'm curious to see what people thought. We're not doing bits because it's five in the morning when I'm recording this. I'm a sleepy guy. As always, have been your sleepy dungeon master, Zach Meikle, joined by Prima Zhao as Clay Campbell, Jordan Johnson as Glimke Treefellow, and Shannon Meikle as Fauna Linfadark.
02:41:34
Speaker
If you're enjoying the show or like this episode especially, please leave us a five-star review Spotify or Apple Podcasts. While you're at it, follow us bard__soup on Instagram and TikTok.
02:41:48
Speaker
I know I say it every episode, but there's some really fun, exciting stuff coming to our socials in the next few weeks. So make sure you follow so you can see what I'm talking about.
02:41:59
Speaker
We will be back in two weeks with chapter 32. So in the meantime, stay warm. It's already frosty outside, so stay warm.
02:42:09
Speaker
And we will see you then. Bye-bye. Standing before you is a human woman with auburn hair. It's, it's thin.
02:42:21
Speaker
There's a few wrinkles around her eyes. Perhaps she's ah couple years older than the depiction you saw, but this ah individual appears to match the statue.
02:42:34
Speaker
Well, guess, you know, Hey, the statue was beheaded. So scratch that her, the body looks the same. Yeah. Nice. Gleamke holds up a badge that says FBI, female body inspector. Everyone goes, ah.
02:42:47
Speaker
hair