Transcript
Speaker: Yes, things got all a little bit wild, wild west ah last week. Best reference. Thank you. Already good. Already good. I'm intrigued. I'm invested. That's the fucking great. I think you should get inspiration straight off the bat. Yeah, just for that reference, there's the inspiration.
Speaker: don't know. Thank you. Still do a recap, but yes, please go for it.
Speaker: Hello everyone welcome to this week's episode of the Fellowship of the Tabletop. We are a live play 5.5e D&D podcast set in the magical homebrewed world of Ereth. I am Callum and I am your DM for this session. With me tonight we have, playing Remy, Darren.
Speaker: Hello. We have One Will, playing Lady in the Villa of the Varys Garden. and be there but the bi better but We have another Will playing Alessio.
Speaker: Let's be bad, guys. And, of course, we have... ah playing Caelan Ian I forgot the name well I forgot the name today this is I forgot Caelan's name ian i I was going to say Dalen you forgot my name motherfucker just in case you're like interested Caelan you've got two rangers you've got a rogue bard and you've got a warlock in your party just in case you want to like you know give the audience our classes as well Now, fuck that!
Speaker: Introducing everyone you by their actual factual personal name, not fucking their character's name. Bastard forgot who I was. And if you wanted to learn what everyone's classes are, you can always listen to a previous episode of this podcast. And speaking of previous episodes, we could do with a recap of last week's session.
Speaker: And to find out who's going to do the recap, I'm going to roll a quick D4. and it comes out as our very own Will playing Alessio. If you could please recap on what happened last week.
Speaker: Yes, things got all a little bit wild, wild west ah last LAUGHTER best reference thank you already good already good mean i'm invested that's the fucking great i think you should get inspiration straight off the bat yeah yeah just for that reference there's the inspiration i'm not uh thank you still do a recap but yes please go for it so last episode we did a lot of shopping uh we bought some potions um We didn't do much else other than a case, a horse joint. I mean, if you want to know what happened before that episode, we are now at a really fancy, like, private hotel kind of thing. Kalen nearly walked into a gangster den. Alessio stopped that. And we've basically manipulated lots of people. We've put false IOUs out there. We are literally frauding our way into this evening, waiting to...
Speaker: go to sleep early. The plan is to get up middle of the night, go steal some horses that we've already cased, get out of Dodge and go to the meeting point ready to actually fulfill our mission other than, oh um you know, committing lots of larceny.
Speaker: Important point as well, there's a letter for you that you and me managed to swipe back from the from the barkeep. There was a cacophony bullshit that happened just at the end. it was At that point, it was just um Remy Alessio downstairs, just the two of us. Oh, yeah, we managed to snatch the after a lot of I think it was well-planned distraction techniques and it was that was great. yeah I think the scene belonged in like Fawlty Towers personally. I can envision it in that kind of TV show. Well, you know, Jerome is Jerome Fawlty. So, yeah, you know.
Speaker: and Now this person has a surname. I don't know if I like Fawlty though.
Speaker: But yes, you get your recap. um Thank you very much. You get your inspiration just for the Wildress reference. ah Very much thoroughly enjoyed. We will resume two tonight's session. We are still in the four poster. The most extravagant, elegant, decadent tavern within Riverfold. Only the best, of course, for Lady Gardan, even though they may have gotten there by ah unreputable means and possible manipulation, but at the moment nobody is more the wiser.
Speaker: Jerome, still under the effects of, is it suggestion that you've passed on him? It is suggestion. Thank you. yeah um We will resume with Alessio and Remy just once again entering the chambers of Lady Garda.
Speaker: ah Just before we get in there, our guards that are outside or whatever, Alessio's going to go up to them and go, could you get a message sent down to the kitchen? We require a sack of apples and a sack of sugar lumps.
Speaker: The two guards look at each other just for a brief moment, and one nods to the other, and one starts wandering off. Thank you. and then we're going to go in. ah ah Before you go, or I would like a word with you if you would be so kind.
Speaker: i find it quite quite disturbing that you had a flying rabbit running around the place. I suggest you have a word with the manager. and we're We're paying good money to be here. Thank you.
Speaker: I'm just going to follow Alessio into the room. It gives you kind of a bit of a puzzled look. He'd been upstairs while that whole cacophony was going off downstairs. So he's not sure about a flying rabbit, but he still won't be leaving his post at the moment. You notice that he kind of nods to you with the ah possibility of agreement, but at the very least that he understands what you're saying.
Speaker: and But he still stays on guard outside your door. I just give him stink eye as I'm walking past.
Speaker: Let's not antagonize the help. Come on. What little flying rabbit run around this establishment. What on earth are we going have next? And shut the door.
Speaker: And how how do we find ah Lady Gardan in the room at this current moment in time? Devouring a platter of oysters ah There are just kind of empty plates nearby There are kind of ah wine goblets Of several different vintages ah Some mostly full Some with only a smallest of sip taken out of them ah Bottles kind of lying around the place And she is still within those it wasn't a silk dressing gown But it was the next best thing, wasn't it?
Speaker: ah That's her kind of currently resting atop the bed, looking very pleased with herself. Fantastic, fantastic. And what is Cailin doing at this moment in time as well?
Speaker: Just standing outside on guard duty. The patrol room. You know it. Cool. With your plus one arrows, don't forget. Yeah. I definitely didn't forget them. Don't forget to equip those from the party. How many did I buy again? bought 20 plus one arrows.
Speaker: 20? shit. and And there was 20 plus one crossbow bolts as well. They've been claimed by Remigas. But yeah, the arrows you need to assign to yourself and that'll obviously be your plus one to attack and damage rolls, which, you know, ain't too shabby.
Speaker: Love that. Is that in the party inventory by chance? Indeed, yes. Look at that. As are our healing potions, as are our scrolls of spike growth. Biatch.
Speaker: Boom.
Speaker: Thank you. Yeah, just makes sense. i don't know whether it auto changes your um attack rolls on D&D Beyond. You'll have to at that yourself. It doesn't look like it, no.
Speaker: Okay. That's just future memories. It's plus one to hits and plus one to attacks. Damage. Plus one to hits, plus one to damage. Amazing.
Speaker: ah So once we are in the room, Alessio sort of makes sure the door is shut behind them and turns the group. Right, so that's the plan sorted then. We rest here, get up in the night and go get ourselves some horses. And he sort of places the keys that ah they managed to pilfer from the horse trader onto the sort of like table.
Speaker: So it's there for them when they need it.
Speaker: Very well. Did you get a good look at said horses? Yeah, there are definitely some very high standard horses for you. ah Remy, I think you were the one that were looking at horses. they had their chestnut palfrey that I think you were just fine. Absolutely fine, Daniel, my lady.
Speaker: Very well. Oh, I should probably let you know, in about two to three hours' time, our wonderful Jerome, who could spare no expense, will no longer be sparing any expense at our leisure.
Speaker: That doesn't necessarily mean that he should be coming up here and wondering why i have devoured so many delicacies, but... We should probably be on our guard.
Speaker: I require slumber. My belly is full. i said I've also asked them to bring up some apples and sugar lumps. I couldn't possibly eat another thing, but it's very kind of youly you, It's for the horses when we steal them.
Speaker: But the horses aren't even here, Alessio. What a ridiculous suggestion. When we go and steal the horses, a good way to keep horses calm when you're stealing them is to provide them with sugar lumps and apples. And I suppose you'll be carrying said bags of sugar lumps and apples?
Speaker: I mean, the sugar lump bag won't be that big, but the apples, sure. Well, who's going to be carrying my trunk?
Speaker: We'll sort that out when we get there. Where's Caelan? He's busy. Busy what? Doing what? ah Keeping us safe. Well, he'll be keeping my trunk safe, that's for sure, when he returns.
Speaker: Can you not, like, cast a spell on it to make it, like, smaller?
Speaker: What kind of ridiculous magician do you take me for? i am an illusionist, you fool. Not some conjurer of expensive tricks.
Speaker: Okay, cool. just thought... Very nice. Just thought I'd throw it out there. Okay. I'm not trying to rob you. take the letter Take the letter out of his pocket, and he's going to open up the letter that was on the um counter for him.
Speaker: And the message inside the letter is short and sweet. It is, well, actually not sweet per se, but very, very short. You will see me before you leave.
Speaker: Zantara. And the name just kind of, as soon as you read it, gives you a chill up your spine. Oh, bollocks.
Speaker: And Alessio says this out loud. Bollocks. The crime lord has summoned you, Alessio. Okay. Um...
Speaker: I've got to go and see a guy about a dog. We don't need any need horses, and and we don't need no dog. Yeah, I know, but I need to go see a guy before we leave town.
Speaker: Well, that's my cryptic. Is it to relieve yourself sexually? To relieve yourself... What happened all over the world, I don't judge. You would believe the things I saw in Dralak.
Speaker: I don't want know. You among friends and look like if I want to relieve myself, I'll go find the local whorehouse. That's absolutely fine. But what I need to do is go and see a guy about a thing.
Speaker: Unless he took the letter into his pocket Wonderfully cryptic Alessio But we are in this together What guy, what thing? My contact in town The one that Caelan was about to go into the den of ah needs Wants to see me Which contact?
Speaker: A very odd contact An old man No, okay, cards on the table He runs the local organised crime ring around here Right.
Speaker: And why do you need to see a crime lord old man about a thing? There seems to be something of a distraction. Just being objective.
Speaker: He sent me letter saying that i need to see him before I leave.
Speaker: Could you not possibly tell him to fuck off? The way this kind of relationship works... I can send a rabbit with a note that says that. He gave us the information that helped us get Remy back.
Speaker: And it's one of those things where sometimes there's a bit of a give and take in this relationship. I should come and say thank you then since I'm alive, thanks to... Yeah, just try not to like piss him off.
Speaker: He likes to flay people and ah he likes to you know chop off various parts of your body while you're still alive to send a message. I'm going to stay here and have another chicken leg. It's all right. Was this where you returned from when you fell into the inn previously with multiple punctures to your body?
Speaker: No. I'd gone from him to try and check out where Remy was, and that's when I got beaten up. Right. And what does this old man crime lord that likes a bit of give and take want for you, from you?
Speaker: I don't know. It might just be a... I hope you haven't caused an issue around here and you owe me one or something else. We'll see when i get there. I really wish you told me this before I ate so many oysters.
Speaker: I'm rather full, and I don't intend to leave this bed. I didn't intend on getting a summons from him. So, I mean, we've still got our psychic communication, so if if things go wrong... It's ah just ah just a minor point. It's a nondescript time.
Speaker: Come and see me, right? Yeah, but if we're going to leave town in the night... I mean, we can steal horses and go and see them if want. But this person beat you up last time. No, no, no, no, no.
Speaker: He didn't beat me up. He gave me the information to help me find you. they did you Did he just say that he got beaten up? I don't want my ears for the works. I got beaten up by the people who were holding you when I tried to sneak in to rescue you. And this fella helped you?
Speaker: Yes. He went to an old man that likes a bit of give and take and was beaten off afterwards. Not from the old man. Keep up, Remy. Goodness.
Speaker: so I mean, have to catch up with. but but but He's not a man, but okay, sure. But... Caden went to see this person and you were like, don't go in there because he's not very nice. So there were some people who I think were watching us. i think it's what Caden said and saw our rich, fine clothes and thought we were a good mark given that we're staying here. Caden followed them to where my contact has his operation base.
Speaker: um And when he described it him to get out of there because he doesn't like people he doesn't know to meet him. You normally have to get an introduction from some of his lower level people. to actually meet the big boss. If you meet the big boss first, you're normally not going to get out there alive.
Speaker: I suppose I shall have to send the Lord Bentley with you. i mean, it it should be absolutely fine. Like, I've known this person a long time. We have had a very, you know, the relationship works. He does something for me, do something for him, and it's pretty good. He's pretty good contact.
Speaker: Oh, give and take. Like you were saying, it's a give and take. I think there is a lot of euphemism at play, Remy. Yes. I will send Lord Bentley with you, I shall. You should return him before midnight.
Speaker: He undergoes somewhat of a metamorphosis at the strike of whatever the opposite of noon is. ah suppose midnight, but I thought there might be a fancier word.
Speaker: i mean, we have a choice. we We could go and see him after we've stolen the horses. Depends how quickly we want to get out of town. I imagine after the theft of several horses in the middle of the night, we would probably wish to escape rather hastily. I mean, hopefully we'll be right quite stealthy we'll know we've taken the horses.
Speaker: Can horses stealthily escape a stables? That's what the sugar lumps and apples are for. Goodness. Is that magical? Nadir is the fancy word for midnight. It means dead of night.
Speaker: What was it again? Say it again. Nadir. Nadir? Is that in the common tongue or some fancy other gnomish shit? Well, I believe it's an off-tongue of Elvish. I have to ask Caelan to be 100% sure. But it's basically a fancy way of saying dead of night, which would mean midnight. Nadir.
Speaker: There you go. Return, Lord Bentley, before Nadir, lest he change upon your shoulder. ah So is this we should go now, or...? I am not leaving this room. I've told you this. I'm full.
Speaker: My tummy is fit to bursting. I've had so many oysters. I might actually require one of those guards from outside. Take Lord Bentley with you. I will remain prostrate here. Okay.
Speaker: ah Caelan, we need to go... See my contact, the place you tried to get into earlier. We need to go and see them.
Speaker: Okay. Excellent. Right. we yeah We won't be long. Am I coming with or am I staying here? what' It's up to you, Rem. You can come with. Don't mind.
Speaker: But you said he don't like people he don't know, and I don't know the fun. Yes, but you're with me, so I can introduce you. The point is, Kalen's not showing up without any introduction. I'm known. It's fine.
Speaker: Well, I guess I'm coming with them. Excellent. Um... My lady, if anything happens, shout out. I'm sure Cailin will be outside in the streets over watching us. So if anything goes wrong, you can shout him and he'll be here quickly.
Speaker: My dear Alessio, I have been watching my own back since before you left your mother's womb. I shall be fine. Watch your back in the den of old men that like to stab things. Okay.
Speaker: I mean he's more of the flying type, but okay, sure. Okay. Right, let's go.
Speaker: And as Alessio and Remy start to leave the heavily, that the the just very heavy Lady Gardan, who's completely full, bloated. You are full and bloated. You are full of lobster, oyster. Fat shaving, fat. She's just got a very full tummy. You have overindulged, I might wager. She is an elderly lady and she requires a nap. Thank you very much.
Speaker: ah As Alessio and Remy depart from the room, ah one of the guards returns with a sack of apples. Um...
Speaker: to just be placed inside your room, and then a half-sized sack of sugar lumps as well. So they are to be added to inventory as in how you wish, presuming thanks Lady Garden and will pick them up, potentially put them in her trunk, then it's up to her. absolutely Absolutely not, but she will just very quickly when the guard comes in say, what kinds of massage do you know, good sir? As the others kind of depart the room. LAUGHTER And the door shuts, leaving that guard on the inside.
Speaker: Alessio and Remy start making their way downstairs. Caelan, you on patrol, obviously, yeah doing what you do best. You are very easily able to spy them ah coming out of the room.
Speaker: It's up you if you wish to do anything ah with them or if you just wanted to follow them or go with them entirely up to yourself. ah So, Caelan, we'll just send Alessio a quick... Oh, we're linked still, aren't we?
Speaker: Yeah, the link is still active. you want eyes on you or shall I look after Lady G? She says she can look after herself, so follow us.
Speaker: Are you following behind? Yeah, exactly. normal 15 feet? Well, I've been there, so I'm going to go um i'm go to go ahead
Speaker: and position myself in view of the door, and then I can watch the approach of Alessio and Remy.
Speaker: Okay. And as we've said before, obviously there's like alleyways and everything else like that. So with that kind of destination in your mind, you know where you're going to, you don't need to look behind to be checking on Remy or Alessio. You are obviously leading your own way. ah Lady G...
Speaker: Yeah, I kind of roleplayed it but didn't mechanically explain it. I would have my Imp Familiar ah invisible on Alessio's shoulder um making his way there.
Speaker: just Just for reference in case at some point later on like, oh, by the way, this is happening. No, no, that's fine. I did presume, I did presume, I will i admit, i will admit, I did presume it would be invisible as it normally is. um i i i just have this idea that Alessio still feels it just kind of running around his shoulders a little bit. So we just like these two little impish feet just running from the left to right, and going along his back while they are making their way.
Speaker: Alessio, you know your own route there as well. So while Caelan may be ahead, you're obviously very familiar with the route itself. And it's probably a good 20-minute walk before you eventually get to the same door, the same...
Speaker: mysteriously heavy kind of door this very misleadingly heavy door which just looks like a normal wooden on the outside but you know yourself he's still very very heavy and caitlin you know yourself as well you're positioned at the bottom you see remy and alessio start making their way to the door
Speaker: anything you'd like to do before you enter
Speaker: ah Before they get to the door, Alessio is going to sort of pat Remy on the shoulder and be like, just keep an eye out for things. Don't react straight away unless we're in absolute danger and going to die. Okay.
Speaker: Sometimes you like to intimidate people. And I'm going to give ah Remy Bardic inspiration for the next hour, just in case. Okey doke. While you're doing that, um How you feeling? You still pretty beat up?
Speaker: I am still pretty beaten up. I won't care. Well, I'll cast their second level kill wounds on you. Just to bring you back up to...
Speaker: I'll cast that right now.
Speaker: I don't know why that hammer rolled. I'll level with you. but I'll figure it out. I like how both Darren and Darren's character always gets confused when it comes to technology. I'd literally click cast. I assume that's what does it, but nothing's rolled.
Speaker: Well, keep us posted when it was rolled, and we will come back to this healing all that manually at some stage. Okay. Oh, you're going to like me. Well, it's 20 points of healing.
Speaker: I robbed two eights on a DA. Beautiful man. That's four. And then I'm going to give myself the other ones a little pick-me-up. Yeah. But yeah, so the body consideration is literally, was was from Alessio, giving you a pat on the back. just Pretty good. click You got a D6 to use for the next hour if you need to.
Speaker: Wonderful. i just give myself 17 points of healing as well. I did really well there. i I don't know what you're talking about at this stage. yeah I feel better, but thanks.
Speaker: um Okay. Caelan, we're about to go in. I'll let you know if things go sideways.
Speaker: Yeah. um Just in case more people follow us in there as well. We'll do. I'll keep you updated. And, Cal, am I seeing this some kind of knock or whatever I need to i know do on the door? or um what What it is for this particular one, because he has very, very cautious, and you know by reputation this person has what he likes to call eyes everywhere.
Speaker: You stand in front of the door, patient, waiting, only for maybe five to ten seconds, and eventually the door makes a noise. Just a slow, low-level click.
Speaker: And that is into your signal to know that he is okay with you coming in. Excellent. I open the door and make sure Remy can follow me in.
Speaker: You both enter. The door behind you slowly shuts and clangs with a bit of a bang on the inside. Caelan, you hear a little bit of ah an echo, but nothing compared to what's actually they hear on the inside.
Speaker: You start making your way in through a long stone hallway. It is very, very dark around here.
Speaker: You can probably see only maybe 10 foot in front of you at any given time.
Speaker: and This is a form of magical darkness, so if either one of you has an ability to combat that, then by all means do let me know now.
Speaker: As you move on, your steps echo. through this chamber before eventually just kind of only after a few seconds, you now enter this large, almost like a ah stone oval type of room at the very back end is a large platform raised.
Speaker: There is a, you can kind of see the corners of something, of a large picture on the very, very far end of the wall. And you see like a um a shadow just stood in front. You can't make out any distinguishing features at the moment.
Speaker: There is a kind of snarl that you hear and in a deep kind of booming voice, almost like thermoturgy, but it's not loud enough to be thermoturgy.
Speaker: It was only supposed to be you, Alessio. And Alessio sort of offers a bow and he sort of indicates for Remy to um copy the bow.
Speaker: Apologies. Remy will copy, looking unsure.
Speaker: Apologies. This is merely one of my current travelling companions. um He wants to accompany me and he is curious by nature. I beg your pardon for any offence.
Speaker: And what of the imp?
Speaker: yeah I'm a gnome. That's not a nice way to... Not do ah Remy will then look around just confused as to who else he could be talking about.
Speaker: The one scurrying about on your back, Alessio. That is... And he sort looks around. Huh, wonder what that was. That would be another companion of mine. A familiar of another companion of mine.
Speaker: They were concerned by welfare. I told them there was nothing to be worried about. But they insisted.
Speaker: There's long paws and you hear sniffling and like a low undulating growl that seems to come back.
Speaker: If they are to be here for this, then they must face the same test of loyalty as yourself.
Speaker: And he gestures over just to a shelf where you guys are stood Just on your left-hand side, Lesio, you see six vials. You've done this test before. you're Out of desperation, you know it before.
Speaker: One of these vials has been cursed by a hag. The other five are safe.
Speaker: To be involved in any parlay with myself...
Speaker: you must be willing to risk. Otherwise I will not entertain such weak-hearted individuals.
Speaker: Your friend must take the test, Alessio. Alessio's going to pause for a moment and within his head he's like, Remy, if you don't to the test, that's absolutely fine. You can just walk out of here, that's fine.
Speaker: And the imp will go with you.
Speaker: Remy's going to reply telepathically. if see We've done this many, many times. This is a numbers game. And one in six chance of a hack curse is a number we don't need to take. Are you going to be safe in here on your own?
Speaker: I'll be fine. Trust me. Lady G, i need you to send the imp back with Remy.
Speaker: I'm going to try and grab the imp. Okay, so the imp's invisible. Yep, but I can feel him, damn it. He's on me. You can feel him. So, there yeah, that might negate a disadvantage that I was going to do. So, yeah, this is a standard grapple contest here, I think, between ah the imp and Alessio.
Speaker: um Okay. Do I need to roll to attack or am I just going straight DC strength? Is it my dex? Yeah.
Speaker: and did the ah Your strength plus... Eight plus position. No, I'm going to do dexterity because... um
Speaker: Let me just ah quickly let you know that you've got a 5% chance of beating me.
Speaker: Because that's a natural 20, baby. Oh, fuck off. In that case, I don't manage to grab him. Can ah Lord Bentley leap from your shoulder and go and try and down the different bottles of potion slash hag juice?
Speaker: He absolutely has the time to do it. Oh, fuck off. oh fuck off Alessio, as you feel, me faintley Lord Bentley jump away. It's is it And Callum, just correct the pronunciation here. It's Zantara?
Speaker: Zantara. Zantara. I Zantara, I apologise. The imp, not mine. Don't have control over it. um And he looks around. Not quite sure what it is now, but I know you do.
Speaker: And just as you are talking about that, you see one, the first of one of these glass bottles just lid pops off ah mysteriously as wow Lord Bentley has basically gone over to c chug and down. um Lady G, can you roll me a D6, please?
Speaker: It would be my absolute pleasure. During this, that is a six-day.
Speaker: During this, Alessio's saying to the group, if this burns my contact, I'm going to be a little annoyed.
Speaker: Lord Bentley chugs one of these vials. Now... I would take it that as being an action, so i'm presuming he would lose his invisibility anyway. so Yeah, I'll give you that.
Speaker: as As he's chugging this bottle, his appearance becomes noted to you once again, Alessio, so you can now see him just on this um little shelf to the left of you.
Speaker: He chugs the entire bottle and nothing happens.
Speaker: Your friend has more balls than your other one. ah
Speaker: Technically, if you're looking at that imp, he's got a ball on his head for that horn, and he's probably got two in his pants like this. I thought you were leaving. i am. I am. At least you I will be waiting for you at the door, and I'll leave.
Speaker: The imp can stay. Yeah, he grows on people.
Speaker: Remi, you start making the walk back. Now, as you approach the door, um you again hear the same kind of click. You've heard no talking between Alessio and Zantara just while this whole thing's been going off.
Speaker: You open the door, and again, heavily shuts behind you.
Speaker: Only because you know where he is... only because you know to look for him, you can see Caelan just far down on the other end of this alleyway.
Speaker: Yeah, if I'll come out and, ah As Alessio, not Alessio, that's Will's character. As Remy was coming out, he would ah fall about staying in the darkness, but this person could see an invisible imp. He he makes a summarization as he does a dynamic risk assessment, as he did in the room, that anything that could potentially antagonize this person further is not going to be conductive towards them.
Speaker: achieving their goal of getting out of here tonight. So he's going to come out. I'll fucking like this. He's going to say in his head um to Caelan and to Alessio, I won't be shut out here with my pot.
Speaker: I'll like this one bit. I'm just going to find a bench or if I can't find a bench, just slout just lean against the a wall and just... Puff on my pipe. and And I'm also then going to ah telepathically, away from that, summon Folly to me. Because the last time we saw Folly, he was making a beeline out of the tavern, being a pest.
Speaker: It could take a while before Folly gets to you. Unless... No, he doesn't have the... He can technically fly at the minute because he's technically a creature of the sky.
Speaker: But unfortunately, can't mount him at the minute, which is the main reason I summoned him. but So at the minute, he can technically fly. He's just not mountable. But you can't like and banish him and then bring him back straight away, can you? I think I need to wait until I've finished a long rest, until I can resummon him. something So the flying rabbit that is folly is making his way towards you at the moment. And there's no bench outside, but there is a wall that you can obviously lean up against and just have your pipe on.
Speaker: Upon Remy's exit from this area and the slam of the door that reverberates, you hear a click on come from Zantara and the lights in this large oval room turn on with a very, very bright blue glow. And you you see the very, very familiar state. I don't know if at this distance, um, the imp can communicate anything with you, Lady G, although you are also technically asleep as well.
Speaker: She's asleep. There's no communication happening. She is out cold from the drink and from the food. That's fair. but um You see the very, very familiar ah visage of a almost like Siberian tiger-esque face, all white fur with black stripes, but almost Persian-style clothing, a cape that's kind of tied ah with a very bejeweled clip.
Speaker: at the nape of the neck and very plush um clothing, all the finest materials. The very distinguishing feature, one that your eye's always drawn to, but as a trait of this kind of um ah species or person, you look at his claws, which from the wrist are kind of inverted, so the palms always face up instead of down.
Speaker: Something that's always maybe sat a little bit odd ah with yourself, but nevertheless, something you might be a bit more used to well.
Speaker: Because cause Will knows what he is. Does Alessio know what he is and his origins or not? Yeah. Yeah, Alessio would be aware. Probably wouldn't have heard it directly from Zantara himself, but it' it's part of obviously your winged watch duty. While you try and respect your contacts, you've got to know as much about them as what you can do for your own protection as well. So you would have done so much research into this person. So Alessio would definitely be aware.
Speaker: Okay. ah Alessio... Pause this for a moment. Apologies for any insult it was not intended.
Speaker: i appreciate your letter was for me. My traveling companions do appreciate looking after me. You know what it's like. Do not abuse my trust, Alessio.
Speaker: Once gone, it is not easy to repair.
Speaker: You, however, i believe are on the same mission as myself.
Speaker: oh I did not only realize that your friend that you were attempting to rescue. I did not realize why you was here.
Speaker: But now I understand.
Speaker: You've come for the artifact that Shadow Men is traveling with as we speak.
Speaker: I am disappointed this information was kept from me, Alessio. You have to understand, as I am sure you know, that people like ourselves... ah Sorry, this is a world question to Callum. Does he know winged watch or not?
Speaker: Not necessarily, no. No, he has no clue. Doesn't know you're winged watch. You understand that you and I, the circles we both walk in we play our cards to our chest. It's not...
Speaker: every day that you then go walking around and telling someone what you're here for, is it, after all? Very true. Nevertheless, based off previous experience, I still think I owe you.
Speaker: Please, what were you going to say? I was going to say, I apologize if you ah feel insulted by the fact that I've kept it from you. but You know how things are. And you know it's not my business to probe into your business professional courtesy and all that.
Speaker: Understandable.
Speaker: Nevertheless, if this is what you are after, then you are going to need help.
Speaker: I have contacts that have seen what is being traveled. I know how many people. I know how many caravans.
Speaker: It is um not something to take lightly. Indeed. My companions that I'm with are quite...
Speaker: skilled and in what we're doing, but I appreciate any professional advice you can offer.
Speaker: You have done me a favor with the um
Speaker: vagabonds in the hunting lodge. i appreciate taking down the building and dispensing of them, but I'm afraid it was still too a little too late.
Speaker: We did what we could.
Speaker: You've done more than you think. Come. Permit me to show you this. And he jested for you to come up stage.
Speaker: And as the imp now follows, um jump he kind of clambers up your shoulder as well, and he rests just on it, Alessio.
Speaker: And The image behind that couldn't quite quite make out before you now see is a ah full map of Aerith.
Speaker: There's many, many little pins that have been put into this place, ah none of which are marked up, so there's nothing you can actually read for it, but it's going to be used as a guideline for you.
Speaker: I can tell you... This is the route they'll be taking. And he gestures just across like the lost fields and down the river. This is their destination.
Speaker: And he points to a um what looks on the map as a non-diplume point in the mountains.
Speaker: There was a yeah hideout built there.
Speaker: There is ten caravans. and some strong 40 men
Speaker: that are escorting whatever this is.
Speaker: That's quite a hefty escort for something. That's not the information I got, so I'm glad you've told me. Do you know what it is that's being transported? Do you know who it's for?
Speaker: I know it's something called Eurion's Contingency. Indeed. It's a backup plan for him.
Speaker: He's taking no small measures to ins ensure it's safe transport. but Now, they have already met resistance. What's coming is what's left.
Speaker: I dread to think how they started. We were intending on hitting them at the river, and Alessio points at the river nearby, when they crossed here. It's a good point. The... yeah The river breaks up into three smaller ones.
Speaker: There's three choke points that will, of course, be of handy ah use in battle.
Speaker: It is probably the most optimal point.
Speaker: There's a choice for you here, Alessio. I'll leave it to yourself, but I understand that if you want to talk it with your comrades as well.
Speaker: I can give you the assistance. I will happily have some of my men encounter from behind.
Speaker: Smaller of their numbers. Surprise attack, Pinsa. We cannot fail.
Speaker: I will just have one of my men join you and your comrades.
Speaker: And if you want this help, there is just one mere condition.
Speaker: Of course, I expect expected nothing less. I want the artifact that you are calling Eurion's Contingency.
Speaker: Indeed.
Speaker: Callum, our orders, were they to capture it or destroy it? can't remember. They were to destroy it.
Speaker: It was destroyed by any means necessary. necessary
Speaker: I mean, that's an expensive price for your assistance. as As great as your assistance would be, i may have a buyer for this elsewhere.
Speaker: You understand.
Speaker: Really?
Speaker: And what price have they offered, presuming you succeed? Presuming we succeed. I'm fairly capable of focusing. We don't have to take it in one go. If they're trying to get somewhere, we can always keep hitting them as they yeah as they travel.
Speaker: It's not beyond us to whittle them down.
Speaker: While I'm aware of your capability in combat, Alessio, I'm sure your friends are equally capable. If you feel that you can take on 10 caravans and 40 mine, then be my guest.
Speaker: just It is not an offer I will make a second time. Of course. One moment. And Alessio has sort of been keeping the thing open.
Speaker: He wants to offer us help. He's saying this to Caelan, to Remy, and to Lady G if she happens to be awake. um He wants offer us help.
Speaker: 40 men. Oh, well, sorry. The caravan has 10 caravans, 40 people guarding it. And that's whittled down from whatever whoever has attacked it already.
Speaker: He's offering people to strike from the rear and whittle them down. One person to accompany us. The cost is they want the artifact. they want the And just as you are broadcasting that out, Will, can I ask you to make a wisdom saving throw for me?
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Little bitch is about to... Oh, he's doing detect thoughts. of course he is.
Speaker: ah That's a seven.
Speaker: um Yes. So you fail on yeah figured out ah the seven. um So obviously you as Will are aware he's in your head. but and He's reading my surface thoughts only. So...
Speaker: A surface thoughts he can do anyway. The wisdom saving throw lets him probe deeper. Okay. So he is obviously really, really pushing into your mind, and ah he is gaining a very good insight into basically your emotional state, what's on your mind, and and you have no idea.
Speaker: What? Okay. but ah Do I know he's there or not? No. No. now If you'd passed, you would know, but unfortunately you failed. Yeah, it's fine. Okay, he's probably not
Speaker: He wants to help us, but he wants the artifact.
Speaker: unless Unless she snores in her head. We wouldn't hear that. She snores in her head. ah She method snores. i
Speaker: I don't see why we need their assistance. I trust on your judgment. you what What kind of assistance is he asking and and then how easy would it be to not pay the He's offering people to attack the caravan.
Speaker: He's offering someone to accompany us. The person accompanying us is being will be sent to ensure that what happens, happens. This is not a person we want to cross at all.
Speaker: so either We maybe should also as well anticipate that if we turn him down, he may take things into his own hands and send folk after us.
Speaker: he'll say He may send folk attack the caravan to get the item he wants. Yes. But he's also quite thankful that we destroyed the lodge, so we have at least a little bit of credit on our account.
Speaker: Hmm... Well, look at this, the folk weren't too keen on me, and the what I saw of him, he he seems to quite enjoy playing games with folk. da He was quite willing to have one of us go into that with a hag's curse. So, um I don't think he's the of friend we need, but equally, I...
Speaker: I don't think he's the type of enemy we need either. So we got to play this real careful because if we decline him, he may, as you say, send another interested party after the caravan, which we could do a without, granted.
Speaker: But equally, we also don't need a friend like that. There was nothing in our mission about giving the artifact away. Fine. That's true. If if if we take the we take the deal, we can honor it.
Speaker: Okay. Now, we've done that before. I'm not against the ball of doing it again. But that there ain't no way we give him the artifact, regardless of what we say to him.
Speaker: I'll turn him down. Caelan, Remy, if you think we're confident in this, we don't have to take these guys at the forward. The forward gives us a good chance to whittle them down, but we can keep hammering them as we go if we need to.
Speaker: We don't have to do this in one go.
Speaker: Okay. Thank you both. I want to keep you informed on this. and unless yo so Okay, love you. Bye. Alessio looks towards Zantara.
Speaker: I will just pause a moment there, well because my apologies. You were right on something. When he's probed deeper, you are aware of it, so you know he's been inside ah your head.
Speaker: i knew that. jade just so yeah Ah, was I muted? That would ah change... If it changes anything, that's fair enough. That's not a problem.
Speaker: He wouldn't be able to hear your conversation. It's literally what you're feeling. That's good, because that was my that was my question. It doesn't say anything about gaining conversation. i gain insight into your reasoning, emotional state, and something that looms inside your mind. And Alessio has been quite calm. I mean, the things he would see, he would see, obviously, the um the the the mission and and and he'd see the fact they need to get the artifact.
Speaker: But Alessio's in role here, so he he's not thinking about the wing watch. It's not like a massive, oh, hey, here's ah here's an image of Mag. When I got this mission, it was really cool. um ah But yeah, he certainly probably gets the sense that there is more to this than Alessio is letting on.
Speaker: But yeah, so he certainly gets the idea that there are more layers to this, which he probably expects from someone who's also in the criminal underworld to not have all the cards sort of on the table.
Speaker: Alessio turns to Zantara with the utmost of respect and gratefulness. On this occasion, I appreciate your offer of help.
Speaker: I will not require it. What i did for you for the Lodge, consider it freely given. You owe me nothing for it.
Speaker: That is, of course, your choice.
Speaker: My only advice, watch your back.
Speaker: Every day, I watch my back. You may leave now. Thank you. And Alessio will walk off the stage, take a few steps back, facing him, turn and leave. And he makes sure the imp's following.
Speaker: Can the imp take one of the vials with him? Yeah, yeah, absolutely. Can the imp take all of the vials with him?
Speaker: I don't think he'd be able to take all of them. Do me a strength check for the imp. Do me a strength check for the imp. The imp is strong. There's five remaining vials.
Speaker: But that's a natural 20, let's go.
Speaker: It's minus two for 18. Two nat 20s for the impenorolas. i i will I will give you four of them.
Speaker: choose i'll roll Four of those vials. so you've I don't want vial number five. I'll take the rest. My pen's not working now.
Speaker: One, two, three. ah Five and six and three. No, think you've already drunk. well One, two, three and four. Six has already gone. Five is staying behind.
Speaker: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. One, two, three and four.
Speaker: So, yeah, you see this imp kind of just, again, leap off your shoulder, Alessio, scurry up to this shelf, and just kind of, in almost a big bear hug manner, scoop up four of these vials, and you just hear them clanging away, and just kind of hobbling behind you now, and um as you start making your way to the exit, and as you are making your way to the exit, the lights in that main room just kind of shut off, and it goes back to being almost pitch-black darkness. And as you are walking past these sconces, every single one just turns off as you get closer and closer to the same door that you came in through.
Speaker: Alessio communicates with the other two. I'm on my way out.
Speaker: And with a large... push after the click, this heavy door opens up again. And Alessio steps out into the once again kind of fresh night air of Riverfold.
Speaker: You see Remy as you come out, poised on the other side of the wall. And with a cold, hard glance, you see Cailin still down at the bottom of the alley.
Speaker: Yeah, I don't say anything. i I pretty much have the gist of what's happened in there, thanks to the communication. and I just get up off stop leaning on the wall. Well then, I think at some point we're going need to hunker down and rest ourselves.
Speaker: Yeah, and as they walk away, once they've left, the the yeah once they've gone 10 metres or so, perhaps more away from the yeah from the doorway, Alessia sort of lets out this shuddering sort of breath.
Speaker: And he keeps his keeps this into his head. Oh, my he was in my head when we were having that conversation. I don't think he heard us and I don't think he understood our full mission, but he knew there was more to it, I think, than it meets the eye.
Speaker: But he at least accepted our rejection of his offer with grace. He told us to watch our back. I mean, that's fairly standard in this business. it's what we do anyway.
Speaker: Well, exactly. I ain't too worried about that. Well, and if it becomes an added complication, we'll deal with that when the time comes. Well, exactly. He knows how business works. He knows we've got our job.
Speaker: He's got his job.
Speaker: When it gets onto the road, if people get in our way, we'll have to deal with them. But that's what it'll be.
Speaker: Standard procedure, I suppose. Right, i'm i'm i'm I'm pretty sleepy and finding myself most envious of the lady right now. Let's go get rest. We've got a busy night ahead of us.
Speaker: And you three adventurers start making your way back to the four poster and Kaylin in the rear, I believe. I don't think he'd rush to get ahead of Alessio and Remi to start making their way back to the four poster.
Speaker: Nothing much happens along your journey. It's late into the evening at this stage. You can hear revelry from certain taverns. The shops are all closed. You get the occasional drunkard that stumbles or person out for a lovely walk at night.
Speaker: Eventually, when you get back to the four poster, you once again go in. go in You gesture to Jerome on the front desk and start making your way up to...
Speaker: ah Lady G's room. There is a Tim Curry in Home Alone 2 moment coming here, isn't there? When this Blake realises me. I'm pretty sure my disguised self of an hour has long since worn off. So my clothes no longer look as fine as they did before.
Speaker: um That is fine. The back and forth that you've kind of been having at this moment... um might raise an eyebrow about the changing clothes but you're not stopped about it the level of the suggestion is still working ah quite well however based off lady g's warning before she fell asleep and started having a bit of a rest um you are aware that's probably two hours left of the suggestion spell before it actually wears out right we need to rest and wake up in the night and go
Speaker: Once we're in the room, let's bed down. Caelan, are you staying out there or coming in?
Speaker: I'll be staying out here. Okay. Just for um like the the meta part of it, Lady G, theoretically, if you wish at this stage, you can have had a short rest if you so choose.
Speaker: Too fucking right. Thank you, friend. That's my spell slots back, baby. Back at the hit points. It's cool.
Speaker: Remy, if he gets to the door, is just going to raise, oh, fucking fiddlesticks. I said I'd be sleeping in the goddamn barn, didn't I? It's fine. You can sleep here. Just sleep on the couch. It's fine.
Speaker: Dandy. and I'll just jump onto the couch. ah And Alessio will... ah get a chair and he will wedge that against the door. in that yeah know against the door helock he wants to He wants to make sure that anyone trying to break in has a harder time of it than just the lock, just in case.
Speaker: ah And he sort of goes across the room and
Speaker: unrolls his um gets his pack that he left behind and unrolls his travel mat. And where the furniture is, he's positioned it so that actually when he lies down, the furniture gives him cover should he need it if that door suddenly does exp explode inwards.
Speaker: So that if he suddenly has to get up in the middle of the night, there's there's cover rather than him just being there. And he gets himself out, makes sure any ah weapons he needs are nearby, and then he will bed down.
Speaker: sure enough And is the intention to go for a long rest at this stage for the rest of you? Our plan, I think, was to time it so that we could rest and wake up in the middle of the night rather than sleeping through the night.
Speaker: Right. Okay. So, ah for the sake of argument then, Caelan, this is up to you because obviously you're going to something different, but I will come to you in a second. so Yeah, i've don't forget, I've got the magical sleep...
Speaker: Yeah, yours still takes ah four hours. At the moment, I would say, because obviously you've got two hours before it wears off. Are you guys still going to try and push back past that two hours?
Speaker: Not the suggestion? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, the suggestion just meant the guy who spared no expense. We'd already got in before the suggestion it actually hits. I think hopefully we won't get kicked out of our room, but yeah. We will have to because so we need to rest for at least... um for for the hours. I think the point was we timed everything so that we could wake up about one or two-ish in the night, in that darkest point of the night, and then go do our raid.
Speaker: Yeah, and ah to get a long rest, yeah, you'll probably actually be waking up more about two o'clock in the morning yeah at this particular time, if you are to try and fall asleep now. So, Alessio, Remy, you guys are settling down for the long rest.
Speaker: Lady you had your short rest, which... would work for you anyway for recovering lot of your stuff. But, you know, you're still going to be pushing for the long rest as well, I'm presuming.
Speaker: Absolutely. And there are cucumbers on my eyes as well.
Speaker: Caelan, what is going off with you on the outside? So... knowing how long we've got left and knowing I only need four hours, uh, Cailin's just keeping an eye on the entrance of the, um, in and we're staying out and he'll move around periodically in a clockwise formation just to check the rear and circle back around to the front. And then once he's happy with how things are, he's going to
Speaker: find a quieter spot maybe a bench you can't go for a bench and sit there and go into a trance ah hood up
Speaker: bow whisper is going to go for the whisper bow, um, by his side, uh, that's strong and ready. And, um, he'll fall asleep with an arrow just in his left hand spinning almost like you would a fidget spinner just to kind of settle himself.
Speaker: And all four of you just start to settle down for the next few hours to try and gauge, gain, sorry, your long rest.
Speaker: Ready for the yeah day tomorrow, which is planning to be a very, very busy one with a horse heist planned, a little bit of an ambush against a convoy of some 40 strongmen and 10 caravans, and hopefully saving a lot of Aerith with the destruction of Eurion's contingency.
Speaker: And if anybody out there would also like to know how the rest of this story goes, you'll have to join in to us next week as we will resume after our people have had a lovely long rest and they will have gained a level up as well.
Speaker: So we will be finding out what that tech excellent things they choose. Farewell! Farewell!
