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C1 Ep. 108 Rising Tides Chapter One
296 Plays6 years ago
This week the party elects how to move forward. Do they return to Xendrik? Will they track down the weapons they need? We will find out on Eberron Renewed!
This episode is brought to you by the generous donations of our amazing Show Sponsors: Laura Pickrahn, Jessica Smith, Irene Viorritto, Ryan Royce, Darrell DeLaney, Jon Cary, Charles Compton, The Kamm Family, David Scrams, Elizabeth Clark, and Michael Clark.
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Transcript
Introduction and Acknowledgments
00:00:00
Speaker
The following episode is brought to you by the generous donations of John Kerry, Laura Pickron, Elizabeth Clark, Darryl Delaney, Ryan Royce, Irene Villarito, The Cam Family, Charles Compton, Michael Clark, and David Scrams, as well as all of our generous patrons.
00:00:43
Speaker
Hello and welcome to Eberron Renewed, a D&D 5th edition actual play podcast set in the Eberron campaign setting. I'm your dungeon master, Eric. And I'm Philip. I'm Randy. I'm Jeff. And welcome to another episode.
00:00:52
Speaker
D20 radio,
Character Developments and Challenges
00:00:54
Speaker
Gentlemen, what happened last time? Nothing really. Not much. We might have made somebody a little upset. Maybe.
00:00:55
Speaker
your game is rolling.
00:01:03
Speaker
Laura, one of our listeners. And maybe a certain character? Philip went from playing two characters to playing 75% of a character.
00:01:17
Speaker
That's true. There is only my character sheet sitting in front of me now. Hallelujah. I say that, not to say that Beric now being able to see reduces him to less of a person, but Philip's got to figure out how to play it. So right now it's less of a character. Yeah. Yeah.
00:01:34
Speaker
His character sheet is less. He himself is not, but his character sheet is. Oh, I still have all of Drakir's spells in my notebook. Whistful. Okay, so I mean, what happened last time was... We didn't ever un-reviewed last week. Yeah, we dealt with Belashira. We dealt with Belashira. And Belashira offered to give Barak the ability to sense the location of the two remaining
00:02:03
Speaker
giant weapons that we need to obtain in order to defeat the Kori. And then in exchange for that, for some reason, and this is really the thing that I feel like none of us are worried enough about, he needed Barak's eyes. I mean, yeah.
00:02:23
Speaker
I mean, is he wearing them now? Are they like attached? Are they they've been added to the collection of eyes that are on his body? If you go back and listen to the dream episode, you might actually hear him reference what he does when he takes people's eyes. I don't remember that, but I believe you in the dream episode. Yep. Oh, man. Now I have to go back and listen to something, something with my voice on it. Yep.
00:02:48
Speaker
You can probably keep an eye on us.
Sharn Adventures and Rest
00:02:51
Speaker
So anyway, Barak is now physically blind, although he now can always essentially he's perpetually detecting magic so he can perceive magical auras, but he no longer physically sees anything is where we are at the moment.
00:03:08
Speaker
Yeah, and it's just to make it clear for everybody, it's not enough to where Barak has Daredevil vision for lack of a better way to put it. Like he's not yet for all intents and purposes blind. Yeah, it was a cost. We'll get there. So, yeah, you all went back up into Charne and found a tavern to sleep in for the night. Which level of the city did you all go to?
00:03:38
Speaker
One where, so Beric knows Sharn okay, we've all got an idea of Sharn having been in Brelen for a long time. Whatever that sweet spot is between the place where you have to worry about what's on the sheets,
00:03:58
Speaker
and the place where it's going to cost you an arm and a leg and people are going to notice that you're staying there. So we're like at the holiday and express level. Okay. Um, and if you meant physically, what level? Certainly above the Cox. That's what I meant. I assume there's a level of the city where that's the type of tavern that you find. That makes sense. Yeah. We'll say that the, that you're in the middle wards of the city. Um,
00:04:27
Speaker
Well, this makes sense. See, you all found a room at Galanda Hall, which has a notorious reputation for being the place that many fugitive spies, mysterious strangers and people that just, you know, kind of want to fly under the radar. Sure. So.
00:04:46
Speaker
Yeah, so you all sleep it off, take a long rest. You woke up feeling more emboldened and empowered in various ways that you all have marked down. Beric, you wake up in the night, in the middle of the night. You sense it's a familiar feeling. Okay.
00:05:12
Speaker
And like it wakes you up and you sense this power drawing into you. And then you hear a voice saying, um, Eric, what voice am I? Do I recognize this voice? Uh, this is this is Airbus. Okay. It's been a while since we had a talk. I didn't quite remember what, which, which, which Airbus voice are on right now. Eric. Yes.
00:05:41
Speaker
You were asleep just now, correct? That's my understanding, yes. I frankly am not entirely sure that I'm not still asleep. Well, um, something just died and I feel a bit more whole. Wait.
00:06:11
Speaker
Something died and you took in the power.
Plans and Decisions on Travel
00:06:17
Speaker
Um, I believe we've gained another pact. How is that possible? Um, there were, there were at least two left, right? We knew at least two living beings with the pact. So with three,
00:06:40
Speaker
That was the one that Lucan could go kill in a couple of weeks, the one in the Dreadhold and the dragon. I forgot the one in the Dreadhold. One of them. One of them has just died, but obviously not killed by either of the other two or they had received the Pact. Exactly. So it died in close enough proximity. We were just near enough. Give me a Knowledge Arcana or just Arcana.
00:07:09
Speaker
Twenty nine. You have a moment of clarity when you're kind of speaking that you realize your packs kind of a two way street. So she got a pact. Is that what what is that the conclusion you're suggesting I'm drawing? That's the suspicion you might come to is OK. So she got a pact and there she killed a pact. Interesting.
00:07:40
Speaker
But how could she? How could she kill someone? Well, I recall the time shortly after you returned that. Something came onto the material plane and tried to drag you back to dollar. Yes, but that wasn't in her service, but something I'm just saying that she said she could have an agent. She sent something through.
00:08:11
Speaker
That's interesting. Would it have to. Oh, I see. Well, that makes. That makes more sense, I suppose, that. She'd find someone else to do it if I wouldn't. But she would still have to kill them.
00:08:36
Speaker
Right. If you go, she's able to send, she's able to send some of the Shaddar Kai onto the material plane and drag someone into Delure and she could kill him there. Yes. And that would take the pact. So I, I have this new room. Do we need to roll on something? Oh, I've already rolled. Okay. Before him.
00:09:03
Speaker
I see. Oh, it's done. Oh, would you? It certainly has not made me sharper or more accurate. It's it's. It's an activated thing, I feel like I have to use it to see what it does. Oh, I see. Probably not wise to do it in. It's not evocation.
00:09:32
Speaker
Well, I suppose we can... Do we each have our own room? Am I alone? Booyah, were you willing to bankroll everybody to get their own room?
00:09:43
Speaker
Did I do what? Bankroll everyone for their own room? Probably Booyah would. You're the daddy warbucks of this part. He went a little scratch now. I know. But Booyah's probably, I think at this point, cause he's kind of used to paying for things. So I just can kind of see Booyah. Man, Dracure walked off with 500 gold pieces. He has no use for it. He's going to melt it down into something. I see Booyah.
00:10:08
Speaker
I envision people, people assuming that Dex is just obscenely rich and his like short warforged like assistant is just throwing his money as like walking in like, here you go. Jeez, pay the man. Okay, so there's. It appears to be some form of conjuration magic.
00:10:33
Speaker
Well, that, that could be bad too, right? I mean, we don't want to, we don't want to summon something right here in the, in the midst of the room, especially not something I can't see exactly. Um, this is a curious thought.
00:10:55
Speaker
You perceive what I perceive. I see darkness right now. All right. I was just, I was just curious. I didn't know if you saw through my eyes. I did. Ah, all right. Then if you want to deal with this in the morning or I just not knowing what it will do might be wiser to wait till we have, we can go somewhere where we're not accidentally going to cause damage to anything or draw unnecessary attention. It's fair.
00:11:28
Speaker
Well, that's disconcerting. It is something I will deal with it in the morning. Yes. Okay. So Barrick fitfully falls back asleep and then, um, suddenly four eyes open. Um,
00:11:52
Speaker
This is because I wear glasses. No, no. Um, you're a bad person. Um, so yeah, uh, it's morning. You all, uh, can wake up. Uh, you get, uh, complimentary
Exploring New Powers and Limitations
00:12:06
Speaker
continental breakfast at the Belonda Inn. Um, so what's, what's the plan? So I have, uh, so Eric,
00:12:22
Speaker
Barak is wearing his cloak and has the hood, and he's essentially just pulled the hood really, really deep, like pulled his head really deep into the hood so that it drapes down just so that everyone is not entirely creeped out by the just... Yeah. Grossness of it all. Yeah, yeah, I mean, yeah.
00:12:48
Speaker
So I have a thought and maybe it's unnecessarily paranoid. Obviously we've taken advice and aid from a creature that we would not generally consider trustworthy. He's offered to instantaneously take us where we need to go.
00:13:15
Speaker
And we can do that. I'm willing to take that to make that gamble as there is enough at stake. But I just wanted to ask, is that what we want to do? Would we rather have Jace come back, pick us up and I can guide us to it? It'll take longer, but we won't be putting ourselves also
00:13:44
Speaker
in having a conversation with him, I asked rather foolishly before I understood the cost, if I'd be able to express where, where one of the items was on a map. But, and I, I could, he said, but obviously now I can't. Right.
00:14:09
Speaker
So I'm also not entirely certain how I would inform Jace where we are in order for him to come get us once we're there. I mean, hopefully through
00:14:28
Speaker
haven't traveled there, we'll be able to at least find a landmark. Right. I would hope so, but Zendric being what it is. Certainly. Among other things, enormous. Right. Well, the other, the other option would be we find it and then we do our best to get back to assuming it's not another 12 day journey or something. We could just get back to smuggler rest or some size.
00:14:56
Speaker
Do we know anything at all about the general geography of Zendrik? I mean, there are maps, right? Yeah, there are maps of Zendrik. So it's called the Spear of the Desert Winds and the Mall of the Glacial something.
00:15:18
Speaker
Glacial wastes. Glacial pace. Glacial wastes. Glacial... To answer the first part of your question, I personally have had my fill of Belashira for a while. So I'm more than willing to take the slow path and just not.
00:15:45
Speaker
It does seem to remove a number of risks. The risk encountered simply being time. Although at least here, the enemy is now a known entity and they're perhaps better prepared. Mall of glacial Heights. Glacial Heights. So the, the deserts of Zendric and the glacial part of Zendric are the, uh, there are the frozen wastes of Zendric.
00:16:14
Speaker
are far, far, far to the south of places like storm reach. Gotcha. Uh, in fact, I, if I remember the maps that I've seen, I think the only settlement near the deserts, his Dalcott, dark, dark hot, which is, yeah, which is not where we want to be. Right. That sucks. Um,
00:16:41
Speaker
So I don't think it would be plausible for us to walk out. Right. We have a map of Zindrick. Right. But I can't see it anymore. No, I understand. But I can chart our path as we go. Oh, certainly. And say, you know, Jace, we have gone X number of miles south of this. If Belishear is going to drop us right there.
00:17:09
Speaker
then we don't know what Jace is, where we are in relation to Jace. I thought we weren't. Oh, if we're, if we're not, then that's fine. We won't, we won't, this won't be a problem because Jace will be where we are. Right. I feel like that's the best way to do it then. Yeah. It's going to take some time. Sure. Yeah. But, uh,
00:17:28
Speaker
It feels as though all we are doing is compounding more problems. If we let Billish here, uh, just drop us there. We have more things to figure out than just the time. Right.
Training and Skill Enhancement
00:17:43
Speaker
What do you think Booyah? Booyah say you talk too much. We need to go do something. Booyah ready go.
00:17:52
Speaker
Well, if we're doing Jason, it'll take us, it'll take a bit, a few days, at least I would think for him to get back to us. Right. Um, as he was going to go into a holding pattern off Zendrick. So we should probably call him back. Call her back. That sound like good, good choice.
00:18:12
Speaker
uh hey uh hey jace hey uh what's up buddy all right um we have had some issues come up we are no longer going to be going to zindrik by our own means i'm afraid we do need you to come back and get us i apologize these things happen okay um all right i uh
00:18:39
Speaker
I can turn the boat around. I've been going for a couple of days at this point, so it's going to be a few days to get back. And then honestly, I'm going to have to at least take a day's rest before I can fly two weeks solid. So completely understand. Yeah, understood. OK, so you all hang tight and I'll dock in the upper wards of the city once I get in and then I'll let you know when I get there.
00:19:08
Speaker
That'd be great. Yeah. If you'll just let us know when you're there, I kind of would like the idea of sleeping on my ship again. And you, I mean, if you want to go into the city for your day arrest or whatever, we won't bother you for that. Sounds good. Additionally, in the interest of everyone being on the same page,
00:19:35
Speaker
I believe they're even killed a packed bear last night. How do you know this? Um, are we sitting in a crowded space at the moment? I always envision you all having breakfast. Just say, yeah, we're saying this over English muffins. We're sitting in a quiet corner of little alcove of the, of the, in,
00:19:59
Speaker
No one's paying attention to us because we look ridiculous. Or no one's listening and taking us seriously because we look ridiculous. So Beric reaches down and lifts the scabbarded form of Erebus onto the table and slides the sheath down so that you can see there is an additional rune on the blade. Oh, that good way to know. I am taking Erebus's word on this actually telling you anything.
00:20:30
Speaker
because I can't see the room. Right. Yeah. I mean, yep, there's definitely another one there. Right. Um, I said it back down. I don't know that that affects anything about our plans, but I just wanted you to know, do you know why you got our backs are bound by the initial way that she sent me back? Oh, right. So, cause every time you did, she got more powerful. So stands to reason.
00:20:59
Speaker
Do you feel anything? I haven't figured out what it does yet. Um, it's not like, it's not a passive thing in the way that some of them have caught, have changed the sword's nature. It will allow the sword to do something. Right. I didn't want to do that in a hotel room. Sure. No, absolutely. Cause I don't know what it will do. Right. I would suggest neither to do it on. Right. No, uh, I will save it for the desert. Take that note to heart.
00:21:29
Speaker
Cause last time Booyah tried play with armor, make mess. Yes. Yes. Yes. All right. Well, I got some stuff since we're going to be here a couple of days. Um, I'll, you know, I want to go resupply a bit and, um,
00:21:53
Speaker
Do you, can you hang tight here for a while and I'll come back and if there's anything you need to do, I can help you get around. There's a, uh, there's a monastic order. Uh, it's connected to the sword style that Ben are taught me in storm reach. I believe they have a facility here in the city. It might be a place where I could.
00:22:21
Speaker
Take some time with the blade and see if I can find out what this does without anyone being Endangered oh sure thing. Yeah, I mean I can take you there first and then my stuff. Yeah, that would be good if you can just Keep ahead of me. I see you very well Have you mentioned that you can see two decks yet no Wow
00:22:46
Speaker
you are, everything you are wearing and carrying is a magical aura. And I can sense, see is the wrong word. I can perceive your magical aura. Okay. And Booyaz and things like that. So. Booyaz waves a gauntlet at hand in front of. There's not a reaction to that. I mean, you know, you can,
00:23:17
Speaker
You can close your eyes and point your face at a light. Sure. And sense the light and it's something to that effect. Uh, and so the more concentrated bits of magic in a place, the brighter it sure appears to you. Okay. So yeah. So I'm probably some sort of a crazy beacon, right? Yeah. I see you pretty clearly. Um, as well as his armor is all magic. So that's something I hate to
00:23:47
Speaker
think of what has happened to you now is having something efficacious besides the deal you made. But since we have no longer, since we're no longer with the member of our group that could detect magic whenever they wanted, at least there's something to that now. Yes, it is a, it is a silver lining. That's what I was hoping for. Um,
00:24:19
Speaker
All right. So are you ready to take off? Do you need to, I need a moment, um, to, uh, arrange a couple of things. Um, but yeah, I can be ready to go in just a few minutes. Sure thing. Uh, so bear cool return to his room and sit down with the sword. See. All right. Um, I need.
00:24:43
Speaker
I haven't done this in a while, but it matters at this moment. I need you to be a different shape. Yes, I could alter my form somewhat. I could not become a completely different weapon type, like a bow or anything, but... Right. No, I just need you to be something less conspicuous. And so I picture it and over the course of however long it takes,
00:25:11
Speaker
Um, basically Beric reforms it into a walking stick sword. Like when the sword is sheathed, the hilt just blends into the scabbard and it looks like a walking stick. Okay. What are the rest of y'all doing? Well, he does that a little bit. Yep. Settling up at the bar, putting things in bags and preparing to not come back. Okay. We all go find church. Okay.
00:25:41
Speaker
Okay, so Booyah is going to find a church. I mean, it's it's sharn. Finding a small cathedral to the Silver Flame is not difficult. You could go up to the upper wards if you want to go to like the big like capital C church if you want, but you could find a smaller place of worship down on the level you're on. It's up to you. What would you prefer to get? Well, he would find something close. Okay.
00:26:05
Speaker
So yeah, you find a small, well-appointed wooden building on one of the platforms that has the silver flame and the image of a longbow on the door. And you hear faint organ music playing from within the building. Any people inside? Well, the doors are closed. Oh, the doors are closed.
00:26:28
Speaker
Well, I opened the doors. Okay. Uh, good. First move. There are a few people, uh, sitting, uh, sitting in there, uh, seems to be that they're, uh, meditating, praying, contemplating what have you, um, couple of people up at the front. Um, it appears that, uh, you're, you're even.
00:26:49
Speaker
like early learnings of the Church of the Silver Flame knows that this is clearly a fake, but there is like a silver flame burning on the altar that people are approaching. And so feels like I've met that. Yeah. Yeah. And also you just know like you're not the real Santa Claus. Yeah.
00:27:10
Speaker
So, yeah, but it seems to be very quiet kind of somber. There is appears to be a clergyman standing up there having a conversation with what appears to be one of the patrons. OK, we all will just take a seat and pray to the silver flame.
00:27:30
Speaker
And when he is done with that, he takes out his book because he loves reading those stories. And as he's reading, he's just kind of looking around to see if he can find anybody that looks like maybe they're not too busy, maybe Booyak can read them a story because he would certainly try to read
00:27:48
Speaker
and share his excitement about the stories. A lot of the people are in there by themselves just sitting, appearing to do nothing. Like they, they certainly are not active. Um, like he wouldn't disturb somebody that he thought was praying. Um, you also see the, uh, the clergyman's conversation has ceased and he's just kind of standing up there observing everybody. So no kids. Um,
00:28:17
Speaker
Sure. Yeah. There, there is, there's, uh, one young girl that is sitting there next to an older man, but she appears to not like, she's kind of ready to go. She's just kind of looking around and, um, whether this is her older brother or father or grandfather, whoever he seems to be deep in it, but she is done.
00:28:44
Speaker
Okay. Booyah goes to that pew, I guess, and doesn't sit like right next to her, but sits a little way, you know, just a little further down the bench, has his book out and tries to catch her eye. And he looks at you and kind of like, and he points at the book, gives her a thumbs up. Booyah read story. You like story. A
00:29:13
Speaker
Persuasion the the best check I can think of I have advantage on good What I have advantage on good because of the halo
00:29:24
Speaker
You have an advantage on good. Yeah, I have advantage on checks against good people, and I have advantage on intimidation against evil people. Okay, okay. You just say, I have advantage on good. I was like, what does that mean? Good people. You're in church in the armor with your halo activated. Oh yeah, my halo's on.
00:29:47
Speaker
Booyah sometimes forgets to turn it off. Are we sure no one started paying a lot of attention to him? They seem really bored. This might fix that. Yeah. Okay. Saint Marvin. Ten. Seven. Ten was the highest. Obviously. Do you not add anything?
00:30:15
Speaker
You see her kind of lean into the adult that she's with and kind of give you a side eye and Booyah, sorry the the adult like kind of Opens that island looks at you and puts their arm around around them, but I just keeps reading is but
00:30:35
Speaker
OK, so the you hear footsteps approaching and if you in a moment you see the clergyman standing over you smiling and saying, um, is there a problem? No, Booyah, read book, want to know if little girl want to hear good story. This good book have good stories. Booyah, Silver Flame, love Silver Flame.
00:31:09
Speaker
Oh, well, that's good to hear. Booyah? Booyah Grigal. Booyah Grigal. That's a... That's pretty good. Thank you. That's a rather peculiar name that you have. Where are you from, Booyah? Booyah come from land far away. OK, well, what brings you to Shahn? What brings you to this place of worship?
00:31:38
Speaker
Booyah want learn more about silver flame study pray and like read his book. Oh, it's nice calm place Well, I if you're looking to learn I would be more than happy to To provide you with a small lesson if you like while you're here Booyah like lesson
00:31:56
Speaker
Excellent. Just so we're not disturbing the other patrons, let's step up here. Booyah follows. Clank, clank, clank. And he opens this large tome that is on a pedestal up behind the flame. And he reaches underneath the pedestal and it lowers as he pulls a lever down to your level to where you can see Booyah.
00:32:23
Speaker
Um, so are you familiar? What, what stories of the silver flame are you familiar with? Well, you're stories in book. Okay. So the stories in the book and you're the teachings from, I can never remember this guy's name, the ranger. Oh yeah. Um, that makes two of us.
00:32:45
Speaker
Your ranger friend. Um, I know it's in my notes somewhere. That's in my notes too. Um, somewhere. So those are your only two sources and your ranger buddy had a very distant view of the silver flame. So, um, so you probably don't know a whole lot of the actual doctrinal teachings of the silver flame. Um, so, oh, well, do you know the story of Tara Myron? Booyan don't know that. No, Booyan no, no. Oh.
00:33:16
Speaker
Well, it's a very important lesson in the study of the silver flame and he flips a few bundles of pages back and you see some fine art depicting this woman in plate armor with a sword and a shield and her sword is wreathed in silver fire and you see this large
00:33:39
Speaker
fiendish looking creature with horns and wings looming over her. But it's also kind of, it looks like it's bound in flame kind of thing. And Booyah gets real intent at paying attention. And he tells you the story of Tiramiran and I'm not going to go into the long-winded way he would tell the story. But during the age of demons, millions of years ago,
00:34:02
Speaker
um or no no no well yeah that's where this like there were these things called demons that ruled over the world and these creatures sacrificed their lives to become the silver flame and trapped one of these overlords in the flame we call him the shadow in the flame which that turn of phrase is something your ranger friend said but not
00:34:29
Speaker
not in this context. But his bindings became weak, and he nearly escaped. But he explains how Tiramiron sacrificed herself to bind the shadow within the flame. And ever since then, the silver flame has had a voice, and it is her speaking to us, guiding us through the speaker.
00:34:58
Speaker
The keeper speaker speaker. Yeah. Um, through the speaker in the flame who you. Yeah. So when he says that, because I just go, Oh yeah. Speaker booty. I know speaker. Oh, you, you know, of the speaker. Yes. Yes. We got to see her. I'm sorry. Well, yeah. I see her.
00:35:21
Speaker
Like you saw her, you've been to Flame Keep, you saw her speak? Yes. Okay. And he just continues on finishing up the story about Tiramire and sacrifice and being the voice in the flame that guides us all now. This great story, we all love story. We all remember story so he can tell story too. You have a place where money collect.
00:35:44
Speaker
Well, the church is always able and willing to accept donations. Yes. He pulls out two gold pieces and hands them to the guy. Thank you, Booyah. Booyah, thank for story. Yes. Well, feel free to come back anytime. I'm more than happy to share stories with you. Thank you. Dex, what are you doing?
00:36:02
Speaker
Well, I mean, I guess first thing is I'm taking Beric to the monastery. Okay. Do you, uh, do you know where this place is or like, do I need to ask? I probably know where this place is. Yeah. It's probably in the same ward that you all the middle ward. Um, so it probably wouldn't be too difficult for you to, uh, to make your way there.
00:36:26
Speaker
Right. So, uh, we get there. Let's say, um, I'm going to go, how long are you thinking you're going to want to be here? Cause I can go do my stuff and swing back over. Um, well, we have the sending stones. So fair, fair. All right, cool. Well, I will see you soon. Good luck figuring this out. All right. Um, can I, Eric, you
00:36:56
Speaker
about to try to do something that's always been real easy for you. And I have a feeling it's suddenly going to be way more frustrating than it ever has. Yes. You mean this trip in which we walked down the street? Yes. That was formerly extremely easy and has now been extremely difficult. But you don't identify as someone who walks well. You identify as a swordsman.
00:37:26
Speaker
That is fair. He says, restraining himself from talking, from launching into a discussion of footwork. Well, that that's just what X is getting at. Please remember when you get angry in there that you
00:37:53
Speaker
did something greater. And that's why we're here now. That's why you're in this situation. And also that you're a good enough swordsman that you'll get back to it. I don't want to see things go down dark paths again. I mean, it's, it's, it's reductive, but it's, I just,
00:38:18
Speaker
Feel like I have seen you at some real high points and I've seen you with some real low points and I know what brings those on. And, uh, I wasn't there for you enough the last time and I'm trying to be different this time. I appreciate that. I, I don't know where this is going to go.
00:38:49
Speaker
Yeah, me neither. All right. I'm gonna head out. Good luck in there. Thank you. And after that, more or less heartfelt discussion with Beric about how much he cares about him, Dex is going to go defy what he feels the strongest about and head to the black dog. Because
00:39:19
Speaker
One, because we're actually leveling up at a time where there's a moment to do it. It's the main thing.
Monastery Visit and New Discoveries
00:39:25
Speaker
But, uh... Barric's blind now, and I don't know how that's gonna affect his ability to fight, so I need to get... I need to move along in this getting stronger again like I was when I was a bear.
00:39:38
Speaker
And so I think it was at some point last night between getting to the hotel or getting to the tavern and going to sleep that Dex said, all right, it's it's time. I got to go. I got to go visit the little black dog. I got to go see that guy whose name I don't recall. My Ersan friend.
00:40:00
Speaker
Well, we didn't. Did we know who who was the guy in Sharn? Was. That's true. I don't know. I can't. It's been so long since we encountered him. I can't remember if he explained where which which black dog he was. That's true. He just he just said there is a black dog in every major city. Yeah. And there is someone there who can guide me. Right. So. Yeah. And it's like again. OK.
00:40:25
Speaker
And I get there. Yeah. Um, give me, give me a, uh, investigation check. Okay. I went through like three different, I was like, give me a screw. Nope, gather. Nope. Uh, 27, 27. Uh, so yeah, you're, you are easily able to go about, uh, ask the right people and they point you like, Oh yeah, it's over here. Um, it's actually down in the lower wards. It's down a level. Um, but you, you see a pretty not run down, like.
00:40:57
Speaker
A middle-of-the-road dive bar kind of aesthetic from the outside, and you see a sign over it that has a black dog on it. I'm gonna say this. I have taken my bright white cloak. It's in the bag. You feel a little bummed out about it. Yeah, you feel a little less chipper and positive. Well, duh. You're not sure this was a good idea. And I put my black cloak that I've replaced it with. Yeah, back on.
00:41:25
Speaker
Okay and I mean is it just can I walk in or do I need to knock? I mean it's a it's a tavern slash in so okay so it's it's a functioning tavern yeah yeah yeah okay yeah so I go in and I go up to the uh you walk in and it's pretty dimly lit um not a whole lot no ever bright liners or anything um pretty
00:41:47
Speaker
rim vibe as you walk in, like there's a few people sitting around. But I mean, it is the middle of the day, so wouldn't expect a tavern to be hopping. But even so, it's it's pretty low clientele. The bartender is standing behind the bar not cleaning a mug or a glass, which is rather astonishing.
00:42:06
Speaker
Um, you know, it's not there. You immediately don't trust this bar. Yeah. What kind of bartender, but they're just standing there, hands on the bar, kind of leaning, uh, watching the patrons and then turns and sees you walk in. I walk up and I say, um, hi, uh, listen, I really, um, I, I've been talking with a fellow named sugar.
00:42:35
Speaker
I don't know if that means anything to you guys. My name's Dex and I was told to come to the black dog. So yeah, I know. Okay. Well, new. Oh, wait, what? I mean, he hasn't been heard from since all that business down in storm reach. I didn't think about that. Well, okay. How do I, all right. Um,
00:43:04
Speaker
I he he told me he would train me or if I was someplace he wasn't that I could be trained if I came to a black dog. I gotcha. I gotcha. All right. Yeah, I mean, we do we do training here in Sharn. But the person that does the training is out right now. So come back in an hour or so and I'm sure she'll be in or you can hang out here and have a drink.
00:43:34
Speaker
Uh, I don't need a drink right now, but it's all right if I did sit go for it. All right. Um, yeah, it's like nine 30. Yeah. And there's nothing else around here that I want to see. Uh, I don't think so.
00:43:51
Speaker
Um, so yeah, it takes a little bit of time, but eventually, um, you see somebody walking, a couple of people filter in now and there. Um, but you, uh, the first time anybody gained your notice, uh, you see a tiefling woman walk in, um, with bright red skin, horns, tail, the whole, whole deal.
00:44:19
Speaker
um she walks in and walks straight up to the bar and you see the bartender kind of gesture over her shoulder pointing at you and she turns and kind of seems like she's assessing you for a second and then she walks up to your table says
00:44:34
Speaker
was told that you wanted to see me yeah I suppose it's you okay here's just real brief story I was at one point bitten my one and I've spent some time as a as a let's
00:44:54
Speaker
Step back into my office. Great. Cool. So she gestures and there's a door. I feel like Dex speaks sufficiently quietly that he doesn't have to run away every time he wants to have a sensitive conversation, but okay. But she opens the door for you and there's a small room with a couple of chairs and a table. She says, have a seat. So you were at one time bitten. Right. And I spent some time as a
00:45:24
Speaker
a werebear. One of my traveling companions didn't like that very much, the silver flame of it all, and removed the quote unquote curse. I will, in a point in his favor, he did do it after I mauled one of our other friends.
00:45:43
Speaker
Fair enough, but as a tiefly lycanthrope, you can imagine that I don't hold the silver flame in the highest of regards. Sure, sure. And so, but... Sorry, Phillip made a face in shimmy. But, so Sagur found me after I'd been cured and basically said,
00:46:05
Speaker
I'm the kind of guy y'all like. He offered to take you under his wing and train you and bring you into the Saeron Order, all that. Right, and he gave me, we had enough of a conversation, I got the gist of everything, he gave me the gloves to train with, I guess. But that's about the last, it's been a while,
00:46:30
Speaker
My life exploded, and we've been kinda on the run, and then we had to re-put a king back on the throne. Do you hear about all that craziness in Roet? I mean, I heard that there was an assassination attempt, but the Borneo is still alive, and the government's changing, and honestly, it's not really going to affect us here, so. Fair, that's fair. I just, okay, fine, anyway.
00:46:59
Speaker
I have a few days is all my, the guy who pilots my airship is coming this way from storm reach. And I've got that much time to study or frame. Give me a dexterity saving throw.
00:47:24
Speaker
25 okay so um i envision them sitting about the same you uh you and her sitting about the same position that we are um at the corner of a table for the listeners a couple feet apart holding hands a couple feet apart holding hands you have long arms
00:47:42
Speaker
You on her lap as you are on mine right now sharing a microphone. No. So sitting at the corner of the table and she just quickly reaches her leg out in case that you're out from under you. But you're able to you sense it and like stand straight up like OK. So your reflexes are.
00:48:02
Speaker
uh up stuff um and she gestures at a bookshelf over there and what what type of weapon do you use normally now that you're no longer a werebear i just i mean i've got it with me so i just hold up my ribbon weave and i say uh interesting
00:48:20
Speaker
Yeah, and I mean, are you familiar with this? I mean, I've heard about flexible blades and things like that. Okay, I hadn't popped the blade out yet. It's not what it seems, if you'll allow me. And then I popped the blade out. Oh, interesting. Kind of will laugh a little bit. Not to show off, just to demonstrate. Strike that bookshelf as many times as you can until I tell you to stop.
00:48:46
Speaker
Go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go,
00:49:15
Speaker
That has never been brought up. Only about one swing every six-ish second switch. It's pathetic. Well, in my defense, my weapon has some... You might call a... Don't blame the tool. A refractory period. Don't blame the tool. Sit down. Now I'm gonna suck the blade back and just go both ends with the cage. And so she then...
00:49:43
Speaker
goat asks, can I see?
00:49:47
Speaker
Yeah, sure. And she proceeds to, I don't know of a way to explain this in fiction to make it sound real. She swings the ribbon weave in such a way to where the ribbon strikes the bookshelf twice. Like she's using it in a way that you hadn't really thought to use the ribbon weave before. And like having the- The weapon she's heard of, she's a master of. Cool.
00:50:15
Speaker
So basically now you've learned, learned, learned how to action search. Great. But boy, it tuckers me out to do it. You need like a short rest after. I actually, I get up and I try it and I do it once and I just have to sit down and I'm amazed she was able to do it more than once a night. You'll get there. So give me half an hour. But go work on that, master it, see if maybe you can get it to be a bit more consistent.
00:50:45
Speaker
And control it. Right now, you are capable of doing it, but you are kind of wild and erratic. Just like with lycanthropy, it has to be controlled. You can't just do it. That's how you maul your compatriots. So work on that, work on controlling how you strike.
00:51:12
Speaker
And if you have time, come back and we will work on this further. That sounds great. I'll do my best to make it back before we leave. I'm at the mercy of one of my friends who was recently blinded and we are not from this city. And so I'm kind of at the mercy of
00:51:38
Speaker
Not on his end. I want to be able to be there for him as much as I can. So I'll do my best to make it back. So were you on the, are you from storm reach? No, uh, no, we were in storm reach, um, to gather equipment. And, uh, that's when Segur intercepted us because we were heading back into town from the jungle. And did you, uh, did you meet with Segur after your initial,
00:52:08
Speaker
point of contact. I can't recall. I thought I thought you did. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. We met one time in the storm reach shortly before it got massacred. Yes. It's tragic. Some of our best members were in the storm reach black dog. But it's nearly hidden over there. So
00:52:39
Speaker
Is there anything else you need for me? If you continue to work on this, maybe we can look into actually benefiting you with the gift. If you can learn to control your nature and make this a consistent thing you can do.
00:52:56
Speaker
Honestly, the next step is if you retain your lessons with cigar of attuning with nature, the natural senses being heightened, that kind of thing, then next step would be animal form. Diving right in. All right. Well, I don't know how else to put this, but
00:53:24
Speaker
The circumstances don't always align for me to be able to continue training in a consistent manner, but I can assure you I do not forget skills once I learn them. I don't always get much better at them either, but I don't forget them.
00:53:39
Speaker
Uh, so I will be prepared to move ahead when the time affords me. Well, like you said, circumstances don't always align. So Go would have, uh, elongated your lessons, um, by quite a bit, but some of our best members were killed or missing or captured or worse.
00:54:04
Speaker
Yeah. You know, I met four down in storm reach. Um, I apologize for not recalling all of their names. They seemed like, I guess they were cigars running buddies. Yes. They were a team you haven't heard from any of them. Nope.
00:54:21
Speaker
I'm terribly sorry to hear that. Thank you. I mean, I only ever spoke to Segur and I apologize again for not remembering his name. The one that had the boar abilities thought I was funny, so I liked him a lot too.
00:54:39
Speaker
Thank you for taking on what Sigur promised me. You didn't have to do that, and I appreciate it. Like I said, we are short on membership, and if Sigur thought that you were capable, well, honestly, he was the most eager to train new students. So that doesn't say a whole lot other than you're capable.
00:55:06
Speaker
Well, we're just going to be fast friends. Uh, I'm, I'm joking with you, by the way. Oh yeah, I get it. Well, um, I best be heading back to the monastery to pick up my friend. He, uh,
00:55:26
Speaker
Uh, like I said, he was recently blinded, but he still wants to continue his swordsman practice. And, uh, I have a feeling that we might be talking him down and I want to be in the right head space for that. Very well. Um, would you like to do things backwards now and at the end of a conversation, exchange pleasantries? My name is Solana. Solana.
00:55:57
Speaker
writing that down. All right. So, um, Barrick, what are you doing? So Barrick enters. Um, I don't know what the protocol is. We've never role played one of these places before. Um, definitely take your shoes off. It is a very quiet place.
00:56:24
Speaker
Um, and you Dex kind of drops you off and you begin to walk in, but then you realize you don't see anything. So yeah. So Eric kind of feels is what walks back sort of moves towards the until he finds a wall with the end of his staff of his stick. And he begins to sort of move along that wall until there's a gap.
00:56:54
Speaker
And then he sort of reaches out until he finds the other side and works out that he's standing in a doorway. And at that point he moves in and stands still and sort of listens to see if there's anyone around.
00:57:14
Speaker
I recognize now that Dex absolutely should have walked Berwick into the place, but we're all learning how to handle this situation together. Um, Oh, uh, hello. Can, can we help you? Um, yes. Uh, so I was a student, um, of a,
00:57:42
Speaker
a swordsman named Daedric Benar. He told me that he had studied with the Order of the Broken Blade, and I need a place where I can work
00:58:00
Speaker
on some things. And being in the city, not all of them would be safe to work on in, you know, I mean, you understand. Yes, of course. And also perhaps just a quiet place to meditate. I have been studying the way of the Kensei for some time now, but have recently
00:58:29
Speaker
I have recently come into a problem. I, I'm not asking that you solve it. I don't believe that you can of course, but I need a place where I can practice without endangering anyone. And Eric will sort of feel his way up to the hood and sort of draw the hood back enough to show that he has no eyes anymore. There's pull it back down a moment of
00:59:00
Speaker
oppressive silence. Sure. Um, I should probably have prepared you for that in words. I don't know exactly what I look like anymore. Um, but based on how it happened, I imagine that it's somewhat gruesome.
00:59:21
Speaker
Um, yes, we, we have, uh, training yards that, uh, can accommodate you and your needs. And we have, um, people that can assist you if you desire with, um, training. Did you, this is perhaps, um, I apologize if this is a foolish question, but did you know, uh, master Benar,
00:59:50
Speaker
The name is vaguely familiar to me, though the person is not. He was in Stormreach. I have not heard from him since the fall of that city. I was hoping that perhaps you had news that he was not dead, as I have hoped. But again, of course, this is a large world.
01:00:15
Speaker
Yes, I apologize. I do not have any information on that person. I have some arcane ability. Are your training facilities a place where I could if I were to light a small fire that would not cause harm to your facility?
01:00:41
Speaker
um where it is a magical fire i don't believe that it will actually catch the building on fire in one of our training ground yes yes that's of course what i meant right uh well um obviously if you could lead the way
01:00:58
Speaker
Yes, and he kind of reaches out and grabs your hand and puts it on his his arm and he's leading you. After a moment, you begin to hear some some more noise, still no magic is just showing up for you. But as as you walk in, you can kind of feel the the air on your face, you're no longer indoors.
01:01:28
Speaker
This is our training yard. Could you position me in a way that there's no one in front of me? Certainly. And you hear his body moving as he's doing something and you hear the noise around you begin to die out and there's nobody within other than me 20 feet of you right now. Excellent.
01:01:56
Speaker
And I, to the best of my ability, a, perhaps 10 feet ahead of me, I reached out and I cast create bonfire. Okay. And so a magical bonfire, which I can now perceive, uh, springs up.
01:02:16
Speaker
And at that point, I draw the sword. And I say, all right, I don't know what this is going to do, but we're aiming at that. And I say, in my head. And then I attempt to activate the new rune. OK.
01:02:38
Speaker
You feel the blade kind of vibrate for a moment very rapidly and the vibration goes up your arm into your shoulder.
01:02:49
Speaker
And then you feel a small recoil from the blade just kind of shoots back. And then you hear gasps and from around you and you see appear in the bonfire and then quickly move out a humanoid figure that begins to like pat themselves down. It's like, what? What happened? Oh,
01:03:19
Speaker
What? I can see him. You can see that, like, he is magical. Where am I? I say it into my head. Do you know what we just did? I can't see anything other than what you did, though. I did feel some kind of conjuration and I feel like Dolor was involved. I'm not sure. Who are you? I'm. Oh,
01:03:50
Speaker
Your. Your son. Oh, OK. Gods. Who are you? I'm I think you're. Great, a few times, uncle. How are you here? I. Right now, I understand.
01:04:19
Speaker
Um, you, the person that led you in says there's. Yes, I know. I understand. Oh, wait, the shadowy. Yes. So you're not. Hmm. I moved towards the person carefully, but the using the, the scabbard to sort of feel the ground ahead of me. Um, and then I reach out and attempt to put my hand on the figure.
01:04:47
Speaker
You can though it's strange. Listen, I'm still in Dolar, but you moved me. I would like to, since I am detecting magic, I would like to make an arcana check to see if I can identify what exactly I just did.
01:05:11
Speaker
25. Um, so I'm just going to read the, that's fine. The effect text for you. Um, you can use an action to call forth an elf shadow, which shatter Kai is what we're going to call it. Sure. Uh, provided that you don't already have one serving you. Um, they appear in an unoccupied space within 120 feet of you. It uses the statistics for a shadow, except it is neutral. I mean to effects that turn on dead and does not create new shadows. You control this creature, deciding how it acts and moves. It remains until it drops to zero hit points or you dismiss it as an action.
01:05:41
Speaker
What is this a spell? It is a property of the moon blade. When you roll, it could happen. Right.
Mysterious Message and Tension
01:05:49
Speaker
So this is effectively, this is the same as the sixth level ability, except that I, something doesn't have to have died. Yes. Okay. And it stays until how long? Um, it drops to zero hit points or you dismiss it. All right.
01:06:09
Speaker
I apologize for the inconvenience and I dismiss it. Okay. That was something. Yes. I'm very sorry. I did not, I did not expect that to happen. Um, I will not do anything of that sort. Uh, again, I'm very sorry. Um, right. Then you have a, is there a Pell that I could practice striking in the yard?
01:06:39
Speaker
Yes, absolutely. Right. Well, I'll, I'll work on that for a bit, I think. Okay. Um, while you work on that for a bit and all this stuff is kind of happening simultaneously, um, we're going to cut back to Dex. So Dex, you're leaving the black dog in, um, give me a perception check.
01:07:02
Speaker
Twenty seven. Twenty seven. You see a person that looks to be very drunk stumbling towards you and they fall into you like like into your chest chest trap. Yeah. And you hear them whisper.
01:07:26
Speaker
She wants to talk and then they fall backwards out of your arms and you see that like blood is coming up from underneath their clothes and there's a note in your hand that has an address. And it signed the coin Lord. End of episode.
01:07:54
Speaker
I'm sure we remember this. The architecture characters remember this. Is that Seljandra? Okay. Yes. All right. Thank you all so much for listening.
01:08:08
Speaker
I just went blank. If you want to be part of the conversation, head on over to our Facebook group, The Geek Pantheon. You can also find us on Instagram and Twitter at The Geek Pantheon. If you want to join an amazing community of listeners, we have a Patreon with a wonderful Discord. You can head on over to patreon.com slash TheGeekPantheon.
01:08:25
Speaker
to join that community where you get to talk with all of them. And you also get access to the DM spell book that Philip and I consistently add to with items. Periodically. Let's be honest. Periodically. Home brew stuff.
01:08:41
Speaker
So yeah, it's a really neat community and we would love to have you over there. Thank you all so much for listening. Oh, we are also part of the D20 Radio Network, which is a wonderful family of podcasts. And we wanted to highlight for you all the Order 66 podcast. It is the original that started the whole network.
01:09:02
Speaker
GM Chris, GM Dave, and GM Phil do great episodes where they deep dive into the fantasy flight game Star Wars role-playing game system, breaking down all the specializations and setting and everything. So go check them out, as well as all the other awesome podcasts on the D20 radio network over at d20radio.com slash podcasts. Anyway, thank you all so much for listening. Once again, I am your dungeon master, Eric. I'm Philip Randy, Jeff. We will see you next time.
01:09:41
Speaker
Sigur Rose. No, the reason it's familiar to me is that Sigur Rose is a band. Oh, Sigur. Okay.
01:09:56
Speaker
Anyway, but I think he also said something if you go to another black dog and tell him cigarettes ensure whatever Yeah, that's what I probably need to be able
Conclusion and Social Media
01:10:03
Speaker
to do. All right So we just spit game on 10 minutes to 15 for that for me to be able to say cigar sent me Guess what? It's only 5 15. I'm fine with this
01:10:15
Speaker
and Philip got to experience how I listened to podcasts. Oh my God, that made me physically uncomfortable. I felt actively disoriented as my ears were trying to keep up with it. I've backed down to 1.5. I don't know how you do not crash listening to that. I couldn't.