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C1 Ep. 77 The Brelish Job Chapter Ten
345 Plays6 years ago
It is time for our heroes to refocus as they look back to their primary goals, but what new obstacles will come up this time?
This episode is brought to you by the generous donations of our amazing Show Sponsors: Laura Pickrahn, Jessica Smith, Irene Viorritto, Ryan Royce, Darrin Katzska, Darrell DeLaney, Jon Cary, Charles Compton, Nikko Batson, Matt Lewis, The Kamm Family, and David Scrams.
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Transcript
Introduction and Sponsors
00:00:01
Speaker
This show is brought to you by the generous donations of our show sponsors, Matt Lewis, Laura Pickron, Irene Villarito, Darryl Delaney, Nico Batson, Darren Katska, Ryan Royce, John Kerry, Jessica Smith, The Cam Family, Charles Compton, and David Scrams, as well as all of our generous patrons.
Show Introduction and Host Update
00:00:49
Speaker
Hello and welcome to Eberron Renew, the D&D 5th edition actual play podcast set in the Eberron campaign setting. I'm your dungeon master, Eric.
00:00:57
Speaker
And I'm Philip. And I'm Jeff.
00:01:00
Speaker
And we are sadly without Randy for the next couple of episodes, uh, due to, uh, just some, some personal wellness issues. So we hope that Randy is feeling better by the time you all are hearing this. Um, but Booyah will still be with the party. He will just be a lot quieter than usual. And if he needs to step up and fire a couple of crossbow bolts, he might be able to do that.
Recap of Previous Adventures
00:01:24
Speaker
So, um, gentlemen, what happened last time?
00:01:28
Speaker
Okay, so here's the thing. We got caught by... Belshara? Belashara. Yep. And, uh... Okay, so there's this dragon. There was. There was this dragon. There was also this giant, uh... gross thing. What's important is...
00:01:59
Speaker
that the episode hasn't dropped yet, and we recorded it a month ago.
Puzzle and Shard Discussion
00:02:05
Speaker
But if we're hitting the highlights, it ends with me and Booyah on one side of a door with four shards. We have five, that's right, with five shards. No, you all have four. Okay, that's what I thought, yeah. I thought you were describing the number of shards needed for them. No, no, we have four shards for a five-shard puzzle.
00:02:26
Speaker
Yes. The fish shard is with, is it Beric or Erebus right now? It's still Erebus right now. It's still Erebus, yeah. It's with Erebus on the other side of the door and he can't come to us and we can't go to him and we need that shard. Yes, it's a complicated problem.
00:02:45
Speaker
made more complicated by the fact that the riddle means nothing to to Dex or Jeff yes that is made that does make it more complicated but let's let's not forget that
Dragon Orb and Puzzle Advancement
00:03:00
Speaker
this door our great nemesis the doors allied to our other great nemesis the riddle they are teaming up
00:03:14
Speaker
by our vicious patrons. Thank you, Eric, crowdsource this information. Thank you. Thank you, patrons. We will have our revenge. So yes, we're just gonna pick up where we left off with, yeah, Barak and Drakir or Erebus and Drakir in a room with a dragon corpse and decks and a very vocal and ready to help Booyah on the other side of the door.
00:03:45
Speaker
Oh, and Drakir did recover the dragon related orb. Yes. Yes. Eric, I can't remember. Is there a dragon corpse in the room or did the dragon get sucked into the orb or something weird like? Oh, yes, that's right. It got sucked into the orb. Thank you. OK, so the orb actually contains a dragon. Yes, that's cool. I didn't know that was going to happen. It's going to be true. High school. It's a pokeball. Yeah. So dragon. It's a messed up dragon pokeball.
00:04:10
Speaker
Isn't there a dragon Pokemon? Oh, did I not tell you everything else that the orb does? Not yet. Let's find out. Okay. Does it, let me ask you this. Does it do all of the things that that item traditionally does? Orb of dragon kind? Yes. Okay. In addition to containing a dragon that was just to contain its very own dragon. That was a house rule thing that you and I did the first time we, we used it. And I just thought that was baked into. It's the special collector's edition dragon included.
00:04:40
Speaker
So meanwhile Dex is on the outside of the room just throwing these shards the door like if one of them sticks in one of the holes Great. We had one of them you had one of them figured out right? Yes, I did according to the drawing that I misplaced of the it was like the top left of the star Shavaroth uh-huh the battle the battleground We worked out that that one was connected to the first portion of the poem dealing with liberation and
00:05:11
Speaker
I believe you had socketed the correct shard into that one, or at least knew which shard went in it.
00:05:18
Speaker
Yeah, I wrote every word of this down in a document on my tablet, and then it deleted itself. Yay. Dex was able to figure out which hole the shard that Barrick has goes in. That's what you were able to use. Because Barrick has the one that he took from the cage that was containing the creature. So yeah, that's the one that you were able to figure out. Okay.
00:05:44
Speaker
Oh, so we're nowhere. OK, great. Good. So. Over the. It's almost as if all these shards were meticulously placed throughout this vault in places that indicated clues as to which slot they might go into. It's almost as if we spent six months in a dungeon and wanted to just get through the damn thing. So over the Cindy Stone, you hear Erebus's voice.
Encounter with the Creature
00:06:16
Speaker
The dragon is slain. Um, well, good. I'm glad you're okay. Can you come back out here now and, uh, help us with this rule? There's a long awkward pause. We cannot. What, uh, you, but you took one. We need the fight. You were there. You heard the explanation, right? How this works.
00:06:47
Speaker
We were not fully remembering that Beric had this shard when we came in here. Awesome. Yes. Well, this, I believe, is one sort of sticky wicket that walking on walls is not going to be able to get you out of. Or does it? Crawl around, look for a weak spot.
00:07:16
Speaker
So after a moment of listening to one side of this conversation, while Erebus has been staring in futility at the door, Druhir has made a more thorough search of this room just to make sure there's not anything else.
00:07:35
Speaker
Uh, that might be helpful in this situation to be found. So, uh, just roll a quick perception check here or investigation, whichever one you would like to use perception. Okay. Then that will be just a 15.
00:07:57
Speaker
15 and what are you searching for? Just anything else that you can find in here? Yeah, just to make sure I've given the room a good solid once over and make sure there's not anything else to be found here. It appears that this dragon obviously resided in the orb, so it didn't really have a chance to gather a horde of any kind. The only big thing that you notice with the 15 is you do hear
00:08:26
Speaker
like skittering and noises coming from the giant hole in the wall that leads further down into Kyber. I did not remember that the giant hole in the wall was in this room. Excellent. By that I mean, that's terrible. So meanwhile, Dex is just staring at four shards in his hand.
00:08:50
Speaker
And he decides to make another read of the clue, see if anything jumps out at him. What would you like from me? Um, go ahead and yeah, roll me a let's do investigation. Trying to deduce a 20 some odd, uh,
00:09:12
Speaker
30. 20 something 30. So yeah, you're you're able to looking at the riddle written above the star shape. Okay, so with your 30, I'll say that you figured out three of the clues. So obviously,
00:09:35
Speaker
We'll say that Doleur, you associate with reclaiming, souls are reclaimed and sent back to Doleur and death. So the one with Doleur. Okay, so so reclaim being the fifth verb listed in the riddle.
00:10:02
Speaker
You would probably think that the fifth shard goes into the dollar slot. Okay. I, um, I reach up and I place it in.
00:10:16
Speaker
I don't get a ding or. There's a there's a rumble as the shard is drawn further into the slot and it begins to glow faintly. What was that? I got one right.
00:10:36
Speaker
I put I put the duller shard no I put the five shard in the duller spot and It sunk in a little bit at this rate By the time we get to
Retreat and Regroup
00:10:50
Speaker
where we need your shard you'll be rested up and can just hop on out here and give it to us So The
00:11:00
Speaker
The churning chaos, K3, based on the verbs given in the riddle, you would associate that with Phillips doing a happy dance. Would you like to say which one you think since you innovate? Yes, it is innovative. So the number two, the number two slides in there easily.
00:11:25
Speaker
And lastly, Dex with the churning chaos being innovation. You look at the plane of the rune that represents the plane of Don B perfect order everything in its place manifestation of law, which would associate itself with the verb of building. Yes.
00:11:44
Speaker
Haha. So I got it. Um, so based on what you all have been able to figure out thus far, um, in the two, the two shard goes in the three slots, the three shard goes in the Don B slot. You were able to just deduce being a smart person that the four shot, the four shard goes in the liberate slot. And the fifth shard goes in the dollar slot, which leaves only one slot and one shard.
00:12:14
Speaker
inspire and or the Feywild. Right. Yes. And I put it in there as well. And then we sit there and I stare at the four place shards. So, uh, Drakir has now heard enough of one side of the conversation to work out the problem we're in. Just in case he doesn't, Dexi yells, Drakir, you're stuck in there. I can reach you. I'm sorry, what? I can reach you.
00:12:49
Speaker
Well, I can reach you with magic. Right. Can you? Because we don't have, because we don't have speaking stones. Erebus, why don't you hand your gear the speaking stone?
00:13:13
Speaker
The noises are starting to get louder from the hole in the wall. But there is some speed required. What do you mean you gotta like get a running start? No, something is coming this direction. Oh, all right. There is a large pole in the wall here. No, gross. Okay, so you can get to us. Can you get this? Can you bring the shard with you? What shard?
00:13:40
Speaker
All right, here's what happened And I explained explain I explained the last hour so Trickier
Strategizing and Disguises
00:13:50
Speaker
turns to Erebus. I will take the shard to him stay Be ready Erebus fishes around and takes the shard out and hands it to trickier and trickier's body sort of Becomes insubstantial and becomes shadow
00:14:10
Speaker
And after a moment, Dex, what you see is out of a very small crack caused by all of the earthquake-y shifting of the dragon battle, you see shadows sort of seep out of this crack, and then sort of grip and pull as this very, very strange shadowy image gradually
00:14:33
Speaker
seeps out through this crack, uh, and stands before you as trickier and then solidifies. I swear to God, you got the weirdest family. Um, I take the shard. Yes. And I say, before you do this, what has happened to him? All right.
00:15:00
Speaker
So it told... What has he told you about his whole, you know, dying and then being less dead? I understand he has died and come back. What is that? Alright, so that sword that you wanted so bad that he wouldn't give up even in death?
00:15:17
Speaker
Uh, it turns out it's like way more than a sword and you'll have to forgive me. He, he, I mean, he, he and I have talked about it, but I still don't really get it. Uh, my understanding is it's less a sword and more an entity unto itself. And now he can allow it to take control of him. And, uh, and, uh, Eric still in there. He is allowing it.
00:15:46
Speaker
I think my understanding is it's constantly trying to and there are times he gives in. I think, uh, and then he has to, cause he kind of has, he kind of seems like he has to fight to regain control when it's time to, uh, it's not the most comforting thing, but it's on our side. Um, and he tends to be able to eventually give rest. He's, he's Barrick more often than he's Arab is.
00:16:17
Speaker
Listen, my people are bound to a thing. It's not that thing. We bound ourselves long ago in our war. It eats away at you. Yeah, he warned me about that. I think
00:16:41
Speaker
Here's the thing. He's dead anyway. He's not dead, clearly. He's something. I wouldn't say he's dead though. He's not alive. I wouldn't call him alive either, but he would be just straight up dead. Instead, he made this pact to come back and fight on my side, fight on our side, fight for the good of the world. And then,
00:17:12
Speaker
I think and then he's dead. I think that he fights till he wins, and when he wins, he's gone. And that sucks, but it makes, I guess, the whole getting chipped away at by Erebus thing a little less disconcerting to me, because it's not like he's doomed to a lifetime of this. It's like he's on a short lease anyway.
Observations and Conversations
00:17:42
Speaker
How much of him will be left when you have won? I don't know. I really don't. I hope there's enough there for me to, you know, celebrate a victory and thank him and tell him goodbye. But if they're not, I think he, Barrick, would be happy knowing that mission was won.
00:18:13
Speaker
So if you're curious quiet for a minute and then reaches into his cloak and pulls out the lamp and pushes it into your hand. I take it.
00:18:30
Speaker
I'm trying to remember if Dex knows what this does. You watched it happen. Okay. Yeah. I just, I couldn't remember for sure. Uh, Jeff knows. Yeah. Uh, okay. Uh, okay. Uh, thank you. I guess I hope I don't
00:19:00
Speaker
I'm kind of taking it back. Dex is taken aback by this. I think maybe he just acknowledges what this is, what this means. It puts his new bag of holding with the separate from the grain. There are prices not worth paying for victory.
00:19:32
Speaker
I think that depends on the condition of defeat. Well, apparently there is another option. You did not have this before. This alters reality. Yeah, no, I know. I think there's a question of timing. And I don't know that
00:20:06
Speaker
I don't know. I can't just wish the world made right. No. I could wish Beric back to Beric. Yes. I need a perception check from
Revelations and Plans with Three
00:20:20
Speaker
Erebus. It has been a second. 18. 18. Okay. Erebus, you notice nothing. Oh, cool.
00:20:37
Speaker
Did you hear hand the sending so that they trade trade rocks? He got the shard and hand the things yeah, yeah, Edra here would have left the sending some with him Okay, so he can let us know if something comes because because Dex is suddenly I Mean I don't know I don't I don't know I Don't know if Eric wants to be saved I need to talk to him you don't know who you're talking to anymore I
00:21:04
Speaker
I'll ask him a question. Only Barret can answer. And you're here. What's the what's the shard in the slot? OK, Erebus need one more perception check from you. Twenty five. Twenty five. OK, that was a loud groan. I'm pretty sure you heard it. Yeah. As the stone door begins to rumble, having the final shard placed into it,
00:21:36
Speaker
It grinds open and you all see Erebus turning around just in time to see the tentacle of some kind of creature swipe down at him. It appears to be a... It looks like a beholder, but it has pale white skin and one large red eye.
00:22:00
Speaker
Um, and we need initiative. I got a 31. Barrick. 18. Trickier. 22.
00:22:20
Speaker
Okay, first up is Dex, unsurprisingly. Yeah, so I'm gonna run and I'm gonna slash this thing with the sword that pops out of my cane. It's called a ribbon weave. It's a magical weapon. It's 25. 25, that is a hit. Seven.
00:22:54
Speaker
24 points of damage. Slashing. So you run into the room after the door opens and yeah, you swipe your ribbon leap in it. It lands hard and wraps around one of this thing's tentacles and blood just kind of start like trickles out of it. It's not bleeding profusely yet or anything. Barak or Erebus rather. No, Erebus had an 18, Drakir had a 22.
00:23:26
Speaker
Oh, I got this next time. Sorry. That's fine. Uh, yeah. Drakir seeing this thing, uh, draws out the giant sword in one hand, the blade in the other, and, uh, charges. So first attack with the giant splay, uh, is a 21. That is a hit.
00:23:55
Speaker
Second attack also with the Giant's Blade is more, 23. And the third attack with the Vorpal Blade is a 19. A natural 19. So a whole lot.
00:24:14
Speaker
I can't wait. I cannot wait till that lands. What would happen with a beholder? I think you just cut in half like okay like a cantaloupe Do you cut like around all the tentacles fall off? That's right. How'd your cure would do it? Yeah first damage with the flame tongue long sword is
00:24:41
Speaker
20 damage, some of which is fire, but I don't think that's relevant here. Second damage for the Flametongue Longsword is, wow, that's like basically the opposite roll. 11 damage. And then for the Vorpal
Lich's Dramatic Entrance
00:25:01
Speaker
Blade, 9 damage.
00:25:08
Speaker
Okay. And he just rushes in and sort of kips off a wall and slash slash slash as he arcs over the thing and lands on the other side of it. And with each slash being within five feet where the blood trickles out from each land, lightning shoots out and strikes your cure with each hit. Oh, gross. That's very bad.
00:25:30
Speaker
You take 19 points of damage. So yes, it is now Erebus's turn.
00:25:48
Speaker
So seeing that and being a fairly practical chap, Erebus is not going to get within five feet of the creature and instead creates the shadow bow and begins blasting at it. Eldritch Lee. A whole bunch, 25. First attack. And the second one, even more.
00:26:17
Speaker
So damage for the first one is 11 force damage. And second one, oh man, I forgot. Totally forgot to use. I can't explain curse. Is eight damage. So a total of 19 force damage. Okay. Two blasts of arcane energy hit the things.
00:26:48
Speaker
And now it is its turn. So with Drakir being within range. Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot it's an aberration. So it would have taken two more points of damage from each of Drakir's attacks. So six more damage to the creature.
00:27:13
Speaker
The first attack against Drakir is a 22. A tentacle lashes out at Drakir and he takes 15 points of piercing damage. Drakir is down. He had to solo a dragon in the last episode.
00:27:45
Speaker
Now, how do saving throws on unconscious creatures work? It depends on the kind of saving throw, I think. It's a constitution save. I don't know. Um... Is he about to attack Drakir again? Well, his tentacle is basically wrapped around Drakir's throat with its tentacle teeth, like, inside Drakir's neck. Well, strangulation is... It's not strangulation. It's not strangulation.
00:28:16
Speaker
Uh, let's just, I'll, I'll just make a call since it's a constitution saving throw and it's more of rather than anything that trick here is actively doing. Let's just go ahead and give me a regular constitution saving throw, uh, for trick here. Very well. That was good. Um, 17. Okay. Um, and one more. 13.
00:28:45
Speaker
Okay. Dex and Erebus, you see what appears to be almost like a throat drinking. This tentacle that's wrapped around your gear starts to pulsate. Okay. And this is all part of the same attack trick here, so it doesn't have the failed death save thing attached to it.
00:29:13
Speaker
19 points of damage and it's going to regain some health. I mean, I, there's no, there's no such thing as negative damage. So yeah. Um, he just rolled it to prove for it. Well, no, because that pings, how many health points? So, um, so yeah, here's a juice box. Um, it is now Dex's turn.
00:29:43
Speaker
Okay, I want to cut off the tentacle that is wrapped around Drakir's throat. Yeah, I know. This is gonna be one of those things where in some episodes Eric entirely forgets he has a soundboard and others too much. Yeah. That's a 24 to hit. 24 to hit? Yeah. Okay. What's my damage threshold to get this tentacle blown?
00:30:12
Speaker
I'll just roll. Oh, is it a called shot like you're trying to cut the tentacle? Yeah. Then I'm going to treat it like Booyah's called shots where it's with disadvantage. Okay. That you're aiming for a smaller target. So that was a 24. Shoot, that's a 16. That actually hits. All right. So yeah, go ahead and give me a roll. Okay. 12, 18, 19, 22,
00:30:43
Speaker
29 points of damage. Okay. Yeah, so your ribbon weave slashes down and slices straight through this thing's tentacle and some of Drakir's blood kind of pours out on the ground as you cut the straw in half mid drink. I tried to collect it. I can get this back in. It's a little dirty, it's okay. Okay, and now it is Drakir's turn, so I need a death saving throw.
00:31:13
Speaker
12. Okay, that's a success. Now it is Erebus's turn. Well, I'm out of spells, so we're just gonna keep it up with the Eldritch Blasting, I believe. So first one.
00:31:41
Speaker
is a 28, second one is a 25. Both of those are hits. 11 damage and 15 damage. Two more shadow bolts just blast forward from the bow and sink into the creature.
00:32:12
Speaker
Eric got a new toy and we're all suffering for it. Um, okay. So yes, you, you, your attack lands straight into the thing. It kind of staggers back and now it is its turn. Um, so, um,
00:32:29
Speaker
and imagine that Dex is probably closest. So it's going to move up a few Dex and attempt to attack. So that is going to be an 18 to hit. Uh, no, wait, shoot. Yeah. Matches. Yes. I thought I had a 19. Um, so that is going to be 12 points of damage and you are grappled. Um, so now I need a constitution saving
00:32:59
Speaker
All right, sorry, let me do my damage adjustment. I did something wrong on this. I should learn how to use technology. What's that in? Well, Constitution. OK, this is not going to go great. Yeah, it's a five. OK. So this tentacle begins to pulsate and you feel
00:33:27
Speaker
blood draining from you, Erebus, you see the colors start to disappear from Dex's face. You take 13 points of damage and it's going to regain some health. And I need another constitution save. 16. Oh, I'm sorry. It will actually pass. So never mind.
00:33:54
Speaker
So you managed to, you, you grabbed the tentacle and pinch it off to where it can't drink anymore. Um, I'll take that. Um, for now, um, it is, uh, Dex's turn. I'm going to try to get myself out of this thing. Oh, sorry. Top of the initial order. Booyah is going to run up and stabilize Drake here. Um, now that the, uh, creature has moved away. Um, and he'll actually, since he's a cleric,
00:34:24
Speaker
use a Booyah spell slot. Drakir is now at three hit points.
00:34:31
Speaker
So, good morning, bud. All right. Yeah. So on my turn, I mean, I, I forgot about the fact that Booyah is now the healer of the group. And so that's actually kind of a really vital function that he needs to still be able to perform. Yeah. So he may not attack, but he'll at least support the group. Fine. Can I get out of the cynical now? Yes. You can give me a strength or dexterity check.
00:34:59
Speaker
I think we all know it's gonna be dexterity. All right. 21? Yes. You wriggle out. And that's an action? Yes. You can remain grappled and still attack. It doesn't prevent you from hitting the thing. But it would keep me drinking me. So I'm going to eat, then yes. So I've escaped. That is my action. And then I will use my...
00:35:31
Speaker
movement to get well, I guess I need most action disengage and then movement to just, you know, step back where he can't immediately grab me again without moving himself. Okay. And that is all I shall do. All righty. I shall do trick here. You are prone on the ground. Uh, drake here jumps up from prone on the ground.
00:35:57
Speaker
And lunges into an attack this hideous aberration cuz he hates aberrations. Yeah feel strongly about it in a minute 19 that is a hit first attack 21 for the second attack and with four sword a natural 17
00:36:19
Speaker
This is the thing, the Vorpal Sword is really cool, but it's going to lead to an immense number of times where you're just disappointed. But as a result, 29. That's a Vorpal Sword attack. Oh no, darn it. Yes, all of those are hits. First two attacks with the Flametongue Blade.
00:36:46
Speaker
18 damage and then 14 damage and then the Vorpal Sword 16 damage.
00:36:58
Speaker
Okay, Drakir tips up off the ground and runs up and slashes in dramatic fashion all around this thing and it lets out a scream as blood begins to just drain from it and it flops with a sickening thud on the ground dead. Excellent. Wonderful. Drakir drives the flametongue blade through its eye.
00:37:26
Speaker
Dex says, let's get on the other side of this door and shut it. Do we know how to shut it? Well, I know that it is more likely to be shut if it is not wide open with us on the wrong side of it. That is fair point. Yeah. So we go on the other side of the door and I try to pull it shut. And I guess Dex is going to try to take one of the shards out. Just see if it'll budge. Um, yes, the shards do come out freely.
00:37:57
Speaker
Does it close when he does? Well, you pulled it shut. I pulled it shut already. Yeah. Oh, okay. Yeah, this is like shut the door. I didn't realize it had like a door handle or something. I was picturing a big stone door. It has enough. It's not a smooth surface. There are places where you can grab onto it. Cool. So I pull all five shards out there. Why not? Right? I mean. Yeah. Yeah. I throw them in my bag.
00:38:20
Speaker
Yes. Let's not leave the option to open this door when we leave. Exactly. Okay, so then from behind you all, as you shut the door, you just hear... Magnificent. You know who Bella Shira is like? Bella Shira is like Q.
00:38:43
Speaker
from Star Trek The Next Generation. Yes. I don't know much of Star Trek, but I do know Q's attitude and omnipotent. Well done. Magnificent. Thanks. Are you going to let us leave now? Have I ever done anything to
00:39:08
Speaker
keep you from leaving? Well, no, but until a couple minutes ago, I'd never seen a giant, uh, giant crossbred with a mind flayer either. So really rules change all the time.
00:39:23
Speaker
Well, I mean, you experienced a new creature, but I've I've shown I've built the bridge for you to get out. Like, I'm I've just shutters a little bit. Remembering the bridge. I've only ever wasted enough time in a conversation with this abomination. That's just rude. All right. Well, then, Mr. Belshira.
00:39:43
Speaker
Miss Bellashira? Bellashira, is that all right? Yeah, just, yeah. Titles are honorifics. All right, we'll be taking our leave now. Thank you for being as fair as is your want, I believe. Thanks. Hey, I feel like I really helped you out of a tight spot, so, you know.
00:40:01
Speaker
You're welcome. That's a nice spot of your making. I didn't make this door. I didn't put the dragon back there. I didn't make you all come down here. Drakir is 30 feet down the hallway. Yeah, I catch up. I tell Belashira to tell his family how I throw him. Booyah continues to talk with Belashira. Drakir is angry at you all for talking to this creature. Yeah, well, Drakir does some things that I find kind of dicey as well.
00:40:29
Speaker
You can't try to steal my friend's body. At night. Has he had polite conversations with the people who killed your family?
00:40:38
Speaker
No. All right. No, that I know of. I didn't. He was an adult when I met him. All right. That's fair. Anyway, so we're going back down the hallway and I, you know what? This is, I've got to, I've got to ask Erebus. Hey, uh, Erebus, the next part of the plan requires, uh, as one of its components, uh, a barrack.
00:41:06
Speaker
Can you cede control back, please? In what way is his form required? I mean, we literally have to go back into the party and he's got to look like he did when we walked in. Barabas cast Disguise Self and appears to be Barak.
00:41:32
Speaker
All right. Well, I mean, you're in this, you're in his noggin. Do you know what the plan was we were making? Yes, I am there when you talk to him. Can you sound different?
00:41:49
Speaker
Would it help if I used his voice? Oh, this is the worst. I mean, this is just the worst trick here. The worst, am I right? Well, I mean, we are here, so I suppose it makes sense that we use this voice if it pleases you better. Everything about this is just really wrong to Dex. Okay. Because you asked us to do it.
00:42:15
Speaker
No, I didn't. I asked you to let Beric have the run of the show again. Well, you asked if we could sound differently. I did do that. But initially, hey, let Beric back in control. The only consolation is I don't think Erebus would try to deceive you that he was actually Beric. Probably not. Maybe. I mean, there will be literally no telling except for in the mind of Phillips. I know, and that sucks. Jeff is now very uneasy in thinking about that lamp he has.
00:42:45
Speaker
We are much stronger in this. We are much stronger as Erebus than we are as Beric. Right. I know. Okay. Here's the thing. Oh, wait. No, no. Here's, here's the thing, Erebus. I know what you're here for. I know why you exist, more or less from Beric. Our goal is to surreptitiously kill, pay the theory.
00:43:14
Speaker
I believe that was our goal. I thought your goal was to surreptitiously kidnap your brother. I'm not going to do this a lot, but Booyah intercedes with since when. I thought you made poison pills to drop into a glass. This is not new.
00:43:33
Speaker
Barak and Frikir made poison pills to drop into a glass. Were we not? Here's the thing. Dex knows- I thought you were very against unleashing horrifying toxic poisons at the party. You've done it though and Dex knows you've done it, doesn't he? I thought Dex knew this was- Probably. Yeah, Dex knew this was part of your thing. Probably Barak's not, probably not.
00:43:55
Speaker
That was in the mind of Philip. That was a, you know, if the opportunity presents itself, let's be ready. Okay. I thought that was a thing Eric was planning on doing. Cause what I was going to say was.
00:44:06
Speaker
Like, Barak wanted to be secretive about it. Erebus just wants to see the pacts returned. I don't want Erebus seeing Hadith Iruinarne and pulling out a sword in the middle of this party to fulfill his duty. We are unlikely to succeed. We are unlikely to succeed in an open battle in the midst of the party. All right, I just, you know, you're a bit... I think zealous would be a mild way to put it.
00:44:36
Speaker
We are dedicated to the mission. Right. Slightly more mild. You've one-upped me. But yeah, I mean, I want to get my brother away from here for honestly to what end I'm still working on. But it's the thing. We need information. Right. We need to interrogate him. Right. I know. Oh, yeah. Can we? Yeah.
00:45:04
Speaker
I understand that. I guess what I'm asking is, I want your guarantee that you're not going to go off the reservation, as it were, and on this whole hated theory with our own side quest. Trick here is much more likely to be successful at assassination than I am. None of this makes me feel better. OK, you all have reached the elevator shaft leading up. Yes, I thought that conversation was going to get us halfway up the elevator shaft. Oh boy. All right.
00:45:35
Speaker
After you, Erebus begins to walk up the wall, like venom style. Like, Oh, I thought you, I was literally picturing horizontal walking. Um, I hate this. I got to climb, don't I? Cause yeah. All right. What do I need to do?
00:45:58
Speaker
um give me an athletics check just to see how long it takes you to climb because this is a very very long way up i know uh trachea has a natural 20 on his athletics check oh wow so trachea just
00:46:12
Speaker
Rick here lives underground. Yeah, he's spelunks for his commute. So I got a 16 16 Wait, this isn't the long shaft is it yeah, I thought yeah, this is the the one without the element not now It's not the really long one, but it's the one that doesn't have the elevator card. Yes. It was about a hundred and fifty feet down, right?
00:46:35
Speaker
It's still a long pre-climb on a rope. Yeah, totally. See, it takes you all the better part of an hour to make it up there. Since Erebus is just sort of, since this is really easy for Erebus, is that a short rest? Yeah, I'll say Erebus gets to just sit up there. The Erebus probably gets up there a lot faster than everyone else. Drake here, what would you like to do with your 20?
00:47:06
Speaker
Let's see. I know this is kind of simple, but since I rolled a natural 20 and thus this is a really simple task for Drakir, can I use this time and spend some hit dice? Because Drakir is in bad shape. Oh, yeah.
00:47:29
Speaker
Yeah, I will say that it only took Tricure, I mean living underground, being able to navigate quickly. He's got those rock climber muscles. Yeah, he gets up there with enough time to spend some hit dice. Tricure would totally win Ninja Warrior.
00:47:48
Speaker
Ok and then Dex's dumb head peeks over the edge. And Booyah got a 5 on his strength check so Booyah is bringing up the rear. I think at that point we do say Booyah hold on to the rope and start tugging.
00:48:09
Speaker
Okay, so now you all are back on the main floor. Anything else you all would like to do while you're down in the vault of one of the most powerful men in Corvair? I would like to remind everybody that there is a warforged that we did not fight initially at the front of the exit to work to a pair of them, but also
00:48:40
Speaker
I don't have the map up anymore. I've just got this bag of holding now and there's so much stuff down here, you know? It seems like we would like to remind you that while we have left quite a lot of trail, robbing the place blind is likely to lead to attempts to find us afterwards. Everyone give me perception checks.
00:49:09
Speaker
Nah, I don't think I'm gonna do that. Okay. 23 for Erebus. 26 for Dex. And 11 for Drakir. 11 for Drakir.
00:49:29
Speaker
Um, you all, um, anybody that got over a 20, uh, from the West, uh, you hear a loud plaguing noise or from the East rather, but it's, it's a branch that you all did not explore. You don't need to go explore it, but you do notice. Yeah. All right. Where are we? All right. Do we want to go see what that is?
00:49:58
Speaker
You don't need to. I don't know. We think that the wise thing would be to make our way back to the elevator and simply be on our guard. That's fine. No, I mean, I think that that's, I think that's a rap movie. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Um, so, uh,
00:50:22
Speaker
Did you all decide that somebody's going to disguise themselves as Merricks once again? Somebody's got to. Now that you've seen it since you can do the voice too, I think it makes more sense that it's Dex. We had a party change. The big blue guy's gone now and there's a little dark guy in his place. Barrick was Merricks on the way down and these warforged are going to remember that.
00:50:49
Speaker
Well, the war project, I remember that Merix was here and Merix gave them orders. All right. I'll be Merix. Well, I mean, last time we had to do this weird thing where you did the talking. Um, yes, I recall. I recall. All right, fine. So I'm Merix now and we get with my hero, please. I can do this and, uh, and Erebus will, will disguise self as Vern.
00:51:22
Speaker
What is this what it's like when I look when I dress up like you guys I'm sorry. I'm sorry Have you dressed up as a spot often? Well, I mean I've gone I've done barracks face once or twice He knew about like never like without his mowing I Think probably that's probably not true Then we presume this is what it's like
00:51:46
Speaker
man this is no fun um okay so okay well the warforged let you pass they have no reason to stop you um and you're able to with relative ease call the elevator down i changed back
00:52:04
Speaker
to Vern once you're in the elevator. Okay. Um, so yeah, it, it takes a little while. Um, we said about 30 minutes down. Uh, so another 30 minutes up. No actual rest is an hour. Um, I mean, if you, if you want to intentionally not do anything for the entire ride up, I'll let it count as a short rest for you. Yeah, I need to roll a couple of hit days. Okay.
00:52:34
Speaker
We've been doing some fighting. Yes. OK, and after some time, the elevator doors open. And you all are able to make your way back through the kitchen. Now that dinner service is over, however, kitchen staff is present in the kitchen once again, and they seem rather confused by your presence.
00:53:01
Speaker
What are you doing here? Why are you in my kitchen? Is he still Merrick's? No, he said he changed. No, I said I changed back. What did Erebus change to when I changed back? Or are we some amazing twins? He went back to Merrick.
00:53:22
Speaker
What, what were you all doing back there? Oh, we, uh, we heard there was an impressive, uh, wine collection, but we really only found this one bottle and I point to it and I turned to walk out of the kitchen. Sorry, sorry to bother you. I follow. Deception rolls. Ooh, don't I have a deception thing now? No, it's not deception. It's a persuasion shoot. Okay.
00:53:53
Speaker
That was my new swashbuckler thing had time to do it. Ah. Oh, that's an 11 total. And let's have to make a.
00:54:10
Speaker
He rolled a six plus the charisma modifier of a chef. A wisdom modifier. There's an entire television network dedicated to charismatic chefs.
00:54:27
Speaker
I'm saying in the, in the D and D verse, the charisma modifier of the class chef. Um, so yes, you, you, you actually manage it. It's not a resounding victory. Like he doesn't wholly believe, but it's more of a just, I, he doesn't think you all were up to anything nefarious. So he's just willing to let you go.
00:54:51
Speaker
As far as he knows, we're just really rich people invited to this really swanky party. Yep. So, yeah, you walk back into the main hall where there the crowds have finished dinner and are up mingling, walking about all of that fun stuff. So on the elevator ride up, we want to distribute useful things for the kidnapping that we're about to attempt. So here.
00:55:18
Speaker
Hands, Dex, and Erebus each one small chef's paring knife that has been smeared with crawler venom, which renders someone unconscious. And Erebus has handed Drakir a couple of the little poison pills and will offer one to Dex.
00:55:47
Speaker
I don't see any reason I wouldn't take it to have one. Be very careful. Like, this isn't a dissolve in your hands when they're clammy thing, right? We advise that you not ingest it. Okay, alright. Look, I know we haven't known each other for very long, but I am in fact not a complete idiot. We're sorry, this is the way that we speak to everyone, including Derek. Oh, no wonder he didn't like you for a while.
00:56:17
Speaker
Condescending weapons a D&D story Okay So yeah people are mingling and having a good time Is that a belch? Did it just belch? It did just belch I'm turning that function off
00:56:41
Speaker
Okay, so yeah, you all see the crowds walking about talking General Merryment. We see Paola and the disguised Krast.
00:56:56
Speaker
Go give me a perception check to scan the crowd and see if you can find them And I would like to do the same scan, but I want to see do I know what strength looks like these days? He's a changeling right, but he got invited to the thing as strength, right? But I believe he would have already identified him. I believe when we entered you recognized strength Yeah, I did as Connor. That's right. That's right. All right. Well, I want to see if he's still on the main floor that so 15 to
00:57:26
Speaker
spot Paolo and Krast. 17, 18 to spot Strint. Yes, you are. You're both able to spot your respective quarries as you scan the room. You see Paolo and Krast speaking to some individuals that you actually don't recognize from anywhere. You see Strint standing in a small circle that consists of Merrick's to Kenneth.
00:57:56
Speaker
and a King Borenell. Right. I mean, the three of them seem to be talking, having a merry time, laughing. It's pretty easy for me to figure out if it's the real King Borenell. I'll walk up. And Hadith. Hadith is actually not with Becker.
00:58:19
Speaker
I have a 21 to find Hadith. Hadith is actually not present. Interesting. You cannot spot her and you feel like... Where do I feel her? You've done a really good... You... You made me this way. You feel her above you. Okay. Barry doesn't like anybody to feel like they're above Hadith.
00:58:49
Speaker
Where is the layout here? There was a balcony when we came in. Yes, there's a grand staircase leading up to a balcony overlooking the main hall, and then there are a variety of doors leaving the room. I feel like the first time we saw Boronel, he was up on the top of the staircase. Yeah, so based on that, I might presume she's up on the balcony.
00:59:08
Speaker
She's somewhere upstairs. She's gone on the balcony. You've scanned the crowd that is present here and you cannot spot her. Let me ask this and tell me if I need to roll further for it. Does it look like as an honored guest of this thing?
00:59:25
Speaker
that any of the people in that circle, like Strint, Bornell, or Merrick's, do they have immediate security detail, protective detail around them? Is there a group standing a cult feed off? You see some very, very large individuals standing near the group, including a extremely large warforged brandishing a sword on its hip and a large shield on its back. Good thing I got to you.
00:59:55
Speaker
Recognize him crawl. Yes, you would you would well. Yeah, I mean I mean Erebus knows what Barret does yes You you do recognize the warforged three the King's personal bodyguard So Its name is three. Yes All right so
01:00:22
Speaker
It's a warforged paladin. Throws a wrench into the whole warforged you don't have souls argument for a lot of people. Yeah, but this game has dragons in it, so. Let's suspend our disbelief. So. So I would like to propose a toast. I have a heist flashback. Okay.
01:00:46
Speaker
in which we hired for the evening a sky cab to hang out a waiting to be our getaway car.
01:00:56
Speaker
Okay. That is now I'm willing to expend, expend whatever cash would be required to get that to happen. Basically for some like, um, he would have, the, the cabbie would have asked for, let's say 20 gold pieces up front and then the meters running while he just sits out there waiting on you all. So there will be a bill due at the end of the night. And it's been quiet every time. Um, so yeah.
01:01:26
Speaker
Um, everybody give me a stealth check since you all are actively scanning the crowd and looking for people, uh, give me checks to do it. Incus inconspicuously. Great. 12. I thought that seven was a one there. Here has an 18.
01:01:57
Speaker
Barrick has a 15. This die is going back in the pack because I just rolled it for four different creatures and it rolled single digits every time. I don't know, I like that die. Okay, so yeah, you all go unnoticed. So what's your next move?
01:02:29
Speaker
No. All right, Beric has made a charisma check and reassumed control over himself. Or is that just what Erebus tells him? Well, I mean, there's literally nothing changes because the shape shift, the disguise self drops like he appears to.
01:02:58
Speaker
Uh, he shakes his head slightly. That's about the only thing. Um, okay. So clan that we would have worked out ahead of time would be to attempt to get, uh, strength isolated, get strength to go somewhere isolated. Um, and then either magically compel him or render him unconscious and make a break with him. Yes.
01:03:30
Speaker
Where how should we do that? I mean cuz I could just walk up into his field of vision and Do a thing that hopefully would just draw him over. I mean Connor wasn't hostile So strength probably wouldn't be either I have a
01:03:54
Speaker
I have an idea that might be a bit high risk. I say, oh, hey, you're back. But also, yeah, the cadence changed and then he started using the singular pronoun exactly as what it was. I have an idea that it's rather high risk, but it would be a big payoff if it works. I mean, that is what I live for. Speak, hook that idea directly into my veins.
01:04:24
Speaker
That warforged over there. And suddenly I changed my mind. Okay, what about? He doesn't know about the king. Right. There's no way he knows about the king. If he knew about the king, he'd have killed him. Sure. I want to tell him.
01:04:48
Speaker
Oh man, that does sound awesome. I don't think I would stop you from doing that. No, yeah. I'm not going to try to start a fight, but I want to tell him. So I want to... Why can't any of us dispel magic? I mean, actually, literally, Drakir can. Oh. And I think Barak has it on his spell list as well. Both Drakir and Barak are actually capable of doing that.
01:05:19
Speaker
know, if worse comes to worse. Yeah. But, uh, so Barrick knows, uh, you know, knows that three is a bodyguard knows that three is going to, going to pay attention to things like this. And so, uh, Barrick sort of moves back and forth, gradually getting a little closer to that group and waiting for three to spot him. Okay.
01:05:47
Speaker
Three does not spot you, because my dice are deciding that nobody can spot anything. In that case, Dex... We're gonna keep doing it until Three spots him. And Dex would like to kind of go in the wake of... Maybe I'll give him advantage, because a big blue guy is... Nope, that face means it did not work again. Since we've arrived at the party, I have a rolled above a five one time.
01:06:14
Speaker
Good, because we're about to do something really dumb. I'm going to say, eventually, three eventually notices you because you're being because you tap him on the shoulder. I find a way to stand in his eye line and stare until he feels someone staring at him. OK, three looks at you. And very briefly, I use disguised self and my face changes to that of Yurik Rowan and then back.
01:06:45
Speaker
Um, three kind of his posture changes and is taken aback. Um, are you still standing there or are you? I changed back to Barrick and I look meaningfully him and I move over to a place that's not out of sight of the group and wait to see if he comes.
01:07:13
Speaker
Well, none of the other three people that you were in their line of sight notice you. So yeah, three, you see three lean over the shoulder of the king and seem to whisper something faintly and then follows you. He says, I gotta poop, I'll be right back. Now he's a warforged, nevermind, that wouldn't hold water. Because a warforged doesn't. Blah, blah, blah.
01:07:46
Speaker
Eric waits next to a, you know, a large, I don't know, set of curtains or something. Really, you know, the classic conspiratorial location. Who are you? I'm going to answer that question honestly. I need you to hear me out before you react.
01:08:14
Speaker
Can I trust you to do that? Three looks back over his shoulder towards the king. You just made yourself known as a shape changer in a crowd near my king.
01:08:40
Speaker
I will hear you out for as long as suits my duty. It's about your king. It's about your duty. What is it? You've known King Barnell for a long time. All my life. So you know him as well as anyone outside his family, I should think.
01:09:10
Speaker
It's a fair assessment. Berwick would be sure I'm not exactly how long it's been since the king ran away. Like Berwick would have this information. Um, it's, it's been months at this point. Okay. So I say the number of months in the last three months.
01:09:38
Speaker
Has his behavior changed in any way? Been in a mood, changed the way he talks ever so slightly. Three glances back over his shoulder at the King and looks back at you. We are a nation on the brink of war.
01:10:10
Speaker
He has been under stress. We have new allies for the coming conflict. That's what I am told. I will take that as a yes. The man standing next to your king is a changeling called Strendt.
01:10:37
Speaker
who is under the control of the inspired of Saralona, the man standing next to him who looks like your king, our king, is also a changeling. I don't know what his name is.
01:11:03
Speaker
Barnell is in Greywall, aboard a ship called the Borrowed Time. He fled there in the company of Paola Amaran, and I nod in her direction, who apparently is another longtime acquaintance of his. How did you get this information? He told me.
01:11:35
Speaker
He came to me because he trusted my mother. You're your ex-boy. I am. You look different. A lot has happened.
01:12:01
Speaker
We did kidnap Hadith Irenarn, but she was in a different guise as the Red Owl, the leader of the Swords of Liberty. We were sent after her by the Citadel. We didn't know it was a double-cross. I don't know at this point where her loyalty is. Let me ask you one thing, son of Urik. If what you're telling me is true, what
01:12:33
Speaker
What would you have me do with this information? Right now, I would very much like it if you did nothing with it. Unless you can give us a hand. We need to leave here with that changeling strength. Everything you told me about the person standing next to my king
01:13:04
Speaker
is information that we already have. He is a dignitary from Salona of the Reagren government here to aid Freeland. Do you know what just happened in Stormreach? Yes, I do. Yes.
01:13:30
Speaker
Listen, I don't know all of this yet. I don't understand all of this yet, but the inspired have the ability to take control of the minds of people.
01:13:43
Speaker
I don't understand how yet, but I've seen it happen. Uh, this whole time Dex has been trying to stay with an earshot. And when he hears him starting to try to explain about the inspired in Sarlona and stuff, he doesn't do the sort of stuff with the conversation, but he gets in barracks. I align and kind of gives him a look like, do I need to tag in? Are you good? For the moment, Barrett doesn't react to that. Good. Yeah. I didn't want to inject myself. I wanted to give Eric the opportunity.
01:14:18
Speaker
Listen, you don't have to believe me about him, but it is true about Borinow. And it is true that strength does not have Brelyn's interests in mind. And the changeling that is acting the role of Borinow right now is also an agent of Sarlona. And if that doesn't tell you that they don't have Brelyn's interests in mind, then you're not the person I've always taken you to be.
01:14:49
Speaker
three stares at you for a very heavy moment. Listen, I don't know entirely what you're capable of doing, but I know... I know paladins can cast spells that compel the truth. Or some paladins can. I don't know if you can.
01:15:19
Speaker
If you can, I'll submit to it right now. Unless it's really conspicuous, in which case I'd rather we stepped away from the party room for a moment. There's a whole thing. It's very... Well, if it's going to make a scene, probably best we don't now. Unless you're going to make a scene anyway, in which case I'd rather you make a scene proving me right. I'm not going to make a scene.
01:15:52
Speaker
Must be honest with you, son of Eurek. Much of what you say may be true based on recent events. I'm inclined to not throw you in a prison. So I won't. But unless
01:16:21
Speaker
There's concrete proof. I cannot act. I can put you in a room with Barno. You choose a place, you choose a time, and you get in touch with me. Everyone give me perception checks real quick. Uh, Drakir has a 22.
01:16:50
Speaker
Beric somehow has a 21. I don't know if that should be counted. No, Beric's actually engaged. Dex has a natural 20. What would you like to do with that 20? Give me some time.
01:17:04
Speaker
That's what that's what he wants to do with it. He would like to cast time stop. Yep. Just have some time Well based on The role that I did Dex you're the only one to notice as you're kind of watching this conversation, but you also scan about You see the OLC role perception check for three I
01:17:28
Speaker
You notice the figure of King Bornell leaving the room and going through a doorway alone and closing the door behind him. I can't get sidetracked. This is not about Bornell right now. This is about strength. So now it's just strength and merits.
01:17:51
Speaker
and it doesn't seem like they have a whole lot in common. They're standing there awkwardly kind of staring at each other like the one mutual friend they had left the group and now it's like, oh. Okay, then for my, I'm gonna say now I don't want 24 but I want to let them finish their thing before I do mine. Okay. But I will be able to insert myself in the conversation with strength without any sort of,
01:18:17
Speaker
Major problems like mayor when it's time I can just walk up to America strength start chatting I'm up and they won't think of it. Okay Alright, so back to American 3 Well, can you say born L is in green wall along with green wall
01:18:42
Speaker
How long will it take you to get him into Breeland? Obviously, I cannot. I am across the room from my king and that is... I'm sorry, pause. Did I just say something inaccurate? What? Did we bring borrowed time to Sharn? We flew over, didn't we? No, we didn't drop out of the...
01:19:09
Speaker
We definitely came here. Yeah, cuz Paolo and Crass like Yes, so borrow time is in shark. So born Oh, we're just good. We just need to be honest with the put with the listeners. Yeah, there's no way we can work Yeah, so yeah as you guys just heard we screwed that up and misremembered where our ship was because you know, it's been like three months Started this adventure. So we've been underground for so So
01:19:39
Speaker
Yeah, I mean the rest of the conversation would have played out exactly this way. Just a quicker turnaround on the promise. Except until right now. How do you expect me to leave to go to your ship? I mean, wait till he's asleep, wait till you're...
01:20:03
Speaker
have time away to attend church I don't know we're we pulled us off we're leaving tonight I mean if you can find any excuse to just not be I mean surely he has a detail give me a personal I realize I realize you're not requiring a break or anything but
01:20:32
Speaker
And he's always on watch. There's no shift change because he's tireless. Sure. Of course, of course. That's why you would have a warboard, your bodyguard. Oh, yeah. Right. Yeah. Twenty two. Kind of thing is so nerve wracking, like you build all of this up, build the argument and then you have to drop the die. Three looks at you and
01:21:01
Speaker
How far is your ship? I tell him. We have a sky cab waiting. If we can leave with strength, we will. But we're gonna do our best to leave with strength because he knows what's going on and we need to interrogate him. You'd actually be a great help in that. Thank you. If you're available.
01:21:26
Speaker
I don't know that you'd be a great help in surreptitiously kidnapping him.
01:21:36
Speaker
But that's altogether not true, though. If we could get him to walk over to Strint and say, the king is requesting your presence in this small dark room. I literally- Barak listens to his sending stone as Dex arrives at Justin from within earshot. One of my associates actually points out, by the way, that one over there with the garish hair. He's with me.
01:22:05
Speaker
It's pronounced gorgeous hair. You close. Listen. Son of Yorick.
01:22:30
Speaker
I... It's one of those things he remembers you but does not remember your name and so he's just going off the one piece of information he knows because you have not introduced yourself. I think Barak has been in situations like this enough that he goes, Barak, Barak is fine. Barak.
01:22:54
Speaker
I'm inclined to take you up on your offer. Tomorrow morning, I normally go to receive a blessing at the church of the Silver Flame in the upper wards. If you give me the location of your ship, I will, after I receive my blessing, come by to validate your claims.
01:23:26
Speaker
I still don't believe what you say yet, so I'm not going to help you kidnap a dignitary. The fact that I do not stop you right now should show you as much good faith as you can expect. Is that fair? It's entirely fair. There are a lot of people
01:23:55
Speaker
involved in this that aren't me and if you had a change of heart I'd be endangering them by telling you where the ship is what if I what if I meet you there at the at the church with Ornel yes
01:24:24
Speaker
probably going to be noticed on the street.
01:24:41
Speaker
Yeah, I think that's what I have. And you'd be willing to stop at or something like that where I could be less conspicuous than him walking into the into the cathedral. Or we could just tell him where the ship's gonna be, not where it is now. Move it, move it back. Everyone give me perception checks real quick.
01:25:04
Speaker
17 for here 27 Dex you as you're talking and kind of trying to Blend in and look around the party you see up on the balcony. You see hate if Iran has returned And you noticed she's she has like both hands on the railing and is looking down into the crowd It has a very confused and concerned look on her face I
01:25:33
Speaker
Listen, you tell me a place that you can get to without drawing enough and drawing undo suspicion upon yourself because I don't want to endanger you. And I'll I'll trust you and I'll meet you there with the king. The private prayer rooms in the church. All right. Go to go to the one that bears my name on the door.
01:26:04
Speaker
It just is the third room. It's not his name. It's just room number three. We'll be there. With that, probably at this point, we're drawing more attention than we need to. Yes, I should return back to and he looks over his shoulder and turns back and then realizes King's gone and he he quickly looks back at you, Beric. Beric looks around him.
01:26:35
Speaker
Listen, everybody with me is in the room. I don't know. Dex, where did the king go? I did see it, right? Yeah, you saw say he slipped off into that room right there. I don't know. I don't know. And I I relay that to three. Three very quickly takes off across the room and disappears through that door. All right.
01:27:07
Speaker
Eric says to Dex, I think he's on our side. Um, as far as getting strength away, I'm not a hundred percent sure how to do it, but we could perhaps separate Merrick's from him and it would give us a chance. Yeah. I mean, we're going to have to do that. Like, uh, if, if we asked perhaps Paolo could draw Merrick's away.
01:27:37
Speaker
Yeah. And she's got a stone or a craft. One of the two of them does and they're together. So yeah. And I, as I relate this request through the stone, you find a way to get, to get Merrick's away from the gentleman he's talking to. Um, Drake here, give me a perception check.
01:28:01
Speaker
And I think Drakir actually, Drakir has no idea who hated here, but I think Drakir would have moved up onto the balcony to have a view of the room since that would sort of be his instinct. He has a 19 on his perception check.
01:28:18
Speaker
Okay, and I just kind of assume because he can, Drakir very frequently pings detect magic just as he's looking around, checking for magic stuff. Where Drakir, you spot right near where Beric and Dex are speaking.
01:28:39
Speaker
floating in the air just behind their heads. A very concentrated point of magic is beginning to form and turn. And it looks powerful. Okay, can I identify a source for it from what I can see? Give me an arcana check.
01:29:10
Speaker
13. 13. You would recognize the spell as belonging to... It belongs to the school of Conjuration magic. Okay. Trachea comes over the stone and says,
01:29:40
Speaker
The two of you should move. There is some sort of magical thing happening near you. Well, you even got to tell me twice. I was planning on going over and talking with all, uh, barracks and Strand anyway. Okay. So Barrick moves away and let's, let's Dex attempt that. Okay. Um, uh, does the magical effect follow either?
01:30:05
Speaker
No, it is stationary and it begins to grow. And as you all move away, you hear or you you both hear and see and start to hear cries of it manifesting within the room. Oh, that felt suddenly ominous. And now it feels much more.
01:30:29
Speaker
You see a large shadowy black portal begin to form in the middle. Naturally. It's been a minute, you know? It's a good thing I've spent my 20 on being able to insert myself in a conversation that's never going to happen.
01:30:54
Speaker
It's okay. It's okay. You hate us. Yes, I do hate you. Exactly, exactly what's going on. You see this portal open up and rather than what you've seen before, people are obviously freaking out. But it looked like you see people running for the main doors, including Merrick's and the doors are not budgeting.
01:31:23
Speaker
And you see shadows march out, not like formation stomp, stomp, stomp, but calmly walk out. And you see a lich enter the room through the portal and says, I guess our invitation got lost in the mail. End of episode.
01:31:49
Speaker
Thank you all so much. What? What? Make comments. Thank you all so much for listening. If you want to be a part of the conversation, head on over to our Facebook group, the Geek Pantheon. We're also on Twitter and Instagram at the Geek Pantheon. We would like to thank Kevin McLeod for the use of all of his music. You can find it over in competech.com. And we would also like to thank Sirenscape for providing sound effects and music used on the show as well.
01:32:19
Speaker
We also have a Patreon. If you like what we do and would like to see it done better and more and differently and sideways, head on over to patreon.com slash thegeekpantheon and consider joining the community over there. Once again, I'm your dungeon master, Eric. I'm Philip. I'm Jeff. And we'll see you next time.
01:32:43
Speaker
And I am not doing this sideways. I don't care what area I promise you. Test, test, test. Yep. Jeff, you want to go? Yeah, this is Jeff. Philip? Test, test, test, test, test, test, test. Philip, you want you to test your mic?
01:33:12
Speaker
Ah, testing. Yes, got it. Oh, you actually aren't hearing me or are you just messing with me? I can't tell the difference now. No, I'm absolutely messing with you. Ah, you're the worst. It is getting hot in here. I'm feeling punchy. I swear we were underground.
01:33:39
Speaker
Man, this is a really good to know not to use the cathedral bells ever. Is the search of the silver flame a real bell fan kind of? Apparently. Wow. Because there's some of these that are tracks that I can start and stop and there's some that are like button press sound effects that once I hit the button, they're off to the races. Yikes.
01:34:31
Speaker
but it looks like everything's working.