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Ep. 2 Drago? - Shadowmend Tales
111 Plays2 years ago
Miki, Eddic, Karl Djeet, McBenner and Drago dive deeper into the Vaults of Shadowmend.
Follow us on our Twitters - @FellowshipTable
Intro written and produced by Joseph McDade
Music kindly provided by Fesliyan Studios
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Transcript
00:00:00
Speaker
That's so season one.
Introduction to the Kingdom of Shadowmend
00:00:41
Speaker
Hello everyone and welcome to this week's episode of The Fellowship of the Tabletop. We are a live play 5e podcast set in the Kingdom of Shadowmend in the realm, homebrew realm of Eryth. My name is Darren and as I did last week, I'm going to run D&D for you all. With me tonight, I have the following.
Meet the Adventurers
00:01:00
Speaker
I have Will playing the ranger Hunter McBenna. Hello there. I have Callum playing the ranger swarm keeper Miki.
00:01:11
Speaker
Help is on the way, dearie. I have one shot Will, playing the bardlock, Karl. Up in the morning, two of yous. And we have Mike, playing the berserker barbarian, but not really, Eddic, a.k.a. the squirrel. Oh, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on. And of course, these back bitches, playing...
00:01:36
Speaker
The dragonborn barbarian paladin, or will yet to see... Being the massive spoiler alert. I do want me to do this Ian, how would you like me to do it? Let's retcon that. Here it is, playing somebody you will soon find out about. It's pretty canon, who it is isn't it? I'm not a fucking barbarian am I?
00:02:03
Speaker
Oh, okay. We had massive conversations about this to bring me down to the... We did, we did. I know, but I've written down just Ian Drago, whereas the rest all had to do with important instructions. So, because I had to add to this, I wrote this last weekend, because I was like, I don't want to do the Shatner stuff, I did it Christmas. Because I had to add to you, I've just got Ian Drago. I wish to attack Drago. For some reason, the character controlling, and I wish to attack Drago.
00:02:31
Speaker
OK, I foolishly didn't ask any of you to do a recap, so I suppose I'm going to have to do it, aren't I? Yep, absolutely. OK, right.
Quest for the Beholder's Tome
00:02:39
Speaker
As we started our last episode, we found ourselves with a group of adventurers who had taken on the task of infiltrating the city of Fatherkeep going to the Bank of Jira, finding their way into the vault to recover a tome.
00:02:56
Speaker
for the beholder merchant Drezlin. Their guide Torvid escorted them to a well on the outskirts of the city and they descended into the well and after a while found a way into the city. Upon arriving in the city and after a series of trials and hallucinations and hauntings, they found themselves in the square of the Founder King, the heart of the city of Fatherkeep.
00:03:24
Speaker
There one of the parties saw a torrid vision of a city once alive with life but alas no more. Fatherkeep is itself a ghost city, the name ringing true. As our party started to move towards their goal of making their way towards the Bank of Jihira,
00:03:50
Speaker
A buzz started to sound in their ear, a flash of white before their eyes. And this way, a dragonborn comes.
Drago's Mysterious Arrival
00:04:04
Speaker
And that is where we are going to pick up this episode in the exact same place where we left off last week. What would you all like to do?
00:04:19
Speaker
Who the bloody hell are you? I've knocked you narrow. Aye, who the fuck are you? Give me a moment. My head is spinning. Now? Yeah, aye, give me a moment. Do you see me drawing a weapon on you? Don't really care. I'm with the old man. Yeah. Everyone else just transported in as well, yeah. No, we walked.
00:04:49
Speaker
Oh, right, okay. Well, this isn't my first time, so just give me a moment. You get a bit motion sickness. So after seeing the blinding white lights and Eddick's just going to be curious, and he's just going to walk over and just poke Drago in there, just to make sure that he's real. What is this? This is a dragonborn and really don't like being poked.
00:05:21
Speaker
Where have you come from? Um, far away I would be my best guest. Where am I? Here. Great. You're helpful. Anyone, anyone offer any, any idea where we are? You're in the dead city of Fatherkeep in Shadowmend. Shadowmend? Okay. That anywhere near the Sword Coast by chance.
00:05:53
Speaker
What the bloody hell is the sword coast? Yeah, the sword what? Seems a real shit place. Right. Is it anywhere in Eryth by chance? That one's accurate, yes. You are part of Eryth. It's a really big place. Great, great, great. And then Drago just breaks away from the pack a little bit. Again, as he looks up to the sky and holds his hands up.
00:06:19
Speaker
And who's he talking to? And I'm going to address that to, um, McBrennan. McBrennan. McBenna. There we go. I fucked if I know. So, um, think it'll lead out. Maybe he's crazy. Maybe. Who are you talking to? Sorry, sorry, sorry. It's not my first time and really have to get better at asking. Right. Okay. What are you,
The Cursed City's Warning
00:06:46
Speaker
why are we here? What are you here for?
00:06:48
Speaker
We're here to get something out of a bank vault. A tome robbers. No, we are hired people in order to retrieve that which belongs to someone else from a place where nobody really comes out of. Dad, are you really robbing something if the person who had it just seems no longer around? No, no, I don't think so.
00:07:11
Speaker
a good logic, I guess. Um, okay. My let's, let's do this properly. Um, my name's Trago and he waits to see if there's any, any kind of feedback off that. Uh, great.
00:07:29
Speaker
Hello. Hi. I'm Mickey. A mage hand of bugs is going to extend up to Drago. You know what? I'm OK about that. You keep whatever that is. That's just rude. Sorry, guys. And I'm going to kind of pat the bugs as they come back to me. I'm MacBennar.
00:07:57
Speaker
Eric is going to size you up and see that you're a fellow barbarian and go, hello, my name is Lynx von van der Heijer and I am not a barbarian. And he points at this thing and gives you like a wink of knowledge, like I'm not a barbarian, wink.
00:08:13
Speaker
Right. Does he actually say wink? Yes. Yeah, wink. Drago grabs the amulet around his neck, shakes it and goes, I too am not a barbarian, but I'm really glad to know that. Of course, yeah. Bollocks.
00:08:33
Speaker
There we go. As he grabs his amulet, it's a dark iron chain and there's a big kind of cage that sits just where his heart would be and inside is this jewel that just shifts colour depending on which perspective you look it up. I don't recognise this amulet at all just out of curiosity from anything.
00:08:58
Speaker
being native to area. We'll take that and then we'll move to Karl. You can make a religion check. Oh shit. Me too. Ha! Four. No idea. Karl's had his lantern kind of raised from the moment Drago kind of dropped down. Just lantern in the air. It's not lit or anything like that. Just raised kind of up.
00:09:24
Speaker
and kind of taking him in and seeing Drago fiddling about with the amulet round his neck. He's going to kind of glance at his own lantern, bring it back down by his sides and just pipe up. Courageous. It's good to meet you. Likewise. Right, OK. So to get back to just something else, who are you talking to?
00:09:54
Speaker
And that's for me to know. As Drago starts patting down his body. Right, no weapons. No. And he finds his satchel. So if you see on him there's this kind of grey tattered worn satchel that goes across one shoulder, sits on his hip and kind of puts his hand through there. Nothing.
00:10:17
Speaker
But then as soon as his hands... He's still trying to find things that would be on his purse and his hands cross over to one of the pockets in his black cloak. And he feels this... Is that a parchment? What does he feel there? Like... Yeah, you all of a sudden stop and realise that there's now clearly something...
00:10:38
Speaker
There are a lot of things not in your satchel that were there before but there is now something that is there that wasn't there before and you take out a piece of what appears to be quite well kept just recently written parchment, a letter for want of a better word and what it says I've sent to you.
00:11:02
Speaker
I do have this, though. Sorry, I'm not being very forthright here. I've got a misty brain. Transportation magic
To Deliver or Not to Deliver?
00:11:12
Speaker
does crazy things to me. This isn't mine, so... Right, okay. And then Drago just takes this letter out, obviously appears confused, and starts to unravel it. Right. And he just starts reading it. Would you like me to read it? Allowed.
00:11:33
Speaker
Not unless someone prompts him, he's just kind of, because it seems like it's taken a while. His brow is furrowed and he keeps holding it further away and then closer to himself. If you really get to yourself, then yeah, I've got to say that. Are you okay?
00:11:48
Speaker
Bad news? Um... I... I don't know. Uh, sorry. Again, let me... let me read this out loud. Maybe it makes more sense to one of you. Um, okay. I am so sorry you have to do this. I am so sorry I have done this to you. You must get them to leave before it is too late. Father Keep is cursed. It is trapped in time itself.
00:12:18
Speaker
I know what Drezlin seeks. Tell them they cannot take that tome to him. You cannot give him that. He is a beholder of Dark Realm. If they will not be dissuaded from retrieving the tome, tell them to bring it to me at the Lyceum. I know Euron, Ka, Donal,
00:12:47
Speaker
is the first minster of this realm. We will match Drezlin's pay above all else. Get them to leave before it's too late. Whatever happens, stay out of the shadows as soul fades. If you make it out of this, go to the Lyceum and ask for Briar... What the fuck did I just read? Well...
00:13:16
Speaker
A few complications there. There's a lot to take in there. I agree. Go on, Brennan. I'll let you take it. No, don't, Vicky. I agree with you. There's a few complications there that I thought we were going to have some issues with, but it seems, as long as you're not going to stop us, we'll keep going with our job. I agree. I'll die by someone. I'll do the job.
00:13:48
Speaker
Perhaps you could do with some assistance. I've obviously been sent here for a reason. Ah, but your piece of paper would indicate your end goal's different to ours.
00:14:02
Speaker
What if I was sent here and I'm not entirely sure what my end goal is? But the letter you read clearly said you're trying to stop us from taking said tome to Drezlin, which is never a good idea to cross Drezlin even at the best of times. No, he's quite powerful. He could quite easily have people kill us if we don't do what we've agreed to do. If he didn't kill us himself. Ah.
00:14:33
Speaker
Okay, but if I can't dissuade you, maybe you can take it to the Lyceum. There is obviously a very important reason as to why I'm here. Like, literal gods are at play here to bring me to you. Which gods? As you ask that question, Drago, can you make a wisdom saving throw please? Oh god. Yeah, he never was good at these.
00:15:02
Speaker
Nice to see that tradition upholds. I've got a six.
00:15:07
Speaker
As you hear what God, all of a sudden things flash through your mind and you hear the word from the letter, beholder, beholder. And what you see is suddenly flashing before your eyes, the face of a familiar foe, the face of Erichas. You see the undead beholders that you encountered in his lair. And the final thing you see causes quite a lot of anguish and pain. You see this destructive ray, not coming from a beholder, but coming from something else. It hits a friend of yours.
00:15:38
Speaker
It hits Shaidar and you relive and recount the moment that he disintegrated in front of you. And then suddenly, just as it happened with the others, you're back where you were.
00:15:55
Speaker
You're still with us, or are you going to teleport again? I don't know. My head feels like it's going to split in two. Anyway, I mean, you're welcome to come along. I can't guarantee dressing will pay you. But, you know... Don't really get in our way. I can't stop you from going in the same direction. I suppose it would be good to have a bit more cannon fodder around here. Sorry, I said that out loud.
00:16:23
Speaker
You remind me of someone I used to travel with. I don't suppose your surname's a fizzle bang, is it? A fizzle bang? No, no, Muffle. What an odd name fizzle bang! I think there are some women in the capital that'll do a fizzle bang for the right amount of gold. Right. Who's the leader of this party? Well, we don't really have a leader as such.
00:16:51
Speaker
We're more of an harmonious collective. We're just a group of people. That's about it. Okay, group of people. One of you lead on to where you intend to be. That's a good point. Which way are we going? That way. Okay. Downton Main Street.
00:17:11
Speaker
Thank you.
Mysteries of the Bank of Jahira
00:17:12
Speaker
And yeah, just as McBrennan says that, again, for the first time, really, Drago's going to see Mickey Buford just kind of glide along on a wave of bugs once more. Drago's going to turn to Eddic and say, I've seen some strange things in my time, but that one is new.
00:17:37
Speaker
It is a thing that he does with bugs. Our God, the person that brought us here said that those bugs were called fucknose. Thank you for that. I don't know what they are. Well, maybe we'll find out. Yes. I don't know if it pluralizes or if they are collective fucknose.
00:18:05
Speaker
or fuck noses. So it sounds like you fuck nose either. I have not fuck nose. They're over there. And he just points at the insects not understanding the concept of he genuinely thinks their name is. Fuck nose. Drugger just kind of walks off.
00:18:36
Speaker
Carl's going to catch up with Drago as well as they're walking kind of leave the squirrel. I suppose question will be where he is. The squirrel is muttering to himself. He's not the squirrel, he's not. Eddyk is muttering to himself. And he's formulating a plan or a thought that he was listening to when he's heard that there's potentially that he heard the words bye.
00:19:02
Speaker
and the thoughts from last episode where he was dealing with karl about transactions are starting to form in his head and he's going to sort of scurry after karl but doesn't quite get there in time.
00:19:20
Speaker
Okay, as you make your way out of the square, you arrive in the city's main thoroughfare. You move through the archway and you pass under the shadowy spectres of the Ando and Guino sphinx. You can see on one of the elven statues that's been toppled, someone has written it raven fucker. You realise as you walk past that this is a statue of Haddo the eighth and of course the sire of kenku's being the nickname that was atoned to him for his lustful ways.
00:19:48
Speaker
due to the kenkus emerging in shadow-ment around his time. The room accruedly goes, it's because he fucked the raven. There is nothing but silence. Tall buildings with stretching balconies stand eerily preserved, save for the dust. You see a few doors appear to be open, others appear to be shot.
00:20:13
Speaker
This city is completely abandoned. And for you, Drago, who's not expecting this, it probably hits you that something is seriously wrong here. And that the phrase ghost city, as McBrenner put it, starts to go through your mind. Apart from that, everything appears to be normal. There is no sign of anyone. There is no sign of any souls being present. Where did you say we were again?
00:20:44
Speaker
Father Keith. What happened here? Something called the harrowing. Howling. Is that connected to the blight? No. There was this darkness enveloped the city and the screams. Then it went and there was no one left.
00:21:14
Speaker
No hide, no hair. Were you here when that happened? No. But I heard it. You heard the screams? Aye. You know of anyone that passed? No. Did you all hear these screams? How long ago was this?
00:21:44
Speaker
How long ago was it? This was approximately eight years ago. You all will remember the Battle of D'Artona, where the fire-genasi gladiator turned rebel leader, Freex Zenrith, led a successful rebellion against Hallo the Ninth and defeated him in the field. Prince Rains, his son, was sent to Father Keep as a hostage for good behavior in return for that. Father Keep was in the throes of declaring itself an independent kingdom.
00:22:14
Speaker
No one really knows what happens for that, save that one day Prince Raines returned to Great Hatho and then moments almost hours after that.
00:22:25
Speaker
It was reported that Prince Brains had returned to Great Hado. The city was engulfed in the event known as the Howling. There are many theories around that, that perhaps Hado the Ninth or the Cardinal and the family which he served unleashed it. Sol punished the insurrection and punished the rebels by turning their city to dust. Others talk of the shadow realm itself. It's common knowledge that shadow men effectively sits on lay lines that connect
00:22:55
Speaker
the material realm to the Shadowfell. The Golden Dragon, Vermin, came through that in the reign of Hallo the Third, and Drezlin himself, as rightly pointed out in the letter, is a creature of the Shadowfell. Those are the three main theories as to what's caused it, but no one knows what. So eight years ago is when it happened. Now, I don't know, but I've heard rumours and I reckon
00:23:25
Speaker
It was the Hadals and their Cabal. They punished the city for its rebellion. And after his son was safely out, Hadal brought down the wrath of the sun god and wiped him all out.
00:23:51
Speaker
Haddo, okay. He's the king. Yeah, bit of a prat, really. Currently the king. Last time I checked. Sounds like a good guy. So... That was sarcastic. I've been told my tone of voice doesn't really convey sarcasm. I've never met the man and, you know,
00:24:23
Speaker
That sounds like royalty stuff. I don't associate with royalties. What about you? No. Well, there we go.
00:24:38
Speaker
And you're all after this tome. And you're going to give it to a guy called Dreslin. 50,000 gold each. Okay. Okay. Right. And it's just for the money. Understandably so at 50,000. I'm just trying to clear principles here. It's all about the money. Oh, yes, definitely. And there's no one's... Forgive me. No one's special here with some higher purpose. It is just a...
00:25:08
Speaker
Cash and grab. Why do you do what you do? We do it for the coin. I have many reasons to do what I do. Mostly nowadays it's for I have a love or a friend. Sorry, yeah carry on. I'm just confused as to why I've been sent here. You and me both. You and us all.
00:25:35
Speaker
I mean, just just so you know, I think Jocelyn only made the deal with us. Just just FYI for a few fair enough. Fair enough. I know you're not getting a good of mine.
00:25:46
Speaker
really understandable trust me if i was in your position i would feel the same way lord scroll over there probably doesn't need money so he'd probably split his share with you i'm i'm i'm okay for money my side um just trying to work out exactly why i've been kind of into the sky from the sky into here that's all um as you were i will i will meet you where i can
00:26:10
Speaker
If I may, just actually before we do proceed, obviously you were patting yourself down earlier. You don't have any particular way to defend yourself, aside from your claws and whatnot. Do you need a weapon of some sort? I've got a slight spear I can possibly pass to you if you wish.
00:26:34
Speaker
I mean, yes, I would take any weapon if anyone's got any available weapon. Clearly I am going to need one. Look at mine. I mostly use it for fishing anyway, so you may as well use it. I don't want to be distracted by you dying in a corner if we do get into some kind of battle. Trust me, I can handle myself in a battle. Gee, test some weapons if you've got the coin.
00:26:59
Speaker
Okay, well, I will bear that in mind, Khajit. I appreciate your custom. It is called a transaction. Yes. Right. Looks like he's learning. Should we be worried? Yeah, I think he's quite all right. And he's just stood there smiling that he's remembered the word. Okay, now that's kind of creepy, even for me.
00:27:30
Speaker
And, you know, before the light fades, and as your note said, beware the shadows when the sun goes down. So we just keep going. Yes, absolutely. You know, just get this done. As you say, sooner we're in and sooner we're out. So yes, please, let's, let's hurry. We've got to get to this bank where the blast of places. Let's go.
00:27:59
Speaker
OK. You continue to walk along. You walk for about another 100 yards and then all of a sudden you see quite clearly the golden arches of the Bank of Jahira.
00:28:13
Speaker
As before, it appears to be completely abandoned. You do notice that these doors appear to be wedged shut. Some of the doors in houses and shops you've seen along the way. Some were open, some were shut. These ones appear to be absolutely shut. There does appear to be sand blowing up the ornate marble doors. Again, this doesn't appear to have been kept in the last eight years, though you can see the majesty of it somewhat remains. What do you want to do?
00:28:42
Speaker
So, shall we break out the kit again, or shall we have our squirrel try and do something about it? Let's just get in, I'm just, let's just not prap out.
00:28:54
Speaker
Okay, let's see what I can do here. And with that, edit goes to pick you back up again. No, no, no, no. I'm literally going to be batting his hand away at this point. No, no, no. You said what we did before. The keyhole is at my height. You do not need to pick me up, squirrel. It's fine. No, no, no, no, no, no. He's just going to turn around and sort of go off in a little bit of a hump. I'm just trying to help.
00:29:21
Speaker
I thought that was very helpful. As you two are doing this, and as Drago puts in that privy, that's very helpful. Karl, McBrunner and Drago, you hear coming from behind you the saint, the very faint sound of a piano. It's harrowing, it's beautiful.
Breaking the Enchantment
00:29:42
Speaker
You notice that you all start to turn and what Eddic and Miki realize is that you're all just willingly walking towards this house behind you now. You're not even aware you're doing it. You're just starting to drift away from both Miki and Eddic. As that happens, the piano seems to get more harrowing, more beautiful. And then all of a sudden there is a crash of glass above you.
00:30:12
Speaker
and all of a sudden something comes hurtling towards you. Can they get dexterity saving throws from the free of you please? So that's Karl, Macbenna, and Drago. So 19 from me, because I'm not on roll 20. Yep, that's fine. 14 from Drago. And a 15 from Karl.
00:30:35
Speaker
Okay, yeah, that's enough. All three of you suddenly snap out of this as this first shaft of glad land on you. And what you see is this piano has come crashing out of this fourth-story building at the top, and it's just hurtling towards you. You all manage to jump out of the way as it fuds, and then all of a sudden, all of you now hear this prong as the keys and the piano break as it splinters and shatters as it hits the floor.
00:31:00
Speaker
Dust kicks up and silence suddenly returns. The three of you snap out of whatever trance it was that had afflicted you. You're all now aware that you've moved away. The last thing you remember is being stood near the bank door. Yeah, um, fuck this and let's just get the book.
00:31:18
Speaker
And everyone very quickly goes back to the... Everyone bank. Everyone, when did he show up? So easy, so easy. Another one teleported in, I see. Everyone talks like this, he's got a bit more of a higher voice and that's gravel it. So we talk, slaw, slaw. So... McBenna very quickly goes back to the door of the bank where the other two are.
00:31:48
Speaker
and waits. Anyone else want to do anything? Carl will kind of turn to Drago, nod at his necklace and go, I know what she sent you to. Let's do this. And he's going to turn back and kind of make his way to the bank as well and just shout back and say, do you think he might be able to place like a foot on the door? You look like quite a strapping chap.
00:32:22
Speaker
Yeah, sure, I can do that. As Chaga gets up and wanders over, puts her foot against the door. Are we all pushing as one? Is that a team bonding thing? If you want to have a go, fine. I mean, have you unlocked the door yet, Mickey? Well, no, no, I was trying and then all of a sudden the piano fell out. Yeah, it's not allowed to happen again because...
00:32:47
Speaker
I could try and unlock it before you push it. If you wanted to try and kick it down. Probably easiest. Give me a second then, give me a moment. If it doesn't work then fine, kick it down. Just let me get out of the way. Drago takes me as this kind of folk that don't like to be patient, but alright. So yeah, I will use my thieves tools again and I will try and unlock this door.
00:33:13
Speaker
As you approach the door with your thieves' toy, you look at it and you can see, similar to before, there are a series of inscriptions on the door. It's not necessarily clear where the keyhole is in the first instance. I'm going to hold your sleight of hand roll. I'm going to keep that roll, but I'd like you to also roll investigation, please.
00:33:36
Speaker
okay okay see if you notice the poison trap is about to kill you darn seven for my investigation okay um you look glance around at the door and you're primed and ready to unlock it but you can't find a keyhole with that okay that's fair enough so again you're just going to see um
00:34:03
Speaker
Mickey just kind of scanning the door, just trying to find something. He's got like a piece of metal in either hand. Oh, with the bloody hell of the keyhole. OK, maybe we should use a foot or three.
00:34:22
Speaker
If anyone can see a keyhole, then by all means put me to it. But I would like to try and find the keyhole, please, as Eddic, and hopefully this will be hilarious. Wrong investigation. Investigation. Very, very tight unit of a team. Oh, I've got modifiers on this and they're not good. At 12. OK.
00:34:47
Speaker
You have a glance around and what you notice is that there appears to be this innate image on the door of a ganasi and an elven figure that appear to be both holding a chest. You brush away a bit of dust after a second and realise that there is a divot inside it. You brush away a bit more dust and eventually what you find is what you think is the presence of a keyhole.
00:35:14
Speaker
How high up the door is this keyhole? I hope this is coming. Effectively.
00:35:23
Speaker
Yeah, I think I can see where you're going with this and your spot on. You're going to like it with three or four feet above where Miki would be able to reach. And Eddick's just going to look at it and go, Miki, look, pointing at it. I found it. And with his other arm, just lean over, not taking anything, picks him straight up and pushes him right towards the door. Just saying he's close to it, but he can work on it. Here you are.
00:35:53
Speaker
Thank you, squirrel. I'm holding that 13. That's like a hand that you... Yeah, that's fine. I think I imagine like slightly got his big nose just kind of smushed up against the wall, but he can still work around it to the lock. But yeah. Yes, you're able to get inside this lock and you can feel something give way as you turn the thieves tools.
00:36:22
Speaker
You happy with that? You're convinced you've undone the lock? I'm afraid so. Yes, I'm petrified of my answer, but yes, I'm still going to go along with it. OK, yeah, thank you. The lock gives way and then suddenly the two doors as if the lock was what was holding them just seem to creak and naturally just roll open just enough so you can see into the bank. Well, there we go.
00:36:53
Speaker
And Edith is there, arms stretched out with the gnome out there. You can't actually see past the gnome. He just goes, what do you see? What do I see if I try and look through the crack? OK, yeah. I need to go back to my Word document.
00:37:09
Speaker
And while that's happening, I'm just going to slowly lower him down and pop him to the ground and smile at him as if I've learned a lesson not to open the door with him. As you peer into the bank, you are confronted by what looks to be like a pristine ornate golden room. Some of the tapestries and engravings that are on the door pale in comparison to what you can see on the floor walls and columns of this bank.
00:37:33
Speaker
You notice strikingly a grand chandelier. And you can see on the floor bits of tallow and wax that have clearly over the years just started to decay and have dropped out of the chandelier. It's not lit. It's completely defunct. It's a large airy space. It's set out across three floors. You can clearly make that out. And that there are giant golden columns that seem to hold up the balconies that overlook the foyer.
00:38:01
Speaker
There is a pristine yet unused and clearly not functional fountain that stands in the middle of the room. In front of it appear to be a series of curious runes. Okay. I'm going to stop there because obviously Ian wants to play something.
Divine Sense Gone Awry
00:38:21
Speaker
Can I, as this is happening, Drago will close his eyes and grab hold of the amulet and just mutter under his breath and cast Divine Sense. So I get a pulse of any location of Celestial Fiend Undead. The amulet will glow yellow just for a brief second as Drago will feel the energy pulse through his hand and then
00:38:47
Speaker
kind of in his mind feels the almost like a radar beacon as the pulse extends out in a circle around him 60 foot 60 foot okay terrific um the pulse goes out something happens that you've not felt before you for a second get the sense of all of that in one but it's like a split second and then all of a sudden there's just nothing
00:39:13
Speaker
nothing. It's unlike when you've cast Divine Sense before. It's as if there is, to quote Legolas, it's as if there is something that recognises you're doing that and is working against you. I think you're attuned enough to Akiva over the years to realise that that's not happened before. That feels like something and nothing.
00:39:37
Speaker
Um, something may well be working against you all in the next room. The next room, the only thing I know that's working against us is time. Good God, you should see inside this place. It's glorious. It's shiny, but very decayed. Clearly nobody's been here for a while, so I don't know what could possibly be in here.
00:40:02
Speaker
Okay. Squirrel, can you see if you can open these doors? Just be careful. Okay. He was just going to, so he, as you said, opened these doors. He rushes forward and is about to smash both of them and you go, be careful. And he stops instantly and goes, yes, careful. And then slams them open. And then smiles at you as if he's done a good thing. I like this guy.
00:40:30
Speaker
I can't do doors. They literally slam open, punctuating the silence. The light floods in from behind you, and now this once marvellous bank is illuminated once more in Sol's glorious light. The doors are open. You know what? That was good. Well done. That was good. Thank you. Go up. Get a vault.
00:41:00
Speaker
well what would you be doing that possibly be at the back or either maybe the top or the bottom out or you know i have no fucking clue it could be anywhere yes yes it could let's go it's um
00:41:18
Speaker
Okay, as you enter, you make your way round and into the main foyer of the bank. You come to the fountain and you can see that there are a series of corridors, one that seems to go off to the left. There appears to be what looks like a checking area or like a till or a reception. To the north and then to the west, there appears to be another set of doors.
00:41:45
Speaker
What do you want to do? Which one looks sturdier? Which one looks the most vault-like? You assume that the vault would be to go towards the vault, would be behind the place that is most defended from the foyer. I'm not going to make you roll perception for that. I'm willing to bet your passive is high enough. You can clearly see that the one behind the foyer, the reception, whatever you want to call it,
00:42:12
Speaker
they are much larger, they're grander and they appear to have similar sort of engravings to the one at the front of the bank. Look at it, it reads, tome is here.
00:42:24
Speaker
And it doesn't read. You asked for which one you would presume to be the grandest looking door and that's all I told you. In all fairness, the inscriptions that are on it. Can you tell me what language they are if I tell you what languages I know? Yeah. Anyone speak primordial? No. Hang on. That's gone out the window. Oh, did I take a spell? Is this one I didn't take? No.
00:42:48
Speaker
Please say that you've got it. Ah, it's one of the ones I didn't take. I thought about it. I know four, and it's not that one. Read the shadow memory from that. It's the language of the Ganasi. Yeah, but I'm not a Ganasi, so you know. Yeah, it's fair. Yeah, not the other fucking ones. Took many. But yeah, it's in primordial. I really wish I knew what that said.
00:43:11
Speaker
Oh well, I'm sure it just says welcome. Let's carry on. Do you think these doors end at MacBrennan? I reckon Grandis doors be the way to evolve. Easiest defense, nice and strong. Okay, let's see if we can push these open. I will try to probably push them, but I am incredibly weak.
00:43:35
Speaker
Seeing this, seeing that he's incredibly weak, I was going to join in, but not go as hard. You can either go around the left or right-hand side of the reception kiosk, or you can vault over it. You're going to have to get the other side of the kiosk to do this. However you do that, if you're not first, we'll go straight to the door. I'll go around the right-hand side of it.
00:44:02
Speaker
As you come to the doors, is it just a straight fud from you, Edic? Yeah, that's probably the best way of describing it, just like not full power, but just douche to try what I think is enough to open the doors. Okay. As you do that, you go to push the doors and all of a sudden you just feel this wave of resistance push back against you. Can you make a strength saving throw, please? A strength saving throw.
00:44:34
Speaker
Natural 20 plus six. Okay. You feel this weight push against you and it pushes you and it's able to slide you back and it's almost overwhelming, but you're able to just conjure whatever strength it is inside of you and you're just able to lock your feet and you're able just to slide backwards. And because it's such a cool role, instead of going crashing in two,
00:44:58
Speaker
the kiosk behind you, you literally just seem to be able to naturally roll over it. And just almost kind of like superhero lands the other side. And he's just going to look at his hands there and goes, I simply don't understand. And he's going to go do it again. I really feel like I get this guy. Another strength saving throw, please. Another strength saving throw, OK. At 10.
00:45:28
Speaker
Yeah, you do it this time and all of a sudden you feel quite confident you're going to be able to do the roll again. But what happens is you lose your footing and you just sent Karoaning backwards and you just crash into the kiosk and fall to the floor. And for good measure, you take two points of bludgeoning damage. Two points of bludgeoning damage.
00:45:53
Speaker
I'm having an hour about doing it again. If you go to try it again, then Mickey will basically get in front of you. No, no, stop, stop. Clearly that's not working. And he's just going to get, he's going to look at you and just go, but I've almost got him. I don't think this is going to work. Why? Okay. Okay.
00:46:22
Speaker
Rune? Rune? Bad thing. And he points to the door. Bad thing. Oh, I understand. It's like... magic? Is that it? Yes, yes, yes, yes. It is magic. Stopping you. Magic stopping you. But I am stronger than that.
00:46:52
Speaker
Not stronger than this one. Why? Very strong magic. I don't know. Oh. And he's just going to, because he's on the floor. Oh, no, no, no. He stood up and you went through it and then he's just going to just sit.
00:47:07
Speaker
Staring at it just trying to comprehend these not going for he's going to he's almost starting to obey you like he can he can sort of seen that you are trying to help him then he's just gonna sit there a little confused but he's gonna do as he's told. I think with that as well i'm the mage and the books are going to reach into my sexual and just kind of pull out a cookie or something like that and just start to present it to.
00:47:35
Speaker
Just a little bit, he seems really downtrodden and down-heartened at this point, and I'm just trying to give him a bit of food to try and cheer him up. Eddic takes it, but it has the effect of positive affirmation that you are training him.
00:47:52
Speaker
He sits there with his legs up, he just eats his treat just quietly to himself, now content and alleviated of everything else. He's fine now, he's content, he's no longer worried or sad, he's quiet and he's just sat in the corner enjoying his treat like a good boy. Right, so this would indicate something's protecting whatever's behind them doors. Good indication that that could be
00:48:21
Speaker
our vault yes but we need the indication of how to get in uh and everyone will that oh for fucks sake that's two that's two campaigns collide folly talk to emron brilliant look better turns to the others it goes and goes
00:48:48
Speaker
I don't suppose any of you have talent in magic that could try and dispel whatever this is. I don't suppose we could try one of the other doors. Aye, but if this one is defended, it would indicate we're here, but I'd take your meaning, maybe if there's another way in.
00:49:12
Speaker
Do you know the kiosk area? If I were to look at it from the back, is there any kind of drawers or cupboards on the actual kiosk that I can start rubbaging through just seeing if there's any paperwork or something in a language I can understand that might explain the doors? Maybe a big red button set open. That would be nice.
00:49:30
Speaker
For all of those things you can roll investigation. Big red button. Big red button. Big red button. 21. Big red button. Big red button. Give me the button. As this is happening, you can't see this because Miki's shorter than the draw. Well, the only person who can see this is Eddic, but you can hear the rummaging of things being pulled out of the kiosk behind you. 21 is quite a good roll. You do seem to find, in particular, what looks to be like a
00:50:01
Speaker
a reception book almost like a, for those of you with theatre disposition backgrounds, like a stage door book. You open it up and there appears to be like a series of signatures and timings and outs.
00:50:16
Speaker
You do seem to realise that there are a few names that appear quite often. The hand seems to switch between primordial and common at points. You flick through this and it's just years upon years and you can see the last one was effectively eight years ago and then the entries just stop.
00:50:38
Speaker
As you turn the book over, you realise that on the back of it appears to be an image of the door itself. As you glance back at the door, you can see that there are a series of hidey-holes, shall we say, in the door, but over 21, that seem like this book would fit into it.
00:51:07
Speaker
So there's hidey-holes on the door that the book would actually go into. Yeah, almost like little indents in the door that seem to be almost the exact same size as the book. OK, I will initially try and slide one in if it looks like it's going to fit. So the reception book that I've got, I'm just going to try and slide into one of these indents. Yep. OK, there are
00:51:30
Speaker
Do you want a description of where the indents are, or are you just going for the first one that takes you fancy? What's the nearest one? The nearest one is what I go for. As you look at the door, there are two in the center, and then there appear to be two slightly higher up. Both within reach of you, no higher than three feet up towards the left and right of the door. Okay, so I'll try this first one. The middle two, well, like the right-hand side of the middle two.
00:52:00
Speaker
OK, you do that and all of a sudden you hear the sound of a clock as if something has just unlocked. OK, I will then shout back to the rest of them. I think it might be a bit of a combination lock here. That's interesting. Is there any more books about? I think we need more books. I really like this guy too. He really does remind me of someone I knew. It's very hardening.
00:52:30
Speaker
Get the fuck out of it. MacBenna will start to search for more books that look like the one that I can't believe it's not Folly is holding. Yeah, you come over to the kiosk as well. That one got me, that one got me. You come over to the kiosk as well and... 56 minutes.
00:52:57
Speaker
Okay, you come over to the kiosk as well, and you immediately find in one of the drawers what appears to be a similar book. You flick through it, and again, it looks like some kind of logbook or reference book. There's one here, Mickey. Well, put it in the door. Which hole?
00:53:18
Speaker
I have no idea, I just put mine in that one. Slip it in anywhere, I see. Yes, no point in wasting any time. You look like the sort. Darren, how many holes? You two look like the sort.
00:53:36
Speaker
You've got the one on the right of the door, you've got the one on the left centre where the book that Miki had now rests, and then you've got the right centre one that's still empty as well. So you've got three empty holes. I'll go for... So we've got...
00:53:52
Speaker
Any one of them is a goal, surely. We've got extreme left and right, and then middle left and right, and the middle left is the one that... Middle left has currently got the book for me. I'm going to go for... Well, yeah, is there anything that matches the books to anything that links... Two of them pink, one of them brown? Anything called a shocker in there.
00:54:20
Speaker
I will roll investigation. Yeah, they'll fuck the waiting spell in here. That one. Oh! Natural 20 for a 24. Snap. Yeah, you look at it, and there's no colours, but there does appear to be like a hand-scratched inscribing, which with a roll like that, other than that, you wouldn't notice. And you see it matches up with the one right centre. I will then go and put this one in the right centre. Okay.
00:54:50
Speaker
You do that, same thing happens with Miki's, who by the way, Callum, just with serendipitacy, managed to just guess right off. I was like, he's picked the right one, the fucker. And then what happens is the two mechanisms that appear to be top right just seem to turn. Those holes seem to dissipate as something comes forward. And then what happens is the door on their own accord, you hear the cogs turning and just rolls open.
00:55:21
Speaker
But that worked surprisingly well. Bit of brains over brawn. And what you see are a series of steps that seem to descend into what you would assume would be the vault.
00:55:35
Speaker
I'm just going to walk up and are you still sat down, Eddick? I am, yeah. He's just finishing off the last of his three. He's waiting for my command. He's just sat there. He's still sat down. He's looking. He knows we have to go in there, but there's a part of him that's a little scared, as if he's touched an electric buzzer too many times sort of thing. He's been stung twice. His pride's been hurt.
00:56:05
Speaker
Drago is going to kneel next to this heroic image that you just presented in front of me and just tap you on the shoulder and say, I've been there before. Keep trying. And all of a sudden as Drago taps you on this shoulder, that damage that you took before dissipates and you're back at full health.
00:56:25
Speaker
A bit of lay on hands. A bit of lay on hand. Nicely done. Nicely done. That's very nice. Not bad for a level 14 character. He's not level 14. He's just going to... You pat him and he's going to look at you and he's going to feel something he's never felt before. An almost slight connection to another being. It's the first time that anyone's ever been kind to him.
00:57:03
Speaker
I don't have the spell to sort out the swelling. I don't know, it's a feeling of warmth that he's had. Don't be touched edict that way before.
00:57:17
Speaker
Moving on. On that note, yes. That was beautiful. No, I appreciate it. It was lovely. It was lovely. Until the one shot Will did what he did. Yeah. I mean, it's taken the best part of an hour and nearly two hours worth of content for this to descend into debauchery. It took the Christmas one shot like 20 seconds, so we've done quite well here. You set the tone for spookiness. We were trying to not totally destroy that. I know. I put the holes in that door. I asked for it.
00:57:46
Speaker
As you descend into principle in court, okay. Objection here, same.
Cliffhanger in the Vault
00:57:58
Speaker
Karl Gee has something to say. This can't be good. Just before we go down. No, Karl's going to reach once more into his backpack and he's going to kind of be looking
00:58:13
Speaker
out from the entrance that they've come into and kind of scanning around, some weird spooky stuff's been happening. So yeah, reaching into his backpack, he's going to pull out a small bag of ball bearings and just kind of litter them on the floor around the entrance into the bank from where we've all come in from before following the rest of the group down. Do we see you do this?
00:58:41
Speaker
He would have waited behind, not necessarily to be on his own, but it's up to, I suppose, up to you. No, if you waited, that's fine. If you descended straight into the vault, no, you don't see it. If you're waiting around, I don't think it's particularly hidden, so correct me if I'm wrong. One shot, Will. He would have been more subtle about it, I think, yes.
00:59:09
Speaker
OK, is there anyone actively trying to see this? No, Mickey Muffled would have started to go down the stairs. You don't see it then? No one sees it? Yeah, that's fine, just checking. We've fallen right, this is when we run out. Fine. As you descend the steps, you can hear the marble floor by berberating underneath your feet. You notice something really strange about this, that there are mirrors inlaid all the way down the steps as you descend into the vault. Your footsteps echo
00:59:40
Speaker
and echo and echo. Can I ask Carl and Eddic to make wisdom saving throws, please? 13, 12. And what have we got from you, Carl?
01:00:10
Speaker
Sorry, I keep forgetting that it's my name. Carl. Who the fuck is Carl? Sorry, the last D&D I played, my character was Carl, and whenever you're saying it, I played it with Darren. And whenever Darren says, what was your car, I'm like, oh, that's me. It's not sunken yet.
01:00:32
Speaker
Because it's got to be car or a jeet. 12 for car or jeet. Okay. As you're descending last car, you notice your reflection. And as you look at it, something particularly strange happens. It's you, but you're a child.
01:00:48
Speaker
And that's really strange. You see yourself looking bad at you as a child. It's a fleeting image, however, as suddenly coming through the mirror towards you, expanderating through the marble appears to be the shadowy hand. Can you make a dexterity saving throw, please? Yes. Please pass. Come on, natural one. OK, not too bad. 21.
01:01:15
Speaker
Yeah, you're able to just step back and dodge it and then all of a sudden you're back in the room and it's just your reflection again. He'll pick up the pace and cool down the stairs a little bit and just say, there's some creepy shit happening, let's pick up the pace. No shit. Okay. There's a little bit in my fur.
01:01:43
Speaker
As you all descend the stairs, you eventually come to what is a large open space. You can see in front of you the hordes of treasure that are apparent in this vault. It's unnerving how big the space is. It's about the size of two football fields. You do, however, see in front of you this kind of ornate wall of force magic that just seems to carve around in front of it.
01:02:13
Speaker
As you start to take in the vault, all of a sudden, a figure just seems to emerge from the shadows, the other side of this wall. And what you see is a half-orc male. They pull down their hood and look at you and go, where am I? And as you process this happening for the second time,
01:02:43
Speaker
That's where we're going to end it for tonight's episode of The Fellowship of the Tabletop. Ooh, I genuinely thought that. As he pulls down the hood, the half-orc says, hello there. All I can say is, don't touch any of the treasure, touch only the lamp.
01:03:14
Speaker
Only the predatory fan would pass. I feel like someone's going to pin Eddick down. He's a blaze. All he cares about. So you are like someone needs to do a manoeuvre immediately at the beginning of the next episode. Just everyone piles up. He's crawling towards it. He parrots off the fourth field. It's really fine.
01:03:38
Speaker
Speaking of piling on, it's a good time for me to thank everyone who has joined us to listen and pile in on this episode of The Fellowship of the Tabletop.
01:03:47
Speaker
Until we convene next time, thank you for joining us, for making us a part of your everyday week. This is going on a little bit too long because I've lost my train of thought. So why don't you just follow us on our social pages. We have a website, which is fellowshiptabletop.com. We have a Facebook, which is at fellowshiptable. We have a Twitter page, which is at fellowshiptable. And then if you wanted to go one step further and follow us individually, you can do so on our individual
01:04:14
Speaker
pages, I'm at iRoller1, Callum's at TheD20Gamer, Rent-a-Will is at NTC. Real Will is at Natural20Will, Mike is at Not a Barbarian, and our hilariously awesome, amazing DM can be found at DarrenPage06. Until next time, guys,
01:04:44
Speaker
Farewell!