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World of Ae'oene Bonus: Lou-llaby and Sweet Dreams
25 Plays12 days ago
The party returns to their apartments after a night on the town. Lou, needing to connect with nature, takes a stroll to a nearby tree where she falls asleep. There she has visions of things to come - and they don't all bode well for our adventurers.
This show is written with adult audiences in mind and contains content that may not be suitable for younger listeners.
This episode has the following content warnings: Strong Language, General Violence, Discussion of Suicidal Ideation
We'd love to hear your feedback! What worked, what didn't, and what do you want to hear more of? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
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Our cast:
- Curtiss Woosley as The GM
- Rennie Armas as Kaldin
- Sapheara as Maeve Strongheart
- Jack Baldwin as Jellen Ykalle
- MJ Guenther as Thalira Grimstone Eku'Lanath
Additional Credits:
- Show graphics by Sentic GFX
- Show editing Rennie Armas and MJ Guenther
- Intro/Outro music composed by Ryan Muns, Owner/Operator of Eyes On The Moon Studios
- Music, Ambience, and & SFX purchased/licensed from Monument Studios, Adrian Von Ziegler, and Michael Ghelfi Studios (https://www.michaelghelfistudios.com).
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Transcript
Introduction and Themes
00:00:00
Speaker
Destabilizing Foundations. Bonus content of legend. Dreams of prophecy. Does anyone else have dreams like this? Just me? Okay. The World of Aeon contains stories with mature themes.
00:00:14
Speaker
Content warnings can be found in the episode description.
00:00:22
Speaker
Welcome back, ladies and gentlemen, to the World of Aeon Stories of Legend. It's been a while, at least for us, and it's only been two weeks for you guys, though, so we're a little jealous of the fact that you get to experience this, frankly, more often than we do.
00:00:35
Speaker
But we're excited for today's episode. We have a little bit of a different one today. It's going fun, and our players here, they're playing their characters, but they might be a little off, but I'm not going to spoil the rest of it.
00:00:46
Speaker
We'll get to that in session. I've got Jack. Say hi. Hi, how are you? I've been paying attention the whole time. I believe you. weve We've got MJ.
00:00:58
Speaker
What up? I swear to God. And of course, we have a Renny who is making me so distracted in chat. It's ridiculous.
00:01:14
Speaker
can see, it's going to be this kind of day. it's goingnna be this kind of day All right, y'all. We've got a fun one for you today. So let's get to it.
Characters' Night at the Inn
00:01:41
Speaker
you remember last session, it was one for the memory books. ah Well, except for a lot of our characters, as a lot of them are going to forget the night. As last session, they ended up making their way to the Sleeping Dragon Inn and having a bit of a night off, as adventurers would say. And i don't know if anybody else would agree from our listeners here, but I think it was much deserved.
00:02:01
Speaker
A lot was spilled, and a lot may not be remembered, and there may have been a decision outside in a wet alleyway that, well, might be regretted later, but we'll find that out in a later episode. For today, we're going continue right where we left off there. Well, maybe not right, but a few hours later.
00:02:18
Speaker
As waking up in the bedroom that she shares with Talira, Lou, the halfling cursed to be a bear right now, wakes up, not exactly sure why, as she looks around, gives a big yawn, and kind of has a longing to go outside and feel the dirt underneath her feet. She's been in the city.
00:02:37
Speaker
She's one who likes nature, so she decides to go for a walk. She makes her way down the apartment hallway, down the set of stairs, and nudges her way out the door. And not but, probably 30 steps out that door sits a large oak tree. Perfect little spot of grass right in front of it, looking like a comfy spot to sit, take in the sounds of the city, and ground herself to be able to feel the tree, feel the dirt underneath her. It's been a while since she's taken the time to do that.
00:03:04
Speaker
As she does, she begins to feel that buzz, that sort of energy that Aeon gives off. And our audience may not know much about Lou yet, but... One of the things about Lu is she's fairly in tune with this. A little bit druidic in nature, mind you, without being a member of any druidic circle. And she begins to connect with Mother Nature, with Aeon.
00:03:23
Speaker
And as she's sitting here meditating, trying to take all that energy in, see if see if the planet, see if nature, the elements maybe, if they have anything to say to her. Before too long, especially given the fact that she might still be a little intoxicated, she doses back off.
00:03:39
Speaker
Now who knows how much time has passed, but she seems to wake up.
Adventure Begins: Portal to the Primordial Plane
00:03:43
Speaker
And as she does, the morning light peeks over the sunrise. And just like magic, it seems, the door opens and the rest of the party files out of it.
00:03:51
Speaker
Kalden seems to walk out, maybe a little chipper. Yellen walks out, Lyra walks out and spots her as well, looking like ready to start the day. As Lou approaches the three of you, and Maeve as well, as she solemnly with her head down, seems to follow behind the three of you.
00:04:09
Speaker
She looks around and notices how Glory is maybe a little different. She doesn't see the Tower of the World Union right next door in the District. She doesn't hear the sounds of the city roaring and the sounds of the horses neighing and the carts c clopping over the brick foundations.
00:04:27
Speaker
No, instead, looming at the end of the District is a large stone circle, swirling colors, looking like some sort of portal. Now the three of you, you come out of this building knowing, well, you're on an adventure. You're supposed to go through that portal. You're going to find the source of the destabilizing elements, the the answer, and it's in the primordial plane.
00:04:48
Speaker
Where else would it be? And that's the portal of the primordial plane. As Lou approaches you guys, she kind of nudges Talira first and points her nose towards it, looking questioningly at you. Hey honey, you ready for an adventure?
00:05:00
Speaker
And she kind of thinks this, but it comes out, like verbally comes out of her mouth. Yeah. Yeah, of course I am. And you all hear her. She turns to you all and yeah, I'm ready. Let's go get these answers. Let's figure it out.
00:05:11
Speaker
But what happened to the city? What are you talking about? City's always been this way. And might I say, your voice sounds delightful.
00:05:22
Speaker
Isn't it beautiful? It really is. The city or the voice? Both. Both. Beautiful day, beautiful city. Beautiful voice. Lovely bit of respite away from the noise.
00:05:34
Speaker
I love this place. There's some noise I don't mind. Well, thank you, Yellen. Okay, yeah. like Well, let's go, I guess. I assume that's the portal we need to go to, right?
00:05:49
Speaker
Yep. That's the one. Okay, well, Talira, lead the way. All right, let's go. Charge! Talira... takes the lead and walks fearlessly into the
Exploration of the Primordial Plane
00:06:04
Speaker
portal.
00:06:04
Speaker
And indeed, the portal almost seems to come up as you all begin walking extremely quick. And as you walk right on through it, you come out the other side to what you can assume is the primordial plane.
00:06:16
Speaker
And in this case, the primordial plane appearing of all the colors of the elements. As you walk through, you find yourself on a very distinct path. Looking forward on your immediate right is a forest aflame. As you look forward and to the right, it's just a never-ending sea looking like a tempest hurricane is raging in the distance.
00:06:37
Speaker
As you look to the front left, it just looks empty. but you can hear the howling of the wind. If you look directly to your left, you just see mountains in the distance and spires of rock, just hard ground, and you can also see lava flowing down some of these mountains in the distance, looking just arid and hard to just unsurvivable arid land.
00:06:58
Speaker
You look directly in front of you. looks like the heavens. It looks like light and clouds. It's warm and inviting. When you look directly behind you, it's nothing but darkness, like a void. As the path leads the head in front of you, you don't see an ending to it. You don't exactly know where it's going, but it's obviously a path that you must follow.
00:07:17
Speaker
Lou sort of looks around in confusement. that a word? Confusement? Confusion. Yeah, I don't think be I going don't think confusement is word, but I think we all know what I meant. so Confusion.
00:07:27
Speaker
Yeah. yeahp I play Scrabble. Can confirm not worth any points. you unfortunate You came in with almost the perfect tone to sound like ai going, confusion, a state of being uncertain.
00:07:43
Speaker
Oh my gosh. As you all continue on this path forward, not seeing an end to it, but as you take every step, it seems like the path continues further, the ending not coming into sight.
00:07:54
Speaker
You're not fazed by this whatsoever, the only one confused being Lu. But very shortly, it seems like a tavern pops up in the distance that you all begin walking towards. And sure enough, it's a recognizable tavern.
00:08:07
Speaker
In fact, you see a dragon, not necessarily a dragon, sorry, a Tempest Wyvern sleeping on top, notably the Sleeping Dragon Inn. Dragon! There he is! Oh, it came back.
00:08:19
Speaker
it's well It's here. Well, Wyvern, but still. I thought we watched it fly off earlier. i They always say that it sometimes is here. I can't believe we get see it. I want to ride it.
00:08:30
Speaker
Of course you do. Why am I not surprised? We've talked about this. Of course I want to ride it. Well, now's your chance. Oh my gods. Oh my gods. Oh, this is the best day ever.
00:08:42
Speaker
Obviously I'm joining you. Well, yes. We can fly together. Come on, let's find the the the wyvern. I mean, we found it. We found it. It's right there.
00:08:53
Speaker
Talira waves to it. Can we ride you? I'm going to mind link with it, I think. Probably a better idea, yes. Yeah.
00:09:05
Speaker
I'd do that. Okay, that's fine. we'll We'll do that. That's good. I would had somebody out here just walking head right there. Oh, my God. As you mind link with it, the wyvern seems to reach its head head down towards you a little bit.
00:09:17
Speaker
You said you would like a ride. Hello. What's your name? My name? Well, it's only polite to know your name and call you by it. Unless you like being called the wyvern. I mean, I guess it's a bit prestigious sounding, so maybe you like that.
00:09:33
Speaker
I don't believe I have a name. Not that I'm aware What would you like to be called, then? I think a lot just call me Wyvern or Dragon. If that's what you like, that can be your name.
00:09:45
Speaker
That works for me. I don't see another one around here. Okay. And then to the rest of the group. um He doesn't have a name, but if you want to call him Wyvern or Dragon, that works. Aren't they different things?
00:09:56
Speaker
Well, it's just a name in this case. it doesn't It's not a classification of species. Uh-huh. Sorry, are you a are you a he? Is that correct? I don't think I know.
00:10:09
Speaker
oh What? ah They is probably best. Yes. Just so you guys know. Okay. They are the Drowiven. Ooh, I like that. I don't know what he just said, but I like it.
00:10:21
Speaker
It sounds good. Driven. Driven? Oh, yeah, that's much strip better than Drowigen. Why... Why... No, I'm bad at this game. No, that's way worse. That's way worse. That's so much worse.
00:10:36
Speaker
I'm bad at this game. Either way, you you said you would like a ride. We'd love a ride, if you're willing. I can, but only one at a time.
00:10:48
Speaker
That's fair. Talira's very big, especially, i think. I am very big. Especially with her. And I'm a young, why drag... Gurn...
00:10:59
Speaker
Did I say it right? Um, we're still workshopping it, so, um... I see. You know, whatever. Either way, one at a time, and I'm happy to give a ride.
00:11:11
Speaker
They say they'll give us rides. One at a time, though. Oh, my gods. Oh, my gods! This is happening. This is the best day of my life. Well, second the best day of my life, but... Would you like the heaviest person first while you have the most energy?
00:11:25
Speaker
Um, yes. That's a good idea. Yes, absolutely. Yes. Talira, you're first. Oh my god. And she so, like, so excitedly approaches the dry wagon and Dry wagon?
00:11:49
Speaker
Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh, that's so funny. And ah wait for them to to be in a comfortable position where she could climb on. And am I too heavy? Is this okay?
00:12:05
Speaker
I think I can manage. Thank you so much. And it just hits you. You just talk to the wyvern. Just talk to you. Wait a minute. Wait a minute.
00:12:16
Speaker
Oh, this is so cool. I'm Talira, by the way. I am so excited to meet you. It is an absolute honor. You are legendary around glory. So I'm told, but hold on. It's time for a ride.
00:12:30
Speaker
Holding on. As he takes off. And it is a wild ride indeed as in the middle of this, as you kind of told him, you know, he's a little bit of a local celebrity. He fires off a thunderous breath into the air as thunder erupts across the so-called sky of this stream space dimension you seem to be in. And in the thunder, T'Laria, you hear something.
00:12:53
Speaker
In the thunderous roar that erupts, you hear something that kind of stands out and it it doesn't seem to come from this wyvern. You hear a word.
00:13:04
Speaker
It's weird that you recognize it as a word, but it almost speaks to your soul. Like you can you can you can feel it somewhere in you as you hear the syllable.
Yellen's Confrontation and Family Mystery
00:13:13
Speaker
away Toy.
00:13:16
Speaker
Does that word mean anything to Talira? I don't believe it does. It doesn't sound like they'd be referring to like a children's toy.
00:13:27
Speaker
Is it like part of a forward almost? No, it feels complete and it feels like has weight to it. But it's not only that you hear it, but when you're riding, Lou sees it in the distance as well as Talira.
00:13:39
Speaker
Far forward in the front left where I had mentioned the winds howling. Seems to be some sort of symbol that you can make out in the air, almost as if the clouds are forming into it.
00:13:49
Speaker
It lights up when you hear this word being said, and it doesn't light up just in any normal way. recognize the way it lights up in the same way that your runes do. Is this a foundational word?
00:14:02
Speaker
The wyvern continues on as if nothing has happened. Did you hear that? I'm sorry, you're a bit hard to hear over the sound of the wind. What did you say? did Did you hear something? sounded like... Toy!
00:14:17
Speaker
Nope, don't think so. Okay. Okay. as he does a backflip and twirls around. As he does some more acrobatic moves throughout the sky, just kind of showing off a little bit.
00:14:28
Speaker
Tilyra, do me a favor. Give me... I will give you the choice of either a athletics check, that's why it's strength-based, to hold on, or if you want to play into it, you can do a dexterity check to try to... You just fall off and you have to re-grab on and...
00:14:46
Speaker
some way, shape, or form. Oh, it's absolutely going to be athletics. I figured. I figured. Good thing. That's an 18. I rolled a nine. Oh, uh, let me double check.
00:14:58
Speaker
Oh no, she's not vague, so it's not at advantage. So yes, 18. Very nice. You're able to hold on just fine, and he comes back down to the top of this tavern, to the sleeping dragon inn, and allows you to disembark.
00:15:11
Speaker
Oh, Delira, that was sick! Thank you! oh my god, I you rolled a dragon! Thank you! Thank you so much! Like, seriously, this is the coolest thing! I will be talking about this for the rest of my life!
00:15:25
Speaker
Not a problem whatsoever, not a problem at all, and I'm so sorry I promised everybody rides, but I must say you are heavier than I thought you would be. and do believe I need a little rest. I am sorry. do you need anything like for refreshments? I could pick you up something in the inn.
00:15:40
Speaker
No, no, it's fine. Time will do me just well. Well, thank you for being so friendly. Is the Sleeping Dragon Inn magically around where everyone else is, or is she far away from everyone now?
00:15:53
Speaker
The Sleeping Dragon Inn seems to be just this tavern sitting in the middle of this path road while you're still sort surrounded by the elemental divisions of land. Cool. As Lou looks up to you, did you hear that?
00:16:05
Speaker
Yes, I was going to ask you. what What does that mean? I'm rusty on some of the words. I'm very limited, you know this. believe it means wind. that That is one of the runes also on my shield, and I haven't learned how to activate it yet.
00:16:22
Speaker
I'm still working on that. Did you see the symbol in the distance? I did. To me, and i don't know i don't know Goliath or Giant very well yet, trying to learn, but if I remember correctly, that's not your rune or your symbol for wind.
00:16:39
Speaker
No, it wasn't, which is why it it took a second to to think about. Weird. Very weird. Well, either way, we've got to find the answers. We've got to keep them keep moving, I guess. Yeah. should ah Should we head to the plane of air, then?
00:17:00
Speaker
Maybe. Let's see if the path leads there. Okay. Okay. Okay. And then, and then, um and then Lou tripped and fell right in the poop. it She was really not happy about it She wouldn't talk to Talino for like two weeks.
00:17:20
Speaker
Yellen, he's got his hair down now and he's like running a ham through it. That was, that's, that's really quite funny. I agree. I can't get over this version of Yellant. Fabio.
00:17:36
Speaker
Lou looks forward. Do we just, I guess we just go through the tavern? I guess so. We're here. We could also stop for a drink. I mean, how else are we going to get there?
00:17:46
Speaker
I could go for a drink as well. I guess we go in the tavern. that Is this what the primordial plane is supposed to look like? Well, the fire phone, that I have seen before. Yes, that is accurate.
00:17:59
Speaker
No, yeah, this is this is just the primordial plane. Hey, Yellen, was this what it was like when you were here? Uh, yes. It is exactly the same.
00:18:10
Speaker
That was... Okay, well, let's... don't like this, Yellen.
00:18:15
Speaker
you You can't see this because we're an audio only medium, but we have cameras on. and Jack just did this like biting his lip thing before answering. would be so uncomfortable. but oh Oh my God.
00:18:35
Speaker
Yes, it's it's quite similar, actually. Well, I guess let's just go in then. And Lou walks over and opens the door to the sleeping dragon inn. As you walk through, you find that the tavern's mostly empty. It is as you remember the Sleeping Dragon Inn from the previous night.
00:18:52
Speaker
But for the most part, it is empty. There is no bartender, but there are a few specific individuals. In one corner, there is a shadowed man. You can't exactly make out his face.
00:19:05
Speaker
You can see that he wears a suit he has slicked back hair. In another corner, the ceiling looks unnaturally and not physically possible to be elongated, but it is, as you see a very large humanoid tree sitting in the corner.
00:19:21
Speaker
In the back right corner, you see a family of three, silhouetted, not able to make out any details, except for the fact that they have horns on their head, sitting at a table. And in the back left, there are no tables. It is simply dark and shadowed of the corner, but you can barely make out the red eyes that I believe only Talira has seen.
00:19:41
Speaker
Spectral red wings and a slight glint of dented armor. What is going on here? I don't know, why don't we just take a seat? There's really no inviting seats, at least from what I can tell.
00:19:57
Speaker
The scoyle's pretty We'll just up to the bar, order something, it's fine. Why are you guys being so weird? We're not being weird. Yellen? Yes?
00:20:08
Speaker
Yellen, it's been so long. Come, sit with your family. What?
00:20:15
Speaker
As you hear a voice come from the back right corner from the three silhouetted individuals, two adult looking silhouettes and one child. ah So before before she says sit with your family, you hear yelling, of course, Donna, I'm always all over the place. And this is come sit with your family. says wo Sorry, guys, my mother is calling.
00:20:33
Speaker
Walk over. oh I want to meet your mom. His mommy's calling. Talira, as you're saying that and you see Lou looking around just confuzzled as all get out, I'm going to so many different words of confused without saying confused. It's my goal now for the day.
00:20:49
Speaker
As she looks around just completely confuzzled, Yellen takes off. And as you say that, the entire scene changes for a moment as it swirls, as you find that the three of you not sorry, the four of you not including Yellen can't seem to move.
00:21:03
Speaker
You're watching along for the ride. As Yellen, you find yourself now in a basement, a dark room familiar, books in some corners, trashed pieces of barrel and other things that have just been taken out with anger. And in the middle of this concrete floor is a ritual circle.
00:21:22
Speaker
It is one that is familiar to you as it takes you back to that day. ah thought you said we were saving this. i thought I thought you were going to traumatize me next time.
00:21:34
Speaker
I still hold true to that. It's not a um now or then. It's a now and then. Oh, I love now and thens. Just kidding. Who likes now and thens? was just thinking of now and laters. Oh, wait. That's what I meant.
00:21:51
Speaker
Um, well, this does not bode well for the evening. The ritual circle lights with golden energy, warm, inviting the goal of what the spell that you've tried to concoct is, bringing life. But all sudden this dark inkiness seems to erupt into the circle.
00:22:10
Speaker
It slowly spreads, slowly taking over the entire ritual circle from one end to another, flowing through it as if the lines of this ritual circle are a river. Yellen, you know what happens.
00:22:22
Speaker
form, dark and shadowy, begins to form out of the dark inkiness that begins to gather as the two glowing eyes coming out of this spectral being begins to float out of this ritual you've created. These are not the eyes that you were hoping for. The ritual you were wanting has failed.
00:22:41
Speaker
Oh, gods. But... Out of the window in the corner of this tavern, Lu looks over and notices it, and you do as well. There's a bright red light that flashes like lightning in the distance.
00:22:54
Speaker
As you look, it seems to be in the direction of the earth, mountainous terrain. And that's all there was. As the scene seems to disappear, and the three silhouetted beings in the corner that called for you sit there once again.
00:23:07
Speaker
Why did we come here? Who are you? What? I demand to know this instant. Yellen. And still not able, they're just dark shadows. Not able to make out any distinct facial features or anything from these these silhouettes in the corner.
00:23:22
Speaker
Yellen, what could you mean? i was just there, and now I'm here. And I was in a basement, and um but now I'm back in the bar. So, I'm confused. Yellen, we're just your family. We've missed you. It's been so long.
00:23:37
Speaker
ah who Well, you know, this is puzzling. I am puzzled. Are you sure? I'm absolutely sure. We have so much to catch you up on.
00:23:50
Speaker
So much has happened since that mountaintop. The, uh... The mountaintop? I mean... Tell me something only you would know. Well... Your horns are blue... That is literally is so obvious.
00:24:05
Speaker
You just have to trust me, Yellen.
00:24:10
Speaker
Why? Would you not trust your mother? what you What do you mean why? You don't really, no offense to you, but you don't look like my mother.
00:24:22
Speaker
Do you not miss me? i Oh my goodness. Okay, crazy work saying do not miss me um when all I can see is a silhouette. Okay, let's put that put out but put that out there first of all.
00:24:35
Speaker
And then second of all, that's that's um that's fucked up for you to say. guess you're right. i guess now is not the right time. And the silhouettes begin to disappear into shadow. Wait, I... They're gone.
00:24:51
Speaker
Oh, man... Lou walks up to you. You okay? I'm not sure really what happened just now. It was interesting. Thank you for asking.
00:25:03
Speaker
Yeah, no problem. Things are weird here. They are. you ah There's a few other corners, and I think someone else should explore them. Maybe. Unless you really want me to.
00:25:15
Speaker
As you say that, Yellen,
00:25:20
Speaker
from the other corner, opposite of yours. Shadowed face, can't make anything out of this individual other than slick back hair, a very, very fancy suit.
00:25:33
Speaker
You hear, my beloved, you've come back to me. I knew it was only a matter of time. Nope, nope, nope, nope, no.
00:25:46
Speaker
No. Alright guys, um, it has been so fun. Bye. I'm gonna turn around and walk the fuck out.
00:25:57
Speaker
Wait, Kalden, where are you going? Nope. Kalden, it's your turn to explore the scary corner. No, I don't actually like corners. I've never liked them. Round rooms, that's what's better.
00:26:09
Speaker
do agree, round rooms are nice. Kalden, who's that?
00:26:16
Speaker
Um, I don't know. Stranger. don't know who they are. I... I thought I saw that person before. Weird. Probably not.
Cliff Incident and Rescue
00:26:27
Speaker
Calden, do you walk out? Yes. As Calden opens the door and takes a step out, once again, the rest of you are for a ride. As the scene swirls and changes...
00:26:38
Speaker
As Kalden steps out the door, he does not step out the door to the place you just were. He steps out and over a cliff, falling and falling. And in mere, in pure moments, Kalden disappears below a sea of clouds.
00:26:54
Speaker
The fuck? Kalden? Kalden? Talira? Talira? focuses really, really hard thinking wind, wind, toy, toy, and trying control wind.
00:27:13
Speaker
She doesn't know how to do this, but she's trying her best. Lou sees you trying and having some understanding of what you're trying to do. Seemingly, of sudden, you notice she can move.
00:27:26
Speaker
You can't, but she can. She comes up next to you and begins chanting it with you and trying. And the wind seems to respond, seems to howl up a little bit, seems to seems to begin to to blow.
00:27:37
Speaker
Which is weird, because you're in it you're technically in a tavern, but the scene changed. You're not really sure where you are, but you're on a cliffside, and the wind begins to just absolutely howl. The clouds begin to rotate and begin to move. Lightning strikes, and purple light shines and erupts underneath the clouds.
00:27:55
Speaker
of a sudden, Kalden, the scene changes again, you're sitting in the corner booth with a tuxedoed man and slicked back hair. as he's leaning over on his elbows, hands sort of kind of clasped, but not able to stand still. As you can see, there's a little bit of excited anxiousness about his demeanor, still not able to make out face.
00:28:19
Speaker
As he just says, found the answer. I finally found it. And he simply gets up and walks out the door. You all can move again. Calden, I got it. hmm.
00:28:31
Speaker
I think he's kind of shell-shocked. he's He's shell-shocked. He just sits there. Did we hear what the tuxedoed man said? Yeah. Yeah, everyone did. The answer to what?
00:28:43
Speaker
Yes, what's the answer? What was the question? ah the The answer to the universe. It's 72.
00:29:05
Speaker
That is not what I was expecting. That was fantastic. He's um a philosopher, probably. Can I incite? Yeah,
00:29:20
Speaker
sure. 14. Calden's not a liar. You trust Calden to tell you the truth. 42, you said?
00:29:31
Speaker
Oh, uh, what did I say? 72. Yeah. 72. 72. 72. Hmm. All right. Interesting.
00:29:43
Speaker
Calvin, are you sure you're okay? Yep, I'm great. Okay. It just... Lou kind of looks down and thinks for a moment. Just kind of nods her head. I'm with friends. how um How could I be anything other than great?
00:29:58
Speaker
and guess you have a good point. Anyway, and this tree person in the corner speaks up. And it's not Squeliat, for the record. Oh shit. Or squoiled for short.
00:30:08
Speaker
Or squoiled for short, yeah. No, this is a a tree folk, also known in Aeon as a sylvan, that you've never seen before. His head ends in what looks like a tree that had been broken ages ago by whether it would had been fallen by wind or lightning.
00:30:24
Speaker
Who knows, but it's slightly hollow in the top, looking more just like a normal deciduous tree you'd see in a forest of the Midwest. Oak, maybe a poplar. Talira, come here, my child.
00:30:38
Speaker
Okay? do you know my name? has been spoken of amongst my kind. I see. One who would come and be worthy of my teachings.
00:30:52
Speaker
Oh. Well, I'm honored. Please get your shield out. Okay. She holds up her shield. This will take time.
00:31:04
Speaker
I can only teach you one right now. Remember this well, and when you are practiced, inscribe it with power onto your shield. he breaks off some twigs and forms them onto the table in front of you. It makes a symbol of some rune you've never seen.
00:31:22
Speaker
He speaks a word with power. When he says it, the whole room fills with energy and everybody seems, for a moment, inspired as he simply says the one-syllable word.
00:31:34
Speaker
Coo. When he says that, he seems to glow not a not like refined gold that you would see on like a gold coin, more of the gold you'd see on the ore.
00:31:46
Speaker
little bit more... What's the word? Somebody help me here. Raw? Raw? Yeah, more like raw gold. It's it's not glossy, and it's not it's got more texture to it, in this color that he seems to glow for a moment.
00:32:00
Speaker
He reaches a across, and his wooden hand extremity lightly grasps onto your shoulder for a moment as he looks you eye to eye. That word is what makes you special, what makes you worthy, and it means... And he gets cut off by a scream from the opposite corner.
00:32:19
Speaker
What? What's going on? As you look in the opposite corner, on her knees in front of the shadowed silhouette of Eric Strongheart, his spectral wings glowing red out in front of him, his red eyes that you saw, Talira, when he was full of rage.
00:32:36
Speaker
You see Maeve on her knees, a decapitated head on one side and the body on the other as blood pools around her, the body unrecognizable. Maeve!
00:32:47
Speaker
Talira jumps up and rushes over. Yellen! Yellen! Am I able to move? Yes, you can. Okay, I run over, and I do like a knee slide over there.
00:33:00
Speaker
Maeve! As you get over there, you realize that that scream, it you're not even sure if it really originated from Maeve. was It could have, but also could have been this person. You don't see a weapon anywhere in sight.
00:33:12
Speaker
And as you look at Maeve, she's emotionless. She's not covered in blood, and neither is the silhouette of of Eric. And as you get closer, you can see a bit more of the features of Eric, and you can see there is no rage upon this man, although his eyes glow that red.
00:33:27
Speaker
And as you all get over there, you begin to hear a lovely, melodic chorus begins to emanate from behind you. And as you look where this would be from, the rest of the bar is now empty.
00:33:39
Speaker
The tree folk, the sylvan, gone. Maeve, are you okay? Maeve, I don't know what's happening. I think you need to come back to us. Maeve gets up for a moment, goes to the edge of where the shadowed corner begins.
00:33:55
Speaker
Half light, half dark. Music on one side. Maeve, no. Father on the other. She just sits down there. Maeve, you have to stay with us.
00:34:06
Speaker
Stay with us, Maeve. You don't want to stay here. you want to come with us Come on, please. Please. There is nothing good for you here. you really want to stay in a pool of blood in this really scary place? i wouldn't think so.
00:34:23
Speaker
The scene swirls as all of a sudden, Lou and the four of you are standing upon the same path once again, sleeping tavern in, and the distance behind you disappearing into the void that I had previously described.
Elemental World Crisis
00:34:37
Speaker
As you look forward, the path is full of cracks, full of foundational fissures. And as now, as you look around, you see the elements in each area, it's changed.
00:34:49
Speaker
The light directly ahead of you seems to be faltering and flickering, dimming at times. When you look to the plane of air that you had seen in the front left, it's devoid of movement, the sound gone.
00:35:01
Speaker
You look to the front right, to the ocean and the tempest hurricane that was raging, and it's a dry basin. Look directly to your right at what was once a magnificent fire burning across a forest bowl ah full of both life and destruction and all that's left is cinders.
00:35:19
Speaker
Looking to your direct left, what was once rising mountains and spires of earth, sturdy but arid land has turned to desert. As you take one last look at the sleeping tavern inn and the void behind you,
00:35:32
Speaker
That void that was, it was cold. It was the antithesis of what was directly ahead of you. Although dark could be inviting for a time, it was it was almost an area that could provide recovery.
00:35:45
Speaker
It was necessary. Those aspects to it are gone. The darkness, that void, is lifeless. Lou speaks up. Guys, I don't like what's happening. Do we keep going? Well, there's no sense in ditty-dallying anymore.
00:35:58
Speaker
Forward we go. I think we need answers. Yeah, we need answers fast. This is not good. As you all move forward on the path, after quite some time, at least seemingly have passed, a rising pillar with a staircase that surrounds it approaches.
00:36:15
Speaker
As you begin to climb and climb and climb, all grow tired. and Not sure if you can you can continue on, if you can make it, but you don't have a choice.
00:36:26
Speaker
The earth begins to shake. This pillar that you're climbing up, cracks begin to form. Fissures, just like you saw on the road below, except you're in a much more precarious situation now. What do you all choose to do?
00:36:38
Speaker
We have to keep going. If we do keep going, I recommend we go fast, because I don't doubt that this is going to continue to fissure. oh Everything would be so much easier if we could just fly. Where's that wyvern?
00:36:50
Speaker
Luke, can you turn into anything other than a bear? that Perhaps a large bird No, unfortunately, all I can do is a bear. but Hold on, I have an idea.
00:37:02
Speaker
And Talira invokes the hill rune. She doesn't know what it'll do in this world, but she's going to try something. Okay, can you describe that for me?
00:37:13
Speaker
Yeah, it's going to do literally nothing, but um this rune's magic bestows a resilience reminiscent of a hill giant. While wearing or carrying an object that bears this rune, you have advantage on saving throws against being poisoned and you have resistance against poison damage.
00:37:27
Speaker
In addition, you can invoke the rune as a bonus action, gaining resistance to bludgeoning, piercing and slashing damage for one minute. Once you invoke this rune, you can't do so again until you finish a short or long rest. That was a lot. Okay. It was a lot. it's it's It's flavor. I'm doing it for flavor.
00:37:42
Speaker
It's all Talira empowerment stuff. It's not going to do anything outside of her. Well, that that might not be true specifically here.
00:37:56
Speaker
That's what I was hoping. Yeah. I was going with fey logic here. Let me ask this. There's a rune on your shield that is the the word for hill. Mm-hmm.
00:38:07
Speaker
What does Talira, what's what's in her mind when she invokes this rune? What's her mindset? What does she think? What's her process? You know, with ah with those details.
00:38:19
Speaker
Fortify the hill. The hill is strong. The hill is stable. I invoke this rune to add my will, my strength to the hill so we can keep moving.
00:38:34
Speaker
Okay. As you invoke this rune, cracks form a circle around the pillar in two spots as the wind howls and seemingly pushes this section of pillar out of the way in an instant.
00:38:48
Speaker
As directly above you, the rest of pillar seems like it's going to fall directly down on top of you. Almost as if like ah if a section's cut away and it's just gonna shorten for a moment. But you invoke that rune until you know you're the strength to keep the hill up.
00:39:03
Speaker
Oh shit. What do you do? As she is, she rushes in to where the hill meets the pillar. clo like rushes up to the top and she holds the pillars up.
00:39:21
Speaker
Think like sam the opposite of Samson pushing down the temple kind of deal as she's holding these pillars up. Everybody go! I'll be right behind you.
00:39:33
Speaker
T'neurda, I'm not leaving you. I'll be right there. I'm holding this up so we can get through. Okay. We better see you on the other side. I'll be there. All right, well, if you're not, there'll be hell to pay.
00:39:46
Speaker
I'll hold you accountable to that. Kaladin's going to rush the other two through before he goes. As the rest of you go up, Kaladin rushing them through, Talira holding up the pillar like Atlas holds the world.
00:40:01
Speaker
Kaladin, do you finally also go? Yes. As Kaladin disappears up the pillar to continue up... I better see you. Talira, you know that if you let go, it falls.
00:40:14
Speaker
Go as fast as you can. as you guys continue, Talira, do you stay? They're running, you said they're running up the hill? So if she lets go, everything falls, including them?
00:40:26
Speaker
They are now up further, they're further up the pillar as you are holding it up. And if you let go, it all falls. Yeah, she stays. you guys go, Talira does not follow.
00:40:38
Speaker
I'm gonna notice that right away. What do you do? I'm gonna turn back around. I'm not leaving Talira. Play it out. Talira, what are you doing?
00:40:49
Speaker
I'm holding this up so you fucking have a chance. Go. I will be fine. I am not leaving you here alone. I'm not going without you. Kalvin, you have to.
00:41:01
Speaker
Talira, I can't do this without you. Yes, you can. go i can't. Keep Lou safe. No, you can't say that like you're going to die. I'm not going to die. Keep her safe for now.
00:41:15
Speaker
Fine. I'll be here. If you fucking die, I'm finding someone to bring you back so I can kill you again myself, okay? Okay, deal. Go. He reluctantly backs away and eventually turns around and runs.
00:41:32
Speaker
He keeps looking over his shoulder, though. As you all run further up the pillar, getting closer and closer to the top, you finally round the corner of the top to see ah an even smaller pillar on top.
00:41:45
Speaker
And sitting there sits the box, Kalden, that you saw that was stolen back from Piara's office. Thank the gods. We need to grab this and leave. Is this the answer? Wait.
00:41:56
Speaker
Are these the... Does this fix everything? Where's Talira? don't know if... We need to hurry because she's still holding all this shit up. Oh my god, where's Talira? Can we stop asking questions so we can leave so that Talira can stop holding up holding us up from dying? Fuck. um ah yeah yeah god I'm going to summon my elemental.
00:42:15
Speaker
Okay. And I'm going to, ah when he comes around, can you like go help Talira or something, please? Yes, of course I will. Thank you, thank you. He goes to try to take one step off of the tiny stairwell around this pillar and realizes his other leg can't like fit around. It's just dragging across the top.
00:42:34
Speaker
I'm yelling. I think I'm too big. I, oh my god. Um, but I, well, can you like- Can just add a bunch of weight to what she's holding up? Yes. I think you did. You should leave. Can you leave? What are you doing here? Who who brought you here? You brought me here. What What?
00:42:50
Speaker
You brought me here. Then go! I'm telling you to go now. You control that. Oh, I un- I un-summon him. but you As he whips away back onto your arm. No. Jalera first thing, you're like, oh, it's so much heavier. What the fuck happened?
00:43:09
Speaker
Ah, what the fuck? Oh, my God. Sorry. well but We can't just leave her. Like, grab the box and go. I'm rushing over. I've been rushing over to get this box during that whole scene. I'll rush as well. I already have the box.
00:43:25
Speaker
As you all rush to the box, quickly, in the blink of an eye, two black figures wisp across the top of this thing, and suddenly, both Kalden and Jack, you feel yourself being restrained.
00:43:37
Speaker
As you are both now falling off the other edge of the pillar, head first, Kalden, you recognize the suit that is holding you, and Yellen, You recognize the wispy, shadowy, smoky figure, pure chaos incarnate that's holding you. As you both fall down this pillar and Talira, you watch as they both fall past you.
00:43:57
Speaker
Shit, no! As Lu sits on top the pillar, looking down, watching this happen. As Talira, you know that Lu still sits up there, but both Yellen and Kalden fall.
00:44:09
Speaker
Talira, as she's holding these pillars up, closes her eyes, focusing on where Kalden and Yellen are. And as she's, again, she's holding all of her strength, her physical strength going into this. And again, she starts chanting, Toy, Toy.
00:44:31
Speaker
i trying to call the wind to light lift them up because she knows if she calls the hill, it's going to hit like gravity. Meanwhile, oh, oh, oh.
00:44:43
Speaker
And then as she realizes, wait, the hill, the hill. And she starts again focusing as she's chanting toy for the wind.
00:44:55
Speaker
putting more and splitting her mental strength into the hill as well, because part of her rune protects her from bludgeoning damage as she extends, attempts to extend that protection to Kalden and Yellen as they hit the ground.
00:45:12
Speaker
Roll me a nature check. Okay.
00:45:18
Speaker
Seven.
Prophetic Vision and Connection to Aeon
00:45:20
Speaker
You see as Yellen and Kalden, held by dark figures, in a blink of an eye, flash by you as they fall down this impossibly tall pillar.
00:45:30
Speaker
You, tasked with the impossible choice, knowing that Lou was at the top, you tried to do the impossible, as nature does not answer your call. as Lou sits upon the top of this pillar, watching her newfound friends fall, hearing the cries of Talira below her, just before you both hit the ground.
00:45:51
Speaker
snap, she jerks awake. um She looks down and sees that the roots of this tree have reached out from under the ground and were wrapped around her legs, her being able to feel that pulsing, and a voice comes into her head.
00:46:05
Speaker
These prophecies are for you and you alone. as the roots find their way back into the ground. After taking some time to cry, she finds her way back into the apartment and lays down at the foot of the bed and goes back to sleep.
00:46:23
Speaker
Ladies and gentlemen, thank you so much for joining us for another episode of the World of Aeon Stories of Legend. Before we continue with the outro, it's a little solemn in our chat right now. Talira, or I rather, MJ, Renny, Jack, do you guys feel about that?
00:46:36
Speaker
Hell yeah. Would fall? How much damage are we taking? Yeah, yeah. How many D6s is this that, Mr. DM? Oh my gosh. Well, if I must get exact, let me think. 3, 5, 7, 100. Don't forget to carry the 2.
00:46:54
Speaker
By 11. And I carry the 2, multiply by the square root of 69, and i think we end up with 300 D5. Max fall damage... We live that....is 20 D6.
00:47:05
Speaker
Because you can't go faster than terminal velocity. True. That is true. Except in a dream world. But we are in a dream, so it's a dream world. Yeah, anything can happen. So we took 420 damage. yeah Unless you're thrown by the force of the beings that were also carrying you at the last second.
00:47:22
Speaker
Anyway, yeah, that was fun. but Yeah, it was. That was wild. Thanks, guys, for joining us again. We hope to see you next time for episode 25.
00:47:33
Speaker
twenty five Yeah, that's crazy. We're getting 25. That's a quarter of 100. And it's only going to get crazier. I know. It's younger than me. I'm 53. Wait, what?
00:47:45
Speaker
Wait a second. What? Wait, now Jack's older than me. Holy shit.
Outro and Teasers
00:47:48
Speaker
I aged. You're a Gen now. From the stress of of this recording. Yeah. He is now Gen X.
00:47:57
Speaker
Congratulations. you ah You know, I'm not going to say that comment. ah Anyway, as you can see, today's been filled with chaos, ladies and gentlemen. But don't worry, you have nothing to look forward to but more chaos. Make sure to leave us a comment. Let us know what you liked, what you disliked.
00:48:09
Speaker
All nine yards. We just like to get feedback. I personally, as I'm sure the three of them here can attest to, I'm addicted to feedback. I get withdrawal. It's true. Please. He's the he's some thirsty for it.
00:48:20
Speaker
I'm thirsty. Oh, but So there is that. Make sure to check out our socials as well. And then we have a Ko-Fi. Coffee? it's is Why do I say Ko-Fi? It's coffee. Ko-Fi? It's a coffee. why coffee Yeah,
00:48:35
Speaker
Yeah, we've got one of those too. Call and call it Ko-Fi. You can call it coffee. If you want to you know be weird, call it Ko-Fi. Whatever. If you want to be wrong. ah Yeah, if you want to be wrong, you can find it in our link tree, which is in the description below, but also in the link of all of our socials. If you want to help donate to support our show, we would very much appreciate that.
00:48:53
Speaker
But if you can't, we completely understand and we appreciate the support of just listening because even that goes really far with us. So. And if you like us and have friends that you think would enjoy, send the link, too. We'd appreciate that.
00:49:07
Speaker
And if you don't like us, keep listening. Keep hate listening. Hate listen. Hate listen is phenomenal. We feed off of you. Give us hate comments, too. We don't care. We'll take all the algorithm boosts we can get. Oh, man. No, I care. I won't read them. They'll make me sad.
00:49:25
Speaker
That's fair. Oh, man. Either way, we appreciate you guys. But that is going for this time. So see you next time. Bye.
00:49:49
Speaker
We would like to thank our cast, myself, Curtis Woosley, as the GM, MJ Gunther as Talira Grimstone Echelanathi, Saphira as Maeve Strongheart, Rennie Armas as Calden, and Jack Baldwin as Yalin Yakal.
00:50:01
Speaker
Additional thanks to Scentic GFX for our graphics, to MJ and Rennie here for our show editing, and our intro and outro music composed by Ryan Moons, owner operator of Eyes on the Moon Studios..........
00:50:54
Speaker
ah history My, my, uh, uh, my, my, uh, my, uh, my, uh, my, my, my, god my, my, uh, my, uh, my, uh, uh, uh, my, uh, uh, uh, my, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, my, uh, uh, my, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, my, uh, uh,