Become a Creator today!Start creating today - Share your story with the world!
Start for free
00:00:00
00:00:01
Prologue 1 Fancy a drink? – Bellum Draconis
111 Plays2 years ago
We begin our new story where all great stories begin......in a Tavern.
Follow us on our Twitters - @FellowshipTable
Intro written and produced by Joseph McDade - https://josephmcdade.com/
Music kindly provided by - https://www.fesliyanstudios.com/
The Fellowship Party Twitter Pages:
- The DM/Mark - @HastilyRolledDM
- Nyx/Ian - @IRolledA1
- Morotah/Danny - @totalpartythrlz
Recommended
Transcript
Podcast Opening Struggles and Reminiscences
00:00:00
Speaker
Shit, I might let you just hello everyone and welcome to this week's episode. That's the thing, it's so weird, isn't it? Like, how do you start this again? I feel like I did all those years ago when we were at the world's kitchen table with that Zoom mic, just going, all right, let's, I guess we just hit record. And we're just trying to think it through. That's okay, because this is the opening, so we've already created that. We're going to our theme song now, enjoy that with me.
00:00:31
Speaker
you
Introduction of New Characters: Danny and Ian
00:00:54
Speaker
Hello everyone and welcome to this new week's episode of the Fellowship of the Tabletop, Bellum Draconis. Today we have two of our characters with us, two brand new level one characters that are going to be introduced to your listening ears as opposed to your other ears. There you go, listening thumbs. We have Danny and Ian, say hello both of you too.
00:01:15
Speaker
Hello. Hi. Hey, this feels so weird. I'm so weird. Oh God. But we're going to, this is obviously one of our two prologue episodes. We're going to introduce Darren. Darren Callum and.
00:01:30
Speaker
We'll next week in their own product before episode one happens on the 4th of March. So this is going to be a nice little kind of everyone bedding in, getting used to voices and characters, et cetera. Feel quite fast, quite loose, and hopefully a load of fun for you to listening and for us here recording as well. So we're going to get straight into it really.
00:01:52
Speaker
It's to see what happens and see what happens. Let's go for it. So let's do it a nervous. I am nervous. I'm just going to put it out there guys. I am nervous for this. It's like starting a relationship all over again. I feel like we're just going to have two nice gut. We're going to we're going to have two really interesting characters come about. They're just like flex all over the place for the first time. That's absolutely fine. That's cool. I'll be having some fun to met some NPCs as well. Why not? Let's just see what happens. So
Setting the Scene: Stormy Night in Goldview
00:02:19
Speaker
A storm breaks overhead. The rain falls diagonally and the wind howls through the streets of Goldview. Night, deep night, the north of the city. We see the large imposing building of Clay Peak Hall. It stands near the north wall just off from Jordan Walk, the main thoroughfare trade route, which juts across the river and north to Evershire and Highhaven.
00:02:49
Speaker
sleep guard safe we see a figure walking up to the main doors of clay peak hall one of the largest taverns in goldview it's been a long day and the enticing joviality and warmth of the inside of the tavern seems too alluring to deny the figure steps into the low hazy light through the windows of the clay peak hall and we see a figure
00:03:18
Speaker
of, well, Danny, who do we see? Suppressing her sand-skin hand against the door to Clay Peak Hall is this half-orc female.
00:03:35
Speaker
Sandy-skinned, but with this green ponytail, short back and sides, and this sort of mohawk that's not got any product in the drapes to the left side of her head. Looking down, she's got these big steel spaces in her earlobes, her elven-like earlobes that make their ears appear two, three times the size.
Danny's Experience at Clay Peak Hall
00:03:59
Speaker
a face covered in different sort of lacerations and scars that interrupts the brow interrupts the lip interrupts the nose and the the the clef underneath the the the nostrils in different sort of directions she's wearing a sort of lower status attire she's very much got patchwork
00:04:22
Speaker
leggings on and a shorter cropped top across the chest and these these well-worked leather gauntlets is the right leather gloves that have seen a lot of work happen in them walking around with these very very thin sandals
00:04:45
Speaker
Looks like she's just gone 10 rounds with Mike Tyson, constantly in a state of exhaustion. Stinks quite profusely of smoke houses and smoking meats. And yeah, just struggling to catch her breath very much in need of an end of shift pint as she presses open the door to the hall.
00:05:14
Speaker
and the doors swing open to the hall of the Clay Peak Hall and you remember why you choose this place to frequent. It's quite grand on the inside though there's a level of smoke that fills the entire space. The bar sits in the centre and around the bar is a single large wooden pillar with a number of bookcases stuck to the side of it with any number of accoutrements, drinks, empty bottles, books, small plinths,
00:05:42
Speaker
items, any kinds of knickknacks and anything around the edges. Above these bookcases are a number of stuffed heads, one of the deer, one of what looks like a small weather, like a small dragon, that sits above another of these plinths. A huge
00:05:57
Speaker
candelabra iron circles of candles hangs down chandelier like from a central wooden beam that sits across and above the beam is a large open vast black space above it nothing magical about it but just the kind of they haven't put like an attic roof on this it's just left open to the very roof itself so you've got this double layer of kind of lights of the tavern below and then the darkness above
00:06:21
Speaker
around the space you've got a number of long wooden tables and lovely thick
00:06:28
Speaker
almost sheepskin style rugs that sit across the floor, giving it a nice, soft feel underfoot. In three or four places, you notice doors to a small kind of trap doors almost to cellars that are very accessible. You notice two people behind the bar and large casks off behind you. There's a number of doors, one to your far left, one to your far right, windows all around it, letting in some of the natural moonlight and starlight that comes in, shafts in through the windows. There's a layer of dust over everything.
00:06:57
Speaker
but it's comforting the smell is that of smoke but not of your smoke houses but of the smoke of a fire of fresh food and of comfort as you look around the space you it's packed groups belonging to some kind of organization whether sport music or other you've not sure you've seen the primary client seem to be the primary clientele here which could be a bad sign but you're not sure if it is or isn't
00:07:21
Speaker
Several of the long tables are occupied by what seems like entire families all enjoying food, drinks and the companies of others. The other smaller tables around the edges are occupied by people who seem to be strangers. They seem too odd groups to be properly grouped. Some of them are talking in twos and threes. Some of them are just sitting silently. Many of them are just asleep enjoying the warmth and safety of being in a company of others.
00:07:45
Speaker
They're all sitting there because there are no other seats as well. They all clearly seem to be enjoying the atmosphere and enjoying each other's company. Even most of the stalls at the bar are occupied, though nobody seems to mind more company. As you enter into the bar, you look around and
00:08:00
Speaker
There's a sad similarity to this place and this place as you enter. You seem to be the only half-orc here. You seem to be the only one that stands out. The one thing you do like about this place is that no one really gives a shit. They look, they give you a look, and then they get on with their lives. There's none of the lingering looks you tend to get in other parts of the city. This place,
00:08:28
Speaker
either because they're more entrapped in their own views or they are too drunk to care they don't really care who you are as long as you drink and you don't cause trouble no one seems to look or notice you you do hear off in the far corner there's a small voice seems to be singing some melody quietly almost to herself more than anyone in particular
00:08:50
Speaker
You just hear this voice kind of almost through the dinner noise of everyone around this smoky tavern and kind of just echoing over ever so slightly. Can't make out the words or really the melody, but just it fills the silences and gaps in the dialogue. And so you walk in, what would you like more joke to do?
00:09:06
Speaker
I'm beelining for the bar at this point and I'm sort of going to stride across the space with a bit of confidence but conscious that I smell quite bad. As I'm walking, sort of unfastening the leather straps around my gloves and just revealing these well-worked hands that are like calloused and cracked and blistered in places and just giving them a good stretch out in sort of the
00:09:33
Speaker
the warmth and the atmosphere. I'm in a place that's not riddled with damp, it's drier and I'm just sort of basking in that.
00:09:41
Speaker
Okay, nice. And as you approach the bar, there is a space between a couple of clients who are sitting kind of quietly in conversation or just talking to the barkeep behind. And as you approach, you do see the barkeep behind a rather stout, tall, bald man who wears a green shirt underneath with a white apron that seems to be covered in kind of greasy stains on the front where this person's been wiping his hands. He quickly wipes his nose and pours a drink and hands it over to a chap on the other side of the bar before slapping him on the shoulder, letting out an almighty roar
00:10:11
Speaker
laugh and he turns around and clocks you and sees you, recognises you and starts stepping over to you. So it's you again, eh? Nice to see you again. I hope you don't mind the smell. Well, have you smelt some of the people round here? If anything, you're a nice inclusion to the smell we have round here, you see. That's very nice, but
00:10:39
Speaker
No need for a flirting, you know? Flirting? Oh my, did you hear that more? Talked to you about how to flirting. You've got some humour there. You've got some humour there. Now, I assume you're not here for your local delivery because it's way too late for that. No, please, do you have anything with vegetables? I am sick to death of fucking pork.
00:11:02
Speaker
Vegetables. Vegetables, she says more at our vegetables. She says, what's a vegetable? Yeah, we can see what we can rust it up. Carrots, sweet, anything. Just as long as it's somewhat from the earth and not from the inside of some cow, pig or worse.
00:11:18
Speaker
Oh, right. That was very specific. All right. Nada. Nada. He calls back to what you can assume is a kitchen area that's down some stairs. Nada, vegetables. Now, just vegetables, if you please. We'll see if Nada can arrest you up some vegetables. In the meantime, would you like a drink or some description?
00:11:39
Speaker
Yes, your strongest ale please. Ale, no problem at all. So would you like, I'll just rally you up with a bit of tapi, write to me a bit of paper. Okay, I'll keep that going for you there. You're normally good for it. So let's just knock off a silver piece for that for good measure. All right. Feel free to flirt all you like.
00:12:02
Speaker
All right, that's a change of heart. I would love to love, but it's a bit busy in here at the moment, you see, and I really don't want to lose customers, if you know what I mean. So I quickly pause you, a nice large gallon of ale, puts it on the bar and twists the handle towards you. You're new here, aren't you particularly? Well, I came to the city a few weeks ago.
00:12:27
Speaker
It's, you know, I'm just sort of finding my feet. The butcher's taken us in, but you know.
00:12:35
Speaker
Absolutely, I know the chat well. Not to sound perceptible in some regard, but you are recognisable to say the least. I haven't seen many of my kind here in Goldview. Are there many in Sleetguard anyway?
00:12:57
Speaker
If you go to some of the further outreaches, especially to the east, you might find larger groups of people similar to yourself. I know many signed up to join the Sleepguard Surge.
00:13:11
Speaker
back in the day but we don't have to worry about that many might still have made it out of that and survived so keep your eyes open you never know especially this time of year do you know it is that time of year the celebration is approaching i i've heard yeah it's some big war with a bunch of
00:13:28
Speaker
graveyard dwellers was what the most important thing to know is there's a massive fucking party happening and it's all happening here at the clay peak hall so make sure you're here a couple of days time from now it will last a couple of days you'll have a great time don't worry about why are you booked up are you
00:13:46
Speaker
We don't really have a limit. I don't really do bookings. We just kind of invite people in. So you're expecting some fancy travellers, like, you know, rich folk and foreigners and what? Absolutely. Everyone who's anyone's going to be coming here for that first anniversary. Don't you worry. Big party, big time, lots of money to be made for you and your butcher friend. And probably a little bit of a bonus for you, too. That sounds great. Yeah, thanks. So what you, if you don't mind me asking, I mean, just check on your food. You got that food? You got that food?
00:14:15
Speaker
She's just finding some carrots. Just give her a bit. You're not too many. No trouble. Whatever you can spare, really. Well, we're not sparing. Obviously, you're paying for it, but we'll see what we can figure out anyway. Just quick. Where are you from? If you're not from Goldview, then where have you hailed from, madame? How close are the two individuals propped at the bar?
00:14:40
Speaker
They're probably about a foot or two either side of you. You're relatively broad in the shoulder as well, so you take up a decent bit of space. So they are relatively close. Why, are you worried about them listening? No, I just... I'm about to announce where I'm from and I don't want odd looks. I was just seeing how close they are, really. I've only been in Sleek God for a few weeks. I'm from Scorch Helm originally and I know that
00:15:10
Speaker
there is still ill will from sections of this country about those who come from Dralak. So, you know, I'm just trying to keep that under wraps. He takes a second and pauses, throws his brow as he looks at you. Dralak. Well, don't you worry about that here, especially this time of year, with everything that's going to happen on, we're just happy people who are alive together.
00:15:36
Speaker
That's all we're looking for. So now you're always welcome up at Clay Peak Hall. I appreciate it. Thank you. No problem at all. No problem at all. Do you want something for your hands? They look sore.
00:15:47
Speaker
Uh, no, no. Uh, they're actually on the mend, but thanks for that. Have you been, you look like you've been in some kind of brawl. Would you need me to, uh, accompany you to the abcisca to file a police report or, or find someone who's assaulted you? Because I'm not being funny. You don't look too in the best, in the best, uh, best state of a pair. Take it from me, my friend. If someone's assaulted me, they aren't drawing breath now. Oh, good golly gosh.
00:16:14
Speaker
I'm fine. Thank you for your concern. No, that makes me feel much better knowing you're here. If something kicks off, I'm coming straight to you. I'll shout. I'll shout. Gosh, I didn't actually catch your name. Morota. Morota. Morota.
00:16:28
Speaker
Morota, Morota. Okay, let me just make a note of that on your tab. Mo-ro-ta. So I remember how to say it because sometimes I'm quite awful with names, Morota. So let me, I'll say it a few times. Morota, Morota, Morota. Okay, Carrots, you got them so, here we go, here we go.
00:16:46
Speaker
And this rather disheveled-looking, angry-eyed old lady comes out next time, make it your fucking self, and hands her, all right, mum, chill out, fucking hell, and then brings out this little bowl of kind of like a little kind of stew minus the meat of just kind of carrots, sweet, a bit of potato, seemed like some run of beans or something in there as well in kind of a nice creamy sauce. It gives it a sniff. Oh, you know why that smells fucking nice, actually. Oh, do you reckon you could make some for me?
00:17:14
Speaker
She's not responding. I think she's busy. Anyway, right. Here you go then, Marota. I'll leave that there with a spoon for you though. We'll settle up when you're done. So just enjoy yourself. Need anything else? Give me a shout. I appreciate it. You said that you've got no one working the door this evening. No, not particularly. The person we usually had in, well, we had to let him go, unfortunately. Well, you know, if you need it,
00:17:41
Speaker
I'm sure we can come to some sort of arrangement where we perhaps forget about that tab. Oh, perhaps just for tonight, you know it's looking quite busy if there are fancy folk coming in.
00:17:51
Speaker
Oh Lordy, that would be quite useful actually. I thought I was just going to have to hightailer myself out of the place and I'm not exactly the fighting sort. He pats his big fat belly which wobbles up through his man boobs and into his neck flab.
Atmosphere and Social Dynamics at the Tavern
00:18:04
Speaker
So that was really visceral. I don't know how to describe his wobble. I just had an image of it wobbling up. He's suddenly much fatter than I remember him being. He's like the dude from June, or fat.
00:18:18
Speaker
Yeah, sorry, but in a nice way, he's a nice guy. So he wobbles himself and yes That would be that would be quite useful actually to be honest. I don't
00:18:34
Speaker
I'm fine with it, but I'm not sure how cool other people might be with us employing someone from Dralak to... As far as I'm aware, no one else needs to know. I'm simply looking out for your interests and you're keeping me suitably quenched and fed.
00:18:54
Speaker
Oh, let's have a robe. Yeah. Persuasion check please. Are you asking for the first role of this campaign? I am. Oh my god. Bring up that level one character sheet.
00:19:06
Speaker
Oh, it's not bad. With a zero modifier, that's a 15 at level. What? Thank you very much. It's going to be a great campaign, guys. Look at that. We've peaked. We've peaked early. He continues to nod more vociferously quicker and quicker. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You know what? I've got it. I've got it. We'll have you on the door, so to speak. But what we'll do is we won't have you on the door, but you'll be mentally at the door and you'll be visually at the door, looking at the door.
00:19:33
Speaker
You enjoy your seat, and if you see anything kick off, or if I give you the wink and a nod and a nudge, so to speak, you know, right, get that fucker out of here, and you can tackle them out, and I'll back you up if you get any kickback. Just so it doesn't give off the wrong impression, if you know what I mean. You know I'm cool with it all, Moralta. You know I've got no issues with it, but some people are a bit less forgiving in this town than myself. I appreciate it. I'm just going to take myself to a quiet corner.
00:20:02
Speaker
I'll keep an eye on you. Short of another blight happening, no harm is going to come to you or your customers this evening. Absolutely. And may Akiva look over you, my friend. Enjoy yourself. Enjoy your food. Please come back anytime. If you need any drink or anything like that, like I said, we'll cover the tab within reason. Are you allowed to say that now?
00:20:22
Speaker
Yeah, it's all fine now. Oh, is that okay? Yeah, it's one of the religions we're allowed to talk of Akiva, Elijah, you know, the Trumvara as well as Akiva now since everything has happened. Yeah, I didn't know. I thought that was still a bad one. Oh, no, no, it's very good by now. Very, very good by now. I'm sure some will catch you up with it later on. If not, all you got to know is it's all good. It's all right. No one's going to, you ain't going to get arrested like you the olden days. Great. Well, thank you. I'll be over there.
00:20:52
Speaker
All right, and I'll catch you later then. Bye-bye. Bye-bye, bye-bye, bye-bye, bye-bye. And there's a chair, a table that's just been left blank, left empty by an old man who's just stumbled out quietly muttering to himself about. And he wandered out, leaving us kind of a single table and chair close to the door, free for you.
00:21:13
Speaker
And as you look around the place, the air and the energy is still high. You can hear hums and the talk of celebration and events that are coming, but you're trying to piece together exactly what this is. You've heard it a few times now, and you know it's important to the town and to the city, but you haven't fully grasped yet the reason for it, but it sounds like a good celebration of life and a celebration of triumph, of life over death.
00:21:38
Speaker
And that's all you really discern from it as you sit and enjoy this rather hearty kind of vegetable stew that you have in front of you. Is there anything else you want to do while you're sat there? No, I'm just sort of going to try and take a broader glimpse at all of the clientele and any activities. You said it's quite hard to tell what's going on upstairs. So just cursory glances, who's going up, who's coming down, what can I learn from what's harder to see?
00:22:05
Speaker
Yeah, sorry to reiterate, it's a single story. What I tried to describe was that there were really thick oak beams cutting across the space. And then above that is the roof space that is kind of open. It's like hollow, but there's no light up there. So it feels like it's two levels, even though it's just one big space. So the light fills the downstairs area. The upstairs is just like a hollow. It's like they forgot to put the ceiling on and you can just see the inside of the roof. So it leaves a big kind of cabinet space. I think they've left it that way, I say.
00:22:34
Speaker
in my made-up mind. It's a place for the smoke to gather and move without losing heat, without it kind of affecting the patrons below, possibly with a small kind of, like two small plumes for chimney smoke in the ceiling. But it doesn't help, the space is still quite smoky. But not in a suffocating way, but just in a, gosh, I can see shafts of light. And you can imagine during the day when you've delivered to here, during the day, the shafts of light beams of light coming in actually makes it look quite angelic and quite
00:23:02
Speaker
religious almost and it's light. No, I'm just going to bask in a hard day's work and just keep an eye on all the patrons really.
00:23:12
Speaker
And as you do that, you start looking around and you see one old man standing in the far corner away from you. He's kind of half slumped, one hand holding on to the left and holding on to a walking stick. And he's half holding on to a bottle of renish in his right. And his kind of chin is down. He's got a long kind of bootstrap beard around his neck and disheveled gray hair as his eyes kind of just lock on you for a while.
00:23:37
Speaker
Not saying anything, he's going to slightly moving. He's just trying to get his eyes to focus on you a little bit. Then he takes another swig and looks away for a minute. Every now and then you see him just kind of look back and his eyes linger a little longer than everyone else and then looks away. He does that quite a few times. Could you just give me a perception check as well, please, Danny? Of course. Second roll of the campaign. The whole story rests on this. It's still good. It's a 16. Oh, my God!
00:24:05
Speaker
As you continue to look around, the threats you're looking for, just the general feel and hub of the place, it feels very relaxed from your look around. Yes, you get a couple of looks, but from visiting Goldview, you're sadly used to it by now. The eyes linger slightly longer than usual. There are a couple of double takes and there are areas of the town that you're learning now are safer than others. However,
00:24:28
Speaker
whether or not you choose to avoid them or not is totally your call. And sometimes when you felt particularly keen on flexing, let's say, you've chosen to specifically walk through those areas as a show of confidence to yourself. So the area you're in is relatively relaxed. Most of the clientele seems to be doing what you're doing here after a long day's work just to relax, just to calm themselves down.
00:24:48
Speaker
What you do notice, though, is they seem to kind of come out the woodwork almost as a couple of people who seem to revel in revelry, not quite bards, but game masters, so to speak. And you see them approaching tables, offering the opportunities of opulent rewards in response to games that they are playing. And you see them a number of dice games being played on a table with a large family. There is a drinking competition going on with another chap and just and they move from table to table and generally just stirring up joviality.
00:25:17
Speaker
much to the delight of the bartender, whoever now then looks over and lets out a big roar of a laugh as another one of his patrons fails to these game master to their drinking competitions or to their dice games. Sometimes one or two of them will look over towards you, but as you're only one person on your own eating, they tend to avoid you. They're looking for the big groups, really. And as you start enjoying it, you probably get through to the end of your soup. You see
00:25:48
Speaker
The doors of the tavern open again.
Nix's Arrival and Interaction with Lasario
00:25:51
Speaker
The way these doors open is not for me to describe because it might be a tentative look. It could be whatever. I don't know. And firstly, I guess my question to you is how are the doors of the tavern opened?
00:26:08
Speaker
You know, of all the introductions that I could have scripted for my character, how to open a door was not part of that research. So given that it's raining outside, like you said, diagonally and it's cold, Nyx would open the door in a hurry as if when he opens the door, there's a gale that quickly blows in and he quickly shuts the door again. And he pulls up the collars of his coat and tries to shake.
00:26:38
Speaker
shakes the cold and the rain off him. And as you stand there in the warmth and the opulence of the Clay Peak Hall, who do we see? What do we see? Can you give us a little lowdown of what you look like? Absolutely. So you see a light blue tiefling. He's got
00:26:57
Speaker
Deep brown pupil eyes he stands out five foot seven he wears a white sleeveless shirt under a tall short no he wears a white sleeveless shirt under a long.
00:27:13
Speaker
teal jacket that he's rolled up at the sleeves. And on his blue arms are a series of tattoos and markings. If you were closer, you'd see that the waves of the oceans are both arms. And on the actual long kind of coat that he's got on, there's leather accents at the shoulders and the back.
00:27:35
Speaker
The front is just a plain white buttoned kind of vest shirt. He wears blue cargo pants, a tan belt, light green gloves, a lever and a pair of light green and white cuffed ankle boots with a low heel. That makes him
00:27:54
Speaker
seem taller than he actually is. And it has a good effect of a clip-clop sound against hardwood floors. He sports a brown sheath on his left hip which has space for a dagger. There's no dagger in that sheath. He also has a similar sheath on his right hip that you'd also assume with space for a dagger. Once again, empty. And he stood there and he's just
00:28:21
Speaker
said shaking the rain off and he's taken in the lights and sounds of this new place.
00:28:28
Speaker
again similar to the entrance of morota and you get a few looks but less so probably if you were to compare the two less so than when morota entered the space and you have already heard since being um into well word has spread round of famous tieflings and their heroic deeds as well so um your appearance is less uh of a question
00:28:54
Speaker
compared to maritas if you were to compare the two entrances, so to speak. A couple of looks around just at the dramaticness of your entrance, but not much interest. Again, the dualities are in full swing, so no one really notices the entrance and exit, especially through the gales.
00:29:09
Speaker
However, there's one. Could you give me a perception check, please? Absolutely. I'm just going to cut in. And I did a really great description of my clothes, but not on myself apart from tattoos on my arm. So I've got dark blue hair that's quite long and unkempt. It's quite wild. Two kind of silver horns protrude.
00:29:32
Speaker
only short horns, they're not long tiefling horns, they're quite short. That protrude away from my hair and they've got like almost a bracelet that you would have on your arm is wrapped around one the right of the chain of the of the horn and it's this kind of just metal chain that's just there and you'd see a little emblem that's just hanging off it just in the shape of a coin.
00:29:57
Speaker
nice he's got a big long blue tail protruding from his coat but there's a wonderful slit up the bottom side of his coat that allows the tail to sit in between so that there's there's two tails either side of his actual tail tails of a coat if you get on talking about there yes you do and he's got two earrings in and he's got a nose piercing as well um mate other than that that's that's nyx awesome you don't so i mean yeah there we go what did you want me to roll
00:30:27
Speaker
Oh my god, this is my first roll. Perception check. Perception check, please. You can do it. I can do it. I've got nothing lower than a 15. Okay, here we go.
00:30:40
Speaker
17. Nice. Wow. This is a good start. This is a good start. Okay. You look around and you can take in most of the figures that are in the space. You see the bartender, you see how busy the place is. You get a sense of the worth of people in the space, easy marks, possible targets, things like that. But then one figure catches your eye.
00:31:03
Speaker
And it's the one thing lacking from all your experience and what you've been told from your friends about taverns in this side of the town, this side of the kingdoms, is the renown for their singing, the renown for their bards, the renown for music in taverns and atmosphere. And there's no atmosphere here, there's no music playing here all of a sudden. And you look and try and look around to see like, where would a bard sit? Where would we have music from? And closer to that, you see off in the distance, off to the right, a kind of a small stage set up, but much, much closer to that.
00:31:29
Speaker
actually standing only about 15 feet away from you, staring directly at you with thin eyes staring back at you is a halfling who is wearing a identically light blue jacket to you, a brine ponytail, halfling, barefoot, holding a lute that's strapped on her back, looking through thin eyes towards you.
00:31:51
Speaker
She pip-pat, pip-pat, pip-pat forward towards you until she's about 10 feet away from you, looks up at your five foot seven frame, up and down, then looks you in the face and just goes, nice jacket. I can say the same about you. Pleased to meet you. Why are we wearing the same thing? I'm highly fashionable. I assume you are too. You would assume correct.
00:32:20
Speaker
Seems we're one-of-a-kind. I've already found the right place to be. What's your name? My name is Losario. I'm one of the same prize. Losario is a beautiful name. I'm going to speak over you because that name just rings. Wonderful tunes. You're carrying a harp as well. How fortuitous. It's a loot. Are you a bard?
00:32:39
Speaker
Yes, and it is a lute, not a harp, it's a lute. See, it's wooden. Have you performed here? Yes, well, I normally do, yes. Are you well known around these parts? Have I stumbled upon a great singer? Yes, yes. Because this place seems like it's just missing something, some sort of... I've come in here, there's the warmth, it's awfully cold out there, so thank you very much for this warm, wonderful place. But it's missing something, a little...
00:33:09
Speaker
Ground music. Is that what you will be doing? She stands there baffled a little bit. Could you give me a just a performance check, please? Absolutely. Nice. Twenty three. That was a crit. Twenty three. She stands there baffled.
00:33:32
Speaker
To be honest, Tiefling, I came over here to intimidate you. To compliment my jacket, absolutely. And I've just complimented you on yours. Thank you. Are you going to play a song tonight? Are you performing? Of course, I think. Yeah, she's the furrowed brow. Yes, I am. Am I? Yes, yes. I guess I am.
00:33:52
Speaker
What would you like me to care for when you go up on stage? I heard horrendous things sometimes about people coming up on stage and trying to take your artifacts, your personal belongings, your coin and your loot.
00:34:07
Speaker
How about as we're one of the same, you have the same coat as me, if you've got any valuables, I'll just look after them for you. And after your performance, you come back to me and I will give them back to you. Obviously, I won't take your musical instrument, but if you've got anything of worth on you, you know, already we have this link between us and I'd be over there at the bar. And Nick just points a long finger out to the bar.
00:34:30
Speaker
You can come to me after your performance. And who knows, if you're that good, you might be getting coins thrown at you. Think of the riches you could be upon just with a good song. She thinks long and hard, but her mind's already made up. You're right.
00:34:49
Speaker
I could bloody well do this. You can! I could be the next, I could be the next cast stan, and she's gonna reach into her pocket and pull out her little bag of money, which is like small and bright pink in colour. Obviously she's had this since childhood. It feels light in her hand and she, and she hands out towards you. Take your knick or take it in kind. Also, fuck it. And she takes her jacket and she's got like a white shirt underneath. It's quite warm in there.
00:35:16
Speaker
jacket buddies so you hold on to this as well absolutely I'm gonna sing this song and it's gonna be bloody brilliant and I'll be listening just over there and she follows where your fingers pointing just what was that just to the bar and Nixon's hand changes on that brain but by the air over there and he turns her around and he points at one direction yeah there but you're singing over there and he gives a little push you got this go get it
00:35:41
Speaker
I believe in you. OK. Thanks. Next. Next. Was it? Next. Next.
00:35:50
Speaker
Okay, brilliant. Thanks. And she walks up to the area. Um, I know what I really want to do pulls around the loot and starts to play. I'm just going to give her a performance checks to see how she, um, does. Does she seem quite nervous that she's getting up there and just kind of, she didn't until you started, um, talking at her and, uh, kind of confused her slightly, so to speak. Um,
00:36:23
Speaker
Did you want to say something, Danny? I just want to know if I perceived this as I might like full on recon mode. Okay, great. I'm taking on your previous perception, I think of 17. So this whole encounter, you're relatively close to the door. This is done pretty much in front of the door. No, no word has been said about wanting to be kind of quiet or stealthy or anything like that. So you have heard all of this and your eyes are on
00:36:43
Speaker
both Nix and Lasario as this takes place. I imagine this is just almost as you look back from the old man, he's been giving you looks that last a little too long with his renish. As you turn back, Nix has suddenly entered in the door and he's had this one-on-one with Lasario, relieving her of her small bag of money and also her jacket as she goes up to play.
00:37:04
Speaker
She stands up on stage and starts to play through on her lute, playing through a couple of simple chords. The group nearby starts to quieten as they seem to be there for the music, turning on and drinking their ales and listening in. She starts to sing quite quietly to herself, still every now and then glancing over towards Nick's, kind of looking for a kind of encouragement and
00:37:24
Speaker
Nix would give a cheery wave and a wink back. And she tries to wink and play and sing at the same time and forgets one of them, sometimes switching from one to the other. She stops for a second and occupies herself and starts again and plays one of her own songs that people haven't really heard in the time. She chooses not to play one of the
00:37:43
Speaker
the big songs that kind of goes around the bad circuit that everyone plays these days about the heroes of sleep guard about the destruction of the blight all that stuff that's so common knowledge at the moment she tries to avoid them and play something totally original and in doing so doesn't do a particularly good job she comes to an end in a couple of the nearby patrons who seem to be there for the music give her a polite clap and then quickly return to conversation with a slight shake of the head and she stands almost expecting coins to be thrown at her for a second before
00:38:13
Speaker
I would jump on stage after her song has ended. As you were going and expecting for coins to be flicked, I will partake. I will flick a copper coin towards the stage area. And she instantly starts crying.
00:38:37
Speaker
Oh, it's such a nice thing of you to do. No one's ever thrown money at me before. It's so lovely. It's something I've always wanted, really, is a... You see, I spend most of my life as a town bloody crier, and it's no fun doing that. Yes, I can tell some good stories, but I want to tell... I want to do something for my own. And if it wasn't for you, Nix, and you, goodness, throwing that coin at me, thank you, may I keep it? It's yours.
00:39:05
Speaker
Thank you. She's going to put, go to put it in a coin purse. Oh, um, Nick still got it. It's okay. It's still safe, but you're not done yet. Surely. Well, let's hear another. Exactly. And as, as Nick says that he turns to the, the tavern. Uh, ladies and gentlemen, you've just heard the great Lazariels first song. And yes, maybe there's some work to be done, but
00:39:32
Speaker
What comes with great work is a great audience, and I know, lend me your ears today for her next song. It will be beautiful, it will be magical, it will take you on an adventure, and if you should like it, then show your coin, throw it at the stage, and if you don't like it, aim true. Don't worry about it.
00:39:55
Speaker
Lazario! The stage is yours! Sing us a beautiful song! Could you give me a performance check please? This is amazing. I love all of this. Another crit! It's twenty three!
Promotion and Negotiation: Nix in Action
00:40:08
Speaker
The bar, I mean, 23, Jesus Christ, we're level one. What the hell is going on? The bar erupts into a roar and a cacophony. Everyone starts chanting. She is just 100% taken back. Her eyes grow big. Her eyebrows are like,
00:40:26
Speaker
her mouth, Joris is hanging open as these people start chanting her name. She looks up to you like a god. She looks around the space looking confused as what's to do. As the crowd slowly quiets, people move closer and closer, probably by your behest, next chairs, tables get shifted and moved. People standing on tables and chairs leaning over to get view of this fabled Losario about to play her second ever song. And she strikes up a note and rolled a hell of a lot better on her performance check. I'll tell you that for free. Yes, Losario.
00:40:55
Speaker
rolling a 19 well rolling an 18 plus one so a 19 for this silence falls across the bar her fingers first shake and then fall still forming a first chord on her lute she strums through the notes a perfect g major i think i don't know anything about music a nice positive note and so she starts to play fourth and another original song but this one
00:41:23
Speaker
the chorus is just so damn catchy and after the third iteration through this, I'm sorry I haven't got, I wasn't expecting, I'm just saying I haven't got songs ready but after the third iteration of the chorus the whole bar is singing along at the slow moving ballad you've got people grabbing candles and slowly swaying them in the air above their heads as people are hugging and holding each other swaying in joviality as the music swells to a final conclusion
00:41:51
Speaker
and a slow final strum of the lute as a moment of silence before the old man with the renish stands up.
00:42:00
Speaker
out of her fucking brilliant and starts clapping his hands. Everyone just starts hooting and hollering. Coins and coppers are flicked, flicked, flicked, flicked, flicked, 10, 15, 30. Copper coins start coming at her. One hits her in the face and catches her in the eye, but she doesn't care. This is the best time of her life. She's just no idea what to do. She's looking around so happy. She doesn't want to pick up the coins and look rude, so she just stands there and awkwardly bows with the loot on her back.
00:42:24
Speaker
And just, just reveling in this moment, this glorious moment. And then as, as people start to return to their groups and their drinks, and she takes a couple of breaths, she comes over to you both. What the fuck just happened? Who are you both? Yes, but you can't leave your coin just there. You stay here with the, with the, uh, wow. And Nix keeps looking up. Um, how tall is Marauder?
00:42:52
Speaker
She sat at the table still, she hasn't stood still. I'm sorry, I thought you were stood up there. You stay there with that fine lady there and I will go and gather up your coins because they are yours by right. And as Nix walks over back to the stage,
00:43:08
Speaker
And that was just a piece of the show that awaits you all. I am here to tell you that the great and wonderful Esmeralda has arrived at your docks and is here to partake in the celebration of this week. We are a performing ship, a theatre crew, you've probably heard of us. Come down and see our play. Everything will kill you. It's a true undergoblin story.
00:43:34
Speaker
and you just have to see it to believe it. It will start in approximately two days time. If you think you've heard greatness tonight, you wait until you come and see what we have to offer you. My name is Nix. Go and tell the Captain Esmeralda that I sent you there and bespeech him to see the show and you're in for a delight. Thank you very much.
00:44:01
Speaker
And there's another big applause from everyone around the place. A few people start, nicks, nicks, nicks, nicks, nicks, and bang on the table, impressed with your overall kind of orator and ability there. Ian, just out of curiosity, could you regale the name of that show for me, please? Yes, of course. It's called Everything Will Kill You, a true undergoblin story. Everything will kill you.
00:44:24
Speaker
I love it. So as Nick departs the stage after advertising the show, I'm just going to reach over to a table behind me, grab an empty cup and dispense some of the jug of ale that I've got into a second cup and just make sure I'm matching his gaze the entire time he's walking off the stage. So it's unmistakable that I'm sort of offering him a place to sit and drink.
00:44:50
Speaker
Okay, nice. And again, I'm taking your perception as you rolled earlier is kind of the way you perceive the space for the whole thing anyway. So next, you would notice that look from the this person who kind of joined you in coaxing Lissareal into performing more near the door ish, you did notice her on your entrance. But you were too busy, obviously, at your work.
00:45:16
Speaker
Absolutely. Just a quick question. The coin that I picked up, how much and at what value did I pick up? So are you talking the gold, the gold, the coin that was in Lazari? No, not in Lazari's purse. I've still got that untouched. I haven't even looked at it because I've been too busy.
00:45:32
Speaker
being fucking Hugh Jackman. But this coin that was thrown at the stage that I went and picked up on her behalf. Because the pub was so full, which was a lucky roll, and also the performance check, it's 34 copper pieces in total, which is a hell of a hell of a taking for this young bard.
00:45:53
Speaker
So next upon seeing the obvious show for Morata to come sit down, he's going to just give a nod, a cheeky nod and a wink and a point at the finger towards Morata's way and then he's going to make his way to the bar.
00:46:14
Speaker
point that way to Marota as well, just any mimes getting like a drink. And then he out of a jovial mood points back to Marota and does another mime of a drink as if to say, hey, do you want one getting? And Marota nods.
00:46:29
Speaker
And then Nix is going to catch Lazario's eye and do the same thing. Like over-exaggerated. So Nix's motions here are over-exaggerated. So there's no... He is full on like, drink? Do you want to drink? In physical language. Gotcha. Yeah. She quite quickly nods ahead. Yeah, yeah. So Nix will make his way to the barkeep. Barkeep! Great barkeep!
00:46:59
Speaker
He turns around the bold expanse of a man and looks directly at you. He has a smile on his face as he turns around, and then the smile drops slightly. All right? Yeah. All right, yourself? Very well, thank you. Good. Nice little performance you did there for our little Losario. I'm pleased that she did such a good show just now. And a rather fabulous singer, I think you'd agree.
00:47:27
Speaker
Absolutely, absolutely. You know, if one was to market better, you might be able to make some coin from her and booking her in for a regular slot.
00:47:37
Speaker
Yeah, well, uh, we will, uh, yeah, definitely look into that now. We have really a food here. Yeah. We serve some food. Yeah. We've got a rather good vegetable stew on the go tonight. Apparently, uh, of what all I've, I've come from the, you might've heard from the Esmeralda, which is a ship you've heard. Yes. Yes. It's one of the things that, um, bothers me about being on a ship. It's lots of vegetables and lots of potatoes. Have you got any meat?
00:48:04
Speaker
Yeah, we got some meat. We had a shipment in... God, what was it? Your last... Yesterday? Yesterday, yeah, we got some pork. Okay, well, here, let me...
00:48:14
Speaker
spin you something here maybe spins the wrong word for what I'm going to try and do but let me there's a proposition to be made here as I've just said my ship the Esmeralda the Esmeralda the great Esmeralda has arrived at the docks and is going to be putting on a show for this here celebration we will need a place we can frequent to drink and eat
00:48:36
Speaker
and that brings a lot of coin your way. However, for me to go back to the ship without trying narrowly a bite would be unfathomable to the captain. So I don't suppose there's some way I can sample your delicacies and hey, maybe a couple of drinks as well.
00:48:56
Speaker
Yeah, his eyes go thin as he looks at you. Think of the coin on the return with all my crewmates to which we have over 100 on our ship. We are a big crew bringing such a big show to the great gold view. That would be quite a large amount of coin and and the captain. Well, he likes the simpler things in life, but he likes it to be good. And that's why I'm here. Could you give me a persuasion check plus two?
00:49:27
Speaker
So whatever your total is, add 2 to it as well. That's a 21!
00:49:33
Speaker
You do have to make this easier for us, Mark. I know. I just assume at level one, we'd need a bit of a... What I tend to do, I want to do with things. My roles have been ridiculous, dude. You wait till combat, man. Instead of just letting you roll with advantage, I think for each thing you give me that wins him over, like mentioning 100 crew, that was like, bing, that's one plus. I want to do it that way a little bit, just to... The better you give it to me, the better... The better you give it to me, the bigger the advantage.
00:50:00
Speaker
he looks through narrow eyes and just starts, you see then almost like in cartoons when the dollar sign on the eyes, they kind of spring into his head all of a sudden. All right, sounds pretty good to me actually. You say you want to try some of the food, did you?
00:50:15
Speaker
Some pork? Yes, well, some pork, some meats, anything that you've got really that you want to sell. Now, bear in mind, you can mark this up when my crew arrive. I don't mind, but I need to tell them it's good. So whatever you have that you want to show off, as it were, now's a good time to kind of sell it to me. I am your patron. You sell me your goods.
00:50:39
Speaker
all right all right yeah cool nada nada he calls down to the um to the uh the kitchen down below bring up uh some of the port from yesterday some of the smoke stuff uh a couple of bits of the uh of the beef we've got left over for the first yeah bring it anyway uh we want some of the no don't leave the potato leave the potatoes no leave the potato she's gonna bring a potato anyway sorry about that okay that's fair i mean yeah i'm used to it
00:51:02
Speaker
I know, but she says you can't have meat without vegetables. It's the whole thing about carbohydrate intake. I don't understand it. It's a whole... It's my mum. It's my mum. We've all been there, you know what I mean? Look, you're looking after your mum and your mum's looking after you. That's a great thing. What's your name? Good sir. My name. That's a very... Your name. I have it written down here. No, that's the name of the wrong person there. Shit, I've got to scroll up
Intrigue with Morota
00:51:27
Speaker
on my screen. Give me a second. Okay.
00:51:31
Speaker
This is exhausting to be this character, by the way. You took it so much. My name is Matthew. Bless you.
00:51:43
Speaker
I get that a lot, it's still not funny. Matthew, A-T-H-Y-E-U. My mum, obviously, maybe when people, the joke is that when she, people asked her what her name was, she sneezed and people went, oh, Matthew, that's an interesting name. Or she coughed when saying Matthew. We aren't sure either way. I stick with Matthew or bless you for sure.
00:52:04
Speaker
Well, Afy, that is a backstory to be proud of if I ever did hear one myself. It's like I just came up with it. Isn't it just? So that's the food. What about the drinks? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, no, you say, yeah, yeah, yeah. But is this ale the most expensive thing you have? Or do you have more? Remember, what you sell to me, I go back to tell my crew and they buy more. All right.
00:52:31
Speaker
You see that old chap over there and he points over to the old man who's been eyeing Moratuck through the evening. He bought in two years ago a cask of renish wine that is one of the most expensive in Goldview. He said no one was about drinking about him.
00:52:52
Speaker
But every now and then I have a little sneaky, sneaky, cheeky, cheeky drink of it. That's probably the most expensive thing in here, but obviously if you guys will drink it, you're going to have to pay for a new one. But if you are indeed going to bring 100 crew in and I'll get you a glass of that, a glass of the vanish. I'll tell you what, give us a glass of that and then my two compatriots over there, they're waiting for me. One of them being Lazario and the other one
00:53:15
Speaker
The other one did help in order to get Lazario the name that she's slowly beginning, the origin story. So if you've got two hails or whatever they're having, maybe two of those hails. Yeah, she's my muscle. Yeah, she works here. She works for sure. She's your muscle. What do you know about her?
00:53:32
Speaker
Well, it's not my place to tell anything about people who come here. Absolutely, you're a true gentleman and I wouldn't hear you say anything about her that's negative. What's her name, sorry? Morota. Morota. Well, let me just check what I wrote down on my tab. Yeah, Morota, Morota. And she's got a tab. She did have a tab, but I've wiped it because she's doing me a favour tonight. She's working duels.
00:53:57
Speaker
Like you're sure any unsavory characters that come in here quickly exit through door or window? Unsavory characters. Do you get many of those?
00:54:10
Speaker
We get a few every now and then, especially in the north of the city. Some of them get barred from places like Half Hoof Inn and Double Ork Pub and all that in the center of town and have to come a little bit further afield, especially those that come in off Jordan Walk, especially from Evershire and High Haven, come straight in off the road. Need a place to drink, need a place to camp. We're the first place they see. So yeah, sometimes we get some savory characters. Sometimes we get the odd murderer, you know, nothing we can't handle though, especially when we're over in the door. It's been here for a while now.
00:54:40
Speaker
So good for protection, you'd say? I'd say one of the best from my experiences. First things first, I've never seen a fight. I should have made that abundantly clear. However, just look at her the way she holds herself and he's kind of looking over your shoulder at her at this time. The way she sits, I think, I mean, Danny, please correct me if I'm wrong at any point, but she sits quite upright the way she holds herself, the way she walks, measured, controlled. She knows how to throw a punch. Look at those fists. They've been through some shit.
00:55:09
Speaker
either she's been beating the shit out of people or people have been beating the shit out of her. Either way, she's still standing and they're probably not. That tells me one or two things. Either A, she's damn good with her hands, or B, she likes punching walls. I don't think it's the latter, mainly because I haven't seen any bloody walls around here. By bloody walls, obviously, I mean, walls covered in blood. I feel like I'm in lock-stop with this guy. Anyway, um... So, uh...
00:55:37
Speaker
Check a very low, very, very, very long story short. You got our food coming up? Yeah, yeah, it's coming up. Long story short, yeah, I think she can handle herself. If you want to go try and see what happens, I'm sure she'll very quickly teach you a lesson or two. Nick's hold both hands up. No, no, no, no, no, there's no need for that. It's just she obviously helped my friend Lazari all there. You saw her get up on stage. She helped her become a star of the evening. So thank you very much, Athu. Athu? Athu, yeah, that's right.
00:56:07
Speaker
It's very good of you. The drink's ready and I'll go and take them over. She brings up two mugs of ale and one small glass of renish in a nice festooned glass with a little thin silver rim around the edge of the glass with a thong, a lot of thong, not that kind of bar, a long thin neck onto it on those sandy places out down.
00:56:33
Speaker
It's one of my favourite glasses, better return. Not that I assume you have anything, my good sir, but the drink comes for free, but the glass is for me. You should put that above the bar. I think that's brilliant. Thank you very much, Athu. I will be back. And with 100 more strong, I tell you that. Look forward to the food.
00:56:52
Speaker
I look forward to the custom as you start to walk away. Where are you heading? I'm going to go and take the empty seat next to Marauder. Is Lazaria still there? Yes, she's just stood looking. If Lazaria is there, I should have heard her go and perform again.
00:57:17
Speaker
And okay, so yeah, I'll recommend that slightly. So yeah, if you've been there standing there waiting, and then pretty little awkward chit chat, and then she would have easily kind of gone off, and she would be playing a couple of instrumental numbers now practicing her fingerwork on the lute, not so much singing, because people are busy at games and drinks and talking. So just playing a couple of nice strumming notes, just practicing going through chord progressions, as she plays in the quiet, normally paying attention, but just adding to the nice atmosphere, leaving you Morita alone before Nick's
00:57:46
Speaker
approaches with three drinks. Take a seat. Yes, of course I will. Thank you very much. My name is Nix. You might have just heard that the Esmeralda has come through and, well, it was a fine ship with a fine story. Feel free to drop the act. What act? I'm impressed.
00:58:10
Speaker
Nyx will slide over the drink while smiling towards you and just kind of pushing it close to you. Yes, well, I don't know what act you think this might be, but it definitely will be better if you drink.
00:58:24
Speaker
I intend to. I'll take my copper coin back. It seems like you've made quite the profit since you walked in. Yes, absolutely. Good call. Okay, you don't miss much. And Nix will dig through the pocket of his deep pocket of his blue coat. And it's the kind of pocket that you lose a quarter of your arm in. And he'll pull out a copper coin. There you go. Observant one. Morata, right? Aye, and it's Nix.
00:58:53
Speaker
Nick's corral at your service and there's a kind of a flourish as Nick's almost bowels. I'll take the coin with one hand and then lift the glass with the other and offer a cheers. A cheers to you. And Nick's will clink with the vava posh substance that he managed to get his hands on. I've been trying for months to get that. And no success. I just wanted to try it. Well, who would I be? Hang on, you're not one of those
00:59:23
Speaker
People that put things into people's drinks, right? I've heard about. No. People such as you. You're not one of those. Poison's not really my style. Poison. That's the word I was trying to find. I'll tell you what. Try some. Are you sure? You worked hard for it. If I say you can try it, you can try it. There's no strings attached to it here.
00:59:46
Speaker
And I'll very graciously take a sip and then sip that. And what enters your mouth is one of the smoothest, one of the most layered, flavorsome alcoholic beverage you've ever consumed. It's liquid nectar pouring down your throats. You think this must be affected with honey, with some kind of smoked barrel. It just seems overly sweet, yet there's a hint of salt. It's just...
01:00:15
Speaker
It hits everything. Wine is a load of shite. How is that worth so much money? I haven't tried it myself. Let me try it. And you taste the same thing.
01:00:30
Speaker
But this, this is absolutely, positively marvellous. How could you? How could you? I suppose I want to. Can I, can I tell you something Marauder? Go for it. Can I tell you? So this is, I am absolutely knackered. Did you see that I came in here? It was fucking raining. I am fucking cold. And you are the only one that's taken any notice, any true notice over the person that I appear to be. I tell you what, you eat.
01:00:59
Speaker
You eat that meat that I have tenderized personally with. You can help yourself to the meat if you want. Absolutely not. Here is my potato. Why would you not have meat? That's my meat. I'm the butcher that serves this meat. I spend most of my days delivering and or tenderizing that meat. Do you think I really want to spend my evenings consuming that meat?
01:01:20
Speaker
Fair point. Taken. Taken. I didn't realize that your meat was on offer, but I will partake in the dining if you don't mind. Please. And I have a proposal. Oh, I am going to be all ears for this proposal. Let me just sit down first and let me take a breath. I feel like I've been at 11 since I've come in here, so I just want to just shake it off a little bit. Sorry, I'm kind of...
01:01:50
Speaker
I'm known around these parts, but also, you know, when you, you feel like a stranger, even though you, you never feel alone. Does that make sense to you? Probably not. Probably talking too much. That's okay. Don't worry about it. I understand that feeling entirely. Um, here's the thing. I like what you did. I've learned a few things since you've walked in. Very gracious of you. All I've managed here is free food and free drink. You've walked away richer, but
01:02:20
Speaker
I frequent this place. I care about its patrons. You've done a good deed by Lazariel there. Either you walk out now with her coin purse and I don't say anything or
01:02:40
Speaker
you hand it back. I'm just going to sort of subtly twist my neck towards the rich old, not rich, but the old wine connoisseur that's been staring me up all day since I came in. We work together on a bigger fortune. Well, colour me intrigued.
01:03:05
Speaker
Though you might have been slightly off at first. This is Lazario's money. I intend to give it all back to her, regardless. Sure you do. However, this proposal is intriguing. By riches? What do we talk about here? Because there's some sort of, ah, we don't need to go into my history, but let's just say I'm looking for some kind of payday.
01:03:36
Speaker
I'll put it this way. The only thing that man ever drinks, the only thing I ever see him drink is this very expensive wine that tastes like whale's piss. So, you know, there's a fortune to be found, I'm sure. Yes, yes, yes. The barkeep, he did mention about this wine
01:03:58
Speaker
Before I get into bed with someone, if you pardon the expression, you're beautiful, by the way. Thank you. You are adequately dressed. More than adequately. That's fine. It's fine. Forget about it. Anyway, before I jump into bed with someone, I'd like to know a little bit more about said person. Where are you from? I know your name's Morata and you've obviously got a faithful friend here at the bar because I asked him about you and he was very
01:04:27
Speaker
reserved with what he said, which means that you scare him, and there's cause for me to respect that and respect you. However, if we are going to dilly someone,
01:04:42
Speaker
Yeah, what are you about? What are you about? What's the reason? I don't even know to the reason, but where you're from, give me something just so I know that you're someone I can trust. Or make me trust you. Sell yourself to me. I am your patron, and you can sell yourself to me. I could stand up in a moment and announce to Lesario that she's not had her coin purse back yet.
01:05:05
Speaker
I'm choosing not to do that. I'd say that's quite trustworthy, wouldn't you? That is. And let me just show you what I'm about. Lazario, your coin purse and your winnings or earnings from your night, they're still here with me. Make sure you pick them up before you go.
01:05:24
Speaker
Carry on. Actually, and she speaks over from the corner of the bar. I'm a bit pooped. I was just thinking of heading out now, and she's going to shuffle over. It's getting a bit chilly. Do you mind if you just pass me my jacket back, please? Next. Absolutely. Here's your jacket. Here's your really delicate, beautiful coin purse. You have to tell me where you got that from. Thank you. I got it from my mum.
01:05:50
Speaker
Wow. Well, don't forget you've got drink here as well. And, uh, and you also earned 14 copper pieces. And he slides over 14 copper pieces. Can you roll a deception check, please? Absolutely. 16. Whoa. Shoulder four.
01:06:19
Speaker
14 that's incredible. It is all on your voice alone. Don't go spending it at once Oh, well, thank you so much for the support both of you. It's been really wonderful If you need me at any point I'm either gonna be in here in evenings or if you ever head over to Vita square right in the middle of town near the river
01:06:38
Speaker
That's where I usually stand and I talk about the heroes of Sleep Garden. I tell their stories. So if you ever need me, that's where I'll be during the mornings and then I'm here in the evenings. I have a rather long day and I'm, like I said, rather pooped. So I'm going to head out now, but thank you both again so much. It's been a pleasure to meet you.
01:06:57
Speaker
And likewise, you take care of yourself out there. Best to your mum if she's going to make another touring purse. We should bring you to the ship. My name's Nix. The ship, the Esmeralda. I'll tell you what, for your help tonight, you can have a free ticket to the show, okay? Can my mum have us one as well? Yes, why not? Who's your mum? What's her name? Her name is... It's funny you should ask that, actually. It's just...
01:07:25
Speaker
The DM's mind's gone absolutely blank all of a sudden. That's okay. Joan, her name is Joan. Joan is a beautiful name. Yes, Joan, if you take Joan, your mother, to the ship, the Esmeralda, you're looking for the captain. He's called Hildegard. If you can't deal with the captain, because he's quite busy, you can deal with Zane. He's a half-orc, and he looks sideways glance to Morata. Do you do that to every human that you meet? What the fuck? Yeah, it's better than called for, actually.
01:07:55
Speaker
Do what to every human? Say, that person's a human. Look at another human with a gnawing glaze. To be fair, when you've got the crew the size of the Esmeralda, you need a quick, sure-fire way to tell people apart and race whether you like it or not. Look at me. Do you think I don't have this? And Nix is gesticulating towards his tiefling self. Being okay with who you are is the only way.
01:08:25
Speaker
Joan, get your, no, you're not Joan. Fuck, that was such a beautiful thing. Lazario, get you and Joan over to the Esmeralda. It starts in two days time. The place called Everything Will Kill You. It's a truce, underdog story, under goblin story.
01:08:44
Speaker
And a dog goblin. And a dog goblin story. Tickets on me. Mention my name. Nix Corral. They will get you tickets. Nix Corral. Two tickets. If you can't speak to the captain, speak to Zane. Fourteen copper pieces. One night's work. Fantastic. It's been such a wonderful day. Thank you, Nix. Thank you, Morota. It's been lovely meeting you both.
01:09:03
Speaker
like i said vita square if you need me and if not nix i'll see you in two days at the esmeralda for everything will kill you a true undergoblin story i can't wait absolutely going to be a magical evening thank you farewell what a wonderful evening and she's going to skip out the door with her coin purse in her hand dropping in the 14 copper pieces into a coin purse bursting out the doors the wind howling past um as she as she the door shut again and she makes her way home
01:09:32
Speaker
There's a moment, a lull, a momentary lull. Okay, Morita. Did you see me do anything there? Aye. And what was it? You went for option B. And does that tell you what you need to know about me?
01:10:00
Speaker
That was never in doubt. I simply presented you with two options, and you've picked the one that's most likely going to make you richer. Did I give her all the coins she earned tonight? I couldn't care less. She has walked away thinking that she has. I know that, but I need to know if you noticed if I kept any coin from her earnings tonight. You're not going to know the answer to that question.
01:10:27
Speaker
really hard to know the kind of person I'm going to jump into bed with if you can't be honest with me on my own dealings. I'm sorry, Nyx Carell, who is captain is Hildegard of the Esmeralda. I guess I'd just have to take it up with a town guard if there's a problem.
01:10:47
Speaker
Absolutely, I've done nothing wrong here. I acted as an agent for a performer and got paid as such. Nothing more untoward happened than that. So if you need to take it up with the guard, that's fine. However, you've seen my skill set. You've had a taste of what I can do. And if swindling this gentleman behind you is something that you would like to pursue, I can help you.
01:11:15
Speaker
You've seen my skill set. I need to see yours. Suddenly you hear the creaking of a chair being pushed
A Mysterious Pursuit Begins
01:11:25
Speaker
back. And actually, as you look over, you see a table being pushed away. As the old man, your mark with a renish, sees off the last of his glass and pushes it onto the table. He turns wobblyly to the bartender and says, I'm sure I resent your fucking blood, and then starts to walk towards the door.
01:11:44
Speaker
pushing the doors open. He pauses for a second as he tries to push. I forgot my coat, wanders back over and picks his coat off the coat stand nearby against the wall, puts on this big coat. And as he puts it on, he kind of shuffles it into place with his shoulders. He stands a bit more upright and the wobble of the alcohol seems to wear off as he takes a breath and pushes the doors open and strides through at pace and through into the rain. The door shut behind.
01:12:15
Speaker
Well, Marotta will stand and just shout across the bar back to Matthew. I'm just going to make sure that he isn't going to fall into a ditch and then lean over to the table to Nix. I suggest you follow.
01:12:34
Speaker
Yes, well, it's been a wonderful evening. Your food? Absolutely magical. I cannot wait to go back to my captain and tell him this wonderful, wonderful place. Your glass is right here. I'm leaving it here. Okay. I think he's going to give you a thumbs up. Yep. Nice. I can see the glass. Thank you very much. A hundred people, a hundred patrons cannot wait. Cannot wait. Thank you very much, Nick. I'll see you in a moment or two, Marota.
01:13:06
Speaker
Farewell. Farewell. I knew you guys exiting.
01:13:12
Speaker
Okay, so as you push the doors open, maybe one of you pushing each door and you step outside, you both look one to your right, the other looks to the left, your eyes kind of scan forward into the center, a path leads straight forward through the center. And you can see just off in the distance, this old great figure tottering down, walking relatively straight, long strides, quite powerful strides, but every now and then zagging ever so slightly to the left, slightly to the right, as he kind of sways his way down the street. As you both look at each other just for a second,
01:13:40
Speaker
and then look at your mark as you take a few steps into the pouring rain, the doors behind you, the clay peak called slam shut. That's we're going to leave it for this week's epilogue.
01:13:50
Speaker
Not epilogue, prologue, this prologue of the Fellowship of the Tabletop, Belim Draconis. Oh, guys, fantastic stuff. Wow. What an introduction. What a role set. Like, that dice loved us too. Holy shit. Crit after crit, 23. I mean, the lowest roll was like a 15? Yeah, somewhere like that. Somewhere level one, guys. This isn't fair. What am I supposed to do to contend this? AC30 for baddies? I'm going to have to. Please, no.
01:14:16
Speaker
Please. That was fantastic. What a lovely introduction to these two morally ambiguous characters. I love them already. I can't wait to see what they're going to get up to. It's definitely interesting and fun to play for sure already.
Character Skills and Dynamics Discussion
01:14:28
Speaker
I'm knackered. Yeah, I know, right? You did so much talking. I know. I know. That's what Claude felt like.
01:14:36
Speaker
It's how you bamboozle people, just throw words. Throw words. Gosh, yeah. And then when the charisma rolls that high in deception and persuasion and performance, man, it just works. It just works for people. So it's so great to play with that skill set as well. I already like the dichotomy between these two characters. I think it's going to be so much fun to play out. Yeah. Cracking job, guys. Cracking job.
Introduction to Bellum Draconis
01:15:00
Speaker
Cool. Well, thank you very much for listening, guys. Like I said, this is a very, like,
01:15:06
Speaker
Blu-ray extras part of a podcast of the beginnings of our new story, Bellum Draconis. Draconis, yeah. Yes, nailed it. Bellum Draconis. I'm trying to get my voice back down to a lower register now. He's got the opposite way now. Dive last time, now it's up this time. Yeah, exactly. Yeah, trying to be so different.
Engagement and Future Episodes Announcement
01:15:31
Speaker
Um, however, if you want to keep in touch with the podcast, please do so. We have a Twitter page, um, combined it's app fellowship table. And then we do have individual, uh, Twitter pages, which if you want to ping us message on or mad pants or memes, or we're all here for it. We'll soak up whatever you lay down.
01:15:47
Speaker
It's a good, safe space. Get in touch, you know. I hope you've enjoyed this. We've got prologue. This is prologue, what we've called very original name, prologue one. And then next week will be prologue two. Then after that, on March the 4th will be episode one of Bellum Draconis. So you all here got a little bit of insight of what our characters are like. And hopefully they stay the same.
01:16:14
Speaker
Fellowship Table at Fellowship Table. I'm at iWorlda1. Danny's at Total Party Thrills. Majestic Wonderful DM is at Hastily World DM. And until next week, guys.