Transcript
Speaker: Fuck you all. oh We forgot we've got that noise thing. ah
Speaker: Piece of shit. ah Yeah. Myself, eat my skittles. Let's all remember that Will's got that noise thing called being bitch. Yeah.
Speaker: Hello everyone and welcome to this week's episode of the Fellowship of the Tabletop, Belem Draconis. We are a live play 5E2024 5th edition 5.5 D&D podcast and the magical homebrew one of Aerith in the kingdom of Dralak. And kind of all over the place as well. Joining you for this like next episode, who we have Peebee who plays the rules consultant, Junine Cleric Emron. but ah Hello. We've got the apple pie smashing cum lord, edgelord Callum who plays the warforged Chartivist Alpha.
Speaker: I'm on the love boat. Eelint, who plays the tiefling war surer Nyx Carell. Love, Lever, Loud. Will, who plays the dragonborn druid Baal Valkon.
Speaker: Misophonia is real, look it up. Darren, who plays the half-orc barbarian Thalak Sunjari. and you... My name is Mark and I am playing the Human Blade singer Seth Farah Reaver. And by last but my name is least is the Chronicle Carver, the Calamity Conductor, the Captain of Carnage, the Custodian of Cream Pies and the Commander of the Clench, Dungeon Master Danny. Sweet Caroline.
Speaker: oh Merry Christmas. who
Speaker: That is what they say. This isn't our Christmas episode. No, far from it. It's it's like 35 degrees right now. But yeah nonetheless, we take ourselves back a number of episodes
Speaker: to the ocean.
Speaker: The battle is over. The guns that shook the sea have finally fallen silent, leaving behind only the cackle of fire and the groan of dying timber.
Speaker: Thick smoke drifts across the waves in black ribbons, lit from beneath by scattered flames that dance upon the wreckage of a hundred shattered decks.
Speaker: Around you, the broken remains of the Shadomendian fleet drift with the tide. Their banners torn, their hulls splintered, their purpose spent.
Speaker: And yet, amidst this ruinous scene, you stand victorious. Uriand Cardenal is dead. The Lion of the Sea has been broken.
Speaker: His keystone has been wrestled from his grasp and now awaits its final journey to the Hells. Another of Tolkelon's anchors upon Erith has fallen.
Speaker: But victory has demanded its due. Ghostwing. The black, acidic dragon. One third of the leaders of the Winged Watch.
Speaker: lies beneath these waters, his final roar drowned out by cannon fire and the claws of this awakened Dandosphinx. Now his shattered body sinks to the dark abyss below, claimed by depths that no, no sunlight, no funeral, no pyre, only the cold embrace of the sea and the Esmeralda.
Speaker: The cursed vessel that has twice defied its fate. At Nyx's command, she gave everything she had left. Her rotting hull smashed into the lion of the sea with enough force to shake the ocean itself, and when her captain stepped stepped from her deck, she surrendered at last.
Speaker: Timber split, the sea rushed in, the ancient ship slipped beneath the waves once more, her final voyage complete, her final song sung.
Speaker: Now you stand upon the burning deck of the Lion of the Sea as flames crawl through her shattered rigging and smoke coils into the darkening sky.
Speaker: And you are not alone. From every direction, sails emerge through the haze. Dozens of them. The independent pirate fleets of trade lord Vossan encircle you, their vessels keeping a respectful distance from the flagship that you stand upon.
Speaker: No cannons are loaded, but boarding parties are in their boats. They are approaching, watching, expecting.
Speaker: At the eleventh hour, when all seemed lost, you struck an agreement. an alliance forged from desperation and necessity, Vossan's fleets held their end of the bargain.
Speaker: Upon the deck, hundreds of eyes are fixed upon you, and upon that is the object that will decide the future of Shadowment,
Speaker: the crown.
Speaker: Those of you still on deck,
Speaker: Alpha, Tharok, Baal, Nix, and members of the crew of the Severed Compass.
Speaker: You have a few minutes before a series of rowboats attach themselves.
Speaker: What would you do? I have a quick question before, just just so I can retcon, because obviously before we got on the deck, we had a naval flight and just checking this boat is fucked and the seven compass is fucked, isn't it? Like there's that, the boats that we are, that we have in our vicinity are completely ruined for want a better way. i mean, they're they're not sinking, but they are damaged.
Speaker: They're not going anywhere. You'll be, you'll be limping back to shore.
Speaker: Farok will go over to the, extinguish the flame tongue and he'll go over to the corpse and where Alpha has just peppered it with bullets on the floor, will pick up the crown and go, shall we have a deal to keep?
Speaker: That, that was, uh, that was intense. This is tense. Val, I love you so much. Yeah, well, please stop dying, Nix.
Speaker: No, I can't promise that. You should know that when you married me. Yeah, it's till death do us part. How many fucking times do I have to marry you? I need to test it. I have some severe emotional detachment issues.
Speaker: Right. Alpha, you okay? Certainly putting the Undying Champion's name to its most accurate use, they inext. Most certainly. God, I kind of meant the whole revenge arc that you've been on. How are you doing?
Speaker: Honestly? I'm not sure. I'm very glad that Eli's dead. i I've vented frustration, anger, rage.
Speaker: And yet I still feel somewhat hollow. Do you want me to burn his body? Ooh. That might help. Do you think? or Perhaps not on a boat, though. if if we're thinking If we're thinking, like, really kind of give it to the corpse, just toss him overboard and, you know, the big old spider will gobble him up and I might get some power back for that. That's kind of like there's a whole deal at the moment. Like, I give, I receive. It's just kind of like what me and you have, Bob, but in a totally different way. It's more like I receive, I receive. But, yeah. um I'm a giver.
Speaker: Well, I just think I've got one king already in my bag. just do i Ashes of a king times two. i mean like Collect them, collect the whole set. I understand.
Speaker: If you wish him to be burned and collected ashes, have no issue. it's not like this ship's going anywhere at the moment. There's a lot of people surrounding us, though. Yes. Farrakh had a point. They've come for the crown.
Speaker: I know. Farrakh now has the crown in his hand, but has the corpse of Euron Cardon on his body and goes, do cringe, am I, do you want one dish? Am I putting this in the ocean? And that they'll just point to the corpse of Euron on his back.
Speaker: Alpha's actually going to try and to kind of reach a hand out to the crown from Farrakh and just, not forcibly, but kind of grab the crown from Farrakh if he'll let him. Okay, yes, take the crown. Very good. Corpse on my back.
Speaker: Sure. Put it on your head, Alpha. Go on. Go on. Just just for a second, put on your head. I think that that might give the the viewers the wrong image. Well, like, no one's on the ship yet. We can still play.
Speaker: just just see what it's just like Just see how it looks. I've got a crown. Is that true? is there Is there anyone currently on the ship that would notice if Alpha kind of placed the crown of Shadowmen onto his own head in a very kind of look at me, I'm the captain. To be honest, that's what Alpha was going to do anyway. So yeah, yeah is I'm holding the crown gently and I'm just going to slowly kind of raise it up.
Speaker: Almost like a bit hesitant. He's kind of waiting for somebody to say no. He's waiting for somebody to say no just out of curiosity. There is about a dozen sailors, Osrin Island sailors, that kind of boarded with the Severed Compass as well. So there is a small assembly seeing you do this.
Speaker: It's like a correlation. Do it, do it, do it As Nick puts both fists clenched and just both hands down. Do it, do it. Okay, we've given up on the body. I'm going to put it down. It's fucking heavy.
Speaker: Yeah, Alpha's going to carry on. Slowly put the crown on top of his head. oh And with that action...
Speaker: Maris, Pike, Brought, Helra, two or three other Otteran sailors just kind of stand
Speaker: staring at you in a kind of sense of surprise. One of them attempts to kneel and of the dwarfs kind of pulls them back up again, looking a bit uncertain, but they wrong they're all understanding the
Speaker: that you might have just declared something important and are kind of avidly watching. At the same time, I'm kind of scanning the horizon and seeing that the pirates are closing in.
Speaker: I do believe by right of succession that I am the next in line to rule Shadowbend anyway. i am, in theory, the son of Rain's head owl.
Speaker: ah Yeah. I mean, now that's like, yeah, I guess he's not wrong. that the The trouble is we promised that the the crown you've got it on your head. We promised that to, um, yeah, we we promised that to someone else. We can, you can't really, but like, we could just like for until someone boards it and goes, that's ours. And we can go like, well, I mean, guess it's up to alpha at the moment but what and be like i'll wear it until vosan gets s here and i i can give it over then it's just nice sometimes to make believe and put things on don't let your dreams be dreams maybe right now he's king of shadow men so mean you could pass a law king alpha i guess so what do you decree my liege
Speaker: i do not know um vosan and his crew are enemies of shadow men what Okay, that's a big one. Is that a thing? one Can I do that one You can, but you shouldn't. I just want to put it out there. And Nix will point up to the Steel Nightmare. We've still got like an ultimate goal here. So maybe we don't want to.
Speaker: We can come back. So less than that that, everybody on this ship deserves an extravagant wooden thrip. ah Much like I made for bar. Yes, please. Okay.
Speaker: I like it. Nyx, you feel a kind of tug on your cloak. Oh, okay. Yeah, that's new. Captain. I'll look at it. Oh, yeah.
Speaker: Should we um maybe prepare to Depart. Ah. Is pirates mean business, Captain? in Yeah, they want the crown. And we made a deal.
Speaker: The whole reason why we're stood here as victors is because of the deal that we made. And I'm kind of done with running from deals at the moment and kind of like negating on them. But ah to be fair, right now, this kind of rests on king's metal feet wheel thing at the moment.
Speaker: ah So just stay, keep a savvy eye out and ah make the ship as seaworthy as possible while we've got some time and get ready to weigh anchor, make haste if if I give the command or the king gives the command. But right now we're just kind of playing it fast and loose as Nyx gives a eye over to Alpha over what happens next. But I would prepare for us to be boarded regardless. Maybe, maybe, maybe, because I think we're going to be boarded. Maybe you want to gather the crew up and hunker down in the hole. That way, you know, you're safe. Let's keep you safe.
Speaker: Yeah, savvy.
Speaker: And he just kind of looks hesitant at that last order about squeezing into the hull. Okay, well, I understand that. Enclosed dark spaces, claustrophobic. I don't want to say that where you you are and what you're not, but if you want to if you want to stay out in the open, just, there's my words, be prepared to be boarded and make the ship as seaworthy as possible in the time that we have left, which looking at the ships in the and the distance don't seem to be that long out for what we're doing, huh?
Speaker: I just got an eye, Captain, and then doubles back to you. While that's happening, Farrakh's going to go over. There's no kings Captain. It's your word or none. yeah ah well ah for now uh make the ship seaworthy but in a in a in an like k nonchalant way not in a we're making haste because like you don't you got to worry about perception perception's everything right so right now we've got ships coming our way and they're looking at us and if they see the crew running around to make the ship seaworthy they're probably going to think that we're fucking off i don't know if we are doing at the moment so if you could just do it in a Yeah, right, we're kind of like, we're going to move maybe, not sure, kind of way. That would really help us out.
Speaker: I'm going roll performance.
Speaker: As they walk back towards the severed compass, it looks incredibly awkward. Like they are trying to act very poorly.
Speaker: how to not look desperately afraid um or urgent. And you can see they're doing a very unconvincing job of it. But I guess you scan back to the rest of the party as Tharok desperately tries to say something.
Speaker: So, Alpha, it's really on you whether or not you want to do this or not. Tharok, sorry, sorry, sorry. I'm excitable. Yeah, it's very excitable. did you Did you die again, by the way? I blacked out that I was raging.
Speaker: I died hard. Twice. His heart stopped. Yeah. To claim his soul back to his body. Yeah. I'm not entirely sure that I come back as me every time or some parts of me gets lost. No, well, that technically the flesh is replaced by this gold that I had to place into and he kind of taps the bullet holes that are kind of gold plated now. I'm walking treasure. Is that what you're saying?
Speaker: ah Always were, darling, but um try just to die less. is Yeah. Yeah. Die less. Please. Yeah. ah'll I'll work on that. But he did, Tharrow. Twice. it I always go twice, though. Isn't that right, babe?
Speaker: He's right. He's right. he is Yeah, it's twice. Yes. Sex joke. Orgasm. Tharrow. Alpha. Like a cat.
Speaker: I know that... He's very good....probably hold some form of sentimental value to you. Or maybe not. But either way, Nick said one thing in all of that spiel that was actually really smart, which is that thing is still in the sky.
Speaker: And Eurond may have been the head of that family, but there are more of them in Shadowmend. I say give them the crown and let them take care of them. It's a long way from here. It's six months north.
Speaker: We have no business worrying about what that crown can do now. I believe I have every business to a certain extent. Shadowmend is still my home.
Speaker: It is where I was created, raised, learnt. Still have friends there. Not many, albeit, but some.
Speaker: I'm just having concern about what Vosan may do given the crown. I am...
Speaker: I have concern about the fact that some of Euron's family are still in Shadow Men and will seek revenge, but they're not the immediate concern. That is, I say we get rid of the crown, we get rid of these pirates, and then maybe in the future you can... you can i don't know.
Speaker: But for now, we have to focus on that, and I think we have to give this crown over. There's no sense in us keeping it and him sticking us at the bottom of the ocean for doing so. I suppose there is the logical assumption not having a shadow mend to rule it' better than not having a shadow mend at all.
Speaker: It's also, as I said, a very long way from here. I think Tharok does make a good point, though, that we've got... We know what we we did our part. Hopefully those in hell have have done their part, and hopefully we've now got Valkyres and the team up there, or or hopefully we'll do shortly. Either way, that, as Tharok said, and Barser's pointing upwards, is what we are here to deal with, not Shadowmen, not the stuff yet.
Speaker: But Alpha, if you wish to kind of... come back for your crown, which is rightfully yours, as you say, ah then, i mean, all for It's just, I think, not now.
Speaker: Yeah, yeah, I mean, leaning on to what Biles said, um I did say that that thing is still in the sky and then Tharic agreed on me, but it really is kind of also at the same time, kind of what you want to do because you are the last remaining Shadamendi and not trying to stir chaos or anything like that. I'm just very interested in seeing where your thoughts, freedom of thoughts, take you.
Speaker: I was going pause a moment after listening to everybody. was going to have a casual what would i know which direction vossan may be coming from he around us at all vossan isn't around but you've got pirates to the north east south and west and they're kind of they're in their dinghy rowboats coming over to board and in fact they're about to make contact with the ship they weren't far away just in the few moments that alpha has he's just gonna slowly walk to the and
Speaker: of the ship. Hey, now. Just kind of put his hands ah to it. or like Basically where Vossan was stood when we were boarding the ship. Sorry, where Uriand was stood. Yeah, where Cardinal was stood as we were boarding the ship and just kind of hold the wheel just while wearing the crown, just for a few moments before all the people come aboard.
Speaker: And slowly but surely you start to hear the thudding in deck of a party climbing the port side, a party climbing the starboard side, and a party climbing at the bow as well.
Speaker: would say that you've got a couple of minutes. I can hold them, Alpha, while you um and make peace with whatever choice that you're going to do. It's fine, Nix.
Speaker: For Aerith and still foreshadowment. Perhaps now it is not the right time. Well, I mean, if it's worth anything, I will consider you the king Shadowmend.
Speaker: From one captain to a king. Savvy? And Nick will hold our hand. And Alpha takes it. Savvy. Ah, right.
Speaker: Cool. ah Do you want to take this then? or do you want me to lead the vocab? At this point, Baal and... Tharok, I imagine you're kind of, one's at port side, one's at starboard side, seeing this kind of group arrive.
Speaker: And Barlund are kind of, ah I forget the name, that the the f the only word coming to mind is ladder, but I know it's not ladder. Rigging. Yeah, but not, it's the up the hull, not not the rigging up the sail.
Speaker: Well-crafted rope ladder. Ladder. Okay, there you go. The first kind of body that emerges, you see the parrot first, the parrot that guided the vessel through the debris and through the mists and through the weather.
Speaker: Before you see these very broad shoulders of this orc captain that kind of climbs up and as he kind of squeezes through the hand railing, of the line and the of the the line of the sea.
Speaker: the lion of the seat It kind of pushes past you a little bit. You then kind of see this very opulently um dressed cohort with quite aggressive axes. Like these aren't these aren't polished sailors or polished pirates with their their rapiers and their fine blades. These are brutes. These are... these are um ah kind of barbarian-like in their approach and their their demeanor.
Speaker: The pack that you see, Tharok, is a mixture of elves and halflings. They are and a bit more refined. like You're seeing lots of different cultures of of kind of vessel types and crew types.
Speaker: And the last one to kind of emerge from your side, Baa, this is very kind of opulently dressed, out of place given the kind of characters that have been coming up this the side of the the ship first.
Speaker: They're opulently dressed, big tricorn kind of um hat, feather ah kind of edges, heavy overcoat. can't really see this person's face until they get right up, kind of within kind of touching distance of your nose.
Speaker: And as this individual just lifts their hat slightly higher, gives you a small grin. It's unmistakably probably going to majestic.
Speaker: And he just steps on deck away from the pack that he had boarded with and makes a very slow, nondiscreet walk along that northern edge of this vessel, trying to get a bit closer to Alpha and Nyx, but making sure you saw him and kind of keeping looking back at you very regularly.
Speaker: the fuck is you but a bit
Speaker: undying champions ah but and now everyone is kind of moving towards that that um helm where Nix and Alphara are kind of gathered. Do you want to take this one? on Do you want to? to i As King of Shadowmen, do you want to take this one? Probably don't call yourself King Shadowmen. Just know that I think you're King of Shadowmen, but you want the captain to take this one? And this walk now is approaching you, Nix. King of Kings? You want the King of Kings? You want to just give me a fucking word? Leans over. I do it. Palm first. Look at the fucking hand. this And grabs yours.
Speaker: Oh my god, what the shit See, Alpha, am I talking are you talking? And it puts this squeeze into your hand Can you make a fucking sound or something? Fine battle Yes! Ha! but Fine battle We slayed everything I mean, we killed, look at him And Nyx will point to Urien Fucking dead, look!
Speaker: And we are barely scratched. As he turns, you just see these scars down this orcish face. This this this person has only known conflict. And it just has this bulky green skin with all of these kind of bilious points where scar tissues moved into kind of pussy formations.
Speaker: And he just stares at this corpse that you look at kind of with with joy. turns back to you and just continues grinning. Bits of teeth missing. Bits of kind of like flesh stuck in the teeth too. This guy stinks of pirate and you love it. Yeah, I love everything. I love your aura. I just want you to know one thing as well. Like we barely got scratched. We are tip-top condition just for whatever that's worth. He just kind takes little peek at the severed compass when you claim that.
Speaker: Us, ourselves, ourselves. Us as people. As as pirates. As pirates, we are in tip-top fighting condition. that right, Alpha? Absolutely. Seeing you, you're kind of in pain.
Speaker: Hanks. Ah. I believe an artifact is due to be given. Yes, and an artifact shall be given. Is it the one that you think it is, Alpha?
Speaker: They are here for the crown. Yes! Ah! Alpha's going take it off in the same kind of slow manner and just stare at it one last time.
Speaker: He wanted to warm it for the new king, Gah! but
Speaker: And Tharok, you're kind of surrounded by about a dozen figures at this point. Not in an overtly hostile way, it's just you're aware you're outnumbered.
Speaker: And also pretty bad and bruised. Yeah, Farrakh will find the largest if there is an orc among the lot that have surrounded him. Only the one orc, but there are kind of half-orc spawn of this captain. The largest one.
Speaker: And with no hostility, he's just going to just keep his hand on his sword hilt and he's just going to... similar fashion to the one who's just grabbed Nix, is just not going to physically touch him, but he's just going to smile and just just keep that hand on his hilt ready with no aggression, just a smile, but the hand is remaining firmly on the hilt of Flametongue.
Speaker: And all eyes wait in kind of baited anticipation. And this item in your hand, Alpher. And he's going to offer it out. He's going to keep one hand just wrapped around it.
Speaker: at this moment, but he is going to offer it out um towards... Is it the Prego? No, this what this all this is york this is Captain Vargas, who has the company move himself and hasn't cared to.
Speaker: Okay, now that's fine. He's going to gesture it towards the Orc that's been dripping onto Nyx.
Speaker: And I presume he's going to reach out and grab it. He does. Alpha's not going to let go straight away. So just kind of clenched by the side of his ringed headpiece. Yeah, we've got each one clenched hand on the crown at the moment.
Speaker: Please pass a message on to your master for me.
Speaker: Tell him to keep his men on standby. He may have done enough to earn this crown, but we still may need him in the future, in the very, very near future, because that...
Speaker: and he gestures up towards us, your nightmare, it's still a problem. And if we fail at that, then he does not have a kingdom to rule.
Speaker: And then I'll fall at go of the crown. Make persuasion or intimidation your choice. Yes! What am I better at? I am equally shit at both. Anything that can help you...
Speaker: I think I do if anybody has anything that would be great I have something I can do myself I don't um I mean I'm the only person that drank the fucking potion of heroism so I would have had a nice d4 to mine I think I can just add a straight 4 to the role that I'm going to do which is really slow and it's a natural 20 yeah dear me just in case I'm still going to use flash of genius for a 24 anyway There's this this orc outsizes you, but because he's kind of, you're elevated, right? You're speaking from a higher position on that helm.
Speaker: You're both holding onto to this ring. Your eyes are completely in alignment for the exact same height with your kind of step up. It's kind of this mild tug of war between both of your fists.
Speaker: He just locks eyes with you as you're trying to give him an instruction.
Speaker: And then starts grinning. um sir
Speaker: I like you, middle man. You should sit with me. Steady, steady, steady. He's already part of a crew. Thank you. Then he begins to apply some force to the crown to take it from you at that point.
Speaker: Which... i would I only wanted to hold it while I was given the message. So if the force comes from him, I will not quickly but gradually let go of the crown towards him. I'm not going to get into competition about it.
Speaker: And he opulently raises it above his head, kind of turns and walks with a swagger back, lets out a sharp whistle.
Speaker: Tharok, this kind of ring of bodies around you that looked to have pinned you in dissipates.
Speaker: And you watch as these pirates slowly, confidently, with bravado, begin to disembark. All but one who has actually turned from this entire scene, his back,
Speaker: And it's just looking northward on the horizon. Whilst this conversation's going on, I think Baal would have sidled up to him. Seeing as though the last Baal saw of him was chained up and being dragged to the hells ah with a save me on his lips.
Speaker: So his attention is away from Alphra and all the shit that's going on there. As you get closer, you just kind of see a bottom lip quivering, a tear in his eye.
Speaker: And him just working on breathing. But underneath that huge hat to try and hide that from most. And he just kind of observes the crew of the severed compass awkwardly trying to look like they aren't readying a counterattack should they be attacked.
Speaker: Um... What Barl's going to do is he's going to stare at him from the side. And but what i basically want to do is see, is there any form of illusion or anything like that on this person?
Speaker: Um... ah like yeah In my head, I was like, du maybe do i do I poke him in the face and just be like this like, this isn't real? or Is this real? I don't understand. Can this be real? ah like Ruining the moment that he's having, certainly, but Baal wants to just make sure that this is not some sort of um the sky self or or anything going on there.
Speaker: Make a perception check or poke him, whatever you would prefer to do. Pokeception check. Just because my pokeception is pokeceptionally high and I get to poke with poke vantage, I will get a 17 on perception.
Speaker: You study him. You watch his kind of beads of sweat move from his brow.
Speaker: to his chin, his well-sculpted chin, drop onto the floor and you see damp spot where that drop contacts the wood.
Speaker: His breath exhales and you can kind of detect it.
Speaker: He smells as though he hasn't just kind of blended in. There is an odour to him.
Speaker: Barl knows that there is something dodgy about time with this fellow as well from their like kind of previous conversations and like like when they first met him and with the whole thing about Nix. So Barl's going to trying to pay attention to that and see what he looks like, seeing if he looks whether older or so than that. And what he'll do is he'll just say, when was the last time you saw me?
Speaker: He doesn't turn to you.
Speaker: But he struggles to say it. I...
Speaker: I asked you to save me. And here I am.
Speaker: How...
Speaker: You're here. oh yeah How are you How did you get out? How did you escape?
Speaker: Because of you... We got the key. We stopped the curse. It's done.
Speaker: And he'll kind of try to stop himself being so excited because obviously there's the other kind of pirates leaving the ship. He doesn't want to necessarily draw attention here. But Baal is certainly flabbergasted by that.
Speaker: it was holy Holy shit, that was quick. Of course, no, it had to be quick. He just now turns to you and you see his entire face.
Speaker: And there was very little joy on Why? Why aren't you... why What's wrong? What's happened?
Speaker: I'm here to take you all back.
Speaker: We need to prepare to go up there. And we have very little to go on.
Speaker: Something has happened. And it is not pleasant.
Speaker: Uh...
Speaker: Right. Okay, how do we... This ship isn't going to be ready to... You... We're not taking this ship. We're leaving now.
Speaker: I'll gather the crew. I cannot take the crew. No. The Undying Champions, though. Yes. Right. Umbar will kind of, with that, stroll off to the others.
Speaker: He'll just turn back and solemnly stare into the horizon. Just saying, you did a real good job there, and there's no reason why we can't come back, or or we can find someone to fashion you a crown. Just because he's got a crown doesn't mean that you can't have a crown. that You can have a crown off, and whoever like wins it is the King Shadow Men. I'm just saying that we come back. It's what the crown represents. It's not quite the same thing if I just get a fake crown to replace the crown. I i hear you. I really do. I hear you.
Speaker: I had the Esmeralda. Undying champions, team, ah we we've got to go. We form up. Excuse me for overstepping my mark, Nix, and he'll turn. Are any of the members of the... um ah of the... our ship, the the the compass, the Severed Compass, are they still on deck? or have they No, Nix orders them back to the ship. ah Nix, you need to tell the the crew of the Severed Compass to return if they can to Sleetguard.
Speaker: Prego's here. He's on the back. That's awesome. Already? When you kind of offer that, you look at the only other person on deck about 40 feet away from you, Nix.
Speaker: And he's staring at you with sadness.
Speaker: Not awesome. That is an odd expression. I don't know what it is, but he looks fucking devastated and I am terrified. We need to go. and We need to go now. Are you ready? Is everyone healthy? cast detect thoughts ah at Prego as Barl is talking.
Speaker: ah Wisdom 16 saving throw. Yeah, you're in range? I'm in range, I think. Let me just check, a check, check. It wouldn't be hard if for you stepped forward 10 feet and be in 30 feet. I think it's 30 feet.
Speaker: Yeah, I'd step forward as bow because Bal's doing his thing. So I just want to get a read. Yes, you think? That's 18. Oh, he fails. But I get the sense of, um I get the sense of like top thoughts.
Speaker: And there's one word.
Speaker: Castan. No. Emron. Emron. Emron. Over and over and over again. uh all right yeah everyone go to prego i'm just gonna make sure that the crew's off this ship and nix is gonna just um clear his voice anyone from the severed compass return to that ship make a seaworthy and head to where we saying
Speaker: I think just back to port. Back to the nearest guard port in Sleetgard. And be safe. And thanks. Where we departed from. It makes sense, doesn't it? Right? Yeah.
Speaker: Yeah. Where we departed from. We're going on a journey. So take care of yourselves. ah Oh, shit. Marin. Marin? Marin. Marin. Maris. Maris.
Speaker: Your captain. Interlude. Aye, aye, sir. Aye. They shouted back.
Speaker: Okay, good. Nick's a point to everyone. Is everyone healthy? I don't know what it is that we're going back into, but he's definitely got some urgency. I don't know whether we're expecting... Farrakh's never met Prego before, so he's he's following you, as he's been told to, and he can see the urgency, but he's just the only time he's seen Prego was him being dropped down that hole, so he didn't get a good look at him. So he's looking a tad confused and a tad concerned at how concerned you appear to be, Val.
Speaker: I could do with some repairs as well if we have the time.
Speaker: I can help you. I can sort you out. And Barl will quickly look you over. How, like, are you, do you look fucked up? Do you look mildly fucked up? Or are you like, eh, it is but a scratch. I would probably say mildly fucked up.
Speaker: Cool. Barl's going to pump a second level cure wounds into you, buddy boy. Yeah. As he kind of, ah the magic emanates from his mouth and he kind of licks your wounds. Woof, woof. 28 points of healing.
Speaker: That is fucking, yeah, that is pretty much very spot on. We good to go? Absolutely.
Speaker: Prego, think we're ready. And he kind of boots the gangplank that connects the severed compass to the line of the sea with a firm kick and then produces a pouch and kind of draws a circle in dust and speaks few demonic words and that circle glows blue.
Speaker: And then he stands inside it.
Speaker: Alpha's a hand to his left and a hand to his right. And the whole time now, he's just staring, staring at Alpha.
Speaker: Almost unblinking, it's incredibly unnerving. But both hands are kind of out in a full wingspan waiting for you to take them. Alpha's probably going to walk into it but will stand opposite Alpha.
Speaker: Prago, leaving space to kind of nix and ball at either side, just as he is walking into a circle.
Speaker: Prago, tell me, what has happened? And he just continues to mumble a kind of demonic incantation as the ring gets brighter and brighter, but his focus is on you.
Speaker: Blinks maybe once every minute while he's doing this, waiting for Baal, waiting for Nyx, and waiting for Tharok. Baal's to grab Nyx's hand and go and connect up.
Speaker: ye Yep, yep.
Speaker: Tharok will look confused as he's not sure what's going on, but he'll follow suit when he sees people grabbing hands. Oh yeah, I forgot. As soon as all five of you are connected, this blue light kind of glows into a well.
Speaker: And this whole time you kind of feel a sense of motion and you're all looking, i I guess, at Prego and he's just staring, beginning to now tear up again Alpha.
Speaker: And after a few seconds that light fades and you're no longer into the kind of swashing skies, the damp skies of the ocean. You're back on firm land.
Speaker: But there are black clouds, there is risen smoke, there is the smell of burnt stone, a burnt flesh, of burnt earth. You're in a ruin, a very familiar ruin, but a ruin nonetheless.
Speaker: You stand amongst an entirely flattened, destroyed and desecrated gold port keep, where no more structures stand.
Speaker: Twenty, thirty recently dug and filled graves occupy your sight to the east. To the west, you see a small fire with Seth and with Drago around it, warming their hands.
Speaker: To the north, gathering whatever provisions still might be consumable from amongst the burnt grey blanket that sits over these ruins.
Speaker: It's Karstan.
Speaker: The blue light fades.
Speaker: All of strength. Imprego's core just kind of loses, but he continues to hold the hands of any that still hold his. And he just looks slowly, forlornly, up at the Steel Nightmare and says nothing.
Speaker: But you are back in Goldport slash Snake Run Keep. What the fuck happened here? The fuck is going on? oh my.
Speaker: up up Seth! Seth! o What happened?
Speaker: ah You'll see Seth slowly turn around um and kind of flicked by the flame light ah below around his iPad. You see this more gaunt-looking face ah than you previously had seen before.
Speaker: um And if a single eye could... This is a 500-yard stare if you only have one eye. and But nonetheless, it's it's ah it's a look of distant distance and horror. But there's not much reaction to seeing you. It's just a kind of a slow nod.
Speaker: And then he returns his eyes back to looking at the fire.
Speaker: Prego, come on. Carstan, Carstan, what's going on?
Speaker: Karstan, you weren't kind of immediately aware of them returning because you were kind of in your trance-like state trying to do anything to improve the situation. Karstan sort of looks up And then he's got a frown on his face and he looks quite, um, his clothes are quite weather beaten. They're quite, um, damaged. There's, there's clearly, he looks like he's, he's been literally like kneeling in soil and that kind of stuff.
Speaker: It's been about four hours. Sorry, everyone. It's been about four hours since where we left. Left. Yeah. am So he's, he's like, and so he looks like he's, and he sort of holds hand.
Speaker: and sort of gestures towards the fire, because I assume I'm a bit but of i'm a shouting distance away, and Karsan's not, he's not going to shout, he just waves and casts the fire, and then starts to trudge towards the fire.
Speaker: Cool, okay. Prager, where's Valkyraeth? This isn't doing. She's just staring up at the nightmare. Come on, come on. Karstan will tell us. let's Let's just go to the... like ah We need answers. And Prego is... And Seth is... Oh no, let's just go to the fire.
Speaker: ah Just as they start to move over, Farok is going to clock the elephant in the room that there's no sign of Emron. And as they do, he's just going to put a hand Alpha's shoulder and then follow over to where Karstan is.
Speaker: Alfred's kind of been he's doing that kind of turn where he's still expecting on the next like 90 degrees spin, oh, he's going to be there.
Speaker: So Alfred's just kind of turning left, right, very very, very sharply, just kind of almost whispering to himself, Emron? i'm run And I'm going to take a quick glance over to where the armory was, which is basically pretty much a second home for me, M-Ron and Reigns, for God knows how long at this point.
Speaker: And I'm presuming that's just been decimated. It's been almost unearthed. It's been kind of pulled up from its foundation and turned over. that The embers that once kind of kept that forge going, they've been scattered.
Speaker: They've been cooled. Alpha's arm just kind of dropped down to the side, almost and as much and as a construct can go limp.
Speaker: That's kind of what Alpha's just done at this moment. He's afraid to admit it to himself, but he knows what's probably going to be coming, but he's still not sure it's not been confirmed. So he's very much head spinning.
Speaker: But yeah, he's going to um follow Farok's lead and just start heading towards the fire. he want He wants a bunch of explanations, doesn't he? then seeing that everyone but prego is now kind gathered around the fire he slowly breaks his isolation and wanders very slowly to join you all
Speaker: okay Carsten can you tell us what's going on please Karsan puts the wooden provisions bits of balance. we We did our part. We won.
Speaker: Hey, okay. Where's Emron? Okay, good start. At great cost.
Speaker: yeah well Okay, all right. ah Do you want to just lay it out quickly, like bullet point and then explain? Because this is fucking me up. We got to the hells.
Speaker: We found the curse, we received the key, and Grazit was what was creating the shield to steal Nightmare.
Speaker: um Grazit being the person that we killed against the Blight. um Turns out that was being used to power the curse. um we came up with a plan to remove Grazit from that curse. There was some talk about about doing some other bits, but we thought, no, get get rid of the body, break the curse.
Speaker: um It would eventually reset as we thought it would do. we'd be able to get steel mic there, all fine. We had a plan and we became overwhelmed. Myself and Seth chose to stand and get ready to execute the plan.
Speaker: Emron, Prego got ready to leave quickly and we would join them.
Speaker: Seth fell.
Speaker: I was on my knees.
Speaker: Prager and Emron returned to save us.
Speaker: Emron did his thing and became an angel, filled the place with holy light.
Speaker: And as he and I stood by the body of Grazit, we knew one of us needed to get rid of the corpse. And we didn't have a lot of time. And if we didn't do something, we were all going to die.
Speaker: So rather than just get rid of the corpse, Enron took the place of Grazit.
Speaker: Enron put himself into the curse to change it, I believe.
Speaker: Rather than just stopping the protection of the still nightmare for a brief moment, I believe he may have tried to stop it forever and gave himself for that.
Speaker: Define gave himself.
Speaker: Became immersed within ah fiery beacon of magic and power from which there is no coming back from.
Speaker: Who says there's no coming back? What happened here? The curse effect here. This is probably Chandra Lekar.
Speaker: What? Chandra Lekar us over as well because Chandra Lekar had been approached by both people in the Steel Nightmare and card and the Cardinals and Shadow Men and basically fucked us.
Speaker: well We're in sleep, God. She can't. Well, this is what I'm assuming this is what's happened. I mean, we're taking a leave. There's there's fire that's burning. I'm assuming it's Chandralli Kaur.
Speaker: But I don't know. We don't know. Who knows? That's me taking a leave, trying to make an intuitive guess. But I would guess she's come here to, after our conversation that I had with her, she's come here to come here to destroy this.
Speaker: She fucked us. what what What did you say to her? I made a very convincing argument. And then she decided not to take our offer.
Speaker: it' There's a lot more into it.
Speaker: But Emron is not coming back. And he looks to Prego at that point. I'm sorry to say it's so bluntly, Prego. Prego's on his knees now.
Speaker: He's struggled to hear this back for another time. Emron sacrificed himself and sent Drago and Karstan sort of... Is Drago sat around the fire, I assume, still?
Speaker: Yeah. Karstan sort of placed a hand on Drago's shoulder. Thrago had been pulled into a fight in another place, another world, and came back dead.
Speaker: Prager brought him back for us. Sent to fight Togolon.
Speaker: And by all accounts...
Speaker: Emron sacrificed himself. Drago, Sproul, furrows, as he says that. And now I'm here. I'm still confused over the details because if I was able to come back from this curse, I'm unsure as to why we can't eventually because we still have to deal with that.
Speaker: and we don't want to make Emron's sacrifice in vain. But I'm unsure as to why, if we're successful, we can't go into hell again and take the curse's place to bring back Emron.
Speaker: Because you weren't... You were you were trapped i going in a spell. You weren't part of the curse. You were trapped in ah another dimension, another a pocket dimension created by Grazit when, as a final fuck you, Stolkilon, when he was used as a sacrifice, Stolkilon was bound within Grazit's curse as well. So Stolkilon, even though he's doing all this, he was trapped. He couldn't get out.
Speaker: And if we released... the Garazit sacrifice, we thought potentially that Tolklon could get out as well and the Steel Nightmare would be vulnerable for a short amount of time. so I had surmised that we could sacrifice ourselves or one of us to stop it permanently and keep Tolklon
Speaker: sealed for a longer time than we um needed. So where's Delcalon right now? Is he fighting everyone? who Probably caged, I assume. I don't i don't know.
Speaker: My brother is still imprisoned. Who's controlling the hells then? i He has influence, but he is not there. And what about what happened here? What about the strike team for the for the Steel Nightmare? What about Valkyra?
Speaker: They are in the Steel Nightmare. I have spoken to them and they are not alone. So they're okay. she So whatever happened here after they left?
Speaker: that That happened afterwards? What about the people that were here? Where have they gone?
Speaker: Sebastian and... Where's he? Carstin sort of looks towards the graves. Orla. What? No, no, no, no, no. Sebastian can't be dead.
Speaker: ah Red Rook. bo This is not how it was meant to be. We held up our end of the deal.
Speaker: Prego, you're the king of making deals. There's nothing that we can do here to bring back Emron and and honornna a make a pact. There's always a deal to be made. We've we've survived this. Which one is Sebastian's?
Speaker: There's always a deal to be made. Seth will point to the one at the very far end. Farrah will walk over to it and just kneel by it.
Speaker: ah that Karstan
Speaker: is carrying a lot of guilt.
Speaker: But Emron, though. i just want to know about... Is there no way... Prego, there's nothing that we can do to save Emron. His body and soul do not exist anymore.
Speaker: He is beyond death.
Speaker: How the fuck could this happen? And there's no way to reach him? He does not exist. And he's crying through this.
Speaker: Alpha. Alpha's just, he's standing up, he's walking off. He's going over to the armory. He's just got a very quick pace about him. Just before he leaves, he gives a very intense glare just towards Prego's direction.
Speaker: Seth's going to follow him, but like 20 or 30 paces behind slowly.
Speaker: Nick's, well, It wasn't meant to be Enron.
Speaker: It was meant to be him. And he points at Drago. They are meant to be me. And that was the plan going into it. We didn't have to lose a friend.
Speaker: We had a plan. Yeah, if one falls, you keep going. But he wouldn't have done it if he... He wouldn't have done it if he didn't think he was trying to do the right thing. He knew the plan was the best us. He knew just to push to get rid of the body and that would break the curse there's enough for us to be able to do what we need to do.
Speaker: He wouldn't have stepped in unless he needed to do something else. And all those enemies walked away, Prego. You're telling me that wasn't Emron? We should be dead.
Speaker: Why are you carrying guilt?
Speaker: Because it have been me. I was going to sacrifice myself. It should have been anyone. You should have carried on.
Speaker: And I'm the reason why Shondra Lekar destroyed this place.
Speaker: What do you mean? She wanted the eggs in return.
Speaker: I wouldn't give them to her. Straight away. What was the fucking plan? Yes, but i also knew she What mean you couldn't give her the eggs? If she had the eggs, there was nothing keeping a keep to keep her word. So I said she could have the eggs once our part had been done. Kirsten, you don't know her.
Speaker: You don't... No. Oh my... But i did what i had to do at the time. hi
Speaker: This could all have been avoided. We don't know that because she had been approached by the others as well who knew if she was ever going to actually follow us. If I gave her the eggs, we don't know if she was ever actually she going to believe for follow us. She could have always been meant screw us over. This doesn't make sense.
Speaker: It doesn't make sense.
Speaker: Things went badly with Chondralicar. I did everything I could. Where's my brood? She tried to capture me. Where's my fucking brood?
Speaker: And Barr's going storm off towards the graves. They're all unmarked.
Speaker: But Seth, you'll see Baal chaotically kind of trying to inspect every grave and you did not bury a single dragonborn.
Speaker: You know that.
Speaker: So at the fire, Drago nicks Karstan and Prego at the graves, Baal, Seth, Alstor and Tharok.
Speaker: We need to rest, Drago. We don't have the strength. know. But I'm just wary. have her life and i have heard from them up there.
Speaker: They are in trouble. yeah We can't. There's too much that's happened, Kastan. I appreciate that. I need to rest. Everyone does, but we've already lost so much. and No, I agree. that best that Let's go. Drago, Prego, what did you hear?
Speaker: I've spoken with Ren. Prago, sorry. but
Speaker: What did you hear? They made it inside. They are seeking refuge underneath a ruin. They were followed.
Speaker: that Robin as well? And your brother. I need to Carsten. No, no, no, no, no. no i'm I'm with you. Let's go. I thought, I was hoping we'd have more time. I'd hope they could get there and we could have time to rest up because he looks at the others. They don't seem any stronger than we are.
Speaker: So I'll go, but let's go. If we need to go, need to now. But how are we getting up there? can us all in the morning, but they cannot take us now. Okay. we We have not finished until Ren has completed the circle. I cannot get us up there.
Speaker: Okay. Can they hold? Yeah. they are They are safe at the moment. Okay. Can you send a message? Look, I'm um sorry for everything that's happened. Can you send a message to them just to let them know that we're coming?
Speaker: i already have.
Speaker: Drago, his chest was almost hyperventilating. You see him visibly relax at that. Oh, yeah, but... ye But here, Emron! Emron!
Speaker: Did a noble thing. And we cannot let that go to waste. We're the undying champions. I just... ah
Speaker: So what's...
Speaker: What's the plan? We did... Get up. Get up there. Finish this.
Speaker: That's the plan. The mission goes forwards. As Drago and I know, sometimes friends fall to get the mission done.
Speaker: And we have to make sure that their sacrifice isn't in vain. And one has joined... another friend that I've known and death.
Speaker: But i will come back from the graves. Just, did you all seem okay with this? We have to be, Nyx. Don't get wrong, I would love to spend time writing an epic saga for Emma and I will do so.
Speaker: But I just don't have the time right now to do that. Don't underestimate our compassion.
Speaker: But you don't want anything that's happened to stop you and the rest of you from going to finish this. That is how you honor it.
Speaker: Otherwise, they've died for nothing. There is a time for grieving. By the sounds of it, we're not leaving until tomorrow.
Speaker: I would recommend that you get your emotions in check.
Speaker: Yeah, right. So it's easier for you to say. This is our group. This is our journey. You guys have had your time. I'm Baal.
Speaker: Nyx runs off and tries to find Baal. Baal's kind of coming back to the group at this point. is not they're not They're not there. the the breed They're not here. We didn't bury any dragonborn.
Speaker: Uh, are we? Oh, sorry. past Sorry. I thought, I thought, sorry. I thought he'd come closer. Sorry.
Speaker: Okay. that That's a, that's a, that's a, that's a blessing, right? That's a blessing. There's nothing about this that is a fucking blessing. No, I know. I know. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I just, it doesn't make sense.
Speaker: But it just, it means they're not dead. Is this, she would she do this?
Speaker: I don't know. She has done this.
Speaker: When we get back from completing the fucking mission, Nix, we're going to end her. We're going to bring that fucking thing down. I'm yours. yeah Just, it's hard because this is word of mouth.
Speaker: And sweet we did our bit.
Speaker: Bo will kind of try to compose himself somewhat and make his way back to the group. The winged watch is dead. All of them. What do you mean?
Speaker: I mean the ghost wing came to our aid too. He's now at the bottom of the sea.
Speaker: Cards on the table. Sorry for the crassness of it.
Speaker: We're fucked. We're not. Because there's still us. There's still Ren. There's still Robin. There's still Syngar. There's still us. The Wind Watch lives in us.
Speaker: The mission lives in us.
Speaker: We leave tomorrow morning, Paal. You need to do what you can get your group ready.
Speaker: What's left of us?
Speaker: Don't waste it then.
Speaker: need to be ready for a fight.
Speaker: A few, Prego says.
Speaker: We'll be sleeping under the stars tonight. No fancy mansions for us tonight.
Speaker: In lull of anyone else ah speaking, have one thing to do with Nick's... He didn't return to the group after Baal left. He would go over to, um, ah ah way back when there was a lake here. ah
Speaker: Does Nyx recognise where that would be? You can find the rough position and of course that lake turned into like a goblin swamp upon your first re-arrival here.
Speaker: But now it's kind of been, it's just a pit, just a mud now. All the kind of moisture has been brought out of it. It's just a bowl of earth. So... um like he has done at this place many times, he's going to sit cross-legged and he's going to take out his book of spells or he's going to take out the orb from old girl.
Speaker: And he's just going to sit there for a moment and try to
Speaker: let his emotions calm down and try to pack them back in before they threaten to overcome him. And, uh,
Speaker: He'll sit cross-legged, back straight, breathing. Then almost scrambling, as if he can't keep that emotion in check, will reach out for the orb and he'll hold it, grasp it in two hands, clasp it close to his chest, look inside it.
Speaker: And he's going to turn it over in his hands, close his eyes, and this purple lightning lightning. That shows that he's about to cast a spell, comes from his horns, down his body, through his hands, through his fingers, and he's going to envelop this orb as he has done this before. He's going to cast clairvoyant scrying spell onto this, and he's trying to reach out to any entity of Emron whatsoever into the void.
Speaker: and Yeah, yeah. He's pouring all, everything into locating, talking. He's going to be doing it he's going to be doing his damnedest to sense, pulse, hear, feel any remnants of Emron through this thing.
Speaker: So the spell kind of demands a location.
Speaker: You know, it's asking you to see it an environment, a space. And you're kind of projecting your memories into your kind of magical thoughts around Hemron.
Speaker: And you're taken into an alleyway. You're taken to an alleyway when you were first in receipt of this orb, chasing that kind of cloaked figure.
Speaker: And that kind of outcome that Emron would hold the keys almost. And in the alleyway, there is the cloaked figure.
Speaker: But there isn't Emron. And there is a younger, more sprightly, more cocksure and more naive version of you in that image.
Speaker: And you keep looking into that crystal ball. It begins to animate.
Speaker: And that figure turns. Kind of walks up to the glass like it's a camera lens.
Speaker: Takes off its cloak.
Speaker: It's a face you've seen once before.
Speaker: and it's just staring at you.
Speaker: Grand chronomancer, Johann Veritas.
Speaker: As you remember him from that singular image, when he last existed in this orb, when it was uncracked.
Speaker: Where's my friend?
Speaker: He leans ever closer towards the edge of the glass. Just squints at you.
Speaker: Going up in specks. Head to each side.
Speaker: How can I see you now
Speaker: What has changed?
Speaker: I don't know. Maybe I'm just better at this.
Speaker: I do not know your face well.
Speaker: Miguel is unable to get to the phone right now. I'm Nix Carell.
Speaker: I see.
Speaker: And we have been on this journey before. Yes, we have, Carell. And we've lost one of our own in this current time.
Speaker: And I'm hoping to use this orb to locate him. It's Emron. If you know me, you know him.
Speaker: so the servant of Aledo has fallen. Not fallen, lost apparently. I'm trying to find him.
Speaker: And you can speak back to me, which means there is nothing. The door is opened.
Speaker: ah By door, do you mean the thing in the sky? His image fades. Oh, fuck. And there is a light that snaps in the sky above you. This kind of siren red that this um the steel nightmare has but kind of been parked in for the last couple of weeks just begins pulsing. And you watch as those 12 tethers that have...
Speaker: thrown out to every kingdom in erith now begin to retract and you're feeling quakes amongst the earth beneath you you're a good 30 40 miles from goldview but you can still feel that rumble you're a good 80 miles from uh from scorch helm but still that tectonic movement is happening
Speaker: Slowly, ever so slowly, either Aerith is being pulled closer to the nightmare or the nightmare is descending on Aerith.
Speaker: And that red light begins to pulse. And more and more of these tiny creatures at great distance are coming out of the nightmare.
Speaker: Something has awoken and knows it's free. And that's where we're going to end this week's episode. I'm the Shiver Taylor Tothelum Draconis. Holy shit. You fucking nixed it.
Speaker: i He didn't know until you told him. sh Can things get worse? Wop, wop. Yes, they can. oh shit. Well, um fuck, I guess. Fuck me, I guess. And... ah Thank you all for tuning in and listening, making us a party every day week. Shit's getting really fucking good, right? You'll want to tune in for next week. I know that I want to. So I guess we'll see you Farewell!
Speaker: Farewell!
