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C3 Episode 58 Pilgrimages & Infestation Chapter Four
163 Plays2 hours ago
The miners dug too deep...
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Transcript
Introduction to the Game Master and Cast
00:00:02
Speaker
um threaten with the coach or twenty radio at your gamers role radio Hello and welcome to Eberron Renewed, an actual play podcast set in the Eberron campaign setting. I am your Game Master, Eric.
00:00:29
Speaker
I'm Mia. I'm Phillip. I'm Madison. I'm Jeff. And welcome to
Recap of Previous Events with Valk's Discomfort
00:00:34
Speaker
another episode. Folks, what happened last time? We are halfway through our bingo card of meeting everybody's ex.
00:00:43
Speaker
I'm being terrorized by a tiny man who's actually not terrorizing me at all. jump
00:00:50
Speaker
We're trying to figure out why Valk dislikes this guy that's been doing such nice things for us. I mean, he is weird. I'm not yeah i'm not pretending he's not weird. I'm not saying Valk doesn't have a reason. I'm saying I've not been presented with it yet.
00:01:03
Speaker
It's the fact that he's weird and unsettling to Valk, who is already weird and unsettling, that makes it even more weird and unsettling. But wouldn't that eventually circle around to where Valk is unsettled by just normal people? Like, Valk is so weird and unsettling that normalcy unsettles Valk?
00:01:21
Speaker
Well, we have yet to meet anyone normal in this campaign. has generalized anxiety, so it's not untrue. I'm just saying that Valk being weirded out by somebody is not a valid reason to say that person's weird.
00:01:34
Speaker
but' It is to do. There are a lot of other valid reasons to say this guy's weird, though.
00:01:41
Speaker
The weirdest guy I know thinks he's weird is actually... but you it works!
Journey on Evelyn's Room to Investigate Mines
00:01:48
Speaker
So you all are aboard Dimitri Meyerworm's boat, Evelyn's room. Party yacht.
00:01:54
Speaker
Which is definitely being paid for by whatever university he works for. Mm-hmm. Like... And yeah he has ah graciously agreed to grant you all passage on his ship where he is going to check in with the house the rash minds where they are mining dragon shards to be shipped back into the main heart of the continent.
00:02:18
Speaker
That is his cover, but he's also going to show you all how to slip into the underground tunnels below Kavara to try to track down the source of these weird weapons. So it's also been pretty egregiously hitting on Selena.
00:02:34
Speaker
That's true. I think that is an overstatement. Egregious is wild. Zealously.
00:02:43
Speaker
Also, anyway, one of the members of the crew slash his interns slash his students calls out that we're approaching the docks.
00:02:54
Speaker
Professor Mayewam, it's like, excellent.
Planning the Distraction for Foreman Katigri
00:02:58
Speaker
Everybody prepare disembark. And we will need to meet with the foreman of the mind, Katigri Dithrashk, when we get there to check in.
00:03:08
Speaker
And then we will see how we can navigate to this situation. Any questions? Could you say that name unaccented?
00:03:19
Speaker
Katigri, K-A-T-I-G-R-I, Death or Ashk. Great. Thank you.
00:03:29
Speaker
I think two things, but they're conflicting things.
00:03:37
Speaker
Conflict makes for terrible stories. Well, physically, Valk is shoving as much free food into his pouch that he can, because he's not paying for that, and he doesn't like Dimitri anyways.
00:03:50
Speaker
And then... Probably actively shouting from wherever he is, where the food is. Where we all are. where i guess where we all are. Okay, yeah, I forgot. We're all at breakfast.
00:04:04
Speaker
He set out a lovely buffet. I forgot about that. I'm so sorry. So you're just standing at a buffet table with everyone else shoving food into your bag. set nothing. Yeah. set up nothing Technically, yes. These poor students that he's conned into being his crew. His resources and intention.
00:04:28
Speaker
um i think Valk is going to ask, is this like one of the um is this one of the moments where it's like we're just silently standing behind you looking tough?
00:04:41
Speaker
Or are we actually going to need to engage him?
00:04:46
Speaker
You can feel free to ask questions if anything comes up. But I would prefer to do most of the talking. I have the contacts here. And we will hopefully be able to just check in with her and then be able to begin the inspection.
00:05:00
Speaker
And then we can sneak away. I have a contact that... has told me where in am mind the mine the fissures that lead them to the tunnels is. It would just be a matter of getting there unnoticed.
00:05:13
Speaker
So, if you see an opportunity, feel free to speak up. so Fissures? Yes. When they were doing the mining, say they intended to go deeper into the rock.
00:05:27
Speaker
Then there was a crack. And then once they expanded this, they realized it led into a tunnel. I see. It was a incidental discovery. Yeah. Of course. But House Sarasque has no and interest in sending its people into an unknown tunnel of this kind, it would seem. So.
00:05:44
Speaker
Yeah. Unlike the other group. In Congress. Yeah. They saw something was wrong and then just kept sending people in there. I just want to say that out loud because I thought that was weird and no one else really thought that was odd.
00:05:59
Speaker
you talking about the guild where she referenced sending people? Yeah. Sending her down. Yeah. That's true. You got to ascertain the situation, man. you know
00:06:11
Speaker
All right, well, let us be going. So the boat docks and Dimitri puts on his finest hat and coat. Is this a different hat from the one he was wearing when we met him?
00:06:24
Speaker
Yes, that was his eating hat. Describe it, please. I would like both of them described because I don't think we ever got a description of the eating hat. ah The eating hat was a very fine bowler that was kind of a ah rich chocolate brown color.
00:06:40
Speaker
And a duster? that That was the previous hat. Yeah, yeah. It's an old West look. Yeah. And this hat is much more musketeery. It's got the one flap pinned up with the feather coming out of it and much more regal looking coat, not the duster that he was wearing before. So that this clocks much more is like, I'm on official business on behalf of the arcane Congress, and I'm going to look great while doing it kind of thing.
00:07:11
Speaker
So.
Interaction with Foreman Katigri and Complications
00:07:13
Speaker
All right, let's go. And he steps off the boat and approaches. You all see a large, muscular half-orc woman with short black hair standing at the end of the dock with her hands on her hips.
00:07:28
Speaker
ah You see a fairly large mark of finding on her left shoulder. you would say probably a greater mark finding and Dimitri very confidently walks up to her and bows and says category a pleasure as always to see you again
00:07:52
Speaker
You do realize that this is going to cause a major disruption in our processes and efficiency. I am very sorry, but the Arcane Congress needs to make sure that there is nothing untoward happening in the mines.
00:08:07
Speaker
All right. Who do you have with you? These are just some hired mercenaries that I brought. The mines can be dangerous places, and I have heard that you have maybe uncovered some things that could potentially be dangerous.
00:08:20
Speaker
Somebody, anybody, can give me a charisma check with ah relevant backgrounds to look like tough mercenary bodyguards. This does not need to be a group check. One of you can make it for the collective.
00:08:33
Speaker
I have good charisma, but I don't know if privilege to mischief would add to it. I really want Kaz to try, though. Kaz is back there looking tough. and have a, let's see, with my level total, yeah, 27. I have a 27. Oh, okay.
00:08:57
Speaker
You are very confidently appearing as Hired Muscle. Katigiri looks over you all and says, all right, well, I don't know what you heard, but let's get this over with.
00:09:08
Speaker
I'll show you around. And Dimitri doesn't immediately start following this. Oh, I do not want to take you away from of your important work as the foreman. i I am more than capable of making my way around the mines.
00:09:22
Speaker
And she looks back like, No, it was made very clear that this is important and our King Congress needs clearance. So i'm going to make sure that your inspection goes well. So let's go.
00:09:34
Speaker
And she starts walking. And Dimitri kind of looks over his shoulder at you all with a ah look, not not beseeching you all for help, but just a this is a complication because he didn't want this woman with you all because it makes it hard to sneak away.
00:09:52
Speaker
So he shoots you all that glance and then immediately starts engaging Katigri in conversation about the mines, what's been going on with the operation, e etc. But kind of leaving you all to conspire and formulate as to something you could do to get Katigri away from the grouper.
00:10:09
Speaker
A real quick thing that I wanted to talk through. I might cut this from the final episode. Might keep it in, depending on how I'm feeling when I edit No, I just wanted to address... There's been some conversations around the table and also during reviews and stuff about utility magic in the system.
00:10:27
Speaker
And I was reading through the core rulebook and the rules and everything. And the intention is that utility magic is... referred through your backgrounds and skill checks. So privilege mischief Kaz, if Kaz wanted to cast minor illusion to cause a distraction or cause somebody to trip or something like mischievous, then Kaz could use his spell casting ability, whatever that is with privilege mischief to cast a utility spell.
00:10:58
Speaker
in that vein. Similarly with Selena the casting darkness with Mabar touched and being able to use her cast. So that is how utility magic is supposed to work largely in the system is it is just like any other skill check. It is just you describing it as using your magic.
00:11:15
Speaker
And then we default as spellcasters to whatever your spellcasting ability is, whether that be charisma, wisdom, intelligence. So that is how utility magic outside of the wizard who has some very specific and more potent utility spells, but for just kind of the bog standard, Prestidigitation, darkness, illusory sound, what have you, disguise self, stuff like that.
00:11:41
Speaker
Uh, that is how it works in the system. Cool. Okay. Thank you. So, yes. Having said all that... I'm not gonna lie, I'm a little afraid to use my magic in the circumstances.
00:11:56
Speaker
The most distracting thing I can do is like is release a demon. Well, you just recovered, so how about we don't see do that? That can also just appear as other people, though.
00:12:08
Speaker
could... I could start a fight, not by fighting someone, but I could start a fight between some of the workers.
00:12:20
Speaker
Instigate a brawl? Yes. I can make a ghost sound with my cantrips, but she seems kind of no-nonsense. I don't know that she would go and investigate a ghost sound.
00:12:31
Speaker
And I can shape change.
00:12:36
Speaker
But I don't know to who and I don't know if Valk is the best person to be speaking to people.
00:12:47
Speaker
Nick could see a man in the back and make his eyes as red as the sun and and then also a girl in the corner. Yep. No one would be able to all those things. so yeah And think that she's the passionate one.
00:13:03
Speaker
Huh. yeah Some people will get this joke. that's yeah that's sort of that's that's It's weird. That's exactly the ritual that the Knicks would need to perform.
00:13:14
Speaker
You just have to chant them more arcanely. yeah Yeah. And then lightning strikes out of Knicks' palms and everyone starts fighting. Yeah. Blitzing, as it were.
00:13:25
Speaker
Anyway. yeah Also, my clothes don't change. so What? My clothes don't change. Because tenure she's a changeling. Oh, right. yeah it's exercise it's It's not Disguise Self. It's not an illusion. ah Valk actually changes.
00:13:41
Speaker
yeah so I'm trying to think of something. Yeah. what do we like
Executing the Cart Sabotage and Advancing
00:13:47
Speaker
Looking around, what do we see in this area? Yeah, yeah good. y like Yeah, if I can... if i can Yeah, let's what do we see?
00:13:54
Speaker
You see quite a few workers of all sorts of races, but there is a greater number of humans and half-orcs and orcs working in the mines. And where you're at now, you see primarily carts taking large rocks, and you occasionally see like crystalline ah shine coming out of the side of some of these rocks, but they are pushing carts.
00:14:17
Speaker
the opposite direction that you're walking back out towards the dock. So you're in kind of the transport area and she is taking you further into the mine to where the mining is actually happening. But right now you're still pretty early on into the mine. I suppose if Dimitri comes with earshot, how far into the mine do we need to go in order to find this fissure? he just kind of takes a couple of steps back as Katigri is leading the way and says,
00:14:43
Speaker
It is near the back. If a directionion distraction happens, ah we beat feet on a head, as it were. I see. So sorry about that. So you were saying, and he goes back into... there's ah There's a part of me that wonders if I can figure... Disable a cart so it drops its payload, and that would be a distraction.
00:15:04
Speaker
Like... some sort of mage hand type thing that pulls a cotter pin or something out of a wheel or a spoke axle. That's the word. The other thing I'm thinking is I've gotten very adept at accidentally making people grow extra body parts.
00:15:19
Speaker
And if that's not distracting, I don't know what is. I feel like that's the tamer version of me suggesting to just use Zori at magic and start making the stone start. Yeah.
00:15:34
Speaker
spreading mouths start eating yeah because that is just we could do both yeah stones fall out and start eating people i mean i could fight starts over who's fault and good the the way the way just rub under a sheet in the corner just like like ghost is shadow puppeting you think the thing about the language of the spell that technically I have to do during battle, but I mean, if we're playing, we're playing, is I just pick somebody and they gain temporary hit points and they grow a strange eye, limb, or other physical feature.
00:16:12
Speaker
There's no role. It just happens. That's the way the defensive spells work.
00:16:18
Speaker
They do have to be an ally, but I'm not mad at any of these people. Question, Eric, on on what you were just clarifying for us. way back on the train when grub was trying to get nix to produce flame so are you saying that's something nix could actually do it in my mind yes has in in yeah okay yes okay got it or in the same way that i can essentially cast something akin to knock with my mischief because picking a lock is very much right right yeah sure
00:16:52
Speaker
cool Which is kind of what I thought I could use that cotter pit idea. I could use my prudence mischief. Sure, sure. I mean, it's, you know, loosening lug nuts on something. and That's not mischief. That's, you know, a genuine crime. You heard it here first, kids.
00:17:06
Speaker
All right, so which idea are we going with? Grab under a sheet. but but executive decision. She came in at the last minute with the best idea, guys. I don't know. Obviously, that's what I want to happen, but I feel like... the i mean we Importantly, you all know, it it means me something it needs to be something big enough that the four people need to break away. Is there anyone handling stones?
00:17:35
Speaker
I'm so sorry. There are lots of people with carts like coming up. and where Where you are about to hit, there is a checkpoint, in fact, where they are weighing the stones because of course house thrask pays its miners based on the number of stones that they can actually mine and produce but house thrask is also in charge of weighing the stones that to see how much they write eric i play this to escape hi i mean do you think you're like you're not a 1920s coal miner i don't know what you're complaining about yeah and of course they're paid in town money that can only be spent yeah
00:18:14
Speaker
um do Do you think that trying to disable a cart to dump its payload, like maybe right before the scales, might be something that would pull her away? i mean, you could certainly try. ah Because here's the deal. like Based on the success of the roll, that would kind of dictate it.
00:18:28
Speaker
Fair enough. it's like Here's the thing, though. Something like that would need a greater roll because something has to go catastrophically wrong with a cart tipping over or whatever, if that makes sense.
00:18:39
Speaker
And then the people start fighting over whose fault that was. That's true. Yeah, you all can combine. Yeah, yeah you you can. the So the role is, is it just a then role plus ah straight role plus the background? Or would I also include my spellcasting modifier? Your spellcasting modifier.
00:18:58
Speaker
Yeah. Okay, so that'd be a plus 11. It's extremely on brand for this group for us to kind of pitch a few ideas and then we walk along. Then at some point, each of us individually decides, I guess we're going with mine. Yeah.
00:19:10
Speaker
Grubs him the little pooch with his sheet ready to go. He's so ready. He's going to do it. He's going to do it anyways. I can't control him. Okay, so it sounds like order of operations would be Kaz disabling the cart first to cause it to topple over.
00:19:26
Speaker
And then if God's going to produce mouths, I guess that would be last. People would start fighting and then, oh God, the rocks are eating us. I want to be very clear. I did not. I never suggested mouths. I suggest you just straight up body mutilation. We might want to do the fight before the... but i So Kaz focuses in on the axle of this thing, trying to figure We're going to be on the far side of the checkpoint before this all triggers.
00:19:56
Speaker
Yes, for sure. yeah near Near to, but not quite on the way station yet. And... He crosses his fingers and closes his eyes and concentrates real hard.
00:20:08
Speaker
He's like, please don't grow a foot. Please don't grow a foot. I said 29.
00:20:13
Speaker
29. Okay. Yeah. One of the, uh, like half of the axle for the front right wheel of this cart turns into sand and just disintegrates.
00:20:26
Speaker
Um, and yeah, it topples. Yeah. And just like the, it tips the rocks spill out and, a large commotion starts happening between the guy manning the checkpoint the push it the person pushing the cart the person in front of them that a lot of the rocks like fell like towards and so they start like but it's very subdued it's like hey what happened i don't know though like the axle just broke but it's like these are my my understanding these are large rocks that now have to be cleaned up before the next person can weigh their cart yes like this is a big it is problem yeah yeah
00:21:02
Speaker
And then Nyx, are you going to... And what happens is Nyx... Nyx is just... Her eyes sort of go go distant for a moment as she reaches out for the... the For Shabroth.
00:21:20
Speaker
And Acheron leaves her shoulder and... crawls along the the shadows of the ceiling above and then like like like Gandalf and the trolls ventriloquist does does some ventriloquism down into the thing where one of the guys that's been arguing quite in a quite subdued you know I have no idea what happened just hears someone else you know say you've You've never been, you know, you've always been incompetent. It's something, you know outrageous. in and then Yeah, inflammatory. And that's a Shavrath touch, I assume. Yes. 19. 19?
00:21:59
Speaker
Okay, nineteen okay yeah So, ah that one kind of turns very like incensed to the person that was pushing the cart, thinking that it's them and shoves them.
00:22:13
Speaker
was like, what do you mean? I'm incompetent. And like, then the other one shoves him back and they start getting into it. The rest of the miners start kind of egging it on. If you'll allow me. Yeah. One of them absolutely shoves way harder than he thought he was going to shove. And like it.
00:22:29
Speaker
Yeah. Full of topples a guy. Yeah. yeah And so Katigari's focus is definitely pulled and she's taking a couple steps over there to kind of see what the situation is.
00:22:41
Speaker
Valk, are you going to do any body mutilation or turn the rocks into mouths? or Do I need to? I don't think you need to at this point. One guy shoves another guy. That guy took over rock, is eaten by it.
00:22:55
Speaker
If we want to play with the fiction that you all did not communicate clearly, and so you all just fired your stuff at the same time, I think that's funny, but unnecessary, if that makes sense.
00:23:06
Speaker
set Yeah. I think if Valk, because my next question was going to be if she is starting to actively switch over um yeah and change focus.
00:23:17
Speaker
If she wasn't going to change focus, then we would have went with a nuclear option. But I think he's going to, he would have started the hand motion and then just let it go. Okay.
00:23:29
Speaker
I mean, let yeah left alone, what I imagine this magic will will eventually lead to active violence. Like the guy that got toppled over is going to grab a rock and bash the other guy across the face with it. Like it's going to escalate fast.
00:23:40
Speaker
Yeah, things start escalating very quickly. And Dimitri kind of looks over his shoulder at the four of you with a kind of like, that was you? And then jerks his head and begins like, not running, but walking very quickly back towards the back of the mines.
00:23:58
Speaker
Nix's pupils have gone cat-eyed.
00:24:02
Speaker
Cinematically, Dimitri walks past the camera, you all walk past, and we just see the sight of this brawl breaking out in the mines, Katigri trying to pull bodies apart, and a small sheeted raccoon in the background trying to scare the people. um So yeah, you all get deeper into the mines.
00:24:22
Speaker
And somebody in the crowd is absolutely terrified. Like so yeah some guy is just leaning against the corner. it's So yeah you all after a couple minutes of power walking deeper into the mines.
Exploring the Demiplane Tunnel and Its Risks
00:24:39
Speaker
Dimitri finally lets up and you, you see miners all around kind of working more carts going up, but now you the sound is becoming a bit deafening of the sound of pickaxes and hammers and chisels.
00:24:53
Speaker
at work and Dimitri says it should be somewhere near here yes ah there it is and he goes up to a section of the wall that there is kind of a wooden railing built in front of this crack that you all can see and everyone give me a wisdom based check this is to notice something visually so any relevant backgrounds that you would like to apply don't think any of mine are going to be relevant That's a net 20.
00:25:24
Speaker
nice thought Nice. 27. Okay. And then 31 if I add on my Zoriat and Colonel Wall Investigator.
00:25:36
Speaker
ah Just Zoriat. Just Zoriat. Well, then I think, wait. merle up That's a four anyways. I can't do math. I got a 10. I got a 10 for Nyx.
00:25:50
Speaker
Nyx is focused on other stuff. I've got a 17. Okay. I abstain. Okay. So, Valk, what you notice as Dimitri is approaching this fissure along with the rest of your companions very quickly is there is...
00:26:14
Speaker
no light emanating from this fissure, which it's an underground tunnel, not that weird at first blush. But you also notice that even with the light from like the lanterns and torches in the mine shining into the fissure, you can't see into it.
00:26:34
Speaker
Like none of the light from this chamber is going into the crack to allow you to see say what lies beyond. um Because of your connection with Zoriat and your time as a paranormal investigator, even though we didn't apply that.
00:26:51
Speaker
i think I think the rules say you can only apply one background to a check. So you... Sorry, I'm getting the right thing pulled up. You are familiar with...
00:27:04
Speaker
a concept in Eberron known as Demiplanes, specifically in the realm of Kyber underground. It's where some really nasty things live, but they're his utility in them because if he use some of the openings high enough up in these Demiplanes, you can travel a very long distance very quickly.
00:27:26
Speaker
You could say make a pilgrimage from Muir Holds up in Karnath all the way down to the southern peninsula of Kibara in a relatively short amount of time. The problem with doing this, however, is you are then subjected to the influence of whatever nasty thing lives in the Demiplane that you are taking advantage of. So you can't stay in it for too long.
00:27:51
Speaker
And you can tell from your remarkable check that this fissure is opening up into a
00:28:03
Speaker
tunnel, an upper tunnel of one of these degi planes. So there is some inherent danger in it, but the ability to travel very quickly. I am just going to assume he's going to relay that.
00:28:17
Speaker
Okay.
00:28:19
Speaker
So Dimitri's on like the precipice of the fissure and stops and turns and he's like, oh, I was so preoccupied with diving into the tunnels. I did not even notice. Good catch, Valk.
00:28:34
Speaker
Well done.
00:28:36
Speaker
It's my job. Are you not allowed to be paid compliments for doing your job well? You know, I asked that too. I was told no. She really did a number on you, didn't she? Yeah, she did.
00:28:48
Speaker
Well, Any potential dangers aside, this is the way we need to go. So unless there are any major objections, I say we press on. Yes. Might as well.
00:28:59
Speaker
Is there any way I can like mentally sound myself? Give me a... I have
00:29:11
Speaker
Give me a wisdom choice to try and quiet your mind. That is a 10. ah ten Nope. no Okay. So Dimitri goes into the Fizzer and you he steps through and you lose sight of him immediately.
00:29:29
Speaker
Acheron flutters back and lands on Nyx's shoulder, chuckling happily to it. I think Valk is going to step through next. Nyx will summon her weapon and then step through.
00:29:43
Speaker
Selena grabs Grub, who has run up in his little sheet, and also goes through. Cass is going to chill back here, actually, and see how things go with the rocks. yeah
00:29:53
Speaker
I am also going. So you all step through, and as soon as you get into the tunnel, the first thing you note is it is illuminated with a tinge of green light kind of emanating throughout the tunnel.
00:30:04
Speaker
um You, yeah, this would be obvious enough to see. You see... Going in both directions kind of away from you all, you all step through after Dimitri so it's entirely possible that Dimitri caused this.
00:30:17
Speaker
You see handful of swarms of like millipedes, cockroaches, centipedes skittering away in both directions away from you all down the tiles.
00:30:28
Speaker
Can I get a clarification? The green light, can we see a source? Is it like a bioluminescent moss? Or is it just... It's just lit. Okay. It's just reflecting off the walls. Like, if there might be a bioluminescent moss, but you can't really see. yeah And as you get close, it just looks like stone, but it definitely is glowing.
00:30:48
Speaker
But it looks more like it's reflecting light as opposed to emanating light. Am I seeing any of the bugs that I saw when I touched the dead dude? Oh, yeah. Like, all those bugs were part of the swarm that you saw that were swirling about. Yeah.
00:31:04
Speaker
Oh, yeah. We got all the best bugs. All the bugs. Just the menu of bugs, Eric. but So you have for the starters a Dimitri kind of like ah wipes his shoes off and he says, one moment, and he opens his little satchel and takes his hat off and throws it in there and reaches in and pulls his bowler hat out.
00:31:31
Speaker
His satchel is a garment bag. Takes his very fine, nice coat off, throws it in there, and then pulls his jester out. Garment bag of holding. um Much better.
00:31:43
Speaker
So I believe it is this way. And he points to the left is south, which is there the direction we need to go.
00:31:51
Speaker
Although I stopped doing underground jobs. ah With the information Val gave us, who knows what direction we might be traveling, but I think it is this way. So walking for a bit and you all begin to hear ah faint...
00:32:12
Speaker
chanting echoing in the tunnel the direction that you're going getting slightly louder and Dimitri kind of looks back over shoulder perhaps so we should rearrange the walking order at this point since it is a one-way tunnel and i am very small and easily stabbed you don't want to go in the back The middle, preferably. Just things can come from either direction. A real gallant gent. i am better i am better casting spells away from melee. I do not know how that... I know my strengths.
00:32:51
Speaker
You have the big sword.
00:32:54
Speaker
Takes steps over him. Dimitri shrugs at Mouth like, why I don't know what was wrong with what I said. Technically, there was nothing wrong with what you said. Oh, thank you.
00:33:04
Speaker
It's just... i want to I want to catch the vibe. had a moment. and Sorry, go ahead, Jess. I'm just trailing off of Nix's vibe, and I also step past Devitri to be second behind Nix.
00:33:19
Speaker
We had some good teamwork up there earlier with the rocks in the fight. And so he's riding that high. got your Got your confidence up. I don't think you're going to like how much Kaz is glomming on to Nyx's whole thing, right?
00:33:32
Speaker
but I mean, Nyx might not. yeah I'm yeah loving it. Right. see but up up but bone He's killing guys. All right. So you all hear the chanting getting louder.
00:33:50
Speaker
And it it is becoming clear that there is a bend up ahead in the tunnel that once you round that you will have visual on whatever the source of this chanting is, anything you all would like to do before you break that curve.
Confrontation with Zombies and Dwarves
00:34:05
Speaker
This, this just came up Eric in, in a previous episode where we were kind of concerned about being touched by these weapons and I think it was probably Valk, it sounds like Valk being sensible, suggested to Nyx, can't you just, you know, cover yourself with scales?
00:34:25
Speaker
I want to know, can I do that? yeah It's bad because it's like, it's letting the other half of herself in. Yeah.
00:34:38
Speaker
But I really don't want to be turned into a chitinous mass. Yeah. great metal band not the fate i want for nix yeah i don't want that for her so here's the deal i love the concept of nix going ah really hard in the i don't want to turn into a different kind of monster so i'm going to succumb to the monster that already resides within me having said that Path driver guild members that were going on in these jobs, like probably didn't have the magical healing that you all have access to. So an infection like that, you all could probably deal with and because you're heroes.
00:35:20
Speaker
ah So I'm just trying to say if you elect to not do it, it's not a one way ticket to Bug Street. I assume that you weren't putting us in a situation where every time we got stabbed, it was save or die.
00:35:33
Speaker
Uh, ah
00:35:36
Speaker
We also don't know if for they have the bug weapons yet. they could it's true producing and That's true. giving it to poor lizard folk. We could wait and see.
00:35:50
Speaker
Yeah. In that case, I don't think I have anything I can turn on, really. Yeah. yeah I don't have anything I can do instead of time. Yeah, unless you guys want me to summon a hellhound and send it around the corner first. i'm like Okay, so you all first and foremost, ah once you get close enough, the chanting becomes clearer the syllables that are being said.
00:36:14
Speaker
But not in the words because to your ears it is nonsense. There's a lot of like chittering and clicking and amongst the the words.
00:36:27
Speaker
Still vocally produced but it is a ah tongue none of you have ever heard before. Yeah. But the bug lady spoke to me in common.
00:36:39
Speaker
The bug lady spoke to you in common. Given given this and given Nyx's origin story, i think I think it does sort of start to happen just reflexively, is that even before she's even used any magic, the the scales have sort of crawled down her shoulders a little bit as she is ready to go around the corner and sort of glancing back at the others to to see if everybody's ready.
00:37:02
Speaker
Dimitri just kind of nods.
00:37:06
Speaker
Okay, around the corner we go. Okie dokie. So what you see is two dwarves standing over a pile of dwarf corpses.
00:37:25
Speaker
And they're chanting...
00:37:30
Speaker
And as you round the corner, you see dwarves, the two dwarves kind of stop their chanting as their bodies stiffen. And you see their chests and their necks kind of writhe for a second.
00:37:45
Speaker
And then they both begin to vomit onto the pile of corpses.
00:37:54
Speaker
And as this happens, Nix, you see one of the arms in the pile of corpss corpses twitch. And then a leg starts to shuffle and the corpses begin to climb on top of each other and stand up as the two dwarves take a step back and recover slightly.
00:38:17
Speaker
Jeez. Who's the bodybuilder guy now? a Yeah, i know I don't like this. You can tell that the two dwarves that just conducted whatever stuff just happened are living dwarves.
00:38:36
Speaker
However, the dwarves that are standing up, you hear a groan as they begin to shuffle as they stand up in some court kind of zombified fashion.
00:38:48
Speaker
Give me a, whoever wants to can give me a wisdom check to once again notice something visually happening with these zombies. I don't know if want to is right, but. That's another nat 20.
00:38:59
Speaker
Amazing. I got a 22, but I guess it didn't matter now. Does my bar touch? My bar touch wouldn't apply here. Okay. It's just my special eyes.
00:39:10
Speaker
Hear me out though. 23. Seven. and yeah Okay. What's next got? Other. Nick just tried to keep the rest of her drinks down. Put a marker down, brother.
00:39:21
Speaker
Oh, dang it. I did a swear. also love how i was clapping for the marker, but it looks like I was clapping that I did a swear. Yay. Good job, everybody.
00:39:33
Speaker
Okay, Nick, you are focused on other things happening right now. We were on Pee-Wee's Playhouse. He said the word! The rest of you, Nick, Selena, and Vap, immediately notice you see the vomiting happened and the corpses are going to stand up. But as the pile kind of disassembles itself, you see...
00:39:53
Speaker
crawling into some of the the cuts on dwarfs and wherever they die. Bugs crawling into them. And you see bumps under their skin. Like, bugs are crawling and, like, that is what is causing them to stand up.
00:40:07
Speaker
I hear the call. Eric just ruined someone's day. Mine. remember that Remember the boat times, though? So, Valk, with your natural 20, you notice all of that.
00:40:21
Speaker
But then you also hear the faintest of a whisper. in the back of your mind, almost like you're overhearing something.
00:40:33
Speaker
And you hear a voice that you clock as the bug lady, not talking to you. Yeah. She's not talking to you. It's it's like you're you are so attuned to Zoriath that you're overhearing her talking in the mind of these dwarves.
00:40:50
Speaker
And you hear her say, yes, yes good
00:40:57
Speaker
Your lady, Onatar, is pleased. Gross. don't like that. And then one of the zombies sees and then it begins running down the tunnel and the rest begin to fall follow and we need initiative.
00:41:19
Speaker
Are there any weird weapons in and us on display here? The two dwarves have what look like chitinous weapons in their hands. the zombie In their hands? Are they in their hands? Are they part of their hands?
00:41:32
Speaker
As their hands. Are they inserted into their hands? No. Not yet. one Just checking. hi One day if they believe. Oh, well.
00:41:44
Speaker
My initiative ah is 16. sixteen I got a 17. I also got a 17. I think Valk wins that showdown.
00:42:00
Speaker
We've rolled same in the past. eighteen All grouped up together in that magical war. That's very funny. Dimitri got a 15. So just every all the good guys right in a row.
00:42:12
Speaker
So we have Slain. Well, Dwarf won. Dwarf won.
00:42:17
Speaker
Then Slaina. Then Valk. Then Kaz. Then Nyx. Then Dimitri. Then the other dwarf. Then all the zombies.
00:42:29
Speaker
What's the rough quantity of zombies we're talking There are two dwarves and six zombies. oh Gotcha. gotcha And what's the distance to the dwarves? Are they nearby? They're nearby.
00:42:42
Speaker
One of... so one of The dwarves sees you all rounding the corner and he mutters something in the tongue that you heard him chanting in.
00:42:58
Speaker
And he begins ah sprinting at Nyx. Nyx, as the dwarf gets closer, you see that his beard... As he gets closer, instead of being hair, looks like insect antenna growing out of his face.
00:43:14
Speaker
And you see his neck has like tightness plates coming up out from underneath the collar.
00:43:22
Speaker
And he bellows, For Odita! as he brings his it is a it's like a a warhammer but the head of it is um oh ah spike no shoulder blades shoulder blades a mandible now was gonna go for like thorax stingers It's a really pretty green, like a scarab beetle.
00:43:52
Speaker
There's some kind of... Are close? Do we help? The large, like, is it like a rhino beetle? Yeah, rhinoceros beetle's got the big nose looking... Got big old proboscis. Sticks up. Yeah, so it's got that curved, like, like the rhino beetle at the front of it that's a blunt end, but it's just all chitinous.
00:44:09
Speaker
And brings it down on you, Nyx.
00:44:14
Speaker
And that is going to be for a 20 versus your AC. Yeah, yeah. Okay. Six damage, and then he gets a second attack.
00:44:26
Speaker
Oh. That is a natural 18, so 26.
00:44:32
Speaker
What was his natural roll in the first one, by the way? 12. Okay.
00:44:37
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, the other one definitely hits. Because it was above a natural 16, you take the six damage from the impact, but then part of the chitin cracks and like acidic, like blood oozes out onto Nyx's arm and you take six acid damage.
00:44:56
Speaker
Oh. So wait, what's the total damage I just took? 18 damage, six of which is acid. Oh. From just the second attack.
00:45:08
Speaker
No, no, no. From both attacks. Total. Sorry. Okay. What was just the second attack? 12, six of which is acid. Got it. That hurt a lot. don't like that. And yeah, that is his turn.
00:45:22
Speaker
Selena.
00:45:24
Speaker
All right. I'm going to do the mark with sigil. That's a quick action. Let's do the one that got Nyx with the acid. Okay. And we're going to mark it with sigil of blood.
00:45:37
Speaker
alrighty So that will trigger when they make an attack against an ally and it doesn't include me. Cool.
00:45:45
Speaker
And then let's do... How close are they to me? Nearby. Okay. Then I'm just going to move toward them. Okay.
00:45:57
Speaker
Are you going to make an attack or no? Yeah. Let's do barrier strike. Okay. Nice. Nice. there
00:46:12
Speaker
That hits. Awesome. Hold on. I got to remember how to do this.
00:46:21
Speaker
Gosh, it's already your second battle with this class. You should have it memorized. and I know. I know. Okay. So that's gonna be 14 damage. fourteen which Okay. Alrighty.
00:46:33
Speaker
And what does Barrier Strike do you and addition to hurting him? That's question. Well, until the ah end of my next turn, I can reduce all damage I take by my Constitution of Fire. Okay.
00:46:45
Speaker
Awesome. Nice. Cool. Alrighty. Now it is Vap's turn. I will draw my blade just in case, and then I will gain my focus, and that's all I can do.
00:47:01
Speaker
Doki. I'm Kazimir. Okay, so I i pulled in an attack die. My warp doesn't come into effect until I get attacked. um and i'll tell you what happens if it happens.
00:47:13
Speaker
But then my weirdness is... ah Well, it helps Selena, I think. What... Here's a fun teachable one with 13th age.
00:47:25
Speaker
This says arcane spells. Is that kind of a different... Like, there's divine spells and arcane spells and stuff like that? Yeah. Okay. Do any of our party cast arcane spells besides me?
00:47:36
Speaker
I think your party exclusively casts arcane spells. Perfect. So, you get to think about this. When one of my allies casts an arcane spell in this battle, that spell gains a small bonus effect chosen by the GM.
00:47:49
Speaker
Okay. there you go. And then cool i think I think I'm too freaked out. i got I focus on one of the zombies that is shambling around. okay Kaz kind of thrusts his hand forward, and you see...
00:48:08
Speaker
from the from the From his cuff, not from his body, but from inside his cuff, a projectile comes out that looks remarkably like the chain whip sword from the last battle that one of the bad guys had.
00:48:21
Speaker
And that's pretty good. That's a 26 against physical defense on the closest of these zombies. or Yeah. The zombies or the dwarves?
00:48:33
Speaker
the zombie The zombies, right? they yeah yeah they They're menacing us as well, right? They're not just shambling around. Yes. Yeah, they're rushing towards you. Just want to make sure. Okay, so yeah. So just towards the the horde of zombies, the front one. Okay. And that is going to be... Oh, so nice. 19 points of damage. Okay.
00:48:52
Speaker
Did you roll an attack roll against... and Yeah, it's 20-something. Oh, right, right. You said it hit. Sorry. Yeah, yeah. Sorry. So it's 19 damage. 19 damage? Mm-hmm.
00:49:03
Speaker
Okay. The... First, the first two zombies just completely get torn apart by this chain okay that you extend out. And like, as they get lacerated, you see bugs just fall out of the bodies as they slump to the ground and the bugs scatter into the cracks of the walls away. And when he sees that happen, when he sees it effectively, instead of it like keeping going or sucking back in, he manages to be able to grab it.
00:49:32
Speaker
So now he's holding this... Nice. Cool. That let's say is like fiery orange. Why not? Not a flame, but a fiery orange color.
00:49:44
Speaker
Yes. And it it also hit a third one. It just wasn't quite enough to take it out, but bugs are spilling out of it as well.
00:49:54
Speaker
Probably. Nyx. I think Nyx reacts to this and... this Yeah.
00:50:04
Speaker
What happens is the, the acid splashes over her and, and immediately ah scales grow across that place.
00:50:15
Speaker
And she, she reaches a hand back and a tear opens in the air and out of it ah flies a swarm of tiny flaming, like little tiny flaming demons that are going to swarm around both of the living dwarves. Okay.
00:50:40
Speaker
So I make a charisma attack versus their physical defense. This is good. i mean, 18 on the die plus 25.
00:50:52
Speaker
twenty five Yes, that hits. Okay. Then both of them, this is the weirdest thing ever. I don't roll any dice. Both of them just take 20 fire damage. Okay. All righty.
00:51:05
Speaker
Just as they are getting cut and torn apart by these demons and apologies, Selena. I, I missed something when you attacked them. Nyx and Selena, you each take two points of acid damage.
00:51:17
Speaker
Just these, these things aren't bleeding blood acid is pouring out of the cup. Yep. Yep. Yep.
00:51:28
Speaker
All right. Anything else Nyx? That is my turn. All right. ah With his quick action, Dimitri is going to cast a blur on Nyx.
00:51:44
Speaker
So now attacks against Nyx have a 20% chance to miss. Cool. And then With his.
00:51:55
Speaker
Why not? It's been a while. Let's cast Rhea Frost.
Battle Resolution and Episode Conclusion
00:52:02
Speaker
Aw. Throwback. Amateur stuff, Dimitri. So.
00:52:08
Speaker
Against the one that is in front of Nyx. Against its physical defense. That is a hit. um Yeah, this ray of frost just hits this thing in the chest. Some of the acid freezes as it's oozing out of its body.
00:52:22
Speaker
But it is still standing, if just barely. I want to jump in with yeah Better Yet Here. okay Dimitri's ray of frost.
00:52:34
Speaker
Nice. Okay.
00:52:38
Speaker
All the habits die hard. It's how she shows she cares.
00:52:48
Speaker
That is a my numbers are all minimized because I was fixing stuff. Hold on. Is it a 19?
00:53:01
Speaker
To hit? ah Against mental or physical defense? Mental. That hits. Oh, too you and this is why I have everything two on one page. Alright, that is now...
00:53:17
Speaker
Oh yeah, because I upgraded.
00:53:20
Speaker
Sorry. Sorry. i need more. One, two, three, four Wow. two three four d well That was only three.
00:53:35
Speaker
How did I, had it in my hand. That's literally three. 11 plus my wisdom,
00:53:46
Speaker
which 13 damage.
00:53:51
Speaker
What does this look like when you power up Dimitri in this way? i the I think... I think Dimitri himself is going to shift a little and there's going to be just like a slightly like fuchsia version of himself.
00:54:16
Speaker
Um... appear with the attack just slightly offset and yeah it's going to it's ah it's usually the same where it's just like it's a visual duplication. Yep.
00:54:29
Speaker
Love it. Okay. That dwarf gets blown away by the fuchsia ray that hits it. Is that the one that was marked with the sigil or the other one? that was the one marked with the sigil. Darn!
00:54:44
Speaker
Okay. Okay. It falls over and you see a pool of acid begin to leak out from its body. And you see some of the bugs that have been like skittering away from the zombies come and begin drinking the acid.
00:54:59
Speaker
That's the dwarf. Dwarf number two rushes up and is going to batter Selena.
00:55:10
Speaker
First attack is only 10 versus AC. What did he roll naturally? A two. ha So when he rolls a natural one through five with an attack in this battle, demons attack him again.
00:55:27
Speaker
it For some reason, this time, i remember the end roll dies for it. So he's going to take three d six So he's going to take 11 fire damage him to each enemy nearby fire damage to him and to each enemy near by him How much? 13? 11. 11. Sorry. eleven and 11. Okay. so it says zomb it ah it does It does specifically say only deal this damage once to each mob of mooks.
00:55:56
Speaker
Okay. Zombies are all falling. Two more of the zombies crumple and the bugs begin like leaving their bodies on the ground.
00:56:08
Speaker
So there are only two zombies left up. Okay. but With his second attack, because now he is staggered, he is going to look at Selena and Nyx, who are right in front of him with these demons swirling around him.
00:56:24
Speaker
And you see his body jerk again and his neck, and he then spews acid out of his mouth onto both of so Everyone noticed that right before this, Eric talked me out of covering my body with metallic scales. Everyone everyone heard Eric do that, right? Oh, yeah.
00:56:42
Speaker
Against physical defense. Knowing what was around the corner. 18 against Nick's physical defense. 20 against... Yes. but Yeah. You each take eight acid damage. Okay.
00:56:56
Speaker
But he loses 12 health. Okay. And now it is the zombie's turn. They can't do their group ability because too many of them have died. Okay, the zo and the two zombies are going to rush up.
00:57:10
Speaker
One of them is going to attack Nyx. That is a natural 20. oh no. So... I guess... Okay, going to talk through my working here just to make sure that I... So...
00:57:29
Speaker
His attack normally does three damage. Okay. On a natural 16 or higher, the attack does double damage. So then on a natural 20, it would be triple damage. That's what the ruling is. If it normally does double damage, it goes up to triple.
00:57:42
Speaker
So nine damage. Nyx. it But the zombie takes 1d6 points of damage. Because it just goes, co-rates. That is a three.
00:57:53
Speaker
And then Slayta. That is a 21 versus your AC. Yep. That is three points of damage.
00:58:06
Speaker
Unbelievably, after all of that, the escalation die is now at a one.
00:58:14
Speaker
First round done. We are back around to Selena. All right. Well, I'm marking our other dwarf with the same sigil. So that's my quick action.
00:58:27
Speaker
And then, and then I will do white flame blade on that same guy. okay Is this arcane spell? Awesome sounding spell.
00:58:39
Speaker
Does she give a little bonus? me take a look. About half my weirdness of effects just are like, give your DM more work. Love that.
00:58:53
Speaker
And this is a 27. twenty seven That hits. Awesome. So then, okay, 10 damage. 10 damage?
00:59:05
Speaker
And that's including the fire damage? 15 damage. And that's the dwarf that you were attacking, not the zombie? Yes, the dwarf. How about this? just for Jeff, mark down this weirdness thing, because I don't want to have to try and be creative every single time. 100%.
00:59:20
Speaker
hundred percent If the arcane spell has an adventurer's feat on it, you get the benefit of that adventurer's feat while this thing is active.
00:59:33
Speaker
that's Okay, cool. Benefit. So in this case, Selina gets to increase the secondary fire damage by her strength modifier. Well, that's a zero.
00:59:45
Speaker
Oh. Not applicable here, but the sentiment is great, I think. Okay. And that fire damage gets hit to all enemies you are engaged with. So the two zombies are also impacted by that. So how much fire damage was it?
01:00:02
Speaker
Five. Five? And you increased that because of the third level spell, right? Because it's 2d6 instead of 1c? 1d6. I'm just making sure. Nope. Oh, six.
01:00:12
Speaker
Okay. Update that. One of the zombies goes down from the fire from the white flame blade. All right.
01:00:23
Speaker
Valk. Yes. I need to regain my focus. Indeed. And I feel like, oh, nope, that wasn't at will. So I have the actual spell.
01:00:35
Speaker
I just did my focus. So I'm getting my focus back. Cool. that's it. Kaz. Kaz.
01:00:42
Speaker
Yes. I pulled a defense. So the only two people that i I've seen take damage Nix and Selina, yes? I believe that's true. Okay. Well, and the dwarves and the dwarf zombies. Uninterested in their plight.
01:00:57
Speaker
All right. Selina, one through three, and you're getting a third eye or something. Okay. So...
01:01:06
Speaker
Nyx gets 10. No, sorry. Yeah, Nyx can heal using a recovery ah for free. And Selena gets 10 temporary hit points and grows a strange ILM rather physical feature that lasts as long as the temporary hit points do.
01:01:20
Speaker
Heck yeah. Selena, your off arm that you're not currently using to swing the sword ah below the elbow turns into a pincer like a bug.
01:01:31
Speaker
Selena does not like that.
01:01:34
Speaker
I am so sorry. but i don't I don't know any other way to help. It's fine. So much better. Excellent.
01:01:46
Speaker
Anything else, Kaz? i No, because I still don't really have quick actions yet. There was... Okay, yeah. I have to cast a spell to earn a quick action. What's healing magic look like with Kaz?
01:02:00
Speaker
I think he looks... he just, like, gets concerned and scared, and i g i think it's like an aura thing. I think it's just kind of a a a I don't want say calming because ah it does we're still in battle.
01:02:17
Speaker
You feel Kaz's concern wash over you and it makes it and it heals you. I think is is what it is. like it is It is a manifestation of the fact that he likes you and cares for your well-being.
01:02:30
Speaker
Makes you feel better. It's the power of friendship. It is unfortunately the power of friendship. Maybe the healing was the friends we made along with. No.
01:02:42
Speaker
Alright, Nyx. The dwarf fighting Selina. Staggering at like 10 hit points and now she's at 31 hit points and feels a lot better.
01:02:56
Speaker
And so she grabs her sword and she's going to kill a dwarf. Oh wait, that dwarf's dead. Selina killed the dwarf. There's a zombie in front of Selina. That'll work. It's still a dwarf.
01:03:07
Speaker
So both of the living dwarves are dead? Yes. Never we got to use my sigils. It's so much, Eric. It's 24 to hit. That hits the zombie.
01:03:20
Speaker
I hope so. Otherwise, we need to retreat immediately. Okay. 3d10 now. So much math now. 16 plus. Yeah. Okay. That's 20 damage.
01:03:34
Speaker
He had three hit points left. So you could have beefed your attack roll or your damage roll and been fine. I could have missed him and killed him. There you go. i think that's specific there's that specific Does that not say non-mook?
01:03:47
Speaker
Does it say any enemy? but No, I have my, um, one of my talents is i ideal half damage on misses when I'm not staggered. Right. Okay. So yeah, you destroy this last zombie as the bugs fall out of him as you cut through his torso.
01:04:06
Speaker
Some of the bugs are still drinking up the pools of acid in front of you, but most of them are skittering away. The little fire demons like dive and grab some of the bugs and carry them back through this and through the portal into Shots. I'm sure that'll be fine.
01:04:23
Speaker
Yeah, no, it won't. It's not going to be a problem at all. Everything's fine back there in the coal mine, too. Nobody has yeah accidentally like had a ah a war flashback about one of the veterans from a different country they were working alongside.
01:04:38
Speaker
ah sir And quiet falls over the tunnel and we are going to call it an episode there. Thank you all so much for listening. If you want to be part of the conversation starting this episode, head on over to our discord, the link to which is in the description of this podcast. We also have YouTube channel, youtube.com slice the pantheon where do TTRPG videos.
01:04:58
Speaker
Phillip's going plug a thing now. On Spotify and YouTube, you can find Tales from the Laughing Tree, where we have another actual play set in Eberron. If I've calculated correctly, you should just be right about the time of the last episode of the Queen's Blades, a short campaign we've been running before we return to Blades and Banners.
01:05:16
Speaker
It's Pirates in Eberron. That's true. We also have a Patreon, patreon.com slash GeekPantheon. If you want to financially support the show, you can do so over there. I have been your Game Master, Eric.
01:05:27
Speaker
I'm Mia. Phillip. I'm Phillip. I'm Madison. I'm Jeff. We will see you next time.