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C1 Ep. 20 Into the Gloaming Chapter Three
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Eberron Renewed continues this week as the adventurers find themselves amongst the largest gathering of druids ever. But the main question is why? Beric, Therudak, and Dex travel deeper into the Towering Wood to find answers, help the druids, and face perhaps the greatest challenge that they have encountered yet! All this and more on this week’s episode of Eberron Renewed!
Featured Music:
“Shadowlands 2 – Bridge” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
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Transcript
Theodore Roosevelt's Motivation
00:00:02
Speaker
Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat. Theodor Roosevelt, strenuous life.
Introduction to Eberron Renewed
00:00:34
Speaker
D20 radio, your game is roll.
00:00:51
Speaker
Hello, and welcome to Eberron Renewed, an actual play D&D fifth edition podcast set in the Eberron campaign setting. I am your dungeon master, Eric. And I'm Philip. Randy. I'm Jeff. And welcome to another episode of Eberron Renewed. So gentlemen, tell the people what happened last time.
Recap: Gibbering Mouther Adventure
00:01:07
Speaker
We killed a horrible aberration, a gibbering mouther that tried to eat us. Yes. Their deck was not too successful once again on his attacks. Though he did finally get one in before it died. We reconnected with Dex's good friend Farland. What's Farland's last name? He's got one, doesn't he? I think Farland Craig Stout.
00:01:33
Speaker
But we reconnected with Farlin, had a conversation with him about
00:01:40
Speaker
why he's in the forest and why we're in the forest and a Shifter who outranked him in the druid hierarchy told him to quit being so crabby and they took us to What's it called green what green heart green heart? Which is the largest gathering of druids in the history of? Reel under Eberron Eberron in the history of everyone and so it's all of these druids a great big pine tree and us three idiots
00:02:09
Speaker
With all of the druids staring at us. And I believe are we are we bound? We were just blinded on the way there. Yeah. Yeah, okay.
Druid Concerns about Mabar
00:02:16
Speaker
Okay. Yes, and we will go ahead and pick up from that moment Farlin turns to you all and says well My compatriot here feels like we could use your help and I'm inclined to agree so
00:02:36
Speaker
All of the Druids are here to try and decide what to do about the increased activity of Mabar in Eberron and on this plane because it has been rising. And that's not something that has happened in the entirety of recorded history.
00:02:54
Speaker
and based on planar patterns should not happen to the extent that it is. So, Shayana and I are going to take you to meet with Druid Terralyn and basically bring you into the fold and convey what we need of you because things are starting to move fast. We're reaching a fever pitch on how we feel like we can strike a blow
00:03:22
Speaker
to the creatures of Mabar. Unless you all have any questions, let's go ahead and go. I have an out-of-character question. The creatures of Mabar are the shadows, not the other things, like the gibbering, mouthing, and stuff from the other plane. Or is it everything that's coming through this plane?
00:03:38
Speaker
No, the gibbering mother was an aberrant creature.
Meeting Druid Terralyn
00:03:41
Speaker
So that's from another plane Okay, the shadows and like the shadow mastiff and stuff like that. That's good. So I as we're going along yeah, and Dex is gonna let Barrick handle all of the diplomacy Okay, that's what Dex and Theridact. Oh, it's okay All right, I might have a drop-in or two, but they're not gonna be helpful sure I
00:04:06
Speaker
So they're taking us to meet someone? Yes. I think they just brought us so we could see the whole lot of druids here. You are being led through the crowd. Okay. The tree isn't like sentient, right? It's not like... Well, it's not talking or moving. Okay. That's about as much as it...
00:04:23
Speaker
Not as much as I could tell. So we're being led through the crowd. And Beric falls in with Shayella? Shayanna? Shayanna. The shifter. That's the shifter. And I recognize her as a shifter. I recognize the distinction between her and a werecreature, right? But you are learning that werecreatures aren't all bad. I never said werecreatures were all bad. I said lycanthropy was bad. There's a distinction.
00:04:51
Speaker
Like arguing that I just want you to love me becoming a he loves the sinner. He just hates the sin Sorry, let's get through that So you all have spent a lot of time studying my bar studying things of it Dex would like to listen as you're speaking fine. Okay. He's not whispering
00:05:18
Speaker
Uh, yes. Um, ever since, I mean, it really began, um, with the, um, the fading forest and the activity that was rising there. Farlin was sending reports back to us about the increased activity. And then once we had started our research, but once the incident happened that you all were involved in, we really put forth all of our resources to figuring this out.
00:05:48
Speaker
All right. Barrick is quiet for a moment and hesitates and says, do you know anything about this? I mean, closes his fist and curse bringer appears. No, I. What is that?
00:06:11
Speaker
Well, let's let it go again, because he doesn't really want Cursebringer as part of this conversation. It's apparently an heirloom from my family, or some side of my family. Came out of Zendrik a long time ago, and
00:06:35
Speaker
I don't know. It's, it's all very shadow oriented. And so I thought perhaps it might be connected. We, we, our research. Hasn't really shown any connection with Zendric in regards to my bars, increased activity. We have agents down there and they have not reported anything of that nature. All right. Um, so has Farlin Farlin, did you tell them who you work for?
00:07:06
Speaker
And Farlin just kind of rolls his eyes and I'm like, no. And as he says that, the walking stops and you find yourselves before this very grandly dressed orc man who gestures and welcomes to, is welcoming and says, welcome.
Gatekeepers' Plan and Dragon's Keystone
00:07:29
Speaker
I am Gro Terelin and I am the leader of the gatekeepers.
00:07:37
Speaker
We are an organization oath and honor bound to protecting Eberron from planar attacks. Farlin has told me about your deeds and his time with you in Miss Marsh and I believe that we could use individuals of your skill set. I apologize. I did not know that a half-orc was traveling. I am unfamiliar with you, but where is the tiefling?
00:08:07
Speaker
Well, you got sucked through one of these portals that's been popping up. Well, not sucked through. He was grabbed by a lich. I see. Sorry. Did I know lich? Yeah. Well, we, we have lost many good people in this war as well. Um, and do not kid yourselves. That is, this is the precursor to, to a war that is brewing. Um,
00:08:31
Speaker
We believe that myself leading the gatekeepers in a ritual at a similar archway that you found in the Fated Forest, if we perform this ritual correctly, we can deal a blow to Mabar and their ability to commune with this plane of existence. Unfortunately, part of the archway is missing.
00:09:02
Speaker
It was done intentionally thousands of years ago to prevent that archway from being used for invasion. And I need all of my gatekeepers performing the ritual at this archway. We can begin it before the archway is complete. We could use you to go get the Keystone. Uh, do you have any sort of idea where it is? Is there a record of where it's been? Does it travel?
00:09:30
Speaker
Our records indicate that the gatekeepers were taught our craft and our magic thousands of years ago by a dragon named Varak. And we believe that Varak was the one that took the keystone and hid it away in her hoard.
00:09:53
Speaker
We have a location and a map showing where Varak's Horde is. Varak was a kind, giving dragon. I see your eyebrows raising. And Varak is long dead. How long do dragons live? Dragons we don't really know, but Varak's death has been recorded.
00:10:16
Speaker
So it should be as simple. It's outside of the gloaming. You won't be dealing with the corruption that you saw on your way into the forest. But if you need guidance while you're out there, I'm going to say something that will sound ridiculous to those outside of our order.
00:10:37
Speaker
But if you speak to the trees, Ouelain, the great high druid, and he gestures behind you and you look over your shoulder and you realize he's gesturing to the pine tree, Ouelain can provide you guidance in the towering woods.
Journey to Verac's Hoard
00:10:56
Speaker
If you all have any questions, I would be happy to answer them. But like I said, we all need to travel together to the Archway and then from there you can set out to Verac's Horde. So if you have questions, I would ask that you ask them to me while we travel. Very well. Now, we're traveling to the Archway in
00:11:19
Speaker
where in the in the towering woods. Okay, short walk long walk. It's not a short walk. Okay. Here. Obviously, we have learned that there are dangers in this forest.
00:11:34
Speaker
I know that druids possess certain magical abilities and we are all hurt. Before we start this walk, what can we do to get ourselves feeling better? I mean, I'm in this to help. I want to help, but a little bit of aid would be nice. 11 hit points. That'll work. 14 hit points. No, I was correcting myself on you. 11 got me to full, so.
00:11:59
Speaker
14 14 I rolled a 4 1 3 a 4 1 3 and a 4 2 2 some drew to just walk up and place hands on each of you and you feel Invigorated did 14 not get you full 30 or 33 is what I'm at. Okay
00:12:14
Speaker
I hope I didn't seem too forward asking for that sort of help immediately, but we want to be at our best as we're going through all of this. Of course. Can I be in hybrid form mechanically, but use my changeling powers to look regular humanoid? I mean, you wouldn't have the claws. I mean, if you're making yourself look totally humanoid. Fair enough. And you wouldn't have the fangs either.
00:12:42
Speaker
You could still bite somebody, but it would just be like biting them. Okay, so if you all do not require anything else, I would love to, as they say, hit the road.
00:12:57
Speaker
They do say that. They do. They say that here. Yeah, let's go. Okay. So you all begin walking. Shayana and Farlin are with you all along with about 50 other druids. If you have any questions about the gatekeepers or the Towering Wood or what you're about to do. Lycanthropy.
00:13:17
Speaker
Are we walking on a path or are they leading us through the forest? They seem very confident in the direction they're walking, but there is no discernible path. Okay, just wondering. And in fact, you see two druids at the rear, the rear guard, constantly casting what you would, I mean, mechanically cantrips to reinvigorate the plant life that has just been walked on to make it seem fresh and undisturbed.
00:13:43
Speaker
Or else it's just because they love them plants and want to be okay. Sure, sure. So, any questions
Challenges in Verac's Hoard
00:13:48
Speaker
or anything? Or are you just... Barrick would ask. To who?
00:13:56
Speaker
Grow, I guess, he seems to know the most. I honest to God just now realize the the pun nature of his first name. And I really that was unintended. Yeah. Yeah. His last name to Tara. That was intentional. But grow terror. Yeah. My name is grow good food. I'm a farmer. Grow Greengrass. Go strong branch. Well,
00:14:26
Speaker
I imagine that some of your order know this already or saw it, but we've got some corrupted werebears in the forest. Yes. The nature of their affliction, it went fine. Those were actually members of the Warden of the Woods that had been corrupted by lycanthropy and then
00:14:54
Speaker
Further more corrupted by by the shadow so they unfortunately were lost to the forest. Do you have no way to was there no way for you to cure them?
00:15:07
Speaker
Well, they returned to us after being afflicted and embraced the curse. And because their duty was to protect the forest, the nature of their lycanthropy only increased that desire. And it was in my opinion that because of the work they were doing that it wouldn't cause any harm. They were both good druids. And I...
00:15:36
Speaker
They wouldn't bite anyone against their will. Is there a cure? Yeah. Don't take this from me already. Yes. There are means to cure like a drug. I can't make you do anything. Hey, let's change the subject a little bit. You said there is an oncoming war. Are the goals of your organization to prevent the war or to prepare for it? You said oncoming as though it's inevitable.
00:16:06
Speaker
Well, this action that we are about to take in an ideal world would prevent the war and keep Mubarak from invading, but we have fought enough of these battles to know that completely shutting a plane out requires far greater magic than we have here now.
00:16:27
Speaker
Okay. Okay. So after some more walking, you finally see through partings in the trees, a archway that seems similar in nature to the one in the faded forest, except far larger. Um, and, uh, just that brilliant white wood, uh, but the top of the archway about a three foot gap exists at the top.
00:16:56
Speaker
Presumably where the keystone goes. And grow turns to all of you and says so as you can see. The piece that we require.
00:17:08
Speaker
is missing. You can get a general sense of the size. It is called the Keystone, but don't look for a big rock, obviously. It should be some wood that matches the rest of the archway with inscriptions, things that I doubt you would be able to decipher. But that is what you are looking for.
00:17:31
Speaker
Now, I will also say Verac's Horde is just that, based on our research and our writings. And we would ask you, because it is a sacred place for our people, take the Keystone and nothing else.
00:18:02
Speaker
Really sad the first time we get to go somewhere that's like full of loot. An unattended Dragon's Horde. Yeah, I'm not allowed to take it. We can. We have made no money doing our heroings. We made a little bit on the escort mission. Oh yeah, yeah. And we quickly spent it all on Dracono's cleanup.
00:18:28
Speaker
and uh and blessings okay so any other questions or requests or anything of that nature i had one quick question all right i was listening in when you guys were talking about lycanthropy clearly you can see what's happened to me when you say they were corrupted by it do you mean
00:19:04
Speaker
the corruption was only able to overtake them because of their bestial nature. Based on what we've seen, only creatures that embrace the shadow or things of a bestial, more natural inclination can be corrupted in this way.
00:19:07
Speaker
it corrupted them.
00:19:23
Speaker
My druids have spent a considerable amount of time near the Mabar manifest zones and even in it. Farlin spent most nights in the Fated Forest researching and gathering information, and he was never corrupted from it. All right, so I'm going to be fine. That's great.
00:19:42
Speaker
But where it to become necessary, how do you cure like? Yeah, write the prescription so we've got it. It's actually a rather long process, various ingredients that you have to get from various parts of the world. We do not have some of them in our stores. Could you make me a list? Once we get back to Greenheart, absolutely. Pulls out paper and a quill. Time is really of the essence here. Come on, man.
00:20:15
Speaker
I promise you or pretty much if you can convince somebody that it's purely for academic research at a church, they would give you the list as well. But I will be more than happy to provide you with that. All right, let's just move. Which way do we go? He pulls out some parchment and extends it out. Whoever wishes to grab it.
00:20:36
Speaker
I got it. What is it? No, yeah, deck. Good. Okay. Thera deck, you unscroll it and it is a map leading from the archway to Vrax horde. Um, it looks to be only really a few miles away, so it won't take terribly long to get there, but it is not the, the roads and trails and everything in the towering wood are also marked on the map and it does not follow any of them.
00:21:00
Speaker
So there's going to be some navigation on your part to stay on the path and grow points to a couple of trees and says, you see the unique way that the bark grows on some of these trees. They are a hidden language that the Druids used to basically directions in the moment. I can't divulge what all of the different markings mean.
00:21:24
Speaker
But just continue to walk through trees that have markings. There's no other druid paths that lead off of the one that you are going to be taking. You said that we could consult that big tree for guidance as long as we're in the forest. Does he have some sort of a relay network through other trees? Place your hand on a tree and ask a question. He communicates through the root network in the towering forest. All right.
00:21:48
Speaker
Cool, cool, cool, cool. Does not look too far, but we may have to navigate some. All right. Here we go. You're the navigator. So you all begin to head out down the trail. As you all walk, I need everybody to give me survival checks as you try to navigate the forest. But you all can use advantage because you have the map. Uh, 14, 14, 23, 23.
00:22:16
Speaker
Okay, so you two are easily able to see the weird markings in the mark on each tree. I guess I need to crack another wand. No, you're not in the gloaming anymore, so sunlight is coming down through the tree. Oh, okay, I'll do a little bit. All right, cool. Everyone give me perception checks. Do I get advantage? Yes. Should I just assume 24? Unless you tell me otherwise. All right. Eight.
00:22:41
Speaker
22 okay, the pathway is is pretty like you all haven't even heard animal footsteps or seen anything of that nature You all actually are able to spot in the distance those of you that roll high enough. Sorry You see a mound in the ground that is round and make sound that Seems similar to the crude drawing on the map designating vorax horde. So it's
00:23:07
Speaker
Based on your initial trip into the woods, it's kind of weird that you haven't encountered anything on this stretch of a couple miles, but you see Verac's horde up ahead. You approach. I say, well, man, this was easy. Let's go get it. But the mound does not have any discernible entry point. The mound is in the right spot.
00:23:30
Speaker
But there's no entrance. I suppose we need to investigate. I mean, I was thinking I could do investigation and you could detect magic.
00:23:41
Speaker
Barrick walks over, lays a hand on his tree, says, what's the thing's name? Oh, Elaine. Oh, Elaine? Oh, Elaine. Oh, Elaine. How do we enter Rock's Horde? You must provide a gift showing that you know the heart of the gatekeepers. Theradak reaches into his pouch. Yes.
00:24:08
Speaker
And he pulls out, he dumps some of his rocks into his hand and he finds his absolute best, shiniest, most beautiful rock that he owns. And he picks it up. There a deck best stone. He presents that.
00:24:32
Speaker
Okay. The mound begins to rumble and shake. And as the ground shakes, you see a hole up and up beneath your rock as it falls and is enveloped by the ground. And then the ground almost parts ways and like folds into itself, not even like a door opening.
00:24:55
Speaker
But there is a gap with stairs leading down into torches light up magically. So there is an underground dungeon that now presents itself to you. I'm walking. We've got to go. OK, the stairs lead down and then you have to take an immediate right. It's at a 10 foot wide hallway so you can walk side by side. That's how we just linked arms walking side by side. Follow the yellow brick road.
00:25:23
Speaker
Before we had went down there could, um, if it's too late, fine. But there are that if he could have, he would have placed his hand on the tree and asked any danger to be aware of down in the hoard. Rock spirit guards her hoard. If she feels you are worthy, you will be safe. Thank you. Okay.
00:25:50
Speaker
Okay, so... I mean, I'm part nature now, so maybe that'll help. As you're walking, you come upon a room that has a fire pit in the middle and some food cooking over it, like somebody was here fairly recently, and then a doorway on the opposite side of the room from you that is shut.
00:26:12
Speaker
OK, I just turn on the detect magic that I have. So I am looking for you get an immediate splitting headache because it's all just magic. Like it's almost too much for you to comprehend. OK, like you are you are one and have become magic almost like. Everything in here is magical. I mean,
00:26:43
Speaker
Apologies, Barrick, but I guessed that. I guess, you guys wanna, do we just go to that door? Do we wanna shout? I mean, if you said food is cooking over this fire, that's not fairly recently, that's somebody's here, now. When I do that, do I see any auras that are shaped like a person, like there's an invisible person in the room? No. And the door's the only...
00:27:11
Speaker
Only exit. Are there tracks? I mean, as we enter, we look around. Survival check. Looks like someone's been walking around in here. I'm going to sniff around. Ooh. It's going to be over to you, Saradac. 22. And I'm sniffing around and I get a 24.
00:27:28
Speaker
Okay. Um, you do not spot any tracks or anything of that nature in this room. In fact, the room is pristinely clean. Like it's, it's fresh stone. What's cooking? It's actually venison that has been seasoned and basted and marinated. And like, that's all you like. That's all I could smell. Real, real good. Somebody knows what they're doing. I want to bite it. Third act looks better cook than me.
00:27:57
Speaker
as the food magical everything is magical I take my I take my ribbon weave and I kind of bang the end of it on the ground a couple of times just announcing presents if the rumbling of the earth didn't alert them to it it's a very loud echoey like the the echo makes the chamber seem even bigger than
00:28:40
Speaker
what it looks.
00:28:41
Speaker
It doesn't mean that there actually is somebody else here. Maybe this is just her making people think. Yeah, I don't know. I don't know what it means for her spirit to inhabit the place, or why her spirit would be cooking venison over a campfire. No, yeah. That's odd. Well, I mean, if odd is our metric. I understand. It's yet another odd thing.
00:29:08
Speaker
Well then we have two choices. We can shout out or we can walk to the door. What do you think, Theradak? I think part of Theradak wonder if food may be made for us to partake of or maybe we should not mess with it because if we eat maybe that's a bad sign like we're eating somebody's food. I mean, we were told not to take anything but the keystone. We haven't been invited to eat.
00:29:35
Speaker
True. I say we go through the door. All right. All right. I mean, I'm not opposed to knocking. Right. Sure. Hurt her. You knock. So yeah, I do. Go ahead. I go. I knock. You're our rogue. I let you handle doors. Yes. You hear a voice not from anywhere, but it seems to be coming from everywhere.
00:30:02
Speaker
speak to you as you knock. Do I am I the only one that hears it? Everybody. Okay. Well met traveler. Please partake. For you must have traveled far to reach here. Thank you for coming. Hey, thanks. Okay, you got you got a you got a face on you. That makes me think that maybe we shouldn't do it. That's the name of the word person. Right. Right.
00:30:32
Speaker
Thank you. Is this Varak? There's no response. Forgive me, but we've seen a lot of strange things and a lot of them have not been friendly. Uh, and I can tell that everything in this room is magical. And not to look a gift horse in the mouse mouth exactly, or in the mouse. No, you don't want to look a gift horse in the mouse either. That's also a bad idea.
00:30:57
Speaker
Um, but it seems unwise to accept magically infused food from someone. I don't know. And why's tree tell us or somebody thought, was it the tree? Yes, it was. It was told us not to, not to take anything. Grow told you that grow, not grow told us not to take anything. We appreciate offer, but
00:31:26
Speaker
We cannot take. And I just say, do you know why we're here? Would you like us to tell you why we're here?
00:31:39
Speaker
It can't hurt. Here's why we're here. Well, it could hurt, but why not? We have been sent by the gatekeepers to retrieve the keystone for the portal in the towering forest, towering trees forest. Bad things are coming. They believe they can head it off at the past and they sent us to retrieve it. With your blessing, we would like to take the keystone back to them so that they can complete their ritual.
00:32:08
Speaker
And only Keystone. If that's cool with you, knock once. Open the door. Give us a sign. I'll just tell us. Well, you all have just knocked. You haven't tried to open the door, have you? Oh, sure. I say, I'm gonna check and see if that Keystone's on the other side of this door now. Thank you. And I push the door. Do I push it or do I pull it?
00:32:38
Speaker
You push. I push that door. And it doesn't open. There's a sign that says pull only. Look, I attempt to open the door in the proper manner. As soon as you open the door, the fire behind you goes out. The torches are still burning. So you can see as the venison that was over the fire turns to ash and the hallway before you is clear.
00:33:02
Speaker
I mean, I don't know if that means we did the right thing or she's just like, well, they're not going to eat. Yeah, I don't know. I feel like I've obtained no new information. Thanks. We did good thing. We did not take.
00:33:13
Speaker
Let's walk then. That was our instruction. Yeah. Okay. After a little ways of walking, you have to take a left turn and some stairs lead up actually into another room that there are just shelves upon shelves upon shelves of books everywhere. And there are, I just, Dex looks at Barrick and he goes, I know, I know. Even, I mean, don't touch.
00:33:41
Speaker
Don't worry about take. Let's not get semantic. Just don't touch him. And there is a closed door on the opposite side of the room. Should we try the knock first gambit again? Seems good. It's polite at least. Look, this hallway's yours. Go knock. As you cross the room, you all can see- He has to agree to go knock. I'm not a supervisor.
00:34:03
Speaker
As you are in the room looking around, you see that the this library is meticulously organized by topic matter and time period and region. And there's like the histories of the great families of Corvair and Sarlona. The book says the secret of barracks father. There are there are histories of the time period called coping with lack of therapy.
00:34:34
Speaker
Um, there's a make it work for you. There's a book detailing the, the invasion of Sarlona by the Corey. Um, and so that, I mean, pretty much this is, this is the internet of Eberron. Like any knowledge you could hope to possess is here. Well, let's just consider for a moment. We're told not to take, I said we were not getting semantic.
00:34:59
Speaker
Didn't say we couldn't read things. But you have to take book to read book. We have to take it off the shelf. We don't have to take it out of the mound, I mean. We are touching nothing but doors, keystones, and weapons if we must. Go knock. I know, it sucks.
00:35:22
Speaker
Cause I'm pretty sure the food thing wasn't for me, so I'm not looking forward to my room either. I offer you my library. I lived long before.
00:35:37
Speaker
any of the lesser races came to Eberron and were aware of who they were. And I have witnessed their actions, their mistakes, and have recorded not only what they were, but how to be avoided in the future.
00:35:57
Speaker
I offer these freely to you. Uh, Dex, uh, you, uh, goes as quickly as he can to the door and, and, and stand beside it with his hand on it so that if I see Barrick reaching his grubby little hands for a book, I can push it open and hopefully these things all turn to ash pretty quickly. But I want for him to make the decision to move forward. I reckon I, or at least what Dex thinks is
00:36:25
Speaker
Even though that first room, Dex really thinks that this is a room set up to tempt Beric. And in my mind, the worthiness is that he has to overcome the temptation and push the door open. So I'm ready to, but I don't want to do it in case I'm right about that. Understand, Beric, a lot of knowledge probably reveals secret. Books do not belong to us. Yeah. Why'd you have to say that first part?
00:36:56
Speaker
Yeah, but you don't. And then you push the door open.
00:37:00
Speaker
Okay. The, the fires that were set up next to the chairs for reading light, um, grow in size as you feel heat as all the books catch on fire. And there's no guarantee that what was on those spines was in those books. You got to remember that the room just fills with ash as the wind from the, the, the air displacement from the fire decks, coughs, blows it around and the hallway is open to
00:37:29
Speaker
Proceed. There is another turn to the right with more stairs leading down and down and down and down way down. And there is one final room with a shut door and you all probably walked downstairs for minutes. And you see nothing on the walls except for two torches on opposite sides of the room. But there is a blue glow.
00:37:59
Speaker
And there is a, a basin of water on a stand, but the water glows blue. And there is a door. There's a horcrux at the bottom of the base. Um, I'm going to walk up and look into the basin. Just, just, just look in. You don't see anything. Just water. Not a silver bowl or reflection. No.
00:38:26
Speaker
So man, well, I'll tell you what I got this one flabbergasted me deck. This mean anything to you? No, not a thing. I assume it's magical. Everything is magical. They're an arcana. Can I make an arcana check and try and discern the nature of this magic? Sure. 14.
00:38:46
Speaker
It's above your pay grade. I don't need to smell it. It's actually vodka. Is there significance to torches or is that just how the room's lit? How the room's lit. And there's another door. And a basin of water. It glows blue. And that means nothing to me. The water doesn't reflect.
00:39:08
Speaker
And there's nothing in it. Yeah. What's glowing in the water or the bowl? Or is it light is a limit? Okay. Yeah. I mean, like, I, I hope this isn't supposed to mean something to Dex because Jeff does not know what it is. So I'm like, this isn't even tempting. Well, you can go knock on the door. Cause that's been, Oh, right. Hey, you ain't knocked on nothing yet. Okay. Same voice returns again.
00:39:38
Speaker
I present to you a means to not only look upon anyone you wish, simply by speaking their name or title or meaning to you, but also to heal them. Anything that has afflicted them, driven them away, or harmed them, they will be free.
00:40:12
Speaker
I just want to see tinsel one more time. Couldn't cure Dex even. Find Jacob. Yeah, or Drac. I was racking just to find Jacob. Yeah, I know. And it is that sort of quandary of choosing what to do that leads me to believe that we ought just leave it alone.
00:40:43
Speaker
I'm trying to be true to a character. Thank you. Dex would be tempted.
00:40:53
Speaker
But I think the way that I've played this so far is born out that Dex is a pragmatist and would not be so tempted as to do it because he recognizes, like he gets it. You see the trap? Yeah, because I've seen, I saw the trap with the books. I didn't with the food. We lucked out on that. I love food. Not eating magical food. And cook food. One of those things I was taught as a child. Like take this elevator in a fire? Hey, I was right about that.
00:41:24
Speaker
Okay. I mean, I, Dex goes and sits in, uh, just sits in a corner of the room and says, uh, like I know what's best for us, but one of y'all is going to have to open that door. I can't, if I walk past that bowl, I can't promise you what I'll do.
00:41:48
Speaker
I must open door I think we somehow someway we must serve greater purpose pushes open the door okay
00:42:06
Speaker
a whole forms long, entirely intolerant sigh from Eric, a whole forms in the bottom of the bowl. And if you all want to describe, but I'm just going to, um, convey this and then you and your mind's eye for your character can take this for what it is.
00:42:26
Speaker
You see in the column of water that falls out from the bowl and then the water mysteriously disappears through the floor. You see the image or images of the people that you so desperately would have used this for as they fall away.
00:42:57
Speaker
If you want to give it if you want to just keep it for yourself That's a line and we only see our personal ones. It's not like I see random people. I don't know because All right
00:43:11
Speaker
Okay, so the hallway before you is very short and opens up into a very large chamber. The stories of dragon's hordes that you've heard in bard song or storybooks does this injustice because there is no gold.
00:43:35
Speaker
There are magical items that you would probably gain are of significance. They seem old and ancient even, but there are also tomes of records, knowledge, banners of countries that you have never seen before. And sitting at the front of the pile is a piece of white wood with carvings in it about three feet long.
00:44:04
Speaker
You hear a voice say, you may only take what you sought. I offered you everything you wished freely. As you entered, not from my hoard, but as a gift. Now you may only take what you came for. Are you kidding me?
00:44:35
Speaker
I'm so angry. Did druid lie to us? No, take anything. All right. I say, well, to be fair, I've always thought and everything I can get my hands on.
Return with the Keystone
00:44:57
Speaker
Oh, look, shiny, great sword. There's just a pile of shiny stones.
00:45:06
Speaker
Alright, who's gonna help me pick this thing up? It's a three foot hunk of wood. You can't pick up a three foot hunk of wood. Oh, it's only that big? Oh, I am much stronger now. I was gonna say. Mr. 19 strength? Yeah. Uh. Eric, I'd like to take an opportunity to apologize.
00:45:28
Speaker
Barak is beyond speech right now. And I'm going to take advantage of that. But you understand where I was coming from? I mean, yeah, I would have liked to have learned a lot of those things too, but I thought that they were not. Oh, man. We were told not to take. I'm 99% sure our GM is just messing with us. And if we had touched a book, we would have all incinerated. He's just trying to tear us apart, guys.
00:45:58
Speaker
Theodak reaches down and picks up the, I mean, he's sure that this is what he's supposed to pick up. Yes. So Theodak, I will carry the wood.
00:46:08
Speaker
And I immediately drop to my knees and cover my head just in case. As you pick up the the wood, the room begins to shake as stairs come out of one of the walls almost right to where you're standing and the ceiling peels back and it's the stone bends and curls and on the other side from what you can see is turf and plant life as it leads back out into the towering wood.
00:46:38
Speaker
I say one last question. Can we get a second stab at that library room and maybe that bowl of water? I'd even take the food at this point. I gave you a gift and you rejected it. Please leave. I start walking up the stairs. Come on, Dak. Let's go, Barak. No sense dwelling. Crying over spilled meat.
00:47:15
Speaker
Sorry about all this pleasure at your pain, Philip. I love you. No words at all. Yeah, let's make sure that we focus all of our anger at Eric for this, not at each other. That's important for me right now. I'm so stupid. Don't blame me. I told you all you could take what you wanted. You specifically said don't take anything. As the dragon spirit guarding this tomb, I told you you could take whatever you wanted. Fudge.
00:47:44
Speaker
I think we could have gotten all that stuff, but I think there may have been consequences and I don't think we would have been able to get the- It's a real monkey's policy situation. Yeah. Could have been a gift, but at what consequence, at what price? Besides, once you learned everything in that library, it's one of those no more worlds to conquer kind of things. What's your purpose after that?
00:48:04
Speaker
Um, Theradak, you presumably continue to walk up the stairs and you have come out on the other side of the mound from, from which you entered. So you'll be able to use the map just to go back the way you came. Okay. I mean, I'm up, I'm up top as well. Where are you pal? Beric follows up.
00:48:27
Speaker
Derek's never gonna talk to us again. Derek's awfully quiet. As soon as- Well, just wait till he pulls his sword out, he'll start talking to you at least. They can have a pity party together. As soon as you exit the stairs- Oh, no way, I left my keys! The mound referrals, and it just looks like a mound in a forest again. And as they're walking, Derek's looking on the ground to see if he sees his stone lying anywhere.
00:48:55
Speaker
Yeah. Uh, okay. It seems like the trick is we just need to find another thing that we need to get in that hoard for and on the way we can read and, and, and water bottle or water bowl and everything. Look, I'm sorry. So we head back.
00:49:11
Speaker
But you all have a miles long walk, so. Yeah, we're walking. You can talk if you want. Barrick does not. And I do. Barrick does not say a word the entire lock back. I said, listen, I'm just going to say it one more time. You pushed one of those doors open yourself. You know that our head was where it needed to be. I'm sorry. I'm sad too. But we got to focus on what's next. Stiff upper lip and all that.
00:49:44
Speaker
and we walk. After some time walking, you all want to do anything else while you walk? I think we're all just kind of walking with our heads down. As you approach sulking, you're sulking. No, I'm definitely brooding.
00:50:01
Speaker
You see, or you begin to hear first, the sound of that same incomprehensible language that you've heard the druid speaking, chanting in unison, some form of incantation or ritual. And once you get with an eyesight, you see the 50 plus druids that came with you in a semicircle in front of the arch. And they are all on both their knees.
00:50:26
Speaker
and their hands extended towards the middle, fingers spread as they chant this incantation. Grow is not amongst those on their knees, but rather appears to be overseeing and sees you approaching and holds up a hand to stop as he begins walking towards you to stop your pace. Do you all stop or keep walking? There are next stops.
00:50:52
Speaker
I stop and I put my arm out because Barak's not looking up to make sure that he stops. All right. How did the mission go? Look, Barak gives him. Look, Barak gives him. Yeah, far better description than any words Barak could come up with right now. I say, yeah, yeah, I got to tell you, man, I'm a little disappointed in your instructions.
00:51:22
Speaker
I don't understand. We were offered free gifts but we did not take because you say don't take anything. I told you her hoard was sacred and did not take anything. Yes, we did not take and apparently were very good gifts that could really help.
00:51:43
Speaker
Well, I'm, I apologize if, if it's inconvenient for you. Listen, all world, all world knowledge was available to us. And we, we could have done a whole lot of good. Barak takes the wood out of theriodak's hand and shoves it into the druid's hands and walks over, folds his arms and stands by a tree waiting for something to kill. Um.
00:52:08
Speaker
Very well. I don't understand the anger. Just go do your tree thing. Very well. They're that not angry. Just disappointed. You are correct. You are not understanding. You do not understand. Well, I've been in the right board. Go put the keystone in place and finish the ritual.
00:52:38
Speaker
Nothing about this will be helped by discussing it. He kind of side eyes Beric as he turns with the keystone and walks in between two of the druids into the center of this semicircle. And you see him extend his hands up and hold it aloft and turns back to you and says, we don't know precisely what will happen.
00:53:07
Speaker
We have researched best we can, but best you be prepared for a fight. Bex says I'll put down five gold that a large lich comes out, grabs one of you and drags it into the portal. I'll take that
The Ritual's Dramatic Twist
00:53:20
Speaker
bet. And I say I got 20 on it. He finally extends his arms all the way up and just kind of pushes the keystone up a little bit as he releases it.
00:53:31
Speaker
and a brilliant energy kind of comes out from the gap in the archway and almost grabs the keystone as it rises and falls into place and in that moment
00:53:49
Speaker
green light begins to connect between all of the druids into almost a mirroring of the archway, but on the ground. As then the light extends up to the archway and energy is crackling and the noise is kind of rising as the druids chant increases in volume as the power continues to grow and culminate.
00:54:16
Speaker
And then in a moment, the green energy goes away as the archway is filled with darkness that you've seen far too many times. And you see a figure begin to emerge from the darkness.
00:54:36
Speaker
But a flash of bright silver light flashes. You hear a pained scream and a voice shouting no as this figure that was emerging recoils back. And you see another figure fall forward out of the archway as the darkness dissipates behind them.
00:55:06
Speaker
And this figure stands up off the ground and he's a human. And he has long brown hair. His skin is pale, almost ashen white. And around his neck is a locket that you've seen Graham carrying. And he looks up and confused and then sees you two. We have to go find Graham.
00:55:37
Speaker
Says who? Yeah. I don't know what's happened. It's been 15 years. Oh, God. Jacob, is that you? Mind. Cheers. Yeah. End of episode. I thought you said boy. So did we.
00:56:04
Speaker
Okay, well thank you all so much for listening. We hope you all have enjoyed this arc as much as I kind of enjoyed running it, except for when my players got really mad at me.
00:56:16
Speaker
It's important to remember that not only did your players get really mad at you, your friends are really mad at you. Please go check us out on Facebook, the Geek Pantheon Facebook group, thegeekpantheon.com, all the social medias, thegeekpantheon.gmail.com. We would like to thank Kevin McLeod over at incomptech.com for the use of his music.
00:56:38
Speaker
And probably before we continue the adventures of Jacob's return, we'll have an Eberron reviewed where we'll kind of break all this down and talk about it. I'm never coming back to this house. So I hope you all are not nearly as mad at me as the people around this table right now are, except for Randy. He's smiling. So thank you so much for listening. Once again, I am Eric.
00:57:18
Speaker
You son of a...