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C3 Episode 6 Saving a Heart Chapter One
524 Plays3 months ago
There is a gala in Cyre, but can the family from Karnnath navigate the unfriendly waters?
This episode is brought to you by the generous donations of our amazing Show Sponsors: Laura Pickrahn, Irene Viorritto, Darrell DeLaney, Charles Compton, Deviouspoptart, Nastasia Raulerson, David Scrams, Elizabeth Clark, Rebekah Gowman, deviouspoptart, Eðvarð Arnór Sigurðsson, Michael Clark, Jerry Theuns, Mark Stanley, and Shelby Johnson.
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Transcript
Introduction to Eberron Renewed Podcast
00:00:03
Speaker
threaten me with a coach
00:00:08
Speaker
or D20 radio, your game is roll.
00:00:27
Speaker
Hello, and welcome to Eberron Renewed, an actual play podcast set in the Eberron
Playful Banter Among Hosts
00:00:31
Speaker
campaign setting. I am your game master, Eric. I'm Phillip. I'm Madison. I'm Jeff. You're all's intro lacks the whimsy of mine and I don't appreciate it. I was trying to remember where I am without the rest of the players. I didn't know we were starting and then I was like, oh no, I talked over him. I didn't know that was whimsy. Well, can't please everyone, I suppose.
Recap of Last Session: Krast Woot's Trap
00:00:53
Speaker
What happened last time? I wasn't here. Yeah, v V stuff. We caught, we didn't catch Krast. That's for sure. It was a trap. It was a trap. Yeah. He sent us to chase and kill Krast Woot. That was our job last session. hi
00:01:05
Speaker
I have listened far enough to know that. okay y'all You'll have reached the ground. but I froze a bunch of people. Cool. But yeah, we had V's introductory mission and we are now picking up with Selena's introduction. Madison, why don't you refresh the listeners as to what Selena's deal is? Sure.
Character Introduction: Selena and Family
00:01:28
Speaker
Selena is a high elf wizard who was very sick as a child and ended up, her father used mabar crystals to save her. So now she has a mabar crystal pacemaker.
00:01:40
Speaker
Yes. And naturally being in Arenal using my bar and magic caused a big kerfuffle. And now Selena and her father and older brother live in Karnath instead of their homeland. Do we know what happened to Selena's mom? It's a great question. I tend to ask those sometimes.
00:01:59
Speaker
Let's say she was also sick at the same time Selena was and she died first, so that's what made her father so desperate to save Selena. So sad. And makes your character even more of a Disney princess because you have a dead mom. You know, that's what I go for. Okay, so in today's introductory session, as we have previously, Jeff and Phillip will be playing NPCs.
00:02:20
Speaker
Introduce yourselves. I am playing Estilar, who is Selena's brother, who at, I guess, must be an older brother since this happened when she was quite young, who was at the time training to join the elite Iranian death guard. And then her father went and practiced necromancy and ruin has ruined his future career prospects. Indeed. I'm that father. I am playing Eilwyn Soverless, their dad.
00:02:47
Speaker
And yeah, he was desperate to save his daughter after his wife had succumbed to the same illness and he got into some dark magics and Eredol didn't like it. And that is why they all live in Karnath now. i Prior to that, he was a man of influence. That's why he was banished and not more, more severe punishment. Yes. Aylwen spelled that for me again, Jeff. A-I-L-W. Let's say Y in.
00:03:11
Speaker
Okay, cool.
Karnath's Gala and Necromancy's Image
00:03:13
Speaker
So after landing on your feet in Karnath, as I explained to the players before we started recording, Karnath realized, hey, it might be nice to have a ah former Iranian elf as an ambassador for us since we got a real public image problem with this war and all the super cool things that we're doing with the dead bodies of our fallen enemies.
00:03:35
Speaker
So, so this adventure is going to be, you all have been sent to Metro because there is a gala event going on that representatives from other nations are there. This is kind of, so this is something that I've seen Keith Baker talk about a lot and I really want to kind of reinforce for the listeners is that the last war was a war that lasted a hundred years.
00:03:58
Speaker
That does not mean that there was a battle going on every day for an entire century. It was just that it's recognized as being the century-long conflict, but obviously there were ebbs and flows in terms of the actual open hostilities between all these different nations. Because I think, Philip, you're a historian, so correct me wrong. If you just fought nonstop for a century, you'd probably run out of people eventually. like Yeah, i would I would think so. yeah Well, there there is a historical 100 years war, yes and it's not, it's I mean, again, like that. There's a whole bunch of pauses.
00:04:30
Speaker
Yes. So this, I think, is during a maybe not outright pause in hostilities, but certainly a low where all of these nations felt comfortable sending ambassadors and other influential people to Kire to rub elbows and, you know, try to make alliances, open trade routes, you know.
00:04:50
Speaker
Who knows? ah But Elwyn, Estillar, and Selena have specifically been sent to be like, hey, we don't want to stop doing the necromancy stuff. A lot of people want us to stop, so try to go get them to chill out about it. You saved your daughter with necromancy, so maybe that's an angle you can play.
00:05:08
Speaker
But go do that, said the bureaucrat
100 Years War Discussion
00:05:12
Speaker
that is Alwyn's boss in that exact voice. So that is what we're going to pick up is you all arriving at this gala event in Metrol. This is it's not like it's not like the Met Gala where it's like celebrities and like there's all but it's it's you just said it was a gala in Metrol. So it is kind of like the Met Gala.
00:05:34
Speaker
Yeah, that's fair. It would probably be called the Met Gala. For our purposes though, but it's much more of a ah political event. Like it's, what's the, they call it nerd prom. I guess the correspondence dinner? Yeah, the yeah White House correspondence.
00:05:50
Speaker
but more ambassador-driven. It's not really, true well, they're probably journalists there. This is probably a hot story. There is an ambassador's gala at the White House every year when the new ambassadors arrive. There is a big dinner that thing. Yeah, I saw that on the West Wing. Yes. True. It's a good episode. I need to rewatch that show. um I'm going to shoot you real straight, man. I don't know that you do. it's Really? Did not hold up? And I loved it. The 90s optimism ring a little different now.
00:06:14
Speaker
90s. That was was Bush era optimism. Very very much 2000s. Like the second season has a 9-11 episode. Right. Yeah. Starts in 2000. Interesting. Okay. Well, anyway, and enough of that nonsense. at all Now we'll let them hear.
00:06:30
Speaker
Um, so yeah, you all arrive in a pulled carriage of some sort. What, Alwyn, what does your, I mean, you all would, or s Selena, you can speak to this since Madison, this is kind of your backstory that we're creating. Fine. I'll just shut up. No, please don't phil feel free to jump in. But like, what does the, what does the arrival coach look like for the family? What aesthetic does the family have? Okay. I think it's like very regal looking. It's white.
00:06:59
Speaker
with some gold accents and like red velvet on the inside who and is pulled by two white horses. Nice. So really trying to lean away from the necromancy stuff like look at how pretty this is. Yep. We're not all necromancy. Right.
00:07:18
Speaker
We are necromates. We are some necromates. Going a little over the top to fit in. That's really great. Estillar, did you keep your Deathguard armor? like Or did you? It seems unlikely that I'd be allowed to. It seems like in an Elven society, that stut like your your armor is probably like really old and it's been passed down. So it seems seems unlikely that unless we unless we snuck out in the middle of the night, which it doesn't seem like we did, it seems like would not have been allowed to. He might...
00:07:48
Speaker
He might have the family's sword still or something like that, but that would have been presumably a family heirloom as opposed to given to him by Erinol. Fair enough. OK, so how does Estillar present himself being a former ah a paladin who resigned in disgrace? I mean, resigned nothing. He was.
00:08:07
Speaker
Yeah, dishonorably discharged. You know, I think I don't know how long we've been here, but obviously he hasn't just left in a huff. So he's he's probably not defiantly dressing in the outfit anymore. um So it's probably like a lot of Eberron. The armor is a little more discreet.
00:08:25
Speaker
Maybe it's you know really good chain worn worn under a long coat or something like that. He's definitely, I don't know what the rest of the family is, but he's definitely not willing to lean into the, look how pretty, pretty princess we all are. And so he's probably got i's got a long coat.
00:08:41
Speaker
He probably has some of the, as as someone who was working towards becoming a part of the Death Guard, he's probably got some of the Iranian thing where they've like artificially his face a little bit, so he's a kind of gaunt. And so even though he's not continued that process,
Gala Attendees and Strategies
00:08:59
Speaker
and so it doesn't look all corpse-ified, he probably sticks out a little bit in any attempt to look fashionable.
00:09:05
Speaker
Yeah. OK. Probably, probably slightly off putting to our efforts. Yeah. Easily mistaken for like a bodyguard or something because. Yeah, definitely. Which is probably what he brings to the table in this in this arrangement. Ellen, what are you wearing to the party?
00:09:22
Speaker
as the ambassador to Karnath. There's definitely a cape involved. I think it's very I think it's very like it's that under so it's it's it's quiet money like there's not a lot of pomp to it but it's just clearly very well made well tailored like probably can tell that it's fairly new even like trying to say just because we've been kicked out here I still have my money I still have my pride kind of thing. Not all white. Probably. Probably. Don't go over to necromates your skin tone because you're typically very pale. So yeah, that yeah wouldn't look. He has become ashen and his hair has gone white in his studies. But yeah, I think he's just very, so very nice, elegant, but not over the top looking. I think maybe Selena picked out the carriage. And Madison, why don't you describe to us both what Selena is wearing and just what Selena looks like generally?
00:10:11
Speaker
Okay, Selena is leaning into the, look how pretty, pretty princess I am. So she's gonna wear a blush pink gown, probably sleeved, but yeah, blush pink gown. And she's got blonde hair, blue eyes just fitting the whole princess aesthetic.
00:10:30
Speaker
Love that. I love this. So something, Madison, something unique about Eberron is they have a specific fabric called Glamour Weave that is a fabric that has illusory magic woven into it that people use. Like think Katniss Everdeen's dress if it didn't actually catch on fire kind of thing where you could have like special effects with your clothes. Would Selena do something like that? Oh, she absolutely would. Yes. Okay. What kind of effect would are you envisioning?
00:10:58
Speaker
Ooh, I don't know. I mean, I think just very shimmery. Shimmery? Okay. Nice. Like it's catching light that's not there. Yeah, like catching light that's not there. Always reflective. Love that. A little bit. Cool. And this works well because it is very fashionable in places like Andere and Scharn and Kire.
00:11:18
Speaker
but not necessarily Karnath. So if you are very much leaning into not the aesthetic of your homeland or your new homeland. So no, that's great. So you all arrive and people turn. There are reporters there like lining the steps up to this very nice manner that is hosting this event. And as you all step out the the reporters rush towards you all, just firing questions of, they they know who you are. They would have been informed as to the guest list and they would have done their due diligence. So you all are getting a lot of questions fired at you about Karnath's use of undead on the battlefield. And are the reports true that Erenal exiled you for your own use of necromantic magic and does not speak to its dangers, et cetera?
00:12:11
Speaker
You all don't have to stop and engage with these people if you don't want to, but you are more than welcome to describe how you do respond to this. There are ropes, so they can't like, they can't come at you. Like S dollar doesn't need to start stabbing people, but they are definitely like crowding the ropes. So how do you all ah respond either in words or demeanor towards?
00:12:31
Speaker
ah I think that this is a thing that was very much expected. And so there is a prepared, like instead of addressing each question, I think Eowyn stops in the middle of the red carpet, as it were, the step and repeat.
00:12:46
Speaker
and gives a very prepared speech addressing some of the concerns. Didn't really even hear all the questions. Knows what they're about. Says this very blanket thing about what he's learned since coming to Karnath about how necromancy is really not that bad. And I'd love to talk with you more about it. And then we and then I kind of try to see if they'll go in. They may not have stopped with me. I don't know.
00:13:10
Speaker
Another fun element that I think you'll especially hate Jeff in the context of all this is Keith Baker wrote a really fun, like kind of in his Eberron, or you could use this for your Eberron, that like Arenal specifically, but also the larger concerns around the necromancy and use of this type of magic is also like almost climate concern. It's like, we can't pull negative energy into the material plane without having some real long-term consequences.
00:13:35
Speaker
So you're kind of an oil and gas man also. So we've done our research, you know, there's nothing to confirm it's man, man is self made. Look, if one of you could think of a better way to move this much this fast, I understand that I would be happy to take a look at it. But until we get to that point.
00:13:50
Speaker
Yeah. Okay. So after your statement, there are security that kind of, you know, he's addressed it and start waving you all through. As you all enter the party, there's quite a few people here. I'm not going to describe every person here because nobody wants to sit here for that long. I'm going to describe to you the notable people that are here. Who's third from the left? Third from the left is Lefage. Did you say the Fonz?
00:14:15
Speaker
liage So I'm going to just go down my list and describe the various people that you see. You see a woman, a human woman who stands at probably about six foot three. So very tall, muscular woman.
00:14:30
Speaker
And she's actually wearing animal skins, leathers, like she sticks out like a sore thumb, not just because of her height, but also her attire. And you can instantly tell that Solar will not need to worry about the sword on his hip because she has a literal giant sword on her back, like a sword that would be will wielded by a giant on her back.
00:14:53
Speaker
Does it now it look like something she would use or is it like a decoration? Is this like like the gala where you have the really outlandish garb based on her the amount of muscle you get a sense she could wield this as a great sword like she's capable of that.
00:15:10
Speaker
and she has a very like estimating look on her face like she's kind of scanning the room taking stock of all the people around nobody's really actively engaging her at this point you see a dwarf who is dressed really well but definitely is he's wearing religious garb of the sovereign host So seems to be some level of worshipper of them and in a capacity to where he would wear something like that. He's dressed very well, but definitely adorned with markings of the sovereign host. You see a the most notable person that you all see is the third person from the left jokingly, aka the third person on my list.
00:15:51
Speaker
probably all your blood runs cold because you see a extremely gaunt elf woman adorned in like golden clothing, ah wearing some golden jewelry as well. ah But her face is adorned with tattoos that make her face look like a skull that you all would instantly recognize as being somebody from Arenal. And in fact, I mean, the fact that she has undergone the necrotizing and has these markings. she's She's not just a rank and file, also she's here. So ah somebody important in Aeronaut. You see a female halfling bard playing a little tune over in the corner to a small group that has gathered to watch her play. A male human who is wearing all black, but with like silver accents and a green sash.
00:16:40
Speaker
and he has a very kind of stoic look a gnome standing in a small group regaling them with some story he's like gesturing wildly and lastly a female human wearing armor and also has a sword on her hip and she is very clearly a paladin the silver flame based on the markings on she she has the adornments of a silver flame paladin I know I threw a lot of things at you there, but that's everything. Those are the seven people that stand out as being potentially, they're the people that everyone else is paying attention to. And so that indicates that these are the people that you probably need to engage with to a certain extent. Now, you all could move as a group if you want, but obviously at a party like this, divide and conquer would also be a valuable tool because you are trying to
00:17:29
Speaker
win hearts and minds quickly. I mean, this event isn't going to go on all night. It'll go on for a few hours.
Selena's Story at the Gala
00:17:35
Speaker
So what is, I guess asking the three of you, cause you would have discussed this certainly on the trip over on the journey over, what is the tactic for winning hearts and minds? Is it, I mean, Selena obviously has been made the center of attention of your group based on her attire. And so is it the good that necromantic magic has done?
00:17:58
Speaker
Necrotic magic, that's the word. Necrotic magic is done ah for Selena or are there multiple talk tracks that you all are thinking? I'd just like to get a sense from you all what you're thinking. I do. I do think a big part of it is going to be the fact that it saved her and look at her. I mean, look at how pure she still clearly is with her pink dress and her white carriage and she's not been corrupted by it and all that. Yeah. I think it's going to be a big piece of it. Yes.
00:18:24
Speaker
Okay. So here's how this influence system is going to work. So you all obviously have the ability to just go talk to people and make charisma based checks or other based checks, just depending on how you're speaking to try and influence these people. Uh, but additionally, you can make other types of checks, like investigating their clothing or demeanor or what, like trying to eavesdrop on their conversation to learn more about this person.
00:18:53
Speaker
so that you know basically all these NPCs have certain things that will make them much more amiable to talk to you and there are things that are like topics of conversation that should be avoided and if you bring them up they're going to grow much colder towards you and things like that. So yeah that's how this system kind of works is you all can spend some time you know, making small talk rubbing elbows with people to get a lay of the land before you dive in. Or if you have a good idea for one of these characters to based off the general description, you can dive right in. It's up to you. I have a timeline question that... Okay. So this is, I may be wrong about this, Karnath.
00:19:33
Speaker
the The Emerald Claw was originally a ah a like legit part of the Carnathi military, right? yeah Kind of like lyn legit to the Carnathis that they were ah you correct me if I'm wrong, Phil, but this is my they were like an extremist militant group. They got folded into the military and then they got kicked back out. Is that correct? they look Basically, they were a bunch. There were a bunch of military orders, like nightly orders in the Emerald Claw are one of those.
00:20:01
Speaker
But yeah, when Kornath got desperate from a shortage of manpower, they folded a lot of those orders in, including and didn't and didn't ask too many questions about how they were who they were working with. And then yes, late in the war, I don't remember where we are in the war or where in exactly this happened, but late in the war repudiated that decision.
00:20:22
Speaker
I'm trying to think of what Eowyn might... I'm guessing that's what our guy in the green sash is a part of. And so I'm trying to figure out if Eowyn would want to be seen associating with him or not based on their...
00:20:34
Speaker
Gotcha. But I think so it would be a safe one if he is that. that's what i It looks like the Emerald Claw got booted from official Karnath military in 976, which I believe is well after we we were just setting this, I think 10 years before the war, 15 years. something think that's right Something like that. It's in my notes somewhere, everyone. Calm down. Campaign start 986, so this would at most be six months prior to that. So, yeah, the Emerald Claw would have been booted at least in ah around a decade prior. OK, so so no, you would not want to be like, hey, cool. You and me and the lady, right? Got it. And it was basically just their brutality and rumors that they slaughtered noncombatants to basically they utilize the hate will raise the bodies of our enemies to make more undead. But it's like, oh, all these women and children are here. So if we kill them, that's more undead. Cool.
00:21:31
Speaker
Like that, that makes sense. And their founder ate a guy. That happened. I remember from when I was playing a blood of all character. So yes. Okay. That, uh, that's the deal with the emerald clock. So any of those descriptions jump out to any of the three of you as to be somebody you'd like to investigate. I think ah SLR is main thing is going to be trying initially at least is going to be trying to figure out who from Arenal is here and what does it mean that they're here? Is it? Okay.
00:22:00
Speaker
Is it a problem? Is it just someone happens to be here and this is going to be awkward? Yeah. So that's that's what you'd be trying to figure out and probably not by walking up and talking to her. Yeah. Right. So how would you like to investigate this SLR? Perhaps we would try to get a look at the guest list. Okay. Maybe try to find a either someone near the near the entrance or the coat check or whatever, um someone who would who would have a list of who's supposed to be here. OK, and is Estelle are going to try to like sneak up and look over their shoulder or, you know, make some like, I need to see this for securities purposes. Like, I think he'd start. I think he'd try to do that. I think it would try to be a kind of officious
00:22:44
Speaker
ah with one of the with one of the staff. right we are We're from well we're wealthy elves, so we're by definition from old money.
Strategic Alliances and Guest Interactions
00:22:53
Speaker
so we We know how to talk to downstairs people. You'd probably try to get kind of officious with one of the staff and get an idea of who that person is.
00:23:03
Speaker
Okay, for sure. So yeah, there is a guard up near the front, a human woman who is standing there with like, yeah, they're scanning the room, flipping through some pages on this clipboard. And just looking at it, you can tell based on the formatting, it's obviously a guest list. Okay. And then Estalar would approach and id say, I'm head of the ambassador of security. for the Carnegie delegation, and I obviously, with our history, there has been some unpleasantness. What can you tell me of the Iranian woman in the gold dress there? Okay. Give me a charisma check. Okay. Am I supposed to have charisma attributes?
00:23:42
Speaker
So basically the way we've been doing this for the NPCs is the standard array is ah something off the top of my head. It starts at the 15, but anyway, like basically as we play, you get to assign the standard array as we go. So let me, where is it? I'm trying to find it on the S hour. did Well, I think it might be slightly different for second edition. So let me get that standard array 17, 15, 14, 13, 12, 10.
00:24:11
Speaker
Cool. We'll call the charisma is 15. Okay. So you get a plus two and I am an aristocrat. Can I add that background? Cool. So plus four. All right. Rolling level, which is one.
00:24:27
Speaker
Cool. So plus five. I rolled a nineteen. So twenty four. The woman looks. and I look way down my nose at this person. Yeah. Extremely long, gaunt nose. You look like the food critic from Ratatouille. So she sees your your very like unnaturally gaunt face.
00:24:46
Speaker
And here's what he says. Yes, of course. That individual's name is Lathage, E-E-T-H-A-J, for anybody interested in the spelling of that. She is from, she's from Arenal originally, though she has lived in Breeland for some time. And she is here as part of the Breelish delegation for the evening. Breelish delegation. Yes. In what capacity? I believe she is a advisor to the British ambassador. Interesting. And the British ambassador is? It is the woman right over there and she nods in the direction of the silver flame woman that you noticed. Her name good. Amy is her name. Sometimes you got to throw them off with a regular name, Philip. My phone just auto corrected it to make her the relish ambassador. Amy the relish ambassador. She loves her job. Spokesman for big relish. Someone's got to do it. You've been most helpful. Thank you. And enjoy the, enjoy your evening. No, I most certainly will not. Okay. You two. What's Selena? Like anybody that you all want to go investigate or speak to or anything like that. If you need a refresher on the people, let me know. I've got that written down. I need a refresher on who the Sovereign Host. That is the like, they're, they're like the Pantheon of Gods. Yeah. Yeah. The Silver Flame isn't a part of it. It's just a very kind of like, there's the Sovereign Host and the Dark Six. And that's kind of your, your Pantheon of Gods in Eberron.
00:26:20
Speaker
I feel like c Selena's going to stick close to her father at first because she's brought as almost a prop for like the things that he's saying. Gotcha. Okay. Which are said while cackling Grandilla. He's so proud of his kids. I think there's a I'm trying to figure out, Jeff has the inclination to talk to the guy in the green sash because of what I was talking about earlier, but if my goal is to spread the gospel of necrotic magic, that's probably not the guy to talk to. So I think I might jump in the group that the gnome is telling a story to and see what the nature of his story is. Okay.
00:27:02
Speaker
So the the gnome as you the two of you approach the group is the gnome's voice carries quite a bit so once you're about halfway across this room you begin to hear his voice speaking very loudly and he's speaking well you see at this time cartuchio thought My goose is finally cooked. But you see, I use my hands like this and I wave them and fire erupts and hits the blue dragon right in the mouth, melting the ice that was about to strike and skewer Cartuccio, surely sealing his fate. And yet, here I am before he, he's just going on telling this outlandish story about the time he 1v1'd a blue dragon. Cartuccio, I love it.
00:27:48
Speaker
Cartuccio, the gnome. Hello. The bravest gnome. I think he blindly waits for the story to finish. If it finishes as a cartuccio, the kind of guy who's just going to roll into the next one and I should move on. I mean, there might be a point where the story hits a crescendo and he allows for applause and regard. And so that would, like, but definitely if nobody says anything, as soon as that applause starts to die down, he's jumping into the next one.
00:28:12
Speaker
So I think we clap, we clap, we clap, but I say a wonderful story now. Oh, thank you. Now a cartugio was it is that right? um um i'm I'm stealing his accent. That's not what I mean to do. And you stop being so gruff and everything. I think I think I could suss out from his story the kind of magic.
00:28:31
Speaker
I mean, if he's throwing fireballs and stuff, I could suss out kind of what he's... And I think I might just ask myself, have you ever considered adding some of the more necrotic arts to your arsenal? A blue dragon? Well, I can see it is no match for fire. There are several other methodologies that might be be good in your and your further adventures. Okay, give me a charisma-based check. I just, I don't know how taboo what I'm saying is, honestly, but...
00:28:59
Speaker
There is a bit of a taboo nature to it, but additionally, the the tactics that you're taking and stuff might have a positive or negative effect. Well, Mike, I decided his charisma was not great. So it didn't save him from getting kicked out of air at all. So it can't be that good. So I went with 13. That's plus one, right? Yep. Plus your level. And if you have any backgrounds that you think would be applicable.
00:29:20
Speaker
So I mean, the backgrounds I went with were ambassador and like landed. So I think social graces. I'll take it. Yeah. Okay. So that's plus two for that one. 15.
00:29:32
Speaker
15, Cartuccio's eyes kind of narrow at you a bit. He says, I'm not sure how I feel about the implication that Cartuccio's current menagerie of magnificent spells would not be enough and that I can add to my arsenal, as you say. Oh, I didn't mean to insinuate that you weren't enough. I only meant to... Couldn't we all be a bit more?
00:29:59
Speaker
but What's you clearly based on your garb and your general, or I take it that you are yourself a practitioner of these necromantic arts.
Cartuccio's Change of Heart on Necromancy
00:30:09
Speaker
And that is where I bring Selena forward. And I simply say, they saved my daughter. And when they did, I could no longer abandon them. Well, based on everything I've heard about necromancy, it is remarkable to see a young soul full of such life be a result of it. And Cartuchio bows to Selena.
00:30:28
Speaker
Cartuccio could be more, he might be too much. But also, Cartuccio's magnificent menagerie needs to be a spell, and you need to get all that work. Yeah, that is absolutely true. Who knows what you can summon with Cartuccio's magical menagerie? So they all sound like that guy. and because Exactly, that's the that is the problem, is that we are so... We are bogged down in our reputation, and not our actualities. Look at her, she's clearly without influence of any dark or dangerous magic, she's simply alive today because of them.
00:30:57
Speaker
And Selena just flashes her sweetest smile. Give him a spin, darling. Absolutely not. Absolutely not. Give me a, either of you can give me a wisdom base check, basically just trying to get a sense of how Carticchio is feeling about this, this current talk track. Okay. Do any of my backgrounds work for this? What are your backgrounds again, remind me?
00:31:20
Speaker
My bar touched and daughter of a diplomat. I would say daughter of a diplomat would have talked. Okay. Okay. Cool. So 15. 15. You get a pretty strong sense that Cartuccio is growing a bit tired of the shop talk from your dad. Like your dad clearly has like an agenda. Cartuccio has like been introduced to both him and to you. And he's getting kind of tired of that. Like the whole, Hey, necromancy is good thing. Like being a continued point driven home.
00:31:50
Speaker
I built a one-shot character with a one-track model. So Selena, since you have that information, is there anything that you would do to try and remedy this situation? I think, I think Selena tries to very gently steer away from that and toward more general speech, like into more general conversation. Okay. Just to kind of get away from, from that talk because I can tell he's getting tired of it.
00:32:17
Speaker
Okay. any give Give me just a category of conversation that s Selena would pivot things to. but I mean, knowing how interested he is in his adventures, that's my first thought. But I also feel like we're going to get trapped there for hours. No, I mean, definitely asking Cartuccio about himself and his adventures reignites the fire in his eyes. And he says,
00:32:37
Speaker
Well, yes, i I recently just got done from a herring adventure in the Khabarin jungle. I would love to tell you about it if you would join me for a dance and he offers you his arm. But he is a gnome, so it's very much pointed. I think Selena accepts and just says, I would be honored.
00:32:55
Speaker
and he begins to walk you out onto the dance floor. erwwin right Let's go back to Estillar. So you've taken a look, you got a sense of this woman. As you're looking, you see your sister headed on the dance floor with a gnome dressed very fabulously, I might add. He's got a very wide brimmed hat with a giant head in it. How substantial of a hat are we talking about here? yeah I'm trying not to go too far into Puss in Boots, but it's definitely giving that... Disappointed, which it requires its own gravitational pull. Puss in Boots, not necessarily the hat. I think he... Okay, I mean, this Arreni is clearly clearly not hiding who and what she is. It is clearly someone who is dedicated to the way that the Arreni do magic and practice.
00:33:42
Speaker
And so it's maybe Estella probably doesn't know a lot about the Church of the Silver Flame, but it by just blank reputation, it seems like an odd coupling. And so because what could possibly go wrong? He will approach Amy. OK, are any any checks that you want to make as you approach Amy to your Amy. How likely the name, the last name, Amy, Amy Defane heir to the Defane relish fortune.
00:34:09
Speaker
It's not any better. It is. my I guess I would like to know how if I can tell how ready she is to actually stab me if this goes sideways. OK, give me a wisdom check.
00:34:24
Speaker
Okay. Tell me those numbers again. Uh, 15, 14, 13, 12, 10. Great. Wisdom is 12. And I don't think any of my, I mean, I don't know, death guard training tie to just general combat awareness. Yeah, and I'd accept that. Okay. So plus two then. So seven. Okay. Seven. Seven.
00:34:47
Speaker
That's a single digit number, yeah? It is, it is. Did you add your level to that check? Eight. Eight. Good. Eight. You're pretty confident that you say one wrong word and Amy's going to stab you. Awesome. you're You're on high alert. That's what I like to hear. Well, that's awful, but okay. Here I am walking up. So yeah, so he he kind of sweeps up in his his long black coat, sword on his hip, but like under the coat, stylishly, to be produced with maximum flair when the moment or when the moment it calls for it.
00:35:21
Speaker
strange sights, silver flame templar, or any necromancer in company together. You see Amy's eyes scan you up and down as you speak and she smirks and says, well, some would say that that is one of Breelan's greatest strengths is a diversity of skills and thought. Making a member of the or any upper class say, yes, stranger companion.
00:35:45
Speaker
say are not inclined to think so, think in the same way. Well, you know the nature of these parties. They saw the game and casting a wide net tends to be beneficial. Hence a a rainy family. Well, formerly a rainy family representing Karnath at such an event.
00:36:05
Speaker
I'm trying to figure out how to ask what the angle of having an Arrheni on the Brelish diplomatic entourage is. I don't know how to ask that in a not just straight open way. I made up the deal. Yeah. Do we know? Do I know anything about Brelin's interests here? Like what they're after?
00:36:32
Speaker
here in Kire. Give me a intelligence check, just your your knowledge of the war currently is going on and things like that. All right. What's your intelligence? It's my 10, so no bonus, but ah plus one for my level. So 15.
00:36:48
Speaker
15 you you know that this like as we as players know this late stage in the war Breeland has the largest army in most resources so they're kind of like in a position to if we can display our strength enough maybe we'll gain allies that will be willing to like subsume themselves under Bournelles like rule ultimately like reuniting the five nations under Bournell because we are such a powerful force. And so potentially parading around a rain and a rainy diplomat as showing like, hey, we have a rental on our side. So look at how much like if we have a whole other continent that is here with us. OK, look at how powerful we are. All right. OK, then.
Mysteries of Selena's Illness
00:37:40
Speaker
He can probably tell he's not getting anywhere with Amy and so will politely disengage and think about how to approach the Irani because now the question is what's the Irani angle? What is Aaron? I'll get out of this. Okay. To the dance floor. Selena, Carticchio is leading you through a very intricate waltz and he looks up at you and says, so obviously you're Father intends to parade around you pray you around here as a display of the positivity of necromancy.
00:38:15
Speaker
How is it having such magic flowing through your veins? And Selena looks at him and just says, well, it's what's keeping me alive, and it's done all of this for me, so. And how, what, if you don't mind me asking, because obviously we are both talking and not talking about the important things here, what what ailed you in such a way that necromancy could be a healing agent?
00:38:41
Speaker
I may need a little help with this one because I don't know what sort of like illnesses. You can make it up. Yeah, I mean, we could we could work on it together or if you just have a thought. I mean, obviously this would negate like, quote unquote, positive magic or Aryan magic. So it could have been the case that, you know, something weird happened with your birth to where you were such an intent ah font of Aryan magic that the Mubarak magic kind of dampens that to where it's not.
00:39:10
Speaker
coursing through you so much. It could have been like a specific incident that happened like you all were. So in Eberron, there's there are these things called manifest zones where the border between the material plane and other planes is really thin. And Erenall is ah very much like a manifest zone with Irian with their positive magic.
00:39:35
Speaker
And so what can happen is both the magic, but also creatures from the other plane can come through. So it may have been that you were wounded in a way or stricken with some, you know, I don't know what the microbiology of Eberron is like, but some like illness from Irian that like, obviously you wouldn't have defenses against. And so bar and crystal in you would dampen the effects of that illness. So it's still, it's still an ongoing thing. If that crystal ever gets taken out, you'll die.
00:40:05
Speaker
kind of thing okay i like that one okay yeah i like i like the thought that my mother and i both caught whatever that illness was that nobody knew how to cure and it just kind of hit her harder than me okay love it and now we're introducing germ theory into eberron i love it wonderful i was gonna say you just created an extra-planar germ theory something from irian that's inside you we'll call it meta-irian you're gonna ruin it jeff you're gonna ruin it I know. so Please don't take it away because it's very good. Don't take it away because I made a bad joke. Yeah, don't mess up my illness. That's not my illness. What a sentence. Say that to my doctor all the time. So yeah, Madison, how does c Selena like what does Selena reveal to Cartuccio or yeah, Cartuccio about this? I think Selena keeps it very broad and just says my mother and I were both ill. And when my mother died, my father did what he needed to do to keep me alive. Fascinating.
00:41:03
Speaker
I did not know that such magic could have healing properties. That's ironic since many people refer to it as negative energy, no? I suppose that's true i i imagine somewhere while she's being vague, someone's like, write in her heart! Just shove it in there and it's talking to someone. Well, as you know, I...
00:41:20
Speaker
Well, you may not know this. I come from the nation-state of Zilargo, but we are allied with the British crown right now in the wider political sphere. So while my people cannot act overtly in the grand political games of the last war,
00:41:38
Speaker
we would be interested to understand a bit better Carnathy tactics and how you all are actually using necromancy because rumors down south paint a very gruesome picture. Rumors can be a dangerous thing to listen to. I would be happy to facilitate a meeting if you'd be interested in learning more. Yes, I would. Perhaps you could come to Zilargo. I have an estate you could stay at and you could get to know my friends down there.
00:42:04
Speaker
Perhaps so. I'll talk to my father about it. Wonderful. Elwin, what are you up to? I have probably moved on to... I think I've definitely swung through and grabbed some sort of hors d'oeuvre. Okay. Because I want to seem like a casual partygoer who's here to enjoy the party and not here desperately trying to please his...
00:42:24
Speaker
his overlords by making people not think the terrible things all that bad. ah I'm not sure that Eowyn is wholly on board with the idea of necromantic magic as much as he's just thankful that it saved his daughter. Yeah, that's fair. Yeah, I think like he's doing what he needs to to kind of stay in the same station that he was in Eredol. And if that's what this is, then that's what this is.
00:42:46
Speaker
Yeah. He's not going to go to the gaunt elf woman with the Arrani tattoos on her. Not much is sure. I suppose he may go check out the ghost. What would be an appropriate thing to walk up to the guy in the sovereign host clothes with to offer from a from a tray? ah I mean, they're not tea toddlers, right? Like ah a drink to hand to him, assuming he doesn't have one. Is he currently drinkless or snackless?
00:43:13
Speaker
Well, he he has a mug that seems to be getting emptier by the second. If you want to give me a check of some kind to try and figure out like what he's drinking, what would be an appropriate drink to bring. Yeah.
00:43:26
Speaker
Would this be intelligence or wisdom to perceive this? Probably wisdom. Well, fine. If you want to do intelligence, I'll accept intelligence. No, I'm happy to do wisdom. I don't necessarily see Eowyn being a big winner tonight, ah to be perfectly honest. That's like a 12, because I'm not adding any background to that one, I don't think. I mean, bringing people drinks like at a party like this, I would accept the ambassador background. Well, then that makes it a 14.
00:43:50
Speaker
14 so you you see I mean this is a a dwarf worshipper the sovereign host and as you're examining the markings and stuff you see a domino stitch into part of his garbs, which indicates that while he is a cleric to the sovereign host as a whole, there's a special fealty for Oladra, which is the sovereign of feast and good fortune. So definitely drinking ain't off the table for this dude. Okay. ah And being a dwarf, probably a really like, thick stout ale. Okay, all right. So he walks over like with like, yeah, like a like a milk stout, and some sort of like, sandwich.
00:44:31
Speaker
like the end, walks over, offers, he has some himself, offers, offers help to share. Oh, thank you. So, nope. That's how the other guy talked to Callum. Who are you? My name is Arraheem. Nice to meet you.
00:44:46
Speaker
Raheem, it's great to meet you as well. My name is Eilwin. So where did you travel from? If I can tell he's not Bremish. I actually come from the nation of Ondair is where I hail from. Now, I was originally from the mountains in Karnak, but The politics of the mountains are something that is exhausting for people of my constitution, so I immigrated to one there. I make a joke that shows that I understand why the politics of the mountain might be distressing to a dwarf or this guy particularly. I assume Aylwin might have picked up on something, but Jeff doesn't know, so he's just going to say. ah make Sure. I make a great, pithy observation about the politics in the mountains of Klam. Yeah. How relatable. yeah
00:45:32
Speaker
That's what I tried to be. Please tell me he says that. And then it goes off with that. Karnath, perhaps we just missed each other. I've recently moved there myself. Not in the mountains. Not in the mountains. im You are far too tall to live in the mountains. Do you hear these short mountains? Dwarves. Dwarves up there. like yeah I got it.
00:45:51
Speaker
He's originally, we were, I was an Arenal and found my way to Karnath. He'll say. Interesting. You know, my my migration track is much more common than yours, it would seem. Yes, I will.
00:46:07
Speaker
How do I say this to not? I found myself indebted. to some Carnathy traditions. my and And I think I just say i say, my daughter lives today because of of magic I learned from people from Carnathy, and that is why. You do this thing where you make sentences that contain nothing but act like you're saying something.
00:46:30
Speaker
Yeah, that's buddy, that's podcasting. Why don't you have a drink with me? That tends to make it easier to put content in your sentences. I grab a drink and I take a swig and I say she has a more crystal in her heart, keeping her eyes and his eyes get wide. I think there's a a saying where you you take something and you put it just in the sweet spot rather than than going too far or too.
00:46:50
Speaker
Ah, you're saying I overcorrected? Yes. Like, um, putting a rope through, no... What's tiny rope in common? String. Try string. No, that's something with a needle. I see. I didn't quite thread the needle. That's it! Yes, well... That's it. I'll admit... In Dordovish it translates directly to stab the kidney, but I know that that's not... That feels even more blunt than what I said. There are blunt people, like I said, the politics, like it's a lot of fighting. Yes, I prefer that. There's well, there's the same amount of drinking, but far less punching at events like this. Not no punching. Well, I'm sorry to have put you off by being so open with you. I thought that's where we were headed. And I point to her and I say, as you can see, though, she I mean, there's nothing like um she's dancing with Cartuccio, I see.
00:47:43
Speaker
I'm trying to put it like Elwyn's not a great guy. He is absolutely just using his daughter to try to pass off this thing that he's trying to do. make Make dark magic seem bright. Yeah. And he's bad at it because he doesn't really believe it either. He's just glad she's alive. That's all he knows of why he's happy
Karnath Politics and Episode Conclusion
00:48:02
Speaker
with it. So so you are you are a delegation from Karnath at this party, yes? Yes, I am i am here representing Karnath the Interests.
00:48:11
Speaker
So what is your stance on the current relationship with the denizens of the mountains and the larger Carnathi culture? Because obviously being from there, there was a clear delineation in both culture and some under the mountains would claim that it would only make sense for independence to be on the table, given that, you know, we were ourselves under the mountain as opposed to the Carnathi government ruling us directly. What are your thoughts?
00:48:38
Speaker
Well, I'm new. I'm doing a lot of listening and learning. Okay, this is a question for Madison. Since you said that Selena was sick at a very young age and now presumably Selena's in her 20s, right? Yeah. So it's been like 15 years, which for elves isn't a long time. Exactly. like What is that to an elf? It's exactly what I was going to say.
00:48:59
Speaker
Well, okay. Perhaps you need to get a bit more lay of the land in Karnath, but I would be interested to know as an ambassador for Karnath, your thoughts on the people in the mountains. Because they were there first, you see. Of course. and And that needs to be honored. I almost got really dark with some native stuff. I i think he starts to fumble here.
00:49:21
Speaker
because he really has not done his due diligence on intra-carnathy stuff, I don't think. like yeah So I think he starts to stumble and he starts to start giving the party line of his employer, not realizing that might not be what what this guy wants to hear, yeah which I'm assuming the party line the of the ah his employer would be something along the lines of, we're happy to have them there doing the thing they do there over there.
00:49:46
Speaker
Yeah, yeah. Raheem does not seem particularly impressed with the answer. Sure. Is Selena's dance close to ending? Could she possibly see her father struggling a little bit over there and make her way over there after the dance? Okay. Sure. Great. Well, she definitely sees her father struggling over there and just kind of steps in and calmly introduces herself. My name is Raheem. Nice to meet you.
00:50:11
Speaker
And I believe you are this man's lovely daughter, though he did not give your name in your introduction. My name is Selena. It's wonderful to meet you. Wonderful to meet you too, Selena. I was just talking about the finer points of Karnath's relationship with the Muir holds here with your father.
00:50:29
Speaker
Sure, I know that my father is still, we're all still new to Karnath and still learning the relations between different groups of people there, but we certainly are are eager to learn more and to do what we can to help all people. I have like 20 cousins that I could get you in touch with if you want to learn more that still live in the mountains.
00:50:49
Speaker
That would be wonderful. I'd love to learn more. Excellent. So what's obviously we're all here with agendas on it. What is, what are you all trying to get out of this party? On Dare obviously has its own things that we're working towards. I think Elvin starts to say something and she jumps in. Selena says, we simply want to to show that I am alive and well after using some things that not everyone is familiar with and to just raise a little bit of awareness for the outcomes that can come from that.
00:51:21
Speaker
Yes, your father mentioned the Mubarak crystal being being in your chest and being what saved you, which is remarkable. but Which, I don't know what Selena's opinion of that level of sharing from your dad. I think Selena says, yes, my father loves to share that. It's so cool! It was like the second thing he told. Well, no, it was the first thing he told me because he tried to say a bunch of words and didn't say anything.
00:51:44
Speaker
I see you know my father, yes. Some people have trouble with subtexts, Alayna. Well, I would be interested to learn more about how you all have utilized such a a taboo and mysterious type of magic. You know, on there we have the Ark in Congress, which obviously studies magic deeply, and I've heard nothing Granted, I am much more of a divine caster myself. I don't really get into the arcane that much, but I would be interested to know what you all have discovered that the greatest minds of on there have not. And Selena just says, although I was very young and all of this happened, I don't know a lot of the specifics, but I do know that it's kept me alive and healthy and I have it to thank for the life that I have.
00:52:27
Speaker
wonderful And as Raheem continues to talk with you all, but we're going to call the episode there. So thank you all so much for listening. If you want to be part of the conversation surrounding this episode, you can head over to our Discord, the link to which is on all of our socials, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter. We also have a YouTube channel, youtube dot.com slash the geek pantheon, where I put up TTRPG related videos. If you're interested in the influence system that we've been utilizing for this episode, I did a whole video on that.
00:52:54
Speaker
I think called like how to make your social encounters not suck or something like that. Steal this to make your social encounters not suck is, was the title of video. So go look that up over there. If you want to learn more about it, Philip, do the thing. but We also have a channel called the laughing tree over on YouTube, where we have just wrapped up a actual play campaign set in storm reach called Kyber shards. And we're getting ready ah in the near future to launch a new campaign set in the Lazar principalities.
00:53:23
Speaker
Yes. And we also have a Patreon, patreon dot.com slash the Geek Pantheon. If you want to financially support the shows, you can do so over there, or you can buy some merch over at thegeekpantheon.com. Thank you all so much for listening. I've been your Game Master Eric. I'm Philip. I'm Madison. Jeff. We will see you next week.