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Ep. 30 A Cold Knight in Sleetguard – De Profundis
110 Plays4 years ago
Follow us on our Twitters - @FellowshipTable
Intro written and produced by Joseph McDade - https://josephmcdade.com/
The Fellowship Party Twitter Pages:
- The DM/Mark - @HastilyRolledDM
- Princess Helena/Casey - @unicorncrit
- Carstan/Will - @Natural20Will
- Seargent Felstrop/Danny - @totalpartythrlz
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction and New Setup
00:00:28
Speaker
Hello, welcome to this week's episode of the Fellowship on the Tabletop. We are live play 5E D&D Podcast set in the magical world of Eryth. My name is Mark, I'm the Dungeon Master, and for today's Special Edition episode, we've got a very different setup actually. We haven't got our usual crew almost at all. It feels like I'm cheating on them a little bit. Around the table, we've got just three players today, so it's going to be quite a small little...
00:00:54
Speaker
What's the one I'm looking for? This little family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family. Family
00:01:20
Speaker
We might not want him to be here. Please send as much hate mail to our watchers for Dan and the girl. And Natural20Will. And Natural20Will will no longer be playing Alfie. He is now fully NPC'd and will do his bit later on. We also have, for the first time, joining us. We've got Casey joining us. Hello! Hi Casey, how are you?
00:01:38
Speaker
I'm good, thanks. Good to be here. Is this your first episode with us ever? First ever with you guys. How are you feeling about it all? Yeah, good. Just when I get stuck in. This is exciting. I know, I think I'm going to slow everything down really in case I'm thinking just to get cracking, I think. Right, so we have got different characters set up for this.
Setting the Adventure
00:01:54
Speaker
This is not necessarily a one-shot. This does intercede slightly with the story we've got going on so far.
00:02:00
Speaker
So, we find ourselves, though, off the back of last episode where the party stood outside in the dark rain as the sun begins to rise slowly in the morning, standing outside the burning building of the inn where they were sleeping. With Elphir and the bag of holding disappeared, all nuns of the party split around this
00:02:18
Speaker
building that is now engulfed in flames staring at it wondering what to do next. You can imagine the camera kind of pans and tilts over away from that situation. Some rises and falls and we are a day in the future. We find ourselves on the eastern coast of Sleepguard.
00:02:36
Speaker
We find ourselves just outside the city of Goldview. This is a big metropolitan city that no one has been to yet within the campaign. And you can see that just in the distance, the smoke rising high of industry as it sits on the coast of the Bronze Storm Sea. This is the capital of Slitgard and no one's visited it yet at all. But this is where
00:03:00
Speaker
all the money of the kingdom really goes and also where many of the supplies leave to help the war effort across in to stop stop with mike to tell my shape or form we find ourselves a day later in a misty slightly damp grey day on the road
00:03:20
Speaker
We meet two characters to begin with, and this road is a wide, well-worn road.
Character Introductions
00:03:25
Speaker
This is where major traffic usually comes through. The odd cart passes, the odd person walks past you both, but you're walking in the opposite direction. You're both walking away from Goldview, leaving the city.
00:03:39
Speaker
It's quiet. The area around you is quite barren and sparse of usable, ploughable land. Off to your right, as you look, you can see in the distance the start of a massive, massive forest. You know this is the Shadowview Forest, which arches around the entirety of Sleepguard.
00:04:00
Speaker
ahead of you the route is boring the route is slow and as the camera kind of moves across to see these two characters but first introduced to Danny and Casey your characters Danny do you want to introduce yourself first who are you playing? I'm playing
00:04:15
Speaker
a sergeant of the sleep guard empire called Sergeant Felstrop. Sergeant Felstrop is a, well it's hard to make out any features past his dense thick plate royal armour. What you can see is a sort of well built burly human, a white beard trickles below the line of his helmet.
00:04:42
Speaker
stands with a posture as though he's been in hundreds of skirmishes and walks with a sort of arrogance in his stride. Nice, okay, so we meet the sergeant and then next to him standing maybe a step in front leading the way high school we see who we see. At Helena's leet guard she is the princess of the royal family in Goldview. She's dressed in
00:05:12
Speaker
heavy armour with a flail and she's got a shield as well in her left hand. She's wearing long robes with the family emblem and she's got blonde hair. It's tied up at the back. She's very pristine looking. She looks quite fierce.
00:05:42
Speaker
Fierce, nice, like it. So we're walking down the path and the first You see a man walking the opposite direction with you with another hand drawn car pulling behind in the car It seems to be filled full of wood bits of wood and timber He approaches past he double takes to you both and puts down a car and looks at you both. I Think I know you Young lady Are you who I think you are?
00:06:09
Speaker
Who do you think I am? I believe, Madam, you are one of our royals. Are you a member of the Sleekard family? Are you...
00:06:18
Speaker
Yes, yes, you have that correct. What is your name? My name is Brent. Brent? Perhaps, considering a bow. Oh, of course. Sorry, Si. And he kind of awkwardly bows, kind of like any bow you've really seen before. It's ruined. It's awful. It's not very good at all. And he kind of stands back out almost knowing that it wasn't very good. I just wanted to say I appreciate everything you and your family are doing for us here in Sleepguard. I do apologise for disrupting you and your travels.
00:06:48
Speaker
Don't worry. It's all good. Fine. Yes. Continue on your way. Thank you. My name is Chuck. Thank you. Sorry. Thank you, sir. He turns and bites you both again awkwardly, picks up his cart and continues on down the path and you kind of start to make your way along the path. Is there anything you want to talk about or say? Should I have handled that differently, Sarge? I know. These peasants ought to know when they should bow and when they should not. Yes, absolutely.
00:07:18
Speaker
I thought the same. Just off as you continue to walk, and these backs of silence come quite frequently in your travels. You're both very, very stellar individuals, and so you almost enjoy it.
00:07:32
Speaker
You hear the brick, the silence as the empty road stems ahead of you. You hear a noise from behind, a kind of a halo, a kind of a shout, a whistle, a bang, all these different types of noises coming from behind you. As you spin around, you see a figure kind of jawnsing up the path behind you, arms flailing, waving, making noises, trying to get your attention. And as this figure approaches closer, you see it to be
00:08:01
Speaker
So if I'm running up, who do we see?
New Allies and Tensions
00:08:03
Speaker
You see this young looking male in probably his mid-20s. He's got red hair, a goatee, he's got knee-high brown boots, black legs on this, this blue shirt. He looks very flamboyant and over the top, this red armour, he's got a rapier inside, he's got this cloak sort of flowing over one shoulder and behind him also on his back, he's got a satchel. You see
00:08:28
Speaker
Still across and some things sticking out, looks like he's got little tuning pegs on it and there's another, I didn't talk about it at all, look at the small little like poles sticking out and clearly got stuff on his back. He's running, you're all highest! He's running and running to catch him, you're all highest!
00:08:46
Speaker
And it's just as you're writing each letter as well, you're writing audio in and patting away in front of you as you bow and bow. And he does this flamboyant sort of bow, knee and forehead and retouching the floor and looking back up. You've got to wear a harness. It's just there. Just give me a hand. They're for goodness sake. What do they call you? Compare to yourself. Find your words, traveller.
00:09:18
Speaker
Your Majesty, may I please enter to myself? I am Castan Vimbin Valhorn, bard extraordinaire. I hail from the Sangui lands and I've been searching for you. He points to you. He points.
00:09:40
Speaker
dramatically pointing towards Princess Helena. And Princess Helena will just take a step back just to make sure that he's not invading her personal space. She doesn't necessarily enjoy how energetic he is and how unpredictable his actions are. And so she doesn't really know how to gauge it. But she says,
00:10:05
Speaker
And why me? What do you want with me? Because Your Majesty, you are... my muse. It seems you made an impression when you visited the East, my lady.
00:10:23
Speaker
Perhaps our friend could tell us more. Please, sir, speak quickly. We have places to be. Well, you wouldn't remember me. I saw you in the distance. You wouldn't remember. That's a humble part.
00:10:40
Speaker
I seek inventory, I seek to tell a tale, and I want to tell your horse. I want to tell about your fearsome stand against the blight and your family's struggle to save Aerith. Young Master, you are in the presence of royalty.
00:11:01
Speaker
You are not a bard we have heard of. You will not be able to tell this story today, sir. Perhaps go to a tavern and talk about the rats in the sewers. Here we go. This is my credentials, sir, from the court of
00:11:25
Speaker
Obsidia, my task to chronicle the fight against the Blight so that the people of other lands may truly know how brave Sleet Guardians were standing against the foe. Before reaching out and accepting the scroll, I'm going to make an insight check. Okay, first roll, let's go, insight check.
00:11:52
Speaker
And William, no, Valhorn, no. Is that the name, Valhorn? Castan. Castan, I'm trying to remember character names. Castan, can you make a persuasion or deception check, whichever one you feel it might need to be? Sorry, you're making a persuasion check. 24 against your 16. So as far as you're aware, we made a deception check, didn't you? Insight. Sorry, insight.
00:12:18
Speaker
He seems naive. He seems flustered. He seems a bit unfit, to be honest, because he hasn't gone very far from the city. But he seems well-meaning. I'll take that, my lad. Thank you. Thank you. He's not quite sure where he pulls the foot up to the forelock or just nods and cheers. And I'll begin to inspect the article.
00:12:46
Speaker
Listen, young bard, I will have a word with my companion. I'm going to take his minister, wouldn't you? Fine. Okay, so she'll just sort of pull Sartre's fellstruck to the side and say, this man talks way too much. But we have a place to go and it doesn't seem like he's going to leave us. Shall we just bring him along for the ride? There's one way we can ensure he does not bother us, my lady. And what way is that?
00:13:16
Speaker
The unpleasant one. No, no, Sergeant Feilstrom, we're not killing anybody, especially not in broad daylight. Let's just bring him along. I'm sure he'll stop talking after a while. As you command, Your Highness. Right. You there. And Carson looks at me, he's got a little party he's been swapping out, and Quill is in his hand going, hmm. Okay, sorry. You will tie a rope around your arms,
00:13:46
Speaker
and give the other end of the rope to me. You are not to approach a royal highness at any point unless asked to. Okay, I must admit, it will stop the writing, but I actually feel like I can... Remember it! I can write in my head, that's fine. So he gets his rope out, sort of starts putting it open and sort of gets...
00:14:15
Speaker
Yeah, Phil Strump will put a very disgusted hand out at very arm's reach and finish the knot and put it extra tight and make sure I get a wince reaction. Careful these are, after all, tools of my trade. Do not pinch. So much! Let's stop your wintry. Let's just go. Sorry, Janice.
00:14:35
Speaker
So we have this incredible image of these two royal, two members of the Royal Ensemble, so to speak, leading out in front with a self-tied bard with a rope around his hands being led like a prisoner down the road. Oh, he's probably humming a song as he keeps on humming to himself. Down the road. How long is this rope? Well, it's probably, it could be...
00:15:02
Speaker
So whatever rope he had in his equipment pack. So he's probably like 30 feet or something. Yeah, well yeah, which is really nice. And I imagine he's kept your like tall terms. Yeah. So he's the furthest distance he can be away from you as you continue to walk off. Is he in the front?
00:15:20
Speaker
You two are together. We're just carrying the cargo. He's right at the back. He's literally as taut as the rope can be away from you. So you guys are the front. If we lose him... He's the only one with a rope. He's got... And Dastrop's got the other rope. So you've got him. You've got him basically like a prison. I've got him.
00:15:36
Speaker
on a rope and tugging him along, but keeping him a distance at the same time. We continue moving down this long, long, boring road. You pass a couple more figures and they look slightly... They double take once anyway because it's royalty, but then they double take and triple take when they realise that there's a bard at the end of that rope. That's a bit... I'm not going to question it because she's one of the royal family. And they continue walking... As they do that, Carson sort of just... Morning!
00:16:03
Speaker
Sort of, sort of jolly, jolly, jolly, sort of staying there, sort of waving with bound hands and feet, sort of to these feet where it just keeps going. First of all, lean in to the princess and say, are they all like this in these sanguine lands? Listen, I have never met anybody such as this before, so I can't possibly comment. I try. And for a while,
00:16:43
Speaker
As the path continues we start to reach further inland
00:16:50
Speaker
and the slow hills of southern sleep guards start to approach and you can feel the path slowly rising and slowly falling as you go. There's a long open bits of land and again this is land that is unusable, untillable. It's almost partially swamp land to an extent. You know the majority of the city, the towns are really made up, sorry, you know the majority of sleep guards are really made up of there's either a mountain, forest or swamp and that the actual tillable land is
00:17:18
Speaker
in very small and sparse areas surrounding the kingdom, though you've barely been in them, Helen. As you continue down the path, you do see, right off in the distance, a small, tiny fire on the side of a road with a single figure slopped next to it. He's probably, this figure's probably about four or five hundred feet away at this point. What would you want to do? So I don't think that's wrong. Do you see that figure?
00:17:48
Speaker
It's just by the fire. No word from you. She points at the, yeah, the nosy bard coming in quite close behind me. The carton's trotting up, sort of just leads around. And sort of just knocks you in the mouth shut. I do not like this, Your Majesty. Could you, could you check it out?
00:18:10
Speaker
You there. Barred. Very good. At this point, though, every time people are saying things, he's either nodding his head in agreement, or shaking his head in agreement, and then he stops. When he gestures to himself, he's by his mouth shut. I'm going to tie this end of the rope to this tree. You are not to approach the princess. If you do, you'll soon know what it looks like to see your head rolling on the floor, without its shoulders nearby.
00:18:38
Speaker
So, kick-ass that sort of comprehending how you can see his own head rolling in on the ground. Sort of, let's quickly promote, shrugs.
00:18:49
Speaker
Yeah, I'll fix him to a tree and I'll go and inspect the fire.
Urgent Encounters
00:18:52
Speaker
Every now and again just turning to make sure. And Helena will just stand about maybe four foot away from the bards. From the full tour to the road to make sure you can't touch you. Absolutely. And just still keeping her arms on such. So there's a tree nearby and you definitely manage to tie it round one of the low branches, thick branches. He's not very strong looking in this bard so it doesn't look like he's going to try and escape anyway.
00:19:15
Speaker
As you complete the knot, you're trying to give a final glance over to Helena who steps away from this part and you start approaching down the road. As you get closer you realise this is a humanoid figure and it's a small cooking fire and there's a pot stood over the fire. This fire, the flames are very small, this is very much a makeshift fire. All that's there is the
00:19:34
Speaker
the cooking utensils themselves in a figure with a brown hood with their back to you looking down, further down the road whilst tending to the fire as you get within, let's say 30 feet or so then. What time of day is it? It's still mid-morning but it's kind of a grey overcast day. I'll sort of approach the figure from, I think, sort of turn to hear me, I mean moving quite heavy on it. It kind of turned to you at all.
00:20:04
Speaker
Good morning. You see the back of the figure start to stiffen a little bit and then the head turn around and you see the face of a human. He looks at you. Good morning. Who are you? What the fuck are you doing here? My name is... Jones. Are you quite alright? Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. I'm just on this road, aren't I? Just going to... going to Goldview, I guess.
00:20:33
Speaker
What are you doing here? Oh, I'm just on a patrol. He kind of looks down over your shoulder past you. Who's the prisoner? One of those from Dralak. Seemed to have crossed the borders. Dralak up here. Oh, good luck with him anyway. Now listen, how far is it to gold, usually? I haven't been in years now, I've forgotten.
00:20:59
Speaker
I thought what's going on? You've... What is your business here? In Goldview? I need to get to Goldview. I need to get on a ship. You see? I need to fuck off.
00:21:12
Speaker
I need to get out of sleep guard. I've been told to leave so I'm fucking leaving. Who's told you to leave? Listen mate, no offence, it's no fucking business to be honest. But, you know what? And he quickly lifts the watch, puts it out, starts to pick up his things. As he picks up his things, one of his statues falls open and you see just a load of bits of paper and rolled up scrolls all kind of tip out of his bag. Oh for fuck's sake! And he starts picking them up. I'll go down and start and make a reachable one.
00:21:39
Speaker
And he's going to kind of snatch for the same one that you're going for. What are you doing? What are you doing? What is the nature of these scrolls? They're just fucking maps, all right? Look, and he rolls one out, and you can see this is a small map of Drolak. Just fucking maps. It opens up another one. This is a larger one. The last one, he goes like, see? He just pulls out, and this is a huge, long scroll of a map, which is the entire map of the realm of Eryth. He rolls it back up.
00:22:03
Speaker
We'll have more, but... Where have you come from, cartographer? I've come from Evershire. He's putting them into his bag. You've come from Evershire and you wish to leave Sleepguard? Yeah, and I'm going out via Goldview. It's the only way out past the Blight, and I'm not going Drolak. And we're going also in Islands, either. You must know, I've seen I need to change myself, and so I've seen I must leave.
00:22:31
Speaker
Tell me your name, traveller, and I will give you heading towards Goldview. It's Kelsan, if you must fucking know. Now, where am I going? Head down that road. Do not speak to that prisoner nor the prisoner's guard. That prisoner is of vital importance to the Crown. Thank you. And he's going to give you a nod. Put a satchel onto his back and start walking down the road.
00:22:56
Speaker
As he does walk past, he approaches you, Helena, and you, Karstam. Is there anything you want to do? You see this figure, this man, but you do notice from this man is he walks through the kind of sleepy rain that's falling. There is like a slight ambient glow to him, just in general. His demeanor doesn't tell you that because he looks distraught, he looks haunted, but he has this kind of light.
00:23:25
Speaker
low it seems to emanate off his body as he starts to approach. He looks up to you, kind of glances at your eyes and then continues walking and doesn't even make contact, eye contact with Karsten. Hello! And I was told not to talk to you. It's not turning but he slowed down his pace. Oh! Traveller, show me your face. And he stops. And he looks directly at you with a concerned look on his face.
00:23:55
Speaker
Yes, madam. It's your Royal Highness, if you must know. Oh, fuck. I knew I was going to end this way. I'm sorry. Your Royal Highness, I do apologise. What do you mean end this way? What, you know, death? I'm not going to kill you, traveller. I'm curious. You have a certain aura about you. Aye, madam, I do. It's, um...
00:24:21
Speaker
I'm not fully Cuban, that's why I am by ASMR, your highness. I don't normally like to talk about it, and I don't normally like to tell people, but as you are a royalty madam, and I have had a slight change of moral compass recently, so to speak. Why the fuck not? Excuse me, why the hell not? Excuse me, why not? Where, may I ask madam, you are going?
00:24:49
Speaker
Uh, we are... I must really see you outside of Goldview. No, we have our own, um... Mission! Thank you, Bard. We have our own mission. Uh, where are you heading? More importantly. I'm going back to Goldview. You're all honest, and then I am on the nearest ship off back to Obsidia, back away from Sleepguard, away from the Blight, away from everything, away from those fucking adventurers. And I am going away
00:25:20
Speaker
Really? Just there with me, and she shouts down, would you have stayed there? I would have. Or would you start? No, I would have headed back to where you two are. Okay, so wherever you are, if you'll, you know, find your way I'll shout, if not, I'll just say, you know. Sargent first drop. Assamar, could you share some light? Sorry, the pond, the pond there.
00:25:44
Speaker
as a pun because he glows a little bit, sheds some light. I kind of would check if you had a cast that's heard of them in books. Yeah, would I have heard of them? You would have, sorry, Pelserok you would have heard, cast and you'd have to do a role, a history check. She says this quite quietly by the way because she doesn't want anyone to know that she doesn't know how she's done it.
00:26:09
Speaker
Nineteen. Nineteen. You have read a book on the history of Asamar on the Arithian coast. So you are aware, but you haven't really met any of them before. You didn't realise it was quite glowing. You would know already about the Asamar and tell them you don't know. No. There are beings that have some connection to a realm higher than ours, my lady. This is what this fellow is. Did you not notice? There was something off about him.
00:26:39
Speaker
My lady, if I was to stop and consider everyone who is not human off, it would take me some time to get to where I am each day. Well, fair enough. So, did you tell me your name? Oh. Boy.
00:26:55
Speaker
I didn't. It's Kastan. No, it's not. That's your name. That's your name. Oh my god, I'm not getting my name. Kelsan. That's my name. Sorry. I'm getting confused with your name. It's Kelsan. Thank you. You're a cartographer. I've been in the campaign before. I thought we were fucking able or something.
00:27:23
Speaker
I've come from Ebeshire. So why the change in moral attitude? Well, to be honest, I met some people, there were a fire, then there were another fire and then my shock got burnt down. So luckily I was already leaving because I met someone
00:27:45
Speaker
for with whom I did not see R2I with and then with all my world good possessions being burnt down I wasn't gonna leave and then I thought fuck it I might as well go excuse me you're in the presence of royalty sorry decorum must be respected apologies I haven't been in the good company for quite some time please forgive me it's fine nonetheless a series of fires have taken place in Evershire and
00:28:14
Speaker
I was going to get blamed for them anyway, even though one of them was my shot, so I thought jump the gun and just leave. Is this something that we should be concerned about, Kelso? Could we help at any expense or do we let you on your way? Might lead you I'm not in control of stopping you.
00:28:36
Speaker
I would be very kind to continue on my way. I do appreciate the gesture of listening to my tale though, madam. Sorry, Your Highness, may I trouble any of you for some water, please? I seem to have... I don't know. Yes, sorry, please give him some water. Thank you. While we're doing that, can I check whether Kelton's lying, please? Yes, of course. My passive intel is 21. You beat his role.
00:29:02
Speaker
He seems to be telling... He's on the level, he seems to be very honest in what he's saying. There's too much detail in the right places for it to be a good... Okay, cool, okay, that's fine. Yeah, I'll first of all hand him a water skin under the orders of Helena. Thank you, my lord. Did I hear you say you're going back to the Sanguine Lands? Yes, back to Obsidianus, all right.
00:29:32
Speaker
Can I write that to my mum? How long is this going to take? Not long. I'm a quick writer. Your highness does it not seem odd that we can go an entire lifetime without meeting a single person from the San Green Lands. And now we're in the company of two individuals of the San Green Lands. Technically, I'm not from there. I'm just going there. You know what I'm saying, you know? You've never met a San Green person then all of a sudden to a long colour once. What for? Two for you?
00:29:59
Speaker
What is your
Mission Insights and Group Tensions
00:30:00
Speaker
order? I don't talk to many people. I think you should get this letter done. Pass it to them. Can't I prefer? Yes. And then we'll be on our way. I do apologize for holding you up, my liege. My Highness. Your Highness. The Highness. Oh gosh, I'm sorry. The Royal Highness! Thank you, Lord.
00:30:22
Speaker
And whilst Karsten is writing the letter awkwardly, still there's hands. No, I will untie him. But I will then draw for the first time. Well, I'll put a hand on my Halliburd, which tastes, it's just about an eight foot, nine foot weapon.
00:30:56
Speaker
It's deep, genuine, deep stan. I like it. I like it as well. It's amazing. He's staying on that. Roll it up.
00:31:07
Speaker
It gets us all caught up, but for your trouble, sir. Appreciate it, bud. Thank you. Oh, so you need to take it to the court in Obsidia and you need to hand it to McPawran, your name, that would be really stupid of me. I was just going to walk off, to be honest. Yeah, well, you need to give it to Alyssia Valhorn, she's a politician. Alyssia Valhorn. Yeah, thanks. He writes on a little bit of paper to remind himself.
00:31:34
Speaker
I know the court area or I'll take it though. Cheers, Kieser. Kieser. I do apologise for holding up, madam. I mean, I know these areas quite well. We're about to give you a heads up on what to expect, the best places to go. This man seemed to set fire to his own shop behind us. Perhaps we do not take orders or any advice from this individual. Someone lit my shop on fire, to be honest. Listen, yes, we're going to Blackmouth. Anything you know about Blackmouth? Yes.
00:32:06
Speaker
particularly think you my lady should please do not point at the princess you he points an elbow instead should be going there particularly they're not keen on you really as a family the royal family at the moment they are yes we can't get past that we've got to go there i have i have a mission i'll just hide your appearance maybe then the rebellion's brewing again it's a repeat before so just be careful but if
00:32:34
Speaker
Well if you do go there's a couple of nice places that you'll see them when you reach there anyway. What are you doing in Blackmouth anyway? Our business is our own. For us to know. Traveller. Right well perhaps you're about to say you're welcome. I feel like I have. Yes we've wasted some time. Some time has been used wisely but others
00:32:53
Speaker
We should just move on, I think. I do apologise. And I will leave you on your way. Thank you. But take care of yourself, Calcern. I hope you find safety. I appreciate it. Thank you, Johannes. And he turns and starts to walk off and stops suddenly in the road. Turns around. One final thing, Johannes. I'm sorry to bother you yet again. What is it? If you go to back mouth and you come across a group of people,
00:33:21
Speaker
You'll know what I'm on about. There's some adventurers, there's a big dragonborn, there's an elf. If you see this group, if you speak to them, could you just say that I'm sorry and I'll try and make it up to them.
00:33:37
Speaker
You do not ask requests of the princess. I apologise. I just thought they might also be helpful in aiding you. Oh, they're very powerful and rather mean, but you seem more powerful. A real dragonborn!
00:33:54
Speaker
Yes, a real dragonborn. He's fucking massive, he's terrifying. He breathes ice and has a little midget man as well, a little gnome one with him as well, and this chaos-looking man with a bow. Anyway, if you see them just... Oh, I know there's an old bloke as well, but if you see them just... I just thought you should know, then... What names do they go by? An assortment. I just don't remember any of them. Right. There aren't many dragonborns around here, you should know. Dragon elf and a midget.
00:34:23
Speaker
Son of a junk! Got it! Anyway, they'll be off on some mission looking for some dagger thing I've said in my phone, whether or not I've found it or not, whatever, but just in case you come across him, I apologise for wasting your time again, and he bangs again, and starts making his way up the road. Good dig, Alison. Toodles!
00:34:50
Speaker
Do we intend to take this one to Blackmouth? Go on. And then she doesn't want to say, she'll just keep walking because she knows that Sargent fells dropped in the handle, so she'll just keep walking. So if the customs get sort of, look at the Sargent sort of, the sort of puppy dog added, please! The robe.
00:35:19
Speaker
This time, goes around your mouth. You may unbind your hands. I'll start walking as well. Can I find such abuses? No, I'm not wearing it. No, I'm not wearing it at all. Goes to the other end and unties it in the tree. Don't stretch it around his neck, so it just toils along.
00:35:47
Speaker
We could travel for quite some time. You can see off, off, off, off, off, off, off, off, off, off, off, off in the distance, you can see the southern road junction which splits up where you would go. North to go to Evershine, straight ahead to go to Blackmouth, it's kind of T-junction. This is quite some way off in the distance. As you approach yet another, we were talking a couple of hours, passes in this time. Is there anything you might want to discuss along the way during that time?
00:36:13
Speaker
Perhaps it's time, Your Highness, to don your obsidianist helmet. That traveller, although suspicious, Blackmouth is not the most pleasant place for us to be. Perhaps appearing as members not of the royal family, but members of something else, might give us less of an attention as we enter. Yes, I would agree.
00:36:37
Speaker
Yes, and she puts on her. But cast them, sort of, leaning forward. I mean, I've got some makeup in the bag, if you want to change what you've got in mind. You will not be putting any cosmetics on the princess today. All right. What you do with your own time is your doing. So if you want to film your own little... About what I said, that rope around the mouth. Doesn't seem to be fixed. Here, let me tighten it.
00:37:03
Speaker
and I'll proceed and I'll proper make it into a non-audible gag around my mouth. You're gagging then? Yeah. Are you going to try and stop him? Are you? How? How? So, that's a good form, doesn't it? No, for this in a while, my safe word, spatula. Oh, God. That needs to be on a t-shirt. That's amazing. Oh, really? Spatula. I want to make a note of that. Yep.
00:37:35
Speaker
If I take off my royal robes, do I have the armor to put over the top? But was she wearing Obsidianis armor anyway? Yes. So it's more a case of covering your face by putting the Obsidianis helmet on. And you've probably got some kind of shoulder sash which is of
00:38:01
Speaker
We have got a back, right? Yeah, I'll be probably carrying a lot of the heavier stuff that you've got. So yeah, I'll still have my armor on, my flail and my shield, and I'll put my helmet on.
00:38:16
Speaker
Sorry, what did you say? Sarge, can you just take that off while he just... There might be something important. I reluctantly walk up and just move it in a couple of inches so he can at least get a couple of... I said, I can't show the road if you don't want him trying everything.
00:38:39
Speaker
Thank you. You will not be carrying the princess's personal effects. Well, it was nice- I have spoken. Of him to a, um, it was nice of him to offer. Poor eye, and he sort of pulls down the road back over his mouth, gives him a thumbs up. Brilliant. So as you continue down this
Graveyard Mystery
00:38:56
Speaker
path,
00:38:56
Speaker
Again, the silence finally actually being true this time. We continue walking in silence with Karstand quiet and the two of you out in front keeping an eye on the path of the front. You do notice in front of this, there's a couple of mini hills before you get to this junction, the road, you do start to see a small plume of black smoke rising from off to the north, which is to your right as you're walking. It's not a big plume, it's just a very thin trickle. It doesn't look like it would be from a fire, because it's black smoke, it seems,
00:39:29
Speaker
People at this time know how to use a fire, so black smoke usually means something's burning, and you would both, all three of you, would be aware of that. So it would involve leaving the path slightly, but there is this, or we can carry on straight up to... What are your orders, Your Highness? I don't think that looks very safe. I think we should investigate. But maybe someone might need us, or need help.
00:39:55
Speaker
Half-time is furiously nodding. This is an adventure. Who knows what that could be? He's furiously nodding in agreement. Listen, there might be lives at stake here, Bard. So if you're thinking that this is part of your story, you might be wrong. So he's sort of shaking it over. We're not part of the story, nodding. And sort of more somber nodding now. Oh, yeah. I'll walk up and I'll grab the ropes there around his mouth and pull them in. So it's just pulling this human.
00:40:24
Speaker
Yeah, you must practice silence for the next few moments. Okay, yeah, yeah. And I'm pulled down, so you're no longer bound in any way. Show your respect. When we enter- Give another bow. Give it to me. When we enter this situation, we don't know who's there, what's happening, okay? Yeah, right. Right, and if people are not in a very fit state, I do not want to see your
00:40:53
Speaker
Quill and your parchment, and you writing furiously. Okay, okay, no writing. Can I come? It's not the word. No. Okay, okay. Just wanted to set and work out the baseline. Cheers. Right, and then she'll lead the way. Do I please draw on my lady?
00:41:11
Speaker
yes absolutely and yeah i'll reach when this calamitous halberd comes out two-handed job in front of me calamitous what a great word yeah and you've got your flail drawn as well so can i have two of my flails out at the same time yes so but that means i have to put my shield yes so then which would mean you're acey with that one so it's 20 so it's 21 double flail well they're getting their weapon they'll cast a sort of
00:41:51
Speaker
And as we walk across this sodden, barren land, it takes you up quite a deep, steep incline up a small hill off to the north. As you walk up, as you just reach the crest of this, you notice it kind of bottoms out into almost like a bowl, almost like something's been taken out of the ground long ago there. But it's all been must over and covered over. There's nothing there now. And it comes up on the other side. What you see right to the middle of this, though, is a cart.
00:41:55
Speaker
having had his one weapon his quill denied him by these heartless travellers.
00:42:16
Speaker
This cart is covered in scorch marks and is where this little bit of black smoke has been coming from. You also notice a body lying just alongside this cart and you're probably about 50 feet away at this point. It looks like the body of a humanoid. That's all you can really tell from this distance. I think it's an ambush, my lady. Do you think it has anything to do with our travel element? Not this one, obviously.
00:42:41
Speaker
Anything is possible at this stage. Would you like me to inspect the body? Yes. I mean, if you want to watch out, I don't mind going forward and doing it for you. Have you ever seen an ambush? A dead body? I've read about it in a book. Yes, I'm going to say no. You can stay here. OK, cool. OK? OK, yeah, yeah.
00:43:02
Speaker
and then get out and go and inspect on Helena's behalf. Okay, so as you had done, can you give me an inspection check? Yeah, 17. What's the name of it? An inspection check. It's an offset inspection check.
00:43:16
Speaker
Now, as you get close to this cart, you can start to get this weird rotten smell. Smells like rotting wood. And as you notice, parts of the cart have rotted, which seems very odd because other parts of this cart are almost brand new. There are areas of scorchers and areas of rot, and then there's areas of just normal cart. This seems a very odd combination. You notice a body lying on the floor in front of you.
00:43:50
Speaker
quite substantially, almost as if she's been rolled in dirt and moss of the recent area around. As you inspect her more closely, you can see her chest rising and falling. She seems to be unconscious. Are the robes question, are the robes anything that we know? Like do they come from a certain family or area? Yes, you might need to get closer and get to
00:44:18
Speaker
He's like, looking around, can I perceive there being anybody else here that we can't see? Give me, what, you've got a natural perception of 26. 26, my God, William. Yes, you can. I see that well. You see, telling itself, you may not have been in an ambush before, we might have been, even out of respect, but you know sounds, I think noise.
00:44:45
Speaker
And as you kind of hold your breath and be quiet, and as much as it pains you, you really tune into the sounds of the damp ground around you, to hear if there any clanks, any clicks, any noises that are outside of the ordinary. And your eyes are also scaling the horizon as round as well. Nothing.
00:45:02
Speaker
As far as you're aware, the four of you, including the body that is, are the only beings for quite some time. Probably the closest, aside from that, would be Kelsan heading up the road, and that was hours ago by now. So as far as you're aware, you are alone in this situation. Okay. You there. Noisy one. And Kelsan talked gesture to himself? You've given it all with medicinal arts. A sort of gesture, sort of in a sort of...
00:45:31
Speaker
sort of kind of way. Perhaps you could take a look at this. That sort of trots over. What's going on? What have you found? This person's breathing, my lady, but not conscious. Where is she from? I don't know. So, Helena will go up, cautiously, but closer to see if she can come up to see her shot. So you see this body lying there. Can you make a history check for me?
00:46:03
Speaker
Ten. Ten? That's fine. Because you're quite easy to remember this. You recognise the rose as that of a priest of teriyani. Or priestess.
00:46:21
Speaker
You recognise the sigil. You recognise the colour and style of the robes. You do not recognise the person. You do also realise that the Vostrop has spoken true and that she is still breathing. Yes. We need to save her. Do a medicine check to see what's wrong with her, other than that she's unconscious. Yeah, absolutely. Ah, man. Natural one. OK. You are almost certain
00:46:48
Speaker
The reason she is unconscious is because she went climbing and has bumped her head, Humpty Dumpty style, falling off this quite soft hill, not very hard, but you think this is a brain problem, this is a head problem. I think, in my medical opinion, and sort of having rows in her eyes, I think she's got a hurt head. Sorry. I hurt.
00:47:17
Speaker
She's got a hurty head. Sergeant, can you tie him up again, please? We cannot have him clattering around, looking at this... This is precious. We need to save her. We can't have him around. We need to work quickly. Come on.
00:47:36
Speaker
As you are, ready? And I'm going to pin you against this nearby upright structure. It's the car. I'm going to just pick you up and sit you on the car. And then we'll go back and I'm going to attempt CPR. Give you a medicine check, please.
00:48:02
Speaker
Absolutely, so a couple of chest compressions and one breath in the mouth later she kind of coughs, takes a big breath in as her eyes, big blue eyes open and she kind of looks up at you all, hello? Hello, what happened here? I don't, I can't remember really, we got any water, sorry. Yes, give us some water.
00:48:31
Speaker
Passeros, another skin. Would you take a sip? Oh, thank you. I set myself up. Thank you so much. Do you know where you are? Yes, we're not far from where I thought I was.
Priestess's Revelation
00:48:47
Speaker
I look after a graveyard just north of here. I was travelling to Blackmouth to gather some supplies and
00:48:56
Speaker
and was hit by, I don't know what it was, this noise, and this flame. And cut off of like, whole heaven. Not me! No, I know it's like a cracker, a screamer. It didn't seem human, it didn't seem real. And all of a sudden, we were rolling and my cart lost control, my horses bolted, and this is where I must have ended up. Yes, we saw the smoke, we thought someone might be in danger. We came straight away.
00:49:26
Speaker
and she kind of actually takes you in for the first time, Helena, and looks at your... Is your helmet still on? Yes, good question. Thank you, kind soldier. I do appreciate your concern to me. Both of you. All three of you. Sorry. Apologies, man. No problem. I tried to help. Good. Oh, and she kind of stands up at this point, kind of aching a little bit. Oh, looked at the car. Oh no. What's... What were you travelling with? What were you...
00:49:56
Speaker
Were there stock in here? No, I was travelling soldier to the Blackmouth to gather supplies. I'm just out of food and water. I was going to grab supplies to take them back to my home. Well, excuse me, but I recognise your robes. You're a priest, doesn't tell you anything, right? I just cracked my child, yes. And she takes off her helmet. And she instantly bows her head. You're highest!
00:50:23
Speaker
Please apologize for my decorum earlier. I don't know if it's you. No, don't apologize. I had my helmet on. You couldn't have possibly known. Well, let me introduce myself. I am Shih Illah. I am one of the priests in the southern area of sleep guard for Tyrianne. I clearly thank you for saving me and that Tyrianne has you in her greatest thoughts. It's my pleasure.
00:50:53
Speaker
We didn't know. We were walking to Blackmouth ourselves and we saw the smoke. There was dark, thick smoke coming from above the trees and we noticed it. So we decided to investigate. Yes, good. This is, as was foretold, I've spoken with a voice of Terriani and she mentioned, your coming, mentioned the coming of royalty. Now, I know what you seek.
00:51:23
Speaker
I know where you aim to be in black math and what it is you're looking for, but I must ask, I do not wish to hold you at your hands and your highness, but my home is next to the obelisk I look after. I tend to the graves of those priestesses and priests
00:51:49
Speaker
I didn't want to bother you as I was not aware of your role or who you really were, but there is a problem there. I wasn't getting supplies, I was leaving. I have nothing except this cart, so I was leaving with the cart. There is a presence there. What do you mean, a presence? I believe that whatever attacked me on the road is what has come out of the mausoleum in the graveyard.
00:52:20
Speaker
doing all of this while they're all focused on her. Carter's looking particularly excited. If anyone looks back though, he'll switch to a somber sort of expression. He's looking especially excited at this nude. But when people look at something, yes. He's got quite a somber expression on his face. Lovely. Phil's truck will be looking quite concerned at this point. And we'll lean in closer to the priestess. And we'll try and speak quite calmly.
00:52:51
Speaker
Or is it the dead? Sir, I believe so. I have worked for some time on elements of the blood, the rot in the ground and how it affects people through water. And this site for some reason has been targeted and the ground is blackening.
00:53:14
Speaker
I was to Blackmouth for help, to speak with hard grief there and ask for assistance, or to at least speak to someone from the hailstorm surge, or the academy for that matter. But yes, I believe it is an area of the undead. This creature has smashed one of the mausoleums. And I was very aware that if I stayed one more night,
00:53:44
Speaker
It would come for me. As much as I prayed, Your Highness, and as much as I looked for Terriani, I knew this was a decision that I had to make myself as a human. Does Terriani know about this incident? Can you report back to her? Terriani knows all about it. She is more than aware, I'm sure, but her mind is elsewhere. But if we hadn't have saved you, then who would?
00:54:08
Speaker
kind of tears start to form in her eyes. I don't know. I hoped the Blackmouth rebels, I hoped the hailstorm surge, I just hoped, and I had faith that someone would, and here you are. We did, so don't, yes, don't worry yourself, okay? It's fine now. What will be, when we've got to the bottom of this, we, should we investigate the mausoleum?
00:54:38
Speaker
First of all, knowledge what you're saying and then we'll look to the priestess. Consider your part in this tale over. You sent yourself out to find help, help you have found. I encourage you to head south. Go to Goldview. Be safe.
00:54:58
Speaker
Yes sir. Thank you. Thank you all of you for your help. And she quickly looks over the cart and grabs as a small satchel partially burned. She kind of taps off and nods her head and puts it on her back. What can't someone do after doing that?
00:55:13
Speaker
Let me help, let me help, let me help! And he will sort of touch the bag and he will cast mending on it. And instantly you see from Kastan's hands that as he lays his hands upon the bag, the bag almost the fibres themselves start to kind of etch across one another and form up a patch across the gap that has been in the bag. She looks, there you go! Your magic is well used, good bud. Thank you. Put it on the bag. Finally.
00:55:40
Speaker
Thank you to both of you. Your Highness, Sir, I wish you all the luck and faith in the world. Helena reaches out and puts her hand on her hand, the priestess' hand, and says, um, be safe. Teryonni is with us. Always.
00:55:58
Speaker
and she gives you one final bow, nods towards Velstorok, and then starts to walk up the ridge you came from, moving south towards, join the path, so to walk, to join the road, apologies, and then take the road left, and you can imagine she goes that way, or we don't know, or she disappears out of you, and you're left with this now kind of smoldering cart on the three of you. What do you want to do? This graveyard, I do not think that it's wise for the three of us
00:56:28
Speaker
to investigate it alone. But surely, I mean, if there is a danger to the kingdom, we owe it to the people to invest it. All us three are more enough for whatever pitiful, plain enemy is before us. Surely.
00:56:49
Speaker
Now Lady, I believe you should listen to my council over the council of this newly acquired Ingrid. Well I think the only problem here is that you've just read too many books. You haven't lived but you don't know the consequences. You probably don't know your strength or your
00:57:09
Speaker
I mean, I've studied, I've been trained, I know how to use my abilities...
Debating the Graveyard Investigation
00:57:15
Speaker
You said she had a hurty head! She was what? I didn't say I was a medical expert! You can see my point. Blackmouth. What do you suggest, sir? How do we get more numbers? I mean...
00:57:34
Speaker
Surely, though, the danger will grow exponentially if we leave it unattended. Surely we should at least check it out. Well, I would have thought we need to investigate, but I don't want to be popping to and from. We do have places to go. We need to sort it, but if you don't think that we have the amount of people here, then we need more women.
00:58:03
Speaker
I am suspicious of you, Bard. I'm sorry. You are with us now. We need to investigate this graveyard. And you seem quite adamant that we should. I think we owe it to the people. My lady, I say we tie the Bard to the tree and leave. I don't agree with you. He's a living thing. He needs to not be tied to trees. To the cart, then.
00:58:33
Speaker
No, we need to just get him somewhere by the way. He can leave us, and we know at least he's safe. I follow your orders, my lady. Right. He's coming with us. And where do we head? How far is the mausoleum? I think I understood where she was pointing. Is it on our way, or do we have to revert? It's in a direction that isn't completely out of our way. I don't think it's far.
00:59:03
Speaker
then let's just keep on and we shall investigate. Maybe. I haven't yet decided. Let's just walk. Now, come as you start. And as you start to make your way out of this basin, this bowl with this broken cart, you can now very clearly see the tracks where it kind of came cascading off into the stitch where it came to rest. As you approach the other side of this,
00:59:34
Speaker
what a better kind of basin, you go in the direction that Velstrup is pointing and you make your way through this open field to the north, kind of these rolling round ebbs and flows and finally you reach the crest of this hill and as you look over it you notice the ground seems to flatten off below me slightly to the north and you can see to the kind of
00:59:57
Speaker
front right and northeast from where you are you can see quite clearly now the shape and outline of the shadowview forest to the right but in front of you you do see this what this priestess must have been talking about this graveyard below you can see a small obelisk probably about 20 or 30 feet high so smaller than most of the religious statues and monuments you see in gold for you
01:00:23
Speaker
around it is a relatively simple graveyard from where you know the graves are close together and ancient, each is
01:00:36
Speaker
You assume there's probably going to be writing on it, but from this distance you wouldn't be able to read it. You can see four major structures dotted around the space. What you can see are three, what should be three mausoleums, larger sets of larger buildings stuck out of the ground where you would store the dead. And these are white, almost marble-esque material, and there's three of them dotted in almost a triangle around the central obelisk.
01:01:09
Speaker
is just a crumbling wreck on the ground. In front of this graveyard, so closest to you, you can see a shack. This is a small house made primarily of wood, probably from the forest nearby. You can assume from that that this is probably the house of the priestess and where she was staying. The ground is darker here. As you step forward, you can start to hear the crunch underfoot.
01:01:37
Speaker
but it's muggy and there's a light rain falling, there's a muted silence over the sights of the dead as you start to approach this very still, very odd graveyard. And that's what we're going to leave it for this week's episode. I've got to do Ian's bit now, haven't I? Because he's not here. I feel like I'm cheating on him.
01:02:03
Speaker
I'm loving Helena, she's great. A bit Margaret Thatcher in there. No, it's like I'm watching The Crown. It's like I'm watching The Crown. It's great, it's a really good combination. And we've got Liz. I love it though, I love it though because I think the dumpster is charisma, isn't it? No, not firm. It makes sense that you're this kind of... Yeah, a little bit of half-based. It's great, I love it, I love it. She thought she will develop a flourish.
01:02:32
Speaker
Thank you very much for joining us. Yeah, thanks very much for being here, you guys. Appreciate it. A little bit of a spin off by now, and we'll probably do the same next week. Listen, so you follow, obviously, where we head up with this graveyard. Oh, God, what is he gonna say now? So, thank you very much for listening to us. Thank you very much for listening to the podcast. It means more to us than it does to you, or Sis doesn't like that, doesn't it? It does. And what we scintillate your ears. Scintillate them, indeed. If you want to follow us, you can follow us on Twitter, at Fellowship Table, and if you want to follow us individually, you can do so. You can follow me, at hastedyworldian, you can follow Danny,
01:03:00
Speaker
At Total Party Thrills. Will. At Natural20will. Okay, so you have a Twitter handle already. We did. Which is better than when Danny joined, but he didn't and he was like, insert Twitter handle. Yeah, yeah. So where can we find you on Twitter? It's at unicorncrit. Oh, that's amazing. My die are actually all unicorns. So the crits are unicorns. So yeah, thought it was quite. At unicorncrit. Amazing.
01:03:27
Speaker
And on the sound of an ice cream truck coming down the corner. Till the next time guys. Farewell!
01:03:46
Speaker
Hey! Listen! Do you want to find out more about tabletop and live roleplaying games, but not too sure where to start? Do you want to play a lot of different roleplaying systems, but don't have time to try them all? Do you want to listen to new and exciting adventures, but without the long, boring character creation episodes or filler story arcs? Well, you're in luck. Check out One of My Rolling, a twice-monthly RPG one-shot podcast.
01:04:12
Speaker
available on the website that's www.wairpodcast.com and wherever you listen to podcasts. Remember, adventures need not apply.