Anthony 0:00
Greetings, adventurers and welcome to the Adventure Incorporated Podcast. I am your Dungeon Master, Anthony Reed. This is episode eight, and it is the last part of the New Beginnings story arc. We will be moving on to something new very soon, but first, we must conclude what we began. I of course want to thank our patrons at patreon.com/adventureinc. Without the patrons, cool stuff doesn’t happen, and cool stuff gets to happen, and they get cool stuff in response to all the cool stuff happening. So, go to patreon.com/adventureinc for cool stuff. Cool stuff like bonus episodes. Does that sound cool? Bonus episodes with special guests that we bring on to come and do a fun one-shot with us that’s still in cannon. Fleshes out the world a little bit, but you know, not reliant on the story. If that doesn’t sound super cool-I’m sure it does- but if it doesn’t sound like enough, then also how about you come hang out with us at the Beholder level, and we will go on a journey together as we craft Dungeons & Dragons material on Twitch. I take feedback from the chat. If you’ve ever been to one, you will know, it’s pretty much exclusively feedback from the chat. It’s just just us having a conversation while we designed some cool stuff for the game. It’s a blast, and you should come and join us because you would like it too, I bet. I’m willing to bet. I don’t, you know, know for sure, but you know, come hang out. I do want to just mention that there’s a lot of free stuff that happens on the Twitch: Tavern nights on the third Thursday of every month, as well as things from our other shows. Steph and I do a Survivor podcast, an alternate reality game on the first Friday of every month. Mike and I do Ask the Pokedexpert on most Tuesdays. We’ll say many Tuesdays- half the Tuesdays in a year. When? Which Tuesdays? Well, you have to tune in and find out. Steph does her Shakespeare streams on there as well. There’s all kinds of awesome stuff happening over there on the Twitch, and all you got to do is go over there and follow it and it’ll just let you know when we’re live, and then you’re good to go. You can throw us your fake Bezos money if you’re an Amazon subscriber, which, you know, that’s always great too. We have some awesome fans who come along and do that for us, and we appreciate it, and we would appreciate you as well for doing such a thing. All right, you know what, let’s get started.
Nobles and farmers, knights and scoundrels gather round, gather round to hear a tale of excitement and mystery. Brave adventurers, facing grave dangers.
Belroth, the Ranger.
Belroth 2:51
She’s a grimalkin. That’s understood. No pets allowed. Even though she’s not a pet. I will wait outside. Everyone, if anyone needs anything. I am outside.
Anthony 3:00
Skarpin, the Cleric.
Belroth 3:03
Should I just try and snipe them from over here?
Skarpin 3:06
Yeah, okay. I did say they were as good as dead. I would hate to break my word on our first contract with Adventure Incorporated.
Anthony 3:14
Ellori, the Bard.
Ellori 3:17
We would want you to leave this warehouse.
Anthony 3:20
He points behind you. Church!
Ellori 3:23
Oh, sorry. We want you to leave this church.
Anthony 3:27
Deeran, the wizard.
He say you no, worship Shattered Fang.
Deeran 3:32
Yeah, man. He’s like, super wrong. We love Broken Tooth, uh Shattered Fang, man.
Anthony 3:37
Prepare yourselves, for these are the tales of Adventure Incorporated.
Let’s do some character management, everybody. You all leveled up to level three.
Belroth 3:52
What?! We’re not dead? That’s good, at least.
Deeran 3:57
Well, we don’t know that.
Belroth 3:59
You’re level three and also, roll a new character.
Deeran 4:05
I’m glad you all leveled up. Your hit points are permanently zero. Your movement is zero. You cannot attack. You cannot save.
Anthony 4:17
Death isn’t always the end. That’s all I’ll say about that.
Deeran 4:20
Oh boy.
Skarpin 4:24
Heard that.
Belroth 4:26
Been there. I can go first if we need.
Anthony 4:33
Yeah, why don’t you tell me what your level three looks like, and you know, if you’re making decisions or whatever, that’s fine. We can put a pin in some small decisions or whatever.
Belroth 4:41
I already know what mine is. Level three, I unlock my Ranger Archetype: Beastmaster, the revised Beastmaster which I’m going to be using. The way it normally works is anytime I take a long rest I can summon a Beast of land, sea, or sky, but like Freya is just always going to be Beast of land. Unless we find a reason that would change, right now that’s just how it works. So she’s just gonna use that stat block. I also get to learn a new spell, which I’ll have to decide in a second. Um, and I get a free speak with animals. That’s fun.
Anthony 5:31
It is fun. I love the animals, when we speak with the animals. I can talk to Freya now.
Belroth 5:37
That’s fun.
Anthony 5:39
Cool.
Belroth 5:44
Hey, Freya, what’s going on? ~Uh, hi! I’m uninterested in conversation with you. I’m Anthony!~
Anthony 5:57
~Got any meat? I just eat some meat.~
Belroth 6:03
I gotta pick another spell. I think I might pick Absorb Elements because holy shit! And we’ll go from there.
Deeran 6:12
I became level three. Wizard. I rolled my hit die. I rolled a two. So I will add three hit points to my total because I got a plus one Con. That will bring me to 20 hit points of which before I passed out, I had one. At third level, I also gain two second level spell slots and a first level spell slot, so I guess I will have to pick some smells to learn.
Anthony 6:54
Yeah, that’s a good hefty upgrade.
Belroth 6:58
Level three is like the real game.
Skarpin 7:02
Mike, did you say 30 points?
Deeran 7:05
- Skarpin 7:07
I’ll go. I’m a third level Cleric. Very excited about it. I’m going to get some new spells. I get two second level spells and an additional first level spell. So, I’m excited to start casting some second level stuff. I have 24 hit points.
Anthony 7:27
Cool. Cool. Now, I know that for Ellori this is, I think, a large change for your character, right? Like you get a whole bunch of tweaks at third level.
Ellori 7:39
At third level, I get to choose a Bard College, and I get a couple more spells. I also get to choose an Expertise.
Deeran 7:47
Pick Harvard.
Belroth 7:52
Pick computer science.
Ellori 7:53
I’m gonna pick Harvard to dedicate my entire life to only to switch at the last minute and choose Yale. Good idea. That’s a Gilmore Girls reference.
Anthony 8:04
Yeah. I was gonna say she’s a Bard, so maybe Juilliard is the right choice.
Deeran 8:11
Berkeley.
Ellori 8:18
Okay, so I am choosing the College of Creation. Which is, I don’t know if you want me to like, talk about it?
Anthony 8:29
Um, yeah, I mean we can talk talking about maybe whatever new skills you can do because this is a big level for your character.
Deeran 8:37
Yeah, let’s rap about it.
Anthony 8:39
Yeah, rap about it. If it’s not in a rap, I don’t want to hear it.
Deeran 8:44
Let’s hear some testimonials from the group.
Anthony 8:48
~Beatboxing~
Ellori 8:48
Oh, boy.
Anthony 8:53
I was laying a beat for you.
Belroth 8:55
You were?
Deeran 9:00
You laid something there, bud.
Ellori 9:02
Okay, so I have Mote of Potential. Um, so basically, when I use Bardic Inspiration, it provides an additional effect based on whether the die benefits an Ability Check, Attack Roll, or Saving Throw. So, this is for my clarification as well as my compatriots, I do this Mote of potential, and they get to choose whether they use it on an Attack, Ability, or Saving Throw, and then whatever they choose, it triggers this reaction from the-
Anthony 9:38
Correct. So, my recommendation is going to be that for Deeran, Belroth, and Skarpin they hold on to some card or something that tells them what these bonus effects are, so that it’s not on you to track it. However you choose to use it, you get the d6 plus this bonus effect.
Deeran 10:00
For the next four years, every time I get a Mote of Inspiration, I’m just gonna ask Steph what that means.
Anthony 10:09
I hope you realize that means you’re gonna get it like three times.
Ellori 10:18
~Who should I give inspiration now?~ So basically, if you use it on an ability check, and I’ll type up a little I’ll type up a little thing for y’all. I’ll copy it into something that you can put on your sheet. When using an Ability Check, you can roll the Bardic Inspiration die again and choose which roll to use. When you use it on an Attack Roll the target and each creature of your choice that you can see within five feet of it must succeed on a Constitution Saving Throw against your spell save DC or take Thunder damage equal to the number rolled on the Bardic Inspiration die.
Belroth 10:52
Cool.
Anthony 10:53
That’s pretty cool.
Ellori 10:54
Yeah, and then for a Saving Throw, immediately after you roll and added into a Saving Throw, you gain temporary hit points equal to the number rolled on the Bardic Inspiration die plus your Charisma modifier.
Anthony 11:07
So, we should note in your little write up that you do, those numbers draw from you. So, if Belroth uses the Bardic Inspiration and wants to add it to an attack and does the bonus damage, the numbers that they roll against are your numbers, Ellori, not Belroth’s.
Ellori 11:29
My Spell Save DC and my Charisma Modifier.
Anthony 11:32
Correct.
Belroth 11:33
Cool.
Ellori 11:33
I’ll just put in a plus six or plus whatever. Okay. All right. And then also a third level, I can channel the magic of the Song of Creation to create a non-magical item of my choice in an- oh, I forgot about this, I’m so excited about it- I can create a non-magical item of my choice. Full stop. It has to be medium or smaller, and the GP value of the item can’t be more than 20 times your board level. So it can’t be more than 60 gold. It can’t cost more than 60 gold for right now.
Anthony 12:11
Cool. That’s gonna be interesting.
Belroth 12:13
It’s gonna be fun.
Ellori 12:15
It disappears after a number of hours equal to my proficiency bonus. I also got new spells. I took Heat Metal-
Anthony 12:26
Oh no.
Belroth 12:26
Love Heat Metal
Ellori 12:29
-and Lesser Restoration.
Deeran 12:31
Let’s go, Lester!
Belroth 12:34
Also, Create Item plus Heat Metal!
Ellori 12:40
I mean, the fact that I had my chakram is kind of what I’m like. Oh, just yeah. Someone and then heat metal. I know, it’s so gross.
Anthony 12:54
Oh, I’m the gross one? Okay.
Skarpin 12:59
That’s pretty cool.
Belroth 13:00
That’s rad. That’s really cool.
Ellori 13:03
Yeah, we’ll see.
Belroth 13:06
Don’t worry, nothing’s going to be metal from this point on.
Anthony 13:11
What are you torn on, Deeran?
Deeran 13:14
So, I’m definitely taking Blindness, Deafness. Then I’m trying to figure out what my like, second spell should be, whether it should be another, like, buff debuff, or if it should be a gun spell or if it should be a like, you know-
Ellori 13:44
Be. A. Gun.
Anthony 13:49
Be. A. Gun.
Deeran 13:54
That’s where that’s where my struggle is at. Like, I could take Skywrite, which is a Transmutation spell that allows me to create up to 10 cloud words in the sky.
Belroth 14:12
That’s a good one.
Anthony 14:15
I like the idea that the first time we get Transmutation back on the show, you use it to write in the sky.
Deeran 14:23
~It’s all connected.~ What the fuck?
Anthony 14:29
Do those clouds say “It’s all connected”?
Deeran 14:35
That’s fucking weird.
Anthony 14:36
Wake up, sheeple!
Deeran 14:42
It’s in the water, man.
Anthony 14:45
Oh, God what’s in the water?
Belroth 14:49
I think I’m actually going to take- because Absorb Elements is a melee spell- I’m going to take Fog Cloud.
Anthony 14:56
Hey man, have you been read clouded?
Belroth 14:58
What are we talking about?
Anthony 15:01
I got read clouded the other day about things in the water. You watch yourself!
Belroth 15:05
Oh.
Deeran 15:09
Yeah, I think I’ll take Scorching Ray then.
Anthony 15:11
Yeah, Skywrite is real fucking useless.
Deeran 15:15
Yeah, it’s super stupid.
Anthony 15:17
It’s a nice little like, oh, I have a scroll of sky right for an emergency because I’ll use that spell once ever.
Belroth 15:25
Trapped on a desert island.
Deeran 15:27
If we get a scroll of Skywrite, you know I’m copying that into my spell book.
Belroth 15:33
But then you have to prepare it.
Deeran 15:36
I get to prepare it.
Belroth 15:38
Fair
Deeran 15:41
You’re looking at this all wrong, Rob. You keep using negative words, and I think you mean positive words.
Belroth 15:48
Maybe I don’t want Fog Cloud.
Deeran 15:50
Get Frog Cloud.
Belroth 15:52
Yeah, that’s, that’s the one.
Ellori 15:59
Wow.
Anthony 16:02
You awake to the smell of smoke, heavy in the air. Around you, diffuse light filters in, warming your skin. There is a ringing in your ears. Your head is pounding, and as your eyes begin to focus you are in the same place you were the last time you were conscious.
Belroth 16:40
Oh, that means the spine is in my chest forever. That stinks.
Skarpin 16:54
That won’t have any long term consequences, I’m sure.
Deeran 16:57
Yeah, I’m sure that isn’t going to turn you into a spine monster. That’s fine.
Anthony 17:06
You are in the chamber that you were in in this temple, except some small things have changed. Aside from the now open Rift that is still open in front of you, still pouring energy though not to the same degree that it was before. You can feel the sensation, the pressing coming off of this Rift, but it is not the overwhelming torrent that it was. In addition to that, three quarters of the roof and most of the wall along one side of this room are gone. Just gone. And so are any of the creatures that were here before.
Belroth 17:56
I try and like pick through the rubble to help get everyone- mostly looking for Freya, but really- help everyone get out of whatever we’re covered in. I assume debris.
Deeran 18:16
Was that a Long Rest?
Anthony 18:19
It was a Long Rest.
Ellori 18:20
Okay, so we’re feeling good?
Anthony 18:25
Sure.
Skarpin 18:26
Well.
Anthony 18:31
You have not recovered from any Exhaustion you had.
Belroth 18:33
Oh, that’s annoying.
Deeran 18:42
Oh man.
Ellori 18:45
So, as soon as Ellori like opens her eyes and kind of realizes that where she is still, she’s gonna kind of jump up and like be on a defensive-
Anthony 18:57
Ellori you jump up. And there is a sudden overwhelming hunger that washes over you.
Ellori 19:09
Oh, gosh. And she sits back down.
Deeran 19:16
What’s up? Are you all right?
Ellori 19:18
Um, I’m just, uh, I’m just a little hungry.
Deeran 19:25
Oh, uh. And Deeran checks his pockets. He’s got some crackers. These are like, a little smushed or whatever. They are fucking crumbs, but like he’s got both of his hands like cupped and all the crumbs in them. You can share some with me.
Ellori 19:52
Oh, Deeran, I super appreciate it, but, uh… And she kinda, like opens her mouth, like in a grimace, but to like, remind him gently of her Vampyr fangs.
Deeran 20:10
Oh, all right. And he like crumb-feeds himself, you know. Basically like-
Ellori 20:22
Yes, we’ve all been there.
Belroth 20:23
We’ve all reached to the bottom of a Cheez-It bag and said, I’m not done with you yet.
Deeran 20:30
Yeah. Or opened a brand new Nature Valley granola bar.
Ellori 20:35
Hey, lay off Nature Valley granola bars.
Belroth 20:38
I will not.
Anthony 20:38
I guess this is just a tongue in my hand meal.
Ellori 20:45
You know what I do when I open up a Nature Valley granola bar?
Anthony 20:48
The same thing everyone else does.
Ellori 20:51
I break it up into smaller pieces-
Anthony 20:53
How?
Belroth 20:53
And then I flushed it down to toilet.
Anthony 20:57
How do you get it smaller?
Deeran 21:00
Sprinkle it out for the birds.
Anthony 21:02
Fuck them!
Ellori 21:02
If I’m making it disappointing myself then I only have myself to blame.
Deeran 21:16
I was gonna say, you know what use code adventureinc on Nature Valley check out.
Anthony 21:24
You know what? Nature Valley prove me wrong: send me a shitload of your granola bars, and I’ll take pictures of opening them. I’ll do unboxing videos.
Belroth 21:33
Crumbs everywhere. Somehow expels from the box.
Deeran 21:41
Yeah, that is this month’s $10 Patron content. Tune in to watch us open Nature Valley granola bars.
Anthony 21:47
Whoa, I don’t want to- well, ok you can. I don’t wanna go get any Nature Valley for this.
Ellori 21:52
We have a whole box-
Deeran 21:54
Shhh
Ellori 21:54
-because I’m being unironic when I say that I exclusively eat Nature Valley granola bars.
Deeran 22:00
Spoilers. No, we need your $10 to buy them. Help!
Anthony 22:09
Okay.
Belroth 22:10
Nature Valley: no one knows why it’s together.
Anthony 22:16
All right, what’s happening?
Belroth 22:17
Um, Belroth is surveying the room. So this Rift is still open?
Anthony 22:25
Yes.
Belroth 22:26
Oh boy.
Skarpin 22:32
During this time period, you said that they had these fitful dreams. Does Skarpin see any images in his head? Is he dreaming?
Anthony 22:42
You also have fitful dreams during that time, Skarpin. It is the first time you have dreamt in a long time.
Skarpin 22:48
Yeah. So, Skarpin is just sitting up, just pretty quiet. And he’s just like, oh wow. He’s just looking around, just thinking, just being like, oh shit, this is big.
Deeran 23:04
Yeah, so Deeran would like to do an Arcana Check on the Rift to try to figure out anything about it using the runes. He checks his skin for the embedded stones to see if there’s anything like magical about those that he can sort of piece together what he might be looking at. That’s a 16.
Anthony 23:38
Make for me also a History Check.
Belroth 23:41
Oh, God.
Deeran 23:42
Okay. Make for me also… That’s a 7.
Anthony 23:51
You look at this shimmering gateway, and you recognize that that is what it is. This is a gateway to somewhere else, right? It is not even that dissimilar to the gate you came here from using the Travel Stones, except that when you look at this, you can tell that the magic of it is that almost like an absence like a like a void, but it seems to be a means of travel to someplace. You also, by looking at it, you have the sensation that this isn’t a real welcoming thing. And that it It may not be like a nice two way street.
Deeran 24:48
Sure. Are there still runes around the outside of it?
Anthony 24:54
No, everything about that circle of stone is gone, crumbled away, shattered, and destroyed. There are still runes, parts of runes from the stones that have embedded themselves in your skin.
Deeran 25:14
Anthony, do I recognize them as being like pieces of Deep Magic text or any, given that I have the ability to decode information from the Deep Magics.
Anthony 25:33
Given that, no.
Belroth 25:35
Okay, Anthony, is there anything from tiefling lore or history that I might be able to suss out about this specific chamber?
Anthony 25:50
Give me a History Check it Advantage.
Belroth 25:52
Hey, what’s up? Ooo, in a parallel universe, no. In this universe, a natural 20 I rolled a 1 and a 20.
Skarpin 26:04
What are the chances?
Belroth 26:05
- Anthony 26:07
Okay. This stone, the circular stone at the back of this room that is now shattered and destroyed, that is known as the Demon Stone. It is what this temple was built to protect. As far as the legends and lore of your people goes, this temple has protected that since the beginning of time. This has always been the tieflings purview, and the purview of the Demon Isles has been to protect this stone, and it has gone.
Belroth 26:48
Is it just completely gone or destroyed, rather, like there’s pieces of it?
Anthony 26:53
No, no, every piece of it that was over this circle is gone. You also know that there is some lore that speaks of the old days, and in the old days, the runes would glow and the stones were glowing like the gemstones that were embedded in it were glowing. And that those days, most people don’t really even believe that anymore. It’s just like theology, but they’re definitely not glowing now.
Belroth 27:25
Okay. I mean, I relay this immediately to my compatriots and kind of look right at the Demon Stone, horrified.
Anthony 27:37
Ellori, there is still a pounding hunger within you.
Ellori 27:43
Yeah. All right, so I think that we should leave here immediately and maybe see what’s happening outside, maybe see if those six scary figures have taken over the world while we were sleeping or something. If they have then maybe, maybe I can just find a nice snack or anything. Yeah, they’re probably important, but like if the world is done and gone, I still would like to eat.
Skarpin 28:30
Let’s get you fed, Ellori.
Ellori 28:32
Like, I don’t even care what it is. I will eat. I will eat anything that’s got blood in it.
Skarpin 28:40
Yes.
Ellori 28:41
Unless it’s those black-blood monsters that we were facing earlier because that was not… that’s not going to help me.
Skarpin 28:50
I know what you mean. Skarpin gets up and quickly examines the void and tries to see if- like, he knows he’s examined this magic and feels this void, but knowing now that it inserted dreams into his head. He tries to use any sort of familiarity with the Dreamscape and Dream Magic to see if there’s any connection to this type of magic here.
Anthony 29:22
So, it’s an Arcana you’re doing?
Skarpin 29:30
Yeah, Arcana. He gets a 16.
Anthony 29:37
As you contemplate this place, this Rift with your focus on your magic of dreams, you try and feel that connection to it. It is all almost like you’re blocked from the dreamscape, like you normally would be able to feel it, because it is just flooded with these images, these sounds, and these feelings that these dark sinister dreams have just drowned out the Dreamscape.
Skarpin 30:32
I’m ready to leave as well. Deeran, Belroth- Belroth did you find Freya?
Anthony 30:40
Belroth, you find Freya and she has a look on her face that- you know you’re really starting to be able to interpret what she is feeling, and she almost looks embarrassed
Belroth 30:58
Oh, baby come here and gives her a big hug.
Anthony 31:04
And as you do she makes eye contact with you, there is a determination on her face.
Belroth 31:11
You did good. You did very good. He pulls out like a little Freya snack which is the last bit of jerky that’s now covered in ceiling dust, I guess, and gives her a little treat
Anthony 31:28
She turns away from it.
Belroth 31:31
Don’t. You deserve this. Oh do you not? Oh, sorry. I see, I see. He blows off the dust.
Deeran 31:41
If she doesn’t want it, man, I’ll eat it.
Anthony 31:49
She begrudgingly takes it.
Deeran 31:56
Deeran makes like a jealous face at Freya.
Anthony 31:58
Oh she looks at you while she eats it.
Belroth 32:05
Belroth tries to grab any piece of the Demon Stone that might be left to bring with him.
Anthony 32:13
Okay, yeah, you grab a fragment of it. Maybe the biggest fragment you can find it’s like, a tea saucer plate, right, that’s the biggest fragment you can find.
Belroth 32:28
Okay.
Skarpin 32:30
Do we see any direct way we can just walk out of here?
Anthony 32:35
Yeah, I mean there’s a giant hole in the wall.
Skarpin 32:38
I didn’t know if it was up high or something.
Anthony 32:41
No, no it’s right to the floor. It has all crumbled away. You could also go back the way you came if you were so inclined, but there is just an opening to the outside.
Skarpin 32:53
Let’s head out this way.
Ellori 32:56
Okay, and everybody please, please everybody keep your eyes open for…anything alive. Like an animal.
Belroth 33:10
Belroth puts a hand on Freya protectively.
Skarpin 33:18
What do we see as we leave?
Anthony 33:20
Yeah, you step out of this chamber, and look down at the city below, half of which is rubble. The rest, smoldering smoking remains. Most of the city is destroyed. Everything that was within the field of this ritual seems to have largely been destroyed. The spaces beyond that, some of them are still intact. You can see people moving about down here. Mostly, it seems like people are trying to gather their things and go. This is not a hospitable place, especially with energy still coming off of the Rift.
Belroth 34:08
When we leave is there still that exhaustion energy pouring out?
Anthony 34:14
Energy is still coming out. It is nowhere near the rate or the pace that it was coming out before.
Belroth 34:20
Okay.
Anthony 34:21
But it is still pouring out into this place.
Skarpin 34:28
Did any of y’all see something weird while you were out. I haven’t seen images-I haven’t had dreams in a long time. Did any of you experience anything weird?
Ellori 34:42
Oh, well, I had this one dream that I was back in Naiah, and instead of my grandma, it was the scary lady with the gray skin and the all buttoned up, and she came over to me, and she said, “Ellori you will never be successful. You’ll never make your parents proud, and you are going to be the worst leader of this village has ever seen”, and basically just made me feel really bad for a while and then you know, as the dreams go, she kind of transformed into a goat. And then the goat was bah-ing at me and then nudging me with its nose. And after that was happening, it kind of like, the world around me blurred out a little bit and I found myself just in a tavern that I was drinking in, and I was alone, and I was afraid and then I looked to my side and the goat was still there next to me-
Skarpin 35:36
Ellori. Ellori, you’re not gonna believe it. I had the same exact dream. Except this lady was just staring at me sternly, and I was very afraid of her. None of the other stuff happened, but the same person! Okay, so-
Ellori 35:58
Deeran, Belroth, did you see her?
Deeran 36:01
I don’t really dream that much, man.
Belroth 36:03
I remember seeing a very scary lady. I don’t often remember my dreams. I do believe that there was also a goat in my dream. If I’m being honest, there was definitely a goat my dream. I don’t remember the context.
Skarpin 36:17
Skarpin just looks at Deeran when he says that and just like-
Deeran 36:22
No, like, I’m sure, like I dream, you know because, like sometimes my legs kick out, kind of weird, but like, afterward I don’t remember them. Anthony Deeran tries to remember his dream, now.
Anthony 36:36
You definitely remember having dark and unsettling dreams, right? If you don’t recall, you don’t recall, man. That’s just dreams. That’s how they work sometimes.
Deeran 36:52
Yeah, man like if everybody else had dreams, I’m sure I like also had dreams or whatever.
Anthony 37:00
Oh, I had such bad dreams last night. Oh, really, about what? I don’t know. They were bad though.
Belroth 37:04
That sounds about right.
Deeran 37:07
Okay, uh, rude.
Skarpin 37:12
Okay.
Deeran 37:12
Yeah, man, I just remember like waking up like feeling gross, you know?
Skarpin 37:17
Okay, but yeah, you have dreams in general. Okay. Clarifying.
Ellori 37:26
You know, Deeran, the leg thing is- maybe sometimes if you’ve had maybe a relaxing day and you didn’t get your exercise enough throughout the day- you always want to make sure you’re stretching before bed so that all your muscles are engaged and ready to relax as well as you are. That way maybe you won’t be kicking so much in your sleep.
Deeran 37:47
What if like, instead of doing all that, like my body just quit being a jerk?
Ellori 37:54
Okay, ouch.
Deeran 37:58
You know, like I just like, I don’t want to do any of that. Like, some days I just want to not do nothing and then be able to sleep good.
Ellori 38:08
There are plants for that.
Skarpin 38:14
Dude, I could help you out with that, too. Skarpin’s looking around for stray animals running around.
Ellori 38:27
Saaame.
Anthony 38:28
Okay, why don’t the two of you give me Nature checks?
Ellori 38:34
Nooo, I got a 2. I’m so hungry.
Skarpin 38:38
Skarpin’s on top of it. He got an 18.
Anthony 38:43
I really love the idea that Ellori has been complaining about how hungry she is. Skarpin, who is also always hungry, he finds like a cat- he’s stuffed it in his face before she could even know about it. It’s gone.
Skarpin 38:57
I feel like after the second cat to, like the third cat, he’s successfully trapped it under his shell, then he goes to get Ellori.
Anthony 39:07
Hey man, you made one roll, all right.
Skarpin 39:15
All right, 14.
Ellori 39:16
Ellori’s, like been going more and more into detail about her dream.
Deeran 39:22
Man, that sounds really bad.
Ellori 39:24
It was especially crazy when the goat just downed his ale and one sip. I was pretty impressed. I can’t do that. I take little tiny baby sips
Skarpin 39:33
Is Skarpin the creature from The Shape of Water, because you just ate a cat, like whole? That’s all I can think of.
Deeran 39:41
I just pictured Alf.
Anthony 39:44
I think between Skarpin- somewhere between Alf and Doug Jones, great. So, Skarpin and Ellori, between the two of you, you manage to track down, like 4 rats, Ellori and you extract enough from 4 rats that it sates you for the day.
Belroth 40:16
Well, all right, gang, um should we head back to the gate or should we try and go to Promise? He points towards his home island.
Ellori 40:30
So I have two very different thoughts on this. First of all, I think that we need to tell Wesley immediately that he sent us on to something that was wildly too much for us to handle and probably should have come here himself. Two: I also think that we should probably go over to Promise to check in on your sister and make sure that everyone over there is okay.
Belroth 40:59
Yes. Well, maybe we can send a missive of some kind to Adventure Inc. I don’t know how with the current infrastructure destroyed, but maybe that’s something we can arrange and then head our way to Promise.
Skarpin 41:23
Maybe on their sister’s island they have that means. It’s right over there.
Belroth 41:30
Because we’ll still have to travel a few days to get to the gate anyway- or sorry to get from the gate back to Adventure Inc, I believe.
Skarpin 41:41
Yeah, on the other end.
Anthony 41:43
Well, that would get you from the gate to the broker. Back to Redbridge.
Belroth 41:46
Right, right, right. Whereas I think we can get to Promise quicker if there’s a boat that we catch in time.
Skarpin 41:59
Yes, a boat.
Deeran 42:04
I mean, we could try and wake the turtle and just have it swim us there.
Belroth 42:09
It’s not a turtle.
Ellori 42:09
Oh, my God, I forgot about the turtle. And Ellori almost comically splays out on all fours and puts her ear to the ground.
Deeran 42:23
Does she hear it breathing?
Anthony 42:24
No.
Ellori 42:26
I got a 13 Nature Check.
Anthony 42:29
Yeah, it sounds like dirt.
Ellori 42:34
Deeran I don’t hear the turtle breathing.
Skarpin 42:38
No.
Deeran 42:38
Oh, no. We were too late.
Skarpin 42:42
There’s so few left.
Belroth 42:47
Belroth is kind of, like fiddling with the Demon Stone in his like pocket or wherever it is.
Skarpin 42:53
Is that what he calls it?
Belroth 43:01
Anyways he touches the Demon Stone some more to comfort himself, and he just kind of starts walking towards the dock looking area to see if we can hitch a ride.
Anthony 43:14
Yeah, so as you start to approach the dock there is a long line of people between you and the docks, you know waiting?
Skarpin 43:31
How good of swimmers are y- oh, yeah, I feel like I remember you’re terrible swimmers. I remember that Banshee situation. Never mind.
Ellori 43:40
Oh, yeah, that was… I guess we could go in my umbrella, and make it a float between my umbrella and your shield, depending on- she squints her eyes to see how far it is over to Promise.
Anthony 43:52
Do turtle shells float?
Skarpin 43:55
Yes.
Ellori 43:55
Uh, have you ever seen a turtle, Anthony?
Anthony 43:59
Yeah, they swim underwater.
Deeran 44:02
Not when they’re floating on top of the water. Their shells are always above water.
Ellori 44:08
Yeah.
Skarpin 44:08
There’s just a bunch of air in there.
Deeran 44:13
Like, what isn’t taken up by the turtle has to be air.
Skarpin 44:18
Mmhmm.
Deeran 44:18
Look at Promise! We’re on a massive turtle right now, floating.
Anthony 44:24
Ellori you think that if you set up a little- I’m not, I’m not giving that a response. Ellori you think that if you set up a little raft and tried to raft your way over the Promise, it would take you at least 8 hours.
Ellori 44:41
Well, what if- she looks at her friends and says, how much does a boat cost?
Anthony 44:53
Like owning a boat?
Belroth 44:54
That’s, that’s kind of a big question.
Ellori 44:55
How much does it cost to buy a boat?
Deeran 44:59
Well, so, like I never like my parents have a boat, but like, I never wanted to be the guy with the boat. You know what I mean? Like, I always wanted to have the friend with the boat instead. Like that was a way better situation for everybody.
Anthony 45:14
Everyone knows boats are a gold trap, you know you’re just gonna start pouring gold-
Belroth 45:19
And also Ellori, I mean, just add about 50% to that price, because there’s currently a refugee situation happening. So, I feel like the price of them might be a bit more.
Ellori 45:31
More or less than 60 gold pieces.
Deeran 45:35
Well, like it depends, right? Like, how big a boat are you talking about, like-
Ellori 45:39
A boat for the five of us to get across this in less than eight hours.
Deeran 45:42
Just like a little rowboat or whatever?
Ellori 45:48
Maybe a boat that- okay, stick with me here-
Deeran 45:51
How many sails?
Ellori 45:52
-had a little fan on the back of it, and could spin into the water and make us go faster.
Belroth 45:58
Those I believe work in swamps.
Deeran 46:03
Those are, like…what? Like, how many sails on the boat you want, man?
Ellori 46:10
I have never seen- Okay, this might be a surprise to you, but I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a boat-
Skarpin 46:19
Whoa!
Ellori 46:21
-before now.
Belroth 46:23
That’s a boat.
Ellori 46:25
So I don’t know what they’re usually like. I’m just saying, I can make one.
Deeran 46:32
Sure, like we could all like- we could go out and like, chop all the wood and like-
No, I’m saying I could make one. If I think of something, I can make it, but it can’t be too expensive.
Belroth 46:43
I would estimate that, let’s say a rowboat, would it be about 50 gold, and it would travel at one and a half miles per hour.
Deeran 46:57
Like, if you had like big strong rowing arm- and he stops mid sentence and looks at Skarpin.
Skarpin 47:03
Yeah, I do.
Deeran 47:07
Oh.
Skarpin 47:09
Ellori, are you saying that we- yeah, let’s do that. And then I could push the boat.
Anthony 47:16
At one and a half miles per hour you push the boat.
Skarpin 47:22
I feel like Skarpin can swim quicker.
Anthony 47:27
A: I don’t know if you’ve ever tried to push a boat from the water. It sucks.
Skarpin 47:32
As a Tortle I have not.
Belroth 47:34
Also, don’t you still have that Exhaustion.
Skarpin 47:37
Damnit, he’s so tired. He’s gonna ride in the boat.
Anthony 47:43
A rowboat changes an 8 hour travel time to a 6 hour travel time.
Skarpin 47:49
Honestly, that’s probably our best bet.
Deeran 47:53
But like, what if we just waited in line for like this boat? Like- hey, man, um, how long have you been here? He says to the person at the back of the line.
Anthony 48:05
The person turns and they say, Oh, we’ve been here for the morning. We’re hoping we can get off of here pretty soon, but I don’t even know where we’re going to go.
Deeran 48:22
Is the line actually moving?
Anthony 48:23
Yeah, we’re trying to get people out of here as fast as we can.
Deeran 48:29
But like how far have you moved, since you’ve been here?
Anthony 48:34
He points back behind you. You know, from your vantage point looking down, I mean it looks like they’re loading people onto boats. It’s not like a stagnant line. People are leaving the island. You estimate that it would probably be like an hour of standing around and waiting before you got on a boat.
Belroth 48:53
Oh, that’s nothing.
Deeran 48:56
So, like, you guys like, yeah, we could row a boat ourselves all the way there, or we could just like wait for this big old like, you know, three sail guy to blow us there.
Ellori 49:12
Um, yeah, and thinking about it, I think a boat is a little big for me to make anyway. I got a little ahead of myself.
Deeran 49:20
No way, Ellori. You could totally do it. Like, we just need to make plans, and lumber, and like, you know, hammers and stuff and like nails.
Ellori 49:29
I think we should just get in line.
Deeran 49:32
Now I feel bad. Yeah. Skarpin, Belroth like, you guys want to build a boat, right?
Belroth 49:36
Not really.
Skarpin 49:38
I mean, maybe someday. I feel like it’s not very-
Deeran 49:47
Sorry, Ellori. We got outvoted man.
Ellori 49:49
No, it’s, it’s okay. No, I-
Deeran 49:51
Like, I thought for sure everyone is gonna be down to build the boat.
Anthony 49:57
What is this a build-a-boat conference.
Ellori 50:01
Let’s get in line, and Ellori moves to the line.
Anthony 50:03
Deeran would get excited about a build-a-boat conference.
Deeran 50:08
Yeah, cuz it’s doing something.
Skarpin 50:14
Oh my goodness. The image of these four adventurers just standing in a line, just cracks me up. Like, this is the least heroic thing they’ve ever done.
Anthony 50:29
It’s a shawarma scene, right? Where you guys are just like a decked out in adventuring gear, just like standing quietly in line exhausted, beaten down. The line disappears over the course of an hour-
Belroth 50:43
Ahh, what happened?!
Anthony 50:44
- as they load people. Naturally, as you expect a line to do. You’re not even the back of the line. There’s people behind you.
Skarpin 50:55
Did we cut people?
Anthony 50:55
No, no, no, certainly not.
Deeran 50:58
We were the back of the line.
Anthony 51:00
Now other people lined up behind you.
Skarpin 51:03
Skarpin draws the line at cutting in line. He will kill the shit out of you, but he will never take your place in line.
Anthony 51:12
And as you move toward the front, there is a dock worker standing there with a large, like clipboard almost, like a board with papers on it trying to organize people leaving. And he’s like, uh, 4 of you?
Belroth 51:31
Yes.
Deeran 51:34
And Freya.
Belroth 51:35
Oh, yes.
Deeran 51:37
But like so good, she, like sits on a lap.
Belroth 51:40
She’s very compact. You know, even though she’s like the size of a puma.
Anthony 51:44
We’ll put you on the Seaspray. 25 minutes until it leaves for Varina.
Belroth 51:50
Oh, how do we get to Promise?
Anthony 51:54
You don’t. All of the islands are evacuating.
Belroth 52:01
Oh…
Ellori 52:03
Okay, thank you, sir.
Deeran 52:08
Maybe we like- okay, where’s the Seaspray?
Anthony 52:14
He points. It’s the 1 of 3 ships still on the docks.
Ellori 52:19
Um, all right. Deeran, I was thinking that we would get more information from some people on the boats rather than holding up the line any further?
Deeran 52:25
Well, yeah, let’s like, let’s head that way. And as soon as they like, move on through the line: hey, guys, um, should we like, just use the stones to like-
Belroth 52:41
I think so, because all we have to do is re-empower them with some amount of a Spellstone.
Skarpin 52:47
Yeah, yeah, I think that’s our best bet now. Promise seems to be evacuating. Belroth, I’m sorry we don’t get to see your sister.
Belroth 52:59
She’s the strongest person I’ve ever met. I’m sure she’s fine. She’s also an asshole so I’m sure she’s making somebody’s day terrible. If not Erin’s, somebody today. We’ll see her soon.
Deeran 53:16
Can’t wait to meet her.
Skarpin 53:31
Skarpin looks up at the cliff that is down the coast I imagine and realizes we have to get up there.
Anthony 53:40
Yeah, yeah, it’s you know-
Belroth 53:45
Well, let’s get going.
Ellori 53:48
Yeah, let’s get going.
Anthony 53:51
Okay, so are you guys gonna head straight into the woods, or did you want to talk to people in the boat?
Deeran 53:56
Into the woods.
Belroth 53:57
Into the woods?
Skarpin 53:59
Skarpin doesn’t want to talk
Anthony 54:00
Sounds like 3 votes for into the woods.
Ellori 54:04
Into the woods!
Anthony 54:04
4 votes for into the woods. You all go into the woods. You know, it’s always when you think you’re done or you think you’re through and then-
Deeran 54:14
Anthony, is that a reference?
Anthony 54:17
No, I was just thinking about woods.
Deeran 54:18
Huh. Interesting.
Anthony 54:23
You know, you always think you’re done with the woods and then you’re not. All right, so the 4 of you head into the woods.
Ellori 54:31
Watch out Steven Sondheim, Anthony’s commin for you!
Anthony 54:36
That’s from me, why?
Skarpin 54:41
They don’t own woods!
Ellori 54:47
Oh, my God. Walking up to Stephen Sondheim and saying, “You don’t own woods!”
Anthony 54:54
So, you walk through the forest which, still, is watching you, as you do, and the leaves are still bleeding as you push through this forest, and that doesn’t seem to change.
Deeran 55:15
Hey, you guys, everything’s scary in here, man. It’s still weird. I’m sure it means monsters.
Ellori 55:25
Let’s look straight ahead, go very quickly, and see how fast we can get to the portal.
Skarpin 55:30
Yes, straight ahead, as Skarpin is picking a flower, like a creepy flower.
Deeran 55:36
Yeah, Deeran’s walking as straight ahead as he can, but like, let’s be real.
Anthony 55:43
You pick a flower, Skarpin, and it’s got petals that almost look like tiny teeth on the inside. You pluck it off of the stem, and a squirt of blood comes out of the stem, when you pull it, like an artery. It’s just, like ~squirting noises~.
Deeran 56:03
It plucks back.
Skarpin 56:06
Cool. And he plants it on his staff.
Anthony 56:13
It takes you guys a few hours to get through the woods, and what you notice this time- while before as you got deeper into the woods, these things happen more and more, now they are like that the whole way through. As you approach the Standing Stones that you are now familiar with, the trees have eyes. There are still odd features about this area.
Skarpin 56:47
Oh well, we should power the Transport Stone. This will be a fun experiment. Skarpin takes out one of the Spellstones. Who has that thing?
Belroth 56:58
I believe I have one of them.
Skarpin 57:02
Skarpin just holds it near the Spellstone near the Transport Stone and sees what happened.
Anthony 57:08
Okay, you hold a Spellstone near the Transport Stone, and nothing happens.
Belroth 57:16
Son of a-
Skarpin 57:18
Did we do it?
Ellori 57:19
Ellori takes out her Spellstone. Maybe it needs more than one.
Anthony 57:27
Now there are two Spellstone next to the Travel Stone and nothing happens.
Belroth 57:31
Belroth takes out the fragment of Demon Stone and holds it up to the Spellstone- er to the Transport Stone.
Anthony 57:39
Nothing happens. It’s a stone party.
Deeran 57:41
Oh, Belroth you grabbed the wrong rock, bud. It looks like everybody’s doing Spellstone.
Belroth 57:47
He puts another Spellstone- he doesn’t have as many- next to it.
Anthony 57:54
Okay. Nothing happens. Nothing happens.
Skarpin 57:58
Deeran, are you…
Deeran 58:01
Oh, yeah, sure, man. He slowly pulls one Spellstone out and puts it in Belroth’s hand.
Anthony 58:15
Nothing happens.
Ellori 58:19
So, does anybody remember if Wesley maybe gave more instructions than I’m remembering? Like, we had to think of a place for us to go?
Skarpin 58:33
I may have written this down. Oh, yes, yes, we have to attune it to our destination here.
Ellori 58:42
So, do we have to think really hard about where we want to go, and look at the rock while we do it?
Belroth 58:50
I guess.
Skarpin 58:51
Let’s try that.
Ellori 58:53
Okay. What is the exact picture that you’re thinking of when you think of getting back?
Skarpin 59:02
I think the cozy area that we found near this those standing stones. Tall, lots of runes.
Deeran 59:12
Being afraid for my life from the patrols of the forest people.
Skarpin 59:18
Fear, yes. Good. Good. Use it, Ellori. Use the fear.
Belroth 59:24
I think of the small encampment of people nearby and the words they have said to me.
That’s who I was talking about, man. Good think. Good think, man. Me too.
Ellori 59:43
I’m thinking of the big old deer that I got to eat before we came.
Skarpin 59:48
That’s a good one. Nice and bloody.
Anthony 59:52
With the 4 of you focusing on the Standing Stone in the heart of Mughamar, the Travel Stone begins to vibrate in Belroth’s hand. Then the Spellstones, all 4 of them crumble away as their energy is transferred into this Travel Stone, and the green lines inside of it begin to glow brightly.
Skarpin 1:00:25
Sorry, you said which of our spell stones got drained energy.
Anthony 1:00:28
Each of you lost one. 4 Spellstones charged up the Travel Stone.
Skarpin 1:00:37
That’s how that’s how it works. Good thinking, Ellori.
Ellori 1:00:42
All right, so let’s go through, but- who’s holding the stone? Is it Belroth?
Deeran 1:00:49
Oh, yeah, man, if you go before us this time, you’re gonna like start to close the portal again, so-
Ellori 1:00:55
We had to jump in really fast last time. So, maybe if you’re the last one to go through, that’d be easier.
Belroth 1:01:00
Okay.
Anthony 1:01:03
So, you hold out the stone and the portal forms itself inside the Standing Stone again. The Travel Stone goes down.
Belroth 1:01:11
Let’s go.
Deeran 1:01:13
Ellori walks through.
Skarpin 1:01:15
Skarpin walks through.
Deeran 1:01:18
Deeran is staring into space. Oh, sorry, man. Okay. And Deeran goes through.
Belroth 1:01:24
Belroth and Freya walk through.
Anthony 1:01:27
As you walk through there is a twisting, a pulling, a spinning around you as green light and sound flash in front of you, and then as you are squeezed and pressed and pulled everything stops, and you are standing at the Standing Stones in Mughamar.
Skarpin 1:01:50
That’s quite unsettling.
Belroth 1:01:52
Should we make a camp? I know many of us are exhausted.
Skarpin 1:02:00
What type of time of day is it?
Anthony 1:02:03
Like, mid afternoon because you guys woke up early in the morning.
Skarpin 1:02:14
I’m okay with taking a little break.
Deeran 1:02:20
I don’t know, man. Like, it’s really bad out there. Like, if this stuff that, like, that lady that Ellori is talking about, if that thing is like walking around, I feel like Wesley needs to know man.
Ellori 1:02:35
I also feel like I don’t want to be here any longer if we’re going to run into the bandits that we ran into last time.
Deeran 1:02:43
The woods people Ellori. They don’t don’t like “bandits”.
Belroth 1:02:48
Thank you, Deeran. I didn’t want to correct.
Ellori 1:02:52
The aggressive guards.
Belroth 1:02:55
Regular guards.
Deeran 1:02:57
No, they were super aggressive. Yeah, man, that’s just facts.
Ellori 1:03:03
Um, I would like to keep going, but I understand that I’m not the most tired one here, so Skarpin?
Skarpin 1:03:15
Yeah?
Ellori 1:03:17
Are you able to keep going, or do you need to rest?
Skarpin 1:03:19
Oh, yes, I can keep going.
Ellori 1:03:25
Well, let’s just make sure that we’re really careful and that we’re looking out all around us that we don’t run any into any of the guards.
Skarpin 1:03:34
Yeah, sure, fine, whatever. He starts heading down the street.
Anthony 1:03:41
You travel for the rest of the day. You sleep for the night. Day two of travel is a little bit faster. Skarpin moves quicker on day two, day three, day four. By the time you arrive back at Redbridge the Exhaustion of Skarpin and Deeran is gone.
Skarpin 1:04:06
Yes, yes, that’s quite a good journey. There’s nothing like fresh air to clear your head and your mind.
Anthony 1:04:12
And you arrived back at the town.
Ellori 1:04:20
Now how the heck are we gonna find Wesley from here. Should we see Hobern?
Deeran 1:04:27
Yeah, maybe Hobern knows where Adventure Inc is.
Belroth 1:04:30
Plus we technically did fulfill that contract.
Skarpin 1:04:34
Yes, we can collect.
Ellori 1:04:38
I guess this is a little bit exciting. I’ve never seen the compound before.
Skarpin 1:04:49
Maybe we could go shopping first and maybe freshen up a bit.
Deeran 1:04:59
Yeah, maybe, man. Wait, which contract did we fulfill?
Belroth 1:05:05
The kobolds.
Deeran 1:05:07
Oh, my God! I forgot all about that one.
Skarpin 1:05:12
Yeah, we murdered them real good.
Belroth 1:05:13
The contract Wesley had us do is, I believe, was under the table. It was not official Adventure-
Ellori 1:05:21
Yeah, I don’t even think it was a contract. I didn’t sign anything.
Belroth 1:05:25
That is true. I don’t think that any guild was- that means we’re not going to get paid!
Ellori 1:05:33
Ellori’s walking to Hobern’s house.
Anthony 1:05:36
Okay, you open the door. Tiviana is sitting at the desk-
Belroth 1:05:42
Teavana.
Deeran 1:05:46
You said, Anthony. It’s canon.
Skarpin 1:05:47
Ahh, new employee, yes, congratulations.
Deeran 1:05:54
Oh, hey, man. Where’s Teavana? Where’s Hobern?
Anthony 1:06:01
Tiviana looks up at you. She rolls her eyes. Her blonde hair going to her shoulders. She goes, Hobern, they’re back! What’s your name again?
Belroth 1:06:19
My name is Belroth.
Anthony 1:06:20
No, I know your name. I mean like the group-
Deeran 1:06:23
I’m Deeran Lincoln.
Ellori 1:06:24
I’m Ellori, still
Anthony 1:06:31
Ooookay.
Ellori 1:06:31
Teavana, your hair keeps looking better and better. It’s like, are you doing something new with it?
Anthony 1:06:37
She picks up her stuff and leaves.
Skarpin 1:06:41
I’m Skarpi- oh.
Deeran 1:06:46
Hey, have you seen anything lately?
Belroth 1:06:48
Nice lady.
Anthony 1:06:51
Hobern bursts into the room from out back, and he’s like, oh, well, hello, there. I was wondering when you were coming back. The gnome, with his gray hair pulled back, bustles over and he starts like running through some stuff. He’s like, I had you on a contract here, let’s see, let’s see. Oh, the kobold thing, huh? What happened to you 4? You look like he’s seen a wall of goats.
Belroth 1:07:18
Oh, well, uh, I had a dream about one.
Deeran 1:07:26
Honestly, kind of, like it felt like we got hit by one
Skarpin 1:07:30
Yes, several times.
Belroth 1:07:31
Over and over.
Ellori 1:07:32
Hobern, can we ask you a question?
Anthony 1:07:36
Yeah, I don’t see why not.
Ellori 1:07:39
Um, did Wesley Tallow perchance come in here with our contract fulfilled, and also maybe let you know that we were off doing something else? And also maybe let you know where we could find him right now, at this moment?
Anthony 1:07:55
Well, yes. No, no, yes. Yeah, yes. Okay, here. So look, you guys left, and then about an hour later that Wesley fellow came in asking me where he could find you. And so I send him on your trail, you know, follow you along the way. And he gave me this letter to give to you when you came back.
Belroth 1:08:23
Oh.
Ellori 1:08:26
Ellori takes it.
Deeran 1:08:27
Yeah, and also, we’re here to collect the payment for our for our kobold thing.
Anthony 1:08:33
It was a success then, ay?
Belroth 1:08:35
Yes.
Skarpin 1:08:36
Very successful.
Deeran 1:08:37
Oh, yeah, we killed so many kobolds in there, man.
Anthony 1:08:39
All right, hey, look, doing great already. That was a high profile contract from the palace. That was a big deal, and I’m very proud that it’s all taken care of. Let’s see. Let’s see, how much? This is probably a small job, right? It wasn’t a big deal.
Skarpin 1:08:58
It was a big deal.
Deeran 1:08:59
You just said it was like a big deal, and like a high profile thing, so like it probably, was.
Anthony 1:09:08
You guys took care of this?
Skarpin 1:09:10
Yeah. Yeah, it was great.
Anthony 1:09:12
You’re not lying, right? Because if you’re lying to me, and I find out I’m gonna be very upset.
Skarpin 1:09:16
No, no, no.
Deeran 1:09:17
I mean, like, Wesley was there. Like he could tell you.
Belroth 1:09:22
We have a witness.
Anthony 1:09:22
This was a very expensive contract. I might have sent you on this by accident it looks like. I didn’t know that- I mean, okay, you say it’s done, it’s done. You’ve impressed me. You’ve impressed me today. He reaches down and he pulls out 4 sacks of coins. They’re pretty hefty. And he slides them across the counter to you. He says, look this lets me know you can handle some stuff. You can handle some stuff. All right. I’m pretty proud of you.
Skarpin 1:09:52
Oh, wow. Wow.
Deeran 1:09:54
Hey, um, what exactly was the phrasing on like completing that contract, just before we like, except the coins or whatever.
Skarpin 1:10:03
I’ll take mine.
Anthony 1:10:05
They were looking for someone to remove the cobalt threat that had taken root in in on an old barn there, but they, they pointed out that there were a lot of kobolds. I didn’t realize how many kobolds there were in there.
Deeran 1:10:19
Oh, yeah. Then yeah, we did it, man.
Anthony 1:10:22
Well, oh great. Good. Good work. Good work.
Deeran 1:10:25
I just wanted to make sure that there wasn’t like, you know, secret writing or whatever, though.
Yeah.
Anthony 1:10:32
Is there a potential for secret writing? Should I- I have some processes I can use to find secret writing if you think there’s a secret writing here.
Deeran 1:10:39
I mean, if you think like, if you think that’s all it says then we trust you, like you’re our guy, man.
Anthony 1:10:44
Teavana, get the lemon juice! I’ll check, I’ll do the lemon juice thing. Let’s see what we find.
Deeran 1:10:52
No, that’s how it works, man. Like you do the lemon juice first, and then you hold it up to the flame.
Anthony 1:10:58
Well, I’m not gonna burn the contract. You won’t get any money if I burn the contract.
Skarpin 1:11:03
I got mine.
Belroth 1:11:05
Belroth is just counting coin at this point.
Anthony 1:11:09
Each bag has 200 gold.
Belroth 1:11:11
Whoa, that’s a good one.
Deeran 1:11:14
Deeran’s having such a hard time.
Belroth 1:11:15
Belroth just has 200 because I spent all my coins …is oh
Deeran 1:11:24
When Teavana comes back out, before she opens her mouth, before anything happens, Deeran looks at our dead in the eyes and goes, the turtle’s dead man!
Belroth 1:11:34
It’s not a turtle.
Anthony 1:11:37
She’s like, …oh, and she looks at Skarpin.
Skarpin 1:11:47
Skarpin nods his head.
Ellori 1:11:52
What does this letter say?
Anthony 1:11:55
You pull up in the letter. Just in very plain letters, it says Skarpin, Deeran, Belroth, and Ellori, meet me at the Brass Palace. -Wesley.
Hey everyone, DM Anthony here, just reminding you that if you’re enjoying the show, tell your friends, tell your family. Let people know word of mouth. And you can support the show at patreon.com/adventureinc, or you can check out the shop at adventureincpod.com/shop. Make sure you check the show notes and the website for all our social media, including our Discord where you can come and hang out with some great people. We’ll see you there, and until next week, I wish you nothing but critical success.
Adventure Incorporated 1:13:08
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Transcribed by https://otter.ai