Anthony 0:00
Greetings, adventurers, and welcome to the Adventure Incorporated Podcast. I am your Dungeon Master. My name is Anthony Reed. You might know me as the Dungeon Master of Adventure Incorporated. This is Episode 12, and it is the third episode in the Brass Palace story arc. Big shout out to our patrons at patreon.com/adventureinc. Make this show a thing. If you are not a patron, go become a patron. Support the show. Help it grow. Make some dough. No, give us dough-I don’t know. I didn’t think this rhyme out ahead of time. It just sort of happened and then I really blundered because it could have been maybe perfect. I want to mention that if you like this show and you like the people in this show, and you aren’t aware, there are other places that you can find the people in this show. You can find Steph in her Shakespeare show, Protest Too Much. You can find Mike and Steph together in a show called In Addition Pod. You can find Mike and I goofing around and Ask the Pokedexpert. Also, Steph and I do a Survivor live stream podcast where we do an alternate reality game called Alternate Reality Television podcast. And you can find Rob on a show called Good Stuff about Oreos. All of these shows are easy to get to. All you got to do is track us down on our social media. There’s links to that in our show notes. There’s links to that on our website, adventureincpod.com. It is a gateway for you to go and find us other places on the Internet. If you can’t just type those into a search bar, you can also just come to the Discord and ask us. We’ll be happy to send you a link. So, if you like the stuff we do, go and check out the other stuff that we do, because you’ll find you’ll probably like that too. All right, 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 2:23
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 2:32
Skarpin, the Cleric.
Belroth 2:35
Should I just try and snipe them from over here?
Skarpin 2:37
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 2:46
Ellori, the Bard.
Ellori 2:49
We would want you to leave this warehouse.
Anthony 2:52
He points behind you. Church!
Ellori 2:54
Oh, sorry. We want you to leave this church.
Anthony 2:59
Deeran, the wizard.
He say you no, worship Shattered Fang.
Deeran 3:04
Yeah, man. He’s like, super wrong. We love Broken Tooth- uh Shattered Fang, man.
Anthony 3:09
Prepare yourselves, for these are the tales of Adventure Incorporated.
The caravan that you are escorting arrives in the outskirts of the city that surrounds the Brass Palace. The city is large, basically the largest city in Mughamar, and it is split up into several districts, and on the outskirts here, you are making your way into the Trader District where a lot of the commerce happens. A lot of trade comes in and out of the city. There are blocks and blocks of the Traders District, and most people who come to the Brass Palace, which you can see perched up on a hill overlooking the city, you know, a long distance away. Most of the people who come to this city basically never get past the Trader District. There are some inns and taverns and then merchant shops and stalls and stores, a big marketplace is set up in the center here that does, you know, it’s probably like 5 or 6 blocks square of just temporary stalls and bazaar-style marketplace. There’s a lot of commerce going on here, a lot of people moving around. Now, this is the heart of the Empire, and so most of what’s going through here, coming in and out, is pretty mundane in terms of what you have access to. There are some apothecaries that have potions and things, but this is not really an adventuring hub, so you don’t see a lot of the things that appeal to adventurers, instead you see a lot of things that appeal to common people. This is the main artery of the Empire, transitioning goods from one side to the other. Inside the Traders District, if you went one deeper, you would reach what’s called the Rose Quarter, which is mostly built up of homes pretty wealthy homes on the outskirts of the center of the city. The central road that heads from the Traders District through this quarter gets a lot of traffic, but the rest of the latticework of the city around there does not because it’s all just very fancy, very opulent. Further in is the Service Quarter. This quarter has things like a lot of churches are set up here, and there’s a couple of libraries that are set up. A lot of the inner workings of the city happen in this quarter, but are not necessarily tangible goods. Most of that stuff happens in the Traders District. The innermost section is the Old City District, also called Mughamarra. This is basically like an historic preservation of a space. There are still businesses here there’s still commerce happening here. People live here, but all of the cobblestones are kept the way that they were, like by the old style, and the buildings are all the original buildings that they just have to keep to a code, or whatever. It’s designed to evoke an era gone by, of the city in its ancient days. Then on the hill, sort of touching all of these districts is the hill that has the Brass Palace itself on it inside a very thick, high stone wall. The Brass Palace looms up above that. It’s a beautiful building or series of buildings inside the stone walls. You know, very few from the city ever go up into that area. It’s on its own with a little village up there as well, within the walls, but it’s you know, cut off.
Skarpin 5:25
Wow, isn’t this magnificent?
Deeran 8:04
Yes, it is…true. Yeah, that’s a word ending that sentence.
Anthony 8:24
Talia hops down. She says, we’re almost done, but I am going to need a little help from you.
Belroth 8:34
Sure, what do you need?
Anthony 8:36
We’re gonna park the caravan here, and I’m gonna take the item to our buyer in the Rose District, and I want to make sure we, you know- our business isn’t done until this is in the proper hands.
Belroth 8:49
Oh, sure. Do you need escort to the buyer as well? I don’t know if that was part of the deal.
Anthony 8:56
It was, and that’s what I’m saying.
Belroth 8:58
Oh, okay. Understood. I thought you were parking us here, and I was very confused- it’s fine. I figured it out. We can move along.
Anthony 9:07
I thought it was daft, a guard guarding a guard.
Belroth 9:13
All right, you stay here and I go there. So we both stay here.
Anthony 9:18
She says, Gallet will stay here. He’s gonna watch over everything, and we need to take the item.
Belroth 9:29
Oh, yes, yes, yes. Oh, I mean, let’s go then.
Anthony 9:36
She picks up the long crate that can be opened and closed. She’s carrying it under her arm, and it’s taller than she is as a half-halfling.
Belroth 9:49
Do you want me to carry that? I can carry that if you-
Anthony 9:52
No, I want you to have your hands open just in case.
Belroth 9:54
Oh, sure. Sure thing. Belroth kind of pet Freya on the head a little bit and gives her a bit of a concerned look trying to indicate to keep her eyes open.
Anthony 10:10
You guys head through the Traders District. It’s very busy, very crowded. Like, basically you are a small lump of people pushing through a crowd the whole way. You could try to-
Deeran 10:25
Deeran has a hand on the back of Skarpin’s shell just to make sure he doesn’t get lost.
Anthony 10:36
Skarpin, do you think that you can feel things touching your shell?
Deeran 10:43
Great question.
Ellori 10:44
That is a good question.
Anthony 10:44
Like, how sensitive do you think that is?
Skarpin 10:48
It’s very sensitive. Yeah, he can feel through his shell.
Belroth 10:53
Do turtles feel their shell? Let’s find out
Anthony 10:57
Like I bet you would feel pressure of like, someone tugging on it but I don’t-
Belroth 11:02
Sea turtles can feel their shell when you touch it because there are nerve endings and innervating the bones that go towards the shell so-
Skarpin 11:13
Skarpin can feel his shell.
Anthony 11:15
Pretty cool. Pretty cool. Cool shit. Okay, well then you feel Deeran place his hand upon you.
Belroth 11:21
People also ask do turtles like their shells rubbed, and yes.
Skarpin 11:26
Skarpin likes his shell rubbed.
Deeran 11:30
Turtles are not a monolith here. Let’s let the turtle in the party speak for himself.
Belroth 11:36
No, you’re right, I’m sorry. This is tortoises. Tortoises like their shells being rubbed.
Anthony 11:44
Probably some tortoises. Probably not tortoises like their shell rub.
Belroth 11:51
There’s a lot of questions about- do turtles feel love?
Skarpin 11:55
Skarpin feels love.
Anthony 11:59
Does, does Skarpin feel love?
Skarpin 12:02
Yeah, deeply. Sometimes too deep.
Belroth 12:03
I just like that there was a link to “Do turtles feel love?” And I click the answer, and it was an emphatic, yes! Yes, the do!
Anthony 12:11
Again, prove that. Prove that. You cannot. You can’t. They can’t. They can’t prove it.
Skarpin 12:19
Skarpin back at the narrator, one tear just dripping down his face.
Anthony 12:24
Tortles I buy, fine, but I’m just saying, real world turtles?
Ellori 12:29
We had a turtle and he lived in a river, and then another day we found another turtle coming to visit every day. Then each day the one turtle that lived there would be there, and the other turtle who didn’t live there would come to see him every morning. They would spend a little time in the water together and then the other turtle would go back home to wherever he lived. So, it was just an everyday thing. So, I think that you know, if you’re, if you’re thinking about whether they can love I- whether it was romantic or friendship, I think that you know, love can come in many forms, and having a bond with another person or another turtle is a very real and observable thing.
Belroth 13:11
Did these titles that have babies. I feel-
Deeran 13:15
Ellori, where did that come from, man?
Ellori 13:18
I was just really mad, you know that, that Gallet was saying that turtles can’t love each other and I’ve just been thinking about it all day.
Deeran 13:26
I was gonna say Ellori that was like, days ago.
Ellori 13:30
Yeah, I’ve been thinking about it.
Deeran 13:32
I guess so.
Skarpin 13:34
Me too.
Anthony 13:35
As the DM I need to point out that I can- when animals talk I know what they’re saying, and that second turtle was just everyday like, fuck you guy. That’s all he said. He’s just slow. It was a good example, but not right. You know, they might be able to feel love, but that wasn’t it.
Belroth 13:56
They can feel emotion though, which is important, and that emotion was hate.
Deeran 14:01
Yeah, they can feel hate. Hate’s a lot closer to love. Everybody knows the real opposite of love is apathy.
Skarpin 14:16
Skarpin is very close on the border between the two a lot of the times.
Belroth 14:23
Does that mean that the real opposite of hate is also apathy?
Deeran 14:26
Yes. Great question.
Anthony 14:29
This is not how opposites work at all.
Skarpin 14:33
I’m trying to picture the graphical demonstration of this.
Belroth 14:38
The Venn diagram of opposites.
Deeran 14:40
Love and hate are basically almost a full circle, just like with two little outliers, right? And then apathy is on a different page. It’s on the back of the sheet of paper.
Belroth 14:52
On the Z axis.
Anthony 14:55
She takes you guys through into the Rose District and takes you down a bunch of back roads through the opulent part of town. Many of these houses have guards set up outside the house, like on either side of the door that watch you from the second they can see you until the second they can’t see you anymore because these roads are pretty slow. So, just you walking by is enough to like put everyone on high alert. After a little while she takes you to one home, no guards at the door, and it’s an older looking house here in the town. It’s a little bit rundown, but she walks up, she says, this is the place.
Belroth 15:47
Okay. You’ve had your hands full. Let me let me get the door.
Anthony 15:52
Just knock.
Belroth 15:53
Oh, yes, that makes more sense. He does the, ~shave and a haircut~.
Anthony 16:02
The door opens, and a very elderly looking gentleman stands there. He’s in a pressed, prim suit, gloves on his hands, and he says, how may I help you?
Belroth 16:23
We are here to deliver a package that has been ordered. My name is Belroth. This is probably the person you want to talk to.
Anthony 16:33
Master will be so pleased. He turns slowly, and he grabs a bell, and he rings it, but no sound comes out of the bell when he shakes it.
Belroth 16:45
Does Freya freak out.
Anthony 16:48
No.
Belroth 16:49
Okay. Oh.
Deeran 16:51
Deeran flips out.
Belroth 16:56
Maybe.
Deeran 16:56
No, I’m telling you. That’s a fact. He opens his notebook and underlines the phrase, “Silent Bell”.
Belroth 17:06
Which was already written there. What if like, there were bells that made no noise, man?
Anthony 17:19
The person in the suit just holds his hands in front of him and just looks at you, waiting.
Skarpin 17:30
Skarpin turtles his head into the room just to look around.
Anthony 17:37
The space immediately behind this, you know butler- there is a chair right at the door, and then everything else is just packed high with crates and boxes. Just tons and tons of crates and boxes fill the entry hall here, and a steep staircase leads off from the right to which at the top you feel like you can see somebody milling about.
Skarpin 18:06
He turtles head back in, like closer to his shell.
Anthony 18:11
You hear the sound of someone coming down the stairs slowly.
Ellori 18:15
My name is Ellori. What’s your name?
Anthony 18:19
He does not respond. He just stares ahead.
Ellori 18:22
And this is Belroth and Skarpin and Deeran and this is Talia.
Anthony 18:29
I present to you my master Baron Sildicar, and he bows deeply and holds a hand out and stepping forward from the shadows is a very, very plump human man. He has bright red hair that is balding into like a- it’s very, let’s say the real deep peaks around a little tuft in the front, and he’s got the just the dumbest facial hair you’ve ever seen on a human, like quarter mutton chops, but then a mustache that twirls out and then the tuft in the center. He is so thrilled, like giddy as he comes around the corner, and he says, my, my, my, my, my, you have gifts for me. I’m so excited! I’m so excited! Please, please not a moment to waste. What have you brought to me? I must know! I must know! I must know! I must know!
Belroth 19:36
Um, Talia, I believe this is your department. We’re merely-
Anthony 19:45
Talia puts the case down on the ground, slowly pops open one side slowly pops open the other side the whole time. Sildicar is just, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes! And then she very slowly opens the lid. He says, oh! He comes out, and he picks up the halberd. He says, oh, yes. Yes, this, this is a weapon! Oh, it’s so beautiful! It will go so beautifully in my collection. He puts it back down, shuts the top, clicks closed the thing, scoops it up, and hands it over to his butler, and he says, pack this away with the others. Oh, it is going to be a gorgeous piece in this collection. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for delivering it so far. No problem with the Artificers Guild, I hope. Talia says, it is safe. We brought it here, and we dealt with all of the problems along the way. Those greedy little thieves won’t get their hands on it now. It’s warded and protected well beyond their reach. Thank you again. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
Deeran 21:07
Hey, man, what other stuff you got in there?
Anthony 21:11
Oh, untold treasures and secrets. So many secrets and treasures from beyond time you would not even understand. If I showed them all to you, your puny, little insignificant mind would melt from all the cool things I have in here.
Deeran 21:30
Prove it, man.
Anthony 21:34
I’ll show you one thing, one thing that I have. He grabs the little bell, and he rings it again. Silence. Did you hear that?
Deeran 21:45
Deeran flips open his notebook and shows him “Silent Bell”. I had written this before I got here man. I don’t know why.
Anthony 22:02
I will tell you what is special about this bell. The bell is linked to the house, and the house is linked to me. So when this bell rings- and he closes his eyes, he says, only I can hear it.
Deeran 22:23
Why?
Anthony 22:25
Oh, it is designed to be used as a method of warning and alarm. You would set this bell upon a string, and if the string was tripped, the bell would ring but only for the person who was linked to the bell. I, instead, had artificer come in at a great expense and rebind the bell to the home and then buying the home to me with a series of runes and a lot of spell stone. We were able to link up the house in such a way that now I can be notified when someone comes to the door needs my attention.
Deeran 23:01
Wow, man, that’s so cool.
Anthony 23:04
Thank you.
Deeran 23:05
Why didn’t you do it yourself? Like, why didn’t you like use your own magic to make it happen, man.
Anthony 23:14
I am no artificer. I am just an appreciator of the fine arts. I am a collector, a gatherer, one who can truly understand the value and beauty in these artifacts, but I do not make them myself. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
Deeran 23:37
All right.
Anthony 23:42
Well, this has been wonderful. I will give you your payment, and he hands like a letter of credit to Talia. He says, and our business is concluded.
Ellori 23:56
Mr. Sildicar, do you have a like a business card or something that we could maybe see this collection when you put it on display?
Anthony 24:04
Put it on display?
Ellori 24:08
You said, you said you had a collection…
Anthony 24:11
Young lady, a collection is not for displaying. It is for one to ruminate in, to absorb, to spend their time enjoying of their own regard. I do not buy things so other people can see them. I buy them so that I can see them.
Ellori 24:34
Oh, you know my grandma always said when you have things you like looking at you should have people over so they might like looking at them too.
Anthony 24:41
Hmmm. Yes, I have had important people, many important people come from time to time. The Emperor is a quite a fan of some of the pieces in my collection, but they are not for public consumption. Run along.
Ellori 25:03
Okay, goodbye.
Belroth 25:04
Okay, goodbye.
Anthony 25:06
He turns back to Talia. Thank you again, and of course I will be contacting you soon with more deliveries I’ll be needing made. She nods, and he turns back in like, all giddy as he shuts the door behind him. She says, that was chattier than he normally is.
Deeran 25:29
What’s his deal, man?
Belroth 25:31
Yeah, so he just has sort of a personal museum.
Anthony 25:36
He has a lot of money and a desire to own a lot of things, and so I enable that, in exchange for these. She holds up the little letter of credit, rolls it up, says, I owe you all- and she hands each of you 20 gold pieces.
Skarpin 25:54
Ah, great, great!
Belroth 25:55
Sure.
Anthony 25:57
Your contract is fulfilled.
Deeran 26:01
Was this really all- after everything that happened?
Anthony 26:06
Hey, I don’t set the rates. The Commission Legion does.
Deeran 26:12
All right. Just, you know, kind of thinking out loud here, man: like, what’s it cost to transport something like that like, for him?
Anthony 26:28
For him?
Deeran 26:29
Yeah.
Anthony 26:31
It cost him 2000 gold to transport.
Belroth 26:35
Whoa.
Deeran 26:39
Wow, man. Good work.
Anthony 26:45
Yep. See ya. She turns around.
Deeran 26:51
Before you go, um, I’ve actually never been here before. I’ve never been to the Brass Palace or any of the places around here. Do you know- where are we supposed to go again? He looks at the group.
Belroth 27:07
I figured we were going to look for our friend who told us to come here, Wesley.
Deeran 27:14
Yeah, where did he say to go?
Ellori 27:16
He said to meet him at the Brass Palace. So, I think we should just go up to the front door of the palace and ask for Wesley, and if they say, no, he’s not here, then at least we’ve seen the palace up close.
Anthony 27:30
They’re not gonna let a bunch of Commission Legion people into the palace.
Ellori 27:35
Well, we don’t know that if we don’t try.
Belroth 27:37
That is true. Worst-case scenario, we just go to a tavern and probably find Wesley anyways.
Skarpin 27:48
Belroth, do want to get that thing handled? He points to the spine in his chest.
Belroth 27:52
Oh, yes, but I figured we would be in town for a bit, so I figured we should probably meet with Wesley first, then go handle this.
Skarpin 28:02
Who knows maybe he’ll send us immediately out on another adventure and contract. I just worry that we won’t be up to snuff for it.
Belroth 28:12
I guess I didn’t consider that. Yes, should we maybe split up a little bit to try and cover some ground?
Skarpin 28:21
Worked out great last time.
Deeran 28:22
Yeah, I’m not super into the idea of splitting up. Deeran points to his face, which at this point has turned into that like green mottled color. You know, three or four days after a black guy?
Belroth 28:40
Well, okay. Then I’ll go to the healers, and you can all wait in the waiting room, and then we’ll go find Wesley.
Anthony 28:51
If you’re looking for good healers, there’s healers in the Service District. That’s also where you’ll find more Commission Legion work if you’re looking for a broker.
Belroth 29:02
Thank you very much. Hopefully- I mean, we don’t have a business card. Maybe you have a business card or something. It was lovely working with you.
Anthony 29:12
I work out of here, and I work out of some of the other places around and Mughamar. You know, you can get a hold of me through that.
Belroth 29:25
Okay. Excellent. I guess we’ll go to the healers then.
Deeran 29:35
Oh, wait!- as she’s walking away. Do you mind just real quick, just giving us a review here. He holds out a third notebook. This one just has like, a big yellow star painted on the front.
Anthony 29:51
Yeah, she takes it from you. She looks up at you, looks around, scribbles some stuff in it, closes the book, and hands it back. She says, good luck.
Deeran 30:02
Thanks so much.
Belroth 30:03
Thank you.
Anthony 30:05
She walks off.
Belroth 30:06
Safe travels.
Deeran 30:07
As she leaves, I go ahead and flip open the book to read the review.
Anthony 30:13
It says “Pretty competent”. There are 4 full stars and 1 empty star.
Belroth 30:22
It’s pretty good. Not a bad first review.
Ellori 30:26
But I think we should get business cards. I think that we should make them with our name on the front and then a way to contact us if people are looking for anything that they want, because then we can hand them out and and we can get other people’s business cards so that we start to make more friends and more friends and more friends.
Belroth 30:45
Yes, and then we can have we can have little business cards that we can hand out very easily, but then the big business cards that we can leave on tables and taverns that are much more eye catching for people, like postcards.
Well that sounds like littering.
Skarpin 31:02
But littering with our names on it.
Ellori 31:07
I don’t want to be attached to littering with our names on it.
Belroth 31:11
Okay, okay, okay, well then we won’t leave them anywhere.
Ellori 31:13
We could put the names of all our enemies on it like, we could put one that says the Artificers Guild and pass it out.
Belroth 31:21
That’s it? That’s all it says?
Deeran 31:24
I mean, what was yours gonna say, man?
Belroth 31:26
Mine was going to be an advertisement for the services that TESSA can-
Deeran 31:31
Yeah, what was it gonna say?
Belroth 31:33
TESSA!
Deeran 31:33
The Expedition Society-
Belroth 31:36
Yeah, of Secrets and Adventure, and then some contact information, all of the services we provide: escorts, dungeoneering, animal chimerology, clerical work-
Ellori 31:55
Belroth I’ve never been to a dungeon before-
Deeran 31:58
Clerical work is so fucking good. I’m so mad.
Belroth 32:03
Sorry, I got myself with that one.
Ellori 32:10
Belroth, I’ve never been to a dungeon before. So, I don’t know if I’d feel comfortable putting that on a list of skills that we’re good at. What if there are skills- what if someone’s looking for someone to sing them a song and we didn’t put it on our sheet and then they don’t know that we can sing songs for them.
Belroth 32:26
That’s the thing Ellori this is all just a hypothetical. We can go through several drafts, and if honestly, one of your best services that you can provide is song and dance- we did several birthday parties before we were officially commissioned. So, I mean-
Ellori 32:41
I’m terrible as a dancer. That’s my dad’s area.
Belroth 32:45
Oh, well. Okay, song-
Deeran 32:47
I think you’re pretty good at it.
Ellori 32:47
Thanks, Deeran.
Belroth 32:48
We can go with just song, song writing, theme songs. We can write songs. We can, um… No one looks like they think this is a good idea. I feel like I’m spitballing and no one is on board.
Deeran 33:03
I just don’t understand. Like, you had all these plans, and then like, nobody was like- everybody was afraid of littering.
Belroth 33:14
I was really worried about sharing this idea, and then, I was like, I was ruminating on it, and then we succeeded. I’m just gonna go to the healers guild. Should we? Let’s just go.
Deeran 33:28
Yeah, let’s go get your little spike taken care of, and Deeran reaches out to try to touch it.
Belroth 33:32
No, and he slaps it away.
Deeran 33:35
Do I succeed, Anthony?
Anthony 33:37
That’s up to- that’s up to Rob if you succeed or not.
Belroth 33:41
You don’t succeed the first attempt. If you’re try again-
Deeran 33:44
Yeah, Deeran tries a second time, but he uses he uses Mage hand to like, distract. I don’t know if I can do that. He casts Mage Hand with the other hand that floats up an then he goes in with his off hand.
Belroth 34:00
I assume Deeran like, went in with one hand and then the Mage Hand like, pincered.
Deeran 34:05
Yeah.
Belroth 34:06
He swats away the Mage Hand and then Deeran gets it. Ow, don’t touch that. Don’t touch that. Don’t touch that. Ow, ow, ow.
Deeran 34:15
Three hands, man.
Belroth 34:19
I thought my postcard idea was a great idea.
Deeran 34:23
The Mage Hand scratches Freya.
Belroth 34:28
Freya is confused. Have you ever pet a cat that wasn’t expecting it?
Skarpin 34:40
Yeah.
Anthony 34:42
Okay, so you guys are headed to the Healers Enclave.
Belroth 34:45
Yes, the Healers Enclave.
Anthony 34:48
Okay. You arrive at the heroes enclave- heroes enclave? Healers-
Belroth 34:57
I think we’ve taken a wrong turn.
Anthony 34:59
This is not where I meant to be, but I guess I like it. I don’t know. Yeah, you arrive at the Healers Enclave, and outside there is like, etched into the door, there is a drawing of like, a picture of Iora’s symbol. That is like the primary thing etched into the door, but then around the door are several other symbols, some of which you recognize, some of which you don’t, that seem to be other organizations or faiths that have taken up place here to practice healing.
Skarpin 35:47
Belroth, maybe should request a non-Ioran healer. That Ioran one we met said that they weren’t able to do much.
Belroth 36:08
Belroth is still kind of rattled from the pain that Deeran accidentally intentionally inflicted on him. Um, and it’s like, if it comes to that I’ll make a request. I have no religious objections and you know, maybe they weren’t very good, or I don’t know, very powerful. Belroth walks in.
Anthony 36:35
Yeah, you step in, and just inside the door there are a bunch of places set up in here, like seats set up for people to wait in. There is one person like, a tall, half orc behind the desk, and he’s like, name?
Belroth 36:59
Belroth Beacon.
Anthony 37:04
Belroth…Beacon…
Belroth 37:04
Yes, B E L-
Anthony 37:06
What is wrong?
Belroth 37:07
I’m sorry?
Anthony 37:08
What is wrong?
Belroth 37:09
I have a demonic spine embedded in my chest, and it hurts a lot.
Anthony 37:21
Okay. Uh, great. He makes a note. Come with me.
Belroth 37:30
Okay.
Anthony 37:30
He leaves behind the desk and starts to walk down the hall.
Belroth 37:32
Can I, can I bring my companion, and he any points at Freya?
Anthony 37:36
Nope.
Belroth 37:37
Oh, oh.
Deeran 37:39
That’s all right, man. We’ll wait with her here.
Belroth 37:42
Okay.
Ellori 37:42
Yeah, it’s probably pretty stressful for her back there anyway.
Belroth 37:45
True, and Belroth tosses a pouch of snacks to Deeran-
Deeran 37:52
Who begins eating them.
Belroth 37:54
No, those are for Freya.
Deeran 37:56
Thanks, bud. Hey, good luck in there, all right? Good luck! Bye!
Belroth 38:02
He’s the only person I know that likes cheese and peanut butter flavored things. Anyways.
Anthony 38:13
He’s already like, three quarters away, down the hallway.
Belroth 38:15
He starts hustling.
Anthony 38:21
He takes you into a space. He sits you down, and he says, uh, someone will be with you in just a minute.
Belroth 38:30
Oh, okay.
Anthony 38:34
25 minutes later, someone comes in the door.
Belroth 38:38
It’s always that way.
Skarpin 38:40
We’re busy!
Belroth 38:45
I don’t believe you. I’ve never believed you.
Skarpin 38:48
No, we’re hanging out playing board games.
Deeran 38:52
Watching Twitch streams.
Belroth 38:54
If I’m waiting for someone to see me and the person who comes in is, “I’m an anesthesiologist”, I’m concerned.
Skarpin 39:04
Yeah, but like we’re cool to hang out with, so…
Belroth 39:09
That’s fair.
Anthony 39:11
Okay, this person comes in. They are a half elf, and she steps up. She’s got a purple robe on and on her robe is embroidered a flame like, a red flame. She says, hello.
Belroth 39:35
Hello, my name is Belroth Beacon. What is your name?
Anthony 39:44
I am Stellara.
Belroth 39:45
Okay. I have a spine in my chest and I want it out.
Anthony 39:52
Ooo. I assume that the spine is barbed in some way.
Belroth 39:58
Yes, not, yes. I guess “spine” is an incorrect term, yes.
Anthony 40:08
She says, well, take off your shirt and we will take a look.
Belroth 40:12
Yes. He starts unbuttoning.
Anthony 40:16
She places a hand on your chest near the spine. As soon as she does you feel like, warmth from her hand, not just warmth, almost uncomfortably hot.
Belroth 40:29
Hot doctor.
Skarpin 40:31
Not a real doctor.
Anthony 40:35
And she is channeling the flame as she mutters things under her breath and you hear like, “By the eternal flame…”, and then she mutters a few other things, and she places her hand on your chest. That flame that warmth begins to spread until it touches the area affected by the spine, and the spine ignites in a purple flame like, it is burning on a purple flame on your chest like, actively.
Belroth 41:10
Oh, uh, is that normal? I haven’t fully taken off my shirt, and I don’t- he’s like, trying to like, not ignite his clothes.
Anthony 41:20
She’s like, uh, yes, um, totally normal. Just, uh, don’t worry.
Belroth 41:29
You don’t seem confident. I don’t like when a doctor is not confident.
Anthony 41:33
I’m- it’s- this is- everything’s fine.
Belroth 41:43
Okay. Does it doesn’t hurt Belroth at all?
Anthony 41:50
The space where the spine is sticking into you is numb, and this fire doesn’t seem to hurt you at all. You still feel that uncomfortable warmth like, everywhere around it, then it just winks out. The fire stops. The spine is still there, and she pulls her hand back. She says, I’ll be right back.
Belroth 42:16
Okay, should I keep my shirt off?
Anthony 42:19
Yes.
Belroth 42:21
Belroth finally finishes taking off his shirt. She started working before he was done.
Anthony 42:27
She leaves the room and a few minutes later, 5 different healers come in.
Deeran 42:37
I’ve been here before, bud. I broke my foot in 4 places, and an entire emergency room full of doctors came and looked at the x-ray together. I knew it was bad when one of them said, “holy shit, even that one!” That’s when I knew I had done a good number on myself. Like, skateboarding, you’re the best.
Anthony 43:06
So, a few other people try some various spells.
Belroth 43:10
That one hurt. Don’t do that one again. Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow.
Anthony 43:14
Yeah, while some of them seem to affect the area around the wound, nothing seems to affect that spine that is sticking out of you. Finally they call down to like, an old wizened healer who makes their way down the hall. They open the door. They place a hand, they reach into a pocket, and they pull out a pouch. They focus on the pouch, and then all of a sudden, the door bursts open and a glowing being standing at the door says, Gregor Restoration here for your restorations. What can I do for you?
Belroth 43:58
Yay!
Anthony 44:01
They describe the problem, and Gregor places his hand over the spine, and like, the second he touches it, it’s like a wave like, of antipower comes over him and he just dissipates.
Belroth 44:23
Can you get him back? He didn’t finish the job.
Anthony 44:29
I don’t believe we can help you.
Belroth 44:35
What?!
Anthony 44:36
I don’t know what that is, but no healing we have performed, including a very powerful and expensive healing spell, seems to have any effect on it.
Belroth 44:54
Um…Who…Well, this hurts a lot. How do I get it to not hurt a lot, I guess? I don’t know. Is there anyone I could talk to?
Anthony 45:06
Pray to your god, and hope they can help you?
Belroth 45:10
That’s disappointing.
Anthony 45:12
These are the finest healers I know. If they cannot help you with it, I don’t know who will be able to.
Belroth 45:26
Okay. Um…nobody? Not even like a maverick cleric who works in here who can help with unsolved cases?
Ellori 45:44
It’s lupus!
Belroth 45:47
It’s never lupus! Where’s Pastor House?
Anthony 45:52
We have some of the most misanthropic healers that in all of the Empire, and none of them can do anything to help you.
Ellori 46:02
We’ll get our most addicted doctor, and even he is not going to be able to do it.
Anthony 46:11
I am sorry, but we’ve done all we can. Also we have 6 people in this room and other patients to see, so we’re going to just, you know, go now, but sorry.
Belroth 46:27
I assume they all like, shuffle out the door.
Anthony 46:30
They’re starting to, yeah.
Belroth 46:30
He tries to like, grab the hand of one of them. He’s like, I’m sorry, before you go, can I at least describe where I got this and maybe you can recommend me to someone who, I don’t know, studies, demonic biology or some sort of academic or some sort of thing like that.
Anthony 46:51
Look, I don’t know how I could help you, but I’d recommend maybe finding a chimerologist.
Belroth 47:02
I will…do that.
Ellori 47:06
Oh. My God. Anthony.
Belroth 47:14
Belroth…is upset. Rob is upset. Belroth puts on his shirt, and it like- he didn’t do it right so like, pokes a hole through a different hole through his shirt now. He puts the rest of his armor on, and he just starts like, shuffling out. He’s sulking.
Anthony 47:49
Yeah, you make your way back into the lobby, sulking.
Skarpin 47:56
Belroth, it’s still in your chest.
Belroth 47:59
Yes.
Deeran 48:01
Well, did you like, at least get like, a referral to like, another professional who could help out?
Belroth 48:08
I think I need to go back to my academy at some point and consult some notes I haven’t looked at in a while.
Deeran 48:18
Wait, they told you to look it up yourself?
Belroth 48:23
Honestly, yes, but I don’t think they know they did.
Anthony 48:29
This is our best healer, Webhealer. He will help you-
Belroth 48:36
Web Cleric.
Anthony 48:38
Yeah, he’s a tiefling. Healer is his Virtue name. His first name is Web.
Deeran 48:45
He’s a Warforged. He doesn’t have a face or talk, but he does have a printout on his-
Anthony 48:53
It’s cancer.
Belroth 48:53
Yeah, he often recommends chemotherapy. Yes, they basically said, you need to consultant a chimerologist, which hurt my feelings?
Deeran 49:09
Wait, man, did they- did they- He can’t get through it.
Ellori 49:18
Belroth, did you say that that’s you?
Belroth 49:19
No, I didn’t want to.
Ellori 49:25
Okay.
Skarpin 49:26
Might have helped, but…
Belroth 49:29
Definitely would not have helped. None of them knew anything.
Ellori 49:34
I’m so sorry, Belroth.
Belroth 49:36
It’s okay.
Deeran 49:40
If nobody knows anything about it, you are the world’s foremost expert in this.
Skarpin 49:47
Yeah, what would you do?
Deeran 49:50
I’d go to a healer.
Skarpin 49:56
Yeah, well…good luck.
Ellori 50:01
I think we really need to find Wesley.
Belroth 50:03
Yes, I’m sure he’s at a tavern, and I wouldn’t mind that either, but we can go to the Brass Palace I’m just-
Ellori 50:12
If he’s not in the first tavern we look at, we’ll go up to the palace.
Belroth 50:15
Okay.
Deeran 50:17
The note did say to go to the palace, right?
Belroth 50:20
Then let’s go to the palace.
Ellori 50:23
Yeah, I was just trying to do what Belroth wanted to do
Belroth 50:27
No, I appreciate that.
Ellori 50:30
Because he’s feeling pretty bad.
Belroth 50:31
I’m feeling a lot of large feelings right now, and at least one of them is genuinely pain. It hurts a lot. They touched it a lot
Deeran 50:44
I meant what I said, man. You know the most about this in the whole world. That’s pretty cool.
Belroth 50:50
Ellori, let’s go
Ellori 50:55
Oh, Skarpin and Deeran you should come too.
Deeran 51:02
He hands the bag of Freya snacks back.
Belroth 51:07
Is it empty?
Deeran 51:11
You tell me, man.
Belroth 51:14
How many of these did Freya eat because there’s 3 left?
Deeran 51:18
She looks very full.
Belroth 51:22
How many of these did you eat?
Deeran 51:25
Deeran also looks very full. I lost count man. You were in there a while.
Belroth 51:37
I know.
Deeran 51:38
We saw like- Okay, I’m gonna tell you the truth here. I gave 2 to Freya for every medical professional that we saw enter the room with you, and I had three.
Belroth 51:55
For every medical professional?
Deeran 51:58
Yeah.
Belroth 51:59
There were- that’s…
Deeran 52:03
I’m pretty full.
Skarpin 52:04
Oh, that’s too many.
Deeran 52:07
You think I should see a healer?
Belroth 52:09
She had 12 and you had 18.
Anthony 52:13
I like that the guy with an unceasing hunger is like, too much. Too much, Deeran.
Skarpin 52:19
He knows it’s a lot.
Deeran 52:22
I assume this is a conversation we’re having as we’re walking.
Anthony 52:25
Yeah, me too. And before long you pass into the Old District, Mughamarra just at the base of the Brass Palace. You walk down the street with the gates to the Brass Palace in view. As you do you walk through a central square that has been dedicated to the heroes and the lost of the Shadow Fall.
Skarpin 53:03
Oh, wow, I wonder what that burned down old building is. I bet there’s a lot of history over there.
Ellori 53:12
Seems like there’s a lot of history all around us. Anywhere that has a statue you know is old.
Skarpin 53:18
Yeah, maybe we’ll have some time- some leisure time we can walk around and check this out.
Ellori 53:25
You know I’d love that to get more stories, but Wesley doesn’t seem like the type to let us have time off. Is Wesley our boss?
Belroth 53:35
I don’t know, and I’ve wanted to ask that same question, but was too afraid.
Skarpin 53:42
Well, so far. He’s definitely more senior.
Ellori 53:44
We should try calling him boss and see how he reacts.
Skarpin 53:49
Okay.
Ellori 53:49
I’ll do it.
Skarpin 53:50
Yeah, let’s do it.
Belroth 53:54
Yes.
Skarpin 53:54
Well, let’s head up. Maybe they’re expecting us.
Anthony 53:59
You head to the gate of the Brass Palace. There are 4 guards stationed outside the gate on the ground level and then 2 guards up above, one in each of a parapet above the entry gate. They are all armed and add attention as you arrive.
Ellori 54:20
Hello, we’re the Expedition Society of Songs and Adventures. I’m Ellori. This is Deeran and Skarpin and Belroth and Freya and we are here to see Wesley Tallow.
Anthony 54:33
Wesley Tallow. Can you prove affiliation with the Adventure Incorporated?
Belroth 54:41
Belroth starts pulling out like, the Commission thing and like, the note from Wesley because I think we have the paperwork, right?
Skarpin 54:52
Yeah, we kept all of the paperwork.
Anthony 54:53
Well the Guild has the paperwork. You don’t have the paperwork.
Belroth 54:58
Well, Belroth. It pulls out the note from Wesley.
Anthony 55:05
He takes the note and he looks it over and he says, this is thin proof. I will go and seek Wesley, and if I can find him, I will return and retrieve you. Wait here.
Ellori 55:23
Thank you!
Anthony 55:25
He takes a small little side door into the tower and heads inside. 5 minutes pass. 10 minutes pass.
Ellori 55:39
Ellori definitely makes conversation with the other guards that are there, casual, as much as they’ll engage.
Anthony 55:46
Yeah, and for the most part, they seem pretty friendly. They tell you a little bit about the city and a little bit about the palace. All of the guards live within the walls of the palace. They keep it pretty well protected, and in fact what’s inside the palace is mostly like a small town that is largely the guards and the people who service the palace. So, servants and food and things like that all happen inside the walls of the palace, but it is basically a small town. Then additionally, the headquarters of Adventure Incorporated, the main tower that Adventure Incorporated works out of his inside the gates of the Brass Palace as well. So, it’s sort of like the palace itself and then smaller and to the side is the Adventure Incorporated tower, and then the rest of the town inside.
Ellori 56:45
Cool, cool, cool.
Anthony 56:49
Then they tell you that things have been, you know, going along pretty well. The Emperor is still not here. You know, she’s leading the war effort, but that life goes on in the Brass Palace nonetheless and that there’s a lot of important things happening here. Then after about a half an hour, the main gate begins to open, and swaying slightly in the center of the gate area as the doors open is Wesley. He looks out at the 4 of you, and he says, ah, you have made it, wonderful!
Ellori 57:35
Hi, boss!
Skarpin 57:38
Yes, hi, boss. Hi, boss.
Anthony 57:40
Is what we are going with now? Okay. Welcome, boss. Come, come. Come, boss.
Belroth 57:47
Wait, I’m sorry. Are we-
Anthony 57:49
We’re all just saying nice nickname of boss, yes?
Skarpin 57:55
Yeah…Okay.
Ellori 57:57
Yeah.
Anthony 57:57
Come, come, come, come come. Let them in. Let them in. They are my guest, my honored guest.
Yes, you already told us that. We are going to let them in. Please, you may enter the palace.
Belroth 58:11
Belroth follows.
Skarpin 58:13
Skarpin’s pumped.
Ellori 58:13
Nice to meet you. Thank you for your stories.
Anthony 58:16
Deeran, are you paying attention, or are you just-
Deeran 58:19
No, Deeran is still like, gripped onto the back of Skarpin’s shell.
Anthony 58:24
All right, well, I just wanted to make sure like, that wasn’t- I was asking Deeran. Is Deeran paying attention or did he wander off in half an hour.
Deeran 58:30
No. Deeran didn’t let go of Skarpin’s shell for the half hour.
Anthony 58:37
Yeah, yeah.
Deeran 58:38
He’s scared.
Anthony 58:39
Okay, great. Come, come, come. We will discuss what you have discovered over drinks, eh? We will go to the tavern inside the Brass Palace. It is a very nice place called Singing Dragon. Very, very beautiful place. You will love it. He leads you into the area here near the palace to this small little tavern. He brings you inside. He says, please, please sit. You may have food. I am sure you are hungry from your journey. I will, I will get some food for you.
Skarpin 59:22
Yes, I’m very hungry.
Anthony 59:25
You are back soon. It’s good? You’re sooner than I might have expected
Ellori 59:31
Oh, no, sorry. It’s terrible. Everything’s terrible. I’m sorry. We’ve had so many things happen in the past couple days that- the, the Demon Isles don’t exist anymore, I think.
Belroth 59:45
The Island of Protection, which is where we ended up going. The temple there seemed to burst with, I want to say a negative energy. I don’t know, Skarpin, is that accurate? Is that how it felt you said?
Skarpin 1:00:02
Yes, I tried to analyze this, this magic that was happening, which is just this void of emptiness, even blocking my divine energy, my divine magics. I couldn’t even call upon them properly.
Belroth 1:00:13
The flora and fauna seem to warp around this magic, and Belroth points to like, one of the bone- the gross flowers that like, Skarpin probably still has. -has changed to this. And I had some encounters with some creatures that have left me horribly disfigured, or sort of disfigured, and he like kind of weasels out the like the spine or the barb to show.
Deeran 1:00:45
And it’s so gross.
Belroth 1:00:47
It looks- it’s extra inflamed today because I went to the healers guild, and they said that they couldn’t do anything but they touched it a lot. So, I need several drinks because I am not comfortable.
Skarpin 1:01:00
Then these creatures burst through the temple’s wall. These weird things from what Ellori told us because I think- I passed out immediately. They were just these demonic figures, kind of like tieflings a little bit, right, Belroth?
Belroth 1:01:16
More ugly than us, I believe.
Skarpin 1:01:18
Sure, ugly Tieflings.
Deeran 1:01:20
Ellori, Were they uglier than Belroth?
Ellori 1:01:22
Oh, gosh, um-
Belroth 1:01:24
Answer carefully.
Ellori 1:01:25
Since I didn’t have time to get to know them, it seemed from their actions that they were pretty cruel, and so, you know, my grandma always says you got to judge what a person looks like by what a person looks like inside. You know, you know, so if, if someone was-
Deeran 1:01:47
Like their guts?
Belroth 1:01:49
This is what mine looks like in-
Ellori 1:01:50
Actually, now that you say that- but anyway. If you have a nice heart then it usually means you have a nice face. Ugly isn’t usually something I like to say about people or things.
Deeran 1:02:07
Is that true in your experience Belroth as a chimerologist? Do you find that the things that have pretty hearts have pretty faces too?
Belroth 1:02:16
I mean, I don’t want to say- I agree with Ellori that like, you know, I don’t want to say ugly or horrifying, but there are several animals with fascinating hearts with more than the normal amount of chambers, and honestly, they’re honestly beautiful in their interestingness in their complexity and all the-
Deeran 1:02:37
In their grotesquery?
Belroth 1:02:40
I don’t know if I would say grotesquery. I don’t know if that’s-
Deeran 1:02:43
In their horrifying visage?
Belroth 1:02:46
No, no, no, no, no, um, they-
Deeran 1:02:49
In their nightmare fueled body shapes.
Belroth 1:02:53
All of the things- I’ve never said any of these things I’ve never-
Deeran 1:02:56
I’m just asking, man.
Belroth 1:03:00
I agree with Ellori on the heart statement.
Skarpin 1:03:04
What about the one with the two scythes for hands? The skull and the face, that was terrifying.
Belroth 1:03:10
That one was pretty gross actually.
Skarpin 1:03:11
Their heart’s probably not great.
Belroth 1:03:13
Well, I didn’t get a chance to look at it.
Skarpin 1:03:17
So, yeah, terrible things. Terrible things, Wesley.
Belroth 1:03:20
Yeah, anyways, it’s just bad.
Deeran 1:03:25
Yeah, it hasn’t been great, man. How are you?
Anthony 1:03:30
You’re telling me that the Demon Stone is broken?
Belroth 1:03:33
Oh, and Belroth pulls out the chunk of Demon Stone that he has. This is what’s left.
Anthony 1:03:44
Wesley takes the stone, and he looks down at it. He says, we are going to need the elders.
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 1:04:54
Serious Business.
We’re super serious!
Transcribed by https://otter.ai