Anthony 0:01
Greetings, adventures and welcome to the Adventure Incorporated Podcast. My name is Anthony Reed, I am your Dungeon Master. I jumped the gun. This is episode 32. It is part of the Gathering Darkness story arc, and you know, this week, in the United States at least, many people get together with friends, family, and discuss things that are important to them. And I want to say something that I am so thankful for, our Patrons at patreon.com/adventureinc who have made my life a lot easier by providing me an opportunity to spend some time with some of my best friends. And those are the people that are part of this show. And so, you know, we as a group of friends who got together and get to do a thing every week because of all of you supporting the show, listening to the show, sharing the show, being a part of this community. That’s so important to us, and we are so grateful to have that opportunity. I’m speaking for other people here, but I’m pretty sure it’s important to them too. You know, maybe it’s not. Maybe it’s not important to them. I don’t know. I haven’t expressly asked them. Maybe I will. You know, who knows. I’m sure it’s fine. I’m sure they love it. But thank you so, so much for making this part of your life so that it can be part of our lives. It’s so important, and we really, really appreciate it. And if you want to show more support for the show, you can head to patreon.com/adventureinc you can support the show monetarily so that we can continue to do really exciting things and grow the show as it moves forward. So, once again, thank you to all of you who are part of this but especially to our Patrons. And yeah, there’s a lot of show to get to, so let’s why don’t we 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 2:20
She’s a Grimalkin. That’s, uh, but 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 2:29
Skarpin the Cleric.
Belroth 2:32
Should I just try and snipe them from over here?
Skarpin 2:35
Yeah, okay. I did say there was good as dead. I would hate for my, you know, to break my word on our first contract with Adventure Incorporated.
Anthony 2:43
Ellori, the Bard.
Ellori 2:45
We would want you to leave this warehouse.
Anthony 2:49
He points behind it. Church!
Ellori 2:52
Oh, sorry. We want you to leave this church.
Anthony 2:56
Deeran, the Wizard.
He say, you no worship Shattered Fang.
Deeran 3:01
Yeah, man he’s like, super wrong. We love Broken Tooth- uh, Shattered Fang, man.
Anthony 3:06
Prepare yourselves, for these are the tales of Adventure Incorporated!.
Well, congratulations on this win. As it should be obvious an adventurer’s body is going to be the thing that provides them the most direct benefit in their interaction with the world. If you are not prepared to face whatever darkness has come then you will die. And all will die. So much rests upon your strands of Fate. So much rests upon your shoulders. You must be ready to carry it or we are all doomed. On to the next one.
Belroth 4:06
Yeah, sure. Belroth is still coughing up a little bit of blood like, trying to attend to his own wounds. Mr. uh, Ghost man, is the next one also a test of our bodies because if it is I’d love a quick break.
Anthony 4:20
No, no, no, no, the next one will not test your body. There is one more facet to an adventure that is so important. It is the ability to make connections, to understand those connections, and to feel your spirit flow from one individual to another.
Ellori 4:45
I love making friends. This sounds like the perfect challenge.
Anthony 4:50
Excellent, then you should have no trouble here. Which will be good because while this challenge will not kill you. If you fail, you won’t be able to leave.
Belroth 5:01
Oh, that’s fun.
Anthony 5:06
Yeah, I would not mind spending eternity, your eternity with you here until you pass away and then I’ll be alone again.
Ellori 5:16
How many people have you- you said 70 years ago. And the people 70 years ago failed?
Anthony 5:29
Yes, yes of course.
Ellori 5:30
‘Of course’ sounds like- I guess, yeah, yeah, I guess of course because if it wasn’t ‘of course’ then it wouldn’t still be here then. So you just kind of hang out with them until they die?
Anthony 5:43
Well, sometimes. I mean, those people didn’t even make it through this challenge. So there wasn’t much time to spend with them.
Belroth 5:52
Okay, yeah, sure.
Ellori 5:54
Let’s go make some friends.
Skarpin 5:57
Skarpin casts Cure Wounds on Belroth at level 2.
Belroth 6:02
Thank you.
Skarpin 6:07
- You get 7.
Belroth 6:09
Jesus Christ, guys. Belroth feels better, but is still bleeding.
Anthony 6:18
There’s only one door out of this room, but it is a double door.
Skarpin 6:24
Skarpin goes to the middle.
Ellori 6:27
Ellori goes through the left side of the door.
Deeran 6:29
At the same time as Deeran goes to the right side of the door.
Belroth 6:33
Belroth also goes through the middle with Freya behind.
Anthony 6:37
Okay. The spirit follows behind. This room is small, cramped for the 5 of you to even be in here. It’s pretty tight. It’s only like a 20 by 20 room, and there is another door along the back wall. Are you upset that I told you it was cramped, but then it was 20 feet by 20 feet?
Deeran 7:00
Yeah, that’s bigger than some apartments I’ve had. 400 square feet is a ton of fucking room.
Belroth 7:08
That is bigger than my current apartment.
Anthony 7:11
Fair enough. So, here’s the problem: I was trying to relate this to D&D squares where a square is 5 feet, and you can only occupy one square by yourself. Where clearly that’s not true, but I didn’t- I wanted to- so, I guess we’ll say 10 feet by 10 feet. So, the spirit floats through the room behind you, passing through you and comes to stand next to the door. And he says this trial has begun.
Skarpin 7:51
Skarpin gets ready to fight and observes the room Perception-wise. Fuck. 6.
Anthony 8:04
You’re in an empty room aside from the large door in front of you that is metal. It is ornate, probably about 15 feet high and studded with metal studs all around the door. And that’s it. The room is small. There’s nothing else in here.
Ellori 8:26
Um, Ellori takes out her ukulele and gives a little strum and sings, ~We’re just looking for one more friend, unless we need to find 2 more friends. Or maybe we could have 3 more friends, but we just like to make some more friends. So, if your friend and you’re hiding in this room waiting for us to find in this room. Well, we’re not gonna look through this room until you’re ready to come into this room because we’re just looking for one more friend. Or maybe we’re just looking for 2 more friends. Or maybe there could be 3 more friends depending on how many friends are ready to be friends or ready to be acquaintances if a friend is too much of a strong word for you.~
Anthony 9:27
So, that wasn’t a spell that was just a song.
Ellori 9:29
Yeah.
Anthony 9:30
Oh great.
Belroth 9:37
She’s just going to cast a level 9 spell. I’d like to cast Meteor Storm.
Deeran 9:50
It’s a troll is what it was.
Anthony 9:56
The spirit claps.
Ellori 9:58
Thank you.
Anthony 9:59
It was very good.
Ellori 10:00
Thank you.
Belroth 10:04
Um, what is the challenge?
Anthony 10:09
It’s begun.
Belroth 10:10
Mm hmm, continue.
Deeran 10:20
Deeran rests, he sits down and rests his head against the door, the big ornate door and just kind of like, looks up into the ceiling. And as he does so, like he puts his hands down on the ground first and like, then looks up- nope. He does not actively see anything. So, nevermind.
Anthony 10:50
You see ceiling up there.
Deeran 10:54
I do have a passive Investigation of 17.
Anthony 11:00
There’s ceiling. You see ceiling up there.
Deeran 11:02
And so at some point, I would like for my passive ability to investigate this door to kick in like, as I’m kind of like board tracing one of the, you know, the spikes that are sticking out around the sides of the door I would like my passive, curious Investigation to like kick in, you know?
Anthony 11:30
Noted.
Ellori 11:32
Um, you know, sir, you told us that the challenge here was to make connections, right?
Anthony 11:42
Did I?
Belroth 11:46
You did.
Anthony 11:47
Okay.
Ellori 11:49
Um, well, so maybe, maybe we should share a secret about ourselves. Maybe we’re, you know, we’re looking for someone else to enter this room, but maybe the 5 of us in this room are the people that we need to make the connections with? 6 if you’re including Freya, but if she was going to start talking and tell us secrets now that would be, that’d be kind of a big secret, I think.
Belroth 12:11
That would be a big secret, yeah. I like this idea. Let’s, let’s keep going with it. Share secrets.
Ellori 12:26
Let’s start with you, Mr. Ghost.
Anthony 12:29
Oh, no, thank you.
Ellori 12:35
You know, you said you forgot your name. What if we, what if we work together to come up with a name for you so that you could feel more part of our crew?
Anthony 12:44
Okay.
Ellori 12:46
Is there a name that you like?
Anthony 12:49
Ah, let’s see if I can remember the ones I like best. Ellori. That’s one. I like that one a fair amount. Deeran. Belroth. Skarpin. These are good names.
Ellori 13:08
Okay.
Skarpin 13:09
Call him Skarpin. I like that name too.
Anthony 13:13
Yes. It seems like a very fitting name, no?
Skarpin 13:16
Strong.
Anthony 13:17
Yes. You hear me speaking, and you think, that’s a Skarpin.
Ellori 13:31
Well, Skarpin, what’s your favorite memory of people coming through these trials?
Anthony 13:40
Oh, am I Skarpin, are you calling me Skarpin?
Ellori 13:43
Yes, you are Skarpin.
Anthony 13:44
We’re both Skarpin now?
Ellori 13:46
Yeah
Anthony 13:47
Well, I don’t really like that right. You’re no longer Skarpin. If I’m Skarpin you can’t be.
Skarpin 13:52
Well, what do you call me?
Anthony 13:55
I don’t care. But not Skarpin.
Skarpin 13:57
Ellori? That’s a good name you said.
Anthony 14:00
I feel like I’ll get really- it’ll be very confusing. Won’t it if I call you Ellori, and I’m meant to be talking to her.
Belroth 14:07
What about, what about Ghost Skarpin so that we are clear?
Anthony 14:11
Yes, yes, you be Ghost Skarpin, and I’ll be Skarpin.
Skarpin 14:14
I like that.
Belroth 14:16
No!
Skarpin 14:16
It sounds dangerous.
Deeran 14:17
We’ve done this. Oh, god. All right.
Belroth 14:22
You made me spit like, I, I did a spit take, Anthony.
Anthony 14:29
All right, let’s see. My favorite memory of people who have come through here. Well, there was one group that got very far. It was very promising. After several years here, in this chamber, I was certain, certain that they would succeed and what they had set out to do. Now, of course, they didn’t. And it was several more years, with many of them cursing my name, which was less pleasant, I think. But for those first few years, oh, those first few years were wonderful.
Belroth 15:03
What name did they curse?
Anthony 15:06
I don’t recall.
Belroth 15:06
You said they were cursing your name?
Anthony 15:08
I don’t remember. Whatever name they called me. Who knows? Those times a long forgotten.
Skarpin 15:17
Skarpin more earnestly looks at the door to see if they see anything.
Anthony 15:22
Give me a Perception Check.
Skarpin 15:27
- Anthony 15:30
There’s a handle on the door. Like, a ring on the door that you could try to pull on. There’s nothing else you notice about the door.
Skarpin 15:41
He pulls on it.
Anthony 15:44
It’s locked. Yeah, that’s not gonna work. I could unlock it for you.
Ellori 15:51
Okay, Belroth, what about a secret from you?
Deeran 15:55
Wait, did you just say you could unlock the door, Skarpin?
Anthony 16:00
Yes, yes, I can.
Deeran 16:02
Will you?
Anthony 16:03
No.
Deeran 16:05
Ever?
Anthony 16:08
Well, I wouldn’t say never. I mean, possibly I someday could, but I don’t expect to.
Deeran 16:13
Is there a condition that the 4 or 5 of us could meet that would cause you to have to unlock the door?
Anthony 16:22
Nothing would cause me to have to unlock the door.
Belroth 16:25
Well, Mr. Skarpin, if that’s what we’re calling you, what would you do for say a friend? If we were, I don’t know, friends, would you unlock the door for us?
Anthony 16:36
Well, probably not.
Belroth 16:37
Oh, okay. Well, why not? Do you not like your friends?
Anthony 16:42
I haven’t had enough friends to speak of, I guess, to say one way or the other. But I would say that my job is to make sure this door doesn’t open, and I don’t really feel like opening it for you. Now, if you wish to weaken your connection to Fate, then I would have no choice but to open the door.
Belroth 17:07
Why didn’t the group that got very far weaken their connection to Fate if they had been there for several years.
Anthony 17:16
Their connection to Fate was not strong enough to weaken. There was not enough power of Fate around them to act in such a way.
Deeran 17:30
Deeran looks at the group and says, um, I felt pretty taken aback when we met Colliesto-wait, was it Colliesto or was it with the Agrestal Spirit, Ellori, when we all shared what we were best at?
Ellori 18:10
That was in the past. That was with the-
Deeran 18:18
Oh, with the Archons. Sorry. There’s just so many, uh, like, otherworldly beings that we like, have to work with or whatever.
Ellori 18:29
It’s easy to get confused. It’s okay.
Deeran 18:32
So, um, and Deeran takes a huge like, deep breath and, it really caught me off guard when I, when I asked the whole group to help me with like, what I’m best with and then, and then Belroth you said that thing exactly what Ellori said was my biggest strength, you said exactly that to the Archon as your biggest strength. And that like, that really hurt. That like, really hurt me because then I didn’t know what I was good for, if that’s what you already bring to a group. And like, I’ve been carrying that along with me for a long time now. And so if we’re sharing secrets, that one felt like one that I knew I needed to share with us here.
Belroth 19:36
I’m sorry, Deeran. I didn’t mean to make you feel lesser. I mean, if anything, maybe I did. Maybe I punched down because I am afraid that I am a failure and that if I don’t somehow project that on someone else I have admitted that everything I’ve done up to this point is terrible. And it’s honestly a terrible trait of mine. And I was about to talk myself out of telling you that, but um, I shouldn’t, because you’re, we’re on the same team. And you’re someone who I admire and think is very strong in ways that are similar to me, but also ways that aren’t. Ways that are strong in ways that I can ever be. And I apologize for making you feel weak. And I apologize for making you feel as though I didn’t care. So, that’s my secret is that I don’t know if I, if anything I’ve ever done has been a success.
Deeran 20:57
I just wanted to say thanks because like, if we’re gonna die in this room together like, at least, you know, that’s off, you know? Thanks, man. Deeran like, stands up to give- to like, put his arms out for a hug.
Belroth 21:20
Belroth gives a hug back and actually Freya had already instinctively like, move towards Deeran to like, kind of rub up against him almost as though she’s like a part of how Belroth feels too. And they have a big hug and there’s a cat there. It’s great. Everyone’s happy
Skarpin 21:44
Those are good ones, Belroth and Deeran. Nice job. It’s something I haven’t talked about really, but I’m worried the Nightholder clan won’t accept me back because I, I’m like this now. And he points towards the undead half of him. They didn’t want me to leave and then I did this to myself. I’m worried I’m too different now that they just won’t take me back. I left them and maybe ruined my chances of ever returning.
Deeran 22:27
You know, Skarpin, this like, maybe this isn’t the time to say it, but I assumed “Nightholder” was like, a name that you had chosen, man because like, you know, ‘the long night’, right? Like, when you die, right? Like that kind of whole symbolism and metaphor kind of thing for like, ‘the great beyond’ is like, the, you know, ‘the long night’ or whatever. Like, I assumed you picked Nightholder yourself. It’s kind of, it’s kind of crazy, right, that like, your name is Nightholder and now you are that. And Deeran gestures to that same half that Skarpin had gestured to.
Skarpin 23:11
Yeah, one of my ancestors was just really cool and just chose it one day. I don’t quite know the etimology of that, but if I ever can go back I’ll ask them.
Anthony 23:24
I have been very confused during this conversation because I thought my name was Skarpin, but you have been talking to Ghost Skarpin as though he were me, but I didn’t know anything you were talking about.
Skarpin 23:37
No, you’re right. We were confused. For clarification I think he was talking to Ghost Skarpin.
Deeran 23:42
Yeah, sorry, man. I just call him Skarpin for short, you know?
Anthony 23:46
I don’t like that.
Skarpin 23:47
Just to save time.
Deeran, can you address me as Ghost Skarpin from now on?
Deeran 23:54
Sure, man. Sorry, Skarpin. Sorry, Ghost Skarpin.
Anthony 24:01
It’s okay.
Skarpin 24:01
It’s okay.
Anthony 24:03
It’s gonna take some time. Time and learning. We will all be better for it.
Deeran 24:10
But yeah, man, it’s like- do you think it’s connected, like, on a grand level, right? That’s your name, and now you are someone who holds the night within you like that?
Skarpin 24:31
You know, that’s, that’s even less crazy than the things you said earlier about the Black Scale.
Deeran 24:39
Well, I mean, do you think it’s less crazy or just like, more coincidental? You know, it’s like, tough to tell what’s a coincidence what’s irony, you know, like-
Skarpin 24:51
You know, if we are bound with Fate as much as we keep hearing, then maybe, maybe there’s more to it than just this demon stuff.
Ellori 25:04
You know, my grandma always used to say that a sage named Alanis Morissette would talk frequently about irony. And the real irony is that the things she said were ironic were really just coincidental, and that it was a kind of meta irony that really was powerful. It was powerful, Deep Magic.
Belroth 25:31
Can you give an example?
Ellori 25:34
Yes, like she said, for instance, it’s like rain on your wedding day.
Belroth 25:41
Hmm, that feels very ironic. I see.
Ellori 25:43
But it’s not ironic because the weather happens every day. And it’s not like a wedding is planned because there will be no rain. It’s not like the circumstances surrounding a wedding are, you know, supposed to be without rain, and rain is just part of the natural cycle of the weather. And so it just happens. It’s just a coincidence that you happened to get married on a day that it was raining.
Belroth 26:05
Oh.
Ellori 26:05
And, you know, another example is a free ride that you’ve already paid. And I’m sorry, but if you didn’t read the signage properly that says you didn’t need to pay, then that just seems to be our fault for not looking at the sign.
Belroth 26:17
That’s just being robbed.
Anthony 26:19
Honestly it sounds definitional. Like, it was never free. You already paid. That’s not free at all.
Belroth 26:26
Every ride you pay for is then free.
Deeran 26:29
You know I’ve read that if they’re giving you anything free anyway, it means that you’re the product, man. So like, who is to even say what a free ride really is, you know?
Belroth 26:43
There is truly no such thing as a free meal.
Deeran 26:48
Yeah.
Anthony 26:49
Speaking of which, there will be no free meals here either. If you wish to have meals, you will have to pay for them.
Deeran 26:54
Wait, we can buy food?
Belroth 26:57
You have food here that we could buy?
Deeran 26:59
Do you have like, a menu, Skarpin?
Belroth 27:00
Is there catering?
Deeran 27:04
Do you have mozzarella sticks, Skarpin.
Skarpin 27:06
Oh, Ghost Skarpin loves mozzarella sticks.
Anthony 27:08
I’ve never heard of them.
Ellori 27:08
Oh my god, Stephanie loves mozzarella sticks.
Anthony 27:14
Well, what I can do is provide your body with nourishment. It’s not the same as eating. It’s not eating, but you will be sated.
Skarpin 27:23
Really?
Deeran 27:24
Yeah, much does that cost?
Anthony 27:26
It costs some of your longevity of life?
Belroth 27:31
This sounds like Soylent.
Deeran 27:34
That seems like a bad trade, man.
Anthony 27:37
Well, if you were to live for 100 years you could be in this room for only a few more days and die because you did not have sustenance. But if I took a year from that 100 years you would now live 99 years and you would have sustenance for the day.
Skarpin 27:59
I’ll do it.
Anthony 28:02
I will, I will do this.
Deeran 28:05
Ghost Skarpin, hold on, man
Skarpin 28:06
But I want to be satiated. Sated.
Deeran 28:09
You see, I don’t think this does that.
Skarpin 28:11
That’s what he said. He literally said that.
Anthony 28:14
You will be nourished.
Skarpin 28:16
You said sated.
Anthony 28:16
You will have the nourishment needed to survive. Yes, your cravings for the nourishment you need will be sated, but not- I’ve seen what you are. I don’t think you will not feel the hunger that is part of you.
Skarpin 28:32
Fine.
Anthony 28:33
But I’ll do it anyway. I’m happy to. Honestly you need no nourishment so I would be taking time for nothing. It would really be a great deal for me.
Deeran 28:42
It’s like a free meal.
Anthony 28:43
It would be a free meal, honestly, for me.
Belroth 28:46
It is ironic. This is actually like, ironic I see.
Deeran 28:50
Did we solve the puzzle? Deeran looks at the door.
Anthony 28:56
Oh, no, I still won’t let you in. No.
Skarpin 28:59
You know, Skarpin, I thought I liked you. And he goes back to the door.
Anthony 29:02
He’s just like, staring at the door?
Skarpin 29:06
I’m observing it closely with a 17.
Anthony 29:11
Deeran you have not recognized anything strange about this door? It’s just a metal door.
Deeran 29:16
But I haven’t even been paying attention to it. So, that means I’ve been passively Investigating it.
Anthony 29:21
You haven’t seen anything.
Belroth 29:25
Belroth is going to begin- so, thinking that this is about connections, Belroth is going to try and make a connection with Freya. And he’s going to start the ritual for Beast Sense to be able to see through her eyes and hear what she hears.
Anthony 29:47
That’s like 10 minutes, right?
Belroth 29:49
Yeah.
Deeran 29:52
Ellori?
Ellori 29:54
Yeah.
Deeran 29:55
You didn’t tell us a secret?
Skarpin 29:57
That’s true.
Belroth 29:59
That is true.
Ellori 30:00
Oh, um-
Deeran 30:02
Everybody- like, you don’t have to, of course. I don’t, I don’t know if it’ll like, do anything, but like, everybody else did, and I just wanted to make sure that you had a chance if you wanted to. Like, we got caught up in talking about irony and coincidence.
Ellori 30:17
Yeah, um-
Skarpin 30:18
It’s ironic that she suggested this and didn’t give a secret.
Ellori 30:24
That’s a pretty decent definition of irony because you would expect that I’d be the first one to participate in my own game.
Skarpin 30:29
It’s the opposite of what happened.
Ellori 30:31
And that’s the definition of irony. Yeah, um, one time when I was 9 I really wanted the cookies that were on the counter. And my, my mom said, don’t eat them. And then she went to bed, and I ate one. And then the next morning, she said, did you eat one, and I said, no, and I blamed it on our goat.
Belroth 30:57
And then what?
Ellori 30:59
That’s a secret I’ve never told anybody.
Belroth 31:02
Oh. I mean, okay.
Deeran 31:10
What kind of cookie was it?
Ellori 31:12
It was one of the ones with the jam in the middle. And you put your little thumbprint in, and you spread jam in there. And they’re really delicious.
Deeran 31:22
When you bake it, Belroth, you put your finger in before you bake it to make the like, shape or whatever and then you put in the jam. Yeah, you don’t like, put your finger in the jam after it’s baked?
Belroth 31:40
Well, I mean, I don’t know how. I’ve had them before.
Ellori 31:45
We’ll have to bake them.
Anthony 31:47
Oh, please do.
Ellori 31:49
Whenever you come to my village to visit we’ll bake cookies, but you can’t tell my mom. Maybe I should tell my mom. Maybe this is something that- maybe this is the only secret I’ve ever- this is the only lie I’ve ever told her, and it’s literally kept me up all night some nights thinking about lying to my mom and blaming it on our goat.
Deeran 32:10
Wait, really? This is the worst thing you ever did?
Ellori 32:15
Deeran, didn’t you hear me? I lied to my mom.
Deeran 32:20
Yeah.
Ellori 32:22
And I still haven’t told her the truth all these many years later.
Deeran 32:27
Yeah.
Ellori 32:29
I think my grandma knows. Everytime we bake cookies, she looks at the goat and she says, oh, don’t come near here. You really like these cookies. And then she gives a little wink at me. And so I think that she knows that I ate it, but I don’t know if she told my mom. And it would break my heart if she knew that I was a liar.
Deeran 32:48
I don’t I don’t think telling one lie makes you a liar.
Ellori 32:53
What does this make you?
Deeran 32:56
Normal. Like, a regular person.
Anthony 33:00
You’ve lied. That makes you a liar.
Ellori 33:02
That’s what I’m saying, Skarpin.
Belroth 33:05
But I feel like there are different severities of lie and that I would put on the very low end of this how severe a lie is.
Anthony 33:12
Depends if you’re the goat or not.
Ellori 33:15
Yeah, that goat got a stern talking to.
Skarpin 33:31
When we visit, you can apologize to the goat too.
Ellori 33:36
Oh, I’ve apologized to the goat so many times. Every time I see a sad little eyes I know he’s remembering the time my mom yelled at him.
Skarpin 33:45
Well, it was a step in the right direction at redemption.
Ellori 33:50
Thank you, thank you Ghost Skarpin. Thank you.
Skarpin 34:01
Skarpin knocks on the door.
Anthony 34:06
I’m, I’m right here.
Belroth 34:12
The ritual finishes for Beast Sense.
Ellori 34:16
Ellori took 10 minutes to tell her story.
Deeran 34:22
I imagined it was like, sniffily with dramatic pauses.
Anthony 34:30
Yeah, we’re doing the abridged version for the podcast. I think- you know, you shared, each of you shared a secret. And so I guess it is probably right for me to share one, just out of propriety sake. Many people have come to this door, seeking what lies behind it for some darkness or for some evil to fight out in the world. And the truth is I don’t want to let anyone beyond this door because for as long as the world continues to exist, I am bound to this place for eternity. And if I don’t open this door, at some point something so evil is going to come that it will threaten the stability of the very world. And when the world is destroyed, finally, I will have peace. And if I never let the people who need this thing have this thing, I’ll finally get the rest I desire.
Ellori 35:47
Well, if we take the Aurora Orb what’s to say that you need to tell anybody. You could still have people come through the trials thinking that it’s still here, and you could still keep your friends for, you know, however long they’re here.
Deeran 36:17
Ellori, maybe you are a liar.
Ellori 36:19
Well, in that situation Skarpin would be the liar.
Anthony 36:28
That doesn’t change the fact that I am bound here forever to do this same cycle over and over and over again.
Belroth 36:38
Well, so you’re bound to this place for as long as this orb is here?
Anthony 36:45
I am bound to this place for eternity.
Ellori 36:48
What if we free you?
Anthony 36:50
How?
Ellori 36:51
Well, that would be something that we brainstorm together.
Anthony 36:55
If you could find a way to free me, fine, but I don’t think it’s possible. I am not a person who once walked this world. I was constructed to defend this place, to protect it. I’m bound to it.
Belroth 37:13
But you, much like those automatons earlier, have to be bound to something physical or like, some sort of a core of some sort. We could just take that with us as we leave.
Anthony 37:29
You’re in it. This building is what I am bound to. And I will be bound to it whether the object is here or not for all of eternity, unless the world ends, the Material Plane is destroyed then I will be no more.
Belroth 37:54
What if we destroy this place after we leave?
Anthony 37:58
I will not allow that. I cannot. I cannot allow it.
Belroth 38:04
I mean, you would be freed afterwards, correct?
Anthony 38:08
I cannot allow it.
Deeran 38:10
Can’t or won’t.
Anthony 38:12
Can’t. It is my job to protect this place as I am bound to it.
Skarpin 38:20
Like Skarpin, like what can you do about it? You seem like- no offense.
Anthony 38:28
I can keep this door shut.
Skarpin 38:33
But if you really want to be freed then you should let us in.
Ellori 38:50
He makes a good point.
Belroth 39:00
Compelling.
Anthony 39:03
I have every reason to want this world to fail. If it is destroyed, I am free. That is a guarantee. That is the only guarantee I can have, and I see no reason to spare it.
Deeran 39:28
Hey, Skarpin?
Anthony 39:31
Yes.
Deeran 39:32
I know like you’re gonna be here, way longer than we will? Well, actually, I don’t know. Ghost Skarpin? Like because of your situation like, how long is your lifespan now?
Skarpin 39:53
As far as I know, there’s never been one of me. Normally it’s at least 300 years, but could be, could be longer now.
Deeran 40:04
So, um, I was gonna say like, I know in comparison our lives are a lot shorter, but maybe Ghost Skarpin’s life is pretty similar.
Anthony 40:14
We could put you around here forever. That’d be great.
Deeran 40:18
What I was gonna say is like-
Skarpin 40:19
I don’t like you.
Deeran 40:20
-what if we promise to come back?
Anthony 40:25
You coming back alleviates some of the boredom I might feel. It does not alleviate that I am trapped here.
Ellori 40:38
Well, we could try to come back with a way to free you.
Anthony 40:41
Ah, but trying to free me is different than what I know will free me. I am taking a gamble on something.
Deeran 40:52
On friends they give you a name, not only our name, one of our names.
Anthony 40:58
Certainly, certainly you did give me your name. Of that I am appreciative. But you must understand that I can do nothing and ensure I get what I want, or I can trust you, and I can lose that certainty. It puts me in a difficult position.
Belroth 41:22
It does, yes, it does. And it puts us in a difficult position because we need the orb. We just need it.
Anthony 41:32
You want it.
Deeran 41:34
Without it. Without it demons are going to kill everyone that we know, and everyone that we care about.
Ellori 41:42
Deeran, Deeran I think he wants that.
Skarpin 41:44
Yeah, I was thinking of going- I was gonna go the opposite way.
Deeran 41:48
The opposite way? What’s the opposite way? With it-
Skarpin 41:57
Honestly, I was just going to go and try and make a lot of money with it. I was just gonna use it for selfish purposes if we got out of here. I’m sorry, but you get that right, Skarpin?
Anthony 42:15
No, no, no, no, no, no, you are a hero steeped in Fate. You are the last bastion. Your role is to take this world and make something of it, you leave your mark upon it to be heroes.
Skarpin 42:31
Yeah, lots and lots of monuments.
Anthony 42:34
No, no, no. That is it is not the call of the hero, of one who is marked by fate?
Deeran 42:45
Yeah, but Skarpin, that call sounds super boring.
Skarpin 42:49
What are you gonna do with it?
Anthony 42:52
Nothing. I’m going to lock it away.
Deeran 42:54
Yeha, that also sounds super boring, man. And Ghost Skarpin has a great point. What if we just got rich?
Belroth 43:00
Yeah, we could get rich and we could just take it and not use it to- and you would get what you want in the end, and we would get what we would want. Seems like a win win.
Deeran 43:14
Yeah, I mean, this guy is one.
Belroth 43:18
Well, don’t, don’t say that, Deeran. I’ve told you-
Deeran 43:21
Oh, come on. Play along, man.
Skarpin 43:22
Your buddies are probably just gonna destroy this place eventually.
Deeran 43:25
We got him reeling. We got him reeling, man. Come on.
Skarpin 43:29
So, I mean, in the meantime, we’re just trying to live it up. I mean, you get handed this responsibility, it’s not great. But you know, we’re pretty good at this stuff so we figured we’d come here and figure out how to, you know, cash it in.
Belroth 43:43
We are just get a sell it off to the King of Thieves or something. Who even knows?
Skarpin 43:48
That’s a good idea.
Anthony 43:50
How do I know that’s what you’re gonna do, and you aren’t gonna do the responsible thing?
Skarpin 43:55
I swear on my name that I will not use this for good.
Anthony 44:02
You would swear on the name ‘Ghost Skarpin’?
Skarpin 44:06
I solemnly swear.
Belroth 44:08
I feel like, oh, go ahead, Ellori.
Ellori 44:12
Oh, no, I was just gonna say I also swear that the person we would give this to is, is a person of questionable morality.
Deeran 44:20
At best.
Ellori 44:21
At best.
Deeran 44:22
Likely their morality is unquestionably bad.
Belroth 44:27
And here’s the thing, like I said at the beginning, if we are going to become friends, you will never have certainty with what your friends will do, but if you trust them, they will do as you hope and they will be there for you and do the things that you need, and do the things that they say.
Anthony 44:48
I don’t want that.
Belroth 44:50
I thought you said you wanted the world to end. It seems like you’re sending mixed signals.
Anthony 44:55
No, the world will end if I don’t open this door. I don’t have to rely on you for the world to end.
Belroth 45:02
What if we could speed it up?
Skarpin 45:06
Go out with a bang!
Belroth 45:09
Blow up the world? That seems not too bad.
Deeran 45:12
What if we, what if we use the Aurora Orb to see exactly how the world will end? You know, like, what if we use it to peer into Fate itself, to determine the things that could be done to make the world end with the current threat that’s happening right now? You know, like, that’s what we would use it to see is that, man. Like, we want to know that. We want to know all the ways that someone could stop it. Not, not to do those things, right, but to like, what if somebody else did them, you know? Like, wouldn’t it be good for us to know ahead of time, what they’re going to try.
Belroth 46:16
And as you said, yourself, we are steeped in Fate, we could just walk through that door and take it. You said it yourself, but you know that we want to know as much as we can?
Deeran 46:27
Oh, really? And Deeran turns to walk through the door.
Anthony 46:32
Slap, flat against it. Skarpin leans over, and he says like, I think he meant you could give up your connection to Fate to get in there.
Belroth 46:41
That’s what I meant, yes.
Anthony 46:43
Not just like, walk through physically. It was a bit metaphorical. I see how you missed it, but I knew what he was talking about.
Belroth 46:51
Thank you.
Deeran 46:52
Well we were talking so literally just a second ago. I figured that was the real trick.
Anthony 46:59
Yeah, I see, I see why you thought that, but no, no, that’s not.
Deeran 47:06
No, it wasn’t.
Skarpin 47:08
I haven’t cashed in on this whole Fate thing yet so I don’t want to give mine up, but this orb, hey, yeah, the world’s gonna end with or without it, so you might as well- I mean, why not, help us out? You’re impressed with us, and I mean, we could come back and hang out. I’m gonna be around for as long as, you know, until the bitter end.
Ellori 47:29
I could sing another song, to maybe help push your emotions in the right direction.
Anthony 47:37
I believe you could, and you’re welcome to. I enjoyed your performance, but before that, I just want to be clear, you are going to use the orb. You are going to find out how more quickly to end the world, then you are going to end the world, but not before selling the orb for a tidy profit? Is that what I am to understand?
Ellori 48:01
We are going to find out how the world can end, and then we’re going to sell it for a mighty profit.
Anthony 48:10
Many think that the threads of Fate who surround a person, they mean that that person is some sort of hero, but the truth is, Fate does not determine if one is a hero or a villain. It only means that they will have a lasting impact. Time and time again, would-be heroes have come to this place to try and claim the prize. Finally, finally the day has dawned when one who came to destroy and pillage. They are the ones who have come to claim the prize. Finally, I feel I can allow this object to leave this place. He slides the lock.
Ellori 49:07
Oh god.
Anthony 49:09
Suddenly, there’s a bit of a change in the spirit. He says, sometimes to get what we need from people requires hard choices. You stand on the precipice of some of the most difficult decisions that one will ever have to make. You will need allies and sometimes allies come from unlikely places. It is not a dishonor to connect with people whatever way you can. Whatever means you must use if it means the fate of reality What you have done may not feel good. You will make several choices over your lives that will not feel good. That, I think is what separates those who are capable of carrying the threads of Fate and those who are not. Those who can make choices that don’t, that don’t feel like the right choice even when you know they are. It is a burden you carry, a difficulty you will face, but you have proven that you can find the will to win. I depart you now. My journey has ended. This place no longer serves a purpose, and I will no longer be bound to it.
Skarpin 51:07
Skarpin, can I have- can we change back names before you go?
Anthony 51:13
Your name is your own.
Skarpin 51:15
Skarpin?
Anthony 51:18
That is not me anymore.
Skarpin 51:21
Oh, thank goodness.
Anthony 51:26
Good luck to you. I hope that after all this time the orb serves to help you in the ways you hope that it will. The spirit fades away.
Deeran 51:43
That was really good, Skarpin.
Ellori 51:45
Yeah, you guys did a really good job of that. That was amazing.
Skarpin 51:49
That felt good.
Belroth 51:50
Yeah, good.
Deeran 51:54
Wait, what part felt good, Skarpin?
Skarpin 51:55
Accomplishing that. We did it. We accomplished our goal. We fulfilled the contract.
Belroth 52:00
I mean, we-
Ellori 52:06
Maybe let’s get out of here before we talk about it any further.
Belroth 52:15
Let’s go through that door.
Deeran 52:16
Well, we need the orb.
Ellori 52:20
I just mean- I just meant, you know, get the orb and get out of here before we, you know-
Skarpin 52:26
Skarpin goes through the door.
Anthony 52:28
You push open the door. There’s a short hallway here, but then opens up into a large chamber that appears to be a more traditional place where you might see a sermon by members of the church. So, it’s a hall of worship, certainly, or at least it was at one point. This area of the temple seems even more dilapidated than the others, and at the far end of this large hall is a stone dais that upon which you see an orb glowing with brilliant colored light.
Skarpin 53:09
Oh, wow.
Belroth 53:12
I feel as though if this is sort of a thing of Fate, it would make sense if we all touch it.
Skarpin 53:18
Sure. Skarpin goes to the far side.
Belroth 53:23
Belroth goes to a side.
Ellori 53:28
Ellori goes to the left.
Deeran 53:30
Deeran goes to the right.
Belroth 53:32
Belroth is in the middle.
Anthony 53:33
As you approach the orb, one of the things that you notice about it is that there almost seems to be a thin layer of black inky liquid at the bottom of this glass orb about the size of a basketball and then the glowing light permeates above that. You reach out a hand each to place upon this orb and as you get close to it like, the color brightens and intensifies, glowing outward. You all place a hand upon it, and there is a sudden rush of power in the place like the air churning around you, and a voice emerges into the room.
Oh hello, welcome those who are touched by Fate who would come to this place and ask questions. I am a being known as the Magic Man, and I am so happy that you have come to speak with me today. It has been a long, long time that I have been within this orb, and I am so happy now to have someone else to talk to.
Ellori 54:51
Hello, Magic Man. My name is Ellori?
Deeran 54:53
Yeah, I’m Deeran.
Belroth 54:55
My name is Belroth beacon.
Skarpin 54:57
I’m Skarpin.
Anthony 55:00
Yes, I can see the threads that hang upon you. I can trace your lines through the past, the present, and beyond your possibilities in the future. I would talk to you. Please, ask your questions. Find that which you seek the path for. I am so thrilled to have the opportunity to try and illuminate your path as I was meant to do.
Ellori 55:32
We’re feeling very grateful to have you.
Deeran 55:41
Yeah, um how, how do we stop the demons. Deeran like, shrugs and like, looks at his friends.
Belroth 55:54
Belroth shrugs being like, not the wrong question to ask. I didn’t know what to ask. It’s a great question.
Anthony 56:04
I am so honored to have a question such as this from the Arbiter. Of course, I would be happy to answer it for you, sir. There are weapons at your disposal. Each of you carry upon you power. Power that you do not even understand or realize, these weapons will have to be brought to bear to face against the demons you seek to destroy. It seems unlikely that you will ever be able to destroy all of the demons in one fell swoop. That is not how it works. Indeed, if you destroy a demon here, it is only a short time that they must rest before they reform in their own lands, deep within the Pit. However, a creature destroyed within the Pit that, that is something different altogether, something far more permanent. But getting them to the pit, well, that is much more difficult, isn’t it? You cannot just ask them to return from where they came. No, destroying them here to send them there, that may be your only choice. Of course, the demons you seek are not all, shall we say equal, in their power. And there are many who would destroy you were you to seek them now, at least until you are prepared. As I said, some of you are already on the path you need to be on to understand how to defeat these creatures. Some of you have been on this path a very long time. You, Belroth are one who researches creatures. You understand them, and someone connected to you understands them better than most.
Belroth 58:03
Who?
Anthony 58:04
I cannot see, and so I cannot say. But what I can tell you is that your role is to understand the creatures themselves. Their being, their essence, this is what you have studied for. This is what you are meant to understand. For if you do not understand your enemy, how can you hope to defeat them? You can’t.
Belroth 58:31
Wait, just for a clarifying question. The source of the mutations in the untamed forest is similar to how the demons operate?
Anthony 58:49
Yes and no. Which is very vague.
Belroth 58:53
Yes, it is.
Anthony 58:54
Oh, yes. So vague. Yes and no. They are different but similar.
Belroth 59:01
Are they, I should say, not necessarily, they don’t operate the same way, but are the demons the cause of it?
Anthony 59:11
No, the touch of the demons has not been felt on this world in many, many, many, many eons.
Deeran 59:17
Yeah, man, maybe he means like, uh, like studying and learning has like, put you on the path to like, study and learning the demons, you know, like, the research methods that you used are repeatable, you know?
Anthony 59:32
That is both what I mean, and what I mean at all.
Deeran 59:37
Well, that wasn’t helpful.
Belroth 59:39
Yes.
Ellori 59:44
Did I mishear, or did you call Deeran the Arbiter just now?
Anthony 59:47
I did. Is that not a title you’re aware of?
Ellori 59:50
Not yet.
Anthony 59:51
What a pleasure to be the first to tell you.
Deeran 59:57
What’s it mean? Like, not the word, but like-
Anthony 1:00:10
Most people find some connection to the magic that reaches beyond the regular Arcade, the magics Deep, long part of this world, the very foundations of what it means to be as you are, special. Most people have a tip in the balance, something they are more or less a part of. You do not. That makes you unique. When there is one needed, whose opinion can be weighed upon, one that does not tip the balance one way or the other in the favor of those who are tied to such magics, well, there must be an arbiter, someone not controlled by such things, someone beyond the reach and control of the Deep Magics.
Deeran 1:01:23
Cool.
Skarpin 1:01:27
So, how do we bring forth the rest of our weapons?
Anthony 1:01:34
Yes, your weapons are ones that have been stripped from you. You walk each day, trying to seek, searching for those that have been taken. You can see the weapons of others. You can touch those weapons, but you cannot have the weapons of your own. You know of which I speak of. You must find them. They call to you, your dreams. You must find your dreams. When you return them to yourself, when you recover them, they will hold power, power you need to stop the one who can crush all emotion.
Skarpin 1:02:33
I will find them.
Anthony 1:02:36
You must, or you will fail.
Ellori 1:02:44
Is there anything I should be particularly on the lookout for?
Anthony 1:02:50
Daughter of Creation, Singer of the Titans, out there in the world still a seed of them remains, quiet, hidden, lost. Bring voice to it. Let their song ring again. When you let that Song of Creation loose it has but one opposite, one that is currently gaining strength, and one you will hope to curtail. To stop Destruction, look to Creation. Find the song. It’s out there.
Ellori 1:03:57
Okay.
Anthony 1:03:57
These weapons, these tools will help you, but sadly you are out of time. Seek them because you must, but in the meantime, you may have to face some of these creatures unprepared. You may not have any choice for if you wait too long the empress will gain power. The more power she gains in this world, the more she will be able to destroy. Already they hold but once was Morevia, an anchor point in this world. And they have moved into Eviara as well. The islands were theirs from the get go. There was no stopping that. Their influence spreads.
Ellori 1:04:48
Is there anything you can help us with as we fight unprepared, any strength you could give us, any words of advice?
Belroth 1:05:08
Where to look even?
Deeran 1:05:12
How to stop the time from slowing down when we face them? That was impossible.
Anthony 1:05:20
That- none of the demons have control over time itself. What you felt was a change in your perception. You felt like time was moving at a normal pace, and truly around you it was, but for you, you were moving slow, but perceived it as though you were not. It is a side effect of her power, to sap from you your will and your emotion. She took from you all of that, and what was left was your own perception of how things were. That can be defeated, but it requires you to break her stranglehold on your emotion. To overwhelm it, seek the dreams. They will provide guidance. She is not the one you should face. Too powerful is she. No, there are very few that you could take now without the power of the weapons and the tools at your disposal, and yet killing one would give you a great deal. It will provide you with a great step along that path. Perhaps it would be best for you to seek either the Old Scratch, the Whisper of Lies, though he is hard to find. It is his point after all. But he is perhaps the most straightforward of the demons, the easiest for you to deal with at your current ability. Consider also perhaps the strangers, the 2 Who Dance as One. They are crafty and devious, but if you can seek them, destroy them, well they would be a thorn in the side of the Empress to be missing. These are options. If there is one that seems more appealing than the other then perhaps I could point you in the direction, but already there tendrils are spreading.
Skarpin 1:08:22
Before that, just to clarify, Deeran’s is that title of the Arbiter and the skills that come with that? Do you understand how to bring out your weapon?
Deeran 1:08:41
No. I mean, I figured like with most things it would kind of happen when it happened. You know, like, when I needed it. It would be there.
Skarpin 1:08:52
Yeah, maybe.
Deeran 1:09:05
Is that naive?
Belroth 1:09:10
I mean, I don’t know.
Deeran 1:09:13
I was asking this guy.
Anthony 1:09:20
So, still there is no physical manifestation here, but if you can hear a smile, you can hear a smile, and it says it’s worked out pretty well for you so far.
Deeran 1:09:35
Oh, I can’t tell if you’re mocking me.
Anthony 1:09:41
That’s how I prefer it.
Belroth 1:09:46
I have a kind of unrelated question, but maybe related question, since that seems to be how everything is. Um, what about the Fading? What do you know about the loss of information?
Anthony 1:10:03
It could not be helped. That is what I know. The Fading is a challenge you will have to deal with that will provide a barrier for you here, but it could not be helped. And if you knew all there was to know, which even I do not know, I only know this: if you knew what there was to know, you would choose to have the Fading in place
Deeran 1:10:35
Why would anyone ever choose that?
Anthony 1:10:38
I don’t know. That’s my favorite part of these flashes of threads of Fate. I have no idea, but I know that it would be a choice that most, maybe not all, but most of you would take.
Ellori 1:10:54
When we’re done here, what happens to you?
Anthony 1:10:57
I am nothing. I am a memory in a jar. I am a collection of Fate.
Deeran 1:11:06
Deeran looks down at his necklace when he says that.
Anthony 1:11:11
I am simply fragments of a thought, and when I fade, I will be no more.
Deeran 1:11:23
And he pulls out one of the two magic quality gemstones that he has in his pockets, and he holds it and he says, can we do this- and he grabs a spell focus- with you in this?
Anthony 1:11:48
That is what I am here. That is what I am in this artifact. Once so powerful, now a vessel for a power that was placed here. I have borrowed of a voice. I have borrowed a name and a shape, but I am only pieces of Fate stitched together to provide what power I can by reading your future, your past.
Belroth 1:12:29
When we were facing the demon who made us lose hope, I can’t remember her name.
Skarpin 1:12:42
The Accuser.
Belroth 1:12:44
The Accuser, thank you. An angel intervened and said, you will fail in the future, but now is not that time.
Anthony 1:12:57
Oh, angels, so sanctimonious, always intervening when they shouldn’t. It’s sort of their unfailing trait.
Belroth 1:13:08
Well, does that mean there is a point in time that you could tell us about when we fail?
Anthony 1:13:17
Oh, the future of a Fate is difficult to read. All of these threads fray into the future, and the farther your future goes, the more difficult it is to read. Yes, yes, you will fail many, many times. Possibly, possibly you will fail so bad that this world will never recover. You could fail so bad that none of us will ever be, and maybe you won’t. Your Fate is powerful, but it is unwritten. Were it written, I would not need to help.
Deeran 1:14:04
Deeran swallows hard, remembering what Skarpin the ghost, not to be confused with Ghost Skarpin, said earlier. Can we succeed if Carapath lives?
Anthony 1:14:27
His fate is intertwined with yours for sure. He plays an important role one way or another on what you must do. Can you succeed if he lives? Yes. Will you fail if he lives? Sometimes, many times. Will you succeed if he dies? Sometimes, but you fail if he dies too. His future is not a certainty, and what you choose to do with him is not written either. But know that he has a role to play. One way or another, you will have your confrontation. My time draws short. Your path lays before you. Seek your answers and your power in the world now.
Skarpin 1:15:51
What do y’all think? We got Old Scratch or the Strangers.
Belroth 1:16:00
I guess Old Scratch from the fact that it sounded the most straightforward according to the voice in the orb.
Ellori 1:16:11
The Magic Man.
Belroth 1:16:12
The Magic Man, sorry. It’s been a long day, and I’m still bleeding.
Deeran 1:16:18
I like the idea of going after one instead of 2.
Ellori 1:16:23
I agree with Deeran. If we can kill one demon, then maybe we can kill 2.
Deeran 1:16:31
I agree.
Ellori 1:16:33
Magic Man, can you point us towards old scratch
Skarpin 1:16:35
I agree also.
Ellori 1:16:39
Sorry.
Anthony 1:16:39
Old Scratch has started to make his moves. He is blending himself in legend and story as he works best. He has moved to the place that is a fresh conquest for them, somewhere they have not been before. But Morevia is not his target because that is the purview of another, one too strong for you to face. So, instead he has made his way to Eviara. He hides in nightmares and shadows. He stalks from darkness until every child, every man and woman will fear his name. They will hide their heads. They will seek the light, and it will not be protection. Good luck. You’re going to need it. And he fades away.
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 on 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 1:18:48
Serious Business.
We’re super serious!
Transcribed by https://otter.ai