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Campaign 2 Episode 036 Transcript

Anthony 0:01
Greetings, adventurers and welcome to the Adventure Incorporated podcast. It’s me, it’s your old pal. Hi, how are you? It’s good to see you again. It’s been a while, like a week. My name is Anthony Reed. I am the Dungeon Master on this here program. There’s, there’s gold in them hills, and we thank the Patrons at patreon.com/adventureinc who put it there. You can head to patreon.com/adventureinc. You can become a Patron. You can get access to bonus episodes. You can join the special secret Patrons only chat on our Discord. And if you don’t have links to any of them, you can check them out at adventureincpod.com right here in the show notes. That’ll take you to the Discord. That’ll take you to the website. That’ll take you to social media. It’s everywhere you need to be right there in the links. It’s just, it’s, it’s like we planned it that way so you could find things quickly and easily. 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 1:22
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 1:31
Skarpin the Cleric.

Belroth 1:34
Should I just try and snipe them from over here?

Skarpin 1:36
Yeah, okay. I did say there was good as dead. I would hate for, you know, to break my word on our first contract with Adventure Incorporated.

Anthony 1:44
Ellori, the Bard.

Ellori 1:47
We would want you to leave this warehouse.

Anthony 1:51
He points behind it. Church!

Ellori 1:53
Oh, sorry. We want you to leave this church.

Anthony 1:58
Deeran, the Wizard.

He say, you no worship Shattered Fang.

Deeran 2:03
Yeah, man he’s like, super wrong. We love Broken Tooth- uh, Shattered Fang, man.

Anthony 2:08
Prepare yourselves, for these are the tales of Adventure Incorporated!

Do you have anything you want to do before nightfall before you do this thing?

Ellori 2:24
Snuggle with my grandma.

Anthony 2:26
Okay, I can assume that happened.

Belroth 2:29
Belroth is definitely continuously drawing the Dragon for as long as he can in like, various angles and like, trying to do like the real like, scientific art that’s like, really, really detailed.

Skarpin 2:44
Eridar like, blushes when you get to certain regions.

Ellori 2:49
Yeah, drawing out that dragon dick in all sorts of accurate-

Anthony 2:53
Draw me like one of your French girls.

Skarpin 3:00
He has mind control so you have to do that. So, no.

Anthony 3:12
Okay.

Belroth 3:13
Nothing important.

Anthony 3:17
Skarpin, as night comes as each of you lays down to rest, Skarpin you extend your senses over all of them in a way that now feels so natural, but it is very unfamiliar to do so. It is like wrapping them in a bubble as you push through to the World of Dreams beyond to walk on that land again. And this bubble protects all of them as their unconsciousness floats near you and around you. And you push into this realm. Something is different though. As you do this, you hit a wall, a barrier that you are not used to, something trying to stop you from pushing your way through. You think you could try and overpower it, but it would take effort to do so.

Skarpin 4:35
This feels different. Is everybody okay?

Anthony 4:39
The others can’t really respond to you in this. You’re carrying them with you, but you are isolated and alone.

Skarpin 4:46
Okay, he senses them there but realizes they can’t respond. But he does exert himself. They’re counting on him. He’s gonna push.

Anthony 4:56
Make a Charisma Check.

Skarpin 5:03

  1. Anthony 5:04
    You push out with your spirit, with your will as you try and move through this barrier, and you are rebuffed. At every turn, there is something stopping that power from pushing through. Give me a Intelligence Check or a Wisdom Check. Your choice.

Skarpin 5:28
I’ll do Wisdom. 19.

Anthony 5:36
As you apply differently to your problem, you begin to push through with your more waking mind, your conscious mind. This is different than how you have typically accessed the Dream World, but you are infusing it with something new, something more of yourself. And you push against this wall, and you push. And it begins to bend and give under the push that you’re giving it, the strain that it’s feeling, and then suddenly, it shatters. And your eyes open up, and you are in a bed.

Skarpin 6:16
He looks around. Hello? Hello?

Anthony 6:19
You are in a stone room. There are tapestries hanging on the walls. They are gray, and they have a simple you don’t really recognize. And you are alone in this room, in this stone chamber. There is a balcony off of the chamber with curtains drawn. And the sun is peering through the curtain. There’s also a door out of the chamber. It’s not like you’re just like, oh, this is, this is it.

Belroth 6:58
Game over.

Skarpin 7:00
Dream World’s real weird, real weird. All right, he inspects the room. He sees the symbol. He does a Check to see if he can glean anything about the symbol. He does a History Check. 13.

Anthony 7:22
Every time you look at the symbol on the wall, it has changed. It is the same symbol every time like, perceptually. As you look at it, you know it to be the same symbol, but it is never the same thing twice. But you know that it’s that it is supposed to be the same thing.

Skarpin 7:43
Okay. All right. And he goes to the door and peeks his head out slowly.

Anthony 7:54
Yeah, a long hallway of other doors similar to this one stretches out into this building and goes around a corner. There’s something somewhat familiar about this place, but you can’t exactly put your finger on it, but there is definitely something familiar about it. But the hallway seems to have many more doors just like yours.

Skarpin 8:18
Okay, he goes to the left and opens the first door he finds.

Anthony 8:26
Okay, you open the first door on your left. Inside is a room very similar to the room that you were just in and there is someone sleeping on a bed?

Skarpin 8:36
Do I recognize them?

Anthony 8:38
You don’t.

Skarpin 8:42
Yeah, he’s gonna- he needs some information. Uh, excuse me.

Anthony 8:47
The person wakes up with a start, and they say, oh, brother. What can I do for you?

Skarpin 8:56
Didn’t mean to alarm you. Have you- yeah, I know, you’ve been sleeping. But, um, anything weird been going on before you went to sleep?

Anthony 9:09
Nothing on my watch. Has something happened?

Skarpin 9:13
You know, I’m not sure yet, but I just- I’m getting these strange feelings. Could have been a dream. ~chuckles nervously~

Anthony 9:21
Strange feelings?

Skarpin 9:22
Yes. Yes. Can I use your, your looking glass, your mirror in here, please?

Anthony 9:29
Of course.

Skarpin 9:30
Skarpin goes over to the corner where it is and looks in the mirror.

Anthony 9:35
Skarpin, you see yourself as you were before you traveled to the Deadlands before you became Corpsen. And you are wearing gray robes.

Skarpin 9:54
Any Oliander symbology on me?

Anthony 9:58
No. In fact that same symbol is on your chest on the ropes

Skarpin 10:05
Okay, and the figure in bed is also a tortle?

Anthony 10:09
Not a tortle, a human.

Skarpin 10:12
Okay.

Anthony 10:15
If you are- if you feel something strange has happened perhaps you should report it to the Lord of Iron Will.

Skarpin 10:24
Maybe, yes. I’ll go do that. You get your rest I will go do that right away but sorry to bother you with prosciutto maybe some some off super late before going to sleep

Anthony 10:40
May the Lord of Iron Will watch over you.

Skarpin 10:44
And you as well, brother.

Deeran 10:51
Smooth. So smooth.

Skarpin 10:56
He backs into the hallway. He keeps hitting the left and looks around more closely. Are there any important looking doors like, larger doors?

Anthony 11:07
You head to the left. All of the doors here do seem pretty similar, but as you travel around the curve of this building, of this hallway it leads to a set of stairs that head down from here.

Skarpin 11:24
Okay. He’s gonna head down the stairs, and yeah, he’d love to send like, a message to somebody, but yeah, he’s gonna play it, play it cool, just walk around

Anthony 11:38
Okay. You traveled down the stairs. And you find yourself in a large entryway. You’ve come in the side door of this entryway and it is now, Skarpin, that you recognize where you are. This is the entryway to the Brass Palace or at least this is laid out very similarly to that at least because where once there was a beautiful metal fixtures and like, molding and things now it is just a solid gray stone everywhere in this room. It is fairly cold and unwelcoming. But there are large gray banners hung all over the place as well. But this reminds you of the location and the layout of Brass Palace.

Skarpin 12:31
Okay.

Anthony 12:32
There are many exits off of this entry hall, ones that you are familiar with, you know, obviously there’s a pathway up behind you. Looks like there’s a similar pathway ahead of you. When last you were here you traveled in through a different set of doors that led to some offices that’s like, in conference rooms and things. That’s when you came to the Brass Palace. But also there is a central chamber that heads off of here where the throne of the Brass Palace exists. And that is also like, a large viewing hall associated with that.

Skarpin 13:08
Skarpin probably gonna head to the throne room to see if there’s any business going on.

Anthony 13:13
You push open the doors to the throne room. Inside there are many other people wearing gray robes and on the throne is a woman, a large woman wearing all gray. Instantly you recognize her as The Accuser.

Skarpin 13:41
Does anybody react to Skarpin coming through the door?

Anthony 13:44
As you walk through some people look up she looks up and sees you and motions you forward and continues to talk with whoever she was talking to.

Skarpin 13:55
Skarpin walks towards The Accuser and looks around and sees if he recognizes any of the people as he’s walking.

Anthony 14:06
As you’re walking you recognize a gnome, an older gentleman in gray robes. It’s Hobern. Hobern is running around here in gray ropes.

Skarpin 14:26
Skarpin tries to just- honestly yeah, he’s just gonna be like, Hobern!

Anthony 14:32
He comes over he says, oh brother, what can I do for you?

Skarpin 14:36
Hey there. I only have a moment. Total brain fart. Do you remember the first time we met?

Anthony 14:46
Yes, you and I were initiated together.

Skarpin 14:50
Exactly. I was trying to- couldn’t remember if we actually met that first day or not, but yes, yes I was just reminiscing and feeling nostalgic. Very good. Thank you so much.

Anthony 15:04
Your shift is soon, yes?

Skarpin 15:07
Yeah. What do they have me on today again?

Anthony 15:10
Well, likely you’ll be touring the dungeons as anyone does. It is our job to hold the imprisonment of our enemies?

Skarpin 15:19
Okay, okay, I don’t have a special assignment today. All right, same old. Same old.

Anthony 15:26
If the Lord of Iron Will has given you another assignment, so be it. That’s your, that’s your business.

Skarpin 15:32
That’s true. No, it’s not until next week. So, I’m good. I’m good. Thank you Hobern.

Anthony 15:38
He goes back to doing what he was doing, shaking his head at the strange interaction.

Skarpin 15:45
So, I reach The Accuser. Your…Majesty.

Anthony 15:52
Child. You have news for me?

Skarpin 16:02
Yes, I awoke. And I had this feeling that I wasn’t supposed to be here, but it was probably nothing.

Anthony 16:21
A vision then? I have a task for you, Skarpin Nightholder.

Skarpin 16:33
Oh…good. Whatever you want, Your Majesty.

Anthony 16:39
The Lord Above All is making movements again. We must see to her whims, but I am concerned about those who serve at my level. I do not trust them. Skarpin, you must go and acquire me some who we might speak with on these matters.

Skarpin 17:09
Sounds important. Who should I gather?

Anthony 17:14
It matters not. Although if you can find people with some importance, that would be for the best. Find one of the Lord of the Night’s Reach’s emissaries, they are persuasive. And if we can break them first, perhaps they can help us gather more information from the others.

Skarpin 17:37
Okay, okay.

Anthony 17:39
Of course, you will have to find someone from the Lord of the First Whispers group as well. They can be tricky to spot. One of the bureaucrats from the Lord Above All if they have information could be useful. And I even must ask you to find someone who serves the Lord of Lost Endings. Try not to, try not to die when you apprehend them.

Skarpin 18:05
Always.

Anthony 18:10
Bring them here. We will keep them for safekeeping as is our charge. I’m sure you can find some reason that we might need to bring them in.

Skarpin 18:22
I think so, your request alone might be enough. Can I travel openly with this word or this must be in secret?

Anthony 18:32
You can travel openly, but do not use my name. This task that you have, the others would not be pleased to know that I have done this even though they have undoubtedly taken members of our own organization for their own proclivities. Most assuredly the Lord of Night’s Reach. He is not one to allow others to hold information that he will not pry from them, and he’s all too happy to take their blood when he’s done.

Skarpin 19:07
Yes, terrible tasting, I bet.

Anthony 19:14
I’m sure he would find you quite delicious.

Skarpin 19:17
Well, I won’t let that happen. I won’t let you down. I might need help. Are there any that you feel you can trust or should I- is this a solo mission?

Anthony 19:32
Probably best if you go solo.

Skarpin 19:34
Okay.

Anthony 19:35
But if you can turn them on your way then they may be able to aid you in seeking the others.

Skarpin 19:42
Yes, you got it. I won’t let you down. I’ll be right back.

Ellori 19:51
You’re a B.

Anthony 19:56
She nods and begin speaking to somebody else.

Skarpin 20:00
He bows and turns around and goes look for Hobern.

Anthony 20:09
Okay, yeah. Hobern is going over a giant list. He’s just like checking off boxes as it goes down the list.

Skarpin 20:19
Hey, Hobern?

Anthony 20:21
Yes.

Skarpin 20:22
I know my shift starting soon. I’ll get there. I won’t be late. I won’t be late. Have you seen any, any, any weird people around? Maybe you know lost looking human, a lady with pointy teeth and pointy ears, and purpleish fellow with horns, and a big cat?

Anthony 20:46
What are you talking about?

Skarpin 20:47
Right?!

Anthony 20:49
The only ones acting weird here today is you.

Skarpin 20:52
I just got a big secret mission, so I’m very nervous.

Ellori 20:57
Oh, my god.

Anthony 20:58
If it’s a secret mission, why are you telling me-

Skarpin 21:00
I’m not. Thanks Hobern. He heads out and looks for his friends.

Anthony 21:13
You step out of the building, and the palace behind you is a stark stone, a cold gray stone on the outside rather than the brass that you saw it the last time he was here and the city below is very different as well. Instead of a like, a bustling city the streets are lined with cages and cells. Chains hang between these structures, and there are people filling many of these cages and cells and stockades and simply lashed to the outer walls of things. It is a grisly sight as you look out at the people below.

Skarpin 22:05
Skarpin tries to find a dark corner to try and have a little privacy because he wants to try and do something.

Anthony 22:15
Okay.

Belroth 22:16
What are you doing, bud?

Anthony 22:17
Gross. You do it. And now you’re done. I want to talk about that.

Skarpin 22:21
He’s stressed.

Deeran 22:22
He’s stressed! Just give me a minute. Just one second.

Belroth 22:28
Just let me roll a dice or something.

Ellori 22:31
Hobern’s like, oh, that kind of secret mission.

Deeran 22:34
I feel you. All right, all right, I feel you. I was wondering how you do it. Fucking Hobern. So, so gross.

Skarpin 22:45
Skarpin is normally able to-

Ellori 22:48
Uh-

Skarpin 22:49
kind of detect-

Deeran 22:51
Oh-

Skarpin 22:52
-like, creatures around that are dreaming, and knowing that he has this connection to his friends having supposedly brought them into this world, he’s gonna try and detect them.

Anthony 23:06
Okay. Give me a Charisma- well, give me a Charisma Check but with Proficiency.

Skarpin 23:17

  1. Anthony 23:19
    Okay, you can feel that you are connected to these 4 beings. And you can almost get a vague sense of direction as to where they might be in the world. None of them are close to you. You are definitely still connected to them, but you can’t, you can’t really make a lot of use of that connection. There is something about this walking of the Dream World that is very different than times you have done it before. Times that you have walked the Dreamscape before it has been a place of shifting colors and images. And it has been like a place that you were almost trespassing in, not something solid and real. And you could reach down and view and see the dreams of others popping up around you. This place feels solid. It feels like nothing you’ve ever seen in the dream world before. And that is concerning.

Skarpin 24:29
Yeah, yeah, Skarpin is concerned. He is going to go to some hopefully touchstones that still exist in this version. He’s going to go to Elder Riggs’ house.

Anthony 24:43
Okay. Yeah, you walk down into the village where Elder Riggs his house would be. And instead what you find there is a large cage, where an elderly human man is strapped to the ceiling of the cage.

Ellori 25:02
Strapped to the ceiling?

Skarpin 25:08
Elder Riggs, Elder Riggs! Are you okay?

Anthony 25:12
I will not speak to you, child of the tyrant!

Skarpin 25:16
It’s, it’s not real. It’s, it’s, it’s not real. I’m not, I’m not with them.

Anthony 25:24
I will not fall for your lies!

Skarpin 25:30
Elder Riggs! And he casts Calm Emotions on Elder Riggs.

Anthony 25:46
Okay.

Skarpin 25:46
And I’m gonna read that for you. You attempt to suppress strong emotions and a group of people. Each humanoid must make a Charisma Saving Throw. If fails, choose one of the following effects: choose to suppress them feeling- you can suppress any effect causing a target to be charmed or frightened. Alternatively you can target- you can make a target indifferent about creatures of your choice that it is hostile towards. So, I want to suppress the- I don’t want them to just not be frightened of me. I would like them to not feel hostile towards creatures who serve the Lord of Iron Will.

Anthony 26:46
What’s your spell save DC?

Skarpin 26:50

  1. Anthony 26:56
    You would try to trick me with magic?!

Skarpin 27:01
Yes!

Anthony 27:02
I will not fall to your will.

Skarpin 27:07
You’re being unreasonable, Elder Riggs. I just, I just want to have a conversation. Really, I promise. See, I’ll even, I’ll even let you down. And he reaches in to try and undo the chains.

Anthony 27:19
He spits on you as you reach toward him.

Skarpin 27:23
Skarpin’s a tortle. He’s used to water so he just keeps on trying to unlock the shackles.

Anthony 27:29
Yeah, you unlock the shackles and he drops to the floor of his cage.

He lets out a groan.

Skarpin 27:44
See, I just want to talk.

Anthony 27:48
I have nothing to say to you.

Skarpin 27:54
Is Wesley at least around? Is he on the floor in there somewhere?

Anthony 28:00
Who?

Skarpin 28:06
Skarpin is going to try to take a walk. Ooh, who’s that creepy collector?

Anthony 28:31
I mean, just looking into the town, you can tell that there are not like- everything is a cage.

Skarpin 28:40
Jesus

Anthony 28:41
This is, this is like a giant prison city.

Skarpin 28:43
Yeah. All right. He heads back to the castle.

Anthony 28:49
Okay.

Skarpin 28:50
And is going to look for people who are not wearing gray robes.

Anthony 29:00
So far looking around. Anyone you have not seen in a gray robe is definitely in a cage. And even moving around down there. There have been people in gray robes moving out like, feeding prisoners like, washing people, cleaning people like, this is a maintained prison. And it looks to be that the role of the brotherhood here is to maintain that prison.

Skarpin 29:34
Skarpin heads down to his shift since I can’t find anything better to do.

Anthony 29:39
Okay. Yeah, you head down to get prepared for, you know, your shift or whatever. And the leader of your group, which is Elgroman is gathering up all of the people and he looks down at a sheet and he says, Skarpin, what are you doing here?

Skarpin 30:05
I’m next up. I got a shift.

Anthony 30:08
Normally. I’ve had to cover your shift because you’re supposed to be off doing something special for the Lord.

Skarpin 30:15
That’s, that is true. I figured I, you know, I’m more comfortable sometimes to maintain habits and routine. Well, who did you get to cover me today?

Anthony 30:31
He says, I have to do it. I have to cover your shift because you aren’t going to be here. So, I’m really hoping that you’re, you know, getting busy somewhere else.

Skarpin 30:44
Oh, yeah. Very busy. Very busy. I’m just glad things are running well here. Thank you, Elrogman.

Anthony 30:49
When you head out hands in your pockets. You keep messing up all the chains as you’re traveling through here. You’re breaking everything, and I gotta get new stuff.

Skarpin 30:56
That’s very wise. And he continues on leaving the dungeon.

Anthony 31:04
All right.

Skarpin 31:07
I’m fucking lost, man. Like, I’m trying to find these people. Yeah, I don’t know how I could find them. I could search for like, try and locate one of my friends that are very far away. Yeah, but I don’t have-

Anthony 31:27
You have a direction on them, but you don’t know where they are.

Skarpin 31:31
Right, right. I feel like-

Deeran 31:35
Yeah, fucking sucks when Anthony does this. What a dick. Oh, now he’s gonna take his hoody off. Now he’s hot.

Skarpin 31:44
Yeah, I get it.

Deeran 31:45
He’s like, yes, I’ve got my players trapped. What if, what if you ask one of your homies like, any of these people that you work with where the, where, like the first person you’re supposed to find is?

Skarpin 32:02
Honestly, I mean, yeah.

Deeran 32:04
You know, like, hey, where, where are these other crews around, right?

Skarpin 32:12
Yeah.

Deeran 32:13
Especially because this guy already thinks you’re a fuckup so like, hey, unrelated to everything.

Skarpin 32:25
All right. Yeah. So take it from- right. So, so Skarpin heads out of the dungeons and then kind of gets an idea. And heads back in. Elgroman, Elgroman, quick question.

Anthony 32:43
Yes, Skarpin. What?

Skarpin 32:44
If you were looking for the Lord of the Night’s Reach? Where would you head?

Anthony 32:53
If I was looking for the Lord of the Night’s Reach? Is that a real question?

Skarpin 32:56
Or their people. Do they have a local tavern that they hang out at? I, of course, wouldn’t know about that.

Anthony 33:05
Okay, well, if I were going to deal with the Lord of the Night’s Reach, I would probably go to his Basilica in Morevia.

Skarpin 33:15
That’s, that’s a great place to start. Thank you, thank you. He just turns out and leaves the dungeon and tries to like, recount each of the locations that he would think that these people are which it really- it’s just the Nosferatu that he’s remembering. So yeah, he tries to transport himself there as he would in normal Dreamscape mode.

Anthony 33:50
Yeah, so you focus on that space and the distance between you and that space is inconsequential. It closes in an instant as you move across this Dreamscape and you are standing outside- the space, it is a, it is a physical space and a mental space at the same time for you, which is not common, usually something like this there is no physical distance or limitation. But here, it is, like you moved through a physical space. And now you stand where Morevia is to you. The palace in front of you is not like the rundown palace of Morevia that you know. This is a high- a building as grand as the Grand Basilica itself within the New Meritta that you know. Instead, this basilica is large spires of black obsidian and they are with 1000s of peaks and spikes that drive up into the sky. You also feel instantly that your connection to your friends, one of them has grown very strong. And that person is definitely nearby now.

Skarpin 35:16
Ska tries to let that feeling guide him as he tries to also appear nonchalant with his hands behind his shell.

Anthony 35:26
Yeah, it guides you to the doors of the basilica like, the very front doors of the building itself.

Skarpin 35:37
All right. He knocks

Anthony 35:46
And the door opens, and 2 individuals in blue robes meet you at the door. They are a halfling and a half orc that meet you there. And the half orc says, state your business.

Skarpin 36:08
i’m looking to- as we do, we travel between cities and I’m looking for a little bit of respite on my journey, fellow.

Anthony 36:28
No, no, please, continue.

Deeran 36:30
I think that’s perfect. I think he nailed that.

Skarpin 36:33
I think I said “comma fellow period.”

Anthony 36:41
You wish for us to grant you some sort of asylum, the halfling says.

Skarpin 36:47
Oh, just for the evening. I’ll be on my way, but as we all serve the Lord Above All we should be helping each other out when we can. So, as it should be a quick pass through and perhaps we can share stories of the ongoings of our cities.

Anthony 37:10
Oh, you would wish to share stories? Well, come on in. Come on in. She smiles widely.

Skarpin 37:22
Excellent, excellent. My name is Skarpin Nightholder. Who are you?

Anthony 37:29
This way. And she leads you down a hallway. I assume you’re following her?

Skarpin 37:36
Yeah.

Anthony 37:37
The half orc is about 10 steps behind her- behind you, rather, watching your moves. And she moves you to a door, and she says, I’m so thrilled to receive your story. But we’ll send someone in who, well, let’s say she’s an expert at gathering your story. And the halfling opens the door, and the half orc shoves you into the room. And the halfling slams the door behind you.

Skarpin 38:11
This isn’t hospitality!

Anthony 38:13
As you look around the room you can see a lot of, we’ll say, implements for interrogation are set up around the room. And it looks like this room has been used for such things many times before.

Skarpin 38:33
Skarpin is going to close his eyes, and lock into that feeling friendly feeling and will be attempting to teleport directly to them.

Anthony 38:44
As you do, you cannot. It is too close. That feeling is too close to you. And you can hear voices in the hallway, but they’re hard to make out.

Skarpin 39:00
All right. He checks out his chamber, looks for a weapon.

Anthony 39:08
Okay. Yeah, there’s many things that could be a weapon here. So, you get your hands on a very small pointy object that you’re not sure what it’s used for, but you’re really hoping not to find out.

Skarpin 39:30
Excellent.

Anthony 39:33
The door opens and in front of you in long flowing blue robes a sinister look upon her face is Ellori. A symbol on her chest that you can’t make out, but it is definitely the symbol of the Lord of Night’s Reach.

Skarpin 39:56
Ellori, it’s you!

Anthony 40:00
Ellori, for your part you don’t know who this is. You have a job to do. It is a job you have always done as a loyal acolyte of the Lord of Night’s Reach who has bestowed upon you the gift of his bloodline. One that gives you powers that others do not have, but it comes with its own hungers that must be sated.

Skarpin 40:29
Ellori?

Ellori 40:31
All right, just relax. I promise it won’t hurt a bit if you only tell me everything you know.

Skarpin 40:40
Where- what are you, what are you, what you’re talking about? I got here. I was in the Brass Palace with the, with The Accuser. It was- but they didn’t recognize me. And then now I’m here. And I found you. Yeah, we have to go. We have to gather- we have to get Belroth and Deeran.

Ellori 41:00
Oh, Belroth and Deeran? Giving up information already, are you?

Skarpin 41:04
You know them-

Ellori 41:05
Why don’t you have a seat?

Skarpin 41:07
Okay. What do you mean giving up information? That’s, that’s who we’re looking for. Ellori, you’re acting really weird.

Ellori 41:15
Belroth and Deeran are who you’re looking for, are you?

Skarpin 41:18
And you!

Ellori 41:20
What exactly is the information you’re hoping to get from this, Belroth and Deeran?

Skarpin 41:25
They’re, they’re gonna help us- Ellori, why are you dressed like that? What are you doing?

Ellori 41:34
Why am I dressed like this? Why are you dressed like that? Why is anyone dressed in the way that they are?

Skarpin 41:39
That’s fair. It seems like- it seems different here. Normally, it’s a very shifting-

Ellori 41:49
Oh, you’ve been here before, huh?

Skarpin 41:50
In a sense, yes. This is the Dreamscape, but it’s different. It’s more solid. I don’t- it’s not- no, it’s not right. Something’s wrong here.

Ellori 42:01
Something is wrong here. And Ellori is going to- Ellori’s got a like, vampire fang nails now. Um, one of her special magic skills is not just extraction teeth, but like, she got those nails that-

Deeran 42:24
I’m really mad you didn’t go with ‘fangernails’.

Belroth 42:28
Can’t take it back now.

Ellori 42:30
Take it back. Take it back. Ellori’s got fangernails.

Belroth 42:34
Oh!

Skarpin 42:36
Wow.

Deeran 42:38
Holy shit!

Ellori 42:43
So, Ellori is going to pop out her fangernails, and she’s going to dig them into Skarpin’s shoulders to kind of like, pin him to the chair.

Skarpin 42:53
Ow, ow!

Anthony 42:54
Skarpin, give me a give me a Wisdom Check at a with Proficiency, and Ellori give me a Wisdom Saving Throw.

Skarpin 43:08
22.

Ellori 43:13
17.

Anthony 43:15
Okay, you dig your claws into Skarpin, and as you touch him there is a flood over you of images and power and information that you are- it’s splintering your worldview as you see not only the life you have lived, but an entirely different life in an entirely different world. One of family and stories and adventure. And instead of this world of the intent to gather information at all costs, and enjoy the fruits thereof. The 2 clash with you internally, but the one that Skarpin has bestowed upon you wins out, but the other does not go away.

Ellori 44:14
I- Skarpin?

Skarpin 44:18
Ellori, it’s me.

Ellori 44:20
She takes her fingernails out.

Skarpin 44:22
Did Skarpin also get like, notice- feel anything that Ellori felt? Kind of the conflict?

Anthony 44:29
No.

Skarpin 44:29
Okay. Yeah, it’s me, Skarpin. Skarpin. We’re here, we’re here to do an important mission. I need your help.

Ellori 44:38
An important- I- Skarpin, I don’t understand. I don’t understand. Why? How? I have so many memories from here.

Skarpin 44:47
I think, I think the Whisper of Lies has gotten into your head, and is feeding those memories.

Ellori 44:55
He put a whole ‘nother life in my head.

Skarpin 44:56
But I think we can get rid of it as long as we accomplish what we need to here. We can get rid of them.

Ellori 45:04
Get rid of- who’s-

Skarpin 45:06
Old Scratch. Old Scratch. We’ll get rid of them. You’re not- you don’t serve this dark Night’s Reach. You don’t serve them.

Ellori 45:16
I feel like I do.

Skarpin 45:18
That’s not true. Ellori, trust me. Trust me. And he grabs Ellori’s hand and stabs it into his.

Anthony 45:27
Like, you just jam her claws into your hand.

Skarpin 45:30
Yeah.

Ellori 45:33
Skarpin, Skarpin, why would you- what are you trying to prove, Skarpin?

Skarpin 45:38
Well, I just I thought maybe the more you got, the more you’d get.

Ellori 45:46
Oh, this isn’t- it wasn’t- I think it was, I think it was like a physical contact thing. I think if I had maybe shook your hand instead of you know, coming at you with my claws, it might have been the same effect. Skarpin, I know who I am. I just am having a hard time with also knowing who I am here.

Skarpin 46:05
Okay, as long as you’re convinced at this point, but it’s the me that- the you that knows me is the real you.

Ellori 46:15
No, I can feel that. I feel it. I know it. But I- it’s just so hard to also know that everything here is true.

Skarpin 46:27
So, The Accuser tasked me to bring followers of the other Great Demons to-

Ellori 46:36
You’re working for The Accuser?

Skarpin 46:38
I think that’s- I woke up in the Brass Palace, and they run the Brass Palace as this huge prison city. And they-

Ellori 46:50
That’s your life here in the Dream World. The same as this is my life here.

Skarpin 46:55
Right. And I wonder, Belroth and Deeran, if they’re also certainly one of them. We, we have to go find them.

Ellori 47:03
Okay, how do we do that? How- okay, I know, I know a way out of here.

Skarpin 47:11
Okay. Okay. Um, I want to try something with you. Normally I can travel. How I got here is I pictured where I want to go, and I was there. I felt that I was there, so therefore I was there. And I moved.

Ellori 47:29
Okay. That sounds far more convenient than mine. Mine involves a lot of digging and a lot of nasty tunnels.

Skarpin 47:35
Yes. Well, yeah, that sounds terrible. But I- Belroth and Deeran, one of them is serving the Lord of Lost Whispers directly and the other one is serving, I believe the Princess of Darkness, the Lord Above All also The Accuser called her.

Ellori 47:58
Okay.

Skarpin 47:58
I don’t know where they are.

Ellori 48:02
Can you, can you feel them? How did you find me?

Skarpin 48:05
I did- I asked somebody, and they felt like the Lord of the Night’s Reach was here. So, I thought one of you would be here.

Anthony 48:23
Ellori, one of the things that you know is that the Lord Above All her palaces on the Demon Isles. The Lords of the First Whisper, they don’t really have a centralized location. That’s sort of innate to what they do, which is they act as the eyes for the Lord Above All. They don’t have a single place that they necessarily gather. And then there is also the Lord of Lost Endings, who serves as, we’ll say, the Hand of the Lord Above All, in matters of execution. And they have a place that is their primary place on the Eastern edge of the Empire near where, like the High Basilica is in the other New Meritta.

Ellori 49:30
Okay, hold on, Skarpin let me- give me a second.

Skarpin 49:33
Yeah, yeah.

Ellori 49:34
Trying to think of the things that I know from this world and I know that- whoa, I, I know quite a few things that I’m not very proud of how I know them.

Skarpin 49:49
They’re not real Ellori You didn’t do them.

Ellori 49:52
I didn’t do them. I know that I did them. That thing that you’re holding right there.

Skarpin 49:57
Yeah?

Ellori 49:58
That, is If you put it between a person’s finger and their fingernail, that can really make them talk.

Skarpin 50:08
Skarpin drops it.

Ellori 50:17
Um, okay, I think I know where the Lord Above All is, and there are a couple places that the other, the other might be, but they’re not very, they’re not like, always in the same place. So, maybe we go to the Demon Isles to the Lord Above All first, and then they’ll have more information on to the final one. The final ending.

Skarpin 50:46
Okay, okay no, that’s a great plan. Okay, so with-

Ellori 50:51
If you picture the Demon Isles can that get you there? Is that enough?

Skarpin 50:55
Picture the temple on the Demon Isles in detail and picture being right out front. And close your eyes and take my hand.

Ellori 51:07
She does.

Skarpin 51:10
And we’ll be there.

Anthony 51:13
You get the sensation, Skarpin, that you are too far inside this physical space. Like before, when you left the dungeon and you did this thing, you could move from one of these physical locations to another. But in this place you are too deep in the center to be able to move in that same way.

Skarpin 51:40
Oh, shit.

Ellori 51:43
What?

Skarpin 51:44
Sorry. Yeah, I think we just need to be a little bit more open. A little more free area. Maybe, maybe the energy between the areas of the Dreamscape can communicate with each other better. Can you get me out?

Ellori 51:57
We got to get out of this tower. Yeah. Like I said, it’s not going to be very comfortable, but we can get down pretty easy.

Skarpin 52:07
Oh, do we have to dig, dig tunnels? I feel like that could take a while. Even in the Dreamscape.

Ellori 52:12
Oh, no, they’re already dug.

Skarpin 52:13
Oh, okay. Great.

Ellori 52:15
Um, she’s gonna take- because like, I’m- she’s not sure if just walking out the building is going to be the best way to go with a prisoner or an informant or whatever Skarpin is meant to be-

Skarpin 52:30
A guest.

Ellori 52:30
We’re, we’re in a tower, yeah?

Anthony 52:39
Yeah. And in fact, one of the things you know that you frequently have to do- you know that there are a great network of intricate tunnels for disposing of-

Ellori 52:51
Yeah, that’s kind of what I was thinking. I was, I was actually picturing like, a Sweeney Todd style series of, of like, like a trap door. You know, the way- I don’t know, hopefully everyone has seen Sweeney Todd where they like, she pulls a lever on the chair and like, goes down through a trap door and like, tumbles down through a bunch of tunnels and then like, ends up in the oven.

Anthony 53:16
Yeah, this is not the only guest entertaining location within the tower. There are many and so there is an intricate like, garbage chute system

Ellori 53:31
Yeah, laundry chute would have been- yeah, that would have been a better analogy. I was thinking bodies. I was thinking bodies so Sweeney Todd is really what was on my mind. Like, 10 People are gonna appreciate the Sweeney Todd pull-

Anthony 53:46
I do. I enjoy it.

Deeran 53:50
And like, once a body’s used it’s basically garbage anyway.

Ellori 53:54
I mean, not if you repurpose it for more pot, more pot, mor pot pies!

Skarpin 54:01
Nice.

Ellori 54:04
~Singing Sweeney Todd~

Anthony 54:08
You toss Skarpin in the garbage chute.

Ellori 54:11
And I follow down after him.

Anthony 54:13
Yeah, the 2 of you slide through a tunnel that is slick with several, several layers of bodily fluids-

Skarpin 54:27
Guests.

Ellori 54:31
Guest fluids.

Anthony 54:32
Several layers of guests. The smell is sickening even to you, Ellori. Where it might otherwise be enticing it is not it is old and bad and dead. And as you travel down this long, dark tunnel eventually it opens to some light on the exterior of the building and you run full force into a large pile of corpses with a squelch as your body’s land in it.

Ellori 55:05
Mm hmm. Honestly, if it weren’t so gross that’s kind of fun. Come on, Skarpin. Let’s go.

Skarpin 55:14
Yeah. He follows her.

Ellori 55:21
Yeah. She basically just climbs up and out of the pile of bodies enough and then is going to stand up against the, the side of the tower just so they’re not like, hanging out way, way in the open.

Skarpin 55:34
I think this might work. So let’s, let’s do what we did up there. And this should work. We can get there.

Ellori 55:41
Okay, Ellori holds his hand.

Skarpin 55:44
We picture the temple on the Demon Isles.

Anthony 55:48
And the world shifts around you both. And you are now on the Demon Isles. The temple that was- you know, you’re standing at what you picture as the temple that contained the Demon Stone. And you are actually now just inside a building. You have brought yourself right inside and the building is all around you because this has grown out considerably from where you saw it when you were here. All around you are hundreds of desks. And each desk has someone in a bright red, bright crimson robes just poring over ledgers, tearing through documents, writing and sketching on pads. All around you it is just bureaucracy and action as you look all around this place.

Skarpin 56:50
Yeah, we’re here. The Accuser did specifically say a bunch of bureaucrats are here. So, we need to find one of them.

Ellori 56:58
It’s gonna be either Belroth or Deeran, right?

Skarpin 57:01
Yeah, it’ll be one of them. Which one do you think it would be?

Ellori 57:05
I kind of feel like this is more Belroth’s speed

Skarpin 57:08
Yeah it might take a little bit to convince him.

Ellori 57:12
He just, he loves writing things. And not in the way that Deeran loves writing things. I feel like Deeran would be- Deeran wouldn’t be able to sit in a desk all day long. He’d be, he’d be running around upside down.

Skarpin 57:27
Yeah, so let’s look for Belroth.

Anthony 57:38
Give me an Investigation Check.

Ellori 57:46

  1. Skarpin 57:47

Anthony 57:50
Yeah.

Ellori 57:51
We don’t see Belroth.

Anthony 57:53
Endless fields of people here, but none of them are Belroth.

Skarpin 57:59
As Ellori and Skarpin are searching and walking around Skarpin says to Ellori, so I know we’re busy and all, but this is, this is me before the Deadlands.

Ellori 58:15
Oh my gosh Skarpn, I- in all the wildness I totally forgot. I’m so happy for you. How are you feeling?

Skarpin 58:23
It’s just crazy to look down at my hands and for them to both be a grayish green.

Ellori 58:31
This is amazing.

Deeran 58:33
Instead of greening gray!

Skarpin 58:38
Yeah, I’m, I wonder if I’ll ever be back like this someday in the real world.

Ellori 58:44
And you’re dreaming though. It must feel so good.

Skarpin 58:49
Yeah, I would like to regular dream but this is-

Ellori 58:53
Also, I also wish you didn’t make me such a, such a monster here.

Skarpin 58:57
Yeah, I-

Ellori 58:58
Is that how you really think of me because you know they say that dreams are like your subconscious coming into action. Is that the way that, the way that you think of me as a vampyr? Is that is that the reason that-

Skarpin 59:10
Well, no that’s what a subconscious is. You don’t actively think like that, so no. I don’t think of you like that.

Deeran 59:21
I passively think you’re a monster.

Anthony 59:25
Mike, the player’s grimace when he tried to pass that line off as legit.

Belroth 59:31
Yeah, this’ll work.

Skarpin 59:42
There’s been a lot of manipulation here so even my subconscious. I don’t think that I think that. But definitely not my active conscious. You know what I mean?

Ellori 59:54
So, it sounds like you know I’m a monster, but you don’t think I’m a monster.

Skarpin 1:00:01
Oh, I don’t think so. No. Let’s keep on looking. It’s important that we multitask here.

Ellori 1:00:15
Skarpin, where you were with The Accuser, were you, were you important? Like were you a higher up? Like, I was pretty important back there. So, maybe, you know if, if Skarpin- if Belroth or Deeran is here, they wouldn’t be on the floor like this. They would be in like, a special office. Were you special with The Accuser?

Skarpin 1:00:39
I was selected for this mission, but they also had me doing shift work in the dungeons. So, I was getting mixed messages there.

Anthony 1:00:50
Wow, the doctor on the podcast doesn’t think people who do shift work are important.

Deeran 1:00:59
As someone who appreciates shift work, I just want to say anybody who has hourly or standard hour jobs, I feel you. I love you. You’re important to me.

Ellori 1:01:12
Even if you’re not important to Mikey. Damn, Mikey that was cold as shit.

Skarpin 1:01:16
I’m freaking out here.

Ellori 1:01:28
Well, it sounds like you were pretty important to me.

Skarpin 1:01:34
I feel like maybe middle of the road. My best guess. Like, middle management maybe But Elgroman was my boss.

Ellori 1:01:43
That’s pretty exciting. How is he?

Skarpin 1:01:45
He’s doing all right. It’s steady work. He’s, he’s, he’s enjoying his job as an overlord prison worker. So, so yeah, he’s not that great actually. He’s worse here, yeah.

Ellori 1:02:02
Okay. Okay. Um, so, I see a couple closed off offices up there. Maybe we can check those.

Skarpin 1:02:12
Yeah.

Ellori 1:02:12
Nobody’s bothered us so far which is pretty amazing. But- oh, are we invisible?

Skarpin 1:02:18
I could try. I could try something. As he walks, he bumps into one of the desks.

Anthony 1:02:24
Excuse me!

Skarpin 1:02:26
Oh, sorry.

Ellori 1:02:26
Oh, we’re so sorry.

Anthony 1:02:27
You are neither invisible or silent, and we would really appreciate it if you could stop talking and we could get back to work.

Ellori 1:02:34
Oh, oh. I’m sorry. We’re just looking for either Belroth or Deeran. Can you point us to their office?

Anthony 1:02:43
I don’t know. I don’t know who you’re talking about, but if you’re looking for the offices there on the next floor.

Ellori 1:02:52
Thank you.

Skarpin 1:02:53
Thank you. It looks like great work you’re doing.

Ellori 1:02:57
Yeah, you’re doing a great job.

Anthony 1:03:00
Okay. Not convinced.

Ellori 1:03:04
Oh, my god. Anthony’s resigned ‘okay’ is like, maybe my favorite consistent character choice, whoever it is. ‘Okay’ is so fun. Let’s go up the stairs.

Skarpin 1:03:18
Yeah, let’s do that.

Anthony 1:03:20
You head up the stairs, and the walls have on like, it’s a row of doors. The doors are much nicer than the doors that you came from, Skarpin. This feels like a whole tier above like, wherever you were, you were a real dirt worker compared to these people. Pretty much a nobody, but these people-

Skarpin 1:03:40
Well, good thing my shift’s almost over.

Anthony 1:03:47
Along the wall there are little name plaques in place all the way down the wall and they seem to be alphabetical.

Ellori 1:04:03
We get to ‘B’.

Anthony 1:04:06
Okay, yeah. You reached the start of the Bs. Give me an Investigation.

Ellori 1:04:16
10.

Skarpin 1:04:20
That’s a natural 1.

Ellori 1:04:27
The font is so fancy. It’s got so much like, calligraphy on it that we like, can’t make out any of the letters.

Anthony 1:04:35
Skarpin is looking for the Ds. Ellori, you don’t see a ‘Belroth’ but you do see a ‘Beacon.’

Ellori 1:04:50
Oh, Skarpin come here.

Skarpin 1:04:52
You found it?

Ellori 1:04:55
I’m gonna knock on the door, and and if we go in just try to touch Belroth as quickly as possible.

Skarpin 1:05:03
I can do that.

Ellori 1:05:07
Okay, and if it doesn’t work I guess I’ll take out my fingernails and, and do that.

Skarpin 1:05:14
All right. Skarpin backs up to the opposite side of the hallway like, but in front of the door and waits for the door to open.

Ellori 1:05:25
Ellori knocks.

Anthony 1:05:28
Uh, Belroth you are-

Belroth 1:05:34
We’re in a meeting, thank you!

Anthony 1:05:39
Yeah, you and 3 other people are in an intense discussion about the administration of this empire. And you are, you know, you’re middle management. You have some bosses between you and the Lord Above All-

Belroth 1:05:55
I just think that we need more request forms. I feel like there aren’t enough request forms. We just get these requests and then we don’t get them.

Anthony 1:06:03
More request forms as a doability. We can add more request forms into the process.

Belroth 1:06:09
The TC 75s were not cutting it. We need TC 76s, 77s, and 78s. We really need to optimize this process. We need more paperwork.

Ellori 1:06:17
I just think when you start out in forms then you’re just gonna get all those- you got so many guys down there.

Belroth 1:06:22
Diane, Diane-

Deeran 1:06:23
I just don’t understand why someone can’t just come to my desk whenever they need me.

Ellori 1:06:27
I just think the more forms you give, the more, the more, you know, messes they’re gonna make. They’re just gonna make-

Anthony 1:06:35
We have a form. We have another form they can fill out to correct the first form

Ellori 1:06:39
And then they’re going to make an error on the second form, and now we’re just making trash.

Belroth 1:06:42
Last time we had a request we didn’t even have a kickoff event. Nobody knew what was happening and we just started going and then-

Deeran 1:06:50
It’s so hard to read these forms. They keep getting smaller and smaller every year.

Belroth 1:06:54
We need more information on the forms, but we don’t want to waste any paper so we got to have very small font.

Deeran 1:06:59
Larger print!

Ellori 1:07:01
Ellori opens the door.

Belroth 1:07:03
Excuse me, we’re in a meeting!

Skarpin 1:07:06
Yeah. Skarpin charges, but stops as soon as he sees there’s more than one person in the room.

Anthony 1:07:13
They all turn to look at you.

Deeran 1:07:15
Who are you?

Ellori 1:07:18
Um, we need to borrow Belroth for a moment.

Belroth 1:07:23
Did you, did you submit a request for him to put a meeting on my calendar?

Skarpin 1:07:27
…Yes

Ellori 1:07:28
Yes.

Belroth 1:07:32
You did?

Anthony 1:07:32
You double booked a meeting here, Belroth? That’s unconscionable. You’re going to have to fill out a seperate form for that.

Belroth 1:07:37
I would never double book a meeting.

Deeran 1:07:43
Will you give me a requisition to submit the proper form for Belroth’s improper meeting scheduling?

Ellori 1:07:50
Even if Belroth messes up a form that’s how you know everyone’s gonna be messing up the forms.

Belroth 1:07:55
Listen, listen, if this keeps- if this, if this blasphemy continues I am going to submit an HR request form because I feel like I’m being slandered. And right now I need to put a meeting on for HR because I-

Deeran 1:08:05
I’m just going to Rogers’ desk!

Belroth 1:08:07
No, don’t. He’ll be very mad.

Ellori 1:08:11
Skarpin, go.

Skarpin 1:08:11
Belroth, let me help you up.

Belroth 1:08:13
What? No, get away from me!

Skarpin 1:08:16
Okay. And he eyeballs the other people in the room not wanting to cause a stir. It’s actually HR that’s looking for you. So, we were told to escort you there. We’re, we’re temps.

Ellori 1:08:30
Sounds like someone’s in trouble. And Diane leaves.

Belroth 1:08:33
HR sent temps to talk to me.

Anthony 1:08:36
I think I have a Temp List here. Hold on. He starts digging through his papers, but he’s got a lot next to him so he’s taken through for a while.

Belroth 1:08:44
Do you need a form to look through the Temp List? I don’t know if you have the authorization.

Anthony 1:08:48
I may not be authorized to look at the Temp List I’m carrying.

All right, well, I’ll find the Temp List. I’ll hand you the Temp List.

Belroth 1:08:56
That seems, that seems reasonable. That seems reasonable. I, you know, I really, I really respect you, Tony. Thank you for this.

Ellori 1:09:09
My name is Ellori, and this is Skarpin and she holds out her hand and like, looks at Skarpin do the same.

Skarpin 1:09:16
I’m Skarpin.

Belroth 1:09:18
He shakes Ellori’s hand first because it was there first.

Anthony 1:09:22
Nothing happens.

Belroth 1:09:24
He shakes Skarpin’s hand.

Anthony 1:09:27
All right, I need a Wisdom Check from Skarpin with Proficiency, and I need a Wisdom Saving Throw from Belroth.

Belroth 1:09:34
Sure, 22.

Skarpin 1:09:37

  1. Anthony 1:09:39
    Okay, nothing happens.

Skarpin 1:09:44
Skarpin like, does a normal Strength handshake, which is a nice grip, but then notices that his eyes don’t change like Ellori’s did. So he squeezes a little bit more.

Belroth 1:09:57
Well, I don’t, I don’t see on my meeting form here- he pulls out like, a magical tablet that keeps updating with different meetings and like, literally a calendar, but it’s like so chaotic and it’s just changing constantly. It’s like, I don’t see a meeting in this time slot. So, I feel like they would have submitted that. So, I feel like I’m gonna- you know what, you know what I’m gonna do? I’m gonna I’m going to send a request form to HR for a formal request form that they can send back to me so we can set up this meeting.

Ellori 1:10:25
Skarpin, try the- and she like, like does a little paw thing with her nails.

Skarpin 1:10:33
Skarpin trips and brushes the back of his head with his hands and like, but like, scratches it by accident. Oh, no!

Anthony 1:10:48
Okay, so you just trip over him and dig your fingernails into the top of Belroth’s head and scratch backwards. Yeah, I guess give me another Wisdom Check, and Belroth, give me another Wisdom Saving Throw.

Skarpin 1:11:08
He can’t take Belroth’s hand and stab it into his hand. That would just be weird.

Anthony 1:11:14
Yeah, that would be weird.

Skarpin 1:11:16
He got a 17.

Belroth 1:11:17
18.

Anthony 1:11:21
Hey, what is going on here? I think you need to leave.

Belroth 1:11:24
Yeah, you both need to leave. I feel like this has gone on long enough. Here’s the formal request. Give that to HR. They can come back to me and then we can have this meeting. I’ve been very busy.

Skarpin 1:11:34
I’m so sorry. I probably should have brought this up at the beginning. HR said that it was something about removing your request capabilities.

Belroth 1:11:44
Removing my request capabilities?! How am I going to do anything?!

Anthony 1:11:51
Tony’s like, his eyes go wide, and he starts packing up his- I can’t hand you this if they’re removing your request capabilities. He picks up this bag.

Skarpin 1:11:59
I’m so sorry.

Anthony 1:12:00
Diane, we need to go. And just- Tony leaves.

Ellori 1:12:06
Yeah, Diane’s been gone.

Anthony 1:12:09
I didn’t know that she left.

Ellori 1:12:11
That’s fine.

Anthony 1:12:08
Diane! Diane, you’ll never believe what happened to Belroth.

Ellori 1:12:23
Okay, Tony, I already left!

Anthony 1:12:23
Diane!

Ellori 1:12:23
Yeah, Tony?!

Deeran 1:12:23
Roger won’t see me. Don’t even bother!

Belroth 1:12:30
Let’s go to HR. They’re on the 15th floor.

Skarpin 1:12:33
Okay, let me, let me help you out of this chair.

Belroth 1:12:35
What? Don’t touch me again!

Anthony 1:12:38
On the third- as you grab his arm on the third attempt, your Will just over washes him, and you suddenly get those same images.

Ellori 1:12:46
Anthony’s sick of dice rolls?

Anthony 1:12:48
No, no, I, I just, I loved, I loved it, and now we’re gonna move on.

Belroth 1:13:00
What happened?

Skarpin 1:13:02
Belroth, your eyes, they did the thing. Are you- are you you?

Belroth 1:13:07
I mean, I- yes. I, I’ve pushed a lot of paper it would appear. And I am also me.

Ellori 1:13:17
That’s how Skarpin really thinks about you?

Belroth 1:13:19
He thinks I’m boring?

Skarpin 1:13:20
No, Ellori. That’s not what we talked about.

Ellori 1:13:23
He thinks I’m a torturer.

Belroth 1:13:25
He thinks you’re a torturer?

Skarpin 1:13:28
But that’s what she was doing.

Ellori 1:13:30
I don’t know if I would rather be boring though because I was pretty cool.

Belroth 1:13:34
Oh, I mean, I wasn’t just boring. I was like, I was a vampire in my own right like, a literal energy vampire. I would make people have more work, just to cause them pain.

Ellori 1:13:47
And I was boring into their whole bodies with my fingernails.

Belroth 1:13:49
It’s like the same thing.

Skarpin 1:13:52
But this is different. You’re terrible people here.

Belroth 1:13:56
Whoa!

Skarpin 1:13:56
In the real world you’re not.

Ellori 1:14:00
Yeah, it’s just a little hard to remember that.

Belroth 1:14:03
Yes. Um-

Skarpin 1:14:04
So, Belroth we- I- oh my goodness. We have to find Deeran, that’s one thing. But we also- I woke up in The Accuser’s Castle in the Brass Palace. And this is not the real Dreamscape. This is- I think it’s been altered.

Belroth 1:14:23
Where’s Freya?

Skarpin 1:14:27
Where is Freya?

Ellori 1:14:29
Ellori checks under the desk.

Anthony 1:14:31
You can still feel 2 lines of power connected to you. 2 beings you’re connected with that are not here.

Skarpin 1:14:40
Skarpin, you know, he feels bad admitting it, and he doesn’t out loud, especially in front of Belroth, but he hadn’t thought of Freya. But he is noticing now that there’s only 2 left. He’s sensing 2 distinct energies. And he said oh, okay, okay. She’s here somewhere.

Belroth 1:15:01
Does Belroth- like, his connection with Freya is like, almost magical at this point. Does he feel a connection to her anywhere?

Anthony 1:15:12
You can’t sense any direction or proximity, but you can sense that she is alive and here.

Belroth 1:15:21
Okay.

Skarpin 1:15:25
It seems like each of the Greater Demons are running cities essentially. You are here serving the Princess of Darkness?

Belroth 1:15:37
Yes, she’s a terrible boss. She gave me a pay cut last year and I don’t even know if I was being paid, frankly. Why is this so vivid? We need to leave here. I hate this.

Skarpin 1:15:53
Yeah, we should. We should. Deeran is possibly with the Lord of Lost Endings.

Belroth 1:16:03
And then is there any others?

Skarpin 1:16:07
Yeah, there’s also the Lords of First Whispers. First Whispers, yes. So, Deeran’s with one of them. Freya’s with the other is my guess.

Belroth 1:16:19
Okay. Let’s go to them. How did you get, how did you get into the Demon Isles?

Ellori 1:16:29
Dream Skarpin can fly!

Belroth 1:16:31
Oh, wow.

Skarpin 1:16:32
Yeah, basically.

Belroth 1:16:33
Before we go, can I do something I’ve always wanted to do?

Skarpin 1:16:36
Please, please. This is the Dreamscape. It’s your Dreamscape?

Belroth 1:16:39
Okay. Belroth walks out and he looks down on the balcony. He just like, screams, Tony I hate you! Diane I also hate you! Most of you I hate, and also I quit!

Skarpin 1:16:50
Oh, Belroth, Belroth. We should, we should go now.

Anthony 1:16:53
A commotion begins to build.

Ellori 1:16:53
There’s a for you got to file for that!

Belroth 1:16:53
I don’t care!

Anthony 1:17:01
A commotion begins to build when you yell, ‘I quit.’ People start to stir. There’s a visceral reaction to that. And you start to hear murmurs. Like, you can’t quit. No one can quit.

Ellori 1:17:18
There’s no quitting in bureaucracy.

Belroth 1:17:19
That was a great resignation biotches! Let’s go!

Deeran 1:17:24
He didn’t give the requisite 2 weeks.

Anthony 1:17:27
And as you start to move toward the stairs a new cry from below has called for the guards to detain you for quitting.

Belroth 1:17:37
Oh, I didn’t expect that. I thought this was a dream. I could do anything. I didn’t expect consequences.

Ellori 1:17:43
Quick, hold Skarpin’s hands.

Skarpin 1:17:45
I’m going to picture the High Bascilica and just- it’s a big, beautiful. I don’t know if you’ve ever been there, but just trust me and hold on-

Ellori 1:17:55
Just do it!

Skarpin 1:17:55
Okay. Skarpin, as they’re running, pictures the High Basilica in all its grandeur.

Anthony 1:18:02
You grab both hands and you try to move the 3 of you to that space, and you are too far into this physical space for that to work. And you go nowhere.

Skarpin 1:18:14
Shit, shit, shit, shit.

Ellori 1:18:15
Belroth, do you have any body tunnels?

Belroth 1:18:17
Body tunnels? What, what is that?

Skarpin 1:18:18
Yeah, we need to be outside.

Ellori 1:18:20
It means you put a body down a tunnel.

Belroth 1:18:21
I mean, I have an idea. We go to the bathroom, we spend a long time there, and they’ll just forget where there.

Skarpin 1:18:32
Do you think that would work here?

Belroth 1:18:35
I’ve gone to the bathroom for hours and people just assume I’m working.

Skarpin 1:18:39
Okay. Yeah, take us there.

Belroth 1:18:42
Okay, yes, come this way!

Anthony 1:18:45
So, you run back toward your office and beyond, beyond it to the restrooms on this floor. You throw open the door to the restroom and Tony is at the sink.

Belroth 1:18:59
Tony, you need to leave.

Anthony 1:19:01
What? I’m allowed a certain amount of bathroom time.

Belroth 1:19:04
Belroth takes a pain out of his pocket and it’s obviously a fountain pen and he squirts him in his face. All right, Tony, we’re going, we’re going. And he just like, slowly shimmies him out of the bathroom and shuts the door.

Anthony 1:19:16
Okay, great.

Skarpin 1:19:20
Are you sure this will work, Belroth?

Ellori 1:19:22
Yeah, I feel like that’s gonna get some attention, but I trust you. I trust you, Belroth.

Belroth 1:19:27
And then well there’s also this tiny window up here. I mean, we have a little bit of light. We could probably cut through there too.

Skarpin 1:19:35
Well, that’ll be plan B.

Belroth 1:19:36
Okay yes, we’ll wait here until-

Ellori 1:19:40
What kind of games do you play in the bathroom?

Anthony 1:19:43
A sudden thumping on the door of the bathroom.

Skarpin 1:19:48
Plan B? Plan B.

Belroth 1:19:51
All right. I’ve left work this way before. Everything will work out just fine.

Skarpin 1:19:59
Please tell me there’s something on the outside of this window.

Belroth 1:20:02
No. Oh, yeah, no, no, no, yeah. There’s a big tree, so you’re gonna have to catch it.

Skarpin 1:20:08
Oh, we could do that. I’ll try and do it in the air so that we don’t even have to land and hurt ourselves severely.

Belroth 1:20:14
All right.

Ellori 1:20:14
Oh boy.

Belroth 1:20:15
Belroth gives him the 10 fingers.

Skarpin 1:20:18
All right, I’m up. I’m up. Your next.

Anthony 1:20:23
Skarpin is the first into this tiny window outlet. It’s just large enough for you to try to squeeze through. He barely, barely fits. He has to turn sideways like, to diagonally slide through the opening to get the maximum width, and he pushes his way out the window. There’s nothing on the other side of this window for you to wait on. So you’re just dropping to the tree below as soon as you push through.

Skarpin 1:20:53
All right. I’ll meet you down here.

Belroth 1:20:57
All right, it’s quite easy. I’ve done it a billion times.

Anthony 1:21:00
Give me a Dex check to grab the tree on your way out the window, Skarpin.

Skarpin 1:21:08
Ooo, 16.

Anthony 1:21:10
Okay. Yeah, you fall a small distance and you reach out a hand and grab on to a limb of this tree. And it begins under your weight, but it holds you and you’re just hanging from a tree limb.

Skarpin 1:21:25
I’m all good. Come down, come down.

Belroth 1:21:28
Ellori? And 10 fingers for Ellori.

Ellori 1:21:31
Mm hmm. She jumps.

Anthony 1:21:37
You slide through the window, and you also need to give me a Dex Saving Throw to catch the tree on your way down.

Ellori 1:21:46
Well, she doesn’t do a good job.

Skarpin 1:21:51
Oh, no.

Ellori 1:21:51
That is a 9.

Skarpin 1:21:55
Skarpin tries to catch her.

Anthony 1:21:58
Give me a Dex Saving Throw, Skarpin.

Skarpin 1:22:00

  1. Anthony 1:22:02
    Okay, she jumps out the window, tries to grab on, she grabs a handful of leaves that tear off of the tree, and you realize too late that this has happened and try to reach for her and do not reach her.

Ellori 1:22:18
Ellori turns into a bat.

Skarpin 1:22:21
Oh, yeah!

Ellori 1:22:26
~You said she’s got magic in his world that’s cool.~

Anthony 1:22:29
As you are falling from the tree you transform into a bat and flutter around. However, it’s light out, and so as this happens the bat is burning.

Ellori 1:22:44
I fly really fast into the tree and make Skarpin hug me.

Anthony 1:22:49
Skarpin, a bat attacks you.

Ellori 1:22:51
A burning, a sizzling bat.

Skarpin 1:22:56
Yeah, he doesn’t put 2 and 2 together and tries to swat at it.

Anthony 1:23:05
Belroth, how do you get out the window?

Belroth 1:23:06
Before he gets out the window he goes to one of the toilets. He takes the toilet paper and puts it into the toilet and he flushes it. And then he’s gonna make a running jump up through the window slit.

Anthony 1:23:20
Okay.

Deeran 1:23:21
Scott Pilgrim is how you get out of this window?

Ellori 1:23:26
I don’t understand the toilet paper.

Belroth 1:23:28
So, then as it flushes it’s gonna, it’s gonna pull all the toilet paper in too.

Ellori 1:23:34
How does that help you out the window?

Belroth 1:23:36
It doesn’t.

Skarpin 1:23:36
It’s just pranks.

Anthony 1:23:38
He’s just being a jerk because he hated his job.

Ellori 1:23:41
Oh.

Belroth 1:23:42
He’s being, he’s being an unengaged-

Ellori 1:23:46
Oh, he’s doing bad kid shit.

Belroth 1:23:48
He’s a deeply unengaged employee so he wants to cause harm. That’s what, you know, if HR had done any sort of engagement surveys, which they didn’t.

Ellori 1:23:56
That just feels so stupid because that’s not going to come down on HR. That’s going to come down on the custodial staff who I imagine you probably either have never interacted with or the nicest people in the entire building. That feels like a terrible prank.

Anthony 1:24:10
Oh, wow, the middle management character doesn’t like shift work.

Skarpin 1:24:20
Hey, we’re in the Dreamscape, let’s not bring reality into it.

Belroth 1:24:30
So, he tries to jump through the window. Acrobatics or Athletics.

Anthony 1:24:39
It’s neither. It’s a Dex Saving Throw.

Belroth 1:24:41
Okay. Dex Saving Throw? So, natural 20s don’t count, right?

Anthony 1:24:48
Sure.

Belroth 1:24:49
So, 26.

Anthony 1:24:51
Natural 20s don’t count, right? One.

Belroth 1:24:54
That’s a 26.

Anthony 1:24:58
Yeah, 26 is fine. You latch onto the tree. You’ve done it a billion times. You’re super used to it, and there’s no trouble.

Belroth 1:25:05
Yeah, I don’t know what the problem was.

Skarpin 1:25:08
Is Ellori Ellori again?

Anthony 1:25:10
No, she’s still a flaming bat.

Belroth 1:25:12
Where’s Ellori?

Anthony 1:25:13
Well, a smoldering bat. There’s shade from the tree so you’re somewhat covered.

Ellori 1:25:19
Okay, then I’ll go back.

Anthony 1:25:22
Okay.

Ellori 1:25:23
Like, I’ll be like, I’ll sit on a limb and like, hold on with my little feet claws so that when I’m waking up when I’m changing back-

Anthony 1:25:32
You’re now hanging upside down with your feet hooked on the limb.

Ellori 1:25:36
Yeah, I look cool as hell.

Skarpin 1:25:37
Oh, Ellori, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry.

Ellori 1:25:40
That was me! I was the bat! I’m cool here!

Skarpin 1:25:42
That was cool. Nice job.

Ellori 1:25:47
Okay, let’s go.

Skarpin 1:25:49
Grab my hands. Skarpin pictures the High Basilica.

Anthony 1:26:04
Okay. Yes, the space closes between you and as you arrive with Ellori’s intention pressed upon you it is dark when you arrive at the High Basilica. And you are outside what that building once was. It looks identical.

Skarpin 1:26:27
Okay, okay, this- every other place looked very different, but this is actually how I know it looks in the real world. So, maybe the demons aren’t in control here? They didn’t warp this? I don’t know, but let’s be careful. Keep an eye out for Deeran or Freya.

Belroth 1:26:48
Okay.

Skarpin 1:26:49
Belroth, do you feel free a closer, and I’ll try to figure that out to

Anthony 1:26:56
You can’t tell if she’s any closer or farther away. You can just still tell that she’s alive, and she’s here somewhere.

Skarpin 1:27:02
Skarpin tries to identify the type of energy.

Anthony 1:27:06
Yeah, you can’t really tell.

Deeran 1:27:09
There’s not a whole lot of difference between Freya and Deeran anyway. Let’s be serious.

Anthony 1:27:16
I mean whoever is nearby definitely had a Freya snack in the last week.

Belroth 1:27:24
So, it’s Deeran.

Anthony 1:27:30
I said the last week.

Deeran 1:27:35
Also it’s always one for Deeran and one for Freya. Deeran is very sharey.

Anthony 1:27:47
So, you can tell someone is here. You can’t tell who it is.

Skarpin 1:27:51
Okay, okay, I can’t tell if it’s Freya or Deeran, but we should head inside. Let’s, let’s, let’s do this.

Anthony 1:27:58
As you move closer to the Basilica- you came in a little distance from it. As you move in closer you do notice one large difference which is a large wooden platform that has been built outside of the Basilica. And on that platform there is a headsman block.

Skarpin 1:28:17
Oh, I spoke too soon. This, this is different. Maybe we should be very careful.

Ellori 1:28:25
Yes, maybe we should be very quiet. I wish we were invisible. Do you think that Deeran is the executioner?

Skarpin 1:28:36
Could be. He could be. But you just gave me an idea. I’ve been so thrown off. Let’s just try and be invisible.

Belroth 1:28:46
Okay.

Ellori 1:28:47
Okay.

Skarpin 1:28:48
All right. So just similarly to picturing the place, picture yourself as the thing. So, as invisible. So, close your eyes and be invisible.

Belroth 1:29:00
Okay.

Anthony 1:29:01
Skarpin, you close your eyes and you can’t see anyone else you’re with.

Skarpin 1:29:09
He’s had that happen before and won’t fall for it again. So, he opens his eyes, and does he see his friends?

Anthony 1:29:20
Yes, they are still visible.

Skarpin 1:29:21
Does he see himself?

Anthony 1:29:23
You also see yourself.

Skarpin 1:29:25
Okay. He’s beautiful. Oh well, it was worth a shot.

Ellori 1:29:32
Yeah, no, I liked it as an idea.

Belroth 1:29:35
I don’t know. Do I even still have my normal abilities? I could-

Skarpin 1:29:42
You were real good at paper pushing so maybe.

Belroth 1:29:46
I mean, yes. But, uh, I could use my spell Pass Without a Trace if I still have it in the Dream World and make us more stealthy.

Skarpin 1:29:56
Yeah, give it a shot. You should.

Ellori 1:29:57
That would be helpful.

Belroth 1:29:58
Belroth tries to cast Pass Without a Trace.

Anthony 1:30:02
You feel like there is something about this situation that is incomplete, that you do not have the power you need because there is still something missing for you to be able to do the things you need to do.

Belroth 1:30:17
That’s a no. I cannot do it.

Skarpin 1:30:20
Oh, wow, okay. Ellori, can you try something small? I want to see if yours work as well.

Ellori 1:30:31
Sure. Um, ~Send my Mage Hand out in front to keep my real one safe and sound on my arms.~

Anthony 1:30:41
Nothing happens.

Ellori 1:30:43
I don’t have any magic.

Skarpin 1:30:46
All right.

Ellori 1:30:47
That would have been really cool. I really wanted to see my Mage Hand with all those claws on it.

Skarpin 1:30:50
Yeah. At least you have your vampire crap.

Ellori 1:30:56
That’s true. Um, okay.

Anthony 1:31:01
To clarify, Skarpin, you do still feel like your spells are working.

Skarpin 1:31:05
Yeah, he felt that.

Anthony 1:31:10
It wasn’t like an oversight from before. You still feel like your spells work.

Ellori 1:31:15
Here’s the thing. Let’s go in, and if it turns out that, you know, we get caught and get sentenced to execution, and if Deeran’s the executioner I guess it all works out.

Skarpin 1:31:26
I don’t know if it works if the axe that Deeran’s holding touches us.

Ellori 1:31:32
I can turn into a bat and then be a person and cut you free. And then you can, you can grab on to him.

Skarpin 1:31:39
All right, we’ll call that plan B.

Belroth 1:31:40
I feel like I might not be very useful because I don’t even know if I have my bow

Skarpin 1:31:46
What’s that?

Ellori 1:31:47
I don’t see a bow on you.

Skarpin 1:32:00
Skarpin tries to manifest it on Belroth’s back.

Anthony 1:32:04
It does not work.

Skarpin 1:32:05
Okay.

Anthony 1:32:07
The place is too physical for that.

Skarpin 1:32:09
You do not have you bow, but we could use your brains.

Belroth 1:32:17
Okay.

Skarpin 1:32:19
We’ll definitely need that. But let’s go find Deeran or Freya.

Ellori 1:32:22
Yeah, yeah. Let’s just go in like we own the place. And Ellori opens the door.

Anthony 1:32:30
Okay, yeah, you open the door. And the High Basilica inside is draped with purple wall hangings all over the walls. The Basilica seems to be empty.

Skarpin 1:32:51
Skarpin double checks this feeling that a friend energy is close.

Anthony 1:32:57
Yeah, give me, give me a Charisma Check.

Skarpin 1:33:02

  1. Anthony 1:33:05
    Okay, you reach out across that feeling to see how close someone is, and you can feel that that is still close. It’s still nearby, and it’s a little bit deeper into the Basilica.

Skarpin 1:33:18
All right, but there’s definitely one of them here. So let’s keep going. And Skarpin knows his way. So, he tries to find the kind of throne- altar chamber that is for formal occasions.

Anthony 1:33:39
Yeah, you move in that direction, and as you open the double doors that lead into that room. At the far end of the room, you see a figure. They have a deep hood on long black robes. A pair of horns sweeps out of the hood and back behind them. Their long arms are like, skeletal arms to the hands which are then replaced with a deadly scythe on both hands. So they look almost like a praying mantis. But this figure, you can’t see their face, but it is covered deeply in the hood. And you recognize this as one of the demons that you spotted all those months ago. This is one of the Greater Demons. At his side with a chain around her neck and chained to his hip is Freya who has like, claws that are sharpened to a deadly like, point. And you can see the fury in her eyes as she sees you and is like, hungry to kill. Yeah, that’s it. What are you doing?

Skarpin 1:35:04
Oh, great Lord of Lost Endings.

Anthony 1:35:09
You have come to offer yourself upon my altar?

Skarpin 1:35:14
We are sent here from the Lord Above All. She is gathering representatives from each of her most loyal followers, and she wishes to borrow your lovely creature there.

Anthony 1:35:37
If she has sent you to me then she has sent you to seek your ending.

Skarpin 1:35:44
Well, uh, Belroth that doesn’t sound like her, does it?

Belroth 1:35:49
That doesn’t sound like her at all. He whispers, it kind of sounds like her.

Skarpin 1:35:54
Oh no, it’s really just about the lovely creature as I said.

Anthony 1:36:07
He turns and looks down at her and he says, Reaper, kill.

Belroth 1:36:11
Wait, wait, wait!

Anthony 1:36:12
He slashes his scythe up through the chain, and the chain breaks, and Freya charges forward, a bloodlust in her eyes as she makes her way towards you.

Skarpin 1:36:24
Oh, shit.

Belroth 1:36:27
Freya, sit! Down!

Anthony 1:36:37
Belroth, I guess like, like, what is this? There’s got to be some ability that you have that is tied to that, right? Whatever Animal Handling is now?

Belroth 1:36:46
It’s, it’s still Animal Handling.

Anthony 1:36:49
Oh, beautiful.

Belroth 1:36:50
I still have Animal Handling. Finally! This is like, the first time I’ve rolled this in like, the 10 years that 5th edition’s existed.

Deeran 1:36:58
Well, you should have tried to handle an animal.

Belroth 1:37:03
You know, you gotta handle them sometimes and here we go. That’s a 19.

Anthony 1:37:08
You shout ‘Freya, stop!’ and you see a look pass over this creature’s eyes, a look of confusion. The bloodlust is not gone, but it does stagger the creature for just a moment. Enough to break its concentration, and it still charges forward but instead of like, landing on you to slash at you, Skarpin, it’s like, trying to tackle you.

Skarpin 1:37:42
Okay, Skarpin doesn’t try and avoid the attack. He lets Freya hit him, hoping that that will trigger memories.

Anthony 1:37:53
Give me a Charisma Check with Proficiency.

Skarpin 1:37:59

  1. Anthony 1:38:01
    What is Charisma Saving Throw for Freya?

Belroth 1:38:04
Uh, what is Charisma Saving Throw for Freya? It would be I believe plus 2.

Anthony 1:38:12
Okay, she got a 6. So, what I need from you is a Strength Saving Throw.

Belroth 1:38:18
It’s actually plus 3. It doesn’t change anything.

Anthony 1:38:21
She got a 7.

Skarpin 1:38:26

  1. Anthony 1:38:28
    Okay, she knocks you to the ground slamming you down. You take 3 points of damage. She is now standing with her paws on your chest. She goes to slash down at you.

Can Belroth try and tackle her off of Skarpin and like, put her in like a kitty headlock.

Uh, yeah, you can try to assist. Yeah, you can try. Go ahead. Give me a Strength Check to grapple the cat.

Belroth 1:39:14
Yeah. 19 plus zero.

Anthony 1:39:21
What’s her Strength Save?

Belroth 1:39:24
The way it works is her Strength is 14 so plus 2, but because she’s my familiar she gets to add my Proficiency to Saving Throws. So, if it’s a Saving Throw, it’d be plus 5.

Anthony 1:39:42
Okay, what did you roll?

Belroth 1:39:43

  1. Anthony 1:39:45
    She breaks your grip with a 20 and slashes across Skarpin. Skarpin, she swings down at you with her claw. You have no shield to protect you, but that little seed in you, that little tiny bit that was leftover flares to life. And while it is not the power of a full shield, it springs forth from you a barrier of golden light that stops just a glancing blow from hitting. It just nudges a blow ever so slightly away. You now have a permanent +1 AC from this barrier that has sprung up within you.

Skarpin 1:40:41
Cool. Thanks Grandma.

Deeran 1:40:43
So sick.

Anthony 1:40:45
And the claw, it’s just enough to misdirect the claw and launch it past as it rears back for another attack with its other claw.

Skarpin 1:41:04
He was gonna let it happen, but notices that and feels that it’s from that spark but then reaches up and grabs the paw or tries to grab the paw to make contact.

Anthony 1:41:15
Okay, give me another Charisma Check.

Skarpin 1:41:22
5.

Ellori 1:41:22
Oh, my god.

Skarpin 1:41:25
Yeah.

Anthony 1:41:25
She rolled a 4, gets a plus 5 again.

Belroth 1:41:29
For Charisma, plus 3.

Anthony 1:41:31
Plus 3. So, another 7. And she slashes in at you again. This time the barrier is not enough even as it’s still flares and the claws dig deep into you. They deal you 20 damage as these scythe-like blades tear into your flash. But they are buried so deep within you that you feel that resonance wash over Freya’s eyes. You see it like, connect instantly. She blinks it away and looks around. She immediately retracts the claws from your chest.

Skarpin 1:42:25
Skarpin notices the eyes. Belroth, Belroth I think, I think something happened. Get over here.

Belroth 1:42:31
Freya! Do you want me to tackle her again? It didn’t work last time.

Skarpin 1:42:35
No, no, be nice. Be nice.

Belroth 1:42:36
Okay. He starts like, scratching behind her ear and like, petting her and kind of gently nudging her off of Skarpin.

Anthony 1:42:45
Yeah, she like, backs off of him and looks to you and you can see in her eyes like, that connection is made. She turns back to look at the Lord of Lost Endings and he has gone.

Ellori 1:43:09
Um, maybe feels like we should get outside and try to find Deeran.

Belroth 1:43:11
Yes.

Skarpin 1:43:12
Let’s do that.

Ellori 1:43:14
Skarpin, do you have any idea of where that last little glow is?

Skarpin 1:43:18
I don’t have a clear picture. Your, your village where you grew up that’s, in the real world at least, where this Old Scratch, the last one that we’re looking for was. So, maybe we go there? I know they’re not in any one spot, but maybe Deeran is?

Deeran 1:43:40
Okay.

Anthony 1:43:42
And you do feel like the line that comes from you is down to the South. Maybe near wherever Eviara is.

Ellori 1:43:50
Yeah, let’s, let’s picture maybe, maybe the lake next to my village?

Skarpin 1:43:55
Yeah, that’s a good idea.

Ellori 1:43:59
Make sure, Belroth, to grab Freya.

Belroth 1:44:02
I’m hugging her already. I missed her so much. She looks bigger. Everyone looks cooler except for me.

Anthony 1:44:41
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 1:45:16
Serious Business.

We’re super serious!

Transcribed by https://otter.ai