Anthony 0:00
Greetings, adventurers, and welcome to the Adventure Incorporated Podcast. I am your Dungeon Master. And my name just happens to be Anthony Reed. This is episode 37, and it is part of the Whisperer of Lies story arc. The year is very nearly over, and I want to give a huge thank you to the Patrons who supported the show this year. Man, it has been tough. The last couple years have been tough for everybody, and we are so grateful that there are Patrons out there who can support the show, who can provide financial benefit for the show, can provide their support and their enthusiasm and the backing for the show to make it more than it was and more than what would be without you all. And so a huge thank you to our Patrons. A huge thank you to the members of our community over at the Discord which you can find links to in the show notes and on our website adventureincpod.com. Thank you to people who show up for the Tavern Nights for Twitch-on Twitch. They’re not for Twitch. They’re on- they’re for everyone, but mostly for the Patrons because they wouldn’t happen without the Patrons who are amazing. And that’s what I’m kind of talking about right now. I really just want to say that this year has been special to us, you know? We launched this new campaign that we are now experiencing, we’re all a part of, and we could not be more grateful, more thrilled, more- just more excited to have this stable piece of our lives, this community which is so amazing. And this show, which is just, you know, kind of a huge focus for all of us. And we’re so grateful that you’re here to join the story with us and come along for the ride and see all the wacky insane shit we’re doing. I don’t know why it’s, you know, sometimes it gets out there, and this this one’s no exception, let me tell you. So, hey, thank you, and we’re so excited to do it all again next year. Let’s get started.
Nobles and farmers, knights and scoundrels, gather round, gather round to hear a tale of excitement and mystery. Brave adventurers facing grave dangers.
Belroth, the Ranger.
Belroth 2:30
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 2:39
Skarpin the Cleric.
Belroth 2:42
Should I just try and snipe them from over here?
Skarpin 2:44
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 2:53
Ellori, the Bard.
Ellori 2:55
We would want you to leave this warehouse.
Anthony 2:59
He points behind it. Church!
Ellori 3:01
Oh, sorry. We want you to leave this church.
Anthony 3:06
Deeran, the Wizard.
He say, you no worship Shattered Fang.
Deeran 3:11
Yeah, man he’s like, super wrong. We love Broken Tooth- uh, Shattered Fang, man.
Anthony 3:16
Prepare yourselves, for these are the tales of Adventure Incorporated!
The 4 of you with Freya included appear on the banks of the lake, in an Eviara, and around you is a sprawling city that unfolds basically, as far as you can see. This lake is almost like a feature of the city like, a central point that they have built up as a like, a beautiful park around which is just surrounded by city as far as you can see.
Skarpin 4:05
All right. So, we should head to Ellori’s village. Find out- hoping that Deeran’s there with- maybe encounter Old Scratch and their folk there. Although maybe- are they in the city? I don’t know. What do you think?
Ellori 4:23
I have to say, Skarpin, it seems kind of crazy that in your Dream World you would put Deeran in my village in your imagination, and you would put me somewhere random but, you know, maybe- I feel like as long as Deeran’s doing something that’s, you know, not a favorable view on his character then maybe it’s just that that’s your dream has bad opinions of all of us and not just you in real life.
Skarpin 4:49
Ellori, I don’t know- I feel as though I have very little control over all this. I don’t think that this is really a statement upon how I feel about each of you.
Ellori 5:00
But you’ve always said that dreams are the things that we think when we’re awake but don’t know how to think them.
Skarpin 5:08
No, you’re right. That sounds like me. And there’s some truth to that. There are things, things that we manifest in our dreams because we think them, but we don’t think we think them. And then they appear in the Dream World. However, that’s not the entirety of the Dream World. So, I wouldn’t read too much into this.
Belroth 5:29
Needless to say, I’m very excited to see what you think of Deeran.
Skarpin 5:36
Me too. Ellori, how far do you think outside of your city we are. I don’t feel like we’re close.
Ellori 5:53
We’re about 30 seconds by my math.
Skarpin 5:55
Oh, great. Let’s head that way.
Anthony 5:58
And again, so different from when you were here before. This is all city. There are no forests. There are no open fields and plains. There are no sheep paddocks, and it is all large city with buildings taller than you have ever seen in any like, city before. These are 8, 9 floors of building which is just absurd, as they reach up into the sky around you. So, you’re heading toward where the heart of Ellori’s village would be?
Skarpin 6:40
I feel like the biggest building was where we should head. That seemed to work when finding all of you, the 2 of you, I should say. 3, sorry, Freya.
Belroth 6:50
The biggest building?
Skarpin 6:51
Yeah.
Anthony 6:55
There’s a building that’s taller than the others and so you start to head toward that one. It is toward Ellori’s village. As you turn the corner, leaning against a building is an elven man, dark skin, and a long Black Cloak. It is Wesley.
Skarpin 7:18
Excellent, a familiar face. I met Hobern earlier in the Lord of Iron Will- er the Accuser’s, sorry.
Belroth 7:26
Was he happy to see you?
Skarpin 7:27
He was not. He didn’t know me. So, let’s be nice to Wesley. Extra Nice. Wesley!
Anthony 7:39
Oh, hello.
Skarpin 7:41
That’s a good start.
Ellori 7:43
Skarpin, do the thing where you touch him, and then he remembers.
Skarpin 7:46
I’m gonna- yes. Hello, Wesley.
Anthony 7:53
Hello, Skarpin.
Skarpin 7:57
He looks around at the other 2 and kinda like, this is good news. Wesley, this is good news. You, you, you recognize us right?
Anthony 8:08
Of course we are old friends.
Skarpin 8:12
Okay, this is real weird. This is a dream. Why are you here?
Anthony 8:18
This is- I do not know what you mean by ‘this is dream.’
Skarpin 8:23
We are in the World of Dream.
Anthony 8:27
Oh, yes we are, we are here in the World of Dream doing great works, Yes?
Skarpin 8:36
Wait, you, you know about- you can walk the World of Dream? The Dreamscape is accessible to you?
Anthony 8:43
Yes, yes I have spent many, many years learning great skills and walking the dreams is one of them.
Skarpin 8:49
Oh wow. Oh, we have to chat when we get back. We’re looking for Deeran. Have you seen him?
Anthony 8:56
Oh, you’re trying to find Deeran. Yeah, I am in the area looking for Deeran as well.
Belroth 9:02
Why are you looking for Deeran?
Anthony 9:04
Well, I am frequently looking for Deeran, but he is somewhat missing, and I was hoping I could track him down. And if you’re looking for him too- what are you looking for Deeran for?
Skarpin 9:20
We kind of- the Accuser is- sent me to go find him. That sounds real bad when I say it like that, but-
Anthony 9:30
You are also missing Deeran. We are all missing Deeran. He’s supposed to be here, and ‘poof, he is not. He is not, you know. So, we will look for Deeran together, yeah?
Skarpin 9:40
Okay. Are you looking for him for one of the Greater Demons as well? Are you working for them too?
Anthony 9:46
No, no I of course not. I would never try and find someone important for one of them that could harm, you know, the person greatly.
Ellori 10:01
Can Ellori do like, an Insight Check on Wesley to like, see- she’s not, she’s not buying this.
Anthony 10:10
Okay.
Ellori 10:11
Something’s weird. How’s a 15?
Anthony 10:22
Um, you definitely feel like this isn’t Wesley, right? Like, there is an element to this that is- still has like, that dream quality to it. Like, this is Wesley but like, who doesn’t know the script.
Ellori 10:44
Hey, Wesley, can you tell me your favorite memory of all of us from not-the-Deam World?
Anthony 10:49
My favorite memory of you from not-the-Dream World? Oh, yes, when we frolicked in park…and had lunch…by the stars.
Ellori 11:03
Belroth and Skarpin. Can I, can I talk, talk with you for a second?
Belroth 11:07
Oh, sure.
Skarpin 11:08
Yeah.
Ellori 11:11
This isn’t Wesley. Like, it’s “Wesley”, but it’s not Wesley, you know?
Skarpin 11:18
Yeah, I don’t remember that.
Belroth 11:20
Anthony, do I remember that event as though I remember the rest of these new dream memories?
Anthony 11:26
Great question. No, you do not.
Belroth 11:28
Thank you. Great, thank you. Yes, I don’t know if I trust this- I don’t think this is our Wesley.
Ellori 11:35
Yeah, and dream-me would never go frolicking. Dream-me is pretty badass. Way too cool to frolic. Oh, Belroth, you didn’t even see. I was so cool.
Skarpin 11:46
Yeah, she was scary.
Belroth 11:49
I feel like you -I can’t, I can’t not see you as a masterful frolicker.
Ellori 11:54
No, I was like, torturing people.
Belroth 11:57
Oh.
Ellori 11:57
Yeah.
Belroth 11:58
I was torturing people in like, the way that like, a bad coworker tortures people. Not on purpose but on purpose.
Ellori 12:05
Um, so I think we should maybe just, maybe leave Wesley here and continue on searching for Deeran.
Belroth 12:10
I agree. I think that’s wise.
Skarpin 12:13
I wonder why something manifested Wesley or I wonder why they were looking for Deeran.
Belroth 12:26
Well, it’s your dream and you have, obviously, feelings and subconscious thoughts whether or not you like it about, you know, about him. So, I mean, maybe this is part of it. Maybe you are creating this image.
Skarpin 12:43
Yeah, maybe.
Belroth 12:45
But if it’s being, it’s being affected by this Old Scratch fellow we can’t trust it.
Skarpin 12:53
Yeah, I think it’s something more nefarious than me. I feel like I’m usually in more control, and this outside force is affecting this world. Hey, Wesley?
Anthony 13:07
Yes?
Skarpin 13:08
Why are you looking for Deeran?
Anthony 13:12
Well, like I said, I’m always, always looking for Deeran. He’s supposed to be around here somewhere. But, but I’m really more interested in why you might be looking for Deeran. Maybe I can help you find him if that’s your- if what you’re looking for is important here.
Skarpin 13:27
No, that’s okay. We’ll-
Anthony 13:32
I’ll be honest with you. You look like you are people who- you are on a mission. You’re looking for something important, and I think I know what it’s about. So, I will tell you. Your friend here that you are searching for. He came to me. He told me we had to fight against the demons, that he was not meant to be here in this world of dreams. That there was another world, and that we are meant to fight against the masters and slay them. We have started a bit of a group who is seeking to do such things, but I am only supposed to bring those who I think can be trusted, obviously.
Ellori 14:17
Oh, that’s us. Skarpin, you made a dream Deeran so right about his conspiracies!
Skarpin 14:26
Yeah…
Belroth 14:27
Can I Insight Check? I don’t know, man.
Anthony 14:30
You may.
Belroth 14:31
All right. Man, like, that sounds too cool for Deeran. No offense.
Deeran 14:39
Wow. Wow, maybe it’s just cool enough.
Belroth 14:43
All right. You know what? Fine. Offense. 15.
Anthony 14:47
Um, well, okay. This certainly feels more in tuned with what- like, it’s still a dream guy. He still doesn’t seem to have like, the full breadth of what you expect from, from Wesley. But there’s nothing you know, inherently- he’s not like, sweating profusely, or like, you’re not getting anything from him in that way.
Skarpin 15:23
Skarpin digs in his, one of his pouches and manifests the symbol from the Accuser, the Lord of Iron Will, and takes it out. And says, Wesley, before we go anywhere, have you ever seen this symbol before? And as he tries to hand it to Wesley, he tries to make contact with the skin.
Anthony 15:47
Okay. Yeah, you do like, you pass it to him and like, touch his hand. You don’t see anything change for Wesley.
Skarpin 16:00
Okay.
Anthony 16:02
Yes, this is a Lady of Iron Will.
Skarpin 16:06
Oh, yes, that’s what I thought. Thank you.
Anthony 16:13
I would have expected you to know that since you are one of her agents, no?
Skarpin 16:18
Just checking to see if you knew.
Deeran 16:20
Got him.
Anthony 16:22
Well, of course I know.
Belroth 16:26
Well, I mean, if you- I mean, Skarpin, let’s be, let’s be, let’s be honest here. If he is on our side, I mean, you should probably just speak freely about what you’re trying to do. Yes?
Skarpin 16:42
Yeah. I’m gathering us. We’re gathering us, TESSA.
Anthony 16:50
Who else- who is TESSA?
Ellori 16:54
Oh, my gosh, okay. I really- honestly, I just I’m very anxious to find Deeran right now, especially, if he especially if he’s wandering around here, you know, talking about other worlds and trying to bring up a revolution. I think that’s got to be more dangerous for him, and it’s really important that we find him right now.
Skarpin 17:11
That is true.
Anthony 17:13
Okay, okay then we will go and find Deeran. Skarpin, you will bring your friends, and we all go at once, yes?
Skarpin 17:22
Sure, where are we headed?
Anthony 17:24
This alley, come on. And he turns toward the nearest alley, and he starts to walk down the alley slowly with his hands in his pockets.
Belroth 17:34
He’s in front of us?
Anthony 17:35
Yep.
Belroth 17:36
Okay, cool. I am keeping a close eye on him and also around us to see if we aren’t walking into an ambush.
Anthony 17:44
Okay. He walks nonchalantly down the alleyway, sauntering a bit. And as he reaches the end of the alleyway, he turns to look back and see that you’re all still with him. We are going to want to move quickly once the door is open, no? Best not to draw attention. He gives a rhythmic knock, and then the little eye hole slides open. And you see Deeran’s eyes looking out from inside the door.
Deeran 18:25
Oh no! Oh, no man! And he pushes the door open trying to knock Wesley back. He takes off. He runs down the hallway away from Wesley, and he looks back at the crew and he’s like, guys, come on! We gotta get out of here!
Anthony 18:43
Wesley stumbles back.
Ellori 18:44
Okay. Ellori runs.
Deeran 18:48
And at the end, Deeran’s gonna take a right. What does he see?
Anthony 18:53
So, you’re running out into the street?
Deeran 18:55
Yeah, yeah.
Anthony 18:56
Yeah, you will run out into an open street. There are people on both the sidewalks left and right at the street. There’s a few horses and carriages in the roadway, but it’s just an open, you know, there’s nothing like, impeding you from heading that way out toward the edges of what you guys know of as the city. From the images in your mind, Deeran, the city just sprawls from here.
Deeran 19:23
Cool. He’s gonna make sure that like, the group stays with him. And like, try to choose Alley’s to lose, to lose Wesley.
Anthony 19:37
Okay. Yeah, I think, I think probably Survival here.
Deeran 19:44
Okay.
Anthony 19:44
This feels like you’re just, you’re just trying to survive, man.
Deeran 19:51
I got a 12.
Anthony 19:53
Give me 3 consecutive rolls.
Deeran 19:55
Okay. The first one was a 12. The second one was a 13 And the last one was a 9.
Anthony 20:03
Okay, so for the others, are you guys hot on Deeran’s heels as he runs frantically through the city?
Belroth 20:10
Belroth booked it when he saw Deeran book it. I don’t know if the rest of us did.
Skarpin 20:15
Yeah, I’m following Deeran
Anthony 20:16
Okay, so Skarpin you’re losing ground at each of these but-
Skarpin 20:24
Skarpin dream jumps 5 feet faster every action.
Deeran 20:29
Clever, nice.
Anthony 20:34
You’re just line of sight teleporting.
Skarpin 20:38
He runs to 30. Jumps 5.
Deeran 20:42
That’s so cool.
Anthony 20:46
Okay, so, Deeran, you head out and pass through a bunch of alleyways, ones that you’re familiar with. You know where you’re going, and before long you are confident that you have given Wesley the slip.
Deeran 21:02
Oh, man, you guys. I don’t know what happened, man. Like I told him, I told him everything. I figured that like, this is a weird place, right? Like, this isn’t normal?
Skarpin 21:16
Yeah, absolutely. It is not normal. Deeran, can I have a hug?
Deeran 21:22
What?
Skarpin 21:23
Like, right, you know us so-
Deeran 21:28
Well, yeah, of course, Skarpin. Deeran reaches out to, reaches out to hug him.
Skarpin 21:44
Okay, so he makes contact and sees if anything changes.
Anthony 21:49
Okay, uh, Deeran, a Wisdom Saving Throw.
Deeran 21:55
Okay. I got a 10.
Anthony 22:02
Okay.
Deeran 22:04
22.
Anthony 22:07
So, your eyes go wide as realization dawns and your mind splits. And you see both the reality of the situation and all of the memories that you have saved as a spy and an agent of deception for the Strangers.
Deeran 22:30
Oh, man.
Skarpin 22:31
Your eyes.
Deeran 22:33
Yeah. We got to get out of here like, right now again, but this time like, for real, you guys, come on!
Anthony 22:40
At the end of the alleyway Wesley steps into view. He says, now? Are we doing it now?
Deeran 22:53
And Deeran like, puts a hand down behind him for like, TESSA to see. And he turns back to Wesley. He’s like, oh, no, not you, Wesley! We got to get out of here!
Anthony 23:10
Wesley begins stepping down the alleyway toward Deeran and reaches into his cloak and draws his blade. The edge of that blade glowing faintly.
Skarpin 23:23
Everybody, grab on to me.
Belroth 23:25
Oh, okay.
Skarpin 23:27
And Deeran grabs.
Belroth 23:30
Freya like, nibbles on like, part of his shell.
Skarpin 23:35
Wolf’s Eye Lake, let’s go right now. And then he imagines that he’s right outside the Wolf’s Eye Lake.
Anthony 23:40
Nothing happens.
Skarpin 23:42
Oh, that didn’t work. We’re gonna have to fight, I guess. Oh.
Deeran 23:48
I don’t know if we can fight him, man. Listen, like, here we’ve been partners a long time. We got to get out of here. Like, for real run.
Skarpin 23:59
Okay, yeah. And before they break contact with them, he tries to jump to the edge of the city where they started.
Anthony 24:06
Yeah, you get, you get the sense that you’re too deep in just like before when you were too deep in the places like, in the buildings. You’re too deep in to be able to jump out of this space.
Skarpin 24:15
All right, let’s get out of here. Let’s run. We’ll have to do this the old fashioned way.
Belroth 24:19
Okay. Belroth would like to like, focus really hard and try and manifest his bow. Like, he’s trying to like, he’s currently like, powerless in this world, and he needs a thing to fight right now. So, he’s trying to like, feel more himself than what he has been in the Dream World.
Anthony 24:44
Give me a Wisdom Check at Disadvantage.
Belroth 24:47
All right. Disadvantage? Oh, okay. So, it is a Wisdom Check?
Anthony 24:58
Mm hmm.
Belroth 24:59
- At Advantage, it would have been a dirty 20.
Anthony 25:04
Okay, well, nothing happens.
Belroth 25:08
Fuck!
Anthony 25:16
Okay, so you guys are at the end of an alleyway and you’re running. Where are you headed because he’s at the mouth of the alleyway. He’s drawn a blade.
Deeran 25:26
Oh, so I’ve led them into- okay, yeah, I know. Okay. So, as we’ve run toward Wesley- do Deeran’s spells work?
Anthony 25:47
No, but as you’re start to run, for you, Deeran as you start to run toward Wesley, he winks at you.
Deeran 25:56
Okay, great, then yeah, as I, as I run toward him Deeran puts both hands up and pushes into Wesley’s chest harder than Wesley is expecting.
Anthony 26:08
Absolutely. Any is harder than he is expecting because he is fully expecting you to just like, turn and stand next to him to stop the group from fleeing. And so when you jam your hands into his chest he stumbles backwards for real this time, as opposed to the bit of overacting he did when you threw the door at him.
Deeran 26:32
You really made a meal of it last time, bud.
Anthony 26:36
He stumbles backwards and falls hard on to the cobblestones, and he looks at you. He says, what are you doing?! And then everyone else runs by, I imagine.
Deeran 26:47
Yeah. As they run by, Deeran looks at him and goes, I’ll meet you back at the like, you know, at the rendezvous point. And Deeran takes off.
Anthony 26:59
This is not the plan! And then, then you’re gone.
Skarpin 27:07
Deeran- as we’re running- Deeran, what’s going on?
Deeran 27:10
Well, okay, so like-
Skarpin 27:13
Hold on, I gotta jump.
Deeran 27:17
Once you puff into appearance again, oh, man. That’s so cool. Anyway, like, I’ve been working for a while here for the Strangers, right, Like, the twins. And like, I’ve, I’ve learned a lot of things, man. But then, I don’t know, you hugged me, and like, it feels uh like, it feels like there’s 2 different worlds that I’m a part of, and like, they’re both connected, you know?
Ellori 27:42
What? Wesley said that you already felt like, like that you were part of 2 worlds so we maybe thought that you already knew that you were in the Dream World, you know?
Deeran 27:51
Oh, yeah, no, that was all a lie. Like we heard you guys coming a mile away. Like, you talk a lot for a small group. And every time like, every time we had somebody kind of like, stationed there to like, you know, relay what everybody says in the town. It’s, it’s a crazy network like-
Ellori 28:08
Wait, you’ve been spying on us this whole time?
Deeran 28:10
Well, not the whole time. Just ever since you got here.
Anthony 28:15
You now feel like you’re far enough away from the center of town that you could make a jump.
Skarpin 28:21
Ugh, I can finally breathe out here. Okay, okay. Let’s collect our thoughts and make a plan. I got here, and the Accuser sent me to find you all, and bring you back to there so that she could gather information from the other Greater Demons. I don’t want to do that, of course, but I don’t know where Old Scratch is.
Deeran 28:46
That feels like just just straight up like, gather us and then murder us kind of plan.
Belroth 28:51
It does feel like that.
Skarpin 28:52
I was- I figured there’d be torture first and then information gathering. Ellori, you know.
Ellori 28:55
That’s my job here. Deeran I was so cool here.
Skarpin 29:00
Yeah, she had a whole room.
Belroth 29:01
Well, I would have processed all of the necessary paperwork so that the torture would go through in the proper channels.
Skarpin 29:09
Yeah, you were great at that.
Deeran 29:11
No, I’ve seen some of your work, man. It’s pretty good. Like, don’t downplay it.
Belroth 29:16
Well, you know, I mean, you can torture people with paperwork. It’s actually, it’s actually a great way to really just whittle someone down, but that’s not intentional, allegedly.
Anthony 29:28
It’s torture for the soul. As you are now sort of coalescing these thoughts, and you all have the information that you have from these 2 halves of yourself the glaring omission amongst the demons in this reality is that there is no Old Scratch. That isn’t one of the demons in charge.
Skarpin 30:01
You know, I got it wrong. It seems this, Deeran, your working for the Strangers it sounds like.
Deeran 30:09
Yeah, you know like, the Lords of Deception like, they do that sort of thing. Wait, no not Lords of Deception, the Lords of Whispers, right?
Anthony 30:20
First Whisper. Lords of the First Whisper.
Deeran 30:23
Yeah, no, working for the Lords of the First Whisper, you know? A little different. I understand where you might get confused, right, because like, Old Scratch is like, a liar and stuff. He kind of sews that discontent, right, back, back home anyway.
Belroth 30:43
Well, then where would he be, I guess?
Anthony 30:51
So, you jumped to the Wolf’s Eye Lake, right?
Skarpin 30:54
Oh, we should, we should get out of here. And then, yeah, jumps the Wolf’s Eye Lake.
Anthony 31:00
Yeah, as you arrive at the Wolf’s Eye Lake it is as you expect it to be largely. It is still a lake surrounded by forest. And it’s almost as though this place is sort of underdeveloped in the scape that you are within, that not a lot of attention has been paid here. It’s sort of sparse and just recreated from memory of this area. There are dark, roiling storm clouds overhead, but no rain, and no thunder or lightning or anything like that.
Skarpin 31:35
I think we have a little bit of a reprieve. It seems like this place isn’t too important to whoever imagined this, this world. So yeah, how do we, how do we find them? How do we find Old Scratch?
Belroth 31:51
Well, there’s- I have 2 ideas: one Skarpin, you use your dream powers to summon him. I mean, who visioned this world except you, right? You manifested a world, and they are part of it. I don’t know how Dream magic works. The other option is we find their analog in the real world. So, like, it’s a thing I’ve been thinking about for a while, but all of- there are 7 Demon Isles and there are 7 Demons that we have to destroy, correct? What if we go to the Demon Isle associated with Old Scratch?
Deeran 32:40
Well, like, Eridar Old Scratch doesn’t exist on the material like home. So, unless Eridar is Old Scratch or like, you know, a overtaken by him-
Ellori 33:00
Deeran, do you think that he maybe could be because if he is my grandmother is in so much danger?!
Deeran 33:05
I mean, I don’t think he could be. He’s like, a dragon or whatever. Like, he’s, you know-
Ellori 33:09
But but, but you said it!
Deeran 33:11
Well, yeah, like, I guess I thought that one was even too far fetched for me.
Belroth 33:17
But your grandmother wouldn’t necessarily lie. And you are, I think being-
Ellori 33:23
No, my grandmother would never lie. You know what she says about liars.
Deeran 33:27
Um, that you know them when you see them.
Ellori 33:29
No, that lying to other people is like lying about a version of yourself that nobody wants to exist.
Deeran 33:37
What?
Ellori 33:39
Exactly.
Skarpin 33:42
You did say that she said that before so that’s accurate at least.
Belroth 33:47
And about a version of yourself that nobody wants to exist. And Old Scratch doesn’t exist.
Skarpin 33:55
Belroth, I think maybe Old Scratch might be the exception. We got to look into that Demon Isle theory. That sounds- it sounds interesting.
Belroth 34:06
Well, there’s 7, right? There’s the big one, Isle of Protection. That was the one we were on. And then there’s like, 6 little tiny ones. There’s Moon, Spirit, Joy, Promise, Sun, and Star.
Skarpin 34:20
Sure, sure but Old Scratch is here, I know it. At least in some Dream World. I think I should, I should look more into using my powers, and maybe I can find where to go next. Unless somebody else has another idea.
Deeran 34:43
It seems like we may as well try that one first and see if it works. Could be bigger than that even, you know?
Skarpin 34:55
So, Skarpin is going to park his bottom on the ground and try and extend his awareness to kind of analyze the world and see if there’s any source from where this weird Dreamscape has come from. And he will do a Religion Check.
Anthony 35:21
Okay, give me a Religion Check.
Skarpin 35:25
- Anthony 35:26
You reach out your awareness across this Dreamscape, and as that awareness begins to spread, you almost get this view of like, looking down over a map of the empire. And instead of this whole map, what you get the sense of are these columns of light, or columns of substance, where the rest of the map is this empty void, similar to the void that you’re in now like a placeholder. The places that you have visited, the places that you went, those are places that have been touched, created, and are these like, beacons, these pillars in this place. As you extend beyond the edges of New Meritta and off toward the unknown, as you bump up against that there is almost like, a bubble in this place. Like, a barrier that has been constructed of the Dreamscape itself. And you get the sense that if you could push beyond that, beyond that is the Dreaming you expect to see. Beyond that is what you’re more familiar with, the surreal, shifting quasi-reality that you are more familiar with when you travel the Dreamscape as opposed to this somewhat more solid space. It seems like someone carved out a chunk of the Dreamscape and created this with great detail on certain elements, certain places, and have sort of sloughed off the rest of the other places as not important. You also get the sense that, as you do that, as you spread your awareness out, as you move, you are now being watched.
Skarpin 37:37
Okay, Skarpin comes back to himself and communicates that. So, we’re in the Dream World that I know, but in this pocket. And we can either bring Old Scratch here or maybe we need to get out of it, get out of this bubble.
Deeran 38:01
So like, even like, right here, where we are is like, inside of that?
Skarpin 38:14
Yeah, the more accurate pictures, the places that we’ve been, have been kind of more attention, more energy has been poured into those areas. I think, maybe a combination of when we decided to go there, and also the fact that they were placed there so they wanted the-
Ellori 38:35
Oh, you think Old Scratch made me a torturer and it wasn’t your secret thinking of me?
Skarpin 38:45
I do. I do think that. That’s not me. Ellori, again, really, I don’t think these things.
Belroth 38:53
That, that’s a relief. I thought you thought I was very boring.
Deeran 38:57
Man, I’m kind of bummed. I like, I was really grateful that you thought I was like, a cool, secret mystery guy. A man of many faces, you know? Like, a real international spy. But…Oh.
Skarpin 39:19
Yeah, Old Scratch seems very powerful in the dream.
Belroth 39:31
Could we, could we like, overwhelm him with- if he’s having to make all of these areas, could we overwhelm him by like, imagining a lot of areas in rapid succession. Like, he has to- if these these beacons of light that are the areas he’s defined, what if we defined a lot of areas? Would that give him more power or would that make him be like, oh, gosh, I have to get caught up. I’m still really thinking about things in terms of paperwork, and that feels like getting overwhelmed by paperwork.
Skarpin 40:07
In order to maintain attention within the Dream World and create things, you do have to devote certain amounts of energy, but we are here and it doesn’t seem to have affected how clear this lake is or these, these trees over here?
Anthony 40:26
What’s everyone’s Passive Perception?
Belroth 40:30
Oh, my, my passive perception is-
Skarpin 40:32
14.
Belroth 40:36
-wow, my Passive Perception is only 12.
Deeran 40:41
10, baby!
Anthony 40:43
No reason. Asking for a friend.
Belroth 40:48
Belroth would like to make a Perception Check.
Skarpin 40:51
It’s reasonable.
Deeran 40:54
I am really nervous about fighting Old Scratch without my magic.
Ellori 41:02
I also don’t have any magic here.
Deeran 41:04
This stick is cool, but like, I don’t know how much this- yeah, where’s your bow, Belroth.
Belroth 41:13
Well, I tried to like, I tried to imagine it.
Deeran 41:18
Is this like one of those dreams where you like, forget your pants or whatever, and it’s like, a final.
Belroth 41:24
Honestly, honestly-
Deeran 41:26
That’s what you look like right now without it. It’s weird. It’s like-
Belroth 41:29
I look like I don’t have pants without my bow?
Deeran 41:32
Yeah, you look naked, man.
Belroth 41:34
Well, well, I didn’t feel like I didn’t have my pants, but now I feel like I don’t have any pants. Now I feel very vulnerable.
Deeran 41:39
How does that make you feel?
Belroth 41:42
Very vulnerable. That’s why I said it made me feel very vulnerable.
Deeran 41:44
Like beyond that.
Belroth 41:47
What do you mean?
Skarpin 41:53
Tell us more.
Deeran 41:54
Yeah, what Skarpin said.
Belroth 41:56
Belroth tries to like, summon his bow to his hand. He tries to like- he does what he did earlier, and tries to like, envision the bow in his hand.
Anthony 42:05
All right, once again a Disadvantage.
Belroth 42:06
God damnit. Oh, in a parallel universe things were perfect. And in this universe, things were 5.
Anthony 42:23
A 5 does not do it.
Belroth 42:25
Wow. Like, you just see Belroth hold out his hand like-
Deeran 42:30
Yeah, it doesn’t make you look less like, naked to me, dude.
Belroth 42:34
Well, I’m trying very hard to like, bring my things back. It’s like I’m being-
Deeran 42:39
Yeah, it’s crazy that you just-
Anthony 42:40
Freya just looks at you sadly.
Deeran 42:42
You it’s crazy that you didn’t just have it, you know? Deeran adjusts his hat. Like, taps staff on the ground. He’s like, yeah, like, I’m just missing like, that connection, man. You know, like, that connection to power?
Belroth 43:00
They put me in a suit- or they put me in- I imagine Belroth looks like a Shaun of the Dead. Like, but like, with Belroth. Like he’s-
Anthony 43:08
You look like it’s your first day at Hogwarts? Yeah, exactly.
Skarpin 43:13
So clean, so pressed. Belroth, you want your bow? Here- and he manifest throws a bow to him.
Anthony 43:23
Yeah, give me give me a Wisdom Check not at Disadvantage.
Skarpin 43:33
20.
Anthony 43:33
Yeah, the bow and a bundle of arrows manifest.
Belroth 43:39
Yes. Could you, could you make me like, a really cool bow. Like, an even cooler bow? Like, a superpower bow?
Skarpin 43:49
So, Belroth I like your plan about jumping from place to place. It seems interesting so, maybe- Skarpin has a Perception Check to see if them being there has affected the surroundings.
Anthony 44:07
Oh, yeah. Okay, give me a Perception Check.
Skarpin 44:12
- Anthony 44:13
Okay. Yeah, looking around you it’s almost like when you play a video game and you load into a new zone and everything’s kind of blocky and then everything sharpens as the game loads, or like the video buffers, and it gets high definition. As you’ve been here things have become more populated. There’s now like, animals in the area. There are a whole bunch of plants that weren’t there when you first jumped here. A small statue has been built up in the corner like, things are now here that weren’t here before that now are. And you get the sense that this is an increasing pool of light amongst all of the pools of light over the course of the map. You also out of the corner of your eye in the roiling darkness of the sky above, you catch what almost looks like a row of teeth, but as you focus on it at all, it’s gone
Skarpin 45:24
I think I saw some teeth in the sky.
Deeran 45:27
Ellori!
Ellori 45:28
What?
Skarpin 45:33
Many teeth.
Ellori 45:34
I can’t do the magic to call my teeth right now.
Deeran 45:38
Wait, you can’t do- Skarpin, have you ever met anyone in the world that like, wasn’t you who could like, do magic out here?
Skarpin 45:49
We used to travel together sometimes with the Nightholder clan, so yeah, but otherwise, no. No, everyone who I’ve met here has been unaware and less able to interact with the world.
Ellori 46:07
I mean, to be fair, I do have some new tools at my disposal to cause some extreme amounts of pain, but I don’t have the normal things that I can do.
Deeran 46:19
Yeah, I don’t know that I’m gonna be able to trick this guy.
Belroth 46:25
I have a bow now, so I’m good.
Deeran 46:27
Okay, great. I’ll let you handle it, man. Deeran sits down. This is gonna be awesome.
Skarpin 46:36
And we got to worry about those teeth at some point. But if we can get Old Scratch maybe we can try and bring them into our world and fight them there. I can bring you back. Why, I can’t I bring them?
Deeran 46:57
That’s really cool.
Skarpin 46:59
We’ll have to get close first.
Belroth 47:02
Because then we’ll have all of our abilities and Deeran can like Fireball.
Deeran 47:07
But if we wake up like, I fell asleep in Ellori’s grandma’s cave.
Ellori 47:13
Yeah, we don’t want to bring him back to my grandma. Maybe we can tell my grandma to run really fast.
Deeran 47:21
Yeah. Hey, Iddra, get out of the cave, man.
Ellori 47:26
Yeah, if we all, we all get it in our dreams maybe she’ll hear it.
Deeran 47:31
Yeah, Deeran’s trying to like, make his physical body talk in its sleep.
Anthony 47:39
Okay.
Skarpin 47:44
Oh, no, that’s actually a really good idea. Let me try. Well, you keep on you keep on trying what you’re doing, and I’ll try something.
Deeran 47:53
Yeah, Deeran’s constantly yelling. Iddra, get out of the cave!
Ellori 47:59
Ellori is also going to do that. Grandma, you got to go!
Skarpin 48:07
Skarpin closes his eyes and just chuckles a little bit and tries to send a dream to Iddra, and the dream’s going to be the images of Ellori and us covered in like, a protective light. And then a dark force basically pushing against the rest of the cave, and I want her to get the idea that she needs to leave the cave. That it’s not safe anywhere except where we are.
Deeran 49:03
That’s like the opposite of leaving the cave then.
Skarpin 49:08
Well, so we’re safe. We’re protected in the cave, but the rest of the cave like, they need to leave. So, it’s unsafe for them to remain in the cave.
Ellori 49:17
Well, I feel like it would be helpful if Elidar were there. I feel like we want him. I don’t care if he dies, and he’s strong. It’s true.
Anthony 49:30
Hmm, you attempt to send a dream, and as you do you hear an ear splitting crack. All of you hear it. Like, a crack that is rending the sky itself. You don’t see anything, but the crack runs from horizon to horizon over you, as you hear just this sound like ice, breaking or cracking as it as it moves across, and then the shadowy darkness that is filling the sky descends upon you. And before long the sky is- the large shadowy clouds are not too distant from you and a wide mouth splits the cloud as it speaks out to you. How dare you. This is my realm. I have created it, and you will not permeate it. I have let you play your silly games, but now you will die.
Belroth 50:41
Belroth shoots an arrow into its mouth like, while he’s talking.
Anthony 50:49
Great.
Belroth 50:51
19 plus 8.
Anthony 50:56
You fire the arrow off toward the mouth and it turns into a shoe and then falls to the ground.
Belroth 51:04
Okay. I’m glad you clarified because I was gonna ask does the shoe kick him in the mouth. That seems like I’ve upgraded to arrow. If I had a bow and arrow that could shoot shoes I would-
Anthony 51:19
It shoots and then turns into a shoe and then drops.
Belroth 51:22
Okay, so like momentum is conserved and it loses. It’s not magic. Okay. Understood.
Anthony 51:28
Yeah. Yeah.
Skarpin 51:31
Listen, listen, no, no. You are the one who is not welcome here. This is, this is my realm, much more than yours. You need to leave.
Ellori 51:40
Get him, Skarpin.
Anthony 51:41
Make a Wisdom Check.
Skarpin 51:43
Make it Wisdom Check?
Anthony 51:45
Yep.
Skarpin 51:47
Natural 20.
Belroth 51:51
Get him!
Anthony 51:53
He rolled a one.
Belroth 51:55
Nat-roll-fuck yourself, dream asshole.
Anthony 51:59
So, a bright light erupts from you, Skarpin, and envelops the rest of your party standing next to you. Suddenly, for all of you something changes, things shift and the body you have is now no longer the body that you had in this place. It is not your body from the real world either. It is something new, something powerful, like an idealized version of you. It is something grand, something beyond. You get the sense that this is an image Skarpin is laying upon you. So, Skarpin, what I would say from you is for each of them tell me something that you have enhanced as what you see is the thing that they are best at. Including Freya.
Skarpin 53:05
Cool, cool. Freya, first of all, is you know bulldogs are just jacked, you know how her just pouncing ability it’s just terrifying especially as Skarpin experienced it and he’s still hurt. So, Freya’s basically just gonna get like, biceps like whoa and like, thick thighs and just just like a beast.
Anthony 53:30
Freya’s now swole. Freya gets plus 2 Strength. Just for this.
Belroth 53:48
Understood.
Skarpin 53:49
So, Ellori’s voice basically is the thing I want to augment. I feel like it’s her greatest asset. So, just the strength and the cleverness of the way to approach battle. I want to make that bigger.
Anthony 54:11
Okay, Ellori, you’re support spells can now affect one additional person while you’re in the Dream, in the Dreamscape.
Ellori 54:22
Okay.
Skarpin 54:25
And Belroth just the accuracy and the strength of his archery skills. He just made them- Skarpin just made him a bow, and he feels like he can do- I believe in him. He doesn’t need magic. He is just so skilled that he can crush without any sort of magic with that bow.
Anthony 54:49
Okay. Your magic doesn’t return to you like it does to the others.
Belroth 54:53
That’s fine. Okay.
Anthony 54:57
But you do get a plus 3 to your attacks and damages.
Belroth 55:03
Yeah, that’s totally fine.
Skarpin 55:07
And just raw power from Deeran. Just the untapped volcano of power that he just will stumble upon occasionally that Skarpin’s just impressed with and wants to just have him be able to tap that more easily.
Anthony 55:29
So, every spell you cast is 2 spell levels higher than the spell slot you spend for it.
Deeran 55:35
Okay!
Belroth 55:35
Let’s go!
Anthony 55:40
And Skarpin for you, you are the only change that you feel here for you is that that part of you that undead part of you is back. And you are, once again, that hunger returns, that unceasing, undead part of you returns.
Skarpin 56:11
All right, Skarpin feels like energy a little bit drained from himself but looks around and almost sees a radiance coming from the other members of the group and he’s just like- he turns back towards the sky and is just so much more resolved, and he is excited. This is gonna be good.
Anthony 56:32
Yeah, you’ve created this little pocket for yourself and you are a shimmering with light. He falters for a moment. He says, I, I created you from your fears. I tapped into you. I created you from that which you most feared you would be. I have brought forth the truth in your lies and the lies to your truth. And now you turn your back on this place. You could have been happy here. We all could have been happy here. This could be again simply close your eyes. Let the world fall.
Skarpin 57:29
Aall you say is lies. All you say is lies. Come down here and fight us. You are nothing here. Prove that you are this great grand puppet master.
Deeran 57:42
As everyone’s monologuing, Deeran casts Mage Armor on himself. And let the monologuing continue.
Anthony 57:54
I am everything here. I am everywhere. I am here now with you. And I am other places too.
Skarpin 58:12
Skarpin- we’ve torn a bit of a hole, and Skarpin knows that the old scratch wants the edges of the bubble to be a certain distance like, far away from where they are, but Skarpin is going to try and cast Inflict Wounds on the edge of the barrier. Imagining that he is using his silver short sword to cut through the barrier at level 3. Just projecting that kind of force.
Anthony 58:57
Yeah, so give me another Wisdom- so like, this is a spell, right?
Skarpin 59:01
Yeah.
Anthony 59:03
So, give me the spell and then give me a Wisdom Check on top of that.
Skarpin 59:07
All right, all right. 25 to hit. And then 15 For a Wisdom.
Anthony 59:28
Okay, uh, you swing out toward the edge of the barrier and you feel like that blow is caught by the entity. However, you feel like it strikes the entity.
Skarpin 59:45
Ah, gotcha a bit there, didn’t I.
Anthony 59:48
So, roll damage.
Skarpin 59:51
Hells yeah. 20 damage.
Anthony 1:00:06
Okay. Not so fast. You cannot stop me here. I will destroy all of you. I need another Wisdom Check from you, Skarpin.
Skarpin 1:00:26
- Anthony 1:00:29
The Shadow tries to descend into your barrier of light, and as it starts to get its tendrils in, you strengthen your resolve, and your little pool of light spreads further and drives back the pieces of the Whisperer of Lies. And he lets out a low growl at you.
Skarpin 1:01:01
And then he’s just gonna keep on trying to do that try and push out this light from his group beyond to try and burst this bubble.
Anthony 1:01:12
Okay.
Skarpin 1:01:17
Ugh, 11.
Anthony 1:01:24
Okay, yeah, you push harder again, and the light expands more. It strengthens, and it seems to reach higher, higher into the sky and you gather up the energy from amongst the 5 of you, and push with all of your might and that beam fires upward, and it slams into the barrier above you. And once again, you hear another crack. And there’s a moment where everything seems to hang. And then the barrier shatters around you.
Skarpin 1:02:03
Yeah!
Anthony 1:02:03
All of this, these pieces of numerator around you begin to melt away, and the surreal, unknown of the Dream Realm pours into this place. The gathered shadows of darkness coalesce. They gather up all together, and they streak off into this unknown Dreamspace, hiding once again as the pieces around you crumble.
Skarpin 1:02:38
Skarpin tries to do a Religion Check to try and track if we can- to see if we, see if we were able to follow these, or they kind of like, dissipate to nothing.
Anthony 1:02:54
Okay.
Skarpin 1:02:58
9.
Anthony 1:02:59
Yeah, there’s so much happening in the Dreamscape right here it’s like, buckling under this sudden transformation of this space. And one of the things you’re noticing as the barrier falls, as this world slips away is that the other people who were in this barrier with you, the other passers by, not all of them, but many of them were people trapped in their dreams. They were the people who were- their subconscious was being held within this dome. And as the dome begins to fall apart, those sub consciousnesses are slipping back into the regular Dream Realm, pouring out of this place. And a voice echoes through the Dreamspace. You think you have won? You think you can stop me, Dreamwalker? I have known this place far longer than you have ever thought to walk here. Your people are nothing to me. Even if it has changed it will always be my plaything.
Belroth 1:04:18
Belroth shoots another arrow. And he’s gonna use Sharpshooter so that would be a 26.
Anthony 1:04:27
All right, you’re just like firing it like, blindly?
Deeran 1:04:30
He’s shooting the darkness, Anthony.
Belroth 1:04:35
I’m attacking darkness with Sharpshooter.
Anthony 1:04:38
I wanna cast Magic Missile! Okay, so roll.
Belroth 1:04:44
Belroth is believing in the Belroth that Skarpin believes in.
Skarpin 1:04:49
I love it. I love it.
Anthony 1:04:52
Great. Wonderful. What did you roll?
Belroth 1:04:56
I rolled a 26
Ellori 1:04:58
Did you say that?
Belroth 1:04:59
Yeah.
Ellori 1:04:59
None of us heard it.
Belroth 1:05:00
I thought I did. I’m sorry. I said it earlier.
Ellori 1:05:08
Oh.
Anthony 1:05:10
I was like, okay. You do it, I guess.
Ellori 1:05:15
Can’t you see my dice? No.
Belroth 1:05:19
Can’t you hear my words?
Anthony 1:05:23
What do you have for damage?
Belroth 1:05:24
Can Belroth use his Favored Foe? It’s the Hunter’s Mark in his pants. The hunters mark that exists like, the Tasha’s Hunter’s Mark-
Skarpin 1:05:41
It’s a call back.
Belroth 1:05:42
-but it’s not Hunter’s Mark. It’s like his Class Ability.
Anthony 1:05:45
Yeah, sure. How can I deny a guy the Hunter’s Mark in his pants, I guess?
Belroth 1:05:53
Thank you. Thank you for being an ally. 16 plus 5 so 21.
Anthony 1:06:03
Okay. You fire an arrow off. You don’t know what happens to it. It sails through this surreal Dreamscape. You don’t see it so you don’t know what happened?
Belroth 1:06:20
Okay.
Anthony 1:06:21
You feel better though?
Belroth 1:06:22
He does.
Skarpin 1:06:23
Wow, Belroth that was a good one.
Belroth 1:06:25
Thank you. I’m glad someone believes in me.
Skarpin 1:06:29
I’m very impressed.
Deeran 1:06:30
Skarpin, I’m just bummed this guy doesn’t even have a physical body. You know, like, all this talking that he’s doing, and he can’t even like, be a physical presence or whatever. Like, imagine how much like, I don’t know, maybe I just have a bad imagination, but like, I’m not scared of this voice. You know what I mean, man?
Anthony 1:06:51
Give me some sort of Charisma based roll, please.
Deeran 1:06:58
Persuasion?
Anthony 1:07:01
Persuasion, Deception, whatever you’re doing, I guess.
Deeran 1:07:04
It’s a 4 total. You know what I mean like, I just feel like the old him definitely would have had a body, you know? And like, this current him probably doesn’t have a body because it doesn’t like, like, kiss and demons or whatever.
Anthony 1:07:45
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 1:08:19
Serious Business.
We’re super serious!
Transcribed by https://otter.ai