Where Art Thou?

[00:00:01] Speaker A: Oh, my God. [00:00:04] Speaker B: So loud. [00:00:06] Speaker A: You what? [00:00:07] Speaker B: Craig like, yelled in our ears, like, well, now recording. [00:00:12] Speaker A: And I was like, he's an emotional guy. [00:00:14] Speaker C: Like the beginning of like the. When you go in, like the little roller coaster at the movie. Yeah. [00:00:20] Speaker D: They're like, what the. [00:00:21] Speaker C: Roll silence your cell phones at 10,000 decibels. [00:00:26] Speaker B: I can't turn the volume down on my computer for some reason, so I have to manually adjust everybody's audio. And I guess I. I couldn't get Craig adjusted before he started spouting off his nonsense. [00:00:35] Speaker E: He's a. [00:00:36] Speaker A: He's an emotional dude. Listeners, it's barely D. D. This is your shorty Dungeons and Dragons podcast. And today we are not doing a campaign. Today we are. We've got a couple players out, so we are doing a one shot. A very goofy, silly, silly, goofy one shot is what we're doing. And for the. I mean, there's no. There's no letter to question here. So Micah and Abby are out. You heard, Landon Jekyll is here. She is over there, just jiggling the pickle. And we have a special guest we've never had before. So that's really fun. [00:01:13] Speaker B: Yes. Special guest. Would you like to introduce yourself, special guest? [00:01:18] Speaker C: Sure. I'm Stephen. [00:01:22] Speaker A: And you know what? This is no other context. That's. [00:01:25] Speaker C: No, that's. That's the context. The context of the name. [00:01:28] Speaker A: Yeah, that's Steven. Moving on. [00:01:32] Speaker C: I'm the comic relief. [00:01:35] Speaker A: You don't need context. [00:01:36] Speaker B: We hired him off Fiverr. We found him on Fiverr and hired him to join. Because I dropped out of the campaign. [00:01:43] Speaker C: I'm actually a freebie original. [00:01:45] Speaker A: Oh, my goodness. We went to an LFG and we're like, does anyone want to play D and D with us? We're like, ah, we're gonna have to pay for this. But only five. [00:01:53] Speaker C: You're gonna pay, but you're not gonna. [00:01:55] Speaker A: Pay much, so I'll make you pay. Not much. [00:02:02] Speaker B: This is. [00:02:04] Speaker A: Show them one, Steven. [00:02:05] Speaker B: Show them one of your 30 actions. [00:02:07] Speaker C: I can't start yet. Okay, okay. [00:02:09] Speaker E: Sorry. [00:02:09] Speaker D: Okay, okay. [00:02:11] Speaker A: Unlike a lot of our one shots, this one is not going to be important and historical. It's going to be goofy and modern. It's in Yalabun. But instead of being bound up in deeply important details, it's just a goofy, silly stinker from a modern time. So for the note taking nerds, whomever that might encompass, I'm taking notes. [00:02:34] Speaker B: I've been taking notes since episode 24. [00:02:36] Speaker A: That's a long time, Lando. [00:02:39] Speaker D: Yeah, I've been Taking notes since pretty row episodes. [00:02:46] Speaker A: 42 or something. Competition. [00:02:49] Speaker D: Did you say 42? [00:02:51] Speaker B: Yeah. Yeah, because you jumped in a little late, right? [00:02:53] Speaker D: Episode 14. Landon. [00:02:56] Speaker B: No. There's no. Well, I'll figure it out later. There's no way. [00:02:59] Speaker D: No. [00:03:00] Speaker A: Landon, I'm telling you the truth right now. [00:03:02] Speaker D: No, no, no, no, no kidding. [00:03:05] Speaker C: I sadly haven't taken any notes yet. [00:03:08] Speaker A: Well, don't freaking let it happen again. Stephen. I can't believe we are still having to say this. [00:03:14] Speaker B: What are we paying you for? [00:03:15] Speaker C: I don't know. [00:03:19] Speaker A: Five whole dollars? Ten years ago, that could have gotten you a subway foot long. Okay, so that's the biggest loss of my generation. Let me tell you this. This one shot is called for the note taking nerds. Where art thou Art. [00:03:37] Speaker B: Oh, okay. [00:03:38] Speaker D: Where art thou? [00:03:43] Speaker C: Feel a little odyssey, like, as we. [00:03:46] Speaker A: Oh, trust me, it is less meaningful than that. And as we get ready for this, let's. Oh, that was not the same. [00:03:58] Speaker D: Mine didn't. Mine didn't make a noise. [00:04:00] Speaker B: Yeah, crack a cold one open on one shots. [00:04:02] Speaker D: Now. [00:04:02] Speaker B: What is this mess? I didn't get a memo. [00:04:06] Speaker C: All right. [00:04:06] Speaker E: Wow. [00:04:07] Speaker A: That didn't. I. Not only did it not make the cracks on I wanted, I got stuff all over me, but there's a good sucking sound for you, listener. Okay, so this is a level three adventure. It is 34, 88. P.B. crazy 14. So this is like a week behind campaign. [00:04:30] Speaker D: Wow. [00:04:33] Speaker A: This is right now. Right now. And we are opening on. I mean, this is context for listeners, context for the players, whoever wants it. We are opening on the coastal hamlet, itty bitty town of Ebbitt. That is E, B, B, I, T. Ebbitt. Jackie did not like that. [00:04:57] Speaker D: No, I was trying to remember if I had heard of it. [00:05:00] Speaker A: No, you have not, because Zach just made it up. Also. [00:05:05] Speaker D: Nice teaching. [00:05:07] Speaker A: Now, I'm just gonna preface. I'm gonna try not to refer to myself in the third person as Mr. Patton at any point, but bear with me, please Do. [00:05:14] Speaker D: I think that would be funny. [00:05:16] Speaker A: My first name is now Mr. Let me tell you. [00:05:20] Speaker D: Is that a. Is that a buzz ball? [00:05:23] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:05:25] Speaker D: I love it. [00:05:27] Speaker A: And I was, quite frankly, not interested in them. This is not my thing at all. But we had a friend come over, and she very bright. She very kindly brought us a ton of drinks, and most of them were these. And I was like, well, if they're in my house, and I have to say completely marginal, like, that's fine, you know? Well, I thought they were gonna be actively bad. And I'm like, yeah, this Is. This is fine. [00:05:51] Speaker C: I made a dull fruit cup of drinks. [00:05:54] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's. [00:05:56] Speaker D: I made about 200 jello shots the other night from my friend's party because she's turning 30. So shout out to her. I went over and helped her make a bunch of jello shots stronger than. [00:06:09] Speaker A: I thought they would be. I had two or three the other day, and I was like, oh, okay. [00:06:12] Speaker D: Yeah, they are stronger. [00:06:13] Speaker B: I got handed a jello shot at the age of 19 in Vegas one time. [00:06:17] Speaker D: Yes, he did. I was there. [00:06:19] Speaker B: And I didn't drink it because I'm a good. I was a good kid. [00:06:21] Speaker D: Yeah, We. We were both like, no, we're not. [00:06:25] Speaker A: No, we were both underage. [00:06:27] Speaker B: That's right. [00:06:27] Speaker C: You were there. [00:06:28] Speaker D: We were both like, no, thank you. No, thank you. No, thank you. [00:06:33] Speaker A: I would talk about when I got offered crack, but not on the podcast. That'd be inappropriate. So moving on. The we are. Huh? [00:06:42] Speaker B: Did you take it? [00:06:43] Speaker A: Never stopped. The coastal hamlet of Evatt. And when I say coastal, for a little bit of context, this is on the western coast of a place in Yalbrin that has been there a long time. We have never been. This is on the western coast of a sizable island nation called Beltran. Beltran. [00:07:05] Speaker C: I love a beach town. [00:07:08] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:07:08] Speaker D: Well, is it in the earth and bloom? [00:07:10] Speaker B: Here's a question, Zachary. [00:07:12] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:07:13] Speaker B: Is it more Corpus Christi or like Outer Banks? [00:07:17] Speaker A: Very much neither. Okay. Much more like northwestern United States coast. Okay, okay. Okay. This Beltran is. It's on the map. You guys have seen it before? Briefly. It's just not of note. It is next to Unsen. It's off the western coast of Unsent, and it is actually just like 30 or 40 miles north of Lore, where you guys had the whole thing with accounts, so it's a handful of distance away. [00:07:44] Speaker B: But have either of you seen Midnight Mass, the show on Netflix? [00:07:49] Speaker A: No. I hear it's good. [00:07:51] Speaker B: Oh, I was going to ask if it's like that town. That's what I'm. [00:07:55] Speaker A: Whatever you're thinking of, probably. [00:07:57] Speaker C: It's like rocky beaches that kind of shown old. [00:08:00] Speaker A: Yeah. Yeah. This place you guys are rolling into is just a dusty little hamlet. Well, dusty is not the right word. It's old and it's. It's kind of falling in. It's not like Legath. Legath is on the pits and falling apart. Ebbitt is just. It's. It's simple, filled with a very small but dedicated population, warm hearts and rough weather. It's not so far south that it's like, frigid, but it is off the coast of Central Unsen, so it experiences some winter. And now here in the winter months, it's cold, you know, it's like 40, 30. There's some snow sometimes, but not a lot. It snows like Dallas snows, you know, but just more often. And it is a cold temperature. We're in sort of like a coastal pine sort of environment. So there are coniferous trees and actually a thick forest of them. The inner. The inner continent is covered in thick, thick coniferous forests. And there is a large mountain structure that rises at its middle. Very, very long time ago, it was a volcano rising out of the ocean, but no longer dormant forever. And the coasts near this town are actually kind of shallow cliff drops, not like 30ft or 60, but more like eight into a fairly churning ocean. But that gets calmer off the coast of Beltran because it's squeezed into a strait between that and. So a lot of the ocean around Beltran is a little rough, but near Ebbat, it's calm because it's in a strait called the Uncinian Strait, a gap in between Unsen and Beltran. Also, very interestingly, many, many Beltranians, many Beltranites. Beltranites speak Unsen, speak Uncinian, but none are. Very few have Unsenian accents. So it's kind of in the way that a lot of Texans speak Spanish, and not all the Texans who say they speak Spanish and don't, but the ones who actually do, like, they can get into it, but they don't sound Duncanian because they actually hail from a completely different culture. And so there's just a small town. It's a lot of kind of, like, log cabin feel and very old buildings, but well kept, well maintained. So where Legath was a town just falling in and falling apart and decaying, Ebbitt is. It's. It's a. It's a hardy town, and it's. It's got. It's got a lot of character. And you know what it's like Radiator Springs from cars. Not quite that tiny, but the people who live there really care about it and are working hard to take care of it for the most part, with some exceptions. And it's just. [00:10:40] Speaker B: Or cajoling someone else to do it. [00:10:42] Speaker A: Like we built. Well, there you go. And it's nestled into a space between, like, a couple high rises of hill. So it's in this little, like, valley groove. [00:10:51] Speaker B: And expensive? [00:10:54] Speaker A: Well, no, they don't have any. And it's nestled into that space. There's, like one single stone road through the town, maybe like 50 buildings total. And the businesses just go straight into the homes. Half the homes are the businesses. And you all happen to find yourselves there on a winter day. So as I queue up some music, would anyone like to introduce their character and describe why they're there and what they're doing? [00:11:21] Speaker B: I'll go first, so Steven doesn't have to go first. Being the first time on the podcast, Jackie, we should set a good example for our guests. She did. Nose goes right off the bat. [00:11:31] Speaker A: We've got a guest. Jackie. [00:11:33] Speaker B: Yeah, we have a guest. A special guest, actually. Jackie Butler. [00:11:37] Speaker A: Jackie. [00:11:37] Speaker E: Jeez, Jackie. [00:11:41] Speaker B: I don't know where my character can be, Zachary, to describe them. Are we in a building? Are we out of a building? [00:11:47] Speaker A: What are we doing? Yeah. I've given less context than I usually do. [00:11:50] Speaker C: This is. [00:11:51] Speaker A: This is less straightforward. So it's not so much that people are all necessarily united by a scene and more just that your character can have been in the town for any amount of time. So you can have been here a while. You can be transiently passing through Ebb. It is really the armpit of Beltran. The people there love it, but there's not a lot going on. It was once more important town. Yes, it was once a more important town. It was once a fairly sizable logging community and as well, a very important shipping and trade community because it was the closest to the coast of Unsen. However, some time ago, a larger northern town has begun growing more and more and more. And then now one on the eastern coast and Ebbitt has just kind of fallen by the wayside. And so all of its once prominent shipping exports have been declined, and now they're. It's not a Chachki town, but they really do just kind of rely on the variable population of people who flow through there. [00:12:58] Speaker B: Eagleton, right? [00:13:00] Speaker A: Yes. But I made Radiator Springs again. So they're just. They're dependent on people passing through, and a lot of their economy is hospitality, and they have some trade from, like, loyal, long business partners, but not like a real. Not a demand. People who are choosing to go through this town. And so your character can have been there for any amount of time. Our opening scene is going to begin in the street, but we can get to that in a moment. Is your character doing anything in particular town? Have they just arrived? Have they been there for some time? What are they up to? [00:13:34] Speaker B: And what time of day is it? Zachary, again, I'm sorry. [00:13:37] Speaker A: Yes. No, I Have not said. It's like early evening. We're not quite early evening tonight. The town is winding down. There's a middling population moving in between places. This is not a. People secluded to their homes. People are out in the streets. People are talking to each other, sharing items. Also, visitors are in town. So they are saying hello, but yeah, they're just out and about. [00:13:57] Speaker D: Landon, I can go first if you'd rather me. Okay. [00:14:00] Speaker B: No, no, I have a plan. I was just. I was just ribbing. [00:14:02] Speaker D: Okay. Because I have a plan now. [00:14:04] Speaker A: I don't know if. I don't know if you know, a special guest. So we really want to have you. Guess what he would prefer. [00:14:10] Speaker D: Jackie, I'm just gonna, you know, I. [00:14:14] Speaker C: Don'T need to be consulted. [00:14:18] Speaker B: No, my character, I feel like he just arrived probably in the last hour. [00:14:26] Speaker A: And he. [00:14:28] Speaker B: I'm gonna be a little descriptive Zachary, but tell me if it can't be so. I imagine there are some kind of like building like. Like structures that used to be homes or businesses on like probably the outskirts of town that are like no longer there, like habitated. Maybe a little bit dilapidated. Dilapidated. I feel like he has like. I'm envisioning there just being like a wall that used to be part of a building, but now it's just kind of just like a wall that's like falling apart, but it's kind of like a brace against kind of like the winter air, like a breeze. And he's kind of set up a tent and like a campfire like on the outskirts of town, like within like arm's reach of civilization but slightly away. And he has like a campfire built. He has two sticks on either end of the campfire with another with a. With a small sword that has a. That has a large rabbit through it that's kind of like roasting on top of the fire. And he's sitting on a. Like a stump or a rock and he's like. He's playing a harmonica. Oh, that's ain't. [00:15:29] Speaker C: Oh, sorry. [00:15:32] Speaker B: He is a bird looking guy. He has a very dark, pitch black body that gets into a very chocolate brown head. He wears a cowboy hat and he has lots of odds and ends tied at his waist and his. On his vest he has a large knapsack that he travels with in his tent. Is well prepared but lacks amenities. He looks to be young and he's just sitting there kind of playing on his harmonica as he waits for his rabbit to finish cooking. [00:16:09] Speaker A: You know, Lando, you have gotten really descriptive over the years a gift for language you didn't used to have or which has specifically grown. Anywho, as you are there, there is a sort of awkward wrapping of a hard object upon another and this wooden wall you're leaned and camped up against is struck a couple times by like a walking stick and the tip is protruded past the edge of the wall so that it's like visible to you but not quick, not fast, like a gentle, like just getting your attention and not but a moment later a little head pops past and there is a halfling lady and she's got very, very tight, very curly red hair, a very rounded pressed nose which is very bright red, very well the color of my ear very in the cold. And she's wearing some sort of bundled clothes because it's, it's really getting pretty cold. It's not gonna be freezing tonight, but close and it all the other evenings it's probably colder but there's a little bit of a warm front coming through in this winter month, oddly. And she's got mittens and she's just walking with a watton stick and as her head pokes by she goes yoo hoo. [00:17:37] Speaker B: Oh, hello there. How's. [00:17:40] Speaker A: Sim? [00:17:41] Speaker B: You're the mayor or something around here? [00:17:42] Speaker A: Oh, no, no, I, I'm not the mayor but I, I just. Oh, you are camping over here down. And you know, I don't mean to step into your penis, you know, but. [00:17:57] Speaker B: Oh, I should have gotten a permit, shouldn't I? I got it. I should have, I should have applied for something got like. [00:18:04] Speaker A: Oh gosh, no, no, I'm not mayor, um, but I just sell some items in town and I was just wondering, step into down at any point today or tomorrow, you know, I just, I have a sort of general sort of thing going that I sell and I was wondering if maybe there was any sort of a particular thing that you'd be needing or wanting. I was curious why you were stopping into me utterly. Hello, I'm Bear. Adeline. So I'm just saying hi and I'm just curious if you. If you needed anything in particular in our town, Newcomers are important to me and to all of us. And so you know. Yoo, hooray. [00:18:39] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:18:40] Speaker B: My name is Millard and I reach up my feathery Italian or I guess do bird people have hands in this? In dnd? [00:18:47] Speaker A: What are they? Yeah, okay. [00:18:49] Speaker B: I reach out a hand like the. [00:18:50] Speaker A: Way you see in humblewood, like hands, just a wing along it. Yeah, yeah. [00:18:56] Speaker B: And I shake it and I say well I'm Doing? I'm doing two things here. I'm. [00:19:01] Speaker D: I'm. [00:19:01] Speaker B: One, I'm. I'm looking for my mom. [00:19:05] Speaker A: Okay. [00:19:06] Speaker B: And two, I'm also hunting the day. [00:19:07] Speaker A: Atlanta. Inspiration. Keep going. That's so you knew it would get me. That's good, that's good. Continue. [00:19:21] Speaker B: I'm looking for my mom and I'm hunting the devil. [00:19:25] Speaker D: What was that? [00:19:25] Speaker B: No honey, but I'm running low on supplies. I had to requisition a rabbit from your woods off yonder, but that's fine. [00:19:34] Speaker A: Did you say you're hunting the devil? [00:19:36] Speaker B: Yes. [00:19:39] Speaker A: Okay. And she just purses her loop slightly. [00:19:42] Speaker B: Well, not the devil, just any devil will do. There's more than one? [00:19:47] Speaker A: Oh. [00:19:50] Speaker B: Sometimes they look mighty fine. I'm just food. Salt and pepper. Honestly makes everything taste a little bit better on the road. [00:20:00] Speaker A: I have, I have salt and pepper. [00:20:03] Speaker B: Do you know what garlic is? [00:20:06] Speaker A: I have some. [00:20:07] Speaker B: I like garlic too. All right, sounds like it's a deal. I'll stop by tomorrow then. [00:20:13] Speaker A: Yes, yes, I'm at Adeline's. It's a little pop up spot, you know, Bear Adelines. Bear Adelines? [00:20:20] Speaker B: Yeah, bear like Bear Adelines. [00:20:21] Speaker A: All right, all right. Okay. Well, it was good to meet you, my lord. And you have a name for your mom? [00:20:30] Speaker B: No, I've never met her actually. [00:20:32] Speaker A: Okay. [00:20:33] Speaker B: She left me behind. [00:20:36] Speaker A: Sure, yeah, sure. I don't. [00:20:38] Speaker B: I didn't learn my real name until I was 17 actually. [00:20:41] Speaker A: Oh, okay. Right. Well, tomorrow, remember, have a good one. And she just pops around, want to back away? And you're left to pick your Harmona back. [00:20:56] Speaker B: A little strange, but good enough. [00:21:00] Speaker A: Good enough. Somewhere else in the town, what is someone else doing? As the evening is winding down and town members are starting to retreat to homes and dim the lights and windows. [00:21:15] Speaker D: Even. Do you want to go or do you want me to go? I will do either. [00:21:18] Speaker C: I'm fine with either way. I could go if you want. If you have something planned though. [00:21:22] Speaker D: I have something planned. So if you. But if you'd rather go. You are the special guest. [00:21:27] Speaker C: I can go last. That's fine. [00:21:30] Speaker D: Is there like a tavern somewhere in town or something? [00:21:36] Speaker A: There isn't in a good way. So what I mean by that is prohibition, Jackie. [00:21:42] Speaker B: It kills alcohol, ruins lives. [00:21:45] Speaker A: You get them landy. So what, what, what's happening in this town, strangely, is they have like a. Like a apothecary is even a little bit too strong. There's like a general medicinal store where the one healer in the town lives and sells some herbs. Interestingly. She's Landon. Interestingly, there is a lot of St. Elf areas that we discussed previously in the campaign growing off the coast. So that gets ground up and used for medicinal purposes, help fight infection and stuff. And so there's, there's like a general kind of apothecary medicinal. And the other half of that is the alcohol shop and they are, they are run by siblings. And this is a weird little impromptu town center because across the street is the main eatery of Ebbott and in the middle is a statue in the town and it acts as a weird town square. The town's not big enough to have a square. There's no real opening. But this is where town members are gathering and talking and anyway are gathering and talking and the face Stephen made. [00:23:05] Speaker C: And so he gets too far. [00:23:11] Speaker A: This is where the impromptu town socials are happening. This is where, I mean many, many patrons of the town, many children, many families are retreating at this hour as it's getting darker and colder. But the people who are staying out, which is a handful, you know, eight, nine are gathering out front of this business. And some people, the town has many. Interestingly, the town has raised floors. The buildings are up on stilts, just like Legath, but they're up a cliff, which is weird. You don't really see how the town could flood. But they're on stilts and so many people are sitting on the edges of porches, like dangling their legs off. Well, not many. A handful. And people have drinks, are talking and chatting and there's some liveliness and it seems like were someone to engage socially with the populace of the town, this is the place that they would do it. [00:24:00] Speaker D: Okay, then she is definitely in that part of the town. She's probably been here maybe a week or so, I would think. And she is in like the center of the town, like in the, like in the square maybe like a little bit tucked into a corner or something. And you see this like 16 or 17 year old human girl. Okay. Oh, she's young. Okay. [00:24:34] Speaker A: For D and D, that's pretty uncommon. That's a pretty diverse choice for D and D. [00:24:40] Speaker D: And it's very interesting because she looks like a normal human girl. She has like brown hair, brown eyes, but she has like, she has like little like maybe some of that St. El fares and all like plucked into her hair and she has like random leaves that she's put in her hair and it clearly looks like it's been put into her hair. She has like maybe some green like paint and stuff like that. She's like painted on her like cheeks like his freckles and arms also. [00:25:24] Speaker A: Take inspiration. I'm now understanding what you're doing. Both of you. This is good, this is good. I get it. Keep going. [00:25:35] Speaker D: She. She has a bag sitting beside her and it has like stitched in the bag like crude like little stitchings of like mushrooms and stuff. And she is standing there playing like this really crude looking like it looks, it looks like rusted almost like this crude like horn. And it's not very good but it is, it does happen to be an instrument of illusions. So as she's playing you see just like these crude images of a tall man that looks kind of tree like and like a warrior with some kind of armor on and a girl with flowers in her hair and maybe a really old woman. Claret. What is she? Things are coming out of her hands and so you're just seeing that and it's like not very good. [00:26:44] Speaker A: Horn playing Go ahead and give me a performance check. [00:26:48] Speaker D: Okay. [00:26:49] Speaker A: Also only because I take notes and write down rules because I'm a nerd. [00:26:54] Speaker D: Yeah. [00:26:55] Speaker A: What is your character's name? Not trying to make you reveal it early. [00:26:59] Speaker D: Well, she is a human bard and this is the weird part. I didn't give her a name because every time someone asks she kind of tells a different story. But for your sake, her name is going to be Sam because that is her, her real name. But no one, she doesn't ever tell anyone her real name. [00:27:23] Speaker A: Okay, well that first check Sam. [00:27:25] Speaker D: Okay. Performance check. That's going to be a 13. [00:27:29] Speaker A: Jackie. I love this character. OK. There's, there's some tune there and it is happening and as you're playing the illusions are occurring but also flickering. Yeah. So the taller fellows, they're like kind of spellcastering and then sputtering and just kind of. [00:27:54] Speaker D: Yeah. [00:27:55] Speaker A: You know, continues and what you're doing is not bad. It is impressive, especially to a small town. It's also not good. And yet however, however Sam might feel about that, whether self conscious or confident, you are immediately warmly received. There is, there are two people, a sort of middle aged woman and a younger girl accompanying her and the middle aged woman later. Middle aged. She's got. Her hair seems to have turned prematurely gray and she is a. She is a human woman. The majority of Ebbitt is human though there is some more diversity but not quite as diverse as other places that the campaign has followed and. But there is a young tiefling girl with her and they are not similarly dressed in the way that they have matching outfits, but similarly dressed in the way that they have. [00:29:01] Speaker E: Oh, how would I put it? [00:29:03] Speaker A: They are similarly, similarly dressed in the way that they have clothing that looks like it comes from a similar source, similar materials, similar apparent financial quality. And not many people in this town are well dressed and they're very confident and they are playing instruments together. So the other, the other members of this town are about and talking and there's just quite a bit of chatter. And you just awkwardly arrive and begin playing your horn and making cymbals. And these two people with instruments around them who are not playing. The older woman who has a lyre and the younger girl who has, I mean, like teenager kind of your age, she has a drum strapped about her chest. And when they hear you, they kind of make eye contact for a moment. And then the older woman begins plucking in tune, working around the obtuse sound you're making. And then the girl begins, begins working in a very simple drum rhythm. And they just find the stranger and then just start supporting what you're doing. And in response, like one town member, the guy leaning up against, he's. He's like an older fellow leaning up. It's a statue. He looks a little curmudgeony and he just sneers at you a bit and goes back to sipping on whatever he's sipping on at the peripheries of the social interaction, but not really engaging. And the statue he's leaning up against is of a social figure. And this figure is bending down and like hugging another figure. But both are very worn by weather. The taller figure appears to be some sort of a man in robes, but the facial figures are worn away and the smaller figure is either so vague they were never specific or has been worn down by the weather to the point that you can't recognize them. So there's some sort of a meaningful statue here in the center of the town, but it's not clear what it is and it's not marked. This older fellow's leaned up against that. And as this, this older woman and this younger girl begin joining in with your music, the eight or nine people gathered there, just without question gather around you and begin supporting what you're doing. There's some claps and some cheers and some people begin lauding you for whatever your performance is. How are, how is your character reacting? How are you reacting? [00:31:06] Speaker D: She's getting really into it and really excited that two other people joined in. And, and I forgot to mention, she's wearing like, like really worn, like Leather armor and, like, a little cape over her and, like, obviously a little bit of warmer clothes for the weather. [00:31:27] Speaker A: Sure, sure. [00:31:28] Speaker D: But she. She's starting to get, like, so excited and she keeps, like, smiling. And so as she smiles, like, it. It messes up the horn playing even worse. So it's like. Like, she's, like, almost, like, giggling, and it's, like, messing it up even worse and. But she's trying to, like, stay in. [00:31:48] Speaker C: Tune with one or two members of the small group. [00:31:51] Speaker A: Don't know exactly how to react, make some awkward faces, but the majority of people just support you all the more. People begin laughing, somebody claps, you sort of play playfully on a shoulder, and the two other women playing instruments pick up the tune where you drop it, and they start building out of whatever. Clearly, some more skilled musicians, though not magical, begin building out of the tune where you dropped it off. And so as you falter, the attention is taken off of you, but the merriment remains. Just a very warm town. Steven, not that you need to. Is your character in any way involved in this scene or nearby? [00:32:29] Speaker C: I was of kind gonna say I was definitely. Yeah, I was gonna definitely be in the town. In the town square. I was thinking I was definitely gonna check out that. Whatever the pub, not pub, see if I could get a drink, you know, try and slip in there. I. I just got into town, like, maybe, like, late the night before, found a place to stay, and I've just been fiddling about, maybe trying to find some mushrooms, you know, I know about some mushrooms. Looking in the woods a little bit, you know, get a little snack. [00:33:00] Speaker A: Stephen, this is not the point of this moment at all. I have interacted with you before, but I don't know, it was always normal social interaction. And now that you're on a mic, I don't know if anyone's ever told you this, but you have a good voice. It's pleasant. You know, I have someone who said that. Yeah. [00:33:16] Speaker C: Thank you. [00:33:16] Speaker A: You got a great voice, man. It's just really pleasant. Anywho, as your character is within the shop, the space that you're in is funny because it's this. It's very clearly one building, but it's been partitioned, so it is a building, and it was very clearly one at a different time. It looks sort of general office and goods. Looks like it might have been a home to a rather prominent business at some point in the past. That business appears to have long ago failed, and it has. Instead, it. It has a unique charm to it in the way that what is clearly there now and has so grown into the space through humanoid use and local cultural influence was clearly not what belonged there originally. So one side of the building is filled with narrowly compressed like sort of desks and counters. Like there's a broad L counter that wraps around the space that rises up into a wooden barred gate, almost like a bank of sorts at some point in an old western sense. And there are desks nearby as if there were once spaces where someone could have perhaps counted coins, like a financial institution for the building. These have all remained and been repurposed. So the area that is barred to the back, the bars have been taken out, but the base railings upon which they were set remain remained. So it's just acting like a divider. And it is in this space that a. And this place is heavily scented. It's almost off pleasant, it's almost off putting, but it. The thing is that it's like it's too much of a good thing. It smells like so many herbs in here. It's a little overpowering, but the scents are nice. And there are all these dried plants hanging from very much like the home Melanie kept in Greenville in a more overwhelming way. Here there are dried plants hanging from twine from posts and railings and many things bottled, but not grotesquely well organized. And then across this railing where there is the dividing L desk, there are many sort of like small tomes about medicine and care kept there. And there is a. Someone who's maybe 10 years advanced of us, late 30s, heading into 40s. There is a. A half wood elven individual. He's a bit portly and balding in the middle. He has tightly compressed curly hair that turn into kind of jerry locks around his cap. And he has just an excellent mustache, thin and small, but very well kept, very well fitting. His face, it turns into a goatee and he's got some dark rich skin. And he's like leaning over the counter flipping through pages. And there are candles all about his shop, making this very sort of romantic, airy sense of the space. And he is very clearly done for the day. Nobody's visiting his apothecary space a little. A copper necklace disappears beneath some thick winter robes. He looks like he might be some sort of a cleric or caster who's here healing in the town and doing medicinal things. And no one's in his space. He's just about on the other side of this repurposed building, which was very much clearly the same. More work has been done, more of these desks and tables existed but have been removed, wood repurposed elsewhere. And the L desk opposite the other side, like an opposite teller's desk, has been turned into a bar. Crudely. There are mirrors in the wall, like behind a bar. But instead of being a wall of mirrors where they're expensive, there are like four or five different mirrors. Some of them the silver long warped and dinned. And none of the drinks can be seen upon a well intended shelf. Instead they're all under the counter and you just have to request them or ask about them. And instead there are many stools and some very basic tables made and set out around the space. The sort that look like they come from odd repurposed wood, like they used to be telling tables. And that backspace on this side that was the barred space that once would have probably held coin, is where like flagons of drink are kept. In this way the railing is kept. And the strange partitioning in the building is this crude wooden wall that has been erected between the two with an open door space between. So it's just very apothecary on this side, sort of a bar on this side. Very clearly at one time all one door and all one building. And now just separated by an archway. And there's only a door on the bar side. So you got to go through the bar to the apothecary. But it is there in that bar space where you are. And as you have gotten your drink from the bartender, a woman of similar ethnic appearance to the man on the other side, but otherwise very physically different and younger in age, you are the only one in there because everyone else has gotten their drinks and headed outside. And it is to this strange merriment of din outside that you have picked up your drink and can be heading out the door. And what is the person, what are you drinking? And what does the person who's headed out the door look like? [00:38:24] Speaker C: I'll say I was just looking for something to fill up a pint glass. Just like give me your grog, give me your ale, you know, whatever you got. [00:38:32] Speaker A: And it is grog you have. [00:38:34] Speaker C: Okay, I got a, got a nice little grog right there. Yeah, I'll say to describe myself real quick, I'll say I am a 15 year old orc about something. [00:38:46] Speaker A: Like I love how young this party is. It's so fun. [00:38:50] Speaker C: Yeah, a little younger orc, but you know, like they age faster. It's probably, you know, counts for some years. I'm about like maybe like 5 foot 6, 5 foot 7, a little short for an orc, but like, you know, just like more stocky, just of kind. Kind of like big. [00:39:08] Speaker A: Oh, I feel you. [00:39:10] Speaker E: Okay. [00:39:12] Speaker C: Okay. And I am wearing. I have like sort of like a grayish bronze hue to my skin tone. Depends on the light a little bit. Long black hair covered in a crocheted beanie. I have like a long bluish gray downy cloak. Like a big kind of winter coat. It's mostly buttoned up, but through it from like the part that's not slightly unbuttoned, you can see across my neck like a tie, like a dark, like a navy blue tie. So just showing a little bit that I mean business. You know, there are serious ties in this world. [00:39:52] Speaker A: It's ahead of. [00:39:52] Speaker C: Okay, I. Did I introduce that. [00:39:54] Speaker A: And now it's canon. It's a little ahead of its mind. It's an orcish thing. [00:39:59] Speaker C: It's. Yeah, they're kind of coming up with it. I don't know. [00:40:02] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah. [00:40:03] Speaker C: Anyway, so I have my little tie. I have like a great axe that's like in a sheath. It's like just like the handle. It's like kind of. It's a little bit cumbersome, but you learn to live with it and. [00:40:15] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:40:15] Speaker C: So I just came in looking for my grog and I'm just going to head out like, you know, looking for a place to sit down. Mill about the time town a little bit more. Yeah. [00:40:24] Speaker B: Landon, do they sell grog to 15 year old orcs in this town? Zachary. [00:40:30] Speaker A: Who did not inquire of your age and just sold the alcohol. I'm an orc who's gonna have culture. As you head out of the door, you're sexually processed before, but you're good at this. As you head out of the door holding the grog, you are met by a discordant mellifluousness. The music doesn't match too well yet. It's kind of fun and there's a mixed energy about. But people are enjoying the space. And it's here that you see this odd pair, this woman and this younger tiefling girl playing on their drum and lyre. And nearby a human girl who's kind of the focus of attention and kind of not at this point sputtering a bit on a crude horn and. And sparking illusions that are faltering and people are just enjoying the scene and there's a lot of conversation and people are laughing hard but not at her, with her. And in this moment. And it's there on this deck in the fading light where the sky is clouted and quilted in dark clouds, and twilo is disappearing behind them, and the air is really starting to get fairly cold. It's onto this deck that you stand, and I'm just going to let you guys interact with the scene somehow. [00:41:44] Speaker C: Okay, well, I'm gonna wait for, like, a little. Maybe a little. A little solo in the music, maybe a little drum fill. And I just kind of, like, do a little clap, and I raise my mug to cheer, and I've already spilled, like, a third of it just with that cheer. I go like, aha. Yeah, I'm like, I'm enjoying it, you know, having a good time. It's kind of milling about. [00:42:07] Speaker A: Sam, do you play indefinitely? Do you quiet down at some point? The energy doesn't last forever. A song is played through, and then it dies down. [00:42:17] Speaker D: I think. I think the moment we end the song. Yeah. Like, even though there's probably just like a. Just like a nice, polite group of clapping, she's like, thank you. Thank you. Thank you so much. We are. We are. We are the. What are we? What are we? We are the woman. [00:42:38] Speaker A: The woman and girl. Look at you. [00:42:42] Speaker D: The mushroom trio. Yes, that is us. I thank you so much. [00:42:47] Speaker A: All of the people also love this voice. All the people gathered in the crowd look at you and smile and nod, very humoring you as they look to the other two people they know well in this town and know who are from here. And the older woman just nods confidently, like, yeah, go with it. And everybody in the town, like, that's lovely. Yay. Good for you. And there's some clapping. [00:43:08] Speaker C: I clap a little bit and go, oh, I think I've heard of this one before. I've heard of your group. [00:43:14] Speaker A: Give me a persuasion check. [00:43:16] Speaker C: Persuasion check. Okay. Yeah, I don't think. Let's see, that's going to be 14. [00:43:23] Speaker A: 14. Okay. There are some chuckles in the crowd and some. Some laughing with you in the joke, but one. One guy leans over, kind of puts a hand on the. On the deck and looks up at the woman, the human woman, and goes. [00:43:40] Speaker E: Maddie, you're in a mushroom. To you. [00:43:43] Speaker A: And she smiles and nods when Jackie's character's looking. And the moment she looks away, she goes, no, no. And some. And with that, the higher energy breaks down, and the crowd dissolves back to talking. And some bread is brought out and broken, and the crowd is just. Well, the crowd, the small gathering of people are just here having an evening in the cold, talking with each other, exchanging drinks. If you all are left to it. Nobody really presses themselves upon you. Nobody forces you into conversation, but people look like they'd be inviting to it all the same. Do your characters just attend other business and leave? Do they interact with anyone here or do they move on? [00:44:26] Speaker C: I'm good to interact. [00:44:28] Speaker A: Okay. You know, what do you do? [00:44:29] Speaker C: Like, meet the band. [00:44:32] Speaker A: As you step over. [00:44:34] Speaker C: Yeah, sorry. I'll come up to Jackie's character and say, oi. Oi, there. Name's Glug. And I extend like a hand. [00:44:43] Speaker A: Excellent. [00:44:43] Speaker C: Like my free hand. [00:44:44] Speaker D: I thought I lost the accent. [00:44:48] Speaker C: No, I know when you started your accent, I was like, I'm gonna lose mine if I listen to you too much. [00:44:52] Speaker D: Yeah, I started going into row immediately. Oh, I thought. Thank. Thank you. Oh, my gosh. Where did it go? Maybe she starts going into this. [00:45:03] Speaker A: Find a trigger phrase. Find a trigger phrase. Right. What was the accent we were going for? [00:45:09] Speaker D: Like Russian, European? Yeah. [00:45:16] Speaker A: In my pants. [00:45:17] Speaker D: Hands in my pants. Hello. Thank you. Thank you so much. You liked. You liked the song? [00:45:25] Speaker C: Oh, yeah. I like any song. You know, I can never tell the difference between them, but I like them all the same. [00:45:31] Speaker D: Oh, okay. I'm my. I am. I am. I am Raz. Raz is. Is my name. And she. [00:45:49] Speaker C: Raspberry. [00:45:52] Speaker D: No, it's losing the accent again. I have it. I've been practicing it all. [00:45:59] Speaker A: New accent. You're gonna have to mess it up. Get in there. [00:46:02] Speaker D: I know. [00:46:03] Speaker C: Yeah, you gotta find it. [00:46:04] Speaker A: You're gonna have to fight for it. [00:46:06] Speaker D: Ants in my pants. It's kind of like giving Jester from Critical. [00:46:11] Speaker A: Yeah, it does sound like Jesse. [00:46:13] Speaker D: Okay, there we go. So no, it's. I am a descendant of some. Some famous adventurers. And so it's. It's like a mix of their names. [00:46:27] Speaker B: Okay. [00:46:27] Speaker C: I'm the descendant of a. Of a carnival barker. That's all I got. [00:46:32] Speaker D: Carnivals. [00:46:33] Speaker A: How did we take this long to get Stephen on the podcast? Holy crap. [00:46:38] Speaker D: So you are a performer too? [00:46:41] Speaker C: No, no, I don't perform. It just. My dad was a. He was a carnival barker. Half fire breather? [00:46:46] Speaker D: No, a fire breath. [00:46:47] Speaker C: Mom's a lawyer. [00:46:49] Speaker D: You breathe fire? [00:46:50] Speaker C: Oh, no, I'm not like a dragon or anything. [00:46:52] Speaker A: I don't do that. [00:46:53] Speaker C: No, it was like. It was like fake fire. He wasn't like a. Oh, he's just a guy. No, it was just like a little street. I don't know how they do it, honestly. He never told me. I still don't know. [00:47:07] Speaker B: This is what a real Jackson sounds like. [00:47:10] Speaker C: If you can figure out how to do it. I. I'd love to know, Steven. [00:47:14] Speaker A: You're amazing at this. [00:47:17] Speaker D: Well, I. I can. I can play my horn, and I can. And she, like, picks it up, and she does, like, a little. And when she does that, like, you see like, a little flame, like, just a. Like an illusion of flame. And she goes, I can. I can do this. But not. It's not a real fire, either. [00:47:38] Speaker C: Oh, yeah. That's lovely, though. Now it. It don't matter if it's real fire or not. [00:47:42] Speaker D: Yeah. If magic is. Do you do magic? [00:47:47] Speaker C: Well. Oh, I don't think so. [00:47:50] Speaker A: Do I do. [00:47:51] Speaker C: No, I don't think so. [00:47:53] Speaker D: Okay. Yeah. [00:47:56] Speaker A: Oh, wait, wait, wait. [00:47:58] Speaker C: I take off my beanie, and I reach into it, and I. It's a hat of vermin, and I pull out a frog, and then it just comes out. [00:48:05] Speaker A: Man, did I know that's what you were gonna. You said. I pulled my beanie and I reach in, and I was like, well, there we go. [00:48:10] Speaker D: I think. I think she's gonna go, this is my magic. [00:48:14] Speaker C: It's like a. It's like a tropical frog. It's like a tree frog is a magic frog. It does not fit. [00:48:19] Speaker D: Is it a real frog? [00:48:20] Speaker C: No, it's just a frog. Oh, yeah. [00:48:23] Speaker A: Is it a real frog? No, it's just a frog. No, no. [00:48:25] Speaker C: So it hops out of my hand, and it's, like, running away. It's, like, jumping away. And I'm like, no, no, it's not. It's not a real frog. Look at this. I can pull another one. I pull another frog out, it jumps out of my hand again. They're, like, following each other now. And I have one just running away. I only did three, but you can have the third one. [00:48:42] Speaker A: And I watch very real frogs are hopping away. [00:48:47] Speaker C: And I hand you the third frog before it, like, wriggles out. [00:48:50] Speaker D: Can I try to, like. Like, obviously, I don't want to hurt it, but try to, like. [00:48:54] Speaker B: You're trying to squish it. [00:48:55] Speaker A: You can, like. [00:49:00] Speaker B: Nat one. [00:49:04] Speaker C: Oh, gosh. [00:49:04] Speaker D: Just. Just straight decks. [00:49:07] Speaker A: It can be acrobatics if you want animal handling. [00:49:11] Speaker D: It's an 18, actually. I rolled high. [00:49:14] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah. You nab it and you startle it to the extent that it just kind of sits in your hand for a moment. [00:49:21] Speaker D: Okay. And I'm gonna look at it. I'm gonna, like, peek, and I'm gonna go. I am going to name you crank. [00:49:28] Speaker A: As you open up your hand. It's gorgeous. This one has a bright green top and a bright red belly, and it just Kind of sits there, like in your hand, just barking out a little call. [00:49:42] Speaker D: Do you want your frog back? Oh, no. [00:49:45] Speaker C: So the one thing with the frogs is. Well, I can pull other stuff too, but with any time, anytime I pull an animal out, they just try to run away from me. There's nothing you can do do about it. I tried to. I've tried to feed them. I've tried trapping. I'm not good at trapping them, but I've tried it. [00:50:00] Speaker A: It doesn't work. [00:50:01] Speaker D: Can you not put it back in your head? [00:50:06] Speaker C: Have you ever thought of that one? [00:50:07] Speaker D: You never. [00:50:08] Speaker C: Well, I'm out for. I'm out for today. I could try more tomorrow. [00:50:14] Speaker D: Okay. I do not know what to do with this now. [00:50:20] Speaker C: I don't know if you want him as a friend, you know, I'd like. [00:50:22] Speaker B: To put an action in the queue. [00:50:24] Speaker D: Okay, Craig. And she. She pats him and tries to put him in her bag. [00:50:29] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:50:29] Speaker C: So I will say, like, any animal I take out of there, it will, like, try to run away from me. Like, not, like. Okay, so, like, if it's, like, unsecure, you know, it'll probably, like, get out. [00:50:39] Speaker A: Let's get an animal handling on that one, Sam. [00:50:41] Speaker D: Okay. Oh, that's a six. [00:50:48] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:50:48] Speaker A: You, like, tilt your hand, the center of gravity shifts, and the frog just jumps out and starts. [00:50:55] Speaker D: Okay. Oh, okay. Bye, Craig. [00:50:59] Speaker C: Go be with you, but be with your family. [00:51:05] Speaker A: And there. There are very clearly three different species of frogs jumping away. One of them is a toad. [00:51:11] Speaker B: I was just gonna say that. That's so funny, Zach. [00:51:13] Speaker A: Wavelengths, you know? Is Millard in some way arriving as you put an action in the queue or. [00:51:22] Speaker B: Yeah, he. [00:51:23] Speaker A: What kind of door? [00:51:25] Speaker B: Like, I'm picturing, like, the. Like, the doors, the swing in the middle out back and forth. [00:51:29] Speaker C: It's like the Titanic door. [00:51:31] Speaker A: And it's like a saloon door, but fully fitting the frame. Cause this town is exposed to a little too much cold, you know? And yet that vibe, it remains so it doesn't perfectly seal and it does swing, but it occupies more of the frame. That heat might not be lost. [00:51:47] Speaker B: The silhouette of a stranger steps through the two doors, and he hawks one and spits it into the spitting can. [00:51:55] Speaker C: Well, that's a little bit. [00:51:57] Speaker B: There is a spitting can. Oh, never mind. He doesn't do that. [00:52:00] Speaker C: Then. [00:52:03] Speaker B: I misunderstood a fundamental part of this. [00:52:05] Speaker A: Absolutely. Glug. Everyone's been out on, like, the patio in the town center area around the statue. [00:52:12] Speaker B: All right? [00:52:13] Speaker A: Out in the cold evening. [00:52:16] Speaker B: All right, so Millard walks up there and he's like, looking for Bear, Annalise, or whatever her name was. He doesn't remember names that well. It's actually good that he's gonna meet Sam because, honestly, he's probably not gonna remember the four names that she's gonna give him every time he asks her for one. He's like, can I make an insight check or a perception check to see if I can find, like, somebody in charge? Like, somebody important? [00:52:41] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah, give me an insight check to see who appears to be running this social moment. [00:52:46] Speaker B: I got a Nat 20, and I have times. I'm proficient. I got. Okay, okay, okay. Let me do some math. This is so fun. [00:52:53] Speaker A: This is so fun. First roll netwi. [00:52:56] Speaker B: All right, so I have a. For wisdom, I have plus one. [00:53:00] Speaker A: Steven, what are you. What are you drinking there? [00:53:02] Speaker C: Oh, what am I. Oh, this is like an electrolyte thing. Oh, yeah, it's a little grog. [00:53:08] Speaker A: Does it say it looks like you're entering the piss abyss, but I'm not trying to control your. [00:53:11] Speaker D: Yeah, this color. [00:53:13] Speaker C: This is like the. It's like the dragon fruit one. So it's like. [00:53:16] Speaker B: Yeah, I got a 25. [00:53:19] Speaker A: 25. [00:53:21] Speaker C: Okay. [00:53:23] Speaker B: I get. I. I get. I have expertise in one skill, and it's insight, and it's like the deadpan stare, you know? That's why he has insight on it. He can, like, peer into your soul as he kind of, like, are you. [00:53:33] Speaker C: Like, hand past me as you're looking? [00:53:35] Speaker B: Yeah, Yeah, I do. [00:53:36] Speaker C: You can startle me a little bit. [00:53:38] Speaker A: I think, as the brim of your cowboy hat lowers along your brow. [00:53:42] Speaker C: Okay, so I rolled it. Sorry. He was like. He startled me a little bit. I saw him staring at me. I rolled a NAT one on Dex. I. I completely. I completely dropped my ale. [00:53:53] Speaker A: I. I think Steven's video, actually. [00:53:57] Speaker C: So if you want to do anything else, maybe. I don't know. My grog's all gone, though. [00:54:02] Speaker A: As a starting look, Millard, you're careful. You are. You are so keenly gazing upon the crowd that you're not even phased by the. As the ale is dropped from a height onto the stone and the glass shatters, it's. Someone goes, oh, dear. That's okay. And, you know, somebody starts trying to put together the broken glass now on the street. And as you scan the crowd, Millard, you get it. You get a pretty good feel for Ebbott all at once with your 25 insight. There's not a mayor present, and you put together that this might be a town of insufficient population to support a whole Lot of government. I mean, this looks like a community. Not just that there is no governments or structure, but you. You put together that. This looks like a group of people who are just banded together and maybe not so perfectly. You see the older fellow up against the statues, you see the individuals who are in different peripheries of this circle at different proximities to its nucleus. It doesn't look like a perfect group, like a tight knit family, but a group of people nonetheless who have learned to coexist together. And as you don't see any sig TR central figure leading them, you do notice with a perfect 25 that your. Your keen avian ears pick up a little bit of chatter. Simply referring to Barrows. That name comes up a couple times just in slight chat. And it sounds like, though it doesn't look like there's a whole lot of formal power and organization in this town, that name comes up a couple times, like in normal conversation. People, people are standing here chatting as you approach and there's just conversations about daily life where that name comes up a couple times. And whatever that name is, it must bear some sort of significance as you enter the circle and walk up and just scare the crap out of this guy. Named this random orc dude over there who's dropped his ale and shattered it all over the ground. [00:55:50] Speaker B: All right, so then I walk up to some random person, not one of the player characters. [00:55:55] Speaker A: Sure, sure. [00:55:56] Speaker B: And I say, and I say I accidentally set my campfire a little bit too close to this wooden wall over there and it's caught fire. I was wondering if one of you guys got a bucket or some water or something we can put it out. It's not that big, but it. [00:56:12] Speaker A: Real quick, check it. Just from the dm, not from a character. Landon, is that true? Did your campfire catch the wall on fire? [00:56:19] Speaker B: I feel like it's not that bad, but it's like, absolutely. [00:56:22] Speaker A: How far away are you? [00:56:22] Speaker C: Because how long did it take you to get? [00:56:24] Speaker B: I feel like the wind has shifted and like it just. [00:56:28] Speaker A: Absolutely. So as you're talking. Well, it's not near anything. There's no real danger. I just want to make sure I was interpreting this scene correctly. And so Millard, as you say this, you have walked up to this truly tiny person. He's a gerbine fellow, which is a mount, a mouse person. And he looks like a little like cotton mouse. Huge ears, tiny body. And he looks up at you. His face is all grizzled and white. He looks like a very old Mouse, he's in these dense robes, and he goes, oh, man. And he tilts his head by you, and he looks over there, and there is indeed, on the far side of town, a ruined, completely disconnected wall. Not hurting anything, just going. Just fire raging up the column. [00:57:10] Speaker E: And he goes, that's not how that's supposed to be. [00:57:15] Speaker B: I tell you, the wind. The wind was going 2 knots northeast when I got. Got here, and it shifted the opposite way southwest. And I just. I wasn't prepared for it. I'm sorry. I typically have a canteen that I can use it, doubt out little spurts of flame, but I just left it behind. I guess at my last problem, stranger. [00:57:33] Speaker A: I would have just pissed on it. And as he. Now all conversation is ceased as everyone is looking down the street at this lone structure. Not hurting anything, just. Just a pyre, a bonfire down the street, out of this abandoned wall. And people in town are stopped. Everyone's turned and looking at you now, Millard and the little dog. [00:57:58] Speaker B: I will say it's my fault. My. My bad. [00:58:01] Speaker A: He puts a little pod hand, kind of like not in a weird place, but on the side of your hip because that's about as high as he can reach. And he just goes, it's okay. [00:58:11] Speaker E: You'll be all right. [00:58:13] Speaker A: Watch. Yeah. He put. He brings a hand down. Everyone. This fellow's caught the wall on fire. And everyone turns and looks at you. Millard, No, I dropped my grog. [00:58:28] Speaker C: You don't see me crying about it. [00:58:31] Speaker A: Like. [00:58:32] Speaker C: Shot from across the square. [00:58:33] Speaker A: Look, give me. [00:58:34] Speaker D: Do you need help? [00:58:36] Speaker A: Glug? Give me one performance. Check with that. [00:58:42] Speaker C: Three. I have nothing. Zero. [00:58:48] Speaker A: No one in the town is reacting harshly to any of these events. They're just taking it in stride, though. A little surprise. And yet, when you say that, everyone does look a little awkward to you. The old man against the statue gives you a face and just shakes his head disapprovingly. But one guy on the. Of the crowd, he goes. [00:59:08] Speaker C: I'm just focused on my look. I'm photokissed on my lovers, not my haters. [00:59:12] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah. Hey, hey. And you got one. What were you saying, Raz? [00:59:18] Speaker D: I run up to this man and I go, sir, do you need help? [00:59:24] Speaker B: I'm fine. I just want to make sure if that wall was special, someone we got taken. [00:59:27] Speaker D: Well, do we need to put this out? [00:59:31] Speaker B: I don't think. I think it's too far gone, ma'. [00:59:34] Speaker A: Am. [00:59:34] Speaker D: You know, a hero would put it out. [00:59:37] Speaker B: Well, ma', am, I think. I think that's a good point. [00:59:42] Speaker D: Is there a water bucket? And she starts yelling. [00:59:46] Speaker A: People look around in the town. Somebody walks around the side of the building and brings you back a wooden pail. [00:59:52] Speaker D: Does it have water in it? [00:59:54] Speaker A: No. [00:59:54] Speaker B: Does anybody have any fresh cut meat that needs to be roasted or cooked? Cuz it's a good opportunity. Now if we want to do like a batch of. [01:00:01] Speaker A: There's one or two members of the people who go, he's got a point. And people start like walking back to homes and people are bringing out like metal, like wooden skewers and meat and they start walking over to the building. And now the entire congregation of the town shifts from in front of this building over to the burning wall and are now gathered cooking meat around the fire like, well, we'll make the most out of it. [01:00:23] Speaker B: I part I would love. Okay, so I want. I didn't know how to do this, but I just want to see if you'll be entertaining it. I want one of his favorite treats to be like a puffed marshmallow kind of like thing that like. I don't know how that would work or how that would happen, but I want to be some kind of. [01:00:38] Speaker A: Let's cook on this. Yeah, yeah, yeah. [01:00:40] Speaker B: I want it to be connected to the overarching story that he has that I talked to you about a little bit like something that connection that he has to like a very isolated group of people, people that typically don't do this. But somehow when he was happened to him happen, he was left with the knowledge of how to make these or like a really detailed written sheet of like to connect him. And so he has these and so. [01:01:01] Speaker A: He passes them out to people very quickly or very, very well. Very quickly, very well. In the Far east of Unison is not to the knowledge of many. The largest population of aarakocra in Yalabur, the sole truly uniquely Aarak Cochran culture that is only aarakocrin. And you, Millard, are one of the only people who knows about this because this is where you were dropped off and the place from which it readily became apparent at some point in your life you did not hail. You do not sound too much like the members of this community, but it's where you're from. And they here in that community have found that you can take very hot molasses and blend it with a very finely ground fungus root. The molasses being an import, the fungus being something that grew natively in the cave cliff system of your culture. And when you blend them together, I mean cut, dice them very finely and Then mix the fungus up with the molasses and then wrap it around something and put it over fire. It expands and congeals a little bit into a marshmallow like substance. And this is a uniquely Eric Hakran food from your homeland. I will look the name up of because it has not come up since halfway through the Legend of the New Ones campaign. But it exists and it is a unique treat from your homeland that all of these foreigners are not familiar with and with which, as you share it with them, everyone becomes quickly delighted. [01:02:25] Speaker B: This is a thing that you had that, like, already existed. [01:02:28] Speaker D: That's amazing. [01:02:28] Speaker A: I made the food up in the moment, but the culture very much exists. Yes. [01:02:31] Speaker B: Okay, okay, okay, okay, okay. I was about to be impressed. I was like, wow, that's crazy. [01:02:36] Speaker A: I know that you were. You were very. These people seem easily won over. Not foolish and unaware. Just a warm people. [01:02:45] Speaker D: Is there. Is there a water trough anywhere, like for horses or anything anywhere in this town? [01:02:50] Speaker A: Check. Raz. [01:02:54] Speaker B: Zach, what did you think this episode was going to be? [01:02:56] Speaker D: That's a dirty 20. [01:02:59] Speaker A: Excellent. You do find a water trough out near one of the buildings. People in this. In this area keep. They keep livestock. [01:03:07] Speaker D: I go fill up the bucket and I start. And I start running towards the fire with the water bucket. [01:03:15] Speaker A: And on your way there, Raz, you notice that as you go to put out the fire, half the walls burn down. People have moved some of the broken pieces back toward the middle. They're just treating it like a bonfire now. The town is unfazed and are all roasting various foods around the fire. [01:03:30] Speaker D: Do you guys. Do you want me to put out. [01:03:35] Speaker A: The girl looks back at you and goes. [01:03:40] Speaker B: Oh, did you bring some water to drink? I'll take a cup of that. That rabbit's all dry on my. On my throat. I'll take. I pull out like a metal canister with a little lid that screws off and I just hold it. [01:03:51] Speaker D: Water is. It's from what? [01:03:53] Speaker C: I'd take some if I had a pint. Glass steel, but mine's gone. I just have the handle now I'm holding. [01:03:59] Speaker B: It's a weapon. [01:04:00] Speaker D: I guess you could. I guess you could drink out of the buckets. She hands. She hands Miller the bucket a little bit. [01:04:09] Speaker B: I scoop my cup into the bucket. [01:04:11] Speaker C: I start drinking out of it like a trough. [01:04:13] Speaker A: A couple. A couple town members concerned. But you're not interrupt. [01:04:17] Speaker B: I quickly smell it before I drink it and I. I say, oh, wait, this ain't drinking water. [01:04:23] Speaker A: Millard. Millard, There is a scent this is water and there is a scent and so that quickly triggers to you. Oh, that's not what water is supposed to do. [01:04:35] Speaker B: Why is it so spicy? [01:04:40] Speaker C: Yeah. What? What is it? What does it smell like? What does it taste like? [01:04:43] Speaker A: Zesty. [01:04:44] Speaker C: I'm getting in there fast enough. I'm at least getting like a sip. [01:04:48] Speaker A: Glug thick. It's water, but it's just a little thick. [01:04:54] Speaker C: It's like that water that's like thickened with xanthan gum. [01:04:58] Speaker A: No, thick water. And worse. It's not quite that thick. [01:05:04] Speaker C: Okay. [01:05:05] Speaker A: Almost as if there have been other denser fluids in it at some point point which have largely dissipated. It's a drinking draw and glug as you imbibe a bit even by your standards. Why don't you give me a con saving throw? [01:05:21] Speaker C: Yeah. Okay. See what my modifier. I have a plus three. So that's a 21. [01:05:28] Speaker A: Excellent iron stomach. You're not phased at all. Just like my real friend Caleb from real life who drank a bunch of pond water when no one dared him to. [01:05:40] Speaker D: When no one dared him to. [01:05:43] Speaker B: That sounds like a Caleb thing to do. [01:05:45] Speaker C: It's very weird, but I've had worse. [01:05:50] Speaker A: Landon. The place that Millard is from is called Tetral T E T A R A L Tetral Ale. The Eric Cochrane Kingdom in the Far East. [01:06:01] Speaker B: You saw that again, Zachary? Now that I got my fingers on the. [01:06:03] Speaker A: Yes. Tetral T E T R A L. [01:06:07] Speaker B: I the first time. [01:06:09] Speaker A: The Air Cochrane Kingdom in the Far East. An Eric Cochrane kingdom which has lived long in isolation. Though its members leave and go. People don't know where it is from. It is in the far eastern coast of the massive cliff ridge that long runs along the northeast of Unson. The one that borders the Sapphire Desert, the largest ocean in the world and which six months ago was attacked by General Vashnazan and the Kefkan military in a successful campaign which almost bore your nation down before the warriors of the well unexpectedly showed up riding a dragon made of stone and laid waste to half the army and they retreated. That is a recent event. [01:06:51] Speaker B: Who was there for that? [01:06:53] Speaker A: You are not. But. And it is events you have heard of from sparse air Cochrans you have met across the land. Background knowledge for your character. Steven. There is a DND live play and podcast called Legends of Avantris. Avantris or something. And they are truly the improvised humorist improvised of DND groups. I mean far more than dimension 20. There is almost no story. It's mostly just humor. And there's a. A character on that. A player on that podcast called Mikey. And the accent you're choosing to do is, I mean, identical to the one he does for one of his charact. It's trippy. Like every time you talk, I feel like I'm listening to that podcast. It's really good one. [01:07:38] Speaker C: Huh? What is, what's it called again? [01:07:40] Speaker A: Legends of Legends of Avantrus. I don't even remember which characters it is. I think it's Gricko, his goblin, but I don't know. Okay, but I don't know if that's the right character. [01:07:52] Speaker B: Is that the one worth the. That I always see the clown reels of on Instagram. [01:07:57] Speaker A: Oh, wow, that guy. [01:08:01] Speaker B: Yeah. [01:08:01] Speaker A: Okay. Anywho, Anywho. And if anyone has any other intentional actions like, oh, I'm going to talk to somebody about this or this, they can. But otherwise the crowd carries on about their business. Warmly welcomes these three strangers to your town. And you are. You are. He did many warm welcomes and told to enjoy your stay. Are there any particular purposes that anyone communicates to the Beltranites or is it more just like, you know, you're passing through for your own various reasons and you are glad to have the welcome? [01:08:35] Speaker C: I'm just trying to earn a little coin, mate. A little something to send back home. [01:08:41] Speaker B: Millard is hunt. [01:08:43] Speaker C: He. [01:08:44] Speaker B: He is hunting monsters and he is going around the world trying to find places that other, better adventurers haven't touched yet, while also doing his main thing. So he's like looking for like signs of something weird going on, like people missing for stranger reasons. There may not be any of that here, but he is like, I am hunting evil things. [01:09:07] Speaker D: Do you say this to anyone around this area at any time? [01:09:12] Speaker A: It is all overheard as the small group in which you're meeting thins even further. You guys have made it to about 11, not quite, you know, 1120, not midnight, but the evening is waning and three or four more residents, the old Kony fellow, retire and you're left with an even smaller group. Prominent among them the middle aged woman and the Tiefling girl, who you start to put together is her daughter. Tiefling is almost being like a sort of recessive trait that just pops up. And her Tiefling daughter, who's warmly with her and discussing as, as you mentioned the point about making coin glug. Multiple people give all sorts of pleasant offers about like, oh, we could use some help doing this or that. Not much, but something. But Millard, as you bring up monsters, a couple awkward faces are shared. And people, people look back and forth at each other, not with terror or contempt, but just as if someone's about to tell. [01:10:10] Speaker E: No, this isn't quite the song I'm going for. [01:10:12] Speaker A: As if someone's about go ahead to tell like a ghost story almost. And the mother and daughter change, exchanged looks. And the younger girl, the Tiefling girl with her like sort of ruby red skin and she has horns, her horns are awesome. They pull back, curl in and then back out. Almost like outwardly turned impala horns and. But short, as if she'll grow into them with time. And her, with the. The drum slung around her waist. She has like a very simple brown dress on. And she begins drumming her fingers across the drum as if it's something she just kind of instinctually does. Like a real percussionist, you know, who like while thinking produces rhythm. And from that position she, she says. [01:10:59] Speaker E: Well, if you're serious about such a thing, there are the more folk. [01:11:08] Speaker A: And for the note taking nerds, that's M O O R E. [01:11:14] Speaker E: M O. [01:11:14] Speaker A: O R E F O L K. Like folk. More folk. [01:11:21] Speaker C: Yeah. First I thought like the city in Virginia, but not that. [01:11:25] Speaker B: Yeah, Norfolk. [01:11:26] Speaker C: It's more. It's more than that. [01:11:30] Speaker A: It's more, yeah. So she continues and she says that. Well. [01:11:37] Speaker E: We were rather convinced they weren't rail. [01:11:39] Speaker A: They're super local superstition. [01:11:43] Speaker E: Until not long ago we actually had one of our own taken by them. I mean I'm here from Abbott and we. We grew up hiring of them and they, they were just. [01:12:00] Speaker A: I mean it was a story my. [01:12:01] Speaker E: Mum told me and it wasn't much more than that. But not too long ago there's a lovely member of our town, Sigmund Dreyfist. And he was running errands for Barrows and he travels back in town inland. [01:12:20] Speaker A: To more important locations. [01:12:23] Speaker E: The what you do? Businessman of our. [01:12:25] Speaker C: Of our Babbitt. [01:12:27] Speaker A: And. [01:12:29] Speaker E: He went into the wood and he narrowly returned. When we investigated upon his departure, we found that therein there were plenty of tracks. And the merfolk leave long ghastly footprints and scratching on the trees, they just break and ruin around them. And we even found a shred of Sigmund's cloak and our blood. But otherwise we might assume that we've lost one to them, which is a startle to all of us because they're nothing but stories. And yet they seem so much more all the real. Now for that purpose we don't really venture into the wood any longer. It's tough business for the Town for Barrows. For everyone. But if you're really here to hunt. [01:13:21] Speaker A: Monsters, and if you hunt monsters half. [01:13:23] Speaker E: As good as you burn walls, it. [01:13:26] Speaker A: Would appear that we would be in need of service. [01:13:29] Speaker E: How serendipitous. [01:13:32] Speaker D: It sounds like your town is in need of heroes. [01:13:38] Speaker A: The mother to this girl nods and. [01:13:41] Speaker E: She says that it does. Yeah, it looks like we're in native here. Is that what you all are? [01:13:52] Speaker C: Yes, something close to that. Yeah, more or less. Okay, these more folks sound like bad business. I bet they didn't even sign the proper permits before or anything. [01:14:06] Speaker A: There is again just strange silence as the Count has talked about the only death of a member recently. Except that one guy on the edge of the crowd who is still hung around a rather poorly dwarven fellow goes. [01:14:19] Speaker C: No, that wasn't supposed to be funny. [01:14:24] Speaker A: The mom, like, kind of rubs her brow as that guy speaks. And another person from among the dwindling. [01:14:31] Speaker E: Group leans in and goes, no, we couldn't much pay you for anything you do. But speaking of the coin you were speaking of earlier, Glug Barrows has actually put up a bit of money related to anyone who can capture it. No one in the town really can, you know, they're all beyond our capability. But if you. [01:14:55] Speaker A: And he looks at the three people who are not standing next to each other, who have not previously appeared to know each other. But if he goes, if you three. [01:15:04] Speaker E: Seem up to that task. Mr. Barrows has the building at the end of the street. He's. He's the last real merchant of our town, but he's also sort of the heartbeat of it. [01:15:17] Speaker A: He looks after all of us. [01:15:18] Speaker E: With his more considerable resources and potential, he'd likely be willing to offer you some coin for some answers or even some justice at the loss of his beloved friend. [01:15:32] Speaker C: Okay then. [01:15:32] Speaker A: All right. [01:15:33] Speaker C: Well, if these two are up for it, I'll draw up a contract tonight. I'll have it for him in the morning. [01:15:39] Speaker B: Well, here's the deal. Seeing as I'm the only legal adult among us three, I get sent. Listen, I know a good. I know a size and age. [01:15:47] Speaker D: Sorry, you do not know my age. [01:15:50] Speaker B: Listen, I've been around a few places before. Call me a liar if you must, but I think I know the truth. [01:15:56] Speaker D: I'm calling you a liar. [01:15:58] Speaker A: Not the teeth. [01:15:59] Speaker B: I don't mind the teeth. [01:16:00] Speaker A: And girl from nearby nods like, yeah, and her tail whips around. The mom just rolls her eyes so hard they touch her skull. [01:16:08] Speaker B: That's fine. I've been called worse. I don't mind it. [01:16:12] Speaker C: Now look here, man, I don't think you've ever seen an Orcish contract, now have you men? [01:16:17] Speaker B: I don't. [01:16:18] Speaker D: And she looks over at the. Oh, at the lady that was telling the story and she goes, what are these more folk? What are the legends that you have heard of them? What kind of monsters are we looking for? [01:16:32] Speaker A: The Tiefling daughter who was speaking initially, whose name in all these hours you have not gotten, looks to her mom as if you've actually exhausted what she knows. And the mom shrugs and she says, we don't really have a clear understanding. As she looks to the fellow, a sort of taller, lanky fellow with a phenomenal beard who's warmly dressed. The fellow who is speaking to you. [01:16:59] Speaker E: About Barrows, he goes, my father always used to say that they were a ghastly remnant of the dead, long and tall and thin and pale. But again, they're not real. [01:17:12] Speaker C: They're legendary. [01:17:13] Speaker E: Until they began to take some of us. So not much is known. [01:17:20] Speaker B: Anybody seen? [01:17:21] Speaker A: No. [01:17:21] Speaker B: So nobody's seen one. They just. They just see remnants of them in the woods, I guess. [01:17:27] Speaker E: Wait. [01:17:28] Speaker A: The guy who's been laughing at all of Glugs jokes chimes in and goes, wait. I mean they not real. They just. There. [01:17:41] Speaker D: Have you thought about. Have you thought about contacting the fun guys? They are a. A hero group. They might could take care of this for you. [01:17:50] Speaker A: There's some exchanges around and the. That mother, whose name you also don't have, chimes in and goes, wait. [01:17:57] Speaker E: We sort of Assames that they might have more important business. [01:18:03] Speaker D: That's true. [01:18:04] Speaker A: That's true. [01:18:05] Speaker D: Well, I will. I think that the three of us could. She looks like, like expectedly at the two other PCs. And she goes, I think that the three of us could be the next fun guys almost. [01:18:20] Speaker C: I'm shaking my head. [01:18:22] Speaker A: Everyone's been very supportive all evening and the like. There's just some blank stares. And the mom, I think Miller's given. [01:18:30] Speaker B: A blank stare too. I don't think Millard's heard of them or. [01:18:33] Speaker C: Mate, you can be in here if you accept a third. [01:18:37] Speaker B: All right, I'm gonna go talk to about Barrows. You said the merchant up the hill. [01:18:42] Speaker A: It's rather late. [01:18:43] Speaker E: He's probably been asleep a few hours. But if you go and see him in the morning, you're likely gonna get some information. [01:18:49] Speaker B: Is there a place I can sleep? I was gonna steer it. Stay near the burnt wall, but it's gone. It's gone. [01:18:54] Speaker A: You all are all standing around the Burning pile of the wall and senders. That last fellow chimes in and says. [01:19:05] Speaker E: People often sleep at the Apothecaryan bar. There's no one else in time in town. People nap there where he previously had accommodations, but it sprung a bad leak and so the inn's closed for the time now. [01:19:22] Speaker A: All right. [01:19:22] Speaker D: Okay. Well, she goes up to the Tiefling and she goes, I'm sorry, what was your name? And she sticks out her hand. [01:19:30] Speaker A: The girl very confidently shakes yours back. She looks maybe a year or two younger than you, but similar in age range. She's about. How tall were you, Raz? [01:19:41] Speaker D: She is five foot two. [01:19:45] Speaker A: She's got about three or four inches on you, but it's not remarkably tall herself, though, a bit. [01:19:49] Speaker E: She just says, my name's Lilia. [01:19:54] Speaker D: Lilia. Well, it's very nice to meet you. I am Borrello. [01:20:02] Speaker E: I thought you said it was Raz. [01:20:05] Speaker D: Yes, that is what I meant. You can call me either. Yeah, it's family name. [01:20:14] Speaker A: She gives you a weird but confident noise and just winks at you. And then she goes, oh, thank Randy name for the knot. It was good to meet you all. And she heads back with her mom. And the crowd sort of uniformly disperses, seeing that the energy is dying down. And you guys gain your general materials. And when you go back, that wood elven fellow has left, but the woman is still there cleaning up the bar. And you all go in to settle some sort of a payment. And she just says visitors are welcome. And she collects bags of cool coin, removes them, maybe not trusting you guys that much, but otherwise, after locking some things up, she heads to some backspace where apparently she and the other fellow, who look like they might be older brother and younger sister, go to the part of the building in which they live. And you all are just left in the warm building of the night to make beds and spaces for yourselves and fall asleep. [01:21:06] Speaker C: Before she left, as we came in, I set my. The little handle to the pint glass on the counter and just like, here you go. [01:21:15] Speaker A: She looks at it. This is the only person here, really, with any Lutinian accent. She looks at it and she goes. [01:21:22] Speaker E: Thank you. It is very helpful. [01:21:26] Speaker C: Yeah, I figured as much. Wait, what was that? [01:21:31] Speaker E: Do you have the rest of the glass? [01:21:34] Speaker C: Oh, no, that's. You'll find that out on the street. [01:21:40] Speaker A: Enjoy your stay. That's for copper. And she just takes the handle and walks back. [01:21:46] Speaker C: Yeah. [01:21:47] Speaker A: Okay. These three strangers are just left there in the night. One candles left, like burning, kind of like on a Wick on the floor and it's left on top of a dang damp cloth as if it were to fall over. It wouldn't catch anything. Everything ablaze. And you're left there with this dim light. All the doors are closed up behind you and you're just left in this small, slightly repurposed makeshift tavern area. [01:22:13] Speaker D: My character's going to roll out her like bed roll in a little corner of the floor. She's gonna like set her horn and her. And her bag and then she's gonna like sit cross legged and just like smile and like kind of tap the floor and rock back and forth. Go. This is so exciting, you guys. What. What was your name's Glug. [01:22:36] Speaker C: We were talking to Miller. Name's Glug. Yeah. No last name. I gave it up when I got married, you know. [01:22:45] Speaker D: Are you married? [01:22:47] Speaker C: Yes. Married. Yeah. [01:22:48] Speaker D: Where is your spouse? Where's your. [01:22:51] Speaker C: Oh no, I'm married to. I'm married to the Guild. [01:22:54] Speaker D: Yeah. [01:22:54] Speaker C: You know, married to the work. [01:22:56] Speaker D: Oh. [01:22:57] Speaker C: You know, so I had to give up my last name, you know, under. So it goes. [01:23:02] Speaker D: Understood? Yes. [01:23:05] Speaker C: Yeah. [01:23:05] Speaker D: Okay. [01:23:06] Speaker B: Millard's standing behind him and just mouths the word cult. [01:23:12] Speaker C: I don't. I guess I don't see that. Okay. [01:23:15] Speaker A: Over your shoulder. You're not aware. [01:23:17] Speaker C: Yeah. [01:23:19] Speaker D: And what was your name? [01:23:22] Speaker B: My name is Millard. [01:23:26] Speaker D: Nice to meet you, Millard. [01:23:29] Speaker B: That's nice. I. Listen, I think you guys are nice folk and I met a lot of nice folk, but I'm here on business. So you know, monster. [01:23:39] Speaker D: Monster hunting business. Right. [01:23:41] Speaker B: I'm on. I'm on the business of finding draft Mr. Drafist. [01:23:47] Speaker D: So to hunt the monsters to be. I think that's what we're all hero. [01:23:51] Speaker B: Well, I'm wondering if there is any monsters in this story. [01:23:55] Speaker C: Well, if there ain't no monsters, then we'll make them dead. And if there is monsters, then there's gonna be no more. So I don't see the problem. [01:24:02] Speaker D: I agree with you. [01:24:05] Speaker B: We're gonna make what dad? [01:24:07] Speaker C: The monsters. If there is any. [01:24:09] Speaker B: All right. [01:24:10] Speaker D: I think this is the start of something really cool. [01:24:15] Speaker C: I think so too. I'm gonna have a good day tomorrow. [01:24:18] Speaker D: Have. Have you guys heard of the fun guys? [01:24:22] Speaker B: No. [01:24:24] Speaker D: They are. I'm. Well, I have a connection to them. They are. They are an adventuring group that are really the heroes of the world. Honestly. And some people have said that I look a lot like they are. They're one of their members, Craig. And that I may be his long lost daughter, but I think I look more like Rowena, so. But boss is really cool. And there's Greta. Greta, Greta. Greeta, Greet Gri. I don't know, but they're very cool, and I want to be like them. [01:25:07] Speaker C: It. Yes. [01:25:08] Speaker B: Yeah. [01:25:09] Speaker C: I thought it was going to be another band, but no, I don't know. [01:25:12] Speaker D: We can also be that. [01:25:14] Speaker B: I don't think I know him either, and I'm using a British accent now because I. I'm a magnet. [01:25:19] Speaker D: Well, they are heroes, and I think that we could follow in their footsteps. [01:25:25] Speaker B: And, like, I think I'm interested in being something like that, to be honest. I'm not. That's not my go to. I'm sorry. [01:25:32] Speaker D: Well, you said you are fighting monsters. [01:25:35] Speaker B: No, I'm trying to. [01:25:36] Speaker C: I'm. [01:25:37] Speaker B: Oh, my goodness. Why do I keep going to a British accent? I don't think so. I think I'm just trying to find my mom and kill the devil. Those are my two goals right now. [01:25:44] Speaker D: Who is your mom? Why are you talking devil? [01:25:49] Speaker B: Which one? [01:25:51] Speaker C: That's what I'm asking you, mate. [01:25:52] Speaker D: The Kevin are the devils, right? [01:25:56] Speaker B: I don't want to get too political in here. They did raid my homeland and probably murder some of my friends, but we'll see. [01:26:04] Speaker D: That is why the fun guys fought them. They're good. [01:26:07] Speaker B: Well, actually, it wasn't the fun guys that saved my people. [01:26:10] Speaker A: The. [01:26:10] Speaker B: The warriors of the Whales showed up on a giant stone dragon and just killed everybody. It was a bloodbath. I heard from my great Aunt Normie that they were taking apart all the little limbs and pieces and charred little bits, you know, and they were tossing them in the way for days after. It was. [01:26:26] Speaker D: I mean, they're. [01:26:27] Speaker B: It was bad. [01:26:28] Speaker D: They're cool, too. I kind of like, you know, it's kind of like, are you team warriors? Are you team Fun Guy? You know, like, I have a friend back home, and she likes the warriors of the well better, but I like the fun guys, all right? I just think. I think they are. [01:26:48] Speaker B: I don't think I have a boot on this foot, to be honest. I. I'm just gonna go to sleep because I get real tired and. [01:26:54] Speaker D: Well, if we are. Are we going to work? [01:26:59] Speaker B: I'm gonna work. I'm gonna do what I can. And if y' all want to come along, then y' all can come along. But just. I think I just. I just want to let y' all know that after all said and done, I am getting 50%. [01:27:11] Speaker C: So if you come along with us, then we can come along with you, and then you know, you can get a good, good little percent there for you. [01:27:20] Speaker D: Yeah, there. There are three of us, so we should separate into thirds. [01:27:25] Speaker C: Yeah, that's 33. You go. You got your math for a little bit wrong. [01:27:29] Speaker D: I think that's. I think that's how most heroes do it. They, they, they split it equally. [01:27:35] Speaker B: Well, how about this? I'll take 50, and then you two can split the last 50 equally. And that way you'll still get that way. That sounds real nice. [01:27:43] Speaker A: I am not. [01:27:44] Speaker C: I think this mate's got a hearing problem. Are you in there, mate? Yeah, I get a little closer to him. [01:27:50] Speaker B: All right, guys. [01:27:51] Speaker A: Millard, that breath's a little rough. [01:27:56] Speaker B: All right? [01:27:57] Speaker C: That's how much she's bad as a porn boarder. [01:27:58] Speaker B: We'll talk about it on the way. No one hasn't called me unfair yet. I, I'm just calling it. [01:28:06] Speaker D: But if it's different now, sir, listen. [01:28:09] Speaker B: I'll give you the 50. If it ends up being on your shoulders, I don't mind. I want to be fair. I just think it's how it's going to, to happen. I just want to make sure we all do our fair share. That's it. [01:28:19] Speaker D: And we should be paid fair sharely. [01:28:23] Speaker B: Exactly. [01:28:23] Speaker C: Fair share. [01:28:24] Speaker B: Now we're. Now, now we're whistling the same ditty. [01:28:29] Speaker C: I see. I can never tell him apart, though, the songs. Which one are you singing? [01:28:35] Speaker B: Oh, my goodness, I don't think I am. And I just lay down and try to go to sleep. [01:28:44] Speaker C: Okay, I'm gonna, I'm gonna try to set up my bedroll. I go up to Miller yet? Oh, I Millet. He's already sitting in his. Like, you're like, in it, like fully. Me? [01:28:52] Speaker B: No, I'm like laying on the ground, like on like a, like on the ground. [01:28:55] Speaker C: Oh, you don't have a rock as. [01:28:56] Speaker B: Like my, my pillow. [01:28:57] Speaker C: Okay. Oh, minute. Got a light? I just need like a lantern, you know. [01:29:04] Speaker B: I'm not gonna light any more fires in this town. I don't think it's a good idea. [01:29:09] Speaker A: That is. A small candle burns on the floor nearby on a wet, damp towel. [01:29:13] Speaker D: I have a torch. She pulls it out of her bag. Is this here? [01:29:17] Speaker C: Thank you there, mate. I. I go in. I find a little, like, nook in. [01:29:21] Speaker A: Between two of the. [01:29:23] Speaker C: In between some of the aisles where like maybe a little bit of moonlight is hitting them, making some pretty, like, reflections, refractions and stuff. I settle down there. [01:29:33] Speaker A: Okay. And Millard's not comfortable. [01:29:37] Speaker C: Yeah, sorry. [01:29:38] Speaker B: Millard's not comfortable on the Ground. He did pack up his tent, by the way, and his. All his stuff. Like, he didn't just walk away. He's really good at camp. So he takes out. I feel like he's thinking about something. He doesn't go to sleep immediately. He sits back up. He gets in a chair and he just kind of sits there near the light as everybody else goes to sleep, like, creaking his neck. [01:29:59] Speaker C: And he has like a deck of. [01:30:00] Speaker B: Cards that he's like, just like shuffling in his hands just like halfway. And eventually he puts it away. He reaches into his bag and pulls out like a blanket. Not quite a bedroll, but, you know, something a little bit more nicer than that. And then he, like, tries to lean. [01:30:18] Speaker A: On the table and go to sleep. Okay. And it's these three strange places our three odd strangers find themselves. I need you all to have a little bit of conversation. As my wife, who's fully asleep, the cat's knocked a bit of food off the table and she has completely not noticed. So I'm going to go take care of that. And so the three players will be left to talk about something. Well, Zach goes and cleans up a mess. [01:30:42] Speaker B: Is it the next day? [01:30:43] Speaker C: Is it. Are we. [01:30:44] Speaker B: Is it the next day or something? [01:30:45] Speaker A: It's the next morning and everyone's woken up. [01:30:48] Speaker B: Okay, Millard pulls out a frying pan and does anybody have any eggs or. I don't know, I'm mean, on a skillet. I'll tell you right now, I'll fry you up some breakfast. [01:31:02] Speaker C: Ham. [01:31:02] Speaker D: Why are you being rude to the skillet? [01:31:06] Speaker B: It's just a skillet, ma'. [01:31:07] Speaker A: Am. [01:31:07] Speaker B: It's well seasoned. It can take it. [01:31:08] Speaker D: You said you are mean to it. [01:31:11] Speaker B: Yes, that's right. [01:31:15] Speaker D: Okay. [01:31:15] Speaker C: Yeah, that don't sound great at all. [01:31:21] Speaker B: How old are you, by the way? [01:31:23] Speaker C: How. [01:31:23] Speaker B: How old are you? [01:31:24] Speaker D: Me? [01:31:25] Speaker B: You. How old are you? [01:31:27] Speaker D: I am 22. [01:31:29] Speaker B: Insight check. [01:31:31] Speaker A: Yeah, give me an insight check and a deception check. [01:31:37] Speaker B: You might actually get it this time. I got a. Oh, what is it? Four plus one five. I got an 11. [01:31:46] Speaker D: Got a 14, Millard. [01:31:51] Speaker A: Okay, yeah. I mean, a bit immature for 22, but. 22. [01:31:56] Speaker B: All right, well, I mean, I stand correct then. I'm afraid to admit when I'm wrong. I mean, you're a bit immature for 22, but, you know, I think you're. It's believable. [01:32:03] Speaker A: Oi. [01:32:05] Speaker C: Log is 15. [01:32:06] Speaker B: Oh, I was right about you. At least my senses are right 50 of the time. And that's why I should get 50. [01:32:11] Speaker C: Of the booty age of orc majority is 14. [01:32:14] Speaker B: Mate, that's beautiful. [01:32:15] Speaker C: I think we checked on you. [01:32:17] Speaker A: Oh, my goodness. [01:32:18] Speaker B: I cannot talk to you. I was like, go British. [01:32:19] Speaker D: See, we are full blown adults that share full blown exact money sharing. [01:32:27] Speaker C: Now that's what I think right there. Yeah, that sounds good to me. I got the contract right here. I pull it out of like a. It's like kind of like a mini suitcase. It's like half the size of a suitcase, so it might fits. And I have the paper drafted up already. It's like, you know, okay, it's professionally. [01:32:47] Speaker A: Printed, you know, only because I'm curious, what is Glug's intelligence score? [01:32:54] Speaker C: Glug's intelligence is 14. [01:32:58] Speaker A: Okay. [01:32:59] Speaker C: He's a smart little orc. [01:33:01] Speaker A: Give me and not that orcs can't be simply. Maybe perhaps we were playing the character what's. What's. Give me either a general intelligence or a history check of your choice to try and create this contract. [01:33:17] Speaker C: Okay. Yeah. Okay, let's see. Okay, that's a six. [01:33:24] Speaker A: Okay, well, you have an intelligence of 14, so that doesn't suddenly negate your brain. You have prepared a contract. And who's to say that anyone here is of any meaningful legal knowledge or understanding. It might look perfectly fine to everyone else. Glug, what you have in your hands is a piece of paper that has been scribbled upon with ink and, well, that you possess. And you know, I mean, it's legible and it is words and it is a contract. There's nothing particularly meaningful about this agreement, but it has terms and they are written on paper and there's a place to sign anything particularly having. [01:33:59] Speaker C: I was thinking like the fact of having extra parties. I'm used to it just being me, so, like adding people in there. It's a little bit weird. Like I, you know, I didn't carry the one. Like one of us is getting like 34%. Yeah, it's a little weird. [01:34:11] Speaker A: Pretense misspelled, you know, stuff like that. But, you know, one of the letters is upside down. But it's not that bad, especially for people at this time in history, you know, like, honestly, you can read and write more than a lot of people. So you have the contract that gets whipped out in front of everybody. [01:34:30] Speaker D: Honestly, this looks great to me. Do you want my autograph on it? [01:34:35] Speaker C: Sure, yeah, I'll get an autograph. [01:34:38] Speaker D: She. She like starts to write an S and then scribbles it out and writes like a squiggle and then like green bottle. But Then, like, crosses out the bottle, and she's like, that's. [01:34:52] Speaker C: Are you. So there's like a dotted line on the bottom of the page for where you're supposed to sign. Did you notice that? Or are you just, like, writing it somewhere else? [01:35:00] Speaker D: No, she's just writing it on somewhere. [01:35:02] Speaker C: It's like, excuse me, you gotta put it right there. I point to the dotted line. [01:35:06] Speaker D: I'm like, I already sang it, though. I don't. [01:35:10] Speaker C: Okay, you can shine again. [01:35:11] Speaker A: It's. [01:35:12] Speaker B: It's all good. [01:35:12] Speaker D: She signs it again. Does kind of the same thing. It's like the same indecisive green B. Fun guy. It looks like nonsense. [01:35:25] Speaker C: Well, that's a pretty cool signature. Mine's just Glug. [01:35:29] Speaker D: Okay, where is this man we are. [01:35:32] Speaker A: Looking for to ask Miller not signing the contract. The group moves on and. [01:35:42] Speaker C: I forgot about that, you know? [01:35:43] Speaker A: Yeah. Oh, yeah. But there's a. There's one name on it. [01:35:46] Speaker B: I'll be a witness. But I won't. I won't sign anything. I'll just. But I'll witness it, though. [01:35:51] Speaker C: Sorry, my ear. You're a signatory. We're gonna get someone else in here. [01:35:54] Speaker B: I'm. I'm not gonna. [01:35:56] Speaker A: I'm. [01:35:56] Speaker B: I don't think I'm gonna sign it, though. [01:35:58] Speaker A: I'm sorry. [01:35:59] Speaker C: Well, Nathan, I don't know how we're gonna do this if we don't have the contract. [01:36:04] Speaker B: Okay? [01:36:05] Speaker C: Those ghosts is gonna have to whip themselves. I don't know. [01:36:11] Speaker A: All right? And after a long, awkward pause, the three trio of perfect strangers sets out. And they start walking across the crunchy stone street of the town. And eventually, the town's a little more alive this morning. Now there's like, you know, 20 people out doing various tasks. You. It's not that there's no one in the town who's not like, there's plenty of people who you pass by, four or five, who don't particularly seem to care that you're there, but really, everyone else waves or greets you or shakes a hand or. They're very. Both a genuinely warm town and also clearly a population who are dependent upon what you all serve. And you really can't go more than 10ft down the street without someone going, you know, come shop over here. Come buy this. And so you are pitched many things on the way through the town. They are desperate for some sort of cash inflow. And as you all move on with your coin and further up the street, you reach a town, the building does not look in any way intentionally separated. Simply further down the street, as if it is a building from a more successful time in this hamlet's history and one that has managed to be preserved. This building is two stories. It's up on stilts, but these are broader and thicker and more supported. And it resembles a lot else of the town in that there's not a lot of frivolities. There's no paint, it's just the log structure. But there's like some stained glass in some of the windows and like a sign hanging over. The sign post is empty. The sign has been taken down as if it was once holding a business that is no longer there. But it's this two story building and it's nice. A little Tudorish in design, otherwise would a little simpler in architecture. And as you all wrap upon the door, it's not long before it is answered by a clearly half elven fellow. He has a sort of awkward combination of elven and human features, but some nonetheless. And as he answers the door there is a half elven fellow who's sort of about Landon's height. You know Landon, you're what, 5, 10? [01:38:28] Speaker B: I'm 6, 2. [01:38:30] Speaker A: Okay, I'll never know. So a guy about Landon tight is there and he's got some sort of pallid skin, a little lighter, a rather bulbous nose. And he has a beard. It is a beard and it's not awful, but it's also not great. And he's not young. [01:38:47] Speaker B: I would say that he looks like me and then describe his beard is not great. [01:38:50] Speaker A: Zachary Landon. I did not say that he was your height. I said he is like you in every way, without exception. And so he has the beard that is grown in, but not phenomenally, but looks like it's been there a long time. And it's the sort of situation where like the chin strap of it all is stronger but the mustache is a bit thinner, kind of like mine. And he's otherwise bald. And he has on some of the nicer clothes you've seen in the town. Not garish, but well maintained. He has many multiple sets perhaps and can keep them clean. He's got a couple rings on his fingers, not jewel set or anything, but some metals. And as you all reach the door, he greets you and he says good. [01:39:36] Speaker E: Morning, can I be of service? [01:39:39] Speaker C: Good morning, sir. We've got a little contract for you here to shine. I just like any handed train. [01:39:47] Speaker D: We are here to fight your monsters for you, sir. [01:39:51] Speaker A: Yes. [01:39:52] Speaker C: Temporary monster fighters we are. [01:39:54] Speaker A: A brow furrows over green eyes and he Gives you a surprised look and. [01:39:57] Speaker E: He says, you're here for the Morfang. [01:40:02] Speaker D: Yes. [01:40:04] Speaker C: He's about to make the more folk less folk, if you get what I was. I was saying now. [01:40:08] Speaker D: Yes, yes, that was. [01:40:11] Speaker E: That was very clever. [01:40:14] Speaker A: He, like, looks down, scans the page for, like, one or two lines, and then looks back up, confused. [01:40:17] Speaker E: I'm sorry, hello. [01:40:18] Speaker A: Who are you? [01:40:21] Speaker C: Eyes Glug. [01:40:23] Speaker E: Good to meet you, Glug. [01:40:25] Speaker D: I am. I am Elania of the Greenbottle family. [01:40:36] Speaker A: And Millard and Glug. You both hear. Yeah, that's the third name that Raz has used. And as Elania introduces herself, he nods. [01:40:48] Speaker E: And says, hello, I'm Arix Barrows. [01:40:53] Speaker D: Very cool name. [01:40:54] Speaker A: Same. [01:40:56] Speaker D: I like your name a lot. [01:40:58] Speaker E: And you, sir? [01:41:02] Speaker B: My name's Millard. I met these people yesterday. [01:41:05] Speaker E: Oh. [01:41:07] Speaker B: We're gonna go do this thing and I'm gonna make sure it gets done. But I have a couple questions for you first, if you don't mind. [01:41:15] Speaker E: Certainly. Hello. [01:41:17] Speaker A: And he, like, looks about the street and kind of closes the door behind him and steps on to his porch. [01:41:22] Speaker E: And he says, I was not expecting anyone, but I'm very glad someone's come about the mall folk. [01:41:29] Speaker A: I'm sorry, this is a contract. [01:41:30] Speaker E: So you all are here to hunt this. Well, these creatures? [01:41:35] Speaker B: I might, yes. And I'm not signing that contract. And I don't know if you should either. I don't have a lot of confidence in it. [01:41:43] Speaker C: You'll look over it and find it. Right? Except for the signature, which was done in little Lilia. [01:41:48] Speaker D: Was Lilia the name of the Tiefling? [01:41:51] Speaker A: Lilia, yes. Yeah. [01:41:53] Speaker D: Lilia and some other wonderful townsfolk of your lovely town have filled us in on the awful tragedy that has forsaken you, and we would like to be of service. [01:42:07] Speaker E: Oh, that was very well spoken. [01:42:09] Speaker A: He begins signing the contract. He begins scanning the contract. After a moment, he goes, ah, well. [01:42:17] Speaker E: This is a very excellent contract. [01:42:19] Speaker A: And he folds it up and hands it back to you, Glug. [01:42:21] Speaker E: And he goes, but really, let's not beholden you to any sort of debt. [01:42:27] Speaker A: First, let me. [01:42:29] Speaker E: Let me impart upon you some context as your. I'm sorry, Millard, I don't mean to be rude. [01:42:34] Speaker A: It's Millard, as your requested. Good. Thank you. [01:42:39] Speaker E: Allow me to share some information. Before obligating yourselves to anything, know that I would gladly pay you all in coin for such an endeavor, and it will be forthright, with or without signature. Hello. I'm Eric Sparrows. [01:42:57] Speaker A: Welcome to Ebb It. Though it seems You've found quite a bit of our town already. [01:43:00] Speaker E: If you've met fine folk, especially some such as the Lilia, then you've known enough of our town already. It's a wonderful place to live. [01:43:09] Speaker C: But. [01:43:10] Speaker E: So, yes, I'm the last real merchant. [01:43:14] Speaker A: Of the town and he looks up. [01:43:15] Speaker E: At the building and goes though real merchants. A bit of a stretch. I'm the Barrogs family have been here for quite some time. We were a source of financial stability for Ebbitt. Money has moved around in Beltran a bit and so families have left. I've remained. And I only give any of this context to say that I'm interested in the financial well being of my. My town. Well, not much stuff now, but I believe in us and I move between towns helping move on trade goods and transfer monies and keep this wonderful place alive. And when I say I, I really mean my friend Sigmund Dreyfuss, as he were. He is in my employ as one or two other. Other folks in town are paid for the various services they provide me. But Sigmund Freud was really my only employee and he was everything. He was my right hand, he was. But more than any of these things, he was my friend. [01:44:27] Speaker B: I'm sorry, I'd like to do an insight check to see how genuine it sounds or like if the emotions that he's trying to convey are real grief. [01:44:35] Speaker A: And gives me performance, give me an insight check. [01:44:40] Speaker B: Ooh, that is 21. [01:44:43] Speaker A: 21. Okay. When he describes the quality of his town, it seems earnest. It strikes you as many of the manners and affectations and affectations of earnestness. And when he describes Sigmund, you are. [01:45:01] Speaker E: Once again. [01:45:04] Speaker A: You are once again struck by a genuine regard for the fellow. If there is some sort of presentation here, it's at least coming from a genuine place. But it might also be real honesty. There is something else only that there are some odd pauses as he describes his emotions around his friend. [01:45:25] Speaker E: And. [01:45:27] Speaker A: He does seem. This doesn't feel like someone attempting to conjure. This does not feel to you, Millard. [01:45:34] Speaker E: Not to everyone else. [01:45:35] Speaker A: This does not feel to you as though someone attempting to conjure fake regard for someone he seems to be speaking of someone he is genuinely fond of. These parts of his speech come quickly, but there's some pauses as he describes the recentness of the event that strike you, as though there might be some sort of information to which he's not letting on. There's. It's as if a different thought is coming, is competing in his mind as he's telling you this relevant information. He's of two minds about something and it's a little unclear what, but he continues and he says. [01:46:12] Speaker E: I apologize it was a recent loss, but I should hope it not a loss at all. [01:46:20] Speaker A: But. [01:46:23] Speaker E: Sigmund's been gone some time and he was carrying goods with him and whatnot. But I would just like to see my friend safely return. It's worth contextualizing right out of the gate that I am well to do of ebbit. Not necessarily by any extra Beltranian standards. I can pay you all, but not a great deal. This is a great service to me and so I mean you to be well compensated. And the more folk of legends seem insidious and dangerous, but I really don't. I have much of the coin in this town, and that's not too much. It's rather freely shared. I could offer you all in sum 60 gold. He's a dear friend, but I don't know that I could offer you too much more than that. [01:47:22] Speaker B: Sounds fair to me. I think that's a good price. [01:47:27] Speaker D: That sounds wonderful. [01:47:30] Speaker C: Sounds right to me. [01:47:32] Speaker E: The problem beyond this is that I don't know that I have that much more information to offer you. I can tell you this. Sigmund was headed along the northern road, more toward the interior of Biltron. There's really not much other place to travel. A road we've all together but since this was a month ago. And it's a road that we've altogether rather quit taking since our discoveries. There is a wood through which the road bisects. And I couldn't tell you much more than that other than the road is apparently very unsafe. [01:48:13] Speaker D: You were not with him when this happened, correct? [01:48:17] Speaker E: Gods, no. Okay, no. I imagine I would have. Whatever's befallen my friend, I imagine would have likewise befallen me. No, he often goes and does errands without me. Sometimes I accompany him, sometimes I do not. But the point being that. [01:48:42] Speaker A: I know. [01:48:43] Speaker E: Little of the Morfolk, in that I even. There are different rumors that speak of them as one creature. This is a group of them. Many agree that they are pale in tall and quick. I don't know much more than that. I'm told they emerge at night. To be quite honest, it is a childlike story I've disregarded all my life until it has very suddenly become so real. And now I try not to think of them. And I'm glad. Only that by whatever arbitrary reason they stay so far beyond our town. But yes. [01:49:26] Speaker D: Do you have anything of your friends? I heard there was a piece of clothing that was found. [01:49:37] Speaker E: Yes, more than a piece. A large. A large amount of his cloak. No blood upon it, so that's. [01:49:49] Speaker D: That is usually a good sign. [01:49:50] Speaker A: Yes, he's been. [01:49:52] Speaker B: Oh, mate. [01:49:54] Speaker C: Who was it who happened upon whatever was left of your friend? [01:50:01] Speaker E: Well, not I. It was. We have a woods. Sorry. Carpenter is the name in town. And he travels farther north than anyone else to collect what wood we do for structure and repair. And he found the evidence upon the road maybe three or four miles north of the town. And it is. It is from this place that the cloth was recovered. I went with other townsfolk not long after to go inspect the place of my own accord. An experience in which I do not delight to remember. But I can bring you the cloth if it's of some use. [01:50:47] Speaker D: Possibly. That would be helpful, yes. [01:50:50] Speaker E: Let me step into my boat. I mean you're welcome inside, but it's just. I'm not ready for. [01:50:55] Speaker A: I guess. You may stand in the foyer if you so desire. And he walks in and opens the door. Leaves it to you all if you wish. [01:51:02] Speaker E: And he's not gone long. [01:51:03] Speaker A: He ascends up a staircase, moves across a landing into an interior room. There's some shuffling and not long after he returns with a long cut of a cloak. It's pretty substantial. It's like a foot by a foot and a half. And it's no perfect cut. It's clearly a tear down of cloak and itself. Nice cloak. Leather. There's a pretty sharp point at the top that looks punctured and everything else torn as if something punched through it at the top and then tore down as one might imagine a cloak to be torn. And as he brings it to you, it's otherwise rather unremarkable. [01:51:37] Speaker E: And he goes if you want to really going after these morfolk. Well, it's a grim memento for me anyway. [01:51:46] Speaker A: And he hands you over the cloak. [01:51:47] Speaker B: And says him Millard's going to grab the cloak as he p. As he holds it. Oh, I thought he was holding towards the group. [01:51:53] Speaker A: Sorry, my bad. [01:51:55] Speaker B: I'm not jumping in front of anybody. I just. [01:51:58] Speaker A: What? [01:51:59] Speaker D: I think I'm. I don't know. But I can try something. I don't know if it will work. How far away did you say this road is where this was found? How far away is that from here? [01:52:11] Speaker E: About three or four miles north. The tone. Okay, take your time. I don't mean to rush you. I know nothing of this business. [01:52:20] Speaker D: He hands it to me I take. [01:52:23] Speaker B: A look at it. I want to look at the cut. Is it straight or is it jagged? [01:52:29] Speaker A: It, it's. It's not at all straight. It's pretty torn. It looks ripped. You know the way that fabric tears unevenly down its length when pulling hold. Punched at a point and then ripped down as if something shot. [01:52:42] Speaker B: I'd like to, if he's holding it. [01:52:44] Speaker C: I'd like to like do an investigation on an investigation. Check on it. Just like sniff it too. See if I smell anything. [01:52:51] Speaker B: I want to investig. [01:52:56] Speaker A: A4 glug. [01:53:06] Speaker E: Leather. [01:53:11] Speaker C: Sounds like mate was a cow. [01:53:14] Speaker A: Barrows just gives a sort of concerned look, but looks to Millard. [01:53:18] Speaker C: He wasn't a cow, was he? [01:53:20] Speaker B: I want to examine it to see if there is any. [01:53:25] Speaker E: Oh. [01:53:28] Speaker B: What Millard's thinking is is there any kind of like stain on it? He's looking for stains, sweat. Was he running? Was he in a hurry? What is there bits of particles on it? Are there? Oh, that's not super great. Can we count Grugs as the help act? Actually, could I be giving the help action to him as we do this together? [01:53:58] Speaker A: Yeah. When people suggest the help action before the result of a roll is known. [01:54:01] Speaker B: True, true. No, no, no. Keeping me honest. Keep me honest. I like it. [01:54:03] Speaker C: Like I sniffed it and I smelled it. [01:54:05] Speaker B: But I got proficiency on investigation. Does anybody have guidance? I'm gonna burn my inspiration. On the Zagreb. I'm gonna burn my inspiration. I'm gonna burn. Was about to be a 19 and. [01:54:17] Speaker A: Then it was a three. [01:54:18] Speaker B: So my highest is a six. Okay, so my bonus is. [01:54:24] Speaker A: Oh, sorry, sorry. [01:54:25] Speaker B: I got plus intelligence is plus zero. So that's a eight. [01:54:34] Speaker A: Okay. [01:54:35] Speaker B: I am proficient. [01:54:37] Speaker A: It is not a fruitless search. There is indeed some like there's a cracked substance around it. It's some dirt. And as you search through it, not terribly subtly and your thumbs press across. [01:54:49] Speaker E: It, he goes mud from the northern trail. We found it pressed into the dirt there. Well, not I, but the carpenter. And so it was pressed in among the tracks that were trampled upon it. And so it was a rather mud, muddy path. That's what that is there. [01:55:08] Speaker D: Could I do an arcana check to know if I, if I cast, locate or object on this. If it would locate the. If it would find the rest of it, like would that work that way? Do I burn my inspiration, guys? Cuz I rolled a nap. [01:55:37] Speaker C: I'm going to burn it. [01:55:38] Speaker A: Nice. No, he's turning around going 26, 89, 47. This is good. [01:55:44] Speaker C: Level three is your. [01:55:45] Speaker B: Your go To. [01:55:46] Speaker A: Huh. [01:55:47] Speaker D: Okay, so I'm burning my inspiration. [01:55:52] Speaker B: I gotta go bounce. [01:55:53] Speaker C: Imagine. [01:55:53] Speaker A: I'll be right back. [01:55:55] Speaker C: Oh, I got. [01:55:56] Speaker D: I rolled a NAT1 and then I rolled a NAT20. Zach, that's a 21. Oh, my gosh. My modifier on Arcana is plus one. Who is she? Who is she? She's not rocking. [01:56:15] Speaker A: With a 21. All of a sudden, it occurs to you, if it's more than a thousand feet away, this wouldn't be helpful. You remember that. [01:56:25] Speaker D: But I mean, like, you. [01:56:26] Speaker A: That holding one source of the cloak could help you locate the rest. But. [01:56:30] Speaker D: Okay. [01:56:30] Speaker A: If it's as far away on the road as he says it is. [01:56:32] Speaker D: Yeah. [01:56:33] Speaker A: Probably wouldn't be now if you got closer to wherever you believe the rest of the cloak to be in casting the spell, it would help you find the rest. [01:56:40] Speaker D: That's what I figured. Okay. I just wanted to know if it would work that way. Part of that item. Okay. I think, guys, that we should go to the site of the crime and do investigating ourselves, see if anyone missed anything, and then go in the direction that we think they took him. [01:57:05] Speaker C: That sounds good to Glug. Only thing I say is, Mr. Mate, do you know anyone in town who has a hound dog, anything like that? Hunting dog? [01:57:17] Speaker A: Sorry. [01:57:18] Speaker E: If we had such, we probably would have employed it. [01:57:22] Speaker D: Don't you have? [01:57:23] Speaker C: Yeah, yeah, Makes sense. Makes sense. [01:57:25] Speaker A: I'm sorry, you could. [01:57:27] Speaker D: No. Glug, you could use your frogs. Maybe the help of your frog. [01:57:32] Speaker C: I don't know how good frogs smell. Well, I know how good frogs smell. [01:57:37] Speaker D: I don't know how good He. He is a magic. He is magic. He brings frogs out of his hat. [01:57:44] Speaker C: You wanted me to show you right now, mate, I pull out my hat, I pull out a frog. [01:57:49] Speaker A: Okay. [01:57:50] Speaker C: Holding the frog like I'm holding it so I can see it. [01:57:53] Speaker A: That's lovely. [01:57:55] Speaker D: It wasn't in there. It was like magic. [01:57:58] Speaker A: It looked. [01:57:58] Speaker D: Yeah. [01:57:59] Speaker C: I'll get three of them every day, so if you want more. [01:58:02] Speaker E: No, I wouldn't want to take them from you. [01:58:06] Speaker C: Okay. [01:58:07] Speaker A: Can you give any point before I. [01:58:10] Speaker E: Press you all any further? Thank you for this. [01:58:13] Speaker A: Great. [01:58:14] Speaker C: Is his door open still? [01:58:16] Speaker B: No. [01:58:17] Speaker A: You all are currently standing a bit inside. [01:58:19] Speaker E: Yeah. [01:58:20] Speaker C: Okay. I. I let go of the frog and it definitely runs inside, I guess. [01:58:23] Speaker A: Oh, he goes. [01:58:24] Speaker E: Oh, all right. [01:58:26] Speaker A: You have a pit now. [01:58:29] Speaker E: Thank you. [01:58:30] Speaker D: Yeah. [01:58:30] Speaker C: You can name him if you want. Craig Lug. [01:58:36] Speaker E: Okay. [01:58:38] Speaker A: If you all mean to do this. [01:58:39] Speaker E: Task for me, and I am very thankful, I imagine it harrowing and dangerous. So thank you. I would need some sort of proof to pay you. I will pay gladly. Of course, I would need proof of the monster's destruction. [01:58:55] Speaker D: Of course I would. I. Our first hope, of course, is to bring your friend back. But since it has been so long, obviously we don't know. Obviously that is our main goal. But if not, we will bring you, depending on the size, the head of the monster, certainly. [01:59:23] Speaker C: Lug's mom always said it was best to bring bring back a pancreas. But you know, different strokes for different. [01:59:28] Speaker D: Folks is a pain. [01:59:31] Speaker A: So good luck on your hunting. Yes. [01:59:33] Speaker D: Could you. Could you just tell us any more? Are there any distinguishing features of your friend for if we stumble upon someone, what he looked like or anything? [01:59:47] Speaker E: Certainly. He's a lovely fellow. He's rather small in stature, a human fellow. Though we've often joked that he must have some dwarven halfling in his bloodline. [02:00:00] Speaker A: Because he's rather small, a bit diminutive. [02:00:04] Speaker E: He's got sort of a warm, more chestnut skin. He shaves his head bald. He's got warm brown eyes, a prominent nose. He was wearing a cloak that color the day he left with a blue undergarment. And he's a wonderful person. Lovely. He's got a brown mole there in his jaw. [02:00:33] Speaker D: Okay, Good to know. [02:00:35] Speaker C: We Lug would think he would also answer to Sigmund. [02:00:38] Speaker A: Right? [02:00:39] Speaker C: I think we could try that one on him. [02:00:40] Speaker E: Yes, that's his name. Sigmund Dry. [02:00:42] Speaker C: Okay. [02:00:44] Speaker D: Okay. [02:00:45] Speaker C: Keep that in mind. Yeah? [02:00:46] Speaker D: We will be on our way and we will do the best we can. [02:00:55] Speaker E: Thank you. [02:00:55] Speaker C: Oh, and without the contract, I'll have. I'll have my. I'll have my contacts back at the guild. Just send you a receipt out here. It'll probably be a couple months time. [02:01:05] Speaker E: That sounds lovely. [02:01:09] Speaker C: Yeah, no problem. No problem, mate. [02:01:11] Speaker D: What guild is this? [02:01:18] Speaker A: Questions are increasing. Wavered you out of his home. Thank you. [02:01:26] Speaker C: Lug of the skullduggery guild. Yeah. Just ushered away. [02:01:36] Speaker D: When Zach stops to. [02:01:38] Speaker A: Write something and the door closes behind you and you all are out. In some morning light. It's a brisk temperature out, maybe like 35ish. You guys can see your breath in the air. And as you all begin crunching down the stone path, where do you head? [02:02:00] Speaker D: I say we head to the site that Sigmund was last found or seen. [02:02:06] Speaker C: Sounds good to glug. [02:02:07] Speaker D: Or where the garment was. [02:02:10] Speaker C: Little bit of a walk. Warmed the bounds up, you know. [02:02:13] Speaker D: Definitely. [02:02:15] Speaker A: And so the three of you, Millard Pensive, travel on for some time north on the road. It's not by any means. A long walk. There is a lot of hill to it. So the quads get burning pretty quick. Could I get. No, we don't have to make a check out of this. Relative to your athletic. [02:02:37] Speaker D: Oh, I was ready. [02:02:39] Speaker A: Jackie held up dice like an addict. So let's make a check out of it. Could I get endurance checks from each of you? [02:02:49] Speaker C: Yes. [02:02:51] Speaker D: Wait, where do I find. [02:02:53] Speaker C: Where do I find that? [02:02:54] Speaker A: Steven, that is a custom tech for our campaign. Just add on your. Your constitution modifier. [02:03:01] Speaker C: Okay. A22. [02:03:04] Speaker D: Oh. [02:03:05] Speaker A: What we expect from Glug. I don't know about you. [02:03:10] Speaker D: I actually rolled a while 15. [02:03:14] Speaker A: Excellent, Glug. There's a little bit too much power in those thickham thighs to be slowed down. And Sam and Miller take it in stride as well. The group trudges on. There was going to be no mechanical effect from that, just seeing if you guys got tired or not. And so the thighs burn, but it's a brisk burn. Glug's right. This is helping. It's keeping you warm in the cold. And you guys move up and down sort of rolling hills of stone, crunching through hard paths. And the terrain around you grows both more open in the sense of topography. It becomes less pressed between depressions in the earth of larger topographical features. But then also it becomes more enclosed at the same time as plants grow up further and further as you move inland from the coast, the ocean air falling behind. And instead there is a moisture here, but it is a very cold moisture and it is still very overcast. And the sparse pines begin to grow in more closely. And they're rather tall trees here, ranging from between 30 on the short side to 50 on the high side. And they're these very conical pines. [02:04:25] Speaker C: Very. [02:04:26] Speaker A: Long needles, far apart on the branches relative for pines, not thick bunches of them, but so full in the trees that they look stout and full. And there's occasionally movement off the path from animals and far calls of birds and mammals. There is at some point a truly terrifying sound that sounds like the scream of someone being murdered. Just a. That goes out for a long time before it repeats from somewhere else else in the story. On the forest, on an opposite side somewhere else. It's got a sort of bouncing pattern. Can someone here make me a nature check? [02:05:02] Speaker D: Yeah. [02:05:02] Speaker C: Yeah. [02:05:03] Speaker D: Or would you like to? Steven. [02:05:08] Speaker C: Can we both do it? [02:05:11] Speaker D: I rolled a knight. [02:05:11] Speaker C: I got a. I got a 16. [02:05:15] Speaker A: Okay. It occurs to you, Glug, that this is probably an animal. This is probably not a monstrous noise, though it sounds horrifying. You can tell how people in this town, regardless of interaction with monsters, heard those sounds in the dark forest and began to tell tale of monsters. Raz, or whoever you are today, Sam, you. [02:05:43] Speaker D: You just call me. [02:05:45] Speaker A: You put together easily enough that. Oh, you have heard of that. Animals famous for the horrible, horrible sounds they make. That is an Insignian elk. And the males, at the height of winter and in the middle of summer, do these horrible calls in summer for mating purposes. In winter, as territory displays, they do these screaming calls that sound like people getting murdered, but they're just calls. And this is something that a lot of deer species do in real life. Horrible, horrible sounds at night. So as you all walk down the path, that sound makes you piss your pants for a little bit, but then you move on and you all are just trudging through the stone paths as you go. [02:06:28] Speaker D: Do you think? So about. [02:06:30] Speaker C: What time is it? It's like, still morning now. [02:06:33] Speaker A: You guys are about to noon. You've walked for three or so miles. No spot. No sign of a spot of mention yet. Now, he did say it was a month ago, that whatever this transpired. And he also, Barrows seemed pretty. He was pretty forthright about not being real clear on the exact distance. So, you know, you're walking and it's about. [02:06:54] Speaker D: He said there was like a four in the road, right? [02:06:57] Speaker A: No, he did not. [02:06:58] Speaker D: Oh, he did not. [02:06:59] Speaker A: Okay. [02:07:00] Speaker D: I'm losing my marbles. You don't think it was just an animal that took him, do you? [02:07:11] Speaker C: I. I couldn't say. If, you know, if the. If the people say there's more folk in there, I. I'd bet on there being some more. [02:07:23] Speaker D: That's good enough for me. Okay. [02:07:26] Speaker A: Yeah. [02:07:26] Speaker C: Good enough for Gluck, too. [02:07:29] Speaker A: Steven, you had to put money on Landon coming back at some. [02:07:33] Speaker C: I think I just heard the gate. Yeah. [02:07:35] Speaker A: Did he get in a car to go get a sandwich? [02:07:39] Speaker C: No, I'm assuming he just had something. I don't know. [02:07:41] Speaker D: I think he just went down to the kitchen. [02:07:44] Speaker A: Amazing. Quick. [02:07:44] Speaker C: Yeah. [02:07:45] Speaker A: Stephen, if you had to put a million. If you had to put money on a million dollars being on my table. [02:07:50] Speaker D: Yeah, can you do mine too? Landon, what's your sandwich? [02:07:56] Speaker B: What's going on? [02:07:57] Speaker D: What's your sandwich? [02:07:58] Speaker B: Did we find the monster? [02:08:00] Speaker D: It looks good. We're on our way. [02:08:02] Speaker C: We're heading up the trail to the. [02:08:04] Speaker D: Fork and we're hearing the mating calls of elk. [02:08:07] Speaker C: Well, you. [02:08:08] Speaker D: I said. I told you it was elk. I don't know if you knew it was oak. [02:08:11] Speaker B: I probably knew it was Out. [02:08:12] Speaker D: Uncinian elk. [02:08:14] Speaker A: Where is that from? Weggies. [02:08:20] Speaker D: All right, so we're walking towards. We're like three miles out. [02:08:25] Speaker A: Yeah, I know. [02:08:27] Speaker D: I'm like, a sandwich looks good. This sandwich he's eating is like, just looks like a good sub sandwich. [02:08:33] Speaker C: And can you display it like a $5 foot long Subway commercial? Yeah, it's got a good cross section. [02:08:41] Speaker A: That looks like what Subway sandwiches pretend they are. [02:08:43] Speaker D: Mm. Yeah, it's like a commercial sandwich. [02:08:47] Speaker A: And so as Miller chows down on a. On a 12 grain sandwich that is only 12 grains, there are no. No entries. Bird body is perfectly satisfied with all the different grains as he is chowing down on the bread. Walking along the path, this impromptu party is heading further northward. It's getting colder as you go. The temperature is dropping back down. Now you guys are approaching the sub-30s. You're dressed enough for it and all of the movement is helping, but it's a little cold when you stop. It's the kind of environment that makes you want to keep walking, you know. And everything's very crunchy around a lot of the plants off the path. There are some like middle and tall grasses that are like a bit coated in frost as if there was some dew from the morning that froze upon them. And the cloud cover has never broken enough here in midday to allow the temperature to melt. There's again sounds from birds and mammals, but not like a lot of insect chatter, no reptilian movement. Only some animals are really active right now at this time and temperature. And the ground, the stone path beneath you feels a bit extra crunchy in the cold. And you just walk in the path. There's really nothing of note so far, but there could be more distance to go. [02:10:03] Speaker D: Did you say we've gone about three. [02:10:06] Speaker A: Four miles Somewhere around there. [02:10:08] Speaker D: I'm gonna. [02:10:09] Speaker A: Hard to say specifics. [02:10:10] Speaker D: Yeah, I'm gonna go ahead. I think we've been walking long enough. So she's gonna cast locate object with the piece of cloth. Be like, I think I can try find it maybe if he's around. And she takes out her horn and. [02:10:29] Speaker C: She goes. [02:10:35] Speaker D: And casts the locate object. [02:10:37] Speaker A: Excellent. What color is your. Are the flourishes of your magic, Sam? [02:10:43] Speaker D: It's like it's a hodgepodge. It's like green and then some red and some blue and some pink and it's just kind of rainbow. And I want to remind you all that there's still like just random twigs in her hair. And it looks like she's. As they've been walking, it looks like she's been picking up more and, like, trying to stick them in her hair. [02:11:05] Speaker B: And as. [02:11:07] Speaker A: As the notes from your trumpet, as different as the colors that come out play audibly. The flourishes of magic. They move around and they swirl along the ground. They pick up along the ground in a little off the path in a direction, but then they just lift off to nowhere. As if there was once a cloak as such description in this area at a time, but now appears to be either no longer here or out of range. So it looks like the place they once resided was a bit off the path to the northeast. But from there, challenging to say, am. [02:11:42] Speaker D: I feeling like a direction or anything? [02:11:45] Speaker A: Yeah, you're feeling like a little bit. [02:11:46] Speaker D: Okay. [02:11:47] Speaker A: You feel a pull that direction, but then it, like, it's. It's like. [02:11:51] Speaker D: Like dies off. [02:11:53] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah. It's like there's a tug, and then it dies away. [02:11:56] Speaker D: Yeah, but it's. I think we should keep heading this direction. [02:12:02] Speaker A: And you do know the tug pulls you off the path. [02:12:05] Speaker D: I think we should go off the path because I am feeling. I'm feeling senses going this direction. It stops. But it could be where he last was. There might be clues. Follow me. And she starts, like, skipping. [02:12:27] Speaker A: And so. And she skips forward. You all step off the path for the first time. And as you all tread off the path and through the high grasses, that is where we will end. The first half of our one shot. We'll go on a little break. Everyone will have the opportunity to go potty, eat a little food. The DM will do a little bit of prepping, and we'll come back after. [02:12:53] Speaker E: Say, I don't know, 15 minutes. [02:12:57] Speaker A: We'll come back. So, listeners, life's an incredible adventure. You're an important part of it. We'll come back after a short time, and what is but moments for you will be time for us. We'll see you soon. Kibbity Wab and Dada.