Session 08 - Transcript

00:00 [DM (Aarya)] This takes a second. Oh yeah, there we go. Now we're live.
00:00 [DM (Aarya)] All right, so this is Phantom Chain session eight. If someone would like to start us off by recapping the last session, that'd be cool.
00:18 [Sildir (Tris)] Okay, I'll do it.
00:20 [DM (Aarya)] Thank you for volunteering, Tristan. Maybe I won't kill Sildur.
00:24 [Sildir (Tris)] Oh, well, it starts off with us awaking at Sirfalls and we are getting ready to move to the Locky. Just prior to that, we had our night at the, you know, the whole fuck, killing my girlfriend arc and getting our fortunes told, more importantly.
00:51 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, the killing of the girlfriend arc wasn't that big of a deal or anything.
00:58 [Sildir (Tris)] No, nobody cared about that at all. So we check on Eva before leaving. And also Irdel talks around town a little bit, trying to just get a contact over to her family, possibly, since she knows Vistani can travel between the worlds.
00:58 [Sildir (Tris)] And Arena and Sildur have a brief conversation where Arena's kind of blaming herself for some of the troubles that have befallen her and her family. Give her a little pep talk and we basically go and get on our way. As we go on the path to the Locky, there's a mysterious figure in the mists.
00:58 [Sildir (Tris)] Mercurial calls out who goes there. And a Dullahan-type creature kind of bursts forward and ultimately ignores anything that we try to do to it and just continues riding on. So there is a kind of a mystery out there for us either to wonder about or to solve.
00:58 [Sildir (Tris)] Anywho, I got some derision from Mercurial about the situation with Eliza.
02:14 [DM (Aarya)] You're a little bit upset about that.
02:19 [Sildir (Tris)] Yeah, Mercurial just really, you know, they argue and I think they kind of got to a point where I'll just be politically correct and say they just weren't listening to each other, but really it was just Mercurial not listening at all. And anyway, we end with the—this just happens on and off throughout the whole episode, but we make up kind of at the end. So I'm just not going to cite every time it happens now, when I'm doing this recap, at least.
02:55 [Sildir (Tris)] But just know that we're arguing the whole time and at the end of the day, we are kind of like more okay with each other, unless Mercurial wants to correct that. But we find a dead wolf with some crossbow bolts as well, after we see the Dullahan and after the argument.
03:15 [Sildir (Tris)] And we are just investigating the living shit out of this thing, even though there's some ruins right nearby. But we find that it was a wolf, indeed, and a dead one at that, and one that has been rotting for a while.
03:31 [Sildir (Tris)] There was also a symbol of the Mourning Lord there. And after a while, we go to investigate the Watchtower. So the Watchtower is—well, Syl found something there.
03:31 [Sildir (Tris)] That's what we should all think. In reality, there was a silver pendant on the ground that was carved to resemble a dragon. Only Syl and Ember know that at this point.
03:31 [Sildir (Tris)] But it's also spooky. It's cold. We go to the top, and we see it's kind of very misty and mysterious up there.
03:31 [Sildir (Tris)] We can't see that much. We head back down and get the heck out of there because it's scary. We move forward into a forest, and it's one of those old-school forests that had so many trees that it was blocking out the sun, pretty much.
03:31 [Sildir (Tris)] Um, pre-industrial forest, yay. But when we're in there, we are ambushed by some wolves. Six wolves, to be exact.
03:31 [Sildir (Tris)] Iridel and Solalus both have amazing sixth senses, and were kind of able to warn us about this. But nonetheless, we still had to fight these six wolves as we went into a very narrow passage with a cliff on one end, which Sealed Deer fell off of mid-combat and almost died. But luckily, we kind of make it out of there.
03:31 [Sildir (Tris)] You know, the team fights pretty smart, pretty well. One of the wolves just jumps at the end off the cliff. No one...
03:31 [Sildir (Tris)] I wonder how that happened. And then as we leave, as we're leaving, we see two seemingly more intelligent-looking wolves watching us. But I think the group had had enough for that day, and we decide not to confront them.
03:31 [Sildir (Tris)] But as we move on, we get to a bridge. Iridel rips a natty 20 perception, and that allows her to see an outline of a figure far ahead in the center of the bridge. So as we appear, as we approach and get closer, we find that it is Mr. Bones.
06:09 [Sildir (Tris)] What was it? What do we call him? Tommy?
06:11 [Sylalys (Cat)] Mr. Bones.
06:13 [Sildir (Tris)] Yeah, Tommy Bones.
06:16 [DM (Aarya)] To be clear, this is a party given name. We didn't actually have a name, but yeah.
06:20 [Sildir (Tris)] Right. There is no name. It's not Mr. Bones, nor Tommy. But yeah, he's so old that he forgot his name. And I think there was some kind of criticism of Tommy for forgetting his name and remembering the names of others. But that's just someone who lives for his homies right there.
06:20 [Sildir (Tris)] He doesn't even give a fuck who he is.
06:38 [Sildir (Tris)] He's just trying to get back to his homies. And that is it. So I'm going to defend Tommy in my recap.
06:45 [Mercurio (Gui)] He's just a real one. He probably just had an embarrassing name, and then we gave him a cooler one, so. I mean, hey.
06:53 [DM (Aarya)] I like to think that canonically, this is what Mercurio thinks happened.
06:58 [Mercurio (Gui)] This is definitely what Mercurio was thinking. He was trying to do something nice for Tommy.
07:05 [Sylalys (Cat)] Yeah.
07:06 [Mercurio (Gui)] Tommy Bones. The new name.
07:09 [Sildir (Tris)] Really, it was just Tommy. But anyway.
07:13 [Sildir (Tris)] So we talked with him, and he's a member of the Silver Dragon. Which, like, if you know about the pendant that Syl found, you're like, whoa, what could that pendant be for? But we don't, none of us know that.
07:13 [Sildir (Tris)] Only Syl knows that at this point.
07:27 [Sylalys (Cat)] The Order of the Silver Dragon, yeah.
07:29 [Sildir (Tris)] He advises us to travel west to Godfrey Gwilym at Argenvost Hold.
07:35 [Sildir (Tris)] I probably said that wrong, but something like that. He also had an old lord named Vladimir. And, yeah.
07:35 [Sildir (Tris)] He doesn't want to say that much more to us, because he's been sworn to preserve the secrets of these Silver Dragons as well. And we just got to go seek them out and join them ourselves if we want to know more. The party kind of, you know, saunters off.
07:35 [Sildir (Tris)] Syl stays back, and Ember is really not cool with Syl keeping a secret from her. So she stays back too. And learns that Syl has this pendant, because Syl shows the pendant to Tommy.
07:35 [Sildir (Tris)] And Tommy is pretty, I guess, you know, kind of expresses for the first time, like, some semblance of happiness in that whole conversation. Or even just like some semblance of his own emotions that would only serve himself in this whole conversation when he sees the pendant. And he does confirm that it's a pendant that belonged to his order.
07:35 [Sildir (Tris)] And that's where we left off, basically. Like, we kept walking, obviously. But, yeah.
08:59 [DM (Aarya)] Pretty good recap. Covered everything. Thanks.
09:05 [Sildir (Tris)] All right. I do my best.
09:09 [DM (Aarya)] We do what is right. All right. Let's see.
09:09 [DM (Aarya)] Where do I have this, the map? I think it was... You know, actually, we're going to transition to the next scene anyway.
09:09 [DM (Aarya)] So we'll stay on the title screen for the moment, and then I'll swap you over. Why don't I have music playing? Let's do that.
09:09 [DM (Aarya)] Okay. All right. So let me pull up my notes for this scene.
09:09 [DM (Aarya)] So many notes today.
09:49 [Sildir (Tris)] Actually, just for the party to have a roof over your head, Yeah. Here are some of our open quests. You consider them that.
09:49 [Sildir (Tris)] One, search for Gertruda. Also, we're about to complete this one, but bring Irina to Vallaki. Look for clues regarding the missing Lanston family from Barovia Village.
09:49 [Sildir (Tris)] Did we get through that at all? No, right? Not really.
09:49 [Sildir (Tris)] We could find Aravel and let her know we spoke with Madame Eva and give her a gift that we buy from Blinsky's Toys.
10:29 [DM (Aarya)] Aravel, but yeah.
10:32 [Sildir (Tris)] Sorry. Yeah. We should find Von Richten and ask how he travels between lands.
10:32 [Sildir (Tris)] Go see Godfrey and Arginvost Holt, Silver Dragon Order. And I kind of threw in that we should discover what is going on with the Dullahan. And still get a beach episode with Irina.
10:58 [DM (Aarya)] Ah, yes, the beach episode. Ah, yes.
11:01 [Mercurio (Gui)] Very important. The stretch goal. But really, that's like the main quest line.
11:08 [DM (Aarya)] I mean, in a sense, maybe it is. But anyway. All right.
11:08 [DM (Aarya)] So you guys have crossed the bridge that spans the Seraph Falls. You're continuing to walk along this mountainous path, like winding up and around and through the mountainous woody terrain. Navigating your way down the switchback trail that leads back to lower ground.
11:08 [DM (Aarya)] And after wandering for, I'd say, probably like a couple hours or so, one or two hours, you find yourself standing before these massive gates. And I'm going to switch the scene here. I'll activate and then I'll pull you in.
11:08 [DM (Aarya)] There has to be a funnier way to just like drag the whole party in instead of doing it one by one. But I'll have to figure that out later. All right.
11:08 [DM (Aarya)] Let me know if you guys are all in the scene.
12:25 [Sildir (Tris)] I'm here.
12:26 [DM (Aarya)] Cool.
12:28 [Sildir (Tris)] Savannah's there as well. Yep, here. She just made it.
12:31 [DM (Aarya)] Great. All right. So you see lying before you, fog is spilling out of the forest to swallow up the road behind you.
12:31 [DM (Aarya)] And ahead, jutting from the impenetrable woods on both sides of the road are high stone buttresses looming gray in the fog. You see huge iron gates hanging on the stonework. Dew is clinging with cold tenacity to the rusted bars and two headless statues of armed guards flank the gate.
12:31 [DM (Aarya)] Their heads are now lying among the weeds at your feet. And they greet you only with silence. So you see as you arrive before these gates, Irina looks around and she notes that it is like dusk now.
12:31 [DM (Aarya)] So she suggested to the party that perhaps we could rest for the night.
13:30 [Sildir (Tris)] Hmm. I mean, I could easily rest. You've been walking for quite some time.
13:30 [Sildir (Tris)] And I also fell off a cliff today. Yes, Master Cinder. My bones are sore.
13:41 [DM (Aarya)] I imagine you took quite the tumble earlier. I do hope you're feeling all right.
13:48 [Sildir (Tris)] Yeah, I'm right as rain now. Whatever magic Mercurio and Iridel has is quite strong. I can vouch for that myself.
13:48 [Sildir (Tris)] But it would be nice to sleep it off.
13:58 [Sylalys (Cat)] Indeed.
13:59 [DM (Aarya)] You have powerful allies, but we do all need our rest.
14:05 [Irredel (Sav)] Are you familiar with this place that we're looking to stay at? It looks quite imposing.
14:13 [DM (Aarya)] Yes, well, I haven't been here myself. I've never traveled outside of my village. But I understand that these are the gates of Barovia leading further into the valley where other settlements lie.
14:38 [Mercurio (Gui)] Are they known to be a safer area?
14:43 [Sylalys (Cat)] Do people often find shelter here?
14:47 [DM (Aarya)] As I understand, this is a part of the road that is more often traveled, at least as often as can be traveled here. But I suspect that we would be better off resting here rather than venturing further into the woods where Vallaki is. At least it's more open here.
14:47 [DM (Aarya)] That's true.
15:17 [Irredel (Sav)] You know the terrain better than we possibly could. Yeah.
15:20 [DM (Aarya)] I only know what my family has shared with me. I've never traveled these roads myself.
15:26 [Irredel (Sav)] Well, we've never been in this land at all ourselves, so I think weighing the information as limited as you have, we have even less.
15:38 [DM (Aarya)] I see. What an interesting predicament we're in, if I could be considered the expert on the lay of the land.
15:49 [Sildir (Tris)] Do you know who these statues are of, Arena?
15:52 [DM (Aarya)] I cannot say. From what I've heard from my father about the history of Barovia, these lands were conquered many, many years ago by Strahd himself, and he has settled here ever since. Perhaps this is a remnant of that time.
16:16 [Sylalys (Cat)] Yeah.
16:17 [Sildir (Tris)] Nothing like defacing the statues of your fallen enemies to keep your order strong. It makes sense.
16:26 [DM (Aarya)] It certainly fits his style, I suppose. As you look around...
16:39 [Mercurio (Gui)] Let's give the land a harsh vibe, though.
16:41 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah. As you look around amongst yourselves, just taking note of the state that the party's in, you notice that Ember and Saturna are feeling... they seem particularly wary and worn down, presumably from the day's events.
17:02 [Sildir (Tris)] I would ask how they're doing, but I'm not sure how it's gonna go. Yeah.
17:07 [Irredel (Sav)] Well, let's set up camp, I guess.
17:13 [DM (Aarya)] Very well. I guess... I'm not sure if you were able to secure any sort of camping supplies from the Vistani before we left, but I'm happy to help set up or help wherever I can.
17:28 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yes, I secured some important supplies when I pulled out a bottle of the Vistani wine. Classic!
17:36 [DM (Aarya)] Oh, Master Mercurio, you really are one of a kind.
17:42 [Sylalys (Cat)] Hoping to have plenty to keep yourself occupied.
17:45 [Mercurio (Gui)] Should be enough to keep us all warm through the night.
17:50 [DM (Aarya)] Well, I'm sure one of us can start a fire, surely? You've all been traveling for some time, I understand.
18:02 [Sildir (Tris)] Yeah, we have. We have. I mean, as long as we've been here, which also isn't that long.
18:02 [Sildir (Tris)] But can't be that hard.
18:12 [Irredel (Sav)] And as a matter of fact, we did secure some supplies from the Vistani. A bit limited, but we made sure to pack up a bit. We didn't just get wine.
18:12 [Irredel (Sav)] Therefore, up to Mercurio, all of our packs would be full of it.
18:27 [Mercurio (Gui)] No, no. I mean, of course, we need other supplies. But you know, this is important too.
18:27 [Mercurio (Gui)] Don't worry, I'll make sure the morale of the group doesn't get too low, okay?
18:41 [DM (Aarya)] Yes, I was going to say, traveling these roads and with the shadows looming over us, I do think a morale boost would be appreciated. You are wise in your own way, Master Mercurio. Thank you.
19:00 [Sildir (Tris)] And unwise in your own way too, but aren't we all?
19:08 [Mercurio (Gui)] You could say that. I never... I don't pretend to be wise in the ways of camping in the wilderness.
19:08 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah.
19:24 [Sildir (Tris)] It might be a little rough for us, but I'm sure we can all figure it out. And I'll just go and start, I guess, kind of messing around with the stuff we got from the Vistani and doing my best, basically, to put it together.
19:39 [DM (Aarya)] You see, Irina joins you and helps you lay out some bedrolls that you've been carrying. And maybe she kind of looks to assemble a sort of crude campfire, but she doesn't really seem to know what she's doing.
19:56 [Sildir (Tris)] Does anyone have any fire spells they could blast this thing with? You guys, you magic folks, seem to always have a good trick up your sleeve.
20:07 [DM (Aarya)] You magic folks.
20:08 [Sildir (Tris)] Move aside, move aside.
20:10 [Irredel (Sav)] I have a tinderbox that might be a little bit more useful than casting Sacred Flame at this, but if anyone wants to show, I will not try to disappoint my audience. And Iridyl's just going to stoop towards the fire and go ahead and use the tinderbox.
20:37 [Sildir (Tris)] Ever practical, Iridyl.
20:39 [Sildir (Tris)] I appreciate you.
20:43 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, I mean, you kind of like fiddle with the tinderbox for about a minute or so, and then, sure enough, you're able to light the kindling for the campfire, and then gradually over time it grows into a modest campfire.
21:01 [Mercurio (Gui)] What does using Sacred Flame on some wood look like anyways? Do you have to find some unholy knotty wood and then say, oh, Tyr compels you, you knotty wood, and shake your finger at it? Is that how that works?
21:17 [Irredel (Sav)] No.
21:17 [Mercurio (Gui)] I would like to see that, but I don't think so.
21:20 [Sildir (Tris)] Oh my god, you knotty wood.
21:25 [Irredel (Sav)] I think it just heats things up really quickly, even if its source is divine. So as long as the wood isn't wet or there are no other issues with the actual construction of the wood, you know, size and shape, it'll light up pretty quickly. But I find the tinderbox just a little bit more practical, because, you know, if you're shooting divine wrath at a regular old pile of kindling, the risk of it exploding or hitting something off target is just pretty high.
21:25 [Irredel (Sav)] But useful in a pinch.
22:10 [DM (Aarya)] This does seem a much safer way to do it. And you see Erena kind of just, like, couches by the fire and, like, holds her hands up to, like, be able to appreciate the campfire's warmth. And she turns to you, Iridel.
22:10 [DM (Aarya)] And she asks you, Uh, Master Iridel, I understand you won some interesting pieces from the Vistani earlier.
22:44 [Sylalys (Cat)] What?
22:44 [Irredel (Sav)] Hm? You- What are you referring to?
22:47 [DM (Aarya)] Well, when we played the game of stories, I think you won some items that the others wagered.
22:54 [Sylalys (Cat)] Is that correct?
22:56 [Irredel (Sav)] Oh yes, yes, I did. I split them with Saturno, actually. Um, here, let me open my pack and see what they were.
23:07 [Sildir (Tris)] You have my second gold coin I ever made. I'm eyeing it enviously, but you earned it fair and square.
23:16 [DM (Aarya)] If I remember, uh, that one of the Vistani, I think Arturi was his name, he had some rather interesting manuscript that he wagered. I don't- I'm not sure actually what it was. I never got a chance to look at it.
23:32 [Irredel (Sav)] Hm, yes, it was the- the monster hunting manuscript, correct? Here, I have it right here. We can look through it now.
23:32 [Irredel (Sav)] I think there's still enough light for us to see.
23:43 [Sylalys (Cat)] Cool.
23:45 [DM (Aarya)] What is it about?
23:46 [Irredel (Sav)] And let me find the page that I was reading. Uh, yes, I- I believe the- the part of the text that I have was about werewolves.
24:03 [DM (Aarya)] Oh my, werewolves. I do hope to never encounter such a creature.
24:09 [Irredel (Sav)] Yes, here, if you want to look through it, is this consistent with what you know in terms of, uh, what- what people say?
24:17 [DM (Aarya)] I can't say that I have any expertise in that area. I think my brother perhaps would be better versed.
24:25 [Irredel (Sav)] But, you know, childhood tales, myths, folklores, you'd be surprised how much the, uh, the words of just regular people can bear weight and hold up under scrutiny. I've had many cases where there have been rumors of treasures in the hills, and as soon as you start exploring some old wills and older legal documents, you find out that actually, yeah, there was some old man who did bury a bunch of treasure in the hills 25-30 years ago, and you just need to look at the property records to figure out where they are.
24:57 [DM (Aarya)] How interesting. So, myths can be very, uh, compelling, and- Now that you mention it, I do remember hearing stories as a child that there were shape-changing wolves, uh, hunting about Lake Baratok west of Vallaki, but the legends say that the wolves went to sleep when the devil himself did 100 years ago.
25:31 [Sylalys (Cat)] Hmm.
25:36 [DM (Aarya)] I mean, I always assumed it was just a child's tale. I don't know how much faith to put in such a story.
25:47 [Irredel (Sav)] Yeah, I mean, clearly we've seen horrific creatures here, um, so I guess I wouldn't be surprised about werewolves.
26:00 [Sildir (Tris)] Those wolves from before, they looked pretty, uh, I don't know, they had a human-like quality to me. So- Human-like quality?
26:09 [DM (Aarya)] Maybe we saw some. How do you, how do you mean, Master Sildur?
26:13 [Sildir (Tris)] They just watched in a, uh, more intelligent way, if that makes sense. Something's human about them. Those two that we saw in the distance.
26:24 [DM (Aarya)] I see. I don't want to doubt what you saw, but I do hope for our sake that they were ordinary wolves and nothing more.
26:35 [Sildir (Tris)] Tommy said werewolves were real, at least.
26:39 [Irredel (Sav)] I thought he said that the wolves of, or Strahd's wolves, or shapeshifters, are wolves under Strahd's control. You know, he wasn't very clear. He said a lot of the same stuff, but in slightly different ways.
26:51 [DM (Aarya)] His message was rather cryptic. It was difficult to follow.
26:55 [Irredel (Sav)] Yes, but the wolves were under Strahd's control and may be intelligent, but I don't know if they were necessarily werewolves.
27:02 [DM (Aarya)] As I understand, there's little in this valley that is not under his control.
27:11 [Mercurio (Gui)] Shapeshifting, wolves, werewolves, same difference.
27:17 [Irredel (Sav)] Yes, and this text here says they have three different forms. They're a human form, a hybrid form, and then a wolf form. So I suppose those wolves could have just been werewolves in wolf form.
27:32 [DM (Aarya)] That's such a, that is a rather curious document, Evado. Would you mind reading it for us? If it's not too much to ask.
27:42 [Irredel (Sav)] Yeah, yeah, certainly. Despite my profession, my eyes are still most excellent. Werewolves are among the most fearsome lycanthropes, lycanthropes?
27:42 [Irredel (Sav)] Bearing a curse as ancient as it is terrifying. For them, the affliction of lycanthropy transforms even the most civilized individual into a monstrous beast, warping the lines betwixt man and nature. In its humanoid form, a werewolf retains many of the characteristics of its original identity, save for certain nuances such as heightened senses, an explosive temper, and an odd preference for rare meats.
27:42 [Irredel (Sav)] Over time, subtle features that hint at their animalistic nature begin to manifest. I wonder what that means. Nevertheless, it is their wolf and hybrid forms that the true horror of the curse is revealed.
27:42 [Irredel (Sav)] A werewolf's hybrid form is particularly terrifying, with a muscular humanoid body crowned by the head of a ravenous wolf. It is capable of wielding weapons, though its favored means of attack are its devastating claws and powerful bite. Werewolves typically abandon civilization soon after their transformation.
27:42 [Irredel (Sav)] Those who reject the curse flee in fear of harming their loved ones, whereas those who accept it fear exposure and the repercussions of their violent deeds. Out in the wild, they form packs, living in cohesion with ordinary wolves and dire wolves alike. The most tragic aspect of lycanthropy is its transmission.
27:42 [Irredel (Sav)] A humanoid can contract this curse through a wound inflicted by a lycanthrope or through inheritance if one or both its parents are lycanthropes. The cursed have two paths. They may resist the beast within or embrace it.
27:42 [Irredel (Sav)] Those who resist bear an unending strain, until the rising full moon triggers a compulsory and horrific transformation. These individuals often experience bloody, haunting dreams. Echoes of the carnage rot in their madness.
27:42 [Irredel (Sav)] Some twisted souls, however, choose to accept their beastly nature. With time, they can master their abilities, calling upon the wolf's resilience and strength as they will. To do so, however, they must first perform a particularly gruesome and foul act, one which I will decline to describe in these pages.
27:42 [Irredel (Sav)] Well, that's not very helpful. One sure way to identify an afflicted individual is the presence of a perpetually raw, bloody wound, the scar of the initial curse transmission. This wound never fully heals until the curse is lifted.
27:42 [Irredel (Sav)] Beyond this mark, however, these creatures bear an extraordinary resilience. Conventional methods of harm prove ineffective in permanently subduing a werewolf. Only the bite of silver or the chill of death's power can a werewolf be truly put to rest.
27:42 [Irredel (Sav)] A spell of removal can also cure an afflicted lycanthrope, though those who accept the beast may fight it bitterly. As for those unfortunate souls born under the curse, they are doomed to bear the affliction for life. As far as my research has shown, there exists no cure, no respite for such individuals.
27:42 [Irredel (Sav)] They are caught in an eternal struggle, forever haunted by the wolf within.
31:16 [DM (Aarya)] And also for Iridel, as you're reading the document, you note that underneath the title you see that it is signed by Rudolph van Richten.
31:36 [Irredel (Sav)] Well, I suppose there is good news and bad news. The good news is the author is signed. The bad news is we are looking for him.
31:36 [Irredel (Sav)] So perhaps some of the open questions that were raised by this text can be answered if we just speak to him, provided we can find him, which isn't looking very likely.
32:00 [DM (Aarya)] Yes, he may be a difficult man to track. But surely a group as capable as this one could find him, if anyone could.
32:11 [Irredel (Sav)] Certainly. And what phase is the moon in, by the way?
32:18 [DM (Aarya)] You see Irina ruffles through her pack and consults a really rough-looking handwritten calendar of sorts. And she notes that, well, the next full moon is in, I believe, six days. By my count.
32:37 [Sildir (Tris)] Oh, boy.
32:45 [Irredel (Sav)] Well, Sildir, how do your wounds look?
32:50 [Sildir (Tris)] How do they look? I exclaim to the DM.
32:56 [DM (Aarya)] Rolling medicine or survival.
32:59 [Sildir (Tris)] Goodness gracious. It's a roll?
33:02 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, I mean, it's D&D. It's the game where we roll dice.
33:05 [Sildir (Tris)] It's a roll?
33:06 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah.
33:08 [Sildir (Tris)] Give me a second.
33:12 [DM (Aarya)] Unless you're willing to let somebody else inspect your wounds for you. You might have to partially disrobe for that, but you know, I'm sure Sildir isn't shy.
33:22 [Sildir (Tris)] Definitely not. I am not able to scroll. Give me one second.
33:22 [Sildir (Tris)] My sheet is all effed up for whatever reason. Come on, sheet.
33:31 [DM (Aarya)] Is it like popped out or something?
33:33 [Sildir (Tris)] Work with me? No, it's not. Let me do like...
33:33 [Sildir (Tris)] Tidy? Second? That helps me out.
33:33 [Sildir (Tris)] Yeah, that did. All right, okay.
33:45 [DM (Aarya)] Oh, I can do something fun.
33:50 [Sildir (Tris)] All right, not a good roll.
33:52 [DM (Aarya)] All right. Yeah, I mean, you feel fine. You think you're like healing up pretty well.
33:52 [DM (Aarya)] You don't feel particularly... I mean, you've taken hits before, certainly, but they don't feel any different from normal battles that you've been in.
34:06 [Sildir (Tris)] They just feel fine. I mean, I don't know. Seems normal to me, guys.
34:06 [Sildir (Tris)] Anyone else is welcome to take a look. But I have taken, you know, I've taken some hits in my day, it feels like.
34:20 [Irredel (Sav)] I think in an abundance of caution that we should all check ourselves very closely. And if some of us have powers of observation that are less keen, I am happy to take a second look and be another pair of eyes.
34:36 [DM (Aarya)] Irvina pipes up and she says, Well, I was not harmed at all by the wolves, or at least not physically. But I'm happy to help inspect anyone's wounds if they would like.
34:49 [Sildir (Tris)] All right, guys, I get it. Fine, here, just inspect me. And I just start taking off my armor.
34:49 [Sildir (Tris)] Oh, you guys are paranoid wrecks.
34:56 [DM (Aarya)] Master Sildur, I don't mean to make you uncomfortable or anything. I just...
34:59 [Sildir (Tris)] No, no, no, no, no. It's not you, Irvina. It's just, you know, it seems like everybody wants this.
34:59 [Sildir (Tris)] It's fine. I get it. You know, you should all be safe here.
34:59 [Sildir (Tris)] It's fine. It would really suck if I turned into a wolf and ate you all. So let's just get this out of the way.
34:59 [Sildir (Tris)] And I'm just like, pretty much, you know, every wound that I had is showing now.
35:21 [Irredel (Sav)] Okay, so I gave myself guidance. So I got a 15.
35:26 [DM (Aarya)] Okay, so are you inspecting yourself there?
35:29 [Sylalys (Cat)] Uh, yeah.
35:32 [DM (Aarya)] Um, so you were attacked by one of the wolves directly during that fight. But as you're inspecting your wounds, you note that, um... I mean, they certainly didn't tickle, like getting mauled by a wolf.
35:32 [DM (Aarya)] But they appear to be, like, at least starting to heal normally. So you don't suspect any sort of strange supernatural interference, like described in the document.
35:56 [Irredel (Sav)] Got it. And then I'm also going to look at Sildur.
36:01 [DM (Aarya)] You look over Sildur's wounds. And yeah, let's see. The 7.
36:01 [DM (Aarya)] Oh, 13. Pretty good. All right, so you look over Sildur's wounds.
36:01 [DM (Aarya)] And you note that the bulk of his wounds, though he did attract quite a bit of attention from the wolves, the bulk of his injuries were from actually falling down after being shoved off the cliff. And he's certainly been in better shape, but he does seem to be, like, again, like, starting to heal okay.
36:28 [Sylalys (Cat)] Mm-hmm.
36:30 [DM (Aarya)] And notably, since he was directly healed by healing spells from Mercurio and yourself, you see that all of his wounds are, like, healing. They're not- there's no, like, raw exposed wound or anything.
36:45 [Irredel (Sav)] Oh, excellent. Anyone else?
36:51 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah, was anyone else bitten?
36:55 [Irredel (Sav)] I don't believe so.
36:56 [DM (Aarya)] Oh, well then.
36:58 [Irredel (Sav)] And another potential test is I can still cast a few more healing spells. If people's wounds all start healing up, then that is a sign that nothing has been transmitted.
37:16 [DM (Aarya)] That's actually quite genius.
37:18 [Sildir (Tris)] At least according to this Van Richten fellow, who seems to be a good source of info.
37:25 [DM (Aarya)] Yes, Doru was always a big fan of his proclivities, I suppose. And he always spoke highly of his intellect in these areas, monsters and such.
37:41 [Irredel (Sav)] I suppose that got him very far. Poor Doru.
37:46 [DM (Aarya)] Yes, I do hope he's doing all right. And you see that Irina looks kind of sad to be remembering her friend's fate.
37:56 [Irredel (Sav)] Oh, Irina doesn't know. Right? Sorry, I'm not saying that.
37:56 [Irredel (Sav)] That was- that's an internal thought.
38:05 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, I don't think you told her, actually, did you? Unless you did, I don't remember. Oh, I don't think we did.
38:11 [Irredel (Sav)] Did we tell Doru that we'd keep his condition secret?
38:15 [Mercurio (Gui)] I think so. Think we did, yeah.
38:17 [Irredel (Sav)] Okay, all right. Okay. Well, I guess- At the very least, we can do our best to do right by Gertruda in honor of Doru.
38:38 [Sildir (Tris)] I have a very strong feeling that's what he would want.
38:43 [DM (Aarya)] Yes, cheers to that.
38:44 [Irredel (Sav)] Almost imagine him saying it. They were sweethearts, correct?
38:49 [DM (Aarya)] They were very close, yes. They were inseparable, truly.
38:54 [Irredel (Sav)] Well then, we will find Gertruda as soon as possible, if possible.
39:01 [DM (Aarya)] And my brother as well is, I'm sure, searching tirelessly for her from his end.
39:08 [Irredel (Sav)] Yes, yes. No doubt in my mind. Here, does anyone have any wounds they want me to double check?
39:17 [Sildir (Tris)] I mean, I think everyone's looked at me, but I'm an open book. Nothing to hide.
39:26 [Irredel (Sav)] Was it only Sildur and I who got bit?
39:30 [DM (Aarya)] It seems that way, I think.
39:31 [Sildir (Tris)] I think so. What about Saturna?
39:33 [DM (Aarya)] Saturna was attacked by the wolves, but she was able to deflect them with her sword and her armor, so she didn't really suffer any damage.
39:41 [Irredel (Sav)] Lucky. Well, since all of yours look to be healing up okay, I'm gonna go ahead and cast a spell myself just to be sure.
40:00 [DM (Aarya)] Damn, even with the mid roll, it's still six healing. That's kind of, wow. Yeah, I mean, you see that your wounds start closing up.
40:00 [DM (Aarya)] There doesn't seem to be any unexpected result from the healing spell.
40:15 [Irredel (Sav)] What a relief.
40:20 [DM (Aarya)] Well, I'm glad we were able to confirm that none of us were infected.
40:24 [Irredel (Sav)] And certainly, now that we've gotten that Fred out of our system, I think I need to lay down and sleep.
40:30 [DM (Aarya)] Yes, I do.
40:31 [Sildir (Tris)] If I ever do again, just throw me into the castle. When it's a full noon, see what happens.
40:39 [Irredel (Sav)] I wonder though, are these creatures related to Strahd in some way? I mean, obviously they become... I...
40:39 [Irredel (Sav)] Violent? Possessed? I don't even know what to call it, but I would assume that a creature like that would end up under his control as well.
40:39 [Irredel (Sav)] Maybe don't throw me into Strahd's castle then.
41:04 [DM (Aarya)] You see Irina looks a little bit distressed and she's like holding her head in her hands and she says, as if we didn't already have enough to worry about. Now we potentially face the threat of these werewolves as well.
41:24 [Sildir (Tris)] Well, it can't be any worse than the devil himself, so...
41:31 [DM (Aarya)] And we did survive that encounter.
41:32 [Sildir (Tris)] One plus infinity is still infinity.
41:38 [DM (Aarya)] Well, I suppose we should decide how we're going to keep watch while we all rest.
41:48 [Mercurio (Gui)] I mean, I'm not quite tired yet. I didn't take so much of a beating, so I can volunteer to stay up while the others get a little bit of rest and we can trade off at some point.
42:02 [Sildir (Tris)] Sounds like a good plan if you're feeling awake.
42:05 [DM (Aarya)] We've got some drinking to do as well. I was also unharmed, so I'm happy to help watch as well.
42:16 [Mercurio (Gui)] Well, that should be good then. I mean, as long as one of us is there to make sure the other doesn't fall asleep, we should be fine.
42:25 [Sylalys (Cat)] All right.
42:26 [Sildir (Tris)] Awake me if someone wants to switch off. Be happy to help.
42:34 [Irredel (Sav)] Yes, I need the sleep.
42:44 [DM (Aarya)] So I guess everyone can long rest for the night. I'll say that Irina, Mercurio, and Sildur, I assume, will trade off watching in shifts over the course of the night. And you all are able to take a long rest.
43:05 [Sildir (Tris)] As we fall asleep, we hear the sound of Maroon 5 animals playing our head.
43:22 [Sildir (Tris)] Specifically the howling part.
43:26 [DM (Aarya)] Oh my gosh. Yeah, actually, you know what? For everyone who's watching for the night, give me perception rolls.
43:26 [DM (Aarya)] One second.
43:39 [Sildir (Tris)] I have to finish leveling up.
43:41 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, that totally happened. 13. Cool.
43:41 [DM (Aarya)] And Sildur?
43:55 [Sildir (Tris)] Just like animals. Oh my god. It's abysmal.
44:01 [DM (Aarya)] All right. So Mercurio, during your shift as you're watching, you keep your eyes peeled pretty well. You're watching your surroundings pretty carefully.
44:01 [DM (Aarya)] And you don't notice anything strange or any stranger than what you've learned to expect from this setting. And Sildur? You seem to be more tired and exhausted than you thought from the day's journey.
44:01 [DM (Aarya)] So as you're keeping watch, you're kind of like nodding off here and there. And not really able to keep the best watch. But nothing particularly eventful happens.
44:01 [DM (Aarya)] And you're all able to get up in the morning. However, you note that Saturno and Ember don't wake in the morning.
45:15 [Sildir (Tris)] All right, I'll wake up Ember. Mercurio, you go get a Saturno.
45:22 [Sildir (Tris)] I thought you meant that you were dead.
45:25 [Sylalys (Cat)] No, no, no, no.
45:27 [Sildir (Tris)] Come on. I just overslept, okay. Wakey, wakey, Ember.
45:31 [Mercurio (Gui)] Saturno, wake up. Come on.
45:33 [DM (Aarya)] As you go to shake them awake, you find that while they are breathing, you see their chest rising and falling with their breaths. They don't wake despite your jostling. And you note that they both seem to be caught in a sort of fitful trance of some sort.
45:33 [DM (Aarya)] You see their brows are furrowed and there's sweat collecting on their foreheads. Oh, what is this?
46:03 [Irredel (Sav)] Can I investigate this arcana check? Is this like a spell that I would recognize?
46:06 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah, go ahead.
46:07 [Irredel (Sav)] Yeah, I'm gonna like stomp over, not say anything. Maybe touch their foreheads gently.
46:19 [DM (Aarya)] Okay, so those are pretty good arcana rolls, huh? So Iridyll got an 18 and Mercurio got a 15. So with those arcana rolls, you can tell that there is some sort of supernatural effect here that's plaguing them.
46:19 [DM (Aarya)] You're not really sure of the nature of it, but it's not like an ordinary disease or anything. It's not like they've fallen sick with the flu or anything. There's definitely something supernatural happening here.
46:53 [Sylalys (Cat)] They're enchanted.
46:55 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah, these cursed fucking lands. You can't even get some good sleep around here.
47:00 [DM (Aarya)] Are they? What happened to them?
47:04 [Irredel (Sav)] It's some sort of magic.
47:05 [Mercurio (Gui)] Have you ever heard of this sort of thing? People going to sleep and not being able to wake up? Being stuck in some kind of nightmare?
47:15 [DM (Aarya)] No, I've never heard of this. I don't understand how this could have happened.
47:23 [Sildir (Tris)] Tell me they're not becoming werewolves.
47:26 [DM (Aarya)] Were they injured or did they have any open wounds?
47:30 [Mercurio (Gui)] They weren't injured and we know from... It doesn't really match the description either, right? Yeah, I think you're right.
47:30 [Mercurio (Gui)] I just got so nervous.
47:43 [Sildir (Tris)] Still groggy from that good sleep I got. But yeah, you're right. This doesn't make any sense for them to be werewolves, thank god.
47:51 [Mercurio (Gui)] But what the hell is going on here? I think we need to get to Vallaki quick and find some sort of healer or something that can lift this.
48:03 [DM (Aarya)] Yes, my brother mentioned that there is a church in Vallaki. A bigger church than the one we have in my village. But hopefully we can seek aid there.
48:03 [DM (Aarya)] If we keep a steady pace, I hope that we can reach Vallaki by midday, perhaps a little later.
48:25 [Mercurio (Gui)] Well, let's get going then.
48:26 [Irredel (Sav)] We can't leave them.
48:27 [Mercurio (Gui)] No, we'll take them with us, of course.
48:29 [Sildir (Tris)] Yeah, we'll have to carry them. I guess Saturno looks kind of heavy, honestly.
48:38 [DM (Aarya)] Saturno is decked out in full chain mail.
48:41 [Sildir (Tris)] How's her stand doing? Maybe the stand can help us out a little bit.
48:46 [DM (Aarya)] You'd note that Memphis is not present.
48:50 [Sildir (Tris)] If only that Memphis guy was around right now. Well, I think I can probably grab Ember myself. Maybe someone should help Mercurio out with Saturno, presuming that you want to help Mercurio.
49:03 [Mercurio (Gui)] I mean, there's four of us. We could be two to a person with carrying.
49:09 [Sildir (Tris)] You're a smart guy. Let's do it.
49:14 [Mercurio (Gui)] Although I might need your help, honestly, with carrying Saturno.
49:18 [Sildir (Tris)] All right, so me and you with Saturno.
49:21 [DM (Aarya)] Sildur, what's your strength score again? You're 16? Or is it 17?
49:26 [Sildir (Tris)] 16.
49:27 [DM (Aarya)] Okay. I mean, with that, you're strong enough where you could carry Saturno just by yourself, however you would be moving. You would be walking slower, definitely, probably half as fast as usual.
49:43 [Sildir (Tris)] I'll initially pick her up just to mog a little bit, but then I'll offer the other side to Mercurio, I guess. I'll pick her up and then let Mercurio grab afterwards. I'll do the legs.
49:43 [Sildir (Tris)] You know, that's the lighter side. There you go. Yeah, all the armor is still on, I'm assuming.
49:43 [Sildir (Tris)] Definitely the top side is heavier.
50:07 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah. Oh my gosh.
50:11 [Sylalys (Cat)] It's just a long trip, I mean.
50:13 [DM (Aarya)] Are you guys carrying her? I'm imagining Sildur has her under the arms, and then Mercurio is just holding her legs up just to keep her suspended above the ground.
50:23 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah.
50:26 [Sildir (Tris)] Can I try to finagle some contraption? What sort of contraption? I want to grab some fucking wood, relatively flat wood off the ground, and sort of wrap it together and make a little sled.
50:26 [Sildir (Tris)] Like this sort of thing.
50:45 [DM (Aarya)] Oh, nice.
50:47 [Sildir (Tris)] Matter of fact, you're a genius.
50:49 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, that's pretty good. Give me, like, survival. I'll say you can roll it with advantage too.
50:49 [DM (Aarya)] That's a pretty cool idea. Ah, damn, bro. 11.
50:49 [DM (Aarya)] You are able to, like, tie some, like, relatively flat-ish looking branches and things together and make a sort of really crude makeshift sled. Um, you're not really sure how well it'll drag it on the ground, but it's certainly better than carrying them. I'll say, like, it could support, um, one of them pretty, like, pretty okay.
50:49 [DM (Aarya)] Um, maybe the other person might still have to be carried. You're concerned if both of them were on it, it might kind of fall apart.
51:33 [Mercurio (Gui)] Well, we could put Satorno on there.
51:35 [Sildir (Tris)] Yes, put the large one on there.
51:38 [Sildir (Tris)] Yeah, I'll just, like, set her down with a slight thud, but gently.
51:43 [DM (Aarya)] And also, um, I'll say, Sililus, as you're, like, rummaging through the brush and, like, the woods nearby, you do note something, um, sparkling from, not, yeah, something catches your eye from, like, a bush nearby.
52:02 [Sildir (Tris)] God, it's always Sililus. Shiny! I want to look at it.
52:07 [DM (Aarya)] All right, so you go over and you kind of, like, pluck something out of the bush. Um, I'm gonna give this, give you a funny item. Um, how do I want to do this, actually?
52:07 [DM (Aarya)] Should I just, eh, I'll just say it for the group. Um, you, you find a sort of shiny-looking, really old carved flute made of amber.
52:35 [Sylalys (Cat)] Amber, cool.
52:40 [DM (Aarya)] This is pretty strange. Uh, whether or not you choose to share this information with the party is up to you.
52:49 [Sildir (Tris)] Um, I will, I will pocket it. Keep it to myself. I have a bag full of tricks.
53:06 [Sildir (Tris)] Well, um, maybe, like, how heavy is amber, or ember, sorry, amber's on the mind with the flute.
53:14 [DM (Aarya)] Well, amber is notably not wearing heavy armor. I think she's just wearing, like, light armor, and she herself is not tall in stature like, uh, Satorno is. Um, so you could just, like, throw her over your shoulder and carry her.
53:28 [Sildir (Tris)] Yeah, I think that's what I'll do.
53:31 [DM (Aarya)] All right, cool. Um, as you're, like, putting things together, um, you'll see, I'll say Irina is kind of, like, helping move things around and help, um, Satorno onto the sled. And she'll look to Sililus, and she'll say, uh, Master Sililus, I, that was quite a genius idea you had, to assemble this, a device to, to carry our friend.
54:11 [Sildir (Tris)] Yes, I know. I use my brain, uh, much more than Emesis.
54:21 [DM (Aarya)] Yes, well, thank goodness for that.
54:23 [Sildir (Tris)] I just really felt pity, really, watching you guys trying to figure out how to hold the large one.
54:30 [Mercurio (Gui)] I mean, it was a great idea, Sililus, but I, Irina, please be careful. If you inflate his head anymore, it's going to pop.
54:38 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, you see, you see Irina kind of, like, smirks slightly hearing Sililus' statement. And she's, she notes, for all of your, for all of your rough talk, Sililus, you, you actually are a kind person, aren't you?
54:53 [Sildir (Tris)] Yeah, I rolled my eyes. I'm gonna walk up into the forest.
54:59 [DM (Aarya)] Um, she also calls out and notes, I, I couldn't help but notice that you seem to have found something in the, in the woods.
55:08 [Sildir (Tris)] Oh, how did you see that?
55:11 [DM (Aarya)] Well, I was looking around, trying to see if there was any way that I could help. And, um, I mean, I don't mean to pry, but I, I am curious.
55:20 [Mercurio (Gui)] Oh, I mean to pry. Well, you are prying, you are prying.
55:26 [Sildir (Tris)] And I do not mean to reveal my hands to this group who has still...
55:33 [DM (Aarya)] Well, I'm sure you have your reasons, Sililus, so I will, I will trust your judgment.
55:38 [Sildir (Tris)] I don't care what his reasons are. Sil, you're acting funny. What do you got?
55:46 [Sildir (Tris)] Nothing, really.
55:48 [Sildir (Tris)] Nothing? You just implied that you had something.
55:52 [Sildir (Tris)] Yeah, well, sometimes you find things in the forest that should not be there.
55:59 [Sildir (Tris)] Like? I mean, now I'm, now I'm really intrigued.
56:04 [Sildir (Tris)] It is not your business.
56:07 [Sildir (Tris)] Sil, we are transported to another magical world with the evil dreadlord vampire ruler, and I think everything that goes on between the, the few of us here who have been transported together, it's, it's all of our business. No?
56:25 [Sildir (Tris)] I am just looking at my nails. And no, I do not foresee why that would be the case. Good.
56:39 [Mercurio (Gui)] Should just throw you in a headlock and let Mercurio search your pockets.
56:43 [DM (Aarya)] I, I don't think...
56:44 [Mercurio (Gui)] Well, after all the drinks we shared, Sililus, I thought you would loosen up. Well, I'm not sharing my wine with you then. Do you want to be so closed off?
56:57 [Sildir (Tris)] Yeah, we'll see.
56:59 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, we'll see.
57:00 [Sildir (Tris)] I'm gonna tell Strahd that you snore in your sleep.
57:05 [DM (Aarya)] Uh, I should note that Sililus is an elf and technically doesn't sleep. He just, like, enters a trance to meditate for a while.
57:12 [Mercurio (Gui)] Still gonna say it. He snores in his trance. Sometimes you even get a little, uh, a little bubble in your nose.
57:12 [Mercurio (Gui)] I do not. Oh yes. I've seen it happen.
57:12 [Mercurio (Gui)] I took pity on you and I popped it with a little stick.
57:32 [Irredel (Sav)] And you really, you know, don't feel ashamed. It's very common. I work with a lot of very elderly elfin clients and they often fall into the trance in the middle of very long meetings.
57:32 [Irredel (Sav)] I try not to take it personally or as a, uh, commentary on the, uh, interest with which whale writing produces. But they'll just pass right out in the chair, fall into the trance, snore, snot bubbles, all of it. Sometimes even drool.
58:02 [Sildir (Tris)] But this is not me. I am perfect. And I am a young, uh, spry 50 years old.
58:17 [DM (Aarya)] Perhaps we can leave Master Sililus alone on this. I'm sure he has his reasons if he wishes to keep something for himself.
58:26 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yes. He has to keep up his dark and mysterious allure. I'm sure.
58:26 [Mercurio (Gui)] Anyways.
58:34 [DM (Aarya)] I'm sure he'll, he'll, he'll open up in time. Master Mercurio.
58:39 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah. When he decides to get a real personality. But anyways, we have some important matters here, so let's get going to the town quickly.
58:39 [Mercurio (Gui)] I don't want these two to stay in this endless sleep for long.
58:54 [DM (Aarya)] Yes. I, I have to agree with you on that. Oh, right.
59:02 [Sildir (Tris)] Maybe Sililus found something that could help them out of their endless sleep and isn't telling us.
59:09 [DM (Aarya)] Um, Irina kind of like looks aghast and she looks at Master, at Sililus and she says, Master Sililus, surely if you had such a thing, you would not keep it from us, would you?
59:21 [Sildir (Tris)] No. Do you think I would have gone through the effort to make all this contraption? And now I have to lug these two corpses with me?
59:21 [Sildir (Tris)] If I had the solution in my pockets?
59:34 [Sylalys (Cat)] No, of course not.
59:35 [DM (Aarya)] Ah, this is a rare point.
59:38 [Sildir (Tris)] That is actually compelling.
59:39 [Sildir (Tris)] I'm not going to lie.
59:43 [DM (Aarya)] Sildur says, but he doesn't seem to like saying it.
59:48 [Sildir (Tris)] I don't, I don't, but it's, I mean, that is, uh, perfectly coherent with Sililus. So I can't even argue on that. Well, we trapeze on through.
59:48 [Sildir (Tris)] I guess we're trying to get through these gates.
01:00:13 [DM (Aarya)] That's correct. Um, you'll note as you are approaching the gates themselves, the, the very old looking rusted iron gates, um, built into this wall, uh, as you get closer, they squint, like screech and swing open of their own accord as if to welcome you through.
01:00:35 [Irredel (Sav)] Oh, well, that's charming. Not ominous at all.
01:00:47 [Sildir (Tris)] Well, I guess, uh, maybe Strahd is keeping an eye on us right now.
01:00:53 [Sildir (Tris)] Yeah. Considering all that we have seen this weekend, this is bad for the cause.
01:00:59 [Sildir (Tris)] I make like a rude gesture into the air.
01:01:04 [DM (Aarya)] Look at that. Can you describe this gesture?
01:01:07 [Sildir (Tris)] Um, it's, you know, it's the middle finger, but in, uh, around here, I actually say to Irina, I was like, Irina, does this mean anything here? And I hold up my middle finger to her.
01:01:20 [DM (Aarya)] Oh my goodness, uh, Master Sililus, you should not do such things.
01:01:24 [Sildir (Tris)] No, okay.
01:01:24 [Sildir (Tris)] So it does.
01:01:25 [Sildir (Tris)] Perfect.
01:01:25 [Sildir (Tris)] I just hold it back.
01:01:26 [Sildir (Tris)] Put your finger down. Put it down.
01:01:29 [Sylalys (Cat)] Are you crazy?
01:01:31 [Sildir (Tris)] Oh, no, this is none of your business, Sil. Oh my goodness. This is, this is, this is Sil their business.
01:01:31 [Sildir (Tris)] Okay, I do this, you keep secret trinkets, we're all happy.
01:01:42 [DM (Aarya)] Mercurio, as you see this scene unfolding, um, your, your raven friend perched on your shoulder just kind of like squawks at the party.
01:01:54 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yes, I, I have to agree. And I say, come on, we have a serious issue here. We need to focus up.
01:01:54 [Mercurio (Gui)] You're right. You're right. Lock in twin.
01:02:09 [Sildir (Tris)] Let's go.
01:02:11 [DM (Aarya)] All right. Um, so I assume you're stepping through the gate. Yep.
01:02:11 [DM (Aarya)] All right. Who goes first? I'll go first.
01:02:11 [DM (Aarya)] All right, Sildur goes first.
01:02:24 [Mercurio (Gui)] I think I'm walking up front too.
01:02:26 [DM (Aarya)] Okay.
01:02:27 [Sildir (Tris)] Oh, yeah, you're, you're helping me lug the fucking cart. I'm not taking this shit by myself.
01:02:31 [Mercurio (Gui)] What the fuck? Oh, I thought I was lugging the cart with Sildur.
01:02:34 [DM (Aarya)] Sildur has Ember like, uh, slung over his shoulder.
01:02:38 [Mercurio (Gui)] Oh, then I'm with Sililus then, yeah. All right, I'll, yeah, whatever.
01:02:44 [Sildir (Tris)] I'll be first.
01:02:45 [DM (Aarya)] So I guess Sildur is leading the party. Um, I assume Iridel and Irina will be behind. And then, um, Sililus and Mercurio, uh, bringing up the rear with, uh, Saturno in tow.
01:02:45 [DM (Aarya)] All right. Um, Sildur, as you step through the gates, um, you know, you feel a chill go down your spine and you, you, you're not sure if you're imagining it, but it feels a couple degrees cooler on the other side of the gate.
01:03:17 [Sildir (Tris)] Um, I am going to stop and turn around and see what I see.
01:03:26 [DM (Aarya)] Um, you see the rest of your party, uh, and they, they're kind of all, I assume, looking at you kind of quizzically, like, as to why you suddenly stopped and turned around.
01:03:36 [Sildir (Tris)] All right. Now I'm going to back up and see what happens.
01:03:40 [DM (Aarya)] All right. Um, yeah, you just, you back up, uh, I'm moving away from the gate, I'm assuming.
01:03:45 [Sildir (Tris)] Like moving back towards the party. Yeah.
01:03:47 [DM (Aarya)] Oh, back towards the party.
01:03:49 [Sildir (Tris)] Yeah.
01:03:49 [DM (Aarya)] Um, yeah, you rejoined with the party. Um, nothing else.
01:03:52 [Sildir (Tris)] How was the temperature?
01:03:53 [DM (Aarya)] Uh, the same.
01:03:56 [Sildir (Tris)] Guys, did you all feel it just get way colder all of a sudden? Damn, did we?
01:04:04 [DM (Aarya)] Um, did you all also cross the gates or is it just Sildir on the other side right now?
01:04:12 [Mercurio (Gui)] Well, I think Sildir is crossing back to our side of the gate.
01:04:15 [Sylalys (Cat)] Yeah, I'm kind of crossing back. Um, no, you guys. Assuming you had enough space.
01:04:18 [DM (Aarya)] You guys haven't walked through yet and you haven't noticed any, any change or anything.
01:04:22 [Sylalys (Cat)] Do I still feel cold?
01:04:23 [DM (Aarya)] Yes, you do.
01:04:27 [Mercurio (Gui)] Uh.
01:04:28 [DM (Aarya)] It's not like, it's not like, you're not like significantly cold or anything. It's just like a couple degrees chillier, like just enough for you to have noticed the difference.
01:04:36 [Sildir (Tris)] I don't know. Let me know if you guys feel anything when you walk through this gate. Pretty weird.
01:04:36 [Sildir (Tris)] But it could just be because we're going into like a valley or something. I don't know. But I feel, I feel like a little chilly.
01:04:36 [Sildir (Tris)] It's reminding me of those ruins.
01:04:52 [Mercurio (Gui)] Well, yeah, I mean, maybe since we're in a valley, you know. Hot air rises and all that. Cold air sinks into the valley.
01:04:52 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah, I think that makes sense.
01:05:05 [DM (Aarya)] Are you all right, Master Sildir? Did you, did you rest well last night?
01:05:10 [Sildir (Tris)] I did. Um, maybe I'm just sweaty and caught a breeze or something. I guess continue on and I'll pass back through the gate.
01:05:21 [DM (Aarya)] All right, um, I assume everyone else followed through?
01:05:25 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah.
01:05:26 [Irredel (Sav)] Regrudgingly.
01:05:26 [DM (Aarya)] All right, all of you make your way through. None of, none of the rest of you notice any, any sort of strange temperature change like Sildir did. And as the last of you make it past, um, you once again see the gates screech and swing closed.
01:05:48 [Mercurio (Gui)] Lovely, I feel very welcomed. I don't know, guys.
01:05:53 [Sildir (Tris)] I got a weird feeling about this. And I'm just gonna take a look around. God, at least I'm getting the rolls, the low rolls out of the way on some hopefully silly stuff.
01:06:09 [DM (Aarya)] Um, sorry, say that again?
01:06:11 [Sildir (Tris)] With the eight perception, I assume I don't see that much. I said at least I'm getting the low rolls out of the way on some silly stuff.
01:06:17 [DM (Aarya)] So you're doing perception to just like, um, scan the surroundings?
01:06:20 [Sildir (Tris)] I'm like, yeah, I just feel pretty weird about, you know, it's like it chilled down my spine. I just feel a little weird. I'm just looking around to be careful.
01:06:30 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, so as you're looking around, you note that it's like early in the morning right now. And throughout your journey along the old Svalik road, you've noted that it's always been like pretty like foggy and misty throughout. Though in the morning right now, it seems particularly foggy.
01:06:30 [DM (Aarya)] And the path before you is like kind of shrouded. So visibility isn't super great. You can't see like super far ahead of you or anything.
01:06:30 [DM (Aarya)] But you are able to see the trail extending before you as you walk along.
01:07:09 [Sildir (Tris)] I clap and listen to the vibrations of the earth. No, just kidding. Good one.
01:07:09 [Sildir (Tris)] Yeah, well, I guess we'll just keep moving. Maybe I'm crazy.
01:07:21 [Irredel (Sav)] Well, I mean, that aside, which I won't comment on, I think we should just keep moving.
01:07:30 [Sildir (Tris)] I mean, what choice do we have? Two of our friends are completely incapacitated.
01:07:35 [Irredel (Sav)] So exactly. But let us know if you feel any other strange chills. Do you actually do you think you might have a fever or something?
01:07:35 [Irredel (Sav)] Do you feel hotheaded? Yes, I'm sure.
01:07:53 [DM (Aarya)] Are you feeling unwell?
01:07:53 [Mercurio (Gui)] Only in the emotional sense. I'm sure Sealed Year can get a checkup from this great priest that we're about to go visit.
01:08:01 [Sildir (Tris)] That's true. At least maybe. Yeah, if I feel weird still in the city, then I'll get checked up on as well.
01:08:01 [Sildir (Tris)] But for now, we have no choice but to continue on.
01:08:16 [DM (Aarya)] Okay. So as you continue on, you're making your way along the winding path. And you march along for, I'll say, a few more hours.
01:08:16 [DM (Aarya)] You see the road continues forward, passing between a patch of dark woods. And the air here is eerily quiet. The trees are standing perfectly still in unnerving silence.
01:08:16 [DM (Aarya)] And not far from the road, nestled in the overgrown underbrush, stands a mossy stone slab standing just under six feet in height. And you see it rests on an old cracked stone circle and seems to bear some kind of carving.
01:09:05 [Mercurio (Gui)] Do I recognize the carving or anything?
01:09:09 [DM (Aarya)] Are you like walking up to look at it?
01:09:12 [Mercurio (Gui)] I thought we could just see it plainly. Um.
01:09:16 [DM (Aarya)] I mean, you see the carving, but it's kind of like, it looks pretty well-worn. So you would have to like get a little bit closer to like make out what it is.
01:09:22 [Sildir (Tris)] What is the carving on?
01:09:24 [DM (Aarya)] It's like a stone slab. It's on a stone slab.
01:09:29 [Sildir (Tris)] It's like standing like six feet tall. Kind of like the little power stones in Skyrim kind of thing? Yeah, yeah.
01:09:35 [DM (Aarya)] Okay. That's actually a pretty good way to describe it. I guess we can all kind of approach.
01:09:35 [DM (Aarya)] So, okay. So Mercurio and I guess maybe Sildur step up to take a look. And you see that the carving depicts, um, it's pretty crudely like carved into the face of the slab.
01:09:35 [DM (Aarya)] And you see a raven over an engraved three-pointed star. And you see the grooves of this carving are lined with lichen and moss.
01:10:10 [Mercurio (Gui)] A three-point star? Like a triangle?
01:10:14 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, but like kind of in like a funny star shape. You know, like the, like a four-pointed star that you see sometimes? Yeah, like that, but like three points.
01:10:14 [DM (Aarya)] Okay.
01:10:26 [Sildir (Tris)] Okay. Huh. Pepito, look.
01:10:34 [DM (Aarya)] It's you.
01:10:36 [Mercurio (Gui)] I look at my version and I'm like...
01:10:38 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, you see, you see the...
01:10:40 [Mercurio (Gui)] Is that you?
01:10:41 [DM (Aarya)] You see... You see the raven kind of just like flap its wings once and like squawks and just kind of like turns to Sildur and like cocks his head over it. As if like, just being like, really dude?
01:10:58 [Sildir (Tris)] Well, I was mostly kidding Pepito. I'm sure it's not actually, but people love you around here. I think you're pretty cool.
01:11:07 [DM (Aarya)] And you see...
01:11:08 [Sildir (Tris)] Do you understand me?
01:11:08 [DM (Aarya)] You see the raven kind of holds his head a little higher and like, kind of like puffs out a little bit.
01:11:17 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah. Best character.
01:11:18 [Sildir (Tris)] Maybe he does understand me. Hmm. Well, keep that confidence Pepito.
01:11:23 [DM (Aarya)] It's so interesting to me how like, intrigued you are by the characters that I introduce that don't speak. Like this happened last time too, the other cafe.
01:11:34 [Mercurio (Gui)] Sometimes since you can't speak and you have to describe them so much, they feel like more real.
01:11:39 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah.
01:11:39 [Mercurio (Gui)] Like they're like more HD. Yeah, I see. You know?
01:11:39 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah.
01:11:43 [DM (Aarya)] That's, yeah, I guess that's true.
01:11:47 [Mercurio (Gui)] Um, but... Is there anything magical or something about this, this rune carved in this stone? Uh, can I do like an arcana check?
01:11:55 [DM (Aarya)] Sure. Um, let me see. Let's see, let's see.
01:11:55 [DM (Aarya)] Oh my god, I just took a... For some reason it took a second for the roll to show up on my screen. All right, so with a 10 arcana check, um, yeah, you don't really detect any sort of magic or anything from this.
01:11:55 [DM (Aarya)] Um, you're not super versed in like arcane lore of this sort. Um, but you kind of get the vibe that there's like some kind of like folk magic-ish, um, feel to it. Although it's, you're not like feeling any arcane energy or anything.
01:11:55 [DM (Aarya)] It's just like the vibe of the carving that it gives off.
01:12:39 [Mercurio (Gui)] Hey, Arena, um, is there any legends about, uh, ravens and three-pointed stars around here?
01:12:50 [DM (Aarya)] Well, it's, it is well known around Barovia that ravens bring good fortune. Although I'm, I'm not really familiar with anything pertaining to stars or anything that this carving seems to be showing. Um, I do know that Barovia is conquered land, and this carving itself does seem to be quite old.
01:12:50 [DM (Aarya)] So perhaps this is a remnant of some older civilization that was once here?
01:13:23 [Mercurio (Gui)] Like the same civilization of the decapitated statues?
01:13:28 [DM (Aarya)] Perhaps.
01:13:36 [Irredel (Sav)] How long ago was, did all the conquering happen? Do they inform you of any of this history?
01:13:41 [DM (Aarya)] I, I only know just small bits and stories that I hear, but I, I, I understand that this was many, many centuries ago. Um, no one that I am aware of in living memory has been around to see or hear of those days of Strahd conquering this land. As far as all of us know, he has always been the ruling authority around here.
01:14:15 [Irredel (Sav)] I wonder, does anyone know where he came from?
01:14:19 [DM (Aarya)] I do not know.
01:14:25 [Mercurio (Gui)] Well, that's enough lollygagging. You want to make it there before it gets too dark again? I mean, midday would be the best, so.
01:14:25 [Mercurio (Gui)] Let's keep going.
01:14:36 [DM (Aarya)] Yes, yes, let's, let's continue.
01:14:39 [Mercurio (Gui)] You mentioned the Skyrim one time.
01:14:44 [Sildir (Tris)] Suddenly everyone's a Whiterun guard.
01:14:46 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, crazy. All right, so as you continue going down the road, you keep following the road until it emerges out from that woody area, and it kind of veers about this like, kind of open-ish area. It's kind of hilly, and you see the road goes between two hills, and before long it bends northwards, hugging the base of a mountain.
01:14:46 [DM (Aarya)] And as you emerge around the end, like the bend in the road, and approach the base of the hill, you see, let's see. So from the like elevated vantage point that you have, like on the hilly terrain, you see like in the distance ahead of you, some densely crowded woods. And in the center of it, as you're like overlooking, you see what you presume to be the town of Vellaki laying ahead.
01:14:46 [DM (Aarya)] And let's see. Nearby, you see a great mountain lake close to the outskirts of the town. Let's see.
01:14:46 [DM (Aarya)] And also from where you're standing, there's a branch that veers off to the west-ish, and that path goes on for a little bit before leading to a really old, dilapidated-looking windmill.
01:16:17 [Irredel (Sav)] Oh, thanks. Here, I think we're almost to Vellaki.
01:16:23 [DM (Aarya)] Actually, I have a scene that I can switch to. I forgot that I was on this.
01:16:27 [Mercurio (Gui)] I'm imagining like when you come out of the cave in Breath of the Wild, and you see like the whole map, you know.
01:16:33 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, basically, yeah. Gosh, there's so many scenes. Hold on.
01:16:33 [DM (Aarya)] Why is it taking me so long to find this?
01:16:45 [Irredel (Sav)] So you've never been here before, Amina?
01:16:47 [DM (Aarya)] I've never left my village, no.
01:16:51 [Irredel (Sav)] Wow.
01:16:57 [Sildir (Tris)] Well, great. We're really close now.
01:17:00 [DM (Aarya)] Okay, let's activate this scene. I think this works. And I'll pull y'all in.
01:17:00 [DM (Aarya)] One, two, three, four. Okay, that's everything, right? Let me see if I can change the music, actually.
01:17:27 [Sildir (Tris)] So we're going to like pass by this windmill before we get there?
01:17:33 [DM (Aarya)] Yes, you're like going along the path, and that fork that leads over to like the left, I guess, from your perspective, leads to that windmill.
01:17:44 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah, we could just keep, like if we just keep going straight, we'll keep following the regular path.
01:17:48 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, I think you can kind of see. It's like, I don't know how well you can make it out in the actual scene background, but the road kind of like continues past the hill that the windmill is on.
01:17:59 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah, over here you can see like a little bit of it.
01:18:02 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah. And as you're getting closer to the fork, you see approaching from the other side, you see a really old looking lady pushing along a cart. I'm going to bring her in.
01:18:02 [DM (Aarya)] Cool. And I also have some art for you that I'll put in. Actually, I'll post it in a second.
01:18:02 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, let's see. What does she got? As she approaches you, she notices you coming around the bend, and she calls out to you.
01:18:02 [DM (Aarya)] Oh, hello, weary travelers. Curious to find folks wandering the road at this time. Well, good day to you.
01:18:02 [DM (Aarya)] It's not often that I encounter travelers on this road.
01:19:04 [Mercurio (Gui)] I guess that's fair.
01:19:09 [Irredel (Sav)] Well, I hope we aren't troubling you.
01:19:11 [DM (Aarya)] Not at all, not at all. This is a pleasant surprise. I trust you seem to be on your way to Vallaki.
01:19:11 [DM (Aarya)] That's the only other settlement around here.
01:19:24 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yes, do you know how far away we are from it?
01:19:27 [DM (Aarya)] Not far, just a few hours march from here. I was just there myself, peddling my wares to those poor deers camping outside. So this is just like a lone old lady out here?
01:19:27 [DM (Aarya)] Yep, she's pushing along a cart.
01:19:46 [Sildir (Tris)] So you're leaving Vallaki?
01:19:48 [DM (Aarya)] That's correct. I live here, and she gestures to the window.
01:19:54 [Sildir (Tris)] Ah, you live there. Okay, well, that makes some more sense. Isn't it quite dangerous to live out here?
01:19:54 [Sildir (Tris)] Do you live alone?
01:20:02 [DM (Aarya)] Oh, I live with my two daughters. Bella and Ophalia. They're such lovely deers.
01:20:15 [Mercurio (Gui)] Why would you leave the town so early in the day?
01:20:18 [DM (Aarya)] Well, I always make my way to Vallaki so that I might sell them my dream pastries.
01:20:26 [Mercurio (Gui)] Your dream pastries?
01:20:28 [DM (Aarya)] Yes, they're my specialty. Would you like to try them? I have a few left over.
01:20:34 [Mercurio (Gui)] I'm watching my weight, but... Oh, young man, don't be like that! So they're just for the morning, then?
01:20:34 [Mercurio (Gui)] They're like breakfast pastries, and then you just leave town?
01:20:46 [DM (Aarya)] I come by in the mornings, and oftentimes I come by in the evenings as well. Those poor hungry deers are eager to have my pastries. They're quite delicious, if I might say.
01:20:57 [Mercurio (Gui)] My, my. I guess this road is well traveled, then, if you travel it twice every day.
01:21:04 [DM (Aarya)] Yes, well, it is lonesome, but an old woman has her ways.
01:21:11 [Mercurio (Gui)] How crazy are this lady's calves?
01:21:15 [DM (Aarya)] Caps?
01:21:16 [Mercurio (Gui)] Calves.
01:21:18 [DM (Aarya)] Oh, calves? I mean, she's a little bit hunched over, and she's wearing a dress that covers her entirely, so you can't really see her legs. But let me post a picture, actually.
01:21:18 [DM (Aarya)] I got some hearts.
01:21:32 [Mercurio (Gui)] She's got to have jacked legs. She's making a trek up both ways to the locky.
01:21:42 [Sildir (Tris)] And does she tell us her name?
01:21:45 [DM (Aarya)] You did not ask, so no.
01:21:48 [Sildir (Tris)] And who do we have the pleasure of speaking with?
01:21:52 [DM (Aarya)] Of course, dear. My name is Morgantha, and you all? Oh, my God.
01:22:00 [Sildir (Tris)] I am Sildir Goldenfield. On my shoulder here is Ember, and she's currently asleep.
01:22:09 [DM (Aarya)] Oh, poor dear. She must be weary from your travel.
01:22:13 [Irredel (Sav)] Yes, so you can see why we are trying to make it to Vlahki with quite some haste.
01:22:18 [DM (Aarya)] Yes, I understand. Well, would you all be interested in having a pastry? I can offer you a free sample for first-time customers.
01:22:18 [DM (Aarya)] You might find it to be a nice pick-me-up on your journey.
01:22:35 [Sildir (Tris)] Do you have a little, perhaps, a paper I can wrap it in? I certainly don't want to eat it now. I travel on an empty stomach to avoid getting sick from activity, but when I get into town, I'd gladly have something sweet.
01:22:52 [DM (Aarya)] Understandable, and I do think these pastries taste best after a warm meal and some wine to help wash them down.
01:23:04 [Sildir (Tris)] Well, if it's okay with you that I don't eat it right now, then I'll gladly take one for later. Okay.
01:23:09 [DM (Aarya)] Usually chase my wine with more wine. So she, like, fumbles about with her cart, and she pulls out a pastry, and she wraps it up in, like, a little napkin of sorts, I guess like a handkerchief, sort of, and she hands it to you.
01:23:24 [Sildir (Tris)] Great, thank you very much. And I tuck it into some pouch in my armor somewhere. Yeah, wherever it'll fit.
01:23:33 [Sylalys (Cat)] Oh my goodness.
01:23:34 [Sildir (Tris)] Morgantha, should we, you know, will we see you in town? Should we come back and visit you? What's up with the windmill?
01:23:34 [Sildir (Tris)] Is there anything else we can do for you here? If not, we're going to try to get our friends healed up.
01:23:49 [DM (Aarya)] Well, I do come by Vallaki regularly, so perhaps you may see me again. And next time, I think you might find yourself eager to buy my pastries. I'm told they're quite delicious, and I do say so quite modestly.
01:23:49 [DM (Aarya)] Do your daughters help you make these? They do. They're quite helpful.
01:24:13 [Irredel (Sav)] Should you consider setting up shop in town? That way you don't have to trek all this way. It can't be safe.
01:24:13 [Irredel (Sav)] Yes, it's quite dangerous. Day in and day out. Even if it's well-traveled, and bandits, or even animals.
01:24:26 [DM (Aarya)] I appreciate your suggestion, dear, but you know, home is home, and I've always lived here with my daughters. I'm not keen on leaving anytime soon.
01:24:38 [Sildir (Tris)] Well, I'll tell you what. I won't pay you this every single time unless it's your going rate, but as a thank you for some kindness, here you go. And I flip her one gold coin.
01:24:51 [DM (Aarya)] Why thank you, dear.
01:24:56 [Sildir (Tris)] But we really must be going. I hope to see you in town, and I hope to want your pastries again. I'll give you an honest review when I see you next.
01:25:04 [DM (Aarya)] Very well.
01:25:06 [Sildir (Tris)] Unless anyone else in the party would like to do otherwise.
01:25:08 [Mercurio (Gui)] I mean, I think it's quite important that we get to Verlaki as soon as possible. Yes, this conversation has honestly gone on for longer than I cared. Let's get on with it then.
01:25:25 [DM (Aarya)] All right. So you bid Morgantha farewell, and you continue on your way, and you see her head up the road to the windmill. And as you continue along, you go along the trail for a couple more hours, and then you reach the edge of the forest where within lies Verlaki.
01:25:25 [DM (Aarya)] And let's see what I got for you. So you see the winding valley road hugs the mountainside as it meanders north. The dark woods here cling to the opposite side of the road, and the tall gnarled trees feel as if they're creeping closer.
01:25:25 [DM (Aarya)] You hear the sound of wind rustling through the leaves and the occasional creak of branches. And from time to time, it almost sounds like the trees are whispering amongst themselves or stirring in their ancient roots in the old rotten mulch. As the road continues, the forest swallows it up on both sides, the trees towering far above your heads are blocking out all but the barest hints of gray light.
01:25:25 [DM (Aarya)] The air grows thick and heavy with the scent of moss and rotting leaves. And in the distance, you hear a raven's gurgling croak, followed by the sound of fluttering wings. Yeah.
01:25:25 [DM (Aarya)] So as you're walking along, you see Irina kind of just like looking around nervously.
01:27:01 [Mercurio (Gui)] Irina, what is it?
01:27:06 [DM (Aarya)] Well, it's just, I am a bit on edge. The last time we traveled through such dense woods, we were ambushed by wolves. Not keen for that to happen a second time.
01:27:23 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah, that's fair. But if it's going to happen, it's going to happen. We can't let it slow us down, though, any more than it already will.
01:27:31 [Irredel (Sav)] But I am glad that you're alert and on watch.
01:27:36 [DM (Aarya)] Yes. Two of us are already in questionable condition. I should hope that we find some care for them soon.
01:27:48 [Irredel (Sav)] Everyone definitely eyes up. I don't think in our current state that we can risk further harm. I think after Irina, be aware, be alert, be cautious.
01:28:02 [DM (Aarya)] Um, I wonder if I have a CNS plan.
01:28:09 [Irredel (Sav)] Which speaking of being cautious, Sildir, the more I'm thinking about it, I don't think you should eat the food that that old woman gave us.
01:28:18 [Sildir (Tris)] Oh, yeah. No, I'm actually way ahead of you.
01:28:23 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah, that story doesn't make sense.
01:28:26 [Sildir (Tris)] I totally agree. And one of my earliest mentors told me something. There's no such thing as a free lunch.
01:28:26 [Sildir (Tris)] And I would assume this applies to pastries as well.
01:28:38 [Irredel (Sav)] Well, my thought was that she had walked back hours from Vallaki. Those pastries have been sitting on the cart for quite some time. And several more hours have passed since then.
01:28:38 [Irredel (Sav)] And you would not believe the amount of people that I've had to heal because they ate food that wasn't taken care of. You know, soup left out on the stove overnight or something. It makes people horribly sick to the stomach.
01:28:38 [Irredel (Sav)] It goes bad when it's out in the open air for too long.
01:29:03 [Sildir (Tris)] I was wondering if maybe actually one of you guys could do an Arcana check on it. You guys, you know, whoever knows the most about magic here. I don't know.
01:29:03 [Sildir (Tris)] I just feel like she was kind of giving me a wink-wink that this is some sort of crazy pastry. And why does she call them dream pastries? Or at the very least, we should ask around in town when we find someone who knows what they're talking about.
01:29:25 [Irredel (Sav)] And like, if she left to Vallaki... Maybe not if the old woman was a witch.
01:29:30 [Sildir (Tris)] No, I'm not saying that. Every creepy old woman we've met so far in this world has been a witch. But you know, it could be...
01:29:37 [DM (Aarya)] How many creepy old women have you met, actually?
01:29:41 [Sildir (Tris)] Madame Eva is the other one that comes to mind. That's why I said that.
01:29:45 [Mercurio (Gui)] But she's not that creepy. It's the early morning right now and she's coming back. So she traveled hours there, then sold pastries and then came back.
01:29:45 [Mercurio (Gui)] She must have left her house at like midnight. And her story doesn't really add up.
01:30:04 [Sildir (Tris)] Yeah, something's wrong. And I don't know how an old lady and her two daughters... I mean, I was pushed off a cliff and almost died to wolves.
01:30:04 [Sildir (Tris)] And they're just sitting out of town, unprotected, no walls. They're either stronger than they're letting on or lying to us.
01:30:24 [Mercurio (Gui)] Something is off. I bet that old lady's a werewolf.
01:30:28 [DM (Aarya)] Now, you see, Irina kind of gasps at the notion. Master Mercurio. Well, I...
01:30:36 [Mercurio (Gui)] Ah, I said it. I said what I said.
01:30:38 [DM (Aarya)] I hope that isn't true. Although if she were a werewolf...
01:30:47 [Irredel (Sav)] She was all covered up in a dress. I suppose we wouldn't have been able to see any sort of wound.
01:30:52 [DM (Aarya)] That manuscript that you had, Iridel, it did... What did it say about those who choose to embrace their curse? They have violent tendencies.
01:30:52 [DM (Aarya)] They isolate from society. Oh my goodness.
01:31:11 [Irredel (Sav)] And it does say that they have the strength of a wolf in their resilience as well. That could explain how she pushed the cart all the way from Vallaki.
01:31:21 [DM (Aarya)] Something... Something here is amiss. There's something that we don't understand.
01:31:28 [Irredel (Sav)] You should just throw that out now. I don't even want you carrying it with you for any longer.
01:31:33 [DM (Aarya)] Yes, Master Sildar. I'm not certain that you should trust that pastry.
01:31:37 [Sildir (Tris)] I think we should keep this for further analysis or for talk in town. But if everyone else thinks otherwise, we can get rid of it.
01:31:45 [Irredel (Sav)] Is anyone a good sketcher? A drawer? Just drew a little drawing of it as we're walking.
01:31:52 [Sildir (Tris)] We can't draw a magical essence or, you know, we can't test the drawing.
01:31:57 [Irredel (Sav)] I suppose I could inspect it real quick. Here, keep it wrapped in a napkin. I don't want to touch it.
01:32:05 [Sildir (Tris)] Okay. Have a look-see. And I pull it out of some random pouch in my armor that doesn't even look like it's there.
01:32:12 [DM (Aarya)] I'm assuming it's kind of like squashed this way.
01:32:15 [Sildir (Tris)] Yeah, it's like definitely like... Definitely a little squashed. Probably, you know, the napkin has absorbed some like random sweat.
01:32:24 [DM (Aarya)] Okay, so Iridel with a 16 arcana check. You're not really sure. This appears to be an ordinary pastry, but you do feel that it's difficult to to suss out magical properties of something like this.
01:32:24 [DM (Aarya)] So it's hard to say for certain.
01:32:43 [Irredel (Sav)] Pretty inconclusive. Seems like a pastry. Just a very untrustworthy and disturbing one.
01:32:50 [DM (Aarya)] You do feel that you could probably get a more certain result with like um some kind of detection spell if you if you had something like that.
01:33:00 [Irredel (Sav)] Hmm, I do. Um, okay, so I didn't actually change my prepared spells for the day.
01:33:10 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, I mean you can just do that now really quick.
01:33:13 [Irredel (Sav)] Okay, yeah, let me let me do that. So I guess I could detect magic or detect... Well, I have lots of detection spells.
01:33:21 [Mercurio (Gui)] You can do a ritual cast of detect magic, right?
01:33:24 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, I think you can.
01:33:26 [Irredel (Sav)] Oh, I'm allowed to do that?
01:33:28 [DM (Aarya)] Um, yeah, I mean they changed how ritual casting works, I think. But yeah, you you have ritual casting available. You just have to have this spell prepared.
01:33:38 [Irredel (Sav)] Yeah, let me go ahead and do the ritual casting of detect magic. And then I'm also going to say that I had prepared detect poison and disease for the day. So I will do the ritual cast of detect magic.
01:33:57 [DM (Aarya)] Okay, um, so you spent, I assume as you're walking along the road still, you spend like 10 minutes or so like holding the pastry, um, casting the detect magic spell. And you you're able to glean that there is some kind of enchantment magic on this pastry.
01:34:17 [Irredel (Sav)] And I share that with the group.
01:34:20 [Mercurio (Gui)] That vile old bitch. Well. As soon as we get Satorno back, we're gonna gut her like a fish.
01:34:20 [Mercurio (Gui)] Gut her like a fish?
01:34:34 [Sildir (Tris)] I don't know if that is... We don't know everything we need to know yet to do that. But honestly, if we find out anything worse than this, I completely agree with you, Mercurio.
01:34:34 [Sildir (Tris)] We'll gut her like a fish.
01:34:45 [DM (Aarya)] Well, it is strange that she would...
01:34:46 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yes, you're right. First we'll find a silver sword and then we'll gut her like a fish. You're right.
01:34:51 [DM (Aarya)] It is strange that she would withhold the magical nature of her goods like this, but we don't know for certain what her intentions are. I would suggest that we try to find out more before we jump to any conclusion and make any rash decision based on that.
01:35:11 [Irredel (Sav)] Now with that, I wholeheartedly agree. The only rash decision we should make is throwing this as far away as possible and... Well, no.
01:35:21 [Sildir (Tris)] I want to keep it. We can still ask or take more time to...
01:35:27 [DM (Aarya)] So Irina comes up to Iridel, who I assume is still holding the pastry. Yes. And you see her with her finger covered in a handkerchief.
01:35:27 [DM (Aarya)] She kind of pokes at it a little bit. And you can see that since it's been squashed up, having been in Sildur's... I'm not sure where the fuck he kept it.
01:35:27 [DM (Aarya)] You can kind of see the filling spilling out of the pastry, and it is a savory type pastry, like a meat pie basically. And Irina kind of makes a face and she says, Well, Master Sildur, if you decided you're not going to eat it and you intend to keep it around, I fear that it may spoil sooner than later.
01:36:11 [Sildir (Tris)] All right, well, let's bury it then. I would hate for, like, poor, you know, one of Pepito's cousins to come here unwittingly and eat some crazily enchanted pastry. Just a quick scoop out the ground and chuck it in and cover it up would be real quick.
01:36:11 [Sildir (Tris)] I just do it. It takes me like two minutes.
01:36:39 [DM (Aarya)] Okay, cool. All right. Good riddance.
01:36:45 [Sildir (Tris)] Continue on then.
01:36:46 [DM (Aarya)] All right. So let's see what we got now.
01:36:51 [Sildir (Tris)] What a waste of a gold coin. Hopefully it bought me some goodwill at least. If she isn't crazy.
01:36:56 [Mercurio (Gui)] You gave that werewolf a gold coin. It's some bribery. You threw her a silver coin.
01:37:02 [Irredel (Sav)] Now, she can go back into town and buy more flour to make her disturbing little witch pastries. But you kept her from being angry at us. So, all things considered, maybe it was a net positive.
01:37:21 [Sildir (Tris)] Depending on how long we're here, we should just investigate that old woman and gut her like a fish if needed. If needed.
01:37:31 [DM (Aarya)] I am not certain why you seem to be so adamant about gutting someone like a fish. I can't say that I've really heard that expression myself anyway.
01:37:41 [Sildir (Tris)] We didn't grow up here like you, Arena. We were just thrust into this world. First thing we saw was the Durst family house.
01:37:41 [Sildir (Tris)] Caught off the curse there.
01:37:49 [Mercurio (Gui)] We're a little bit on edge, that's all. But you might be right. You know, we speak like sailors out there.
01:37:57 [DM (Aarya)] I see. Well, that is news to me. Growing up in Barovia, our village is landlocked, as you've seen for yourself.
01:37:57 [DM (Aarya)] We have the River Ivelisse not too far away, but no great body of water.
01:38:14 [Sildir (Tris)] We're still going to show you the beach one day, if you worry.
01:38:18 [DM (Aarya)] Yes, your descriptions of this beach, they sound interesting. I should like to see it.
01:38:30 [Mercurio (Gui)] Well, let's keep moving.
01:38:33 [DM (Aarya)] All right.
01:38:34 [Mercurio (Gui)] Also, enchanting. I mean, could that have anything to do with our two friends here? I mean, I'm a bit familiar with enchanting magic myself, and this seems like it could be the effects of some kind of enchantment magic.
01:38:56 [DM (Aarya)] Interesting.
01:39:00 [Irredel (Sav)] It's certainly possible.
01:39:05 [Mercurio (Gui)] Did they... I wonder if they had anything to eat that could have caused this, maybe. Maybe someone handed us a snack or something at the Bastani camp.
01:39:05 [Mercurio (Gui)] I don't know. Maybe I'm just connecting things that don't need to be connected.
01:39:24 [Irredel (Sav)] Possible. Or I wonder how far of a way that enchantment spells can be placed. Everything that I've experienced, you have to be very close by.
01:39:24 [Irredel (Sav)] I wonder if something... Did anyone see anything suspicious? Even a strange noise as they were watching guard?
01:39:41 [Mercurio (Gui)] I was wide awake the whole night, I mean.
01:39:44 [DM (Aarya)] I also did not detect anything strange.
01:39:46 [Mercurio (Gui)] Well, during my guard. I don't know.
01:39:49 [DM (Aarya)] Sildur, did you see anything?
01:39:51 [Mercurio (Gui)] I didn't see anything, no. And you were alert all night.
01:39:58 [Sildir (Tris)] I must admit, there was one moment where I faltered slightly. But even then, I think I would have noticed if something furious was going on.
01:40:15 [DM (Aarya)] Oh, Master Sildur.
01:40:20 [Mercurio (Gui)] Well, there's no point... There's no use in pointing fingers or anything now. We just need to get to the lock key.
01:40:27 [DM (Aarya)] The most important thing is that we find aid for our friends. And you did raise an interesting point, Master Irdal, about... Perhaps they are under the effect of some kind of spell.
01:40:27 [DM (Aarya)] What was it that you did just now to detect the magic on this pastry?
01:40:45 [Irredel (Sav)] Oh, it's just one of the abilities that I have. Thanks to Týr, the god that I'm a cleric for, I'm able to detect magic. If I take the time to get my spells ready in the morning, I can also detect poison and disease.
01:40:45 [Irredel (Sav)] And I can detect good and evil. And I have a few other Hyrulean spells, other stuff that I could do. But when it comes to sensing things out, those are the most useful.
01:40:45 [Irredel (Sav)] Oh, of course, I can also find traps in the area, which you think may not be very useful in my line of profession. However, I have to walk through a lot of very old mansions, so I find it extraordinarily useful.
01:41:23 [DM (Aarya)] You have quite an arsenal of useful magics, Master Irdal.
01:41:27 [Irredel (Sav)] Yes, yes.
01:41:28 [DM (Aarya)] Would any of those perhaps help us find out something about what's afflicting our friends?
01:41:35 [Irredel (Sav)] I suppose I could try casting Detect Magic again.
01:41:39 [DM (Aarya)] Please.
01:41:41 [Irredel (Sav)] All right, so it'll take a few minutes, but I can do the ritual as we walk.
01:41:47 [DM (Aarya)] Okay. All right, so you spend another 10 minutes as you all are walking. Ritual casting Detect Magic once more on Saturno and Ember.
01:41:47 [DM (Aarya)] And you learn that the magic affecting them appears to be some kind of conjuration or perhaps abjuration school of magic.
01:42:15 [Irredel (Sav)] Conjuration or abjuration? I thought this would be more of an enchantment-style spell. How surprising.
01:42:15 [Irredel (Sav)] Mercurio, have you heard of anything like this? This doesn't seem like anything I've experienced.
01:42:35 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah, that is strange. It doesn't fit with the theory I had, and I haven't seen any abjuration or conjuration spells like this.
01:42:59 [DM (Aarya)] I don't know what these words mean, Master Irdal, but I trust that they mean more to you than to me.
01:43:07 [Irredel (Sav)] Yes, they're just classifications of the types of magic. Sometimes people specialize in one form or the other, especially wizards, because they have to learn all of their spells. So they often pick a kind to specialize in.
01:43:07 [Irredel (Sav)] I'm kind of just given what I'm dealt by my god, but...
01:43:34 [DM (Aarya)] Perhaps we can learn more if we visit the church in Vallaki. Only more reason to make haste.
01:43:51 [Sildir (Tris)] Take me to church.
01:43:52 [DM (Aarya)] All right, so you continue wandering along the trail. Pondering the fate of your allies and what strange magic is afflicting them. And as you venture a bit further, you see ahead...
01:43:52 [DM (Aarya)] So the road you're traveling along currently, like through the woods, is going west. And eventually you see the trees to your north break, revealing a grassy field. And you see the tall grasses sway in the chill air.
01:43:52 [DM (Aarya)] And you see the field stretching until it reaches the shores of a dark distant lake. Fog clings to the shoreline, and even from a distance, you can hear the faint sound of water laughing against the rocks. You see Irina walking along with you, suddenly stops and freezes, looking over to the lake.
01:43:52 [DM (Aarya)] Excuse me. And she asks all of you, I am sorry, do you think perhaps we could take a quick detour? There's something about this lake.
01:45:01 [Mercurio (Gui)] It can't wait until after we get help for our friends?
01:45:05 [DM (Aarya)] Oh, yes, of course. Yeah, what is it? What, it's just...
01:45:05 [DM (Aarya)] It's just, it's strange. It seems familiar somehow. And without another word, you see her just kind of like rush off towards the lake.
01:45:20 [Irredel (Sav)] Son of a bitch. Let me run behind her.
01:45:24 [Sildir (Tris)] Yeah, I'm actually gonna...
01:45:26 [Irredel (Sav)] Irina, wait up, wait up. Don't, don't, don't go alone.
01:45:29 [Sildir (Tris)] I want to cast a spell. Oh. On her.
01:45:29 [Sildir (Tris)] And it's going to be a command.
01:45:36 [DM (Aarya)] Okay.
01:45:37 [Sildir (Tris)] Spell.
01:45:38 [DM (Aarya)] All right.
01:45:40 [Sildir (Tris)] And the command, of course, is going to be, you know, I feel like stop should be fine, or like, you know, whatever, drop is technically the right one. Maybe approach.
01:45:52 [DM (Aarya)] You can do stop or any of those.
01:45:55 [Sildir (Tris)] Yeah, we'll just, you know, get your ass back over here with the foot.
01:45:58 [DM (Aarya)] All right, so she pulled, she failed the wisdom save. So she stops in place, held by the magic of your spell.
01:46:09 [Mercurio (Gui)] Do you still have your, how long does your detect magic last?
01:46:16 [Irredel (Sav)] Um, let me see. Um, up to 10 minutes.
01:46:28 [Mercurio (Gui)] What, is, is Irina enchanted?
01:46:32 [DM (Aarya)] Are you detecting magic on her, or are you trying to?
01:46:36 [Irredel (Sav)] Yeah, yeah, I guess if it's still active, yeah.
01:46:38 [DM (Aarya)] Okay, yeah. So you detect the enchantment magic of the command spell affecting Irina currently. Oh, but like, anything else, like, before that?
01:46:38 [DM (Aarya)] Um, well, I guess you, if you, you would have had to have been, um, directing the spell at her before to detect that, but right now you only detect the command spell.
01:46:59 [Irredel (Sav)] No, signals are getting crossed. The, the other spell is blocking anything else that I could possibly detect.
01:47:06 [Mercurio (Gui)] Maybe when she poked a pie or something.
01:47:11 [Sildir (Tris)] I apologize. Uh, I, I figured this was the best thing to do.
01:47:15 [DM (Aarya)] I am, I, I'm sorry. I know we are in a rush, but I, it's just so uncanny. I, I need to investigate this.
01:47:22 [Mercurio (Gui)] Irina, you're acting extremely irrationally right now.
01:47:26 [Sildir (Tris)] Irina, the wolves were based around a lake. This could be like Beretok for all we know. Why don't you just continue on with us for now?
01:47:26 [Sildir (Tris)] We'll take you back here ourselves when we have time.
01:47:37 [DM (Aarya)] It'll be just a moment. I just, I just need to see it with my own eyes.
01:47:41 [Sildir (Tris)] All right. Here, you hold Ember, and I slough Ember onto, uh, Iridel. And I say, uh, don't worry, we'll, we'll negotiate some bonus for this.
01:47:41 [Sildir (Tris)] And I'm gonna walk over to Irina, and I'm gonna warn her. Irina, you can come with us of your own free will. Or I can carry you the rest of the way to Vallaki.
01:47:41 [Sildir (Tris)] I made a promise to your brother.
01:48:14 [DM (Aarya)] And I'll, I will continue with you, but it's just, I feel like I've seen this lake before. I, I, I need to, I need to check it out.
01:48:21 [Sildir (Tris)] That's great. It is a nice lake, and you can check it out in a few minutes. How about that?
01:48:21 [Sildir (Tris)] We'll do it today. But you need to come with us right now. We worked really hard to get you here, and you need to respect that.
01:48:35 [DM (Aarya)] Uh, roll persuasion. I'll say you can do it with advantage, since that was a pretty solid argument. It's my best bet.
01:48:35 [DM (Aarya)] Oh, 18 persuasion! And you see, okay, so you see Irina, um, listening to you. You see her expression kind of grows frustrated.
01:48:35 [DM (Aarya)] Um, you can tell that she is, you're not, you really don't, aren't sure why, but she seems really adamant on checking out this lake, despite the urgency that she herself pointed out earlier. Um, and you see her kind of like, uh, relax, like release the tension in her shoulders and look defeated. And she turns to you.
01:48:35 [DM (Aarya)] Very well, I'm, I'm sorry, that's, I'm not sure what came over me, but I do want to investigate this lake as soon as we have the opportunity.
01:49:29 [Sildir (Tris)] And we will. We all, we all care for you here more than just, you know, the errand of running you to Vallaki. You've become a friend to us.
01:49:29 [Sildir (Tris)] We'll make sure you get to investigate this lake, but why don't you do it once we ensure the safety of Ember and Saturno, and we can all help you and make sure you're safe there. If that's Lake Beretog, there could be werewolves there. The things you were all shaking in fear of as we were approaching Vallaki, you're about to run right into their den, perhaps.
01:49:29 [Sildir (Tris)] Let's just stay together, and then we'll investigate.
01:49:59 [DM (Aarya)] Yes, yes, of course, I, I was not thinking straight. Um, you're right, of course, Master Sildur, I, I apologize.
01:50:06 [Sildir (Tris)] Ah, don't apologize to me. I was the guy just a minute ago saying we're gonna gut some old lady like a fish. It's fine.
01:50:06 [Sildir (Tris)] We all say silly things on the road.
01:50:18 [DM (Aarya)] All right, let's continue on then. Yeah, I think Savannah's muted. Is she trying to talk?
01:50:31 [Irredel (Sav)] I want to say that Iridel has done a surprisingly capable job of holding Ember. Um, this is the stance and hold of a woman who has had to carry lots of people around with her. She's used to, like, lugging her kid, like, you know, her, her siblings from place to place, or, you know, picking them up away from danger while, you know, at the farm, you know, maybe pulling them away from getting kicked by a cow they were milking or something.
01:50:31 [Irredel (Sav)] This is kind of second nature. That's so funny.
01:51:05 [DM (Aarya)] Iridel is like the oldest of, what, 12, right?
01:51:08 [Irredel (Sav)] Yeah.
01:51:09 [DM (Aarya)] Wow. Um, also, Sildur, uh, for your performance just now, I'll say you can gain an inspiration.
01:51:17 [Sildir (Tris)] No, I already had it, but all right, thank you. I gotta start using it more often, thanks.
01:51:25 [DM (Aarya)] Oh well. All right. Yeah, it's okay.
01:51:25 [DM (Aarya)] So, I assume, uh, I'm assuming you release the spell on Irina and then she joins you all as you continue back, heading along the road?
01:51:42 [Sylalys (Cat)] Yeah.
01:51:42 [DM (Aarya)] All right. And let's see what we got. What are the funny encounters I have for you?
01:51:42 [DM (Aarya)] Um, all right. So, you continue going along the, the old Swalic road, and as quickly as it appeared, the field that you just passed is swallowed up by the forest again. The trees closing in around you once more.
01:51:42 [DM (Aarya)] The dark undergrowth rustles and stirs in the wind and the weight of the forest presses in from all sides. You're unable to shake the sense that somehow you're being watched.
01:52:17 [Irredel (Sav)] Well, this day couldn't get any better.
01:52:23 [Sildir (Tris)] How close are we to town now?
01:52:25 [DM (Aarya)] Well, from the perch that you had on the hill, like, near the, the windmill, you saw that the town was nestled directly in the center of the forest that you're currently in. And judging from the distance that you've walked, you feel that you are nearing it. Maybe, like, an hour or so ahead is Vallaki.
01:52:25 [DM (Aarya)] At this point, it is getting closer to midday. It's probably, like, about noon-ish right now.
01:52:57 [Mercurio (Gui)] I guess we just look around to make sure, you know, if we feel like we're being watched, like, not too closely, but we keep kind of trying to head down the road.
01:53:08 [DM (Aarya)] All right, so anyone who wants to, like, look around and kind of, like, check out the area, you can do, you can roll perception.
01:53:16 [Irredel (Sav)] Any chance that maybe we're being watched by, say, the guards of the town or some sort of patrol? Could explain this eerie feeling.
01:53:26 [DM (Aarya)] Um, Iridel, you get the sense that, um, like, having considered the, the guards, um, you feel like the town, just, just judging from the distance that you've walked and where you saw the town to be in, like, uh, with respect to the surrounding forest, um, you feel like the town is still probably, like, a little ways ahead, like, maybe an hour or so of walking. Um, so you wouldn't expect, necessarily, that guards would be there, like, right here, unless they're, like, patrolling out pretty far. Um, and let's see, what are your rolls?
01:53:26 [DM (Aarya)] Um, Mercurio and Iridel both rolled 17s on perception. So, the two of you spot, in the woods, just for a moment, the flicker of a humanoid shape.
01:54:14 [Irredel (Sav)] Humanoid, not human?
01:54:16 [DM (Aarya)] Humanoid, yes.
01:54:18 [Mercurio (Gui)] And like, not, you know, they're off the path, right?
01:54:21 [Irredel (Sav)] Yeah, in the woods, yeah.
01:54:23 [Mercurio (Gui)] Oh, great, um, yeah, there's a, say, on high alert, there's, there's a creep out there stalking us.
01:54:39 [Sylalys (Cat)] Just, um, nothing else we can do.
01:54:54 [DM (Aarya)] So, you guys are continuing ahead?
01:55:00 [Sylalys (Cat)] Uh, I think so. Yeah. All right.
01:55:05 [DM (Aarya)] Um, I guess, like, describe to me, right now, how you guys all are situated, in terms of, like, the formation or however you're, you're walking in.
01:55:15 [Mercurio (Gui)] Well, and also, um, the figure, like, what sort of, like, side was it on? Was it on the side that was, like, towards the lake?
01:55:25 [DM (Aarya)] Um, yeah, like, to the north is where you spotted it. Okay. The lake is to the north, too.
01:55:33 [Irredel (Sav)] Well, maybe we should get closer together.
01:55:36 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah. Might be one of those werewolves, seems to be from the side of that.
01:55:45 [Irredel (Sav)] I can, uh, you know, make sure that I'm, I'm holding Ember. I don't need as much physical movement to defend myself with my spells. Everyone else wants to kind of prepare yourselves.
01:56:01 [DM (Aarya)] Irina, like, kind of, like, comes alert, and she looks around, and she says, are we, are we expecting some kind of attack? Is, should we take any position?
01:56:13 [Sildir (Tris)] Just ready your sword, Irina. Uh, can't hurt to be prepared.
01:56:18 [DM (Aarya)] All right. Um, and Irina looks around, and she says, I, I suppose we'll continue walking, yes? And just keep our wits about us?
01:56:18 [DM (Aarya)] Yes, exactly, yes.
01:56:34 [Irredel (Sav)] Yes, and once again, maybe put the, the stronger people in front, and our injured folks in the middle of the pack?
01:56:45 [DM (Aarya)] Good call. That's smart. Um, yes, I guess just describe to me, like, how you guys are arranging yourselves.
01:56:45 [DM (Aarya)] You're heading along this road, like, to the west, where the lock is. Um, and you saw the shadow, like, coming in the woods from the north? Yeah.
01:57:07 [Mercurio (Gui)] Um, I mean, I think Sildir and, um, Irina, I guess, are in the front. Um, and then, sort of, like, on a second row is Iridel, me, and Sililus, and we're, sort of, like, carrying the other two.
01:57:29 [Sylalys (Cat)] Okay.
01:57:32 [DM (Aarya)] So, I guess I'll put you out like that, maybe? Or I guess, um, since Iridel is carrying, um, Ember.
01:57:42 [Sylalys (Cat)] Yeah.
01:57:45 [DM (Aarya)] All right. So, you take your, your, your formations, and you continue along the woods. Um, as you continue along, you see the woodland road takes you through a small forested clearing.
01:57:45 [DM (Aarya)] The circular tree line here is littered with dense thickets and moss-covered boulders. Um, and then, without any warning, you see three wolves leaping from the forest. And I'm going to bring them in from here.
01:57:45 [DM (Aarya)] Um, all right. And I'll go ahead and start my combat encounter. Um, um, yeah.
01:57:45 [DM (Aarya)] Everyone give me initiative, and let's get some battle music.
01:59:08 [Sildir (Tris)] Oh my gosh, more wolves. Rolled a two. Can I inspire a initiative roll?
01:59:31 [DM (Aarya)] Uh, you want to use inspiration on an initiative roll?
01:59:35 [Sildir (Tris)] Uh, just a question.
01:59:38 [DM (Aarya)] Uh, I mean, yeah, I'll let you do- use your inspiration for that if you want.
01:59:42 [Sildir (Tris)] Okay, just for now, I'm not going.
01:59:44 [DM (Aarya)] All right. All right. So, I'll start the combat encounter.
01:59:44 [DM (Aarya)] All right, so Irina is up first. Um, she is going to hold her rapier, like, in a defensive position. And she's going to try to get ready to, like, defend, um, her allies behind her if the wolves step up.
01:59:44 [DM (Aarya)] Uh, and she is going to take the dodge action. And Mercurio, you're next.
02:00:22 [Mercurio (Gui)] Um, yeah. Mercurio's fucking pissed off. Like, there's way too many, uh, blockers here.
02:00:22 [Mercurio (Gui)] I'm trying to get Saturno to this cleric. Yeah. Um, and I'm not having this shit right now.
02:00:22 [Mercurio (Gui)] So, um, I'm gonna let the wolves know how I feel about that. I'm gonna cast Bane on these three. Cool.
02:00:22 [Mercurio (Gui)] Right there. I've had it with these damn wolves! Get out!
02:00:22 [Mercurio (Gui)] And I- you hear my voice, uh, echo in, like, a dissonant harmony. You hear, like, three Mercurios shouting at the wolves.
02:01:06 [DM (Aarya)] Oh, hell yeah. Love that. So, 17, 11, and 3.
02:01:06 [DM (Aarya)] So two of them fail the save, um, and one does- succeeds.
02:01:26 [Mercurio (Gui)] So the one that succeeds, I will use, um, my beguiling magic. Um, I think, uh, how do I, uh, put this? It's shift-left-click to skip this dialogue, uh, use ability.
02:01:26 [Mercurio (Gui)] It's, like, keeps item configured to consume by mini-save. Oh, that's weird.
02:01:57 [DM (Aarya)] It's, like, got some issue. Um, but do you know what the feature does? We can just, like, do it.
02:02:01 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah, so it's the one where when I cast an enchantment spell immediately after, I can, um, make a creature make a charm or frighten save for a minute. So I'm gonna try to frighten the wolf with my- my voice there.
02:02:17 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, so that's a whiz save, right?
02:02:19 [Mercurio (Gui)] That's a whiz save, or is it charisma?
02:02:26 [DM (Aarya)] Um... Charms are usually whiz, um, I think, right?
02:02:28 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah, this is whiz. Uh, I'm going for frighten.
02:02:31 [DM (Aarya)] Okay, so that is a 9, so it is frightened. So that means it can't approach you, right?
02:02:41 [Mercurio (Gui)] Um, yeah, it can- it cannot approach me, and it has disadvantage on ability checks and attack rolls while I'm in its sight.
02:02:54 [DM (Aarya)] Um, say that second part again?
02:02:56 [Mercurio (Gui)] It can't- It has disadvantage- it can't move towards me, and- and, uh, it has disadvantage on attacks and ability rolls while I'm in its line of sight.
02:03:05 [DM (Aarya)] Okay, cool. Nice. Um, yeah, pretty good turn, honestly.
02:03:05 [DM (Aarya)] Good CC.
02:03:11 [Mercurio (Gui)] And I'll throw a bardic inspiration over to, uh, Sildir.
02:03:19 [DM (Aarya)] Okay, that's a concentration spell, right?
02:03:23 [Mercurio (Gui)] Uh, bane is concentration.
02:03:25 [DM (Aarya)] Okay, good to know. Okay, um, all right, that's your turn, I assume?
02:03:33 [Mercurio (Gui)] That's my turn, yeah.
02:03:34 [DM (Aarya)] So this wolf here is gonna run up and take a bite out of Sildir. All righty. Oh, and it has advantage because it's next to its ally.
02:03:34 [DM (Aarya)] Pack tactics, baby! Oh, good thing too. And I subtracted d4 from this.
02:04:00 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah.
02:04:01 [DM (Aarya)] From bane, so 20. That's- I assume that still hits.
02:04:06 [Sylalys (Cat)] Yeah.
02:04:07 [DM (Aarya)] Okay, some damage. That is 6 damage. I'll apply it.
02:04:07 [DM (Aarya)] Okay. Ouch. And now it's Sildur's.
02:04:21 [Sildir (Tris)] All right.
02:04:26 [Mercurio (Gui)] I will shoot- Actually, I'ma stab the wolf in front.
02:04:36 [Sylalys (Cat)] Your attack.
02:04:45 [DM (Aarya)] 23, uh, hits. 12 damage.
02:04:51 [Sylalys (Cat)] 12.
02:04:52 [DM (Aarya)] 12 damage. Damn! Pretty good hit.
02:04:52 [DM (Aarya)] Oh yeah, you- you bloody got wolf in one hit. Nice. Okay, so now this wolf is gonna take a turn.
02:04:52 [DM (Aarya)] It's gonna run up to Sildir. Take another bite with advantage. Uh, 13?
02:04:52 [DM (Aarya)] That doesn't hit, does it? No. Okay, cool.
02:04:52 [DM (Aarya)] All right, so this- A wolf attempts to bite you, and you kind of just like, you raise an armored forearm and kind of just like catch its bite and like shove it off. Um... Iridell.
02:05:43 [Irredel (Sav)] All righty. I am gonna go ahead and cast- Also, really quick, I assume you're still holding Ember, right? Yes, and I was going to explain that.
02:05:56 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, I'll say that like, if you're- as long as you're carrying her, you'll have like difficult movement, so your movement speed will be halved.
02:06:04 [Irredel (Sav)] Got it, that's fine. I also wanted to explain that, so normally Iridell has like a little holy symbol on a cord around her neck. It's like a pretty long cord and she keeps it tucked under her dress.
02:06:04 [Irredel (Sav)] And so she normally like pulls this out and uses it kind of as like a spell casting focus, and that motion is also part of the somatic component of the spell. But obviously since she has Ember, I want you to imagine she's like a little bit like lopsided and trying to like pull this cord out of her dress. It's very undignified.
02:06:04 [Irredel (Sav)] Once she gets a hold of it, she kind of like flings it a bit and you see the holy symbol kind of like yoink away and then flop against her body. As this is happening, she's still casting Guiding Bolt towards the wolf that is in front of Sildir.
02:06:56 [DM (Aarya)] Okay, all right. Go ahead and roll the attack. 18, that hits.
02:06:56 [DM (Aarya)] Roll damage. Holy, high roll. 18 damage.
02:06:56 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, this wolf is barely standing. And also the next attack roll against it has advantage.
02:07:23 [Sylalys (Cat)] Yes.
02:07:25 [Irredel (Sav)] And let's see. Okay, nevermind. I don't have that feature yet.
02:07:25 [Irredel (Sav)] So yeah, that is my turn. And you can see her kind of start to rebalance now and maybe like gently cut Ember on the head. She'll say sorry for jostling you there.
02:07:43 [Sylalys (Cat)] All right.
02:07:44 [DM (Aarya)] So this third remaining wolf is still frightened. It's unable to approach the party any closer and it's kind of just like prowling about in place. So yeah, right now as the party stands, we have these three wolves ahead of you to the north.
02:07:44 [DM (Aarya)] Sildir, Irina, and Sililus standing three abreast in the north, like in the front of the group. And behind Iridel, Ember, Mercurio, and Saturno on the sled in the rear. And with that, that's going to be Sildir's turn.
02:08:24 [Sildir (Tris)] All righty. Um, I guess first of all on the wolf right in front of me, I will go ahead and say vow of enmity.
02:08:44 [DM (Aarya)] I will point out this one is low and also your next attack against it has advantage. I don't know if that changes what you want to do or not, but just letting you know. Triss?
02:08:44 [DM (Aarya)] Oh shit. Their power just went out. Oh no.
02:08:44 [DM (Aarya)] No way.
02:09:09 [Mercurio (Gui)] Oh no way.
02:09:10 [DM (Aarya)] That's really unfortunate. Hold on. Wow.
02:09:10 [DM (Aarya)] Wait, that's fucked. Yeah, I see. Hold on.
02:09:10 [DM (Aarya)] Let me reply to them. Stride will stop it, I think too. Damn, that's really unfortunate.
02:09:37 [Mercurio (Gui)] I think cursed like stride.
02:10:02 [DM (Aarya)] Um, all right. So I'm just, um, yeah, I'm just going to have Triss or Sildir roll a sword attack like Triss said. Um, hopefully they're able to come back to us momentarily, but yeah, for now they're gonna.
02:10:02 [DM (Aarya)] Okay, power, their power and lights are back on, but they were just out for 30 seconds. Okay, so I just had like a power surge or something.
02:10:37 [Irredel (Sav)] I don't know.
02:10:37 [DM (Aarya)] That's really weird. I'll just have Sildir roll the attack for now. It's gonna be with.
02:10:37 [DM (Aarya)] Holy shit, he crits when he's not here. That's crazy. Oh my gosh.
02:10:37 [DM (Aarya)] Uh, crit damage. That's insane actually that he crits that. Uh, 14 damage.
02:10:37 [DM (Aarya)] He like turbo kills this wolf. Um, I'll say Sililis, since you're like closest to like watching this happen, can you describe for us what you see as Sildir crits this wolf to death?
02:11:21 [Sildir (Tris)] Um, I think he just. Is it the one that I hit? It is, right?
02:11:27 [DM (Aarya)] It's not. It's the one next to it. It's the one that Iridel hit.
02:11:31 [Sildir (Tris)] Okay. Oh, I imagine the wolf is reeling from Iridel's hit a little bit, and he just kind of creeps up from the side and just decapitates it.
02:11:43 [Sylalys (Cat)] Yeah, yeah.
02:11:44 [DM (Aarya)] That sounds like something Sildir would do. That's yeah, pretty odd character. Cool.
02:11:44 [DM (Aarya)] All right. And let's see. Let's see.
02:11:44 [DM (Aarya)] Damn, I was really hoping. Nevermind, it's fine. Um, I'll keep the turn, the comment moving.
02:11:44 [DM (Aarya)] So now it's Irvina's turn. Um, she is going to take a stab at this wolf right in front of her, and she unfortunately misses. She seems like pretty shaken up.
02:11:44 [DM (Aarya)] This is the second time now that y'all have been ambushed by wolves on your journey. So she is, um, yeah, not really used to this kind of scenario. So she misses her attack, unfortunately.
02:11:44 [DM (Aarya)] And Mercurio, it is back to you.
02:12:45 [Mercurio (Gui)] Okay, for me, the wolf in front of Irina, I'm just going to use a vicious mockery on that one.
02:12:56 [DM (Aarya)] Okay.
02:13:00 [Mercurio (Gui)] So this is wisdom save, right?
02:13:02 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, save.
02:13:03 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah.
02:13:08 [DM (Aarya)] 11. So that fails. And yeah, so you can roll damage.
02:13:08 [DM (Aarya)] Hey, damn. Wait, how much is that? Nevermind.
02:13:08 [DM (Aarya)] Okay, so I looked at the wrong roll. Three damage. Okay, nothing super crazy.
02:13:26 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah, it moved the wisdom save to the bottom of like 11.
02:13:30 [Sylalys (Cat)] What the?
02:13:31 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, that was like, there's no way vicious mockery does that much, but yeah. All right, three damage. And it has disadvantage on its next attack roll, right?
02:13:31 [DM (Aarya)] Yep. Cool. All right.
02:13:31 [DM (Aarya)] And it is going to be that wolf's turn. And it is going to attack Sililus with disadvantage.
02:13:52 [Mercurio (Gui)] And minus a d4.
02:13:54 [DM (Aarya)] Oh, yeah. Damn, y'all are... Six.
02:13:54 [DM (Aarya)] That does not hit, I assume. Sililus?
02:14:17 [Sildir (Tris)] No.
02:14:17 [DM (Aarya)] Okay, cool. This wolf staggered from the previous attacks it just took. Kind of like lunges at you to go for another bite attack.
02:14:17 [DM (Aarya)] And you kind of just like gracefully sidestep it. And it connects with nothing but air. And now it goes to you, Sililus.
02:14:17 [DM (Aarya)] Your turn. Yippee. Also, welcome back Triss and Sav.
02:14:51 [Sylalys (Cat)] Yeah.
02:14:52 [DM (Aarya)] You guys good over there? If Triss is talking, he's muted in Discord currently.
02:15:05 [Sildir (Tris)] I see. I was fully yapping. Yeah, no, we're good.
02:15:05 [Sildir (Tris)] The power was out. The weather sucks is why, but we're here. And I'm trying to find my way back into Quasar Palace right now.
02:15:17 [DM (Aarya)] Cool. Sounds good. While you're away...
02:15:17 [DM (Aarya)] It's actually the timing of this is really funny. But you attacked, so...
02:15:26 [Sildir (Tris)] You crit it.
02:15:30 [Sildir (Tris)] I crit? Let's fucking go. My only crit.
02:15:30 [Sildir (Tris)] Your crit, and you weren't even here to see it.
02:15:35 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, that's so tragic.
02:15:38 [Sildir (Tris)] I'm having a hard time connecting to Quasar Palace right now.
02:15:42 [Irredel (Sav)] Yeah, I can't, like, log in.
02:15:46 [DM (Aarya)] That's weird. What are you guys saying on your side?
02:15:49 [Mercurio (Gui)] Oh, it's because their sessions are still active.
02:15:54 [DM (Aarya)] Interesting.
02:15:56 [Mercurio (Gui)] How do we...
02:15:57 [DM (Aarya)] I'm gonna try...
02:15:58 [Mercurio (Gui)] We can restart the game session. Oh, wait.
02:16:01 [Sildir (Tris)] I think I'm good. Uh, yeah.
02:16:05 [Sildir (Tris)] Oh, wait. Oh, no. I'm locked out.
02:16:05 [Sildir (Tris)] Like, my account is not allowed now. Okay, that makes sense.
02:16:11 [DM (Aarya)] Oh, I see. Okay, let me see if I can just kick you from this session. Um, what do you guys see now?
02:16:29 [Sildir (Tris)] Um...
02:16:31 [Irredel (Sav)] Nope. Let me refresh.
02:16:35 [Sildir (Tris)] Yeah, probably refresh. Yeah, still no.
02:16:38 [DM (Aarya)] That's so weird.
02:16:40 [Sildir (Tris)] Let's see. I could just... No, that wouldn't make any sense.
02:16:45 [Mercurio (Gui)] We could restart the world, I guess.
02:16:47 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, let's just do that. Hold on. Um...
02:16:47 [DM (Aarya)] Restarting this. Um... That's so weird.
02:16:47 [DM (Aarya)] I feel like you should have been able to just come back in. It's weird that it kept you in despite you're not being connected still, but whatever. Indeed, Strahd himself has cursed you.
02:16:47 [DM (Aarya)] No. All right, so world's back up. Um, you guys should all be able to log back in.
02:16:47 [DM (Aarya)] Whoops, never mind. I just skivityed something.
02:17:50 [Irredel (Sav)] It's letting me in.
02:17:52 [DM (Aarya)] Oh, it did? Oh, cool.
02:17:54 [Irredel (Sav)] Maybe.
02:17:56 [DM (Aarya)] Refresh. Nope. Okay, now I'm back for real this time.
02:17:56 [DM (Aarya)] And I see Mercurio and Sildur currently logging in.
02:18:10 [Sildir (Tris)] I'm in. I'm in.
02:18:15 [Mercurio (Gui)] I'm in here.
02:18:30 [DM (Aarya)] Um... Let me know when y'all are all good. I see Sildur's still logging in, but your name is flashing, so that's something.
02:18:59 [Sylalys (Cat)] I can take my turn now.
02:19:03 [DM (Aarya)] Um... Yes, you can take your turn since you're back.
02:19:07 [Sildir (Tris)] Um... I'm gonna go ahead and strike with Evade.
02:19:12 [DM (Aarya)] All right, go for it.
02:19:16 [Irredel (Sav)] Boom!
02:19:17 [DM (Aarya)] All right, total damage. 24 definitely hits.
02:19:27 [Irredel (Sav)] Sorry, I can, uh, I can turn that off while I'm like flickering in and out.
02:19:31 [DM (Aarya)] It's fine.
02:19:32 [Irredel (Sav)] Due to my internet.
02:19:33 [DM (Aarya)] Okay, so is your internet still funny right now?
02:19:36 [Irredel (Sav)] A little bit. I'm in the gray, like, empty void of Foundry before it loads stuff in.
02:19:48 [DM (Aarya)] I see. Interesting. Um...
02:19:52 [Irredel (Sav)] And Tristan's been talking, but his Discord account is just not connecting anymore.
02:19:57 [DM (Aarya)] Really? Is this from your PCs that you're not able to join Discord? Oh, there he goes.
02:20:10 [Irredel (Sav)] Yeah, I guess mine is connecting better.
02:20:14 [DM (Aarya)] Somehow, yeah. Would it maybe help if you all joined Discord from mobile? Or I don't know if that would make a difference.
02:20:14 [DM (Aarya)] If you're still on the same internet. Hi, Trist. Um, also Sildur, how do you...
02:20:14 [DM (Aarya)] Not Sildur, Sililus. How do you kill this one? All right, now I can hear you.
02:20:33 [Sildir (Tris)] How do I kill it?
02:20:34 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah.
02:20:37 [Sildir (Tris)] I'm gonna... You know... You know, um...
02:20:37 [Sildir (Tris)] Yeah? Okay, no, I got it. I'm going to...
02:20:37 [Sildir (Tris)] I'm going to give it a quick jab in the throat. Like, slash it out, you know, sort of disemboweling... I guess you can't use that when it's not bowels, huh?
02:20:59 [Sylalys (Cat)] Yeah.
02:20:59 [Sildir (Tris)] But you know, like, eviscerating the wolf's windpipe and then flicking off the blood in one motion.
02:21:06 [DM (Aarya)] Oh shit, damn. Very efficient. All right.
02:21:06 [DM (Aarya)] Um, I assume that's your turn. Okay. So with that, it'll go to Iridel's turn.
02:21:06 [DM (Aarya)] But also, I know that she's having some internet trouble right now. All right, can you hear us, Sav? Are you...
02:21:28 [Irredel (Sav)] Yes, I can.
02:21:29 [DM (Aarya)] Okay. I can see them. You can see what?
02:21:29 [DM (Aarya)] Just to kind of... Oh, she's in... I see her in Foundry now.
02:21:29 [DM (Aarya)] Okay, so that's something. Progress. But we lost her on audio.
02:21:47 [Sildir (Tris)] Yeah.
02:21:49 [Sildir (Tris)] Try to... What helped me a lot is just... Oh, never mind.
02:21:53 [DM (Aarya)] What happened?
02:21:53 [Sildir (Tris)] Can you guys hear me?
02:21:54 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, we can hear you.
02:21:55 [Sildir (Tris)] All right, Savannah, try talking now.
02:21:58 [Irredel (Sav)] Hello?
02:21:59 [DM (Aarya)] Hey, there you are.
02:21:59 [Sildir (Tris)] Yeah, it's working.
02:22:01 [Irredel (Sav)] All righty. Um... Oh, the remaining wolf is wounded, right?
02:22:10 [DM (Aarya)] Uh, two wolves just were killed, and there's one wolf remaining who is feared. Also, right before you take your turn, we got a little surprise action happening. Um...
02:22:10 [DM (Aarya)] One of these wolves is going to take a legendary... No. Um...
02:22:10 [DM (Aarya)] But there will be a fourth wolf that springs from the woods to your rear.
02:22:34 [Irredel (Sav)] Oh, that wolf looks fucked up. Oh, there's something wrong with that wolf.
02:22:40 [DM (Aarya)] Um, and this...
02:22:41 [Irredel (Sav)] Oh, absolutely fucking not.
02:22:42 [DM (Aarya)] And this wolf is gonna run up to Mercurio and go for a bite.
02:22:54 [Mercurio (Gui)] That's the normal wolf token.
02:22:57 [DM (Aarya)] No way.
02:22:58 [Sildir (Tris)] Oh my god. There's no way it crits you. That was without Pac-Tac.
02:22:58 [Sildir (Tris)] There's no way it just crits you right now.
02:23:05 [DM (Aarya)] Holy shit. Damn. All right.
02:23:05 [DM (Aarya)] Um... Mercurio, it's nice knowing you.
02:23:13 [Sildir (Tris)] Baby's bite.
02:23:14 [DM (Aarya)] Um, that's 12 damage to that bite. So yeah, this one is gonna go... Um, it's going to go kind of like for your jugular at first.
02:23:14 [DM (Aarya)] Um, you're kind of able to like shift a little bit so it catches you like on your like shoulders, I guess. Like near your traps area. Okay.
02:23:14 [DM (Aarya)] Oh, and you had to do a concentration roll. I rolled concentration. Well, you know, the things you're concentrating on are dead now anyhow.
02:23:14 [DM (Aarya)] Okay, but you succeed the roll. Cool. Okay.
02:23:14 [DM (Aarya)] Um, and then I'll add this thing to the encounter and have it roll initiative now. Damn. This silly wolf.
02:23:57 [Sildir (Tris)] Deserved. This silly wolf.
02:23:59 [DM (Aarya)] Holy shit. Okay. It rolls a crit 20 on its attack and then a nat 1 on the initiative.
02:23:59 [DM (Aarya)] That's so crazy. Okay. Um, Iridel, you can continue with your turn.
02:24:11 [Irredel (Sav)] All right. Actually, no. Things just got more serious.
02:24:11 [Irredel (Sav)] I am gonna cast Guiding Bolt again at this new freaky wolf that has appeared. Roll attack.
02:24:26 [Sylalys (Cat)] Fuck.
02:24:28 [Irredel (Sav)] Hang on. Do I have like inspiration or something? Oh, I do.
02:24:28 [Irredel (Sav)] Okay. What's the inspiration dice? Am I allowed to add that to an attack roll?
02:24:28 [Irredel (Sav)] You just re-roll. I can just re-roll? All right.
02:24:46 [Sildir (Tris)] Let's go. Yo, good one.
02:24:50 [DM (Aarya)] What was it? Hold on. Let me look.
02:24:51 [Mercurio (Gui)] Nat 20.
02:24:52 [DM (Aarya)] Nat 28. No, nice. Okay, crit.
02:24:54 [Irredel (Sav)] Cool. Damn, that's...
02:24:56 [DM (Aarya)] Critting with Guiding Bolt is delicious. Okay, go for that.
02:24:59 [Irredel (Sav)] Who are you attacking? I'm the freaky wolf that just appeared.
02:25:02 [DM (Aarya)] Okay, crit, go for it.
02:25:03 [Irredel (Sav)] That bit Mercurial.
02:25:05 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, go ahead and roll the crit damage. Bye. 34 damage.
02:25:14 [Mercurio (Gui)] That was a crazy roll.
02:25:17 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah. Hold on, let me... Where is it?
02:25:17 [DM (Aarya)] Sorry, give me a second. Um, 34 damage. Okay.
02:25:17 [DM (Aarya)] Apply. Um, so yeah, that's a pretty good chunk. However, the wolf is still standing.
02:25:46 [Irredel (Sav)] Damn. Well, that is my turn. Where is my end turn button gone?
02:25:46 [Irredel (Sav)] Here it is. But, uh, I'm gonna... I think my token moved a little bit, but we'll just say that, like, I'm gonna shift my weight a little bit to face this freaky wolf and kind of make sure that Ember is switched to the other side.
02:25:46 [Irredel (Sav)] You know, away from where the wolf is. So you're moving Ember? Yeah, just, like, kind of, like, shifting so that I am, like, in between Ember and the wolf more closely.
02:25:46 [Irredel (Sav)] Yeah.
02:26:22 [DM (Aarya)] Okay, so, like, Ember's... Yeah. Okay, cool.
02:26:24 [Irredel (Sav)] Yeah.
02:26:25 [DM (Aarya)] Where did you go?
02:26:25 [Irredel (Sav)] I don't know where I went. I have no fucking idea.
02:26:28 [DM (Aarya)] All right, I'm here in spirit. Okay, now here, you're underneath still there.
02:26:32 [Irredel (Sav)] Okay.
02:26:33 [DM (Aarya)] Cool. Let me just double check something. Cool, all right.
02:26:33 [DM (Aarya)] Please continue with... Who's next? Um, this wolf over here, which is still frightened.
02:26:33 [DM (Aarya)] And kind of really unable to do anything since it can't approach any closer. So it'll still just hang out there. And this is...
02:26:33 [DM (Aarya)] It's now the new wolf's turn. And you see this wolf having just took that heavy hit from Irdel. It's pretty pissed.
02:27:12 [Mercurio (Gui)] Damn, that one was actually goaded initially.
02:27:15 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, yeah. And also, you notice, Mercurio, since you are directly in front of this wolf, you notice that its wounds start to heal a little bit.
02:27:30 [Irredel (Sav)] Oh no.
02:27:32 [DM (Aarya)] All right. And this one is gonna shuffle on up over to Irdel. And bite you in return.
02:27:32 [DM (Aarya)] And seven doesn't hit, right? No. Okay, and then it's gonna use its multi-attack creature.
02:27:32 [DM (Aarya)] So it's going to go in with claws now. Normal. Does a 17 hit?
02:28:10 [Irredel (Sav)] Yes. My armor class is seven. Wait, my armor class is 17.
02:28:14 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, so if it matches, it hits.
02:28:15 [Irredel (Sav)] Yes.
02:28:19 [DM (Aarya)] That's gonna be 10 damage. Okay. Still there.
02:28:19 [DM (Aarya)] Your turn.
02:28:30 [Sildir (Tris)] Okay. All right.
02:28:35 [Sildir (Tris)] How bad are these wolves here?
02:28:37 [DM (Aarya)] Those two are dead. Let me just remove them, actually.
02:28:40 [Sildir (Tris)] Oh, they're dead? Okay, perfect. So I'm gonna walk up.
02:28:45 [Mercurio (Gui)] Oh, I should actually point out, like, Frighten, you can re-roll at the end of turns.
02:28:51 [DM (Aarya)] Oh, okay. I'll do that in the future then. Yeah.
02:28:55 [Sildir (Tris)] All right, and now I'll actually use my Vow of Enmity.
02:28:59 [Sylalys (Cat)] Okay.
02:28:59 [Sildir (Tris)] It's even better because of this thing. Um, so Vow of Enmity, it just gives me advantage on the attack rolls. And after that, I will use a longsword attack, and I'll do that with advantage.
02:28:59 [Sildir (Tris)] Thank goodness.
02:29:36 [DM (Aarya)] 17, that hits.
02:29:38 [Sildir (Tris)] Um, and I'll include a Divine Smite.
02:29:47 [Sylalys (Cat)] Okay.
02:29:47 [Sildir (Tris)] So I'll roll for damage on my sword. Oh yeah.
02:29:56 [DM (Aarya)] Oh yeah. That's 11 damage. Nice.
02:30:00 [Sildir (Tris)] And then I will do my Divine Smite.
02:30:03 [Sildir (Tris)] Is this Fiend or Undead, perhaps?
02:30:06 [DM (Aarya)] Um, it is not.
02:30:11 [Sildir (Tris)] Anywho.
02:30:14 [Sildir (Tris)] Damn, that's really unfortunate.
02:30:16 [DM (Aarya)] Divine Smite, 3 damage.
02:30:18 [Sildir (Tris)] At least I maxed out the normal die.
02:30:20 [DM (Aarya)] Yes, you did. All right, cool. Good damage.
02:30:20 [DM (Aarya)] Um, okay. And now it's Irina's turn.
02:30:30 [Sildir (Tris)] You beastly wolf.
02:30:32 [DM (Aarya)] So Irina is going to come over here, and she's going to kind of like carefully, like, while you have, you're holding the wolf's attention still there, she is going to drag Satorno's sled a little bit further away and step forward, like, protectively over her. Um. Mercurio, it's your turn.
02:30:59 [Mercurio (Gui)] Um, I'm just going to use Vicious Mockery, um, on the wolf. Okay. Say, ah, bastard wolf, I will kill you for that.
02:31:20 [DM (Aarya)] All right, 11. It fails, so it has disadvantage on its next attack.
02:31:25 [Irredel (Sav)] Cool.
02:31:31 [DM (Aarya)] And...
02:31:31 [Mercurio (Gui)] 3 damage to it as well.
02:31:35 [DM (Aarya)] 3 damage. Oh, I applied it to the wrong wolf. 3?
02:31:35 [DM (Aarya)] Nice. Let me give you the health back. Um, nice.
02:31:35 [DM (Aarya)] So, anything else?
02:31:53 [Mercurio (Gui)] How much is it healing?
02:31:56 [DM (Aarya)] Um, it healed a bit of the damage that's, um, that Iridel dealt, but it is still, it still, like, took a heavy hit earlier.
02:32:12 [Mercurio (Gui)] Okay, um, yeah. That's it, I'll pass my turn.
02:32:19 [DM (Aarya)] Cool. Syllabus, it is your turn.
02:32:31 [Sylalys (Cat)] All right.
02:32:34 [DM (Aarya)] That one's still frightening, yeah?
02:32:38 [Sildir (Tris)] I will make a short little attack.
02:32:42 [DM (Aarya)] At which wolf?
02:32:45 [Sildir (Tris)] Uh, sorry, the below us. Okay.
02:32:48 [DM (Aarya)] The spooky looking wolf that joins. And 8 unfortunately misses.
02:32:59 [Sylalys (Cat)] Oh, uh, okay, yeah, that's all I got.
02:33:07 [Sildir (Tris)] Okay.
02:33:08 [DM (Aarya)] Iridel, what do you got? Hey, Widow? Did we lose Tab again?
02:33:08 [DM (Aarya)] Uh-oh. Uh-oh. No!
02:33:08 [DM (Aarya)] No!
02:33:32 [Sildir (Tris)] Damn. That's really sad.
02:33:34 [DM (Aarya)] Oh, yeah, that's unfortunate. Hold on, let me go find them.
02:33:45 [Sildir (Tris)] Maybe we should just put a pause on this session. Yeah, maybe.
02:34:03 [DM (Aarya)] The wolf used its last attack. Internet disconnection, true. That's so funny.
02:34:03 [DM (Aarya)] Um.
02:34:14 [Mercurio (Gui)] We're all stunned for three turns. But who knows how we'll be back once Xfinity gets their shit together. I'm about to teach them all about omega fix.
02:34:14 [Mercurio (Gui)] True.
02:35:14 [Sildir (Tris)] Um, see if this works. I'm trying to get us on speakers. You guys right now.
02:35:14 [Sildir (Tris)] All right.
02:35:23 [DM (Aarya)] Here's what?
02:35:25 [Sildir (Tris)] We're here now. We're on speaker. We're both going to do it through my phone.
02:35:30 [DM (Aarya)] Okay, sounds good. Um, yeah, it's currently Iridel's turn. Um, I don't know if you just know your character sheet, unfortunately.
02:35:30 [DM (Aarya)] But, um, if you want, I can, like, tell you what you have. If you want to look at it that way. Actually, let me just, I can, um, let's see.
02:35:30 [DM (Aarya)] I can probably screenshot your stuff and just DM it to you.
02:35:57 [Irredel (Sav)] Yeah, maybe we can. We'll just go ahead and say that I'll cast Toll the Dead on the Freaky Wolf that bit Mercurio. Okay.
02:35:57 [Irredel (Sav)] Perfect.
02:36:16 [DM (Aarya)] Okay, so that's Toll the Dead. Yes, classic. So this is going to make a wisdom save, DC 14, and it rolls a 13.
02:36:16 [DM (Aarya)] So it fails. Um, so I'll go ahead and roll that damage for you. That's going to be a DC 12.
02:36:16 [DM (Aarya)] That was a one that you rolled on damage? It's insane. So, yeah, wow, one damage.
02:36:16 [DM (Aarya)] Um, but that was enough to bloody it. So there's that. Okay.
02:36:59 [Irredel (Sav)] Okay, yeah, well, that's, that's my turn, I guess.
02:37:02 [DM (Aarya)] Now it's this other wolf's turn and it's going to re-roll its wisdom save. And it fails. It is still frightened.
02:37:02 [DM (Aarya)] And now it is this wolf's turn. Um, excuse me. Uh, this one is going to go for another bite on Sildur with disadvantage from mocking, Vicious Mockery.
02:37:02 [DM (Aarya)] So that's going to be disadvantage. Oh, not one!
02:37:43 [Sylalys (Cat)] Okay.
02:37:46 [DM (Aarya)] Um, so, yeah. It misses. And it's going to go for a second attack with claws.
02:37:46 [DM (Aarya)] Shit. I think this one doesn't have... The Vicious Mockery was only for one.
02:37:46 [DM (Aarya)] Another not one! That's crazy! Okay.
02:37:46 [DM (Aarya)] Um, yeah, so it whiffs completely big time. All right, Sildur, your turn.
02:38:13 [Sildir (Tris)] Um, all right, so I will... Damn.
02:38:20 [Mercurio (Gui)] Um, so who's up?
02:38:21 [DM (Aarya)] Oh wait, yeah, also really quick, um, sorry. On that wolf's turn, it also healed a bit of damage. Um, so now, yeah, continue.
02:38:32 [Sylalys (Cat)] Okay.
02:38:34 [Sildir (Tris)] Um, for that wolf, um, so the two are alive still, right?
02:38:42 [DM (Aarya)] Yes, there's the spooky wolf, like, to your south, which is directly in front of you. And the other wolf, um, still to the north, a little bit away, and frightened.
02:38:52 [Sildir (Tris)] Okay, so is that... Is the spooky wolf looking rougher, at least, or not really?
02:38:58 [DM (Aarya)] Um, it was bloodied a second ago, but it just healed a little bit, so it's no longer bloodied.
02:39:04 [Sildir (Tris)] But would I be able to tell that we're, like, chipping away at it?
02:39:07 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, it is... It did take... It still...
02:39:07 [DM (Aarya)] It still hurt, basically, so it's not, like, healed to full or anything.
02:39:15 [Sildir (Tris)] Okay, so I'll go for an attack on that one again.
02:39:18 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, okay. And you still have Vow of Enmity active, so you have advantage still.
02:39:23 [Sildir (Tris)] Yeah, I would like to maybe use, uh... Can you check? I have, like...
02:39:23 [Sildir (Tris)] There's Bane and one other spell that I have that I think is, like, another, like, add a roll. It might be, like, Hunter's Mark.
02:39:38 [DM (Aarya)] You have Hunter's Mark, yes.
02:39:41 [Sildir (Tris)] Can you throw that on as well? And then I'll attack with, you know, advantage because of my Vow of Enmity. And if successful, Hunter's Mark effects, yadda yadda.
02:39:53 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, sounds good. Longsword attack. You hit, so I'm gonna roll the damage.
02:39:53 [DM (Aarya)] And with a d6 from Hunter's Mark, 13 damage. Nice, pretty good chunk. This wolf is once again bloodied.
02:39:53 [DM (Aarya)] And at the end of this round of combat, yet another spooking-looking wolf joins the fray. This one is gonna rush forward and go for a bite on Iridel, joining its ally. And because they're together, they have advantage with five tactics.
02:39:53 [DM (Aarya)] Impressive.
02:40:59 [Sildir (Tris)] And before I, like, fully end my turn, I want to, like, just call out a reminder to the party that, let me just say it.
02:41:12 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah.
02:41:14 [Sildir (Tris)] Everyone, remember, if we have silver or death's power, I'm not sure what that means, but it should help. And that'll be my turn.
02:41:24 [Irredel (Sav)] Cool.
02:41:26 [DM (Aarya)] So, Iridel took five damage for the bite. Not too bad. And then it's gonna go for a claws attack with advantage.
02:41:26 [DM (Aarya)] And this one misses, so you're safe from that attack. And let me add this one to the initiative order. Okay, so that was a 12 on initiative.
02:41:26 [DM (Aarya)] And back to Irina. Irina's gonna go for a stab here at the wolf that just joined us. She hits.
02:41:26 [DM (Aarya)] She's gonna do some damage. And that's gonna be five damage. Bacterio.
02:42:25 [Sylalys (Cat)] Okay.
02:42:28 [Mercurio (Gui)] Death's magic. I mean, death, I would have thought that was necrotic damage, but we've tried that. Does anyone have any cold?
02:42:28 [Mercurio (Gui)] Any, like, frost magic of any kind? I don't, though. But, all right.
02:42:28 [Mercurio (Gui)] I'm really fucking pissed off with these wolves. Well, here goes nothing. And then I'm going to use my celestial revelation bonus action.
02:42:28 [Mercurio (Gui)] Hold on, actually.
02:43:11 [DM (Aarya)] Yes, all right, continue.
02:43:13 [Mercurio (Gui)] Okay. You're going to see Mercurio just speaking with these three voices. Again, screaming at the wolves to get out of his sight.
02:43:13 [Mercurio (Gui)] And you see he starts to, like, morph. His eyes go from blue to red. His teeth, he sort of, like, snarls and they start to, like, sharpen.
02:43:13 [Mercurio (Gui)] Um, and his skin goes gray and he starts to sprout, like, small, like, wings. Kind of, you know, biblically accurate angel.
02:43:53 [Sylalys (Cat)] Yeah.
02:43:54 [Mercurio (Gui)] And I'm going to use, um, necrotic shroud. Okay. So, I'm gonna walk towards these wolves and they have to make a charisma save.
02:44:06 [DM (Aarya)] Okay.
02:44:07 [Mercurio (Gui)] Or be frightened. Yeah. All creatures within 10 feet other than your allies.
02:44:14 [DM (Aarya)] So, this first one saves and this one will fail. Okay. So, this wolf here is frightened.
02:44:34 [Mercurio (Gui)] And, um, and then which one is the one that...
02:44:37 [DM (Aarya)] Does it reroll that save or no?
02:44:40 [Mercurio (Gui)] I, I, I believe it always works like that for frightened. Or actually for this one, it's until the end of your next turn.
02:44:48 [DM (Aarya)] Okay, I see. Cool.
02:44:49 [Mercurio (Gui)] So, this one isn't a reroll. Yeah, this, yeah, exactly. And then, uh, for my main action, I will use vicious mockery on the one that saved.
02:45:08 [DM (Aarya)] Cool. So, that's gonna be another wiz save from this feller. And it fails.
02:45:08 [DM (Aarya)] So, yeah, go ahead and roll your damage.
02:45:25 [Mercurio (Gui)] Uh, two.
02:45:26 [DM (Aarya)] Two? No, I keep doing it to the wrong... How does that happen?
02:45:26 [DM (Aarya)] Whatever. Three, seven. All right.
02:45:26 [DM (Aarya)] Um, so, unless Mercurio has something else.
02:45:48 [Mercurio (Gui)] Oh, that's it.
02:45:49 [DM (Aarya)] Cool. Ready, press.
02:45:54 [Sildir (Tris)] Um, I think I would like to throw my holy water. Yeah.
02:46:03 [DM (Aarya)] All right.
02:46:06 [Sildir (Tris)] Um, will it splash on them?
02:46:13 [DM (Aarya)] Um, yeah, you can splash it. Are you trying to hit one in particular or both of them?
02:46:18 [Sildir (Tris)] I guess I'll just go for the one on the right. Okay. What happens, happens?
02:46:27 [DM (Aarya)] Um.
02:46:28 [Sildir (Tris)] What would I even do, actually?
02:46:30 [DM (Aarya)] So, it replaces your attack and basically you just throw the flask. Okay, and it has this, it makes a dex save. So, that save dex, DC is going to be 8 plus your dex modifier and proficiency.
02:46:30 [DM (Aarya)] So, I guess that would be 14 for you. So, this is going to make a dex save. It fails the dex save, so it is now doused in holy water.
02:46:30 [DM (Aarya)] And it just kind of just like looks at you and just seems pissed. Okay, it doesn't appear to be affected.
02:47:18 [Sildir (Tris)] Okay, well, fight something.
02:47:23 [DM (Aarya)] All right, anything else?
02:47:24 [Sildir (Tris)] Yeah, this is my turn. Nope.
02:47:27 [DM (Aarya)] Okay, so this wolf is currently frightened, right? So, it can still attack, but with disadvantage, is that right? Um.
02:47:39 [Mercurio (Gui)] Um, it can still attack. It can't move towards me and it'll have a disadvantage. Okay.
02:47:44 [DM (Aarya)] Um, and since it has advantage to impact tactics, that'll just cancel out. So, it's going to go for a bite on Sildur with normal, not advantage. That is 16.
02:47:44 [DM (Aarya)] I don't think that hits Sildur. Yeah, your AC is 18.
02:48:09 [Sildir (Tris)] Yes, that is correct.
02:48:11 [DM (Aarya)] And it's going to go for a claws with this follow-up attack. And that's a crit. Holy shit.
02:48:11 [DM (Aarya)] Um. So, that's going to be 7 damage to Sildur. Um.
02:48:11 [DM (Aarya)] And you do a concentration check for your, uh, holy shit, for your, um, hunter's mark. And you nat 20 the con save, so nice, good job. Um, you're also at half health now, like 12 out of 25.
02:48:46 [Sildir (Tris)] Okay, good to know, I guess.
02:48:49 [DM (Aarya)] Um, Iridyll.
02:48:50 [Sylalys (Cat)] I'm just a passenger.
02:48:52 [DM (Aarya)] Iridyll, it's your turn. You are 12 out of 27 health. I actually, it's funny that you have more health than Sildur, I didn't realize, but yeah.
02:49:00 [Irredel (Sav)] Um, okay, so that's a case, do I, I think I have healing word, right?
02:49:04 [DM (Aarya)] Uh.
02:49:05 [Irredel (Sav)] And that would affect multiple people?
02:49:08 [DM (Aarya)] You have healing word prepared, it doesn't affect multiple people though, unless you, no, yeah, it doesn't affect multiple people.
02:49:13 [Irredel (Sav)] Oh, is it prayer or healing? There's one that I think affects multiple people.
02:49:19 [DM (Aarya)] Um.
02:49:21 [Sildir (Tris)] I think that one's out of combat.
02:49:23 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, there is prayer of healing, but it has a 10 minute cast time, so you wouldn't be able to do it.
02:49:27 [Irredel (Sav)] Okay, yeah, it's out of combat. Um, so I only, yeah, I only have, for some reason I thought I had like a healing one that had like, could affect multiple people, but I guess it's only out of combat. Yeah, let me go ahead and cast healing word on Sildur's lowest health, other than me, right?
02:49:49 [Sylalys (Cat)] Yes.
02:49:50 [DM (Aarya)] Actually, well, actually Mercurio is also 12 HP and he's also halved, so yeah.
02:49:56 [Irredel (Sav)] Let me go ahead and kill Mercurio then.
02:49:59 [DM (Aarya)] Okay. So that's gonna be healing word, and that's gonna be your bonus action, so you still have your full action to do a cantrip or something.
02:50:09 [Irredel (Sav)] Oh, okay, cool. So if I can cast a cantrip, then yeah, I'm gonna go ahead and cast, um, let's see. Oh wait, no!
02:50:09 [Irredel (Sav)] I'm gonna use my channel divinity, I'll use my divine spark as my action.
02:50:20 [DM (Aarya)] Okay. You still want to do healing word, I assume?
02:50:23 [Irredel (Sav)] Yeah, yeah, healing word is my bonus action, and then divine spark is my main action.
02:50:30 [DM (Aarya)] Okay, so that is 10 healing from Mercurio.
02:50:33 [Sildir (Tris)] Holy crap.
02:50:34 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, crazy. And then divine spark.
02:50:39 [Irredel (Sav)] Yeah. It's not a spell, it's in my features tab.
02:50:43 [DM (Aarya)] Okay, cool. So this is going to, what does this do? As a magic action, you point your holy symbol at another creature you can see, then focus your divine energy on it, roll a 1d8, add your wizard modifier.
02:50:43 [DM (Aarya)] You either restore that many hit points or force the creature to make a concentration save. A constitution saving throw, and on a failed save, the creature takes necrotic or radiant damage of your choice.
02:51:10 [Irredel (Sav)] Um, I think I'm gonna go with radiant damage, I guess, because we've tried necrotic damage and that doesn't work super well.
02:51:14 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah. Okay, so let's do the cantrip first.
02:51:20 [Irredel (Sav)] Actually, yeah, yeah, let's stick with this.
02:51:23 [DM (Aarya)] Um, it saves, unfortunately. It rolled an 18 on the con save, so it doesn't take the damage.
02:51:28 [Irredel (Sav)] All right, well, yep, that's my turn then. Okay.
02:51:31 [DM (Aarya)] Um, this wolf will reroll its, uh, wisdom save to break out of fear, and I think that 13, what's your DC, um, Mercurio?
02:51:47 [Mercurio (Gui)] Um, it's 13, yeah, so it saves.
02:51:50 [DM (Aarya)] Okay, so it's, it's no longer feared. Okay. Um, but I think that happens at the end of its turn, so it still didn't do anything that round.
02:51:50 [DM (Aarya)] Um, all right, it's back to this wolf's turn. Um, I don't think this one has any debuffs currently. Oh, no, it's...
02:52:14 [Mercurio (Gui)] It does, uh...
02:52:15 [DM (Aarya)] From vicious mockery, right?
02:52:16 [Mercurio (Gui)] It has the vicious mockery.
02:52:17 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, nice. So that cancels out with its pack tactics advantage. It's gonna go for a bite on Sildir.
02:52:17 [DM (Aarya)] No! 19 hits.
02:52:30 [Sildir (Tris)] It's somebody else.
02:52:32 [DM (Aarya)] Normal damage. And a mere 6 damage to Sildir. Wimpy, wimpy, wimpy.
02:52:32 [DM (Aarya)] And you roll your con save again, and you pass. Um, Sildir, it's your turn.
02:52:53 [Sildir (Tris)] Um, I think my health must be pretty low, so I'm gonna lay my hands on myself.
02:52:59 [Sylalys (Cat)] Okay.
02:52:59 [Mercurio (Gui)] I, I could heal you on my turn. Um, what's better, your damage or your healing?
02:53:07 [DM (Aarya)] Lay on hands with a bonus action, and you have 15 points of health.
02:53:10 [Sildir (Tris)] Oh, it's a bonus?
02:53:11 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah. Oh, I thought that was an action.
02:53:12 [Sildir (Tris)] Oh, okay. Well, let me swing then.
02:53:15 [DM (Aarya)] Okay.
02:53:16 [Sildir (Tris)] On the weakest-looking wolf.
02:53:18 [DM (Aarya)] Okay.
02:53:22 [Sildir (Tris)] Actually, are they close together still?
02:53:24 [DM (Aarya)] They are. They're right next to each other. And you have advantage on the wounded one because of Vow of Enmity still.
02:53:30 [Sildir (Tris)] Okay. Um, for my action, can I try to break them up?
02:53:37 [DM (Aarya)] Um, sure. How do you want to do that?
02:53:40 [Sildir (Tris)] I would like to, um, just take a step between them. Um, kind of lowering my shoulder and battering myself in, with an emphasis on, like, shoving the weaker one aside. Uh, just to break them up and, and just try to be, like, uh...
02:53:40 [Sildir (Tris)] I think after all the times we fought wolves, I kind of noticed that they like to fight together, and I just want to take that away from them.
02:54:10 [DM (Aarya)] Okay, cool. So if you're going to shove to push them apart, I'll say that's going to be Contested Athletics. Um, so I'll have you roll that really quick.
02:54:10 [DM (Aarya)] Um, you rolled a 9 on the Athletics. Let's see how the wolf does.
02:54:33 [Sildir (Tris)] Bro, I'm a dork for that.
02:54:35 [DM (Aarya)] That is unfortunate. And the wolf rolls a 16. So you are unable to shove them apart.
02:54:35 [DM (Aarya)] Um, you can still bonus action Lay on Hands.
02:54:44 [Sildir (Tris)] Yeah, I'll do that.
02:54:46 [DM (Aarya)] So you have 15 points available to heal with Lay on Hands, and you are at 6 HP right now.
02:54:51 [Sildir (Tris)] Let her rip.
02:54:51 [DM (Aarya)] All of it? Okay.
02:54:53 [Sildir (Tris)] Yeah.
02:54:54 [DM (Aarya)] All right, next. Damn, Paladins have second wind? That's crazy.
02:55:03 [Mercurio (Gui)] Only one use, though. Yeah.
02:55:05 [DM (Aarya)] Well, technically, it's infinite uses. Just, like, depends on how... As long as you have the pool, right?
02:55:05 [DM (Aarya)] Because it's a pool appealing that you draw from. Yeah, exactly. Okay, Irina's turn.
02:55:05 [DM (Aarya)] She's going to go for her rapier attack. And she hits. So damage...
02:55:05 [DM (Aarya)] She does, um, 9 damage to this wolf.
02:55:39 [Mercurio (Gui)] And... Is she hitting the weak one?
02:55:41 [DM (Aarya)] She's not hitting the weak one. She's hitting the...
02:55:43 [Mercurio (Gui)] Irina, hit the weak one, Irina.
02:55:45 [DM (Aarya)] Okay, she's going to come around and hit the weak one instead. Um, Mercurio, your turn.
02:56:01 [Mercurio (Gui)] Um... Um... Sorry, for the thing I used last turn, I don't know if I can keep using it or something.
02:56:01 [Mercurio (Gui)] So you transform as a bonus action, and it lasts one minute.
02:56:25 [DM (Aarya)] So the transformation lasts one minute. And then...
02:56:29 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah. Does that...
02:56:30 [DM (Aarya)] Does that affect something that happens?
02:56:33 [Mercurio (Gui)] It says you deal extra damage equal to your proficiency bonus. So do extra damage on hits and stuff. Um, and then you choose one of those options.
02:56:33 [Mercurio (Gui)] Uh... Um... Creatures other than your allies will succeed.
02:56:33 [Mercurio (Gui)] I don't know if the necrotic shroud is repeatable, basically.
02:56:57 [DM (Aarya)] From what I'm reading, it looks like that just happens on cast.
02:57:00 [Sylalys (Cat)] Okay.
02:57:01 [DM (Aarya)] I think. And then the other ones are more persistent effects. Like the heavenly wings just let you fly for a minute.
02:57:01 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah.
02:57:09 [Mercurio (Gui)] Okay, that's fine. Um... So then I will use...
02:57:09 [Mercurio (Gui)] I'm going to recast Bane. Okay.
02:57:22 [DM (Aarya)] So that's going to be wisdom saves, right?
02:57:26 [Mercurio (Gui)] Uh, charisma saves.
02:57:28 [DM (Aarya)] Oh, charisma saves. Okay. Twelve, that one fails.
02:57:28 [DM (Aarya)] And this one saves. So this will... Is...
02:57:28 [DM (Aarya)] And the third one? Oh yeah, that's right. The third one.
02:57:28 [DM (Aarya)] I forgot about that one. That one. So, wow.
02:57:28 [DM (Aarya)] Um, it is... It is giga bait.
02:58:08 [Mercurio (Gui)] Let's go. Um... And...
02:58:08 [Mercurio (Gui)] Um, I will use... Okay, instead of, um... How about this?
02:58:08 [Mercurio (Gui)] Instead of splitting them up, we can split ourselves up. And... I'm going to use mantle of inspiration, which is also bugged with this midi thing, I guess.
02:58:08 [Mercurio (Gui)] Um, I don't know if you can put it in the chat or something. Yeah, there we go.
02:58:37 [Sylalys (Cat)] There it is.
02:58:39 [Mercurio (Gui)] Um, I'll just have to manually lower my bardics. Um... But...
02:58:39 [Mercurio (Gui)] Uh, as... Yeah, so basically as a bonus action, I'll use a bardic inspiration. And, um, I will choose my three allies, um, to gain temp hit points equal to my charisma or something.
02:58:39 [Mercurio (Gui)] Oh no, that's how many people I choose. So I choose my three allies, and they gain temporary hit points equal to this much. Times two.
02:58:39 [Mercurio (Gui)] Twelve temporary hit points.
02:59:17 [DM (Aarya)] Oh shit.
02:59:19 [Mercurio (Gui)] Um... And you can use your reactions to move your full movement speed, uh, without provoking opportunity right now.
02:59:28 [DM (Aarya)] So who are you giving that to?
02:59:32 [Mercurio (Gui)] Um... Well, actually, all right. Sililis is already away.
02:59:32 [Mercurio (Gui)] So I give it to myself, Sildir, and, um... And, um, I'm blank. Uh, Iridel.
02:59:47 [DM (Aarya)] Okay.
02:59:49 [Mercurio (Gui)] So that we can all move.
02:59:54 [DM (Aarya)] Um, so currently you guys are... The three of you are in a line, like, facing the two wolves, um, to your south. Um, Sildir has a wolf directly in front of him, and Iridel has a wolf directly in front of her.
02:59:54 [DM (Aarya)] So I guess, how do you guys want to, like, shuffle around if you're going to do that?
03:00:13 [Sildir (Tris)] Um, I'm going to let Mercurio make the call, considering he can see what's there.
03:00:19 [DM (Aarya)] Sounds good. Um, okay.
03:00:24 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah. So we are your boss. All right.
03:00:24 [Mercurio (Gui)] Um, yeah. Okay, tricky. We don't all have to move necessarily, but just so that if they want to attack some of us, they will have to split up.
03:00:24 [Mercurio (Gui)] So I'll back myself up over here so that they'd have to, like, split up to attack me. And they can't, uh, so if they want to do something about my concentration, they're going to have to split up. Um.
03:00:24 [Mercurio (Gui)] Oh, wow. We're back in. Oh, sick.
03:00:24 [Mercurio (Gui)] Oh, okay. Well, there you go. You guys can decide how you want to move now.
03:01:02 [Sildir (Tris)] Oh, still make the move just to keep things going. We're probably going to have to go through this song and dance of signing back in, but I am on desktop Discord right now.
03:01:10 [Mercurio (Gui)] Cool. Okay.
03:01:12 [Sildir (Tris)] So at least there's that.
03:01:14 [Mercurio (Gui)] Um, I guess. It would make sense to. One more time.
03:01:14 [Mercurio (Gui)] There we go. Can I, I mean, I can't actually move your tokens, but I guess it would make sense to move Sildir, like, over here.
03:01:31 [DM (Aarya)] Okay, so I'll move him over there next to Thalyss.
03:01:35 [Mercurio (Gui)] And, yeah. And then if Iridel could basically just shuffle over a couple with, hopefully with, um.
03:01:42 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, with Ember and Thalyss.
03:01:44 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah, like Ember, like, over here. Yeah.
03:01:48 [DM (Aarya)] Actually, I'll give you the extra space.
03:01:51 [Mercurio (Gui)] Okay. Um, I think that would be good.
03:01:54 [DM (Aarya)] Cool. Sounds good.
03:02:01 [Mercurio (Gui)] And that's it for me.
03:02:02 [DM (Aarya)] All right. What do you got?
03:02:12 [Sildir (Tris)] Wait.
03:02:16 [Mercurio (Gui)] This is one of those encounters where I wish I could do damage.
03:02:20 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah.
03:02:24 [Sylalys (Cat)] I don't know what to do.
03:02:34 [Mercurio (Gui)] Zephyr Strike, maybe.
03:02:39 [Sildir (Tris)] Thoughts on using Force Damage, team?
03:02:43 [Mercurio (Gui)] Force Damage is good.
03:02:47 [Sylalys (Cat)] I think so, too.
03:02:48 [Mercurio (Gui)] Just show off your monster-killing prowess and kill that wolf that's, uh, already injured.
03:02:57 [Sylalys (Cat)] Okay.
03:02:59 [Sildir (Tris)] I'm gonna do Zephyr Strike and a stab. Uh, but then I want to have an attack, so I have advantage.
03:03:14 [Sylalys (Cat)] Okay, 24.
03:03:15 [DM (Aarya)] That hits.
03:03:18 [Sylalys (Cat)] I guess you can save it.
03:03:21 [DM (Aarya)] Um, 13 damage to this wolfie.
03:03:30 [Sylalys (Cat)] Huh.
03:03:31 [DM (Aarya)] To the same wolf? Mm-hmm. Okay, paste.
03:03:31 [DM (Aarya)] Damn, so that wolf is now looking quite fucked up. All right. Anything else?
03:03:43 [Sildir (Tris)] And then I'm gonna move back a little bit. Extra movement. I mean, like I said, I didn't move anyway, but...
03:03:52 [Sylalys (Cat)] I moved far as fuck.
03:03:53 [Mercurio (Gui)] Get the 12th temp on everybody.
03:03:56 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, I'll just remember to count that on these two. Actually, let me just add it here. 12.
03:03:56 [DM (Aarya)] And... 12.
03:04:10 [Mercurio (Gui)] You get minus 11.
03:04:11 [DM (Aarya)] Yep. Ugh, this is so... My foundry is like a little laggy for some reason right now, but whatever.
03:04:11 [DM (Aarya)] Okay, I got it. Um... Yeah, so now it's this wolf's turn.
03:04:11 [DM (Aarya)] It's going to... Uh, how can... How mean can I be?
03:04:11 [DM (Aarya)] It's gonna run up on... Who is the stinkiest? It's gonna run up on Sildur.
03:04:11 [DM (Aarya)] Okay, no, I don't hate this.
03:04:50 [Irredel (Sav)] I don't mind this at all.
03:04:51 [DM (Aarya)] Oh, it's gonna go for a bite. And it's baned currently, so... It has a d4 penalty.
03:05:00 [Sylalys (Cat)] D4.
03:05:04 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, that... Gigawiffs. Um, that was a 2.
03:05:08 [Mercurio (Gui)] Negative.
03:05:11 [DM (Aarya)] All right. And then... Faradale, back to you.
03:05:18 [Irredel (Sav)] All righty, I guess I'm just gonna go ahead and cast Guiding Bolt at the second level. Um, towards... I'm so sorry, I honestly have not been following which wolves are...
03:05:31 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, so the wolf to the south here is pretty messed up. And this wolf is, like, most... Like, almost untouched.
03:05:42 [Irredel (Sav)] Okay, so I'm gonna go after the northern wolf. Okay.
03:05:53 [Mercurio (Gui)] Keep in mind, we should try to finish off the wolf before it heals up.
03:05:59 [DM (Aarya)] It's healing every turn.
03:06:00 [Irredel (Sav)] Okay, yeah, so let's go with that one then.
03:06:03 [Sylalys (Cat)] 21 hits.
03:06:11 [DM (Aarya)] Okay. How do you kill this feller? Oh, thank goodness.
03:06:15 [Sylalys (Cat)] So...
03:06:16 [Irredel (Sav)] Amazing. Okay, so I'm imagining that the Guiding Bolt takes the form of a gavel. Oh my god.
03:06:16 [Irredel (Sav)] And just, like, this magical white glowing gavel, like, comes up and slams down onto the wolf. And as it hits, a bunch of sparks and divine shiny things spurt off of it. And I imagine it's, like, a white and gold color.
03:06:43 [DM (Aarya)] All right. Cool. And it slams into the wolf, I guess?
03:06:48 [Irredel (Sav)] Yeah, yeah, it's just, like, a big gavel comes down and... Cool. Slams right into the wolf from the top.
03:06:55 [DM (Aarya)] Nice, very cinematic.
03:07:00 [Irredel (Sav)] Uh, no, no, that's it. Uh, Iridel just kind of, like, nods aggressively. And then turns around to check on Ember and Saturno.
03:07:10 [Sylalys (Cat)] Okay.
03:07:14 [Irredel (Sav)] And, uh, yes, that is my turn.
03:07:21 [DM (Aarya)] Um, so this wolf here is currently baned. And it's going to, like, come up next to its friend over here to the north. And kind of just, like, it kind of is, like, tenses up and is kind of, like, prowling around, like, looking pretty nervous.
03:07:21 [DM (Aarya)] And it appears to be readying itself for something. And that's going to be that wolf's turn. This wolf is lying on the ground, like, in its death throes.
03:07:21 [DM (Aarya)] And now it's just still there.
03:07:57 [Sildir (Tris)] All right. My vow of enmity transfers to the other wolf. Assuming that the one that died was the one that added on.
03:08:04 [DM (Aarya)] Yep.
03:08:06 [Sildir (Tris)] And, uh, the bonus action I will take as well. We'll move the mark to a new creature. So the hunter's mark is on two.
03:08:06 [Sildir (Tris)] Uh-huh. All right. Let's get at it.
03:08:06 [Sildir (Tris)] I'm gonna hit a sword attack, of course. Attack with advantage.
03:08:27 [Sylalys (Cat)] Okay.
03:08:28 [DM (Aarya)] That's a 21 hits.
03:08:29 [Sildir (Tris)] Semi-metal hit. Yep. We'll roll the damage.
03:08:29 [Sildir (Tris)] Crappy damage, but whatever. And we'll roll the six, uh, extra crappy damage, but we'll take it.
03:08:41 [DM (Aarya)] So that's six damage.
03:08:43 [Sildir (Tris)] So we're doing six total damage.
03:08:44 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah.
03:08:46 [Sylalys (Cat)] Okay.
03:08:47 [Sildir (Tris)] That's my turn.
03:08:49 [DM (Aarya)] Okay. Um. So, uh, now it's Arena's turn.
03:08:49 [DM (Aarya)] She's going to come over, step up next to Sylvia, and go for a rapier attack. That nine, unfortunately, does not hit. And that's two mercurial.
03:09:19 [Mercurio (Gui)] Um, how fucked up are either of the wolves?
03:09:22 [DM (Aarya)] Um, they're both pretty healthy.
03:09:25 [Mercurio (Gui)] They're both pretty healthy.
03:09:26 [DM (Aarya)] Mm-hmm.
03:09:27 [Mercurio (Gui)] Those last two attacks, sorry, I didn't understand. Which wolf were we hitting?
03:09:32 [DM (Aarya)] Um, Sildur's attack just hit this spooky wolf up to, up top. And it did a bit of damage.
03:09:39 [Mercurio (Gui)] Okay. And the other one was, Arena was hitting the other one?
03:09:43 [DM (Aarya)] Arena was trying to hit the same wolf, and she missed.
03:09:46 [Mercurio (Gui)] Oh, okay. I kind of want to get rid of the pack tactic. So I'm gonna hit the, the, the more baby wolf, you know?
03:09:46 [Mercurio (Gui)] Okay. Um, and I'm going to use Vicious Mockery on it.
03:10:14 [Sylalys (Cat)] Mm-hmm.
03:10:15 [Mercurio (Gui)] Um, so give me a whiz save on that.
03:10:22 [DM (Aarya)] That saves, wow, 17.
03:10:24 [Mercurio (Gui)] Okay.
03:10:28 [DM (Aarya)] All right.
03:10:30 [Mercurio (Gui)] Okay. And then, is anybody?
03:10:38 [DM (Aarya)] Um.
03:10:39 [Sylalys (Cat)] I'll throw up.
03:10:41 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah. Um, I mean, Sildur and Iridyll are both like technically half HP, but they also have like quite a bit of tempo right now.
03:10:50 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah. Um, okay. I will just save my bonus actions.
03:10:57 [DM (Aarya)] Okay.
03:10:58 [Mercurio (Gui)] And I end my turn.
03:10:59 [DM (Aarya)] Sillilus.
03:11:16 [Sildir (Tris)] Okay, I'm going to add one right here. And I hit attack last turn, so I get advantage, correct?
03:11:30 [DM (Aarya)] Yep.
03:11:31 [Sildir (Tris)] Yeah. And I can disengage without using anything.
03:11:37 [DM (Aarya)] Okay, 23, that hits. 14. Good damage.
03:11:37 [DM (Aarya)] Nice. I'll back up and that's it. All right.
03:11:37 [DM (Aarya)] So now it's this wolf's turn. Uh, this wolf is going to look over to its fallen ally. And it's gonna like, um, it's gonna snarl in Iridyll's direction.
03:11:37 [DM (Aarya)] And it's going to disengage and flee back into the woods. And the other wolf next to it, having readied itself to do the same, will also follow suit. Um, all right, so they fuck off into the woods.
03:11:37 [DM (Aarya)] And that will end that combat encounter. All right, let me stop the combat music. All right, so you made it through that wolf encounter.
03:11:37 [DM (Aarya)] And as you guys, uh, see the other wolves, um, run away, uh, from this encounter. You see the wolf that's, that's died and is now lying on the ground. You see it like, um, shift its form.
03:11:37 [DM (Aarya)] And it goes from being a dead wolf lying on the ground to the, it takes the form of, um, a man. Uh, you basically just see a, like, tan-skinned, like, dark-haired man. Like, all he's wearing is just like some really, uh, worn-looking linen pants.
03:11:37 [DM (Aarya)] Uh, fuck.
03:13:32 [Mercurio (Gui)] Well, we found our werewolves.
03:13:39 [DM (Aarya)] Uh, my headset just died. I missed the last minute of it. Okay.
03:13:39 [DM (Aarya)] Um, sorry, did you say anything? My headset died there.
03:13:46 [Mercurio (Gui)] I said, uh, yeah, well, we found our werewolves. Um, I said, well, fuck.
03:13:53 [DM (Aarya)] Also, really quick. Iridel, um, Seldir, and Mercurio, you've all been bitten. Um, give me con saves.
03:14:18 [Sildir (Tris)] Pretty solid.
03:14:20 [DM (Aarya)] And Mercurio.
03:14:29 [Mercurio (Gui)] Iridel, you got, you got, uh, inspiration or something?
03:14:36 [Sildir (Tris)] Can I donate my inspiration?
03:14:37 [DM (Aarya)] Unfortunately, you cannot.
03:14:42 [Sildir (Tris)] What about a little, uh, Bardic inspiration?
03:14:47 [Mercurio (Gui)] A little... Yeah, can I throw a Bardic inspiration? Blessing.
03:14:50 [DM (Aarya)] I don't know if it works like that. Um...
03:14:57 [Sildir (Tris)] Well, you should at least bless your roll, I think.
03:15:00 [DM (Aarya)] Bless the roll?
03:15:01 [Mercurio (Gui)] I am.
03:15:02 [DM (Aarya)] Actually, you know what? I'll say you can throw Bardic.
03:15:04 [Sylalys (Cat)] Yeah.
03:15:06 [Mercurio (Gui)] All right, here's my last Bardic. YOLO. I don't know if it'll do anything.
03:15:14 [DM (Aarya)] Oh, nice.
03:15:15 [Mercurio (Gui)] Max roll, nice. Good shit. Yeah, cool.
03:15:17 [Sildir (Tris)] And then, I mean, can you, can you do bless on it or no?
03:15:23 [DM (Aarya)] Uh, bless?
03:15:27 [Sildir (Tris)] Or add the d4 or whatever?
03:15:29 [DM (Aarya)] Oh, I don't think that doesn't work on saving throws, no. I think a Bardic does, but not this. Yeah.
03:15:41 [Sildir (Tris)] Well, she's, you're muted, Sven, I don't know why. But yeah, it says in the description that it applies to saving throws.
03:15:47 [DM (Aarya)] Wait, guidance does?
03:15:49 [Sylalys (Cat)] Bless.
03:15:50 [DM (Aarya)] Bless. Did you have bless up?
03:15:53 [Irredel (Sav)] I did not before.
03:15:56 [DM (Aarya)] And unfortunately, it will not apply. But you did, you did get the max roll on Bardic. So that was pretty good.
03:16:05 [Mercurio (Gui)] So hopefully a 13 is a save.
03:16:09 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, I mean, I'm not gonna tell you the DC on this, but yeah.
03:16:12 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah. Um, well, I'll go up to Iridel. Um, and I guess she got like bit on the shoulder or something like that.
03:16:28 [DM (Aarya)] Um, I'll say that Iridel got bit. She kind of like was moving away as she was getting attacked. And she was also kind of partly covered from carrying Ember.
03:16:28 [DM (Aarya)] So she was bit on the arm, like her, I'll say her right forearm.
03:16:47 [Mercurio (Gui)] Um, all right. I'll use healing hands on her arm and kind of watch to see if it heals completely. Or, um, like the wound seems to like not heal the way that we know it would if she contracted the lycanthropy.
03:17:05 [DM (Aarya)] All right, so this is how much healing going on? Um, 2d4. Okay, go ahead and roll that.
03:17:05 [DM (Aarya)] All right, so for healing, so Iridel heals for health. And you feel a searing pain as the healing spell does its work on, or Iridel feels it as the healing spell is doing its work. Um, you see some of her wounds start to close up.
03:17:05 [DM (Aarya)] However, the bite on her arm remains raw.
03:17:38 [Sylalys (Cat)] Well, fuck.
03:17:40 [Irredel (Sav)] Do we think if we cut off the arm, it'll stop?
03:17:44 [Mercurio (Gui)] Holy shit. Let's try to get to this priest first, I think. We're just an hour away.
03:17:44 [Mercurio (Gui)] The full moon is six days away, right? Yeah, and we know that, um, it can be cured with, uh, by removing the curse. Like, at least according to what we know so far.
03:18:11 [Sildir (Tris)] We did learn that?
03:18:12 [Mercurio (Gui)] That we... Yeah, it said that in the note. It said that, uh, as long as you're not born with it, it can be removed.
03:18:19 [Sildir (Tris)] Oh, that's great.
03:18:21 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, if you're, if you're, if you're not born with it and you had it like transmitted, it can be cured by a spell of some sort. Is what you understood. And if you were, if you're like the child of a lycanthrope and you were, like, had it since birth, then it can't be cured.
03:18:38 [Sildir (Tris)] All right, well, it's priority number one, I think, to get to this damn church.
03:18:44 [Irredel (Sav)] Well, and if the book is wrong, you're just gonna have to kill me.
03:18:48 [Sildir (Tris)] We're not killing you.
03:18:49 [Mercurio (Gui)] We could try the arm thing first.
03:18:51 [Irredel (Sav)] Yeah, we could try the arm thing first. That's reassuring.
03:18:59 [Sildir (Tris)] Well, look, um, I think that... I need one arm to do it. Iridel, you should keep that covered up.
03:18:59 [Sildir (Tris)] Uh, meaning hide it. I'm sure that these people, if there's werewolves in this area, they know that it's a thing that's been going on. So when we're crossing into town, let's just get you in there, if you know what I'm saying.
03:19:31 [Mercurio (Gui)] So I guess with that, we continue down the road to town.
03:19:36 [Irredel (Sav)] All right. And Iridel says nothing. She just cries, like, silently.
03:19:41 [DM (Aarya)] Um, you'll see, um, Irina kind of come up to Iridel, and she doesn't really say anything, but she just kind of just, like, offers Iridel a hug.
03:19:56 [Irredel (Sav)] Iridel's a little prickly about it. She does kind of a side hug. Okay.
03:19:56 [Irredel (Sav)] Keeping the arm away from Irina.
03:20:05 [DM (Aarya)] Okay. And you see Irina, like, looks at her and she says, we'll figure this out, Iridel. Don't you worry.
03:20:05 [DM (Aarya)] None of us would abandon you here.
03:20:16 [Sildir (Tris)] I'm gonna pat her on the back and be like, and don't worry. The moment you show any symptoms, I will decapitate you.
03:20:26 [Sylalys (Cat)] Oh my god.
03:20:29 [Irredel (Sav)] Stylus, I don't think you know how much that means to me. I don't think anyone else here would have the strength to do it, but I know that's what needs to be done.
03:20:41 [Mercurio (Gui)] Oh my god, you're so traumatic.
03:20:46 [Irredel (Sav)] I'm just being practical. The fact of the matter is, is if this doesn't work and I don't get cured, that I will turn into a ravenous monster who will probably destroy all of you and may also be mind controlled by the devil of this land. And I simply cannot abide by that.
03:20:46 [Irredel (Sav)] I am a servant of Tyr. I will not let my body be used for that purpose.
03:21:13 [Mercurio (Gui)] What's it called when like, it's like that thing where like, every time you get sick, you think you have like cancer.
03:21:19 [Sylalys (Cat)] Oh, I think that's a hypochondriac, I think.
03:21:22 [Mercurio (Gui)] Hypochondriac, yeah. Oh, we've got Iridel's react on our hands. She did get bitten by a werewolf, man.
03:21:32 [Sylalys (Cat)] Yeah. We just read the book.
03:21:34 [Mercurio (Gui)] I think we have time here. I don't think she's going to turn into a werewolf instantaneously.
03:21:42 [Sildir (Tris)] Well, you know what, Mercurio? While I think you're being a little callous, I agree with you. We're gonna fix this, dang it.
03:21:50 [Mercurio (Gui)] I don't think we need to start talking about decapitating people. Okay, it's been 30 seconds. Let's just get into town and figure this out.
03:21:59 [Sildir (Tris)] I think Syl was doing his best to comfort her. I'll give him some credit there. And it seems, strangely enough, to have worked.
03:21:59 [Sildir (Tris)] Perhaps Syl has some way in which he's similar to Iridel.
03:22:14 [DM (Aarya)] I've noted this before, but I think Master Sylilis is a kinder person than he lets on, even if he has strange ways of showing it. I'm sure this is his way of showing that he does indeed care for Iridel, although I should hope we won't have to kill her. I'm sure we'll find a way out of this.
03:22:36 [Sildir (Tris)] Well, if you move too early, I'll show you my weird way of being kind. But for now, I agree. Let's move forward.
03:22:50 [DM (Aarya)] All right. Yeah, all right. So I guess you move forward, leaving this werewolf fellow's body on the ground.
03:23:00 [Irredel (Sav)] And I'm also gonna say that as we're walking, I'm casting Prayer of Healing for the five... How many people do I have around me? I think.
03:23:00 [Irredel (Sav)] Anyways.
03:23:14 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, like five.
03:23:16 [Irredel (Sav)] Yeah.
03:23:17 [DM (Aarya)] I mean, everyone who was hurt can get healed. Like, not all of you were tagged. I think Irina was unscathed, and Ember and Saturna were not targeted.
03:23:26 [Irredel (Sav)] Okay. So yeah, then everyone else. Healing up.
03:23:26 [Irredel (Sav)] You get the benefits of a short rest and 2d8 hit points.
03:23:35 [DM (Aarya)] Also, I'm gonna say, Mercurio, since you're kind of, like, staying aware, like, tactically of the scenario in that encounter, I'm gonna say that you noticed that throughout this encounter, and now that you recall, like, in previous encounters as well, none of the creatures that you've been attacked by so far have targeted Irina.
03:24:09 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah, I'll point that out to the rest of the group then. You know, it's strange that even when there's, like, a very opportune chance, like, these wolves never attack Irina.
03:24:23 [DM (Aarya)] That is rather odd. I'm not sure why that would be the case.
03:24:33 [Mercurio (Gui)] I mean, I guess it sort of tracks if we're to assume that Strahd controls all the monsters of this land.
03:24:43 [Sildir (Tris)] Yeah, the little fucking weirdo. But you're right, Mercurio. Wouldn't want to hurt his future love interest.
03:24:43 [Sildir (Tris)] Sorry to be so crass, Irina. I don't actually see it that way, but that's how he probably sees it.
03:25:01 [DM (Aarya)] As much as it sickens me to consider, I think you might be right, Master Sildur.
03:25:13 [Sildir (Tris)] Yeah, he's a sicko. Well, at least it's keeping you safe. We'll take what we can get, right?
03:25:23 [DM (Aarya)] It seems to be a double-edged sword of sorts. While I am apparently safe from all of his minions, I'm no safer than anyone else, and perhaps at more danger from his attention in particular.
03:25:43 [Sylalys (Cat)] Yeah.
03:25:48 [DM (Aarya)] So I guess you guys are continuing... I assume you're walking and talking as this is happening, right?
03:25:53 [Sildir (Tris)] Yeah, totally. There's nothing that's keeping me back from moving forward to the city at this point.
03:25:59 [DM (Aarya)] So is Iridel still carrying Ember?
03:26:09 [Irredel (Sav)] Yeah, why not?
03:26:10 [DM (Aarya)] Okay, cool.
03:26:11 [Sildir (Tris)] I think I could offer to grab her from you.
03:26:15 [Irredel (Sav)] We can trade off here. I'll join carrier now, again.
03:26:20 [DM (Aarya)] All right, so you fall back into the same traveling formation that you were in previously. You continue along the road for another hour or so, and you are now... You find yourself approaching, finally, the town of Valaki.
03:26:20 [DM (Aarya)] And as you approach, you see the old Svalik road meanders into a valley watched over by dark brooding mountains to the north and south. The woods recede, revealing a sullen mountain berg surrounded by a wooden palisade. Thick fog presses up against this wall and as though looking for a way inside, hoping to catch the town a slumber.
03:26:20 [DM (Aarya)] The dirt road ends at a set of sturdy iron gates with a pair of shadowy figures standing behind them. Planted in the ground and flanking the road outside the gates are half a dozen pikes with wolves' heads impaled on them. And also, you see more than a dozen ramshackle tents have been set up against the palisade wall.
03:26:20 [DM (Aarya)] Among them, you see dozens of ragged, emaciated people mill about or sit by low-burning campfires and bedrolls, their hollow gazes watching silently as you approach. And all of them look among you, and as they see Irina, some of them regard her with a dull recognition. However, none of them lift a hand in greeting or make any gesture in warmth, and a fair number of them seem to turn their heads as if in disgust.
03:28:00 [Sildir (Tris)] So who are these people that are looking at us? Like, where are they standing?
03:28:05 [DM (Aarya)] They appear to be like people just like in tents outside of the town's borders.
03:28:12 [Sildir (Tris)] Okay.
03:28:17 [DM (Aarya)] And Irina looks to them, and she seems distraught as she like takes in the scene, and she turns to you all, and she says, I don't understand. These are... These are Barovians from my village.
03:28:17 [DM (Aarya)] They came here seeking refuge, and yet... I don't understand what is happening.
03:28:44 [Mercurio (Gui)] Well, it seems like they didn't get an invitation.
03:28:52 [Sildir (Tris)] Well, we have to worry about ourselves right now. But much like the lake, we'll come back and see what's going on here.
03:29:01 [DM (Aarya)] But these are my people. I must help them.
03:29:07 [Sildir (Tris)] You can help them better from inside the walls, most likely. I'm sure this is some political nonsense.
03:29:12 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, go ahead and roll persuasion on that.
03:29:18 [Sildir (Tris)] Sure. I've had my fair share of political nonsense in my life. I'm quite experienced in it, so maybe I'll be able to walk our way through this one.
03:29:35 [DM (Aarya)] 17 persuasion, nice. That's pretty good. So, hearing your argument, Arina considers it for a moment.
03:29:35 [DM (Aarya)] Very well. We'll venture onward and see the cause for this. I know we have a great many tasks to accomplish, but...
03:29:35 [DM (Aarya)] The entire reason I agreed to come with you is to help my people in whatever way I could, see that they're being cared for in Valachia, and to think this is the state of things.
03:30:07 [Sildir (Tris)] Perhaps you should reassure them. You and your brother are the next generation. You could give a quick affirmation, a quick yell, that you're going to go see what's going on, perhaps.
03:30:07 [Sildir (Tris)] It'll come best from you. But we're going to keep moving. Perhaps make it quick.
03:30:29 [DM (Aarya)] So, hearing that, Arina will kind of pull herself together and she'll step forward. And she looks amongst the Barovians and she'll say to them, I don't know what is the cause for this sorry state that you find yourselves in, but I will do everything in my power to help you all. You will not be stuck outside of this town.
03:30:29 [DM (Aarya)] I will see to it that you find safety here. And hearing that, most of them don't really react. Some of them kind of just like look at her in disgust, and the rest just kind of ignore her and mind their own business.
03:31:22 [Sildir (Tris)] I'll tell you what, they all heard you, and they're beat down right now. But later on, they'll remember. When they cross those gates, they'll remember to thank you.
03:31:22 [Sildir (Tris)] We'll keep moving for now.
03:31:36 [DM (Aarya)] Very well. Um, all right. So I guess you guys continue on to the gates.
03:31:48 [Sylalys (Cat)] Um, yep.
03:31:49 [DM (Aarya)] All right, let me, uh, I could probably have a scene for this. Um, and let's just use this. This is fine.
03:31:49 [DM (Aarya)] A little backdrop. Bring up over here. Well, technically you'd be coming from this side, I guess.
03:31:49 [DM (Aarya)] Okay. All right. So as you approach, um, you see a pair of guards standing behind the gates, um, looking to you, and they address you.
03:31:49 [DM (Aarya)] Halt. Identify yourselves.
03:32:52 [Mercurio (Gui)] Well, I'm Mercurio, and, um, these are, like, I should be against.
03:33:00 [Sildir (Tris)] Hello there, uh, Sildur Goldenfield at your service. Uh, we have some wounded friends here who we'll introduce if absolutely necessary, but otherwise they are wounded guests.
03:33:14 [DM (Aarya)] We do need all of your names. And you see the one who, uh, spoke, um, has, like, a bit of parchment and a quill to write down your names. Sure.
03:33:25 [Sildir (Tris)] On my shoulder here is Ember. Uh, on the sled there is Ceturno.
03:33:32 [Irredel (Sav)] I'm Iridel. Iridel Provokey.
03:33:35 [DM (Aarya)] Mm-hmm.
03:33:36 [Mercurio (Gui)] And then, of course, Irina, who needs no introduction.
03:33:41 [DM (Aarya)] Um, Irina steps forward, and she presents, um, a signet ring, uh, bearing the mark of her family. And, um, the guard sees this and looks up in recognition, and he says, Oh, I see you're traveling with Kolian's daughter. Very well.
03:33:41 [DM (Aarya)] You may enter our town. However, I still need the name of that elf gentleman in the back, and we'll have to inspect you once over. I am very tired and in need of a bath.
03:33:41 [DM (Aarya)] I'm sure you are, but we still need your name.
03:34:27 [Mercurio (Gui)] His name is Sililis, and he's Cranky.
03:34:31 [DM (Aarya)] Very well. Now then, all of you must present your teeth to prove you're not vampires.
03:34:42 [Sildir (Tris)] Uh, I give a smile and, like, pull back one of the, one of Ember's lips just to show, like, the teeth as best as I can.
03:34:55 [DM (Aarya)] Do the rest of you do the same?
03:34:57 [Mercurio (Gui)] I do the same.
03:34:58 [Sylalys (Cat)] Yeah?
03:34:58 [Irredel (Sav)] Nirdal's smile is closer to a grimace, but she's doing her best.
03:35:05 [DM (Aarya)] Uh, and you, uh, Sililis?
03:35:13 [Sildir (Tris)] And I'm gonna smile with the most sarcastic way possible.
03:35:19 [DM (Aarya)] And you see this guard, like, really leans in and, like, inspects all of your teeth. And he says, very well. One more test.
03:35:19 [DM (Aarya)] And he reaches into his pack and he pulls out a garland of garlic. And he holds it up to each of you in turn to prove that you're not werewolves. And he holds the garlic up to each one of you in turn and goes by one by one.
03:35:19 [DM (Aarya)] And noting that none of you seem to react, um, like, strangely. Or, like, react poorly or negative, like, as if you're being repelled or anything. He seems satisfied and then says, very well.
03:35:19 [DM (Aarya)] You may enter our town. However, I demand that, in accordance with Baron Vargas's rule in our town of Alaki, you all must pay one gold piece as a toll to enter. That's pretty steep.
03:35:19 [DM (Aarya)] It is the price of safety in our town.
03:36:32 [Sildir (Tris)] We are escorting a refugee at their own good will. And you make us pay this ridiculous toll?
03:36:41 [Mercurio (Gui)] Oh, RIP. Disconnects again.
03:36:43 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, well, I think we're... Hopefully they joined, but we're close to wrapping up here anyhow. Um, I guess maybe we'll wait a moment.
03:36:43 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, damn, that weather sucks. Out of power again? No!
03:36:43 [DM (Aarya)] Damn, it's rough over there. Um, maybe we just call it for the night.
03:37:18 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah, I think the stopping point's okay.
03:37:21 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah. A bit unceremonious, but it's about where we would stop anyhow.
03:37:27 [Sylalys (Cat)] Yeah.
03:37:30 [DM (Aarya)] Alright, well, all things considered, I think that went okay. Unfortunate that we were dealing with interference from forces beyond our control, but what can you do?
03:37:44 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah, it is what it is.
03:37:48 [DM (Aarya)] Alright, well, good session, folks. I'm gonna stop the recording right now.