Session 12 - Transcript

00:00 [Ember (Spurthi)] No, it's alive. I called them a couple days ago and they were prepping.
00:07 [DM (Aarya)] Yes, you were.
00:09 [Ember (Spurthi)] No.
00:20 [DM (Aarya)] Yes, I can do it.
00:30 [Sildir (Tris)] That's poop.
00:32 [DM (Aarya)] I tried this. I tried doing that in Archerium the one time and it didn't work.
00:37 [Sildir (Tris)] I try it every time. If it'll ever work, I'll find out. Session 11 was our last session.
00:37 [Sildir (Tris)] Now we're on session 12. That's my notes. Just kidding.
00:37 [Sildir (Tris)] We started off our last session with a combat with the court of owls. Wait, fuck. The court of wolves.
00:37 [Sildir (Tris)] I apologize. Freudian slip. I just called them the court in my notes.
00:37 [Sildir (Tris)] Anyhow, the court of wolves.
01:15 [DM (Aarya)] Totally not inspired by anything, but yeah, continue.
01:17 [Sildir (Tris)] As we're walking away, we note that the streets are strangely quiet compared to what we're used to. There's a convenient lack of guards in the area after we were attacked. But, right after that combat, Solalis, who was kind of MIA the session before, kind of wraps up with helping out Arena and finds us.
01:17 [Sildir (Tris)] There's a bit of discussion about the amber flute, but that is what Syl actually found in the bushes a couple sessions ago. Syl being Solalis.
02:01 [DM (Aarya)] It's good that you clarified that because the AI gets confused between this Syl and the other Syl.
02:07 [Sildir (Tris)] Yeah, we have two Syls. French Syl. French Syl thinks the Baron is corrupted by something, maybe Strahd.
02:07 [Sildir (Tris)] And he tells us that there's a festival that's being held. It's held once per week, but it's to enforce the happiness of the town, which just goes along with all the strange propaganda stuff we've been seeing. He also lets us know that he found out Fiona Wachter might be someone who could help us out if we really don't like this Baron.
02:07 [Sildir (Tris)] And we decide that we will go to the Wachter house to see if there's any help. And not much longer after deciding that and heading that direction, we see that we're being followed. And funny enough, it's a guard.
02:07 [Sildir (Tris)] Not a guard. It's just someone who works for the Wachter house. We drag this guy into an alley.
02:07 [Sildir (Tris)] His name is Ernst, and he's like, what the fuck? Like, what do you do to everyone? But basically, we finally get to the point and learn that he's from Wachter house.
02:07 [Sildir (Tris)] He has a letter from us from Fiona Wachter. It was Saturno that caught Fiona's attention. But we're all invited, and it seems like she thinks we can be allies or work together towards our common goals.
02:07 [Sildir (Tris)] We also get a rough map of Vallaki to guide us to the Wachter house. And then we decide to go buy clothes since we're going to a party tomorrow. We gotta look cool.
02:07 [Sildir (Tris)] So Iridel gets a dress. Ember gets a dress. Mercurio bought three outfits.
02:07 [Sildir (Tris)] Saturno got a shirt and pants set that was beige. Seal, did you get anything?
04:08 [Sylalys (Cat)] I didn't really clarify, but I was like, Seal is probably too good for this shitty clothing, and my fine linens are in their dirtied state. Better than whatever they have.
04:25 [Sildir (Tris)] Gotcha. Okay. So Seal did that.
04:25 [Sildir (Tris)] Seal Deer will polish his armor next chance he gets. Which, yeah, right after that, we head back to the inn. We all get changed, and Seal Deer cleans up his armor.
04:25 [Sildir (Tris)] We take a short rest. We agree to the plan to go visit the Baron and talk a little bit about what a good job we've done pro bono rehabbing that grandma. So we do that.
04:25 [Sildir (Tris)] We go to the manor. It's kind of like, what were we going to do instead of going to Wachter House today? So that's what we did.
04:25 [Sildir (Tris)] We went to the Baron's house. We go in. We get a little bit of trouble at the door, but we're allowed in.
04:25 [Sildir (Tris)] And then we go to the Baron's room. He's there with two big old mastiffs. And he actually, funny enough, has a task for us.
04:25 [Sildir (Tris)] After, well, okay. So we share that we did a good job with the grandma, right? I'm sure that's kind of a given, but let me just establish that.
04:25 [Sildir (Tris)] Once he hears that, he says, wow, great, and he has a new task for us since we did such a good job, which is to investigate Fiona Wachter. He wants us to infiltrate her mansion and find any dirt we can. Iridyll brings up the point that we would probably need to go undercover.
04:25 [Sildir (Tris)] And also, the guards around town will give us a break after Baron Vargas talks to Izzik. So we will have some immunity around town, which will be nice. Also, we're super glazing.
04:25 [Sildir (Tris)] I said that Sildur kicks it into maximum overtroll. Hopefully, I actually did that, and I'm not just glazing myself. But I'm sure I glazed this guy very well.
06:29 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, we're all definitely backing up, but yeah.
06:32 [Sildir (Tris)] And then Mercurio jumps in and proposes that we take on the whole rehab center thing. So we actually talk him into this. We're going to get a facility.
06:50 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, that whole line of questioning and persuading was crazy, because between the two of you, you never rolled below a 20 on your charisma checks.
07:04 [Sildir (Tris)] Had to do it to him. So yeah, we're going to be taking on the role of rehabbing the townspeople. And we also convince him to give us a facility.
07:04 [Sildir (Tris)] We agree that we're going to return later tonight to grab someone who needs to be corrected there, which is really just some poor boy who's being tortured as part of the current rehab program. So yeah, we'll be coming back here tonight at some indeterminate time to grab this kid out of here. And I don't really know what we're going to do with him.
07:04 [Sildir (Tris)] So, yeah.
07:48 [DM (Aarya)] Okay, pretty good recap. Okay, so with that, we can... Oh, sorry.
07:57 [Mercurio (Gui)] Did we cover... The main job that he wanted us to do was to spy on the Voctors? Yes.
08:05 [DM (Aarya)] Actually, good that you bring that up. I guess before we jump back into the roleplay, does anyone want to quickly summarize the party's current list of objectives right now, just so we have that on the mind?
08:23 [Mercurio (Gui)] I can list the ones that I remember.
08:27 [DM (Aarya)] I'll fill in the gaps.
08:30 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah, one is to... We have tomorrow night to go to the Voctor house. We're invited to a dinner there because of what they heard about Saturno and how she stuck up for the old lady and defied Mr. Meanie Bo Beanie. And then... We have the objective to go back later tonight and grab the guy, the boy. We have to continue our investigation to find the missing priest.
08:30 [Mercurio (Gui)] And we have to... We have to... Take Irina to the beach.
08:30 [Mercurio (Gui)] I think those are the four objectives.
09:26 [DM (Aarya)] It's very important ones. And a couple others. You are also keeping an eye out and looking out for Arabelle, Lavash's daughter from the Vistani camp, who is also the granddaughter of Madame Eva.
09:26 [DM (Aarya)] And you also were instructed by Father Bryce to meet him tonight back at the church for more info on the treatment for Arabelle's condition.
09:59 [Ember (Spurthi)] We're so busy.
10:01 [Mercurio (Gui)] And that guy's a little bit sus. And how much time do we have until the full moon?
10:07 [DM (Aarya)] So it is in four days, or I guess four nights rather. Well, I guess five nights if you include tonight. But it's the same night as the day of the festival.
10:07 [DM (Aarya)] Celebration.
10:23 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah, we got to find Lucien by then.
10:30 [DM (Aarya)] Lucien. Anyway. On that note, we can jump right back in.
10:30 [DM (Aarya)] So you find yourselves, a lot of you, leaving the Baron's Manor. By this point, it's getting pretty late into the afternoon. Getting closer to sundown.
10:30 [DM (Aarya)] Sun's starting to get kind of low on the horizon. And you find yourselves on the streets of Wallachia, walking away from the Baron's Manor.
11:08 [Ember (Spurthi)] It stayed quiet.
11:09 [Irredel (Sav)] Everything went well.
11:14 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah, you did great.
11:16 [Irredel (Sav)] And honestly, it feels like against all odds, I really cannot believe that that worked as well as it did.
11:28 [Ember (Spurthi)] So I guess we would be caught up by now with everything, right? Because I know we stayed in the room.
11:34 [Sildir (Tris)] We'll say that you guys know what we filled you in on what we did.
11:38 [Ember (Spurthi)] Got it. Yeah, that was crazy. I don't know how you all managed to convince, but...
11:47 [Irredel (Sav)] I had nothing to do with it. I was mostly just a grump in the corner of the room. But these two...
11:47 [Irredel (Sav)] They could have sold water to a fish.
11:58 [Sildir (Tris)] I had no doubts that I could handle it. But Mercurio, you were truly impressive. That was some great negotiating skills you had there.
11:58 [Sildir (Tris)] I think the wine does work.
12:11 [Mercurio (Gui)] The what does work?
12:12 [Irredel (Sav)] The wine.
12:14 [Ember (Spurthi)] All that wine you've been drinking.
12:16 [Mercurio (Gui)] Oh yeah.
12:17 [Ember (Spurthi)] It really helps your brain.
12:18 [Mercurio (Gui)] It really helps the brain, get the sparks going.
12:24 [Irredel (Sav)] Yes, obviously.
12:27 [Sildir (Tris)] He requires unusual gear. Just so you know. Unlike the mic.
12:27 [Sildir (Tris)] All right, I'll move it a little closer. There you are. I guess we're going to need to come back here tonight.
12:27 [Sildir (Tris)] But that does complicate things a little bit. Weren't we supposed to meet up with a certain priest tonight? That strange one?
12:57 [Irredel (Sav)] And we're supposed to go to Fianna Voctor's house.
13:01 [Sildir (Tris)] Well, that'll be tomorrow night. It's been a long day, I know. Hard to keep track.
13:01 [Sildir (Tris)] It does feel like it's been a whole extra day. This darn sunlight. Well, the lack of it makes it feel like just one big night.
13:01 [Sildir (Tris)] Not even separate days.
13:24 [Ember (Spurthi)] Should we split up? Cover more ground? I know, maybe that's not the best idea, but...
13:34 [Sildir (Tris)] I think it might be what we have to do. Yeah.
13:40 [Mercurio (Gui)] Who wants to go to the priest then?
13:45 [Ember (Spurthi)] I'll go.
13:48 [Sildir (Tris)] I think I should go with Iridyll too.
13:51 [Irredel (Sav)] Yeah, I mean, obviously, I think I do have to be the one attending that event. Unfortunately.
13:59 [Ember (Spurthi)] Yeah. And then the rest can go with me?
14:05 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah, we'll be the rehabilitation crew.
14:13 [Sylalys (Cat)] I suppose that would keep you out of trouble.
14:19 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yes, perfect. You're totally the one I was worried about.
14:32 [DM (Aarya)] Wow, the gang's going to split up and search for clues. Literally.
14:40 [Ember (Spurthi)] Okay.
14:44 [DM (Aarya)] Okay, so is the party going to head to any specific location at the moment, or are you guys just like, hambling about and just planning your next move?
14:57 [Sildir (Tris)] I mean, I feel like we could probably just get moving to the priest's place. Unless there's somewhere we all want to go first.
15:08 [Irredel (Sav)] Yeah, we could try. Well, what time is it?
15:11 [DM (Aarya)] It's getting late in the afternoon, like close to the evening. Like, right about twilight, as they say.
15:19 [Irredel (Sav)] Yeah, I mean, we could try and knock it out then, and then see if we can all still make the dinner at Fiona's.
15:27 [Ember (Spurthi)] How far is Fiona's from the priest? How long would it take us to get there?
15:31 [Sildir (Tris)] Good question. Oh, but the dinner at Fiona's is tomorrow, though.
15:34 [Irredel (Sav)] Oh, sorry, sorry. Yeah, I keep forgetting.
15:36 [Sildir (Tris)] No, it's okay.
15:38 [Irredel (Sav)] Wait, okay, but the rehab things tonight? I thought all of them were tonight. I swear this is changing on me.
15:44 [DM (Aarya)] No. It's just meeting with Fiona. That's tomorrow night.
15:44 [DM (Aarya)] The other two things are tonight. But you know from your hastily scrawled map from Ernst, that the church is, let me check. It is on the westernmost point of town.
15:44 [DM (Aarya)] Whereas Wachter House is closer to the center, like a little bit north of town square.
16:14 [Ember (Spurthi)] And the rehab place?
16:18 [DM (Aarya)] So the quote-unquote rehab place is just the Barron's Manor, and that is also...
16:24 [Ember (Spurthi)] Like, compared to where the priest is, is more the question.
16:28 [DM (Aarya)] The Barron's Manor is closer to Wachter House. It is south of town square. Closer to the center of town, basically.
16:40 [Irredel (Sav)] And I guess we did say that we would be coming to retrieve that guy in the middle of the night, so... I guess, again, it looks like everyone can do both. Don't need to split up.
16:54 [Mercurio (Gui)] Okay, well let's all go to the priest then. Okay. I can see you're very nervous about your appointment.
17:03 [Irredel (Sav)] For understandable reasons, I think.
17:06 [Mercurio (Gui)] Absolutely.
17:08 [DM (Aarya)] I mean, this is something that's... Yeah. Alright, so gang's making it over to the church again?
17:08 [DM (Aarya)] Yep. Let me get that scene up.
17:40 [Sildir (Tris)] I wonder when Barron will give us our facility.
17:48 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yes, he did say he needed a little bit of time to prepare it, but... I mean, he's the baron, he's gotta have plenty of hands to do the job.
18:01 [Irredel (Sav)] Which I will admit, I am a little uncomfortable with at all. I just, I know it's for, like, the greater good, and that ultimately we'll be helping these people, but it does feel pretty deceitful, I guess? And even if he is an authoritarian loon, like, overall, most of the rules here don't seem too bad.
18:01 [Irredel (Sav)] I just, there's something, part of me, that's inherently just kind of anti-big revolutionary changes, I guess. I mean, obviously the overall nature of this town, or this plane, wherever the hell we are, is a different story, but... Mhm.
18:01 [Irredel (Sav)] I'm just kind of worried about disrupting things. I feel like we're breaking a lot of rules. For whatever reason, I like those.
18:59 [DM (Aarya)] Okay, and as you're chatting amongst yourselves, you find yourselves rolling up to, once more, to the Church of St. Andral. Once more, you're faced with this very old building, built of stone, with the bulging steeple in the back, and the walls inlaid with stained glass windows. Yeah, you find yourselves passing through the gates, and in front of the front door.
19:35 [Sildir (Tris)] I'm sorry, did you say the door was closed?
19:37 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah. Yes, it is. Well, there it is.
19:42 [Ember (Spurthi)] Didn't you say there was a window in the back, or something?
19:46 [DM (Aarya)] There are just stained glass windows around the church, basically.
19:50 [Sildir (Tris)] Do you want to lead the way, or do you want me to go in first? I know this is stressful for you.
20:00 [Irredel (Sav)] I mean, I guess it doesn't really matter. It changes the situation. Whichever one of us walks in first.
20:08 [Sildir (Tris)] Well, good old practical Iridyll. Here, let me get this for you. I open the door.
20:08 [Sildir (Tris)] What do I see?
20:17 [DM (Aarya)] So you look around, and you see the church is empty at this time in the evening. You just see the same young man you met earlier. Kind of off to the side, just tatting up what appears to be a cabinet of sorts.
20:17 [DM (Aarya)] Looks like he's putting away some equipment. And as you open the door, he turns to you. Oh, you're back.
20:17 [DM (Aarya)] Father Bryce has been expecting you.
20:43 [Sildir (Tris)] Oh, yes. Hello, young man. Where is Father Bryce?
20:48 [DM (Aarya)] Oh, he's just upstairs in his office. I'll call him down. Just wait here a moment.
20:48 [DM (Aarya)] Is that still Milyavich? Is that his name?
20:56 [Sildir (Tris)] Milyavich, yeah.
20:57 [DM (Aarya)] You never got his name this time around, but yeah, that is him.
21:03 [Ember (Spurthi)] Milyavich?
21:04 [Mercurio (Gui)] Milyavich.
21:06 [Ember (Spurthi)] Milyavich, okay.
21:08 [Mercurio (Gui)] Maybe his name is different this time.
21:09 [DM (Aarya)] We don't know. Metagaming! Anyway.
21:09 [DM (Aarya)] I'm gonna call him Milyavich, and you're gonna be like, My name is Mark. But yeah, you see him disappear up the stairs for a couple minutes, leaving you all alone on the first floor of the church. Alright.
21:42 [Sildir (Tris)] I'll assume we're all going inside.
21:48 [DM (Aarya)] Unless anyone chooses to stay out.
21:56 [Ember (Spurthi)] No.
21:56 [DM (Aarya)] I'll come inside.
21:57 [Ember (Spurthi)] I don't think so. I'm going inside.
22:00 [DM (Aarya)] So yeah, you all meander inwards, and after a couple minutes, you see the young man once again descending the stairs with Father Bryce in tow. I see you were able to make it back. Very good.
22:00 [DM (Aarya)] I'm afraid my news is... Well, I have good news and bad news. Oh?
22:27 [Irredel (Sav)] Give us the bad news first, please.
22:31 [DM (Aarya)] Very well. The bad news is, this particular potion that I will be brewing for you, it requires one very rare ingredient. Wolf's Bane.
22:31 [DM (Aarya)] A particularly rare flower that only blooms in the light of the full moon. Unfortunately, I don't have any Wolf's Bane currently, nor do I know for certain where to procure some. However...
23:02 [Irredel (Sav)] Where have you procured it from in the past?
23:08 [DM (Aarya)] We used to procure it from time to time from Vistani Traveling Crew. Yes, but it has been some time. The good news, however, is that I may have a lead for you as to where you might track down this flower.
23:31 [Irredel (Sav)] Okay.
23:35 [DM (Aarya)] It has come to my attention...
23:37 [Irredel (Sav)] But it only blooms in the full moon. Is dried version okay, or do we need to wait for it to bloom, at which point it would be moot?
23:46 [DM (Aarya)] Any time that I've used Wolf's Bane in crafting potions, I've always used the dried variant. So long as it is harvested while in full bloom and properly preserved, its potency is not lost. At least, not to any considerable degree.
24:06 [Irredel (Sav)] Well, that's a relief.
24:10 [DM (Aarya)] In any case, it's come to my attention that the Baron Vargas has a rather impressive collection of books and knowledge in his library. And I've learned that he may possess some tomes or books of reference regarding herbology and alchemy and the such. So you may find a lead as to where Wolf's Bane can be found in Barovia.
24:51 [Irredel (Sav)] Well... What are the odds on him having anything that's more directly related to a cure? Do you think he's the type of...
25:03 [DM (Aarya)] The type for...
25:04 [Irredel (Sav)] You've got nothing to do about that.
25:06 [DM (Aarya)] Say again, sorry?
25:10 [Irredel (Sav)] Never. Just all good.
25:12 [DM (Aarya)] Okay. Hmm. Well...
25:12 [DM (Aarya)] The Baron is known to be a superstitious man, so it is quite unlikely, I think, that he himself would be practicing in any arcane arts. Though that doesn't mean he wouldn't have any books on the topics. It is well known in Vallaki that the Vallakovich household has been maintaining a rather impressive collection of knowledge in their library, which the Baron has now inherited from his family.
25:12 [DM (Aarya)] If you are to find any information regarding the location or any details of Wolf's Bane, it would be in that collection, I should think. However, if by chance you know of any magical practitioners around, you may be able to ask them for guidance. It is well known that Wolf's Bane has many magical properties that make it quite interesting for those practicing.
26:24 [Sildir (Tris)] What do you mean by quite interesting?
26:27 [DM (Aarya)] It is known to be a particularly potent ingredient in a number of potions, not just this one that I seek to craft for you.
26:41 [Mercurio (Gui)] Well, and we have some good Vistani friends that we could pay a visit to. Perhaps. If they've been known to trade it, we might be able to get some from them.
26:52 [DM (Aarya)] That is also true.
26:56 [Ember (Spurthi)] And what if we can't find it? Is there an alternate potion?
27:03 [DM (Aarya)] If you aren't able to find it, then I won't be able to craft the cure, or not the cure, rather, the treatment for your friend. Of course, if you are to seek out the Baron's library, then you would need to get in his good graces, which may prove to be a difficult task. He's not a particularly well-liked man.
27:39 [Sildir (Tris)] Not as difficult as you might think.
27:42 [DM (Aarya)] Oh?
27:45 [Sildir (Tris)] I'm just very charming.
27:50 [DM (Aarya)] A bard like yourself? I'm sure you are.
27:56 [Mercurio (Gui)] Believe it or not, I have a history of mooching up to royals, and usually they're quite easy to appease.
28:05 [DM (Aarya)] Somehow that doesn't surprise me. Very good, then. Is there anything else that I could help you with?
28:19 [Sildir (Tris)] Where are you originally from, Father Bryce?
28:23 [DM (Aarya)] I'm from Krezek.
28:28 [Mercurio (Gui)] How far away is Krezek? I mean, it must have taken some time for you to come and fill in for Lucian. How long did it take for word to get to you?
28:40 [DM (Aarya)] Krezek lies to the west of Vallaki. If you follow the main road, it is but half a day's march from here. Half a day?
28:40 [DM (Aarya)] That is assuming you don't run into any obstacles on the path.
29:05 [Mercurio (Gui)] Half a day, wow. So it's quite close by, then.
29:11 [DM (Aarya)] In terms of physical distance, perhaps, although...
29:15 [Mercurio (Gui)] I mean, we made a trip from Barovia Village, and that was quite the trek.
29:23 [DM (Aarya)] Yes, Barovia Village is quite a ways further, and that journey is difficult in part because the path itself is not a linear one.
29:36 [Mercurio (Gui)] What else can you tell us of Krezek? How is it in terms of its, I guess, stability? You know, Barovia Village, quite a bit more run down than this place.
29:52 [DM (Aarya)] Yes, well, the burgomaster of Krezek, Dmitri Krezkov, keeps an iron hold on his town. The stone walls of Krezek are known to be rather difficult to penetrate, and Dmitri himself is not keen on letting just anyone enter his town. He takes the safety of his people very seriously, so it is not often that there is traffic going in and out of the town.
30:25 [Sildir (Tris)] Apparently he didn't want to lose his priest, then.
30:28 [DM (Aarya)] Fortunately, I'm not the only priest in Krezek. The town is home to the Abbey of St. Markovia, where there are many holy men practicing. I see.
30:51 [Irredel (Sav)] Do you know if any of them know of a more permanent cure for my condition?
30:59 [DM (Aarya)] I'm afraid...
31:00 [Irredel (Sav)] Or would know? Would be likely to know?
31:04 [DM (Aarya)] Well, I'm afraid there is no cure save for a direct act of divine intervention that can truly alleviate your curse. There are rumors that there are ways to control the transformation, as the werewolves of this land do. However, those methods are said to be unsavory.
31:38 [Ember (Spurthi)] What do you mean by unsavory?
31:41 [DM (Aarya)] It is not something that I can repeat to you, I'm afraid. Trust me when I say that this is not a path that you wish to seek.
31:57 [Sildir (Tris)] Is it, like, gross or something? Do they have to, like, cannibalize somebody? I mean, we can handle it.
31:57 [Sildir (Tris)] We're not going to do it, just curious.
32:06 [DM (Aarya)] Trust me, my son, this is not a question you want answered.
32:14 [Sildir (Tris)] I mean, I trust you, but I still kind of want to know. I won't blame you if you tell me. I won't hold it against you, you know, you did warn me.
32:26 [DM (Aarya)] Sorry, but I can't in good faith tell you about this ritual.
32:34 [Sildir (Tris)] Oh, so it's a ritual. Okay, well.
32:40 [Mercurio (Gui)] Why do you even bring it up, then?
32:44 [DM (Aarya)] There are some things...
32:45 [Irredel (Sav)] No, there's no use inquiring further, it's nothing that I would...
32:48 [DM (Aarya)] I tell you because, on your travels, I know that you, the likes of adventurers such as yourselves, may face many foul creatures and the like, servants of Strahd on your journey. You may come across those who attempt you. Don't listen to them.
33:09 [Sildir (Tris)] Can you guys hold on for, like, five seconds so Savannah can switch her audio?
33:12 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, sure. Yeah. What?
33:12 [DM (Aarya)] There we go, sorry.
33:21 [Sildir (Tris)] No worries. Well, you beat Aria's timer. You started counting, so good job.
33:25 [Irredel (Sav)] I can't deal with any more timers today. I've been, like, timing myself non-stop for the last, like, 12 hours, because that's how I've been billing, so yeah.
33:34 [DM (Aarya)] No more. You're much more audible now, so that's good. Yeah.
33:43 [Irredel (Sav)] The point being, there's no temptation or no need for me to hear any more information. If it's something foul, I would never do it. I mean, I'm a cleric of Tyr.
33:43 [Irredel (Sav)] I'd be forsaken by my god if I did something terrible at the end of my own selfish pursuit.
34:04 [DM (Aarya)] It is good. Sounds like I just have to prevent it. It is good that you resolve to stay on the holy path as sound.
34:17 [Irredel (Sav)] There's nothing else I can do. There's just simply no other option.
34:22 [Mercurio (Gui)] Well, but what if we were to, like, step on a rake, and then the rake, you know, like, cut our foot, and then it happened to pull up into a pentagram, and we happened to perform a ritual on accident, or stumble into it or something? We'd like to at least know that it happened, you know, or that, oh, wow, these are all the conditions. What if we stumbled upon it, you know?
34:53 [DM (Aarya)] It is not something that you could do by accident, no. This would be a very intentional act that you would have to perform, but I won't speak on it any further. Okay, okay.
35:06 [Ember (Spurthi)] But you don't want to be prepared?
35:09 [DM (Aarya)] I think I have prepared you well enough. All right, fine.
35:15 [Irredel (Sav)] Well, actually, no, there is one clarifying question. Is this something someone could be forced to do?
35:25 [DM (Aarya)] No.
35:25 [Irredel (Sav)] Or is it fully? Okay. I just want to make sure it's fully within my realm of control.
35:25 [Irredel (Sav)] As long as it is, it'll never happen. Was there anyone in this town who went through this ritual?
35:44 [DM (Aarya)] Not that I am aware. I suspect that if that were the case, well, if there truly were werewolves running amok in this town, I think the people would know of it.
36:03 [Mercurio (Gui)] You think the people are that smart, huh?
36:06 [DM (Aarya)] More that werewolves themselves are not the types to conceal themselves. At least, not for long. I see, I see.
36:25 [Sildir (Tris)] So you think the old stories have no bearing then? The old stories? The court.
36:33 [DM (Aarya)] You speak of the court. What have you heard?
36:39 [Mercurio (Gui)] Just rumors. Some bedtime stories you tell to kids if you want to scare them.
36:46 [Ember (Spurthi)] You don't think there are werewolves running around town?
36:51 [DM (Aarya)] No. However, it is certainly true that there is something, some evil presence snatching up innocent folks in Vallaki. Can I just get a pulse check from the group?
37:05 [Ember (Spurthi)] I did steal some teeth from the guys we fought earlier. Is that something that we want to confirm with this person or is this information that we'd rather withhold?
37:21 [DM (Aarya)] Are you saying this, like, whispered to the party?
37:24 [Ember (Spurthi)] No, I guess, yeah.
37:30 [Sylalys (Cat)] I think this guy is not going to give us anything more.
37:38 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah, I don't think we should show them.
37:40 [Ember (Spurthi)] He's pretty stubborn.
37:42 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah, well, thank you. We appreciate all your help and we'll go get those dry flower petals and all that.
37:51 [Irredel (Sav)] We'll be back with the Wolfsbane.
37:54 [DM (Aarya)] I pray that you will. I'm afraid the full moon is not far from now. And I should warn you, if, in the event that you are unable to secure the Wolfsbane for the potion, then we may have to take more drastic measures.
38:22 [Irredel (Sav)] Such as?
38:26 [DM (Aarya)] Well, it is known that when a person afflicted with lycanthropy transforms into the beast, they are unable to control themselves and go on a violent rampage. We would have to contain you, by some means.
38:50 [Irredel (Sav)] Such as? Like, restraints? Do you have, like, a locked room?
38:50 [Irredel (Sav)] Is there...
39:00 [DM (Aarya)] Well, we would have to figure something out.
39:02 [Irredel (Sav)] What levels of supernatural strength are we dealing with?
39:07 [DM (Aarya)] Nothing that the likes of you all would not have encountered before, I'm sure. Would you be more specific? Sorry, what did you say?
39:20 [Ember (Spurthi)] Would you be more specific? You're really not giving us much to prepare for.
39:25 [Sildir (Tris)] If you would be the one to aid us with these restraints, then we'd at least like to know. If we're on our own, you can just say that.
39:34 [DM (Aarya)] Silver. It would take silver. To control, or to...
39:34 [DM (Aarya)] To restrain, and if it comes to it... Well... Perhaps...
39:34 [DM (Aarya)] A more permanent measure, but I pray that it doesn't come to that.
39:57 [Mercurio (Gui)] How much silver are we talking here? Like, we need a whole silver shackle, or just a blade?
40:06 [DM (Aarya)] I should think a blade would suffice, but the more you have, the better.
40:13 [Mercurio (Gui)] And then how would we use just one blade to restrain somebody?
40:20 [DM (Aarya)] Well, I'm sure a resourceful group like yourselves could piece that together. But, hopefully this is a hypothetical that doesn't come to pass. I pray that you are able to recover the Wolf's Bane.
40:20 [DM (Aarya)] And if you aren't, well... We will deal with that as it comes.
40:55 [Mercurio (Gui)] Well, I guess we'd better get on it then. No time to waste.
41:00 [Irredel (Sav)] Thank you for your wisdom here, father.
41:04 [DM (Aarya)] Of course, my child.
41:11 [Mercurio (Gui)] You have a good night.
41:14 [Sylalys (Cat)] Bane speaks in Heidos, and you call him wise. He only told us that we need to use silver. This we already know.
41:24 [Mercurio (Gui)] Honestly, I'm with Syl on this. This guy seems like a total dumbass.
41:32 [Irredel (Sav)] I'm assuming we're saying this as we stepped outside?
41:35 [Sildir (Tris)] Yeah, outside. Now that we're not right next to him, yeah, I totally agree.
41:40 [Irredel (Sav)] I mean, look, he's the only one who seems to know how to brew this potion, though.
41:46 [Mercurio (Gui)] That's true. At least he does that. Yeah, we have to be nice.
41:46 [Mercurio (Gui)] But he, I mean, a lot of the information he's given us just runs totally contrary to things we already know. I mean, we got that book that said that lycanthropy could be cured as long as you're not born with it. And also, he's like werewolves.
41:46 [Mercurio (Gui)] Oh, they'd never be able to hide in the city. And yeah, we already know that's not true.
42:15 [Ember (Spurthi)] Yeah, exactly.
42:17 [Mercurio (Gui)] I don't know. He's matter-of-facting a lot of things that are wrong.
42:24 [Ember (Spurthi)] Yeah, I don't particularly trust him too much.
42:29 [Irredel (Sav)] But he's the only person I could hope. Here's my worst case scenario. This guy is part of the Disappearances.
42:29 [Irredel (Sav)] He's part of the Court of Wolves. And this potion that we're about to go get is going to somehow force me to be even wolfier than I already potentially could.
42:49 [Mercurio (Gui)] That would be pretty bad.
42:51 [Irredel (Sav)] That's why I asked that question about, you know, is that something someone can be forced to do? Which I guess if he was a liar, he would lie about that as well.
42:59 [Ember (Spurthi)] Bye.
43:07 [Mercurio (Gui)] Actually, let me check on that for one second. I'm not stepping anywhere in either one of those circles.
43:16 [Sildir (Tris)] Oh my gosh. Where's all your wine, Mercurio?
43:21 [Irredel (Sav)] How much have you had to drink today?
43:23 [Sildir (Tris)] Oh, no.
43:31 [Mercurio (Gui)] I guess we can ask around. He mentioned the Vistani have this stuff. We can ask them for, like, any knowledge of potions that they know about.
43:31 [Mercurio (Gui)] I mean, Wolfsbane. I mean, it's a pretty telling name. So, at least that part I kind of buy.
43:53 [Irredel (Sav)] That is true.
43:59 [Mercurio (Gui)] But, yeah, it is a little bit suspicious, his story and all that.
44:05 [Sildir (Tris)] But maybe he's just a dumbass. Maybe he's not malicious. It could always be one of those forest land, frost land situations too, you know?
44:15 [Ember (Spurthi)] He might have just been the closest person to fill in the role. He's all we've got for a solution. I think we should ask the Vistani.
44:15 [Ember (Spurthi)] I feel like our experience thus far with the Vistani has been pretty positive.
44:35 [Sildir (Tris)] Or the Dusk Elves. They've been in this land longer than anybody except for the Old Ones or whatever they're called.
44:42 [Mercurio (Gui)] The First People.
44:43 [Sildir (Tris)] That's true.
44:44 [Ember (Spurthi)] Yeah, I think we should do that.
44:46 [Mercurio (Gui)] I mean, they're the ones that told us about the whole Court of Wolves thing to begin with.
44:53 [Ember (Spurthi)] Do we do that or should we split up? I know we have to do the other thing we were talking about.
45:04 [Mercurio (Gui)] I mean, do we still have time before the night? I mean, I don't think we can head out to the Vistani camp in the middle of the night. That'd be kind of reckless.
45:13 [Ember (Spurthi)] That's true. But they'd be partying.
45:18 [DM (Aarya)] One thing of note that while you're in the Volaki Vistani camp, you did note that the atmosphere there was much more grim than the other camp. Probably considering their relationship with the town and also the recent disappearance of Erebo. Mhm.
45:51 [Mercurio (Gui)] So how much time do we have, Diem?
45:55 [DM (Aarya)] So at this moment, the sun is just about starting to set, basically, so it's getting dark. Okay, looks like it's cooked.
46:05 [Mercurio (Gui)] We'll have to go visit the Vistani tomorrow in the morning, I think. For now, we better just make preparations for our appointment with the Baron here. And well, I mean, we can still make progress on this there.
46:05 [Mercurio (Gui)] He has that whole library. Yep. I'm sure we can ask him to peruse the library, see if he has...
46:37 [Sildir (Tris)] Perhaps some empirical studies on corrections facilities? That would be good.
46:53 [Mercurio (Gui)] We, of course, are experts, but we would like to have a little bit of literature for our empires in the future.
47:04 [Sildir (Tris)] Exactly. Well, I think that settles it then.
47:20 [DM (Aarya)] Okay, so where are you all headed now?
47:25 [Mercurio (Gui)] If we have some time, we should slide by the tavern for a drink before we go visit the Baron again.
47:32 [Sildir (Tris)] I could go for some food. And yeah, Mercurio, you do what you gotta do, the way you were talking in that room. I want you on point.
47:42 [Sylalys (Cat)] I will join you, that dreadful Baron. I cannot stand his presence.
47:48 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yes, we need some more of that, what was it, the red dragon crush.
47:58 [Sildir (Tris)] Yeah, plus Erwin and his wife seem like good people. That's true too. Okay, so y'all are heading back to the inn?
47:58 [Sildir (Tris)] Yeah.
48:11 [Mercurio (Gui)] Maybe we'll see my good friend Riktavio.
48:23 [DM (Aarya)] Let me bring y'all back to this scene. Who am I missing here? Hold on, this seems to be wonky.
48:23 [DM (Aarya)] It's because it's multi-floored, is why it's weird like that. Okay, activate and then what do we have? Is everyone in?
48:23 [DM (Aarya)] I think we're missing somebody, who am I missing? Syllalus. Yep.
48:23 [DM (Aarya)] There we go. Okay, we got some fellers.
49:25 [Mercurio (Gui)] You guys wouldn't believe the exhausting day we've had. Can we get six plates for the whole crew and two bottles of that nice red?
49:38 [DM (Aarya)] Okay, so yeah, you wander on up to the counter, you ask Erwin for food, and he looks at you and he says, Ah, yes, Mercurio, glad to see you made it back here in one piece. Yes, of course, I'll bring that out right away. How did it go with your investigation this morning?
50:01 [Mercurio (Gui)] What did we tell you about the investigation?
50:06 [Sildir (Tris)] I think it's about the coffin maker. Yes, yes, that went excellent, yes.
50:13 [DM (Aarya)] Old Hendrick's doing okay?
50:16 [Mercurio (Gui)] Well, he's seen better days, I think, but he's going to be alright.
50:23 [Sildir (Tris)] He's actually in hiding, Erwin.
50:26 [DM (Aarya)] Ah, I see.
50:27 [Sildir (Tris)] Don't tell anyone that he's there, but we did find him and he's okay. I guess Mercurio let that slip already. I'm sure you're a trustworthy guy, I expect you'll keep your secrets.
50:36 [DM (Aarya)] Of course, my lips are sealed. And as for his condition, it seems that's going around the lockie these days. What with all these rumors that have been flying about.
50:55 [Sildir (Tris)] What rumors are you referring to?
50:59 [DM (Aarya)] He's going to lean over the counter and he's going to whisper to you, Well, I mean the disappearances.
51:06 [Sildir (Tris)] Ah, yes, of course, of course. Have you heard anything else in specific about them?
51:17 [DM (Aarya)] Well, there have been some interesting connections that I've noticed, so far as I know. Everyone who hasn't been seen in a while, they seem to be folks who are voicing displeasure with the current rule of the town, so to speak.
51:40 [Mercurio (Gui)] Even, um, Father Lucian?
51:44 [DM (Aarya)] Well, it's a good question you ask. As far as I'm aware, Father Lucian does not openly declare any distaste for the Baron. He's always been a man who tries to preach comfort and hope for the people of Wallachia.
51:44 [DM (Aarya)] He's not one to speak ill, even of those who might deserve it.
52:12 [Mercurio (Gui)] And what about that little Wallachie girl?
52:17 [DM (Aarya)] Palachie girl?
52:18 [Mercurio (Gui)] Oh, sorry, Vistani girl. Arabelle? Did you hear of her?
52:18 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah, Arabelle. Have you heard about Arabelle?
52:26 [DM (Aarya)] I'm afraid I haven't.
52:30 [Mercurio (Gui)] Well, she's the daughter of the local Vistani leader. His name escapes me, sorry. Lavash?
52:30 [Mercurio (Gui)] Lavash, exactly. And she went missing, actually, too. Seemed to have been also kidnapped, like a lot of the other disappearances.
52:50 [DM (Aarya)] Yes, I've heard that Lavash is in quite the panic.
52:56 [Mercurio (Gui)] Does that line up? I mean, did Lavash do anything to upset the Baron or anything like that?
53:05 [DM (Aarya)] The Vistani around these parts have never openly spoken ill or defied the Baron. However, the Baron, being the superstitious man he is, sees the Vistani as a whole as bad luck because of their relationship with Strahd.
53:29 [Mercurio (Gui)] That adds up. You're making a lot of sense, Erwin.
53:38 [DM (Aarya)] Well, you know, I try.
53:44 [Mercurio (Gui)] You're a smart guy. Don't let anybody tell you otherwise.
53:48 [DM (Aarya)] I can't say that many people do, although I have my wife here to keep me humble, of course.
54:02 [Mercurio (Gui)] That she does.
54:04 [DM (Aarya)] And he kind of looks you up and down, and he notices some remnants of the scuffle that you all had earlier. No, we changed out. Oh, you did?
54:04 [DM (Aarya)] Okay, never mind then. Yeah, we did.
54:19 [Ember (Spurthi)] That's right, though.
54:23 [Mercurio (Gui)] Of course we had to change out before we went to go see the Baron.
54:26 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, yeah, of course.
54:28 [Mercurio (Gui)] We did come here to change.
54:30 [Sildir (Tris)] He could have seen us. He saw us earlier with the...
54:35 [DM (Aarya)] Oh yeah, he did. That totally did happen. Okay, so he'll ask you.
54:35 [DM (Aarya)] Well, when you were by earlier, it seemed that you were in quite a rush. Seems like you've had an eventful day.
54:50 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah.
54:52 [Ember (Spurthi)] Yeah, you could call it that.
54:54 [DM (Aarya)] It's been a long day. It's one way to put it. Anything you'd like to talk about, I'm all ears if you need it.
55:02 [Mercurio (Gui)] I would hate to involve you, honestly, and worry you.
55:15 [Sildir (Tris)] Can I insight him?
55:17 [DM (Aarya)] Sure. What are you trying to suss out?
55:22 [Sildir (Tris)] Oh, well, I get nothing, you know. I was going to add, like, just wonder, like, how trustworthy do I feel like this guy is?
55:30 [DM (Aarya)] So with an eight insight check, you get the sense that he's just kind of, like, making conversation. He doesn't really seem to have any particular motive one way or another.
55:39 [Sildir (Tris)] Okay. Well, I used compelled duel on him. No, just kidding.
55:47 [Saturno (Steph)] Oh, my God.
55:51 [Sildir (Tris)] I cast Hold Person.
55:53 [Mercurio (Gui)] Who are you working for?
55:55 [Sildir (Tris)] I use command word poop. ChatGPT, write that down.
56:01 [DM (Aarya)] Shit yourself! Oh, no.
56:07 [Sildir (Tris)] Yeah, it's just been a rough day, you know. This town is certainly safe compared to some other places we've been, but it's not without its troubles. And seeing the people the way they are, we've seen some things around town.
56:07 [Sildir (Tris)] It's just a little disheartening. So, yeah, we came back here to get some rest and change into some clothes. We figured we could at least look our best.
56:33 [DM (Aarya)] If it's any comfort for you to know, things in Wallachia were not always so dire.
56:43 [Sildir (Tris)] Oh, no?
56:43 [DM (Aarya)] It's only been in the last few months that... Well, I can't say that the Baron has ever been a particularly good Burgomaster, but he's never been openly, well, so overbearing. At least not until a few months ago when Strahd awoke from his slumber.
57:07 [Sildir (Tris)] Interesting. I guess that could make anyone break down if you catch my drift. I don't want to speak too freely.
57:19 [DM (Aarya)] Yes, and it is wise for you to watch what you say of the Baron in this town. And as you're chatting, you see Danica come from out of the back carrying a large tray bearing food for all of you. You got some bread, some stew, and tankards of wine.
57:54 [Ember (Spurthi)] Yippee!
57:57 [Sildir (Tris)] Wow, thank you. This looks really, really good. Which of you is the chef?
57:57 [Sildir (Tris)] Or is it both of you?
58:04 [DM (Aarya)] Well, usually it's Erwin here, but I pitch in every now and then.
58:11 [Ember (Spurthi)] Thank you, this looks really good.
58:15 [DM (Aarya)] Of course, dear. And as you are chatting and eating your dinners, you see Irina descending from the stairs. She's kind of yawning and stretching as she comes down, and she looks to you all.
58:15 [DM (Aarya)] Oh, you're back. I hope things went well for you today.
58:52 [Sildir (Tris)] They went well enough, I would say. Well enough? Put to rest some old problems, found some new ones, you know how it goes.
59:02 [DM (Aarya)] Don't I just? Well, I hope you've had a better day than I have.
59:08 [Sildir (Tris)] Yeah, how did it go for you? Did you garner any support?
59:14 [DM (Aarya)] Nobody seems to want to help. Everyone is too afraid of opposing the Baron. If that man says that Barovians are bad luck or maliciously unhappy or whatever nonsense he spews, then there's no one in town who dares oppose him.
59:14 [DM (Aarya)] Except, apparently, for one person. Fiona Wachter? I didn't get a chance to meet her.
59:14 [DM (Aarya)] Seems difficult to hold an audience with her.
59:55 [Mercurio (Gui)] Well, we might have you covered there.
01:00:01 [DM (Aarya)] Oh?
01:00:03 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yes, we're actually invited to a dinner party with her tomorrow night.
01:00:12 [DM (Aarya)] A dinner party?
01:00:16 [Sildir (Tris)] Yeah, I don't see any reason why you couldn't come. Do you have any nice sets of clothes ready? We all kind of prepared, but I can give you some cash if you want to go get your own.
01:00:30 [DM (Aarya)] Oh my, well, yes, I think that would be lovely.
01:00:38 [Sildir (Tris)] How much were they charging for the dresses down at that shop? Does anybody remember?
01:00:42 [Ember (Spurthi)] One gold piece.
01:00:43 [Sildir (Tris)] Well, here you go, Irina, and I give her a gold. So, just make sure you're ready by tomorrow night. That's when we're going to go.
01:00:52 [DM (Aarya)] Well, thank you, Master Sildar, that's very kind of you. And how did you manage to... you got invited for a dinner party?
01:01:02 [Sildir (Tris)] Oh, really, it was Eterno here. I think her boldness attracts other bold people, like Fiona.
01:01:11 [DM (Aarya)] I suppose it's true that Master Sertona does have a way about her.
01:01:19 [Ember (Spurthi)] They do push-ups off the edge of the table.
01:01:26 [Sildir (Tris)] Yes, he throws shoes at certain important politicians, and what do you know, the opposing folks are interested in you.
01:01:38 [DM (Aarya)] You all do continue to impress me. It seems, once again, I'm in your debt.
01:01:52 [Sildir (Tris)] There's no debts here.
01:01:55 [DM (Aarya)] Well, if you say so, Master Sildar.
01:01:58 [Sildir (Tris)] Unless Mercurial wants to charge you some wine for it, I won't hold him back.
01:02:01 [Sylalys (Cat)] In my homeland, they say debts are best paid in gold.
01:02:06 [DM (Aarya)] Ah, yes, well, I'll have to...
01:02:11 [Mercurio (Gui)] Well, if you want to get the next round, I'll consider it settled.
01:02:16 [DM (Aarya)] I would be happy to, Master Mercurial.
01:02:21 [Sildir (Tris)] Surprisingly broke mindset, Sil.
01:02:25 [DM (Aarya)] And with that, Irvina will call out to Erwin. Erwin, one more round, please.
01:02:38 [Sildir (Tris)] Well, you got the whole round there. I don't think I want any more, so Mercurial, you can have mine.
01:02:43 [Irredel (Sav)] You can have mine, too, Mercurial. You can have mine, too. The more wine, the better, right?
01:02:52 [Sildir (Tris)] I want you nice and loose for when we go talk to you-know-who later. I'm getting warmed up. I've got that front and center of my mind right now.
01:03:01 [DM (Aarya)] You-know-who?
01:03:02 [Sildir (Tris)] Who are you speaking of? Well, we can't tell you right here right now, Irvina, but...
01:03:10 [DM (Aarya)] Oh. Is it someone dangerous?
01:03:16 [Irredel (Sav)] We'll tell you when you're somewhere in prison.
01:03:19 [Sildir (Tris)] You could also say, all will be well.
01:03:23 [DM (Aarya)] As you say that, you see an expression of shock on her face, and she turns to you. Master Sildur, what do you mean?
01:03:35 [Sildir (Tris)] Oh, Irvina. You know, perhaps that was too confusing. Listen, let's just talk in private, and we'll explain to you what's going on.
01:03:35 [Sildir (Tris)] Okay. Whenever we get in a private moment next, we'll tell you.
01:03:47 [DM (Aarya)] Well, we could... I mean, we have rooms here. We could go upstairs if there's something you need to say in confidence.
01:03:54 [Sildir (Tris)] Sure. We all want to go up? Fill in, Irvina, the details?
01:03:59 [Mercurio (Gui)] Some of them? Okay, okay. I start wedging as many tankards as I can, so I can grab a bunch of them with my fingers.
01:03:59 [Mercurio (Gui)] Carry them all up.
01:04:10 [Sildir (Tris)] That's quite impressive. I'll grab this one for you, at least. You have some practice with that, don't you?
01:04:10 [Sildir (Tris)] A little bit. I do some party tricks. How many can you hold in one hand?
01:04:10 [Sildir (Tris)] Well, let's see.
01:04:23 [Mercurio (Gui)] One, two, three, four... Like, four. Four, comfortably.
01:04:28 [DM (Aarya)] Give me a dex save. Or a dex check, I guess. I'll say sleight of hand.
01:04:28 [DM (Aarya)] You can do sleight of hand. Okay.
01:04:38 [Mercurio (Gui)] I'm not trying to do eight.
01:04:40 [DM (Aarya)] Oh, no. Oh, my. So, how many were you trying to hold?
01:04:45 [Mercurio (Gui)] Well, mine, Sildir's, and Ember's. Those are the three that I had.
01:04:52 [DM (Aarya)] Okay. And you're doing it in one hand?
01:04:56 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah, I was trying to put three of them in one hand.
01:04:58 [DM (Aarya)] Oh, yeah. So you kind of finagle three tankards in the grip of one hand somehow. And with a sick sleight of hand check, you kind of fail disastrously.
01:04:58 [DM (Aarya)] And they all just tumble out of your hand and spill everywhere. Can I try to react to at least save one for him? Yeah, you can do a dex save.
01:04:58 [DM (Aarya)] You're going to have to roll kind of high, though.
01:05:24 [Sildir (Tris)] Alright, let's see how we do. Maybe I'll just mess it up more. Yeah, I probably just messed it up more.
01:05:24 [Sildir (Tris)] Oh, who got the 19? I thought that was a one.
01:05:38 [DM (Aarya)] Oh, my. So with a four dex save from Sildir, you kind of go to try to help, but you end up kind of startling yourself pretty badly, and you just kind of slip and crash into Mercurio, basically. So you guys are basically just on the ground with you just on top of him.
01:05:38 [DM (Aarya)] And Ember, with a 21, you manage to just snatch one of the tankards right out of the air and save it before any of it spills, but the other two still clatter to the floor.
01:06:14 [Sildir (Tris)] Well, hey, at least I wined and dined you first, eh? I didn't even get to drink yours yet.
01:06:22 [Mercurio (Gui)] What did Ember say?
01:06:26 [Irredel (Sav)] I got you this one. Hope that helps.
01:06:30 [Mercurio (Gui)] Oh, thank you, Ember. I don't know what I would do without it.
01:06:36 [Sildir (Tris)] Perhaps we should just grab a bottle and take it back to the room with us for you to drink while we're talking.
01:06:42 [DM (Aarya)] You see Erwin from behind the counter kind of just shaking his head, and he calls out, Seems like you've had a bit much tonight, Mercurio.
01:06:51 [Mercurio (Gui)] Well, I was just trying a party trick I hadn't practiced in a while.
01:06:57 [DM (Aarya)] Well, I'd appreciate you not making a mess of my nice tavern, yeah?
01:07:01 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah, I'm sorry. It won't happen again.
01:07:04 [DM (Aarya)] Of course.
01:07:05 [Mercurio (Gui)] Well... I'll help clean it up.
01:07:06 [DM (Aarya)] No, no, no. You need not worry of the mess. I can take care of it.
01:07:06 [DM (Aarya)] But do mind yourself. I wouldn't want you to hurt yourself or anything.
01:07:15 [Mercurio (Gui)] Sorry, it's just, you know, Sildir, he gets in these moods, you know?
01:07:21 [DM (Aarya)] Ah, yes, Sildir, yes, Sildir.
01:07:24 [Sildir (Tris)] You know me and my moods. I get into them. You know how it is.
01:07:28 [DM (Aarya)] Yes, yes, of course. He's kind of just like chuckling to himself as he's like wiping down a tankard.
01:07:39 [Mercurio (Gui)] Well, shall we? Sildir, we gotta get you a girlfriend, Sildir. Or a boyfriend.
01:07:39 [Mercurio (Gui)] Whatever you prefer.
01:07:48 [Sildir (Tris)] Them? Maybe.
01:07:50 [Irredel (Sav)] I think Mercurio bought two sets of clothes.
01:07:57 [Mercurio (Gui)] Um... Three sets even. I can attempt the trick one more time still.
01:07:57 [Mercurio (Gui)] One more time. Just let us know if you carry them, Mercurio. Oh, yeah.
01:07:57 [Mercurio (Gui)] Not that I will, but...
01:08:10 [Irredel (Sav)] Next time, let me handle it. Clearly, I'm better than you.
01:08:17 [Mercurio (Gui)] Well, but practice makes perfect.
01:08:22 [Ember (Spurthi)] Not this time. Come on.
01:08:29 [Sildir (Tris)] So I guess we all go upstairs.
01:08:32 [DM (Aarya)] Um... I think... Just like simulate being upstairs right now.
01:08:32 [DM (Aarya)] Just pretend. Yeah. Okay, so you all make it back upstairs.
01:08:32 [DM (Aarya)] You kind of like shuffle into your rooms. I guess for the now, all of you will be gathered in one of the rooms that you have rented out. And we'll be chatting amongst yourselves, filling Irina in on the deets.
01:08:32 [DM (Aarya)] So Irina looks to Sildir. Well, Master Sildir, what was this strange business you have?
01:09:04 [Sildir (Tris)] I don't want to alarm you, so please consider everything we've done so far. I know that we have...
01:09:11 [DM (Aarya)] You're wearing me.
01:09:13 [Sildir (Tris)] It's fine. But we were talking with the Baron. And we are also going to talk with Fiona.
01:09:22 [DM (Aarya)] Hmm.
01:09:23 [Sildir (Tris)] So...
01:09:24 [DM (Aarya)] How does that work, exactly?
01:09:26 [Sildir (Tris)] As a group, we feel much more aligned with what Fiona has to offer. However, we're going to keep our enemies close. And try to do some good in this town by, you know...
01:09:26 [Sildir (Tris)] We are actually going to be the ones running the rehab facility now.
01:09:46 [DM (Aarya)] Rehab facility?
01:09:48 [Sildir (Tris)] That's right.
01:09:49 [DM (Aarya)] What does that mean?
01:09:52 [Sildir (Tris)] You know, the place they send the...
01:09:55 [DM (Aarya)] Yes, I know what a rehab facility is. I mean... In layman's terms, the Baron's brainwashing facility.
01:10:02 [Sildir (Tris)] Right. And we're going to make it a lot less brainwashy and abusive.
01:10:06 [DM (Aarya)] By a lot less, I hope you mean not at all. Right?
01:10:10 [Sildir (Tris)] Well, I mean... No, I'm just kidding. Yes, not at all.
01:10:17 [DM (Aarya)] Good. You had me worried for a short moment there, Master Silt here.
01:10:23 [Sildir (Tris)] No, don't worry. I mean, look at this group. You think we would be in the business of brainwashing the townspeople?
01:10:32 [DM (Aarya)] No, I certainly would not have expected it from you. But when you say that you had an audience with the Baron... I did feel a little worried.
01:10:42 [Sildir (Tris)] I understand. He is the one who is kind of tormenting your people after all. But I think we may be able to have you over at Fiona's.
01:10:42 [Sildir (Tris)] And she certainly doesn't like the Baron. We certainly don't like him. Maybe there's something we can do?
01:11:00 [DM (Aarya)] I certainly hope so.
01:11:02 [Sildir (Tris)] Having an in with him I don't think is going to hurt. So long as we don't enable any of his appraised policies. Which we won't.
01:11:11 [DM (Aarya)] Good, good. Well, I'm relieved.
01:11:17 [Sildir (Tris)] Yeah, it's just some smooth talking between your old pals here, Mercurio and I, and the Baron. I think we have something that is actually going to help these people.
01:11:28 [DM (Aarya)] I trust that you know what you're doing, Master Silt here. Although, I pray that you don't find yourselves in more trouble along the way.
01:11:39 [Irredel (Sav)] I mean, realistically we probably will. Well, that's true. But given how things are going, I'm no statistician.
01:11:39 [Irredel (Sav)] But it probably will get worse.
01:11:51 [DM (Aarya)] That's not reassuring, Master Rito.
01:11:55 [Mercurio (Gui)] Sometimes things need to get worse to get better.
01:11:58 [DM (Aarya)] Exactly.
01:11:59 [Irredel (Sav)] And at the very least we'll be making the town a little bit better. And that's the thing I just keep telling myself, because I really... This is quite a scheme.
01:11:59 [Irredel (Sav)] Normally I keep my things very above board.
01:12:11 [Sildir (Tris)] Yeah, you're handling this surprisingly well, Iridyll. I'm shocked you're not already making some sort of tax plan for this rehab center we're setting up.
01:12:20 [Irredel (Sav)] What makes you think I haven't?
01:12:22 [Sildir (Tris)] First of all... Okay, well, that's good.
01:12:26 [Irredel (Sav)] Second of all, I'm so nervous about this. It's part of the reason why I've been so quiet. Every few minutes I just find myself praying to Tyr, hoping that this is all going to work out.
01:12:38 [Sildir (Tris)] Oh, it'll work out fine. It'll work out fine. I mean, with the hand-waving powers of Mercurio and I, I don't think anything could stop us.
01:12:45 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah, and honestly, it's all a matter of perspective. To me, nothing weird is happening. I spent the better part of my life trying to sabotage the government.
01:12:57 [DM (Aarya)] So this isn't your first time, Master Mercurio?
01:13:00 [Mercurio (Gui)] No, this is like every other Tuesday.
01:13:04 [DM (Aarya)] That is a bit concerning, but somehow, considering the context, it's also kind of a relief.
01:13:12 [Mercurio (Gui)] It's actually rather refreshing.
01:13:13 [Sildir (Tris)] I feel like I'm back in my element.
01:13:16 [DM (Aarya)] There's a lot to unpack there.
01:13:19 [Sildir (Tris)] He has had a lot of wine, too. You've got to remember that one.
01:13:22 [DM (Aarya)] Ah, yes. Surely it's the wine talking, then.
01:13:25 [Sildir (Tris)] He's way back in his element now.
01:13:29 [Mercurio (Gui)] Oh, don't scold me about drinking. You'll remind me of my mother.
01:13:32 [DM (Aarya)] Oh, I'm not scolding you at all.
01:13:34 [Sildir (Tris)] Keep it up. We're going to be meeting the Baron soon.
01:13:36 [DM (Aarya)] Do keep an eye on him, would you, Master Sildur? I worry for Master Mercurio sometimes.
01:13:42 [Sildir (Tris)] I worry for him, too.
01:13:43 [Mercurio (Gui)] I'm going to down the tanker that was saved by Amber earlier.
01:13:49 [DM (Aarya)] Give me a con save.
01:13:55 [Ember (Spurthi)] You're poor liver, but we're benefiting from it, so...
01:13:59 [DM (Aarya)] Okay, 15 con save. Yeah, you can hold your liquor. You're good.
01:13:59 [DM (Aarya)] In fact, you're probably feeling pretty good right about now.
01:14:12 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah, I'm feeling like I need another. But maybe I'll hold off until later tonight, when my buddy Riktavio shows up.
01:14:30 [Sildir (Tris)] Yeah, you know, they say it's always best to stop just a little bit before you're right at your peak, you know? You don't need that last drink. That's when, you know, 30 minutes after it, you'll just feel terrible.
01:14:30 [Sildir (Tris)] Who said that? Lots of people.
01:14:49 [Mercurio (Gui)] You're just speaking in vague, you know, hand-wavy ways.
01:14:54 [Sildir (Tris)] I don't know who those people and lots of people are. That's not a real source. We're specializing in the hand-waving.
01:14:54 [Sildir (Tris)] You're doing it right now, even. Fuck, you're right.
01:15:03 [Mercurio (Gui)] I'm waving my hands all around. It's just a thing we Aasimar's do. It's part of our culture.
01:15:03 [Mercurio (Gui)] We use a lot of hand gestures when we talk.
01:15:22 [Sildir (Tris)] We'll listen to Reno. I know things are tough right now, but...
01:15:27 [DM (Aarya)] That's putting it lightly.
01:15:30 [Sildir (Tris)] Sometimes the only way out is through, and that's where we are. So yeah, things may get worse before they get better, but keep walking forward and you'll see the other side.
01:15:43 [DM (Aarya)] Well, you haven't steered me astray thus far, so I'll trust your judgment, but... I can't say that I'm happy about the way things are going at the moment.
01:15:57 [Sildir (Tris)] Really not, but maybe you can focus on the things you can do. Is there any way you can help your people right now?
01:16:03 [DM (Aarya)] That's a good question. I'll continue my efforts trying to raise support around town. Well, Erwin and Danik have been nothing but kind and helpful with pointing me in the right directions, though.
01:16:03 [DM (Aarya)] It has been quite a task to garner any support. That doesn't mean I'll give up, though.
01:16:23 [Sildir (Tris)] Maybe if we have no luck at all with Fiona either, maybe we can introduce you to the Vistani folk. Maybe they'd be willing to strike a deal with you. They have their own settlement nearby.
01:16:38 [DM (Aarya)] I guess we'll see. Yep.
01:16:46 [Sildir (Tris)] And what time is it right about now, DM?
01:16:49 [DM (Aarya)] It's like well into the evening now, like it's, I don't know, say like eight-ish or so?
01:16:57 [Sildir (Tris)] It's our time. Well, speaking of doing some good, I think we have some poor soul to pick up and free from torment.
01:17:08 [DM (Aarya)] What do you mean?
01:17:11 [Irredel (Sav)] And a library to stop in. Let's not forget that.
01:17:14 [Sildir (Tris)] Yep, we're... Wait. The rehab is taking effect now, and we're taking in our first patient, and he's going to be getting a lot better treatment.
01:17:22 [DM (Aarya)] Where are you going to take him?
01:17:26 [Sildir (Tris)] Hopefully we have our facility assigned to us by the Baron when we return, but if not, we'll be taking him here.
01:17:33 [DM (Aarya)] I see.
01:17:38 [Mercurio (Gui)] I'm going to change into my other outfit and also prep the third one in case we want to change the guy into that.
01:17:45 [Sildir (Tris)] Yeah, that might be smart.
01:17:47 [Ember (Spurthi)] Yeah. All right.
01:17:51 [Mercurio (Gui)] Sorry, I interrupted you.
01:17:54 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, so Iridyl, or not Iridyl, Irina will kind of just like, she just seems like really confused and kind of like lost with what your plan seems to be. And then she just like shakes her head and she says, okay, well, I'll trust you, Master Syldir, but I can't say that I'm not a little worried.
01:18:22 [Sildir (Tris)] Yeah, I mean, so are we, I think, but we're kind of faking it until we make it in this town, so we'll do what we have to.
01:18:34 [DM (Aarya)] I'm sure you will. May the Morning Lord be with you.
01:18:42 [Sildir (Tris)] Is there a good thing to say back to that, or...? All would be well.
01:18:46 [Irredel (Sav)] And with your spirit.
01:18:49 [Ember (Spurthi)] Sorry. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
01:18:55 [DM (Aarya)] Amen. My God. Oh, Master Sertona, was that a prayer from your homeland?
01:19:07 [Ember (Spurthi)] Yes.
01:19:09 [DM (Aarya)] I see.
01:19:10 [Ember (Spurthi)] It was.
01:19:11 [DM (Aarya)] How curious. Well, thank you.
01:19:13 [Mercurio (Gui)] They say, my family would say it differently. Okay, then how does your family say it? Oh, don't worry about it.
01:19:13 [Mercurio (Gui)] Ana sana, culito de rana.
01:19:26 [Ember (Spurthi)] Oh, okay.
01:19:27 [Saturno (Steph)] Oh, stop. Come on.
01:19:29 [DM (Aarya)] My God. Alright, so is the gang headed off?
01:19:43 [Ember (Spurthi)] I think so, yeah.
01:19:44 [DM (Aarya)] Okay. You guys are going to the Baron's Manor again?
01:19:53 [Mercurio (Gui)] I think so.
01:19:54 [Ember (Spurthi)] Yep, I think it's time to go.
01:19:55 [DM (Aarya)] Alright. In that case, it's time to switch scenes once more. Wee!
01:19:55 [DM (Aarya)] Let's see. Okay, yeah. So once more, you find yourselves at the front of the Baron's Manor.
01:20:29 [Mercurio (Gui)] Before we knock, I'm going to pat Sildir on the back. When he turns to me, I'm going to do finger guns and give him a smile and a wink. You got this, buddy.
01:20:29 [Mercurio (Gui)] I'm going to give him Bardic Inspiration.
01:20:50 [Sildir (Tris)] Oh my God. To who? To you.
01:20:50 [Sildir (Tris)] Oh, okay. Wow, I feel... That was strangely effective, yeah.
01:20:50 [Sildir (Tris)] You definitely got this too. But yeah, I feel great. That was very inspiring.
01:21:11 [DM (Aarya)] Okay.
01:21:12 [Sildir (Tris)] Yeah, we got this. Just like any old business deal.
01:21:22 [DM (Aarya)] So I take it you're going to knock on the door?
01:21:25 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah, I walk up and knock.
01:21:27 [DM (Aarya)] Okay. So you knock. After a few moments, you wait and then you see the door open before you and once again, you're greeted by one of the Baron's servants.
01:21:27 [DM (Aarya)] She looks to you. I see you've returned. Are you here to see the Baron again?
01:21:46 [Mercurio (Gui)] Oh no, we're here to visit you, young lady. No, I'm just kidding, yeah. We're here to see the Baron again.
01:21:46 [Mercurio (Gui)] Right. But it's nice to see you too.
01:21:59 [DM (Aarya)] Well, I'm sure. Well, in any case, do follow me.
01:22:06 [Saturno (Steph)] Right. Of course.
01:22:11 [DM (Aarya)] And once again, she'll lead you over to the den where you had an audience with the Baron before.
01:22:17 [Mercurio (Gui)] What kind of benefits do you get with this job? Sorry, never mind. We've got to get to this meeting, but we'll chat another time.
01:22:27 [DM (Aarya)] I hope we don't. Small talk, Mercurio, I see. So she'll open the door and before she lets you in, she'll announce softly to the Baron inside, Your guests are here to see you again, my lord.
01:22:27 [DM (Aarya)] And she'll gesture for you all to enter. Gotta get into character. Oh my god.
01:22:27 [DM (Aarya)] You see the Baron much the same way as you left him earlier today. He's lounging on an armchair in the den, smoking a pipe. Oh my god.
01:23:10 [Saturno (Steph)] Holy shit.
01:23:11 [DM (Aarya)] That gif is crazy. Oh my god, I need a moment to compose myself. Okay, hold on.
01:23:23 [Sildir (Tris)] Just say all will be well a couple times.
01:23:25 [DM (Aarya)] All will be well! Okay, so the Baron sees you enter. Who's entering first, I should ask?
01:23:34 [Sildir (Tris)] I guess Mercurio's there, so walk on in. I saunter in and I say all will be well!
01:23:41 [Mercurio (Gui)] All will be well!
01:23:43 [DM (Aarya)] Mercurio, my man. I see you've returned. Any good news?
01:23:49 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yes, just as we discussed. We're prepared, we've made our arrangements and we're ready to receive our first client.
01:23:58 [DM (Aarya)] Very good, very good. I've been waiting for this moment. Follow me, I shall take you to him.
01:24:05 [Sildir (Tris)] Perfect, perfect. Hey, that's great. All will be well.
01:24:09 [DM (Aarya)] All will be well! And you'll see the Baron just spring up from his seat. And he'll lead you out the door and up the stairs.
01:24:09 [DM (Aarya)] You guys are going to have to teleport yourselves over.
01:24:25 [Sildir (Tris)] My, my, Baron. You're energetic as ever.
01:24:29 [DM (Aarya)] Indeed, indeed.
01:24:33 [Sildir (Tris)] It's great that this town has such an energetic ruler.
01:24:35 [DM (Aarya)] We have such a great task before us and I'm quite enthused by your assistance in this matter.
01:24:41 [Sildir (Tris)] So there is a problem, I don't think it really matters that much, but... You changed the scene before I could click on the door. I'm just stuck in the bottom line.
01:24:53 [DM (Aarya)] Oh, okay.
01:24:55 [Sildir (Tris)] I think it changes it for us too.
01:24:57 [DM (Aarya)] That's interesting, that's so curious.
01:25:00 [Sildir (Tris)] Yep, alright, so I'm here now. Well... Yes, quite the energetic leader.
01:25:00 [Sildir (Tris)] It's great to see you in good spirits, good health and in good shape apparently.
01:25:16 [Mercurio (Gui)] Of course! I'm going to be kind of paying attention to if that door is still cracked to the library a little bit. Okay.
01:25:16 [Mercurio (Gui)] And if it is, I'm just going to make like... Oops, I hit the door handle with my hip by accident and open it up a little bit. And then be like, oh my, look at this wonderful library.
01:25:45 [DM (Aarya)] Okay. So yeah, as you're walking down the corridor Laverne leads you down, you do notice that the library door is slightly cracked ajar. So you're going to bump it open?
01:26:01 [Saturno (Steph)] Yeah.
01:26:01 [DM (Aarya)] Okay, so as you open the door, you appear inside. You once again see this pretty impressive looking library. But this time, however, seated at a desk, you see a scrawny, dark-haired teenage boy bent over the desk, pouring over some books he has laid out on the table.
01:26:01 [DM (Aarya)] He kind of looks up at you, it seems kind of annoyed to see somebody barging in. Who are you?
01:26:38 [Sildir (Tris)] Oh, don't mind my friend here. But do introduce yourself, Mercurio.
01:26:42 [Mercurio (Gui)] Oh, I am Mercurio Scorn, a friend of the Baron. Friend and assistant, you know, loyal ally.
01:26:51 [DM (Aarya)] Oh, you're father's sycophant. Do you carry on, though, that meaning to serve you?
01:26:58 [Mercurio (Gui)] Oh my, I just wanted to compliment the Baron on this wonderful library. It makes sense that a man so smart as himself would put such emphasis on keeping a library.
01:27:10 [DM (Aarya)] I'm sure he'll give you what you want if you keep exactly that act up.
01:27:17 [Mercurio (Gui)] Say, Baron, I've been thirsting for some good reads. Do you think we could have a look at your collection and maybe take a few books? Might be good for training some of our new hirees as well.
01:27:35 [Irredel (Sav)] Yes, and beyond that, as you know, I am an Order Cleric. One of my principal callings is upholding the laws of a land and directives from rulers such as yourself. Do you have any law books, any codes, any accounting tomes, just so we can make sure that everything we do is essentially perfectly in compliance with your ordinances?
01:28:00 [DM (Aarya)] Ah, yes, yes, of course, yes. I do think you might find some useful information in my most impressive collection to aid in your task, yes. Of course you may have a gander at my wares, or my tomes, rather.
01:28:19 [Sildir (Tris)] Isn't she great, Baron? She will uphold your laws and ensure we comply with them. All will be well!
01:28:19 [Sildir (Tris)] All will be well!
01:28:28 [DM (Aarya)] Well, I must say though, I am confused. Do you wish to see the library now, or do you wish to take this poor soul and be on your way? What is it that you're trying to do?
01:28:43 [Mercurio (Gui)] I suppose we can grab just a few books before we grab the patient and make our way out. That way we won't be bothering you again any time soon tonight.
01:28:58 [Sildir (Tris)] Or perhaps I can even go with you now, Baron, and you can have a poke around for me. Very well, very well! That would work as well.
01:29:06 [DM (Aarya)] Okay, so the Baron will take, I guess, Sildur and anyone else who wishes to join him back to this locked chamber at the end of the corridor.
01:29:23 [Ember (Spurthi)] I'll stay with Mercurio.
01:29:26 [Mercurio (Gui)] I'm going up, so maybe investigate then? In this area?
01:29:35 [Sildir (Tris)] In the library. I can't move.
01:29:39 [DM (Aarya)] You can't move?
01:29:40 [Ember (Spurthi)] I don't know why. I'm stuck! Are you good now?
01:29:45 [DM (Aarya)] Thank you. You're welcome. Okay, so I guess we'll do the library scene first, and while that's happening, at some point I'll cut over to the other group.
01:29:45 [DM (Aarya)] So who's going in the library right now? I will. Okay, Iridel, Ember.
01:30:04 [Ember (Spurthi)] Actually, I'll go with the Baron.
01:30:06 [DM (Aarya)] Okay, that works. Okay, so is it just Iridel and Saturno, or where is Siluris going to go?
01:30:13 [Sylalys (Cat)] I want to go with the emo boy.
01:30:15 [DM (Aarya)] Alright.
01:30:17 [Sylalys (Cat)] Priorities.
01:30:20 [DM (Aarya)] Okay, so you find yourselves in this pretty cozy-looking, but also well-furnished library. There are bookcases lining all of the walls, floor to ceiling, filled with all sorts of books and tomes and manuscripts and such. In the center of the room, you see a pretty sturdy-looking and finely carved wooden desk.
01:30:20 [DM (Aarya)] And laid about all over it are a couple of candlesticks lighting the desk area, and an assortment of books, papers, manuscripts, and such. The boy seated at the table looks to you, and he seems pretty annoyed now that you're intruding on his space. Well, who are you all, then?
01:31:11 [Irredel (Sav)] Well, my name is Iridel Provokey. We're relatively new to this land. We won't bother you long.
01:31:11 [Irredel (Sav)] If you could just give us a quick pointer as to how the library is organized, we'll be out of your hair in no time.
01:31:27 [DM (Aarya)] Well, I guess if I do help you, the sooner you'll get out of my hair. Alright, what is it you're looking for?
01:31:39 [Irredel (Sav)] Well, generally, we're looking for some background information on the world we're in. We're not from here. We were spirited here by the myth.
01:31:39 [Irredel (Sav)] So, ideally, if you have any books on codes, ordinances, law, things, you could point us in that direction. But if you don't mind, is it alphabetical order? Do you have a decimal system?
01:32:07 [DM (Aarya)] You'll find that the shelves are organized by topic, similar to a decimal system, as you might be familiar. Not too difficult to navigate. I organize the books here myself.
01:32:07 [DM (Aarya)] But if you're looking for city codes and ordinances and such, I'm not sure why you'd be interested in that sort of thing. But yeah, you can find it over there. He points you to a corner of the room.
01:32:07 [DM (Aarya)] And as he's shuffling around, moving stuff over his desk, you do notice out of the corner of your eye, buried under some other manuscripts and pages, you see the cover of what you recognize to be a spell book. Oh.
01:32:58 [Irredel (Sav)] A caster, are we?
01:33:01 [DM (Aarya)] As you say that, you see him tense up a little bit. And he looks over to you. What would you know of such a thing?
01:33:13 [Irredel (Sav)] Don't fear, I'm a cleric.
01:33:17 [DM (Aarya)] A cleric?
01:33:17 [Irredel (Sav)] Our magic might come from different sources. I don't know what kind of caster you might be, but yes, I've been...
01:33:25 [DM (Aarya)] You're a spellcaster.
01:33:27 [Irredel (Sav)] Yes, of course.
01:33:30 [DM (Aarya)] As you say that, you see his whole demeanor changes. He brightens up a little bit. Until now, he seemed clearly very annoyed to have people intruding, but now he seems genuinely intrigued.
01:33:30 [DM (Aarya)] A cleric, you say?
01:33:49 [Irredel (Sav)] Yes, exactly. I serve the gods here. I don't think he has much influence here anymore, but my magic is working the same.
01:33:49 [Irredel (Sav)] And so to that end, we're also looking for any sort of magical books that you may have. It seems the flora and fauna herbs and stuff are very different here, and I do like to supplement my magical knowledge with some more practical things as well in that realm. How long have you been interested in the arcane?
01:34:19 [DM (Aarya)] Well, ever since I was a boy. I mean, a young boy. I've always been interested in pursuing the magical craft, as they say.
01:34:19 [DM (Aarya)] I mean, father doesn't approve, but there's not much that he approves of when it comes to me anyway.
01:34:37 [Irredel (Sav)] Ah, I see. Are you able to do much? Around what skill level are you at?
01:34:43 [DM (Aarya)] Oh, nothing particularly impressive. Just some common spells here and there, a few cantrips, nothing too fancy. Although, there is some particular area of magic that I'm trying to figure out that's been giving me some trouble.
01:34:43 [DM (Aarya)] Say, you said you're not from around here?
01:35:16 [Irredel (Sav)] No, no. We're from a different land.
01:35:19 [DM (Aarya)] A different land, you say? Mm-hmm. So you're well-traveled?
01:35:25 [Irredel (Sav)] I wouldn't say so. No? I'm well-traveled enough myself, but it's not anything excessive.
01:35:37 [DM (Aarya)] Hmm. And if you've found yourselves here of all places, then you must have faced all sorts of dangers and perils and come out okay? Thus far.
01:35:37 [DM (Aarya)] Oh. So it wouldn't be wrong to say that you're probably pretty strong, like powerful? You can take care of yourselves?
01:36:07 [Irredel (Sav)] I would like to know where this line of question is going.
01:36:10 [DM (Aarya)] Do you want to look through my spellbook or something? No, no. Well, I don't know that a cleric's spellbook would be of much use to me, seeing as how I don't draw my magical ability from the divine.
01:36:10 [DM (Aarya)] It's just, well... Hold on, I'm going to roll something really quick. Do a private DM roll.
01:36:40 [Irredel (Sav)] And while this is happening, I'm assuming we're kind of just looking through the shelves and stuff.
01:36:44 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, yeah.
01:36:45 [Irredel (Sav)] Mm-hmm.
01:36:48 [DM (Aarya)] So he turns to you and he says, well, there is a particular tome that is missing from Father's Collection, something that I was hoping to get my hands on. And I happened to have a pretty good guess of where I might find it. The only trouble is that I can't make the trip myself, seeing as how going outside of town would be rather dangerous, but perhaps you all could maybe do this as a favor for me?
01:36:48 [DM (Aarya)] I could, of course, compensate you in some way, maybe help you out with whatever task you have at hand in some way.
01:37:37 [Irredel (Sav)] If you could help us ensure access to this library, that would be phenomenal.
01:37:41 [DM (Aarya)] Oh, yes, of course.
01:37:44 [Irredel (Sav)] Okay. So what book are you missing?
01:37:50 [DM (Aarya)] Let me pull up my notes. Let's see what we got.
01:37:54 [Irredel (Sav)] And so, by the way, as I'm looking around, do I find anything? I assume I'm looking for herbalism, law books for appropriate cover.
01:38:03 [DM (Aarya)] Yes.
01:38:04 [Irredel (Sav)] Okay. Do I find either of those things?
01:38:07 [DM (Aarya)] You do find one title detailing herb lore and alchemical ingredients and the like. As you're thumbing through the pages, you do find a section on wolfsbane. Yes.
01:38:07 [DM (Aarya)] The page notes that wolfsbane is a particularly potent alchemical ingredient that is commonly set out by powerful mages and the likes. It is known because of its rarity and also difficulty of harvesting, seeing that it's only really potent when it's in full bloom. It's common for powerful mages and the like to harvest it while they have the opportunity and then preserve it for later use.
01:38:07 [DM (Aarya)] So it's something that could be found in the component stashes, alchemical component stashes of a lot of powerful magical practitioners. But there isn't any mention of where you might find such a thing within Barovia.
01:39:13 [Irredel (Sav)] Hmm. Maybe if a powerful mage has this book, we could ask them. Yeah.
01:39:13 [Irredel (Sav)] But, um... Child, I realize I never... What was your name?
01:39:24 [DM (Aarya)] Ah, yes, of course. What are my manners? My name is Victor.
01:39:29 [Irredel (Sav)] Ah, Victor. Tell me more about the book that's missing. Is it potentially on loan?
01:39:29 [Irredel (Sav)] Are there any other powerful mages around who might be interested in it?
01:39:42 [DM (Aarya)] Well, you're asking all the right questions. Iridel, was it? Yes.
01:39:42 [DM (Aarya)] Hmm. I see that I'm speaking as someone who's learned in the magical ways. Honestly, it's been...
01:39:42 [DM (Aarya)] Well, it's been never. Nobody ever seems to be interested in this sort of thing. But anyway, there is this particular tome that I have.
01:39:42 [DM (Aarya)] It is the first volume of two, I'm to understand. It is Etherial Entities, Denizens of the Unseen Realm, written by the famous wizard Mordenkainen. I only have the first volume, unfortunately.
01:39:42 [DM (Aarya)] But I was hoping to procure this... Not that, Victor. Good try, though.
01:40:29 [Sildir (Tris)] Kinda looks like him, though.
01:40:30 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, a little bit. What was the name of the book, by the way? Etherial Entities, Denizens of the Unseen Realm.
01:40:41 [Sylalys (Cat)] Mordenkainen.
01:40:43 [DM (Aarya)] Yep, by Mordenkainen. Well, as far as... I mean, well, I can't say that I'm particularly well-informed of matters outside of Valaki, but in my collection here, I have some tomes and snippets of manuscripts from a powerful mage who once lived here in Barovia.
01:40:43 [DM (Aarya)] The archmage Kazan. It is said that he was once under the employ of Strahd himself. It is said that Kazan has a wizard tower here in Barovia.
01:40:43 [DM (Aarya)] It's just off the coast of Lake Barotok, to the west of Valaki. I suspect that someone like him would have quite an impressive collection of magical tomes and artifacts or something of the like. If you could find yourselves there, perhaps you could find the volume that I seek and bring it to me?
01:40:43 [DM (Aarya)] If that's not too much trouble.
01:41:57 [Irredel (Sav)] Certainly. I think especially, we do have a fair amount of travel planned. We are going to be in the employ of your father, and that might require some strategic moving here and there.
01:42:11 [DM (Aarya)] Yes, actually, now that you bring that up, why are you working for a father?
01:42:18 [Irredel (Sav)] It's a mutually beneficial arrangement.
01:42:20 [DM (Aarya)] Mutually beneficial.
01:42:23 [Irredel (Sav)] Isn't that what all business transactions are?
01:42:30 [DM (Aarya)] When you say mutually beneficial, you're helping him?
01:42:40 [Irredel (Sav)] In return, for us being able to get things that we need.
01:42:48 [DM (Aarya)] Very well. Would this be deception, do you think? You're not being totally truthful here, right?
01:42:57 [Irredel (Sav)] Well, yeah, but nothing I'm saying is a lie.
01:43:00 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, but... I'll say real deception. That's a not one deception?
01:43:00 [DM (Aarya)] Wow, okay.
01:43:23 [Irredel (Sav)] I told you all earlier, I didn't want to lie. What is it?
01:43:29 [DM (Aarya)] The dice tell the story, for real. Yeah, so Victor's going to look you up and down. He clearly doesn't believe you.
01:43:29 [DM (Aarya)] And he looks at you. Are you going to try to interject with something?
01:43:44 [Ember (Spurthi)] I think I just wanted to add to what she was saying. I wanted to use persuasion, if possible.
01:43:51 [DM (Aarya)] Okay, what are you going to try to say?
01:43:53 [Ember (Spurthi)] Just to be like... She has been, you know, we're not from this land and we're just trying to get as situated as possible and be as helpful as possible. And Iridyl here, well, she works by the books.
01:43:53 [Ember (Spurthi)] And we're just trying to see what we can do to fit in, stay out of trouble, as you might know. Might be a little easy to get into. So we're just trying to keep our heads low and be as positive of an impact on this town as possible, given the situation at hand.
01:44:30 [DM (Aarya)] Roll persuasion. That is an 8 for persuasion. Okay, so Victor is going to look to the two of you and he's going to say, Hmm, you're using him.
01:44:51 [Ember (Spurthi)] That's a very hard way to put it.
01:44:55 [DM (Aarya)] I mean, you can't lie for shit. Forgive me for saying that. I mean, it's fine.
01:44:55 [DM (Aarya)] I understand. My father is the Burgomaster of Alaki. He has many resources at his disposal.
01:44:55 [DM (Aarya)] And you have your needs and goals, I'm sure. And it only makes sense that you would take advantage of him for whatever scheme or whatever it is that you're cooking up. It's really not any of my concern.
01:44:55 [DM (Aarya)] As long as you aren't hurting anyone, I hope.
01:45:30 [Irredel (Sav)] Not really.
01:45:33 [DM (Aarya)] Our goal is to make things better. That's pretty vague.
01:45:43 [Irredel (Sav)] Our goal is to make things better and make sure that there is no collateral damage in the process.
01:45:52 [Ember (Spurthi)] And also keeping ourselves safe.
01:45:56 [DM (Aarya)] I guess that's fair.
01:45:57 [Ember (Spurthi)] You know, it's a little intimidating to have, I forgot his name, like, I don't know, Easter walking around town. You do one bad thing.
01:46:08 [DM (Aarya)] Easter?
01:46:09 [Ember (Spurthi)] Yeah, I don't know his name. I'm so sorry. Guy with a big arm.
01:46:09 [Ember (Spurthi)] Maybe you've seen him.
01:46:14 [DM (Aarya)] Oh, Ezek.
01:46:16 [Ember (Spurthi)] Yeah, Ezek. Yeah, exactly.
01:46:18 [DM (Aarya)] I can't say that he's his father's greatest sycophant, but if you share my sentiments regarding him, then you can't be all bad. Well, in any case. You know I got in trouble?
01:46:18 [DM (Aarya)] You got in trouble?
01:46:33 [Ember (Spurthi)] With him.
01:46:33 [DM (Aarya)] What did you?
01:46:34 [Ember (Spurthi)] I threw my shoe.
01:46:37 [DM (Aarya)] And he didn't smite you on the spot? No. Hmm.
01:46:45 [Ember (Spurthi)] I'm just saying, we're just trying to, like, keep our heads low.
01:46:51 [DM (Aarya)] You know, and stay out of trouble. Upon hearing that you survived an encounter with Ezek, Victor seems pretty clearly impressed. And he looks to you and he says, well, if you're trying to keep your heads, then you probably don't want to antagonize Ezek.
01:46:51 [DM (Aarya)] I mean... It's kind of hard not to. But I'm getting better at it.
01:47:11 [Ember (Spurthi)] You see, I'm not a smart... You know, I'm not a cool mage.
01:47:17 [DM (Aarya)] Hmm.
01:47:18 [Ember (Spurthi)] I just, I'm just strong and I swing stuff and, you know.
01:47:22 [DM (Aarya)] Well, you know, there's a use for that, you know.
01:47:25 [Ember (Spurthi)] There is, there is. And there's a right time and place for everything and that was not it. But hey, I lived.
01:47:25 [Ember (Spurthi)] It's a cool story to tell.
01:47:34 [Irredel (Sav)] And it seems like for the first time ever, someone has called me cool. I think you're super cool. Oh my god!
01:47:43 [Ember (Spurthi)] No one's ever said that before! And I think people who pursue magic are very cool too.
01:47:48 [DM (Aarya)] Really? I mean...
01:47:48 [Ember (Spurthi)] It's always been very difficult for me, so...
01:47:51 [DM (Aarya)] You seem to be...
01:47:51 [Ember (Spurthi)] It's so nice to see that.
01:47:53 [DM (Aarya)] You seem to be a pretty capable spellcaster if what you say is true. I mean, are you, like... Do people not like you or something?
01:48:03 [Irredel (Sav)] I would say that I'm decently well-liked, but my career is, um... You know, I keep people's books. I handle their estate planning, I do taxes.
01:48:03 [Irredel (Sav)] A big part of my magic comes from keeping the order and things and, you know. Books are useful. What's wrong with books?
01:48:03 [Irredel (Sav)] She saved my life.
01:48:21 [Ember (Spurthi)] Oh, absolutely nothing. This one time, I fell through a board and there were spikes everywhere. I turned into Swiss cheese and she saved me.
01:48:30 [Irredel (Sav)] That is true. Healing magic could be helpful with this crowd that I'm running in now.
01:48:34 [DM (Aarya)] Healing magic? Ah, yes, of course, you're a cleric. Not really.
01:48:34 [DM (Aarya)] Healing magic isn't really something that's in my repertoire, unfortunately. It's not really a spell that's available to wizards, but...
01:48:45 [Ember (Spurthi)] Oh, it's not?
01:48:47 [DM (Aarya)] No, I'm afraid not. At least not in the conventional sense. I see.
01:48:47 [DM (Aarya)] But, I mean, you seem plenty impressive to me, Iridel. Well, thank you. I'm not sure why people would give you a hard time.
01:49:06 [Irredel (Sav)] I can be a little bit of a stickler for the rules. I think that's where a lot of it comes from. And I love a balanced spreadsheet.
01:49:21 [DM (Aarya)] Well, I think that makes you pretty smart, Iridel. Anyway, so you'll do it then? You'll get the tome for me?
01:49:32 [Irredel (Sav)] Certainly. Oh, that does remind me. Speaking of tomes, the Wizard Tower.
01:49:32 [Irredel (Sav)] There was an old fairy tale that I used to like that involved the Wizard Tower. We're going to be visiting... We made a friend back in Barovia Village, her granddaughter.
01:49:32 [Irredel (Sav)] And we would like to see if we can find maybe some tale to bring her. Do you have any folktales, fairy tales, anything like that here? Just so we can flip through and make sure that dear Iridel is well-read at night.
01:50:05 [DM (Aarya)] Folktales... Well, you'll see him get up from his desk and he'll wander over to a shelf on the other side of the room. Folktales...
01:50:17 [Irredel (Sav)] You know, the kind of stuff you read to children at night.
01:50:19 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, he's going to pick out a pretty old-looking book from the shelf and he hands it to you. And it appears to be a very worn copy of Barovian folktales.
01:50:35 [Irredel (Sav)] This is perfect. Thank you.
01:50:42 [DM (Aarya)] Anything else I can help you with?
01:50:47 [Ember (Spurthi)] I do have a question for you, if you don't mind. And maybe Iridel might have something to add to this that I may be missing. So about this person in this wizard's tower that does have this book, do you have any information about this wizard?
01:50:47 [Ember (Spurthi)] What kind of wizard they might be? If they're nice, hostile, any of that? It could just be a general idea, you don't have to know perfectly.
01:51:07 [DM (Aarya)] Well, it is said that the Archmage Kazan, at the height of his power, was quite a powerful wizard. Almost powerful enough to rival Strahd himself in terms of magical ability. It is said that his lust for power and control over all things magical was rivaled only by the devil's own.
01:51:07 [DM (Aarya)] And it is said that that very ambition is what destroyed him in the end.
01:51:49 [Ember (Spurthi)] Well, I guess that gives us a better idea of who we might encounter.
01:51:55 [DM (Aarya)] Yes, well, I'm sure there's plenty of interesting things to find in his tower, but I should urge you to use caution. Of course.
01:52:09 [Irredel (Sav)] I'm sure there'll be traps and all sorts of wonderful things left behind.
01:52:15 [DM (Aarya)] Perhaps. I do feel a little bad for directing you into such a place, but someone as capable as you, Theradell, I'm sure you could find a way.
01:52:29 [Irredel (Sav)] Well, I won't quite say we'll do our best or die trying, but we will do our absolute best.
01:52:35 [DM (Aarya)] Do try not to die. I don't know that I could handle sending someone to their deaths.
01:52:42 [Ember (Spurthi)] No, it's too late.
01:52:44 [DM (Aarya)] As you say that, he seems like panicked very much. Oh gosh, don't actually die doing this, please.
01:52:54 [Irredel (Sav)] No, no, no, we wouldn't. It's just a saying.
01:52:58 [DM (Aarya)] I see.
01:53:00 [Ember (Spurthi)] Yeah, there's a saying from my hometown that goes, sana, sana, culito de rana.
01:53:06 [DM (Aarya)] What language is that? That's not a tongue that I've ever heard.
01:53:11 [Ember (Spurthi)] Not from around here. Very far away.
01:53:17 [DM (Aarya)] I see. Well, I hope I was helpful.
01:53:25 [Irredel (Sav)] Yes, yes, I mean, we were able to find essentially every book we were looking for. Yeah, and it was a good talk.
01:53:35 [Ember (Spurthi)] We hope to see you again. And my name is Saturno, by the way. I did not introduce myself earlier.
01:53:35 [Ember (Spurthi)] As you seemed annoyed, and I didn't want to bother.
01:53:44 [DM (Aarya)] Well, yeah, well met. I don't blame you. Well, it's just, not many people in Father's Employ are, well, they're not particularly tasteful individuals.
01:53:44 [DM (Aarya)] Or the untasteful ones are outside the door. Speaking of, I think we'll take this as an opportunity to cut back over there. Okay, so while this whole scene is going on, out in the corridor, at the ends of the hallway, the Baron opens the door once again to this, I guess, like, spooky locked closet room, prison place.
01:53:44 [DM (Aarya)] And once more, you peer inside, you see the man chained against the far wall. He's like, he looks to be pretty, like, in pretty bad shape. Like the same that you saw before, he's clearly been beaten and starved for, you're not really sure how long.
01:53:44 [DM (Aarya)] And he looks to the Baron. Oh, Baron, please, please let me go. I've learned my lesson.
01:53:44 [DM (Aarya)] And the Baron will turn to you all. Well, here he is. I hope you have arrangements for him tonight.
01:53:44 [DM (Aarya)] I'm afraid I don't quite have any proper facility available, but there is an old warehouse that you might be able to use.
01:55:17 [Sildir (Tris)] Oh, that would be just great, Baron. How soon can it be ready for us?
01:55:23 [DM (Aarya)] Well, that's where things become difficult, I'm afraid. There's not much that I can do for you all to prepare it on short notice. However, if you would like the keys to the building, you're free to outfit it as you see fit.
01:55:23 [DM (Aarya)] If there's anything that I might be able to provide for you, you need only ask.
01:55:47 [Sildir (Tris)] Oh, well, all will be well then, Baron. Yes, of course, that will work wonderfully.
01:55:51 [DM (Aarya)] All will be well!
01:55:53 [Sildir (Tris)] Sure, we could take these keys now and we'll stop by on the way if not. Of course we have other arrangements, we're professionals after all. We'll make sure this one understands that all will be well.
01:56:05 [DM (Aarya)] Very good, very good. He'll reach to the ring of keys that he has on his belt. He'll thumb through the keys and he'll pluck out one and hand it to you.
01:56:05 [DM (Aarya)] This is for a rather modest barn on the eastern edge of town in the RSX stockyards. There's not much there, I'm afraid. It's been abandoned for some time now.
01:56:05 [DM (Aarya)] But perhaps you can breathe some new life into the old building and put it to good use.
01:56:39 [Sildir (Tris)] Absolutely, my friend. Between myself and Mercurio here, we will have that place brimming with the beautiful light of Alaki in no time at all.
01:56:47 [DM (Aarya)] Very good. All will be well! All will be well!
01:56:52 [Saturno (Steph)] All will be well.
01:56:53 [DM (Aarya)] And with that, he will walk on over to this poor man, unlock his chains. He'll keep him still, bound by the wrists, in the shackles. And he'll throw a bag over his head and basically hand him over to you.
01:56:53 [DM (Aarya)] I'm sure you know what to do with this one.
01:57:16 [Sildir (Tris)] Oh yes, absolutely, Baron. And you have warned the guards that we will be perusing the town, correct? We wouldn't want to think that there was a kidnapping going on when really we're only following your orders.
01:57:27 [DM (Aarya)] Of course! I have informed Izek and I'm sure he has informed the guards in turn. Excellent.
01:57:37 [Sildir (Tris)] I would expect nothing less from the old wise Baron.
01:57:41 [DM (Aarya)] Of course, my good man. All will be well! All will be well.
01:57:48 [Irredel (Sav)] I'll sort of hold on to the prisoner by the shoulders to make sure he doesn't go anywhere.
01:57:55 [DM (Aarya)] You see, as you're holding on to him, this man is trembling. He's barely able to stand on his own two feet.
01:58:06 [Sildir (Tris)] Prisoner, what is your name?
01:58:09 [DM (Aarya)] Who's that?
01:58:12 [Sildir (Tris)] I'll be the one asking the questions today. What is your name?
01:58:15 [DM (Aarya)] Please don't hurt me. My name is Udo.
01:58:20 [Sildir (Tris)] You have no need to fear for your safety. You're under our care. Udo, meet my compatriot Ember.
01:58:20 [Sildir (Tris)] She'll be the one guiding you and like her name suggests, if you mess with her, you'll get burned. So be careful.
01:58:32 [DM (Aarya)] Please don't hurt me.
01:58:36 [Sildir (Tris)] I give a little wink to the Baron. We're already doing a great job.
01:58:40 [DM (Aarya)] Yes, yes. I'm sure that you know just what to do with him and bring him back into the light of our fair town. Very well then, my friend.
01:58:40 [DM (Aarya)] Is there anything else that you might need or require?
01:58:57 [Sildir (Tris)] Well, Mercurio, Ember, anything you guys need?
01:59:03 [Mercurio (Gui)] That's quite all we'll need. I mean, you've been quite gracious and generous to us.
01:59:10 [DM (Aarya)] Indeed, indeed. And you are doing me a great service in turn. I trust that our relationship will be quite beneficial for both us and the town as a whole.
01:59:10 [DM (Aarya)] Of course. All will be well. All will be well.
01:59:10 [DM (Aarya)] Very good. Let's be on then. And he'll make to go back downstairs.
01:59:36 [Sildir (Tris)] Prisoner, don't you have something to say?
01:59:40 [DM (Aarya)] All will be well.
01:59:42 [Sildir (Tris)] Very well done.
01:59:44 [DM (Aarya)] Learning very fast. All right. So with that, the Baron will motion to go back downstairs to the main hall.
01:59:44 [DM (Aarya)] I assume you guys are following suit? Yes. All good.
02:00:20 [Mercurio (Gui)] I was just trying to click my token.
02:00:23 [DM (Aarya)] There's a lot around. All right. I'll let you guys bring yourselves back down to the first floor.
02:00:23 [DM (Aarya)] Unless you guys have anything else you wanted to do while you're here, you can continue on your way out the manor. Assassinate the Baron.
02:00:44 [Sylalys (Cat)] Creepy doll's room.
02:00:47 [Ember (Spurthi)] Yeah, for real.
02:00:48 [Sylalys (Cat)] Spooky.
02:00:50 [DM (Aarya)] I mean, if you guys want to hang back and try to snoop, that's also an option.
02:00:53 [Sylalys (Cat)] On this other staircase. I'm going.
02:01:02 [Sildir (Tris)] I think at least for me and...
02:01:07 [DM (Aarya)] I'm falling to the list.
02:01:09 [Ember (Spurthi)] Oh, shit.
02:01:10 [Sildir (Tris)] It's just the kitchen.
02:01:13 [Sylalys (Cat)] We went down the service staircase, I guess.
02:01:18 [Ember (Spurthi)] Sorry. Wrong door. We're all going downstairs.
02:01:29 [DM (Aarya)] Hold on. Okay. Let's take a second.
02:01:29 [DM (Aarya)] Let's take a second. So, where is everyone trying to go right now?
02:01:39 [Ember (Spurthi)] I guess we're leaving, aren't we?
02:01:41 [DM (Aarya)] Downstairs.
02:01:45 [Sylalys (Cat)] What the fuck? I want to open random doors.
02:01:52 [DM (Aarya)] Okay. So, you guys can reconvene outside the manor.
02:01:59 [Sildir (Tris)] Have a beautiful day, Baron. All will be well.
02:02:01 [DM (Aarya)] And you as well, my boy. All will be well. All will be well.
02:02:01 [DM (Aarya)] All right. So, where is the gang trying to go next?
02:02:14 [Mercurio (Gui)] All right. I guess we'll talk about that. Well, we have keys to this warehouse on the east side of town.
02:02:14 [Mercurio (Gui)] I guess it was a barn or something? Yeah.
02:02:26 [Sildir (Tris)] A modest barn on the eastern end of town.
02:02:32 [DM (Aarya)] What did Ember say?
02:02:35 [Ember (Spurthi)] Should we go there to see what's in there?
02:02:39 [DM (Aarya)] Yes.
02:02:39 [Mercurio (Gui)] Well, we need to take this young man somewhere and get him into the change of clothes we brought and all that.
02:02:47 [Sildir (Tris)] I think it would be good to go see our new spot.
02:02:52 [DM (Aarya)] As you're walking along, you can tell that the man is sobbing to himself.
02:03:03 [Irredel (Sav)] Are we fully out of earshot?
02:03:07 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah. I mean, I assume you guys are fully walking away from the manor at this point. You're just going down the streets.
02:03:13 [Irredel (Sav)] Okay. I'm going to cast Cure Wounds. I'm going to go up to him and say, Hey, is it okay if I help heal you up?
02:03:26 [DM (Aarya)] He kind of mumbles incoherently at you. He doesn't really seem intelligible at the moment.
02:03:34 [Irredel (Sav)] We're not who you'd expect. And we won't be hurting you. Far from it.
02:03:43 [DM (Aarya)] Can I cure your wounds?
02:03:49 [Sildir (Tris)] Only in a sense. Talk more once we reach our destination.
02:03:54 [DM (Aarya)] What are you going to do to me? We're going to help you.
02:03:59 [Sildir (Tris)] Do not ask dangerous questions in public. We'll talk more in private.
02:04:04 [DM (Aarya)] What choice do I have?
02:04:06 [Irredel (Sav)] You're in safe hands now, Udo.
02:04:12 [Ember (Spurthi)] Can I hand him a water skin?
02:04:16 [DM (Aarya)] Are you guys keeping the bag on his head?
02:04:20 [Sildir (Tris)] Just waterboard him instead.
02:04:22 [Ember (Spurthi)] I drink with a bag on my head.
02:04:25 [Sildir (Tris)] I'm just kidding. How big is the bag? How what?
02:04:31 [DM (Aarya)] How big is the bag? It's big enough to cover his head, I guess.
02:04:38 [Irredel (Sav)] I'm going to assume he gave me permission to put my hand on his shoulder.
02:04:41 [DM (Aarya)] As you cast Cure Wounds, you see his wounds heal up. You see that he regains some energy in his step. He's able to support himself on his own feet now without needing to lean on anyone.
02:04:41 [DM (Aarya)] His gait becomes more normal, I guess, and not stumbling about. You'll see that he'll straighten his back suddenly, kind of in surprise. And he says, Oh, but you healed me.
02:04:41 [DM (Aarya)] Of course. What is going on? What do you want from me?
02:05:29 [Irredel (Sav)] We'll talk more about it later. Not right now. We told you, we're not here to hurt you.
02:05:29 [Irredel (Sav)] We're only here to help.
02:05:41 [DM (Aarya)] Okay. And with that, he'll continue going on with you. So I guess you guys are going to make your way to the warehouse?
02:05:54 [Saturno (Steph)] Mm-hmm.
02:05:57 [DM (Aarya)] I don't think I have a scene for this yet.
02:06:00 [Sildir (Tris)] Is it like an old farm kind of thing or is it like a warehouse?
02:06:03 [DM (Aarya)] The Baron mentioned that it was in the stockyards, which is basically just like, I guess, how would you say it? Think like a sort of warehouse-y district in town.
02:06:16 [Sildir (Tris)] Lots of loading and unloading.
02:06:19 [DM (Aarya)] As you make your way there, you find your way walking through the stockyards and towards the outskirts of the town, near the edge, close to the palisades surrounding the town, you see an old-looking run-down warehouse that's clearly been abandoned for a while. The building is like, clearly like, it's spacious. However, there's like holes in some parts of the roofs and like the windows are kind of shattered.
02:06:19 [DM (Aarya)] But it is the facility that has been provided to you. And you find that the key you were given fits the lock on the front door.
02:07:00 [Irredel (Sav)] And when we go in, can we investigate for any, I don't know, magical bugs or something? Like, are we actually private?
02:07:08 [DM (Aarya)] Surprise. Yeah, I mean, describe to me how you want to sweep the area.
02:07:17 [Mercurio (Gui)] I cast detect magic at will.
02:07:19 [DM (Aarya)] Thank you.
02:07:20 [Irredel (Sav)] I was really hoping someone would have that around.
02:07:23 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, yeah, yeah. So you cast detect magic, kind of like sweep around the area and you don't see or detect anything out of the ordinary. It just seems to be like pretty dilapidated, abandoned warehouse.
02:07:23 [DM (Aarya)] You kind of see like here and there like old crates that are kind of like broken down and empty and barrels that aren't really holding anything at the moment. But yeah, pretty modest place, but it's yours.
02:07:55 [Sildir (Tris)] It's safe, bug-free.
02:07:58 [DM (Aarya)] Cool.
02:07:58 [Sildir (Tris)] Thanks, Mercurio. Thanks.
02:08:02 [Irredel (Sav)] Alrighty then. Who wants to explain to our friend what's happening here?
02:08:11 [Sildir (Tris)] I'll take a whack at it. So, listen, what did you say your name was?
02:08:15 [DM (Aarya)] I'm... By the way, are you guys keeping the bag on his head and the shackles? Oh, no.
02:08:15 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, I'm gonna rip that shit off. I took them off. Okay.
02:08:15 [DM (Aarya)] I don't have a water shack. Okay, so yeah, you unshackle his wrist. You take the bag off his head.
02:08:15 [DM (Aarya)] He kind of just like collapses to the ground, just like sits. He looks up to you all. Who are you?
02:08:45 [Sildir (Tris)] Listen, someone get him some food and water while we talk.
02:08:49 [DM (Aarya)] What did you say your name was, boy? My name is Udo. And who are you all?
02:08:56 [Sildir (Tris)] We are... We're new in town, let's say. My name is Sildur, and my friends will introduce themselves to you.
02:08:56 [Sildir (Tris)] But we're in charge of the corrections in town now. And that starts with you.
02:09:13 [DM (Aarya)] Corrections?
02:09:16 [Sildir (Tris)] Yes, like what you were going through before, but it's gonna be much better for you from now on.
02:09:22 [DM (Aarya)] What the band was doing was not correction.
02:09:25 [Sildir (Tris)] Listen, I'm trying to avoid saying anything that might upset you, so I apologize. But yes, we have an idea of how the Baron was treating you. You are going to be here more so as a guest and as a front.
02:09:25 [Sildir (Tris)] And we're going to have to have mutual trust.
02:09:49 [DM (Aarya)] You can't let me go home?
02:09:53 [Sildir (Tris)] I'm afraid not, no. But you'll be on your way to going home. We'll get you home, and you'll have a much better time here.
02:10:02 [DM (Aarya)] This isn't much of anything. There's nothing here.
02:10:06 [Sildir (Tris)] Well, we won't beat you. You'll have food, you'll have water, and we will outfit the place, like Mercurio said. You're gonna be safe, you'll be protected, and most importantly, you'll be free from the Baron, at the very least.
02:10:06 [Sildir (Tris)] It's a trade-off to have to stay here, but that's part of how we're making the magic work, so you're gonna have to work with us.
02:10:28 [DM (Aarya)] Well, it doesn't seem like I have much choice, do I?
02:10:34 [Mercurio (Gui)] No, and well, here, we could just be straight with you. I mean, we spoke with your mother.
02:10:40 [DM (Aarya)] Did you?
02:10:42 [Mercurio (Gui)] We did. Is she alright? She's alright now.
02:10:42 [Mercurio (Gui)] Can I see her? I guess we could maybe bring her in here.
02:10:56 [Sildir (Tris)] We can arrange that.
02:10:59 [Mercurio (Gui)] But we need your cooperation, as well as hers.
02:11:05 [DM (Aarya)] Alright.
02:11:06 [Mercurio (Gui)] What is it you need me to do? Well, we need you to put on an act with us, okay? You see, the Baron...
02:11:06 [Mercurio (Gui)] He's very... At his wit's end, I guess. With this whole thing with Strahd and all that, and he's in a very manic state, where he wants to see that all will be well.
02:11:06 [Mercurio (Gui)] And we need to keep up the charade. You know what I mean?
02:11:39 [DM (Aarya)] Sure.
02:11:42 [Irredel (Sav)] We don't want him to suspect anything.
02:11:46 [DM (Aarya)] Exactly.
02:11:46 [Irredel (Sav)] Look, be the perfect citizen. Our entire goal, right, this, is to make sure that you, and anyone else, is not treated the way you were by the Baron. If we are the ones who are doing the so-called correction, it's fully within our control, and we make sure that no one gets tortured or abused.
02:12:13 [Sildir (Tris)] That's right. And you don't have to be all... All will be well around us.
02:12:13 [Sildir (Tris)] It's just, we need you to avoid saying anything that could get you back into trouble. And if there's some guards around, or God forbid the Baron stops in...
02:12:28 [Irredel (Sav)] Put a big old cheesy grin on your face.
02:12:31 [Sildir (Tris)] Let them see that our facility works, compared to what he was doing.
02:12:34 [DM (Aarya)] So this is a front. Exactly. Catch on quick.
02:12:34 [DM (Aarya)] You're not actually allies with the Baron? No. Nope.
02:12:49 [Ember (Spurthi)] You know how we met your mom, actually?
02:12:53 [DM (Aarya)] This is a good story.
02:12:55 [Ember (Spurthi)] It is a good story, I think. It is. So basically, your mother was asking the Baron about you, the Baron was super mean, and she fell in a puddle because the horse pushed her, and then I threw my shoe at the Baron, and then I almost got us killed, but then my friends managed to talk the Baron up into this agreement that they would straighten out your mother, that we would, right?
02:12:55 [Ember (Spurthi)] And then we helped her, we kind of told her the plan, and now we're here.
02:13:23 [Irredel (Sav)] And we convinced him that we quote-unquote reformed her the same way that we could reform you. And that's what we're trying to do. And going forward, if this all works, anyone who needs re-education or reforming comes here to us.
02:13:23 [Irredel (Sav)] That's quite an ambitious plan.
02:13:44 [DM (Aarya)] You realize if the Baron catches on to what you're doing, he'll have your heads.
02:13:51 [Irredel (Sav)] We understand.
02:13:53 [Ember (Spurthi)] Oh, I had his head first with that shoe, okay?
02:13:58 [Irredel (Sav)] But the risk is worth it into liberating all of you.
02:14:03 [DM (Aarya)] I hope you're right.
02:14:05 [Irredel (Sav)] And we're strangers to this land anyways.
02:14:09 [Sildir (Tris)] Listen, start practicing your all-will-be-wells, and maybe in a month we can let you on out of here.
02:14:15 [Irredel (Sav)] Never underestimate, either, the lengths that people will go to to cover up their embarrassment. Do you think the Baron would ever admit to being duped like this?
02:14:24 [DM (Aarya)] I suppose not. He does enough mental gymnastics as it is.
02:14:35 [Mercurio (Gui)] This would be nothing to him.
02:14:40 [Sildir (Tris)] So, help us help you. Help the Baron help you.
02:14:45 [DM (Aarya)] Okay. And you'll be just fine. I'll go along with your plan, but I'm concerned that I've only just gone from one prison to the next.
02:14:45 [DM (Aarya)] Granted, this one is more comfortable, but I'm still stuck here, aren't I?
02:15:04 [Sylalys (Cat)] Oh, my dear. Would you rather be tortured by the Baron?
02:15:11 [DM (Aarya)] Well, no, but I'd much prefer to just be a free man.
02:15:16 [Sylalys (Cat)] And to the rest of you, you have faith in these peasants that they would not blow our cover, ruin our reputation with the Baron, remove our only safe haven from the true evil of this land. You are a bunch of naive fools, is what I think.
02:15:36 [Sildir (Tris)] I don't have full faith, especially as we scale up. Maybe Udo won't betray us, but somebody will. I'm just hoping we can wreck our reputation first.
02:15:46 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah, it's just mostly a race against the clock, I guess.
02:15:51 [Saturno (Steph)] Yeah.
02:15:51 [Sylalys (Cat)] I think we need to derive the roots of the Baron's possession. And if we cannot find this thing, we kill him. It is as simple as that.
02:16:03 [Mercurio (Gui)] What did you all make of that Baron's son, by the way?
02:16:11 [Irredel (Sav)] Well, I think he'd be a much better leader than his father.
02:16:15 [Sylalys (Cat)] He seems too normal, considering his father.
02:16:19 [Sildir (Tris)] That's true. So, hypothetically...
02:16:24 [DM (Aarya)] If anyone wants to hear my opinion... Yes!
02:16:32 [Sylalys (Cat)] The adults are talking, Mr. Peasant.
02:16:34 [Mercurio (Gui)] Oh, peasant boy, he keeps talking.
02:16:37 [DM (Aarya)] I still thought you were a guest. You guys aren't really inspiring a lot of content here.
02:16:44 [Sylalys (Cat)] Oh, okay, I will start torturing you then. Would you prefer this?
02:16:49 [Irredel (Sav)] Okay, ignore someone else who's a different breed.
02:16:50 [DM (Aarya)] I thought so.
02:16:52 [Irredel (Sav)] He's always grumpy. Don't listen to him.
02:16:54 [DM (Aarya)] Well, your friend here could definitely learn how to be a person and not some monstrous whatever-he-is. But I like his plan better than what you're all suggesting.
02:17:14 [Mercurio (Gui)] You don't even know all our plans. Shut up. Can we put the bag over his head again, please?
02:17:14 [Mercurio (Gui)] No!
02:17:23 [Irredel (Sav)] I'll put the bag over your head still.
02:17:26 [Mercurio (Gui)] And I nudge Sildir and I say, good cop, bad cop, good cop, bad cop.
02:17:32 [Sildir (Tris)] Listen, what my friend is trying to say is, you're kind of being a bit of a choosing beggar right now. I mean, if we could put you up in a palace, we absolutely would. And your mom would be there, and your whole family would be there.
02:17:32 [Sildir (Tris)] And there would be a feast, and the Baron would be the main course. But you know what? We can't do that right now.
02:17:32 [Sildir (Tris)] So this is the best we got to offer. I'm tired of hearing the complaints. We're going to bring you food, we're going to bring you water, we're going to neaten up the place.
02:17:32 [Sildir (Tris)] Are you in or not? I don't want to hear anything else.
02:17:59 [DM (Aarya)] I want to hear more about this guy's plan. He said he's talking about killing the Baron. That sounds better than what you're suggesting.
02:18:07 [Sildir (Tris)] You don't know any of our plans, Ludo, and you're not involved in them. So stop trying to get involved. Okay, also, think about this.
02:18:15 [Irredel (Sav)] If we have other things going on, how fast, realistically, could we manage that? We got you out of a torture chamber right now, and we just need you to hold tight for a few days. That's it.
02:18:34 [Mercurio (Gui)] The other thing is...
02:18:36 [Irredel (Sav)] We're looking into more permanent solutions.
02:18:38 [Mercurio (Gui)] Before we go on and just kill the Baron, we need to figure out who's going to take his place first. You know, will it be his son? Or are the Factors going to come up and just murder his son and then be even more cruel rulers?
02:18:38 [Mercurio (Gui)] We don't know. We need to still evaluate the situation. We can't just run in and start flacking everybody, okay?
02:18:38 [Mercurio (Gui)] This is why you leave it to the professionals, okay?
02:19:01 [Sildir (Tris)] No, we would have killed him right in that hallway if that was what we would do.
02:19:04 [DM (Aarya)] You're the professionals in this situation? Listen, Udo.
02:19:09 [Sildir (Tris)] I'm tired of your attitude. Can I gag him with the rope?
02:19:17 [Irredel (Sav)] Udo, have you eaten? Are you hangry?
02:19:22 [Sylalys (Cat)] Here, do you need some food?
02:19:24 [Irredel (Sav)] Yeah, I realize. Here.
02:19:27 [Sylalys (Cat)] No, I think everyone in this land is either a spoiled brat or mad or too broken to function, is what I think.
02:19:35 [Sildir (Tris)] I've honestly never agreed more with Sylas in my life. This attitude is how you got locked up in a closet, you know?
02:19:46 [Irredel (Sav)] I think you need some food. And yes, this is a perfect chance for you to practice some behavioral changes.
02:19:54 [Sildir (Tris)] Oh, Baron, I just wish I was living outside of these walls instead. It feels like a prison here. That's probably how you ended up in that stupid situation.
02:20:02 [DM (Aarya)] Oh, he's just gonna like ignore everything you're saying and just like snatch the food from Aerithel's hands and he'll just like start scarfing it down, basically?
02:20:11 [Ember (Spurthi)] Look, if you won't do it for us, just do it for your mother. She wants to see you well. And she wants you back in her life, and I'm sure- Do it for yourself.
02:20:11 [Ember (Spurthi)] Yeah, but I- come on, like, it's evident that he can't.
02:20:24 [Sildir (Tris)] So... No, you're right, Saturno.
02:20:26 [Ember (Spurthi)] Just do it for your mother. Like, she- so you could be with her. And she doesn't have to be sad and worrying about you and living each day not knowing what's happening, going crazy.
02:20:41 [Irredel (Sav)] Can we use Persuasion on him?
02:20:43 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, you can roll Persuasion, sure.
02:20:46 [Sildir (Tris)] Persuade this guy to shut up. That was so cute. ChatGTC, Udo is covered in poop right now.
02:20:54 [DM (Aarya)] Oh my god. Oh my god.
02:20:59 [Mercurio (Gui)] Oh yeah, that's another good point. I cast Prestidigitation on him and I clean up the poop off him.
02:21:05 [DM (Aarya)] Nice. So with a 20 Persuasion check, you'll see that Udo kind of like calms down for the moment. He seems placated, for now at least.
02:21:05 [DM (Aarya)] And he says, Alright, well, I guess I can go along with your plan for at least a little while. I hope you know what you're doing.
02:21:33 [Irredel (Sav)] Well, it might seem like another prison for now, but this is just the first step in the right direction to being free. Completely free.
02:21:43 [Mercurio (Gui)] Think of it as a prison. Think of it as a barrack. You're now a part of our elite force to take down the Baron.
02:21:50 [Sildir (Tris)] Think of it as a place where you're not having a bag over your head and you can eat food and you're not getting smacked around by the Baron on a regular basis. It's a good way to think about it.
02:22:01 [Ember (Spurthi)] When was the last time that you were allowed to speak so freely as you are right now?
02:22:05 [Mercurio (Gui)] And if you really long for the closet, go ahead and ruin our plan. I'm sure you'll end up back there very quickly.
02:22:14 [DM (Aarya)] Alright, alright. I get it. I'll play along.
02:22:14 [DM (Aarya)] It just doesn't really seem like I have a choice anyway. Well, good.
02:22:23 [Sildir (Tris)] Since you're brought in, we're gonna need your help.
02:22:25 [Irredel (Sav)] You don't. That's right, you don't.
02:22:27 [DM (Aarya)] Oh my god.
02:22:30 [Irredel (Sav)] You don't. You really don't.
02:22:31 [Sylalys (Cat)] There's something so menacing about Ember saying that.
02:22:35 [Irredel (Sav)] Actually, if you did, in terms of choices, obviously being around town could jeopardize what we have going on here and put you at risk of being caught by the Baron again. In theory, maybe you could leave town for a while while we are quote-unquote re-educating you.
02:22:53 [DM (Aarya)] Leave town and go where? Wherever you want.
02:22:59 [Irredel (Sav)] What, to the wolves?
02:23:02 [DM (Aarya)] Like, you know where we are.
02:23:04 [Sildir (Tris)] Oh my god.
02:23:05 [Irredel (Sav)] Indeed.
02:23:06 [Sildir (Tris)] Were you hit on the head?
02:23:07 [Irredel (Sav)] Town is unsafe for you right now, it's just a greater point. We're functionally giving you a safe house, but don't feel trapped here insofar as you can leave town.
02:23:21 [Sildir (Tris)] Never had such a tough customer in my life. I've dealt with my fair share of them. Also, anyways.
02:23:21 [Sildir (Tris)] Do you understand what it took to get you here?
02:23:32 [DM (Aarya)] Yes, yes, I'm eternally grateful, whatever.
02:23:37 [Sildir (Tris)] I think we should just tell the Baron we can't do this.
02:23:41 [DM (Aarya)] Alright, alright. Listen, I don't want to go back there.
02:23:45 [Sildir (Tris)] Sorry Baron, this one just can't be executed. I mean, that's sarcasm, buddy. Don't worry, I'm not actually threatening you with that.
02:23:45 [Sildir (Tris)] I won't hold that over your head. We're not taking you back to the Baron no matter what. It's like, jeez man, we put a lot of effort for this.
02:23:45 [Sildir (Tris)] It'd be cool if you just said thank you and that was it, honestly. But, I mean, I would love to hear your complaints too, but just be a little nice about them.
02:24:07 [Irredel (Sav)] We'll try and get you better accommodation. We have room in the Bluewater Inn, we just need to figure out how to make sure that if we have you there, no one will see you. Alright.
02:24:21 [Sildir (Tris)] Fine. You're not acting like your mother's son right now. You know, we met that lady, and here we are the next day.
02:24:21 [Sildir (Tris)] We saved your ass, because of her. Yes, you're a very inspiring person. She inspired us to do that.
02:24:21 [Sildir (Tris)] Now I want you to act like your mother's son and tough this out. I know she raised you better than this. I want persuasion with advantage on that.
02:24:48 [DM (Aarya)] You can do persuasion. Okay.
02:24:50 [Sildir (Tris)] Come on, the mom guilt trip?
02:24:57 [DM (Aarya)] No advantage? Eh, just roll the persuasion, we'll see what happens.
02:25:01 [Sildir (Tris)] Alright, alright. I'm just shopping for dice.
02:25:06 [DM (Aarya)] Oh my god!
02:25:10 [Sildir (Tris)] What does Arctic Inspiration do? It's not a reroll, right?
02:25:14 [Mercurio (Gui)] It's not a reroll. It's a d6.
02:25:16 [Sildir (Tris)] Wait though, I have something. What else do I have? Where is it?
02:25:16 [Sildir (Tris)] Where is it? What do you have? I didn't note it down.
02:25:16 [Sildir (Tris)] Oh wait, that's not even in this campaign. Okay, yeah I have nothing.
02:25:36 [Ember (Spurthi)] Can I try to intimidate him?
02:25:40 [DM (Aarya)] Let's resolve this first. So that was a nat 1 persuasion check. And he looks at you and he says, Who the fuck do you think you are?
02:25:40 [DM (Aarya)] You're bringing my mother into this. You leave her out of this. We're giving you the option to fool her.
02:26:01 [Sildir (Tris)] Alright, alright, anyways. I organized this shit.
02:26:04 [Mercurio (Gui)] We need to move on, we need to move on. We have other business to take care of here.
02:26:08 [DM (Aarya)] Come on dude, get over here.
02:26:09 [Sildir (Tris)] You wanna say something?
02:26:11 [DM (Aarya)] I don't think you have a clue what you're doing.
02:26:15 [Sildir (Tris)] That's fine, it doesn't matter what you think. Anyways. Let's put the bag back on.
02:26:15 [Sildir (Tris)] Or at least a gag for this.
02:26:21 [Irredel (Sav)] No, no, we're not going to do that. If we do that, we're no better than the Baron.
02:26:28 [Sylalys (Cat)] Hey, I could be ripping his fingernails off, but we are much better than the Baron.
02:26:37 [Sildir (Tris)] Oh my god, I can't believe you wrote such horrible characters.
02:26:42 [Irredel (Sav)] All of your bad tempers is the reason why we're in this situation. Why are you bullying him right now?
02:26:49 [Sildir (Tris)] Can you take back the Cure Wounds somehow?
02:26:51 [Ember (Spurthi)] No, I cannot. And I'm going to need everyone to be quiet. I have a spell called Cause Wounds.
02:27:00 [Sylalys (Cat)] I have a spell called Rip You Up.
02:27:03 [Saturno (Steph)] I have Lay on Hands, but I also would like to lay my hands on him.
02:27:12 [DM (Aarya)] Oh, what did Tildur say?
02:27:13 [Saturno (Steph)] Sorry.
02:27:15 [Sildir (Tris)] I just wanna lay... I have Lay on Hands, but I think I just need to give him these hands. Oh my god.
02:27:22 [Irredel (Sav)] If this doesn't stop, I'm going to have everyone sit on the floor, crisscross applesauce, and we're going to have timeout.
02:27:30 [DM (Aarya)] I'm already here. I'm already on the floor.
02:27:32 [Irredel (Sav)] Knock it off.
02:27:34 [Sildir (Tris)] Okay, what's the next step?
02:27:37 [Irredel (Sav)] Since we're in the warehouse, let's just move on.
02:27:43 [Sildir (Tris)] Yeah, just... Yeah, don't go turn yourself back into the Baron, okay? Cool.
02:27:43 [Sildir (Tris)] Good job. Nah, you're not going to do that, are you? Great.
02:27:43 [Sildir (Tris)] Fuck this guy. Let's just have our conversation. And you stay out of it, Udo.
02:27:43 [Sildir (Tris)] I don't want your shit.
02:27:56 [DM (Aarya)] Whatever, you just... Yeah, whatever yourself.
02:27:59 [Sildir (Tris)] That's right.
02:27:59 [Ember (Spurthi)] Okay, what's the next step? Enough. Let's just move on.
02:28:04 [Mercurio (Gui)] I need to know some things from Udo. Do you know that there were other prisoners and what they looked like and that sort of thing?
02:28:15 [DM (Aarya)] Honestly, I can't say. I mean, I was kept in that room by myself and I didn't really have any chance to see any other part of the manor. I'm not sure who else might have been there.
02:28:31 [Mercurio (Gui)] You never heard anything at all?
02:28:35 [DM (Aarya)] No. There wasn't much else to hear in that locked room.
02:28:41 [Mercurio (Gui)] How long ago did the Baron lock you up?
02:28:46 [DM (Aarya)] Three days.
02:28:47 [Mercurio (Gui)] Three days ago?
02:28:50 [Ember (Spurthi)] Well, did the Baron hint at anything? Did he say something to you in passing that he didn't mean to say? Like he gave some sort of clue?
02:28:59 [DM (Aarya)] All he really did was beat me and say all will be well over and over.
02:29:06 [Mercurio (Gui)] Typical. Um, does three days ago line up with anything? Like, is that when other people were disappearing or the other people were disappearing before that?
02:29:18 [DM (Aarya)] So from the rumors that you've heard and from your own investigations, you know that people have been disappearing for like a couple, like a few weeks at least? A few weeks. What is Mercurio thinking?
02:29:55 [Mercurio (Gui)] I'm just trying to like see if there's any more truth to this conspiracy that that Erwin dropped on us. You see, we're also investigating a bunch of different disappearances. So it would be very helpful to know this information, but if you really heard nothing then I guess that's, you won't be able to help us with that.
02:30:30 [DM (Aarya)] All I know is that anyone who openly speaks against the Baron, well, they don't find themselves in very good conditions.
02:30:44 [Mercurio (Gui)] Do you have any relationship with Father Lucian?
02:30:48 [DM (Aarya)] Father Lucian? Um, well, he's the priest in town. I go to service occasionally, not that often.
02:30:48 [DM (Aarya)] My mother goes more regularly than I do. What about Father Bryce? Father Lucian is known to be a man for the people of Valaki.
02:30:48 [DM (Aarya)] He has always preached hope and comfort and opened the doors of the church to any who need it.
02:31:22 [Irredel (Sav)] What about Father Bryce?
02:31:26 [DM (Aarya)] Well, Father Bryce hasn't been here for very long, but he seems to get along well with Father Lucian, though he's a much more, well, stern man.
02:31:38 [Mercurio (Gui)] Why do you say that?
02:31:40 [DM (Aarya)] It's just his general demeanor, I guess. I mean, the man is a priest, so I'm sure he's not a bad guy or anything, but well, he's not much of a people person at all, not like Father Lucian is. Why do you ask?
02:32:07 [Sildir (Tris)] I whisper over to Syl, I'm like, this guy really sure knows a lot of shit, doesn't he? Real useful. He told us he's a priest.
02:32:07 [Sildir (Tris)] The guy named Father Lucian is a priest. Who would have guessed that?
02:32:23 [Sylalys (Cat)] Amazing.
02:32:26 [Mercurio (Gui)] Well, we're just investigating his disappearance, is all.
02:32:32 [Irredel (Sav)] Since he disappeared around the same time as you, we were wondering if maybe the two were connected. Perhaps there's a chance that the Baron had something to do with the disappearance.
02:32:43 [DM (Aarya)] Father Lucian is missing? Yes.
02:32:50 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yes, he went missing, what was it, three or four days ago?
02:32:53 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah.
02:32:54 [Irredel (Sav)] And there were signs of foul play.
02:32:58 [DM (Aarya)] Was it the Baron? We don't know.
02:33:03 [Sildir (Tris)] I don't think we're gonna know anything, guys.
02:33:05 [DM (Aarya)] I've never known the Baron to have any distaste for Father Lucian.
02:33:14 [Sildir (Tris)] I think it only needs a little good bit of rest.
02:33:24 [Irredel (Sav)] Yes, and the tailor, too. The tailor has also gone missing. Has the tailor ever expressed anti-Baron sentiment?
02:33:34 [DM (Aarya)] Yes, she has voiced concerns about the Baron's policies before. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that she, too, has been taken, though. I mean, I don't know if she's...
02:33:34 [DM (Aarya)] if she was taken to the manor. I certainly didn't see her.
02:33:51 [Irredel (Sav)] Did the Baron ever threaten to take you anywhere else?
02:34:01 [DM (Aarya)] No, I mean, I can't say he hasn't.
02:34:18 [Irredel (Sav)] Did Father Lucian ever express any anti-Baron sentiment?
02:34:23 [DM (Aarya)] Father Lucian was always very careful not to antagonize the Baron. He was always concerned that if he voiced any open disdain, the Baron would come for the church and it was important to him that the church remained as a source of hope and light for the people.
02:34:49 [Irredel (Sav)] I see. But, I mean, surely... I mean, obviously you heard of this.
02:34:57 [DM (Aarya)] Well, if you've been in Vallaki for any amount of time, I'm sure you would have gathered that nobody really likes the Baron, but most people won't outright say that.
02:35:11 [Ember (Spurthi)] Can I use Perception to see if he's not hiding anything?
02:35:16 [DM (Aarya)] Most smart people, yeah. That would be Insight if you wanted to do that.
02:35:21 [Ember (Spurthi)] Oh, okay.
02:35:27 [DM (Aarya)] Oh my gosh. A lot of 1s. There's so many.
02:35:30 [Ember (Spurthi)] What is with these rolls?
02:35:32 [DM (Aarya)] So many Nat 1s today.
02:35:34 [Ember (Spurthi)] Oh my goodness.
02:35:35 [DM (Aarya)] I guess it's making up for last session. Y'all were high-rolling like crazy last time. Yeah.
02:35:35 [DM (Aarya)] But yeah, with a Nat 1, Insight... Yeah, you have no clue what he's trying to... what his intentions are.
02:35:48 [Ember (Spurthi)] Can I try to roll Insight as well? Yeah. That's okay.
02:35:53 [DM (Aarya)] Oh.
02:35:56 [Ember (Spurthi)] At least be a higher number.
02:35:59 [DM (Aarya)] With a 9, Insight... You don't get the sense that he's being dishonest or anything, and he really doesn't seem... He seems to be trying to tell you everything that he knows.
02:35:59 [DM (Aarya)] And you also get the sense that he's kind of trying to put on a bit of a front and not let on just how shaken up he is. But yeah.
02:36:30 [Sildir (Tris)] I'm gonna roll as well. Fuck it.
02:36:37 [DM (Aarya)] Nat 20. Okay. So you get the sense that from the questions that you're asking and the information that you've shared, he seems like terrified, like genuinely.
02:36:37 [DM (Aarya)] He doesn't really seem to know much, but he's also genuinely shook by the implication that there's some other... Basically that there are more disappearances happening aside from just him. And he's concerned that he didn't see anything to suggest that while he was at the Manor.
02:36:37 [DM (Aarya)] Hmm.
02:37:17 [Sildir (Tris)] So I know all that? Like I can tell that about him?
02:37:19 [DM (Aarya)] Basically. Okay. Listen.
02:37:24 [Sildir (Tris)] I know we got off on the wrong foot and I still don't appreciate how you express your gratitude. I'll just say. But listen.
02:37:24 [Sildir (Tris)] If you don't know that much, it's okay. Your safety is not contingent upon you sharing information with us. I know it's a scary time.
02:37:24 [Sildir (Tris)] There's a lot of things that are unexplained. We in our group are really doing our best to make Vallaki a better place. I can't tell you how we're going to do that.
02:37:24 [Sildir (Tris)] We do have some plans. I'm not telling you them. We're already putting a lot of trust in you.
02:37:24 [Sildir (Tris)] Just doing this for you. So I need you to take that and run with it if you can. And that's the best I can do.
02:37:24 [Sildir (Tris)] That's the best any of us can do for you right now. Other than we're gonna throw in some food and water and try to make this place a little nicer for you.
02:38:14 [Irredel (Sav)] And go get some blankets and whatnot from the Inn and bring them back.
02:38:20 [Mercurio (Gui)] And honestly we will need to shackle you. Just in case there's a random inspection.
02:38:25 [Saturno (Steph)] What?
02:38:26 [Mercurio (Gui)] Mercurio's joking.
02:38:28 [Irredel (Sav)] We will leave the shackles with you. And do ask that you are alert.
02:38:34 [Sildir (Tris)] And you should probably shackle yourself if someone stops by and practice your all will be wells.
02:38:40 [DM (Aarya)] Alright. I mean I guess look I No stepping outside the warehouse.
02:38:48 [Mercurio (Gui)] Okay.
02:38:50 [DM (Aarya)] appreciate your efforts. And I'll be honest I'll go along. But I'm I'm concerned is all.
02:39:03 [Irredel (Sav)] Will you feel better if one of us stays here with you to keep up the roost in case anyone does come to investigate?
02:39:09 [DM (Aarya)] I think that would be good. I mean definitely better than staying here myself in this old dilapidated spooky warehouse.
02:39:24 [Ember (Spurthi)] What are you concerned about?
02:39:27 [DM (Aarya)] Are you serious? I mean look at this place. You expect me to you expect me to stay here in the middle of the night?
02:39:37 [Saturno (Steph)] Well we can stay the night with you.
02:39:40 [Sildir (Tris)] Or at least one of us will. I'll volunteer.
02:39:43 [Mercurio (Gui)] Let's just bring it back to the inn. Damn it.
02:39:49 [Sildir (Tris)] I think we really need to be careful honestly. I mean we were given this place to you know you're right.
02:39:59 [Mercurio (Gui)] Alright. I'm going to correct my hand disability. Alright.
02:39:59 [Mercurio (Gui)] Just chain him up. Just lock him up.
02:40:05 [Irredel (Sav)] We're not going to do that. But how about this? Some of us maybe can go back to the inn get some blankets and whatnot and we'll set it up so it looks like there's our quote unquote officer's quarters over here on one side and look there's like some pieces of wood and different things.
02:40:05 [Irredel (Sav)] We'll construct like a makeshift cell type thing that looks as convincing as possible or I don't know maybe is there like any like you said there's wooden boxes right?
02:40:30 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah. Like crates and stuff.
02:40:32 [Irredel (Sav)] Yeah. Well maybe we can push some of the crates together and if there's any point where our prisoner isn't seen we can just say we locked him in a crate. We'll create like a little makeshift fake crate prison to keep up the ruse.
02:40:55 [Mercurio (Gui)] So you're saying we get him out of here and we just make like a fake box that he supposedly is?
02:41:00 [Irredel (Sav)] Oh no. I'm saying we all can all can stay here but then just like really outfit things and in the event that any of us are not here we can use that as a fallback. Not to rely on it just like in the event that you know so you do dad's leave for any reason we have a cover.
02:41:19 [Sildir (Tris)] You're not gonna be alone for long. You're not the only person we wanted to save. You and your mom inspired us but we're thinking a little bigger.
02:41:19 [Sildir (Tris)] You'll have people here soon and hopefully it'll become a much nicer place very soon if everyone shifts in and does their part.
02:41:38 [Irredel (Sav)] The point being we can start fixing it up tonight.
02:41:43 [DM (Aarya)] Alright. I'll trust you on this.
02:41:52 [Irredel (Sav)] Alrighty folks let's start moving some crates. I have my woodcarver's tools. Okay.
02:42:04 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah I guess like what are you trying to do with the tools?
02:42:09 [Irredel (Sav)] Make like a prison or like the cover that we were talking about. Okay.
02:42:14 [DM (Aarya)] All right. Yeah I'll say you're able to like make a sort of like makeshift like cell kind of of sorts.
02:42:24 [Saturno (Steph)] Yeah.
02:42:24 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah. All right. Cool.
02:42:29 [Irredel (Sav)] And I figured too maybe we can like break up some of the wood crates and like make some little like sleeping pallets out of them for like our side of things and start you know soft in here at all.
02:42:39 [Sildir (Tris)] We can just throw some shit on a crate.
02:42:42 [DM (Aarya)] They're like a handful of like bales of hay like lying about.
02:42:47 [Sildir (Tris)] But yeah some rags maybe a little cloth bag or something we can just stuff and yeah you can like you can like you can kind of like put together some like really crude straw mattresses. All right. Ember's getting to work with her tools.
02:43:09 [DM (Aarya)] Is anyone else pitching in to help or is it just Ember. I mean we're all kind of moving in.
02:43:18 [Sildir (Tris)] You see like a bunch of like hammers and hands flying out a puff of smoke.
02:43:26 [DM (Aarya)] I'll say you guys like spend like I'll say like a couple hours and like kind of like tidy up the place. Make like some makeshift like arrangements for like sleeping quarters like the cell maybe tidy up the floor and stuff so it's not like dirty.
02:43:46 [Irredel (Sav)] Oh if there's like any like holes or windows that like we can patch over.
02:43:52 [Ember (Spurthi)] Yeah. Any draft that we can prevent.
02:43:55 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah I'll say you can patch up like the few holes in the ceilings that you see. You can board up the windows so you don't have like any like glass or anything to refit them.
02:44:07 [Irredel (Sav)] Maybe just like board them up with pieces of the crates.
02:44:11 [DM (Aarya)] You're able to spend like a couple hours and between the six of you and like Udo helps out a little bit as much as he can. And yeah you're able to do that.
02:44:23 [Sildir (Tris)] Hey Udo how old are you?
02:44:25 [DM (Aarya)] 23. Why?
02:44:29 [Sildir (Tris)] Just just trying to know you a bit better. Listen this is a weird question but what do you like? What's something that would actually bring you comfort?
02:44:29 [Sildir (Tris)] We can't bring you a lot. We're not gonna furnish a whole house for you but like what what do you enjoy? Is there something that you can keep your hands busy with?
02:44:51 [DM (Aarya)] Um well I'm a I'm a cobbler by trade so I'm good with my hands and like leather working in this hatch.
02:44:59 [Sildir (Tris)] Cobbler. Okay. Why don't you get to fixing up this place?
02:45:06 [Mercurio (Gui)] Is it cobbler shoes?
02:45:07 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah it is. For sure you're familiar with them. You're so good with your hands.
02:45:07 [DM (Aarya)] I've done a bit of handiwork and such but it's not exactly my strong suit. I mean if you have tools and the like that you can provide me I can I'm sure I can manage something.
02:45:29 [Irredel (Sav)] Why don't we check in with your with your mom? Is there anything from your workshop that you'd like? We could maybe bring you a bag full of like cobbler tools and any recent projects you're working on.
02:45:29 [Irredel (Sav)] Would that help?
02:45:43 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah. Yeah. I think that would be good.
02:45:43 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah. You can start feeling like your stuff again.
02:45:49 [Sildir (Tris)] I like his blueberry cobbler.
02:45:58 [DM (Aarya)] Alright. What else are you guys trying to do around here?
02:46:15 [Mercurio (Gui)] I don't know. Mercurio like is pretty disinterested in fixing up the place. He marches around playing his flute and casting Prestidigitation as he plays it.
02:46:29 [DM (Aarya)] Just randomly? Okay. I see.
02:46:29 [DM (Aarya)] Okay.
02:46:33 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah. This is like a part of him playing the flute. Like he marches around and the floor underneath him just gets sweeped up by the flute.
02:46:41 [Saturno (Steph)] Yeah.
02:46:42 [Mercurio (Gui)] That's it.
02:46:43 [Saturno (Steph)] Alright.
02:46:45 [Mercurio (Gui)] And then after a while he looks bored and he just like sits on a crate. Yeah.
02:46:53 [DM (Aarya)] Gotta say not where I was expecting this session to go but cool. You know. I like it.
02:47:00 [Sildir (Tris)] Dude.
02:47:03 [DM (Aarya)] That was fun. When can we go back and get some drinks? Udo.
02:47:03 [DM (Aarya)] I mean you guys can just go to the inn if you want to go to the inn.
02:47:12 [Irredel (Sav)] Udo do you have a favorite food that you'd want us to bring you?
02:47:16 [DM (Aarya)] Or something?
02:47:18 [Irredel (Sav)] What are you craving?
02:47:20 [DM (Aarya)] My my mother makes a pretty good shepherd's pie.
02:47:31 [Irredel (Sav)] You might not be able to meet your mother like right now but we could get your shepherd's pie from the inn and then once we meet your mother we could mention that.
02:47:42 [DM (Aarya)] Okay.
02:47:43 [Irredel (Sav)] You'd ask her to make it?
02:47:44 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah. I'd like that.
02:47:52 [Mercurio (Gui)] Alright. Great.
02:47:54 [Sildir (Tris)] Well Udo into the box you go. Okay? Who's going with me Who should stay here?
02:48:00 [Ember (Spurthi)] Who should stay here? I'll go with you Mercurio.
02:48:06 [Irredel (Sav)] Udo is there any one of us that you feel most comfortable with? Or least comfortable with?
02:48:11 [Mercurio (Gui)] Don't say me.
02:48:13 [DM (Aarya)] Well no offense but definitely not those two or that one and he'll point to like Mercurio, Sildur, and Syllalus.
02:48:23 [Mercurio (Gui)] I'll pluck out your eyelashes. Grr.
02:48:30 [Sylalys (Cat)] I still say we slice his Achilles tendon so he cannot escape.
02:48:34 [Irredel (Sav)] How about you guys stay outside? Yeah. Do you guys go ahead and get moving to the inn?
02:48:40 [Mercurio (Gui)] Oh wait. I forgot. Also I got you this fresh change of clothes and I could give him like the nice clothes.
02:48:40 [Mercurio (Gui)] Oh. Um.
02:48:51 [DM (Aarya)] Thanks. Yeah. Don't dirty them up too much.
02:48:51 [DM (Aarya)] He seems like kind of confused by like the sudden act of kindness from Mercury. Oh my god.
02:49:03 [Mercurio (Gui)] Mercurio's love bonding him. Yeah we just want you to look you know, your best.
02:49:09 [DM (Aarya)] Right. Just for success or something like that. Feel your best.
02:49:13 [Irredel (Sav)] Feel your best.
02:49:14 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah.
02:49:16 [Ember (Spurthi)] After everything you've gone through with the Baron.
02:49:19 [Sildir (Tris)] I'll use compelled duel on him.
02:49:23 [DM (Aarya)] One of these days I'm gonna hold you to that. You be careful.
02:49:30 [Irredel (Sav)] Alright. Well, I'm happy to stay if you all just promise to bring me back some food.
02:49:35 [Ember (Spurthi)] Who's going to the inn?
02:49:41 [Mercurio (Gui)] I'm going and Satorno I think is going so far and I don't know who else.
02:49:50 [Ember (Spurthi)] Is Sildur going too?
02:49:53 [Sildir (Tris)] I'm probably gonna stay. I mean it's my place or our place I should say but yeah it's like sorry you don't like me but I just want either one of us to go or one of us to stay.
02:50:06 [Ember (Spurthi)] That's why.
02:50:07 [Sildir (Tris)] Yeah.
02:50:08 [Mercurio (Gui)] I'll be here at the inn.
02:50:10 [Irredel (Sav)] Yeah. I was planning on staying.
02:50:13 [Mercurio (Gui)] 3-3 split maybe so maybe Ember and Sililus decide who's staying and who's going.
02:50:25 [Irredel (Sav)] If I have to say Ember do you mind staying? Yeah. I'll stay.
02:50:25 [Irredel (Sav)] I'll stay.
02:50:31 [DM (Aarya)] Alright. My bad Sililus.
02:50:37 [Ember (Spurthi)] It's the Alright Sililus I knew you wanted to stay so bad.
02:50:41 [Irredel (Sav)] No offense but you were definitely making like every situation worse today.
02:50:47 [Mercurio (Gui)] Who? Sililus? Oh I think he did great.
02:50:52 [Sylalys (Cat)] What? Was someone speaking to me?
02:50:55 [Mercurio (Gui)] I could not hear.
02:50:56 [Irredel (Sav)] No no no no one's speaking to you just wait a second.
02:50:59 [Mercurio (Gui)] Oh I thought so I thought so. I think you played into the bad cop perfectly.
02:51:04 [Sylalys (Cat)] Mmm yes I'm a very good cop.
02:51:08 [Mercurio (Gui)] Very good being bad yes.
02:51:11 [Sylalys (Cat)] I mean there is no such thing as a good cop. I'm a very good cop because I am a bad cop.
02:51:20 [Mercurio (Gui)] Is that what the saying means? Oh that makes more sense actually.
02:51:28 [Sildir (Tris)] Yeah ag cab all good cops are bastards.
02:51:33 [DM (Aarya)] Dale anyway so you're doing a 3-3 split so who's going to the inn?
02:51:44 [Sildir (Tris)] It's the Tournament Curio and Sililus.
02:51:45 [DM (Aarya)] Okay cool. So in that note I will go ahead and switch the scene. Let's see what we got.
02:51:45 [DM (Aarya)] Not this one let's do maybe let's hold on give me one sec to get all the tokens in order.
02:52:37 [Irredel (Sav)] Again while you're doing that I'm imagining like Iridella's in full on like I was basically raised in a barn mode you know.
02:52:44 [Saturno (Steph)] I was basically raised in a barn.
02:52:47 [Irredel (Sav)] You know all those younger siblings in a tavern like she's used to like crazy energy so she's like alright everyone I'm thinking let's lay down some basic ground rules for while we're staying here. So that area over there is going to be for sleeping. We've intentionally put it in the shadiest part of the building so if you need to sleep during the day you can go there.
02:52:47 [Irredel (Sav)] If anyone's over in that area I suggest that that's kind of a quiet zone. Keep talking to an absolute minimum over there in the quiet zone. Also we probably need to be sweeping this place multiple times a day just given the residual dust that's everywhere.
02:52:47 [Irredel (Sav)] I know there will be a lot of foot traffic in and out but I think that regular sweeping schedule will be essential to keeping everyone comfortable here.
02:53:35 [Sildir (Tris)] Don't forget to check with his highness. Udo, how does that sound to you pal?
02:53:40 [DM (Aarya)] Um... Yeah. Any plans for you?
02:53:40 [DM (Aarya)] Um... Yes. Sure.
02:53:46 [Sildir (Tris)] Alright. You're doing great Iridel. You have my approval and support as well.
02:53:46 [Sildir (Tris)] I like it.
02:53:54 [Irredel (Sav)] And so yeah I just imagine Iridel yammers on and comes up with all sorts of like... There's like a chore chart. There's like...
02:54:03 [Saturno (Steph)] Oh my god.
02:54:05 [Irredel (Sav)] Like a proposed meal schedule. An itinerary for like the so-called rehabilitation activities in case we get asked. Like I have like an audit log that I'm forging in terms of like what we've been doing to Udo theoretically.
02:54:22 [Sildir (Tris)] Can I have a oath sidebar with Udo? An oath sidebar? Okay.
02:54:22 [Sildir (Tris)] So Udo you really feel very strongly about the Baron.
02:54:33 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah. I mean strong enough to speak my mind on it.
02:54:38 [Sildir (Tris)] You would see him dead I heard you saying before.
02:54:41 [DM (Aarya)] Better than seeing him alive.
02:54:45 [Sildir (Tris)] Well listen. I think you may not realize the opportunity you have here. We're going to probably be building this place up bringing in more people and rounding out a group and obviously you're not here to be reformed.
02:54:45 [Sildir (Tris)] We're going to be gathering a bunch of people who spoke out against the Baron. Do you understand what I'm saying to you?
02:55:13 [DM (Aarya)] I think I do. Yes.
02:55:15 [Sildir (Tris)] And listen. I mean you're going to have been the first one here. If you take this a little bit seriously I think when we're not around you can you'll probably end up being a leader unless you prove yourself to be utterly worthless at that.
02:55:15 [Sildir (Tris)] So just don't do that and you'll have a real chance to get back at the Baron. I want you to try to focus on that instead of whatever else it is you've been focusing on.
02:55:40 [DM (Aarya)] You'll see as you say that he kind of like stands up a little straighter and like puffs out his chest and he looks to you with a sort of resolve on his face. He says, I understand.
02:55:54 [Sildir (Tris)] Good. I believe you do.
02:55:59 [DM (Aarya)] And as that's happening we'll cut over to the other scene. So it is Mercurio, Saturno, and Sililus walking the streets back to the inn. It is pretty late at night at this point.
02:55:59 [DM (Aarya)] The streets are abandoned basically. You don't really see anyone out and about. The sky is like clouded over so there's not really any moonlight or anything.
02:55:59 [DM (Aarya)] It's basically pitch dark. And you hear from like a street over a scream.
02:56:44 [Sildir (Tris)] Can't go five seconds in this town.
02:56:47 [Irredel (Sav)] Meanwhile I'm assigning the worst scores to the people who are out on the streets because they aren't there to vouch for themselves.
02:56:55 [Sildir (Tris)] Sililus would be good at that, yes. Cleaning the toilets.
02:57:00 [Mercurio (Gui)] How many people are out and about and stuff like that?
02:57:04 [DM (Aarya)] You don't see anyone.
02:57:05 [Mercurio (Gui)] I don't see anyone. We just hear a scream from a street down?
02:57:10 [DM (Aarya)] Yep.
02:57:11 [Ember (Spurthi)] I look at Mercurio and do we agree to go?
02:57:17 [Mercurio (Gui)] Fucking shit, alright.
02:57:19 [Ember (Spurthi)] Let's take a peek. do you want to come?
02:57:22 [Sylalys (Cat)] Maybe I can take out my anger on some monsters for once.
02:57:27 [Mercurio (Gui)] Okay. So we all run over? Okay.
02:57:27 [Mercurio (Gui)] Can we take a peek around the corner over to the other street?
02:57:35 [DM (Aarya)] So you run along and you find yourselves running down. Basically you find yourselves at the entrance to an alleyway. And you see like tucked around.
02:57:35 [DM (Aarya)] Let me find a token. You see an old man who is cornered by one of the spooky assassins that you've encountered before.
02:58:09 [Ember (Spurthi)] I see. Okay.
02:58:14 [Mercurio (Gui)] Can we like do a like the guy is going to hurt him immediately or anything?
02:58:18 [DM (Aarya)] You see like the old man is kind of like cowering like back up against the wall here. And the assassin is kind of just like slowly stalking towards him. Kind of just like menacingly.
02:58:34 [Mercurio (Gui)] Do we see like where the scream came from?
02:58:37 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah. I mean you assume the scream is from the old man. Oh, okay.
02:58:37 [DM (Aarya)] But yeah, the assassin is like I'd say like 10 feet away from the guy. But he has him cornered basically is what's happening.
02:58:50 [Ember (Spurthi)] Can I summon my echo knight? Yes. In front of like between them two.
02:58:58 [Saturno (Steph)] Okay.
02:58:59 [Ember (Spurthi)] Because it's within 20 feet. Okay, so okay, hold on. I think I remember how to do this.
02:59:10 [DM (Aarya)] As you get a bit closer, you notice that the assassin is walking with a bit of a limp. You see that he seems to be like he seems to have gotten into like a fight with someone. Maybe the old man, but maybe someone else.
02:59:10 [DM (Aarya)] You're not sure. And he has like a gash like in his back. And as you're summoning well, I'll say like I'll say like just before you summon you're standing over here for a moment.
02:59:10 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, you see a different figure jumping down from a rooftop nearby. Basically, you see a different like dark cloaked figure with a hood obscuring their face jump down and basically like pounce on top of the assassin and just like crumple him in one fell swoop. You see the the mysterious figure like pull out a shiny like silver dagger and plunge it through the um the assassin's heart and twist it and the assassin like is dead basically.
02:59:10 [DM (Aarya)] And then you see the man uh turn like stand up and look to the old man. It's all right now. You're safe.
02:59:10 [DM (Aarya)] Um and yeah you're like pulling up basically just as this is happening.
03:00:56 [Ember (Spurthi)] I see.
03:00:57 [Sylalys (Cat)] Yeah, they got fucking Batman in Milwaukee.
03:01:07 [DM (Aarya)] Um so yeah do you guys like say anything as you approach?
03:01:12 [Ember (Spurthi)] Does the cloak match anything that we've seen before like like this person's attire?
03:01:18 [DM (Aarya)] Um so what you see before you is like basically a man dressed in dark cloaks and like dark uh I'll say like dark colored armor I guess like a breastplate um literally Batman wearing like a black cloak and a hood and a mask obscuring his face. upon looking at him you are reminded of the description that you got from the person who visited Henrik the coffin maker before you got to him um and it seems like the same person like the description matches basically.
03:02:05 [Mercurio (Gui)] I guess we walk over to him and say hey.
03:02:12 [DM (Aarya)] Um you see the man like rise up to his feet and he kind of like looks back at you over his shoulder. He looks you up and down acknowledges you and then turns to face you.
03:02:23 [Mercurio (Gui)] Looks like you took care of him for us. Thanks for that I guess.
03:02:29 [DM (Aarya)] Hmm you shouldn't be out on the streets at this hour. It's not safe.
03:02:34 [Mercurio (Gui)] Ah well then don't you need any help with uh all these How do you know he is not a force of evil too?
03:02:43 [Sylalys (Cat)] We do not know what happened here. He could be a servant of the dark lords.
03:02:49 [Mercurio (Gui)] I mean we know we hate the wolf guys. We fought them before. Enemy is my enemy is my friend and all that.
03:02:49 [Mercurio (Gui)] You know?
03:02:59 [Sylalys (Cat)] Yes but look at him. He looks so cool.
03:03:08 [Saturno (Steph)] Can we high five?
03:03:14 [Mercurio (Gui)] Plus he matches a description. I guess you weren't there for that. We'll have to get you up on that.
03:03:24 [Ember (Spurthi)] Would you mind if we could speak with you a little longer?
03:03:29 [DM (Aarya)] All right but make it quick.
03:03:34 [Ember (Spurthi)] Um maybe we should go up elsewhere and maybe make sure that this uh anciano gets home safely.
03:03:43 [DM (Aarya)] Um you'll see the man like kind of um just like slowly walk over. He'll like raise his hands up to show that he's not like holding anything. He'll slowly walk over to the old man and he'll gently like um like pat his shoulder and he says to him it's all right you'll be safe now.
03:03:43 [DM (Aarya)] These people will escort you to safety. And he looks to you and he says you can do that right?
03:04:15 [Mercurio (Gui)] Sure yeah we were actually headed over to the tavern so.
03:04:20 [DM (Aarya)] Very good then you can take this man with you.
03:04:25 [Ember (Spurthi)] But for the uh a quick word and like maybe we could step away so the guide doesn't hear.
03:04:32 [DM (Aarya)] All right um and he'll just like I guess pull you over to the side like and like he'll speak to you in like hushed tones like out of earshot of the old man.
03:04:43 [Mercurio (Gui)] Hey um well you know it's nice to finally meet you. We've heard about you. Um just rumors and things but we're also trying to fight the court of wolves.
03:04:43 [Mercurio (Gui)] I say very quietly. Um and we're investigating some of the disappearances. We've linked back the disappearance of uh father Lucian and also the uh what's the Vistani girl's name again?
03:04:43 [Mercurio (Gui)] I always forget.
03:05:16 [DM (Aarya)] Arabelle.
03:05:17 [Mercurio (Gui)] Arabelle. Uh Arabelle the Vistani girl. Uh her disappearance as well back to the these cloaked figures here.
03:05:17 [Mercurio (Gui)] Um so well just pleasure to finally meet you and see how we can coordinate our efforts.
03:05:36 [DM (Aarya)] Coordinate. Yes.
03:05:39 [Ember (Spurthi)] Or if you have any advice or any leads as to where we can maybe like to find these people. If you don't want to work together that's perfectly fine but seen as we have a similar goal if that is your goal we would just like to help these people.
03:05:57 [DM (Aarya)] My advice is stay off the streets at night and don't get involved. This whole business is more sinister than you can imagine.
03:06:09 [Ember (Spurthi)] I take out like the teeth that I had from last time. It's like we've been involved. We can't just stay in and not do anything.
03:06:09 [Ember (Spurthi)] We need to find these missing people.
03:06:20 [Mercurio (Gui)] They threw a dagger at my chest in broad daylight so I think we don't have a say in the matter.
03:06:28 [Ember (Spurthi)] It's we're also being targeted it seems. So it's either wait around or stay out of your way.
03:06:48 [DM (Aarya)] I'm afraid I can't help you. I work alone.
03:06:54 [Mercurio (Gui)] I mean we have the same goal. Well at least tell me how to stay out of your way.
03:07:00 [DM (Aarya)] How to stay out of my way? Well I don't think that will be a problem.
03:07:08 [Mercurio (Gui)] And the father are you looking for him too? You seem to be trying to help people.
03:07:17 [DM (Aarya)] Well he's been taken and I don't yet know why. But it's clearly because he poses some kind of threat to the court. And the court themselves they aren't who they claim to be.
03:07:17 [DM (Aarya)] It's a farce.
03:07:38 [Mercurio (Gui)] Who are they then? Are they working with the baron?
03:07:41 [DM (Aarya)] Are they working with someone else? There's a connection that I've yet to uncover. But it's something that I'm handling myself.
03:07:57 [Ember (Spurthi)] You don't have to handle it alone. The point is to save as many people as we can. And if you're one person you can only do so much.
03:07:57 [Ember (Spurthi)] Not to get in your way or anything but time is of the essence unfortunately. You can only spread yourself so thin.
03:08:19 [Mercurio (Gui)] Can you at least let us share notes with you? What have you uncovered then?
03:08:32 [Ember (Spurthi)] Can we trust him? Can I see the...
03:08:39 [Mercurio (Gui)] We've heard that... I think we can trust them but there's no way to know for sure. We've heard some rumors that there may be a connection to the Baron.
03:08:39 [Mercurio (Gui)] We're trying to still verify that ourselves but some of the people that have disappeared such as the... What's it called? The Clothier?
03:08:39 [Mercurio (Gui)] The seamstress lady?
03:09:25 [DM (Aarya)] Yes, all the people who have spoken out against the Baron.
03:09:28 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yes, they've all mysteriously gone missing. Also, the Vistani girl, I mean, the Baron doesn't like the Vistani in general and the only one we can't explain super well is Father Lucian but I mean, I don't find it too far-fetched that he might have stuck his neck out too far for some of the people of the city.
03:09:54 [DM (Aarya)] To act directly against Father Lucian is too bold a move even for the Baron but I suspect there is a link. If you want to help, you should investigate his right hand, the captain of the town guard.
03:10:16 [Ember (Spurthi)] That guy?
03:10:17 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah, big, big hand guy. What can you tell us about his whereabouts? How can we best investigate him?
03:10:28 [DM (Aarya)] Well, wherever there's trouble in town, there's a pretty good chance he's not far behind it and he's known to be overzealous in his efforts to enforce the Baron's will.
03:10:44 [Ember (Spurthi)] Oh, I'm familiar with that.
03:10:48 [DM (Aarya)] The man is a bully and he has the strength to back up his aggression.
03:10:58 [Mercurio (Gui)] Any kind of area that trouble tends to stir up? Maybe the town square where he might hang out more frequently?
03:11:06 [DM (Aarya)] The man is a heavy drinker so anywhere where you might find ale and the like.
03:11:16 [Mercurio (Gui)] I mean, we're sort of becoming regulars at the Blue Water Inn. He doesn't go there. He goes to some other tavern.
03:11:28 [DM (Aarya)] Somewhere else, but likely the Baron's own supply. Keep an eye out, but also keep your distance. He is dangerous.
03:11:28 [DM (Aarya)] And as he says that, he'll like turn away from you and like stalk off like down the alley and he looks back over his shoulder I'll be in touch, but stay out of trouble. And as he says that, he like sticks an arm out and like basically you see him like fire a sort of like grapple and he swings away. I was waiting for that.
03:12:22 [Sildir (Tris)] I thought he was going to dip right at the beginning. Yeah. As soon as he said like, oh, take him home, I was going to bat man away.
03:12:30 [DM (Aarya)] Me too. I considered it.
03:12:34 [Ember (Spurthi)] All right, sir. Where do you live? this is perfect.
03:12:44 [DM (Aarya)] Oh, my home is not far from here. I was just on my way back from the Blue Water Inn.
03:12:53 [Mercurio (Gui)] Good spot.
03:12:54 [Ember (Spurthi)] Good spot. Good taste. Very good company.
03:12:54 [Ember (Spurthi)] Yes.
03:12:59 [DM (Aarya)] Um, who was that? Uh, I think his name is Batman.
03:13:05 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah.
03:13:06 [DM (Aarya)] Batman? Yeah, like a bat.
03:13:09 [Ember (Spurthi)] It's a man.
03:13:11 [DM (Aarya)] Hmm. That's terrifying.
03:13:16 [Ember (Spurthi)] Hey, you saved your life.
03:13:18 [Mercurio (Gui)] Also, worth noting because vampires exist. Not like a vampire. just like a normal bat.
03:13:26 [DM (Aarya)] Right, because dressing up like a bat is totally normal.
03:13:31 [Mercurio (Gui)] Well, maybe he has some connection to bats, something about his tragic backstory.
03:13:39 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah. You seem to know a lot about this.
03:13:43 [Mercurio (Gui)] I don't know.
03:13:43 [DM (Aarya)] I'm just, I'm a bard.
03:13:45 [Mercurio (Gui)] I tend to embellish stories.
03:13:51 [DM (Aarya)] Well, anyway, just, please take me home. My home is not far from here. It's just a street over.
03:13:58 [Ember (Spurthi)] Yeah, just lead the way. We'll be with you.
03:14:02 [DM (Aarya)] What's your name, young man? It's, ah, fuck, what is his name? Ah, fuck.
03:14:10 [Ember (Spurthi)] Nice to meet you, ah, fuck.
03:14:15 [DM (Aarya)] Let's see. His name is Greg.
03:14:21 [Mercurio (Gui)] Greg. Ah, Greg. What a good name.
03:14:26 [DM (Aarya)] Is this short for Gregory? Yes, it is. Wonderful name.
03:14:26 [DM (Aarya)] Do you have a favorite animal?
03:14:37 [Mercurio (Gui)] Do you have a favorite animal, Gregory?
03:14:38 [DM (Aarya)] I can't say that I have a favorite animal. I mean, maybe it's bats now.
03:14:46 [Mercurio (Gui)] I mean, that's fair. I like ravens.
03:14:50 [DM (Aarya)] Ravens are pretty cool. I mean, I don't know if you know, but ravens are good fortune.
03:14:56 [Mercurio (Gui)] Oh, I know, and I'm guessing Pepito is going to, like, throw or something.
03:15:02 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah. Oh, you have your raven with you, out? Yeah.
03:15:06 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah, I imagine he's just lying around near me. I'll call him down onto my finger.
03:15:11 [DM (Aarya)] Oh, you have a pet raven.
03:15:16 [Mercurio (Gui)] I'm lucky like that.
03:15:17 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, you really are. That's rare.
03:15:22 [Ember (Spurthi)] My favorite animal is Memphis.
03:15:25 [Mercurio (Gui)] Memphis?
03:15:26 [DM (Aarya)] Oh, I've never heard of that.
03:15:28 [Ember (Spurthi)] Yeah, here.
03:15:33 [Mercurio (Gui)] You just showed this monstrosity.
03:15:41 [Ember (Spurthi)] Oh, I'm a knight.
03:15:44 [DM (Aarya)] Um, knights, I didn't know knights could do that.
03:15:49 [Ember (Spurthi)] Yeah, uh, some of those can, yeah.
03:15:54 [Mercurio (Gui)] Well, anyways, we've got to get to the tavern, so we'll be seeing you in your house safe.
03:16:02 [DM (Aarya)] Thanks for your help.
03:16:04 [Ember (Spurthi)] Close that door and lock it.
03:16:09 [DM (Aarya)] I'm not going to do that.
03:16:36 [Ember (Spurthi)] I'm not going to do that.
03:16:40 [DM (Aarya)] I'm not going to do that.
03:17:10 [Mercurio (Gui)] I'm not going to do that. I'm not do that. I'm not going to do that.
03:17:10 [Mercurio (Gui)] I'm not going to do that. I'm not going to do that. I'm not do that.
03:17:10 [Mercurio (Gui)] I'm not going to do that. I'm not going to do that. do that.
03:17:10 [Mercurio (Gui)] I'm not going to do that. I'm not do that. I'm not do that.
03:17:10 [Mercurio (Gui)] do that. I'm not going to I'm not going to do that.
03:18:47 [DM (Aarya)] I'm not I won't say no to that. As he says that, you'll see Ferwin and Danica disappear to a room behind. And after a few minutes, they'll come out bearing some supplies like blankets, pillows, some really thick blankets.
03:18:47 [DM (Aarya)] I guess like wool blankets, I'll say, and some softer ones to use as bedding. And Erwin will reach under the counter and pull out a bottle of wine and hand it to Mercurio. Thank you, friend.
03:18:47 [DM (Aarya)] Thank you.
03:19:34 [Mercurio (Gui)] The team will be needing this after this long, hard day.
03:19:40 [DM (Aarya)] You've certainly been busy, haven't you, Mercurio?
03:19:50 [Mercurio (Gui)] How do you mean?
03:19:52 [DM (Aarya)] It's just, well, investigating Henrik's shop. I understand you had a meeting of some sorts today. I'm not certain who, but it sounded like something important.
03:20:09 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah, we're up to a lot.
03:20:11 [DM (Aarya)] Well, I understand the need for secrecy, and I'm no stranger to secrets myself, but just know that, though things may seem bleak in Vallaki, you have allies here in places you might not expect.
03:20:32 [Mercurio (Gui)] Based on eyebrow a little bit and insight, check that. Okay.
03:20:45 [DM (Aarya)] With a 12 insight, you get the sense that he's basically, like, you get the feeling that he's kind of implying an offer of sorts, but it doesn't seem like he's going to elaborate on that at this moment. You dabbing mob?
03:21:05 [Mercurio (Gui)] I'm going to say, well, maybe not everything needs to be so secret, then. We could use some allies. It does feel like we are spread a bit thin, and I think you've made some of your allegiances kind of clear to me.
03:21:05 [Mercurio (Gui)] Can we go into the back to talk, maybe? There's a bit of a crowd out here.
03:21:58 [DM (Aarya)] All right. And he'll kind of, like, lead you into the kitchen area back here.
03:22:07 [Saturno (Steph)] Could we all go?
03:22:09 [DM (Aarya)] I'll bring you guys over. Danica will stay behind to man the counter, and I'll lock the door.
03:22:20 [Mercurio (Gui)] So if I have you right, you're not a big fan of the Baron, as most people aren't.
03:22:27 [DM (Aarya)] You're right on that.
03:22:33 [Mercurio (Gui)] Well, we've quickly sort of come to the same conclusion as you, even though we're new in town. We quite hate the Baron. But that is not what we're presenting to the Baron.
03:22:33 [Mercurio (Gui)] We've I got it as much. And, well, our new plan is sort of, we are running the new rehabilitation center for him as a way to sort of free his prisoners that he's torturing, and to build up a club of people who share a sentiment.
03:23:18 [DM (Aarya)] I see. There's been some talks. Where exactly have you established this?
03:23:18 [DM (Aarya)] You have a location, I assume.
03:23:31 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yes, well, we actually got an old sort of run-down barn warehouse thing on the east side of town from him. We're running our operation out of there.
03:23:46 [DM (Aarya)] I see. I take it then this was a recent development.
03:23:54 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yes, but things are moving along very quickly. We're working on the site, and that's why we're building this shelter together.
03:24:03 [DM (Aarya)] This is quite an ambitious task, Mercurio.
03:24:07 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yes, it is. And I haven't even gotten to the worst part yet. He also has entrusted us with spying on Lady Voctor, who on the side had already reached out to us to form an alliance because of Satorno beefing with the Baron's right-hand man.
03:24:07 [Mercurio (Gui)] That sounds messy. Yeah, it's pretty messy. For now, at least it'll be quite easy to spy on her.
03:24:07 [Mercurio (Gui)] We can decide to report back the truth or falsehoods depending on how that goes, but I'm assuming that she will be a very useful ally to us and will definitely be useful in our ambitions against the Baron. But I do worry. We've heard a few damning rumors about her, so I'm a bit worried we'll have to tread lightly with her too.
03:24:07 [Mercurio (Gui)] I don't know what you can tell us about her.
03:25:14 [DM (Aarya)] Well, she has always been outspoken about her distaste for the Baron, and there are rumors that she's been planning something to solve that problem, and she's reaching out for allies to aid her in this.
03:25:40 [Mercurio (Gui)] Well, that she found the right people, but is she trustworthy? I mean, I think our biggest fear is that we might replace a tyrant with another tyrant.
03:25:55 [DM (Aarya)] I can't lie to you, Mercurio. Fiona has always been ambitious in her own right, although she's always been earnest in her declaration of support for the people of Vallaki. Whatever her goals are, she does seem to believe that her ambitions are for the good of the people, though her methods, I can't speak for.
03:26:23 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah, her methods. There's rumors that she has connections to Strahd.
03:26:32 [DM (Aarya)] The Voktor family has always been in good graces with the Zarevich, or Count Zarevich.
03:26:40 [Mercurio (Gui)] That's quite concerning, don't you think?
03:26:44 [DM (Aarya)] I can't say that I'm happy about it.
03:26:52 [Mercurio (Gui)] Well, thank you for that. That's quite useful. And well, about what you said, you know, where might we find some other allies if there are, like you say, so many, you know, allies sort of lingering about?
03:27:12 [DM (Aarya)] Well, for an operation such as the one that you're undertaking, you'll need eyes and ears looking out for you. And that, I can provide. You need only to look up.
03:27:12 [DM (Aarya)] And as he says that, you see like from the rafters above, a raven will flutter down. And Mercurio, you will recognize this raven with the tinge of blue feathers on their wings as the same raven who traveled with you to Vallaki.
03:28:00 [Mercurio (Gui)] So these ravens, they're part of some spy network or something?
03:28:09 [DM (Aarya)] Something like that, yes. But the hour is late, and there will be a time for introductions later. But for now, know that you have friends here.
03:28:09 [DM (Aarya)] And I think on that note, it's probably a good place to stop the session for now.
03:28:30 [Sildir (Tris)] Epic session.
03:28:35 [DM (Aarya)] What'd you say, Triss?
03:28:37 [Sildir (Tris)] I was telling ChatGPT that Udo is not covered in poop. My bad on that one. Just correcting the record.
03:28:45 [Mercurio (Gui)] I casted Prestidigitation on him. That's why he didn't have poop on him anymore.
03:28:49 [Sildir (Tris)] I thought you casted it to cover him in poop. That's why we have to set the record straight. If you're confused, ChatGPT is probably confused.
03:29:02 [Mercurio (Gui)] I think he was covered in poop, and then I casted it to clean him, and then I casted it again to soil him, and then clean him again.
03:29:10 [DM (Aarya)] You shit his pants?
03:29:12 [Mercurio (Gui)] I shit his pants.
03:29:22 [DM (Aarya)] Well, that's certainly a way to end a session. But yeah, good session, everyone. That was fun.
03:29:30 [Ember (Spurthi)] Better way to end a session is drop table if exist. Session. No!