Session 19 - Transcript

00:02 [DM (Aarya)] And we're live. Welcome to Phantom Chains session 19. I think at this point we are nearing upon one year from when we started, so that's pretty cool.
00:02 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, would our resident notetaker like to recap the last session?
00:24 [Sildir (Tris)] Am I a resident?
00:26 [DM (Aarya)] Are you?
00:27 [Sildir (Tris)] Pretty cool.
00:27 [DM (Aarya)] You've been around. I'm with Tantrites and stuff.
00:30 [Sildir (Tris)] I need some repairs.
00:35 [DM (Aarya)] We can see about that.
00:37 [Sildir (Tris)] Next time my HP dips, I'm calling you. All right, anyway. Session 18 was where we left off, because it's currently session 19.
00:37 [Sildir (Tris)] And it's funny, because really, like, all the context of where we pick up on session 18 was in the end of session 17, but I guess that's just how things work. But we picked up at the beginning of session 18, mid-combat, with the wife of Strahd, allegedly. And when we picked back up, it was really going crazy.
00:37 [Sildir (Tris)] More assassins came through the door. And also, Dolalus entered the fray and took out one assassin. Very, you know, we were all very grateful for that, because getting to be a lot to handle.
00:37 [Sildir (Tris)] We keep fighting. Irdel actually is able to resist the transformation mid-combat, because Valenta keeps trying to make a full moon happen. And it just wasn't sticking for the efforts of our party.
00:37 [Sildir (Tris)] Valenta also—that's the wife of Strahd, by the way, Valenta was her name—she goes for an escape. And we, most of us wanted to stop her. I think there were some dissenters, metagaming-wise, but the party tried to stop her.
00:37 [Sildir (Tris)] And, like, nothing fucking worked. Like, we tried. We kind of threw the kitchen sink at getting her to stop, and it just did not happen.
02:29 [DM (Aarya)] The wives were not on your side, unfortunately.
02:32 [Sildir (Tris)] Yeah. So we handled the remaining assassins, and we continued on. Of course, part of the reason we were there, and we, you know, didn't really know his status at that point, was to rescue Batman.
02:32 [Sildir (Tris)] Legally distinct. And that's kind of what we think to go do after this fight. So we do a little investigation of the room.
02:32 [Sildir (Tris)] There are also some strange, like, corpses. Pretty much corpses. I think they're still, like, somewhat alive, but they were not doing very well.
02:32 [Sildir (Tris)] We kind of check on them as well. But then we go on to where Valenta came from, which was on the other side of the room, the side that we did not come from. And there's a, I described it as, a fucked up room with a bunch of bones and carvings, including a throne made of human remains.
02:32 [Sildir (Tris)] And there was an altar in front of the throne as well. Iridel felt drawn to the throne, which is pretty notable, and it seemed to be an altar to some sort of dark entity. But after, you know, kind of just looking around and keeping Iridel, making sure that she's able to resist on her own or with help, we continue on to a door that we see on the opposite side of the room, where we find Father Bryce and Father Lucian.
02:32 [Sildir (Tris)] Which is awesome news. So, Iridel heals up Lucian, and Sildir heals up Bryce. Did I say Father Bruce?
02:32 [Sildir (Tris)] My bad, if I did.
04:19 [DM (Aarya)] You said Bryce.
04:20 [Sildir (Tris)] Yeah, Father Bryce and Father Lucian. Anyways, we help them out of the restraints, and we begin to lead them out of the prison. On the way out, we grab the crushed moon object, which we crushed as part of the combat that Valenta had, that was used to try to turn Iridel.
04:20 [Sildir (Tris)] And we also grab the immobilized folks from the room, who are just barely alive, Sildir and Saturno, carrying them away. Sildir is giving Father Bryce some shit about his working alone act. He actually gave him a lot of shit, but I won't recap that any further.
04:20 [Sildir (Tris)] Let's see, we find a hidden door on the other side of the room, and we pry that open to escape, rather than jumping that big gap again. There's actually a nat 20 roll, which is awesome. I think we needed a nat 20, or no, it was a dc20 roll, and we hit it.
04:20 [Sildir (Tris)] I don't think it was a nat 20, but still notable. We make it out of the cave, which, reminder, was known as the Maw of the Wolf, and we beeline straight to the church with Father Bryce, Father Lucian, and the two bodies. All this time, Lucian hadn't even really known us, so we introduce ourselves to him, and we let him know that the coffee maker has been worried about him, and he takes note that Saturno is wielding the coffee maker's halberd, and makes it a plus one.
05:51 [DM (Aarya)] And the rest goes away.
05:57 [Sildir (Tris)] It has a new feature?
05:58 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, it has a funny feature on it.
06:00 [Sildir (Tris)] Okay. Do we know that, or are we going to learn in dramatic fashion?
06:05 [DM (Aarya)] Saturno is aware of it. I don't know if she's shared with everyone yet. I think on a meta level, it was mentioned, but I don't know if it was ever mentioned in character.
06:15 [Sildir (Tris)] It was pretty good, the last part of it. Gotcha, okay.
06:21 [Saturno (Steph)] I can see what it is.
06:22 [Sildir (Tris)] We also... yeah, go for it.
06:25 [Saturno (Steph)] So I have plus one bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon. When you score a critical hit with this weapon, you gain inspiration or grant inspiration to an ally you could see.
06:39 [Sildir (Tris)] Inspiration machine. I like it.
06:42 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah. It has a funny name, too, the weapon itself.
06:46 [Saturno (Steph)] Yeah, Halberd of Justice. Very good.
06:50 [Sildir (Tris)] Awesome. I'm glad you like that one.
06:53 [Saturno (Steph)] Thank you.
06:55 [Sildir (Tris)] But we do make it back to the church. We tell Lucian that it's the day before the feast, and Lucian is freaking out and starts going into prep mode. We share the information about the actors.
06:55 [Sildir (Tris)] We also kind of remind slash inform that the full moon is tomorrow to the priest, and that we're going to need their help. And we also learn that there is a long-term cure for lycanthropy, but that's all we really learn. It exists.
06:55 [Sildir (Tris)] We continue to... well, I say we. I bickered a lot with Father Bryce.
06:55 [Sildir (Tris)] I don't know if everyone else claims that or not. And Father Lucian tells us that Father Bryce has a tragic backstory. Sorry, my notes are jumbled sometimes.
06:55 [Sildir (Tris)] Anyways, we continue discussing more, and Father Lucian tells us we should discuss soul, blah, blah, blah. Okay, so we learn that we should go to the Abbot of Krezeg for the lycanthropy cure. Something to remember or to tell me to go look through my notes for at some point.
06:55 [Sildir (Tris)] But we also know that that town has a strict border control from this conversation. Lucian agrees to take care of the injured folks from the cave, the two people that were in the weird tanks, and we talk to Wachter. And she tells us her plan to take over tomorrow.
06:55 [Sildir (Tris)] I think we had some skepticism considering that she was trusting that one weird guy before, but it seems like she's got it under control. And we also tell her that Lucian might be a good person to refer to for her daughter's ailment or curse or whatever it may be. But after all that business is kind of settled, we head back to the Bluewater Inn to check on Irina.
06:55 [Sildir (Tris)] We arrive and she is there with Danica. We catch her up on pretty much everything. And we learn that Irina was able to strike a deal with Wachter who will let her bring her people in town.
06:55 [Sildir (Tris)] Big W for her. Erwin brings us some food and notably some extra meat for Iridel upon, I think it was her request. Let's see.
06:55 [Sildir (Tris)] Yeah, we also learn a little bit of possibly, you know, upcoming quest slash side quest slash maybe this is how we leave this town once this is all over, who knows. Um, but Erwin tells us of his father who he hasn't heard from and who was his wine supply. That's why he has such a sick wine plug.
06:55 [Sildir (Tris)] Um, but he hasn't been getting the same shipments that he's expecting and he hasn't heard anything about it from his dad who's named Davian Mardukov. Um, and Davian notably is also the head of the spy network that Erwin has been maintaining. So, um, Erwin is asking us for a favor to go check on his dad.
06:55 [Sildir (Tris)] I feel like that's hard to turn down considering Erwin and everything he's done for us so far. But we long rest and level up and here we are.
10:30 [DM (Aarya)] Nice. Thank you. Um, I'm gonna go ahead and switch the scene back to the Blue Water Inn so we can pick up from there.
10:30 [DM (Aarya)] Um, let's see. Water Inn. Let's get the, I think, let's do the second floor.
10:30 [DM (Aarya)] So many scenes to manage. Give me a sec.
11:03 [Sildir (Tris)] No services? Yeah, it's over.
11:07 [DM (Aarya)] Oh my gosh, that Carlos.
11:08 [Sildir (Tris)] Um, yeah, just since you asked, we can hear him a little bit.
11:12 [Saturno (Steph)] Okay, but less than before?
11:14 [DM (Aarya)] What did you want? Um, I'm not sure that it was any different.
11:20 [Saturno (Steph)] Okay, got it, got it.
11:23 [DM (Aarya)] Let me, um, these multi-level scenes are kind of trippy. Does everyone have their tokens in the scene really quick?
11:33 [Saturno (Steph)] Let me check. I do.
11:37 [DM (Aarya)] Okay.
11:39 [Sildir (Tris)] I am, okay, so hopefully, um, I do.
11:43 [DM (Aarya)] Pfft, excuse me. I can't seem to move you guys though. That's strange.
11:43 [DM (Aarya)] It's probably because we're on, hold on. Let me, give me a second to mess around with this. And then we'll go to the second scene.
11:43 [DM (Aarya)] Um, second floor, I mean. Okay, so if I recall, um, you were all given three rooms? No, two rooms, um, to like, share between yourselves.
11:43 [DM (Aarya)] Let's see. I don't recall how we divvied up, uh, bedding arrangements. But there's one room.
13:00 [Sildir (Tris)] I don't know if you really discussed it.
13:01 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, I don't, yeah, it might have just been like hand-waved away. But there, you have two rooms. There's like, actually, let me bring everyone in first before I start getting into that.
13:01 [DM (Aarya)] Um, yeah, so there are the two rooms. There's one on this side of the hallway. Can I not click?
13:01 [DM (Aarya)] There it is. And then the, a room in the corner. So one room is a larger room with four beds in it.
13:01 [DM (Aarya)] And the other one is a smaller room with two beds. Um, if you'd like, you can arrange yourselves however you feel. You all would have like, bunked up just for like, RP purposes.
13:01 [DM (Aarya)] But that's up to y'all.
13:49 [Sildir (Tris)] Um, I am, uh, afk, but I would try to either be in the same room as Iridyl, or like, right next to the next door over.
14:00 [DM (Aarya)] Okay, all right. Looks like Iridyl's in this room.
14:07 [Irredel (Sav)] Yeah, I would have been like, over here, like, in the corner. And probably like, sleeping on the floor next to this bed.
14:16 [DM (Aarya)] Okay, interesting. Sounds good.
14:22 [Irredel (Sav)] But like, I'd probably turn this little trunk out, like, sideways to like, form like, a full barrier. Around the hall.
14:30 [Ember (Spurthi)] Like, barricading myself in, in this little corner.
14:37 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, let me put, I'll put Ember and Solas in that room as well. And then we'll put Mercurio and Ceturno in the other room. That seems reasonable.
14:37 [DM (Aarya)] Um, all right, so, I do have some dream sequences for everyone. Okay, let's see, let's see, let's start with, let's start with Sylilus. Okay, so, Sylilus, you don't, being an elf, you don't exactly sleep in the normal sense.
14:37 [DM (Aarya)] I believe elves just have to meditate for four hours. Every day to get their rest. So you don't see, like, you don't have a dream necessarily, though you do see a vision come to you.
14:37 [DM (Aarya)] And in this vision, you see yourself standing before a mystical-looking sword plunged into a stone, like a large boulder of sorts. You note that the sword itself, you can see a bit of its blades, like, peeking out from where it's stuck into the stone. You note that it seems to be forged of two metals.
14:37 [DM (Aarya)] One edge is made of a glittering silver, and the other is just regular steel. You feel yourself being drawn towards the sword, and you hear a whisper, Find me. And then you, you awake.
14:37 [DM (Aarya)] Let's see who else we got. We got Sildir. All right.
14:37 [DM (Aarya)] You, unfortunately, see a more disturbing vision. You see flashbacks to all of your party's previous battles. You see yourself fighting to defend your friends from the werewolf attack.
14:37 [DM (Aarya)] You feel powerless as you see Iridel bitten by the werewolf that got her. You see, you see the scene switch. You see Valenta darting in and out of the smoke clouds, laughing as she picks apart, picks apart everyone.
14:37 [DM (Aarya)] And once again, you feel helpless to stop her. And you see another vision. This time, a scene that you haven't seen before.
14:37 [DM (Aarya)] You see Strahd himself standing before you, wearing a cruel smile with blood dripping down from his mouth. And all around him, you see your friends lying broken and bloodied. And then you hear a voice speaking to you.
14:37 [DM (Aarya)] My champion, call upon my aid in battle, and I shall grant you the strength to vanquish your enemies. And then you wake.
17:35 [Ember (Spurthi)] Okay.
17:37 [DM (Aarya)] And now let's see. We have one with Iridel. Okay.
17:37 [DM (Aarya)] Iridel, you feel yourself in your dream. You see yourself sitting in a shallow pool of murky black water. And all around you, you're surrounded by darkness.
17:37 [DM (Aarya)] Suddenly, you see a mass of bone erupt from the pool before you. And atop it, you see a throne of bone. It's very similar to what you saw in the court from last night.
17:37 [DM (Aarya)] This time, however, seated atop this throne is a woman. She's adorned in pelts and covered in red war paint. She looks to you with a feral expression.
17:37 [DM (Aarya)] And as you make eye contact, you feel emboldened. Something about this figure feels awe-inspiring to you. And she speaks to you.
17:37 [DM (Aarya)] You could have the strength to achieve your goals. You only need to seize it. And then suddenly, you awake.
17:37 [DM (Aarya)] And as you're coming to wakefulness, you notice a few changes. You realize that you've gained a few inches of height. Your body feels a bit stronger, more muscular.
17:37 [DM (Aarya)] And you see that along your forearms and the back of your neck, you've sprouted some hair. And above all of that, you feel a burning hunger. Let's see who else.
17:37 [DM (Aarya)] Let's go to Saturno. And this one is also shared. This is a shared vision between Saturno and Ember.
17:37 [DM (Aarya)] So the two of you have had a similar experience to this one before, when you saw a young woman fleeing from a shadowy figure. You later learned that this was Stella, Lady Voctor's daughter. You see a very similar vision.
17:37 [DM (Aarya)] Once again, you see Stella standing before you. She isn't running from anyone this time. This vision seems like she's trying to speak to you or communicate something to you.
17:37 [DM (Aarya)] You see her standing before the two of you. And she's struggling to speak, but you're able to make out a few things. She says to you, Help, Victor.
17:37 [DM (Aarya)] Not much time. And then the vision blurs and you're not awake. Mercurio, we got one for you.
17:37 [DM (Aarya)] Let's see.
20:26 [Ember (Spurthi)] We'll see when you finish.
20:28 [DM (Aarya)] Your vision is a bit different from the other ones. You don't necessarily see anything. However, in your dreams, you hear a very captivating melody.
20:28 [DM (Aarya)] It's a melody that you think is played on some kind of flute. It gives you a feeling of some kind of longing or melancholy. And as you awake, you find that you are the one playing the tune on your flute.
20:28 [DM (Aarya)] And that's what you see yourself doing when you come to. In the room with you is just Saturno. But yeah, let's see.
20:28 [DM (Aarya)] I think that was everyone, right?
21:17 [Sildir (Tris)] Yeah, what did Saturno and Ember see? Or what did Stella say to them?
21:21 [DM (Aarya)] She said, Help, Victor.
21:26 [Saturno (Steph)] Not much time.
21:27 [DM (Aarya)] All right. So yeah, let's start in the room with Mercurio and Saturno.
21:42 [Saturno (Steph)] So do you usually wake up playing the flute?
21:48 [Mercurio (Gui)] No, I just had a really weird dream.
21:51 [Saturno (Steph)] You had a weird dream?
21:54 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah, I heard this song in my dream and I was trying to figure out who was playing it. But apparently it was me.
22:03 [Saturno (Steph)] Yeah, it was you. But I had a weird dream too.
22:08 [Mercurio (Gui)] I've never even heard this song before. But you didn't just make it up? I didn't feel like it.
22:17 [Saturno (Steph)] My dream was about Lady Valkyrie's daughter. She was trying to talk to me. She's telling me that we had to help Victor and that there wasn't much time.
22:30 [Mercurio (Gui)] Victor?
22:31 [Saturno (Steph)] Yeah. I had that same dream. I wonder if it's weird that it happened again.
22:31 [Saturno (Steph)] Yeah, she always talks to us. So strange. Let's check with the others.
22:31 [Saturno (Steph)] It seems we all had some kind of dream.
22:51 [DM (Aarya)] All right, so let's move on to the other room. Yeah.
22:58 [Sildir (Tris)] Okay, so who is in my room?
23:03 [DM (Aarya)] With you is Iridel, Sililis, and Ember also was here. Although I assume that she went to go see Saturno since they shared a vision. But yeah, now the others are joining you all in this one room.
23:22 [Saturno (Steph)] We're all in this little room.
23:25 [Sildir (Tris)] Guys, what the heck? I just woke up. What's going on?
23:25 [Sildir (Tris)] I had the worst dream.
23:31 [Saturno (Steph)] Everyone was- Did everyone have dreams? Did you have a bad dream?
23:35 [Sildir (Tris)] I was dying.
23:36 [Saturno (Steph)] Oh. Fuck.
23:40 [Sildir (Tris)] I'm gonna like turn over to like go back to sleep. Like just pull the blanket up and I'm gonna like freeze. My eyes go wide.
23:40 [Sildir (Tris)] I say, Iridel. You look great. You look good.
23:40 [Sildir (Tris)] My, what's up? No, we can't hear Iridel. Could you come and- can you stand up?
24:08 [Ember (Spurthi)] Oh, yeah, yeah.
24:10 [Irredel (Sav)] No, I'm having a perfectly peaceful morning down here.
24:16 [Sildir (Tris)] Oh, yeah, it's just- I'm not sure if it's from my bad sleep or my dream, but it looks like you've grown and I think you're past the growing phase of your life.
24:28 [DM (Aarya)] I will interject really quick. So, Iridel, you should see on your character sheet under your passive features, you have a new feature and it is up to you whether or not you'd like to share that with everyone else.
24:43 [Irredel (Sav)] I'll share it when appropriate. I think everyone is on a need-to-know basis with what is happening right now and I will continue to stay over here while I process this and if anyone has any food in their sacks, please just throw it in my direction. Preferably while not looking at me.
25:06 [Sildir (Tris)] Um, I'll do that. I'll give like a- try to meet whatever I have. Yeah.
25:15 [Saturno (Steph)] I whisper to Mercurio, oh my gosh, she reminds me of my mom.
25:29 [Irredel (Sav)] Did we already check out for the payment for these rooms? Do we have any receipts that I need to handle? Do I need to manage any of the finances right now?
25:29 [Irredel (Sav)] You could just throw the logs over in my direction and I'll just handle that while you all do whatever it is you're planning on doing today.
25:52 [Sildir (Tris)] Well, I say, uh, okay guys, let's all go and get the receipts from Erwin and bring them back. Right.
26:05 [Irredel (Sav)] You can also see if Erwin needs anything done, I could do that.
26:10 [Sildir (Tris)] I'll tell him.
26:12 [Irredel (Sav)] I'll balance every book there is?
26:15 [Sildir (Tris)] I'll say you can leave them at the door.
26:21 [Mercurio (Gui)] All right, well. Yeah, I'm gonna step out.
26:28 [Sildir (Tris)] I'm also gonna step out.
26:31 [Ember (Spurthi)] Yep.
26:32 [Sildir (Tris)] Kind of herding everybody out with me like, okay, come on, let's get the papers. Let's get the papers.
26:41 [Mercurio (Gui)] Um, well, what about that? What happened with that Victor thing? Not much time.
26:48 [Sildir (Tris)] Victor, that's, um, that's the Brad, isn't it? Yep. The one that we negotiated to keep alive?
26:55 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah. Yeah.
26:56 [Saturno (Steph)] So, looks like it.
26:58 [Mercurio (Gui)] Some scribbles or something. Yeah, a book.
27:02 [Saturno (Steph)] So Ember and I, we believe we shared a vision, and in our vision it was, um, Lady Voktor's daughter Stella telling us to help Victor and that he doesn't have much time. But that's all I can recall.
27:22 [Sildir (Tris)] And remind me that you saw her in your other weird dream when you guys were in that coma, right?
27:28 [Saturno (Steph)] Yeah, she saved us from a shadowy figure.
27:37 [Sildir (Tris)] So, maybe we were on the right track when we were thinking that Victor might have something to do with this or could be helpful?
27:49 [Saturno (Steph)] I think so.
27:50 [Sildir (Tris)] Or maybe that's why he was looking for those books?
27:53 [Saturno (Steph)] Maybe. Maybe there's something he can't tell us.
27:57 [Mercurio (Gui)] Maybe there's something he has to look for.
28:00 [Saturno (Steph)] Yeah. Should we go find him?
28:04 [Mercurio (Gui)] Or maybe, maybe he's gonna get, you know, caught in a crossfire with all this, you know, the coup, the coup stuff, you know?
28:16 [Sildir (Tris)] Yeah, there is a lot going on today. We have the, um, Happy Happy Joy Joy Festival, or whatever we call it, and the full moon, as we just saw. Which I, at that point, step away downstairs and actually go get the papers from Erwin.
28:35 [DM (Aarya)] You go down to greet Erwin. You ask for, like, papers and receipts and stuff. He just looks at you and says, what are you talking about, Sildur?
28:35 [DM (Aarya)] I'm not charging you for this. Oh, that's great.
28:46 [Saturno (Steph)] We need it. Just make it up. Just write it down.
28:50 [DM (Aarya)] I don't understand. I'm offering you free rooms.
28:54 [Mercurio (Gui)] I think Erdogan just needed some space. I don't think he even needs papers.
29:00 [DM (Aarya)] Do you need any taxes done? You're cutting out, Svarte. Is it, uh...
29:08 [Ember (Spurthi)] Oh, I am?
29:10 [Sildir (Tris)] One of our, one of our friends can really use some busy work. Do you have, uh, monthly taxes you pay or something, or anything that is paperwork-related to do for this show?
29:24 [DM (Aarya)] All residents of Barovia do pay taxes to the Burgomaster, and the Burgomaster in turn collects this, uh, this money and hands it over to the count. Um, there is paperwork for it, although I don't know why you'd be interested.
29:39 [Sildir (Tris)] Uh, call it pro bono work. Uh, yeah. Whatever you got, bring it out here.
29:45 [DM (Aarya)] Um, all right. Um, sure. Why not?
29:45 [DM (Aarya)] Um, you'll see Erwin kind of, like, duck back. Um, uh, like, into the room, back, like, in the kitchen area. Um, as he's passing through the door, you'll see Danica, and she kind of just, like, gives him a quizzical look, and he, Erwin just, like, shrugs in response.
29:45 [DM (Aarya)] Um, but a minute later, he returns, and he gives you, um, the paperwork for the taxes that the Blue Runner pays to the Burgomaster. Definitely not what I was expecting this to go, but, you know.
30:23 [Sildir (Tris)] Yeah, um, we'll get this done and get back to you. It's, uh...
30:26 [DM (Aarya)] I mean, it's already been done. I don't, I don't really understand why you need this.
30:30 [Sildir (Tris)] She'll do it again. Don't worry. Yeah.
30:30 [Sildir (Tris)] I see. I've never heard that before. She'll double check and make sure that the, uh, you know, the new people end up...
30:30 [Sildir (Tris)] Never mind that.
30:41 [DM (Aarya)] Um... New people?
30:42 [Sildir (Tris)] Yeah. Nothing, nothing. Don't worry about it.
30:42 [Sildir (Tris)] Uh, you'll find out very soon. Anyways, uh, and I'm... Run that upstairs.
30:55 [DM (Aarya)] What are you laughing at?
30:59 [Saturno (Steph)] The new people. Uh, it's okay, don't worry.
31:10 [Sildir (Tris)] Did Steph cut out, or is that my signal?
31:13 [DM (Aarya)] She didn't cut out on my end.
31:15 [Sildir (Tris)] Okay, cool.
31:19 [Saturno (Steph)] So what should we do today? I mean, there's just so much going on. I feel like...
31:23 [DM (Aarya)] I will point out that as you guys came downstairs, um, you might have heard it already, like when you woke up in the morning, but it's definitely more obvious now. It is raining outside. You hear, like, rain pattering against the windows and you hear thunder rumbling in the distance.
31:52 [Mercurio (Gui)] Well, are we gonna go, uh...
31:55 [Saturno (Steph)] Help the boy?
31:57 [Mercurio (Gui)] I heard all this busy work, and then, uh, go help that boy?
32:01 [Sildir (Tris)] Do we have to finish the turnoff?
32:04 [Saturno (Steph)] Yeah, I think that would be a good idea.
32:06 [Mercurio (Gui)] There's not much time, sounds pretty urgent to me.
32:09 [Saturno (Steph)] Yeah. Just be swift. So I guess we go back upstairs with the papers?
32:20 [Sildir (Tris)] Yeah. Uh, hey, uh, I just knocked. Uh, I have your papers.
32:29 [Irredel (Sav)] Oh, oh, excellent. Okay, uh, and I'll walk through the door.
32:35 [Sildir (Tris)] Uh, Irwin says these are all done already, but I told him you could redo it.
32:40 [Irredel (Sav)] Oh, yeah, I'm sure we could find some additional savings here and there. There's always, especially when people do take themselves, little mistakes you can catch. Why, why do you all look so...
32:40 [Irredel (Sav)] Uh, Perturbs, what's going on?
32:57 [Sildir (Tris)] We're, uh, I mean, I'm, uh...
33:01 [Saturno (Steph)] I think we all had crazy dreams.
33:04 [Mercurio (Gui)] I had sleep nightmares. Uh, also this Victor kid, uh, we gotta go help him, apparently.
33:13 [Irredel (Sav)] Oh, what's, what's happening?
33:15 [Mercurio (Gui)] Something bad.
33:16 [Irredel (Sav)] He needs our help. Oh, okay. Well, I guess this paperwork can wait.
33:16 [Irredel (Sav)] Um, let's, let's go.
33:27 [Mercurio (Gui)] Okay, then. You're going to be good.
33:31 [Irredel (Sav)] Totally great. And I'm going to, like, pull my, like, cloak up, like, even more around my shoulders.
33:37 [Mercurio (Gui)] Good thinking, it's raining.
33:40 [Irredel (Sav)] Oh, great. Let me, um, grab a scarf. I don't want to go, like, grab a scarf and bundle myself up even more.
33:40 [Irredel (Sav)] Nice.
33:51 [DM (Aarya)] Um... All right, so is everyone...
33:53 [Irredel (Sav)] And Iridel typically always has her hair, like, pulled back to the bun, and she's gonna, like, unpin it to continue to, like, further, like, hide her neck and kind of power behind all this fabric.
34:10 [DM (Aarya)] Oh, my. Yeah, if... By the way, Steph, we do still hear Carlos, but yeah.
34:10 [DM (Aarya)] I used the first one right away.
34:18 [Saturno (Steph)] Okay, it's the same, right?
34:21 [Sildir (Tris)] About the same, yeah.
34:22 [Saturno (Steph)] Okay, okay.
34:23 [Sildir (Tris)] Which is not bad. All right, so I guess we go to walk out, then, instead. Is everyone cool with that?
34:23 [Sildir (Tris)] I guess we'll head towards the, uh, Iridomaster's Mansion. The major refills of your ship, you know what I mean?
34:39 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah. I will say...
34:41 [Sildir (Tris)] On the way out, I, like... Oh, go ahead.
34:43 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, I will say, at this point, it is morning. Like, it's probably, like, around, like, 8-ish or so, 8.30, maybe. You do know that the Festival of Blazing Sun that Baron Vargas was organizing was scheduled to happen at noon today?
34:43 [DM (Aarya)] And Lady Voctor did tell you that around then would be when she plans to do her plan.
35:10 [Sildir (Tris)] Well... The way I kind of feel about it right now is it's her plan at this point, but maybe we should at least watch.
35:20 [Mercurio (Gui)] Well, maybe that's the danger that Victor's in.
35:24 [Saturno (Steph)] Maybe, yeah.
35:26 [Sildir (Tris)] We'll find out. So, on the way out, I, in a rush, like, walk back up to the bar and, like, oh, hey, everyone, she's done with papers already. She did a really good job.
35:26 [Sildir (Tris)] New efficiencies were found, and et cetera, right here. And we just keep walking out.
35:41 [DM (Aarya)] Oh, yeah, thanks, Sildur. This looks exactly the same, but, you know... And then...
35:41 [DM (Aarya)] All right, so you guys leave the premises before he finishes.
35:54 [Ember (Spurthi)] Um, Sildur...
35:54 [DM (Aarya)] Sorry, Iridel.
35:56 [Sildir (Tris)] You can stop me instead if you want.
35:58 [DM (Aarya)] Your mic was muted, by the way. We didn't hear you, if you were just saying anything.
36:02 [Ember (Spurthi)] It's all good.
36:04 [DM (Aarya)] Okay.
36:04 [Sildir (Tris)] She said she would have stopped me mid-track, so we have the papers still. That's good.
36:09 [DM (Aarya)] Okay, okay.
36:11 [Sildir (Tris)] That's my bad.
36:13 [DM (Aarya)] Okay, no worries. All right, so off to the Burgomaster's mansion, is it?
36:19 [Sildir (Tris)] I suppose so, as long as everyone's cool with that.
36:23 [DM (Aarya)] All right. Yes.
36:25 [Sylalys (Cat)] Yeah. Let's see.
36:27 [DM (Aarya)] Baron's house. All right. Interestingly, not everyone is in this scene at the moment.
36:27 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, look at this.
36:37 [Ember (Spurthi)] You as the back.
36:37 [DM (Aarya)] Let me figure this out really quick. Um, so who do we have? We have Iridel, Sildur...
36:37 [DM (Aarya)] Oh, hey, yeah, look at that. Um, Mercurio... Oh, wait, no.
36:37 [DM (Aarya)] Saturna's here. Who are we missing? Is it just Ember?
36:37 [DM (Aarya)] I'll get her in. Holy fudge.
36:58 [Sildir (Tris)] While we're walking, I whisper to Iridel, and I say, like, are you, like, are you ghosted up? How you need to be. Did you kill anything?
37:07 [Irredel (Sav)] Yes.
37:09 [Ember (Spurthi)] You're sure? Yeah, today's, like, the day of the full moon, right?
37:16 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah.
37:16 [Irredel (Sav)] Yeah, yeah, I took the wolfsbane.
37:20 [Sildir (Tris)] Okay, making sure.
37:22 [DM (Aarya)] All right, so as you guys are conversing about you, after a short walk, you end up at the front gates to, um, Valakovic Manor.
37:36 [Sildir (Tris)] All right, so, um, why are we here, guys? Anyone have a game plan for that?
37:43 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah, what's our... I guess on the way here, we discuss what our cover is going to be.
37:50 [Sildir (Tris)] Maybe we can be checking in on business?
37:56 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah, we can just say that we're, we just wanted to report back about, uh, our disciplining of the guy. Uh, what's the guy's name?
38:08 [Sildir (Tris)] Uh, we, we, we can have changed his name to, uh, Grunt Maggot and, uh, Pipsqueak. But it's actually Udo.
38:18 [Mercurio (Gui)] Okay, Udo, yeah. Yeah, Pipsqueak. All right, so Pipsqueak, uh, is nearly completely reformed now.
38:18 [Mercurio (Gui)] And we just wanted to let him know the, the great news. The program is working excellently. And, um, soon we will be able to take on, uh, more clients that need reforming.
38:46 [Saturno (Steph)] Yeah.
38:46 [Mercurio (Gui)] And we just wanted to let him know the great news. All will be well. And also to celebrate this great holiday.
38:46 [Mercurio (Gui)] You know, we wanted to wish him a happy, uh, what's this holiday called again? The, uh, festival of the blazing sun. Festival of the morning glory.
39:04 [Saturno (Steph)] All will be Willardy.
39:05 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah. All will be well on this festival of the glorious, uh, what is it? The something sun?
39:05 [Mercurio (Gui)] The blazing sun?
39:14 [Sildir (Tris)] I think there's one more actually. Yeah, there's one more.
39:16 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah, we gotta get that.
39:18 [Sildir (Tris)] Um, we should get that straight. Yeah. Did we get the banner?
39:18 [Sildir (Tris)] Pretty sure. Yeah. Okay.
39:18 [Sildir (Tris)] What was that? The festival of the blazing sun? No.
39:36 [Sylalys (Cat)] Yeah.
39:38 [Sildir (Tris)] I think it's the blazing sun.
39:40 [Mercurio (Gui)] All right, well, we'll go with that then.
39:47 [Sildir (Tris)] We'll smooth it over, whatever happens. Yeah. I've seen you, uh, speak, I believe.
39:55 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah, once we get up to the door and knock, I'm going to also cast enhance ability on myself. Okay.
40:08 [DM (Aarya)] All right, so you knock?
40:12 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah, wait, since I have concentration. Yeah, uh, yeah, we knock.
40:19 [DM (Aarya)] All right, so you knock, um, you, you wait for about a minute or so, um, you hear some hurried footsteps coming from behind the door and then the door opens. You are greeted with the same, uh, servant woman who, um, has ushered you into the house before. Um, she looks to you and she, uh, looks to you all.
40:19 [DM (Aarya)] She has a sort of like almost manic expression on her face. Um, she takes a moment and then she seems to recognize who you are. Oh, uh, you, you're the, you're the, you're the Burgomaster's aides.
40:19 [DM (Aarya)] Uh, are you here to see him?
40:54 [Ember (Spurthi)] Uh, yes, we are.
40:56 [DM (Aarya)] I'm, I'm afraid you just missed him. He's, uh, well, it seemed he had a very urgent audience with, uh, Lady Voktor. He, he, he isn't home right now.
41:07 [Mercurio (Gui)] I see. Well, we have some manners to attend to in his, uh, library. So, um, we can just get that done really quickly while he's away, not to bother him.
41:18 [DM (Aarya)] Um, I, I, I understand that you're his trusted aides, but I'm not sure that I should be letting in guests when he isn't home. Uh, the, the Baron does value his privacy.
41:30 [Mercurio (Gui)] Can we just wait inside? The importance of this, this, uh, endeavor that we're doing, this is top priority. I mean, I, I, I would love to share the details with you, but it's top secret.
41:30 [Mercurio (Gui)] You see, the Virgo Master has entrusted us to get this done and we need to finish our job, uh, this morning. Otherwise, you know, you know how his temper can be. And I wouldn't want to, you know, tell him that the reason that we couldn't get this important work done was because you wouldn't let us in.
42:02 [DM (Aarya)] Um, okay. Yeah. Go ahead and roll.
42:02 [DM (Aarya)] Oh gosh. I feel this could be any of those. Either persuasion, deception, or intimidation, whichever you feel is appropriate.
42:12 [Mercurio (Gui)] Okay. I mean, we'll go ahead with a deception, uh, and I have enhance ability. Holy 28, 28.
42:12 [Mercurio (Gui)] That's a new one.
42:24 [DM (Aarya)] That's a new record.
42:27 [Saturno (Steph)] Oh, we turned that off. I always fucking go through the same dialogue. I'm so sorry.
42:31 [DM (Aarya)] No, you're good. You're good. So that was a 28 deception check.
42:31 [DM (Aarya)] Um, she looks down and she says, oh, um, well, if it's really so important, then I suppose I could let you in. Do be quick about it though. I just, I, well, you know, things are, things do not seem to be well.
42:49 [Sildir (Tris)] You're slowing us down already. We're gonna, we're gonna go.
42:52 [DM (Aarya)] Oh, we'll be well. Out of the way. She steps aside to let you all in.
42:58 [Sildir (Tris)] I guess we beeline upstairs. Yeah. Could you just scene change us?
42:58 [Sildir (Tris)] Or is it easier if we click the door?
43:04 [DM (Aarya)] Let me just scene change y'all. Oh, it's a lot easier that way.
43:09 [Sylalys (Cat)] Is it really laggy for anyone else? Or is it just me?
43:12 [Saturno (Steph)] It was a little laggy for me, but it was especially laggy when I, um, first opened up Foundry.
43:23 [Mercurio (Gui)] It took a while for me to load, but it's normal for me now.
43:28 [DM (Aarya)] It took a lot for me to load, but that's a lot of it. I might need some additional notes for this. Leave me one second to get my source book.
43:39 [Sildir (Tris)] You didn't just make all this up? Crazy, right?
43:42 [Ember (Spurthi)] No, it's fine.
43:45 [Sildir (Tris)] You don't just remember it all? Yeah, well. Unassisted.
43:50 [DM (Aarya)] Maybe someday. Let's see.
43:53 [Sildir (Tris)] Honestly, it's impressive what you already managed to remember. Pretty good. Or appear to remember, at least.
43:53 [Sildir (Tris)] I don't know what you're doing.
44:01 [DM (Aarya)] You have no idea. You don't know the tricks that I employ. All right, let me bring y'all into this scene.
44:01 [DM (Aarya)] So, I think it looks like Amber's already here. Um, I'll drag y'all over to the appropriate position. So, I'm going to drop y'all at the top of the stairs from where you enter.
44:01 [DM (Aarya)] Syllabus and let me activate the scene. Okay.
44:39 [Sildir (Tris)] What the fuck is this?
44:41 [DM (Aarya)] What is that? That's true. It's a good question.
44:41 [DM (Aarya)] So, y'all. All right. So, as you ascend the staircase, you find yourself in a beautifully appointed gallery that continues toward west, running almost the length of the mansion.
44:41 [DM (Aarya)] The framed landscape paintings line the walls and red silk drapes cover a 10-foot arched window of leaded glass. Yeah, you guys are in the hallway on the second floor.
45:17 [Mercurio (Gui)] I guess we make our way over to the library.
45:21 [DM (Aarya)] So, that's going to be, if you recall, like over here.
45:26 [Sildir (Tris)] Yeah. It's where the brat usually hangs out, isn't it?
45:29 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah, hopefully he's there. I'm going to open it up. Hey, brat.
45:37 [DM (Aarya)] You enter the library and you don't see anyone here.
45:46 [Mercurio (Gui)] Ugh, this is a pain. Um, all right, everyone. We're going to have to start looking around for the brat.
45:46 [Mercurio (Gui)] He's not in his usual hideout.
45:59 [DM (Aarya)] Uh, is it just Mercurio, like, wandering the hall by himself? Or is everyone else, like... I think it's just AFK.
46:05 [Sildir (Tris)] I would have been walking.
46:06 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, I will suggest that we try to keep to for this portion, since we are kind of exploring the manor at this point. But yeah, not going to, like, strictly enforce that, but keep that in mind.
46:21 [Sildir (Tris)] So, um, in the library, do we... What book did we bring him? Um, and do we see that it's not there?
46:34 [DM (Aarya)] Did you guys give him the book that you recovered from the tower?
46:37 [Saturno (Steph)] No.
46:37 [DM (Aarya)] Okay.
46:38 [Mercurio (Gui)] We didn't give it to him yet? Okay. I don't think we've seen him since.
46:43 [Saturno (Steph)] We have not seen him since.
46:45 [Mercurio (Gui)] We've only seen him the one time. Got it. Yes.
46:51 [Sildir (Tris)] Um, let me see.
46:53 [Mercurio (Gui)] Well, do we want to check these other rooms?
46:58 [Sildir (Tris)] Yeah, let's go. Let's, um...
47:02 [Mercurio (Gui)] Okay. What's in this room? Find this kid.
47:04 [DM (Aarya)] In this room, you see, uh, looking around this room, you see dolls. This room is full of pretty little dolls with powder white skin and auburn hair. Some of them dressed beautifully, others plainly.
47:04 [DM (Aarya)] Some of the dolls fill a long bookshelf, and others are arranged in neat rows on wall-mounted shelves, and still others are piled atop a bed and a heavy wooden chest. What's most odd is all of the dolls, apart from their clothing, look exactly the same. They all look like Irina Kolyana.
47:40 [Saturno (Steph)] All right, we're closing that door. Close that door.
47:45 [Mercurio (Gui)] Are we sure we should close it?
47:48 [Saturno (Steph)] What did I just see?
47:51 [Sildir (Tris)] What the fuck is this? Those are, like, the ones that Isik had, right?
47:58 [Saturno (Steph)] Yeah, maybe this is Isik's room.
48:03 [Mercurio (Gui)] This is Irina?
48:08 [Saturno (Steph)] What if we take one? What do you think would happen?
48:12 [Sildir (Tris)] Like, how many are there in here?
48:16 [DM (Aarya)] Um, more than you could easily count. They're kind of, like, filling up. All the surfaces and shelves and everywhere in the room.
48:24 [Sildir (Tris)] Are there any magic on these?
48:27 [Saturno (Steph)] Oh, I said, what if we take one?
48:30 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah, question. I cannot use my spell at the moment, because I'm using a different one.
48:40 [Saturno (Steph)] Someone do, like, an arcana check? Oh, thank god.
48:44 [Mercurio (Gui)] Here we go.
48:46 [Saturno (Steph)] My fighter brain could never...
48:48 [DM (Aarya)] That's funny.
48:49 [Mercurio (Gui)] Oh, it's not funny. That's funny.
48:51 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, these... So what are you trying to... This is an arcana check.
48:51 [DM (Aarya)] So what are you trying to see? Are you trying to see if they're, like, magical at all? Yeah.
48:51 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, these are not magical at all. These are just ordinary dolls. In fact, you do notice they all seem to have tags.
48:51 [DM (Aarya)] Some of them are, like, pretty plain. Some of them have been, like, torn off. And some of them are, like, more worn on, like, the older-looking dolls.
48:51 [DM (Aarya)] They all... Tags? Tags, yeah.
49:16 [Saturno (Steph)] Do the tags say anything?
49:17 [DM (Aarya)] The tags all read the same thing. It appears to be a slogan of sorts. It says, It's no fun, it's no Blinsky.
49:30 [Saturno (Steph)] Isn't that the toy shop?
49:32 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah, that's the toy shop.
49:33 [Sildir (Tris)] So wait, this guy... Someone's been paying Blinsky to make these over and over again. That's what I would assume is implied here.
49:46 [Mercurio (Gui)] It's somehow more creepy that they're not magical. I don't know about that. You don't know about that?
49:46 [Mercurio (Gui)] I mean, like, maybe it was, like, a tool to, like, be able to know where she was or something. No, they're just creepy. There's just no other reason.
50:05 [Sildir (Tris)] All right, we gotta find this kid. I can't handle this right now. I'm gonna compartmentalize and seal their storms off.
50:05 [Sildir (Tris)] Like, my friend's turning into a wolf. My other friend is being made into dolls and creepy.
50:22 [DM (Aarya)] Okay.
50:22 [Sildir (Tris)] And I, like, am muttering to myself as I walk away and I open this door. What do I find?
50:27 [Saturno (Steph)] Wait, can I take one of the dolls?
50:30 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, you can take one of the dolls.
50:32 [Saturno (Steph)] Okay. Just in case.
50:35 [DM (Aarya)] All right, sounds good. So Ember takes one of the dolls and tucks it away. And meanwhile, Sildur and Mercurio appear to have entered the next room, like, right next door.
50:35 [DM (Aarya)] In this room, you see... This handsomely appointed room contains a canopy bed, a low bookshelf, and a full-length mirror in a wooden frame on the wall across from the door. Set into the north wall is an arched window of leaded glass.
50:35 [DM (Aarya)] Nothing here seems unusual.
51:06 [Mercurio (Gui)] Okay.
51:10 [Sildir (Tris)] I still look around. Is there anything, like, valuable?
51:17 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, good thinking. Valuable? Like, are you looking for anything specific?
51:23 [Sildir (Tris)] Yeah, like, sellable things, gold, jewelry. I mean, there's about to be a regime change, so I'm not... The Whacker doesn't need this.
51:30 [DM (Aarya)] Oh my gosh. So you look around, the sheets and the curtains and all that, they do seem to be a pretty fine quality, though they are a bit old and frayed. As far as, like, items and belongings, like, scattered about the room, there isn't really much.
51:30 [DM (Aarya)] The room itself is pretty, like, kept clean. The shelves have, like, some, like, pretty innocuous collection of, like, old, like, fables, tomes about mythology, some history books, and, like, various other, like, unassuming subjects.
52:03 [Sildir (Tris)] That's in this room that I'm standing in right now?
52:05 [DM (Aarya)] Yes.
52:07 [Sildir (Tris)] Okay, so upon looking around, I'm like, oh, this must be the brat's room. We should probably leave this alone. He seems like...
52:07 [Sildir (Tris)] He's just a kid, you know? He has a whole life ahead of him. I don't want to take his stuff.
52:07 [Sildir (Tris)] Anyways. Check this corner. Oh yeah, this is the Udo torture chamber.
52:26 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, you recall that this was the, uh, torture room that Udo has been kept in previously?
52:32 [Mercurio (Gui)] No new torturees? I'm gonna shut the door. Where the hell is that brat?
52:32 [Mercurio (Gui)] We gotta find him.
52:42 [Saturno (Steph)] What about...
52:45 [Sildir (Tris)] Is anyone unable to, like, zoom out like you used to?
52:48 [Saturno (Steph)] Yeah, I can't.
52:49 [DM (Aarya)] What about this room?
52:51 [Sildir (Tris)] Really?
52:53 [DM (Aarya)] That's strange. I don't know what that is.
52:55 [Sildir (Tris)] It's probably foundry change. Nothing like you did.
52:58 [DM (Aarya)] Okay, so Mercurio in that room. Let me see. That one is cute.
52:58 [DM (Aarya)] So this is a bathroom. Um, you see an iron tub with clogged feet stands against the back wall. Neatly folded towels rest atop a table near the door.
53:13 [Mercurio (Gui)] Okay, well, if anybody wants to take a bath.
53:19 [DM (Aarya)] Okay, this room. What is this room? So this room...
53:25 [Ember (Spurthi)] Did we already... Oh, sorry.
53:26 [DM (Aarya)] This room smells of powder and fine perfume. You see a vanity with a mirror stands against one wall next to a faceless wooden mannequin wearing a white bridal gown. Mounted on another wall is a full-length mirror with a gilded frame.
53:26 [DM (Aarya)] A door in one corner leads to a garter rope. I don't know what that is.
53:47 [Sildir (Tris)] In this room? There's a gown here?
53:51 [Ember (Spurthi)] Yeah.
53:54 [Mercurio (Gui)] Like a wedding gown? What size is it? Don't tell me that it looks like it's Irena's size.
54:02 [DM (Aarya)] Um, it doesn't... Say yes to the dress. The gown itself doesn't appear to be made in Irena's measurements.
54:02 [DM (Aarya)] Just from like a glance, it looks to be for someone else.
54:16 [Saturno (Steph)] Okay.
54:17 [DM (Aarya)] Notably, it also looks like a pretty old gown. Like clearly this was something that was worn a long time ago and has been preserved since.
54:24 [Mercurio (Gui)] Oh, okay. It's just for like a... It's just probably for his past wife or whatever it is.
54:32 [Saturno (Steph)] Not this door.
54:34 [DM (Aarya)] Which door? Oh, that door. Okay.
54:34 [DM (Aarya)] So this room. This is the... Let's see, let's see.
54:34 [DM (Aarya)] This appears to be the master bedroom. You see, time has faded the grandeur of this master bedroom. The furnishings have lost some of their color and splendor.
54:34 [DM (Aarya)] A short pull rope hangs from a wooden trapdoor in the ceiling.
54:56 [Saturno (Steph)] Oh, okay.
54:59 [Sildir (Tris)] Well, is there anything valuable in here as well?
55:05 [DM (Aarya)] Um, you do see like... There is some like... There's a jewelry box on the table on one side.
55:05 [DM (Aarya)] The room itself seems to be in like a mild state of disrepair. All the decorations and light curtains and such seem old and faded in color. Basically, it looks like it's seen better days.
55:29 [Saturno (Steph)] Did we already go into this office room thing here?
55:33 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, that was the library that you guys checked earlier. That's where you met Victor the last time you were here, but he's not there now.
55:40 [Saturno (Steph)] Okay, all right.
55:46 [Mercurio (Gui)] Well, I guess let's see what's in this trapdoor. Yeah, and I'm gonna just casually dump part of the jewelry box in my bag.
55:54 [DM (Aarya)] Okay.
55:56 [Sildir (Tris)] Um, you... Just yawned. Oh, so there was a jewelry box.
55:56 [Sildir (Tris)] Okay, cool.
56:00 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, so Mercurio, you can add to your inventory. You gain about 25 gold's worth of jewelry.
56:07 [Sildir (Tris)] That'll work on my shit in forever.
56:09 [DM (Aarya)] All right, so did someone say they're opening the attic door?
56:15 [Sildir (Tris)] Yes.
56:16 [DM (Aarya)] Yes.
56:16 [Sildir (Tris)] Okay. Or whoever wants to do it with me.
56:20 [Saturno (Steph)] I'm right here too.
56:23 [Sildir (Tris)] Is that the door in the corner or is it like truly an attic somewhere that we can't see?
56:29 [DM (Aarya)] Um, it's a trapdoor. Like the rope is like hanging from the ceiling. The room in the corner is a closet.
56:41 [Sildir (Tris)] Okay, got it.
56:42 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, so let me double check. I think this leads to the next floor. All right, so you see, you pull the rope that from the trapdoor.
56:42 [DM (Aarya)] It opens up and a folding ladder extends downwards. You see that the ladder leads upward into what appears to be an attic. Are we ascended?
57:26 [Ember (Spurthi)] Yep.
57:27 [DM (Aarya)] I see. So I start climbing. Let me bring y'all on up.
57:27 [DM (Aarya)] Give me a second. How dare he have fun? I know.
57:27 [DM (Aarya)] So in this room we have, this appears to be an attic room. This dusty 20-foot square room has a high pitched ceiling that reaches its peak 20 feet above. The wooden rafters are shrouded in cobwebs except for an old table with a lantern on it.
57:27 [DM (Aarya)] The room is empty.
58:09 [Sildir (Tris)] So there's nothing in here? Just some stupid attic?
58:13 [DM (Aarya)] It seems that way. Though there is a door.
58:16 [Sildir (Tris)] Is there? Oh, there's a door.
58:18 [DM (Aarya)] Boom!
58:19 [Sildir (Tris)] I opened that thing. Step inside. What's going on in here?
58:19 [Sildir (Tris)] Why is there so many chairs?
58:26 [DM (Aarya)] All right, so in this room, this appears to be the attic storage. This large attic is full of old forgotten things draped in white sheets. Piled around them are barrels, crates, trunks, and old furnishings covered with cobwebs.
58:26 [DM (Aarya)] Cobwebs and dust. You see a clear footpath through the maze. And that footpath leads to this door, yonder, on the other side of the room.
58:57 [Saturno (Steph)] And I'm opening it. Yay!
59:04 [DM (Aarya)] So let's see, let's see. So on this door, you see someone has carved a large skull into the door. And hanging from the doorknob is a wooden sign that reads, all is not well.
59:04 [DM (Aarya)] Um, as I open this door, let's see. You see that someone has taken old mismatched furniture and created a study in this dusty lamplight chamber. Tables are strewn with pieces of parchment on which strange diagrams are drawn.
59:04 [DM (Aarya)] And a freestanding bookshelf holds a collection of bones. A dusty rug covers the floor in front of a pine box. Let's see, let's see, let's see, let's see.
59:04 [DM (Aarya)] Uh, in the center of the room, perched on a stool, is a thin young man with a premature streak of gray in his dark hair. And this, this boy you recognize to be Victor. And he is engrossed in a leather tome that he has laid out on his desk.
59:04 [DM (Aarya)] He doesn't appear to notice you enter.
01:00:09 [Mercurio (Gui)] That's not good news. Hey, kid.
01:00:14 [DM (Aarya)] Oh, you're back. Well, um, seems a great many things are going on in Vallaki. Were you able to retrieve the tome that I asked for?
01:00:24 [Mercurio (Gui)] Uh, yeah. But, uh, we gotta go, like, right now. Why is that?
01:00:30 [Sildir (Tris)] You're very confident.
01:00:34 [DM (Aarya)] Listen, do you have the tome or not? I, I, I could use it immediately.
01:00:39 [Mercurio (Gui)] Um, before, why is it so urgent?
01:00:43 [DM (Aarya)] Listen, just give me the book.
01:00:46 [Mercurio (Gui)] Uh, I don't think so. We need some answers.
01:00:51 [DM (Aarya)] What is it? So what is it? What is it that you want from me?
01:00:58 [Saturno (Steph)] Well, we went through a great deal to give it, to get this for you.
01:01:02 [DM (Aarya)] Yes. And? This cannot be.
01:01:06 [Mercurio (Gui)] So we want to help you. You're not going to use it for something bad.
01:01:11 [DM (Aarya)] What do I look like to you?
01:01:15 [Mercurio (Gui)] I don't know.
01:01:15 [DM (Aarya)] A child. Oh, yes, exactly. I don't know.
01:01:15 [DM (Aarya)] A harmless child who just wants a book. Hand it over now, please.
01:01:24 [Mercurio (Gui)] Uh, yeah.
01:01:25 [Sildir (Tris)] You should get used to, uh, not ordering around people like that. If you want a hot tip from me, I, uh, I don't really know how long this is going to keep working for you.
01:01:35 [DM (Aarya)] I don't really need advice from, and he kind of just, like, looks you up and down. What are you exactly? Is that me?
01:01:35 [DM (Aarya)] Some old knight. Is that it? Oh, boy.
01:01:50 [Sildir (Tris)] I mean, you could, you could do well to listen to some other people, but that's fine. Um, right now I want to listen to you. Um, my friends have already asked you, but what's the deal with the book?
01:01:50 [Sildir (Tris)] We know that, um, we know that we think that you want to help Stella.
01:02:16 [DM (Aarya)] What do you know about Stella?
01:02:18 [Saturno (Steph)] Stella has visited us. She told us to help you in her dreams. She sent us a message.
01:02:25 [DM (Aarya)] Now you want to hear me talk? So as soon as you say that, he, like, perks up, um, and his whole entire demeanor shifts. He looks to you all and he asks you urgently, you, you spoke to Stella?
01:02:25 [DM (Aarya)] What, what did she say?
01:02:39 [Saturno (Steph)] Well, that's what we've been trying to tell you, but you've been so snarky.
01:02:43 [Sildir (Tris)] You said royal brat in the shins for me.
01:02:47 [Saturno (Steph)] How about you tell us what, why you need this book? And I'll tell you what Stella said.
01:02:51 [DM (Aarya)] I need the book to help her. Now, if you could give it over, please, I can get on with this whole dreadful business.
01:02:57 [Saturno (Steph)] Well, she told us specifically to come here.
01:03:01 [DM (Aarya)] We need help.
01:03:02 [Saturno (Steph)] Cause you need help. And it's too late. It's going to be too late.
01:03:07 [Mercurio (Gui)] That's so, I think we need to get you out of here first. And then we hope Stella.
01:03:11 [DM (Aarya)] Get me out of here. What, what, what has happened? What, what do you think is happening?
01:03:15 [Mercurio (Gui)] Bad things are happening.
01:03:17 [DM (Aarya)] Bad things?
01:03:18 [Sildir (Tris)] For you. Well, look, we don't know a whole lot. Can you explain to us why it might be too late?
01:03:18 [Sildir (Tris)] Do you have any other reasonings for that? A wise one?
01:03:29 [DM (Aarya)] I really didn't want to drag more people into this. Whatever. I guess it's too late for that now.
01:03:29 [DM (Aarya)] So he gets up from his stool and he goes over to the corner of the room. Where you see like some kind of cloth has been draped over something. He pulls aside the cloth, revealing a wooden standing mirror.
01:03:29 [DM (Aarya)] And in the mirror you see, standing before you, the image of Stella Vochter. She looks to you all and she kind of just like waves shyly at you all. Stella here has been trapped in the ethereal plane.
01:03:29 [DM (Aarya)] And I have been working diligently to find a way to bring her back. And to that end, I assigned you all to retrieve a particular tome. From the Archmage Kazan's Wizard Tower.
01:03:29 [DM (Aarya)] Now, if you could hand it over. There's a very important spell in that book that I need in order to bring her back.
01:04:26 [Mercurio (Gui)] All right, sure. And you're sure you could do the spell?
01:04:33 [DM (Aarya)] Reasonably sure. That's what the tome is for.
01:04:36 [Sildir (Tris)] Right. Well, let's give it to him. See what this takes.
01:04:36 [Sildir (Tris)] I don't think it'll be that easy, kid. But find out.
01:04:44 [DM (Aarya)] Yes, yes. All right. So he takes...
01:04:47 [Sildir (Tris)] Nothing in this stupid world seems to be easy.
01:04:50 [Mercurio (Gui)] I'm gonna kind of read over his shoulder while he's going over the tome.
01:04:54 [DM (Aarya)] Okay. So you see that he is... He takes the...
01:04:54 [DM (Aarya)] He snatches the tome from your hands as soon as you give it over. He sits down at his desk. He begins rifling through the pages of the tome until he finds a particular passage.
01:05:14 [Sildir (Tris)] Like, I'm not even upgrading this to replace Crucial. So my item level's not going up. It's kind of filthy.
01:05:19 [DM (Aarya)] You're reading over his shoulder, you said?
01:05:23 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah, I'm reading over his shoulder.
01:05:24 [DM (Aarya)] All right. So, reading over his shoulder, you see that he is affixed on a particular passage that goes over Nighthacks. I'm gonna paste...
01:05:24 [DM (Aarya)] Nighthacks? Yes, Nighthacks.
01:05:42 [Mercurio (Gui)] That sounds concerning.
01:05:44 [DM (Aarya)] And I'm gonna go ahead and... You know what? I'll DM it to you so that you can share this with the group if you'd like.
01:05:56 [Sildir (Tris)] You want it in your notes?
01:06:01 [DM (Aarya)] It is a bit of a lengthy passage, but yeah.
01:06:04 [Mercurio (Gui)] Oh boy. Okay. Yeah, I guess let's post it in the Discord.
01:06:19 [DM (Aarya)] Okay, you can go ahead and post it.
01:06:31 [Sildir (Tris)] That is long.
01:06:32 [DM (Aarya)] All right. And while you're going over this, Mercurio, go ahead and give me a religion check. Oh.
01:06:40 [Mercurio (Gui)] Oh no.
01:06:46 [DM (Aarya)] 14. Okay, not bad. All right, it's 14.
01:06:46 [DM (Aarya)] Nice. Okay, that'll do it. So with that 14 religion check, you hear a faint melody playing from somewhere out in the storage room from where you entered.
01:06:46 [DM (Aarya)] Only you hear this tune. That song.
01:07:14 [Mercurio (Gui)] Do I know that only I hear it?
01:07:17 [DM (Aarya)] It isn't immediately obvious to you. You look around in the direction of where you think the tune is coming from. Nobody else seems to be thinking that anything is amiss.
01:07:17 [DM (Aarya)] They're all kind of just absorbed in whatever is in the current room. Nobody else is looking back. So you get the sense that it's only you hear this.
01:07:39 [Mercurio (Gui)] Okay, I'm gonna peek through the door. Do I see anything from where the sound is coming from?
01:07:48 [DM (Aarya)] Um, so you do, once you like peek through the door, you're able to pinpoint the source of the tune a bit better. There appears to be like a dresser of sorts against the wall, like on the other side of the room, and you think it's coming from there.
01:08:14 [Mercurio (Gui)] Guys, make sure the brat doesn't do anything crazy. I'll be right back.
01:08:18 [DM (Aarya)] Okay.
01:08:20 [Saturno (Steph)] You want someone to come with you?
01:08:22 [Mercurio (Gui)] Uh, yeah, yeah, probably a good idea. Satorno, do you want to come with me? It's that song from earlier.
01:08:22 [Mercurio (Gui)] I hear it over here. I'm gonna just fucking jump over this table and...
01:08:38 [DM (Aarya)] Okay. Um, as you approach this dresser, the melody is definitely louder now. It appears to be coming from something that's inside the drawer.
01:08:38 [DM (Aarya)] You can open it or not.
01:08:52 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah, I open it and, like, Satorno, like, you really don't hear that?
01:09:00 [Saturno (Steph)] No, no, I don't.
01:09:04 [Mercurio (Gui)] All right, so what do I see inside the drawer?
01:09:06 [DM (Aarya)] So you open the drawer and inside, instantly the melody stops. However, you find yourself, you find your attention fixed upon one particular item of interest to you. This is, this appears to be an old leather-bound tome.
01:09:06 [DM (Aarya)] Um, the tome is bound by, like, a steel padlock of sorts. Which, um, the padlock itself appears to be very, like, old and kind of rusty. Uh, and emblazoned on the cover of the tome in steel is the, um, the crest of Ravenloft.
01:09:06 [DM (Aarya)] What the fuck?
01:09:49 [Mercurio (Gui)] Um, I'm gonna take that and just shove it in my bag.
01:09:54 [Sildir (Tris)] Okay. Fine. Also, thank you.
01:09:54 [Sildir (Tris)] Cheers.
01:10:02 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah, let's, uh, let's head back to the room now.
01:10:05 [Saturno (Steph)] Okay. Oh, yeah, we'll go back now?
01:10:09 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah, just, uh, I don't know, just, just a book, I guess.
01:10:15 [Saturno (Steph)] Okay, I guess we'll read it when we can.
01:10:17 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah, uh, bedtime story.
01:10:23 [Saturno (Steph)] New tunes.
01:10:24 [DM (Aarya)] Oh my gosh. Okay. Let's see, let's see.
01:10:24 [DM (Aarya)] Uh, as you rejoin everyone else in the room, um, you see, it appears that Victor has finished, um, going through the passages he was reading. And he's now, um, pacing about the room. He stops in front of the mirror with Stella.
01:10:24 [DM (Aarya)] And the two of them appear to be having some kind of conversation via, like, hand signs. Um, you see that Victor is growing increasingly frustrated. And eventually, he kind of, like, throws his hands up in the air, like, exasperated, and he turns to you all.
01:10:24 [DM (Aarya)] And he says, It looks like I'm going to need one more thing from you all.
01:11:13 [Mercurio (Gui)] Okay.
01:11:14 [Saturno (Steph)] And what's that?
01:11:19 [DM (Aarya)] Well, in order to perform the ritual, in order to bring Stella back from the ethereal plane, I'll need one particular component that isn't easily sourced. Um, let me look.
01:11:35 [Mercurio (Gui)] All right, skip all the hoopla.
01:11:37 [DM (Aarya)] What is the resource?
01:11:38 [Mercurio (Gui)] Out with it, boy. What's the ingredient?
01:11:40 [DM (Aarya)] I need you to obtain a heart stone from a night hag. A heart stone from a night hag?
01:11:49 [Saturno (Steph)] Okay, where do we find this night hag?
01:11:55 [DM (Aarya)] Well, so I've been, I've been speaking with Stella. And she, she's let me know that she has seen some kind of, uh, dark creature, um, inhabiting the area around the old windmill, uh, a couple hours away from Vallaki.
01:12:12 [Mercurio (Gui)] Oh god. Oh, we know the one. We know the one.
01:12:15 [Sildir (Tris)] This old lady with the weird biscuits.
01:12:18 [DM (Aarya)] You've, you've met the hag?
01:12:21 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah, she tried to- Ask her if she's eaten any pastries.
01:12:24 [DM (Aarya)] Stella?
01:12:26 [Sildir (Tris)] Yeah, ask Stella.
01:12:28 [DM (Aarya)] Um, he turns over to Stella, and then he signs something to her really quick. And then she signs something in response, um, and he tells you all she hasn't had any pastries. Although she has noticed that this particular hag has been selling some sorts of, uh, treats to passersby.
01:12:28 [DM (Aarya)] I'm not really sure what the deal is, but going from her description of the creature that she'd seen, this, that, that is a night hag. And she seems to be occupying this windmill.
01:13:04 [Mercurio (Gui)] Great. Okay.
01:13:09 [Saturno (Steph)] Okay, but do you have to perform this ritual, this, whatever it is that you are performing here? Or can we move you to a different space, and maybe also take Stella as well? Are you confined to this spot?
01:13:27 [DM (Aarya)] It doesn't, it doesn't have to be here. I mean, this, this workroom is where I keep all of my magical equipment and ingredients, but if I- We should relocate all this stuff.
01:13:38 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah, it's gonna have to change pretty soon. Yeah, help us pick out the important stuff, and we're gonna move you somewhere else.
01:13:46 [DM (Aarya)] All right, if, if you feel that is best.
01:13:49 [Mercurio (Gui)] It's not really that safe for you here.
01:13:52 [DM (Aarya)] I don't, what exactly is happening? Clearly you know something that I don't. What's going on?
01:13:57 [Sildir (Tris)] What was that motto you wrote on your door?
01:14:01 [DM (Aarya)] All is not well.
01:14:03 [Sildir (Tris)] Yep, there you go. Start there, and then think about your dad, and what that would mean to him.
01:14:10 [DM (Aarya)] You know, the doctors were here this morning. They practically kidnapped him. I don't really know what's going on there.
01:14:17 [Sildir (Tris)] It wasn't for tea, I can tell you that much.
01:14:19 [DM (Aarya)] Yes, well, father doesn't make a habit of having tea with his enemies, so I gathered as much.
01:14:27 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah, well then you see why you're in danger.
01:14:34 [DM (Aarya)] Do you think Lady Voktor is, has her eyes set on me? She's going to do something to me?
01:14:43 [Mercurio (Gui)] I'm gonna, I'm gonna like, look past him to, um, Stella.
01:14:50 [DM (Aarya)] But you look to Stella, and she kind of just like, shakes her head, and like, makes an X with her arms.
01:14:57 [Mercurio (Gui)] No. You gotta be more specific, Stella.
01:15:03 [Saturno (Steph)] Stella, is, is father the danger?
01:15:09 [DM (Aarya)] Um, she kind of like, gestures for Viktor, and the two of them have a quick conversation via hand signs, and then Viktor turns to you all. Stella says that she hasn't much time before her soul is permanently separated from her body. She's been in the ethereal plane for too long.
01:15:27 [Saturno (Steph)] I see.
01:15:28 [Sildir (Tris)] Uh, when people move in, they don't really check their attic anyways, so you got some time. Um, well look, uh, we did tell Voktor that she should leave Yola if she's going to proceed with her plan. So, at least you have a good word from us, and we're down to get the hag.
01:15:28 [Sildir (Tris)] Uh, if it's going to save Stella, at least I can speak for myself.
01:16:01 [DM (Aarya)] Okay, that's good.
01:16:02 [Sildir (Tris)] But, um, it sounds like no small order. That lady was weird.
01:16:06 [DM (Aarya)] Yes, well, there are, nighthags are no joke, but you have, you have two possible, uh, means to obtain this heartstone. You see, you can either obtain the heartstone from her willingly, or by force. To obtain it willingly, you will likely need to bargain something of great value in exchange for a loan of the heartstone.
01:16:29 [Ember (Spurthi)] That's true. That's actually true.
01:16:32 [DM (Aarya)] Nighthags are legendary dealmakers and can be trusted to hew to the letter of their word, but only the letter. If you wish to obtain the heartstone by force, well, you'll need to either incapacitate or kill her. However, this is quite a bit more difficult for a few reasons.
01:16:32 [DM (Aarya)] One being that these hags tend to gather in covens of three, so she's likely not by herself. Um, have you, do you know this, this hag to have any sisters or daughters or anything of the like?
01:17:07 [Mercurio (Gui)] You mentioned a daughter or daughters? Right.
01:17:11 [DM (Aarya)] That would be it.
01:17:14 [Mercurio (Gui)] She does, uh, we do know that she makes the trek to the town in the early morning. I see. By herself.
01:17:14 [Mercurio (Gui)] Okay, so that presents an opportunity.
01:17:27 [DM (Aarya)] Yes, I should note that nighthags are known to keep their heartstone tucked safely in their, in their homes, so it would likely be in the windmill itself. Um, and notably they can also, if they feel that they are in danger, they could use the heartstone to escape into the ethereal realm. So we have to, well, we'll have to get the jump on them somehow to prevent that from happening.
01:17:55 [Mercurio (Gui)] Can they use the heartstone when they're away from it?
01:17:58 [DM (Aarya)] No, they have to be, they have to have it on their person.
01:18:02 [Mercurio (Gui)] Okay, so it's an advantage if we can catch her out without her heartstone.
01:18:07 [DM (Aarya)] Yes, yes. Although, if she's able to warn her daughters, then that might prove a challenge. Basically, Well, we might need to make a deal.
01:18:07 [DM (Aarya)] Yes, that might be the easier option. I think, I don't doubt that you could handle them in a fight if it came to it, but it certainly wouldn't be an easy task.
01:18:36 [Mercurio (Gui)] But, well, so how did she get trapped in this mess in the first place? Did she make a deal with them, or did they just take an interest in, you know, messing her life up for no reason?
01:18:50 [DM (Aarya)] Let me, I have notes on this, let me try to find it. Sorry, let's see. Yeah, well, you see, I've always had a great interest in magic and the like, and Stella, being a good friend of mine, would sometimes help me with some of my magical spells and rituals and such in my studies.
01:18:50 [DM (Aarya)] And, well, you see, three months ago, when we heard news that the devil had risen from his slumber, we sought a means to escape this cursed land, and we were attempting to forge a teleportation circle so that we might escape. And, well, to put it simply, the spell went wrong. I was going to use myself as a test subject to make sure that it worked, but as the spell was failing, Stella pushed me out of the way, and she, well, her soul was transported to the ethereal plane, leaving her body behind as nothing more than an empty shell.
01:20:03 [Ember (Spurthi)] Did I blast up? I did not blast up.
01:20:07 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah, and then you get all defensive when we're asking if you're sure you can do the spell right.
01:20:14 [DM (Aarya)] Listen, I've put a great deal of effort into studying everything that went wrong.
01:20:18 [Mercurio (Gui)] You learned nothing from your fucking mistake, goddammit.
01:20:22 [DM (Aarya)] Well, do you know how to perform the ritual?
01:20:24 [Mercurio (Gui)] Well, better than you, for sure.
01:20:29 [Sildir (Tris)] All right. And then you act like you can't take advice from an old man. I mean...
01:20:29 [Sildir (Tris)] Do you even practice magic?
01:20:35 [DM (Aarya)] What could you possibly do to help me apart from getting me the stone?
01:20:38 [Sildir (Tris)] I could teach you a thing or two about good attitude and learning from mistakes.
01:20:42 [DM (Aarya)] Right, because I'm going to bring Stella back with the power of good attitude.
01:20:47 [Sildir (Tris)] It would help.
01:20:48 [DM (Aarya)] Hmm.
01:20:49 [Sildir (Tris)] If you weren't such an asshole. I said it.
01:20:52 [DM (Aarya)] Are you going to help me or not?
01:20:54 [Sildir (Tris)] Yes, we're helping you. We've been helping you.
01:20:56 [DM (Aarya)] Great.
01:20:56 [Sildir (Tris)] You think we're just sitting here for a good help listening to you yammer on? Damn. Maybe.
01:20:56 [Sildir (Tris)] Oh my god, I love this character.
01:21:13 [DM (Aarya)] All right, well, time is of the essence. Is there anything else you need from me before you go off on this dangerous task?
01:21:22 [Saturno (Steph)] No, but Stella, when you come back, we're going to have a long talk about your choices.
01:21:27 [Sildir (Tris)] What's the old tome on the desk?
01:21:33 [DM (Aarya)] Which tome?
01:21:34 [Sildir (Tris)] The one that's right in front of me. It's the old tome, if you hover it with your mouse.
01:21:41 [DM (Aarya)] Um, let me see. Let me see. Oh, that one.
01:21:41 [DM (Aarya)] That's...
01:21:44 [Sildir (Tris)] Probably.
01:21:45 [DM (Aarya)] That's the item that...
01:21:46 [Sildir (Tris)] The one that Mercurio found.
01:21:48 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah. Just press D for it.
01:21:49 [Sildir (Tris)] All right. That's Mercurio for me. Um, yeah.
01:21:49 [Sildir (Tris)] I like take the book back from Victor, the one that we gave him.
01:21:54 [Ember (Spurthi)] Mm-hmm.
01:21:56 [Sildir (Tris)] And I say, nope, we won't be needing anything else. And we start to leave, I guess. Okay.
01:21:56 [Sildir (Tris)] Kid. Oh, wait. Actually, yes, we do need something, now that I think of it.
01:21:56 [Sildir (Tris)] Oh. You have a bunch of magical supplies in here.
01:22:19 [DM (Aarya)] Right. What do I need?
01:22:22 [Sildir (Tris)] Do you have some rare ones? Some expensive ones?
01:22:28 [DM (Aarya)] What are you asking for, exactly? Be plain.
01:22:33 [Sildir (Tris)] Just answer my question, since we're not fond of talking to each other so much.
01:22:39 [DM (Aarya)] I have some collection of assorted goods and such, but as far as collecting spell components, well, those are hard to come by around here, so my stores are quite limited.
01:22:54 [Sildir (Tris)] Although... Do you have stores of wolfsbane?
01:22:59 [DM (Aarya)] Wolfsbane? No, I wouldn't know where to source that, even.
01:23:04 [Sildir (Tris)] You know, why don't you work on that while we're away? That'd be great.
01:23:08 [DM (Aarya)] Might I know why? Why you need wolfsbane, an ingredient that's commonly used in potions to ward against werewolves?
01:23:18 [Sildir (Tris)] Why should I answer any of your questions? I mean, if you can start answering my questions, then I can start answering yours. But until then, just do what I say, and I'll do what you say.
01:23:32 [Ember (Spurthi)] Hmm.
01:23:32 [DM (Aarya)] Alright.
01:23:34 [Mercurio (Gui)] You've got a bit of your father showing, you know?
01:23:37 [DM (Aarya)] What the hell is that supposed to mean?
01:23:39 [Mercurio (Gui)] I don't know. Something for you to chew on.
01:23:42 [DM (Aarya)] You don't hear me parroting around a stupid slogan that doesn't even make any sense, that clearly nobody actually believes? Everything I've told you has been useful information.
01:23:52 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah. Yeah. Right.
01:23:52 [Mercurio (Gui)] I feel like there's been some good progress made, but most of the words we've been exchanging have been useless, so maybe just think about that a little bit.
01:24:11 [DM (Aarya)] Whatever.
01:24:13 [Sildir (Tris)] Whatever. All the talk about time-wasting, and you sure are filling the air with...
01:24:20 [DM (Aarya)] Listen, I'm trying to give you something that might help you, if you'd just shut up for a minute.
01:24:25 [Sildir (Tris)] Okay, why don't you shut up for a minute?
01:24:34 [DM (Aarya)] Oh, hold on. So you'll see Victor is going to storm out of this room.
01:24:47 [Sildir (Tris)] Yeah, teenagers, am I right, guys?
01:24:49 [DM (Aarya)] And he's going to come over to like a chest out in the storage area, tucked away in the corner. He's going to kick out a fiddle with the lock a bit, and then he's going to pry it open. And from this chest, he is going to retrieve what appears to be...
01:25:07 [Sildir (Tris)] Make sure you hold your big cool-down marker with the ball.
01:25:10 [DM (Aarya)] ...an elegant-looking sword. Sillilus, you recognize this sword to be the same one that you saw in your dream.
01:25:24 [Ember (Spurthi)] It's what he's doing to himself.
01:25:26 [DM (Aarya)] This is something that father had sucked away. It's an heirloom of sorts. It's been in our family for many years.
01:25:26 [DM (Aarya)] I have no use for it, but if... Well, since you are on your way to fight some magical creatures, and notably night hags are weak to silver, you would do well to carry a silvered weapon.
01:25:50 [Sylalys (Cat)] How did... What?
01:25:53 [DM (Aarya)] Do you seem confused?
01:25:57 [Sylalys (Cat)] This was in my dream, this sword.
01:25:59 [DM (Aarya)] You dreamt about my father's heirloom sword?
01:26:05 [Sylalys (Cat)] I guess so. I do not know how I... I can't...
01:26:05 [Sylalys (Cat)] Well, I cannot even dream. I guess I saw it in a vision.
01:26:15 [DM (Aarya)] That's rather strange. Well, maybe this is fate then. Maybe you're meant to have this sword.
01:26:15 [DM (Aarya)] And he is going to hand it over to you. I think if you click on the chest, you should be able to loot it.
01:26:30 [Sylalys (Cat)] The chest? I don't even see it.
01:26:32 [DM (Aarya)] Oh, wait. I have it invisible. Oh, here it is.
01:26:35 [Sylalys (Cat)] Oh, there it is. I was like, there's just a bunch of jumbled shit over here. Loot, loot, loot.
01:26:35 [Sylalys (Cat)] Whoa, Twilight's Edge. That's freaking awesome. I'm gonna...
01:26:35 [Sylalys (Cat)] Sylalice is going to grab the sword gingerly. And then he's gonna like, toss it and like, catch it on two fingers. Oh, my.
01:26:35 [Sylalys (Cat)] Past the handguard. Yeah. It is a good sword.
01:26:35 [Sylalys (Cat)] Perfectly balanced. Perfect for killing monsters.
01:27:13 [DM (Aarya)] Yes, well, it's dual-edged. One edge of silver and one of steel. So it's good for monsters and men alike.
01:27:28 [Sylalys (Cat)] That is perfect. Thank you, Victor.
01:27:35 [DM (Aarya)] Yes, yes. Just get me my stone.
01:27:40 [Sylalys (Cat)] We will get it. No problem. Let's go, Syl, dear.
01:27:40 [Sylalys (Cat)] Stop being a baby.
01:27:47 [Sildir (Tris)] I'm not being a baby. There is a baby in this room, though.
01:27:51 [DM (Aarya)] Yes, Syl, dear. Stop being a baby.
01:27:56 [Sildir (Tris)] Oh, what would you like me to be, my lord?
01:28:02 [DM (Aarya)] None of that. You're not... I'm not father.
01:28:06 [Sildir (Tris)] Don't worry. It's the last day you'll hear it, my lord. What can I do for you?
01:28:09 [DM (Aarya)] I told you at great length. And I've given you everything you need to achieve this task.
01:28:15 [Sildir (Tris)] I apologize, your highness. I realize I was just forgetting all of my formalities.
01:28:20 [DM (Aarya)] Just go. Oh, my god. We don't have a lot of time.
01:28:24 [Sildir (Tris)] Are you seeing how you're similar to your father now? Anyway, it's a good day. Bye-bye.
01:28:30 [Sylalys (Cat)] Last word.
01:28:33 [Sildir (Tris)] I won't click the climb down button. I'll just chill here.
01:28:38 [Mercurio (Gui)] All won't be well.
01:28:41 [Sildir (Tris)] All won't be well. All is not well.
01:28:46 [Mercurio (Gui)] All right.
01:28:46 [Sildir (Tris)] I have a clone.
01:28:47 [Mercurio (Gui)] Oh, no. Yeah, we're cloned. Fuck.
01:28:50 [DM (Aarya)] I stayed upstairs, by the way, so... And I was like... Oops.
01:28:50 [DM (Aarya)] No worries. I'm going to say... Hold on.
01:28:50 [DM (Aarya)] So are we leaving the manor? Are you guys still trying to poke around? I will say at this point, it is getting closer to noon in-game.
01:29:11 [Mercurio (Gui)] Oh, okay. Is there something that happens at noon?
01:29:14 [DM (Aarya)] Or just... The festival.
01:29:15 [Mercurio (Gui)] To let us know.
01:29:16 [DM (Aarya)] That's also about when Lady Valk just said that her scene would be taking place.
01:29:23 [Mercurio (Gui)] Okay. Well. Maybe we need to slip out of town before that starts.
01:29:23 [Mercurio (Gui)] Or maybe it's too late.
01:29:36 [Sildir (Tris)] You want to avoid it? I think we should go witness it. I can make sure it goes well.
01:29:48 [Saturno (Steph)] If it doesn't, do we want to? I guess let's put our heads in.
01:29:53 [Mercurio (Gui)] I'm just worried about the time with this whole endeavor. Meaning we should go talk to the hag? Yeah.
01:30:05 [Ember (Spurthi)] But maybe we should find out what's happening with the festival first. Well. Well.
01:30:05 [Ember (Spurthi)] You know, I do trust Lactir to figure this one out on her own. We've done enough for her. So.
01:30:05 [Ember (Spurthi)] Whatever you think. Fuck, sorry. Nice one.
01:30:05 [Ember (Spurthi)] Oh.
01:30:35 [Irredel (Sav)] Excuse me. I mean, I'm partially inclined to see what happens in town. Just to, I don't know, help ensure a peaceful transition of power.
01:30:35 [Irredel (Sav)] If we've already severely assisted with disrupting the government. And it only feels right that we make sure that we've... done our job correctly.
01:30:35 [Irredel (Sav)] Not saying we need to like actively do anything, but just observe. And not to mention, I probably shouldn't be traveling to go see hags right now. I uh.
01:31:23 [Mercurio (Gui)] We've got a few hours to kill before the night.
01:31:32 [Ember (Spurthi)] True.
01:31:35 [Irredel (Sav)] But we just need to really make sure we're back in time.
01:31:38 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah, how far away was the windmill?
01:31:43 [DM (Aarya)] It'd be about a couple hours. Like two hours or so.
01:31:47 [Mercurio (Gui)] Okay, it's a little bit tight then. We need to pretty much go and come back if we want to avoid... Like what time would the moon be up?
01:32:02 [DM (Aarya)] So sundown around here it is five. Um five?
01:32:09 [Mercurio (Gui)] We're cooked. I mean two hours to get there, like an hour there, two hours back.
01:32:15 [Sildir (Tris)] We may need to go handle the hag tomorrow. Fuck. Or catch her on the way into town tomorrow morning.
01:32:15 [Sildir (Tris)] Doesn't she come here for supplies or something like that?
01:32:25 [Mercurio (Gui)] She does, but she won't have her stone. But maybe that's good. I mean maybe if the negotiations don't go so great.
01:32:35 [Irredel (Sav)] Yes.
01:32:37 [DM (Aarya)] So you have that.
01:32:38 [Irredel (Sav)] I took it this morning because you take it the day of the full moon.
01:32:43 [DM (Aarya)] That's correct.
01:32:44 [Mercurio (Gui)] But uh, I think the plan was for her to be in the church basement and stuff during the night. Because it's only going to be like a help, but she's still going to be pretty crazy, right?
01:33:00 [Ember (Spurthi)] Probably going to be every time.
01:33:03 [DM (Aarya)] So what Father Bryce described to you, the effects of the potion, is that instead of transforming into a feral werewolf, she would turn into just like a wolf. And with the effects of the potion she wouldn't be able to like willingly shift back to her normal form. But she'd have control of her mind basically, just in wolf mode.
01:33:29 [Sildir (Tris)] And then the next day it's back to usual, or?
01:33:32 [DM (Aarya)] Yep.
01:33:33 [Mercurio (Gui)] Okay, so we could be out of town. She'd just be a wolf. Yeah.
01:33:39 [Saturno (Steph)] Yeah, and we would like to potentially like lay low just to not really draw attention to her.
01:33:45 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah.
01:33:47 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, it does bring up other concerns, but she won't be like out of her mind trying to kill everyone. So there's that.
01:33:54 [Mercurio (Gui)] We can camp. We can go camping tonight.
01:34:02 [Sildir (Tris)] Camping in Barovia sounds wonderful. I can't think of a more shitty activity.
01:34:10 [Mercurio (Gui)] I've been studying some camping magic.
01:34:18 [Sildir (Tris)] Camping magic?
01:34:20 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yes.
01:34:21 [Sildir (Tris)] Are you an outdoorsman? Well, I just- Stay indoors with a cup kind of type. Is there a- have you figured out a glamping magic?
01:34:34 [Mercurio (Gui)] That's pretty accurate actually. It started with missing the comforts of home and trying to figure out how to, you know, bring a slice of home with me on the go.
01:34:52 [Irredel (Sav)] What does that mean?
01:34:56 [Mercurio (Gui)] Just don't worry about it, I've got it covered, okay?
01:34:59 [Sildir (Tris)] We're going glamping. Oh my god, you sound like Victor.
01:35:03 [Mercurio (Gui)] I have made arrangements for us to stay in a very comfortable, you know, portable palace of sorts.
01:35:16 [Saturno (Steph)] Is it a winery?
01:35:18 [Mercurio (Gui)] No, it's not a winery.
01:35:21 [Saturno (Steph)] Anything could be a winery with a winery.
01:35:25 [Sildir (Tris)] The only winery around here that I know of is Erwin's dad's and that's miles away. We won't be camping there.
01:35:31 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah, we do have to take care of that next too. Ugh, there's so much to do.
01:35:36 [Sildir (Tris)] Poor Erwin, he's taking a backseat to this- his highness douchebag. But Stella seems to need our help, so. And then you'll get targeted by a pool and you'll kind of know which direction you're getting pulled by because you'll have a little graphic pointing out- I guess we'll- let's go to the town square.
01:35:36 [Sildir (Tris)] I mean, Iridyll, are you okay with that?
01:36:02 [Irredel (Sav)] To see what's happening? Yeah, yes, of course, that's my preference.
01:36:07 [Sildir (Tris)] Oh, well, we're gonna have to go to the hags later though. I mean, are you okay with that? That's what I'm getting at.
01:36:14 [Irredel (Sav)] I mean, I think the bigger question is will all of you be okay? It's a very dangerous proposition that you're all willing to agree to. There's just so many unknowns here.
01:36:14 [Irredel (Sav)] We'll be in an uncontrolled environment going after highly dangerous creatures and one member of us will be turning into a different highly dangerous creature only controlled by a potion you know that will only know works basically until it's too late. I trust your- You all weren't the only ones with a vision.
01:37:15 [Saturno (Steph)] What was your vision?
01:37:16 [Irredel (Sav)] Last night, I dreamt of a woman promising me great power if I gave into this curse. It's something that I am categorically not willing to do no matter the cost. It just goes against everything that I know, everything that I care about.
01:37:16 [Irredel (Sav)] It is opposite to who I am as a person. But it doesn't go well that these dark forces seem to have a very vested interest in me becoming a horrific monster. When all I want to do is Irwin's taxes.
01:38:12 [Sildir (Tris)] Irudel, I know you won't let that happen to yourself. You're honestly- If you think it's the truth, if you think it's morally objectively true, I've never seen someone more stubborn than you. But if it does, I mean- And it won't.
01:38:12 [Sildir (Tris)] I can promise to handle it. That makes you feel any better?
01:38:42 [Irredel (Sav)] It does and I trust you. But you all- Everyone here needs to agree that this is a risk we're all taking. I will do whatever is best for the team and if that means going after these hags when I'm in a vulnerable state, so be it.
01:38:42 [Irredel (Sav)] You know, if I die- But I told you not to make that decision.
01:39:06 [Sildir (Tris)] Personally, if I die because of you here in this accursed land, it's probably about the best way I can go.
01:39:17 [Ember (Spurthi)] Better than the devil again, huh?
01:39:18 [Sildir (Tris)] In shitty Barovia. Yeah, you know, if you kill me, it'll be- I probably deserve it for what I put you through, honestly. So at least it'll be funny in a really shitty way.
01:39:32 [Irredel (Sav)] The scales will balance out in the end, eventually.
01:39:35 [Sildir (Tris)] There's a lot of space for it.
01:39:36 [Irredel (Sav)] I always do. So, what does everyone think?
01:39:43 [Sildir (Tris)] Whichever one that is for you.
01:39:45 [Sylalys (Cat)] Well, as a very wise man once said, all will be well.
01:39:53 [Irredel (Sav)] You know he's not here anymore, right?
01:39:57 [Sylalys (Cat)] Yes, but I like this positive outlook.
01:40:01 [Sildir (Tris)] I think he really likes that sword. I will say- Really, really likes that sword.
01:40:07 [DM (Aarya)] Just to double check, are you guys walking away from the manor at this point?
01:40:10 [Ember (Spurthi)] Yeah.
01:40:11 [DM (Aarya)] Okay, so I will note that it is still raining. It's not like coming down super hard or anything, but it is enough that being outside for a few minutes would get you soaked.
01:40:23 [Sildir (Tris)] I mean, I guess I'm doing my best to keep undercover and this and that, but it is what it is. We gotta- We must press on.
01:40:34 [Mercurio (Gui)] You're walking through the streets. I probably like tore the blankets off the Virgo Master's bed and threw it over my head as like a raincoat before I left.
01:40:46 [DM (Aarya)] Okay, yeah. Yeah, so you're walking through the streets of Vallaki. It's coming down a little bit, and you do still hear thunder rolling in from the distance.
01:41:00 [Sildir (Tris)] Well. Solid. I think it's the first time I've seen it rain, despite all the mist.
01:41:15 [Mercurio (Gui)] Great heroes, everybody.
01:41:19 [Sildir (Tris)] What a stupid world this is.
01:41:26 [Mercurio (Gui)] The foreboding omen.
01:41:31 [Sildir (Tris)] You got so much barrier off that fucking early.
01:41:35 [DM (Aarya)] So where are we headed?
01:41:37 [Sildir (Tris)] I guess we're headed to town square.
01:41:38 [DM (Aarya)] Okay, cool.
01:41:39 [Saturno (Steph)] I see the event, yeah.
01:41:41 [Mercurio (Gui)] Let's just take a peek, but we can't take too long.
01:41:44 [Saturno (Steph)] We need to- Yeah, five minute stops.
01:41:47 [DM (Aarya)] All right. Um, let me bring y'all into the scene and then, yeah, we'll take it away.
01:42:08 [Mercurio (Gui)] My fucking power supply is fucking popping off again.
01:42:13 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah. I don't know if y'all can hear it. Yeah, we can.
01:42:13 [DM (Aarya)] Is it loud on your end? We're kind of just hearing it in the background.
01:42:20 [Mercurio (Gui)] Yeah, it's pretty loud. I'm gonna BRB.
01:42:23 [DM (Aarya)] Okay, sounds good.
01:42:24 [Mercurio (Gui)] To restart my computer, yeah.
01:42:27 [Ember (Spurthi)] Excuse me.
01:42:30 [DM (Aarya)] RIP my video.
01:42:35 [Sildir (Tris)] I can hear it beeping. Going pretty crazy.
01:42:40 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah. That's, yeah, that was a pretty funny encounter to RP. I had a lot of fun with that character.
01:42:40 [DM (Aarya)] Oh my god, that hurts. Oh my god, it hurts.
01:43:05 [Saturno (Steph)] Run me on me, I'm in pain.
01:43:10 [Sylalys (Cat)] Oof, owie, my bones.
01:43:12 [Sildir (Tris)] This might be a good stopping point anyway. We're right about at a good event to, like, hit next time.
01:43:18 [DM (Aarya)] Yeah, okay, we can call it here if everyone is good with that.
01:43:23 [Saturno (Steph)] Sure.
01:43:26 [DM (Aarya)] RIP Guillermo.
01:43:29 [Saturno (Steph)] It comes back. We should all leave.
01:43:32 [Ember (Spurthi)] Oh my god, that'd be so mean.
01:43:42 [DM (Aarya)] I could go either way on it.
01:43:44 [Sildir (Tris)] But it does seem like a good checkpoint.
01:43:47 [DM (Aarya)] It's up to y'all. Maybe we'll see what this has.
01:43:56 [Ember (Spurthi)] Yeah.
01:44:07 [Sildir (Tris)] Wait, you didn't tell me a surprise.
01:44:22 [DM (Aarya)] Hollywood superstar Shia LaBeouf. No, no.
01:44:28 [Sildir (Tris)] There was a bunch of wolf masks in that one, too.
01:44:30 [DM (Aarya)] That's true, yeah, wait, you're right. Holy shit. Strong reference.
01:44:30 [DM (Aarya)] Strong reference?
01:44:40 [Sildir (Tris)] Play the Shia music in the background. Yeah. Next time we fight a werewolf.
01:44:40 [Sildir (Tris)] Shia, Shia.
01:44:46 [Ember (Spurthi)] Shia. Shia. Shia.
01:44:46 [Ember (Spurthi)] Shia. Shia.
01:44:55 [Sildir (Tris)] I don't know how you guys heard that, but that was pretty good in real life. It kinda hit it out on our side.
01:45:01 [Saturno (Steph)] Yeah, we heard it, that was good, yeah.
01:45:03 [Irredel (Sav)] It's the little kid from the choir.
01:45:05 [Sildir (Tris)] Yeah, yeah, yeah.
01:45:06 [Irredel (Sav)] He sings that part, you know?
01:45:09 [Sildir (Tris)] It's silly how like- The blond kid? Yeah. Well, he's the one who says quiet, quiet.
01:45:09 [Sildir (Tris)] It's the whole choir.
01:45:13 [Ember (Spurthi)] Yeah.
01:45:16 [DM (Aarya)] Quiet, quiet. The level of production on that was pretty silly.
01:45:20 [Irredel (Sav)] but the kid also had a little bit of a solo there yeah yeah oh my god there he
01:45:29 [DM (Aarya)] is Hollywood superstar Shia LaBeouf
01:45:32 [Sildir (Tris)] Guillermo Echari hello hello out of the corner of your eye you spot him
01:45:37 [DM (Aarya)] he gets on all fours and starts sprinting
01:45:41 [Ember (Spurthi)] he's near you not you
01:45:44 [Sildir (Tris)] oh no you're like it's caught in a bear trap
01:45:46 [Mercurio (Gui)] oh my gosh what a mean
01:45:53 [DM (Aarya)] yeah but yeah we were talking like if we wanted to stop here if we wanted to keep going
01:46:03 [Mercurio (Gui)] um if you think it's a good stopping point yeah
01:46:05 [DM (Aarya)] we could stop here um yeah there are there are other points we could stop too but yeah it's just like if people are feeling tired or want to get going it's uh it's whatever the group feels is appropriate
01:46:18 [Mercurio (Gui)] I will say that I am unusually tired today
01:46:22 [Sildir (Tris)] your power supply draining your power from your physical being yeah I'm the defect
01:46:35 [DM (Aarya)] all right we can call it here then all right good session everyone
01:46:42 [Sildir (Tris)] it's like a spicy stuff is happening that was fun you guys are good at this