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Almost Bedtime Theater
A podcast by a dad, daughter, and her cousin, providing family-friendly actual plays of role-playing games, plus advice and game reviews.
Almost Bedtime Theater
Adorablins: Review, Actual Play (Ep 14)
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*** A transcript of this episode is available via the episode page on Buzzsprout. ***
In this episode, we review and play the game “Adorablins.”
- 00:12 – Game review
- 07:15 – Actual play session
Adorablins was created by Kristin and Tim Devine of Dice Up Games. You can find more information at DiceUpGames.com or by visiting their Kickstarter (open through February 3, 2022).
TTRPGkids.com also has an in-depth review of the game and an interview with the creators.
How to reach us:
- Email: AlmostBedtimeTheater@gmail.com
- Twitter: @AlmostBedtime
Our intro and outro theme music are by McRoMusic. He can be found on Patreon at patreon.com/mcromusic.
This episode also incorporates the following additional pieces by McRoMusic:
- The Path Forward
- Shooting Stars
- The Wilds
- Story and Legend
- Winter and Summer
How to reach us:
- Email: AlmostBedtimeTheater@gmail.com
- Social Media Links: bio.link/AlmostBedtimeTheater
[Almost Bedtime, by McRoMusic]
Rachael:Hi, I'm Rachael -
Dan:- and I'm Dan, Rachael's dad.
Rachael:And this is Almost Bedtime Theater, a podcast about playing role playing games with kids. In this episode we are reviewing and playing Adorablins, an easy to learn RPG about cute goblin critters going on adventures.
Dan:We're also joined today by Rachael's cousin.
Leah:Hi, I'm Leah.
Rachael:Adorablins was created by Kristin and Tim Devine of Dice Up Games with awesome illustrations by Amber Seger. It's based on a simplified Powered by the Apocalypse game mechanic that Kristen and Tim pulled together when playing games with their own kids. It's super quick to set up and play and everything you need for the game comes inside a pocket sized mint tin, so you can take the cards dice and tokens with you anywhere. There is even a digital version if you want to play online. As of the time of this recording, Adorablins is unfortunately not yet in stores, but you can still back it on Kickstarter through February 3rd, 2022. There's a link in our show notes if you want to check that out.
Dan:Thanks to stretch goals being met, the game is going to have 10 characters you can play and 10 companions that can join you on your adventure. It also comes with a couple of pages of nice simple instructions that walk the Story Guide through how to kick things off and run the game. We got the chance to try out a reviewer copy of the digital version of the game for this episode, and it worked pretty well. So we're going to talk now a bit about how it went and what we thought about the game in more specifics. To start with, we talked about the complexity of the game as far as how challenging is it to play and how complex is it to run. Now, when it comes to running it, I can vouch that it's pretty easy. The rule books such as they are, it's just a couple of pages, they take you through step by step as that Story Guide or that Narrator and tell you, you know, make sure you ask these questions and say this bit, flip the card, do the next step. So it's super easy to get started. And then you do spend more of the time or at least you can, like we did where I asked the players a lot of questions about what's going on, what are they seeing, what's interesting about the world, so that that way, everybody's getting a lot of input. And it also means that as the person running the game, I have a lot less I have to invent. So I would call this - on our scale of one being the simplest to five being the most complex - I would give this like a two when it comes to running it. It's pretty straightforward.
Rachael:Adorablins would also be a good game if you're starting out like you're really new to running... to running games and RPGs. It would be a good one to start with if you're looking for a simple... a simple game to experiment with.
Dan :Definitely. How did the two of you feel when it comes to how how difficult it was to play?
Rachael:Pretty simple.
Leah:Yeah.
Rachael:Okay, most of it. I just thought it was really fun.
Leah:It's definitely fun to be able to make up things as we go.
Rachael:Not really have a super destined path. But...
Leah:Yeah, like we all come up with it together.
Dan:Okay, excellent. In terms of the game mechanics, let's see... character building. So you start out with a pre-built character, pretty much all you have to do is... what you get to do is give them some flavor, give them a name, give them a favorite snack, and you're ready to go. So that's quick. And when it comes to determining success, if you have a moment where it's uncertain how things are going to pan out, it is rolling two six-sided dice, and then adding a stat bonus. So each character has a bonus for smarts, senses, speed and strength. And it's just a matter of picking which of those seems to fit the picture better, or the... this attempt they're going to make, and you add that bonus. And then if it's a six or less, that gets rolled, now they're... they're stuck. And what's going to happen next test to be figured out. But if you get stuck, you also get a snack and you can use those snacks do all kinds of things. If you roll a seven to nine, then you're... you're struggling, but you can use a snack or a companion can help you to to bump it up to that level of 10 plus, which is a success. And things go swimmingly. From a standpoint of like hit points or character survival, what you have is conditions that occur. So if you roll that six minus, basically it just means that whatever ability you were using, let's say your speed, now has a condition. You can't use that ability again until you get a snack or get a chance to rest. If you get four of those conditions. Basically if all of your different ways of doing things get these conditions on them, then your character needs to take a break or get some help. That's the... that's what you're looking at instead of losing hitpoints or getting knocked down. I'd say the other key game mechanic mentioned a couple times already is those snacks. They're really the resource that helps you succeed. It can be used to wake up your companions after they've helped, to help others remove conditions... you do all kinds of stuff with those snacks. My question now to the two of you is what... what do you like about this game system? Was there anything about the rules that you particularly liked or the... any other aspects as far as the the mechanics?
Rachael:I really liked how there was room to expand, they didn't limit you to like, certain spells, you can use certain things you have to use for your abilities, and you get to make up some of the game as well. There's no limitations to really what you can do.
Leah:I agree. Like it's really open ended, and we can kind of just do whatever we want. Like we could play it again and again and have something different every time.
Dan:Absolutely. Is there anything else that you'd like to bring up?
Leah:The drawings are very cute. I like that.
Dan:Yes, the illustrator did an excellent job on those.
Rachael:What suggestions would you have for someone about to run this game for the first time?
Dan :Well, I think I can safely say that it's easy to run. All you have to do is read through the little booklets and follow the instructions to get things started. Let the players really help paint the scene, by asking them lots of questions. And then also let the players play their companions. You don't have to... to run those characters too. And I thought that worked out rather well with... especially with your Roly and Poly. And their attitudes towards cheese came through very nicely, and that wasn't something I would have... would have realized.
Rachael:And if you want to read an in-depth view of the Adorablins from someone who played it with a three-and-a-half-year-old, or an interview with the creators, check out TTRPGkids.com. Links to both of those write ups are also available in our show notes. If you would like to get in touch with us with a question, comment or suggestion, you can email us at AlmostBedtimeTheater@gmail.com or find us on Twitter as@almostbedtime. And now let the adventure begin! For the cheese!
Leah:For the cheese!
Dan:For the cheese!
Music:[Transition music]
Dan :Before the adventure begins... what are your Adorablin's names and their favorite kinds of snacks?
Rachael:My Adorablin's name is Snarky, and their favorite snack is insects.
Leah:Insects?
Rachael:No, actually... actually, um, Leah, what's your character's name?
Dan :This sounds like a dangerous segue.
Leah:Alvin.
Rachael:And Alvin's brownies.
Dan :Awww, so not insects. Brownies.
Rachael:Insect brownies. Hey, chocolate... chocolate and insects go together.
Dan :So, question for Alvin - What kind of insects do you put in your special insect brownies?
Leah:Oh, all kinds... grasshopper.... Whatever's, you know, in the yard that morning -
Rachael:Whatever is convenient.
Leah:Yep.
Rachael:I feel bad for the bugs now.
Dan :Well, we do have an X-card if you decide that something-
Rachael:Nah.
Dan :-doesn't fit. Okay. Okay.
Rachael:Bugs get to be eaten.
Dan:So, Snarky... your favorite is those insect brownies that Alvin the baker provides for you. Good to know. Is there anything else that you'd like to tell us about Snarky?
Rachael:Their favorite animals are Roly and Poly. Pretzels are really good. They're her second favorite food. And she likes being convenient.
Leah:Convenient sounds awfully close to how I'm picking bugs for the brownies.
Dan :So let's learn a little bit about Alvin then.
Leah:They're a baker. And their favorite snack is probably also bug-filled brownies because they're pretty good, if I do say so myself.
Dan :So now that we've met your Adorablins, tell us about the companions.
Leah:They found Shroomy because they were making something with mushrooms in it. And then this one was alive. And we've just been friends since.
Dan :Awesome. And how about Roly and Poly?
Unknown:Roly and Poly are... they're twins, and Snarky found that... she needed roly-polies for like a spell she was going to do but decided they were too cute.
Dan :How big are your companions compared to you?
Rachael:Mine are about thumb-size.
Leah:I would say about half of my height.
Rachael:How did that fit in the package, may I ask? A very, very large package.
Dan :Now what we're gonna do is have you describe what you're doing today as we we start off?
Rachael:I think that Snarky... Snarky is... she is at Alvin's bakery, I suppose. Eating some... eating from bug-filled brownies.
Dan :And Roly and Poly?
Rachael:They're thoroughly enjoying their own mini bug filled brownies with a... with a hint of mint.
Dan :Oh, nice. And Alvin, what are you up to?
Leah:I'm out in the garden, finding bugs for my delicious, delicious things I'm going to make today.
Rachael:And I should not be disturbed at all by that sentence.
Leah:Nope!
Rachael:Maybe Adorablins have different taste buds.
Dan :Although brownies... if they're into brownies, that sounds like there's some similarities at least.
Rachael:Insect-filled brownies, Daddy. Get your facts right.
Dan:Point. Alright...
Rachael:I suspect every bite that you hear just this crunch...
Leah:Oh, no!
Dan :Ewww. I'm going to pretend that that's like, I don't know, peanuts in the brownies. That's just... they're peanuts. They're peanuts.
Leah:Chocolate chips.
Dan :And chocolate chips... and toffee bits, definitely.
Rachael:You know, isn't this supposed to be family friendly?
Dan:[laughing] Yes! Yes it is!
Rachael:Hey, you know if I can handle it.... other kids out there can probably handle it.
Dan:I'm gonna keep my fingers crossed.
Rachael:Okay, to everybody out there that listens to this - Don't eat bugs. Unless, like, they come in a package? I don't know!
Leah:Don't just pick them up out of the garden.
Rachael:Yeah.
Dan :Yeah, you need to leave them for the Adorablins.
Leah:We are very on track.
Dan:Totally on track. So to swing us even more on track, I am going to reveal that a portal has opened into another world... here in your Adorablin Land. Presumably-
Leah:[gasps]
Dan:- really near your bakery.
Rachael:Gasp!
Dan:Yeah, and this this is a thing that happens from time to time. This is this is not, like, a once-in-a-lifetime event.
Rachael:Oh, okay.
Dan:But something just went through it, and it's up to you to go through and bring it back! Where did the portal show up?
Rachael:Around... around the busier shopping district, I think.
Dan:Ah, and what fell through the portal or who? This is going to need to be something you're going to go try to rescue or bring back.
Rachael:I know. An insect.
Leah:A gourmet insect.
Dan:Like if this was the shopping area was it a stall that sells insects and their... Some kind of insect fell through?
Rachael:Why again do we need to go rescue it?
Dan:I was just trying to figure that out. Maybe we need something different?
Rachael:Um, how about our best friend Jimmy?
Leah:No, Jimmy.
Dan:Not Jimmy!
Leah:Not Jimmy!
Rachael:Why'd you do that, Jimmy?
Leah:Well, we got to go get Jimmy.
Rachael:Jimmy is like the... they make... I think I think they they make cheese. They make really good cheese. I mean, insect-filled cheese. I have the worst ideas.
Leah:Never, never start a bakery.
Dan:No.
Rachael:What if it is cheese for insects?
Leah:Very, very small cheese.
Rachael:And oh-oh-oh, I go there. Like sometimes... sometimes Snarky will go there and get it for Roly and Poly. So Jimmy is dear to our hearts.
Dan:Ah, yes. Totally.
Rachael:And Roly and Poly... it... like so when we first heard about Jimmy going down the portal... I suspect Roly was like, "No, not Jimmy. Now we can't have our gourmet cheeses." And yeah, and then Poly was like, "We'll just get them from Katherine." Or something.
Dan:[laughing] Wow! Well, Poly don't care. As long as there's cheese on the table, it don't matter. Jimmy can just, you know... Ta-ta, Jimmy. All right. So uh, Poly's, you know, feelings on the matter aside, one of the Adorablins bursts into the bakery, Alvin, just as you're coming back in from your little farm area with the nice stash of ingredients - quote unquote - and says-
Rachael:You have to use a voice, Daddy. I always thought of them as like squeaky and adorable. Squeaky.
Dan:Ah, what's the name of this Adorablin that comes bursting in with the news?
Rachael:Jimmy number two.[laughing]
Leah:That makes Jimmy rather replaceable.
Rachael:Okay, fine. What about Harold the second?
Dan:Oh, that works out really well because a harold is someone who comes with news.
Leah:That was done on purpose.
Dan:Harold the second bursts in to the bakery and says,[squeaky] "Have you heard the news? Have you heard the news? Jimmy's last in a portal!"
Rachael:I imagine Poly's like,"Good for him." And Roly's like,"Oh no, my gourmet cheeses!"
Dan:As far as Snarky and Alvin, this is the part where you get to be like, "We gotta go get Jimmy!"
Rachael:No, I think this is the part where I'm like, "Okay, I accept fate. I'm gonna keep eating my brownies, 'cause it's what... it's what the future has told me to do." And I quietly accept the fact that I may have to find another spot to get gourmet cheeses for Roly and Poly.
Leah:And then I'm just like,"No! I need this cheese for my baking." And then I grab you and then we run to the portal. I drag you out the door by the hand, and I'm just... I'm just, along the way, I'm just telling you all the things that I put his cheese in.
Rachael:And by the time that we reached the portal, Snarky is drooling, and they're fully willing to go and get Jimmy.
Dan:Excellent.
Rachael:Only for the cheese.
Dan:For the cheese.
Rachael:For the cheese.
Dan:[squeaky] "For the cheese." Not now, Harold.
Rachael:[laughing]
Leah:[laughing]
Dan:Alright, you're standing at the cheese stall. And there's this whirling portal.
Rachael:What color is it?
Dan:I was just gonna ask. What does the portal look like?
Rachael:It's bright gray.
Leah:[laughing] Bright gray? Is that white, or...?
Dan:[laughing] I think that's white.
Leah:Yeah.
Rachael:It's dark white.
Dan:Does it have colorful sparkles?
Rachael:No, no, I think it's rather uninviting. Oh! I have an idea on like, on the side of the portal there's like, I think in runes, it says, "For gourmet cheeses, come this way. Lasts only for a few days."
Dan:So you've got this portal. It's whirling. It's either bright gray or dark white depending on how you look at it. Who's going through first?
Rachael:Me. I need my gourmet cheeses back. I need Alvin to have those cheeses. I need the wonderful, wonderful things Alvin has told me about
Dan:What does it feel like to go through this portal?
Rachael:It feels like being boxed in a box and being told that you... you need to be in a smaller box.
Leah:Like shoved into smaller and smaller boxes?
Rachael:Yes, like that, yeah. It feels like you keep getting compressed. Just squeezed in from all sides.
Dan:You come popping out of the portal. Alvin, where are you?
Leah:Like a really big, grassy field. But the colors of everything are wrong, like the sky is orange. And the grass is teal.
Dan:Ooo. Snarky, you pop out as well. What else do you notice?
Rachael:There's a tower in the distance.
Dan:Oh, what kind of tower?
Rachael:It's like a really tall tower. And it's like, it's thin, but it like twists around. And there is a really tall tree in the middle.
Dan:Oh, like in the middle of the tower?
Rachael:The tower itself twists around in a spiral.
Leah:Ohhh.
Rachael:And in the middle is where the really tall tree is.
Dan:Ooo.
Rachael:There are also lots of yellow donkeys in the field.
Leah:[laughing]
Dan:Sticking to that color ain't right scenario.
Leah:Cheese donkeys.
Rachael:But the weird thing about the tower and the tree is... they're actually the right colors.
Dan:Okay, there you are, standing outside the portal, being glared at by yellow donkeys.
Rachael:And green birds.
Dan:You're here for Jimmy; there's no Jimmy to be seen. What do you do?
Rachael:Are we gonna go to the tower?
Leah:We can go to the tower.
Rachael:Okay, as we get closer, though, the leaves on the branches of the tree.. they actually... they're birds. So they fly away.
Dan:Oh, that's the green birds you were referring to?
Rachael:Uh huh.
Dan:So now it's... now it's like a bare tree in winter kind of look?
Rachael:Uh huh, but new birds grow back. So every like minute or so, another flock of birds goes into the sky because more birds grow back.
Dan:Are they always green birds or is sometimes like it's red and yellow? Fall color birds.
Rachael:It can be different. Sometimes they're white birds, like snow. I think the color so... red and orange and yellow birds? They act like fall leaves so they slowly drift to the ground. And the same for white birds. But for green birds they stay on much longer than the other ones.
Dan:So does this mean that there's a group of the red and yellow birds just hanging out around on the ground? Like digging for seeds and things?
Rachael:Yeah.
Dan:Got it. The donkeys were kind of like, "Eh, oh, look, people. Oh grass." But the birds the birds are watching you serious-like. There's a lot of birds between you and the door of the tower. What would you like to do?
Rachael:Like, can I cast a spell to like... can I make the birds wet?
Dan:What are you trying to do by making them soggy?
Rachael:I want them to go away.
Dan:Okay, do want to cast that spell? Let's call it a smarts roll. So you're gonna roll 2d6 and add your smarts bonus.
Rachael:I got on an 11.
Dan:Okay, what's it look like when you deluge these birds?
Rachael:I just thrust my hands out and whole bunch of water falls down on the birds. And now they're very soggy birds.
Dan:Alright, and these soggy birds, all these red and yellow and some white soggy birds, all scatter and get out of the way and it opens a path between you and the door of the Spiral Tower. What would you like to do?
Leah:I just take off running for the door.
Dan:Alvin's running for the door, Shroomy right behind, took-took-took-took-took.
Rachael:I follow Alvin.
Dan:You get to the door. What does this door look like into this tower? Is this like a stone tower?
Rachael:I think that's a combination of the tree and some stone.
Dan:Ah, okay. And what's the door like?
Rachael:I think it's... it's open.
Dan:[laughing] Sly, Rachel, very sly. "Yep, yep, yeah, doors totally open. No worries here."
Leah:[laughing] Okay.
Dan:Yeah, yeah. Now that you mentioned it, the door's open. Oh, and there's some... there's some dirty footprints leading inside there. They're decidedly the size of Jimmy's shoes. Absolutely.
Leah:I did measure those the other day, so I know exactly how perfect they are.
Dan:Perfect.
Rachael:Can I ask you why you measured Jimmy's shoes?
Leah:Well, you know, just in case.
Dan:[laughing]
Rachael:Does that mean you measured my shoes too?
Leah:Of course.
Dan:Does Alvin have like a diary that's got everybody's shoe size in it all throughout the town?
Rachael:Is my shoe diary!
Dan:Alvin is really prepared.
Leah:[laughing] I'm prepared.
Rachael:I want to run in there and say, um-
Leah:Just bust in - Bust in and yell "For the cheese!"
Dan:[Squeaky] For the cheese!
Leah:Is it... did Harold come with us?
Dan:No, but Harold's there in spirit. [laughing] I have this visual that's it's just Harold's head popping out from behind the tree yelling "For the cheese!" and then popping back in. He's gone.[laughing] Alright.
Rachael:Um...
Dan:Yes?
Rachael:I don't know what to do.
Dan:I was an impression y'all were just bustin' in, but you might want to do that differently?
Leah:Are we -
Rachael:Let's bust in!
Leah:Okay, we're busting in. Even though the doors already open, I just kick it open. More open.
Dan:To... just to verify. Is this door, like, an Adorablin-sized door? Or is this like a very big door?
Rachael:It's a really big door. And inside all the furniture is huge. There's some really good hiding spots for us Adorablins.
Dan:All right. So you kick the door. It doesn't move at all.
Rachael:For the cheese!
Dan:And yell, "For the cheese." Check. It's a good thing it was already ajar because, uh-
Rachael:Kick it again!
Dan:[laughing] Thud-thud-thud.
Leah:[laughing] I just keep... I just keep kicking it.
Rachael:I help you. Every time we kick it, I yell "For the cheese!"
Dan:You've definitely put this door in its place. Which, fortuitously, is exactly the place it was in to start with, because it ain't moving.
Rachael:I imagine that it's got this slight dent in it.
Dan:[laughing] Man, Adorablins have got some umph. Alright, Alvin and Snarky. You've got the door open. You have it beaten into submission. And you can see inside... it's a big room. Looks like maybe it's some sort of a dining room area. But wow, that's... that's real big furniture. Real big.
Rachael:I yell, "Jimmyyyyyyy!"
Leah:Can we still see the footprints? Are there like more that we can follow?
Dan:Ooo, good question. Give me a roll. How about how about senses? 2d6 plus senses?
Leah:Okay, I got eight and then what is my senses?
Dan:So on your card, your baker card there... looks like a plus three.
Leah:Eleven.
Dan:Yeah, you totally you can totally see that there's Jimmy tracks.
Rachael:I shout "Jimmy" again. And it echoes. It's like,"Jimmy... jimmy... jimmy."
Dan:You find the tracks. They... looks like he was... he started out kind of lurking along the side of the wall, sneaking in, trying to be cautious. And then there's a part where he looks like he ran away from the wall, in towards the middle of the room, and then the checks stop.
Leah:Oh, we should we should probably try to be more sneaky.
Rachael:What if we throw something over there?
Dan:You certainly can.
Leah:Did you have anything to throw?
Rachael:I have an idea. Can I cast a spell? Where, like, I cause an image of somebody walking through the door, like an Adorablin walking through the door and going the center of the room?
Dan:Sounds like that's certainly within your purview, yeah.
Rachael:Okay. So I roll and add senses.
Dan:I'm thinking it's smarts, probably, for casting a spell.
Rachael:Oh yeah, smarts. I got another 11.
Dan:Goodness gracious. Well then, yeah. What's the visual that you have tromping out in there to the middle of the room?
Rachael:Um, it's very realistic. There's, I think, even sounds... like small little tip taps. And it just, it goes out in the middle of the room. Is it dark in the room?
Dan:There's some nice big windows; it's well lit in here.
Rachael:My illusion walks into the center of the room.
Dan:Let's see... What comes swooping out of the air?
Rachael:A spider!
Leah:A very, very big spider.
Dan:There is a thwap of this spider webbing being shot out like a net and goes[thwap-thwap-thwap] all around your illusion. And then it's yanked back. And you can see that hanging up from a... like a chandelier of candles, there is a spider there. And it's looking confused? I'm not sure how a spider looks confused, but you're definitely picking up some confusion.
Rachael:Oh, one of its legs is scratching its head.
Dan:Perfect. Yes. [squeaking noise] as it scratches its head. Because there's nothing in its net, but it can see there's something out there. What do you do?
Leah:Just run away, screaming.
Rachael:The illusion runs away screaming, yes.
Dan:[laughing] The illusion runs, screaming. Does it run back towards you? Or does it start running all the way across the room?
Rachael:It runs out the door.
Dan:Screaming out the door. All right. And the spider starts clambering its way back up to the chandelier. Now what?
Leah:I guess we have to be sneaky. Does it have Jimmy up there?
Dan:That's a good question. Somebody gives me a senses roll.
Rachael:You're better at senses than I am.
Leah:Okay, nine.
Dan:Nine. So nine is success but struggling. So you could turn that into a full success by eating a snack or getting help from your companion or using... so use a snack to, like, use your ability or your Recipe Book... or Snarky could help you out.
Leah:I guess you could help me out and we can look together?
Rachael:Okay.
Dan:All right. It does require that Snarky spend a snack to make that happen. Pretty much somebody's got to pay a snack or a companion has to get used.
Rachael:I'll use a snack.
Dan:All right. What are you going to do by using your snack? You could make like a mystical telescope or binoculars or something?
Rachael:Binoculars, yes, like a pair of ghosts... of like... like kind of... they look solid, and they feel solid. But, like, they'll kind of shift a little bit. They kind of move around a bit like they're made of wind.
Dan:Ooo. Alright, so Alvin, using these...
Rachael:Bin-ackculars.
Dan:Bin-ackculars...
Leah:Bin-ackculars.
Dan:You're able to look up there. You don't see Jimmy. But you are certain those are Jimmy's shoes.
Leah:I am quite good at identifying shoes.
Dan:Right? But also there's a... there's a big chunk of the webbing is torn there too, as if perhaps someone escaped or was plucked out of it. You don't think Jimmy got et, but he did lose his shoes. What would you like to do?
Leah:Lets go to the kitchen. I like the kitchen.
Rachael:Kitchen it is! Can I cast a spell to make us invisible?
Dan:Roll them smarts.
Rachael:Oh my gosh. Um... so in total I got... in total I got a 10.
Dan:What's it look like when you go invisible?
Rachael:I think, like, it's kind of like there's a paint bucket and a paint brush appear out of nowhere and start painting us with this invisible ink sort of thing.
Leah:It smells like lemon.
Rachael:Yes. It it smells like lemon and a hint... a hint of bugs.
Dan:[laughing]
Leah:[laughing] I... what...
Rachael:What is it with Adorablins and bugs? Anyway, yeah. So it paints us invisible.
Dan:Alright. So you make your way across the floor - dun-dun-dun-dun-dun-dun-dun - but totally invisible, into what is clearly the very large kitchen. And as you get into the kitchen, you can hear some things kind of clanking and moving around. It sounds like someone is actively working in this kitchen.... but there's nobody giant-sized in here.
Leah:Just yell, "JIMMY!"
Dan:[Jimmy voice] Eh, who's that? Who's that?
Rachael:Jimmy? It's me, Snarky!
Dan:[Jimmy voice] Snarky?
Rachael:You get down here this minute.
Leah:And Alvin!
Dan:[Jimmy voice] Snarky and Alvin? What are you doing here?
Rachael:What are you doing here?
Dan:[Jimmy voice] I'm uh, well, I've got to make... I've got to make some cheese. I came in... I came in... I mean, did you read the portal?
Leah:Something about... something about cheese...
Dan:[Jimmy voice] Right? And I thought "Ah, I gotta learn about this," right? I come in. Next thing I know, I'm yanked up by this spider, it's gonna bite my head off, but then, uh, but then this guy comes by - huge guy, big guy - he picks me out of the spiderweb, and he's like, "I saved your life. Now make me cheese." And I was like, "I can make cheese." And so, uh, so here I am, but I gotta make this cheese. I got to prep it all up for him before I can go. I owe him a debt.
Leah:A cheese debt.
Dan:[Jimmy voice] A cheese debt. Yes, yes.
Rachael:Well, make your cheese faster, leave it on the counter, and then come on.
Dan:[Jimmy voice] Oh, this could take quite a while, unless you want to help. I could use the help.
Rachael:Okay, I'll help.
Dan:[Jimmy voice] Great-great-great. Come on up.
Leah:My ability is like making food, right?
Rachael:Oh, could you, like, speed up the process?
Dan:I would say being a baker certainly means that you can help with the cooking. Totally.
Rachael:I could... could I use some spells to like make an ingredient... ingredients come over here?
Dan:Oh, sure. Yeah, yeah.
Rachael:So, Alvin could help Jimmy making the cheese and I could get the ingredients they need.
Dan:Oh, yeah.
Rachael:Okay, what ingredients? Do I have to roll?
Dan:First question. How are you getting up on the counter?
Rachael:How did you get up there, Jimmy? Don't tell me he just set you there.
Dan:[Jimmy voice] Ahhhhh, well, I was gonna say he just sent me here, but, um...
Rachael:Insufferable giants!
Dan:[Jimmy voice] Yeah, sorry about that. I got nothing.
Rachael:Can I teleport us up there?
Dan:Oh, yes, please do.
Rachael:Uh oh.
Dan:I'm just really hoping that the roll does not go well.[laughing]
Leah:[laughing]
Rachael:Well, you're not in luck, Daddy. I got a 14.
Dan:Well, goodness. So, yeah, uh, what's it look like when you teleport yourself and Alvin up onto the countertop?
Rachael:I think our... it starts at our feet and our feet up to our heads slowly dissolves. But it's painless. It feels quite nice, I think.
Leah:Smells like blueberries.
Dan:Definitely does not smell like bugs. We're making that clear here.
Rachael:No, it smells like blueberries and bugs.
Leah:[laughing]
Dan:[laughing]
Rachael:No, it's blue bugs! It smells like blue bugs!
Dan:And then what happens when you show back up somewhere else? Is it just in reverse?
Rachael:Yeah, yeah, it's from our head to our feet.
Dan:[Jimmy voice] Yeah, that's, uh, that's not disturbing at all right there. Okay. Okay, so yeah, you can help. Uh, I'm going to need lots of ingredients to get this cheese all set up and some help stirring 'cause, let's face it, this spoon's heavy.
Rachael:Okay, I'll just roll the dice and see if I can conjure all the ingredients.
Leah:Like grasshoppers.
Rachael:Yeah, ingredients. Wha? Uh... Right. Yes. Grasshoppers.
Leah:Yep
Rachael:I got an 11.
Dan:[laughing] So you summon grasshoppers. While you're summoning up some grasshoppers-
Leah:[laughing]
Rachael:Wait, hold on, hold on. Before I summon them, I'm like,"Do you want dead or alive?"
Dan:[Jimmy voice] Ehhh, who... who... just checking here. I make... I make cheese for insects not cheese with insects. We... you know that right?
Leah:[laughing]
Rachael:You're the one who said you want to grasshoppers...
Dan:[Jimmy voice] Not me! No. Nope. Nope. That was-[laughing] Okay, fine. That was you weirdos.
Rachael:I could conjure us...
Dan:[Jimmy voice] Right, I tend to use, oh, I don't know, milk? Milk is a start. Maybe some, uh, some... how about some fruits? Let's... let's put in some, like, a little bit of mango and
Leah:[laughing] some ginger.
Rachael:I... Okay, I just conjure everything you-
Dan:[Jimmy voice] Tasty things that people who-
Rachael:Bugs are tasty things!
Dan:[Jimmy voice] See, you and I... you and I know the pleasures of an insect brownie but, but, uh, this guy here, this really big guy, I don't think he's big on eating bugs and want to make him something nice.
Rachael:Okay.
Leah:Fiiiine.
Dan:[Jimmy voice] I know. I know. no accounting for taste. So if you could put them grasshoppers somewhere else, and, uh, and find maybe some some... get me some spices. Let's get some good spices in here.
Rachael:Okay, I conjure up some ghost chili pepper spices and all the other horrible spices I can think of. [laughing]
Leah:Why are you purposefully sabotaging our efforts here?
Rachael:Because my name is Snarky and I gotta live up to my expectations.
Dan:Ohhhh, dear. Alvin, Snarky is providing you with quite the pile of
All:[laughing] different ingredients that you could... that you can make use of. My question is, how are you assisting Jimmy? Like, like, I'm envisioning maybe, are you curating the ingredients that actually get put into this thing? Or... what are you doing to help out?
Leah:Yeah, I'm trying to find good combinations of these ingredients, and then kind of talking over our, like our plan of what we're gonna do with them.
Dan:Uh huh, uh huh.
Rachael:I think eventually, I actually do start giving the right ingredients.
Dan:[laughing] That's...
Leah:[laughing] "Eventually!" That's nice of you.
Dan:I envisioned you know, spell-wise, like, all these different ingredients are making... floating their way over through the through the kitchen. And it's just, it's just this cacophony of of little, you know, weird things that are being pulled over. Not all of them are actual ingredients from the kitchen. They just things that happen to be around the kitchen. It's like a screw, thunk, or... you know. Alvin, if you would, give me a roll. Any of the four there that you feel encapsulates the skill you're using to help out Jimmy.
Leah:Smarts or speed?
Rachael:Probably smarts, seeing as you're trying to come up with something.
Leah:Okay, then that's an eight.
Dan:Alright, so you're getting it. You're figuring something out. You and Jimmy, you know you got this plan. Maybe having a little... little trouble with some of those ingredients you're getting but you got some decent coming together.
Leah:Snarky.
Dan:Is there a... is there anything that you'd like to do to bump that up from a struggle to a success?
Rachael:What's your companion's, like, ability?
Leah:I would say he probably knows a lot about making food just from being in the kitchen with me all the time. So maybe he can help give us some advice.
Dan:Oh, yeah. Yeah.[Shroomy voice] Hoom, hoom,[throat clearing] well, you wouldn't want to put... want to put that in there. That would, ah... ha-ha. Ohh, that would make it get all bubbly. [throat clearing] Shroomy is now, uh, is now napping, but you've got this prepped. This cheese will please.
Leah:Is that Jimmy's catchphrase?
Dan:It is now.
Leah:It's a business slogan?
Dan:[Jimmy voice] Yeah, yeah, this cheese will please. Yeah, all right. We just the bundle that up over there in that bag. And he can... he can let it ferment as long as he wants but it's ready to go. You have successfully prepped a cheese. And you have... you have Jimmy. He feels he's he's paid his debt; he's ready to go.
Rachael:Could I teleport us back to the portal?
Dan:Sure. Let's say you... you know where the portal is. It's not new territory. Let's go for it.
Rachael:I got... a 12.
Dan:Alright, so with a wave of your... your hands. All three of you and all your assorted companions dissolve - blib-blib-blib-blib. And all reappear in front of the portal. You've got the portal. You've got Jimmy. He says, "ah, yeah, yeah, I'm totally... I'm out of here." And he jumps through - pshewm.
Rachael:I jump through too.
Leah:Yep.
Dan:Through the portal you go - bew-bew-bew-bew-bew... THWAP! And you're all spit back out into the cheese stall. And as you all get back there's a moment and then the portal sssssheuuthp! And it's gone. Jimmy says, "So, yeah, thanks a lot for that. That, uh... I probably wouldn't have made it back in time if I hadn't had a hand there. You know, if you... if either you ever want, uh, ever want some cheese for insects, I'm your guy."
Rachael:Poly raises their hand and is like, "Yeeeeeeeeees?"
Dan:[Jimmy voice] "Eh, you got it little buddy." Hands him a little cheese.
Leah:I'm picturing like a tiny little cheese wheel.
Rachael:Poly starts gnawing on it. And you hear the occasional crunch.
Dan:Yesss.
Leah:Nuts.
Rachael:[laughing]
Dan:Nuts.
Rachael:Yeah, surprise, they're nuts.
Dan:Is that... that's the kind of cheese? [Jimmy voice] "I call this one 'Surprise, It's Got Nuts.'"
Leah:[laughing]
Rachael:Roly raises their hand too.
Dan:Oh, give them a little cheese. [Jimmy voice] "Little cheese wheel for you too. Way to go, bud." Congratulations, you have returned! You have saved Jimmy! And you have saved the cheese stall! What are Snarky and Alvin doing to kind of finish out their day now that they've... you know there's there's certainly accolades to be had...
Rachael:We're returning to the brownies. I left my... I left my brownie half-finished. Oh, and Alvin! Alvin owes me all those cheeses he promised. All those brownies and cakes and things.
Leah:[laughing] Oh, yeah.
Dan:Bug pastry-o-rama.
Rachael:So there's our show on Adorablins. If it sounds like fun, don't forget to check them out on Kickstarter.
Dan:Our intro and outro themes were created by McRoMusic. This episode also featured additional pieces by McRoMusic. A list of specific tracks and a link to his work are available in our show notes.
Rachael:Thanks for listening and have a good night. For the cheese!
Music:[Almost Bedtime by McRoMusic]
Leah:Is Jimmy from New York?
Dan:[Jimmy voice] Uhh... I'm from New Adorablin... land?
Leah:[laughing]
Rachael:New Adora-blork.
Music:[Almost Bedtime by McRoMusic]