Timothy (DM)
Welcome to Shadows of Prophecy, a D&D real play podcast, where we will find out what it takes to become a hero, face our darkest fears, and pull ourselves out of a pit of despair. Shadows of Prophecy is a Dungeons and Dragons podcast with violent themes and adult language. listener discretion is advised.
Timothy (DM)
With us today to traverse through adventures of loss and tragedy, we have Dan, as our ambivalent DM; Chris, as our sad and lonely Salvador Saltrose; and myself, Timothy, as the always comforting Desmon Calderos. Join us as we enter the Shadows of Prophecy. Prologue: A World Unravels. Chapter Five - The Experiments.
Timothy (Desmond)
[excitedly] Gerald!
Dan (Gerald)
[annoyed] What is it?
Timothy (Desmond)
[in a Southern accent] I've been here for a while, right? How long has it been?
Dan (Gerald)
I don't keep track of how long they're here for.
Timothy (Desmond)
I lost track too. But...y'know, I'm fixin' to get outta here.
Dan (Gerald)
[sarcasticly] I'm sure you are.
Timothy (Desmond)
Y'know, I really am!
Dan (DM)
[to Chris] Sal, you see this, but [to Tim] Desmond, you hear this. You hear his chair, like, scoot out from underneath him, and he starts to walk down the hall to you. Sal, you know that he has his breakfast knife in hand. Do you- and he like, shows up at your door, Desmond.
Timothy (Desmond)
Ah, Gerald. Nice to see your pretty face.
Dan (Gerald)
"Yeah, come over here, why don't you?" Give me Perception check as he shows up in- at your door
Timothy (Desmond)
18
Dan (Gerald)
18. [to Tim] You notice that he has one hand behind his back. "Come on over here."
Timothy (Desmond)
[anxious sigh] Well, Gerald, I would love to, but I'm kind of chained to the wall.
Dan (Gerald)
Oh, you can stand up. Oh, you've stood next to these bars before?
Timothy (Desmond)
Uh... Yeah.
Chris (Sal)
But, he's so weak! We didn't get fed yesterday.
Dan (Gerald)
[coyly] Oh, Vince not feed you?
Timothy (Desmond)
Yeah, no. Vince is such an ass.
Dan (Gerald)
[sarcastically] Yeah, color me shocked by that... you want to eat today, don't you guys?
Timothy (Desmond)
I would love to eat--
Dan (Gerald)
--You would like some food, wouldn't you?
Timothy (Desmond)
Yeah! You know what? I'm gonna be on my best behavior just for you, Gerald.
Dan (Gerald)
Sounds good. Now, shut your damn mouths, and maybe I'll decide to feed you later.
Timothy (Desmond)
So, Desmond is going to... stand up and walk over to the edge of the cell. To the cell doors.
Dan (DM)
[to Tim] So, your arms are, like, pulled out at this point?
Timothy (Desmond)
Yeah.
Dan (DM)
Because that you can't really bring arms... He reaches in, grabs you by the collar, and slams you up against the bars multiple times. You take 2 bludgeoning damage.
Timothy (Desmond)
[woefully] Uck! [laughs]
Dan (DM)
As he, like, whomps you against the bars--
Timothy (Desmond)
[to Dan] I'm really pissing these people off... [laughs]
Dan (DM)
And then he pulls out the knife--
Timothy (Desmond)
[shocked] Oh!
Dan (DM)
--as you're up against the bars--
Timothy (Desmond)
Oh fuck.
Dan (Gerald)
--and holds it up to your neck and be like, "Listen here, you little shit. You keep your mouth shut."
Timothy (Desmond)
Heh, heh, heh, hey. None of that. Gerald. I was about to make a deal with you.
Dan (Gerald)
And?
Timothy (Desmond)
Well... well, that's where it gets pr-pr-pretty fun for you. You'd like... you'd like to show off to your superior, wouldn't ya?
Dan (Gerald)
Who doesn't.... [exasperated] get to the point! Before I get bored with you.
Timothy (Desmond)
Well...
Dan (DM)
He pushes the knife a little bit closer, like, into your skin.
Timothy (Desmond)
[backpedalling] Nuh-nuh-no-no-no-no. Y'know, I'm a broken man. I've been here for more time than I could keep track of. I'm sick. I'm hungry. I'm thirsty. I'm weak. I'm tired. And y'know what? I am broken. Do you know what comes out of a broken man?
Dan (Gerald)
Get. To. The point. [to Tim] He slams you against the bars one more time.
Timothy (Desmond)
[grunt]
Dan (DM)
You've got like bruises and cuts all over your face from where you've, like, smacked your face into the bar.
Timothy (Desmond)
You know what, that is no way to treat someone that has goin' to make your day. What if I told you that I know something that will make your superiors quite happy.
Dan (Gerald)
[angry whisper] And, what is this thing?
Timothy (Desmond)
Y'know... I was captured on a merchant ship.
Dan (Gerald)
[unenthused] Great.
Timothy (Desmond)
But I ain't no merchant...
Dan (Gerald)
[on his last nerve] You'd better get to the point in two seconds...
Timothy (Desmond)
[backpedalling] All right. All right. I'm right. I'm right there. I'm a verified bonafide code breaker for the Everfear Army.
Dan (Gerald)
[suspicious] Is that so?
Timothy (Desmond)
[confidently] Mmm-hm.
Dan (DM)
Give me Persuasion check.
Timothy (Desmond)
[surprised, to Dan] Fuck. [laughs]
Timothy (Desmond)
Oooh, 17 is my lucky number today. Oh, persuasion? 20, dirty 20.
Dan (Gerald)
Oh, wow. He kind of cocked his head and be like "Okay." He pushes you back into your cell very forcefully, so you, like, topple over. And then heads back to his table. "I'll be back." He walks out. You are in so much pain.
Timothy (Desmond)
[wrenching agonized grunt] Urgghh, fuck.
Dan (DM)
Like, you-- it wass like full-body slamming you against the bars. Gerald is very strong.
Chris (Sal)
[to Desmond] Looked pretty rough from what I could see.
Timothy (Desmond)
Yeah, definitely had to keep my poker face on. Well, that's promising though, right?
Chris (Sal)
I-I hope so.
Timothy (Desmond)
[arms shrugged] I guess all we can do is wait.
Dan (Gerald)
Yeah, he eventually comes back with a scroll and a quill... [jokingly] that's what they're called... a quill, and kind of kicks them under the door to you. [snidely] "Decode this."
Timothy (Desmond)
[candidly] Aw, shit. [laughs] Uh, all right. Um, well, I'm gonna need some scratch parchment.
Dan (Gerald)
[unflinchingly] Use the back of that scroll.
Timothy (Desmond)
I'm also gonna need... Nah, nah, I need some scratch parchment!
Dan (DM)
[sighs] He walks off again.
Timothy (Desmond)
[yelling down the hall] It's a complicated code, Gerald!
Dan (Gerald)
[dismissive] Yeah, yeah, I'll be back.
Chris (Sal)
You can't just flip it over on the... you have to see it all once. You can't go flipping--
Dan (Gerald)
Who's talking to you?!
Chris (Sal)
Uh, well, I-- nuh-nobody's...
Dan (Gerald)
[pissed off] Yeah, come over to the bars.
Chris (Sal)
[holding up his shackles] I-- my chain is too short.
Dan (Gerald)
"Mm." He walks off.
Timothy (Desmond)
[laughs] Noooo.
Chris (Sal)
I mean, if I got a longer chain, I could come over but...
Timothy (Desmond)
[to Sal] All right--
Dan (DM)
[to Chris] And you've been over to the bars--
Chris (Sal)
--Yeah, I know I have! [laughs]
Dan (DM)
--and he knows that. [Dan and Chris laugh]
Timothy (Desmond)
Anything we can do with a quill?
Chris (Sal)
Stab him in the eye? I don't know.
Timothy (Desmond)
[to Dan] How sturdy is this quill?
Dan (DM)
It's like a big feather. And it's been sharpened to write it with. Um, you also know that it's got like a metal cap on it?
Timothy (Desmond)
Yeah, yeah, yeah. So, I do not have any proficiency in thieves' tools--
Dan (DM)
Okay.
Timothy (Desmond)
--but can I attempt to pick the manacles?
Dan (DM)
You can try? [assuredly] Yeah, you can try.
Timothy (Desmond)
All right.
Dan (DM)
Give me a [laughter from Tim] Sleight of Hand check... with disadvantage because you've never done it before.
Timothy (Desmond)
I got a 12?
Dan (DM)
Unfortunately, you can't pop the lock on your manacles. But as you're doing so you notice that the metal tip of the... of the quill starts to like, fiddle off. You could probably pull it off if you pulled it hard enough. The metal tip of the quill.
Timothy (Desmond)
Alright, I do that.
Dan (DM)
Okay, yeah. So, now you have a quill, [rakishly] which is just a sharpened feather. And then, like, the metal cap that comes to like a pseudo-point? It's maybe an inch long? So, do with that what you will...
Timothy (Desmond)
All right. And then what do I see on the paper? [laughs]
Dan (DM)
Um, on the paper you find... a note that seems like a mundane kind of message about a family and just send updates on grandma's health, things like that. So, it just kind of seems like, just like, a letter from family to family.
Timothy (Desmond)
Alright. [whipser, to Sal] Hey--
Dan (DM)
[off-the-cuff, to Tim] Do you have any experience in code-breaking?
Timothy (Desmond)
No, absolutely not. [as Desmond] Hey, Sal.
Chris (Sal)
Yeah?
Timothy (Desmond)
Uh, he's gonna be back soon, and he's gonna be expectin' me to do sump'n. Uhhh...do you mind tryin' to figure out what this says?
Chris (Sal)
Yeah. Can you read it to me?
Timothy (Desmond)
I can either read it, or I can pass it through the hole in the wall. Yeah, we could fold it. Yeah, yeah. Okay, so I'm gonna roll it up, and I'm gonna stick it into the hole off to Sal.
Dan (DM)
Yeah, you hear... you start to hear Gerald coming back.
Timothy (Desmond)
Oh, shit.... uh... pass that back right now!
Chris (Sal)
Can I... do I have time to read it?
Dan (DM)
Probably not.
Chris (Sal)
Okay, so I push it back.
Dan (Gerald)
Gerald... you do get it back in time. So, Gerald comes up to Desmond's door and tosses in [dripping with disdain] a scroll of scrap paper, and then says "I'll expect this back by the end of the day." And then goes back to his table.
Timothy (Desmond)
[to self] Oh, score! Uh, well, yeah, now I'm, I'mma pass this over to you Sal, and you can try to I don't know... do sump'n... you were in the army, right?
Chris (Sal)
[trepidatiously] Yep. I was...[Tim laughs] and I have some proficiency with this. I pick up the piece of paper through the crack, and I unfold it, and I read through the message.
Dan (DM)
Like I said, it's just a kind of-- seems like a family message, back and forth. Give me a History check, or Intelligence if like, like, a raw Intelligence check is better. It's just the same scale.
Chris (Sal)
It's a 15.
Dan (DM)
So, in the letter, you can definitely pull out some parts of the code. The code talks about the movement of enemy battalions, as well as battalions of your own army and where they're set to go. There are definitely some parts that you can't fully decipher, but you get a good chunk of it, that you are able to give that message over to Desmond to, like, write down, I guess.
Chris (Sal)
[dictating to Desmond] So, it seems like they're moving in a supply train to one of the battle fronts. It has some siege weapons as well. Uh, so, write that down...
Dan (DM)
Yeah. Sal, you recognize that these things have already happened.
Chris (Sal)
[understanding] Oh! Okay.
Dan (DM)
So, this is an old-er letter.
Chris (Sal)
Gotcha.
Dan (DM)
And you would know that throughout the war, the code has changed over time in order to, like, keep the enemy from being able to decipher it.
Chris (Sal)
Mm-hmm.
Dan (DM)
Give me an Insight check.
Chris (Sal)
That's natural 20!
Dan (DM)
Beautiful. So, given that information, you can definitely tell that they've already broken the code for this.
Chris (Sal)
Okay. Yeah.
Dan (DM)
And, so they're testing you to see if you actually know what the code is.
Chris (Sal)
I figured as much. Is there--
Timothy (Desmond)
[to himself] Those sneaky bastards...
Chris (Sal)
Is there a date on this piece of parchment?
Dan (DM)
No, there's no date.
Timothy (Desmond)
[to Chris] They didn't date things???
Dan (DM)
Hey, they might have dated...
Chris (Sal)
Well, it seems like this is an older form of the code. This is probably closer to whenever I... whenever we first got to our positions.
Dan (DM)
Yeah, they used this set of code about a month ago
Chris (Sal)
Okay.
Dan (DM)
But it changes fairly frequently, like week to week, certain bits of it might change in order to hide the code. So, like, soldiers who can read the code are often, like, given the new cipher pretty regularly.
Chris (Sal)
Well, hopefully, this is enough to convince him that you know what your knowing.
Timothy (Desmond)
Alright. Alright, um, um, now, here's the tricky part.
Chris (Sal)
I realized that as well as how, how do you get two people out when one person's a codebreaker?
Timothy (Desmond)
Mm hmm. Also, what do we do from here? Umm, I have the tip of a quill. [laughs]
Chris (Sal)
And Gerald does not wear glasses!
Timothy (Desmond)
[waits a beat] No. [confused] Uh, what's that information useful for?
Chris (Sal)
I'm thinking there are two vulnerable points on Gerald's body, either his eyes or his neck.
Timothy (Desmond)
Oh, all right. I'm down. Although [clears throat] this is gonna be quite risky, Sal. [heavy sigh] Uhh, I have a favor to ask you.
Timothy (Desmond)
What is it?
Timothy (Desmond)
If you get out... I need you to take something with you.
Chris (Sal)
What are ya', what are ya' thinking about?
Timothy (Desmond)
You hear the clink of metal as an amulet is passed through the hole in the wall.
Dan (DM)
[waggishly] A very skinny amulet [laughs]
Timothy (Desmond)
A very skinny amulet.
Chris (Sal)
Oh my goodness, how did you manage to keep this?
Timothy (Desmond)
I have my ways... [laughs] Best not we talk about them--
Dan (DM)
How does anybody get anything into prison? [laughs]
Timothy (Desmond)
Best we don't talk about that. It's been ages since we've had water tOo. [groan from Sal] Anyways...
Chris (Sal)
What do you want me to do with it?
Timothy (Desmond)
If you make it out, there is a small cottage at the edge of Valerian. There should be roses in the windowsill. Usually a fresh baked apple pie wafting into the air. A little sign that says "Calderos'" on the front door. I need you to take that there.
Chris (Sal)
Okay, well, to be honest, I think we're both gonna make it out of here. [naively] So, we can do it together!
Timothy (Desmond)
I sure hope so, but I want to be prepared 'cause I migh' not be comin' back from this.
Chris (Sal)
[encouragingly] Well, I've got faith in you.
Dan (DM)
Desmond, what's your Strength like? Are you like a fighter? What's, like, are you caster--
Timothy (Desmond)
I have a 13 Strength.
Dan (DM)
Okay,
Timothy (Desmond)
I'm plus one. I'm a ranger.
Dan (DM)
Okay, sooo, based on your latest experience with Gerald
Timothy (Desmond)
Mm-hm.
Dan (DM)
You know that physically he's stronger than you--
Timothy (Desmond)
Mm-hm.
Dan (DM)
--by a lot. Like, you could tell by the way that he was banging you up against the bars that he could toss you around if he really wanted to. So, overpowering him isn't something that you'd be able to do. You'd have to somehow get advantage over him.
Timothy (Desmond)
Yeah. Uh-huh. [Dan and Tim laugh] All right.
Dan (DM)
So, do you wait, or what do you do?
Chris (Sal)
It probably would be impressive if you did it quickly. So, if we... if we can say that oh, well, "it's solved".
Timothy (Desmond)
That's fair, umm... Anything we can do with paper?
Chris (Sal)
Uh, paper cuts!
Timothy (Desmond)
Mm... yeah, that--
Dan (DM)
Paper cut 'em to death.
Timothy (Desmond)
[dismissively] Yeah, that doesn't sound great, ummm....
Chris (Sal)
If you could convince him to come into the cell to look at something, but he probably won't do that.
Timothy (Desmond)
That's true. Probably won't. [to Dan] You said the chain is bolted to a plate on the wall?
Dan (DM)
Yeah.
Timothy (Desmond)
All right.
Dan (DM)
Well, the plate on the wall has like a little loop on it that the chain is then attached to.
Timothy (Desmond)
And then the plate is bolted to the wall?
Dan (DM)
Yes.
Timothy (Desmond)
Can I go over and try to turn the bolts?
Dan (DM)
Sure, give me a Dexterity check.
Timothy (Desmond)
16
Dan (DM)
You are able to start to turn one of them and it makes us loud grinding noise as you start.
Timothy (Desmond)
Alright, I'm going to stop doin' that... for the time being. That might be a "Vince" task. [Dan laughs] Shit. I dunno how to... I dunno how to do this, Sal. Kinda stuck to the wall. I gotta get him to come in here. Any reason we would want to do that? Or maybe! Maybe he's so impressed with our code-breaking skills-- or my code-breaking skills aaaand he takes me somewhere to interrogate me.
Chris (Sal)
Yeah, I'm thinking that's the most...uh... [groan from Desmond] the least harmful path forward.
Timothy (Desmond)
All right. I'm going to call Gerald over. Hey, Gerald. Gerald!
Dan (Gerald)
"You ready already?" He gets up and starts to walk over.
Timothy (Desmond)
Yeah, I told you I was a bonafide code-breaker for the army.
Dan (DM)
"Yeah, we'll see about that." He makes it to yourself door. "All right!"
Timothy (Desmond)
So, I'm actually going to leave the quill on the ground. I have already kind of stuck the tip of the quill, like, I don't know in my pants or something. And then I'm just going to pick up the piece of paper, and I'm going to hand it to him--
Dan (DM)
No, you can't make it to him...
Timothy (Desmond)
Well... Oh, yeah. That's true. I, I hold the piece of paper, and I stand up, and I, like, go over to the edge and I'm, like, I hold it up so he can see where I have scribbled down--
Dan (Gerald)
Set it down.
Timothy (Desmond)
--the translation. Alright, I set it down on the floor. Right where I stand.
Dan (Gerald)
[forcefully] Now back up.
Timothy (Desmond)
Alright...
Dan (Gerald)
Face the wall.
Timothy (Desmond)
"All right. Um, I didn't know we were doing this." Desmond is gonna go over to the wall and face the wall.
Dan (DM)
Okay. You hear a jangling of keys as-- Sal, I'm assuming you're watching-- He pulls the ring of keys off of his belt and unlocks Desmond's door and steps in to gather the quill and paper. He doesn't make a comment about the missing tip.
Timothy (Desmond)
[suspicious] All right.
Dan (DM)
And then closes the door [a long pause] and you hear the lock click. [wryly, to Tim] Nothing you wanted to do while he was in your cell? [heavy sigh from Tim] The answer can be no. I just want to make sure.
Timothy (Desmond)
Yeah, no. No. Try not to burn a bridge... yet.
Dan (DM)
All right. As he locks your cell, he says, "I'll be back in a couple of days and we'll see if this is-- if you actually got this right."
Chris (Sal)
[quietly, to Desmond] Days?!
Timothy (Desmond)
Aww, fuck. W1ell, hopefully our plan does something, Sal.
Chris (Sal)
I really hope! So, short of me being... I was trying to think; maybe I have some sort of intel that's not a code, like I know of a certain weakness that I could probably use as a... as a token.
Dan (DM)
Yeah. So, I mean, like, you would know that a prison guard would not know--
Dan (DM)
--would not be privy to, like, being able to break this code.
Chris (Sal)
Oh, yeah.
Chris (Sal)
Yeah.
Dan (DM)
You probably... you guess he probably has he has to either deliver it to a higher up--
Chris (Sal)
[as the guard] "Give it to Joe"
Dan (DM)
--somebody who actually like knows what that letter meant.
Chris (Sal)
Yep...
Dan (DM)
He probably got it from somebody else to test you. Yeah. And then it's kind of towards the end of the day at this point. So the guard changes, and it's night time.
Timothy (Desmond)
Mm hmm.
Dan (DM)
The night guard comes in. And you've always noticed that the night guard is kind of light. Whoever it is, typically isn't around too much: reason's most people are sleeping. and because it's just the two of you in this area.
Timothy (Desmond)
Yeah.
Chris (Sal)
While I'm waiting, can I take the bucket? And can I try to quietly compress it and sort of sit on it to make it... [Tim laughs] I'm trying to get creases in it so that I can eventually break it into some sort of serrated...
Dan (DM)
[confusedly] Surrrre.... Give me a Stealth check to see how quietly you can do this.
Chris (Sal)
Well, thankfully, now that I don't have armor on, I don't have disadvantage to stealth.
Dan (DM)
That must be nice.
Chris (Sal)
[sing-songy] Do-do-doooo. That's a 15.
Dan (DM)
Yeah. So, you're able to kind of crunch this down, and you kind of do it in time with when the guards decide to be there, the night guard, and you're able to put some creases in it. You see that, like, at the edge of some of the creases, it's starting to tear, the metal's starting to tear a little bit. So, this chamber pot is probably not going to be usable as a chamber pot anymore because it has holes in it.
Chris (Sal)
[so sure of himself] Yeah.
Dan (DM)
So, do with that information what you will...
Chris (Sal)
Y'know.. [Tim and Dan laugh] the lodgings have not.. the.. it doesn't look like they're getting better anytime soon. It's really not my concern...
Timothy (Desmond)
[Tim to Dan] Breaking out of prison is hard.
Chris (Sal)
Yeah, it's just a lot of sitting. I mean, I wish I had a book to read or something or works.. weights to work out on.
Dan (DM)
The night passes. You try and sleep as best you can. As you're waking up and getting ready for your day, you see Helen at the table. She starts her shifts early, you've noticed that she likes to get there pretty early. She's sitting there reading a book like she was before. Give me a Perception check to start your day.
Chris (Sal)
Oooo. 19
Timothy (Desmond)
8
Dan (DM)
Desmond, you don't notice anything out of the ordinary. [Tim laughs] Um, but Sal, you... This is really gross, but so because you've destroyed your chamber pot at this point, and I imagine have had to use the bathroom since, you notice that where you have used the bathroom, that any liquids don't seem to be pooling. They seem to be falling through the cracks of the stone.
Chris (Sal)
[surprised] Oh?
Dan (DM)
I'm so sorry, listeners at home.
Timothy (Desmond)
[strainedly] This is great. This is so good. This is so lovely and wonderful. [Dan laughs]
Chris (Sal)
[to Tim] Why? What's the ...
Timothy (Desmond)
J-just this imagery.
Chris (Sal)
Oh, yeah. [Tim laughs] Oh, wow. That's a fascinating discovery. Can I try to... So, the stone floor is cracked?
Dan (DM)
Uh-huh.
Chris (Sal)
And it seems like there's something underneath it like a either a room or a crawlspace...
Dan (DM)
Yeah, so you... as on further inspection, you notice that the kind of grout that would be between the stone.. the stone, like, tile- not necessarily tiles, but, like, the stone on the floor--
Chris (Sal)
Mm-hm.
Dan (DM)
--is like loose on this particular... and it seems like what's in there just seems to be like dirt and stuff that not the actual grout that was, like, put in to hold these stones together. Okay, just like dirt that has collected there over time.
Chris (Sal)
Oh, man, I'm getting kind of Monte Cristo vibes... It's like "Oh, man, I damaged the only thing I can use to get dirt out of here!"
Dan (DM)
Is there anything you wanted to do with this? [laughs]
Chris (Sal)
I whisper it to Desmond, saying "There seems to be some sort of egress from my... from my cell in terms of a dirty cracked floor."
Timothy (Desmond)
Aw, really?
Chris (Sal)
At least the liquid's not pooling, so it's got to go somewhere...
Timothy (Desmond)
I mean, what's it look like? Does it look like that floor could give away over there?
Chris (Sal)
[to Dan] Does it?
Dan (DM)
Looks like you might be able to lift that stone out of... out of place.
Chris (Sal)
[excitedly] Can I try to quietly lift the stone?
Dan (DM)
Sure, give me a Strength check.
Chris (Sal)
[heavy-heartedly] Okay. That's a 11.
Dan (DM)
Yeah, so the stone slabs on the floor are pretty thin. So, you kind of struggle with it initially, but you're able to kind of get a kind of like pseudo grip on it. And as you lift, you see that the dirt and stuff that was between the stone starts to, like, fall into what seems to be a passageway below. So, as you kind of lift up, you notice that there's like a ladder propped up against a wall. So, you could like climb down into another room.
Chris (Sal)
That is a...
Timothy (Desmond)
It's like a, it's a trap door.
Timothy (Desmond)
It's a... it's a stroke of luck. I put the slate back on the ground, and I go over to the crack, and I whisper to Desmond "It seems like there's a trapdoor in here. We should probably wait until Helen gives us our food, but I might be able to see if there's one underneath yours..."
Timothy (Desmond)
Ah, shit. How that fuck does that get in a prison?
Chris (Sal)
You know? That's a great question.
Timothy (Desmond)
[as Tim] No one knows.
Chris (Sal)
I'm staying--
Dan (DM)
[wryly] No one alive knows...
Chris (Sal)
Yeah...
Timothy (Desmond)
Well, that's dandy, um. Only problem is you're still chained to the wall...
Chris (Sal)
That is a very salient point.
Timothy (Desmond)
Uh, anything you could do with a pen tip? [laughs]
Chris (Sal)
Well, as opposed to your... I'm guessing that you have a shackle with an actual keyhole.
Timothy (Desmond)
Yeah. I mean, I've tried to futz around with this, and I can't... I can't get loose.
Dan (DM)
[to Chris] Oh, your shackle also has a keyhole...
Chris (Sal)
I was under the impression it was just like a solid band... (because previously in the session we had established that the shackle was anti-magic)
Dan (DM)
Oh, no, sorry. It's like, yeah, it's like a clamp. Sort of thing.
Chris (Sal)
Okay, that.. okay.
Dan (DM)
And then there's like a keyhole. A keyhole that you can--
Chris (Sal)
Okay, that's good.
Dan (DM)
Yeah, sorry. That was my bad.
Timothy (Desmond)
And then, you hear the clank of a very little piece of metal hitting the stone as Desmond has pushed the tip of the pen over to you.
Chris (Sal)
Can I try to use this as a pick? I am not skilled at thieves' tools.
Dan (DM)
Sure! Yeah, give me uh... just give me a Sleight of Hand.
Chris (Sal)
Ohhh. That's really good. That's a total of dirty 20.
Dan (DM)
Yeah, so you, after kind of fiddling with one of the, like, sides of your locks, you hear a click, and one of your manacles pops free.
Chris (Sal)
Okay, I take this information, and I whisper to Desmond "Well, it seemed to work." It's still morning, right?
Dan (DM)
Yeah. Helen's reading her book--
Chris (Sal)
Okay,
Dan (DM)
--eating her breakfast of sausage and potatoes,
Chris (Sal)
[super jelly] Man.
Dan (DM)
Wafts down the hall...
Timothy (Desmond)
[anguish] Nooo, so fuckin' rude. [laughs]
Chris (Sal)
Okay, I'm going to try to quietly slip my ch-- Is there something I can wrap my chain in to sort of muffle the sound of my movement? I'm guessing no.
Dan (DM)
No.
Chris (Sal)
Can... I can I wrap it around my forearm to sort of.. and I want to keep it pinned so that I make as little rattly noise as I move around.
Dan (DM)
[inquistively] Yeah, what are you trying to do?
Chris (Sal)
So, my... one of my manacles is free. So, I'm going to try to slip it out from the other chain that's connecting it to the wall. There's a chain between my two manacles and then there's another chain that's keeping the chain chained to the wall.
Dan (DM)
Yeah.
Chris (Sal)
So I'm gonna... I'm now free from the wall.
Dan (DM)
Oh, gotcha. Yeah. You don't want to try to pick the other manacle?
Chris (Sal)
Well, all I need is one hand free. Right?
Dan (DM)
True. I mean, yeah. I'm a bit confused on what you're trying to do.
Chris (Sal)
Well, now I have movement and I can pick up the slate and go down the ladder.
Dan (DM)
Yeah, you're still manacled, one of your hands is still manacled.
Chris (Sal)
Oh, in terms of casting spells, I'd have to get the other one off?
Dan (DM)
Yeah.
Chris (Sal)
Okay, I'm gonna try the other one.
Dan (DM)
Okay, give me a Sleight of Hand with advantage since you kind of figured out the... the other lock, you imagine they're pretty similar--
Chris (Sal)
M'kay.
Dan (DM)
--and while he's doing that, Desmond, give me a Perception check with advantage.
Chris (Sal)
That's another dirty 20.
Dan (DM)
Yep, pops out. So...
Timothy (Desmond)
I have a 16 to Perception [laughs]
Dan (DM)
[to Chris] You don't have to roll.
Timothy (Desmond)
I have a 19 to Perception!
Dan (DM)
So, with a-- [Chris laughs] don't laugh! [Tim laughs] So, with a 19, given what information Sal has, like, given you about the slab on the floor, you kind of look for yourself at slabs on the floor, and you notice almost eerily the same, one of the stone slabs doesn't seem to have grout that surrounds it, but it's like collected dirt, just as Sal was kind of describing.
Timothy (Desmond)
Alright. Looks like we're in business, uh... How's the manacles going over there, Sal?
Chris (Sal)
They're both free.
Timothy (Desmond)
Oh shit. Damn. Um, I can't figure out how to do that on my end.
Chris (Sal)
Yeah, I push the tip of the quill back through the slot. "It's really easy."
Timothy (Desmond)
Is it???
Chris (Sal)
I try to whisper some some techniques.
Timothy (Desmond)
Uh, alright, so like I... You're saying I should wedge it in first, and then, like....
Chris (Sal)
Yeah, you gotta twist it a little bit to the left.
Timothy (Desmond)
Twist it? Alright.
Dan (DM)
Desmond, give me a Sleight of Hand with advantage because you've got to coach. You get... you're giving the Help action!
Chris (Sal)
[gym coachedly] You've got it, sport!
Timothy (Desmond)
[gasp] Natural 20!
Dan (DM)
Um, so yeah, both--
Timothy (Desmond)
Which is a 22!
Dan (DM)
--you're able to with Sal's help, you're able to, like, finagle this tip of your quill to pop both of your manacles open, and you are both free from your manacles.
Timothy (Desmond)
Aw shit. Can you see Helen over there, Sal?
Chris (Sal)
I scooch over to the door, and I peer, and I see Helen reading her book?
Dan (DM)
She's still reading her book and eating your breakfast. Which you can smell.
Chris (Sal)
Well, I--
Dan (DM)
Just so we're clear.
Chris (Sal)
I feel like this, although we are ahead of schedule, I think is probably better save for the evening to make our escape, since there'll be less. [to Tim] Why, what's that face?
Timothy (Desmond)
Oh, alright, um. Damn, I guess... I guess I can keep up a little bit of an appearance of being trapped. What happens if she comes to give us food, though?
Chris (Sal)
Well, she'll, she'll just put it on the floor. Will she? Does she normally come into the rooms to give it to us?
Dan (DM)
No, all of your food has only ever been slid under the door.
Chris (Sal)
Okay.
Timothy (Desmond)
All right. Well, I put my manacles kind of back on.
Chris (Sal)
Yeah...
Timothy (Desmond)
So, they look like they're over my wrists. "I still gotta be nice to her 'n stuff 'cause she'll suspect something is wrong. So... we'll try... we'll try to keep the conversation short, sweet, and get on with our day.
Chris (Sal)
Yeah. Sounds like a plan.
Dan (DM)
Alright, and then about midday comes, so your normal meal time, and you hear Helen heading down the hall to your cells. [in a female Scottish accent] "Alright, it's time for your meals, darlin's."
Timothy (Desmond)
Alright. Yeah.
Dan (DM)
[as Helen] "All right. Come on over" and she sets down a bowl in front of... a bowl with a piece of bread in it in front of Desmond's door and slides it under to you.
Timothy (Desmond)
[bashfully] Aw, Helen. You're the best.
Dan (Helen)
All right. Yes, I felt a little bit bad about last time. Give ye' a little bit too much shit. [as DM] And then she walks over to Sal's door and also slides the bowl under... [incredulously] How are you guys, like, pretending to wear your manacles?
Chris (Sal)
Uh, I'm sort of hunched over like I'm... I'm obscuring my body. I'm kind of just slumped on the ground on my chest.
Timothy (Desmond)
Yeah.
Dan (Helen)
Well, you feelin' alright there, handsome?
Chris (Sal)
[wanly] I feel okay, I'm just tired.
Dan (Helen)
Alright, we'll come get yerself some food. You'll feel a little bit better.
Chris (Sal)
Okay.
Timothy (Desmond)
Yeah, thanks, Helen.
Dan (Helen)
Alright... normally ya'lls are scraping after this fewd but I guess... I guess it's day-to-day.
Timothy (Desmond)
[breathlessly] Well, we haven't eaten the last two days, so our stomachs... we're just tryin' to coax up the energy to scramble on over there.
Dan (Helen)
Oh, Gerald didn't feedja?
Timothy (Desmond)
Nah.
Dan (Helen)
Oh, that's... that's unusual. Usually 'e does. Now, Vince, I understand iskind of hit-or-miss but... but Gerald should definitely be feedin' ye',
Timothy (Desmond)
Y'know, I'm... Helen, you know I'm quite a firecracker.
Dan (Helen)
I'm well aware.
Timothy (Desmond)
I mighta pissed him of a bit.
Dan (Helen)
Oh, uh. I heard a little bit about that. But, he said you're a code breaker, right? She sits down in front of your... in front of your cell. [laughs]
Chris (Sal)
Oh, jolly...
Timothy (Desmond)
Oh, yeah. About that. Um, yeah, definitely a codebreaker, hoping that you put a good word in that I've been on my best behavior and uh... I'm very agreeable, and that I would be a great asset to the Galadian army.
Dan (Helen)
Well, if I'm bein' honest, I'm a bit a little disappointed that ye' didn't give me this opportunity. I mean, like Gerald. Gerald's been mean to ye' this whole time from wha' I understand, and you decide to give him the information that might get him a promotion.
Timothy (Desmond)
Well, you see, Helen...uh..
Dan (Helen)
[testily] I see what?
Timothy (Desmond)
Well, you see, Gerald was, like, ridin' my ass real hard, and I had to do sumpn' to get out of it... [lost for words]
Chris (Sal)
He was threatening to--
Timothy (Desmond)
If you were in my position?
Chris (Sal)
Yeah.
Dan (Helen)
All right. I guess I understand. Well, enjoy yer food. [to Tim] And she gets up and heads back to her table.
Timothy (Desmond)
All right, you have a nice evening.
Dan (Helen)
Thanks. I'll be back with dinner in a little bit....er... later on. I guess not a little bit. [as DM] And she sits down and starts to read again.
Timothy (Desmond)
Alright, Sal, I guess this is our last meal? Thank fuckin' goodness.
Chris (Sal)
Yeah. At least you've got... I don't have bread in my bowl. Do I?
Dan (DM)
After, like, having some porridge, you find a piece of bread at the bottom of your bowl.
Chris (Sal)
Oh, well, I guess it's better than nothing. But yeah, thankfully, once we get out. I am at least a little bit better cooking than this. I slurp up the soup, and I act like I am passed out.
Timothy (Desmond)
Yeah.
Dan (DM)
Alright, so you guys [sigh] finish your lunch? As boring as ever.
Timothy (Desmond)
[bro-y] Yup!
Dan (DM)
But a little bit of bread in both your bowls, so that's nice. Is there anything you want to do before dinner comes around? I'm assuming that you'll--
Timothy (Desmond)
Chat?
Chris (Sal)
Yeah..
Timothy (Desmond)
Bide our time?
Chris (Sal)
Talk about our dreams.
Timothy (Desmond)
Aspirations...
Dan (DM)
Sharin' your dreams???
Chris (Sal)
So, Desmond, what do you... what are you hoping to do whenever you get out here?
Timothy (Desmond)
Oh, damn. I mean, it's been a while since I thought I was gonna be out...uh... Well, I'd like to go down to the port and get me some swordfish. Have you ever had swordfish?
Chris (Sal)
Once or twice?
Timothy (Desmond)
It is delicious. I used to have it a lot growing up, and then I kinda... kinda moved away. Went on with my life, went to simpler things, but, like, you know what, after this, I'm gonna treat myself. How about you?
Chris (Sal)
You know, I don't know, we're caught in a foreign land. So, I feel like this is just the start, but I really just want to get back to my dad and Elmira and sort of everything that we had before this whole thing broke out.
Timothy (Desmond)
Yeah,
Chris (Sal)
Get back to the gardens.
Timothy (Desmond)
That sounds very nice. You think you're gonna go back to the war or uh...?
Chris (Sal)
I mean, I I feel like that's short of making a canoe... or is Galadia... are they on the same continent or are they separate?
Timothy (Desmond)
[as arbiter of lore] They are on the same continent.
Chris (Sal)
Okay.
Timothy (Desmond)
A rather landlocked region.
Chris (Sal)
Oh, okay, short of doing a one-man mission, I think I gotta go back to at least where we have some resources. You're welcome to join. It's... I feel like that's... they'd be glad to get another...
Timothy (Desmond)
[sigh] Can't say I ever pegged myself for a soldier boy... [laughs] But, I mean, I do have to figure out some sort of passage home, so yeah probably, probably best sticking together for a while.
Chris (Sal)
We can find a role for you in the camp, I'm sure.
Timothy (Desmond)
Yeah, sure.
Chris (Sal)
If anything, at least an entertainer... of sorts!
Timothy (Desmond)
Now that I can do. Uh, can't say I am... I'm very much a music man, either. But I do tell quite a tale. I think... at least everybody's always seemed quite captivated.
Chris (Sal)
Well, I can definitely see that. Salvador blushes.
Timothy (Desmond)
Oh no...I don't know why it's "Oh, no." but oh noooo..
Chris (Sal)
[imitating Desmond] "I see that through the crack." Okay, so it's nighttime?
Timothy (Desmond)
Yeah.
Dan (DM)
Yeah. You...
Timothy (Desmond)
Bide our time?
Dan (DM)
Yeah, bide your time. And Helen eventually brings you your last meal. Unbeknownst to her that is your last meal.
Timothy (Desmond)
Yeah...
Dan (DM)
And--
Timothy (Desmond)
Good riddance.
Dan (DM)
--there's no bread in this one, unfortunately. You got your you got your bread earlier in the day, Helen. [as Helen] "Alright, I'm headed out...uh... Have a nice sleep, you too. Don't get any less handsome 'ntil I get back, all right?" She leaves. The night guard comes in. You don't know who this person is. It's a rando, and they kind of putz about. They're really... unlike, unlike the day guards, the night guard just always is, like, up doing "something".
Chris (Sal)
So, I sidle over to the crack in the wall, and I whisper to Desmond "I think now's a good time."
Timothy (Desmond)
Yeah, I do... I do you think you're right, um... It's been such a pain waiting all day, but let's go!
Chris (Sal)
Yeah. So, I scooch over to the corner, and I lift up the stone.
Dan (DM)
Alright, I'm assuming, Desmond, you'll be doing the same as well?
Timothy (Desmond)
Yes.
Dan (DM)
Give me Stealth checks, just regular Stealth checks, no need for a disadvantage or advantage.
Chris (Sal)
16
Timothy (Desmond)
18
Dan (DM)
Alright, you both are able to lift the stone fairly quietly. The guard's busy off doing something else, so they don't seem to notice. You've never been approached by a night guard anyways, so you don't think they're going to come over unless they have a reason to.
Chris (Sal)
Yeah.
Dan (DM)
You both see the same thing as you open your respective trap slabs. There is a wooden ladder, old but seems to be fairly sturdy, leading down into, like, passageway, like a hallway in a way.
Chris (Sal)
So, we descend. Yeah. And we... I lay the... I lay this down like a sewer manhole cover on top.
Timothy (Desmond)
Yeah, I do the same.
Dan (DM)
Alright, and you are down into a dark passageway....
Timothy (DM)
And, that is where we will put a pause on today's story. Thank you all for joining us for a plunge into the abyss. I hope you all enjoyed this episode of Shadows of Prophecy. Join us next time to find out what becomes of our unfortunate players in this most dreadful act.
Timothy (DM)
Shout out to my brother, known as the chill electronic vapor soul artist, LUSQ for writing our chillingly epic theme song, editing by Scrubcast, and a big shout out to Syrinscape for some amazing atmosphere and music. Make sure you check them out at syrinscape.com. I always use them at my game table and it adds that little something special to bring your players into the story. Also, please follow us on Twitter at @ShadowsProphecy and Instagram at @shadows_of_prophecy. And hey! Show us some support by becoming one of our fabulous patrons at patreon.com/shadowsofprophecy, where you can get access to bonus content like handouts, encounter maps, and even adventure guides to run your own horrific campaigns or one-shots. And at the very least, give us a five star review on your podcast platform of choice. This is how we get the word out about our podcast, and we love sharing it with you all. Thank you, and tune in next time for more tales of dread and despair at Shadows of Prophecy