Timothy (DM)
Welcome to Shadows of Prophecy, 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 myself, Timothy, as our ambivalent DM; Helen as "No, not that bush" druid, Panret; Russell as "I'll try anything" Wild Surge Berzerker, Uprielyn Upri; and Kendrick, as our designated driver, Monk Yonce Bey. Join us as we enter the Shadows of Prophecy. Prologue: A World Unravels. Chapter Six - Sweet Meats.
Timothy (DM)
So, you are pushing past a shrub. You notice that there are chunks of the shrub broken off, broken branches above you (well above your head), and in the trees, you see the span of antlers, maybe 10 feet in diameter.
Helen (Panret)
[astonished] 10 FEET?!? This thing has 10 feet?!? Do we see all 10 hoof prints?
Timothy (DM)
--Ginormous antlers, and they're just, like, a crown on its head.
Helen (Panret)
[awestruck] Wowwww.
Timothy (DM)
This thing is SO FUCKING regal [Helen laughs] and just, like, stoically just standing in the forest, just surveying its surroundings.
Helen (Panret)
Panret abruptly stops power walking.
Russell (Upri)
Oh, my God, it's the forest spirit; [whispers] let's kill it.
Timothy (DM)
[laughing] It's very much forest spirit vibes. [Russell groans] Everybody give me a Stealth check.
Kendrick (Yonce)
[laughing] I got to 17.
Helen (Panret)
I got a 10.
Russell (Upri)
16.
Timothy (DM)
A 10, 16... and 17?
Kendrick (Yonce)
Yeah.
Timothy (DM)
All right.
Russell (Upri)
Did you roll with disadvantage?
Kendrick (Yonce)
Oh, I have to roll again?
Russell (Upri)
Yeah, roll twice and take the lower.
Timothy (DM)
Yeahh, disadvantage.
Kendrick (Yonce)
So, replace that with 14.
Russell (Upri)
Still pretty good.
Timothy (DM)
Okay. So... as Panret, you are watching this thing just, like, majestically survey its forest, you've paused. Your foot is hovering, and you're kind of caught off balance, so you stumble a little bit, and you crack a branch, and it looks up alerted and starts, kind of, looking around, looking around.
Russell (Upri)
I'm gonna throw a javelin at it, but can I [Helen laughs] kind of very quickly tie rope around the javelin and then throw it?
Timothy (DM)
Oh, to try to pull it back like a--?
Russell (Upri)
Like harpoon it with a javelin [laughs] in a rope.
Timothy (DM)
[lovingly] You would need to get the most amazing Dexterity check in order to do that. [laughs]
Russell (Upri)
Not Sleight of Hand? Oh, they're the same.
Kendrick (Yonce)
[optimistically] Blow the dice; you got it.
Russell (Upri)
[rolls, Kendrick laughs] That's a natural 1.
Timothy (DM)
Alright, so you pull out your javelin, you pull out your rope, and you start wrapping it around, and you're like fumbling with it in your hands, and now you're starting to make a bunch of noise. It--
Russell (Upri)
Shit, I forgot how to tie a knot!
Timothy (DM)
--locks eyes with you and freezes.
Russell (Upri)
[airplane noise] I throw the javelin?
Helen (Panret)
--And it turns out you've tied it to yourself. [Russel gasps and winces]
Timothy (DM)
Make an attack roll with disadvantage [Russell cries "No"] and everybody roll initiative!
Russell (Upri)
[whispers to self] Oh, she rolled so bad. That's an eight to hit with a javelin?
Timothy (DM)
So, your javelin barely, like, leaves your hand; it... the rope gets caught on your wrist as you're throwing it, and it just, like, slams into the ground, like, five feet in front of you. [Russell laughs]
Russell (Upri)
Right, okay. [falteringly] Initiative!
Kendrick (Yonce)
I got a 16 with initiative.
Russell (Upri)
[gasp] Ah, where were you? I got a nat 20 for initiative, so 21.
Helen (Panret)
Well, you've already taken the initiative, so it works. [Kendrick laughs]
Russell (Upri)
Ohhhh... Yeah, but then I get to go again, and now I'm, like, stuck to a javelin. [laughs]
Kendrick (Yonce)
[slyly] You did that to yourself.
Russell (Upri)
Wouldn't it be cool though if I, like, lasso'd it? [Helen laughs]
Kendrick (Yonce)
I can just imagine the javelin, like... you think it's going far, and then it just stops mid-air and drops.
Helen (Panret)
Because the rope is too short. [laughs, air slicing noise] I got a five.
Timothy (DM)
Alright, so Upri, you got a nat 20?
Russell (Upri)
Yeah, so 21.
Timothy (DM)
You go first. What do you do?
Russell (Upri)
So, how far away is it, like 10 feet?
Timothy (DM)
It's like 50 feet out.
Russell (Upri)
I'm gonna take Fern and just start charging at it, move 30 feet, and then I'm going to go into a rage, and you see Upri just, like, swipes Fern across the ground (the rock), and there's just, like, magical sparks and trails behind it, and then she just... we'll say her rage calls "Hoo-wheeEH! [Kendrick chuckles] and her eyes start glowing all funny and stuff-like, and she just has, like, an aura of multicolored magic around her. And... [rolls] then the magic or turns black and dark and almost evil-looking, like, slips off of her form into the ground, and then you see several tendrils, like black ooey ink tendrils, shoot out of the ground, and one of them lashes at the elk and tries to grab it! It has to make a Constitution saving throw.
Timothy (DM)
Alright... [rolls] 12.
Russell (Upri)
[wonderously] It fails. Needed a 13, so it takes one to 12 necrotic damage, which is a 12.
Timothy (DM)
Wowwww. Okayyyy.
Russell (Upri)
And then again, 1d12 hit points.
Helen (Panret)
[in awe] Jesus. [Tim laughs]
Russell (Upri)
--temporary hit points. 2.
Timothy (DM)
All right.
Helen (Panret)
So, you're like "Fuck this javelin; I'm using magic." [all laugh]
Russell (Upri)
Basically, but you'd, like... the tendril, like, pulses as it, like, starts to suck the life force out of it.
Helen (Panret)
Ew, that's creepy.
Kendrick (Yonce)
[to Upri] You want to preserve the meat.
Russell (Upri)
Oh shit. [Tim laughs]
Helen (Panret)
We're gonna bring back a rotten elk heap.
Russell (Upri)
[in dismay] Oh no.
Timothy (DM)
Yayyy, yummy. So, as you hit it with your necrotic tendrils of tendril-ish energy, it locks eyes with you, Upri, and you see its hooves kind of stomping the ground, and it charges you.
Russell (Upri)
[terrified whisper] Oh shit, it can fight back. I thought it was gonna run! [Helen laughs]
Timothy (DM)
Nope. It is going to make a ram attack on ya. 16 to hit.
Russell (Upri)
That hits.
Timothy (DM)
Alright, you are going to take 21 bludgeoning damage as it rams through you and throws you onto the ground. Make a Strength saving throw.
Russell (Upri)
So, I'm in a rage, so it only does 10.
Timothy (DM)
Nice.
Kendrick (Yonce)
It legit yeeted you. [Tim laughs]
Russell (Upri)
And then I believe when I'm in a rage, I get advantage on all Strength checks and saving throws.
Timothy (DM)
[sing-songy] There you goooo.
Kendrick (Yonce)
[to himself] I don't have that much power.
Helen (Panret)
I forgot to put armor on! [Kendrick and Tim laugh]
Russell (Upri)
15?
Timothy (DM)
A 15 will do it. So, you were thrown onto the ground, but you stumble back up to your feet, so you are not knocked prone.
Russell (Upri)
Can I say I used Fern to, like, slow me down?
Timothy (DM)
Yeah.
Kendrick (Yonce)
Well, that's kick ass [Tim says "Kick-asssss" in an accent in agreement].
Timothy (DM)
Yonce [laughs] I don't know.
Russell (Upri)
Careful, Yon, this thing can hit.
Kendrick (Yonce)
Seeing how the beast kind of knocked Upri up, I'm gonna take out my dart gun, and I'm just going to blow a dart out of it. So, does a 15 hit?
Timothy (DM)
A 15 does hit.
Kendrick (Yonce)
Alright, so that's 1d4+2. So... all right, so that's for 6 damage.
Timothy (DM)
[chuckling] Six damage, alright. Panret.
Helen (Panret)
Okay, I make a ranged spell attack. Ranged spell attack is an 18 plus 5, which is 23.
Timothy (DM)
That definitely hit, yeah. [laughs]
Helen (Panret)
Great, so on a hit: 1d10 piercing. This is Ice Knife.
Timothy (DM)
[in jubilation] Ice Kniffffe.
Russell (Upri)
Oh sh--oh, I got knocked away. Cool, I'm not gonna get hit in the blast. [Helen laughs]
Kendrick (Yonce)
We're gonna damage... this meat is not going to be good; it's going to be frozen dead meat. [Helen and Tim laugh]
Helen (Panret)
For 7... for 7 piercing damage. Then, because it's a knife made of ice, it shatters, and it needs to do a Dexterity saving throw.
Timothy (DM)
It gets a 18.
Helen (Panret)
Okay, it successfully avoids taking damage from the shattering.
Timothy (DM)
All right.
Kendrick (Yonce)
Can Yonce just look at both Pan and Upri and be like "We're supposed to be keeping this fresh."
Helen (Panret)
[defensively] It's ice! Put it on ice! It'll be fine.
Kendrick (Yonce)
Have you ever frozen meat and then defrosted it?
Russell (Upri)
We're gotta kill it.
Kendrick (Yonce)
[sassy] You're legit killing it with necrotic damage.
Russell (Upri)
I mean, I can't quite control what happens when I get...
Helen (Panret)
I think that probably this is the discussion we should have had a while ago.
Russell (Upri)
Yeah, agreed. [Helen and Tim laugh]
Timothy (DM)
Upri, what are you doing [Russell says "Hrryahhh!!"] as it's trying to charge you again? [Helen laughs]
Russell (Upri)
Upri is gonna... so you know how I did the hooves on the ground? Upri's gonna do that with Fern and go *boom boom* and then run at it [shouts "Hoo-weeEEEH!"]
Timothy (DM)
Give me an Intimidation.
Helen (Panret)
[ruthlessly] Establish dominance.
Kendrick (Yonce)
Be one with the smelk.
Russell (Upri)
18.
Timothy (DM)
All right, I'm gonna let you attack with advantage--
Russell (Upri)
Cool; I was gonna use Reckless Attack anyway, but I'll take that instead. [Tim laughs]
Timothy (DM)
--as you establish dominance, and it starts to, like, cower to your will.
Russell (Upri)
That is an 18 as I swing down Fern at it.
Timothy (DM)
That hits!
Russell (Upri)
Alright. [rolls] It takes 17 bludgeoning damage. [Helen says "Good lord"] because I rolled to 12, I get +3 from Strength, and +2 from being in a rage. Hooo-wheeEEH! Wham!
Timothy (DM)
Wow, you take down this elk with a ginormous blow to the head. It is knocked down and is slain. The hunt is over.
Russell (Upri)
Oh shit.
Kendrick (Yonce)
That was fast.
Helen (Panret)
Are we still lost?
Russell (Upri)
Uhhh, also how we're gonna carry this thing back? [Tim laughs]
Kendrick (Yonce)
We really did not think this through.
Helen (Panret)
No, we didn't. It smells a little funny.
Kendrick (Yonce)
Yeah, we have an elk that has... that is frozen in some places, dead in other places.
Russell (Upri)
We'll just say on the way back we aged that meat in that leg to add more flavor.
Helen (Panret)
We'll workshop this idea, yeah.
Kendrick (Yonce)
We can put hot sauce on it, it'll be fine. It'll be fine.
Russell (Upri)
All right, I grab the antlers. Oh god, are these gonna fit through the trees? Think it'll get stuck on stuff? Upri's just gonna start smashing the antlers off.
Helen (Panret)
[gasps] Nooo!
Timothy (DM)
Panret, would you like to stop that?
Helen (Panret)
Wait, wait, wait, please. Those... become a sacred trophy.
Russell (Upri)
Oh, you're so right. I'm sorry. I'm still coming down from a...
Helen (Panret)
Yeah, I understand. Just Just take a deep breath for a second there. [laughs]
Kendrick (Yonce)
Uh, sis, take a deep breath. Walk over there. Here's some bacon.
Russell (Upri)
[pleasantly surprised] Ooh.
Helen (Panret)
You did have bacon?
Kendrick (Yonce)
Yes, no. [Tim laughs] Where am I? That's my reaction.
Timothy (DM)
Okay, so Upri, as you take the piece of bacon and you kind of step off to the side to cool down, you realize you're near the edge of the forest, and there's, like, a field next to the forest, a cornfield, but something strikes you as odd. There's, like, a hand maybe 10 feet in front of you, just sticking out of the ground.
Russell (Upri)
Is it moving?
Timothy (DM)
No. It seems decayed.
Russell (Upri)
Upri's gonna walk up to it while she's chewin' on her bacon and kick it, gently nudge it...with her foot, her bare foot [heaves, Tim laughs] 'cause she doesn't wear shoes! [heaves]
Timothy (DM)
You nudge it with your foot, and it starts to crumble when--
Kendrick (Yonce)
Ew.
Timothy (DM)
--it finished crumbling, you notice there's, like, mycelium that formed around the shape of the hand, and there's just that like structure left, but it kind of turns to dust and dissipates into the ground, and when you look up, you notice that there are several other corpses out in the field.
Russell (Upri)
What in the heck...where are we? Pan Pan, Yon, c'mere!
Kendrick (Yonce)
I walk over. "Oh. My. God"
Russell (Upri)
"Have you ever seen something like this?" and I poke another one to make it crumble.
Helen (Panret)
[whispers to Tim] Does Panret know what this is? What is it?
Timothy (DM)
So, these are the bodies of those who have died this year. They are returned back to the fields that sustained them in their life. There will be a festival called the Feast of Embers that follows the Harvest that will eventually break them down to replenish the soil.
Russell (Upri)
[whispers in horror] Oh my god, I'm descerating bodies. [laughs]
Helen (Panret)
Don't be afraid. Don't be afraid. This is all part of the natural cycle. We came from the earth, and we return to it. Don't worry. There's no foul play here.
Kendrick (Yonce)
Y'all couldn't bury the bodies deeper? That's legit just a hand like this [imitates a hand].
Russell (Upri)
It does seem a little sloppy, Pan Pan.
Helen (Panret)
Well, okay, well, I can maybe... I'll bring that up at our next council meeting.
Russell (Upri)
Well, don't scavengers come to try to eat it or summ'n?
Helen (Panret)
Well, our goal is to return to the earth, and one way to do that is to--
Russell (Upri)
Also get eaten! I guess that does make sense. All right, I see you.
Helen (Panret)
If you want to come to the next festival, you can learn more about this whole [whispers] thing with the corpses...
Russell (Upri)
[rushed] Oh, I'll let-let you know about that.
Kendrick (Yonce)
We'll workshop that, we'll workshop that. I look at Upri, and I'm like "No". I shake my head "no".
Russell (Upri)
Let's drag this here elk back. I mean, we're close, right? Is this your people's field?
Timothy (DM)
Yeah, I mean, you haven't traveled too far. You did do a lot of walking in circles. [all laugh]
Helen (Panret)
Yeah, well, because Panret knows the field. They know where we are. Right? But there's still the question of how we're going to transport this thing.
Helen (Panret)
Let's just drag it?
Kendrick (Yonce)
Can we just build... we have... there's a lot of broken twigs and stuff. Can we just make a little sled?
Russell (Upri)
Yeah, all right, I see you, Yon. Alright, let's-let's do some quick rigamarole scavengin' .
Timothy (DM)
This could be a Survival check. This could be... I mean, whatever skills you think that you would use to fashion this "sled" of sorts?
Russell (Upri)
Yeah, Survival. 10.
Kendrick (Yonce)
11.
Helen (Panret)
16.
Timothy (DM)
All right. It's rudimentary, rather crude, but that's all you need. So, you're able to find some large leaves, some sticks to use as a frame, some grass to kind of bind it all together, and shift the elk on to this sled.
Helen (Panret)
Once you get it on the sled, you'd notice Panret leaned over, and you hear [whisper] "Thank you for your sacrifice". [Tim laughs]
Russell (Upri)
Ohh.
Kendrick (Yonce)
That was strangely touching.
Helen (Panret)
They are a druid. [laughs]
Kendrick (Yonce)
True, true. [Helen laughs]
Helen (Panret)
All right, so we pull it back to town.
Russell (Upri)
Let's get to haulin'.
Timothy (DM)
All right. So, you drag this back through the forest until you reach the edge of Ilrune, where the Hunt had begun. You've noticed a couple of the groups have also returned, but when you pull through, the underbrush and arrive at this location, everyone looks at you in awe. Your Hunt was MASSIVE in comparison--
Russell (Upri)
[boastfully] Feast your eyes folks; the winners have arrived.
Kendrick (Yonce)
I'm gonna be pumping my fist up as I'm eating bacon and be like "Yeah, we did it. We did it."
Russell (Upri)
With her mouth just full of bacon?
Kendrick (Yonce)
[with a mouth full of marbles] Wrrdrrit. Wrrdrrit. Wrrrdrruh. [Tim and Helen laugh]
Timothy (DM)
--and you wait around for a little while until the rest of the groups arrive, but as each one filters in, it is very apparent that you are the champions.
Russell (Upri)
While people are filtering in, Upri just keeps standing by the kill, posing and, like, very clearly flexing her core and, like, kind of like her arms, you know doing, like, strong woman poses, stretching and you know, picking up her hammer with one hand and looking at it, wiping the blood off of it. She's a... she's a showboater.
Helen (Panret)
Wow, wow.
Kendrick (Yonce)
And because I'm bored, I'm just gonna be pointing out the abs being like," Ehh? Ehh? Ehh? Abs, look!" [Russell wheezes]
Helen (Panret)
You're like the Will Smith, like [makes the Will Smith splayed arm meme where he's pointing to Jada on the red carpet]
Kendrick (Yonce)
Exactly. [all laugh] Making the Will Smith, or the... who's the lady on Wheel of--
Timothy (DM)
Vanna White? [laughs]
Kendrick (Yonce)
Vanna White bein' like [gestures]. I pick up a stick, and I try to make noise out of it. *buh-dum-bum-buh* [all laugh]
Helen (Panret)
[laughs] Like a washboard.
Kendrick (Yonce)
Like a xylophone.
Helen (Panret)
Panret is picking flowers nearby.
Russell (Upri)
Aww.
Kendrick (Yonce)
[laughing] Aww, that's.. that's so cute.
Russell (Upri)
Are you can use it to decorate the kill.
Helen (Panret)
Oh, yeah. They're, like, putting little flowers on the antlers, and like... [Russell "awws"]
Timothy (DM)
And as Panret's doing that, you notice that some of the other groups are doing the same; flowers this time of year are very symbolic, and these are to be celebrated.
Kendrick (Yonce)
I look at Upri. "So, sis, should we stop showboating and actually help with the flowers? Seems like everyone else is doing it."
Russell (Upri)
Yeah, you're probably right.
Kendrick (Yonce)
Just one more time though, and I just point out the abs.
Russell (Upri)
[Upri flexes, grunting]
Timothy (DM)
Give me a Performance check [Russell chuckles "Oh no"] for both of you.
Kendrick (Yonce)
That's a 13.
Timothy (DM)
So, this will be for your showboating.
Russell (Upri)
16.
Timothy (DM)
Pretty good showboating. Now give me another Performance check for your reverence that you try to shift to afterwards when you realize the symbolic nature of this activity. [Kendrick laughs].
Russell (Upri)
Another 16.
Timothy (DM)
All right!
Kendrick (Yonce)
I got a 10.
Timothy (DM)
So, Upri, you make a perfect transition. You're like "Oh shit, I am a part of a cultural experience right now. I need to, like, I don't know, follow suit. So, you quickly change your composure and start assisting Panret with the flowers. Yonce, you just kind of...[Russell laughs] ...keep doing what you do!
Kendrick (Yonce)
Even though I suggested it, I'm like "You do it. I'm just gonna keep... [gesturing to abs, Tim laughs] It's all the bacon, it's the rush from the honey...
Timothy (DM)
The word "the champion", and you're high from your bacon that you been eating, you're still on a sugar high when everybody else has dropped.
Russell (Upri)
Yonce just started doing the Cabbage Patch and Voguing in front of the elk. [Tim laughs]
Kendrick (Yonce)
Exactly. I do the Running... the Running Man. The Running Elk.
Timothy (DM)
Oh, my goodness. [Russell laughs in horror]
Russell (Upri)
Ohhhh, we're terrible.
Kendrick (Yonce)
People are wondering where the personality just came from? [Tim laughs] [raising the roof] Yeah! Yeah! Okay, I'm done. [laughs]
Timothy (The Steward)
And eventually, the Steward arrives to end the hunt. She approaches you all, and congratulate you. "Wow. It's been ages since we've seen an elder elk in the forest. Um, how did you find it?"
Russell (Upri)
Well, Pan Pan over there has quite the nose; smelled the darn thing from hundreds of meters away, and we followed it.
Timothy (The Steward)
Wonderful, Panret. I didn't know you had such a skill!
Helen (Panret)
[slowly piecing the sentence] If there's anything that I do a lot, it's.... smelling. [Tim and Russell laugh]
Timothy (The Steward)
Interesting...very interesting.
Helen (Panret)
Panret's very uncomfortable to be in the spotlight.
Russell (Upri)
[laughing] Ohhh nooo.
Timothy (The Steward)
Well, you all three do seem to be our champions.
Russell (Upri)
Is there a prize?
Timothy (The Steward)
Well, there's the sentiment of being the champions; it's a revered title for the festival. [rushedly] Be prepared for everybody to you want to talk to you and to congratulate you and um... give you lots of attention.
Russell (Upri)
Oo, wow. I'm ready. How about you, Pan Pan and Yon?
Kendrick (Yonce)
Yonce is going to enjoy it at first, but get very bored with it very quickly. [Russell laughs] "Will there be bacon at the celebration?"
Timothy (The Steward)
Uh, no more bacon, but plenty of other lovely things.
Kendrick (Yonce)
Was the bacon that I asked to be put in my bunk put there?
Timothy (The Steward)
I don't know what you're referring to. I--
Kendrick (Yonce)
Listen, the Steward. I only asked for one thing, and that was for the bacon to be put on my top bunk.. but you know what, that's okay. I understand that I'm a guest here, so I shouldn't ask for more. But... I am saddened by this.
Timothy (The Steward)
Well, I'm sure whoever you told that to um...obliged. I-I don't know who that was. You must have been talking to somebody else. [laughs]
Kendrick (Yonce)
"You are right, the Steward. My apologies." and I back up.
Timothy (The Steward)
Yes, yes. Well, if you all want to come with me to the temple, I was serious about telling you a little bit more about our culture here. The other hunters will be happy to tend to your hunt.
Kendrick (Yonce)
Ignore the necrotic-ness of it. Some parts are frozen. We're just-- it's seasoned!
Timothy (The Steward)
Yes, we're very well aware of, uh, Upri's "unique" abilities...
Russell (Upri)
Tee-hee. [laughs]
Timothy (The Steward)
--difficult to prevent, but fine nonetheless. The meat here will be fermented over the winter and eaten in the spring. So, that shouldn't be any trouble at all, but if you wanted to come with me, I'll show you around the village and the temple.
Russell (Upri)
That sounds lovely, Stew.
Timothy (The Steward)
Ah, yes, Stew, Stew. That's the nickname you have given... Funny story, I actually gave up my name in order to have this title, but interesting to have a nickname nonetheless. It's been a while.
Russell (Upri)
I'm not sure I follow, Stew?
Timothy (The Steward)
Oh, it is customary that the Steward devotes their entire life to the Goddess, and therefore their name is no longer needed. So, I gave that up a long time ago when I became the Steward.
Russell (Upri)
Upri just kind of smiles and nods "Yeah, totally."
Kendrick (Yonce)
Yonce's gonna ask "What was your name?"
Timothy (The Steward)
Um, I'm not at liberty to tell you. Um, it has been... given away.
Kendrick (Yonce)
All right, "the Steward" it will continue to be.
Russell (Upri)
Is "Stew" offensive? I can...I can stop.
Timothy (The Steward)
No! No, not at all. Just, um, caught me a little off guard.
Russell (Upri)
Yeah, I like shorter syllable words, so...
Timothy (The Steward)
Like "Up"? Do people call you "Up"?
Russell (Upri)
I mean, just Nim Nim, but...
Timothy (DM)
Oh, yes, Nim Nim; I remember them. [quickly] Anyways, well, shall we?
Russell (Upri)
We shall!
Helen (Panret)
To the temple.
Kendrick (Yonce)
We should. Let's go.
Timothy (The Steward)
Alright.
Helen (Panret)
And Panret makes a look at Upri and Yonce like "Stop prying." [Tim laughs]
Kendrick (Yonce)
I just want to I just want to know!
Timothy (DM)
And as you walk, she begins to monologue. You have gotten very familiar with her long-windedness, and she goes on to tell you many things about Ilrune and the various festivals and holidays.
Timothy (The Steward)
"It was not long ago that the village was darkened by a blight, the Goddess silent. But when I once again was able to commune with her, the village was able to return to her good graces, and the Blight was lifted. I believe much of this had to do with Panret's, excellent detailed research with the, uh, runes of Freya? W-- was that who it was, Panret?"
Helen (Panret)
Yeah, that was, uh...I don't know if you remember yesterday, Yonce, when we met, I was telling you about that GREAT shrubbery with the temple next to it in the forest?
Kendrick (Yonce)
You focused mainly on the shrubbery, but yes, I do recall.
Helen (Panret)
Yeah, that was the first... the first excursion that Upri and I had together we have good memories.
Russell (Upri)
Yeah.
Helen (Panret)
[warmly] Good memories.
Russell (Upri)
Have you? Have you seen Al? How she doing?
Helen (Panret)
No, I-I haven't heard anything.
Russell (Upri)
Yeah, me neither.
Helen (Panret)
Yeah. Oh, gosh, I should have invited her to this. Well--
Russell (Upri)
I mean, who even knows where she is?
Helen (Panret)
"--next one. Yeah, true. Anyway, it was disturbing, the loss of balance, and I was just doing my part" Panret is, like, sweating profusely [Tim laughs]... like, "Anyway, tell us... tell our guests about the temple! [nervous laughter] [Kendrick laughs]
Timothy (The Steward)
"Yes, well, um, we celebrate the Goddess; that is the name that she goes by. No other name is necessary. She is both giver and taker, and those who grace her are blessed and have good crops and fortune; but those who scorn her should be warned..." and she pauses and gives you both a look. "She fills the cups of those who fill hers, and she brings joy is to those who openly spread it, and she can grant miracles when they are needed and that is how she lifted the Blight. She is very powerful, and we do love our goddess. Most of the gods are aloof, and the mighty of this earth see the people as ants under foot. Only the Goddess watches over us here in Ilrune. In blights, we must ask for aid, and at harvest, we shall thank her, and that is why we have these ceremonies. The Feast of the Goddess is the most revered in our community. It is really to celebrate her and to give back to her as she gives to us, which brings me to the Cycle, which is my favorite thing to tell everybody about. So, the Cycle is our tribute to the covenant of both the body and the elements, the earth from which we come. So, the elements of water, earth, fire, air, and the aspects of the body: mind, spirit, blood. Summertime is all about blood. Just don't be alarmed, you might notice that the honey has a reddish tint to it. I mean, that is because we, uh... form a covenant with it." And as she continues to kind of tour Ilrune, pointing out the towers, walking through the temple, showing you the shrine of the Goddess, she eventually leads you back to the guest quarters. "Well, it's been a pleasure talking with all of you. Um, let me know if you have any questions, and I'll see you at high tea."
Russell (Upri)
Thank you, Stew. I really appreciate the tour and the stories.
Kendrick (Yonce)
It had a lot of peaks and valleys, the Steward, and it was very entertaining. Thank you.
Timothy (The Steward)
Why, thank you. I'm very humbled by your expressions.
Kendrick (Yonce)
And once again, I apologize for prying into your life story. I'm curious. [Helen chuckles]
Timothy (The Steward)
Not to worry, um... you are "new" here, and you don't know... and that is just an aspect of being in an unfamiliar place. Well, I wish you good day, and I will see you at high tea. I hope you're ready for some dancing!
Russell (Upri)
Oh, I do love a good dance.
Helen (Panret)
We're gonna dance at high tea?
Timothy (The Steward)
[energetically] Yes. [Russell laughs]
Helen (Panret)
All right. I love it. Thank you. Thank you, Steward, again for helping make my guest feel so welcome and comfortable. I'll see you for tea.
Timothy (The Steward)
"Wonderful, see you then." and she departs, walking back to the center of the village, leaving you at your quarters.
Russell (Upri)
Uh, Pan Pan. What-what's high tea?
Helen (Panret)
You know tea? Do you know what tea is? [Russell agrees] Okay. High tea is when we drink tea AND dance. I mean, that's really it. The term "high tea" is really just to make it sound fancy. Yeah, I wouldn't worry too much about the particulars... but, you know, whatever kind of tea, like, whether you like, you know, rose hib tea or maybe jasmine tea or a little bit of blood and some hot water... stuff like that. You know, it's really nice, and we'll have a little dancing, and we'll limber up first because it's really important. You don't want to pull anything while you're dancing. That really throws you off your rhythm. Anyway, does that help?
Russell (Upri)
Yeah, uh...
Kendrick (Yonce)
I look at Upri and I'm... I'm like, [whispers] "Did you hear she mentioned blood and water?"
Russell (Upri)
[whispers] Yeah, just politely say "no" and ask for the jasmine.
Kendrick (Yonce)
All right. [to Panret] I like a great chrys-- chrysanthemum tea, though.
Helen (Panret)
Chrysanthemum? Camomile: also an option if you feel like you want to mellow out a little bit.
Kendrick (Yonce)
Yeah, I've had a lot of bacon, so I want something kind of light.
Helen (Panret)
Yeah. Uh-huh, uh-huh. Anyway, and, uh, if you... if you want, uhhhh, I don't know, if you feel like tidying up a little bit, you know? Cause they're will be dancing? Or if you're comfortable as in...
Russell (Upri)
"Oh, now, I'm good. I'm still clean as ever." She brushes some blood off of her.
Kendrick (Yonce)
I want to check the cabinets and see if the bacon is there. [Russell braces]
Timothy (DM)
Yeah, so as you peek in through the door, you do notice a small package on your bed.
Kendrick (Yonce)
I whisper to myself. "Yes!" and I walk out--
Russell (Upri)
Leaving the bacon?
Kendrick (Yonce)
That's for later, I still have a lot of bacon in my pack. I have like 20 pieces, I really went in. I took a lot.
Timothy (DM)
Alright, so after checking in at your cottage, making sure that your bacon package is on your top bunk--
Kendrick (Yonce)
And it is and I'm very thankful for that.
Timothy (DM)
--you can hear music starting on the other side of the river that runs through the southern end of Ilrune. As you whisk off to the Midsummer High Tea Festival, you can smell the rich, sweet scent of honey, the fermentation of brewing, and the sound of music and drums. As you cross over the bridge, you can see a maypole with ribbons and people dancing around it to the beat of the drums. You're instantly greeted by other people from Ilrune offering you honey cakes, small bites, and lots of lovely drinks, and you are all presented with a floral wreath.
Kendrick (Yonce)
Oooh, fancy. Is there liquor in this tea?
Timothy (DM)
The teas aren't alcoholic, but there are other drinks involved as well. Lots of meads and ales and various drinks of all sorts
Russell (Upri)
Upri just says "yes" to anything that's handed to her. [Tim laughs] Starts holding it in like a big pile [scarfing sounds] if never eaten it, drinkin' it. Multiple drinks, multiple things.
Timothy (DM)
What would you all like to do?
Helen (Panret)
Panret is gonna dance.
Russell (Upri)
Alright, Panret. Let me let me see those moves. Let's go!
Helen (Panret)
It's not in rhythm at all, and it's just like a very, like, flowy and, like, their eyes are closed, and very much, like, feeling themselves, and at one point, they are, like, laying in the grass and, like, kind of, like, just moving their limbs around and, like...
Russell (Upri)
Alright, I see you bringin' something. I don't quite understand what it is, but you're bringing it! [Helen laughs] Upri's gonna do, like, the Buffy the Vampire Slayer dance. [Tim laughs] like, that's just used in everything.
Kendrick (Yonce)
And Yonce is is gonna start nodding their head and just being like, that's them letting loose, and then, like, every once in a while they, like, do one of these chess pumps, like, *Boom. Boom* So that when the drums get really deep *bum-bah*. But they are very much on beat. And in sync with the music.
Helen (Panret)
So, the opposite of Panret. [laughs]
Kendrick (Yonce)
Yes.
Russell (Upri)
Who looks like they're high on the ground.
Helen (Panret)
Big, big movements, but absolutely no coherence whatsoever. [Tim laughs]
Kendrick (Yonce)
You're following the beat of your own drum, and I'm okay with that.
Timothy (DM)
There's a lot of varying vibing movements going on. We're all just kind of flowing. The warm summer sun is, like, warming everybody's skin. There's just so many lovely smells and feels and music and chimes and, like, little beautiful things all about you. You see people making more flower wreaths, some of the children picking flowers in the field, people dancing and having a great time, cheers-ing, spilling drinks, dancing, more dancing, all the dancing and, like, groups just, like, sitting out, having little picnics, doing all sorts of things, and you all continue to vibe and that is when Panret, your friend Ritt arrives. Their red wavy hair slightly hangs to their shoulders. They have this, like, radiant face just like filled with freckles and a long smile grinning from one cheek to the other, and they approach you.
Timothy (Ritt)
"Oh, Panret, who are... who are your friends? I'd love to meet them."
Helen (Panret)
Panret introduces Upri and Yonce. "These are my friends from the nearby treehouse. You know, Nim's treehouse?"
Timothy (Ritt)
[breathily] I don't think I doooo... so you're from nearby?
Russell (Upri)
Yeah.
Helen (Panret)
Yeah, they're both they're both dancing while they talk.
Russell (Upri)
Also: Ritt? I love that name. It's such a good name. So easy to say.
Timothy (Ritt)
Are you having a fun time?
Russell (Upri)
Yeahhhh.
Kendrick (Yonce)
I love your bacon.
Timothy (Ritt)
Oh, it's not my bacon, but yes. They do have really good bacon here. It's, uh, glazed in honey. I mean, lots of spices. We love spices here. Would you like a drink? I'll go get us some drinks.
Russell (Upri)
Sure.
Kendrick (Yonce)
Yes, please.
Timothy (Ritt)
"All right." And so, they kind of whisk off very quickly, grab some glasses. They come back with empty glasses, four empty glasses, and they pull a flask from their hip, and they pour it into the drinks. "Well, here you are. Enjoy. I do have to warn you though, like, it's got a little fun twist to it. Just go with the flow."
Helen (Panret)
Oh, Ritt. You've always got the good stuff. Thanks!
Russell (Upri)
Can I take a double or...?
Timothy (Ritt)
Sure, absolutely!
Kendrick (Yonce)
I'm gonna be more apprehensive and be like, "What is this?"
Timothy (Ritt)
It's a mead. Um, we brew it over the winter, and it's made with the honey that we harvest here. [Russell and Kendrick laugh]
Kendrick (Yonce)
Yonce just looks at Ritt dancing and like, "Okay", and I slowly sip it.
Russell (Upri)
Upri's gonna push the cup [Kendrick gulps] and go "Yon, drink it"
Kendrick (Yonce)
Upri!
Russell (Upri)
It's a party! C'mon--
Kendrick (Yonce)
It spilled in my beard.
Russell (Upri)
Get into it.
Kendrick (Yonce)
Fine.
Russell (Upri)
You can just leave it there for later.
Timothy (DM)
I need everybody make a Constitution save. [Russell and Helen laugh]
Russell (Upri)
Do I have to make it with disadvantage because I took a double or...?
Timothy (DM)
Yeah, give me it but with disadvantage.
Helen (Panret)
17.
Kendrick (Yonce)
Dirty 20.
Russell (Upri)
[groan] 5.
Timothy (DM)
Cool. So, Panret and Yonce, like, you feel the warmth of the mead hitting, like, the back of your throat, settling in your stomach and, like, as you close your eyes, you start to, like, feel, like, warm inside and get this little tingly sensation, and then, Yonce, you get this, like, waking daydream, but starts kind of, like, ebbing and flowing. It's like you sitting under a tree eating an apple, and it's just, like, a very calm moment--
Kendrick (Yonce)
I'm feeling it.
Timothy (DM)
--And just kind of ebbs and flows. Panret, you get this, like, vision of just, like, sleeping in a bush, just having... [Kendrick laughs] like, you're getting these visions, but then you're also, like, getting a dream within a dream where, like, as you slumber and you see yourself under this bush, you also, like, get snippets of the dream that you under the bush are having, and you're having a dream about a grand, like, majestic willow tree over a lake, and, like, those images start to just kind of, like, slowly ebb and flow. Upri, you start to feel it. Like, you're... you're, like, starting to get a buzz, but when you close your eyes, you get these VIVID images, and the first one is, like, the Steward grabbing your arm very aggressively and glaring at you--
Russell (Upri)
Stew! What-what are you doin'?!?
Timothy (DM)
--and then it pops to another vision of you dancing around the maypole, and then another SUPER vivid image of you staring at the back of your hand. You see charcoal that has, like, a mark on the back of your hand, and you just stare at it and very fixedly.
Russell (Upri)
[staring] Well, that's new.
Timothy (DM)
--and you kind of, like, feel a little uneasy, but that fades away, and you get more visions that kind of ebb and flow a little bit more after that. Just like random visions of, like, you walking through Ilrune... nothing too intense; just kind of ebbing and flowing.
Russell (Upri)
I rolled a 2 by the way [Tim laughs] I was so close to getting a nat 1 and having the worst trip of my life. [Helen laughs]
Timothy (DM)
So, you are all rolling and dancing with the music, and getting all these lovely little visions--
Kendrick (Yonce)
[to Upri] You're kinda whip your hair back and forth.
Timothy (Ritt)
--Ritt is dancing. They, like, grab on to you and, like, swayyyy a bit. Probably shouldn't be swaying so much. Sway a bit, and they turn to you Upri, and they go [breathlessly] "Isn't it lovely? Don't *sigh* isn't it's just so wonderful?"
Russell (Upri)
Yeah, wh-what is this? Can I... can I get some to go or...?
Timothy (Ritt)
[laughing] I mean, *shh* don't tell anyone, but it's a special wine that's for a holiday, but this is, like, the leftover stuff. Like, they-they don't need this. They'll make more for next spring.
Russell (Upri)
Wait, so it's just the four of us that are tripping right now?
Timothy (Ritt)
Oh, yeah. [laughs]
Russell (Upri)
Cool. [Helen, Kendrick and Tim laugh]
Timothy (Ritt)
Well, I'm sure there are other things going on. There's, like... we're all supposed to just feel... feel "it", like, right now, you know?
Russell (Upri)
Oh yeah, I'm definitely feelin' it, Ritt.
Helen (Panret)
I don't know if you can tell, but Ritt is definitely a yoga instructor. [all laugh]
Timothy (DM)
Ritt is absolutely the yoga instructor here.
Kendrick (Yonce)
Barefoot. You're the same person my mom told me to avoid growing up.
Timothy (DM)
They're barefoot, like, they have the flower wreath on that, like, everybody got, but then they also have, like, flowers woven into their, like, ginger hair that's, like... some braids going on. They have, like, lots of little flower bracelets. A very loose...
Kendrick (Yonce)
They probably smell a little bit too.
Timothy (DM)
They have an odor to them that's very, um...
Russell (Upri)
They can't smell more than Pan Pan.
Helen (Panret)
They smell a little crunchy.
Timothy (Ritt)
Very... Yeah, crunchy, very natural deodorant. "Well, why don't we all...why don't we all go to the maypole? Like... *sigh* that's-that's what this is all about--
Russell (Upri)
Yeah, I'm down.
Timothy (Ritt)
--start feeling it. Do you feel the drums? [staring intensely at Upri] Do you... do you?
Russell (Upri)
Yeah, I think I do. In my chest and...
Timothy (Ritt)
[excited] Yeah! Oh my gosh, are you syncing?!? Are you syncing with the drums?
Russell (Upri)
[shocked] Oh, God, I am now!
Kendrick (Yonce)
Like, how turnt are they? Because I did roll in dirty 20.
Timothy (DM)
You felt the warmth, but you're not really buzzed yet, but they start pouring you more drinks. They start piling it on as you're, like, making your way very casually over to the maypole. It maybe takes you 10 minutes to get there. It's, like, a... lots of detours: picking up snacks, picking up more drinks, having tea.
Kendrick (Yonce)
Is it okay? If I, like, reject, like, the third drink because I feel like Yonce is the type of person who is very much, like, "I like to get comfortable, but then I'm not trying to go crazy."
Timothy (DM)
Alright, yeah, yeah, yeah, you can turn that down.
Helen (Panret)
[to Yonce] Nothing is, like, forced upon you here. It's about what is right for you.
Kendrick (Yonce)
I appreciate that.
Russell (Upri)
Upri takes all of Yonce's drinks. [Helen laughs]
Kendrick (Yonce)
So, after the second drink, I'm just gonna-- [passes to Upri]
Russell (Upri)
--start handin' 'em to me?
Kendrick (Yonce)
I'll just be like, "Here you go."
Russell (Upri)
This ain't a new routine, Mr. Four-Foot Five?
Kendrick (Yonce)
Exactly. Yonce will not be on the mouth like liquor.
Timothy (Ritt)
These visions are, like, repeating in your head, and they're getting, like, more and more vivid. You're starting to have a bad trip. Like, it's starting to get weird. "I couldn't have said it better myself, Panret. Like, you do you..."
Russell (Upri)
[fearful] Oh God, Panet's talking? I don't know if I can hear any more. [Tim and Kendrick laugh]
Timothy (DM)
And as you finally reached the maypole, Ritt is going to, like, grab one of the ribbons from the pole and hand it to each one of you, and you start kind of following with the, like, very organic movements. Like, it... at first, you thought it was, like, super intricate, but then the more you, like, ease into it, you realize there is no real pattern, that everybody just kind of flowing with these ribbons. Unlike some other dancing ceremonies where you've seen where there's, like, a complex, intricate dance, this is just more casual.
Russell (Upri)
Is the ribbon to keep us from floating away? [Tim laughs]
Helen (Panret)
[lovingly] Hold on tight, Upri, we're all connected.
Russell (Upri)
She wraps it around wrist. [Tim and Helen laugh]
Kendrick (Yonce)
Yonce's enjoying themselves, but also just looking around seeing the straight foolery that is happening around them [Helen laughs] for the stories for later. So, I hold on to the ribbon, and I'm just like "These people are cr-- are crazy!"
Helen (Panret)
It's like Yonce around the maypole with a ribbon, and just, like, holding the ribbon and just, like, [imitates chest pumping] chest-pumping and, like, looking around...
Kendrick (Yonce)
When no one's... when no one looks, I just... I drop it low and then bring it back up. [all laugh]
Helen (Panret)
You're feelin' it, alright!
Timothy (DM)
You're feeling it, yeah! Upri, you notice that the Steward has been watching you for a while now as you dance around the maypole, and every time you glance over at her, you get this same image of her grabbing your wrist, and, like, that glare is just, like, burning into your mind. There's no real context in the vision, but it just... something feels wrong, and after a while watching you, she walks over, places her hand on your shoulder, very softly. You flinch.
Russell (Upri)
Yeah, a little.
Timothy (DM)
She kind of pulls back a little bit, and then she takes a piece of charcoal and grabs your hand and marks the back of your hand.
Russell (Upri)
What-what are you doing?
Timothy (DM)
She smiles, and she nods and then signals back to the maypole and walks away...
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 becomes our var 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 @ShadowsProphecy and Instagram @ 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