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Twenty Sides: A DnD Podcast
Most actual play podcasts ask for four hours. We'll take thirty minutes. Twenty Sides is a fast-paced, story-driven actual play Dungeons & Dragons podcast. No table talk, no rules lookups, no housekeeping — every episode is cut tight and ends somewhere you don't want it to. Expect buried history, bad decisions, and cliffhangers nobody at the table planned.
Every campaign is a complete story with a real ending, and each one stands on its own. So you don't have to start at the beginning of anything — pick a campaign, start at its Episode 1, and you'll be caught up inside a weekend.
Clean language throughout, so it works in the car, at work, or with the kids in the back.
New episodes every Monday.
Twenty Sides: A DnD Podcast
C1 - Ep 24: The Troll
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The party helps Zalkum retrieve some lost tomes from a nearby troll before leaving Yarlic Cove.
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On the last episode of 20 Sides, Zalcom shed more light on the portal and its location. He also revealed more about Thormir and his desire to rise to godhood. Yarost's suspicions proved to be correct, and the maul he carries is in fact eternal rest. Zalcom then asked the party a favor to retrieve a few ancient lost texts from a nearby troll lair. And that's where we begin.
SPEAKER_07Welcome to 20 Sides, a fast-paced, story-driven, actual play Dungeons and Dragons podcast. I'm your DM, Matt.
SPEAKER_00I'm Bobby, playing Yaros, the Dwarven Barbarian.
SPEAKER_01Hey, I'm Jess, and I play Leona, the Moon Elf Wizard.
SPEAKER_03Hi, I'm Philip, and I play Seven, the Warforged Cleric.
SPEAKER_02Hi, I'm Tyler, and I play the Half Elven Rogue or Della.
SPEAKER_07Join our campaign as we unravel the mysteries of an ancient necrotic evil right now on 20 Sides. As it hits the wall, and he goes, and he rushes forward. Everybody roll for initiative.
SPEAKER_08Roll for initiative.
SPEAKER_01This is when the dramatic music starts. Eight. Seventeen.
SPEAKER_07I rolled a two. I rolled a Nat 20. Alright. Nat 20. So I will be going first. He is going to use up his movement to rush forward. And he's on all fours as he's rushing forward. And you hear his claws scratching against the ground as he stops close to the entrance behind a stalagmite. And he's got it grip, the stalagmite gripped in one hand, and he just goes, it is y'all's go.
SPEAKER_01So I'm gonna cast flaming spear over him.
SPEAKER_07It is a dexterity saving throw. 16 on the roll. So he saves, but he's gonna take half damage. So go ahead and roll your 2v6. Seven damage. Is that fire damage?
SPEAKER_01Yes.
SPEAKER_07Alright. This ball of flame combusts right next to him. He moves out of the way, but it's still hot and he goes. Yarrust?
SPEAKER_00So that's the only thing I perceived when I came in the room. This is the only creature that I'll make sure before we go rushing in. We're going to rage. Okay. Recklessly attack. Great weapon master. There's a Nat 20 in there.
SPEAKER_08That's a crit.
SPEAKER_00No big deal. 32.
SPEAKER_07Golly.
SPEAKER_00And since I crit with Great Weapon Master, we swing at you. 16 plus 6.
SPEAKER_07That hits. 8 damage. Wow. So the first three attacks against him have already done 47 damage. Wow. Big time. As you move forward, you pull your now what you know is eternal rest up and you crack down on his skull. His head slams into the rock as you hear it crack a little bit, and blood begins to pour from his eyeballs as his huge these huge long fingernails grip into the rock and pull back. It just says it is now Cordellas go.
SPEAKER_02Okay. She's freaking out a little bit. Oh my gosh, what did I get myself into? He's really strong. Okay, let's try to help him out. Can I make my way to that stalad mite? Yes. And I would like to try to hit him with my bow.
SPEAKER_07Done.
SPEAKER_02Do you want to add the fire to your arrow? 15 plus six.
SPEAKER_07That hits. 21.
SPEAKER_02Love that. Okay.
SPEAKER_07So you get your sneak attack damage because Yarost is within five feet.
SPEAKER_02Yes. 15.
SPEAKER_0715. Nice. So 62 damage now. After the first one. Bordella, you creep forward, get behind the stalagmite, peer out, cast your your bolt forward. It slams right into its rib. It breaks it off, throws it on the ground, and again it scrapes, and all y'all can hear it at this point. It's almost like nails on a chalkboard as it's across the rock.
SPEAKER_03Seven, you are up. So I have Searing Smite on my mace. Yep. I would like to, as my bonus action, cast hex. Okay. So you're gonna hex him. What ability score would you like to hex? We're gonna do constitution. I'm gonna I'm gonna come up to him right here with Yarost. Okay. And I'm going to hit him with my mace. All right. No. That is. Everybody else. That's a Nat one. Everybody else. Nat one. Everybody else. I mean, I literally just rolled a one. Not using that anymore.
SPEAKER_07So you're clanking forward toward him, you pull up your mace, you sidestep, and then and your mace just collides with that stalagmite beside him. It's finally his go after y'all done 62 damage to him. Yarost and seven, you are right in front of him. Or Della, you're hiding behind that stalagmite and Leo, you're still kind of tucked up against that wall.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, very much in the back.
SPEAKER_07Um, he is going for three strikes against Yarost because you just smashed his head into the slagmite. The first one, 15 total. Yep. 10 damage, halved. The second attack rolls a natural two, which is gonna miss, and the third attack, 18, and you're gonna take eight plus four, twelve damage, halved, to six. He can't regenerate because Leo hit him with his flaming sphere, and because this flaming sphere is right next to him, he pushes off the stalagmite and runs 30 feet backwards, Yarost and 7. If you both want to make um attacks of opportunity against him.
SPEAKER_0324, 29 damage. So nine damage from Yarost. So I've hit him, so he's gonna take an extra d6 of fire damage. And then at the start of his next turn, he will have to uh have a constitution saving throw, or he'll take another d6. Oh, okay. 12 damage.
SPEAKER_07Good night, y'all. Y'all have done 83 damage. So as he as he pushes off the stalagmite to rush backwards, Yarost swings forward and pummels them in his back. Seven, you swing forward and just shatter a shoulder. I mean, you hear it shatter and it heats up on his back. Rushes backward and he's gonna hide behind a stalagmite. So, Leo, you are up.
SPEAKER_01So I'm gonna move forward um so I can see him in range. I'm gonna cast um firebolt. Okay. 15.
SPEAKER_07Barely hit two. That's okay because you have again prevented him from regenerating. So you you squeak past seven as you create an angle for yourself. Your firebolt shoots forward and hits him in the back of the head. And these these nasty like dreadlocks that he has that just look disheveled and gross, kind of ignite a little bit, and he begins putting him out. You watch as he's scratching the back of his neck and blood starts coming out from his claws, and you're gonna move your Yeah, so then for my bonus action, I'm gonna move my flaming sphere. Okay, so it it rushes forward and he fails that one. A nine. Nine more damage. Boom. He is starting to look rough. He's taking 94 damage so far as that flaming sphere. You move it around that huge stalagmite, it clatters against him. Again, lighting up part of his body. It is now Yarosco.
SPEAKER_01Do I get to move back to where I'm gonna go? Oh, you can't. Oh no, you can't. Since I move forward, you've already moved 30 times. I wanna I want to move back, please.
SPEAKER_00All right, so I continue to chase. Uh swinging them all again with uh reckless. Great weapon master. 24.
SPEAKER_07That hits eight, a 16. He's looking extremely rough as you step forward, pull back eternal rest, and just pound his chest. He drops to both knees, both of his claws hit the ground. It is Bordelisco.
SPEAKER_02In range nine foot six.
SPEAKER_07Fifteen. That hits. I think we've only had one miss. Thanks. And I can do sneak attacks. Yes, because Yaros is within five feet.
SPEAKER_02Here's two of I'm gonna pull Yaros over here. 14. 14. Is he done?
SPEAKER_07So you sidestep your stalagmite, you eject your bolt from your crossbow, and as he's on both knees, both hands, he's not able to move out of the way, and just the bolt hits him in his temple as he collapses down on the ground dead. Boom. Shakalaka.
SPEAKER_00For the remainder of my rage, I'm just gonna kind of pound, like keep smashing him, make sure he's dead. Ugh. Okay.
SPEAKER_02I thought you were gonna say dance around, but so just thwack. So while until the adrenaline kind of yeah, I am looking around this freaking place. I'm gonna start uh looking for stuff.
SPEAKER_07Okay. Everybody give me an investigation check.
unknownDang.
SPEAKER_03No, I don't see anything. I am too I'm too busy moping.
SPEAKER_0114 total. 22. Leo is on fire today. Trying to get me some gold and some gems and whatever else I can take.
SPEAKER_07Leo, as you're looking around the this cavern, you spot in the back right corner of the room behind the few stalagmites, a pile of gold with a few rubies and gems and emeralds. Or Della, as you're never known. You see Leo kind of jogging toward this gold, and you start looking in other directions, and you see a pile of a few weapons. Um, looks like some type of cloth in there. You see some rustier weapons.
SPEAKER_01Okay, so how much gold did I find?
SPEAKER_07Okay, so Leo, you find 647 gold pieces. Oh you find two rubies worth 20 gold pieces each, three emeralds.
SPEAKER_01They're only worth 20 gold.
SPEAKER_07Okay, let's keep it chill. Three emeralds worth 30 gold pieces each. You find a necklace with this purple amethyst kind of embedded in it worth about 40 gold pieces, and you find six books that are pretty thick each. They're very old. Ordella, you walk over to this pile of items and start rummaging through it. You find some broken, rusty short swords and hatchets and small throwing axes, a few shields that you toss to the side as they just look like they're in disrepair. You find a mace that looks really well made. It's got these gold lines intricately carved throughout it, and you think maybe you've got something with this. You also find two cloaks bundled up with some other clothes, and both cloaks have very nice embroidery to them, and they look much cleaner and much more well kept than the rest of these clothing pieces, and you set those to the side as well. You also find this dark steel, pristine javelin within the weapons.
SPEAKER_01It's a good haul. I know we made out good.
SPEAKER_00I'm looking. Is there anything from the troll I can take that would be like uh like proof that I killed a troll? What's unique? I mean, there might not be teeth might be available since he was just slain.
SPEAKER_07Yeah, and it got shattered. I would say it's long claws would definitely like if you pop the finger off or chop it off. Chop the finger off.
SPEAKER_01Leo Leo goes over to where Yaros is and is like, can have some teeth. Sure, sure.
SPEAKER_03Take all the teeth you want. I am taking claw. I go over to where Ordella is and I'm like, what'd you find? And I'm just like playing with my spiked chain whip because I'm I'm sad.
SPEAKER_08Look at these.
SPEAKER_00Did we cast ice on troll?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, was that what you were doing today? Opposite day. Look at all these little weapons here.
SPEAKER_03I pick up one of the cloaks. I didn't find anything. Looking at it.
SPEAKER_07Yeah, can I put um spending a few minutes with this mace, a couple of cloaks, and this javelin. The mace is a mace of disruption. If you attune to it, it will shed bright light within 30 feet. Another 30 feet will shed dim light. So it would allow whoever's got it to see 60 feet ahead instead of 30. And it also does an extra 2d6 of damage to any undead creature. That's the mace of disruption. One of the cloaks is a cloak of protection, which gives plus one to armor class and plus one to every saving throw. Another cloak is a cloak of elven kind, which gives the wearer advantage on all stealth checks, and it gives whoever is trying to perceive said person disadvantage on all perception checks. And then the javelin is a javelin of lightning, which once per day basically like lightning shoots out of the javelin and does 4d6 of damage instead of just a normal javelin throw.
SPEAKER_01I will be taking the mace. Well, I mean, I can hold on to all this stuff for us if you want me to.
SPEAKER_02Is the cloak something we wear all the time, or you just stick it on when you want?
SPEAKER_07I mean, you can you can take it off and change up or whatever, but well, it looks like Seven likes the mace.
SPEAKER_00He often uses mace in combat, that makes sense. These two cloaks.
SPEAKER_02So, Leo, do you want to wear this little protective cloak or oh um, are you like giving it to me?
SPEAKER_01I mean, let's see if it's cute.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, something put it on her.
SPEAKER_01I like wrap it around her, and I'm like, Leo. Can you believe? Just want to see how cute you look in this little cloak. Uh Leo does not do dress up.
SPEAKER_02Um, does she not look so cute in this?
SPEAKER_01Ew.
SPEAKER_02It's black.
SPEAKER_01It's comfy, it's comfy. We'll just keep you protected in this every little thing.
SPEAKER_02I'm gonna put this other one on. We can match. Oh no. Also, we could swap if we wanted, but oh gosh.
SPEAKER_01Oh, I'm not looking for BFF. Okay, well.
SPEAKER_00Well, did you did you find anything?
SPEAKER_01Uh I mean I found some books, so I grabbed. These are the books that are. Oh, are those those books for that little book? I think so.
SPEAKER_03Um yeah, Balcom?
SPEAKER_01Is that yeah, uh Zal Zalcom? Zalcom, yeah. Uh I I think I mean I found like a handful of them, so surely some of these.
SPEAKER_00We will give those to him, and it looks like we found other good things for us. This was a good adventure.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, Ordella found some good stuff. I didn't find anything other than that. Just books. Just books.
SPEAKER_03Just books.
SPEAKER_01Do you think they're the books that we need? I hope so. And I've got some teeth.
SPEAKER_02Oh my gosh. Yaro Yaros just helped my way out of here.
SPEAKER_00Oh, yeah, I got the claw. I will tell everyone of how I killed Troll.
SPEAKER_02Yes, Yaros, but I'm the one that really killed him, so.
SPEAKER_00Well, I think uh you pushed him over. He was already dead on his knees and you knocked him over, but I think we all know that. I I didn't do anything. I'm sorry. I mean, I definitely kneel.
SPEAKER_02You're more effective when you kneel. I just come over and kind of like, sorry, Seven. I feel very bad for you.
SPEAKER_00I just turned around to the body. I saw a lot of fire flying around.
SPEAKER_02It sounds like Yaros knows what's up, y'all. Like, why are we not listening to him?
SPEAKER_03I'm I'm like yelling for the other goblin. Hey! Oh yeah, I guess we can go.
SPEAKER_07Exit the exit the uh tons is is sitting there and he 1000 four.
SPEAKER_04Oh, y'all are okay. Finally, you have returned.
SPEAKER_01You're s you're sweating.
SPEAKER_07Well, he wipes he wipes sweat and it's just his hair just kind of clams to his skin. I alright, whatever.
SPEAKER_04Come on. Let's go back. Did you kill the troll? Yeah.
SPEAKER_00I did. I did, in fact.
SPEAKER_04You did.
SPEAKER_00I did.
SPEAKER_04Uh we have claw here for the show.
SPEAKER_03Oh, anyway. I didn't do anything. I got some teeth.
SPEAKER_05That's gross. Awesome. Okay, come on, let's go back.
SPEAKER_07He walks you guys back to Yarlick the Cove.
SPEAKER_00Sorry, taking the books to his Alcum.
SPEAKER_07So you walk back, knock on his hut, he opens the door. Oh!
SPEAKER_06Oh! Well, it it's you did it. I'm I'm assuming. Do you have the books?
SPEAKER_01Uh yeah, I found these books. I'm not sure which ones you are wanting to pick out.
SPEAKER_06Oh, there are six! I thought there were only two.
SPEAKER_01Well, I mean, you only get to pick two. You only ask one.
SPEAKER_06What are you gonna going to do with them?
SPEAKER_01Well, I don't know. Tell me what books that we found.
SPEAKER_06I I don't know yet. I have to look through them.
SPEAKER_01Okay, so I I hand over the books.
SPEAKER_06It weigh them out. I don't know. I'm not staying here for weeks.
SPEAKER_01Can you can you like tell me what the titles say?
SPEAKER_06Not yet. It's an ancient language. I have no clue what it means. They're all an ancient language. Yes. That's my favorite. You've given me weeks' worth of work. Thank you, Leo. Oh. My my successor.
SPEAKER_01Okay.
SPEAKER_06You can take over Zalcom's library when you finish. What are we going to name it? You can just stay here with me. You don't even have to go with it.
SPEAKER_01You're talking too much. Um okay, so you need like a weekish.
SPEAKER_06A couple of weeks. I mean, I don't know the language, so I have to look back at old text and see what if there are any overlaps in the languages, and then I um then I will will go through each and try to find similar uh letters, and then eventually I will Okay, you can stop right there.
SPEAKER_01Sorry. Okay, that's fine. I guess you can have all of them. My hero. But if you find anything in there, I need you to call me on my sending stuff.
SPEAKER_06Thank you all very much. You're welcome. I'm sorry you all missed the feast.
SPEAKER_02Did you get us to the house?
SPEAKER_03That was a quick feast. I didn't feel like we were gone that long.
SPEAKER_02I thought we were only gone for like four seconds, according to Tons over here.
SPEAKER_06Oh, we have missed feast. Well, it wasn't really dead fig. There's not a whole lot of food, but they um they ate, they they celebrated uh the return of Vrez, and uh they did talk about you all a lot. You were gone for like a couple of hours. I mean, let's be honest here. It took you a while. Anyway, um they they they celebrated the Vrez's return. They mourned, they they mourned Sasia. Oh, what a what a wonderful she goblin she was. And um and then they all went went back to their huts and and little caverns. Oh, yeah.
SPEAKER_01Let's just let's just go.
SPEAKER_06I don't need to eat, no? I'm fine.
SPEAKER_01Did you get me some books together?
SPEAKER_06Yes, I did. They're in a bundle over there. I wrapped them very nicely. Okay. They're in a burlap sack.
SPEAKER_01They're not really wrapped. I'm gonna grab the sack and put it in my backpack.
SPEAKER_00Alright, well, I guess we go find Vrez and see uh where we will stay for the night, and then in the morning we s we head out for the tower. Yeah, I can head out now.
SPEAKER_01I don't know, you know, but others do we do we really need to rest? I I've I feel good. I'm ready to get on.
SPEAKER_00Are y'all calling him Vrez? That was Greg's. His name is Vrez. Alright, let's go find it.
SPEAKER_07Let's find Vrez. So you you spend a few minutes, eventually you find Vrez, and he says, Oh, um, yeah, so we went ahead and ate.
SPEAKER_04I'm sorry. Uh, but they sent y'all some food, and uh, we we have some um some places for you all to sleep tonight. And then in the morning, uh me or someone else can show you where the tower is. Your choice.
SPEAKER_03Why don't you just show us now? Why don't we just take us now?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I think we would feel better if we just traveled now. Um while we have all this useful knowledge on our brains.
SPEAKER_04Are you are you going it's almost like sleep time.
SPEAKER_03It's almost time. I don't I don't need to sleep.
SPEAKER_02Can't you get someone to take us in like a carrier type situation and we can sleep um while you pull us?
SPEAKER_04Um I mean you have to get back on the boat. So you all could lay down on the boat and sleep.
SPEAKER_02We have to get back on the boat.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, it's only a couple of hours away.
SPEAKER_02Okay.
SPEAKER_03Let's see if you can swap out again.
SPEAKER_04You're all gonna sleep in the boat?
SPEAKER_03Oh no, I don't sleep.
SPEAKER_04I So you're gonna sleep for a couple hours and then go in the tower. Yep, yep.
SPEAKER_03So I don't again, I'm not gonna sleep, so yeah.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, that sounds okay. Well, I can ask my dad if I can go. I have to ask him for permission.
SPEAKER_02Can't wait for this kingdom to be yours.
SPEAKER_04I'm gonna I'm gonna run it.
unknownOkay.
SPEAKER_02My dude.
SPEAKER_03Into the ground, I think is how you meant it. Uh yeah, let's go. So I I mean I turn on and walk out. I'm ready to.
SPEAKER_07So he runs off, finds his dad.
SPEAKER_04A few minutes later, he finds you and says, Okay, my dad said I I can go, but he said I have to be really safe. I I do have one question. I'm gonna have to go come back by myself. Is it okay if a couple more goblins come with us? Because if I'm by myself, I can get back, but if I get attacked, I might die. And then somebody's gotta run this when my dad goblins go, you know.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, but that's fine. I'm okay with that.
SPEAKER_04I'm gonna get tons because he's pretty smart.
SPEAKER_01Everybody but him.
SPEAKER_04No, he's he's Really smart. Alright. Uh, I guess I'll meet y'all at the boat.
SPEAKER_02Okay, we're gonna walk there right now. Okay. Walking straight there. Walking in the boat. We're ready to go.
SPEAKER_07Frez comes back with tons and two other goblins. They all look at y'all, and Frez goes, We may have to take two boats.
SPEAKER_05Because um, I don't know if one will hold us all. So, do do y'all want to go by yourself?
SPEAKER_04And we'll four goblins, do you want to do two and two? How do y'all wanna break us up?
SPEAKER_03Why why why don't why don't you ride with us and they ride in the other boat? That way, if we get split up, you can still tell us where to go. That's a good idea.
SPEAKER_04Because I'm a good I'm a good navigator.
SPEAKER_03Oh, oh, okay.
SPEAKER_07All right, let's go. So you all take your time getting the boat set up and getting everything ready. You all get a short rest in during that time. You hop back into this boat, the other goblins are hopping into the other boat, and you push off of this rocky shore as you leave Yarlick Cove behind you. You turn around and look, and there stands Yarlick with his busted twig berry-infested crown waving goodbye. There's so many other goblins there as well, waving goodbye as you all depart heading for this tower.
SPEAKER_04About 15 minutes into your boat ride, Vrez looks over at Ordella and he says, I'm I'm sure, I'm sure your family's gonna be just as excited to see you as mine was to see me. I bet they'll throw you a feast too, right?
SPEAKER_02Um, I don't know, actually.
SPEAKER_04Oh. They won't be excited to see you?
SPEAKER_02Hmm. Probably mad to see me.
SPEAKER_04Oh, that's sad.
SPEAKER_02But my little sister will be very happy.
SPEAKER_04Oh. I don't have a little brother. I did. He was killed by a troll. But okay. Well maybe I'll tell him when I get there. I'll say, you better throw a party for Ordella. Okay.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. I think that'll be a really good idea. Uh-huh. I will be in the other room though, just in case.
SPEAKER_04Yes. Yaros, what about you? If if we went back to your family, would they throw a party for you?
SPEAKER_00Well, they well, once they once they hear of all the great things I have done since I have left, perhaps.
SPEAKER_02I'm sure your nephew would be excited to see you.
SPEAKER_00I don't have a nephew. What are you talking about? Don't have any brothers or sisters. How could I have a nephew?
SPEAKER_02On your mom's side?
SPEAKER_00Oh, the book. But um, so they won't be happy to see you.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, so maybe we should um enter and um we're gonna have to think this over when we get there, guys.
SPEAKER_00We have time. We have time.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, we got two hours.
SPEAKER_00Like disguises?
SPEAKER_04Like, we need to.
SPEAKER_00Do you do you know anywhere in Wait a minute, wait a minute.
SPEAKER_04Times, how much time do we have left?
SPEAKER_00So do you have any idea where in your kingdom this portal might take us? Did you think of anywhere that you did you stumble across portal? Did they ever talk of portal?
SPEAKER_02Well, there's like this legend, you know, Bellshire. There are some like little hidden spots that the boys would always try to go to. We can try to find some of those spots. And if that's the case, then we can probably get to my sister who could like get us some help. We probably should not go directly to um, you know, Mr. Willowfall.
SPEAKER_04Oh, do you um do you do you always call your dad Mr.?
SPEAKER_05Because I call my dad well, yeah, I guess sometimes I call him king, but that's only when I'm around important, you know, other important goblins.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I mean like Sir Willowfall is what you guys should probably call him King, but I'm not gonna talk to him. So um, we're just gonna, yeah.
SPEAKER_00So I just wonder when we go through Portal, if for where we're coming out, is this gonna be somewhere in the kingdom? Is it um going to be surrounded by the the enemy already?
SPEAKER_02Good news is I know that place very well. I did a lot of sneaking out, so I spent a lot of time by myself, and I've learned a lot of things. Um, so no matter where we are, I'm more than likely gonna be able to get us to where we need to be. And I definitely have some connections, even though, you know, I'm I've been um banished.
SPEAKER_05So what was that?
SPEAKER_02What did you say?
SPEAKER_05Um She said she farted. Well, but that's what she said.
SPEAKER_02So I they don't really want me there right now, but we're going to help save them, and so I think that's a really good in. And people can't be that mad at me if we're helping them, right?
SPEAKER_03No, in my experience, it I it it you know it doesn't really work that way actually uh most times.
SPEAKER_02But okay, well, even if we just go and save my little sister, like we can just save her. Oh, okay. So I'm gonna go back to the room.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I'm reading, yes, now I'm reading the orc worst.
SPEAKER_02Well, so you know the willow falls are um not at all. Oh, you should. So the willow falls are elven royalty. Um, and I am a half-elf. And so that didn't really go over super well.
SPEAKER_00This half elf, this means one parent is elf, other is what? Dwarf? Human.
SPEAKER_02Human.
SPEAKER_00Oh. So I I assume that this means your dad is not the king.
SPEAKER_02Correct.
SPEAKER_00Oh, well then that would not be.
SPEAKER_02So I'm Princess E, I suppose we could say in this tiny circle.
SPEAKER_03Princess E.
SPEAKER_02That's pretty that's kind of scandalous.
SPEAKER_03So you're like half princess, but and not half princess?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I guess. But my insides are all princess.
SPEAKER_03Oh.
SPEAKER_02It's pretty much all princess, yeah. But like I was saying, spent a lot of time by myself growing up, and I know that place inside and out, and I can help us once we're there.
SPEAKER_00Okay. Alright, let's let's go.
SPEAKER_02I'm less embarrassed than I thought I would be. Thank you. Thank you for sharing.
SPEAKER_03I didn't understand half of what you said, so you shouldn't feel embarrassed at all.
SPEAKER_00I feel like I know you more than I know uh Leo. Learn more about you than Leo has ever shared.
SPEAKER_02Leo, we have some time. Uh, there's nothing to share. Good luck.
SPEAKER_04Hey Leo, where did you get your book? The one you're always reading, and never mind. Okay. Um straight ahead, guys. Straight ahead. Keep rowing, keep rowing.
SPEAKER_07So you all row for another 30, 45 minutes. Seven, you're reading that orc book. Every once in a while, Yarost is opening the cat and the mouse book. Seven, after about 30 minutes or so of looking at this book, your eyes just start to glaze over. You know, you don't read a ton. So your vision starts to blur a little bit. And as you kind of blink, your focus returns. But instead of being in the deep hallows, instead of being on this lake, you find yourself surrounded by utter chaos. There's piercing screams, there's flashes of fire, orcs, savage attackers everywhere. You glance down, and a symbol of Karis hangs from your neck. It's that familiar symbol. But your body's different. You're altered, you're transformed, you're human. You wipe the sweat from your forehead, you feel two hands grip your shoulders. A man, he's got short black hair and green eyes, he says, To the heel! We have to move. Another man, clad in armor with the symbol of Karis draped across his chest, screams, Aylbrick, get to safety! We won't let Aylfred fall. Then a piercing, wincing pain directly between your shoulder blades, an arrow through your back. You grimace, you fall, your vision begins to spot, and then it fades to complete black. Then you feel your body being dragged. Aylbric's voice penetrates your mind. The acolytes will steady you. Be strong, friend. May we meet again. In and out of consciousness, being dragged, orcs creating chaos, fires ablaze everywhere, in and out of consciousness again, draped across a horse now. The pain is unbearable. This arrow still lodged through your back and poking through your chest. And then an unfamiliar voice speaks. Bryant! We're taking you to Callan, Callan Belshire, in Dyer's rest. Please stay with us. We should be able to portal through soon. And you blink, and you're you're staring at the history of the Orc Wars book. And you look up, and Yarrow's just sitting beside you, and he's laughing and giggling at this cat mouse book, and Ordella staring straight ahead, just in contemplative thought as she's about to enter Dyer's rest again for the first time, and you don't know how long, and Leo just always looks angry.
SPEAKER_03Our queen. I think I just slept. I I I just had a dream. You you do not sleep. We've heard this many times. I I know. I well I know that's I don't need to sleep, but but I mean I can't.
SPEAKER_02What happened in your dream?
SPEAKER_03I can sleep, but I don't need to sleep. But if I if I do sleep, I I will dream. And it is scary stuff. What happened?
SPEAKER_01Oh, it's not really a dream, it's more like a nightmare, I guess.
SPEAKER_03I don't I don't know. Is that what it's called?
SPEAKER_01Yeah. If you have a a dream that's not good, it's bad, it's a nightmare.
SPEAKER_03And it's always a a nightmare. I I don't I don't know. It it's too much favorite. It's too much chaos. But I but this was different because this was longer than it usually is. Usually, usually I I I die and then that's it. I don't but this time I didn't I don't I don't know. I don't know.
SPEAKER_02Well what happened?
SPEAKER_03Uh I don't know. Let's just get to Dyer's rest. I don't I don't know.
SPEAKER_07So you continue on another 15-20 minutes, and then Vrez speaks and says, There, there it is.
SPEAKER_04See, I promised y'all a tower, and there's a tower.
SPEAKER_07And sure enough, really a tower. Sure enough, there's a tower built into the side of a cavern wall. There's no land in in front of the tower. So it's almost it almost looks like the tower goes into the water and it's just built into this wall. And he says, Okay, so there's there's the entrance, and we're gonna have you I say we, I'm not.
SPEAKER_04Um y'all are gonna have to get off the boat and and get get into the tower from from here, okay? So s swim? No, no, no, no. I I'll we'll we'll get the boat all the way to the door.
SPEAKER_01Um Yeah, so basically you're gonna leave one boat with us, and you're gonna go back on the other boat.
SPEAKER_04But then we won't, we won't, but but y'all aren't coming back, are you?
SPEAKER_01Well, I mean we might have to. Oh but y'all are gonna come back. Well, we m we may need we may need your boat, so we need we need to keep one boat here just in case.
SPEAKER_00We don't even know if there is porcela in this tower.
SPEAKER_02RSVP as pending.
SPEAKER_00But I don't know what are those letters.
SPEAKER_05I don't know.
SPEAKER_01Is that a different language or tons? Do you know? Tons. So um, yeah, we're just gonna we're if I need to just toss you on that other boat so we can tie up this No no, no, I don't wanna be in this water. Okay, so then yeah, we're keeping this boat just in case. And then if we don't need it, and if you guys like really need it, yeah, just come back here and come get it.
SPEAKER_04Okay.
SPEAKER_01In like a week.
SPEAKER_04A week or a day.
SPEAKER_01I mean, whatever.
SPEAKER_04What if we just wait here for like an hour? And let's be honest, you won't really know if we take it.
SPEAKER_01Oh, I will know, and I will come and find you and burn your entire town down.
SPEAKER_04Well that escalated really quickly, Garros. Whoa! That was intense. I'm just kidding.
SPEAKER_07But I believe her.
SPEAKER_04Okay, we'll do that. One more thing.
SPEAKER_07As y'all are getting really close to the door now.
SPEAKER_04What what should I tell everybody? What should we call you all? Like if I'm if if in the future they say, Rez, how did you get out? And I'll be able to say they saved me, and they'll say, Who's they? And I'll have to tell them. Oh, okay. Do I just use your names?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, Burga's bastards. That's a name.
SPEAKER_08Who's Burga?
SPEAKER_04What are we gonna call you? Let's come up with something right now, and then we can put our hands in the middle and go, oh, and we'll yell at just not too loud, because you know, something might come out of the lake. Or who knows what's in the tower. I'll just say your names. I'll say Yarost with with the mall that nobody should know about. Leo. No, just leave that part out, please. Just yeah.
SPEAKER_01Okay. Just call us by our first names.
SPEAKER_02What if you just like sit here and um think up some names for us and we'll pick best out of four when we return?
SPEAKER_04How long are you gonna? I'm not gonna sit. Okay. When I'll go back to Yarlit Cove and I'll come up with some names. And when y'all visit again, we can hash it out.
SPEAKER_02Excellent.
SPEAKER_04All right. Thank you all for saving my life.
SPEAKER_02And just pat him on the head.
SPEAKER_04Sorry about your mom.
SPEAKER_07Ending his single tear falls from his eye.
SPEAKER_04I guess good luck.
SPEAKER_07So you all row your boat as close as you can to get to the double doors of this tower. Vrez is behind you. You have no clue what's in front of you. Seven being the most eager is leading the way into these doors.
SPEAKER_02Can I kind of stop, Seven, and be like, can I just check for a second, Seven?
SPEAKER_07Can I just maybe I mean I guess if you need to.
SPEAKER_02Okay, I'm just gonna I'm just gonna go in and see what I can see. Because you know this is weird.
SPEAKER_07Give me a stealth check. With your cloak of oven con.
SPEAKER_02I got a four twice.
SPEAKER_07This is a pretty big door, and you open it and it just scrapes across the floor, and it's just loud. It's creaking, it's scraping across the floor as you're pushing it open, and you peer inside, and it's just a circular room. There is absolutely nothing in it except for a wooden floor. It's dark, there are no lights on, and it's just completely barren and empty. There are no steps, there are no exterior, there are no doors to get out, and as you look above you, there's a ceiling.
SPEAKER_02I'm so pissed at that little goblin.
SPEAKER_07So, how tall is this tower? The tower looks like it could be five stories tall. I mean, it's a it's a tall tower.
SPEAKER_02And we just see that all the way up.
SPEAKER_07Just no, no, no, no. You the the ceiling of this room that you're in is probably 10 feet, maybe nine feet tall. You don't see any way, there are no steps leading up. There are no, I mean, it's a just a ceiling and a completely empty room. It doesn't look like it's ever been touched.
SPEAKER_03I walk in behind her. Okay. Yeah. I looked, I looked at Yarros and I was like, I don't know why she wouldn't have gone first. I don't know if that's so I'm gonna make an investigation check. Sure, really what I'm looking for is to see if something's been closed off. So like on the ceiling or on like in on the wall, or if there's been something that's been closed off that maybe this is on purpose.
SPEAKER_07Give me an investigation check. Yarros, are you going in with them? Are you staying out? No, I do not see a thing. Okay, what'd you roll?
SPEAKER_03I don't see anything. I rolled a three. Yes.
SPEAKER_07So you you go in and you see, I mean, you see the same thing she sees. There, it doesn't look like anything's ever even been moved into this room. The floor's a little dusty, which you would expect. It feels a little damp in here, which you would expect, but you don't see any, there's no furniture, there's no crates, barrels, bookcases, beds. I mean, you don't see anything.
SPEAKER_00Now, on the outside the tower, does there look to be like windows or anything in the higher parts of the tower? Not at all. So just like just stone all the way up, and then at the top.
SPEAKER_02Can I look for like trap door trap something? Sure.
SPEAKER_07Give me an investigation check.
SPEAKER_02Ooh, a twenty twenty-two total.
SPEAKER_07So you start moving around the room, you're feeling the walls, you're looking for any bricks that may be off, you're looking for any magical, and you don't see anything.
SPEAKER_02Well, this is weird.
SPEAKER_03Um, what's going on in there? There's nothing in here. Can't what do what do you make? Come on. There's nothing literally nothing.
SPEAKER_07I hop in, look, just and Leona, you can go into the room with them.
SPEAKER_03I'm getting I'm I'm a little mad, so I'm like, This is dumb. And I start like hitting the ceiling with my mace. Okay. Because I mean, I can if it's nine feet, I can hit it easily. So I'm just give me an attack roll. Okay. Eight. So you hit it. I mean, it's an inanimate, but it just poof poof. Does it sound like uh like there's something above it?
SPEAKER_07It sounds like there could be something above in the sense of like, yeah, I mean, you can't tell, like, is there a bed above this or what or whatnot? But it sounds hollow, maybe like there definitely sounds hollow. About that time, you hear the door and it shuts behind you. And that is it for this week's 20 Sides. Tune in each week to follow Yarost7, Leona, and Ordella as they venture across the Veiled Lands. Don't forget to follow us on all the socials Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and TikTok at 20 SidesPod. Rate and review us wherever you listen to your podcast, and please share the podcast with your friends, family, and of course, your arch rivals. Last but not least, we couldn't do this without the atmospheric background tracks from tabletopaudio.com and Michael Gelfi. We will see you next week right here on Twenty Sides.