Tabletop Dubshot
A group of baristas from around the country coming together to tell a story together through the medium of TTRPGs.
Tabletop Dubshot
Ep. 48: Welcome to the Wilds
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Our heroes along with a Fohn, a member of the mercenary group: the Crystal Talons, have landed into a new world. A place known in folklore as the Verdant Plane, the Everwoods, Fae, but commonly more known as the Wilds. Separated from the world they call Solivant, our friends will need to continue their quest, not only to stop the Crystal Talons but to make their way back home.
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Oh my god, there's nothing worse. There's nothing worse when someone's like, oh dude, my friend's really funny, and they're like, dude, tell a joke, and you're like, I don't I don't know, bro.
SPEAKER_02Like, hey, hey, hey. I know this really good knock-knock joke. I know this really good knock-knock joke.
SPEAKER_06And with that, we'll just see what's up. I like your role-playing game with all baristas. With me today is Bela.
SPEAKER_02Valentina.
SPEAKER_06P.E. Uka and Jordan. As Pierce. As we enter this new arc in our story, last week left off, our group of friends had been in mortal combat defending the city town of Eldoria, home of the Moon Mother Tree, from the forces of the Crystal Talon, as well as different tribes and groups from around the broken shield. With the combat to hopefully defend it, some of these individuals were able to make their way into the city, and fire started erupting, but they were able to defeat most of the forces that had been attacking them. And knowing that Cavino and forces were making their way towards the Moon Mother for part of one of their components, our group made their way back and got in combat with the Air Genasi that has been appearing. Who's a member of the Crystal Talons after being able to beat him in a close combat, he escaped making his way to the Moon Mother Tree. You guys follow suit, getting to heal up a little bit. And as you enter, you guys realize that the Moon Mother Tree, you know, with its glowing leaves and foliage. The inside of it, this massive, massive tree, there is almost like its own protection. There is a maze of sorts that protects it from what is known or what you guys have just been told is the heart of the tree. As you guys finally enter and make your way to the heart, you see that Kavino at that point has already cast a stave into the tree itself and was gathering some of the resources that he needed. But before you guys were able to stop him and get into combat, you were lifted up literally and cast through this gateway, this portal, and you find yourselves in this unknown land. And that is where we are now. The air is the first thing that changes. It is sweet and bright and loud. It's too bright and almost too quiet at the same time. Every sound has edges. Wind goes through branches of a nearby wood of these massive, massive trees. Distant bird songs resolve into patterns that almost feel intentional, like actual songs and choruses. Almost in a language that sounds like a language, but not one that you know. And even the silence feels a little occupied. Light pours from nowhere and everywhere as you guys look around. You guys are in this massive green field. All around you are breeze. And as you look up into the blue sky, you realize it is the middle of the day. And you notice that there is no single source of light. Only drifting sources of radiance that seem to be hanging in the sky. Shadows still exist, but they don't really behave correctly. It's like they lag for a second behind, or as you're looking, sometimes they almost seem to arrive early. And as you look into the forest nearby, it doesn't feel hostile. It doesn't feel welcoming, but it feels aware. You hear in the distance maybe what sounds like laughter, but you find yourselves about 20 feet away from Fawn, this Air Genazi. Go ahead and give me an insight check.
SPEAKER_02Did this man have nipple piercings? I was just wondering. No canon. Oh yeah.
SPEAKER_04Is that a natural 20?
SPEAKER_05It is. Oh my goodness. 13. I got a 23. 13 for natural 20.
SPEAKER_06Or with the natural 20. First roll of after three, natural 20, 23.
SPEAKER_0218 plus 9.
SPEAKER_0627 is a great roll. We'll honor the nat 20. Oh, as you were looking at. I'll honor honor the nat 20, I'll honor the 27 that that Val got. With the Nat 20, as you're looking at Fawn, he's still injured. You guys had the luxury of even though you weren't able to recover any spells for the magic users of the group, you guys were for the most part able to at least get some healing accomplished. Uh two things with the insight. One, you notice that the archway that had transported you was made up of twisting vines, and you catch it at its end as the top vine snaps and goes back into the ground. Nearby to that, you see fawn. You see this air genasi. Look hurt. Oh, the now 20. You notice that he looks relieved. Like heavily relieved. Like almost like a huge weight has been lifted from his shoulders. With a 27 insight, you wait.
SPEAKER_02They were doing insight. Take it back. 21.
SPEAKER_0621?
SPEAKER_02I thought it was perception.
SPEAKER_06No, no, you're good. You're right. But with a 21 insight, you get a feeling that their eyes watching you. And at this point with a 21, you don't know if they are hostile, friendly, or something in between. But you see him hands to head, and you notice tears start to come to his eyes. What would you guys like to do? Yeah.
SPEAKER_05Are our weapons still out? Like we were in combat, right? So we're like, we got thrown through and we're holding everything.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, you it literally was you were about to get into a combat with Cavino, cast some spell, it seems like, lifted off the ground, and you guys got swept away through this uh this portal.
SPEAKER_02Um Val awkwardly puts her bow behind her back trying to hide it.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, I see. I like sheath my sword and I'm gonna start walking. Like as I sheath it, I'm gonna start walking towards Vaughn.
SPEAKER_06He's probably not that away from me, but yeah, he's about 20 feet, so you can that's you know, within a round. As you do that, he turns to you. I'll say with that Nat 20, we'll we'll keep honoring it. At this point, looks more not scared of that you'll hurt him, but just cautious almost. As you approach, dark energy starts to crackle around his hands and holds it out to you and just says, Everyone, just stop where you are. Kind of wipes the tears from his eyes.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, I'll get my bow out. Okay. We're stopping. What is going on? What did he told you to find it? What's it?
SPEAKER_06Um of the components for the spell.
SPEAKER_05I'm assuming that means it's here specifically.
SPEAKER_06Doesn't make any like indication. Like you can tell at this point he's kind of tried, like he like has kind of caught back that you guys were just in combat five, ten minutes ago and is now kind of holding the cards close back to his close to his chest.
SPEAKER_04So he sent you here with us alone and told you to find it. Does he expect you to finish us off as well?
unknownI don't know.
SPEAKER_04What do you what do you know? What do you know? I know I don't want to fight anymore.
SPEAKER_06Uh go ahead and give me a persuasion roll. Hold on. I've only ever fecked myself for one thing. I can't even read this dice at all. It's 20, not natural. Okay.
SPEAKER_02Hold on. Why does it make that noise?
SPEAKER_05In the persuasion?
SPEAKER_02And a dirty 20 for the hot crying man, Vinoski.
SPEAKER_06You could tell that he fully isn't still not like it's not like he automatically just trusts you, but you guys excuse me, you guys see that the crackling energy from his hand kind of fades. It seems that we're stuck here. And I think a Yes. Well, I guess they we are all looking for the same thing in some regards.
SPEAKER_02We don't know what we are looking for, but we know we're looking for what you're looking for.
SPEAKER_03This is true.
SPEAKER_05Pierce puts his hand in his pockets and like slapshot. I think at this point, especially just because of how everything happened and being able to not short rest, but kind of recoup.
SPEAKER_07Yeah.
SPEAKER_05And seeing that it's like three-on-one. And like character Pierce is not concerned about a three on one versus this guy anymore. Just in the state that he's in. And so I'm just trying to like just make the most of the situation currently.
SPEAKER_06I guess I can allow you guys to help me. And then we can find what we're looking for and allow? Yes.
SPEAKER_02Help? I know what I'm looking for.
SPEAKER_04Very, very s and what if you could describe what you're looking for so that way we can help you better.
SPEAKER_06He takes a look around. I don't necessarily want to just be in one spot. I don't know if we're fully safe right now, but can we come to an accordance that you will not try to harm me?
SPEAKER_05You can say the same thing about us.
SPEAKER_06You know, it's I would like to read, look into his eyes and read his soul. Is he telling the truth? Go ahead and give me an intro check. Come on.
SPEAKER_00What is the take then?
SPEAKER_06What is he? Fifteen. Fifteen? Ah, you believe him. Like at this point, you it feels like as he's looking at the three of you, that he knows that there are three of you guys, and you guys have already been in combat, so.
SPEAKER_04Right. Okay.
SPEAKER_06All of it.
SPEAKER_04So do you know, first of all, where are we?
SPEAKER_01My husband.
SPEAKER_06I would say we're in we're in Brightmoor. Brightmoor? I look around to my well-traveled friends and see if that name rings a bell at all. Go ahead and give me history checks. Oh, plus zero. Let's do it.
SPEAKER_02Why is your why is everyone's dice make noise?
SPEAKER_05That's terrible.
SPEAKER_06I got a 16.
SPEAKER_02I got a 10.
SPEAKER_06I got a tree. A tree. Brightmore than the 16. The name sounds familiar. You've you've you've heard it in like some story, but like I think at this point, just with everything that's happened, you can't connect one to the other. But as he sees that you all look confused in this moment, he says, Brightmore, the the wilds, the verdant plain. The wilds. Yeah. Oh, yeah. And then here. As uh as he says the wilds, that would probably be one of the more common terms that you guys have heard. It's a place of stories and where sprites and fairies and and things of that nature are from. But your whole lives, they've just been stories. Honestly, stories that you heard more as kids. As you got older, you know, they were fairy tales. Right.
SPEAKER_04And as I hit Pierce, I go, yeah. The wilds. Yeah. Then I look back at Fon. Are you saying the wilds are real? We're in the wilds right now.
SPEAKER_06Just take a look around. Go ahead and give me perception checks.
SPEAKER_02I'm not 22.
SPEAKER_0321. Oh no.
SPEAKER_06I rolled a now. Nat one. Nat one? I'll say with a nat one, you don't know if you still fully trust this guy. With a nat one, you're not looking. Like your nat one is what your peripheral vision allows you to see.
SPEAKER_05Hands are in my pockets. Full attention on this dude. His eyes are also in his pockets.
SPEAKER_06With uh with what did Buka get? 21. 21 with a 21. As you're looking around, what are you what are you looking at? I'm looking like what direction, I guess. I guess around kind of where the portal came from, where the vines were looking at the flora, trying to notice any anything else that feels out of place because we obviously we're just in a forest. Yeah. Is this forest any different than the forest we were just in? Incredibly. As you're looking, the forest, the actual woods of where you're physically standing are as you're looking towards where the gate was, uh, are behind you. Where the gate was are rolling fields of green that as you look at them, you don't know if it's a trick of the weird lighting or what, but there's like moments where usually like in areas that have been like very flat, at least in your short travels, things right, they curve down. You see that they start to curve up. Oh okay.
SPEAKER_04I will admit these hills are scary and different.
SPEAKER_06In the distance, at this point, it it seems so far away. Like I said, it's it's such a weird trick of the light, but you swear that you see water from like a distance, because at this point, like it's like a maybe like a large hill, and you see water going up with what did Val get? 23?
SPEAKER_0123.
SPEAKER_06Where do you look?
SPEAKER_01I'm intrigued. Why I feel like things are watching me, or the woods are watching me.
SPEAKER_06With a 23, the woods are you're you know, there are some trees near like around you, but the actual woods in the opposite direction of where the gate was. With a 23, you see five sets of eyes looking. It's hard to get like a perfect glimpse of what these creatures are, because I'll also say with those above 20 roles for perception, you typically aren't, you know, always in the habit of looking up. Cause, you know, unless there's creatures or birds or or something or some kind of weather, there's no really reason to. But as the the beat is just so weird, you guys look up and you guys see that there are multiple sources of light. There's not one sun. And then in the far distance, kind of opposite of more towards the direction of where like the trees are, way, way above them, you see one of these, like almost like an orb of light, kind of like a sun, but smaller almost. Just something covers it up and then it disappears.
SPEAKER_05But it doesn't get darker, cuz not where you are. Right. Okay.
SPEAKER_06Not that I saw this, because Yeah, you're you're focused on on this guy, but do we have a deal? Say I believe that we're in the wilds with you.
SPEAKER_04How before we move, how do you propose we get out of the wild?
SPEAKER_06One problem at a time. If there's a doorway in, there must be a doorway out, right?
SPEAKER_04I don't know if that's I look at Pierce and Val. Are there always doors in and out of magical realms?
SPEAKER_05If there's doors, then there's doors out. Right.
SPEAKER_02But the door in was the one that then disappeared. So will he also make the door out?
SPEAKER_05He, I don't know. Why are we talking why am I answering arcane questions? Well, I already ask him. I reached my hand out to shake Fawn's hand. But I want to squeeze if he well, let's see if he actually reaches it so hard. I know.
SPEAKER_06I know he wants to squeeze it so hard. He looks at you, looks down, and then does kind of like a like a gladiator predator.
SPEAKER_05Like I want to like over squeeze, not like to the point of hurting him, but just as we're shaking, just say roll, roll, roll, roll, roll. Don't want to hurt him.
SPEAKER_02How are we supposed to build him up if we can't break him down?
SPEAKER_05Doesn't know how strong his wrists are. I really don't. As long as you keep up your end, we'll keep up ours.
SPEAKER_06Go ahead. Go ahead and just give me an intimidation check. 3020 beat a sweat drops. Okay. Pierce goes over to Val. Hand out. Val?
SPEAKER_02As delicately as possible, I try to shake this man's hand.
SPEAKER_06Like you see that he like it's you know, you're going for like the shake, and then he turns it and plants a kiss on your hand.
SPEAKER_04I would like, can I slap a hand hand away?
SPEAKER_05Yeah, go ahead. I'm doing it. No, you're also not fishing.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, get out of here. Get out of here.
SPEAKER_00Scream, she doesn't land you. She laughed.
SPEAKER_04Get your hands off of my friend. Buca blushes at the sign of shit. A fog kissing. Val's hand. I'm like, oh. And then holds his hand. Holds the same way.
SPEAKER_03And then goes and then turns and then just shakes a hand.
SPEAKER_06We're holding. It's like the same same side handshake. Okay, deal. Let's there's eyes on us. We should get out of here.
SPEAKER_02I've said specifically. Let's go.
SPEAKER_06I've set. As you guys are going, go ahead and give me go ahead and give me survival checks. No. And he will roll one as well. His survival's not super great.
SPEAKER_05Neither is mine, but I rolled well.
SPEAKER_06Nice. Ooh, did not love that.
SPEAKER_05Five for for our guy.
SPEAKER_02Nineteen.
SPEAKER_05Also got 19. I got a 16.
SPEAKER_06With the 19s, I uh you guys have some options. Val, you have already sensed the eyes looking at you. In general, you feel very confident when it comes to being in the woods. And so you haven't necessarily been in these woods before, but you feel confident necessarily traversing through it. So you will probably have an advantage mechanically if you were to try to find some kind of shelter. But obviously, there's the dangers of whatever may be. Because again, also at this point with those earlier insight checks, you don't know if this is if they necessarily feel hostile or friendly. So it's kind of, you know, kind of roll of the dice on that one. But again, as far as the actual traversing of it, you feel kind of confident. With a 19 survival, I'll say at this point, Pierce, you do notice the weird hill situation that is going on as as the earth or or like the ground itself goes up. Yeah. And then as there's again, there's a point where you're just like, you're like, why the hell is water going up? There's like a crest of like just rock that is like floating. And you could swear that it's kind of hard to see again with the weird light situation, but you could swear it's it's some distance away that there is a city or a town of some sort.
SPEAKER_05Towards like past the rolling hills? Mm-hmm. Interesting. Is it does it feel like do we have to like start walking almost what feels like upward to get there?
SPEAKER_06Weird gravity thing, you feel like as you go, you're just gonna keep like you're always walking in a straight line. Onward? Right.
SPEAKER_05Like I'm not gonna I won't feel the gravity change. It's just like well, just it'll always look like far in the distance we're walking up, but we never actually like get there because it's just like so gradual we don't actually feel it, or like change would not register. No, yeah. Well, I see the city and Fawn, have you been here before?
SPEAKER_06No, but I've been told just general points. But I I personally haven't been here.
SPEAKER_05I think I see a c city. If we should maybe head towards there, it might look a little bit less weird for a bunch of random travelers being inside of a city rather than out in an open field next to a forest.
SPEAKER_02It seems information there too.
SPEAKER_06It seems that I need to trust your judgment on this. I don't know.
SPEAKER_02What were you told?
SPEAKER_05I Let's start walking as we talk. Are you guys heading towards are you guys heading towards the the Yeah, I'm gonna start walking towards the scene.
SPEAKER_02Question. If we're having this conversation and I cast past without a trace, will it count?
SPEAKER_06I would say use it to your own discretion. As far as like what the visual, like you as the person that's like walking in the world, there are some trees. So it lasts about an hour, or it lasts an hour. There are some places that you could try to hide. There's not a lot, like it really is just majority, just hills upon hills. Like I said, there are obviously trees and stuff here and there, but it's majority just that. So as far as being able to hide, you don't necessarily feel that there's a lot of things that you could okay.
SPEAKER_02I'll just see then.
SPEAKER_06Hold on to that spell slot. Uh, as you guys are uh starting to walk, uh, the last thing you kind of hear from the woods uh is just a bit of uh uh almost like what sounds like you don't know if it's children's or just really tiny people, uh, but you kind of hear laughter and giggling from the trees and some uh like you know, movement of the leaves. Uh while you look back, the sets of eyes are looking at you and then they disappear. You guys start to walk. Uh you guys are fully, fully, fully surrounded by it's not physically bright, but the colors are so vibrant in a way that you guys have never experienced before. Like it's it's kind of disconcerting at some point um that you're like that's a shade of green I've never even thought to think about in my life. Um your eye receptors, your the cones and rods of your eyes are working over time right now. Um but there are just like these beautiful flowers, like I said, these trees. Um, as you guys are walking, there's a point where as the sunlight comes down, and then there's like this kind of like larger oak tree, as with really, really low-hanging branches, as the light is coming down and and the light is filtering through, you could swear that it was like honey dripping down. And as you walk closer, you realize that the sunlight has become just honey. And then there is like a small like pond or like a small like puddle of honey at the base of one of the trees. Fawn is traveling with y'all, and he you could tell that he is like no rules necessary for this one. You guys can tell that he is like attempting to think about like what would it's like a good answer that isn't like showing his hand too much. But uh he said, I know that one of the components is the twin to the moon mother tree.
SPEAKER_02So the sun father tree?
SPEAKER_06The dawn father, yes. Okay. I'm assuming if there was a portal through the moon mother tree going this way. My best guess is maybe there's one going through there. So right. Do we know where this is? Nope. I was not planning on making this trip with you. So hooray. Well, glad to have you. And I kind of like pat him on the back and just keep walking.
unknownOkay.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, his injuries are still very present. At this point, you can still tell that he has like a black eye, just like a cut in his lip, just different burn marks and arrow wounds. But even with injuries, and like you guys know he's hurt. You guys also fought him, and then some of you guys got really hurt. So there is like this weird tension of like, like it is kind of like the feeling of being like near a wounded animal that is slightly cornered. So there is like not animosity, but there is like still a little bit of tension. But again, I have not traveled here. This was next in one of our trips that we were supposed to make. So Cavino.
SPEAKER_04So your entire team was supposed to come here, not just you.
SPEAKER_06He pauses and then he mounts.
SPEAKER_04Why would he send just you with us as I as I keep walking away? This doesn't make any sense.
SPEAKER_06Assuming it was just a quick decision. I don't know if he necessarily expected you all to make your way into the moon mother that quick.
SPEAKER_05So we caught him off guard and I give Pierce a high five.
SPEAKER_06I would I would caution you in thinking that you can get the upper hand on Kabino.
SPEAKER_05Not what he said. We don't think we did that. Don't worry. We know that we didn't.
SPEAKER_06I would whatever escapade that you are all on to try and stop him, I urge you to reconsider. You all seem nice enough, but it won't end well.
SPEAKER_02What do you owe this man? Why are we so loyally following him?
SPEAKER_03Go ahead and give me an insight check.
SPEAKER_06Everybody? I'll say Val. Because at this point he's looking specifically at Val. It sounds like Val asked the question and looked away. Okay.
SPEAKER_02My contact scares me with this. Uh can I have a since we're in like an area where I feel confident and I'm so confident in talking to this man of now and I don't think a seven is really getting anywhere. Could I could I get with advantage?
SPEAKER_06No.
SPEAKER_02You're okay. So a seven.
SPEAKER_06A seven? Let's see what he rolls. You for the briefest of moments, like attach a tear in his eyes, but just for like a split second. And then he says, It's not what I owe him. And then he kind of speeds up and is walking ahead of you guys.
SPEAKER_02Oh no, I speed up with him.
SPEAKER_06So annoying. But doesn't say anything.
SPEAKER_05Just isn't Vaughn like really tall? Like he's about six foot. He's not that tall. Maybe it was another that we fought that was like really tall. And I'm just picturing really long legs just taking consistent, nice strides, and then Val just double timing it.
SPEAKER_02Hey, Mr.
SPEAKER_05Crab style.
SPEAKER_06You could tell. I mean, it he's going at a pace where like you just know that it's just uncomfortable to keep it at that pace, but do you ask me any other questions? He sprints away.
SPEAKER_02If not, are are you guys catching up with us, or is it just me and him on this nice little romantic walk to the city?
SPEAKER_06Romantic jog. I'm jogging. We're walking. I mean, we're walking, right? Yeah, for sure. Okay. Well, I started walking first, right? So I'm not in front anymore. No, as because as soon as she asked that, he like.
SPEAKER_02If not you, then who's we?
SPEAKER_05Who's we, what?
SPEAKER_02Not you. Too fun. He was like, it's not me who owe something.
SPEAKER_00It's me owe him something. Yes. They were so far behind.
SPEAKER_04Not me. That question is.
SPEAKER_06Uh he stays quiet. I think he's scared. I think Fawn's scared of Vina.
SPEAKER_05Right.
SPEAKER_02Oh, really?
SPEAKER_06Yeah. You you guys continue on. As you guys, you guys travel for it is incredibly hard to try to figure out time in this place because when you guys had left Eldoria, it was dawn was just beginning to peek through, like the sunlight was barely starting to. And then you guys were, you know, shunted here. Kind of what seems like in the middle of the day, but then there's like all these like little mini suns everywhere. So you just you genuinely don't know what time of the day it is. But you guys travel for probably a couple hours. While you guys are there, you do encounter some people. Like not in the distance. No one's like, there's no path. You guys are you know just walking. But you know, in these rolling hills, you do see random people and beings and creatures. You do notice that there are a couple of even from a distance, you guys can tell that they're probably like teenage to like you know early 20 centaurs, and you could tell that they are they look very similar even from a distance. You could tell that they're like, I don't know if they're arguing or it's a friendly thing, but they're like fully just wrestling, and one of them has the other one like in a headlock, and then but it's it's this weird thing of I don't know if you guys have ever encountered centaurs before. Torso of of of of a man with the back end of a horse. But you see them, uh you do notice a couple of small sprites and fairies that kind of are gathering small leaves and flowers from nearby trees and and some of the flowers on the ground. One of them kind of gets close to you, looks at you guys, gives you guys a death glare, and then just flies away.
SPEAKER_04Oh was it me? Was it is it me or was it somebody else?
SPEAKER_06Uh like because it at this point it's grabbing like I'll say this like at as it's gathering like the flower, looks at you, Buka, and just sticks his tongue out and just goes, and then just a flower that's way too big for it, and just I look behind me to see if it was the look at somebody else, and I I pass the tongue along to Pierce and just kind of stick my tongue out.
SPEAKER_05Pierce just responds with confusion.
SPEAKER_04You have to pass it along.
SPEAKER_05It's part of the custom, I think. Custom of what?
SPEAKER_04Yeah.
SPEAKER_06We should get space. Do you guys try to camp? As you guys are going, you feel that you're getting again. It's so far. You're like, fuck, we're we're it's a distance. But you do get probably to about a halfway point. At this point, you do notice that it is cascading water going up into the air. And so it's it seems like there is like a almost like a plateau of some kind, but instead of the water crashing down, it is going up. But that one is still probably about a half day's travel away. And and I would say that you guys are are starting to feel the results of also not sleeping the night before. Right. Do we feel like it's late enough in the day to I mean, actually, does that even matter to us? The quality of light has the quality of light has not changed at all. I can't go to sleep if it's gonna be sunlight out the entire time.
SPEAKER_02We can find an eye mask.
SPEAKER_04As as Buka's eyes are closing by themselves while walking.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, and like I said, there there are you know trees that that are throughout you know this this path and journey there. You guys are able to to find a spot underneath the tree if you guys would like, and then kind of use that as at least a resting point.
SPEAKER_04Right. Okay, Vaughn. Not that I don't believe you, but I don't know if you can you should do watch by yourself. And then Buka gets like cozies up to the nearest tree because I don't know if I can keep walking, and somebody's gonna have to keep an eye out. And then Buka falls asleep.
SPEAKER_06Does the idiot think that I will keep watch? Please. And you see that this one he gathers like leaves, makes it into a pillow, and just goes to sleep.
SPEAKER_02Can I find a pebble nearby and throw it at his forehead for calling Buka an idiot?
SPEAKER_06Sure. He's prone right now.
SPEAKER_02Maybe a little bit of a bigger pebble, like a sizable rock to be like, don't call my friends an idiot. Idiot.
SPEAKER_06Do you throw the rock?
SPEAKER_02Yes.
SPEAKER_06Hits him, leaves like a small mark on his forehead. He only opens one eye to look at you, gives you a little, and then goes back to just closing his eyes.
SPEAKER_02I hate him now. I don't want him to hit him.
SPEAKER_06You hate him now that you know he doesn't have nipple piercings, or yeah.
SPEAKER_00In his sleep, I'm gonna take it.
SPEAKER_04You're gonna pierce his nipples in his sleep? You need so much consent. You're gonna wet his nipples?
SPEAKER_00Pierce him, I barely even know him. If he's air, so it's he's an air genazi.
SPEAKER_05He's not made of air.
SPEAKER_00Wait, really? Are they not made of air?
SPEAKER_02No, they're not elemental. I've been picturing this man wrong this entire time.
SPEAKER_05You thought he was made of air and nipple.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, they're just piercing.
SPEAKER_06Anyways, that would be cool. That would be cool, but that is not what he is.
SPEAKER_00Would he have nipples? Why would he need nipples to be sure? Condensation.
SPEAKER_04Clap so not only does he have nipples that are pierced, they're also wet.
SPEAKER_05Hey, he has wet pierced nipples. Anyways. I'll take the first one.
SPEAKER_00You keep him far away from me.
SPEAKER_06As this happens, because you guys again, you guys are specifically under one tree. Buka, you you know, went to bed on one side of it. He is fully just taking up so much space on the other side.
SPEAKER_01Just trying to get Yeah.
SPEAKER_06I think I'm am I close enough to like accidentally roll up next to him? Well, I'll say yeah, because that's funny.
SPEAKER_00You should cuddle up next.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, I straight up cuddle. I accidentally cuddle with with this man that's made of wind. Even though, even though he's not made of wind, you do kind of feel like this this kind of like cooling presence as as you cuddle up next to him.
SPEAKER_04Do I wake up because it's cold? Up to Nah, I embrace it. I I get closer.
SPEAKER_02You're not sweaty anymore.
SPEAKER_06Does Val, do you do you get some rest?
SPEAKER_02I do get some rest on the other side of the tree away from the cuddle puddle.
SPEAKER_06With that, Pierce, go ahead and give me perception or survival.
SPEAKER_05App here? Yeah, sorry. We were I got a 13.
SPEAKER_0613? I mean, it's bright as hell. No one comes nearby. The the sun thing is still kind of freaking you out a little bit because there is a point like somewhere during your watch that one of the other like suns almost like just gets snuffed out. And then maybe like 30 or 40 minutes later, another one in the distance turns back on. Yeah, but I'll say that's the only thing you kind of catch with that. There is a point where like you you feel the exhaustion. Like you'll feel like you'll start, like you, you feel like if you don't, you know, get some rest soon.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, I think I definitely probably at some point start like not patrolling in a way that I need to like patrol an area, but I like start pacing.
SPEAKER_06Just to try to stay awake. But after a couple hours, you are able to uh wake up either Buka or or gal.
SPEAKER_04Start wake me up. Oh wake up. Don't wake up. I need to.
SPEAKER_06At this point, you guys are just like arm in arm. Okay. I kind of shuffle awake. Get off me as I push. On away. Not a care in the world. Just also out.
SPEAKER_04Great. I guess I I trade places with Pierce so you can get. Some rest.
SPEAKER_06Go ahead and give me a perception check.
SPEAKER_04Or survival. Perception. A natural twenty plus eight. Twenty-eight.
SPEAKER_03With twenty eight. I did. Yeah. With a twenty-eight.
SPEAKER_06You feel like eyes are following you. From the direction that you guys were coming in. For like a brief second. You notice a small similar in like size to the one that stuck its tongue out at you, but you do notice a pixie, probably about a hundred feet away, peeking through like the foliage and the branches.
SPEAKER_04I think I notice it and then I try to wave hello.
SPEAKER_06And then it uses like the branches to cover back up.
SPEAKER_04It's okay. It's okay.
SPEAKER_06It's a hundred feet away. It's so far.
SPEAKER_04I yell, it's okay. It's okay.
SPEAKER_06Do you do you yell?
SPEAKER_04I start walking like as I'm walking closer and I keep my hands out. You don't have to you don't have to be scared.
SPEAKER_06Go ahead and give me what is Go ahead and give me a strength saving throw. DC twelve.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, no shot. Strength saving throw. Here we go.
SPEAKER_06DC twelve. Yep. Eight. Eight spines and branches break from the ground as they start to fully just cover your your feet and your legs as they it doesn't get above your knee, but it's enough to just make it difficult to to move. And then as you look back up, it's gone.
SPEAKER_05Oh.
SPEAKER_06I try to kick my legs out from the vines. Get get away from us. Yeah, and then it's it's it's more like difficult terrain. Mechanically, it's more difficult to rain.
SPEAKER_04Yeah. This place is just gonna try to kill us the entire time we're here. And I kind of pout and make my way back towards the rest of the camp.
SPEAKER_06They at least at least Fawn is perfectly asleep. Not a not a care in the world. I try to wake up for his for his roundup. Of watch. And also wake up Val. And at this point, I would say it's it's close to the end of your trance. Because I mean, realistically, Val, you don't sleep. I mean you trance. And so what was that?
SPEAKER_02I feel like Val would still just be in bed. Anyway.
SPEAKER_06Oh, for sure. As you go and try to wake up Fawn, looks at you, no, thank you. And then just goes back to bed.
SPEAKER_02Should I try the rock again? No. I guess it is my turn to keep watch. Y'all get some good sleep.
SPEAKER_06Go ahead and give me perception or survival.
SPEAKER_02Oh, perception for sure.
SPEAKER_01Perception.
SPEAKER_02Let me tell you, I got a nat one, but first nine is still a ten.
SPEAKER_04My nat ones are ones. That's not perception. My nat ones are nine. You don't really notice anything.
SPEAKER_06It's just beautiful. The air smells sweet, and as wind goes through the branches, it almost sounds, you know, like a song. And I think you just kind of get distracted in that. But as that happens, it's it feels like a there's a point where even Fawn feels like he got his beauty sleep, but everybody's able to get their rest. Everyone go ahead and mark a long rest.
SPEAKER_07Yeah.
SPEAKER_04Take a long rest. Okay. Okay. We're ready to go.
SPEAKER_06Shall we continue on? We shall. Let's get going. And then he starts to lead the way. You guys travel for a few hours. As that happens, you guys finally hear it and can see it, but the sound of the water can starts off pretty quiet. And then there's a point where it starts to get louder. You realize that as these hills have kind of been cresting up, there's a point where there is just like a steep vertical, and you realize part of the illusion or part of like the the actual visual of it was leading into like a cliff wall that's probably about 200 feet up. At this point, like as you're nearing it, you are catching the city. The city itself is beautiful. You're only catching just the tallest parts of it, but you can start to see arches and towers, hanging gardens, and visually seeing the water go upwards is surreal. It's a surreal experience. The water surges upward in glittering torrents. Typically, instead of you know gravity bringing it down, it is bringing it up. But you notice that the water doesn't continue forever as soon as it reaches the top of the cliff, it goes into some unseen lake or pond. But along the cliff wall, you start to see homes. There seems to be a path off to the right, but you see that these seem to be kind of more humble homes, not quite like these massive arches that you guys had seen at the very top. But, you know, some of the houses are even built into the flow of the water. As you get closer at this point, you're only, you know, a couple hundred feet away. You realize that the water runs through some open halls and in between streets. So you realize that there is a city along the cliff side as well as at the very top. But glass channels, luminous tiles. What would you guys like to do?
SPEAKER_04As we approach the city. Look over at Vaughn. Okay. So you did not expect to come here with us, but you expected to come here eventually. That's correct. So what do you know about this town? Like, are are we about to be looked upon as intruders? As you know, invaders, or is is this a normal town that we're just passing through as travelers?
SPEAKER_03I don't know.
SPEAKER_06They might think you guys are a little odd. And then he walks. Why would they think we're a little?
SPEAKER_04It's because we're not made of wind. And I keep walking.
SPEAKER_06Do you guys just follow? Yeah. We're out of here. As you guys start to go, the the sound of people just conversing and laughing. There are moments where there are these people that seem to be almost like part fish. They don't have any like fish qualities other than like gills. And you notice some like small fins start to appear behind their ears, and as well as like some like web appendages, but they seem to be different variations of like light and dark blues, greens, some gray, some white, but they are in the waterfall itself, like in you know the city, and you could tell that some of them are just kind of like swimming along, but they are kind of just enjoying the day, it seems like you see that there are some of these same kind of people, but just as kids, and then they are just like looking at you guys with like just dumbfounded wonder, and you start to see like as you guys approach, there is a small male pixie, kind of again, super, super tiny, you know, no more than a foot in height, probably about eight inches in height, nine inches in height, maybe big pot belly, and then as you guys approach, goes over to flies over to where Pierce is and just says, Hey, what's going on there? Are you guys ready to pay the toll?
SPEAKER_02Toll.
SPEAKER_05Toll? Yeah, the toll. I start looking around the rest of our group.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, which is the toll. What do you got?
SPEAKER_04Not much Nazi.
SPEAKER_06And I put I kind of nudge Fawn forward. That's a person. What do you got? Right. That was the stupidest thing I've ever heard.
SPEAKER_02What's your preferred payment?
SPEAKER_06I don't know. What do you got? I'll take some chips or crackers or you know, maybe if you got some wine or leaves. I don't know.
SPEAKER_05I think we might still have some whiskey. For sure. Made-up toll.
SPEAKER_02Yes, it's made-up toll, but I like the table.
SPEAKER_06What? No, no, no, no.
SPEAKER_02I like the bit. The bit is funny.
SPEAKER_06No, no, no, no. No, if you're gonna make it, you're if you want to get into the town, you pay.
SPEAKER_02Okay.
SPEAKER_06Alongside you see someone just you see a centaur just like walk into the town.
SPEAKER_02No, yeah, for sure. I like you and I like the hustle. Would you prefer whiskey or wine?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, they'll take you, yes.
SPEAKER_02You get to pick one.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I'll take both.
SPEAKER_02No.
SPEAKER_03Come on.
SPEAKER_02We've already gone over this. This is a bit, and I like you, but we're not gonna scam me out of it.
SPEAKER_03No, no.
SPEAKER_05Listen, when he says both, Pierce's eyes get wide and he looks at Al like, don't give away all of our alcohol, please.
SPEAKER_03No, you should give it away. How about a fish? Yeah, sure. You have a fish?
SPEAKER_02I have a fish. I have some fish. No, no. You don't seem like a fish type of guy.
SPEAKER_06Okay, I'll take my okay. Listen, as as the as the mayor of Ternor, you you guys gotta pay up.
SPEAKER_02So you can't even pronounce your own city, Mr. Mayor.
SPEAKER_06I get flustered sometimes.
SPEAKER_02Maybe, maybe. Okay, well.
SPEAKER_06Sorry I grew up with a stutter.
SPEAKER_02We're not making fun of your disability, of course.
SPEAKER_06Kind of sounded like double the toll. Let's go.
SPEAKER_02No, here's a bottle of Thornhill Gold. Only one. This is all I have on me right now. You enjoy. Thank you so much. Thank you so much for this fun interaction. Appreciate that.
SPEAKER_06Enjoy your stay.
SPEAKER_02Yep. Yep. Thank you so much for your warm welcome.
SPEAKER_06Looks over at the rest of you guys. So we're all paying the toll or they're with me. I'm with her. Yeah. Okay. Okay.
SPEAKER_02That bottle is good enough for many people.
SPEAKER_06I'm not many people.
SPEAKER_02For the toll. You are one person. I could have given you a shot.
SPEAKER_04Slowly start walking past him.
SPEAKER_02And I like start to rotate around him. I'm like, you start arguing. I'm like, that I could have given you a shot. I gave you the bottle. I don't know. You enjoy yourself. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Remember this. Okay? Okay. Thank you so much.
unknownOkay.
SPEAKER_06You don't pay the toll. Just remember. I warned you. Alright, boys. He goes to where the rest of the little pixies are. We got drinks. Just trying to maintain his flight while he's got it. This giant bottle, comparatively. And you guys are liked them.
SPEAKER_02I have three more bottles. I said kind of loud. Hopefully then here.
SPEAKER_04Didn't she say that we're just the only one? Yeah. Well, she likes a liar. She's a liar. But for other people. She lies for us.
SPEAKER_02For the great good.
unknownTrue.
SPEAKER_02The greatest good that we'll ever get.
SPEAKER_04Dang it. I believed her.
SPEAKER_05He didn't even have to roll for it.
SPEAKER_02I don't think he cared.
SPEAKER_05Deception so good.
SPEAKER_02Deception.
SPEAKER_05Perception so bad.
SPEAKER_04Disgrace.
SPEAKER_06Cool. Do you guys start to head into the town? Yep. Oh yeah.
SPEAKER_00Oh yeah.
SPEAKER_06Cool. Fawn is gone. What?
SPEAKER_04That bastard. What do you mean he's gone? Where was he? Where'd he go?
SPEAKER_05He blew away.
SPEAKER_04He's made of wood.
SPEAKER_00Why can he blow away if he's gonna go?
SPEAKER_04Is his nipple piercing got pulled somewhere?
SPEAKER_02Oh, that hurts so much.
SPEAKER_04You would have to go then.
SPEAKER_02Imagine a loofah just um you look around, you don't see him.
SPEAKER_06LC him at all? Do I see it?
SPEAKER_05Where could he have gone? There are lots of directions he could have.
SPEAKER_06Kind of. As you are looking around, there is like one path that seems to lead into the top part. As you are at the base, it feels kind of weird because again, the water's going up, but as you're at the base of this cliff, there's really only one path up. The actual like city that seems to be carved into it seems to be kind of designed for either people that can fly or swim.
SPEAKER_04Okay.
SPEAKER_06So I mean there's the one path up, but right.
SPEAKER_04And Fon fly. Do we remember if Fon could fly or swim? Or did he have to walk? I remember he was transporting like over and over again.
SPEAKER_05But yeah, I've never seen him do either. Right. I say we just start heading up the main path.
SPEAKER_04So we head up the main path on a on a jog.
unknownFast.
SPEAKER_06Cool. You guys start to make your way up. It's just this like zigzagging, almost like switchbacks of a path as you guys are going up. But it is alongside these like houses that are, you know, built into the cliffside. So there are moments where you see people just kind of like jump down, and even fighting against the current, they don't really seem to have a problem with it. But it doesn't really seem like people are working. Like no one really seems to have job. Yeah, like like all the like the adults and not adults just kind of are frolicking, swimming. They're just you just see the multitude of people out. Some of them look at you confused. There are a majority of them that just look at you guys and just wave.
SPEAKER_04Ook is waving back the entire time. Hello? Hi. Have you seen our friend?
SPEAKER_06He's he's a wind genasi. He does not have his nipples pierced. He is an air genasi. I don't know why we keep saying wind, but yeah, because Al thought he was made of wind.
SPEAKER_02I said air.
SPEAKER_06Mechanically, wind genasies do not exist.
SPEAKER_04Well, that's why we lost him, probably. He's not real, he's been a figment of our own imagination. I'm looking for an air genasi. He doesn't have nipple piercings.
SPEAKER_00He's hard.
SPEAKER_04And he's about six foot tall. I didn't put my hand out a little bit forward to show that he's shorter than me.
SPEAKER_03Yay high.
SPEAKER_04He's yay high. Looks pretty sketchy.
SPEAKER_06And I'm as I'm still waving hi to everybody as we're walking through. They all kind of like some like with some responds, some look at you kind of confused. There's a lot that just kind of look at you, just smile, and then just go about to whatever it is that they were doing. But the but the ones that do answer tell you, nope. Good luck.
SPEAKER_03Thanks. We okay.
SPEAKER_06Yeah. You guys make your way up as you guys are traversing. You finally make your way at the very top. The city, you know, reveals itself. Massive city. Like like a city unlike you guys have ever ever seen. As you get to the very top, there seems to be this massive pond. And part of the city seems to be built on it. So the this honestly, it's it's a lake. This massive lake is at the very entrance of the city. And there are some bridges that seem to traverse over it. And part of like the spires are in the water itself, but the city, you know, continues onward. Spires of living crystals and bark twisting upward. It's like these impossible spires that you know cannot be made by you know normal mortal hands. There almost seems to be like this like breathing bioluminescence with some of the buildings. There are bridges that are physically made, and some of them seem to be made of physical light. Sometimes like they are, you know, between tower to tower. There are aspects of like the city as you're you know starting to walk in that you feel like are partially stone and like partially moss. And it's like this weird combination of nature and light and kind of just you know man-made creations almost. It's like this weird intersect of all three. But the city is alive with people. Some look like regular people that you would see. You do see some humans, very, very small like percentage of the of the population. You do see some dwarves, you see elves that seem to kind of have like these elemental aspects of them standing a little bit taller than than a lot of the elves that you guys have seen. But you see that some of their hair, like this woman who walks past you, and the edges and ends of her hair seem to be like catching on fire. And as she's walking, you can tell that she's moving with some urgency with each bounce. The hair at the end just kind of like lets off some sparks. Um you feel like there's like a uh this like younger, kind of like again, this elven one, but in their hair instead of like fire, it seems to be at the very edges of where like the hairline is like fresh moss is like this like young woman. She looks at you guys and just says, How are you guys? Welcome. Hi.
SPEAKER_04You're not from around here. No, and how how could you tell as I look around and I don't notice any other tobacco's in the town.
SPEAKER_06Your eyes look really big. Sometimes we get some some first timers around here. Well, welcome. You almost be a little scared.
SPEAKER_04I well, well, I guess scared was kind of yesterday.
SPEAKER_06Well are there days how how long do the it feels like the sun never goes right sometimes. Boom. Right.
SPEAKER_04Sun light? Yes. I'm okay. Right. It feels like it doesn't really get dark here very often or very much. Anyway, not scared anymore, more so confused and excited, I guess.
SPEAKER_06Okay. Thanks for welcoming us. Yeah. Uh my my name is Calix. Can I have your name? Yeah, my my name is Boop. Good. And then looks over at Val. Can I have your name?
SPEAKER_02No. Can't have my name.
SPEAKER_06Okay. Looks over Pierce. Can I have your name?
SPEAKER_05Pierce.
SPEAKER_06Very cool. Thank you so much. And turns around and just walks away.
SPEAKER_02Okay, bye.
SPEAKER_06Bye, Calix.
SPEAKER_02What people don't ask to have people's names.
SPEAKER_04Are you is that do we just give our names away?
SPEAKER_02I don't know what that entails, but the the wording of having someone's name concerns me. Oh.
SPEAKER_04Well I know.
SPEAKER_06Well, go ahead and let's test it. Pierce. You look over, and before you can even say it, you have no recollection of his name. Oh. Pierce. Do you try to call Buka by his name?
SPEAKER_05So he didn't say my name. Correct. What is it? What is I guess what does it look like when I look at Buka? He tries tries to say my name, I guess.
SPEAKER_06Just no words come out. And then as you go, you I mean, it's not like you don't know who this person is, but Pierce, as you go and try to utter his name back, no memory in your head and no words escape your mouth. And that is where we're gonna end tonight's session.
SPEAKER_07Yeah.
SPEAKER_05Yeah. I love how Val's over there deducting bad situations and saying nothing to her friends.
