33 - Revival and Retreat in the Face of Golems

The Zodiac Club faces relentless stone golems in a battle that pushes them to their limits. With danger closing in, strategic decisions and daring magic become their only hope for survival. As tensions rise, the group finds themselves in a mysterious hall of mirrors, where personal demons and hidden dangers lurk in the shadows.

Will they overcome the trials ahead, or will the darkness claim them? Tune in for a thrilling mix of high-stakes combat, emotional revelations, and a twist you won’t see coming.

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Transcript

DD 0:03

Welcome to Lost in Asteria, a D&D podcast with a serious story about silly people. My name is Vilas, your DM, and I'd like to introduce you to the players of the game.

Risus 0:12

Hi, my name is Mikkel. I'm playing the character Rhesus Plus a tiefling necromancer who's either very cheerful or dead. Hey, my name is Morten and I play the green.

Charles 0:21

But healthy-ish halfling monk named Silas Herodo. Hey guys, my name is Simon and I'm playing Charles of Stonehaven, a human fighter trying his best to win his father's approval, all while trying to stop Arrakas from going on a murdering rampage.

Arikahs 0:39

Hello.

Galdrick 0:39

I'm Anna and I play Arrakas, a half-elf rogue fighting to always see the worst in people. Hi, I'm Chung. I play Galdric Gullibley, an exiled human cleric, refreshed with a new set of potions.

Enil 0:45

Hi, my name is Maria and I play the character Enel Ashford, a human druid desperately searching the present for her long lost past.

DD 1:02

And with that out of the way, let's jump right into the story.

Arikahs 1:08

We find the Zodiac Club in a fierce battle with stone golems. Arikes is going to take her short swords and slice at the one in the middle.

DD 1:16

All right, you try to use your swords on the golem Roll attack.

Arikahs 1:20

Yes, 18 and then again 21. Both hits. I cannot do math. What's 14 plus 5 plus then again 21. Both hits, I cannot do math. What's 14 plus 5 plus 9? 21. Then what?

Charles 1:32

No no, no 28.

Arikahs 1:34

Then that 21.

Charles 1:37

You stupid.

Risus 1:39

What's 9 plus 10? 21. You stupid, it's a meme no 21,. Did you say 28.?

Arikahs 1:45

21? You stupid. It's a meme no 21? Did you say it was?

DD 1:47

28? Alright, you do a lot of slashes onto a stone and, surprisingly, the swords are able to cut the statue, at least in some smaller pieces. You do 28 damage. However, it doesn't seem very harmed. So damage has been done, but clearly it is in good health as it's angrily brawling and moving its way forward to Arrakis.

Charles 2:13

Charles, it's you. Ah shit, I don't have a lot of health, um.

Arikahs 2:19

Well, maybe we should arrest it then.

Charles 2:22

That wouldn't help you, idiot.

Arikahs 2:25

Whoa Whoa. I took 27 damage. Maybe we should arrest it then that wouldn't help you idiot.

Charles 2:30

I took 27 damage. I think I took 33 damage in one turn. It wouldn't have helped. So I am going to look at this situation and I'm going to look at Astroland's still body on the floor and I'm going to say, guys, we need to get out and I grab Astro, yeah, and I dis. Is that an action? Disengage is an action. Yes, oh, I want to pick him up. Is that an action?

DD 2:56

No.

Charles 2:56

So I wanted to pick him up, disengage and run towards the switch.

DD 3:00

So what I'm going to do is picking him up.

Charles 3:05

I was, so what I'm going to do is picking him up. I'm going to count that as half of your movement. I guess I'll do that.

DD 3:09

Okay, you pick up Astraland, you disengage, and how far can you move?

Charles 3:14

Then it's 15 feet.

DD 3:16

Indeed. Where are you moving towards Towards?

Charles 3:18

the bridge 15 feet I want to get. I don't want to stand next to S2. To the other golden okay and then I'm gonna do a bonus action of a bonus action do I not have a bonus action second wind. I'm gonna use a bonus action to regain 1d10 plus 7 health. You regain some of your health. Is that a d10? No one knows, because your dice are too god damn large. Gain 1d10 plus 7 health you regain some of your health. Is that a d10? That's a d10, right?

DD 3:47

No one knows, because your dice are too goddamn large. That's 16 hit points back, you regain 16 hit points. Is that your turn? That's my turn. Ilara, you are standing face to face with an awkward golem.

Enil 4:00

Yeah, I'm definitely concerned about Astraland, so I'm going to use the Mass Cure Wounds. Each target regains hit points equal to 3d8, plus your spellcasting ability modifier.

DD 4:12

You use Mass Cure Wounds and Astraland is pushed back into the living.

Risus 4:18

But it's everyone right.

DD 4:20

Yes, oh shit. Everyone regain 1d8 health plus 1.

Risus 4:24

Wasn't it 3d8 plus 1?

DD 4:25

All right, Goddamn. 3d8 plus 1. Astraland, welcome back. Thank you, Rhesus you're up.

Risus 4:32

Okay, rhesus is going to use enlarge, reduce and reduce the size of the big one. What does he need to do? Constitution save higher than 15. 10. So he halves in size.

DD 4:47

All right, the large golem in the center halves in size.

Risus 4:52

And then he has disadvantage on strength checks and saving throws. And then he also do one default less damage. All right, so before, because Jesus obviously sees that we have to run, but before he runs because there's a golem in front of him, can he make Skeletim push the golem away? So he's not within attack of opportunity range.

DD 5:15

Yes, I will allow that. That would be an opposing strength. Roll, yes, so roll strength on behalf of Skeletim and I'll roll strength for the goal.

Risus 5:25

F**king three. Fifteen.

DD 5:28

Skeletim is not strong enough. Skeletim tries to use every bone in his body to push away, and that is all of them.

Galdrick 5:34

That's all of them.

DD 5:36

The statue. However, it is quite too heavy for him to move it.

Charles 5:40

Yeah, that makes sense.

DD 5:41

Astraland, you have regained conscious. You are on the shoulder of Charles, trying to flee the battle. What do you do?

Risus 5:51

I'm going to yell run, Then trying to grab Ilaria.

DD 5:56

You try to stretch out to grab Ilaria, but you are a bit away. So roll dexterity, or maybe an acrobatics roll. Let's do acrobatics Seven. It's not enough. You stretch this out for your old childhood friend, a long lost love, and as you do, you fall off the shoulder of Charles and you take 1d6 fall damage as you land in front of Charles on the floor. How tall is Charles? Well, tall enough.

Charles 6:27

I can't remember Six feet or something.

DD 6:29

Well, if you were on the shoulder of Charles and you had to be dropped off on?

Risus 6:34

the stone floor.

DD 6:35

I would have heard a bit Okay, yeah, is that your turn? Yeah, now it's the golem, smaller but still angry. It moves over to Ilarra. That gives an attack of opportunity from Erechast. Do you take that?

Arikahs 6:51

Sorry what I didn't you have attack of opportunity on the golem. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, give me that.

DD 6:56

All right, roll attack.

Arikahs 6:59

Nat 1. Nat 1? Yep.

DD 7:02

You draw your sword high above your head. However, the stress really gets to you? Yep, it does, and the sword flies from your grip and lands into the chest of Rhesus.

Arikahs 7:17

What? What the fuck did I do? Oh, like she's. Yeah, it's so high above her head that she drops it. Thanks, sam.

Risus 7:23

Oh, like she's, it's so high above her head that she drops it.

DD 7:26

Risus, who decided to stand still, might regret that immediate decision. Roll damage Erika's Eight. You have to roll to keep your concentration on the enlarged reduced spell.

Risus 7:38

How does that work? Is that I?

DD 7:40

think you just have to beat a 10 because you didn't take that much damage. D20?.

Risus 7:44

Yeah, or is it Constitution? I can Google it, continue, and then I'll figure it out.

Arikahs 7:49

Yeah, yeah yeah, okay, ah shit. Sorry, rhesus, but you're good, right Ow.

Risus 8:00

Fuck, it's good, I'm always happy.

DD 8:02

The golem, angry about the situation, suddenly yells out an angry roar and you all feel it in your skull. It uses the spell slow on everyone. So everyone do a wisdom saving throw. You have to do a 17 or higher. I roll nat 20. You do a nat 20. You are 17 or higher. I roll nat 20. You do a nat 20. Fucking nat 1. You are not slow at least, but you have never been faster. 23. 23. Both Astroland and Eneel or Elara is not taking any debuff from the spell 8. 8. You fail, nat 1. You fail, but badly 9.

DD 8:45

And you also fail. Not one, you fail, but badly. Nine and you also fail. So for the people who fail the slow spell, you have a minus two on your armor class. Now you cannot do reactions and you can only do either an action or a bonus action, but not both. What? And also your speed is halved Forever.

Arikahs 9:04

For a minute.

DD 9:05

speed is halved Forever For a minute, which is 10 turns. That seems like a lot At the end of each of your rounds you can do a new wisdom, save to get out of it, holy shit. Reese's, you do an add one. So you're not just slow, you're fucking slow. You take another minus two but minus four penalty in armor class you don't just have half speed, you have quarter of a speed, yeah, so that's pretty bad.

Risus 9:32

How much damage did I take from seven that?

DD 9:36

was eight right Eight damage.

Risus 9:37

So it has to be ten or half of the damage you take. Yes, so you have to beat a ten with it. Oh, I have to beat a ten. Yeah, and I, oh, I have to beat a 10. Yeah, I hit a 7, so I lose concentration from the stab Fuck and then I'm super slow. So minus 4 in armor class. It's not like it matters.

DD 9:56

So I'm dead. The golem is large. Once more, the golem in front of you, risen, starts hitting you. Instead of using psychological warfare, does a 23 hit?

Risus 10:10

Yes, it does.

DD 10:11

All right, you take 4 damage. I can manage. You take 4 damage as the golem tries to hurt you in just many painful ways. The other golem is in front of Ilara and once again tries to hurt you in just many painful ways. The other spirit, the other golem, is in front of Ilara and once again it tries to hit you 15. And what am I looking at? Your armor class, so AC 11. Exactly so you take also. You take eight damage as the golem slams into your ribcage, erekes. What do you do?

Arikahs 10:46

Yeah.

DD 10:46

Don't do anything, chances afterwards.

Arikahs 10:51

Yeah.

Charles 10:53

Yeah.

Risus 10:54

Yeah, yeah, sneak attack.

Arikahs 11:00

Right, okay, arrakis is gonna Because she could try to bail, but I think she feels bad, so she's not gonna do that you can bail.

Risus 11:11

Well, I know it's better than stabbing me in the stomach.

Arikahs 11:14

It really is instead I think she's. Which way is the big guy turning facing? Well, currently he's facing Ilara okay, so can Arrakis move to the other side of rhesus to get out of, well, out of range of the big one without uh like it being attack of opportunity if it's not facing her?

DD 11:37

way. Uh, it still gives an attack okay then she's not gonna do that.

Arikahs 11:42

But she is okay, she's gonna try to hurt the small guy in front of Reese's Right and sort of maybe get in its way so it doesn't have easy access, so that Reese's could probably run next time.

DD 11:55

Okay, okay, does that make sense? It makes sense.

Arikahs 11:57

Okay, so she's going to do that Roll an attack, yes and she's going to do no. She can only do that once, right?

DD 12:05

Yes, because you're slowed, so you can either do a bonus action or an action, but not both.

Arikahs 12:09

It's 24 to hit.

DD 12:11

Well, 24 hits.

Arikahs 12:12

Okay, and can she do a sneak attack thing?

DD 12:17

Well, yes, because Reese's is standing within five feet.

Arikahs 12:20

So yes, Okay, so that will be 19 damage 19 damage 19 damage as your swords smashes through the stone.

DD 12:31

Nice, it's dead what the?

Arikahs 12:33

fuck nice um. And she, she can't like disengage in anything, right? No, okay, but I think she's still gonna you can still walk but it will have an attack on you. That's fine. I think she'll try to move the big one, yeah, but it's probably gonna do that soon anyway, so she's gonna move that way.

DD 12:53

And you have half movement because you're slow.

Risus 12:56

How much we can talk during combat right.

Arikahs 12:59

Yes.

Risus 13:00

So Risa says to the others Are you out? Because I can get me and one other out easily, but are you guys out? He yells over to Ellara, Asol and Charles.

Arikahs 13:11

Yes, that was yelling, yes.

Charles 13:15

Great yelling.

Enil 13:15

We are close.

Charles 13:16

Are you out? We are close.

Risus 13:19

The neighbors? Are you out?

Arikahs 13:23

We are close. Why is that, charles' voice?

Charles 13:27

Because Echo.

Risus 13:30

Oh.

DD 13:30

We are close, close, close.

Risus 13:32

So stay, what Stay.

Arikahs 13:34

Oh, okay, cool.

DD 13:36

Erka stays. Charles, you lost Astraland from your shoulder as he was trying to grab hold of Ellara, but fell to the ground.

Charles 13:44

Being slowed. Can anyone see that? Can I see that a person?

DD 13:49

is slow Only mentally. Chad, you can see that they are very slow indeed.

Charles 13:53

Well, not those two.

DD 13:54

right, you are not slow, oh yeah, you can see that Astroland and Ellara is not slowed.

Charles 14:00

Okay. So since Astro is on the floor, I will help him up, and since I know that he was recently down, I will grab him again. Run the fuck out, but you're slow. Yeah, I'm slow, but he's not slow. Well, he can run himself.

Arikahs 14:24

But didn't you just pick him up? Yeah, and'm slow, but he's not slow. Well, he can run himself. Yeah, but didn't you just pick him up?

Charles 14:27

Yeah, and then he can go down and run away.

Arikahs 14:29

Oh you're just like putting him on his feet.

Risus 14:32

Yeah.

Arikahs 14:34

Oh, okay, so trying to stabilize him. So that's an action.

DD 14:36

Yeah, so you use your action on helping Astroland to his feet and therefore he doesn't need to use half of his movement on getting up. And what do you do now, charles?

Enil 14:47

Enel, can you get out? Probably?

Charles 14:50

Okay, Then get out and I run towards the bridge. I only have 15, because I'm slow Physically and mentally.

DD 14:58

All right, you get over here, enel.

Enil 15:02

Yeah, well, I'm going to grab hold of Astraland and run for it as well.

DD 15:07

You run for it, the statue tries to grab after you. It rolls to hit you. It rolls a seven and misses you.

Charles 15:22

Take Astraland's hand for the first time in 15 years, so she's older than 15.

Risus 15:29

We're getting close.

DD 15:30

That is a real mystery in this podcast and try to drag him through the cage. Do you follow Astraland? Yes, you follow, as you both run up to Charles to get out of this sticky situation. Rhesus is left bad, with Erechaz far behind in the room.

Risus 15:47

Can you just zoom out a bit? Could we only see that, or could we see all the way through? Yeah, and that looks like no. No, it seems like an exit to another room. So Rhesus is going to put his hand on Arrakis' shoulder and he's going to use the fourth level spell, dimension door, what, what when he can teleport himself and a person in his size or lower, which I think, but probably the same size, within range which is 500 feet, indeed, and he can show up at the exact location. And it's an action All right.

DD 16:24

A door of pure energy opens up in front of you, a fucking portal into Narnia. What the fuck is this On the other side of this?

Risus 16:35

magic hallway.

DD 16:37

You see the other end of the room.

Risus 16:40

And then he's gonna jump through it with Arikas.

DD 16:42

You jump through the portal and are magically transported to the other end. Out of combat.

Arikahs 16:53

All right, we made it. What the fuck just happened?

Risus 16:56

Yeah, and then I'm very slow so I can't do anything else.

DD 16:59

Astraland you're up, how far can we jump? Well, you can walk over 20 feet and then, if you want to jump, you can dash, and then you can do an athletics roll to see if you can make it to the other side.

Charles 17:14

What if I don't, Guys I think you should.

Arikahs 17:18

I mean, obviously it's easy to say on the other side, right, but I think you should just trust it and just jump Trust the cards.

Enil 17:24

I think we should trust it. I think that's the clue. On the wall said jump.

Risus 17:28

So I think, we should jump. I'm going to do it Jump, jump, jump. And it was an athletics or acrobatics rule Athletics Fuck, fuck Five.

DD 17:38

Oh A five. You jump into the darkness and you don't go very far as you feel the ground beneath you is disappearing. You drop five feet and suddenly an impact as you land out in nowhere but on solid ground. A magic barrier appears beneath you and you can move freely. It's an illusion.

Charles 18:09

Can you yell that back, or it's?

Arikahs 18:12

safe.

Risus 18:12

No, Ezra.

Arikahs 18:13

Oh, thank God.

DD 18:16

The golem roars behind you as it's trying to gather its distance between you. It closes the gap with you, charles, as it smashes down twice on top of your body. 28. Hits, 23. Hits.

Charles 18:40

Is that damage or?

DD 18:42

No, that's just twice damaging. To hit you, 22 damage, that's fine. Was from the first hit. What 24 for the second?

Arikahs 18:55

one, he's down.

DD 18:57

You are slammed down to the ground and are unable to move. As your eyes closes, you are unconscious. The other golem is trying to move in on you as well, ilara, and attacks you again. Eight, it misses. You are too quick for the old golem. Charles, will you do a death? Save for me.

Risus 19:26

And please keep it to yourself no one can see you on that dice anyway.

DD 19:29

All right, ellara, you're up.

Enil 19:33

What do you do? She's got to try and heal Charles, right? Yeah, she's going to use her little healing staff staff of healing to cure his wounds.

Charles 19:42

I don't want to spoil it, but hasn't we used all charges?

Enil 19:46

now.

DD 19:46

No, there's three charges left okay, okay there's ten charges on there how many of the charges do you want to use in charles? All three, use all three. So, charles, you can, you, you can roll 3d8 plus one okay I am up. Charles is back on his feet once more with new health and energy. But that was your action, Ellara.

Enil 20:12

You also have a movement and bonus action.

DD 20:14

If you move, they will have an attack of opportunity on you.

Enil 20:18

Can a bonus action be a spell? No Great. So I've got a dagger and an unhunt strike, so I'm just going to go for him with the dagger.

DD 20:30

Use your dagger.

Enil 20:34

So what do I do?

DD 20:34

Roll. Attack Seven. That does not hit you. Use your dagger, but the stone is too hard for you to exhibit any damage on the statues. You can still move, but they will have the attack of opportunity on you.

Enil 20:53

Yeah, no, I'm going to stay put.

DD 20:54

You're going to stay put, Rhesus? What do you do from the other side of the bridge?

Risus 21:01

Are there only those two golems left? Yes, how far is it from me to the large golem? It's roughly 50 feet, 50 feet. Okay, I'm going to cast my second level spell, darkness, which creates within 60 feet a 15-foot sphere. I reckon I can put it so it just blocks the golems right Within 60 feet you can. So magical darkness spreads 15 foot radius sphere.

DD 21:35

We have that here. You want to move that here? Alright, so they just can't see shit. Complete darkness fills this sphere and even though the golems are right in front of you, they just can't see shit. Complete darkness fills this sphere and even though the goals are right in front of you, they are not to be seen and you seem safe to move on.

Risus 21:51

Oh, it's their turn.

DD 21:53

You are standing on a bridge in nothing. Ilaro is behind you and freedom is in front of you.

Arikahs 22:00

That's a loaded thing to say. Charles is there as well.

DD 22:04

Well, Charles is there.

Risus 22:07

And I'm still very fast. Right, You're the quickest. Okay, so I'm the Lightning McQueen. I'm going to run to Lara.

DD 22:15

You're running back towards the darkness and the golems. You can run to her. Yes, what about me, Astrid?

Risus 22:24

Can I? He hasn't loved you for 15 years. Can I grab?

Charles 22:29

both of their hands.

DD 22:30

You can, but if you want to grab both of them and pull them to safety, I will demand a strength roll.

Arikahs 22:37

A strength roll from you Are you today.

DD 22:41

But Well, no, actually nothing. I was going to give you advantage, but then I suddenly changed my mind.

Charles 22:47

Well, he is powered by the power of love.

DD 22:50

Oh, that was what I was thinking, but then I realized Times two. No, tax one.

Charles 22:57

Fair enough, but I'm not very strong at all. Well, maybe you are this time, but you have had a shit roll.

Risus 23:02

Okay, I'm going to try and I rolled 12. 12?.

DD 23:09

Strength is found from a part of your body that you didn't know existed His heart, his heart.

Risus 23:15

His arm. His second brain, his heart.

DD 23:16

His heart, his arm, his second brain and from unknown places you find the strength to pull Ilara and Charles another 10 feet closer to the edge. But the golem is up next. I mean, they don't know what direction they're looking at. It's kind of standard. I will give them a wisdom save. I will show it on the screen and if they beat a 12, they know where to go.

Charles 23:47

No, not a 12.

DD 23:49

Yes, they rolled a 3, and the darkness confuses these statues and golems of the past and they move in the incorrect direction. This will spend their whole turn and therefore I assume Arrakis and Rhesus doesn't do anything else. No, so I will imagine that Astroland pulls Ilara and Charles into a jump of faith over the disappearing bridge and all three of you exit to the other side. You are free of combat.

Enil 24:27

Thank God.

Charles 24:28

Fuck Mikkel.

Risus 24:31

On that note.

Arikahs 24:34

Can Arakis now pull her sword from Rhesus, just to have it back maybe?

Risus 24:40

I would prefer that.

DD 24:41

Yeah you can do that Thanks.

Arikahs 24:44

What the f.

DD 24:45

There's one more thing. Uh-oh, you all enter the other side of the bridge. You're exhausted, damaged and tired. You are trying to grasp for air. Some of you are laying on the floor Few standing, most of you sitting. Congrats for air. Some of you are laying on the floor few standing, most of you sitting. However, from the other side of the room, a voice is heard. It is deep, it is angry and it is judging Charles of Stonehaven. How is it you bear yourself amongst the commoners? How low have you fallen? And in front of you an angry and revengeful older gentleman is standing.

Arikahs 25:34

Well, who is it? My dad, yeah, but I don't know. I think Daddy huh Hot bed Victor.

DD 25:47

You entered this large chamber, all the walls covered with mirrors, a large hall indeed, with engravings of snakes on the floor.

Arikahs 26:00

Is Charles still not wearing that much clothes? A large hall indeed, with engravings of snakes on the floor.

Risus 26:03

Is.

Charles 26:03

Charles still not wearing that much clothes.

Arikahs 26:05

I'm not wearing plate armor, then, charles, you should just flex, just flex at him.

Charles 26:11

So Charles stands up. Straighten your back when you talk to me, boy, and I try to straighten my back as much as I can. Charles says Sorry, sir. Well, this group has proven themselves many times.

DD 26:33

Well, somehow I doubt it. If they had done so, surely you would have some coin to buy yourself proper equipment. Are you shorter than the last time I saw you? You seem smaller, surely?

Charles 26:47

Sorry, sir, I'm a bit hurt after last battle. And what are you?

DD 26:51

doing here in the desert lands? Shouldn't you be back at the river lands or haven spire?

Charles 26:58

Didn't you read my note, sir?

DD 27:00

I do not know of these letters that you speak of, Well. I Because if I did, I would have surely told you not to be here.

Charles 27:08

Well, I went out to prove myself.

DD 27:12

Did you now, and how did you prove yourself standing here with peasants in filthy clothes and no armor on your body? Tell me how you proved yourself here with peasants in filthy clothes and no armor on your body. Tell me how you prove yourself, charles, to me I guess I cannot rhesus, could you give me a wisdom roll? What?

Risus 27:33

18.

DD 27:36

so, rhesus, as you take a look at charles's father, you see a faint blue light around the edges of his body. As you look past him, you see a mirror behind him, similar to the ones that covers all the wall in this great hall, and you have a suspicion that this man might not be who he says he is oh wait, I'm gonna take uh, I'm gonna take the tear of Athena that was what it was called.

Risus 28:10

I'm gonna take the tear of Athena and shake it.

DD 28:13

I don't know how does it work you shake the, and that's exactly how it works.

Risus 28:19

Is it like the old one, where you would ask a question and shake it and then they would say, yes, it's like the magic eight ball. Yes, exactly.

DD 28:26

It's an illusion.

Enil 28:27

Sometimes it says come back later.

DD 28:28

Yeah, exactly as you shake the tear of Athena, you are able to see through the charade and suddenly there's no person. No, philip of Stoneheave in front of you, and even the mirror behind him seems to be transparent as well and lead into some stairways. However, charles is not able to see this. How about the others? The others?

Risus 28:55

are not either. Okay, wait, it's an illusion, that guy isn't there. I'll try to throw a rock through him. Roll dexterity to see if you hit him, but I'm so weak.

DD 29:05

Yeah, you're also 15 feet away and I don't know how good you are at throwing stones Pretty good 16. You throw a stone and it goes through his body. The illusion breaks in front of you and your dad disappears once more. So, charles, I will have you make a wisdom saving throw to see how your mental state after this encounter Because you were not able to answer your dad in any way or shape that would give you some sort of strength.

Charles 29:38

I'm rolling great today, 16 again 16.

DD 29:42

Even though it was an unpleasant encounter, you don't feel any different from before, maybe a bit sadder, but you don't have any disadvantage or anything. So for now you're good and, like I said previously, in front of you there is a mirror missing in the wall and there are stairs leading further down into the dungeon.

Enil 30:05

Is that really how your dad talks to you, Charles? You shouldn't let people walk all over you like that.

Charles 30:09

Yeah, sorry, goldrick, do I have any of your potions with you?

Risus 30:16

Yes, I do. The ones that make you forget, yeah.

Galdrick 30:19

I'm not sure self-medication is the way to go either.

Charles 30:22

I had your potion thanks, I, I drink it all right constitution saving.

DD 30:26

Throw 18, what the 18. So with an 18 you don't lose your memory, which might have been what you intended. But in that case you have to roll low. Your memory becomes better. You remember your father even more vividly. No, you do have a plus one in strength for the next hour.

Enil 30:50

It's okay to feel those feelings, Charles.

Arikahs 30:52

You don't have to.

Charles 30:54

Can we just move on?

Arikahs 30:55

Argus puts her hand, like briefly, on Charles's shoulder and is like, like I know difficult fathers, it sucks.

Galdrick 31:02

And I also put my hand on his shoulder. That's how the mayor in my town talks to me.

Arikahs 31:07

That's Goldrick. What the fuck? What do you mean? What?

Enil 31:11

do you mean.

Charles 31:13

I have no more shoulders for you to hold on to.

Arikahs 31:15

Can we just move on, charles? It's not about you anymore. What the fuck do you mean?

Galdrick 31:20

Goldrick, isn't that how high-ranking people are supposed to talk to you?

Arikahs 31:25

I'm not even. Let's just go. I don't, goldrick. No, try again. Sorry, goldrick.

DD 31:34

Enid, I would like to have you make a perception roll. Oh seven A seven, okay. So the room is fairly dimly lit, so you're not able to see the entire room. While there's mirrors, there is a lack of light. You have an uneasy feeling about the room, but I can't tell you any more than that.

Galdrick 31:54

Should I light a glow?

Enil 31:55

stick. I think a glow stick would be a really good idea. Goldrick, I'm not too sure about just moving forward from here. I'm sure that illusion was meant to be like a warning of something.

Galdrick 32:06

Maybe I take a stick out and cast light on it.

DD 32:09

You cast light and create a glow stick.

Risus 32:11

But there's been multiple illusions. I think there's a theme here.

Enil 32:16

No, that can't be it no.

Risus 32:19

There's no themes in D&D. I mean three different illusions, that can't be four. No.

Charles 32:28

Well, yes, well, I'm going to remove one mirror and I'm going to put my plate armor back on, because now we have a mirror.

Risus 32:35

Wait, that's brilliant. I thought you were going to check yourself out.

Charles 32:40

No, I lost all confidence.

DD 32:42

The room is now just brightly lit and there's nothing, you see, that is different from what was there before. I will say, charles, when you remove the mirror, I would like to have you make a perception roll, this time with advantage, given that there is more light in the room 21. 21. As you remove one of the mirror panels from the wall, you create a shadow from the bright light of Goldrick's glow stick and there is something in the shadow out of the ordinary. You get a slight glimpse of a figure. Perhaps I would like everyone to close their eyes as I show something on the screen to Charles. Oh, it's only for a second that you see, or think you see, a figure in the dark, and pretty much immediately they are gone and you have the mirror. Great, let's move on.

Charles 33:56

I'm just going to ignore that. Let's go, okay.

Enil 33:59

Excellent, we move on. Yeah, you move on. I'm just gonna ignore that let's uh okay excellent we move on, yeah, you move on.

DD 34:05

You move up the stairs and find yourself in strange places. You are at the end of a long corridor. Many statues of fallen heroes are in front of you in the corridor and on the outskirts of the long hall there are water flowing.

Arikahs 34:25

It's very Chamber of.

DD 34:27

Secrets, you very quickly actually recognize some of the statues. You recognize one of them as Nikos, the captain of the guard that you met in the lower part of the city, and clearly some of his guards that would have followed him, that you saw when you entered Faragos. The hall is long, but at the end of the hall there's a figure in white clothes standing with the bag to you, standing with the bag to you. You are at this moment roughly 120 feet away and the figure does not seem to have seen you or noticed you yet. How do you approach the room?

Charles 35:07

Well, I will cast, I will sneak, no, no, no.

Arikahs 35:12

We're gonna be very humble and nice about this. Sneakingly no, not sneakingly.

Charles 35:19

I also think that Hopely, friendly is the correct way.

Arikahs 35:23

Yes, we're gonna put on big smiles. I know, not my strong suit but I'm gonna do it.

Enil 35:27

Maybe we should have Goldrick do it then, if he's humble and polite.

Galdrick 35:30

Should we just go up to him?

Arikahs 35:33

But remember to Use the mirror.

Charles 35:35

Yeah, so I give the mirror to Goldrick. Why didn't everyone not take a mirror?

Risus 35:40

Because you didn't tell us to.

Arikahs 35:43

Aren't they quite large? Aren't you just carrying around a massive mirror? I don't want to do that.

DD 35:47

What do you do exactly? Who approaches first and how do you approach?

Galdrick 35:52

So do. I just go up and speak to her.

Risus 35:55

Yes, but we follow along. Yeah, we're right with you.

Arikahs 35:58

Just be your very nice usual self, okay. All right, don't talk to her like people talk to you in your hometown, okay.

DD 36:07

How do you walk forward in the room?

Galdrick 36:10

I'm just taking a casual walk upwards and then about 50 yards I turn around, so my back faces against her.

DD 36:19

Right. And then I pull out the mirror and it is a large mirror, just to be clear, like it's a full, like wall panel. It's not a hand mirror or something.

Galdrick 36:28

Right, so I just take slow steps backwards and Okay, and the rest of you?

DD 36:33

how do you approach? Are you also walking with your backs turned?

Enil 36:36

I think, just eyes closed and maybe in some sort of a like a line with hands on each other's shoulders.

Charles 36:44

Yeah, I guess Charles is just looking down on his feet.

Risus 36:47

Yeah, reese is just the same Should we just maybe make our presence known.

Arikahs 36:53

We don't want to freak her.

Galdrick 36:56

Hello, Miss Medusa.

DD 36:59

So you walk up in the room and the rest of you are walking behind in a long line, all looking down at your feet. You hear a female voice talking back to you and she says I hide in a cave in a desert. I surround myself with monsters, traps and darkness. I surround myself with monsters, traps and darkness, and yet I'm the most visited person in Faragos. Have you come to see me suffer or do you want to take my head?

Galdrick 37:28

No, not.

DD 37:28

What gives you the right to enter my sanctum?

Galdrick 37:32

We just had a few questions, if you don't mind.

DD 37:37

Everyone has questions and everyone wants to mind. Everyone have questions and everyone wants to capture the great Medusa. I do not know how I can make my point any more clear that I do not want any visitors.

Galdrick 37:50

We weren't told that. We just wanted to ask some questions. We didn't want to hurt you?

DD 37:55

You weren't told that. How many people do you think return from these halls to tell such tales? Weren't told that. How many people do you think return from these halls to tell?

Galdrick 38:01

such tales. I don't know, maybe a couple.

DD 38:09

You are indeed naive, and the figure turns around.

Arikahs 38:16

Damn. Only a part of NPCs. Does she have a part of me?

Risus 38:19

sees. Does she have a snake body or no?

DD 38:22

She has a. Well, it's difficult to see from her clothes, but from the outside of the shape of her it seems like a regular.

Arikahs 38:31

But obviously we're not really looking at her.

DD 38:33

No, because you're looking at your feet. So the only one who can actually get a glimpse of her would be Goldrick, who are looking at her in the mirror. Well, I guess you heard something about me. It seems you come prepared. No matter, it always end up in the same way.

Galdrick 38:52

What would that way be?

DD 38:55

Well, I guess we'll soon find out, because clearly you do not come with good intent.

Enil 39:02

Actually, we do come with good intent. We come with a warning, don't we? Yes, we do A warning.

Galdrick 39:07

To you, not from us directly.

Enil 39:11

Not a threat, definitely not a threat. It's a warning.

Shadowy Warning and Mysterious Encounter

DD 39:13

Definitely a warning. So you come with good intent, with this warning as a gift. However, why are you then hiding? Well, we don't. So you come with good intent, with this warning as a gift.

Risus 39:23

However, why are you then hiding?

Arikahs 39:25

Well, we don't know how it works, so we don't know if you have to do it on purpose or if it's just like.

DD 39:28

Not you, the one in the shadows.

Enil 39:33

Who's?

DD 39:33

that At this point you hear a laughter echoing through the halls as all the lights on the wall dim down and the room become increasingly darker and a figure form shapes in front of you. Oh, fuck me, oh, oh, fuck me. You bring the cursed one to my hall, surely to kill me.

Risus 40:09

But I will not go down easily Roll initiative. No, it's a scam.

DD 40:16

Thank you so much for listening to Lost in Hysteria. We'll be back in two weeks with a new episode and if you enjoyed the music, please go check out Tabletop RPG Music on Patreon, where a guy named Ian composes amazing music for your own tabletop role-playing games, and all music from this podcast is produced by him and his team. So go check it out and we'll be back in two weeks.