Wylie

You are welcome, listeners, to hear this tale. But fair warning, this adventure is not for the faint of heart. For while this story is fiction, it is also true. And the ending is not happy.

Brad

Hey guys, I'm Brad, and I play Morpheus.

Kipo

I'm Kipo and I play Cobble.

Mimir

I'm Mimir and I play Zard Mython.

Wylie

And I'm Wylie Sloane your host in DM. This is Blunders and Dragons. Okay, so our adventurers, RPS, or rock, paper, scissors, as they might soon be known, approach the town of Erewhon. The sun is setting, and you can tell that it's going to be a moonless night. You could hear this town before it even came into view. Everyone there is raccious and wild. It has very tortuga vibes for anyone who's seen Pirates of the Caribbean. And as you approach this town, it seems exciting, but maybe a little bit foreboding as well. So what do your characters do?

Mimir

I think uh Zard is gonna walk up uh just in charge, and he's gonna find the nearest person, just the nearest individual, and just be like, well, hello there. I'm Zard Mython. Very nice to meet you.

Wylie

Okay. So there's a variety of like orcs, gnomes, halflings, humans. There's all kinds of people. Um, there's some people sitting around gaming tables, there's some people drinking. Nobody's really paying attention to you. They all kind of seem involved in their own thing. Um it's a little smoky and hazy from different uh fires and torches that are lighting the area as it is um becoming nightfall and getting dark. Um so you can just pick someone and go tap them on the shoulder if you like.

Mimir

Yeah, let me I'm gonna go tap an orc on the shoulder. Yeah, about the same size.

Wylie

Okay. Um so you tap him on the shoulder and you say something at the same time, or yeah, I'll tap him on the shoulder and I'll go, Well, hello there.

Mimir

Um I'm just curious uh at where we are and what what is happening in this uh glorious town of yours.

Wylie

And uh the the orc turns around and goes, Uh uh Can you read?

Mimir

Uh yes, actually, I have my own book.

Cobble

Oh, it says on the sign over there. I can't read, but that's where we are.

Mimir

Oh, okay. Uh look at the sign, and I see that it says um uh how to Erewhon, Erewhon.

Wylie

Mm-hmm. Yeah, and so that guy, he was like he was he turned right back to the gaming table that he's playing at. He is really focused on that. He didn't want to be bothered.

Kipo

Hmm. Okay, what um what time is it?

Wylie

So it's it's sunset, like twilight. Oh, okay.

Kipo

So this is that kind of accurate with the picture. Okay. Yeah.

Wylie

Great.

Kipo

Hmm.

Wylie

And so it kind of seems like everyone's kind of wrapped up if they were doing work. It seems like they've wrapped up their work day. Just now starting to um it's it's pretty wild already, though. You have a feeling that maybe this town has parties a lot because it seems like like it, you don't feel like you just walked out of as everyone's coming out of their homes. You feel like this party's been going on for a long time. There's a lot um of things happening. As you guys are um approaching, you see that there are some vendors that have, you know, their shops, but all of the shop doors and windows have bars on them. And um you see a guy kind of opening up and he's he looks like he's just opening his shop up for the evening, and um you hear a shout from behind you, Wam moo moo! And you're surprised, and you turn around and you see this um halfling, and his arms are full of these beanbag dolls, and they look like they're made out of a little white flower sack, and then they have sort of cow spots painted on them in different colors, and they all have really ugly faces. And this guy looks intense, and he's screaming, mo moo moo! And he runs past you towards the vendor that is opening up, and he pushes through you guys, and he has you know multiple of these different dolls that are all slightly different. Some have different colored paint spots, some have different accessories and bows, and he's charging towards that vendor looking like he's ready to buy another one.

Mimir

Wow. He's a collector.

Brad

I think uh more Morpheus would probably just be like, I'm just gonna follow that guy. Like he seems really passionate about these these things, so he's gonna go check out what it's all what all the the rave is about.

Wylie

Okay, okay. Um so you follow him right up to the vendor?

Brad

Yep, right up to the vendor.

Wylie

Okay. So he he's pushing past anybody else who seems like they might beat him to the counter, even though he's just a little half-ling. He's like kicking people's kneecaps and elbowing people in the side because everyone's kind of focused on their own thing. And no one else seems this excited about you know the the dolls, but he seems extremely excited. Um so he runs up and he's he's digging in his pocket at the same time and he says, I'll take the newest one! And he slams the cash onto the counter, and um the vendor pulls out another ugly cow doll that looks almost exactly the same. This one just has a pink bow on its ear, and none of his other ones have a pink bow. So he looks really excited to get this doll.

Morpheus

Um Morpheus surprised because we're like, Hey, hey man, what what what's up with these uh what are they again? La moumu! Yeah, what what what what's up with these la moo moo?

Wylie

You don't know about la moumu?

Morpheus

No.

Wylie

They are the coolest, well there's not that many of them. Are you gonna try to buy them?

Brad

I I don't know. I don't know anything about them.

Wylie

Well, they're really cool. Each one is a little bit different, and this vendor here, he only releases one every single week. And I have to wait until it comes out. And I gotta beat anyone else because I want to get the whole collection. Because each one is unique and special. And I want them all.

Brad

Oh, wow. Okay. Uh so like what what what do you do with them?

Wylie

I collect them.

Brad

So you just collect them. Do you do you sell them?

Wylie

No. If I sold them, I wouldn't have them. And then I show people my collection.

Brad

Oh.

Wylie

And I'm the only one who has them all.

Brad

Okay, so so nobody else has bought these from this vendor.

Wylie

Some well, sometimes he makes a couple other ones, but I've gotten one of every single type. I always get the first one.

Brad

Oh, okay, okay. So he still has more for sale, just not the first one that you got.

Wylie

Yeah. Maybe. I don't know.

Brad

Oh, okay.

Mimir

He's really defensive. Is this yeah.

Kipo

Is this picture of uh Town Square accurate? Yeah. Okay. Cobble uh wants to go climb that tree. Okay. We split up immediately.

Wylie

Immediately. Um so you're still standing by the the Lamumu stand.

Brad

A new kid.

Wylie

And uh maybe another kid round your age, you know, like uh got kind of a young teen. And then um, so cobble heads towards the tree. And um, what do you do?

Kipo

I want to climb it.

Wylie

Just climb it, just head on the up, climb it. Okay. And uh does Zard do anything?

Mimir

Um I'm not super intelligent. Um I'm trying to figure out what to do. I don't re I mean, I've lost both of my party members almost immediately. Um I'm gonna set up a place where I can tell a story, maybe. Like, I'll set up like uh an area where I can be like find a box or something? Yeah, find a box and be like, who wants to hear a story from the legendary Zard Mython?

Wylie

Okay. Oh, and I forgot, can you guys all give me your passive perception? So for um people who are new to DD, that's usually your perception modifier plus ten or uh your wisdom, usually your wisdom modifier plus ten.

Mimir

Uh Zard is 11.

Wylie

11.

Mimir

14.

Brad

Is it this one down here? 13?

Wylie

Yep. 11, 14, and 15.

Mimir

All right, guys.

Unknown

Yeah. 22.

Mimir

Yeah, Jared 22.

Wylie

Um so you do notice as you were speaking to that kid, his eyes are mostly black. Like he was speaking to you with intensity, and so you could really see him opening up his eyes wide, and so his like eyes are pretty much take like um like those creepy movies when they're like is it their pupils? Is that the right part of the eye? The whole thing is just black. Yeah. Almost like almost no whites to the eyes at all.

Mimir

Oh that's not good.

Wylie

Okay, so Cobble's climbing a tree?

Kipo

I'm sure that's normal. Yeah, I love you found that tree. Yeah, I just want to go up and sit and kind of like uh just look around, get a better eye. Um is anybody up in the tree already? I don't see anybody in the picture.

Wylie

Yeah, so as you're walking towards the tree, there's nobody else in the tree, and um you do feel a tug on your pocket.

Kipo

Oh.

Wylie

And um you look down and your rocks are on the ground right at your feet.

Kipo

I have to pick them up immediately and put them back up. Um I guess I could be a little bit more careful to watch out for pickpockets in this. Okay.

Wylie

Yeah, if you want to.

Kipo

I would like to to uh to guard them as I walk.

Wylie

So you guard your rocks.

Kipo

I'll pick them back up and I'll I'll scurry a little faster to the tree.

Wylie

Okay, and they're back in your pockets.

Kipo

Back in the yeah.

Wylie

The rocks are back in your pockets. Okay.

Kipo

I have them in just so you know. So they're in like a a bag that has strings.

Brad

Like a drawstring bag.

Kipo

Yeah, like a drawstring. Like they shouldn't just like that, yeah. But if they fall, like they shouldn't spill out, because I have them like pretty protected. Yes. So that's I could have clarified that. They jumped out. I didn't know I was gonna be pickpocketed.

Mimir

They jumped out. So you you did catch it in the progress. They jumped out. The rocks jumped out. They're alive, remembered? You're dotting boom. No, they can't. They want to escape. Oh, that's insane. So remember the rocks lie. That's right.

Wylie

And uh so Zard, as you're starting to set up your um your little storytelling corner, you are finding it hard because this is a jostling crowd. It seems like people are not really respecting other people's spaces, and it's very loud and extremely boisterous.

Mimir

Okay. Uh, I'm gonna shift paces. I might go play one of the games. Okay. Um, and do I have gold on me?

Wylie

I think I do not. Oh, I don't have any. You guys don't have any money. Okay. That was not in your gear.

Brad

So I can't buy a la moo-moo b.

Mimir

I should get people. Um yeah. So I'm gonna go actually and see if uh okay, so I can't make money by telling a story because there's too many rambunctious people around here. Uh is there a bard or something? Maybe I can uh get familiarity with uh another storyteller of some sort. Oh, okay. Like where music is coming from.

Wylie

Um so it seems like there's music coming from maybe inside the tavern. Okay. Maybe. Um, but yeah, there's not anyone playing outside.

Mimir

Okay. Uh then I will walk towards uh the tavern. Actually, I'm gonna collect you. I'm gonna head over to you actually. Uh over to um over to Morpheus over here.

Wylie

And you probably lost all sight of Cobble because he's short and it's crowded. He's just taking off for the tree.

Zard

Let's see. There you are, Morpheus. Hello, what what's going on over here?

Morpheus

Oh, uh apparently I found this vendor that sells these, they're called Lamumu. Uh, but I just noticed there's this kid that's really, really excited about him, but his eyes are like all they're they're like all black. Well, I don't know. It's kind of weird. But let me see here. And at this time, Morpheus would probably start to look around to see if other people have the same with their eyes. Do I need to roll?

Wylie

Yeah, give me a uh perception check.

Brad

Natural 20. Wow.

Wylie

You feel certain, even in the darkness and the smoke, that everyone in this town has black eyes. Like it's just like all of a sudden, it's just like you just suddenly you're like there, there, there, there, there, there. Like you're just spotting it.

Mimir

He sees the code more frequency.

Wylie

And it it definitely gives you an an easiness because it's creepy looking. And um, you do feel like everybody has this like real intensity. Like people seem like they can't really see beyond just themselves. Like they are just so focused on these things that they're enjoying and this, you know, whatever they happen, like the guy who didn't want to be interrupted from his game and stuff like that. Like, um, it just seems like, you know, real real crazy. Uh Koble's probably up a tree by now.

Kipo

Okay, is there a way to see from that vantage point where the carts that we were tracking went?

Wylie

Okay. Um, I would say with this crowd and stuff, it doesn't look like the carts necessarily came through here.

Kipo

Oh, okay. Like they just went the direction of this town.

Wylie

Yeah, they might have pulled around the town, like they didn't come right through this the center square. This is where we are. Yeah, this is the center square. And the town, it the whole vibe of the town, it looks like it was like a really nice town, but that like people don't take very good care of it, kind of, because that takes work. And so it seems like it was like, oh, this this seems like a really nice place, but then of course we've got the bars on all the windows. Um, and it, you know, things kind of seem like they were very well done, but are kind of run down and not that well taken care of. Right.

Brad

Um, also Morpheus looking, what does the uh the vendor also have black eyes? Mm-hmm.

Wylie

Yes. Yeah. And so when the vendor took the money, he had this like greedy look on his face as he was gathering up the money and sticking it into his pocket.

Brad

I kind of I'm kind of curious about um so I will say in the picture, there's this one like, I guess, hut or like uh building. And it looks like it has a really big door opening and like a green light out of it. Um I would probably start wanting to make my way that way just to see what's because I I would definitely feel uneasy with everybody having black eyes now and focusing on that, but maybe trying to figure out what's happening.

Zard

Okay. Morpheus, you okay, my friend?

Morpheus

Yeah, I I just I I I noticed that everybody around here, like, their their eyes are black and like they're they're just really focused on whatever they're just enjoying, but they they don't want anything else to do with anything or anyone else. Oh. Unless it's involving what they're doing, what they enjoy. Okay. Uh well that's there's there's this uh I don't know. Do you see that building over there with the with the green light kind of coming out of it? I I don't know if maybe we should check that out.

Zard

Uh yeah, let's let's round up cobble first, uh, because he's in a Cobble! Cobble! Where are you, Cobble?

Kipo

Um, can I throw a rock?

Wylie

Yes.

Brad

Is it one of your lying rocks?

Kipo

I t's just yeah. One one that uh is disposable to get their attention rather than yelling because after seeing that these people are a little bit hostile, uh, he does not want to draw any more attention to himself. He's not like, you know, perched up on the branch out in the open. He's kind of I mean he's small. He's rock gnome, kind of blends in. Um so he's just gonna he's been looking at you guys from the vantage point. And I guess I have I have pretty good hearing. I would say. I'm pretty loud. Yeah, and you are pretty loud. So I'll uh I'll try to toss a rock in their general direction.

Wylie

Okay. Yeah. So you've got your rocks for keeping and your rocks for using. Just a little pebble. And this is one of the things that you're doing.

Kipo

Nothing that would be like hurtful to anybody, just uh little pebble. Yeah.

Wylie

Why don't you go ahead and roll it kind of like an attack just to see if you can hit him? Please.

Kipo

Okay.

Wylie

Oh.

Kipo

Uh that's a 15 on the roll. Okay. Um I don't know what my throwing would be, but yeah.

Wylie

Okay, so you you throw a pebble, and so Zard, um, you feel a pebble. Hit your side of your forehead.

Zard

We're under attack. I'm just kidding, I'm taking it, I'm doing it. We just start attacking the battle. My time has come. Um die in a glorious battle.

Mimir

I start slaying people around me.

Wylie

No, I guess we'll never know what happens in this town.

Zard

Exactly. Uh, and I'll be like, Oh, I found our friend. I'm waving at you. There you are, cobble. There he is. Jump down, I'll catch you. A couple. I would like to attempt to catch a cobble.

Wylie

Okay. Um, why don't you enroll me an athletics check?

Mimir

Oh, please. Please get a cobble.

Brad

Please drop them.

Mimir

Uh my athletics.

Wylie

How high up do you think you climbed?

Mimir

Um as high as possible. Five feet.

Wylie

No, I'm just gonna feet's pretty good.

Mimir

Yeah. I don't see the most. Oh, 17 plus three. It's unnatural 20.

Wylie

Unnatural 20. You absolutely catch him.

Mimir

I catch you with one hand, and I'm like, Oh, there you go. Perfect. And I put you on my shoulder and I'm I love it. I'm like, all right, Mr. Cobbler, come up.

Kipo

Especially like any harm to the rocks he hates, so the fact that he's now up and above where people could try to pickpock is better.

Mimir

So I will now just head towards that door and I'll be like, oh, clear away for us.

Zard

Excuse me, pardon me.

Mimir

How tall are you? Uh I'm like seven foot. Yeah. I'm I'm really perfect. Excuse me, pardon me. Uh excuse me, uh excuse me, ma'am. Um and I'm just gonna clear away towards uh the uh doorway. Okay, cool.

Wylie

Oh okay. Um so you're clearing away towards the doorway, perfect. You guys head on over there. Um and so as you get closer, there's a big guy standing outside the door with his arms crossed. And um it do you walk up like you're gonna go in or trying to get a good look at him?

Zard

I'll talk to the gentleman because he looks like a bouncer, right? That's kind of the vibe I get. I'm like, excuse me, sir, I am uh new to this town, uh, and we saw this amazing glowing door. Uh what what is this?

Wylie

So do you want tickets for the lottery or do you want tickets to watch?

Zard

Give me two seconds.

Mimir

And I turn I turn I I lift you up and I put you in my like arm and I look to you and I'm like, I kind of want to go to the lottery. I don't know what that means, but sounds pretty excited. We don't have money though. That's the thing.

Morpheus

I guess the question is do we have to pay for the lottery or do we just get something out of it?

Mimir

Oh, that's a good question. Um, I have a follow up question, good gentleman. Um the lottery, is it a uh item that we have to pay for, or do we like Could you explain a little bit more about what is uh

Wylie

Yeah, so you're real new around here.

Mimir

Yeah, we literally just walked in and we woke up without memory. So we're doing pretty good.

Wylie

Okay, so the way it works is you buy tickets for the lottery. Okay. If you win, one person wins every night. One person. We do the lottery every day. One person wins, they get to go in for the feast. Everybody else has to pay tickets and they get to watch and see what he gets to eat. And it's a special feast that's made every night by Mr. Feast.

Cobble

Oh, that sounds dumb.

Mimir

Cobble, mind your manners. Uh remember, this is not our hometown, which I don't know where it is.

Wylie

So the guy the guy looks up at Cobble and he says, Well, maybe if you saw what was at this feast, you'd think it was pretty interesting. You should buy some tickets and watch and see what it's all about. Yeah, could you give like what was yesterday's feast? Oh, I can't tell you that. Oh, were you not there? I don't always get to watch, but it's proprietary.

Mimir

Oh, so they don't let their own bodyguard not watch?

Wylie

Well, if I'm watching the door, I can't watch the feast, can I?

Mimir

Honestly, that sounds like a real big missed opportunity on your part. You know, we could probably just walk in with you and you could watch every single night if you really think about it.

Morpheus

Yeah, if you want, I can watch the door for you while you go in.

Mimir

Yeah, he's a young one.

Wylie

I don't really like to watch it. I just like to make money. So that's why I'm here.

Mimir

He also has black eyes.

Zard

That's interesting. Um, give me two seconds. And I flip uh a cobble onto my arm again and I go, I'm not gonna lie. The Mr. Feast sounds really bad. He sounds like a bad guy. Only feeding one person a night seems pretty crazy to me.

Morpheus

Yeah, I d I really don't understand the vibe here and what's going on.

Cobble

Why are we here?

Zard

I I don't remember we don't have memory. We're trying to figure out why we have memory. Or why we don't have memory. I know how to talk, all right? I hit my head pretty hard. Have you forgotten words? I did forget some words. My intelligence is seven.

Wylie

You're a storyteller with a seven intelligence.

Mimir

Yeah, well, because he uses his wisdom to cover up his uh intelligence.

Wylie

So you forget some words, but they're still really good stories.

Mimir

Exactly.

Wylie

Um so uh as you guys are uh do kind of debating this, um, you you hear a voice behind you that says, um, well, uh, but mm um Mr. Beast is the richest guy in town, so it's a good idea to work for him. And you turn around and look for the source of this voice.

Mimir

Yeah, I'll flip around.

Wylie

Everyone give me perception check.

Mimir

Cobble, you're on my shoulder still. Ten.

Brad

Do do it. You had a two. Yeah, okay, yeah. Hold on, but let's see. What did you say it was? Perception.

Kipo

Oh, seven.

Wylie

Okay, seven for me. Okay.

Mimir

Uh thirteen for me.

Wylie

Thirteen. None of you can see the source of this voice.

Mimir

I'm gonna be like, like, where's that voice coming from? Oh, okay, I'm glad you hear it too.

Zard

Um I would love to meet Mr. Feast, I think.

Kipo

What's behind him? Just so I can see, like, we walked up to this, okay, this doorway, and there's a bodyguard in front of it.

Wylie

Can we like behind it? It's a foyer. So you can't there's like more doors behind.

Kipo

But it's like glowing blue.

Wylie

Yeah, there's like some like kind of like foggy like windows.

Kipo

Cool. So he's the only bodyguard.

Wylie

Yeah. Because it it seems like maybe that tonight's feast has gotten going.

Mimir

No, I have the same vibe as you. Um do you? Yeah. Sure. I I think he's about to try to sneak in. No, I think Well, here. I could cast hold person. Uh okay. Um What kind of creature is the bodyguard? Uh he's a orc. What is he wearing?

Wylie

Um like basic armor, kind of like what you'd see in the picture. Like uh, they kind of got these um but what are the shoulder pad things?

Kipo

Shoulder pads. Yeah. Shoulder pads. Yeah, great.

Wylie

From the 80s. Shoulder pads from the weird leather bandolier.

Kipo

I see other pictures here, but we don't know that they exist.

Wylie

Yeah, you haven't gotten into the tavern or anything. Okay.

Mimir

Uh yeah. I would love to meet Mr. Feast and uh provide our a uh maybe like uh utility to him, uh, if there is a possibility. Maybe a job interview.

Wylie

Are you talking to the bodyguard?

Brad

Not to the random voice I can't say unembodied voice.

Wylie

Okay. Um so the bodyguard says um Well, he's working right now, but maybe you come back tomorrow you could talk to him. Oh. Because like the feast is going on right now.

Mimir

Oh, they're eating currently?

Wylie

Yeah.

Mimir

Do you know what's on the menu? Wait, so wait, hold up.

Wylie

The menu is a surprise every night.

Zard

Oh.

Mimir

And if you don't like you're allergic to the menu, do you get What's allergic? Oh, okay. Well, you know, that's on me. It's the best food. Oh, it's the literal best food. Okay. Hmm. Alright. Well, we will be back uh tomorrow. Um be like, what are your guys' thoughts? Uh, as we're kind of walking away, can we find like an empty space where we can chat where no one is listening to us?

Wylie

Yeah, you can kinda like deck into an alley.

Mimir

Yeah. Okay.

Wylie

Yeah.

Mimir

I'll be like, I don't know about this place, but I feel like Mr. Feast has like this weird thing going on here. That's kind of my thought.

Cobble

I don't know how this is gonna help us figure out who we are and what we're doing here.

Mimir

It's a good point. I just like solving and writing down stories for Mr. Feast.

Cobble

Yeah, I can understand that.

Wylie

You hear the um the little voice again, the same one. Um, and you hear, and he says, uh, are you guys are you guys looking for something? You need some help. And you turn you turn around.

Zard

Is that one of your rocks? Rocks do speak.

Cobble

Maybe.

Wylie

And you see this little character. Yeah, he's he's not hiding this time. Sorry, he rolled a Nat 20 the first time.

Mimir

Well, guess what? We didn't roll anywhere close.

Wylie

So um you see uh this little looks looks like little halfling, little m maybe halfly gnome, partially. Um looks like a young kid with curly brown hair. Um he's got a bit of a raggy black cloak on, and um, he's definitely dressed like a rogue, like what we would consider a typical kind of DD rogue. He's he's got a little satchel and and he um has a little dagger at his waist. He's not holding it out threatening towards anything. He does have black eyes.

Brad

Okay.

Zard

We're like, hello, what's your name, little one?

Wylie

You could call the Mr. Daggers.

Zard

Okay.

Morpheus

I wonder what he likes.

Mimir

Mr. Daggers. I write that down in my book. Um, and I'll be like, you know how to uh help lost citizens as ourselves.

Wylie

I know everything about this town.

Zard

Oh, wonderful. What's with the black eyes?

Wylie

What are you talking about?

Mimir

Well, he doesn't know everything, everybody.

Brad

I know everything about this town. What are you talking about? Exactly.

Mimir

I just love I love the idea of a like a very straight because he's not intelligent. He's like, I'm not gonna, you know, I'm not gonna fool anybody in this way. And so he's just like, just super straightforward individual.

Wylie

All right. Well, good to know. Do you like do you like want a black eye? Do you want to like get in a fight or something?

Mimir

I don't think you want to fight me, little one.

Wylie

Some people like to fight.

Zard

I'm not much- I don't like to fight.

Wylie

I just thought you might want to get in on a fight. No, like I know where all the fights are.

Zard

Oh, okay.

Morpheus

I'll fight. I'll fight anybody. You won't fight? Whoa, chill, chill. Oh, sorry, sorry, sorry.

Wylie

Some people pay to fight and some people get paid to fight. So it kind of depends on what you want to do.

Morpheus

Oh, I mean we could use some money.

Zard

We could get into a fight for money. Um, but um, I have a question. Do you know about the jungle that's right down the road?

Wylie

I know a little bit about the jungle. It's not as cool as a town.

Zard

Oh, okay. Um, I was just curious. Uh we woke up in a cave. I don't know why I'm telling you this. To be honest with you, you haven't provided much information. Uh but I'm the straight shooter.

Brad

But you you love you love to tell the story there.

Zard

So I love to tell it. We we woke up in this town and uh or this cave, not the town, and we have no memory of ourselves. So I was just curious if you maybe uh know us or her have met us, maybe.

Wylie

Uh well, I I've probably seen about everybody in this town, and I don't think I've seen you guys before.

Zard

Ever? No. Oh, that's good. That's good information.

Cobble

Where's her a good place to eat?

Wylie

Um, well, the tavern right here, that's one of the best places to eat. But you gotta have gold. Everything in this town costs money.

Cobble

Do you have gold?

Wylie

Yeah, of course I got gold.

Morpheus

Can we have it?

Wylie

I don't just give people my gold.

Morpheus

I'll fight you for it.

Wylie

I don't fight people either. I like gold, not fighting.

Morpheus

Ah, dang it.

Zard

How did you earn your gold, little one?

Wylie

I take it out of people's pockets.

Zard

Oh, so you stole?

Wylie

I just take what I find. This guy only has rocks, and he points to you.

Cobble

He doesn't know that.

Brad

Oh, he's the one he's the one that's the one that tried to nick you.

Wylie

When your rocks fell out of your pocket.

Cobble

Yes, but they're magic rocks.

Wylie

They're magic rocks?

Cobble

Of course they are.

Wylie

What do they do?

Cobble

Well, it depends on if they like you or not.

Wylie

Oh. If they like you, what do they do?

Cobble

T hey give you special powers.

Wylie

That sounds pretty cool.

Kipo

So he is lying. Um I don't know, just for your sake, if I need to roll anything.

Wylie

Yeah, do you want to roll a um he's he's pretty naive, so he's not gonna get a plus to it. But yeah, you roll a deception and he'll roll an insight.

Kipo

Okay. Okay.

Cobble

18.

Wylie

He rolled a natural eighteen.

Mimir

Well, we roll. Or no, meets it beats it.

Wylie

Usually meets it beats. So he he's just he's not totally convinced either way.

Kipo

Okay.

Wylie

He's uh he's not like you're totally lines.

Kipo

Like everybody. Okay, so let me take let me take one out of my um pocket.

Wylie

Uh-huh.

Kipo

And he I will cast minor illusion on it.

Mimir

Yeah? Yeah. Okay. I will cast minor illusion, and the rock will like have a bird pop out of it.

Wylie

Oh, like a like a holographic bird?

Mimir

Yeah, like a holographic bird, and then it will like swoop pi by this kid's face and then disappear into the sky.

Wylie

Okay, so Cobble pulls out a rock in his hand and holds it up, and then you do this.

Mimir

And then I will uh man. I will cast Minor Illusion on it. I just really want to believe in this.

Kipo

So I was gonna do something else, but because he beat me to it, I have to kind of like act like this is exactly what he was trying for this to do. He's got just a little jump. So he's got a little bit of a jump.

Cobble

Um and so he goes Oh, sorry, that one's a new one.

Kipo

Um he sees the bird fly away and all that stuff and pops back.

Brad

Um I don't know why, but I was hoping you just like hit the kid in the face of the rock. Just throw.

Kipo

That's what I was going to do.

Mimir

That's what you're gonna do.

Kipo

No, what I was going to do is throw the rock up in the air, watch him watch it in the air, and then hit him while it was in the air. That's good. But you did something first. So uh that's what happened.

Wylie

So the little bird flies past his face. Yeah. And he goes, Oh, that's kind of cool, I guess. Um, but how does that help you get gold?

Cobble

Y ou're a pickpocket. Distraction is half the battle.

Brad

Also, I think you should pay him for the show, man. Like, literally, he just gave you a show. You wanna buy some rocks?

Wylie

Hmm, I'm gonna see if he wants to buy some rocks.

Mimir

Can I give him Bardic inspiration with that magic trick that I did? Um or advantage.

Wylie

Let's see. So persuasion, yeah, we'll do persuasion for it. So you can give him persuasion with advantage for what you did. Okay. So you're gonna roll a persuasion.

Mimir

With advantage. I don't think it's on the I thought my charisma was higher.

Wylie

It is not that's a seven. Ah, he did roll a ten, just a natural ten. So yeah, um, he's like, Yeah, I don't know, I like my gold. But that's cool. So do you guys need to go somewhere to spend the night or something, or like get some dinner? What do you guys need?

Zard

Where's your parents, young one?

Wylie

Parents. What needs parents?

Cobble

A nd why are you offering to help us?

Wylie

Because sometimes the value is not just in gold.

Zard

Oh, it's in favor. That's what it is, right?

Wylie

That's what you were saying. Maybe I'd do you a favor, maybe you do me a favor later.

Zard

I don't know about that. That seems a little suspicious to me. Hmm. Well, Mr. Daggers, uh, you can always find us. Um I don't know uh what my colleagues uh think.

Kipo

I'm gonna go to the tavern.

Zard

I think I also go to the tavern. Yeah. Um, we will meet you maybe later and talk to you uh about uh some business uh things.

Wylie

Okay, if you need a tour guide later, let me know.

Mimir

Alright, I will signal you by uh another bird in the sky.

Wylie

I'm not that and he he puts his hands to make like a little bird and he goes Caw-Caw!

Zard

Wow, you're really good at noises.

Mimir

And then uh and then we'll head to the tavern.

Wylie

Okay, and he disappears. Alright, so you guys walk on over to the main tavern. It seems like there's a few taverns on the street, but it's kind of the biggest one. Um and so very smoky vibe inside, crowded. Uh people are elbowing each other, you know, fighting over tables. It's very similar to the vibe that was outside. Um, I think I'll kind of put up the map version of it here. So this one doesn't have any characters and stuff on it for you, but um, it kind of gives you a little bit better idea of the layout.

Mimir

Can I make a like persuasion or insight check of any kind of or maybe even arcana check of any kind of like, is this like a curse that is on them? Like, can I can I feel that out?

Wylie

Yeah.

Mimir

Uh would that be an arcana?

Wylie

Yeah. Yeah. An arcana, I think, would do it.

Mimir

Oh no. Man, we're not rolling good today, guys. It's not except for Brad. Oh, I forgot that I'm dumb.

Kipo

Um good job seeing that all the eyes are black.

Mimir

Um I rolled a four and I got uh I have negative two in Arcana. So I got two and I'm like, curs. Ooh, that would be a cool title name. Um and I get shot.

Wylie

Yeah. Um yeah, you don't know even whatever your best theory is right now, that's your theory. So cool. Yeah, so you head on inside the tavern.

Zard

Um I'll be like, uh is it is the door big enough? Um there's orcs here. So I I think it's a big thing. Yeah, how tall are you? I'm like seven foot something.

Wylie

Yeah. Seven foot two. I think. Since this is like one of the biggest taverns, I'll say it has a pretty big door. And there's some that maybe look like they're more accustomed to like smaller folk, like, oh, there's maybe one that serves like more halfling ale, um, you know, different specialty bars and stuff like that. But this one, um, since it's like definitely the biggest one that you can see right here on the street, this is seems to be the town's main square. So it's the most accommodating for everyone. They probably realized, hey, if we make our doors big enough, everyone can come in. So we don't alienate any customers. And um, this one has a cool as you step into the smoky, crowded tavern, you see the bar, and behind the bar there's this cool tree that actually the bar has the tavern has been built around. Ooh, cool.

Kipo

Um you know.

Wylie

Cobble loves trees. Um and so that's in the center. There's a big fireplace. Um, there is a bard kind of over near the fireplace in the little bit of open area by the edge of the bar that's playing some fiddle music and stuff. And um, there's kind of a sort of loft area as you walk up the stairs, and there's more tables and stuff up there. But it is even though this picture doesn't show all the other characters, is pretty jam-packed in here. Okay.

Mimir

Um so uh just for the record, uh, I am seven feet tall and six inches. So that's how tall I am.

Cobble

Okay.

Mimir

So it is now lore accurate. Um and uh I will have Cobble on my uh shoulder until he does not want to be there anymore. I'll be like, Cobble, do you have any ideas what to do? I am at loss. Both physically and mentally.

Kipo

Um let's see. I'm just trying to think of I'm not speaking for him. Um I'm just trying to think. One, when's the last time we really ate anything? It was the just like berries in the forest, and we have no money. However, there is food around. So we can either go and get like scraps or try and find some money somehow, or win some money somehow. Um are there games going on?

Mimir

Yeah, well, that's what I was trying to, but you have to bet to win. Does that make sense? You have to have money first to win the game. Um, and we can't really make uh basically I'll be messaging these guys because I have the message cantrip. So we're not talking, uh I'll be like, well, We um can't really make friends.

Wylie

So this is the first time you hear his words in your head and his mouth isn't moving. Yeah.

Morpheus

What is happening?

Zard

I'm casting a spell on you. You're not no, you're okay.

Brad

It's just me. He just starts running around.

Morpheus

No.

Brad

All right.

Mimir

You know about the messenge spell, right? Yeah. Okay, cool. Um

Cobble

I'm a cleric, so we've lost one of our I'm like, oh man.

Wylie

Hey, get off of me. You run into somebody. Yeah. Someone spills their drink as you run it.

Mimir

You can't really make friends, um, per se. Um we could maybe do some illegal activity. Yeah. Um, or I don't know if we can get any information. I think the only individual that we won't be black eyed is Mr. Feast. That's kind of my thing. I feel like he's the mayor of this town that really feels it. Like he's I don't know. That's kind of where I'm at.

Brad

I will say, uh, probably the idea that um Morpheus has as he's running around, still just like, what is happening? But just eventually he's like, you know what? I'm just gonna go talk to the the barkeep. And so just walks up to the bar. How old is uh Morpheus? He he's probably too young to drink. He's a teen. Oh okay.

Mimir

So I erases Morpheus? Elf. Elf. Oh yeah, he's way too young if he's a teen elf. Yeah. He looks like a baby. Yeah, exactly.

Wylie

He's probably actually like 25, like on paper, but he's like 12.

Morpheus

So he would probably go up to the the barkeep. He's probably like, hey, uh, I've got a couple questions.

Wylie

Um okay, and so the the barkeep leans over and is like, all right then, what can I get you?

Brad

Oh, uh do you have any like gnome ale?

Wylie

You don't look old enough to be drinking gnome ale. Well how about a glass of milk?

Brad

Sure.

Mimir

Okay. Well I'm really hard. You know what? I'll take it.

Brad

He's kind of like, I'll take whatever I can get. Yeah, yeah. Like, I tried, and then okay, now I'll just take whatever.

Wylie

So uh they reached under the um bar and pulled out a glass jug, and um like that'll be two gold.

Brad

Uh see that's the problem. I don't have any gold on me, and how can I get gold?

Wylie

You don't have any gold?

Morpheus

No, I just woke up in a cave like two hours ago. Milk?

Wylie

I got a lot of dishes that need washing.

Morpheus

That's a great idea. Okay. How how how how much would you pay for that?

Wylie

One hour dishwashing, one gold.

Mimir

That's a really good offer. Is it a good offer? It's a great offer.

Wylie

Two gold for milk is expensive.

Mimir

Yeah, I was gonna say that's just you know, like usually um and it might be different, especially in this area where they're like throwing gold around. But usually gold is like a month's weight. That's right. That's right, yeah, true. It's like the best deal ever that you could get.

Wylie

So you will have to work for two hours for a glass of milk.

Brad

Right. He'll he'll probably he'd probably put in one hour.

Wylie

Um, there's a couple people behind the bar. It's because it seems like a hopping place.

Zard

So cobble stone. What do you think?

Wylie

Alright, then you want to come on back to the kitchen?

Morpheus

Yeah, yeah, let's do it.

Wylie

And they like um they lead you on back to the kitchen. So I guess you step away from it.

Mimir

You gotta jump that quickly.

Cobble

Yeah, go look at him go! I'm not that very skilled in stealing things. Oh, you're not skilled in it? I'm not skilled in stealing things.

Zard

Um anyway. I could make you more skilled in things like that, but I don't know if that's what we should be doing. Yeah, I know. Um I would love to talk to um do we see these individuals that are highlighted in front of us?

Wylie

Um, yeah, you could you could see like a kind of gnomish individual that you could speak to sitting at a table or a dwarvish individual.

Zard

Yeah, I want to go over to the dwarvis dwarvish individual. Um, and I'll be like, excuse me, gentlemen, uh uh Sir. He's alone. Um I was curious, uh, who is the mayor of this town?

Wylie

Oh, the mayor. The mayor of this place.

Mimir

Yep.

Wylie

It's changed a few times. He doesn't really leave his mansion much.

Mimir

Uh, where is his mansion?

Wylie

Upon Fancy Street.

Mimir

Fancy street. Fancy street. Alright. Um what what is your occupation that you do around here?

Wylie

Uh I do this or that. A lot of different things.

Mimir

Alright. That's very specific and uh very um straightforward that I should not ask any deeper questions to that. Um and I'll be like, um I'm a Zard Very nice to meet you.

Wylie

Okay. I just I just want to have a drink to myself.

Mimir

Oh card. Um I apologize for interrupting you. Uh your uh uh lovely drink sesh. Drink sesh. Again, he's not intelligent, he's just uh lays. Um and he'll be like very well. Cobble, I'm out of options. I think we go to fancy street.

Cobble

I don't know what to do either.

Zard

We have an hour that we have to wait, so

Morpheus

actually, it doesn't mean that like you'll stick it out. No, no, yeah, for an hour.

Mimir

No, I know.

Brad

Yeah, yeah.

Mimir

It's just like he's he should work hard for his money. And I think a gold is good to work with. And also if we we could probably gamble later with this.

Kipo

Yeah, lose it immediately.

Wylie

So uh so you're in the kitchen and and you're you're doing the dishes, and as the plates come back, you see that some of the plates have scraps on them still.

Brad

Ooh. I would absolutely like put that to the side and like hold it, right?

Wylie

Okay, so you start collecting like a scrap plate.

Brad

Yes, absolutely.

Wylie

All right.

Brad

Yeah.

Wylie

Okay. And um why don't you give me some kind of check to see how good you're doing on the dishes to see if your uh new boss is gonna be pleased.

Mimir

I was gonna say, I've never done a dishwashing check in DD. That's crazy.

Wylie

I think we'll call that slight of hand.

Mimir

Yeah.

Brad

Oh man, we're so bad at this slide of hand. Mm-hmm. It's uh eight.

Wylie

Eight. Okay. Um you almost break some of the dishes. Almost. Almost.

Mimir

Almost.

Wylie

Um and that's impressive because they're metal dishes. This place, it seems like they found that the most cost-effective way to not have their dishes be broken.

Mimir

You just hear climbing. Metal climbing. Like the hobbit, you know, where they're like super they're like cleaning Bilbo's uh dishes and like throwing. But you're not doing it in a musical pattern. You're like, oh, that's fun. That's you want to everywhere. Yeah.

Wylie

You get some soap on the floor, you fall over, like anyone who just sees you from like the doorway that's open to the kitchen, like you just see whoop bubbles. There's so many bubbles coming out of the sink. So um I don't think they're gonna be super pleased when they eventually come back and see. But you do have a plate full of food.

Morpheus

So I go ahead and uh I take my break, you know. Yeah, 10 minutes in. And then I bring after because I've like picked, I'll say I've probably picked some of the food for myself, but I'm also like, ah, here you go, guys. And I just bring out a plate, like, for each of them that has that has food on it, right? Yeah, yeah. I I just kind of sit and chill while I'm taking my break. Yeah. That's crazy.

Mimir

That's insane.

Brad

You have to remember he's a teen.

Wylie

No, this completely checks out. I think this is very valid.

Mimir

Did you wash this dish before you put the scraps on?

Morpheus

Uh yeah. Definitely.

Zard

I don't believe you. Don't need a roll for um Um and I'll be like, all right, uh, wonderful. Um we have come you're on your break right now. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah.

Morpheus

I've got a 10-minute video.

Mimir

I didn't know they were union.

Morpheus

Signed up right before I walked in the door.

Mimir

Yeah. Uh um well, what should we do then? I have zero clue. I think we should try to find fancy street and maybe break into the mayor's house or whatever, and see if he's around. I guess he's switched a couple of times, so that's something. I I just feel like all these people are obsessed with doing the things that they're doing.

Morpheus

So what's going on? I I don't know. I've just been washing dishes. So who's the mayor?

Zard

Uh we don't know who the mayor is, we just know where he lives.

Morpheus

Oh, okay.

Zard

All right. He lives on a mansion on Fancy Street. Fancy Street. Oh, that's pretty fancy. I'm wondering if it's Mr. Feast, but I'm not totally sure. They really uh are straightforward with the names. So that's let's see.

Wylie

And so it's it's pretty loud in here. So it's hard for you guys to talk. And um, if you're thinking of like trying to spend the night here, it you get the idea you probably wouldn't get very much sleep.

Mimir

Yeah. Um well with the talking thing, I'm just casting a message, so then they can just reply into my head. Yeah. Uh, because I figured that's what was going on. No, no, no, you're okay. No, you're hard. Um, let's see here.

Morpheus

Get out of my head.

Zard

Do you want to quit?

Wylie

At just about that time, you hear, hey, where's the guy that was supposed to be doing the dishes?

Morpheus

Oh, I'm right here. I'm just taking my break.

Wylie

W hat are you doing with the a break? Yeah, like these dishes aren't clean. Get out. You're eating, get out.

Zard

All right. I guess we're kicked out now.

Mimir

Uh, we will get up and leave.

Morpheus

I guess I had a job and then I lost it.

Zard

Yeah, you it was literally 10 minutes, dude. It's just the worst you could be doing.

Wylie

But you got a dinner out of it.

Morpheus

That's true. That is true. I do feel a little bit.

Wylie

We got a dinner. Yeah. Alright, so you guys get kicked out of the tavern. The barkeep comes up behind you and shishes you along, shoes you out, they're waving the dishcloth at you.

Zard

All right, we'll get out, we'll get out, don't you worry.

Wylie

And it did make it and they slam the door behind you. And so just as you guys step out into the street, the crowd is surging, and there seems to be kind of like a wave of a group of people that come swooping by. So everybody give me a dexterity saving throw.

Kipo

Did I hit it? You tossed it, then you hit it, so I gotta read it in mid-air. Oh.

Brad

I have an unnatural 20.

Wylie

Unnatural 20.

Kipo

12.

Mimir

Uh, I got a 23.

Wylie

Okay. So this is perfect. Up on your shoulders?

Zard

Is he on up on my shoulders? I haven't put him up there yet.

Wylie

I don't think so because you guys are just coming out the door. So um it makes sense that uh Zard is kind of so big that he's able to kind of step over to the side and shoulder his way through. And um then our our uh I'm forgetting your name. Morpheus, Morpheus. Morpheus, Morpheus. Morpheus makes uh he's dashes, you know, spins around.

Morpheus

He's so light.

Wylie

But um, but poor little cobble gets swept up in the crowd and pushed along.

Zard

Cobble, where'd you go, Cobble? My boy! Now I'm just kidding. Cobble, where'd you go?

Wylie

Uh I will look for Cobble, shoving through the crowd, being like, You see, as you see Cobble's little hands in the air

Zard

Cobble, there you are.

Wylie

And he's he's getting swept up. You can't quite reach him, he's ahead of you in the crowd, and this crowd is swooping in to what looks kind of like a big barn with these big barn doors that are open, and you can hear some shouting and cheering and loud music as you guys are are getting put as he's going pushed on in there, so you can follow him and if you're gonna go back to the case.

Morpheus

Yeah, so you gotta show my way through. I just follow the trail of rocks that have been left behind. I will pick up the trail of rocks as we're like

Zard

I'm like shoving through, and I'm like, no, his friends.

Kipo

This is a good reminder. I just need everyone to know that the rocks that Kobble collects are not special in any way. Like they are literally like gravel that you would find and on the side of the road. There's not there's no value to them. They don't look amazing.

Wylie

They're just do they at least like feel nice in your hands?

Kipo

No.

Wylie

No, they're like pointing.

Kipo

No, they're not even smooth, like nice rocks that you like.

Brad

You're you're actually gonna offend like some like uh rock. Yeah, some rook. No, every rock is special, man. Geology.

Wylie

This pebble is older than your brain.

Kipo

Which could be true, but I'm just talking about, you know, like in our day-to-day lives, sometimes you come across a nice rock and you keep it. These are not those rocks. That's all I'm saying. I still pick them up. Okay, thank you.

Wylie

Zard and morpheus are really know that you care about them despite them being completely in-amazing.

Mimir

Well, it's actually the only thing I know about you.

Wylie

So As Cobble, as you get swept up in the crowd, you are brought into this great big barn. Uh, it's more well lit than the rest of the town. You can see that there's crowds around a circular ring in the center, and you hear a voice that seems to be amplified saying, Ladies and gentlemen, come inside for tonight's fight.

Zard

Hey, hey, I'm I'm in the fight too. Yeah, I'm gonna jump in. I'm gonna go.

Wylie

So Zar pushes his way in. I'll push in, yeah. Um and so the announcer says, Ah, we have a new contender, because he can see you. He can't see Cabble at all. And I'll be like, Cobble was on.

Zard

It's me and my squad. I'll pick up Cobble from the ground and I'll put him on my shoulder, and then I'll be like, And the most fearsome of them all. Stand back as he is a legend among legends.

Brad

He jumps, I morphe jump, is like, you know, tries to be like really like but it just comes out really high pitches.

Mimir

I'll I'll make minor illusion of like uh like explosions of fireworks behind him.

Brad

Can you can you give macro illusion of muscles? I can't fix it. I can't fix it.

Wylie

That would be a major illusion. Okay. Um so you guys are swept in your you somehow end up at the edge of this ring. Um and the announcer says, Well, fantastic! We have some contenders that will be fighting against our regular trio.

Mimir

Yes, we have signed up, and the prize pool right, is us. We're getting the prize pool because we're gonna win.

Wylie

And uh somebody somebody elbows you and he says, Um, uh, contenders are not allowed to bet themselves.

Mimir

Oh, okay. Well, we don't have any money, so do they win something?

Wylie

Stipend for winners. Oh, okay. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Small proceeds. Um and so the announcer says, Um, what can we call our new group?

Mimir

Oh, we know.

Zard

I look, I look at them and I go, Rock, paper, and scissors RPS.

Wylie

And the announcer goes, Well, fantastic. Rock, paper, and scissors. Tonight you will be up against um Billy Bob and his goblin.

Mimir

Sorry, Billy Bob and who?

Wylie

Guys, this parts improv, i didnt.. Hang on, I gotta go to my sheet of NP name.

Mimir

They're the regular trio. They're the regular trio.

Brad

Billy Bob and I was I was just transported back to South Mississippi with the name like Billy Bob. And I was like, I love orcs with like mullets.

Mimir

That's what I'm picturing is three orcs with mullets all come out.

Brad

Billy Bob has a mullet, but it also has the perm in it too, you know. Yeah, it's got the curls to it. Yeah.

Wylie

Okay. Um, okay, I have a better name for them. Okay.

Brad

I love Billy Bob, honestly.

Mimir

This is you. This is whatever. Well, but I love Billy Bob. You're creating a world around us. Immerse us in it.

Wylie

Um everyone, put your hands together for our regulars. For our regulars, Billy Bob. Snap and crackle.

Zard

Whoa, that's a good oh man.

Brad

Wow. I think for some reason I feel like there should have been a pop, but maybe he got replaced. I don't know. I think he died. He popped too hard. Yeah.

Wylie

And so you see, stepping into the ring is a bug bear and two goblins. Oh. And so that's who you're going to be facing. And so the announcer says, Ladies and gentlemen, place your bets.

Zard

Uh, I'm going to act weak. I'm going to be like, oh, ooh, I think I popped off my hair. Bring, oh, that hurt.

Cobble

I would like to sit on the ground, uh, crisscross applesauce style, please. And be counting the rocks that these two had picked up for me and giving me back, so I do a full count, knowing that I have all of my rocks in my bag.

Wylie

Roll for rocks.

Kipo

Oh, okay. Ooh, roll for rocks. Oh, hold on. Where's your rocks? Not yeah. Wasn't really, you have 17 rocks.

Wylie

Wow.

Kipo

That's all of them. Then we pick up more. Yeah. I did. I just started picking up a bunch of rocks.

Mimir

I don't know what the difference is.

Cobble

You hear him like go to a new one.

Wylie

You have three new rocks.

Kipo

Is it okay if Cobble was not paying attention and has no idea what's going on? Sure.

Wylie

Yeah, yeah. So you're just sitting on the side like uh Like in the ring, though.

Kipo

Wait a minute. I put you down in the middle of the room. Oh, you did a ring, yeah. But I was way too preoccupied with my rocks.

Wylie

So Cobble's in the ring. You're kind of limping up to the edge of the ring.

Mimir

You're my hip. Ooh, that's I'm trying to not be intimidating, so we win more money, guys.

Brad

No, it uh Morpheus doesn't understand that and tries to be more menacing, but is definitely failing.

Kipo

He's trying to help the cause. Exactly.

Mimir

Perception check versus his persuasion check.

Wylie

Okay. So how does Morpheus enter the ring?

Brad

Oh, Morpheus like enters uh but probably trips over the wall.

Mimir

Yeah, ropes.

Wylie

Yeah, ropes like a box scene.

Brad

Trips over the ropes. Oh, this is so cool. Probably gets tangled up in the ropes, you know, a little bit, then stumbles out, but it's just like but still, yeah, definitely not scary in the slightest. Just holding, just holding his axe above his head, you know. Yep. This teenage elf. Yeah.

Wylie

Okay. And um, so you hear the announcer say, um, combatants, take your positions. And everybody roll for initiative.

Mimir

I'm gonna look down and I'm gonna be like, Cobble, we're in a fight now. Yeah, we're fighting.

Kipo

And he looks in front of him and he sees the bugbear and two goblins. It's okay, I know what I rolled. Okay. Um I've just now figured out the reason why we don't normally all roll into one is they hit each other like uh it's fun though.

Wylie

It's ridiculous that you guys are sharing the tiniest dice tray. And I have this massive one over here just for me.

Brad

Uh I got an eighteen.

Wylie

Eighteen?

Mimir

I also got an eighteen. Let's go.

Kipo

Seven.

Wylie

Seven. The um your combatants rolled a one. Let's hold so um Who wants to go first? Do we want Morpheus or I guess Morpheus always wants to go first?

Mimir

Morpheus will go first and my hip is hurting. In quotation. Yeah.

Kipo

Just so I know what the rules are for this fight because it is like a controlled in air quotes. A controlled fight. Tag in, or is all are all six of us in the

Wylie

Yeah, this is this is a team team death match. It's a pretty big ring. Yeah.

Kipo

We're all just face to face. 12 by 12 foot ring.

Wylie

I'd say it's like what would be a good like um a little bit smaller than one ring of a three-ring circus?

Mimir

Yeah.

Wylie

Okay.

Kipo

Yeah, I like that.

Wylie

Yeah. And um so like it's a it's a very big barn with like a tent roof. Oh. Kind of like a um, so it's a more more permanent than just a tent, but it has like kind of a little bit of a circus-y vibe because it's very entertainment-oriented and stuff.

Kipo

Um I might want to use surrounding areas. Could you just describe a little bit more what we're seeing in the atmosphere around us? Like are we down lower than the crowd? The crowd is up like a normal stadium, or is it all the same?

Wylie

Yeah, I think there's some ble bleacher seating.

Kipo

There is some bleacher seating.

Wylie

Yeah, so there's some bleacher seating around the edge, so you do feel very like kind of closed in.

Kipo

And there's even ropes coming from the ceiling.

Wylie

Um let's see.

Kipo

But there's poles because it's a tent.

Wylie

Yeah, there's some poles, but they're not like in the ring, obviously. They're you know, they're kind of more like around the backs of the bleachers. Okay. I'd say, so they're not like super close. And I don't think there's any ropes um up in the rafters or anything because it's it's it it's a per pretty permanent structure. It seems like it's here all the time. It's the fighting hall.

Brad

So for the ring, is it like a is it square?

Wylie

Circular.

Brad

Circular.

Wylie

Well, you know what? Sorry, for D and D purposes, we'll just make it square.

Brad

Okay. And does it have the the posts on each corner?

Wylie

As posts and ropes.

Brad

Posts and ropes. All right.

Wylie

So it has just like our wrestling situation.

Kipo

Let me hear the bell, buddy. Let me hear the bell.

Wylie

And uh so then the anouncer says um the the only rule is no fatalities. So um you're supposed to do non-lethal damage.

Brad

Oh, okay.

Wylie

So everyone everyone's doing non-lethal.

Brad

So we believe. So as for someone who's new to DD, uh with non-lethal, can I still swing my battle axe?

Wylie

Mm-hmm.

Brad

You can't just say you just like non-lethal.

Wylie

Yeah.

Brad

And swing. Okay.

Wylie

Yeah, so you could like hit him with the the broadside.

Brad

Okay, okay.

Kipo

Your character doesn't have to say non-lethal.

Brad

Right, right, right. Although that would be hilarious. That would be hilarious.

Mimir

I'm doing non-lethal.

Zard

Me too, friend.

Wylie

Great if Morpheus doesn't really understand the rules.

Brad

He actually kills everyone. We actually have to pay money now that we don't have. Yeah.

Wylie

Um, okay, and so then you you guys have taken your place, and so it's going to be you three, and then um your combatants. You he you've you've taken your positions, and then you hear ding ding, and the battle begins with Morpheus.

Brad

All right. Morpheus is 100% just going for the big guy.

Wylie

Okay, the big guy.

Brad

Yep, going big guy.

Wylie

Alright, roll to hit him.

Brad

Alright.

Wylie

This is Billy Bob.

Brad

Dang it, I was on a 14. So I got uh six.

Mimir

Which one do I add? You minus your whatever you have on your minus battle axe, remember? Because you're using the big axe? Yeah, the great axe.

Kipo

Yeah, you don't get any bonus. It's zero.

Brad

So just uh six.

Wylie

Okay, and you miss. So describe what happens when you run up to hit him.

Brad

Alright, so uh what I see in my mind of Morphist is running up, just kind of like, ah, you know, and is about to swing, and uh he just trips and just face plants on the mat and then gets up really quickly. Okay.

Mimir

Okay, good catch. Yeah. Don't be running through.

Brad

And and looks around like, I hope nobody saw that. Although obviously everyone saw it. Everyone saw it.

Wylie

Zard your up next.

Mimir

I was like, you're doing a cobble job pretending my.

Cobble

Cobble goes, oof.

Zard

Um, and I will be like, I need to know each of your names so I may write your story. And I take out this uh very nice scimitar, and I go, you, and I point at the bugbear. You shall tell me your story, and I will cast Crown of Madness on him. He needs to make a um wisdom saving throw. Okay. My DC is 13.

Wylie

Okay. Six.

Mimir

Wonderful. Um he uh is charmed and must use its action uh before moving on each of its turns to make a melee attack against a creature other than itself, uh, that you mentally choose. So I do not I don't choose uh my friend uh Morpheus, but I choose whoever is standing next to him that's our enemy. Okay. Um and then uh the target can act normally on its turn uh if you choose no creature. So uh and then each of uh my turns uh I must use uh my action to uh maintain control.

Wylie

Okay, and does he have to re-roll every time or he doesn't get to re-roll?

Mimir

At the end of uh each of its turns.

Wylie

At the end of each of its turns, he gets to re-roll concentration. Okay, great. Okay, so he is going to attack Snap on his turn, but it's not his turn yet. It is Cobble's turn.

Mimir

Um I do have a bonus action. Oh yes, go ahead. I will be like, Cobble, you have inspired me. And now I will inspire you. I have and I pull out uh my book uh with one hand and flip to a page of this massive rock like elemental individual. I have no name for this rock elemental, and I will name it Cobble after my good friend. And I will give you an inspiration. Oh, thank you. Yeah. Uh and then I will move backwards. So you were you were never within melee range of them, but you keep yourself. I'm just gonna, yeah, I'm just gonna move back uh to one of the ropes and I'm gonna be like, check this out.

Kipo

Uh to the crowd. Oh, this is perfect. Yeah. Great. So it's uh it's Cobbles turn. He just saw Morpheus uh swing and fall, and then you cast uh the crown of madness, and then gave me some inspiration uh with that beautiful um speech, beautiful little miniature speech. So, yes, thank you. Uh so now he's ready. He's sitting there still cross-legged on the ground, um, facing the three uh the three other people. And so uh I I have to this is the first time of doing this with this characters, and this is gonna be very fun. But so what you see now before you is Cobble had his bag of rocks in front of him sitting there, and so before your eyes, the bag opens, the rocks start floating out of the bag very slowly in front of him, you know, just little pebbles and whatnot, and you just see them starting to spiral and circle and glow this green color, and they kind of in a flash of light become this big rock that's uploading as I cast spiritual weapon.

Mimir

Okay, I totally for I thought you were a wizard this whole time. For some reason I'm a cleric.

Wylie

And you hear you hear just in the faintest voice from the stand saying, Wow, the rocks are magic. No, yeah, he's here, he's Mr. Daggers. Maybe from the Raffters somewhere, I'm not sure.

Kipo

Uh so for the listeners at home and definitely not myself reading this for the first time, you create a floating spectral weapon within range that lasts for the duration, or until you cast a spell again. When you cast the spell, you can make a melee spell attack against a creature within range, 60 feet. And uh within five feet of the weapon. So I cast it in front, eventually it's gonna be it right in front of all three of them. Uh on a hit, force takes uh the target takes force damage equal to 1d8 plus my spell casting ability modifier. As a bonus action, I can move the weapon up to 20 feet and repeat uh the attack against a creature within five feet of it.

Wylie

So you cast it pretty close to Billy Bob, I assume. He's the biggest.

Kipo

Yeah.

Wylie

And um so you don't have to move it because then you cast it right next to him.

Kipo

Yes.

Wylie

Okay. So you cast a this this rock comes and appears right next to Billy Bob.

Kipo

And it hits him because it's force damage.

Wylie

Okay. And I think it rolls to hit though still.

Kipo

Yes. Yes. Yeah, here let me do that.

Cobble

Oh.

Kipo

That was so close to an rolls were maybe bad. Was it? Yeah. Don't tell me that. I mean, sorry. Uh give me one second. I have it right here. Spell attack bonus. Yeah. Six.

Wylie

Six total? Oh, I mean. So this big rock appears next to Billy Bob.

Kipo

It's not there. Still there's a big thing. The beginning was cool. That's your bonus action. What's my bonus action? Casting that spell.

Wylie

Spiritual weapon.

Kipo

Yeah. So you have an action if you want to do something else. Just to ram it again? No.

Wylie

So is cast casting it is.

Mimir

Casting it. Yeah, and it attacking is a bonus action. Yeah, it is. So you have like you can attack with your main weapon or whatever if you have a main weapon.

Wylie

You just can't cast another spell.

Kipo

Just can't cast another spell. I do. Can't cast another spell. Or you can just dismiss, and then uh, can I throw a pebble?

Wylie

Sure. Yeah, an unarmed strike kind of situation. Sure.

Kipo

It's literally gonna do nothing, but it might do something. Natural one. Okay.

Wylie

You you try to throw a pebble and if like falls out of your hands and arm! Oh gosh!

Brad

Yeah, he actually just hits Morpheus in the back of the head.

Wylie

Morpheus, who is ahead of you? Insult to injury.

Kipo

This is going so well.

Mimir

And I said, watch this to the crowd before this, and I'm like, oh.

Brad

It looked cool, so it wasn't.

Wylie

You had convinced there was a few people who didn't buy your act that you were insufficient in this combat, and now they're really regretting their bets. So it's now gonna be Billy Bob's turn.

Mimir

He has to attack an ally.

Wylie

He has to attack an ally, so he's gonna go for a goblin. He's probably gonna hit. That's pretty good.

Mimir

Um I know. I was just yeah, that's why I did it, guys.

Wylie

Oh yeah. So he hits the goblin with his uh morning star. Nice. So that's a pretty big weapon. He's probably gonna take out his buddy. We'll see. Um so it's two d8 plus two. So unless I roll really bad, this goblin is not gonna be around for much longer. So two.

Brad

That wasn't on me.

Wylie

A one and a four. So five plus two, so a total of seven, which is exactly s uh snaps. Wait, was it snap? Yes, it was exactly his hit points. So he he so Billy Bob just has this like stunned look on his face, and he he just turns and swings just very casually. He swings his big morning star and it just takes out Snap, who's right next to him. Is it non-lethal? It's non-lethal. Okay, sure. And because it was just exactly his hit points, and so Snap goes and he gets like flattened and he crumples into a heap. So Snap is now taken out with a single hit. Um and now it's Crackle's.

Morpheus

Billy Bob is also on our team.

Kipo

No, he's not. That money's as good as our worst for man.

Morpheus

If we could just get him to hit his other guy, band himself.

Wylie

Um so crack uh crackle is up next, and he like he's looking so confused, and he's like, Billy Bob, what are you doing? And he like like tries to kind of smack him, and then he didn't uh Billy Bob roll his uh saving throw? He did not, thank you.

Mimir

I will roll that. Um what Snap you mean? No, uh Billy Bob because for his crown of madness. Oh, gotcha, gotcha.

Wylie

He rolled a natural 18.

Mimir

Yep, he succeeds.

Wylie

Okay, so he's not gonna do that again. Yep. So he just he kind of shakes his head and he's like confused and he's looking at Crackle and he's like, Oh, what happened to Snap? He like doesn't remember. And um, so Crackle's like, You killed him! Like, you didn't actually kill him, but he's blaming him. And uh he's like, get it together, man! And he runs up towards Morpheus and he um swings his scimitar at 15 to hit you.

Brad

Uh my armor class is 15.

Wylie

Okay, if it meets the beats, so he hits you. Okay. Um so we're gonna it's a 1d6 plus 2. Two plus two is four. So he hits you for four damage.

Mimir

Okay. All right. Are you raging? I'm just kidding.

Wylie

And so that's the end of his turn. So we go back up to the top of our initiative, it's Morpheus' turn.

Zard

You got a pardon.

Brad

Uh what did he hit him with?

Wylie

A scimitar.

Brad

Oh, a scimitar. Yeah. Um, I guess at that point Morpheus is just hyped up and is like, I'm I'm just gonna hit whoever is in front of me. So I guess crackle with it. So he just goes for crackle with the great axe. Ooh.

Mimir

Wait, wait, wait. You don't add anything. I don't, that's right. 17.

Wylie

You hit it, you hit it. You have all your damage.

Brad

Alright, and then what is it? Uh DMD 12. Yeah. 12 plus zero. Yeah. Let's see. Which one's it? Uh.

Mimir

I can't wait until you never figure out that you're not supposed to use this weapon.

Brad

Like you didn't succeeding. A 10

Kipo

My gosh. Non-lethal.

Brad

Non-lethal. Non-lethal of non-lethal damage.

Wylie

So describe how Morpheus hits crackle. So uh Do you like spin your battle axe?

Brad

I think I think what it is is that he got hit and literally he just had the axe in his hand and it hit him and spun him into where he just spun back around and the axe just like knocked him out. Yeah, but knocked crackle off his feet, and then you hear crack, you know. Yeah.

Wylie

You uh slam it broadside right into crackle, um, and he goes flying back against the ropes just like Snap did and crumples to the ground, and you do hear some crackles kind of like um when you go to the chiropractor and things get all popped out of place because that was a like kind of a bludgeoning hit.

Brad

You you also see just the surprise on uh Morpheus' face, just like, what how did I do that?

Mimir

Perfect.

Wylie

Awesome. Is Morpheus's turn so um and if you're not gonna do anything else, Zard is up next. That's it.

Brad

Maybe you'll maybe he'll no, dude. No, he's gonna stay where he is. That's that's you don't want to go and get get in front of the big dude.

Zard

No, I'm just gonna stay where I am. Um Zard will be like, uh I'll put away a book uh in my pocket and I'll be like, ladies and gentlemen, are you not entertained? We are RPS. RP Earth. I'm trying to get a chant yellow.

Wylie

And you you hear you hear a voice say, they they've only hit one guy so far. Okay.

Mimir

Well, all right, hold on.

Wylie

Uh and then well then didn't um uh You could do if you want to you could do a persuasion check for the crowd.

Mimir

I love to. Yes. A little persuasion. I'm gonna roll. We've been rolling so bad with and we all switch dice when we so oh that's so sad. I've been rolling bad uh even with my switch dice, but that's normal me. Uh that's a eight total.

Wylie

Yeah, crowds. Crowds not there are so one?

Zard

All right. Well, I'll prove it to you then. Uh and then I will walk up to the individual.

Wylie

To um Billy Bob. Yep. Only one left.

Zard

I will say, Billy Bob, your story is a good one. Uh, and then I will attack him. Uh and I will use defenses uh defense uh defense defensive flourish uh will do something else. Um and it'll add damage if I hit. Uh that is a 20 non-natural.

Wylie

Ooh, yes, you hit him.

Mimir

Cool. So defensive flourish is my subclass. I am a barred swords subclass. Um and so instead of uh usually inspiring people, which you can still do, um, I can also add it to uh a flourish of some sort. And so I used defensive flourish, which will give me an extra d6 of damage, but it also will add that d6 to my AC, which is really cool. Okay. Uh so my AC goes up to 19. Well, um, and uh I do a total of nine slashing damage to him. Uh non-lethal um across the face, and I'll be like, and I'll be like, your story will be written in the days to come. Um and then I will parry him, so hold my uh scimitar out front.

Wylie

Okay. Um basically giving additional AC. Yeah, that makes sense. Cool, awesome. That's a fun way to use it.

Mimir

Yeah.

Wylie

Okay, if you're um if you're done, Kobble's gonna be up next.

Kipo

Great. Kobble is ready uh with the spiritual weapon rock just floated in the air. Ready ready to bash again. So that's that's all he's gonna do is uh send that back at the bugbear.

Wylie

Okay.

Kipo

There we go, baby. 23, yeah. 23, you hit. Great. I gotta remember 28. Thank you. Yep. I got you. Plus your wisdom.

Unknown

Oh, there you are.

Kipo

Should be a seven.

Wylie

Seven damage? Yep. Awesome.

Kipo

Seven damage.

Wylie

Okay, so um, I kind of imagine he sort of stepped forward. Um, and so the rock just kind of gives him a nice bash on the back of the head. Oh, wonderful. And um he's he's looking stunned and and like he's he's not looking super hot. He's he's looking a little worn down now. Um but it is the bugbear's turn. And I think that Morpheus is still the close. Well, you're Zard's Zard's close to him now. And Zard did some real damage to him because I don't think Morpheus has hit him at all yet. So he is gonna for Zard. So he swings his morning star. Star. He rolled a natural 14 and he has a plus four, so a total of eighteen.

Mimir

Misses. Yeah, because of my 19s. And I wait till the last second and I just move it just slightly out of my path and I go, Good try, but I know your moves. Um that's sick. Yeah. So he misses with that morning, so awesome.

Wylie

Okay, yeah. So he he he's looks surprised like that you were able to so dexterously just you know nudge his weapon out of the way. He's not used to, you know, he's used to being able to just come in and smash everybody. So um he's he's pretty shook by that. And um, so then up next, um, both of his buddies are out, so we are back to Morpheus.

Brad

All right. Nice. Uh Morpheus is uh just gonna keep going with the the axe because that's what he knows. Ooh, that's great.

Kipo

Just uh I think it's just regular, yeah, don't add anything. Just a 15.

Wylie

15? You just miss him. So you come up, you come up with your axe and you swing and a miss. Swing and and um you you're really close to him, but you're maybe you're getting a little tired holding this big heavy battle axe.

Mimir

Probably. Did I give you inspiration? I have inspiration. Okay, okay. I don't think I gave you inspiration.

Wylie

No, I think you had it earlier for something else.

Mimir

Dang.

Wylie

Yep. Okay, so you miss, and then we're on to Zard.

Mimir

Uh I will um can I move into like flanking or something with this individual? Awesome. I will do that um and I will attack him with my sword. Oh, I can't see. What does it mean? 13. 13. 12. Uh uh. Yeah, it's not gonna hit 15.

Wylie

Yeah. So you you edge your way around him just scooching around. Um maybe as Morpheus is swinging, but um, and you kind of swing at him too, but maybe as he's kind of avoiding Morpheus, he avoids you as well. So he's trying to like abstract.

Mimir

Oop, okay, I need to concentrate a little bit. Yeah.

Wylie

Alright, onto Kobble.

Kipo

I'm very sorry.

Mimir

No, don't be.

Kipo

But this is the character. So he looks to the left and right and sees the goblins that are unconscious. That are unconscious. Um, and so he Oh, that's what I was doing. Double checking something. Very sorry, very sorry. Three seconds. And oh, no concentration needed. So the rock is still just floating there.

Wylie

Yes, the rock is still just sputting up.

Kipo

Um, I'm gonna move up to the closest goblin, which would be the one that walked up to Morpheus on the left. The bugbear? The bugbear. Both of the other goblins are unconscious. That's what I mean. Oh, you're walking up to an unconscious goblin. Unconscious goblin.

Wylie

Okay.

Kipo

Okay, cat uh crackle. Okay. Walk up to crackle and search in for rocks.

Wylie

Oh. Okay. Sure.

Kipo

I thought you were gonna fireball us.

Mimir

Again, I don't know why I think you're a wizard. I'm not a wizard anymore. I know.

Wylie

Usually people say I'm so sorry to their party, it's because they're cast of fireball.

Mimir

That's why I was like, We're gonna kill everybody. That's what I

Kipo

No, I'm sorry. I'm not going to help you hit this butler because I just got distracted and remembered that there's two unconscious bodies there, and I'm gonna go see what they have.

Wylie

Okay. So yeah, you can um go search Crackle's pockets.

Kipo

Yes.

Wylie

All right. Um Yeah, you don't need to do a stealth check or anything. Um why don't you just roll and I'll tell you what you maybe you get in there.

Kipo

Sixteen.

Wylie

Sixteen. Um so there's um a little like package of jerky. Okay. And we just cobble some send it about.

Kipo

Are you near the ground? No!

Brad

Um, oh, free concessions. Yeah.

Wylie

And um then in his other pocket there are three pebbles.

Kipo

Oh, no way.

Wylie

You roll pretty good, so if you're getting my own.

Kipo

He's very excited, and then runs back to the place as a dash. I don't know. Well, I run. That's my action.

Wylie

Yeah.

Kipo

Search. And then can I go back to where I was?

Wylie

Yeah, it's not that big a ring. Okay. Yeah. He wasn't that far from you guys.

Kipo

So I don't attack, I just search. Because you can attack with your bonus action, and you refuse to do that. Yeah. He's too just found now, are you kidding me?

Mimir

No, it's cool. Don't want to.

Unknown

He's really determined. Crazy. No, he's kidding.

Wylie

Um, okay, so now it's Billy Bob's turn.

Kipo

This was a normal DD box? Yeah.

Wylie

And Zard has tried to sneak behind him, so he's gonna go for you. Oh, he rolled a five, and you still have a 19?

Mimir

No, I I don't have a 19, I have a 15 now.

Wylie

Okay, well, he only gets a nine total. So in his trying to turn around and hit you, he misses. Okay, so then up next is going to be Morpheus.

Mimir

Alright, Morpheus is trying again. And you have advantages there because I'm flanking him. So with you. Okay. So you can roll twice and together.

Wylie

Yeah, so flanking means one character is behind, like you guys are opposite on opposite sides of an enemy, so that was a five.

Brad

Don't like that. And then an eight.

Wylie

So eight plus zero because you're using that battle axe. Yeah.

Brad

Yep.

Mimir

I'm with a bunch of idiots. And I'm a one of them, right? Morpheus.

Brad

Morpheus this time just swings, but just goes down and just hits the floor and gets it kind of stuck in the floor as he's trying to get his axe back out.

Wylie

And the crowd is starting to kind of boo and cheer because they're like, we came for a 3v3 match.

Zard

I'm sorry that we're I'm it's honestly a 1v1, to be honest.

Wylie

And uh it's Zard's turn now.

Mimir

I'll be like, all right, my friend, let's give him the match of the time of our lives. And I will attack. That's out of the box. Doesn't count. What's it say? Eight. Oh, eight, but I get to manage because you're flanking. Oh, it does it count because he's got his axe stuck on the ground.

Wylie

Yeah, that was just flavor.

Zard

Okay, that's okay. Well, it doesn't do much better. Uh 13 to hit, so I go, shhing, and I'm like, all right, well, maybe we should just call it off. We really try. We really try. Um I fully miss. I fully miss with it.

Wylie

And you're offering to call it a draw?

Mimir

Yeah, I'm like, well, but not draw. We just win, you just don't attack us anymore.

Wylie

And uh he does not seem convinced by that. Um it is Cobble's turn.

Kipo

Okay. Okay, that's done. We're good. Uh he separated them into a separate pouch to look at in more depth later. Yeah. Because you're busy right now. Yeah, well, there is that, but he's the other goblins too close to because it's right next to the bugbear.

Wylie

Yeah, not really. Yeah.

Kipo

And he just swung to the left and hit him, so he's on the ground. Okay. Yeah, Cobble um is gonna just hit the rock again. Just use it to bash him. So yeah, let me roll to hit. Pretty please. There we go, non-natural 20.

Wylie

Nice.

Kipo

And that's eight. Eight. Great. Eight plus your wisdom. Eight of force. That yeah, no, six. Oh, okay. I already added my wisdom. Yep.

Wylie

Awesome. So um this big rock comes down, bangs him in the head, and he tips over. And he he falls to his knees in the in the arena, and then just kind of tips over sideways. So you describe what I do.

Kipo

Yeah. Okay, so he's like looking at the rocks and looks up and remembers that the rock is still floating in his spiritual weapon, and just like kind of like motions his arm outward and then pulls it towards him, and that's where it hits the bugbear in the back of the head. And as it hits him, he already, even before it hits him, he knows it's gonna hit him, looks back down as it's just already like playing with the rocks again, doesn't even see the bugbear hit the ground.

Wylie

Okay. He's totally zoned out.

Zard

Like, oh yeah, let me do this. Okay, okay, that's what I was doing. So as uh all minor illusion RPS a bunch of above, like above, and I'll do a RPS.

Morpheus

RB. I'm getting a big and at this point. Amorpheus is just gonna like put his foot up on the bugbear, like, you know, and like raise the battle legs above a big leg.

Wylie

Because did you hit the bugbear once?

Brad

No. Didn't hit him once.

Wylie

Not a single hit. Um that's great.

Brad

Okay, and or he comes in and just hits him one time.

Wylie

It's like it's a little extra little tap, double tap. Um so um, Mimir, can you please roll persuasion check? Yes.

Mimir

Do I get disadvantaged because of battle axe? Probably.

Wylie

We'll make it we'll make it straight, but um, they are gonna be hard to persuade. I'm gonna say you have to roll a 16 or higher.

Zard

Well, good thing, because I rolled a 12 plus five. So 17. All right. I'm really trying. I'm like, RPS RPS! And I lift you and put you on my shoulders, and I'm like, Ar RPS!

Kipo

Okay, yeah, I'll I'll start shaking my rock bag in the middle of my head. Like, I this is my prize.

Cobble

We won! We win the rocks.

Wylie

Um Okay, so you you convince some of the crowd, you know. Like it's it's not as full force as you were really hoping. That's okay.

Mimir

Some of the crowd isn't it.

Wylie

Some of the crowd is won over, and some of the ones that can appreciate, you know, a little bit of a different battle. It's not super straightforward.

Mimir

They're all like still with the black eyes and stuff, too, right?

Wylie

Um, yes.

Mimir

Yeah, so it's r it's probably really hard to convince these people to do it. That's what I'm saying in my head.

Wylie

They have pretty high standards of entertainment. Yeah. Um, and so as you're trying to get them to sh to do RPS, I think more of them are going, rocks, rocks, rocks. Yes, because they saw the rock do the most damage out of the whole battle.

Brad

They're just chanting for rock in in RPS. I mean technically, you know, brought down two of them, but that's cool.

Kipo

I'm hoping Mr. Daggers is like convinced now that my rock's actually. I think right.

Wylie

Yeah.

Kipo

Yeah.

Wylie

Um, and so as you guys are moving out of the, you know, out of you can see that the betting tables that were off to the side where everyone was placing their bets. Um you can see there's an argument going on because um some of the people are insisting that the fight was rigged because the bugbear attacked his fellow like that's called magic, my friend. But they're they're kind of arguing for it, like they don't want to pay because a lot of them didn't think you guys would win and stuff like that. So there's like a big confrontation going down at the betting tables right now.

Zard

Oh, I would be like You either pay or leave. And you pay before you leave. Uh and I'll attempt to be intimidating in that situation.

Wylie

Okay, yeah, why don't you roll an intimidation check? Cool.

Mimir

Nice. That's so good. That is Oh wow. That is real good. Uh that is 22 intimidation.

Wylie

22 intimidation.

Mimir

Yeah, I get like stand-up fully straight. I'm putting away my sword, my book is strapped, and I'm like putting a hand on their shoulder. Uh kind of intimidation.

Wylie

Okay. Um, so they all kind of like back away from you, and the bookie seems a little bit scared, and um he's like, All right, here, here. And he he tosses a small bag of gold at you guys. Cool. And he's like, just get on out of here, guys, get on out of here. Because he's like, I gotta deal with this mess that you made now.

Zard

Um and then I will be like, and I will hand you uh I will hand Morpheus the gold, and I'll be like, or you should probably find somewhere to rest now.

Wylie

And uh you hear uh a little voice um from behind you guys. Um as you guys are walking out, I assume you're leaving.

Mimir

Or going all the way out where it's quieter.

Wylie

Yeah, it's still pretty rowdy on the street, but it's it's not as chaotic as smashed into that kind of tent barn. Um and so you guys hear a voice and says, Hey, you guys got some money now?

Mimir

Uh yes, we we may have money. We have rocks, for sure.

Wylie

And you guys can't see this character yet.

Mimir

I know, but I'm assuming it's the other it's the same individual that's like still Mr. Daggers. Yeah, so Mr. Daggers.

Kipo

Can we look for him?

Wylie

Yeah, you can look for him. Perception check.

Mimir

I refuse to

Brad

16 for me.

Wylie

Oh, nice. Yeah. Okay, you spot him. He's he's standing behind Cobble.

Mimir

Yeah, that almost was a reason I gave the person with the highest passive perception the money.

Morpheus

I was like, oh hey, Mr. Daggers.

Wylie

Hey, you guys need some help figuring out where to spend that money?

Morpheus

No, uh I don't know, guys. What do you think?

Mimir

We need to get out of this town.

Zard

That's what I think.

Wylie

What are you guys looking for?

Morpheus

Uh, just a a place to rest, I guess.

Zard

It's a safe place that's not around this town.

Wylie

You you don't want to stay in town.

Morpheus

It's too loud. Yeah, I don't know if we'll get any sleep with it, how loud it is.

Wylie

Alright, so what kind of place are you looking for?

Brad

A quiet place.

Zard

The title of a movie. Yeah, exactly. A quiet place.

Wylie

Um, so somewhere not in town?

Brad

Yeah.

Wylie

Alright, like how much gold did you guys get?

Zard

Enough. None of your business. We're not gonna tarry you long.

Wylie

And I will tell you guys you got wait, how much gold do you have? Did you ask him? Um he's just I'm not telling you.

Morpheus

But I'm not telling you.

Zard

I like this. 30 minutes. Yeah, exactly.

Wylie

So you could just start walking in a random direction, kind of looking for the quieter part of town.

Mimir

Yeah, yeah.

Wylie

Yeah.

Mimir

Uh while we're talking to him. Yeah.

Wylie

Okay, yeah, he kind of follows along with you guys because um he's still pretty interested by the magic rocks and stuff.

Kipo

And it's working.

Brad

He's like, it's working.

Wylie

Um he's like, so you got these magic rocks, he says to Cobble as you guys are walking through town. Of course. Where'd you learn to do magic?

Cobble

That's none. I'm not gonna tell you.

Zard

See how annoying it is when you you know, uh, I give a cobble a high five on my shoulder. It's down.

Kipo

Perfect.

Wylie

Well, we can always trade information, guys.

Mimir

Or I can give you a ride on my other shoulder for information.

Wylie

I'm too big for rides.

Zard

I don't know about that. I mean, look at Mr. Cobbler, he's like 90 years old or something.

Wylie

Yeah, but he's like half my height.

Zard

Oh, that's true. I have no clue how old we are, because I don't know. I don't know.

Kipo

You think he's looked in a mirror?

Mimir

That's true.

Wylie

Um So he's he's walking with you as you guys go through the town, and you guys we finally start to get to the quieter part of town. Yeah. And you can see um that this part, it's not the commercial area where there are shops and stuff. It's more like big houses. And these really nice big houses you can see seem to have a lot of security. There's all the barred windows, the really nice ones you can see like patrols walking around, like maybe a guy with a dog kind of a thing. Um and you see probably what's the like the biggest, nicest house on the street. You suspect maybe you're on fancy street. And um that house it has a bit of a shimmer around it, so you suspect that they maybe have some kind of arcane security, like an arcane alarm system or something like that. Um, but as you kind of work you kind of get through the nicer part and kind of back to more of the slightly more run down, more maybe middle class area. Um, and you can every once in a while, because you've got that high passive perception, um, you glance figures kind of slinking around, sulking around. Um, and it kind of it seems like maybe there's like cat burgulars around or people are just prowling around. It it doesn't seem peaceful here at night at all. It kind of seems like that's really when the town wakes up and the chaos really gets gets going. And um maybe some people sleep, but you know, if if they are leaving their house, it's kind of exposed, and if they're at home, you know, going to sleep is still risky because it seems like you know, people are really using the cover of darkness to their advantage. So um so uh Mr. Daggers walks with you for a little ways and he's like um all right, well, if you want to get outside of town, I mean there's like this cottage that's kind of hidden in the woods. It's over by the base of the mountains. You could head over that way, I guess. Okay. If you take the n the path north of town, you'll probably find it. Just look for some smoke from their chimney. They're probably up still.

Morpheus

Uh what do you know what their name is?

Wylie

I don't really talk to them very much. I think well, I think it's the Bodhi family.

Morpheus

The Bodhi family.

Wylie

The Bodie family lives there.

Morpheus

Okay.

Wylie

Yeah. But they don't have a lot of jobs for me, so I don't go there very much.

Cobble

Okay, thanks. Bye.

Zard

Where are you sweet? You're uh you can't leave without me. I mean you could, but I'm gonna have to put you down.

Kipo

No, he's uh Cobble said that like shoeing shoeing mr. daggers away. You're trying to run across my arm. He's uh just distracted by obviously Rox in his hands that he's kind of just twirling around, listening to the situation, but then with one hand just kind of shoes him away. Like, thanks for the information, yeah.

Zard

You gave uh we gave you information. Or you gave us information. We should give you information, right? That's how it works.

Wylie

Yeah.

Zard

Okay, what do you want to know?

Wylie

Well, you guys don't really know where you came from?

Mimir

No. Um we came from like a r uh a cave or something.

Wylie

A cave? Where was a cave? Well, in a jungle.

Morpheus

Basically, if you go back down the road, you'll cross some wagons that were racing. Oh, okay. You'll find a bush that uh

Cobble

No, no, no, not my bush, not my bush.

Morpheus

Oh, sometimes a different bush that someone did or did not hide in.

Wylie

Oh, like a good hiding bush.

Brad

Yeah.

Wylie

Oh yeah, I know what those look like.

Brad

Uh and then if you keep going, you'll come across a dinosaur.

Wylie

Uh there were dinosaurs in your cave?

Morpheus

No, not in the cave, but really more so like uh just near the cave.

Wylie

How many dinosaurs did you see?

Brad

Uh I think just one. Seven. Seven.

Cobble

We saw seven. Very dangerous.

Wylie

Well, usually the ones that are in like herds aren't that dangerous. What? You saw seven dinosaurs?

Kipo

Cobble regrets lying all.

Zard

I will go. I will go.

Kipo

I just saw it. He just wants the conversation to be different.

Zard

Yes, seven dinosaurs. What you have new rocks. Look at your new rocks.

Cobble

He's like, oh yeah.

Kipo

Opens the other pouch.

Mimir

We have seven dinosaurs. I'm like super, I'm like, oh, he's telling a story.

Morpheus

So he's like, locked in. Then at some point we crossed like a creek or something. Um, and then yeah, then there was a cave.

Wylie

Okay, so the dinosaurs live by a cave by the on the other side of the creek.

Morpheus

Right. By a racetrack. Yep, by a racetrack. Do you mean the road? No, I'm pretty sure it was a racetrack.

Wylie

Okay. I don't know, I don't think there's a racetrack around here, but there's no Racetrack around here.

Morpheus

What would you call something that people are racing on? A racetrack.

Wylie

Or a road.

Morpheus

Well a racetrack can be a road, but a road is not a racetrack. Alright, we've given you your information.

Wylie

Alright, cool. I think I might go check out this cave. Sounds kinda fun.

Zard

Alright, be careful. There were giant spiders there.

Wylie

Alright, and if you guys need any help tomorrow, if you need to find your way around town or meet people, I could help you.

Zard

Yeah. Let me know if anybody has seen us. Maybe that's a good place to do it.

Wylie

Anybody recognizes you?

Zard

Yeah. For anybody has ever seen us.

Wylie

Well, sure, I could take you to like a caricature and he could make your picture and we could pass it around town and say, have you seen these guys or missing?

Zard

No, we're not we're here. We're not missing. But that is an interesting idea. Have you seen us? We are here. I'll think about it.

Wylie

Alright, I gotta I gotta go. And he takes off and he runs right towards one of the houses just on the side of the street, and he climbs up the drain pipe onto the roof, and you just see him creeping across the roof towards the chimney.

Morpheus

Wow, the kid looks like Santa Claus.

Zard

Art was taking the both know the legend of Santa Claus. Yeah, it's my book. He has three chapters.

Wylie

All right. Um, so you guys head on out of the north of town, and if you follow the road, and then eventually you do you have pretty decent passive perception. So you pick up on the smell of smoke and you see a little cottage um like as you follow the spell of smoke and um a faint little bit of glow, you follow it off the path. Um it's definitely hidden. If you didn't know to be looking for it, you wouldn't have noticed it. Um so it's not a place like that people would just stop normally as they're coming on the road. And it is about a quarter mile off off the road into the woods as you get on over there. And so when you get to this um cottage, it's a stone cottage and it has a metal roof, so it looks pretty secure and sturdy, like not easy to burn down or break into or cut a hole in the wall or anything like that. It's got a real heavy front door and it's got bars on the windows. Um, so that's what you're seeing. And it's it looks fairly dark because the windows are shuttered up um pretty good. But you can tell that there is smoke coming down the chimney.

Morpheus

Right. All right. Well then uh Morpheus just walks up to the door and knocks.

Wylie

Okay. You knock on the door. And there you knock. Hard, gently, medium.

Morpheus

Probably medium.

Wylie

Medium. Okay. Um so first you hear a bit of shuffling inside, but the door does not open immediately.

Morpheus

Uh then he just knocks harder, as hard as he can.

Wylie

Nice and loud, a little more urgently this time. Okay. Um, so you knock, knock, knock, and um, it's dark at first, and then um the door has one of those little slide windows that opens where you can just kind of see a little bit of somebody's face, and it has bars on it too, but it's got this little slide, and so that little slide window pops open, and a torch that was sitting next to the door that was not lit just pops on, kind of like when someone turns on a outdoor light at their house. And so they have a ring doorbell on the city. And uh so pops on, it's oh suddenly a bit brighter because you've been walking in the in the straight darkness to get there and stuff. And um and uh you see some eyes pop up in the little window.

Morpheus

Uh first thing is do I notice um the color of the eyes?

Wylie

Yeah. Um yeah, with your pretty high passive perception. Um well, it's a little bit dark, so why don't you give me a roll?

Brad

Okay. Can I also look? Sweet. Is that uh oh, it looks like a one. Is that a one? Yep, that's a one.

Wylie

The one.

Brad

On that one. But it would be a six, but you're not even sure if there are eyes.

Wylie

I don't see it.

Zard

You don't know if you're just you're like the flap is above your head, so you're like looking in the door. Um okay. Uh I got a fourteen.

Wylie

A fourteen. Okay. Um, yeah, so you can see that the eyes that are looking out at you are kind of blue. And so they're not fully black like the eyes that you've been seeing. But um it it's it is hard to see in the darkness and stuff, but you can at least see some blue eye color there.

Mimir

Okay.

Morpheus

So Morpheus would probably just be like, hey, so uh I'm Morpheus, these are my friends.

Zard

Uh I will wave politely and I will crouch down so cobbles can see into the perfect.

Morpheus

These are my friends, uh, rock and paper. And uh so we uh we don't know who we are, and we just showed up to the town today and are trying to figure out who we are and what's going on, but that place is kind of weird. Um we ended up in a fight with somebody. Uh I I don't know. It was strange. Uh I got my first job. Um I was washing dishes. He immediately quit after that. Well, I kind of got fired, but you know, let's each their own union. Um But uh yeah, we we just need a place to stay. Uh we really don't feel safe there there in the city, so we just kind of wanted to find a place and we're told that we should come check out here.

Wylie

Okay. And so then you hear a voice and it says, Crikey! Sheila, come look at this. And you guys will find out who's inside the cottage next time for our next episode.