Rime of the Frostmaiden - Episode 2 'A Beautiful Mine'

Dorian, Freyj and Bren learn of more trouble in Ten Towns. Bren quits the Northlook Inn to become a full-fledged adventurer with the siblings and they all go out together, eventually ending up in Dorian and Freyja's hometown of Termalaine where the mine has been overrun by Kobolds.

Transcript

SPEAKER_22 0:01

Thank you so much for joining session two, Rhyme of the Frostmaiden. Last session, the players got introduced, and they have been spending some time in Bryn Shander, the largest of the ten towns, waiting for their next odd job, Freya and Dorian were, while Bren had been employed in the kitchen of the North Look, as directed by Ramses to feed the guests of the inn. Uh that night, their very first night in Brynchander, they had come to find the gruesome, horrible, sacrificial method that Brynschander does. Not every town does humanoid sacrifices to the Frost Maiden, but Brynsander does. Everybody put their names into a bowl, and the speaker Duvesta Shane drew one, and they essentially second-handedly killed him by stripping him naked and making him walk into the wilderness to die within the hour. And then the players were having breakfast at the Northlook when three dwarves came in and asking for help. And they looked at the adventurers. Adventurers three and said they looked capable to help them retrieve their sled of iron ingots. They were on their way back from Kelvin's cairn to deliver to Brim Shander, but they were accosted by a Yeti. The Yeti killed one of their associates, and then the sled, come to find, was taken away by some goblins. The characters managed to negotiate with the goblins. They were quite miserable and ready to go home. They made off with a few gold and some music boxes from Bren. Players gave the ingots back to Kruna, Quarks, and Storn. They were given a discount at Black Iron Blades for their uh for their work. And also they were given each a gemstone worth 50 gold pieces. Oh, we also leveled up. Leveled up. We finished the first quest. And we gained a level, a surge of power. Freya, what did you gain for your second level?

SPEAKER_09 2:55

A couple of things. Um I have danger sense. I've gained an uncanny sense of when things aren't as they should. So I will have advantage on dexterity saving frues unless I'm incapacitated. And so excited. Um reckless attack. So I can on my first attack roll of a turn, I can decide to attack recklessly to give myself advantage. Um the only downside to that is that attack rolls against me have advantage in return. Um, but I d I don't care. I do have I've well I've had my I've had the ability to rage since level one. Um it just has not come up, so I can use that as a bonus action. Um, and that will give me resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage. Um, and also do a little bit of extra damage with my axe while I'm raging. Nice.

SPEAKER_17 3:54

Beautiful. Dorian, what have you gained?

SPEAKER_10 3:59

So I realized during that goblin fight that oh my gosh, I think I know this language. So I can now speak goblin and gnomish.

SPEAKER_22 4:11

Language learning in DD is so wild. You wake up one day. You know I know this now. Because I killed six skeletons, I think I know three more languages.

SPEAKER_10 4:22

Yeah. Yeah. So I now speak goblin and gnomish, and I have proficiency in survival. Um, and then I chose my fighting style, which is archery, so I get a plus two bonus to the attack rolls I make with my ranged weapon. I love that. Um, and then for my spells, I took Zephyr Strike, so I can give myself um advantage on um an attack, and it deals an extra 1d8 force damage on a hit. And then my walking speed increases by 30 feet until the end of that turn.

SPEAKER_18 4:54

Okay, awesome.

SPEAKER_09 4:57

That's Dorian. Thank you for the um direct and intense eye contact when you said that. I really enjoyed that. You're welcome.

SPEAKER_22 5:06

And Mr. Talwick. Uh Bren became a wizard finally. Uh so he is now Artificer One, Wizard One at level two, uh, which gives him access to a lot of spells. He's been working on his spell book for a while. Um, but the past two weeks, or however many weeks he's been here, about two, um, or ten days, I guess. Uh he's been working on wizardry, and it kind of finally clicked when he really went on his venture uh and came back successful. Um so now he has his spell book with Mind Sliver, Light Friends as his cantrips. And then six level one spells absorb elements, find familiar, magic missile, detect magic, sleep, and comprehend languages. Um a couple of those being what's that?

SPEAKER_21 6:07

Fox.

SPEAKER_22 6:09

A couple of those being ritual spells, uh, and I now have ritual adept, which means that I can cast any spell as a ritual, even if it's not prepared. Um Ark in Recovery, once prolonged rest. I can do a short rest and get a spell fly back. That's awesome. Okay. Out in the wilderness. Um not to pick favorites. I don't mean to do that, but Bren is feeling very inspired. Ooh. As I am sorry. You two, you've been in the wilderness of quite a few times.

SPEAKER_10 7:09

Yeah.

SPEAKER_22 7:09

And all that travel and stuff for Bren. This was a first-time thing.

SPEAKER_10 7:13

No, it's because he's your favorite.

SPEAKER_22 7:16

Suggesting the rope trick for, you know, keeping everybody together. That was very smart. Otherwise, things could have gone very badly. And avoiding combat. Bren is an inspired adventurer. Thanks.

SPEAKER_10 7:36

I'm really sorry if I forgot my voice from last week. Go on.

SPEAKER_22 7:40

Uh it is the morning now. Uh Bren, perhaps you are a little tired from hovering over your spell books at night. Yeah, a little tired from you hear banging on your floor and the voice of Ramses.

SPEAKER_16 8:01

Get out of here. Shit. Sorry. Um, I'll be right down.

SPEAKER_22 8:06

Uh I throw on my clothes. Uh I tuck my spellbook away under my bed and run out the door. Uh I close the door and I come back and I uh grab my goggles that I forgot. Soup can get in your eyes sometimes. So I throw my goggles on, and then I uh run downstairs. It's nearly eight o'clock. What are you doing? You look tired.

SPEAKER_02 8:34

Uh it was a long trip, and well, you know how I've been wanting to study the arcane? Something finally clicked for me when we got back. Uh I think putting putting magic into practice that isn't just super made something click for me. Getting out there, I mean, though we didn't fight much or use too much magic, it was you seem like a huge sigh of relief.

SPEAKER_21 9:08

Yeah, totally unscathed. Oh, that's good. That's good.

SPEAKER_22 9:13

Glad you want me to get back in one piece. I'm sorry I overslept. It was No, it's all right. I I get it. It was a long day. Uh we're just having a rush coming. It's it's the weekend. I'll get right on those eggs, I guess. No more bacon for me. Uh and yeah, so breakfast starts getting made, people start coming in for their meals, for uh talks, meetings, both secret and not secret. Um and you guys, Dorian and Freya, come downstairs. Uh, what would you like to do?

SPEAKER_09 9:57

Do we know anything yet about what we're supposed to be doing here?

SPEAKER_10 10:03

I think uh I'm just going to relax today. Uh I think uh I think uh Egg Noma did switch his name to EggNum.

SPEAKER_09 10:12

Well, he's breakfast. Oh, I like that. Anytime it's like a different thing, then he has a different can't be bacon gnome, not after yesterday. No. No. I mean, we said we liked it burnt, but that shit was charcoal. Um yeah, anytime there's a new anytime there's a new food, we're gonna give him a new name. Yeah, I think that yeah. Makes sense. Did you really then not get anything else? What was in that? I didn't, right? I didn't get anything new.

SPEAKER_13 10:43

I didn't write anything.

SPEAKER_09 10:44

No.

SPEAKER_13 10:44

Nothing, no.

SPEAKER_10 10:46

Nothing. He puts his hands behind his head and kind of crosses his feet at the table.

SPEAKER_09 10:52

Are you ever gonna tell me who this like contact is? It gives I mean it's nice that they give us all these jobs, but someone who really likes to be private. And you know who else likes to be very private about it? Me. So no. You're not private about anything. I know everything about you.

SPEAKER_10 11:09

That is not true. I have so many secrets. Uh so many secrets.

SPEAKER_09 11:14

What what? What's what's what No, you don't. I do! You don't.

SPEAKER_10 11:20

I can't tell you, or else it's it's not a secret.

SPEAKER_09 11:22

I know one of your secrets. What? You have a bond spot on the back of your mouth.

SPEAKER_10 11:25

No, I don't!

SPEAKER_09 11:26

Yeah, it's in the middle. No.

SPEAKER_10 11:27

It's in the middle right where you can't see. I'm touching it right now, it's gone. He's is there like a mirror anywhere nearby?

SPEAKER_18 11:33

No.

SPEAKER_10 11:34

He pulls out a pocket mirror. He's like, You're not gonna be able to see the mirror.

SPEAKER_17 11:39

And you call me the circle trying to see it.

SPEAKER_10 11:43

You know what? It's his dagger. He like takes out his polished dagger and he's like trying to look. You're not gonna take his other dagger and he's trying to look.

SPEAKER_09 11:49

You're not gonna see it. It's under like the top layer of your hair. It's like an undercut, but it's just like a tiny little balls. But I saw it when the wind blew the other day.

SPEAKER_10 11:55

Maybe it's because of my undercut that I had last year.

SPEAKER_09 11:58

Yeah, that was a bad look. You shouldn't have done that. Yeah.

SPEAKER_10 12:00

I thought I looked handsome. I tried to dog you out of it, but you didn't listen to me.

SPEAKER_22 12:04

Wren brings you your breakfast. Companions!

SPEAKER_16 12:10

Hello. Wow. Uh I've got eggs.

SPEAKER_10 12:15

Delicious. Nice. What kind of eggs are these?

SPEAKER_16 12:20

Hen?

SPEAKER_10 12:21

Yeti eggs.

SPEAKER_22 12:23

Bro. Um I don't think I don't think they lay eggs. If you okay, make a history check. If you fail this history check, you fully believe yetis lay eggs.

SPEAKER_21 12:38

What is your role? You fully believe Yetis lay eggs.

SPEAKER_09 12:46

That's correct. Dorian, that's um That's just straight up incorrect. No, see it happen.

SPEAKER_16 12:52

I choose to believe that you don't really believe that. I don't. Any plans for uh for more adventures?

SPEAKER_22 13:04

Oh the inn starts flooding with people. They all come in and they sit down whispering to each other. Uh some lean in close at the tables, their hoods still up from the falling snow. Uh make a perception check for me.

SPEAKER_10 13:20

Perception. I'm sorry.

SPEAKER_22 13:23

As the breakfast rush comes in.

SPEAKER_07 13:26

Nine. Fourteen.

SPEAKER_22 13:28

Fourteen. Okay. Four. Freya, you overhear some words.

SPEAKER_03 13:39

Targos. Thieves thieves and targos? No. Bremen. There's a monster. Lake. Crew missing. Trouble in mine. Trouble in the mine. In terminaline. Terminate, yes, terminate.

SPEAKER_09 14:03

What was what was the last word you said?

SPEAKER_22 14:05

Termalane. You know where you're from. Yeah.

SPEAKER_09 14:08

I couldn't understand him. I just straight up couldn't hear.

SPEAKER_22 14:13

So you heard Targos, Thieves in Targos, uh Bremen, which is another town. Monster. Lake. You heard trouble in the mine. And then the word turmalane, which is your hometown.

SPEAKER_11 14:41

I think I may have found.

SPEAKER_22 14:42

Did you not also oh I'm sorry.

SPEAKER_11 14:43

Oh.

SPEAKER_22 14:44

Did you not also say crew missing? Oh yes, I'm sorry. In the in in the Bremen, got it monster, lake, people missing, fishermen missing.

SPEAKER_09 14:57

I think I may have just overheard a possible little adventure for us. Egg Gnome, give me one second.

SPEAKER_22 15:05

And these are coming from like kind of one person's talking one rumor, one person's talking another. News travels very fast within 10 towns.

SPEAKER_09 15:15

Okay.

SPEAKER_16 15:15

Yeah. Speaking of being in the egg gnome, I should probably get back to work. It's been pretty busy.

SPEAKER_09 15:20

If I find out anything more interesting, I'll come and grab you from the back. Um Hey yo.

SPEAKER_10 15:24

Everything that He doesn't say that.

SPEAKER_09 15:28

Everything that I've So everything that I've heard, is that when you say it's coming from everywhere, is that like these are separate rumors that I'm overhearing all at the same time, or is it all the same thing, just multiple groups are talking about it?

SPEAKER_22 15:43

Uh so it's kind of it's kind of the So they're different conversations happening within the inn. Uh so one group is talking, you hear Bremen this, Bremen that, one person, trouble in the mind, turmalane, another group of people, uh thieves and targos. Um and yeah.

SPEAKER_10 16:06

So it's kind of like a pick your battle situation.

SPEAKER_22 16:09

Could be. Um pick your battle.

SPEAKER_09 16:12

Freya has little to no, like she knows that like social cues exist, but she doesn't give a fuck. Um so she's gonna say that to Bren, let him go back to work. Dorian, I'll be right back. And she's gonna stand up and just start going around to all of the groups and be like, what are you talking about?

SPEAKER_22 16:33

Okay.

SPEAKER_09 16:34

Do you need help? It sounds like you need help.

SPEAKER_22 16:36

Who would you like to go to first?

SPEAKER_09 16:38

Um, whichever of the tables is closest.

SPEAKER_22 16:42

Okay. Uh uh good morning. Hi. They kind of look a little like a little intimidated by you. Uh uh what can I do for you?

SPEAKER_09 16:57

Oh, I just overheard um some choice words here. I uh bit of a looking for some odd job. Seems like you may have or know of some trouble needs to be taken care of.

SPEAKER_18 17:12

You uh for hire.

SPEAKER_09 17:14

Yeah.

SPEAKER_17 17:15

I'm not sure that necessarily we could pay, but I know where I know where somewhere we could lead you.

SPEAKER_09 17:24

Okay, well I'm here for any information that you can give.

SPEAKER_18 17:27

Well, the town not too far from here, Targo's somebody saying there is a a petty thief stealing cutlery and plates, silver spoons.

SPEAKER_00 17:40

Uh some people claim that it's stolen a chicken or two.

SPEAKER_09 17:48

And are we sure this isn't somebody just like planning for a dinner party?

SPEAKER_18 17:53

That's what we've heard.

SPEAKER_15 17:55

Okay.

SPEAKER_22 17:59

I've also heard he leans in close, looks around.

SPEAKER_20 18:04

Taugus isn't too far from here.

SPEAKER_03 18:06

And it's a stopping point on the way to uh Termalane. Are you familiar with Turmalane?

SPEAKER_11 18:13

Yes, I'm from there.

SPEAKER_03 18:14

You're from there? So you know the mine, the gem mine. Yes.

SPEAKER_20 18:18

There's trouble in that mine.

SPEAKER_11 18:20

Hmm.

SPEAKER_20 18:21

I don't know what kind of trouble, but it's soon to be closed.

SPEAKER_15 18:26

Closed.

SPEAKER_00 18:27

Mm-hmm. That's what we've heard.

SPEAKER_09 18:31

Interesting. Uh yes, I Okay.

SPEAKER_12 18:36

Being that you're from there, could be worth looking into.

SPEAKER_09 18:43

Yes, especially with the with the mine being involved, that's not great. Well, thank you. That was very helpful.

SPEAKER_12 18:56

Of course. Thank you. I hope it goes well if you decide to take on this job.

SPEAKER_10 19:03

Above table, just character development wise. How much is has Freya been involved with the Forge?

SPEAKER_22 19:14

Um What's the Forge? Dorian's parents.

SPEAKER_10 19:19

Dorian's family owns the forge in Twitter Lane.

SPEAKER_09 19:22

Um she knows about it because you know she's been living with you guys for however long. Um I'm sure she's probably helped out in the mines themselves, probably like breaking down shit and plugging it back up. So it's definitely something that when she heard it be mentioned, she was like, oh fuck. So has locked that away, knowing that she has to tell you about that when she circles back for sure.

SPEAKER_22 19:54

Uh so yeah, Freya, you know, well, you've heard this at least the rumor that there's a thief or two in Targos.

SPEAKER_09 20:05

Okay.

SPEAKER_22 20:06

Uh there's trouble in the mine from your hometown.

SPEAKER_09 20:10

Yeah, I want to circle to where I'm hearing more about this, like the lake and the crew missing. Mm-hmm. Or the crew no, crew missing is from the mines.

SPEAKER_22 20:21

No, it's from the yeah. Fishermen and the fishermen. Uh Fishermen. Yeah. So you know that Bremen, uh, you and Dorian would know that Bremen is uh mostly known for their fishing. It is by a huge lake. The rest of the towns kind of rely on Bremen for their supply of knucklehead trout and other fish, but mostly knucklehead trout. How would you like to approach the table?

SPEAKER_09 20:59

Who's at the table?

SPEAKER_22 21:01

Uh it is a young man. Uh looks to be about as old as uh Bren there. And then two other stress two other men a little bit older. They seem to work together. Uh yeah, they seem to work together and just are having breakfast before they go about their day to do their do their duty.

SPEAKER_09 21:34

Do what kind of work do they look like? They do like are they like like huh?

SPEAKER_22 21:39

Uh the two men are. The boy is not quite. He's a little sinewy.

SPEAKER_09 21:44

Okay. Um No, go ahead.

SPEAKER_22 21:49

What are we gonna do?

SPEAKER_09 21:52

Um She's gonna go up behind the sinewy boy and just like ru Like friendly, not scary.

SPEAKER_22 22:01

A sinewy boy.

SPEAKER_09 22:03

No, what the boy's sinewy. Like just good. Oh, sorry.

SPEAKER_16 22:12

Oh hi.

SPEAKER_09 22:14

Um sorry, I I'm not great at introducing myself.

SPEAKER_16 22:19

That's okay.

SPEAKER_09 22:21

I overheard some there's some trouble with the missing group of fishermen, something like that. I'm wondering if maybe I can help.

SPEAKER_18 22:30

Oh, uh yeah.

SPEAKER_22 22:33

He kind of turns to the uh to the two uh two uh veteran blue-collar men.

SPEAKER_20 22:41

Uh they look a little rough, and he says, I have heard some I've heard some fishermen have gone missing, or rather they're probably dead. Out on the br out on the lake there in Bremen.

SPEAKER_09 22:57

Do you know anything about what might have happened to them?

SPEAKER_17 23:01

Well, some say there is a bite mark on one of the boats. That's all I heard though. I doubt there's any kind of monsters in that lake that are attacking fishermen. We haven't had that happen in since forever. They just they stay deep down, but something something came to the surface. I don't know.

SPEAKER_09 23:22

Okay. Um little bite mark or big bite mark?

SPEAKER_17 23:28

Just a bite mark, that's all. Yeah, that's all we heard. You know how it happens a whisper down the lane.

SPEAKER_09 23:34

Yeah.

SPEAKER_17 23:36

And you look like you're capable.

SPEAKER_09 23:38

I'd say so, yeah.

SPEAKER_20 23:39

You fought masters before?

SPEAKER_15 23:41

Yeah.

SPEAKER_22 23:43

Nice.

SPEAKER_15 23:44

Thank you.

SPEAKER_22 23:46

And the the boy you don't see because you're standing behind the boy, but he kind of like he's sitting really stiff and he kind of blushes a little bit.

SPEAKER_09 23:55

Uh you'll get there. And she'll like pat his shoulder.

SPEAKER_22 23:59

I I hope so. What's your oh, she's walking away.

SPEAKER_09 24:05

Oh, sorry. I I get used to just kind of um exiting conversations without ending them.

SPEAKER_21 24:11

He was he was ready to be like, what's your name?

SPEAKER_14 24:15

Uh can we go out for a bite?

SPEAKER_21 24:17

And she's uh she's walking away.

SPEAKER_09 24:18

She's herself. Oh, okay. She'll come back. Uh Freya.

SPEAKER_20 24:21

Jack.

unknown 24:22

Yeah.

SPEAKER_09 24:23

Nice to meet you.

SPEAKER_20 24:24

Nice to meet you, Freya. Well, we're we gotta go to work now.

SPEAKER_09 24:28

Oh.

SPEAKER_20 24:29

Yep.

SPEAKER_22 24:29

Laying brick, repairing an old home.

SPEAKER_09 24:32

Hey, any work is good work.

SPEAKER_22 24:34

Yeah. So he gestures to his hands. I'm not quite used to it yet. They're still like really blistered, like scratched up.

SPEAKER_09 24:41

You'll build your calluses and she'll show her hand.

SPEAKER_22 24:44

Oh my god.

SPEAKER_09 24:45

Uh the more you work with them, it the easier it gets.

SPEAKER_22 24:49

The men show their hands. Nice. No skin, pure, just full callus. You'll get there, little lady.

SPEAKER_09 24:59

No, yeah, no skin. No skin, all callus. She'll see that and go like, hmm. I hope not. But I appreciate the confidence. Thank you.

SPEAKER_18 25:13

Oh boy.

SPEAKER_09 25:15

But have a nice day at work. It is nice meeting you, Jack. The other two, uh names.

SPEAKER_00 25:21

Um I'm Borg. And this is Gorb.

SPEAKER_09 25:27

Brothers.

SPEAKER_00 25:28

Yep.

SPEAKER_09 25:29

Figured.

unknown 25:30

Nice.

SPEAKER_09 25:31

Gorb.

SPEAKER_17 25:34

And Jack. Yeah, he's our newest recruit.

SPEAKER_09 25:39

Oh, okay. Hey, take it. Take it easy on him, all right?

SPEAKER_12 25:44

Maybe.

SPEAKER_09 25:46

Okay, she'll go back to the table. Do that. Scrawny man want. Oh, he was nice.

SPEAKER_10 25:53

Okay. What? Small. Yeah. He's very subtly flexing a little bit just because he's trying to prove it to him. Who are you doing that for?

SPEAKER_09 26:04

Because it's certainly not for me.

SPEAKER_10 26:07

Not doing anything.

SPEAKER_09 26:08

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_10 26:09

He's trying to prove to himself. He probably grew up really skinny. So this is like.

SPEAKER_09 26:14

Yeah. Flashbacks. You didn't look like that. Even back then you were still a little more, you know.

SPEAKER_10 26:20

Skinny muscles.

SPEAKER_09 26:22

Yeah. But listen, I um heard a little bit more walking around. Um, we might have to, we might have to go home.

SPEAKER_10 26:35

Home?

SPEAKER_09 26:36

Yeah. Why home? Um I wasn't able to get a lot of specifics, but apparently there's some trouble in the mine to the point where it might be closed soon, which means nothing good.

SPEAKER_10 26:48

Gotta fuck with the supply lines.

SPEAKER_09 26:50

Yeah. And they didn't they didn't give names or anything, so I don't know if like something happened where people were hurt or anything like that. But if they're saying that the mine may be closed, that's not great for us. Haven't heard anything from mom or dad.

SPEAKER_10 27:07

No, not in a while. But what the mines would have closed. It's not necessarily recently if something bad would have happened, we probably would have heard from Veldrin, but Veldrin's the brother.

SPEAKER_09 27:18

He's the only name brother I have. Yeah, so if we haven't heard from him, then it's probably nothing too too bad, but it's still weird that they're saying it might close. Yeah, we gotta. So we gotta go home. There's also um a couple of fishermen that might have gotten eaten in the middle of a lake and some um and stuff uh some guy stealing dinner supplies. So okay. I don't know. I think probably home. I mean, yeah, the other two things are like on the way, but I think we should probably go home first. I mean, you can stop flexing.

SPEAKER_10 27:55

I did. It's just stuck like that now. I'm Charlie Horsing.

SPEAKER_09 27:59

That was Leo's Your Bionic arm is Charlie Horsing. Yeah, I don't think that's possible. Oh my god.

SPEAKER_01 28:09

Hey.

SPEAKER_09 28:11

I met these brothers with the craziest names. Oh. I've already forgotten them.

SPEAKER_01 28:17

Borg and Borg org and Gorb.

SPEAKER_09 28:19

Borg and Gorg. You see the two big ones over there with this granny kid? They look like a Borg and a Gorb, right? Yeah. What was his name? Their hand Jack. Their hands? No skin.

SPEAKER_10 28:33

Oh my god, it's like mine. Sorry. I pulled up my bionic hand.

SPEAKER_09 28:41

Um skin, just callous.

SPEAKER_21 28:44

Just just just my legs are mostly scars.

SPEAKER_10 28:49

And what do they do for a living? Because I will not be doing that. Uh they lay brick.

SPEAKER_09 28:52

Yeah, no. Similar to what don't you basically do that in the woods with your survival huts? No. Is that not the same? You play with mud. It's the same thing.

SPEAKER_10 29:00

It's mud. It's mud. I build up mud. It's bushcraft.

SPEAKER_09 29:04

You put mud and then you stack things on top of each other. That's the same thing. That's not a brick. It's the same general idea. No. You're using the mud to make the bulbs.

SPEAKER_08 29:15

Brick is rough. Mud is smooth. What is there to not get?

SPEAKER_09 29:25

But if we want to- He starts stabbing his eggs. And she like as they were yelling at each other, frost started to extend down her face and she like calms herself down.

SPEAKER_11 29:36

She's like, if we want to travel back home, we need to grab Egg Boy.

SPEAKER_10 29:47

I was just going to say. Dorian's taking like a deep breath. His hands are in fists.

SPEAKER_05 29:54

They're both heavy breathing, seething looking at each other. But trying to still be civil because Ramses will get mad.

SPEAKER_10 30:02

I really don't want Mop Duty again. Yeah. He's not looking at you. Alright. I think Ramses will give Egg Boy a couple of days off. Probably if we ask nicely.

SPEAKER_09 30:19

Ramses?

SPEAKER_17 30:22

Dorian! What do you need?

SPEAKER_10 30:24

So uh there's trouble back where we're from, and uh it looks like we may need some help, and we're wondering if we can borrow uh your gnome.

SPEAKER_12 30:32

Bren.

SPEAKER_10 30:33

Yes, Bren.

SPEAKER_12 30:34

Learn his name, Dorian.

SPEAKER_09 30:36

We know his name, but isn't it? We at least we didn't cover it.

SPEAKER_12 30:40

Alright, alright. As long as you put soup or egg in front of it, I'll accept it. Okay.

SPEAKER_18 30:46

Uh burnt bacon milk. Uh sure, sure. Ah, a few days. Ugh. I might have to gather some more help.

SPEAKER_10 30:58

But uh I can what if I brought you um a sword from home? A what? A sword. I can afford you a sword. I have no need for a supernome.

SPEAKER_18 31:11

I have no need for swords.

SPEAKER_09 31:13

I need hands. You can sell it. There may be someone. And she'll point at Jack. He doesn't seem like the bricklaying type. Maybe he'd be better off here.

SPEAKER_18 31:24

Oh, that's Jack. No, he's the apprentice.

SPEAKER_09 31:26

Oh, he's supposed to be there? Yes. He seems terrified to be there.

SPEAKER_20 31:29

He's uh yeah, they come in here about every morning and looks a little scrawny. He'll get there.

SPEAKER_10 31:37

That's what I said. Yeah.

SPEAKER_20 31:38

Yes, he'll get there. Um I'll look around.

SPEAKER_22 31:42

Don't you worry about me. I can handle it. Um he kind of looks thoughtfully to himself and smiles.

SPEAKER_18 31:55

I think he would really like to go with you guys.

SPEAKER_09 31:58

He started the day by coming up to us and saying hello, companions. Oh, my heart. He's a little endearing, isn't he? It was really nice.

SPEAKER_12 32:06

He's a very he's a very good boy.

SPEAKER_19 32:09

Yes.

SPEAKER_20 32:12

I would really like to get him out of here. I know he doesn't want to be stuck in a kitchen.

SPEAKER_10 32:19

He has some uh powerful charisma that we can use on the road.

SPEAKER_18 32:23

See, good, good.

SPEAKER_10 32:25

Well stopped a bunch of goblins. Yeah.

SPEAKER_09 32:29

We avoided the fight completely because he sold them on a sex music box. Yeah. Don't don't tell the dwarves that.

SPEAKER_17 32:35

I uh I do not know what to say.

SPEAKER_09 32:39

Uh I don't know what to say either. I was standing right next to him. I almost blew our cover. But he's useful.

SPEAKER_12 32:45

So that he is. That he is. Well, uh thank you.

SPEAKER_20 32:50

Uh I will let him know that you're waiting for him. Yes?

SPEAKER_10 32:54

Nice. Excellent. Kind of look in the kitchen window and I wave a little.

SPEAKER_22 33:01

Uh I'm you you look in and I'm standing on uh like two steps that I built so that I could reach the the counter. Uh and I'm just uh perk up and kind of wave. Um and I you can't hear me, but I you can see me mouth more eggs and I point down.

SPEAKER_10 33:24

I go, why not? And then I say, like I uh fan you over.

SPEAKER_22 33:29

I grab two more uh plates of eggs and I and I run out. Uh where do you want them?

SPEAKER_10 33:36

Well, we would like you to come on an adventure with us and the eggs in front of us.

SPEAKER_17 33:43

All right. That was so weird. I'd like you to come on an adventure in front of us.

SPEAKER_16 33:51

Um great. Uh Ramdes. I'm assuming you're over here either disapproving or approving this extended leave of absence.

SPEAKER_22 34:06

Uh he walks out. Oh, I thought he was right there. Oh, sorry, yeah. He yeah, he is right there with you. He came out and he puts his hand out. Give me your apron.

SPEAKER_09 34:21

This feels like we're gonna chef it feels like we're watching him get fired, even though I know he's coming with us for a good time.

SPEAKER_22 34:29

He's smiling when he's while he's saying this. I know, but it just is. I kind of smile too, and I'm like, alright. Here you go. It's time for your next adventure.

SPEAKER_09 34:40

I'm gonna elbow Dorian. Clap.

SPEAKER_02 34:43

No need, no need. It's kind of sad. Uh I'm happy to be going on the road. This is what I've always dreamt of, but uh Ramses, you've been so good to me, giving me a place to stay and a place to work. I appreciate it.

SPEAKER_18 35:00

Of course, of course. You will always have a room here open. Wow.

SPEAKER_02 35:07

Thanks. It's good because I made a little bit of a mess last night.

SPEAKER_22 35:14

Papers everywhere. Well, you best go gather them now. See, they look like they're ready to leave. We're going now.

SPEAKER_09 35:22

If you can get your papers sorted, yeah.

SPEAKER_22 35:25

Sure. Uh and I take one of the plates of eggs and I start like uh spooning it into my mouth as I run upstairs to grab my.

SPEAKER_09 35:32

Okay. If he dies on the stairs, it's his own fault, right? Of course.

SPEAKER_22 35:36

He looks down at Ramsus, looks down at Torian and Freya. Thank you for taking him along.

SPEAKER_00 35:44

Really?

SPEAKER_10 35:45

You seem to like him.

SPEAKER_18 35:47

He he needs to get out. His talents are going to be very useful elsewhere. I can feel it.

SPEAKER_10 35:54

I'm afraid Freya and I will kill each other on the road if we don't have a third party, so.

unknown 35:58

Yeah.

SPEAKER_18 35:59

You've come close to that of quite a few times when it's just the two of you, so yes, I think that's you know, apart from the charisma thing, um, he also has some good out-of-the-box ideas too.

SPEAKER_09 36:11

We would have gotten fully lost in a blizzard had he not thought to tie us all together.

SPEAKER_18 36:16

So he does have a beautiful mind, doesn't he?

SPEAKER_08 36:21

Great film.

SPEAKER_12 36:22

But you two.

SPEAKER_08 36:24

What's a film? I don't know.

SPEAKER_12 36:25

You two. And he looks a little more serious now.

SPEAKER_18 36:30

Protect each other, protect yourselves, and protect Bren.

SPEAKER_12 36:36

He's not as strong as you two are. Sometimes can't fend for himself right now. And he needs your bow and your steel. So please. Make sure you all come back in one piece the next time you visit.

SPEAKER_15 36:54

We will.

SPEAKER_09 36:55

Well, two pieces. Sorry.

SPEAKER_17 36:59

It's getting old, Freya.

SPEAKER_09 37:00

I still think it's funny. I'm doing it for me and no one else. It's always funny. It's a little funny.

SPEAKER_22 37:06

Alright. It's my own fault. You uh head out of the inn. And it is a two-hour trek to Targos.

SPEAKER_07 37:21

Targos.

SPEAKER_22 37:23

Is there anything you'd like to discuss as you travel?

SPEAKER_09 37:26

Um Brent, you looked a little tired earlier. Did you sleep much after the goblin thing?

SPEAKER_02 37:33

Yeah, I uh I slept as much as I could. I was kind of enraptured in my work.

SPEAKER_16 37:38

Um But I'll be fine.

SPEAKER_15 37:42

Making more box things?

SPEAKER_16 37:45

No, I haven't decided what I want to make today.

SPEAKER_02 37:49

Um I hope that Goblin used the two that I gave him. Uh oh, speaking of that.

SPEAKER_16 37:57

Uh yours doesn't work anymore.

SPEAKER_10 38:00

Oh. What will happen if I try and use it?

SPEAKER_16 38:02

It'll just kind of crumble. Um anyway, uh yeah.

SPEAKER_10 38:07

After eight hours they just kind of I dig in my pocket and just pull out just scrap metal.

SPEAKER_16 38:15

Yeah, uh very useful, but not long lasting. Do you want this back? I I guess I can take some spare parts, yeah, sure. Uh but yeah, I haven't decided what I want to do today. I usually like to see what we're gonna be up against.

SPEAKER_02 38:32

Uh speaking of, what are we doing today?

SPEAKER_09 38:36

Uh going home. Yeah. You're gonna see where we're from. Um but on the way there were some like smaller things. Like, I'm still confused. I don't know why it's a pro well, I know why it's a problem. Stealing is wrong, or so I've been told.

SPEAKER_16 38:52

But it is.

SPEAKER_09 38:55

It is Yeah, there's some guy like stealing cutlery and plates and apparently a chicken. They didn't specify if it was a live chicken or cooked either way. I said, are they just like planning for dinner? Nobody thought it was funny. Um and then in another place, some fishermen went missing. They think they're probably dead. Something big well, no, something took a bite out of their boat um and they've been missing since. But the main thing is where we're from. Um, there is a gem mine um that our parents work out of with their forge, and something happened, they didn't specify what, but something happened um that it may close, which is never good. So we're kind of going to investigate that.

SPEAKER_16 39:49

Yeah, I would assume that the gem mine of Tourmaline is probably one of its biggest financial assets.

SPEAKER_02 39:57

I I can't imagine the economy sustaining without it.

SPEAKER_09 40:04

So we just need to go and you know, so we're stopping in Targos first.

SPEAKER_02 40:09

Take care of that chicken thief?

SPEAKER_09 40:12

I feel like it'll be fairly quick and easy, yeah. It could just be some random kid. Yeah. Well and I am really curious to know if it's a live chicken or not. I think it's I don't know. I don't know which would be funnier.

SPEAKER_16 40:25

Does sound a bit strange. Uh what's our reward for these quests?

SPEAKER_10 40:31

Um, well my family won't have to go back to the Underdark if uh the Termaline one is of course the um doing of it is the reward in itself.

SPEAKER_09 40:41

But as far as the chicken one, I was told that the people who told me about it couldn't pay me, but somebody probably could, and I was like, that's fine, whatever.

SPEAKER_16 40:50

And then not sure what the going rate for a chicken is nowadays.

SPEAKER_09 40:53

Yeah, I couldn't think of that either. Um and then the fishing one also didn't have a price attached, but a young brick apprentice in Brynchander may have a thing for me, so that's something.

SPEAKER_02 41:08

Interesting.

SPEAKER_10 41:10

Well she could break him in half just by looking at him.

SPEAKER_02 41:13

I think this thief did uh she kinda did.

SPEAKER_16 41:21

Thief thing sounds pretty easy if they're just stealing knives and so I guess we shouldn't prepare for a fight, maybe go into this like we did with the goblins and and communication first before violence.

SPEAKER_09 41:41

Yeah. Never really considered that before running into you, Bren, so this is uh quite the it's difficult. A learning experience.

SPEAKER_10 41:54

Yes, that's the word I was looking for. Learning experience. She doesn't learn very often. Stunted growth and all.

SPEAKER_16 42:02

Right.

SPEAKER_09 42:04

We are nearly the same height. No. How tall are you? Six feet tall. You have a few inches on me, whatever. Of course I'm a man. Three-fourths of one.

SPEAKER_22 42:25

When you say you're tall because you're a man, Brennan just kind of like looks down.

SPEAKER_05 42:33

We're too tall and a short again.

SPEAKER_10 42:36

Um You're you're tall for your I'm shorter than I was for a gnome.

SPEAKER_16 42:42

A bit, yeah.

SPEAKER_09 42:44

Um fascinated.

SPEAKER_22 42:49

I'm taller than my father and my mother. Most of my gnomish friends, yeah.

SPEAKER_10 42:54

Nice.

SPEAKER_22 42:55

I wouldn't say I'm the tallest I've ever met, though.

SPEAKER_10 42:59

Interesting. I'm like medium height.

SPEAKER_16 43:03

Yeah. I haven't really now that I think of it, you you might be the first drow I've ever met.

SPEAKER_10 43:11

I give that a lot. Probably a good thing.

SPEAKER_16 43:16

Good thing for you or for me?

SPEAKER_10 43:17

For you. A lot of us aren't as uh friendly as I am.

SPEAKER_02 43:23

So I've heard.

SPEAKER_10 43:25

Well, you're about to meet a whole slew of them, so.

SPEAKER_02 43:29

Oh, right, when we go to your home.

SPEAKER_10 43:31

Yes, big family.

SPEAKER_02 43:33

Okay. Are they gonna make fun of my height as well?

SPEAKER_10 43:38

No. Also, I'm sorry, I was not making fun of you. I was stating, you know, I'm a man, so I'm taller than the woman.

SPEAKER_02 43:46

It's alright, I've heard it. I heard heard jokes all my life. Don't worry about it. Uh alright, well, it should be a quick and easy journey to Targos. Uh My first time there.

SPEAKER_09 44:03

Did we ever take jobs there?

SPEAKER_22 44:05

I'm sure. You guys have passed through once or twice.

SPEAKER_09 44:08

Yeah, I've never really stayed long, so it looks like we won't be staying long again, hopefully.

SPEAKER_16 44:12

I've only ever been in Brynchander here.

SPEAKER_09 44:15

Oh.

SPEAKER_16 44:15

And the wilderness.

SPEAKER_02 44:17

And that didn't go so well for me.

SPEAKER_16 44:19

Anyway, let's go.

SPEAKER_10 44:23

Deep end. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Dossi in the deep end. Did you learn to swim?

SPEAKER_02 44:29

Uh, I was rescued by two fishermen.

SPEAKER_10 44:34

Oh. I guess we don't know much about you, Bren.

SPEAKER_09 44:37

No, other than soup and music boxes. And eggs.

SPEAKER_02 44:42

You know that I worked at a shop, my father's shop.

SPEAKER_10 44:46

Yes. Potions.

SPEAKER_02 44:47

Potions, yes. That's where I learned artifice. Um, I know how to work with tools just because I'm a gnome, really. Uh, but uh fixing up things around the shop and and um I got my charm through speaking with customers, being a salesperson, and uh eventually when I got old enough, I started going on trade routes with small caravans and selling the potions that we would make at the shop.

SPEAKER_16 45:20

It's just a few of us.

SPEAKER_02 45:22

But uh we decided uh maybe we should expand. We should We're from Neverwinter, so we were sending a lot of our stuff south. We decided maybe we should start sending our stuff north as well. That uh the whole Aurel, the Frost Maiden, Everlasting Night thing didn't make its way down to us.

SPEAKER_16 45:54

So we didn't know what we were walking into. Big blizzard, much like the one that we walked through the other day. Yesterday, I mean, came. The horses didn't survive. Uh, my friends didn't survive. I think I got a knock on the head. Don't really remember much of it. I just remember waking up next to Fisherman. They brought me to Brinschander, and uh, Ramses took me in.

SPEAKER_02 46:34

I just want to get back to my dad, but I don't see any other way to do that than to get enough money adventuring. I'm not gonna make enough money as a cook. Certainly don't have anything to trade. Can't make any potions because all of my equipment broke. So I'm glad I found the two of you.

SPEAKER_10 47:01

Well, I'm oh my god, Bren. I'm sorry.

SPEAKER_09 47:07

It's alright. You survived for a reason. Sometimes people are spared, and it's for a greater purpose, and we just don't know what that is yet.

SPEAKER_16 47:18

Yeah. Well, I think my purpose is just to stay alive and to keep my friends alive.

SPEAKER_10 47:25

Sometimes that's all you can do. I think we have a very similar purpose, so. We'll get you that money. We'll keep adventuring together until you can go see your father again. To noble cause.

SPEAKER_02 47:42

Well, money's the one thing, but I don't know. Escaping through this winter is gonna be tough even with money.

SPEAKER_10 47:54

Well, you got two uh companions here. Mm-hmm. Help you through it.

SPEAKER_02 48:01

I've been honestly, I've been binding my time. I tried to find a quest myself so I could bring the two of you into it. I've been obviously making you soup for some ten days, but obviously I don't look like a hero. If I came to you and said, hey, can I join you?

SPEAKER_10 48:25

What is a hero supposed to look like?

SPEAKER_02 48:27

Well, the two of you. I don't mind playing second fiddle.

SPEAKER_09 48:37

Well, I don't think we necessarily want you to do that. But it is flattering to know that we were scouted. Kind of. But we like, well, we told Ramses when we were kind of making our case to uh let him let you come with us. You're just as useful in different ways. So we all have a role to play in this.

SPEAKER_02 49:07

I shouldn't I was able to because we didn't get into a fight, but I've never been in a fight before, so we'll see what happens then.

SPEAKER_09 49:16

You might surprise yourself. The first time I was in a fight, I didn't know that I could fight.

SPEAKER_02 49:20

I'm just trying to help the two of you. That's that's all I'm here to do. And if I can make money by doing that and keep the two of you alive, that's all I really care about.

SPEAKER_10 49:34

Dorian puts a hand on your shoulder and squeezes it a little bit.

SPEAKER_02 49:40

Thanks for leading us through this snow. You I couldn't have done this myself.

SPEAKER_10 49:48

Well, I think that if we didn't have your idea of tying a rope around us, we probably would have all lost each other. So we're learning stuff from each other.

SPEAKER_22 49:56

Wish I thought about that the last time.

SPEAKER_10 50:00

Maybe we should uh do that now.

SPEAKER_22 50:02

Well, I don't think. You're not in traveling in the wilderness. You're traveling through the towns. I don't think the blizzards is gonna be as bad today as it was yesterday, right? We should be almost there.

SPEAKER_13 50:15

Bye.

SPEAKER_22 50:15

Like Bryn Shander, Targos is encircled by a wooden wall, which helps to protect the town against orcs and other threats from the wilderness. The wall extends out into the lake, creating a safe harbor for the town's boats. But now Aurel's long winter has frozen the water in the harbor, and many of Targos's boats are trapped in the ice. Fishers must drag their smaller vessels across the ice to get to the unfrozen lake beyond the harbor walls. Almost all the towns in Icewindale make their living off of the lakes, but nowhere is that fact more evident than in Targos. The town has always had the biggest fishing fleet and the biggest fishing industry, and everything that goes on here revolves around hauling the knucklehead trout out of Mare Dalden. Mare Dualden. Thank you. I don't have dyslexia. Mare Dualden. Well, it helps that I listen to the audiobooks of Drist.

SPEAKER_11 51:16

Sounds like Mare DeWell.

SPEAKER_22 51:17

Arl's endless winter makes the work harder, but it gets done nonetheless. The population is about a thousand. Little less than Brunshander. Its friendliness on the snowflake scale is two out of three. Services are three, and comfort is two. So not bad at all. Not a bad place to stop and rest at all, though you don't need resting quite yet. As you're making your way through, a bundled-up figure walks briskly up to you.

SPEAKER_20 52:06

Well, Mitt. You seem like you're looking for work or trouble. You wouldn't be standing out around in this cold otherwise.

SPEAKER_10 52:16

Heard you had a little thief on your hands.

SPEAKER_20 52:21

So you did hear the rumor. Yes. Ah, this is great. I am Daneger Graysteel. I am the speaker of this town. Uh, I am a scholar, and I think that it is not a thief, as you would know, but little elemental spirits known as twingas.

SPEAKER_10 52:45

Twingas.

SPEAKER_20 52:46

Yes, twingas. They are known to inhabit ten towns and have some ability to alter their natural surroundings. I think I can learn a lot by studying them up close. If you can capture one that's been stealing knives and plates and forks and spoons out of people's homes and bring one to me alive, that would be great. I'll give you twenty five gold pieces each.

SPEAKER_10 53:15

Alright.

SPEAKER_03 53:16

Do you think you could do that for me?

SPEAKER_09 53:18

Probably. Are they like We can. Can you touch them?

SPEAKER_03 53:23

Excellent.

SPEAKER_16 53:24

Great. Yes, you can touch them.

SPEAKER_09 53:25

How do they look like that was my question.

SPEAKER_16 53:27

I I am a scholar as well. Um well met. Excellent. Well read. Well met and read.

SPEAKER_20 53:35

Yes. What's your name? My name is Bren. Bren. Pleasure to meet you. Where whereabouts are you three from?

SPEAKER_10 53:42

From uh Termalane. We were uh just uh down there in uh Brynchander. Brinchander business.

SPEAKER_20 53:52

Staying in Brinchander. Oh, I see, I see. I hear there's some trouble in uh mine in Turmalane. I don't know the extent of it, but we're heading there right now, actually.

SPEAKER_10 54:01

This is we're just passing through right now.

SPEAKER_20 54:03

Oh, I see, I see. Well, do you think you could look out for one for me on your travels? It doesn't have to be today, of course, but if it were, that'd be a that'd be that'd be grand. If you happen to see one passing through, let me know. Bring one to me alive. Uh here.

SPEAKER_22 54:20

And she pulls out a lantern. Uh this is uh make a arcana or history check. Wow, I'm bad at both of those things.

SPEAKER_08 54:37

Twelve.

SPEAKER_22 54:39

Um you guys uh actually, Freya, somehow, you know this is a lantern of tracking.

SPEAKER_11 54:47

It's a tracking lantern.

SPEAKER_22 54:50

A tracking lantern is designed, it burns for about six hours on one pint of oil, shedding bright light in a 30-foot radius and dim light for an additional 30 feet. Uh while the lantern is within 300 feet of any creature of the elemental type, it being uh twingas, it is uh designed to track twingas. Uh the flame turns bright green. The lantern doesn't point the exact location of the creature, though, but you know it is close when it burns green.

SPEAKER_16 55:29

Do these chewingas uh do they use invisibility?

SPEAKER_02 55:36

I'm not familiar necessarily with them.

SPEAKER_16 55:40

Or do are they just small enough to kind of sneak around?

SPEAKER_20 55:44

They are very small, yes. They are small enough to sneak around for sure. I don't know if they turn invisible. That would be a great thing to research.

SPEAKER_10 55:53

Well, if we uh find some floating knives, I guess we'll we'll know.

SPEAKER_09 55:57

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 55:57

He's funny.

SPEAKER_09 55:58

Oh, this is just like a personal thing that I've been wondering since we've been walking. Did it take a live chicken?

SPEAKER_20 56:06

A live chicken?

SPEAKER_09 56:07

Somebody said that they installed like chickens or something.

SPEAKER_20 56:09

No, it was a roast chicken.

SPEAKER_09 56:11

Oh, okay. I just decided that's funnier than it being a live, a floating roast chicken. Nice.

SPEAKER_22 56:19

Um Brenn doesn't know what the fuck that lantern is, but you do. Are you gonna ask him if we can have it?

SPEAKER_09 56:27

Yeah.

SPEAKER_22 56:27

Okay.

SPEAKER_09 56:28

I was having fun with the chicken thing first. Um so if we're gonna go searching for this for you. Um are you gonna part with the lantern?

SPEAKER_00 56:38

Oh, I'm giving it to you to use.

SPEAKER_09 56:40

She'll turn and look at Brent. I know he didn't say it, but she'll still turn and give him a look. Like, see?

SPEAKER_02 56:47

I didn't do anything.

SPEAKER_09 56:49

Must have been the wind. Um Yes, perfect. Thank you.

SPEAKER_20 56:54

Uh, whoever wants to carry it. Use you know what this is. Uh go ahead.

SPEAKER_09 56:58

Sure. When it turns green, one's close, but it doesn't give a direct uh path sort of a thing.

SPEAKER_02 57:05

I think these things really love to steal. Uh th they've stolen knives, spoons, forks, roast chicken. I have heard a couple of people have been missing some cutlery.

SPEAKER_16 57:21

So do they tend to only steal things from the kitchen? I don't know.

SPEAKER_20 57:28

Okay, so you don't really know much time about them. But I am so interested. This is the first time I have been hearing about rumors of their behavior in Targos.

SPEAKER_22 57:39

It hasn't happened in Targos before. I'm getting a little curious about this guy. He said he's a scholar. It's a girl. This girl. Yeah. Uh she said she's a scholar, but she doesn't seem to know much about them. Can I make an insight check to see if they're being 100% with us? Yes. My God. Uh two.

SPEAKER_03 58:07

Oh.

SPEAKER_22 58:08

She seems to be telling the truth. I mean, she has you can gather from her not knowing a lot that she has maybe just started researching these things because it's been a recent thing that's happening. Oh, it could have been these twingas that I've passed over in one of my books or something.

SPEAKER_02 58:30

All right. I guess this is all the information we're gonna get. Um I think we can set up a trap, maybe set that lantern out. And I use Minor Illusion, maybe put a table with chicken and cutlery. Uh maybe we can uh I look to uh Danica.

SPEAKER_22 58:56

Oh, that's why I thought it was a woman. I thought you said Danigan. Oh no. Which sounds wonderful. Danagan's a cool name. Uh I look to Danica.

SPEAKER_02 59:06

Um would we perhaps be able to use your kitchen to set up a trap? Mmm.

SPEAKER_20 59:16

Or dining room. Well, it's been a couple days, and my lantern has not glowed bright green. And I'm assuming you do have food and cutlery in your home. I do, yes. Huh. Alright. Uh and it's if Targos is small, but not too small, if you know what I mean. They seem to travel between towns. Right. And I've so they have come to Targos within the last couple of days, but I've heard rumors of them been hopping to and fro in different towns. Got me interested.

SPEAKER_02 59:56

Okay.

SPEAKER_11 59:58

Um maybe once it glows, we do your minor illusion thing and try to lure it even closer.

SPEAKER_16 1:00:07

Yeah. Uh I was thinking that we would just set the trap and have the lantern nearby, but if we can't guarantee that one's gonna show up and fall into that trap, then I guess I mean, how how we obviously need to get to uh Termaline.

SPEAKER_02 1:00:25

That's our priority.

SPEAKER_16 1:00:27

So I don't want to spend more time here than we need watching a trap. Maybe we can set one in Termaline if they've been traveling to different towns.

SPEAKER_10 1:00:36

Could just uh walk through everybody's backyards holding the lantern as we make one.

SPEAKER_16 1:00:42

Well, we'll have the lantern anyway, so maybe once it if it starts glowing, then I can set that trap. I think the trap should they should fall into it pretty easily.

SPEAKER_09 1:00:51

And I can um help boost it a little bit. I can create um like the smell of the roast chicken.

SPEAKER_16 1:00:59

Perfect.

SPEAKER_11 1:01:00

A little bit of druidcraft.

SPEAKER_18 1:01:02

Awesome. Druidcraft? You have druidcraft?

SPEAKER_06 1:01:05

What?

SPEAKER_18 1:01:07

Elf?

SPEAKER_06 1:01:09

She's a wood elf.

SPEAKER_02 1:01:10

Nice. Well, Danica, it was nice to meet a feather fellow scholar.

SPEAKER_20 1:01:15

Yes, pleasure to meet you all. Uh yes, if you do happen to capture one, please bring it back to me alive.

SPEAKER_11 1:01:21

Alive.

SPEAKER_22 1:01:22

Certainly, I will try to keep one for myself. If it doesn't slip through your fingers. I must be off. Ah. And she pulls out a second lantern, turns around and starts starts walking, holding it up, frantically looking to see if it glows green.

SPEAKER_09 1:01:43

So I'm not super worried. No. Freya's just repeating to herself, alive. Alive. It has to be alive.

SPEAKER_10 1:01:51

Lonely full attacks, Freya.

SPEAKER_09 1:01:52

Okay. Shall we uh continue through the town? Sure, I guess so. I'll attach this to my like pack or cloak or whatever and let it kind of hang off me.

SPEAKER_02 1:02:08

Um I am going to. While we're going, I'm going to create a hunting trap.

SPEAKER_22 1:02:24

Uh actually, sorry, I didn't forget how many I can do. I can have at once. I think three, you said. Yeah, but this is this is a different thing.

SPEAKER_02 1:02:37

Uh oh yeah, this is three as well. Um I'm gonna create a hunting trap and a net. Okay.

unknown 1:02:47

Nice.

SPEAKER_22 1:02:49

Great. Uh are you guys what would you like to do while you're in Targos? Are you spending some time to kind of circle through the town, or are you just heading straight to uh Termaline to see if something pops up, if it does glow green on your travels or yeah, Dorian's definitely concerned, and his priority is to get to Termalane.

SPEAKER_10 1:03:11

Um yeah.

SPEAKER_22 1:03:13

Yeah, up to you guys. Maybe weave a little bit at least. Okay, but probably not go throughout the whole town. Yeah. As you are weaving, uh the lantern is not light.

SPEAKER_10 1:03:30

Interesting. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:03:34

Well, she did say that they go from town to town and they're pretty small, so they could be anywhere.

SPEAKER_09 1:03:41

Could have moved on. Yeah. She's a little crazy, but I'm kind of also interested. I want to know why they take just like knives and shit. Maybe they're having a dinner party. That's what I said. Yeah.

SPEAKER_10 1:03:51

Same brain. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:03:55

Well, if they're so small and tiny, maybe they think these knives are great swords.

SPEAKER_10 1:04:03

They could be wait, that's funny.

SPEAKER_02 1:04:05

Or they could be stocking up for an attack.

SPEAKER_10 1:04:12

You're funny.

SPEAKER_05 1:04:13

And she'll like slap him on the back.

SPEAKER_10 1:04:16

You take that as a joke, Dorian. It's very like, oh gods.

SPEAKER_09 1:04:21

What are you worried about? You have a survival hut in every town.

SPEAKER_10 1:04:24

I don't know. They're uh war.

SPEAKER_02 1:04:29

Uh I was just joking, Dorian.

SPEAKER_10 1:04:32

But it's a possibility, isn't it? Best build a hut here. No, you already have one, remember?

SPEAKER_09 1:04:39

Oh, it's not big enough.

SPEAKER_10 1:04:43

I gotta reinforce it.

SPEAKER_09 1:04:45

With what?

SPEAKER_10 1:04:46

More mud? Yes. Some bone.

SPEAKER_09 1:04:49

Ew.

SPEAKER_04 1:04:50

Some bone.

SPEAKER_09 1:04:51

That's why you're a ranger, because you want bones.

SPEAKER_04 1:04:53

Some bone, some bone, some bone.

SPEAKER_10 1:04:57

I was leading you into that trap, but I forget what the rest of it is.

SPEAKER_09 1:05:04

That's why you build your survival huts because you wanted the bones. I like the bones.

SPEAKER_08 1:05:08

They're helpful.

SPEAKER_22 1:05:10

Okay, you have uh uh four hours, I think. Um to Termalane from it is four hours. Four hours. Okay.

SPEAKER_07 1:05:23

That's actually pretty close. Not too bad.

SPEAKER_22 1:05:31

Well, all of 10 towns is kind of surrounding well, at least this part is just kind of surrounding Merduwalden, which is a big lake. Uh, as you're traveling through Targos and the road to it, uh you see some a couple trappers and hunters kind of crossing paths with you. I'll wave.

SPEAKER_09 1:06:02

Hello.

SPEAKER_16 1:06:08

Are you uh hunters and trappers?

SPEAKER_22 1:06:14

The two of them look at each other. Yes. What does it look like?

SPEAKER_16 1:06:20

Uh we are actually on the hunt for something right now. Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_02 1:06:24

They're called chewingas. These little tiny thieving elemental things. Have you seen them? Chewingas.

SPEAKER_17 1:06:33

Ah. Yes, uh.

SPEAKER_22 1:06:36

You won't catch them with these. They point to like their nets, their bear traps, bear claw traps. I'm holding it. The net is slung over my shoulder and I'm holding the hunting trap in my hand, and I look at both of them. Sorry, lads. Oh, you might they're very tricksy. Um tricksy. Trixy little triangles.

SPEAKER_10 1:06:56

What's happening?

SPEAKER_02 1:06:58

Uh well, I guess if I don't need these, then I can part with them if you want them. Hmm.

SPEAKER_22 1:07:09

I mean, it's not too much trouble. Strangely enough, they'll only last until I go to sleep. He Well, actually, until I wake up the next morning. He looks kind of down at like just thousand-yard stare, looking back and forth like, what the fuck?

SPEAKER_07 1:07:34

I met this fucking freak on the road.

SPEAKER_22 1:07:36

It's artifice. Magic.

SPEAKER_17 1:07:39

Artifice!

SPEAKER_22 1:07:40

Ah, magic.

SPEAKER_17 1:07:40

It's twilight reference.

SPEAKER_22 1:07:42

Yeah, no. No magic here. Oh, okay. And he points to he passes supplies that are slung over his shoulder. Tangible. Last forever. Yes.

SPEAKER_02 1:07:56

I would prefer to have that, but you know. When when I can make these for free, why spend the gold on them? Neither here nor there. Thank you for your help. Uh what would you recommend we catch them with? Hmm.

SPEAKER_17 1:08:18

Well, since it's not since you can't really trap them with nets or nothing. Hmm. Some of these uh kooks and quacks say that uh you just gotta be real careful around them.

SPEAKER_03 1:08:34

Real quiet. I see.

SPEAKER_22 1:08:38

They're tricksy, they're sneaky.

SPEAKER_08 1:08:40

Like pixies.

SPEAKER_22 1:08:42

Do you know if they turn invisible?

SPEAKER_02 1:08:47

Okay, well, uh, I don't want to take up any more of your time. I I I'm sorry for stopping you. Um good. Well well then. Safe travels. You as well.

SPEAKER_10 1:08:59

I can't believe they didn't appreciate your hunting gear. Well made.

SPEAKER_02 1:09:04

It's uh you know, when you're used to things that take time to make and that last for a long time, this is sort of uh honestly uh spitting in the face of of that a little bit. So uh it's I shouldn't have mentioned uh it would have been worse for me to offer uh them and then me wake up and they not have them anymore. He'd be pissed. That little gnome! Um so uh but it's a good help. At least we don't have to use these. We can save them for maybe that fish monster.

SPEAKER_11 1:09:52

Oh yeah, good idea. Fish monster.

SPEAKER_09 1:09:56

I couldn't get any uh information on if it was like something small or something big.

SPEAKER_02 1:10:00

So if it's something, you know, did you say took a bite out of a ship?

SPEAKER_22 1:10:06

My money's on big. Well, it's like a roboat.

SPEAKER_09 1:10:08

It's like a fisherman boat. Yeah, like a boat.

SPEAKER_22 1:10:09

All you heard was there was a bite. Something took a bite of a rowboat.

SPEAKER_02 1:10:15

Yeah, maybe it's a cousin of old bitey.

SPEAKER_09 1:10:18

Oh, perfect. Then you can help lure it out. I just hope it's actually laughs at that.

SPEAKER_19 1:10:23

Doran genuinely laughs at that. Was it three more hours? No. One, two, two, two more.

SPEAKER_08 1:10:36

Rolling for encounters?

SPEAKER_22 1:10:38

Uh, so as you're passing by, you see some fellow adventurers and mercenaries. Uh and that's about it on your travels. Nothing too crazy, which is great since you're still within the towns. You're not really in the wilderness. I definitely wave and smile to all of them. If they'll they'll give you a wave back.

SPEAKER_09 1:10:58

I have PTSD from strong. I'm like, what do you mean they're just adventurable?

SPEAKER_16 1:11:01

I'm just trying to make acquaintances.

SPEAKER_09 1:11:03

No, I think that's good.

SPEAKER_22 1:11:04

Can be helpful in a time like this.

SPEAKER_09 1:11:06

Yeah, you're definitely a lot more personable than we are.

SPEAKER_22 1:11:10

And you also know that Bren is pretty recognizable.

SPEAKER_10 1:11:14

Bren's recognizable.

SPEAKER_22 1:11:17

As are as is Freya. Freya's recognizable. Doria is in the shadows. Oh, stays unseen.

SPEAKER_09 1:11:26

Uh yeah, I'm pretty bad at being quiet and unseen. So yeah.

SPEAKER_22 1:11:33

Uh okay. As you approach the edge of Tourmaline, I would like everybody to roll a D20 for me. No modifiers.

SPEAKER_13 1:11:44

11.

SPEAKER_22 1:11:45

God. One. I have rolled these lucky feasts. I think my four dice rolls today have been one, three, four, one. Get the soldar dice.

SPEAKER_07 1:11:56

They're blue. They're on theme. They're blue.

SPEAKER_22 1:11:58

What did you get?

SPEAKER_07 1:11:59

11. 13.

SPEAKER_22 1:12:01

Okay. Okay. Um.

SPEAKER_09 1:12:05

What do you mean? Okay.

SPEAKER_22 1:12:07

The lantern is still not glowing. Oh. Uh, as you approach the towards the center of town, there is a boy wrapped in heavy winter clothes uh atop a box, shouting the news of the day as people pass by. Uh, when you approach, you hear the boy crying, The Gemstone Mine is closed because of monsters.

SPEAKER_14 1:12:32

Speaker Matthew is offering 50 gold to anyone who clears it out. The gemstone mine is closed because of monsters.

SPEAKER_09 1:12:39

Um, Freya would approach, I think.

SPEAKER_14 1:12:42

Ah, you! Strong lady, strong lady!

SPEAKER_09 1:12:47

Uh yes, strong lady. I like it.

SPEAKER_17 1:12:49

Oh, strong man? Yes, tall man.

SPEAKER_13 1:12:53

And you the boy laughs.

SPEAKER_22 1:12:59

He hops down from his box and shakes your hands. Uh, he does stand taller than you. Well met. Well met. I'm Darmo.

SPEAKER_07 1:13:12

I'm Darmo.

SPEAKER_16 1:13:14

Are you ticklish, Darmo?

SPEAKER_07 1:13:15

I like him.

SPEAKER_16 1:13:19

What a wild Nobody show him a rock. Uh did you hear the news?

SPEAKER_09 1:13:28

I love him. Um, I couldn't help but not. You're very good at announcing it.

SPEAKER_22 1:13:32

Good. Everyone's ignoring me.

SPEAKER_09 1:13:34

Well, that's why we're here. Good.

SPEAKER_22 1:13:36

I don't want the mind to be closed. Okay, you have to go see Oris Mashew. He's at the blue clam.

SPEAKER_10 1:13:45

Oris maskew at the blue clam.

SPEAKER_22 1:13:47

Oris mas view.

SPEAKER_09 1:13:49

Yeah, I or are you saying Matthew and you have a speech impediment?

SPEAKER_22 1:13:54

No, I'm not. And he he like punches your thigh. No, I'm saying Oris Mashew.

SPEAKER_10 1:14:02

I'm scared. We should go.

SPEAKER_22 1:14:04

Um go to the blue clam. He knows about it. I'm just louder than him. So he sent me out here to stand on the box and and hope that some I can't.

SPEAKER_02 1:14:21

Well, we'll go see Oris. Uh you keep getting everyone's attention. You seem to be very good at that.

SPEAKER_09 1:14:27

Do you know do you know what kind of monsters did they say?

SPEAKER_22 1:14:30

Uh I think he said those little goblin-like things, chewing. But they're not goblins. Chewingas?

SPEAKER_11 1:14:41

Goblins that aren't goblins.

SPEAKER_22 1:14:44

Uh coal.

SPEAKER_11 1:14:46

Kobolds!

SPEAKER_05 1:14:47

Kobolds, yes!

SPEAKER_16 1:14:49

Interesting. Apparently. I I know kobolds well, actually. Oh. You do?

SPEAKER_02 1:14:56

I'm very interested in dragons. They are these the greatest creatures in our in our existence. They are so cool, aren't they? Kobolds are like their bastard sons.

SPEAKER_16 1:15:10

Like the me version. I go, like the me version.

SPEAKER_02 1:15:12

And he goes bastard sons, and I go, oh!

SPEAKER_09 1:15:16

Sure. I don't how old are you? I don't think you should be saying bastards.

SPEAKER_22 1:15:20

I am nine.

SPEAKER_09 1:15:22

Wait until you say that. Wait until you're ten. Wait until you're ten to start saying bastard. Oh sorry. I didn't start saying bastard.

unknown 1:15:29

It's okay.

SPEAKER_09 1:15:30

I said bastard when I was eight and shall wake at him.

SPEAKER_22 1:15:33

Okay. I won't say that one though. And his eyes grow really wide.

SPEAKER_11 1:15:38

That one.

SPEAKER_22 1:15:40

I mean, anymore. I'll be careful. We'll take care of these cobalt for you. Don't worry. Yay. Okay. You better tell Oris uh as you're walking away to the blue clam.

SPEAKER_09 1:15:52

Yeah, as they're walking, she'll turn back and be like, Thank you, Darmo. Bye-bye.

SPEAKER_08 1:15:58

I love him.

SPEAKER_14 1:16:00

The gemstone mine is closed because of monsters. Speaker Masthew. It's over 50 gold. Anyone who can play with it.

SPEAKER_22 1:16:08

We're going to the blue something? Blue clam. Blue clam.

SPEAKER_10 1:16:12

Blue clam slam. Welcome. Welcome.

SPEAKER_09 1:16:15

Welcome to our um welcome to our hometown. The bar is called the blue clam. We've petitioned to change it.

SPEAKER_22 1:16:23

Uh East Haven, which is the inn. I'm not sure what's funny about that.

SPEAKER_09 1:16:28

Oh, you poor sweet boy. Dorian, do you want to take this one?

SPEAKER_10 1:16:34

Uh, maybe later when we sleep.

SPEAKER_09 1:16:38

What a weird way to phrase that. Sure.

SPEAKER_05 1:16:40

During a long breath.

SPEAKER_08 1:16:43

I can't tell you about this until we're sleeping.

SPEAKER_16 1:16:45

It's a very strange way to put that, Dorian.

SPEAKER_08 1:16:49

I can't tell you until we're asleep.

SPEAKER_02 1:16:53

I'm assuming even though you live here, you have not met this Oris.

SPEAKER_09 1:16:57

Um, would we recognize that name? Um he's the speaker.

SPEAKER_22 1:17:02

He is not uh oh, he is the speaker. I'm sorry.

SPEAKER_10 1:17:05

Yeah, we know uh Horus. I don't know if he knows us. Well, he knows our family. He doesn't know us personally.

SPEAKER_22 1:17:12

Yes, yeah. He would know of the Fanes as uh primary armorer of tourmaline.

SPEAKER_10 1:17:20

He knows our parents. Well, great.

SPEAKER_22 1:17:22

We can use that. Yeah, making iron nails, tools for firing. Look at us everyday things. Uh outside the tavern, you see two bundled-up humanoids talking to one another. When they see you, one waves to you in a friendly manner and then says, You seem entirely too prepared for trouble.

SPEAKER_17 1:17:42

Are you here about the mine?

SPEAKER_22 1:17:45

And it is, in fact, uh, you would recognize Dorian and Freya. It is Oris. Well, I'm I was definitely already waving at them. Oh, okay. Perfect. So I guess uh uh hello. Uh you must be Oris.

SPEAKER_20 1:18:00

That's me. And who might y'all be? Oh, I recognize you. You look like one of the Fane boys.

SPEAKER_10 1:18:06

I am. Yes. And uh, she's one of the Fane girls. You just can't adopted. Adopted.

SPEAKER_20 1:18:12

Ah uh, okay.

SPEAKER_09 1:18:14

Yeah.

SPEAKER_20 1:18:14

Yes, okay.

SPEAKER_09 1:18:15

Saw the question cross the eyes before you even said anything.

SPEAKER_22 1:18:18

And uh, who are you, little man? My name is Bren Talwick. Bren, pleasure to meet you. I am Speaker Oris Matthew. It's very nice to meet you, Mr. Matthew.

SPEAKER_20 1:18:29

Uh, let's go inside. It's a lot warmer in there.

SPEAKER_22 1:18:33

Were you out here waiting for us? I happen to just be out here.

SPEAKER_20 1:18:37

Uh oh, all right.

SPEAKER_22 1:18:39

But yes, come in, come in. Uh so he sits you down, and he explains that a group of kobolds had crept into the mine a few days ago. Uh entering from the surface and forcing the miners to abandon their jobs.

SPEAKER_10 1:18:57

But they're okay.

SPEAKER_17 1:18:58

No one was no one was killed. No, no one was killed. They were just uh too many of them, and uh the miners just they just left. Uh they're just a little too dangerous for old miners to deal with. Uh uh one of the miners went missing down there actually uh a few days before the cobbled show up. Uh so maybe other monsters crawled up from the underdark.

SPEAKER_22 1:19:24

I don't know. You do know, Dorian, that this mine does lead into the underdark.

SPEAKER_07 1:19:30

That's probably all we got here.

SPEAKER_22 1:19:32

Quick question.

SPEAKER_16 1:19:34

I just want to clarify. Yeah. You are speaking of miners with an E, not with an O.

SPEAKER_22 1:19:41

I just ask because you have Darmo out there working for you. Uh Dormo is me boy. Oh, he's your son? He's my boy, yes.

SPEAKER_10 1:19:50

We don't uh have child labor here. He doesn't seem to know his last name very well.

SPEAKER_02 1:19:56

It's just quite strange. Yeah, that's my boy.

SPEAKER_11 1:20:00

Uh fascinating.

SPEAKER_02 1:20:02

Well, he's a very loud and friendly boy, but he is very concerned about this mine. He caught our attention immediately. Good.

SPEAKER_10 1:20:10

Excellent. Give him a raise.

SPEAKER_22 1:20:12

He's raising him as we speak. That's that's my boy.

SPEAKER_20 1:20:15

I don't I won't pay him nothing. Uh you're funny. Thanks. Yes, I I'm thinking that it's possible that miner that disappeared, he possibly fell down the central shaft. Uh some of the walkie's are a little rickety. They need to build back up. Yeah.

SPEAKER_09 1:20:31

Do you have the name of that miner?

SPEAKER_22 1:20:37

No, I don't. Uh he just said uh Jim. Jim Mine. Jim Mine.

SPEAKER_10 1:20:46

Uh I don't get it.

SPEAKER_17 1:20:47

A human miner went missing a few days before the cobalt show up. Uh, probably fell down the central shaft.

SPEAKER_10 1:20:56

Uh wasn't uh my brother, was it? He's not a miner, but he does do business.

SPEAKER_20 1:21:02

But he's not a human, is he?

SPEAKER_10 1:21:04

No.

SPEAKER_22 1:21:04

Ah, okay. Then no. Great. So the miner fell down the central shaft. What does that have to do with the kobolds?

SPEAKER_17 1:21:11

He possibly fell down the central shaft. I don't know, but he disappeared a few days a didn't come back with the rest of the miners once the kobolds did show up. So either they captured him or something, or he fell. I don't know.

SPEAKER_02 1:21:24

Is there someone we can talk to who knows this man better than you?

SPEAKER_20 1:21:29

I don't know the name of the miner, no.

SPEAKER_02 1:21:32

Okay.

SPEAKER_22 1:21:33

But uh if you find him, just bring him back. Uh I I one second, please.

SPEAKER_02 1:21:42

Uh I take the two of you to the side real quick. I'm not sure this man fell down the mine. It seems like he might be the one that started this whole cobalt business.

SPEAKER_10 1:21:55

He could have been. Oh. It's very possible.

SPEAKER_02 1:21:57

So we just have to keep an eye out. Especially if nobody really knows him very well.

SPEAKER_10 1:22:03

Hmm. Yeah. Maybe.

SPEAKER_02 1:22:16

Well, uh anyway, uh I turn back to Orris. Uh so, uh, how do you recommend we start?

SPEAKER_17 1:22:27

Go in carefully. Go in carefully and stealthily. I don't know how many are in there or whereabouts they are, probably deep deep in the mine at this point.

SPEAKER_22 1:22:36

Um Everybody can roll an insight for me, please.

SPEAKER_10 1:22:43

Oh yikes.

SPEAKER_22 1:22:47

Thirteen.

SPEAKER_10 1:22:49

Eighteen. Um ten.

SPEAKER_22 1:22:52

Freya, he looks like he is not hiding something, but perhaps leaving something out.

SPEAKER_09 1:23:05

She'll kind of Are they standing or sitting? I forgot.

SPEAKER_22 1:23:08

They're uh you're at a table right now.

SPEAKER_09 1:23:10

She'll kind of like like sit and kind of like roll her shoulders back a little bit to sit up a little straighter. You know. Especially with us being from here, if we're gonna be going down in there to retrieve this man and clear these cobalt out, it would be um beneficial for us to have all of the information at hand, don't you think? And she'll just stare him down.

SPEAKER_20 1:23:40

Yeah, you're right, you're right, you're right. Uh of course. Uh a couple days ago I had ordered the town militia to clear out the mine. Uh they refused to deal with the problem for they thought it was too much for them. I don't know why. But I don't think they like me as the speaker. I just I don't know. They don't they don't seem to like me, but maybe they didn't do it out of spite, who knows? But I'll try and do what's best for me, town. But I guess I'm not doing uh the best job. But uh, anyways, I best be off much duties to tend to. I'll uh I'll tell my boy to quit yapping in the center of the square.

SPEAKER_17 1:24:30

We got uh some adventurers like ya.

SPEAKER_10 1:24:33

Yes.

SPEAKER_20 1:24:33

Be safe.

SPEAKER_10 1:24:34

Thank you.

SPEAKER_20 1:24:35

And uh come back come back to uh uh blue clam here and report to me that it's done.

SPEAKER_10 1:24:40

Would you mind uh telling our family that we're in town taking care of the mine situation? I am afraid that we're not gonna have time to stop by and let them know.

SPEAKER_20 1:24:50

Uh oh, sure. I can have a courier run by or something if it passes.

SPEAKER_10 1:24:54

That'd be great. Thank you.

SPEAKER_20 1:24:55

Yes, thank you. All right.

SPEAKER_22 1:24:57

And he departs. And you are left to head to the mine, which is about a 30-minute walk.

SPEAKER_09 1:25:05

Um go for it.

SPEAKER_22 1:25:07

Go for it.

SPEAKER_09 1:25:08

As we're walking, she's gonna be thinking about Is it odd that the town militia refuse to do this, or is this something that's kind of like commonplace? Like he asks for something to be done and they refuse. Like, are they like known? Would we know that they're known for refusing work like that?

SPEAKER_22 1:25:29

I was gonna ask if we could speak to somebody in the militia. It's a little odd. Yeah. This is not something that like yeah, it's I mean it's it's odd, but not too odd. Uh you kind of gather that like he said, not a lot of people in power like him too much. They think that he's not doing the greatest job. I think, you know. In your time in Turmaline, maybe somebody could. It'd be great if somebody could replace him as kind of the general word that you have here going about.

SPEAKER_10 1:26:11

But it is a little strange.

SPEAKER_22 1:26:15

Would we be able to find like go to like the central area where the militia is and speak with somebody there? You could.

SPEAKER_17 1:26:24

Yeah.

SPEAKER_22 1:26:25

That's what I would like to do. Find out what they know about it and find out why they refused. Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_05 1:26:32

I'm sure I'm sure Freya has like a friend in the militia or something. Somebody who's like tough to be like, hey, the hell's going on.

SPEAKER_22 1:26:40

I forgot to mention Oris Matthew is a half-work veteran.

SPEAKER_01 1:26:44

Ooh. Okay.

SPEAKER_22 1:26:46

I need to give you visual descriptions of these people. Um, okay, yeah. You guys can go to the uh, I guess the barracks of the town. It's closer towards the edge, so you would backtrack a little bit. Yeah. Okay. Blue Clam's not far into town, but the barracks is just towards the entrance. Uh but yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:27:05

I'll let the two of you take the lead on this, seeing as you probably know some people who work here, or uh can garner more respect out of soldiers than I can, I'm sure.

SPEAKER_10 1:27:15

Oh, Freya surely can. Yeah. And she'll like crack her knuckles and like it flex a little bit.

SPEAKER_09 1:27:23

Um yeah, we'll go in and go up. Yeah, whatever.

SPEAKER_22 1:27:32

Somebody at the desk, as you open the door, there's like a kind of front desk. And he's he doesn't look up. Sign in.

SPEAKER_09 1:27:44

Do I is this somebody that we na uh like would recognize?

SPEAKER_22 1:27:48

No. It's just uh one of the uh a general of militia.

SPEAKER_11 1:27:53

Uh sure.

SPEAKER_17 1:27:58

Oh, yeah, I got rough hands there. He looks uh whoa whoa whoa he looks down at Brand. Yeah What what do you need? Is is uh somebody somebody hurt Um Most likely not somebody rob ya?

SPEAKER_09 1:28:20

No.

SPEAKER_17 1:28:21

What do you need then?

SPEAKER_09 1:28:23

We're here looking into the mine business.

SPEAKER_17 1:28:26

Yeah. We're run by kobolds.

SPEAKER_09 1:28:28

Yeah.

SPEAKER_17 1:28:29

Nasty business.

SPEAKER_09 1:28:30

Yeah. Uh me and Dorian are from here, the Forge.

SPEAKER_17 1:28:36

Ah, uh-huh.

SPEAKER_12 1:28:37

Yeah. Cool.

SPEAKER_09 1:28:39

Yeah. We were just wondering why we spoke briefly with uh Aris.

SPEAKER_22 1:28:47

He kind of rolls his eyes and scoffs. Yeah. And what did he say?

SPEAKER_09 1:28:51

That's kind of why we're here. I was just curious as to why you guys didn't go in there. Is it purely just out of hatred for him, or is there something that we should know before we go in ourselves?

SPEAKER_22 1:29:05

Make a persuasion check.

SPEAKER_09 1:29:07

Can I help?

SPEAKER_10 1:29:16

Can I just look intimidating?

SPEAKER_22 1:29:19

Can I just look intimidating? Um how are you helping?

SPEAKER_10 1:29:26

I'm looking intimidating.

SPEAKER_22 1:29:28

You're intimidating? You can. Okay.

SPEAKER_17 1:29:34

I don't know if we want to intimidate a militia. He is in general. Go ahead.

SPEAKER_10 1:29:38

Well, like I'm for information. I'm not like gonna start a fight, but I want like you are rolling this flat, yes.

SPEAKER_22 1:29:50

Oh god. Fun. What did you get? A natural one.

SPEAKER_17 1:29:55

Jesus. And what business of it of is it of yours to be poking around in the dealings of uh the militia?

SPEAKER_09 1:30:04

This is such a non-issue. Like they could just go into the mine without this information, but this guy, even just getting a little snarky like that, frost starts to cover. And she's like, I don't know why you can't just be fucking helpful.

SPEAKER_16 1:30:22

Hey, uh, hello.

SPEAKER_22 1:30:25

Um, I'm sorry. Uh we've had a long day traveling, and I can say that.

SPEAKER_05 1:30:31

Uh her now ones, or she just gets too mad.

SPEAKER_16 1:30:35

We did we did speak with Oris, and he didn't seem to want us want to give us as much information as we need. So we were just hoping.

SPEAKER_02 1:30:48

We were just hoping that maybe you, since he tried to hire you first, wouldn't know a little bit more, seeing as you did refuse, which is totally okay. Uh we just because we are doing it in your stead, uh I think it would benefit yourselves as well as us to to work together on this.

SPEAKER_22 1:31:15

Did you roll an intimidation?

SPEAKER_10 1:31:17

No. Do you want me to?

SPEAKER_22 1:31:18

If you would like to. If you want to try and intimidate this guy, go right ahead.

SPEAKER_10 1:31:22

Twelve.

SPEAKER_22 1:31:24

He's not faced up.

unknown 1:31:25

Yeah.

SPEAKER_22 1:31:26

Uh he kind of gives Dorian like a a squint and raises his eyebrow. Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_17 1:31:33

Well, little man, uh again, what business of it of yours? But, Horus. We want him out. He's not good. You want to know the real reason? Yeah. I'll give it to you for some gold. And he winks at you. Oh boy. Um.

SPEAKER_02 1:31:59

Otherwise, be off. Well, I I don't have much gold. That's kind of why we're in this line of work. But um, you know, I I think I see your plan here. You want to make it look like Oris is doing a bad job, the gem mine shuts down, the town struggles, and then somebody else, someone that you like, comes in and fixes the town.

SPEAKER_10 1:32:28

Meanwhile, your economy tanks and a human's dead.

SPEAKER_04 1:32:32

You're a cheeky little fellow, aren't you? Right on the nose, you are.

SPEAKER_22 1:32:39

I think the better thing to do is use this failing of Oris, a man who couldn't even get the militia to do it, so he had to hire outside beginner help to deal with his situation.

SPEAKER_16 1:33:05

And use that and convince the rest of the town who seems to not like him already.

SPEAKER_02 1:33:12

You're a smart enough man to figure out how to get your way, but I don't think that it has to bring the entire economy of the town and even the surrounding regions down with it. Now, if you don't want to share any information with me, that's fine.

SPEAKER_04 1:33:35

I don't need to share anything else. You shared it for me.

SPEAKER_02 1:33:41

Okay.

SPEAKER_22 1:33:42

So no more information on the kobolds then. I don't know, nothing else. Sorry.

SPEAKER_17 1:33:49

Not much more than Horus. He says his kobolds took over the mine. Drive the miners out. We just gotta go in and clear them out. Don't know how many they're in there. But we didn't do it for the exact reason you said.

SPEAKER_05 1:34:08

Useless.

SPEAKER_16 1:34:10

That's fair.

SPEAKER_05 1:34:11

Frey has been box breathing this whole time.

SPEAKER_10 1:34:14

Yeah. She's just in the back. Dorian is so pissed off that the people who are supposed to be the protectors um are not protecting the people because they don't agree with their ruler. And he thinks that this makes them really weak.

SPEAKER_22 1:34:35

Yeah, I I don't like this guy at all either. But I'm all right.

SPEAKER_10 1:34:39

I think if one of the reasons Dorian makes his own survival huts and is an adventurer is because he really does not trust the government and its systems, so he's doing it himself.

SPEAKER_17 1:34:51

Yeah. It's all political, like you said.

SPEAKER_10 1:34:54

It's all bullshit. Let's go.

SPEAKER_12 1:34:56

We're in uh some of us senior officers are in cahoots with the speaker of Targos, yeah. We're trying to throw Auris out of here and elect one of our own intermalane as the new speaker. But you tell anyone, I'll find out. And I'll break that cheeky nose of yours in your face, yeah? Loud and clear.

SPEAKER_22 1:35:25

Good. Now, off with you. Go clear out the cobalt. Best of luck. Best of luck.

SPEAKER_09 1:35:34

She's gonna grip, like full fist grip to like quill whatever the fuck is there, and just drag a line through her name so hard it like rips it's like.

SPEAKER_17 1:35:44

Well, you're ripping the paper now. Yeah, you might have to do your job and get a new book.

SPEAKER_09 1:35:51

Son of a bitch. And she'll like just leave.

SPEAKER_22 1:35:55

Uh as she as Dorian and and and Freya start leaving, Brenn sneaks and runs and goes, so sorry, casts mending on the paper, and then runs back and catches up with them.

SPEAKER_05 1:36:08

Are you fixing the book?

SPEAKER_22 1:36:09

No, I wasn't doing anything. As we leave the barracks, I'm gonna uh as we're kind of walking, presumably to the gem mine, uh, I'm gonna bring the two of you in close and like stop walking for a second.

SPEAKER_02 1:36:27

Okay. Um well, this is interesting. We seem to have found ourselves in the middle of a political battle that we didn't really necessarily want to be a part of, but it seems that we may need to make a decision. Um, obviously, it goes without saying we're going to rid this gem mine of its troubles. But after that, I think we need to decide if we're on Horus' side or this militia. I I don't quite like the militiamen.

SPEAKER_11 1:37:05

No.

SPEAKER_16 1:37:06

Um, so I'd I'd prefer to be on Horus' side, which means we should probably tell him that the militia is planning to usurp him with this leader from Targos. I agree.

SPEAKER_22 1:37:19

Not the leader from Targos, but somebody like one of their own intermaling to be the new speaker. But obviously there's connections.

SPEAKER_16 1:37:27

Didn't you say it was somebody from Targos? They're in cahoots.

SPEAKER_22 1:37:30

They're in cahoots with the speaker from Targos.

SPEAKER_02 1:37:32

Oh, okay. So we need to let I think that after we do this, we let Oris know of the militia's plan to work with Targos and usurp him. Um that way he can figure out maybe get another leader for the militia, and so your hometown doesn't fall into ruin.

SPEAKER_10 1:37:54

I agree. I've never liked the militia here, though. It's always been Yeah, they've always been a bunch of assholes.

SPEAKER_02 1:38:00

It's kind of why we do what we do. Well, great. We'll two kill two birds with one stone.

SPEAKER_16 1:38:05

We'll gain an alliance with the leader of Termalane and oust, well, let's just call it how it is, an asshole from the militia.

SPEAKER_10 1:38:18

I agree. I do hope that there's enough good guys in the militia to stop this.

SPEAKER_09 1:38:26

I'd like to kill him with a stone.

SPEAKER_10 1:38:28

I agree.

SPEAKER_16 1:38:30

Well, that's something that we can worry about after we tell Oris. I just wanted to make sure that we're on the same page.

SPEAKER_02 1:38:36

Oh, absolutely. We tell Horus, and he can figure out the political things from there. Okay.

SPEAKER_22 1:38:48

The entrance to the gem mine is an open tunnel on a hillside. Empty carts are parked near the entrance, next to which a crude wooden sign has been propped up. Written on the sign in charcoal are the words kobolds only.

SPEAKER_10 1:39:06

Of course.

SPEAKER_22 1:39:07

In common. In common.

SPEAKER_10 1:39:10

Wow. Handwriting looks like yours, Freya. She goes to reach for the mechanism on your arm. He hides his arm behind his back.

SPEAKER_22 1:39:25

Um, you guys will be entering from here.

SPEAKER_10 1:39:31

Dorian also, like, he's got a good thing. He has likely never been in this gem mine. And you said it does lead to the underdark. I think that his family has kind of avoided going in here except for his brother. Um, because they are refugees from the underdark. So he's kind of like forbidden from going there. So this is a little new to him. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:39:56

Yeah.

SPEAKER_10 1:39:56

He's definitely scared. Sure. Um, but he's not gonna show that.

SPEAKER_22 1:40:01

Okay.

SPEAKER_10 1:40:02

But just for context. Okay.

SPEAKER_22 1:40:07

Uh so we are now in the mine. Let's see here. The mine's meandering tunnels have seven foot-high ceilings. Wider areas tend to have higher ceilings, average being like twelve feet tall. Uh, no light sources at all.

SPEAKER_13 1:40:35

Okay.

SPEAKER_22 1:40:36

So if any of you have dark vision, that's awesome.

SPEAKER_10 1:40:39

Oh, I'm a drow.

SPEAKER_22 1:40:41

Yep.

SPEAKER_10 1:40:42

So mine, I think it's 120 feet. Let me double check.

SPEAKER_22 1:40:50

Uh, I have 60 feet of dark vision.

SPEAKER_10 1:40:53

Where the hell do you find that?

SPEAKER_22 1:40:55

Uh, it is in features and traits, species traits.

SPEAKER_10 1:40:59

Oh, I have 60 feet. Um, I have 120 feet.

SPEAKER_02 1:41:03

Wow. I am going to.

SPEAKER_10 1:41:09

I also have dancing lights as a cantrip.

SPEAKER_22 1:41:14

Do any of you have all of you should have torches from your adventuring gear if you started with that?

SPEAKER_09 1:41:21

Uh I I can light it with Rudecraft. If we have torches.

SPEAKER_22 1:41:26

I'm going to light a torch.

SPEAKER_10 1:41:28

Yep. I got it.

SPEAKER_22 1:41:30

And I am going to.

SPEAKER_10 1:41:32

Torch.

SPEAKER_02 1:41:34

Where the fuck cast mage hand.

SPEAKER_16 1:41:41

Veny it you.

SPEAKER_02 1:41:45

And you see a little hand show.

SPEAKER_15 1:41:47

Oh, that was sick as fuck.

SPEAKER_02 1:41:49

Uh and I hand the torch to it, uh, and it starts kind of floating gently ahead of us.

SPEAKER_09 1:41:59

You know what? This magic shit is pretty sick, Bren. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:42:02

Well, I know we can all see in the dark, but uh I'd really like to be able to see a little better.

SPEAKER_10 1:42:07

What language was that? Um it's just it wasn't gnomish.

SPEAKER_02 1:42:14

No, just arcane speak spells are written in this in this uh language, and um it's taken me a little bit to learn it, uh seeing as a lot of my artificer spells do not uh use it, but I think it I think it's pretty fun. It is, yeah.

SPEAKER_09 1:42:38

Like I said, it's sick as hell.

SPEAKER_10 1:42:39

That's really awesome.

SPEAKER_09 1:42:40

Thank you.

SPEAKER_10 1:42:41

Did you know I speak Gnomish?

SPEAKER_02 1:42:43

I didn't.

SPEAKER_10 1:42:44

He says, Well, now you do in Gnomish. Oh, I see where this is going.

SPEAKER_02 1:42:52

If you ever need to talk to me away from Freya, you know how to now. I say that in Gnomish, of course.

SPEAKER_05 1:42:58

This is payback for the half-like thing.

SPEAKER_10 1:43:00

He he like gets like a snarky little laugh. Like he's happy to have a secret from Freya again.

SPEAKER_09 1:43:08

She signs fuck you.

SPEAKER_22 1:43:12

That's the middle finger. She signs fuck you at this. Uh rough-hewn steps descend 60 feet before ending, just north of this chamber. Racks holding picks and hammers are nailed to the walls of this small cavern. The floor is covered with rock dust and tracks.

SPEAKER_02 1:43:38

Um Dorian, maybe you should take a look at those tracks.

SPEAKER_10 1:43:43

Ah, yes, great idea. Let me do that.

SPEAKER_22 1:43:45

Um survival check, please. Uh I will uh walk over to you.

SPEAKER_18 1:43:52

My own fortier cast guidance.

SPEAKER_10 1:43:56

Well, I got a gnat fucking one.

SPEAKER_09 1:43:59

Um, so the siblings are rolling hot tonight.

SPEAKER_22 1:44:02

Oh, me too. Uh God. Dorian, you I've never seen these before in my life. How do you describe uh how do you describe not being able to uh look at these tracks?

SPEAKER_10 1:44:19

I think they're just mine cart tracks.

SPEAKER_02 1:44:22

I think I see distinct footprints.

SPEAKER_22 1:44:25

Uh are you even looking at the tracks?

SPEAKER_09 1:44:29

Uh he kind of wipes his eyes.

SPEAKER_22 1:44:31

He k you kick up dust in your eyes and trip over a pickaxe that's on the ground.

SPEAKER_16 1:44:37

I whisper to Freya, maybe you should take a look instead. Yeah, anybody can. I'll take a look.

SPEAKER_02 1:44:44

And I will uh my odd for the nice hot twelve.

SPEAKER_22 1:45:02

Would you are you uh looking as well? I guess I'll look as well. Yeah, anyone can.

SPEAKER_10 1:45:07

This is crazy.

SPEAKER_21 1:45:08

I just figured I'd give the the trackers.

SPEAKER_02 1:45:13

Look. Uh you said survival. Yep.

SPEAKER_22 1:45:18

Uh 12 as well. Alright. You are able to determine, obviously, reptilian footprints mingled with some human tracks, as well as a set of tracks that look like they belong to a pair of giant rodents. The reptilian tracks, or the kobold tracks, fan out, leading to uh here and here on the map. So uh east, southeast, and south through the caverns for every which way listeners. Um The rodent tracks lead to the closest cavern to you, which is this way. East. So the rodents go this way, the kobolds kind of fan out every which way. Which way would you like to go?

SPEAKER_10 1:46:42

I think we should probably go to the kobolds, because that's I mean, would I know if like giant rats are a big part of this mine, if that's like normal.

SPEAKER_22 1:46:56

Uh, you are aware that they exist and that they like to they like mines.

SPEAKER_10 1:47:03

Okay. So I'm not concerned then about the giant rats.

SPEAKER_02 1:47:09

Okay. Um I think we should follow the cobalts. If you wouldn't mind. I've got uh an idea of what I want my tinker objects to be today. Uh I'll just make one for now.

SPEAKER_10 1:47:25

Bombs.

SPEAKER_02 1:47:26

I was going with fire, yes.

SPEAKER_10 1:47:28

Perfect.

SPEAKER_02 1:47:28

Uh so I'll spend 10 minutes. Yes. Uh if you'll allow me to create a uh fire play tinker uh clockwork object.

SPEAKER_22 1:47:39

Okay. Awesome. Which direction are we going? East, south, east, south. I would say we follow the rats. Okay. Because well the cobalt went that way too, right?

SPEAKER_07 1:47:55

They might air away.

SPEAKER_09 1:47:57

But Wool of the Waves.

SPEAKER_22 1:47:59

If we yeah, if we want to turn left. It also seems like the biggest area. The floor in the east end of this dusty cave is five feet higher than the west end. A rocky ridge separating the two areas, except for slopes on either side. Picks and shovels lean against the ridge. Small gem deposits in the ridge and the walls of the game the cave gleam seductively.

SPEAKER_02 1:48:28

It would be a shame for this mine to be abandoned. It's still ripe with fruit.

SPEAKER_10 1:48:36

It is, that's why I'm uh concerned.

SPEAKER_09 1:48:40

Yeah. Well, the sooner we clear out these things, you know, they can get back in here, get back to work.

SPEAKER_22 1:48:49

Um the rat tracks lead south from what you can see from where you're standing. I'm gonna hop up on this ledge, see if I can see anything from up here. Anything else? Um, no, you cannot.

SPEAKER_18 1:49:08

Okay.

SPEAKER_22 1:49:09

Uh yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:49:11

It's weird being taller than the two of you.

SPEAKER_18 1:49:13

How does it feel?

SPEAKER_02 1:49:14

Um, like I said, weird. I think. Well, I guess this is all we have to see in this little area. Uh tracks continue south.

SPEAKER_22 1:49:28

Keep going.

SPEAKER_10 1:49:29

Let's do it.

SPEAKER_22 1:49:30

No desire to mine. Uh I don't want to make any noise.

SPEAKER_10 1:49:34

I think uh Dorian's gonna leave it to yeah. He's like, my parents are gonna get this anyway. We grew up around that.

SPEAKER_22 1:49:42

I don't want to free labor for our parents.

SPEAKER_06 1:49:45

Yeah.

SPEAKER_22 1:49:46

You know, Dorian, that these gems are turmalines. Uh they are translucent translucent gemstones that come in different colors, including Pale green, blue, pink, red, brown, and black. Pretty you hear the sound of rushing water as you approach this cave. But as you I will say, as you reach this fork, you hear loud water to your east. The rat tracks and kobold tracks lead that way, and also kobold tracks lead south.

SPEAKER_16 1:50:30

I'm interested to see the water if that's okay.

SPEAKER_02 1:50:34

You're you're you make the judgment call. You're from here. You you're the tracker.

SPEAKER_10 1:50:40

Might as well uh scope it out and make sure we cover all of our bases.

SPEAKER_02 1:50:45

Would be much easier to stay hidden under the sound of running water.

SPEAKER_07 1:50:53

Might as well. Sounds good to me.

SPEAKER_22 1:50:55

Might as well take a peek into the whitewater rafting room.

SPEAKER_07 1:50:59

Sure.

SPEAKER_22 1:51:00

Okay. An underground river flows through the far side of this cavern, which is supported by a natural stone pillar near the water's edge. Between you and the river are two halfling-sized grey rodents with long tails and beady eyes. They rush to attack you as soon as you notice them. Royal initiative.

SPEAKER_13 1:51:28

Woohoo!

SPEAKER_16 1:51:29

Uh I thought we would be under the cover of the water, but uh apparently I was wrong.

SPEAKER_09 1:51:41

Nineteen.

SPEAKER_02 1:51:42

Nineteen.

SPEAKER_09 1:51:43

Aren't you glad it's just rats? Yeah. See, easing into it. Kind of. I'm too scared to talk right now. They're huge. I don't like the look of them.

SPEAKER_22 1:51:59

Bren, you are up with Freya on deck. Okay. Uh let me sorry, let me get rats.

SPEAKER_11 1:52:05

Where are they rats? Where are they rats?

SPEAKER_03 1:52:10

Okay. They get rats. Let me get the rats. A rat here.

SPEAKER_07 1:52:21

I use that accent really doozy. Zerat. Zerat. What are you saying the rat? Look at the rat. Oh, perfect.

SPEAKER_17 1:52:35

Ren, you are up.

SPEAKER_02 1:52:40

Um, I am going to use my action to use the hunting trap I made. Uh I'm gonna place it uh in this very uh five-foot-wide corridor, so to get it to us, they'll have to step in it.

SPEAKER_22 1:52:57

Um they notice it? Well, I guess they wouldn't really I mean if they're probably pretty stupid.

SPEAKER_02 1:53:04

It's up to you or ruling if they decide to continue. What you're doing. Yeah. Uh so I uh set out the hunting trap. I go, uh, don't step in that. Uh but once they do, uh, you should be able to attack without um too much repercussion.

SPEAKER_22 1:53:22

Will it catch both or just one? It would do the first one setup on it. Um as a utilized action, you can set a hunting trap. Uh it is a sawtooth steel ring that snapshot when the creature steps on the pressure plate in the center. Um they have to succeed a DC-13 deck save, or take one D4 piercing, and have its speed reduced reduced to two until it either succeeds the deck save uh or uh no, sorry, until it uses an action to pass a DC-13 athletics check to free itself. Okay. Um each failed check deals one D one piercing damage to the trapped creature. So it's just kind of stuck there, and the other one shouldn't be able to get past it if Freya is also blocking that way as well. So Freya should be able to just hack at the front one. Um I'm gonna set that uh and fucking bounce. I'm gonna scoot around the corner. Right? Freya. And I'm gonna watch I'm gonna watch our backs just to make sure that combat doesn't alert any kobolds or anything. Yep.

SPEAKER_20 1:54:52

Freya, you are up. We zerat on Zick.

SPEAKER_09 1:54:59

Oh no, what I was gonna do. I was gonna flick up your trap.

SPEAKER_22 1:55:02

Uh you're just ready your action for when they step in it.

SPEAKER_09 1:55:05

No, because I have cleave. I was gonna get both of them.

SPEAKER_05 1:55:07

I was just gonna run up and get both of them.

SPEAKER_10 1:55:09

Um jump over it, maybe.

SPEAKER_22 1:55:14

Kind of defeats the purpose of the trap.

SPEAKER_10 1:55:16

Push him into it.

SPEAKER_22 1:55:18

Um give you give advantage on the attacker, right? What? The attacker would get advantage on the trapped rat. No, it just can't move. Ah, okay. Uh, and it takes damage every turn. Got it. Um, theoretically you could jump over it and oops. And get them if you wanted.

SPEAKER_19 1:55:41

I'll leave that up to Freya.

SPEAKER_09 1:55:43

Yeah, but he did too much work putting his trap up.

SPEAKER_22 1:55:48

I mean, if it doesn't get used, then I can just reuse it.

SPEAKER_09 1:55:52

Okay.

unknown 1:55:53

That's true.

SPEAKER_09 1:55:54

Yeah, if I needed to jump.

SPEAKER_22 1:55:56

I just figured it would be a good way to make us only have to fight one at once.

SPEAKER_09 1:55:59

Yeah. Well, it still might run past me. Um. Yeah, if I do jump over that, what I need to make uh no.

SPEAKER_19 1:56:09

Some sort of you know where it is, you can see it. So you're able to just kind of hop over it.

SPEAKER_09 1:56:16

Hopefully they get scared by this and they run into your trap, but I'm gonna try something.

SPEAKER_03 1:56:22

I can't see you.

SPEAKER_09 1:56:26

I guess I was talking to you, Dorian. Um she is going to recklessly attack the rat in front of her.

SPEAKER_22 1:56:40

You have a great axe, so you are cleaving.

SPEAKER_10 1:56:44

It sounded like you said cleafing.

SPEAKER_22 1:56:47

Uh you are a guifing?

SPEAKER_08 1:56:50

What'd you roll? I rolled a one and a two, so that would be a six to hit.

SPEAKER_22 1:56:56

Sorry, no. It's going to miss.

unknown 1:56:58

Fuck. Fuck.

SPEAKER_22 1:57:01

Um does cleave only trigger if you hit the first one. Okay.

SPEAKER_08 1:57:09

Oh, fuck me. Okay, Sage or Disney.

SPEAKER_16 1:57:11

That's what you get for jumping over my trap.

SPEAKER_09 1:57:15

Um fuck. Why do I have two weapon fighting if I don't even use light weapons? Ah! Okay.

SPEAKER_22 1:57:23

Um I think well, it just comes. It just comes with it, yeah. Well, I think every character does.

SPEAKER_09 1:57:29

I'm here. Okay.

SPEAKER_22 1:57:31

Rats are going to uh Z rats bite ya. Biting. 16. Uh, the first one is going to hit.

SPEAKER_15 1:57:43

Okay.

SPEAKER_22 1:57:45

And the second one is also going to hit. Great. Two bites into yeah. 11 piercing damage.

SPEAKER_13 1:57:59

Mmm.

SPEAKER_22 1:58:01

If only there was some way to prevent two from attacking you at once. I rolled a one and a four. For damage? Yeah. Plus three to both of them. My goodness.

SPEAKER_11 1:58:14

Well.

SPEAKER_22 1:58:14

That could have been way worse. Uh all right. Okay. Dorian.

SPEAKER_10 1:58:20

Okay, longbow attack at the one on the left.

SPEAKER_19 1:58:26

My left?

SPEAKER_10 1:58:28

This one.

SPEAKER_22 1:58:30

That's my left. Yes. What? Okay.

SPEAKER_07 1:58:34

15 hits. Ah, yeah.

SPEAKER_22 1:58:37

Farmer class is 13. Um.

SPEAKER_07 1:58:41

Yes, my six was not gonna do. No, sorry.

SPEAKER_22 1:58:44

You were reckless, alright.

SPEAKER_07 1:58:46

Yeah, what next kill?

SPEAKER_22 1:58:49

Six damage?

SPEAKER_07 1:58:50

Yes.

SPEAKER_22 1:58:51

Okay, then he is on his last legs. Go ahead, what it waves.

SPEAKER_10 1:58:57

Okay, one bonus action which you take immediately after hitting a creature with a ranged weapon. Let me read this. Sorry. This is the first combat, so I'm like, I don't know what to do. Okay, well, Freya's within five feet, so I don't want to do that. Do what? Hail of Thorns.

SPEAKER_09 1:59:24

Um can I kindly request you don't do that? My ego and my body are Bruce.

SPEAKER_10 1:59:29

As a bonus action, though, I am gonna cast um a Zephyr strike on myself for my next attack. Okay. So I'll have advantage next time.

SPEAKER_17 1:59:39

Okay.

unknown 1:59:40

Ah.

SPEAKER_10 1:59:41

That's my turn.

unknown 1:59:42

Ah.

SPEAKER_17 1:59:43

Bren. Bren. With Freya.

SPEAKER_22 1:59:49

I hear Freya being attacked, and I go, oh, I guess she ignored my request.

SPEAKER_16 1:59:56

Oh.

SPEAKER_22 1:59:57

And I guess you can just move me easily. Uh I just want to get into a position where I can see them to shoot a firebolt. You can get right in front of Dorian.

SPEAKER_02 2:00:09

No. I'm going to run up to Dorian.

SPEAKER_22 2:00:18

No. Can I help her from there? Can I do the help action from there?

SPEAKER_14 2:00:23

Yes.

SPEAKER_22 2:00:23

Okay. Then I will go in and I'll reach around the corner.

SPEAKER_16 2:00:27

Uh Freya, uh, it's alright that you ignored my trap setup. I'm sorry.

SPEAKER_09 2:00:34

I'm sorry.

SPEAKER_22 2:00:34

You've got this, though.

SPEAKER_09 2:00:35

I'm sorry.

SPEAKER_22 2:00:36

And then I just start trying to distract the rats. I like start clapping like, hey, over here, over here. Sorry, it took me so long to decide on what I'm doing. No, no, you're fine. Uh okay, Freya.

SPEAKER_09 2:00:48

Okay, so he's helping me so I don't have to use Reckless, correct?

SPEAKER_22 2:00:51

Correct. For both attacks? Or no. Yep. You only have one right now.

SPEAKER_09 2:00:56

And they have one, but I can technically hit twice. Please.

SPEAKER_08 2:01:01

Thank God.

SPEAKER_09 2:01:03

Yeah, 22 to hit. Um, I'm gonna just real quick, see if I do get the other one.

SPEAKER_22 2:01:10

That's only advantage on the first one, by the way.

SPEAKER_09 2:01:12

Yeah. That was an H.

unknown 2:01:15

No.

SPEAKER_09 2:01:15

Back leave. Fine.

SPEAKER_22 2:01:17

Passes over the other one. Um, but this last rat. How do you want to do this with one HP left?

SPEAKER_09 2:01:27

She really um she's so embarrassed from whiffing it, ignoring her new friend's idea and being like, I I got this, and then just absolutely whiffing it. Um, she puts all of that embarrassment into her next swing, and you said the rat had one HP. Yeah, she does 10, so she just swings so fucking hard that she splits the rat in half.

SPEAKER_22 2:01:54

Splits the rat in half.

SPEAKER_09 2:01:56

And the back half fires into the river.

SPEAKER_22 2:01:58

Yes, both pieces go flying into the river.

SPEAKER_14 2:02:02

Hey, over here, over here, look over here! Oh!

SPEAKER_16 2:02:05

Oh right.

SPEAKER_22 2:02:10

Uh rat's going to bite, try and bite Freya. That is going to miss. Dorian, you're up. Random deck.

SPEAKER_10 2:02:21

Longbow with a bimage. Longbo. Yeah. That's a lot to hit.

SPEAKER_22 2:02:28

Okay, great.

SPEAKER_10 2:02:31

If anyone wants to know, it was a 25. Damn. Um.

SPEAKER_02 2:02:36

If anyone wants to know.

SPEAKER_10 2:02:38

Yeah, this is probably gonna kill it. Okay, so it's eight plus how do you want to do this? Yeah, okay.

SPEAKER_20 2:02:47

It has seven.

SPEAKER_10 2:02:49

It pushes it into the river. It the force is so strong from the zephyr attack or from the zephyr strike that it knocks it into the river.

SPEAKER_22 2:02:59

Okay. Your ball your arrow flies and somehow goes through the rat and pins it to the wall, and its lower half just kind of gross. Floating in the river.

SPEAKER_09 2:03:14

That was that was nasty. That was really cool. Yeah, that was really gross.

SPEAKER_10 2:03:19

Yeah, really cool.

SPEAKER_22 2:03:20

Well done.

SPEAKER_10 2:03:22

Okay, Brian?

SPEAKER_02 2:03:23

Sorry, there was the most gory thing I've ever seen.

SPEAKER_10 2:03:27

Yeah. Well, unfortunately, you're gonna have to get used to it. Got a little um Yeah. Um got a little upset.

SPEAKER_09 2:03:35

But we're good now.

SPEAKER_16 2:03:36

As a fan of dragons, I'm not looking forward to killing kobolds.

SPEAKER_09 2:03:40

But if that's what we have to do to save a town, then Would you want to capture one, like the Chowinga lady? Uh study it. Yeah.

SPEAKER_16 2:03:50

Uh no, they're it sounds a bit more cruel than death.

SPEAKER_10 2:03:54

Might be a little hard on you too to if you realize that it had friends, if it starts talking.

SPEAKER_16 2:03:59

Yep, that's what I'm thinking about.

SPEAKER_10 2:04:01

Yeah. Oh, yeah, I forgot that.

SPEAKER_22 2:04:03

Uh, I'm gonna look around the room and see if there's anything in here. There doesn't appear to be. This is a pretty empty place with naught but the river. Um you do see the river exits the cave through a two and a half foot wide fissure in the south, gaining speed as it moves through this narrow passage. Uh if you were to go into this river, especially Brenn, you would be swept away and dropped into the shaft and fall thousands of feet.

SPEAKER_10 2:04:46

Let's avoid that. Okay, where to next? Where to next?

SPEAKER_22 2:04:54

Uh, so you guys are there. So, yeah, you would not want to go towards the river, so you would want to head west and then south towards the next cavern.

unknown 2:05:08

Yeah.

SPEAKER_22 2:05:09

That is your next objective. Or the next uh area, I suppose. Um blah blah blah blah blah blah. Benches and tables are set up as workspaces in here where miners clean any gemstones that they find. Gravel and pebbles are strewn on the ground. Scattered across the floor are a few hammers, picks, and broken lanterns. Uh the miner their the tools are kind of thrown about the floor. Obviously, from the kobolds, these miners were very quick to just drop everything and leave. Um Yeah. Um check it out in here, keep going. I guess any sign of kobolds that we can find will lead us to where we need to go. Uh the tracks do continue. And who is who's searching the cave actively?

SPEAKER_08 2:06:13

I will.

SPEAKER_22 2:06:15

Um, I mean, might as well all do it, right? Yep. That's fine. Uh make a perception check.

SPEAKER_11 2:06:28

Nineteen.

SPEAKER_10 2:06:32

Freaking fat, dude. Twenty-three.

SPEAKER_22 2:06:36

All but one of the ability checks. You've been doing really well on eight.

SPEAKER_10 2:06:39

Thank you.

SPEAKER_08 2:06:41

Twenty-three.

SPEAKER_22 2:06:43

Uh the siblings, both of you at the same time, spot a small figurine of a dog carved out of rock. Two pebble-sized tourmalines for eyes.

SPEAKER_05 2:06:57

I saw it first.

SPEAKER_22 2:07:01

This, given the gems and its eyes and the skill, it's probably worth about 10 gold.

SPEAKER_09 2:07:07

Cute. That's really nice. I definitely saw it before you did, though. Oh. Well, you have this one. Thanks.

SPEAKER_22 2:07:12

As long as we give it back to whoever it was, they spent some time making it.

SPEAKER_09 2:07:16

Oh, I'm not.

SPEAKER_22 2:07:19

I wasn't gonna take it.

SPEAKER_09 2:07:21

I was just saying that I saw it before my brother did. I'll take it. That's all I care about. What if it's the guy who fell? Well, maybe we will stage it like we're giving it back. Well, yeah. That's how we can find out if he's alive or not be like, hey, we found your thing.

SPEAKER_16 2:07:36

Yeah, I'm I'm a little concerned that he's behind all of this.

SPEAKER_09 2:07:41

I know I said this before, but Well, because it seems weird that like a miner would fall down the the central, the main shaft, like you don't know it's there. He could have been posed.

SPEAKER_02 2:07:50

And then right before the whole kobold thing started.

SPEAKER_09 2:07:53

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 2:07:54

I don't know.

SPEAKER_22 2:07:55

Just weird timing.

SPEAKER_09 2:07:56

What if what if he was like three trobalds in a trench coat?

SPEAKER_22 2:08:00

That's so funny because that is some of the actual art on the in the book. Not to do with the mines, it's just like it's three kobolds in a trench coat, like just in an alleyway, looking sneakily. It's so funny.

SPEAKER_10 2:08:13

That's so funny.

SPEAKER_22 2:08:14

Uh just saying if you like that. Okay, so as you continue towards this next uh area, this is the central shaft. And you see on the other side of uh the wooden the like bridge type thing there, you can see the river flowing into a waterfall. Um this is the yeah, this is the central shaft. Wooden planks and struts form a walkway along the wall of a seemingly bottomless vertical shaft. Stop it.

SPEAKER_10 2:08:54

Why would you look right at me?

SPEAKER_22 2:08:56

You looked right at Lily with the thing! A narrow waterfall.

SPEAKER_10 2:09:04

That was a good one. Come on, guys, it's a good one.

SPEAKER_22 2:09:14

Um, because of this loud waterfall, you guys must. I mean, you you're gonna have to yell if you want to talk to each other. Um but yeah.

SPEAKER_10 2:09:25

Or we can use sign language.

SPEAKER_02 2:09:28

I think I think we use a rope again, just in case any of us falls.

SPEAKER_16 2:09:36

The others won't the others can catch us. I was going uh god, I knew I should have done this. I was going to try to learn a spell called featherfall. Uh that would have helped us a ton here. Would have maybe saved our lives, but I think as long as we go one by one, uh hold on to ropes. Then I I mean I know that I know that the two of you can hold me, that's for sure. And I'd hope that me combined with another one of you can hold the other one of you. Just in case anyone slips.

SPEAKER_10 2:10:12

Bray can hold me. Ugh. I like to think that they do like the sibling, like, I don't know.

SPEAKER_16 2:10:21

My mage hand can help us with ten extra pounds. It's not very strong.

SPEAKER_10 2:10:27

Okay, like me and my siblings when we were little, one of us would like put our feet up, laying down, and then the other sibling would try and balance. I just like to think that Fry and Dorian have tried to do stupid shit like that.

SPEAKER_09 2:10:39

Oh, yeah, for sure.

SPEAKER_10 2:10:40

And they know their strengths. Yeah.

SPEAKER_22 2:10:42

Uh you all have dark vision, right? Yeah. Uh you can see we also have my mage hand with the 120 feet, remember. What do you do with your mage hand? It it's carrying the torch ahead of us. Ahead of you, just straight ahead. Yeah, like a 20 feet in front of us, maybe. Okay. Um was I uh you can see more walkways attached to the northwest side of the shaft 30 feet farther down, seemingly the next level down. Uh do you walk across then?

SPEAKER_08 2:11:21

Yeah.

SPEAKER_22 2:11:22

Okay. It seems pretty seems pretty safe right now. And then you get to the bucket lift. A wooden pulley system has been constructed around a large hole in the floor. A bucket big enough to hold a humanoid is held up by a thick rope. Three alcos next to the lift contain wooden boards and mining equipment. Uh this is obviously designed to hoist miners and ore between the first two levels. You can tell. Um there's a crank that controls it. Um the pulley system. It can hold uh the buckets big enough for a medium creature or two small creatures at a time. Using my knowledge as an artificer and gnome, I'd like to inspect the uh uh the build quality on this thing. Sure, yeah. On the bucket lift? Yeah. Okay. Um make an investigation check for me. That's what that would be, right? I would say. Nine. Um you kind of you look around it, you look at it more closely, you kind of take your little hammer and things look pretty stable. Uh miners obviously regularly use this. They had only been driven out recently so it's still in pretty good shape. Doesn't seem like it was sabotaged at all. The only thing is we can only go up one at a time.

SPEAKER_02 2:13:02

Um who wants to go first?

SPEAKER_10 2:13:07

Maybe it should be me, you and then Freya.

SPEAKER_09 2:13:11

I can fight anything up there. Then if anything else pops out here annoyed then I'm here.

SPEAKER_16 2:13:17

Okay. That's that's fine with me.

SPEAKER_22 2:13:21

Okay, okay do we have to hoist him up? Get in the bucket or you'll have to yeah you'll have to have him come down. Yeah.

SPEAKER_10 2:13:32

Uh uh can I do it stealthily? Can I like attempt to be stealthy when I get up there?

SPEAKER_22 2:13:39

When you get down there? Yeah. That's what I meant yes. Mm-hmm. You can be stealthy. Go ahead and uh as you're cranking the mechanism um the mechanism creaks as the bucket lift ascends to the floor of a small cave where two dusty tunnels lead in opposite directions for me.

SPEAKER_10 2:14:09

Oh that was a natural twenty what rolled a natural twenty I rolled it before I said make a check? I was gonna it was my stealth check.

SPEAKER_22 2:14:20

Oh your stealth check oh okay okay yeah yeah yeah you are that's really good for you you're unseen uh okay now you're gonna make a survival check yes please I can't read these 17 perfect uh you can determine that a lot of cobalt traffic leads to and from uh leads to and comes from the west a single set of cobalt footprints leads to the east but no tracks coming from okay wow so yeah to the west is where more who's putting them out of squares I put them on the edge so many kobold tracks lead to and from that area one from the east uh or I guess we lost our compass north how are we gonna find our way would uh be yeah nothing returns no cobold tracks come from that area but they do lead to it would you like to do anything or wait till the rest come down I will wait until the rest come down okay the rest of you uh Bren you Freya you're strong you find you can you can pick him up you can carry him like a princess if you want and you'll be able to get down in one okay so it's just a size thing not really a weight thing yeah um she kind of has the realization as she watches Dorian descend she goes um what are your thoughts on being hoisted I'd rather go one by one okay I know people get a look in their eyes when they want to lift me it's not that I want it's not that I want to I just thought that it would be faster but if you're more comfortable going one by one I am perfectly fine with that yeah okay I could though I'm just saying I'm throwing it out there that I could I understand I only weigh 40 pounds or so that's insane I only weigh 90s I mean I have I have quite a bit of stuff on me so I know if you want to go thick cold weather gear and I mean I have been balking up a little lately so maybe I haven't weighed myself in a while. Okay Brent you can go by yourself you don't have to sell me on it all right uh I'll go next okay you land you land next to Dorian um you are also free to make a perception or survival check as well okay Dorian do you relay my old for track bits of kiars tracking information to brand that is a natural twenty for a twenty two I can see clearly thou deeper in the mine you smell something Dorian did you oh that was not me it smells it smells dead and it's coming from the north you have dark vision up to how much sixty feet and I also have my mage hand with the flame the torch in the darkness you are able to see an otherworldly creature God it looks like a it looks like it has the head it's made up of a brain and in the front is a beak a large beak and from its head many tendrils on the floor you see what you smelled the dead body of several days of a minor crushed from a fall it is being touched by these tendrils it is trying its best to stay hidden but it sees that you notice it and shrieks Dorian and zooms a monster you realize this is the body of the miner that died a few days ago Dorian I was wrong about the it doesn't matter now a monster roll initiative yeah do I hear that from up on the end you it echoes through the walls this shriek.

SPEAKER_09 2:19:37

Okay how quickly can I get down the bucket thing?

SPEAKER_22 2:19:41

Uh that's a good question That's a really weird situation what would uh what would our veteran DM say it doesn't mention an amount of time that it takes it doesn't really know uh how far is Oh I'm sorry it uh it's 15 feet further down level two is fifteen feet below level one yes I would say round okay sorry for you that's okay roll initiative I get an eight sixteen okay eight sixteen for you oh shit I I went I now it's my turn to do impalders gate I was thinking like I'm not in the fight yet so my initiative is you can just wander around the whole cave what'd you get for a total of only is holding up a natural one for a total of three total of three okay that is that's great you get your hand wrapped around the rope with pulley system she's yeah she hears she hears that noise and is too like it's just too shishly with it very high this is a grell oh I was thinking it was an intellect devourer uh it's big I also thought originally but the tendrils changed my mind yeah it's got long tendrils big huh show you a picture and this is holding the body of a miner oh shit it can fly terrifying it's kind of floating it does float okay hunting trap is out hate that absolutely hate that uh yeah it's it has a speed of 10 feet but a fly speed of uh 30 okay Dorian with Brandon deck hunter's mark he's now my quarry now you're quarry even though it's not my turn uh could I say uh could I ask Dorian if he wants to take the net that I had yes I'll allow it Dorian I have a net if you think that would be more useful than pure attack.

SPEAKER_10 2:22:17

I have slow can reduce its speed.

SPEAKER_22 2:22:21

Okay I just know that we're without Freya now you hear 15 feet above you fucking goddamn stuck in the goddamn rip you're alright Freya you'll get here I keep going British you do Lily and I are struggling with eleven to hit just misses Damn it block my door get behind me I'll step in front of him Dorian Yeah you have heard about a creature that looks like this being from the underdark oh okay it definitely came up through the central shaft from the underdark in search of food and it found it uh yes Brenn your turn uh seeing Dorian peek around and fire a shot uh not taking my net I'm gonna go well I guess I can use it uh I'm gonna run around in front of Brent or in front of Dorian uh and I'm gonna throw the net trying to capture the Grick right is that what you said grel uh it needs to make a DC twelve dexterity saving throw or have the restrained condition. Uh-huh twelve you say that's a five let's go okay it cannot move okay great attacks against it ha are rolled with advantage and its attacks are rolled with disadvantage also has disadvantage on dexterity saving throws okay let me find my grappled same here or not grappled restrained and does this this net doesn't knock it prone or anything correct it's just restrained uh it is just restrained um yeah okay is that your turn uh I'm going to throw the net uh I'm gonna say best of luck Dordan and I'm gonna run back I'm going to get Freya and I'm gonna run back uh five to fifty alright that's my turn terrifying that you're using Vecna for this well it's got tendrils the Vecna Mini uh okay nobody is within ten feet of it and it can't move great you guys so uh can it attempt to break out on its turn to escape the target or creature or a creature within five feet of it must take an action to make a DC 10 athletics check. Athletics is that that's strength or decks? That is strength. Okay. It can also try to destroy the net it has an AC of 10 and 5 hit points but immunity to bludgeon poison and psychic damage. So you can either I attack it or make a DC 10 strength check. It tries to chew its way through this net and succeeds. Does this have what does the net have hit points? Five hit points five hit points AC of 10 let me just through this net I hear it even though I'm around the corner I hear that happen I'm like well that at least it slowed up for a second. Choose through breaks free and uh can it use its movement uh from doing that I think that was its that was its whole turn let me see because if it does that before it uses movement then maybe yeah uh it might be I gotta see if it's at the end of its turn or if it's just as an action um it can use its movement. Okay it is gunning it for Dorian great and uh will stay within uh it'll go five feet in front of Dorian Freya you spend your round getting down and you can use uh you'll land right next to uh Bren.

SPEAKER_08 2:27:23

What the hell is that thing?

SPEAKER_10 2:27:25

It's a grell okay from the Underdog exit again uh Dorian you are up with Bren on deck okay I'm going to hit him with my longbow this will be a disadvantage of course it is cool that's good nineteen yes that will for sure great perfect so that's six piercing damage and then with my hunter's mark it's an extra d6 it's an extra three and it's now slowed okay so its speed is reduced by ten feet that'll really help I know I know that's the thing with the certain masteries like are obsolete.

SPEAKER_22 2:28:28

Uh Bren uh I will shuffle my way through Freya's legs and through uh Dorian's legs.

SPEAKER_02 2:28:38

Excuse me excuse me excuse me and then I will go up to this monster and say sleep.

SPEAKER_22 2:28:54

Oh it's wisdom sucks uh that will be a DC 13 wisdom save okay eight it fails great perfect um it uh currently has the incapacitated condition until the end of its next turn at which point it will repeat the save. Okay. If it fails it will have the unconscious condition. So is okay is that your true turn uh do you have bonus actions?

SPEAKER_02 2:29:29

I'm gonna move back uh into my little corner and go as I'm going under their legs.

SPEAKER_22 2:29:36

It's it's not fully asleep yet um don't hurt it until it is ready some actions uh see if it falls asleep and then we can attack it okay the grell is up so this is uh to determine if it's fully asleep right wisdom save again that's a zero a five let's go uh it is sleep it has the unconscious condition um we just need to decide who's gonna do the crit Freya yeah I thought so now as a reminder for crits I made a house rule when you hit critically you obviously double your damage dice but to make the critical hit feel a little bit more substantial one of your damage dice will be its max number and you will roll the second one.

SPEAKER_09 2:30:47

Uh Freya you are up okay um if it's unconscious is the do I have advantage?

SPEAKER_22 2:30:57

Because it's not all just reckless attack to make sure I'm you but you do have advantage okay it cannot go prone so it's kind of just floating there asleep. But you will have advantage because it is asleep yes I think you have to move through its space which you can do because it's unconscious to back here enable yeah or else you won't be able to reach it.

SPEAKER_08 2:31:22

Oh fallen.

SPEAKER_22 2:31:24

So you kind of weave through its paralyzing tendrils.

SPEAKER_09 2:31:29

Yeah as she's weaving through she's like this thing is fucking disgusting it smells awful smells like never mind but it smells like butt and warm mayonnaise horrible do you see why my family moved up here yes I think our family go ahead and roll its armor class is 12 you have an advantage I know I'm rolling one at a time just to see why fucking I'm just 13 okay that is a critical hit 20 slashing.

SPEAKER_22 2:32:21

Wow okay nice so that was your you have a great axe right so that's 12 plus whatever you rolled plus your modifier guys hold on I don't think so either no I did I did it right so you you have I rolled a five on my other 12 plus three so eight twelve yeah so 20 okay it is now bloody it is also now awake is also now awake Dorian Brown on deck um I will hit it with my longbow again but I'm close to it. Now that it's awake it can take opportunity attacks on me yes okay yes it's I will eat the disadvantage then okay seventeen hits it's mostly flesh fourteen fourteen damage yes wow you got that critical hit really helped you uh it is hurting Baran you're up with the growl on deck um you've got it from here guys and uh I'm going to Do the help action again, trying to. Oh. Yeah. I guess can you only help people like within five feet of you or how um you momentarily momentarily distractily momentarily distract an enemy within five feet of you given the next attack? Oh, an enemy within five feet. Okay. So you will have to be within five feet of him. I'm gonna uh yeah, scoot around. Mm-hmm. Occupy Dorian's face for a second. Okay. Use the help action. Okay. And then run back.

SPEAKER_16 2:34:43

Hey, over here, over here. Remember the one that made you sleep? Pay attention to me, not the one over there. Pay attention to me.

SPEAKER_22 2:34:50

Okay. It is going to attack the one that's a little hurt, which is Freya. And it did just smack the shit out of it. It's going to make a beak attack and a paralyzing tentacle. Lovely.

SPEAKER_09 2:35:09

Jesus. Great. Love that formation.

SPEAKER_22 2:35:12

Ooh. That's going to miss. Thank God. The paralyzing tentacle. Damn. It's also going to miss. Fuck. It was so distracted. You're welcome, Fred. Yeah, you're up.

SPEAKER_09 2:35:29

Thank you. So you're giving me the help action, yeah?

SPEAKER_22 2:35:32

Mm-hmm.

unknown 2:35:33

Oh man.

SPEAKER_22 2:35:35

Would it. It would have.

SPEAKER_09 2:35:36

I thought you gave it to me.

SPEAKER_22 2:35:38

I gave it. I I am distracting the enemy.

SPEAKER_09 2:35:41

Another 13 to hit.

SPEAKER_22 2:35:43

Just hit or not just hits. It hits a little bit extra. Because it's summer classes. It hits with a cherry on top.

SPEAKER_06 2:35:53

It's cocked.

SPEAKER_22 2:35:55

Can't you roll max?

SPEAKER_09 2:36:00

15 slashing.

SPEAKER_22 2:36:01

Let's go! How do you want to do this?

SPEAKER_09 2:36:05

It tries to like reach out its tentacle at her and she swings and cut like swings in a way that she cuts the tentacle and then cuts up into the head of the thing.

SPEAKER_22 2:36:22

And it falls lifeless on the ground.

SPEAKER_11 2:36:26

Ew.

SPEAKER_22 2:36:27

The real monster of the mines has been slayed.

SPEAKER_10 2:36:31

The real monster?

SPEAKER_16 2:36:35

So I was wrong about that uh fella over there. The one that you're standing right next to, Freddie.

SPEAKER_09 2:36:41

What are you talking about? Oh my god. Can I look at his face?

SPEAKER_22 2:36:48

If he has a face still. Yes, you can. It's yeah, go ahead.

SPEAKER_10 2:36:53

How would I do that?

SPEAKER_22 2:36:55

You can make a medicine check. He's yeah, he kind of did fall down a mineshaft.

SPEAKER_10 2:37:02

Ten.

SPEAKER_22 2:37:05

He's a bit too worse for wear to determine. You're not sure who, but he's he's definitely been working for a while. Um, but he must have slipped. Uh okay. So where are we now? I think we are at eight. Maybe the miners are best to deal with it seeing as they have his friend.

SPEAKER_19 2:37:33

Yeah.

SPEAKER_22 2:37:34

Yeah, he is dead. Just warn them that he is right here.

SPEAKER_06 2:37:40

Yeah.

SPEAKER_22 2:37:42

Something to worry about another time. I do want to investigate this room. This room? Yeah, this one over here. This well, uh, it is all one room. It kind of like slopes up. Uh this was definitely where the grell is just like its layer. Yeah, it's just its layer. Okay. Um so some bones, viscera, like viscera.

SPEAKER_04 2:38:09

Pardon the viscera.

SPEAKER_09 2:38:10

What do we think about um pushing it down the hole?

SPEAKER_22 2:38:15

Um, I think you'd want to be buried. Oh, the grip, the grell, sorry. Yes, friend. Jesus. He's already dead.

SPEAKER_09 2:38:23

You're uh I'm not that I just sound like this.

SPEAKER_10 2:38:26

I'm not that hardless. When you say, what do you think about pushing him down the shaft? Ah, Dorian's already doing it. Nice. Yeah.

unknown 2:38:34

Great.

SPEAKER_22 2:38:34

It will help. You push him down successfully.

SPEAKER_09 2:38:38

There we go.

SPEAKER_22 2:38:41

Uh thing was gross. Dorian, you remember the tracks. Uh, and you look down and they lead south and then uh east. Okay. If you want to continue following the cobalt.

SPEAKER_10 2:38:59

Yes. In the words of my friend's kid, west.

SPEAKER_19 2:39:03

If you want to move yourselves in that space there into the room. Yep.

SPEAKER_22 2:39:09

You do that.

SPEAKER_10 2:39:11

My arms are not long enough.

SPEAKER_22 2:39:14

Marching order.

SPEAKER_10 2:39:15

I'm working most I'm working most with the bees to push things.

SPEAKER_22 2:39:19

Uh as you enter this room, a table and chairs are set up in this air to create a space for the miners to take breaks. On top of the table, two kobolds are poking a giant rat with their javelins to make sure it's dead.

SPEAKER_10 2:39:34

Of course.

SPEAKER_22 2:39:35

They turn around at the footsteps as they see you. They uh rush to attack you.

SPEAKER_10 2:39:46

Okay.

SPEAKER_22 2:39:47

I guess we're are we rolling an issue, or can we do it? Okay. Yep.

SPEAKER_09 2:39:51

Hey. She was like mid sheathing her great axe, like putting it back on her back, and she goes, Oh fuck. Pulls it back out.

unknown 2:40:05

Oh!

SPEAKER_10 2:40:07

Do you roll another nat one? That's fucking insane. Put him in your mouth. No one's gonna.

SPEAKER_22 2:40:13

Good lord. What is it? Total of, well, actually. Three. I guess a one. I don't know. If you roll nat one on initiative, I think that's a one. But uh, we'll do three. Uh then both of you got ten?

SPEAKER_10 2:40:25

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_22 2:40:34

Well, they got more. The kobolds are up first. They rush in to attack you with their javelins. Uh Braya, you're right there. Oh fuck.

SPEAKER_05 2:40:53

What?

SPEAKER_22 2:40:54

You're not gonna believe this. That's a natural 20. Oh god.

SPEAKER_09 2:40:59

Well, I'm going down.

SPEAKER_22 2:41:00

Can we get minis on the board? Oh, whoops. Yes, yeah, sorry. You have two in front of you. Oh yeah. Can you put that light?

SPEAKER_04 2:41:11

Yeah, they're right.

SPEAKER_22 2:41:12

Yeah. Uh, so the first one. Well, they kind of take their turn simultaneously.

SPEAKER_09 2:41:18

I'm probably going down.

SPEAKER_22 2:41:21

Uh so they have javelins up. One piercing damage.

SPEAKER_06 2:41:32

Oh. Okay. No!

SPEAKER_22 2:41:35

She like raises too much.

SPEAKER_11 2:41:37

Then she's like, oh.

SPEAKER_22 2:41:39

Uh next one.

SPEAKER_11 2:41:41

That's embarrassing.

SPEAKER_22 2:41:42

Is going to miss.

SPEAKER_09 2:41:46

That was not a crit. A crit was one damage?

SPEAKER_22 2:41:50

2d6. I rolled a one and a two. Oh no, I didn't. Hold on. Uh I rolled a six and a one. So seven minus two is five.

SPEAKER_15 2:42:02

Okay.

SPEAKER_22 2:42:03

Why minus? It has a minus to its javelin. It has a minus to its javelin. That's crazy.

SPEAKER_09 2:42:10

Okay. I'm at nine hit points.

SPEAKER_22 2:42:11

So instead of one, you took five. Yes. Okay. Bran, you're up. Okay. This one has a dagger.

SPEAKER_04 2:42:23

This one has a dagger.

SPEAKER_22 2:42:26

Uh I am going to. Or I'm sorry, no. Both of them. Both of them are still holding their javelins. They are surprised. Okay. Uh I'm going to cast sleep again. Uh fuck doesn't mean. Okay. On both of them. Uh Wisdom 13 save.

SPEAKER_10 2:42:49

How many collective hit points is it?

SPEAKER_22 2:42:51

That was 2014.

SPEAKER_10 2:42:54

Thank God. That was the worst.

SPEAKER_22 2:42:55

Alright. They are both incapacitated. Yep. Same same rules apply. Try not to attack them.

SPEAKER_09 2:43:01

She'll just throw up a thumbs up behind her back.

SPEAKER_22 2:43:04

Okay. Dorian.

SPEAKER_10 2:43:06

Yeah. Um. You can Did you want me to hold that?

SPEAKER_22 2:43:10

Or yeah, wait until they're fully unconscious.

SPEAKER_10 2:43:12

Okay. I will hold it until you can move through if you don't want to be in this corridor. I'm fine here.

unknown 2:43:23

Okay.

SPEAKER_22 2:43:23

Freya. Oh, go sorry.

SPEAKER_10 2:43:25

Can I put a hunter's mark on him?

SPEAKER_22 2:43:29

Yeah.

SPEAKER_10 2:43:29

Without it like disturbing him.

SPEAKER_22 2:43:31

It won't wake up. Yeah. You're good. It's just if it takes damage.

SPEAKER_10 2:43:35

Okay. Yeah, I'll hunter's mark.

SPEAKER_22 2:43:39

Alright. Freya. Are you skipping your turn or can you do something? Okay. Already in action.

SPEAKER_10 2:43:46

I have one more question. I'm sorry.

SPEAKER_22 2:43:47

Yeah.

SPEAKER_10 2:43:49

If I had Hunter's Mark on the growl and it's been less than a minute, am I able to just put it on him? Or does that end after combat?

SPEAKER_22 2:43:59

It is a bonus action to move the tark, to move the hunter's mark.

SPEAKER_10 2:44:03

Okay.

SPEAKER_22 2:44:04

But you don't have to cast it again if it's been within the time limit.

SPEAKER_10 2:44:07

Has it been within?

SPEAKER_22 2:44:08

Yeah. Yeah. Okay.

SPEAKER_10 2:44:09

Well then I will save my charge. Yeah, yeah. Save your charge. Alright. Can I say I did that then? Okay, cool. Really wish Orion had Hunter's Mark.

SPEAKER_22 2:44:25

Are you just readying?

SPEAKER_10 2:44:27

Um.

SPEAKER_09 2:44:29

Yeah, once they well, if they end up failing the save again and are asleep, or if they snap themselves out of it, either way, I'm readying a great X swing.

SPEAKER_19 2:44:42

Okay. First one.

SPEAKER_22 2:44:46

Sleep. Second one. Sleep. Excellent. Bam! With a four and a six with a minus one. Uh, Bren, what would you like to do? Uh, I would like to. I'm gonna move through and cast Minor Illusion to hide myself uh under a rock. Classic!

SPEAKER_09 2:45:12

Nice uh all right.

SPEAKER_22 2:45:13

Uh I don't think you'll need me anymore.

SPEAKER_09 2:45:16

Oh shit, Dorian, ready to go. He was right there. I wasn't I wasn't looking.

SPEAKER_22 2:45:23

Uh Dorian, you will have advantage on I'm assuming you want to hit the Hunter's Mark one.

SPEAKER_10 2:45:29

Yeah, if he's asleep, isn't it just a crit?

SPEAKER_22 2:45:32

If you hit it's it's it's only if it's a melee. So you just have to get within five feet of him. Or yeah, if the attacker is within five feet through. So it doesn't need to be melee, it just needs to be five feet. Yep, good card. Perfect.

SPEAKER_19 2:45:47

So you'll have advantage on this.

SPEAKER_10 2:45:53

Yeah, that's a 26.

SPEAKER_22 2:45:55

Jesus.

SPEAKER_10 2:45:56

Does that double the hunter's mark damage?

SPEAKER_22 2:45:58

It does. All it does.

SPEAKER_10 2:46:00

So one of them is a six already.

SPEAKER_22 2:46:02

So one of them is a six already, and then your longbow damage, one of them is an eight.

SPEAKER_09 2:46:07

Okay, so so already 14. Yep.

SPEAKER_22 2:46:11

I'm honestly surprised it has more than 14 HP.

SPEAKER_10 2:46:23

Um, 24.

SPEAKER_21 2:46:25

Jesus. Let's go.

SPEAKER_22 2:46:28

Uh yeah. Just how do you want to do this? Um, just headshot, just like sleeping cobalt. Uh would you like Mark bonus action move your hunters mark? There you go.

SPEAKER_13 2:46:49

Thanks, guys. Thanks for reminding me.

SPEAKER_22 2:46:52

Uh probably won't need it. No. Uh Freya.

SPEAKER_14 2:46:55

Yep.

SPEAKER_22 2:46:56

Well, Freya had the ready to action, right?

SPEAKER_14 2:46:58

Uh yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_22 2:47:01

So go ahead. Hit that bitch.

SPEAKER_09 2:47:10

Eleven?

SPEAKER_22 2:47:11

No. With advantage?

SPEAKER_09 2:47:13

Yeah, I rolled a five and a six. Oh.

SPEAKER_22 2:47:15

That will miss, unfortunately. But it doesn't wake it up because it didn't get hit. It's true. Okay. Any bonus actions you have for? Oh. Okay. Uh so it stays asleep. It stays asleep. And it's her turn now, so she gets another attack. It is your turn now, yes. Redemption. 14.

SPEAKER_10 2:47:36

Please.

SPEAKER_09 2:47:43

I keep rolling within one of each other's.

SPEAKER_22 2:47:46

Everybody needs glow in the dark dice. I need ones. I need the light.

SPEAKER_09 2:47:50

Um, yeah, I keep rolling within one of each other's. 12 and a 13, so that is an 18 to hit.

SPEAKER_18 2:47:57

Yes.

SPEAKER_09 2:47:57

So 12.

SPEAKER_22 2:47:59

Quiddle.

SPEAKER_09 2:48:01

18.

SPEAKER_22 2:48:02

You don't double your modifiers.

SPEAKER_09 2:48:04

I know.

SPEAKER_22 2:48:05

Okay.

SPEAKER_09 2:48:06

I'm just my brain stopped working. 21.

SPEAKER_22 2:48:12

Enough to kill them both twice over. Let's go.

SPEAKER_09 2:48:15

She swings once and absolutely whiffs it and is like, I'm really glad Bren isn't here to see this. And then she just swings again and just like head off.

SPEAKER_22 2:48:26

Uh, I pop out of my illusion rock.

SPEAKER_16 2:48:29

Great job, team.

SPEAKER_09 2:48:31

Oh shit, that's nice. Interesting.

SPEAKER_16 2:48:33

I figured I would be more upset because I figured we would have a conversation before we killed them, but they saw us and just immediately ran at us. So I don't feel bad.

SPEAKER_22 2:48:43

It also wasn't quite as gory as the rats. They did look scared.

SPEAKER_09 2:48:47

Yeah.

SPEAKER_22 2:48:47

They looked dauntled. I was going to speak with them. I know the mother tongue, so.

SPEAKER_09 2:48:52

You do?

SPEAKER_22 2:48:54

Yes. And I start speaking draconic. Damn.

SPEAKER_10 2:49:00

Huh. Dorian. Maybe there's more down here. Dorian, I think I'm a little afraid of him now. I like him.

SPEAKER_21 2:49:07

I told you I liked just this little guy.

SPEAKER_22 2:49:08

Dragons. I told you like dragons, they're they're they're really freaking cool, right?

SPEAKER_10 2:49:18

They are cool, really. Yeah, these little They're just kind of, you know.

SPEAKER_02 2:49:23

Pardon my language, but bitch cousins of dragons are not as cool. Bitch cousins of dragons.

SPEAKER_10 2:49:29

You are correct.

SPEAKER_22 2:49:32

Okay. Uh the tunnel is the south here that will lead to level three.

SPEAKER_10 2:49:42

Yeah, we all do.

SPEAKER_22 2:49:43

Uh the tunnel's downward slope ends where it opens onto the center shaft. A wooden walkway extends from this opening and then runs westward to another tunnel in the rock. In front of you, a large bucket, a large bucket like the one you saw earlier dangles from a taut rope that stretches stretches southward across the shaft and is connected to another wooden platform 15 feet away. As you guys look around and look up at the other levels you could see from when you were above, the same walkway that you were on initially, 30 feet up, two kobolds are sawing at the planks. They don't notice you, obviously.

SPEAKER_11 2:50:34

Dorian, I have my crossbow.

SPEAKER_22 2:50:36

These planks would, if they were to be sawed off, would kill us. They need uh you can tell that these little guys aren't very strong. It would take another day of them sawing for the walkway to become unsafe. Well if you weigh more than two kobolds, the walkway will crumble. But they need a lot more time to and a lot more need a lot more work to do and things to saw through.

SPEAKER_10 2:51:05

How much longer do I have on Hunter's mark?

SPEAKER_22 2:51:09

Uh yeah, I would say it's at the tail end.

SPEAKER_11 2:51:15

I have my crossbow. Do we do we let them have their fun or do we kill them?

SPEAKER_22 2:51:19

They're they're what 30 feet above us? They are la la la la la.

SPEAKER_19 2:51:26

Yes.

SPEAKER_10 2:51:27

Brent, now's your chance. I'm gonna ready an action though, in case they already now's your chance to talk to them.

SPEAKER_16 2:51:36

Yeah, I'll ready my crossbow as well.

SPEAKER_05 2:51:38

She's like, Yep, get your words in.

SPEAKER_02 2:51:42

Uh all right.

SPEAKER_05 2:51:44

Um we're flanking you on either side, just pointing our big fucking boats up at these things.

SPEAKER_22 2:51:51

Remember, this is also next to a waterfall, so they might not be able to hear you. Okay.

SPEAKER_06 2:52:00

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 2:52:01

Uh maybe we just if it's gonna take them a while, maybe we just let them keep going and get them when we come back?

SPEAKER_22 2:52:12

If they're not gonna notice us.

SPEAKER_08 2:52:15

Might as well, I guess. Fair. Yeah.

SPEAKER_22 2:52:19

Do we think if we continued like based on like visually, like, would they see us if we like continued without engaging with them? They probably would. Okay.

SPEAKER_02 2:52:30

Uh then maybe not. Um I think we shoot on this. They're 30 feet away.

SPEAKER_09 2:52:39

Say the word soup numb.

SPEAKER_22 2:52:42

That's not my new roll initially. If you would like to shoot or not, just let me know. Since they're kind of hanging on the underside of this walkway. I guess I'll try.

SPEAKER_10 2:52:56

We'll probably have disadvantage too.

SPEAKER_22 2:52:58

Uh in the draconic. Hello, friends! They do not hear you. The water is too loud. I will send my mage hand which with the torch to kind of I'll send it past them and draw kind of draw their eyes towards us.

SPEAKER_02 2:53:30

And I'll uh maybe you should tuck away for right now.

SPEAKER_22 2:53:35

Uh and I'll I'll be down there just kind of waving like hello, hello. You see and I'll I can minor while that's happening, I'll minor illusion um Indraconic hello friends in front of me.

unknown 2:53:51

Okay.

SPEAKER_22 2:53:53

Um there's two of them. So you see one notices the torch, and he you see him look really surprised, and in his surprise, he loses his grip and falls all the way down the shaft. The other one is in shock. And you can hear his screams, uh, he sees you, climbs down, and a couple minutes pass, and you hear these footsteps, points at you.

SPEAKER_14 2:54:37

Hey! You distracted my friend!

SPEAKER_02 2:54:40

I am so unbelievably sorry. I I don't know if you saw my message, but I was trying to greet you. Uh this is all indraconic. Yeah. I was trying to greet you. Uh I I have been looking for you for for quite some time. Cobolds in general. Oh!

SPEAKER_20 2:55:05

Yes. He's got wings like a dragon.

SPEAKER_16 2:55:11

That is so perfect. I've I'm actually an author. I'm I'm writing a book on uh dragons and dragonkind, focusing on the overlooked sort of branches of the family, which unfortunately uh tends to be cobolds and and people like your friend Trex.

SPEAKER_02 2:55:40

I would love to speak with him, if I could. Mmm and speak with you, of course. Again, very sorry about your friend.

SPEAKER_22 2:55:49

It's okay.

SPEAKER_20 2:55:53

Uh yes, yes, come with me. We meet Trex. Trex is smart, he speaks like Like a human who knows lots. He doesn't speak dragon no more.

SPEAKER_10 2:56:04

My god, does he have the headband of intellect?

SPEAKER_17 2:56:11

Trex says minors wants their mind back. Trex wants something better in return.

SPEAKER_22 2:56:19

I'd that sounds like a great story from my book. Come, come. We meet Trex. Let's go. And I will um motion for you guys to come, but quietly.

SPEAKER_10 2:56:31

I know. Okay. You just kind of remind me of Volo.

SPEAKER_08 2:56:36

Oh my goodness.

SPEAKER_05 2:56:38

I'm writing a book. I was like, Jesus.

SPEAKER_02 2:56:42

So Trex, um as we're going, Trex, tell me a bit about him. Uh how did you come to meet?

SPEAKER_17 2:56:50

He became smart. All of a sudden. And he put wings on himself like a dragon. He knows so much.

SPEAKER_22 2:57:04

He doesn't even speak our language anymore.

SPEAKER_16 2:57:09

That is fascinating, and I I can't believe the luck that has fallen into my lap to write a book about this wonder of your species.

SPEAKER_22 2:57:21

Yes, you will, of course, be credited heavily. Yes, yes. My name is Puck. I just had it.

SPEAKER_08 2:57:27

My name is My name is Puck.

SPEAKER_22 2:57:31

It sounds much m more beautiful in the mother tongue. My name is Vat.

SPEAKER_16 2:57:40

Vat!

SPEAKER_22 2:57:42

Can you spell that for me?

SPEAKER_02 2:57:43

V-A-T. Vat. Yes, I I I thought so. Uh great.

SPEAKER_16 2:57:48

Um, do you think that Trex would appreciate me uh entering his lair to write this book about him?

SPEAKER_22 2:58:00

Yes, I think so. Yes, I think so. Let's go, let's go. All right, I'm right right with him. Uh as you travel through these tunnels, lurking in this dusty tunnel, are three skittish kobolds. One of them carries a threadbare satchel and wears a fake pair of dragon wings made of thin wood and tattered white cloth. This kobold immediately raises its hands in surrender, saying in common, Ugh we mean you no harm. Please don't hurt us. No worries there, friend.

SPEAKER_02 2:58:38

Um I I speak in draconic for that sentence, and then I go, Oh, I'm sorry, uh your friend Vat told me uh that you no longer speak the mother tongue because you have evolved past it, it seems.

SPEAKER_16 2:58:52

You are a a wonder. I so the reason I'm here is I heard there were kobolds in the I heard there were kobolds in this mine, and I I wanted to research.

SPEAKER_22 2:59:05

I I am an author, see, I'm writing a book about um the lesser known and lesser appreciated branches of the draconic family, and I see that you have overcome this burden and and are now this this sort of elevated species, perfect for what I'm writing. Excellent. I would love to be credited in your book. I am Trex. It is nice to meet you. My name is Bren. Pleased to meet you, Bren. Ah, well, we myself and my fellow kobolds sought refuge in this mine after being chased out of the foothills of Kelvin's cairn by Yeti. The miners got scared and ran off before Trex could explain that the kobolds mean no harm to them. Ah the everlasting winter speaking about himself and the third person. Yes. The everlasting winter has made the wilderness unsafe for my kind. Uh in the pre the preternatural cold doves our wits, and I can't have that. Uh please, we only want a place to stay, so we can keep out of this horrible weather. We can work and we won't cause trouble. Termaline would be better and better off and richer for having us here.

SPEAKER_10 3:00:37

Can I make an insight check?

SPEAKER_22 3:00:39

Yes, you can.

SPEAKER_10 3:00:40

If I'm in the shadows.

SPEAKER_22 3:00:41

Everybody can make an insight check. Eleven.

SPEAKER_09 3:00:50

Seventeen. An unnatural one.

SPEAKER_22 3:00:56

Dorian. Trex is lying.

SPEAKER_10 3:01:04

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 3:01:06

That is uh an admirable, admirable uh move on your part to to guide the rest of your friends and companions to this safety, this warmth in the gem mine.

SPEAKER_10 3:01:20

Um Dorian's gonna step out. Wait, what did you get?

SPEAKER_22 3:01:27

You're the only one that succeeded. Yeah, Dorian. I got an 11.

SPEAKER_10 3:01:31

Okay, yeah, I'm just gonna step out and I'm gonna say. Hi, I'm the co-author. Don't you worry.

SPEAKER_17 3:01:42

Man from the shadows where uh comes you from.

SPEAKER_10 3:01:47

I was just uh lagging behind him a little bit. Um quietly in uh uh gnomish, I'm gonna say he's lying.

SPEAKER_16 3:02:01

Well, um of course he's not this superhuman being. I'm merely toying with him, trying to find a way to get through.

SPEAKER_10 3:02:12

Just making sure.

SPEAKER_02 3:02:13

Um Yes, of course. Uh I was just about to ask him, uh, I say in common. Um so the reason my my co-author was lagging behind was because uh we we are trying to kind of navigate this system, obviously a bit afraid of falling uh so far down.

SPEAKER_16 3:02:38

You seem to not have that problem. I'd I'd love uh to sh for you to show off your flying abilities, um, your wings.

SPEAKER_02 3:02:47

Uh I'd love I'd love to take you uh and and see an example of of your wings in action.

SPEAKER_22 3:02:56

Uh he looks a little nervous. Uh right, Vat? Wouldn't that be astounding?

SPEAKER_08 3:03:03

Yes, yes, of course. Uh I kind of love that.

SPEAKER_22 3:03:07

At the appearance of you, do you show yourself?

SPEAKER_09 3:03:10

She failed that insight check because she's focusing so hard on not being seen.

SPEAKER_22 3:03:15

Okay. Uh Dorian, the other two guards that were with Trex, uh, one kind of hides behind him, the other carrying the satchel is like kind of slowly backing up and backing up a little too far. Trex tenses up and his eyes go wide and he falls to the ground, and a ghost appears out of Trex and moves closer to the bag.

SPEAKER_10 3:04:04

What the fuck?

SPEAKER_22 3:04:06

Uh Vat, you didn't tell me anything about this. Vat is speechless. He is terrified.

SPEAKER_13 3:04:17

Ghost!

SPEAKER_22 3:04:18

He books it the other direction. Uh Yeah. So this is a ghost.

SPEAKER_10 3:04:27

Can I um like a ghost of a cobalt?

SPEAKER_22 3:04:34

No, this is a ghost of a human. Can I really actively cast oh sorry I told that blasted thing with the st to stay close to me at all times. Uh make a history check.

SPEAKER_06 3:04:57

Oh god. Fucking god.

SPEAKER_04 3:05:01

Eight.

SPEAKER_10 3:05:02

Eighteen.

SPEAKER_22 3:05:04

Dorian, from your time in the wilds, you have heard of this Janth Alowar. A human sage who devoted himself by cataloguing the flora of Icemale. He and his guide were killed by a Yeti in the foothills of Kelvin's cairn two years ago, and his restless spirit has lingered. The Kobolds happened upon this ghost while searching for shelter during a blizzard, allowing it to possess Trex without their knowledge, of course.

SPEAKER_10 3:05:41

So funny.

SPEAKER_22 3:05:50

Must be valuable to Janth.

SPEAKER_16 3:05:53

Okay.

SPEAKER_09 3:05:54

Would I have like heard the sound of the cobalt falling over and like the ghost coming out?

SPEAKER_22 3:06:01

Yeah. You would yeah, you would have seen this.

SPEAKER_09 3:06:03

Once I hear that, then I'll reveal myself and kind of like walk in like, what the fuck? What is that?

SPEAKER_16 3:06:13

Uh Janth? Yes, what's going on here? Uh, this is not really what I signed up for.

SPEAKER_09 3:06:23

Janth. Do you know him? Did you know? Would I know him by name? Did you know him?

SPEAKER_22 3:06:27

You know, you've never like met him, but you know that he was a famous, uh famous, famous uh cataloger of the nature, yes.

SPEAKER_10 3:06:39

Are you are you Janth Alwar?

SPEAKER_22 3:06:42

Of course I am.

SPEAKER_10 3:06:44

What are you doing here?

SPEAKER_04 3:06:48

I am in search of a worthy vessel.

SPEAKER_22 3:06:53

Oh, and you And these cobalts were not enough. I wanted the miners to return to I could so I could possess something stronger.

SPEAKER_03 3:07:04

Um And you look very strong.

SPEAKER_10 3:07:09

Yeah, I am, but you're not possessing me.

SPEAKER_03 3:07:11

Um not yet.

SPEAKER_22 3:07:16

And we will end the session.

SPEAKER_10 3:07:17

Oh my god.

SPEAKER_06 3:07:20

I was gonna ask like the alive andor in one piece, because there's a minor of the low key.

SPEAKER_22 3:07:30

Well, he's not strong at all. Well, thank you so much for listening to our second session of Rhyme of the Frost Maiden.

SPEAKER_20 3:07:41

Join us next time. Okay, bye.