SE06 EP08 - No Prisoners

[00:00:01] Speaker A: Welcome, friends and adventurers to another episode of Dungeons and Blaggards. I am the dungeon Master, Robulon. Joining me in no particular order are the players. Eric! [00:00:16] Speaker B: I'm Eric and I'm playing Dr. Zozo Brightfeather. She is a level nine Aarakocra artificer potionsmith. Brandon! [00:00:25] Speaker B: I'm Ekurook Punschley. Level nine blood hunter, half orc. Caleb! [00:00:32] Speaker B: I'm a level nine warforged barbarian: Kaitoa Tata. Braeden! [00:00:40] Speaker C: Hey, I'm Braeden. I'm playing half elf, Beleg Dygar, Level 9 hexblade warlock. Tomo! [00:00:50] Speaker B: Hey, I'm playing Steve Tehuman. I am a Gloomstalker Ranger level five, Battle Master Fighter, level three. And I have just a little schmeck of rogue. And I have an Owl. Vale! [00:01:06] Speaker B: I am playing Johawk the Gnoll, a champion fighter 4, Bear totem barbarian five. [00:01:20] Speaker A: The Road to Iz, the caravan - Zozo's ambushed caravan. [00:01:27] Speaker B: Oh. [00:01:28] Speaker C: Oh, is this going back to season one? [00:01:32] Speaker A: No, this would even be before season one. [00:01:36] Speaker B: Whoa. [00:01:39] Speaker A: Mm. So there are two roads that dominate the Free State of Match. The road that you know well from Polb to Iz, which is a rough hewn road, sometimes turning into the plains of Polba, sometimes just a path, and sometimes actually a well, a well established causeway that pales in comparison to the old road, straight and true for hundreds of miles. It goes directly from outer Polb to Basel. And then there's the road from Basel to Iz, you know, making this triangle. And Dr. Zozo, this is where your caravan was ambushed, and we are going to have some fun tonight. Dr. Zozo, can you roll and see if your Carivan was ambushed returning to Iz, the merchant city ruled by the five merchant guild families, or whether you were ambushed leaving. [00:02:48] Speaker B: Okay, D20 feels like a... [00:02:53] Speaker A: Let's do a D4. [00:02:54] Speaker B: Okay, that's a three. [00:02:57] Speaker A: So that would be returning. So this is one of those. Yes, but. Scenarios. So, yes, you were ambushed, returning to Iz, and so you'd clearly been dealing in Basel, you know, the city with archives and libraries and museums up there in Basel. And you were ambushed, your little caravan returning to Iz. And were you not looking for mushrooms by the side of the road? [00:03:29] Speaker B: Yes. Yeah, maybe. Maybe some mushrooms that she read about at Basel. She was like, oh, I'm gonna try to find some of those. Okay. [00:03:40] Speaker D: get some mushies, bruv. Get some mushies. [00:03:42] Speaker A: Johawk, it is the middle of the night. You have been told to observe the handiwork of a pack of kobolds as they ambush and drug and bop on the head and sack and abduct some alchemist's caravan. You are there at the behest of your older brother, in turn at the behest of Oldfoot. And you sit atop a ridge with just two of your gnollish scouts and one of your hawks. One of your hunting hawks. [00:04:29] Speaker B: Ooh. [00:04:30] Speaker A: Beleg, you have given the position of the returning alchemist's caravan to Bahrtio. [00:04:42] Speaker B: Whoa. [00:04:43] Speaker A: You, of course, understand now, has dispatched and relayed this information to the kobolds. Beleg, this is the first time you are witnessing the outcome of your betrayal of the poison scepter. It seemed like the same money for the same job. Or rather, it seemed like more money for the same job. I mean, the poison scepter was asking you to find these list of people and sort of track and provide their position, but the Black Arrow was paying you for it. And so here you observe. And you are on an equidistant hill from Johawk, your position. And I have one condition for you three. Tonight, you cannot encounter each other. [00:05:32] Speaker C: Okay? [00:05:33] Speaker A: And this is how we're gonna have. [00:05:38] Speaker A: So please ask past tense. Did I do this? Did I notice him? [00:05:48] Speaker D: Do you want me to put a cap on spells that I use like level wise? Like, I can only use up to level three spells, or imagine you're like level five. Okay. [00:06:03] Speaker A: And so this moonlit night, this caravan. Zozo, you have just walked away, and there's a glade where you hear a little bit of bubbling water. And sure, you read some scroll in Basel that talked about the mushrooms in this area, and you are just off for a little stroll. And can you roll? Let's see, Zozo. Did you notice the creaking branches and the cracking of underbrush around you? [00:06:35] Speaker B: Let's see. [00:06:35] Speaker A: I rolled a nat 20. Doctor Zozo, this is eerily perfect because we now find your backstory brought into real life by the dice. There's no way you can help your caravan as you spot the pack of kobolds. There's 12 of them, and there's 12 more dashing through the underbrush. And you are lucky. How have you hidden yourself as you realize the horror of the fact that they are going right for your fairly undefended caravan. [00:07:15] Speaker B: I think she flew up into the trees and watched from above. [00:07:21] Speaker A: Okay, did you make a noise while you flew up into the trees? Can you roll a Stealth? [00:07:26] Speaker B: Rolled a seven. [00:07:29] Speaker A: Gnoll, can you roll perception? Did you notice that somebody Just broke off from the caravan. [00:07:40] Speaker C: Um, I rolled a natural nine. [00:07:44] Speaker A: I see. Beleg, from your little hillock. [00:07:48] Speaker D: Yeah. [00:07:48] Speaker A: Can you roll a perception did you that somebody stole away from the alchemist's caravan? Which is like. What would you say, Zozo? How many wagons? [00:07:59] Speaker B: Probably like a dozen. And I think there are like a variety of different merchants. So some. Some alchemists, some, you know, clothing merchants and. [00:08:09] Speaker D: Oh, you know, Beleg's interested in the clothing merchants. [00:08:14] Speaker B: Trinkets and doodads and stuff. [00:08:17] Speaker C: This is. If this is level five. Did I prepare a speak with animals ritual? [00:08:23] Speaker A: Oh, certainly. [00:08:24] Speaker C: Wonderful. [00:08:26] Speaker A: Your nine though, is meaning that at the moment you do not perceive that. And Beleg, what did you roll as you look down the caravan of about a 12. Very colorful and different shaped purposed caravan, covered wagons, some uncovered. There's pack ponies, there's some horses. [00:08:47] Speaker D: It was pretty classic. I rolled a five plus one. [00:08:51] Speaker A: Oh. Even in the past. Again, future backstory mirrors reality. Zozo, you have not been noticed. And thank you dice gods for letting us pass the first narrative hurdle. Because Zozo, you are alone. And there is this little bubbling brook. There are. Can you roll nature or. Sorry, did you have a great nature roll? [00:09:20] Speaker B: Um, yes, I did. 25. I just subtracted my proficiency down because I would have had a lower proficiency bonus back then. [00:09:32] Speaker A: What color and type of mushroom were you seeking? Because you have found it. [00:09:41] Speaker B: I think it was kind of like a bright yellow. [00:09:45] Speaker A: Under the roots of a tree that grows by the water is a very strange bright yellow mushroom. And although can you roll, I suppose an intelligence real quick. And then Joe Hawk, what are you doing with your prepared speak with animals? And then Beleg, what are you doing? As all you can think about is what garments might be in that one wagon. It look very ornate. [00:10:15] Speaker B: I rolled a 10 for intelligence. [00:10:17] Speaker A: Okay. So quickly, Zozo, are you harvesting some? [00:10:21] Speaker B: Yes. [00:10:23] Speaker A: And so you put those in your satchel. [00:10:25] Speaker C: And then Johawk, did I send the hawk out to observe the kobolds? [00:10:29] Speaker A: You may. And now, as you see the kobolds pass a little bubbling brook, you dispatch your hawk. And what would you say you want your hawk to do in terms of providing information back to you? [00:10:46] Speaker C: Observe generally what the kobolds are doing if there is combat. If the kobolds are dying in the combat. [00:10:56] Speaker D: Kobolds generally die in combat. [00:10:58] Speaker A: I need to go down quick. 24 kobolds and you have a great communication with your bird of prey here. In fact, that is of course what the Hawk clan is known for in the pack. [00:11:15] Speaker C: Okay. Did it see any guards for this caravan? [00:11:23] Speaker A: Dr. Zozo, how is the alchemist's caravan defended or guarded? [00:11:32] Speaker B: I think they. They probably have like probably one guy they hire come along. He's probably a bit older. You know, they don't have a lot of money. So he's able to deal with most riff raff. But I think he might be outmatched in this situation. [00:11:51] Speaker A: You better believe he is. Oh boy. Arrows flying from under the canopy of the little glade here around the bubbling Brooklyn. And the old guard is indeed drawing his short bow. Oh, he is taken in the knee. And then he is taken in the shoulder. And then Johawk and also Beleg. You would witness now the first swarm. 12 Kobolds now exiting from under the boughs of the forest. And they seem to be going right for the center of the caravan train. [00:12:33] Speaker D: Beleg's pretty much he has his eye on that little fashion box of a caravan down there. But he knows what's about to go down. So it's purely observatory at this point for Beleg. Unless somebody really starts to attack that. That one little bit of fashionista utopia. [00:12:54] Speaker A: Beleg, can you roll investigation. [00:13:00] Speaker D: 14? [00:13:03] Speaker A: I got anything to add to that? [00:13:05] Speaker D: That was what I added to. That was what you added to the 11 plus three. [00:13:10] Speaker A: Well, you know what you can actually see down there? There are two vendors that catch your eye. One of them is clearly a luthier and you can actually hear them plucking away on their stringed instrument. The other is clearly a very nice maker of robes for sorcerers and the like into it. [00:13:37] Speaker C: Did the hawk relay this information accurately? [00:13:41] Speaker A: Can you roll an animal handling or anything else, either you know, trait or racial based that would be better than animal handling natural. [00:13:50] Speaker C: 17 0. [00:13:52] Speaker A: The hawk swoops back. And as you look down now between Beleg your hillock and Johawk your hill, you are now watching the caravan pass right in between these two topological features. And the second wave of kobolds is now sort of coming in. And I mean there is a slaughter imminent. And Joe Hawk, their information now between you and the hawk is obviously confirmed. I mean, you're now seeing what the hawk has also alerted you to ambush. [00:14:29] Speaker C: We're ambushing them, right? We're not getting ambushed. [00:14:33] Speaker A: No. You and your two gnolls beside you are observing the kobolds ambushing the, I guess alchemists and merchants caravan. Is that right? Zozo, as you turn around with your mushrooms, you are now silent and quiet in the woods. The kobolds have Moved on. And so has your caravan. [00:14:54] Speaker B: Yeah, I think she. She starts trying to make her way back towards where the caravan is. [00:15:00] Speaker A: You were up in a tree. Are you flying above the canopy or what are you doing? [00:15:03] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah, I think she'll. She'll fly above the canopy or. Interesting what she did do. Yeah. [00:15:09] Speaker A: Immediately you're going to catch up with the tail end the trail of your caravan. And there is your caravan going through the sort of the larger hill on the side which, from meta knowledge, just for clarity's sake, contains the gnoll. And then on the other side, the smaller hillock which contains the half elf. And you now see tiny spears and swords glinting in the moonlight and the torchlight of your wagons. There is now an assault, and it seems like the guard has been slain. [00:15:45] Speaker C: Did the hawk see the guard slain? [00:15:47] Speaker A: Oh, now you see it too. And Beleg, JoHawk, everybody now is only within about 60ft as you look down. And there is a route. Now there are merchants abandoning their carts and running for the woods and knoll. There are about six merchants running up towards your hill. And beleg, there are about six merchants of, you know, varying sizes and shapes. But one thing unites them. They are terrified and they are running. And oh, an arrow takes out one of them in the back. And the kobolds are now destroying the first three cards. [00:16:27] Speaker C: Did I send my two pack brothers? [00:16:32] Speaker A: Can you roll a either, you know, a command? Did you? I think you did. And then beleg, what did you do? And then whatever you wanted me to. [00:16:42] Speaker C: Roll was a natural 20. [00:16:44] Speaker A: My God, of course you did. So, Joe Hawk, you and your hawk and your two packgnolls are descending now. And you have all kinds of foes, Quote unquote. You have six unarmed merchants. It looks like maybe a couple of gnomes, a couple of humans, and maybe a dwarf or two. And then you have what it looks like is a kobold pack that is totally unaware of you. So we're gonna come back to you. Beleg, what did you do? And then owl, what did you do? [00:17:19] Speaker D: So I got like, would you say five or I guess five people running in my direction away from the caravan that's being attacked. [00:17:26] Speaker A: Yeah, there was six a moment ago. Now there's only four. [00:17:29] Speaker D: Yeah. Oh, now there's only four. [00:17:31] Speaker A: Sorry, arrows to the back. [00:17:34] Speaker D: I'm still stealthing out, but keeping my eye on the the null or the kobolds. [00:17:41] Speaker A: Can you roll me a stealth and. [00:17:43] Speaker D: A perception which one first? [00:17:46] Speaker A: Stealth. [00:17:47] Speaker D: Okay. See how the dice gods handle this one. Stealth is a 19 plus 2, all. [00:17:56] Speaker A: Four people go running and screaming past you, up and beside your little hillock. And now they're actually out of view. But oh, Beleg, now there are also three Archer kobolds stalking up the hill. Can you rely on. [00:18:17] Speaker D: I. I rolled an uncharacteristic 19 plus one for perception. So 20. [00:18:24] Speaker A: And now there are three kobolds within 15ft. And their backs are turned to you. Beleg Dygar. And one of them fits an arrow and loses it at the running merchants. And we'll just keep you quickly in that moment and. Dr. Zozo, what are you doing? [00:18:41] Speaker B: I think she was. She was pretty terrified. She hadn't been in any real combat situations at this time. So I think she's probably flying kind of overhead, maybe like fumbling with her satchel, trying to come up with some kind of potion that might help out. [00:19:04] Speaker A: Nice. Well, wonderfully RP'd, Eric. Wonderfully RP'd. So at level five, you would certainly have something. So Zozo, although reluctant. Reluctant combatant at this point, might be preparing something. [00:19:19] Speaker B: Yeah, I think she's gonna try to come up with some kind of something to satisfy her. [00:19:25] Speaker A: Dr. Zozo, if I could give you retroactive RP inspiration, I would, because, yes, in this moment, you're completely taken by surprise. I would certainly give you the benefit of rolling something on the scene in general because you do hear screams as the route takes place. And although these kobolds are lighting fire to the caravan and looting everything, you could roll investigation or perception. [00:19:52] Speaker B: Okay, yeah, I'll roll an investigation. That is 15. [00:20:00] Speaker A: They've just bagged Hamish, who you know to be one of your alchemist brothers. [00:20:06] Speaker B: Uh oh. [00:20:07] Speaker A: They seem to be targeting another sort of obvious magic user type cart, another potion type maker. Oh, they are slaying the, you know, the hay balers and the common type merchants. But they seem to have bagged and. Oh, what is this? One of them has just taken out a blow dart. As one of your fellow alchemists guild member in good standing. Fellows gets like, darted and you see a little puff of red dust come out from his neck. And so you, Zozo, are now doubly frightened. As you realize you could be a target too. [00:20:57] Speaker D: Beleg knows who the specific targets are, right? [00:21:01] Speaker A: Yes. What you have been given is the assignment to round up, identify and locate where you might find alchemists guild members. [00:21:17] Speaker D: So, like, Beleg's whole mentality here is that he wants to watch and make sure that his job is being done. But as soon as enough Alchemists have been bagged. He wants to fuck the kobolds up and then go loot the caravan. [00:21:33] Speaker A: Okay, so Johawk, we're gonna come back to you real quick. Did you and your brethren effect what you wanted to do? And what was that? [00:21:46] Speaker C: Did they move around the merchants to flank them? [00:21:52] Speaker A: Roll a 1D 4 2? No, but they did spot like up in the sky, a shadow. Like there is another aerial combatant maybe up there trailing the caravan. But they didn't manage to flank around the merchants. In fact, they're coming right for ya. [00:22:18] Speaker C: Did I pull out my flail? [00:22:21] Speaker A: Oh, you certainly did. [00:22:23] Speaker C: Did I approach the merchants? [00:22:27] Speaker A: Yes, you certainly did. [00:22:30] Speaker C: Did the three gnolls hunt roll one D20 plus five total of 17. [00:22:41] Speaker A: Yes. As you sort of note the chaos. You have complete control of the situation. You and your gnolls do exactly what you wanted to do. Ed, can you please describe what that is? [00:22:56] Speaker C: We, with all our flails, moved in a way that blocked their movement away from the. From the caravan. And we just went back and forth, bashing their heads and swinging the flail like a conductor's baton or a conductor's wand. [00:23:19] Speaker A: Johawk, you will recoup actually a large amount of silver for the pack. And you will recoup actually some strange potions from one or two of these slain merchants. The other ones though, have completely unremarkable sort of leather armor and perhaps a coin purse with some coppers in it. But you and your two brethren are pleased. And have you stayed away from the kobolds? I'm gonna roll for that one. [00:23:52] Speaker C: I. I did. [00:23:54] Speaker A: I'm not so sure. All of a sudden you notice one of the kobolds that was pursuing this part of the route to your hill, look up towards the hill and let out a bit of a snarl. Dr. Zozo above. Now, as you see what's happening, what is the One thing that Dr. Zozo was able to concoct in this moment to affect the situation and perhaps even save some of the merchants? [00:24:28] Speaker B: I think she. She created a. Yeah, a fire potion which she used to basically turn her. Her wagon into a bomb. [00:24:41] Speaker D: Oh, nice. [00:24:42] Speaker B: Basically, yeah. She knew that if she set her her own wagon on fire, it would go up. [00:24:52] Speaker A: Gosh, that makes sense. As all of the people you see have routed away. And your caravan was right in the center of the train of 12. Fireball is going to immolate everything around there. And you imagine you may catch almost all of the kobolds, except for the ones who are stalking into the hillock on Beleg's side and the ones who are alerted to something pretty crazy going on on the higher hillside. What would you like to roll for effect? [00:25:29] Speaker B: I think maybe maybe just. Just intelligence. And for mixing up the potion. [00:25:36] Speaker A: Okay. [00:25:38] Speaker B: Oh, rolled an eight. Oh dear. Could I. Could I use that retroactive? [00:25:45] Speaker A: You know what this is? In session. Inspiration. Dr. Zozo. You are playing it in terms of why your backstory is what it is and what happened to your car. This is epic. [00:25:57] Speaker B: Yes. [00:25:58] Speaker A: Reroll. [00:26:00] Speaker B: I rolled a 12 back there. [00:26:02] Speaker A: Okay. At least you are going to achieve your effect. But what is the effect? Zozo, what would you imagine happens as you drop the fireball flask? [00:26:15] Speaker B: Yeah, I think she waited until. Until any other of the merchants were clear from the area of the immediate area around her wagon, and then dropped the flaming potion onto the roof of the wagon. And the fire just quickly spread down. It was a wooden wagon, so it spread pretty quick. And as soon as the inside of the wagon caught, it quickly just exploded. [00:26:50] Speaker A: Beleg, the clothes are on fire. [00:26:53] Speaker D: No! there's nothing Level 5 Beleg can do about it. [00:27:02] Speaker A: And you think about your tattered robe as you fled from the mess you had made in Polb and Match. And you think about how you would love one of these nice royal blue sorcerer's robes that you see just about to be engulfed in this cart. [00:27:31] Speaker D: Ooof. Have I already been paid for my job or am I paid after completion? [00:27:38] Speaker A: You are not paid. You have to rendezvous with Bahrtio. [00:27:42] Speaker D: I'm not paid yet. [00:27:45] Speaker A: So I suppose, let's see. You saw four out of the purported six alchemist cart owners taken down. You saw them tagged and bagged, so you feel like your mission is at least 2/3 fulfilled. [00:28:04] Speaker D: It's getting there. Okay then. To stop any further damage to the caravan, I attack the Kobold archers that are beside me. [00:28:15] Speaker A: Well, you have advantage on all three of them because they've passed behind you and they are, you know, hunting those other people into the woods. Can you roll a D20 plus 5? [00:28:27] Speaker D: Yes sir. 11 plus 5. [00:28:31] Speaker C: 16. [00:28:32] Speaker A: You're lucky there. Okay, Bella, can you say how you sort of dispatch these three archers in the woods? [00:28:41] Speaker D: Oh, they're Kobolds. Yeah. I'm kind of picturing like when people show off their katanas with the tatami mats, like three rolled up mats side by side and just a one single swoop beheading all three kobolds. [00:28:59] Speaker A: Yeah. So these three kobolds were in a tight little group and half elf comes up and just. [00:29:07] Speaker D: Yeah, like Half ninja, half samurai. [00:29:11] Speaker A: Well, you feel belling all polearm like you have now potentially saved four or so merchants running off into the woods. You look back, there is engulfed five of the twelve carriages, the merchants wagons. And your prize is half engulfed. [00:29:34] Speaker D: Fuck. Uh, I probably start moving towards there stealthily. I don't want to be seen. But I want one of them robes. [00:29:44] Speaker A: Oh, beautiful. Can you roll a Stealth? And then Johawk, can you roll perception? And then Dr. Zozo, can you roll perception? Did you notice what happened in the aftermath of the explosion at level five? [00:30:00] Speaker C: That would be a total of seven. [00:30:02] Speaker A: Oh, you are consumed with the delight of battle. [00:30:11] Speaker C: Am I consuming the humans or the dwarves? [00:30:15] Speaker A: Yenoghu sends dreams to Gnolls all the time. They are to be interpreted as his instructions and warnings. Devour thy kill or skin them and take tokens - runs through your head Gnoll [00:30:38] Speaker D: What did zozo roll? An 8. [00:30:40] Speaker C: 8. [00:30:42] Speaker B: All right. [00:30:42] Speaker D: Beleg grilled a 11 plus 2. [00:30:46] Speaker A: Zozo. You are blown away, metaphorically by the chemical reaction. Your card is gone. And in this moment you are blinded momentarily by the light. And at least you feel as you see on the crest of the hillock, it seems like something has happened There. You see some of your merchant friends running away into the night with your big glassy eyes. And so. Hmm. And then over to the higher hill, it seems there. There is a strange yapping. Gnollish yapping. [00:31:31] Speaker C: Was there also a gnollish rending of flesh noise? [00:31:37] Speaker A: Can you roll a 1D4 for the rending of flesh? [00:31:42] Speaker D: Four? [00:31:43] Speaker A: There was a horrific rending of flesh that reverberates up into the night sky. And I would say. Oh dear. Owl, can you roll a constitution Saving throw for terrified. [00:31:57] Speaker D: Okay. [00:31:59] Speaker A: You feel like there is something absolutely horrific out in these woods. And you look towards the plains of Monjob. I rolled a nine. You are frightened, Owl. And you must now go 60ft away from the source of the frightening. [00:32:20] Speaker B: Okay, where does that leave her? [00:32:24] Speaker A: That puts you right over Beleg. And all of a sudden you see a strange figure in a brown robe rushing stealthily towards one of the burning carts. And Peleg, can you roll stealth? It's a very high DC for Zozo. [00:32:47] Speaker D: Oh, 19 plus 2. [00:32:50] Speaker A: And they disappear out of view. Zozo, you can't be sure, but you are sure of one thing. There are three beheaded kobolds. [00:33:05] Speaker D: Oh, fuck. Zozo probably thinks somebody's going in there to save all of his friends. Nope, just ropes and Beleg. [00:33:17] Speaker A: As you approach the Sorcerer's Wardrobe cart You see a vast array of wonderfully collared and cuffed sorcerers. Traveling cloaks. You know, they're hooded. They have, you know, leather padding for where mud's gonna collect when you ride. I mean, these are adventurers clothing. What do you do? [00:33:46] Speaker D: I try to grab at least a couple. [00:33:50] Speaker A: There's a fire engulfing them. And can you roll? A quick dexterity throw as you grab perhaps the two that you think you were gonna make off with. And this whole cart begins to collapse around you. [00:34:07] Speaker D: 16 plus 3. 19. [00:34:09] Speaker A: Beleg you escape. And as you run off into the woods, you know, you're satisfied that that you have done, you know, two things. One, you got some sweet duds. Number two, you certainly saw some of the targets apprehended. What do you do now? As you see a very quiet night now with the burning of the caravan and you escaping off into the night, there's perhaps only one thing in your mind. Roll perception. And Dr. Zozo, roll another perception. And Mr. Noel, roll perception. [00:34:55] Speaker D: It's a good D20 today. I like this guy. Speaking of nice jail, I'm glad this one's on it. 17 plus one for perception. [00:35:04] Speaker B: So 18 those who rolled 18 plus two. [00:35:06] Speaker C: That's why total of five with a natural two. [00:35:10] Speaker A: Okay. Well, Noel, you are just having a feeding frenzy. There is blood up to your ears. And you and your brethren, guess what? Gnomes are not bad this time of year. Really? That pair of gnomes that you escape the kobold's arrows only to to find the fangs of the gnolls are not bad at all. And your brethren, as they look up, yeah, Their jowls are crimson all the way up to their neck. And you're not noticing much else. [00:35:55] Speaker C: Did I like Double dip? Take one bite of gnome and one bite of dwarf. [00:36:00] Speaker A: Roll a 1. D 4. Don't double dip the chip. [00:36:04] Speaker C: 3. [00:36:06] Speaker A: You did. Oh, you double dip those gnomes. [00:36:09] Speaker B: I do what I want. [00:36:11] Speaker D: What's the deal with double dipping? [00:36:16] Speaker A: I pick my teeth with his bones before I double dip a gnome. [00:36:23] Speaker C: I'll pick my teeth with your bones if you stop me! [00:36:27] Speaker A: And you know, as always happens when there's a bit of feeding frenzy, you know, these gnoll idioms start coming out and Dr. Zozo and Beleg you guys hear from over on the hill. Dr. Zozo, you heard it. There is a terrifying rending of flesh. An unmistakable feeding frenzy. Whatever it is, you can hear it. And beleg you have two cloaks in your arms. One is sort of a dark gray blue and the other is sort of like an orangey crimson color. And Dr. Zozo, you notice a figure. [00:37:10] Speaker D: Below you figure that isn't me or is me. [00:37:15] Speaker A: Oh, it is you. Okay, but remember, you can't meet each other. [00:37:21] Speaker B: Yeah, right. [00:37:24] Speaker D: I probably put on the crimson. Do I feel like someone's watching me? Did I feel like someone's watching me? [00:37:37] Speaker B: No? [00:37:38] Speaker A: Rockwell. Beleg. Can you roll for paranoia? [00:37:47] Speaker D: I rolled a 12 without any modifiers. [00:37:51] Speaker A: Beleg. Yes. You see a winged, a large bird up in the boughs of the trees. [00:38:04] Speaker D: I try and slink away and find a safe spot so I can put on this new crimson cloak. [00:38:11] Speaker A: Okay. And you do so roll stealth. [00:38:17] Speaker D: And then Alex, pretty aware that he shouldn't be seen by anybody here. [00:38:22] Speaker A: No. Can you roll? For no maliciousness or D20, I'd say that's a raw 2013. Yeah, usually culinary rolls are raw 20s. So. Yeah, as I described you, you and your two pack brethren here are satisfied. And yet you have a responsibility. And as your hawk rests on your shoulder, Joe Hawk. And as the bones provide no more willing flesh, you now look across to the hillock. And you look down to the burning caravan which seems now to be mostly engulfed. What do you you doing? [00:39:09] Speaker C: Did I see any merchants reconvening at the caravan? [00:39:16] Speaker A: You did not. [00:39:19] Speaker C: I approached the caravan. [00:39:21] Speaker A: Okay. As you approached the caravan, you would note that the more mysterious of the wares have been exploded. And all that remains now is perhaps the most sundry of sundriest carts. And even now a wonderful cart full of garments is being engulfed. You know, but certainly there are two carts that are not engulfed. And they seem to bear perhaps weapons and armor. [00:39:55] Speaker C: I went into the weapon. The weapon tent. [00:40:00] Speaker A: There is an array of very well crafted goods. And you remark that these goods going to Iz are uncommon. You see, and I'll list them here. A great sword. A great axe. Flail. A scimitar. A sword. There's a great club. And a mole. [00:40:26] Speaker C: There it is. [00:40:27] Speaker D: You're pretty pissed off that he took the cloaks. [00:40:32] Speaker C: I took them all. [00:40:35] Speaker A: Can you roll? [00:40:37] Speaker D: Oh, you took them all. [00:40:38] Speaker A: You took them. Can you roll? Dexterity as the weapons cart crashes around you. Dexterity. Saving throw. [00:40:52] Speaker C: Oh, saving throw. I might be permission in that. No, I'm not 11. [00:40:58] Speaker A: Oh, you just make it out by the hair of your chinny chin chin. And this maul is fierce. It seems to be one solid cast cudgel device that could break a man with one swipe. [00:41:13] Speaker C: I bit it. [00:41:16] Speaker A: And doctor. Dr. Zozo and Beleg now what do you do? Beleg you have donned the crimson robe. Zozo. You have a very clear view now of what's going on your caravan. Done. The final two carts have now been engulfed in flame. You do notice now you see a ferocious Gnoll silhouette indeterminate in the smoke. We. There's another and another. So you would now see three Gnoll silhouettes that seem to be raiding and pillaging. Perhaps the last cart. Zozo. And can you roll your choice of wisdom or intelligence? [00:42:00] Speaker B: Okay, it's a 19 on intelligence. [00:42:05] Speaker A: Gnolls often travel in very large packs. [00:42:10] Speaker B: Okay. I think she. I think she wanted to make sure that there weren't any survivors around. But she didn't want to get too close to the gnolls. So I think she kind of swooped down and tried to stay hidden, but checked out the casualties, see if there was anybody she could help. [00:42:32] Speaker A: I don't know how high you want to roll on this one. Can you roll a perception as you do an aerial surveillance of the battlefield? [00:42:42] Speaker B: Well, that was a five belly. [00:42:45] Speaker D: Again, that is. [00:42:47] Speaker A: I just. I don't know if the implication is. If you see the eviscerated carcasses of Twiggy and Stumpy, the gnomes, the gnome merchants. Oh, the gnome clothing merchants who made those wonderful robes, you know, for. [00:43:10] Speaker D: For sorcery which were salvaged. [00:43:12] Speaker A: And wizards. Oh, if only they were as lucky as a couple of things that got away. But no, Zozo, I'm afraid that your low roll means that you do see the horror and the reality of the absolute decimation of your caravan. If any survived. It was on the hillock to the west where you saw several beheaded kobolds. And you feel maybe a handful of your cadre escaped. But certainly none of your alchemists, skilled brethren. I mean you have just confirmed all are slain. [00:43:52] Speaker B: Okay. I think she wants to try to swoop down and see if she can find any trace of the. The blowgun darts. Good. [00:44:04] Speaker D: Caught. [00:44:05] Speaker A: Did you find amongst the wreckage any evidence of either say the blowgun weapon itself or the darts? Yeah, sure. Roll. What would you like to roll? [00:44:18] Speaker B: Investigation. Sure. That was a 22. [00:44:23] Speaker A: Can you describe how you claw over the wreckage and come up with either the dart or the weapon or both? [00:44:32] Speaker B: I think she. She swooped down on the opposite side of where she saw the gnoll so that she would. The. The view was blocked. I think she found a burnt up kobold and kind of flipped him over. Found he had a little sack of darts that he that didn't get burnt up. [00:44:55] Speaker D: Mind if I cop a dart, bro? You want to go for a dart? [00:45:03] Speaker B: I think, yeah. She found something that had related the trace of the. The red dust. [00:45:08] Speaker A: You stay on the side of the burning caravan, away from the gnolls that are also similarly getting away from any of the fire which is engulfing any of these wheeled wagons. But sure, one of the cobalt bodies affords you both the weapon and the munition. And so you pocket those and what are you doing now? [00:45:34] Speaker B: I think she. After that she flew towards where she saw the other survivors heading over on the hillock. [00:45:43] Speaker A: And now Dr. Zozo, I mean, I really start to wonder. I mean, this is really quite amazing. How does your story begin to connect now as you fly over the hillock and you leave the burning caravan behind, you're assured that you did everything you could. You probably are in pursuit of the 2, 3, 4 merchants you feel escape this way and were somehow spared by a guardian angel. Beleg, what are you doing? [00:46:24] Speaker D: I'd be. I was there just to make sure my job got done, saw an opportunity. And then I would want to just slink out as quickly as possible to safety after my job was done. [00:46:37] Speaker A: Perfect. Well, so you put on the red robe. The crimson red. [00:46:42] Speaker D: So when I put the robe on, do I. Do I feel anything that would be, you know, beneficial to me in like four levels? [00:46:52] Speaker A: Say, can you roll a Arcana? [00:46:57] Speaker D: Oh, yeah, totally. Those are always good. I think you can count on one hand how many times I've rolled Arcana in this campaign. For a good reason. And that's a six minus one. [00:47:08] Speaker A: Oh, gosh. Well, not only do you not feel any, you know, enhancement or abilities, you wouldn't even know if you did. [00:47:18] Speaker D: Nope. Well, tits, at least I look good. [00:47:22] Speaker A: Well, as you say that to the empty forest here and to your only friends in the world right now, the three headless Kobold archers. You think you must report back to Bahrtio and claim your 400 gold. For you certainly earned four heads tonight. And you would be going back to the White Chain. [00:47:54] Speaker D: Oh, I'm going to White Chain, all right. Sounds good. Wait. No. Yeah. Yes. [00:48:02] Speaker A: Yes. [00:48:03] Speaker D: Is this my Bulean money that I hid? [00:48:07] Speaker A: It is late 1807, in the current era. You know, this is about four or so months before where we are in the current campaign. And this is before the final roundup. This is the penultimate roundup before you yourself were captured. And then Johawk, you know, now the night subsides and you and your two fighter brethren here and your Hawk what is your hawk's name? [00:48:42] Speaker A: They're like a fierce kestrel from the plains of Monjob. [00:48:47] Speaker C: Kethrudiac. [00:48:49] Speaker A: Kethrudiac the kestrel. And well trained. You know. They are summoned back to you. And you have taken the tokens of battle you pocketed. Let's see here. What will you be bringing back to the pack tonight? Wow. 150 silver. [00:49:10] Speaker C: How much of that do I get? [00:49:14] Speaker A: You are the leader of this scouting raid. And you know your Gnoll brethren absolutely defer to you. A Gnoll key keeps what he kills. [00:49:25] Speaker C: And I am able to keep all 150 of it. I understood. I think about donating it to my pack brothers. But I decide against it. [00:49:40] Speaker A: Okay. On the ride back towards is, you would note, Noel, that your observance of these Kobolds, you know, conducting their raid and whatever they hoped to make off with was confounded. You know, it seems like all of the kobolds were killed in this explosion. And those who they hoped to ostensibly take away were just blown apart. And so you also would know, you know, perhaps tragically, but perhaps for the better, that no prisoners were taken tonight. And that, friends and adventurers, is where we will have to leave you tonight. Look at that. 10:29 on the dot. [00:51:45] Speaker B: Yeah, right. [00:51:46] Speaker D: Pretty good. [00:51:47] Speaker B: Yeah. I've been meaning to get myself a blowgun. [00:51:51] Speaker A: It's a great little weapon, man. [00:51:53] Speaker B: Yeah. Yeah. Especially with my weapon coating. I've got like potions I can deliver with a blowgun dart. [00:52:03] Speaker A: Well now, Beleg. Now. I really, really want an answer for the next time that there's a one shot on how you lose the crimson red robe. [00:52:16] Speaker B: I want. [00:52:17] Speaker D: I like to think I've been wearing it the whole time. [00:52:20] Speaker A: Oh, no, no. My roll. 20 token says otherwise. [00:52:27] Speaker D: Yeah. Fair game. [00:52:29] Speaker A: No, Eric, that was brilliantly played. Brilliantly played. [00:52:33] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:52:33] Speaker C: It was fun. [00:52:35] Speaker A: The funny thing is, Eric, you wrote your backstory without knowledge of this crucial part of the campaign. [00:52:42] Speaker B: Yeah, Yeah. I just figured. Well, she was a merchant. Probably a traveling merchant then. Well, she's not anymore. So I guess something happened. [00:52:50] Speaker A: Mm. [00:52:51] Speaker B: Yeah, well. [00:52:52] Speaker A: And Johawk, I've always been wondering when the Gnolls might have, you know, been privy to what led to the purge at Lordmurrow. And so I've always had sort of combinations of what might happen when we have some prequel. Things show up. And it's pretty amazing. The road to Izzy. This was a fun little episode. [00:53:18] Speaker C: It was nice to loot them all. Like I wanted to do that. And I feel it was nice that. [00:53:24] Speaker A: You picked up on that great retroactive weapon acquiring. And I love how, of course, now Zozo has a blowgun in the present. And now we know how Johawk got his very unique mole. [00:53:42] Speaker D: Yeah, it's all good. [00:53:44] Speaker B: I hope SoHo doesn't recognize that maul. [00:53:48] Speaker C: When you said cudgel, that reminded me of a 4th edition gnoll statistic where they had a cudgel and all of the points on the side were made of teeth. It was a cudgel of teeth, and it sounded amazing. [00:54:03] Speaker A: Well, yeah. Then, Zozo, you bring up a great point tonight. Has sort of turned into this. You know, will the pieces of the puzzle ever get put together? And that weapon may be a sore thumb. [00:54:17] Speaker B: Oh, yeah. [00:54:19] Speaker A: Yeah. And yeah, Beleg. Anything where Beleg interacts with the past, I love. Because you tend. You tend to always, somehow, again, retroactively give the best flavor. [00:54:35] Speaker C: I'm sure that Beleg is full of flavor. [00:54:47] Speaker D: I'm gonna go for a dart. [00:54:49] Speaker A: Gosh. I grew up out east man. We called them darts out there. [00:54:56] Speaker D: I don't know if that checks in with with you, Vale. [00:55:01] Speaker A: That went over my head Cigarette as a dart. [00:55:05] Speaker D: Oh, like eastern Canada lingo for dart. [00:55:12] Speaker C: I think I'll adopt that.