2026.05.05 - Transcript
Odine: Hey, Craig.
Azrith: mm-hmm that’s great…
Aldrich: Good old Craig.
GM: So,
GM: let’s go ahead and start with you all packing up camp in the morning. What are you all doing? Who’s where? Who’s doing what?
Aldrich: I’m, uh, I’m, I’m washing up, you know, getting, getting ready for the day ahead. Staying fresh?
GM: Washing up in the stream nearby? A…
Aldrich: Yeah, we’re…
Odine: Yeah, I was up early and I’ve just kind of been like, yeah, like doing my own thing, reading from my family book,
Odine: trying to understand some stuff. I’ll…
GM: little bit of personal study.
Azrith: Azrith, is just like just being energetic. climbing trees.
Azrith: climbing down trees just bored you…
Aldrich: all really productive packers.
GM: Hey, you know what? Everybody’s got that morning ritual, right?
GM: That morning routine.
Aldrich: Yeah,
Aldrich: yeah, get up and prepare.
GM: Got to warm up for the day.
GM: What about you, Seth?
Cassian: I haven’t done a step away for just a second, but I got the general gist.
GM: Yeah, just kind of warming up in the character. Like, what are we doing in the morning? What sort of, how does your character start his day?
Cassian: Cassian kind of starts to wake up just right around the same time, but maybe just after everybody else and packs up stuff as well, you know. And so then he’s sitting around and he’s rolling his dice across his fingers, just kind of quietly watching.
GM: I think Jeven dusts himself off and grabs his box and his walking stick. And he says, well, you all going to stay back in dilly-dally or are we going to head to the King’s Tourney?
Odine: stand off of this stump that I’m sitting on and dust off my traveling clothes and say, yeah, okay, let’s go.
Odine: I look very unsure,
Odine: timid even.
Aldrich: I suppose it’s about time we leave.
GM: Is anybody else having trouble with D&D Beyond today? Or are you guys all, like, loaded up on your character sheets?
Aldrich: Well, let me, can…
Odine: I’m in there.
GM: Mine is giving you trouble loading here.
GM: I will troubleshoot that later on.
GM: Christopher, remind me of your character’s name. I apologize. Odeth?
Odine: Odin.
GM: Odin.
Odine: Yeah.
Odine: It’s a play on French and Latin for water forest. Well,
GM: Love that.
GM: Odin, what is it, do you think, that is making you feel uncertain about this journey?
Odine: so yeah.
GM: You’re now approaching…
Odine: I mean, this is my first time really like venturing this far out away from home. My uncertainty is because of the events from the day past where I witnessed this thing that occurred to the horse and my world is shattered. Like I thought this was only happening in my family’s group, right? But it’s actually happening beyond and I’m trying to rationalize that and move forward with it while also like joining my friends on this trip to the city. So like, like everyone’s looking forward to this tournament, but my thoughts are elsewhere.
Odine: So I’m just thinking to myself, like, yeah,
GM: Cassian. I think as you guys kind of all start along the road, you maybe notice that Odin’s lost in thought as you travel. Maybe it’s that her concentration isn’t necessarily on the road itself. Or maybe it’s that she’s thumbing around or looking down at this book that she’s been invested in. But I think that you kind of pick up on this distraction. Of…
Cassian: And then Cassian approaches Odin and he says to her softly,
Cassian: what is it that you are entertaining your mind with today?
Odine: I’ll, uh, kind of stammer something out and say, Oh, uh,
Odine: uh, the steed yesterday,
Odine: uh, yesterday was such a blur. I don’t recall. I don’t recall what I told you, but I’d seen that before. And it surprised me to see this outside of, of the, uh, of the wood, of the thornwood vale.
Cassian: And you’re talking about that horrible, nasty thing that happened to the horse, I assume.
Odine: Yeah. Yeah. Only I’ve seen it or I’m from, it’s not just the horses. It’s the, it’s the fauna, the flora, even, even, even, even the people.
Aldrich: I walk up and butt into this conversation?
GM: course.
Aldrich: Hey, uh, what are you, what are you guys talking about over here? Sure.
Cassian: Well, Odin was just telling me about the horrible, terrible thing that happened to the horse.
Aldrich: Yeah, I, I don’t really want to talk about that right now. I, it’s, it’s too early for that. Um,
Odine: I don’t, I don’t look, I don’t, I don’t want to be, uh, it’s just something I’m dealing with. I know, I know we’re, we’re about to enter that. We’re about to be at this tournament and I’m hoping to encounter someone that can help my people in the city. And I don’t mean to be a distraction, but the, but what, what I witnessed was, was pretty unnerving.
Aldrich: we all bear our own goals. Who are we to judge?
Odine: I’m going to clutch, uh, a pendant. It’s like a violet pendant around my neck. And, um, you may notice that as I reach my hand, up my sleeve pulls back and there are black lines, kind of like tentacles as well, kind of going up my arms from my hand.
Aldrich: I’m just,
Odine: Very similar to what was on the horse.
Aldrich: I’m just gonna,
Odine: So I…
Aldrich: I’m just gonna observe, not say anything, just kind of, just question in my own mind what that is.
Cassian: Does Cassian notice this?
Aldrich: Yeah, if that’s it.
GM: Do you want to leave that up to the dice?
GM: Can we do a perception?
Cassian: Yeah,
Aldrich: Yeah,
Cassian: absolutely. Yeah, I’d love to. I…
Aldrich: do that. Sounds fun.
GM: And Odin, you tell me, is that maybe something that you’re consciously concealing? Or is it more just subtle?
Odine: am, I can steal it. It would be completely unintentional, but considering my mental state, I would not be about my wits to keep it from showing.
GM: Then instead of contesting it,
GM: let’s see if you can beat a 30.
Odine: That’s, I agree.
Odine: I agree.
Cassian: rolled a natural 20.
Aldrich: I rolled a whopping three.
GM: What did you say, Alex?
Odine: I don’t see shit.
GM: You’re all the…
Odine: I see everything.
GM: Alex, what did you say?
Aldrich: I rolled a one,
GM: You’re all the whopping what?
Aldrich: and I got plus two.
GM: So one of the 20.
Odine: Okay, cool.
Azrith: you you guys got opposite roles…
GM: Yeah,
GM: a critical success and a critical failure. So I like the idea to start that Aldric watches Cassian’s eyes subtly dart down to the pendant and clock it. But he doesn’t see what Cassian’s looking at. He just sees Cassian look. And then he conceals, right? He kind of readjusts. And Aldric just is like looking left and right like, what just happened? Like, what did you see that I didn’t see?
Odine: And…
Aldrich: I like that, that’s great.
GM: Cassian, you with a natural 20.
GM: I think you don’t just notice that she’s wearing a pendant, but you notice that it’s obviously significant, right? There’s a huge significance to her in that pendant.
Odine: you notice the tentacle lines hid by my sleeve as well. Whether I, whether I talk about it or not, that’s up to you. How persuasive are you? It’s entirely up to you.
Cassian: Cassian notices it for now, but he leaves it alone and he looks back at… Oh, shoot. I lost what your character’s name.
Aldrich: Me?
Cassian: Yeah,
GM: Aldric,
Cassian: you.
Aldrich: Aldrick.
Cassian: Aldrich, thank you. Aldrich, he looks back at Aldrich. And he says, well, lad, what is it that you want to talk about? Well,
Aldrich: Well, what’s, what do you, what do you guys know of this, um, this King’s Tourney? Who, who, who all fights in it? I mean, I hear people travel across the lands, but who are those people?
GM: this is a good moment, I think, for us to identify which, if any of your characters, have been to the human capital city of Everdale before. Have any of you ever traveled there before?
Cassian: I imagine I probably would have, yeah.
Aldrich: Not my character, personally. I think this is his first time getting out there and trying to find something.
GM: Yeah.
GM: I think based on Azrith and Aldric’s backstories, maybe neither of you have been here. Odin, maybe pass around, pass through, or aware of, but not necessarily to.
Odine: I’ve only heard of, yeah, never been, I’ve just heard of it. It’s…
Azrith: Azrith Azrith was traveling like growing up like there were different merchants so i think he actually might have okay…
GM: I think, I think that given, given that you were, like, amongst merchants that were, like, slaving, though, that that would have been more of, like,
GM: the fringes of the human kingdom, right? So you probably know the Crownlands pretty well. And you’ve probably heard of Everdale your whole life. But Everdale, it’s, it’s this, like, focal point, like, the centralized, like, all the roads converge to the high road that leads up that hill to the north and up to that large hill that this massive, they call it the gleaming keep, sits upon a cliffside. And in, in its shadow on the left side of the cliffs is a valley, a valley where they set up the King’s Tournament, the King’s Tourney every year. Cassian, it seems like you’re kind of the de facto expert on the matter, having been here at least once, if not a couple of times before. Uh, Everdale, what you would know for sure is that it is the home of the gleaming keep, which is where you can find what they call the empty throne. It is the throne that King Aldrich once sat upon that has never been filled in, uh, the kingdom of men in the last couple of centuries. Um, there have been many, many decades of this, uh, tradition and never once has a noble house been able to, like, rise up and, and rule the entire kingdom. They’ve been warring noble houses ever since. Um, because of that, there are three orders of knights that have come together under one oath known as the Oath Keepers and the Oath Keepers, these three orders of knights are essentially the governing body that keeps the city intact. Uh, they protect the keep, they protect the throne and they police the tournament as well. Um, they help to oversee the economy and the well-being of the village, the hamlet that wraps around the side of the hill, uh, a smaller village. Um, but this has kind of become their home base. Um, they don’t rule, they don’t have any say over the other noble houses, but they’re simply tasked with protecting this, uh, particular kingdom. Um, this, this realm. And they firmly believe that someday this legend, this Arthurian myth that they have, that will emerge from the stone and come back to rule. And so they are essentially trying to preserve it until said time that he returns to come back. Um, if you’ve been to the tournament before, and do we want to even go that far and say that this isn’t your first time coming to the tournament?
Azrith: apparently this…
Cassian: I’d say I’ve been, yeah. If I’m doing it now,
GM: What do you do?
Odine: my first time.
Cassian: there’s a reason I’m doing it again or whatever, you know.
GM: Yeah.
GM: And the tournament before,
Cassian: I’ve been prepared for it.
GM: then I think you would also know that this tournament is like almost like the Super Bowl. Like it gets scheduled here once a year. This is when the city comes alive. This is what bolsters its economy. This is how the, the villagers make their keep. Um, you know, they spend all spring and summer getting ready for this so that they can sell their wares, sell their crops, um, and make enough to earn off of to live and last themselves through the next nine months.
GM: So I think Aldrich, if you’re at, if you’re asking even what is this tournament, I think, uh, Cassian, you’re, you’re the guy to kind of, uh, give these people some flavor and maybe realizing that you have three companions here that maybe a little out of their depth or don’t know what they’re stepping into here.
Cassian: Yeah, Cassian is watching, I guess, looking for that. I mean, feeling if people look comfortable. But at the moment, he’s just kind of still rolling his dice, thinking he’s getting ready for the tournament. He’s not too worried about the people around him at this very moment, as everyone’s just traveling along together.
GM: Yeah.
GM: Um, as you guys start to, um, well, what, what we’ll say is that you, you leave the gray word path, which is the road you’ve been on. Um, and as you travel northward along this road, um, you start to crest the foothills, the path starts to do some up and down as it starts climbing up, uh, one last final hill. And out stretched out before you is a beautiful site, uh, like an ocean of, of colorful tents that have been arranged, uh, like a pop-up city almost. As you see this, this, this fest, large festival that, um, has grown so, so much in size over the years that, um, it really casts a shadow on the, the little village at the foothills, uh, of the small mountain itself. The tournament is, uh, is rows and rows of markets, uh, you see the massive Coliseum at, at the center that everything is built around, uh, you see theaters, you see barracks and training grounds, uh, for the champions that participate in the, in the combat. Uh, you, you see, uh, uh, off in the distance on the smaller hills, encampments, um, this is where the nobles reside, uh, away from things where they can have some privacy and some space. Um, and up on top of the hill, you see the gleaming keep itself. Uh, they say that the king, uh, with his powerful mages, transmuted the very stone that they built the keep out of into metal so that it would stand the test of time. And thus nicknamed it the gleaming keep as the light refract, um, off of the metal stonework.
Cassian: Yeah, it’s not too bad, sight for sore eyes,
Odine: I think I’m shaking from my, yeah, like whatever I’m focusing on to complete awe now of how big this place is.
Azrith: place seems cool what…
Odine: I’m feeling overwhelmed in different ways now.
GM: Mm-hmm. Uh, Jeven is… Uh, Jeven is unperturbed. He is, knows where he’s going and just continues to walk down the hill towards the fair. Um, you start passing by on the smaller hills as you approach along the road. Children out in the meadows playing with their wooden swords or sticks, um, picking flowers, throwing rocks, spinning around in circles. There’s, uh, there’s, uh, an air of festivity and, and jolliment, um, as you approach the city. Um, the roads are well, well worn. They’re beaten in, in the mud. You see, you see all of the tracks from the many horses and many, um, parties of, of cavalry that have kind of made their way along this road. Um, and, uh, as you come upon the main thoroughfare, um, let’s go ahead and move your guys’ tokens over here.
Cassian: which…
GM: Try, try not to get overwhelmed at first. We’ve got a lot to explore. I’m going to put you guys down here in the bottom left-hand side.
Odine: Whoa. Heck yeah.
GM: Uh, you hear, as you approach, um, the chatter of the crowd, as hundreds have gathered here, uh, throughout this pop-up tent city. Um, you see the colored pavilions and the banners of all of the nightly orders and the noble houses strewn about. Uh, you see the theater up ahead at the center of this main thoroughfare. This is the King’s Fair. Um, sort of organically built that you have to pass through this area before you get to the area where the festivities take place. Uh, and off in the distance, uh, you can see where those training grounds and the foot of what they call Grand Stage. Uh, this is the arena where the top contenders will fight during the coming weeks. You smell perfumes as you walk past these tents. Uh, savory scents of smoked pork wafting on the breeze. Um, and as you follow your ears, you can hear, uh, flutes and lutes playing as music and festivities are taking place. Uh, a mild crowd has gathered, uh, near the tent to watch a narrator that is instructing her merry band of puppeteers in a performance.
GM: Let’s, uh, zoom in here on you guys.
GM: I think, uh, Jevin just kind of pushes past you and says, Well, here you go. Enjoy yourselves. I’m sure I’ll see you around.
Cassian: was a pleasure.
GM: The pleasure was all mine. He walks away into the crowd.
Cassian: Cassian kind of takes the lead in front and he says, stay close. We’ll move forward, onward, but keep moving.
Azrith: should we do first…
Odine: I’m just, I’m just, thanks. Close to you guys as I can.
Cassian: What information would Cassian have about understanding how to get registered for the tournament or show up or check in? Or,
GM: Yeah. Great. Great question. Um, I think no check necessary here. Uh, you would know that there would be a judge’s tent, um, where you could, um, particularly for those that are not, um, nobles or affiliated with any, you know, competitors. There’s a proving, proving grounds that they’ll pretty much let just about anybody into, um, there is a registration fee, a processing fee that is usually pretty small. Uh, but the risk is that you have zero control over who you’re up against and the skill level that can be involved. Uh, but those proving grounds can still have some enticing prizes. The reason people want to be in the proving grounds is because of scouts. There will be, there will be sponsors potentially watching the proving grounds at all times, monitoring them for potential talent. Um, and if you manage to get sponsored, then you could potentially move your way up through the ranks, uh, over the tournament, the course of the two week tournament. Um, and, you know, if you were skilled enough and if you put on a good enough show, perhaps even find your way onto the grand stage. Uh,
GM: typically the grand stages is reserved for like the big fights, you know, the noble houses, they all have some, some big dog, you know, some night that is in their service that they put a lot of stock into a lot of money and a lot of time and a lot of tension and a lot of training goes into kind of building those guys up. Um, so, um, magic is allowed. So at that level, you would be up against potentially, uh, enchanted weapons, enchanted armor, even. Um, so at the, at the lower levels, that’s a lot less likely to come up against. Um, but yeah, up, up behind the tent, usually up, up behind this big stage that’s in front of you, um, usually is where you, I think would find. The tent where you could register at…
Cassian: and…
Cassian: is it all single combat? Like, is it one man proves himself the strongest?
GM: the higher levels, it tends to be, but, um, on the, in the proving grounds, it’s far more common to have like team competitions.
Cassian: Or if Cassian starts counting the number of people around him,
Cassian: gollying up how many people he can register a team for,
GM: So,
GM: supposing that your traveling companions could all hold their own in a fight, um, under your tutelage, maybe you could make something out of them.
Cassian: it’s presumptuous, or presumptuous, you know.
GM: Little presumption.
GM: You haven’t seen much of them.
Cassian: But, yeah,
Cassian: Cassian’s just walking forward. He’s moving forward. He’s going to do it on his own. Yeah. He’s, he’s, he’s pretty focused on it, but he’s just saying, stick with me for now. Just stay together. Assuming they’re all coming for the same thing. Not really, hadn’t really asked many questions. So he’s just taking them with, they can do what they want.
GM: Do you want to register? Do you want to go straight towards the registration tent?
Cassian: Yep. Cassian’s just beelining it for the registration tent.
GM: Great.
Cassian: Follow me.
GM: Everyone. Everyone staying close.
Aldrich: Yeah, I wanna,
Odine: Yes.
Aldrich: I’m, I’m here for the, uh, I’m here for the journey.
Azrith: Azrith is like staying with the group but like he he’s like shifting slightly like left and right looking at all like different things around the people and everything he’s amazing…
GM: Okay.
GM: Yeah. Great. Um, as you start kind of circum, circumventing the theater to start walking up that, that direction, uh, you, uh, you are approached by, um, we’ll, we’ll call it a, a rippling. Rhythm that cuts through the crowd through the market’s chaos. So you just hear the thump, thump, thump, thump, thump, thump, thump, thump, thump, thump of a drum. And, uh, you look as the crowd kind of clears and this very flamboyant bard looking fellow, um, he approaches you. So, let’s see if I can remember, uh, I don’t know if I can remember the hot key. There’s a way that I can display tokens. Uh,
GM: I’ll have to figure that out later. For now, we’ll do it the easy way. So, you see this, uh, you see this gentleman who’s wearing a mask over his eye, uh, royal purple robes and a soft cap with a large fiery plume. Uh, and he’s got a drum that is, uh, attached to his sash on his side. And he walks right up to you. Um, and he, his attention suddenly turns to you, Cassian, at the front of this party. Ah, he says, a very smooth voice. Now, you are an interesting, look at this, fresh eyes for the king’s fair. He tilts his head, uh, studying you all like a riddle. Tell me, here to witness for yourself the tales of knights in glory? Or do I greet a band of fellow bards who seek new stories? I…
Cassian: Do I recognize this person or are they new to me?
GM: think they’re new to you.
Aldrich: Well, what kind of stories do you have to tell, friend?
GM: Oh, I, I don’t, uh, necessarily have many to tell. I’m more of an observer of, I, I enjoy watching. And he kind of gestures his hand out to the players that are on the stage.
Aldrich: Hmm.
GM: He gives you a bow, which, uh, Aldrich, this may be the first time that you’ve ever been bowed to. Uh, but he gives you a low bow nonetheless. And he says, the name’s Virellan Le’Strange. Pleasure to meet you.
Aldrich: Oh,
Aldrich: the name’s Aldrick, Aldrick Havenport. I, uh, Pleasure. That…
GM: Aldrich, from where do you hail, good sir? A strapling lad.
Aldrich: is a, that is a good question. Where do I come from?
GM: Well, do you imagine that you are from a small town or a large city?
Aldrich: Kind of, kind of like, kind of like right in between, right?
Aldrich: It’s like a small city, like, starting to build up, you know, starting to kind of grow in populace.
GM: Yeah.
GM: Something in the middle ground, perhaps.
Aldrich: Yeah.
GM: Uh, well, I’ll leave it up to you. You can, you can invent a name or you can be vague or ambiguous in your answer to him. It’s up to you.
Aldrich: I come from, come from somewhere decently far. I’ve come for the, come for the King’s Tourney.
Aldrich: As most have, I’m here. Do…
GM: Yes.
GM: Yes, many have come. So, you’ve traveled a long distance to be here, I see. What do you seek first? Merriment? Rest? Sustenance?
Aldrich: you, do you know where a man could get some good ale around here?
GM: Indeed I do, sir. Indeed I do. He walks you right over here to this booth and says, Millie, look alive. I want to introduce you to my new friend. Aldrich, yes, you said?
Aldrich: Yes, yes.
GM: Aldrich. He’s looking for your finest mead. And Minnie, who is sort of operating the counter, kind of turns around and looks at you. My finest mead, you say? Oh, no, no, no, no. This one, he doesn’t want the finest. He wants the cheapest. She winks at you. Kind of assumingly.
GM: Have you any coin, lad? Uh,
Aldrich: Let me, let me, let me check my coffers real quick. Huh? Let me go check my, do I have coins inventory?
Aldrich: Is it in my inventory?
GM: yes. It should be…
Azrith: inventory and then it’s like the yeah uh…
Cassian: Yeah. At the top.
Cassian: So, right under the party inventory button to the right of that,
Cassian: you’ll see a little icon of gold or silver or something.
GM: cool.
Aldrich: Apparently I have 54 gold points. I,
GM: Is that you, Christopher? Let me get some fancy tech.
Odine: Playing music for us now.
GM: That’s awesome.
GM: I love that.
Odine: Setting the mood for the festival. You can adjust the volume yourselves,
GM: I need you to send me that reference. That is cool. I love that.
Odine: but kinkoo.fm.
GM: Yeah, that’s sweet. Is that a free resource? I love that.
Odine: You just have to register a bot and I joined the bot to the server and I can, honestly, I can just share the token with you and you can then play the music.
Odine: And if you,
GM: That’s awesome.
Odine: you can turn it down to yourself, but I also can control the volume up and down where I’m at. But yeah,
GM: Well,
GM: cool. It’s great. I turned it down just a tiny, tiny bit, but it was good.
GM: Yeah, so, Aldrich,
GM: if you look on your inventory on the right side there,
Aldrich: I,
Aldrich: I found, I found the coins. According to this, I have 54 gold points. Gold coins.
GM: you’re looking through your couch. She says, oh, I stand corrected. You can’t afford my finest mead. Well, if that’s the case, she goes back to her stores and she comes back with a tall, dark bottle that has a bright red wax seal. The bottle’s been dipped. And she says, this is my finest huckleberry mead.
Aldrich: Ooh.
Aldrich: How, how, how, how is this made?
GM: Well, it’s an aged mead. We make it all here locally. And we use fresh-picked huckleberries from the bushes. We get them from the fringes of the veil each spring.
Aldrich: Hmm. Exotic. How much will that be?
GM: One gold piece, sir?
Aldrich: That I can do.
Aldrich: Do I remove one from my, my thing?
GM: Yes. You can click on it to open it up,
Aldrich: Yeah.
GM: and then you can spend it or add or remove by typing the number in and then hitting the green or red buttons. Nice. Nice.
Aldrich: Perfect. All right, there you go.
Aldrich: There you are.
Odine: I’m kind of watching you do this and I’m, I’m very curious because I’ve never witnessed a drink like this before.
GM: Yeah. She hands it over to you, and she’s like, well, are you going to save it for later, or would you like us to help you crack it open now for…
Aldrich: Hmm. I’m saving this one for, uh, for after the tourney. It’s going to be for my victory.
GM: a celebration? For your victory. Ah, competitor. I think she suddenly realizes, like, you know, notices the rest of you standing behind Aldrich. Oh, an entire party of fighters. Are you going to enroll?
Odine: Oh,
Cassian: Cassian has already started walking off to accomplish his goals. He’s…
Odine: look at that party.
GM: Love it.
GM: We’re going to stick you over here. I think, does anyone notice Cassian leaving?
Odine: I mean, I’m no,
Aldrich: No.
Aldrich: I’m pretty focused.
Azrith: i i’m i don’t know maybe maybe Azrith i don’t know…
GM: I think, go ahead.
GM: I think maybe Varellin notices and says, oh, looks like your friend’s wandering off. Anyways, nice to meet you all. Good luck.
Cassian: a…
GM: I’m sure I’ll be seeing you around.
Odine: I’ll,
Odine: I’ll turn around and I just look desperately, not like intently, but I imagine he disappeared in the crowd pretty quick.
GM: Yeah, he’s got a way of kind of folding in.
GM: I will say I didn’t necessarily want to, like, litter the map with people, per se,
Odine: Well,
GM: but it’s crowded. Yeah, it, like, is indicative that there are quite a few people around. You…
Odine: but it’s crowded, right? Yeah.
Odine: You’re using the same token pack. I do.
Azrith: Azrith is.
Azrith: Azrith is gonna like.
GM: have this as well?
Odine: Sorry, go ahead, Azrith.
Azrith: Azrith is gonna like try to follow. uh, i always forget names,
GM: Cassian.
Azrith: cassian,
Azrith: so just trying to like follow,
GM: Aswin runs.
GM: Runs to catch up.
Azrith: yeah…
GM: Aldrich and Odin as well?
Aldrich: Uh, yeah. And yeah,
Odine: I’m just kind of like trying to make sense of what Aldrich just bought,
Odine: and I’m going to follow along, Yeah.
Aldrich: I’m, I’m just going to,
Aldrich: I’m just going to,
GM: Yeah.
Aldrich: I’m just going to, I’m just going to, pleasure doing business with you, madam, you know, get out of there.
GM: Odin, roll me a nature check.
Odine: Why can I never find it? That is going to be a five.
GM: Five.
GM: I think the only thing that stood out to you about that whole interaction was the huckleberries, right?
GM: You would recognize that the huckleberries grow in the veil. And clearly these people, you know,
Odine: Yeah.
GM: dare to get close enough to it to harvest going into the summer each year.
Odine: Yeah.
GM: Great. armor, decorated blooms, banners, overcoats, whereas you’ve also walked past some more like scrappy looking knights that seem to just kind of figure out how to kind of get by and have enough gear and equipment to be here. But one in particular here to your left as you pass by, you notice a pair of knights that their armor is matte white and they also have a white banner that they’re hanging. I’m going to say let’s have Cassian and Aldric both do history checks here. This may or may not be pertinent information for you here.
Cassian: natural 20.
GM: No way.
Odine: I mean, I’m seeing it. I’ve seen it twice now. Yeah.
Aldrich: I mean,
GM: Oh man,
Odine: That’s great.
GM: that is awesome.
Odine: Oh,
GM: That is awesome.
Aldrich: and not by,
GM: A nine. Okay. So I’m going to say, I’m going to say Aldric, you don’t necessarily know who that, that noble house is, but you can with a nine, at least rule out. It’s not the noble house that you served, um, when you were a soldier. Uh, it’s some other noble house from some distant realm that has come here. Um, Cassian, however, you recognize this as house Godran.
GM: Um, house Godran, uh, under the tutelage of the current patron, Golstang Godran. I’ll put this in the chat for you.
GM: Uh, they are certainly known, um, for their wealth, right? Their, their resources, uh, particularly a dependency on mana crystals and artifacts and like arcane power. They’re very good at, uh, controlling magic and are not afraid to flaunt it. Um, I think with a natural 20, I need to give you a little more than that too, to be honest. So let me pull this up here real quick. Um,
GM: I’m going to tell you a couple of the tenants that they’re known for amongst the noble houses, but your family would very clearly know this. Um, they believe in the right to rule. Um, they certainly are one of three larger houses that tends to always win, um, on rotation, the tournament. And, um, secretly, I think you view them, uh, maybe not so secretly to you, but secretly to the common folk. Um, they have this just like ruthless drive and determination that, uh, often can have a dark side to it.
Cassian: Cassian glances over at them, but not too long because he doesn’t want them to notice him noticing them. And he kind of moves it along quicker, but not so quick that they may notice it.
GM: Playing it coy, playing it cool as you,
GM: you move along.
Cassian: Yeah.
Cassian: Yeah. Playing it,
Cassian: just walking through the crowd, noticing, and then redirecting really quickly and getting further away to not be noticed by these people.
GM: All right.
GM: Great. Um, I think as soon as you get over here, you see a gentleman in front of the registration tent and he’s working on a pair of tables, uh, where he has his arbiter behind one and lists and quills and ink. Um, they have the book of rules. They have everything that they need here to, uh, sort of sign people up for the tournament.
GM: Um,
GM: we’ll say that his back is to you at the moment as you walk up to him.
Cassian: Okay. Chris,
Cassian: would you mind turning it down just a little bit?
Odine: yeah. Sorry. I’ve got it cranked way down on my end. So I’ll, I’ll, I’ll, I’ll kill it tonight.
Odine: So that way you can,
Cassian: Is that, hold on,
Cassian: is there, is that a specific bot that’s doing that?
Odine: yeah. So you can,
Azrith: uh in in discord you just right click and you can use volume yeah yeah…
Cassian: Oh, DJ Kenku? Oh,
Cassian: I got it. I got it thing. I got it.
Odine: yeah.
Odine: DJ Kanku at the volume there.
Cassian: Oh,
Odine: Yeah.
Cassian: it doesn’t change anything.
Odine: You can’t set the volume for you? User volume?
Cassian: I did. It just turned it off. Oh, there we go. All right. Anyways, thank you. Sorry about that,
Odine: Sorry.
Cassian: guys.
Odine: No, you’re good.
Cassian: All good.
GM: We’re good. All good. Uh, yeah. As you come up, as you approach him, Cassian, I think he’s got his back turned to you at the moment.
Cassian: Cassian just walks a few feet away and he says, Sir, I am here to register for the tourney, of course.
GM: A man with a very well-kept, uh, burly mustache turns around. Um, and he’s, he’s wearing a, a light blue and gold trimmed cap. He turns around. Ah, well met. Hello there. My name is Holt. How can I be of service to you today?
Cassian: Is Holt new to the registration area or is he an old time? I have known him.
GM: Roll me an insight check.
Cassian: It’s an eight.
GM: Hmm. I think uh, as far as you can tell Holt seems like he’s done this before, but he’s not, he’s not the guy that you recognize for…
Cassian: I’m here to register for the tourney.
GM: the proving grounds. I assume.
Cassian: Of course. Yeah. Yeah, I mean,
GM: Yes. Okay. Uh, he kind of sizes you up and maybe does an insight check of his own. He says, yes, yes, of course. Well, I, I presume you have the 25 gold entry fee.
Cassian: Cassian had already had it prepared, so he pulls it out and hands it to the man.
GM: You’re, uh, entering as a solo contestant or you are entering as a group.
Cassian: Is anybody else participating in the tourney? Would you guys like to join?
Cassian: I’m going to do quite well,
Odine: I’m,
Odine: I’m,
Cassian: of course.
Odine: I’m shaking my head vehemently now. Just silently.
Azrith: i’ll do it i…
Aldrich: by your side. Of…
Cassian: That makes a party of three.
Odine: Oh.
Cassian: Did you guys bring your gold?
Odine: Oh,
Odine: I’ll watch.
Aldrich: course.
GM: His, uh, eyes, I think dart between Aldrich and Azareth and is kind of, uh, sizing your group up. Maybe a little uncertain about who you all are or why you might all be traveling together. He, seems to perceive you all as a bit of an eclectic group. Uh, you’re sure most of the, most of the team competitions, uh, are party sizes of four. You can enter with three, but might not be the, you, it might not, uh, have your best interest in mind to only enter with three contenders.
Odine: Okay, fine. And I’ll reach into my pouch.
Aldrich: It’s, it’s 25, right?
GM: Oh, no, no, no, sorry. It’s 25 for the whole group. Uh,
GM: you could split the cost if you wanted or let your friend pay for it here.
Aldrich: Oh. Oh,
Azrith: had a funny idea to give him 2500 copper pieces pay for it at all pennies…
GM: If you want,
Odine: He’s…
Cassian: I should have done it.
GM: if, if you think that’s something Azareth likes to travel around with, we can always,
Odine: got like a sack full of.
GM: we can always go down that road.
Aldrich: we’ll…
Odine: Okay. What?
Cassian: Pay me back later. It’s fine.
Cassian: I was planning on doing this anyways.
Odine: This is.
Odine: Oh, this is. I hope this is a good idea.
Cassian: It’s a great idea. I mean,
Aldrich: be.
Cassian: we could not be. We are a bunch of strangers and we’re going to go and fight together.
GM: Well,
GM: if you put on a good enough show, perhaps this will pay back in dividends.
Odine: Oh.
Odine: Mm.
Odine: Okay. Okay.
GM: He will happily take your gold and hand you all a list to sign your name to. And what shall we call your group?
Odine: This doesn’t have to stick guys. Just somebody come up with a name. Oh, Dean’s a follower here. Yeah. So you’re…
Cassian: Sorry, guys. I had a phone call come in. It totally just cut me out from you.
Odine: good.
GM: Oh, good.
Odine: What do they want to call? What do you want to call ourselves? I think since you’re the leader, you should call it like, you know, your quartet or something like that, you know?
Cassian: Oh, I’m not the leader. I think that one with the tenacity should be the leader. Aldrich? I’m captain. Absolutely.
Cassian: You’ve got what it takes.
Aldrich: We’re the, we’re the, we’re the crushing crusaders now.
GM: The crushing crusaders. I like it.
Cassian: And then Cassian speaks up and he goes, Cassian’s crushing crusaders?
Odine: That’s great.
Azrith: have…
GM: Bit of a mouthful, but it’s got a nice ring to it. Oh, let me,
Odine: I’ve never, but I’ve never, I’ve never crushed anything.
GM: let’s see if I can edit that. There we go.
Aldrich: And so,
Aldrich: it’s always a fair time for everything.
Azrith: you ever stepped down a bud…
GM: Cassian’s crushing crusaders. It is. All right. He begins to write that down and then, uh, has you all push your names down. Um, do you all give your given names or is anyone going to fudge, fudge the line here?
Odine: I don’t know any better.
Aldrich: Oh, no.
Aldrich: Oh, I, I want to see how people react to it. If they react to it.
GM: Aldrich, do you go first?
Odine: I just write, oh, Dean.
GM: Whereas Cassian already all over that quill.
Cassian: Cassian was there. He jumped in. He already knew where to sign. I know, I know.
GM: Yeah.
Odine: He’s John Hancock-ing it, right? Is that a, yeah,
Odine: it’s as big as you can.
GM: Yeah. Much bigger,
GM: much bigger than it needs to be on the paper, on the parchment.
Odine: Yeah.
GM: Uh, Aldrich signs next. Azareth.
Azrith: Azrith signs. yeah, Azrith signs his actual name, uh, but in in like parentheses to the size like, don’t forget it,
Azrith: but it’s also.
GM: Don’t forget it. I love that.
GM: Don’t forget it.
Azrith: it’s also like two year old handwriting,
Azrith: by the way,
GM: Yes.
Azrith: he did not have the proper education of writing. yeah,
GM: Yes. I love that.
GM: That’s awesome.
Odine: Did you learn how to write from a goblin?
Azrith: actually…
GM: Yeah. Uh, Odin doesn’t know any better. She signs her name at the end.
Odine: Yeah.
GM: Uh,
Odine: With a flourish, by the way. It looks like the penmanship is like something everyone in the world is jealous of. So, yeah.
GM: yeah. Holt takes your form and he curls it up and puts it in a small, uh, tube sleeve, hands it across the table to his arbiter and says, put that one on, on the, the to be watched shelf. I have a good feeling about this group. And he turns to you all with a smile. Uh,
Odine: We’re going to get annihilated.
GM: he says, he says, give me but a moment while I scheduled you here. And he goes and he looks down. He’s like, he’s like, okay, yes. Uh, you are going to report to tent D tomorrow at 6 PM. Um,
Aldrich: All right. Shall, shall we enjoy the festives?
Azrith: obviously what should we do first you…
Cassian: Get something to eat. I am famished.
Aldrich: Yeah, we’ve done a lot of walking.
GM: you, uh,
Azrith: call that a lot of wanting…
GM: you, uh, you follow your noses.
Aldrich: Yeah.
GM: I’ll follow the yeah.
Cassian: Cassian recommends a place.
GM: Yeah. Cassian. I think, uh, you might have fond memories of the bigger tent that you passed on your way in called, uh, the cookhouse. And the owner is a rotund six foot five man that goes by the name slug. And you know that slug is famous for his spit. He, he roasts, uh, just the, the best smoked pork. Um, I think you’re already salivating just thinking about it.
Aldrich: I’ll,
Cassian: They’ve got to go see my old friend Slug. Some of the best food. Well, he’s more of an acquaintance. But, you know, I’d like to think he’s my friend because the pork is so delicious. Anyway, so let’s go this way.
Odine: What’s the port?
Azrith: why…
Aldrich: I’ll have to take your word on it.
GM: All right. Um, let’s relocate you all down here. Uh,
GM: and we’ll kind of go, uh, we’ll kind of go off map here for a second as you enter into slugs tent.
GM: Um, you go in and it feels like a sort of like an outdoor local family owned and operated barbecue joint, but like under the lens of a Renaissance fair, uh, there’s a, there’s a centerpiece at the front, uh, just underneath the front awning, uh, where there’s a large spit that’s been dug into the ground, uh, where they are constantly cooking their meats. Um, and as you go in, there are crowds of people on the wooden tables and benches that are, uh, tucking into their food and servers that are coming and going from the front of these tents that seem to be going out to other tents. Um, they are seemingly bringing together the various accoutrement of the brewer’s tent and the cheese monger and the baker and bringing components together in here to serve, uh, those that are seated within.
Cassian: And then they serve liquor.
GM: They do. They have, uh, an assortment of ales and meads to meet you a fancy wine too. If you’re a high roller and can afford such thing from,
Odine: Can O’Dean, does O’Dean notice that this is like animal products? There’s like bones coming out of shit and like,
Odine: and like I can definitely see like a pig’s head somewhere. Yeah.
GM: from the,
GM: from the pig, from the pig that’s on the spit at the moment, a hundred percent. Yeah.
GM: Yeah. Throw a fit.
GM: Yeah. Yeah.
Odine: Yeah. Like, I’m like, oh my God.
GM: This is a total,
Odine: What’s,
GM: this is a total disrespect for the sacredness of life from,
GM: from your perspective.
Odine: yeah.
Odine: Yeah.
GM: And,
Odine: Yeah.
GM: and I think,
Odine: I’m just like,
GM: go ahead.
Odine: no, it’s good. No, I’m like, what is, what is, what is, what is happening here?
Odine: I thought we were getting food.
Azrith: are you freaking out this is food…
GM: This, uh, I…
Odine: This isn’t food. Where are the, where are the legumes?
Cassian: Rather delicious.
Odine: Where, where, where are the mushrooms? Where are the, where are the apples? Like.
Cassian: That’s a couple of blocks over.
Cassian: Just, in fact, if you just go take a right up that path there and then another quick right.
Odine: I’m too afraid to leave you guys. I’m just very flush white, like completely like in shock. The color is drained from my face. Being naive and, uh, I’m just like, oh no. And I just get real quiet. Again, I clench my, my necklace, my pendant and, uh, it’s like, oh, it’s, it’s, it’s fine. It’s fine. It’s fine. It’s fine.
Azrith: what you see a ghost because i didn’t have any eh…
Odine: I’ll just, I’ll calm down.
Odine: You know,
GM: think the, the outcry at first is just very organic, right? She’s not necessarily trying to make a stink out of it,
GM: but it’s just a very authentic reaction to what’s going on in this new environment that she’s been thrust into. At the very least, within about 20 feet of you, Odin, I think there’s, uh, um, a quieting of the crowd and an attention that turns towards your group, right? From the outcry itself. But, uh, not, not unlike someone dropping, uh, dropping a plate in a restaurant. Um, but then after your party seems to kind of calm you down a little bit, everybody kind of returns, but still some eyes, still some prying eyes and some attention on your group…
Odine: no,
Odine: I’m just,
Odine: I’m muttering to myself. That’s all. I don’t want to interrupt your meal. I don’t want to be rude. I’m just, this is a new experience for me to witness.
GM: slug. I think finally sees your group, uh, as he comes out, uh, and is wearing what I would describe not as white, but off white, uh, commoner’s clothing and a large off white apron. Uh, this man, uh, is not the cleanest looking man. Uh, and he says, Oh, yes, new patrons! Please! Oh, I recognize you. You’ve been here. Last year, I think I remember you eating, what was it? Three, four pounds of pulled pork?
Cassian: Oh, and the mead. The mead.
GM: I need. Ah, yes, my wife, Minnie, you remember her?
GM: She’s the best.
Cassian: Oh,
Cassian: mini.
GM: Best brewer in town.
GM: I think, I think he recognizes that Aldrich, you’re holding one of her bottles that you purchased earlier. He says, Are you here to break that open by…
Cassian: Such a craft. You better keep that one.
Aldrich: I’ve got to save this for after the tourney.
GM: contenders?
GM: Or are you here to watch someone?
Aldrich: Yeah.
Aldrich: I, here to, here to contend. Here to take part.
Aldrich: See what it’s about.
GM: Well,
GM: very nice. Well, here, he comes and clears off a table that recently has been at, um, abandoned and kind of pulls the bench out for you all and pats the bench kindly. Uh, he’s got kind of like a, almost like a Ron Swanson kind of face with like a big burly mustache that you can kind of just see a faint smile behind.
Odine: Midwest sarcasm.
GM: Exactly. It says, uh, well, have a seat and, uh, tell me how hungry you are on a scale of one to 10.
Aldrich: Absolutely drained.
GM: Thirsty,
GM: not hungry.
Odine: Odette.
Odine: Odette is sick. Just like keeping their mouth to herself.
GM: I’ve never seen a group come in here before with such little appetite.
Aldrich: I,
Azrith: what oh i’m hungry…
GM: He slaps you on the back. Good lad, good lad. What can I get for you?
Azrith: well tell me what kind of things you have meat…
GM: Are you in the mood for meat or, or stew?
GM: Or we, we partner with many of the local vendors here. I, we can make you a sandwich. We can, we can, uh, bring you an assortment of cheese and crackers.
Azrith: meat will do…
Odine: I’ll take cheese and crackers. I’ll take cheese and crackers. Do you, do you have,
GM: Cheese and crackers for the lady.
Odine: do you have any mushroom?
GM: Uh, a mushroom. I could grill up some mushroom for you. That’d be easy enough to do.
Odine: Thank you.
Odine: Then I avoid eye contact again.
GM: And for you, the strapling lad.
Aldrich: I’ll just, I’ll just have some mead right now. I’ve been doing a lot of walking recently. I,
GM: Very well. Anything else?
Odine: I’ll,
Aldrich: I think,
Odine: I’ll try some mead.
GM: A round of drinks then.
GM: And he turns to you Cassian.
Cassian: I’ll have a half pound of barbecue and a mead to start. We’ll see where things go.
GM: Great. Make yourselves at home. We’ll be out in a minute. And he goes to start preparing your order. Uh, just at this moment, uh, you hear the crowd quiet a bit, uh, as the chatter, um, qualms down a bit and everyone seems to be looking towards the entrance. Uh, you see a pair of nobles that have just walked in and start working their way, uh, towards an empty table and taking a seat. They’re wearing, uh, shiny black armor. Uh, one of them still wearing a helm. Uh, and the other has, uh, looks like a young man. Um, maybe a half elf, uh, somewhat pointed ears. And he has very long, uh, bright white hair.
GM: You sure can, sir.
Aldrich: can I history check them?
Aldrich: I got a 12.
GM: Well, the, the face that you can see, you’ve never spoken to that person, um, um, before, but you have seen them. Uh, this is Kardis Wulfhelm. Uh, he is the prince of house Wulfhelm. Um, his father, Edwin is the one that kind of calls the shots in that house. Uh, and you know Kardis to be a bit reckless and likely is here to compete in the tournament. You’re not sure who’s with him. It could be one of the knights from his house. Um, or maybe it’s just a security detail, but, uh, house Wulfhelm Aldrich is, um, it is the parent house of the, um, vassal house that you once worked for when you were working in security.
Aldrich: Okay.
GM: So there is a connection to your backstory here. And in that, you know, these people to be very wealthy, very powerful. Um, and this is kind of one of their young guns.
Odine: What’s the, what’s the vibe that they’re putting off? Like, are they, like, it’s noble, right? Are they putting off an arrogant vibe? Like they own the place vibe or are they putting off like a, trying to, so some, yeah. What, what kind of vibe am I picking up? I guess.
GM: It’s not,
Odine: Having never seen anything.
GM: it’s not pompous. It’s not like they walk in and, um,
GM: are trying to draw attention,
Odine: Own the place.
Odine: Yeah. Yeah.
GM: but they do organically. Um,
Odine: Yeah.
GM: they seem like they’re actually kind of just peaceably here. Uh, and then they just kind of want to sit down and get their fill. Um, but I think as you’re kind of observing them, you, you do notice, uh, you do notice in a moment that, um, Kardis kind of like looks over at one of the attendants and kind of gestures over to some people at a table near him and just kind of makes like a shooing, like a shooing motion. And the attendant kind of like privately goes over and like politely asks them to like move to a different table.
GM: And so you do kind of watch him just kind of like. use his power and authority to kind of like,
Odine: Okay.
GM: relocate people and get himself some space in the corner for seemingly no reason Right.
Odine: Cool.
Odine: Yeah.
Odine: Okay. He’s as asshole-ish as he looks. Cool.
GM: Uh,
Aldrich: Really.
GM: Aldrich, you,
GM: do you mention or say anything about him or do you merely clock him?
Aldrich: I’m just, I’m just gonna,
Aldrich: I’m just gonna, uh, I’m gonna make a remark. Um. I, I hope, I hope that guy’s blade isn’t as sharp as his eyebrows.
Odine: I like it.
Odine: I’m going to look at you quizzically. I don’t understand the saying, but that was quite rude. The way that man dismissed those other patrons.
Cassian: I would assume that I have a pretty good knowledge of who this might be.
GM: Yeah. Um, I think just like the, the natural 20 that you rolled for the Godrens, um, at the very least, you know, that, um, house Wulfhelm, um, is one, maybe, maybe in the contender for top two or top three most powerful noble houses in all of the land, all the crown lands. Uh, in fact, I think it, what would be interesting is if you recalled from like the last year’s tournament, when you went to the grand stage to watch the final competition, uh, you remember that they had this just behemoth knight that is famous for wielding no weapons. He’s a pugilist. They call him doomfist and he just wears like armored gauntlets and man, does he put in good work with, with his fighting style and just those gauntlets alone. An impressive display from that man.
Cassian: And I would probably have some understanding of their lineage because I’m a vassal of their house.
GM: So the lineage comes through a, a man that was, um, at the head of the house. He was a Lord that was deeded lands from King Aldrich, um, hundreds of years ago. His name was Beowyn. And he has a great grandson Beowyn that is now like the great grandfather of this household. He’s very old, um, and bears the same name. Um, he’s the, the fourth of his line. Um, and his son Eodwin is kind of the, um, salt and pepper, uh, knightly lord that rules over the house. This young man across from you would likely be his son. Uh,
Cassian: Cassian just kind of rolls his eyes hearing Aldrich and seeing them come into the room and the situation.
Cassian: But he’s going to try to ignore it and eat some pork.
GM: I also think that is probably of note that the Wulfhelms won the entire tournament last year. So they are currently the house that owns the deed and title to the Thornwood Vale. And so they’ve had control of that entire massive plot of land behind the gleaming keep. Um, there’s a large forested valley with black cliff sides and, um, that kind of eventually turned into like a mountain range on, um, to the east. And it’s just a very long and narrow canyon that used to be, um, known as the king’s hunting grounds. Um, but now is just sort of known as the, um, the symbol of dominance in all of the crown lands, the, the house that controls that land. Um, they’re the ones that essentially have bragging rights for a year and access to that.
GM: Uh, your food comes out and slug serves all of you, uh, a round of the house mead and your orders, your bread and, and crackers and cheese. Um, your, your barbecue platters, your meats smoking and hot, uh, the aroma’s wafting into your nose. Uh, you’re able to eat this with your eyes before you’re able to eat it with your mouth. It looks amazing.
Odine: I turned to Aldrich. I’m like, okay,
Odine: what is this mead that we’re about to drink?
Aldrich: You don’t,
Aldrich: you don’t know what mead is?
Odine: Oh, no, no, no, no. I don’t. I’ve, I’ve never, I’ve never been here before. I don’t know what kind of drinks they drink here in the city.
Aldrich: Well,
Cassian: Cassian says, just have a sip of it. It’s delicious.
Aldrich: I’d take his word on it.
Odine: I’ll look at the glass and I’ll, or whatever the tankard that it comes in.
Odine: And I imagine it’s bigger than my head and I, yeah,
GM: Yeah, it looks,
GM: it,
Odine: yeah,
GM: it looks like, it looks like some, some kind of juice, perhaps.
Odine: yeah.
Odine: I’m going to take a sip.
Aldrich: Hmm. Now this is some mead.
GM: Uh, Aldrich, I think you do probably quite enjoy it. It’s, uh, it’s rich, um, and it’s sweet, but it has just the right, uh, you know, tang and bitterness to it. Odin, I think you only sense the, the, the, the sour and bitterness that the first thing that stands out to you is something feels wrong drinking it.
Odine: Okay. Cool.
GM: Like, like it’s spoiled.
Odine: Yeah. Something’s wrong with this juice.
Cassian: Everything is right with this juice.
Aldrich: You just see me, you just see me, like, fully just guzzle the rest of it down and be like, hey, let me get another one. Please and thank you, sir.
Odine: I’m going to, I kind of like retch a little bit, but I’m going to try to take another sip again. Just trying to figure, yeah. It’s not like a retch. It’s like a, you know, like the,
Odine: like a bitter aftertaste and trying to find the sweetness that you are talking about.
Azrith: hmm…
Aldrich: Yeah.
Cassian: There…
Odine: There it is. I do sense some sweetness.
Odine: It grows on you.
Cassian: it is.
GM: As you, uh, tuck into your meal, uh, Azrith, roll me a perception check.
Azrith: 17…
GM: I think you notice this young noble in the corner. Um, you just kind of, your eye locks onto him for a brief moment while he leans in towards his knightly companion, who’s still wearing a helm, uh, and just whispers into his ear, but his eyes are like kind of trained on your group, specifically on Aldrich.
Azrith: guys that guy’s looking at us funny…
GM: It looks like he’s whispering, whispering about you. Ooh,
Odine: They’re…
Azrith: yeah that guy the funny hair…
Aldrich: Uh, look over at him, I guess, and try to, try to find who he’s looking at. I…
Odine: straight at them.
GM: are we going to get into a staring contest?
Odine: We want to, I mean, I’m,
Aldrich: mean, yeah.
Odine: I’m going to, I’m going to look exact,
Azrith: scared the…
Odine: I’m going to, I’m just going to look exactly at what someone’s referring to.
Azrith: guy’s a jerk that…
Aldrich: Yeah, that, it seems to be a common trend nowadays.
Azrith: is true…
GM: I think what he does is he grabs his goblet that’s being served to him and he just averts his eyes from your, even though you’re all now like looking towards him, he averts his eyes as if he’s disinterested with you and just tucks into his goblet.
Odine: Oh, I love it. We’re just like staring, gawking back.
GM: He doesn’t seem to mind. He’s used to people staring at him.
Cassian: Cassian just has barbecue on his face. And he’s just eat into this meat.
Cassian: With, yeah, exactly. With a mouthful, he says, the slug’s stuck. Give me another half pound.
Azrith: you…
Odine: I’m going to, I am now chugging the mead as I saw Aldrich do.
GM: Yeah. Yeah. How’s your constitution?
Odine: It’s not great.
GM: I like, uh, I like to imagine that you’re drinking so fast that you get the hiccups.
Odine: Yeah. There you go. I’m okay with that.
GM: Um, as you all start completing your meal, uh, you’re, you’re feeling the energy from, from, um, um, what is probably, you know, the, the most quality meal that you’ve had in the last week, any of you having been traveling on the road, uh, where would you like to go and what would you like to do next?
Aldrich: I don’t know, we still, we still have, like, a whole day ahead of us. Huh.
Odine: There’s, there’s like a day and a half. Like there’s, there’s bound to be like,
Odine: I don’t know, like soothsayers or fortunes,
Odine: or more occult stuff like around town.
GM: Hmm.
GM: Yeah. More like, uh,
GM: the curiosities type thing. Yes, we can, we can certainly do an investigation for something like that. Um, if you’re ready to, if you’re ready to leave slug’s cookhouse, uh, three, three gold ought to, to cover your tab.
Odine: Yeah.
Aldrich: All right.
Cassian: I’ll let the three of you handle that. If you want to spend it amongst yourselves.
Odine: This town is expensive.
Odine: All right. I’m paying four gold.
GM: Great. Um, and, uh, as you leave the tent, do you pay any mind to this noble,
GM: or you guys going to kind of give him the treatment?
Odine: Oh, no, no.
Odine: I stare straight at him.
Odine: I’m trying to figure this fucker out.
GM: Yeah.
GM: Yeah.
Odine: I’m a half elf too. So I…
Cassian: Cassian just kind of puts his hand to his head and just kind of walks by.
Aldrich: I…
Cassian: I rolled…
GM: Oh,
GM: Dean, you’re, you’re quite, uh, you’re quite young and attractive. I, I think he sees you staring and maybe gets the wrong message here and kind of gives you like a little of like a curious look.
Odine: don’t care what message he thinks I’m giving. I’m just trying to figure him out. Like, cause I’m a half elf. Half elves are not really where I come from. They’re actually kind of like a lower class and they would never be leaders in the village.
GM: Yeah.
Odine: And, uh, so I’m just, I’m observing here, but totally like, just like, also a bit disgusted that he’s more human than elf with his manners.
GM: Mm-hmm. He’s also certainly more human physically too. There’s a, for you, you’ve been around elves, you know, there’s a, there’s a grace to it that he carries none of,
Odine: Fucking right.
GM: even, even though from, uh, from a human kingdom perspective, he may, may seem to carry a lot of grace, but from where you’re from, he, he’s lacking all, all of that grace that you’re used to.
Odine: Yeah. I’m just going to kind of just stare, keep my thought for myself, but keep walking.
GM: Okay. I think for now, he, he just watches you all go. Um, let’s do an investigation check here as you start walking out amongst the tents and…
Odine: It’s a nine.
GM: nine.
GM: You’re,
Odine: Cassian rolls like a boss.
Azrith: said: wait,
Azrith: what’d you say?
GM: uh,
GM: I know, right? You need to have Seth roll it for you.
GM: He puts out only natural twenties.
Odine: Yeah.
Azrith: investigation or an insight? okay…,
Cassian: a 19 and had a plus four.
GM: Okay.
Odine: Investigation.
GM: Investigation. Cassian, what are, what are you looking for? I know Dean was kind of looking more for sort of like some oddities and, and sort of, but Cassian,
Azrith: advantage i…
GM: are you, uh, or are you looking for something different?
Cassian: Yeah, I’m looking to go to the alchemist or somebody who’s selling potions.
GM: Yes. The apothecary, if you will.
Cassian: The apothecary. Yeah,
Azrith: got a 22 and i rolled twice because i have advantage so putting that out there um i’m mainly looking anywhere where there’s like spooky stuff…
GM: And what are you looking for, Azrath?
GM: Ooh, spooky stuff. I like this. Okay. Um, let’s, uh, let’s start by Cassian kind of taking the lead here. He seems to know where he’s going best. Uh, the rest of you all, um, taking peeks inside of tents as he kind of leads you around.
GM: Um, Cassian, you clocked this place as you came in.
Cassian: it’s not Cassian’s first time having to buy healing potions.
Cassian: So he’s moving fairly quickly. He knows where he’s going. Every time he is here, it’s always intense. So he’s picking up on the vibe and doing and moving. So he heads into the apothecary and starts looking around for healing potions.
GM: Yes.
GM: A, uh, well-adorned, a middle-aged woman wearing all sorts of jewelry and accoutrement and, and baubles comes out in her silk gown and she sees you and she says, ah, hello, a new patron. How may I be of service to you today, sir? Uh, tonic, strout, salves, what are you looking for?
Cassian: Oh, well, I’d like to start with some healing potions.
GM: Ah, yes. Mine a potion of healings. Uh, carry you any gold?
Cassian: Not as much as I would like.
GM: Well, I, I tend to start with one potion at 15 gold and I discount for, for bulk purchases.
Cassian: Cassian have some experience of understanding whether that price is decent.
GM: Let’s do a, we do a history check.
Odine: Are we paying festival prices?
GM: Yeah, this is festival prices. Uh, let’s do insight check or history. It’s up to you.
Cassian: I’ve got a 22 on history. Well,
GM: Hmm. I think you think she’s not being overtly unfair, but that you might have a chance to potentially haggle her down here if you know, uh, your way to kind of do this song and dance.
GM: Maybe some persuasion or intimidation tactics might work to your favor.
Cassian: I’ve got. Yeah.
Cassian: Yeah. It’s perfect. So, sorry. Cassian. Oh, my goodness, dude. I cannot form a thought right now.
Cassian: Cassian looks there in the eye and says, well, I’ve got an offer for you. I know it’s probably too good to be true, but I can give you 19 gold for two potions.
GM: I like the way you think, businessman at heart. And what about your friends? Will they also be shopping here with you today? Or is this the only thing you’re looking for is two potions?
Cassian: I don’t think that I can find enough words to speak for my companions.
Aldrich: will not be, I need to restart my PC real quick to try to fix my audio device. I’ll be right back.
GM: Okay, sounds good.
Odine: Yeah. It’s all, uh, I’ll take some healing potions too. 19 for two.
GM: Why don’t you roll a persuasion check, Cassian, to see if you can lock this deal down?
Cassian: That’s a 24.
GM: 24. Solid, dude. Can’t roll lower than a 20 tonight.
Odine: We’re getting fucked at the tournament tomorrow.
Azrith: yeah we’re we’re using up all of our luck here Azrith…
Cassian: Yeah, we are.
GM: Four potions of healing.
Cassian: Got this down,
Cassian: though.
GM: Four potions of healing for 38 gold pieces split between the two of you. She extends a hand. You, my friend, have a deal.
Cassian: Lovely doing business with you. And I love the aesthetic.
GM: Why, thank you.
GM: I was feeling myself when I got dressed this morning.
GM: As the young ones say.
Cassian: Cassian.
Cassian: Cassian just winks at her and turns away and starts heading out of the store.
GM: I didn’t catch your name…
Cassian: You’ll hear it soon enough.
GM: competing in the tournament then, I assume.
Cassian: Wish me luck.
GM: I’ll do you one better. Don’t forget to use those potions. They’ll keep you alive.
Cassian: Good advice if I’ve ever heard it. Farewell, madam.
Odine: I’m going to shoot a, shoot a, shoot a look at Cassian and go, this is deadly. Just be a little bit naive.
GM: She looks at you.
Cassian: No, but it’s.
Cassian: Oh, yeah.
GM: Sorry, yeah. She looks at you, Odin. Says, first time at the king’s tourney, m’lady.
Odine: Oh, first time to the city.
GM: First time in Everdale.
Odine: Yes. Yes.
GM: And what brings you here after all this time?
Odine: Um, I’m, I’m seeking asking some advice or some, some guidance to,
GM: I…
Odine: uh, to deal with the pestilence that is ravaging my home. how,
GM: think you see a look of knowing when she hears you say that. And says, ah, a word of caution. Make sure that you seek only the sources of truth in your search for this information. There are many who will take advantage of misinformation in regards to the pestilence that has come to our land.
GM: Be careful.
Odine: how, how, how, how will I know?
GM: Looking at you, she says, you seem like you’ll know.
GM: Trust your heart.
GM: Your instincts.
Odine: I’m going to look down. I’m going to look down at my feet, unsure and, uh, and say, thank you.
GM: Pleasure to meet you. Kind of pauses as if waiting to get your name.
Odine: Uh, Odin,
GM: Odin. A beautiful name.
Odine: Odin Dunmare. I’ll…
GM: Beautiful name for a beautiful lass. Be careful around that, uh, rugged one you’re with. He seems like trouble to me.
Odine: look back at him. He’s already, I assume he’s kind of left the tent a little bit.
GM: Yeah, he’s already marched away.
Odine: Is that what’s going on, Seth? Yeah.
GM: I think that’s a fair assumption, right?
Odine: Yeah. Say hi. Oh, he seems okay.
Cassian: With that.
GM: Well, but what about the rest of you?
Odine: But thank you.
GM: Anyone need any, anyone need anything?
Aldrich: Am I, am I, are we still in the, uh, what’s his name? I’m,
Odine: Apothecary.
Aldrich: I don’t know.
Odine: Yeah.
GM: Yes.
Aldrich: Okay.
GM: Uh, yes. There’s a herbalist, uh, dark, dark, dark skinned woman, um, sharp-tongued, uh, witty. She’s, she seems like she knows her stuff and she’s been, um, selling potions to your party. Uh, is there any, anything that you might need? Common remedies, supplies?
Aldrich: What kind of potions does she sell, besides healing, obviously?
GM: Mm-hmm. Yes. Um, she has some, they’re not necessarily super magical per se,
GM: but seem like she’s got some, uh, organic salves and poultresses and tonics and cleansers, um, kind of has, like, a little bit of, like, a mysticism kind of vibe to it. Um, um, things for potentially providing burn resistance, um,
Aldrich: Mm-hmm.
Aldrich: Yeah. I have burn resistance.
GM: uh, things to perhaps give you a little pep in your step. Um,
Aldrich: Okay.
GM: maybe, like, maybe, like, a little bit of, like, a adrenaline rush type thing.
Aldrich: Yeah. That’s what I was thinking. Something along the lines of, like, adrenaline or, like,
GM: Yeah. Um, yeah.
Aldrich: something that’ll help me in combat.
GM: She holds up a clear long vial to you with a small cork topper and says, I call this the Traveler’s Tonic. Um, and, uh, mechanically speaking, Alex, this tonic will essentially provide advantage on the next, um, ability check or saving throw that you make. Um,
Aldrich: That, that, that, that applies to any, any ability check or mostly attack.
GM: pretty much, but it can be, yeah, it can be used for attack. It’s a little bit just, like, a bit of an adrenaline rush for when you really want to make sure that something goes well.
Aldrich: Okay. Okay. That’s, like, an advantage, pretty much. I get it.
GM: Yeah. Yep. So,
Aldrich: All right.
GM: uh, that, that, that costs me six gold pieces to make, so I would ask at least eight from you if you wanted to buy it. It’s one of my last ones.
Aldrich: Well, I’ll just kind of take a good look at it in her hand, you know? Take a few seconds to gander, I don’t know, you know, I’ll, yeah, I’ll take it. I think, I think it’ll give me the edge I’m looking for.
GM: Wonderful.
GM: Let me give that to you so you can add an item into your inventory. This is a homebrew item.
Aldrich: All right. Let me, let…
Aldrich: me reopen everything.
Aldrich: Who’s the eight goal?
GM: Um, I put it in the campaign info thread there for you.
GM: And what about you, my fine horned friend looking down at Azrith? Looking for any oddities or supplies?
Azrith: was like like Azrith was spacing out and so he he when spoken to he was like huh what uh who are you okay…
GM: My name is… Marea. Marea Voss.
Azrith: oh i’m Azrith…
GM: And you?
GM: Azrith. A strong name.
GM: Are you here to compete with this group?
Azrith: mm-hmm…
GM: Any supplies that you need for your bout? I hear you’re listed to compete in the tournament.
Azrith: nah i’m good i got everything i need okay…
GM: Very well.
GM: You all know where to find me. And she heads back into her head.
Odine: Man of many words. That’s awesome.
GM: Love it. Uh, she heads back into her tent. And, uh, Azrith, once again, I think we do a perception check here on your part.
Azrith: that is a 10…
GM: Cassian, I’m going to assume that you’ve kind of, like, walked up in between these two tents.
GM: I’ll back up towards the same tent.
Cassian: Yeah. I’m standing around outside.
GM: Uh, Azrith, in the, um, the road that leads up to this part of the fair, um, there are some areas in, in the road where there are deep, deep cuts of tracks and, and have gotten a little bit muddy, um, in the recessed areas. Inside of those muddy tracks, inside of those muddy tracks, you catch a glint of light that reflects off of something.
Azrith: can i like can i like turn to see and like investigate what that might have been…
GM: Mm-hmm. Uh, you go, you go, you go,
GM: you go stick your hands in, and you pull out a box. And as you start to clear some of the mud away, this is Jevon’s box.
Azrith: yeah full on digging uh…
Azrith: hey guys i think the guy what was his name kevin or something the kid dropped his box…
Cassian: Cassian, Russian seven says, oh. Let’s be careful with that here. Let me hold it for a moment.
Azrith: okay who…
Odine: He’s like,
Cassian: Cassian takes it and.
Odine: I love it.
Cassian: He kind of puts it under his arm and just sort of starts walking. He’s like, OK, everyone, where are we going next?
GM: As you say that, you hear a, a little voice pipe up from behind you, a small boy. He says, he dropped it. He dropped it when they,
Cassian: Did you see which way he went?
GM: he points back the way you, you came up this road. He dropped it when they took him.
Aldrich: Okay.
Azrith: took him we’re…
Cassian: Who was they?
GM: They nabbed him quickly. The knights.
Cassian: Remember what these nights looked like?
GM: They were black.
GM: Black knights. Black armor.
Cassian: Any markings or.
GM: No,
GM: but I recognize them. Foot soldiers of, well,
Aldrich: What was their names?
Aldrich: I totally forgot. We…
GM: you know who.
Cassian: Of course.
GM: If you know what’s good for you,
GM: you probably ought to just leave him be.
Odine: Was it, was it the,
Odine: the elf, the, uh, the knights that were with that man from that horrible, horrible pig killing place? I…
Cassian: I think it’s time that we find somewhere to go.
Cassian: Thank you. For the information.
Cassian: Cassian tries to recollect.
GM: He, he not,
GM: and runs away.
Cassian: Cassian tries to recollect. A place maybe that’s a little more private. He can have a conversation with his friends.
GM: Yes, uh, definitely not here. So, um, back up, if you went back up the road a ways, it wouldn’t be long before you kind of got away from the crowds. Are you looking for an actual, uh, an actual, like, place to make camp, or, there are,
Cassian: No, just to have a conversation.
GM: there are campgrounds here. Yeah, just for a private conversation, I think you would just leave this, you would leave this particular area, go back up the road a ways,
GM: back towards the high road. Yep.
Cassian: OK.
Cassian: Yeah, perfect. So I kind of whisk him along.
Cassian: Everybody.
Cassian: I’ve got some things that I should share with you about what I know here and who to be careful of and follow me. Well,
Odine: just look concerned, but I’m, I’m in haste right behind you, walking fast. I…
Azrith: going somewhere okay probably…
GM: Yeah, moments later, you’ve left the fair, you’ve left the festivities, the frivolies, if you will, and find a shaded tree off the side of the road where you can kind of all group up and huddle and find some soft grass to settle in.
Odine: touch the trunk of the tree as we, as we get to it. And then look to you, Cassius.
Cassian: first and foremost, we need to address this box in the…
Odine: What is it?
Odine: What’s in the box?
GM: Mm-hmm.
Cassian: box.
Odine: What’s in the box?
GM: The…
Cassian: So Cassian, he looks around, checking over his shoulder, making sure there’s nobody nearby, and he cracks open the box.
GM: light emanates from within, but it is far more dimmed than when it was in Jevon’s possession. This box is still magical in nature, but it’s not illuminated in the way that it was when he was holding it.
Cassian: OK.
Odine: The light is tarnished. What is, what does this mean?
Azrith: the kid has some sort of connection with the box maybe well…
Cassian: Well,
Cassian: he’s got some sort of connection to the guard as well.
Odine: What’s up with the black knights? What’s up with the cruel elf man that made those people move?
Azrith: they’re assholes obviously i…
Cassian: Have you been living in a forest?
Odine: Yes. That is literally where I come from.
Cassian: Well, we’re glad to have you here in the city. It is a wondrous and disastrous place. Please enjoy your stay.
Odine: So are we going to do something to, to rescue Jeven?
Cassian: I had a feeling this was going to be brought up.
Cassian: I mean, we barely know the kid, but no.
Cassian: I’d hate to leave someone in need. Something seemed odd about that boy. Special, but weird.
Odine: He seemed powerful.
Odine: I think we, I mean, I don’t know. I don’t trust him. Somebody took him against his will. It seems. We, we, we gotta find him.
Cassian: Well, the guard took him. I don’t know that we want to mess with that. Plus, we’ve got to enter the tournament.
Odine: We have to do something. I’ll talk to,
Aldrich: can’t just,
Odine: I’ll,
Aldrich: because I’m…
Odine: I’ll, I’ll talk to the guards. Tell me where, where do I go? I will, I, I will,
Odine: they, they, they need to be able to, they have to release him. What did he do?
Cassian: It’s not quite so simple, unfortunately. And I don’t know that we can mess around with those types. It would not bode well for us or my family.
Azrith: mean hey i was kidnapped once and i’m fine he’ll pop…
Cassian: You see?
Cassian: Fine.
GM: I…
Azrith: ooh butterfly…
Aldrich: going to have to ask somebody to define fine.
Cassian: Well,
Odine: Exactly.
Cassian: look at the time. I think it’s time to… What time is it?
Azrith: i…
Cassian: Damn.
GM: would say it is likely mid-afternoon,
Cassian: Oh. Well,
GM: kind of like mid-afternoon,
Cassian: it’s time for my afternoon nap.
GM: you know. Yes, exactly.
Odine: Let me help. Let me hold the box. Let me, let me keep the box. But…
Cassian: Oh, sure. Absolutely. Make sure to, of course, never give this to anybody except for the people that we think we trust in this small group of strangers. Okay? Great.
Aldrich: I, is there any chance that there’s, like, a sword marking, or a blacksmith nearby that I can? Yeah,
GM: Does Alex’s mic come through a little fuzzy to anyone else, or is that just me?
Cassian: It’s really fuzzy.
Azrith: i’m hearing sad ache alex…
Cassian: I can barely hear you, man.
Odine: I,
Aldrich: yeah.
Odine: you want to, you want to find a blacksmith?
Aldrich: Yeah.
GM: A smithy, yes.
GM: Okay,
Aldrich: I…
GM: so looking for a smithy, Odin looking for a guard?
Odine: No, I’m going to inspect the box to see what I can learn. I’m going to try to maybe, I have this idea to use it as a, like a homing device, like to,
Odine: I want to peek at the light at random places around to see where, if it’s stronger.
GM: Yep.
GM: Yep.
Odine: Yeah.
GM: Any other group or party objectives that you guys would want to try and achieve through the rest of the afternoon and the evening on this day?
Odine: I think we’re splitting.
GM: Besides looking for a smithy, are we going to kind of go our separate ways here a little bit?
Odine: But I want to say, hey guys, look, let’s meet here at sundown.
Aldrich: can agree to that.
Cassian: We’ll see you then.
GM: Okay, great. Everybody, how are you guys feeling on time? We just hit our two-hour mark just now. Is this a good stopping point to pick up next time?
Odine: Oh, it is.
Aldrich: Yeah.
Odine: I got to find Jevin or Kevin as Azeroth called him. Yeah.
Aldrich: Kevin.
GM: Jevin or Kevin,
GM: whatever his name is.
Azrith: uh,
Azrith: i think his name is kevin,
GM: Yes.
Azrith: kevin or something,
GM: I think he said Kevin or something.
Odine: Whatever.
Odine: Yeah. No, no, Jevin.
Odine: I remember Jevin.
Azrith: yeah…
Odine: I love that Azeroth is like, yeah, I think that was Kevin’s box. Like, yeah.
Aldrich: Should just always call him Kevin.
GM: Next time we’ll split up for maybe a few smaller objectives at the beginning and then regroup at some sundown.
Odine: Yeah.
Odine: Yeah. Sounds good.
Aldrich: That was,
GM: Okay.
Odine: Cool world, Alex. I mean, yeah. Cool world, dude. Trev, thanks.
Cassian: Yeah.
GM: Thanks. Yeah.
Cassian: I got you, man.
Odine: Yeah.
Cassian: Don’t worry.
Cassian: I’ve been forgetting all kinds of things. Yeah, me too. I got like three hours of sleep last night.
Odine: I’m tired.
Cassian: I feel you, man.
Odine: Same.
GM: Yeah. Thank you. Thank you guys.
Cassian: And this was a great session.
Aldrich: yeah, it was fun.
Odine: That was fun. I do.
Aldrich: I’m,
Odine: I like,
Azrith: same…
Aldrich: I’m,
Odine: I like this world.
Aldrich: I’m starting to feel,
Odine: I’m very curious about it.
Aldrich: starting to feel the character more, you know?
Odine: Yeah.
GM: Yeah.
Odine: That’s how it goes, man.
Azrith: exactly…
GM: Yeah. It’s pretty incredible, too. Once you start logging hundreds of hours on a character, you really start to feel like, man, I know this person,
Aldrich: Yeah.
GM: even though it’s a fictional character that I’ve made.
Azrith: yeah…
Aldrich: Yeah, exactly.
Cassian: They became a part of you.
GM: It’s awesome. Thank you, guys. It was a fun session.
Aldrich: Yeah, I’m excited.
Odine: Yeah.
Cassian: Yeah.
Odine: No, it was fun.
Azrith: yeah…
Cassian: Next Tuesday.
Cassian: See you guys then?
Odine: Yeah.
GM: It is.
Aldrich: Yeah.
Odine: I’ll be there.
GM: Cool.
GM: Sweet.
Aldrich: You know.
Odine: Seth, you got JNorm with you out in Chicago or is it just you? Cool.
Cassian: It’s me and Jim Seguin.
Odine: Nice.
Cassian: Yeah.
Azrith: hi…
Odine: Tell him hello.
Cassian: I will. I will. For sure. All right, guys. Have a great night.
Odine: Hello. Later. Good night. Good night. Thanks, Trev.
Azrith: guys
Aldrich: I’m here.
Aldrich: I was.
GM: Bye,
GM: homies. Thanks. You’re welcome. Thank you,
Odine: Yeah.
GM: guys. Thank you, guys.
GM: Thank you.
Aldrich: Yes, yes.
Odine: Good night.
Aldrich: Thank you.