Episode 2: Hounds on the Trail
Transcript
Tanner 00:14
Nother Realm is a real play Dungeons and Dragons podcast where in Bruce Tanner and we'll try to make dumb jokes, and a compelling story. Some of the content within will not be for children. But if that doesn't bother you, then here's what happened on the last episode of another realm. A human male of imposing stature walking into town from the west and on
Bruce 00:40
his back is a big fucking great axe.
Tanner 00:42
You suddenly hear a painfully sharp whistle followed by the screams of a few citizens
Bruce 00:48
what not fuck if I walk into here
Tanner 00:50
amongst that smoke in wreckage, you can make out two figures. One is a human male pinned under a large fallen beam. The other stands nearly seven feet tall and is covered in metal from head to foot
Bruce 01:02
all I brought if you could do something about that pipe you worry about that I'll worry about this
Tanner 01:06
and then the lights and its eyes go dim light out metal man I asked that you come to my place of business in the morning we will discuss more this big issue that
Will 01:18
Hello, this unit is six. Thank you for hitting my reset button.
Bruce 01:23
I'm about to make a terrible decision. I don't know where your body is brought but I gave you one.
Will 01:27
So I will use my full robot force and open the door it is I normal human Jason. How are you people?
Tanner 02:22
To set the scene we are now inside the edge on the ground floor. It is a pretty standard and medieval tavern fair a little bit rustic wooden tables throughout it's very busy. There is a bard playing music over in the corner near the hearth. And all about people are drinking playing games talking to each other telling stories. There is a large woman behind the bar who is serving people drinks and we're BAM just into this place barges this very large humanoid dressed in the monks robes of Roderick, of leather blacksmith apron and gloves and a really strange metal mask. It has a mustache it's Guy Fawkes but not but worse.
Will 03:13
Our Guy Fawkes masks made of metal typically
Tanner 03:19
I mean okay um shape wise it is very it is very simple. I need to remind you this is a very simple man asked a blacksmith to craft in like oh no absolutely
Will 03:31
it's oh for sure for sure. But this is the mess that I will forever wear because
Bruce 03:36
what are you saying is the contour lines are very very sharp?
Tanner 03:41
Oh yeah you are you have some real hard edges by no maybe
Will 03:46
I will get somebody to make them better. I'll just upgrade by mass constantly the
Tanner 03:50
more human just insult father Dell the next time you return to town like Oh, okay. That's fine. That's not how father Dell talks at all but we're I'm just not cracking
Bruce 03:59
I mean to be fair father kind of gets himself into plenty of shit
Tanner 04:08
demand just to be fair, the man's just interested in things. Okay, so you've kicked in this door six.
Will 04:17
And I didn't kick it I just used my full robot straight. I just want to make it clear I did not kick the door
Tanner 04:24
into it. It is a clamor as you try not how doors sound but I appreciate the
Will 04:37
sound Yeah, clamor. I just want to walk in I want to walk into any bar and hear that noise. I'm walking out immediately.
Bruce 04:48
As opposed to be crowd glamour, but I'm misunderstood.
Tanner 04:52
Oddly enough, any borrower will exist sounds like that. It's got Yes. As six enters the clamor that sounds like ah All right. Immediately is done and silence overtakes the room as this door slams on the side and he yells out the most human thing
Bruce 05:12
ever spoken.
Tanner 05:13
Are you here? Are we going? I mean, they right like they I guess
Will 05:17
technically the robot does not have a gender but yeah, he identifies as he okay what we're doing
Tanner 05:22
that's what I'm asking the patrons upon noticing this strangely dressed visitor, immediately go back to drinking. None of them care. The clamor starts back up. Or just like alright. Crickets, drugs.
Will 05:38
to Bruce's Bruce's version of the clever in the bar is killing me.
Tanner 05:45
It's very good. I mean, it's it's freaking terrible. But it's very good. What one person, however, does not go back immediately to what they were doing. Let me man Strickland. Hey. Yeah. All right. Good. Great. Great. Thanks for yeah, thanks for you know, just reading the foreshadowing yet Strickland, the man in black clad armor. He's currently not donning his armor, but now you could tell like he is just a large muscle dude. He does stand up from his chair and begins walking over.
Will 06:19
Like I don't see him out of the courtroom. I'm looking at the whole surrounding I walk straight to the bar. I am Jason. Can I have an alcohol?
Tanner 06:28
The woman behind the bar. I mean, she cocked her head and just gives you a look. She has a long red braid of hair over her right shoulder. She's a pretty built person too. And as she's kind of been moving about is everybody just ripped in this day. Everyone's rip I just want ripped people. Ripped cool people, man. Now this human woman, the main thing you note about her? Besides her amazing traps and triceps are the mechanical contraption she has attached to her legs. There are these metal braces that are etched with runes on them that look to be Dwarven. But she she cocked her head at you and looks over and sees Strickland making his way over very slowly. And she says above the normal volume that you would be talking to someone in this close proximity, most likely so that Strickland can hear Jason, the troublemaker of the 32nd. I almost didn't recognize you in that mask. I haven't seen you since the end of the war.
Will 07:36
I've never seen you before, but Jesus Christ.
Tanner 07:41
She reaches across the bar and pulls you into an embrace and says into your ear. I am only helping you because I don't want any trouble in my bar tonight. And Strickland over there has a bigger stick up his ass than anyone I've ever met.
Will 07:56
I'll play along.
Tanner 07:58
You can see that Strickland is glowering at you from the middle of the bar. He is braced against a table in his shoved a few people out of the way to get where he is. But as soon as he sees the bartender talking with you in a familiar manner, he begrudgingly turns back around. If I need to play along, I must know your name. She releases you and says pansy gasp brand. owner and operator of the edge.
Will 08:24
I say in a louder voice. Oh, yes. Our time in the War Gods Brian. I remember all too well. It's great to see you old friend. She just such she just sighs
Tanner 08:37
so hard, and crosses her arms and says You asked for an alcohol. I feel like you're multiple children in a robe. So I need to ask you. How old are you?
Will 08:58
I'm at least four years old.
Tanner 09:00
That is certainly not old enough to do.
Will 09:04
Oh, I didn't realize there was an age requirement. What is the age to drink
Tanner 09:10
thought worldbuilding time that I hadn't expected. If you're old enough to work the field then you're old enough to drink. So 14 On special occasions,
Will 09:21
okay. I'll have to come back in 10 years. I liked this establishment. Gosper odd.
Tanner 09:28
That sounds so weird and inhuman when you say it. Just pansy is fine. And she offers her hand.
Will 09:36
I don't know what to do. I reach out the same hand she reaches out and I just hold it. I grabbed her head and hold it.
Tanner 09:51
Yes, I love it. If you could read human emotion, you could tell that she is so done. She'll say And now's the time where you Give me your name. Jason. Roll deception for me. Of course. Five minus one. Let me roll the game against you. Oh, great. A six. Oh, nice. Well, just marginally better. marginally better and that counts. Let's try that one more time.
Will 10:22
My friends all call me six.
Tanner 10:24
That honestly seems strange enough to fit. Do you have business in town?
Will 10:31
No
Tanner 10:37
Okay. She narrows her eyes and says on the edge of a Toria with no business. Maybe I should have let Strickland figure you out. Speaking of whom he just finished his sixth pint and is probably looking for his first Brawl of the evening.
Will 10:54
Oh, wait, I almost forgot. My new acquaintance. Archibald Theodore Cromwell is meeting bass a sheer tomorrow morning, bright and early. There's apparently a large contract that we are going to take. And by we I mean, I'm not invited yet. But I plan on becoming good friends with Archie. Wait, what was that roll for?
Tanner 11:15
Don't worry about it. Pansy will shake her head and say, that's a lot of information, you should probably keep a little closer to your chest. Especially since it looks like our friend Strickland over there is regaining some interest. I suggest you head on out
Will 11:35
on a scale of one to 10 How would you rate this interaction?
Tanner 11:39
You know what, six, a two. I've had one worst conversation in my life.
Will 11:44
That's good to know. I will improve next time.
Tanner 11:48
Right? Now. How about that one non alcoholic drink?
Will 11:51
How about water? She sets a glass of water down in front of you. Okay, you have to okay, it is I am an organic being I have organic parts to me. So I shouldn't be able to put water inside myself. I don't necessarily need water. So the water compartment is actually the water compartment for his radiator or whatever. Whatever you want to call is actually on the side of his head. So he kind of puts the he kind of pulls the thing up, pulls his hood over his mask a little bit where she can't see what he's doing. And he pours it down the little little sidebar, there's a little bit right there and allows water to go.
Tanner 12:33
Okay, are you trying? You're trying to be a little conspicuous about this? Oh, yeah. Rules lightning. Great. To net one. Oh, yes. She doesn't notice a thing. She just watched you and nods. And it's like this seems completely normal. Yeah. That is exactly how people I know and understand this and observe it right now. After your display of perfect human drinking technique. Pansy says Listen, six. It was an experience meeting you. But I have to go attend to other customers.
Will 13:10
At this point. I kind of want to go see the rest of the city. Sure.
Tanner 13:14
You stroll around town. There's a little bit of nightlife going on, but not much in the way of people outside of the tavern. He waves it everyone you know what a fair number of people wave back. Nice. They're ripped and friendly. Yeah, every everyone's ripped in friendly bathe isn't isn't ripped. That you know of. And so you're you're walking down edge Street which is where the the edges on, you pass by outward enterprises, you see a couple of their stores including doting doublets and other grateful garments, because I want to mention that again, because it's so fun for me to say you you end up finding a plaque kind of towards the center of town that gives a little bit more information about Leylen. It says the current population is 1511 ish. And that the township is governed by a council led by a human male named naskah. Beyond that, you know, it's a relatively small and quiet town here on the edge of of Victoria, you do end up seeing some signs that lead to like a scenic viewpoint for the wound. So you follow that path down and eventually make it to this massive canyon that splits the continent. It runs north to south it is incredibly deep and you can kind of see some glimmering in the far wall of you know certain stones and different layers of Earth. It is a gorgeous site. As you look from here, you can see the ruins across the way. You can't you can't really see much about them, but you can tell that they're there.
Will 14:55
Ah got it.
Tanner 14:57
Okay, as you have finished explore ring Leylen, I need you to go ahead and roll a perception check for me that is a 14 plus 519, baby. Whoa very nice. Okay, cool. Um, what I see? You don't see anything at first, you hear something like nearby footsteps that stop as soon as you do being six I guess
Will 15:34
he turns Ross Hello,
Tanner 15:37
hello. Anyone there? As soon as you call out into the darkness you hear and see fog from around the corner of a nearby building what the fuck? Did somebody just do a ninja bomb? Good ninja bomb Okay,
Will 16:03
all right so six obviously knows now that he is being followed for some reason or another after talking to pansy he's learned to keep stuff close to the chest. That's a more human thing to do. So I guess what he doesn't want to do in this particular moment, he's probably still going to be very forthright in the future. But in this particular moment, he doesn't want to lead whoever this is back to Father Dell, just in case something happened. So
Bruce 16:37
let's
Will 16:38
he's gonna take off towards like the alleyways try to try to lose whoever this is.
Tanner 16:43
Okay, so you're gonna go away from the fog? Yes,
Will 16:47
away from the fog and away from the church.
Tanner 16:50
Okay, you take off down the alleyways and you go north along the wound and cut through the buildings in the businesses. Eventually, you make your way again past the edge which is died off at this point. And continue on until you sort of feel a little bit more at ease. And within this area you've come up on you can see a few a few stores, but the recognizable one that was mentioned earlier was outward enterprises. You've come upon out word enterprises at the end of this alleyway. All right,
Will 17:27
perfect. This is perfect because he knows he wants to meet with Archie and bathe tomorrow. So what six is gonna do is take his rest here quote unquote rest it's more of a just kind of chillin he can still see and hear everything while he's resting. So he will just hide in this alleyway and wait until Archie shows up in the morning. Okay,
Tanner 17:56
there are a few options for hiding here. You see some crates, a barrel that's right beneath a window. Okay, he takes a crate and puts it on his head. You just a crate and puts it on his hip
Will 18:12
and pokes little eye holes. He cuts the right holes with his welder that he obviously has you
Tanner 18:17
take a whole last crate and carve out some eye holes and put it on your head do squat down or anything you just standing there. Like a crate man.
Will 18:29
He kind of like I like to think when he sleeps like all of his arms or legs go into his body. Yeah, that's
Tanner 18:35
what happens. As still imagine him as
Will 18:38
like a box. You remember Cartman in that episode of South Park where he's
Tanner 18:42
no, no, I 100% down.
Bruce 18:44
What? Oh,
Tanner 18:47
but but being rolled up Robo. Yeah, I was thinking I was thinking big, you know, Big Hero Six, how he tucks down into a little
Will 18:55
thing? Yeah.
Tanner 18:56
Yeah. Yeah, that's going to I feel like I feel like I you know, there's no, that's not what I feel like this is like, it's a collaborative effort that you and I are going through and this is your character, and I shouldn't be telling you how to how to do anything with your character. But I feel like that's gonna get me in trouble in the future, if you're able to kind of tuck yourself into yourself like some sort of mechanical snail.
Will 19:20
I don't think he can do that. To be fair, so he just he kind of squats. He kind of gets into a deep squat. So the crate looks natural except for two eye holes and kind of a glow coming from it. Okay,
Tanner 19:34
so you you fall on slab squat down here and position yourself next to the building in in a crate that has aisles and we'll go go into Warforged hibernation it it's very good and it's going to work out just fine. Don't worry, it's going to work out just fine. Um yes or no but as we move on into the next day We're now in one of the homely little rooms in the back side of the edge, a room where Archie has slipped through the night unaware of sixes nighttime escapades, Archie wakes up and throws back the curtains of the nearby window to let the morning sun cascade in. Archie, you're able to look out of this window over the wound and see the sunrise, I just filling the land past the splinterlands and far to the east over the veil break mountains. As the morning sun just starts to pick up over the land, you then begin to put on your suit. And as you finish buttoning up your jacket, you grab your cane, and your big fucking great axe, and you begin to make your way downstairs into the tavern portion of the inn. And then outside into the streets of Leylen, you remember that you have business at outward enterprises. So you begin to make your way towards 12 at street,
Bruce 21:08
or yes, you know, the day is standing on the edge.
Tanner 21:10
It's clever, it's clever, Adam, you go inside and bathe is there. You know this, this elf gentleman in his burgundy coat poring over some papers, he looks pretty frustrated as you walk in and looks up with you and just a long sigh
Bruce 21:28
down to good.
Tanner 21:31
It is not the best when you have to start your day dealing with the dicks from the black hold collective. Check them out. If you're shopping it here, you would think that but the problem is, is that they are a very large corporate group. And they have very strong ties with the crown. So almost any legitimate business that is dealing with adventuring guilds, is done through them they have they keep on bringing in people and sending them out. So it is very hard not to deal with them. If you wish to still do business. Oh, I see. The problem that you might have with them is that they have now taken
Bruce 22:15
business from you. Or you figured out the
Tanner 22:19
job that they promised you yesterday. They took the contract
Bruce 22:25
and means what exactly it means
Tanner 22:29
you have competition. So you can still have the job. But there seem to be other complications down on the road that I was not aware of until they came in. You see there is a bit of a hang up. I'm I'm getting ahead of myself. Have you have you checked in with the robot?
Will 22:50
XR Roland 18 perception of standing on the outside listening. Okay.
Tanner 22:55
The the metal man that doesn't provide any hiccups. I just want to know what how was that situation? They just were leaving to Father Dell,
Bruce 23:08
or your job description was not to take care of man. To be fair. Well, yes,
Tanner 23:13
but this is now something that you're just involved in.
Bruce 23:16
I can easily on involve myself. There's about three different ways that other town grab, it
Tanner 23:22
might be wise to perhaps take it with you so that it is no longer in the town, and perhaps could provide some form of the door
Will 23:35
opens. Yes. Yes. Take me with you, Mr. Cromwell.
Bruce 23:40
What are you doing here? I don't sleep. That's weird. That's not how you start a conversation.
Will 23:47
Seems like you guys were already having a conversation. I was merely interrupting.
Tanner 23:52
That's also rude. I still have a lot to learn. I can be of great service. And I need to find brother Ganzel. This is serendipitous. He comes along right at the moment we were talking about him. And honestly you need all the protection you can get when you're trying to do this job and be the Blackhold collective to the punch. Otherwise you're not getting all of the either I was promising you so seems
Bruce 24:18
like a good deal to me. Doesn't seem like a good deal to me, bro. He's like, I'm gonna get put back into metal bars. I follow this course.
Tanner 24:27
Well hang on one second, and he looks over to you six. How do you feel about money?
Will 24:34
What is money?
Tanner 24:35
I kind of thought that might be the case. No Money Free protection. You saw what they did to the town you fought one they are
Bruce 24:43
pretty formidable. You do make a good point. Doesn't mean I have to like it. But you do make a good point.
Will 24:51
I can do this. I cast guidance on him. So
Tanner 24:56
just these little sort of electro static sparkles come out and you kind of feel your hair on your arm raise. That's really the only indication you have that a spell has been cast on you.
Will 25:07
Yeah, just so you know what guidance is, which I'm sure you do, but I'm going to make sure that everybody listening does it is you get to add one of the four to all your ability checks. So if you try to persuade him right now you get two out of the four. And you feel good, it makes you feel real good.
Bruce 25:22
I'm watching you. You understand me? i The Art Archie's doing doing the two finger my eyes to your eyes kind of thing. Clearly very suspicious of this robot that's flinging spells inside of this tidy collectible shop.
Will 25:40
I would never cast a spell to harm you, Mr. Calm Well,
Tanner 25:43
is it just me or is it the is the way he says names? does? It doesn't sound right, right? Like it's very impersonal or something?
Will 25:52
How should I say it you
Tanner 25:54
should say however most comes natural to you. If this is how it sounds most natural out of your voice thing, then stick with it. I'll give it a try. Nice to meet you. As a chair. That was actually terrifying.
Bruce 26:12
Well, broad, you say you don't have a motion, you can't have proper voice inflections.
Tanner 26:16
And we have concluded that he has no emotional he's a robot.
Bruce 26:20
I do have feelings. I slept six across the face, and you've officially hurt
Tanner 26:25
them perfect. The thing that we need to discuss is I really don't want to give the Blackhold collective any money. Okay, so I want to also give you this contract. The problem is they have like an hour head start at this point. And they have a rite of passage to get through wound hold, which is the quickest way to get over to Leylen ruins, someone tried to cross the border illegally or there was something going on where the whole barony in that area is on high alert. So getting through there is only possible officially, if you have a rite of passage and they contract with the crown which the Blackhold collective does again, they have connections. However, if you would still like to take that contract, a bit of fuck you towards the Blackhold collective which I would appreciate you could then you could still get through. I know away or I know a person who knows away.
Bruce 27:32
So what you're saying is break the law. Piss off some mercenary guild, piss off the crown and walk me way across the country with a robot just took part in destroying a town. So just yesterday. Exactly. Alright. Sounds like an adventure I'm in.
Will 27:52
Did I just did I just hear you correctly. Mr. Cromwell? You're going to take me with you.
Bruce 27:57
We'll be Archie and Android you'll be an adventure.
Will 27:59
I I would like to not go by Android. Sucks to be you. You could call me Jason. I may have introduced myself as Jason to some other people. That's besides the
Tanner 28:08
point. Wait, do you what do you mean you introduce yourself to other nevermind. Go ahead and roll persuasion?
Will 28:14
Yeah, minus one eight. Who did you talk to pansy?
Tanner 28:18
The innkeeper?
Will 28:19
She and I are all war buddies.
Tanner 28:21
Not the worst person you could have talked to but you do need to get the fuck out of town. Okay, adventure. Listen for the laundry list of things that you just went through Archie that you talked about you know this is I am paying very good for this. The whole contract that I am offering to the Blackhold Collective is 750 either. That's how much I said I'd would pay them for completing it. If you do it and you beat the Blackhold collective to it, I will throw in an extra 25 So 775 either is that a lot? Or is a lot rough?
Bruce 29:03
Why and fuck it I'm in let's do this.
Tanner 29:05
Excellent. So I need you to go to Leylen ruins by way of wound hold, keep and figure out what is going on over there. I have seen some lights going off which is just very irregular. There should be no one there it is in the middle of the splinterlands and it is very it's a very dangerous place just just based on the the amount of the tectonic activity. The way that you can get through the wound is by going underneath it. So wound hold keep currently has a system of caves that I have a friend exploring. She is actually a doctor from the eastern side of the continent. And she is here exploring the cavern system in some capacity for academia. She needs someone's help to get through. But she knows the way so if you help her that will be the extra 25 either.
Bruce 30:10
No used a lot of big words.
Tanner 30:13
Find the bullet points then go south from here, go underneath the wound with Dr. endlink facade, then go through the splinterlands and investigate Leylen ruins. It is a long trip.
Bruce 30:27
I enjoyed that name remember
Will 30:30
inland sought that Dr. Sheets. Dr. Inland has hot Anlin inland Tusshar and Anlin Anlin to SAP there it is Dr. Atlanta sorry,
Tanner 30:46
yeah, that's fine. Okay, so find her. Go through the caverns, make it to the other side. Go through the splinterlands you're going to need a guide to get through them. But you'll find it trust me you'll find him and then just beat the frickin Blackhold collective to Leylen ruins figured out what the hell's going on. And come back. That is it. It's a long trip, which is why I'm offering so much money.
Bruce 31:11
Well guess I'll see you in a couple of weeks in buff.
Tanner 31:14
He offers his hand.
Will 31:15
I grab it with the same hand he offers. I'd hold it he
Tanner 31:22
he looks at what you've done and he removes your hand and then picks up your right hand and clasp it in his and shakes. Ah
Will 31:32
so that's what pansy was trying to do.
Tanner 31:35
You boys have a wonderful trip. Remember stick it to the BC beyond that. Whatever methods possible in order to complete the request.
Will 31:47
Hey, audit on a scale of one to 10 one being the lowest 10 being the highest. Well how would you rate our interaction today?
Tanner 31:54
I would say three improvement
Bruce 32:02
Wow No, we've got a long journey to go I flipped my bowler cap on in my head and use my cane to pull it down a little bit
Tanner 32:08
and I walk up give me a performance check for fraud rt
Bruce 32:11
16
Tanner 32:12
It looks really cool. That was dope
Will 32:15
as hell. Oh, wait, wait before before we leave this place I must reach out.
Tanner 32:23
Hey. Just curious. Can I
Will 32:29
maybe get some weapons as a shield?
Tanner 32:32
Oh, that might actually be a good thing to have. I imagine we're going to have to fight maybe the black hole collective. I believe I have some things stored away some old weaponry and he goes into a back room and comes back out with a wooden shield that looks decently used but still you know fully combat ready and a mace sweet you wanted to make Yes, absolutely. Thank you. Okay. Yep, you read my care. Yeah, he he also goes over to a chest behind his desk and starts rummaging through what sounds like cloth and from there he pulls out this set of armor that is it's got a lot of cloth integrated into it. Archie you can kind of tell that it's not really a Torian in style with with the way that the fabric is kind of made into it, but he hands you this this armor six and he says this is this is one of my sets from my adventuring days I would say take care of it but I hope it takes more care of you. And he offers it to you.
Will 33:54
I appreciate his kindness more than you know. I use all my feelings on you
Tanner 34:03
thank you love Oh,
Bruce 34:06
his eyes turned in a little hearts
Will 34:10
you know what? Yes they do. They're blue hearts but you can't see him on the other behind the mask you can't see is that too many feelings?
Tanner 34:17
You know what all feelings are valid. And this is what you want to feel
Will 34:24
thank you for your help
Tanner 34:44
Hello, dear listener, this is Tanner and I just want to thank you for listening to the second episode of NetherRealm if you're enjoying the journey so far, episode three is available right now. You can also get some behind the scenes content in Episode 3.5. If you want to find out more about the world of your set and In the cognitive layer, you can find a bunch of nerdy world building info at another realm.com Thanks again and I hope you enjoy the rest of the episode All right, so you have you have this armor being war forged, you do need to integrate it into yourself. But we can say you kind of do that while you're moving on the trip. As long as there's nothing coming at you.
Will 35:40
You hear little welding signs from behind you Archie as I'm following.
Tanner 35:44
So you guys had south at a town being as it's early daylight, everything's pretty visible. And now you're getting a few looks ours people were nice and waving back to you last night there. You get a few raised eyebrows while heading out of the town.
Will 35:56
I'm waving at them.
Tanner 35:59
Yeah, a few waves back. Last night about half as much. But some nice waves. You guys had south towards the edge of town. And here you can see a little guard tower set up on the southern road. There's there is a guard outside. You can hear him talking to someone who is inside the guard tower and some some light complaining.
Bruce 36:23
Well, I have like a passive perception of seven teams. Can I just hear what they're saying?
Tanner 36:28
Yeah, as you guys are passing by. You can hear the guy inside complaining about being clocked upside the head yesterday. Just talking about you know, a couple of guys that came in with a cart full of stuff. And he went to go do a search and they just knocked him the heck out.
Will 36:48
Archie. This could be a clue.
Bruce 36:51
Is it like an open guard shack or is it a like I was?
Tanner 36:54
Yeah, it's open. Open windows. There's a door on it. But maybe I can sneak
Bruce 37:00
up I get yours just stayed right here. I'll take care of this. There already. Bruv give me a skimpy couple minutes. And now we right back. All right. I walk over to the guard shack, and I rap on the door and McCain eyebrows. I interrupt. My name's Tim. And I'm sniffing around see what was going on in town to try to help a couple people out so we can make sure that there's crazy monsters that attacked us don't come back. I heard you were attacked yesterday. And that seems to be a bit coincidental.
Tanner 37:35
The one that's standing close to the door. You know, you get to look at him first as the taller gentleman wearing a helmet. I mean for guard gear. The guy inside is much smaller. He is a young halfling he's sitting in there on a bench. The guy that's outside says he. Yeah. Some guys came in and just Amen. Sardo got clocked and the halfling who you assumed to be Sardo is sitting there on the stool just shaking his head. He's Ah. I just was trying to do my job. And and I have such a headache. And he puts his head in his hands. Oh,
Bruce 38:22
Ash. All right. Well, we understand. Don't say you turn to Steve Jobs. Some people are terrible, terrible people take advantage of good people like you. I just wondered, do you have to remember anything about the gentleman who assaulted you in such a
Tanner 38:35
tragic way? Ah, yeah, yeah. Um, one was was this wiry, tall, bald guy. And the other one was this. In comparison, he was short. I mean, he was taller than me, but he was shorter than the other guy. And he had dark curly hair, but they came in on this cart with this, you know, drawn by a single horse. And the back was all covered in this canvas. And I it's my job to inspect it's, it's my job to inspect him. I just, it's my job. And they they whacked me. And I was the only one on duty.
Bruce 39:20
No, I understand my it was your job and you were doing a fine job at it. And these terrible men took advantage of you. Hi, I would like to extend my condolences and it's awful that that happened to you. One more question if you don't mind. Do you remember if any of them had any markings of symbols anything they were and that was clear or signing?
Tanner 39:41
The taller guy his right hand. His fingers were a little bent oddly, like they had been smashed or broken at some point.
Bruce 39:56
Well, that's that's good to know. But to know keep that in mind as I continue my search. I'm not going to take three either out of a coin pouch and put it on the table and slide it over to hit to the hassling, and I'm going to say, get you a good drink on me, brother and have yourself a good night's rest once you get off. Don't worry. I
Tanner 40:20
I can't I can't I mean, that's. They could seem like a bribe. I can't I can't take that.
Bruce 40:27
Well, sure you can. I'm telling you, you get a drink because you got a headache. It's got nothing to do with the information you told me. Go and roll persuasion. You want to do persuasion or deception? And persuasion? Okay. 16
Tanner 40:41
Unless you're better at deception and you think this is part of a lie.
Bruce 40:45
Oh, it is good. It's all this all. I have lied. Yeah, I'll get it open my mouth. But either way.
Tanner 40:49
I know you did, Tim. Oh, good. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. All right. Deception.
Bruce 40:53
Well, it's 18 with deception. 16 was present or Oh, okay. All right.
Tanner 40:59
He nods. And you can see the other guard. That's where the is beaming and eyeing it. Knowing that he's going to drink well tonight with his friend. And yeah, he takes the bag. Thank you. I really do appreciate it.
Bruce 41:15
What was your name again, bro. I'm sorry. I'm terrible.
Tanner 41:18
It's, it's Sardo My name is Sardo.
Bruce 41:20
Pleasure to meet you. Sardo. And don't worry, all you need to know is Detective Tim is on vacation. We're taking this very seriously.
Tanner 41:28
You guys can see in the ground as you're heading south. Marks from the cart that the guys likely came in on and you can actually see another another set of them, which they probably left on
Bruce 41:42
Gotcha. Okay. Are they can i Are they follow a ball? Or is it just like some ruts? Okay, yeah, I'm gonna do me a follow.
Tanner 41:54
Yeah, you follow them and they stay along the southern road that you would know, heads the way that you're needing to go towards wound hold, keep. So you know, generally that it's probably about two days travel from here to wound hold, keep, you will need to make camp for the night. But your first day seems to be pretty easy traveling, you're able to follow the tracks pretty much to the edge of the broadleaf forest, which is the forest that lies between here and wound hold. The trees here are are very thick. It's not like a dense forest. So it's relatively you know, easy traversing it. And still even in here you can see the car trails
Will 42:34
every every about 10 seconds. Archie because I'm following. I'm following Archie the whole time every 10 every few few minutes. How about that every few minutes inquiry that you hear from behind you and it's followed by a question, always but, for example,
Bruce 42:53
inquiry. Where are you from Archie? I'm from Polk town Portway worth over on the east coast of our continent. Ha.
Tanner 43:02
Very nice.
Bruce 43:03
I'd ask where you were from but rowing Oh was sack.
Will 43:06
I have no clue. That's why I must find brother Ganzel. Brother Gansler is the key to unlocking my memories. I don't know if I actually have memories.
Bruce 43:17
To be honest. Nobody really knows.
Tanner 43:19
I do have memory of you. rescuing me, thank you. Yeah, he's
Bruce 43:24
his job I ever did. Is that because we're
Tanner 43:26
friends. You are inundated with questions from this thing. As you are kind of traversing the sun is going down. You've had a full day of travel, and you're basically in the middle of broadleaf forest. You know, it would take some time to get out of it. But again, it's not a very dangerous would you find pretty soon after the sunsets. A good place to set up camp looks like there might have been you know someone else who set up here recently there's a campfire and a clearing nearby.
Bruce 43:53
I'm assuming you mean there's a campfire ring not an actual burning campfire ring. Yeah,
Tanner 43:57
it's no it's just going which is not suspicious at all. You don't worry about it. And it's fine.
Bruce 44:03
Listen air wispy says only we can stop forest fires. Okay, so
Tanner 44:08
this world's this world's thing is wispy, wispy. The wispy,
Bruce 44:11
wispy the wombat
Tanner 44:14
Oh, it's a wombat.
44:15
Yes. All right. Yes,
Will 44:16
let's make up our own animal will be the woog Hello.
Tanner 44:19
And what is the Guggulu a wombat? It's a one to one that okay. All right. Great. Love it. Let me go ahead and make a note of that. You guys set up camp here in the middle of the forest. It's it's nice. It's quite it's pleasant. Other than that constant questions from sixth inquiry.
Will 44:41
What's your favorite food?
Bruce 44:43
I'm not begging Mike.
Will 44:44
How about before you go to sleep? We finished the day off with a game of
Bruce 44:49
chess. Flip the board open. Oh, I glove.
Will 44:54
Okay, so we just roll to see who wins. Sure, yeah. Straight need to win.
Tanner 44:59
You can Add No, you can add your intelligence modifier. Oh, great.
Will 45:02
So actually both neither one of us would be intelligence
Bruce 45:07
or wisdom real talk because like you learn chess it's not.
Tanner 45:11
That's true.
Will 45:12
It's shady wisdom because I'm actually it would actually give me an advantage which is should be well
Tanner 45:19
I would I would say that when you when you read something right when you read things and learn things it is intelligence. When you experience things it justices experience
Bruce 45:30
best. Yeah, that's kind of what I was thinking like, I can argue to be like your experience of previous games, we've taught you how to play better or
Will 45:36
some. Okay. All right. So people that aren't smart, that are great at chess, I've met them.
Bruce 45:42
So I don't think that way I just was making and making them.
Tanner 45:46
I am I can concede that if you're both willing to agree to it, then you have no intelligence or wisdom.
Will 45:54
At plus 321 un.
Tanner 45:56
Yes.
Bruce 45:58
I like school, like I don't know, I make some woowoo hand movements and I like try to scoop his point off the board.
Tanner 46:03
So as you're explaining another thing that he's asked during this chess match, you you try and make a little sneaky maneuver, go ahead and roll sleight of hand. And we'll you can roll a perception against it. 2116 Plus Bob.
Bruce 46:20
Oh, he definitely catches me. It's like a saga because I did not get that I did not get 16 plus five.
Will 46:26
I don't say anything. I definitely see it. But I play along with whatever ruse he's doing and still win the game.
Bruce 46:33
Hi, bravo. I've got a I've got to lay down though, because I need sleep. And it's been a long day. So you've got Watch right?
Tanner 46:42
Oh, for sure. I don't need to sleep. So six year you're here next to this dying campfire. And through the canopy of trees above you can see the stars in the sky. And kind of as they shift to the night as you keep your watch Are you Are you actively watching like how does your rest work
Will 47:02
sensories rest to benefit from a long rest I need to enter inactive state or six hours. So during which I'm not rendered unconscious and can see and hear as normal. So I'm just an in an inactive state and basically like little sensory tower. So I'm doing that for six hours or at least trying to but I can hear and see normally I'll face towards the road.
Tanner 47:24
Okay, give me a perception check. I'm good at perception noise
Will 47:30
that is a 17 plus 522.
Tanner 47:32
Wow. Okay, as you're looking towards the road, you quickly realize your mistake and the direction you're paying attention to as you hear twig snap behind you not just a normal rustling of the forest, but some things footsteps that are approaching.
Will 47:50
Okay, I stand to attention I just jump out of my inactive state.
Tanner 47:54
Okay, yeah, so you stand to attention and the footsteps off in the distance stuff.
Will 47:58
As I stand to attention. My eyes glow red. And behind the mask I guess you can see the glow red. I know
Tanner 48:08
who goes there. Okay, Archie, you definitely hear this. Hi, what the fuck is going on? Okay, so now both of you are aware of something off in the woods and then someone does emerge from the darkness. Do you have dark vision, six have dark vision. So you finally notice once the this being comes out into the light emitted from the embers of the fire that it is a cloaked humanoid and next to it is a very large Mastiff. jowls hanging and drool dripping from either side but very intently looking at you. The person in the quote crosses their arms and looks over at the two of you. You can't see his face because of the cloak but they'll call out to you. We have people in our forest don't we boy and the dog next to him.
Will 49:13
Oh puppy.
Tanner 49:16
What brings you to my woods.
Will 49:18
I guess the eyes of the six start to go back to the bluish color that everybody's used to. We're going to wound holes we're going to go underneath it and then find going to the Leylen ruins to complete a mission
Bruce 49:36
I'm sorry I didn't realize we needed a pastor walk through a forest are
Tanner 49:43
no not passes to walk through the forest just either and he snaps and you can hear two other footsteps approaching from either side. So basically in a triangle formation around you.
Bruce 49:56
So the emotion kind of drains out Archie's face. He just kind of goes blind He just kind of looks at the guy looks at the dog and he goes,
Tanner 50:05
What if I pet your dog? I do mind if you pet my dog. He's not very nice to strangers. Unless I'm fortunate. Thank you for asking. I mean, that's great. Yeah. I would say he's a purebred. But he's not. He's a pure mutt. Oh, that's unfortunate. No, they're they're often healthier than than purebred dogs. Nothing weird bred into him like these little short snouts. I mean, just look at those hunches. And that those eyes. I mean, they're a little droopy, but he's attentive. So it's
Bruce 50:42
probably the breed that causes the droopy eyes. So
Tanner 50:46
I would suppose something along the line got in there. But what we really need to be discussing is the amount that you're going to pay me to Hey, sleeping.
Bruce 50:55
Do you know the difference between dogs and wolves mate?
Tanner 51:01
Yes, extensively. What would you say it is? Well, you see, most of it has been the domestication of Wilson's dogs, our direct line from them. That's actually brought this
Bruce 51:20
guy out of game. That's actually not true. Wild dogs were bred from wild dogs, wolves. They figured that out recently. It's a recent distinction that they're actually yeah, this is gluten doesn't need to be all cut out. But I want to tell you this because it's cool. They found out that most domesticated dogs are actually domesticated from wild paradox. Now, instead of wolves. Anyway, moving on, we can cut that out.
Tanner 51:41
He says all of that. So you see, that's, that's the difference between wolves and dogs. Unless you were talking like metaphorically in a way to try and you know, not pay me the money.
Bruce 51:56
I just was wondering if you understood the difference. See dogs they have this really interesting habit. They bite they tend to use the molars don't really think the canines in it's honestly because dogs aren't that serious. They don't really want to hurt you. They just want you to leave them alone. Maybe they're scared. Maybe they don't want you to touch their food. Who knows? But wars may well. We'll start series
Tanner 52:27
to start with the canines.
Bruce 52:29
You know, differences one man you make your dogs. I'm a fucking roll initiative. 11 yesterday, so bad.
Tanner 52:42
Yeah, they really aren't.
Bruce 52:44
I have an 18 My
Will 52:46
first combat is six. I'm so excited.
Tanner 52:50
First up in combat is Archibald as he pulls out his axe. What do you do? How far is the leader dude bro with the dog. He he kept every one that seems to be information around us kept about 35 feet away from
Bruce 53:06
Alright, I'm gonna rage. He will transfer my right next to my left hand and draw a javelin on the pack and fling it at dude, bro MC pro stuff with the dog.
Tanner 53:16
Okay, nice. Go ahead and roll.
Bruce 53:19
It's a 19 on the dice.
Tanner 53:21
That'll hit you. So you pull this javelin out of your pack, and just launch it towards this guy in the cloak. It tears against his cloak and rips flesh in his arm. And then the it sticks into the ground behind him. But that definitely does connect.
Bruce 53:41
I wait. Okay,
Tanner 53:42
next up is the Mastiff. You can see the guy in the coat whistles and the thing comes rushing towards you. It will clear the distance with its movement, then attempt to bite with its molars. It will chop right near your leg. You're quick enough to move it back. So it doesn't connect with you. But this massive is now right in front of you. And that'll be the end of its term. We are now at six.
Will 54:09
Well I guess we're fighting. Rolling to attack and I wrote a
Tanner 54:17
Who are you attacking? You've got three humanoids three bandits and then the master.
Will 54:24
I'm going to attack the master got a punch right there, Archie.
Bruce 54:30
I'm gonna think what he's doing to his bed. Wait till it's my turn again.
Will 54:36
A punch it puppy. I rolled an eight.
Tanner 54:38
So probably didn't hit the button. No, that does not hit the puppy. You swing your mace. As this dog comes up. It is able to move out of the way quick enough to where you don't connect with it. Which means it is now the guy you've been talking to. He pulls out a light crossbow and we'll aim at Archie tempting To make a hit there. So he fires this bolt at you, and it sticks into your shoulder and connects, he's going to roll a little bit damage. You're going to take six damage, okay. And this crossbow bolt, which will bring us to the other two things they will close in and you hear both of them she she unsheath these seminars that you can see flicker with the light from the embers they will come with in 10 feet of you dimes, you know, they'll they'll take their whole dash action because they were 35 feet away, and that will in their turn. And we're back up to you.
Bruce 55:47
Yes, okay. I'm just gonna whack on his bandit like him. Does a 17
Tanner 55:55
Yes, 17 hits. So we'll just say the there's one closer to you and then one closer to six. Which one are you going for one closer to seven days. You cut this guy across. As you slash across his chest. It loses his cloak. And you can see his face in the embers and he is terrified as he looks down at the gash on his chest. He is bloodied.
Bruce 56:19
I say to him, I've seen your face may have means I've gotten a number with a grin.
Tanner 56:26
Now it's the massive turn. The Mastiff will attempt to bite you again, Archie rude as its teeth connect. You take for damage and I need you to make a string savings. These 1112 Nice nice, it attempts to lock its jaws around you and then pin you forward and knock you to the ground. But you're able to keep standing as it tries to make this six. What do you do?
Will 56:58
Man? This looks like it means a lot to you guys. I can't let you win though. And then he says Archie that little like it hurt. And he rolls a three plus six to heal you for nine hit points using Healing Word as a bonus action. Nice. Okay, so he heals Archie and then guess he's just going to attack the dog. I'm gonna hit the dog. Okay, hold it. Oh, that is a nine plus 413
Tanner 57:35
that will hit you bring your mace down to the dog.
Will 57:39
Surprised actually. Okay, cool. Actually hit that is a two plus two, four. Okay, dog.
Tanner 57:52
You hit this thing. And it is no come on. You clock it right in the side of the neck. And you can see it is dazed as it kind of stands there and now it looks terrified. It looks back towards its master. And then back up at the combat. Oh
Will 58:10
really tender, you fucker. You fuckin asshole kill him. No, it's still standing. We feel terrible for fucking Okay, you got a dog in the maze man. You want me to say Alright, now we move on to the
Tanner 58:29
the dogs owner. And you can see he actually is clearly worried and he will drop the crossbow instead of reloading it. He'll take the dash action and attempt to maneuver himself between you and the dog. So he shoves his dog backwards away from combat with you and takes place and that will end its turn. So now the bandit leader is standing in front of you instead of the master. The other two bandits both will make attacks one on each of you. So, Archie, the seminar flies behind you and you bring up your great axe to parry it away. The one that is attempting to hit six will hit so it connects this seminar clangs against your metal but if somehow finds purchase between your bits of armor into something that can damage you will take five damage. We're back up to the top of the order for Archie.
Bruce 59:28
Oh okay, so Mr. Big Man has entered my range correct to turn him in I'm gonna say last chance Bruff for you to fuck off and leave us be
Tanner 59:39
still seems like we've got you out numbered. So no fuck you. Alright, oil does a 14 it us Okay,
Will 59:52
Doc thank God that was was the who? It'd be way less badass if we just miss this
Bruce 59:58
eight damage as I flattened.
Tanner 1:00:01
So that means we're back at the Mastiff. The The owner will snap behind him and the massive will retreat about 15 feet and standard the ready but definitely looks weak over on the side, then we're at six.
Will 1:00:16
Okay, so six just says, Are you? Are you really sure? I? Archie gave you a really good offer? Maybe you should take it.
Tanner 1:00:29
Are you? Do you want to try and persuade?
Will 1:00:31
Yeah, that's what I'm doing.
Tanner 1:00:33
Alright, free action. Go ahead and roll persuasion
Will 1:00:37
is an A 19 is at minus 190 minus one.
Tanner 1:00:43
Okay. All right. You can see the the leader kind of loosens up a bit, looks at his other men and looks down at himself. I mean, he has taken a more substantial damage than it seems like he'd planned on. And then he looks back to his dog. And he kind of lowers his weapons. Not fully, still ready to try and defend himself if need be. All right. Okay. Men a moment, you seem to be a bit more formidable than I expected, which is not very lucrative to business. Since this, he looks down at himself, will cost a bit of money to patch up. He spits over to the side, a little bit of blood. So tell you what, free passage through the woods, and the guys next to him both looked out at themselves and look over and like trug? A little bit. One of them is pretty badly damaged, though. Does that seem fair?
Bruce 1:01:46
I look at six and I wait to see if he has if he says anything.
Will 1:01:50
Fair enough to me, we just want to go to wound hold. As we said before, I have no quarrel with you. I'm six, nice to meet you,
Tanner 1:02:00
at squinting looks at your heart and then lowers his weapon and, you know, mimes to the others to do the same. I am Jefferson,
Bruce 1:02:12
I roll my ex back into its holder on my back and I say and I'm the fucking Kenya Port Royal. And I get the fuck out my face and leave us be I don't want to see you guys again. I do and we'll chop your bloody heads off and feed your fucking head. So your dogs?
Tanner 1:02:26
I apologize, Your Highness. And he gives you a little mocking bow. free passage. If anyone else ends up bothering you just mentioned my name and you should be fine.
Will 1:02:41
Oh, and one more thing before you go. Just remember. And he's his eyes glow red under the mask again.
Tanner 1:02:50
I don't sleep. That's terrifying. Jefferson nods the other guys. You know the one guy that's uninjured. It's tough to fuck, man. But the other guy seems to have more than happy to walk away with his life. So the three men and the limpy dog head back into the darkness and YouTube. Just just gone through your first combat together. Bonding.
Will 1:03:15
Yay. Wow, that was pretty easy.
Bruce 1:03:21
Care for Air Force. He says. You're gonna end up biting your tongue if you don't count your blessings when they come.
Will 1:03:30
That's that's fair. I honestly, that's my first combat in a long time. I know that I've done this before. I truthfully can't remember. But you didn't do have bad growth.
Tanner 1:03:45
The two of you go back into your rest states. Pretty much not worried about anything else coming out at you. Unless it's a wild beast.
Will 1:03:53
The only difference is I'm turned the other way.
Tanner 1:03:56
Oh, you're walking watching to the woods now. Okay. Yeah. So you guys go back to rest and six. You do have some semblance of like, it's not really a REM cycle. But it is, you know, sort of processing in the back of your mind. And you're watching out in this dark forest. And then slowly as the embers go out, the darkness creeps in and it grows darker and darker. And you look up at the sky and you can no longer see the stars. And if you try and look for him, you can no longer see Archie who was nearby and you should be able to see no matter what just from the moonlight. And then you hear this chorus of voices reach out to you and resonate within you. And these voices say our site reaches far and we see The maker has awakened
