People Being Other People - DnD Actual Play

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Cursebreaker | 7 - Beach Days and Destiny

/ 01:34:10/S1:E7
We begin our journey to Tildry. On the road, we get some sage advice, take a break to swim, and are visited by a powerful omen.
Tim / GM:

Last time on curse breaker. A violent thunderstorm tore through lamplight. Out on the docks, in the rain and thunder, Maisie's curse was taking her over. Veronica came just in time and performed a spell that pushed the curse out of Maisie and into the form of a giant octopus construct. The party survived and the construct was destroyed, but it wasn't over.

Tim / GM:

A small glowing white octopus made of magical energy writhed on the docks, And I

Tara / Journey:

ate it.

Tim / GM:

And that's that was the the long and short of the last episode. I

Hannah / Eryn:

love it.

Tara / Journey:

So The genie story ended there, and that was all he cared

Tim / GM:

about. Right.

John / Doran:

Like, frankly, I don't care what happened next.

Tim / GM:

So you guys, Veronica helped you remove a curse, from Mayzie, and then you destroyed whatever that curse summoned up. And, Mayzie is effectively free of of whatever was flagging her before.

Tara / Journey:

Hooray.

Tim / GM:

Hooray. You guys are are, supposedly going to leave Lamplight today. That that is the mission. However, early this morning, you were all interrupted by a, young woman named Bella Beaumont, who came to Holly and asked her to create a pair of Holly Hyatt since original magic shoes. These are shoes that have some kind of activation that will create an entire illusory outfit for the wearer.

Tim / GM:

Holly is pretty famous for these things. And so, all of you are in the tangled jib, kind of finishing up brunch, together. Ross had just given, Bert his father's whisper quill. And Henry Henry is pushing you guys to go as quickly as possible. He understands that you've all got your own lives to attend to.

Tim / GM:

He wants to be out of there within a couple hours, Holly. So that's kind of the time you have to put these shoes together. Let's let's get right into that, actually. Other people, if you wanted to grab things, like anything that come has come to mind over the last couple of weeks that you wanted to take with you on the journey as in, like, minor shop stuff, like, if you wanted to get, like, a tent or, like, a pickaxe or whatever, like, now is the time for that. But for now

John / Doran:

Snek wants to see Todd pull before.

Tim / GM:

Okay.

John / Doran:

Yeah. Yeah. I would like a rope. A pearl.

Tim / GM:

Okay. Let's do, so Snack, why don't you well, let's play that out from the tavern,

Tara / Journey:

from the tango jib then. And go up to the bartender.

Tim / GM:

Okay. Does a hey, little guy. What's, what's going on? Hi. I'm gotta be straight up with you.

Tim / GM:

We're completely out of bacon now.

John / Doran:

I see. That is okay. I reach into my, pouch and pull out 10 gold pieces, and I set it on the counter. Woah. Alright.

John / Doran:

I need 2 cocos, both to go and more cocos for later.

Tim / GM:

Oh, right. This was the hero's feast.

John / Doran:

The hero's feast for heroes. Yes.

Tim / GM:

Right. Yeah. Coco, Coco, I mean, it's not exactly plentiful. I mean I mean, yeah, 10 gold, sure. That's 2 Coco.

Tim / GM:

So I'll he, looks around and kinda, like, looks out

Hannah / Eryn:

the window. All in the are we all in the thing? Yeah. Holly overhears this, and she's, like, you know, a tradesman, a barter. She, like, is, like she pops her head out and she said, 10 gold?

Hannah / Eryn:

What a tie way robbery.

Tim / GM:

He can spend his money however he likes.

Hannah / Eryn:

Snack. And she, like, gets up from the table.

John / Doran:

Yes, Holly.

Hannah / Eryn:

Do not be fooled by this man. A hero's feast is worth much less than that in money, but it's worth much more in pride. So

Tara / Journey:

I I was very

John / Doran:

awe inspired by that statement. How many can I get then? Like, 3?

Tara / Journey:

No. No. No. No.

John / Doran:

No. Okay.

Hannah / Eryn:

We will give you 10 copper for that amount of cocoa.

Tim / GM:

Listen, I don't even have cocoa here. I'd go have to buy some at the market.

Tara / Journey:

We will go to the market then. Forget you.

Hannah / Eryn:

We don't need this middle man.

John / Doran:

We don't need you.

Tim / GM:

I don't need your 10 copper.

Hannah / Eryn:

Great. Come on, snack.

John / Doran:

Thank you for the bacon, though. And then and then I, like, walk out with Holly then.

Hannah / Eryn:

Yeah. Yeah. Let's go to the market, everybody. Shopping spree.

Tim / GM:

So, yeah, you guys leave behind everybody else in an entangled jib to to sort of finish up breakfast and sort of clean up, but the party, is is free to turn out to the market. What's your first stop, Holly, in in collecting, your materials here?

Hannah / Eryn:

Are we back on Blackwater Row?

Tim / GM:

You can be. Yeah. I mean, you're just leaving the tangled jib right now.

Hannah / Eryn:

Okay. I am going to just be walking on the docks towards the shops, but I'm gonna ask, Tibio. So, I know this might be a sensitive subject.

Tara / Journey:

Well, miss Holly, do not worry. Anything that you want to talk about, we can talk about.

Hannah / Eryn:

Okay. And now I'm the bones that you wear, are they like a family member or something?

Tara / Journey:

Oh, I'm so glad you asked. All of the bones that I have are very ancient, very important. They were handed down generation to generation from my family and from all over the world.

Hannah / Eryn:

Okay. Terrifying. But, are you allowed to say you have any bone meal of ground up bones that you could possibly give to me as a spell component? Only a little bit, I think I need. Oh, of course.

Hannah / Eryn:

Oh, you're the best, Tibia. I'm just so glad that we become friends.

Speaker 5:

So exciting. No. I would be happy to. I, there

Tara / Journey:

are sometimes there are little bone spurs that come out of the bones in my, skeleton's arms and legs, and I can just shave them down for you.

Hannah / Eryn:

Wow. That is so gross.

John / Doran:

Okay. I'm walking away.

Hannah / Eryn:

Great. Well, if you can just get me a little bone meal here in the next

Tara / Journey:

I,

Hannah / Eryn:

30 minutes?

Tara / Journey:

I take out a little, file, like, metal file, and I, just plop down on the ground right in the middle of Blackwater Row, and I take my trench coat off and I sit on the ground and I cross my skeleton legs, and then I, take the file and I, shave

Tim / GM:

walking by and and sort of craning their neck and sort of just double taking, triple taking as they as they walk away.

Tara / Journey:

I'm just humming. This is like a little mini spa day for me now. I'm

Hannah / Eryn:

just Just like the foot, pumice, like Yeah.

Tara / Journey:

Getting real good. I definitely thought you were gonna say cheese grater, though. So

Tim / GM:

So you've got, like, a little pouch of bone meal now.

Hannah / Eryn:

Great. Thank you so much, TBR.

Tara / Journey:

Oh, it's no problem, Holly.

Hannah / Eryn:

Oh, will you kiss like Holly is then going to say, to snack. I don't know if you were here the whole time while that

John / Doran:

was happening. Yes. I did

Hannah / Eryn:

patiently. Alright. So we need to find your hero's potion for cocoa.

John / Doran:

Cocoa is it is is how it's called as well.

Hannah / Eryn:

Layman's terms.

Tara / Journey:

Yes.

Hannah / Eryn:

Cocoa. Alright. Let's see. I think if we go over to the food market, we could probably find some some cocoa ingredients.

John / Doran:

Excellent.

Tim / GM:

Yeah. There's, importers of all sorts that have, far flung, items you can get there. And for sure, they've got, powdered cocoa for, not for 10 copper, but it's probably, you know, closer to 5 silver for an ounce.

Tara / Journey:

Hersher's cocoa. Hersher's. Mhmm. Hersher. Hersher's.

Tara / Journey:

A snack.

Hannah / Eryn:

Complimentary cocoa.

Tara / Journey:

If you ask for a little whiskey, it gives you a boost.

John / Doran:

A little whiskey?

Tara / Journey:

Yeah. Just dab a little into the cocoa.

John / Doran:

Is it a type of whisker?

Tara / Journey:

No. Oh.

Hannah / Eryn:

We need it for travel though. We need powder.

Tara / Journey:

Right. I'm saying, like

Hannah / Eryn:

A little to go whiskey.

Tara / Journey:

Yeah. Get some whiskey as well.

Hannah / Eryn:

Is this just for you, Uli?

Tara / Journey:

Because we

Hannah / Eryn:

can get you some whiskey. That's fine.

Tara / Journey:

Oh, no. I I can I have You can

Hannah / Eryn:

get in a little barrel that dogs wear and just, like, wear it around your waist?

Tara / Journey:

Are you calling me a dog?

Hannah / Eryn:

No. Not at all.

Tara / Journey:

Okay. Good.

Hannah / Eryn:

They, like, save people just like you.

John / Doran:

They save Merchant. I I yell at him or her, whoever's at the cocoa stand.

Tim / GM:

I

Tara / Journey:

don't think it's a cocoa stand. It's a full cocoa stand. Like, specialty cocos across

John / Doran:

the board. I'm Hershel.

Tim / GM:

Yeah. It's it's Hershel's cocoa. This is, how can I help you?

John / Doran:

I have 20 gold, and I want cocoa and whiskey.

Tim / GM:

20. Cocoa and whiskey. That's a lot of gold. How much, cocoa do you need?

John / Doran:

As much as you have to give.

Tim / GM:

Alright. Well, that's gonna be kind of a tough, sticky point here. I got I got, like, I got, like, £50 of cocoa on hand. So Great.

Tara / Journey:

Snack, no. We do not need so much cocoa.

John / Doran:

Oh, as much cocoa as I can get for this 20 gold.

Hannah / Eryn:

No snack. No. No.

John / Doran:

Yes. It is my money. I am 6 years old. Let me spend it as I wish.

Tim / GM:

He said he said, 20 gold? What hey. You get to ring the bell. You can ring this bell over here if you spend 20 gold. Really?

Tim / GM:

Yeah.

Tara / Journey:

Yes.

John / Doran:

Does it come with whiskey too?

Tim / GM:

He looks back up at the the cocoa stand sign and says, nope.

Tara / Journey:

We'll find some somewhere else.

John / Doran:

Nick, you just said you were 6 years old too. Yes. I ring the

Hannah / Eryn:

bell.

Tim / GM:

You ring you ring the bell and, like, a couple people turn their head. And mostly, it's just the shopkeeper going, Coco. Yes. Says, hey, for an enthusiast such as yourself, I've, I've been working on something, and I kinda wanna show it to you. It's, I call it a, I call it a fudgicle.

Tim / GM:

A fudge Is that branded?

Tara / Journey:

Fudgicle? I

John / Doran:

think it is. Okay.

Tara / Journey:

Fudgicle? No. No. Fudgicle, yes. Right?

John / Doran:

Yeah. I'm pretty sure it is.

Hannah / Eryn:

We're now sponsored by Hershels.

Tara / Journey:

Anyway Keep safe with Fudgicle.

Tim / GM:

You like you like you like hot cocoa?

Hannah / Eryn:

Call it fantasy fudge.

Tim / GM:

This is it's fantasy fudge. It's not gross. Where are you going? Come back.

John / Doran:

I'm I'm still here. I I you took a while to say that. I I turned back around, and I slapped him gold in the car. Is this for heroes as well?

Tim / GM:

He looks around, sees you guys nodding. Yeah. Yeah.

John / Doran:

This is for heroes. Of course.

Tim / GM:

And you must be a real big hero.

John / Doran:

I am quite the hero now.

Tim / GM:

Well, now you get to try cold cocoa. You've had hot cocoa. This is cold cocoa. Alright.

Tara / Journey:

I I believe with this, you have to eat it very fast.

Tim / GM:

It's actually enchanted. It'll stay cold for 24 hours.

Tara / Journey:

Ah, there you go.

Tim / GM:

You can put it in your pocket if you want.

John / Doran:

Great.

Tara / Journey:

Pocket fudge.

Tim / GM:

Now that we've all got that image.

Hannah / Eryn:

Pocket fantasy fudge. No.

Tara / Journey:

Oh, and now it's in my head to the tune of Rocket Man. Yeah.

Tim / GM:

So I'm gonna say Rocket

Tara / Journey:

Let's see.

John / Doran:

A generality.

Tim / GM:

It's like 5 silver to an ounce. So it's 8 gold for a pound. So you got 2 and a half pounds.

John / Doran:

2 and a

Tim / GM:

half pounds? Yeah. Of cocoa.

Tara / Journey:

Cold oh, of real Pocket fudge.

Tim / GM:

Oh, and then and then you've got, you've got a 10 pack of of cold fudge.

Tara / Journey:

That only lasts for a day.

Tim / GM:

Because you put down another 10 gold. Right?

John / Doran:

Yeah. Yeah. Okay. I'm ready to see Todd Poole now. Holly, are we done at this market place?

Hannah / Eryn:

I still looking look around snack and help me. I'm trying to find a blue stone, and it should be really dark blue. It'll be round and looks like a rock, and it's got a little bit of white going through it, streaming through it. See if you can find the stone. I'm looking as well.

Hannah / Eryn:

So first one to find it is the champion.

Tim / GM:

A snack you look up and the first thing you see is the, cocoa shopkeeper's eyes are, a brilliant shiny blue.

John / Doran:

Jesus. Describe that stone one more time, Holly.

Hannah / Eryn:

The most beautiful blue you've ever seen in a stone.

John / Doran:

I am shifting around nervously. Yes. I will find this for you.

Hannah / Eryn:

Okay. It's a race, though. I'm gonna find it first. Good luck. And then Holly runs off trying to find the stone before snack.

Tim / GM:

You you got more money there, pal? Or

John / Doran:

What is your name,

Tim / GM:

sir? Clarence.

John / Doran:

Clarence. Yes. Clarence, how much would it cost for me to just get a get a quick touch of your eyeball?

Tara / Journey:

Snake, what are you doing? No.

John / Doran:

Jon? Timmy, you're best at me. I'm lottery.

Tara / Journey:

So, monsieur Clermont, I'm so sorry. My friend, he is a little confused.

John / Doran:

He looks shiny.

Tim / GM:

Well, hold hold on. Hold on. What are you paying? I

John / Doran:

have I have gold.

Tim / GM:

What do you mean by touch?

John / Doran:

I just must touch and and then feel it feel the texture and see how how hard your eyeball is. Did you did you always have those eyes?

Tara / Journey:

Snack.

Tim / GM:

Nope. Too far. Pass. Pass. Cast.

Tara / Journey:

Eyeballs are not stone. No. Fine.

John / Doran:

Alright. I scamper off, and I'm picking up stones and looking at them and toss them around.

Tara / Journey:

I'm gonna follow closely behind Snack because I'm afraid he's gonna stab someone.

Tim / GM:

And so, Holly, you don't have any luck finding a vendor that's selling, like, semi precious stones and stuff like that.

Hannah / Eryn:

We are out in the boonies.

Tim / GM:

Snack, however, while you're searching around on the ground, you don't find a blue stone, but you do find, the hem of Veronica's dress. And, she's just kind of standing in front of you, and she says, looking for something?

John / Doran:

Yes. I'm on a time sensitive mission, Veronica.

Tim / GM:

Oh, always something. What do you need, little one?

John / Doran:

I'm sorry about your tarot cards, by the way. I I need a stone that's blue and white and looks like that man's eyeball if you've ever met him, Clarence at the the Merchant.

Tim / GM:

I no. I don't know Clarence, but blue stone?

John / Doran:

It's yes. A blue stone. It looks like an eyeball, but, it's it's a rock, though.

Tara / Journey:

Miss miss Veronica, I'm so sorry. He is looking for lapis lazuli. Oh, of course.

Tim / GM:

I've got some lapis lazuli. I've got all sorts of stones and crystals in my hut.

John / Doran:

That is wonderful, Veronica. May we have one?

Tim / GM:

Weird ask, but okay. Great. And, she, she'll lead you back to her place to just grab a little chunk of lapis lazuli. So, Holly, you you know that that's been secured. So your last stop would be for the silver dart scales.

Hannah / Eryn:

Okay. I'm gonna go down to the waterfront, and just walk up to his where his boat is, docked.

Tim / GM:

Yeah. Yeah.

Hannah / Eryn:

Is he there? Yeah.

Tim / GM:

He's having lunch, actually.

Hannah / Eryn:

Ding dong. Early lunch. Hi, Todd. How's it going?

Tim / GM:

Hey, Holly. Good to see you.

Hannah / Eryn:

Nice to see you.

Tara / Journey:

Yeah.

Tim / GM:

I ran into Tandy this morning. She told me all about last night.

Hannah / Eryn:

Oh my gosh. Is your boat okay?

Tim / GM:

Yeah. It, seems to be mostly intact. Can't say the same for everybody else's.

Hannah / Eryn:

Yeah. And, well, I'm glad to hear yours is alright. I'm sure you guys will be rebuilding for quite a while.

Tim / GM:

And the the docks are okay. Some of the ships got pretty messed up, and, man, this entire shipment of crabs got destroyed.

Hannah / Eryn:

Were they yours?

Tim / GM:

No. They weren't mine, but, it's been an absolute free for all. People have been fishing for crabs and lobsters out on the dock here all morning.

Hannah / Eryn:

Oh my goodness. Someone's gonna eat good tonight.

Tim / GM:

It seems like the whole town will.

Hannah / Eryn:

So I actually came here because I was wondering. I'm looking to purchase some silver dart fish scales, and I wasn't sure if you sold any or if you knew someone I could buy them from.

Tim / GM:

Oh, no. I actually don't have any, but I could fish one up. Oh. You wanna you wanna see how it's done?

Hannah / Eryn:

Heck yeah. Alright.

Tim / GM:

How about a little, magic tip for magic tip?

Tara / Journey:

Okay.

Tim / GM:

So here's the deal. I've done magic for quite a while, and, you know, I I I kinda know my stuff, but, I can't do a lot of the stuff that you can do. So for instance, I can do this. And he, he puts a worm, on a fish hook, and, he he starts, like, gently squeezing the worm. And you can see the worm kind of, like, change colors until it changes, like, this, like, shiny kind of metallic color.

Tim / GM:

And, he, like, casts it off into the water, and, he just kinda makes small talk with you for a sec. But before long, he reels it in and he pulls up a silver fish on it, like a like a bright gleaming silver fish. He says, this kind of stuff is easy for me. I can I can cast out and drag up whatever fish you want out of the ocean? That's easy.

Tim / GM:

But you see, something as simple as, like, mage hand, I never got a hang of it.

Hannah / Eryn:

Where does your power come from?

Tim / GM:

My dad, like I said.

Hannah / Eryn:

Holly just makes a face, and I'm like, I don't know about that kind of magic.

Tim / GM:

So would you be able to, you know, teach me some of that real wizard stuff, like mage hand?

Hannah / Eryn:

I definitely can try. Holly's, like, not very confident. She's never taught anyone how to do magic before.

Tim / GM:

Says that that that would be something else, really. That'd be incredible. Let me just, I'll be finished here in a couple hours. You wanna meet up later tonight?

Hannah / Eryn:

Oh, we're actually leaving town, Todd. I'm so sorry to say. We have to leave in a few hours to make it out before it too dark.

Tim / GM:

Says, oh, and he, kind of, lets the fish, like, drop a little bit in his hand. He says, oh, well, that's I mean, that's okay. And he, unhooks the fish, and he, he says, what do you need? Just the scales here?

Hannah / Eryn:

Mhmm. Do you know, I'm and I'm just not making any assumptions here, Todd, but do you know how to read Common?

Tim / GM:

Yes.

Hannah / Eryn:

Here, take this. And Holly's gonna open up her little she has like a little, ledger notebook that she, like, writes down sales and stuff in at our shop. And she rips that's her spell book.

Tim / GM:

Oh, yeah.

Hannah / Eryn:

And she rips out the page that says mage hand. It's one of her cantrips. Mhmm. And she gives it to Todd, and she says, maybe try studying this for a while and see if you can get it down.

Tim / GM:

Hey. Alright. That's a place to start. Perfect.

Hannah / Eryn:

That's how I learned and, of course, had teachers. But

Tim / GM:

Is that a is that a u or an s? What is that? In me. He's he's he's pointing to the paper that you just gave him, and he's like, how what is I can't read your handwriting.

Hannah / Eryn:

You can't read

Tim / GM:

it. Oh, no. I got it. It'll be okay. Oh my goodness.

Hannah / Eryn:

I was just like,

Tara / Journey:

I don't have time to rewrite it. I'm so sorry.

Tim / GM:

Well, that's great. And, yeah, well, here's your fish. Good luck with whatever this was for.

Hannah / Eryn:

Thanks. And Holly just, like, takes the fish Yeah. And just holding it, end to end in both hands, and it's, like, wiggly and and just trying to, like, hold it.

Tim / GM:

He's like, do you need that cleaned?

Hannah / Eryn:

Yeah. That'd be great. You can help me with this.

Tim / GM:

Yeah. Sure.

Hannah / Eryn:

And she, like, it, like, flies out of her hands back to him.

Tim / GM:

Yeah. He, he takes the fish and just kinda, like, lays it out on the dock, and, he, he just snaps his fingers. And, you see the fish kind of, like, jump one last time. This this fish has been magically separated into, scales, meaty flanks, and skeleton, which he throws back into the bay. And, he grabs this big handful of loose scales, and he and he hands it back to you.

Tim / GM:

And he says, this what you're looking for?

Hannah / Eryn:

Yeah. That's exactly what I needed. Thank you so much.

Tim / GM:

Alright. Well, Holly, good luck out there. You're you're a heck of a person. It was I'm glad to meet you.

Hannah / Eryn:

Oh, thank you so much, Todd. And Holly, like, hops up on one foot to give him a big hug around, his pearly shoulders and then kisses him on the cheek and says, good luck with all your fish.

Tim / GM:

Dude smells like fish.

Tara / Journey:

Holly doesn't care. She's used

Hannah / Eryn:

to hardworking, hardworking people For sure. Like who she's friends with.

Tara / Journey:

So Yeah.

Tim / GM:

And so as you guys are kind of, finishing up, snack, you come walking down the dock holding a stone of lapis lazuli in your in your

Tara / Journey:

Okay.

John / Doran:

And I, walk over to Todd and Holly cautiously and, addressing Todd.

Tim / GM:

Todd. Hey, snake? Snack.

John / Doran:

Your accent is off. Todd, I I wanted to, say, I I appreciate your story you told us long ago when you shot missiles into sales of those pirates that were going to attack and, you know, and encroach upon your fish fishing grounds.

Tim / GM:

Yeah. Yeah. I did that. That was kinda my day.

John / Doran:

Yes. You said you were quite a hero.

Tim / GM:

Yeah. Yeah. I guess I guess you could say that. I was yeah.

John / Doran:

It It is your words, Todd. You said you are a hero. Anyways, I I wanted to say I am now also a hero, and I understand the burden that it it it is that you must, watch your behavior and you can only kill so much. So I have brought you this cocoa, a hero's feast He so that we may enjoy this together.

Tim / GM:

He takes the cocoa while kind of smiling and nodding, and he says, we do have to limit the killing. Yes. He says, burden. Uh-huh. Is this for me?

John / Doran:

Yes. This one is for you. Holly, I am sorry. I did not know you would be here, but I have this, cold cocoa, which I believe will suffice as far as heroes are concerned. And I this snack gives you what does it look like?

Tim / GM:

Is it it's like a popsicle, but it's just like frozen fudge Yeah. That's magically cold.

John / Doran:

Here you go, Holly.

Hannah / Eryn:

Thanks. Holly's, like, sniffing. She's, like, is this poop? And then she, like, realizes it's cold and smells it. And she's, like, oh, nice.

Hannah / Eryn:

And then she bites into it, and it's like, oh, taste it.

Tara / Journey:

Can I ask a logistical question? You said it it stays cold for 24 hours? Yeah. Does it does it stay cold inside of you?

Tim / GM:

No. I think once once it's, like like, kind of, broken up, it loses that ability. Yeah.

Tara / Journey:

Yeah. I just I can only imagine that would feel, like, really awful.

Tim / GM:

Yeah.

Hannah / Eryn:

Ali starts eating it and enjoys it very much.

John / Doran:

That was a very sweet moment.

Hannah / Eryn:

Yeah. It was cute.

Tara / Journey:

How's your lotus doing?

John / Doran:

Oh, yeah. I do, take out the lotus. That is 80% of why I'm

Tara / Journey:

do. Yeah.

Tim / GM:

Yeah. You take out the lotus and, you know, kind of you took it out knowing that you'd probably see a reaction, and so this is probably the first time that you've seen the whole thing happen. But you see, 2 petals. Well, Holly, are you happy as a result of this?

Hannah / Eryn:

Oh, yeah. Loving this fudgsicle. My mouth is just covered in chocolates.

Tim / GM:

I don't know. Fudgsicle. 2 green little beads sort of form and then unfurl, and a white petal, starts to brighten and and fold out from the flower.

John / Doran:

Great. So I pull it out of my lamp, and I, just have a very, like, ear to ear grin, and then I put it back into the lamp and continue, enjoying the company.

Tim / GM:

Todd just takes another step, and he says, I can't tell you how unsettling this is. So with the all the magical reagents, in line, now is time to create the shoes or at least alter the shoes. Bella Beaumont gives you a pair of her shoes to modify with this magic.

Hannah / Eryn:

Holly is just singing because she, works on the shoes.

Tim / GM:

And,

Hannah / Eryn:

Not a bard. Okay. Everyone laughing. Thank you.

Tim / GM:

Bella's leaning kind of sideways sitting in a chair, and she's watching you work, and she's just kind of, like, grinning, watching you do this. Is everybody else there, or did you guys still want to find things out on the market?

Tara / Journey:

I just wanna rope. I'm probably out there. Yeah. Okay. Yeah.

Tara / Journey:

I I think when when snack went off to follow Holly to Todd Pol, I just let him go. I would still be at the market or wherever.

Tim / GM:

Okay. So, Holly, what does it look like when you actually do the magic, to to create your shoes?

Hannah / Eryn:

I probably have, like, a little I need a table space where I can sit.

Tim / GM:

Mhmm.

Tara / Journey:

And

Hannah / Eryn:

then since I already have the shoes, it's more about grinding up the ingredients. And then I think for this one, since it's kind of last minute, I don't have time to, like, dye them, so I'm gonna do more painting.

John / Doran:

Sure.

Hannah / Eryn:

And this one's gonna be like, I'm gonna take her old shoes, I'm gonna scrape off some leather designs because usually there's, like, a coating on the shoe, and so I'm gonna scrape some of that off in, like, some cool designs of the crest of lamplight landing, and then some other neat designs that, like, signify, strength and courage and intelligence and just to help her in her interview. And then, yeah, put the lamplight landing logo on the side of the city, but kind of in artistic senses, not just like Mhmm. LL, lamplight landing. Yeah. And then I'll fill it in with all the the paint I made from the the ingredients, and then, yeah, I kinda and, like, through that.

Hannah / Eryn:

That's my verbal for casting the spell as I am doing it. So it's like

Tim / GM:

So, yeah. It's not it's not like a big flashy, you know, kind of, like, clap and it's done sort of thing. It's like you gotta sit down and do the work. Yeah. Yeah.

Hannah / Eryn:

And I kinda talk to it. Sometimes, you know, like, I was singing that song and stuff, like, just making up nonsensical words, but it imbues the power of, like, what I'm trying to do into the

Tim / GM:

product. Yeah. Cool. So so, Bella doesn't even realize that you're done when you're finished with these. But you stand up, with the shoes all completed now and ready to present to her.

Hannah / Eryn:

Alright, Bella. I think they're ready. What do you think? Bing.

John / Doran:

And just

Hannah / Eryn:

like sparkles around the cheeks.

Tim / GM:

She goes, when did you do it? When did you do the magic? I I didn't even see it happen. I must have blinked or looked away or something.

Hannah / Eryn:

You know, even I don't know exactly when it is, but it's kind of all the time when I'm making something.

Tim / GM:

Well, alright. Let me try them on.

Hannah / Eryn:

Alright. Here you go. Let me help you out. And she's gonna help shoehorn him in and, like, kneel down and get her feet in there good with a little thing and lay them all up.

Tim / GM:

You can tell that she's sort of, like, in, like, stunned silence when when Holly Hyacinth bends down to put this to put Bella's shoes on. And, her eyes are, like, almost glassy, and she goes, how do they work?

Hannah / Eryn:

Oh, give them a little click.

Tim / GM:

And, she, raises her heels and, slaps them together. And, you see this, Sailor Moon esque transformation where, from the toes up, she there's like a a momentary, kind of brighter light as this outfit sort of forms over her. And, it looks like she's just wearing, completely different clothes, but it's an elegant mixture of, professional and thematic, where she's definitely wearing, silver and gold embroidery, against the navy blue. She says, I feel ready.

Hannah / Eryn:

You are ready. And remember, the clothes don't make the people. The people make the people. And I give her a little wink.

Tim / GM:

And she smiles, and she says, the clothes help.

Hannah / Eryn:

They sure do.

Tim / GM:

And, yeah. She she gives you a big hug, and she says, I promise I won't I won't be another moment's burden, but you'll hear from me. You'll be the first person I write to as the ambassador.

Tara / Journey:

Mhmm.

Hannah / Eryn:

Oh, will you do me one favor before you leave?

Tim / GM:

Alright. Anything.

Hannah / Eryn:

Alright. Stand right there. Holly is, like, framing her up, and then she's, like, hold still. Okay. She holds up her crystal to record.

Hannah / Eryn:

Mhmm. And she's now, like, now just give me a good twirl. And she records

Tim / GM:

Okay.

Hannah / Eryn:

The thing with her new recording crystal.

Tim / GM:

And, so as soon as you kinda start that, the first thing you see is, she kinda, like, looks at the floor, bashfully, and then looks up at you and smiles, and she goes, so I just spin around?

Hannah / Eryn:

Yeah. You need to smize. So,

Tim / GM:

she

Hannah / Eryn:

Smile, but with your whole face.

Tim / GM:

She she, like, she looks down at her own self, a little bit self consciously. You can tell. And and then she just gives it a smile and just a perfect carefree twirl. And you see little parts of the outfit kind of, float up a little bit. And she stops, and a little tuft of hair falls in her face, and she goes, how's that?

Hannah / Eryn:

Beautiful. I think you're ready.

Tim / GM:

And your recording kind of cuts out there.

Hannah / Eryn:

Perfect. What's this thing called, my recording, Crystal? Does that have a name?

Tim / GM:

The hysteroscope, as long as that has nothing to do with Right. Surgery.

Tara / Journey:

I forgot about that. Okay. That was darn cute.

Tim / GM:

Alright. This is the last call for for lamplight landing.

Tara / Journey:

I just want a rope.

Tim / GM:

Rope. Alright. I want a pearl.

Tara / Journey:

Have a rope?

Tim / GM:

Yeah. Rope, I believe, cost you about

Tara / Journey:

I work on ships.

Tim / GM:

Are you going to steal rope?

Tara / Journey:

I'm just gonna take a rope from wherever I worked.

Tim / GM:

Alright. Yeah. You see, like, a coworker, a former coworker of you you have yours. Just be like, hey, Uli, you

Speaker 6:

coming back to work? We could use some help out here. There's a lot to do.

Tara / Journey:

Yeah. I mean, I I'm taking vacation, but

Tim / GM:

I'll be back.

Speaker 6:

How did you get vacation time?

Tara / Journey:

I'm friends with Tandy.

Speaker 6:

Well, that tracks. Alright. Well, have fun. We'll be here when you get back.

Tara / Journey:

Oh, I know.

Tim / GM:

What's the rope for?

Tara / Journey:

Personal. It's personal. Goodbye. Bye. Personal rope.

John / Doran:

So yeah.

Tara / Journey:

Please write that down.

Tim / GM:

50 foot.

Tara / Journey:

Right?

Tim / GM:

We're gonna say it's a weird rope. So it's it's 63 feet long. Okay. If I ever give you a 50 foot gap, you can be like, nah.

Tara / Journey:

Personal rope. 63 foot personal rope.

Tim / GM:

It's 6063 feet and 3 and 3 16ths.

Tara / Journey:

God. I have to write that, don't I?

Tim / GM:

63 and what? 63 apostrophe3 double quote, and then 3 over 16.

Tara / Journey:

Hey, this is like the Kingdom Hearts thing again.

Tim / GM:

Yes. I'm having trouble hearing you. Alright. Last call, land flight? Pearl.

Tim / GM:

Pearl. Oh, yeah. That's right. Yeah. So you go out to the, I guess kind of like the the fish market ish area, and you find this oyster shucker, who's got these, like, bins, and they're in the middle of cracking oysters.

Tim / GM:

And they say, hey. Hey. You looking for some some tasty slurps?

John / Doran:

No. What an enticing way to put that. But no. Thank you. Wondering if you've shucked anything shiny today.

Tim / GM:

Ah, okay. And, he picks one up, and you hear him go, hey, Earl. We got somebody here for your, your pretties. And, you see, a, a half orc man, peer out from behind. And he says, oh, someone's here for the pretties.

John / Doran:

That's right. I'm here for the pretties.

Tim / GM:

Show us the coin, darling.

John / Doran:

I've got, well, I've got 100 gold here.

Tim / GM:

Yes. I think I've got something in that neighborhood. It's not going to be the most elegant thing you've ever seen, but we can accommodate you.

John / Doran:

As long as he gets the job done, that's the pretty for me.

Tim / GM:

He he, is there is there a money requirement on the pearl? It's a 100 twos. Okay. Good. So, yeah.

Tim / GM:

He he shows you a, you know, a slightly imperfect sort of pinkish hued, pearl. And he says, this one's rather fresh, and I think it suits you. It's a little

John / Doran:

Remind me. Is this one me?

Tim / GM:

It's a little minute.

John / Doran:

Is that a short joke?

Tim / GM:

No. It's, you have all

John / Doran:

I'm just kidding.

Tim / GM:

You have all of the good parts and nothing you don't need.

John / Doran:

Oh, I like that. Well, I'll take it.

Tim / GM:

Well, we do pride ourselves in the quality of our pearls here. So while you might expect this to run about

Speaker 7:

a 100 gold, have you any more than that?

Tim / GM:

I think about a 125 for this specimen.

John / Doran:

I've got 10 extra gold.

Tim / GM:

You know what? I do find you quite charming. Let's call it a 105.

John / Doran:

Eddie, you got a deal.

Tara / Journey:

I don't think that's how haggling works.

Tim / GM:

Did I do it backwards?

Hannah / Eryn:

Yeah. Well, you went down more without him needing asking you to.

Tim / GM:

What did I you said a 100 and 10. Oh, and then I went under. I was supposed to go a 100 and

Hannah / Eryn:

It's fine. Isolated. He's just

Tim / GM:

a bad dealer. Okay.

Tara / Journey:

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. He sucks.

Tim / GM:

He says, gotcha, sucker. And he he, clinks his coins together as he walks away. He also gave you the pillow. That's part of buying here is that you get to keep the velvety pillow

Speaker 7:

that it came on. Oh.

Tim / GM:

Yeah. So it's literally just one dimpled pillow with a pearl sitting in the middle of it.

Tara / Journey:

Can't can't let it tilt. I don't let the pearls slide right off there.

Tim / GM:

It's a useless throw pillow.

Tara / Journey:

Oh, yeah.

Tim / GM:

It's so small.

Hannah / Eryn:

Snack sized.

Tim / GM:

Yes. Yeah. Alright. Everybody meets at the gates of Lamplight?

Tara / Journey:

Sure. I'm the only one that didn't do anything, but I don't have anything to do.

John / Doran:

I mean, you had the bone meal.

Speaker 5:

Oh, I just

Tim / GM:

helped the

Tara / Journey:

bone meal. Alright.

Hannah / Eryn:

You made you made sure a snack didn't start a riot by tearing out someone's eyeballs.

Tara / Journey:

I suppose.

Hannah / Eryn:

I bowels.

John / Doran:

Do you

Tara / Journey:

want some rope? No. I'm okay.

Tim / GM:

So we're you guys meet, Henry and Maisie, at the gates. They are super excited and ready to get back to Tildry. Maisie is already rambling about all the things that she's gonna show you when you guys get there, those of you that haven't been there at all or recently. You guys don't have a wagon? You're doing this on foot?

Tim / GM:

It's just a little easier to travel that way.

Tara / Journey:

I would like to give Mayzie a piggyback ride.

Tim / GM:

Definitely.

John / Doran:

I give everyone a cold fudge.

Tim / GM:

And that's, I think, a good move. So the the travel section of this,

Tara / Journey:

so

Tim / GM:

that's 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.

John / Doran:

Sure. Track your fudges.

Tim / GM:

Yeah. That's 6 fudges plus the one you spent earlier.

John / Doran:

I'm gonna say I gave one to Veronica too.

Tim / GM:

Okay.

John / Doran:

And then I ate 2. Oh, wait. I ate 3.

Tim / GM:

So that's everything.

John / Doran:

Veronica's not coming with us.

Tim / GM:

Right. Right.

John / Doran:

When I visited her car. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Tim / GM:

Okay.

John / Doran:

Let me cut the eggs out. I eat the rest. Okay. Half my body weight

Tim / GM:

in flesh. Okay. So, yeah. You've eaten, like like

John / Doran:

Sugar rush.

Tim / GM:

350 grams of sugar. Yeah.

Tara / Journey:

I feel like this this constitutes a Timspiration

Tim / GM:

for Snack. Actually so I I forgot.

John / Doran:

Yeah. I think Snack deserves it for the

Tim / GM:

the the Coco I agree. For the Todd bowl thing. I agree. Yeah. Yeah.

Tim / GM:

Don't forget that.

Tara / Journey:

Good character development.

Tim / GM:

Yeah.

John / Doran:

Thank you. I, go up to Tibeo after eating all of this fudge, and I'm not walking straight very well, you know, as we're I yeah. I imagine we're on foot. Right?

Tim / GM:

Yeah. Yeah. Tibio.

Tara / Journey:

Yes, Nick.

John / Doran:

Are you okay? I've consumed too much, fudge. I was wondering if you'd carry me the rest of the way.

Tara / Journey:

Oh, Snack of course.

John / Doran:

Excellent. Thank you, Tibeo. And then I take the lamp out of my satchel, I set it on the ground, and I hop into it.

Tara / Journey:

I, I I look at the lamp on the ground, and, I stare at it for a moment. And then I pick it up and hook it on my belt.

Tim / GM:

It's it's no heavier for having snack.

Hannah / Eryn:

Holly, hold daughter chameleon, and she's like, it's a lizard thing.

Tara / Journey:

And she just puts

Hannah / Eryn:

her chameleon back in her pocket. Okay.

John / Doran:

Hey, Tibbs. Do you think Snack can hear us from in there?

Tara / Journey:

I don't know. And I hold the lamp up to my face, and I go, hello, Snack? Can you hear me?

John / Doran:

Yes, Tibio. I can hear you. I'm quite sleepy and a little nauseous. Can you walk more steadily?

Speaker 5:

Yes, Nick. I will

Tara / Journey:

do my best. I'm sorry. I hope you feel better.

John / Doran:

Yes. Thank you, mister Schneck.

Tara / Journey:

Yes.

John / Doran:

Have a good nap, mister Schneck. Thank you, mister Schneck.

Tim / GM:

The low road is on, the shady side of the hill, which means it's it's drenched in all the water from the night before. So there are deep, muddy wagon ruts on this road, and so you're all kind of just trudging through, like, thick mud and water. And, as the day is going on, it's getting a lot warmer, like, a lot warmer until it's actually hot. And so you guys are just trudging through hot, swampy, muddy wetness. And it's caused a lot of angry mosquitoes to come out, which has attracted a lot of toads.

Tim / GM:

And so it's kind of like all of these plagues are suddenly descending on you as you guys are walking through the low road.

John / Doran:

Why didn't we take a wagon again?

Hannah / Eryn:

It's a little, swampy out here, isn't it? And then she was, ah, slap some mosquito off her face.

Tara / Journey:

If I get annoyed enough, I'm gonna start just, like, firebolting

Tim / GM:

away from

John / Doran:

my Luckily, the mosquitoes don't come down this low.

Tim / GM:

Yeah. They they seem to find all that they need up on Uli, who's

Hannah / Eryn:

Uli, the firebolting is making it hotter.

Tara / Journey:

If they're all swarming Maisie, because she's on my shoulders.

Tim / GM:

Oh, yeah.

Tara / Journey:

I'm gonna I'm gonna take her down.

Tim / GM:

Yeah. Yeah. You take her down, and she's covered in bug bites and her eye like, her eyes

Tara / Journey:

are just like Sorry, kids. Maybe someone shorter can carry you for a while.

Tim / GM:

She's like, I can walk. And then you hear her just like

Tara / Journey:

I, I cast mage hand, and I use it to swat the bugs away from her as she's walking.

Tim / GM:

Yeah. It's a it's a full time task. Just just smacking bugs. This

Tara / Journey:

is like big cartoon hand that's just, like, wow.

John / Doran:

Yeah. Have any regrets, Holly?

Hannah / Eryn:

Yeah.

Tim / GM:

I have

Hannah / Eryn:

a lot of regrets right now. Holly is going to, go in her pack, and she, pulls out a hat. And when she puts it on, a little net drops down around her face.

Tim / GM:

Henry kinda looks up at you and smirks. And he says, good idea. And, he, takes out a wand that you guys have seen before, and he points at himself and he says, baloop. And, a, shiny iridescent bubble kind of forms all around him. And he's just kind of cautiously walking with it.

Tim / GM:

And he's, like, you can hear him, like, it's working.

John / Doran:

That bubble get any bigger?

Tim / GM:

He says, I don't think so. He says, I have to be very, very steady. And he's just, like, slowly creeping forward, and then it pops, and he goes, no. No.

Tara / Journey:

I have my umbrella wand. Just do I, like, put it in front of me? Yeah.

Tim / GM:

You can at least use it, like, push them from hitting

Tara / Journey:

me in the face.

Hannah / Eryn:

Henri, my chameleon, is gonna, work his way out of my pocket. The warmer it gets, the happier he is to, like, be on my shoulder. And he's just gonna be like eating bugs all around and then eventually crawls up on my head and just sits up there and you know, just slurping all the bugs up. It's like feast time for on re.

Tim / GM:

Henry is the only one having a good time right

Tara / Journey:

now.

Hannah / Eryn:

He's living the high life. We had brunch earlier, and now it's Easter. Mhmm.

Tim / GM:

So this this misery eventually, gives way to something a whole lot more pleasant. You guys are entering kind of the next leg of the journey as you ascend up a hill a little bit, and now you're in these stony woodlands. You see this massive rocky outcropping, like, kinda like Pride Rock. It's this giant stone that spans this this small little valley. And, underneath that stone, you see 3 elderly folks that are wearing sort of ragged clothing, and they're all, they're centered around like a bonfire that has a stew over it.

Tim / GM:

And, as soon as they see you, one of them just kinda waves a big hand, this dwarven woman, and she says, hey. Hey there.

Hannah / Eryn:

Are they speaking Dwarvish?

John / Doran:

No. At this moment, Snack, appears out out of the lamp next to Tibio.

Tara / Journey:

Oh my god.

Speaker 5:

I hear

Tim / GM:

another voice.

John / Doran:

Is everything okay?

Tara / Journey:

We are fine. Can I give you the lamp?

John / Doran:

Yes.

Tara / Journey:

Okay. Okay. Are you feeling better?

John / Doran:

Yes. Much better. Okay. I do need to get better cushions next time we are out and about in those marketplaces.

Tara / Journey:

Okay.

John / Doran:

Would this pillow work, mister Scrick?

Tim / GM:

He gives you, he shows you a a tiny royal looking velvety pillow.

John / Doran:

Yes. Yes. Thank you, Bert. And And I I toss it in the lamp. No problem, little man.

Speaker 7:

That takes care of that.

John / Doran:

I like that there's someone I can call little man.

Tim / GM:

Yeah. Those crucial 6 inches or whatever. Yeah. Only you.

Tara / Journey:

I'm sorry.

Tim / GM:

That, dwarven woman says, don't be shy. Come on.

Hannah / Eryn:

Can I

Tara / Journey:

insight check

Tim / GM:

that? Yeah.

Tara / Journey:

Yeah. Dirty 20.

Tim / GM:

Oh, alright. Yeah. Whatever they're cooking smells pretty good. And, yeah. 2 of 2 of them don't even seem, like, concerned with your presence, so they're not, like, trying to pull anything on you.

Tara / Journey:

Okay. I just stomp over there.

John / Doran:

What do you think, folks? Time for a break?

Tara / Journey:

We, let's take a moment and gather strength.

Hannah / Eryn:

Yes, please. And Holly is, like, scratching bug bites on her arms.

Tim / GM:

And Macy just copies Holly and says, yes, please.

Tara / Journey:

I'm hungry.

Tim / GM:

She says, this is the dwarven woman. She says, hello, all of you. My name is Wanda. It's good to meet you.

Hannah / Eryn:

Hello, Wanda.

Tim / GM:

We're just, settling down for some stew.

Hannah / Eryn:

Oh, that sounds nice. Do you are you, traveling to which way are you going?

Tim / GM:

Slowly, slowly south.

Hannah / Eryn:

South towards Lamplight?

Tim / GM:

Actually, no. South towards the coast. Determan here has got a quest.

Tara / Journey:

Oh, quest. Quest. How exciting. What is your quest?

Tim / GM:

And, she points to the oldest elf you've ever seen. And he's just this, like, completely, like, withered, like, frail. Like, it's he's gotten to the point where his fingers have taken on a slightly alien look, and you can see that his knuckles are these big, like, round nodules. And, he looks up at you and he says,

Speaker 7:

I've come to spread my seed.

John / Doran:

Wow. I've heard about this. Every elf at the end of their life,

Tim / GM:

He says Goes on this journey. Yes. He says, he holds up 2 handfuls with these, sort of, goldish looking acorns, and he says, my seed.

Speaker 7:

This is from my

Tim / GM:

Oh, right. Right.

Speaker 7:

I am the last of my circle and I must spread these to the far corners.

Tara / Journey:

Those trees are beautiful, sir. I'm sure the trees will be wonderful.

Speaker 7:

I hope so.

John / Doran:

How many corners you, hit up so far? Just one. 3 to go. Snack is assuming this is a square situation we're talking about. Snack is, circling the encampment with a dowsing rod out, kind of

Tim / GM:

Oh, yeah.

John / Doran:

Lurking around.

Tim / GM:

Yeah. It it points a little bit to those acorns, but nothing much else.

John / Doran:

Okay. I put away the dozen red.

Tim / GM:

Okay.

Tara / Journey:

Will you share your soup?

Tim / GM:

The dwarf, Wanda says, of course. That's, that's exactly why I called you over here. You you look famished, and you've got a little one.

Tara / Journey:

I'm pulling out the cask of ale from my brother.

Tim / GM:

Oh, yeah.

Tara / Journey:

I'll say, I can share this if you'd like. It's a family specialty.

Tim / GM:

Are you quite sure? That looks pretty impressive?

Speaker 7:

And we're just a few humble old folks.

Tara / Journey:

Should I not share it?

Tim / GM:

You sure you want to waste it, Hannas? Dear.

Tara / Journey:

It is no waste. A shared meal without a shared beverage is nothing.

Tim / GM:

The, 3rd person there who hasn't said anything yet kind of smiles and says, that's awfully kind of you. This, person who just spoke is the one that's actually tending to the stew, says that would make for quite a meal. I I would certainly appreciate it.

Hannah / Eryn:

Is this a human?

Tim / GM:

It is a human man.

Hannah / Eryn:

Human man.

Tara / Journey:

This is gonna be a really good ale. Right? And I'm just stupid for giving it up.

Hannah / Eryn:

What's your name, sir?

Tim / GM:

There's always other ale. My name is Augustus. I, I'm traveling with my friends here, having a grand old time. Beautiful day.

Hannah / Eryn:

Yeah. Not so beautiful the way we came. A lot of bugs down on the low the low path.

Tim / GM:

We'll steer clear. And, Dieteman says,

Speaker 7:

oh, we'll just go tomorrow or the next day.

Tara / Journey:

I say I say go as soon as you possibly can.

Tim / GM:

I don't

Tara / Journey:

think you have much time.

Hannah / Eryn:

Uli, we probably shouldn't say things like that.

Tara / Journey:

Yeah. He's old. Wow.

John / Doran:

Well, this one of them seems to be afflicted by some curse.

Tara / Journey:

Which which one?

John / Doran:

I I actually point at the really old elf.

Tim / GM:

And, he he sees you pointing, and he just gives you a big smile.

Tara / Journey:

I I reach out, and I put push Snack's hand down. He's got

Tim / GM:

a curse.

Tara / Journey:

Sibio. Does point? Do not point at people. What is wrong with him?

Tim / GM:

Here. Augustus kinda goes, curse. Yeah? Who says anything about a curse?

Tara / Journey:

Snack, they're they're not cursed.

John / Doran:

We vanquish curses. Is that so? Yes. We are heroes.

Hannah / Eryn:

Well, I wouldn't go that far. We did save this little girl though, in the whole town.

Tim / GM:

He, he looks at the little girl and says, is this true? She says, yeah. Kinda. Just, well, I'm willing to show if you are.

John / Doran:

Alright. Here's my curse, and I pull out the the scepter.

Tim / GM:

Okay. Yeah. So you just start rummaging in your lamp and pull out the scepter. And, you see him kind of reach up towards his robes, and he backs away from the stool a little bit. And he pulls off, like, the whole, like, right side of his of his clothes.

Tim / GM:

And you can see all down his right arm, are the same tattoos that Veronica had. They're these giant overlapping circles that run from his back shoulder all the way down to his forearm out to his middle finger.

John / Doran:

Augustus, are you are you a curse

Tim / GM:

breaker? Was a curse breaker.

Tara / Journey:

We met someone who has the same tattoos.

Tim / GM:

Consider yourself lucky, I suppose. There's not too many of us out and about.

Tara / Journey:

Do you know Verhanika Venus?

Tim / GM:

Yes. I've heard that name before. I don't think I've had the pleasure.

Tara / Journey:

She's she's wonderful. And if you are anything like her, we are lucky to be near you.

Tim / GM:

I promise you I'm nothing like her.

Hannah / Eryn:

Why do you say that?

Tim / GM:

Well, I'm a curse breaker no longer.

Hannah / Eryn:

Why not?

Tim / GM:

Wanda says, I'll take care of the the stew if you want to tell them about it, Augustus. And, he takes a seat next to Dieter, and he says, well, being a curse breaker has a lot of risks. You see, the curses tend to fight back. And for me, it fought back harder than I was able to take care of. How much do you know about curse breaking?

Hannah / Eryn:

Pretty much nothing, But we've seen some gnarly curses so far. Lots of turning into, octopuses and, like, haunting the whole town and turning them into zombies. And, this little girl got taken over by a curse and almost turned into a monster.

Tara / Journey:

Those are

Hannah / Eryn:

the main ones. Just a few in the past 2 days that we've encountered.

John / Doran:

This one, Maisie, her mom died from the curse.

Tara / Journey:

Smashing.

John / Doran:

She's back. What?

Tara / Journey:

No. She

John / Doran:

did? No.

Tara / Journey:

No. We don't just Just Hey. I think I heard a small animal in the woods. Would you be willing to go kill it?

John / Doran:

Absolutely.

Tara / Journey:

Thank you. Alright. Thanks, Deborah.

Tim / GM:

Augustus says, the process for destroying curses is, well, we don't forget it. It's written right on us. There are 3 steps. It is to to feed the curse, to find its source and destroy it, and then to destroy the curse. You see, curses are attracted by life, by us.

Tim / GM:

When you offer it some of that life, they come running, and it's much easier to get them out in the open and destroy them. After that, you you find the source of the curse and you force the curse back into its source. It's usually an item, you know, a cursed sword or a necklace or something of the sort. Once you know what that is, you can overwhelm it. You can destroy the source, and the curse will have nowhere to go.

Tim / GM:

It'll be left without a home, and that's when it's weak. That's when you can destroy it.

Hannah / Eryn:

Is there a spell you have to cast to destroy it?

Tim / GM:

He, starts pointing to the tattoos on him, and he says, here, this is the first one. This spell is a suicide spell. It it kills you. It slowly starts to drain your essence, but that's what attracts them. When you open yourself up, that's when they come to feed.

Tim / GM:

But there are some inherent risks with that spell, you see. It causes you to age.

Tara / Journey:

I

Tim / GM:

think I might surprise a few of you when I say I'm I'm a 42 year old man, though I may look, you don't

John / Doran:

look a day over 60.

Tim / GM:

Nearly 90, I would say.

Hannah / Eryn:

Man, Snack was right. They are cursed.

Tara / Journey:

That's pretty that's pretty fucked up.

Hannah / Eryn:

I'm so sorry.

Tara / Journey:

You you make

John / Doran:

it sound as though the curse is a living thing.

Tim / GM:

Is that accurate? That I I can't answer. To the best of my experience, they're not living things. They don't reason. They don't they don't seem to want anything other than one one simple thing.

Tim / GM:

It's always it's different, but it's always one thing. Whether it's they want to cause fear or they want to cause panic or desire or or envy.

Tara / Journey:

Is this something that, this compulsion of the curse, is it directed by the person who cast it?

Tim / GM:

I don't think so. I think these curses come from somewhere else. I like to think of it as as two sides of the same world. They are magic, and we are life. We crave magic, and and they crave life.

Tim / GM:

We want to use magic to exert our will, and and they want to feed off of our fear and panic.

Hannah / Eryn:

Well, thank you for for sharing more. Why why would you say you're a different curse breaker than Veronica Venus? What makes you you so different from others?

Tim / GM:

It was part of my aging. In that same catastrophe, I lost my ability to use magic at all.

Tara / Journey:

Oh, I'm so sorry.

Tim / GM:

But I have become one hell of a cook. And, he walks back to the stew, and he says, which is just about ready?

Tara / Journey:

Food is just another type of magic.

Tim / GM:

He, kinda, like, looks up, and he takes a a little sip of it, and he says, more pepper. I seem to think so. And so you guys are able to just partake in the stew and have a little break.

Hannah / Eryn:

And the ale?

Tim / GM:

How much of the ale do you want to use here?

Tara / Journey:

Well, I don't I was just thinking about sharing.

Tim / GM:

Yeah. And it's a fairly, like, big keg.

Hannah / Eryn:

Okay.

Tim / GM:

Yeah. So we'll say that you probably only expend, like, a third of it at this stop. Nobody's getting, like, wrecked.

Tara / Journey:

Is it good ale?

Tim / GM:

It's really good. Yeah. It's like it's very, like, citrusy.

Tara / Journey:

Mhmm. Yeah. This is my family's ale. That's what that's what my brother does.

Hannah / Eryn:

That's really cool, Lee.

Tara / Journey:

Yeah.

Hannah / Eryn:

Didn't she say you had a lot of siblings?

Tara / Journey:

Yeah. I mean, I have, well, I have pretty big family. I just haven't seen any of them in a very long time.

Hannah / Eryn:

Do they all make AL this good? Because we should visit.

Tara / Journey:

No. That's that's just Bent. That's that's what he decided to do with his life.

John / Doran:

How long, were you in Maplight, Lily? When was the last time you left town?

Tara / Journey:

Probably 8 years ago.

Hannah / Eryn:

Wow. I'm sorry you've been there so long. That's fine. No wonder Tandy wanted you out. No.

Hannah / Eryn:

I'm just kidding. Wow.

Tara / Journey:

Thank thank you. No. I I left for my own reasons.

Hannah / Eryn:

Left your family, you mean?

Tara / Journey:

Yeah.

Hannah / Eryn:

I'm sorry to hear that.

Tara / Journey:

It's fine. I'm I'm fine on my own. You're not on your own anymore. You have us.

Tim / GM:

Yep. That's right.

Tara / Journey:

I got all of you guys now. Totally by choice. Tibia was just beaming at you.

Tim / GM:

Dieterman, the old elf, looks at you and says, Uli,

Speaker 7:

you're a traveler. An adventurer. Yeah. You struck out on your own.

Tara / Journey:

I I did.

Tim / GM:

Tell me,

Speaker 7:

will you live a long time?

Tara / Journey:

I would hope to live a long time.

Hannah / Eryn:

She's pretty reckless.

Tara / Journey:

Holly whispers. I'm working on it.

Tim / GM:

Dieteman turns to you more quickly than you'd think, and he says,

Speaker 7:

reckless isn't always bad. Not always.

John / Doran:

Uli?

Tim / GM:

Yep. Are you driven?

Tara / Journey:

To, to to do what? Anything?

Speaker 7:

To succeed in the things that matter to you.

Tara / Journey:

I don't know what matters to me.

Speaker 7:

If I told you that I might not be able to deliver these seeds myself, that I might perish, but that I fully trust you to bring this for me to Vindorin someday.

Tara / Journey:

I mean, I I don't doubt my ability to do that, but I don't know why you would pick me to do that for you. We just met.

Speaker 7:

You seem capable.

Hannah / Eryn:

Holly, like, laughs at that into her beer, like, and just, like, spits it out.

Tara / Journey:

I'm very capable. Thank you. Sorry. Sorry. I'm capable of a lot of things.

Tim / GM:

You are.

Speaker 7:

Uli, I have seen many trees grow from sprouts. How many of those trees, I wonder, wouldn't have grown if we didn't help them a bit? If we didn't give them guidance? A strong lattice to grab onto as they grew.

Tara / Journey:

Is this a metaphor?

John / Doran:

I think it's a metaphor.

Tara / Journey:

Okay.

Speaker 7:

Or it's just the ramblings of an old elf.

Tara / Journey:

Who's trying to grow seeds? Uli, be the lettuce for these seeds.

Hannah / Eryn:

No, she's the sprout.

Tara / Journey:

Or is she the tree?

Hannah / Eryn:

I don't know. I love this metaphor.

Tim / GM:

Or is

John / Doran:

she the old man?

Tara / Journey:

I'm probably definitely the old man.

Speaker 7:

I was simply telling a story about how I used

Tim / GM:

to grow plants. Take the seed.

Tara / Journey:

Okay. I have I have seeds now to bring to Caesar's. Is it just one acorn Yeah. Basically?

Tim / GM:

Gives gives Uli one acorn that he, expressly asked you to drop in, in the Canyon of Vindorn.

Tara / Journey:

Where is that?

Tim / GM:

North. Vindorn?

Tara / Journey:

Are we going to go buy it? Wait. That's where the vampires are. Yeah.

Hannah / Eryn:

Yeah. Vampires in Vindorn. You can't name anything else with a v name, Tim.

Tara / Journey:

Yeah. Veronica Venus Vindorn.

Tim / GM:

You guys have your delicious, stew and ale. And before you

Speaker 6:

yeah. More

Tim / GM:

of those more of those oysters. Okay.

Hannah / Eryn:

No. Wait. Everyone do their Slurpee soup sounds ready.

John / Doran:

That that's that's hot.

Tim / GM:

This is awful. Before you all pack up and leave this little group with the stew, Wanda gives you a, just a quick warning, Uli.

Speaker 7:

She says, when you do, make it to Vindorn. It's not a not a great place.

Tara / Journey:

Yeah. There's, like, vampires and shit. Right?

Speaker 7:

Oh, don't even mind the vampires.

Tara / Journey:

There's worse things?

Tim / GM:

Yeah. Like governance.

Tara / Journey:

Yeah. We don't like that.

Tim / GM:

I mean, they're vampires. I,

John / Doran:

I'd like They're vampires. Am I right?

Tim / GM:

Yeah. When they talk about the vampires of Indorent, they don't mean really vampires.

Speaker 7:

They mean those blood sucking bureaucrats.

Tim / GM:

They were helping people. Notice the giant air quotes I'm giving you. They were trying to help people. And by helping people, they meant everybody got a job at the castle. And if you didn't want a job at the castle, guess what?

Tim / GM:

They would ruin your livelihood. They would shut you out. They would ruin your business. They'd give everybody else money and food and protection. But not those who didn't work at the castle.

Tim / GM:

And that's just what it's become now. Work at the castle or die. So I left.

Tara / Journey:

Thank you for the warning. I am pretty used to having a bad reputation.

Tim / GM:

Oh, you'll probably not, even notice all the persecution up there then. Probably not. Mhmm. But I'll keep it in mind. Thanks.

Tim / GM:

Oh, Yeah.

John / Doran:

At this moment, Snack comes back, and he's, cleaning his dagger off in his cloak, nonchalantly, and then comes and sits at the round the campfire.

Tara / Journey:

What'd you catch?

John / Doran:

Catch?

Tara / Journey:

Did you didn't?

John / Doran:

Oh, I I just killed some animals like you said. Just what are we eating?

Tara / Journey:

Bring them back. Okay.

Tim / GM:

Have some soup.

John / Doran:

Alright. I grab a soup and I, take out a little cocoa and sprinkle it in and then I

Tim / GM:

Why do I feel like there's gonna be, like, a That might be good. There's gonna be, like, an investigative team following your party at all times, like, a la Monty Python and the holy grail, like, trying to figure out what

John / Doran:

He massacred these animals. Yeah. Never seen anything like that.

Tara / Journey:

Left and protected. Finding trails of cocoa everywhere.

Tim / GM:

So the the next scene that you guys, move on to is pretty close to the end of the day. This is kind of the last, real sunlight you get. So it's it's really hot. You guys are dead tired from traveling all day, And then you turn the corner and see a small sandy beach and a sparkling pool of water. There's this waterfall pouring over a 10 foot cliff and nobody else in sight.

Tim / GM:

There's, like, a bunch of, like, large, like, lily pads in the pond and a bunch of, like, sticks and fallen debris. But for the most part, it's like a beautiful, like like, paradise clearing. And Henry says, I think this is a great place for a break. What do you say?

John / Doran:

Looks good, man.

Hannah / Eryn:

Can I roll an investigation check to see if other campers or travelers have, like, spent the night here? Do we see traces that around?

Tara / Journey:

For sure. That's

Hannah / Eryn:

what I'm kinda looking for. Just checking the place out. Yeah. Oh, my god. 4.

Tara / Journey:

You

Tim / GM:

see a burnt stick, and you're like, that's something.

Hannah / Eryn:

Fire was here.

Tara / Journey:

I so there's a waterfall and, like, a little pool?

Tim / GM:

Yeah. Yeah. I mean, the pool is, like, plenty big for all of you to, like, swim in or whatever. You know?

Tara / Journey:

I'm very excited, and I take Macy's hand and I say, let's go swimming.

Tim / GM:

She just emphatically nods and and, yeah. She just jumps straight into the water, like like, clothes on everything. Yeah. She's soaked.

Tara / Journey:

I strip, and I do a cannonball.

Tim / GM:

Okay. Cuss Bloosh. Give me a d 20.

Tara / Journey:

That's a 5.

Tim / GM:

Too shallow. Yeah. Ow. Yeah. You guys all see, like, Boolie's head doesn't quite disappear, and she just goes like

Tara / Journey:

ah. My tailbone hurts now. What

John / Doran:

happened to Uli? I wasn't looking.

Tara / Journey:

I've commanded my skeleton to kind of turn into a little raft. Okay. And I've, after swimming around for a little bit, I jump on the raft and I raft and I lay down, and I sunbathe a little bit. Okay. Something bad is gonna happen, and I'm naked.

John / Doran:

Or it's gonna take his shoes off and dip his toes in the water. Okay.

Tim / GM:

Yeah. You guys there's there's also, like, a ton of, like, flat stones, along the shore for, like, skipping if you weren't gonna swim. You also see occasionally on kind of the far end, there's this family of, river otters that keeps kind of, like, dugging in and out and just, like, checking on the action.

Tara / Journey:

Fuck otters. They're rude.

Tim / GM:

Sorry. Think you're rude. You're being so wild out there.

Tara / Journey:

Rats of the river.

John / Doran:

Oh, hey, mister Schneck. You ever you ever see this skipping stones? It's kinda like the human version of Hawkgs. Skipping stones. No.

John / Doran:

I have not. I bet you'd be pretty good at it. Let's give it a go. Alright. I, don't use my magic stone yet.

John / Doran:

Yeah. That's probably a good idea. But, can we roll something to see who gets the most skips?

Tim / GM:

Make a, a ranged attack. If you've done this before, you have proficiency.

John / Doran:

15.

Tim / GM:

4. Okay.

John / Doran:

Yeah. So I just throw a rock directly into the water.

Tim / GM:

And that's how it goes. And and snack, I guess, somehow intuit how it's supposed to be done.

John / Doran:

I'm just so close to the ground that, like, I just throw it, but it doesn't have enough lift so it actually works. That's it.

Tara / Journey:

Yeah.

John / Doran:

This is amazing, Bert. Wow. I run run run around in circles.

Tim / GM:

Wow. It's like a happy puppy.

John / Doran:

Yeah. Good job, Bob. Yeah. Try to you do one more. I wanna try to shoot it.

John / Doran:

Oh, cool. Okay. And I get my fingers at the ready.

Tim / GM:

Pull. And

John / Doran:

Paul, that's a 5. So it splashes and I shoot an Eldridge blast into the water. Yeah. Hey, watch isn't for me after all. I love this game.

Tim / GM:

There's just, like, an explosion of water and you all, like, like, everybody in the area just kinda, like, turns in to look at the Eldridge Bolt and all the water kind of falling down overhead. And it's at this moment that you all notice that, Maisie is missing.

Hannah / Eryn:

Wait. I was gonna say that I was gonna record with my hysteroscope while all this was going on. Like, I'm on the side of the water just like, oh, this is a cute moment. Just recording. So I'm, I was recording them, like, skipping stone and, like, just doing a, like, panorama of the clearing and stuff to, like, be like, oh, look at these happy camping memories or whatever.

Tim / GM:

And so as the water from the Eldridge blast kinda settles, you all, like, are kinda, like, laughing, like, everybody's fine, everything's okay. And then all of a sudden, it's, where's Maisie?

Tara / Journey:

I I look around and I'm like, Maisie?

Speaker 5:

Mezzy, where are you? Where did you go?

Hannah / Eryn:

Wait. I have it recorded here. I was just doing it. I'm not really sure how this thing works though, and I try to, like, fiddle with the sides of it and, like, see how I can get it. Yeah.

Hannah / Eryn:

And Do you

John / Doran:

press the red button?

Hannah / Eryn:

And I kinda but I don't know. Do you want me to just, like

Tim / GM:

I mean, so yeah. You're, like, you're, like, like, trying to press all the, you know, quote unquote buttons on this, like, regular ass crystal. And, so you're just kinda, like, looking at the faces, turning it upside down and right side up. And and eventually, like, you're all just watching, Veronica in a in a violent thunderstorm, lightning storm flashing. And she's got her arm, like, pointed out, And she's, like, mouthing, and you can just barely, like, hear the crystal vibrating.

Tim / GM:

And you can kind of hear this voice recording of Veronica. And then you can barely hear her say, step 1.

Tara / Journey:

Alright. Fuck this. I'm alter selfing into aquatic form.

John / Doran:

Okay.

Tara / Journey:

And I'm gonna go dive and look for her.

Tim / GM:

And, you check you check the next face, and it's just Bella twirling around in the dress.

Hannah / Eryn:

Dang it. And I'm trying to fumble, and I'm like, this is not working. Where did she go?

Tim / GM:

And, your aquatic forms. So you can you see underwater?

Tara / Journey:

I mean, I'm basically a fish person.

Tim / GM:

Okay. Yeah. So, yeah, you go merfolk, and you are now, in the pool.

Tara / Journey:

K. I'm looking for her.

Tim / GM:

So you don't see her, like, underwater anywhere, as far as you can see. And so, on your device, you finally get to the right face and you see, your little video that starts on Tibio just, like, staring up at the sun, like, floating backwards with his eyes closed on his little bone raft. And as you're panning, you just barely see Maisie's foot disappear behind the waterfall.

Hannah / Eryn:

The waterfall. I think she went, I just my recording goes back there. You guys, the waterfall. I,

Tara / Journey:

I, start, flippering my hands and feet on my bone raft toward the waterfall, and then I reform it into an actual skeleton again. I am I am there.

Tim / GM:

Yeah. So, Uli, you kind of peer beyond, the waterfall, and it's, it's not like a huge expanse back there. It's just a a hole, you know, roughly the size of a keg of ale or something. And you can see something moving, in that hole that goes maybe 8, 10 feet back.

Hannah / Eryn:

Lazy. Lazy.

Tim / GM:

She's, she's, like, squirming a little bit, and you can see she's trying to work her way a little deeper. And she's just going, I almost got it.

Tara / Journey:

I'm gonna snag her feet if I can.

Speaker 7:

She goes, no.

Tim / GM:

We know.

Tara / Journey:

I I mean, I'm gonna take her.

Tim / GM:

Okay. So you, drag her out of the hole by her ankle and just kinda, like, throw her back into the water, and she splooshes. And, she accidentally throws something that she had grabbed from inside this little cave, and she throws it out into the pool a little bit. And you can all see, floating in the middle of the pool is a small wooden box.

Tara / Journey:

I will go I'll swim to the box.

Tim / GM:

Okay. It's, it's kind of like right between you and Tibio, as you as you swim up. It is a waterlogged box, small locked wooden box.

Tara / Journey:

I go up to Uli with the box, and, I should we bring it to shore? Should I open it now? Uh-huh. I take the box. I take the box, and I walk to the shore.

Tara / Journey:

I'm gonna drop all of your stuff.

John / Doran:

What's in the box?

Tim / GM:

It's like, an old wooden box. The lock looks pretty rusted, so it's not gonna be difficult to get it open.

Tara / Journey:

I use my little bone fingers to pop the lock and open it.

Tim / GM:

Yeah. You can more or less, like, pry this open. And, Maisie is, like, super interested to see. And she goes, I found it.

Tara / Journey:

Maisie, stand back. It could be dangerous.

Tim / GM:

And you open it up, and you see, an untarnished ring, that has a bunch of spirals etched into it, and you see, pretty surprising 2 rather sizable emeralds.

John / Doran:

Woah. Hatchy matchy.

Tara / Journey:

I would I don't touch them yet. I would like to ritually cast detect magic.

Tim / GM:

The, emeralds are not magic. The ring is magic.

John / Doran:

I think I could tell you a little more about that ring.

Hannah / Eryn:

Tell away. Yes. Please do.

John / Doran:

I will cast the identify spell using the pearl I just got.

Tim / GM:

Okay. You have

John / Doran:

an owl feather. Wow. Which I totally have. Yeah.

Hannah / Eryn:

Been saving this owl feather for 10 days.

Tara / Journey:

No. You found it stuck in, snacks Yeah. Like, cloak. Yeah. It is hunting animals.

Tim / GM:

So, yeah. You, you identify this. You get this scoop on this little ring. This is a pretty useful little guy. It is simply a ring of counterspell.

John / Doran:

Oh, damn.

Tim / GM:

It is 2 charges of counterspell per day.

John / Doran:

Wow. This thing is very useful. Useful for any spell caster.

Tim / GM:

Maisie says, what does it do?

John / Doran:

Lets you cancel any spell if you know it. You see someone casting it, you can stop it in its tracks. Wow. You know any spells, Maisie?

Tim / GM:

Yes. And you see her cast light on her finger.

John / Doran:

Oh, nice.

Tim / GM:

And, she, points down to the box and the emeralds and the ring, and she goes, I found those, you know.

John / Doran:

You did find them.

Tim / GM:

So? So?

Speaker 5:

Yes. Technically, Missy, these

Tara / Journey:

are yours. Do you think you would have a good use for them?

Tim / GM:

Well, I've never had a magic item before. Well, I guess I have one magic item, but I really didn't like it.

Tara / Journey:

The cursed one? Yeah.

Hannah / Eryn:

Yeah. Do we have any way of telling if any of these items are cursed?

Tim / GM:

I think identify would probably let you know.

Tara / Journey:

And detect magic would have. Okay.

Tim / GM:

Yeah. Cool.

John / Doran:

Is Henry with us?

Tim / GM:

Yep. Okay. He's unconcerned about his daughter now. Yeah. Sorry.

Tim / GM:

He just I mean, there's usually plenty of dialogue going on where he doesn't need

Tara / Journey:

to be. He's got a whole troop of babysitters these

Tim / GM:

days. Yeah.

John / Doran:

Well, you know, maybe you can decide what to do with the ring, and we can at least use those gems to buy something cool.

Hannah / Eryn:

Maybe we can just let Henry hold onto it for now, and

Tara / Journey:

But we could go shopping in Teledy.

Hannah / Eryn:

It can go to her college education.

Tim / GM:

Or that Henry says, I think that's a great idea. That ring though, that's a useful thing for any of us to have.

Hannah / Eryn:

Well, as long as one of us is wearing it while we go through, you know, till we get to, Tildry. That's all that really matters. We're all together.

Tim / GM:

Alright then. Maisie, I'll, I'll hold on to it for us. And, we'll talk about, maybe you get to use it, maybe on the weekends. I don't think, any of us have

Speaker 7:

a lot of steam left tonight, but, we should get a little bit farther

Tim / GM:

towards Tildry, and then I think we

Speaker 7:

can call it a night. What do you say?

Tara / Journey:

Sure. Yes. This was a very good vacation step. I'm gonna put my clothes on.

Tim / GM:

Yes. Let let's let's everybody do that. So just Just stop body. Yeah. Everybody gets kinda packed up, and, you guys do the last just couple hours of walking, before you can actually call it a night.

Tim / GM:

And it's looking like you're not gonna find a great place to set up camp until, you guys round the bend, and you see this huge breezy open field, with the like, all this kind of tall grass, like, sprawling out before you. But closer to you is this large patch of soft moss that's guarded by a bunch of willow trees. So it's like this very private alcove that's guarded by trees that looks out over this giant expansive field. And Henry says, alright. I think it's here.

Tim / GM:

I'm about spent.

Tara / Journey:

Is it a ring of trees? Yeah. Mhmm. It

Tim / GM:

says, let's let's set up camp. What do you say?

Hannah / Eryn:

Sounds great. I'm I'm beat.

Tim / GM:

He, takes out a wand that you've seen a few times now, and, he points at, like, a bunch of broken sticks and a pile of rocks. And he says, he says, put up tent. He says, start fire. He says, gather wood. And then you see, like, a bunch of rocks kind of, like, hobble together and, like, stand up into, like, a little homunculus servant, like a construct, and it waddles away and starts gathering sticks.

Tim / GM:

And then another one, like, that's made of sticks, like, starts trying in vain to start a fire, and then the last one that's made of a bunch of plant matter, starts to try to put up a tent.

John / Doran:

It's a little grim if you think about it.

Tara / Journey:

I, I

Tim / GM:

not die.

Tara / Journey:

I cast find familiar, ritually. Mhmm. And, I have my little skeletal squirrel.

Speaker 7:

Oh, god.

Tara / Journey:

And I I set him up in the trees, and he can jump back and forth between all the trees, and I have him standing guard.

Tim / GM:

Nice. So you can keep watch with him.

John / Doran:

Have we seen the squirrel before?

Tara / Journey:

Nope. Mhmm. Okay. Is the stick golem getting a fire started?

Tim / GM:

Yeah. It's it's using 2 of its arms are just sticks, and it's like rubbing them together like crazy, just trying to ignite himself.

Tara / Journey:

Okay. I'll just fire bolt him. Yeah. You you

Tim / GM:

fire bolt you fire bolt it in the chest, and it just, like, throws its arms wide open.

Tara / Journey:

And it

John / Doran:

Thank you.

Tara / Journey:

Yeah. That's great so much. You you

Tim / GM:

can tell that it's Yeah. It is you it's fulfilled its destiny. It slowly falls backward into a ring of stones. And it if it could smile, it's smiling.

Tara / Journey:

Before my squirrel familiar goes up in the trees, it scampers up to Holly and Henri and does a little, like, a wave at Henri because it's like,

Hannah / Eryn:

little tiny little putty.

Tara / Journey:

And then it runs away.

Hannah / Eryn:

Henri is just like just like a little tongue. Just staring at it.

Tim / GM:

So you guys still have to make dinner tonight? Around here, Henry lets you know that he's been seeing a lot of mushrooms, that he brought, bread with him and some cookies to share.

John / Doran:

Oh, we should have brought food.

Tara / Journey:

I

Hannah / Eryn:

have some fish. It's probably rotten by now.

Tara / Journey:

We have cocoa.

Hannah / Eryn:

Holly just throws this, like, stinky fish in the fire. Sorry.

Tara / Journey:

I have fish.

Hannah / Eryn:

It's very smelly.

Tim / GM:

Henry says, no problem. I I I brought plenty of things for all of us, for a couple days at least. And he kind of, like, looks around at each of you and he's like, oh, I'm the bad dad. Like and so he continually uses that same wand and he'll just like point at a bunch of nothing. And he just says like, stir.

Tim / GM:

And he points at nothing, like a bunch of stuff. He says, gather. And he's just giving these one word commands, and it will just summon a little cobbled guardian of nothing, or of just, like, stones or plants or whatever is nearby, and and they just kinda help him out. So he's got, like, infinite sort of nannies, like, that are, like, helping him do all of his, like, kitchen stuff.

Tara / Journey:

This is Mickey Mouse with all the brooms. Right? Yeah. He summons a little mushroom guy who just walks himself into the fire.

Tim / GM:

He's he's actually a surprisingly, a shockingly good cook. And, so he he prepares for you from from very little to work with, a delicious, dinner of mushrooms and tiny creek fish and, local gathered stuff and some things that he brought. And you guys you guys have a substantially well, probably better than you had recently meal.

Hannah / Eryn:

We had that stew. Me. We had that stew. Stew.

Tim / GM:

I don't think Elie take care takes care of herself. The the stew was a good lunch. You're right. You're right. I mean, it was We've

Hannah / Eryn:

ate well today. We started with brunch. Okay? That's sweet. Then we had the stew on the road.

Hannah / Eryn:

And then, some of Henry's Henry's specialty.

Tara / Journey:

We're really lucky that we don't have to feed ourselves.

Hannah / Eryn:

Yeah. People just take care

Tara / Journey:

of us.

Tim / GM:

Yeah. Thank you. It's been good.

John / Doran:

My compliments to the chef golems.

Tim / GM:

One of them gives you, like, a deep bow. And while he's in the middle of a bow, he just falls to pieces back into the earth. And Henry says

Tara / Journey:

That's so weird.

Tim / GM:

Henry says, quite proud,

Speaker 7:

he says, technically, it's all coming from my brain.

Tara / Journey:

Did you ever, like, learn how to survive without magic?

Tim / GM:

Of course. Yes. Just why wouldn't you at this point?

John / Doran:

Hey, I'm not complaining.

Tara / Journey:

Maybe your wands get taken from you, or you lose your spell slots. Such a thing.

Tim / GM:

Says, well, I

Speaker 7:

like to think it makes

Tim / GM:

a little better life for Maisie. I'm I'm not much of not much of anything, really, and I need all the help I can get.

Tara / Journey:

Maybe I'll teach her some survival on the road. Hey.

Hannah / Eryn:

She just found 2 emeralds. She's doing alright.

Tara / Journey:

She almost got lost in that stupid cave. Yeah.

Tim / GM:

So it's starting to get dark, and there's a a nice bonfire going. And you're all kind of sitting around on logs and stumps or whatever. And, pretty early on into this, Uli, Maisie is tugging at your, at your sleeves.

Tara / Journey:

What's up, kid?

Tim / GM:

I wanted to, I wanted to pay you for renting, the tankard, and, this, this is it. And she hands you a, emerald.

Tara / Journey:

I gave you the tankard.

Tim / GM:

Well, I I mean, I'm not gonna I'm gonna grow up someday. Right?

Tara / Journey:

Yeah. I

Tim / GM:

won't need it anymore.

Tara / Journey:

Right. But I I didn't do it for payment. Oh.

Tim / GM:

Well, I've never really had any money or a lot of money before, and I I don't know. I just I want you to have this.

Tara / Journey:

Alright. Let's make a deal. I'll take the emerald. But when we get to a town, I'm going to buy things for you.

Tim / GM:

So it's not really like I'm giving you money?

Tara / Journey:

It's a trade off.

Tim / GM:

And, Henry kind of Henry, like, you know, he clocks the conversation. He says, Maisie, that's that's a lot of money. Are you sure you want to give it to Ali?

Tara / Journey:

She is very adamant.

Tim / GM:

Do any of you have any skill with, appraising?

John / Doran:

Oh, I think I might know a thing or 2.

Tara / Journey:

Oh, good.

Tim / GM:

Bart, you're from Tildry. Aren't you?

John / Doran:

Sure am.

Tim / GM:

Got some knowledge of finery. What do you think these would sell for? He, holds up the emerald.

John / Doran:

Let me take a look here.

Tim / GM:

You would like emerald's baseline, like, probably a 1000 gold each.

John / Doran:

If these emeralds are real, and I think they are, you're looking at you're looking at a 1000 gold each, my friend.

Tim / GM:

He says, Maisie, you've got 2,000 gold pieces. And you're about to give Uli 1,000 gold pieces. Is that what you want? And Maisie looks up at Uli and nods her head. And then, Henry shrugs and he says, it's your money.

Tara / Journey:

I feel really weird about this transaction. Unni, maybe we can use the money to, fund, food for the group or a treat? I mean, she can't We can't take tips, but we can put it towards a pizza party.

John / Doran:

How much cocoa you think I could buy?

Tara / Journey:

Oh my god. Don't even I will hold on to the emerald.

Tim / GM:

That seems to make her very happy.

Tara / Journey:

Okay.

Tim / GM:

Who is facing the field? The big open field? Who would rather have their back to Well, the squirrel is. Open stuff or

John / Doran:

I feel like snacks out in his own little world, probably

Tim / GM:

Yeah.

John / Doran:

Looking for animals.

Tara / Journey:

I can see through my squirrel's eyes.

Tim / GM:

Okay. So you definitely yeah.

John / Doran:

I'm probably writing, so, like, I'm perhaps facing the field, but not, like, paying attention to it.

Tim / GM:

Sure. So those of you that might have a little more awareness of the sort of outside world right now, you see a glint up in the sky, something kind of bright. Those of you that are a little more used to the surface world might recognize, a meteor or, like, a shooting star. That does not end when a shooting star usually would. So this this streaking kind of fireball across the sky seems to continually get brighter and closer, without ever with with Falling Stars, there's always that moment where they sort of wink out of existence and everything's okay, but this one just keeps getting closer and brighter.

Tim / GM:

It seems to be heading straight for your campsite.

Tara / Journey:

I think we may have trouble.

John / Doran:

Is it getting light already? What time is it?

Tara / Journey:

There's something headed for us. It looks like it's a

Speaker 5:

shooting star, but it is not it's cut it's just getting bigger. I think

Tara / Journey:

we might be in danger.

John / Doran:

Nah. Shooting stars don't

Tara / Journey:

do that.

Hannah / Eryn:

And so All we need

Tara / Journey:

to move. Just Umbrella wand. With me and Maisie.

Tim / GM:

Yeah. Just, just turning around to look, all of you can see this now. It's actually giving off more And then all of a sudden, the ball of fire stops dead and spreads out huge and flat. And you can all feel this breeze just roll through your campsite and sort of blow your hair back a little bit. And you look that out over this field, over this glassy pond, an enormous ancient gold dragon has sat down in the field to take a drink with inside of your party, about 500 feet away.

Tara / Journey:

What? Holy smokes.

John / Doran:

Are you guys saying this?

Tara / Journey:

Well Is that Oh. Is that a dragon?

Tim / GM:

You you all hear Henry go, shh shh shh. Don't smoke it.

John / Doran:

Can I do some sort of history check or arcana check, see if I know what this is?

Tim / GM:

Do you wanna know about gold dragons in general?

John / Doran:

Yeah. Probably just what I know about gold dragons.

Tara / Journey:

Okay. My old

Tim / GM:

is that history? Or Yep. Can be history.

John / Doran:

K. K.

Hannah / Eryn:

Never mind.

Tara / Journey:

Uli surges

John / Doran:

again. 15. Okay. Just because snack might act weird around the dragon, I got 18 for history, just to knowledge.

Tim / GM:

Okay. Lily?

Tara / Journey:

9. Okay. I don't know shit about dragons.

Tim / GM:

So this this knowledge is is privy to both snack and birth. That gold dragons are, like, the friendly variety, so metallics are usually kinder. And that golds are the the almost, like, mythical unseen dragons that they really only come down, or or interact with people to, you know, either set them on some glorious quest or or to, like, influence their lives in a major way. But this one has set before your party, to some degree, and you see it lower its giant head. And it still seems to be glowing almost with this sort of hot metallic, radiation.

Tim / GM:

And, you see it take this giant gulp, and you can almost see the pond, the water level, like, sink as it drinks.

John / Doran:

Guys, these golden dragons don't appear to just anybody. This might this might be special. This might mean something.

Tara / Journey:

I send out my squirrel to get a little bit closer. Mhmm. Does it does it see us?

Tim / GM:

I don't think it's

John / Doran:

I mean, we should be gentle, I guess, but

Tim / GM:

I don't think it's dangerous.

John / Doran:

Bert, and all all of all of you, I am sorry. This is where our paths must part. I must join a new party. Farewell. And I give a solemn nod, and I walk over towards the dragon.

Hannah / Eryn:

Oh, god. No. No. No. No.

John / Doran:

No. No. It's okay. We will see each other someday, I'm sure.

Tim / GM:

Tibeo, through your squirrel's eyes kind of low in the grass now. Yeah. Like like, slowly creeping up, the the squirrel kind of hears and sees, Snack walking through the tall grass right past your squirrel. And, the Snack is now the closest thing to the dragon as you're all back at camp watching him make his way out there.

John / Doran:

I'm gonna follow Snack. So Snack, approaches, as he's kind of nervous, gets maybe 20 feet away, and then he goes into a a dramatic, bow to the dragon. Great golden one, I am Snack, and I have come to serve under your wing and become of your flight.

Tim / GM:

So, Bert, you're how far behind snack are you?

John / Doran:

I don't know. 30 feet or whatever.

Tim / GM:

Okay. And are you making an effort to stay hidden?

John / Doran:

You said it's tall grass. Right?

Tim / GM:

Yeah.

John / Doran:

Yeah. I I mean yeah.

Tim / GM:

Yeah. It's not a big ask for you to try to stay out of sight. Yeah. So snack, you are on the opposite shore of the pond from this thing. And it, you can see it takes one giant step forward, and you can see its, literally gold claws kind of like sink into the banks of the pond across from you.

Tim / GM:

And then it just extends its neck, and it reaches out literally the entire length of the pond, and it just, like, puts its face right next to you. And, like, you can feel that this thing is hot just to be near it. Like, it's just it's warm. It's uncomfortably hot. And, like, the intensity of this thing's power is so apparent to you that you're, like, I'm either gonna die or My

John / Doran:

scales are standing on end. I hope Holly's got a crystal out.

Tim / GM:

Mhmm. And it's, it opens its mouth just barely, and you can feel even more heat and see sort of this gold glint from deep in its throat. But it says nothing as it's this close to you. No doubt it can smell you

John / Doran:

from here. I, it has always been my dream to become a dragon. I started from lowly places, great golden one, deep underground, and I have made my way here to the surface world and became a hero.

Tara / Journey:

As Snack is talking, Tibio is really making his way toward him and Bert and the squirrel.

Tim / GM:

The dragon retracts its head a little bit and continues to to stare down at you, snack, it points its head up just a little bit over the pond and it does this kind of very small gout of shimmering golden flame. It's not even like a real fire. It's almost like a pyrotechnics with a lot of bright sparks in it. But just a little kind of, like and it looks back down at you expectantly.

John / Doran:

I hold my arms out wide, and I, start floating off the ground and fly up

Tim / GM:

Mhmm.

John / Doran:

And, try to get level with its eyes. And then I, shoot my hands out and then shoot an eldritch blast out into space, basically

Tara / Journey:

Okay.

John / Doran:

Trying to mirror its gestures.

Tim / GM:

Mhmm.

John / Doran:

I put, I face palm.

Tara / Journey:

My regular hands and my skeleton hands are on my face.

Tim / GM:

So this is what you all see. From from the campsite and some of you closer up, you see a dragon with its head lifted halfway over this pond. And you see it in profile with Snack, directly to the right of it facing this dragon's head just a few feet away, having having kind of made his display. And, you can all see the dragon give the tiniest smirk. And, if you didn't know any better snacky swear you could hear it deep down do, like, a little, like and, it kind of, like, settles down a little bit, and then it does one big violent shake from side to side.

Tim / GM:

And, you can all hear what sounds like, it sounds like a 1000 swords being dropped at the same time as all of his scales kind of, like, rattle and then, like, slam back together. He gives you, he lowers his head snack, kind of, like, at the same time that you descend. He's not exactly bowing to you, but he's he's lowering his head as you lower. And then he gets back on his haunches. You see him extend his wings out, and you have to literally crane your neck side to side to see his wingspan.

Tim / GM:

He blows against the ground and creates this giant storm of sparks and golden fire, and then he takes one giant sweep of his wings, and he propels himself off the ground, and it creates this mini pyrotechnic firestorm, and he takes off in a spiral, and he's just showing off at this point. And he flies off into the night sky, but he's left behind for you, shallow in the pond, one still glowing golden dragonscale.

John / Doran:

As he leaves, I'm gonna run out of the grass. And I'm gonna be like, no, no, my destiny.

Tim / GM:

Thanks so much for listening. I'm Tim, your DM and your Genie.

Hannah / Eryn:

I'm Hannah playing Holly Hyacinth.

John / Doran:

I'm Thomas. I play Engelbert FF Wisherspoon.

Tara / Journey:

I'm Tara, and I play Tibio Femur.

John / Doran:

I'm John. I play Snack the Cobalt.

Tara / Journey:

And I'm Maggie playing Uli.

Cursebreaker | 7 - Beach Days and Destiny

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