Cursebreaker | 12 - Bert is Bae
Last time on curse breaker, our heroes conquered the cursed crystal in the mountain and were rewarded with a vault of treasure from king mumble. Among the wreckage, they found a small cache of magic items, as well as a hoard of silver that could buy them all the cocoa they could want. They left the cave and made for Tildry, but didn't make it there before nightfall. They spent the night as guests in a farmhouse. And next stop, Tildrey Town.
Tim / GM:Let's see here. Yeah. You guys got all the magic items out of the vault stuff. You traveled a little bit. You ran into Margo Bingo on the way here, which is Holly's guild leader.
Tim / GM:You also noticed that a bunch of people were really, like, taken by Bert as they passed by him. You, came upon this farmhouse and there was a young boy playing with some, like, angry watermelon vines and, you like saved him and then you had dinner with their family. Turns out this family is the Barrow family who their daughter recently anxiety over the coming trial, over his life. And then you heard, like, a noise in the night of, like, shouting. So, the next morning, you all wake up with beautiful secret knowledge of the items that you've picked up recently.
Tim / GM:As you've spent enough time with them to know, quite what they do. Holly, so, you wake up. You had a strange dream that you kind of half remember, in which you were a a sort of underwater creature.
Maggie / Poppy:Mhmm.
Tim / GM:And, you came to understand what these gloves do for you. Holly, the, cuttle fish gloves, give you plus one intelligence, and your entire body becomes covered by an illusion of whatever you're touching Cool. While you're wearing these gloves. So if you grab the surface of a table, you would look like wood. In game terms, that adds plus 5 to your stealth checks while you have both hands against the surface.
Maggie / Poppy:What do they look like when I'm not touching anything?
Tim / GM:A sort of, like, sandy gray or brown, but it looks like passing clouds where there's some kind of, like, undulation to the colors and textures on there.
Maggie / Poppy:Are they, like, skin tight, like, leather kid gloves kind of?
Tim / GM:Yeah. I think they're, like, leather driving gloves kind of thing. Yeah. Yeah.
Maggie / Poppy:That's definitely Holly's style, so that's good. I think Holly will wear these whenever she's out and about. She, like, tugs them on whenever she leaves a building. Mhmm. But then when she's indoors at, like, a restaurant or something or in her house, she'll take them off.
Maggie / Poppy:Or Cool.
Tim / GM:Uli, the mirror that you have with, the words of what if scratched into the back of the mirror, you discover, its power. You can ask the mirror a hypothetical question, and it would show you what you looked like if that were to take place. For instance, if you ask the mirror, what would happen if I fought that dragon? It might show you a charred corpse. When you wake up, the, the rest of the inscription on the mirror is actually visible now.
Tim / GM:Okay. Before, you could just see what if. Now you can see the words, what if I were
Speaker 3:you? That's ominous.
Tim / GM:Tibio Yes. Also collected a silver sphere with the, this is called a mirror ball. You can make a ranged attack with it that deals 2 d4 plus 2 force damage. When the mirror ball hits somebody, it makes an attack on any other target in the room with a -two to what you rolled. So it just keeps going and bouncing off people until it doesn't hit something.
Speaker 3:That's cool.
Tim / GM:Tibio, you also picked up a fragment of bone from Mumble Dundas, which is now imbued with his kingly essence. On your command, Tibio, you can now reconfigure your skeletal body, into a fortress that can protect, one medium creature.
Thomas / Guy:What? Cool.
Tim / GM:You take their damage for area effect attacks, and you give them plus 4 to AC while you're protecting them.
Speaker 3:Wow. That's so nice.
Tara / Journey:I will tick.
Thomas / Guy:But I also attacked.
Tim / GM:And then we come to snack, the treasure hoarder. Snack. You got a crimson cloak, some light chainmail, and a silver rod. The crimson cloak is a cloak of brimstone. When you kind of like swipe this over yourself by or flourish the cape, you disappear in a cloud of sulfur and reappear in another spot, up to 60 feet away.
Tara / Journey:It's very nightcrawler. Hell,
Speaker 3:yeah. Bam.
Tim / GM:Bam. And then, the chain mail, is the most OG D and D item. It is mithril chain mail. Oh. Uh-oh.
John / Doran:Uh-oh. It
Tim / GM:gives you plus 1 AC and can be worn by anyone. The last item you picked up is a silver rod, which you find out, has been used by someone else before.
Speaker 3:Gross.
Tim / GM:You're not sure who. This is a wand of disintegrate. It has 2 charges left. Snack found a loaded gun.
Speaker 3:Don't piss them off.
Tara / Journey:Her puppy keeps running around with knives.
John / Doran:I I yeah. In the morning, I'm pointing this wand at everyone as I talk to them. Good morning.
Tim / GM:Snack's got a real spring in his stomach. When you all wake up, you can smell the bacon. Breakfast is being made for you in a spectacular fashion.
Maggie / Poppy:Oh, I'm so excited for breakfast. Holly, like, springs out of bed, gets dressed, and packs up all her stuff, and rushes down the stairs when she starts holiday. And she, like, loves the morning Yeah.
Speaker 3:Breakfast. Such a morning person.
Tim / GM:And, Holly, for the first time in a long time, there is a cup of coffee and a plate set for you at the table.
Maggie / Poppy:Oh, it's been, like, 3 days since we've had brunch. She's she sits down, and she's like, do
Speaker 7:you have any orange juice?
Tim / GM:She she turns around already pouring orange juice into a glass.
Maggie / Poppy:And Holly just starts munching, eating, and going all hang out about all the food. And she pulls out Henri, her chameleon, and chameleon, like, eats some eggs and, like, off her plate.
Tara / Journey:Tibio is completely tousled, hair all over the place. And, it's really early and it's very bright and he doesn't wanna be in the brightness. So he has, settled a little deeper into a skeleton than he usually does. He's, like, sitting on the pelvis kinda red
Speaker 3:and low
Tim / GM:Mhmm.
Tara / Journey:And, has the cloak a little covering him, and, he's just kinda shaded as he comes down the stairs slowly yawning.
Tim / GM:Yeah. So it's just like a headless skeleton
Speaker 3:sitting on the chair.
Tara / Journey:Yeah. Just my little my little ride coming down the stairs.
Speaker 3:Yeah. He meets Lily in the hallway, also very tousled. And I think I have a blanket, like, wrapped around my head.
Tara / Journey:We're essentially matching.
Speaker 3:Yeah. And I I'm only wearing my shirt. Just underwear. It's long.
Speaker 7:Good morning, Uli.
Speaker 3:Coffee.
Speaker 7:I think there are some downstairs. I could smell it.
Thomas / Guy:Uli, is that you? Mhmm. Morning. Uli. I was I was up all night thinking about this.
Thomas / Guy:I might be a little ahead of myself, but if you win that competition and you get top level access to the librarian, I just made this small list of books that, like, and you had to, scroll that unfurls all the way to the floor. No.
Speaker 3:No. It's too early for this.
Tim / GM:Hits the stairs and keeps them rolling.
Thomas / Guy:I had to look at it now. Just No.
Speaker 3:Just you can come with me.
Thomas / Guy:Oh. Oh. Great.
Tara / Journey:Yeah. I got
Speaker 3:it. I'll just take you and then I'll sleep in a corner or something. Yeah. That's great. Yeah.
Speaker 3:And,
Tim / GM:snack, what about you?
John / Doran:As soon as that bacon was sizzling, Snack was in the kitchen, like, sitting in the corner watching her cook.
Tara / Journey:That's so cute.
Tim / GM:She, she sets down, a plate with, a bunch of, like, extra bacon and a little, like, fruit parfait with whipped cream, and she sets it on the table.
John / Doran:Okay. I take out a a little pouch and sprinkle some cocoa on it.
Tim / GM:And then I She, she, like, very gently kind of, like, puts the back of her hand against you, and she goes, oh, no. No. No. That's Bert's spot.
John / Doran:What?
Tim / GM:That's that's where miss older Ingle Inglebert is sitting.
John / Doran:Where where do I sit?
Tim / GM:You can sit wherever you'd like.
John / Doran:I wanna sit Bert's spot.
Tim / GM:But
John / Doran:this is where the bacon is, of course. Okay.
Tim / GM:And she, she lets you sit there, and then she picks up Bert's plate and sets it somewhere else and then treats it with another plate.
John / Doran:Is there bacon on the plate she handed?
Tim / GM:There's some, but not as much.
Speaker 3:I'll pick up one piece of bacon and give it to Nick.
John / Doran:Snack, sprinkle some cocoa on his, plate. Thanks, Uli.
Tim / GM:The rest of you show up, at the breakfast table. And, Bert, you're kind of the last one there. And there's, there's one spot open. And you can see that maybe everybody else already ate their fruit parfait and extra bacon.
Thomas / Guy:Fruit parfaits. You shouldn't have.
Maggie / Poppy:Mornin', Bert.
Thomas / Guy:Yeah. Mornin' Ollie.
Tim / GM:Lisa says, oh, Nook got up early and and made all that fruit for you, Bert.
Thomas / Guy:Oh, Nook. Is Nook here anything?
Tim / GM:Yeah. He's at the table, and he's just got, like, one of those, like, little kid grins where it's just, like, way too big, and he's, like, smiling and nodding at you.
Thomas / Guy:Thanks, Nook. I appreciate it.
Tim / GM:And, you hear kind of the crackle of a newspaper, and, Milhouse Barrow is sitting at the other end of the table. And, he kinda, like, folds it together, and he says, morning, bird. How'd you sleep?
Thomas / Guy:Okay. I guess, that whole, triathlon training thing, caused quite a ruckus. Caught
Tim / GM:us up. Yeah. And we kinda learned to sleep right through it. What do you got on the docket for today? Person like you has gotta have some big plans.
Thomas / Guy:Well, I haven't been been back to Tildrey in a while. So, you know, we're heading into town, doing personal business.
Tim / GM:Lisa comes by and sets a glass of water in front of you, and she says, do you need anything else?
Thomas / Guy:No. Really? Really? I'm good. I'm I'm great.
Thomas / Guy:You've been so gracious.
Tim / GM:She says, that's fantastic. And she, she, like, grabs you by the shoulder and just gives it 2 little squeezes. And then she, like, smiles at you and walks away. And then you see both Nook and, Millhouse are just kind of like staring daggers at you and Lisa.
Thomas / Guy:This is good. What what's the news today?
Tim / GM:Well, I heard you guys were a little apprehensive about getting into Tildry with the heightened security. So, if you're heading that way, I can certainly get you in on my way into work.
Thomas / Guy:Oh, well, Abby, you've been so great to us already.
Speaker 7:We can't
Tim / GM:bother you.
Speaker 7:We can we can go on our own. We we don't need to. And, squad, it's okay. You be a bother.
Tim / GM:Please. No trouble at all. And I won't take no for an answer. I'll get you through that gate. No problem.
Maggie / Poppy:We'll be able to get through.
Tim / GM:No. Oh, I mean
Speaker 3:We have a pit stop.
Tim / GM:I figured me and Bert were kinda spending the day out in Tilderie.
John / Doran:Bert? Yes. Where are you now?
Tara / Journey:Tibio is, like, looking a little bit panicked at Bert and back at Milhouse and at Bert, like,
Tim / GM:And, you can see Lisa turn around and say, I might make a stop into Tildry myself. Bert, maybe we could have lunch?
Thomas / Guy:Wow. Again, cannot underscore how gracious you've been this whole trip.
Tim / GM:Bert, you're leaving?
Thomas / Guy:Well, yeah. I gotta go to Tilbury.
Maggie / Poppy:Holly's, like, munching her bacon and her pancakes, and she's just, like, looking around at them. I'm like, what the why is someone being so weird?
John / Doran:Snack is kind of angry at Bert right now. He thinks he, might have given something to them to betray us, seeing as he's gotten more bacon, and Mhmm. He's picking up the subtle hints of favors and special treatment.
Thomas / Guy:Uli here. She's gonna enter that triathlon. We gotta get her all trained up for that.
Tim / GM:Well, Bert, lunch sounds great. I'll, I'll meet up with you around noon? Absolutely.
Thomas / Guy:I wouldn't miss it. Sounds
Tim / GM:and, hey, if you get stuck at the gate, just tell them you're a research crew and you're with me, you're with the Tildry Times. No big deal. Okay?
Thomas / Guy:I'm sure it'll be fine. Thank you.
Tim / GM:You can lean on me, Bert, anytime for anything. Noted. He opens his newspaper again and disappears.
Speaker 7:Can I vibe check?
Tim / GM:Yeah.
Maggie / Poppy:I'm, like, so weirded out by everything that's going on, but I'm also, like, this food is great. It's, like, farm fresh. Great. Yeah.
Tara / Journey:Tibio is having a literal conniption bed at the table. Tibio is just looking back and forth and shaking just, like,
Tim / GM:Yeah. These people almost look like they're, like, bewitched. Like, the the level of the upset obsession that they have with Bert.
Speaker 7:Yes. We should be going.
Thomas / Guy:Thank you
Tara / Journey:very much.
Tim / GM:The road.
Speaker 7:Yes. We need to go.
Thomas / Guy:Wow. You guys were great.
Speaker 7:So thank you very much for your hospitality. We appreciate it.
Tim / GM:We kind of cut to, the whole family that are they're each holding each other back from getting any closer to Bert, and they're just sort of, like, fighting each other, as you all kind of tentatively walk away down the dusty trail, and leave them behind. And you're all, kind of left to yourself
Thomas / Guy:again. What the heck is going on?
Speaker 7:Yeah. You need to talk to the
Thomas / Guy:rest of the country.
Speaker 7:They you need to talk to them because they don't our party does not know. You need to tell them because the were being very strange.
Thomas / Guy:Oh, right. I didn't tell you guys. Boy. Remember how, I'm on trial for murder?
Maggie / Poppy:Yeah. Vaguely. But we knew you were innocent. Right?
Thomas / Guy:Yeah. Absolutely. That it's important to remember that part.
Maggie / Poppy:Okay.
John / Doran:Personally, I don't care about that part, but good to know.
Thomas / Guy:Well, the Barrow's daughter he's involved. She was the victim.
John / Doran:How could you, Bert?
Thomas / Guy:Wow. I didn't.
Speaker 3:Oh. You murdered their daughter.
Maggie / Poppy:Well, innocent until proven guilty, but, that is really crazy. They were really, hospitable. It was very strange for someone that murdered their daughter maybe.
Thomas / Guy:They, I don't know what their deal is. They must be they must be trying to butter me up before before my big fall. I don't know. I don't understand. I'm not used to getting as much attention.
Maggie / Poppy:Oh, we gotta keep you kinda under wraps a little bit, I feel like. I mean, with all the attention you're getting.
Thomas / Guy:Yeah. I think the fewer people I see, the better.
Maggie / Poppy:Snack. This is maybe, going too far. But can other people go inside your Genie's lamp?
John / Doran:Not yet. I am not powerful, but Genie has told me that someday, yes.
Tim / GM:Someday?
Maggie / Poppy:Tim, would I know any other ways in and out of Tildry besides the front gates?
Tim / GM:There's, like aside from the front gates, there's, like like, commercial entries, where you could, like I mean, that's where, like, a lot of supplies come through, and they keep it separate from, like, the visitors entrance or whatever.
Speaker 3:I might know someone who probably supplies the city with some goods. If we stopped and saw my brother, maybe he might have some ideas.
Maggie / Poppy:Sure. Let's go. He's just right here. So why don't we stop by?
Tara / Journey:Yeah. He's at that one. Right?
Speaker 3:Yep. That farm.
Tim / GM:You guys, approach that farm.
Speaker 3:It's just called that farm.
Thomas / Guy:That farm.
Tim / GM:Yeah. This place is a a work of beauty. Everything is very organized. He he kind of, like, puts everything back in its place, when it's time to clean up for the day. Looks like Ulrich runs a a pretty grand old farm, and he answers the door himself.
Tim / GM:And, he's, like, chewing on something, and he just says, good morning.
Speaker 3:Hello. Morning.
Tim / GM:Probably get straight to work, and he kind of, like,
Speaker 3:sticks
Tim / GM:outside with you. He's like, yeah. We only got a week to train.
Speaker 3:No. No. No. No. We have to go.
Speaker 3:No. Not today.
Speaker 7:Really? We can go into Tailsby without you if you need to train.
Speaker 3:I feel a little bit weird leaving you guys to your own devices. I am the muscle, of course.
Thomas / Guy:Of course.
Speaker 3:What would you do without me?
Maggie / Poppy:Well, actually, you know, it might be smarter to leave you and Emery here with your brother because then we don't have to explain him coming into town with all the security. We can kinda scope out what's going on, and then, maybe come back for you guys once we no more info. And I guess there's a bunch of security and weird stuff happening in town. So I just feel like having to explain this prisoner on top of Bert. It's just a lot right now.
Speaker 3:Yeah. I guess. I I didn't wanna go to that stupid city anyway.
Tim / GM:What's the deal? Is this guy kinda dead weight? Is this like a prisoner or what's the situation?
Speaker 3:Something like that. He cast.
Maggie / Poppy:We could put
Speaker 3:him to work, though, as long as we keep him Chained up. Chained up. He'd be a good addition to the the farmhands.
Tim / GM:What you think, buddy? Got, some farmhand skills in you? And then we just kinda he he he gruffs.
Thomas / Guy:He
Tim / GM:huffs. He says, yo.
Speaker 3:Good. Less dead weight.
Tim / GM:But I don't want this rope on me. How am I supposed to help if my arms are tied together all day?
Speaker 3:I'm sure you would figure something out. You're very resourceful.
Tim / GM:Come on. Just say it. And, he's gesturing to you, snack.
John / Doran:And he says, say it. Rope, rope. And it unravels.
Tim / GM:He goes, yes. I
Speaker 3:grapple him immediately.
Maggie / Poppy:He just smells like piss and poop. Oh my god. Wrapped up.
Speaker 3:We let him go to the bathroom. I wouldn't carry him around otherwise.
Tim / GM:Yeah. You guys are grappling each other.
Speaker 3:Instantly. Yeah.
Thomas / Guy:Classic.
Maggie / Poppy:Oh, boy. Well, we're just gonna let you guys figure this out. Can we borrow a wagon with some goods? Do you need anything brought into town?
Tim / GM:I don't need anything brought into town today. You said you're heading into Tilbury, though?
Maggie / Poppy:Yeah. We were thinking about trying the commercial entrance, just to avoid all the riffraff at the main gate.
Speaker 3:It would be very useful and appreciated if they could borrow a wagon.
Tim / GM:Yeah. I think I can get you hooked up here. Let's, see what we got. He kinda he leads around the side of the farm and, shows you a sort of beaten up old wagon that you guys are allowed to take, and he's not so keen on whether or not you return it. Doesn't really matter to him.
Tim / GM:Take this into town if you need to. We can dress it up or cover it with something. How many of you haven't been to Tildry before?
Speaker 7:I have not I don't believe snuckers.
Tim / GM:Well, they're not gonna let you in the commercial entrance either. I mean, not without checking in if that's what you're trying to avoid.
Maggie / Poppy:Oh, no. We can check-in. We just figured it'd be a little less busy.
Tim / GM:Sounds good. Okay. Well, let's just, help me load up some of this hay, and you can take it in through the commercial entrance. They shouldn't give you much trouble.
Maggie / Poppy:Yeah. That sounds good. I pick
Speaker 3:up a hay bale with one hand. I am.
Speaker 7:Bert, are you worried about security stopping you at the entrance?
Thomas / Guy:Well, I need to come into town no matter what. I mean, they probably know I'm coming, but I don't wanna make a big deal out of it. You know? Keep a low profile.
Speaker 7:I think the commercial entrance will be less less crowded, so it might be less attention.
Thomas / Guy:I think that's a good call.
Tim / GM:So, the 4 of you get to the commercial gate, and, the very bored looking guards just kind of, like, throw over the canvas blanket on your wagon. And they take a look and see all the hay on there. And, they throw it back over. And they say, any of you new to Tildrey?
Maggie / Poppy:Yeah. We got a couple of newbies here.
Speaker 7:I am new.
John / Doran:Alright. Me as well.
Tim / GM:Oh, didn't even see you there. We need a little bit of paperwork, if that's alright. You can follow me.
Speaker 7:Yes. Of course.
Tim / GM:He, takes you into, another, like, small, guard chamber, and he says, you there, sir? Pointing to you, Tibia. What is your name?
Speaker 7:My name is Tibia Vermeer. It is so nice
Tara / Journey:to meet you. Thank you.
Tim / GM:And what is your place of origin?
Speaker 7:I am from the Franc Lade.
Tim / GM:Like the forest?
Speaker 7:Oui, monsieur.
Tim / GM:Okay. And, what are your intentions in Tilderie?
Speaker 7:Oh, I just I wish to make friends. I wish to explore. La Vie. I want to see it all.
Tim / GM:See it all. Okay. And, mister Kobalts
Speaker 7:Wait. Wait. What is your name?
Tim / GM:This is for paperwork.
John / Doran:Yes. We don't care about you.
Speaker 7:Do you have to do the paperwork?
Tim / GM:Once upon a time.
Speaker 7:Is it just that I have to do it?
Tim / GM:And him, pointing to his neck.
Speaker 7:But you don't have to tell me where you're from?
Tim / GM:I'm from here.
Speaker 7:Oh. Do you like it?
Tim / GM:He, looks at the desk and he says, I don't know.
Speaker 3:No one's ever asked me that question.
Tim / GM:No one ever asks me the questions. What's your name?
John / Doran:I am called Snack.
Tim / GM:Is that with a k?
John / Doran:2 k's I am told.
Tim / GM:And, what is your place of origin?
John / Doran:Deep underground in the underdark. Okay.
Tim / GM:I'm just gonna put underdark. I mean, what's your reason for visiting Tildrey this time?
John / Doran:I look, I dart my eyes back and forth. We are here covertly.
Tim / GM:Oh.
Speaker 7:He said he said overtly. He is very he is very silly.
John / Doran:May I ask you
Speaker 7:what Overtly to have fun.
Tim / GM:You see him, striking out a couple lines that he had written down. He says, okay. Why are you here?
John / Doran:I am here to Snack. I'm here to make friends.
Tara / Journey:Tibia was, like, kind of positioned himself behind the guy and is, like, smiling smiling and nodding like,
Speaker 3:come on.
Tim / GM:And, he's like, you're both kinda close to him now. He's just kinda writing. He's like, okay. To make friends? Yes.
Tim / GM:Good. Okay. That's it. Oh, did either of you wanna take the oath before you left?
Speaker 7:What is the oath?
Tim / GM:Effectively, it makes you a temporary citizen of Tildry. So you're given all the same rights and protections as a citizen would be. And it allows you to use magic freely within the city without, being monitored.
Speaker 7:Yes, please. I would like to take the oath.
Tim / GM:Oh, it also, makes it so the courts are able to summon you at any time for the next month. Just in case you get up to no good, we need to be able to bring you to justice.
Speaker 7:I think that sounds fine. I have nothing to be worried about. I am very nice.
Tim / GM:Very good. You can just, present your, back of your hand here.
Tara / Journey:I present all 4.
Tim / GM:He, takes this big stamp, and he kind of, like, aims it over one of the hands and the switches to the other one. He goes, I don't know. And he just stamps one of them. And when he stamps it, it actually gives you a, a tattoo under the skin, that is in, like, a light brown ink. And it's just 2 triangles pointing the same direction that slightly overlap each other.
Tim / GM:And, are you gonna take the oath?
John / Doran:I have already sworn fealty to a great and powerful dragon, and I will do its bidding. That overrides any rules in your petty city.
Tim / GM:Okay. I'll just make a note here in the margin.
John / Doran:Can I still use magic in the town?
Tim / GM:No. I
John / Doran:hold up my hand.
Tim / GM:He, goes, oh, okay. He, like, strikes strikes out the text again and stamps your hand. Okay. He, like, stamps it again because it, like, didn't transfer into the scales well. And so there's, like, 2 slightly overlaid tattoos, and he goes, I'm sure it's fine.
John / Doran:Excellent.
Tim / GM:Holly and Bert are out in the plaza. You guys were able to just kind of pass right through. You just gotta ditch the wagon.
Maggie / Poppy:We can park it. I have, like, a little stall maybe next to my house or whatever. We'll just ride right into
Tim / GM:Okay. You guys see a lot of, posters and ads for, the multi magic triathlon, that are kind of posted all over the place. You also see a lot, like, a disproportionate amount of ads for fizzle potions. It's just kinda plastered on, like, everything around here. Uli, back at the farm, not too long after they departed, Ulrich kinda walks over to you and he says, oh, there is a a good bit of training we need to do.
Tim / GM:But But? Listen. We're family. Right?
Speaker 3:Last I checked
Tim / GM:Well, I, I know we're not close, but listen. I gotta let you in on something. There's more to this triathlon than just a triathlon. K?
Speaker 3:Okay.
Tim / GM:I I know you're new to this, but for a long time, all of us outside of Tildry, outside of the city, are not treated right. We're second class citizens, and we're citizens just like everybody else.
Speaker 3:So this is a revolution.
Tim / GM:It's not a revolution. We're just trying to send a message.
Speaker 3:Eat the rich.
Tim / GM:No. We're showing that we're better than them, even with their foot on our neck.
Tara / Journey:Beat the rich. Beat the rich.
John / Doran:Beat the rich.
Speaker 8:At their games.
Speaker 3:Defeat the rich. At their games. Yeah.
Tim / GM:And maybe take one of their judges hostage until they make changes.
Speaker 3:This doesn't seem moral.
Tim / GM:Listen. The judge we're after is a corrupt individual, like killer corrupt.
Speaker 3:What, what's his name?
Tim / GM:It's a she.
Speaker 3:What's her name? Sorry. Judge Flamm. Judge what?
Tim / GM:Judge Flann.
Speaker 7:Judge Flann.
Tim / GM:She's a traitor to the city, and she's corrupt as they get. She's gotta go.
Speaker 3:I feel like I've heard that name somewhere. Not important.
Tim / GM:Anyway, I need somebody in the city that's not a farmer. One that I can trust.
Speaker 3:Me.
Tim / GM:You. Listen, we're not into wanton violence. We're not hurting people left and right. We have a goal and a target, and I just need you to keep an eye on the city. I'll keep an eye on your luggage.
Tim / GM:And, you, like, look over out in the field, and, Emery is, like, trying to, like, pull a plow. And he's just, like, I'm sore. Like, I'm
John / Doran:sore. Suck
Speaker 3:it up, Emery. So I'm having a hard time blindly following whatever you believe in.
Tim / GM:I don't need to blindly follow anything. I just I need people in my corner, and I'm desperate. I can't make you do anything. Because you're here, that's why. I took it as a sign, but, I mean, I don't know, Uli.
Speaker 3:I'm not I'm not saying no. I'm just you just want information?
Tim / GM:For now. You can make any choices later about if you wanna continue to help us, and you can compete in the triathlon separately. Doesn't have to be a part of my goals.
Speaker 3:I'll do it. But if I decide not to follow through
Tim / GM:It'll be just like it always has been. You better catch up with your friends. I'll keep an eye on your garbage boy. He, switches the piece of hay he's been chewing on to the other side of his mouth.
Speaker 3:How what kind of information are you looking for?
Tim / GM:Just if I need you to report if anything strange happens, any group movement. I don't know. I feel like you've kinda fallen in with the hero types, and they tend to find themselves in the middle of everything.
Speaker 3:I mean, someone as powerful and great as me. Uh-huh. It's just destiny. You know?
Tim / GM:Right. Well, get yourself to the gates.
Speaker 3:Sounds good. I'll let you know what I find.
Tim / GM:And, Uli, when you get to the gates, you're met by that same person. Hi. Are you a first time visitor to Tildry?
Maggie / Poppy:Yep.
Tim / GM:Okay. I'm gonna need you to come over here, please. I need your name.
Speaker 3:Uli.
Tim / GM:Okay. Do you have a last name?
Speaker 3:Ness.
Tim / GM:Okay. What is your place of origin? Lamplight. Okay. What's your, reason for visiting?
Speaker 3:Sightseeing? Oh, I'm competing in the tournament.
Tim / GM:He goes, damn it. And he, like, crosses out sometimes and writes something else. As you're talking, you hear a bunch of footsteps behind you, Uli. And you see 3 figures walk in. 1 female half orc, 2 smaller dwarves.
Tim / GM:The half orc, you recognize as your sister, Ilya. She, kind of brushes, like, right past you and kinda takes your place at the desk.
Speaker 3:Okay. I definitely, like, hide my face a little bit.
Tim / GM:She, leans in really close to this guy. And, Micky, perception check. 18? Damn. Okay.
Speaker 7:Voice.
Tim / GM:She leans in, and you can hear her whisper, I need you to get this thing undone. And she's gesturing to her hand where you can see these 2 overlay triangle tattoos. And she says, I don't know what the process is, but you need to get this off of me. You understand? And he says, I understand.
Tim / GM:I've been working on it. It's just I'm not very high up. And and and she says, and what? He says, I'll I'll get it done. And, she, like, takes a step back from him and says, right.
Tim / GM:I'm just, passing into Tilderie. I'm employed by the courts. I'll be staying at the sunny cat tavern in the legal district. And the guy goes, okay. And, Ilya, like, turns around on her heels and goes to walk into the city of Tildrey.
Tim / GM:As she does, she takes one look at you, Uli.
Maggie / Poppy:Mm-mm.
Tim / GM:And she brings a hand up to her ear and makes a circle motion around it. Oh, shit. Indicating bad situation. Get out. And she leaves.
Maggie / Poppy:Cool. Cool. Cool. Cool.
Tim / GM:Right before you leave, Uli, he catches you on your way out and he says, oh, sorry. Hey, Uli Niss? Yep. Do you wanna take the oath?
Speaker 3:What oath?
Tim / GM:Okay. Well, it pretty much makes you a citizen of Tildry for a week. You can use magic freely in this city. Otherwise, you can't use magic here. And also, it makes it so the courts can summon you.
Tim / GM:Is it okay?
Speaker 3:If I say no and I use magic, what happens?
Tim / GM:They'll find you, and I mean, a lot of times they'll, like, detain you on the spot and kind of question your use of magic within the city bounds.
Speaker 3:A lot of times. What about the other times?
Tim / GM:I mean, sometimes you get away with it. It's not perfect, but I wouldn't take the risk.
Speaker 3:Yeah. No. I don't want I don't. I'll I'll log
Tara / Journey:in as a guest.
Tim / GM:Says it's a lot faster if you save your information, and you get 15% off all your orders.
Tara / Journey:You get Tiltree pass points.
Speaker 3:I, like, unclick from getting emails and updates.
Maggie / Poppy:And I unsubscribe.
Speaker 3:Unsubscribe with fees. God.
Tim / GM:Alright. Do
Thomas / Guy:do people from Tildry have those marks? Like
Tim / GM:citizens, yes. Yeah. Have them pretty much permanently.
Thomas / Guy:Okay.
Tim / GM:Yeah. It's it's, like, proportionate to the time that you spend in Tildrey. So, Bert, you're probably beholden to this city for the next 5 years or so. Interesting. That's the time in which they can pull you back.
Thomas / Guy:Yep.
Tim / GM:Same with you, Holly. Mhmm. So the 5 of you have reunited in the plaza.
Speaker 3:Bert, I need to talk to you. Oh. Privately, quietly, like, just we're let's go find an alley or something. I don't know.
Thomas / Guy:Okay. What's going on, Ally?
Speaker 3:So turns out well, a lot has happened since I saw you guys last.
Speaker 7:Yeah. We thought you were staying behind with Emery.
Speaker 3:I thought I was too. Wait. Where is Emery? He is back at the farm. That brother?
Speaker 3:That farm. He's back at that farm and Ulric has offered to watch him for a while. I trust him. Don't worry. He's he's one of the good brothers.
Maggie / Poppy:Okay.
Speaker 3:But there may or may not be, like, kind of some bigger stuff going on in the city. Something about, you know, not a big deal, but, like, a revolution, Kidnapping a judge.
Thomas / Guy:Oh.
Speaker 3:There's some does, does judge Flan mean anything to you?
Thomas / Guy:Judge Flan? Yeah. Of the second court?
Tim / GM:Yeah. Oh,
Thomas / Guy:she's a real piece of work early.
Speaker 3:Apparently, you're not the only one who thinks so.
Speaker 7:Wait. Is this is it your brother that wants you to do
Speaker 3:He he asked if I would pass him information for a while, and I said probably. I didn't make any promises.
Thomas / Guy:Wait. Wait. Wait. Uli, this is incriminating information, and I'm about to go to court against this lady.
Speaker 3:Sorry. No. It it hasn't happened. I don't know anything. I just heard the name judge Flynn.
Thomas / Guy:Oh, but I wanna know too.
Speaker 3:Well, you let me know what you wanna know, and I'll tell you.
Thomas / Guy:So Just tell me.
Maggie / Poppy:Basically, she doesn't know anything. She just told us.
Speaker 3:I mean, it sounds like the people outside of Tilderie, like, the farmlands and the the workers, the lower class, are not so happy with how they're being treated.
Tim / GM:Oh.
Speaker 3:And I mean, that makes sense. Right? But also, there might something may or may not happen during the triathlon involving judge Flynn, who is apparently a very bad person. But yeah, you know, like normal revolution stuff. I, I don't know anything else about that.
Speaker 3:Also, I saw my sister, Illya, who have not ever been my biggest fan. I don't, I don't really know what happened, but she's trying to get her tattoo removed.
Thomas / Guy:Oh, that's that's not easy to do, Arly.
Speaker 3:That from what I've gathered, you are
Tim / GM:correct. Why
Thomas / Guy:would you want it?
Speaker 7:The man at the gate said that if you have the tattoo, they can summon you whenever.
Speaker 3:Yeah. I chose not.
Thomas / Guy:That's what's happened to me.
Speaker 3:I didn't take I didn't take the oath. I'd I'm not messing with that.
Tara / Journey:I took it. I did not think I would be involved in crime, but maybe I was wrong.
Maggie / Poppy:Oh, only, you know, usually criminals or bad people need to worry about that sort of thing, and that's why there is no crime in Well,
Speaker 7:I don't think Bart is a criminal, but he has been summoned.
Maggie / Poppy:I mean, we don't know what we don't know.
Thomas / Guy:Thanks for your vote of confidence, Holly.
Maggie / Poppy:Holly just shrugged her shoulders. She's like, oh,
Speaker 3:I don't like it. So yeah.
Thomas / Guy:For a long time, the second court, which Flan is part of, they've been, they've kinda twisted their own view of what they consider crime, wrongdoing.
Maggie / Poppy:I suppose that is true. But, you know, I think those in power are, you know, gonna be corrupt almost always. I just don't know anyone that's been viewed in a perfect light in power. I'm not I'm not defending their actions. They seem not great, but I also think, like
Speaker 7:The elder council in my village is very nice. They are very good people.
Maggie / Poppy:Well, you probably have fewer problems in a village of 30. I
Speaker 7:don't know. We have very many problems. There are some sometimes, there are bone confusions, and people end up with their wrong pieces in their skeletons. It can be a very messy process. They have to be very careful and track the family lines.
Speaker 7:I'm sure it is the same here.
Maggie / Poppy:Yes. Yes. Well, Uli, is there anything that we need to do right now for your sister or for you?
Speaker 3:I don't know. See, when I overheard her, it sounded bad, and then she let me know in a way we used to tell each other that something was wrong, that something is wrong, I guess. So I I really don't know who to believe or what to believe. I don't know what she's doing here.
Speaker 7:Lily, we should find your sister.
Speaker 3:We're not on the best of terms.
Speaker 7:It seems like maybe this journey has brought you back together with a lot of your family. Maybe it is a good idea to find her.
Maggie / Poppy:Listen. Why don't we go back to my shop? We can see if we can get some fresh news from my apprentice, and then we can talk about it more.
Tim / GM:You guys, turn the corner and see, Holly's shop. You see, tucked between a few boutique shops, there's this tall cottage like storefront with these huge timber frames. There's a, a shoeshine station right outside the front door of the shop, and there's a hand carved wooden chair at the station. And, when you walk into the shop, you smell, fresh leather and and lavender and cedar timbers. And there's a, a young woman standing behind the counter.
Tim / GM:And so it's sort of dim in there, and so the sunlight kind of pours into the room when you open it. And you hear,
Thomas / Guy:hi.
Tim / GM:Welcome to Holly. Hi. Holly? Holly. Hello.
Tim / GM:Hello. And she, runs out from behind the counter and just kind of, embraces, Holly in, like, this huge hug. And then she just kind of, like, real quick, like, let's go over and backs off and says, hi.
Maggie / Poppy:Hi. How's it going? Holly, like, looks around the shop really quick to make sure things look clean and tidy.
Tim / GM:Your apprentice kind of, like, follows your gaze around the room and is, like, double checking her work at everything you look at. And it's just like, yep. Floors are swept. Yep. Rug is is is good.
Tim / GM:Yep. The all the bottles are in the right positions. Yep. Okay.
Maggie / Poppy:Looks pretty good in here. You've been doing some good work.
Tim / GM:She says, yes. I have. We took in a 120 gold since you left.
Maggie / Poppy:120? 2 weeks? Yeah. Seems about right. You've been maintaining well.
Maggie / Poppy:Good job. Holly picks up Henri off her shoulder and, hold it out to Rose.
Tim / GM:Rose, lifts her hand and makes kind of a bridge, and, Henri does one of those slow chameleon reaches and grabs her finger and then just kind of, like, transfers over onto Rose. Cute. Right. Yeah. So we took in a 120.
Tim / GM:And, we we did have one minor accident where I knocked over a bottle and it shattered. Mhmm. I don't know how much it was worth. I hope it's not a lot.
Maggie / Poppy:That's okay. We'll figure it out later and just deduct it from your wages.
Tim / GM:You you know without looking that it was, your essence of midnight, which is about 200 gold a bottle.
Maggie / Poppy:Oh, that's a tough one. Maybe not your wages. You don't make that much.
Tim / GM:She says, I'm really sorry. It won't happen again.
Speaker 3:That's okay.
Tim / GM:Oh, and, I should definitely tell you, Margo Bingo has been by every day since you left.
Maggie / Poppy:Bingo. What is she up to? What does she want?
Tim / GM:She's just been asking about where you are and when you'll be back, and I kept telling her the same thing. I thought she'd stop coming, but even yesterday, she was here. She'll probably be here again today.
Maggie / Poppy:We ran into Margo out on the road. She said she, Mina's shop had burned down.
Tim / GM:Yeah. It's been a little scary out here.
Maggie / Poppy:What else has been going on?
Tim / GM:Well, we think it's Fizzle again or his goons anyway. Anyway, last thing before you go, Holly. Somebody came by with kind of a weird order.
Maggie / Poppy:Was it farming overalls that turn into PJs at 7 PM? Because I already got that one working on it.
Tim / GM:No. It was, I mean, he was covered in mud and stuff, so I think he was a farmer. But, anyway, they just want these, kind of, athletic shoes, I guess. But he wants them to be able to transform into these black garbs, and he drew this, logo, I guess, that goes on him. Kinda looks like a pitchfork.
Maggie / Poppy:Okay. Well, we'll have to take a look at that. When did he say he needed
Tim / GM:it by? He said, before this coming Sunday or he doesn't need them.
Maggie / Poppy:This might have something to do with that wizard tournament magic tournament going on.
Tim / GM:Oh, I bet it is. Are they, like, team outfits?
Maggie / Poppy:Yeah. That's it, Rose. You got it. Alright. What are you
Tim / GM:Cool. Maybe we could do, like, a sponsorship thing. Oh, man. I should get some sketches going.
Maggie / Poppy:Yeah. Why don't you why don't you start working on that? We you think you can hold down the fort here just a little bit longer, Rosemary? We're gonna go head back to my house, drop off our stuff.
Tim / GM:She's just idly nodding and shooing you away.
Maggie / Poppy:Great. Great. Good job. Good work here. Please be a little more careful around the expensive potions, and materials.
Maggie / Poppy:Okay? Okay. But otherwise, good job. Bye.
Speaker 3:I I love the idea of Holly creating the uniform for this revolution and, like, sponsoring
Maggie / Poppy:it. Whoops. Also, my shop's name is Holly's Cobb.
Speaker 3:Holly's Cobb.
Maggie / Poppy:I guess she's a cobbler.
Thomas / Guy:Every once in a while, you get someone who wants a salad. You're like,
Tim / GM:sorry. That's down the street.
Speaker 3:Polly's. Polly's cubs.
Tim / GM:Thanks so much for listening. I'm Tim, your DM and your genie.
Maggie / Poppy:I'm Hannah playing Holly Hyacinth.
Thomas / Guy: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 Kobalt.
Speaker 3:And I'm Maggie playing Uli.
