High Rollers DnD - Altheya: The Dragon Empire #31 | The Conquest! (Part 1)

Episode Date: July 30, 2024

Our fearless and glorious knights fought their way through the tournament but now must face each other to proceed! We're joined by the illustrious Jasper Cartwright (Three Black Halflings, Dimension20, Critical Role) playing Atlas Altar Phoenix! Check him out and all his awesome work here: https://x.com/jw_cartwright _______________ HIGH ROLLERS LIVE in London on the 17th September 2024! Tickets live now: https://www.aegpresents.co.uk/event/high-rollers/ Boost your Charisma with some HR merch! https://highrollersdnd.teemill.com/ Add the Heroes of Altheya Minis to your TTRPG collection here: https://only-games.co/collections/high-rollers Enhance your bath time experience with the official Altheya themed DiceBombs at https://geekyclean.com/! Check out https://www.highrollersdnd.com/ for all the latest HR News! Love the podcast? Give us a glittering 5 star review! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/high-rollers-dnd/id1401508198?see-all=reviews Support the High Rollers on Patreon and get early access to Podcast episodes, vods and more: www.patreon.com/HighRollers Music courtesy of Epidemic Sound, TCT Adventures (Solasta: Crown of the Magisters), Monument Studios and Jolene Khor! Check out Jolene Khor and all her wonderful work on High Rollers on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1WX3ICiTmf4GpHwImnQMs6 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Pickaxe. The Last of Us Welcome back to Althea the Dragon Empire. En route to the Knight's Parade, the opening ceremony of the Ashenrest tournament for the Festival of the Forge, our heroes encountered a young man being harassed by some thuggish mercenaries. Coming to their rescue, they turned out to be Atlas, Altar Phoenix, a young knight errant from Kul'dra, also seeking to prove themselves in the tawny.

Gruff and Atlas did their introductions and then partook in some single combat battles. The rest of the party supported them, but as the day continued, Ophelia returns to the enticing devil to speak with the ghost of Tyria, convincing her to join the Gravefather and the House of Shrouds. But for now, the tournament continues,

and the team battle, the Conquest, is yet to come. And that, my friends, is where we are gonna pick back up. I started with so much hype, and then immediately, it later. The Conquest is not yet done. I didn't get that vibe, but okay. So, first things first, it is a new session. And Jasper, we introduce you to this man of Canopy, we do it every session.

Oh yes, of course. We determine the crucible of fate. We do, jeez. This one might be a little bit more interesting because it's gonna be more opportunities for me to spend. Just get another tray. Just empty the tray, mate. Don't judge me this time.

You better have done better. You got five. One dice for you. Six, another six. Look at this guy. I got a three. Judge him. Judge him.

Shame. Oh, shame. Oh, shame. Oh, shame. Shame. OK. Four. Dice for you. Nice. I, good job, shame. Get four. Nice for you.

Nice. I got a five. Hey! That's right, little bait and switch, like it. That's right. Team Mark rides again. Oh, team Mark, yeah, I can always count. Always count on you, Ray.

Always count on you. Hey, I'm also team Mark, yay. It's four and three. Four and three. Four and three, fine by me. Now, like I said, these can be used in different ways. For you guys, it's mainly to add to attack roles, so we can throw skill checks and that kind of stuff.

These, generally for me, are used to power abilities. I might also be using them for things like adding to damage roles and stuff like that for the enemies, so we might probably will see me spending a few more of them this time, so let's see that in this session. But, we begin with, and we kind of discussed this a little bit off camera, because we want to jump

into some other stuff, Gruff and Atlas, you are gonna continue through your matches. Now you're gonna have two matches, you had two matches, you've done one. We're gonna say, for the purposes of kind of moving things along, that you guys win your next matches. I am going to just award you both three points of glory. So you manage to score three points of glory each

during those matches. You do come out of it with enough time, you know, you can take a long, a short rest, sorry, so you can get some hit points back and stuff like that. So we're not gonna mark you off any damage or anything like that just yet. But what this does mean is in the brackets as you're going down, you were both simultaneously,

because the arena has two areas for these battles to take place in, and your fights actually happened at the same time for that second bout, so as you finish and you're both winners, you can look over and see each other being victorious. Nice! Oh! you can look over and see each other being victorious. Nice. Oh.

And you see them on the little boards. They start placing your heraldry on the bracket tournament where you are now in the semi-finals facing off against each other. You have also been witnessed, you are pretty confident you know who you're gonna be fighting in the next fight because their opponent looks pretty battered and worse for wear and does not look like

they've had chance to recover, whereas the person you think is gonna win is looking pretty fresh. And that is Sir Rekka Stormrider, the giant Yotnir woman that you saw. Oh! She is this eight foot tall, blonde, very Norse inspired kind of looking warrior woman.

And she does look like, and now that you've seen her up close, you can tell that there is blue Dragonborn ancestry there as well. So she has like scales all by the back of her neck. She doesn't have a tail or horns, but like under her armor you can see heavily scaled, almost built in vambraces on her body.

And her eyes literally glow blue with lightning as she looks and speaks. And she has this very dominant personality in Roar. And yeah, she is probably gonna be the person that you have to fight. Well, good luck. We'll just kind of agree that whoever wins between us is kind of like the pseudo winner

because we're both gonna get killed by that, you know? Right. Yeah. Maybe we could team up. Like maybe, maybe if we ask the judges. Right. If you and I finish like joints in this next round with each other, we could both fight. I, the problem, and I don't mean that,

like I do wanna prove my, you know what I mean? I think you're a really amazing adversary and I feel like it would mean a lot to either have my ass handed to me by you or beat you. You know, like I think that that would rob me of, and I don't, you know. I was only jesting about the yoke here. Oh, yeah, cool, yeah, me too. I was only jesting about wanting to, you know. I was only jesting about the Yogg-Tyr. Oh, yeah, cool, yeah, me too.

I was only jesting about one of your, you know. I am fondly looking forward to our duel. Me too, it's gonna be cool. Yeah, okay, awesome. I'll turn around. Any weaknesses, anything that you might be able to, why, no? Oh, um.

What's that? No, I meant, for, yeah. Ruff is staring intently at whoever, like, is next. He has no weaknesses and is the strongest fighter in all of Ashen's Rest and Iceheart. Never gets distracted by anything or anyone at all mid-combat and certainly has no confidence issues. Interesting.

Well certainly not if sees someone vulnerable will take priority to make sure vulnerable person is okay first. That's true, you did kind of save me. Yeah. Well that will hopefully won't come up in a one on one duel in a tournament field, so. Yeah, this will be fine.

You're gonna have a tough fight. Yeah, yeah, I think this is gonna suck, but I'm really excited about it. I, this might be one of the first times I've lost. I was kind of like top of my class, you know, in Ember Furtin and it kind of means that I just kind of win a lot of the time. And so it would be really cool actually to like lose.

Cause I think I learned something from losing, you know? I'm very much looking forward to seeing fire and ice clash together. Yeah, yeah, I was worried about that. I saw the sleet storm and that's not so good for me, but that's fine. I'm, yeah, I was worried about that. I saw the sleet storm and that that's uh, that's not so good for me But that's fine. I'm yeah, this would be great Oh if you could do us a real favor though this fight do what you can to win obviously, but don't damage the armor That's very important. I would I couldn't even even if I tried I'm sure it means it's beautiful

That's your masterful arm. Maybe one thing that we could agree Maybe like let's make sure that we like, you know, sell it so that we don't, like, neither one of us looks bad coming out of it. That would be good, right? Give them a great show. Exactly, yeah. I'm of almost the same mind in that.

Perfect. Ha, this is gonna be great. So you have only a short time before your next match. This is, you know, anything that anybody wants to do is now. So otherwise we can just jump ahead to the match. But if there's anything anybody wants to do, you have like just under an hour before this final, the semifinals. The last match of the night is like the last event in the tournament for today.

And then everybody will go to rest and then tomorrow will be the joust and will also be the conquest, the conquest in the morning and then the jou go to rest and then tomorrow will be the joust and will also be the conquest, the conquest in the morning and then the joust in the evening. Cool, there's nothing that Rowan particularly wants to do in this last hour. So be here supporting, hyping up. Well in that case, what we see is the two, the semi-finals happen simultaneously

and the two of you are taken to your respective corners. The two, the semi-finals happen simultaneously, and the two of you are taken to your respective corners. Sat there on my own. This is cool. The referee reminds you of the rule, no direct damaging spells. You can use magic, but not to strike or harm your opponent. There is a separate tournament for that.

Otherwise, as I remind you guys. I'll clarify with the referee that spells that summon a weapon are fine. As long as you are the one using that weapon. Sure, it's not like a range thing. If it's not like a spiritual weapon that you're controlling. If it's something you are holding and fighting with, that's the main purpose.

You can also use spells on yourself. Don't forget you guys also have the glory that you've been accumulating. You can spend glory to give yourself inspiration, which is a reroll in our campaign. And can we do that afterwards? You can spend it after you make the roll, yes, yeah. That's it.

But only if you have inspiration. You can't, for this you would have to give it to your, you could actually, no, for this you would just be able to like, can I spend glory? Can I spend glory? Yeah, yeah, yeah. You can also deal extra damage. So you can spend it to do an extra D10 of damage,

which is kind of representing you fighting a bit dirty, because you're spending glory to do it. Or you can also use it to remove conditions off yourself, so if you get blinded or deafened and stuff like that, might become more relevant in the conquest, but something to keep in mind. And you can also gain more glory, remember? Whoever has glory at the end of the tournament,

that will represent some changes in status and things like that. So you want to be knight. Think about, remember, you are both trying to become knights. For Gruff, that means you want to show the virtues of the Circle of the Little Hounds, but also just what you believe as Gruff to be knightly behavior.

And then I guess the speech. No, I wasn't gonna point it out, don't worry. Well, we'll see. It is very clear that you are perhaps like a slightly older gentleman, so I think that that would make sense. And that's the same for you as well, Atlas. Like, it is what Atlas believes to be knightly virtues,

because it would be different for like what Gruff's looking for. Knightly orders don't have to be good, but knightly beliefs can be generally things of like, you fight with honor and respect. It's more lawful, necessarily. All right, with that, I'm not gonna do a mini-terrain or anything like that.

Imagine that this is a large, let's say a 60 by 60 kind of space. You're giving them a larger space for this one. Let's go 40 by 40. 40 by 40 space. There are no terrain features, there is just the crowd around you. It is like roped off. And that's it. At this stage of the tournament as well,

is there like just a sea of all these like blue banners for Gruff, orange banners maybe for you? Yeah, well I think, well, the two of you weren't established knights, they wouldn't be like selling your banners in the stands, so I think really only Daisy's banners are the only banners. Trying to hold both of them. They're like, ehh. Struggling.

They're crying. So there aren't really colors, but there are definitely like, people have like painted their faces and stuff, and I think that like, by this point, this is in the same day, but you've had a couple of matches, you've definitely both been earning a name and celebrating it. You maybe see some people have got very crude gruff face paint, where they've been painted

to look a bit like gruff. And then maybe flames around for the ember. There's definitely this theme building. And this is busy. the crowds were kind of thin at the start, most people aren't interested in the small tournaments, but this is definitely building up and people are kind of getting really excited to see how this is gonna go down.

Yeah, I was just wondering if there's like, an in-universe way of seeing, like you've currently got more glory, so if there's just sort of more, if there's more glory here. I think that that would be the slight touch, yeah. Whoever's got slightly more glory is definitely more well known, and so there's the chance and things like that. It's affecting.

Now those of you in the crowd are still gonna be able to, in between rounds, do things like if you wanna encourage one of them, or if you wanna hype the crowd up, we're not gonna track boredom in this. This is just gonna be a straight D&D combat. This is a semi-final. Yeah.

This is a semi, yeah. Nobody's gonna get bored in this. This is just a down turn, we win. And you don't have to, obviously things like, if somebody's down, you can just yield, if you get low on hit points, and you are kind of expected to yield. If you are seriously hurt,

but there are healers who will try and desperately heal people if anything happens that's unexpected. But with that, I think you- Yeah, I've set a little threshold in my head where I think Atlas is gonna be like, hell no, I'm good. I'm tapping out. Yeah, I'm tapping out. I mean, your threshold is zero, right?

Yeah, Gruff's like, no, I'm not. See how it goes. With that, shall we have you both roll initiative? Ah! Good luck. Good luck to you both. You will be fast. Oh, my word.

Nope. Look. This is a mid-off I think. I'm gonna nine. Yep, eight. Alright, so Gruff, perhaps it's experience, you know, you've been in combat more recently, like having dealt with actual threats of the demons and the lamp lighters and the gnolls and everything that you've been encountering, And something just gives you that edge to like, your reactions are a bit faster than Atlas'.

What would you like to do? So I'm gonna walk to the middle arena or to where Atlas is. Mm-hmm, just casual stroll. Just a casual stroll. As I stroll, this kind of armor, it kind of breaks out in oak and thorn. You saw this in the first fight,

and so that will start sprouting. But then as I get towards Atlas, I'm just gonna reach out a pole. Ooh! Yeah, Atlas will... ...stake the spear for a second and... ...shake your hand. Big cheer goes around for both of you.

You both get a point of glory. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Most of all, I think at this point, the Duke is almost sort of not commentary, but he will kind of call out, a fine show of knightly behavior.

But now, to battle. Other semi-final, just one guy's getting placed in the game. Oh yeah. And you hear like laughter, like, ha ha ha ha. Woop-a. There's a peal of thunder. But the Duke is very nice.

Now, fight! He's like, fight each other now. All right, so that would be both of your actions. You both gain a point of glory. But it goes back to Graf. Yeah. So I guess if we're going to use- You're in reach of each other right now.

Like, yeah, you've both shaken hands, and now you're drawing weapons, right? So I've done my bonus action. Or is this a new round? This would be a brand new round. Your action was to shake hands. In which case, I will cast Shilele. So a kind of a green glow kind of goes over Gruff.

And I'll just start with a straight up hit. Quarter-star hit. So yeah. 17 plus 7 to hit. Woo! Terrifying. Yep. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 points of damage.

OK. Wow. I will actually throw up. I'll use my reaction to. Throw up. Oh god, that really hurt. Yeah, as you bring this towards me, I'll do the same thing that I did earlier,

where I reave my, I'll say I reave my shield in a bit of flame, and just sort of manage to get it in a way and turn it into more of a glancing blow. And I like the idea that it's like the flame creates pressure and heat that like almost like tries to cushion the force. Yeah, hell yeah. So I reduce that by, oh hell yeah!

Eight plus three, so 11. I take no damage. Wow! Oh no! What the hell? Yeah. Now I think these points are run out, so. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Well the first one was three, right? Not do that as many times, so that is. Oh no, it's the damage. That was a lot of damage to the gate though, I'll take that. So you bring this heavy blow down graph, fueled by the power of nature, but this flame magic kind of bursts out,

and we see the two kind of forces clash, a big kind of clap, oh! Everyone's like, whoa, you know, exciting. The dust almost billows out from the two of them as that happens. So that was your action, both actions. So, yep. That wasn't so lucky, like the amount you needed.

Oh yeah, literally, it's a D8 plus three. And I got a, yeah, which is nuts. Okay, so, I think that, yeah, Atlas really does want to win this fight. Yeah, yeah, that's why you're a character man. And so the spear is going to stay kind of staked in the ground. And you all watch as Atlas looks to the crowd and shouts, by the power of Helios!

Puts his hand up into the sky, and through what seems like, it's kind of a bit of illusory magic, it's not really this, but it essentially looks like a little fire portal opens up, and as he brings his hand back down through it, he has a flaming sickle in his hand.

Yes! Yes! Yeah! As I cast Flameblade. Is that concentration? It is concentration. It's dope as hell. And at what level are you casting it?

It's auto-casted to second level. I lean over to the GoGraph pattern. Slowly. Don't you dare. Ron takes off his GoGraph t-shirt. Underneath. Wow. So easily. So easily.

Single problem. Wow. Daisy's got the grok. Daisy's going to hold it even higher. Oh, you're going to save my life. No, she's going to temporarily take it down, glare at that piece. I don't do that.

I don't actually do that. And then put it back up again. I don't have t-shirts. All right. Is that action to cast Flameblade, or is it bonus action? No, bonus action. So I now get two attacks. You have multi-attack. Is that action to gas flame blade or bonus action? No, bonus action. So I now get two attacks. You have multi-attack, yeah, you have two attacks.

Should I roll them at the same time? You can roll them at the same time, yeah. That is a 19 and a nine. A 19, I'll hit. I, ooh. I'm going to, no, I'm not, I'm not going to do that. 19, OK. One hit. One hit.

One hit. You got a plan. You would have got your, don't forget you got your temporary HP because you did attack. Oh, don't worry. Yeah, your track is on it. So that's 11, 11 plus two, so 13 points.

13 points of damage. Of damage on that hit and... Come on. Yeah, I'm going to use my action surge to attack. Oh, okay. Two more attacks. Action surge. This flurry of blows.

Oh, come on. I'm going to spend a glory to reroll one. Can I do that once per 10? I've used an action surge on this. Yeah, there we go, that's better. So, dirty 20 and then a 13. The dirty 20 will get go, that's better. So, dirty 20 and then a 13, so. The dirty 20 will get me, yeah.

So, 3d60. Okay. That's better. 12, 14, 16 points of fire damage. So, this flame gruff. Yeah, this, and it's such a blurring speed barrage of attacks on this young fighter. And this is really, I think, the first time Gruff,

like you know, you've been fighting demons, you've been fighting beasts, but now you are fighting a young man, like kind of in his prime, and maybe a bit where the age is like, you're struggling, right? Just as like from appearances, this is like being battered

as you're kind of being barraged by these attacks. So I have to look at the thingy, and then I put on the cameras, and I'm like, what is that? I've taken five pictures of myself. So I look at the thingy, and then I put on the cameras. I don't know how to do that. I've taken five pictures of myself. So you use 3d6 for your attacks. Yes. Hey, do you want a d18?

I don't, no. Because fundamentally, that can't work. It's cursed as hell. It's not. Yeah. See, I'm trying to help you. So you've got other d6s you cut off from that. Yeah, I agree.

Yeah, and I think part of this as well is like, this is very much Atlas trying to pursue, like his nightly order, like, it's a very passionate order, and I think part of it is like, when you're in combat, it is like, you do not hold back. I wouldn't want to. You know what I mean? You are cauldron, like, pride is so important. So important.

So, yeah. But that is actions as that, pretty much done? Yes, so I'm done, I'm done. OK. So we'll switch around. Unless any of the crowd want to do anything, because like, in between turns, we that's pretty much done. Yes, oh I'm done, I'm done. Okay, so we're still trying. Unless any of the crowd want to do anything, because in between turns we will jump to the ground. Reactionary audience stuff,

like Grun is wincing, hiding behind one of these three, but seeing Gruff get hit that hard. Come on, Gruff, Gruff, you can do it. Does Gruff look quite bad hit points-wise? It's 18. 18, so he's got your 18 left. So I think that like, these guys are all kind of wincing. But from like, not the crowd,

but like a side entrance into the arena itself, you see a very handsome beard. Oh. As Sir Griel would probably just be like, ah, come on lad, don't let him hit you like that. And he's gonna make a persuasion check at a, that would be for Ser Gryld 25. So you gain advantage on either an attack roll

or whatever you want to use. But yeah, Gryld's just like, ah, come on Gruff, don't let this young whippersnapper get the best of you. Whippersnapper. OK, so I get advantage on attack or? On attack or on ability check, yeah. But I imagine attack will probably be more useful. Well, I was thinking. And you just keep that advantage until you use it, basically.

Actually, just a quick question. Yeah. Any of the hits that you just did, any of it bludgeoning or slashing? I believe it all counts as fire damage, unfortunately. All the fire. Let me just double check. I believe from Flameblade it counts as fire damage, unfortunately. All fire. Let me just double check.

I believe from Flameblade it counts as fire damage. Yeah, yeah, because it's from Flameblade specifically. But let me just quickly check the writing. I'm almost certain it is. Yes, it is. It is concentration, remember if you can... It is concentration. No, I was thinking of...

You can knock that concentration right out of him. I was thinking of healing You can knock that concentration right out of him. I was thinking of healing myself, but with advantage, okay, I think I'm gonna do two things. Come and get me! And at that, I'll take that, and I will just turn, and I will roar. Hell yeah! The whole feeling.

And it is a daunting raw, so please can you make me a wisdom saving throw DC 40. I am so gonna fail this. Yeah. Oh my god, nat one minus one, I rolled a zero. Oh, zero! I shit my pants immediately. Yeah, there is a, it's bad.

You're terrifying forever. Yeah, this terrifying moment of this sweet older man who came to your rescue. You see the beast unleashed, you know. Yeah, you are frightened, so disadvantage on any attack rolls against Gruff and cannot move closer to Gruff. That's fine, I don't want to, I'm good.

At which point I will attack. So that's with advantage, so 12 is the highest, plus seven, 19. Meats it, beats it. So hits. It's four, eight points of damage. Hell yeah, that's not, no, no, it's fine. It's like a staff, I think it's just bludgeoning. Magical.

Can you give me a constitution saving throw? Yes, of course, I need need to hit a 10 here. DC 10. I get a plus five, so. Just to shit yourself, or? No, I've already shit myself, it smells bad. Yeah, yeah. That's a good fail.

Nine plus five, so 14. Okay, so 14, yeah, you keep, maintain concentration. Anything else on your turn, Gruff? That was bonus action, action. I think that'll just be it for now, yeah. Okay, in that case we go to... Okay, I'm going to... What am I going to do?

I wanna attack, but I'm just checking to see if there's anything else that I wanna do before I attack. I don't think so. Gruff looks like, yeah, you definitely put the pressure on Gruff with it. Well, here's what I think actually I'm gonna do, if you'll let me, because I feel like I can see the damage that's done, and I want to keep in the spirit of what we established before.

If I let go of my Flame Blade but maintain concentration, it disappears. But I can use a bonus action to summon it again. So I think what I do is I rush towards Gruff with the Flame Blade outreached. And then as I go to swing, it disappears. And I basically want to spear tackle Gruff to the ground. Oh, wow.

Yeah, absolutely. So for the Gruffle. Hopefully make this an opposed check, which means one of us will come out with some glory. Yeah, I am going to give you disadvantage because you are frightened of Gruff. Oh yeah, I can't move closer, can I? Yes.

Well, you actually can't. Well, right now you're next to each other. Oh, in game terms, you're not necessarily moving closer. So I'm going to give you disadvantage. So in game terms, you're not necessarily moving closer. So I'm gonna give you disadvantage. So this would be athletics versus athletics. But you have disadvantage, Atleti. Yes.

Because you are quite intimidated. Oh, come on. Yeah, that's not the natural one. Yeah. 19. You skin a tackle. Kim, you're a wrestling fan. Somebody charges, what's a good move for you to like respond with, with your staff?

You've got the hook staff. And the two wrestling fans. He's too flexing. Use the momentum, like yeah, it's almost like he comes towards me, grabs my chest. Kind of like almost that sort of like. Just not shift, it's like charging a tree. A Wardlow look down, what are you doing?

This is gonna work, come on! Are you out of your mind? Yeah, if you roll a bow, I would just arms around, boom! Yeah! Oh! So yeah, so you get a point of glory, Gruff, because you won an opposed check. That was kinda meh, I was like,

well, either way, why was he gonna cast a glory? I'll say that you are not necessarily prone, it's just a failed round, you charge in, like, oh, you get thrown back, basically. In which case, I will use, I'll just use my bonus action to bring some of my blade into my hand, just so I don't like going in. Yeah, I love it, that's very cool.

In that case, we go back to Gruff, unless anybody from the crowd was, yeah? Can I use this moment when Gruff slams Atlas to the ground to stand up, which I guess I can be seen in the crowd. Hey, it's my other friend! Gruffus would be such a strong ally of the Order of the Loyal Hound! Don't you say?

Hey! I agree! Ow! I mean, is this an attempt to inspire Gruff Hey! I agree! Ow! Ow! I mean, is this an attempt to inspire Gruff where you're just trying to make up for the thing you forgot? I'm making up for my misspeech. Yeah, there's like people like, yeah, yeah?

Like, not sure if they should be. Someone should let them know. Someone should. There's a loyal hound out there. Let's find out. Maybe there was. Okay. All right. Anyway. Uh- Okay. All right. Anyway.

Uh-uh. Uh-uh. Carry on. Sorry. Groph, your turn. Oh God. I kind of want to do something very silly. Do it.

Let's just try to do it. Yeah, go for it. I would like to cast Jump on myself. Hell yeah. And I want to jump, but I don't know if I'm really allowed this. I kind of had that dragoon thought of my head of jumping and then bringing the staff down.

Bringing the staff down. Yeah, of course you can. But it's an action to cast. Yeah, so I don't know if I can really. Well, I'd say what I'd say is you can do it. You would then jump up in the air, and I would say in true Dragoon fashion, maybe you come down next turn.

Okay. You'll take some falling damage, because you don't have slow fall or anything like that to reduce damage. What is your strength score as Gruff? Oh, it's just a flat, it's 10. It's just a 10, that's great. So jump spell, I think, triples your jump.

So I think that you can jump about like 15 feet up in the air. So you jump vertically straight up. I move 30. No. Technically you would get an attack of opportunity on this. I would. That's so true. Has disadvantage still?

Yeah, yeah, yeah, still frightened. So disadvantage. And you're prone, right? No, narratively I'd say he got backed up. So yeah, so disadvantage, attack from 15. Oh, 218. That was technically cocked, actually, I'm going to be fair. All right, OK.

That was cocked. Still a 10, so 16? No. 16 is not enough. OK. Damn. Do you make wisdom saves on your frightened? I think it lasts until the end.

Start or end of next. It's one turn, basically, I think. Oh, I thought it was like a repeat every turn, the beginning of every turn, maybe. Until the end of my next turn. Oh, so I won't be riding on this next turn. So yeah, yeah. And basically, so you watch as Gruff just leaps 15 feet in the air.

You try to swing, but just goes launching past. Gruff is going to be 15 feet in the air on your turn. Sure. And then on Gruff's next turn, we'll land. This is a one-off. We're not using this in jump normally. Well, in which case, I think there's literally only one thing that I can do.

Oh no. There's only one thing that makes sense. I forgot I gave you that. Well, I could do that. I could do that. Or you could save that. No, I'm gonna save that. But I am going to use my telekinetic movement

to bamf the spear back into my hand and just hold it straight. Oh, nice. I was mostly thinking about the visual. I was not thinking about the action. Yeah, I know, same. I'm like, whoop. So you would let go of the flame blaster,

take concentration, telekinetic. Telekinetic. That's my action to do that. So technically like a held attack. This is like, yeah. I'd say this is going to be like a held attack. This is like, yeah, I'd say this is gonna be like a held attack basically. But what I'm gonna do is for both of you,

and hopefully my hope is both of you hit each other. I thought it was gonna happen. I'm gonna give you both bonus damage because Gruff is gonna be falling which will add momentum to the strike. You are gonna be stabbing Gruff as they come down which will add power to the strike. This is gonna be great.

So Gruff jumps. It's like, power to the strike. This is gonna be great. So, Gruff jumps. If you both hit, though, it's like the tips of this pin. Yeah. I'd say if you roll the exact same number on your attack rolls, it cancels each other out, and it just bounce off each other. And obviously a shock. And then a shock.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, everyone in the crowd's like, fuck! If you roll the same number. So I would like you both to make a single melee attack against each other. Hell yeah. I'm gonna, yeah, just do it as a flat roll, no advantage, just both of you roll a flat d20.

Oh my god. Plus your attack bonus. Come on, terrible. 17 plus seven. So that's gonna hit. No, 11. 11. Yeah, five plus.

So you're like, ha ha! Ha ha! Ah, this is a bad idea! As Gruff is falling, there's almost like, as you move down, you train with ice divers, man. Like Gruff knows how birds swoop in, and you wait for the last second,

roll your body, completely bypassing the sphere, and actually bring the quartz stuff, slamming into the side of Atlas instead. Can you roll your damage for me, please? I'm gonna give you a bonus. Sorry, Atlas. It's okay. Nine points of damage.

Plus another nine points of damage. 18. That's rough. That's really apt, because now we're both on the exact same hit points. Oh, yeah? Yeah. But that the exact same hit points. Oh yeah? Yeah. But that is going to be gruff,

but gruff, you are going to take some fall damage, as I said, so. I'm going to lead over to Daisy. You're going to take six points of fall damage. Lower the Atlas back. To me! To me! I'm going to take off the next t-shirt.

Back to Grom. He's like so crazy. I'm running you over. Do we get any glory? I mean, that's pretty cool. Oh, you both get glory points. You both get glory points. I'd say Gruff, you can have an extra one,

because you did land a hit. Also, did you add one from the last time you did? Anything in pencil is what I've got. How much damage did you take from falling there? Six. And you've added your temp as well, right? Because you did attack yourself. So the four took, so it was two points damage.

Two points damage, great. All right, then it is technically Atlas' turn, because that is on your turn that happens. Wild. First things first, it is time to second wind, baby. Oh really? Oh yeah. Okay.

Fighter. 10 points back. That's rough. That's a whole lot. That's rough. That's rough, that's pretty back. That's rough. That's a whole lot. That's rough. That's rough. That's pretty rough. That's rough, buddy.

And it's gonna hit. Yeah, I've still got to hit, that's the thing. I'm gonna use my, I'll use my spear, even though I've still got concentration on the- Flame blade. On the flame blade. Two attacks. Two attacks, yeah.

No advantage or anything, so you can roll them together. Oh, man, okay. 18? No. Oh! Arm yeah. No advantage or anything. No advantage. So you can roll them together. Man, okay. A18? No. Oh! Armored Bokin Thorn. Are you sit-by-two?

Yeah. Wild. So was that both of them, neither of them more high than an 18? Neither of them were higher than an 18. Oh, no. So the armor this time, that green energy, that kind of almost looking like full plate,

but now it kind of matches the armor of Elana Vidante, just deflecting these blows. Like these are solid blows Atlas, but like this magic is making it so hard to strike. Come on. And I'm going to use my movement to move away. Okay, so we'll take it away. So I'll take an energy attack.

19 plus seven. Okay, so you take some move away, so opportunity attack. Okay. 19 plus seven. Yeah, okay. It rolls. It was only a one plus four, so five points. Five points of damage, okay. Okay. Okay. Okay, so how far away from Gruff, do you want to go?

Just like 15 feet, I was kind of essentially taking a minute to reset myself. So you kind of double back up, so you swing, take a whack, but then you move back up. So 15 feet separate you. You are no longer engaged in melee combat with each other. Gruff, it's your turn. There are two voices inside me.

Two wolves, it's louder. One says heal, the other says cast enlarge. Oh my God. God, I mean... What's your HP? My HP is... Okay, how can it be? I'm going to... Oh my god. Oh my god, I mean. Hp? My hp is so good. I'm going to, yeah, I'm going, I think, yeah, maybe Gruff's conservatism comes in here

and he is going to cast a. Vote story. He's gonna vote story. Why, sorry. It was a wasted vote. No, he does not do this. This is not canon. Don't at me.

I'm gonna cast Cure Wounds. At level 2. Oh, big deal. I'm loving this by the way. That's so cool. I know it's for everyone else you're just watching, but No, it's dope.

It is dope. This is better than the Euro finals. Well, that's true. It is true, and I sat and watched it, and yes. Yeah, so I think, yeah, I think he'll just take a defensive stance, you see this kind of green energy wash over him, and he heals up, that's all I've got for this round.

Nice, okay. Hell yeah. You were right for like three weeks ago, dude. Hey, it still ago, dude. Hey, it still hurts, man. OK. Yeah, all end of turn. Why do I have to move up to you, though?

Timing, why me? Do whatever you want to do. Do I? Still, Groth's turn, technically. Because there's an occasion in combat that I can't move away again. I'm going to do that. So you come charging.

So as you're moving, you watch as some of the wounds heal. Well, then in which case, I would like to use my reaction, because I am a polar master, which means if anyone enters my field, Oh! I knew it was a mistake, because I said it. Better use a better direction.

Then I get to use my reaction to make a attack, so. It's gonna be your turn next, so you get it back. Oh my gosh. Dice have forsaken me. Dice tell stories, man. They don't need to sake me, sir. Well, yeah, exactly. Hey, you wanna trade?

Yeah, sure. No, that is his special one. Oh, wait, yeah, no, what would you, yeah, I've heard too much about your dice. You can have a special one if you want. Anyway, certainly not. So that was your reaction to Gruff moving out. Not that one.

So you move out, end of turn, Gruff? Yeah, end of turn. All right, then Atlas's turn. See? Okay, Atlas's turn. This? OK. Atlas's turn. This is rough. I'd use that. That's gruff, buddy.

It's gruff. This is gruff. This is gruff. I think I've got to attack with my flame blades, because it would be so stupid of me to not do that. Yeah? So bonus action, resummon it. Spear's in the ground.

And I'm going gonna take two attacks. Come on, although actually if I do that attack, then I could, no, I'm gonna attack with my Spear, sorry. Scratch that, and attack with my Spear, because, let me see, so two attacks, first of all, my gods, yeah, two and a five, That's horrific. You need some new dice. Get this man new dice. New dice stat. However, I can use a bonus attack

with my Polar Master again to make an attack with the butt end of the spear so it doesn't do the same amount of damage, but that's a 19. Yay. Goodness for that. Plus six, so 25. I am gonna add a little juice to this,

so the tip of my spear, a little stream of fire comes out. It's like whack you in the face with it. Rockets everywhere. Just rockets everywhere. And then I get to add a d8. This is plus, okay, plus, yeah. That is six plus... For...

13 points of blood damage. This is bludgeoning. Well, actually, sorry, it would be eight points of fire damage and five points of... So reduced to two, so eight, nine, ten points of damage. Yeah, because your armor trait reduces some bludgeoning damage. Because of your temp, I guess that's even more reduced, right? Yes.

Yeah. Gruff's hanging in there. Okay. Hold on, it's close. It is pretty close. It is. So that was action, bonus action. Action, bonus action.

So you're pretty much done. I'm good. All right, Gruff. It's close. Come on, Gruff. was action, bonus action. Action, bonus action. So you're pretty much done. I'm good. All right, Gruff. It's close. Come on, Gruff. Come on, Gruff. I get all the action back now. I put direction. Yes, you get your action back.

Go on, my son. Go on. Back of the net. He's a jerry. Like Kim is just like. It's because I don't have double actions. I don't have, I just have one. You're going over the fucking edge.

I don't think that would be very gruff here with it. I'm just trying to think if there's an opportunity to get us more glory points, because I think what you said about, like, let's give them a show, like, really resonates with gruff, and so I'm just trying to think what I can do that gives a show. I mean, if you're a willing creature,

I can throw you 30 feet, or, you know, that would be kind of fun. If you're a willing creature, I can throw you 30 feet, or, you know, that would be kind of fun. If you're a willing creature, I can throw you 30 feet, or, you know, that would be kind of fun. If you're a willing creature, I can throw you 30 feet, or, you know, that would be kind of fun. If you're a willing creature, I can throw you 30 feet, or, you know, that would be kind of fun. If you're a willing creature, I can throw you 30 feet, or, you know, that would be kind of fun. If you're a willing creature, I can throw you 30 feet, or, you know, that would be kind of fun. If you're a willing creature, I can throw you 30 feet, or, you know, that would be kind of fun.

If you're a willing creature, I can throw you 30 feet, or, you know, that would be kind of fun. If you're a willing creature, I can throw you 30 feet, or, you know, that would be kind of fun. If you're a willing creature, I can throw you 30 feet, or, you know, that would be kind of fun. If you're a willing creature, I can throw you 30 feet, or, you know, that would be kind of fun. If you're a willing creature, I can throw you 30 feet, or, you know, that would be kind of fun. If you're a willing creature, I can throw you 30 feet, or, you know, that would be kind of fun. If you're a willing creature, I can, no, uh-huh, no way. You're way too heavy, I'm afraid. If I was in any other kind of knight, like who is perhaps not as like honorable and focused,

there was something silly that I really wanted to do in like the second fight, and that was go into the crowd and give a rose to Ophelia. Oh my god. Oh my god. That's not that. Amazing. Oh my god.

Just a bit of silliness. I have an idea. She'll pass out. You know what, I'm just gonna go for a straight up hit. I think that's the point. I'm just gonna try and keep hitting. You never know. Your dice might not do... 17 plus seven.

Sorry. That's okay. These are loaded. Nine points of damage. 17 plus seven. Oh! Sorry. That's okay. These are loaded. Nine points of damage. I'm gonna use my reaction to Shields, reduce that by a D8 plus three, four, so reduce by seven so I take one point.

Cool. Whoo! Went through their points though. Yeah, I really am. He's in survival mode. Yeah, fully. So that is the end of Gruff's turn. So we go to Atlas.

Atlas, okay. Spear down, Flameblade out, I'm attacking you twice. Wait, no, use these dice instead, please. I really don't know if I trust them, but okay. There you go, I'll give you that 20. Wow. See? LAUGHTER

Oh my god. Hey, if you want to try your dice God, let's call that a bit. No, uh. Let's call that a bit. I did that. No, no, no, that was a bit mark, it doesn't count. It was a bit, roll again, roll again. Tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, t Well, I can use recovery to absorb a little bit of ambient heat and gain one of my points back.

Friction being built up around you kind of... Whoa. All right, see? See, I've just wasted two. Just rolling twins over here for nothing. You gotta save those, dude. You're gonna roll nothing but ones and twos now. I am now.

Hey, watch this, brother. It's gonna happen. Oh. Yeah, see? I would've hit with one of them. I would've hit with one of those, to be fair. This man goes through his dice pack. You can really have.

I've done that before, though. I'm like, burn, burn, burn. It doesn't do anything. They're dice, they're meant to be random. This one rolled me like two, no, 20. They don't know. These roll all sorts of things. They know.

They know. Get a new set out. Yeah, we're good here. There we go. We'll try these ones. You know me. Let's bring a little bit more magic into this. I would like to cast Entangle. Okay.

Ooh. It's not directly offensive, so like, as in it doesn't do damage, so. Yeah, so Ruff will spin his staff, slam it on the ground, and vines and weeds will grow in a 20-foot square all around you. Okay. If you could make a Strength 15 saving throw. Strength 15, okay, here we go. Yes! 22. 22 existing, okay, here we go. Yes! 22.

Consisting of these things, yeah. So I'd like to imagine that this is maybe the flames that are building up around. I was gonna say, yeah, I'm literally like weed whacking right now. As they reach for you, they burn away, as they reach towards you and stuff, unable to strike, unable to grip, you know,

these mossy weeds and things growing out from the dirt, try and grab onto you, but unfortunately it does not count. So that is your action graphic arts entangle. Anything else? Or maybe. All right, we go back to Alex. Yeah. Okay, I'm going to use,

hmm, let's try and do something a little... Crazy. A little crazy crazy. Spicy. Should I do it? Yes. Should I do it? a little... Crazy. A little crazy crazy. It's getting spicy. Should I do it? Yes. Should I do it? Yeah, I think I'm gonna do it.

Come on, just do it. Okay. So, I pick up my spear. I'm gonna remind you, there is a long rest before the concoction. Oh yeah, there's a long rest! Hell yeah, I'm gonna do this! Okay, I pick up my spear, and you see as I kind of hold it out in front of me,

I take my hand off of it and the spear stays in place and begins to slowly spin. Oh, I'm in danger. And as it does this, I kind of, almost like it's charging up, I then grab hold of it as I whip round, like the arena, almost like in a circular motion, as I activate my blaze dancer. So I can move up to 60 feet and when I do so, I do my Blaze Dancer.

So I can move up to 60 feet. And when I do so, I do not provoke opportunity attacks. So I basically zip around in a massive circle. And at the end of it, I'm going to make you see that he jumps into the air, kind of repeating what you were doing earlier. Jumps into the air like 20 feet, like clearing a 20 foot gap. And is going to make a strike against you with that and

This will do an additional this does additional damage if I hit Yeah, it's only an action to do one attack if you hit you do extra damage. Yeah, and you get the move Just getting a one on that I'm almost certainly gonna miss here we go Yes! 19 plus 6! Oh thank god for that needed to hit Oh yeah, that was for that needed to hit. Oh, yeah, yeah, that was way too awesome

to then completely flood my lines. So yeah, strike with extra fire damage, and you can technically force strike onto it as well. I can, absolutely, I'm gonna do that. This is 1d6 and 2d8. 1d6 and 8. Plus eight. Ooh.

Oh. Yeah. Ooh, two sevens. Uh... 14, 18, plus eight. 26. Uh... Yeah, it's piercing and fire.

26. As I leap into the air... Aaaaaah! Big explosion of fire. Oh man, so cool. It's over. I think Gruff just lost. Gruff still stands.

Oh! I think Atlas celebrates. Like Atlas like, yeah, cool! Definitely a glory point for Atlas. Thank you. Definitely a glory point for Gruff as well at this point. As like, there's a smoke cloud, right? It's the classic thing,

swam in, the dust of the dirt, the billowing heat as well built up. Everyone's just like, oh, like cheering, but then as it begins to clear, they just see the spear and the staff locked in place as well. Ruff's little steps. Ruff! This is the point where Duke Ignorius stands up.

Yes! Yeah! This is the point where Duke Ignorius stands up, yes! Yes! Help! Fucking yes mate! Well that is the full action to do that, so it goes to... Well does this count as a polearm attack? Cause like... No, it does not, I'm not gonna let you have it.

No, you did a cool thing. It's 100% fair. Gruff gets to do a thing now. But I'm pretty sure Gruff's looking pretty beat up at this point. I'm torn, because I'm low, but I'm like, do I heal or do I yield? Or do I swing back?

I think if you, I would say that like, more healing might kind of like, once is probably like something where they're like, so that I think multiple healing, like it wouldn't be super nightly to kind of like, once is probably like something where they're like, so that I think multiple healing like that, it wouldn't be super nightly to just be like, I'm gonna keep healing myself from fighting. There are people in the crowd are like, enemies don't do that, that's stupid.

Yeah, enemies don't have healing. Oh right, Jasper don't get us started on that. Oh no. Thank you, thank you. Oh dear. I mean they do have healing. Yeah, it was a very well timed conversation at some point. When enemy chugs an Estus flag, it's bullshit.

Yeah. So I think taking this hit, seeing the look in Atlas's eye, thinking of what he said about his father and how it was a lot of pressure to stand up to this legend of the flame. And that resonates with Gruff. For reasons the rest of the group don't know yet.

But he sees this young man, like he took the hit, he still stands. Even as he's thinking about this, he's bawling his hand at his paw for ready for another attack. Even as he's thinking about this, he's bawling his hand, his paw, ready for another attack. But then what he does, and I'll indulge me in this for a little bit of role play, I'll cast Warding Wind, but not in the meaning of the spell, but just to clear the smoke, just to clear the field.

Yeah. And I'll give you a nod. And I'll withdraw my, uh and I'll withdraw my court staff. I yield. There's a stunned silence, and then just a, like a round of applause begins to stand up. I think Atlas drops everything for a second, just looks at you a little bit dumbfounded, rushes towards you, Atlus drops everything for a second,

just like looks at you a little bit dumbfounded, rushes towards you, gives you a massive hug, like picks you up, and then like lifts your hand in the air and we're like, yeah! That was so cool! That was so freaking cool! You were amazing! You gotta teach me how to do that stuff.

I want to say, son, I'm not. You made Vines come out of the floor! I am so proud of you. And if I was your father, to see what you did. Do you wanna be my dad too? I can have two dads, that'd be fun. That would be a great honor, but take this moment, son.

Take this moment, you won. Cool. Crowd just absolutely going wild. Ember, ember. Ember, ember. Mixed in with ember, there are, cheer is not necessarily the right word, but there are eyes on Gruff.

This is not just, this is a victory for Atlas, for the ember of Helios, but there is, especially from the older audience members, like the young people are so hype, what a thing, and he's won, and he looks so cool, and there's that thing, but the people with wisdom, not just like the warriors, but like people, there's a knowing look in Gruff's direction

of that sort of like, yeah. Yeah. That quiet moment. But yeah, so you get the glory point, Atlas, absolutely. You won. But I think that, yeah, with that, Atlas will progress into the final. Yeah.

Oof. I guess this is one of those things where you've lost with so much honor. So much. Truly. This isn't really a loss. This isn't a... This is like the spirit of the tournament.

Atlas has won, but Gruff has not lost. No, no, no, no, no. Is very much the thing here. And is very much in the spirit of it. This is exactly what these tournaments should be about. That bout will probably be remembered in Ashen Rest for a very, very long time. I also want to point out, I was in so much trouble

if that didn't work. Like, surely I was running out of stuff. Like. Well, I know that we're, you know, it's going on, but if you can take a quick short rest on your character sheet, because you have about, you know, just under an hour to sit down. Oh my god.

As the arenas are kind of rejoined together into a much larger kind of fighting ring, because you've got a final fight to do, unfortunately. Can I short rest as well? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, you are done for the day, thankfully, but yes. So am I not fighting in the Conquest? Conquest is tomorrow.

Oh, sorry. Yeah, it's tomorrow, so you get a second day. Rona will wait for Gruff to rejoin and then give him a big hug. I'm so proud of your achievements. That was such a noble thing that you did. I knew you had more fight in you. But you gave it to the young man.

That's honorable. He had a really talented young man. Yes. Very impressed with him. It didn't feel right to go on. Well, I think I saw some eyes on you because of what you did. Oh really?

Yes. Did you hear my second speech? I thought I heard something, yes. Yeah, well, the older broker taking note, I think. Okay, thank you. So that's a good thing. Thank you, you've done a great justice by me, Rory. Oh, you did an amazing fight. Yay, Gruff.

Have you finished taking that short rest? Yep, yep, yeah, all good. You are brought forward to the now central fighting chamber as the Duke. The final of the Shield Bearer Tournament, one of the greatest of the smaller tournaments. This is the contest of classic martial skill, very essence of knighthood.

And I am very proud to have our two champions fight in this battle. The young man of Emberford, the Ember of Helios. Hey. As he gestures, there is this big kind of cheer. Atlas, Atlan, Phoenix. As he kind of calls it out, you do the spin. Chosen of Lady Meteorna of the Cardinal Valley.

In the other, we have Sereika Stormrider of the Western Plain, a knight of renown, of glory, one who has proven herself time and time again in tournaments across the Empire. And you see the giant blonde Jon Airwoman kind of like turn around and she clearly has fans amongst the crowd. People have painted sort of like turn around and she clearly has fans amongst the crowd. People have painted sort of their face like half blue.

They've got these banners with like a lightning crest of a thunder beast head with a shield and spear, you know, background with a lightning bolt as she kind of like waves and she looks down to you. So, hello. Hi. I watched that match invigorating to see you fight. Thanks.

You and the Wild Heart, you really get the spirit of this. Yeah, yours seemed over pretty quickly. Oh yes, it was not much of a challenge. Yeah, good. But I should warn you, little Ember, I won't yield. I will fight until I am down on something else. Yeah, me too, yeah, yeah, 100%, 110% actually. Excellent, I look forward to it. Yeah, me too, me too, okay, awesome.

The glory of my lord Elionir. Okay, cool, see you in a bit. I don't think I can do this. No, wait, no, she's so huge, I'm gonna get my ass kicked. I know it's only been five minutes since your last battle. Yeah. You put everything into that. Yeah, I did.

You somehow have this. Okay, thanks. We've got your back in the audience. So, that's awesome, that's exactly where I, yeah, okay. How tired does the other fighter look, so probably not at all. This has just been a breeze for them. Well, not a breeze, but she's also had a long rest

and recovered some things that she needed to. I have rolled to see what she's recharged and stuff like that, and she is looking at fighting fit. Pretty huge. Can you roll initiative for me, please, Atlas? Yeah, sure, sure, sure, sure, sure, sure. 15. 15 total?

Yes. All right. This is like the time in an early RPG when you control the boss just to see how strong they are. Yeah. You're gonna fight this later on, it's like, oh god. Yeah, this is you start approximately sort of like 40 feet apart from each other.

She goes first. Yep. Shryker goes first. Tall, long legs being a Yachtman, just boom, boom, boom, boom. She comes striding across. If she gets close to me, I'm gonna use my reaction. Oh yeah, you can use the action, yeah, totally.

Ah! She's pulled out. Dirty 20 to hit? That will hit. If you said that to me, I was about to leave this seat. I was like, nope. I'm good.

I yield. I yield. Yeah, I'm good, I'm good, I'm good. Squishy, don't touch me. Oh man, okay. Fantastic. Six points of damage. Six points of damage.

I think first hit. You kind of jab up into her. There's no knightly here. I'm like, nope, I don't want glory, I just want to win. She does try to deflect it. She's not kind of jab up into her. There's no knightly here, I'm like, nope, I don't want glory, I just wanna win. You know, she does try to deflect it, she's not just gonna let you hit her, she tries to deflect it, but you kind of get it through her guard, scrapes along her arm,

the scales kind of cut and you see the thick, Icarus blood kind of, and she's just like, good. Ah, and lightning blasts out of her mouth. Oh my god. As she's remaining. I need you to make a dexterity saving throw, please. That's so good at those, wearing full Spadoma. Yep, 12.

You know you mentioned Avengers earlier? Yeah, yeah, yeah. The team with Hulk, Loki. I think this is more of a like, this is more of a Hawkeye versus Thor situation. That would be 23 points of lightning damage. Oh my god. My god.

She kind of, turn action. She just like, conducts metal. She like spins the spear around. She just like poses. It's now your turn, Atlas. That was a great noise.

That was a great noise. Your turn. Ah! Oh, man, this is tough. You need vents in this thing to release the smoke. Yeah, it looks smoldering, which is probably cool. Maybe. Rough. OK, two attacks.

Here we go. Flaming Sickle, Nat 20s. Come on. Oh, that's a lot. That's a 21 and a 1. 21 is the highest. So the 1 is Ooh, that's a lot. That's a 21 and a one. 21 is the highest, so the one is every, 21 hits. 21 hits. And a nat one.

And a nat one. Oh. It's distracting. Two sides. It's just sizzling. This is technically a melee spell attack. Mm-hmm. Would I still be able to use my side build,

like my extra fire damage? I'd say you can, yeah. Yes! So I will. It doesn't matter. I'll take it. It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter.

It doesn't make a difference. I'm down. I could roll like dog shit for the rest of this and keep missing. We don't know. Yeah, but I also roll like dog shit. So three, six, 12, plus 20 points. Oh! That's pretty good. It's not like this blazing strike Three, six, 12 plus 20 points.

That's pretty good. Not bad. Blazing strike fueled with flame magic. You burn hot little ember. Oh. So. Ha ha ha. 10%.

Yeah. Yeah, keep it up. And I'll, yeah, I think for the sake of like, I know I'm almost certainly gonna lose this, so I'm gonna go out in a blaze of glory. And as I do this, I'm gonna do the same thing that I did before, I'm like, I turn my back, and I'm like, ah, see what I can do!

Who's next? And I'm assuming I can just get like, clobbered around my head or something. But if you turn away from her, like, she's like, no, no, no, you turn and face me. I'm not, and she'll like, wait for you to do, she's not gonna strike you in the back. I don't fight like that.

Yeah, yeah! Woo! Oh, okay, yeah, okay. Never turn around! I'm gonna shoot and I turn around. Yeah, so when you do, eventually she will take her action, which is three attacks. Oh my god!

Oh my goodness! No, in actual fact, she bashes you with a shield first. I'm looking at Gruff like, oh, it's gonna be you, bro. I am the, she cares more about winning than glory. I'm gonna spend a point of glory to re-roll that attack. Okay, yep, love that. From a one to a two, see? Whoa!

See? It doesn't matter. But it did go up. Yes, it did go up. It could've gone down. So you duck underneath as the strike is too wide. She is gonna try that again. That is gonna be a 21 this time.

Yeah, that hits. That might have created a little bit. You did a little bit. That's only six points of bludgeoning damage, but then I need a strength saving throw, or you are knocked prone. Ooh, okay, well I'm good at strength, he says. Come on.

Why did you say it, dude? Ten. You are knocked on your butt. Go! And then a third attack, which he now has advantage on, because you're prone. Wow, no glory she has! See, different dice, different dice!

It does! It does! Match dice! It does! Matt, where did you get the crit anyway? We do crit rolls. We do crit rolls. Maybe a little bit different. Oh, what is this? 10 out of 10.

We do the crunchy crits. We do max damage and roll again, unfortunately. You're not going to, no. No way. Actually, let's see. Well. Well. How many dice are you rolling?

He's got a lot. Shh. He's massive. He's a lot of math. It's a lot. Uh oh. 31 points. Oh!

Of piercing dice. Yeah, I think that's the... I can reduce it, but I don't think I can reduce it by enough. Do you wanna try? No, I can't. No. Seven.

Was it 31? 31. Yeah, I'd be five short, I can't. No. Was it 31? 31. Yeah, I'd be five short, regardless. OK. Yeah. You feel this piercing spear. Oh, that's fine. That's fine.

The spear comes piercing down. You, it is like a bleeding wound, like as it stabs in. You feel your consciousness begin to fade. Rekha will turn around and look, healer! In this healing, I win! And will pull the spear out and put her hands over the wound to like staunch the bleeding and like is going to try and hold it there for you.

I'm going to, because I'm trying to be badass just before I pass out. Well, you don't have to pass out, you're just rendered out of the fight. Yeah, sure, sure, sure. Well, I think as this thing is pierced through my skin, whatever, I take my gauntlet in hand, I kind of grab hold of the sword, and I pull myself up a little bit,

and I go, good fight, I'll get you next time. And she was just sort of leaning and be like, get stronger, I want to feel that fire burn hot. Burn hot a little, Ember. Heal her, and she kind of calls out. She'll like hold, like keep it pressed down. One of the priests of the church runs out, administers healing.

I'm gonna willingly fail all my death saves to make her feel bad. No, I'm joking. You don't get a choice, because they cast kill wounds on you. Yay! It's only gonna be six HP, but you are up and conscious. That's fine. I imagine there's still talk in the audience of this against the giant.

You're still holding strong against them, like David and Goliath. Yeah, this Yotnir warrior, who is clearly a very well-trained fighter, has a point. She's a CR6 monster on her own. I was so tempted to just drop all of my glory on that fight, just to see if I could win. Yeah, but I was like... You were using your games.

Yes, I'd say that definitely in this, you come out of it looking quite a champion as well. But with that, Ryker is heralded as the winner of the Shieldmaster Tournament. Kind of like pumps a fist, like yes. Just does a whole thing of walking around the arena, like just, like does like a whole thing of walking around the arena, like I am the best, I am the best.

Very much is about winning. How many people in the audience are like, oh, they've won another one. There's definitely like, her fans are like, yeah, and then there's people just like, oh, okay, good. I mean, she's probably not the, she doesn't win all of the tournaments,

she's just very experienced. So people are pretty excited and hyped. But yeah, unfortunately, Atlas, that was a challenge. Once he's healed, he jumps up and goes, I lost a fight! Cool! Great job. Yeah, okay, awesome.

That hurt, that really hurt. Yeah, yeah, I'm gonna have nightmares about that. I mean, you stood up to it, that was impressive. I would have, I mean, I would have, I would have just yielded immediately against that kind of foe. I'm glad that didn't look like that. I gotta be honest, it kinda sucked.

It was, you know, a lesson, a real lesson. I've been hit by lightning before. That was really bad, that was really bad. Your hair looks a little... Yeah, frazzled, yeah, I need a comb. You know, maybe some frizzies if anyone's got any. But the way you've played, though, it's impressive. And you're gonna be joining us in the Conquest tomorrow.

Oh, yeah, that'll be fun. Well, there is also, if you would like, there is the House of the Rose, which is the temple to St. Typhine, which is one of the divine saints here, which is a public bath house, but they also do, like, free beauty treatments and, like, hair and things like that. It's all, like, a public bathhouse, but they also do free beauty treatments and hair and things like that.

That's all a big thing that you can go and do here in National Rests. The tournament winners, technically you guys came second and third. You are given smaller trophies. It is, they are, Rekha gets a giant embossed golden shield with the Duke's crest on it, easily worth 500 gold, this thing.

Like just lays like, hmm, bites it to check it's real. Yes, great! And then she's just like, cool, puts it on her back and it's like. Merchant! Yeah, she's literally, she's gonna go immediately and go and sell it.

She probably like slaps her hand and is like, where's the best place to get the drink around here? And then immediately goes off to like, find the drink, somewhere to drink. So I'm gonna buy that and just show it to my dad. is like, where's the best place to get the drink around here? And then immediately goes off to like, find a drink, somewhere to drink. So I'm gonna buy that and just show it to my dad. Just like, I want this. I want it. But the two of you, so I believe second place

would be a smaller golden trophy of a drake. So like a wingless kind of mount dragon, basically, worth 300 gold. Hell yeah. And then for the third place, which would go to Gruff, would be a kind of small golden shield, like, not shield, like a horn, like a kind of fang, like a golden fang, like on a mount board

and things like that, it's worth 150 gold. It's your tournament prize, basically. Nice. hell yeah. Any glory for dying in Glorious Combat? No, no, me. You've had enough Glorious. Ah, yeah. We need a collectibles showcase.

You do? In some kind of island, beachy getaway. Yeah, we get it, that vibe. That is run by a guy. We can hire someone. There's so many of this one guy. Red hair. Anyway.

Fancy. Seven. The one you haven't played. I've played the original. I don't need to play this. It's not the rebirth. I played that one, I haven't played the latest one. Anyway.

Anyway, out of interest, because obviously, glory is being tracked separately to the actual tournament itself. Is there an idea of where people sort of ended up, glory-wise? Well, what are you guys currently on? 13. 13 for Atlas?

I mean, in terms of the Grand Tournament. 13, everyone else as well. So in the tournament, yeah, Gruff and Atlas are definitely ranking pretty high in the glory department. Nice. A lot of the other, yeah, Gruff and Atlas are definitely ranking pretty high in the Glory Department. A lot of the other, you guys, I think that exchange of you guys encouraging each other and trying to make a show of it and things like that

have definitely put you kind of ahead of the majority of the crowd. Now obviously there are a lot of high level elite teams in this as well. They're kind of topping at the end. Oh, I'm looking, if I can get in the top 20 here, I'll be pretty happy, you know what I mean? You're definitely looking in that kind of top bracket. You're looking at like top 10, top 20 kind of topping at the end. Oh, I'm looking, if I can get in the top 20 here, I'll be pretty happy, you know what I mean? You're definitely looking in that kind of top bracket.

You're looking at like top 10, top 20 kind of thing. But also for people that aren't already knights, most of the established, you've got more glory than some established knights have. So you are definitely ranking in there. This is gonna definitely draw a lot of attention for both of you. I just wanna ask, the audience,

of all the matches they're talking about that they've seen that day, like if a lot of people- Gruffin Atlas' just want to add, like, the audience, of all the matches they're talking about that they've seen that day, like, if a lot of people... Gruff and Atlas' match is the only match anybody's talking about. Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's cool. That is gonna be a match that will be,

will spread out from Ashen's Rest as a thing. Like, it was, people were so hyped about it, and it came so close, and the events that took place, like, most of the matches, like Rekha won and most of her matches were like that, like two or three hits, done. Whereas you really had like a clash of a test of skill, of equal kind of skill.

Even like some of your early matches, like they were a lot more sort of one sided. Yeah. Okay, nice. But you now have the rest of the evening. And like, so we open up this to the rest of the team as well, like you have, there is no more planned celebrations. Sorry, there's no more planned matches or events.

But there is generally, up at the Ducal Palace, there will be an evening of dancing at the balls, at the Duke's Palace, which you would be invited to. All of you guys is here as a Vashion Rest. And you being a representative of Lady Meteona as well, you would certainly be invited to that. Not all of the knights and knight errands get invited to it,

like a lot of them do, but you guys definitely get invited to that. Or you can take a quiet moment to go and bathe and have some food and stay in a nice inn, or whatever you guys wish to do. Well Atlas is covered in his own blood, currently. So I think Atlas is gonna like take up the, get ahead to the bath house and be like,

is anyone else, I'm gonna go and get cleaned up. We should help you get in because we've got good standing there. Oh cool. We defeated some evil spirits. Oh sweet. And so we're in the good books. We might get a discount.

That would be amazing. That would be great. We'll try, we'll try. And then, but I'm probably gonna try and check out the ball. I should probably represent my lady, you know, if there's no one else there, and you know, God forbid,

someone else from Emberfoot is there. Oh. Representing the other, is, anyway. Oh, I saw. Well, I was thinking that maybe, balls are not my kind of thing, but maybe I should go to see if there's any of the members of the loyal hounds there,

and see if I can, I guess, pick up on today's fights and see what they think. Oh, I'm already hearing good stories about that fight between you two. It's all anyone is talking about. Everyone's talking about it. It was one of the most impressive fights I have ever seen. Incredible. I haven't seen many, sure,

but some of the moves you both did, incredible, and I can't wait to see what you both do together in the conquest. I'm excited to see what you do. I mean, you had some cool stuff when you saved me the other day, like, I'm excited. I can't wait, but as for the ball, I mean, dancing isn't really my thing,

thinking back to me and Ophelia dancing in a particular side quest. But there might be some people there that I, yes. I would prefer to skip, so I will head back to the Enticing Devil for tonight. But if you do want to go there, enjoy yourself. I'll pocket some food and snacks for you. More snacks, wonderful.

I'm at snack count two. That's true. The snack tracker. Snack tracker. I'm looking to turn down an opportunity for dancing, so I think I will join Atlas and get myself gussied up at the old spa and then go have a little.

Spa then dancing? Yes. Spa then dancing. Yeah, that sounds awesome. Yeah, yeah. All right. So you guys take Atlas. Spar their dances. Spar their dances. Spar their dances. Yeah, that sounds awesome. Yeah. Yeah. All right. So you guys take Atlas.

There's free snacks. There's gonna be free food there. You take Atlas to the House of the Rose. For Atlas's benefit, this is a beautiful shrine, like a large bath house temple, to the Saint Typhine, who is where Typhlings and Tieflings come from. She was a devil that came and sought redemption

and was elevated to saint status. When you enter, the house is run by a pair of a brother and sister of wild hearts who are bunny people, they have the ears, but they're humanoid shapes. Reverend Mother Aurelia is this very sort of voluptuous, sort of like, oh darling, come in, yes. Oh, look at the state of these clothes,

we must get these cleaned up and repaired. Thank you. Bye friends, oh mwah mwah mwah, kisses on the cheek, oh wonderful to see you all again. Hello, this is our new best friend Atlas. Hi. Oh what a charming and handsome young man you brought. Oh my god, thanks, very kind of you.

You got to the finals. Oh in the tournament, yes, well we saw you do your lovely introductions and presentation. Both me and, yes, well, we saw you do your lovely introductions and presentation. Both me and Danderly were very impressed. Wonderful. Well, is there anything we can do? We can have the baths ready and prepared for you.

We can make sure these clothes are washed and repaired. Thank you. Does anybody require anything else? We want to look good for the ball. Of course, of course, darling. Yes, not a problem at all. Yeah, that would be great. I will have Dandily.

We'll have Dandily. We'll do nails and hair and cleanse your faces and things like that. I will sort out your clothes, darling, as well. So cool. Can I get a shave? And you see that he's got the tiniest amount of fluff on his chin.

Just truly like four hairs. Like maybe. Oh, wow. Aurelia will say, what a display of man. And she'll go down and be like, oh, this is so rough. Absolutely. Yes. OK.

Shaved clean. Look, look, look. Yeah. Well, no, I think that when that shave happens, it's almost like she lathers it all up. It's almost like make, oh. To shave at her face. Yes.

And it's definitely trying to make you feel like a really manly, like, oh, like, cool guy. She's like leaning in, she washes the hair, eases the frizz, and like turns it out. Always complimentary, whatever it is, always complimenting. I love this place, this is awesome. The hot bath water is refreshing and everything. And yeah, clothes are repaired.

Any holes or damage to anything like that is all fixed. Armor is clean. Can Gryff ask for his beard to be done like Sir Gryld's? Dandily is like, oh, well, of course. You know, I was the one that did it for him this day. So yes, of course, we can do a similar thing. What an honor it was for you. No, no, no, no, no, no, it's fine.

But yes, yes, come here and like brings you down and like brings out some like decorative gemstones and things like that and does them all up as well. And what about this mane? What are we doing with this? Slicked back or are we leaving it as is? Well, I normally prefer au naturel. Why would you say it in that strange way?

It's the time I heard it somewhere. I just heard it somewhere. But I suppose for a ball I should probably look fancy. I don't know. Well, you know, it gives you such a fine silhouette. Maybe we shouldn't mess with it too much. But let's get it all nice and clean and we'll fluff it all out.

There's a lot of tangles in it. It does exactly that. Detangles it, frizzes it, fluffs it all out. Looks beautiful by the time it's done. Gains like more volume. More volume, always more volume. And yeah, you guys make your way up to the Ducal Palace, those of you who are going.

I don't want to spend too much time, but there are definitely a couple of quick things. You do see that there are various knights there. You, Atlas, would definitely recognize that somebody is walking around. They're kind of trying to avoid you because they don't want to get too caught into it, but you would recognize a young female wild heart

kind of cat ears and things like that. Red hair, like bright red, died. You know it's died. That is not natural. But you see- You know it's died. Night Eryn Roura is her name. And she's the night Eryn for Lord Meteor.

So sort of rival in Emberford. She wouldn't be a lady, she would just be Roura. Roura Feroza. Oh gosh, it's just the way you said it. You know it. You know it, Ty. Sass. That's important to Alice. I love the sass.

The thing I do want to focus on, and we definitely have a moment where you know in the big group dance where you swap partners. We have a moment where we come together and we're just like, I'm staring each other down. And then we go on to the next one and I'm like, hey, how you doing? I just go like, swap partners. Remember when we come together and we're just like, I'm like staring at each other down. And then we go onto the next one, I'm like, hey, how you doing? She's got like cat ears, and like,

her ears go down. My afro just cat-clawed by it. You can see the roots, and she's just hiding them. I can see your roots. And they move away. But one thing I did wanna like single on, so Ophelia, beautiful night of dancing, this takes you back to Osseus.

This is like a grand ball in the Countess's opulent ballroom that you would remember. There's less skeletons and zombies and mummies and things like that there, but you make do. And people are in these wonderful evening wear and jewelry. And you would probably be quite the bit of a bell of the ball, like you're quite a striking figure and people wanna be seen influencing

these influential people around it. And even Lord Obsidius comes up and very gracefully is like, may I have a dance? And leads you to it. And he's like 10 feet tall, so it's like, you know, swirling you around a little bit, but this kind of very impressive thing. Yeah, Fili is just making yourself

look as graceful as possible, putting on all the airs. Oh yeah, and like definitely very striking. People are whispering about you and your friends and everything else. Daisy and Rowan, so much feel like you are just shoveling it into bags. It's like, it is a incredible feast. I do some tauren dancing.

Yeah, yeah. Like, r incredible feast. I do some tauren dancing. Yeah, yeah. Like, rr, rr, rr. But you would probably get a chance to like, there are musicians there as well, Rowan, and like, you'd probably be asked to go up and do a bit of a, like, you know, play along with them and things like that. People admiring the loot.

Oh, I couldn't. Okay, dude. Oh, gosh. You're probably gonna do one. One, two, three, da, da, da, da, da. But yeah, people admiring Sosinanto. One, two, three, da da da da da. But yeah, people. No one knows the song. Admiring Sosananto, like, beautifully, like the loot is, people always kind of asking you about it

and things like that. But Gruffydd, you are, you feel out of place in these kind of places. And like, you get a moment with Sagriald, who congratulates you and, you know, says all these things, but you know Sagriald, and he's very quickly drawn away by other things, he's pulled into dances,

he's, you know, you don't get to spend too much time with him but he does take a few moments. He knows the beard. He does, he does notice the beard and he's like, you copied my beard, no. No. But you have this lovely moment. I know it's tied.

But as you are kind of stood awkwardly maybe at the back as everyone's dancing and you're not quite sure what to do with yourself, you hear like this kind of like creaking kind of sound as a older female figure. She could be half elf but she looks human but there's a sort of timelessness to her. She's older, though, like clearly in like her 60s,

nearly 70s, and she has the most beautiful, ornate wood-carved wheelchair that she's in. Little blanket over her legs, but still wearing armor on her top half of her body, just a breastplate and shoulder guard. She has an elaborate cloak, and also like a head wrap, like a headdress, kind of like wrapped like a bandana round,

and then she has this hair spilling out of the top of it, decorated with jewels and gemstones and things like that. And you can see that she has as a scarf, almost like a neckerchief, a piece of black fabric that bears heraldry of Urdas Kea, the Black Dragon's province. And she kind of wheels herself over to you. You can see there's still strength in her arms.

She easily like wheels herself over in this ornately carved and engraved and studded with metal and silver. But it has this kind of, a little bit of a kind of witch's vibe to the wheelchair as well. Like something like a kind of creepy Baba Yaga kind of hut-maby kind of vibe to it.

No like festures or things hanging off it, but like runes carved into it and stuff like that. Oh, you are Sir Grufforth of Tremoro, I believe. Oh, yes, yes, that would be me. Who do I have the honor of speaking to? Well, I am one that I believe that you've been looking for. My name is... I am Sir Nora Kell of South Fen. I am a member of the Circle of Loyal Hounds.

Oh, I've been looking for your order for so long. I apologize that it has taken us this time to find you, Grathweth. We are a rather nomadic order. We do not have many operational barracks or things like that. We tend to go where we are needed or settle down in little villages and settlements dotted around the countryside, as is fitting for folks of an older generation. But I was brought here. Sometimes we step out to see if there is anyone who is interested or needs our help in our circle.

And it was, your name has been mentioned to me several times and I've seen you in the tournament today as well. May I ask, is it membership that you wish to speak to us of? Oh, yes, that would be a great honour. I was told of your order back when I was in my little village and it just sounded... It sounded like home for me. Well, if you don't mind me asking,

may I ask how old you are? Uh. You can just give a vague thing, if you don't know exactly. You could be like, is, is, Groff's in like in his 50s, isn't he? Yeah, I always figured. In human years, he'd be like in his 50s kind of.

Do wild hearts live as long as humans? It's about average, so like, yeah, it's about the same, yeah. Like most of the humanoid races, apart from like, elves and dwarves and stuff. Yeah, I don't wanna be dealing with those three-year-old Aarakocanons. Yes.

Um, but yeah, she's the same. He's a child. It would make you one of the, certainly in our sort of younger members, but you would certainly be qualified to join us. We are a little different to many of the other orders. We concern ourselves with often very local, smaller issues, caring for those who are sick, who do not have anyone to look after them,

protecting those who are meek and vulnerable. And infirm. And infirm indeed. We seem to forget that one. We are a very caring order. We are not so interested in glory and pursuits of high tales or adventure and things like that. It is people that we are invested in.

Is that still something that interests you? That has always been at the core of who I am. My village, you know, out on the ice, it's cold, it's miserable, it's a hard life. But what makes it work is that we work together and we look after our own. This is something that I feel Erdascir and Iceheart have very much in common. We, our lives in Erdascir are also quite hard. It is not this pleasant environment

with its lush hills and vineyards and sunny days. It is- It's nice here, isn't it? It is too nice, I feel. Too nice. It makes, and she gestures at the young people dancing and feeling like, ah ha ha, laughing and flirting. And she's just like, I end them in a way, such carefree, lighthearted lives. Not that there are not challenges here, of course, but they do not know the hardship of freezing mornings,

digging peat, so you have warmth for the winter, and mining up the bog iron and such things, or perhaps where you are from. I imagine you have similar tasks and duties that are not pleasant or enviable. But I feel that that is a point on which our provinces are very much aligned. When the tournament is complete, I will remain here until the tournament is finished. I would like some time to consider.

I will need to send a message to some of the others of my order. We will discuss a possible test to set you, and should that test be completed and proven to us, then membership to the order would then fall upon our sponsor, the dragon whom we do not pledge allegiance, but who validates our order existence. Once that is all done, then you will perhaps have your answer. But if I may, give me some time.

Now that you have met, feel free, if you have couriers or magical messages, you may send them to me as well. I am sort of a liaison. My fighting days are a little behind me, but I help the order in whatever way I can, often as a sort of diplomat or liaison with many others. But yes.

Also, you are fighting in the Conquest tomorrow, are you not? Oh, yes, with the rest of my friends. There is a chance you may go up against my grandson. I would suggest you do not hold back on my account or believe that there is anything that to be concerned with that he is related by blood to me. He has chosen a different path and well, I hope that perhaps a sign of wisdom of age

can be proven to him. He can be quite a little cocky, arrogant... LAUGHTER ..asshole. Asshole, OK. Right. That just kept going. Cocky little arrogant asshole, little bitch boy. LAUGHTER

Right, teach the young one a lesson. Well, I did not tell you to do that. Of course I would not. If you would see it fit at any point to do so, I will certainly find it most amusing. I'll bear that in mind. Of course, of course. And she goes, she like extends her hand up to you.

Big paw comes down. She like takes it in that kind of grandmother way and sort of pulls you in a little bit and like looks at the hand and she can the hand and she's feeling the calluses. And she's like, yeah, yes, a hard life. Yes, you will be very fitting for the order, I think. And lets it go. But tomorrow, focus on your match in the Conquest

and tomorrow we will discuss matters further. It was a great pleasure to finally meet you. And to you, Gruffydd of Tramora. You should be proud that your name has not just reached my ears, but there were many today who were observing who found you to be an inspiring source, but knowing that you were seeking us out, I thought that I would come and speak with you. A pleasure. A great pleasure.

Try and enjoy this ruckus, youngsters evening, I suppose. It's too loud for my business. I'm going to bed. A nice hot cup of chocolate, I think. Oh, sounds... Sounds lush. Yes, it does. Sweet dreams.

Thank you, my dear. She turns and wheels the chair away, basically. It sounds lush. Yes, it does. Sweet dreams. Thank you, my dear. She turns and wheels the chair away, basically. After she goes, and as long as he knows that she's out of earshot, Gruff exhales a long exhale, just a little fist. Grr!

And then, and then he'll look on the, look around. Sister Ophelia, a dance. Yes, Gruff, yes! I'd be honored! He's like, sorry, excuse me. Lord Obsidius, fuck off. Yeah, fucked. Get away from me, trash.

I imagine that Obsidius is too, would probably have had to have left you a little bit ago. We can say it's some asshole of a knight who's like, oh no, I'm very offended. I'm done with you, before me. Yeah, and then falling with Gruff and expertly dancing in the evening. Just before we cut to break,

is there anything desperate anybody else would like to do before we cut into? Because I do want to jump straight into the conquest. Yeah, I mean the only thing for Xanthias is to go back to the tavern, it probably ends the episode on a bit of a sad note. Did you just say that? What?

I literally go back to the tavern, because the entire day, this noble face that he's putting on trying to be positive and energetic for his friends, that social battery gone, eliminated. We've all been there, bud. And also, he chose not to be at this thing because of his fear of gold dragons.

If he was to encounter people there, I imagine he would probably find his way onto the roof and he's almost like, he can see the party happening in the very, very distance. Well, you can see Dookal Palace out on the street if you sit on the street corner. Yeah. We literally see like,

I mean, there'd probably be like some light, but not quite that. There's like happiness and celebration and things across the entire city, but as he like takes his gauntlet off with the scarred hand and the creeping like rot of the crown steel going up his arm, he almost like leans back and just looks of the crown steel going up his arm.

He almost leans back and just looks at the crown above him and just spends a long time just watching this broken moon. Yeah, the broken moon with its red and gold light kind of intermingling. The moon of Melea, this dark shadowed point, ever vigilant over it, watching these two things and just feeling that pulse of heat rising up and down my hand.

Yeah, very, very fitting. One thing I did briefly want to mention as well that I would have forgotten is that at the evening party as well, Mistress Ilana Vidante would have only briefly been able to grab Gruff but would have given you a very sort of appraising, like, very good show kind of thing. But would certainly sort of, I know Ophelia,

sort of you would see the mistress, who would probably engage in some dancing and things like that as well, as the sort of two kind of like circling, but she's definitely been involved in more of that. There will be another ball tomorrow night as well, the Duke has said that once everything is concluded, there will be an even bigger party to celebrate.

I need to buy a new dress. But with that, we are gonna take our break. We're gonna end our first part here. Yeah. And that is gonna be it. So thank you guys so much. We will see you in part two. We've got a lot to get through, so I'm gonna do three.

Conquest! Conquest! Conquest! Conquest! Conquest! Conquest! Conquest! Conquest!