High Rollers DnD - Altheya: The Dragon Empire #34 | A Grave Sermon (Part 1)

Episode Date: August 21, 2024

Xantheus experiences another cryptic and symbolic nightmare while Ophelia prepares for a sermon in the name of the Grave Father! _______________ 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. Dungeon Masters takes a behind the curtain look into the world of Dungeons and Dragons told through the lenses of the creator of the game, Gary Gygax, and a private investigator, William Deer, a swashbuckling tough guy in 1979. Gygax guides us through this incredible true story as our dungeon master, as we follow Deere on his quest to find Dallas Egbert, a Michigan State student who supposedly disappeared in the steam tunnels

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That was better than I could do. I've played this game a lot. It's published by Yotsukas Games. It's made by a single man. It's honestly a labor of love. So I love Bellatro, I really really like Dungeons and Generic Gamblers, give it a go! Yes, absolutely, if you love card games, if you love digital online, if you like Bellatro,

you can check out Dungeons and Generic Gamblers, it's out now on Steam, and as a special offer for our Pickaxe listeners, you can pick up a copy of the game for an unbeatable price at fanatical.com slash Pickaxe. No way. Thank you very much. On with the show. Hello everybody, welcome, it's High Rollers Day! Yay!

Boop boop boop boop boop boop boop! The police. What? What? Uh, welcome everybody, I'm your ma, I'm your, I'm your master. Wow. I'm your master. Well. I'm your daddy, I'm your dungeon master, Mark Sherlock Humes.

Eh, puppy. Eh, puppy. No, I am your dungeon master, Mark Sherlock Humes. That's worse. And I am joined by, your games master? That's less worse. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm joined as always by these cheeky chaps

and chapeces and chaplets. Couple of quick things to run through today. No. Um. Wow. Yes, in fact, actually, yes. No. She can't believe it.

Do you might remember a little composer named Jolene? She only went and bloody won that Crit Award in Chains! Woohoo! Yeah, massive congratulations to Jolene for Alfea, the main theme over on the Crit Awards, but also a big special thank you to all of you, all of you at home! Because you're the ones who voted to make it happen.

Yeah. And Jolene was very touched. She's now award-winning, Jolene. Award-winning Jolene. And have awardene was very touched. She's now award winning, Jolene. Award winning Jolene. And have award winning theme music. Award winning theme music, we do. But also, yeah, I know in Jolene's little speech did a big thank you to High Rollers

and the community as well. So we wanted to celebrate that with you guys as well. Yeah, just a little casual award winning main theme. Congrats. Congratulations, Jolene. Yeah, we love you. Thanks very much for all your hard work and all your amazing music, we love it. Which you'll hear in a second.

Which you'll hear in just a minute. Next thing that to talk about is, right, I know, I do every week, we talk about the live show, 17th of September, Delphi Theatre, High Rollers Live. But you know what, I'm gonna spice it up a bit this week. Would you like to know a little bit about what the live show's going to be?

Oh! Oh! It's high rollers, right? It is high rollers based. Adolfi. You will be joining us, those of you who have got your tickets, you will get to experience a wonderful adventure.

It is going to be one of our side quests. So it is going to be a canonical Ulthayan adventure. Provided no one dies. Providing that there isn't anything too spectacular that goes wrong. But it is gonna be a canonical Altheian adventure that is based around an event that happens once every roughly sort of 98 years, 100 years,

where a proto-Majai vault flies across Ulthaea. And this vault was given the name of Jahan's Comet by the first adventurer to discover that it was in fact a proto-Majai vault that could be explored. And Jahan's Comet is gonna pass over Ashen's Rest, and Duke Ignarius and Emberissa and Obsidius have asked our adventurers to head on up

into the Proto-Majai Vault and to aid them getting up there to discover what treasures it has and to ensure that the wrong hands don't get hold of these Proto-Majai relics and treasures that may be on Jahan's Comet, this Proto-Majai Vault, but they only have a very short window to get in, loot the place, and get out, because Jahan's Comet, as it hurtles across Elmira,

soon it will leave the Elmira and borders and fly back up into the dark void, into the stars and the skies beyond, and will vanish for another hundred years. So if we get yeeted into the void, it's not Ken. Yeah. Basically that, yes. Vault hunters, you could call us.

Maybe. No, no. Just like the really popular movie. Anyway, but that is it. So that's a little information. 17th of September, Adelphi Theatre, we're going to try and make it as accessible as possible. So all of the stuff about who the protege are,

what the vaults are, we'll explain all of that. I think it's gonna be quite a good one if people don't know much about High Rollers. They only know a little bit about D&D because it's basically gonna be a get in, smash through it, loot, Robert Dungeon, get out. Robert Comet. Robert Comet, Comet Heist.

Comet Heist. Oh. But yeah, that's gonna be the plan. Hopefully we will see you there. And if you don't have your tickets, or if you've got friends who you think would enjoy something like that, get them to come buy a ticket right now,

because they're on sale. Get them in the link. Come and see the show. Yeah. It's a pretty good time. With that, that's it for my announcement. Let's run the intro. Welcome back to Ulthaya the Dragon Empire. After competing in the Festival of the Forged Nightly Tournament, our heroes enjoyed an evening at the Ducal Palace as guests of His Draconic Majesty, Duke Ignarius.

During the evening's celebrations, Gruffuth of Tremorro spoke with Sir Nora Kell of the Circle of Loyal Hounds, a knightly order of older knights whom Gruffuth had been seeking to join. Before the gathered knights and influential citizens of Ashenrests, Gruffydd was accepted as a knight-errant and given the first of three challenges to become a true knight. Later in the evening, the party was called to meet with Duke Ignarius and another of his personal knights of the realm, a cheerful halfling woman called Dame Cassandra Maurice. Dame Cassandra, Duke Ignarius and his daughter Lady Emberissa, requested the hero's aid

in a number of matters in the local area. Dame Cassandra had learned of odd goings on in the Rustwale woods and sent her squire ahead to investigate, while she herself would be heading southwest to the shores of Lake Iriax to meet with an old friend who had sent warnings of a mysterious doom. Lady Emberissa asked the heroes to travel to the southeast to an area called the Ash Hills to look for a missing knight, Sir Eldrach Ignis, who had gone in search of an heirloom created by Emberissa's mother. As the heroes discussed these opportunities on the way back from the Duke's palace, Sister Ophelia de la Rosa of the House of Blood brought up an offer she had given to the spirit of Tyria,

the woman murdered in the inn they now owned, and how she could be sent to Osseus to join the House of Shadows as a child of the Gravefather. Using Daisy Thistleheart's strange powers, they were able to talk to Tyria and ask her what she wanted, and it was clear that Tyria was keen to do as Ophelia had offered. But today's session begins with a new day. You went to sleep, you rested, and whilst you do,

at least one of you dreams. Xanthias. No, come on! No! I don't want to! I'm just gonna be here! So it's gonna be you! No, I don't, I'll wake up.

You can't. Oh! Old hack syndrome. Xanthias, you find yourself in Ashen's Rest. Everything is burning. Just like when the lamp light is attacked, you can hear the roar of dragons and see their draconic shapes in the swirling smoke that surrounds you.

Being brought up by the flames, but it feels enclosed. You can't see more than a few houses, few streets, almost like the whole town is full of smoke and ash and flame. Your throat burns from the ash and smoke you're inhaling, and your arm is so badly burned it has blackened and is in agony. You can feel that pain and burning beginning to spread across your body. What do you do?

What? Oh. I die. I mean, is there a ember that is, oh, like, I mean, do I have any, because in a dream state, do I have any idea of, like, the night prior? Do I know I'm in a dream?

Am I just like, is there an entire backstory that's formed as part of this dream? Do I believe this is me? You are in Ashen's Rest. You recognize the buildings, the burning penance of Duke Ignaris's heraldry and colors. Your arm burns. Smoke and ash fill the air.

Dragons fight all around you, it seems. And you can hear screams, people trapped, but you can't see anyone. Everywhere you look, the empty streets, the cobblestone streets of Ash and Rest are empty. I will run through those streets and I guess try to, if I have to go through fire to do so, I suppose I will, to try to get towards those screams.

You begin to run through the streets, panic rising, your body burning, not sure where you're even running to, trying to follow the sound of the screams, but every time you run down a street or turn into an alleyway, it's like the screams are being pulled further away to different parts, coming from all around you and still up in the clouds. You cannot see the sky for it is so choked dark with smoke and ash, but something, draconic shapes move, flying past, roaring, deafeningly loud. You run again, twisting and turning, but everywhere you run doesn't seem to pull you closer towards

those screams. You don't see gates, you don't see the inn, you can't find anything, just endless streets like a labyrinth. And then eventually you come to the plaza, the central plaza. Labyrinth. And then eventually you come to the plaza, the central plaza. You recognize this, it's a large, open, circular space, but what draws your eye immediately is at the center of it there is a fountain. A fountain made of gold.

It's golden, glittering shape like that of a dragon, but its head has been broken off, it's one of its wings broken off. But in the glittering gold, the flames and the ash and the smoke create these red and black shadows that seem to fall and drift and scatter across its glittering surface. But the fountain is filled filled with clear, cool-looking water. You begin to feel that one of those draconic shapes out there in the smoke, one of them stops. It begins to look. You know, even though you cannot see its eyes or its face,

you know that that dragon is looking at you. You glance around once more, and in the window of a building, a building that looks church-like, you see two young twin girls with blonde hair just staring at you from the window. When you look back to the fountain, you see that there's a figure there, wearing a tattered brown robe that's burning, fraying at the edges. Hunched over the fountain, stooped next to it as if they've fallen or taken a moment of respite to lean against it for stability. And they dip a hand.

You can see that their skin is gold. They dip a hand in, filling it, cupping the water, and they bring it to the hood. You can't see the face, and you hear a... Ah! What? There's so much going on here. Um, they're okay, just, it's like sating them, it's... Come, it is quite cool. It will cool your throat. Cool your arm and your burns. In that case, I'll slowly walk towards this person.

Are those figures still in the tavern looking out? You look up, you can see it's not a tavern, it's a church. Church of the Sion. And looking out from a window, their faces, implacable, unreadable. Two young girls. One looks thin and sickly, the other is taller. Blonde hair. And they're watching you.

Okay. And you can still feel that draconic presence also watching you from beyond the smoke. As you begin to step towards that fountain and that crisp, clear water, you can see that that water, it glows. You begin to feel that it's not just water, it radiates power.

Yes. Drink, friend. Come and drink. What do their hands look like? Can I see them beyond the robe? You see the hand, as the robe is almost covering them but it's ever burning, it doesn't ever seem to burn more but the bottoms of it are like they're always a light

and embers smoldering. Their hand is pure gold. It's humanoid but there's a claws and a touch of something alien to it. Okay. It's not scales but it doesn't look quite right. I will motion towards the water, but with my good hand, my unburned hand, almost like looking at them for, I guess,

approval, I suppose? Like, am I doing the right thing here? This hand or that hand? You can't see their face. Their hood is kind of covering them. They're hiding their features from you. There's just a dark shape. Okay.

In that case, I try and cup some water with just my good hand for now, not putting my... As soon as your normal hand touches the water, it's so blissfully cooling. There's a part of you that desperately wants to plunge that burning arm, because it feels like it's burning on a fire and it's spreading up to your neck and into your chest, and you want to almost

throw yourself into the pool to cool off, and your throat burns and aches so parched and dry. Mm-hmm. Out of game, because you are, and we have now revealed the nature of the Crown Steel. Sure. You as a player, Tom, can have an element of choice here, because I'm gonna ask you to make a saving throw.

Okay, okay, okay. You can willingly choose to fail that saving throw. This saving throw is your crown still corruption saving throw. I can choose to. You can resist or you can choose to fail it. Given that, and I feel like, if the dream is filled with all this symbolism

and all these characters, I am aligning with particular characters I know, obviously, in real world, that I chose to put my uncorrupted hand into the fountain, I will attempt to resist it. Okay. But I mean if the dream comes up again, then I start to use that corrupted hand

or corrupted parts more, then we'll see. So before I narrate what happens, I would like you to make a constitution saving throw. You may not use, we've not rolled it yet, and the reason I've not rolled it yet is because you cannot use fate on these saving throws. Okay, okay, Constitution. Sorry, my thing is taking ages to load.

Okay, Constitution, so just straight saving, Constitution. Constitution saving throw. Plus seven. Natural 20. Oh my God. Natural 20. Oh my God. So 27. Wow. You cup the water in your hand

and you begin to bring it closer to your mouth, ready to drink. And something in you, you begin to retch. No, you don't, this water, it smells foul and wrong, and as it touches, it burns and it tingles like acid, and you just catch a glimpse of the figure in the tattered robe with the golden hand.

As you catch a glint of maybe a jaw and a sort of look of displeasure as the dream ends. Oh, I was gonna say, I would, the moment I see that displeasure, I'd always like reach out to try and grab the cloak to pull it off them, but. It's almost the dream ends as you go to reach for it, and then it's like the way that dreams do,

you suddenly awaken yourself. You have succeeded on that saving throw. Nice, or depending on how things go, bad. Oh. That was a good natural 20, man. That was a... The dice knew. The dice knew.

I'm gonna have to incorporate that. That's staying there. You're mine now. I dice new. I'm gonna have to incorporate that. That stay in there. You're mine now. I love you. Ah. Ah. As a note, you have hit the threshold for the corruption, so as we discussed before, these guys knew about it,

but now we can sort of talk a bit more openly about it. Yeah. When that threshold recurs again, you'll need to repeat that saving throw. But harder, potentially? Maybe. Okay, okay. The DC, I'm not gonna reveal too much about it,

but the DC will get harder, I'm not gonna say under what circumstances. But basically, Crown Steel, once it has a hold on you, the longer you are around it, this is out of game knowledge, in Xanthius' case, every certain amount of X days, he has to test the corruption to see if his body is resisting the corrupting effects of the Groundsteel.

And it has effects, it has good and bad effects. I bet Constitution states people will win. Yeah. And I think I failed them, and that's what led to the hand. But I've not stopped the spread of the arm, right? It's just... Keep in mind that the arm spread is very slow. Yeah.

Like, it's very, very gradual. It's not like I've bought myself two weeks of time here. It's like, well, maybe I have, okay, maybe I have. I know as much as everyone else at this point. Does that speed up, though though if he uses it? If he uses that empower? Because when he used the empower, it went further up his arm, didn't it, before?

It may speed the corruption, the more he, but again, I don't want to say too much because it does have lore reasons and things. I won't ball of it. I don't know, you were close, there was a part of you that you were like, I kind of want to fail this saving throw. That's the thing, I think eating away constantly

is like a voice that is gradually over time getting louder and louder and louder that's like, resist it, just give into it. And eventually I feel like that is gonna, I mean I guess that's why the constitution saves maybe get harder or whatever, or it just eats away more and more. Interesting.

I'm gonna eventually, I'm gonna want this motherfucker. And I'm gonna grab it. With that, Xanthias wakes, and as to the rest of you, a fresh new day, I believe it is the, I will tell you the exact date. Oh. It is. Blorf day. It is It is. Blorf day.

It is the... My Blorf day. It is the third day of the first moon of Bronze Glow. Third day, first moon, Bronze Glow. First day. This is great, Tom. Third day of the first moon. Third moon day of glow, bronze.

Of gold land. You made me write the first day of bronze. That thing worked! Third moon, bronze day, glow, one. Third day of first moon of bronze, that's what I wrote. You made me write first moon of bronze. First moon of bronze. First moon of bronze.

First bronze. The fuck have I written? Seventh day of first moon of bronze. Third day of first moon of glow. Third day. First... First moon of... All bronze. First bronze. The fuck have I written? Seventh day. Day of first moon of bronze glow. Third day. First moon of bronze glow. Third day.

You did it right. First moon bronze glow. August, 2024. December. Let's find out what the weather is like. Fire truck. Freight train. Freight train.

Activate. Okay. Good morning morning everyone. What a lovely night. Perception check. It's like. There is, it is, you begin to feel, this is the first day where

there is a pleasant warmth in the air. You've been going through spring, there's been wind and rain, light, nothing too heavy. Not in winter, not heavy downpours, not heavy cold or snowfall, but enough of like a slight overcastness or a chill or a wind in the air, a little bit of rain here and there,

a few spring showers. But today feels like you are moving towards summer. It feels warmer, there's a very pleasant, warm breeze on the air that just kind of drifts out. And immediately you can tell that Ashenrest is a town. This has a sort of invigorating effect. Everybody's up, everybody's like enjoying the sunshine, windows are being thrown open,

people are hanging out there washing on washing lines between the streets, they're attending to their flowers and pots and plants, potty plants outside their buildings. Yeah, this has like a really pleasant like late spring, early summer vibe to it. We'd love to do the same. This is where I'd open my windows if I had one.

They weren't broken. And yeah, you find it is a morning. What's everyone, how's everyone feeling? What's everyone up to? Probably still asleep. I can't remember the sleeping arrangements, but we just kind of slept on the floor, right? Well, you currently have,

so you currently have the main room of the inn, which doesn't have any real furniture. It's all been broken, personal's cleared most of it away. You do have three kind of rented rooms up on the second floor with the inn, which doesn't have any real furniture. It's all been broken, personal's cleared most of it away. You do have three kind of rented rooms up on the second floor with the balcony, and then you have the attic room, which is Tyria's room, I guess, some of you think of it that way.

The bedrooms themselves could easily sleep one or two people if you would just have bedrolls on the floor. They do have better roofs, they have more intact roofs. The main room is the one which has got a massive hole that lets all the rainwater in. All the floorboards are quite rotten and stinky in here. But the actual bedrooms are actually serviceable-ish. Not comfortable, but...

We reached some sort of agreement between all of us of where people sleep, knowing that Daisy sleeps for... 12 hours. 12 hours a day. Like a cat. A healthy 12 hours. Yeah. Like,. Like a cat. A healthy 12 hours. Yeah. Um, like is there a particular arrangement that we have?

Yeah, because if anybody's sharing with Xantheus, they might find that Xantheus like wakes with a start perhaps or... I'm a night screamer. He clearly would have been in the outbuilding, but if it's being shrined up... Oh yeah, you just don't sleep in. Yeah, it's, yeah, like you could sleep in there eventually, but right now there's probably like building work and stuff.

Or it was being finished, it would be finished today. Nice. So yeah, she'll probably sleep in the house, the main house today. I think Gruff would probably be in the same room as Dan, kind of hangover from when we were traveling on the road. Yeah, protect your meat from vulnerable and infirm. That, all that, gubbins.

But I would probably say that Gruff, being an early riser, is probably up and out. I was thinking he was probably actually cleaning the armor, the master work scale armor, having prized it off himself. What are you saying? Where are you cleaning it in the Enticing Devil? Probably somewhere down, like the main bar area. Rowan pokes his head up from behind the bar.

Huh! Was that squeaky noise? It wakes up from behind the bar. What's that squeaking noise? It wakes up from behind the bar. It's like Drake's scale, so you'd be oiling it. So it'd be like making sure all the scales are polished and things like that and oiling it. Keeping it supple. Yeah, yeah, yeah, you hear the squeaking.

Rowan pops up from behind the bar. Yeah, you can hear the sounds of outside, probably the really early morning crew, the final finishing touches have been finished on the shrine and the stonemasons are packing up their things and basically heading out now, having finished the work on Ophelia's shrine. Ophelia will probably run through the house,

out the front door, hey, good morning, boys, bye! Up early for a change for Ophelia as well, like no lazing around, no needing to be nudged out of bed by Percival, up and ready, waiting. Yeah. Okay, nice, yeah. You will see Ophelia running out excited. Just a left to right.

Pew! You look, and that's it. You would notice, like, Ophelia, because again, you're very attuned to necromancy and undead and things like that, moving through the garden, there is like a large, expansive garden at the back of the inn, and it does have a bit of a oppressive feeling, even during the daylight hours.

You can tell that Tyria's necrotic energy has infested the building, the garden, everywhere here. And it doesn't feel good. You're used to Undead, but it has that feeling of sorrow and sadness sort of built into it. So as you move through that to get to the shrine, there is a little bit of a like, kind of like moving through a graveyard

and it feels a bit uncomfortable. But you get into the shrine and you can see that, yeah, the work has all been completed. The builders have cleaned up, taken their tools. Everything is as you requested. There is a large stone altar with a statue of a facillim- Facsimile?

Facsimile, thank you, of the Gravefather. They, based on your sketches, it's pretty much close to what you described as a kind of robed figure with a skull-like face sitting on like a throne very authoritatively. The altar is not massive, but it's well designed and beautifully engraved. There are wooden pews, like benches, cushioned benches.

The building can probably sit about 10 to 12 people in it. You have like iron candelabras with like candles, you know, in the corners, red drapes, no window frames or anything like that. No windows have been placed into it yet, but yeah, it is completed to the standards you requested. And it is perfect. Because of that, your first Bastion upgrade, your Shrine.

So the Shrine, as you did spend a good chunk of money on it, and it has a holy purpose. The Shrine comes with several benefits. For everyone? For anybody who worships the Gravefather. I see, okay. So Ophelia can conduct a ritual or anybody who worships the Gravefather. I see, okay. So Ophelia can conduct a ritual

that has a number of options of benefits from it. Okay. And one of those benefits can apply to worshipers and believers of the Gravefather. I'll convert. I mean, basically that's gonna be all of us by the end of this. Oh yeah.

Yes. Come on. I think. I think- I think- Shopping. I think hearing Ophelia run outside the bedroom is enough to make Xanthias come out of the, cause like the balcony, it's gonna be creaky.

Ophelia probably stomps through one of the floorboards as she goes. The whole place is run down enough that there are squeaky floorboards, rotten floorboards, you have to be careful where you step. In need of modernization. Yeah, this is like a proper abandoned building with a massive hole in the roof.

This place is in a bad shape. Like I guess you're outside cleaning your armor, if that's what they call it nowadays, and Rowan's asleep behind the bar. What are you insinuating there? Huh. What are you insinuating, though? Huh? You're cleaning your armour. I don't like your tone.

You're polishing your armour? Mm-hm. You're buffing your leather. Mm-hm. I hate that! These are all things that we're off for doing. Great. Yeah?

As you should. Rowan's watching. He's been watching the whole time. You guys down there buffing your leather? Yeah. I say as obvious. Isn't that just what normal men do? Rowan's oiling up his longsword.

We're guys. Just normal guys. We're just normal guys. Just innocent men. Buffing our armour. Good. Great. We take a little oil and we buff it. We polish our supple leather armor.

Bro, we're joining Gruff in like a, oh, I guess we're doing this now. And he would like prepare some of his stuff and you know, oil it and whatnot. Can I borrow some oil? I don't have any. Of course. Everything's seen a lot of action in the last few days,

so I thought, you know, better get a ship shape, you know? That's true. While people figure out what they're doing, can we have some D6 rolls for our Crucible as well? Oh yes. Crucible. Watch this. Four.

Yes. I got six. That's a dice for you guys. I got a four. That's a dice for you guys. I got a four. That's a dice for you guys. I got a four. That's a dice for you guys. I got a four. That's a dice for you guys. A six.

A dice for you guys and a dice for you guys. Oh damn! I'm loaded! Full house. Oh! Oh! That's never happened! Now it's the perfect opportunity to make some mistakes.

Sure is. Let's go out there and fuck shit up. We're not in the middle of a giant battle or anything. It's like, what do you wanna do in the house? Chill day, some nice day. Yeah, right now, let's go outside and start fighting someone. I wanna pick a fight.

Hey you, poof. I'm feeling lucky today. There are things you can do that are not fighting that require dice rolls, but sure. Yeah, you guys take a bit of time. Gruff, you've been up for a while, like getting all the armor fixed. It's probably about nine a.m., like by the time Xanthias and Ophelia and everybody else

and the building work is finished, it's about nine a.m. And yeah, you guys have, is there anything you guys specifically wanna do, or are you just gonna sort of, you know, wait, or, you know, what's the plan here? I heard Ophelia- I'm gonna sit on the balcony with my legs dangling over the edge watching.

Your little perch, yeah, Daisy's little perch. I heard Ophelia running out of the building quite fast. Is everything okay? I think her shrine is ready. Oh. Oh. Builders have been at it since the early hours. I don't know why they do that. Yeah.

Honestly, it's very rude. If they do that, then they should at least bring coffee and pastries. I'm surprised the noise didn't wake you too. It somewhat did, I tried to ignore it for a while now. I would have preferred another hour. She's just got her head against one of the banisters and she's just dangling her feet over the edge.

I want to see this masonry work. Yeah, but are we the Tyria thing? Are we going to see that? Are we joining in? Are we helping? Is there something we need to do? We just need to talk to Ophelia, right? If Ophelia needs assistance,

I'll gladly be one to help. Okay, and then we need to talk about which of the missions we need to embark on as well. Lots of decisions. I also need to return this armour. They said that they would pick it up, didn't they? I suppose, yes. That needs to go at some point today. They said that they would pick it up, didn't they? I suppose, yes.

That needs to go at some point today. It's okay. You see his paw just tightens slightly on the bit of it. You just polished that bit. But look, it was tailor-made for you. No one else can wear it. So one day, we'll just go right back. We'll just buy it, yeah. And we'll just buy it back. How much did he say it was?

Something like 8,000 gold or something. We didn't actually get a price for that one. We got a price for one of Ophelia's things, which wasn't even custom, so I... Yeah, it's gonna be a lot. Honestly, I kind of blacked out when I heard thousand. I think when you say 8,000, there's kind of a partisan taste that looks down at his chest like...

There you go. You won. Oh, thank Xanthius. That's a really nice present. Yeah, I just turn into... I'm like the guy at the end of Who Framed Roger Rabbit. I'm melting. I start melting.

I'm melting. I'm melting. I'm melting. I'm melting. I'll wear this armor and think of you. So is the plan to go and see Filia's shrine? Yeah, so when they make their way over, you would all have the same experience because to get to the shrine, because I don't think a gate hasn't been put

into the fence yet, so to get to the shrine you have to go out into the garden, then out round, and you kind of get that same thing. The garden, it's overgrown, there are these kind of nasty looking plants like thick vines, you see the single apple tree and it has this kind of oppressive graveyard feeling, but you make your way through it and into a pretty well rebuilt shrine, like what began as a kind of outhouse,

it has like stone foundations and then sort of wooden walls and a roof, a tiled roof. That's all been like repaired. Stone foundations have been given like a new lease of life and kind of like tidied up and refreshed up as well. And you can see the insides, yeah, this beautiful wooden furniture, stone carving, stone kind of columns and this beautiful altar.

A little perhaps ominous to you guys, this dark figure in a broad shoulders in a robe, skull face, crown on its head, holding like a rod with a skull on top of it and a goblet in the other hand that looks like a bowl for blood. It's very, ooh, with these, and then beautiful red drapes behind it, right?

You have this beautiful red drapery and the colors of the Great Father and things like that. Yeah, so that's, that's the one. Hello! Oh, Ophelia, hi. Oh, you need to stop jumping out at people. Sorry, sorry, I didn't hear you approaching. Isn't it fabulous?

Is this the Great Father? This is the Great Father, approaching. Isn't it fabulous? Is this the... This is the grandfather. The three father? Yes, isn't he handsome? Wow. Well, yes. He's, yes, he's... He's much more impressive in real life.

He's much bigger. Bigger. Bigger than that, yeah. Okay. More blood and bones. More blood and bones, where? Where? It's, he's covered in like, it's a doll of death. I know it's your whole thing.

Yes, well, death is celebrated almost. It's not morbid, it's ta-da, you know? I should point out as well, the altar, like the statue is not that big in the shrine. It is, you know, it's like a statue, it's probably an altar. Yeah, it's like a bust, yeah, it's like a large bust. It's on top big in the shrine. It is, you know, it's like a statue. It's probably an altar. A bust. Yeah, it's like a bust.

Yeah, it's like a large bust. It's on top of the altar. Is it weeping blood? Not yet. Not yet. Okay. Well, if it's to your liking, then. Much so.

Good. Look at all the pews. I can have so many people in here. You can. This place is much bigger than I remember it being. It's wonderful. So will you be joining me this morning? I need to do a little bit of shopping

before we get the prayers started. So. Hello. Hello, good morning. Good morning. So all this. Yes. What is going to happen?

Specifically, is it scary? It's not scary. Some sermons, some prayers, maybe find a way to send Tyree up to the Great Father using this. But what does that entail? Do we need to, like a ritual like we did in the tavern or? Probably, probably a ritual, sort of. I probably need to ask the grave father

how I would consider it. Is he coming? Well, no, I'll probably just try and pray at the altar and maybe see if he can give me some guidance. Right. Like the cathedral. Like the cathedral. Yes. Daisy's at the door peeking around, but she's not fully stepped in.

Morning, Daisy! We should probably, maybe, do that thing for Tyria before we invite people to start doing things in the house because she doesn't like it when we invite people over. Potentially, but also I kind of want people to see it. Well, yes, but she might get mad. You want to have a talk with her? Do you want me to?

Could be, maybe, you might help. If you wouldn't mind, darling. Okay. Thank you. Oh, it's just, I might have to find her in a little bit because it's very light right now. It's not really her time. Okay.

Maybe in the afternoon, maybe late afternoon, I can have a word. Okay, I'll give you time to do some shopping. So you want an audience for this ritual then? Yes. So it'll be us? Yes, we'll be here, but I mean, I feel like. Teresa will probably be coming since she's now following the faith and.

Oh, great. Committed then, that's. Did she? She was very interested. When did you, okay, okay. She came here and then we had a lovely discussion. She made her interests very well known, it was wonderful. Okay, who else would you like here?

I mean, we could help. We got, I got Vrax coming, Mr. Vrax. Mr. Asshole. Yes. Yes, he might not come. He seemed a bit confused about the whole thing. Fair enough. I just thought he'd be a good defender of the faith

if we were to go off for adventuring. You were your first paladin. Yeah. Wow, she really power game this one. Sure. But also he has connections with, what was it? What was the dragon province? Udaskir? Udaskir.

Udaskir, so he might be able to put in a good word for the house of blood at Udaskir, and I think our common understandings align there in that province. Okay, would you like other people here? I don't know what, how can we help you, I suppose? I guess we can invite people round, I suppose. Get the word out.

Okay. I've only got seating for 10, though. Is... So people would have to stand. It might be really popular. Is there a chance this could go wrong? The only thing that could probably go wrong is that nothing happens,

and I would be terribly embarrassed and full of shame. Okay, so this one. And the great father would hate me. Okay, well, but Tyria won't be enraged, won't be. Yes, we're putting. If we can keep her calm. If we can keep her calm, okay. We're inviting people, citizens,

to a shrine where there is a ghost that's angry. Yes. I don't think people are going to want to come here until we've sorted that part out. So I think maybe what we should do is sort that part first and then the next one. Think of it as a test drive. And then the next one you can invite people over. And then, well, the next, anything that you do, and then there won't be any embarrassment

and also Tyria won't kill anybody, including us. But then how will people see how powerful and wonderful I am when it comes to sending ghosts to the Gravefather? Oh, you want to make an impression. Did come back from the dead. That is true, I am good at that. That's left a... I think witnessing it is probably a bit more...

Sure. Oh, we could do it later. We could do it, yeah, like Daisy suggested. Just knock us one out now? Yeah, we'll just do it now, I suppose. I feel like just maybe talk to the terrifying... As Daisy is kind of perched on the edge of it, Daisy, you're somewhat startled as Percival,

obviously walking very quietly as he does, brushes past you. Ah! Oh, it's Percival. Enters the shrine. Sorry, sorry. Bows to the Sister of Phenia, always. And then will point at Gruffydd,

and then points to back into the inn. Oh, bloody hell! I've got an appointment, I'll be back. Okay, see you in a minute. I'll come with you, Graff. I just got a release book, I'm on edge. Yeah, Percival bows as you make your way back out. Percival, where am I, where is?

As you make your way back into the inn, you do see sort of lurking on the outside, sort of looking into the tavern, like sort of trying to see if anybody's in there or awake. You would see several figures, in fact. The first one you easily recognize as it being the Armélier Marthain of Dante's Armory, accompanied by his mistress, Ilana Vidante, as well as what appeared to be

several other sort of hangers-on and servants, one of which is carrying like a parasol, because it's quite a sunny day, and is carrying like a parasol over Mistress Ilana. And then the other one seems to have like, has several bags and is like carrying things for her. And she's just sort of impassively, probably has a long-stemmed smoking,

cigarette-like thing, kind of just waiting as they're waiting patiently outside. And Marthain is sort of looking not sure whether he can come in or what have you as they are waiting outside for you. Oh, hello, as I come around the side. Oh, Mr. Gruffydd. Sorry, probably best not to go inside.

We've got a bit of a ghost problem. I had been informed that that may be the case. Mistress Ilana Vidante, a pleasure to see you again. Knight Errant Gruff. The pleasure is all mine, mistress. You're looking ravishing today. You are learning the ways of how to act in front of caverns. I see. Very good. Thank you. I am feeling very well. How did you find the armour?

Oh, it was magnificent. Wonderful. Perfect. As should be expected. It absolutely... Masterwork. It's the right name for it. It was a masterwork. Yes, I know. But you found it functional, you could move freely in it, it was accompanied you, did you find it was useful in the battles?

The hide, how was the hide protective? It was absolute, that young lad, that Atlas... Yes, I was very impressed. If it wasn't for that armour, I think he might have actually knocked me down. Oh, truly. You found it that helpful. Marta, make a note that the hide is very useful. Of course, mistress. Absolutely, of course. It's very good.

Well, I'm afraid that we must requisition it back from you. You did such a great performance in the tournament Oh well, I'm afraid that we must requisition it back from you. You did such a great performance in the tournament that I had a buyer who wished to buy it almost immediately. Oh! However. This is funny. And she looks at the thing, she hands it to the servant,

who's like, oh yes mistress. Takes it, holds it in place. She turns around and actually walks over to you and is like, I know that you are quite keen on this armor, but I am a business woman and I must make sure that my products are available. However, and she will take the pauldron off, she like disconnects the things,

this is not part of the armor, and I would like you to keep it. Is that the one with the Chinese lion? Yeah. Aw. And like keeps the boldric, she like lion? The one, yeah. Yeah. Aw. And like, keeps the Baldrick, she like takes off the Baldrick for you and takes all that and like,

this is for you to keep. Aw. Are you sure, mistress? Yes, because I hope that when you are wealthy enough, you will come by and commission a new set of armor to compliment it. Oh, you would be the very first. I, I couldn't see anyone else armoring me.

Thank you, mistress. That's the nicest thing. That's a great honor. Please, and as always, if anybody asks, you will, of course, tell them who has made it from you. And if you encounter any of my brothers and sisters of the Dante name, you will make sure that they know that I am the one who will be armoring you in your future career.

I will sing your praises from the east coast to the west coast, from the north to south. Music to my ears, Marthane, music to my ears. I like this one. We must make sure that we have always a space for Knight Errand Gruffydd in the shop. Of course, mistress, of course. It would be my very pleasure.

Would you mind, sir, if I take the armor from you now? Have you taken it off or have you? I imagine, yeah, because it's one of those cleaning. He's kind of great for the site, yeah. I'll just quickly go in, grab it, and bring it back out. Okay, so yeah, he like, takes it all, he like, wraps it all up neatly, places it in like a large leather knapsack,

like the various pieces of it, carries what of it, he can't fit into the knapsack, you know, things like the van braces and stuff will get taken apart. He does meticulously check over all of it and just like, oh, thank you very much for oiling it and taking care of it. Oh, that saves me saves me a job for later. Very good. Excellent. Well, thank you so much. And again, Elana Vidante will just say, and of course, and then she puts the strap back over you, herself actually, and sort of like attaches the Baldric. So now it's just like a leather Baldric, so like the strap with the pauldron,

but over your normal furs. Kind of very wharf-like with the large Baldric thing. I know you appreciate that. Not enough to count as armor, but it is a lovely decorative piece, and again, would easily fit back onto a piece of armor if you wanted it. Still, before I go, is that delightful Lady Formosius

available? Oh yeah, I thought you might ask. Sister Ophelia of the House of Blood is over in, Ashley, shall I show you? Oh, we have some time, yes. What about this ghost problem? Is there anything I need to worry about? Oh, it should be okay in the Shrine.

Oh, right, very good, yes, okay, very good. I won't take long, Mathayne, you can stay here. Keep these two out of trouble. Milady, your parasol? No, no, no, it's fine. Gruff will take the parasol. Ah, you see that the guy is almost like, no, it's fine. Gruff will take the parasol. You see that the guy is almost like, no, I don't want to give it to him.

He's like, yes, yes, hand it over to Lydar and Gruff. He's like, I'm a parasol boy. He's looking like, what am I? No one. Aw, parasol. She'll turn around and be like, Peter, give him the parasol. Very good.

Also, Peter the parasol boy. Peter the parasol boy. Peter the parasol boy. Yeah. And yeah, you take through, you have to go through the inn and the outside. There is a moment when Ilana steps into the inn as you begin making your way. Just one of the upstairs doors slams

and there's like a rumble. And you see Ilana kind of like stops for a minute, and there's a brief moment where like, oh, was that the wind? And she kind of looks and she's like, nope. And she like puts a stiff upper lip on it and like continues like, I'm not going to be phased, I'm not going to be phased.

It's okay Tyra, we're just passing through really quickly, but we are gonna talk to you later. Okay, it's fine. And you get through, she accompanies you through the garden again, sort of like, oh, this is a bit, oh. She's like, you stay here all the time?

It's a work in progress. Oh, very well, well, you are certainly very brave. And then you lead it through, and enter in the shrine. When Ilana comes back in the shrine, is Ophelia and the rest of you doing anything, is anything happening? I'm just, I guess I'm just pointing out, like, see the drapes?

Look at how beautiful the drapes are. It's a very deep red, if you've managed to find one. I'm trying all the pews out. Oh, how are they? It's a good view from back here. I like this view. What would you say is the best seat? I don't know, my knees are scraping all the pews,

maybe the front. The front one? Yes. I'm gonna reserve that then for special guests. Oh. Hmm. It's really lovely, it's got a cushion, so it's like a pubic, it's got like a velvet plush cushion

built into it, so it feels quite soft to sit on. Very nice. And the masonry work on the bust is... Oh yes, well. Squishy, really. It's wonderful. I mean, all your masons around here are very talented. So you said this was, he's normally larger, obviously.

Yes, yes, much. How accurate would you say this is to the real? I'm actually really impressed. They managed to capture his amazing cheekbones the way that the skull comes down into the jaw and the upper man. Oh, you're right, yes. It's quite wonderful, actually.

Probably the point where as Ophelia's leaning into the statue, yeah, Gruff, Daisy and... I give a concerned look to Rowan. Knock, knock. Oh, knock, knock. Elana Vedanta. Lois Sisto-Ophelia, my dear, it's a pleasure. I was stopping by to claim back my armor

from Knight Eren Gruffydd, and I thought, well, I should at least stop in and say thank you very much for a wonderful evening and our delightful conversation. Oh, thank you very much. You are quite the skilled dancer as well. It's always a pleasure. And as are you, and you're quite the skilled armorsmith. Yes, I am, yes.

It is very true. It is something of a, I'm very pleased with my work. It seems that Gruffydd, Knight Aaron Gruffydd, enjoy the piece that I made for them. Perhaps I can have something if you have the coin. I can make something for you in the future. I would be flattered. Something to extenuate such ravenous

and exotic beauty, of course. Oh, you flatter me, you flatter me. That is the way, that is the way. You are in caldre. If you are not being flattered and complimented, then well, you've done something wrong, I would say. Are you free this evening? I think that I should be free for a drink

or a bite to eat, perhaps. I think we should continue our rather marvelous conversation over dinner, don't you think? Oh, well, where would you recommend for this? The Grumpy Hog is quite nice. Yes. I mean, is there any way you fancy? Yes, acceptable. All right, well, if it is not home- I mean, is there any way you fancy?

Well, if it is not home-cooked food, there are not many other places. Cold! The other place would sound wonderful. Well. Clever Toad. Sorry? It's a good stewing, Clever Toad.

Clever Toad? I don't think I've ever heard of it. You don't need to worry about the Clever Toad. Oh, it's wonderful. Hello. Yes, hello. I could set you up've ever heard of it. If you don't need to worry about the clever toad. Oh, it's wonderful. Hello. Yes, hello. I could set you up with a table and everything. At this clever toad?

Whereabouts in Ashenrest is it? By the port. Oh, by the river. Yes. Oh, interesting. I don't often go into the riverside. They're so lovely there. There's so many kobolds.

Kobolds? Yeah. I see. I have a really big one, who's my best friend? That sounds very nice. Perhaps another time, perhaps. They might be busy tonight anyway. Yes, of course, it sounds like they may very much be.

Yes, definitely we'll add it to the next list. Ophelia will wait. Yes, yes, yes. That's another one. This pew is a good view, Ophelia. This is, yes, this is a shrine that you've had built? About your faith that you were telling me about? Yes, this is, yes, this is the grave father

and I point to the bust at the front. Oh, she's a little sort of taken back. I quite the prominent skull. Yes, yes, isn't he marvelous? Yes, yes, I suppose he marvelous? Yes, yes. I suppose I'm afraid I know very little. You'll have to tell me more. Oh, I will.

Yes, a very interesting ambiance, shall we say. Yes. Are those skulls up on the... Yes, they are, yes. Yes, very good. Well, I will see you perhaps then for dinner. Yes, that would be lovely. Yes, very good. A, I will see you perhaps then for dinner. Yes, that would be lovely. Yes, very good.

A good day to you all. Bye. Oh, Gruffydd, would you mind escorting me back? Yeah, I'll come for a second. Yeah. You see... As she leaves, or as they leave, I'm like looking at Ophelia.

Mm. She's interesting, I like her. Yeah, she seems really nice. I think something's going on here, guys. What do you mean? We go for dinner, maybe two dinners? Maybe, I like her conversation and she's a wonderful artist.

You literally said like another date after that. Oh, I was like, two dinners? Two dinners and seven breakfasts in one night? Well, I think. Well, no, my thought was like, there's yum yum dinner and then there's. Two dinners? Two dinners and seven breakfasts in one night? You just... Well, no, my thought was like, there's yum yum dinner and then there's... Oh, I see. That's what I thought you were hinting at.

I do like the idea that Gruff, when you get them outside, parasol Peter, as I'm now calling him, is just looking despondent. Like, what is my life? What do I do now? That was my job. He's trying to get the long cigarette thing off the other guy. Yes I do now? That was my job. He's trying to get the long cigarette thing off the other guy.

He's like, no, that's my job. She gave it to me, I interested in it. He's like putting a new one in there and keeping it lit. Cigarette craze. I'm Smokey Simon. Smokey Simon, yeah. Now, Groff will hand. Cigarette Colin.

Colin and cigarette, yeah. I think while we're walking back as well, I think Graf will also kind of up talk Ophelia. Oh, okay, yeah. Oh, great. Bang Graf. Yes! Give me a insight roll, Graf.

Oh, God. What is done? Eight plus four. Eight plus four. Eight plus four, so 12. Yeah, like in the kind of conversation, you're kind of like up talking a few there a little bit. And you can tell that Elana is definitely like, she's like, oh yeah, she's very beautiful, blah, blah, blah,

kind of interesting, very, Homeland sounds very interesting. You probably get the impression, Gruff would get the impression. Elana'sana's not interested in anything long term or serious. This is like, she's enjoying the game of flirting and the whining in the dining. There's probably not much more, you know, this is not a serious thing,

but it's definitely enjoys being pursued. I think Gruff doesn't like, you know, that doesn't really bother him. He's still gonna wing that out. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, absolutely. But you would just, you would probably pick up on that. They're like, oh, you don't think that doesn't really bother him, he's still gonna wing that out. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, absolutely. But you would probably pick up on that, that like, oh, you don't think that this is super serious. Back in the shrine, Ophelia Vedante

has a wonderful ring to it. Yeah. Ooh. You're marrying into money, there's some money there. And then you can get Gruff all the armor that he wants. Yes. Turn the tavern into a family home. No, become an armorer. A killer. He's here! He's here! He's here! He's here! He's here! He's here! He's here!

He's here! He's here! He's here! He's here! He's here! He's here! He's here! He's here!

He's here! He's here! He's here! He's here! He's here! He's here! He's here! He's here!

He's here! He's here! He's here! He's here! He's here! He's here! He's here! He's here! He's here! He's here! He's here! He's here! Guys, um... Fresh ghosts. New ghosts! We collect them now. May I have your armor card black, please?

Oh, my god. Here you go, farewell, my beautiful. You're gonna see someone walking around in that armor one day. I'm gonna bite your head off. Yeah. What a shame. What was the, sorry, what was the name for the...

It's just a pauldron. It's just, yeah, like, I didn't really give it a name. No, you called the actual... Baldrick. No, a baldrick is the leather thing that holds it together. So it's the thing that wolf wears. Yeah. It's that thing that goes across your body and holds pieces of armor in place.

So it's a pauldron attached to a baldrick. Baldrick. Cool, thank you. Nice. in place, so it's a pauldron attached to a baldric. Baldric. Cool, thank you. Yeah. Nice. That's the ornate lion. Yeah. Is that metal, that thing?

That bit was one of the few pieces of metal, yeah, because as a druid, Gruff can't wear full armor of metal, but can have metal ornamentation, so. It was like a sculpted piece of steel and leather, and probably got gemstones in the eyes, like two small gemstones. What color are gruff's eyes? Blue, so they'd be a little tiny,

like probably not sapphires, they're probably more like some sort of cheaper gemstone, but like just set into it. Nice, okay. And that's yours now. Just put me on the fucking spot there, I don't know. Listen, yeah, sometimes you can, but that's it, now it's canon, now. I just look at the artwork and I'm like, ugh.

So with all that out of the way, anything anybody would like to do or anything people wanna follow up on? So, just role play. This ritual of yours, you said you needed to pick up some things. Yes, I need to get some candles. Okay.

And incense. We might still have some from the, also pick up some things. Yes, I need to get some candles. Okay. And incense. We might still have some from the, also might have some incense. Well that's fine. Some, sorry, what was the last thing? We might already have the other things from the last ritual. Oh no, you've got plenty of it.

What about like snacks or something, like maybe a bowl of like, Oh yeah, like the snacks. Carrots. A bowl of carrots, would you like a bowl of carrots? Could get a bowl of carrots. A bowl of carrots, would you like a bowl of carrots? We could get a bowl of carrots. Pass that around the pews. Yeah, a bowl of carrots.

Donation, do I take donations? Do I ask for donations? Do you normally do that in Osseous, take donations? I guess not, no, but now... They would, different kind of donation in the House of Blood. It would be a little bit of the red stuff. I can't remember. Did the Church of the Scion take donations? They did, didn't they?

Because Gruff made a donation. Yeah. Maybe that's just how... Saints and Scions take donations. I mean... I don't want to... Maybe that's how the Ylmeran branch does it. But that's how the Saints and Scions do it, I suppose. It's not how the Gravefather does it.

I just think it'd be nice to get money. Yeah. Money buys things. Money do buy things. And the Gravefather does it. I just think it'd be nice to get money. Yeah, money buys things. Money do buy thing. And the Gravefather does... Gravefather like thing. It's probably not a big part of the teachings, but the Gravefather would probably... I don't feel like he'd be opposed to it.

Yeah, no, he'd probably be a bit of like, yeah, like having ostentatious tombs and things like that. Yeah, I understand. Make this shrine better. Or me, give me your money. Give me your money. Give me your money. I mean, I will say from the sounds of it, there are actually already still some similarities

between your sermon and the sermons I'm used to at the Saints and Scions Church. Oh, really? Yes, so I would have expected to give a donation. We asked for a donation. Oh, that's good to hear. So two balls, one for carrots. Carrot ball. Carrot ball.

Goal ball. And then goal ball. Just don't eat the other one. No. Well, well. But, okay, is there anything you need us to do? Or are you just going to lead this entire Tyria transferencing?

Just getting word out, I suppose, that there's going to be a sermon later today. But other than that, I just, apart from the shopping and the Tyria stuff, no, I guess not. But provided all goes well, which I'm sure it will. Oh, thank you. Tyria will be away from the tavern. Off to the graveyard as she goes, yes.

Okay. Okay. Great. As long as you're all happy to proceed. Yeah. Yes? Yeah, Tyria made a decision, right? Well, I certainly feel more comfortable having spoken to Tyria,

and I think Tyria herself has given me a lot to think about. Of course, I think he's given us all a lot to think about. Yeah. With that, we can jump a bit ahead, because I think the things that Ophelia needs to buy, they are just, spend some money. Just some money, get them things, put them in the house. It's very easy to buy candles and incense.

There are many stores in town. It's not our first ritual. No, very easy to buy that stuff. How much is it for the... 25 gold worth. Yeah, so just mark off 25. Gold, either of your own personal or... A lot of the incense is quite expensive.

It's like ritual incense and candles with like carton box and stuff. There's gonna be a hot box sitting in there. Yeah, incense. Yeah, with a window. It smells so good. Does Ophelia have enough personal money to cover that, or do you need to go into the group stuff? Yes, I've got enough.

So you can buy that stuff. What about the rest of you, while Ophelia's picking up these bits and pieces? What's everyone else up to? I think we'd made some plans off screen, I suppose, of what we'd do for the tavern as well. I think if there's a way for us to make preparations for provided Tyria, that would work well.

We would. You could easily set it up so that like, hey, we wanna get a quote. We don't want the building work. We'll tell you when to start because we've got a sort of problem. But then when that situation's done, we'd like you to get to work. We've got a sort of problem. But then when that situation's done, we'd like you to get to work.

You've got a whole ass ghost in there. So, because you did get some prices for this before, however, since then, you guys have been heroes of Ash's Rest, and you've earned yourselves a discount. I thought you were gonna say no, no, no, no, no. I told you that buying things in the town, you do get discounts and stuff on certain things. And this is one of them.

So now, the first thing you've got to do is repair the building. So to do anything, to do upgrades, to have new furnishings put in, all of that stuff, you have to repair the damage that is currently there. To do that, you need to fix the roof, which will take seven days, and will now cost you 200 gold of materials

and 200 gold of labor. That's a 200 gold discount from what you were quoted before. Nice. So it's 400 gold for labor and materials to repair the roof in seven days. You then have the windows. There are 11 broken windows, and it will cost now 15 gold per window,

which is adjusted from 20 gold per window, which it was previously. So in total, that would be 565 gold to repair the inn. You then have the garden. The garden is in a terrible state, it's overgrown, and you can't do anything with the garden until it's currently dealt with. That will cost you 150 gold to get that sorted

by other people. You could try and do it yourself, but it will take time and checks and things like that. Sure. Once the garden is clear, you'll have a couple of options of what you wanna do with it. It basically counts as a slot in your bastion,

your stronghold, and you can do stuff with that. You could like grow vegetables and then have like food that you can take with you. You could grow herbs to try and use in alchemy. You could have like a, what I would call a druidic locust, which would be a sort of similar to a shrine, but for druids to kind of harness nature magic. It might also benefit Rowan,

because a lot of Rowan's magic is connected to the earth and land. So that could also be a thing that it might benefit Gruff and Rowan, right? The building itself. We're gonna have five shrines in this place. Maybe. Once the repairs on the inn are done,

you then, because we did talk about you guys wanting to basically get it to standard furnishings, where you can live in it and functions. Roof, windows and garden, that's the entire repair thing. That's just to repair it. So what was the total cost, sorry, of the? So, 565 for the inn, and then 150 gold for the garden. Okay, sure.

So 715 for everything. Yeah, 715 for everything. To fix. To fix it, no furnishings, no special stuff, just to get it repaired and watertight and stable. That will also include little things like, they'll go around and fix all the floorboards that are rotten and stuff like that,

with all the general fixes and stuff. Yeah, that's just an empty building. Empty building. Then to get it fitted with standard furnishings and utilities for the bedrooms, the bar, and the kitchen will cost you 600 gold. So that will outfit every room with bed, trunk, like desk that will fit.

You can also choose to turn the attic room into two smaller rooms, or you can fix up the stairs and the cellar and add ventilation so that can be used as a bedroom. So this way you've got three normal bedrooms in the inn currently. Then the attic room is big enough that you could turn it into two,

so you would have five single person rooms. That'd be one for each of you then. Okay. Okay, so that would be 600 to do. To do all of that. You would also get a kitchen, like a fully equipped kitchen, which will give you a plus two bonus

to any cooking checks that you make there. And then the bar could also be run as a functional bar, tavern bar. It doesn't cover the cost of things like stock though, or like people to run it for you. It's ad hoc. Yeah, basically. Yes.

But you would have like, all the cakes would be repaired. You'd have like, we'd also need staff, right? You'd have to have like staff and stock and things like that. But the idea being that you could use the inn to generate passive income, like a small amount of gold every 12 days.

I know what you're thinking. That's a concern. No! Staff. No! I'd get staff. No! Okay. I think it worked throughout the day. I think it's fine. And every labor,

that's how Osseous does it, baby! They're free! A touch of Osseous. Well, I imagine that in Osseous, like a Barman would still be human, or like an intelligent Unite. Whereas like, the people that go and get the kegs up from the cellar,

or do all the manual labor, they use skeletons, 100%. Or like Wraiths or whatever, they would 100% do that. Any manual labor. There's a skeleton standing above the sink, permanently doing the motions of washing a dish, Skeletons, 100%, or like wraiths or whatever, they would 100% do that. Any manual level. There's a skeleton standing above the sink, permanently doing the motions of washing a dish, you just have to put the dish and the cloth in their hands.

No, they get the dish. Oh, okay. You'd program the skeleton of dirty dishes, put them in the sink, wash them, put the clean plates there. Skeleton does it, easy. Serving drinks, skeletons could serve drinks. We won't even need to change the name, the enticing devil would fit just fine for that kind of vibe.

The Dance Macabre. No. Do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do I'm proud of that. But yeah, just to, so we don't get off track, so yeah, that's, so the repairs, and then 600 gold to furnish the whole place. That's not as bad as I thought it was gonna be. That is just to get it to a basic level. Yeah, that's what we need to know. And what that will also mean is, while you guys have been resting here recently, it hasn't been too much of an issue,

because you haven't had combat for a while, but when you rest at the inn, it will be treated as a normal rest. You'll get all your normal stuff back. Right now, you're only getting about half of your hit points back when you rest here, because it's not very comfortable.

And we're being rained on. Yeah. Okay, so how long would it take, sorry, total for, so seven days for the roof. Yeah. How long for like? I'd say like seven days for the whole thing. If you paid for it all together,

it would take about seven days to have all the beds and furniture made and delivered and put in, you know. So, 1,315 to do everything. Furnished and repaired. Furnished and repaired and seven days. Including the garden. The garden will be cleared out. Pretty good, and then we can start to change.

How much platinum do we have? We were given 5,000 gold via the Auric Bank from Duke Ignorius. You have spent some of that. 500 of it went on the shrine. Yeah. 500 of it went on the shrine. Oh, some of it went on armor for Gruff's items that you got as well.

But I think we should still have. How much did we spend on the shrine? 500. 500. Yep. And then how much did I spend on armor? Didn't write it down, so I spent nothing. That is not true. I definitely gave you prices.

It was for the shield and for the star. Yes. Yeah. I believe gave you prices. It was for the shield and for the staff. Yes. I believe it was 300 and 200. Something like that. I'll need to go through my notes. Yeah, I mean, we do definitely have enough to do this. Definitely do. We can commission and work with people to start that.

We need 4,000 gold. Sorry? 4,000 gold. Yeah, great. We need 1,600, so... So I think definitely like... $1,615. I think perhaps it's slightly more expensive than that, but...

Yeah, it might be. We can start to commission people to start doing that. With the $300. Around the Carpenter's... Yeah, under the proviso of... Don't start just yet. Yeah, like, do you guys have any... So, as part of this, like, if you guys have any specific small cosmetic requests, they can adapt those in.

Things like your beds and desks or like any small pieces of furniture. You know, do you want like a little stage in the main, like in the main wall? Yeah. Corner stage. Yeah, get a little corner stage. It would be built in where the stairs are currently.

Can it be a pit? Because if it's any taller, my head would get ruined. So there is a cellar, but there's enough ground, they could probably have a little sunken little bit if you wanted to. You think so? Yeah. Just raise up the rest of the tavern. Well, because it's a balcony tavern,

because the stage would go where the stairs are, you wouldn't have to worry about head room because that's all open for the balcony. So the main chamber's actually kind of like a very big open open space. Oh, you'd be okay that's not a normal stage. Yeah, but yeah, if there's anything, any little details like that.

Yeah, I guess I'm not too bad. Pup, pup, no. If you're a pup, pup, write down. This is a little art station. You want a little art station in a room or? Yeah. That's a point, it was also, do you want the attic room to be turned into two bedrooms,

or do you want to convert the cellar? I feel like the cellar could be for, if we start the pub or anything, we can put stock there. Yeah, yeah, I mean, it's also like, you could like, if you wanted to say like an alchemy lab, like you could make the cellar, is that into it and stuff like that. Yeah, I feel like the cellar's more of an other thing.

So attic's probably better. Okay, so converted attic room. Student housing. Yeah, is there like a college divide? Yeah. Keep in mind that there is an outhouse, but there's no bath, you would have to go to the public bath, there's no private bath. Okay, currently.

Oh, how positive. What I think might be cool is a workshop for like tinkering, doing that sort of thing. Well like creating armor or something. Cartography, masonry, tools, that sort of thing. An outside space where we can work on projects. Yeah, so you have to be specific because it would basically, if you want to leather work

at like a crafting station, would be different to say like a cartography room or something like that. That stuff, if you tell me what you are thinking about, I will go away and come up with a price and an effect that it will do. And then we'll look at that once the repairs are all done. So think of this as level one. Get it to tier one and then you can go from there.

But definitely have a think about stuff like that because I'm kind of making these rules up myself. So anything goes. We're not beholden to what somebody else has done before. If you guys are like, I want a crystal ball room. I'll be like, cool, let's figure out what that is and how it's gonna work, if you know what I mean. I think we were throwing out dumb ideas

as we were talking about it the other day. But the basic thing is just getting it into a standard where we can live in it comfortably for now. And not be rained on. A bed for Percy. A bed for Percy. He's got the cellar. No, he wants a little comfy bed.

He wants a bed, does he? Yeah, a comfy bed. There's not enough bedrooms. So, you need to get a bed. Yeah, so the rooms, I'd say the rooms can sleep two people if they are basically very close, like bunk beds or sharing a bed. Or in Percy's case,

because Ophelia, do you want a bed or do you want a coffin? Oh, coffin! You're like the Sims. Like sleep upright like this. Yeah. Yeah. And then so Percival could probably have a single small bed next to the coffin.

If you really want the skeleton to have a bed, he can have one. He deserves one. Okay. I'm just thinking about what we do in the shadow. But Gio has just got a cupboard on the stairs. Like, Giamo. Giamo.

So Ophelia's room will have, instead of a bed, a coffin. The Woodworkers Guild are like, sorry, a what? Okay. Black and red. The's the obvious thing. And then a little bed for Percy. You've got an art station in Daisy's room, a music stage in the main bar. That will give you, so things like,

I'm not gonna make it, I'm not gonna add an extra cost. If you perform on the stage, I'll give you a minor benefit to performance checks while you're on the stage, or anybody. Also, you can hire musicians. You can hire musicians. You can hire a musician to come and play for you. Or like offer them like a room and board and stuff.

You can host. Yeah. Yeah. Xanthius, you wanna do an open mic thing? Oh. It's like slam poetry. So not to get too gay mechanic. So not to get too gay mechanic on here, but I'm thinking for like the stage.

What you could do is, if you offered a bard room and board, so you'd have to find a space for them to sleep. If you offer a bard room and board and let them perform there, they'll increase your earnings for the tavern, because like musicians will generate more income. Also, you might learn rumors or legends from the bard. So I'll probably, what I'll do is I'll make a bard table

and I'll roll it to see if one is in town and if they come by. And then you can basically be like, oh yeah, yeah, we'll put you up and then you can perform and then you'll pick up maybe a thing or something like that. Obsidious, obsidious. Me and you. Any other little requests or cosmetic things?

Can the garden have some flowers? So you can have like small points, whereas if you want it to be a flower garden as a whole thing, that could be a whole different thing. No, just like a section. Oh yeah, absolutely. You can have like small amounts of flowers and stuff. You can have little flower boxes

outside your window if you want. Yeah, I think Daisy would like to have a little selection because that's what she used to sell flowers, so she would maybe add them as a little thing, like people who come into the bar could buy a little bouquet of flowers if they want. Nice. It'd be a cosmetic thing, but definitely can be do a thing.

Yeah, and then the grave father on the way out. Yeah. I think two ideas. It'd be a cosmetic thing, but definitely can be do a thing. And then flower box a small flower. And then the grave flower on the way out. I think two ideas. One, Gruff would want a kitchen that he can cook in. Yeah, that's part of it. Yeah, you get that. It's part of the basic furnishings. I was actually thinking of some kind of roost

that he could maybe hatch eggs in and maybe train. Probably not diving ice divers, but maybe messenger birds or something like that. Wild hearts lay eggs in his universe? No, he'd go and get some. That's you, you were the egg boy. I think something like that, it'd probably be a bit more of a bigger upgrade, right,

rather than a small room thing, but we could definitely look into something like that. If you wanted to expand the garden or something like that, you could definitely look into something like that. Like if you wanted to like expand the garden or something like that, you could add a slot for like raising birds and then we'll come up with a cool mechanic or benefit that you get. We get chickens and then we can sell the eggs. Make a little farm shop on the side.

Eggs in this world actually all come from lizards. When you have eggs for breakfast, they're lizard eggs. Oh. What would you call it for lizards? There's no such thing as chickens. Like a terrarium incubator? Reptarium. Reptarium.

Reptarium. There probably would be something like chickens, yeah. There are chickens. Lizard eggs. Yum. Yum, yum, yum. Very tasty. But yeah, so like a roost thing would probably

be a good thing. Kitchen you already get. Is there anything like cosmetic that Groth would like? Like a small thing? Just keep it simple and plain. He doesn't have much. Throws his furs down. Lion rug.

Lion. Wild art rug. Daddy. But wouldn't it be more like a human rug? Yeah, a human rug. Parasol. He's a totally nude guy. He's like a parasol bee.

Parasol bee. Petey Parasol. Totally naked, flat on the ground B. Parasol B. Petey parasol. Totally naked, flat on the ground with an apple in his mouth. Little dumpy in the air. Yeah. I mean, that is, that's what you're doing with a lion rug. What about Xanthius or Rowan? Any kind of little cosmetic things?

I think I've got the luxury of this being in cauldra. I think I'm almost expecting that the cauldron carpenters will make something similar-ish to what I'd want from Rust End, but I guess I would have just some golden drapes, curtains, that sort of thing. So not massively different to basically what I'm wearing, but in golden... Take his clothes, hang them from the walls.

Yeah, I throw my clothes at the walls. Okay, that's how I want my, you seem very concerned about your laptop right now. It sounds like a jet engine. It's like going crazy. I don't know why, it's not even that hot. It's just like really... It's about to go.

It's going. It's going. What about Rowan? For podcast listeners, it's vibrating. Rowan wants that feeling when you walk into his room that you've walked into a giant's room and everything's novelty size big. Okay.

Well, he kind of needs a big bed anyway. Yeah, so I would assume that yeah, Rowan would get big bed. Big bed. So I'd say that Rowan's room is probably one way he can't share it with anybody because it's like half of the room is like, fine. It will be set up in a way where I've got like, a slither of space, and I've decorated in a way

that's like, when someone stays in my room, they can go here and it doesn't fit anyone. Yeah, that's it, they have to lie like a plank next to it. I never touch that space and always keep it nice and clean. It's like, someone's gonna stay in my room one day. Well, if you wanted to, because there's probably enough height, you could have a bunk bed.

Rowan could have the bottom. I could have all boulder over. Yeah. Oh, we could bunk. Little slumber bunk. I'm just ready for you to jump on the top bunk and immediately collapse the bed into a single bunk. I like that, all right, the whole thing is so big

that it hits the ceiling and whoever's on the top bunk is like this. Yeah, it's just squeezed in. But that's the thing, right, the whole thing is so big that it hits the ceiling and whoever's on the top bunk is like this. Yeah, it's just squeezed in. But that's the thing, that's the beauty thing of Balder, because he's a Cobalt, he's short but he's wide, so like, he would sit up and probably be okay. But from anyone else.

But he has to go in and out the door sideways. Aw. I feel like Ruin could just get whatever the biggest room is because you are the biggest person. Yeah, well the three side rooms, the three rooms on the balcony are, they're quite big, they're quite large. We do need five beds though,

one for your torso, two legs, two arms. One for head. Zodiac. What were you gonna say? My party has no weak cards, guys. But, what were you gonna say? I My party has no weak cards, Guyber. I saw an Australia. I just thought for Gruff, like a nice little set, maybe some water somewhere, like a little pond

or something like that. Running water, otherwise you can't see it. Don't say running water right now. Pond in the garden. Yeah. A little pond in the garden. Maybe with a little water feature. Stop saying water feature, we're so close to break.

Just some water. All right, yeah, go on. Sound like this. Can I see the little bookcase and like a little book binding station? We're close to break. Just some water. No, I got it. Sound like this. Can I see the little bookcase and like a little book binding station? Oh yeah. So I think she'd want to start writing out.

Are you going to make pamphlets? I think she'd want to start writing out like. Propaganda. Propaganda. Like three father books and just like hand them out. Well you would have a desk, so I think like rather than a book binding station you would have like a little work desk,

but like some shelves and stuff that you can have all your ingredients on. A little bookcase in your room, yep, that'll fit, no problem. Thank you. Alrighty, alright, lovely. Yeah, you can set all of that up. Basically, you go and speak to the, probably be the Carpentry Guild,

and they would take a work order, they'd be like, right, we will hold out, like you combine the materials now, pay for all of this stuff now, we will start work when you tell us to. And we'll keep the work order and hold until then. They're all lined up in a line with a load of tools on their belts ready. It's like gunshot.

No, they will basically slot you in, they're like, yep, we can attribute all of the materials, we've got the workers, but we just need to get a go from you that the project's ready to begin. And they'll start gathering stuff up. They probably would pay some got the workers, but we just need to get a go from you that the project's ready to begin, and they'll start gathering stuff up. They probably would pay some of the money, we will pay for it. Just to get all the materials and stuff,

but if you don't mind, yeah, marking off that amount of money, what was it, 1,615? 1,315. 1,315. If you mark that off. I think that's got the gold and hope. I'm just gonna try.

That's right. And yeah, as soon as you give the word, seven days from that point, it will all be finished. Okay, well hopefully we can line that up with when we set off for the... Queest, as well. Queest. We can come back to a nice, furnished,

completed, not burned down tavern. That would be nice. By the time you have finished doing all of this, Ophelia, while they're doing all of that, you go and buy the candles and the incense, you kind of start getting everything ready for this evening when your guests are gonna arrive and you're gonna conduct this ritual.

When you come back to the enticing devil, two figures are waiting, they haven't entered, they're sort of waiting on the outside. As you do see, Sister Benedicta and Sister Malady are currently waiting outside of the inn itself. So, Malady looks much better. She was sick. Yeah, she has recovered, it seems,

over the last few days. She was still looking even worse than she normally does, but now she is back to still looking very sickly. She's painfully thin, her cheeks are very gaunt, dark eyes, there is still something afflicting her, a malady, but she is better than she seemed. Benedicta also seems a little bit more put together and has sort of gone back to her posture,

very strong, tall, protective, stood next to her sister. But there is no ominous hostility as they're waiting for you. It doesn't look like they're sort of waiting to ambush you. It looks like they are just sort of passing by and have maybe come to speak to you about something. And as you approach, they would just sort of nod their head. Sister Benedicta would like warmly sort of bow. Silence, blessing to you all.

Good morning, good day, and sort of like looks towards all of you, quite smiley, quite happy. Malady, kind of a sly son of a grin, is just like, yes, good day to you all. Do you like a carrot? I am all right, thank you. Prepare a bowl. Benedicta, no, I'm all right, thank you Rowan.

We've eaten lunch. I do not try, I try not to eat out of set times. We wanted to come by to check on you all after everything that has been happening and the tournament. Well fought, I must say, watching you all in the tournament, especially you, Sir Gruffydd, in your one-on-one battles. I was most impressed by your skills.

Thank you. Yes, and congratulations. Malady will say, and I am led to believe that it is Knight Errant, Gruffydd, now. I had the very great honor of meeting Dame Norriekell, and yes, she... what would you call it? Is it knighting though? It would be like, no, it would be,

she's given you a challenge or a test, yeah. Not even title, because knight errant is like an in-between phase. Accepted you, like accepted you as a knight errant. Yeah, I had the great honor of Dame Norikil accepting me into the Order of the Loyal Hounds and setting me on my path. Well, I wish you all the best with it,

Knight Errant Gruffydd. It is a noble cause, and the Circle of Loyal Hounds, I have what limited knowledge I have of them. I believe them to be a group of great intentions and many great members of the Draconic Empire. I wish you all the best with it. And yes, very well fought in the tournament. We thought that we would...

You see she coughs and a bit of blood and black ichor kind of comes out. My apologies. We wanted to come by to inform you that my sister and I have decided to remain in Ashenrest for some time. Oh. With the events of the Lamplighters Guild, the idea being that there could be still some members of the cult that was participated in, it's still active here in Ashenrest,

but also it has fallen to my sister and I from our superiors to help track down the former Sun Sword, Ilkara. We will be coordinating with Xaron Tekkis to try and recover and bring them to justice. But also Savorin, the Speaker of Secrets. They are still waiting for a new replacement priestess of Pyrrhus to come by, and with the added voices of Ser mourning and so glory, we have been requested to remain to help them with religious matters and services

and to help them, Zaron Tekis with his investigations and the like, but I thought that we should let you know that we will be remaining, should you need our assistance or anything. Have you got a house? We will be staying at the, ahem, ahem, we will be staying at the... we will be staying at the cathedral. As is our duty, there are quarters being set aside from us. Unfortunately, some of

the priests and warriors who were stationed there previously fell in the battle against the demons and that gives us a space to make our own. Xanthias? Oh, yes? I think that, may we speak in private temporarily? Yeah, I'll turn to Ophelia or Daisy. Do you think Tyria will allow us to speak in the tavern? I can go speak to her and come see if she'll calm down for now. Okay, well it's quite late now, but. I think I should be all right.

As long as Benedicta does not enter, I have a means of sort of masking my presence to the undead. I can keep an eye out for you anyway, just in case. That'd be all right. And you don't wish for the others to be? Well, that is your choice. It concerns a matter I had discussed with you previously in private.

Why not have a carrot before you go? Why not as in, let them listen. Let's just speak privately. Very good. She will, she holds her fingers up and she chants something, and you see a kind of flickering field of magic kind of surround her.

She's gonna cast Sanctuary on herself. Ah, okay, makes sense. That's why. And when she enters, that seems to have some sort of effect, like Tyria doesn't almost seem to notice her presence as much. But she steps inside with Eusanthius and will sort of draw you aside.

Whilst I was unwell, I used my time. I do not like to sit or rest idly, even if my body does not allow me to do much physical. So I turned matters to research. I sent for some works to be sent to me, and I gathered what research I could from my own collection. I have been researching crowns. You know how forbidden that is.

It is forbidden to all but the Church of the Sions. We were entrusted with its destruction after the Oriate Insurrection. The ecliptic order is one of the few that is allowed to research it for the matter of its destruction and safe storage. I see. And did you discover a way to remove it, hopefully?

I have discovered that there are ways to, there are rituals that can slow it down, slow down the corruption, the mutation. OK. Slow down the corruption, the mutation. Okay. Have you found your body mutating? It's been, we did not fully discuss the nature of your affliction in detail. That's true. Yeah, I guess they haven't seen the hand or anything,

have they? It's just, they just know. They had an idea and it was kind of confirmed. Yeah, I haven't seen anything. We haven't seen any of it, I haven't seen the hand or anything, have they? It's just... No. They just noticed. They had an idea and it was kind of confirmed. Yeah. They haven't seen any of it. I haven't seen any of it. I don't think so.

But they know and they said they'd help me. Yes, I have been experiencing a creeping corruption, I suppose, across my arm. Kill me. I will, yep, take the glove off, and any bandages therein. She not snatches, but kind of like, definitely reaches out to take your hand.

Kind of like a grandmother, kind of almost, kind of takes your hand, almost cautiously touching it, doesn't want to touch it, but then sort of braves it and sort of looks. I think this is now like the third or fourth time this has happened to me. I'm almost like, yeah, here you go. Yeah, just look at it.

Yes, the mutation is inflicting your arm. This has grown rapidly, slowly. Ah, it first started a week ago. Because it was like three weeks ago that I came out of Kelsox. 12, 15 days. 12 days ago, at least. And has grown across my arm since.

But slowly, ish. I had always suspected that your affliction is different to others. The actual metal, you do not wear it. It is embedded in you, yes? It is. Would you like to see that too? I think it's here to be important. Before I show you though, there's no risk of you being...

enticed by this. I know you're not. being enticed by this, I know you're not. No, of that you can be assured, Xanthius Oregon. Am I getting like a... I've recently had an eerily similar interrogation to this, but I got a vibe from Obsidius of both anger and like, and almost genuine kind of protection from Obsidius. Am I getting like a different vibe from this entirely? That's an insight check, man.

Uh, okay, insight. Watch this. Okay, a 15 plus two, so 17. 17, oh, plus two, cause I know wisdom's low for you. It is. Protectiveness, there are... There's certainly no greed. Yeah.

There is a curiosity, the way that her eyes kind of linger on the mutated flesh, but there's not an avarice, there's not a want. Okay. There is a a caution, whether that's towards you, like a worry for your sake, or worry for her sake, or worry for the world's sake,

you're not sure, but there's definitely trepidation and caution here. Okay. As she, you see that her, but there's definitely trepidation and caution here. Okay. And she, you see that her hand, she's kind of holding the hand, but the other one is holding like a symbol of melee that she wears. And you can see that her hand begins to form

into what could be a defensive spell, or like some sort of spellcasting. But it's not actively casting, but it's ready to react to something. Is there a sort of spellcasting. But it's not actively casting, but is ready to react to something. Is there a sort of vibe, though? I know that I kind of used to use that in Side Check, but is there a vibe of almost like, they're looking at me as if I'm just Cramsteam,

or like all I am is this thing, or is she actually like regarding Xanadu? No, she does, yeah. There's definitely a regard of there is a person here. Okay. Yeah, in that case I would slowly like, yeah, take off the garments and... Yes, I figured, I theorized that this would be

something of the case. If you were just wearing it, there would have been a different matter altogether. No, but protected by these runic spells. I don't know if it's holding it off, but. Oh, it is, most certainly. It is interesting from my research. Crownsteel, Crownsteel is highly corruptive.

Not just to those who bear it. It has a radius. Am I negatively affecting? I don't believe so, and that is the curious thing to me, Xanthias Oragon. Normally it would be detected. I have trained myself to pick up on influences of magic, ill magic. I did not detect any from you when we first met, yet my theory was that you carried some, and that drew my attention. Whatever this runic magic is, not only is it keeping it within your body,

it is also preventing it from influencing anyone else around you. Like a poison buried deep within, not spilling out. Crown still normally, when we recover it, when it has been encountered by my order, Normally, when we recover it, when it has been encountered by my order, it must be contained, non-organic and airtight. Otherwise, people who are exposed to it for long periods of time begin to show signs of mutation and corruption. Okay. Well, I guess it removes any guilt I might have

for the people around me. But does that mean I would be protected from other sources of crown steel? Unlikely. Whatever magic this is, and she taps the field, little spark of magic, whatever this is, it is consuming a large amount of magical power. You said that you, how long have you had this magic? Ever since this stabbed into me.

What you might find were you not, were it not desperately trying to contain the crown steel, this magic may be more powerful. You'd be able to use it in a more powerful degree. It is almost using much of its potential to contain the Crownsteel. What is curious is I have never encountered magic that could contain Crownsteel.

So even provided this is safely removed from me, I would still have the magic? If it is yours, which I believe it must be. I see. How much do crown steel enhances magic? If it is used as, say, forging of a magic blade, it will make the magic blade stronger. If a magical creature consumes it, eats it, digests it, it enhances their own natural magic.

I believe that it has done the same thing for you, it has enhanced a natural magic you possess, perhaps brought it to the forefront. But it's still siphoning a lot of it to protect me from the Cransteel. It is a poison within your body, it is still affecting you, it can contain it, but it is seeping like a toxin in a broken vial.

The cracks are letting it seep out into the bloodstream. You should be very cautious. And should you encounter any more Crownsteel, be wary of what I've told you. I will. Before you go, do you do any research in the vaults, the, fuck what are they called? Proto Magi Vaults.

Ah, not into the vaults themselves. We do not research, we fight against vaultspawn, the ecliptic order often deals with creatures that have gained dangerous magic within these vaults. A lot of it is unpredictable, unwieldy. There have been many cases of people coming out of these vaults with powers, destructive, harmful powers, and sometimes the ecliptic order is sent to deal with them.

But we are often kept busy with more plain-art matters. There are those, there are parties and factions who are dedicated to delving into the vaults. But they are not ones to which I have much communication. Okay. I just believe that might be my next lead in discovering some way to remove the Crown's deal. Safely.

What leads you to that theory? Little Bird told me. How curious. What little bird would this be? Yeah, it was Blackwing. Give me an inception check. Oh no, Blackwing did hint at it. He did, yeah. That was where, Blackwing did hint at it. He did, he did, yeah.

That was where I got the initial like... He did hint at it. I was like, because technically you talked to with Obsidius about it, but... Yes, but like, yeah, I got the idea of that from Blackwing, which is what I said to Obsidius as well. You would see Malate the Elf. Again, those who can sense this magic seem to be able to pick me out very, very easily.

Or just spot me in the open, I suppose. I am of this world. I am of Orphea. I believe very much in the people of this place. The elf is not. I told you that crown steel enhances magic, yes? Yes. Magical beings, creatures made of magic manifest. To them this is an invaluable material. It makes them more powerful.

From personal experience, don't trust anything from the Blains. I... Especially the Fae. They are... They are more deceptive than you know. When it comes to the Crasseal itself, I don't trust anyone with that. But if it's my only lead to get this removed safely,

I'll follow it. Doesn't mean I'll necessarily act on it. Good, be cautious. Remember that you have an ally in me in this. I know. Good. She kind of like clutches her chest, strange, and brings back old memories, talking of Faye and their deals.

Still, let us leave it at that. We will have an opportunity to speak again, I'm sure, but be cautious, watch for this mutation, and just remember, whatever it is, this magic, it is preventing it from affecting those around you. Regular crown steel, it has a malign aura. I see.

No, that is good to know. I'm more hidden than I thought. Yes, yes. It will take someone of great skill or someone very magically powerful to be able to detect this upon you or realize to notice it. But as that mutation grows, as it changes, it may become more obvious. I have witnessed only one other who was mutated by Crownsteel.

They had carried it for a long time. Oh. They were very noticeable, shall we say. I see. I suppose I don't want to hear the story. Oh. They were very noticeable, shall we say. I see. I suppose I don't want to hear the story. They...they would not have been able to hide, as you have. Right.

That arm, you can put a glove on it for now. If it increases in size or mass, or the scales and spikes grow much larger, you will find that much harder to do, I imagine. Okay. They are monsters, Sathius Oragon. That metal is a foul thing, and it makes monsters of men and women. Always remember that. I will. Good.

Well, let us be off then. She kind of like stretches herself, grabs her cane and makes her way down to the door. Yeah, I'll open the door for her to pass through. I guess if everyone else is doing their own thing. Well, I would like to come back to that, but I've already gone way over. It's time for a break.

I know you all want to go pee, so it's break time. Okay. Back and I'll see you in part two of today's episode. Bye. See ya. I spent seven years studying to become a monk and then became a psychiatrist. I want to tell you a little bit about my podcast, Healthy Gamer Gigi, where we combine my clinical experience of practicing psychiatry and sprinkle in years of experience as a meditation teacher and sort of focus on spirituality. So on the podcast, we're going to approach very common everyday problems from each of

these lenses. And what we really do well is blend science and spirituality to create the most accessible solutions for people for their everyday problems. So check us out at Healthy Gamer Gigi on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple.