C1 | Welcome to the Blade's Edge | S1E1

Opening

Upbeat Techno-pop music plays

Kurt: Hey everybody! Welcome to Tales by Daggerlight! We are excited to get this journey started. We have gotten everything nailed down. We are professional.

Others Laugh

Kai: Not everything.

Kurt: We have a sailing ship and a well oil machine. Yes.

Jenn: So many cogs.

Geoff: And let us know how we did on that presence check about being perfect.

Laugher

Kurt: Aw man, there are so many people that we could thank that started us on this journey that've helped us out, that we've used for guidance and just sanity checks along the way. But we do have a few special people that we want to shout out and I'm gonna pass that over to Geoff.

Geoff: Hey Everybody! So we're gonna start off with the easy thanks. Darrington Press and of course the cast of Critical Role for putting together this incredible system of Daggerheart that we're gonna be playing!

Cheers

Geoff: Obviously, you know, we might be here without them but we certainly wouldn't be here with the enthusiasm we have, so...

Chuckles

Geoff: Excited to play the new system, excited for them to have come out with it and, yeah, looking forward to what happens there. We also need to give some shout outs to some of our vendors and those who have helped us. So LFG, Luck Factory Games, in Concord, North Carolina is where we all met and how this all got started. We all started playing some RPGs there and decided this was a great idea so hopefully you agree. And on top of that we've been working with a couple of great folks. We've got the Legacy Game Tables that have this incredible table that we're playing on.

Kurt: Yeah it's so pretty!

Geoff: If you haven't yet, check out some of the pictures we're going to be putting up on social media that will showcase this incredible table they've given to us. And Jenn correct me, they have a new branding but they've kept the same name, is that right?

Jenn: Yeah, so they used to be Carolina Game Tables, but now their Legacy Game Tables. But the quality is not going anywhere. It is beautifully crafted.

Geoff: And we are excited to have this to play on, it is so nice. We also speaking of things, need to shout out SC Systems. They've done an incredible job, very professional with helping us out selecting the equipment we're going to be using for recording, giving us advice on what we need to get, what's gonna fit best for our situation getting started, and really just helping us along they way of helping make sure we had everything we needed to get going. So that's been incredible, we literally wouldn't be recording this without their assistance.

Kurt: You're hearing us because of them.

Yeahs and Yeps of Agreement

Geoff: Exactly. And of course, Glitz Dice. We've got some of their fancy, fancy dice here in front of us.

Jenn: So fancy.

Geoff: They are rolling so much better than my own, so.

Chuckles

Geoff: Incredible. Go check them out, they are I believe just Glitz Dice on Instagram?

Others confirm

Geoff: And then, of course we have our local artist, Kim J. Allman. He is Kim J Allman on Instagram as well. He is doing our first commission of our groups artwork. So, we're excited to see that. It... his artwork in incredible so if you have any needs, wants, desires, reach out to him on Instagram let's see what we can do there!

Kevin: It is TDB

Ayy!

Kevin: His work is amazing, it really is.

Kurt: Yeah kinda like old school gritty RPG art. And like, so good.

Kevin: Yeah! Fits so well with the tone.

Geoff: So many other people we could thank, but those are the ones that made my list for today. So, to everyone else that I missed, thank you as well! And, yeah, lets get this thing started.

Music ends

Upbeat guitar strumming begins

Kevin: This podcast owes it's existence to Luck Factory Games. The board game café in Concord, North Carolina where we first stumbled into Daggerheart, sat a table, and somehow became a party! If you're looking for shelves of games and tables where quests begin, Luck Factory is the place. Start your legendary game at luckfactorygames.com

Guitar fades

Introduction

Ominous instrumentals

Kurt: In every city, every kingdom, there's a story that never sees the light. The one that falls through the cracks, bleeds through the floorboards, and smiles when the sun finally goes down. Where heroic promises, broken notes, bad decisions, and desperate prayers all sit at the same table. Six heroes emerge out of the edge of the shadows. Ciaran;

Ciaran (Luke): No matter what, there will be consequences.

Kurt: Zeph;

Zeph (Kevin): That asshole didn't die.

Kurt: Pi N'Kuwa;

Pi N'Kuwa (Geoff): You said we were talking, but you're not saying much

Kurt: Seraphina;

Seraphina (Jenn): I have the voice of the angel and we all know it.

Kurt: Severian

Severian (Kai): It's not a murder... if... he's food.

Kurt: And Basagar;

Basagar (Jonn): We need to get to the castle.

Kurt: Together, they walk the line between mercy and ruin, rolling bones against hope and fear in a world that want's them obedient, or worse, dead. So lace your boots, check your blades, and hold your breath. Meet us at the blades edge. Once this story starts, it doesn't let you go. This... is Tales By Daggerlight.

Music Fades

Kurt: The sun bleeds into the sky above Virelia, staining clouds crimson and gold as dawn claws its way through the jagged peaks of the onyx spires. Shadows retreat reluctantly into the deep scars of the Ternion Gorge, clinging desperately to the dark places, whispering secrets of despair and ambition. Suddenly, a single clear note pierces the heavy air.

A solemn, (bell toll #1) haunting bell from the bell tower beyond the Ashward wall (bell toll #2).

One by one, the resonant sound of each ring echoes (bell toll #3) through the districts, counting off the grim tally of the surviving royal heirs (bell toll #4). The entire city of Virelia holds its breath. Merchants pause (bell toll #5) mid-transaction, guards tense, their grip tightening on halberds, (bell toll #6) and the beggars, lords, spies alike freeze, united in dread expectation.

Bell toll #7

Seven tolls.

Seven heirs remain.

Same as yesterday.

The anxious murmur ripples through the streets, rumors darting like frightened birds through a storm. Being born of royal blood in these dark times is as good as a death threat, and each air is a candle flickering desperately in a violent tempest. With the king still lingering on the threshold between life and death, every breath could herald chaos or salvation.

But fate, it seems, is not content merely to observe from afar. It calls upon unlikely heroes. And so, our gaze turns toward Basagar.

Uncomfortable laughter

Jonn: Oh no.

Jenn: You're welcome.

Kurt: What do we see as we look on Basagar?

Jonn: So Basagar is a wild-born Rhizari druid. And Rhizari in this world are mixed ancestries between a fungril and a giant. Not necessarily cross-breeding, but just a larger-than-normal fungril. Basagar is roughly 10 feet tall, has black, bark-like skin, and a mushroom cap that is similar in appearance to that of the Devil's Tooth mushroom. Just slightly more dirty, off-white in color, and still has that similar pockets of blood that kind of goes throughout his mushroom cap. Yeah, that is Basagar.

Kurt: Awesome. What is Basagar doing at this moment?

Jonn: I believe, and you said that it is dawn?

Kurt: Mmhmm.

Jonn: Basagar is probably still in his little patch of dirt behind the Blade's Edge Tavern. Still just kind of observing at this point in time where he just sees the town comes to life.

Kurt: You see, at this moment, you may not even be fully conscious just yet as you are literally grounding yourself into what little remains of natural soil here. It might even be where a tree once stood that is now either chopped down or used for wood somewhere else, or maybe even somebody chopped it down to use as firewood on an alleyway somewhere. Nature doesn't last long down in the Gutterrun. But you notice that there is a figure standing beside you. You might even think it just maybe Severian at first, just sensing somebody close by. But you look over, and there's what looks to be a definitely smaller fungril, much like yourself, wearing what looks like common clothes. He's got a bag of some sort, and he goes;

NPC Fungril (Kurt, deeper voice) Excuse me, sir, are you going to be long?

Jonn: Is this the first time I've seen a Fungril in Gutterrun?

Kurt: Yeah.

Jonn: I look and kind of just take a step back and like off of the little patch of dirt, and like you kind of see roots just kind of snap and not necessarily break as if like tearing something apart (popping and cracking), but just kind of naturally release from the ground and goes;

Basagar (Jonn): Sorry, have you been waiting long?

NPC Fungril (Kurt): Well, just a few hours. I just need to communicate with my family.

Jonn: And just kind of like awkwardly steps back as taken aback by someone who's similar to Basagar and just lets him go do his thing, and I will kind of go off in the direction of the Blade's Edge and find someone who's awake or, you know, kind of the usual morning routine.

Kurt: Yeah. He kind of gives you an odd look as you snap yourself out of this as there are still remnants of Basagar's body just like attached to the ground. And you can see he takes out a spade and starts digging up and kind of moving stuff around. He's taking rocks and things, putting everything back to where it belonged. You get the sense that this might be his little safe haven, he found this spot and he's taking care of it.

Jonn: Oh no!

Kurt: This is his little moment of his phone booth, if you will. So you can see him reach down and his like mycelian tendrils reach out into the roots and kind of combine with yours almost. And you get just a sense of connection that maybe you're not alone in this odd city. It's definitely the most civilized fungril you've ever seen. You can see his eyes go white and he's communicating with somebody as you walk in.

Severian, you typically follow Basagar around. Give me a glimpse of what Severian looks like at the moment and what he might be doing as dawn breaks.

Kai: Severian isn't far, but he is intentionally trying to move unseen through an area of the Gutterrun where he can find breakfast. Being an underborn, he's very comfortable with the shadows and the alleys and different things, although it's very different to where he came from. He's comfortable in the darkness. He's kind of looking for larger rats, cats, anything he can find that he can stomach for breakfast.

Clanging sounds

Kurt: As you move about the city, Gutterrun, it's seen its fair share of less than perfect people. But you are a new sight. You're just, the way you hold yourself, you're digitigrade legs that kind of bend backwards, there's a beastly form about you. But people give you a wide berth as you watch. There might be an urchin that looks over, is watching you from a corner and peeking his head around. As you maybe even catch a rat in mid-chew, just spin your head over and catch this kid's gaze.

Kai: Exactly.

Kurt: As one of the kids kind of goes up and goes;

NCP Gutterrun Kid #1 (Kurt, high pitched young voice with British accent): Excuse me, what are you?

Severian (Kai, slower pace): What kind of question is that?

NCP Gutterrun Kid #1 (Kurt): I've never seen someone like you before.

Severian (Kai): I've never seen anything quite like you before.

NCP Gutterrun Kid #1 (Kurt): You've never seen a child?

Severian (Kai): You're a runt.

NCP Gutterrun Kid #1 (Kurt): I say so. I'm nearly ten.

Severian (Kai): You should work on strengthening those muscles you have.

NCP Gutterrun Kid #1 (Kurt):Where do you come from? I've never seen legs like that.

Severian (Kai): Someplace where everyone looks like me and there are no people like you.

NCP Gutterrun Kid #1 (Kurt): Do you have any bread?

Severian (Kai): No. Are you hungry?

NCP Gutterrun Kid #1 (Kurt):Do you have any money?

Severian (Kai): No.

NCP Gutterrun Kid #1 (Kurt): I can get some for ya!

Severian (Kai): I have enough to take care of myself. Food is-

Kai: And he just stuffs the rest of the rat into his mouth.

Severian (Kai): -abundant here.

NCP Gutterrun Kid #1 (Kurt): Oh, please don't do that.

Severian (Kai): You could do the same.

NCP Gutterrun Kid #1 (Kurt): I could do that?

Severian (Kai): Yeah, it'll help you with these.

Kai: And he point to his his muscles.

NCP Gutterrun Kid #1 (Kurt): If I start eating these rats, I could be like you?

Severian (Kai): Exactly like me. I promise. It's a great method. As much as you can fit into your mouth at one time.

NCP Gutterrun Kid #1 (Kurt): Oh. But, uh...

Severian (Kai): Here.

Kai: He grabs like a little, like as small of one that he can find next to him. He just dangles it out in front of this kid.

Kurt: He grabs it and it’s shaking in his hand and like squeaking and goes;

NCP Gutterrun Kid #1 (Kurt): Just alive, I guess?

Severian (Kai): Why not?

NCP Gutterrun Kid #1 (Kurt): I don't think so. It's going to hurt me.

Kurt: As he kind of looks at it and he kind of like runs off and you hear him like talking.

He goes;

NCP Gutterrun Kid #1 (Kurt, whispering): Oh, that weird creature. He just told me to eat this thing whole.

Kurt: And he goes;

NCP Gutterrun Kid #2 (Kurt, taunting): I bet you won't do it! I bet you won't!

Kurt: And he's like;

NCP Gutterrun Kid #1 (Kurt): You know what? Watch this.

Kurt: And you hear a like

NCP Gutterrun Kid #2 (Kurt): Whaaaaaaaa!!!

Laughter

Kurt: And he runs away.

Kai: Yes, Severian just chuckles and goes off in his own direction.

Kurt: Laughs There are kids around here, urchins that call this place home that seem to be watching everything you do. Seems like every tunnel you go down, every alleyway that you go in, there's always somebody nearby. Maybe just kind of keeping an eye on you, which is odd. But where do you head off to after you're done with your morning breakfast?

Kai: I'd be ready to go back to see what the rest of the group is up to. Particularly Basagar to make sure he's had a nice meal and that he's full. But if you want me to describe Severian in more detail, I can kind of do that.

Kurt: Yeah, please do.

Kai: Yeah, just so what anyone would see looking at Severian, as we had already stated, he has back bent, almost like dog-like, wolf-like legs. He is covered in these thorny red briars. He is technically half elf, half human. It's like an ancient breed or ancient race that lived apart in their own civilization for a very, very long time. He's an underborn, and he is a call of the slayer warrior. So he has a couple swords on his back that are also covered in briars. Yeah, so just heading back to go meet up with the group.

Kurt: Sweet. Yeah, we zoom out and see almost you guys from a top-down perspective of, like, you guys coming up into where the Blade's Edge is, heading that direction.

Our site takes us somewhere different. Maybe to a different hovel. Maybe a room, unfamiliar room. Ciaran, what are you getting into?

Soft string instrumentals

Luke: Ciaran is lying there, wide awake, unable to sleep as the bells toll. Clearly exhausted after a night spent doing a number of things. Running messages, gathering information, whatever he needed to do. And unfortunately, the one time… the only time he had to sleep has been interrupted during these tolls of the bell, which he simply cannot ignore.

And as he lies there, wide awake, he starts thinking about what he needs to do going forward. And how he's going to handle this interesting group.

Kurt: You, um, sitting there thinking. A voice breaks the silence;

Lady Sylvaine Diawin (Kurt, softer feminine voice): Listen, I don't know what you plan on doing next. This news that you have brought to me is unsettling at best.

Kurt: You may not even realize she was in the room with you. She has an odd way of showing up when she wants to and not being seen. Lady Sylvaine Diawin, she's in the room with you. You know her very well. Her hair midnight black, streaked with silver. Eyes, like polished obsidian. She's cloaked in dark silk robes, embroidered subtly with silver as she moves silently and gracefully towards you.

Lady Sylvaine Diawin (Kurt): You've kind of put me at a, an awkward position. Do you know what this means?

Ciaran (Luke): Lady Sylvain, this is my room.

Lady Sylvaine Diawin (Kurt): Chuckles I'm aware.

Ciaran (Luke): Unfortunately, this was news that could not wait. And while I did not exactly have a choice in the matter, I figured it best to let you know as soon as possible.

Lady Sylvaine Diawin (Kurt): And you are sure you're keeping the names of the involved anonymous?

Ciaran (Luke): If the names need to come to the light, I will do so. For the time being, however, I would prefer it so.

Lady Sylvaine Diawin (Kurt): They will not be happy. They will demand a show of force.

Someone will suffer for this.

Ciaran (Luke): I am aware. I simply hope to be the one to choose who is to suffer.

Lady Sylvaine Diawin (Kurt): See how well you can hold these secrets. See how well you can pass them off.

Ciaran (Luke): I will do as I can.

Lady Sylvaine Diawin (Kurt): Do you know who was involved?

Ciaran (Luke): I am aware of them.

Lady Sylvaine Diawin (Kurt): Lying through omission is a very clever trick. You will do well.

Ciaran (Luke): I am simply doing as you taught.

Lady Sylvaine Diawin (Kurt): It is getting rather tedious out there to stay in the shadows. I feel like there is something moving. I haven't quite placed it yet, but our time frame may be shortened.

Ciaran (Luke): Do you have any other knowledge you would like to impart before I make my way down?

Lady Sylvaine Diawin (Kurt): Knowledge is not so much freely given, but earned. Let me make, or, have this conversation with the Ferroches. I will let you know how it goes.

Ciaran (Luke): Thank you, Lady Sylvain.

Kurt: And she kind of backs up. A shadow washes over. Could be a somebody walking by, creating a shadow through the windows. Blink and she's gone. Disappears into a corner of a room. There's no door there. There's not even a window over there. But she's gone.

A high pitched whoosh

Luke: Ciaran lets out a heavy sigh and starts going through his morning rituals before starting to head back out down to the Blade's Edge.

Kurt: Our view (Kurt makes zooming noise) gets pulled back out from the window as we watch as you finalize some things and kind of put some of your effects into a bag and start packing up, getting ready to head down to the Gutterrun.

As we move to Pi N'Kuwa, where does the camera take us? And what part of the city are you currently in?

Gentle Guitar chords picked, bird chirping

Geoff: I think the camera just zooms right out past the city walls, passing a strange figure hanging off the side of a building down in the lower echelons of the city as a black figure stands on, perched precariously on the edge of a building. Not quite at the top, just low enough that you have to be standing on a broken tile or something. There's nothing there to stand on. And as it pans back in, we see an onyx skin, which is a mix between a... Ooh, I'm going to have to think about it because it's not the thing I was about to say! A clank and a fawn as he's been carved in the shape of a mountain goat from the stones harvested from the Onyx Mountains out to the west. West?

Kurt: West, yeah.

Laughter

Geoff: He's dressed rather plainly. He's got some plain leather armor on, some appears to be an attempt at wearing clothing. Bow’s strapped across his back as he just peers off into the sun, trying to catch the first rays of morning light as they come through, listening to the sound of the bells and just looking out over the city.

Kurt: You see over there, it's quiet where you are as you are standing here trying to reach and as the sun starts cresting over the onyx spires and brings back old memories of when you were in the spires themselves doing the same thing. Of course, it was a little easier to catch the rays. You're not down in the gorge like you are now, where it takes a little while for the sun to actually get to Virelia itself, but…

Geoff: Been waiting for at least hours.

Kurt: Yeah. Awkwardly, you stand there where you hear a...

(Kurt, bleating): Baa! (goat bleat sound simultaneously in background)

Geoff: Ears twitch.

Kurt: Your ears twitch as you look over. There's a mountain goat just sitting right beside you.

Just kind of like looking at you awkwardly.

Baa

Geoff: Just look back

Baa

Geoff: Kind of raise my head up a little bit. Wave.

Kurt: It just looks at you and he's just like chewing his cud and just whatever was in his crop was just chewing whatever. Kind of stands and of bounds off. It looks like he's got some type of collar or some tag that is around his neck. Just leaps and just starts prancing and pouncing up the onyx spire. As you look over, as you see a figure standing there with a large shepherd's hook silhouetted by what is the orange glow of the morning sky.

Keen-eye Vivianne (Kurt, deeper more proper voice): You are not where you're supposed to be.

Pi N'Kuwa (Geoff): Where am I supposed to be?

Keen-eye Vivianne (Kurt): You do not look like you are made for this area. Are you lost, boy?

Pi N'Kuwa (Geoff): I'm not lost. I'm not found, I suppose. I'm neither. I'm seeking.

Keen-eye Vivianne (Kurt): Who do you belong to?

Pi N'Kuwa (Geoff): No one that is here.

Keen-eye Vivianne (Kurt): No one that is here? Where is your owner?

Pi N'Kuwa (Geoff): Not here.

Keen-eye Vivianne (Kurt): Who is your owner? If I may ask.

Pi N'Kuwa (Geoff): You may ask. You may not get an answer.

Keen-eye Vivianne (Kurt): Ah, interesting. I have not seen a version of you in quite some time.

Pi N'Kuwa (Geoff): Yes, well, it is rare that we come down from the mountains. There's much to do.

Keen-eye Vivianne (Kurt): Oh, you are on a journey.

Pi N'Kuwa (Geoff): Well, sure.

Keen-eye Vivianne (Kurt): You must make haste. You are not made for resting.

Pi N'Kuwa (Geoff): But rest makes the mind ever so clear.

Keen-eye Vivianne (Kurt): Chuckles. That's an interesting phrase coming from you.

Pi N'Kuwa (Geoff): Certainly, certainly. Well learned.

Keen-eye Vivianne (Kurt): Well met, indeed. What is your name?

Pi N'Kuwa (Geoff): It is Pi N'Kuwa. Though, you may call me Kua. It is much to say.

Keen-eye Vivianne (Kurt): Kua has been a pleasurable morning, indeed, meeting the likes of you.

Pi N'Kuwa (Geoff): And your name?

Keen-eye Vivianne (Kurt): My name is Keen-eye Vivianne. I am on a journey myself to find rare gems and trinkets.

Pi N'Kuwa (Geoff): Well, may your path be clear and you are well-traveled. Though not so well-traveled that you miss what you seek.

Keen-eye Vivianne (Kurt): I will remember that. Be on your journey, Pi N'Kuwa. This is my property.

Pi N'Kuwa (Geoff): Oh, yes. Well, let me away.

Keen-eye Vivianne (Kurt): If you need anything, please come find me.

Pi N'Kuwa (Geoff): Certainly.

Keen-eye Vivianne (Kurt): It would be a pleasure to meet your master.

Pi N'Kuwa (Geoff): We can see if that can be arranged.

Keen-eye Vivianne (Kurt): Good. Good.

Kurt: He's got a long goatee. He strokes his goatee a little bit. He's kind of a fawn as well. You can tell he's got fawn shapes like the square eyeballs. But he's scratching his goatee thing just watching you.

Geoff: And I won't dally too long. I'll turn and start hopping back down the side of the building.

Kurt: Yeah.

Geoff: As I would with any hunt, or when tracking prey, not immediately go the direction that I intend to.

Kurt: Sure.

Geoff: I think I'll head to… Now that the sun is up, I expect that my new friends and compatriots and other such names that maybe we can learn down the way might be gathering at the Razor's Edge. So I'll go to meet them and hopefully do so while it's still quiet.

Kurt: Our camera watches as you bound and leap across these awkwardly impossible ledges to stand on as you just do it with ease heading down whatever kind of mesa or the rock cropping that you find yourself in from Keen-eye’s property lines. As you, we watch you kind of bound towards the city gates and zoom over the wall. Heading down towards the Blade's Edge as we see a crickety old sign squeaking.

Kurt makes squeaking sound with simultaneous squeaking in background noise

Just on its last leg. It seems like hanging from its original perch. We go into the Blade's Edge and we find Seraphina. What is Seraphina doing as we find her?

Guitar picking and snoring

Jenn: Well, Seraphina, the highborn fairy troubadour bard, is currently in a room, burrito-ed up in blankets fast asleep, because she was performing last night downstairs. So she has, in the small chair next to the bed, has all of her clothes folded very neatly with her boots laying next to it and she is just completely wrapped up in the blankets and fast asleep. She probably won't wake up until closer to noon, seeing how she was performing till about 4 a.m.

Kurt: Yeah, as you are sleeping, the camera decides not to disturb you at the moment. But you can see you are pleasantly knocked out unconscious, willingly. Thank God.

Laughs

But as we go through the camera searches for a bit, it's hard to find where, where Zeph is.

Where is Zeph?

Tavern music playing

Kevin: So Zeph is average height, kind of scrawny human, kind of forgettable. Dark hair, perpetual five o'clock shadow, wearing clothing that is, it was once fine, but is certainly threadbare. A large,

long coat, very well-worn boots, good for running. And the camera finds him in a smoke-filled room, filled with people, in the Ember Coil.

And as I said, everything about him just is somewhat forgettable, old clothing. He doesn't even carry himself with much of an air of authority, or an air of really much confidence.

But one can see, every now and then, under his jacket, under this coat that he wears, there's a scabbard. And there is a very, very finely wrought blade at his side that he tries to hide and keep away. And I would like to first up start the session by rolling my prayer dice.

Kurt: Nice.

Kevin: Okay. We'll keep those there. And Zeph also is rolling dice in the Ember Coil.

Kurt: Yeah.

Kevin: He had a little bit of coin in his pocket, and it was burning a bit of a hole, and for the first time, in a very long time, he found himself up. Until he isn't any longer as is pretty much his history with this place.

Kurt: Yeah, it's easy to lose yourself down here in the smoke. As you as you look down you just instinctually check your, you know, your coin sack that you that you keep with you. You're down to about two handfuls of gold. Yeah, it maybe started a little heavier than that. Maybe you've decided to keep even but you were at a table much like this, you know, there's people here that have been, you know, burning the candle from both ends. There's you know, nobody here has come in the morning to be here. They've all been here throughout the night. They all have a reason to be here. They all have a reason that they need the money for, maybe to pay off debt, maybe for an addiction, who knows. But there's several people around here.

But, as you kind of go through and one of the gentlemen that goes;

Ember’s Coil Patron (Kurt): I can't lose this place. I can't, I can't lose tonight, this morning, whatever the fuck it is.

Zeph (Kevin): Eh, who knows friend.

Ember’s Coil Patron (Kurt):I don't know, but…

Kurt: You can see that his hands are shaking a little bit. He's sweating. He's got,

he's like down to maybe less than a handful of gold. He's got just a few coins left, but he's almost in desperation. He looks at his dice.

Ember’s Coil Patron (Kurt): All right, I got one more hand. I think this is it. This is better be it.

Kurt: He goes through, grabs some dice. We're going to just do a quick little dice game here.

Grab 2d… you know, we'll do 2d12.

Kevin: Well, why not?

Kurt: For the nature of the game here. Yeah. So, we're just going to roll 2d12. As he puts his coin in. It looks like he throws in about five coins in there, and he is hiding his dice that he rolled.

Ember’s Coil Patron (Kurt): All right.

Kevin: So Zeph will throw in a full handful.

Coins clinking

Ember’s Coil Patron (Kurt): God, you know I… all right.

Kurt: And so you call what he is, you raise another five gold as other people start going around. Why don't let's get everybody roll 2d12. We'll throw everybody here.

First rolls that we're going to do is gambling. Yeah, let's set it off right.

Geoff: Set the tone!

Kurt: Set the tone. All right. So what we're doing is we're going to go for the highest total from your 2d12. And this isn't going to be hope or fear or anything. It's literally just high is what we got.

Y'all don't have any money to spend because you, you are weird NPCs at point. People start throwing in. Based off of what your roles are, would you fold or call? We'll start with Kai.

Old Man Voice (Kai): I fold.

Jonn: You see this unnamed NPC as Zeph throws in a handful, just throws his dice across the room and leaves.

Laughs

Squeaky Voice (Jenn): Yeah, this is too rich for my blood.

Jenn: And my character folds too.

Nasally Voice (Geoff): I'll see your bet. I think I've got this one in the bag.

Kurt: All right. So you, you call a handful of gold from your guy.

Luke: Arms shaking and like can barely keep himself.

Nervous Voice (Luke): I got a really good hand. I'm going to stay in. Sniffs

Kurt: All right. And he goes;

Ember’s Coil Patron (Kurt): Well, I can't do anything. I'm, I'm all in. So, um, this is all I got. I guess I’ll have to show. I got 12.

Zeph (Kevin): 13.

Ember’s Coil Patron (Kurt): Fuck.

Nervous Voice (Luke): You can roll that high?

Laughter

Nasally Voice (Geoff): Oh, well, my dear friends, I've got a 16.

Kurt: The obvious hustler of the group.

Zeph (Kevin): Yeah.

Kurt: All right. This guy kind of storms off and goes;

Ember’s Coil Patron (Kurt): Yeah, fuck this place.

Kurt: As you watch Tavryn comes over. He comes behind this guy, kind of stands up and goes;

Tavryn (Kurt): All right my friend, looks like your luck's out.

Kurt: And he goes,

Ember’s Coil Patron (Kurt): No, no, no! I got the money. I swear. I'll get it! I'll get it.

Kurt: He goes,

Tavryn (Kurt): Heh, that's the last time I hear that. Come with me.

Kurt: As you see some of the the serpents that kind of like come over, grab this guy by the shoulders, and drag him up. He goes;

Ember’s Coil Patron (Kurt): No, no, no, please! Just don't touch my family.

Kurt: And kind of pulls him out. And he goes;

Tavryn (Kurt): Ah, spend your money wisely my friends. Hey, Zeph.

Nasally Voice (Geoff): Oh dear, his luck must be as bad as his hands.

Zeph (Kevin): How you doing?

Tavryn (Kurt): Doing well. Business is good as usual.

Zeph (Kevin): I see that.

Tavryn (Kurt): You're here early.

Zeph (Kevin): Late. Who knows?

Tavryn (Kurt): What's got you in your bunch this time?

Zeph (Kevin): Eh, had a little jingle in my pocket. Figured why not spend it in good company?

Tavryn (Kurt): You know, you still owe me some of that jingle.

Zeph (Kevin): I mean, I- feel like the house is taking a fair cut tonight.

Kurt: They kind of like looks down at the pot and sees like the dealer whatever he's going to do. I guess one of the house serpents is like collecting the pot and goes;

Tavryn (Kurt): Yes it has, yes it has.

Zeph (Kevin): Look, I'll- I'll- I'll get it to you. You know I'm good for it.

Tavryn (Kurt): I know you're good for it. Trust me. I always come make sure you're good for it.

Zeph (Kevin): I know.

Tavryn (Kurt): I've heard some chatter go about-

Zeph (Kevin): huh?

Tavryn (Kurt): - last couple of days.

Zeph (Kevin): What kind of chatter?

Tavryn (Kurt): You haven't been in anything Royal, Have you?

Zeph (Kevin): Royal?

Kevin: He spits on the floor.

Zeph (Kevin): That's what I think of the spire heads up there.

Tavryn (Kurt): Just make sure it doesn't come down here.

Zeph (Kevin): Of course.

Kurt: He kind look at him, then he kind of looks over at the guy that won and goes;

Tavryn (Kurt): Next few rounds are on me.

Kurt: And walks away.

Nasally Voice (Geoff): Oh, these folks are quite pleasant.

Nervous Noice (Luke): Can I borrow some?

Nasally Voice (Geoff): You could certainly win some if you try better.

Laughter

Nervous Voice (Luke): Just one more chance.

Kevin: And with that I think Zeph is, his taste for the evening has grown stale. So he'll wander his way back through the streets, heading to the Blade's Edge, looking like absolute ass.

Kurt: Down to one handful of gold.

Kevin: Down to one handful of gold, which is all I have on my sheet.

Kurt: Beautiful, Beautiful.

As so we open up to these unlikely heroes separated from everyone. I gave you guys a full open table to put yourselves together and you chose to be isolated. But all moving to one central location to see what the fuck is up with that.

As you come down to the Blade's Edge, you see that Merrin is working with Blake and Blake is behind the counter. He's wiping it down getting ready for the smoked meat and the smorgasbord for breakfast that's being laid out for the few patrons of the Blade's Edge.

As comes down, as the first door opens and we see Basagar coming in as you as you enter the inn.

Blake looks up and goes;

Blake (Kurt): What's up, big guy?

Basagar (Jonn): Good morning.

Jonn: I think Basagar kind of has a routine where, knowing that Seraphina probably performs later, he like goes and grabs like a plate of food that's ready for breakfast. Knowing that she's not going to probably eat it until later, but just like, that's what he does. As he’s used to Severian doing the same thing for him. He's also now returning the favor of like preparing and getting ready for Seraphina.

So he nods to… what's his name again?

Kurt: Blake.

Jonn: Blake, grabs the plate of food, and he goes… you see this time though, that Basagar is a little bit distracted as he grabs the food and starts to walk up to Seraphina's room.

Kurt: I would say, Severian, you're not far behind. Fate would have it that you all kind of arrive very close to the same time.

Inn noises in the background, dice rolling, people chatting, light music.

One after the other, you see each other kind of like walking in. But Severian, you walk in as Blake and Merrin are standing there. You watch as you see Basagar maybe just go right around the staircase going up to Seraphina's little apartment.

I would say maybe a studio apartment at this point that Merrin has kind of blessed you with for performing at the on stage to bring in patrons keep business flowing, keep people happy. As long as people are coming back you have a room to stay.

But you guys each enter the Blade's Edge as you see a smorgasbord of breakfast platters and meats and fruit and coffee, teas, all kinds of stuff that is being displayed as that is known for the Blade's Edge.

Jonn: Yeah, I think I just, I don't know, it’s probably routine at this point walk in Seraphina's room. I'm very quiet, as big as I am. There's little to no sound when I move and just kind of put the food out, just cover it. You know, it's already covered. Put it on the countertop and just walk back out.

Luke: I think Ciaran would arrive through a back door that may or may not exist. Nobody's really sure. Trying to pull a Lady Sylvain. As he notes how many of the others have already arrived, he mentally tags each of them and tries to go ask Blake to prepare something for this particular group. That we'll need a table.

Blake (Kurt): You got it. Yeah, I got a table reserved over there for ya. Uh, it's in the corner.

Just like you said you like it.

Ciaran (Luke): Always.

Blake (Kurt): If there's anything I can need, I'll get you. Just let me know. You need anything special that I don't have ready.

Ciaran (Luke): Just coffee.

Blake (Kurt): I'll make sure I put on an extra pot

Ciaran (Luke): Or two.

Kevin: And right on cue, Zeph stumbles through the front door, bleary eyed, stinking of smoke and alcohol, and just finds a seat to heavily sit down in and just;

Zeph (Kevin): Sighs.

Blake (Kurt, stuttering):I- I- I- I-, um, if you're gonna-, not- not there, that one's not- go to the corner, please.

Zeph (Kevin): All right, all right.

Kevin: He drags himself up and heads off into the corner.

Blake (Kurt) At least wipe your feet off, that's-

Zeph (Kevin): Eh, sorry.

Kevin: He goes. He actually does.

Luke: And Ciaran, in his very neat and clean finery; like not expensive clothing, but very well made, points to the opposite chair, like as far away from him as possible. Pretending like doing it courteously, but not like-

Geoff: Offering a seat, just not the closest one.

Chuckles

Luke: Yeah.

Kevin: Yeah, Zeph will just sit down hard on it and just kind of deflate a little bit and just relax a touch.

Geoff: Shortly after that, everyone will hear kind of a clack on the roof and a couple of just (chik chik chik chik) and another thud right outside the door. And Kua will open the door.

Pi N'Kuwa (Geoff): Hi, everybody.

Dreamy piano music

Kurt: Seraphina you are still slumbering. None the wiser. Maybe as you are in your sleep state not even realizing it at this point. But maybe the smell of the food doesn't even wake you. Whatever dream you are having, you just dream that you are just surrounded by this aroma of sausage and meats and potatoes. And you know, it's just these different things you might- it becomes this fever dream of you're talking to a potato, and a sausage that says;

Dream Sausage (Kurt): It's time to eat. You gotta wake up!

Geoff (high pitched squishy voice): Eat me! Eat me!

Jenn: She slowly opens her eyes, peeking around it. She goes;

Seraphina (Jenn, an accent similar to areas of northeast US): Ugh, it's still this hideous room. Oof.

Jenn: She kind of peeks an eye open again and looks and like through the drapes, she can see sunlight streaming in.

Kurt: It definitely does not look like the sunlight you want to see.

Jenn: Yeah.

Kurt: This is a early, early morning sunlight,

Jenn: Golden sunlight. She sniffs.

Seraphina (Jenn): Oh, that smells like breakfast. All right, girl up we get.

Jenn: And she gets out of bed and she very carefully puts all her clothes on and she goes over to a very tiny broken mirror that's hanging on the wall that she had to basically bribe Blake to find from wherever he found it. And she fixes her hair and puts her jewelry on and lifts the corner of the napkin and looks at the plate and goes;

Seraphina (Jenn): Oh, that's where the sausages came from. Okay.

Chuckles

Jenn: She scoops the plate up, checks the room, bed's a mess, doesn't tidy up or anything. She looks very clean and neat and stuff, but the room is a mess. Opens the door, shuts it, locks it with the key that Blake gave her and comes down the stairs.

Fiddle instrumentals start playing

And so as she enters the room you guys see a very short, she is five foot if she's standing on a box, curvy little fairy with these wings of a Luna moth on her back. She's got nice clothing. You see her black leather boots that are just over her knees and like a short plum colored skirt and corset with like a little blouse underneath it that's like a sea foam green that matches her eyes.

And then all of her jewelry, she's got earrings that are, that have chains up to another earring at the top point of her little pointy ears.

And she enters the room, looks over at the table and goes;

Seraphina (Jenn): Well, it's good to see that the usual suspects are all here. Good morning, guys.

Jenn: And she sits down and uncovers her plate and just picks up one of the sausages and takes a big bite.

Seraphina (Jenn): So how was everybody's evening?

Kai: Before Basagar can reach the table, Severian pulls out a couple of chairs for him.

Laughter

Jonn: Yeah, and he just kind of like shoves it together and like sits down.

Kai: And then Severian kind of just curls up in the corner closely, but not exactly sitting.

Just kind of hunched over, almost like a dog.

Geoff: Kua's sitting in the chair, just not on the part that he's supposed to.

Laughter

Kurt: Sitting on the back of the chair.

Geoff: Sitting, feet in the middle, up on the back of the rest.

Kurt: Perched.

Luke: And Ciaran's sitting like straight back, leg propped up on his knee, almost daintily sipping on a drink.

Geoff: Kua's just chewing away. It's been the same loaf of bread for like 10 minutes now.

Laughter

Ciaran (Luke): Eat up, drink up. We have much to discuss. I'll give you some time.

Zeph (Kevin): I don't know if time's going to make any difference, but all right.

Kevin: And he's mostly sticking to like bread, some greasy sausages, potatoes. Things that do well with soaking up alcohol and that morning after you're still somewhere in between drunk and hungover, but just need something in your system. That kind of just slowly chewing and managing to get it down.

Kurt: You can see that there is a just half wit. Like, you know, this person. This is the morning talent. Probably already drunk, whether it's either from the night before or starts early.

Just an older guy that comes in starts like picking at whatever strings are left on his lute. Just, you know, minor tone. Maybe one of them is tuned, but it's just discordant.

Individual random note picking

Just a standard little jaunty strum that matches any seedy tavern as people are just like

Blade’s Edge Patron #1 (Kurt): Oy, guys. Blake, when are you going to hire a new talent, man? Seraphina, are you sure you can't get on now?

Seraphina (Jenn): I'm having my breakfast.

Blade’s Edge Patron #1 (Kurt):I know, but we got to listen to this jackass.

Seraphina (Jenn, speaking to the morning talent): Sweetheart, could you at least tone your instrument?

Morning Talent (Kurt, old man voice): Yeah, I can tune it.

Kurt: And you just hear it- dooing, du-dooing dooing dooing dooing dooing.

Kevin: Oh, no.

Random note picking gets faster

Kurt: And it starts going to like this weird tuning thing. And he got hiccups. Finally, about five minutes later, he finally gets some type of minor tuning on it to where it sounds a little better.

And he goes;

Morning Talent (Kurt): Huh? How's that? Is that better?

Melody of notes starts

Seraphina (Jenn): It's less offensive. Good job.

Kevin: I'm not sure which one, but this is definitely a preview of one of the layers of the hells. I'm convinced. This is my future.

Kurt: As he goes in and just starts picking. Eventually, he finds his rhythm where he gets into it. He starts warming up.

Jenn: Well, Seraphina will get up and head down behind the bar into where their little kitchen is and come back out with another big pot of coffee and set it on the table, pour a big mug, shove it at Zeph, and then pour herself one and sit down and start drinking her coffee.

Kevin: Zeph will pour a little shot from a glass into the coffee and then start drinking it.

Jonn: Nice.

Luke: Ciaran looks like he's almost about to stop you from putting the shot in. Then thinks better of it and just sits back.

Kai: Wouldn't want to dirty his hands.

Kevin: No, Zeph's probably going to need it, is what I feel.

Pi N'Kuwa (Geoff): So, what'd you all do?

Basagar (Jonn) Same thing I do every night.

Kevin: Try to take over the world.

Laughter

Kurt: Oh, my, thank you! I was like, I my gosh I want to say it!

Kai: Yes.

Geoff: It's short enough. It's less than 30 seconds. It's fine.

Laughter

Basagar (Jonn): Watching the city.

Zeph (Kevin) Watching it do what?

Basagar (Jonn): Live.

Zeph (Kevin): Huh, all right.

Seraphina (Jenn): It's not doing a great job of that.

Basagar (Jonn): No, no, it's really not.

Pi N'Kuwa (Geoff): That's true. That's true. What are you doing about that?

Geoff: I'm going to look over to the camera.

Ciaran (Luke): I'm glad some of you had such a pleasant and relaxing night.

Pi N’Kuwa (Geoff): I slept so good.

Seraphina (Jenn): I don't know about pleasant or relaxing. There was definitely a table last night that was real handsy.

Basagar (Jonn): Mm-hmm. I had… yeah.

Ciaran (Luke): At least you didn't have to clean up certain activities of certain members or… individuals at this table.

Basagar (Luke): Oh, yes. Can you get us to the Castle?

Ciaran sighs

Basagar (Luke): That’s what you were working on, right?

Ciaran (Luke): I had a few other minor priorities over that, though.

Basagar (Jonn): Mm-hmm.

Ciaran (Luke): Such as dealing with the murder of a noble. (Through gritted teeth)

Zeph (Kevin): I-, no-, no, now now now, murder is-

Severian (Kai): I didn't murder him. I ate him.

Zeph (Kevin): And there's that, too. There's no body.

Basagar (Jonn): Oh, that.

Ciaran (Luke) I ask that you not say anything like that that would implicate you.

Severian (Kai): Well, it's not a murder if he's food.

Ciaran (Luke): Tell that to his family.

Severian (Kai): Do you want to?

Zeph (Kevin): I would go so far as to say it was self-defense, and he was an asshole, and he deserved it.

Ciaran (Luke): Could you look two grieving parents in the eyes and call their son an asshole and that you killed him?

Zeph (Kevin): Depends on the asshole.

Severian (Kai): I could at least tell him that he looked like a big old pile of shit last I saw him.

Snorts, then laughter

Zeph (Kevin): I guess, actually, more depends on the parents.

Basagar (Jonn): Is there something you need to do about this situation?

Ciaran (Luke): Look, no matter what, there will be consequences. As… well, not to be full of myself or anything, but as capable as I am, even some things are far beyond me.

Seraphina (Jenn): Well, I have a question. So, cause I wasn't there, but they kind of filled me in on it.

Ciaran (Luke): How many people did you tell?

Basagar (Jonn): Just everyone here?

Ciaran (Luke): Okay, thank you. Go on.

Seraphina (Jenn): But if he was roughing up one of the girls at the Vale, right? So, maybe, I was just thinking that maybe with enough money, you know, whatnot, that we could convince them to tell them that instead of him being killed, they just asked him to leave. And they have no idea where he went after he left, but he was very drunk when he left. And then he just disappeared. People disappear.

Basagar (Jonn): That's true. You do it all the time. (To Ciaran)

Seraphina (Jenn): That is true. I mean, sometimes when we're looking at you.

Zeph (Kevin): Yeah.

Ciaran (Luke): Look, I appreciate the train of thought. However, that is not the way nobles typically think. As I'm sure you are aware.

Zeph (Kevin): Fucking skybloods.

Ciaran (Luke): They would rather burn the place to the ground than hear such things and accept them.

Seraphina (Jenn): Hmm. Yeah.

Zeph (Kevin): See, to them, anyone in this entire district is, yeah, pretty much worthless. Whereas the worst of them, well, they'll go to insane lengths to protect.

Basagar (Jonn): Hmm. I did notice that about this place. This area that you call Gutterrun is ignored by the rest of its home.

Zeph (Kevin): Yeah.

Basagar (Jonn): It's rather sad.

Zeph (Kevin): That's one word for it.

Ciaran (Luke): While there is credit to your words, I would avoid such sweeping generalizations, if you don't mind.

Zeph (Kevin): I'm just calling it like I see it. How I've always seen it, having grown up here. And when I say here, I mean-

Kevin: and he points outside

Zeph (Kevin): -here.

Ciaran (Luke): Regardless, the reality of our situation is not ideal.

Zeph (Kevin): Yeah, you're right.

Ciaran (Luke): So, first things, please do not tell anyone else of anything that has transpired. Not how it happened, not what happened, not who it happened to.

Zeph (Kevin): I ain't said shit.

Ciaran (Luke): Secondly, you may or may not be called in for some degree of questioning.

Zeph (Kevin): Ugh, Tin Cloaks? Really?

Ciaran (Luke): Not exactly.

Zeph (Kevin): What are you talking about?

Ciaran (Luke): The less we involve the guards, the better.

Zeph (Kevin) Very much agreed.

Ciaran (Luke): This will be different. If it happens at all, it's not yet to be determined. None of your names are known anywhere yet.

Zeph (Kevin): So what are we talking here, Ciaran?

Ciaran (Luke): As I'm sure you can appreciate, the city is full of individuals who are... connected. And among those connections, some of us have a certain web of information that we like to keep active and open at all times. Word spreads quickly about these sorts of things. So I'm simply asking for you to be very, very careful about how you go about... well, anything at the moment.

Zeph (Kevin) You're saying a lot of words, but I'm not hearing an answer in any of that.

Ciaran (Luke): Tell me. If you were handed the biggest steaming pile of shit…

Zeph (Kevin): Yeah.

Ciaran (Luke): … in your entire life...

Zeph (Kevin): Yeah.

Ciaran (Luke): ...and told to simply have an answer for it, what would you do?

Basagar (Jonn): That is a literal question.

Zeph (Kevin): Actually, you're right. Yeah.

Seravian (Kai): I would throw it back at the person who handed it to me.

Zeph (Kevin): Look, you mentioned something about being questioned. I'm just curious who's going to be doing the questioning.

Ciaran (Luke): Well, preferably me.

Zeph (Kevin): Oh, well, that's fine. What do you want to know?

Ciaran (Luke): I believe I know all the pertinent details already.

Zeph (Kevin): Cool! We're done.

They all start talking over eachother

Basagar (Jonn): That was easy. Next.

Pi N'Kuwa (Geoff): That was really easy. So we're done. We're good. Your really good at this.

Seph (Kevin): Thank you. Awesome.

Seraphina (Jenn): No… I don’t think we are-

Luke: Ciaran leans back, takes a really deep breath.

Severian (Kai): I was the only one to answer the question.

Ciaran (Luke); Yes, you were, Severian. I don't think you want me to do that.

Severian (Kai): Well, you're not holding shit now, are you?

Ciaran (Luke): Physically, no.

Kurt: At this point, you hear the bells go off (makes bing noises, bells jingle in backgroud) where the door opens. There is a cloaked figure. He pulls his cloak off of his head and shakes off what looks to be some type of rainfall now that the rain has started to come over as you look outside. And sure enough, it is raining. It's not downpour by any means, but it could change within the hour. But this gentleman walks over, leans and saddles up to the bar, gives like a once over and looking behind his shoulders, leans in to Blake. It looks like he's saying something to Blake and Blake looks around, shakes his head.

At that point, I'm going to say this half of the table. Zeph, Kua, and Ciaran, since you're facing that way, you see a gentleman, maybe didn't even realize he was there, but gets up from a table that's maybe two tables away from you. He puts on a cloak, pulls his hood up, doesn't make any eye contact with anybody else in the room, and walks out.

Footsteps, door bell jingles, door opening and closing.

Pi N’kuwa (Geoff): That wasn't normal, right? That people do that around, I mean, Ciaran does it all the time.

Zeph (Kevin): I mean, what's normal?

Pi N’kuwa (Geoff): Ciaran does it all the, is that a problem?

Kevin: Did any of us recognize this individual at any point?

Jenn: Was he there the night before?

Kurt: It's hard to tell based off of looking at the back of him. So give me a instinct check. Be perceive, either instinct or knowledge. So you can recall.

Kevin: I'll do instinct.

Jenn: I'm going to roll too because I was performing the night before. I also- she would have been like going through work in the crowd.

Kurt: First, first roll of the, real roll of the session.

Kevin: And I got a crit.

Aye!! Major scale plays

Kevin: Double 10.

Kurt: Double 10. Starting off right. So go ahead and gain a hope.

Kevin: Oh, yeah.

Kurt: Should start with two already.

Kevin: Yep.

Jenn (Referring to dice): Oh that’s cocked.

Kurt: Everybody starts with two hope here. So you don't have any stress to clear. So that's good.

Jenn: The other one. Okay. Let's try this again for real. That sucks. The other roll was way better, but that's fine. That's a eight with fear.

Kurt: Eight with fear. I will track that fear, which brings my total up to seven now, since we all start with six, because there are six of you guys.

The crit. Let's go over that first. You're familiar with the inner workings of the Gutterrun. You know the subtle body language that some of the less than favorable people have. It is a very common tactic whenever you're trying to get information from a guild or a guild is trying to get information that they have multiple sources. That transaction was weird. That guy coming in and a guy leaving almost simultaneously. You recognize that. That there's something there.

As far as if you know who it was based off of last night, not quite sure. I mean, they all, some of the guys kind of start blending in at some point as the more you drink and the more-

Jenn: Seraphina doesn't drink. She pretends that she drinks.

Kurt: She pretends she does. Okay. Nice. But it's, it comes to a point where as you're focusing, as you're looking, you notice that you're zoned out trying to recognize or trying to figure out who this is. And then your vision catches your focus and you are staring right at this guy that just walked in as he's kind of like looking back and staring right back at you. As he sees now that everybody kind of like looks at you, especially Zeph and the whole table is now looking at him.

He gets up, shakes off, slides (scratching across the table) a very un-drank beer or maybe Bloody Mary, we'll say Bloody Mary back across the table, gets up and walks out. Footsteps, door opening and bell jingling

Jenn: So as he gets up and starts to walk out, I think after it being awkward, Seraphina catches that something's weird about this. So I would like to try and enrapture him and get him to stay.

Kurt: Okay. All right.

Jenn: So I got a spell cast roll for that. So that's- so for spell cast roll… I don't remember how this works.

Kurt: So you're going to roll your 2d12.

Jenn: Right.

Kurt: And then you're rolling against his difficulty. And so his difficulty is 12. So you got to add your spell casting trait.

Jenn: Um, yeah. Which is presence

Kurt: Which is presence as a bard.

Jenn: 15.

Kurt: 15. Which beats his difficulty of 12. 15 with hope or fear?

Jenn: Um, I think it was hope.

Kevin (pointing to fear die): That die was higher.

Jenn: Oh, it was fear? Okay, thanks.

Kurt: With fear. So, as you cast your spell.

Jenn: Right. So like she gets up off from the table and walks like towards him as he's kind of heading toward the door. And she reaches out and put a hand on his arm and she goes;

Seraphina (Jenn, voice echoing): I'm sorry, excuse me. Um, I was just curious. You look so familiar. Were you here last night or the night before? I perform in the evenings. And I don't know, there's just something about you. You just, you seem familiar. What's your name?

Kurt: As you're talking to him, you feel like you can see his eyes almost dilate to a certain amount knowing that your spell has taken and as he has given you all of his attention.

He stops and he's staring directly at you. You can see that his rough shadowy beard. He's got almost like a gaunty face. It almost looks like it's peeling at some point and might be diseased, you're not quite sure.

Jenn: Gross

Kurt: He kind of stops. He looks at you.

Sickly Man (Kurt): Spooky chuckle. Oh, I know you. I know what you are.

Seraphina (Jenn): Well, tell me then, sweetheart, who am I? What am I?

Kurt: He shakes his head a little bit. I'm going to spend a fear.

Seraphina (Jenn): Aside from the fact that I'm the best thing that's ever happened to this place.

Kurt: He's going to spend a fear to end the spell. As he kind of looks over, he shakes his head.

You can kind of see he's got some type of needle or something in his hand and he jabs it into his wrist just to give that little shot of pain to- as a forced way to break out of a trance of some sort.

He kind of stops. He goes, and purposefully doesn't look at you.

Sickly Man (Kurt): We know who you are. We've seen what you've done. Oh, you are, you are in for it.

Kurt: And he, like, he goes through and stops and the last moments of your spell has dispersed from his enrapturedness. He kind of stops.

Sickly Man (Kurt): Uh, I've said too much. Fuck.

Kurt: He looks and he goes and he opens the door and looks at all of you.

Door bells jingle

Sickly Man (Kurt): Oh, you are going to pay for what you did.

Luke: At this moment, I'm going to spend a stress to shadow step directly behind him into his

shadow to block the door.

Kurt: He shuts the door. As you step behind (whooshing sounds) you appear. He turns, he runs into you.

Sickly Man (Kurt): Fuck. What the hell?

Music turns light but spooky

Ciaran (Luke): Let's talk.

Sickly Man (Kurt): How about no.

Kurt: And he goes- he's going to go to try to dart away from you. He's going to run.

Jenn: So if he's going to run, I'm going to make a scene.

Kurt: Okay.

Laughter

Kurt: Let's make a scene.

Jenn: Oh, wait. No, I can't. Dang it. I need an extra hope. Okay. Sorry.

Kevin: Oh! I'll use one of my prayer dice to give you one hope.

Kurt: Oh, okay. Nice.

Jenn: All right.

Jenn: So I'm out of hope then. So I'm going to make a scene. I'm going to distract a target within close range, which we're standing right there with him, giving him a negative two penalty to their difficulty for him to try to get him to stay. So I'm going to be like,

Seraphina (Jenn, founding fraught and teary): Big Sigh. You told me that you would love me forever! And now you're just going to leave? And I'm so heartbroken. And what about the little ones? You're just going to leave them too?

Kurt: Blake goes;

Blake (Kurt): What the fuck?

Laughter

Jonn: I think Basagar is going to start to walk towards all of this.

Kevin: So does Zeph.

Luke: Using that moment, I'm going to whip out my grappler and attempt to hook him and keep him from going any further.

Kurt: All right. So give me an attack roll with your grappler as he goes to goes run away, which, minus two to his difficulty. So now his difficulty is now 10.

Luke: That's double ones for a crit.

Major scale plays

Kurt: Oh, double ones!

Others: Lets go! Nice!

Kurt: Oh man. The best crit ever.

Luke: Right?

Kurt: Oh yeah. Okay, what happens?

Luke: So I whip my grappler out and immediately just launch it right at him and it wraps around him and I pull him in.

Kurt: Yeah. Makes sound of man getting grabbed

Luke: He's yanked towards me, unable to get away as it were, as everyone else comes up around

him.

Sickly Man (Kurt): Eh, fuck. Look, I don't know what you're up to, but look, you won't- you won't get away with this. Do with me what you will, but-

Ciaran (Luke): Help me with him, please.

Kevin: And I just open the door again, drag him inside

Jonn: And just pick him up.

Luke: I keep my grappler like wrapped around him. I'm going to try to tie a quick knot around it.

Jenn: Are we going to try to take him into like a back room to talk to him?

Kevin: Yeah.

Luke: I think so.

Jenn: Okay. So yes.

Kurt: Blake's like;

Blake (Kurt): Just don't… whatever you do, just don't do it in here. Like, I got a business to run. Merrin hates it when you guys do this.

Zeph (Kevin: It's, it's good. It's good. We're going to the back.

Blake (Kurt): Just clean up after yourselves.

Zeph (Kevin, confidently) : Yeah, there's nothing to clean up. Nothing happened. Right, Blake? Nothing happened.

Snorts and chuckles

Severian (Kai): I'll make sure there's nothing to clean up.

Jenn: And as, and as Seraphina follows the boys back, she just reaches over and like hands Blake a handful of gold that she made last night.

Kurt (Blake): All right.

Seraphina (Jenn): For your discretion, Blakey.

Thunder

Kurt (Blake): You're never here.

Seraphina (Jenn): I never am.

Blake (Kurt): All right. Um, don't worry about it folks. It, happens all the time. We got it taken care of.

Jenn: And, and she kind of waves her hands and goes;

Seraphina (Jenn): Don't worry, we're going to get the child support. It'll all work out.

Basagar (Jonn): He is an asshole.

Laughter

Kurt: You hear a woman kind of like smacks her, her husband on the side and goes;

Female inn patron (Kurt): I told you. See, that's what's going to happen.

Laughter

Kurt: But yeah. You take this guy in the back room. He’s fighting up against your strength. He's going to spend a fear. That's probably not a good spot for those. I'll just leave them there.

He's going to spend a fear to break free of the resistance that you are now giving him. And I'm going to use that moment to- he's going to break free of your grasp.

Ominous horns

He does like the whole like dead weight thing. He breaks through, throws himself at- on the ground. You hear what sounds like an unsheathing of some type of dagger and goes through and he's going to try to slice at your ankles. To try to- man, you roll a crit, I roll a crit! Let's go! Let's go. Natural 20. Um, I feel like it's harder for me to roll a crit on a d20. I feel more excited. Like it's, that's amazing.

Luke: Significantly harder

Kurt: Significantly harder.

Kurt: All right. So, Daggerheart crits, especially dealing with damage, are brutal critical.

So that is max damage die, which is 12 for a 2d6, plus the roll, 12 plus nine. You're looking at 21 points of damage as he rakes the dagger across what would be, he's assuming you have like Achilles tendons.

Jonn: Yeah.

Kurt: He's not quite sure, but does some damage. How do you negate that if possible? Are you taking full amount?

Jonn: Yeah, I think so….actually, actually.

Kurt: Not going to use an armor slot?

Jonn: No, I'm going to do something else. And as you see that this damage, like he's, he kind of drops down and slashes at my ankles this is the first time that, I believe probably Severian's seen this once before. But all of a sudden… let me just read this first. Let's see if I'm doing it right.

Kurt: Read it out loud, please.

Jonn: This is the rune ward. I have a deeply personal trinket that can be diffused, or infused with protective magic and held as a ward by you or an ally. I can spend a hope to reduce incoming damage by 1d8. Okay.

Kurt: Nice

Jonn: So I'm going to spend a hope.

Kurt: Yep.

Jonn: And then… there's more to it. So let's see what this is first. It's four. So I'm reducing the damage by four.

Kurt: Okay.

Jonn: Um, so that's…

Kurt: You got 17.

Jonn: 17, So it's still severe damage for me. But what happens specifically is an emanation of magic shoots out from my chest. And you see that there's an emblem that kind of radiates or shows up from my chest. And that is the image of the Castle Ghorelitch emblem.

I guess you would say like the Royal seal-

Kurt: Right.

Jonn: -shows up and just like kind of covers my body. It still hurts to the point where I do drop to a knee from that pain, the ward didn't activate in time, as I suffer severe damage. So, yeah.

Kurt: Okay.

Kevin: Are we in the back room at this point?

Kurt: Yeah.

Jenn: Yeah.

Kevin: Alright

Kurt: He- as soon as you were in the back room, he knew what was happening. So he's trying to break free.

Kevin: And when Zeph sees this, he steps forward and unsheathes his sword. So immediately runes all along the blade (whooshing sounds) begin glowing brightly.

Kurt: Yeah.

Keving: And he levels it at this guy and says;

Zeph (Kevin): I really wouldn't if I were you.

Kurt; Holding Basagar’s legs still.

Zeph (Kevin): Drop it.

Kua (Goeff): I think what he's saying is-

Kevin: Mine's bigger.

Kua (Geoff): -stop.

Geoff: And I'm going to cast vicious entangle.

Laughter

Kurt: Okay.

Geoff: That is a spell casting roll. It will be with fear. That is a 14 with fear.

Kurt: 14 with fear. He stops as he looks at the sword. You see his eyes, and you see the runes that are shining off of Zeph's sword reflected in his eyes. As you cast this spell, as vines… Well, you tell me, what does your, what does your magic look like?

Geoff: So since there's no vines in this room, there's no trees, there's no shrubbery, instead I'll use the bits of Basagar that have been lopped off, attach them to the wood planking on the floor and use that to pull the planks up and grab onto him using the flesh that he's just cut as well as the wood around him to just, wrap around him. If nothing else, Kua is resourceful and will use what's available.

Kurt: Right. So it's almost this mycelial growth that wraps around this individual. He looks, he goes (frustrated sounds) he's getting- starts breathing heavy.

Geoff: And Basagar has sharp skin, so it does do some damage to him as well. It is six points of physical damage as well as restraining him.

Kurt: Okay. That is minor damage for him. As he can kind of see him, the roots are growing into his- like tightening around, almost piercing his skin and like growing through like a root through soil. As he pulls in and goes (sounds of pain) as you can see him as he's moving his fingers around. And he like gets down to like this one little button and kind of like pushes something (pshh) and another, another needle (ptsst) pops up. And he goes;

Sickly Man (Kurt): Fuck you guys.

Csshhh

Kurt: And he pushes the needle into his wrist. I'm going to spend two fear as you see him like;

Gurgling and gasping

Kurt: He starts foaming at the mouth. He pulls through- the needle is like dripping with some type of viscous liquid. As he's like;

More gurgling and gasping

Kurt: He just goes limp

Zeph (Kevin): Well, shit.

Kevin: Zeph will spend three hope to use mending touch. So he'll reach over to Basagar and heal him for one of his hit points. And you'll see-

Basagar (Jonn): Ah, thank you.

Kevin: -one of the runes on his sword wink out.

Kurt: Hmm. Yep.

Luke: Before the bodies even really hit the ground, Ciaran's already there searching him for any symbol, anything he can find.

Kurt: Yeah. It doesn't take long. I mean, he doesn't offer any resistance at this point. You go through, you can see that he's got a bracer that's got a couple different needles on it.

And little buttons that could reach up to his palm that he can press to release a couple.

There's like one more needle that looks like it's got some type of liquid inside of it.

Not sure what it is at this point. But, he does have the dagger that he used to slice Basagar's ankles. He's got his cloak. But more significantly, you see that he does have some type of sigil, maybe on a amulet or a necklace that has what you ping instantly at its member of The Guild.

Zeph (Kevin): Uh, fuck.

Jenn: Like a thieves guild or?

Kurt: Known as ‘The Guild’. It's another one of the factions down here in the Gutterrun that have used information gathering as a weapon.

Jenn: Okay.

Kevin: What's Zeph's general relationship with the guild?

Kurt: You've done probably some odd jobs here and there just as a higher payer. I wouldn't say that you're a member of them by any means-

Kevin: Oh yeah no.

Kurt: -but you've done some jobs for them. You know, you've maybe worked hand in hand or they used you to get somewhere, but they are- you know that they are deeply interwoven down here in the Gutterrun. Not a lot goes on without their knowing, especially with that one guy that left. It seems like that is a way to constantly make sure that somebody doesn't get caught without being able to spread information.

Kevin: Yeah.

Zeph (Kevin): Well, this is less than good. So, see the amulet around his neck? It's part of The Guild. They're pretty much all over the place down here. Um, done some jobs with them in the past. But they, they peddle information quite a bit. They know everything that happens down in the run. So, uh, they've got their eyes on us. It's- there's not going to be any getting away from them.

Kurt: And you do find that he does have what looks like some type of mask in his cloak pocket that he just never got a chance to put it on. And the fact that you've seen this before. The guild rarely go without their masks. That is typically why they have the masks is most of the guild members are sick in some way.

Thunder

Which is why his skin was peeling, why he was gaunt. But you do find a mask, like just like a black mask that you can almost- like a masquerade mask that they could put on.

Zeph (Kevin): I should have seen the sign. Damn it. Ah, fuck.

Luke: I quickly undo the wrist brace with the needles and ensure that there's nothing else of importance on him before looking to Severian like (motions).

Kai: Severian kind of sniffs the guy, but, I don't know, starts to like hack and like almost throws up on the ground.

Seraphina (Jenn): Yeah, I don't know if he should eat him. He smells bad.

Serarian (Kai): That stuff is still in there.

Ciaran (Luke): Fair point.

Pi N’Kuwa (Geoff): Should we cook him?

Ciaran (Luke): I do not and have never condoned, um… the eating of.. um.. well…

Pi N’kuwa (Geoff): You did just like two seconds ago.

Laughter

Ciaran (Luke): Look, sometimes convenience outweighs the, you know, morals.

Pi N’Kuwa (Geoff): So it doesn't matter as long as you don't put effort into it.

Ciaran (Luke): Well, I wouldn't put it that way.

Pi N’Kuwa (Geoff): Just like my effort of beating you all the time. None.

Seraphina (Jenn): So, Ciaran, so what you're telling me is it's fine for him to eat poor people but not rich people.

Ciaran (Luke): No.

Pi N’Kuwa (Geoff): And only uncooked.

Seraphina (Jenn) Mmm, kind of.

Severian (Kai): You people think too hard.

Ciaran (Luke): I would prefer no people being eaten whatsoever.

Seraphina (Jenn): I mean, I'm sure the people that get eaten would prefer that too.

Ciaran (Luke): Precisely.

Seraphina (Jenn): But you seem to have a very big problem with the gentleman that our friend ate the other night, but not so much if he was to eat this guy.

Ciaran (Luke): It's not so much the fact that he was eaten and more the fact that he was killed in the first place. I'd prefer nobody get killed in an ideal world. However, that is not what we are currently living in.

Seraphina (Jenn): That's true.

Ciaran (Luke): And the death of such an individual tends to create far more problems, unfortunately, than the death of another, of a lower station, one might say.

Zeph (Kevin): As so in short, yes.

Seraphina (Jenn): Yeah.

Pi N’Kuwa (Geoff): That was a really long way to say yes.

Zeph (Kevin): It was.

Ciaran (Luke): No.

Severian (Kai): I think it's just a shame that all this good meat's going to waste. I mean, he's already dead. It doesn't matter where we bury him or cook him.

Pi N’kuwa (Geoff): We did promise to clean up, so we do need to do something.

Zeph (Kevin): We do need to do something like this.

Ciaran (Luke): Exactly.

Jonn: Yeah. And from there, you actually see Basagar, the magic shield light is kind of starting to fade away as he's been kind of tending. And he's more so doing it off of almost like mimicry.

He's seen people do this, so he's also now doing it. But he doesn't realize what's happening on his own self first. He's taken one of, probably the tablecloths of one of the tables in this room and just start wiping the blood. But not realizing that he is also leaving a trail of blood. And again, you've not really seen Basagar get hurt in this manner, but he is bleeding as if a humanoid was bleeding. And you see as he's just trying to clean up the mess kind of from in front of him, not knowing that there's a trail of blood from behind him.

Zeph (Kevin): Hey, buddy. Hey.

Basagar (Jonn): No, we're cleaning, yes?

Zeph (Kevin): Yeah, but you're also messing. Have a seat real quick. Here. Give me that. Let me.

Kevin: And Zeph tears a couple strips to use his bandages.

Zeph (Kevin): Just hold still.

Kevin: And we'll begin to bandage the wounds so at least he's not bleeding everywhere.

Basagar (Jonn) Oh, my goodness. Thank you.

Zeph (Kevin): You're welcome.

Basagar (Jonn): Yeah, that hurt.

Zeph (Kevin): It looks like it. Yeah. Sorry, that's as much as I can do right this second.

Basagar (Jonn): It's okay. It's more than enough.

Zeph (Kevin): It's a start. Let's put it that way.

Seraphina (Jenn): So are all these Guild guys like this? Are they all kind of jerks?

Basagar (Jonn): Assholes?

Zeph (Kevin): Yeah. And the weird part also is that sickness. They are all sick. Usually they're masked. Generally it's a dead giveaway.

Jonn: Does this, as Zeph is saying, they're sick. Does this kind of look anything like Basagar has seen in his home?

Kurt: Give me a knowledge.

Jonn: I'm going to use my spend hope and use my warden of the first blood experience.

Kurt: Okay.

Jonn: All right, so knowledge?

Kurt: Mmhmm, and add your experience to it.

Jonn: That is going to be a 19 with hope.

Kurt: Ooh. Nice. And gained that hope back. You start rolling through your home back in Haemawud in the Verdance Forest. You start kind of like you're here for a reason You're trying to figure out what's happening with, you know, why things are dying, why things are withering, why something is causing this. You don't get a smell that smells familiar. This doesn't seem to be connected in any way that you know of, but it literally just could be a group of people preying on a weaker people.

Jonn: Okay.

Seraphina (Jenn): Do you guys have any idea of why this guy was watching us? And the other one that left?

Thunder

Kevin: Does The Guild have, not a centralized location because they're kind of spread throughout the run, but do they have kind of a, like if you wanted to get in touch with the guild, is there a spot where one would go?

Kurt: The Hasp Market.

Kevin: Oh, fuck. Okay. Well.

Seraphina (Jenn): Do we think this has anything to do with the guy?

Zeph (Kevin): I know where we can go to find out.

Ciaran (Luke): They walked in, said they know what we did, tried to get out. One of them is no longer going to be walking out. I think they might know something.

Seraphina (Jenn): Yeah.

Zeph (Kevin): I mean, collectively, I feel like we've done a lot of things. No, you're probably right. Shut up. Don't give me that look. Fuck. All right.

Geoff: While everyone's bickering, I might go up front and ask Blake.

Pi N’kuwa (Geoff): Is there any barrels that you cleared out last night? They're taking too long in there, and I figure I just help you guys out. You're always so nice to us. Just one of the empty ones. I'll just roll it out to the trash.

Blake (Kurt): Yeah there's an empty barrel in the back

Pi N’kuwa (Geoff): Wow I'll take care of that for you don't you worry

Blake (Kurt): I'm not going to ask any questions, plausible deniability that's what I'm going for here.

Pi N’Kuwa (Geoff): I already answered the question though I'm just taking the trash out.

Blake (Kurt): Yes, please, take the trash out.

Geoff: I'll go roll the barrel and start scooping the body in.

Laughter

Seraphina (Jenn): Is the room that we're in does it have like an outer door or is there a is it just like a window or like-?

Kurt: Well this is the Blade's Edge, this is your home, you tell me

Sephina (Jenn): Well I was kind of curious more so like what room were we in because

like is it like one of like the back rooms that people can like rent to have like a private

like party kind of thing or is it like the back storeroom like what room were we in?

Kurt: I'll say that there's one of each which room did you bring them to? I'll say yeah you (to Jonn) took them

Jonn: I'd say probably just the storeroom.

Kurt: The storeroom?

Jonn: Yeah so storage room.

Kurt: So there's crates and stuff.

Jenn: Yeah so there's probably then a door going out for the back, okay.

Kurt: It's probably the door that you came in.

Jenn: Yeah, all right, so yeah we can well I'm not gonna stuff them in the barrel but you guys can.

Geoff: I'm already stuffing.

Kurt: Oh man you ever see The Burbs?

Geoff: The Burbs?

Kurt: The movie ‘The Burbs’ with Tom Hanks.

Geoff: It’s been a while

Kurt: Like old school, where he's like shoving that body in the trash can? Like that yeah that's all I can picture is just (Squishing sounds). Yeah you take out the trash, looks kind of like there's empty barrels and bags from all the other- I feel like there is no trash day here.

Jonn: Yeah, no.

Kurt: The trash just goes in the back and just sits.

Geoff: is there- where is this- where is the Blade's Edge like in the castle? Is it in the southern area close to the river? Is it…?

Jenn: Yeah, where?

Kevin: Oh I don't think we ever-

Kurt: So Blades Edge, it's in Gutterrun.

Jenn: Yeah so that's-

Kurt: So it's the lowest area it is… I should have hooked up my TV and got it. So Virelia is a city of tiers. You have the lowest tier which is the southern- the South Light Quay?

Kevin: Yep

Kurt: Yeah, South Light Quay is the official name, it is um called the Gutterrun that's what it's known as from the people that spend most their time down here. That is the

absolute lowest ground level part of the city. It's not even part of the castle like proper. Then

you have the next tier starting on the mesa, on the plateau which is Ashward on. So if I'm looking

north it's on the the west side. And then Lowthorn is on the east side. Then there's another tier

which climbs the mesa even more which is then that's Ashrelm, that is like the

high class that's where the nobles live that's where the Ashen Rings live. And then there is a small

almost like a bridge gangway that goes up to the very top of this plateau, this mesa, this large rock formation that they built castle Ghorelitch on top of to overlook its kingdom.

Geoff: Okay.

Kurt: You are on the very bottom. The castle, like it's just a straight wall that goes up

and you can kind of see like there's a hangover duet where they would announce and

speak over their subjects.

Geoff: So let me tell you my idea and you tell me if this would make sense or I can

change what I was thinking. My thought process was I take advantage of the river so long as it

wouldn't have to traverse the entirety of the city?

Kurt: Absolutely not, it flows from under the mesa or the plateau, goes through, and exits out the Gutterrun-

Geoff: Beautiful.

Kurt: - and then exits out because they don't want people to just dump trash in the river then it get taken to the the higher.

Geoff: That's what I was thinking so I would rather instead of leaving it behind the building or

anything or trying to like put it at one of the other buildings, I want to take it down to the water

and push it out and downstream. And, I would like to keep an eye on it and make sure that it clears the city.

Running water

Kurt: Okay. You take it down and you kind start pushing it around, kind of like (splashing) and it bobs in the river it kind of goes down. Sinks for a second where you think ‘it may not even come back up’ and it goes like bobs and like slowly. Just it's the buoyancy is very slight, but it keeps it up to where you can kind of see it going through. The Gutterrun is notoriously known for its scavengers. Things that float down the river from the higher districts people, you know they scoop. There's people that literally just hang out on the sides of the river with ropes and grapples to to get it through. So this thing is going to go through a stage of- six zones where people are trying to grapple it and I think you guys can kind of get where I'm going here.

Agreeance

Kurt: So I’m gonna start-

Geoff: I imagine that there's a maybe a sound that we might often hear of almost a warning sound in Gutterrun. Of like maybe ‘guards are coming’ or something like that?

Kurt: Mmhmm

Geoff: I want to do my best even being new to the area to try and replicate that sound as I see them trying to, warn them that this is not something that you want to be involved in.

Kurt: All right so the difficulty of a barrel floating down the river full of body and excrements I'm gonna say is probably just the easy 12. But with your assistance, go ahead and give me a… what would that be… a presence? So charm, perform, and deceive so give me a presence role. See how well…

Geoff: Not very well. It will be with fear, and it is going to be an even 10.

Kurt: Even 10 with fear. No, the calls are very specific as you push the barrel in and you start to see people kind of like looking through you can already see (rope swinging) grappling hooks swirling. The kids are hanging off the docks and they’re chaining to each other, like barrel

of monkeys to each other like trying to hang off and try to get as close as possible to where

this barrel is. And you make that that distress call like a bunch of monkeys in a jungle, warning of a predator coming. As you give off the wrong signal (two-tone whistle). You give off the all is clear signal instead of like there are people coming through, as you watch as people come out of hiding spots that you don't even know were there. You start kind of coming through.

Laughter

Geoff: I have caused more problems than I have solved this day.

Kurt: You didn't realize how many people were around you. But you- barrels open as kids start looking around and start climbing out of different things like and that's all of a sudden you can see like, man there are no parents anywhere. These are all orphans. They're all like child urchins, probably has you know control- they all have some type of master that they report back to. But needless to say, the DC is still 12, as you watch.

Kai: A valiant effort.

Kurt: So it goes through the first stage of-

Jenn: So would have any of the dredgers have seen him throw the barrel in?

Kurt: Probably. They don't care. It's trash you know.

Kai: It's theirs now.

Kurt: You know, one's man's trash another man's treasure. They saw that it was heavy, so it could be something worth- you know, that they want to look at. Kai, go ahead and roll for the first pass of these kids. Just roll 2d12, this is just a reaction roll not with hope or fear….11 misses as it kind of like (tink) hits the barrel, bounces off but it still continues to go. Jonn.

Jonn: Oh man that's the 13.

Kurt: 13, it clicks on to the barrel and I'm not saying you guys are useless and can't do

anything, but you're you're watching this as a kid are-

Jenn: Are we all there?

Kurt: That depends, that that's up to y'all.

Geoff: I didn't invite anyone or like say anything. I was just like ‘I'm taking out the trash, stuffed it in, and rolled it out’.

Severian (Kai): Hey that was mine give it back!

Luke: Ciaran is nearby.

Kurt: a kid like lassoes it with a with a rope and starts pulling it in he goes;

Street Urchin #1: I got it! I got this one! It's a heavy one!

Geoff: I think I would like to make myself a little bit more scarce at this point.

Kevin: Well, that's their problem now.

Kurt: Yeah as you skitter away and don't wait to find out the results.

Luke: Yeah you do look up and see Ciaran just head in hands watching this entire thing go down. Geoff: It was a good idea!

Laughter

Kevin: It was an idea.

Kurt: It was a good idea now maybe not- you're not you're still not used to the city you don't know how the city operates now that you know this is a scavenger city down here. Not a lot goes to waste. A lot of it gets reused, thrown away, reused by somebody else and thrown away. The trash is almost like a recyclable product here.

Kevin: I mean in all honesty they'll probably just strip the body of the clothes, keep the clothes, and ditch the body. So, not that big of a deal.

Geoff: At least it’s not sitting out behind the bar.

Kevin: Yeah, yeah.

Kurt: Okay do you watch and see what happens? No? Okay, all right all right.

Geoff: I do want to try and hide a little bit. I do want to try and kind of keep an eye on it as much

as I can without exposing myself.

Kurt: Sure, yeah. If you're trying to hide without exposing that'll be a finesse.

Geoff: I haven’t used that one.

Kurt: Also it is the rain is starting to pick up a little heavier.

Geoff: It’s a six with fear.

Kurt: Six with fear. You go to hide. Hiding is not normally your strong suit.

Geoff: No.

Kurt: It’s perching on top of things. Tell me where you hide and where… tell me how you fail to hide.

Geoff: Yeah I think I'm so used to the mountains being the same color as me that I just go to the

nearest solid surface and just kind of like cartoon paste myself up against it. Trying to match the crevices like I would normally do. Not really paying attention to the fact that it's a completely different color, so now there's just a a clank fawn just like pressed up against a wall awkwardly. Almost trying to match like some of the patterns and the cracks in the wall but just so obviously

standing out I feel like.

Kurt: Yeah you get to the point where you're just like, pushing yourself against the wall as you watch as a child hoist. It takes several of these children to hoist this barrel out of the river now that it's waterlogged and full of a body. But as you watch, you see them coming over then a, what looks like some type of adult comes over, looks over, puts their hand on the kid, opens it up and shuts it really fast and looks around. The kid taps him and points right at you.

Geoff: I'm looking straight at them thinking like ‘I've done so well! This is what I've done

every time it always works’.

Kurt: You watch as the the adult figure looks right at you, looks down at the thing, says something to the kids you can't see, and he just kicks the barrel (splashing) in the in the water. Then you hear him call out something (same two tone whistle from before) make another call, and all the kids clear out of the river all right.

Geoff: I would like to leave.

Laughter

Kai: On the inside this might have been one of the first times I've seen Basagar get

seriously injured because I don't imagine you're doing much fighting.

Jonn: Mmhmm.

Kai: While we're cleaning up, you know, blood and everything, I’d like to discreetly lick a patch of blood on the ground, of Basagar Blood.

Kurt: Yeah, okay.

Kai: I mean as discreetly as possible. I would just want to know whether it tastes similar.

Geoff: Rag… Rag tongue?

Jenn: How does one discreetly lick blood off the floor?

Luke: How discreet can it be, just face on the ground?

Kai: I'm cleaning, I'm on the ground I’m cleaning.

Geoff: He's really in to scrubbing the ground.

Kai: I'm already bent over, you know?

Kurt: Uh-huh.

Kai: I just want to know whether it tastes familiar.

Kurt: Yeah, what is your finesse ability modifier?

Kai: Plus one.

Kurt: Plus one? Okay so you're not bad at it.

Kai: No.

Kurt: So you're pretty good at stealth. I'll say you are able to un- not everybody is aware you as you're kind crawling down. You see it and just curiosity kind of gets the best of you.

Kai: I just take a quick lick.

Geoff: Just a quick taste.

Kurt: You look down really quick, nobody sees you do it. But you do get a flavor in your mouth. It tastes- it does not taste what you think like it should taste.

Jenn: An Umami.

Kurt: Money?

Kai: No umami.

Kurt: Oh Umami yeah. Oh yes. it is pleasant.

Jonn: Oh no.

Kurt: It brings back- it brings back a familiar taste that you had when you were chowing down on some Humperdink.

Kai: Oh. Tastes like home

Geoff: Oh no.

Kai: Okay, that's what I wanted to know.

Kevin: All right

Kurt: Thunder and lightning strikes as it starts raining a little heavier.

Zeph (Kevin): So, like I said if The Guild is looking, we probably should go and figure out what their deal is. Give me a second.

Kevin: Zeph kind of pokes his head back into the main room.

Zeph (Kevin): Yo Blake!

Blake (Kurt): Yeah, what you got?

Zeph (Kevin): Know where the Hasp Market is right now?

Blake (Kurt): The Hasp?

Zeph (Kevin): Yeah, where they've set up?

Blake (Kurt): Um… I think they're uh…. they're over there by the market.

Zeph (Kevin): Yeah.

BLake (Kurt) Uh, what that's down by the market… just look for the um… I think they're by the

the one of the entrances to the sewers. Yeah it's- maybe? I don't know they change spots. It's kind of like their-

Zeph (Kevin): Well yeah I know that's why I was asking.

Blake (Kurt): Yeah.

Zeph (Kevin): All right, all right thanks.

Kevin: Zeph kind of turns around;

Zeph (Kevin): Fucking useless.

Laughter

All right, we can leg it, see if we can figure out where they're set up. But it's a

market, it moves, it's never in the same place, The Guild runs it. So if we want to talk to The Guild, the best place to find them is in the market.

Severian (Kai): Do you think the guild will be able to help us get into the castle?

Basagar (Jonn): No more than Ciaran.

Geoff: I think by that point I finally make it back;

Pi N’Kuwa (Geoff): Everything went great!

Severian (Kai): Good.

Zeph (Kevin): Good job!

Luke: A couple seconds later I walked right after him, head still in my hands like

Ciaran (Luke): If the guild didn't know they do now or they will by the end of the day.

Zeph (Kevin): So your definition of great…?

Pi N’Kuwa (Geoff): It went down the river where I wanted it to. Eventually.

Zeph (Kevin): And no one-?

Pi N’kuwa (Geoff): I mean, no one saw it was me. I was hidden!

Zeph (Kevin): Were you hidden like that?

Pi N’Kuwa (Geoff): Yeah!

Geoff: I absolutely like fully recreate. Like up against the wall, white wall behind me.

Ciaran (Luke): If there was anyone that didn't see him I'd be surprised.

Basagar (Jonn): Is he trying to be hidden?

Zeph (Kevin): Good to know.

Pi N’Kuwa (Geoff): But now they'll understand our strength.

Ciaran (Luke): That is one way of putting it.

Zeph (Kevin): Yeah. So, I was just telling these guys, probably should see what the guild is up to.

Seraphina (Jenn): Well I mean-

Zeph (Kevin): One way or another as long as we're in the Gutterrun, The Guild is gonna have eyes on. So better us go to them then wait for them to come to us.

Ciaran (Luke): So you'd like for us to walk directly into the jaws of the beasts, the one who whose members are equipped with multiple of these poisoned needles, daggers, that nearly took the life of our friend here.

Zeph (Kevin): Yeah that sounds about right, yeah.

Seraphina (Jenn): Well I yeah like, we should probably figure out who paid them to find out who killed the other guy.

Zeph (Kevin): Well I-

Ciaran (Luke): It's entirely possible that no one paid them to do that

Zeph (Kevin): Right.

Ciaran (Luke): Rather, they are going to sell that information

Seraphina (Jenn): Well they’re trying to get paid.

CIaran (Luke): Well of course.

Zeph (Kevin): I kind of like to know what exactly they know and why they're keeping tabs on us.

Ciaran (Luke): And going to them is your preferred method of finding this out?

Seraphina (Jenn): So you think everybody should go?

Zeph (Kevin): I mean, I think there's strength in numbers

Pi N’Kuwa (Geoff): Is this like when you have a pest, and you just and you you get rid of all of the pests? Because if you leave one there's going to be more?

Zeph (Kevin): No.

Ciaran (Luke): Yeah.

Zeph (Kevin): Damn it.

Ciaran (Luke): That is how rumors and information spread.

Seraphina (Jenn): So, I have a little experience with some spying and subterfuge and usually the best way to go about it is not killing a bunch of people.

Zeph (Kevin): I'm not saying we should go and kill them. I'm saying we should go and try and find out what's going on.

Seraphina (Jenn): So we just want to know what they know.

Zeph (Kevin): Yeah!

Ciaran (Luke): And to our credit only about half of us have actually been involved in any sort of killing.

Zeph (Kevin): Also true.

Ciaran (Luke): I mean, this man killed himself.

Seraphina (Jenn): That is accurate. But here's the thing, so the three of you guys who actually did the killing of the other person.

Zeph (Kevin): I mean technically I think only one of us actually killed him.

Ciaran (Luke): And I would think- I would like all of us to keep that in mind. The technicalities do matter sometimes and being able to say you did not kill a man is valuable.

Seraphina (Jenn): Yeah and I mean this one actually did kill himself.

Ciaran (Luke): Precisely. So none of us are guilty, directly, of murder.

Seraphina (Jenn): No.

Zeph (Kevin): No I'd say we're absolutely not.

Seraphina (Jenn): No if anything we just witnessed a suicide.

Zeph (Kevin): Yeah.

Ciaran (Luke): Truly tragic.

Seraphina (Jenn): It was.

Geoff: Kua is like taking notes.

Pi N’Kuwa (Geoff): This is a lot to keep track of.

Basagar (Jonn): I agree.

Kevin: He’s like trying to learn, trying to figure out how to fit in a little bit.

Severian (Kai): It's much too complicated.

Seraphina (Jenn): So the only thing that I was wondering is, does it make sense to march up to these guild fellas with, I mean let's be honest, some of you are rather intimidating looking, and make it seem like we're trying to start shit?

Zeph (Kevin): No. No, no, no, no, no. I figured we could find, look these guys were flunkies, right? Seraphia (Jenn): Right.

Zeph (Kevin): They're just little larvals.

Seraphina (Jenn): Right, so we need to find somebody that knows what's going on?

Zeph (Kevin): Yeah, yeah exactly. We're gonna find that as the Hasp.

Seraphina (Jenn): But we're also going to try to be nice and persuasive? Or are we going to have another person kill themselves in front of us?

Zeph (Kevin): I think nice and persuasive is probably the way to go with these guys.

Seraphina (Jenn): All right, I just figured we should all be on the same page.

Zeph (Kevin): Fair.

Seraphina (Jenn): So that, ya know.

Basagar (Jonn): Whatever gets me to the castle quickest. If talking to this guild is the solution to get us to the castle, then let's do that.

Ciaran (Luke): I won't say that it will help you get to the castle. However, if this information does spread, which we do not want, it would actively hinder your ability to get to the castle.

Basagar (Jonn) Hmm.

Seraphina (Jenn): Yeah it would be real hard to go to the castle if you're in prison.

Basagar (Jonn): I see. I follow your lead.

Kevin: All right. So I try and find the Hasp Market.

Kurt: It takes some time, give me a… I'll just do a instinct. See if you can let your senses guide you through. See if you just read the the local area and trying to see. This is kind of like you guys going through asking questions about, you know, have you seen the house market knowing which questions to ask to the right person. Not so much like you're just going out looking. This is how well you can find it in a city where they don't want to be found.

Jenn: Can I help with that?

Kurt: Absolutely

Luke: Not to be that guy again-

Kurt: Yeah if you want to help, if you have something like an ability specifically or if you just want to use a hope to add a d6 to the roll.

Jenn: What I was going to do is I was going to ask people like on the street.

Kurt: Yeah.

Jenn: Because I'm a persuasive bitch.

Kurt: Okay. So let’s say you guys can either roll individually or if you want to use a hope to give her a d6 basically rolling with advantage.

Kevin: I burned all my hope earlier healing the mushroom.

Jenn: Yeah I was going to try to be persuasive and use one of my experience to ask somebody that

looks shady enough to know where it would probably be.

Kurt: Okay.

Jenn: If that makes sense.

Kurt: Yeah you find- let's see if you can find that person go ahead and roll a presence.

Jenn: Okay, that's a 19 on the dice with hope.

Kurt: Yeah, get that hope!

Jenn: Yeah and using my experience ‘silver tongued’ would make that a 21.

Kurt: Nice, it does not take long at all you find the person that looks like they just maybe down on their luck a little bit. You know the right things, you say the right things, and they you know eventually they;

NPC (Kurt): Alright, It's- it's-

Kurt: He kind of like looks at the group and like;

NPC (Kurt): I don't want no trouble but uh it's- it's- over there by um- what the fuck is that guy's place called uh- the priest over there. I don't know the old- I don't know what the-

Kurt: He's stumbling with the words. I know what it is. But he's stumbling, he doesn't go to church, but-

Zeph (Kevin): Father Vane

NPC (Kurt): Yeah, that motherfucker.

Seph (Kevin): All right. Kevarin's Hollow.

Jenn: I had grabbed one of the sausages-

NPC (Kurt): If you say so.

Jenn: -off my breakfast plate and I still have it.

Kurt: Okay.

Jen: So I'm gonna hand it to this guy and say thank you.

NPC (Kurt): Uh, pleasure doing business with you.

Crash

Kurt: Lightning and he covers the sausage and like starts like nibbling on it as he hobbles away. But, indeed over by Saint Keravin's Hollow

Kevin: As we're heading that direction because I know the way, I'll brief everyone. Actually, this is probably a good thing, they don't allow any weapons there. So, this is probably as good a shot as we have of a peaceful resolution, as we can find.

Jenn: And is it called the Has Market? Or Hasp?

Kurt: Hasp.

Jenn: Okay.

Kurt: Yep, yep the Hasp Market. As you guys get close there are- where you guys ditching your weapons at?

Luke: Deeper within my clothes.

Kurt: Okay.

Jonn: My short staff is now my walking stick, because I am very, very hurt.

Kurt: Okay

Kevin: The only place that I trust, which is actually once we get there.

Kurt: Okay.

Kevin: Because they do have a reputation to maintain and so I wouldn't trust my sword just stashed anywhere where somebody could come across it. I want it in good hands (lightening and ominous music) and I know they will actually take care of it and return it because they do have this stellar reputation to maintain.

Kurt: Okay.

Geoff: I'd probably defer to Zeph knowing the area.

Kevin: It's as safe as it's going to be anywhere.

Geoff: I wouldn't leave my weapon anywhere, but if I have to at least it would be closer.

Kurt: Okay, Severian?

Kai: Severian's weapons are kind of made of bone and briar and they they could look like they're a part of him, but I don't know.

Kurt: Okay you can try to leave it. But, you guys get over to Saint Keravin's Hollow. It looks, It’s raining, it's dark, the the clouds have blotted out what little of the morning sun is trying to bake away at this thing as the storm comes over the onyx spires and just dumps down on the kingdom of Virelia. It is just a cacophony of lightning (Kurt makes crashing sounds) more than usual, as you see several buildings get hit with some type of arcane- not even arcane- just an

arcing lightning bolt just sets a wall, or a chimney, or something on fire. There's not really any grounding rods per say here but it's just, it seems more than normal.

As you go through, you watch, you get closer to Saint Kevarin's Hollow, you can see the ominous

silhouette of the steeple church. Used to be some type of hollow place. I don't know if anybody's familiar with Saint Kevarin's Hollow or has been there before. I know you've probably been there a few times before (talking to Kevin). But, what you see through an alleyway tucked inside you see a series of tents or market awnings that have been haphazardly made to shift and there's people kind of like putting out sheets and blankets and things.

Growling

But what you see before you is a figure rising up through the soil of the ground or like through whatever cracks, almost like roots themselves start growing around. You see vines grow and grab onto what looks like a a wall of some sort pulls itself up. You see that there are three of these massive creatures that are pulling themselves up. You see one reach out grapple innocent civilian that is running away, kicking and screaming. He comes up, puts this person to his mouth, pauses for a second, just throws it away. The body flops onto the ground, he gets up, just screams and runs away as this other pulls over another body, pulls it up close, just throws it away, going through. Pulls up another one, this person is scrambling, slipping in the mud. Grabs this person, looks into this thing as he (ahhh!) screams, he pulls in, he's watching just (crinking) crush this body and drop them. It goes through, these three creatures are pulling these people in as they're trying to run around. Looks like they're running and trying to get away as their vines reach out at an impossibly long distances, and pulling them in, bringing them in, discarding almost all of them except for that one person. But they are still going around looking.

Zeph (Kevin): That's not normal.

Geoff: What the-

Kurt: And that is where we're going to end our first episode (lightening strikes) of Daggerheart!

Jonn: What the fuck!

Kurt: Here down in the Gutterrun, we are going to pick up there next time. So, thank you for

joining, listening. We'll see what happens to our nice little, not so common heroes. See if they can figure what this is. Thanks y'all!

Jonn: Bye!

Kai: Bye!

Jenn: Bye!

Suspenseful music