Rialla, Jokul and Eight plan their rendezvous with the thieves’ guild of Kadiba, booking a room at The Grumpy Goat where they can plot in secret. Jokul and Rialla also take advantage of Eight’s more involved preparations to share a meal together and enjoy some much needed time alone.
Three companions make their way to The Grumpy Goat, the rendezvous point for the thieves’ guild of Kadiba. They book a room from the proprietor, a Procid named Tek, using the false name “Ranier”. Once they are alone in the privacy of their room, Rialla explains to Jokul and Eight that she lied to the guild about their involvement with the bird, which is what has prompted the midnight meeting.
Jokul meticulously cleans his blades in preparation, and Rialla tries to scry using her recently recovered mirror to determine the significance of the bird. Unfortunately, she realizes in this process that her mirror has been cleansed and she’ll need to reattune to it in order to use it.
As Eight takes time to rearrange their plating in an effort to make their stature seem more imposing, Jokul and Rialla head down to the dining area to enjoy their first meal alone in weeks. They reminisce on what has happened since they met, and ponder what the future holds.
Follow Dax @GM_Dax, Cole @ColeMorreale and Wren @ThornyDryad
Transcript by Wil McKerracher
Upbeat piano intro music ends [00:28]
Somber, mysterious background music fades in [00:30]
Dax: Eight, Jokul, and Rialla, you are walking away from the Citadel. You have just left a poor rookie individual we'll call them, since you never really asked what their job was and what they were doing in that alley, with their feet frozen to the ground. Jokul and Rialla you have convinced some of the members of that Citadel to meet by the sewers at midnight. You’ve got half a day until then, what would you like to do?
Cole (as Rialla): Don't, uh, want to go into The Grumpy Goat just yet. I want to wait for Eight so I can ask them something first.
Wren (as Eight): I did follow behind you, but I gave you enough time to wander ahead at your request, so that we could be more discreet.
Dax: Eight what did you do last session to make yourself more discreet? I-I believe you said you did something with your head or your chest or whatever it was.
Wren: Yes, after I interrogated that, uh, rapscallion in my Seven persona, I ducked into an alleyway and I used magic to cover myself in ethereal butterflies to disguise myself, because I was not wearing butterflies when I went into the alley so if I come out wearing butterflies, no one will know any better than I’m actually the same person.
[Cole sighs]
Wren: So I’m just covered in a whole mess of like translucent glowing blue and green butterflies.
Cole: And as Eight approaches, Rialla just is stunned in disbelief and-
James: Jokul just facepalms.
[Cole giggles]
Cole (as Rialla): I should have been more specific, uhm-
Wren (as Eight): My friends, you-you look disappointed. I am here, no one recognized me. [whispers] I am covered in butterflies. It's-
Cole: I-
Wren (as Eight): Me, Eight.
Cole: Am going to give Eight a very gentle boop on the nose. Uhm..uh, what does the street look like?
Dax: So the-most of the city is made of sandstone. They have domed roofs, many of them of which are metallic. Where you are in the city, uh there are very few flat roofs as opposed to the outskirts of the city where more of the roofs are flat and..and lower. The city streets are akin to cobblestone, where it’s that very bumpy walk. Very dusty from the desert.
Cole: Is the street crowded?
Dax: Yes and no? I mean there are people that are wandering about, but it is not the crowd that you ran into in the courtyard in front of the Citadel and it is not the packed crowd that you escaped from when you left the tavern earlier today.
Cole: I’ll say,
Cole (as Rialla): I..I don’t-I want to basically, uh, I’m sorry I’m not sure how to ask this, but...basically, we made a connection with the thieves’ guild.
Wren (as Eight): Using your criminal nature?
Cole (as Rialla): Yes. And uhm, they're going to help us, but they don't know about you yet and I didn't want to drag you into this if you weren’t comfortable with it. So I wanted to check with you, because I don't exactly know how you feel about uhm...working with..criminals.
Wren: I straighten up a little bit, after having leaned in to-to hear the..the hushed question and, uh, raise an eyebrow and the butterflies kinda go up with my eyebrows I shifted and I lean back in.
Wren (as Eight): I think working with criminals could be quite exciting, if only for the new experience. I have been traveling with two crooks for a few months now. Isn't that the case?
Cole (as Rialla): Eh, not really. Uhm..I think we are more like spies than thieves but, uhm-
Wren (as Eight): Oh, you steal information.
Cole (as Rialla): He did. I did some other unsavory work, but uh, anyway if you’re okay with it, then at midnight we’re meeting the contact. They told us to wait in here so we can get a room here and wait?
Wren (as Eight): That makes sense. You two will probably need to sleep, otherwise you’ll be tired. But don't worry, Seven will watch over you. That's me, I'm Seven. Seven is my criminal connection.
Cole: Give Eight a gentle pat on the shoulder and then nod towards Jokul to head towards the..The Grumpy Goat.
Wren: I nod my head as they turn away and start following.
[Wren makes noises like “clop clop clop”]
Dax: It doesn't take you long to find The Grumpy Goat. It is a squat building. One of the few with flat roofs and it has a wooden sign on the outside of it with a goat’s face and very angry looking eyebrows.
Sound effect of door opening [5:16]
Dax: As you walk in, you notice that there are several wooden tables with chairs, a couple people are seated in and amongst the open space with uh, ah.. mugs-mugs of ale rather I should say in front of them talking in hushed whispers. You see something moving behind the bar when you walk further into the room and all you see really is a little feather that’s going back and forth, over the bar top edge.
Cole: Gracious DM, I don’t know if we were supposed to...we’re not meeting anyone here?
Dax: They said you guys could hang out here and.. and get a room if you hadn't already since it's close to where the sewer entrance is, and you could be escorted from here to where you need to go.
Cole: And what..about what time is it?
Dax: By now, it’s probably mid-afternoon. Moving in towards potentially four ‘o'clock.
Wren: There’s just this random feather?
Cole: Yeah..
Wren: Moving back and forth behind the bar?
Dax: Yup.
Wren: Interesting! Ah..oh, uhm..does anyone look at me funny because of my butterfly face?
Dax: The few patrons that are in there do kind of give you a second look, but for the most part they keep to themselves and they don't really draw..try to draw too much attention to the fact that they've..they've seen you in all your glory.
Wren: I dissipate the butterflies.
[Cole makes a fluttery sound]
Wren: They just kinda...yeah they scatter in all directions in the building, and then as they get outside like 5 feet from me, they just kind of evaporate into a little swirl of color that matches there.. there uh apparated hue and uh, I'll approach the counter at the-the bar and kind of crane over to see if I can see what’s behind it.
Dax: So, as you lean forward, you do see what is making the feather move. It is a short creature with tan-colored fur, a large bushy tail and dark brown paws that make up its hands and feet. It is walking upright, on its hind legs and it has a very pointed nose and little round tufted ears and what appears to be almost a mask on its face. The creature stops and turns to look up at you.
Dax (as the creature): [in a very rough, scratchy voice] Hey! How’s it goin’? What can I do for you?
Wren (as Eight): Hello, I..I am Eight. And you are something I have never seen before. What are you?
Dax (as the creature): You’ve never seen a Procid before?
Wren (as Eight): A what?
Dax (as the Procid): A Procid. That’s..that’s what I am.
Dax: And it waves with its paws kinda gesturing from its.. from its ears down to its..to its feet and tail.
Wren (as Eight): Rialla-
James: These creatures we encountered in the desert weren't Procids, were they?
Dax: No. No, those were Jerboamin.
Wren (as Eight): Rialla, Jokul, come look at this Procid! It is most intriguing.
Cole: I peer over the bar.
Cole (as Rialla): Hello, I-I almost didn’t see you there.
Dax (as the Procid): Yeah it's why I wear the feather so you can see I’m..ya know behind here. What can I get ya?
Cole (as Rialla): We’d like to...request a room.
Dax (as the Procid): Sure. Sure I got a couple of rooms available, uhhh, how many you need?
Cole (as Rialla): I think the one will be fine-
Wren (as Eight): Yes-
Cole (as Rialla): For the night.
Dax (as the Procid): Just the one, for one night? Alright.
Dax: The Procid turns behind the bar, and you see them opening up a cupboard. Then they pull out a little leather bound book and you see them flipping through a few pages. They draw a little ink quill out of their back pocket, they start scribbling into the book.
Dax (as the Procid): Can I get uh, can I get a name for the room?
Cole (as Rialla): Yes, Ranier.
Dax (as the Procid): Ranier. Alright, uh..uh..h-how do you spell that?
Wren (as Eight): [whispering] Who is that?
Cole (as Rialla): R-a-n-i-e-r.
Dax (as the Procid): Alright. Alright, that'll be, uhh..one gold for the room for the night.
Cole: I’ll reach into my pocket and pull out a gold piece and set it on the counter.
Dax: You see the Procid moving their arm over the bartop until they get their fingers around the gold and they quickly snatch down. And you see them biting a little bit into the metal and when they determine that it is..it is good enough, sticks it in their little…little pouch pocket at their hip.
Dax (as the Procid): Alright now the room does uhh, come with your dinner and uh, any-any alcohol's gonna be an extra charge.
Cole (as Rialla): That’s fine, thank you.
Dax (as the Procid): Yeah-
Cole (as Rialla): What time is supper?
Dax (as the Procid): Ehh..
Dax: Looks..looks around and as you follow their gaze you notice that there is a device on the back wall. It’s very blocky, it has a round face to it and it has little dials and spindles on it..and moving gears. Eight if you want you can make a knowledge check for me to see if you remember what this is called.
Wren: Any difficulty or is it just a simple check?
Dax: We can make it just a simple check.
[Sound of dice being rolled]
Wren: Two success and an advantage. It’s a clock!
Dax: It is a mantle clock and you know that because th..some of the gears are exposed, it is actually a very expensive clock.
Wren (as Eight): Ooh..your clock, Mister Procid, is exceptional. Actually, I must ask. What should we call you?
Dax (as the Procid): Well, most people around here call me Tek.
Wren (as Eight): Te-x?
Dax (as Tek): No, Tek.
Wren (as Eight): Tek.
Dax (as Tek): Yeah. You got cotton between your ears?
Wren (as Eight): I do not know what is between my ears, so it might be cotton.
Dax: Tek turns and looks again at the clock.
Dax (as Tek): Eh dinner should be ready in about uhhh..in about two hours. I think the missus is in the back uhh..cookin' it up now.
Cole (as Rialla): Okay, thank you.
Cole: Is there..did the key get put on the counter?
Dax: Tek, after he answers your question about that, goes and wanders to the other end of the bar and pulls out a box and you see him rifling through the box. And you hear the clank of metal and he does eventually come back with a key and hands it over to you.
Cole: Look to my companions.
Cole (as Rialla): Shall we head up?
Wren (as Eight): I am ready.
James: Uh, out of character. Maeve was stored somewhere at the first tavern we stopped at correct? Was she arrested with um..our giant?
Cole: Oh fuck, yeah. What happened to the horse? Shit.
Dax: Yeah, so Maeve and Bessie were kept as part of collateral. They figure if you maybe have one of your friends and you also are missing your transportation, you're more likely to get the job done than to try and escape in the middle of the night.
Cole: Oh, so Jokul’s pissed, is-
Dax: Yeah.
Cole: What you’re telling me...
James: Good to know!
[Cole laughing in the background]
Dax: Jokul is probably not happy!
Cole: Yeah we head up to our rooms.
Sound effect of someone walking upstairs [11:53]
Dax: It’s only six steps to the upper level where there are a few doors down a hallway and it doesn't take you long to find the door with the number that matches what’s attached to your key.
Sound effect of a door opening [12:05]
Dax: And when you do open it up, you do find that there is a double bed, straw-filled mattress and simple wool blankets. A washbasin on a table, a small window that is shuttered up, currently, to keep the sunlight and heat out of the room and a little desk and chair. So it's not..not a fancy room. It’s very simple accommodations but should get the job done.
Cole: Shut the door, lock it behind us.
Cole (as Rialla): [sighs] Okay, so I guess maybe we should um perhaps, figure out what, um, our game plan is. Because I told this contact that we were given this bird, we were not given any instructions and we did not know this is where the bird originated from, and that we were not given information and that we were tasked with finding the thieves. So obviously we went to them first and they said that they would help us. But I’m not sure how we’re going to get Arthas and Maeve and Bessie out. I took a little bit of..of initiative there and I obviously didn't have time to ask you what your thoughts were.
James (as Jokul): You made the right call. I-I'm not one for thinking on my feet, so you did good.
Cole (as Rialla): They said that we’ll meet at the sewers at midnight, i just hope that we’re not being lead into a trap, but I’m hoping that my message was interpreted as we were misled by Hassan and not given information and that we’re not from here but we’re still associated with this guild.
Wren (as Eight): I believe it would be obvious that we are not from here.
Cole (as Rialla): Sure that it's fairly obvious, but I still don't know if they actually believe it so I think we need to be aware, and be careful going into this. If they’re anything like who Jokul and I were working with..for.. they could be very dangerous and leaving might prove to be more difficult. I also obviously told them that the bird was taken from us so I’m hoping that it [indistinguishable mumbling] and I'm not quite sure how it will play out but ideally if they were to get caught trying to get the bird again that would make our lives a little easier, but I don't think it'll go that way.
Wren (as Eight): What if they want us to steal the bird back?
Cole (as Rialla): If that's the case, really hope that’s not the case, but uhh one option would be to basically tell the authorities where these people are hiding um...
Cole: Also, out of character, I’d be talking like quiet in case anyone was listening.
Dax: Ok.
Wren: [in an exaggerated hushed voice] I will match volumes.
Cole (as Rialla): That’s one option.
Wren (as Eight): I'm sure that if Arthas needed to escape, the guards would be powerless to stop him. He is quite large.
Cole (as Rialla): Yeah there is more of them though.
Wren (as Eight): I've only seen one Arthas.
Cole (as Rialla): No, there’s uhm, multiple guards. I wouldn’t want them to hurt him.
Wren (as Eight): Or the bird..or Bessie! Oh, Bessie must be so frightened.
Wren: My eyes are furrowed in concern. And I-
James (as Jokul): If they mess with either of our pets and our friend, they're in for a world of hurt.
Cole (as Rialla): I’d really rather it not get to that point, but, if we're left with no other choice, then that's the way it goes then.
Wren (as Eight): [in a hushed tone] Yes, we'll have to act like criminals, outlaws, brigands, bandits, thieves, scoundrels, rapscallions, ne'er-do-wells.
Cole (as Rialla): Do you think that, uhm-
Wren (as Eight): Rogues.
Cole (as Rialla): We act like criminals?
Wren (as Eight): Wha...the two of you? Right now?
Cole (as Rialla): In general.
Wren (as Eight): We are plotting a midnight rendezvous behind a door under a false name, in hushed tones. I fail to see how this is anything above board.
Cole (as Rialla): Above what?
Wren (as Eight): Above board? I believe that's a saying you people use.
Cole (as Rialla): I haven’t heard it, but that’s-
Wren (as Eight): Are-
Cole (as Rialla): Neither here nor there.
Wren (as Eight): I believe it's intended to recognize something is deceitful or not entirely honest.
Cole (as Rialla): Every time I think I know Common very well it turns out that I don't. You make it sound like we're [laughs] we’re such criminals. That's..I don’t know I wouldn't classify us as that. This I don't have much excuse for, this is hopefully going to get us out of here mostly unscathed. I think my biggest worry right now is that they know that I lied.
Wren (as Eight): Well, we’ll just have to find out when we get there this evening.
Cole (as Rialla): So, I think.. is there anything that we should do to prepare?
Wren (as Eight): I have something in mind for myself, but I would wager that you two should probably get some rest. We have been going fairly non stop.
Cole (as Rialla): Yeah, I was thinking that. Probably dinner and rest.
James (as Jokul): That sounds like a plan. We don't..we don't want to be sleepy when they come to get us or caught ill-prepared, should their meeting turn into something more malicious.
Cole (as Rialla): Exactly.
Wren (as Eight): I will stand guard.
Wren: Wonderful GM, uh, if I may. While they rest, I would like Eight to take the time to rearrange their.. their plating to assume “juggernaut mode” and become just a giant wall of sinewy wood and metal plates.
Dax: Okay.
Wren: Which will bring my soak to six, but upgrade all of my agility checks, and uh, I can only move once per turn. Ever.
Dax: Okay. Just a quick clarify, you had said you were gonna sleep until dinner and-
Cole: No-
Dax: Or are you going to skip dinner?
Cole: No no no. We're gonna eat dinner and then rest.
Dax: Okay, I just wanted to make sure I understood, so, okay.
Music changes to reflect more mystical atmosphere [17:40]
Cole: But while waiting for dinner, uh, I don't fully understand my scrying skill just yet. ‘Cause it’s mostly used to talk with the dead and seeing how people died, could it also be used as like a divining sort of thing?
Dax: So, I would probably argue that, “Speak With the Dead” is your scrying ritual to actually speak with somebody who’s recently died. “Knowledge of the Void”..it does indicate that you can catch glimpses of- to know how someone passed on. But I also would imagine that you could just make it..use that really as a scrying ability. Like being able to peer in between, and therefore gain knowledge, but I guess it depends on what specifically you’re gonna use the scrying for.
Cole: I would probably flavor it as...so, I think the way Rialla's scrying might work is like seeing kind of into that veil? Seeing potential outcomes. Maybe surrounding…
Dax: Are you trying to see into the future to see what might potentially happen? Is that what you’re trying to do?
Cole: I want to see the significance of the bird? Why the thieves’ guild might care about it so much? And kind of like what sort of intention- like a feeling for what sort of intentions they may have. Something along those lines. Predicting the future isn't really kind of a concern because, you know change one thing, it changes everything. So more just kinda get a feel for the situation itself.
Dax: I’ll say that if you want to scry and look into the void and look at why they took the bird, you could do that. Only because you had contact with the bird and you had contact with the people that-
Cole: Right-
Dax: Had it last. So therefore that would allow you a little bit more insight into that piece of it, but maybe why it’s significant I would say would be a little harder for you to..to discern ‘cause you don't know too much about this particular thieves’ guild at this juncture. So if you wanna try and use “Knowledge of the Void” for that and not just a death-related thing, since you have “Speak with the dead” we could do that, where it's a little bit more, “looking through the veil” and trying to figure some things out, but maybe not everything’s gonna be clear. That make sense? Yeah, it'd be up to interpretation on your end of things, what you saw and what you thought of it, but yeah-
Cole: I-
Dax: But I-
Cole: I agree with that.
Dax: I’d say we get to use that “Knowledge of the Void” and treat it more of a general scrying where you can..you can look into maybe someone or something that you've had contact with. But anything that you’re unsure about, maybe you..you can't see that from that.
Cole: Mhmm.
Dax: So, yeah if you wanna try and do a scrying skill check, you can do that.
Cole: Okay.
Dax: Looks like it’s gonna be a hard skill check.
[Cole makes a raspberry noise]
Cole: It’s a total wash.
Dax: Okay, well I mean at least you tried, you know? Why don't you describe for us, what it looks like when Rialla scries, and especially since she hasn't had this mirror in a long time.
Cole: And I think that's probably why it's a wash because..it's been so long since she’s attuned herself to it? So this mirror, it's a victorian styled hand mirror and on the back there's this crest. It has a raven’s wings flared out and it's etched into the silver and it's very intricately carved. It has a wooden handle and the mirror part is black. And it's probably a little scuffed up by this point, it's seen too many hands that were not hers.
And her scrying. She would sit down on the bed, and she’d reach around in her pouches and she has this little sachet and it has a very sweet-smelling mixture of herbs. It’s forest root and celery seed, and she would sprinkle a little bit of that and close her eyes, and hold the mirror in front of her. When she opens her eyes, her eyes are blank white and the..like the veins around her eyes get a little bit darker. And she stares into the mirror and she kinda just looks like she’s in a trance. Like if anyone's talking, like she’s just like not there. And it looks like her eyes are like moving and it looks like she’s looking around for something. Probably furrowing her brows when she’s not seeing anything the way that she used to? Probably curses in Thevenoudian. She would eventually shake her head and turn the mirror over and she'd blink a few times and her ice-blue eyes would come back and the veins would recede.
[Cole sighs]
Cole (as Rialla): [whispers] Damnit.
Cole: On that note, this is something I keep forgetting that I want to do. Because this was given back to me, is there any way after this, uh, looking over the mirror, one thing that I have been worried about since I got the mirror back. Has it been enchanted so that people can watch us? Can I tell if it's been cursed in any way? I've been keeping it in my pocket.
Dax: If you would like to try and figure out if it has been enchanted, then you will need to make an arcana check and I will make it hard difficulty.
Cole: That’s fair. So just the three purple and three green?
Dax: Yup.
Cole: I have two successes!
Dax: The good news is you can tell as you.. as you wave your hands over the mirror, and you.. you hone in to what makes this mirror tick so it were, that there is no current enchantment on it other than anything that is currently on it to allow you to scry. There is no alarm or spying spell that is currently cast into the folds of the metal and the glass. You do get this distinct feeling however that it has in a way been cleansed. You can sense the aura around this mirror and that it…it's not the mirror you once knew. But there don't seem to be any negative aspects attached to it.
Cole: If I wanted to attune myself to it again, would you say that that would be like a ritual?
Dax: I would say that it’s probably a ritual and it is going to take quite a while in order-
Cole: Okay-
Dax: For you to do this.
Cole: Is it like an ongoing thing where I have to do like, multiple nights of a ritual or is it just like one long ritual?
Dax: I would say that it would be one long ritual.
Cole: Okay, and since I know the mirror would I...is this something trial and error? Is this something that I would be able to do and if it is something that I’ve done before how long it would take?
Dax: I’d say you’ve done it at least once, with this mirror in particular, um, so you know what you need to do. It's been a while.
Cole: Mhmm.
Dax: It’s been a few years, think that you would be able to do I would say, given the ritual itself, it’d probably be a few hours? But there also is the aspect of you're gonna have to spend some time remembering what components you’re gonna need and everything that you're gonna need to have to… to set this up properly so that it goes off without a hitch. Jokul and Eight..
Music changes back to somber melody [24:32]
Dax: What about the two of you, what are doing while Rialla is attempting to scry and making lists and other things before dinner?
James: Yeah, uhm...Jokul’s probably just kinda hanging out in the room as well. He-he's seen Rialla do this ritual before I assume, so…but he-he's more methodical with his rituals, are just pull out the spiked chain, start like polishing each blade. Just do that kind of tedious work that keeps him busy? Like sharpening a sword quick and easy, spark, uh.. like sharpening the chain, I imagine it’s just got so many like edges and facets to it that it’s like… this takes like three hours, but it’s good just time killing. So, th-that's what he's doing. Just sitting in a corner with a whetstone or..
Dax: Getting all your..your weaponry ready to go because you don't know what you're going to be getting into later this evening. So you want to make sure you’re prepared and you're kinda I'm guessing doing that very meditative, slow-
James: E-
Dax: I’m thinking and lost in my own brain.
James: Exactly-
Dax: While I do this? Okay.
[James chuckles]
James: Yeah-ah-ah-ah and inwardly he’s like if they mess with my horse, I'm gonna fuckin murder some guys.
Wren: Like I mentioned earlier before the scrying. I am uh, rearranging my plates and kind of.. it's just a very bizarre thing for anyone else to be witnessing ‘cause I’m literally just sitting there, like grabbing with my huge hands and just shifting things around on my body and like connecting them in different ways like twisting and you hear the sound of like the metal clicking and what occasionally sounds like bones snapping as it's just the fact that I haven't really done this before but twist…
[Wren imitates cracking and twisting noises, Cole groans squeamishly]
Wren: And I spend the majority of the evening just rearranging my plates so that I can become my 'Steel Bastion' form, and uh, it..it doesn't really change the make of my body, but it certainly makes me look more broad of shoulder and chest, and a little more imposing in that sense? My..my center of gravity is a little lower as well. Maybe I've gotten a touch shorter, by like a-a half foot or something? But I’m much more squat and sturdy looking, in the sense of whereas Eight normally looks ponderous, I definitely look impossible to knock over right now. I'm just spending the time doing that and I will be doing that while you’re down eating as well. I-I don't really feel like coming out at this point.
Wren (as Eight): I don't like going out when I look like this, but I feel like we could use the extra intimidation factor when we're ready to step out. Do I look imposing?
Wren: And I just kinda puff out my chest a little bit.
Cole (as Rialla): The most terrifying.
Dax: So-
[Cole in the background imitates fake fear]
Dax: You..you all manage to pass a couple of hours until dinner is ready an-and before you even leave your room, you can smell meat roasting and you can smell some..delectable sauce.
Sound effect of someone descending stairs [27:41]
Dax: You go down the steps and there aren't any more patrons other than what you saw earlier; just a couple of people sitting at some random tables, talking in hushed whispers. You take a seat and another Procid, this one different hues of grey and black and white comes shuffling over with this big wooden tray and they pop the tray on the table in front of you, Rialla and Jokul and on-on it is a large loaf of very crusty bread. And the Procid turns to look up at the two of you and this one has another feather on their head, uhm-
[Cole snickers]
Cole: Are they like really tiny?
Dax: Picture if a raccoon was walking on their hind legs, that's the size these things are.
Cole: Sorry audience-
Dax: This Procid looks at the two of you and says,
Dax (as the Procid): [in a very rough, scratchy voice, slightly higher pitch] So uh, two dinners?
Cole (as Rialla): Yes, please.
Dax (as the Procid): Alright.
Dax: Shuffles back, little hips moving as they waddle and the tai-the fluffy tail going back and forth and-
Cole: I’m going to die!
Dax: It doesn’t take long for this Procid to come back with a very large bowl, sets it on the table and goes back and forth a few times and in the large bowl is what looks like a big hunk of roasted meat of some sort. Almost looks like beef but you’re not entirely sure, especially considering you had mutton stew earlier today? The Procid brings back bowls and-and some utensils, and then they also bring back two more bowls. One filled with roasted vegetables, and one filled with an orange sauce, that you can smell the spices and you can smell the herbs and all that freshness just wafting up, fresh from the oven.
Dax (as the Procid): Can I get you some ciders? Or..some ale? Or..water?
Cole (as Rialla): Umm-
Dax (as the Procid): Water’s our specialty.
[Cole struggles not to laugh]
Cole (as Rialla): I..I’m good with water.
James (as Jokul): Likewise.
Dax (as the Procid): Alright.
James: We’re probably reasonably dehydrated still so water’s good.
[Dax and Cole laugh]
Dax: Yeah considering you had like one mug earlier today and that’s pretty much it? So the Procid goes behind the bar and you hear some…
[Dax imitates the sound of water from a tap]
Dax: Noises and the Procid comes back with two large pint glasses - metal ones, I should say - and sets them in front of you and-and you can see, there is in fact, cold water in the mug.
Cole: Yeah probably just enjoy. Yeah this is the first time Jokul and I have eaten alone in like..
[Cole laughs]
Cole: A long time.
Dax: Say a few weeks? Maybe longer?
Music shifts to something sweet and romantic [30:09]
Cole: I’m picturing like, a round.. like we don't have like-I’m picturing like a round table in the middle of the room..
Dax: Yep-
Cole: Like that?
Dax: Yep!
Cole: Yeah. My chair is very close to his and we're probably just talking. And enjoying some fucking alone time...mom and dad need a break!
Dax: What are the two of you talking about, as you enjoy this hot meal by your lonesome for the first time in about..almost three weeks?
Cole: I would probably check-in and just kind of..
Cole (as Rialla): So uhm, we’ve found ourselves in uh-an interesting place.
James (as Jokul): Same shit, new location.
Cole (as Rialla): That's one way of putting it. Are you feeling okay? I haven't had a chance to just talk to you. It's weird. We’re together a lot, but I..still miss you.
James (as Jokul): As fine as one can be, with the threat of being arrested again.
Cole (as Rialla): Oh you don’t miss those days?
James (as Jokul): The excitement kinda got old after a while.
Cole (as Rialla): One day, we maybe won't have to worry about being arrested or executed or you know, murdered in our tents. And you’re feeling okay with our travel companions?
James (as Jokul): Eight takes some getting used to, but he-he's an interesting fellow. Certainly brighter than companions from our past. I'm not sure about the giant yet. He's so far-he's strange compared to people we've travelled with in the past.
Cole (as Rialla): Also very tall. We might as well be traveling with a building..on legs.
James (as Jokul): It’s weird not being the tallest one around anymore.
[Cole laughs]
Cole: And I think as uhm..I'm sitting there holding hands but like…weird like thumb thing, I don't know..
Dax: The thumb rubbing thing, the gentle caress?
Cole: Yeah, I guess that's it.
Cole (as Rialla): I didn't get a chance to ask you how you felt about uhm.. that uh, oh gosh I forget his name now. Victor. Did you get any strange feeling from that Victor character?
James (as Jokul): No more than usual. I mean we-we travel in strange crowds, so.. hard to peg weirdos for being weirdos.
Cole (as Rialla): I..[sighs] I don't know, I guess I'm just concerned that if he found us then other people might be able to find us. You would think that jumping planes would be enough to throw them off our trail but, I guess not.
James (as Jokul): My knowledge of magic and what it is capable of is very lacking so..
Cole (as Rialla): You sell yourself short. You know more than you think you do.
James (as Jokul): Not many people have plane hopped as many times as I have, by accident or not.
Cole (as Rialla): I know you’ve told me the story but I don't- it’s impressive that you managed to accidentally plane hop.
James (as Jokul): I could have just as easily died as plane hopped so...eh.
[Cole laughs]
Cole (as Rialla): Oh goodness. I hope that tonight goes okay and we can get out of here as fast as possible.
James (as Jokul): Agreed. That adventure through the desert has done nothing to improve my mood since being robbed.
Cole (as Rialla): Oh I can imagine. You need to drink more water, you're still dehydrated.
James (as Jokul): Yeah.
James: Just make a toast. Gra-grab a mug off the table, toast, drink water.
[Cole laughs]
Cole (as Rialla): And I guess, uhm, make sure we’re prepared for tonight and hopefully get out of here with our giant friend and Maeve. I noticed you were agitated. We'll get her back.
James: Jokul will just kinda clench up, but then relax at-at Rialla’s words.
James (as Jokul): I hope so.
Cole: Give his hand a gentle squeeze.
Cole (as Rialla): Who knows, maybe she’s stomped them to death with her hooves like that one time.
James (as Jokul): That would be incredibly satisfying to find.
Cole (as Rialla): And if she’s anything like you, she’ll be fine.
Dax: The Procid, Tek, and the other one alternate during your meal to refill your water, check to make sure that you have everything you need and after your plates have been cleared the dark grey one comes up to you with one more plate and sets it on the table. And on it is what you could construe to be a brownie? It looks like a dark brick of some sort of cake with a little piece of orange fruit, a slice of orange fruit sitting there on top of it. And the Procid just bows and leaves, not interrupting any conversation that you are currently having. Just like, “Oh yeah you know here, dessert? Bye!”
Cole (as Rialla): Do you also get the feeling that that’s not included with dinner?
James (as Jokul): Who can turn down dessert?
Cole: I’ll take my fork and scoop a bite and like hold it out for Jokul.
[James imitates eating noises and Cole laughs]
Cole: Rialla-
Dax: This is probably the fudgiest, chocolatiest cake you have had Rialla since before you left Thevenoud.
Cole: Oh man. It kinda tastes like..very far away home.
James: A-after eating the chocolate cake, Jo-Jokul kind of coughs in his fist and-and then like smiles. He’s like,
James (as Jokul): I still had some of that chocolate stuff in my bag from buyin’ it in that…uh forgot what it was.
James: It was some french word you ah, you had for it. ‘Ca-cause Jokul was sneaking it to Maeve occasionally and...
Cole: Where did we get that?
James: A couple towns ago? Or no, in the first town of..blanking on the name.
Cole: Saleen?!
James: Yeah!
Dax: You have-
Cole: Is it-
Dax: A kerfuffle-
Cole: Rotting?!
James: Oh the kerfuffle! So ther-there’s a melted kerfuffle somewhere in tha-the bag that Jokul had stol-gotten stolen.
Cole: Did it get-
Dax: I-
Cole: Oh it got stolen.
Dax: I imagine that that-
Jokul: The man looting-
Dax: I imagine that this kerfuffle is now stale as shit. Uhm..
James (as Jokul): The man looting that backpack is in for a surprise!
Cole: Are you saying this in character or out of character?
James: Oh, oh I am saying that in character just-
Cole: Great!
James: Laugh, just like,
James (as Jokul): I had a Kerfuffle in my backpack when-when it got stolen.
Cole (as Rialla): You still had those?! It’s probably rotten by now!
James (as Jokul): Maeve liked it-
Cole (as Rialla): Especially in the heat. Oh my gosh, the things you-
James (as Jokul): I wouldn't have fed her a rotten one, but I forgot about it.
Cole (as Rialla): Oh my gosh, the things you feed that horse. She's so spoiled. This kind of reminds me of that day of the festival and that, uhm, Thevenoudian merchant had those, uh pastries. The ones that we shared.
James (as Jokul): That was a fun day. One of my fondest memories.
Cole (as Rialla): ‘Twas a lot of fun. Although I was very… I seem to be uh, extra clumsy that day though.
[Cole giggles]
James (as Jokul): It just made it that much more memorable.
Cole: Rialla’s got a very nice blush happening on her face.
Dax: She probably looks like a young woman on a first date.
Cole: I’m so happy, this is so disgustingly cute. Yeah, share cake and probably shy, bashful, confused flirting.
Wren: We’ve had plenty of that right now.
[Cole laughs]
Cole: Yeah, that’s why I’m not going into it more. So it's just like...more like really cutesy conversations as we finish up and stack the plate nice and make sure like.. not to leave a mess. Uh..I'll put down a gold piece.
Sound effect of a coin hitting the table [37:21]
Cole: On the table as a tip and I'll take Jokul by the hand and we’ll walk back upstairs.
Dax: And with our next episode, we will find out how successful our ex-thieves and their friend are at infiltrating the thieves’ guild.
Music fades out [37:34]
Dax: Thanks for listening! We hope you’ll join us next time but in the interim, follow us on Twitter @RoadsUncharted.
The “Roads Uncharted” podcast is GMed and produced by Dax. You can follow me on Twitter @GM_Dax. We use the Genesys Roleplaying System published by Fantasy Flight Games.
Jokul Genhorn is played by James, and Arthas, Champion of Offam is played by Neil.
Rialla Lenoir is played by Cole, follow them on Twitter @ColeMorreale and check out their art.
Eight is played by Wren, who also composed the music for our opening theme, follow them on Twitter @ThornyDryad.