The trio prepares for a hasty departure from Azarra and meets with Rou’s contact. Will the risks outweigh the reward?
Rou rejoins Eight and Arthas and updates them about a secret tunnel that will lead them to Kidohlva. If they wish to take this option, they are to meet the clerk at The Purple Plum, a restaurant to the south of town, around supper time. Anticipating how cold it might get underground, Arthas buys some small barrels of animal fat but leaves three on the street “free to a good chef”.
Outside The Purple Plum, the young woman stands there wearing a dark cloak. She appears nervous, but leads them around the corner and down an alley, away from prying eyes and ears. She proposes to lead them to where the supply caravans go to enter the underground tunnels and warns them that it is potentially dangerous and civilians aren’t normally allowed down there. She also requests they keep her involvement a secret since she could lose her job for showing them how to get in. As compensation for her risk, she wants a book called The Gilded Rose.
The trio is brought to a warehouse where they are then led into the tunnels through a trapdoor. Rou smells sandalwood and lily, very faintly, but opts not to share this with the others. Eventually, the tunnel splits into five, and the group is left wondering which way they should go.
Follow Dax @GM_Dax, Kappa @TheKappaChris, and Wren @ThornyDryad
Transcript by CJ Kallevig
Upbeat piano intro ends[00:28]
Melancholy piano music fades in [00:29]
Dax: Welcome back to Roads Uncharted. We last left our party as they were looking for a route to Kidohlva. The group ended up running into a old acquaintance of Eight’s. A woman that they knew on their journey to Eulela from the Wyvern Isles. Under a new name, a new life, and a connection to someone that the group would rather avoid. Learning that the route they intended to take over the mountains would be closed to them for the next six months, the group decided ‘well, let’s go to the Welcome Center and see if there’s something else that can be done’. Rou, being brave enough to go into the Welcome Center and see what he could negotiate, ended up finding a way to charm, or maybe not so much, a young clerk into offering a secondary option. As we rejoin our party, Rou leaves the Welcome Center to meet Eight and Arthas outside to discuss what their options are.
Kappa (as Rou): So, you’re not going to like this. There’s no official way that we can get there. But,
Kappa: I look around, see if there’s anyone nearby who can overhear.
Kappa (as Rou): The clerk told me of some more clandestine means of getting out of the city, towards where we would need to go. It involves a secret tunnel. It involves all these secretive, almost nefarious, it’s odd. But we are supposed to meet them at six o’clock. The offer is going to expire after that.
Neil (as Arthas): It sounds illegal.
Kappa (as Rou): Exactly, that’s what I’m saying. Now, I'm okay with this. But if you’d rather be on the up and up and wait or find some other way, I’m okay with that. But it is six months.
Neil (as Arthas): I mean, it’s only a tunnel.
Kappa (as Rou): This is true. It’s only a tunnel. Though, the implications of using the tunnel are seem a little bit more critical than ‘just a tunnel’. But I’m okay with whatever.
Wren: Upon hearing reference to clandestine activities, shady activities, I shift my eyes left and right and kind of hunker in. My shoulders arcing as I try to make a pseudo-huddle with everyone.
Wren (as Eight): Ooo! Friend Arthas, Friend Rou, this sounds like just the type of activity that Seven would participate in.
Neil (as Arthas): Does Seven frequently participate in less than legal activity?
Wren: And like instantly, I break from that hunched pseudo-huddle.
Wren (as Eight): Right! Arthas, while you were being held captive by the police while we were in the city with the merchant thief king, I utilized my Seven persona to track down the scoundrels who had stolen the bird and framed us.
Neil (as Arthas): Sure.
Wren (as Eight): And Seven is not a stranger to utilizing less than savory methods of obtaining the things they wish.
Kappa (as Rou): And so this is very similar to Inspector Nine?
Wren (as Eight): Oh no! Inspector Nine is on the up and up and quite on the level with the law.
Kappa (as Rou): Mhmm. Mhmm.I see. Forgive me my mistake.
Wren (as Eight): I do not understand how you could make that mistake. They are quite different in their methods and practices.
Kappa (as Rou): You know, neither can I. Complete oversight on my part.
Wren (as Eight): It’s okay. Once you meet Seven, I’m sure you will easily recognize the differences.
Kappa (as Rou): I can’t wait. So, are we agreed? Six o’clock?
Wren (as Eight): Yes, it is settled. We shall take the shady tunnel with the help from the “strange” person.
Dax: Alright. So the group has decided. Was there anything between now, considering it’s early afternoon, and six o’clock that the group of you would like to accomplish?
Neil: As I suspect we’re going to go into cold weather, I’m going to stop at a butcher shop to stock up on some supplies.
Dax: Okay! You can easily find some of the local residents to figure out where the nearest butcher shop is to where you are currently located by the Welcome Center. There are a few of them in the city of Azarra, so. Heading down the street, you come to what appears to be, yet again, another converted warehouse where the bottom portion is a butcher shop. So you can walk through double doors, you see that there is this room with one large counter full of butchers and their apprentices carving up halves of cows and pigs and all sorts of things. You see that there are sausages that are dangling from the ceiling. You can smell the rank odor of cold, dead, flesh.
Neil: I’ll try and flag down anyone who looks like they’re behind a register, or has access to a till.
Dax: Eulela’s not exactly that advanced yet. However, you do find a portly individual with a mustache and little round spectacles. A partially bald head, just wiping his hands on a rag as he’s finishing up with an animal. Catches your eye, nods to you, walks a little closer.
Dax (as the butcher): [slightly cockney accent]Yeah? What can I get for you today?
Neil (as Arthas): A pound of fat.
Dax (as the butcher): Any particular kind of fat you’re looking for?
Neil (as Arthas): As long as it’s fairly fresh.
Dax: He pauses for a second, nods and disappears to the back of the shop where forthwith he comes back with a small wooden barrel. It’s about foot-and-a-half long, about six inches in diameter. Sets it on the counter.
Dax (as the butcher): Stored bacon fat. Is that what you want?
Neil (as Arthas): Fantastic. What do I owe you?
Dax (as the butcher): Do you just want this amount?
Neil (as Arthas): Might as well take the lot of it.
Dax: Hearing you say take the lot of it, his mouth opens up. Closes it. Opens again, as if to say something, then closes it and goes back. As he’s heading back to the back of the shop again, you hear him calling out for apprentices to follow him. About two or three young individuals follow him. They all come back with several small barrels of fat. Whether it’s bacon fat or beef fat. You get some lard in there. Everything is set up on the counter. We’re talking about seven or eight barrel fulls of about the same size.
Dax (as the butcher): For the lot of that, that’s going to be five gold.
Neil: You evidently have a lot of it.
Dax: Takes the gold, slides it into a small compartment, and the group of them push the barrels forward.
Dax (as the butcher): Will there be anything else?
Neil (as Arthas): Not for me, thanks. I’m set for the season.
Dax (as the butcher): Alright. You! Can I help you?
Dax: He gestures to a young woman that is standing politely behind you waiting for her turn.
Neil: I nod, walk past, and try and regroup.
Dax: Did the two of you follow Arthas into the butcher shop? No? Okay. Alright, so are you trying to carry all eight barrels yourself? Or are you going out to grab them to help you carry said eight barrels of fat?
Neil: Oh, I’m carrying this myself.
Dax: Alright, go ahead and give me a Coordination check. Give it to me at Easy difficulty, so one purple.
Neil: A Success and a Threat.
Dax: You are able to gather and stack and maneuver these eight barrels into a very weird conglomeration to allow you to get out with all of them intact. Go ahead and take some Strain for the Threat. It is a little stressful because you know that depending on how old the fat is, it’s very possible that if one of these barrels were to drop, you could lose some very quality fat or you could spill everywhere. It just, it could be nasty, so it’s a little bit stressful for you.
Neil: Gotcha.
Dax: The two of you see Arthas return out of the butcher ship with these eight barrels of god knows what.
Kappa (as Rou): Arthas, are you bringing all of that?
Neil (as Arthas): Well I was going to buy just the one. But winter is coming and I thought I’d top up for the season.
Kappa (as Rou): And you anticipate we’re going to need eight whole barrels of, whatever that is? Is that, what is that?
Neil (as Arthas): Animal fat. You’d freeze to death otherwise.
Kappa (as Rou): I’d freeze to death? So, that doesn’t…
Kappa: I raise my head.
Kappa (as Rou): Hold on. Freeze to death, what? That does not answer my question. What is in there?
Neil (as Arthas): Animal fat.
Kappa (as Rou): Animal fat. Have you traveled with this much fat before?
Neil (as Arthas): Absolutely. How do you stay warm?
Kappa (as Rou): Wearing a coat, finding shelter. You don’t, you’ve never been followed by wild animals or anything?
Neil (as Arthas): Well, yes. But… you kill it, eat it, take the fat, put it on your exposed skin, and you never feel cold.
Kappa (as Rou): I’m just flabbergasted. Eight, have you?
Dax: What does Rou being flabbergasted look like? I’m curious.
Kappa: My mouth is agape, it’s just, jaw dropped. Eyes squinted, trying to understand. Eyes looking around, as if a very logical explanation is going to be written on the wall or, for some reason, on Eight’s forehead.
Kappa (as Rou): Eight, have you seen Arthas do this before? Not to say it’s a bad thing, it’s just quite outlandish to me.
Wren: The entire time Arthas has been explaining the use of animal fat in this method, I’ve been standing there with my arms crossed and I’m making a puzzled look as best I can. My eyebrows kind of quirked over my eye lenses. And in response to Rou’s question,
Wren (as Eight): Well, uh, Friend Rou? We’ve done most of our traveling through the desert, and we haven’t really needed animal fat to maintain our warmth. Given the climate of that particular area. That said, Arthas, I have read a large number of books regarding humanoid biology and I can’t say I’ve ever stumbled across information pertaining to slathering your flesh in animal fat to help maintain body temperature. That is quite interesting. Where did you learn this?
Neil (as Arthas): Simple. Whenever I would sit in my cave, my mother would rub me down with it in the winter, and say I would catch my death if I did not.
Wren (as Eight): Oh! Was it very windy where you were?
Neil (as Arthas): Yes, frequently.
Wren (as Eight): Perhaps,
Wren: And I tap my chin.
Wren (as Eight): When Mother used to go out on cold days, she tended to do the same thing, but with her lips, saying that it was to prevent it from growing chapped in adverse weather. Perhaps your mother was protecting your skin from becoming chapped. Tell me Arthas, is your skin…sensitive?
Neil: I look at my hands. They’re pretty rough and callused. I look back and say,
Neil (as Arthas): I don’t believe so.
Wren (as Eight): Perhaps all of those years of being rubbed with grease has rendered your skin a bit more durable than most others would be. Perhaps this is the secret to your toughness!
Neil (as Arthas): AndI’m not going to stop now.
Kappa (as Rou): Well, if it works, then it works. I just, I’m just worried that the smell might attract unwanted attention from predators, all that stuff. But! Of course, you are Arthas. You are the Champion of fighting and survival, so, you might not mind every random challenger that comes your way.
Neil (as Arthas): I have yet to meet a predator who can best me or the sweet fat of the hog.
Kappa (as Rou): Yeah, sure, let’s go with that.
Wren: Now I just want to clarify, did you say Arthas bought eight barrels of this?
Neil: It’s not like casks of fat. I assumed it was like Pringles cans sized.
Dax: Oh no, no. These are each one and a half feet long, six inches in diameter, wooden barrels full of fat. So,
Wren: So it’s like an ale keg.
Dax: Yeah.
Kappa: Yeah, I was going to say it’s like the cheeseball, like huge tub things. But filled with fat instead of cheeseballs. Okay.
Dax: Yep. Yep, you got it. And we’re talking all sorts of fats, so you smell bacon fat, you smell beef fat, and lard. It’s just, ugh.
Wren: This is fine.
Neil: I’m going to make the worst for you foods and be the warmest Giant-kin alive doing so. And I’m going to smell great, and pretty rough after about two weeks.
Wren (as Eight): We are going to attract so many different types of animals. Rou, are you a good hunter?
Kappa (as Rou): No, absolutely not.
Wren (as Eight): Oh, shoot. One of our previous companions was quite a skilled hunter. I hope we don’t starve, but perhaps if Arthas smells very much like a breakfast feast, it might lure in the less wary creatures. At any rate, having all this extra fat will make my cooking extra flavorful.
Neil (as Arthas): You’re going to get so much practice.
Kappa: I give a knowing nod in agreeance.
Neil (as Arthas): It may be unsustainable for me to carry these on my person at all times.
Kappa (as Rou): Arthas, if you need help, I will take the most sealed one.
Wren (as Eight): And I suppose we could load Bessie down with some of it. Because Arthas looks like he’s juggling those barrels.
Neil (as Arthas): There might be a few too many barrels of fat.
Kappa (as Rou): A few.
Wren (as Eight): Well, you can start attaching them where you can on Bessie, and we will just have to carry them that way.
Dax: I’d say Bessie probably is, given her size, able to take three to four barrels herself. So you’ve got another four you’d have to figure out what to do with.
Wren (as Eight): Perhaps we can find someone on the streets who could use some fat.
Kappa (as Rou): Whether it be for lotion or for eating.
Neil (as Arthas): I have an idea. Eight, do you have a piece of paper?
Wren (as Eight): Do I?
Wren: And I will hurriedly turn to my bag, start rummaging through it, and after a few moments, lean back and,
Wren (as Eight): Ahah!
Wren: I whip my hand up and a large piece of parchment just kind of flops in the air. As it stands straight for a moment and then just kind of starts to curl in on itself as gravity takes it forward.
Wren (as Eight): Like this?
Neil (as Arthas): Spectacular! Can you write “Free to a good home” on it?
Wren (as Eight): Oh. You’re going to leave this out in the street like a, like a gift.
Neil (as Arthas): Precisely.
Wren (as Eight): Arthas, everywhere you go, you sow goodwill.
Wren: And I’ll write in big letters with ink.
Wren (as Eight): Free…to…a…good…chef.
Wren: And I will hand it over to Arthas.
Neil: And I gingerly take three barrels, set them on the street corner, and set the piece of paper on top.
Dax: Okay. Four barrels are attached to your mechanical donkey, three are now randomly in the street with a note that says “Free to a good chef” and the fourth barrel is…?
Neil: I can just carry that one. I’m sure I’ll find a use for it soon enough.
Dax: Oh boy. The rest of the afternoon passes. The skies have started to clear up, as the day wears on, it is no longer raining but it is now very cold. As darkness settles in for the day, you can start to see your breath is now puffing out as you speak. And even in silence, you make your way to the Purple Plum. It is a very quaint, lovely, little restaurant with some outdoor seating. It is relatively lively, given that it is the dinner hour. Just beyond the exterior seating, partially hidden by a trimmed hedge and the corner of the building, you all three see an individual standing there, waving at you.
Music shifts to a suspenseful string [18:35]
Kappa: Can you be more specific with this waving? Is it like a friendly wave? Is it like a ‘come here’ wave?
Dax: [laughs] It is, I mean for all intents and purposes, it is a very fast moving wave. It is a very ‘come here’ wave. Almost as if you were meeting an old friend that didn’t want to be spotted. So it’s very much of a mix of ‘come, quick before anybody sees’ and also ‘hey, can’t wait to see you’. It’s a very weird mix.
Kappa: I see. Upon seeing that,
Kappa (as Rou): Arthas, Eight.
Kappa: A very, almost hidden hand pointing over.
Kappa (as Rou): That’s the person. We should head over.
Wren: As I kind of scan them, and look at them.
Wren (as Eight): They don’t look very salacious.
Kappa (as Rou): Isn’t that the point?
Wren (as Eight): Oh! Yes! You’re very right.
Wren: And for a moment, I stop in my tracks.
Wren (as Eight): Just a moment friends. I must get into my persona.
Wren: You can hear me kind of muttering to myself.
Wren (as Eight): I’m a scoundrel. I’m a scoundrel. I do what I must. I am a thief, but a good one. Okay.
Wren: And I turn around. I look to Rou.
Wren (as Seven): [slightly deeper voice] Hello. It is me, Seven.
Wren: And my jaw’s, like, set firmly out. Like I’m jutting it on purpose.
Kappa (as Rou): Good to meet you.
Kappa: And I wink.
Wren (as Seven): Yes. It is a pleasure to meet you. Wink.
Wren: And yes, I do say wink.
Kappa (as Rou): No you don’t you don’t say the word. Let’s just go. They’re waiting, seems urgent.
Kappa: And I will shuffle us along.
Dax: You make your way past the patrons of the restaurant. They.. a couple of them give you some furtive glances, but for the most part they pay attention to their dinner conversation and their plates in front of them. You make your way around the building and as you get close, you realize that the individual that has been waving at you is wearing a cloak. When you get close, you can hear,
Dax (as the attendant): [higher pitched femme voice] Oh! You did decide to meet me. Okay. [sighs] Stay calm, Bridget. Stay calm. Okay. Oh, you have friends…
Dax: And you watch the head of this figure turn to look up at Arthas. And in the dim light from the restaurant, you see that it is the young woman that did help you at the Welcome Center.
Kappa (as Rou): Yes, Bridget. These are my friends. Seven, totally normal dude. And Arthas, Champion of Azarra. Thank you for helping us out.
Dax (as Bridget): Well, don’t thank me yet.
Kappa (as Rou): Were you expecting us to not show up?
Dax (as Bridget): I wasn’t sure. Alright, so you know what? Actually, this is, come over here.
Dax: And she kind of gestures you to go a little farther down the alleyway that’s next to this restaurant so that hopefully the patrons won’t actually overhear. She lowers her voice a little bit and huddles in a little closer to you and Seven.
Dax (as Bridget): Um, actually, you tall person. Do you think you could scrunch down a little down here so I don’t have to yell?
Neil: I scrunch to the best of my abilities.
Dax: She leans back in.
Dax (as Bridget): Alright, so you had said that you were wanting to get to Kidohlva. As I said, we can’t have a guide go at this point.
Kappa (as Rou): Mhmm.
Dax (as Bridget): It’s extremely dangerous, it’s just not safe. However, I happen to know a way that you can still get to Kidohlva if you can’t wait the six months. You see, my fiancé works for the supply caravans that usually use the underground tunnel system.
Dax: She waits and looks at the three of you.
Kappa (as Rou): Supply companies?
Dax (as Bridget): Mhmm.
Kappa (as Rou): That seems very not dangerous or secretive at all.
Dax (as Bridget): Well, normally the supply caravans are escorted by security personnel. My fiancé has never told me why, but he has explained that it can be very dangerous and nobody’s supposed to use the tunnels. Civilians really aren’t usually allowed to use it. However, you just seemed like you were in such dire straits that it might be something you’d worth, you’d find worth the risk. And it’s certainly less of a known risk than the dangers that are in the mountains.
Kappa (as Rou): Oh well, this is perfect. We can, Seven, Arthas. We can pose as people delivering fat.
Neil (as Arthas): But that is still mine, correct?
Kappa (as Rou): Yes, it is still yours. But if anyone asks any questions, we are delivering barrels of animal fat.
Wren: I nod at this plan.
Wren (as Seven): Yes. This sounds very agreeable to me, Seven.
Wren: And then I turn very quickly back to Bridget.
Wren (as Seven): What does your partner tend to transport that requires heavy guard?
Dax (as Bridget): Well, my fiancé is a tailor. So usually linens. Like I said, I don’t really know why he says that supply caravans have to have security personnel but they’re on regimented schedules. The last caravan actually just went out last night. And the next one won’t be going out until next week. So you’d be able to go through the tunnels without getting into trouble.
Because as I said, civilians can’t really go through those tunnels. However, if you are going to do this, I am going to need a little compensation because this is an awfully big risk I’m taking. I could lose my job.
Kappa (as Rou): I was not aware of the risk that you were taking. Of course, of course. How will, will three gold suffice?
Dax (as Bridget): Oh, I don’t want money.
Wren (as Seven): Do, do you want fat?
Dax (as Bridget): Eh, ew. No. No, I’m not interested in fat. Since you’re going to Kidohlva, I hear that the Elves there are scholars and they have a library. I was wondering if you could find a copy of a specific book and bring it back for me?
Wren: Leaning in.
Wren (as Seven): Like stealing a book from a library? That’s so nefarious!
Dax (as Bridget): I don’t think you would have to steal it.
Wren (as Seven): Libraries do not simply give books away. They must be borrowed.
Kappa (as Rou): I mean, sometimes they do.
Wren (as Seven): I believe that is a bookstore you are thinking of, Rou.
Kappa: I nod my head.
Kappa (as Rou): Mmm.
Wren (as Seven): That said, I, Seven, am not above borrowing a book on permanent loan.
Kappa (as Rou): What sort of book, Bridget?
Dax (as Bridget): It’s, um, a book of [mumbles].
Wren (as Seven): Speak up, you’re mumbling.
Dax: She tilts her head down as she says it.
Kappa (as Rou): Sorry, I didn’t quite catch that.
Kappa: As I lift my hand to my ear.
Dax (as Bridget): It’s a book [mumbles].
Kappa (as Rou): A book of memem. Got it.
Wren (as Seven): Book of mana?
Kappa (as Rou): No, no, no. Murmur.
Wren (as Seven): Oh. Book of meemee.
Kappa (as Rou): Can you spell that for me?
Dax (as Bridget): It’s a book of magic.
Kappa (as Rou): Oh. Oh!
Neil (as Arthas): What do you need a book of magic for?
Dax (as Bridget): Well, I’ve always wanted to learn and this particular book details how to change things. Like, from water to wine or tin to gold?
Dax: And as she says this last, she kind of gives all three of you this very sideways glance.
Kappa (as Rou): I’ve heard of this sort of arcane secret before, this is... Bridget, you and I are more alike than you know. I’m going in this direction as well for magical studies. So, I understand. Consider it done.
Dax (as Bridget): Oh! Great! Does anyone have parchment and ink?
Kappa (as Rou): I have notebook and a quill.
Dax (as Bridget): Yes, yes.
Dax: She reaches out her hands.
Kappa: I will rummage and pull it out of my sack and pass it over.
Dax: She writes down the name of the book and she also writes down what the book is supposed to look like. Supposedly, it is a small leather-bound book with a single rose decoration on the front. And it is called “The Gilded Rose”. And that is supposedly the book that she is looking for. She hands the notebook back to you.
Kappa (as Rou): Okay. “The Gilded Rose”. Sounds very interesting.
Dax (as Bridget): Great. Okay. So…
Dax: She looks you over.
Dax (as Bridget): Do you have all the supplies you need? You don’t look like you have a lot.
Kappa (as Rou): Do you recommend more?
Dax (as Bridget): From my understanding, it’s a two week journey.
Kappa (as Rou): We’ve got several barrels of fat.
Dax: She purses her lips a little bit.
Dax (as Bridget): Well, I guess if that’s what you want to eat for two weeks, that’s fine. I mean, I guess I shouldn’t judge.
Kappa (as Rou): No, no, no. See, it’s meant to attract, the food will come to us.
Dax (as Bridget): What animals are you expecting to attract in the underground tunnels?
Wren (as Seven): Edible kinds.
Kappa (as Rou): Right, Arthas?
Kappa: As Rou looks up, over at Arthas.
Neil (as Arthas): This is for personal warmth, but I will not lie, I believe that it has attracted several grizzly bears when I was a child.
Kappa (as Rou): Apparently grizzly bears.
Dax (as Bridget): Well! I, you know, I guess my fiancé did say that it is very dangerous down there. It’s very possible that there are grizzly bears roaming the tunnels. Okay! Well, if you’re, if you’re ready to go, then follow me.
Dax: She starts to head down the alleyway.
Kappa (as Rou): We are on our way. Seven, Arthas, this is quite exciting.
Wren: I look like I’m about to burst with glee and excitement as somehow I managed to quiver, as I start following behind Bridget, pulling Bessie along the way.
Dax: Bridget leads you all throughout the city streets, continuing to go to the south of town. You take so many twists and turns. By the time that she gets to the outer walls of the city, you really have no idea where you are. She leads you past the city guards, standing on the sentry. She passes something to one of them, it almost appears that maybe it’s a coin purse. And she leads you toward a lone building. Which you can see, even from this distance. Couple of range bands out, you get to the building and she pulls out a small keychain. She opens the door and allows the three of you to wander in. Arthas, it is a little bit of a tight squeeze for you, but it’s not terrible.
Once you get inside this building, you can even hear, just from the sounds of your breathing, how vast and empty this space is. She leads you towards the back, a little light crystal flaring up and illuminating a small area around you about 30 feet. So one range band, roughly. She takes you towards the back of the building and kneels down to the floor. She pulls back a carpet and there is this very large opening. Or trap door, rather, not an opening. Which she then opens to a large opening. She points to the trap door.
Dax (as Bridget): So, this is usually the last stop for where the caravans go before they head out when they’re taking the overland way to Kidohlva. That entryway right there is the underground tunnels.
Kappa (as Rou): Okay. Is there some sort of map?
Dax (as Bridget): Eh, no.
Kappa (as Rou): How do people, how do people know which direction they’re heading.
Dax (as Bridget): The security personnel. The caravans tend to go the same routes every time.
Kappa (as Rou): That’s fair. I was expecting some sort of map…
Dax (as Bridget): I don’t, I don’t know a lot because I don’t take this way myself. Like I said, my fiancé doesn’t give me a lot of information.
Kappa (as Rou): We’ll figure it out, I guess.
Dax (as Bridget): Sorry.
Kappa (as Rou): Bridget, thank you. You’ve been a wonderful help. I don’t know what would have happened if we wouldn’t, would have had to stay for another six months.
Dax (as Bridget): Winter in Azarra isn’t pleasant, but I’m sure you would have been fine. Remember, “The Gilded Rose”. It’s in the library, and if at all possible, you didn’t find out about this tunnel from me. Now, if you’re going to go, hurry up. I’ll close up behind you.
Kappa (as Rou): Eight, Arthas. Seven, Arthas, after you.
Neil: I step through.
Dax: Arthas, you step down and your feet touch the floor and Rou and Seven and Bridget only see from your neck up as you stand there.
Neil (as Arthas): Well this is a strange point of view.
Wren (as Seven): Are there no stairs?
Dax (as Bridget): Oh!
Dax: She leans her little crystal over near where Arthas stepped down and you see a ladder.
Wren (as Seven): Oh. Well, Bessie simply cannot take a ladder. Arthas, would you mind?
Wren: And I kind of start pushing on Bessie’s butt to get Bessie towards the lid of the trap door.
Neil: I reach out and try and grab the donkey.
Dax: Yeah, I mean. Bessie doesn’t exactly have a mind of her own, so she will stand there and wait to be picked up. You’re able to reach out and get her down by your feet. That’s not a problem.
Wren: I turn and look at Bridget.
Wren (as Seven): She’s really quite the excellent companion. Very malleable. Very great at carrying things. And she never says anything or complains.
Wren: I continue to look at her.
Wren (as Seven): Bridget (wink), if that is your real name, I appreciate your assistance and wish you all the best in your future endeavors. Even though turning tin to gold is a fruitless endeavor.
Wren: And I will start crawling down the ladder.
Dax: She looks a little put off by the fact that you would make such a rude comment when she’s doing you a huge favor. And she only asks for a simple book.
Kappa: When it comes to Rou’s turn,
Kappa (as Rou): So, when we send this book, is there any specific way you’d like it sent? Otherwise, I was just going to send it to Bridget at the Information Center.
Dax (as Bridget): Well if you don’t plan on coming back to Azarra, then yes. Just sending it up to the Information Center will be fine.
Kappa (as Rou): No special instructions or anything?
Dax (as Bridget): No. I mean, if you don’t mind, I don’t really feel comfortable giving you my address. You kind of are a stranger.
Kappa (as Rou): No, that’s fine. I just figured, you seemed so secretive about it. I just thought you’d want some more discretion.
Dax (as Bridget): A wrapped parcel coming to the Information Center to my attention from Kidohlva is not completely out of the ordinary.
Kappa (as Rou): I suppose you’re right. Well, all things go well, maybe we might see each other again Bridget.
Dax (as Bridget): Perhaps.
Kappa (as Rou): Thank you for your help.
Dax: She nods.
Kappa: Wink.
[Dax snorts with laughter]
Dax: Kappa and I are so coordinated today, it’s fine. As you, the three of you, get yourselves down into the tunnel, she reaches down and hands whoever will grab it the lit crystal. Which allows you to see that if Arthas ducks his head, there is a small tunnel that does lead out into darkness. You can’t see too much far beyond that first range band.
Music shifts to somber strings [34:24]
Kappa (as Rou): Lead on.
Dax: Once you get going, the door is shut above your head and you hear the distinct sound of a lock being put into place and the carpet being placed back. You hear the distant footsteps sounding, and then you hear nothing.
Wren: As she’s closing everything up, I just start, almost blathering, like,
Wren (as Eight): Do you suppose that Bridget’s her real name? Do you suppose that her fiancé is involved with something nefarious? Do you think that she’s actually a thief? Or perhaps that she’s hiding something from us? Do you think that we’re being sent into a trap? Oh! Maybe we’ll have to defend ourselves. That could be exciting. Oh! It’s very dark down here.
Wren: And I will pop the spoon out of my gauntlet and I will hold it up. I would like to cast the Utility Spell to make it shine like a Light spell.
Dax: Go ahead and suffer two strain and I believe that’s Medium difficulty. Oh wait, no. It’s Easy, isn’t it? For Spells?
Wren: Typically.
Dax: Yeah. So then it’s Easy. Sorry.
Wren: For Utility. Unless you want to say it’s something different, which is fine.
Dax: Mm-mm.
Wren: Which is fine. Which is very fine.
Dax: No, it’s the base difficulty. It’s fine.
Wren: It’s fine, it’s fine. Three Advantage and a Success.
Dax: Yeah. So the spoon pops out of your wrist sheath, and when you cast your spell, it lights up.
Wren: I’d like it to be a very soothing white, natural light.
Dax: Okay. Yeah, easy enough.
Wren (as Eight): Well my friends, shall we begin the arduous, spooky hike through this unknown tunnel?
Kappa (as Rou): I imagine that’s why you bust out the spoon.
Wren (as Eight): Oh! You want me to go first? But you also have the magic glowing crystal.
Kappa: GM, which one is shining brighter?
Dax: The spoon.
Kappa (as Rou): Hmm, see, yes. I would, but…
Kappa: Holding it up, comparing it to the spoon.
Kappa (as Rou): The spoon is much, much brighter.
Wren (as Eight): That’s fair. My magic is quite potent.
Wren: I will look around. Where we came down, is there like a tunnel that leads behind us or is it like an earthen wall behind us? What’s the deal?
Dax: So, when you stepped down into this tunnel from the trap door, it’s just under 11 feet tall. Hence why Arthas’s neck up was still visible. There is a ladder that leads down one wall, and on either side, you have a 15-foot space. So it is like one end of a rectangle from what you can see, and only ahead of you can you go.
Wren: I turn and I will lead the way. Kind of pulling Bessie along with me. As I continue through this narrow tunnel towards the large vacuous dark space, I will go slowly and I will go listening. Carefully, to see if I hear anything on us as we continue.
Dax: Sure. As you go down the tunnel, Arthas. For a good sixty feet, you have to have your head kind of scrunched a little bit so that it doesn’t bounce against the ceiling. After that point, the area opens up and it becomes a very wide-open tunnel with a high ceiling. So imagine a room, Eight, as you come out into this vacuous space. And as the rest of you follow behind them, coming out into what would look to be like a concrete half circle. About 30 feet, 30 to 60 feet high. It’s very domed roof, and it seems to go for quite some time until you can’t see any longer. Eight, if you are listening, and anybody else, if you are listening for sounds or you are trying to search in the darkness for anything in particular, go ahead and give me a Perception check. Go ahead and give it to me at Easy difficulty, so one Purple.
Kappa: You said looking for anything in particular?
Dax: Mhmm.
Kappa: Okay. One Success and one Threat.
Neil: One Failure.
Wren: I have a single Threat and a Triumph, and I’m going to be a total butt and I would love for that triumph to be used to literally make a tiny signpost with wooden arrows with the names of locations written on them that point down the tunnel in different directions. So like, you can use them as navigating to the direction you want to go to get to certain cities or towns along the way.
Dax: I’m also going to be a butt and say you use your Triumph for something else because I did say that the tunnel only goes in one direction for as far as you can see.
Wren: Okay, yeah. That’s fair.
Dax: So if that is something you want, it won’t take effect for quite some time. If there’s something, that is fine. It is your Triumph, but if there is something more immediate that you would like, I’m giving you the option now. Otherwise, we will insert that later on.
Wren: I can’t think of anything immediate that we need.
Dax: Okay. That’s fine, I just figured. I just wanted to give you the option because I didn’t want to say like the signpost doesn’t exist and you go, well wait a minute. Alright. So Arthas, you’re looking around. It’s pretty dark. You’re used to being underground for a good portion of your life. You know, you’ve been above ground for quite some time now. It’s taking a little bit of… longer than you thought it would to readjust yourself to the dark now that you’re not constantly going underground, above-ground, underground, above-ground. So you don’t really notice anything.
Rou, you are looking around. You don’t see any cart tracks, mostly because it does seem to be a man-made cement floor. However, you do notice off in one corner what looks to be an abandoned barrel of some sort. It does have a name of some store branded on it. Barreldurn’s Whiskey, is what it says. It’s the only sign of life that you see. That being said, you also notice, as you are walking down the tunnel, a very faint scent that is all too familiar to you. Sandalwood and lily.
Kappa (as Rou): Okay…
Kappa: Rou’s going to keep that to himself for now.
Dax: Go ahead and take a Strain for that Threat.
Kappa: Follow along and sort of point out
Kappa (as Rou): Oh look, there’s, there’s a sign. Hopefully more like that around.
Dax: For the first hour of your walk, the tunnel goes straight and it stays wide and open. It starts to get colder as you are surrounded by stone. Eventually, the tunnel does branch off into two ways and lo and behold, there is a small wooden sign. To the left, it indicates Kidohlva. To the right, Eight, what’s the name of the city that the other signpost indicates?
Wren: It says Chivalia. C-H-I-V-A-L-I-A. Seeing the sign, I look at Rou.
Wren (as Eight): And you wanted a map.
Kappa (as Rou): I mean, we didn’t know what we were getting ourselves into. We still don’t! A map would have been prudent. Still would be prudent.
Wren: I smile.
Wren (as Eight): Friend Rou, we have gotten ourselves into a tunnel. You are just all sorts of imperceptive today.
Kappa (as Rou): I mean, Bridget did say tunnels. Who knows how long this singular tunnel will be singular and what branches out and we get lost. Cross fingers, hope that we don’t.
Wren (as Eight): Well, I suppose we won’t know until we continue along. But, tunnel and signs. It’s like we were meant to be here.
Dax: How long do the three of you wish to travel for the night? Since at this point it is seven o’clock.
Kappa: I’ll continue forward until Arthas gets tired. Because I know Eight doesn’t get tired, and neither does Bessie.
Dax: Fair enough.
Neil: Maybe about an hour.
Dax: You continue down this secondary tunnel leading toward Kidohlva for another hour. And as the hour draws to a close, the tunnel starts to get a little smaller. What was a 60 foot ceiling, now it is half that. It is now no longer five carriages wide, it is now three. Still large, still big enough for Arthas to be comfy. And at one end of the tunnel, you have five openings.
Kappa (as Rou): Friend Seven? Friend Eight? Look. Tunnels.
Music fades out [44:38]
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, who you can find on Twitter @GM_Dax. We use the Genesys RPG system published by Fantasy Flight Games, and music licensed by Epidemic Sound.
Arthas, Champion of Offam, is played by Neil.
Eight is played by Wren, who also composed the music for our opening theme. Follow them on Twitter @ThornyDryad.
Rou is played by Kappa, and you can follow him on Twitter @TheKappaChris.