Rou, Eight and Dawson encounter the monster from Dawson’s past.
The sound of rocks falling to the ground portents a guardian of the temple. The group must react quickly or they will fall prey to its crushing grip like Dawson’s companions did long ago.
Dawson activates the magic of his hammer, lava appearing to flow from it as power courses through it. Rou, realizing the danger the group is in, tries to draw the creature’s attention so the group could attempt an escape. Eight is quick to summon Eight Jr, though this time the chicken is far larger than they’ve ever been.
Claws, steel, and rock clash as the battle ensues, vibrations from the conflict forcing pieces of the temple walls loose. As the monster falls, the door at the end of the room unlocks and opens, begging the party to press on.
Follow Dax @GM_Dax, Kappa @TheKappaChris, Wren @ThornyDryad, and Graeme @graemecrackerz1
Transcript by Wren
Upbeat piano intro music ends [00:27]
Somber piano music fades in [00:29]
Graeme (as Dawson): Hello and welcome to Roads Uncharted, your amazing fantastic podcast. My name is Dawson. Now, last time on Roads Uncharted, myself, Rou and Eight began traveling to the long-forgotten temple of Brinde, an earthen deity of some sort that's kind of no longer supported. We camped outside after a long talk around the table of adventures and lessons to be learned. And after much discussion on proper ways to navigate in a dungeon, whether they are through torches, keeping your hands on the right side of the wall at all times or twigs, we came into a room full of skeletons. Now, I've got a bad feeling about this place and it's not just because I've been here before.
Dax: Where we ended last session, y'all had been looking out for danger and you found it. The sound of rocks falling against rock can be heard echoing in the room. I need everyone to give me a Vigilance check.
Music shifts to intense horn and drum tune [01:38]
[Dice rolls]
Graeme: Alright, I have two Successes and three Advantages.
[Dice rolls]
Dax: Oh no, Kappa.
Kappa: No, it's not bad. I'm just really surprised at how I rolled. I have.. how many is this? One, two, three, four. I have five Advantages. [laughs]
[Dice rolls]
Wren: I can one up you, Rou. I have six Advantages.
Kappa: Oh, dang. Nice.
Dax: So, this is how it's going to play out. It's going to be an NPC slot and then all three PC slots.
Wren: Oh no. Can I use two of my Advantages to take... assume a defense position?
Dax: Sure, why not?
Wren: Yay!
Kappa: Can I also do that?
Dax: Yes.
Wren: Yeah, defensive position. Get that Setback in case I get attacked. Yeah.
Graeme: What's defense?
Wren (mimicking Dawson): A thing that keeps an adventurer alive.
Graeme (jokingly as Dawson): Yeah! [Laughing] if you hit things hard enough, you don't need to worry about getting hit.
Kappa: Ah, so you also trained under the school of Arthas.
[Everyone laughs]
Wren: I'm telling you, Dawson is half-Arthas.
Dax: So, you hear this noise of rock crumbling and hitting rock. The three of you look up to where the noise is coming from and you see, crawling down the wall on all fours is this humanoid looking creature that appears to be made completely of rock. There are no eyes, no mouth. But it is crawling face-first down the wall. And it is at this point once it gets to the bottom that it is going to lunge out as it's getting that last bit towards the ground.
And it's going to take a swing at Eight [dice rolls] and that is going to miss terribly. So, what ended up happening is that this thing lunges out and it reaches out this massive, rocky arm and when it brings its arm down to punch you, it actually just misses and lands right next to you, Eight. [Earth tremor noises and impact sounds] All of you feel the vibrations in your feet for where this stone smacks into the floor. First PC slot. Who's up?
Graeme: Coordinated Assault. It says that once per turn I can give Engaged allies advantage to combat. So, I would like to do that and then I would like to hit this thing with my hammer really hard. So it just punched the ground, right? Right near Eight, like a superhero landing?
Dax: It is Engaged with Eight now. It landed superhero, yeah, and punched into the ground. If you're going to use your Maneuver to do a Coordinated Assault and you want to get close enough to attack you'll have to spend two Strain to make an additional Maneuver. Which is an option for you.
Graeme: Okay.
Dax: You don't have to. But...
Wren: If you'd like to hit it...
Graeme: I would like to hit it, yeah. I will spend it, taking my current total to eleven.
Dax: Okay. Alright, so, what does this look like, Dawson? As you approach this creature?
Graeme: Yeah, so, Dawson was kind of hanging back to begin with, kind of ready for the assumption that this creature was going to show up. So when it kind of slams near Eight, Dawson already has his hammer in hand and begins rushing towards it, aiming for the joints or whatever rocks make up where the hand kind of hit the ground trying to smash that joint part with his hammer as it kind of ignites and alights with that lava.
[Fwooshing sound effect]
Dax: For sure. Okay. So, give me your attack roll which is going to be your Melee Heavy. Give it to me at two red.
Graeme: Okay, so I have two ranks in Melee Heavy. And then the flame hammer is Cumbersome, I think? No, Inaccurate.
Dax: Okay. So, it's two red, one black.
[Dice rolls]
Graeme: I rolled two Advantages and one Failure.
Dax: So, you do what I like to call "Fail with style". You don't succeed in hitting the creature, but you do have two Advantages to spend.
Graeme: I'll recover up to two Strain.
Dax: Alright, so what does it look like when you attack this creature? I mean, you didn't succeed, but I still want to know what it looks like.
Graeme: Yeah, so, Dawson kind of turns his body to the side and does a full force swing and misses. But using the momentum just starts spinning to build up for the next hit.
Dax: I like it. I like it. Who's next?
Kappa: Having the Defensive Stance ready and pointing the sword at this creature, I will call out to Dawson and say,
Kappa (as Rou): So, this is about the point where your party got trapped right? Should we start heading out?
Kappa: And I will try to take the attention off of Eight. I'm going to hit this thing. I wanna hit it.
Dax: Alright, give me that attack roll. Two red, please.
Kappa: Two. Red.
[Dice rolls]
Kappa: Ooh. Three Success and two Threat.
Dax: So that's three plus your Brawn, is what?
Kappa: Two!
Dax: So that's five. Plus three. So that's eight. Alright. Very, very nice. So, Rou, what does this look like?
Kappa: So, after asking that and wanting to take the attention off of Eight, I'm going to hit this thing in what I assume is the face, given that it's a humanoid figure. And, with the hilt. Not with the blade. Just with the pommel, I guess is sword terms. Hit it in what I assume is a face to give Eight an opening and start inching towards the door just in case that is the plan of action here.
Dax: Sure. You do so and the minute your sword pierces what could potentially be a weak spot. You hear [clang and scraping noise] what could be considered a screech, but it actually sounds like rocks grinding up against each other. Eight?
Wren: Now is the time for me to shine! And I will step back from where this creature almost struck me and I will look at Rou and say,
Wren (as Eight): An excellent hit, Rou! All of our training has paid off!
Wren: And I am going to level my stick at this creature. And, GM, question. Is this creature shiny like the little critter was inside of that snow globe you told me about?
Dax: Well, the thing inside of the snow globe wasn't shiny. It was glitter that floated in the liquid that was shiny. Yeah.
Wren: Oh, it was that inside. Okay. Nevermind, but does this look like the thing that was in the snow globe?
Dax: They seem to be similar.
Wren: Interesting. Literally no bearing on my actions here, but I just wanted to ask that because I am a nosy nelly.
Dax: You are allowed.
Wren: And, with the stick out, I will then turn to Dawson and say,
Wren (as Eight): Now is the time you get to see my magical prowess and from the ether I summon...
Wren: And I put my hand up with the lantern and the light just shines out, illuminating the floor and all of the dust and debris on the floor starts to swirl in this little vortex. And the tip of the stick kind of lights up as I am going to attempt to summon Eight Jr.
Dax: Eight is making a swirling vortex of rotted flesh and dust.
Wren: Hey, I can't control the magic. I just use it! I would like to make Eight Jr. large again. You know what?
Dax: Another 16-piece Eight Jr.?
[Kappa laughs]
Wren: I want this to be, I'm doing this even worse. I'm doing this as a Grand Summon.
Kappa: Oh!
Wren: I would like to summon a chicken that is…where is it?
Kappa: Rideable?
Wren: Silhouette three. Which is, like, as big as a car.
Kappa: Yeah, rideable!
Dax: 100-piece bucket.
Wren: Yeah, which would make the check Formidable, because I am also making it an ally. I would like to spend a Story Point to upgrade my other green to a yellow because this is important to me.
Dax: You may. There is now three in the player pool and one in the GM.
Wren: And I'll spend my Maneuver to channel to get a Boost.
Dax: Okay.
Wren: Kind of like aiming, but for magic.
Dax: Yeah.
[Dice rolls]
Wren: When I am done, I have two Success. So, I am summoning a chicken that rivals the size of this rock monster.
Dax: Hell yeah! Hell yeah!
[Deep chicken clucking sound effect]
Dax: As Eight Jr. pops into existence.
Wren: A massive Rhoad Island chicken. So it's just got the red waddle, the red coxcomb and the ruddy red feathers and it will activate on my turn and it is going to look at me and I am going to say,
Wren (as Eight): Eight Jr. attack!
Wren: And it's just going to jump out with its talons and just try to peck, scratch and bite at this giant rock monster. What would you say the brawn on a car-sized chicken would be? Four?
Dax: We said on a dog-sized chicken it was two? It was average?
Wren: Yeah.
Dax: So, let's make it a three.
Wren: Okay.
Dax: Or a four. Four. Give it a four. Why not? I'm making up stats for an illusory chicken, so who gives a fuck?
Wren: It's real!
Dax: For now.
Wren: Do we think it has any ranks in brawl?
Dax: Chickens tend to be pretty nasty, so I'd give it two ranks.
Wren: Okay.
Dax: And remember, it is two red.
Wren: Two red.
Dax: I love that I have to do this almost every session, is just make up stats for this chicken.
Wren: We will have to make a to-do to stat block out the different sizes -
Dax: We will have to make a stat block. Before next episode, yeah.
Wren: Don't even.. don't even get me started on the fact that I can also do additional summons, which means that I can have it summon multiple Eight Juniors.
Dax: Not now, Wren. [Laughs]
Wren: Not now, no, because that would make the check five purple and I was not going to fuck with that.
Dax: No.
Kappa: [Chuckling] We're going to get Kakariko up in here.
Wren: Fucking Cuckoos everywhere!
[Dice rolls]
[Kappa laughs]
Wren: Okay. After all is said and done, I have three Success. Three Success for Eight Junior as it pecks, scratches and bites at this rock monster. Which would be four plus three, so seven damage, plus any damage you put on the talons as an attack option.
Dax: I'll give it damage one because claws on a different creature would be one. So..
Wren: Cool. Eight damage from a giant chicken.
Dax: Alright, what does this look like?
Wren: So, it literally just does a cock fighting lunge. Where it just jumps up and the wings are buffeting at this creature and the claws are just like and the talons are scraping as it just continues to jump and flap and scratch and it is just like [imitating chicken noises] and all of the dust and stuff is getting blown around by the buffeting from the wings and there is giant feathers just going everywhere as -
[Deep chicken clucking sound effect]
Dax: Y'all have no idea how grossed out I feel right now...
Wren: As the two creatures become engaged in epic conflict!
Dax: Of all time.
Wren: To end all conflict! And that would be my turn and Eight Junior's turn.
Dax: Y'all can hear the sound of these claws scraping against stone as Eight Junior is attacking. [Scraping noises] It is at this point that you hear another gravelly roar from this creature. And it raises up on its legs and stands almost the full length of its body, which is over halfway to the ceiling. Um, and it is going to take a wail at Eight Junior.
And what you see is this creature takes, uh, rears back its one arm and lunges forward with a punch and as it does so, it smacks Eight Junior in the chest and pushes the chicken up against the wall. [Rock slide noises and deep clucking] You feel another "boom" vibration as this massive chicken's body clashes into the wall. You hear more rocks are tumbling down from the ceiling from the force of this punch. And after Soak, Eight Junior is going to take four wounds. But Eight Junior is still up! And so is the creature!
Wren: Ah! It was a slugfest.
Dax: Who's next?
Wren: Can I command Eight Junior once more before one of you all go? Because maybe I can give Boosts to one of you all?
Kappa: Hell yeah.
Wren: Cool. I am going to continue to channel that spell, so I will not cast anymore spells and I believe that's a Maneuver for me to do that?
Dax: To concentrate? Yeah.
Wren: And with my action, I'm going to take a Defensive Stance. So, put a Setback in case I get attacked. You know what? No! I'm going to use the.. is assist an action?
Dax: Aim, target, guard...assist. Add a Boost to an ally's next check and they are – it is a Maneuver to assist.
Wren: So, I will assist Rou with his next attack. Basically, it's a combination of me trying to distract the creature by like, yelling, "Hey, Rock Monster!" And waving the lantern and also calling out to Rou:
Wren (as Eight): Do not forget your basic steps! Step. Lunge. Slash. Thrust. Parry. Yes, just like that!
Wren: And then, at the same time, Eight Junior will push off of the wall and go for another chicken scratch.
[Dice rolls]
Wren: That's going to be one Failure, but two Advantage. So, I will spend those Advantages to give Dawson a Boost, as well, as the giant chicken is now clucking and stepping forward and thrusting its beak out, trying to peck at the rock monster. But, not connecting any real solid hits and it is distracting this rock monster long enough to give, hopefully, an opening for Dawson to strike.
Graeme: Seeing that… two questions first. Is this the monster that I remember from last time?
Dax: Yes.
Graeme: Okay, That would be real crazy if it wasn't [laughs]. Since it's facing the wonderful, wonderful companion Eight Junior, I'm going to run at it and try to catch it behind the knee with my hammer.
Dax: Okay, so, you're aiming for the knee?
Graeme: Yeah. Well, I mean, yeah. Yeah. Sure! I mean, it's not looking at me. It's not trying to dodge. It's probably not moving if it's hitting a chicken! [laughs]
Dax: Sure. Because of where you are in the room, you won't need to spend your Maneuver to – a Maneuver to move, because you're, like, right there. So you're going to spend a Maneuver to aim and give yourself a Boost. So you have got two Boosts for this attack.
Graeme: Yep.
Dax: So, it's still two purple. Go ahead.
Graeme: And then do I have a Setback die?
Dax: Yeah, because you still got your -
Graeme: Because of the hammer.
Dax: Yep.
Graeme: Alright. [Dice rolls] One Success, three Advantages.
Dax: Okay.
Graeme: And I have Bull Rush! Spend three Advantage or a Triumph to knock prone or push.
Dax: And you had how many Advantages this round?
Graeme: I had three and one Success.
Dax: I'll tell you that you don't need it. How do you finish this creature off?
Graeme: Oh, goodness! So, Dawson runs up to this creature and hollers out,
Graeme (as Dawson): This is for everything that you did to us!
Music shifts to a soft, somber tune [18:50]
Graeme: And he's going to smash it behind the knee, driving it down – the hammer. And I think the hammer as it makes, connects, melts the rocks and you see the rock crack and splinter under the force of this blow and it kind of drops to the side. [Rock tumbling sounds] And he kind of spins and uses his body to pirouette and comes up with an overhead slam that just shatters this thing's whatever it's approximation for a head is, as it just explodes.
Dax: You do so and as soon as you land the final blow, the creature doesn't disintegrate, but any resemblance it had in its humanoid form disappears. All of the rocks immediately just lose any connection and they fall into a pile on the ground. As the dust settles from its landing, you hear the final 'click click' of rocks rolling down to the floor. You hear a "click" and the door opens. And in the hallway beyond, a light lights.
Graeme (as Dawson): [Sighs] Well, that was something.
Kappa: Taking a pause, I'm looking around the room to see if there is any other imminent threat. Or does everything go sort of quiet and silent as this creature crumbles?
Dax: Everything goes silent.
Kappa (as Rou): Did we do it? Is this…is it over?
Graeme (as Dawson): Well, the fight, the fight seems to be over, but the… the door opened.
Kappa (as Rou): We could press on. But we were interrupted before we could really do a thorough investigation of the room for what happened to your friends. We could press on. We could also finish up here.
Graeme (as Dawson): Let's take a moment to look around here. I mean, it's entirely possible that my friends could have lived and moved on, at least, deeper in?
Kappa (as Rou): Okay. Okay.
Kappa: I'm going to feel better if I finish a thorough investigation of the room first before moving on. So, I'll… I'll let them know.
Kappa (as Rou): Okay. Just let me finish up here before moving on, in case we can't make it back through this way.
Graeme: Can I assist?
Dax: If the two of you would like to do a group check, you can do that, yeah. You can combine your abilities.
Kappa: Yeah, sure!
Graeme: Yeah, because, I mean, I would also recognize, like, what weapons if they had any weapons that they specifically used.
Dax: Yeah.
Graeme: Which might make it easier?
Dax: Just give it to me at Medium difficulty because of the size of the pile. And then whoever is going to roll.
Kappa: This is...Vigilance or Perception?
Dax: Perception, because you're actively looking.
Kappa: Okay. I have two ranks and then my Cunning is three. That's three green and two yellow, right?
Dax: I think that's higher than what you have, Dawson?
Graeme: I’ve got no ranks! [Laughs]
[Dice rolls]
Kappa: Yeah, no. It's a ridiculous amount. One, two, three, four, five. Four Successes and three Advantages.
Dax: Unfortunately, you don't find any remnants of Dawson's companions; however, you do happen to find among the debris and detritus, a dagger with a very smooth, elegantly carved bone hilt.
Kappa (as Rou): Okay.
Kappa: And it seems just completely out of place?
Dax: I mean, there are other weapons you've found, but we're talking quarterstaves that are kind of rotting away and soft. You've got swords that appear to be a little bit rusted because they've been covered with blood and had been hidden. But this seems perfectly fine.
Kappa: I look around. I'm going to pick it up and bring it to Eight and Dawson.
Kappa (as Rou): This seems somewhat out of place? But it was among the remains. Don't know if it bears any importance or if you recognize it at all? I'm pretty confident that this search was thorough at this point, if you'd like to move on.
Graeme: Do I recognize it?
Dax: You do not.
Graeme (as Dawson): It's not one of my friends' weapons.
Kappa (as Rou): Okay. Okay. I'll just hold onto it for now.
Graeme (as Dawson): I mean, it's odd that it isn't rusted. But, perhaps it's special in some way?
Kappa: Keeping that in mind, I'll put it in some sort of pack for safe keeping. And then I'll look towards the door and start walking towards the new chamber that's opened up.
Graeme: I will light a second torch and follow.
Dax: And Eight brings up the rear?
Wren: I do, but before we leave I turn and look at giant Eight Junior who has just been kind of milling around while y'all are doing your searching.
Dax: Pecking at the rocks?
Wren: And, uh, yeah, it's like eating head-sized rocks.
Dax: You turn around and it's halfway gulping a rock down its gullet.
Wren (as Eight): Ah, Eight Junior. Once again, excellently done! You are turning out to be quite the handy combatant!
Wren: And I will smile at the giant chicken as I let the magic fade and I will watch as this massive chicken Thanos-dust snaps out of existence and right before it goes, it's like..[imitates chicken cluck].
Dax: The rock plummets.
Wren: And then I will follow up behind the rear.
Kappa (as Rou): Eight, does Eight Junior grow in whatever dimension that Eight Junior exists in? Because whatever Eight Junior is eating in whatever corner of existence Eight Junior exists...it's doing very well!
Wren (as Eight): We've already had a discussion about the ramifications of bringing Eight Junior into existence. We still have not quite determined whether or not Eight Junior exists in another dimension or if Eight Junior exists only at points where I have summoned them.
Kappa (as Rou): Well, I know. I know. I just...Eight Junior is very healthy.
Wren (as Eight): Oh, yes.
Kappa (as Rou): And has grown up a lot!
Kappa: [Laughing] Because I think every time you have summoned Eight Junior, Eight Junior gets bigger.
Wren: [Laughing] Progressively has gotten bigger!
Kappa: Yeah! [Laughing]
Graeme (as Dawson): Well, I suppose it's some sort of magic to summon giant chickens?
Wren: I nod my head.
Wren (as Eight): Correct. Eight Junior is one of our most stalwart companions!
Graeme (as Dawson): How many… how many times can Eight Junior come to play?
Wren (as Eight): If you're asking how many times I can summon Eight Junior? I have not found a limit to this at any point. I suppose it just depends on whether I am capable of channeling the appropriate amount of magic.
Graeme (as Dawson): Ah, I see. I mean, I just swing a hammer. I ain't knowing much about magic, Eight. I've seen all sorts of crazy things.
Wren (as Eight): Now you can add a giant chicken to your list of things you have seen, had you not already done so!
Graeme (as Dawson): Ah, I'll add it to the list.
Dax: So, the three of you go through this door. When you get to the doorway, you notice that the hallway that is lit is actually a stairwell that leads even further down. You can see that it's lit by several sconces that are set up an even number of feet in between and they are staggered on both sides of the wall.
Kappa: And they are already lit?
Dax: Mhmm.
Kappa: I am going to start extinguishing the ones on the left side.
Dax: Yeah. They don't relight once they are extinguished.
Kappa: Okay, great. Cool.
Dax: You head down this stairwell and it seems like you're walking for a good ten minutes before you reach the bottom. At the base of the stairwell is a circular room and you can see that high up in the ceiling of the room appears to be a gem that glows faintly. About, maybe forty feet up. The room itself is thirty feet in diameter and there is a door directly ahead, across the room.
Graeme: Do we see any footprints in the dust of the room and are there any bones or skeletons or anything like that on the floor?
Dax: There is no disturbance in the dust. Give me a Perception check. Give it to me at Medium difficulty, so two purple.
Graeme: Okay. [Dice rolls] One Advantage and one Failure.
Dax: Okay, so you fail with style. You don't notice anything in the room. What would you like to use your Advantage for?
Graeme: Could I point out anything for my allies to, I guess, look at?
Dax: Because you failed with style, I will say this. So, you don't find anything that you were explicitly looking for. You don't see any disturbances in the dust, you don't see any bones or anything like that, but you do notice that there is a keyhole in the door. And through the keyhole is the faintest, faintest hint of light from beyond the door.
Graeme (as Dawson): That door over there, it looks like it has a keyhole. I don't – I don't have a key. But maybe it's in this room somewhere? But I can't see it from where we are here.
Kappa (as Rou): Perhaps the door is unlocked? We did not see any of your companions in the room before. Maybe they've already gone this way and unlocked the door?
Kappa: I'm going to go over and try the door.
Graeme: I mean, it is the time for adventure, I'd like a Story Point, please.
Dax: What would you like to do with your Story Point?
Graeme: Uh, I would like to just take one from you and put it in our pot for "Ready for Adventure".
Dax: This does technically count as a new session, so sure. So, Rou, you're just going to try and open the door?
Kappa: Yeah.
Dax: It opens.
Kappa: Oh, okay! [Laughs]
Dax: Did you want to say anything, Kappa?
Kappa: Yeah, I was going to be like, as I open it,
Kappa (as Rou): See? Look! They probably already came this way.
Kappa: And then give you an opening for something to attack me.
Dax: And that is where we're going to end this session.
Music fades out [30:06]
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 GM'd 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.
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.
Arthas, Champion of Offham, is played by Neil.
And Dawson is played by our guest, Graeme. You can follow him on Twitter @GraemeCrackerz1 and Twitch at twitch.tv/GraemeCrackerz.