The group makes their way to Kadiba in an effort to track down the thieves that robbed them. However, this city on the edge of the desert may not be the safe haven they thought it was.
Four companions wake to find they have been robbed of any belongings not on their person while they slept - including what little food and water they had left. In exchange, they find they have been gifted the bird that Rialla had noticed the night before. Luckily, Jokul is able to find the barest of tracks still remaining in the sand, allowing the party to follow the thieves northward.
This final leg of their trek across the desert brings them to Kadiba, a city of white stone and gleaming golden rooftops. Feeling they can’t trust the city guards with their dilemma, the group decides to find a place to get a meal and some water before searching for the thieves. While enjoying their meal, the bartender notices their feathered companion and alerts the guards. It turns out the creature had been stolen from a resident of the city and the party now stands accused of the crime.
Transcript by Dax
Upbeat piano intro music ends [00:27]
Relaxing background music fades in [00:28]
Dax: You awake in the morning from your camp in the desert and you realize that anything that was not on your person, when you went to sleep, or in Eight’s case when you settled in for the evening, is now gone. Bessie and the cart are still there, Maeve is still set up by her tree, but all you have left to your name are your weapons, the silver mirror that Rialla kept on her person, and any other smaller trinkets that you would’ve had strapped to yourself and that you would’ve slept in. The little food that you had left, the waterskins, any of your other camping supplies that you were carrying in the cart, extra clothing, is gone. What does remain in the cart is a small cage that is covered with a cloth.
Music changes to more mysterious [1:20]
Wren (as Eight): Those dastards! They’ve stolen-
Cole (as Rialla): That-
Wren (as Eight): All of our stuff-
Cole (as Rialla): Dirty-
Wren (as Eight): But, it appears they left a…
Wren: I lift the..the flap.
Dax: You see a little canary sitting in the cage.
Wren (as Eight): Excellent. My friends!
Wren: I stomp into the..the middle of the camp clomp clomp clomp.
Wren (as Eight): All of our stuff is gone! Except this bird!
Wren: And I hold the bird out.
Neil (as Arthas): Was it the culprit?
Cole (as Rialla): Wait. What-what do you mean that all of our stuff is gone?
James (as Jokul): Perhaps they left the bird as a calling card.
Wren (as Eight): I mean...all of our stuff is gone. Honestly.
Wren: I motion towards the cart.
Wren (as Eight): They’ve pilfered everything from Bessie’s backside...except for her backside. And, I do believe that Maeve’s saddlebags have been rifled through as well.
James: I-I will go over to Maeve’s saddlebags and investigate them because if any of Jokul’s personal effects are missing, theeennn some bandits are about to com-go get dead.
Dax: Is there something specific you were looking for?
James: Jokul is looking for the horseshoe from his farm that is very significant to his past.
Dax: These saddlebags aren’t huge so it’s not like there’s gonna be a ton of searching, to look through? But why don’t you go ahead and give me a perception check anyway.
James: I can do that.
Dax: Make a perception check - just make it easy.
James: So that’s one purple dice?
Dax: Yep! Just one.
James: And then the primary dice is yellow..or no?
Wren: Green-
James: It upgrades to a yellow. So two green, a purple..
Dax: Yup. Two green, a purple and a yellow ‘cause you have three cunning.
James: One advantage and one success.
Dax: Nice. So, the horseshoe is there but it is the only thing that is left. What would you like to use your advantage for? You can notice something about the environment, you can insert something into the scene…?
James: I-I would like to..Jo-Jokul seems like the type to have momentos? He’s got the primary one that he-he wants but, I’m thinking...like a trail? Like maybe they dropped like the other horseshoe or they dropped something that gives a clue as to the direction that they might have taken all our stuff?
Music changes back to more relaxing instrumental [3:30]
Dax: So, I’ll say that you run to Maeve and you rifle through the saddlebags and you start with the one where you know you kept the horseshoes and you see the one but the other one’s not there and so you rifle through the rest of the bags and you don’t find anything but you turn and you look out into the sand and the nothingness that surrounds you all. And you catch a glimpse of some camel footprints that still remain and thankfully they head in the direction that you all were intending to go.
James: I’ll..I’ll give a whistle and basically wave Eight over and be like,
James (as Jokul): I’ve found their trail! They head this way!
Wren (as Eight): Excellent find! To think that they would be so careless as to leave their trail through the desert. If we have any hope of catching them, I suppose we must depart quickly so that the trail stays fresh.
James (as Jokul): Agreed.
Cole (as Rialla): I agree, but I-I am also worried about, um, our lack of food and water at the moment.
James (as Jokul): The faster we catch them, the faster we ea-we can drink all their food and water.
Neil: I have already started going towards that trail.
Cole (as Rialla): Oh...kay...I guess we’re doing that..
[Dax laughs]
Wren (as Eight): It appears-
Cole: Did we pick up tent or is Art just like marching away?
[Cole giggles]
Neil: I slept in the sand. Nature’s tent.
James: Kick over the tent and just like-
Cole: Oh-
James: keep it as-keep it as a blob and just be like,
James (as Jokul): We’ll-we’ll-
Cole: So-
James (as Jokul): Make it neat and tidy later.
Wren (as Eight): Plenty of space in the cart, after all.
James (as Jokul): You’re not wrong.
Cole: One thing that while we break down camp and get ready to follow Art, I want to take my silver mirror, I want to wrap it in velvet cloth and tuck it into my pouch.
Dax: You trail after Art, who is making fast work of following..following what little trail was left. The farther you get away from camp, the dimmer the footprints become due to all the wind and sand being moved around by said wind. So I would like anyone who is trying to look for the footprints to make a uhm, survival check for me. I want this at medium difficulty.
Wren: I forgot how bad I am at this. I’m gonna rely-
Neil: Yeah same-
Wren: On my friends to do this.
[James giggles]
Cole: Okay, so...
Wren: Should, should we make it like a group check?
Dax: Yeah..
Cole: I have-
Dax: I suppose that probably woulda been smart, huh?
[Dax giggles]
James: I mean, considering how bad me and Art just rolled uh..
Neil: Yeah!
Wren: Who’s-
James: P-Please participate!
Wren: Who’s got the highest cunning?
[Cole sighs]
Cole: Probably me, I have a three.
James: Yeah Jokul’s got-
Cole: And I got-
James: A three as well.
Cole: Two successes and a boost leftover.
[Dax giggles]
Dax: Okay so you said two successes and an advantage? You definitely succeed in finding even the barest hints of footprints in the sand. And as mid-day arrives and you notice that the ground is actually turning from the sand to those large pebbles and-and very rocky terrain,
[Sound of dice being rubbed in hands]
Dax: As you’re starting to get toward the end of the desert. Ah, you still have quite a ways to go, there’s still quite uh, an expanse out ahead of you, it’s still brutally hot. But, the footprints are starting to become more visible, as there is less wind and moving ground in which to hide them.
James (as Jokul): They’ve got a lead on us and we’ve got solid footing so let’s..from this point...let’s double-pace.
James: Just double-down and pick up our pace. Whatev-whatever speed we were moving, let’s double that.
Wren (as Eight): Yes, we should travel with haste. Especially because I don’t want you all to dehydrate.
Wren: We’re moving too much at some point, I could maybe try and make some water? Maybe? Is that a magic thing I could do? Maybe? With conjure? But-
Dax: I-
Wren: I don’t know.
Dax: Yeah either conjure yeah or utility?
Music fades into a fast-paced theme [7:10]
James: I was gonna say you did create food and water before, so..
Dax: Alright. So you’re gonna make double-haste. I would like everybody to make a moderate resilience check for me.
Cole: Hngg I don’t like that.
Wren: I have five success and a..and an advantage.
[Cole and Neil talking at the same time]
Cole: I have a total wash.
Neil: I have two success and two advantage.
Cole: I got nuthin’.
James: Jokul has one advantage and two failures.
Cole: Oh nooooo!
Neil: Uh-oh.
Dax: You failed with style. And Rialla got absolutely nothing, it was a complete wash?
Cole: Yup. I had a success and a boost and a threat and a failure.
Dax: Alright. So, Rialla you’re fine. It’s hot, sand’s getting underneath your robes. Not comfortable but it’s-it’s okay. Eight and Art, you are able to plow forward with no issue whatsoever. Uh, what would you like to use your advantages for? We’ll start with Eight, and then we’ll have Art.
Wren: I have one advantage, and uh, perhaps along the way I find a..a wonderful succulent cactus that I can take.
Dax: Sure!
Neil: I’d like to burn my advantage to see if there’s any signs that tell me that I’m going the right way aside from the trail?
Dax: Sure. I’ll say that since it is becoming more rocky and it’s far less sand, and you all have been hoofing it for quite a while, that you do find a large-ish rock that you’re able to stand on? Probably would give ya another couple feet, to stand up and give ya a higher vantage point. And as you climb up onto this rock and you-you look out into the distance you do see, up ahead, a small black dot directly northward, something..
Neil: Alright I’ll take off trucking towards that.
Dax: Now Jokul. Oh, Jokul. So you failed with style. You are not used to this heat. You’ve had very temperate weather, in your time wandering other planes. You’ve had much colder and wetter weather? But this intense desert heat, this dry, cloying heat..as you’re exerting this effort to go faster and to catch up to those bandits, you start to feel that your mouth is feeling like sandpaper. You can’t get enough saliva to moisten your tongue and it’s making it-starting to make it very difficult to swallow. And you’re starting to feel your..your greyed skin start to get very hot to the touch.
James: Just switch to elvish and just start muttering like,
James (as Jokul): Stupid-hot-sand…
Cole: Do I notice that Jokul’s not feeling 100%?
Dax: I’d say you hear...him muttering? In Elvish, which is never a good sign for Jokul? He doesn’t have any outward signs of being unwell. He’s just..walking along and cursing. Although I suppose if you wanted to ask him…
James: I-I figured he was actually riding Maeve this whole time so I was just like, “Hmm alright I guess I’m walkin’ then”.
Dax: It just depends I know horses don’t always do great in the desert, so..
James: I figure she’s a black horse so the more coverage that-that sh-he’s able to provide by sitting on her is she’ll preserve more water.
Dax: With your scrawny little ass? Yeah, sure. Uh-
James: Probably not but, eh..
[Cole cackles]
Wren: Apparently-
James: It’s the thought that counts!
Wren: Apparently, uh, that was your downfall here.
James: Desert environments are-are not good for these two apparently. Jokul much prefers sitting in the rain.
Cole: Could I say that with a utility spell that I can just like...could I make my hands cold to the touch?
Dax: Yeah! I mean it says you can make your voice growl with distant thunder. So it’s essentially prestidigitation so yeah! I mean you could make your hands cool to the touch.
Cole: Mkay. Is Jokul walking or are we on Maeve or like what’s...?
Dax: I don’t know. You guys tell me.
Cole: I think we’re walking.
James: Yeah. With the majority of the party on foot Jokul woulda just shed a light cloak or something just to..over Maeve so she’s not directly getting blasted by the sun.
Cole: I’m going to take Jokul’s hands and I’m going to whisper something in not-French, and I’m going to cast not-prestidigitation and make my hands cold to the touch and like his hands hold just to like chill them a little-not like freezing! But like to cool down a little bit.
Dax: Alright so you have three advantage.
Cole: Yeah.
Dax: Alright so, you whisper something in Thevenoudian and you try to cast this spell and it just doesn’t go off the way you wanted it to. Your hands get that tingle, but they don’t..they don’t feel cooler to you. You don’t succeed in your spell but you do have some advantages to use so what would you like to use those for?
Cole: Uh, can I use my advantage to give Jokul a boost? Is that a thing? Did I make that up? Can I narrow it down and say get a boost on the next resilience check?
Dax: Try and-
James: Should I have rolled a resilience check for Maeve as well? Or just let her truck along as an NPC?
Dax: She technically would be affected so I think it’s fair that you do roll for her. I’ve gotta get back in the habit of having her kind of be treated like another player.
James: Okay. And that was purple-two purple so...lucky enough Maeve is brawnier than Jokul is. Maeve rolled one success and one advantage.
Dax: Okay so she’s fine. Jokul’s doin’...not so great - he’s gettin’ a little cranky. And Art has plowed ahead. Every once in a while you’ll start seeing some of these large boulders again and the ground is starting to turn less rocky and more clay-like and then slowly turning into dirt. And you’re starting to actually come up-upon almost a scrubland and you start to see trees. They’re few and far between, and they’re not pretty looking, but you are seeing trees. And Art that blob that you saw when you stood on the boulder, the closer you get the larger it becomes.
Neil: I also wanna check one thing.
Dax: Mhmm.
Neil: How’s the dove doin’?
Dax: Are you the one carrying the cage or did we leave it in Bessie’s cart?
Neil: I can be carrying it.
Dax: So every once in a while you lift up the little coverlet, the cloth, and whenever you do it starts to,
[Dax imitates a bird chirping]
Dax: And..and starts to sing. But the minute you put the cloth back down it goes quiet. So as-as you are starting to get closer and the rest of you are-have-by now you’ve seen this blob, you see that Art is heading towards it. As it gets bigger, you notice that it is starting to take on the shape of a city. And by the time supper comes around, you can see that it is a city made of white stone. Not too unlike Saleen, in that it has a very tall wall, probably a sixty foot wall, with a large open double gate. And you can see a few spires and towers that stand above the wall, and those spires have domes at the top. And those domes shine in the sun, almost like glinting gold.
Neil: Pretty.
Wren (as Eight): Friends! I think...I think we made it to the destination that those thieves said they were going.
Cole (as Rialla): I think we should move with haste.
Wren (as Eight): We must find them!
James (as Jokul): We-we have an eye on the-on their location and they couldn't have had more than a couple hour lead on us so..
Dax: It’s still quite bright out, when you reach the city gates. The sun still has a while before it will set. You walk up to the gates and they are wide open, there is a set of guards standing at opposite ends. These guards are dressed similar to those in Isha, where they have these beige robes and red headscarves and no visible weapons.
Cole: Okay..slow down as we approach, so it doesn’t look like we’re just gonna like barge our way in.
Neil: Yeah that’d come off as intimidating.
Cole: As we’re approaching, when we’re still kinda out of earshot, I want to ask my friends,
Cole (as Rialla): Do you think we should let the guards know about what happened or are we going to try to find them on our own?
Neil (as Arthas): I don’t think we can get in without seeing them first.
Cole (as Rialla): Well, yes but, do we want their help? Should we tell them that some merchant stole from us?
Neil (as Arthas): I think so.
Wren (as Eight): If we tell them that we were..robbed..outside of the city, I have a feeling they may not care. Perhaps if we ask if they’ve seen any travelling merchants, they might be able to point us in the direction where they might have headed.
James (as Jokul): That sounds a better idea. Let’s not draw attention to our plight, but we will seek them out in due time. Tracking them down falls into..skillsets of old of mine and Rialla’s.
Cole (as Rialla): Okay. We will do that then.
Dax: So you approach the city gate and the guards pay you no mind. You get close, they glance at you the...I shouldn’t actually say that they pay you no mind. They pay an awful lot of mind to Art. They can’t stop staring.
Cole: Well-
Neil: I pay them no mind.
[Cole giggles]
Dax: So you’re just gonna walk past, into the-
Neil: Yup!
Dax: City? Alright! As you cross the threshold into the city proper, the streets are all dirt. They’re the same clay-like earth that you’ve been walking on. It’s not like they’re paved streets or anything like that. All the buildings are made of the same white stone. Now unlike Saleen where it was clearly whitewashed, these are, from what you can tell, the natural color of the stone. You can see light glinting off little specks almost making the city sparkle as you pass through the streets. People are milling about and they are dressed very appropriately for the desert, they have masks over their faces to protect themselves from the wind. Not everyone, but many. They’re wearing long robes, their..hems of those robes are dirty but the rest are all very clean, very brightly colored actually. Whereas in Isha there was a lot of black, a lot of beige, here there you see lots of bright yellows and greens and reds, oranges.
Cole: Is this like a big city?
Dax: Decent sized. It’s-it’s much bigger than Kiran, which was the abandoned city that you had spent the night outside of the night before. Much bigger than that, but not as big as Saleen.
Cole: Well, fiiirrrst I thiiiiink we should find some water?
Wren: Would be an excellent idea.
Cole: For-
Dax: Okay! So you wander the city streets a little bit and as clean and nice looking as the city was close to the wall, the closer you get to the center the brighter and more decadent. You start to see engravings in the walls that seem to have been etched with gold. People are wearing less simple robes, they’re starting to wear robes with embroidery and golden thread. You can see shoes poking out from the robes that are now decked in jewels, instead of simple leather. It’s starting to look very rich and people are starting to stare, the further you go in. Eventually, you do find a fountain and you can see that there are some people that are wearing simple brown robes, and their faces are covered, doing laundry in that fountain.
Cole: Is there an establishment that serves water that’s not having laundry-
Dax: So like-
Cole: Done in it? [laughs]
Dax: A tavern? Is that what you’re looking at?
Cole: Yeah-
Neil: I am already drinking out of this fountain.
Wren (as Eight): Oh, Simply Arthas, no.
[Cole giggles]
Neil (as Arthas): It’s water!
Cole: Oh god-
Wren (as Eight): But it is..laced with filth! Here, here..
Wren: Uhm..what are you drinking it out of? Your hands?
Neil: Yeah-
Wren: A cup?
Neil: I have my hands.
James: His hands are probably just as dirty-dirty as the laundry water.
Wren: That’s true-
Dax: I would like Arthas to make a easy resilience check for me please? Two success.
Neil: Yeah-
Wren: I have abject horror on my face, which is impressive because I’m usually so stony-faced.
Dax: So Arthas you are drinking this laundry water and..it’s fine! I mean it’s got a little flavor to it but who cares? Ya know it’s...not hurtin’ nobody. People that have-were doing their laundry before you went and shoved your snoot into the fountain um, now are backing away with baskets full of wet clothing and there’s whispering. And people are staring and pointing and-and ha-sharing the same abject horror that Eight and Rialla have on their faces.
Neil: Alright, more water for me!
James: Jokul was also suffering from dehydration. I’m not gonna go so far as to drink it, but,
James (as Jokul): Ah that looks refreshing…
James: Dip my face.
[Wren chuckles]
Dax: You’re also dipping your face in the fountain?
James: Yeah. Ju-just..or-or get like a handful and just splash it on himself like, “Ahh that feels good.”
Dax: Okay. Alright if you’re splashing your face that’s one thing, if you’re gonna drink it would be a resilience check as well.
James: Yeah, no no. The-the, like, “Hmm..probably don’t want to be drinking that. But, it’s water and I’m melting in a desert.”
[Cole laughs]
James: Splash this on ma face.
Dax: Jokul has refreshed himself, Arthas now has had enough to drink. Rialla you, while you’re watching for bandits, thieves, merchants...whatever you want to call them, you do see that there is a sign above one of the doors that shows uh what looks to be like a turkey leg? And a mug of ale.
Wren (as Eight): We should go in.
Neil (as Arthas): Yes!
Cole (as Rialla): I think we should it’s been um..a very long time travelling..a few-
Wren (as Eight): I must say, Jokul is typically ashy-ashen faced and pale, but-
Cole (as Rialla): No, he’s-
Wren (as Eight): He’s looking particularly piqued today.
Wren: I turn to the other two and kinda motion with a big hand my..my fingers kinda waggling a little bit and I point at the sign.
Wren (as Eight): My friends! We might be able to get food and water in here. Much better-
Neil: I’ll follow-
Wren (as Eight): Than dirty bathwater, right?
Neil (as Arthas): That water tasted fine.
Neil: How tall is the door frame?
Dax: So, it’s a large door. You’re gonna have to hunch, but I would say you probably only have to bend yourself mostly in half to get through it.
Neil: Fantastic!
Dax: Art does not have to like squat and scrunch, but he’s gonna have to lean down pretty far. So you all go into this...tavern with this large door.
Music fades into a more suspenseful instrumental [21:58]
Dax: And y-yo-when you get in there, the space is actually quite large all things considered I mean it-it’s much bigger than a lot of the taverns you’ve-you’ve been in, in your travels.
Sound of dishes and talking in the distance begins [22:04]
Dax: You see there are some patrons, many of them dressed quite nicely.
Wren (as Eight): I feel like we may be underdressed.
Dax: There are some, what looks to be, maybe guards? Sitting at tables there-there are a couple tables with these...these men in beige robes and the red headscarves grouped together. So probably about six of them in total, and they’re all chit-chatting and eating food and they’re drinking. And standing at the bar, you notice a human woman with chestnut hair and brown eyes and she looks none too pleased as she’s furiously scrubbing the bartop.
Neil (as Arthas): Eight, what do birds eat?
Wren (as Eight): Well, Simply Arthas, I do believe that it depends on the type of bird.
Neil (as Arthas): What does this one eat?
Wren (as Eight): Ah yes, well, I do believe that that one is…
Wren: I lean in and kind of get real close to the bars on the cage frame to-to look at the bird as closely as possible. Good GM, do I recognize this type of bird?
Dax: I would like you to make a knowledge check? Go ahead and make it an easy one.
Wren: With pleasure! That would be a success and two advantage.
Dax: You do recognize this bird. You actually have seen very similar ones on the island of which you came from. They are called the Miras’pan. The villagers used to call them Miras, for short, and the Miras generally would eat little black seeds. The seeds look very uh, similar to thistle.
Wren (as Eight): Ah! Yes. Arthas, this..this bird. I-I’m familiar with it. In fact, I..I thought I recognized the song that it was making before because I would hear the same thing in Mother’s garden. It’s called a-a Mi..a Miras..a Miras? Yes. I do believe that was it. The villagers would frequently say such lovely things about them but they eat thistle! Very thin, needle-like seeds. Let me see...if I have any on me. Probably not. I don’t typically feed birds, but…
Wren: I reach in towards my little cooking utility pouches, and start rifling through it.
Neil: As you’re rifling I’m already making a bee line for the bar. Clearly-
Dax: Alright-
Neil: The woman might have some.
Dax: Doesn’t take you long to get there. I mean your-
Wren (as Eight): I-
Dax: You do take quite large steps.
Wren (as Eight): Oh. Oh, you’re gonna keep go-okay.
Dax: As you get up to the bar, the woman that is scrubbing the bar top stops, and she puts both hands on the bar and she looks up at you and she is scowling.
Dax (as the bartender): [very grumpily and loud] Whaddaya want?
Neil (as Arthas): Excuse me, ma’am. Do you sell thistle here?
Dax: She turns and spits into a spittoon behind the bar.
Dax (as the bartender): What do I look like, a pet shop? No we don’t sell thistle here!
Neil (as Arthas): Hmm. Well I’m sorry to have troubled you.
Dax (as the bartender): Do you want any...drink? Any food?
Neil (as Arthas): Let me ask my friends first.
Dax (as the bartender): Yeah. You go do that.
Dax: She goes back to scrubbing bartop.
Neil: I turn around and go back and,
Neil (as Arthas): She doesn’t sell thistle and she’s not too happy about it I think.
Wren (as Eight): If I was unable to feed a bird that needed feeding, I would be upset too.
Neil (as Arthas): That must be the source of it.
Cole (as Rialla): Well, we can stop somewhere and find bird feed at another establishment but, perhaps we can stop here and get something to eat and get some water?
Wren (as Eight): That would probably be fine. I’m sure we could feed this bird..some sort of suitable alternative. Even if it was just a little bit of grain? Perhaps-
Cole (as Rialla): Well-
Wren (as Eight): If they make bread?
Neil (as Arthas): One thing that I have thought of: did they take our money?
Dax: If you kept it on your person, you would still have it. If it’s something you would have left in the cart for some strange reason then yes they would have taken it.
Wren (as Eight): I don’t believe I have any money anyways.
Cole: With that, I will approach the bar...softly? [giggles] After being told she’s not in the best of moods.
Cole (as Rialla): Um, pardon me?
Dax (as the bartender): Yeah?
Cole (as Rialla): Um, could we get, uhm..three waters? And uhm...what uh what are you serving today?
Dax: She stops scrubbing. She looks over at the uh, table nearest you where some of the guards are sitting. She leans forward a little bit and she goes,
Dax (as the bartender): Well, looks like it’s just a little mutton soup.
Dax: She goes to pour some water into some mugs and she sets it on the counter.
Cole: I turn back to my companions and see what they say, and I’ll go along with whatever they decide.
Wren (as Eight): Excuse me, m-miss.
Dax (as the bartender): What?
Wren (as Eight): That wouldn’t happen to be..bathwater, would it?
Dax (as the bartender): Are you bein’ serious with me right now? Why would I serve you bathwater? Get the guards called in on my establishment, shut me down. Who do you think you are?!
Wren (as Eight): My name is Eight. And I am a visitor to this establishment.
Dax (as the bartender): Well then a visitor-
Wren (as Eight): Didn’t-
Dax (as the bartender): To my establishment would note that I don’t serve bathwater.
Wren (as Eight): Oh, well, I certainly know that now. I’m sorry to have troubled you.
Wren: I reach forward to grab one of the glasses and kinda slide it over to Jokul across the bartop. Really deliberately slowly.
Dax (as the bartender): Well will you be wanting any supper?
Wren: I turn and look at everyone slowly, again.
Wren (as Eight): Do-do we want to eat? Yes?
Neil (as Arthas): Yes…
Cole (as Rialla): Might as well.
James: Jokul just caught the-the slow mug of water and just like, chug.
Dax: Are-are you actually chugging this mug of water?
James: Clean water. Need it.
Dax: She stops and she stares at all of you. The scowl is...so brazen. She sighs very heavily.
Dax (as the bartender): [grunting sigh]
Dax: And she walks around to a door off to her right and you hear her go,
[Dax yells away from the mic]
Dax (as the bartender): ‘Ey Joseph! Joseph! We need...four more of the lunch. [pauses] No the soup, you moron! [pauses] Yes! Yes.
Dax: She-
Cole: Oh….my god.
Dax: She walks back to the four of you.
Dax (as the bartender): Alright that’ll be a silver a piece.
Cole: I put four silver on the counter.
Dax: She takes it, puts it in a little pouch and just stares at all of you.
Cole: At that point I would’ve taken Jokul’s hand and turned and went to go find a table.
Dax: Very awkwardly.
[Dax chuckles]
Cole: Yup! Like, “Oh...can’t do this anymore bye…”
[Cole giggles]
Dax: In the-
James: Jokul-
Dax: In the meantime she’s staring at Art and Eight, making that face that most cranky service people make like, “anything else?”
Neil: Art looks at her for a moment or I look-
Dax: I..yeah-
Neil: At her for a moment-
Dax: Yeah.
Neil: Not understanding tact, or the service industry, excitedly show her the bird.
[Dax imitates a bird chirping]
Dax: She looks at this canary, looks up at you Art.
Dax (as the bartender): Yeah. You got a bird, what of it?
Neil (as Arthas): I like him. And I hope it’s brightened up your day.
Wren (as Eight): It’s called a Miras’pan.
Neil (as Arthas): Yes, what they said.
Dax (as the bartender): I..do..if you need anything else let me know.
Dax: She..heads down to the other end of the bar far away from you.
Neil (as Arthas): I think she liked it.
Cole: While they’re doing that we are sitting, drinking our water and I am watching the train wreck that is transpiring with this bird and the cranky bartender.
Wren: I turn to Arthas while they’re eating and kinda look at the bird and then look to him and I say,
Wren (as Eight): While..my friends. While you eat, I believe I will see if I can discern the most bird friendly patron in this establishment and see if I may be able to find a place to get food for the bird.
Neil (as Arthas): I am already the most bird friendly patron in this establishment. But I enjoy your plan.
Cole (as Rialla): I was going to say, Eight, I don’t know if they would have bird feed here. We’d have to take a look around the market but uh, I-I really don’t think that they would have that here.
Wren (as Eight): Of course not here.
Cole (as Rialla): Oh, you said this establishment, so I thought you meant..
Wren (as Eight): Not get the food here, but find someone who might be able to direct us to get food.
Neil (as Arthas): Those merchants may-
Cole (as Rialla): Ohh I’m sorry I misunderstood.
Wren (as Eight): I’m sorry if I was not clear.
Cole (as Rialla): No that’s okay.
Wren (as Eight): I will endeavor to be more...precise...in my elucidations.
Cole (as Rialla): No Eight, you’re fine! Okay, so, find food for our..I guess now “our”..bird friend and also locate our stolen wares? And then maybe find a place to stay for the night?
Wren (as Eight): Yes.
Cole: We do that!
[Cole laughs]
Dax: I would like...I would like you guys to make a group perception check. It’s gonna be an easy check.
Cole: I have two successes and three advantages.
Dax: Rialla, while Arthas is eating mutton soup and you have Jokul sitting there...he’s hovering over his-his mug of water and..and slowly sipping it and-and enjoying. And Eight is..scanning the tavern for a bird lover you notice that the bartender is whispering to the guards and every once in a while looking over in your direction.
Cole: I’m going to tug on Jokul’s sleeve and I’m going to take my hand and kinda like put my face..rest it on my hand but then like, nod towards the bartender, while keeping my gaze on the table as a, “Do you see that?” And point it out to Jokul whispering,
Cole (as Rialla): So..we didn’t do anything wrong did we?
James (as Jokul): I-I’m sure there’s some vague custom or something that we were walking on. If nothing else I-I’m told there are...there’s more elves like me that apparently don’t leave their home island so..maybe they’re offended by something else.
Neil (as Arthas): You think the birds are illegal? Was that merchant a smuggler?
James (as Jokul): Could be a calling card for a merchant..thief..gang. Odd that they would leave something after robbing us.
Wren: I bend in, while everyone’s whispering together.
[Wren does the next line in a whisper]
Wren (as Eight): What are we talking about?
Cole (as Rialla): I think that we’re being whispered about.
Neil (as Arthas): Birds might be illegal.
Wren (as Eight): Where? Who?
Cole (as Rialla): Barkeeper. But..don’t look over there just...focus on eating your food and pay them no mind.
Wren: DM I would like to utilize my strength of mind ability. As an action, I may make an opposed discipline versus discipline check targeting a living creature within medium range. I will target the barkeeper.
Dax: Alright. She has three, with one rank, so I think you’re gonna upgrade your difficulty one.
Wren: So it’s two purple and a red.
Dax: Yup.
Wren: Spend a story point and drop that to a purple?
Dax: Yes you may.
Wren: After Rialla points, or indicates the bartender, I glance quickly over my shoulder towards them and then,
Wren (as Eight): Ah! I see. I will..not make a scene.
Wren: And I put my hands back on the bar, make a point of looking as nonchalant as possible and I sit and think and, to anyone who’s watching me, my eyes go from purple to kinda like a fuschia color? As I attempt to read the bartender’s mind. Somehow. Magical! Uhh..I have a success and an advantage leftover. So, I know their current thoughts and emotional state.
Dax: The first thing that hits you is this wave of annoyance and frustration.
Wren (as Eight): Ooh..so annoying-
Dax: You probe a little deeper and you can hear the same sentence, over and over again, “Thieves. There are thieves in my bar.”
Wren (as Eight): My friends..
Wren: I-I am still just facing forward.
Wren (as Eight): I do believe that the barkeep thinks we are thieves.
Cole (as Rialla): Mm. So they probably left the bird with us for a reason.
Neil (as Arthas): Do we run?
Dax: You see one of the guards stand up from the table where his companions are and he makes his way over to your table. He stops and holds out his hands, palms up. He says,
Dax (as the guard): [in a slightly lower register] Well, I see you have uhm..something special with you. Where did you get it?
Cole (as Rialla): Oh! Do you recognize it? We were approached by..they were under the guise of merchants and they left the bird with us and we didn’t know what to do with it…Does it belong to someone?
Dax (as the guard): Someone just gave you a bird?
Cole (as Rialla): No?
James: Out of character I’m just thinking, “They’ve given us the bird! How rude.”
[Cole, Wren and Dax start laughing]
James: I just made that connection! And I’m like, “Shit!”
[Cole laughs harder]
Dax: I was wondering when somebody was going to get that joke. If at all!
[Dax chuckles]
Cole (as Rialla): I don’t know if gave us is the right word, they decided that leaving us with this somehow made up for running off with our rations.
Dax (as the guard): And who would “they” be?
Cole (as Rialla): He-
Dax (as the guard): Because I’ll tell you right now, there’s someone in this city that has been looking for that bird.
Cole (as Rialla): He told us his name was Hassan.
Dax (as the guard): Lady do you know how many Hassans are in this city?
Cole (as Rialla): I..actually don’t. I’ve..I’m not from here. And you can take the bird, again it was left with us.
Dax: Uh, Rialla make a coercion check. I think-
Cole: Is it coercion?
Dax: I think that’s what we want.
Cole: It’s true! I’m not lying!
Wren: Not-not charm or..negotiation?
Neil: Coerce him into knowing you’re not lying.
Dax: Negotiation might work better.
Cole: I just-
Dax: ‘Cause I imagine-I mean I imagine Rialla’s not trying to be all like, playing off any sweet and innocent she’s just being flat out honest? So maybe negotiation would work better.
Cole: What’s the-
Dax: I want you to make this a hard...check.
Cole: Oh god! I’ll use a story point to make it a moderate check.
[Sound of dice rolling on a table]
Dax: So go ahead. Alright so now it’s moderate difficulty. And I’ll change the story point thing.
Cole: I have two successes and two threats.
Dax: So, I’m going to say that, with your threats, you’re gonna suffer some strain. Because this is a very stressful situation, you’re being approached by a guard who is accusing you, potentially of stealing, something very important to someone. But, you succeed and ultimately the guard softens a little bit. He says,
Dax (as the guard): Alright. If I were to believe you, what do we do about the real thief?
Cole (as Rialla): Well, we followed them here. So, they ought to be in the city somewhere. We could offer to help you find them? And we could tell you what we know, what they look like.
Cole: Hassan and Co., to the guard. Kind of in a panicky sorta fashion.
Dax: He rubs the little bit of beard that is on his chin.
Wren: Ah, I was just gonna say while Rialla was recounting the story of how they wined and dined us and then robbed us and left us with this bird, uhm, if she forgets or omits any details I’m just kinda like filling in with Eight specific details.
Wren (as Eight): The wrinkles on his face were very...very dirty.
Dax (as the guard): Well, here’s what I propose. You say that you didn’t steal this bird, yet you’re the one walking around the city with it. And that particular bird is the only one of its kind in this city, and it has gone missing. If you want to prove your innocence, I say we make a little wager. If you-
Wren: Doubt that-
Dax (as the guard): Can find the thieves, the real thieves, in twenty-four hours...we will let you go free.
Cole (as Rialla): I, oh-
Dax (as the guard): And if you can’t-
Cole (as Rialla): If we..if we had stolen the-
Dax (as the guard): If you can’t…your freedom is forfeit.
Cole (as Rialla): Do you really think that if we had stolen the bird ourselves that we would be walking around with it if it’s that important?
Dax: He puts his palms down on the table and he leans in close to you, Rialla.
Cole: I lean back. Away.
Dax (as the guard): I have seen much stranger things in my time as captain here.
Wren (as Eight): Have you seen-
Dax (as the guard): You’re lucky-
Wren (as Eight): One of me-
Dax (as the guard): That I am-
Wren (as Eight): Before?
Dax (as the guard): Being so generous.
Wren (as Eight): Have you seen-
Cole (as Rialla): But we didn’t-
Wren (as Eight): One of me before?
Dax (as the guard): I have seen slaves in my time, yes.
Wren (as Eight): Hey!
Cole (as Rialla): But this-
Neil: I would like..I would like to take that cue to lean in myself.
Neil (as Arthas): If we do not find the true thieves I would like to request a trial by combat?
Dax: He looks Arthas up and down. But he doesn’t seem riled. He actually smirks a little bit.
Dax (as the guard): Twenty-four hours. That’s all you have. And the clock..starts...now.
Dax: And with that he signals to his fellow guardsman and they leave the tavern.
Wren (as Eight): I suppose we’re keeping the bird then.
[Cole and Neil talking at the same time]
Wren: I say-I say as they walk out.
[Wren chuckles]
Cole: Why not just-
Dax: Sorry I should have specified that the last guardsperson takes the bird.
Neil (as Arthas): I will personally rearrange his bones if anything happens to that bird.
Dax: And that is where we are ending our session.
Music continues to play during the outro [39:37]
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. 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.