Jokul and Rialla make it to The Citadel and Eight is confronted by someone who is more than they appear. What will the two groups find out when they investigate further?
Jokul and Rialla continue to follow the rooftops until they reach The Citadel, the location mentioned in the thieves’ cant they had spotted earlier. Upon entry they are greeted by a kindly old priest, and they implemented the facade of romantically involved tourists who had come to see the beautiful building and hear its services.
When the old priest leaves, Rialla notices a young woman - a thief - disguised as a priestess. Rialla manages to gather her courage and is able to deceive the priestess into divulging information regarding the bird, telling her that they were supposed to make the exchange but got caught instead. Meanwhile, Jokul examines the large organ he noticed propped away from the wall. He discovers that one of the keys is missing and the organ is farther from the wall because there is a door hidden behind it. The pair then learn that they must meet the thieves at midnight outside of an inn called The Grumpy Goat.
Eight, on the other hand, is accosted by a man who is set on scaring Eight away from the alley. In an attempt to persuade him to share secrets, the warforged learns that this man is actually in disguise and is then left to deal with the violent consequences of the discovery. The cowardly rogue flees to The Citadel, at which point he is apprehended by Eight.
When the group reconvenes, they decide it is best to leave the man trapped out in the open than to cause a bigger scene, and head for The Grumpy Goat. Jokul and Rialla leave first and, after a time, Eight follows them in a questionable disguise.
Reference to episode on YouTube where Eight meets Lohr [18:35]
Follow Cole @ColeMorreale and Wren @ThornyDryad
Transcript by Dax
Upbeat piano intro music ends [00:28]
Dramatic background music fades in [00:29]
Dax: Jokul and Rialla, you have been following the trail for a good twenty minutes now. You don’t see Eight following, but you just assume that they are. You haven’t had too many issues on the rooftops yet, but up ahead directly in your path you do see a much larger building. A very large dome. You can see that there are footholds that lead up and around it. If you guys could make one more athletics check for me. Go ahead and make it the medium difficulty and give yourselves a boost.
James: Is this um, that athletics or stealth or..specifically athletics?
Dax: This one is going to be athletics only because you are far enough away from the center of the city at this point that there aren’t as many prying eyes.
Cole: Before making the way across I kinda like, roll my shoulders a little bit and kind of curse the lack of what used to be there and then I’m going to..
[sound of dice being shaken and then rolled]
Cole: A success and a threat.
James: Just a success for me.
[Cole giggles]
Cole: Rialla’s not super strong.
Dax: Alright so you both make it up and around the, uhm rooftop. No..no problem actually, this time you-you’ve got..you’ve done enough of it in the last twenty minutes that you are now flying around this roof. Rialla I will say that you lose your footing, again only for a second this time, it’s nowhere near as bad as the first time. But it’s because that the foothold that you were on actually was a little loose so you notice that it tilts a little bit as you step on it. You make it to the other side of this large dome and you see up ahead, there is the spire of what would potentially be a place of worship. And you hear bells..
[Dax imitates a bell ringing three times]
Dax: Signifying it’s roughly one-thirty.
Cole: Is the path kinda heading that way?
Dax: Yup.
Cole: Yeah I guess..I’ll give Jokul a glance before heading-keep...keep going.
Dax: Could both of you make me a perception check? Make it, uh, easy.
Cole: Does a triumph and a failure cancel out?
Dax: So you’ll get the effects of the triumph, but you won’t get the success that goes with the triumph. The success gets wiped out-
Cole: I also have an advantage.
James: I ended up with two advantage.
Dax: So the effects of a triumph and an advantage for you and two advantage for Jokul. Rialla what would you like to do with your advantage and-and Jokul, think about your two advantages.
Cole: Is there any symbolism on the spire that I notice to denote what kind of deity this might be dedicated to? Or any sym-symbolgy that I could look into later perhaps?
Wren: [in a high-pitched voice] Maybe a little thieves’ cant?
[Wren imitates the noise of a dove]
Cole: [in a high-pitched voice] Maybe a little thieves’ cant?
[Cole imitates the noise of a dove and then giggles]
Dax: I will say as you’re getting closer to the spire you do notice on the rooftops some thieves’ cant. I will say that you do notice some thieves’ cant.
[Dax laughs]
Dax: I was hoping she would..I knew she was getting to it she’s like, “ah, symbolism” and I’m like, “uh-huh? Uh-huh. Uh-huh?”
Cole: I’m not close enough to read the thieves’ cant yet, right though right?
Dax: The thieves’ cant is on the rooftop that you are currently on, yes.
Cole: Oh, cool! What does it say?
Dax: So there are two separate symbols. One says, “Don’t go to The Citadel, they are watching.” So similar to that-
Cole: Mhmm.
Dax: Message that you saw-
Cole: Mhmm.
Dax: In the alley earlier. But you also see, “Head to the sewers.”
Cole: I’ll give Jokul’s shirt a tug and point it out.
Cole (as Rialla): [muttering] Head to the sewers from up here though that seems a little strange, but okay..we can go check that out too.
Cole: And kinda just like muttering to myself-
Dax: Jokul you’ve got two advantages.
James: Can I use one of them to perhaps use our vantage point to locate a sewer entrance? Or just use the..the-the height of where we’re standing to..are-are we at The Citadel? Is there a building bigger than this one?
Dax: There are a couple buildings that are bigger than The Citadel. Uh, The Citadel’s a couple buildings still away from you, but considering you are high up on the rooftop it doesn’t take much for you to look around and you do see..not even a block away toward The Citadel, a sewer grate.
James: I-I’ll point it out to Rialla.
James (as Jokul): The Citadel’s over there, but we have a sewer entrance over there.
Cole (as Rialla): That’s good to know. Good eye.
Cole: How far is the sewer entrance from where we are?
Dax: It’s not even a block away.
Cole (as Rialla): Do you think we should head that way then? Instead of towards the spire where it looked like it was heading?
James (as Jokul): I..think they probably have their meeting in the sewer and then this person is either doing something while during the meeting? I think we’re better off keeping above ground where Eight has a chance of spotting us.
Cole (as Rialla): Okay. So, do we want to stay where we are and see if anyone comes up from the sewer? Kinda do a little stakeout?
James (as Jokul): We don’t have time for a stakeout. We-we’ve-
Cole (as Rialla): Okay-
James (as Jokul): Got twenty-four hours to find this..so.
Cole (as Rialla): Okay so come back to the sewer and then keep following the path?
James (as Jokul): I..that sounds good.
Cole: Alright we’re doing that. We’re gonna carry on.
Dax: Alright.
Cole: Keep-
Dax: So-
Cole: On-
Dax: You-
Cole: Keepin’ on-
Dax: Are able to head towards The Citadel and you find a nice alleyway. Are you gonna climb down back to street level before you head over to The Citadel or...?
Cole: Yyyeessss..?
James: Yeah. C-come down off the roof.
Dax: Okay. You find a nice little alleyway to climb down off the roof. This time there is a fire escape that you are able to use but it is not touching the ground. So you do have to jump a few feet but I’m not gonna make you make a check for it ‘cause it’s..it’s not that far off the ground. You’re able to dust yourself off and..and you head out into the street and by The Citadel there are quite a few people. Most of them seem to be loitering, they are hanging about on..on benches near some large flower pots, chit-chatting. Some people are..seem to be milling about on their..their day but, most people that you see are kind of hanging out in this-this large courtyard that is in front of The Citadel.
Cole: Yeah continue blending in, not drawing attention to ourselves. I would definitely keep up the glamour. I don’t know if I need to like re-cast that or anything but I would probably do that just to keep eyes not focused on us.
James: Yeah just-
Dax: Did it say anything about, uhm, time length? On your spell?
Cole: Uhh I don’t think so..but is concentration...
Dax: Why don’t you go ahead and cast it again. It’s easier to concentrate when you’re up on a rooftop and you only have to focus on one thing. Now you have to focus on, uhm, avoiding multiple eyes. So let’s..let’s say you have to cast it again.
Cole: I think this time, could I cast it on myself and then use kinda-oh, well no. Nevermind I am going to cast it on Jokul again too. ‘Cause on the roof-
Dax: Yeah-
Cole: It would never-
Dax: Go ahead.
Cole: Cover as much. Okay so that’s hard difficulty-
Dax: And then give yourself that boost.
Cole: I am left with one success.
Dax: Yeah, your spell goes off and you don’t have any, uhm, strain, any force now..ya know tha-that initial issue you had the last time. Nope, just, kinda like a visor just,
[Dax imitates a shield going up]
Dax: Done. Not a problem, you didn’t even have to think about it.
Cole: And since I’d already cast it once today I didn’t have to really do as much. Like, I didn’t like take the symbol again, I kinda just closed my eyes and it went back up. And-
Dax: Alright-
Cole: We’re gonna head towards The Citadel!
Dax: So you walk towards this grand building, and Rialla you do notice that there are some symbols. Roll me an intelligence check, easy difficulty? ‘Cause there really is no religion. Oh! Go ahead and do, divine. Give me a divine check.
Cole: Yes! I was hoping you would say-aww it’s three advantages and a failure…You think with all of those dice, I would have been okay but..no.
James: Som-Sometimes too many dice is a problem. They’ll hit each other and turn off the otherwise normal roll that you would’ve gotten!
Cole: I hate it.
Dax: You notice that this is the same symbol as the goddess of truth, that the Isharans worshipped. There is a image carved into the walls of a woman, her face upturned and she has seven arms. As you both walk towards The Citadel, you come across these very large stone steps. They lead into this building, and as you get into the building you see that the ceiling above you has very large wooden rafters built into the sandstone walls. The windows are single paned glass, and the sunlight just shines through and it makes these beautiful rays of light pouring down over the pews. And the pews are not the same pews you have seen in many of the temples of your time, Rialla. They are small, short wooden walls to separate the seating area, but the seats themselves are actually just cushions on the ground. And you do see, uh, ahead at the opposite end is an altar and at that altar stands an old man in white robes and a red veil. He sees the two of you and he steps down from the altar and he starts heading towards you.
Cole: I have my arm looped through Jokul’s, kind of playing up that and uh-
Dax: Couples wandering on tourists?
[Dax chuckles, Cole tries to hold back laugh and it comes out like “shh-sh”]
James: It’s worked before? Why not?
Dax: As the old man...are you-so you’re going to play up the uh, “we’re just tourists” kinda deal? Or, uh, did you have something else in mind? Just..
James: I-It’s a good cover until we know what we’re in.
Cole: Yeah.
Dax: That’s fair. So the old man comes up to you and as he gets closer you realize he’s actually kind of short? He’s actually shorter than you Rialla.
Cole: That’s short-
Dax: And he’s a little hunched over and he-he looks up at the two of you and says,
Dax (as the old man): Welcome, welcome! I’m sorry, you just missed the service. What can I do for you two today?
Cole: See, Rialla would be good at lying on the fly, but Cole is not! ‘Cause I don’t lie! Uh, hang on..
[Cole giggles nervously]
Cole: Shit. Uhm..
Dax: If you need a second it’s okay.
Cole (as Rialla): We’ve travelled a long way and many people in the town and where we’re staying said that this is a very beautiful church and uhm, we wanted to come see. I’m sorry that we missed the service I was hoping that um, we would catch that in time but..yeah we, uh, actually came from Isha and I recognized the-
Dax (as the old man): Oh! You came all the way from Isha?
Cole (as Rialla): Mhmm.
Dax (as the old man): Well that was a very brave journey of yours.
Cole (as Rialla): Ah, it was a rather difficult one, yes. But yeah I recognized the, um, iconology from Isha as well. This is a beautiful church.
Dax (as the old man): Well, thank you young lady. I’m so glad you like it. Yes, yes the goddess of truth we...we worship her but we do not say her name. It’s forbidden, you know.
Cole (as Rialla): I actually did not know that. I’m glad that, um, I know that now.
Dax (as the old man): Yes, yes. They say that the truest words never spoken were her name, yes..
Dax: And you see he’s looking off, a little bit into the sunlight and..kinda not paying attention to you? For, just the span of a few seconds before he shakes his head and looks up at you.
Dax (as the old man): Um, so you just came to look at the..The Citadel, then, did you?
Cole (as Rialla): Yes.
Cole: Could I...uh, out of character, if I want to get like a read on him, and what kind of check would that be? Uh, difficulty?
Dax: Are you trying to see if he’s lying or you just trying to get a read on him in general? Is the question.
Cole: In general.
Dax: Okay. So in general yeah then we’ll go with perception and we’ll stick with uh, just make it easy.
Cole: Nice! Success and three advantages.
Dax: He’s an old man, who has probably spent his life in service to this..this church, this deity. You have known quite a few older people who have spent their life, and you know that it’s not unreasonable for them to get lost in their own thoughts from time to time? But he doesn't seem to mean you any ill will. He looks up at-at Jokul and tilts his head a little bit and squints his eyes.
Dax (as the old man): You, young man. Where do you come from?
James: Jokul has met people during the-these wanderings that have told him of an island full of shadar-kai and/or drow people. So, I forgot the name of that location but Jokul would be,
James (as Jokul): I’m a long way from home.
James: And he’d give that location, jus-just so he’s keeping up appearances. Rather than saying-
Dax: Why don’t you go ahead and make an intelligence check. And I’ll uh, see if you remember the name of that location.
James: Just a straight intelligence?
Dax: Sure!
James: Alright, let’s see what the dice say. Heh, three advantage!
Dax: You know it started with a G. But other than that you don’t remember.
[Cole laughs in the background]
Dax: The uh, the old man looks up at you and says,
Dax (as the old man): You really came all the way here...from Gohram? Well, I suppose when you’re stuck on an island for as long as...your people have...you-you would want to go somewhere completely opposite an island, so I suppose that’s fair. I will be over there.
Dax: And he points a shaky hand back towards the altar.
Dax (as the old man): If there is anything that you would like to see or know about the goddess of truth just...just say the word...and I will come running over, as fast as my little legs can carry me to help you out. Alright?
James (as Jokul): Okay!
Dax (as the old man): The two of you have a blessed day.
Dax: And he shuffles back-
Cole (as Rialla): Merci-
Dax: To the altar.
Cole: And I’ll give a little bow. Okay, um, after poking around inside, I think maybe look outside The Citadel and see if there’s any more, uh, scritchy scratchies? On the wall?
James: Yes-
Dax: So I’ll say while you’re inside, go ahead and make a..make a streetwise check while you’re still inside The Citadel.
Cole: Oh no.
James: I-I was gon-
Dax: And then make it..make it medium difficulty, no advantage this time.
Cole: What are-
James: I was gonna say-
Cole: You-
James: Be-before we leave let’s check the actual church, because-
Cole: Yeah.
James: A church as a cover for a thieves’ guild is pretty solid.
Cole: You would-
Dax: Well she did say that, you know, you guys would poke around inside so I-I’m giving you the chance to do that.
James: Yeah.
Cole: Yep-
[Sound of dice being shaken and thrown in the background]
James: W-Well I was gonna say, while Rialla’s actually talking to the priest, uh, Jokul’s just like, “What's over there? What’s over there?” Head on a swivel kind of thing.
Cole: A success and a boost.
James: I have two success.
Dax: With your..let’s use up your advantage. What would you like to use your advantage for? And then we’ll address the success.
Cole: I...would like to use my advantage…to..[pause] any shady looking thief guildy people?
[Cole laughs]
Cole: Meandering about. I don’t know. [laughs]
Dax: I will say that you do notice there are a couple of other priests milling about in The Citadel. What you didn’t notice on the old man, you do notice on a woman who walks by you. You look down as she walks by and you see at the very edge of her robes, is not the symbol of the goddess of truth, but thieves’ cant. Symbol, that just says “home”.
Cole: Is this like a pendant on her belt or..?
Dax: No, just a little etching on the bottom of her robes, almost to the hem. And with your success, you’re poking around, you’re milling about. You do notice that there seems to be a very large organ at the back, but the organ is pretty far away from the wall for such a large instrument.
James: Well the priest gave us the okay to look around, and Rialla’s better with people? So, he’ll leave the strange female priest to Rialla to talk to and he’ll go inspect the organ and perhaps pretend to play it!
Dax: Has Jokul ever played an instrument before?
James: Nope!
Dax: Okay.
Cole: Of course not. Um-
James: He’s just like sitting down at it, being like “I’m gonna look at it!”
Dax: Kinda wave your fingers over the keys, not really touch but like..pretend?
James: Exactly. Like he’ll, like a little kid just like “oh I’ve been given the okay to sit here.”
Dax: Jokul you walk up to this very large pipe organ and you run your hands over the dark wood, and you sit down on the stool, and you wave your hands over the keys. And as you’re looking at the keys and you’re looking around the instrument, you notice that one of the keys is missing. You poke your head around the other side of the pipe organ and you see that behind the instrument itself, the reason why there’s that space, there’s a very small door built into the stone wall.
James: Does the missing key look like it was broken off? Or like, comes out like a key slot or, uh, a keyhole? [chuckles] I don’t know a pipe organ, I assume they have like piano keys so those would pop out like puzzle pieces? Or..
Dax: Ya know, make a mechanics check and make it medium difficulty.
James: I have two success and two threat.
Dax: You look back at the key and you realize this looks to be intentional, this missing key. As you lean forward and you’re inspecting this missing component you hear a voice behind you say,
Dax (as the stranger): [in a deeper, masc voice] Did you find something you liked?
Dax: And with that, we’re gonna switch back to Eight! Who has just been forced back by a possibly homeless individual in an alleyway. Eight, you’ve been called out on your lie, you are in fact not Seven, you are Eight.
Wren: As this person responds back to me, calls me “Eight”, I flash the most puzzled look at them.
Wren (as Eight): Why are you calling me Eight, good sir? That is not my name. I am Seven!
Dax: Make a resilience check for me and make it at hard difficulty.
Wren: Fun fact, I’m actually good at this. [pauses] Also fun fact, I will probably fail it. Boost, because of Lohr’s Blessing. For those of you who don’t know what Lohr’s Blessing is, I would encourage you to listen to our “Memories Along the Road” Eight-centric episodes, in which Eight meets the god of nature, who is named Lohr.
[overlapped with the sound of dice rolls]
Wren: Who, they happened to have a very engaging conversation with, and Lohr decides to give them quite the blessing. And hey! Look at this! Uhm, I have two succe-three successes! And four advantages on this check.
Dax: You feel nothing. You notice no difference. Uhm, what would you like to use your advantages for?
Wren: Well, if I might..and I know I failed on my check to try and persuade this gentleman previously…perhaps, just perhaps, with all those advantages my commitment to this new persona may soften them a bit. And make them a little more pliable to my iron will.
Dax: I’ll allow it. The man stands up, and Eight you realize that this person is much taller than their hunched figure first led you to believe they were. They stand just above your eye level and have to look down ever so slightly to look into your eyes.
Dax (as the man): [gruff voice] Look, I know you’re lying about your name. I don’t care if you’re lookin’ for a bird. Get out of my home!
Dax: And they push you with both palms away from them.
Wren (as Eight): Sir, I would ask you to keep your hands off of me.
Wren: And I brush off my chest plates.
Wren (as Eight): And I would ask you to divulge how you know that Seven is not my true name. Answer these questions and, if you would please, let me know any information you have on..
Wren: I hold up the paper again.
Wren (as Eight): This threatening and ugly visage. I will gladly leave your…
Wren: I look around at the desolate, dirty street.
Wren (as Eight): Home, in peace.
Dax: He stands up straighter and as he makes this horrible grunting noise, and leans forward to push into you again, I’d like you to make a..roll me some cool, and we’ll get into initiative.
Wren: An advan-oh! Two advantage and a success.
Dax: He rushes forward, and he’s,
Dax (as the man): [imitating yelling] Get out of my house!
Dax: And he pushes into you. You’re gonna have the first PC slot. So, he’s made his move, you go ahead.
Wren: I don’t want to hurt this man. In fact, he seems very distraught over this. However, I will use my incidental action to use Scathing Tirade on this man, and basically make him feel bad about being such an ungracious alleyway guest…host? I will make a Coercion check against him with average difficulty.
Dax: Okay.
Wren: For each success I generate they suffer a strain. For each advantage, an enemy affected by Scathing Tirade also suffers an additional strain. So basically, each successful thing I get makes him suffer strain and feel bad.
Dax: Okay.
James: This is what you get for chest bumping our robot!
Wren: Keyed off of my Will, which is three, and I have one rank so that makes it two green and a yellow. I would like to utilize one of the Story Points to change one of those green into another yellow and hope for the best. [pause] That’s going to be a whole lot of threat. Uhm, I have a triumph, and one threat.
Dax: Mmkay so you don’t exactly succeed, why don’t you tell me what happens. Illustrate what’s going on with this tirade and-
Wren: Okay so, the triumph counts as a success so I do succeed, so he takes a strain. Uhm, after they chest bump me I kinda stagger back a little bit. And I put my hands on my hips and I assume my sassiest pose, and I look at the gentleman and I just simply say,
Wren (as Eight): Sir, this is no way to treat a wandering stranger who is traveling through what is clearly a main city thoroughfare. Now if you would kindly treat me with a little more deference, and a little less aggression, perhaps we can have a civil discourse.
Wren: And he’s gonna suffer a strain, for my successes. I do have a threat leftover so I guess the question is what do you want to have happen with that? And the effects of the triumph would be the question I have. Can I have Improved Scathing Tirade trigger on this gentleman, where they suffer a setback for all skill checks they make for a number of rounds equal to my ranks in Coercion? Which is one rank, so for one round?
Dax: Sure.
Wren: Realistically, I haven't really done much other than just get sassy with this gentleman. And, uhm, I will also keep my hand ready to draw my meat tenderizer in the event that he decides he wants to get physical in this altercation.
Dax: I’m going to say that, of that threat why don’t you go ahead and suffer strain. We’ll say that the, uh, fact that you normally don’t react to people in this way has a slightly negative effect on you.
Wren: He’s being a jerk.
Dax: This person suddenly calms down and looks at you, reaches up and pulls at the back of their head and pulls off what appears to be a wig and a mask. And underneath it is a man with short-cropped black hair, five ‘o’clock shadow, and he looks at you and says,
Dax (as the man): [sighs, then in a lightly masc voice] Ya know I’m just doin’ my job.
Wren: As they reach back to peel the wig off, I raise my hands in defense. Like, assume a fist-a-cuffs posture and I’ve still got that held out.
Wren (as Eight): You..sir? You have deceived me! Let’s talk this through like reasonable people.
Dax: He reaches at his hip and you see him draw out a dagger and he says,
Dax (as the man): Look, we can fight this, and you’ll lose. Or you can go away. They know you’re lookin’ for them. They know you’re here.
Wren (as Eight): Ah, so you know..you know that I know that I’m looking for someone that you know I’m looking for.
Dax: He looks visibly confused for a moment and you can see he’s processing what you just said.
Dax (as the man): Yeah, yeah sure. Uh, look just..go about your business. Alright? Go find your friends.
Wren (as Eight): No, tell me where they are and I will..not have to beat you up. I am prepared to beat you up, because my friends and I are in danger because of what they have done. And I will not allow that to stand! Now…kindly tell me what you know or I will..get..very aggressive.
Dax: He sighs.
Dax (as the man): Alright.
Dax: And he gets into this pose, where his dagger is extended and his back, his left hand is positioned behind him. He’s in a defensive position, and then suddenly he charges at you. And makes a slash.
Wren: This guy’s goin’ down.
Dax: That is two successes, so four damage so that’ll go against your soak I believe? Pierce one?
Wren: I have a soak of five, so he does nothing!
Dax: Alright so he slashes at you, and in his reckless, screaming rage he slices at you and catches a little bit of your..your shirt? But it doesn't do any damage.
Wren (as Eight): Sir, I’m going to have to get this repaired now. And, do be careful you’re going to scratch my enamel.
Wren: So I’m gonna use da magic. I’m gonna do a Mind Blast on this gent. I’m going to do a close combat, deadly Mind Blast, as I assault his inner psyche with my mind’s eye. Normally a magic check is an easy difficulty, but since I’m doing it close range, it’s moderate. And since I’m making it deadly, that makes it hard as a skill check. Uh, this is Arcana which is keying off of my Int, which is three, and I have two ranks in that so I get two yellow and two green. And for my action I’d like to aim at him ‘cause he’s just standing in front of me, ‘cause why not. So, I’ll add a boost. Does that sound good?
Dax: You got it.
Wren: A success leftover! Bad news is I have a threat. So, I don’t get to trigger the deadly part because that just makes it have a vicious rating two. So he’s gonna go ahead and suffer damage…uhm, so he's gonna go ahead and take three damage.
Dax: You catch him just on the arm and you see you’re able to draw blood, and when you do he stops. And he looks at his arm, and looks back up at you and his eyes are wide...and he bolts and runs away. And you hear the distinct clattering of a metal dagger falling to the ground.
Wren: Can I attempt to chase after him?
Dax: If you would like.
Wren: Oh, would I. I have to. He knows-
Dax: You know you’re going to have to make an athletics check for that.
Wren: Oh no! Uh what difficulty would you like me to make it?
Dax: I’m gonna say..medium difficulty. You generally don’t do a lot of running.
Wren: Well great! I have a success leftover.
Dax: You see this man bolt down the alley and it only takes you a second to realize that your target is getting away. And you-
Wren (as Eight): I must give chase! [pauses] I must give chase.
Wren: Sorry.
Dax: Meanwhile, Rialla you know that Jokul is investigating the pipe organ. What are you doing?
Cole: I would…uh, the woman with the etching on the bottom of her skirt, uh which way is she walking? She walking towards me, is she away from me?
Dax: She is now at this point walking away from you, she came in the direction where Jokul now is.
Cole: I think I’m going to use..[sigh] which way is she walking, like, on her way out? Or is she..
Dax: Oh no she's just walking to the other side of The Citadel. Essentially is going from the left side of the building to the right.
Cole: Umm..I’m going to walk over to her…is she wearing any iconography of the goddess of truth? Or-
Dax: Oh she’s wearing all the priest robes, yeah very similar to the old man that approached you earlier, the only difference is that you happened to notice she’s got this little symbol at her hem.
Cole: Alright I’m gonna try, my lying skills are not great but we’re gonna try it.
[sound of dice shaking]
Cole: I want to approach her.
Cole (as Rialla): Pardon me.
Dax: She stops and turns around, and you see that she’s got bright red eyes, actually. Very pale skin-
Cole: Okay-
Dax: But she’s got a very warm smile.
Cole: I meet her gaze with my almost white eyes and in thieves’ cant I will say,
Cole (as Rialla): They told me to ask for you.
Dax: Make a deception check.
Cole: I was hoping you wouldn’t say that!
Dax: And…you said you were gonna try your lying skills! Make it hard difficulty. Ya know what, I’ll give you one boost because-
Cole: For looking-
Dax: You were daring enough to actually meet her eyes.
Cole: [laughing] Holy shit I am left with one success! On the boost die, otherwise it’s a total wash.
Dax: She grabs your arm, your bicep, and starts to gently lead you towards the wall and when you get there she leans in close and replies in thieves’ cant,
Dax (as the priestess): [whispering] What are you doing?! We don’t talk like that here.
Cole (as Rialla): I’m sorry.
Dax (as the priestess): [whispering] Who sent you?
Cole (as Rialla): Hassan.
Dax (as the priestess): [whispering] Why did he send you?
Cole (as Rialla): It’s about the bird.
Dax: She looks around, makes sure nobody’s watching you.
Dax (as the priestess): [whispering] What happened with the bird?
Cole (as Rialla): He left it with us, without properly conveying the proper way to conceal it and that’s what we were transporting and then it was taken by the guards.
Dax: She looks visibly agitated.
[Dax scoffs]
Cole (as Rialla): We’ve been given 24 hours to locate the actual thieves, or they're going to throw us in prison.
Dax: I just want to make sure I heard right. You told her that you’ve got 24 hours to find the actual thieves?
Cole: Yeah but I’m going to her, like telling her, “what should we do?” Like, “I don’t want to go to prison, I came to you first.”
Dax: She pauses for a moment. Looks down at the ground, looks back at you, her eyes bright.
Dax (as the priestess): [whispering] So let me get this straight, they caught you and you played it off like you’re looking for the real thieves? Very clever..very clever. Alright, you know that we’re not supposed to be meeting here anymore, right?
Cole (as Rialla): They haven’t given us information. I’m from..I’m not from here.
Dax (as the priestess): [whispering] Look, we can’t talk now. Midnight. Meet us in the east end sewers, that’s when the bird was supposed to be transported. [sighs] I’ll talk to everyone. There’s a tavern, near the east end entrance, called The Grumpy Goat. Hide there and wait until you’re called. We’ll come get you before midnight.
Dax: And with that she straightens up, dusts off her robes, bows very slightly to you-
Cole (as Rialla): Merci.
Dax: And goes back on her way. Now Jokul-
Cole: And after-
Dax: Oh, go ahead.
Cole: I will attempt to go find my partner.
James: [chuckling] Jokul’s not hiding, he’s just..
[Cole laughs]
James: Happy as a clam, just like pretending to play an organ!
Cole: Uh-huh!
Dax: You heard this uh, this voice. Behind you, as you were investigating that missing key.
Dax (as the stranger): [in a deeper, masc voice] Did you find something you liked?
James (as Jokul): It’s a very nice organ you have here. I was just noticing somebody had stolen one of your keys for it, so it kinda snapped me back to reality. I was like, “Aww somebody vandalized your nice organ.”
Dax: You see this, uh, very tall human. He’s got dark hair, dark complexion, very yellowed smile but it’s still very friendly looking. Also wearing the same priest robes.
Dax (as the man): Yes, yes, well..a child stole the key a while back and we have yet to uh, get it replaced. Is there something I can help you with? You don’t look like you’re from around here.
James (as Jokul): No, me and my companion are just exploring and..she’s much more of a people person, so while she was talking to your fellow priest I was…it’s been a long time since I’ve seen an organ of such quality.
Dax: Jokul I will ask that you…go ahead and make a perception check for me, uh make it easy.
James: Two success and two advantage.
Dax: When you make the comment about your companion talking to the fellow priest, you notice a very, very slight shift in this man’s eyes to look in the direction you’re pointing at. And you-
James: Oh-
Dax: Can see the barest corner of his mouth quirk up.
Dax (as the man): Yes, well, given all things, people person or not. If there is uh, anything in particular you’re looking for, perhaps…
Dax: And with that he switches to thieves’ cant.
Dax (as the man): Keep us informed.
Dax: And he winks at you, walks away.
Cole: And-
James: Jokul just nods and goes,
James (as Jokul): Okay.
Cole: I’ll find Jokul.
Cole (as Rialla): We can, ah, head out now.
James: Jokul will leave the pipe organ and head back over to Rialla and they’ll head for the door.
Cole: Take his arm again and make our way out. Attempt to find Eight. And as we’re walking, I’ll relay what I was told to Jokul.
James: And Jokul will likewise relay there’s a hidden door behind the organ, and it may or may not require a key? One of the organ keys was missing, and all the priests apparently know thieves’ cant.
Cole (as Rialla): So much for getting away from our old life.
James (as Jokul): Right?
Cole (as Rialla): One day, might save our skin though. If we can head over to..once we find Eight we’ll head over to this tavern. I’m sure they’re not going to like our solution, but…
Dax: Oddly enough, as you exit The Citadel, you see a man run across the courtyard and not far behind him is Eight.
[Wren huffs and puffs]
Wren (as Eight): Stop! Scoundrel!
Wren: And I’m going to blast another magic spell at him.
[Cole bursts out laughing]
Cole: For fuck’s sake-
Dax: Into public?
Wren: Yes? I would like to shoot another magic attack at this folk with the ice quality.
Dax: [chuckling] Upgrade one of your difficulty.
Wren: Ooh, yeah! Triumph! Ooh, three advantage! Alright.
Cole: Oh.
Wren: I think really hard as I’m running. Again, I put my hand up to my temples as I’m running and my eyes turn that magenta violet color and a streak of energy comes out of my hand as I point at him. And it kinda strikes him in the back, and you see this aura emanate and shift down his body towards his legs. And suddenly, his feet are encased in ice! And he trips and falls, and he is ensnared for a number of rounds equal to my…knowledge ranks, which is two. So he is stuck for two rounds.
Cole: Rialla is gonna level you with a stare, shake her head and gesture to follow and to leave it. And I’m going to slowly start walking away and kinda wait for you.
Wren: I see my companions and I see this icy cold stare that matches the magic I just shot..
[Cole snickers]
Wren: And umm…as much as I respect and appreciate Rialla, and her usual cool-headedness, this guy’s a jerk and I’ve been chasing him through the whole damn city and I’m not just gonna walk away from him. So, as he’s on the ground I would imagine maybe just enough time to get over him and stand basically with him between my giant legs.
Dax: He’s looking up at you and he’s, like, going between looking up at you and clawing at his feet and trying to figure out how this happened. And he’s looking up at you and he’s now exclaiming,
Dax (as the man): I swear I was just doing my job.
Wren: Uh, by the way he took four damage from the - oh wow, no! Yeah ‘cause if it’s every advantage he just took six damage from that last blast.
Dax: Yup.
Wren: As I’m hovering over him I kinda crouch down, and my eyes are still that magenta color rather than purple, and I just say,
Wren (as Eight): Where…is…this man!
Wren: And I hold up the picture again.
Cole: Oh my god-
Wren: And I’m smiling at him. I’m just smiling the biggest grin I can at him.
Wren (as Eight): Where is this man?
Dax (as the man): [voice shaking] Uh..I don’t know! He’s..he’s all over the city. Just let me go, I was just doing my job!
Wren: I grab him by the scruff of the neck.
Wren (as Eight): Seven doesn’t let thieves off that easy!
Wren: And I shake him.
Wren (as Eight): Where can I find this man? Where does he frequent? What’s his favorite color?
Dax (as the man): [imitating tears of fear] Ah! I don’t know! I don’t know!I’m sorry I don’t know I just know that he’s…his name is Hassan and he’s..he’s all over the city! I don’t know…
Wren: I let go of the man’s collar.
Wren (as Eight): Well, see this type of dialogue is so much easier when everyone is willing to speak. Next time someone asks you for assistance, I would recommend that you offer it willingly.
Wren: And then I’m just going to step aside, from over top of him and head towards where Rialla and Jokul have wandered away. And I..before I leave, I do turn and look at him again as I’m walking backwards and I point.
Wren (as Eight): Don’t forget. Seven knows what you look like.
Wren: And I keep walking.
Cole: As I was walking away how many people in this courtyard are staring at this? Is it a lot? Is there a lot of people in the courtyard right now?
Dax: Probably like twenty, twenty-five people.
Cole: I want to hold my holy symbol and I’m gonna close my eyes and I’m going to use, um, Message, as a utility. Uhm , and…
Dax: Okay.
Cole: To Eight I’m going to say,
Cole (as Rialla): Trail behind us slowly, and wait for the commotion to die down a little bit. And if you have anything to disguise yourself, do it. And meet us at The Grumpy Goat.
Wren: I’ve been instructed to hide, disguise myself. I would like to use uh..
Cole: Don’t do it out in the open.
Wren: I would like to use some-
[Cole sighs]
Wren: Conjuration magic as I step into an alleyway and summon a swarm of spectral butterflies to mask my personage.
[Cole overlaps Dax slightly, inaudible]
Dax: Okay! Uhm, you go into this alley and you create a swarm of butterflies and then what?
Wren: And then I’m disguised! And I will head towards The Grumpy Goat. But not wandering down the main road, I will use my newfound “thieves skills” and mosey down a side alleyway towards The Grumpy Goat. Seven knows-
Dax: And that is-
Wren: The score..
[Cole snickers]
Dax: That is where we are ending the session, so next time we pick up we will find out what more trouble Jokul, Rialla and Eight can get into and if they can successfully infiltrate the thieves’ guild now that they know where they are hiding.
Music fades out [39:14]
Outro begins [39:15]
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.