have contributed much to the impoverishment of the French artistic genius, which is already so scarce.
A Moment of Recognition
The 30 minutes of pre-stream chat on Twitch and broadcast were placed upon the shoulders of our dear Alex Jordan and I have to give commendation for his efforts. Not only did he keep up with the chat scroll, but he made the sensible tech support decision when it came to difficulties getting the broadcast audio working properly:
1) Unplug it
2) plug it back in
The little mistakes that happen make the experience visceral (to me at least) and I had a blast. The delay was barely 5 minutes, but poor Alex was already sweating as though he had failed in some spectacular way. I hope the stress of the moment has left him and we can all smile back at a memory of a tough job well done.
Episodes and other media available on YouTube and Twitch
Action Surge!
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> Well that was eventful. In a story episode that covered everything from fireside chats to deadly blights and even deadlier letters, join Natural Six as they discuss the evolution of everyone's favourite DMPC Morgan, the challenges of improv, and those DM secrets Harry keeps in his back pocket, just in case! Action Surge is Natural Six's fortnightly post-show debrief, where Dungeon Master Harry and the cast break down their favourite moments, their regrets, and any theories from the Dungeons and Dragons session they've just played, as well as adding their thoughts and hopes for future play.
RP (Rolly-Poley) Points
| Alex | Aoife | Ben | Doug | Hollie | | :------ | :------ | :------ | :------ | :------ | | 67 | 139 | 66 | 138 | 97 | | Totals | | 250 | 230 | 209 | 317 | 308 |
♪Episode Song References♪
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- 48:30 Ben:"Dolly got high high high..." Styles P - Good Times
Episodes and other media available on YouTube and Twitch
Episode 4: The Newly Dead
Last time you began in the aftermath of a landslide. After the chaos of the previous day, the mountain peak, the blight, the death of the Virtuous (all of which happened within a single day) you finally had a chance to rest and take stock of all that had occurred. I found a spot to camp. Dolly confessed 'in all her travels what she experienced on Mt Atria was the first time she'd witnessed something that she couldn't understand'.As the only members of the party not affected by the blight, I took Raidion aside to see whether they could offer the others any help. Raidion shrugged off this suggestion, telling I that 'they were out of their depth and he was only staying with them because they were currently useful to him'. Around the fire, Endellion, Kelnys and Dolly spoke of what had brought them to the Web. Endellion revealing that she had wanted to escape a life she led before. Morgan suggested that (rather than escape) the Web merely offered a different kind of cage. After being pressed by Dolly, he (Morgan) disclosed that he had joined the Web to ensure that he was able to (in his words) "hurt the right people". It was Kelnys' turn to confide next that the Web had killed his family, but he also revealed that his family were not dragonborn. As the party began to rest, Raidion took Dolly aside and thanked her for the gift of the daisy chain bracelet. Taking her into his confidence, he revealed that he had been struggling to sleep, due to a whispering deck of cards that he carries in his pack. Dolly told him 'that when things begin to call out, it is a sign that they possess great power and that power is hard to escape'. As the rest of the party settled down, Endellion and Morgan took first watch. Morgan beginning to scratch the symbols of Ignas from his armor. Endellion questioned him on his loss of faith and Morgan told her that 'having lost so much already, the death of his god had hit him hard'. The pair challenged one another on the nature of faith, choice, and loss before they too finally got some sleep. The next morning you descended, made your way down to the foot of the mountain and to the Festival of Benediction. There you met Polyanna, a junior cleric supervising the construction of a stage. As she fussed and attempted to heal those of the party suffering from the blight, Endellion insisted that you be taken to Jasmee (the cleric that Barabask instructed you to seek out). Polyanna led you through the hubbub of the festival with its traders, musicians and worshippers until you found Jasmee offering instruction to a group of young religious students. Raidion immediately blurted out that the Virtuous were dead and Morgan handed her the letter that Barabask had written. Jasmee read that letter, her expression darkening. She asked if you had been sickened by the blight that now infected the mountain. When you confirmed that you had, she gathered guards and escorted you away from the festival. As the sounds of revelry faded into the distance, you entered a forest glade, far from prying eyes. There Jasmee rounded on you and with a whispered 'I'm sorry' cast Guiding Bolt on Endellion. She called to the guards that you had tried to kill the Antiqua and they, too, leapt into combat. As the fight began, Dolly appealed to Jasmee to stop her attacks, insisting the party had nothing to do with the deaths on the mountain. The cleric seemed in turmoil, stepping back and observing as Morgan roared a battle cry. Endellion added her appeals to Dolly's with little effect. Raidion tried to use Hypnotic Gaze, as per, but Jasmee was angered by his attempts to deceive her with magic. At last Dolly's words seemed to land and Jasmee threw her the letter which Barabask had written. After reading it, Dolly made one final plea for reason and the cleric at last commanded that the guards cease fighting. She cured Dolly, Endellion, Kelnys, and Morgan of the blight and told the party that she would report their deaths back to Barabask. With that she departed, leaving you alone in a forest glade.
---
Previous Episode: Oathbreaker
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Episode 14: Everyone Dies in Barovia
This evening, four heroes venture into the mists of Barovia, bent on revenge. Can they triumph over the most legendary of evils? Foolish Mortal.
I believe it was founding father, Thomas Jefferson who said: "Nothing can stop a person with the right mental attitude from achieving their goals."
DM, Strahd von Zarovich - Kate Welch Charna Thunderforged (Dwarf Barbarian) - Kelly Holden Bashar Hjulmek Boldgrip (Dwarf Cleric of Kelemvor (Lord of Death)) - David Epley Marnia (Half-Elf Bard) - Kate Micucci Tollen Loch (Dragonborn Paladin of Pelor) - Matthew Lillard
You have just managed to get to the part of the road, and swarmed by mist and fog, that will lead you into the fabled darkness that is the land of Barovia. Now, you are all avenging a loved one. This dragonborn, freshly-molted, bagpipe teacher, buys dwarves drinks in bars, knows dwarven song, Named Jean Applebottom. You are on your way through Barovia. The mist gets in your nostrils. Usually it is something that is slowly killing you over time, but you knew you were going into the mists of Barovia. You have prepared a spell and had it cast upon you by a local wizard who has given you resistance to Barovia's evil magic. It has a short duration, so you need to figure out what happened to Jean Applebottom quickly. You are making your way toward the town of Vallaki, or at least where you think this town of Vallaki is. Wandering through these mists, you see shapes. You see what looks like a ghostly wolf run past you, but then it's gone. Spooky as shit, and it's mist everywhere. You feel lost, but then this strain of music starts to float towards you, the sound of rather eerie mandolin coming through the mist. You follow the music and you start to see the outline of caravans, and tents, and a warm fire. You realize that you have come upon a Vistani camp in Barovia.
Highlights
- 03:59 The Dwarven Love Song
- 08:43 The Wheel of Quirks
- 19:41 Fortune Teller Cards: Beast, Mists, Ghost, and Dark Lord
- 32:05 Matthew hits everyone else on his team when the DM catches him in a mistake.
♪Episode Song References♪
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- 00:55:19 Ben:"You are apple bottom jeans boots with the fur, you are right now." Flo-Rida- Low
- 00:55:22 Harry:"Truly truly truly truly" Jem & the Holograms Theme
- 01:13:25 Ben:"who will buy..." Oliver - Who Will Buy (My Sweet Red Roses)
- 01:56:23 Aoife:"making my way" Vanessa Carlton - A Thousand Miles
- 02:31:23 "reach out touch Raidion" Depeche Mode - Personal Jesus
Highlights
- 00:12:48 Learning about the Exhaustion debuff.
- 00:14:28 I:"They needs rest."
Raidion:"So do I."
I:"I is fine..." - 00:17:00 Kelnys:"I feel weird...Tingly."
- 00:17:15 Dolly:"You know, back home, people used to tell me I could 'convince the sky it was red' and that I could 'argue a crow white', stuff like that. Up there on that mountain, that was the first time I really felt speechless seeing something. That was not good; didn't feel good."
Morgan:"The world's changed."
Dolly:"Yeah. It feels that way and now every time I think of that-- can't even call it a wolf anymore, up there, I don't wanna end up like that. Crawling along on its belly, barely able to say or feel anything. Is that what's in store for us?" - 00:20:43 Alex's first critical fail with a natural 1.
- 00:21:20 A shared trait between Kobolds and Hobbits.
- 00:27:50 Morgan:"You're never out. You're just in something else."
- 00:28:40 Aoife
rolls a 25 for persuasion
Harry:"You wanna hear some Morgan lore?"
Alex:"Some Lore-gan."
Just like everyone else I suppose. The Web helped me do something I couldn't've done alone. It helped me hurt the people who needed to be hurt and that sometimes still feels right. Sometimes that still feels good. For the rest of the time, I don't know. I have nothing but The Web. I have no one but The Web anymore. - 00:31:27 Fan Art Moment I:"You is strong, Big Scale."
Kelnys:"You is wily, little brother." - 00:33:33 Kelnys:"I think you're all neat."
Morgan:"Cheers." - 00:34:22 Hollie cannot hide her doubts about Morgan taking first watch.
- 00:39:05 Raidion reveals a mysterious deck of cards as the first item he found in his possession after awakening with no memory.
- 00:40:50 Raidion's regret
- 00:44:27 Morgan:"I will not take lessons in faith from you."
- 00:46:54 Endellion:"I don't like the idea of being that weak."
Ben's "Oh damn!" face is priceless. Alex's too. - 00:47:51 Ben:"Oh no...She Dead!"
- 00:49:10 LEVEL 4
Raidion rolls 6/6, adds 2 CON for +8HP to his total.
Endellion rolls 6/10, adds 2 CON for +8HP to her total.
Kelnys rolls 5/8, adds 3 CON for +8HP to his total.
I rolls 4/8, adds 2 CON for +6HP to his total.
Dolly rolls a 2/8, adds 0 CON for +2 HP to her total. - 00:56:15 Spoon shenanigans after completing a long rest.
- 00:57:24 You start to make your way down the mountain pass. It takes you about half a day to get down that mountain.
- 00:57:48 Doug:"I think, because we've seen the squishy one just get pummeled, I'd like to offer this wonderful magical mail that I found."
Ben:"Do the voice."
Kelnys:"Hey Dolly, you want my mail?" Alex breaks laughing - 00:59:35 As you descend, you have this sensation of leaving 'Spring' again and moving back into cold, but moving into a natural cold. The air begins to chill and Winter, as you reach the base of the mountain, has gripped the land. There's snow thick on the ground; more has fallen even since you first began your ascent. After the Eternal Spring of the mountain, this cold air is almost like falling into water and you're steps are sluggish in this powdery snow.
Ahead of you is a collection of tents. Great vast tents that you saw from the top of the mountain. The bright colors of the Festival of Benediction, which are made more vibrant against the stark white of the snow.
You can see in the joints of these canvas tents, where they overlap. Little curls of smoke drifting up towards the sky. You can smell (when the breeze blows in the right direction) you can smell roasted meat. You can hear, every now and then, across the wind, the sound of a flute or the beat of a drum. You feel like you're moving towards life after so long in this sort of stasis and darkness of the mountain. These preparations, by the time you get closer, are well underway and there's dozens of workers. They're wearing these robes of rich blue and they're constructing a wooden stage under the first of these tents that you reach. They're bell tents, and they're supported by these huge poles, some of these tents are hundreds of yards in diameter. They've been specifically erected, to house and shelter from the elements, the thousands of people who've made their way here for the Festival of Benediction.
Just to remind you, this is the festival that marks the true beginning of Winter on the second moon of Winter. It's the time when the Antiqua descend from Mt Atria with instructions from The Virtuous and give the teachings that the gods are going to want acted upon this year. - 01:05:30 Harry:"Maybe not sexy concubines, but...if religiosity is sexy, Wooo!"
- 01:13:00 Doug's grunt of disapproval at the mention of children in Harry's description.
- 01:13:16 Harry busts out several vendor NPC voices.
- 01:15:45 The group finds "Sister of the Earth" Jasmee
- 01:22:42 Dolly:"Thank you!"
INTERMISSION
Jasmee has just said "Get behind me, I need space." She looks at the six of you and she says "I'm sorry."
BATTLE MAP! - 01:40:45 Ben:"Camera three is getting one helluva show."
- 01:45:00 "Let's trust Aoife's dice"
- 01:49:10 Negotiations make a breakthrough
- 01:52:24 Doug's epic pop-up face.
- 01:55:21 [
censored] - 01:58:06 Morgan busts out an epic use of Dreadful Aspect. "There is no god. There is no light. You think I'm afraid of you?!"
Dreadful Aspect (click to reveal)
Dreadful Aspect (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest): You exude magical menace. Each enemy within 30 feet of him must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened of you.
- 01:59:22 Ben gets hyped for ya boi Morgan and nudges Hollie like a fan of the rival team at a football (soccer?) match.
"Can I just say, that was very narratively satisfying."
Harry:"Namastae." - 02:08:44 Raidion busts out his brand new Hypnotic Gaze spell. Unfortunately Jasmee rolls a critical on the save and Harry makes it clear "That went badly." Ben is clearly loving this and makes human tippy taps.
- 02:10:44 "You have a guard all up in your grill."
- 02:15:28 Ben:"What's in the box?
- 02:16:48 Aoife finally gets the scroll out and gives a look of "Christ, mate!" to the props person responsible.
- 02:19:10 I uses the Beg ability in the middle of the fray, confusing the guards into disadvantage for the turn.
- 02:24:33 Morgan decapitates a guard and "a little hand-painted portrait of the most beautiful litter of kittens you've ever seen, falls from his robes."
- 02:29:13 Hollie:"Twat him!"
- 02:29:33 Harry:"Morgan nearly died so many times and I make up some puppies and suddenly I'm the baddie."
- 02:30:58 Fan Art Moment Jasmee's spell reflecting off Raidion's Shield.
"You have no power here."
"Yes I do. Nice trick." - 02:31:27 Obligatory direct camera stare from Ben in the style of The Office after Harry's song reference. Then he switches back to giddy smack talking mode.
- 02:33:33 Raidion's clutch cast of Minor Illusion to recreate the final portion of the message from the orbs in the Temple of the Gods.
- 02:38:52 Dolly
rolls a 24 on Persuasionto convince Jasmee of their innocence. - 02:41:12 Harry:"In many ways, The Quizzical Bear lives on."
- 02:42:00 I retrieves the arrow from the guard he shot it with.
- 02:43:55 Jasmee explains that she will spread word that the team as deceased to enable their escape from whatever nefarious forces seek their demise.
- 02:44:50 Blight cured!
- 02:48:27 Jasmee:"Your lives weren't mine to take."
Don’t forget the original black and white German silent film Das Reboot, often mislabeled as Metropolis.
The publisher for Morning Joe Scarborough apparently launders GOP money and keeps Matt Gaetz in his old seat (FLA - 1). The dinosaurs are hoping their traditional media monopoly will drown out the counter arguments on the internet. This explains Sinclair media buyouts and that famous video of scripted joirnalism somewhat as well.
Episode 13: Everyone Dies at the Circus
Our heroes must infiltrate a sinister circus. Will their performances allow them to escape the big top alive? No.
I believe it was Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoyevsky who said, "To live without hope is to cease to live."
DM, Leopold the Chihuahua, Hemlock Harper (Dracolich) - Kailey Bray Ferret Farreach (Goliath Warlock) - Charlie Rehor Emra Emerald (Rock Gnome Ranger) - Allison Haislip Theodoric Claarwine (Half-Elf Bard) - Ross Bryant Garnoll Mountainheart (Dwarf Cleric) - Paul Shapiro
It's an idyllic day here in the lush Umbral Valley. You all have been summoned by Lord McGuffin. He is an odd duck and very worries as his guards usher you into his keep. Looking upon all of you with some stress and a little bit of hesitation. He has summoned you here out of concern for his twin children, who are noticeably absent. Normally they would be here in the halls. "...but the twins, they've appeared to have run away to join the circus. I don't trust the circus people. Not one bit. Actually, it is some sort of macabre something going on and I need a team of charming and brave adventurers to go rescue my children. One small caveat. Sorry to sneak this in there, but the only way really to obtain access without gaining any suspicion would be to infiltrate the circus, and they are holding auditions rather shortly."
Highlights
- 03:43 The Ladder of Entertainment:
- Theater
- Choir
- Ventriloquism
- Improv
- Mime
- Circus
- 07:45 Meta moment about posing as inferior performers.
- 10:02 "This group of bizarre and twisted harlequins, this insane clown posse, if you will?"
- 11:31 "I may not understand it, but my kids are gonna love it." (BttF ref)
- 14:00 "The circus?! I was trained at Julliard." - Leopold
- 30:28 Scott's Epic Circus Music
- 37:40 The Bard falls with great dramatic effect.
Patronizing AND deadly.
Just a little Tiamat, everything is fine, keep playing.
Bonus Amy Faces
Summoning Bahamut like a cat.
Episode 12: Everyone Dies...Again.
Next! Four heroes are all that stand between the dragon queen's hordes and their beloved city. Can they hold off wave after wave of draconic destruction? No.
I believe it was the American poet Emily Dickinson who said, "Dying is a wild night and a new road."
DM - John Ciccolini Tower Armorer - Bill Rehor Amalla (Autumn Eladrin Paladin) - Mica Burton Norty (Goliath Artificer) - Amy Vorpahl Tsogomo Scruggs (Bugbear Cleric of Bahamut) - Kyle Newman William Smallwood (Human Ranger) - Matthew Lillard
You stand at the top of the Keep of Greenest. Greenest is a provincial town on the Uldoon Trail. All around, billows of smoke fill the sky, as you look down on the town that as been destroyed beneath you. The forces of the Army of the Dragon have surged forward to take the city, and you all have been charged with defending the roof of this tower keep. This 50' diameter, crenelated tower. Below in the keep, is where all the townsfolk have congregated. Those who have survived, and they're depending on you. Okay, so your captain, Captain Homer Lockjaw, comes running up the steps onto the roof. He barks at you, "You best be prepared for a very, very long night of battle. The longer you can stay alive, the better off we'll all be. I suspect forces are coming to aid us. But they may not be here until morning." There are forces all throughout the town. The problem is that there's smoke everywhere. So your visibility is limited, but you can hear them moving about. Captain Lockjaw goes down into that trapdoor. As you're all casting and huddling up, out of the smoke, riders come swooping in to attack. They're riding these dragon-like creatures. You don't think they're dragons, but they have masks that look like dragons on them. They swoop down and attack with spears, and they appear to have military training because they're attacking in coordinated ways that seem to be giving them advantage.
Highlights
- 10:20 World Record for fastest TPK
- 10:45 Bahamut saves the day! But... Each of you have now been resurrected. You're back on the roof, and there's only one change. As each of you were resurrected, there is some little tweak... Norty goes through a "second puberty". William Smallwood becomes Willhelmina and readies an arrow in her bow. Tsogomo's traits (stinky, hairy, contrarian) are slightly amplified Amala gives herself bangs for breaking up with her previous diety, Oberon.
- 20:10 World Record for fastest Double TPK
- 21:50 Another rez...
- 31:52 World Record for fastest Triple TPK
- 32:50 Level boost to 10!
- 33:20 Tsogomo is a believer now.
- 34:08 Willhelmina becomes non-binary.
- 35:00 Muthafuggin' TIAMAT
- 36:12 24 to hit...JUST misses
- 42:50 Last Resort: Summoning Bahamut like a cat in the Ethereal Plane
The Portal demands "Hot Gossip" to grant passage.
"The Portal" listens intently.
Episode 11: Everyone Dies Getting Their Wish
Tonight, wishes do come true, but not always in the way we expect. Will our adventurers realize their hearts' desires? No.
I believe it was the great poet, Walt Whitman, who said, "Nothing can happen more beautiful than death."
DM - Justice Ramin Arman A.K. Rowdy (Human Druid) - River Butcher Bard (Gnome Barbarian) - Khary Payton Dr. Gene "Gene 17" Splicer (Harengon Artificer) - Gabriel Hicks Nachasha (Yuan-Ti Monk) - Elisa Teague The Portal - Matthew Lillard
A host of strange phenomena have begun plaguing a city in Calimshan (which is located in west Faerun). Citizens' wildest dreams have become true overnight. Paupers turned to princes gaining fortunes in an instant. Unlikely pairs falling head over heels in love. Elderly locals made young again and children walking around with unimaginable beasts as their pets. You all have been summoned to the court of Bacrom (a dignitary in Calimshan) to address this threat. You arrive in a palatial court that is aptly named as a congress of birds. You pass hawk-like guards, their beaks as pointed as daggers. It has vaulted ceilings supported by mosaiced columns. Seated on a throne amid them is a blue-feathered aarakocra (a bird folk that looks somewhat like a peacock). His plumage is draped over his own shoulders, creating a royal coat, and his eyelashes are beautiful and outlined with green feathers themselves. A female warrior with russet brown skin, bronze armor, and a tall spear, as well as a scar over her left eye, stands beside him. On the other side stands a genasi, a mage with white hair that seems to blow in the wind at every moment. When you arrive, the warrior stamps their spear, prompting you to introduce yourself. The dignitary looks over each of you and says, "Ah, this will be a great group of adventurers to take care of this threat. Have they told you what's going on? Bring in the baby!" says this peacock and claps his hands and in marches a palanquin carrying a small baby bird. You just see the top of it coming out of the palanquin. "That was my uncle yesterday. He was 103 years old. Does this seem acceptable to you? We just tucked him in last night. Things are getting out of control. I believe there's an evil mage to blame, a saucy sorceror that lurks in these lands named Bill the Bold. Our economy runs rampantly uncontrolled. I have reason to believe there are certain legends in these lands of powerful genies that have the power to grant wishes in an instant. I believe that this mage has bound one of these creatures and I need you to rescue it, to take out this mage, and to stop these phenomena from plaguing our land. Free this noble genie. Would you do this thing for me?"
Highlights
- 10:28 The Cauldron of Wishes
- 36:00 Flashdance
- 37:45 "Yuan-Ti Sha-sha"
Episode 10: Everyone Dies as a Surprise
Four heroes set out to save a beautiful princess. Will their story have a fairy tale ending? Not on our watch.
I believe it was the poet laureate Alfred Lord Tennyson who said, "Hope smiles from the threshold of the year to come, whispering, 'It will be happier.'"
DM - Kailey Bray Kettle (Water Genasi Barbarian) - Xander Jeanneret Pips (Fairy Bard) - Luis Carazo Pox Finrey Lemplemp (Halfling Rogue) - Todd Stashwick U'lat (Half-Elf Warlock) - Guy Branum Fairy Godperson - Matthew Lillard
Once upon a time, in an idyllic kingdom rocked by a serious tragedy, Queen Belinda has set out a call to any of her subjects that could possibly be of help. Princess Rusa has been held captive by a vicious monster, in a tower not far from the royal palace. She is needing parties of adventurers and true heroes to see who is truly brave enough to return her daughter to the kingdom. All of you have found yourselves here, in the great hall of this castle, as your beautiful queen stands before you, begging for your help: "You are the heroes I seek. The way ahead of you is fraught with danger. Though the road itself is short to this cursed tower, I am told that the tower itself is quite arduous, and there might be traps lying in wait for you from this nefarious creature. I would recommend that you go visit the wishing well in the gardens, and perhaps ask for a boon from the fairy godperson that makes that well their domain. You may be able to earn some kind of boon towards your adventure to really gird yourselves against this monster. If there are no more fine-print questions, I can direct you to the garden where the fairy godperson is waiting." The fairy godperson melts back into the wishing well in a sparkle of glitter and a fragrance of fresh flowers.
Highlights
- 06:11 "I got a five year plan to be a QUEEN. I ain't pessimistic." - U'lat
- 12:00 Boon handouts: Kettle - Amulet of Arcane Blade Pips - Flower of Foresight (advantage on initiative rolls and trap detection checks) U'lat - Taupe Beret of Shielding (adds +1 to AC) P.F. Lemplemp - Clogs of Quickstep (can cast Haste 1/day)
- 17:11 Fan Art Moment Pips busting out the Monarch butterfly wings.
- 26:30 "Hey Pips. Don't hide your wings." - P.F. Lemplemp
Episodes and other media available on YouTube and Twitch
Episode 3: Oathbreaker
We began at the summit of Mt Atria in the blighted palace of the Virtuous. The sky streaked with shimmering multicolored light. Carviliius (dragonborn member of the Antiqua) lay in the center of the plaza, cradling the body of Aurum, their god. As the rest ot the Antiqua realized that they could not bring Aurum back, their thoughts turned to their own deities, and at once they dashed to the various towers that their gods had called home here on the highest peak of the world. I followed Parvus (the kobold cleric) as they searched for the god Themself, though I observed that Parvus moved with less haste than his fellow Antiqua. Following the cleric across the narrow walkways and through ruined halls and temples, they arrived at the tower of Themself. Upon entering, it was immediately apparent that the god was not there, dead or alive. I confronted Parvus about what he knew and why he had (against kobold culture) taken on a name. Parvus revealed that though he knew nothing of the death or disappearance of Themself, that he and the god had not seen eye to eye for a long time. He also told I that it had been hard for him to be alone and that the name Parvus had given him dignity. Kelnys followed the elf Barabask, as they made their way towards the tower of Theolon, crying out in desperation as he neared the home of his goddess. The cleric did not have the strength to open the door to the door, so appealed to Kelnys for help, who was able to open it with ease because his stats are insane. As with the tower of Themself, nobody could be found. The tower had been ransacked. A mural of a great tree towering over mountains defaced and scarred. Barabask dared to hope that Theolon's absence meant that she may have survived and disappeared to discover what more he could find out. Dolly and Malakine (tiefling member of the Antiqua) rushed to the tower of Alakash, their deity, and discovered his lifeless body strewn on copies of his fables as his blood stained the parchment. Dolly asked the once-buoyant Malakine who could've done this and the Antiqua unthinkingly responded, "Only one of Them" before recovering to claim that she didn't know. Hiding in the shadows, Raidion followed the dwarf Gronoth to Ullin's tower. Hearing the rageful sobs of the cleric, Raidion entered to see him holding the body of Ullin. Her platted red hair streaked with grey. Her skin just as Alakash's was; deeply-wrinkled by age. As Raidion revealed himself he asked Gronoth who could've done this. The dwarf replied that they could not speak of it here, but that they should journey to the city of Baruun to Gronoth's estate where he would return and explain it all. Finally, Endellion and Morgan went after Genevieve (the human cleric of Ignas). On the way there, Endellion questioned Morgan on why the party had been brought here; why the Antiqua had needed guarding when their powers far exceeded those of their supposed guards. Morgan told her that it was due to the sacred nature of The Deference; that it was about maintaining the vows the Antiqua had made to forego much as they journey to commune with their gods. Satisfied for the moment, Endellion continued to follow Genevieve to the tallest tower in the palace, where the three of them found the body of Ignas. Her once fiery crown turned to the colors of spent coal. Morgan collapsed at the sight before Endellion and Genevieve (somehow sharpened by the adrenaline coursing through them) began to give instructions to shake him from his grief. As the others left, Endellion hung back and looked out of an easterly facing window. Above the top of the Allanites (a mountain range at the very edge of the world) she could make out a shape. A shape beyond the mountains. She called Genevieve back to confirm it, but the cleric fixed her with a stare and told her that she couldn't see anything. Endellion, confident the cleric was lying to her, chose not to pursue the matter further. I, Dolly, and Kelnys found magical items in the towers of their gods; a cloak, a ring, and a suit of mail, respectively. But Raidion's search proved fruitless. He did, however discover the source of magic that destroyed Ullin's tower and Ullin herself. Evocation, and the magic was either weak or the spells had not been recently cast. As the Antiqua brought the bodies of the Virtuous to the first plaza, the parties gathered on the other side of the palace and discussed the discoveries before realizing that the light streaking across the sky originated from a small stone chamber. Within that chamber, you found the body of the elven goddess Theolon. Her hands across her chest, laid out at the base of a plinth. Dolly recalled that Theolon had formerly been a god of The Wild who had changed sides in the Divine War, thus tipping balance in the favor of The Virtuous. Within the plinth, where the body lay, there were three orbs; one of pure white light, one of pure black with a flickering ring of blue, the last a kaleidoscope of ever-changing color. Raidion sensed great magical presence here, the greatest he had ever encountered, emanating from these orbs, that as you listened, seemed to whisper. Raidion cast mage hand and touched the orb of white light and voices filled the chamber calling out from each orb with references being made to a child, the wild, the murk, the briar, and the destruction of Reliquiae itself. The voiced ended with the words "the shadow will flood". With this, the orbs dimmed and I looked out to the west, to a far away source of light. A great tree towering above the Allanites. A tree in a place that should not exist; that you have been told does not exist. The party tried to make a plan, debating whether to tell the Antiqua, the Web, Morgan, or none of the above, what you'd heard and seen. Eventually you agreed you'd travel to Baruun, meet with Gronoth, and reveal nothing to the others. Once outside that small stone chamber, you heard raised voices as Parvus and Barabask attempted to justify their gods not being found in the palace. As Runa held Parvus by the throat, Kelnys brought forth the body of Theolon. Themself now became a target for all suspicion, with I interceding on behalf of Parvus, telling Runa (the orc cleric) that she and the others had turned Parvus into something that was not kobold. The tension rising, Gronoth acted as a peacemaker before Dolly, Endellion, and Kelnys and Morgan began to display symptoms of the same blight that had affected the wolves. The Antiqua were quietened by this and Barabask roused himself writing a letter for the party to give to Jasmee (a cleric of his order) to ensure the party would be saved from the blight. He warned you that you may not have long before the blight completely took hold. Genevieve told the party to say nothing of what you had seen, should panic grip the populace. After leaving the palace, you returned to the plateau where you did battle with the blighted wolves, and discovered one so-marred by the blight it could barely move. Endellion put the beast out of its misery as Raidion spotted a vine wrapped around what appeared to be a creature. As the party approached, the vine attacked, revealing there to be nothing within its limbs as the plant life of the mountain seemed to become hostile to you. You quickly dispatched the vine and headed down into the cloud line, emerging into more blight. It was spreading. The first snowflakes ever to fall on the Mountain of Perpetual Spring began to settle on the ground. As you picked your way down the mountain path, the ground shook and a landslide careened towards you. Through a combination of dashing and daring and tying yourselves together, you evaded the landslide, a corrupted, once-quizzical bear, and even managed to keep Morgan alive despite Endellion's best efforts. At last you were clear of the blight, back in the spring sunshine, back among the lush greenery of the mountain. So the landslide has passed. The last loose stones are still skittering down the mountainside. The empty smell of the blighted earth begins to fade on the breeze and the light has started to dim, night is approaching. The scarlet sunset over the Allanites glows on the snow that carpets the ground on the base of the mountain.
---
Previous Episode: The Shadow Will Flood
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How to say 'Happy Birthday' in Welsh
> The Welsh way of saying Happy Birthday is Pen blwydd Hapus or Pen-blwydd Hapus. > You may also see it spelt (incorrectly) as Penblwydd Hapus. > The word pen-blywdd (birthday) is made up of two words: pen (head, end, chief, top) and blwydd (year). The plural is pen-blwyddi.
> A more formal way of saying Happy Birthday is as follows:
> Dymuniadau gorau ar ben dy flwydd! > OR > Dynumiadau gorau ar dy ben-blwydd!
> "Best wishes for a happy birthday!"
Pronunciation Video
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Action Surge!
(YouTube VoD)
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> Action Surge is Natural Six's fortnightly post-show debrief, where Dungeon Master Harry and the cast break down their favourite moments, their regrets, and any theories from the Dungeons and Dragons session they've just played, as well as adding their thoughts and hopes for future play. > Turns out the landslide did NOT bring this party down. Spoilers ahead - Natural Six are discussing everything that happened in Natural Six Episode 2 "The Shadow Will Flood," and BOY did a lot of things happen. > In episode 2, we're breaking down our session in The Shadow Will Flood. Our adventures in Reliquiae will return April 30th, with story episode 3!
RP (Rolly-Poley) Points
| Alex | Aoife | Ben | Doug | Hollie | | :------ | :------ | :------ | :------ | :------ | | 96 | 56 | 64 | 106 | 115| | Totals | | 183 | 91 | 143 | 179 | 211 |
♪Episode Song References♪
ᕕ( ᐛ)ᕗ
- 01:27:33 "From a distance" Julie Gold - From A Distance
- 02:19:53 "5 to 9" (missed opportunity) Dolly Parton - 9 to 5
- 02:50:18 "it's just a bear, not yet a-blighted" Britney Spears - I'm Not A Girl, Not Yet A Woman
Highlights
- 00:02:35 Aoife:"Two for two."
Harry:"It was a bad start, as a morning." - 00:08:40 The group chooses clerics to pursue: Dolly after (Malakine) the Tiefling cleric, Endellion after the Human cleric, I after (Parvus) the Kobold cleric, Kelnys after (Barabask) the Elven cleric, Raidion with the (Grawnoth) Dwarven cleric and Morgan pursues Genevie, the Human cleric..
- 00:12:12 "Heh, what would/wood."
- 00:15:37 Parvus showing a bit of the old kobold. "It is..I am here, it is I, I am here."
- 00:17:34 I:"What is a Parvus?"
"Parvus is my name."
"What does a Parvus know?"
"Parvus knows enough. Parvus knows little of what Parvus sees here."
"Why is a Parvus?"
"Dignity." - 00:23:35 Fan Art Moment I and Parvus perform the Kobold "palm touch and sniff" greeting
- 00:24:56 Kelnys speaks "friend" in Elvish (LotR reference?) and then helps Barabask enter the tower.
- 00:29:22 Kelnys obtains Elven Chainmail +1
- 00:32:58 The Kobold diety (referred to as Themself) was a spy during the Divine War.
- 00:33:25 Item: The Cloak of Many Fashions
- 00:34:11 Ben:"Endellion finds this beautiful sword, she chooses not to take it and go back."
Hollie:"I didn't say that." - 00:37:45 Dolly discovers the lifeless purple form of Alakash, the tiefling diety.
- 00:42:42 The Ring of the Orator
- 00:43:50 Alakash has a fable like the third challenge from The Princess Bride.
- 00:53:14 Ben:"Raidion thinks to himself, 'i wonder if there are goodies in this room...'"
Harry:"Radion thinks, 'Magic shit is fun.'"
Ben:"Dwarves are so cool." - 00:58:58 Morgan weeps
- 01:00:41 Ben:"Some goodies..."
- 01:01:13 Morgan is too distraught for investigation
- 01:05:55 Endellion spots something on the horizon beyond the Allanite mountain range.
- 01:09:22 Raidion casts Detect Magic and the effect indicates that a significant amount of time has passed since the magic was present.
- 01:15:45 I decides to withhold information about the kobold god
- 01:16:08 Endellion relays the suspicious behavior of Genevie to the group after they meet up
- 01:18:38 The group come across three orbs (Palantirs / LotR reference?) in the central temple. Also the body of Theolon, the elven diety.
One orb is pure white, another black, and the third is a shimmering constantly-changing light - 01:22:10 Theolon was known as "The Once Wild". It's in fact a phrase that you heard at a party all that time ago. Theolon used to be a god of Chaos and she was turned. Alakash always said it was him, but Alakash would. Theolon tipped the balance in favor of The Virtuous when she changed sides. There are some who think she kept some of that Wild-ness.
When you look at elven culture (high elf or wood elf), high elves like Barabask revere the civility and the decorousness and the new goddess she became. Generally speaking, wood elves tend to revere her free-ness and how in-tune she was with the natural world. - 01:23:46 Harry:"So, so magic. The greatest presence of magic you've ever felt in your life is coming off these three orbs." (likely Transmutation magic)
- 01:27:51 TALKING ORBS! Sound FX by Paul Bondy aka InsideInfo
- 01:29:39 The orbs have gone dark, but there's still light. You can see how the walls of this chamber that cracked, and just put your eye to a crack in this wall, and you're looking out towards the West. There's a view of the Allanites and there's a view beyond the Allanites.
There is a tree.
There is a great tree, as tall as you are now. At the top of that tree, color and light. At the peaks of the mountains, you can see it's almost in lock-step with the Topography of the Allanites, occaisionally peeking above it. It's what looks like a great thorn bush.
I:"What was The Briars?" (to Endellion) "What did you see?" - 01:32:40 Raidion:"When I was alone with Grawnoth, he told me to meet him somewhere. Baruun; there he would reveal the truth. It is not now to ask. This is as you (to Dolly) said, Way Above Our Pay Grade. We're not just going to go trudging across Reliquiae, across the Allanites, to some tree that we see. We can't do that, we can barely fight wolves. I say we deal with our business here and then we make our way back. We're not fighters, we're mercenaries."
- 01:33:58 Dolly:"Interesting time to find fasion."
Endellion:"I don't know, Kelnys has changed, mate." - 01:36:17 Endellion agrees that meeting Grawnoth is the next move.
- 01:41:18 Raidion:"The Web is Wide. Let's use it."
Endellion:"The Web is also sticky and dangerous." - 01:42:43 Arguments in the temple
- 01:45:51 Fan Art Moment Kelnys arrives, carrying the body of Theolon and the arguments stop.
Kelnys:"Here is the body of the great and beautiful Theolon." - 01:47:57 Fan Art Moment I comes to Parvus' rescue staring down a massive orc cleric (second largest after Morgan)
- 01:49:25 Carvilius explains that Aurum (dragonborn diety) held suspicion of Themself (kobold diety) and that they had questions.
- 01:52:35 Morgan, Kelnys, Endellion and Dolly begin to fade to gray as part of the corruption. They gain resistance to necrotic damage. They also gain additional damage (1d4 necrotic) to their successful attacks and lose 1, 2, 3 and 4 maximum HP, respectively.
- 01:54:45 Grawnoth succeeds in identifying the corruption.
- 01:55:36 Barabask:"(to Kelnys) You brought the body. You are deserving."
He goes into his pack and he gets some parchment and scrolls out a letter and hands it to Morgan.
"Take this to Jasmee at the festival. She's a high cleric of mine, she will see. But this must be remedied. He looks at you Raidion, self-appointed leader.*
"They may not have long." - 01:58:36 Morgan names his Captain of the Guard, Brynhilde, as the team's contact in Baruun.
- 02:00:39 Theolon's wounds indicate that they were killed quickly, while the rest show signs of drawn out struggle. Everyone gets a Greater Healing potion.
- 02:04:56 Wounded blighted wolf execution and a blighted vine combat session.
- 02:15:08 Endellion new appearance after being sprayed with the corruption "Death becomes her!"
- 02:16:05 I:"Nice!"
- 02:17:00 Snow begins to fall on the Mountain of Eternal Spring, bad omen.
- 02:18:06 Initiative! Nobody rolls above a 15, another bad sign.
- 02:20:37 The team looks up and sees a landslide of blighted earth coming towards them.
The landslide is going to move a set amount every round. It's going to move on initiative 20. You have to make it 400 feet. - 02:26:05 Morgan rolls a 1 on the die determining whether he starts prone.
- 02:27:37 Doug:"Ouch."
Harry:"God, he's good! The immersion!" - 02:28:33 Harry:"...and you all rolled like stink." (adorable censorship)
- 02:29:22 Aoife rolls a Natural 6!
- 02:32:49 Harry gets self conscious about saying avalanche rather than landslide, but it was snowing on the magic peak, so he's not far off.
- 02:34:58 Hollie:"Fine...Fine. Fine! Yeah! Whatever" (The dice have been unforgiving)
Harry:"I love how much you hate D&D" - 02:37:01 Hollie:"But he doesn't have the Umbilical Cord of the Great Dragon."
- 03:07:56 Morgan falls unconscious.
- 03:09:51 Kelnys:"Let's go back later."
Endellion:"Find the body, yeah." - 03:17:59 Alex:"This would just be a phenomenal run past. Just
binkand carry on running."
Ben:"Be well!" - 03:18:46 Harry:"You don't see the bear. Just gonna cross that column off..."
Doug:"Just the odd flash of a red jumper." - 03:23:38 Doug inspires Hollie and Ben to join his imitation of a meerkat leaving the chasm
- 03:24:40 Morgan survives and dives out at the last second with a 20 roll. The bear's corpse is seen in the landslide as it passes the team.
Orb Talk (click to reveal)
Orb 1: "My son is here"
Orb 2: "Where are the others?"
Orb 1: "They fell...he was too strong"
Evil orb: "We warned you, the boy should never have been allowed to live."
Orb 1: "What did you know of this?"
Orb 2: "What have you done?"
Evil orb: "Reliquiae will fall."
Orb 1: "You betrayed us!"
Evil orb: "You die at the hand of he you should never have spared"
Orb 1: "You promised peace, you swore it!"
Evil orb: "You ended the peace when you weakened our blood"
Orb 1: "You cannot hide! If they come for us they come for the Feywild next"
Orb 2: "Blood is thick"
Orb 2: "The Briar will hold"
noises
Evil orb: "It is done."
Orb 2: "You broke the oath. Should you brave our lands, we will be prepared"
Evil orb: "the Shadow will flood."
by Nellufy
Episodes and other media available on YouTube and Twitch
Episode 2: The Shadow Will Flood
Last time, you began on the slopes of Mt Atria. A day short of the mountain's peak on a mission accompanying the Antiqua (the greatest clerics of Reliquiae) as they make pilgrimage to the Virtuous. Huddled around two small campfires, the party, along with Morgan (a Web agent sent to work alongside you) began to rouse themselves as the sun rose. Raidion had woken up profoundly miffed and suspicious of the unknown person filling his pack with Kelnys' hand-whittled spoons...it was Dolly. As the Antiqua stirred, Raidion told Grawnoth (dwarven cleric of Ullin) to hurry along his fellows. When Grawnoth urged a little patience, Raidion left the group again in a huff and gazed down toward the base of the mountain where the Festival of Benediction was being prepared. You watched as the Antiqua completed a religious ceremony in which Runa (a cleric of the Orc goddess Nor'Va) reluctantly read from The Remnants (the sacred text of Reliquiae). Sensing her nerves, Dolly and I applauded as the orc finished her reading to the displeasure of Barabasque (the elven cleric of the goddess Theolon). Raidion attempted to smooth things over and ended up claiming to be the leader of the group, a statement Morgan took issue with. You began the climb. Barabasque breaking into terrible, insistent song as Grawnoth struggled to maintain his composure ruminating with Dolly on the nature of truth and lies. I watched as the Kobold cleric attempted to ingratiate themselves with their fellows, even going so far as to be given a name. Something unheard of in kobold culture. Up at the head of the party, Endellion, Kelnys and Morgan bonded over a shared love of trees during which Morgan was persuaded to attempt to climb a nearby oak before face-planting into the trunk. As the climb continued, you encountered a quizzical bear before approaching and entering a thick cloud line. Vision obscured, dampness on your skin, you became disoriented and began to surround the Antiqua should things take a turn for the worse. They did. Emerging from the cloud line, you found yourselves on a darkened plateau. The ground dead around your feet; plant life decayed. And six wolves emerged stricken with some kind of necrotic blight, and attacked. Shielding the Antiqua, you fought against these creatures. Morgan falling as Grawnoth argued for his fellow clerics to intercede, he was shouted down. Eventually ignoring his contemporaries, Grawnoth cast Mass Healing Word, but the spell fizzled in his hand. All of the Antiqua followed suit. All of their spells failing. Their magic somehow not working here on this darkened plateau above the cloud line. Then, eventually, Grawnoth, Carvilious (the dragonborn cleric of Aurum), and Roona leapt into combat and with their limited help, you destroyed the last of the beasts. As the battle ended, it dawned on the clerics what this failure of divine magic might mean: that the divine themselves were in danger, or perhaps even worse. You rushed up a great staircase towards a blackened palace, colors streaking the sky above it, and found the lifeless body of Aurum, dragonborn god of Justice. And that's where we are now, Carvilius, still cradling the body of his god. You see her centering power again in her hand. This looks to be a more powerful spell, in fact she's trying to cast Revivify (a spell that can bring people back from the dead). She pushes it into the body of the god and you see her fingers, clawed hands, her scales glowing briefly with divine light and then it retracts into the hand. All of the clerics, all of the Antiqua are moving in, trying to put magic into this lifeless body. You look up and you see these familiar colors that are streaking across the sky and you take in the fact that you are on a raised plaza and that there are great structures all around you, but crumbled, decaying. Rather than the decay that you saw at Alvelion (the divine city where the gods once lived and now abandoned), that feels as if the city is crumbling, this feels as if exploded. As if there was a sudden rush of something which destroyed the stones. From your vantage point, you can see nine towers that surround three larger buildings, all of them crumbling, all of them decaying. There's a stillness on the plaza. Grawnoth says, "The others..." You watch as it dawns on each of these clerics that they need to find their gods and they start running. You see next to the plaza, there is a single tower to your left. Then there's a raised walkway above the peak, which goes away to your right, and that feeds off to two separate towers. They go to the left and right as you go along this walkway. Grawnoth runs up towards the one on the left and Runa pushes past everybody and you see her shoulder-charge the fractured wooden door that sits at the base of this tower.
---
Previous Episode: The Gods Are Real
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Action Surge! (YouTube VoD)
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> Our fortnightly post-show debrief, launches today! Alternating weekly with story episodes, learn what we are thinking, feeling, and maybe even regretting. In episode 1, we're breaking down our first real session in The Gods are Real. Our adventures in Reliquiae will return April 16th, with story episode 2! - Hollie B
RP (Rolly-Poley) Points
| Alex | Aoife | Ben | Doug | Hollie | | :------ | :------ | :------ | :------ | :------ | | 87 | 35 | 79 | 73 | 96|
♪Episode Song References♪
ᕕ( ᐛ)ᕗ
- 01:01:56 Nine Inch Nails - Terrible Lie
- 01:39:59 Jerry Lewis & Dean Martin - Side by Side
Bonus version by Kay Starr
Kay Starr - Side by Side written by Harry Woods
Highlights
- 00:08:48 Kelnys is innocently carving spoons from wood he has gathered on the journey
- 00:13:58 "When are we going to fight something?!" Kelnys imitating Endellion
- 00:19:36 "Raidion... Time for a dance party."
- 00:23:03 I inadvertently performs some very sophisticated clowning.
- 00:24:54 Ben rolls the first Nat 1
- 00:26:13 "...and I walk away." - Raidion (Vaxildan reference?)
- 00:27:52 Fan Art Moment Kelnys thoroughly enjoying the variety of flora on Mt Atria and wearing a daisy chain.
- 00:38:31 Runa:"The gods are real. All life flows from them. Without them there is nothing, there can only be nothing. Before the creation of all things, the gods existed in an endless dark. Within them lay dormant all knowledge or light or color, sound, speech, and thought. Yet other powers lurked within this boundless black. Things great and terrible. These words are not my own. They were spoken by the Divine, given shape by their breath and meaning by their minds. All life flows from them. Without them, there is nothing..."
response"There can only be nothing."
"Virtuous children are instructed to love and to learn. We grow by Divine favor and find Glory by Divine Grace. We find comfort and, in divine power, we make this pilgreimage in deference and all humility knowing that we cannot wander this world alone. Now as ever, they are the compass..."
response"They guide and command." - 00:40:14 Barabask the elf cleric of the Antiqua gets trolled by Dolly
- 00:40:57 The kobold cleric of the Antiqua is named Parvus, and is the first "named kobold" that "I" has ever met and is fascinated.
- 00:43:05 Dolly and spoon hijinks
- 00:46:46 Aoife:"Silence is an admission of guilt, by the way."
- 00:50:20 Welsh Love Spoons
- 00:54:43 "I" contact.
- 00:57:09 Barabask's annoying song
- 01:01:07 Aoife rolls two Nat 6s.
Harry:"Okay, we're dispensing with how the dice work. That's good." - 01:03:34 Raidion:"Would you let yourself die?"
- 01:06:02 Endellion and Kelnys bonding over the rare flora on the mountain.
- 01:11:20 Fan Art Moment Morgan's tree climbing attempt.
- 01:15:32 Unexpected bear sighting
- 01:24:36 Dolly:"Circle the wagons?"
- 01:26:00 Barabask becomes a beacon.
- 01:28:20 Massive map of minis! 9 clerics + Morgan + Our 5 heroes = 15 minis without counting enemies!
- 01:40:34 Hollie:"Watch this."
- 01:42:26 Ben:"Watch this."
- 01:44:00 Aoife:"You got this."
finger guns - 01:44:49 Raidion:"Not today."
- 01:47:07 Kelnys' subclass revealed! Wildfire Druid!
- 01:51:51 Morgan tanks two wolves and it nearly kills him.
- 02:06:30 LEARNING COMBAT
- 02:13:13 Fan Art Moment Raidion gets two killing blows in one turn. Somehow most of the gore lands on Dolly.
- 02:17:25 Harry:"You've JUST grown your eyebrows back."
- 02:19:30 Morgan falls.
Aoife:"It's fine."
- 02:21:10 Panic sets in as the Antiqua realize their magic isn't working.
- 02:21:40 Harry:"That is Morgan's turn (Morganstern, last name of fictional Princess Bride author)."
- 02:25:30 I gets a killing blow.
- 02:30:03 Raidion:"it's just me and you."
flashes daisy chain"This is from my best girl." - 02:31:51 Morgan falls again.
- 02:32:42 Doug's dice rolling noise sounds like a large cat purring.
- 02:34:34 Morganstern!
Morgan: (to the wolf) "You piece of shit." - 02:36:10 I gets another killing blow.
I: (to Morgan) "We all has off days. But not I." - 02:40:52 Kelnys gets the final killing blow with Shillelagh.
- 02:43:26 Grawnoth says,
"Without the Divine, there is no Divine magic."
They look at each other and then, as one, they start to bolt further up the pass. One of them shout, you can't even tell who shouts,
"The Virtuous!"
They run across the plateau and then a rise, and you see them scrambling over this rise. You pursue them over the rise and before you is this great set of stairs. They're fractured like the stone of the mountain pass has been fractured; black, lifeless. You see that these stairs lead steeply up towards what must have been a palace. The stone of the palace also cracked. As you start to climb these stairs, catching up with the rest of the Antiqua, it smells. It doesn't smell of decay, it's more unsettling. It smells like an absence of life. It smells like nothing, like there's nothing here.
Every time you take a step, you feel the stone almost start to give way like you're standing on spent charcoal. It's crumbling. This whole place is crumbling. There's no sound and the only colors are the colors that still are streaking across sky; the swirling patterns and raging against this black. Without these colors, this black would feel like it was endless.
The steps lead up towards an open plaza and there is a shape lying at the center.
Carvilius gets there first and as she runs up, she gets to this figure and you hear her (in fact the two of you would hear this in draconic) say,
"No..."
This violent, sudden flood of emotion. As you all gather round her, you see she's cradling a dragonborn.
The body of a god. And there is no life in that body.
It’s an old Jeff Foxworthy joke, too.
If you have a working television set on top of a non-working television, you might be a redneck.
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Episode 1: The Gods Are Real
Before this. Before all of this. Before breath and thought. Before color and light. Before the air and the earth, the mountain and the seabed. Before Life and Death. There was Sentiasa. There was only Sentiasa. An endless plane where the gods of 'good', 'evil', and 'chaos' ('the virtuous', 'the vile', and 'the wild' (respectively)) were locked in war. It would be wrong to say that the war lasted for centuries or millennia, for they fought before and outside of time. They fought for existence. For the essence of all things that are, were, and could yet come to be. When the war ceased, it was The Virtuous who claimed victory, claimed Sentiasa, and vanquished The Vile and The Wild forever. The end of that war gave way to a beginning. For as The Virtuous beheld Sentiasa, scarred and empty and endless, they were driven to create something new, something good. So The Virtuous weaved their divine power into the fabric a new world. Reliquiae. Lush, green, created the flourishing of mortal life. A crater ringed by a range of mountains called the Allanites, with the great peak of Mt Atria at its center. At the heart of this new world, they founded the city of Alvellion, where they called into existence the peoples that populate this land. Each of the nine virtuous gods brought forth a race in their image. So the land grew full of halflings, elves, dwarves, gnomes, tieflings, kobolds, orcs, humans, and dragonborn. A perfect world filled with imperfect beings. In these peoples' flourishing, for all their achievements, there were those that festered. For as dew drops cling to blades of grass, so do avarice and cruelty cling to mortality. Whilst the Spring flowers bloomed and the great cities of the world were founded, grievances opened like fresh wounds. And as the wheat was scythed at the time of harvest, and the feasting and song lasted long into the star-filled nights, so fell mortality to murder and to infighting. The capricious, the rageful, the grieving, the desperate, the lost, sought those who could comfort and advance them. They sought a home. Many of them found it in The Web. The last refuge of the hopeless. A shadowy organization that will undertake any task no matter how great or terrible. Those who require its services pay with gold or with time. Binding themselves and successive generations to servitude until their debt is paid. Such oaths are not taken lightly. The web is ruled with an iron fist. From its leader, a figure known only as The Spider Prince, to those souls that have spun its silken threads throughout the land of Reliquiae. The Web is Wide. It is five souls such as these that we will journey with. Having proven themselves of use to The Web, by assassinating Elven Scion Aleah Da'car, the party have been selected to act as bodyguards for The Antiqua, the greatest clerics of The Virtuous as they begin a yearly pilgrimage known as The Deferrence. A hundred years ago with no warning, The Virtuous abandoned the divine city of Alvelion and ascended to the peak of Mt Atria. Alvelion, since the birth of the world, a city where all could commune in person with The Virtuous soon fell into disrepair. So now, after the first winter moon, the Antiqua ascend Mt Atria and bring back teachings for all mortality. Dawn breaks golden on the slopes of the mountain. On the edge of a pass, the flames of two small campfires flicker in the mild breeze on either side of a collection of tents. Far below, at the foot of the mountain, crumbled buildings of the city of Alvelion are just visible. Pale against the snow that has sat thick on the ground since the first moon of winter. In the years since The Virtuous abandoned that city, a city they'd called home since the birth of the world, Alvelion has crumbled. Not from war, nor from the slow decline of all things, but with a natural speed. As if it was the presence of the divine alone that held together the stones from which the city is built. Yet the snow and the cold and the dissolving marble of Alvelion are far beneath you. Here on Mt Atria, the mountain of perpetual spring, the air is warm, the grass lush. Patches of wildflowers blooming, even in the fissures of the rock face. We begin in the left hand of these two campfires. With I, Kelnys, and Endellion. At this point, you guys have been together climbing the mountain for two full days. This is the third day. You've been in this habit of making camp, you sit on watch, etc. It's been relatively dull. This is a magical mountain. This is a divine mountain. Whilst it might be hailing or blowing a storm away from the mountain, the mountain is always in spring. The flowers are always blooming. You haven't found any aggressive creatures. You haven't been waylaid. You don't have highwaymen. You're here almost as a nominal bodyguard. During the Deference, the Antiqua (the clerics that you're guarding) forgo all their divine magic while they're on the mountain as a sort of symbol of humility. As a symbol that they recognize that the gods they are about to commune with are greater and more powerful than them and all their magic comes from these gods, so it's a sign of respect that they don't use their magic. So they have a bodyguard to support them if anything should happen, but Endellion, I would fancy it's been quite a dull few days for you. There's been remarkably little of anything. We visit the right hand fire and there are three figures around that fire. The third figure is a heavyset, pale-skinned man. Great big barrel chest, big arms, a dark beard almost black and long slicked-back black hair. This is Morgan. You first met when you met The Spinner after the basilisk. He was one of the Spinner's attendants almost, a heavy. He met you in Alvelion. The Web wanted someone a little more senior to lead the effort. Whether or not you've proven yourselves competent, you haven't necessarily proved yourselves "perfectly sociable". So they needed someone who could act as a bit of a figurehead. He's a man of few words, gruff.
> "Crafted Campaigns have been lucky enough to be able to work with an amazing group who are starting their first Dungeons and Dragons Actual Play video series. > The are known as Natural Six and their group is comprised of prominent video game performers and personalities - Natural Six are Harry McEntire, Ben Starr, Hollie Bennett, Alex Jordan, Doug Cockle and Aoife Wilson. > I was introduced to the group from our good friends at Tabletop Dominion, as they were looking for people who could provide miniatures and set pieces for their first campaign, set in the world of Reliquiae. > Thankfully I knew of them already as a backer of their kickstarter, so I was more than willing for the challenge, especially to be part of something so special! > Working with Harry, who is Natural Six's DM, has been great. He has a very clear vision of what he's looking for in each potential encounter and has been great to work alongside. So when the epidoses air, it's going to be fantastic to see our work on the table. > And now, the cast have released the video where they get to see their miniatures for the first time! > They each designed their characters with HeroForge, I simply printed and painted them, and was so happy to see thier individual reactions. >The series starts with Episode 1 on April 2, 2024. I can't wait to dive into being a loyal viewer of the campaign... though I may know many spoilers already." Mark at Crafted Campaigns
Unboxing Video (YouTube) VoD
Alternate Frontend VoD
The Map of Reliquiae Reveal! (YouTube)
Alternate Frontend VoD
This map was made by Eve of Eve's Worldbuilding and here is one of the copies made: For Doug The Majestic Kelnys !
Kobolds in high chairs? The enjoyment of taking piercing damage? Above their pay grade? Sign me up!
YouTube VoD
Alternate Frontend VoD
Carbot Animations always make me laugh and I'm so happy they're doing a series on this game.
Song from the video The Midshipmen Glee Club - Blow the Man Down
Saw this on Reddit and wanted to put it up here.
> I drew every currently playable Genshin character, one per day! The pic is HD (so you can zoom in) - JuneBuArt
Reddit Link
Episode 9: Everyone Dies at the Costume Ball
Tonight! Four undercover agents must unmask a traitor in their midst. Can they discover the truth before a greater evil destroys them all? No.
DM, Matriarch, A.A.A., Libra Halo, Dyrrn - John Ciccolini Bigum Battleaxe (Goliath Barbarian) - David Dastmalchian Bixby Silver (Human Mage) - Matthew Lillard Epiphany Spontaneya (Kalashtar Cleric) - Noura Ibrahim Ivan the Invincible (Mountain Dwarf Paladin) - Steve Agee
The setting is Eberron, the continent of Khorvaire, the city of Sharn. Sharn is the City of Towers and Shar, over the eons, has not been able to grow out, so it has grown up. Thus the "City of Towers", a huge metropolis of towers where the poor and desolate live mostly at the base of the city, and the rich and the elite live up at the top. The top is where you find yourselves, standing on an airship platform at the top of Platinum Heights (one of the nicest areas in all of Sharn). You've all been hired as an inquisitive team, a team of investigators, by House Lyrandar. This is the house that commands a lot of the airships. They have an annual masquerade gala aboard this massive ship tonight. You've been hired to go to this gala and figure out which of the matriarch's three advisors is the traitor in their midst. You stand before this great airship that you need to board. The airship has its name printed on the front of it.
Reginald Butterbottom XVII
As you're approaching, the matriarch's valet approaches you and says: "Before you may enter, you must entertain the matriarch. She wants to make sure all her guests are entertaining before they may board." As you look at this looming ship, you see at the front of it the matriarch herself with her high hair and her long nose peering down at you. You step before the matriarch and you are told that you must act out a scene from the famous play Theater of Pain. Once you enter the airship, before you is a scene of decadence. This is where the elite have come to meet and party. Everybody is in a masquerade costume. As you look around and mingle you feel the ship take off and you can tell now that you are up in the air over the city of Sharn. You see a gnome. You know from your dossier, that this Gnome is Alistair Alinga Apastifah. The next name in your dossier is another Kalashtar named Libra Halo, and she is standing on a raised platform next to the matriarch. Standing in the corner away from everybody, with his back to everyone, you see Tok the Warforged.
04:17 "So, this is pre Sk8-Tv." (Matthew Lillard used to host a Nickelodeon skateboarding show called Sk8Tv)
Episode 8: Everyone Dies in the Bay
Tonight! Four local heroes try to save their tiny fishing village. Can they maintain their sanity in the face of a cosmic horror? No
DM, Mayor Honeycut - Troy Lavallee Junior Honeycut - Bill Rehor Nim Elthera (Elf Ranger) - Jared Logan Oloki Triton (Half-Orc/Half-Water Elemental Paladin) - Alicia Marie Ophelia Cross (Human Monk) - Joseph O'Brien Ulder Pendelton (Wood Elf Ranger) - Mary Lou
Alright, we're going to open our little adventure today in a quaint fishing village somewhere along the coast of Faerûn, a very small town called Featherhook Bay. Now, it's not a real bay in the traditional sense, but most of the people that live here aren't very smart. And so, no one's ever corrected them. And so they just call it a bay.
There is, however, a large rock outcropping that juts from the shore. It goes like a mile-and-a-half. It kindof ensconces the village. Either way, it's a very close-knit community. I'd say maybe 100-120 people on a good day.
You don't wanna know about a bad day.
This town's been around for a while, multiple generations, and what's helped the community survive, and often thrive, is the main commerce of the village, which is the fishing industry. Its proximity to the best spots for fishin make Featherhook Bay a major trade partner in the area. So, the people of Featherhook Bay are very protective of this land, and you're only allowed to fish here if you live in Featherhook Bay. If you're a trespasser, you're killed on sight. They throw your body in the bay.
Anyway, we'll say the four of you belong to any one of the major three fishing families in Featherhook Bay. This afternoon, the four of you have been called to the mayor's office as representative of the families because there's a problem.
You arrive and the mayor just sits there watching you come in, and he's balding, and he reeks of fish (like everyone in town) and his name is Johnson Honeycut, and he says,
"Thank you. Thank you, all, for coming today. As you know, the Honeycuts built this town and it's been a difficult month when you live on the coast as we do, "By the Bay" as it were. Natural disasters are just a part of life here, but these tremors and earthquakes as of late have bombarded us and they have taken their toll on our fair town. Luckily, the people of Featherhook Bay are strong, and have always been strong. As you know, our town motto is 'it IS a bay!' despite what anyone says!
So, there are earthquakes, natural disasters. The damage that was done to the dock has been repaired. We only lost one ship, and we've already begun construction on a new one to replace it. However
looks around to see no one else is around
There is one problem that, thankfully, no one is quite aware of yet. Come in closer. Closer. That's too close.
After that last quake that we had last week, there has not been a single catch of note. Fishing boats go out every day and they come back empty. It's unheard of for the people of Featherhook.
I spoke to the elders and they think it has something to do with the shifting of tectonic plates, but I don't understand their academic mumbo jumbo. I just want my fish!
As you may know, there are many caves just beyond the reef (these rocks that I mentioned in the intro) but no one really sails there for fear of crashing on the rocks. And if you walk all the way out there, you better come back before the tide comes in, or you'll get caught.
Well, the elders posit that these caves may have cracked open, and the fish that are usually just washing up on our shore, have been pushed into these cracks.
I would like the four of you (as representatives of a certain number of the families in this town that we never quite established) to take a small boat or do whatever. Get as close as you can and swim. I don't care how you get out there. The fish are so plentiful there, you could just reach in with your hand and pull out a clown fish! Crush it in your hand to feel like a god!
Go up there and see if this shifting has done anything to the caves.
However, there is one tiny thing. I need you to take my son with you. He will be mayor when I die, because it's a hereditary position. I want you to take him so he can get his feet wet, as it were. Is that all right?"
15:45 "The Song of Forlorning"
Ultragramps @lemmy.blahaj.zone Consider me a consultant and confidant conveying coherent communications.
"But that won't happen to us, cause it's always been a matter of trust." - William Joel