Episode Transcript
[00:00:02] Speaker A: Hello, Internet. Hello. Hello. Hello. Hello. Hi. Welcome back to Explorers of Elsewhere's Tales from Elsewhere. Hi.
You join us as we go rummaging around in a a mystery mansion trying to find out who did a murder. Hello. Hi. Nate. Hi.
And we seem to have lots of clues have been unearthed. There's a few interesting little snippets of information that you've dug up and yeah, we have only a few hours left until midnight when the investigation will come to an all so sudden end.
So.
So we don't waste too much time. Shall we jump into the title screen and then jump into the finale.
Marvelous.
Okay.
[00:01:05] Speaker B: All across the unknown world, rediscovery pushes ever onwards to find the lands and people lost.
All thanks to our brave explorers.
[00:01:20] Speaker C: Hi, I'm Dan and I'm playing Vanir, the Wolfkin Warri.
[00:01:25] Speaker D: Hey, I'm Livy. I'm going to be playing Ray Reid, the Spirit ranger.
[00:01:30] Speaker E: Hi, my name's Theo and I'm playing Cal, a Sangvar Guardian.
[00:01:34] Speaker F: I'm Georgia and I will be playing Alfric Stormhall, a dragon scent bard.
[00:01:40] Speaker A: And My name is D.M. dan. I'll be the GM in these adventures.
[00:01:44] Speaker B: The further we go, the more we.
[00:01:47] Speaker A: Learn of these magical tales from elsewhere.
We rejoin Cal and Rayri in the library of this magical mansion face. Well, I would say face to face, but that's not true. You are currently entangled with some sort of invisible force. This is shoved Rayri, um, and tried to make a break for it out of the room.
Cal, you've managed to kind of head off this invisible force. And having taken a swing at it, you know that you've kind of pushed it somewhere in the room.
We are in initiative for all extents and purposes.
So Cal, you've already gone and you rolled with hope. So Rayri, do you wanna. Well, cow. Is there anything you're doing at the end of your turn?
[00:03:01] Speaker E: Well, I see. Well, I've had the end of my turn, so I guess really is only fair that it's Ray who's going.
[00:03:08] Speaker A: Yeah. No.
No shouted. No. No words of to shout out or bellow or. I think.
[00:03:19] Speaker D: I think fellow.
[00:03:22] Speaker E: Maybe it's in the room. It's still in the room.
[00:03:28] Speaker A: Okay. Rayri, you are up. What are you doing?
Do.
[00:03:35] Speaker D: I. Can I sense where. Like do you want me to do some kind of check to see if I can sense where it is?
[00:03:45] Speaker A: Yeah, I would say we're gonna need. Well, roll me an instinct to see if you can kind of roughly figure out where it is.
I think realistically it's gonna be the case that unless you, unless something happens that allows you to pinpoint like where it is at a specific point, you're not gonna be able to attack it.
[00:04:05] Speaker D: Yeah, yeah, that's a crip.
[00:04:09] Speaker A: That is a crit.
In which case you, as you pick yourself up and you turn like you look around, you notice what Vinnie is, has spun on the spot and is doing his little dire chihuahua snarl at an area in the corner. And you notice that the speck, the, the bits of dust that have kind of been blown off of the bookshelves is coating what appears to be a faint outline of a, of a humanoid figure.
[00:04:59] Speaker D: I.
Oh, r. Just shouts billy, kill him.
And casts. Vinnie.
[00:05:11] Speaker A: I cast doggy.
Okay, what does that look like.
[00:05:19] Speaker E: You.
[00:05:20] Speaker D: Want me to do?
[00:05:20] Speaker A: Like, is it. It's a. You can effectively do like an attack roll or some, some.
[00:05:37] Speaker D: Or with.
[00:05:39] Speaker A: And it will again, it will be with disadvantage as, as invisible.
[00:05:52] Speaker E: Even with the crit?
[00:05:53] Speaker G: Even with a crit.
[00:05:54] Speaker A: The crit was exactly where he is.
Okay. Yeah, yeah, I'll, I'll give you that.
[00:06:01] Speaker E: I would understand if it was like.
[00:06:03] Speaker A: I'll give, I'll stop being mean, but yes. Okay. So I, I, I will ignore the request for the disadvantage. Yeah. How does a, A beast companion work?
[00:06:16] Speaker D: So a beast companion works. So he has his own attack roll, which is an agility, which is the same as my agility. So he gets a plus three.
[00:06:26] Speaker A: Okay.
[00:06:28] Speaker D: I would like to use an experience, a Vinnie experience.
[00:06:40] Speaker A: Okay.
[00:06:40] Speaker D: Of inspirience the experience, because his attack is agility based, I would argue that I could use.
He has the ability fast as heck.
So I would like to add that he's running very fast.
[00:07:03] Speaker C: Okay.
[00:07:04] Speaker A: So a total of 15.
[00:07:07] Speaker D: There's a 15.
[00:07:08] Speaker A: Okay.
[00:07:10] Speaker E: With hope.
[00:07:11] Speaker A: With hope.
So yeah, you get your. So you're down to four and then back up to five.
Vinnie flies away from you like a lightning bolt and as fast as heck.
And Cal, you watch as this.
How big is Vinnie? Is he like large goat? He's like Shetland pony sized, right?
[00:07:38] Speaker D: He's like Shetland pony goat. Like large goat.
[00:07:41] Speaker A: Okay. So this Shetland pony sized chihuahua slams into this figure cow, you notice? And the figure lets out a. Oh, like an audible grunt.
Vinnie. It's a hit roll for damage.
[00:08:02] Speaker D: So that. Wait, wait. What? Sorry, it's been.
No, what is it doing?
So my dice is being, is getting stuck.
[00:08:27] Speaker A: What's the damage? Roll two, D8 and D plus anything plus three.
Okay, I'll roll this out for you.
Boom. Seven.
[00:08:42] Speaker D: Seven chomp damage.
[00:08:44] Speaker A: Seven chomp damage.
So we can for the first time do something a little like dagger heart PCs.
[00:08:59] Speaker B: Bam.
[00:09:00] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:09:03] Speaker A: Separate tokens.
Yeah. Vinnie jumps out and sort of like. Like grabs onto something and you hear sort of like a grunt and a. Like a squeal of shock. How. Just how hecking fast this doggo went.
And where is it? Where is it?
So you did seven damage. Okay.
As Vinnie sort of like shakes his chops, you watch as an outline forms and then begins to fill in.
And Agatha emerges with Vinnie trapped, like, chomped on his leg. And he's desperately trying to like, shake. Shake the dog off. Get off me.
[00:10:02] Speaker B: Get off me.
[00:10:03] Speaker A: He he bellows and as you rolled with Hope, it's still not.
Well, it's the. Your. Your collective turns still.
Has Alric been given a heads up as to what's happening?
[00:10:23] Speaker E: No, I was about to do that with my turn with be.
[00:10:26] Speaker A: Okay, well, you came.
[00:10:27] Speaker E: Which considering. Considering the fact that this poor dragon scent has had voices in his head. Now about to have cow's voice in his head. Maybe not the best time for a telepathy spell, but sure, cow just like.
Cow in his head just goes. Library, Agatha, now both of you. In his head. Nancy, it is most commander voice that. That is like.
[00:10:56] Speaker A: Okay, so yeah, as Cal Alfred, you hear sort of like Cal's voice and it's. It sounds. It sounds different to the voices that you've been hearing in your. In your mind.
But yeah, you. You've been told. Library, Agatha. Now Cal, what are you doing for the rest of your turn?
[00:11:22] Speaker E: I think I'm going to give. Okay. I'm going to try and give Agatha the benefit of the doubt. I'm not gonna attack him again because he's already being munched on by a dog. My sword is going to his throat.
And just be like, you're not moving.
And I want to make a presence roll, please, to intimidate the git.
[00:11:46] Speaker A: Okay, Roll me a presence check, Ken.
[00:11:51] Speaker E: Indeed.
So when I make a presence roll against the hot style target, you can spend a Hope to add your strength.
[00:12:00] Speaker A: Trait to the moon.
Juicy.
So down to four.
[00:12:10] Speaker E: That's the worst roll ever. Why?
Hang on. I'm gonna see if I can re roll that. I'm sure I've got something.
[00:12:18] Speaker A: Oh.
[00:12:21] Speaker E: Sure I have something that's like.
[00:12:22] Speaker A: Well, plus I. You rolled a hope, so hang on.
[00:12:25] Speaker E: Oh, wait, I did roll hope at least. Thank God.
[00:12:30] Speaker A: Have you got reroll rolling on?
[00:12:31] Speaker F: Oh, wait, no, I can't anyway.
[00:12:35] Speaker E: That's a shame. I should have used one of my experiences cuz I can if I fail a roll that utilize one of my experiences. I can mark a stress to roll.
It's not experience, it's an ability that I was going to use.
[00:12:47] Speaker A: I have you got an experience that you can retroactively tack on.
[00:12:50] Speaker E: I, I, I, I think I do. Cuz one of my experiences is the blade which kind of relates to anything to do with his commander experience. And I think his intimidation is like he, he is a soldier in this moment. He is not an adventurer, he's not an explorer. He is a terrifying soldier of war.
[00:13:16] Speaker A: So what I'm, what I'm hearing is that you spent a hope to activate the ability and you spent a hope to activate the experience which drops you to three.
[00:13:28] Speaker E: Yep.
[00:13:29] Speaker A: And then you rolled like doo doo. But you get to reroll it.
[00:13:35] Speaker E: Yeah, yeah, yeah I do, I do get to re roll it.
[00:13:39] Speaker A: That's what I thought. That's what I thought.
[00:13:41] Speaker E: Yeah. It's gonna go with that. We're gonna go with that.
[00:13:44] Speaker C: See if it works.
[00:13:45] Speaker E: That's better. That's, that's much better.
[00:13:48] Speaker A: So that's, well that's hope. So you go back up to four. There we go.
[00:13:52] Speaker E: So that's 13. I think that's 15 with hope now.
[00:13:57] Speaker A: Okay.
You.
[00:14:00] Speaker E: No, 16 with hope. Sorry cuz it's with my experience now.
[00:14:03] Speaker A: 16 with hope. Okay.
So what is it you say to him exactly?
[00:14:10] Speaker E: Don't you dare move.
[00:14:12] Speaker A: Okay.
In which case off the back of a 16 Agathar like recoils from the blade being kind of swung at his neck and it pushes him into a corner. And in this moment like Vinnie adopts his best sheepdog stance and just sort of like.
And we all know how utterly terrifying chihuahuas are when they're all like with their scaggly fangs pointing in all directions which is just infinitely worse when it's Shetland pony sized and Agatha like backs into a corner. And he sort of like looks to you and sort of like, yeah, he's shaking his leg out of Vinnie's jaws and he's like slowly puts his hand up and in his hand are a handful of crumpled pages that you, the two of you would wager were recently torn from the ledger of debts.
And I yield there's, there's no more for.
[00:15:28] Speaker B: But please don't.
[00:15:30] Speaker A: I, I have a thing with dogs. He says as he sort of like gestures at Vinnie.
[00:15:42] Speaker G: Very good. Stand down. Stand down. Vinnie. Stand. Stand down.
[00:15:48] Speaker D: He just sits.
[00:15:49] Speaker A: Yeah. Scratches the ear.
Okay. Yeah. Cal and Rayri, you have kind of cornered and subdued Agathar Alfric and Vanier, are you heading straight?
[00:16:07] Speaker C: What, what does Alfric say?
[00:16:09] Speaker A: Oh, yes. What does Alfric say?
[00:16:12] Speaker F: He's gonna, like, very hesitantly put up his hand. As we're walking towards another door, I heard another voice.
[00:16:26] Speaker H: Potori got away from it.
[00:16:30] Speaker F: This one sounded like cowl.
Admittedly, the first one sounded like you, but.
[00:16:38] Speaker H: Right, and what did this one say?
[00:16:42] Speaker F: Library.
Now.
[00:16:51] Speaker C: Did, did Vanier see Alfred cast magic to cow earlier?
[00:17:00] Speaker A: The telepathy spell is definitely public knowledge.
[00:17:05] Speaker C: Okay, so in which case, hearing the, that it was Cow was saying library. Now, Vanya's sort of hunt hunter demeanor kicks in and just immediately just darts off to.
Towards the corridor.
[00:17:28] Speaker H: Okay, follow me.
[00:17:29] Speaker C: And, yeah, we start making our way.
[00:17:32] Speaker A: So as the two of you begin making your way along the corridor towards the library.
Yeah, as the two of you arrive, we find Cal, Rayri and Vinnie, kind of almost like blocking any root form of escape for Agatha, who's sort of like, stooping slightly and so, like, rubbing his lower leg, his right lower leg.
And, like, there's a look of real disdain on his face as the two of you arrive.
Disdain mixed with sheepishness.
And then as, as you two arrive.
[00:18:20] Speaker B: He says, I can assure you, this, this isn't what it looks like.
[00:18:29] Speaker G: Well, it looks like being invisible, stealing pages and trying to run away from us. That's what it looks like. Was it not that.
[00:18:39] Speaker A: Well, no, that. That's exactly what it was. Yes, yes, but that, that's all it is. That's all it is.
[00:18:49] Speaker H: And what about the people you were with just earlier?
[00:18:59] Speaker A: He looks like, he looks, he looks pointedly at you, Vanier, and then, like, his eyes flutter down to the floor slightly, and he returns to this kind of, like, sheepishness. And it's a far cry from the bravado of the man that was telling his stories in the parlor earlier.
He looks more like a childed child.
[00:19:30] Speaker B: Well, yes, I, I, I heard that there was a, an explosion of some sort. Are they, are they okay?
[00:19:40] Speaker C: Is he bullshitting? Part of my French. Is he telling porcupies?
[00:19:48] Speaker A: The four of you all glance at one another and, like, it is abundantly clear that he's spitball.
[00:20:02] Speaker C: Immediately, there's a sort of like an icy wind just ever so slightly blowing underneath the cloak.
[00:20:11] Speaker H: And I say, I can tell when you're lying.
Tell us the truth.
[00:20:21] Speaker A: He, he sort of like, looks. Looks around sheepishly. And.
[00:20:29] Speaker E: Where.
[00:20:29] Speaker B: Where is Bendel? I want to see Bendel.
[00:20:33] Speaker H: We are asking the questions here.
Answer them.
[00:20:41] Speaker A: The mage scowls slightly.
[00:20:54] Speaker B: I.
I am a wizard.
I plumb the depths of arcane knowledge for unlimited power.
I risk my life on a daily basis perfecting my craft.
I suffered under the tutelage of Ulic.
And then I find it's all for nothing.
[00:21:31] Speaker A: I will not stand for it.
[00:21:38] Speaker H: So you killed him.
[00:21:41] Speaker A: He screws his face up.
[00:21:43] Speaker B: Why on earth would I kill him?
[00:21:46] Speaker A: He's the gateway to more power. He.
[00:21:50] Speaker B: I. I was in line to inherit everything he had and he gave me nothing.
[00:21:58] Speaker C: When asked that response. Do we get the sense that he is honest when he's saying that he.
Why would he kill him like, as though that he has like. Or does it seem like he's hiding? He's trying to skirt the fact that he actually did do the deed.
[00:22:19] Speaker A: It's a group vote. Who thinks he's telling the truth? Who thinks he genuinely is asking, why would he kill him?
All hands.
[00:22:34] Speaker E: I want to hit the man. It doesn't mean that he did it. There's. They're two different. Different feelings here.
[00:22:43] Speaker A: You.
We're gonna need.
I'm gonna say a knowledge. Comprehend here or like analyze or. Yeah, something along those lines.
[00:22:58] Speaker C: I was.
Instinct was where I was gunning with that.
[00:23:08] Speaker A: Well, instincts, more sense. Danger noticed in details in the world or tracking. Elusive.
[00:23:13] Speaker H: Fun.
[00:23:15] Speaker A: Yeah. So this isn't. You perceive that there's a man who's very grumpy who's just said the words why would I do it? But yeah, I'm gonna say a knowledge to analyze what he's saying.
[00:23:27] Speaker C: Okay. Okay.
[00:23:28] Speaker A: But this is. This is for anyone who's interested. Thank you.
Go on, Alfred.
[00:23:35] Speaker E: You've got the most knowledge out of all of us.
[00:23:37] Speaker F: True.
[00:23:40] Speaker C: I'm definitely using.
Spending a hope on this one. Using my heightened senses to reduce that hope down to a free. And to give myself a plus two to this roll. As I'm trying to hear his heart rate and see intently watch his body language as he responds.
[00:24:05] Speaker E: Okay.
[00:24:07] Speaker C: So that's gonna be.
[00:24:08] Speaker A: Well. Alfrich, roll a 15. What are you adding to that?
[00:24:12] Speaker C: It'll be just a plus one for me now.
[00:24:15] Speaker A: Oh, no.
[00:24:17] Speaker C: Oh, sorry.
[00:24:18] Speaker F: On knowledge.
[00:24:19] Speaker A: Yes.
Okay, so 17 for malfric with fiat.
[00:24:29] Speaker C: I got a 23 with hope, which I will put into a slayer die.
[00:24:38] Speaker A: Okay.
Hey.
You hear like his heart is.
His heart is racing, but you feel it's from like raw adrenaline.
And Alfric, there's the way that. The way that he sort of like snapped incredulously.
[00:25:11] Speaker B: Why would I kill him?
[00:25:14] Speaker A: That off the back of your 17 between the two of you, like, you glance at one another and it's clear that it wasn't Agatha that killed Ulic, but his anger about seemingly being left nothing in the will like being left nothing in the debt. In the aftermath of Ulic's death, that anger is true and real.
He sort of like you. Agatha is sort of like heavily breathing and he's. He's got this almost snarl, this kind of bestial snarl on his face.
And then he.
He sort of like calms down slightly again. And.
[00:26:20] Speaker B: Could I please see if Bendel is ok?
[00:26:30] Speaker H: Mm.
I am inclined to believe what you are saying, so perhaps. But can you elaborate on what happened to Bendel and the mayor? Were you there when it all happened?
I smelt your scent.
[00:26:57] Speaker A: As Agatha sort of like goes to start. You hear the sounds of footsteps running down the corridor.
And the Paladin Valana comes around the corner and I. I heard a big commotion. What's happened? And she stops as she sees Agatha in the corner.
Oh, you. You found Agatha.
And she looks. Looks around, kind of observes the.
The encounter and.
Oh, you found Agatha.
[00:27:33] Speaker B: She.
[00:27:33] Speaker A: She says again.
And Agatha like seeing the Paladin, like he just like his shoulders drop.
And then he repeats again, this time to Valena, is Bendel okay?
And the keeper is like. Nods and yes, he's. He's coming around. He's. We've. We've lulled him back into consciousness.
And Agatha sort of like breathes a sigh of relief.
It was all.
[00:28:19] Speaker B: It was all Bendel's idea.
We discovered that Bendel is privy to what's on Ulic's will.
[00:28:28] Speaker A: And.
[00:28:31] Speaker B: Ulic was a master mage, but.
[00:28:35] Speaker A: An absolutely useless financial prospect.
[00:28:42] Speaker B: His obsession with the primal has just.
[00:28:46] Speaker A: Led him to more and more extravagant experiments, each each with more and more increasing costs.
[00:28:53] Speaker B: In the time I was away, he, for all extents and purposes, run himself into bankruptcy.
A lot of the experiments were fun. Bonded by Seldivon Seldivan. It turns out that the previous mayor, he was cutting Ulick some sort of deal in. In exchange for protection and the security of having an Archmage so nearby. But after he got chased out of town and was replaced with Montgomery, Montgomery wanted to balance the books.
And that's when Bendel. Bendel said to me that all of Ulic's remaining wealth was going to be funneled back into the town.
He was going to leave the two of us nothing after everything we've done for the old.
But for him, he was going to leave us nothing.
So Bendel suggested that we swap the wheels.
We swap it for a new one so the money would come to us.
The town's got the support of the Explorers League. They don't. They don't need Ulic's coffers, what's left of them.
And Bendel deserves a retirement for whatever years he has left. And I deserve something to base my future career on.
But he left us nothing.
I'm sad that the old man copped it, but it certainly wouldn't have been me that did it.
[00:30:47] Speaker A: And as he finishes, he lets out a troubled sigh and then, somewhat petulantly like, crosses his arm like a grumpy child.
[00:31:04] Speaker H: So were you there when the Mayor and Bendle got struck?
[00:31:15] Speaker A: He.
He nods.
[00:31:19] Speaker B: And we must have activated one of the glyphs on the safe and it.
Well, I woke up on the other side of the mansion.
[00:31:39] Speaker C: Dm.
[00:31:40] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:31:42] Speaker C: From memory you said his scent was traveling.
[00:31:48] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:31:49] Speaker C: So the idea of him being teleported doesn't match with what I had picked up.
[00:31:56] Speaker A: Correct.
[00:31:58] Speaker C: Therefore, is it saying to safe to assume rather than me to try and make some sort of insect instinct. No, sorry. Or knowledge roll to tell if he's lying or not to see that there's. That doesn't. That particular detail doesn't add up.
[00:32:18] Speaker A: It 100% does not add up.
[00:32:23] Speaker C: Yeah, I think Vani would just respond.
[00:32:28] Speaker H: Well, I told you earlier that I could pick up your scent.
You did not. That scent did not just disappear out of thin air.
It moved out of the room.
So that doesn't seem to end up with what you're seeing.
[00:32:54] Speaker A: He like, scrunches his face up as he, like he looks at you for a moment, a bit confused, and then like, it clicks, like, oh, you're a wolfkin. Like we're both wolfkin.
And then he kind of scrunches his face up and.
[00:33:16] Speaker B: It was a.
It was a light touch spell designed to incapacitate the two of them so they would be none the wiser as to what I'd rarely done.
The new will was going to give me everything.
[00:33:45] Speaker H: So did your magic kill the Mayor?
[00:33:54] Speaker A: And he like, frowns and.
[00:33:56] Speaker B: I just told you it was a light touch. But of course it wouldn't have. It would have just knocked him back.
[00:34:03] Speaker H: What, like a.
Making him paralyzed or something?
[00:34:09] Speaker A: He.
[00:34:10] Speaker B: It's a. It was a fiery concussive blast just to make it look like they'd activated the. The safe and.
[00:34:19] Speaker A: But to knock them away from it.
[00:34:22] Speaker B: Make it look like they triggered it.
[00:34:25] Speaker G: Yeah, but the problem was when he fell over, he got smashed on the head.
[00:34:31] Speaker B: By who?
[00:34:34] Speaker E: The bus.
[00:34:36] Speaker D: Stone.
[00:34:36] Speaker G: You know, he's basically killed him an.
[00:34:42] Speaker A: Agathar like Blinks you a few times.
[00:34:48] Speaker B: He's. He's dead.
[00:34:53] Speaker G: Yes.
[00:34:55] Speaker A: And like he blinks a few times out of comprehension. And then his face, like the color begins to drain from his face.
[00:35:06] Speaker G: You didn't mean to, but you did.
[00:35:08] Speaker B: That was, you know, I, I, I didn't mean. I ju.
[00:35:17] Speaker A: And it, it's clear that the mage has kind of gone into a bit of a shock, a state of shock as he just starts like spluttering and stuttering to himself.
And you hear a long, drawn out sigh from the paladin in the doorway.
Well, it would seem that we've come to the. We figured out one solution, but we're still none the wiser on who the murderer is.
And off the back of Alfric's role with fear earlier, you hear an ominous.
[00:36:01] Speaker E: Bong.
[00:36:04] Speaker A: As you are one hour closer to midnight with two hours, two hours left.
[00:36:14] Speaker C: When from that comment, Vanya's like.
[00:36:21] Speaker H: Well, Agathara may not have of killed Ulic, but at the moment it seems like he's killed the mayor. Whether it was on accident or not, that's still.
[00:36:42] Speaker F: Something I fear. We still don't know who killed the other body.
[00:36:50] Speaker H: Right?
[00:36:51] Speaker G: Like, let's not let the Mayor die in vain. If you got any idea who it could have been that killed.
[00:36:59] Speaker A: Ulick Agathar.
He, he sort of like he hums and whores.
[00:37:14] Speaker B: He made.
Ulic did a lot of incredible things in his lifetime, but he also made a lot of powerful enemies.
And, and I feel that his obsession, his obsessions would prove to be his unraveling.
[00:37:42] Speaker A: We are.
[00:37:42] Speaker B: After I returned from my expedition, we argued at length over his, his needs to delve into this, this, the, the question of the primal. He was, he was so caught up in that crystal that he.
Have you, have you ever known an arcane focus to be used so much that you break it through abuse through too much use?
[00:38:17] Speaker E: Is this the, the Wilder shard?
[00:38:23] Speaker A: He, he nods.
[00:38:26] Speaker B: Yes. Yeah, it's the, it's the lump of useless glass that's in the trophy room.
[00:38:35] Speaker E: But it's not in the trophy room.
It's not fair.
[00:38:40] Speaker A: Agathar looks at, like, looks at you.
[00:38:43] Speaker B: But where is it then?
[00:38:48] Speaker G: Oh, you like? No, you're a magic user.
[00:38:55] Speaker B: What? Well, he always kept it in the, in the trophy room. He, he used it as a reminder.
[00:39:02] Speaker A: Both of his exploits and also his.
[00:39:05] Speaker B: Well, towards the end he was his regret for, for taking it by force.
He shed a lot of blood for that crystal.
But, but it's, it's absolutely benign. It's, it's completely Drained of mana.
[00:39:34] Speaker A: Who.
[00:39:35] Speaker B: Who would take. Who would take it?
[00:39:37] Speaker A: What.
[00:39:38] Speaker B: What use is it to anyone?
[00:39:40] Speaker G: Um.
Well, I guess if you stole it from somewhere, maybe they wanted it back.
[00:39:49] Speaker B: I mean there's in.
[00:39:52] Speaker A: In that trophy room that all of the other magical artifacts are perfectly fine.
[00:39:57] Speaker B: I mean the.
[00:39:59] Speaker A: The.
[00:39:59] Speaker B: The. The amulets is.
[00:40:01] Speaker A: The amulet works. The.
The. The. The. The. The dagger that dispels magic that works.
Why.
[00:40:11] Speaker B: Why would you.
[00:40:17] Speaker H: Could that have been the murderer weapon to.
[00:40:25] Speaker A: Valana purses her lips if the. The wound to Agathar is.
It's a. It's a. It's a dagger wound. It's certainly a bladed weapon.
From what I understand of the Wilder shard, it's. It's too wide. It would be a very inelegant weapon to use.
[00:40:55] Speaker H: What about the letter opener?
[00:40:57] Speaker C: And I brandished the letter opener.
[00:41:00] Speaker A: Valana looks like. Tilts her head slightly and looks at this somewhat blunt letter opener and. No. No, a dagger like it looks like it's a dagger blade of some sort. A dagger wound.
You could say it's a dagger heart's wound in the heart.
[00:41:27] Speaker C: Plug in.
[00:41:32] Speaker G: Excel, would you?
Were you in.
Were you around when he came back with the shard with the crystal originally?
Do you remember when he got.
[00:41:47] Speaker B: Was.
[00:41:49] Speaker A: It was some.
It was some months ago.
[00:41:56] Speaker G: Has anyone.
No, but that is around here. Like the people today in the. In the mansion. Have any of them been new since the shard came?
[00:42:15] Speaker E: Like the chef, perhaps?
[00:42:16] Speaker D: Like a chef or.
[00:42:23] Speaker A: Shar.
Any. He kind of furrows his brow.
[00:42:40] Speaker B: Was a Druid before she became a chef, but she's been in.
She's been in Ulix employ for. For years.
[00:42:53] Speaker A: Oh, sorry. Dan's gonna read the notes.
She's been in his employ for.
[00:43:03] Speaker B: A few months.
[00:43:11] Speaker G: Interesting.
[00:43:15] Speaker B: But.
[00:43:16] Speaker A: And he. He shakes his head no, no, no. She's.
She's.
[00:43:21] Speaker B: She's bent over backwards. She spent all these months learning all of his favorite recipes and I mean even when he used to tell her off using too many of her exotic spices, he.
[00:43:35] Speaker A: She would.
[00:43:36] Speaker B: She would cater to his every will and whim.
It wouldn't have been her.
[00:43:43] Speaker H: Well, if she was a Druid beforehand, she must have some familiarity with Primor magic, right? Well, maybe she might have been upset of Eulux use or abuse on primal magic. I don't know.
[00:44:07] Speaker G: I think we should talk to her, don't you?
[00:44:13] Speaker A: She like Valana like nod like grunts in. In approval behind you and Agatha?
[00:44:25] Speaker B: No, I. I think you're on time. I think we should.
[00:44:27] Speaker A: And he sort of like gets up and goes to sort of like walk as if he's amongst, like, one of you.
[00:44:32] Speaker G: No, no, you're not going anywhere, mate, because you've, you've killed a man. Like, let's get this straight.
[00:44:40] Speaker D: All right?
[00:44:42] Speaker G: I don't, I think you're probably not, you're not really part of the gang.
[00:44:49] Speaker A: Velana.
Yeah. Valana says, you head to the parlor. I'll deal with this.
I'll deal with him, she says.
[00:45:01] Speaker H: Then three, just, just bring him with us so we're all together.
[00:45:09] Speaker A: She, she nods. Yeah, well, if you, if you. Well, unless you don't mind waiting, I'll bind his wrists so he can't cast any more spells and, and then we can head to the parlor.
[00:45:21] Speaker G: I think she can deal with him. Have you seen her?
[00:45:23] Speaker D: Look at her.
[00:45:27] Speaker A: Okay, so you hold fire. And he, like, Agatha, looks glum as his arms are pulled behind his back. And she casts like, a divine spell that fundamentally shackles his wrists together. It's like a whole person, but it's just on the wrists.
And then as she sort of like, marches him back through the corridors, Stradivon is in the foyer by the fountain, just sort of like with his stony hand cupping the water that's spraying out from the fountain.
And like, seeing Agatha shackled, like, he doesn't really have facial expressions, but you get the impression that he would be raising an eyebrow if he could.
And as you enter into the parlor, Bendel is sort of like rocked back on the, on one of the, the, like for the, the sofa type chairs. And he's just, he just like, lightly grumbling to himself in his sort like, delirious state of sleep.
But as you walk in, the chef sort of like, stands up and Valana, I, I, I have some important news to tell you, she says.
And like, her eyes are sort of like open wide and a bit frantic.
And as the four of you enter in, sort of like around the paladin, the chef is like, frantically waggling a finger at Gwendolyn.
And Gwendolyn is sort of like sat up on the, on her lounger with her hands on her lap. And then as the four of you enter, she looks to the paladin, smiles and says, I have to come clean.
It was me.
I killed Ulic.
And like, you see her brows furrowed and she like, as she looks, looks up at the, the keeper and the four of you, like, and blinks a few times and then looks down at the floor.
I killed him.
She says.
[00:48:20] Speaker E: Ian.
[00:48:21] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:48:23] Speaker E: Can can Cal ascertain if she's speaking of her own free will in this moment. Is there a spell on this woman? Is there?
Because this doesn't act well. We are aware there is friction with her and Ulic, but due to our conversation we've just had, and we know that the chef is a Druid, I'd like to see if there's a way of us kind of ascertaining if there's some foul play going on here.
[00:49:03] Speaker A: Roll me.
I think this is going to be a knowledge again.
[00:49:16] Speaker E: Yeah, it's gonna be a knowledge.
[00:49:17] Speaker A: Right.
[00:49:18] Speaker E: Hang on, let me see if I've got anything.
[00:49:21] Speaker A: Like. So specifically, you're seeing if there's some sort of magical effect.
[00:49:27] Speaker E: Yeah.
[00:49:27] Speaker A: Okay. Is there anyone else kind of chipping in or helping or.
[00:49:32] Speaker C: Yeah, I. I mean, it might be a bit far fetched because I'm not a magic user, but with my ability to sense things around us, with my heightened senses willing to spend a hope to provide aid in the sense of seeing that cows like starting to read into the situation.
Vanier's just instincts kick in and there's like he's trying to help gauge if you can sense any untoward magic in the air through more of an instinctual sense, through smell, feel, taste, and all that.
[00:50:28] Speaker H: All those senses.
[00:50:29] Speaker C: So, yeah, I'm gonna throw, if that's okay. DM. I'll throw. I'll take use up a hope to add a D6 to the roll.
[00:50:38] Speaker A: Sure. Yeah. For advanced percentage. That's fair enough. So that drops you to yes.
[00:50:43] Speaker E: Okay. What I want to do as well, Dan, is I would argue as someone who has fought in a magical war, that cow would be used to seeing people under the influence of magic, whether or not he's versed in magic directly with his backstory and stuff. But actually having to spend months and months and years surrounded by people who either use magic or influenced by magic, whether he likes it or not, he can usually tell. So I'd like to use my experience as the Blade. So it's a plus three on my knowledge roll, if that's okay with you.
[00:51:24] Speaker A: Sure. Okay.
[00:51:25] Speaker E: So that drops you to three is a yes. And that would be a hope, I believe, to use one of my experiences.
[00:51:36] Speaker A: Cool.
[00:51:37] Speaker E: Okay, so that should be a roll plus three and then plus six for advance.
[00:51:43] Speaker A: Plus D6. Yeah.
[00:51:45] Speaker E: Yeah. So let's see.
Okay. Okay, so we're looking at 15 with here then. Plus.
Okay.
[00:51:59] Speaker A: So dirty 20.
[00:52:02] Speaker E: Okay.
[00:52:03] Speaker A: Dirty 20. Okay.
You.
You study between the two of you is you study the old.
What you noted what you specifically notice, Cal, because You've likely seen it many times before is it's the confusion that she keeps on flitting back to as if she's, she's confused about the words that she's saying and yet clear that she believes what she said.
But then it's almost like she's a bit shocked that that's true.
And yeah, and to the point where she keep, that's why she keeps on saying it. Almost as if at some point she's gonna say it and it's just gonna ring false and then she'll know it's not true.
But you have seen soldiers during the War of the Dragons with this similar kind of cognitive dissonance.
And then you can't help but glance over at the chef who is like frantically waggling her finger. She's, she's admit, she's admitted it. She's admitted it. She says as the chef's pointing at the old woman.
[00:53:53] Speaker E: I'm, I'm giving a meaningful permission look again at Vanya. I love this Cal. Just giving people meaningful looks.
[00:54:02] Speaker C: Yeah. I, I, I, I see cows blue steel look study and squint. And I can see cow looking over towards the chef. He was like. And then looks at me with a sl, a knowing look. And Vanya winces ever so slightly. Is a as a form of example, acknowledge a silent acknowledgment. And Vanya will slowly step towards the, that almost step around the back of the chair that Lady Gwendolyn's in. But really making a slow movement even though it looks like he's trying to get behind Lady Grunton. He's actually trying, trying to get closer to the chef, closer to her position.
And Vanu like.
[00:55:08] Speaker H: And can you explain to us how you did this?
[00:55:11] Speaker C: As he's slowly inching towards the chef.
[00:55:16] Speaker A: So are you sort of fake asking Gwendolyn.
[00:55:20] Speaker C: Sorry. Yeah. So that the, the chef thinks that my attention's on this.
[00:55:26] Speaker A: This she, she sort of like turns and looks to you and that like she I, I, I, I, I stabbed him. I stabbed, I stabbed him.
Rayri and Alfric like as this is playing out in front of you, what are the two of you doing?
[00:56:00] Speaker D: Well the guys haven't squared still none.
[00:56:03] Speaker F: The one yeah Alfric at least is wide eyed with disbelief that they're getting a confession. And I, the voice told him he was in the parlor so he's getting, you know, validation on that end.
[00:56:22] Speaker D: I think R would just say out loud.
[00:56:25] Speaker G: It's really weird. I really thought it was her.
[00:56:28] Speaker D: Look at the chef.
[00:56:33] Speaker G: All the Everything pointed to the chef. That's just, that's blown my mind.
[00:56:38] Speaker A: As you, as you say this like she is you sort of like waggly head, an accusatory finger. Just wait. What she says.
[00:56:48] Speaker B: She looks over the glove.
[00:56:52] Speaker C: It goes towards the chef's shoulder.
[00:56:57] Speaker A: Valana steps into the room and like bringing Agatha in with her.
And you see the chef sort of like looking curiously at the shackled Agatha. Stradivon stoops in as well. And Alfric, you are, are invited in by Valana and asked to close the door behind you.
And as the, as you all kind of gather in this, in this parlor.
Yeah. Valana says it would seem that we have some suspicions. But.
And she turns to like, she turns to you Vanya. She turns to you, Cal.
We still don't know how she did it.
[00:58:11] Speaker H: Well, we can just ask.
[00:58:16] Speaker A: She.
She nods.
Well, as you say that, she says ask. Ask me what? I, I, you, you heard her. Lady Gwendolyn said that she did it.
I mean you, she, she said she stabbed him. You should, you should see if she's got a knife or something.
[00:58:50] Speaker C: And as Vanier is like right next to the chef, Vanya just like looks down towards the chef, getting to a lower, towards their level and say.
[00:59:05] Speaker A: What.
[00:59:06] Speaker H: Is this strange magical scent? I can smell.
[00:59:14] Speaker A: The.
Are you, are you asking the chef?
She, she kind of furrows her brow and I, no, I don't. I don't smell any.
[00:59:28] Speaker B: I don't.
[00:59:29] Speaker A: I, I don't, I don't know what you're picking up on. I don't. And Valana, you see, she closes her eyes and she begins to focus.
And then she opens them and there is a slight arcane aura in the room.
There is arcane magic at play here.
And then she sort of like looks to you, Cal, and looks to you, Vanier, as if to say like, with a look that almost apologizes for potentially poo pooing on the idea.
But it's arcane, not like primal or Druidic.
I, we. We don't have long left. The paladin insists. I need you. Can you think amongst yourselves with everything that you've seen? What, what could the murder weapon have been? Because I'll need to present that as evidence. We'll also need to irrefutable proof of a motive.
And if you, if you draw some sort of confession out of her now, then I can't, I can't in good faith put that forward. This is one of the most duress filled rooms I've ever encountered.
[01:00:59] Speaker H: Well, you said that it was. It was a dagger wound. White. Yes, well, there's a perfectly good magic deleting dagger in the showcase room. Could that have been possibly a potential weapon? We've just not looked into yet.
[01:01:27] Speaker A: Alfric, as Vanier suggests, that you think. And you know, while you were looking around, I mean, that knife has bit. That dagger has been just kind of on the plinth since you. Kind of. Since all four of you went in when you first arrived.
It's been there. And I mean it's not. I mean it looks sparkling, look marvellous.
But Agatha kind of chimes in from the corner of the room.
[01:02:04] Speaker B: The.
[01:02:05] Speaker A: The.
[01:02:06] Speaker B: The dagger does have the ability to dispel.
Dispel local magic. It could well have.
[01:02:16] Speaker A: It could well have bypassed Ulic's wards.
[01:02:23] Speaker F: And I suppose that he couldn't fight back.
[01:02:30] Speaker A: We should. Someone should check the dagger.
[01:02:36] Speaker F: I could go.
[01:02:39] Speaker H: I think someone else should go, don't you? Alfric?
[01:02:49] Speaker G: I was right. Alfred's really good at magic. Is he?
[01:02:51] Speaker D: Why would we send someone else? He's probably the best guy to send.
[01:02:57] Speaker F: I don't know if I'm the best magic.
[01:03:03] Speaker H: Let us say that someone with a fresh pair of eyes, it's better to go and pick it up.
[01:03:16] Speaker E: I'll go.
I'm happy to go with Alfric if that also works.
[01:03:29] Speaker A: Okay, so, Cal, and Cal, you escort Alfric to the trophy room.
And yeah, once you're inside, you. You know, Cal, it's the same as you saw it last time. An obnoxious amount of gold, lots of mounted heads on the wall and so on and so forth. And sure enough, on the kind of the top that on the pedestal furthest away from the door is a small. What is a relatively sizable dagger with a.
The. Its name on the little plaque is spell render.
And yeah, you kind of approach it. It looks pristine. It doesn't. Certainly doesn't look like it's been used to stab anyone recently.
But yeah, it just kind of like glimmers in the. In the floating candlelight and as the two. As you. Well, all right, who's. Who's picking up?
Are you picking up?
[01:04:47] Speaker F: So as if Alfrex, a magic user himself, he'll sort of look a bit sheepishly that Cow.
[01:04:59] Speaker E: Would you like to.
[01:05:01] Speaker F: I mean, if I pick it up, I probably won't be of much use to anyone.
[01:05:07] Speaker E: Then I'll pick it up.
[01:05:10] Speaker A: Okay.
Cow.
During your time in the war, it is very rare for a soldier to have not developed like a rational or irrational kind of hatred vendetta. Against someone else.
In sort of like broad terms.
Who is the person that gained your purest, most vengeful ire?
Like it doesn't have to be like a name, just like, you know, what class were they? What lineage were they? You know, just. Just an over picture.
[01:06:11] Speaker E: Sure.
There was an assassin working with the arcane on. On that side of the wall.
Killed someone very close to Cal.
[01:06:38] Speaker A: Yep.
[01:06:41] Speaker E: Yeah, the assassins.
[01:06:45] Speaker A: Okay, the assassins. Tools of the trade. Were they like mundane? Were they like poisons? Were they magical?
What?
[01:06:57] Speaker E: I think they.
I think it was magical because that. It's one of the.
It was part of the starting point of the war. It was like a shadow magic.
Yeah.
[01:07:09] Speaker A: Okay.
In which case, as you pick the dagger up, you and Alfric both watch as the runes along its blade begin to glow.
And you immediately feel a surge of power welling in your palm.
And it takes you by surprise for a moment. Cal. But you suspect that you have attuned to this dagger.
When you know it normally takes a little while to attune to a magic weapon. Like a magic item of sorts.
But it seems almost as soon as you picked it up.
[01:08:05] Speaker E: He definitely looks a little startled. Like Cal does not look. Cal gives very few emotions at the best of times. Yeah, but there is. There's definitely a kind of unreadable expression that does. Is not his usual expression on his face as he looks at this. This weapon in hand.
[01:08:25] Speaker A: In which case, yeah, Alfric, I guess you're not. You're not really sure what normal is supposed to look like right now. So like Cal's picked up a dagger. Now it's glowing.
But yes. Cal looks shocked. That's probably is a surprise.
But yeah, as like cow as you like. Well, you turn to leave, you've got this dagger. You're. You're wondering why it's attuned to you.
[01:08:57] Speaker B: An Alfric.
The hour draws near.
The window of opportunity is closing.
You stand among thieves and murderers.
And you could rise above them.
A champion of the gods.
Accept your birthright.
I am your purpose.
[01:09:36] Speaker F: I quite like them all, actually.
[01:09:40] Speaker G: They've been quite nice.
[01:09:44] Speaker F: Thieves. Is a bit harsh.
[01:09:48] Speaker A: You cannot help but find your eyes being drawn to the black circlet on the central pedestal.
[01:10:04] Speaker F: Cal.
[01:10:06] Speaker E: Huh?
[01:10:09] Speaker F: You know when a sign says do not touch you, you've seen more things than I have. I. I would wager.
Is it always, you know, so black and white or.
[01:10:30] Speaker E: Yeah, yeah, it is.
If something says do not touch, you take that very literally.
And if we're in an Archmage's tower and it says do not touch.
That is the best thing you could possibly do.
[01:10:52] Speaker B: Lies to you.
He wishes to control you.
[01:10:58] Speaker E: Don't touch.
[01:10:59] Speaker B: He wishes to cast you down.
See how the blasphemous runes reacts to his bloodthirsty soul.
He is marked by the betrayer.
He would never know if you took me.
[01:11:35] Speaker F: We should probably go.
[01:11:41] Speaker A: Leave?
[01:11:43] Speaker B: And regret everything? Every decision you make beyond this day.
I can make you.
Great.
[01:12:01] Speaker E: Come on, Alfric.
[01:12:06] Speaker F: You see, like a bead of sweat.
I don't know if dragon scent can sweat, but he's gained the ability.
[01:12:17] Speaker A: You've just got clammy flaps. That's okay. In which case, as.
Yeah. As Cal all but drags you from the trophy room. This linger. Like you hear this almost. Almost. This rumbling as you leave.
Cool.
So the two of you return to the parlor and Cal, you have a glowing like, runic dagger, a glowing magical blade in your hand.
And Valena kind of tilts her head.
I'm surprised that that is reacting to you.
[01:13:16] Speaker E: You're telling me.
[01:13:19] Speaker A: She.
She sort of like holds a hand out if. If I may.
Of course.
And as she takes it, Vanier and Rayri, you notice that the chef is just sort of like watching this all like heads flitting backwards and forwards and. Okay, so you. You found the dagger that she stabbed him with. So, so, so arrest.
What's R doing? What's R thinking?
Because you still haven't got a motive.
You haven't got proof of a motive.
[01:14:11] Speaker D: No, I think, baby, we just sidle round to the chef.
[01:14:27] Speaker A: Kicker and just.
[01:14:28] Speaker D: Just, yeah, sit on the chair.
[01:14:31] Speaker A: Okay.
[01:14:32] Speaker D: Just kind of have a little look at it.
[01:14:35] Speaker A: Yeah.
[01:14:36] Speaker G: While they're looking at that dagger, you know, we've got to sort out, you know, the admin stuff and all this stuff.
Agatha over there, you know, guy shackles. We got quite a lot of information out of him.
And he said that used to be. You've only been working here a couple of months. You used to be druids.
The funny, funny, funny things to just change what you doing to become a chef.
[01:15:04] Speaker A: I mean, it's.
It's a place of honor to be the. The chef for such a powerful mage.
Yeah.
[01:15:13] Speaker G: I thought he wasn't very nice to you. He just didn't like you cooking.
[01:15:19] Speaker A: I mean, Master Ulic, he liked his food quite pedestrian.
But I mean, I. I don't quite. I don't quite understand what it is that you're implicating. That. What, no one would kill someone because they don't like their food?
[01:15:39] Speaker G: No, it's just this Funny thing happened a couple of months ago and it might just have like a bit effect, like a knock on effect of some other things.
So like he had this, this like shard that he like stole.
[01:16:01] Speaker A: Oh, I, I wouldn't know about that.
That would seem to be a.
See the others apart me see not knowledge says recall, analyze and comprehend to interpret facts, see the patterns clearly or remember important information. Instinct says to sense danger, notice details in the world around you, or track an elusive foe. There is a part of me that thinks instinct is more physical and knowledge is more mental.
[01:16:47] Speaker D: So yeah, that's fine, I'll do it.
[01:16:49] Speaker A: Or presence facility with sword social situations.
[01:16:54] Speaker C: I think there are times if it's not clear.
The general consensus with the whole theme of Daggerheart is if you can narratively explain how you're implementing a certain skill, then that's the.
[01:17:14] Speaker A: Sure, I'll give you. I'll flavor the answer based on which ability you use.
But I would argue it's between presence and knowledge.
[01:17:27] Speaker D: Yeah, so I mean I would.
[01:17:32] Speaker A: Beef Tain is asking if Vinnie helps with the smelling of crotch sweat when stressed.
[01:17:40] Speaker D: That's actually not part of his.
[01:17:42] Speaker A: These repertoires.
That's a higher level. That's.
[01:17:46] Speaker D: Yeah, that's. That's the next level up.
[01:17:50] Speaker A: A new experience.
You say presence, Presence or knowledge?
[01:17:58] Speaker G: Yeah, I mean, I think what Barry's.
[01:18:02] Speaker D: Trying to kind of figure out if. When they're just when the chef says, I wouldn't know anything about that. If they're putting on like an act, like maybe they are themselves deceiving. Can I roll for. Can I see if they are deceiving?
[01:18:26] Speaker A: Roll me a present.
[01:18:27] Speaker B: Check.
[01:18:28] Speaker A: Oh, yeah, I'm happy with that.
[01:18:32] Speaker D: Come on. I've been rolling like. But 8, 10.
Okay, 15.
[01:18:40] Speaker A: 15.
[01:18:42] Speaker F: Oh, if you roll a presence check with fear, I can spend three hope to intervene on the consequence.
[01:18:53] Speaker B: Objection.
[01:18:56] Speaker A: Okay, what does the intervening look like?
[01:19:00] Speaker F: I think it's.
I suppose it says negate the role's consequences by intervening.
[01:19:13] Speaker A: Very good. Okay, you. For a fleeting moment, you thought the clock was going to go bong as another hour mysteriously disappeared. But no, you are wrong. It is only the 45 minutes past chime.
You rolled a 15.
It is clear she does know what you're talking about.
So yeah, and she, she looks around like somewhat shiftily.
And it's clear to her as she looks around and sees a number of faces, a number of eyes just like boring into her. The only person, the only people in the room not looking at her are Bendel, who's like drooping in and out of consciousness. And Lady Gwendolyn, who's just sort of like, blinking and just, like, muttering to himself, but I killed him.
[01:20:29] Speaker B: But.
[01:20:30] Speaker A: But I don't understand. But. And she's, like, looking at the chef as if confused about all of these kind of streams of thought that are spilling, you know, weaving out from front of her.
And Valena looks to the four of you and says, do you have.
Do you have a murder suspect, a murder weapon and a motive that you want to put forward?
I do not have much magic left. But once you have ascertained those, once you believe you have found the answers to those three questions, I can use what magical reserves I have left to draw forth a confession if the person is guilty.
[01:21:35] Speaker H: Well, I think we have a weapon and a suspect.
Not necessarily a full motive yet, as far as I know, but I'm sure we can get one.
[01:21:58] Speaker A: Stratavon pipes up.
[01:22:00] Speaker B: And if the knife was used to kill the mage, why is it not sodden with blood?
[01:22:10] Speaker F: I was also wondering this.
[01:22:15] Speaker A: He.
[01:22:17] Speaker G: Is it cleaned?
[01:22:18] Speaker A: Is it.
[01:22:19] Speaker D: You could just wipe. I wipe my weapons off all the time.
[01:22:23] Speaker A: The paladin looks at the dagger that. Because, you know, she's got the. Her hands on spell, render and cal. You've noticed that the runes did not, like, immediately stopped glowing once she took hold of it.
But she looks over and it is immaculately spotless. It would be difficult to clean it as well as it would need it to. Like, to get it back into this state if it was used as a murder weapon would.
And she. She looks. Looks around and realistically, I'm just gonna ask everyone for a knowledge recall because we're cracking on. And it was also six weeks ago.
[01:23:13] Speaker C: Yep.
[01:23:14] Speaker A: Recall some knowledge from six weeks ago.
[01:23:18] Speaker C: Oh, well, I got a crit then.
[01:23:22] Speaker A: You did get a crit.
[01:23:27] Speaker C: With my minus one.
[01:23:29] Speaker A: Ray. Ray pass venue past Cat. What's everyone's. Oh, I'm assuming everyone's knowledge is like zero or minus one, right?
[01:23:40] Speaker E: Zero.
[01:23:40] Speaker A: Okay, you got two. Okay, so Alfric, Vanier and Rayri.
No, sorry, Alric. Cal.
Oh, yeah. And Ray.
[01:23:52] Speaker B: Re.
[01:23:57] Speaker A: Is that everyone F. You passed. Oh, Cal didn't. Okay, so. Oh, you all like as the Alfred Vanier and Ray.
[01:24:10] Speaker B: You.
[01:24:11] Speaker A: The three of you look at each other and like Stradivon is stood in the doorway, right? Like he's blocking the doorway.
But it's. Rayri is your kind of. As you look down, like he's tall enough that you can see, like, between his legs into the foyer.
And as you peer back, Alfric, you or Vanier, you remember marveling at how well that doormat cleans the mud off your boots.
And it dawns on the three of you that the mat, the doormat at the start of the mansion, and Alfric, you remember this explicitly as well when you stepped on cleaned it for all extents and purposes, cast a prestidigitation spell that cleaned off all of the muck and debris from your clothes and shoes, leaving them absolutely spotless.
And yeah, Vanier, you're with off the back of a crit. You can 100 put two and two together. And like the, the. This. The quality of the cleanliness of this dagger far out exceeds what was the state of the other artifacts in that room.
[01:25:46] Speaker C: I was thinking about like dust collecting, death and things like that. Yeah, I was thinking, well, if the.
[01:25:54] Speaker H: Artifact has been in that room for a long time, it would have collected dust by now. However, I've never felt so clean until I walked on that mat that we walked on.
[01:26:09] Speaker A: It was like being cuddled by a cloud, a warm cloud.
And Valana just sort of like raises her eyebrows.
Prestidigitation. Oh, mate, I had to practice a long time to learn to say that.
Yes. She sort of like raises her. Her eyebrows as a lot of the pieces are falling together.
Well, are we ready to try for a confession?
Are we confident?
Okay.
The chef, like Chef Trier, kind of looks around and sort like, what? What? Like she's, she's, you know, she's looking around a little frantically as the paladin steps forward and sort of like stoops down and pulls the large bear rug in the middle of the parlor to the side.
And as she steps into the middle of the room in the middle of the floor, she closes her eyes and then kind of offers her hands out and her, her eyes slowly fade to a. A sort like a dull whitish glow, a gray glow, if you will, and like divine runes begin to encircle her and sort like rotate around her in rings. And as they grow in intensity, they sort of like flow down her form and it effectively embed themselves on the floor around her until a runic circle has been conjured.
And she looks to you, Van Year, and sort of like gestures to the middle of the circle as Shreya looks around and. No, no, no, you've. You've. You've got it wrong. You've got this. She. But she said. She said.
And. Yeah, are you.
[01:28:26] Speaker C: I am using my good glove and just shoving this person towards.
[01:28:31] Speaker A: Okay.
And as the chef moves into the middle of the. The runic Circle like, she looks around and then suddenly, like, stiffens. And her head kind of sits bolt upright as she finds herself just kind of locked into a separate stare towards the paladin.
And as the Keeper looks down on her, she asks, like, as she speaks, you notice that there's a glow from within her that's kind of just about visible from the back of her throat as, like this resonant. With a resonant voice, she asks in.
[01:29:15] Speaker B: The presence of Tione, you have been summoned to test your guilt this evening.
Did you.
Did you assassinate the arch mage Ulic?
[01:29:36] Speaker A: And you see the chef, sort of like she's trying to like, turn her head away and then she snaps back and then her eyes glow the same as the Paladins, and she.
Yes, she says.
[01:29:52] Speaker B: Did you use this dagger to kill the mage?
[01:30:00] Speaker A: Yes, she says.
[01:30:08] Speaker B: Did you?
[01:30:11] Speaker A: The paladin stops and sort of like, looks to you. Between the four of you, just to clarify, what do you suspect the motive is? What have you told Valana? The motive is the.
[01:30:22] Speaker E: To do with the temple, right? It's to do with.
[01:30:25] Speaker G: He stole the crystal from her temple.
[01:30:31] Speaker F: Or the temple that was linked to her.
[01:30:40] Speaker B: Did you kill Archmage Ulic in retaliation.
[01:30:45] Speaker A: For his actions at the o. At the.
[01:30:49] Speaker B: At your temple?
[01:30:53] Speaker A: And the chef, like. Her shoulders sink a little, and then she stands back to attention.
For what he did to my brothers and sisters.
[01:31:12] Speaker B: This was too fine a. Too fine a death for him.
[01:31:18] Speaker A: I wish I could cut him down like the dog he is.
In his death, the spirits of my. The spirits of my fellow adherents can be at peace.
And the paladin sighs and then looks to the four of you with a smile as the chef admits that you have found the correct murderer, the correct murder weapon and the correct motive.
And like, as.
As this happens, like, Stradivon is sort of like nodding in. In approval as the magic runes begin to dissipate. And Chef. The chef sort of like slumps back down and what. What happened? What happened? And before she can kind of do anything, this Keeper, like, strides towards her and like, grabs her by the shoulder, roughly spins around. And then using the same spell as she did on Agatha, she binds her wrists together in a divine binding.
And in the few in the hour and a bit left before midnight, there is an. A relatively uneasy, like a relatively awkward tension through the mansion.
But sort of like secured in the parlor, like, locked in with. With Agatha, the paladin moves you out into the foyer and thanks you for your efforts in the investigation.
I must admit, I.
I'm not very good with seeing some of the more subtle details, so I appreciate all of your help.
If. If there's anything that you. If they have any matters within the mansion, I suggest you do them quickly. It seems the spell will be ending soon.
So, between the four of you, is there anything you want to. Sort of like supermarket sweep from the mansion before it all vanishes? Loot.
[01:33:56] Speaker D: Goes up to Gwendolyn.
[01:33:58] Speaker A: Yeah.
[01:33:59] Speaker B: And.
[01:34:02] Speaker G: So you and the Archmage.
A bit of a thing.
[01:34:09] Speaker A: She. She nods.
[01:34:12] Speaker G: And the ring?
[01:34:15] Speaker A: Yes, we.
We were betrothed once.
But it would seem the call of a adventure was too much for him.
And on of all of the days to decide to leave me, he chose that one very specific day.
She looks a bit sad. And then.
Maybe that's why I killed him.
[01:34:50] Speaker G: No, no, dear, no. No, you didn't. Didn't kill him.
[01:34:55] Speaker D: No, like the.
[01:34:57] Speaker G: The Druid, she passed.
[01:34:58] Speaker D: Like, got you a bit confused, I think.
[01:35:03] Speaker G: Or maybe you are just a bit confused.
[01:35:05] Speaker A: Quite old, just confused. I. I can very quickly tell you that in the amount of time that you've had after the arrest of Chef Sharir the Paladin. So Paladin Valana finds on the lore of our woman's possession one of Agatha's artifacts that was missing from one of the pedestals at the back of the room.
Specifically the orb of modified memory.
And yeah, she tells you the effects will wear off eventually, she says, but as it currently stands, she will just have to think that she killed Agatha.
Yes, Back. Back to the. Back to the present. Yeah. The. The old lady nods.
Maybe that's why I killed him.
Why do you ask, child?
[01:36:18] Speaker G: Oh, we found your old engagement ring.
I was going through his drawers and I found it.
[01:36:26] Speaker A: She.
Oh, if.
Could you fetch it for me? It might be a suitable reminder of him.
[01:36:43] Speaker G: Yes, yes.
Viddy, go get it.
[01:36:49] Speaker A: As.
As Viddy goes to fetch the ring. Cal, is there anything your supermarket sweeping.
[01:36:58] Speaker E: I want to talk to Venda regarding spell render. Like, does she need to keep it because it's evidence, or do I get to keep it? And I'm also not even sure if Cal wants to keep it. But also I want to keep it even if Cal doesn't want to keep it. So that's. So I'm like trying to figure out if, like what that entails for him and what that means.
[01:37:27] Speaker A: She.
She.
As you ask. She turns and I notice that you had attuned to it somewhat quicker than we would normally have expected.
I have been speaking to Agatha as to the nature of this dagger and it Would seem that due to its nature, it attunes to someone who has sworn vengeance against a magic user.
I suspect that's how it was such an efficient weapon to use against the arch mage.
It has some spells contained within it that can be cast a number of times per day.
It would seem that the. The. The. The dispelling spells contained within have been exhausted. Perhaps by our chef when it was used on Archmage. Ulic.
Now that we have a.
A divine pronouncement. Confession.
I do not need it physically.
The. The confession has been made. Tione has heard it. And I shall use that as evidence.
I have no need for this. And I suspect that none of the guests here will want a reminder as to what has transpired tonight.
It seems that someone has earned your ire.
That would enough that it would activate the blade. So perhaps on this occasion I will turn a blind eye if you were to take it for yourself.
[01:39:20] Speaker E: I think Cal will take this in and he will look very solemn as he thinks about this.
Thank you.
I think I will take it. But my intention is not for vengeance.
I thought I had done with all of that back in the war.
But if it is useful as an explorer, I will use it wisely.
My aim.
[01:39:59] Speaker A: Velana nods. And sometimes to find yourself changed by what happened during the war of the heavens.
This is not a mark of weakness.
This is merely a mark of our. More of our mortal mortalness.
And she sort of like nods and hands you the dagger.
What's van year? Supermarket sweeping.
[01:40:40] Speaker C: I can't remember all the artifact things that were there.
What?
[01:40:46] Speaker E: There's some.
I have a giant's ring and some horns that are like walkie talkies.
[01:40:57] Speaker A: Yes.
[01:40:57] Speaker E: My notes from six weeks ago. I don't know how.
[01:41:00] Speaker F: The orb of modified memory.
[01:41:03] Speaker A: Yes.
Yes. So the. The. The earrings. The orb modify memory.
The. There were the horns of the like large horns. Agatha mentions, if you like spoken to one.
But if you held it to your ear, in your mouth, you could hear and talk to the person that was holding the other horn to their ear and mouth.
In the trophy room, there's also the like amulet of enchantment. Magic.
[01:41:39] Speaker C: Do we know what that does?
[01:41:42] Speaker A: Cal figured out that it. It had some sort of. It. It could.
The. The magic within. It would make someone extremely susceptible to magical suggestions.
[01:41:53] Speaker C: Oh yeah. That one was more like you pant on.
Yeah.
And then that was it, right?
[01:42:05] Speaker A: I guess.
And the black iron circlet. But I mean no. No one wants to pick that up.
[01:42:12] Speaker B: So.
[01:42:12] Speaker A: Moving swiftly on. I mean, I guess the only other Thing Vanier is that there are some really good quality herbs and spices in Chef Sharia's pantry.
Like super exotic.
[01:42:28] Speaker C: Would Bendle know how to open up the safe?
[01:42:33] Speaker D: I think it's just gonna have his will in it.
[01:42:36] Speaker C: Oh, was it just. How does it have just a world? No, like coffers.
[01:42:41] Speaker E: No money.
[01:42:42] Speaker D: He hasn't got any money.
[01:42:43] Speaker E: Basically bankrupt.
So it's old?
[01:42:47] Speaker A: Well, yes.
Like having shaken him down. Agathar produces a key which unlocks the safe. So if you wanted have a quick look in the safe.
[01:42:59] Speaker C: A quick look in the safe.
[01:43:01] Speaker A: Okay, quick look in the safe.
[01:43:02] Speaker C: Just. Just to see.
[01:43:04] Speaker A: Reveals it.
[01:43:08] Speaker C: Letter.
[01:43:08] Speaker A: It reveals the brackets. Updated. Close brackets. Will of the Archmage Ulick.
The updated will of the Archmage Ulic of Atwin Tower. I which shall henceforth supersede any other written versions of my will. To the town of Seldovan I leave the sum of 5,000 gold pieces that the town's leaders may provide for the common good of the people. The contents of the rosewood box are to be left to Lady Gwendolyn of Grandland Manor. And they belong to her to do as she wishes. No one but her shall inspect the contents. I leave it to the ever faithful Bendel to deliver itself to her.
All of my other possessions I leave to be divided between my successor Agathar.
Well sorry. I leave to my successor Agathar that my dutiful student may continue my life's work.
Signed Archmage Ulic.
So you realize this will is leaving everything to Agatha?
[01:44:18] Speaker C: Yeah. So I just knowing that the wheel's no use and it's been tampered and Agatha has been.
[01:44:24] Speaker H: He just rips it up.
[01:44:29] Speaker A: Otherwise inside the safe is a spell book.
You assume this Archmage spell book and a dragon bone wand. You realize the matching pair to the broken one that Agathar is.
[01:44:47] Speaker D: Oh yeah. Cuz he dual wielded, didn't he on that.
[01:44:50] Speaker C: And do ones in this world, are they just arcane focuses or do they actually have like. Like magic items?
[01:44:59] Speaker A: I mean all I'm going to say is in that picture he is shooting hella lightning bolts out of it.
[01:45:05] Speaker C: So I'll take the one.
[01:45:09] Speaker H: Okay.
[01:45:10] Speaker C: Not that. And the spell book. And I will tell Rayri as I'm about to make my way to the kitchen. I'll say.
[01:45:18] Speaker E: Really?
[01:45:18] Speaker H: I. I remember there were some cool looking horns that might be quite useful. I. I think you should go. Yeah, you should get them.
[01:45:25] Speaker C: And I'm gonna go into the kitchen.
[01:45:27] Speaker H: And just raid those spice covers.
[01:45:29] Speaker A: Okay. Put them into my cool bag in which Case. Yeah, as the time as you are minutes to midnight. And everyone gathers in the foyer to make their exit.
And like Agatha looks crestfallen.
Bendel is conscious but stupefied. And he's just sort of like being carried along, like helped along. And he's just mumbling to himself.
But as your Stratovon is carrying the.
So the. The Paladin Valana is carrying the swaddled corpse of the mayor. And Stradivon is carrying the swaddle corpse of the Archmage.
But as you get as you will get ready to leave. Alfric, what did you supermarket sweep for?
[01:46:29] Speaker F: I think he.
He thought about it.
Then he thought about the books he has read and none of them contain a good story about an evil crown that talks to you.
Picture that in his mind and he tried to spend that hour playing a little song on his violin and very deliberately not picking up an evil circlet from the the artifact room do if.
[01:47:05] Speaker C: If Vanya sees this sense of willpower to go away from the.
[01:47:12] Speaker A: I will.
[01:47:13] Speaker C: I will proudly be like that was the truth.
[01:47:20] Speaker H: We can make an explorer out of you yet.
[01:47:23] Speaker C: And I present the spell book I cannot use.
[01:47:27] Speaker A: In which case as like Vadya. As you look proudly at Alfric for resisting the temptation of the black iron circlet, Valana asks if you're all already.
And as the clock strikes midnight, you watch as like the. The starry skies through the magical windows that kind of adorn the mansion, they begin. The stars begin to kind of blink out until they just become an inky darkness. And slowly, bit by bit, like the wall, the ceiling and the walls of the mansion almost begin to sort like blow away as if wisps of smoke as the mansion begins to deconstruct around you until only a matter of moments later, you all find yourself stood on the top of the hill where the mansion once stood.
And as you look up and see the like the night sky that you're from, well, you're newly familiar with the night sky that is only 18 months old. For.
[01:48:40] Speaker B: For you all.
[01:48:44] Speaker A: We. And you know the moon kind of gleaming brightly overhead.
Valana like thanks you the four of you once again. And everyone begins to move off in their respective directions.
Alfric, are you.
What. What discussions are you having? Because it seems like these three are.
Well, these three have some bad news to deliver to Ava Moore and because they were not able to retrieve what. What it was that they were sent to fetch from the Archmage. But they are heading back to the portal that will take them back to Avermore. Fundamentally the new capital of Elsweyr. But where are you heading?
[01:49:39] Speaker F: I. I've got. I've kind of got to go home.
[01:49:47] Speaker H: I thought you wanted to be an explorer.
[01:49:50] Speaker F: I mean, I did, but I also.
I was sent to go to this party and if I don't come back from the party, and also that the tower has gone and several people are dead, that might cause some disturbance between my parents.
But I could write and maybe I could come join you later if you.
If you'll have me, of course.
[01:50:28] Speaker H: You know you are always welcome.
Take whatever time you need.
[01:50:38] Speaker G: Wait till you'll find us.
[01:50:40] Speaker D: Invite the explorers.
[01:50:45] Speaker F: And you're putting a good word for me.
[01:50:49] Speaker G: I put in a word.
[01:50:56] Speaker A: Well, there we go. Does Cal have any heartfelt things to add on?
[01:51:05] Speaker E: You did good, kid.
See you soon.
[01:51:10] Speaker F: Outbreak beams a big dragony smile.
[01:51:16] Speaker E: Not too soon.
But we'll see you soon.
[01:51:19] Speaker F: Please, not too soon.
[01:51:24] Speaker A: In which case, as the four of you begin kind of descending down the hill and three of you kind of. Well, one of you branches off to head home, while the other three head back towards the established portal back to Avermore.
Elsewhere and elsewhere, the gleaming moon is slowly and eventually eclipsed by dark rolling clouds as a low, deep rumble of thunder ripples across the night sky.
As the lights of Seldavon begin to extinguish at the bottom of the hill and rain begins to fall from the skies, the droplets ricochet off a dark circular object, a ring like object laying in the ground.
And as we zoom in to this black iron circlet, we hear a quiet but prominent and we will call it there.
Congratulations everyone on completing the Eulik Mansion murder mystery.
Thank you to Alagoma on Reddit for writing that adventure. This has been a very elegoma spell right there. It's probably backwards, but it was a very, very good little adventure. A really good one. Shot to run.
I hope. I hope the four of you enjoyed it. I hope everyone who's watching enjoyed it. But yeah, we finished the second tail.
The you, the explorers heading back to Avonmoor. There may or may not be a fourth explorer in the wings. We will. We will see.
But yeah, all the loose threads were tied up. Nothing untoward. Nothing. No repercussions.
No, no. Everyone got what that was coming to them. Bishop Bosch. Job done. Congratulations everyone. You did it. I think we need happy music from this, but yeah, well done. You did it.
So now that we've finished this, we.
The next session is going to be a. The start of a new tale.
We've had a quick discussion about this off, like offline.
We're not going to, we're going to be skipping a week for all extents and purposes. So the next session will be recording live, will be on the 31st of October and I don't think the 31st of October has any real, real world holiday significance that might affect what we are on not doing.
But we'll be excited to see you all there for the start of Tale three.
[01:55:08] Speaker E: Dan.
[01:55:09] Speaker A: Yes. Dan, yes. Question, answer.
[01:55:12] Speaker E: Can we do, can, can our characters be in fancy dress, please?
[01:55:17] Speaker A: I mean, maybe, maybe. Well if you, if you want to see the characters in fancy dress, make sure to hit the like button and subscribe to the Explorers of Elsewhere channel. Hit the bell icon for notifications when we release new videos because they're coming out all the time. We wouldn't want you to miss it. And how would you know if there was fancy dress or not if you didn't subscribe and get the notification?
Exactly. Beef. Why would we not want that?
[01:55:51] Speaker B: Yes.
[01:55:53] Speaker A: Thank you all again for playing. Thank you all again for watching.
Have you, has, has anyone here specifically Theo or Georgia got any shout outs that they want to shout out?
[01:56:05] Speaker E: Feel like me and Georgia might have something. I'll let Georgia lead it. The last time I led it and I don't think I did a very good job.
[01:56:12] Speaker F: We now have an announcement date for our horror fiction found footage podcast, the Homewood foundation, which is a queer sequel to the novel Dracula.
You can find us on social medias on our website thehomewoodfoundation.com our social media link is the Homewood foundation and we are dropping the pilot on the 15th as well as the Kickstarter for all of season one which we are looking to crowdfund. So if horror found footage, found footage, fiction, Dracula or queer sounds good to you, then please look us up all the above.
[01:56:54] Speaker A: Amazing. And yeah, the link to the website I've just chucked in the chat.
Yeah. So yeah, 100 give that a little look into especially in case there are any real world holidays that kind of tie into it. Coming up soon.
Right. Thank you everyone for watching. Thank you everyone for playing. We will see you all next time.
It.
