Cloudfall | 42 - Doom & Bloom - podcast episode cover

Cloudfall | 42 - Doom & Bloom

Apr 25, 20241 hr 14 minSeason 2Ep. 43
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Episode description

There's nowhere left to hide, and everything is out to kill us. The path out of the Feywild is bathed in blood and full of old foes.

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Transcript

Tim / GM

Last time on Cloudfall. For the first time since falling into the Feywild, the party got a few hours to rest. Huber and Tully had carved out a refuge protected by the white flames of an ever burning bonfire where they managed to survive in the Feywild for several weeks. Interactions between everyone ranged from lighthearted banter to heavy planning to heavy petting. Woah. All signs It's

Tara / Journey

not that heavy. Jesus.

Tim / GM

All signs for escape are pointing to the giant tower at the center of the lake, but there's still loose ends. Some missing gear, some formidable foes, and a changeling on the loose. And Tully just turned off the lights. There's a minty smoke filling this cave like refuge burning your eyes and filling your lungs. And as the last smolders are drowned out, it's pitch dark in here. Even if you have dark vision, you can't see through the smoke in this moment, and suddenly all of you hear

Quickly, this way. Follow me. And you know where it's coming from just based on the sound. What do each of you do?

John / Doran

Doran's gonna yell, trust your instincts, and I'm going to just run towards the, where the fire was.

Hannah / Eryn

Okay. Do

Tara / Journey

I remember where the pile of paraceline birch?

Tim / GM

Yeah.

Tara / Journey

Okay. I wanna create bonfire where I think it was.

Tim / GM

Cool. Okay. Nice. What's everybody else got?

Tara / Journey

Journey's gonna reach out with her Ganymede ability and try to feel for where everyone is.

Tim / GM

Okay. Yeah. You've got it right away. Okay. But you can't see anything. Right. Yeah. I think Guy's gonna run toward Hubert's voice. K. And Eren.

Hannah / Eryn

Would you say Eren is hidden by this darkness? Mhmm. Great. I think I would run after Doran. I'm assuming we're still standing kind of close to each other.

Tim / GM

Yeah. You're still in that refuge.

Hannah / Eryn

So, yeah, I would just follow Doran's footsteps.

Tim / GM

Yep. So what that amounts to is Guy, Doran, and Aaron all converge on the bonfire. Having followed Hubert's voice, you run to where Hubert is, which is right on the bonfire. With this bonfire being lit up again, you can start to see a little bit in the darkness here. And as the smoke kind of clears, you all see poppy by the pile of wood that was feeding the bonfire.

So now that whole stock is igniting and kind of like burning and spreading, creating this huge sparkling white bonfire now. Journey, when you open your eyes onto the scene, you see most of your friends standing around the bonfire with a stranger, and you see Poppy who had just lit a bonfire. At that moment, you all kind of look around in the light here, and you don't see Tully, but you see Huber standing with you, and he says, follow me quickly, and he starts walking away from the bonfire.

Hannah / Eryn

Don't follow him, and Aaron's gonna hold their crossbow bow and point it at Huber's back.

Tim / GM

K. Journey.

Tara / Journey

I'm gonna cast fire fire on this Huber. Okay.

Thomas / Guy

What what's going on?

Hannah / Eryn

I don't think it's really him.

Tara / Journey

It's not sure. It looks just like him. It sounds just like him.

Hannah / Eryn

No. This might be the thing I ran into earlier. I don't know. The changeling.

Tara / Journey

If you're really Hubert, tell us something only Hubert would know.

Tim / GM

It's alright. Follow me.

Tara / Journey

Okay. That sounds like him.

Thomas / Guy

Classic Hubert.

John / Doran

Jordan's going to run towards Hubert. Yep. And

Tara / Journey

Well, the real prime archivist.

Tim / GM

I was like, please say that.

John / Doran

It's like, shit. Doran doesn't do damage. Yeah.

Tara / Journey

While you're thinking, for the purposes of the Faerie Fire that I cast, I know it's a 20 foot cube, but I would hope to, like, aim it for a back wall so that it would hit just him as much as possible Yeah. Or the changeling.

Tim / GM

You guys had talked about this plan before. I'm gonna have everyone else make a dexterity save with advantage to avoid this.

John / Doran

13.

Hannah / Eryn

16.

Thomas / Guy

Add 3 to those, fellas. What? 19. Yeah. 19.

Tara / Journey

Great. They all pass.

John / Doran

16.

Hannah / Eryn

18.

Tara / Journey

Yeah. They all pass.

Tim / GM

Cool. Alright. Yeah. Yeah. You get just the changeling.

Tara / Journey

Great.

Tim / GM

Sniped him with a fairy fire.

Tara / Journey

You see a fuchsia y glow surround this Huber, and Journey shouts out, that's not Huber.

Tim / GM

Aaron, you see Fairy Fire ignite, splitting out from this changeling skin, and you've really only seen Verifier come from one source, and that's Diver. Just the the look of it, the smell of it is familiar and nauseating.

Hannah / Eryn

What did you do to him?

Tara / Journey

Just lit him up so that we can see him.

John / Doran

Why don't we just wait here till Tully gets back? I'm gonna cast suggestion on the changeling, which I don't know if it'll work because it's a charm. But k. So it's a d c 16 wisdom save. 13 here

Tim / GM

for the wisdom save. Okay.

John / Doran

We'll wait by the fire till Tully comes back. Okay?

Tim / GM

Come with me. Go ahead.

John / Doran

Alright. And I'm just gonna try to lure him back and then kinda, like, look nervously at the rest of the party as we come back. Yeah. And,

Hannah / Eryn

Aaron still has the crossbow bolt pointing at them and says, does anyone have some rope we can time up?

Tara / Journey

I have my vine, but if you wanna I, I have some here.

Hannah / Eryn

Alright, Poppy. And Erin nods down.

Tara / Journey

You want me to tie him up?

Thomas / Guy

I'll tie him up, Poppy.

Tara / Journey

Can you do a general nod?

John / Doran

I'm gonna be talking to the changeling just nonsense stuff like, yeah, Tully should be back soon. It's awful dark. I hope he comes back. Just trying to keep it distracted to give the help action on any stealth attempt here.

Tim / GM

It's looking up at you, and it's just going Yep. Alright. That's okay. Follow me.

Thomas / Guy

Yeah. We'll just follow you, big guy.

Tim / GM

He's watching you kind of, like the changing is watching you tie him up behind and turns around and goes, it's going to be alright.

Tara / Journey

Didn't even know where actual Huber is? Because he was here.

John / Doran

We need to find him where's Mikey too.

Hannah / Eryn

Wait. Tie him up extra tight and tie it around his legs too. Because if it changes, might try to slip out.

Tim / GM

You got it. Near that moment, you do hear, everyone, quickly follow me.

Thomas / Guy

From not that one.

Tim / GM

From a good ways away, actually. From outside of this little refuge. And then you hear, sorry. Poor choice of words.

Tara / Journey

They're all they're all fake. I think that one might be real. This one seems to just be repeating stuff.

Hannah / Eryn

Aaron's gonna walk up to the one on the ground now tied up and try to hit him on the back of the head with the blunt end of the cross bolt to knock him out. Not to do damage, but to make him incapacitated for a little bit.

Tim / GM

You would roll a regular attack, and if you're just kind of, like, bashing them with the crossbow, it would be a d four damage.

Tara / Journey

Natural 1. Oh, no. Whoops. Oh, no.

John / Doran

K. Is it considered restrained? I'm just wondering mechanically if there's anything that

Tim / GM

helps us.

Hannah / Eryn

Thanks, John.

Tim / GM

Well, you would've had advantage on the attack for sure. Okay.

Hannah / Eryn

Because they're restrained.

Tim / GM

Right. They're tied up at the moment.

Tara / Journey

Oh. Wow.

Hannah / Eryn

Nat 20.

Tim / GM

What a lot

Hannah / Eryn

of fun. What a beep.

Tim / GM

Incredible. Yeah. Okay.

Hannah / Eryn

Alright. Well,

Tara / Journey

you can Huber's

Thomas / Guy

Huber's head pops right off.

Tim / GM

Alright. Here's what happens. You raise your crossbow over your head knowing that the biggest thing you're fighting against is time. Don't let this thing have time to make a decision because you know what you would do here. You take your crossbow, raise it over your head, and just bring it down on the changeling's head.

In that moment, you see an arm spring out of its neck, a raw fleshy, muscled arm that is just now creating skin over itself. Ugh. It grabs the crossbow and stops itself from being hit, but you also saw that coming. You take out your 1 doppel fox dagger, and you just bash it in the back of the head with the pommel. You see it list forward once, twice, and then go down.

Hannah / Eryn

Unconscious?

Tim / GM

Unconscious for the moment. You also see it start to revert its form.

Hannah / Eryn

Oh, fuck. I don't know if rope's gonna hold it long, guys.

John / Doran

You guys, there's more, and we need to find where Mikey, Huber, and Tully are.

Tara / Journey

There's more?

John / Doran

Keep the fire going. I'll stay with this one. Guys, we gotta go.

Tim / GM

You see, standing just beneath the the, quote, unquote, real Hubert outside this place, Mikey is with him.

Hannah / Eryn

Can someone see if that's really them, or

Tara / Journey

can I reach out with that feeling again, that Ganymede feeling?

Tim / GM

Johnny, you can confirm in an instant this is Mikey and Huber.

Tara / Journey

This is really them. We gotta find Tully too.

John / Doran

Inside check on Journey now.

Tara / Journey

Could I mage hand pick up some of the pyrosaline

Tim / GM

Yeah. The burning stuff. Yeah.

Tara / Journey

Yeah. And just carry it with me?

John / Doran

Yep. Is there any reason to leave this one alive?

Tara / Journey

Yeah. You don't just kill people randomly. It didn't even attack us. What? What?

John / Doran

What do you mean it didn't attack?

Tara / Journey

I mean, did he pull out a weapon on you? Did he slap you across the face? No.

John / Doran

Dorn's looking at Aaron to kinda get a read.

Hannah / Eryn

I don't know. I mean, I don't think anything here is gonna be our friend.

Thomas / Guy

And they clearly took out our protection. It might mean something else is coming for us.

John / Doran

I totally might be dead right now.

Tara / Journey

I think putting out that fire was a hostile action all on its own. I don't feel right about killing someone that's just laying there. Yeah. Maybe we just get the hell out of dodge.

John / Doran

You move ahead. I just kinda give a nod.

Hannah / Eryn

I'm not leaving you.

Tara / Journey

Well, I'm leaving.

Thomas / Guy

Let's go, puppy.

Tim / GM

Those few instances you got here were a gift. You all see the changeling start to rouse again after being momentarily knocked unconscious.

John / Doran

I'm gonna stab it with the blade of Riz.

Thomas / Guy

Blade of Riz?

John / Doran

Yeah. That was called? Salamorous Riz. I just thought I'm trying to come

Tim / GM

up with a nickname, but yeah. Attack with advantage.

John / Doran

Nat 20.

Tara / Journey

Wow. It's 2 day draw for all.

John / Doran

It's probably not enough damage to kill it, but What's the crit damage? So

Thomas / Guy

you gotta roll again.

Tara / Journey

Oh, yeah. Do damage.

John / Doran

Oh, natural one.

Tara / Journey

That's incredible.

Tim / GM

Yeah. And the only role of once a point.

John / Doran

Heat damage.

Tim / GM

You see it writhing on the floor, Doran, and you see black smoke start to rip across its body, and you know that it's about to change again. But you don't wait to see what's going to happen. You flip this thing over on its shoulder. With one arm, you bring up the blade of king salamorous Riz, and you plunge it into this thing as best you can. And When you draw it out, you are locked eyes with yourself as a young boy, drawing a bloody blade. And he says,

Tara / Journey

am I gonna die here? Doran.

John / Doran

Arin, can you help, please?

Hannah / Eryn

Doran, this is what I was talking about earlier. And Arin's crossbow bolt is aimed right at this thing's face, but Aaron's trembling, like shaking.

Tim / GM

Chase gets up bleeding, crawling towards you, Doran. It says, help me.

John / Doran

Please shoot at Aaron. Fuck.

Hannah / Eryn

And Aaron shoots it right between the eyes. Yep. 19.

Tim / GM

Yeah. It's the changeling. Okay.

Hannah / Eryn

Six damage.

John / Doran

Plus all the sneak attack. Right?

Tim / GM

Yes.

Hannah / Eryn

So many layers. Seventeen damage.

Tim / GM

Okay. With that, you're all staring at young Doran as a trickle of blood runs down his nose, crossbow bolts sunk into his face. He falls forward without a single sound, kind of changing as he does. And before you is a changeling in its natural form. It is naked and facedown and dead. What do you do?

John / Doran

I grabbed Aaron's hand. Let's go.

Hannah / Eryn

Okay.

John / Doran

There's probably more, and we'll try to run and catch up with the group. Yeah.

Tara / Journey

I don't think we got anywhere.

Hannah / Eryn

Not very far. Like at the mouth of the opening or whatever.

Tim / GM

Yeah.

Hannah / Eryn

The cave place.

Tara / Journey

Yeah. I put a hand on Poppy's shoulder and kinda turned her away. Let's go. Okay. That felt different. This is a different place.

Tim / GM

We have nowhere to stay now. We must keep moving.

John / Doran

Where is Tully? Did you see where he went?

Tim / GM

Tully is not with us any longer. Okay. Not with us? He kind of like firms up his grip on Mikey's shell, and he says, no.

John / Doran

I see.

Tara / Journey

Journey briefly looks at Doran in kind of a moment of solidarity, I think, of understanding of the, like, dire circumstances here and gives a nod, and then turns to Huber. Did he leave anything behind that we can use?

Tim / GM

The changeling had it took his possessions to complete the ruse.

Tara / Journey

I don't think there was anything that we really need. We should just keep moving.

Thomas / Guy

To the tower then? Yes.

Tara / Journey

To the tower.

Tim / GM

We're having fun. You all make your way towards the lake. You have to take a slightly different path coming this way. As you go, you start to notice a slow gradient of vibrant, dully glowing blue flowers under your feet.

Tara / Journey

Are they the same kind as Tully was growing? Oh, shit.

Tim / GM

Yes.

Tara / Journey

Did we grab the the flower?

Tim / GM

You got you had that one flower in, like, a bell jar or something.

Tara / Journey

The meridian fruit.

Tim / GM

Yeah. Yeah. We can say you would have grabbed that.

Tara / Journey

Yeah. Yeah. I have the pink meridian fruit now.

Tim / GM

That's what I'd say.

John / Doran

Yep. K.

Hannah / Eryn

It was by the woodpile, and you picked it up.

John / Doran

I'm assuming breathing the, like, the pollen from the flowers is what gets you with the hallucinations. I

Tara / Journey

Tati ground 1 up and experienced it.

John / Doran

Mhmm. Oh, that's true.

Tara / Journey

And had a traumatic flashback. Yeah.

Tim / GM

You're all moving through this field of flowers, and, Poppy, it's kind of occurring to you now. But even before you speak up, Doran, you start to hear, Doren. I'm looking around. You don't see anything, but it's like it could have been like a creaking tree or something, but you heard it so clearly.

John / Doran

Is it a voice I recognize?

Tim / GM

It's a young voice, not yours. Not the one you just heard, but similar.

John / Doran

Did anyone hear that? Do we have everyone? Everyone's here. Everyone's close. Hear what? I heard nothing. Fucking flowers. Let's keep going.

Tara / Journey

Everyone should cover their mouths and noses, I think.

Tim / GM

Jurney, you hear? I'm so happy I could cry.

Tara / Journey

I'm starting to hear some things. I don't

Hannah / Eryn

Aaron pulls up the scarf thing they wear around their neck and pulls it up over their nose and face like a mask. Mhmm.

Thomas / Guy

Guy, moves up the, slang that's carrying his head to cover his nose and mouth.

Tim / GM

Guy puts his head in a bag.

Tara / Journey

Poppy is in sort of a traumatized, like, shock state a little bit, and as we're walking, it's just I I couldn't do anything. I'm I'm never good enough to help. I don't do anything.

Thomas / Guy

Poppy. Poppy, you're slowing down. Are are you okay?

Tara / Journey

Yeah. I'm I'm right behind you. Hey hey, Poppy. You got another tea towel I could borrow? I, like, hand over the one I was using, maybe. Oh, no. Poppy, no. It's okay. No. Poppy, why don't you put this on?

Tim / GM

Poppy, as Journey's talking, her voice starts to muffle out into, and all you can hear is your parents in the next room. It's so nice to have you over. Yes. This is our son, Coriander, the rising star. That's right. We're so proud of him. Nearly the top earner of Kenmore machines. Did you know that? And he's only 16. I know. I know. No. Not our only child, but, he's he's something.

Tara / Journey

Oh, no.

John / Doran

Is Doran lucid enough to cast a spell? Yeah. I want to cast, calm emotions. Okay. We're slowing down way too much, everyone. Let's just try to focus. So calm emotions can deal with a charmed or frightened effect. Mhmm. I don't know, like, how that sits with the blue flower hallucination thing, but

Tim / GM

I was

John / Doran

hoping it could basically just help us focus and keep moving. Yeah. Alright. So, I think people can choose to fail if they wish. It's a d c 16 Charisma check to resist the effect of the spell.

Tara / Journey

Yeah. Journey would choose to fail.

Thomas / Guy

How's the guy doing? He hearing anything?

Tim / GM

Between heavy footsteps, you keep hearing traitor.

Thomas / Guy

Guy will fail to save.

Tara / Journey

I think I'm too lost in the sauce.

Tim / GM

To choose to save it. To find out.

Thomas / Guy

Guy's gonna soak up those calm emotions and then take a look at Poppy, who's kind of flailing a little bit. Mhmm. Oh, alright. Up you go. He's gonna pick her up and put her on her his shoulders again.

Tara / Journey

Yeah. I rolled a 13.

John / Doran

Your charm breaks then, probably.

Tim / GM

Poppy, you lose your your, charm resistance charm. As it unravels and falls to the ground, you all hear a tiny stone.

Tara / Journey

And I'm also not calmed, I assume.

Tim / GM

Right. Correct. Yeah. But you do get a cool breeze as Guy lifts you up a bit higher. Being lower to the ground, you had it worse than anybody else. Oh,

Tara / Journey

hi, Guy.

John / Doran

Hey, Bobby. Feeling better?

Tara / Journey

A little bit. Yeah.

Thomas / Guy

Alright. Let's make it to this tower.

Tara / Journey

Do I have a better vantage than everyone else?

Tim / GM

Little bit. I mean, couple inches up there.

Hannah / Eryn

It's literally Luke Skywalker and Yoda. Yeah.

Tim / GM

I'm not into the woods. The headless Luke. Yeah.

Tara / Journey

All I can

Hannah / Eryn

think of right now.

Tara / Journey

I think I'm probably exactly guy's height at this point then.

Tim / GM

Yeah. Like, about the right When

Tara / Journey

he's got his head on. Yeah.

Tim / GM

Durney, you hear of unexpected voice. You hear Ganymede coming through, and he says, excuse me. May I connect with you?

Tara / Journey

Yeah. Sure. I I mean, we're can we walk and connect? Because I gotta keep moving.

Tim / GM

Well, that's part of the problem, you see. I'm close. The last piece. The the faith the hearing. The shale. It's close to here.

Tara / Journey

Oh, Yeah. Can you lead me to it?

Tim / GM

Just keep talking. I can hear you.

Tara / Journey

Okay. Everybody, can we do some chitchatting, I guess? Ganymede can feel that last, the last piece, the hearing one. I think, Doren, it's your shell.

Tim / GM

Yeah.

Tara / Journey

He can hear it. So if we keep kinda talking, we might be able to find our way to it.

John / Doran

Okay. Yeah. It it's worth a risk.

Hannah / Eryn

What do you wanna talk about? Talking was never my strong suit.

Tara / Journey

Well, you all are doing great. I guess, don't pay no mind to the things you're hearing from the flowers. I I don't know what they are for you. I don't know. Is it supposed to be bad stuff? Because mine wasn't bad. So, yeah.

Thomas / Guy

I wasn't loving mine.

Tara / Journey

Yeah. But it's not it doesn't matter. We we don't need to worry about it. We're gonna be out of here.

Thomas / Guy

Just talk over the flowers.

Tim / GM

I think I treat her.

Tara / Journey

Not gonna be a big deal at all. Yeah. Sure. Yeah.

John / Doran

I'm having trouble concentrating.

Tara / Journey

I don't hear her. I don't hear her.

Tim / GM

Yeah. We are so

John / Doran

proud of you.

Tara / Journey

Oh, shut up, Cory. Oh. Sorry? No. It's alright. Me and Poppy, what are you what are you hearing?

Tim / GM

You. Nothing. Ungrateful Sprite.

Hannah / Eryn

Well, that's not good.

John / Doran

Can can we get an investigate check to

Tim / GM

try to

John / Doran

find this thing?

Tim / GM

Yeah. Okay.

John / Doran

Slight meta game. Who's actually good at that?

Tara / Journey

Andre. Please never make

Tim / GM

me laugh.

Tara / Journey

Mine's like mid range, I think. 14 for me? Yeah.

John / Doran

21.

Tim / GM

15. Alright, Doran. You do come upon it. You're kind of like getting low into these flowers, sweeping your hands across the dirt to try to see this thing. Okay.

John / Doran

Great. I put it in my, Gamison left inner pocket. I don't know.

Tim / GM

Oh my god.

Tara / Journey

My left inner Gamison pocket.

Tim / GM

Do I have to look shot in the left inner pocket? Butt butt. Michelle, it's there. It turns

John / Doran

the air around and

Tim / GM

Aaron, you're you're watching Dorn as he stands up with the shell, and you hear again. Peekaboo. You worthless little shit.

Hannah / Eryn

Aaron spins around with their crossbow drawn.

Tim / GM

You're pointing it at Kai.

Tara / Journey

Oh. What did you say?

Thomas / Guy

I said nothing.

Hannah / Eryn

Erin's kinda frantically pointing.

Tara / Journey

Hey. Hey. I think we should get out of this field.

Hannah / Eryn

Yeah. Let's go. Faster.

Thomas / Guy

Let's all assume that after this thing that I'm about to say that nothing we hear is real.

Tara / Journey

Oh, the what you just said right now?

John / Doran

That was it.

Hannah / Eryn

Oh, okay.

John / Doran

Alright. Let's move.

Tara / Journey

Yeah. I I run.

Tim / GM

You all see Mikey looking at the ground going, what do you mean there's no chocolate?

Tara / Journey

So Mikey, there's chocolate. Where are we going? Come on. I grabbed Mikey's hand.

Hannah / Eryn

It's Poppy's voice that's haunting him.

Tara / Journey

There's no more chocolate left, Mikey. There is chocolate. There's no more chocolate left.

Tim / GM

I'll never give you chocolate again, Mikey. Diabetic? As you're all walking out of that field, you're kind of leaving that gradient now as they start to thin out into tall grass and sand as you near the beach of the lake. And, Doran, as you exit that area, you hear right behind you, Doran, I can't feel my legs.

John / Doran

I'm gonna slowly turn around and look now. We're out of the flowers. It's just

Tim / GM

a waving field of grass. You don't know if you even ever heard that really. It might be just something you made up to hurt yourself, but it's his voice.

John / Doran

I'm gonna use prestidigitation just to chew it off some, like, dull blue sparks to try to see if there's anything standing out there. Give me perception check with advantage. 17. You see nothing, but

Tim / GM

you have Ganymede's hearing back. And in the great distance, you hear the heavy clumping of iron fruits headed towards you.

John / Doran

Do we wanna kill some red caps, or do we wanna run?

Hannah / Eryn

I said we keep moving forward.

Tara / Journey

How much paracelene birch do I have left?

Tim / GM

It's just about out. I mean, you brought what was burning, but Yeah. It's not much.

Tara / Journey

We're almost out of this too.

John / Doran

K. Let's keep moving and look for some more bark on the way if we can.

Tim / GM

Yeah. You continue on towards the lake. As you head out this way, there's not much for birch as the trees have thinned out. Approaching the edge of the lake, the dry grasses and low shrubs give way to a soft gray beach with windswept dunes. And it's eerily warm here and snowing, a soft rain of ash and cinders.

You see the rock bridge that reaches out into the lake towards the tower, and this bridge is it's made of black magmatic stone like taffy, stretched out and splattered over the water. And the water here is violent and it rolls in waves against the rocks, threatening to submerge parts of that causeway. And And then suddenly, it all falls into place. The cinders in the air have volcanic stone all around you. You're directly beneath Backseat and the lava that flows off the side of the island.

As you all keep running, a glob of magma falls between Guy and Doran sizzling against the water and splashing on your clothes. It's not easygoing.

John / Doran

It's probably saving shells, I guess.

Tim / GM

Mikey nots.

Tara / Journey

I'm gonna hold the shield above my head to shield me and Guy.

Tim / GM

Thank you, Ocarina of time. Yes.

Tara / Journey

I think we should probably hurry. Yeah.

Tim / GM

You all start moving across that magnetic bridge. I need you ultimate dexterity saves.

Tara / Journey

Do I? If I'm ready. I okay.

Thomas / Guy

Yeah. And you all have plus 3.

Tara / Journey

22.

Thomas / Guy

20 natural.

Tara / Journey

Oh, wow.

John / Doran

18.

Tara / Journey

27. Oh, jeez.

Hannah / Eryn

I got 4, but I if I take damage, it's halved. I gotta look at this ability. Yeah. Because of my uncanny dodge. Yes. Okay.

Tim / GM

Alright. That's actually just Eren. So Eren, that is 12 fire damage halved to 6 As you are splashed with magma. You all continue sprinting across this bridge, and it's not as easy as you thought. The ground is extremely uneven.

It's also wet and submerged in some places with the ash, with the magma, Now you can all see cresting that beach, kicking up sand everywhere, a small group of redcaps led by Smile Grin. His teeth are gleaming and sharp in the light of the cinders here. You can see he's covered with battle scars, fresh battle scars. You can see some of them are wearing the skin of vermin lord trick.

Tara / Journey

Oh. Oh, no. Yikes. They kill them. Well, that's Oh, wow.

Thomas / Guy

One problem down, I guess. Does it have all the eyes on it?

Tara / Journey

Oh.

Tim / GM

It's got holes.

Hannah / Eryn

Oh. Oh, no.

Thomas / Guy

Are we out of the blue, flowers?

Tim / GM

Yes. You're well out of those. Yep.

Tara / Journey

If everyone goes then I can cast something behind us.

Tim / GM

Huber and Mikey both run ahead of your group as best they can to get past you.

John / Doran

Don't go too far. We'll take care of this.

Tim / GM

Huber looks, nervously ahead at the Towers of Lore.

Tara / Journey

Could I fabricate the bridge behind us to make as much wall as possible? How wide is the bridge that we're on?

Tim / GM

Probably less than 20 feet. So you could cover you could make a 10 foot wall across this whole bridge.

Tara / Journey

Okay.

Tim / GM

Yeah. Doing that with fabricate?

Tara / Journey

Yeah. Yeah. Okay. But I wanna grab, like, the hot and, like The fresh stuff? Slippery stuff. Yeah.

Tim / GM

Yeah. You all see Poppy kind of, like, lean down and then almost do the wave and just kinda, like, rise her hands up. And at that same time, it looks like water actually. Like this whole bridge just kind of liquefies and just sloshes straight up into this kind of, almost like natural looking, mountain joint where these things are pushed together in a, wave in stasis.

Tara / Journey

It's a hot magma wall.

Hannah / Eryn

Yeah. Okay. Very full metal alchemist. Yeah. Yeah. It's cool.

Tim / GM

How tall

John / Doran

is it?

Tim / GM

10 feet.

Tara / Journey

Alright. Go. Go. Go.

Tim / GM

Impressive. You all hear the agonizing cries of the red cats on the other side as they've been thwarted by a large stone wall. You can hear the digging and picking and smashing as they're trying to break down or climb their way up this thing on the other side.

Tara / Journey

If nothing else, at least it gave us more of a head start. Let's get going.

Hannah / Eryn

Yeah. Run.

Tim / GM

Okay. Creating more distance? Mhmm.

Tara / Journey

Yeah. Yep. At least getting onto level ground that isn't a bridge. Sure.

Hannah / Eryn

Yeah. Fair. Yeah.

Tim / GM

That buys you enough time to get to the edge of lore, to get off of this magmatic bridge and away from the environmental hazards of the falling cinders. You're all sprinting across that magmatic causeway trying not to slip and trip and fall in the lava as you do. You've reached the edge of lore. Hubert and Mikey help themselves up first, this kind of, rock dirt wall made of roots, that they sort of scrabble up and get onto the grass up there. As the rest of you are climbing, the red caps are upon you.

You see them drop over the other side of that wall. Some Some of them having successfully climbed up with their little hooks and sides. You see Smile Gren and 5 companions chasing you down.

John / Doran

Doran, touches Aaron on their arm and just says, go hunt. I cast greater invisibility on Eren.

Thomas / Guy

Oh. Woah. Shit.

Tim / GM

This is the one that doesn't turn off when you attack people. Right? Yeah.

Tara / Journey

Yeah. Dope.

Hannah / Eryn

So mine is, like, sneak attack every time? Yes.

Tim / GM

You get sneak attack on every attack.

Tara / Journey

Okay. Sounds sick.

John / Doran

And then if I and then I do wanna make another action, but I understand if I don't get another chance.

Tim / GM

I think you will get another chance. Let's let everybody decide. So those red caps have a ways to go before they get to you, so they're all still running towards you. You watch as a glob of magma drops onto their group. Smile grin. Strangely, Smile grin does not dodge as well as the rest of his Is that right?

Thomas / Guy

I mean, that's can't.

Tim / GM

Right? You're right.

Tara / Journey

That's so useless.

Tim / GM

So as Smilogrind's charging towards you with his Bismite claws on his fist kind of raking forward with his just right onto his shoulder. You hear him kind of and like barrel roll onto the ground and slide, sloughing off skin as he does. Oh.

Hannah / Eryn

Nasty.

Tara / Journey

It's very visceral. It was

Tim / GM

a good description. Criminy's. Criminy's. Sorry. But the damage he just took compared to what Aaron took for getting is unfair.

Hannah / Eryn

I mean, I was halved.

Tara / Journey

Chimney criminy. Chimney Christmas, y'all. Criminy jismus.

Tim / GM

Criminy jismus.

Hannah / Eryn

Oh, god. Too far.

Tim / GM

Erin, you were just made invisible. What's your first move here?

Hannah / Eryn

Yeah. Erin's gonna turn around, kneel down, crossbow, bolt. I wanna use do I have the Diabolo ones all back? The Erin's all back?

Tim / GM

You only have one more Silent Violet, but you've got 2 of the other 2 each.

Tara / Journey

Oh, there's 2 of each. Mhmm.

Thomas / Guy

Are you sure you don't wanna keep them until the end of the campaign and never use them? Right. Yeah.

Tim / GM

We might need these health potions.

Hannah / Eryn

I'm gonna, load up a raging red bolt. K. This will induce indiscriminate rage, causing the target to lash out at the nearest creature. I'm gonna aim for smile grid.

Tim / GM

K.

Hannah / Eryn

And shoot with advantage. Yep. Because I'm hidden Yep. Very sneaky. Nat 20.

Tara / Journey

Nice. What?

Thomas / Guy

God, hell yeah. Sneak attack nat 20?

Tara / Journey

Oh my god. Are we actually gonna kill this

Tim / GM

guy this time? Sick.

Hannah / Eryn

Okay. That is 41 damage.

Tim / GM

Holy shit. Hell, yeah.

Hannah / Eryn

And then Kill him. The Diabolo thing is, gives them rage.

Tim / GM

Yeah.

Tara / Journey

What did you shoot?

Tim / GM

Smile grind.

Tara / Journey

Smile grind. Jesus. Obviously.

Tim / GM

You all see Smile grind kind of stand up from that sliding position where he had just gotten splashed with magma. And the second he does, you see an arrow just land into his neck. He stands up with a, and kind of coughs a second. And then you see his veins begin to turn red and glow brighter than the magma around him. And you see him breathing deeply.

This deep rage that he has every single day. This is just how he is anyway. It's barely different. But he's a little less discriminant about it now. The other red caps that are behind him charging your group, one of them comes up behind him, and Smile Grand turns around and goes, and just cuts this thing's throat as it comes by.

Tara / Journey

Oh. Chint.

Tim / GM

Now he hits somebody, of course. Right. Attack.

Tara / Journey

Useless. I love the consistency. Yeah. Sometimes the dice are really trying to tell a story.

Tim / GM

Cosmic influence on all of that.

Tara / Journey

Maybe there is a God. Maybe there is.

Tim / GM

Yeah. You see, somewhat significant slash marks appear on this other red cap as it runs by and does not understand what's happening here. And it kind of stares at Smile Grand. It kind of challenges him back. It's still on a surprise round for all of you. We've got Journey, Guy, and Poppy.

Thomas / Guy

Guy has his sword drawn, and he's gonna wait for any of the red caps to get to him.

Tim / GM

Are you gonna stand out in front of everyone else? Yeah.

Thomas / Guy

Okay. He sees this attack on Smile Grin, and he says, I think your time's about up. And he casts, told the told the dead on mister Smile Grin.

Tim / GM

Mhmm.

Thomas / Guy

This is a wisdom saving throw. K.

Tim / GM

To everyone's shock. 20.

Tara / Journey

Oh, no. Wow.

Tim / GM

Anything on a field?

Thomas / Guy

Nope. Nope. Nothing happens. Wasted action.

John / Doran

Hold on. I'm just gonna cast silvery bars. So, Smalgam was going to save the Toll of the Dead. Yeah. To help guys' action, I'm using silvery barbs. Okay. Rolls again.

Tim / GM

Yeah.

John / Doran

Then I will give Poppy advantage on Poppy's next, hell

Tim / GM

yeah, action. Yeah. Cool. That is a 9 total.

Thomas / Guy

That's a fail.

Tara / Journey

Hell, yeah.

Tim / GM

Okay. So because it is myth missing health points missing health points, it takes the increased amount. Right?

Thomas / Guy

Yep. It's 2 d 12. That's 16 damage.

Tara / Journey

No. You said I'm bringing Smilegarn back, and we said no thank you.

Hannah / Eryn

So stupid. Alright. Poppy?

Thomas / Guy

He's fine.

John / Doran

He's fine.

Tim / GM

Still up. Poppy?

Tara / Journey

I'm going to do a quick arcane recipe

Hannah / Eryn

Mhmm.

Tara / Journey

And use a first level spell to make a bob tart. Okay. And then hand it over to journey. You can zoom it as a bonus action, and it causes your next attack to deal an additional 1 d4 plus 1 force damage for each spell level used. So just the 1. Great. Okay. I would like to consume the bob tart

Tim / GM

Mhmm.

Tara / Journey

As my bonus action, and then, shoot Smile Grin with an arrow.

Tim / GM

Okay. Be gentle.

Tara / Journey

Okay. 21. It's a hit.

Tim / GM

Hits hits Smell Green. Goodbye, my sweet boy.

Tara / Journey

Sweet boy. He's the worst.

Tim / GM

Well, I

Tara / Journey

don't know. You rolled pretty bad. 9 damage.

Tim / GM

Oh, good. Oh, good. Journey sinks an arrow into Smile Grin also. Like, this poor thing. Like yeah. Just getting riddled with bullets, essentially.

Hannah / Eryn

Don't make us feel bad for him.

Tara / Journey

I have a Okay. So second arrow, 23 to hit. Yep. Do better. 8 damage.

Tim / GM

Alright.

Tara / Journey

Just whittling.

Tim / GM

Everyone roll initiative. Oh.

Tara / Journey

God, that was all before. Oh, I'll roll it with the big metal ones.

Hannah / Eryn

That's what I did.

Tara / Journey

Oh my god. Well, it's

Thomas / Guy

like my first good initiative in this campaign.

Tim / GM

Alright. Poppy?

Tara / Journey

10.

Tim / GM

Doran? 19. Gone? 18. Journey?

Tara / Journey

Good old natural 9.

Tim / GM

Okay. And Aaron.

Hannah / Eryn

24. Wow. Which makes plays makes sense. I rolled a 19, but also I'm invisible, so it kinda checks out.

Tim / GM

Well, unsurprisingly, first up is Eren.

Hannah / Eryn

Oh. Unsurprisingly. I'm gonna shoot Yeah. Across BowBow. Okay. How many red caps are do I see?

Tim / GM

There are 5 red caps and 1 smile grim.

Hannah / Eryn

I know this invisible creature is around somewhere. Have we had any indication of this invisible being nearby? Big footprints?

Tim / GM

Oh, sure.

Hannah / Eryn

Tree shaking?

Tara / Journey

Can I see the invisible creature?

Tim / GM

There are no footprints on the magnetic bridge. You have not been up anywhere to see any other clues.

Hannah / Eryn

I think Aaron's gonna try to climb up a tree and get a higher vantage point.

Tim / GM

Yep. Aaron's got a pretty good climb speed with that second story work. Is that right?

Hannah / Eryn

Yep.

Tim / GM

Yeah. No problem. Mikey is kind of just now, like, cresting the the side of the fallen island of lore, kind of hoisting himself up there, and you, like, pass him up essentially with your climb speed. You get up there and look down on this magnetic causeway below you, and you whirl around to look at lore kind of laid out ahead of you. And it's a weird sight seeing it kind of like crumbled and disheveled here.

And looking around, it doesn't take you long to see a tree that looks like it was sliced down by a katana.

Hannah / Eryn

Do I see any strange movement? I kind I think Aaron is sort of like the red caps aren't really that big of an issue anymore. Like, we we still need to take them out, but I'm worried more about what's ahead. Yeah. But can I use my vision?

Tim / GM

You can make a perception check with advantage. Yep. Still invisible.

Tara / Journey

I'll come doing this during combat.

Hannah / Eryn

I'm worried that thing's gonna attack us. Perception? Mhmm. 24.

Tim / GM

Even with the 24, you do not perceive the invisible creature.

Hannah / Eryn

I'm trying to see if I can see any movements of other things, like trees, bushes, grass.

Tim / GM

Here's the other thing. It's exceptionally windy up here. Okay.

Hannah / Eryn

So just everything looks like it's moving?

Tim / GM

Yeah. Kind of in constant flow.

Tara / Journey

Are there

Hannah / Eryn

any cloud kips?

Tara / Journey

Hannah. Hannah. This is combat.

Tim / GM

Interesting.

Hannah / Eryn

I'm wondering if I what I wanna know what I see you guys. Give me a break.

Tara / Journey

No. And that's that's actually are there birds and animals? Or are they too afraid? I get it.

Tim / GM

I mean, as you look around here, scanning for any kind of movement, you do see smaller creatures, Things that fell with the island and have managed to survive. I would say, yeah, you see a cloud kip.

Tara / Journey

Okay.

Hannah / Eryn

Does that take my whole turn? Yep. Okay.

Tim / GM

Too much looking.

Hannah / Eryn

No. It's okay.

Tara / Journey

He now leaves combat, tries to catch a

Hannah / Eryn

cloud kip.

Tara / Journey

Fully invisible. Advantage on all attacks. Double damage.

Thomas / Guy

You do, however, see a big floating sombrero.

Tim / GM

Moving around.

Hannah / Eryn

Alright.

Tim / GM

Alright. Next up is Smilgrin. Yay. Who is just blood lusting, and I'm powerless to stop it.

Hannah / Eryn

Told you they weren't a threat.

Tim / GM

Yeah. Takes another swipe at his companion, natural twenty. Woah. Wow. Gosh.

John / Doran

Good thing he's not attacking us.

Thomas / Guy

Will they be all dead by the time it's

Tara / Journey

it's my turn again?

Thomas / Guy

Maybe. It's very possible.

Tim / GM

The one that Smile Gryn is a sailing is kind of caught up in that exchange and is kind of fighting back now. Did not hit Smile Grill. The other 4 continue towards your party and arrive on the scene. Guy, you are at the very front of this line. Is that correct?

Thomas / Guy

Yeah.

Tim / GM

The first red cap comes up to you with a sickle that is lashed to a long stick and is coming for where your head would be, but gets a little confused. But did you say you had a ready to action for this or no?

Thomas / Guy

No. I was just ready for yeah. Yeah. Not a ready to

Tim / GM

action. Spiritually ready.

Tara / Journey

Mentally prepared.

Tim / GM

Alright. I'm looking

John / Doran

forward to metal going in my skin.

Thomas / Guy

Yeah. This will be good. Guy.

Tim / GM

12 to hit. Nope. 24 to hit. Yes. 14 to hit. No. Okay. 11 slashing damage as this thing comes after you with a sickle tied to a stick. Ouch.

Tara / Journey

That's also very Tears of the kingdom.

Tim / GM

Yeah. Another red cap runs up to you, guy. 19 to hit.

Thomas / Guy

It's a meatzza pizza.

Tim / GM

K. For pizza. Natural 1. No. And, 24 to hit.

Thomas / Guy

Yes. Oh. Did I each get

Tara / Journey

3 swipes? Yes. Assholes. Them, not you. Well

Tim / GM

It's getting real.

Hannah / Eryn

Can we trademark MeatZZa pizza?

Tim / GM

Probably not. Fourteen slashing damage? Fourteen guy a third red cap approaches you.

Tara / Journey

Tell them to stop. Where are they coming? Stop.

Thomas / Guy

It's enough of your slashing damage.

Tim / GM

25 to hit.

Tara / Journey

Yeah. Good lord.

Tim / GM

I didn't know these guys were good. 20 to hit. It's just smattering. That sucks. 24 to hit.

Thomas / Guy

Yes. Wow.

Tara / Journey

He's making these moves

Hannah / Eryn

out now.

Tim / GM

7 slashing damage.

Thomas / Guy

K.

Hannah / Eryn

Let Tim have something.

Tara / Journey

He went after the

Tim / GM

8 slashing damage.

John / Doran

K.

Tim / GM

8 slashing damage.

John / Doran

K. That

Tim / GM

was a 3rd red cap. Correct? 4th red cap approaches.

Tara / Journey

Oh my god. Good god. You're gonna die.

Tim / GM

25 to hit.

Tara / Journey

Yeah. What the fuck are you rolling?

Tim / GM

16 to hit. Nope. 20 to hit.

John / Doran

Yeah. I don't have any silver barbs for you. Okay. I'm sorry. I used it already.

Tim / GM

9 slashing damage on the first hit. Okay. 7 slashing damage on the second hit.

John / Doran

No problem.

Tim / GM

The 1 redcap and Smilgrin are still slap fighting in the background.

Thomas / Guy

Alright. So I got 4 guys on me? Yes. Alright. This chain this is,

Tim / GM

Guy just looks back covered in blood. Oh.

Tara / Journey

Poppy, I don't feel so bad.

Tim / GM

I'm hit. Doran, it's on you.

John / Doran

What the fuck do I do about this?

Tim / GM

You see the kind of severity of these things, and you had from a distance before seen red caps kind of descend on creatures, but now you're seeing it descend on your friend, and they are no gentler. Chet. Is that a party inspiration?

John / Doran

Guy, keep your chin up. Give a party inspiration to a guy.

Tara / Journey

Inspiration?

John / Doran

Yeah. I'm on the bridge as well.

Tim / GM

You're on the bridge. You've essentially got your back to, like, a dirt wall of, like, roots and trees and stuff.

John / Doran

I can see guys hurt. Mhmm.

Tim / GM

And kind of alone out there at the front.

John / Doran

I can't fucking take those hits either, though.

Tim / GM

Send poppy.

John / Doran

Yeah. Just throw Poppy?

Tim / GM

Yeah.

Tara / Journey

How much damage did you take? I'm curious. So much.

Thomas / Guy

64 damage?

Tara / Journey

Yeah. I would be dead. I have 58 max.

Tim / GM

But conceivably, a guy could be killed next round.

Hannah / Eryn

Do you have any healing, Doran?

John / Doran

No. Oh my god. You're useless. I do have I do have healing word, but that's for someone to hit down. So I'm just going to, come up a little bit and just take the dodge action. K. And just, like, holding out the short sword. Okay. Just trying to, like, have guys back a little bit as best I can. So dodge action, that's my turn.

Thomas / Guy

Alright. Next up, Guy. Oh, okay. Guy takes that last blow from the red cap

John / Doran

Mhmm.

Thomas / Guy

And kinda staggers back, and he falls onto his hands at ease. He's pretty beat up. Yeah. He's breathing heavy, and the flame from his neck starts burning brighter. With one hand, he kinda reaches into the flame. And slowly from the flame, he pulls out the handle of a sword.

Tim / GM

You start to hear whispers, Guy. Mhmm. You hear Traitor. Traitor. Traitor. Traitor. Traitor. Who is in your mind at this moment? Is it Danathin Hawk and his long sword? Is it hold on. I gotta look up all their fucking names again.

Tara / Journey

Is it Kevin? Sir Pinkle? Kevin is one of them.

Thomas / Guy

No. I know who this sword is. Okay. This is Prince Lotem's sword.

Hannah / Eryn

Oh. Oh.

Tara / Journey

Guy, what is this? Your lover. What is this? This is so sad.

Thomas / Guy

Yeah. He pulls out this long sword from his head. And it's covered in green flame. And he slowly gets back up to his feet. And he lets go of the sword, and it sort of, floats there and then spins around him a little bit. Yeah. This is a guy's spiritual weapon.

John / Doran

Oh. Okay. Cool.

Tara / Journey

That's so, so cool. And also really fucked up. Yeah. Very sad.

Tim / GM

Your thoughts cycle through the flail wielder, the gladiator wielder, the the lance wielder, the long sword. Every discipline that you had fought against, every discipline that you trained them into is available for you to wield again.

Thomas / Guy

Oh, great. Oh, this is a Noctis situation. Okay. Yep. He's back at his feet. He's got 2 swords now.

Tim / GM

Yeah. The real one and the spiritual weapon. Uh-huh.

Thomas / Guy

Yeah. Guy's gonna attack a red cap

Tim / GM

Okay.

Thomas / Guy

With regular old great sword.

Tim / GM

Sure.

Thomas / Guy

Probably gonna probably gonna use channels of infinity on that to add 10.

Tim / GM

Okay.

Thomas / Guy

19 to hit.

Tim / GM

Well, it hits. Great. We know that much.

Tara / Journey

What class are you technically? Paladin.

Thomas / Guy

Twelve damage from the first attack. K. How's he looking after 1 Just fine. Damage? Just fine, Okay. Well, second attack.

Tara / Journey

The red caps have redeemed themselves.

John / Doran

Nice. Oh, natural

Tim / GM

oh, I like that.

John / Doran

Yeah. But I

Thomas / Guy

wasted that first attack.

Tim / GM

Give me another roll on that.

Thomas / Guy

Okay.

Tim / GM

Nope. Yep.

Tara / Journey

Never gonna happen again.

Thomas / Guy

20. I could throw a little smite on that for extra spice. I haven't smitten in a while.

Tara / Journey

Smote.

Thomas / Guy

Smote.

Tara / Journey

Smote. Smit. I think Smote is actually correct. I know.

Tim / GM

Going out and getting Smit.

Tara / Journey

I'll wait Smit from the other day. I got Smitted real good.

Thomas / Guy

Okay. So that's that was 20 plus, plus another 5. So 25 total?

Tim / GM

Okay. That's mine. Alright. After that, I would say not so fine. Even a red cap at this point is considering what it's doing. Why is it here? Why is it fighting you? But it's still a red cap, so it's not gonna change anything about what it's doing.

Hannah / Eryn

And then you got your spiritual weapon attack.

Thomas / Guy

Sure do.

Hannah / Eryn

You go guy. You go.

Tara / Journey

You go guy.

Thomas / Guy

Extra ten damage from the spiritual weapon.

Tim / GM

Alright. With that guy, you give this thing the kind of 1, 2, like swinging down with it in huge sweeps as you do. The first one, you're kind of calibrating your distance on, and you kind of nick it. That second one, you get a good chunk out of its ribs, and you bring the blade back and kind of, like, spray blood all over the causeway here. As you bring your sword back and kind of like hoist it on your shoulder, just waiting as this thing creeps towards you again with its little sickle on a stick, and then from behind, you see this glowing green blade just pierce it through the back, through the chest, and slide out as this thing slumps forward dead.

Tara / Journey

Oh. Oh. Got one.

Thomas / Guy

You do

John / Doran

have to roll to hit for that spiritual weapon, though.

Tim / GM

No. You're right. I didn't. Oh, fuck. Sorry.

Tara / Journey

Rules lawyer over here.

John / Doran

I'm sorry.

Thomas / Guy

No. You're right.

Tim / GM

I feel

Thomas / Guy

so 15?

Tim / GM

That does hit. I feel so trickable in those moments. Woah. I just didn't notice that he didn't roll my

Tara / Journey

dick. Yeah.

Thomas / Guy

Yeah. Yeah.

Tim / GM

Yeah. It's that fucking bravado. That did connect. That did kill it. Nice. Poppy.

Tara / Journey

Poppy anymore. Okay. I'm on the ground. Mhmm. Are there any red caps closer to the edge of the causeway?

Tim / GM

A little bit. I would say, Smilgrin and that one that it was slap fighting. They're a little farther back, but they are a little bit closer to the edge.

Tara / Journey

How close?

Tim / GM

Probably 30 feet away or so.

Tara / Journey

Okay. I would like to line up ring of the ram

John / Doran

Okay. Cool.

Tara / Journey

And try and knock one off the edge.

Tim / GM

Okay. Smile grin or the red cap?

Tara / Journey

Smile grin. Okay. And then I have to make a spell attack. 24 to hit. Hell, yeah.

Tim / GM

Does not I'm kidding.

Tara / Journey

So it takes 2 d ten force damage, and it's pushed 5 feet away.

Tim / GM

You're just using one level of it?

Tara / Journey

I thought I could only use 1 at a time. You can

Tim / GM

use all the charges if you wanted to.

Tara / Journey

I'll I'll just do 1.

Tim / GM

K.

Tara / Journey

Fourteen damage? Did it do it?

Tim / GM

My boy.

Tara / Journey

Did he die by being pushed into the water?

Tim / GM

Alright. Okay. What's the range on the ring of the ram?

Tara / Journey

60 feet.

Thomas / Guy

Yeah.

Tim / GM

So you can do it from where you are, essentially? Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Guy, out of the corner of your eye, you see Poppy kind of, like, lining her up her fist, like, in front of her face, pointing it kind of down range and closing one eye to get a good aim on something.

And all of a sudden, you just see Poppy fly down and she slams into a dirt wall with a and in front of her, you all see this like spectral ram just racing across the scene. Gaia goes right past you, this big white blur, and it crashes right into Smile Grin, and you just see him starfish and go sailing out into the black mist of life and disappear into the water. You hear a splash, but you don't see it because it's under a thick blanket of black fog out there. Oh my god. Team smile grin is blasting off again.

Tara / Journey

I got the same joke. David, see that? I did.

Tim / GM

With that, it is Journey's turn.

John / Doran

I'm sure he'll be

Hannah / Eryn

back. Yeah. Yeah.

Tara / Journey

Wait. This is not the first time we're gonna take Nobody, no murder.

Tim / GM

Next time, we're getting a hacksaw and we're cutting his head off. Yeah.

Tara / Journey

We gotta stop throwing him off the

Tim / GM

edge of the wall.

Tara / Journey

He's No body, no crime. Yeah. Journey sees that guy just get fucking demolished by all of these, red caps. And she looks down at her bow and feels for a moment like she needs to get in the mix. So she straps it to her, jumps into the air to move forward towards Guy and the melee, and as she does, she turns into a bear.

Hannah / Eryn

Woah. I forgot.

Tara / Journey

She turns into a black bear.

Tim / GM

So cool. Journey, can you give me a good growl knowing that I'll put some cool sound effects over this?

Tara / Journey

Oh, boy.

Tim / GM

I don't even need

Tara / Journey

That's pretty good. Yeah. Yeah. That's good. Yeah. And she jumps into the mix and, goes to do a multi attack to the nearest Yeah. Red cap.

Tim / GM

We call that red cap number 2.

Thomas / Guy

He's got a big 2 on his cap. Yeah.

Tim / GM

They've all got numbers painted on their

Tara / Journey

shirts. So 17 to

Tim / GM

hit? Yes.

Tara / Journey

That's 4 piercing damage. Yep. That's a bite. 2nd attack, 10 to hit.

Tim / GM

No. It does not hit.

Tara / Journey

Okay. So the first attack, she goes in with a bite and is not used to this body Yeah. And manages to hit with the bite, doesn't do a ton of damage. But the second she kind of reels back and is like, meh, gross, and tries to slash at him and just it doesn't have it quite right.

Tim / GM

Yeah. Yeah. You didn't quite consider that you would have a red cap in your mouth for a second, and that is awful.

Tara / Journey

Mhmm.

Tim / GM

Awful experience. Alright. Yeah. Journey is apparently a frontliner now.

John / Doran

It's good news.

Tim / GM

You all hear from the background, I got you guys.

Tara / Journey

No, Mikey.

Tim / GM

You all see from up above on lore, a fireball comes streaming across the scene and smacks into red cap number 2.

Tara / Journey

Nice.

John / Doran

Good job, Mikey.

Tara / Journey

I forgot he could do that.

Tim / GM

Yep. 77 fire damage. It actually was 9 fire damage, though. Wow.

Hannah / Eryn

That's a bro.

Tim / GM

God. Alright. That's the end of that round. Next up is Eren. Yeah. Okay. In the distance, you all see a bunch of magma and cinders fall on nobody.

Tara / Journey

We said no thank you, lair actions.

Hannah / Eryn

Yeah. I'm going to shoot from my vintage in the tree invisible Mhmm. My crossbow. Red cap.

Tim / GM

Number 2.

Hannah / Eryn

The one that looks the weakest.

Tim / GM

It's actually your choice between 25. The one that, Smilgrin was slap fighting or the one that Journey is trying to kill right now.

Hannah / Eryn

The one Journey's trying

Tim / GM

to kill. Yep. She's got

Tara / Journey

to steal her kill. Mhmm. Journey don't mind. 24 to hit.

Tim / GM

Hell, yeah. Definitely hits.

Hannah / Eryn

Great. Popped them. And that's sneak attack.

Tim / GM

But invisibility.

Hannah / Eryn

22 damage.

Tim / GM

22. Okay. Alright. Journey, as you kind of like back away from this, red cap as you're fighting it, having bitten into it, having slashed at it. The second you take a step away, it's almost just to let this crossbow bolt enter its abdomen, and then you're back into it. You just hear this whistle slink right past you. Alright. It is back to smile and grin. Moment of silence. And then red caps. Red cap number 2, is going to go after a journey. 16 to hit.

Tara / Journey

That hits.

Tim / GM

Yep. You need a bear hide. A 9 slashing damage Okay.

Tara / Journey

On

Tim / GM

that first attack. 24 to hit.

Tara / Journey

Yeah. It hits.

Tim / GM

9 slashing damage. And that last one is an 11 to hit.

Tara / Journey

Meats it pizza. Wow.

Hannah / Eryn

Meats it pizza.

Tim / GM

That is another 9 slashing damage. Congratulations.

Tara / Journey

Alright. The bear turns back into Journey.

Thomas / Guy

Oh my gosh.

Tim / GM

It's a bear.

Tara / Journey

Oh. But it soaked up all that damage.

Tim / GM

Yes. It did.

Tara / Journey

Now you're turning into Journey sound.

John / Doran

That was incredible.

Hannah / Eryn

That was really good.

Tim / GM

Alright. Red cap number 3. Just gonna go after Guy. Guy, that is a sheepish, 9 to hit. No. I should've known. 19 to hit. Hi. So 19 does hit.

Thomas / Guy

Yeah. Sorry. Which means I'm probably down.

Tim / GM

Splenda. That is our new sponsor is Splenda, by the way. Oh. That is 8 slashing damage. Yep. I'm down.

Tara / Journey

Okay. For now.

Tim / GM

It takes another attack on you, guy, with advantage now that you're down to try to kill you. That is a 25 to hit.

Hannah / Eryn

Wow. Is that

Tim / GM

You fail a death save. Yep.

Tara / Journey

Just one, though? Yes. Okay.

Tim / GM

The last red cap that is up here is going to go after Doran. And it has disadvantage on this attack?

Thomas / Guy

Yep.

Tim / GM

16 to hit, Dorn. That hits. 10 damage, Dorn. Ten slashing.

John / Doran

Yep. I'm checking concentration real quick because I have to do that for greater invisibility. Okay. Okay. So I got, 12. K. So I think I'm okay so

Tim / GM

far. So good.

John / Doran

And it was 10 damage? Yeah. I gotta update this.

Tim / GM

Slashing. Yep.

John / Doran

Alright. That was the only attack. Right? Wow. That's great.

Tim / GM

That's funny. 2nd attack coming in hot. 17 hit. Yep. Another 10 slashing damage. And the final attack, oh, that would have been a natural 20.

John / Doran

Is a an 8. To hit? Yes. That's not good enough.

Tim / GM

Well, you just like saying that, don't you?

John / Doran

Alright. Greater invisibility drops.

Hannah / Eryn

I'm scared.

Tim / GM

You can suddenly see your hands.

Tara / Journey

Aaron is naked.

Tim / GM

Why did I take my clothes off? Just the instant you turn invisible, you're like, yes. Finally, take your pants off.

Tara / Journey

You know,

Hannah / Eryn

I think if I turn invisible in real life, I would run around naked for a while.

Tara / Journey

Oh. No. I didn't. Yeah.

Tim / GM

I mean, shoes on for sure. That last red cap is going to run up and join the fray here. Okay. Is going after either Journey or Doran, and the dice picked Doran. 14. Hits. Hit. It means a pizza. I'm just gonna do all the rolls real quick. Who ate again? Missed. Last time. And 12. Miss. Oh, nice. Sorry. Just one hit. Not bad. Is 10 slashing damage. Yep. My friend.

Tara / Journey

Tough.

John / Doran

I'm not good at this part. Guy, get up.

Tim / GM

Alright. You all survived a round of red caps. Doran, it's on you.

John / Doran

First off, gonna cast, healing word on Guy. I will do it at a 3rd level because I'm a super nice dude. 12, health. Then I'm going to, cast a spell this time. K. I'm gonna cast hypnotic pattern.

Tim / GM

Oh, cool.

John / Doran

So I use this before on the red caps. Yeah. Trying to target just the red caps. It's, going to be a wisdom save, d c 16.

Tim / GM

Alright. Number 2 that Journey's fighting. 11. Fail. K. Number 3 that is also in that scuff. 11. Fail. Number 4 that is also in the scuff, 18.

John / Doran

Success.

Tim / GM

And the final one that was slap fighting smile again, nat 20.

John / Doran

Oh, wow. Okay. So I locked up 2 of them at least.

Tim / GM

Yeah. The 2 of them that are most kind of in this fight right now just stop. What does your hypnotic pattern look like?

John / Doran

Okay. This time, it's coming out stronger than the first time Doran had cast it. It's, so there's, like, bright kind of sky blue illusory sort of flash that happens. And then after that initial, like, flash of lightning, like, then, a golden mist starts to kind of float and disperse, and there's kind of like a sound. Mhmm. And, 2 of them are just totally entranced, like, drop their weapons to their side and are just staring blankly. Yeah. And the other 2, shake it off. And yeah.

Tim / GM

Yeah. You see 2 of them go slack jawed, and their eyes are just kind of, like, watery and dilated.

John / Doran

I do wanna use my movement if I can. Yeah. The ones that swung

Tim / GM

at me There's one here that could make an opportunity attack on you from moving away.

John / Doran

I'm gonna take a risk and try to get out of the way from it.

Tim / GM

Well, it's gonna take another day. I don't know. 18 hit. That's a hit.

John / Doran

9 slashing. 9. K. Right. I have to roll a concentration. Otherwise, this is fucked up.

Tim / GM

Turn. Yeah.

John / Doran

10. But it's lower. It was either this or take 3 attacks. Yeah. And there's no way I was surviving that. 12. Okay. Yeah. I'll move my range, which is 30 feet, away. Mhmm.

Tim / GM

Yeah. That 30 feet gets you up to that root wall. Would you start climbing if you were able to get to it?

John / Doran

I don't think so. Okay.

Tim / GM

Yeah. Yeah. Your back is up against the wall. Okay. It's Guy. It's Guy. Who's that guy?

Thomas / Guy

It's Guy. Guy gets back up to his feet, grabs his great sword, and he reaches out for his new other sword. But it's not there, I presume, because he was unconscious.

Tim / GM

Right? Yeah. Yeah. It tends to disappear when you lose consciousness. Mhmm.

Thomas / Guy

Guy doesn't like that. So he activates form of dread. Go hit hit hit hit hit points. 6 hit points?

John / Doran

Yep. Yep. And the guy's going to go after 1

Thomas / Guy

of the ones that is not distracted by a sparkly pattern.

Tim / GM

Cool. Yeah.

Thomas / Guy

Oh, there's that number again. 11 to hit.

Tim / GM

Does not hit.

Thomas / Guy

Okay. 2nd attack. Okay. It just got up. I'm a little wiz.

Hannah / Eryn

Yeah. Do you still have that bardic inspiration dice? Mhmm.

Tim / GM

That bright flash that, that Doran used is kinda leaving a sunspot in your vision.

Thomas / Guy

15 to hit.

Tim / GM

15 hits.

Thomas / Guy

Okay. Great.

Tara / Journey

So now that goes

Tim / GM

away. No.

Thomas / Guy

That's 12 damage, and that will make a wisdom saving throw.

Tara / Journey

K. Be afraid. Mhmm.

Tim / GM

10.

Thomas / Guy

That's a fail. Okay. It's afraid.

Tim / GM

Alright. It is afraid. Got you. Smell fear. You can levitate your movement speed, and there's some other bonuses wrapped up in there, I think.

John / Doran

That's cool. When does this happen?

Tara / Journey

That's a Ganymede.

Tim / GM

Yeah. It was a kind of Ganymede level up. Yep. When he smells fear, he becomes empowered. Cool. Alright. It's, Poppy.

Tara / Journey

Poppy is going to pull out Inch Mhmm. And the witch and aid mixer.

Tim / GM

Okay.

Tara / Journey

And she's going to use create bonfire on him.

Tim / GM

Okay.

Tara / Journey

So when I cast a cantrip on pinch, he gains the following stats for 1 minute, and then he can smack people. But because I use crate bonfire, he ignites and becomes a fiery warrior for 3 rounds until he burns out. His smacks deal 2 d6 fire damage, And additionally, deals 2 d4 fire damage each round to nearby foes who fail a dex save.

Tim / GM

Armin' Finch.

Tara / Journey

So I'm gonna, like, bop him on the head with the wooden spoon Yeah. And send him into battle.

Tim / GM

Okay.

Tara / Journey

And then I'll have him smack whoever's closest, I guess.

Tim / GM

Yeah. Do you wanna hit the one that just got hit?

Hannah / Eryn

Yeah. Cool.

Tara / Journey

That's 2 d 6 fire damage.

John / Doran

Does he have to roll the hit?

Tara / Journey

Oh, yeah. I suppose. Right?

Tim / GM

Yeah. Of course.

Tara / Journey

What is my

Tim / GM

you're making spell attacks with your proficiency on set.

Tara / Journey

So it'd be mine. Yep. Okay. 15.

Tim / GM

That hits.

Tara / Journey

Okay. That is 8.

Tim / GM

8 fire damage?

Tara / Journey

8 fire damage.

Tim / GM

Cool.

Tara / Journey

And then he deals 2 d 4 fire damage each round to nearby foes who fail a deck save.

Tim / GM

Okay. So it would I think it would be at the end of Pinch's turn, so where he, like, concludes his turn is where the fire damage ticks off.

Tara / Journey

Okay.

Tim / GM

So it would be against those 2. Yes. Does it say what the deck save is, or is it a dispel? Okay. 12. The one that you just hit. Wow. Got a 10. Nice. The other one got a 16.

Tara / Journey

2 d four four.

Tim / GM

K. Alright.

Tara / Journey

So he's just a little crisp. Yeah. And Pinch goes

Tim / GM

like, smack, smack, smack.

Tara / Journey

Yep.

Tim / GM

Yeah. By the way, Pinch is literally on fire Yeah. And, like, is just burning down. You see him, like, getting larger and hard shelled and blackened and crispy and, like, is like 3 times his normal size and is, like, stomping over towards this thing and just starts clobbering it with burning hands. Mhmm.

John / Doran

Not just

Hannah / Eryn

burning hands.

Tara / Journey

His eyes are just a little bit molten looking.

Tim / GM

Yeah. Yeah. It's like smiling on its way. Yeah. Alright. Brings us to Journey.

Tara / Journey

Yeah. So I'm in melee range, I think, at this point. Yeah. So I'm not going to use my bow. Okay. I am going to yeah. Yeah. So I'm gonna step out of melee with this distracted Yeah. It's casting. Yeah. And then cast hunter's mark on number 4.

Tim / GM

That's the one that's been beaten up recently. You wanna do that or the untouched one back there?

Tara / Journey

Yeah. I'll go for the other one. K. So, yeah, I'm gonna cast hunter's mark on it, and then, yeah, I'm gonna hit it with my bow. Mhmm. 22 to hit?

Tim / GM

Yeah. That

Tara / Journey

hits. 13 damage.

Tim / GM

Alright. That one is, not doing so hot.

Hannah / Eryn

Okay. You can

Tim / GM

see it keel over a little bit.

Tara / Journey

I I would hit it again. Grab it

Tim / GM

at its bones. Oh, okay.

John / Doran

Try to

Tim / GM

go for that dramatic explanation.

Tara / Journey

I hit it again. Alright. Try. 24 and a hit.

Tim / GM

Oh, yeah.

Tara / Journey

Fourteen damage.

Tim / GM

You're taking, like, slow backing away steps as you, bring the bow back and end this thing with your second shot here. That first one, it kind of gets up, with fury in its eyes, kind of grabbing its weapon, ready to strike at you, to charge at you in this next round. But as it takes its first step, it gets pinned to the ground with another arrow. Cannot move. Cannot breathe because that's

Tara / Journey

dead. Yay.

Tim / GM

And we're back to Mikey.

Tara / Journey

Mikey. Mikey.

Tim / GM

Oh, don't

Tara / Journey

worry, guys. I'll take care of that.

Tim / GM

Mikey, raining hell from above. 12. No.

Tara / Journey

You tried.

Tim / GM

I'll do better next time. Eren, it's back up to you at the top of the round.

Hannah / Eryn

Okay. Eren's still up in the tree Mhmm. Taking in everything. Mhmm. They lower their crossbow down, and then a hand goes to a dapple fox dagger on their right side.

Tim / GM

Mhmm.

Hannah / Eryn

And Erend remembers that they still haven't recalled

Tim / GM

Mhmm.

Hannah / Eryn

The other one and does not wanna leave it in the Feywild.

Tim / GM

Yeah.

Hannah / Eryn

So Erend's going to whisper back to me.

Tim / GM

When you say that, you feel the effect of it take place as you had before. You feel just a little bit of pull as if you were being drawn towards the dagger a little bit. So you know that it worked, But it's taken a second because you don't see anything happening right away. I want you to make an attack with advantage on every red cap that's still

Hannah / Eryn

here. Oh. Oh.

Tara / Journey

Oh, yes. Oh, 2 nat 20. What's

Tim / GM

the name of that? Amy?

Tara / Journey

No. Someone take a picture of me. I don't know.

Tim / GM

Holy shit. Alright.

John / Doran

So That's insane.

Tim / GM

So Erin just has a pair of twin daggers that can always bring back to each other or recall whenever she needs to. She just recalled it from a 1000000 miles away, and I don't know if my camera can see that very well or not. Yeah.

Tara / Journey

It could. It was insane.

Tim / GM

Yeah. That's too nasty.

Tara / Journey

Holy shit. Y'all. 1 in 400 odds. Wow. Holy shit.

Hannah / Eryn

That made me scared when it happened. I feel like that has to

Tim / GM

You look like you were in disbelief for a second there.

Tara / Journey

I was in disbelief. That has saw it.

Hannah / Eryn

That has to come

Tara / Journey

towards the, like

Tim / GM

Here's what happens.

Hannah / Eryn

I'm like, my heart's pounding.

Tim / GM

Okay. Aaron's kinda farther up than anybody else. Notices they're missing the stagger still. Calls it back. In the distance, Doran, with your Ganymede hearing, you can hear this.

John / Doran

Hi, Duck.

Tim / GM

You duck. And I think the move is, when he dip, you dip, we dip. Everybody gets down Yeah. And this dagger, like a lawnmower blade, just comes whizzing across the scene. You see, cuts their heads off. Wow. Yay. All 3 of them. The hypnotized ones, you just see Journey, this thing's neck explodes as just a storm of blood, sprays everywhere, barely missing Mikey as he dodges off to his side. He goes, oh, fuck. And Aaron, with your palm wide open, this thing just lands right in your hand.

Thomas / Guy

What the hell?

Tara / Journey

Holy shit.

Tim / GM

So good. Oh,

Hannah / Eryn

wow. That was so cool. I can't believe I rolled 2 twenties. I gotta take a picture. I'm pausing my video. I'm sorry, guys.

Tim / GM

Aaron, you're holding a soaking dagger in your hand, looking down at your party who is your party is, like, scrambling from side to side looking for the next threat, and there's no movement down there.

Hannah / Eryn

Mikey's head is in his shell,

Tara / Journey

and we're like

Tim / GM

Oh, no. You look up and both Hubert and Mikey have receded their heads into their shells as if they've been decapitated.

Thomas / Guy

And a green flame erupts from their shell.

Tim / GM

Yeah. I serve. You know what, y'all? I think we ended right there. Oh, man. Oh, my gosh. Thanks everybody so much for listening. I'm Tim, your GM.

Hannah / Eryn

I'm Hannah Plain Aaron. Dopple fox daggers for life. Oh my god. Actually, just call me 2 nat twenties from now. No. I'm just kidding.

Tara / Journey

Oh, I'm Tara, and I play Journey.

Thomas / Guy

I'm Thomas. I'm Guy.

John / Doran

I'm John Playandorin.

Tara / Journey

I'm Maggie, and I'm Poppy Kenmore.

Tim / GM

Please share this with people you love. And we'll see

John / Doran

you next

Tara / Journey

time. Next

Hannah / Eryn

time. And the

John / Doran

people you love, we'll see them too.

Tim / GM

We're watching on Sunny Lamp now.

Thomas / Guy

We'll see everything.

Tim / GM

We'll just see your friends, but not you. I do wanna say before we, round it off, we have our first Patreon subscriber. Kian Darling on Instagram, is our first single and only Patreon subscriber. Thank you. Yeah. Hello. Thank you so much for listening. Please. Paul, Robert, Anna, everybody else is out there. Appreciate everybody who listens.

Tara / Journey

Sorry. I like how Paul precedes your actual real life friends.

Tim / GM

Yeah. Paul was our game. Tell me Paul. I just I wanted to take another second to acknowledge, the people who listen and who are, like, really into the show. And yeah. Thanks, everybody.

Tara / Journey

Thanks, mom. Take it. Thanks, everybody.

Tim / GM

Alright. See you all. Bye.

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