Loose Cannon

This transcript is machine-generated and may contain errors in names, terminology, or attribution.

Hey, everybody. This is Jasper. Welcome back to Dungeons and randomness. Thanks for hanging out with us in the Frostbitten world of Theria. We're well into Frostborn now. And if you're late to the party, don't worry. We dropped a recap that distills the first 20 episodes, which is 40 hours worth of play into a single hour. Great if you're behind, hazy on the details, or just want to watch us sprint through the chaos at double speed. Do us a favor, though. Share it far and wide. Friends, coworkers, your local yoga instructor, your tax accountant. Word of mouth is how we grow, and you make all the difference.

Also, quick, big thanks to Ian publishing the folks behind level up advanced fifth edition. That's the system that makes our dice rolls hit harder and our mistakes even scarier. Use code D-A-N-D-R for a discount. Also, shout out to Enclave, a diceless TTRP. We tried recently and absolutely loved. 10 pages of rules, 15 minutes to make a character, and you're in the thick of it. Perfect for quick one-shots with enough crunch to keep veterans busy. Their Kickstarter goes live this October, and if you sign up through our link, you'll snag a DNR exclusive class for the game.

That link's waiting in the show notes as well. Don't forget, hop on our Discord if you haven't already, it's where theories fly, fan art pops up, and general chaos rains. And if you're hungry for even more, our Patreon has behind-the-scenes recordings, Side quests, higher-tier games run by Jason himself, where you can carve your own legend into Theria. Patreon.com slash D-A-N-D-R. All right. Last time on Frostborn, a taste of the Fay Wild. A first for Theria, as far as our group knows. Our favorite warlock chimera slipped into the fay backrooms of Alara for a moment, but high-tailed it out of there before it got a little too weird, with some help from a, well, very stern, cold guise.

Gough. Colgoth made chimera swear to make good on some debts he's been racking up. Now. It wasn't pretty. Before the rest of us could grill him about what's on the other side, we faced a couple of quick battles, not least of which involved whites. Undead aren't easy to kill, seeing as how they're undead. Once the dust began to settle, though, we did notice a couple of looming horned figures in the distance, watching and heading our way. Today, our session features cannon-wielding minotaurs, rumors of mind control, a suspiciously zen warlock, and a tarot reading that says the quiet part out loud.

Over to you, Jason Massey. Let's do that thing, where we go around the table and introduce ourselves. I'm Jason up the dungeon master. Going around the table. Starting with Jameson. Oh, hey, I'm Jameson. I play Logger and Craigborn. He is a Dwarven Marshall. I felt like there was more. It felt like there was more. It was twice in a row. I was just going to keep going. I was just going to. My favorite color is blue. I... Is it really? And here I'm my favorite beard care tips. I don't even take my neck while yet. And Jasper. Hey, everybody. My name is Jasper. He, him, I play Ruby Petagrude.

Now I'm doing it. Petit. Something. I play someone. The half-for. Brueh. Yeah, Bruele will edit a test. Brew will edit it down. Oh, my God. I play Ruby Pedigrew, half-orke. Your slinger adapt. And Ian. Hi, everyone. I'm Ian. He-him, Eni, and I am playing chimera, the Tifling Warlock. And last and certainly not least, the birthday girl, Susan. Hi. My name is Susan Spanator. My pronouns are she-her, and I will be playing nice here-ri-lith, the Elven Rogue. So we're doing two sessions in a week. And we're starting things by pushing jokes so far that we have to edit the behind the scenes.

So I can't wait to see what happens. It's punchy. It's a punchy night. I want to keep things going after Jameson takes NyQuil. I want to see where we'll get to. No, I'll take them now if you're one. It'll just roll with it. Let's just play it off. It's like, oh, poison blade or something. The white heads that they got into. Yeah. Let's all take some NyQuil and just have a good time. I would fall asleep. So, let me start up by saying it is the sixth. Now, it was the fourth of Doolin. When you were last in town and you traveled a couple days, it is dusk. It's night.

It just crossed over. on the sixth. And you're nearly where you need to be. But you ran into some whites. You killed one of them and kind of enslaved, I guess, two of them. If you can enslave an undead thing. Insorseled. Let's just call. Okay. Preferreding. Okay. Befriended. Forced friendship. Forced friendship. You volent told it. to attack it. There we go. I like it. And we did go over. I don't know what got into the episode. But after the Medusa fight, I want to make sure that we double-check spells and stuff like that. So you ended up doing that. And each, what is it?

At the beginning of each day, you have to cast anime dead just to make sure that they are. Right. To establishes for listeners, the dagger has. four charges and it regains one D4 expended charges each dawn. But it's not super O.P because I have to use one of those charges to cast animate dead to keep the on dead forced friendship or else they will attack into discriminately. If your roles are good though, you could have a nice little fan club for a while. Just a bunch of friends. It's probably worth saying, okay, be our friend, go fight your friend, and go dig a hole and just lay down in it and we'll see you later, basically.

Go walk off a clip. Yeah. Yeah. Well, we ended our last session with a couple of horned figures in the distance. And there's just enough snow kicking up and it's night time. So that's, uh, that's, I could see a couple of you didn't remember that. Didn't want to. Got it. Well, these figures are going to be on the edge of your eyesight here. You can see them. You can see snow kicking up around them. You can see that they're large horned figures. But they're kind of standing. It's tough to tell if it's one grotesque thing. or two or three things that are standing side by side, that you could just see a silhouette, right?

So let's kick things off by everybody. Just let's warm up with a nice perception role, please. Okay. Okay. Hey. Right. Oh. Oh. Oh. I'm back, baby. I'm back. I'm back. I'm back. We're so bad. I just need to murder. I just need a murder and I'm fine. Just if you're, you run on blood. Clearly. Like, not in the same way everyone else does. It's external. So 23 for Nithera, a crit one for Kimer, giving us a six, Ruby with a nine, and log room with a six. So Nithera's going to see it. And she's got the elf eyes. So, you know, before we go any further, Ian, would you roll on that little crit? table there, please.

Oh, shit. Yeah. Okay. Oh, six. Well. Yeah. All right. That's not great. Distracted. You are momentarily distracted, perhaps by a small animal, an insect, or a child. Your passive... I put those weight on the same level. That's good. Thank you. The passive perception score is reduced by minus 5 for the next minute. Oh, my shit. Where'd this child come from? Yeah. Oh, my God. It's another kid. Roll for age. Let's tip. I mean, wouldn't fighting whites be enough to keep you distracted? Honestly, yes. It fits in D12. 11. I love the E and roll our first D12 instead of James. He got the first one.

There we go. No, yours doesn't count. You're not. Yeah, a 264-year-old child. It's from the Fay Wild. We just kind of piggyback on it. Yeah, I think it's that tentacle that got cut off, right? Like it's like still wiggling or something and Kamir is like kicking it with his toe like, oh. Oh. Oh. Yeah. I see her up. you're gonna, like, squint your eyes and just, you know, there are two big old burly minotaur. And they are, they're walking towards you, and they have weapons drawn. But they're not charging or anything like that. But I would say that this is one of those things where you, you clearly, the other three missed this.

And you just might want to say, like, hey, straight up like we might not be done um come here leave a leave that stop it leave it there's minotaur coming they have weapons but i don't know if they're hostile could just be caution thing to have their weapons out without our guys are those the guys we hired no we hired humans you were there are you sure yes Maybe they were having a glamour or something. What if they just came over there with two big cowboys? What they're fucking? I don't know, they're just silhouettes, right? Maybe they're wearing minotaur hats.

Ruby would get her wrist balista cocked and ready. I just kind of like bring the ball of the flaming sphere kind of like nearby. Night Thero will order her two new friends just to like flank like cover that side, cover that side. Yeah. So I looked this up and they can take very basic. It depends on the intelligence of the creatures. So like they are, you know, they can take like it's like, hey, spread out, flank that they can take very, you know, but if it's anything like here's the plan and you're, they are not going to retain any of that. But yeah, that's just for clarification.

Okay. So as these guys come into view, well, these Minotaur, you can't really tell gender yet. But like as they're as they're walking up, these are two like when you think Minotaur, it's like, yep, these guys. Big great axes. There are two of them. One is carrying a great X and the other has one stowed, but is holding what looks to be a a nearly full-size cannon that they have just ripped the wheels off of and are just carrying it underarm. Which, yeah, it's not a fast weapon if fired. I mean, you get one shot, I guess, but if it hits, I guess that's all you need is one shot for most things.

But these guys seem a little on edge. And they're, they're walking up. And they're waiting, they're kind of waiting for a beat, just eyeing you up, right? And specifically eyeing up, Logren. So Loggren will be out, maybe a pace ahead of everybody else. I'm kind of leaning on a shield, looking at them. They're looking at him. He's looking at them. He goes, you guys want a job Hmm Hmm Give me a persuasion roll Okay Let's start there Let's start there Oh shit that was almost a five That's a 19 That's a 19 So as you say that They're gonna stop and look at each other and one of them's, the one of the axe is going to speak up.

You come from us to hold. He looks back to where Osteohold is. And he says, mm-hmm. Yeah. They're going to get a little more defensive, just a little more like, like, you can tell, like the one of the cannons, like rolling his shoulder. This thing's heavy. but like he's itching to use this. Like maybe he's never used it in combat before, but it's like, oh, please, oh. Yeah, so Loggeron will immediately put his hands up, be like, well, we're not from Asterole. We don't know who you two are. You look like you're waiting for a fight. It's not us. We were in Asterohold and we left.

We just were in a fight. And at this point, the lights have spread out enough. so that they might not have even noticed them. They were pretty focused on the ones fighting, I think, and, and, and, yeah. And they're, they're gonna, they're gonna loosen up a little bit, not put their weapons away, loose, but, you know, what are you doing out here then? Taking a hike. Looking for a couple people who like carrying things. We might want a job. Instead of... I think instead of angry, it's more... Like, damn, you have balls, like that kind of energy. It's like, you think we'd work for you.

Who you're working for now? No, working for anybody. We were waiting to talk to somebody and that fell through. So it sounds like you're available. They're going to look at each other. What are you offering? Big hunker out of man tight. Hmm. They're going to move in close and the one talking to you is going to stow the axe. Cannon's still out though. And he's probably going to fall like a couple of steps back. It gets less useful. the closer he gets. I mean, I guess it'd be more effective. The barrel of the cannons like great to work. You're echoing as you're talking.

Do I talk into it? What is it? This thing wrong. Name's Dozer. This is Brex. Brex will kind of give you the head nod. All right, Brax and Dozer. Who are you out here trying to meet up with? Keep bearing in mind. I don't really care. But if they stood you up, then I'm just kind of curious. We were sent out here to talk to the Duregar, the little, uh, a little, uh, ashy-looking guys like you. That like dwarves would less shitty, we're hoping. No offense. Little offense. Little offense. Little taken. So they know showed you? A little more complex than that. And hmm. So Minotaur, I...

I... it's not that they're not intelligent. It's that they're very much... People... they don't like... fucking around. They don't like wasting their time and they don't like beating around the bush. They are a brash open people that, like, okay, if you had one in this party, they would hate that there's a long convoluted plan to go, you know, it's like to get to point A to point Q, we have to go, like it's, they would hate it. So normally, this would be a little bit of a minefield to walk through verbally. But I think Dozer would just start talking. Because, you know, it's like, okay, well, you're not one of them and you're not from.

Okay, if you're enough for Master, hold cool. I think something's happened to him. We met up, but there was something off. Like, real off. Like, was he sick? Like, possessed or something. Like, real off. spacey, monotone. I never talked to one before, but, uh, you know, you just get the ick. All right, well, so whatever you met with them for, didn't work out then. Uh, well, well, we met for some animantite and then we've got to refine it. But more than that, uh, he's getting right to, and, and Brax is gonna like give him the elbow real quick, but he's got to like trot a couple of steps forward and like, like, where are you from?

And from away. Where away? That's, it's a little more pointed now. It's like, don't, don't get cute. Like, just... The kind of guy you would see at a Boston Dunkin' Donuts. Like, very, like, you know what I mean? He's got a construction gig. He doesn't have time to fuck around. Come on. Is that your car or not? Like that kind of... Fort Frostborn. He turns and he goes, yeah. Fort Frostboards outside of Winterhaven. It's new. You wouldn't know about it. So you're not from Stone's under then. No, not from Stones Under. Not original. Well, no, I'm not from Stones Under.

Can you give me a deception check? Mm-hmm. Is there any way I can help with that, assist with that? I don't know if you, like, I don't know why the words, I don't know if you can loop him up for the lie. I don't know why that was the term that popped into my head. I got it. I think I was going for the priest to wheels? Do you have any lie lube that you can like help? Like, how. Well, my thinking was because we already kind of, I guess it's not a lie, but you know, we have set it up with Fort Frostborn, but. Right. Unless you have a power or something, 12's not terrible.

And it's pretty much what they would expect from a dwarf. Like, it's like, ah, they, they, they, you know. You know, they talk in riddles. Like, that kind of thing. You know what I mean? Well, we were hoping that our people and their people could take back a mountain, maybe. Long term. Right now, it's just about weapons and just ore. But yeah, something's wrong. Is it just the truth? You know what? We're on our way up there. Who's big plan is this? Is this just you two, or do you got like a crew? I mean. They're going to look at each other again. We're more like diplomats, that type of thing.

But there's a bunch of us camp near the mountain, and we were sent from Ebony Harbor. So I guess we're speaking on behalf of all Minotaurus. Well, you wouldn't believe it. But I think we got a lot in common. So if you guys want to come with us, we're going to go talk to the Duerga. Or if you want to wait for us, we'll talk to you when we get back. But I think we do got something to talk about. So they're just going to kind of like, all right? But you got a, you got like an inn with them. You know somebody. You know somebody. Something like that. Something like that.

All right. Lead the way. Let's go. All right. And he'll turn around and he'll go. Ruby, Camara, Night Thera, zombies. Do the zombies hove into the like vision? After a... just like peek in. Yeah. It's like, all right, elf, half work, tefling. Holy shit. Like, just kind of, I think, I genuinely think. I think Brax almost fires the canon. Just, it's like, oh shit, zombies, get down. Like, it's that kind of thing. Like, it's, you know. But wish he'd been here 10 minutes ago. Mm. Cannon would have come in handy. Yeah. He'll be like, careful. These guys pop up out of the ground for like no reason.

So we're going to just keep an eye out. And as they're kind of gathering their things, he's going to kind of kick at the ground. Yeah, your tentacle. Yes. Well, not ours per se, but it's, it's, came for us. You gonna. Hey, you're gonna eat it? But by all means, please. I pick it up and hand it to him. I bring the flame orb a little closer if he wants to cook it. Like light the tip of it, you know, just like like a cigar. Yeah. Ruby does dry heat a little bit. Yeah. Minotaur love tasting new things. Even if it's, it's just, It's like, hey, could this be food or an ingredient for a meal or something like that?

So just kind of pick it up like a stick of beef jerky at a gas station and just like, like you're going to hear it kind of snap and then just chewing and little bit of that yellow liquid just kind of dribbles out of the tip of it. And I'm just watching him like to see if there's any reaction or anything. Like, is it tasty? Is it poisonous? What are hardy enough that that has happened before? Oh, no, that's poison. Like it's just. So just just kind of chew on a second. It's a little saltier than I would like, but it's got a good texture. You want to, you want on?

He's just kind of like offering love. Oh, Ruby dry heat a little bit more. Like with some rice, this could. like we got something going. Yeah, yeah. Let me have a little nibble. I'll take a bite for sure. Just like- Camera don't do it. I got to. Ruby turns and walks like four or five paces away. So this thing has, oh man, how do I put this? So, oh man, how do I put this? So do you remember cowtails the candy? Yes, love it. Okay. No. It's. It's. No. Okay, east coast thing. So, cowtales, how do I fucking describe this? It's like a stick of semi-solid caramel with a fluffy cream in the middle, but it's not, it's all solid.

Yeah. Right, right, right. And it's, it's in a tube like a slim gym. I see. It's very, it's very, it like you snap it off. It's like, mm. It's pure sugar. It's like a sweet and salty thing, but that texture like bouncing around in your mouth, it's like, hmm, okay, okay. And you kind of get the hint that's like, if I dried this out, that might be a decent snack. Like it's not, you know, edible. This could be very portable. Reduce that down. Dry that out, reduce it down. You got yourself a stew. You got yourself a stew. Stop talking about it. It's actually kind of good, Ruby.

Take a little bite. I mean, you know, cook it up maybe, but it's not bad. It's not bad. And I sort of like look at the Spinnatar like, yeah, it's not bad. I think that's a little bit of a bonding moment. It's like, right? Like it's, you know, like most people are usually grossed out by the, are you going to eat that? And then just trying it. But that's how you know if something's edible. I mean, they're. are other ways. But, you know, it's a pretty. Again, it's the no fucking around thing. It's like, we're not going to take this back and analyze it or like hand it to an apothecary.

It's like, jump. And yeah. So he's just going to like, it was cut off. But he's just going to carry the length of it and just keep like fighting into it. And just like the rest of it just trails in the snow. That's both neck. And he's going to follow you guys up. Well, we won't be. So we know. because it's dust. We will need to make camp soon. But not right here. Not right here. This is cursed land. Make it right next to the fairy gate, please. We can. We can put some distance between us and that. Yeah, let's find some. I mean, this probably looks like a reasonable land, but let's find something that looks like just normal.

Sure. Yeah. So we don't have to play it out during the rest of this walk or we can if you want. But basically Loggerin is going to try to get more information out of these two about where they're from and who their crew is and stuff. Without giving out too much information about who we are and what we're doing. So if I could do like a check for that or do what do you want to do? What do you want to do? Give me. a pan. You know what? Give me. Give me charisma saving throw. Like, let's say, you're conversating, you're going back and forth. It doesn't even have to be very high.

I just need to know if you're, you know, because again, dwarf. How's that for me? Fucking shit. Okay. You know everything about them. Played them like a fiddle. Oh. You're one of the good ones. All right. That's what I made in my career on as being one of the good ones. Jesus, 24. So I'd say you guys walk for another hour, let's say. And that takes you just a little bit further into these hills. It flattens out eventually and you reach like a bit of a plateau. And you find a race car. And... Cool. Cool. Sorry. I love the amount of people who exclusively peel out right next to your window.

Like over the years. Like the highest amount of dickheads. Like crazy. My favorite is every once in a while, though there's an intersection just like right over, off screen here. And sometimes they'll just block it and like to do like peel out and do burnout. Donuts in the intersection. And it's really inconvenient, but it looks really cool, actually. Oh, sure. It'll at least have been why to knock over a fire hydrant or something. Yeah, yeah. So they're going to give you, they're going to give you a bunch of information. That's a crit. Let's go. So the current leader of the Meditore is named Craggis.

Now, Kragus had an interesting. challenge. He inherited the current situation. And he's been, he's been leader for like 10 years now. So just about all Minotaur are living in Ebony Harbor. But over the last century, they've retrofitted a lot of it to be a nice melding of people who lived there before. And the Minotaur who used to live in this crooked spire, but just they gave up on it. The goal was always, we are going to to take back our mouth. And then as the years dragged on, they realized they didn't have the numbers or the resources or anything. And it just never came to be.

Then permanent winter hits. They were already tight with Ebony Harbor and they just decided to move in and they help the denizens there. They kept their fishing industry alive by, you know, breaking through the ice constantly. There's a massive sheet of ice that essentially they dream. drill into each week. And they have the best fishing in industry in all of Alara because of it. So that's worked out quite, quite well. But they've always kind of kept each generation that comes on. It's like, man, wouldn't it be nice? Someone wants to be Alexander the Great.

Someone wants to get out there and do the thing that no one could do. And Kragis wants to hang his hat, so to speak, on taking back Stone Sunder. Now, about three decades ago, the Duerg got to Alara and unsettled in the Black Rock Mountains, and their story is a long one. But what the Minotor know is essentially, they were treated like shit by the dwarfs, too, potential allies. They got it even worse than the Minotaur did. They were locked away in, you know, some sort of mystical prison for over a century. So they spent the last century on a different continent working their way out of debt and then taking ships and sailing.

So he's going to break down all of this. And then the interaction. He's going to, he's going to tell you. It's like, yeah, well, we met with their, you know, their leader, a guy named Hagen. grill. And they seemed distant and, and, you know, they're not sure how, how the Durgaar act. But instead of being dwarish, you know, kind of, you know, kind of a mirror image of of the Minotaur, kind of brash and drinking, confident and stuff, he was kind of subdued and just sat there. And yeah, it was, it was weird. So that's all the stuff you'll do. Could I roll an Arcana on that to see if I've heard of anything like that before?

Sure, please. Okay. Because yeah, you mentioned he was like possessed or something. Oh, almost a 17. Well, that's a nine. Hey, we're going to shake it off this episode. I know it. We're going to get you back into... Hasn it shook off so far. I... Canonically, I feel like it's... Like, once you're back in Colgoth's good graces, I feel like... That's what I want to. Yeah. He's like... It's like when there's problems in a relationship at home, everything suffers. It's like, I can't even make fucking coffee right today. It's all related to. You know? Right. Exactly. Especially when they are literally in your body. and hanging off of you at all times.

That's what I always say. Right. But problem is, lots of stuff can do that, right? A possession could do that. Simple mind control. Like, if someone's really bad at it, it'll be obvious. Right. Got it. In the world's area. Yeah. Exactly. It's like, well, I didn't know them before, so I'd have to know how their personality changed. It's like, where their eyes glowing? where they were they wearing something that's out where that you know that kind of stuff it's yeah it's like diagnosing a PC problem from you know over the phone so and this can be as we're like you know we walk for an hour and then we get there and we set up camp but um um Loggren's going to interject with it with all kinds of questions he wants to know more about um yeah happy harbour I mean he knows a little bit about it but he wants to know more about it but he wants to know more it from their perspective.

He wants to know more about kind of what they've been doing to prepare. And he's going to start to kind of interspers with just little questions about like, well, how have you been preparing for this problem? Like if you're going to take them out, and are you going to, like, what's your approach going to be? And I'll tell you the intention. The intention is to make them feel like they don't have a good plan for taking them out. Oh, you're going to neg them. Okay. Well, no. Like this cragist guy, he sounds really good. But like, I'm just being helpful here, has he thought of X, Y, and Z, you know.

Okay. So the goal is to undermine, though. The goal is to kind of like. Completely undermine their confidence in their plan. Okay, that is negging. Like, I, I... Okay. That's just adventure and negging. So, okay, let's see. What would that check be? Animal handling? No. Let's go. I want to bring you for persuasion again. Okay, hold on. I'm getting this. He's going in with alpha male stuff and I'm the one. Okay, let's try this. Animal handling. Okay. We're not trying to milk them yet. Oof. The camp's just getting set up now. Yeah, we can figure out the long game already.

Man, you know, we haven't had a good old debate of does this species have tits on the Discord in a while. We haven't done that. I'm not. I'm not. No, I mean like others. Stay on target. No, of course. No. Hey, I'm, I'm with you. I get it. Yeah. Like I'm not here to just to be clear. I wasn't talking about tits. Yeah. I know. I know. Not your purview. I get it. Just to let you know, I always am. So, um, even when I'm not. That's the subtext of. Anyway. Slight of hand. How much of this episode do you think is going to make it to the main feed? That's my list. That's not to brew.

Brew. It's a good. What would brew do? Either all or 10% one of you are. We're going to get a notice, like, guys, you've got to record more. This isn't an episode anymore. 30 minutes. All right. Let's do this. Let's say culture. So this is you. Now, I'm going to explain it. So this is you. essentially like, you're trying to undermine their plan. But their plan is steeped in their culture. And you kind of are taking some guesses at their leadership, at how they're taking orders at their mannerisms and, you know, disposition. So you're kind of learning how to phrase this best to, you know, be friendly enough. that they want to listen, but negative enough that they want to doubt themselves.

Does that make sense? Can I argue that I can roll culture with my charisma bonus? Because culture uses wisdom. To argue in favor of Jameson's and to quote Kelsey, they were saying in the discord, they posted it, a character might use the wisdom to avoid social blunderer's dexterity to avoid perform on familiar It's charisma. You could, like, change up the bonus for culture. That is in the book. It is for us on. Yeah. Thanks, Kelsey. Yeah, when you click on a scale, you can even change the ability to score for the role. That's true. I will say. Can you? You can?

Yeah. You can. Yeah. So. All right. I'll say this time, yes. But we can't just interchange without explanation. Is that fair? I think that there is an explanation. I understand your take there. Yeah. Of course. Your explanation's fine. I'm going to always have an explanation. That's a threat. All right. I have other things in my head. I was thinking about something else. Culture with charisma. Here we go. 16. Oh. Damn, that's good. I thought that we were just arguing over a plus two. That's all we were, you know. It's better than a plus zero, which is what I would have had.

Totally fine. Totally fine. So, knowing that these guys aren't shot callers necessarily, necessarily. But like, after, I'd say the fourth or fifth time, you're like, oh, man. Because they're giving you answers. And I'll do this. I'll give you answers to. you've asked them. Tell me what three questions. And I'll give you what answers they would have to have prepared. I guess if you have them. Yeah, I bet I could come up with three questions. Okay. So the first question would be purely military, right? The first question would basically be their defenses are based around like this impenetrable fortress with like a narrow approach.

Like, how are you going to overcome that? because it is designed specifically to keep out things like Minotaur. So they're going to give you what they would know, right? Which is a fragment of a plan. And they were talking about using the Durga to tunnel into the base and help cause a distraction. But they've aligned with the drow. to help as well. So it's a two-prong distractionary technique while the Minotarch charged the front gate. Interesting. Okay. Long is like, damn, that's pretty good. All right. You got friends? Fuck. Okay. That's a way to go. All right.

Because here's the thing. Over the centuries, the dwarfs have a shit list. of like people they have dicked over all the way. Like, it doesn't matter who is in charge. They have always expanded at the cost of someone else. They are the billionaires of, you know, Alara. Second question might be related to... God, I want to get into like logistics because I feel like that's probably not where they're strong. But... me, who's about to take NyQuil can't think of a question. So let me think. Just like we don't have to get specific. But like along those lines, like, hey, what if this happens?

Yeah. Yeah. Like basically like what, like how are you going to? Because like they've got a very intricate system for how they supply and heat their city and maybe you don't need as much heat as they do. But like, are you going to try to maintain that? Are you going to try to create something new for nothing? And I guarantee you they haven't thought of that. Like, they're not engineers. They're not craftsmen necessarily. They're more agriculturally based. So like, they're used to living off the land. And this is not that. So they are inheriting. It's like getting a, getting a mansion and then, oh, you need to pay property tax.

Like, they're not ready for that part of keeping that, you know, that running. I get a third question. So the fortress is, it is a fortress. Those are built for sieges for long-term sieges. They will have a mountain of supplies ready. So how are you guys going to have the supplies ready? Should there be a long-term siege, especially with routes being covered by the Brugall? How are you going to get all the necessary supplies for armies? I would say that. That's probably the one you pin them down on the most. Because you'd need wagon trains of food behind you.

And the best they have is like, aren't the Brugall sick? Fuck them. Like it's, you know, after they were beaten a while back and it's like, you know, they kind of, they kind of write them off. Minotaur have always been a little like prickly about, you know, like they're Jim Bros. All they do is talk about how tough they are. And, you know, we're naturally strong. They are, you know, pretend strong, basically. And but they don't really know anything about it's all word of mouth. They haven't been to the Brugall can. So all they've heard is like, yeah, they're like sick, right?

And they've been, like, their numbers are minuscule compared to what they were, right? But it's not an answer, right? It's not a, oh, we're going to do this. It's like, well, we'll just have a bunch of. food and yeah. We'll just bring food. Yeah. We'll just bring food. Well, and yeah, and to be clear, none of this is like trying to shit on their plan outright, right? Like it's very much like your friend who's the idea guy who's like, I'm going to start a business. And you start just asking questions like, have you thought of this? Have you thought of this?

Have you thought of this? Have you thought of this? And oh shit, am I that guy? Oh, no. We all are. We all are. Everybody's got. Everybody knows an idea guy who doesn't want to do it, has all the ideas, right? I don't want to be the idea guy. I want to be the guy who does it. But that's what he's doing. He's not like, I don't want to tell you it's not going to work. But I'm going to give you some questions to think about and just to kind of show you that you're not maybe as ready as you thought you were type of. This doesn't have to be one of the questions, obviously, that sort of, you know, poking around at things.

I think Ruby would say something out loud. kind of for... She's kind of talking to Lagrin by asking them a question. You'll see what I mean. She would say, hang on a second. So you want to take the mountain. What are you going to do with the dwarfs? You're just going to kill them all. You're going to throw them out. You're going to get two very different answers, I think. Like, like, okay, Brax the guy with the cannon is just like he's not along like, yeah, that sounds good. All right. Like, yeah. Yeah, it's like, all right. Yeah, this guy gets it. And those are going to give you a slightly more diplomatic answer.

And it's like, some of them got to die. I mean, they're going to fight back. But eventually, you know, there's going to be kids. There's going to be. They got to surrender after a while. We'll figure out what to do then. But we're not trying to kill. We just want to take the place. We don't want to murder a whole species. Okay. She's just kind of shoot a look over at Lagrin. The idea here being that Lagrin's always talked about taking the mountain. And basically a single drop of blood is a failure. Yeah. So she's just that way. No, no. Of course. Yeah. I think that she's kind of, she's asking kind of thing.

She does what they're going to probably say, but she kind of wants to put it out there. Yeah. And Longering responds to Ruby with just like a little bit of a knowing, like, yeah, I know, but like a shrug. Like, he doesn't look worried about it just yet. It's not like they're doing it tomorrow. Like even if they, you know what I mean? Even if you couldn't talk about it, this is, that's a lot. They got their own campaign, basically. That's, you know. Let's see. What's the adamantite for? Oh, weapons, mostly. We were going to build some pre-mo siege stuff. We got help with that, but, oh, man.

You, okay. You were been to, uh, it's like, uh, 25, yeah, like 25, yeah, like 25, 30 miles west of Winterhaven. Yes. I've been everywhere. Oh, okay. So there's a camp of engineers. And they were kind of kicked out of the city because they blew up decent-sized portions of it early on. But they've been working with what do they call engines. So think like, see. We have rams and catapults and stuff, but they move without horses. Like they just kind of go, you know? Ruby's. Oh, it's like a power of a horse, but not, you know? Maybe you get like the power of lots of horses in there and that's like a unit measurement, maybe.

Like for how powerful something is, it's how many horses, right? Yeah. Yeah. I don't like that. Oh, no. I feel like if we're going to start using multiple horses, maybe we should increase the measurement, like dragon power? And is it how much that the horses can move just in general? Or is it about the horses moving that exact object? I could never tell. Oh, under strain. Right. Yeah. And what kind of horses are we talking about, right? That's a good point. Big horses, small horses, you know. There's a lot of horses. And across what kind of terrain is this measurement being taken?

Up hill, downhill. Shit, guys, this is falling apart. As a matter of fact, why do we use miles? I gave you that and I don't know. Elves use kilometers. We should really stay. And they won't shut the fuck up about it. Oh my God. That's absolutely 100% true. Yeah, can't. And canon, care. Like, them and the electric Dr. And it's like, but come on, right? What? Would Ruby? So Ruby's very, her ears have perked up about this. Sure. Would, she would never have heard of anything like this necessarily, right? Or would she have? Which part? The, the engineering of this kind of machine.

Oh, yeah. Yeah, yeah. So in Breitport, specifically, they're working on, it's usually smaller scale stuff. Like, you'll have people mostly just working on motorized carriages and stuff like that. There are custom shops that, like, you have to order one specifically. They're not mass produced. But if you're rich enough and, you know, like you want to be an early adopter, you get one custom made. And they even have like very, very, um, kind of kind of, kind of crappy scooter versions of it just to get around the city. They're not practical. But again, if you're rich, you know.

So you've seen this type of stuff, but probably not had the opportunity to really take it apart and dig in. Right. Because, you know, orphan. So she's just flagging it in her head like, hmm, so 23 miles west of Winter Haven? Okay. All right. Got you. She might write it down in her notebook. I wonder what they could do with magic. You know, it sounds like this is very powerful and magic is very powerful. They have those two powers together. Sounds pretty strong. Sounds like an artificer. Do they have those? Yeah, specifically lately. We had, it's a long story, but yes, they do exist.

Yeah, like artificers. I wonder if there are any minotaur artificers. Hmm. Are there? He's looking at them. He's looking at them. I don't know. I mean, maybe somewhere. And it's not me. That's not where my strengths lie. Honestly, I wish I, I, I wish I was dexterous like Brax here. He's more of a long-range guy. Sniper type. It looks pretty live. Fully as big. It's just like. He's the quick one, I can tell. Well, that's pretty live. There's a way to put magic in anybody's hands. And Camaro just sort of like raises eyebrow a little bit. Can turn his head. Just floating the idea out.

Gimme, give me. Give me. Give me persuasion. Okay. That's not very good. This is definitely not a lie. Yeah, it's definitely not a lie. I haven't gotten to the lying yet. That's... Oh, my God. Oh. Ian. Hey, everybody. Jasper here. Sorry for interrupting. If you're enjoying what we do here at Dungeons and Randomness, consider joining our community. First, our Discord is where the real party's at. Listener chats, lore dives, behind the seats, conversations, and even live Patreon sessions. If you love the world of Theria, there's always something happening. And if you want even more from us, Patreon is how you get it.

Patreon.com slash D-A-N-D-R. Bonus episodes, behind-the-scenes recordings, one-shots, and more from Fort Prossport. And news surprises will be rolling out very, very soon. Each tier comes with its own perks, and every dollar helps keep the story going. Links are in the description. Thanks for being here. Back to the show. I want to give you a problem. Can I give you this? Can I give you inspiration? Can I just... Do you have inspiration? I do. I don't know. I feel like I would love it, but I feel like the dice are telling a story here. And I kind of want to honor it.

Yeah. It's a crit one. Everybody out there is if you didn't know. Do you want to roll on the... I'm worried about the... Oh, it's a one. Shit. Oh. What is this? Okay. You severe a blundering bribe. I'm trying to say that. You severely misjudiced. who is able to be bribed or the offer you made isn't enough. The individual calls local one enforcement. Oh. Oh! You must pay a fine double the amount you were using to be bribed or to be arrested. That's difficult to, yeah. I don't know how that's going to work. Holy shit. I... Okay. I... Okay. I don't... I don't tell them. The room just runs.

That e-offord magic? That was it. Well, okay, I think we need to get a little loose with, I think it needs to be like, oh, there's ways to get magic. And then like you have to infer something like a demonic pact. It has to get that far before. And what I'd like to do is a little skill check challenge to diffuse this situation because what it might lead to as a fight. Like, these guys must have been so thoroughly insulted. that Yeah, like it have to be. So, okay, you I'm so sorry, buddy. Like, this is roof. This is roof. I'll make a deal with you. During this little, it's just a mini skill check challenge, but if you roll a crit at any point instantly diffused, it'll be like, all right, my mother's a saint.

Like, it's a saint. Like, it'll be, you know, like, it'll be, you know. But it have to be something. It's like, well, I know somebody. And you have to, you have to give a little like, like, it's like, oh, it has to be like demonic packs, sell your soul, black magic, something. And Minotaurs aren't. There are magic users, but they're more druidic, not book learning. And maybe I just had an idea about the mother thing. I was like, maybe it was an innocuous, a seemingly innocent comment, like, yeah, something your mother and father did. give you, I will be able to grant you.

And then they take it as, what are you saying about my mom? Yeah. Like, it's a sore spot for them. Like, maybe other things have been said about their mom and they're like, this is the last fucking straw. Okay. Who told you? Like, it's that kind of a thing. Yeah. Just to clarify, we're doing a little skill check challenge, but I have to, I have to infer something about demonic pact is what you're saying, right? It has to be something that insulting. If you have something else, Oh, you mean like that's what I... That's what I would have said or that's what I would have mentioned.

Okay. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I think that's what kicks it up. That's our catalyst, right? It has to be something to piss them off. And with a crit one, it's like it's not as sly. It's more like, well, you could sign your solo if you know what I'm saying. Like you're trying, you know, it's not... Yeah. So let's do this. Give me a charisma saving throw. Please. So this is like, fuck you say. Like that kind of thing. Instant. Like, holy shit. Like they are. Yeah. Whoops. Wrong crowd. Foof. Rungle digits. Okay. But 12. 12. I was hoping for 13. 12 isn't terrible. They're still very upset.

But it's like. So I think it's once someone's insulted, they're much more likely to interpret. interpret the things you say as further insult before cooling dense. Like, oh, so you think I'm too dumb now? Like it's that type of thing. Like, you know. Give me a persuasion check, please. We're looking for 13 or higher. No, no, no, no, not too dumb. It's just this magic may not be for everyone. Holy shit, thank you. 18, that's a 25. I suppose, this is your wheelhouse. This is your hair. Just thing. 25. Like that's, so okay. Let's say that's one success, one failure.

We're looking for one more. Okay. We're just looking for. So I need you to give me a culture role to finally. It's like, hey, I met Minator before that give them an example. You're almost doing the, hey, some of my best friends are. I was just going to say. Yeah. I know. It's, yes. I've met. many minotores in my time in the in the circus all great people. Some of them even magicians. Shit. 11. Okay. Do you want my inspiration? Uh, you're saying we're clowns. Are you here to amuse you? Yes. That is exactly what I was thinking. Yes. I might need it. I don't know the, I don't know.

It's just a good. Yeah, just got to get another success. Just looking for 13 or higher. It's too higher. You rolled us. What was that? Would you roll? I rolled in 11. I got a zero. Yeah. Okay. Could I roll culture with my charisma? I'll allow that. I'll allow that. Because this is, again, one, man, you've had a shitty night. But two, it's, it's chimera. And I feel like, Like you try for the culture thing. It's like, mm-mm, like, I'm relying on knowledge. No, okay, hold on. And you're just kind of like, you're gonna almost take a change. And polish it up and yes, like, present it again.

So one more time. Okay. That's lower. Barely. I mean, well, he rolled a five. The modifier was just bigger. So that's a 10. Okay, I've got inspiration. I'm going to use it. Okay. You know what? If this doesn't succeed, then we know you've dug a pit for yourself. Like, you're just like... I've just never met a smart minotaur. I don't... 16. Okay. Okay. So that you're... You're... I feel like you're almost doing like the old Windows maze green saver thing. We're like, ah, no. And it turned around and try another way. And you're not trying to solve it. You're just saying everything you can think of until.

And eventually, they do cool down. But they're, they're kind of like they, they, they kind of like bullish, like, like, like, man, you got to, some people won't be as patient, man. You're insensitive. Like, you just, you know what I mean? Like, they're just kind of like, shit. It's got like, I think every. one here to like sees chimera floundering. Like he is like this is not the top of his game. And we're not even in a situation that is like special or anything. Yeah, it's just like a conversation around a fire and he is like sweating and floundering and flops way.

If it makes any sense though, the way I've described the Minotaur, they are your they are your kryptonite. They're anti-bullshit. They're anti-bullshit. police and you're just throwing flowery language they're like get to it and then if you say something like what about my mother like it's like they don't yeah and on the other side of that so on one hand you've got the minotaur being that way on the other hand you still I mean literally just a few hours probably since have Colgoth doing the other pressure on the other side of you basically like come on on it's going to you're in the middle you're in a vice yeah so I'm I'd be surprised if all of your roles weren't at disadvantage right now.

Because of something like that. No, no. I don't think we need to. I think fate does. Yeah. Fate is making that effectively the case is my point. You're the only one out here is sweating. Yes. I imagine too that like while this is happening like campus being set up and stuff and like Logrin's going around like handing like cups of like warm like. like soup or tea or or coffee to people and he like hands a cup to night there and just kind of gives her a look and in his look is just communicated like something's wrong like something's not right he came out of that out of the who's this guy kind of yeah yeah like he would never like get this nervous unless he's gonna you know and so it's obviously he can't communicate all with a look.

But that's the gist of the look is like it's just kind of like eyebrows and like I'm worried. So I imagine like Lauren looks like gives that worried look and then looks to chimera and then Nithera will give like a nod and then look to the Minotar. Like I'm going to go get in between this and then she'll look to him and then look to Chimera like you talk to him. So Nithira will go up to the Minotaur after they're like, oh, you can't be this way. It's insensitive and Nithera will be like Hey, Brex, I heard you're pretty live. Can you show me how you use that weapon?

Uh, he's instantly going to light up because it's like, yeah. Like, you just fucking go. Like, and like he'll, he'll give one more look. Come here, it's like, just kind of like, just shake his head a little bit. He's like, he's like sweating and just like, trying to drink this thing. Burning his mouth. And Niterra will say to a dozer, not over to Ruby. Ruby will probably have some soup for you as well. So like get them away from chimera. Yeah. Yeah. And it's diffused. It's just like, I get from a people that are so. So what you say is what you're saying. There is no subtext.

There is not like sarcasm doesn't exist or anything like that. It's more just like the words you choose are your representative. Why would you choose those words? Like what? Unless you're trying to say something. So it's, yeah. Ruby. Sorry, go ahead. Jameson. No, I was just going to say Lodering like as nice. Theaer is running interference. Logrin comes over with his like cup. And I mentioned those like 10 tin campfire cups, you know? Yeah. Yeah. The enamel coated ones. Yeah. So he's got one of those and he kind of just walks over and he's like, you kind of just tilts his head for Camero, like, stick a walk.

Okay. Get the Chet treatment. Oh. When the manager just like, hey, let's go to my office real quick. If this was Chet, I'd fucking bury him in the snow. Oh, yeah, come back a long. That's fair. That's it. I don't know if the kids would make this better or worse right now. Yeah. It's not exactly smooth either way. But yeah, anyway. So we're going to say, Josh. I was going to pull the camera away as well. So if Longman is going to do it, then great. While you're, you know, while you're pulling him away, you are going to hear a full-bore cannon blast. Like it is absolutely a can.

Like it is just, so they, it is, there's a handle welded to the top of it. And he's just scooped it up with his arm. And then literally just, just. has fire and just touches the back of it and blam. And just into the side of a rock or something. And it does, it, like, he's accurate with it. Like, he's like, look at that, like, right there. Go back. Because he, there's almost no recoil for him. Like, he's so strong that he can just hold it. The problem is, after that, he's like, all right, hold on. Like, he's got to like swab it out and like, it's still a cannon.

So it's like three rounds of like re-loading this thing. Right. Ruby would have cropped down immediately. Yeah. Ruby, as soon as that noise, crouched down, wrist ballista out, pointed at something, like, until she figured out what the hell was going on, like, ready to attack. And I imagine like you're standing there. Like, she knows that this thing is going to be very loud. But even then she's like this nonchal look on her face, but then it goes off and her braid like brushes off her shoulders. her hair goes up and she like blinks. That was impressive. It's her line of blood down for me.

Yeah. Like for a character whose expertise is like scalpel like precision and like, it's like, it's like, okay. The amount of damage you did is very impressive. Here's why it's not for me. And you have a lift in your head that you're just like. We'll start with speed and noise. And it's just that, da, da, da, and it's like, how many of those do you have on you? That's finite, right? You can't just. And then you'll start asking about like the ammo. Like, yeah, where are you carrying that? Are you back? You don't know. You don't know. And he's like, he has like an adventure sack.

It's just full of these goddamn balls. Like, he's just like... Full of balls. That's the name of the episode. It's a full of balls. Brew, make it happen. Brew, don't listen to him. Brew, listen to me. It's my birthday. Oh. Oh, listen to James and after the nightquil kicks in. He's going to have some grits in. I got seven minutes. Then it's going. Don't think I'm not watching. watching the timer. So pulling Kimer aside. Yeah. So he'll like walk with, and he can't really put his armor on Kamiara's shoulders because short. So he's just going to walk beside him. And it's just kind of like move one of the zombies out of the way.

Excuse us. Here jumps. There's a cannon goes off and he's just like, oh God. Oh, God. Yeah. So we get to like the edge of like whether. Actually, no, we both can see in the dark. So we walk a little further past the edge of the life. And so he's just like, feels like something happened on the other side there. Everything is just fine. I'm good. It's just been, yeah, going through a portal kind of puts you off. Do you want a reading? Let's do a reading. Sit down with me. And Camarro pull out his deck of tarot cards and start like putting, like placing them down on his lap.

Okay. You know what? You know what? All right. And he like pulls off. A big giant stone gauntlets. Sit down on the snow. All right. So I had a little chat with my patron. And he wants things squared up. I've racked up a little bit of a debt. And he's calling in for things. And what he wants is is... a life that I have to take. That doesn't mean I have to kill someone. I mean, it could be that. But that's what I need to do. And on his lap, he's placed out tarot cards. and they actually spell something out and it says help. Oh, my God. There are. So we've taken a lot of road trips and there are truck stops.

At every truck stop, even in the men's room, on the wall, there's a thing that says, if you're being abused or held against your will, and it's like, yes, like it is or signal to the, it's like, it's like, it's like, or signal to the, it's like, it's like, That's such a problem. That's even in the men's room in these truck stops. And it's like, wow, that raises a lot of questions. But that is what you're doing is like signaling to someone. At bars, there's a drink you can order if you're with somebody that makes you know. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, that's clever.

Yeah. I forget what it's called. It's like an angel shot or something like that. If you order that from the bartender knows to like get you out of there type thing. I hate that that's a problem we had to solve. But. Yes. It's a fair. elegant solution to a terrible problem. So yeah, anyway, so... And then Kamira says, when he's done, placing the last card, and he says, and I have 48 hours. Shouldn't be a problem. Not for me. Our options are a little limited right now. We've got a potential problem. He can kind of nods his head over. in the direction of the Minotaurs.

And that is a solution. Maybe not my ideal solution, but... Let me ask you a question. Based on what they just told us. Is that change what we should be doing? No, I don't think so. because it kind of sounds like we got competition. And so my first thought was, well, we just need to move faster, beat them to the punch. But all that means is we do our thing and then they do their thing. Because they might not know that we did our thing. So there's a few complications that have been cropping up. In one solution, part of a solution would be to make sure that they don't get their hands on that adamantite.

It's true. There's definitely more than one way to skin this cat. We are supposed to meet with some people too. And we are going to a place full of Duraghar. How far away is it? Is it within 48 hours if we get there? Oh, yes. Do I know that? Okay. You're like you got like eight more hours of hiking and you'll be like you'll probably meet up with the quick bolts within like half a day. Yeah. But yeah, but Kamira is doing this and as he's doing that, he's gathering up the cards again. And he's like, I'm not so much worried about that. I'm worried about that. I'm worried that.

This is a site of Kolgoth that I haven't really seen a lot. He was very insistent. Nothing I can't handle. Nothing we can't handle. It's just got me flustered, as you can see. He's putting the cards down, and he spells out, it's bad. I want you to know. I want you to know. that I knew about this when I asked you to join us. And this doesn't change any of that. I'd still ask you now. You're here for a reason. So we'll figure it out. If you need time, we'll find ways to get you more time. That's the one thing I don't have. One thing I couldn't... I hope so. Everything's negotiable.

You know that. That's what I'm saying. It's just, it's harder to do with, uh, with someone like him. Sure. I mean, I don't think that any kind of ultimatum. is made from a position of strength. And he's saying this in a way that he knows who's listening, right? You don't do that when you're in a good position. So, I think there's potential to maybe make a counteroffer for a little bit more profit down the line. For everybody. That's a good idea. For example, apparently we got drought to deal with, and we know somebody with a lot of cannons now. Just off the top of my head, I don't know.

I don't know. I like that. I can maybe work with that. And Logran. Whatever happens. I'm here for that reason. We're going to do this. I'm going to do this. I need your help. That means that if you need my help, it goes, it's a given. It goes without saying. You don't have to ask. So any deal that's being made with you, any ultimatum, we're there with you. Look at that, the fortune card. Incredible. I think things are looking up. You'll hear... So remember, long ago, you have this... earring that if someone says your name with with close to you, sort of close to you, it'll sound like a whisper in your ear.

Oh, right. Do you remember that? Yes. We haven't been playing that out, but I imagine that Ruby is constantly doing stuff with chimera like that. So she's going to say, you're going to hear. Camara, is he bothering you? One second, Lugrin. Ruby's talking to me. As a Ruby, God, damn. I don't even think you can answer back. I don't even think. Can you? I don't even know if it's a back and forth. No, I don't think. Yeah, I think I can only, I can only hear. That's it. I can only hear it. I think that's all. Don't answer. Don't answer that. But I have stolen some of Logrin's good liquor.

Meet me in the tent. Don't tell him. Got it. We're drinking some of your good liquor. Just don't replace it with water. God. My theorist sees you put your hand to your ear and nose, oh, come here. It's a good time to talk. Hold on. I've got an Niferra. One second. Lugren's like flipping one of the cards over in his hand. I don't understand. You can tell the future from these things. If you need me to kill someone, I'm there. She has no context. That's what we're talking about. No. For real, like, he looks like he was upset. Do you need me to kill someone? Like, that's our usual coach.

Yeah, that is kind of a like, do you like your breakfast? Sure. Do you need me to kill anybody for you? She's just, she's offering to kill people again. It's the usual. The usual. You're gonna, you're gonna hear like a, like a much more like gravely voice. Are we killing someone? Like right next to like just kind of leaning in with the two of them. Okay, I mean to figure out how to change channels on this. Not knowing your, you know, it's. So the way the earring works. is if someone says your name within a hundred feet of you, it opens a channel and you're listening in.

You could choose to close it, but they have to not say your name within a minute. So I imagine that every time Ruby's just like, came here out. Like just like it just opens a channel. Like it's like I wonder what they're saying over there. So, you know, you can hear him. You can hear her. But you can't communicate. communicate back. It's just a listening device. So it's like a bad spy mic. Oh, and then I like to think that like a brex, are we killing someone? No, I'm just talking to my friend Kim here, which opens the channel again. I just take the earring off.

I take the earring off at that point. I just take it off. I just put it down and I, I put the Fortune card in Lagrin's hand. And I say, thank you, Logren. That means a lot. No problem. And then he'll get up. He'll like brush all the snow off of him. Pick up his gloves. That old man thing where he's taking his time. Like, all right, where do I have everything? Okay. And he just pat him on the shoulder. Don't worry about him. We'll get it. It's very interesting the relationship with Colgoth because he is around. He is around, but he doesn't see through your eyes.

He doesn't take possession of you. Because his entire thing is you have to do it willingly. That's where he gets pleasure. If he made you do it, then that's not. It's hollow. It's empty. So while he is kind of always around and listening, he's not, you know what I mean? He doesn't, he's not all knowing. He doesn't, you know, and he doesn't even like to apply pressure because, again, that's kind of impeding on free will. But eventually it's like, look, like if you're, if you're not going to be cool anymore, then, you know, so, yeah. Yeah. So Camero, he'll put the cards back and he'll put the earring back on and head to the tent.

Where Ruby is. She's just, she's got liquor ready for you. So. By the way, I want to clarify something. It's adamant tight when it's in raw ore. It's adamantine when it's been, uh, Okay, good. Because, yes, the actual or is adamantite and then adamantine when it's been refined. Because people are losing that we have been calling at Adamantite the entire time and it's driving a few people insane. I mean, listen to the fact that I haven't yet slept and called it adamantium is stunning. So. Quiet boy, you want to get sued? Can I get the perception check from everybody again?

What are we perceiving? Nothing. We'll see. Yeah, nothing. All right, okay, okay, maybe a heart to heart is what's helping. Okay, that's a 15. That's what I need. That's what I need. Yeah. It's pent up. It's therapy. You got to get it out. 21 for Ruby. And then 8 and 8 for Logran and Nithira. Leran's trying to get the zombies to move, but they won't do it if Nithera doesn't say it. So he's just trying to get them to. No, you stand over here. And you stand over there. Why don't be listening? Why won't they? You're doing the Minecraft hitbox thing where you keep rubbing against them to smooth them slightly?

He just eventually just picks it up by the hips and just shifts it over. stand right there. God. Ruby. Ruby's going to be the first notice. Two figures are going to come loping into camp here. And that's the quick bolts. And this is not where you were supposed to meet up. They're meeting you earlier. Which signals to you there's a problem. Which you already. kind of got a heads up on. But they're going to kind of come in. Just they, they, they, one, they got the vibe from Nythira that she's a little more of a shoot first, ask questions later type of person, just in case.

And two, there is a minotaur with a full-size cannon. Just, just, just standing there. So definitely what I don't know that one. So you guys had kids last time we saw. And look what they turned into. You know. Yeah. So Ruby's, this is probably a very common occurrence where, you know, like they'll sneak some liquor. And in fact, probably Logger buys extra liquor for, you know, nice liquor. He puts the bad stuff in the good bottle and the good stuff. Exactly. Ruby, yeah, that's true. Over the years, she doesn't know what good liquor is because he's never. ever actually had.

She's like, this is the best. Just light her fluid. If Camara gets closer, she opens, she's like, she's got two little shot glass type things in her hand. And behind chimera, she's going to see these two figures coming, you know, kind of hands up and kind of gangly, like, whatever. And oh, hell. Because she hasn't met them. So she doesn't know what they look like. But she's going to, but they don't look threatening. She's going to just go. Logrin. You stand there. Just stand there. God. What? And she's just going to point with her whiskey in hand. Oh, okay. All right.

And then he'll do like the wave like we see you, like that thing. Friends of yours. Yeah, that looks like them. It's good. Yeah. First thing they're going to do. Come into the tent and stuff. Like, the Minotaur are the thing that draw the eye. And then they're going to look at the two fucking zombies just standing outside the tent like bouncers. Because I don't imagine you let him in the tent. They smell. No. They're outdoor. Yeah. They're not house trained. No, no. No. No. So they're just kind of like, like middle distance, staring off, like, glassy-eyed, you know, cornea's scarred and stuff.

Just like middle distance. They're just walking up like, all right, okay. Kind of duck into the tent. And Jesse would be the first one to kind of like put his feet up on whatever you have. Like, just make himself comfy. And Alston's going to stand. We got a little bit of a problem. So last time we were up there, their leader, Hargill. That was a different guy. I don't know, I don't know what's happening, but that ain't him. I don't him. Just kind of glance over at the Minotaur's and then back. back over. This is just him. He's, he's, he's, he's kind of look over at the Minotaur and then over you.

Is it all right to talk in front of these two or, uh? Yeah, just don't talk about their mother. Come here to take that. Just a shot. Yeah. Like, Austin being the more, I think what you'd see is like Austin being the boy, it's like, yeah, no, that's common sense. And Jesse's like, oh, okay. Don't talk about their mother. Like, genuinely, like, didn't think about it. Just tip, yeah. Yeah. Trash ghost in trash can. All right. All right. Uh, no. No. No. I think it's. I think it's all of them. They seem... Let's call it subdued. Hmm. Is that run through the snow at the middle of the night type problem?

Well, yeah, no. We were going to meet more towards their entrance and just kind of walk in. But... And Jesse's going to speak up. Now, we were scared as fuck. Because... I think they would have attacked us. Ruby's going to take it. She's going to slam a shot now. And then find a place to just collapse, like, devil, like, God damn. It can't be easy. Do you know what? Go ahead. Sorry. It might be easy. I mean, if they're not talking, if they're just attacking, I think we can work around that. Working around fighting, what, Thogran? What? It's insane. We need their help.

We don't need a fight. We need their adamantite. Austin's going to kind of weigh in. All right. We didn't, we didn't sign up to fight anyone. So let me put that on the table. Minutores are going to be like, yeah, okay, we will. I got no problem with that. But yeah, we kind of need them too. So it's kind of like the two least likely parties. to fucking ask for peace are the ones that's like, well. Look, I ain't no expert, but if I didn't know any better, I think this is mind control, like straight up, like that. I've talked to the man. He's real, you know, level-headed, a little prickly, but, you know, their people went through a bunch.

So they got the right. I sure that's how that works. But all right. Can I make a history check to see if there's any been any kind of like. I can't make an arcana check to see what could cause mind control. But has there been like in a city overtaken by mind control before? Something in the recent past that would like, oh, this might be connected to. Oh, that's obviously a ghost. Like, I don't know. Just something like that. Or even just the scale of that. How far away would you have to be? How close would you have to be to make that happen to such a... Yeah.

There's a dozen questions we can be asked. So please, yes, give me a... Yeah, give me history. Okay. Man, clutch rolls are... So that was a six total of eight. I've heard of a whole hell as you fell asleep once. It's, I mean, God, again, there's a, there's a fungus that takes over people's minds. There's, could be demons, could be flat out artifact mind control. Could be your classic, like, siren song type. Hell, you've run into two versions of mind control in the last week and a half. So there's a lot of it. But this is different from like, oh, we're going to lure you in and eat you.

This is... Whatever it's doing. It's flat out controlling them and either living in them or using them to their own ends. Something. What other enemies do the Durigar have? I mean, we know the dwarves, but... What? Who else could be behind this? What have they been up to? Do you know? I know you don't keep tabs on them, but... Have they been doing it? I think. Look, I just know what I... I know what I heard from... From Hardroll, but... I mean, they kind of stick to themselves. They did claim the whole of the Black Rock Mountains for the most part. And that kind of rubbed Esther hold the wrong way.

But... Last I heard, they were working something out. They, you know... I do know. And he's, he's kind of like, it's as if it just kind of occurred to him. I do know there's more than raw or there. There's some, um, there's something rarer than animantite. And mountains lousy with it in certain spots. You got to be either pretty damn hard here, suicidal to get it. But I mean, let's say you're. culture would nothing to lose. What would that be? I got Lordstone and a few other real rare ingredients. I mean, literally stuff that just comes out of the walls. Lagerin, I think there's...

I think there's two options. here that I could see. Perhaps you see more. We just leave. We know of other ore veins. Perhaps seek those out. Or turn this to our advantage. Save them, which usually isn't our thing, but that it puts them in our day. And that's an entire civilization. Who's also against the same people you are? He was not. nodding along until you said in front of the Mnitorra that he was also against Stone Sunder. I said entire civilization you are. I didn't say much civilization. That's okay. True, true, true. That's okay. He still gives you kind of a flat love.

He goes, yeah, that's pretty much how I see it. If we manage to save them from whatever, if it's a weird mushroom, ghosts, I don't know. So is ghosts. With us, yeah. Then we got a whole bunch of Dürg. Maybe owe us a favor. And that feels valuable. Can we do it without saving an entire people, though? That seems like such a tall order, and we have no information. Let's put a pen at it until we get there. How's that? Let's take a look. That's fair. I mean, maybe we say half. The fur was brow. Just like, so you, you still want to go. We got to check it out. I mean, not that we don't trust what you're saying, but.

What if it's a quick fix? Austin's a little more stone face. just like, because he's trying to negotiate because what it looks like is happening is, the thing you hired them for, they're not going to be able to do. Because if they're not using free will, how are they going to negotiate? But Jesse's much less stone faced. I'm just like, fuck. Like, we are not getting paid, are we? Like, it's very much. It's like, yeah, fuck it. Let's go. This is Minotaur hell. Like, oh, if X happens, then this, then this, then that all they know is like, well, we need them too.

So I guess, I guess you have an eight-person party again. No, what we do. You include the zombies. Yeah, I guess. I don't know if they get a vote though. They have to stay outside. So. No, no. They vote. And they always vote for what I vote for. That's a good deal. Every team meeting that's like, man, that's bullshit. Hey, you anime dead. I've been trying, they won't stay up. I want to cool mind knife. Like, yeah, so Lagerin kind of looks at the Minotaur and he's like, if you got the patience, come along with us. We'll see what we see. If it turns out, we got to smash our way out of there, then you'll know what to do.

Guys, I think that's a good time for us to stop for the night. That was a good session. This is getting... Man, I'm glad we got rid of those kids. Everything's so much more simplistic. Oh, my God. I wish we could have them back. Well, now we just don't have kids running into the line of fire at all times. Yeah, yeah. We have consenting. Everything else, I feel like, yeah. And maybe not so consenting undead. Yeah. All of these people can dial on our watch. I don't care. Yeah. Ah, man, I knowing what's up ahead. I can't wait to see. I got this this this it's gonna be interesting it's it's Pandora's box whatever flew out went here it's the shadows those Duregar they dug too greedily and too deep what they did it's a bowel rock Oh do you know how fucking rock hard I would get to run a bow-rog A ball fight.

Oh, my God. We are not ready. We are not ready. I'm not really leveling up. What do we got here? Did we get XP for the white fight? Well, yes. Technically they died-ish, but like we're counting it as a win. We're... I killed them. You killed them. You killed them. I'm sorry. That's like I was taking it away. I wasn't. It's your birthday. Yes. Do you know what? I should get extra XP. Well, okay. Now I don't want to give it to you because you said that. I was going to be cool. But I want to go to all of my friends. Including the whites? No. We were a party for when we fought those.

We don't have to split that shit. That's right. So here's what I'm going to do. And I'm going to do this every time one of you has a birthday. Within that week. Right. Any time one of you has a birthday. we are going to multiply whatever XP you get by three. Just because it only happens. It's rare. Yeah. It's, you know, and again, it's going to get, the stretches are going to get longer and longer in between. Because, you know, takes more and more XP. Although, you're not splitting it right now. So that's pretty cool. Thanks, Jason. That being said, I'm going to tell you that Nyquil's hidden.

Yeah, it's... I just did the COVID ride, so yeah. Oh, God. Everyone gives you, give yourselves a total of 5,9007 XP. Oh, I know. I know. That is a level. That's your total. Total divided by four. No, no, no. That is your current XP is what I'm doing. I did the math for you. I'm so sorry. Okay. Okay. I was like, is that like two levels? No, no, no, no, no. Yeah, I just promised things and never even thought about it. You remember that time I ran a casino in a session? Man. 5,9007 is your total XP. Got it. Which, oh, it's a little less than 600 away from level five. Yes.

Nice. Killing a couple minutes or get us over the hump, I bet. Yeah. And that's two lives. I mean, right.