This transcript is colour coded for ease of use. Please download the PDF.
Tobe as played by Liz
Myx as played by Nina
Erbak as played by Tom
Mhurren as played by Vinny
Narrator/Scraw/GM/Everything else as played by Ray
[cello march]
Ray: Hello, travelers, and welcome to Tails from the Dark Dragons Inn: Season 2, Episode 3, An Urgent Missive. As you’re hopefully aware, many of our episodes are now fully transcribed and you can find transcriptions of each episode in the show notes, clicking on the transcripts option on our homepage or by heading direct to https://transcripts.tailsfromthedarkdragonsinn.co.uk. We’re aiming to release new transcripts for each episode within a week of audio release. So, keep an eye out on social media for #transcripttuesdays, where we’ll be aiming to release at least one transcript each week.
If you’d like to support us directly, head over to our Patreon on https://patreon.com/darkdragonsinn. Every contribution we receive goes straight into show production and makes a significant difference to our ability to continue.
This week, we have the whole crew. Vinnie as Mhurren, Nina as Myx, Tom as Erbak, Liz as Tobe and I’m Ray, your host and Game Master, and I play, well, just about everyone else.
Now, on with the show.
[patron chatter]
Usher: “Good evening, please, allow me to take your coats. Follow me, won’t you?”
Doomsinger: “I would like to tell you that our deeds were done, that from here on out, twas naught but fun and games with Frume in Elturel, that we at least rested for a spell. But fate conspired. Twas not to be, and so began our dark mystery.”
GM:You’re sitting in for breakfast. The barmaid’s bringing you food and so on, and as she’s bringing the food over, she says,
Barmaid: “Oh, your rooms will be ready in probably an hour or so? I’ve just got to get them prepared.”
Tobe: “Rooms?”
GM: And Ontharr Frume and Leosin make it clear that you’ll be staying in the A Pair of Antlers Inn, because you are their honored guests. You have done them a great service and you are welcome to stay here as you need to. And, we skip ahead to the evening. Ontharr Frume does not appear to have stopped drinking the entire day. He does have his platemail back on.
{laughs}
Erbak: Small mercies.
GM: But it looks like it could come off any minute. You see that in addition to the banquet that’s being set up, all the tables have been set up to account for a lot of people, but they’ve also been lined around the room so that there’s definitely a central area. And throughout the course of the meal, various members of the Order of Torm have gotten up and had wrestling matches or performances, showing off their prowess in various ways, whether that’s physical combat or their devotion, their poetry readings. Everything under the sun. You name it. That’s going on.
And, it gets towards later in the evening. And you find yourselves sitting around the table enjoying food and drink, having a chat with a few members of the order of Torm. Do you notice that Leosin and Frume are actually nowhere to be seen, for the first time this evening, really.
Nasim: As you’re all sitting there, you are approached by Nasim. “I hope you have all had a refreshing evening.”
Myx: “Ah, you could say that. Or at least an animated one.”
Nasim: “You have done well so far and Ontharr thinks very highly of you. Leosin asked me to pass you this.” And he gives you the gold that he said he would pay you for going to look in the caves. And after he finishes handing out your rewards from your previous mission, he says, “If you are not too busy at the moment, Ontharr and Leosin would like to talk with you.”
Erbak: “Well, I’m free right now.”
Tobe: “I don’t think like, anything particularly important’s taking up our time.”
GM: He looks around the bar {laughs} and you’re sitting directly in front of a member of the Order of Torm while you’re like, “Yeah, there’s nothing really important taking up our time right now.” {laughs} And the member, who is a young looking hobgoblin girl, still wearing the full suit of the Order of Torm, looks terribly affronted, because she thought she was getting somewhere, but it turns out you were just being polite.
Tobe: {laughs}
GM: And she just gets up and goes.
Erbak: “Tobe, I believe that girl wanted to mate with you.”
{laughs}
Tobe: {flabbergasted} “Uh, what? WHAT?!”
Erbak: “Well, not anymore clearly.”
Tobe: “Uh. Good, I think. I’m not really interested. It’s probably a good thing she walked off.”
Myx: “{sighs} Doomy, you’re going to have to start writing a song about Tobe the Heartbreaker.”
Tobe: “{stammers}”
Doomsinger: “I’m way ahead of you.”
Tobe: “I don’t … I don’t think that’s true at all, but okay?”
Myx: “Just ’cause you don’t notice it, doesn’t mean we don’t.”
Tobe: “Why don’t we just …”
Doomsinger: Doomsinger gives you a conspiratorial tap on the nose and a wink, says, “Yes, Nasim. I don’t think we’re busy. Perhaps you can show us the way to where they are.” And Doomsinger just gets up.
Mhurren: “Please, lead the way.”
GM: You all follow Nasim through a back door, which you know leads to the rooms that you were staying in. He takes you to a private space away from the tavern’s common area. He opens the door, ushers you inside and then closes the door behind you. It’s a very ostentatious room. There are various hunting trophies on the walls. There’s a large round table in the middle of the room, where Ontharr and Leosin are looking over a very large map of the Sword Coast. And they’re just muttering between one another.
GM: And as you walk in, you see that there are several pitchers of wine dotted around the table and most of them are reasonably full still, but Ontharr, compared to how you’ve seen him all of today, looks extremely serious. His usual open, smiling face is furrowed and set into a grim stance.
Frume: “My friends. We have important business to discuss. At this point, you know almost as much about it as we do. And thanks to you, we know twice as much today as we did, well, a tenday ago. Something rotten is afoot. We have no formal organization to oppose these rascals. Not yet anyway. We’re working on that. And we need people like you, who know how and when to fight. And, how and when to keep their heads down and observe. You’ve proven that already.
We can’t promise you anything except long days filled with danger and stress, but what could be better than that? Eh?
I as you know, am a member of the Order of Gauntlet. We seek to preserve justice and peace for all that is good and lawful in this land. We will take no minor measures to stop evil in its tracks, however, we will always and only act in retribution always. Never preemptively.
We never, we never strike the first blow. We seek justice and penatance for the wrongdoings of evil doers. And that is what we are inviting you to assist us with.
I’ve been discussing with Leosin, uh, his findings of the cult. What do you know of them? All of you?”
Erbak: “They have three mercenary companies under their command.”
Myx: “They cause a lot of trouble wherever they go.”
Frume: “But what do you know of the cult themselves? This much is true. We have discussed their organization and where they’ve headed. We know that they’re on their way to Baldur’s Gate, but we also know that they are taking the trade routes, riding in caravans. It’s the only way to get there… Well, for them, in any case.
After we learned that the cult left the camp, we put two and two together. Not that long before you arrived, a wagon train came through Elturel. We thought nothing of it, not knowing the trouble that Greenest had faced. Yet, when Leosin arrived and spoke word of this, we knew that it couldn’t possibly have been the case that any normal trade was transported from Greenest.
It is our belief that the wagon train was none other than the cultists themselves. So, when you say that they’re headed to Baldur’s Gate, I believe you. I ask again, what do you know of the cult themselves?”
Erbak: “They worship Tiamat, some demon, devil dragon. Ugh, my theology is lacking, but, that much I do know.”
Tobe: “She’s the five-headed queen of dragons.”
Frume: “Indeed she is. But, did you know that they did not always worship Tiamat, that this is in fact, a new development?”
Myx: “Who did they worship before?”
Frume: “Well, to say that they worshiped anyone would be abstract. The Cult of the Dragon has always had designs to resurrect dragons. They believed primordial power, the true powers of chaos lie within the manifestation of the dracolich. Undead dragons, that they believed that they would be able to control when they summoned them.
To my knowledge, they never had much in the way of success. There were a few instances over the past few centuries, but in general, people don’t pay them much mind. They’re not very good at what they do. That’s why this development is troubling.”
Erbak: “So, a dracolich?”
Frume: “Yes. That was their previous goals, to summon undead dragons and control them to their behest, I suppose. As I said, that’s what makes this such a troubling development. They’ve never done anything on such a scale before. They’ve never attacked cities. They’ve never kidnapped people. They’ve never had any need to. And you say that they’re amassing a hoard? Why?”
Tobe: “When they were sacking Greenest a couple of the cultists we encountered said it was like gonna be as an offering to Tiamat.”
Erbak: “Like a large scale ritual sacrifice? Can’t imagine a bunch of fanatics eager to throw their lives away.”
Tobe: “To be fair, I think a lot of the people we encountered are so far down the food chain that if there was an ulterior motive they probably weren’t privy to it.”
Leosin: Leosin and Ontharr exchange glances and Leosin looks up. “Friends, what do you know of The Harpers?”
GM: Between the lot of you, you all sort of respond with, “I’ve heard the name. Kind of? Uhh, don’t know a huge amount.”
Leosin: “The Harpers are an organization not unlike,” and he looks at Ontharr. “Not unlike the Order of the Gauntlet. They are an organization of peacekeepers, of people that work for the betterment of mankind, of all the living races, whether they live in law or chaos. The Harpers seek to steer them all towards the light.
You all know that I am a member of the Talons of Justice. However, I am also a member of the Harpers. We act, primarily, in secret, seeking not to expose ourselves to those who would try to stop us. Our organization has a history of being destroyed by those who would seek to do evil, who see our interference as more than just a mere hinderance. Thus, we act from the shadows but always for the betterment of all.
You’ve seen what The Harpers can do, those horses that you were provided with, those were provided by The Harpers themselves. We have a great volume of funds at our disposal and were you interested in working with us, our aid would be at your behest.”
Frume: And Ontharr turns to you specifically, Mhurren, and says, “Yes, it’s a, it’s a mighty fine offer from the, The Harpers. Um, {clears throat}, however, I suggest that you join The Order of the Gauntlet. We are righteous seekers of justice. We strike out openly, boldly, with ferocity. We strike evil without exception. We shut it down where it stands and we do not allow it to walk in the light.
You’ve demonstrated that you’re more than capable. You spoke with a dragon and negotiated for the peace of a city and then {laughs} you had the balls to stand up to me. And I like that. So, what say you all? This is a choice. You need not take it, but if you do so, our resources will be at your disposal.”
Erbak: “We may need a few moments to confer.”
Frume: “Of course. Regardless of what you choose to do, however, we must ask that you pursue the cult. We know more now about their actions and we know where they’re headed, but we need to know why. If you wish, you may confer. Return to your private quarters and discuss what we have discussed here. However, I believe if you are interested in our shared goals of protecting the peace of this land, it is imperative that the cult are interrupted as soon as possible.”
Leosin: And Leosin nods as he has been doing the entire time Ontharr is talking. “Yes, friends. Please, Mhurren, feel free to consider my offer also, but The Harpers are here for all of you whether you decide to join us or not, now or later. The choice is yours, but it is an offer and you are welcome to turn it down.”
GM: You all make your way out of the room. Ontharr and Leosin indicate that they’ll be there waiting when you get back. So, whose room do you go to to have this chat?
Myx: Mhurren’s room.
Mhurren: I hold the door open. {laughs}
Myx: “Such a gentleman.”
Mhurren: “Thank you.”
Tobe: “Thanks.”
GM: Right now The Scales of Justice are an independant unit and what they are offering you is not, “Hey, stop being an independent unit.” As Leosin pointed out, he is a member of the Talons of Justice. As Ontharr pointed out, he is a member of Order of Torm, but he is also a member of the Order of the Gauntlet. And Leosin is also a member of The Harpers.
Erbak: “So then, what do we all think? Because I am not 100% inclined to tie myself down to any particular group right now. Especially when we know so little about them.”
Tobe: “I’m inclined to agree.”
Myx: “I’m in the same boat. {laughs}”
Tobe: “They clearly have resources we could probably use, but as of now, I’m not particularly comfortable with being a follower of a larger group of people.”
Mhurren: “Well, I don’t know about you guys, but I would feel inclined to join The Harpers, if not to keep a closer eye on Leosin, ’cause I …”
Myx: “What do you mean keep a closer eye?”
Mhurren: “Well, there is just this thing in the back of my head. Do you remember the letter that my master, Kriv sent me? He explained that, described Leosin as an orcish man.”
Tobe: “You could always ask Leosin about where that discrepancy comes from.”
Myx: “I don’t know. I mean, if someone asked me why I was referred to as an orcish man, I’d be a little affronted.”
Mhurren: “And, but of course, I’m sure we share some mutual interests.”
Tobe: “And if you’re inclined to join them, don’t let any of the rest of us stop you.”
Myx: “Yeah, I mean, if that’s what feels right to you, then, hey, go for it.”
Erbak: “Besides, certainly won’t understand why you’d want to join the Order of the Gauntlet, considering their entire strategy seems to be to wait to get hit first? Madness.”
Doomsinger: The Doom Singer says, “Well, Mhurren. I’m with you. If you’re joining The Harpers, then so am I.”
Myx: “Scraw, what do you think about all this?”
Scraw: “I’m better as a free agent. I’m with you. I don’t want to join any organization right now. Go hit some dragons.”
Tobe: “I’m sure if we continue on this path, we will get to hit plenty of dragons.”
Scraw: {moping} “Yeah, probably.”
Erbak: “We don’t have to join an organization that let’s them hit us first.”
Tobe: “I have to admit, that does seem a little bit … I mean, I can understand waiting, only acting in retribution, but also I do think you should take preventative measures if you know something’s coming.”
Mhurren: “You do have a point. I think you’re probably right.”
Tobe: “So, how do the rest of you feel about continuing to pursue this cult?”
Myx: “I mean, I’m all for going ahead and, you know, I, I’m happy to help. Naturally, I want it to be because we want to and because it’s our decision, but I see nothing wrong with fulfilling the request.”
Erbak: “I’m intrigued.”
Myx: “I think, it definitely feels like the right thing to do. And, you know, I’d still love to know if there’s … I don’t know. I-I feel like we should stop them or try to or try to get a better understanding of what they’re up to.”
Scraw: “Well, what I’m thinking is, they both work for incredibly powerful organizations apparently. So, why do they need us?”
Myx: “That’s a good question.”
Erbak: “And if the organization of The Harpers is indeed so powerful, in fact, why was Leosin tied up in a camp getting his face kicked in?’
Tobe: “Could just be that they’re looking for more capable people and smaller groups of people.”
Scraw: “Yes, I suppose that’s possible and, we do have some experience with the cult, I suppose.”
Tobe: “I mean, it’s not exactly, as much as I’m aware that it’s coming out of my mouth as I say this, it’s not exactly preposterous to assume that they’ve seen something in us, considering how quickly we jumped into the fray when Greenest was attacked, and the fact that we went out of our way, really, to follow the cult back to their base of operations, rescue a guy, and a bunch of captives.”
Doomsinger: “I did write a very good song about us.”
{laughs}
Tobe: “Yes, you did. But …”
Mhurren: “You mean to say that we’re all just expendable?”
Tobe: “Well, I mean, we could possibly be expendable, but I also point out that not many people would have done the things we’ve already done, and that kind of makes us stand out. Songs or no songs. {laughs}”
Doomsinger: “Touché. But no one would know about any of it were it not for the songs, just, just a point.”
Tobe: I just pat him on the shoulder. {laughs} “Okay, I get it.” {laughs}
Doomsinger: “It’s what I do.”
Erbak: “Mhurren, I will say this, however. The fact that it’s a secret organization, do watch your back.”
Mhurren: “I do intend to.”
Tobe: “So are we in agreement about continuing to go after the cult or?”
Scraw: “Yes, very well.”
Myx: “It sounds like it.”
Erbak: “I’m intrigued.”
Mhurren: “Doomsinger, I have you to watch my back, right?”
Doomsinger: “Yes, of course. It’s what I’m here for, and I do not plan to leave it any time soon. I owe you all a debt. I have not forgotten.”
Mhurren: “That settles it.”
Myx: “Yep, sounds like it.”
Mhurren: “The Harpers it is.”
GM: Y’all head out, back to the map room and Leosin and Ontharr are still pouring over the map and pouring over their wine glasses and they look up as you come in.
Leosin: “Well, that was quick. I hope you bring good news.”
Tobe: “Whilst not all of us are inclined to join either of your organizations, we have agreed to continue to pursue the cult.”
Leosin: “Well, that’s, that’s good to hear. I believe you’re best suited to infiltrate and learn more of what they’re after. Given your prior experience, I think it would be a worthwhile cause. I believe, uh, Ontharr have some assistance he can offer.”
[music]
Ray: Hey, I see you reaching for the skip button. But listen, there are tonne of fantastic shows out there. Here’s one you could be missing out on right now.
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{laughs}
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Ray: See now, was that so bad? And now, on with the show.
[music]
Frume: “So, the journey to Baldur’s Gate will take, by road, almost three weeks.”
Myx: “Three weeks!?”
Frume: “It’s 550 miles, and that’s as the crow flies. That is the route the cult are taking in their wagon train. I suggest you take the river.”
Erbak: “I’m liking the sound of this.”
Frume: “If you are so inclined, I can arrange a boat to take all of you to Baldur’s Gate via the River Chionthar. It will take naught but two days.”
Myx: “Yes, please.”
Frume: “There, when you are in Baldur’s gate, you can convene with one my contacts, a member of the Order of the Gauntlet.
She will guide you and set you up with contacts so that you can find work on the next wagon train leaving Baldur’s Gate. Commerce in Baldur’s Gate does not travel through. When the cultists arrive, they will be forced to leave their wagons and transfer to a new train leaving the city. That is simply the way of Baldur’s gate. They will not allow it any other way.
My contact can insure that you end up on their train. You must infiltrate their ranks and find out where they are headed, what they plan to do there, and if, at all possible, intercept their plans. Intervene, cause trouble, or simply get word to myself or another member of the Order or of the Gauntlet and we will do what we can to get our organizations to work together to put an end to this nonsense. What you do in the meantime is entirely at your discretion. You’ll have plenty of time.”
Myx: “Guys, we should do it.”
Mhurren: “You say you could get us into Baldur’s Gate in two days?”
Frume: “That is correct, the River Chionthar, if you sail through the night, two days. If you breach during the night, tie up the boat, rest, you could get there in three and take it easy.
Obviously, I’m not expecting you to pilot the ship. We will have a professional who will take you there.”
Myx: “Ooh, will they teach us?”
Frume: “I doubt they’ll have the time.”
Myx: “Aw, guess it’s for the best.”
Mhurren: “How close to the river does the road lie?”
Frume: “The trade route is essentially in the opposite direction. It has to go right through Beregost and then north to Baldur’s Gate. There’s a reason it takes three weeks.”
Erbak: “Is there a chance they may assault Beregost in the meantime?”
Frume: “It’s unlikely. We already know the goal is Baldur’s Gate. Were they to cause a farce on the way, it would only prevent them from traveling through.
I assume they attacked Greenest with impunity because they felt that it was far enough away and that no one would know what they were doing or where they were going to put with the word out. The case is not so with Beregost.”
Mhurren: “Do you mean for us to intercept them?”
Frume: “No, when you get to Baldur’s Gate, you will convene with a contact and they will help you find work on the wagon train. With any luck, well, no, I know Ackyn. You will be on the train with t he cultists and you will be in the right place. You will be where you need to be. You must join the caravan under the guise of, well, whatever you think you can pass for. Whether you get hired on as mercenaries or simply pay your way on as travelers, Ackyn will make sure that you’re on the right train. And from there, well, get to know them. Find out what they’re doing, where they’re going, or simply eavesdrop. I care not.”
Erbak: “Hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm.”
Tobe: “I think we can do that.”
Frume: “In any case, are you fucking going or not nerds?”
{laughs}
Myx: “Yes, we will go.”
Frume: “Excellent.”
Myx: “{sings} Down by the river!”
Frume: “I’m glad to hear you say that, because I’ve booked the boat for tomorrow morning.”
Myx: {Sarcasm} “Oh, good.”
Frume: “It leaves at dawn.”
Myx: {Sarcasm} “Plenty of notice, then.”
Tobe: {Sarcasm}”Fantastic, no drinking for us then.”
Myx & Frume: “What do you mean!?”
{laughs}
Frume: “What else are you gonna do until dawn?”
Myx: “Yeah! What he said!”
Tobe: “You want … Y-you want us to get on the boat not having slept, completely shitfaced?”
Frume: “You can sleep on the journey. You’re not driving it.”
Myx: “Yeah, we’ve got three days to kill. That’s plenty of time to sleep.”
Tobe: “Sure. Enjoy your three day hangover.”
Myx: “You enjoy it Tobe! You’re gonna be the one taking care of us.”
Frume: “What’s a hangover?”
{laughs}
Tobe: This guy just doesn’t stop. He just drinks through it. {laughs}
Frume: “May I suggest, however that we provision you with some new equipment. I, uh, feel your cloak might be a little bit hampering in the way of trying to infiltrate the cult as people that don’t know the cult exists, what with you wearing Langdedrosa’s coat.”
Tobe: I’m already taking it off. {laughs}
Frume: “And I believe you have probably been seen personally by a number of the cultists when you invaded the camp and saved Leosin. So, anything you can do to change your appearance or look different … Not necessarily magically, because that doesn’t last for the journey. The journey that they take from Baldur’s Gate might last a day. It might last a lot longer than that. So, I would suggest anything you can do to change the way that you dress, look physically, would be good.”
Tobe: Just kind of giving this dead stare, because there is two very unique features to my appearance sticking out of my head.
GM: There are lots of tieflings in the world.
Erbak: “With any consolation, you now have no hair and are covered in scars.”
GM: You do look significantly different already.
Tobe: {dejected}”I don’t have no hair.”
Frume: “I’m willing to equip you and furnish you with whatever you need. The Order of Torm would be happy to assist The Scales of Justice.”
Myx: “I mean, if you’re offering.”
GM: He tells you that there is a dragonborn woman by the name of Ackyn Selebon and she is in Baldur’s gate. She is your point of contact for The Order of the Gauntlet and she will assure that you end up where you need to be when you need to be there.
And we smash cut to the docks at the port of Elturel where you are being led to a small but very nice looking sailboat. It has obviously got quarters onboard. Probably aimed for three or four people, but you’ll have to make do. And the captain of the boat is a triton woman who wanders over. She’s a very nice shade of sea green. She gives you a strong salute as you come to the boat.
Alessa: “Welcome to the, the SS Ravenloft. And I hope you have a pleasant journey. Is there anything I can get for you? Here. Let me help you with those bags.” And she starts trying to take Tobe’s backpack off so that she can help him carry it on the boat.
Tobe: “Um, I’m, I’m fine. Thanks.”
Alessa: “Oh, as you wish.”
GM: How many of you are ridiculously hung over?
Tobe: I don’t think Tobe is unless he got forced to drink all night.
GM: Did Myx peer pressure Tobe into drinking all night?
Myx: Oh, absolutely. I think Tobe passed out long enough to feel rested. He definitely had a few.
Tobe: Tobe passed out, but Myx kept going all night. {laughs}
Myx: Yeah, man.
Erbak: Erbak isn’t hungover, but he’s probably sleep deprived. He was staying up all night perfecting his disguise.
Mhurren: I’m definitely not. I was just sipping my one tankard very slowly and enjoying it’s flavor.
Myx: While Myx just refills it as he sips it, so he’s just constantly like, the never draining glass.
GM: I think he catches you the first time. Mhurren, you catch Myx during the course of the evening trying to refill your tankard.
{laughs}
GM: Do you do anything about it or {laughs} did you just let it happen?
Mhurren: I’ll let it happen. I was sitting next to Doomsinger and then I’ll just be pouring it into his glass.
Doomsinger: Doomsinger looks awful this morning and it’s really strange because he doesn’t remember drinking anything more than one drink, but he just looks fucking ruined. {slurring} “Uh, I don’t … I don’t think I want to be on a boat today.”
Tobe: “I don’t think you have a choice, buddy.”
Doomsinger: “{groans}”
Mhurren: “But you can normally hold your drink, can’t you?”
Tobe: “Just hang over the side and puke over the side. You’ll be fine.”
Doomsinger: “I don’t want pu- Why did you say puke? Now I can’t stop thinking about puke. {groans}”
Mhurren: {laughs} “How will you watch my back?” {laughs}
Erbak: “Just let the na- Just let the waves lull you to sleep.”
Doomsinger: “I hate you all.”
GM: So, you all get on the boat to Baldur’s Gate. And you do now have three days, because with how rough everyone’s feeling, I think Alessa, who is the triton captain is like, “You all need time to be on shore during this journey.”
So every now and again she docks on the riverside. She just pegs the boat in each night so that you can get your sea legs a bit more slowly and Doomsinger is very grateful for the respite.
So, it takes you three days.
Mhurren: I’m going to try and finish off my dragon carving.
GM: Now that Darconius recognizes it’s him. Every time he sees you bring it out, he finds his way to being in front of you and posing.
{laughs}
Mhurren: Okay.
GM: He’s just like sitting on his haunches or doing a typical luck dragon pose. He’s doing his best to assist you and give you a good point of reference. You finish it before you get to Baldur’s Gate, in fact, and the results are pretty good. It could potentially, you know, use a little bit of polish and some sanding, somewhere you’re not on water so that you have a bit more sturdiness behind you. But, yeah, all in all, it looks pretty much at least as good as you expected.
Mhurren: Pared down is it like a wooden figurine?
GM: It’s probably a bit bigger than you originally intended.
Myx: Myx tries various ways to style the little tuft of hair that Tobe has left.
GM: Oh how the tables have turned.
Myx: Tries really hard to like put it into different positions and see which one looks the most stylish, maybe add a little bead.
Tobe: I just let her do it.
GM: Does Tobe keep the bead?
Tobe: Yes.
Myx: It’s purple as wel.
GM: How is the bead in the hair? Is his little tuft braided now?
Myx: I was gonna say a small piece of his tuft is braided now, yes.
{laughs}
Myx: And that is how the little bead is attached.
GM: Yeah, so there’s just a single small braid that hangs on his forehead and has a bead in it.
Myx: Yeah, yeah. And it just flops right down in the center of his face. {laughs}
Mhurren: Beautiful.
GM: So, other than getting his hair did, what does Tobe do with his time?
{laughs}
Tobe: Well, there’s two things Tobe wants to do with his time. One is to ask Mhurren if it’s okay if he borrows his ink and paper, because he wants to write a letter.
Mhurren: “That’s certainly fine with me. Here you go.” Yep, I pass it over.
Tobe: With that I write a letter to my sister, but also whilst we’re on shore, I’m looking for any interesting shells or small colored stones I could pick up and also send to my sister because she doesn’t get out much and Tobe wants to send her something.
GM: So, a remnant of the travels she’s missing out on, you awful bastard.
Tobe: {laughs} It’s better than sending her nothing. “Hi. I went on a great journey and I got you nothing.” Oh, fuck me. {laughs} I rolled a natural one.
GM: You find a really interesting looking rock.
Really, really interesting actually. It’s almost like, imagine if a small, two inch piece of magma had flown out of a volcano and landed in a river and frozen, and yet, instead of turning black like magma does when it cools, it had maintained its magma-like colors.
And that’s what you find. You find this two inch rock that just looks like molten magma, but it’s frozen in time and you think,
“Wow, that is really pretty. It’s really interesting. She’ll love that.”
Tobe: I keep it to send to her, obviously not for myself.
GM: I’m sure that won’t backfire.
Erbak: So, there’s two disguises I’d like to have spent money on, which is stuff Ontharr would have, well, hopefully helped a little bit with. Just a couple of things.
GM: He has furnished you with assistance for your disguise, sure.
Erbak: One of them is, I’ve thrown out the doctor’s coat, replaced it with a nicer one and I fitted up with a nice little red ascot and a pair of pince nez. And, I’m practicing the affectations of a well to do doctor, a proper physician, so that I appear as, I come across as someone who seems like they’re a, you know, a well to do, respected and immediately employable doctor.
The other one is, I’ve replaced me rucksack with a large almost sherpa-like one, with a slight awning over the front. So, it’s got two poles. So, effectively, I can sit down and masquerade as a street peddler. And, basically then, just getting myself a nice long beaten brown coat with a good few inside pockets. Just something that makes me look like a typical old street fisherwife beggar type thing. And both times I’m going to try and practice disguising my voice slightly when I’m doing it.
And that’s about it. Maybe when we’re on shore or the beach and stuff I’ll go around looking for weird little bits and bobs and stuff, kind of little animals maybe to put in jars, that kind of thing, more like frogs and so on.
GM: You don’t find much on land, but because you’re right next to the Chionthar River, you go back and do what you did the last attempt to pawn fish and you stick your jar in the river and you end up catching a small fish. You end up catching a three-eyed minnow, which would be a bit unusual, because minnows generally don’t have three eyes but this one does. And it doesn’t seem to be harmed for it. Doesn’t necessarily look like a deformity, per se.
You pass a few days worth of travel and before long you pull in to Baldur’s Gate. One of the largest cities of the Sword Coast, the captain of your ship helps you off the boat and wishes you well, gives you directions to one of the nearby taverns where you could potentially find your contact.
And, as you’re walking around the port of Baldur’s Gate, you expected it to be busy, because Baldur’s Gate’s one of the biggest cities in the Sword Coast, but it is absolutely bustling. And it turns out that there’s a festival happening.
There are bunting lines. There’s various kids throwing confetti and there’s lots of stalls selling … A lot of the stalls are selling things that are kind of odd for a festival. They’re selling things like replica swords, but toys, for kids. Obviously, you’ve got pinwheels. A lot of the theming though tends to be soldiers or warriors or wizards. It’s a very specific kind of battle based theme. And as you are walking down the streets, a small child who is handing out fliers passes you a flier, Erbak. Do you take it?
Erbak: I certainly do.
Child: Just a small gnome child. “Here you go!”
GM: You take the flier and it’s about 7:00 in the morning and it says, “Noon today, come to The Wide.” And there is a big picture in the middle of the flier which catches your attention immediately and you almost don’t notice at the bottom where it says, “Celebrate with us all, the Hero returns!” The image in the middle of this flier is an extremely familiar face. In fact, it’s the face of a woman, an aasimar woman. In fact, it’s the face of the woman traveling with you.
Erbak: “Hmm.” I turn to everyone else. “Everyone, can you just come here a moment?”
Myx: “What’s up?”
Tobe: “What do you got?”
Mhurren: “What is it, doctor?”
GM: Myx, Tobe, you are looking at a flier that says, “Today at Noon, come to The Wide! Celebrate the Hero’s return!” And bang in the middle appears the face of Myx.
Tobe: “Um … Myx?”
[Music]
Ray: And that’s all we had time for this week. Join us next week for Episode 4: Twisting Fate.
After we recently reached some personal goals of the show, don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @DarkDragonsInn for updates on some soon to be announced giveaways. Until next time, travel safe and remember, in this realm or the next, The Scales of Justice are here for you, always.
