A Journey Begins

Three travelers are brought together while saving a stranger on the road to WaterDeep.
DM:

Hello. Welcome to Smash Luton Roll podcast, a live play Dungeons and Dragons campaign between friends far and near. Thank you for listening, and enjoy episode 1, a journey begins. You guys have found your way. You're not in a group, but you guys are all moving in the same direction.

DM:

It's that time of year in the, on the sword on the sword coast that, it's, midsummer, about a week out of the mid, a week away from the midsummer celebration. That's very common on the Sword Coast. You guys are moving up the road from the southern portion to get into Waterdeep where one of the biggest festivals is going on, much like the what we see 4th July here, in our world. But, so what makes this what makes this year more special is it is the every I don't know how you say it. But every 4 years, there's an additional festival following the following Midsummer Festival called Shield Meat.

DM:

So it allows a longer holiday for people, and they start celebrating a couple days before Midsummer. They get Shield Meat the next day, and they get to celebrate a couple days after. So, you know, a celebration that normally extends 3 or 4 days is gets extended to a week. And you guys, for whatever reason, have been out traveling to, out you've been out away from the city and you decided to come back in. It is 7 days before the Midsummer Festival, and you guys are moving up the road along with other travelers.

DM:

So it's not not just the 3 of you, but you guys are moving up. And as you move forward, you've got various merchants with, wagons or horses moving by. You've seen other travelers that are moving through the area. You guys are about a day's out day's walk out of Waterdeep knowing that you've also noticed several road houses which are a combination of tavern slash inn that you guys can stay at. But as you're moving forward, you guys come to a narrow the road sort of narrows, goes between a set of cliffs, sort of small rocky mountain areas.

DM:

The land around you's a bit scrub scrub brush, light forest. It is mid afternoon, mid to late after yeah. I'd say mid afternoon right now. And you guys when you get to that the the road narrows gets to the point of people are having to pass through, but you guys are a little bit ahead. You guys can hear behind you, you know, the ho you've passed this this horse and rider, and it's almost like the the rider's asleep in the saddle.

DM:

The horse is just sort of moving forward in his own. You've you've seen those type of riders before. It's been a long ride for them. But as you get moving through the rocky areas, your footsteps sort of echo off the, bit of rocky mountain faces and everything else. I need everybody to roll me a perception check, please.

DM:

That is a d twenty.

Adrok:

8. 8.

Chip:

3.

DM:

3.

Adrok:

This is auspicious.

Bowdin:

7.

Adrok:

We don't know shit.

DM:

Alright.

Adrok:

Sorry.

Bowdin:

So where's proficiency bonus? Let's see.

DM:

Proficiency bonus at first level should be plus 1.

Adrok:

Can we start passive? Yeah. Passive is 12.

Bowdin:

If your

DM:

passive is better than your active one, so yes.

Adrok:

Yeah. I'll use my passive. It's 12.

DM:

Okay. Christina, do you know your passive perception?

Chip:

12.

DM:

12? Okay.

Chip:

I do have also 12 for investigation.

DM:

Yeah. Right now

Chip:

14 for insight.

DM:

There you go. It's kinda funny.

Bowdin:

Wait. I'm sorry.

DM:

Let me let me check this again.

Bowdin:

So this was a a perception role. Right?

DM:

Yes. It was. Okay.

Bowdin:

Yes. It is. So sorry. That's skill. Oh, okay.

Bowdin:

So 10.

DM:

10. What's your passive, Ken?

Bowdin:

Passive is 13. 13. I rolled 7.

DM:

You got 13 total. You can always exchange if you roll low, you can always exchange it for the higher one.

Bowdin:

Oh. Okay.

DM:

You can always exchange it for your passive. Or you could or you can just simply say, I'm gonna take my passive and not even roll.

Bowdin:

Your choice. K.

DM:

So with that being said, nothing really out of the ordinary catches your attention. You not unexpected that you've heard rocks fall before as they collapse around. You know, it almost sounds like kids are kicking off rocks off off the hilltop. But what does surprise you is the the loud winning of the horse behind you. And as you guys turn to look, it's not the rock fall that's, that you expect falling down, but it's something bursts out.

DM:

And you you in the cloud of dust, you see a large reptilian head burst out, and you see the horse shy away and, and give a loud frightened whinny as you see the horse and rider jerk off to the left. You see the people that are behind the behind the horsemen, stop for a moment before you see them turn around and flee in terror from something.

Bowdin:

Oh, crap.

DM:

Everybody give me an initiative roll, please. Now set the battle camera up. Alright. Put your initials in chat too.

Bowdin:

So for reference, you can just click on your Nick if you've got whatchamacallit running, you can just click on its box up there and they'll roll it for you. So chat where the heck is chat?

Chip:

Which box was that, Ken?

Bowdin:

It's a dead center of your, character sheet. It says it's a a hexagon with an initiative in it. Yep. Alright. I did good on this one.

Bowdin:

What's our arms and armor situation? Are we,

DM:

you guys are guess Look.

Bowdin:

Go ahead. Loaded for bear?

DM:

However you believe your character is gonna be walking through the main road of the kingdom carrying their armor. If you if you're wearing your armor, you're out more on it. It's your choice.

Bowdin:

It's easier to wear.

DM:

You carry more clank clank clank clank. I'm a tank.

Bowdin:

Clank clank clank.

Adrok:

How many DM's are there and whether it rolls, Gary?

DM:

There's just one.

Bowdin:

Okay. And

DM:

I have new role in it. We got a 16 total.

Adrok:

Alright. So, Ken, your character's name?

Bowdin:

Boden.

Adrok:

B o d e n?

Bowdin:

B o w d I n.

Adrok:

That was very close.

DM:

Yep.

Adrok:

Missed it.

Bowdin:

Bye bye.

Adrok:

And your character's name, is it Claire?

Bowdin:

No. Christina? Christina. At least you got

DM:

the c. Right?

Bowdin:

Two notes are required at this point. Yes.

Chip:

Chip. Chip Alroy.

Adrok:

Alright. Let's write Chip.

Chip:

Do you want me to retype it in the chat?

Adrok:

No. I got it. 17, 10. There.

DM:

And you got a 16 for the giant lizard. Alright. None of you successfully passed your perception check. So Nope. This is a surprise round for the creature to act as you see the full creature come bursting out of the side of the dirt and throw the right, reach out.

DM:

You see the horse winning in shy away. Then you see the horse lock up in fear and not move. A large lizard like creature. And when I say large, this is about a little bit shorter than the horse's tall, so it could be ridden if you really want to. And you see a series of 8 powerful legs that are digging its way out of the out of the rock facing dirt as its teeth latch onto the forelegs of the horse.

DM:

And the rider suddenly wakes up and gracefully falls on his face to get off the horse. Between your, you know so Boden, you would you're surprised as I stand turn around and look and realize that something has just crawled out of the side of the hill, attacked a you know, this is all of you guys who are sort of standing there turning around, looking around and everything else. So beginning of round 2, Boden, you can act.

Bowdin:

Oh, great. Now I gotta go and take something out. Hop off of or I guess I'm just walking, so, turn around. Oh, great.

DM:

You charge up to

Bowdin:

it? Yeah.

DM:

Okay. Give it an attack roll. Alright. I don't think I can move past Luna now. She's got me blocked in.

Bowdin:

So here comes the war hammer upside the head. Total 15

DM:

to hit. 15 is a hit. Alright.

Bowdin:

Let's see. Realistically, I've got my shield, so I'll go with this the one handed. Eleven points.

DM:

Nice hit. Your axe or warhammer?

Bowdin:

It's a warhammer.

DM:

You give a nice resounding thud into the thick scaly hide. And with the strike and everything else, you definitely get its attention to turn towards you as it was like, I'm I'm eating here. Really? You're gonna come up and eat me come up and beat me while I'm trying to eat my dinner.

Bowdin:

Boden You didn't ask permission.

DM:

Boden, while you're while you swing the hammer, you pull the attention away from the, the horse and the rider where the horse has got a big gash in its, force its left fore shoulder. It turns its it turns its gray gaze towards you, and you realize the eyes sort of give a eerie glow as you're standing in the face. So please give me a constitution check.

Bowdin:

Oh, crap.

DM:

Constitution saving throw. Excuse me.

Bowdin:

Con save. Okay. Here it comes. 21.

DM:

Nicely done.

Bowdin:

Yeah. Well, dwarf.

DM:

You feel that momentary fear that would actually freeze you in your place and everything else, but you're like I've seen worse than I've heard worse stories than this down down in the, like, the Dwarven Kingdoms. But it doesn't doesn't freeze you up, but it still turns and you see its jaws open up to see if we can, see what a tasty dwarf in a tin can in its tin can armor would taste like.

Bowdin:

Bring it you little squirmy booger.

DM:

Alright. You got a total of 16 to hit you.

Bowdin:

Oh, well, if I had an armor class of less than 18, that might've hit.

DM:

So you bring your shield up and interpose your shield between it and its dagger like teeth.

Bowdin:

Oh, that's my good shield too.

DM:

Alright. With that being said, Chip, what would you like to do? You see, out of nowhere, this large lizard creature come up and attack a horse, and you see this dwarf in heavy armor turn around and immediately charge back towards the creature and with a Belling Warcry swings a large hammer smashing into it. What would you like to do?

Chip:

Odin has got the reptilian creature under control. I'm curious what has happened to the rider since he's fallen from his horse.

DM:

He's basically trying to, crab, walk, scramble as fast as the way he can from the, the horse and the creature. So he's, basically, this guy here is scrambling up towards the side of the mountain, and he's got that look of sheer terror on his face going, please don't eat me type thing. And it really surprised of what's come out of the what's come out of the ground.

Chip:

But he is relatively out of harm's way because Boden has

DM:

The the the reptile does not seem to be even interested in the horse or rider anymore since it's got something more pressing beaten on

Chip:

him. My next thoughts go to the horse.

DM:

Mhmm.

Chip:

Is the horse down or is the horse horse still standing?

DM:

The horse is still standing. It's basically you can see a large, tooth you can see a large series of tooth marks up in his left shoulder. Probably will bleed out pretty quick. The horse hasn't really regained its motion to move yet, but, you figure in a short second that thing's gonna bolt somewhere given the

Chip:

And I wanna make sure Boden is well supported.

DM:

Okay.

Chip:

So how can I support Boden?

DM:

Well, you get your choice of movement, and you also get your choice of actions. So if you'd like, you can move up, and attempt to you have a movement of how many

Chip:

feet? 25.

DM:

25? So Boden, you have what? 25 as well?

Bowdin:

Movement. 25. Yep. Tiny legs, relatively speaking.

DM:

So you can come up alongside to Boden either on one side. You can't. Unfortunately, you can't because the creature's the size and your distance from the creature, you can't aid in a flanking, but you can come up and either attack the creature. You can do the help action, which will allow which will give Boden advantage on his next attack. Or you can just

Chip:

What's the help?

DM:

Okay. If you give the help action, it's basically what you're doing is you're doing something to distract the creature, which, since you're Aiden Bowden on his next attack, Bowden, you will roll with advantage. Woo hoo. Aedrok. Alright.

DM:

So, hold on. Before I get to you. So, Chip, so what you get every turn is you get a, action and a movement. So sometimes you'll get a bonus action depending on what your skills allow you to do. Those could give you something else as well.

DM:

So but those are the 3 bay those are the 2 to 3 basic actions you get every turn. Good to go?

Chip:

Yeah.

DM:

Okay.

Bowdin:

Real quick note. I just noticed that if you right click on the interface for the the d and d Beyond on like, say, you wanna roll to hit, if you right click, you've got the you've got the ability to choose either roll with advantage or disadvantage or just a straight roll. So just FYI.

DM:

They've really improved that interface last year. I know. Good lord. So, aedronk.

Adrok:

I will, use my crossbow, and I'm gonna aim it for the the the giant reptile looking thingy.

DM:

Okay. Oh. So we might be getting a bolt in the back.

Bowdin:

Yeah. If I ain't gonna be late.

Adrok:

If if if so, I'm sorry.

DM:

Won't because it

Adrok:

was not meant to. Does 11 hit?

DM:

No. 11 does not hit.

Adrok:

Yeah. I missed.

DM:

You see the bolt, you see the bolt fly free of your crossbow. No problem. But when it reaches the creature, you see a thick leather leather and steel hide as it just ricochets off into the distance. Like, oh, well, there goes that bolt. But you don't manage to plug any of these 2 strangers that have suddenly helped helped engage this creature in the back.

DM:

Bowden, it is back to you for the top of round 3.

Bowdin:

After I finish talking woah. Alright. Another whack on this beastie. Whack.

DM:

Give me a

Bowdin:

roll.

DM:

11. As it turns to fully engage you and everything, one of its one of its you realize it's an 8 legged lizard. 1 of its, 4 legs comes up and shoulders you out of the way, throwing your aim off to where you don't get a good swiping blow with your war hammer. Boden, you are still the primary threat, so it goes chompity chomp on you. I don't think you gotta do it.

Bowdin:

Gotta open the can before you can eat what's inside.

DM:

Okay. So at the start of everybody's turn. So also, Bowden, give me another, constitution say, please. Let's see.

Bowdin:

That's not good. Bolden shivers to his boots. I assume that's where we're going with this.

DM:

Don't worry about what you're rolling.

Bowdin:

Oh, he he rolled a 5. Oh, yeah.

DM:

You you get that you get that paralyzing fear. So it that's what also caused you to miss as well, is that paralyzing fear of looking into its eyes and realizing exactly, you know, you're dealing with something that's not normally even seen above ground and rarely and even more rarely seen underground.

Bowdin:

This is not an eating monster. This is something different.

DM:

Yep. So that your fear, your next action your next movement action will be have to be able to move away from him.

Bowdin:

Okay.

DM:

Alright. But in the meantime, he's gonna see if how tasty the tin can actually is. Yay. Because it realizes you're not with that roll. It grabs it it snaps its jaw and everything and, not realizing the shortness of the dwarf sort of grabs that plumage on the helmet above you and sort of rakes off some of the, horsetail and feathers that you have.

Bowdin:

That was my good helmet too.

DM:

Chip, it is your go. And you also need to make me a constitution saving throw as well.

Chip:

11 +1, 12?

DM:

You are fine. You that that fear that you can feel that that evil not evilness, but that just absolutely frightfulness coming from dealing with a creature from the deep you know, that's just burst out of the ground, has not frozen you in fear to cause you to run away. What would you like to do?

Bowdin:

So I recommend running away. I have

Chip:

to say to my team, do we want to hightail it, or do you want me to attack and buy you time, Boden?

Bowdin:

Hit it.

Chip:

Oh, I'm coming, Boden. Oh god. So I only got a range of 5 feet.

DM:

You're in base to base with us, so that's that's your you're close enough to hit it.

Chip:

Can I take with my short sword of jab and it's eye?

DM:

Yeah. You can.

Chip:

Oh. Okay. So that looks f b 5. Alright. So d 6.

DM:

Actually, roll a d 20 first to hit.

Chip:

D 20? Okay.

DM:

9. 9. You reach out with the, short sword to strike it, hoping to hoping to pluck out one of those terrifying eyes, and you feel the the tip of your blade slide up and over its scales doing little doing no damage whatsoever.

Bowdin:

Quick check. Christina, did you just when you roll the die, did you just roll a 9?

Chip:

Correct.

Bowdin:

Okay. Oh. She's not getting her her add ons, I thought.

DM:

Okay. Yeah. Her she should have a little bit more than that.

Bowdin:

Yeah. In under actions in in in the the character sheet

Chip:

Yes.

Bowdin:

You'll see do you have your weapons in there yet?

Chip:

I have my short sword.

Bowdin:

Okay. And you'll see there's a column there hit slash d c. You might see it. I'm not sure if you see it. Here.

Bowdin:

Hold on.

Adrok:

Might be under attack.

Chip:

Yeah. Under attack?

Bowdin:

Oh, I

Adrok:

know it'd be under action

Chip:

as well. Strike.

Bowdin:

Yeah. This this area right here

Adrok:

Do you have your sword equipped?

Chip:

So I have I thought I put it in inventory. Is there more to equipping it than putting in inventory?

Adrok:

You have to wield it. Yeah.

Bowdin:

Yep. I

Chip:

have a plus 2 where you go and have a plus 5.

Adrok:

So if you go to your equipment

Bowdin:

The plus the plus 2, basically, now that would take you at the very least to an 11. 11? Yeah. So when you go to attack, click that box right there, and it'll add all your bonuses in automagically.

Adrok:

If you, go to equipment, just make sure it's, there's a red box next to it, meaning that you have it equipped.

Chip:

There is now a red box by my short sword.

Adrok:

Alright. So now if you go back to attack or action, you should get hit a plus my DC.

DM:

Yeah. Give me another roll there.

Chip:

So, next to short sword, I will hit the plus I have a plus 3 by short sword. If I click that

DM:

Mhmm.

Chip:

That is the dice roll I want.

Bowdin:

Yep. Yep.

Chip:

18 +321.

DM:

Nice and nice. So instead of just glazing across its skin and everything else, you actually give a good strike against it. Roll me damage, please. I love your mouse.

Bowdin:

Mhmm. Yep. The box is right next to where you clicked before are your damage, rolls. If and if I'm over explaining, please just tell me to shut up.

Chip:

There is no mansplaining happening here. Okay.

Bowdin:

No mansplaining. Because I I literally just learned this stuff, like, today. So

Chip:

No. No. I I greatly appreciate. So I had a 4 plus 1 for 5 for damage.

DM:

Okay. Nice to go.

Chip:

Oh, wait. Okay. I'm yeah. Obviously. I'm that's what I meant.

Bowdin:

And thanks for saving me bacon.

Chip:

You're welcome, Boden. Alright.

DM:

So your sword slides up, glazes the edge of the eyeball, but you don't think it's enough to really do a lot, you know, severe amount of damage. But it does gain the creature's attention as you see their head and teeth turn towards you, Chip. Oops. You still have a movement, that you can choose to do. Now here's the thing.

DM:

When you're in base to base with a creature, they have what's called a reaction. So if you decide to move out of melee combat with a creature, that creature can take a reaction and do a opportunity attack against you. They only get one reaction per turn. So if both of you decided so if, say, Boden would have fled because of his fear factor, Well, the nice thing is this thing actually caused you to paralyze for 1 round before you flee. But if he would immediately fled fled away, the creature would It's coming.

DM:

The creature would have reached out and went tried to snatch him because it's going, oh, hey. Look. There's a bad guy running away from me making an easy target type thing. So that is something to consider if you wanna move out move away from enemies when you are doing movements. Now you are a monk.

DM:

As you get up at higher levels, you being able to move away from enemies, you You'll be like,

Bowdin:

I'm gonna move away from

DM:

the enemy. And you'll be like, get away from me. Keep that to yourself. You can't do that. So you will find that out very quickly as you move move up in levels.

Bowdin:

Please note, we can do the same thing to them too. So

DM:

It go the door swings both ways on the reactionary on those and, there's other skills out there that you can take like sentinel that if an enemy decides to go, I want to flee because this because the monk has beat me up, you can monk and go, no. I go hit you with an opportunity attack, and I I make your movement 0. You cannot leave my space. I can still beat on you. So there's a lot of cool different things you can do over time.

Chip:

So Chip wants to stand Chip's ground.

DM:

Okay. Chip stands. You stay in there with the fight. Now you can based on if you can see on the battle camera you are basically side by side with you can actually click on the cameras in zoom and bring them up as the main one

Bowdin:

and double click it, it'll pin it. And then in the upper left, if you want to unpin it, there's an upper thing in the upper left hand corner to unpin it. So you can go back to watching who's ever talking.

DM:

Yeah. So what goes on is right now, you and Boden are side by side. You're not granted any other advantage, but you can use your movement to essentially move around it to call do what's called a flanking maneuver, which will take you and move you to the opposite side of the creature. What that does, it gives both you and Boden advantage on your attack rolls.

Bowdin:

If I weren't running away.

DM:

Well, you you get his constitution check at the beginning of your turn to see what happens if you fail it. Oh. You can't run away.

Bowdin:

I see. I'm frozen this round, and then next round I get. Okay.

DM:

Yeah.

Chip:

So Chip wants to flank.

DM:

Okay. So do you you move you so nice thing is by staying in contact with melee and everything else, you don't have to worry about opportunity attack, but you can move over and put yourself in more advantageous position for you and your companions to fight this creature. So and you are now flanking. Atarach. You see Hi.

DM:

See the little half halfling. Right?

Adrok:

No. It's too small.

DM:

It's too small. You see the halfling move around? Disappear to the large the the large side the other side of this lizard. Giant 8 legged lizard with Boden seemingly frozen with his hammer raised, not moving or reacting to anything. What do you wanna do?

Adrok:

I reach into my pouch and I pull out a blue gel that I had in a in a flask. And I, I rub it and I throw it towards the creature, and this will cast, ray of frost on the creature, one of the 2 cantrips I know at this stage in my life. And so that

Bowdin:

is a

DM:

Your throwing range is 20 feet. Correct?

Adrok:

Well, it's a the range of the action is 60 feet.

DM:

Okay.

Adrok:

What I'm doing with it is a, is a flavor.

DM:

Yeah. Got it. Okay. So it's a line attack. Gotcha.

DM:

Just make sure I I get the mechanics right. So 60 feet. Yeah. Well within range.

Adrok:

And it's a d 8. It's ray of frost.

Chip:

No frost chip.

Adrok:

Oh, and it's a plus 5, so that's an 18 to hit. And it does It

DM:

does.

Adrok:

Two points of cold damage.

DM:

Just 2 points? Okay. You see a you well, Boden, you're a little bit too afraid to figure out what that is, but nice blue spot appears on the creature where the where some of the skin freezes and turns black in a very short period of time.

Bowdin:

Oh. He used frosting on it.

Adrok:

And then I'm going to I still have my movement. So what I'm gonna do is I am going to move can I is that the is that the pass right there?

DM:

Yeah. So the dark the dark line in the center is the actual trail trail slash road you guys are on. So you can move anywhere in between those about 4 squares.

Adrok:

K. Well, what I'm gonna do is I'm gonna move, towards the horse, about 3 or 4 squares. 4 squares. And then up 1. 4 squares.

Adrok:

Up 1, to the right or, oh, yep. There. There we are. Unfortunately And that

DM:

is The riders as you as you approach, you see the rider is just cowering in fear. Where he's at? The horse has finally got back to his 3 of the 3 of his 4 legs.

Adrok:

That is my turn.

Chip:

Okay.

DM:

So with that being said, those are your positions? Alright. Top of

Adrok:

the Fireball formation.

DM:

Beginning return and yeah. Fireball formation for everybody. Boden, please give me a constitution save.

Bowdin:

Got it. Alright.

DM:

8. You have to flee your movement away from him.

Bowdin:

2 fails on a dwarf constitution.

Chip:

Painful.

Bowdin:

Running as fast as his little legs can carry him.

DM:

Yeah. Your movement is fleeing away. If if you have a ranged weapon, you can still engage him with an attack from the range.

Bowdin:

Oh, oh, wait. I know what I can do. I can, I'm gonna throw a I'm gonna throw a sacred flame over my shoulder.

DM:

That's right. It's a

Bowdin:

Take that.

DM:

Deck save

Bowdin:

for them. Right?

DM:

Yes. This is deck save. Not very good.

Chip:

This is a moment where Chip could, like, monk in and make sure this what what was it again, Boden?

Bowdin:

Oh, sacred flame?

Chip:

Sacred flame. Can I make sure the sacred flame reflects where we want it to go?

Adrok:

Did you use the help he gave you or she gave you?

Chip:

Oh, yeah. Do you remember I gave you help?

Bowdin:

Yes. I did that with a very bad I rolled a 1 and a 6 on my attack roll on that round.

DM:

Alright. So it fails it's it fails its dexterity saving throw to full damage.

Bowdin:

2. Alright. Here it comes. Oh, I'm just, 1. Yeah.

DM:

Alright.

Bowdin:

I am tempted to fake these roles, but nope. Nope. Hit that with a one. Yeah.

Adrok:

So a TPK on our first session would be amazing.

Bowdin:

Yeah. That would be great.

DM:

I already have the rating of a killer DM. That just that would just ensure the rating.

Bowdin:

What happened in session 0? He killed everyone without conduction.

DM:

Shortest campaign yet. Yeah. Nevertheless, session 0. Alright. Boden or not Boden.

DM:

You're you're running away. Chip, you're in base to base. Please give me a constitution saving throw as you realize it's just you and the giant 8 legged lizard. The very 12.

Chip:

11 +1. 12.

DM:

Perfectly fine. You're like, yeah. Screw you, lizard. You may be bigger than I am, but I'm still gonna whoop you. All yours.

Chip:

Not today. Alright. So would it be crazy of me to just go nuts and jump on the lizard's back?

DM:

No. By all means.

Chip:

Rule of the wall.

DM:

Do it.

Chip:

Crazy with my short sword and just Alright. So give feasible?

DM:

Yeah. Give me an athletics check as you go as you use your movement to run up one of its legs and plant yourself. You know? You're gonna do the you're gonna do the 8 second bull ride? Well, it's called the 8 second lizard ride.

DM:

Believe that is

Bowdin:

the believe that is the melted filet action.

Chip:

Kabobs tonight, y'all.

Adrok:

Hope you like lizard.

Chip:

So well, athletics, not strength, not dexterity.

DM:

Correct. So athletics, if you're trained in it alright. This would be acrobatics because you're trying more a more dexterous activity. So what you get to do is you get to roll, acrobatics as a deck space, extra save. Anyways, you get to roll a check and roll your whatever you roll, add your proficiency if you're proficient in it, and also add your proper modifier.

Adrok:

So for instance, under the skill of, acrobatics, my decks has a plus 2 bonus. So I would add that plus 2. Is there anything else I would add?

DM:

If you're proficient in in, you get to add your proficiency.

Adrok:

Oh, so that oh, isn't it already counted in there, though?

DM:

No. Proficiency is separate.

Adrok:

Oh. What

Bowdin:

are you trying to roll?

DM:

Acrobatics check.

Bowdin:

Acrobatics check.

Chip:

Yeah. So for skills, I am super limited, and acrobatics is not one of the selected.

DM:

So it's not one of your trained ones, but you can do any skill that's you can do any skills in d and d. It's just you don't get that proficiency bonus of, as you level up.

Bowdin:

Yeah. What what's the what's the plus number next to acrobatics on yours?

Chip:

0.

Bowdin:

Plus 0? Oh.

Adrok:

Good luck.

Bowdin:

Yeah. Bone shows, mon of me.

DM:

Yeah. You're you're trying to be, you're trying to be very not graceful, but you're trying to jump yourself onto a moving creature.

Chip:

So which dice do I roll to go with my plus 0 acrobatics?

DM:

B 20.

Bowdin:

How's your athletics, by the way? That's, like, 1, 2, 3 things down from r

Chip:

Minus 1.

Bowdin:

Oh, yeah. You shouldn't do either one of that. Shouldn't do that one either.

Adrok:

Oh, I mean, if you can roll

Chip:

Oh, man, guys.

Adrok:

Whatever you want.

Bowdin:

You get this is true.

Chip:

My d 20 rolled a 7.

DM:

Okay. You won. In your Roll up. You go to put your you plant your, one foot on one of its, legs as it's starting to move around to engage you with its teeth, and you don't get a good good grip to actually move up. But you can still strike it with your sword.

Chip:

I mean, I stab myself, though. That's

DM:

Go ahead and swing your go ahead and swing your sword.

Chip:

Okay. Swinging. So which would that be?

DM:

That would be another attack roll with a d 20, or you can click on the little icon next to your sword. A minute watch? Oh, there should be

Chip:

Or the hit.

DM:

The the 2 hits. Okay.

Adrok:

It's the same one. Yeah. Well, you're no. I think they'll both do the same thing. No.

Adrok:

They won't. You're right. You have to do the hit first.

Chip:

So when I hit I got a 1 +3 when I hit hit slash d c.

DM:

Okay. So 1 +3 is 4. Mhmm. So so I don't mean sorry. I'm not familiar enough with D and D Beyond on the character side to to say things intelligently on it.

DM:

Let me just double check. Wanna make sure you're rolling and get your fair roll in there. I don't want characters. I want new campaigns.

Adrok:

So your d twenty was a 1?

Chip:

So, help me clarify. So there's my d 20, but then there's also when I'm under attack, there is the hit slash dc, which says plus 3. Does that resemble a dice?

Adrok:

So if you click that button, it'll roll a d 20 for you.

Chip:

That is so what I did was I clicked that button and it was a 1 plus 3.

Adrok:

Okay. So you

DM:

guys might So given the fact that you're just trying to run up his leg and everything else, you slipped through yourself off balance, your sword swing wasn't really effective going in and just glanced off one of its armored shoulders. You're like, that didn't work very well. Doing no damage whatsoever. You don't at least you don't manage at least it's not one of those things where you stab yourself in the foot with a natural one.

Chip:

Did I say I didn't get had nothing? Not an Achilles tendon? No. Not a scale scratched? I mean, it it you It's embarrassing.

DM:

It it it's like, when you go buy and key a car and you don't even leave a mark.

Chip:

Not that I would not that Chip. Chip would not do such a thing.

Bowdin:

No. No.

DM:

No. But the DMs do. Alright. Adaroc, you are up.

Adrok:

Alright. I would like to move to the other side of the house, in line with where I am Okay. And a little bit towards my other character to the right. Nope. Other way.

Adrok:

Other way. Yep. Right there. And I'm now facing and I can see everybody, which is kinda cool. And that's important.

Adrok:

And I'm going to now, try to, I pull out a red, piece of gel, and I use my Alchemist tools. And I I say something, and I throw a red piece of gel at it, and it turns into a fire bolt.

DM:

Oh, nice.

Adrok:

And we're gonna see what what happens. Fire bolt is a d ten. I hope something good happens. Oh, something good happens. And, that's a 23 to hit.

DM:

Oh, it definitely blasts into its its side as, you know, as it's turning it's turning its toothy maw towards the small halfling that you see engaging.

Adrok:

And that is 7, fire damage. Nicely done. And that is my turn.

DM:

Alright. As you let loose with the fire bolt, you see the bolt catch it just behind just at the top of the head and sort of roll its way down the spine into the tail. You can see the skin blackening char from it, and you see the creature. Technically, you're within 30 feet. I'll just go ahead and give me a constitution roll.

DM:

I forgot. You had you were within 30 feet there, Aedrakh.

Adrok:

Oh, that was a good one. Hope they're all that good. My constitution is plus 2, so, 17.

DM:

And so that means

Adrok:

Oh, wait. My it's a saving throw?

DM:

Saving throw.

Adrok:

Oh, 19.

DM:

Okay. So that means your fireball successfully goes off. And like I said, it hits just behind the back of the head and rolls down the center of the spine, Reaching all the way down the tail, you see the skin blacken and char as the damage goes. And you hear the creature rear its head back and let out a roar of anguish as it didn't as you can see, the sunburn goes to one of those really deep burns that you're like, it's gonna hurt the next day. Boden.

Bowdin:

You were

DM:

you were able to move 25 feet away from it, so you're just within range for it to, to force a save and throw. One more time.

Bowdin:

Another con save. No. Wait. What?

DM:

Another con save for the dwarf.

Bowdin:

I'm gonna screen cap that one.

DM:

Natural 20.

Bowdin:

A one.

DM:

A one? So So you gotta keep moving away. It's your speed. So you move another 25 feet as far fast as your little legs will carry you.

Bowdin:

Yes. I am. Even as it even as delicious smelling as the, grilled lizard might be at the moment, I'm gonna keep running.

DM:

Okay. You guys Can

Bowdin:

I flake can I fling another spell over my shoulder? Yes. Another sacred flame. Let's see what we can do with this mess.

DM:

How far does the sacred flame reach?

Bowdin:

Range. 60 feet. I'm in.

DM:

Yeah. You got it. This this last Sacred Flame at this range.

Bowdin:

Okay. Guess what I got this time?

DM:

A 2. A 2. You're just going up the ladder slowly, aren't you?

Bowdin:

Oh, yes. I am.

DM:

So between Adrox, fire flamethrower, and Boden's sacred flame, you see the creature look down at you, Chip. And you look back at the holes, Doug, and you see it take its movement and start swinging back around from the hole that it came out of and start digging its way back in. You see, for such a large creature, it quickly moves and vanishes back underground, and you can still hear it moving with the cave and its natural tunnel collapsing behind him.

Adrok:

That was frightening. Well

DM:

so the creature has fled between the magical energies that have been thrown at it. It wasn't didn't it? Figure it wasn't worth the meal that it was trying to get out of the horse.

Bowdin:

So I ran away snickering.

DM:

Did not get the horse flesh meal that it so so so desired. With that being said, I'll finish up the round. Chip, what would you like to do?

Chip:

Well, I may not be an acrobatic athletic no monk. I am now concerned about the horse.

DM:

Okay. Is

Chip:

what is the horse doing?

Bowdin:

Attack of opportunity? How about that, Gary?

DM:

Oh, yeah. You actually you know what? It it you're right. Chip, you're actually getting an attack of opportunity as the creature flees away from you. So give me an attack first.

Chip:

So rewind. The tunnel has not collapsed

Bowdin:

Nope.

DM:

As the thing starts bearing itself in the ground as it moves out of your range, it there is an attack of opportunity available to you if you'd like to take it. Woo hoo.

Adrok:

Who gets it?

DM:

Only the people in base to base with it. So Chip is the only one who's in fleas.

Bowdin:

Get it, Chip.

Chip:

Unless you plus 3.

DM:

Natural 20?

Chip:

When you say a natural 20, what does that mean?

Adrok:

When you rolled, did it show a 20 as in a as in what you rolled

DM:

Yes.

Adrok:

Plus whatever?

DM:

Yes. Correct. You rolled the maximum of another dice. So that's a critical hit. Woo hoo.

DM:

So Ding. The way we do critical hits a couple different ways is, I do what's called exploding dice. So if you roll on and this worm this worm might be a little bit complicated because if you take your damage dice let's say you have a damage dice that's d 6 and you roll a 6 on it. You get, first of all, it's critical, so you get to roll double damage for your items. So you get to if you wanna roll a d 6, you get to roll 2 d 6.

DM:

But if you roll but what I do is I allow open ended rolls. So if you rolled a 6 on either of those dice, you get to roll that dice again and add this to it. So your critical hit could be very substantial overall. So whatever you roll, and that's where not sure how D and D the the dice roll will do for that, but,

Bowdin:

If you right click if you right click, you can choose critical hit, and it will do the critical the base critical hit roll for you. Then I would say just look at the dice that it shows that you rolled and see if any of them are sixes

DM:

or

Bowdin:

whatever the maximum would be.

DM:

Yeah. Follow Ken's instructions. He's very good at

Chip:

So right click what,

Bowdin:

Ken? Okay. So where you would normally right click to or where you normally click to do your damage, it's the number next to your your the box that you would click to attack.

Chip:

Correct.

Bowdin:

Okay. If If you right click

Chip:

it Oh, critical hit or roll.

Bowdin:

Yep. So click the critical hit one. Yeah. That's what I'm doing when people are working. It's like, oh, what does happen if I do this?

Chip:

DM, you did mention 6, d 6. Right?

Adrok:

Yeah. Is your These were short sword of d6? Do you does it roll a d what on the right side, it says 1 d something for damage. What is it? Is it d6?

Chip:

Yes. 1 d6

Adrok:

Okay.

Chip:

Plus 1. And then, they both rolled 3, so 3 plus 3 plus 1.

DM:

Okay. So if you would've rolled a 6 on either one of those, I would've said, let's get I would've said, just do another regular damage roll with the that, and you would've added that to that total roll.

Chip:

So it's not row 6s.

DM:

Unfortunately. So it looks sounds like you did what? Seven damage? Mhmm. Okay.

DM:

Well, that's still a good hit.

Bowdin:

Solid hit.

DM:

That's a very solid hit, especially given the creature and everything else. So so you give it a parting shot as it ducks back into the tunnel. You get a good you you, keep a souvenir at the tip of its tail for a remembrance of this fight. But it eventually does get in the tunnel and go away. That's your reaction ship.

DM:

That's your reaction to it leaving the battle. What would you like you said you wanted to go check on the horse and everything else. You see the horse is stood up and not its, 4 leg that, you know, got chomped on by the, giant lizard is it it's holding it in, the garden position as you see blood streaming down from its shoulder.

Chip:

I'd like to get the horse under control.

DM:

Okay. Give me an animal husband check.

Chip:

Animal handling?

DM:

Animal handling. Thank you. Husbandry is the last the last thing.

Chip:

Alright. It's a plus 4. Yep. And I rolled a 7 plus 4, 11.

DM:

You managed to get a hold of the bridle and, you know, start calming the animal down even though you can tell it's in pain and terrified of what just happened because it was almost eaten. Adaroc. Actually, I'd speak before move, Chip. Anything else?

Chip:

Oh, how how are my other how are my 2 comrades?

DM:

You hear the dwarf going, I'm leaving. You see the, looking over the horse, you see the other other one that is, the other, person the hobgoblin has, is standing there next to the cowering human watching the, giant lizard tunnel back into the ground. Kinda looking a little disappointed. But if there's nothing else, Adrock, what would you like to do before the round closes out?

Adrok:

I will, put my hand out towards the human and say, the beast is gone now. And and wave and hold my arm out to help him up. Alright. Alright.

DM:

We're out of combat now. So with that being said, you hold your hand out. The human sort of looks up at you and goes,

Bowdin:

holy crap. What the hell was that?

DM:

He's like then he looks at you and he's like, oh, man. I am lucky you're all here. Takes your hand as you pull him as you pull him to his feet and everything else, he dusts himself off a little bit. Looks around. He's like, oh, man.

DM:

That was a that was terrifying, but somehow I lived. He goes, then he looks over at his horse. He goes, Sparrow. Holy and he immediately runs up to his horse and, you know, he's got that hand where he's putting on his head sort of like freaking out, running through his hair, wondering what to do, watching the blood seep down the edge of the horse. Boden, you no longer have that, feeling of terror behind you.

DM:

It sort of just faded away as you turn back.

Bowdin:

What's that?

DM:

Let me look and see it's gone.

Bowdin:

Quiet. Woah. A horse. Run back. Full on cure wounds.

DM:

Okay. Alright. Give me a roll. Alrighty.

Adrok:

On you or the horse?

Bowdin:

The horse.

Adrok:

Oh, okay. No. I I know you took some damage. I didn't know if maybe you wanted

Bowdin:

to catch

Adrok:

yourself up.

Bowdin:

Didn't lay a didn't lay a finger on me.

Adrok:

Oh, okay.

Bowdin:

9 points for 9 points for the horsey.

DM:

Nicely done. You see the wound on the horse close-up and everything. The wound closes up. The horse seems to calm down between the mat the soothing magic of the heal as well as Chip's understanding of taking of animal handling and everything else. It gets it calm.

DM:

And you see the human look at you guys. He's like, I must be one of the luckiest man on this road right now. Because if it wasn't for you 3, I think my horse and I would be food. He's like, go ahead. No.

Bowdin:

It shouldn't be this dangerous. We're awfully close to town. Something like that shouldn't be crawling out of the walls.

DM:

Well, it is the Sword Coast that you never know what goes on. He goes, but, you know, I really need to he goes, let me let me introduce my I'm I'm called Volo. I, I'm a traveler, and you are?

Bowdin:

Well, I'm Boden.

DM:

He looks at you, Chip.

Chip:

Algris. Chip Algris.

DM:

And he looks over at you, aedraq.

Adrok:

Aedraq. And and while this is, it's nice to meet you, can we, get going? Because I don't know when that creature will be back.

DM:

I don't see why not. We can walk and talk. As we do that, as, you know, he Chippy does take the horse, he does take his horse from you, Sparrow, and starts walking at the pace the horse seems to handle. The wound seems to heal. It's not fully healed, but it's definitely not gonna be a problem for the horse.

DM:

He goes, what? He goes, you know, you're gonna have to allow me to repay you somehow and thank you for saving my life. Yes. You wouldn't have me stopping by the roadhouse up ahead, would you, before the night?

Bowdin:

I haven't thought about it, but it sounds like a good plan as any.

DM:

He goes, well, then if if that's where you're stopping, he he goes, please allow me to buy you dinner and drinks to at least

Chip:

Ship says yes.

DM:

Say thank you for saving my life. And you also notice the trail is the other few people that were on the trail and everything else were looking around and, like, have now sort of peering back out of, like, the trees, woods have sort of come back out and move on the trip. This this isn't like an empty road because people are moving towards towards the city and everything else, and you got a few people giving some cheers and, you know, you got some thank you's coming by saying, hey. Good job. You know?

DM:

Every now, you know, you got an old guy going, you know, you know, the lizard shop show up all the time. Yeah. You got all sorts of stuff going on. But you guys have a nice easy walk for about another hour before you guys hit the roadhouse, and it's exactly what you would expect. It's situated about a days outside of, Waterdeep.

DM:

It is a place that carriages and travelers can stop for the night safely. It's a combination of tavern slash inn slash stable self contained thing with a nice I wouldn't say defensive wall, but, you know, think of it as a well defended ranch, setup. And, On

Bowdin:

the way, I wanna talk to Adrak because something's a little askew here. Talk to you. So, Adrak, your people and my people historically have not gotten along real well, but I really appreciate the fact you had my back back there.

Adrok:

I would I would say that my people don't get along well with, with ourselves, let alone anyone else. But, yes.

Bowdin:

Well, I appreciate it. It's very much appreciated. And you, little one, and I and please note, there aren't many I can say that to. You, just throwing yourself right in the battle. Much appreciated.

Bowdin:

That was amazing. Mhmm.

DM:

Were it

Chip:

back at you.

Bowdin:

Were it not for the fact that it obviously used some sort of horrible spell to cast some sort of fear over me, I had to bend there and there with you.

Chip:

Your intentions are pure. Good Boden.

Bowdin:

Indeed.

DM:

So Boden, why don't you take a moment as you guys as you guys are walking and talking to describe describe how he looks, you know, you know, how Boden looks in, you know, his armor and everything else. Anything that would be attract the attention or curiosity of your traveling companions.

Bowdin:

Well, Boden looks like a walking ten can with a giant hammer over his shoulder. He's got a a bit of a cranky fake look on his face, but it's got a twinkle in his eye as well. He's sort of like Santa Claus with a little bit honked off about him. His eyes are bright blue. He's about 411.

Bowdin:

He's got black hair. His skin is medium brown, and he's kinda young for a a a dwarf. But, basically, he's pretty much a solid,

DM:

rock. He's 4 he's 4 foot tall, and he's 4 feet wide. Exactly. Chip, why don't you do the same? Describe what your what, your traveling companions see.

Chip:

Ah, Chip being gnome and monk. While 41 is a little slight and a little boyish looking, because I believe I've got centuries ahead of me, and I'm gonna age pretty slowly. Kind of a mix if you were to, know of the muggle world. Chips would speak like William Shatner with Mark Damascus in his role in John Wick as character hero. So Chip likes to talk in 3rd person, and Chip is pretty joyous.

Chip:

Chip is gleeful.

DM:

Nice.

Chip:

Chip is small, slight. Chip has a cute fro of hair, and Chip has a twinkle in Chip's eye.

DM:

Nice. And always, maybe last but never least, Adruk.

Adrok:

Abla Adruk, is a hobgoblin. Ablaak. Blah blah blah. He's a hobgoblin about 5, 10, 5, 11. And he's got pointy ears, the, the, the square face with the jaw, the jutting jaw.

Adrok:

And he, his eyes, betray nothing. He is he wears what appear to be simple clothes, well tailored, but are actually actually armor. And he moves about, with a an eye towards, what's going on in the distance. You get the feeling that, he believes that there are people, looking for him. So he he appears rather cautious, cautious and reserved at the moment.

DM:

So for Chip or Adrock, any obvious weapons that you carry?

Adrok:

Aedrox carries, he carries a, a crossbow as well as, you see a flail, on his, left hip. And the, the thing that, sets him apart is you notice also that there is a pouch, next to him that a pouch on his, opposite side that he carries and that he seems to be pulling things out of, to use as, weapons and or in instead of casting spells.

DM:

Okay. How about you, Chip? Any obvious weapons other than your short sword that you drew out for combat?

Chip:

Negative. But Chip is learning some martial arts.

DM:

He's got those distinctive stances in the in the in the battle flows of wielding the short swords much much like a scripted kata, I guess is the best way to say it. Much like in kata.

Chip:

Alright. Which Chip also hopes that adrox, reserveness, and gardenness helps Chip out because Chip can't keep a secret, and Chip is distracted by shiny things.

DM:

So with that being said, Volo, other than greeting you and talking to you, and he's like, so you all head in the Waterdeep for, midsummer's festival today or midsummer's festival in a a few days. Are you

Bowdin:

not? Wouldn't miss it. Get the shield meat beat. We get the shield meat bonus this year.

DM:

Oh, well, once every 4 years we get get to celebrate a big party. Because it'll be it'll be nice to be back. I've been been away for a while. Been out traveling and cataloging the countryside. And about that time you guys carry on the the courteous conversation, he can't stop gushing enough of how wonderful it is that you guys have if you had you guys hadn't come along with what a sad ending to a long long journey would have been down the gullet of some giant lizard.

DM:

And, you guys make your way up to the, like I said, the large semi well defended ranch on the edge of what would be considered farmland, with this the final with not I wouldn't say late night sun, but the you definitely get the idea that from this point down into the city of Waterdeep, it'll be more of a downhill trip as you guys get to the coast. If you guys are moving down the road, they'll take you down closer to the coast, which means you'll go from the low highlands, scrublands where you're at, travel down along into the lower areas down to sea level. So but as you enter the tavern, a couple young young human males come out and take out take a look at the horse, pull the horse into the stable and everything else, and Vodla's like, you know, make sure you take care of that. Give him good feed. You know, what do you need?

DM:

You know, I'll I'll make sure to take care of everything. And that he goes, come on. Come on. We've got some great got some great drinking and food to attend to here. He goes, Bronas, one of the best one of the best bartenders and, all around host you can ever you never run into.

DM:

And, you walk in there and, you know, for a room that can hold 30 or 40 people, you're rather surprised that it's empty. You're figuring people that are on the road are probably pushing through or they have other destinations they can make it to before the sun sets. A lot of people that stop at the Roadhouse, you know, just will stop there because their destination is Waterdeep, and Waterdeep still, you know, if you're on foot, another day you know, a little over little under a day's travel off. If you're on horseback, about a half day's travel, things like that. So, but you do realize that as you're walking in, there's at least 1 merchant, by the 2 wagons that are parked out by the stable that at least have come in.

DM:

You notice the there's a total of about a half dozen patrons inside. A big center fireplace that's not roaring but it is going a little bit to add the ambiance to the actual environment. You see a couple you see a group of 3 off to the side drinking, carrying on, having a good time. They don't even bother to look up when newcomers walk in. There's a a table of 2 that immediately upon your the your group of 4 walking in, they both look up.

DM:

And you notice that bigger burly humanoids and everything else. And, you know, from the back, when I look at them they don't really look like much but as they turn, you can see those teeth poking up and you can see the darker green skin. See facial features that are, you know, a combination of orcish and human that are sitting there. And you see them both give you guys the not the evil eye, but they give you the once over like, are you a threat? No.

DM:

Okay. They go back to the they go back to their drinking and talking. There's a gentleman, heavier set, finer clothing and everything else at at the bar, carrying having a conversation with the, bartender. Definitely definitely one of your brothers there, Boden. Big long gray beard hanging down, and he's, you know, got the mug of ale poured out to the human.

DM:

There is a there's another there's a female waitress. There's another female dwarf running around. Definitely being the waitress. She's got the tray in the hand walking over to the the table of 3. Collected up a couple of glasses and you see or a couple of the mugs.

DM:

And you see her move onto a table in the back where at least alone judging by the robes and the dress and everything else, probably a female is sitting there covered up. Very hard to tell what race she is because she's wearing the veils, everything else. But the best you can see is the eyes. But other than that, you know for something that could probably hold 40 people, there's about a half dozen patrons in there right now. With you guys, rounds it out to about a quarter of its capacity.

DM:

Well it was like, find a seat. I'll make sure to get us plenty of food and everything else. You see him go up Bromus. How's it going? And Bromus, you can see him looking.

DM:

I was like, oh, well, welcome back, Volo. It's good to see you. And, you know, big he's like, Bromus, it's good to see you. I'm back and I have some friends that I need to, treat. You know?

DM:

They they carry on the conversation for a minute. He orders a few things as, Charlene walks the waitress walks by. He yells out her name Charlene and, gives her a big hug. And, she says have a seat I'll bring everything to you and he comes back to the table and plops down and goes, so what what is your story? It's it's not every day we meet because it's not every day that I meet, 3 strangers that'll save my life from I don't even know what that and you see him pull out a book out of his, you know, the pack that he has on the floor and starts flipping through it.

DM:

And you say, I don't know. Might have been the and he goes he goes, lizard? Not sure. Apparently, it's like paralyzing gaze, fear factor. I wonder.

DM:

And he flips another page, he goes, oh. Because you know, I already get a good picture of this, but you know, and he turns he turns the book towards you guys and slides it forward. And it's got a sketch of an 8 legged lizard, you know, much very similar to what you guys saw sitting there. He goes, is this he goes, I think this is what I saw. What about you guys?

DM:

Like I said, it's a it's a lizard. Looks the same. It's got longer teeth, it's got the 8 legs, got the tail and everything behind it. It's got the instead of like the leathery skin though, this one has like the armored scales, which you'd find the more long line lines of like an armadillo type looking scales. But, because that's about the closest I I think I've encountered on this one.

Bowdin:

That looks like it. What is it?

DM:

It's do you read what language I

Bowdin:

know it. I know it as well.

DM:

What languages do you does, Aiden read? Or Boden read. Excuse me.

Bowdin:

Common, draconic, and dwarfish.

DM:

Yeah. He writes in common and everything else. So you're like, he's got he's got the word basilisks written on it.

Bowdin:

Basilisk?

DM:

Basilisk.

Bowdin:

Basilisk? That's a weird name. Why don't you just call it big fear lizard?

DM:

Because I think this one's actually out of elven. Not sure though.

Bowdin:

Oh, alright. That makes sense.

DM:

Yeah. We

Adrok:

are we are fortunate to be alive.

Bowdin:

What was this

Adrok:

what's this guy's name that we're hanging out with again?

DM:

Volo. Volo.

Adrok:

Velo? Volo?

Chip:

Volo, v o l o, if I understand correctly.

DM:

Volo. Yep. K.

Adrok:

Volo, I would, I would love to hear your story. What brings you here?

DM:

I am returning from a long travels down in the vast generals in the land of Cholts. It's like I've gone down there to catalog the creatures and the indigenous life's, indigenous life that's down there. And with a little bit of luck, get the history of my travels once again published. And make a, make a very fine tale of what's going on in the world.

Adrok:

This would, this would seem to be your your domain, but what is a basilisk doing, this close to civilization?

DM:

Given they're, generally an underground creature and, unfortunately, this one might might have made its home nearby the trails or nearby the road simply for feeding. Your guess is as good as mine. It's a wild it's as from what I've read read about them is, they're wild creatures. Solitary hunters but they do mate. They do have offspring and everything.

DM:

In the world, in the in the, Peninsula and Chult in the jungles, I've heard a tale that, some of the witch doctors would actually some of the more evil ones would capture and train them to be pets to use as, creatures to guard and hot guard and chase away those that, chase away from areas. Like a big eagle evil guard dog. I mean, think about it. A creature that can cause fear like that? No one wouldn't nobody can bother you.

DM:

Why are we sitting around the table?

Bowdin:

Probably take up most of the bed at night too.

DM:

Yeah. It's your choice of how you guys choose to sit around the table. Volo sort of plopped down. He's got his back to the bar facing the fire.

Bowdin:

If Darn. I wanted the seat near to the bar.

DM:

Well, he said he doesn't get the closest seat to the bar. He just goes back to the bar.

Bowdin:

Right. Then I'm in it.

Chip:

Chip wants to whisper to Boden, assuming I'm sitting next to you, Boden. As, Bola was describing, I wanna ask, he seems to know a lot about it, but did you notice when Chris came out and the eyes were glowing? Yeah. Did you notice that too?

Bowdin:

Yeah. Scared the crap out of me.

Chip:

Yeah. Do you think do you think that guy would know what that's about?

Bowdin:

Maybe. Good question. Maybe we should check. Hey, Volo.

DM:

Yeah. And Did

Bowdin:

you see that did you see that glowy mess that came out of his eyes?

DM:

He goes, it was terrifying, was it not?

Bowdin:

Just Yes. Literally terrifying.

DM:

Just looking at that thing paralyzed me with I mean, I I could not move. It was it was beyond anything I've helped, but and he he goes, I've heard tell that, you know, creatures like that can actually their gaze can turn people literally to stone with just the fear. Not sure, he goes, but, I'm glad that one was just scary ugly. Or I'm glad whatever ability it had, you know, whatever whatever whatever that glowing was was just nothing more than causes a paralyzing fear. I don't think I'd ever wanna encounter one that they could really turn somebody to stone.

Bowdin:

Yeah. Well, it ran, and I'm appreciative of that.

DM:

Well, looking back, he's like Bob was coming out of my fear and all I saw was and he looks over at Adderok and he goes, I saw you stretch out your hand and it was just a gout of flame leaked from it and charred the creature. And then, you know, even though you were at a distance, you know, casting some type of magic, because I've recognized the magic that you guys are doing. I've seen others do it. I don't think it I don't think it was a big fan of any type of magical threat. And, I think that would be the best defense against it.

Bowdin:

Well, that's usually my best offense. Probably that doesn't work well when I'm running the other way.

Chip:

Well, Chip is curious. Chip is wondering, do you think this basilisk only wanted to eat you? Are you sure there was something else about you it was interested in?

Bowdin:

I have

DM:

no idea why a creature would wanna eat me at all. Now I now I take that back. There was this time when I you know, going through the jungle and everything else. I was walking along the trail and, you know, it's just one of those things that happens when you're on the trail that it, happened to look down and, yes, beauty is barking up a storm.

Chip:

NPC.

DM:

Yeah. It's a you you guys hear a dog barking off in the distance. You you guess the kids are playing outdoors outside and, you know, if nothing else, whatever's being evil around the ranch is being chased off. But he's like, anyways, back in Sholt, I was moving along a trail and I did I did encounter a very large serpent that, had no qualms in trying to eat me at all. And, it would it was very interesting to stare into its giant eyes as it just sort of lulls you to sleep as it as it coils wrapped around you.

DM:

And if it wasn't for my guide, I probably would be not here right now. Much like if it wasn't for the 3 of you, I don't think me or I don't think Sparrow or myself would be here right now. I think we'd be food at that creature's belly.

Chip:

Chip is thankful you're so lucky.

DM:

So am I. He's like and he reaches into his you see he's reaching back into his pouch. But that time, the waitress comes back with a large plate of assorted foods, fruits, vegetables, meats, cheeses, items like that. And she sets out 4 pints of alcohol. And, you see Volo reach into his bag, grab his coin pouch and everything else, take out 10 gold and put it on the table, and he goes, you know, this is for the food and drink, and, make sure we have rooms for all all of us.

DM:

You know? I if it wasn't for them, I and he has no problem recanting the tale of how you saved his life. And one of the things you do realize when he recants the tale of the waitress, the creature got bigger. The creature got bigger and more fierce.

Adrok:

And for effect, I, for effect while he's telling that story, I take out, my tools and I, there's, on the table, I spread my hand across, and you could see now the picture of the basilisk, you know, spreading across the table. And with my hand, I wipe across the table, and it just now becomes on our table as this this giant, image of the basilisk on the wood.

Chip:

The very one we bought or a a generic image?

Adrok:

A generic image of the basilisk that matches the one that I saw in his, the one that I saw in his his book.

DM:

So very similar to the one you guys saw on the, road and and fought, but minor changes. Doesn't have that black blackened skin scar down the back of it, but, and you see Charlene's you see the waitress looks at you, and she's like, that is wow. You all fought that and she looks around at the 3 of you. She goes, really? That's nearby?

Bowdin:

Surprised us as well.

DM:

It might have

Adrok:

Yes. And it seems it was hungry.

Bowdin:

I would have preferred to have taken it out, but it ran as it

Adrok:

should have.

DM:

She goes

Bowdin:

Not that there's anything wrong with running, mind you.

DM:

Bromus, you need to come see this. And she calls over. Bromus comes walking over. He's like, oh, yeah. I've heard I've heard tales of those.

DM:

It might be we may need to call it. We may need to mention it to the local guards to keep their eye out for these.

Bowdin:

Is Bromus he's a human or dwarf? He's a dwarf or something else.

DM:

He's a good dwarf? They're they're both the waitress and Bromus are dwarves.

Bowdin:

Alright. Is she a proper lady dwarf?

DM:

Yeah. She's a proper lady dwarf. Yep. Alright. She's a shield maiden.

DM:

She keeps the braids, instead of like the big fluffy dwarf, she keeps it like nice braids, like forces the braids just going down all twisted. She's got the various beads and items like that in it. Keeps it, you know, looking nice. Here's Very proper. Yeah.

DM:

Here's pulled back, kept tight. You don't have to worry about getting into the food, getting over the you know, while she's cooking. She doesn't have to worry about it, you know, getting over into the fireplace, things like that. All the good stuff. But, you know, they they bring on some nice meats and everything else, and you guys carry on.

DM:

And about the time Volo reaches up and, you know, takes a swig of his ale, he's like, oh. He's like, Charlene, what what's wrong with this ale? And she goes, what's wrong with my mug? She's like, it's the same ale we always serve here. He's like, no.

DM:

No. No. This is a celebration. Where's Hartgrove's Whiskey? And she's like, we're out.

Bowdin:

What is

DM:

what do you mean you're out? It's almost Midsummer's Eve, and you can't be out. So they have a quick conversation, you know, back and forth, and she's, like, comes back over. And she says, well, I'll find you something that, you know, grabs grabs the mug and everything else. And that's when the 3 gentlemen that you saw, sitting in there that are carrying on.

DM:

You know, you guys take a, you know, the glance at them and you look at them, you sort of write them off as, you know, travelers, but then you actually look at them and you're like, no. There's probably more local farmers that are coming out for a night to reminisce, talk, and enjoy. And that's when one of them them leans over it leans leans over, looks at you, and he goes, hey. He goes, yeah. Bromus isn't happy.

DM:

He goes, Harborough hasn't delivered his, promised whiskey in about about a week. It's a week overdue, and, you know, with midsummer coming up, there's a lot of there's gonna be a lot of people demanding his whiskey. But, he's like, what do you mean he's been what do you mean nobody's he hasn't delivered? He's like, yeah. No one's seen him in a week.

DM:

And, with all the stuff with all the travel and everything that's going on, I think Harborough is gonna miss out on a good, you know, especially with shield with Shield Meat going on, he's gonna miss out on a good profit if he doesn't get his whiskey delivered.

Bowdin:

Is he on his own?

DM:

You is that what you asked of that one gentleman?

Bowdin:

Yeah. He goes, no. Be worried.

DM:

No. He's not on his own. I mean, he's he's got his he's got his farm and distillery right up the road about half day. But a little about a half a little over half day from here. But, yeah.

DM:

Come to think of it, I haven't. And he looks over the other 2. Have you guys spoken with him? No. I haven't seen him in probably a 10 day.

DM:

Yeah, no I haven't seen him None of us have The brother's like, yeah he's late and this is well he's normally you can hear him yelling across the bar He's like, yeah why he's normally late? This is worse than this is worse than he's ever been.

Bowdin:

Look. Giant Lizards is bad enough, but missing whiskey? That's right out.

DM:

He says it is. He says it is. And he goes, oh, by the way, did you really get did you really encounter that big lizard, or is Volo just telling one of his tall tales again?

Bowdin:

Oh, no. It was there. It was big.

DM:

Very big?

Bowdin:

It was pretty big. It was bigger than me. That's all I cared about.

DM:

Because It

Bowdin:

was bigger than me, bigger than Chip, about the same sizes at Sandrock. Hey. Legs going every which way, and eyes. The eyes, that's what gets you.

DM:

Wow. Yeah. We're gonna have to keep our eye out and make sure that creature doesn't come back. But, wait. The Charlene, the waitress, comes back and everything else, and she's got a little bit she she brings out a couple bottles, sets them on the table and everything.

DM:

And, with that, she says, well and then she takes another bottle, heads over to the, the lone figure in the back. You notice the more well dressed, older, heavyset gentleman that was talking to Bromus at the bar has gone and sat down with the 2 half orcs and is, holding a conversation with them. But other than that, what would you guys like to do?

Bowdin:

I got a question for you, Volo.

DM:

Go ahead. Yes. He's like, oh, this is actually good this is good one.

Bowdin:

Alright. For a guy that's been everywhere, I got a question. I've asked a lot of people, but nobody seems to really know. Back at home, in the mountain, underneath the mountain, there was an accident. I got a lot of rocks dropped onto me.

Bowdin:

That's okay. Happens. When you're people like me, rocks fall on your head sometimes. But this this separated me from my family, trapped me underneath the rocks for quite a while. Days.

Bowdin:

Not quite important. The important part was I didn't die. But while I was trapped under the rocks, I saw something, and it did something. I don't know what it is. I saw this silvery, but not silvery, big worm, not like squirmy worm, big wyrm worm.

Bowdin:

And it looked at me, and it said this word, and I don't know what it's meant. But it said, Barmut.

DM:

It seem to stop for a second. No. No. No. He goes, I could always ask, he takes us up to his warning.

DM:

He goes, I could always ask, scholar friends. I have I have some contacts in the city that very good with, words.

Bowdin:

I had a friend of mine make a I drew him a picture of the worm. This is what I made. Mhmm.

DM:

This is

Bowdin:

holy symbol. Holds it up. That's what it looks like. Any ideas? Because father

DM:

Dumas has a similar symbol that I've seen before in the town of Waterdeep. In the city of Waterdeep. Father Dumas. Yeah. He goes, that's where I've seen that before.

DM:

Father Dumas wears one of those. Or at least I've seen him carry one. And I'm not sure if he still wears it.

Bowdin:

Father Dumas.

DM:

Dumas, d u m a s.

Bowdin:

Alright. I appreciate it. I'll look him up.

DM:

By all means. He's like,

Adrok:

I was, I was gonna say I, I motion for Charlene, to come over. And as she She's

DM:

on over.

Adrok:

As she bends down next to me, I I slide her a a gold coin, and I ask her, who is the shrouded gentleman in the corner, and what's his business?

DM:

She gives a bit of a chuckle. She goes, well, the the shrouded one is not a gentleman. This is a, young lass. She seems to be waiting for somebody who has not made his appearance yet. And she seems somewhat upset, but at the same time, not overly disturbed by her missing companion.

DM:

But if you'd like to know more, I'm pretty sure you could ask her herself yourself.

Adrok:

I pick up my drink. I walk over, to her, and I say, is this seat taken?

DM:

She looks up with that slow, almost air of boredom and looks up at you. Does that size up, size down? She goes, no. Are you interested in taking it?

Adrok:

It's it it is is positively lovely to meet you. I am Adrock, and I I sit down. And I say, why does no one else have the pleasure of your company right now?

DM:

Only because the the one I'm supposed to meet is not here yet. But he will be soon. He is running late because I'm Viren. What was

Adrok:

that what was that last thing you said?

DM:

I am Viren, v I Viren. R r

Adrok:

e n. Wonderful.

DM:

I'm from Waterdeep. And I don't take I don't take it you are from the city. Where are you from, Adaroc?

Adrok:

Oh, far off. I haven't seen my my homeland in some time. But now I am I am where I can, where I can tinker and where I can meet, find people such as yourself.

DM:

Understood.

Adrok:

Now what's,

DM:

Give me an insight there check. Insight check there, Adarik. Insight or investigation. Your choice. Okay.

Adrok:

You can use that. I'll I'll do which one ever does better for me. Let's see. Insight gives me a plus 0. Investigation gives me a plus 3, so I'll take the plus 3.

Adrok:

I have a 22.

DM:

So as you're as you sit down, as you start speaking of VLAN, you'd notice that you take a harder look at the you take a closer look at the clothes and realize they're much finer than they look at the distance. The outer clothing is meant to be travel clothing, you know, meant to be a little bit more worn or off, but you can see, you know, more like the silk more like a silk dress. You can see the on her hand where jewelry would normally reside is no longer there. She wears very fine clothes and she has some obvious signs of other wealth, but she's not openly displaying that wealth. She's actually downplaying it as much as possible, but with at the same time, she's keeping.

DM:

There's only so much she's willing to she she's willing to downgrade to.

Adrok:

I use I I reach into my pouch and I I pull out, my tinkerers tools and I, I fiddle with, with the post that's next to our, our table. And as I do so, I quickly, use the tools on it and I put them back in my pouch as quickly as I can. And now there is a, a white noise sound so that anyone who is not sitting in our table cannot hear what we are saying. Okay. And, that was my second magical tinkering of the day.

DM:

Okay.

Adrok:

I'm actually special, so I don't think it's just 3 objects at a time.

DM:

She she watches you for a moment. She goes, you're a curious one.

Adrok:

Well, now we now we may speak, now we may speak freely. No one will hear us. I can't I can't help but notice that you are, you are, well well, appointed and, in the corner of a dark tavern. And I I would I would like to know more. I would like, it it it does not appear that these two things, match.

Adrok:

So whether it's the pleasure of your company or, assisting you in your endeavor, I would like to know more.

DM:

Give me a persuasion roll there, Androck.

Adrok:

That's gonna be terrible. I'm gonna need I'm gonna need all the help I can get on this one. Oh, that's a 9. As I told you, that was terrible. That was I minus 1 persuasion.

DM:

So she looks at you. She's like, well, I'm not in the I'm not normally in the habit of divulging what I do or why I do it to a stranger I just met in in, as you said, some dark dimly some dimly of that tavern. But given the circumstances and my concern for my companion, I you seem like somebody I can at least have a have an honest conversation with. She goes, I've been waiting for a friend that his his about a day is overdue, which concerns me. But given the circumstances of our relationship, I do not doubt he has his reasons.

Adrok:

And what is, is this, why was this friend coming to meet you, and and why here?

DM:

How is the best way to describe the fact that, the meeting needs to be

Adrok:

Are you that kind of friends?

Bowdin:

And fade to black.

DM:

She's she's she smiles and takes a sip of her glass. She goes, we have we have our reasons for meeting here, and, it is away from the worries and woes of the city. So

Adrok:

My dear, I I believe that's that I can that we can help you find out where your friend is for a for a price, of course.

DM:

Sounds like a very generous offer, and I don't and I may actually have need of it when the sun rises if he has not shown up. I would gladly accept your services.

Adrok:

Well, I trust that, we we will be staying here, but you should you can ask around for me. You probably won't see any other hobgoblins in town.

DM:

I'm pretty sure you won't be hard to find. I will I will be here till I will be here till midmorning tomorrow. If my friend is not showing up, I will seek you out to maybe you can go find where he where he's off to. I'd be much disappointed if he does not arrive tonight.

Adrok:

I look forward to it. Would you, would you care to join our table, or or shall you remain here?

DM:

I would not care to join your table, good sir.

Adrok:

Well, I I will take my leave of you then, and we'll wait your call.

DM:

Hopefully, it doesn't come to that.

Adrok:

I feel the same way.

DM:

Thank you for an enjoyable conversation. The even though she's kept the veil over her face and, you know, kept herself pretty much hidden and everything else, What languages do you speak, Mary Adrock?

Adrok:

I speak common and goblin.

DM:

Goblin. Okay. So your investigation check was you're pretty sure you you had a very high investigation. You're pretty sure that, she's a she's an Elven female based on the lilt and sound of her voice. But, you know, without basically tearing the veil off her head and everything else and figuring out, you're not gonna get a good idea.

DM:

She also has a manner of very polite and very thought speech patterns. So it also gives you you know, the conversation gives you the impression that she is probably part of a noble family or, you know, a very high class, merchant family, within the city. But, while that's going on, the rowdy dwarf and halfling, Chip, what are you guys doing with Willow?

Chip:

Chip always strives to not be a powder because pounding is in what he tends to fall back on. But Chip allowed himself a moment to momentarily pout because Chip is so bummed there's no whiskey. Chip's ever had whiskey. This was the summer to roll in the whiskey, and Chip was a little crushed realizing there's no whiskey this festival. But

DM:

What's your Harper's Whiskey. That's even more disappointing.

Chip:

I even now Chip is double devastated.

DM:

You've heard tales of Harper's Whiskey. It's you know, he's one of those distillers that very, you know, very small brewer and everything else, but very high demand, across the you know, you've heard tales of it, and people have spoken about it pretty much far and wide. One of those small breweries, it it gets national renowned.

Chip:

This is on Chip's bucket list. All the more reason. Chip is always seeking more knowledge on brewing and spirits and ales and the finer things in life. But during this moment trying to pout, Chip is slightly distracted not knowing what is happening between ad rock and the mysterious veiled lady. But Chip is also didn't notice about Boden, that Boden had a real vision about this worm.

Chip:

So the ADD and Chip is like, oh my gosh. But Chip also wants to know more about this animal seeking Volo and what's going on. So Chip comes to to refocus on the conversation at hand between Boden and Volo.

DM:

Okay. Yeah. And like like I said, you come back in on the tail end of it with these, Vodou mentioning father Dumas, and and he sort of looks back and, he's like, you know, elven wine's good. He's like, the local ales are even better, but there's nothing beats the whiskey. He's like, you know and he he looks back over at the 3 the 3, gentlemen.

DM:

He's like, didn't you gentlemen say that he hasn't been seen in a couple weeks? Yeah. Yeah. He he hasn't even come for the grain that, he hasn't even come for some of the grain he bought for me about 2 weeks ago. Yeah.

DM:

About yeah. So remember, a week is 10 is 10 days long. So it's almost been 20 days since anybody's seen him.

Chip:

And nobody's sought for him?

DM:

Well, you know, it's a busy time of year. We have midsummer. We have we we have our own harvest. We have our own food to get out. We have a lot of stuff going on to get ready, especially for the celebration.

DM:

But,

Chip:

Does he have family?

DM:

Oh, yeah. They all they all live on the farm together.

Bowdin:

Thinking tomorrow, we go and get our own takeout.

DM:

Volo's like, that's a dandy of an idea. He's like, what? You know what? Hey. And you can tell Volo he's not lightweight, but he's definitely packed.

DM:

Everybody else is, like, sipped through one pint. He's on his, like, 3rd pint. He's like, you know, that that sounds like a wonderful idea. Why don't you and he sort of points around the room. Why don't you all go buy you know, go find Harborough and make sure he can deliver his whiskey, because Braunos needs his whiskey, and so do I.

Chip:

Chip nudges everybody like, yeah. Let's get the whiskey.

DM:

And he's like,

Bowdin:

you had me at whiskey.

DM:

He's like, I will make it worth your while. And about that time, the he was like, woah. Don't spill the glass type thing. They're like, I will make it worth your while. And speaking of worth your while, he's like, I owe you for saving my life.

DM:

He's like, dinner, drinks, small token. I mean, small token. Because now I get continue what I wanna do with my my reading my my writing. My writing? My reading?

DM:

My writing.

Bowdin:

He said cops.

DM:

Not gonna miss my shot. But, he reaches into his bag and everything else. He's like, so for your troubles he pulls it. He's like he's, like, filling his pouch. He's like, it's gonna be lighter and coin than I thought it was.

DM:

He stacks 10 gold coins in front of each of you. He goes he goes, not a lot. He goes, but if you find Harborough and meet me at the meet me at the Yawning Portal in Waterdeep, I will promise you another 90 gold each to do this for me. You know? So I think, you know, 100 gold's 100 gold per head is pretty fair for saving my life.

DM:

What about you?

Bowdin:

You got a deal.

Chip:

Chip approves.

DM:

But, with that being said, he's like, continues to drink, and he gets the 3 far 3 farmers come over and join. You guys pretty much have a good good party. The, eventually, the half orc orcs come over and carry on. You get to meet the no. Excuse me.

DM:

The merchant, Elric, introduces himself. He's bringing in some silks and some other cloth from the from the kingdom down south of, the sword wind, called An, a n n or An, however you wanna pronounce it. They're, a fine maker of various different types of cloth with the type of cottons that's grown down there, Items like that. So but, the night's a festival night. Lots of, cheering and drinking, and, Bolo is very happy to entertain people with tales across the lands of where he's been.

DM:

And anybody wanna do an insight check why he's telling his tales? Sure.

Chip:

Yes, please.

DM:

Go ahead.

Bowdin:

10.

DM:

Okay.

Chip:

Is that investigation?

DM:

Insight, not investigation.

Bowdin:

From it. Yeah.

Chip:

Is it possible I don't have insight?

Adrok:

No. You have it. 17. You have it. Yeah.

Bowdin:

It it's it's there. It's just might be plus 0 or something like that.

DM:

Insight is basically your ability to

Adrok:

It's one of the skills to the right of the far left column, so it's the second column on your character sheet. Inside's basically the Inside.

Chip:

Oh, actually, I have plus 4.

DM:

There you go. Oh, it's the ability to basically read people. And So if you

Adrok:

click on that box next to it and, just like you would anything else, it'll roll, and it'll add your plus 4 to it.

Chip:

8 plus what?

DM:

12? 12 total?

Chip:

Correct.

DM:

Okay. So you're, Boden, you got yourself a 8, you said, total?

Bowdin:

Oh, crap. I just cleared it. Yeah. No. 11.

Bowdin:

It was 11. Okay.

DM:

Both of you realize that Volo's tales are not untruthful, but they are definitely the, they do get he does take creative,

Bowdin:

he turns his speech up to 11.

DM:

Yeah. He he he takes a he takes a a creative leisure. Forget the actual term, but he create he he creates a little bit more intriguing of a tale and keeps people's interest and everything else. And he goes on

Bowdin:

Hyperbole.

DM:

Yeah. But all his stories have some shred of truth behind them of experience. He talks about sailing down to Chult's and, you know, the getting to sail past the islands of the Moon Sea or, Moon Sea. The Moon Sea.

Bowdin:

What is what is Chult? I come from the mountains of the north. I've never even heard of this place.

DM:

Chult, it is a it's an island it's a jungle island down to the south about a week's a week's sail time. It's he goes it's ruled by, you know, tribes of lizardmen. He goes in the there's some from the, there's some from the cities up here that have tried to settle the coast and, claim claim they are in control of it. But he goes in truth, no humans control children. It's all the lizards.

DM:

Giant bipedal lizards that are very tribal, very loyal to each other. And, they could quickly take a dislike to the outsiders, but at the same time, if you if you win their trust and loyalty, they are fiercely loyal and, will treat you as one of them.

Bowdin:

So you made some good friends down there.

DM:

I always make good friends in travel.

Bowdin:

Excellent. So Not always.

DM:

There there was a time of, you know what? That that is just a one of those I don't wanna talk about that one. That was bad. It was but, yeah, it's a it's a wonderful jungle land. It's, some of the most amazing, fruit because they've got this thing called a dragon fruit.

DM:

It it's I guess you would describe it almost like a pear up here, but the shape has nothing. The shape of a pear and the shape of a dragon fruit, 2 different things, but the tastes are it's got the same type of the the flesh inside is juicy and moist and and delicious in the pear. But the dragon fruit is so much more savory and so much just more delicious than you could ever imagine. He goes, it it I there was a time that I thought maybe I could do an exports, of dragon fruit and have them shipped up in the water deep and sell them, but come to find out, they they have a very short cycle before they spoil. It'd be very difficult to do.

Bowdin:

Unless they were fermented.

Chip:

More. My thought. Exactly.

DM:

He's like it's like I never thought of that. That might be an interesting approach. It's like, there's lots we could do. You guys have some great ideas. And and you can see as the night goes on, he's, his ability to hold his liquor is going down and down.

DM:

Eventually, he needs help stumbling, dragging himself to his room like every good storyteller. So with that being said, you guys have a wonderful evening of listening to Volu, TellTales, the Half Orcs. If anybody wants to place some bets on some arm wrestling or arm wrestle with them, they can, make a make some silver off the orc half orcs that are acting as guards for the merchant.

Bowdin:

I'm in.

DM:

Okay. So now would you like to do some test of strength against the orcs?

Bowdin:

I would.

DM:

Alright. So arm wrestling match with them. Best of 3 rolls to see which way it goes. So this will be a strength check.

Bowdin:

String check? Got it.

DM:

Alright. So you guys sit down. The big one looks at you and he's like, you're stout enough. He's like, this shouldn't be he's like, I should pin you in 1.

Bowdin:

Alright. Try it. What's the what's the ante?

DM:

He throws silver on the on the table. Plank. Yep. Anybody else wanna jump in?

Chip:

Chip Chip has got chicken wings, but Chip is so excited that to, be Boden's cheerleader.

DM:

Alright. Alright. You guys lock hands Yeah. And start that Yeah. You you the you see the muscles you see the biceps and the, forearms all flexed and everything else.

DM:

The the you see Boden's pec muscles sort of bounce a little bit under the armor.

Chip:

Give Boden another drink.

DM:

No. It's another drink. Some more ale.

Bowdin:

Alright. Here we go.

DM:

Well, it was almost a 15.

Bowdin:

I hate my virtual dice.

Adrok:

8.

DM:

You see the orc smile. You see as you start you takes your hands, you're pushing it down. You you feel you get you get about that halfway down and you're at that 45 mark and you're feeling it and everything else. You've got that big toofy smile coming up. He's like, you're no match for me.

Bowdin:

Oh, yeah.

DM:

Give me another roll.

Bowdin:

Yep. Here it comes.

Chip:

You can do it, Boden.

Bowdin:

Here we go. Dirty 20.

DM:

Dirty 20. You go you watch this and you guys go back to neutral. You're back up to the top. You force his arm back up. Alright.

DM:

Round 2. You guys are straining against each other, so you both take a penalty of minus 1. Or, actually, give me a constitution check to see. Okay. If you're

Bowdin:

gonna take

DM:

a minus net. Oh, okay. He's gonna take a minus 1.

Bowdin:

I got a I got a 12.

DM:

You're fine. Woah. So his, is he real bad for his contract, so we'll take a minus 1 to his roll. 2nd roll.

Bowdin:

Round 2. Here it comes.

DM:

You guys are at the neutral starting position. Okay. Okay. Yeah. When he starts pushing, he goes, yeah.

DM:

I'm letting you win. I I just have to make it look good, dwarf. And he starts pushing your arm back down to the 45.

Bowdin:

I rolled a 4 for reference.

DM:

Alright. You got a 17 total even with the minus 1.

Bowdin:

Yep.

DM:

Alright. Round let's see the next round.

Chip:

We're proud of you no matter what.

Adrok:

Rah

Bowdin:

rah. Are we conning again to see if we knew lose another one?

DM:

No. It's only after the first it's, every odd round.

Bowdin:

Okay. Here we go. Gotta gotta get get back. There it is. 22.

DM:

Yeah. You're like, not only do you bring him back up to the middle, but you start forcing his arm back back down to 45 where you're at, and you're smiling at him like and he's got that look on his face like, no. It's not gonna give me a call and check to see if your how your endurance is doing.

Bowdin:

Alright.

DM:

Big muscles short on endurance.

Bowdin:

I've got a really I've got a really high endurance. I thought I rolled a 7.

DM:

Yeah. He rolled less. So do you Okay. He takes a negative 2 and you take your negative one.

Bowdin:

We're both there Yeah. Sweat popping out on our forehead. Yep. Fades bulging all over the place.

DM:

You can see him struggling to hold on even though he's got you at that, you know, you got him at that 45. He's still holding on and everything. Give me another straight check.

Bowdin:

Alright. Here it comes. I swear I'm going to get rid of these virtual dice.

DM:

I like to see you through

Bowdin:

I've never see the probabilities the probability rolls are okay. A 5.

DM:

He he got the pendulum swings the other way, it bring you down beyond the 45. I got

Bowdin:

a 45. Yeah. I mean,

DM:

like, struggling to hold up. Alright. Give me another check.

Bowdin:

That's it.

DM:

He win. What'd your role?

Bowdin:

I got I got a 6.

DM:

Oh, he you locked steady with him. You hold him tight. What?

Adrok:

You don't have to outrun the bear.

DM:

He's cold tight.

Bowdin:

Vade's popping a sweat pouring all over his face.

Chip:

She's body sweat.

DM:

Yeah. You see the, you see the merchant and everything else.

Bowdin:

Eyes bulging. Yeah. Veins, I really like.

DM:

He puts a you see the merchant puts a coin down on the table. You see everybody going. Gunther. Gunther. You know, those buddies go, come on.

DM:

It's a dwarf. You gotta take them. Give me a comm check.

Bowdin:

Alright.

DM:

Okay. He's good.

Bowdin:

6.

DM:

You got a minus 2 and he's got a minus 2. Next roll. He still got you on the ropes. He's he's got you pulled down.

Bowdin:

Okay. Minus 2 or minus 1?

DM:

You're at minus 1. Sorry. He's at minus 2 because this is your first fail.

Bowdin:

That's the first fail.

DM:

Yeah. You're minus 1.

Bowdin:

Alright. Here we go. Alright. That would be a 15 minus 1 is a 14.

DM:

He's barely beat you, but he's still forcing your arm closer and closer and closer. Last roll to see if he knuckled you tap your knuckles on the table.

Bowdin:

Alright. Here we go. Oh, yeah. Boom. Oh.

Bowdin:

What's your roll? I rolled a 2.

DM:

Somehow just barely manages to beat just it's one of those he's struggling struggling to get you down. It's like you could feel that if one last pull you could do it, but, you know, that that effort to, you know, sort of relax and then bounce them up, you bounce your knuckles off the table and it's like,

Bowdin:

put her there. Oh, you're a strong lad of you are.

DM:

Yeah. So so it's good drinking and friendship and everything throughout the night. And, at some point, after the sun sets, the covered female goes up and then and, you know, takes takes her leave up to her room. The merchant does the same thing. Volo basically needs to be carried to his room.

Bowdin:

You figure Armin carry.

DM:

Yeah. Ed bounces off every stair as it goes as he as he carry on that. But, do you guys they he

Bowdin:

All those guys did the concussion.

DM:

Yeah. All those guys did the concussion. No wonder he sees such a mysterious and miraculous beast. Exactly. So night goes goes by quite well.

DM:

It's it's a very nice night's rest. The Ramos runs a very nice, establishment when it comes to comfortable beds with a good stock of hay and linen. Other than that, or Volo paid very well to have the good the good stuff turned out. But, you guys wake up next morning, meet the common room. Volo is definitely not there.

DM:

You're thinking he's gonna sleep off a hangover for a few extra hours. The farmers have gone. They've, you know, they didn't go to the rooms. They headed back out. You know, they they made their way home in the night and everything.

DM:

The waitress Charlene has set out some, some basic meats and cheeses and some breakfast food for those that come down and some non alcoholic drinks unless you guys choose otherwise. Alright.

Chip:

What time is it?

DM:

About 7 AM. Little bit after 7. You can hear the ho you can hear the, wagons you can hear some heavy wagons and horses moving out. You can hear hear the the merchant and his group and his, couple guards moving the wagons out early to probably make their way into Waterdeep.

Chip:

Chip wants to ask Adrock, What did what did you and the veiled lady talk about?

Adrok:

It would appear, her companion, has not, made his way here yet and she is concerned for his safety, I indicated that we may help her should the need arise if her companion does not show up. And from the sound of it, I don't believe he will.

Chip:

So we're gonna try and find 2 people? Yeah.

Adrok:

It would, it would seem that we have a decision to make. Shall we, find the whiskey bearer, or or or shall we, wait for her call to see if her companion needs tracked down? In the meantime, however, while I'm conversing with Chip, I'm also pulling out my, Alchemist tools out of my pouch and, I'm attempting to to make, some, healing potions.

DM:

Okay. I believe you need you don't you don't need to roll for that, do you? No. Okay. You just make the check and everything.

DM:

Okay. Good. So with that being said, you guys are downstairs for about an hour before Vodou comes down. He's he looks a little worse for wear. He's like, oh, okay.

DM:

Too many types of alcohol mix, not good. And you see Charlene comes out with basically the equivalent of a Bloody Mary for him to drink with with the, celery stock and the juice and everything else, and give him a little bit better. And he goes, oh, okay. That was that was worth the night considering I almost died again. Rubs his face and everything else and cleans up.

DM:

He goes, so, I've gotta get going into town. Gotta hopefully deliver my book intact and everything else. And he sort of starts pulling the pages out. You see it's like the it's like the loose leaf paper bound with string and everything else that needs to be sorted into some type of semblance of knowledge. But right now it's probably about the thickness of a, he's probably got about a 100 pages of this glue fleece tied together that he unwraps from a, leather leather pouch.

DM:

He goes, okay. We're we're still good. Puts it together. He has breakfast. He goes, but but, he's like, don't forget.

DM:

I owe you, especially for saving my life. He's like, come find me in the Yawning Portal, when you get done looking for a hardware. It'd be it'd be a shame if the world loses that whiskey. It'd be a very big shame. Because with that, I'm gonna go check on Sparrow and go get ready to ride in.

DM:

See him get up to one of those somewhat wobbly things. The, step steps around like, okay. Grabs his morning drink and breakfast and walks out the front door. About 10 minutes after he walks out, the, the cloaked figure is not walks down, but she's no longer cloaked. She's got more of a riding outfit on.

DM:

She's got the nice, knee high black boots, the riding pants, a nice shirt, you know, everything meant to actually spend a day out horseback riding. Hair all pulled back, and you know, this time you get a definite, ad rock. You get a definite idea that, nope. She's definitely elven because you could see the ears, the facial features, and everything else this time around. And as she's walking out, she looks she looks over at you and glances.

DM:

And then, after she makes eye contact with you, she simply rolls her eyes to the door and continues her motion to the door.

Adrok:

I, I I I say to Chip, pardon me, and I I stand and follow her out the door. Okay.

DM:

She goes, well, it would seem I have need of your service anyway. It seem as you're unfortunately, I have need of your service there. Age rock?

Adrok:

Indeed. How can I assist?

DM:

She goes, well, it would seem my companion was a no show, and I have concern for him. If you'd be so kind as to see if you could track down, Eric Melendez, I'd be greatly appreciated. He has a he has a shop just, just in the southern gate of Waterdeep. It holds curios and other curious items, mainly brought from sailors and, travelers from afar that he he collects and resells to locals. That's more of the, I would say, astute kind, but more of the, ones that have an eye for unique and odd things that can be found throughout the world.

DM:

Does this support Is

Adrok:

your is your companion generally tardy?

DM:

He is fashionably late, but he has never stood me up before.

Adrok:

And he was coming from Waterdeep to meet you here?

DM:

He was. Or I should say he is. Because what is your price, sir?

Adrok:

My price is favors. There will be a time where I have need of your of of something that you can help us with, and that will be what I ask of you.

DM:

That is curious. I would expect you would have been something as simple as as gold or silver, but now that is intriguing that you simply ask for a favor. I wonder if our meeting is fortuitous or something else. But, anyways, Adach, it is it was a meeting, and I do wish to hear something from you soon about my my friend and companion. And as your loud and boisterous companion that you traveled with seems to be so fond of,

Bowdin:

even Where is everybody?

DM:

You see Chip hanging out downstairs but Adox is nowhere to be found, but he goes, well not that one, but the human one. He goes, leave a message for me at the Yawning Portal. I will make sure that, I'll make sure that they know how to find me. I'll make sure one of the bartender or the staff knows how to get a hold of me. Have a good day, sir.

DM:

And she heads off to the, stable where her horse is.

Adrok:

I nod and, walk back inside to, my companions and say, to the dwarf, how do you feel?

Bowdin:

A little sore, but other than that, not too bad. Luckily, this ale is pretty weak. Yeah.

Adrok:

I, I'm I motion to our, companions, to Chip, and to

Bowdin:

No offense.

Adrok:

Bal Baldin. Okay. And I I I lean over and and speak quietly, and I say it it would appear, the hooded lady, has need of our services after all. She would like for us to, locate her companion. He is a merchant from Waterdeep.

Bowdin:

Good. I was heading there anyway. How about this? Apparently, the whiskey's on the way to Waterdeep. Let's go check out the whiskey and then head on up to Waterdeep.

Adrok:

It's the, so the the the distillery is, half a day's travel, towards Waterdeep. Hi. And,

DM:

Charlene's pipes there. She's like, not not really not exactly. It'll take you a little ways. Make your trip to Waterdeep a little bit further, but, he's a little bit more on the eastern reaches of, what's considered under the control of the of the water deep, but not not too far away. And that's where you hear Bromus speak up.

DM:

Are they act are they gonna look for harbor? And she's like, yeah. They are. Back and forth. He goes, well, tell them to bring my barrels.

Bowdin:

Your bells?

DM:

Barrels.

Bowdin:

Oh.

Adrok:

He wants his whiskey.

Bowdin:

Well, I don't know if we're coming back this way.

DM:

Well, tell Harborough that he's like, well, if you do find Harborough, at least tell him to to make us a top priority for the shipment.

Bowdin:

Of course.

DM:

Yeah. It's only 7

Bowdin:

You can have whatever's left.

DM:

Even you, good friend, could not drink all of all of the the kegs or the cask that we have being delivered.

Bowdin:

Challenge accepted. Oh, allheart. He's all All heckling.

DM:

Given that Midsummer is only 7 days away, it'd be a disappointment not to be able to celebrate with a his good batch and the shield meat. Once every 4 years, he had a special batch brewing for that.

Bowdin:

Alright. So And we gotta make sure that lady's boyfriend is found too, wherever the heck he is.

DM:

Yeah. So with that being said, it would seem like you guys have a couple different choices to go about your business, but

Bowdin:

Literal marching orders.

DM:

But before we do that, why don't everybody level up to level 2?

Bowdin:

Woo. Alright.

DM:

And given that you guys got a mysteries to, a couple mysteries to put in your hands, I'll, we'll go ahead and wrap up the session there, and we'll, figure out a time for the next meeting and continue on to with the mystery of the missing whiskey and the and the lost and the lost elven companion.

Bowdin:

Gosh,

Chip:

Scoob. Chip has warm and fuzzies. We're gonna help so many people and possibly get whiskey.

Bowdin:

Alright. Well, thanks. Thanks, Gary.

DM:

Thank you all for for allowing me to tell a story.

Bowdin:

Yeah. Thank you for allowing us to jump in with periodic shenanigans.

Chip:

Thank you all for teaching me.

Bowdin:

Oh, definitely a pleasure. And thank you for tolerating, my ongoing horrible accent.

DM:

Oh, I

Chip:

do my best.

DM:

And so ends episode 1. Tune in next time to see how our adventurers solve the case of the missing harbor whiskey. Will they be able to find the elf's missing companion? I'd like to thank you all for listening, and please look for episode 2 in 2 weeks.